cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new method for affinity chromatography of heme-binding proteins: Synthesis and characterization of hematin- and hematoporphyrin-agarose

Abstract Two new affinity columns, using hematin and hematoporphyrin as ligands, have been prepared. Both were made by first attaching 1,6-diaminohexane to Sepharose 4B by the cyanogen bromide procedure and then coupling the porphyrins to the free amino groups of this arm with carbodiimide. This second reaction was done in dimethylformamide to increase the solubility of the porphyrins at pH 4.7. This resin was then washed extensively with dimethylformamide to remove all of the unreacted porphyrin. The new affinity columns are able to bind apoglobin, albumin, and hemopexin, which demonstrates their ability to purify heme-binding proteins. The proteins could be removed by washing the column with a deforming buffer, such as 8 m urea or 0.1 m sodium citrate buffer at pH 4. Neither lysozyme nor hemoglobin bound to these resins demonstrating that the absorbants are specific for apo heme-binding proteins.
Is simple fistula-in-ano simple?

PURPOSE: A study of 523 fistulas of cryptoglandular origin operated on between January 1985 and December 1991 at the Lehigh Valley Hospital was undertaken for the purpose of establishing whether the “so-called” simple fistula-in-ano has a favorable outcome. High transsphincteric fistulas with or without high blind track, suprasphincteric, extrasphincteric, and horseshoe fistulas as well as fistulas associated with inflammatory bowel disease were excluded. METHODS: Four-hundred sixtyone patients with anal fistulas classified as simple fistulasin-ano (uncomplicated transsphincteric, low and high blind track intersphincteric) were studied retrospectively. There were 310 males and 151 females with an average age of 42 years and mean follow-up of 34 months. RESULTS: Thirty (6.5 percent) patients developed recurrent fistulas: 16 (53.3 percent) beacuse of missed internal openings at initial surgery, six (20 percent) attributed to missed secondary tracks, five (16.7 percent) because of premature fistulotomy wound closure, and three (10 percent) because of miscellaneous factors. CONCLUSION: All so-called simple fistulas-in-ano may not have readily detectable primary openings and may possess secondary tracks which preclude their behavior as simple fistulas.
Platinization: a novel technique to anchor photosystem I reaction centres onto a metal surface at biological temperature and pH

Abstract Photosystem I (PSI) reaction centre core antenna complexes containing about 40 chlorophylls per P700 (PSI-40) are 6 nm biological photovoltaic device. PSI particles carry positively-charged domain(s) and can therefore interact electrostatically with a negatively-charged surface. PSI particles were platinized by reduction of [PtCl 6 ] −2 at neutral pH and 20°C. The presence of metallic platinum on PSI particles was observed directly by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). The platinized PSI particles were larger than control PSIs (without platinization), due to the presence of metallic platinum. The electric properties of PSI and metallic platinum were characterized by STM tunnelling conductance (I–V) measurements. Diodic response was obtained in platinized PSI. Metallic platinum formed during the reduction of [PtCl 6 ] 2− caused bonding between PSI particles and a gold metal surface. Using the technique of chemical platinization, PSI particles can be “welded” onto gold plates under biologically compatible conditions, resulting in a 2-dimensional spatial array of PSI particles anchored on the metal surface. Metallic platinum is not only a good conductor but also an active catalyst. This platinization “welding” technique is potentially important for both bioelectronics and biometallocatalysis.
Saluting Vali and Shorthill for the FOG concept

The field of fiberoptic gyroscopes, FOGs, was born after a brief publication by Vali and Shorthill in 1976 proposing the use of a multi-turn, single-mode fiber to enhance the sensitivity of a Sagnac interferometer by the number of turns in the fiber coil. It was this simple concept that encouraged many researchers in universities and in industry to get into this field and to develop fiberoptic gyroscopes for a variety of applications, including high precision ones as needed for navigation. The fortuitous developments that led to the 1976 publication are disclosed to show what really went on behind the scenes during the year preceding this publication.
Synthesis and characterization of PbTiO3 powders and heteroepitaxial thin films by hydrothermal synthesis

PbTiO3 powders and heteroepitaxial thin films were produced by the hydrothermal method at 110–200 °C using different bases (Na–, K–, Rb–, Cs–, TMA–, and TBA–OH). Microstructural characterization showed that the tetragonal perovskite films were epitaxial on the SrTiO3 substrates, with a c-axis out-of-plane orientation. Sequential growth experiments showed that the growth initiates by the formation of 100 nm {100} faceted PbTiO3 islands followed by coalescence. Small cation bases (Na–, K–, Rb–OH) produced 1.5-μm {100} faceted blocky powders, whereas larger cation bases (Cs–, TMA–, and TBA–OH) formed fewer 500-nm interpenetrating platelets. Nuclear magnetic resonance results showed cation incorporation in the perovskite structure with local disorder on the Pb sites increasing cation size.
Why Are Biological Systems Homochiral

Self-assembling and self-organizable dendrons, dendrimers, and dendronized polymers produce chiral supramolecular architectures that have been developed as biological mimics. Here we review our work on the self-assembly of homochiral, heterochiral, and racemic dendritic dipeptides, and address one of the most fundamental questions of biological systems: Why are biological systems homochiral and not heterochiral or racemic and, if they were heterochiral or racemic, how would they look and function by comparison with contemporary homochiral biological systems?
A comparison of corneal endothelial changes after use of Healon or Viscoat during phacoemulsification.

We conducted a prospective, randomized trial comparing the endothelial protective effects of Healon (Kabi Pharmacia Ophthalmics, Inc., Monrovia, California) and Viscoat (Alcon Surgical, Inc., Ft. Worth, Texas) in 59 eyes of 59 patients undergoing iris-plane or posterior-chamber phacoemulsification with posterior-chamber lens implantation. We evaluated postoperative central and superior changes in corneal thickness and corneal endothelial cell density, coefficient of variation in cell size, and percentage of hexagons. In the overall series, at one day postoperatively, corneal thickness increased 17% centrally and superiorly in eyes receiving Healon compared to 12% centrally and 11% superiorly in eyes receiving Viscoat (P
Inhibition of odd oxygen production in the carbon bond four and generic reaction set mechanisms

Abstract Outdoor smog chamber experiments have been conducted by researchers in Australia at lower initial NOx and VOC-to-NOx ratios than those chamber experiments which were used to formulate photochemical reaction mechanisms such as the Carbon Bond Four (CB4). When the Australians simulated their experiments with CB4, they found that CB4 underpredicted ozone production at low VOC-to-NOx ratios, i.e. in the NOx-rich region of the ozone isopleth diagram above the ridge line. CB4 predicts a significant NOx inhibition in this region whereas the empirical General Reaction Set (GRS) mechanism, which was developed by the Australian researchers to fit their data, does not. In this study, a mass balance and process analysis technique is used to explain the origins of the NOx -inhibition in CB4 simulations. The causes are determined to be in the inorganic reactions of the CB4, which are believed to be both complete and well-known. The primary cause was a strong negative feedback of new radical production from the photolysis of ozone which occurred because of the longer delay needed to oxidize the higher initial NO. The CB4 mechanism could still be incorrect if it is missing a strong radical source, for example, in the poorly understood aromatics chemistry. The GRS, which lacks representation of the inorganic processes responsible for NOx-inhibition, may be achieving its predictive accuracy by compensating errors. If this is true, then the GRS would be unsatisfactory for ambient air use. Additional smog chamber experiments at low VOC-to-NOx ratios and better characterization of the Australian chambers are needed to resolve the discrepancy in CB4 and GRS predictions.
Vaccination by Delayed Treatment of Infection

Two medical interventions allow us to combat infectious diseases: vaccination which can be administered well in advance of exposure, and antimicrobials which are most often administered contemporaneously with exposure. In this paper we show how they can, in principle, be combined – with infection followed by treatment being used as a form of vaccination. We use mathematical models to examine how appropriately administered antimicrobial treatment following natural infection can be used to reduce the pathology caused by the infection, and also generate long-lasting immunological memory to the pathogen. The models explore the tradeoff between reduction in pathology and strength of immunization. This tradeoff suggests a limited treatment window during which antimicrobial treatment can be started and provide both amelioration of disease symptoms and long-term immunity. This approach may be particularly well suited to combat the emergence of novel pandemic influenza infections particularly for individuals such as medical healthcare professionals at greatest risk for exposure during the initial stages of a pandemic.
Ultrasonic attenuation near the lambda transition in NH4Cl at high pressures

Abstract The attenuation coefficient α of longitudinal ultrasonic waves propagating in the [100] direction of NH 4 Cl has been measured as a function of both temperature and pressure in the vicinity of the lambda line. For seven different temperatures between 241–270°K measurements were carried out at 10, 20 and 30 MHz as the pressure was varied from 1 to 3500 bar. Lines of constant attenuation lie parallel to the lambda line in the ordered phase; however, such lines of constant attenuation in the disordered phase converge toward the lambda line as the pressure is increased. In both phases, isobaric values of α vary like T − T λ ( p ) −1 near the lambda line, where T λ ( p ) is the transition temperature at pressure p .
Discrimination performance and echolocation signal integration requirements for target detection and distance determination in the CF/FM bat, Noctilio albiventris

Bats of the speciesNoctilio albiventris were trained to detect the presence of a target or to discriminate differences in target distance by means of echolocation. During the discrimination trials, the bats emitted pairs of pulses at a rate of 7–10/s. The first was an 8 ms constant frequency (CF) signal at about 75 kHz. This was followed after about 28 ms by a short-constant frequency/ frequency modulated (short-CF/FM) signal composed of a 6 ms CF component at about 75 kHz terminating in a 2 ms FM component sweeping downward to about 57 kHz. There was no apparent difference in the pulse structure or emission pattern used for any of the tasks. The orientation sounds of bats flying in the laboratory and hunting prey under natural conditions follow the same general pattern but differ in interesting ways.
The drug-using adolescent as a pediatric patient.

The adolescent who uses drugs for pleasure or social reasons differs from the adult in the type of drug used, in the route of administration, and in the resulting medical complications. A group of 1,429 ambulatory and hospitalized adolescent patients, selected in part because of suspected delinquency, used heroin more often than other drugs. Hepatitis was the most frequent complication. Other complications of drug use included secondary amenorrhea, renal failure, eosinophilia, glycosuria, elevated serum alkaline phosphatase levels, and false positive serologic tests.
The binding of steroids by serum proteins of maturing male and female rats.

Abstract The amount of steroid bound by serum from maturing male and female rats was measured by equilibrium dialysis against 1 nanogram of estradiol-17-beta-7.7- 3 H, testosterone-4- 14 C, corticosterone-1, 2- 3 H or progesterone-4- 14 C. The amount of estradiol and testosterone bound in males and females did not change during maturation, while males consistently bound less steroid than females. At six weeks of age there was a transient fall in estradiol binding in males and females and a fall in testosterone binding in males. Only slight changes in combining affinity were noted during maturation. The binding of corticosterone and progesterone was similar in adult males and females and the binding of corticosterone gradually increased during maturation in both sexes. More progesterone was bound in young males than in young females. Estradiol was bound by the alpha and beta globulin fractions and by the albumin fraction of 27-day-old and 55-day-old female serum. No steroid was bound by gamma globulin. It seems unlikely that changes in the binding of steroid by blood proteins are important in the onset of puberty.
Design search under probabilistic specifications using genetic algorithms

In this paper a specification-based design evaluation method is presented and applied to optimization using genetic algorithms. The evaluation model is intended to emulate how specifications are used by product designers in a concurrent design environment. The approach allows designers to formulate optimization problems in terms of design specifications. The method is intended for a wide variety of design applications, including the location of feasible designs or starting points for other mathematical programming techniques. The model is demonstrated through a computer implementation that uses a genetic optimization and search algorithm. The penalty-based objective formulation strives for designs which are acceptable according to specifications.
Immunochemical studies on dextrans—VI. Reactivity with antidextran of low molecular weight dextran and its iron-dextran complex (“imferon”)

Abstract An iron-dextran preparation (‘Imferon”) is made by complexing of iron to a low molecular weight dextan (mol. wt. 5000). The resulting complex has a molecular weight of more than 150,000. Since some allergic reactions to infusions of iron-dextran are known, the free dextran and the iron-dextran complex were investigated for ability to precipitate with human antidextran sera and horse antipneumococcal sera known to crossreact with dextran. The results showed, the iron-dextran reacts as a complex to precipitate antidextran of α -(1 → 6) specificity, antipneumococcal antibody crossreacting with α -(1 → 6) linked dextran and concanavalin A, while the original dextran of low molecular weight does not; the iron is contained in the specific precipitate.
Restenosis—an open file

The main procedural drawback to percutaneous coronary angioplasty is restenosis of the treated site within 6 months. Despite advances in equipment, technique, and adjunctive therapies, restenosis has occurred in approximately one-third to one-half of all patients. The biology of restenosis can be divided into plaque persistence and recoil, thrombus formation and transformation, and cellular proliferation and vascular remodeling. Animal models of restenosis have helped to elucidate these mechanisms of restenosis and provide a means to test pharmacologic and mechanical strategies to reduce stenosis recurrence. While numerous agents have been tested in animal models, until recently none has translated into benefit in large-scale clinical trials. Two therapeutic “hopefuls” which have recently emerged in clinical practice are the potent platelet inhibitors, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists, and intracoronary metallic stents. The IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists target thrombus formation at the angioplasty site, thereby minimizing abrupt vessel closure acutely and neointimal growth chronically, while intracoronary stents safely produce a large coronary arterial lumen acutely and prevent vessel recoil. Separately, these therapeutic strategies have been shown to reduce clinical restenosis 20-30% at 6-month follow-up. With these encouraging results, the future will certainly provide more pharmacologic and mechanical therapies targeting restenosis. With increased understanding of the restenotic process and continued refinement of effective treatments, it may be possible one day to prevent stenosis recurrence.
Cellular immune reactivities in women with silicone breast implants: a preliminary investigation.

Background Surgical implantation of silicone breast prostheses has been conducted and considered safe for over 30 years. Some implant recipients, however, complain of a group of symptoms similar to those observed in connective tissue disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or polymyositis. To date, immunologic sequelae have not been confirmed and remain controversial. Objective To examine an autoimmune-like basis for the "silicone associated disease" reported by some women with silicone breast protheses. Methods Proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells against a panel of control and connective tissue proteins and to compounds common to silicone prostheses were measured in 26 women who received silicone breast implants (with implants in place an average of 166.4 [standard deviation (SD) 58.3] months), and 23 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls. Results The frequency and intensity of cellular immune responses against collagen I, collagen III, fibrinogen, and fibronectin were significantly increased in silicone breast implant recipients versus controls. In implant subjects, the highest frequency of immune reactivity was directed against collagen I (11/26, 42%) with collagen III being the most immunostimulatory self-antigen with a mean stimulation index (SI) of 8.2 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3.2]. In addition, 10/26 (39%) of the implant recipients responded to more than one of the connective tissue antigens versus 0/23 (0%, P = .0007) healthy controls. Immunologic reactivities to other antigens, including silicone-based compounds, were remarkably similar. Conclusions The identification of self-reactivity towards these connective tissue antigens may provide important information for attempts at associating silicone breast implants with disease.
Riemann functions for linear systems in two independent variables

In Eq. (1.1) U = (Ul(x, y),..., UN); and ‘Y~ E (Q , Q) are constant, distinct unit vectors which point in the positive direction of the y-axis. Moreover, it is assumed the 01~ are indexed so that ail > oijl if j > i. Finally, A is square matrix A = (Aij(x, y)), i, j = I ,..., N. It is assumed that initial data 0 = (oil,..., ON), is specified on an initial data surface 6. For simplicity and without loss of generality we chose for 8 the hyperplane y = 0. We shall show that the value of any component Uk of U at a point P’, not on y = 0, is a quadrature of l? and the R.F. over y = 0. Also for purposes of simplicity we assume the diagonal elements of the square matrix A vanish. The more general problem, when the diagonal elements do not vanish, can be reduced to this case by the introduction of integrating factors. This is carried out in [l]. The constancy of the CY( can also be relaxed (see Section 5). Different generalizations of Riemann’s method for linear hyperbolic systems have been given in [2, 31. Th e relation of our methods to these works is briefly discussed at the end of section five. The author thanks Professor Avron Douglis for suggesting the basic idea motivating our definition of R.F. (see the end of Section 2).
A young patient with persistent gingival bleeding.

A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL COMES TO YOUR OFFICE FOR EVALUATION OF ULCERS, erythema, and a “peeling off” sensation in her gums. Her gums have been sore and red for at least 6 years. Initially she was diagnosed as having generalized gingivitis despite a low level of local irritants such as dental plaque or calculus. Her medical history is not significant and she is not taking any medication except cetirizine for seasonal allergies. Findings from a general physical examination are within normal limits. Her intraoral examination reveals illdefined ulcers with marked erythema in the gums (FIGURE 1). The epithelium “peels” easily, leaving a thin membrane around the teeth. There is no evidence of significant dental plaque accumulation or the presence of local irritants such as calculus. Pertinent laboratory values (complete blood cell count, platelet count, liver panel) are within normal limits. What Would You Do Next?
Conformal tensor discontinuities in general relativity

The postulate is made that across a given hypersurfaceN the metric and its first derivatives are continuous. This postulate is used to derive conditions which must be satisfied by discontinuities in the Riemann tensor acrossN. These conditions imply that the conformal tensor jump is uniquely determined by the stress-energy tensor discontinuity ifN is non-null (and to within an additive term of type Null ifN is lightlike). Alternatively,\([C^{\alpha \beta } _{\gamma \delta } ]\) and [R] determine\(\left[ {R_{\mu v} - \frac{1}{4}Rg_{\mu v} } \right]\) ifN is non-null. These relationships between the conformal tensor and stress-energy tensor jumps are given explicitly in terms of a three-dimensional complex representation of the antisymmetric tensors. Application of these results to perfect-fluid discontinuities is made:\([C^{\alpha \beta } _{\gamma \delta } ]\) is of type D across a fluid-vacuum boundary and across an internal, non-null shock front.\([C^{\alpha \beta } _{\gamma \delta } ]\) is of type I (non-degenerate) in general across fluid interfaces across which no matter flows, except for special cases.
DNA oxidation by peroxo-chromium(V) species: oxidation of guanosine to guanidinohydantoin

Reactions of peroxo-chromium(V) complexes with DNA afforded mainly guanine oxidation yielding, a four-electron oxidation product, guanidinohydantoin, and exhibited extensive base labile strand scission.
Effects of controlled gas environments in solid-substrate fermentations of rice

The gas environment is solid-substrate fermentations of rice significantly affected levels of biomass and enzyme formation by a fungal species screened for high amylase production. Constant oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressures were maintained at various levels in fermentations by Aspergillus oryzae. Control of the gas phase was maintained by a “static” aeration system admitting oxygen on demand and stripping excess carbon dioxide during fermentation. Constant water vapor pressures were also maintained by means of saturated salt solutions. High Oxygen pressures stimulated amylase productivity significantly. On the other hand, amylase production was severely inhibited at high carbon dioxide pressures. While relatively insensitive to oxygen pressure, maximum biomass productivities were obtained at an intermediate carbon dioxide pressure. High oxygen transfer rates were obtained at elevated oxygen pressures, suggesting, in view of the stimulatory effect of oxygen on amylase production, a stringent oxygen requirement for enzyme synthesis. Solid-substrate fermentations were highly advantageous as compared with submerged cultures in similar gas environments. Not only were amylase productivities significantly higher, but the enzyme was highly concentration in the aqueous phase of the semisolid substrate particles and could be extracted in a small volume of liquid. Results of this work suggest that biomass and product formation in microbial processes may be amenable to control by the gas environment. This is believed to offer an interesting potential for optimizing selected industrial fermentation processes with respect to productivity and energy consumption.
Ketamine versus opioids and midazolam for conscious sedation in children in the emergency department

Study objectives: Conscious sedation has been used as a useful technique for reducing pain and anxiety in children undergoing painful procedures. Which agent or combination of agents for use in children is the safest in the emergency department (ED) setting remains controversial. Methods: This was a prospective evaluation of 2 conscious sedation drug regimens, ketamine versus opioid/midazolam. Results: There were 118 total conscious sedation procedures. The most common indications for conscious sedation were fracture reduction 91 (65.9%), laceration repair 25 (18.1%), dislocation reduction 6 (4.3%), and dental procedures 5 (3.6%). Ketamine was used in 67 (56.7%) procedures, average dose 1.2±0.4 mg/kg (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1 to 1.3 mg/kg, range 0.8 to 3.1 mg/kg). Mean age was 6.6±3.9 years (95% CI 5.6 to 7.6 years), which was significantly lower than that for opioids/midazolam ( P P Conclusion: Conscious sedation in children in the ED using these techniques is safe; however, ketamine was used more often in younger children than opioid/midazolam and resulted in a deeper sedation score but no difference in total recovery time.
Exploring the Secrets of Long Noncoding RNAs

High-throughput sequencing has revealed that the majority of RNAs have no capacity to encode protein. Among these non-coding transcripts, recent work has focused on the roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) of >200 nucleotides. Although many of their attributes, such as patterns of expression, remain largely unknown, lncRNAs have key functions in transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic gene regulation; Also, new work indicates their functions in scaffolding ribonuclear protein complexes. In plants, genome-wide identification of lncRNAs has been conducted in several species, including Zea mays, and recent research showed that lncRNAs regulate flowering time in the photoperiod pathway, and function in nodulation. In this review, we discuss the basic mechanisms by which lncRNAs regulate key cellular processes, using the large body of knowledge on animal and yeast lncRNAs to illustrate the significance of emerging work on lncRNAs in plants.
A comparative study of community-acquired pneumonia patients admitted to the ward and the ICU

Background Limited information is available on the health-care utilization of hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) depending on the location of care. Our aim was to compare the clinical characteristics, etiologies, and outcomes of patients with CAP who were admitted to the ICU with those admitted who were to the ward service. Methods A retrospective cohort study, at two tertiary teaching hospitals, one of which was a Veterans Affairs hospital, and the other a county hospital. Eligible subjects had been admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of CAP between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2001, had a confirmatory chest radiograph, and a hospital discharge International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, diagnosis of pneumonia. Subjects were excluded from the study if they had designated "comfort measures only" or had been transferred from another acute care hospital or were nursing home patients. Bivariate and multivariable analysis evaluated 30-day and 90-day mortality as the dependent measures. Results Data were abstracted on 730 patients (ICU, 145 patients; wards, 585 patients). Compared to ward patients, ICU patients were more likely to be male (p = 0.001), and to have congestive heart failure (p = 0.01) and COPD (p = 0.01). ICU patients also had higher mean pneumonia severity index scores (112 [SD, 35] vs 83 [SD, 30], respectively; p=0.02). Patients admitted to the ICU had a longer mean length of hospital stay (12 days [SD, 10 days] vs 7 days [SD, 17 days], respectively; p=0.07), and a higher 30-day mortality rate (23% vs 4%, respectively; p Conclusions ICU patients present with more severe disease and more comorbidities. ICU patients stay longer in the hospital and have a much higher mortality rate when compared to ward patients. Management strategies should be designed to improve clinical outcomes in ICU patients.
Gravity studies in southern California

Since 1957 there has been a growing number of academic institutions and government agencies actively engaged in gravity programs in southern California, including the U. S. Geological Survey, California Division of Mines and Geology, Water Conservation Division of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, the University of California (Los Angeles and Riverside), Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and the California Institute of Technology. A summary of the areas presently covered by these various investigators is shown in Figure 1. The complete studies of the U. S. Geological Survey in California have been described in a previous report [Oliver, 1965].
Ischemic postconditioning during reperfusion activates Akt and ERK without protecting against lethal myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in pigs

Transient episodes of ischemic preconditioning (PC) render myocardium protected against subsequent lethal injury after ischemia and reperfusion. Recent studies indicate that application of short, r...
The emergence of poems from an informal journal

Abstract The article contrasts the universality of Claire Philip's poems to the more personal emphasis of her journal. The author, who has written The Therapy of Poetry (1972), places Philip's poems in the context of her emerging psychic battle.
Leader-follower games in marketing: a differential game approach

In normal differential game models, players are assumed to make decisions simultaneously. Thus, a competitor does not know the decision policies of others as he decides on his own strategy or control. However, in reality, it is not unusual for competitors to make decisions at different times. Thus, the roles of competitors are not always the same. Some competitors have priority in making decisions of policy over others. Those who make decisions first are called leaders, the others are called followers. This type of game is called Leader-Follower (L-F) or Stackelberg game. The solution of such a game is no longer in terms of Nash equilibrium. In this paper, we consider an L-F differential game to model competition in the final stage of a product life cycle in a non-symmetric market environment, derive and solve the optimality conditions in terms of a new definition of solution.
Effect of hyper- and hypothyroidism on platelet monoamine oxidase activity and serotonin metabolism

Abstract We evaluated platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in 13 hyperthyroid and 9 hypothyroid patients. The platelet MAO activity of these patients did not differ from that of age- and sex-matched euthyroid control subjects. Nineteen hyperthyroid and twelve hypothyroid subjects had serum serotonin concentrations similar to those of age- and sex-matched euthyroid control subjects. We also determined the urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), serotonin, tryptamine, and tyramine in five hyperthyroid and four hypothyroid subjects. Two hyperthyroid patients had increased tyramine excretion; one of these patients also had increased tryptamine excretion. Three hypothyroid patients and one hyperthyroid patients had slightly decreased serotonin excretion. Both the hyper- and the hypothyroid subjects had normal urinary 5-HIAA excretion. There was no relationship between platelet MAO activity and monoamine excretion in the patients with thyroid dysfunction. We conclude that there is no systematic change in platelet MAO activity or serum serotonin concentration in patients with hyper- or hypothyroidism.
52Cr(d, p)53Cr, a test of distorted wave stripping theory

Abstract An extensive study of the 52 Cr(d, p) 53 Cr reaction was made between E d = 4.3 MeV and E d = 6.3 MeV. Eight angular distributions were obtained for the (d, p) reaction and the elastic deuteron scattering from 52 Cr within this energy range. Eight angular distributions for the elastic scattering of protons from 53 Cr were obtained at E p (c.m.) = E d (c.m.) + 5.72 MeV. The elastic scatterings were fitted using an optical model code. The optical model potentials determined by the elastic scattering were then used in a distorted wave calculation for the stripping reaction. Two different deuteron potentials were considered. For the l = 1 stripping patterns, it was found that the potential with a deeper well or a cutoff calculation using either deuteron potential was reasonably successful in fitting the data. For the l = 3 stripping pattern, it was found that no DW calculation using reasonable well depth or cutoff radius succeeded in fitting the data.
Pathological changes in the kidney after methyl cadmium intoxication.

Abstract Adult male cats with an average body weight of 3 k were injected with 3.0 mg methylcadmium every other day for 10 days (a total of five injections were given). The kidneys were studied for degenerative changes. Lipid accumulation and cellular casts within the tubular lumen could be observed both light and electron microscopically. By electron microscopy, severe enlargement of the apical vacuoles, accumulation of microbodies, sloughing of the microvilli, and extrusion of cytoplasmic masses into the tubular lumen were also observed. The degenerative changes were mainly found in the proximal convoluted tubules (PCT) while the distal tubules only showed minimal signs of degeneration. Flattening of the basal infoldings was also observed in many PCT epithelial cells which also showed deposition of a layer of basal filamentous dense materials. Fusion of the foot processes of the glomerular epithelial cells (podocytes) was also a prominent finding. Such a lesion in the glomeruli was believed to be associated with the severe proteinuria found in cadmium poisoning, In generaly, the methylcadmium appeared to be even more nephrotoxic than inorganic cadmium, and its toxic potential as an environmental hazard deserves more attention.
Social computing and user-generated content: a game-theoretic approach

Social computing is now ubiquitous on the Web, with user contributions on sites like online review forums, question-answer forums, wikis, or Youtube forming a growing fraction of the content consumed by Web users. But while there is plenty of user-generated content online, the quality of contributions and extent of participation vary widely across sites. We survey some recent work taking a game-theoretic approach to the problem of incentivizing high quality and participation in these social computing systems.
Cadaver Donor Screening for Infectious Agents in Solid Organ Transplantation

The transmission of infection by a cadaver donor organ can result not only in loss of the allograft but also in death of the immunosuppressed recipient. Despite the shortage of cadaver organ donors, every donor must be evaluated thoroughly for the potential transmission of infectious disease, because the consequences of the organ donor events can have a profound effect on the transplant outcome. This review summarizes current knowledge about serological screening of organ donors to determine the suitability of organs from cadaver donors for transplantation.
Inspiration and the Divine Spirit in the Writings of Philo Judaeus

L'intention de l'A. est de situer les references de Philon a l'esprit divin a travers trois de ses interets dominants: l'exegese, l'experience autobiographique et l'apologetique. En effet, Philon pratique l'apologie et son desir d'exalter les vertus des ancetres d'Israel le conduit a aller au-dela des frontieres traditionnelles de sa propre conception de l'esprit divin. Dans son traite apologetique sur la vie de Moise, Philon distingue l'inspiration de Moise de toutes les autres en tant qu'elle est constante et non transitoire. De lui seul, on peut dire que l'esprit est toujours a ses cotes. Philon distingue egalement l'inspiration d'Abraham
Calculation of Single-Phase Series Motor Control Characteristics

CALCULATION of the characteristics of a-c equipments as applied to locomotives and cars presents difficulties not found when dealing with d-c equipments due to the additional variables involved. Characteristics of the motors are usually presented on the basis of constant voltages at the motor terminals. However, the motors operate in service from an assumed constant voltage power source with a certain amount of impedance such as transformer, preventive coil, and bus bar or cable resistance and reactance in series with the motors. Not only does the vector relation of the impedance drop to the motor voltage vary with motor power factor, but the impedance itself varies depending upon the combination of contactors and transformer taps being used.
Side‐scan sonar images of submarine landslides on the flanks of atolls and guyots

Geological studies of oceanic islands indicate that landslides play a large role in modifying the size and shape of islands. Sea floor mapping of the slopes of these islands shows that submarine landslides are common and widespread. Because surveys have concentrated on young volcanic islands (less than 28 My), little information is available about landslides on older atolls and guyots. Side‐scan sonar surveys are presented here of a Cretaceous age (100–70 My) guyot and an atoll. Both surveys show that landslides altering the carbonate caps are present on these features. Since the carbonate caps were formed long after volcanism ceased and the volcanic edifices had subsided, their modification suggests that landsliding continues to be a significant factor changing the shape and size of atolls and guyots. Early studies of atoll shapes indicate that few atolls are true ring reefs (about 5%). It is suggested that submarine landslides are the likely mechanism by which ring reefs are modified to irregularly shap...
Luminance-duration relationships in the photopic ERG and the apparent brightness of flashes.

Abstract With conditions that isolate the photopic response, electroretinograms (ERGs) and brightness judgments were obtained over a range of flash durations and luminance levels to test for the presence of an electrophysiological correlate of the Broca-Sulzer brightness enhancement effect. The averaged responses to single flashes of light indicated that while the amplitude overshoot typically present in the ERG at a particular duration of flash was present, no close correlation of it with a psychophysical peak in apparent brightness was evident. Peaking of the electrical responses occurred in the 10–20 msec duration range with the luminances used, while increases in subjective brightness were reported out to 50 msec flash durations.
Growth of zinc sulfide by iodine transport

Abstract Rates of chemical transport of ZnS by iodine at 800 °C were determined for closed tubes as a function of tube geometry, temperature gradient (3 to 35 °C) and concentration of the transporting agent (0 to 7 × 10 -3 g cm -3 I 2 ). At high iodine concentrations the transport was found to be a linear function of reciprocal tube length, tube cross sectional area, and the partial pressure difference of ZnI 2 , and was essentially independent of the concentration of transporting agent. These relations, as well as the magnitude of the observed rate, are in accord with the predictions of models for diffusion-controlled kinetics. At iodine concentrations below 2 × 10 -3 g cm -3 (0.6 atm) transport rates decreased markedly and asymptotically approached the rate of sublimation-condensation. Although the sphalerite modification of ZnS was the stable phase at all growth conditions, the transport product was predominantly the wurtzite form of the seed material in the surface- reaction limited region of iodine concentrations. At high concentrations of the transporting agent, as in previous studies, the product was entirely sphalerite. Intermediate iodine concentrations produced crystals with severe stacking disorder.
Enabling work? Family-friendly policies and academic productivity for men and women scientists

Universities throughout the USA have adopted family-friendly policies to enable life and career balance and to encourage the attraction and retention of women scientists. Although family-leave policies are designed to provide job protection for parents and ensure that faculty can remain productive scholars, it is unclear whether or not formal family-leave policies have played a positive role in areas of academic productivity such as publishing and teaching. This research investigates the relationships between university family-leave policies and productivity among faculty in six fields of science using responses from a national survey of 1,598 faculty at 150 research universities and data from status of women reports and faculty handbooks. The hierarchical multi-level analysis indicates that generous formal family-leave policies, on-site childcare, and spousal hiring policies differently affect the productivity of women and men academic scientists.
Auxiliary field Monte-Carlo for quantum many-body ground states

Abstract We develop an algorithm for determining the exact ground state properties of quantum many-body systems which is equally applicable to bosons and fermions. The Schroedinger eigenvalue equation for the ground state energy is recast as a many-dimensional integral using the Hubbard-Stratonovitch representation of the imaginary-time many-body evolution operator. The integral is then evaluated stochastically. We test the algorithm for an exactly soluble boson system with an attractive potential and then extend it to fermions and repulsive potentials. Importance sampling is crucial to the success of the method, particularly for more complex systems. Computational efficiency is improved by performing the calculations in Fourier space.
National institutions and logistic performance: a path analysis

The endogenous factors that drive logistics performance have generated substantial literature. Our understanding of exogenous factors, such as national institutions, that determine logistics performance is still underdeveloped. We used a path analysis to examine the influence of six institutional constructs on logistics performance for 116 countries. Our findings show that five of the six institutional constructs—political risk, financial risk, economic freedom, political freedom, and competitiveness—have direct or indirect influences on logistics performance. Our model was tested using summated variables. Future research may aggregate manifest variables to ascertain relevant institutional variables for a parsimonious model.
Nonlinear distortion of gratings at the foveal resolution limit.

Abstract Aliasing by the foveal cone mosaic causes high frequency interference fringes to look like bright and dark zebra stripes (primary zebra stripes) [Williams,Vision Research, 25, 195 (1985);Vision Research, 28, 433 (1988)]. Some observers report another type of zebra stripes defined by variations in chromaticity as well as brightness, which we call secondary zebra stripes. The conditions required to see the secondary zebra stripes are almost identical to those required to see the primary zebra stripes, except that they are seen at approximately half the spatial frequency. We consider the hypothesis that the secondary zebra stripes arise from aliasing by a particular packing arrangement of the M and L cone submosaics, but present evidence favoring an alternative hypothesis based on a known local nonlinearity in the visual system.
Predicting spatio-temporal variability in fire return intervals using a topographic roughness index

Abstract The shapes of landscapes are fundamental to ecosystem processes at various spatial scales. Topographic roughness index (TRI) is a measure of variability in the landscape surface and a proxy of the potential of disturbances to propagate across the earth's surface, such as a wildland fire burning across a landscape. We describe the significance of TRI, present methods for calculation, and demonstrate the utility of the index in a fire frequency prediction model. The model was used to show how the relationships between topography, fire, and humans changed during the period of AD 1620–1850 for a study area (5180 km2) in Missouri, USA. The model predicted historic mean fire return intervals from TRI and two human population variables. The model explained 46% of the variation in mean fire return intervals and demonstrated that topographic roughness was most important in controlling fire frequency during the period AD 1620–1780 when human population density was lowest (
Morphologic effects of fast neutrons or photons on the canine kidney.

Abstract Thirty-nine adult male Beagles received either fast neutron or photon irradiation to the right thorax to determine the relative biological effectiveness of fast neutrons on normal pulmonary tissue. The right anterior abdomen, including the cranial half of the right kidney, was included in the field of irradiation. Twenty-four dogs (six/group) received fast neutrons with an average energy of 15 MeV to total doses of 1000, 1500, 2250, or 3375 cGy in four fractions per week for 6 weeks. Fifteen dogs received 3000, 4500, or 6750 cGy of photons (five/group) in an identical fractionation pattern. All 12 neutron irradiated dogs receiving 3375 and 2250 cGy and 1 of 6 receiving 1500 cGy, developed clinical and clinical pathologic signs of hepatic, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal disturbances, but no signs of renal injury were seen. These 13 dogs died or were euthanatized 47–367 days after irradiation. Only 1 of 5 dogs receiving 6750 cGy of photons developed similar signs and died 708 days post-irradiation. The remaining 11 neutron irradiated dogs and 14 photon irradiated dogs eventually died of other causes. All 39 dogs were necropsied and their kidneys were compared to each other and to control dogs. Radiation induced lesions included hemorrhages, necrosis and disappearance of tubular epithelia, glomerulosclerosis, atrophy and fibrosis. These lesions were associated with degenerative and occlusive vascular changes and were much more severe in the neutron irradiated dogs. The relative biologic effectiveness of fast neutrons for canine kidney assessed by gross and microscopic pathology is approximately 4.5 (6750/1500).
Interpreters: Telephonic, In-Person Interpretation and Bilingual Providers

CONTEXT: Language barriers affect health care interactions. Large, randomized studies of the relative efficacy of interpreter modalities have not been conducted. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of telephonic and in-person medical interpretation to visits with verified bilingual physicians. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized trial. The setting was an urban pediatric emergency department at which ∼20% of visits are by families with limited English proficiency. The participants were families who responded affirmatively when asked at triage if they would prefer to communicate in Spanish. Randomization of each visit was to (1) remote telephonic interpretation via a double handset in the examination room, (2) an in-person emergency department–dedicated medical interpreter, or (3) a verified bilingual physician. Interviews were conducted after each visit. The primary outcome was a blinded determination of concordance between the caregivers9 description of their child9s diagnosis with the physician9s stated discharge diagnosis. Secondary outcomes were qualitative measures of effectiveness of communication and satisfaction. Verified bilingual providers were the gold standard for noninferiority comparisons. RESULTS: A total of 1201 families were enrolled: 407 were randomly assigned to telephonic interpretation and 377 to in-person interpretation, and 417 were interviewed by a bilingual physician. Concordance between the diagnosis in the medical record and diagnosis reported by the family was not different between the 3 groups (telephonic: 95.1%; in-person: 95.5%; bilingual: 95.4%). The in-person–interpreter cohort scored the quality and satisfaction with their visit worse than both the bilingual and telephonic cohorts (P CONCLUSIONS: Both telephonic and in-person interpretation resulted in similar concordance in understanding of discharge diagnosis compared with bilingual providers. In general, noninferiority was also seen on qualitative measures, although there was a trend favoring telephonic over in-person interpretation.