cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Re-epithelialization of the rabbit cornea is regulated by opioid growth factor

An endogenous opioid peptide, [Met5]-enkephalin, termed opioid growth factor (OGF) is a tonically active, autocrine-produced inhibitory molecule related to developing, neoplastic, renewing and healing tissues. The present investigation was designed to examine the role of OGF on corneal epithelial wound closure in the rabbit under in vitro and in vivo conditions. A 10-mm diameter epithelial defect was made in the center of the rabbit cornea, and the size of the defect, number of specimens with complete re-epithelialization, and rate of wound closure were evaluated using topical fluorescein and morphometric analysis. In organ culture, the influence of a complete opioid receptor blockade by naltrexone (NTX) showed an acceleration in re-epithelialization compared to controls. The action of excessive agonist (OGF) application revealed that exposure of wounded epithelium to OGF delayed wound closure under in vitro conditions, and did so in a receptor-mediated fashion. The modulatory capability of opioids on wound healing in vivo was explored by examining the effects of opioid peptide-receptor disruption using topical application of NTX, and enhanced healing of the abraded rabbit cornea was noted. The presence and location of OGF and the zeta (zeta) receptor in the normal and injured rabbit corneal epithelium were ascertained by immunocytochemistry, and both OGF and the zeta receptor were detected in basal and suprabasal epithelial cells. These results show that an opioid peptide, OGF, plays a direct role in the repair of injury to the corneal epithelium in the rabbit and acts as a receptor-mediated and constitutively expressed inhibitory molecule.
Comparative evaluation of NTA and EDTA for extractive decontamination of Pb-polluted soils

Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were compared for their ability to solubilize Pb from a highly-contaminated (PbT 21%) soil collected from a battery recycling facility. For chelant concentrations below 0.04 M (representing a 1:1 chelant-to-PbT molar ratio), EDTA released 10 to 30% more Pb than NTA. NTA-to-Pb T ratios greater than 1:1 reduced Pb recovery because of readsorption of Pb(NTA)24− onto positively-charged oxide soil components at pH < 8.5. For the EDTA system, however, complexation completely bound all coordination sites of Pb and EDTA, leaving no functional groups available for surface adsorption. Thus, Pb recovery progressively increased with higher EDTA concentrations, although the additional Pb release with each EDTA increment became smaller. For pH < 5 and EDTA/Pb of 2:1, Pb recovery exceeded 90%. The addition of 0.5 M NaC1O4 enhanced Pb recovery by EDTA for pH 5 to 12, but substantially suppressed recovery by NTA for pH < 11. Because Pb release by NTA was diminished by high ionic strength and chelant-to-metal ratios, NTA may be limited as a soil washing reagent. Stronger complexation and consistent Pb desorption behavior by EDTA favors its use.
Prospects of searches for gauge mediated supersymmetry with h 0 → χ ˜ 1 0 χ ˜ 1 0 production in the time-delayed photon + E̸ T final state at the tevatron

Abstract We propose a search for direct production and decay of the lightest supersymmetric Higgs boson to two neutralinos in gauge mediated models at the Fermilab Tevatron. We focus on the final state where each neutralino decays to photon and light gravitino with a lifetime of order O ( ns ) . In the detector this will show up as a photon with a time-delayed signature and missing E T . We estimate that using the photon timing system at CDF, and the full 10 fb − 1 data sample, that the sensitivity can be within a factor of three in some regions of parameter space for direct production of the Higgs.
Retail e‐learning assessment: motivation, location, and prior experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a more complete theoretical model of retail e‐learning assessment module use. The location (i.e. onsite versus offsite) of assessment and prior experience is treated as moderators between motivation/intention, uses, and value; and differences between subjective and objective value are investigated.Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory, semester‐long, single‐course experiment was conducted using students (n=37) from Mexico and the USA enrolled in a retail‐focused marketing course at a university located near the border between the two countries.Findings – Extrinsic and intrinsic motivations predict participants' use of e‐learning assessment modules. The objective and subjective value of assessment is strongly impacted by the individual's prior performance. Location of assessment moderator is significant.Research limitations/implications – In addition to focusing on intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, retailers should also consider the possibility th...
Influence of the molecular weight of PPO resins and char-forming behavior of polymeric additives on the flame retardancy of EPDM formulations

The influence of the molecular weight of poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene oxide) (PPO) on the flame retardancy of ethylene–propylene–diene-modified elastomer (EPDM) formulations containing melamine, kaolin, and PPO formulations was studied. The influence of the molecular structures of various char-forming polymers on their flame-retardant effect was also investigated. PPO resins having number-average molecular weight (Mn) from 3200 to 24,800 and weight-average molecular weight (Mw) 9000 to 58,400 affected the oxygen index (OI) values and UL 94 ratings of EPDM formulations, and the preferable molecular weight was found to be about Mn 13,300 and Mw 29,200. Among the char-forming polymeric additives studied, PPO was most effective in providing flame retardancy. The concept of char-forming rate is proposed to explain the variation in the observed flame retardancy. Higher char-forming rate (in contrast to char yield) correlated well with higher OI and better UL 94 ratings in these systems. The melting-before-charring character of char-forming polymers was another important factor that appeared to control char morphology and thus flame retardancy. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 67:1405–1414, 1998
Comparison of the peptides released from human and rabbit gamma 2-globulins by enzymatic digestion.

Hsiao and Putnam1, following the work of Porter2 on rabbit antibody γ-globulins, examined the effects of papain on human γ-globulins and the γ-globulins from various species of animals. These authors observed that the γ-globulins from various species were cleaved by papain at different rates, though in the case of human and rabbit γ-globulins the relative rate of degradation to 3.5 S fragments was approximately equal.
A physics-of-failure based reliability and maintenance modeling framework for stent deployment and operation

Abstract Reliability study of stents becomes extremely important due to the high demand on these devices to counteract the effects of atherosclerosis. Based on the physics-of-failure mechanisms, we propose a probabilistic reliability and maintenance modeling framework for stent deployment and operation. The fracture-mechanics-based approach in literature provides a rational basis for quantitative evaluation of damaging effects from two dominating failure modes of stents: (1) delayed failures or fatigue crack growth due to cyclic stresses, and (2) instantaneous failures due to single-event overloads. We develop the system reliability function using probabilistic degradation and random shock models. The developed system reliability model of stents is then incorporated in the optimization of a unique two-phase maintenance policy for achieving persistent patient outcomes. A numerical example is used to illustrate the results, where data in literature are used to analyze the reliability and optimize the maintenance schedule for stents. The developed reliability and maintenance models and analysis tools for stents provide fundamentally new perspectives on the application of reliability concepts to evolving medical devices.
THERMAL STRESSES IN MORTAR-TILE SYSTEMS

Length changes of mortar-porcelain and mortar-quarry tile composites (typically 10×3×8 mm) have been examined in the temperature range −10 to +50°C. The effect of heating rate (1 and 4°C/min.), dimensions of specimens, volume ratio of components and location of the measuring point with reference to the interface were evaluated. Length changes of the interfacial zone significantly deviated from the values predicted by assumption of elastic behaviour. Good agreement between measured and calculated values was obtained, however, outside the interfacial zone extending 5 mm into the mortar and 3.5 mm into the tile component.
Phase transitions and universality in nonequilibrium steady states of stochastic Ising models

We present results of direct computer simulations and of Monte Carlo renormalization group (MCRG) studies of the nonequilibrium steady states of a spin system with competing dynamics and of the voter model. The MCRG method, previously used only for equilibrium systems, appears to give useful information also for these nonequilibrium systems. The critical exponents are found to be of Ising type for the competing dynamics model at its second-order phase transitions, and of mean-field type for the voter model (consistent with known results for the latter).
Monolayer system of cultivating bovine polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL): effect of long-term cultivation on the viability and phagocytic function of the cells.

A monolayer system of cultivating bovine PMNL is described. Poly-L-Lysine (PLL) significantly (P<0.01) enhanced the attachment of bovine PMNL to glass. Long-term cultivation up to seven days, in a mixture of calf serum and RPMI 1640, had no effect on the viability of the cells, but cultivation for 3 days or more significantly reduced the ability of the PMNL to phagocytose bacteria.
Effects of a second intron on recombinant MFG retroviral vector

The retroviral vectors based on an MFG-type backbone have superior expression characteristics, in part, due to the presence of the retroviral chimeric intron (MFG intron). We tested the hypothesis that inclusion of a second intron in MFG vectors may influence packaging and/or LTR-driven transgene expression. We constructed two MFG retroviral vectors, MFG/hFIXc and MFG/hFIXm2, containing human factor IX (hFIX) cDNA without and with a 0.3-kb hFIX intron, respectively. When tested with primary mouse myoblasts or HepG2 cells in culture for transient expression activity, pMFG/hFIXm2 plasmid produced two-to-three fold higher hFIX than pMFG/hFIXc. These vectors produced equivalent retroviral titers from packaging cells. In transduced cells, the splicing of the MFG intron in the retroviral transcripts occured at a similar efficiency; however, MFG/hFIXc virus gave two-fold higher hFIX expression than that of the MFG/hFIXm2 viral infection. Analyses of MFG/hFIXm2 virion RNA and transduced cell genomic DNA suggested that, although the hFIX intron containing viral RNA are packaged, these viruses fail to integrate their transgenes into the genome of transduced cells, suggesting a block at the reverse transcription and/or integration steps. Similar results were also obtained with the prototype vectors, LIXcSN and LIXm2SN, lacking the MFG intron. Together, these results suggest that a hFIX cDNA sequence in the retroviral vectors performs better over hFIX intron-containing minigene.
Role of feeding in the reproductive 'group effect' in females of the German cockroach Blattella germanica (L.).

We have found that whether a female German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), is kept alone or in the presence of another female has a major impact on how fast it reproduces and how much it eats. By the sixth day of adulthood, females paired since adult eclosion had substantially larger oocytes than did females isolated during the same time, and females paired with intact females, or with ones rendered incapable of feeding, consumed more rat chow in the first six days of adulthood than did isolated females. The stimulatory effect of pairing on reproduction was, however, partially independent of feeding because the oocytes of solitary and paired females differed in size on day 6 even when they were given, and had consumed, the same amount of food. This result was confirmed with analysis of covariance using the total food intake of a female as the covariate in the analysis. A female's social condition probably influenced the development of its oocytes by affecting the quantity of juvenile hormone synthesized by its corpora allata. The corpora allata of paired females produced more hormone than did those of isolated ones, even when all females had consumed an equivalent amount of food. Moreover, females treated with a juvenile hormone analog, fenoxycarb, reproduced more quickly than identically reared and fed control females, showing that juvenile hormone could influence reproduction independently of feeding. We conclude that both group rearing and food intake accelerate oocyte development by diminishing the brain's inhibition on the synthesis of juvenile hormone.
Equine glaucoma: a histopathologic retrospective study (1999-2012).

Purpose To characterize and describe the histopathologic findings in equine globes enucleated due to glaucoma. Methods Medical records at The Ohio State University from 1999 to 2012 were reviewed retrospectively. Signalment, history, and treatment data were collected, and histologic slides of enucleated globes were examined and lesions recorded. Twenty-three eyes from 23 horses were eligible for inclusion in this study. Results The majority of affected horses were > 15 years of age (65%). The ages ranged from 5 to 35 years (mean = 17.4 years). The left eye was affected in 10 cases (43%) and the right eye in 13 cases (57%). There were 13 mares (56%) and 10 geldings (44%). Quarter Horses (30%), Appaloosas (26%), and Thoroughbreds (22%) were the most common breeds in the study population. The most common histopathologic changes included hypercellularity of the optic nerve (93%), retinal atrophy (89%), corneal vascularization (83%), descemetization of pectinate ligaments (83%), hypercellularity of the anterior corneal stroma (75%), posterior bowing of the iris base (74%), ciliary body atrophy (74%), corneal striae (70%), pars plana elongation (60%), cataract (53%), and collapsed ciliary cleft/trabecular meshwork (52%). Evidence of uveitis (cataract, lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of the uvea, and/or anterior or posterior synechiae) was present in 20/23 eyes (87%). Conclusions Equine glaucoma most commonly occurs secondary to uveitis with Appaloosas and older horses predisposed. Histologic changes are comparable to prior reports of chronic glaucoma; notable findings not previously described in the horse were posterior bowing of the iris base and relative sparing of the superior retina from atrophy associated with elevated IOP.
Effects of Spray Conditions on Coating Formation by the Kinetic Spray Process

The kinetic spray coating process involves impingement of a substrate by particles of various material types at high velocities. In the process, particles are injected into a supersonic gas stream and accelerated to high velocities. A coating forms when the particles become plastically deformed and bond to the substrate and to one another upon collision with the substrate. Coating formation by the kinetic spray process can be affected by a number of process parameters. In the current study, several spray variables were investigated through computational modeling and experiments. The examined variables include the temperature and pressure of the primary gas, the cross-sectional area of the nozzle throat, the nozzle standoff distance from a substrate, and the surface condition of nozzle interior and the powder gas flow. Experimental verification on the effects of these variables was performed primarily using relatively large-size aluminum particles (63–90 µm) as the feedstock material. It was observed that the coating formation is largely controlled by two fundamental variables of the sprayed particles: particle velocity and particle temperature. The effects of different spray conditions on coating formation by the kinetic spray process can be generally interpreted through their influences on particle velocity and/or particle temperature. Though it is limited to accelerate large particles to high velocities using compressed air or nitrogen as carrier gas, increasing particle temperature provides an additional means that can effectively enhance coating formation by the kinetic spray process.
Interstellar pickup hydrogen observations at large heliocentric distances

Possible signatures of interstellar pickup hydrogen have been identified in data from the Pioneer 10 and 11 Ames plasma analyzers at locations out to beyond the orbit of Saturn, and at a wide range of longitudes in the heliosphere, both upstream and downstream in the interstellar wind. These signatures provide an extension of pickup ion observations out to beyond 15 AU heliocentric distance, including near where the maximum pickup hydrogen flux is expected. A depletion of interstellar pickup hydrogen downstream from the Sun in the interstellar flow may be indicated. These signatures are consistent with Ulysses pickup ion measurements.
The Rise and Demise of Uruguay's Second Plural Executive

U RUGUAY'S NATIONAL ELECTION and plebiscite held on November 27, 1966 were of especial significance. In the balloting, the electorate voted to return to power the Colorado Party which, except for the period 1959-1967, has controlled the national government since 1865. Even more significant from the standpoi'nt of governmental organization and power, the electorate also voted to discontinue the nation's second experiment with the Colegiado, its nine-member plural executive, and readopt the presidential form of government. In the vote for President and Vice-President, the Colorados won a decisive victory. With almost complete returns in-from 6,466 of the 6,484 electoral districts-the Colorado Party had a total of 528,069 votes, and the National or Blanco Party, its only major opponent, 419,653 votes. The wide margin of victory clearly reflected the electoral imbalance resulting from "demographic megalocephaly."' In the 18 Departments popularly known as "the interior," and excluding only the Department of Montevideo, the Colorados had but a slight edge over the Blancos-280,536 votes as against 266,267. Eight of the Departments went Colorado; eight Blanco; and the remaining two were almost evenly divided. The decisive margin of victory was provided by Montevi'deo, which gave the Colorados a handsome vote of 247,553 as against only 153,386 for the opposition.2 In addition to the Colorados and Blancos, there were five minor parties in the election. Altogether, they recei'ved 109,789 votes, distributed as follows: Communist, 60,541; Christian Democratic, 31,846; Sociali'st, 10,936; Christian Civic Movement, 3,762; and
New Transient Absorption Observed in the Spectrum of Colloidal CdSe Nanoparticles Pumped with High-Power Femtosecond Pulses

The power dependence of the transient absorption spectrum of CdSe nanoparticle colloids with size distribution of 4.0 ± 0.4 nm diameter is studied with femtosecond pump−probe techniques. At the lowest pump laser power, the absorption bleaching (negative spectrum) characteristic of the exciton spectrum is observed with maxima at 560 and 480 nm. As the pump laser power increases, two new transient absorptions at 510 and 590 nm with unresolved fast rise (<100 fs) and long decay times (≫150 ps) are observed. The energy of each of the positive absorption is red shifted from that of the bleach bands by ∼120 meV. The origin of this shift is discussed in terms of the effect of the internal electric field of the many electron−hole pairs formed within the quantum dot at the high pump intensity, absorption from a metastable excited state or the formation of biexcitons.
Geo-Narrative: Extending Geographic Information Systems for Narrative Analysis in Qualitative and Mixed-Method Research∗

This research seeks to contribute to advancing qualitative methodologies at the intersection of qualitative geographic information systems (GIS), narrative analysis, 3D GIS-based time-geographic methods, and computer-aided qualitative data analysis. The approach to GIS-based narrative analysis developed in the study, called “geo-narrative,” is based on extending current GIS capabilities for the analysis and interpretation of narrative materials such as oral histories, life histories, and biographies. The three central elements in this approach are (1) narrative analysis as the qualitative approach; (2) 3D GIS-based time-geographic methods as the representational framework; and (3) 3D-VQGIS as the GIS-based computer-aided qualitative data analysis component. A case example based on a study of the lives of the Muslim women in Columbus, Ohio, after 11 September 2001 is used to illustrate the approach.
Flight effects on supersonic convergent-divergent nozzle jet noise

The influence of forward flight on the noise generation from convergent-divergent (C-D) nozzle flows was determined experimentally. The experiments were performed in an anechoic chamber using a 2.03 cm diameter C-D nozzle with a design Mach number of 1.4 in a 25 cm diameter free jet flow. Far-field noise measurements and spectral analyses were carried out and visualization of the jet shock structure was made by a spark shadowgraph technique. Jet noise from supersonic C-D nozzle flows under forward flight was found to depend critically on the flight velocity and nozzle pressure ratio. Noise reduction up to 20 dB was observed in the rearward quadrant under flight; excess noise in the forward quadrant under flight resulted from relatively high frequency noise sources in the jet flow field. Screech tones, observed from overexpanded C-D nozzle flows, were suppressed during the simulated flight flow.
"Lyda Borelli's Satanic Rhapsody: The Cinema and the Occult"

Discussing Nino Oxilia’s film Satanic Rhapsody (Rapsodia Satanica, 1915) starring Lyda Borelli, the author examines the influence of Bergsonism on the perception of cinema right before and during World War I. In particular, she points out the intersection between the film and, among other references, the tradition of the early Italian diva film, the plastic dynamism of Futurist painter Umberto Boccioni, the dance/performance art of Loie Fuller, and the emerging figure of the New Woman.
Experience with DaTscan at a tertiary referral center.

Abstract Background The accuracy of a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease varies with the criteria employed and the population. Misdiagnosis of Parkinson's disease can lead to inappropriate long-term medication use and exposure to their potentially harmful side effects. Functional imaging of the dopamine transporter (DaT) defines integrity of the striatal dopaminergic system and provides a marker for presynaptic neuronal degeneration. DaT imaging is abnormal even in the earliest clinical presentations of parkinsonism associated with nigrostriatal degeneration and a normal scan suggests an alternative diagnosis such as essential tremor, dystonic tremor, drug-induced parkinsonism, or psychogenic parkinsonism. Objective The main objective of our study was to determine the impact of DaT imaging on the clinical diagnosis and management of patients with clinically uncertain parkinsonian syndromes, especially in patients with exposure to neuroleptics, in our tertiary movement disorders referral center. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of all 65 patients who had DaTscans from August 2011 to December 2012. Results Our management changed in 63% of patients as a result of the DaTscan. Imaging also increased the confidence in diagnosis. Conclusions We conclude that DaTscan can have a significant impact on the clinical management of patients with clinically uncertain parkinsonian syndromes in a tertiary referral center.
Reconstruction of the central mandible with a single block of iliac bone

A reconstruction of the central mandible is described using a single carved segment of iliac bone. The design of the graft takes into account the forces acting upon the remaining mandibular remnants and the need to provide absolutely rigid fixation until bony union is achieved.
Primary Gleason Grade 4 at the Positive Margin Is Associated with Metastasis and Death Among Patients with Gleason 7 Prostate Cancer Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy

Abstract Background The presence of a positive surgical margin (PSM) at radical prostatectomy (RP) has been linked to an increased risk of biochemical recurrence and receipt of secondary therapy; however, its association with other oncologic end points remains controversial. Objective To evaluate the association of primary Gleason grade (GG) at the site of PSM with subsequent clinical progression and mortality among patients with Gleason score (GS) 7 prostate cancer (PCa). Design, setting, and participants We identified 1036 patients who underwent RP between 1996 and 2002. A single uropathologist re-reviewed all specimens noted to have a PSM to record GG at the margin. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox models were used to analyze the association of margin primary GG with outcome. Results and limitations Overall, 338 men (33%) had a PSM; of those, 242 had PSM GG3 and 96 had PSM GG4. Median postoperative follow-up was 13 yr. Compared with men with PSM GG3 or a negative SM, we noted that men with PSM GG4 had significantly worse 15-yr systemic progression-free survival (74% vs 90% vs 93%, respectively; p p =0.002). On multivariable analysis, the presence of PSM GG4 was associated with increased risks of systemic progression (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.77; p =0.003) and death from PCa (HR: 3.93; p =0.02) among men with a PSM. Limitations include the relatively small rate of disease recurrence. Conclusions PSM primary GG4 was independently associated with adverse oncologic outcomes among men with GS7 PCa. Pending external validation, GG at the PSM may be considered for inclusion in pathologic reports and risk stratification following RP. Patient summary Among patients with Gleason grade 7 prostate cancer and a positive surgical margin at the time of prostatectomy, we found that higher Gleason grade at the margin was associated with worse oncologic outcomes.
The promise of targeted therapy: Cancer drugs become more specific

Toxic chemotherapeutic agents are slowly being supplemented by a new generation of drugs that recognize specific targets in or on cancer cells. Although these molecular and genetic approaches are in their infancy, they hold the promise of more effective therapies with markedly fewer side effects. Several targeted agents are already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in malignancies, and numerous others are in clinical trials.
Biopsy and brushing of peripheral lung cancer with fluoroscopic guidance.

Forty-eight patients underwent flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination under fluoroscopic guidance, with biopsy and brushing of an endoscopically invisible primary cancer of the lung. A diagnostic (abnormal) specimen was obtained by biopsy or brushing (or both) in 29 patients (60 percent), by biopsy alone in 22 (46 percent), and by brushing alone in 19 (40 percent). Success in obtaining diagnostic tissue was related to cellular type, location by bronchopulmonary segment, size of the tumor, and distance of the tumor from the hilum.
Fetal to maternal cadmium movements across the perfused hemochorial placenta of the guinea pig.

Guinea pig placentas (59 to 61 days gestation) were perfused from the fetal side in situ. Radiolabeled CdCl2 was added to the perfusing fluid, and the dam was injected with tracer quantities of tritiated water. Cadmium clearance from fetal to maternal circulations (CdF→M) for all samples pooled measured 0.063 ± 0.004 ml/min (mean ± SE), approximately 17% of the cadmium clearance from maternal to fetal circulations (CdM→F) previously reported. Unlike CdM→F, CdF→M was not correlated with perfusate flow through the fetal circulation of the placenta. Clearance of tritium from maternal to fetal circulations (TM→F) was measured concurrently with CdF→M. As previously reported by our laboratory, TM→F can be used as an indication of changes in maternal blood flow to the placenta. In most experiments, maternal blood flow to the placenta decreased after an initial stable period when placentas were perfused with a cadmium-containing medium. Even during initial periods, when blood flow appeared to be relatively stable, maternal blood flow to the placenta varied more widely when cadmium was present in the perfusing solution than when it was not. The data suggest that dose-related decreases in maternal blood flow to the placenta were due to the presence of cadmium in the perfusing solution. Differences in the effects of cadmium on maternal blood flows when administered from fetal or maternal sides of the placenta may be due to differences in binding of cadmium by fetal and maternal plasma proteins.
How many different rational parametric cubic curves are there? 3. The catalog

The author is interested in rational parametric cubic curves, particularly in finding out how many essentially different shapes the given equation can make. Types of homogeneous cubic polynomials are considered.
Numerical solutions to the helicon boundary value problem

Abstract Numerical methods are applied to the helicon boundary value problem. A method of solution is described which is completely general and independent of both the geometry and the detailed form of the resistivity tensor. This approach is applied to two particular geometries under the assumption of a free electron gas model. The first geometry is the infinite plate perpendicular to the magnetic field. In this case excellent agreement with the analytic solution of Chambers and Jones is found. For the second geometry, a finite rectangular parallelepiped, a solution is found which is qualitatively and semiquantitatively correct. These calculations allow the continued use of helicon experiments to measure topological features of Fermi surfaces in metals. In the absence of calculations such as those presented, crude approximations to the boundary value solution have been used without any way to check their theoretical validity.
Propagation rate of large cracks in stiffened panels under tension loading

Cyclic tension fatigue tests were conducted on approximately half-scale welded stiffened panels to study propagation of large cracks as they interact with the stiffeners. A linear elastic fracture mechanics analysis was used, to simulate the crack propagation, and gave reasonable agreement with the experiments. The range in stress intensity factor (ΔK) was determined with either a finite-element (FE) analysis or an analytical model at increments of crack length. Analytical and FE models included an idealized residual stress distribution similar to what was measured in the panels. Crack propagation rate as a function of ΔK was estimated using the Paris law with upper-bound coefficients. The experiments and analyses show little sensitivity to stiffener type. The models developed in this project can be easily reproduced and can be used to assess the remaining life of ships with large cracks, leading to more accurate assessment of safety and more efficient scheduling of repairs.
Electrodeposited gold nanoparticles on carbon nanotube-textile: Anode material for glucose alkaline fuel cells

Abstract In the present paper we propose a new anode material for glucose–gluconate direct oxidation fuel cells prepared by electrodepositing gold nanoparticles onto a conductive textile made by conformally coating single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) on a polyester textile substrate. The electrodeposition conditions were optimized in order to achieve a uniform distribution of gold nanoparticles in the 3D porous structure of the textile. On the basis of previously reported studies, the reaction conditions (pH, electrolyte composition and glucose concentration) were tuned in order to achieve the highest oxidation rate, selectively oxidizing glucose to gluconate. The electrochemical characterization was carried out by means of cyclic voltammetry.
Dopamine acetylcholine imbalance in Parkinson's disease. Possible regenerative overgrowth of cholinergic axon terminals

Parkinson's disease is characterised by an imbalance between acetylcholine and dopamine which probably results from the degeneration of a dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway. A new hypothesis is proposed to explain the development of this imbalance. Applying the concept that degeneration of nerve-fibres in the central nervous system can lead to collateral sprouting of uninjured fibres, it is suggested that the death of dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons results in sprouting of axons of cholinergic interneurons in the caudate nucleus. This overgrowth could result in the cholinergic innervation of neuronal membranes vacated by degenerated dopaminergic terminals. Thus, the apparent changes in the activity of dopaminergic and cholinergic systems can be accounted for by faulty regeneration in the central nervous system.
Performance of Contaminated Insulators Tested from 200 Kv to 1000 Kv DC

The performance of insulators as determined by artificial tests for various contaminant levels at voltage levels ranging from 200 to 1000 kV dc are presented along with comparisons to field measurements. Included are the effects of polarity, insulator shed design, insulator spacing, and uniform and non-uniform contaminant distribution on individual units. The question of linearity of performance with voltage is examined as well as the performance of clean insulators in conditions of fog and heavy rain. Methods of evaluating the ESDD of insulators are also explored.
Relation of nausea and vomiting in acute myocardial infarction to location of the infarct

To determine whether the incidence of nausea and vomiting in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) varies with infarct location, we studied 180 patients who had been admitted to our hospital for ST-segment elevation AMI or AMI associated with left bundle branch block. The presenting symptoms (chest pain, nausea, and vomiting), initial electrocardiographic findings, and additional demographic, clinical, laboratory, and outcome data were extracted from the medical records and correlated with the infarct location. Of the 180 patients with AMI, 108 (60%) had inferior and 72 (40%) had anterior infarcts. Nausea was reported in almost 2/3 of all patients, and vomiting in nearly 1/3. Both nausea and vomiting showed a trend toward a greater incidence in patients with inferior than with anterior infarcts (69% vs 56% and 33% vs 26%, respectively). However, the differences were not statistically significant. In conclusion, nausea and vomiting are common presenting symptoms in patients with either inferior or anterior wall AMI, but their frequency is unrelated to the infarct location.
Sequential STIRAP-based control of the HCN→CNH isomerization

Abstract We have examined the use of successive stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) excitations to control the isomerization reaction HCN→CNH. We show that this method generates virtually complete transfer from an arbitrary initial vibrational state of HCN to an arbitrary final vibrational state of CNH. This result is valid even in the presence of a substantial number of background states that have non-zero dipole transition moments among themselves and with the subset of STIRAP states, and when pairs of background states are in resonance with the applied field.
A reexamination of the concept of privilege groups

The research reported here examines the degree to which Coleman's now famous concept of social class “privilege group” can be generalized outside the historical confines of the automobile market. An examination of the concept over twenty-seven goods and service categories produced mixed results, and raised several questions concerning the usefulness of the concept in segmenting markets.
Atrocity and Ambiguity: Recent Developments in Christian Holocaust Responses

Christian Holocaust scholars insist that historical atrocity should catalyze religious change. Many established Holocaust theologians presume that the antidote to anti-Judaism involves identifying an authentic version of Christian faith lacking moral blemish. However, recent responses tend to view the Bible and the Christian tradition as irreducibly ambiguous. These new responses foreground perpetrator perspectives and correlate developments in theological reflection with evolving public Holocaust representations. They are distinctive in advocating careful examination of biographical connections to the Holocaust, including family, religious, and national identification. In significant ways, emphasis on ambiguity in recent Christian Holocaust thought provides critical leverage on the redemptive tendencies of popular Holocaust remembrance in the United States.
Symbolic integration using homotopy methods

The homotopy algorithm is a powerful method for indefinite integration of total derivatives. By combining these ideas with straightforward Gaussian elimination, we construct an algorithm for the optimal symbolic integration that contain terms that are not total derivatives. The optimization consists of minimizing the number of terms that remain unintegrated. Further, the algorithm imposes an ordering of terms so that the differential order of these remaining terms is minimal. A different method for the summation of difference expressions is presented in Appendix B.
Computers in Mathematics Education: An Introduction

It has been more than 50 years since the use of computers in large-scale scientific computations gave rise to the teaching machine movement (Skinner, 1958), with mathematics education always being ...
The use of amphotericin B to detect inhibitors of cellular cholesterol biosynthesis

Abstract Pores formed in the membranes of animal cells by complexes of sterols and the polyene antibiotic amphotericin B can efficiently kill the cells. Thus, in the absence of exogenous sources of cholesterol, inhibitors of enzymes in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway render cells resistant to amphotericin B. Preincubation of Chinese hamster ovary cells with compactin or 25-hydroxycholesterol, inhibitors of the synthesis of the key intermediate mevalonate, protected cells from amphotericin B killing and this protection was reversed by the addition of exogenous mevalonate. The ability of compactin to confer amphotericin B resistance on normal cells was abolished when cells were provided exogenous cholesterol by the receptor-mediated endocytosis of low density lipoprotein. Low density lipoprotein receptor-defective Chinese hamster ovary cells were not subject to this low density lipoprotein-dependent amphotericin B killing. Exogenous mevalonate did not prevent 4,4,10β-trimethyl-trans-decal-3β-ol, an inhibitor of mevalonate conversion to sterols, from protecting cells from amphotericin B. A simple two-step protocol in which cells are preincubated (15–24 h) with potential inhibitors and then treated (3–6 h) with amphotericin B was devised to provide a sensitive method for detecting direct (e.g., competitive) and regulatory inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis. This protocol may prove useful in detecting potential antihypercholesterolemia drugs and is currently being used to isolate mutants in receptor-mediated endocytosis.
First-Principles Calculation of Nb 2 AlC/Nb Interfaces

We have performed a first-principles density functional theory method and molecular dynamics simulation on the Nb2AlC(001)/Nb(001), Nb2AlC(001)/Nb(110), and Nb2AlC(001)/Nb(111) interfaces. The results show that the Nb2AlC(001)/Nb(111) interface structure is the most stable structure of the three. The Al-Nb bonds at the Nb2AlC(001)/Nb(111) interfaces show covalence bonding character, while the Nb-Nb interface bonds are mainly metallic. The Nb-C bonds in Nb2AlC layers are very stable at up to 1500 K temperature and in an oxygen environment. The stable Nb2AlC(001)/Nb(111) structure may have very good oxidation resistance for applications in high-temperature turbines.
The preparation and properties of cytoplasts from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Abstract A method is described in which cytochalasin B is used to fractionate Ehrlich ascites tumor cells into cytoplasts and (nucleated) karyoplasts. The plasma membrane and cytoplasm are selectively removed from these cells by this method such that the cytoplasts rarely contain membranous organelles (e.g., mitochondria) which are retained in the karyoplast during fractionation. ATP concentrations similar to those found in whole cells and glycolytic activity were measured in cytoplasts in the presence but not the absence of glycose. Cytoplasts also actively transport Na+, K+, and α-aminoisobutyric acid to steadystate distribution ratios similar to those found in whole cells. It was concluded that these cytoplasts are a simplified model system for the study of active transport in Ehrlich cells.
Transposon-based approaches to identify essential bacterial genes

Transposons are a powerful tool for identifying genes essential for bacterial viability. The availability of many bacterial genome sequences and the large number of genes of unknown function therein have inspired the generation of a variety of different approaches. These methods are described and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.
Positive‐feedback trading activity and momentum profits

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine positive‐feedback (PF) behavior and its relationship to momentum profitability and information uncertainty.Design/methodology/approach – Using the behavioral function of rational traders and feedback traders, the authors jointly estimate the mean and conditional variance equations of the GARCH model to derive the positive‐ and non‐positive‐feedback coefficients, respectively. In each six‐month period, the number of PF stocks were then calculated as a fraction of the total number of stocks in that period. The authors then investigate whether day‐to‐day PF trading activities vary across different momentum portfolios by calculating the percentage of PF stocks in each decile portfolio.Findings – This study finds that about 9.4 per cent of stocks exhibit PF trading activities and that these activities have a more profound effect on stocks with a higher level of information uncertainty. The finding shows that the percentage of stocks with PF trading is higher in...
Redox Chemistry of Gaseous Reactants Inside Photoexcited FeAlPO4 Molecular Sieve

The reactivity of ligand-to-metal charge transfer excited Fe centers of FeAlPO{sub 4}-5 molecular sieve at the gas-micropore interface has been probed by in situ FT-IR spectroscopy. Laser light in the region 350--430 nm was used to excite the metal centers, and reaction was induced between methanol or 2-propanol and O{sub 2}. Acetone and H{sub 2}O are the observed products of the 2-propanol + O{sub 2} system, while the reaction of methanol with O{sub 2} yields formic acid, methyl formate, and H{sub 2}O as final products. These originate from secondary thermal reaction of initially produced formaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide. The primary step of the proposed mechanism involves one-electron reduction of O{sub 2} by transient Fe{sup +II} under concurrent donation of an electron to be hole of framework oxygen by the alcohol molecule. The efficient reaction suggests that the photoreduced Fe center of the molecular sieve has a substantially stronger reducing power than the conduction band electrons of dense-phase Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} semiconductor particles.
Extracellular space in the rat brain after fixation with 12 M formaldehyde.

The ultrastructure of the central nervous system (CNS) of the rat is described with particular reference to its extracellular space (ECS) and the presence of tight junctions. Ultrathin sections were examined with the electron microscope after perfusion of the brain, via abdominal aorta, with a 38 % (12 M) solution of formaldehyde for 60–90 sec. Material so fixed shows excellent cytological preservation. The ECS is almost insignificant, except at the outermost regions of the molecular layer. Tight junctions were seen to exist in large numbers between processes filled with synaptic vesicles, but not between glial processes, which show, instead, a different kind of nexuses more similar to the so-called gap junctions. The conclusion is reached that the interneuronal tight junctions described by other authors in the mammalian CNS should not be interpreted as fixation artifacts.
Mineral and Phytic Acid Partitioning Among Air‐Classified Bean Flour Fractions

Hull flours and air-classified intermediate starch, high starch, and high protein navy, pinto, and black bean flours were analyzed for mineral content and phytic acid. Phytic acid content ranged from 4.29-8.72 mg/g in the high starch flours to 23.74-30.22 mg/g in the protein flours. Total phosphorus content proved to be a good indicator of phytic acid content. Zinc, iron, potassium, and magnesium partitioned into the protein flours of each bean type. Strong and significant correlation coefficients obtained between phytic acid content and the content of these minerals, and between the content of these minerals and protein content suggest that metallic phytate complexes were present.
Ring strain and its effect on the rate of the general-base catalyzed enolization of cyclobutanone.

The 3-quinuclidinone-catalyzed (pKBH = 7.5) enolization of cyclobutanone (1) in D2O at 25 °C, I = 1.0 (KCl) was followed by deuterium incorporation, which was determined by 1H NMR. The second-order rate constant for the buffer-catalyzed deprotonation of 1 was found to be kB = 3.3 × 10-4 M-1 s-1, which is compared to rates for acetone and 2-(2‘-oxopropyl)benzaldehyde under similar conditions. The data shows that ring strain has very little effect on the energy barrier to deprotonation of 1 vs the unstrained systems.
Cell coupling in epithelia

Abstract A review of experimental findings in twelve different tissues suggests that cells of most if not all epithelia are linked, at regions of close membrane apposition, by permeable cell-to-cell passageways, junctional elements that permit free diffusion from cell to cell. The channels, where studied for particle size limits, appear to have an upper cutoff at molecular weight between 1000 and 10,000. Studies of the lability of the cell coupling are summarized and discussed. A possible role and mode of action of junctional coupling in stabilizing the differentiated state of epithelia is proposed.
Control of high-frequency smart structures through embedded NiTiNOL fibers

A method to increase the usable bandwidth of shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators for structural control is investigated. Because the change in material properties exploited in SMA components requires significant temperature variation, usually achieved through resistive heating, the response time of SMA actuators is ultimately limited by heat transfer in many applications. Typically, very rapid heating can be achieved but the time needed for cooling is long compared to the vibratory period of a mechanical or civil structure. By using several actuators in parallel and energizing subsets of these during successive cycles of structural motion, an effective bandwidth can be achieved that is greater than the bandwidth possible with a single actuator. This is demonstrated here for an active structural system comprised of SMA wires embedded in the outer laminae of a composite beam specimen. The beam was mounted as a cantilever and its first and second modes of vibration were excited by energizing the embedded wires.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.