cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of pregnancy on the cytochrome P-450 system in mice.

Abstract The effects of pregnancy on the hepatic cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed-function mono-oxygenase system (P-450) from day 6 to day 18 of gestation were examined in the C57BL/6J mouse. Pregnancy induced an initial increase and then a decrease in total P-450 content, a decrease in microsomal aminopyrine- N -demethylase activity, and had no effect on nucrosomal ethylmorphine- N -demethylase activity. Pregnancy also induced in the C57BL/6J and the DBA/2J mice a new major isozyme of P-450 (P-450 gest ) as determined by high performance liquid chromatography and gel electrophoresis.
Sorption properties for different types of molecular sieve and their influence on optimum dehumidification performance of desiccant wheels

Abstract The sorption property data for different types of molecular sieves (synthetic zeolites) are presented in equation form. The variation of the isosteric heat of sorption with water loading is derived using Othmer’s method. It is found that heat of sorption can be up to 50% greater than the latent heat of vaporization. Heat of sorption data, together with equilibrium isotherms are curve fitted and are incorporated into a numerical model of the nonlinear heat and mass transfer processes that occur in desiccant wheels. Using the numerical model, the influence of different assumptions for heat of sorption and equilibrium equation of molecular sieve on predicted optimum performance of rotary dehumidifier is evaluated.
Updating the interlanguage hypothesis

The first public presentation of the ideas leading up to the Interlanguage (IL) Hypothesis occurred a decade ago at the Second International Congress of Applied Linguistics (Selinker 1969; presented in greater detail in Selinker 1972). At that time, it was stated that, in attempting to understand the phenomenon of second-language learning, the field was at a stage where there existed an “inability to unambiguously identify the phenomena we wish to study” (Selinker 1969:35). That first presentation of the IL notion focused on the “psychologically relevant data of second-language learning,” trying to describe what it was that should be studied; the paper attempted to provide some theoretical constructs which would help identify and explain that data.
Analysis of the role of the phosphate translocator and external metabolites in steady-state chloroplast photosynthesis.

The role of the phosphate translocator and the importance of the extrachloroplastic concentrations of phosphate, 3-phosphoglycerate, and dihydroxyacetone phosphate in steady-state photosynthesis is examined with a kinetic model. The steady-state stromal concentrations of these compounds are calculated as a function of the rate of the various partial reactions of photosynthesis, at various external concentrations which span those likely to occur in vivo. It is shown how the net transport requirements of the various reactions necessitate different adjustments in the stromal concentrations of these compounds, away from the equilibrium values expected in the absence of metabolism. Under most circumstances, the high exchange capacity of the phosphate translocator relative to the transport requirements of CO2 fixation limits the extent of these displacements, but conditions when the phosphate translocator is limiting photosynthesis are observed and discussed. The model provides a basis for a more quantitative understanding of the role of the phosphate translocator and the external concentrations of phosphate, 3-phosphoglycerate, and dihydroxyacetone phosphate in photosynthesis.
Unsedated transnasal endoscopy accurately detects Barrett's metaplasia and dysplasia.

Abstract Background: Unsedated transnasal upper endoscopy has a diagnostic yield comparable with that of sedated conventional upper endoscopy. The ability of transnasal upper endoscopy to detect Barrett's metaplasia or dysplastic change has not been systematically evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of transnasal upper endoscopy for surveillance of patients with Barrett's esophagus and to evaluate its histopathologic yield for Barrett's metaplasia and dysplasia. Methods: Thirty-two patients with Barrett's esophagus were evaluated with conventional upper endoscopy and transnasal upper endoscopy. An effort was made to recruit patients known to have dysplasia. Quadrantic biopsy specimens were taken with standard (conventional upper endoscopy) and pediatric (transnasal upper endoscopy) biopsy forceps at procedures performed at least 1 week apart. Two blinded pathologists evaluated the specimens. Results: Transnasal upper endoscopy detected Barrett's metaplasia histopathologically in 31 of 32 patients. Level of agreement for presence of dysplasia in biopsy specimens obtained between conventional upper endoscopy and transnasal upper endoscopy was excellent (k = 0.79). Interobserver agreement for dysplasia in specimens obtained by conventional upper endoscopy (k = 0.61) and by transnasal upper endoscopy (k = 0.61) were similar. Intraobserver agreement between conventional upper endoscopy and transnasal upper endoscopy biopsy specimens for dysplasia by pathologist 1 (k = 0.73) and pathologist 2 (k = 0.75) were also similar. No significant adverse effects were noted. Conclusions: Transnasal upper endoscopy is feasible and accurate for identification and histopathologic confirmation of Barrett's metaplasia with a histopathologic yield for dysplasia comparable with conventional upper endoscopy. (Gastrointest Endosc 2002;56:472-8.)
Social debugging game for learning & engagement

The dramatically changing availability and sharing of information online has created new opportunities for informal, discretionary learning, particularly for teenagers. This, along with the rise in online gaming across all ages and genders give rise to questions about how these resources can be used effectively for learning. In my work, I will investigate how social features such as achievement broadcasting, teamwork, and puzzle sharing in an online game can sustainably engage teens and their friends in social learning of programming concepts.
Defense Mechanisms: 40 Years of Empirical Research

This article reviews research on defense mechanisms carried out over the past 40 years with children, adolescents, adults, and psychiatric patients. Both experimental and observational studies are included.
Fractional duration before first failure—A useful index and an analytical tool

Abstract This paper defines a new index, fractional duration before first failure and describes the methodology for its calculation. The relationship of this index to the mean time to first failure is also presented. The fractional duration before first failure is, therefore, not only a useful measure of system reliability but also provides an alternative approach to calculate mean time to first failure. The concepts and techniques are illustrated with suitable examples.
Controlled growth of tin dendrites

Abstract Dendrites of tin were pulled from a supercooled melt in a fashion similar to semiconductor dendrite growth. The growth morphology of these tin dendrites was determined and the growth orientation found to be 12° away from the [110] direction towards the [001] direction. The effect on the growth direction of thermal gradients in the melt was also determined. An identical growth direction was found for dendrites growing in a bulk melt. Difficulties in obtaining dendritic breakdown of the seed in the presence of a steep vertical temperature gradient are explained in terms of planar interface stability theory. The newly determined growth orientation for tin dendrites is also discussed.
The Moral Specification of Rights: A Restricted Account

I begin this paper by summarizing and critiquing the debate between two views: Moral Specificationism about rights and Moral Generalism about rights. I then show how the conceptual framework that Wesley Hohfeld uses to describe legal rights can also clarify the discussion of moral rights, in general, and of moral specification, in particular. Drawing upon Hohfeld’s framework, I argue for the Restricted Account of the moral specification of rights, which stakes out a middle-ground between the view that all justified exceptions are built into the description of rights and the view that no exceptions are built in. According to the Restricted Account, if and only if the justification for an exception is the same as the justification for rights within the broader ethical theory, then the exception is specified in the right. The Restricted Account is compatible with a wide variety of theories of the function of rights.
Amber from 1000-Year Old Prehispanic Tombs in Northern Peru

Hundreds of large, shaped and perforated amber beads excavated from two Middle Sican elite shafttombs at Huaca Loro on the northern coast of Peru represent the first scientifically documented case of amber use in prehispanic South America. Amber was highly valued and formed a key component of Sican sumptuary good production. This paper describes the analytical procedures and archaeological and botanical background for source identification and cultural understanding of amber beads found on pectorals, necklaces and gold alloy objects. Samples were initially identified by XRD and FT-IR microscopy, followed by a more detailed and conclusive analysis using pyrolysis GC-MS. Radiocarbon dating points to a minimum age of 50,000 years. Results were compared with amber from known sources in the New World. Various lines of evidence suggest that the amber was derived from a heretofore unknown source, probably an ancient species of Hymenaea, possibly related to H. oblongifolia (family Leguminosae) occurring today in upper Amazonia.
The Economic and Humanistic Burden of Severe Sepsis

Sepsis and severe sepsis in particular remain a major health problem worldwide. Their cost to society extends well beyond lives lost, as the impact of survivorship is increasingly felt. A review of the medical literature was completed in MEDLINE using the search phrases "severe sepsis" and "septic shock" and the MeSH terms "epidemiology", "statistics", "mortality", "economics", and "quality of life". Results were limited to human trials that were published in English from 2002 to 2014. Articles were classified by dominant themes to address epidemiology and outcomes, including quality of life of both patient and family caregivers, as well as societal costs. The severity of sepsis is determined by the number of organ failures and the presence of shock. In most developed countries, severe sepsis and septic shock account for disproportionate mortality and resource utilization. Although mortality rates have decreased, overall mortality continues to increase and is projected to accelerate as people live longer with more chronic illness. Among those who do survive, impaired quality of life, increased dependence, and rehospitalization increase healthcare consumption and, along with increased mortality, all contribute to the humanistic burden of severe sepsis. A large part of the economic burden of severe sepsis occurs after discharge. Initial inpatient costs represent only 30 % of the total cost and are related to severity and length of stay, whereas lost productivity and other indirect medical costs following hospitalization account for the majority of the economic burden of sepsis. Timeliness of treatment as well as avoidance of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired illness/morbidity lead to important differences in both cost and outcome of treatment for severe sepsis and represent areas where improvement in care is possible. The degree of sophistication of a health system from a national perspective results in significant differences in resource use and outcomes for patients with serious infections. Comprehensive understanding of the cost and humanistic burden of severe sepsis provides an initial practical framework for health policy development and resource use.
Effect of estrogen in relation to dietary vitamin D3 and calcium on activity of intestinal alkaline phosphatase and Ca-ATPase in immature chicks.

The interaction between 17β-estradiol (E2), vitamin D3 (D3), and dietary Ca on the activities of Ca-ATPase and alkaline phosphatase (AP) was determined in the intestine of young female chicks. Chicks (n = 36) were assigned to two groups, one of which was transferred to a low Ca (0.2%) diet and the other maintained on a regular diet. One week later, each group was further divided into three subgroups and given daily injections of 0(oil), 0.25, or 0.5 mg E2/kg body wt for 14 days. E2 treatment as well as low dietary Ca significantly increased AP activity (P 0.05; E2 × D3, P 0.05; E2 × D3, P = 0.06). Daily injections of 0.5 mg E2/kg body wt for 6 days to 6-week-old D3-adequate chicks (n = 16) significantly increased AP activity in jejunum but not in liver and kidney (P < 0.05). In conclusion, E2 treatment enhanced the activity of intestinal AP but not Ca-ATPase. This enhancement was independent of dietary Ca, but was D3-dependent and tissue specific. The results suggest that the pubertal increase in plasma E2 can affect Ca absorption from the intestine by increasing the activity of AP.
MO-D-230C-01: Evaluation of Medical Displays

Participants: J Charette, Barcoview, LLC; E Samei, Duke University; N Hashimoto, Eizo Nanao; K Compton, National Display Systems; A Abileah, Planar Systems; D Sorensen, Richardson Electronics / Image Systems; C Lipfert, Scanditronix Wellhofer GmbH; M Hasegawa, Totoku; H Roehrig, University of Arizona Electronic display is a key component of modern medicine, providing soft‐copy viewing of medical images. Being the last component of the image chain, display quality can have a notable impact on overall accuracy and efficiency of the diagnostic process. Thus, it is necessary to ensure that the physical performance of a medical display is adequate for its intended use. Led by a task group initiative by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM TG18), new guidelines have recently been published defining objective and standardized assessment procedures and criteria for acceptance testing and quality control of medicaldisplay devices (Samei et al, Med Phys 32:1205–25, 2005). The guidelines include detailed visual and quantitative methods and specific acceptance criteria for basic display characteristics including luminance, luminance spatial and angular response, resolution, noise, veiling glare, reflection, color uniformity, geometrical distortions, and display artifacts. The TG18 guidelines are also being gradually reflected in a number of other national and international directives including those by the IEC and the ACR. The goal of this demonstration workshop is multi‐fold: 1) to present a tutorial on the TG18 guidelines and its adaptations, 2) to discuss its implementation by specific vendors, 3) to offer an opportunity for hands‐on exposure to the practical aspects of display performance evaluation, 4) to provide an opportunity to informally interact with experts and ask questions, and 5) to offer a panel discussion on the issues about which there might be less consensus among experts. Representatives from the TG18 committee and from industry will be present to demonstrate and discuss display evaluation issues. Part I 1:30–2:20 Introduction Evaluation of Medical Displays, E Samei, Duke University 2:20–3:20 Vendor lectures 2:20–2:30 Compensation for ambient conditions, K Compton, National Display Systems 2:30–2:40 AAPM implementation using Barco software, J Charette, Barcoview, LLC 2:40–2:50 Quality Control Solutions based on AAPM TG18 from Eizo Nanao, N Hashimoto, Eizo Nanao Corp 2:50–3:00 The CFS (Calibration Feedback System) Toolkit, D Sorensen, Richardson Electronics 3:00–3:10 Totoku's Medical Display QA Solutions “i‐model”, M Hasegawa, Totoku Electric Co., Ltd. 3:10–3:20 The Priorities in the Medical Displays Parameters, A Abileah, Planar Systems
Deleuze and Guattari and the Future of Politics: Science Fiction, Protocols and the People to Come

When is the future? Is it to come or is it already here? This question serves as the frame for three further questions: why is utopia a bad concept and in what way is fabulation its superior counterpart? If the object of fabulation is the creation of a people to come, how do we get from the present to the future? And what is a people to come? The answers are (1) that the future is both now and to come, now as the becoming-revolutionary of our present and to come as the goal of our becoming; (2) utopia is a bad concept because it posits a pre-formed blueprint of the future, whereas a genuinely creative future has no predetermined shape and fabulation is the means whereby a creative future may be generated; (3) the movement from the revolutionary present toward a people to come proceeds via the protocol, which provides reference points for an experiment which exceeds our capacities to foresee; (4) a people to come is a collectivity that reconfigures group relations in a polity superior to the present, but i...
The neutral glyceroglucolipids of alveolar lavage from rabbit.

Abstract Three individual glycolipids have been isolated from the neutral lipid fraction of rabbit alveolar lavage. All three glycolipids contained glucose, glyceryl monoethers and fatty acids, and differed from each other primarily with respect to the number of glucose residues. The structures of these glycolipids were identified by mild alkaline methanolysis, oxidation with periodate and CrO3, and methylation studies, as: Glc(α1 → 3)-1,(3)-O-alkyl-2-O-acylglycerol, Glc(α1 → 6)Glc(α1 → 6)Glc(α1 → 6)Glc-(α1 → 6)Glc(α1 → 3)-1,(3)-O-alkyl-2-O-acylglycerol, and Glc(α1 → 6)Glc(α1 → 6)Glc-(α1 → 6)Glc(α1 → 6)Glc(α1 → 6)Glc(α1 → 3)-1,(3)-O-alkyl-2-O-acylglycerol
“Snap-n-Eat” Food Recognition and Nutrition Estimation on a Smartphone

We present snap-n-eat, a mobile food recognition system. The system can recognize food and estimate the calorific and nutrition content of foods automatically without any user intervention. To identify food items, the user simply snaps a photo of the food plate. The system detects the salient region, crops its image, and subtracts the background accordingly. Hierarchical segmentation is performed to segment the image into regions. We then extract features at different locations and scales and classify these regions into different kinds of foods using a linear support vector machine classifier. In addition, the system determines the portion size which is then used to estimate the calorific and nutrition content of the food present on the plate. Previous approaches have mostly worked with either images captured in a lab setting, or they require additional user input (eg, user crop bounding boxes). Our system achieves automatic food detection and recognition in real-life settings containing cluttered backgrounds. When multiple food items appear in an image, our system can identify them and estimate their portion size simultaneously. We implemented this system as both an Android smartphone application and as a web service. In our experiments, we have achieved above 85% accuracy when detecting 15 different kinds of foods.
Effects of an essential fatty acid deficiency on serum lipoproteins in the rat

Studies are reported on the effect of an essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency in male Sprague-Dawley rats and its exacerbation by inclusion oftrans fatty acids in the diet on the level and composition of serum lipoproteins. Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing all essential nutritients and a 5% fat supplement of safflower oil (SAFF) or hydrogenated coconut oil (HCO) in 2 experiments, one for 31 wk and the other for 17 wk. For the final 3 wk of each experiment, animals were switched from each group to a 5% supplement of a concentrate of ethyl linolelaidate (TRANS). In addition, a group of animals fed the HCO diet in the first experiment were also switched to the SAFF Diet. With the development of an EFA deficiency in the HCO group, there was a decrease in the high density lipoprotein (HDL) and an increase in the very low density plus the low density (VL-LDL) lipoprotein fractions separated by heparin-manganese precipitation. Switching animals of the HCO group to the TRANS supplement exaggerated this effect and produced a very low ratio of HDL-to-VL-LDL. Analysis of the serum lipoproteins by polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis showed that an EFA deficiency produced a marked alternation of the HDL fraction. Changes also appeared to be produced in the VL-LDL fraction by an EFA deficiency and particularly upon switching EFA-deficient animals to the TRANS supplemented diet. Switching animals of the SAFF group to the TRANS supplement brough about an immediate reduction in HDL with a corresponding decrease in serum arachidonic acid. The data suggested a general relationship between arachidonic acid and the level and composition of HDL on the one hand, and 18∶1 and VL-LDL on the other. Accordingly, the ratio of HDL-to-VL-LDL appears to provide a sensitive biochemical index of the EFA status of the rat.
Manufacturing System Development for Fabrication of Bone Scaffold

Musculoskeletal conditions are a major health concern in United States because of a large aging population and increased occurrence of sport-related injuries. The need for bone substitutes is especially important. Traditional treatments of bone-defect have many of limitations. Bone tissue engineering may offer a less painful alternative to traditional bone grafts with lower risk of infection. This research integrates biomimetic modeling, solid freeform fabrication (SFF), systems and control, and tissue engineering in one intelligent system for structured, highly porous biomaterials, which will be applied to bone scaffolds. Currently a new SFF-based fabrication system has been developed, which uses a pressurized extrusion to print highly biocompatible and water soluble sucrose bone scaffold porogens. To date, this system can build simple bone structures. In parallel we are utilizing a commercial rapid prototyping (RP) machine to fabricate thermoplastic porogens of various designs to determine the feasibility of injecting a highly viscous scaffold material into porogens. Materials which have been successfully used to make scaffolds by injection include calcium phosphate cement (CPC), molten poly-caprolactone (PCL), 90/10 and 80/20 (v/v %) composite of PCL and calcium phosphate (CaPO4 ,). Results presented for the injection method include characterization of attainable feature resolution of the RP machine, as well as preliminary cell-biomaterial interaction data demonstrating biocompatibility of CPC scaffolds. The preliminary results using a commercial rapid prototyping machine have demonstrated that the indirect porogen technique can improve 2–4 folds the resolution of SFF system in fabricating bone scaffolds. The resultant scaffolds demonstrate that the defined porous structures will be suitable for tissue engineering applications.© 2005 ASME
Infantile chorea following abrupt withdrawal of diazepam and pentobarbital therapy.

AbstractThe acute onset of chorea was seen in a ten week-old male following abrupt cessation of a seven-day course of sedation with diazepam and pentobarbital. These movements slowly resolved over a six-day period and the infant was without neurologic sequelae one week after his chorea resolved. A cerebral MRI was normal. We speculate that the mechanism by which chorea may occur as a withdrawal phenomenon to benzodiazepine/barbiturate treatment is by a functional overactivity of the dopamergic system in the basal ganglia.
Interactions between Pyridine and Coal at the Molecular Level: Insights from Variable-Temperature 1H NMR Studies of Pyridine-Saturated Coal

The first systematic, in-situ, variable-temperature 1H NMR study, based on the CRAMPS (combined rotation and multiple-pulse spectroscopy) technique, is reported on pyridine-saturated Argonne premium coals. This work focused on how noncovalent associative interactions are affected at the molecular level by thermal treatment and solvent saturation. With improved proton dipolar-dephasing experiments based on CRAMPS detection, we were able to monitor quantitatively changes of molecular mobility of various molecular structural moieties upon pyridine saturation and temperature variation. It was found that pyridine saturation can dramatically promote fast, random molecular motion with correlation times in the range of 1 μs to 30 ns, even at room temperature, while thermal treatment alone is much less effective in promoting molecular motion even at 230 °C. For pyridine-saturated coal, the molecular mobility of coal can be enhanced further with just a moderate increase in temperature. Correlations between molecula...
Gallium Nitride Powders from Ammonolysis: Influence of Reaction Parameters on Structure and Properties

Gallium nitride (GaN) has been prepared by the reaction of ammonia with three different gallium precursors: Gallium oxide, a mixture of gallium oxide and elemental gallium, and elemental gallium. ...
Sp1 and the ‘hallmarks of cancer’

For many years, transcription factor Sp1 was viewed as a basal transcription factor and relegated to a role in the regulation of so-called housekeeping genes. Identification of Sp1's role in recruiting the general transcription machinery in the absence of a TATA box increased its importance in gene regulation, particularly in light of recent estimates that the majority of mammalian genes lack a TATA box. In this review, we briefly consider the history of Sp1, the founding member of the Sp family of transcription factors. We review the evidence suggesting that Sp1 is highly regulated by post-translational modifications that positively and negatively affect the activity of Sp1 on a wide array of genes. Sp1 is over-expressed in many cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. Targeting Sp1 in cancer treatment has been suggested; however, our review of the literature on the role of Sp1 in the regulation of genes that contribute to the 'hallmarks of cancer' illustrates the extreme complexity of Sp1 functions. Sp1 both activates and suppresses the expression of a number of essential oncogenes and tumor suppressors, as well as genes involved in essential cellular functions, including proliferation, differentiation, the DNA damage response, apoptosis, senescence and angiogenesis. Sp1 is also implicated in inflammation and genomic instability, as well as epigenetic silencing. Given the apparently opposing effects of Sp1, a more complete understanding of the function of Sp1 in cancer is required to validate its potential as a therapeutic target.
The Hmong Americans: Identity, conflict, and opportunity

(1999). The Hmong Americans: Identity, conflict, and opportunity. Multicultural Perspectives: Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 9-14.
Corn yield functions of irrigation and nitrogen in Central America

This paper reports the results of a three-year field study conducted in El Salvador, Central America to develop yield response functions for corn to irrigation levels and nitrogen fertilizer. Four levels of irrigation were imposed using two application methods, furrow and trickle, in combination with four nitrogen fertilizer rates. Yields generally increased with higher levels of applied water and with higher nitrogen rates up to 200 kg N/ha, with a strong interaction between these two variables. Yield was independent of irrigation method although less water was applied with the trickle system.
Visualización de la guerra macrofágica arterial con resonancia magnética nuclear, tomografía de emisión de positrones y tomografía computarizada

The macrophage is the principal immune cell found in atherosclerotic plaque. Although its function is to phagocytose foreign bodies present in the vascular endothelium, it can undergo a process of sustained activation that gives rise to a pattern of chronic inflammation, which may even trigger an acute coronary syndrome. The cellular response underlying this disease process is mediated by a complex molecular signaling cascade. Cytokines released by activated macrophages ultimately produce significant tissue damage by perpetuating the ongoing inflammatory response. Recent studies have shown that a defective interaction between the macrophage and its substrate could provide a mechanism for destabilizing atherosclerotic plaque by stimulating digestion of the artery and promoting plaque rupture. A key element in the life cycle of macrophages is that, when they cannot effectively remove the foreign bodies that have resulted in their activation, they initiate cell death (i.e., apoptosis), thereby releasing substances into the extracellular milieu that are even more toxic than inflammatory mediators. The significant advances in noninvasive molecular imaging techniques that have taken place in recent years have helped to unravel fundamental features of macrophage biology and have made it possible to explore the potential benefits of specific therapeutic interventions. Nanomarkers designed to home in on specific molecular targets have enabled imaging techniques to be used not only to study the pathophysiological mechanisms of atherosclerotic disease but also to diagnose such disease, and have made it possible to imagine the development of a form of nanomedicine based on administering treatment that can target a single cell type.
A comparison of colonoscopy and roentgenography for detecting polypoid lesions of the colon.

This study compares the effectiveness of the roentgen and colonoscopic examination of the colon for detecting polypoid lesions. We evaluated the findings in 64 patients with suspected or known polypoid lesions who received the same colon cleansing regimen for both examinations, and were studied by examiners of similar expertise. As in other studies, the endoscopist had the advantage of knowing the roentgen findings, and the colonoscopic findings were often taken to indicate whether or not a lesion was present. In about half the patients, however, a second roentgen examination, repeat colonoscopy, or surgical specimen provided additional information for scoring. For example, a filling defect of the same size and location on two roentgen examinations, but not demonstrated at colonoscopy was scored as a false negative colonoscopic finding. The study results indicate that 54% of small polyps ≦0.9 cm in size were missed on roentgen examination, whereas no proven misses for lesions of this size were shown for colonoscopy. This absence of colonoscopic false-negative findings for small polyps, however, may be partially explained by a relative insensitivity of the roentgen method. For larger lesions ≧1.0 cm in size the miss-rate for the two examinations was similar: 15% for roentgen examination and 12% for colonoscopy. We conclude: (1) Colonoscopy is a more sensitive method than roentgen examination for detecting small polyps of the colon, and (2) Performance of the two examinations may be comparable for demonstrating lesions 1.0 cm or larger in size.
Synthesis of [11C]levofloxacin

Levofloxacin, the pure S enantiomer of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ofloxacin, was labeled via methylation of the corresponding, des-methyl, secondary amine with N.C.A. [11C]methyl iodide. The methylation reaction was regioselective, giving predominantly the preferred methyl amine at high temperature in DMF, while otherwise giving predominantly the methyl ester of a free carboxylic acid also present in the molecule. Levofloxacin was obtained in 80% chemical yield after a 45 min synthesis. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distractibility of cats with lesions of the superior colliculus-pretectum during performance of a 4-choice visual discrimination.

Summary (1) Intact cats and cats with bilateral lesions of the superior colliculus-pretectum were trained on 4-choice, luminous flux discriminations in an apparatus consisting of a 6-foot square open field with 4 stimulus panels along one wall. After cats attained a high performance criterion on a 4-choice dark-light discrimination they were tested for ‘distractibility’ by flashing a light behind one of the stimulus panels. (2) All intact cats and cats with lesions of the superior colliculus-pretectum learned the 4-choice luminous flux discriminations. Cats with lesions of the superior colliculus-pretectum, however, followed longer paths and had longer latencies to the correct door, even after attaining criterional performance. (3) All intact cats and cats with lesions of the superior colliculus-pretectum were distracted by the flashing light, as indicated by increased commission of errors, increased path lengths and increased response latencies on trials in which the distracting stimulus was presented. However, both intact cats and cats with lesions of the superior colliculus-pretectum habituated to the distracting stimulus. (4) These results are consistent with previous findings that cats with lesions of the superior colliculus-pretectum have difficulty in withholding incorrect responses or in shifting attention or response tendencies from the incorrect to the correct stimulus. (5) These results do not support the hypothesis that lesions of the superior colliculus produce deficits in attention as measured by distractibility to novel stimuli.
First report of Phytophthora ramorum on Douglas-fir in California.

Phytophthora ramorum S. Werres & A.W.A.M. de Cock was isolated from three Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) saplings in a mixedevergreen forest in Sonoma County, California. Symptoms on these saplings included cankers on small branches (0.5 to 1 cm in diameter) resulting in wilting of new shoots, dieback of branches, and loss of leaves as much as 15 cm from the twig tip. Symptoms were observed on most saplings growing in the same area. On several smaller saplings (<1 m tall), P. ramorum infection resulted in the death of the leader and the top several whorls of branches. Isolates were identified as P. ramorum by their abundant chlamydospores and caducous, semi-papillate sporangia (2) and internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequences identical to those of isolates of P. ramorum from Quercus spp., Lithocarpus densiflorus, and Rhododendron (1,2). To test for pathogenicity, foliage inoculations were conducted on seedlings in two trials by misting 30 leaves per trial (five leaves per seedling plus controls) with sterile distilled water and pinning inoculum plugs, taken from the margin of P. ramorum cultures, to the upper surface of leaves. Inoculation resulted in lesions ranging between 1 and 12 mm long, and P. ramorum was recovered from 47% of inoculated leaves. Symptoms were not restricted to inoculated leaves, and in 26 single-leaf inoculations, lesions 17 to 85 mm long developed on branches (five mm in diameter) adjacent to the inoculated leaf. Isolation success from branch lesions was 50%, despite the fact that such lesions were apparently disjunct from the small 1-mm lesions developing on inoculated leaves. Stems of Douglas-fir seedlings (approximately 1 cm in diameter) were wound inoculated (1) in two trials consisting of 10 inoculated seedlings per trial plus 10 controls. After 6 weeks, lesion lengths in the cambium averaged 38 mm (range 12 to 62 mm), and three seedlings were completely girdled. P. ramorum was recovered from 75% of inoculated stems. Mean lesion lengths on seedlings inoculated with P. ramorum were significantly greater (P < 0.05) in both trials than those of control inoculations (mean 9 mm) based on analysis of variance. We have not observed unusual mortality or disease symptoms on overstory Douglas-fir trees in natural forests. The importance of P. ramorum branch tip dieback for growth and reproduction of Douglas-fir is unknown. Douglas-fir is present in many forests in California and Oregon already infested by P. ramorum, yet we have found infection of plants at only one location. At this site, symptomatic Douglas-fir saplings were surrounded by bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) trees with extremely high levels of P. ramorum infection. P. ramorum is known to sporulate prolifically on bay laurel leaves. More studies are necessary to determine if the incidence of P. ramorum in Douglas-fir extends to other locations or if it is limited to this one locale. References: (1) D. M. Rizzo et al. Plant Disease 86:205, 2002. (2) S. Werres et al. Mycol. Res. 105:1155, 2001.
After Sarajevo: Explaining the Blank Check

This paper uses an incomplete information game model to describe and explain the so-called blank check issued to Austria by Germany in early July 1914. It asks why Germany would cede control of an important aspect of its foreign policy to another lesser power. The derived explanation is consistent not only with the actual beliefs of German and Austrian leaders but also with an equilibrium prediction of the game model. The issue of whether unconditional German support of Austria constituted either a necessary or a sufficient condition for the outbreak of major power war the next month is also addressed.
Interaction between chondroitin-6-sulfate and poly-L-arginine in aqueous solution.

The interactions between chondroitin-6-sulfate and poly-L-arginine in aqueous salt solution have been investigated by circular dichroism techniques. In the presence of chondroitin-6-sulfate, at neutral pH, poly-L-arginine adopts the α-helical conformation rather than “charged coil” form observed in the absence of mucopolysaccharide. This interaction is at a maximum when the ratio of arginine to disaccharide residues is 2:1. Elevation of the temperature leads to a sharp melting transition at 76.0 ± 1.0°C. This behavior is in marked contrast to that for poly-L-lysine-chondroitin-6-sulfate interactions, which are at a maximum at a 1:1 residue ratio and have a melting transition at 47.0 ± 1.0°C. These results indicate a stronger interaction for poly-L-arginine than for poly-L-lysine. The positive arginine side chains appear to interact with both the negative sulfate and carboxyl residues, while those of the lysines are involved only with the sulfates. Poly-L-ornithine at neutral pH shows no conformation directing interaction with chondroitin-6-sulfate, although a small proportion of α-helix is formed on dilution of the mixture with methanol. The extent of the interaction of cationic polypeptides with chondroitin-6-sulfate increases in the order poly-L-ornithine, poly-L-lysine, poly-L-arginine, i.e., in the order of increasing side-chain length.
Coulomb impurity in graphene

We consider the problem of screening of an electrically charged impurity in a clean graphene sheet. When electron-electron interactions are neglected, the screening charge has a sign opposite to that of the impurity and is localized near the impurity. Interactions between electrons smear out the induced charge density to give a large-distance tail that follows approximately, but not exactly, an ${r}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ behavior and with a sign which is the same as that of the impurity.
DISTINGUISHING MODERN FROM RELICT WEATHERING PROFILES.

IT is often difficult to establish from geological criteria whether a weathering profile formed in the recent past or whether it is relict from a previous weathering regime. The times at which active weathering of extensive terrains in Australia, Africa and south-eastern United States occurred, for example, have not been determined. Geomorphic and other field relations have commonly been used to time periods of major weathering, and, recently, potassium-argon measurements on fresh basaltic flow rocks associated with weathered rock have been used in an attempt to bracket times of weathering (see ref. 1, for example).
Gender and Connectivity: Facilitating Religious Travel in the Sixth and Seventh Centuries

Using gender as a lens, this article evaluates the nature of female networks of religious connection and communication in the early medieval period. The vitae of three female saints of the sixth and seventh centuries, Radegund of Poitiers, Brigid of Kildare, and Gertrude of Nivelles, demonstrate the way that women facilitated and instigated networks of contact through their relationships with others, especially men and particularly their kin. These relationships allowed women to play a crucial role in forming heterogeneous cultural and religious connections across both long and short distances in the period. The methodology of connectivity, which as a concept needs to be both engaged with and challenged, allows the probing of questions of how and why medieval people communicated and connected with one another across geographical and imaginative boundaries.
Thermoplastic composites for veneering posterior teeth—a feasibility study

Abstract Objectives: This pilot study was conducted to explore selected commercially-available thermoplastic composites that potentially had physical properties superior to currently available dental systems for restoring esthetic posterior crowns. Methods: Polyurethane, polycarbonate, and poly(ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) composites and unfilled polyurethane specimens were injection molded to produce shapes adaptive to five standardized mechanical tests. The mechanical testing included abrasive wear rate, yield strength, apparent fracture toughness (strength ratio), flexural strength, and compressive strength. Results: Compared to commercially available dental composites, abrasion wear rates were lower for all materials tested, yield strength was greater for the filled polycarbonates and filled polyurethane resins, fracture toughness testing was invalid (strength ratios were calculated for comparison of the pilot test materials), flexural strength was roughly similar except for the filled ETFE which was significantly greater, and compressive strength was lower. Significance: Commercially available thermoplastic resin composites, such as polyurethane, demonstrate the potential for development of an artificial crown material which exceeds the mechanical properties of currently available esthetic systems, if compressive strength can be improved.
It’s all about audit quality: Perspectives on strategic-systems auditing

Abstract We discuss the antecedents of and rationale for what has become known as Strategic-Systems Auditing (SSA). We also describe the conceptual foundation and key elements of SSA. We observe that the auditor employing SSA conceives the audit as a process of evidence-driven, belief-based, risk assessment. We also illustrate facets of this process, including how the auditor, by acquiring a rich understanding of how and how well management is executing its business-model, develops rich (e.g., distributional) expectations of future financial-statement amounts and disclosures. These expectations form a benchmark against which the auditor later compares and investigates management’s asserted financial-statement amounts and disclosures. Finally, we pose and respond to some of the more common questions about elements of SSA and complete the paper by suggesting some educational innovations and high-value targets for research. One salient message is that SSA first emerged in the 1990s as an attempt to enhance audit quality in response to changes in the audit environment. Another salient message is that SSA continues to equilibrate, adapting to more recent environmental changes, especially society’s demand for greater protection from financial-statement fraud. Such adaptation requires ongoing, significant intellectual investments by audit practitioners and audit scholars/educators.
THE LOST-LETTER TECHNIQUE: A MEASURE OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ATTITUDES IN THREE SOCIO-ECONOMIC GROUPS

The present study used the lost-letter technique to assess differential political attitudes across socio-economic strata in a midwestern community. Results reconfirm that the lost-letter technique ...
A mathematical analysis of the magnetic field produced by flaws in two-dimensional current-carrying conductors

We examine the magnetic field produced by small flaws in a two-dimensional, conducting plate carrying an otherwise-uniform current. We use a conjugate function approach to calculate the current and voltage distributions about the circular and elliptical flaws in the conducting plate, and examine the dependence of the normal component of the magnetic field upon distance, hole size, elliptical eccentricity, and elliptical orientation. We show that when the field is calculated, far from the hole, the field falls off as 1/z 3, wherez is the distance above the plate, and as 1/r 2, wherer is the distance from the center of the hole to the observation point. We also show that for circular and elliptical flaws, the normal component of the magnetic field in the far-field region is linearly related to the area of the flaw.
Chronic pain : which patients may a pain-management program help?

To ascertain whether chronic-pain patients who are likely to benefit from a pain-management program can be identified before treatment, we studied for differences discernible at the beginning of treatment a group who succeeded and did well at 1-year follow-up (n = 34) and a group who failed (n = 35). The two groups differed significantly (P < 0.01) in regard to duration of pain, work time lost, number of operations, subjective pain level, and drug dependency. Deviations on the MMPI were greater in failures than in successes; but the differences were not statistically significant. A 7-item rating scale based on these data differentiated a favorable group (including 71% of the successes) from an unfavorable group (including 86% of the failures) This scale should be helpful in selection of candidates for a pain-management program, even though it needs further validation.
Assessment of excess fluid distribution in chronic hemodialysis patients using bioimpedance spectroscopy.

Assessment of excess fluid distribution in chronic hemodialysis patients using bioimpedance spectroscopy. Sodium and water homeostasis is abnormal in hemodialysis (HD) patients, however, the distribution of the excess fluid (extracellular vs. intracellular) has not been fully characterized. We studied the distribution of fluid using bioimpedance spectroscopy to determine if HD patients have an excess of fluid in any specific compartment relative to controls. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry was used to measure lean body mass and bone mineral content. The resistive index (RI) for extracellular water volume (RI ECW ), was significantly increased in patients pre-HD when corrected for bone mineral content (RI ECW :BMC) (pre-HD, 19.0 ± 3.3; controls, 15.8 ± 1.7cm 2 -ohms −1 -kg −1 ; P 2 -ohms −1 -kg −1 ). The intracellular water volume to bone mineral content (RI ICW :BMC) was not different between controls and HD patients. These data suggest that hemodialysis patients carry their excess fluid volume primarily in the extracellular compartment and that bioimpedance spectroscopy coupled with a stable measure of lean tissue such as bone mineral content can determine the degree of relative excess hydration.