cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Pregnancy on the Chemical Composition of Human Dentin

The effect of pregnancy upon the teeth has been the subject of much interest in the past. Karlstrom (11) reported that the percentage of ash, calcium and phosphorus of the incisor teeth of rats after delivery did not differ from those of control animals. He concluded that his findings did not confirm the popular idea that the chemical composition of the teeth may undergo a change during pregnancy. It should be noted that the animals were fed a mixed diet, which probably contained sufficient amounts of all the necessary food elements. Toverud (18) made a similar study but kept the rats, during the gestation period, on a diet that was deficient in calcium and vitamin D. He found that the percentage of ash, calcium and phosphorus of the incisor teeth progressively decreased as a result of successive pregnancies. The values obtained for the animals carried through pregnancy were markedly lower than those of the non-pregnant controls kept on a similar diet. Rosebury and Foley (14) reported a study in which the pregnant rats were fed a diet deficient in calcium and vitamin D. They found by histological examination that the incisors and molars were defectively calcified. The incisors were affected to a greater degree than the molars. The addition of an adequate amount of vitamin D to this diet did not completely prevent defective calcification of the teeth. In connection with these studies it should be noted that, instead of withdrawal of calcium and phosphorus, the result of pregnancy may have been to decrease the rate of deposition of these elements in the teeth. Furthermore, the changes in the composition of the incisors of rats may not be applicable to the fully formed teeth of humans, since the incisors of rats are teeth of persistent growth. An analysis of the reports based on clinical observation reveals a difference in the conclusions regarding the relationship between pregnancy and the teeth. Ziskin (20) in a study of 599 pregnant women and 205 non-pregnant women found that the former group, examined during the late months of pregnancy, had fewer decayed teeth than the latter group. In a study by Ziskin and Hotelling (21), it was shown that pregnancy not only does not increase tooth decay but that factors operating during pregnancy actually prevent tooth decay to a significant degree. Starobinsky (17) studied the incidence of dental caries in 150 nonpregnant women and in 216 pregnant women at the ninth month of pregnancy
Female house finches prefer colourful males: sexual selection for a condition-dependent trait

Abstract Male house finches, Carpodacus mexicanus , vary in plumage coloration from pale yellow to bright red. Mate preferences of wild-caught female house finches relative to male coloration were tested in controlled laboratory experiments. In experiments in which they had a choice of four males, test females displayed a significant association preference for the most colourful male presented. Male coloration was independent of age, size, dominance, vocal activity and movement rate in these experiments, and females showed no significant association preference for any of these male characters. When they had females to choose among, test females displayed no association preference. In a concurrent field study in southeastern Michigan, paired males were significantly more colourful than males in the population at large. Variation in male plumage coloration is a function of dietary intake of carotenoid pigments. Female choice based on such a condition-dependent trait supports a key prediction of the honest advertisement model of intersexual seletion.
Clinical course of solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma

Abstract Background and purpose : Solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) represents a rare category of malignant disease on which there are limited data in regard to diagnosis, staging and natural history. This study attempted to clarify the clinical course of solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma after radiation or surgical therapy given with curative intent. Materials and methods : The diagnosis was based on a mass of clonal plasma cells separate from bone or bone marrow without evidence of occult disease elsewhere. Between 1963 and 1996, 22 previously untreated patients with an EMP were diagnosed. Disease presented in the head or neck in 86%, usually in the nasal cavity (NC) or maxillary sinus (MS), and in these areas local bone destruction was found in 10 of 11 patients. Among all patients, serum myeloma protein was present in three patients (14%) and Bence Jones protein alone was found in two patients (9%). Radiation therapy was the sole treatment for 18 of 22 patients, and the median radiotherapy dose was 50 Gy (range, 40–60 Gy); five of seven patients with an EMP of oral cavity (OC), oropharynx (OP), nasopharynx (NP), parotid or larynx also received elective neck irradiation. Two patients underwent surgery plus postoperative irradiation of a plasmacytoma of the sigmoid colon or pleura, and two patients had resection alone of a plasmacytoma of the colon or cervical lymph node. Results : Local control was achieved in 21 of 22 patients (95%), and disease never recurred in regional nodes. Disappearance of myeloma protein occurred in three of five patients with an evaluable abnormality. Multiple myeloma developed in seven patients (32%), all within 5 years. The 5-year rate of freedom from progression to multiple myeloma was 56% and the median survival was 9.5 years. Conclusion : Radiation therapy achieved excellent locoregional control of EMP with an approximate cure fraction of 50%.
Automated Josephson integrated circuit test system

An automated test system for complex superconductive integrated circuits has been developed. Its low-speed capability consists of 96 identical input/output (I/O) channels controlled by a PC-486 computer. Each channel is capable of driving currents and reading voltages at frequencies up to 40 kHz. Integrating this low-speed I/O capability with high-speed test equipment controlled over the IEEE bus allows measurements at frequencies up to the limits of the test equipment. The system can automatically set biases, display I-V curves, measure parameter margins, plot threshold curves, extract experimental circuit values, and collect statistical data on parameter spreads and error rates. Issues of noise suppression, ground loop handling, and autocalibration are discussed. >
A model predictive control optimization environment for real-time commercial building application

A model predictive control (MPC) environment is described. The environment integrates Matlab and EnergyPlus with a modified particle swarm optimizer to predict optimal building control strategies. A supporting framework is described which couples the environment to a building automation system, allowing real-time optimization considering operator overrides and updated weather forecasts. Challenges unique to integration with EnergyPlus for real-time optimization are discussed. Application of the environment is demonstrated in two simulation cases. First, the environment is used to determine hourly cooling set points minimizing daily energy cost for EnergyPlus's Benchmark Large Office building. Results suggest 5% cost savings during the study period. Second, the environment is used to determine hourly supply water temperature and circulator availability that minimize daily energy consumption for a small office building having a thermally activated building system (TABS). Compared to the base case, energy sa...
Treatment of ventricular tachycardia by transcatheter radiofrequency ablation in patients with ischemic heart disease.

BACKGROUNDRecurrent sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) is not responsive to antiarrhythmic drugs in the majority of patients, who therefore need therapy with nonpharmacological methods. We evaluated prospectively the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of transcatheter radiofrequency (RF) ablation of VT in 21 selected patients with ischemic heart disease and VT.METHODS AND RESULTSTwenty-one patients with ischemic heart disease and recurrent, drug-refractory VT documented by 12-lead ECG were selected who had sufficient hemodynamic tolerance of VT to undergo transcatheter mapping. Documented clinical VT was reproduced by programmed cardiac stimulation (PCS), and the site of origin was localized by a combination of techniques, including pace mapping, activation-sequence mapping, recordings of middiastolic potentials, and application of resetting and entrainment principles. RF current at 55 V was applied (3.8 +/- 3.1 applications per patient) for as long as 30 seconds at a time to target sites. Twenty-four ...
A component analysis of behavioral marital therapy: 1-year follow-up

Abstract The present study provides 1-yr follow-up data for a comparison between a complete behavioral marital therapy package (CO) and two of its major components, behavior exchange (BE) and communication/problem-solving training (CPT), each presented in isolation. Data are reported for 60 married couples who were randomly assigned to one of these three treatments or to a waiting-list control (WLC) group. Four doctoral candidates and one masters-level counselor served as therapists. All treatments involved 12–16 therapy sessions. The long-term effects of therapy were evaluated with measures of global marital satisfaction and presenting problem checklists. While BE couples tended to reverse their progress relative to those in the CO condition during the first 6 months following termination, statistically significant differences between groups were no longer in evidence by the 1-yr follow-up. However, couples treated with CO were most likely to be happily married and least likely to be separated or divorced.
On the modelling of scalar and mass transport in combustor flows

Results are presented of a numerical study of swirling and nonswirling combustor flows with and without density variations. Constant-density arguments are used to justify closure assumptions invoked for the transport equations for turbulent momentum and scalar fluxes, which are written in terms of density-weighted variables. Comparisons are carried out with measurements obtained from three different axisymmetric model combustor experiments covering recirculating flow, swirling flow, and variable-density swirling flow inside the model combustors. Results show that the Reynolds stress/flux models do a credible job of predicting constant-density swirling and nonswirling combustor flows with passive scalar transport. However, their improvements over algebraic stress/flux models are marginal. The extension of the constant-density models to variable-density flow calculations shows that the models are equally valid for such flows.
Review of visibility algorithms in the plane by Subir Kumar Ghosh (Cambridge University Press, 2007)

Computational Geometry is a young field, tracing its beginnings to the PhD thesis of Michael Shamos [6] in 1978. Its many applications include, to name a few, computer graphics and imaging, robotics and computer vision, and geometric information systems. Topics studied within computational geometry include arrangements, convex hulls, partitions, triangulation of polygons, Voronoi diagrams, and visibility. One of the most famous theorems in computational geometry is the Art Gallery Theorem, and this theorem also serves as an example of the focus of the book under review. Posed by Victor Klee in 1973, it asks how many stationary guards are required to see all points in an art gallery represented by a simple, n-sided polygon. The answer, given first by Chvatal [3] and later by Fisk [5], using an elegant graph-theoretic proof, is that bn/3c guards are always sufficient and may be necessary. Questions such as this one, of visibility within a polygon, are the subject of Visibility Algorithms in the Plane, by S. Ghosh.
How Students Spend Their Time

AbstractAn analysis was performed of how students spend their time while pursuing a bachelor of science in civil engineering at Villanova University. The purpose of this study was to determine how many hours per week students spent both in and out of class and how the students spent their time when not in class or studying. Another purpose of this study was to provide a methodology for tracking how much time students spend on their course work that could be applied at other universities to monitor academic stress and rigor. Several data sources were used to gather data on how the students were spending their time: Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) surveys, end-of-semester course surveys, the recommended curriculum for each semester, and time logs. Overall, the data indicate that the amount of time students devote to their course work has fluctuated throughout the years. In six out of the eight semesters that students are in the program, they were found to study more often in 2011 than they did in...
Automated Finite Element Analysis of Complex Dynamics of Primary System Traversed by Oscillatory Subsystem

The extensive literature on a particular dynamics problem, the bridge-vehicle-interaction, has provided insights and understanding of the many complex issues involved, but the mathematical and numerical work reported remained too highly specialized for practicing engineers. In particular, the use of standard FEA packages is virtually nonexistent. To this end, we propose an alternative approachbyconsideringtheprimaryandsecondarysystemsasdeformable solids, undergoing large, overall relative sliding motion. This will directly account for important convective accelerations, andthepossiblecontact/separation.Theversatilityoftheproposed strategy has been demonstrated by the solution of an extensive number of benchmark problems.
Therapeutic Selective Adsorption of Anti‐DNA Antibody Using Dextran Sulfate Cellulose Column (Selesorb) for the Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

: The Selesorb therapeutic dextran sulfate cellulose column (Kaneka Corporation, Osaka, Japan) selectively adsorbs anti-DNA antibody, anti-cardiolipin antibody, and immune complex from the plasma of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The Selesorb system is composed of twin columns attached to an automated regeneration apheresis unit. Anti-DNA antibody in plasma is continuously removed through 1 of the 2 columns alternately. Clinical application of the Selesorb system to SLE patients with high titers of anti-DNA antibody showed improvement of proteinurea, arthralgia, rash, lymphocytopenia, etc., with the concurrent use of steroid and/ or immnosuppressant. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor should not be administered to patients treated with the Selesorb system to avoid anaphylactoid reactions based on rapid increases of bradykinin concentrations in the blood. Abstract: The Selesorb system removed anti-DNA antibody, anticardiolipin antibody and immune complex from the plasma of SLE patients. Other biochemical parameters such as total protein and albumin remained at almost the same levels as before apheresis. The efficiency of the removal of anti-DNA antibody was maintained during the treatment using the 2 adsorbent columns with alternate use of adsorption and regeneration using the automated apheresis unit MA-01. Clinical manifestations such as proteinurea, arthralgia, rash, lymphocytopenia, etc., were improved under concomitant use of conventional immunosuppressants during Selesorb treatments. Care should be taken not to administer ACE inhibitor to patients treated with the Selesorb column to avoid anaphylactoid reactions.
Book Review: Machining Fundamentals and Recent Advances by J. Paulo Davim, Ed.

Machining Fundamentals and Recent Advances, edited by J. Paulo Davim. Springer, 2008. 361pp. ISBN 978-1-84800-212-8
Regulation of Na+/K+-ATPase by Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 IMPLICATION IN THE TIGHT COUPLING OF NEURONAL ACTIVITY, ENERGY GENERATION, AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Energy generation and energy consumption are tightly coupled to neuronal activity at the cellular level. Na+/K+-ATPase, a major energy-consuming enzyme, is well expressed in neurons rich in cytochrome c oxidase, an important enzyme of the energy-generating machinery, and glutamatergic receptors that are mediators of neuronal activity. The present study sought to test our hypothesis that the coupling extends to the molecular level, whereby Na+/K+-ATPase subunits are regulated by the same transcription factor, nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1), found recently by our laboratory to regulate all cytochrome c oxidase subunit genes and some NMDA and AMPA receptor subunit genes. By means of multiple approaches, including in silico analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift and supershift assays, in vivo chromatin immunoprecipitation, promoter mutational analysis, and real-time quantitative PCR, NRF-1 was found to functionally bind to the promoters of Atp1a1 and Atp1b1 genes but not of the Atp1a3 gene in neurons. The transcripts of Atp1a1 and Atp1b1 subunit genes were up-regulated by KCl and down-regulated by tetrodotoxin. Atp1b1 is positively regulated by NRF-1, and silencing of NRF-1 with small interference RNA blocked the up-regulation of Atp1b1 induced by KCl, whereas overexpression of NRF-1 rescued these transcripts from being suppressed by tetrodotoxin. On the other hand, Atp1a1 is negatively regulated by NRF-1. The binding sites of NRF-1 on Atp1a1 and Atp1b1 are conserved among mice, rats, and humans. Thus, NRF-1 regulates key Na+/K+-ATPase subunits and plays an important role in mediating the tight coupling between energy consumption, energy generation, and neuronal activity at the molecular level.
Changes in suppressor, helper, and B-cell functions in aging mice

Abstract Suppressor, T-helper, and B-cell functions were measured in spleen cells derived from individual mice of varying ages. Suppressor activity was assessed by the ability of test cells to suppress the secondary anti-hapten response of young-adult spleen cells in mixed cultures. T-Helper-cell activity was assessed by measuring the ability of T cells activated with carrier-anti-carrier immune complexes to restore the response of hapten-primed, T-depleted syngeneic cells. B-Cell activity was assessed by measuring the response to the T-independent antigen DNP-Ficoll. It was found that the suppressor function increased rapidly, reached a peak in middle-aged mice, and remained elevated thereafter. In contrast, T-helper and B-cell functions declined at a constant rate from young adulthood to old age. An exception to this pattern was found in a distinct subpopulation of aged mice, which had splenomegaly and extremely low suppressor, T-helper, and B-cell functions.
Cyclophosphamide-Associated Leukemia in Wegener's Granulomatosis

Excerpt The efficacy of cyclophosphamide therapy in Wegener's granulomatosis is well established. Recent reports have suggested other vasculitides may also be responsive to this drug (1, 2). Long-t...
Responses of pulvinar neurons to real and self-induced stimulus movement

Many neurons in the pulvinar nuclei of awake monkeys respond to real image motion while the animal maintains fixation. Many of these same cells do not discharge to comparable stimulus movement when it is caused by an eye movement. This lack of sensory response is most likely mediated by an extraretinal signal.
New combination treatments in the management of asthma: Focus on fluticasone/vilanterol

Despite the 2007 National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Expert Panel 3 guidelines for the treatment of uncontrolled asthma, many patients with poorly controlled asthma still continue to tax the health care system. Controlling asthma symptoms and preventing acute exacerbations have been the foundation of care. Using long-term controller treatments such as inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and inhaled long-acting beta2-agonists (LABAs) is a common approach. While patient responses to recommended pharmacotherapy may vary, poor adherence to therapy also contributes to poor asthma control. A once-daily combination inhaler, such as fluticasone furoate, an ICS, in combination with vilanterol, a LABA, offers increased convenience and potential improved adherence, which should result in enhanced clinical outcomes and reduced exacerbations. The ICS/LABA combination inhaler of fluticasone furoate and vilanterol is currently approved in the United States for use in the maintenance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and to reduce exacerbations. This paper reviews the expanding literature on the efficacy of fluticasone furoate and vilanterol in treating asthma.
Chain Length Distribution and the Lamellar Crystal Structure of a Paraffin Wax

The three-dimensional crystal structure of an artificial linear paraffin wax with a near Gaussian distribution of chain lengths and known polydispersity (Mw/Mn) of 1.003 was determined from electron diffraction intensity data. The average structure resembles the paraffin n-C35H72 in its orthorhombic B-polymorph, space group A21am, where a = 7.42, b = 4.96, c = 92.86 A. A distribution of fractional methylene group occupancies near the chain ends is suggested by the falloff of I(00l) but a more accurate vacancy model can be found from the known chain distribution of this wax.
Legislative and Court Decisions That Promulgated Racial Profiling A Sociohistorical Perspective

Racial profiling is not confined to the illegal practices of targeting, questioning, and arresting minority group members by law enforcement officials because of their involvement in criminal activity; it is systemic and pervasive in private and public institutions. Other minority groups are racially profiled; however, this discussion focuses on racial profiling of African Americans. Specifically, this article provides a sociohistorical perspective of selected legislative and court decisions that promulgated racial profiling. The enforcement of these decisions was based on the degree of ethnic/racial visibility. Consequently, today's incidence of de facto racial profiling is the result of de jure practices.
Depth modulation: Composing motion in immersive audiovisual spaces

The field of electroacoustic music has witnessed years of extensive exploration of aural spatial perception and an abundance of spatialisation techniques. Today the growing ubiquity of visual 3D technologies gives artists a similar opportunity in the realm of visual music. With the use of stereoscopic video we now have the ability to compose individual depth cues independently. The process of continuous change of the perceived depth of the audiovisual space over time is being referred to as depth modulation, and can only be fully appreciated through motion. What can be achieved through the separation and manipulation of visual and sonic spatial cues? What can we learn about the way we perceive space if the basic components building our understanding of the surrounding environment are artificially split and re-arranged? Visual music appears to be a perfect field for such experimentation. Strata of visual and aural depth cues can be used to create audiovisual counterpoints in three-dimensional spaces. The choice of abstract imagery and the lack of obvious narrative storylines allow us to focus our perception on the evolution of the immersive audiovisual space itself. A new language of an immersive audiovisual medium should emerge as a delicate, ever-changing balance between all previously separated and altered components.
Decoding Ca2+ signals: a question of timing

Receptor-stimulated Ca2+ signals come in several flavors. The Ca2+ signals can be decoded linearly or by integration of the response. How the duration of the signal conveyed by cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) changes is regulated is not well understood. Liu et al. (Liu, Q., S.A. Walker, D. Gao, J.A. Taylor, Y.-F. Dai, R.S. Arkell, M.D. Bootman, H.L. Roderick, P.J. Cullen, and P.J. Lockyer. 2005. J. Cell Biol. 170:183-190) now report an example of decoding based on the differential regulation of Ras function by two Ca2+-sensitive Ras inhibitors: Ca2+-promoted Ras activator (CAPRI), which extends the duration of the effect of Ca2+ on Ras activity, and Ras GTPase activating-like protein (RASAL), which functions as a linear decoder of the Ca2+ signal.
New Phase-Transition Phenomena in Thin Argon Films

A density-functional theory capable of predicting free energies and spatially dependent number densities of simple classical fluids is applied to the case of argon films in the presence of a solid carbon dioxide substrate. For pressures less than the saturated vapor pressure, a new phase transition for which the order parameter is the film thickness is described. The phases are the usual unsaturated film and a one- or two-atomic-layer structure localized at the argon-C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ interface.
Transportation Hardship: Are You Better off with a Car?

Growing evidence demonstrates the importance of transportation in improving family economic well being. This article sheds light on the hardship that one important transportation asset, private vehicles, may exert on families. Data from the Iowa Transportation and Employment Survey provided a unique opportunity to understand how vehicle access enables households to meet their basic needs, but may exacerbate their problems through the creation of additional demands on resources. Approximately 26% of the sample reported having experienced transportation hardship. The strongest predictors of transportation hardship were the presence of children in the household, low income, driving less reliable vehicles, and the unavailability of transportation assistance from someone outside the household. How to help families meet their transportation needs in light of this evidence remains open to debate.
Single-Site Approximations in the Electronic Theory of Simple Binary Alloys

A single-band model Hamiltonian is used to describe the electronic structure of a three-dimensional disordered binary alloy. Several common theories based on the single-site approximation in a multiple-scattering description are compared with exact results for this Hamiltonian. The coherent-potential theory of Soven and others is shown to be the best of these. Within the appropriate limits, it exhibits dilute-alloy, virtual-crystal, and well separated impurity-band behavior. Hubbard and Onodera's and Toyozawa's simple model density of states is employed in numerical calculations for a wide variety of concentrations and scattering-potential strengths. Explicit results are exhibited for the total density of states, the partial density contributed by each component, and such $k$-dependent properties as the Bloch-wave spectral density and the distribution function. These illustrate the general conclusions as well as the limitations of the quasiparticle description.
Regulatory Requirements Of Manufacturers Associated With The ANSI ZI36 Standard And International Regulations

There are no binding requirements for manufacturers found in the ANSI Z136.1. The Bureau of Radiological Health (BRH) laser performance standard was patterned after the ANSI Z136 standard and the two standards are reasonably compatible. On the international scene both the World Health Organization (WHO) manual and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) draft standard follow present US standards.
Three dimensional simulation of high harmonic transverse optical klystron

Abstract We present the results of a three dimensional simulation code, which calculates the parameters of coherent super-radiant harmonic frequency emission by electrons which are being bunched by an external laser beam while propagating in a planar undulator. This code was written in order to simulate the TOK experiment, which is presently underway at BNL. Instead of a full numerical simulation of Maxwell's equations and the electron force equations, a semi-analytical approach is adopted. Electron trajectories are computed analytically, and the radiation fields are expanded in terms of free space eigenmodes. Phase space and energy profiles of the electron beam are incorporated by a variable space sampling according to a given distribution function, rather than via Monte Carlo simulation. Computation time of about 0.1 s/electron was achieved with the present version of the code on the IBM 3090. We present the expected radiometric parameters as a function of the electron beam parameters (emittance and energy spread), and the modulating laser beam parameters (Rayleigh length, waist position and power). Statistical averaging is carried out by weighted averaging of the initial electron moments and energy phase space distribution. This approach results in the best prediction of the expected experimental measurement of the optical parameters which can be achieved with a finite number of sampling electrons (much smaller than in the experiment), without introducing artificial noise as in the Monte Carlo approach.
CSI Reference Signal Designs for Enabling Closed-Loop MIMO Feedback

Obtaining reliable channel state information (CSI) in future wireless standards is critical for the operation of downlink closed-loop techniques such as SU-MIMO, MU-MIMO, and coordinated multipoint (CoMP). However, this CSI is difficult to obtain especially when considering the potentially strong interference from neighboring sectors/base stations on the downlink reference symbols (RSs, aka pilot symbols) used to obtain the CSI. This paper describes three possible CSI RS designs for enabling such closed- loop feedback in light of the strong interference environment and discusses some tradeoffs between the designs. First, two code-division multiplexing (CDM) designs are proposed where one has nine orthogonal sequences and the other has three orthogonal sequences. Next a new CSI-RS design is described which uses mutually unbiased bases (MUB) to provide a 6 dB quasi-orthogonal gain over neighboring cells. The MUB design is shown in system-level simulation to have performance close to a design with 9 orthogonal sequences while providing a finer frequency-domain sampling than the 9- orthogonal approach.
Kinetics and mechanism of rhenium-catalyzed oxygen atom transfer from pyridine N-oxides to phosphines.

The oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction cited does not occur on its own in >10 h. Oxorhenium(V) compounds having the formula MeReO(dithiolate)PZ3 catalyze the reaction; the catalyst most studied was MeReO(mtp)PPh3, 1, where mtpH2 = 2-(mercaptomethyl)thiophenol. The mechanism was studied by multiple techniques. Kinetics (initial-rate and full-time-course methods) established this rate law: v = kc[1][PyO]2[PPh3]-1. Here and elsewhere PyO symbolizes the general case XC5H4NO and PicO that with X = 4-Me. For 4-picoline, kc = (1.50 ± 0.05) × 104 L mol-1 s-1 in benzene at 25.0 °C; the inverse phosphine dependence signals the need for the removal of phosphine from the coordination sphere of rhenium prior to the rate-controlling step (RCS). The actual entry of PPh3 into the cycle occurs in a fast step later in the catalytic cycle, after the RCS; its relative rate constants (k4) were evaluated with pairwise combinations of phosphines. Substituent effects were studied in three ways: for (YC6H4)3P, a Hammett correl...
Diagnosis of central shunts from abnormalities of peripheral dye dilution curves.

Abstract 1. 1. Circulation time values for appearance (A), build-up (B), and disappearance (D) of indicator dilution curves have been defined and determined for normal subjects and cardiac patients with and without central shunts. 2. 2. Circulation time ratios B A and D A were relatively independent of variations in cardiac output, but changed significantly in the presence of central shunts. 3. 3. Significant increases in circulation time ratio D A were usually observed in acyanotic patients with predominant left-to-right shunts. The value of this technique as a screening procedure has been discussed.
Studies on the role of vitamin E in the oxidation of blood components by fatty hydroperoxides

Abstract Studies are reported on the oxidation of vitamin E and changes in lipid and fatty acid composition of rat blood components incubated in vitro with hydroperoxides prepared from autoxidized methyl linoleate. Red blood cells, plasma, serum, and hemoglobin free stroma were incubated at 37 °C with suspensions of linoleate hydroperoxide in Tris buffer at pH 7.4. The RBC were destroyed and substances with excitation-fluorescent properties were produced. Phosphatidylethanolamine, vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids were oxidized in the reaction. Among the reaction products were substances that gave a positive thiobarbituric acid value, tocoquinone, and an unidentified substance isolated in the nonsaponifiable fraction of the lipid extract of the hemolyzed red cells. The reaction of linoleate hydroperoxide with stroma was similar to that with red blood cells and the same products were observed. In contrast there was little reaction of linoleate hydroperoxide with vitamin E or lipids of the serum or plasma in the absence of red blood cells. The destruction of the red blood cells appeared to be closely related to the oxidation of vitamin E indicating that the strong antioxygenic action of vitamin E in vivo was due to its particular form or structural orientation in the red cell membrane.
Linear quadratic control with stability degree constraint

Abstract The problem of static state feedback Linear Quadratic (LQ) optimal control subject to a prescribed degree of stability for the closed-loop system is considered in this paper. A necessary optimality condition is given via the Lagrange multiplier method. A globally convergent algorithm is provided to solve the optimization problem. It is shown that the algorithm recovers the standard LQ feedback gain provided the desired stability degree is small enough to be within the range by the standard LQ design. As for other cases the optimum occurs on the boundary of the α-region. A numerical example shows that the proposed algorithm provides a better design compared to the existing methods.
A Primer on Outcomes in Dentistry

Expectations for evidence of "value" on the part of dental care purchasers and growth in the evidence-based dentistry movement are beginning to demonstrate the narrow and incomplete nature of dentistry's knowledge of the outcomes of dental conditions and treatment. In this paper a classification scheme for dental outcomes is described that illustrates the broad range of outcomes information important to patients, health care providers, purchasers, and society. The uses for outcomes information are discussed and suggestions are offered for improving dentistry's knowledge of outcomes through the cooperative involvement of dental research, dental education, and dental practice.
Contamination concerns at the intermediate focus of an extreme ultraviolet light source

The emission of species that can chemically or physically alter the surface of post intermediate-focus optics will increase the cost of ownership of such an EUV lithography tool past the point of cost effectiveness. To address this concern, the Center for Plasma-Material Interactions has developed the Sn Intermediate Focus Flux Emission Detector (SNIFFED). The effects of increasing buffer gas, increasing pressure, and chosen buffer gas species will be presented. Furthermore the presence of a secondary plasma, generated by EUV light will be analyzed and exposed as a potential issue in the strive for a contaminant free intermediate focus.
Printing 0.13-μm contact holes using 193-nm attenuated phase-shifting masks

We investigate the performance of nominally 6% attenuated phase shifting masks (AttPSM) for 193nm in printing 0. 13?m contact holes using a variety of shifter materials. Imaging performance of AttPSMs with various shifter materials, transmission, and side wall angles is presented and compared. Aerial images from binary and phase-shifting masks are analyzed by a 193nm aerial image acquisition tool to distinguish the contribution of the mask from that of the resist process. Compared to binary masks, AttPSMs are capable of printing 0.13?m contact holes with twice the DOR Our results indicate that 193nm AttPSM holds promise for patterning contact hole in the manufacturing of next generation logic devices.
Is preoperative angiography useful in patients with periampullary tumors

Ninety patients with periampullary tumors, staged by CT scan and believed to be resectable, were staged further by visceral angiography. Most of these patients (78) had carcinoma of the head of the pancreas. Visceral angiography was normal in 62 patients. Major vessel encasement (17 patients) or occlusion (11 patients) was identified in 28 patients. There were no complications related to angiography. Among the 62 patients with normal angiograms, 48 underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy, for a resectability rate of 77%. Among the 17 patients with vessel encasement, the resectability rate was 35%. For the 11 patients with vessel occlusion, the resectability rate was 0%. Combined with CT scan, visceral angiography is a useful adjunct in the staging of patients with periampullary tumors. Major vessel occlusion precludes resection, and major vessel encasement makes resection unlikely. If visceral angiography is normal, it is very likely that the tumor will be resectable.
Revolution, modernity and (trans)national Shi'i Islam: Rethinking religious conversion in Senegal

The establishment of a Shi'i Islamic network in Senegal is one alternative to following the country's dominant Sufi orders. I examine Senegalese conversion narratives and the central role played by the Iranian Revolution, contextualizing life stories (trans)nationally in Senegal's political economy and global networks with Iran and Lebanon. Converts localize foreign religious ideologies into a 'national' Islam through the discourse that Shi'i education can bring peace and economic development to Senegal. Senegalese Shi'a perceive that proselytizing, media technologies, and Muslim networking can lead to social, cultural and perhaps even political change through translating the Iranian Revolution into a non-violent reform movement.
Transitioning Challenges Faced by Chinese Graduate Students

This literature review examines transitioning challenges faced by Chinese international students who pursue graduate degrees in the United States. Based on existing research on adulthood in U.S. and Chinese contexts and the features of Chinese graduate students, Chinese adults, and international students as learners in Western countries, the examination includes the adult learning environment in American graduate education, the demographic features of Chinese international students who pursue graduate degrees in the United States, and the challenges they are confronted with inside and outside the classroom. The emphasis is given to two types of transitions experienced by Chinese graduate students in the United States: learning to live into adulthood and learning to learn in an adult learning setting. Findings of this literature review shed light on understanding Chinese graduate students as a particular group of learners, provide practical suggestions for practitioners in the United States and other Weste...
Gait characteristics of children during free ascent climbing performances

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of children's climbing performances with an emphasis placed on determining the appropriate dimensions of climbing apparatus as shown by the gait patterns adopted by the users. Seventy-two male and female children were selected and assigned to one of eight groups according to their age. The population comprised children whose ages ranged between 1.5 and 5.5 years with groups designated every 6 months (total eight groups). Each subject performed three trials consisting of an ascent of a 1.83 X 1.83 m climbing structure. The wooden climbing frame incorporated a regular matrix of handholds/footholds with a between rung difference of 0.15 meters. On command, the subjects climbed from a target area centered at the bottom of the frame to the top where the parent or guardian was located to offer encouragement. all trials were filmed using one 16 mm motion-picture camera. A large mirror placed in the field of vision permitted the recording of both the rear and lateral views. The temporal and displacement characteristics of a representative gait cycle for each subject were analyzed. The results provided little evidence to indicate either an age related or overall preferred consistent climbing gait. However, the most common method of ascent (38.92%) involved an order of peripheral segment movement of the right leg followed by right arm then left leg followed by left arm. A statistical analysis utilizing analysis of variance procedures with Newman Keuls post-hoc evaluation ( p
On the sequencing of regional integration: General considerations and an application to Asia

Abstract This paper challenges conventional wisdom regarding the sequencing of regional integration, where it is supposed that trade integration should come first, financial integration second, monetary integration third, and political integration fourth. In particular, it questions whether this conventional wisdom is applicable to Asia.
Computation hierarchy for in-network processing

In this paper we explore the network level architecture of distributed sensor systems that perform in-network processing. We propose a system with heterogeneous nodes that organizes into a hierarchical structure dictated by the computational capabilities. The presence of high-performance nodes amongst a sea of resource-constrained nodes exposes new tradeoffs for the efficient implementation of network-wide applications. Our experiments show that even for a low relative density of resource-constrained nodes to high-performance nodes there are certain gains in performance for a heterogeneous and hierarchical network over a homogeneous one. The introduction of hierarchy enables partitioning of the application into sub-tasks that can be mapped onto the heterogeneous nodes in the network in multiple ways. We analyze the tradeoffs between the execution time of the application, accuracy of the output produced and the overall energy consumption of the network for the different mapping of the sub-tasks onto the heterogeneous nodes. We evaluate the performance and energy consumption of a typical sensor network application of target tracking via beamforming and line of bearing (LOB) calculations on the different nodes. Our experiments also include the study of the overall performance and energy consumption of the LOB calculation using two different types of resource constrained sensor nodes (MICA and MICA2 nodes) and show how these metrics are affected by changes in the node architecture and operation. Our results indicate that when using MICA motes as resource-constrained nodes, 85% of the time on average the hierarchical network outperforms a homogeneous network for approximately the same energy budget. When using MICA2 motes as resource-constrained nodes, 54% of the time the hierarchical network performs better than a homogeneous network with approximately the same energy budget.
Characterization of the acid/base and redox chemistry of phytochelatin analogue peptides.

The phytochelatins are a family of polydisperse, thiol-rich peptides that are synthesized by plants in response to exposure to heavy metals. The amino acid sequence of the phytochelatin peptides is (γ-glutamyl-cysteinyl)n-glycine, where n typically ranges from 2 to 5. In the first phase of a program to characterize the coordination chemistry of the phytochelatins with heavy metals, the phytochelatin analogue peptides acetyl(γ-glutamyl-cysteinyl)n-glycine amide (Ac-(γ-Glu-Cys)n-NH2, n = 2−6) have been synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis methods and characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The 1H NMR spectra of the analogue peptides were completely assigned by using band-selective homonuclear-decoupled (BASHD) two-dimensional NMR experiments to achieve spectral resolution. The acid dissociation constant of each cysteine residue in each peptide was determined from chemical shift−pH titration data for the CαH protons of the cysteine residues. The resonances for the CαH protons were resolved in BASHD-tot...
"Closing" an International Economic Education Conference in OZ.

In Australia, we learned it is common to ask one or more conference participants to summarize and assess the conference in a final "closing" session. We found the experience of serving as "closers" strangely similar to what students are asked to do in providing an overall assessment of a course or instructor at the end of a semester. By that point, much has been covered and discussed, but inevitably there are also many issues that were not covered or at least not fully answered. At a conference with many speakers and a large, voluble audience, the range of topics, presentation styles, and discussion is naturally even more varied than in courses taught by one instructor. So how can a meaningful evaluation of the overall program be offered? Again, like students who evaluate their courses and teachers, we decided not to worry much about these philosophical and measurement questions, and easily concluded that our overall evaluation of the conference was extremely positive. As well reflected by the sample of papers published here, the conference largely succeeded in addressing its two announced themes: (1) What do we teach? and (2) How do we teach it? (Which also means, of course, What should we teach? and How should we teach it?) Although most of the participants were from Australia, even for U.S. participants it was clearly worth the opportunity cost of travel to attend the three-day conference. Our comments provide more perspective on what we felt was emphasized, deemphasized, or missing at the conference. On the first theme of what we teach or should teach, the conference was long on microeconomics but short on macroeconomics, except for Chen's paper on economic development. That mainly reflects the selection of keynote speakers by the conference organizers and not any underlying sense that all is well and settled in macroeconomics. On the few occasions when someone did raise questions or voice opinions about macroeconomics, it was most often to suggest that things were even more unsettled-or as David Colander put it, "a mess"-in macroeconomics. Of course, that uniformity of sentiment probably also reflects, at least in part, the relative scarcity of macroeconomists on the program and in the audience. Even among microeconomists, however, there was considerable debate in some plenary and concurrent sessions on what microeconomics to teach. Bergstrom offered qualified support for teaching the competitive supply and demand model as one alternative explanation of experimental and real market outcomes. But Colander and some speakers in concurrent sessions were far more
Sleep duration and obesity-related risk factors in the rural Midwest.

Abstract Objective. Habitual short sleep duration is a common practice linked to weight gain and risk of obesity. Our objective was to examine the association between sleep duration with other behaviors, such as physical activity and nutrition, which are important for obesity prevention efforts. Methods. We used cross-sectional data from rural communities in Missouri, Tennessee, and Arkansas (N = 1203). Controlling for covariates, we assessed the association between short sleep duration ( Results. The proportion of participants with habitual sleep duration of Conclusions. Short sleep duration is associated with risk behaviors that are known to promote weight gain and obesity. Interventions aimed at promoting physical activity and improved nutrition may benefit by considering adequate sleep duration as a potentially modifiable behavior that may impact the effectiveness of efforts to prevent obesity.
Fast neutralization of highly charged ions in grazing incidence collisions with surfaces

We present first results of simulations for the neutralization and relaxation of multiply charged Oq+ ions in grazing incidence collisions with a gold surface. The simulation treats the direct quasi-resonant charge transfer into the L shell of the projectile within the over-the-barrier model. The speed of neutralization is significantly enhanced by the upward shift of energy levels at the surface due to dynamical screening. We find complete relaxation, neutralization, and negative ion formations within the available interaction time of a few times 10−14 s in agreement with experiment.