cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Couples at Risk for Transmission of Alcoholism: Protective Influences

A two-generation, sociocultural model of the transmission of alcoholism in families was operationalized and tested. Sixty-eight married children of alcoholic parents and their spouses were interviewed regarding dinner-time and holiday ritual practices in their families of origin, and heritage and ritual practices in the couples' current generation. Coders rated transcribed interviews along 14 theory-derived predictor variables, nine for the family of origin and five for the current nuclear family. Multiple regression analysis was applied in a two-step hierarchical method, with the dependent variable being transmission of alcoholism to the couple. The 14 predictor variables contributed significantly (p less than .01) to the couple's alcoholism outcome. A general theme of selective disengagement and reengagement for couples in families at risk for alcoholism recurrence is discussed. Language: en
Characterization of polyox ® granules using environmental scanning electron microscopy

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) has been frequently used in the pharmaceutical industry for studying pharmaceutical products. However, the technique does not allow for the continuous characterization of a product in both dry and hydrated states without processing the product. Through the recent advent of the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM), it is now possible to observe a sample in both the dry and hydrated states without extensive product preparation. The ESEM also allows for continual observation during the hydration process from the dry state until the sample is dissolved. In this study, the ESEM was used to characterize the morphologic differences and hydration patterns of granules formulated with a water-soluble hydrophilic swelling polymer, Polyoxy. Two molecular weights (1, 000, 000 and 7, 000, 000) of the polymer were used in concentrations ranging from 10 to 25% w/w. Visual differences in granule surface morphology and differences in hydration patterns were seen in granules prepared from different polymer concentrations. The morphologic data were corroborated by surface area measurements taken on a surface area analyzer. The rate at which the granule dissolved in the ESEM also correlated with the drug dissolution times determined by the standard USP dissolution method.
Radiologic evaluation of small esophageal carcinoma

Eleven patients with small esophageal carcinomas are described. Double-contrast esophagography is essential in the detection of small esophageal tumors. In spite of the “early” detection, we did not find an improvement in survival in these patients.
DOPA compared with dihydroxyfumarate as co-factor in peroxidase-mediated oxidation of tyrosine to melanin. Histochemical studies with neutrophils, eosinophils, mast cells, melanoma cells and neurons.

Dihydroxyfumarate was used as a co-factor in the histochemical demonstration of peroxidase-mediated oxidation of tyrosine to melanin in eosinophils, mast cells, melanoma cells and neurons. The use of dihydroxyfumarate as co-factor provides a direct method for demonstrating peroxidase-mediated oxidation of tyrosine to melanin in tissues, and allows for the ultrastructural localization of this pigment.
Techniques for determining opal in deep-sea sediments: A comparison of radiolarian counts and x-ray diffraction data

Abstract Detailed records of two estimators of the biogenic silica content of deep-sea sediments, x-ray diffraction analysis opal concentrations and quantitative radiolarians per gram counts from microscope slides were compared in downcore sediments from northwest Pacific core RC14-105 to evaluate and to intercalibrate the two techniques. Both the degree to which the data were similar and the degree to which inferences from the data were similar were considered. Although both data sets are internally consistent and reflect surface water processes, they are not equivalent and there is no way to convert one linearly into the other. The numbers of radiolarians per gram of sediment appear to respond to the same factors which control the fluctuations in the radiolarian assemblage distrbutions in the area. The opal contents respond to the factors which control the total siliceous productivity of the area.
Evidence for an essential non-Watson-Crick interaction between the first and last nucleotides of a nuclear pre-mRNA intron.

NUCLEAR pre-messenger RNA splicing requires the action of five small nuclear (sn) RNAs, Ul, U2, U4, US and U6, and more than 50 proteins1,2. The mechanistic similarity of nuclear pre-mRNA splicing and group II self-splicing suggests that many of the central processes of nuclear pre-mRNA splicing are based on RNA–RNA interactions3,4. To understand the mechanism of pre-mRNA splicing, the interactions, and their temporal relationships, that occur between the snRNAs and the pre-mRNA during splicing must be identified. Several snRNA–snRNA5–9 and snRNA–intron9–12 interactions have been demonstrated but the putative RNA-based interactions that recognize the AG dinucleotide at the 3′ splice site during 3′ cleavage and exon ligation are unknown. We report here the reciprocal suppression between 5′ and 3′ splice site mutations in the yeast actin intron, and propose that the 3′ splice site is positioned for 3′ cleavage and exon ligation, at least in part, through a non-Watson–Crick interaction between the guanosines at the 5′ and 3′ splice sites.
Niemann-Pick Disease Type C: Unique 2-Deoxy-2[18F] Fluoro-d-Glucose PET Abnormality

Serial 2-deoxy-2[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography was performed in identical twins with Niemann-Pick disease type C. Two such scans, performed at ages 4 and 6 years, revealed a characteristic, unique pattern of brain metabolic abnormality. Whereas the first scans indicated mild, diffuse cortical hypometabolism, most pronounced in the medial frontal cortex, the repeated scans in both twins revealed a unique pattern consisting of severe hypometabolism of the frontal cortex bilaterally, particularly involving medial and inferior frontal regions, and hypometabolism in the bilateral parietal and temporal cortex. In the parietal cortex, lateral and medial aspects were most severely affected, with some sparing of the intermediate parietal region. This progression of brain hypometabolism between two positron emission tomography studies was associated with clinical and neurologic deterioration. This distinctive brain metabolic pattern, which we have observed in no other condition, may constitute a "biomarker" to assess neurologic progression and possible treatment responses in children with Niemann-Pick disease type C, because magnetic resonance imaging findings are either normal at earlier stages or demonstrate only nonspecific changes.
An anticipated landmark decision involving issues related to psychological assessment of applicants for positions in business and industry

An anticipated ruling by the California Supreme Court in 1993 in an appeal of an injunction issued by the State Appelate Court in October 1991 is likely to produce a serious impact on the use of psychological assessment procedures. Possible ramifications of the ruling are discussed
Defect structure of glass and its impact on linear and nonlinear optical communications

The propagation of light in glass optical fibers can be affected in many ways by the presence of defects. A convenient working definition of a defect in a glass is any local atomic arrangement which differs from an idealized continuous random network (CRN). For a pure silica glass, the idealized CRN would find each Si tetrahedrally bonded to four O's and each O bonded to two Si's. An oxygen vacancy on the O sublattice is perhaps the most familiar prototype for such a defect in SiO2.1 A certain number of these vacancies, together with some form of O interstitial, are thought to be present in any real silica glass as Frenkel defects. The concentrations of Frenkel defects in silica and silica based glasses are influenced by the methods of glass preparation and the types and concentrations of dopant introduced, e.g., for the purpose of index modification. Some of the dopant associated defects in as-prepared silica based fiber optic glasses are electrically charged and diamagnetic, while most defects which are quenched into pure silica glasses are electrostatically neutral and diamagnetic. These precursor defects generally absorb light in the UV or vacuum UV.
Gyroscopic Effects of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines Using Stochastic Aeroelasticity via Spinning Finite Elements

Horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWTs) structures, throughout the years, have presumed to be of relatively simple construction, but wind-induced aerodynamic vibrations, wind-field conditions, and power requirements tend to lead to the need for increasingly complicated designs. One phenomenon that requires special attention is the gyroscopic or Coriolis effect. In general, blades design codes are written to optimize for lightness and slenderness, but also to withstand excitations at high frequency. As a result, gyroscopic motion derives as a nonlinear dynamic condition in the out-of-plane direction that is difficult to characterize by means of the well-known vibrational theory that has been established for their design and analysis. The present study develops and presents a probabilistic analysis of the precession — gyroscopic — effects of a wind turbine model developed for tapered-swept cross-sections of nt degree with nonlinear variations of mass and geometry along the body of the blade. A dynamic orthogonal decoupling method is utilized to successfully perform the aeroelastic analysis by decoupling the damped-gyroscopic equations of motion, as a result of the addition of Rayleigh damping — symmetric proportional mass and stiffness — within the linear system in study. Results are valid for yaw-free rotor configurations by means of unknown and random (though bounded) yaw rates. Simultaneously, those results can easily be expanded for yaw-controlled mechanisms. The yaw-free assumption presents a higher risk of potential reliability expectations, given the stochastic impairment of the gyroscopic nature that is present for out-of-plane axis motions, requiring special attention at higher frequencies. This impairment becomes particularly troublesome for blade profiles with tapered-swept cross-section variations. This uncertainty can be minimized by incorporating a mathematical framework capable of characterizing properly the yaw action such that gyroscopic effects can be fully interpreted and diagnosed. In summary, the main goal is to decipher the complexity of gyroscopic patterns of flexible rotor blades with complex shape configurations, but also to provide substantial elements to successfully approach yaw-mechanics of tapered-swept rotor blades.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Abnormal distribution and hyperplasia of thyroid C-cells in PTEN-associated tumor syndromes.

Introduction: Cowden’s disease (CD) and Bannayan-Ruvalcaba-Riley syndrome (BRRS) are allelic disorders characterized by multiple hamartomatous overgrowths of the thyroid, breast, skin, and gastrointestinal tract, and an increased risk of developing benign and malignant tumors of the breast and thyroid gland, secondary to germline point mutations in the PTEN gene. In contrast to thyroid epithelial lesions, abnormalities of the C-cells are currently not considered part of the spectrum of manifestations seen in PTEN-associated syndromes. Methods: The thyroid glands from two patients with overlapping CD/BRRS phenotypes, and with distinct PTEN mutations, were entirely submitted for histopathological examination, calcitonin immunostaining and C-cell mapping. Results: Multiple follicular adenomas and adenomatous nodules were present in the thyroid glands from both patients. A microscopic focus of papillary carcinoma was also present in one gland. C-cell hyperplasia was documented in both cases by calcitonin immunostaining. Conclusions: PTEN-associated tumor syndromes should be considered in the differential diagnosis of C-cell hyperplasia of the thyroid.
Multicriterion Clusterwise Regression for Joint Segmentation Settings: An Application to Customer Value

Abstract The authors present a multicriterion clusterwise linear regression model that can be applied to a joint segmentation setting. The model enables the consideration of segment homogeneity, as well as multiple dependent variables (segmentation bases), in a weighted objective function. The authors propose a heuristic solution strategy based on simulated annealing and examine trade-offs in the recovery of multiple true cluster structures for several synthetic data sets. They also propose an application of the model to a joint segmentation problem in the telecommunications industry, which addresses important issues pertaining to the selection of the objective function weights and the number of clusters.
A Concurrent Multi Target Tracker: Benchmarking and Portability

With the current advances in computing and network technology and software, the gap between parallel and distributed computing environment is gradually becoming narrower. Consequently, parallel programs run on parallel as well as distributed systems. However, programming and porting complex applications to such environment is challenging task and not well understood. In this paper, we use a concurrent multi target tracker as a running example to analyze and evaluate performance of two different parallel implementations on parallel and distributed systems. We have benchmarked both these implementations on different architectures that vary from a network of worksta? tions{SUN, IBM RS6000) to parallel computers (CM5, iPSC 860) using different parallel/distributed message passing tools{PVM, p4, EXPRESS).
Abnormalities in Pyruvate Dehydrogenase and Neurologic Function

This paper presents a discussion of inherited metabolic disorders designed to aid in the elucidation of the role of specific molecular mechanisms in the physiologic functions of the nervous system.
Effectiveness of accident models: system theoretic model vs. the Swiss Cheese model: a case study of a US Coast Guard aviation mishap

Over the last several years, the US Coast Guard (CG) experienced an unusually high number of major aviation accidents. Following each major accident, the CG conducted mishap analysis board (MAB) – investigations based on the Swiss Cheese accident causality model. However, these investigations were not able to identify common contributing factors that may be causing systemic failures within the CG aviation system. This paper applies the Systems Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) model to one of the CGs major aviation mishaps in order to more fully examine the CGs aviation system for potential systemic sources of safety hazards. This analysis identified enhancements to CG aviation system controls that were not expressly identified by MABs. It demonstrates that STAMP is a more effective model than the Swiss Cheese model in determining accident causality.
A sorghum diversity panel biofuel feedstock screen for genotypes with high hydrolysis yield potential

Abstract The rate of hydrolysis among a genetically diverse panel of 381 field-grown sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) varieties was investigated. A high-throughput 96-well plate method was created to test large numbers of replicated sample biomass hydrolysis rates using Trichoderma viride cellulase. Analysis of the entire panel showed a wide range of hydrolysis rates, ranging from 0.6 μg/h/U cellulase to 2.7 μg/h/U cellulase, with an average rate of release of 1.5 μg/h/U cellulase. The detected hydrolysis rate is the hydrolysis yield potential (HYP) for each sorghum variety. Additionally, pretreatment with ammonium hydroxide increased the rate of hydrolysis by an average of 1.9 fold, yet did not correlate with non-pretreated hydrolysis yield potential. This study identifies specific sorghum varieties with high HYP and sets the stage for the genetic mapping of HYP genes.
Computer simulation of the Charpy V notch toughness test

Abstract We calculated the impact of a striker with the ASTM Type A Charpy V-Notch specimen. We used an elastic-plastic constitutive law with J2-flow theory and isotropic hardening to model A-533 Grade B class 1 steel at 100°C. Large strain and rotation are accounted for. We found that the notch stress-strain state was independent of the three-point loading type (round- or flat-tip striker or pressure push) and was most strongly correlated with notch-opening displacement. The dynamic stress-strain state at the time of fracture initiation was obtained by comparing the calculated deformed shape with that obtained in interrupted Charpy-V-notch tests where cracking had started. This time agreed with a computed prediction of fracture initiation obtained using a computer model of material damage. Cracking starts at the notch at about 40% of the maximum load found in an instrumented Charpy test. We have also calculated the distribution and partition of specimen energy. Adiabatic heating and strain rate are discussed.
Uniqueness classes for pseudoparabolic equations with unbounded coefficients

(1983). Uniqueness classes for pseudoparabolic equations with unbounded coefficients. Communications in Partial Differential Equations: Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 1-20.
Getting the Right Data Up Front: A Key Challenge

In this article, we urge that careful consideration be given, up front, to procuring the right data and provide some guidelines.
Forecasting the real interest rate

Abstract A method first employed by Mishkin to forecast the ex ante real interest rate involves regressing the ex post real rate on various explanatory variables. The fitted values from this regression are taken to be the ex ante real interest rate series. We argue that this method does not reproduce how forecasters actually generate ex ante real rates because the method generates in-sample predictions and uses information unavailable to forecasters at the time of the forecast. Our paper develops several regression-based forecasting models to generate alternative ex ante real rates using only information available at the time of the forecast. Unlike Mishkin, we update our model with new information as time passes and generate out-of-sample forecasts. We show that the parameters of the model change over time, yielding results different from Mishkin. While Mishkin's technique is found to yield better forecast diagnostic statistics, we contend that our models more closely approximate how forecasters operate. If so, then our ex ante interest rates will be closer to the true, unobservable ex ante rates. Finally, as an application of our technique, we consider the debate between the real business cycle theorists and the monetarist school on the effects of money on output. Recent studies of this question have argued that money growth may be a poor proxy of monetary policy. Accordingly, we use two other measures of monetary policy more consistent with the actual operating procedures of the Federal Reserve. Our results lend some support to the monetary models.
Ernst Mayr, genetics and speciation.

I largely agree with Will Provine's assessment of Ernst Mayr's contributions in his recent article in TREE [1], but here contest a few of his statements.
Horace Greeley on the stump: Presidential campaign of 1872

(1975). Horace Greeley on the stump: Presidential campaign of 1872. Western Speech Communication: Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 175-183.
Exciton percolation kinetics and exciton coherency: 1B2u naphthalene

Abstract The time evolution of the fluorescence from a naphthalene “guest” and a betamethylnaphthalene “sensor” in a C 10 D 8 “host” was measured at 1.8 and 4.2 K. A rigorous heterogeneous kinetic model is used to fit the data, based on quasi-coherent exciton motion, giving a mean-free-path of ≥ 10 2 lattice spacings for pure naphthalene.
Transient, Three-Dimensional, Finite-Element Analysis of Heat Flow in Turbine-Generator Rotors

The problem of three-dimensional, transient heat flow in the rotors of large turbine-generators is solved using a finite element formulation and employing new arch-shaped elements. Applications to negative sequence current heating and to rotor mechanical unbalance caused by thermal asymmetries are discussed. The method is shown to agree well with analytical calculations for heat flow in cylinders. Isothermal plots on a rotor isometric illustrate the pattern of heat flow.
A VLSI Design Methodology Based on Parametric Macro Cells

A new methodology for designing VLSI circuits has been developed at Harris GSS. The methodology is based on the concept of parametric macro cells. A parametric macro cell is an MSI-level circuit which can be modified by a computer program to meet the needs of a particular design. In this paper we discuss the design methodology, chip layout, the simulation techniques and other software tools used to ensure a valid design, plus the wafer testing approach.
Optical scattering at conductive transparent oxide surfaces

The optical scattering properties of rough SnO2 surfaces for which the feature size is comparable to the photon wavelength are shown to be well-modeled by an ensemble of non-interacting spheres, where the scattering properties of each sphere are given by the Mie theory. The fractions of incident light forward- and back-scattered by rough SnO2 films deposited on glass, and back-scattered by such films over-coated with Ag are measured and compared with the model. The implications for optical scattering at the front and back interfaces in a-Si: H solar cells leading to enhanced short-circuit currents are discussed.
Combined effect of mild heat and acetic acid treatment for inactivating Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium in an asparagus puree

Aims: This study was conducted to validate combined heat and acid treatments for inactivating Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium in an acidified brine containing, or pickled, asparagus model food. Methods and Results: A mixture of three strains of E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes and S. typhimurium were inoculated onto pickled asparagus samples. Combinations of various concentrations of acetic acid [0%, 0AE25%, 0AE5%, 0AE75%, 1%, 1AE5% and 2% (v/v)] and various temperatures (40� C, 50� C, 60� C and 75� C) were investigated. Following treatment, asparagus samples were stored at room temperature and enumerated at 0, 0AE5, 1, 2 and 3 days. Heat and acetic acid treatments were synergistic. The inhibitory effects of these combined treatments on the tested foodborne pathogens were also effective during storage. Loss of green colour in the pickled asparagus significantly increased with increasing concentrations of acetic acid. Conclusions: Using a combination of mild heat and acetic acid treatments can successfully control E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes and S. typhimurium in pickled asparagus, combinations of heat and acid are synergistic and effective treatments can be selected to reduce adverse effect on colour which occur during product storage. Significance and Impact of the Study: Mild heating plus acetic acid treatment are synergistic, so combined treatments can be developed, which would lower the temperature and amount of acetic acid required for minimally processed vegetables while maintaining pathogen control.
Surgical management of the osteoradionecrotic mandible with free vascularised composite flaps

Summary Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the mandible is a serious sequel to radiotherapy administered for malignant neoplasms of the head and neck. In a retrospective/prospective study, 28 patients with mandibular defects due to ORN were reviewed. Monocortical and bicortical defects as well as pathological fractures were reconstructed by means of a free serratus anterior/rib (n = 8) or a vascularised iliac crest flap (n = 25). All the former survived; a pathological fracture, however, occurred postoperatively in 2 of the patients (25%). Five iliac crests were lost (20%). The remaining bone struts healed well. The donor site morbidity was very low. Clinical and radiological long-term follow-up showed that a very acceptable functional and cosmetic result was achieved in all cases. Progress of ORN was prevented in ca. 90% of all patients. The radiological follow-up was facilitated with the use of high-resolution CT-scans.
CS preexposure: Latent inhibition and Pavlovian conditioning of heart rate and eyeblink responses as a function of sex and CS intensity in rabbits

Male and female rabbits received Pavlovian conditioning in which a 1, 216-Hz tone served as the CS and a 3-mA paraorbital electric shock train served as the US. Eyeblink (EB) and heart rate (HR) CRs were assessed. Half of the animals received prior exposure to the CS, while half were restrained in the chamber for a similar length of time but did not receive prior CS exposure. Different groups of each sex received three different CS intensities including 60, 75, and 90 dB (SPL) during both preexposure and conditioning. The results revealed that latent inhibition of the EB CR occurred only at the intermediate CS intensity, as indicated by a significant impairment of EB conditioning in this group. However, the magnitude of the decelerative HR CR was attenuated by prior CS exposure at all three CS intensities. Females showed faster EB conditioning than males, but latent inhibition occurred in both sexes. These results suggest that somatomotor and autonomic systems are affected differently by prior CS exposure.
Saturation points of specified entropy

A new algorithm to find the saturation conditions of a pure substance or mixture of specified entropy is proposed. An interesting aspect is that the type of saturation point, whether a dew or bubble point, is a priori unknown. This poses particular challenges to providing good initial estimates that ensure numerical convergence of the phase equilibrium equations. A safe initialization procedure is proposed. The examples show applications of the model to computations with pure methane, pure carbon dioxide, natural gas, and contaminated carbon dioxide. The algorithm succeeds in determining the saturation condition in all of these cases.
Reactive evaporation of thin titanium nitride films in ultrahigh vacuum and their friction and wear behavior as a function of contact stress

Abstract Titanium nitride films have been deposited near room temperature in an ultrahigh vacuum environment using a reactive evaporation method which gives reproducible and very clean films of predictable stoichiometry. Details of the kinetics of incorporation of nitrogen into the film are strongly affected by the presence of contaminants, particularly carbon. Films were obtained with stoichiometries from Ti to TiN 1.2 and films of TiN 1.1 to TiN 1.2 were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and friction and wear testing. The films exhibited a uniform grain size near 10nm, with a preferred orientation with (111) planes nearly parallel to the surface. In laboratory air the friction coefficient (0.15–0.2) and effective wear life was independent of the contact stress for films deposited on 304 stainless steel. The coatings failed suddenly by fracture and spallation. The presence of a titanium underlayer resulted in negligible wear of the coating without failure at low contact stress, although the friction coefficient was the same. In ultrahigh vacuum, the friction coefficient was a factor of three higher (0.6) with rapid film failure.
Cryotherapy for active retinopathy of prematurity.

Twenty-eight patients with bilateral symmetrical stage-III retinopathy of prematurity and plus disease had one eye treated using cryotherapy, while the other acted as a control. Eleven patients showed improvement in both the treated and untreated eye, while 11 others were noted to improve in the treated eye while demonstrating deterioration in the untreated eye. TheP value obtained by applying binomial distribution tests suggested that, in the sampled population, cryotherapy was preferable to no treatment.
Jet injector compared with oral midazolam for preoperative sedation in children

Summary Background : This study compared onset of sedation and satisfaction with two needleless jet injectors with the oral route for the administration of midazolam. Methods : Forty-five children ages 1–6 years were randomly assigned to receive either 0.5 mg kg−1 oral midazolam, 0.2 mg kg−1 subcutaneous midazolam by J-Tip injector or 0.2 mg kg−1 intramuscular midazolam by Bioject injector. After midazolam administration the children were monitored for oxygen saturation, heart rate and level of sedation (0, alert; 1, calm; 2, drowsy; 3, dozing; 4, asleep) every 2 min for 20 min by a physician blinded to the route of administration. Patient satisfaction, resistance to treatment, success of delivery, problems with separation, and acceptance of mask at the time of induction were evaluated after midazolam treatment. Results : The Bioject showed a faster onset of sedation than either the J-Tip injector or the oral midazolam (P < 0.05). The children were significantly less satisfied with the Bioject and J-Tip administration vs oral midazolam (P < 0.05). There were no differences in resistance, success of delivery, problems with separation, mask acceptance, arterial oxygen saturation or heart rate. Conclusion : Despite children being less satisfied with Bioject injection of midazolam, the procedure is safe, effective and provides a more rapid onset of preoperative sedation in children than either the J-Tip injection or oral route.
A Novel Distillate Policy for Batch Reactive Distillation with Application to the Production of Butyl Acetate

Considering the longstanding importance of batch distillation in chemical production, it is surprising that the utility of manipulating operating policies was not understood until the 1970s. This is partly due to the mathematical difficulty of finding the time-optimal policy. Perhaps the most elegant and effective treatment of this problem is found in the work of Mayur and Jackson (Chem. Eng. J. 1971, 2, 150−163). They used Pontryagin's maximum principle to find the optimal reflux policy for the batch distillation of ideal multicomponent mixtures. In this paper, motivated by Mayur and Jackson's classic treatment, we examine a novel distillate policy and a conventional column configuration for batch distillation with chemical reaction. This distillate policy leads to a new explicit reflux policy for the special class of equimolar reactions. For the particular case of butyl acetate production, it is shown that this leads to complete conversion of ingredients and high-purity products, which are unattainable ...
Interlaboratory agreement in the monitoring of unfractionated heparin using the anti-factor Xa-correlated activated partial thromboplastin time.

Summary. Background: In an effort to improve interlaboratory agreement in the monitoring of unfractionated heparin (UFH), the College of American Pathologists (CAP) recommends that the therapeutic range of the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) be defined in each laboratory through correlation with a direct measure of heparin activity such as the factor Xa inhibition assay. Whether and to what extent this approach enhances the interlaboratory agreement of UFH monitoring has not been reported. Objectives: We conducted a crossvalidation study among four CAP-accredited coagulation laboratories to compare the interlaboratory agreement of the anti-FXa-correlated APTT with that of the traditional 1.5–2.5 times the midpoint of normal (1.5–2.5:control) method for defining the therapeutic APTT range. Patients and methods: APTT and FXa inhibition assays were performed in each laboratory on plasma samples from 44 inpatients receiving UFH. Results: Using the anti-FXa-correlation method, there was agreement among all four laboratories as to whether a sample was subtherapeutic, therapeutic or supratherapeutic in seven (16%) patient samples. In contrast, consensus was achieved in 23 (52%) samples when the 1.5–2.5:control method was employed. Conclusions: The anti-FXa-correlation method does not appear to enhance interlaboratory agreement in UFH monitoring as compared with the traditional 1.5–2.5:control method. Adoption of the anti-FXa-correlation method produces considerable disparity in UFH dosing decisions among different centers, although the clinical impact of this disparity is not known.
Conditional Allele Mouse Planner (CAMP): software to facilitate the planning and design of breeding strategies involving mice with conditional alleles.

Transgenic and conditional knockout mouse models play an important role in biomedical research and their use has grown exponentially in the last 5–10 years. Generating conditional knockouts often requires breeding multiple alleles onto the background of a single mouse or group of mice. Breeding these mice depends on parental genotype, litter size, transmission frequency, and the number of breeding rounds. Therefore, a well planned breeding strategy is critical for keeping costs to a minimum. However, designing a viable breeding strategy can be challenging. With so many different variables this would be an ideal task for a computer program. To facilitate this process, we created a Java-based program called Conditional Allele Mouse Planner (CAMP). CAMP is designed to provide an estimate of the number of breeders, amount of time, and costs associated with generating mice of a particular genotype. We provide a description of CAMP, how to use it, and offer it freely as an application.
Evolution of reproductive-immune interactions.

Synopsis The comparative approach in biological sciences has provided valuable insights into the role of different organ systems in adaptation and evolution, and seeks to establish unifying themes. This approach also plays a key role in identifying model species and systems for the study of specific questions and problems. Further, by applying the concept of homology, information about nonmammalian species may be used either to directly understand mammalian/human regulatory processes, or to formulate hypotheses for direct testing. Individual physiological systems function in a milieu provided by the integrated activities of all of the systems to adapt, adjust and sustain the organism in its environment. The overlapping interfaces between the different physiological systems provide fertile ground for new insights and to enhance our knowledge. These interdisciplinary areas are of great importance if we are to understand the full complexity of organismal function. Of particular interest are the interactions between the reproductive system and the immune system. The reproductive system is unique in that its primary role is to assure the continuity of the species, while the immune system provides internal protection and thus facilitates continued health and survival. The modus operandi of these 2 morphologically diffuse systems involves widely distributed chemical signals in response to environmental input, and both systems must interact for the normal functioning of each. While the major focus of reproductive–immune research has historically been with mammals, and has provided substantial insight into the interactions between these physiological systems, comparative studies offer unique perspectives. Further, dysregulation of normal physiological interactions between the reproductive and immune systems can lead to disorders and diseases effecting one system or the other. Thus, comparative studies of these interactions may shed some light upon the evolutionary mechanisms involved in such cases.
Use of Histamine2-Antagonists for the Treatment of Verruca Vulgaris

Objective:To review the evidence for histamine2 (H2)-antagonists in the treatment of common warts.Data Sources:Relevant publications were identified through a systematic search of PubMed English-language literature using the MeSH terms and key words cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine, nizatidine, histamine H2-antagonists, and warts. Additional articles were identified using the same key words in the Cochrane Database and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts. Systematic searches were conducted through January 2007. In addition, pertinent references from identified articles were reviewed.Study Selection and Data Extraction:The literature search retrieved 21 relevant citations, excluding review articles. Five open-label studies and 7 randomized controlled clinical trials were evaluated. Cimetidine was the focus of 11 studies, and ranitidine was evaluated in 1 study. No data regarding the other H2-antagonists were found. The other retrieved citations were not evaluated due to their design (case reports or c...
LIPS arrays for simultaneous detection of antibodies against partial and whole proteomes of HCV, HIV and EBV

For many infectious agents, the detection of antibodies is critical for diagnosing, monitoring and understanding vaccine responses. To facilitate the highly quantitative and simultaneous analysis of antibodies against multiple proteins from infectious agents, we have developed Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems (LIPS) arrays. By configuring microtiter plates with multiple antigens and testing control and infected serum samples at one time in solution, LIPS arrays provided highly reproducible antibody titers to panels of antigens with a wide dynamic range of detection. While all serum samples showed similar positive and negative immunoreactivity with internal control antigens derived from Influenza and Renillaluciferase-alone protein, respectively, antibody titers to many HCV and HIV antigens were generally 10 to over 400-fold higher in the infected versus uninfected samples. Additional screening of 18 proteins from the EBV proteome with serum samples from healthy EBV-infected individuals showed statistically significant antibody titers to 50% of the proteins tested. Antibody titers for the different EBV antigens in the healthy EBV-infected individuals were markedly heterogeneous highlighting the complexity of host humoral responses. These results suggest that LIPS arrays offer a highly discriminating platform for simultaneously profiling a wide spectrum of antibodies associated with many infectious agents.
Curve-Fitting for Bayesians?

Bayesians often assume, suppose, or conjecture that for any reasonable explication of the notion of simplicity a prior can be designed that will enforce a preference for hypotheses simpler in just that sense. Further, it is often claimed that the Bayesian framework automatically implements Occam's razor---that conditionalizing on data consistent with both a simple theory and a complex theory more or less inevitably favours the simpler theory. But it is shown here that there are simplicity-driven approaches to curve-fitting problems that cannot be captured within the orthodox Bayesian framework and that the automatic razor does not function for such problems.
Glutathione Peroxidase Enzyme Activity in Aging

Increases in oxygen-derived free radicals and resulting molecular damage and inflammatory pathway activation are hypothesized to contribute to biologic aging (1–3). The antioxidant system consists of intrinsic enzymes and extrinsic antioxidant nutrients, which serve to reduce free radicals to less toxic states (4). The identification of altered components of this complex regulatory system could provide important insights into the biological basis of increased oxidative stress in aging humans and into potential targets of clinical intervention (5,6). Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), an enzyme dependent on the micronutrient selenium (Se), plays a critical role in the reduction of lipid and hydrogen peroxides (Figure 1) (6). If GPx activity is decreased, more hydrogen peroxide is present, which leads to direct tissue damage and activation of nuclear factor-κB–related inflammatory pathways (2,3). There are four subspecies of GPx that catalyze the reduction of hydrogen peroxides in specific tissue locations (6–8). GPx1 is ubiquitous and found in the cytosol of most cells, including red blood cells (RBCs). GPx2 is also cytosolic but is confined to the gastrointestinal tract. GPx3 occurs in the plasma as a glycoprotein, and GPx4 interacts with complex lipids, such as cholesterol and lipoproteins damaged by free radicals, and is found in mitochondria (8). Some studies in adult populations suggest an age-related decrease in activity of antioxidant enzymes (9,10), consistent with the hypothesis that increased free radical damage contributes to aging (1). A recent study provides evidence that lower levels of Se may contribute to inflammation and mortality in older women (11). However, few studies have examined the activity of GPx, which depends on Se for its activity, in adults older than 65 years, and fewer studies have examined GPx activity in adults older than 65 years with comorbid illness and disability. This population best reflects the accumulation of free radical damage that results in age-associated conditions, in keeping with the free radical theory of aging (1). We hypothesized that GPx activity varies by age and would be lower in older, compared to younger, adults. Figure 1 Glutathione peroxidase reduces hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxides to water and lipid alcohols.
Towards building and analyzing a social network of acknowledgments in scientific and academic documents

Acknowledgments in scientific and academic papers are a method of expressing appreciation and gratitude between scholars. Inside the acknowledgments section, authors usually thank different entities or individuals for their support, most commonly in terms of grants, suggestions and discussions. Social networks of authors and publications has been well studied, with an exhaustive study of nearly all network properties. However, to the best of our knowledge the social graph of acknowledgments have never been investigated. In this paper we propose building an acknowledgments graph, and study the relationships between the entities of this graph. We first describe how to extract the acknowledgments section. We then extract the entities inside the acknowledgment section, classifying them into persons or organizations. After that we take a subset of the nodes and build a directed graph between the authors of these papers and the entities being acknowledged and study the characteristics of the resulting social network.
A study of the thermal characterization of a high — performance flip chip package

This paper describes a systematic experimental and numerical study of the thermal characterization of a flip-chip package. A cold-plate based test method is used for thermal characterization and internal thermal resistance is used as the basis of all comparisons. Experiment results are presented for three flip-chip packages. Test parameters such as thermocouple wire, attachment, thickness of interface material (grease) between the package lid and the cold plate and power dissipation are presented. Using a detailed numerical model [1], of the package, a parametric study of the experimental method is presented. The parametric study shows the variation in package thermal resistance due to different thermocouple bead sizes, thermocouple attachment parameters, different thermal grease thicknesses and different chip-lid thermal interface material (TIM) properties. All the numerically predicted values are within the experimental range.
On combining graph-partitioning with non-parametric clustering for image segmentation

The goal of this communication is to suggest an alternative implementation of the k-way Ncut approach for image segmentation. We believe that our implementation alleviates a problem associated with the Ncut algorithm for some types of images: its tendency to partition regions that are nearly uniform with respect to the segmentation parameter. Previous implementations have used the k-means algorithm to cluster the data in the eigenspace of the affinity matrix. In the k-means based implementations, the number of clusters is estimated by minimizing a function that represents the quality of the results produced by each possible value of k. Our proposed approach uses the clustering algorithm of Koontz and Fukunaga in which k is automatically selected as clusters are formed (in a single iteration). We show comparison results obtained with the two different approaches to non-parametric clustering. The Ncut generated oversegmentations are further suppressed by a grouping stage - also Ncut based -in our implementation. The affinity matrix for the grouping stage uses similarity based on the mean values of the segments.
Early Warning Systems for Police: Concept, History, and Issues:

Early warning (EW) systems are data-driven management tools for identifying police officers with performance problems and for providing some intervention to correct those problems. EW systems have emerged as popular tools for enhancing police accountability. This article reports the findings of a national evaluation of EW systems. It argues that EW systems are more complex mechanisms than generally recognized. There are a variety of alternatives with regard to the proper selection criteria for identifying officers, the mode of intervention, and the form of postintervention monitoring for officers subject to intervention. This article discusses the issues related to these alternatives and to the larger goals of EW systems.
EFFECT OF ESTROGENS ON THE LIVER

Abstract Although the liver is not generally regarded as a target organ for estrogens, several clinical observations and a number of physiological studies suggest that it is. The identification of estrogen receptors in liver cytosol and nuclei support this conclusion. 1, 2 We shall discuss several of the more important physiological and clinical effects of estrogens upon the liver (table 1) and shall illustrate them by brief case reports.
Ketene acetal monomers: synthesis and characterization

A new, facile, and high-yield synthesis of ketene acetals derived from readily available and inexpensive starting materials has been developed. For example, an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde can be condensed with an alkane diol to afford a 2-vinyl substituted cyclic acetal. This latter compound can be converted to the desired cyclic ketene acetal by isomerization of the double bond in the presence of tris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) dichloride. Good to excellent yields of cyclic ketene acetals were obtained employing this method. The novel monomers were fully characterized by IR, NMR, and by elemental analysis. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Measuring the Ca2+-Binding Kinetics of Proteins

Ca(2+)-binding proteins (CBPs) are instrumental in the control of Ca(2+) signaling. For the transduction of a change in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration into a cellular biochemical or biophysical action, it is necessary for Ca(2+) to bind specific Ca(2+)-binding proteins (CBPs) that relay the Ca(2+) signal. The competition for Ca(2+) between the various CBPs plays an essential and direct role in this transduction and in the resulting biochemical message. Therefore, a thorough understanding of Ca(2+) signaling necessitates appreciating the kinetic properties of all the relevant CBPs. Unfortunately, most conventional techniques used to measure Ca(2+)-binding kinetics are too slow to determine accurately the fast binding kinetics of most CBPs. To address this problem, we have developed an ultrafast in vitro technique for measuring the Ca(2+)-binding properties of CBPs following flash photolysis of caged Ca(2+). We introduce here the protocols that are necessary for the data collection associated with this technique.