cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chelating tris(amidate) ligands: versatile scaffolds for nickel(II).

The synthesis and characterization of nickel complexes supported by a family of open-chain, tetradentate, tris(amidate) ligands, [N(o-PhNC(O)R)3]3− ([LR]3− where R = iPr, tBu, and Ph) is described. The complexes [Ni(LiPr)]−, [Ni(LtBu)]−, and [Ni(LPh)(CH3CN)]− have been characterized by solution-state spectroscopic methods and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Each ligand gives rise to a different primary coordination sphere about the nickel centre. These studies indicate that the ligands' acyl substituents can be used to regulate the coordination mode of the amidate donors to nickel and the coordination number of the nickel centres. In addition, the ability of these complexes to bind cyanide has been explored. These experiments demonstrate that only one of these complexes, [Ni(LiPr)]−, is able to irreversibly bind cyanide and can be used to assemble [Et4N]3[Ni(LiPr)(μ2-CN)Co(LiPr)], a cyanide bridged, heterobimetallic complex. The synthesis and characterization of the cyanide containing complexes, including magnetic susceptibility studies, are described.
Resonant tunneling through adsorbates in scanning tunneling microscopy

We present a simple model describing resonant tunneling through adsorbed molecules in scanning tunneling microscopy, extending the Newns-Anderson Hamiltonian used in chemisorption studies. The problem is viewed as a double chemisorption situation, in which various parameters depend adiabatically on the position of the adsorbate orbital of interest, leading to a position-dependent adsorbate Green's function. The characteristic inelastic spectrum peaks are obtained, at positions depending on the vibrational energies, and their intensities depend on the occupancies of the respective adsorbate orbitals
Exploring individual and institutional drivers of proactive environmentalism in the US Wine industry

Industry transformation related to environmental stewardship proceeds through multiple stages, and there is as of yet no clear understanding of the importance of certain drivers of transformation at different stages. We bring together previous environmental management research regarding individual- and institutional-level drivers of environmental stewardship to develop a model and series of questions regarding proactive environmental behavior in the US wine industry. A qualitative research method, including interviews and focus groups, is used to test the model. At the early stage of environmental transformation in the wine industry, we find that managerial attitudes and norms, existing regulations, employee welfare and competitive pressures are all strong drivers of proactive environmental behavior. However, our multi-level analysis suggests that drivers of environmentalism vary in relevance and relative importance and that future environmental management research needs to consider the relationship between drivers of environmentalism and the stage of an industry's environmental transformation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Oral contraceptive use and incident urinary incontinence in premenopausal women.

Purpose: Recent data in postmenopausal women indicate that current and past use of exogenous hormones is related to urinary incontinence risk. Little is known about exogenous hormones and risk of urinary incontinence in younger women. We investigated the association between oral contraceptive pills and incident urinary incontinence in premenopausal women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study II.Materials and Methods: Participants reported use of oral contraceptive pills from 1989 to 2001. Among 21,864 premenopausal women 37 to 54 years old reporting no urinary incontinence in 2001 we identified 749 with incident urinary incontinence at least weekly between 2001 and 2003. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using multivariable logistic regression.Results: Women who had ever used oral contraceptive pills had a statistically significant 27% (95% CI 1–59) increased odds of experiencing urinary incontinence at least weekly compared with those who never used oral contraceptive pills. In women...
An interleaved-navigator projection dual-echo bSSFP sequence for respiratory self-gated imaging

Introduction Recently, self-navigation has become an alternative to breath-holding and respiratory navigators for cardiac MR scans [1-3]. Current sequences acquire a high spatial-resolution navigator projection every cardiac phase [i.e. [4]], a lower resolution navigator every TR, or a complete image with lower temporal resolution [2]. Temporal or spatial resolution is sacrificed to minimize the loss of imaging efficiency. Here, we propose a dual-echo balanced SSFPbased imaging sequence that acquires a constant navigator projection during every TR and alternates navigator projection direction for robust motion measurement.
Recognition of the surface of a homeo domain protein

Homeo domain proteins exhibit distinct biological functions with specificities that cannot be predicted by their sequence specificities for binding DNA. Recognition of the surface of the Oct-1 POU homeo domain provides a general model for the contribution of selective protein-protein interactions to the functional specificity of the homeo domain family of factors. The assembly of Oct-1 into a multiprotein complex on the herpes simplex virus alpha/IE enhancer is specified by the interactions of its homeo domain with ancillary factors. This complex (C1 complex) is composed of the viral alpha TIF protein (VP16), Oct-1, and one additional cellular component, the C1 factor. Variants of the Oct-1 POU homeo domain were generated by site-directed mutagenesis, which altered the residues predicted to form the exposed surface of the domain-DNA complex. Proteins with single amino acid substitutions on the surface of either helix 1 or 2 of the Oct-1 POU homeo domain had decreased abilities to form the C1 complex. The behavior of these mutants in a cooperative DNA-binding assay with alpha TIF suggested that the Oct-1 POU homeo domain is principally recognized by alpha TIF in the C1 complex. The preferential recognition of Oct-1 over the closely related Oct-2 protein is critically influenced by a single residue on the surface of helix 1 because the introduction of this residue into the Oct-2 POU homeo domain significantly enhanced its ability to form a C1 complex.
Internet Voting Usefulness: An Empirical Analysis of Trust, Convenience and Accessibility

Opportunities for Internet use in the political process are constantly emerging. The use of the Internet to obtain political news and share political information is gaining momentum. Remote Internet voting initiatives are also growing in popularity. This study presents a model of Internet voting adoption that explores the predictors of the perceived usefulness of Internet voting systems. To test the model a survey is administered to 372 citizens. The results of structural equation modeling indicate that accessibility, convenience, disposition to trust, and Internet trust all have a significant impact on the perceived usefulness of Internet Voting. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Publication Trends in the Drug Dependence Literature

Publications dealing with psychotropic drug use and dependence were analyzed for the years 1960–1980 using the numbers of articles cited in each yearly edition of Cumulated Index Medicus. The following headings were reviewed: drug abuse, drug dependence, alcoholism, smoking, heroin addiction, cannabis, cannabinoids, cocaine, phencyclidine, lysergic acid diethylamide, diazepam, and meprobamate. The number of citations for a given year was used to calculate the percentage of the literature for that year which fell under each of those headings. In general, it appears that the growth of the scientific literature included under many of these headings has been more rapid than the overall growth of the literature.
Voice activation detection using Teager-Kaiser energy measure

Voice Activity Detection (VAD) has a wide application in speech coding, speech recognition, and saving the computation and bandwidth of a communication system which uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). In this paper, a modified Teager-Kaiser Energy (TKE) operator is adapted and used as a VAD feature. The modification includes a combination of different orders of TKE operator which shows good performance and robustness in detecting the speech signal under different Signal to Noise Ratios (SNRs). Simulation results indicate higher accuracy of voice detection using the proposed TKE feature instead of the energy feature usually applied in VAD methods.
Effect of Side Group Chemistry on the Properties of Biodegradable l-Alanine Cosubstituted Polyphosphazenes

Biodegradable polyphosphazenes have been investigated for a variety of applications, such as controlled drug delivery matrixes, tissue-engineering scaffolds, membranes, and bone-type composites. In this study we have evaluated the effect of side group chemistry on the properties of biodegradable phosphazene polymers that contain ethyl alanato side groups together with ethyl glycinato, p-methylphenoxy, or p-phenylphenoxy side groups. The polymers were synthesized by a macromolecular substitution route. The molecular weights of aryloxy/amino acid ester cosubstituted polymers were much higher than the amino acid ester substituted polyphosphazenes described earlier. Polymer properties, such as glass transition temperature, hydrolytic degradation, surface wettability, tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity varied over a wide range following changes to the type of co-substituents on the polymer backbone. The glass transition temperatures varied from -10 to 35 degrees C and increased with the bulkiness of the side groups. Polymer films in phosphate buffer saline solution showed molecular weight declines ranging from 58% to >80% and mass loss ranging from 4% to 90% over a period of 7 weeks. Water contact angles for polymer films varied from 63 degrees to 107 degrees , with the highest angles for the alanine ethyl ester and p-phenylphenoxy cosubstituted polyphosphazene. The tensile strengths were in the range of 2.4-7.6 MPa and the modulus of elasticity was in the range of 31.4-455.9 MPa. Thus, in this study we have demonstrated the tunability of biodegradable polyphosphazenes to suit a range of biomedical applications.
Teacher Education and the Enduring Significance of “False Empathy”

The concept “False Empathy” posited by critical race theory luminary Richard Delgado (Calif Law Rev 84(1):61–100, 1996) easily obscures White teacher’s good intentions to be effective educators of racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students. It is argued here that critical race theory is useful for isolating and explaining how race and racism intersect the teaching and learning process. Thus, equipping White teacher candidates with the requisite skills needed to become even more aware of perspectives and behaviors reflective of false empathy. This paper explores how practicing White female teachers’ conceptions and expressions of empathy in two separate studies suggest evidence of false empathy. Findings demonstrate that false empathy may show up in three phases of classroom interaction: pre-contact, contact, and post-contact. Implications and recommendations for teacher preparation are discussed.
The Antarctic ozone hole and the Northern Annular Mode: A stratospheric interhemispheric connection

[1] The S.H. ozone hole deepened into the mid-1990s, while the Northern Annular Mode (NAM) became more positive. Both effects have since stabilized. We investigate a possible connection with modeling experiments of a S. H. spring ozone hole, and also year-round ozone loss in both polar regions. The S.H. ozone hole results in a more positive NAM-like phase extending down to the surface. Reduced vertical stability increases S.H. tropospheric wave energy flux into the stratosphere which drives a residual circulation with relative subsidence over the Southern pole and upwelling and reduced planetary wave energy flux at Northern high latitudes. The results suggest that similar trends in the Southern Ozone hole and the NAM over the last 20 years may be more than just a coincidence, although other factors undoubtedly influence the Northern high latitude circulation.
On the dynamics of SCARA robot

Abstract Assembly automation using robots has proven to be very successful. It has been shown that use of robots improves the accuracy of assembly, and saves assembly time and cost as well. SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) type robots have been widely used in industry for assembly operations in both the mechanical and electronics domains of manufacturing. One of the important issues in designing an optimal manipulator is the dynamic behavior of the manipulator which is higly non-linear and strongly coupled due to the interaction of inertial, centripetal, coriolis and gravitational forces. Although extensive study involving optimal time study, dynamic study using the Lagrange method, path planning etc. have been made, no closed solution for the dynamics of this important robot has been reported. This paper presents the study of kinematics and dynamics of the SCARA assembly robot. Closed solutions for the dynamics of this robot are derived. To study the variations of the torques of the links a computer code is developed. It is found that the torque is independent of the angular position, which makes the robot highly compliant.
Theory of Disintegration of Nuclei by Neutrons

The large probability of nuclear disintegration by slow neutrons as well as the large cross section for the elastic scattering of slow neutrons can be explained without any new assumption. Interaction between neutron and nucleus is assumed to be only present when the neutron is inside the nucleus or very near its boundary. The rate of change of the potential energy of the neutron at the boundary of the nucleus is important for the quantitative, but not for the qualitative results; in agreement with other data, it has been assumed that the potential drops to $\frac{1}{e}$ in a distance 1.5.${10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm (range of the forces between neutron and nucleus).
Correction of nonlinear deflection distortion in a direct exposure electron-beam system

This paper describes a distortion correction technique, used in a high-throughput electron-beam exposure system, which achieves an absolute deflection accuracy of about 30 parts per million (ppm) throughout a 5-mm field. To accomplish this, a cyclic, numerically controlled magnetic deflection with an accuracy of about 1000 ppm and high repeatability is first established. Horizontal and vertical errors in this deflection are measured by sensing the apparent locations of features in a calibration grid that is placed in the exposure field of the beam. The measured error is smoothed by means of a two-dimensional spline-fitting method, and the parameters for the correction surfaces are calculated. Corrections to position and speed, defined by a set of digital tables, are superimposed on the basic deflection, and the process is iterated until acceptable precision is achieved. Parameters relating registration scans to field-writing scans are then calculated for use in the registration of all written fields.
Patients' preferences for learning the results of mammographic examinations

The communication of diagnostic test results is an important aspect of the interaction between doctors and patients. Communication of mammogram results is of particular interest because the test is used to detect a common and potentially dangerous malignancy and because patients in the United States are able in some locations to obtain mammography at their own request, rather than being referred by a physician. We conducted a survey to learn about the preferences of a group of women at a traditional mammography center for learning the results of this commonly performed test. We asked women undergoing mammography to respond to questionnaires designed to learn: 1) How they felt about different methods of telling patients the results of mammograms; 2) How they were informed of the results of previous mammograms; 3) How they were told the results of the current mammograms.
Acoustic Microscopy Analyses to Determine Good vs. Failed Tissue Engineered Oral Mucosa Under Normal or Thermally Stressed Culture Conditions

This study uses scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) ultrasonic profilometry to determine acceptable vs. failed tissue engineered oral mucosa. Specifically, ex vivo-produced oral mucosal equivalents (EVPOMEs) under normal or thermally stressed culture conditions were scanned with the SAM operator blinded to the culture conditions. As seeded cells proliferate, they fill in and smooth out the surface irregularities; they then stratify and produce a keratinized protective upper layer. Some of these transformations could alter backscatter of ultrasonic signals and in the case of the thermally stressed cells, produce backscatter similar to an unseeded device. If non-invasive ultrasonic monitoring could be developed, then tissue cultivation could be adjusted to measure biological variations in the stratified surface. To create an EVPOME device, oral mucosa keratinocytes were seeded onto acellular cadaveric dermis. Two sets of EVPOMEs were cultured: one at physiological temperature 37 °C and the other at 43 °C. The specimens were imaged with SAM consisting of a single-element transducer: 61 MHz center frequency, 32 MHz bandwidth, 1.52 f#. Profilometry for the stressed and unseeded specimens showed higher surface irregularities compared to unstressed specimens. Elevated thermal stress retards cellular differentiation, increasing root mean square values; these results show that SAM can potentially monitor cell/tissue development.
Effects of Human Subsistence Activities on Forest Birds in Northern Kenya

Indigenous tribes and conservation biologists may have common goals and may be able to collaborate on the maintenance of biodiversity, but few researchers have evaluated the impacts and potential benefits of human subsistence activities. I studied the effects of subsistence activities (primarily wood collection) of nomadic pastoralists in 3 Afromontane forests of northern Kenya. In surveys of 404, 25-m-radius plots, I recorded vegetation structure and composition of the forest bird community. Plots with higher levels of human activity had significantly different vegetation structure, with more-open canopies, more grass, and fewer tree stems. Nectarivores (abundance +231%) and aerial insectivores (+66%) were more abundant in plots with more-intense wood collecting than in plots with less human activity, whereas abundance of forest specialists (-28%) decreased in plots with more-intense human activity. Abundance of 58% of the bird species either increased or decreased significantly in plots with more-intense human activity. Generally, the number of individuals of forest specialists decreased (6 of 7 species showed significant responses) and the number of individuals of edge and nonforest species increased with increasing human activity. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that an intensification of human activities would favor nectarivores, aerial insectivores, granivores, and omnivores and would negatively affect large-sized, ground-foraging species and arboreal frugivores. Subsistence human activities favored the invasion of forest by edge species at the expense of forest specialists; thus, further intensification of forest exploitation by local peoples is not recommended. At the same time, however, subsistence activities in northern Kenya forests appeared to increase the structural diversity of the vegetation and provided suitable habitat for part (but not all) of the forest avifauna, which suggests that subsistence human activities may have a role in the maintenance of bird diversity.
"The ghetto is over, darling": emerging gay communities and gender and sexual politics in contemporary Brazil.

In the course of the past two decades, male-male sexuality has become increasingly visible in Brazil. Today, there are homosocial/sexual commercial establishments and homosexual/gay political organizations in nearly all large-and many small-Brazilian cities, a growing gay press and regular mainstream press coverage of gay cultural and political issues. These changes in the landscape of male-male sexuality may be seen as marking the emergence of gay communities/culture(s) in Brazil. Less clear is how the many different actors that make up the homoerotic sexual stage (e.g. travestis, bofes, bichas, gays, homens, passivos, etc.) fit into this (imagined) 'gay community' and its shifting spaces of desire, money, identity, cultural representation and social practice. In this article I will examine how 'gayness' and the 'gay community' have been conceived and experienced by participants in Porto Alegre's homosexual/gay subcultures. I will centre my discussion around data obtained from ethnographic fieldwork at a...
Predictors of Quality of Life, Sexual Intercourse, and Sexual Satisfaction among Active Older Adults.

Abstract Background: Relatively little is known about the sexual behaviors of older people, and the relationship between quality of life and sexuality has not been fully explored. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of sociological, cultural, and psychological factors to further explain variance beyond biological changes that influence participation in sexual intercourse, sexual satisfaction, and overall quality of life. Methods: Data were collected using a mixed-mode approach to optimize participant response and coverage. Residents of a large active retirement community served as the study participants. Results: Logistic regression identified a set of biopsychosocial variables which significantly distinguished between those who participate and do not participate in sexual intercourse. Multiple regression procedures identified sets of variables that significantly predicted sexual satisfaction and quality of life. Discussion: Overall findings add to the existing body of literat...
Enhancing computer aided inspection through the integration of quality control and computer aided design

Abstract In today's competitive marketplace, it has become apparent that improvements in current manufacturing techniques and philosophies must take place. These changes should encompass increased productivity and improved quality. One way in which to obtain these standards lies within the theory of computer integrated manufacturing and its ties to quality process control. This idea must begin with the creation of a system that encompasses the framework for a CIM system. In order to produce such a system, an integration of subsystems and methodologies must take place, linking the data chain throughout the entire system. In order to “link” this chain, the properties of subsystems must be analyzed as to their ability to be connected and share data. The conception of this system is entirely related to the issues of integration for bar-code technology, an electronic vision system (microscope), IGES (CAD) data, and expert systems.
Molecular dynamics simulations of α-alumina and γ-alumina surfaces

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations of crystalline aluminum oxide were performed for α-Al2O3 and γ-Al2O3 phases. Both bulk crystals and surfaces of each phase were studied. For each of the surfaces, several possible atomic terminations were examined and surface energies, density profiles, and atom configurations have been calculated. It was found that due to processes of surface relaxation and reconstruction some terminations of the α-alumina surfaces become more likely to appear. For γ-alumina, the occurrence of cation vacancies in the crystal structure has a significant influence on surface morphology. On the surfaces, additional active sites were observed which are not predicted by idealized models which omit vacancies.
Effect of stress on silicide formation kinetics in thin film titanium–selicon system

Abstract As the CMOS device feature size scales below sub 0.5 μm, formation of low resistive C54 phase TiSi2 becomes increasingly difficult. With the decreasing silicide thickness and shrinking line widths, unrealistic thermal budgets are required to transform the high resistive C49 phase to the low resistive C54 phase [Kittl J.A., Prinslow D.A., Apte P.P., Das M.F. Appl Phys Lett 1995;67:2308; Saenger K.L., Cabral Jr. C., Clevenger L.A., Roy R.A., Wind S. J Appl Phys 1995;78:7040; Clevenger L.A., Cabral Jr. C., Roy R.A., Lavoie C., Viswanathan R., Saenger K.L., Jordon-Sweet J., Morales G., Ludwig Jr. K.L., Stephenson G.B. Mater Res Soc Symp Proc 1996;402:257]. This phenomenon of sluggish C49 to C54 phase transformation, according to various researchers, has been attributed to the reduced nucleation density. i.e. relatively larger grained C49 phase formed as compared to the vertical and the lateral dimensions of the silicide. Motivated by this technologically important C49 to C54 phase transformation, we have studied the ways in which a nonthermal parameter such as the `stress state', of the Ti–Si diffusion couple, could affect the silicide formation and the C49 to C54 phase transformation. The stress state of the Ti–Si diffusion couple was varied in two different ways: (i) stress state of the Ti film and (ii) stress state of the silicon surface. The stress state of the Ti film was varied by changing the deposition parameters during sputtering. We have observed that thin titanium films, when deposited under compressive stress, result in a silicide film with a small grained C49 phase. Hence, an enhanced C49 to C54 phase transformation was observed for compressive Ti films as compared to tensile Ti films. The activation energies associated with the C49 to C54 transformation in these thin compressive Ti films are about 2 to 2.25 eV lower than those commonly reported in the literature [Kittl J.A., Prinslow D.A., Apte P.P., Das M.F. Appl Phys Lett 1995;67:2308; Saenger K.L., Cabral Jr. C., Clevenger L.A., Roy R.A., Wind S. J Appl Phys 1995;78:7040; Clevenger L.A., Cabral Jr. C., Roy R.A., Lavoie C., Viswanathan R., Saenger K.L., Jordon-Sweet J., Morales G., Ludwig Jr. K.L., Stephenson G.B. Mater Res Soc Symp Proc 1996;402:257; Matsubara Y., Horiuchi T., Okumura K. Appl Phys Lett 1993;62:2634; Mann R.W., Clevenger L.A. J Electrochem Soc 1994;141:1347; Ma Z., Allen L.H. Phys Rev B 1994;49:13501] for similar annealing conditions. The stress state of the silicon surface was varied by implanting low doses (1e13/cm2) of three different species such as boron, arsenic and phosphorus. As in the case of compressive Ti films, the C49 to C54 transformation was found to be enhanced for the silicon surface with the lowest compressive stress.
Naloxone elicits an excitatory response in the morphine-tolerant mouse vas deferens.

Abstract The effects of naloxone on the electrically stimulated vas deferens from mice implanted with morphine (tolerant) or placebo (naive) pellets were studied. In tolerant vas deferens, naloxone produced an 86.6 % increase of the twitch contractions when the preparations were stimulated with 15 V, while only a 12 % increase was observed with supramaximal voltage (40 V). Naloxone had no effect at either voltage in preparations from naive animals. The effect of morphine in naive vas deferens stimulated with 15 V, was reversed by naloxone without further increase over baseline contractions. The results suggest that opioid receptors other than those located in the neuronal soma and/or coupled to adenylate cyclase may be involved in the development of dependence.
Negotiating Marginalities: Right to the City's Water

Failure of water‐related planning in Delhi can in part be attributed to the lack of inter‐agency coordination and cooperation. This inability of state and city agencies to work together results in fragmentation of the state, and places potable water at the centre of politics in the city. This fragmentation and its consequences can be seen in Delhi's resettlement colonies, where government agencies attempt to create formal housing options for urban poor residents, formerly living in squatter settlements. These neighbourhoods have inadequate access to potable water and limited or no access to state agencies. This absence of the state in resettlement colonies renders the role of non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) as critical. Using potable water as the analytic, this article attempts to unpack the complex relationships between state agencies, NGOs and urban poor residents of resettlement colonies.
The role of dynamic symmetries in hadronic structure

Abstract The role of spectrum generating algebras (SGA) and dynamic symmetries (DS) in hadronic structure is briefly reviewed.
THE ENHANCEMENT BY WORTMANNIN OF PROTEIN KINASE C-DEPENDENT ACTIVATION OF PHOSPHOLIPASE D IN VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELLS

Abstract Phosphatidic acid generation by phospholipase D (PLD) activation has been implicated in agonist- and oxidant-mediated endothelial cell signal transduction. We examined the effect of wortmannin on PLD activation in pulmonary artery endothelial and smooth muscle cells in culture. Pretreatment of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAECs) with wortmannin potentiated TPA- (100 nM), ATP- (100 μM), and bradykinin- (1 μM) induced [32P]PEt formation, an index of PLD activation. However, wortmannin by itself had no effect on PLD activity. The potentiating effect of wortmannin on TPA-induced PLD activation was dose- (1–10 μM) and time-dependent (5–30 min) and was inhibited by bisindoylmalemide, an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC). Furthermore, down-regulation of PKC by prolonged treatment with TPA (100 nM, 18 h) attenuated the wortmannin effect. This effect of wortmannin was specific for TPA- or agonist-induced PLD activation as no potentiation of [32P]PEt formation was observed with H2O2 (1 mM) or ionomycin (1 μM). The effect of wortmannin was not due to activation of PKCα as determined by western blot analysis of PKCα in the cytosol and membrane fractions. Also, genistein, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinases, did not attenuate the wortmannin-mediated potentiation of PLD thereby suggesting non-involvement of protein tyrosine phosphorylation. These results indicate that wortmannin potentiates PKC-dependent stimulation of PLD in vascular endothelial cells.
Prediction of successful voiding immediately after outpatient mid-urethral sling.

We set out to identify predictors of successful voiding immediately after outpatient mid-urethral sling. The charts of 126 patients who underwent an outpatient mid-urethral sling procedure were identified. Using discharge without a urinary catheter as the dependent variable, logistic regression analysis modeled the relationship of independent variables including demographic, preoperative urodynamic, and perioperative variables. Sixty-one percent of the patients passed their immediate postoperative voiding trial. Logistic regression analysis revealed that parity ≥3, Valsalva leak point pressure >60 cm H2O, and high preoperative anxiety remained independently associated with successful voiding. Identifying preoperative variables that are associated with successful voiding after mid-urethral sling may be useful in helping to accurately shape patient expectations and identify those most likely to benefit from preoperative teaching of self-catheterization.
Quality Improvement Specific for Child Neurology

Physicians traditionally have always tried to do what is right for their patients. However, in the current healthcare environment, such efforts are not good enough and physicians must constantly strive for better and better quality. The 2001 Institute of Medicine report empowered a movement among physician organizations to improve healthcare quality. One such organization, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) now requires residents in all specialties to be able to demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant selfevaluation and life-long learning. Residents are expected to develop skills and habits to be able to meet the following goals:
THE HUBBLE PARAMETER REVISITED

Observations obtained during the last two years are reviewed, and are summarized in Table 1. These new data appear to have slightly shifted the balance of evidence towards larger values of the Hubble Parameter. In particular it is argued that supernovae of Type Ia have a large luminosity dispersion at maximum light, and may therefore not be good standard candles. Furthermore spiral galaxies of a given Hubble type and luminosity class have too large a range in diameters to be useful as standard meter sticks. On balance available evidence suggests that Hubble paramter ≥ 75 km s-1 Mpc-1.
A predictive nuclear translocation assay for spliced x-box-binding protein 1 identifies compounds with known organ toxicities.

Abstract Compound toxicity is still the main cause of attrition, emphasizing the need for novel predictive assays to identify toxic compounds early during drug development. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has recently been discovered as a molecular event that links cellular dysfunction to drug-induced organ toxicity in humans. Among higher organisms the inositol-requiring transmembrane kinase/endoribonuclease pathway plays a major role in mediating the ER stress response. Inositol-requiring transmembrane kinase/endoribonuclease achieves this through its endoribonuclease activity causing a frameshift in the translation of the X-box–binding protein 1 (XBP1) to produce spliced XBP1 (XBP1s), which translocates into the nucleus, where it initiates transcription of ER stress response genes. Based on this biology, we have designed a novel β-galactosidase–based XBP1s-enzyme fragment complementation assay, which enables identification of compound-induced ER stress in human U2OS cells. The XBP1s-enzyme fragment c...
Differences in early- and late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia between surgical and trauma patients in a combined surgical or trauma intensive care unit.

Introduction: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a leading cause of morbidity in the perioperative period. Based on differences in causes, VAP has been divided into early (≤96 hours of admission) and late (>96 hours of admission) onset. We sought to compare differences in patient characteristics and outcome between early- and late-onset VAP in trauma and nontrauma surgical patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data were performed for all surgical and trauma patients admitted to the surgical or trauma intensive care unit of an academic medical center from December 1996 to March 2005 who developed VAP. Patients with early- and late-onset VAP were compared with regard to patient characteristics, cause, and outcome using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Three hundred thirty VAPs were identified in 233 trauma (71%) and 97 nontrauma surgery patients (29%). There was no statistically significant difference in recurrence, mortality, or length of stay between early- and late-onset VAP in trauma patients. Mortality for late-onset VAPs in nontrauma patients was 44% versus 23% for early-onset VAPs (p = 0.09). On a per case basis, trauma patients had significantly better mortality (11% vs. 41%) and length of stay (33.1 ± 1.4 vs. 55.8 ± 4.1 days) than nontrauma surgical patients with VAP (p < 0.0001), although the rate of VAP-related death favored the nontrauma patients (1.8 deaths of 100 intensive care unit trauma admissions vs. 1.1 deaths of 100 intensive care unit nontrauma admissions, p = 0.05). Conclusions: Although there is a trend toward worse outcome in nontrauma patients with late-onset VAP, trauma patients with late- and early-onset VAP behave similarly. On a per case basis, trauma patients have significantly better outcomes than nontrauma surgical patients with VAP when cared for within the same surgical or trauma intensive care unit.
Adrenergic blockade for management of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery: Is it important to go beyond the β1-receptor?

e b t t O m d t t 9 r d l c s t t o S 5 i o h e Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs postoperatively in approxmately one third of patients undergoing coronary artery ypass graft surgery (CABG). It is associated with inreased morbidity and cost attributed to more intensive care nd longer length of stay. Although numerous manageent strategies for preventing post-CABG AF have been ested, beta-blocker therapy is universally recommended as art of any prophylactic algorithm. Although there is a easonable consensus regarding beta-blocker therapy as prohylaxis for post-CABG AF, the choice of beta-blocker is nclear. No large randomized trials to date have addressed his question, although one randomized trial currently unerway is evaluating carvedilol versus metoprolol for preention of AF after off-pump CABG. The pathophysiology of post-CABG AF differs from that f nonsurgically related AF. Inflammatory mediators, adenergic tone, and fluid and electrolyte shifts likely play a arger role. It seems reasonable that a beta-blocker with roperties that go beyond the relative 1 selectivity of a rug such as metoprolol may have additive benefit in preenting post-CABG AF. The nonselective -adrenergic and 1-adrenergic blocking properties of carvedilol lead to peipheral vasodilation, decreased cardiac epinephrine levels, nd increased parasympathetic none. Unlike metoprolol, arvedilol has been suggested to have antioxidant and aniinflammatory effects, the clinical significance of which is nclear. Compared with metoprolol, carvedilol has greater rotein binding and a reduced volume of distribution, which ould lead to an extended duration of action relative to its limination kinetics. It is not surprising that this drug may ave increased efficacy for AF prophylaxis compared with etoprolol. In a study reported in the current issue of Heart Rhythm, aghjoo et al performed a prospective randomized trial of 20 patients undergoing on-pump CABG. Patients with no istory of preoperative AF were randomized in a 1:1 man-
Nb/sub 3/Al wire produced by powder metallurgy and rapid quenching from high temperatures

Powder-metallurgy-processed Nb-25-at.% Al wires were annealed at temperatures just below the melting temperature. Depending on anneal conditions, the entire Nb-Al part of the wire could be rapidly quenched as a metastable Al Nb(Al) solid solution with an Al concentration exceeding 23 at.%. This A2 phase is sufficiently ductile to be bent without incurring damage. A second anneal at 950 degrees C converted the A2 into A15. J/sub c/ was 10/sup 4/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 22 T, and T/sub c/ was 17.8 K. The rapid quenching of Nb-Al powder metallurgy processed wire is a possible alternative to obtain improved high-field properties. >
Understanding the Boundary Stencil Effects on the Adjacent Field Resolution in Compact Finite Differences

When establishing the spatial resolution character of a composite compact finite differencing template for high-order field solutions, the stencils selected at nonperiodic boundaries are commonly treated independent of the interior scheme. This position quantifies a false influence of the boundary scheme on the resultant interior dispersive and dissipative consequences of the compound template. Of the three ingredients inherent in the composite template, only its numerical accuracy and global stability have been properly treated in a coupled fashion. Herein, we present a companion means for quantifying the resultant spatial resolution properties that lead to improved predictions of the salient problem physics. Compact boundary stencils with free parameters to minimize the field dispersion (or phase error) and dissipation are included in the procedure. Application of the coupled templates for resolving the viscous Burgers wave and two-dimensional acoustic scattering reveal significant differences in the predictive error.
Does the Village Model Help to Foster Age-Friendly Communities?

This article explores the potential role of the Village model, a social initiative that emphasizes member involvement and service access, in helping communities to become more age-friendly. A survey of 86.3% of operational Villages examined activities designed to help members access a variety of supports and services consistent with the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities program model, as well as other potential contributions to community age friendliness. Analysis revealed that 85.5% of Villages provided assistance with at least six of the eight WHO domains, but only 10.1% implemented features of all eight; more than one-third were engaged in direct or indirect efforts to improve community physical or social infrastructures or improve community attitudes toward older persons. These findings suggest that Villages and other social organizations may have untapped potential for enhancing their members' ability to age in place consistent with the goals of age-friendly initiatives while also promoting constructive changes in the overall community.
Stereospecific synthesis of (+/-)-1,2-anhydro methyl rocaglate.

The rocaglates and analogues thereof have recently become targets for synthesis because of their potent antitumor activity. One of the major difficulties has been the control of stereochemistry of the adjacent −Ph and −An groups. In this letter we show that 14 is converted into 5 as a single stereoisomer and subsequently transformed into 1,2-anhydro methyl rocaglate 20.
Acceptors in the removal of protecting groups

Acidolytic cleavage of benzyloxycarbonyl and O-benzyl groups with trifluoroacetic acid is accelerated by the addition of 4-(methylmercapto)phenol (4MP) that can play the role of acceptor of benzyl groups in two different ways and can replace the previously used thioanisole-m-cresol mixture. Some advantages of 4MP are pointed out and its usefulness is demonstrated in practical examples.
Macrodiversity cochannel interference analysis

A cochannel interference analytical model to evaluate the performance of S + I-macrodiversity to combat shadowing is presented. It was found that the performance difference between the S + I-macrodiversity and S/I-macrodiversity is significant, but the performance with S-macrodiversity is close to the case of S + I-macrodiversity.
Window-heating effects on airborne infrared system calibration

Window heating effects are an important consideration in the design and development of airborne missile seeker systems. This paper describes how sharply rising window temperatures can adversely affect detector performance during the seeker homing phase. Initially in the design approach, equations are formulated to calculate target and window radiance on the detector elements for given parameters relevant to target signature, flight aerodynamics, and seeker optics. Using these derived equations, the radiance profiles are plotted as a function of seeker flight time for a typical set of the aforementioned parameters. Then possible design trade-offs and seeker system modifications are discussed that reduce and/or negate window heating effects.
Reactor and gamma-ray induced coloring of corning fused silica∗

Abstract When crystalline quartz, fused silica and many other substances are subject to reactor or gamma-ray radiations the samples develop optical absorption bands in the region 0.2–1 μ. Usually, there are many broad bands which overlap and resolution of the observed spectrum into the component bands is difficult. Coming fused silica is colored less than all of the materials studied and the observed spectrum can be resolved into its components by properly utilizing the variations in the relative absorption of the different bands created by changing the irradiation conditions. The most intense band is near 5.75 eV (218 mμ) and there is a smaller one at 5.05 eV (242 mμ) when the sample is irradiated in the reactor at 70°C. The 5.05 eV band has, relative to the 5.75 eV band, low intensity when the reactor irradiation is at 170°C but is much stronger when the irradiation is at liquid nitrogen temperature. Also, the peak of the 5.75 eV band shifts slightly with irradiation temperature. The band at 5.05 eV, which can be separated from the other bands without assuming a shape for it, is well fitted by a Gaussian curve and we have assumed that all other bands are similarly shaped. When a sample originally colored in the reactor is subsequently subjected to gammarays, additional absorption bands appear and their intensity is proportional to both the reactor and gamma-ray exposures. In all, new bands at approximately 5.5 (223 mμ), 4.5 (278 mμ), 2.0 (625 mμ) and one near 6.1 (200 mμ) eV, are present with indications of four others.
Markov and Markov-regenerative PERT networks

This paper investigates pert networks with independent and exponentially distributed activity durations. We model such networks as finite-state, absorbing, continuous-time Markov chains with upper triangular generator matrices. The state space is related to the network structure. We present simple and computationally stable algorithms to evaluate the usual performance criteria: the distribution and moments of project completion time, the probability that a given path is critical, and other related performance measures. In addition, we algorithmically analyze conditional performance measures-for example, project completion time, given a critical path-and present computational results. We then study extensions both to resource-constrained pert networks and to a special class of nonexponential pert networks.
Developing interactive graphics courseware for computer literacy

The development of microcomputers that can produce color graphics has opened up important new opportunities for educators. It is now possible to develop courseware that relies more on interactive visual experiences as new channels for presenting educational materials.
Recoil labeling and selective radiation labeling a novel synthesis of propanol‐2,3‐14C1

A recoil labeling method for the production of propanol-2,3-14C1 and other simple alcohols is described. In addition propanol-2,3-14C and 2-methyl propanol-3-14C were prepared by the irradiation of methanol solutions of ethylene-14C and propene-1-14C, respectively, in „scavenger” concentration. This latter approach called selectiveradiation labeling is explored as a method for the preparation of specifically labeled compounds by „non-synthetic” methods. The advantages of selective radiation labeling are : 1. specificity of label; 2. ready control of desired specific activity; 3. efficient use of the labeling isotope in an appropriate precursor; 4. ease of purification and isolation of products; 5. minimum labor. Any source of penetrating radiation can be used in selective radiation labeling.
Enantioselective Synthesis of the Tricyclic Core of FR901483 Featuring a Rh-Catalyzed [2+2+2] Cycloaddition.

An efficient approach to the tricyclic framework of FR901483 is described. The sequence features a [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of a cyanate to an isocyanate, followed by its subsequent asymmetric rhodium-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition with a terminal alkyne for the synthesis of the indolizidine core. The aza-tricyclic core is completed using an intramolecular benzoin reaction to close the last ring of the natural product. Through a model study of the key cycloaddition, we evaluated the impact of different substituents on the tether of the alkenyl isocyanate.