cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomarkers for placental disease in mares.

Abstract Placentitis is an important cause of abortion, stillbirth, and neonatal death in horses. The diagnosis of placentitis is based on occurrence of clinical signs (premature mammary gland development and vulvar discharge) and ultrasonography of the caudal placental pole. However, early and subtle cases can be missed. In the last few years, several studies have provided objective means of diagnosing placentitis in mares with single or serial measurements of blood markers. Among the markers evaluated the steroids produced by the fetoplacental unit have been shown to change in association with placentitis. Mares with chronic placentitis have an increase in peripheral progestogens; however, mares acutely infected will display a reduction in peripheral concentrations of progestogens. Estradiol-17β (free- and conjugated form) concentrations are drastically reduced in plasma of mares with placentitis. Acute-phase proteins, particularly serum amyloid A, are increased in plasma of mares suffering from placentitis, and this increase is due to endometrial and chorioallantoic secretions, and minimally from the fetus. Alpha-fetoprotein, a protein expressed in the fetoplacental unit, was shown to be increased in plasma of mares suffering from placentitis. A plephora of microRNA have been identified in plasma and tissues of mares undergoing experimentally induced placentitis, but have not been tested in spontaneous cases. Unique proteomic signatures were found in the fetal fluids of mares undergoing experimentally induced ascending placentitis, making the fetal fluids potentially useful to diagnose placentitis in mares. However, currently the lack of use of transabdominal fetal fluid sampling prevents wide use of the fetal fluids as diagnostic techniques. This manuscript aimed to discuss recent discoveries regarding biomarkers for placentitis in mares.
Substance Misuse Training for Psychiatry Residents

Survey study of American Psychiatry residency programs to develop information on the extent to which psychiatrists are prepared in their professional education to identify and treat substance misusers. Results describing nature, format, and extent of training experiences are presented for didactic and patient contact components of programs. Results are discussed in light of the finding that not much time is devoted to substance misuse in the professional preparation of these health care providers.
“A Moment or a Movement” in News Coverage of Racial Issues

This chapter shows how the field of journalism about racial issues is broadening. It reaches beyond a print vs. online dichotomy to explore a taxonomy of journalism about race based on the values that underpin the three types. Traditional journalism, found in legacy newsrooms, is marked by its arms-length, “We publish, you read” relationship with audiences, and dedication to a conception of objectivity. Interactive Race Beat journalism is housed with Traditional outlets, but uses technology to widen and contextualize the discussion. The third paradigm, labeled Journalism 3.0, leverages social media to learn what the audience is talking about, cover those issues, and spotlight the voices of people living them. In this paradigm, the audience both helps set the news agenda and participates in storytelling.
Supporting Manuscript Translation in Library and Archival Collections: Toward Decolonial Translation Methods

Using the example of the Cherokee syllabary, this chapter makes the case for the necessity of Decolonial translation methods to ensure that indigenous materials are archived in and on indigenous terms. Decolonial translation methods, Cushman points out, are designed to honor indigenous interpretations and representations of the past, and are continuous with ongoing language preservation efforts in indigenous communities.
Debugging SYCL Programs on Heterogeneous Intel® Architectures

Intel recently announced a large initiative named oneAPI that provides a direct programming model based on SYCL. As part of the oneAPI distribution, we developed a debugger that can be used for debugging SYCL programs that offload kernels to CPU, GPU, or FPGA emulator devices. The debugger is based on GDB. It allows programmers to inspect the host and kernel portion of their SYCL programs seamlessly in the same debug session. To realize the debugger, we made enhancements to GDB including SIMD-based thread views and C++-related improvements. In this work we present the general architecture of the debugger, provide a sample session of how it can be used to debug a SYCL kernel running on a GPU, and discuss the encountered and anticipated challenges during the development phase. Currently a beta version of the debugger is publicly available.
Sequential introduction of a multistep testing algorithm and nucleic acid amplification testing leading to an increase in Clostridioides difficile detection and a trend toward increased strain diversity.

Background:Most clinical microbiology laboratories have replaced toxin immunoassay (EIA) alone with multistep testing (MST) protocols or nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) alone for the detection of C. difficile.Objective:Study the effect of changing testing strategies on C. difficile detection and strain diversity.Design:Retrospective study.Setting:A Veterans’ Affairs hospital.Methods:Initially, toxin EIA testing was replaced by an MST approach utilizing a glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and toxin EIA followed by tcdB NAAT for discordant results. After 18 months, MST was replaced by a NAAT-only strategy. Available patient stool specimens were cultured for C. difficile. Restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) strain typing and quantitative in vitro toxin testing were performed on recovered isolates.Results:Before MST (toxin EIA), 79 of 708 specimens (11%) were positive, and after MST (MST-A), 121 of 517 specimens (23%) were positive (P < .0001). Prior to NAAT-only testing (MST-B), 80 of the 490 specimens (16%) were positive by MST, and after NAAT-only testing was implemented, 67 of the 368 specimens (18%) were positive (P = nonsignificant). After replacing toxin EIA testing, REA strain group diversity increased (8, 13, 13, and 10 REA groups in the toxin EIA, MST-A, MST-B, and NAAT-only periods, respectively) and in vitro toxin concentration decreased. The average log10 toxin concentration of the isolates were 2.08, 1.88, 1.20 and 1.55 ng/mL for the same periods, respectively.Conclusions:MST and NAAT had similar detection rates for C. difficile. Compared to toxin testing alone, they detected increased diversity of C. difficile strains, many of which were low toxin producing.
Stony the road we trod: towards racial justice in kidney care.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Movement for Black Lives have focused attention on racial disparities in kidney health outcomes. In 2020, kidney professionals highlighted threats posed by racism and other negative social drivers of kidney health, and proposed solutions to address these issues through scholarship and advocacy for social justice.
Split Staphylococcus aureus prime editor for AAV delivery

Abstract Prime editing brings immense promise to correct a large number of human pathogenic mutations and enact diverse edit types without introducing widespread undesired editing events. Delivery of prime editors in vivo would enable such edits to be introduced in a clinical setting. The coding sequence for prime editor, however, is too large to fit within the size-constrained adeno-associated virus (AAV) genome. Herein, we describe a split Staphylococcus aureus prime editor capable of being delivered by dual AAVs. We characterize the editing ability of plasmid-based versions of an S. aureus prime editor in vitro at a variety of loci with diverse edit types. We investigate various split prime editor architectures and alternative dimerization domains. Finally, we demonstrate the capacity of prime editor to be co-delivered by dual AAVs in vitro. While editing rates are lower than desired, this approach presents an important step to translate prime editing for in vivo delivery.
Serving Students Takes a Toll: Self-Care, Health, and Professional Quality of Life

The purpose of this study was to assess the health impact of professional quality of life and self-care on student services professionals. Results of an online survey indicate that health-related q...
‘Phubbing is happening to you’: examining predictors and effects of phubbing behaviour in friendships

Phubbing is the act of snubbing someone during face-to-face interactions by using smartphones instead of paying attention to them. Although studies have examined phubbing in many different relation...
An Object-Oriented Interface to The Sparse Polyhedral Library

Many important applications including machine learning, molecular dynamics, and computational fluid dynamics, use sparse data. Processing sparse data leads to non-affine loop bounds and frustrates the use of the polyhedral model for code transformation. The Sparse Polyhedral Framework (SPF) addresses limitations of the Polyhedral model by supporting non-affine constraints in sets and relations using uninterpreted functions. This work contributes an object-oriented API that wraps the SPF intermediate representation (IR) and integrates the Inspector/Executor Generation Library and Omega+ for precise set and relation manipulation and code generation. The result is a well-specified definition of a full computation using the SPF IR. The API provides a single entry point for tools to interact with the SPF, generate and manipulate polyhedral data flow graphs, and transform sparse applications.
Sustainable Gardening across the Curriculum

In this chapter we describe some of the reported benefits of food growing at school, linking food growing to the purposes and content of the Australian and New Zealand Curriculums. We also provide examples of ways in which classroom teachers can use the garden as a teaching resource not only in a cross-curricular way but also in a manner that explores the Australian Curriculum conceptualisation of sustainability, the New Zealand curriculum principle of future focus, and the value of ecological sustainability
Perceiving Phonetic Segments

Publisher Summary Speech belongs to a natural class of acoustic patterns about which little is known—namely, patterns structured over time by mechanical events-such as a footstep on gravel, a hand crumpling paper, a glass bottle bouncing or breaking. However, there are reasons to believe that speech may also be distinctive in some deeper sense than this, and that it may engage distinctive perceptual mechanisms. First, the speech signal is the primary carrier of a language and is rich in information not only about the abstract phonological structure of an utterance, but also about its syntactic and semantic structure. To perceive speech is to apprehend this structure, an act that can only be accomplished by a listener who knows a language. Just what the listener knows is very much the question. However, he must, at least, know the abstract linguistic units that compose the message-whether words, morphemes or phonemes-and he must know how such units are realized in the signal. No other natural sound, as far as the author knows, conveys so complex an abstract message. A second and simpler reason for suspecting that the speech signal may be uniquely related to the human perceptual apparatus is that each speaker of a particular language can readily reproduce sounds uttered by another. The repetition may be far from an acoustically exact imitation, and yet be perceived as a repetition, only strengthens the hypothesis by emphasizing that more than mere acoustic identity is involved.
Maximizing data rate over M-input/1-output channels

We focus on transmit diversity schemes for a communication system with M transmit antennas and one receive antenna (i.e. an M-input/single-output (MISO) system) where the transmitter knows all these M channels, and we derive a transmission scheme that maximizes the data rate, in an information-theoretic sense, that can be reliably transmitted over this MISO channel. An important example of the type of system we consider is a cellular wireless system on the downlink with M transmit antennas at the base station and one receive antenna at the mobile station. Our main result is the identification of the structure of the capacity-achieving transmitter. The capacity-achieving transmitter can be broken into two parts: (I) an optimal encoder for a single-input/single-output (SISO) channel, and (II) an M-dimensional matched filter. We show that the M-dimensional matched filter turns the original MISO channel into a SISO channel with exactly the same capacity as the capacity of the original MISO channel, and the 1-dimensional encoder is just the well known optimal encoder of Gallager (1966) for the SISO channel created by the M-dimensional matched filter. We also derive a closed-form expression for the channel capacity of MISO channels which is valid under a rather general set of assumptions: (1) each channel can be dispersive or flat, and (2) the additive noise at the receiver can be a Gaussian process with arbitrary power spectrum. In a typical urban environment, to achieve 1% block error rate at 4 Mbits/second, the MISO system with our transmission scheme requires 10 dB less SNR than today's SISO system.
Enzymes of glucose catabolism in hydra. II. Application of microfluorometric analyses to patterns of enzyme localization.

Abstract The localization of two NADPH-producing enzymes was studied in Hydra littoralis by adaptation of the microfluorometric methods of Lowry et al. Individual hydra were frozen, dried, and dissected into 30–50 sections weighing from 0.1 to 0.8 μg dry weight, and were assayed for specific activity. In nonbudding, monopolar hydra glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) was 20–100% more active in the areas of the hypostome and base than in the mid-portion of the animal. Conversely, isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) activity was 20–200% higher in the mid-portion than at the hypostome or base. A similar distribution of G6PDH and ICDH was found in hydra during the initiation of bud development. Likewise, this same distribution of G6PDH occurred in a bipolar mutant hydra, but ICDH in this animal was not localized.
Influence of the dynamic access resistance in the g/sub m/ and f/sub T/ linearity of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

The decrease of transconductance g/sub m/ and current gain cutoff frequency f/sub T/ at high drain current levels in AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) severely limits the linearity and power performance of these devices at high frequencies. In this paper, the increase of the differential source access resistance r/sub s/, with drain current is shown to play an important role in the fall of g/sub m/ and f/sub T/. The increase of r/sub s/ occurs due to the quasi-saturation of the electron velocity in the source region of the channel at electric fields higher than 10 kV/cm. This has been confirmed by both experimental measurements and two-dimensional drift-diffusion simulations. Through simulations, we have identified HEMT structures with source implanted regions (or n/sup ++/ cap layers) as good candidates in order to increase the linearity of the g/sub m/ and f/sub T/ versus current profile.
Identification and characterization of 4-methylbenzyl 4-[(pyrimidin-2-ylamino)methyl]piperidine-1-carboxylate, an orally bioavailable, brain penetrant NR2B selective N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist.

The discovery of a novel series of NR2B subtype selective N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists is reported. Initial optimization of a high-throughput screening lead afforded an aminopyridine derivative 13 with significant NR2B antagonist potency but limited selectivity over hERG-channel and other off-target activities. Further structure−activity studies on the aminoheterocycle moiety and optimization of the carbamate led to the highly potent 2-aminopyrimidine derivative 20j with a significantly improved off-target activity profile and oral bioavailability in multiple species coupled with good brain penetration. Compound 20j demonstrated efficacy in in vivo rodent models of antinociception, allodynia, and Parkinson's disease.
A unified approach to quantum dynamical maps and gaussian Wigner distributions

Abstract The KLM conditions are conditions that are necessary and sufficient for a phase-space function to be a Wigner distribution function (WDF). We apply them here to discuss three questions that have arisen recently: (1) For which WDFs P0 will the map P→P 0 ∗P be a quantum dynamical map - i.e. a map that takes WDFs to WDFs? (2) What are necessary and sufficient conditions for a phase-space gaussian to be a WDF? (3) Are there non-gaussian, non-negative WDFs?
Photocatalytic fixation of nitrogen by aqueous suspensions of silver iodide

The photodecomposition of AgI is but one of the many transformations which natural, anthropogenic and artificial aerosols undergo under light. Our aim here is to show that UV photolysis of AgI is accompanied by the fixation of N2, whether it occurs in an atmosphere of that gas or in air.
Permanganate oxidation of sorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) that contaminate soils at many industrial and government sites are resistant to natural biotic and abiotic degradation processes. The recalcitrant nature of these compounds may require aggressive chemical treatment to effectively remediate these sites. This study was conducted to assess the viability of permanganate oxidative treatment as a method to reduce PAH concentration in contaminated soils. Study results demonstrated a reduction in soil sorbed concentration for a mixture of six PAHs that included anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, and pyrene by potassium permanganate (KMnO4) oxidative treatment. The greatest reduction in soil concentration was observed for benzo(a)pyrene, pyrene, phenanthrene, and anthracene at 72.1, 64.2, 56.2, and 53.8%, respectively, in 30 min at a KMnO4 concentration of 160 mM. Minimal reductions in fluoranthene and chrysene concentration were observed at 13.4 and 7.8%, respectively, under the same conditions. A relative chemical reactivity order of benzo(a)pyrene>pyrene>phenanthrene>anthracene>fluoranthene>chrysene towards permanganate ion was observed. Aromatic sextet theory was applied to the degradation results to explain the highly variable and compound-specific chemical reactivity order.
Functional Home Programs: A Model for Therapists.

A model is described which can assist occupational and physical therapists in developing functional home programs with families of children with significant physical disabilities. A case study was employed to illustrate the application of the Family Daily Routine model (Vincent, Salisbury, Laten, & Baumgart, 1979) and a method whereby specific therapy goals could be addressed by parents and siblings. By assessing the typical routine within a family and working collaboratively to identify naturally occurring teaching opportunities, parents can reinforce program plan objectives without significant disruption to family activities. The position of the model within the greater scope of home-school partnerships was also addressed.
Mapping 3‐D multi‐attribute data into HLS color space — Applications to Vinton Dome, LA

Seismic interpreters and processors encounter everincreasing volumes of seismic data each year. Processors are faced with analyzing common offset and azimuth volumes, acquisition azimuth volumes, time-lapse volumes, and multicomponent volumes. Processors also need to quality control traveltime, velocity, and subsurface illumination volumes. Interpreters are faced with cubes of AVO, coherence, spectral components, dip, azimuth, attenuation, and interval velocity. To partially address this challenge, we have exploited the HLS color model and developed a suite of compositing algorithms to display 2 or more of these cubes simultaneously into a single indexed color volume. Some of these ideas have been presented before, but have not been embraced by the commercial interpretation software community. We demonstrate the capabilities of such compositing algorithms in attribute analysis, seismic modeling, seismic processing, and seismic imaging applied to a prospect over Vinton Dome, LA.
Action Research in a World of Positivist-Oriented Review Boards

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) were created with positivistic research designs in mind, making the review process unsuited for most research efforts characterized as action research (AR). With the possibility that more IRBs will be created and that the definition of research will be expanded, certain types of research that falls under the umbrella of AR will be scrutinized. Specifically, the difficulty is for action research characterized by focus group or participatory research settings. The issues examined by the IRB such as voluntary participation, confidentiality, and risk to the participant are debatable for action research and need to be negotiated or perhaps reconsidered. Unless these issues are resolved, researchers may be reluctant to use this model in the future and AR will be marginalized. Recommendations are made to guide future efforts.
Structure of the O-antigen of pseudomonas syringae PV. phaseolicola strain NPS 3121

Abstract The structure of the O-antigen portion of the lipopolysaccharide isolated from the bean pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola strain NPS 3121 has been determined by chemical and n.m.r.-spectral analysis. The polysaccharide consists of a repeating unit of alternating 2- and 3- O -sustituted α- d -rhamnopyranosyl residues with every second 3- O -substituted d -rhamnose also substituted at O-4 with a terminal α- d -fucofuranosyl group.
Examination of Sex Ratios and Mating Habits of Ips avulsus and I. calligraphus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

The sex ratio of brood bark beetles is usually 1:1 (males:females), whereas the sex ratio of attacking beetles often favors the female. This situation occurs for many Ips species which are polygamous. I. calligraphus (Germar) was found to closely follow this pattern. The proportion of males to total beetles which emerged and reemerged was 0.465 and 0.284, respectively. These proportions correspond to a 1:1 sex ratio for brood adults and a 1:3 sex ratio for attacking adults. Thirty-nine nuptial chambers were examined and had an average of 3.05 egg galleries per nuptial chamber. The proportion of I. avulsus (Eichhoff) males to total beetles which emerged and reemerged was 0.468 and 0.522, respectively. Both proportions correspond to a 1:1 sex ratio. However, the average number of egg galleries per nuptial chamber was 2.91. I. avulsus males and females frequently paired off, leaving the nuptial chamber open for use by other beetles. Therefore, I. avulsus males may be able to adjust their mating behavior to accommodate the appropriate number of females.
Impact of Race on Colorectal Cancer

Abstract Background Several studies have shown that colorectal cancer runs a more severe course in blacks compared with whites. Black patients tend to have more advanced disease at diagnosis and are more likely to die of cancer than are white patients. The present study was carried out to compare the characteristics and outcomes of colon cancer in blacks and whites in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where patients are expected to receive similar treatment irrespective of race. Methods The database of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center was searched for all patients with a histologic diagnosis of colon cancer diagnosed since 1996. Detailed information on patient and tumor characteristics was obtained. In addition the type of treatment and outcome was analyzed. Results A total of 300 subjects were included in the study. They comprised 205 white and 95 black patients. There was no difference in age at presentation between the 2 groups. Blacks were more likely to have anemia ( P = .005) and rectal bleeding ( P Conclusions There was no racial difference in the treatment outcome of colon cancer in patients treated at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. These findings indicate that if patients receive similar treatment, the racial background of an individual does not have any impact on the severity of disease at presentation and the outcome of treatment.
Identifying isochronous traffic using packet interarrival times: a feasibility study

An algorithm was developed with the goal of automatically recognizing isochronous traffic in a packet switched network. Designed with constant bit rate traffic in mid, this algorithm examines the interarrival times between packets in flows classifying as isochronous those flows that have both an average inter arrival times between packets in flows classifying is isochronous those flows that have both an average interarrival time consistent with an isochronous application and sufficiently low variance for interarrival times. The algorithm was analyzed based on a priori considerations and was then applied to actual traffic in an effort to characterize the parameters for appropriate use. Traffic flows from several common isochronous applications were examined focusing on common CODECs. From a priori considerations, the algorithm has the desirable characteristics of building intelligence into the network and being purely local to the individual switch or router on which it is installed while totally transparent to other equipment. While the approach appears sound in general principle, the isochronous applications examined show a much higher degree of variability in packet rates than expected. Moreover, most common applications seem to be shifting to CODECs that produce variable bit rate traffic. Thus, using the algorithm with such applications would require a st of threshold parameters that would likely result in a high misclassification rate.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The HMG-domain protein Ixr1 blocks excision repair of cisplatin-DNA adducts in yeast.

Ixr1 is a yeast HMG-domain protein which binds the major DNA adducts of the antitumor drug cisplatin. Previous work demonstrated that Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells lacking the IXR1 gene were two-fold less sensitive to cisplatin treatment than wild-type cells, and the present investigation reveals a six-fold difference in yeast having a different background. The possibility that the lower cytotoxicity of cisplatin in the ixrl strain is the result of enhanced repair was investigated in rad1, rad2, rad4, rad6, rad9, rad10, rad14 and rad52 backgrounds. In three of the excision repair mutants, rad2, rad4 and rad14, the differential sensitivity caused by removing the Ixr1 protein was nearly abolished. This result demonstrates that the greater cisplatin resistance in the ixrl strain is most likely a consequence of excision repair, supporting the theory that Ixr1 and other HMG-domain proteins can block repair of the major cisplatin-DNA adducts in vivo. The differential sensitivity of wild-type cells and those lacking Ixr1 persisted in the rad1 and rad10 strains, however, indicating that these two proteins act at a stage in the excision repair pathway where damage recognition is less critical. A model is proposed to account for these results, which is strongly supported recently identified functional roles for the rad excision repair gene products. A rad52 mutant was more sensitive to cisplatin than the RAD52 parental strain, which reveals that Rad52, a double-strand break repair protein, repairs cisplatin-DNA adducts, probably interstrand cross-links. A rad52 ixrl strain was less sensitive to cisplatin than the rad52 IXR1 strain, consistent with Ixr1 not blocking repair of cisplatin adducts removed by Rad52, rad6 strains behaved similarly, except they were both substantially more sensitive to cisplatin. Interruption of the RAD9 gene, which is involved in DNA-damage-induced cell cycle arrest, had no affect on cisplatin cytotoxicity.
Cerebrospinal fluid findings in children with Lyme disease-associated facial nerve palsy.

Objective: To determine the relative frequency of abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings in children with Lyme disease—associated facial nerve palsy. Design: A clinical series. A prospective evaluation was undertaken of the condition of children seen between 1988 and 1996 at a single medical center in a Lyme disease endemic area. Patients: Forty children (24 boys and 16 girls, aged 3-19 years) with new onset facial nerve palsy who met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention case definition of Lyme disease. Interventions: Neurologic examinations. Cerebrospinal fluid analyses. Main Outcome Measures: Rates of abnormal CSF findings: white blood cell count, protein level, and Borrelia burgdorferi —specific CSF assays. Results: Cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell count, protein level, or both were abnormal in 27 (68%) of the children. Thirty-six (90%) of the 40 children had a CSF abnormality consistent with central nervous system infection or immune involvement by B burgdorferi . Of the 22 children with CSF pleocytosis, only 7 (32%) had headache and none had meningeal signs. Conclusions: Most children with Lyme disease—associated facial nerve palsy have CSF abnormalities. Our studies indicate that, in endemic areas, facial nerve palsy in children may be a marker of Lyme disease and occult meningitis. When Lyme disease is suspected, CSF should be examined; in some cases, it may be helpful to expand beyond routine CSF studies to look at a battery of B burgdorferi —specific assays. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997;151:1224-1228.
Implications of fossil conifers for the phylogenetic relationships of living families

Fossils have played a central role in our understanding of the evolution of conifers. Interpretation of the seed cone as a compound strobilus and the homologies of the ovuliferous scales of modern conifers with the axillary dwarf shoot of Pennsylvanian forms are based on fossils. Similarly, early evolutionary trends involving the reduction, fusion, and planation of the fertile and sterile elements of the axillary dwarf shoot, leading to structures characteristic of modern families, are documented in Late Permian and Triassic conifers. However, a phylogeny elucidating the derivation of modern families from fossil forms based on shared derived features has been elusive.
Military History and Fourth Generation Warfare

Abstract This article examines ‘Fourth Generation Warfare’ (4GW), a theory of how warfare has evolved and is evolving, from the perspective of military history. The author makes three primary claims: 4GW advocates' boxing of history into ‘generations’ is logically and temporally inconsistent; 4GW authors misuse history by selectively choosing case studies and applying them out of context; and other arguments regarding the current and future character of warfare are more convincing. The author concludes that scholars and policymakers would be well served by considering elements of 4GW, particularly its analysis of insurgency, but that the concept should be subsumed by a broader US grand strategy that retains a strong focus on preparation for conventional warfare.
EXAFS and reflectivity studies of surfaces and interfaces using glancing angle x-rays

X-rays at glancing angles have a short controllable penetration depth which can be used to advantage in studying surfaces and interfaces. Data are presented for Cu-Al and Ag-Au bilayers which demonstrate the utility of x-ray reflectivity and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements. X-ray reflectivity measurements are sensitive to layer thickness and interface roughness, while the EXAFS probes the atomic scale envir'onment of the interface atoms. As the samples are annealed clear changes are observed in both techniques indicative of the growth of interfacial CuAl2 for the Cu-Al samples and interdiffusion for Ag-Au. Interface sensitivity is verified for the Cu-Al samples by the observations that the EXAFS signal changes from Cu-like to CuAl2-like with the growth of ~ 100 A of CuAl2. Quantitative fits to the x-ray reflectivity data are used to obtain interface roughness, and indicate that the growing CuAl2 layer has a roughness comparable to its thickness. This is consistent with compound growth proceeding predominantly along grain boundaries.
Ibotenic acid-induced lesions of the medial preoptic area/anterior hypothalamus enhance the display of progesterone-facilitated lordosis in male rats

Electrical lesions of the medial preoptic area/anterior hypothalamus (MPOA/AH) have been reported to enhance the display of steroid-induced lordosis in castrated male rats. This study employed the cell body-specific neurotoxin, ibotenic acid, to ascertain whether neurons originating in this region (as opposed to axons of passage) tonically inhibit steroid-induced lordosis in adult male rats. Castrated, adult Long-Evans males received bilateral electrical lesions or injections of ibotenic acid or vehicle aimed at the MPOA/AH. Following administration of estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone, lordosis quotients (LQs) and lordosis ratings (LRs) were significantly higher in groups of rats with electrical lesions (LQ = 62.2 +/- 15.1; LR = 1.22 +/- 0.34) and ibotenic acid-induced lesions (LQ = 58.1 +/- 12.2; LR = 0.99 +/- 0.24) than in the control group (LQ = 12.8 +/- 7.3; LR = 0.22 +/- 0.13). To determine whether this enhancement of receptive behavior in MPOA/AH-lesioned males was an effect on estradiol-induced, as compared to progesterone-facilitated lordosis, groups of castrated rats in a second experiment received bilateral injections of ibotenic acid or vehicle aimed at the MPOA/AH and were tested for lordosis after administration of EB alone and again after injection of progesterone. Following treatment with EB alone, rats with ibotenic acid-induced MPOA/AH lesions tended to be slightly less receptive than control animals. However, following injections of progesterone, LQs and LRs were higher in the MPOA/AH-lesioned group than in the control animals, as had been observed in the first experiment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
First flash and second vacuum

I propose that history is a network of quantum jumps. The universe begins as a single point. It multiplies by fission into a chaotic but causally ordered phase of indeterminate dimensionality. This in turn condenses into our ambient vacuum. Only then does inertia arise, as a macroscopic quantum effect.
Effects of Strain State and Strain Rate on Deformation-Induced Transformation in 304 Stainless Steel: Part II. Microstructural Study

The γ→α transformation in 304 stainless steel was induced by plastic deformation under various conditions of strain, strain state, and strain rate, and the transformation microstructures were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nucleation of α martensite embryos was always confined to microscopic shear band (faults, twins, and e-martensite) intersections. In cases where shear bands consisted of bundles of intermixed faults, twins, and e-martensite, α nucleated preferentially only within specific portions of the intersection volume. At sufficiently large strains α appeared to grow into polyhedral shapes. We postulate that growth occurs by repeated nucleation of new α embryos and coalescence of such embryos into polyhedral shapes. These shapes can grow either within an active slip plane or out of it, depending on how many shear band intersections are produced during deformation. Actual measurements of the number of intersections indicated that more intersections are formed in biaxial tension per unit effective strain than in uniaxial tension. This accounts for the more irregular, blocky α morphology observed in biaxial tension. At high strain rates we also found an increase in the number of intersections. However, adiabatic heating at large strains and high rates restricts repeated nucleation and coalescence and limits the amount of α transformation product.
Response of unirradiated and neutron-irradiated vanadium alloys to Charpy-impact loading

Abstract The ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) was determined by Charpy-impact tests for dehydrogenated (
Characterization of the human neurocan gene, CSPG3

Abstract Neurocan is a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan thought to be involved in the modulation of cell adhesion and migration. Its sequence has been determined previously in rat and mouse (Rauch et al., 1992. Cloning and primary structure of neurocan, a developmentally regulated, aggregating, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan of the brain. J. Biol. Chem. 267, 19536–19547; Rauch et al., 1995. Structure and chromosomal location of the mouse neurocan gene. Genomics 28, 405–410). We describe here the complete coding sequence of the human neurocan mRNA, known as CSPG3, as well as mapping data, expression analysis, and genomic structure. A cDNA known as CP-1 was initially sequenced as part of a gene discovery project focused on characterizing chromosome 19-specific cDNAs. Sequence homology searches indicated close homology to the mouse and rat proteoglycan, neurocan (GenBank accession Nos X84727 and M97161). Northern analysis identified a brain-specific transcript of approx. 7.5 kb. A longer cDNA clone, GT-5, was obtained, fine-mapped to the physical map of chromosome 19 by hybridization to a chromosome-specific cosmid library, and sequenced. Full coding sequence of the mRNA indicates a 3963 bp open reading frame corresponding to a 1321 amino acid protein, similar to the protein length found in mouse and rat. The amino acid sequence of human neurocan shows 63% identity with both the mouse and rat sequences. Finally, genomic sequencing of a cosmid containing the complete neurocan gene was performed to determine the genomic structure of the gene, which spans approx. 41 kb, and is transcribed in the telomere to centromere orientation.
Making On-Line Search Available in an Industrial Research Environment.

On-line interactive searching of several information bases through several service operators was introduced in an industrial research environment. Thorough knowledge of the information base and its structure in the search system is a major factor for successful searching, and differences among search systems do not present serious barriers. This new technique was most effectively used when the information specialist and the scientist searched as a team. On-line searching is now an established search tool at Exxon Research and Engineering Company.
Threshold stresses in amorphous alloys—II. Structural relaxation

Abstract Early investigations of structural change in amorphous alloys found stress independent relaxation kinetics. The results of this study indicate that this stress independence only occurs above some stress threshold and that for applied stresses below this critical value the relaxation proceeds at a much slower rate. The existence of this threshold suggests a mechanism for structural relaxation based on shear type rearrangements.
Combined MOS and radiochemical analysis of impurities in SiO2 on Si

Abstract Thermal oxide several thousand angstroms thick on Si is the basis of Si integrated circuits. Si surface has nearly ideal properties but always tends toward n-type. At elevated temperatures or with voltage across oxide, Si surface potential (φ) changes. It is of interest to determine to what extent these changes are intrinsic to the system. Na impurity has been identified by neutron activation to be in “clean” oxide at ppm concentrations, sufficient to cause observed electrical shifts (δφ). Combined field effect electrical measurements (Metal/Oxide/Si = MOS) and radiochemical analysis on the same samples relates impurity distributions in oxide with δφ · Na and φ correlate in diffusion. Anion drag is seen. It is inferred that Na is neutralized within oxide except within a few 100 A of Si. A part of the observed Na distribution can be drifted in an electric field. Na drifted to the Si interface correlates with δφ. Subsequent electrical recovery of φ is much faster than Na out-drift, indicating charge exchange controls electrical recovery rate. Na does not influence φ in oxides in which phosphorus has been diffused to concentrations greater than that of Na.
Microfluidic Electrochemical Array for Detection of Reactive Metabolites Formed by Cytochrome P450 Enzymes

A novel, simple, rapid microfluidic array using bioelectronically driven cytochrome P450 enzyme catalysis for reactive metabolite screening is reported for the first time. The device incorporates an eight-electrode screen-printed carbon array coated with thin films of DNA, [Ru(bpy)2(PVP)10](ClO4) {RuPVP}, and rat liver microsomes (RLM) as enzyme sources. Catalysis features electron donation to cyt P450 reductase in the RLMs and subsequent cyt P450 reduction while flowing an oxygenated substrate solution past sensor electrodes. Metabolites react with DNA in the film if they are able, and damaged DNA is detected by catalytic square wave voltammetry (SWV) utilizing the RuPVP polymer. The microfluidic device was tested for a set of common pollutants known to form DNA-reactive metabolites. Logarithmic turnover rates based on SWV responses gave excellent correlation with the rodent liver TD50 toxicity metric, supporting the utility of the device for toxicity screening. The microfluidic array gave much better S/...
The Thomsonian Movement, the Regular Profession, and the State in Antebellum Connecticut: A Case Study of the Repeal of Early Medical Licensing Laws

The Thomsonian movement, founded by Samuel Thomson, was the first major challenge to the therapies and the social and economic standing of the orthodox medical profession in the United States. In the late-eighteenth or early-nineteenth century, many states chartered a state medical society with power to administer a licensing law that placed at least a nominal penalty on practicing without a license. However, in the 1830s and 1840s, under pressure by proponents of the Thomsonian system, almost all legislatures reversed themselves and removed all restrictions on medical practice. This paper reexamines the rise and fall of medical licensing using Connecticut as a case study. Antebellum legislative controversies over licensing have never been described in detail at the state level--where the drama took place--integrating the perspectives of both the medical regulars and Thomsonian botanical physicians, and state politics. Connecticut is a particularly useful case study because, except for New York, its seven-year battle from 1836 to 1842 over the medical society's charter was the most protracted in the country. How was the campaign structured? To what extent did the licensing restrictions matter? What role did the state-level Democratic party play? Thomsonianism in Connecticut, I suggest, was more professionalized and conservative than historians have often portrayed this movement. This account shows that the state's Thomsonian physicians were not anti-professional or opposed to education, but rather used the politics of the antebellum era to challenge the medical law and legitimize themselves as an alternative form of practice.
Contribution of vascular smooth muscle to contractile responses of guinea-pig isolated lung parenchymal strips☆

Parenchymal strips, isolated from the guinea-pig lung, were stimulated transmurally at different electrical frequencies in vitro. Frequency-response analyses for contraction were obtained on paired strips in the absence or presence of antagonists. Tetrodotoxin was shown to block the effects of electrical stimulation, demonstrating that the contractile response was due to activation of efferent neurons in the tissue. Phentolamine, 10(-5) M, and atropine, 10(-6) M, antagonists demonstrated to be selective for blocking alpha-adrenergic and muscarinic receptors, respectively, produced inhibition of the contractile effects of electrical stimulation. When analyzed at the level of the frequency required to produce a contraction equal to 10% of the maximum produced by histamine, the EF10, the frequency-response curves were shifted 3- to 4-fold to the right by each receptor antagonist. Combination of the two receptor antagonists produced a greater degree of blockade than either alone and, at the maximum frequency utilized (32 Hz), the contractile response did not reach the EF10 in al tissues. Propranolol, 10(-6) M, did not alter the effects of electrical stimulation, but increased the magnitude of contraction produced by exogenously applied norepinephrine. In tissues taken from reserpine-pretreated animals, phentolamine did not produce a statistically significant change in EF10 for electrical stimulation. The data provide evidence that both vascular and airway smooth muscles are present and contribute to contractile responses in the guinea-pig lung parenchymal strip.
Isolation of a Dicationic Platinum Complex with Two Accessible Coordination Sites

The dicationic Pt complex [(tBu2bpy)Pt](NTf2)2·1/2C6H6 (tBu2bpy = 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine, NTf2– = N(SO2CF3)2–) has been isolated and characterized. The new complex is supported by a simple bidentate bipyridine ligand and weakly coordinating, easily displaced triflimidate counterions. The Pt salt is competent for allylic C–H activation in aprotic, nonpolar media.
Insomnia in the Elderly: Treatment with Flurazepam Hydrochloride

Under sleep-laboratory control, the efficacy of flurazepam hydrochloride (15 mg) was evaluated in 6 women (age range, 67-82 years) with objectively verified insomnia. A 15-night, single-blind, crossover procedure was followed. Sleep records obtained during 3 placebo-baseline nights, 7 consecutive flurazepam nights, and 3 placebo-withdrawal nights were evaluated by means of electroencephalographic, electro-oculographic, and electromyographic criteria. A statistically significant reduction in sleep latency and total awake time and a corresponding increase in total sleep time (P less than 0.05) were demonstrated during the active drug period. No evidence of diminishing effectiveness was observed during the 7 days of drug administration. For the rapid-eye-movement (REM) stage, a significant decrease (P less than 0.05) in mean REM percent was noted during the drug period despite an increase in mean absolute REM time. No REM rebound occurred upon drug withdrawal. There were no significant changes in mean percentages for stages 3 and 4 during the drug period and the withdrawal period. Adverse reactions were rare (chiefly some daytime drowsiness in 2 subjects).
Design, synthesis and pharmacology of cannabimimetic indoles

Molecular modeling has been employed to design a new group of cannabimimetic 1-alkyl-2-methyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indoles. Cannabinoid activity was evaluated in vivo in the mouse and in vitro by determining the binding to the cannabinoid receptor. Maximum activity was found for the 1-butyl, pentyl and hexyl analogs. A rationalization for the alignment of these indoles with traditional cannabinoids is presented.
Examination of charge alternation in CH 4 and CH 3 F from ab initio LCAO SCF MO wavefunctions and their localized bond orbitals

The question of whether or not fluorine substitution produces charge alternation is examined for CH4 and CH3F. Two sets of ab initio LCAO SCF MO wavefunctions (one a 3 G STO based one, the other a double zeta based one) are analyzed via charge density, localized CH bond moment, and population analysis calculations. Although both sets of wavefunctions show a slightly more negative H region in CH3F relative to CH4, in qualitative agreement with earlier work by Pople et al., the differences are small, and their sources are not clear. For example, in the 3 G calculations the CH localized orbital is the essential source of the increased density in CH3F, while for the double zeta calculations the increased density is due to the tail of an F lone-pair orbital trans to the CH bond. Consideration of details of these studies as well as those from large STO based SCF MO wavefunctions by Arrighini et al., suggests that one will need very accurate wavefunctions to resolve the problem unambiguously.