cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract ES1-1: What is a HER2-positive in breast cancer in 2018?

Remarkable progress has been made in the treatment of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer since trastuzumab was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 20 years ago. Among patients with HER2-positive disease, HER2-targeted therapy has been associated with substantial improvements in overall survival in the adjuvant setting, a high rate of pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant therapy, and improvements in survival in patients with metastatic disease. While much of these improvements in outcome is due to more effective therapies, improvements in patient selection as a result of more accurate HER2 testing has also contributed to the better prognosis of patients with this disease. Data from clinical trials examining the benefit of trastuzumab in the adjuvant setting and published in the early 2000s (e.g., NSABP B31; NCCTG 9831) demonstrated that up to 25% of community-based assays reported as HER2-positive by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and up to 15% reported as HER2-positive by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) could not be confirmed upon central laboratory testing. To address this high frequency of false-positive results and to improve the accuracy of HER2 testing, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) in 2007 published guideline recommendations for HER2 testing. These guidelines were subsequently updated in 2013 and, more recently, in 2018. Since the implementation of these guidelines, the accuracy of HER2 testing has improved. In fact, in current clinical practice, when HER2 IHC and FISH testing are performed according to the ASCO-CAP guidelines, approximately 95% of breast cancers can ultimately be categorized as either unequivocally HER2-positive or HER2-negative. In the remainder of the cases, combined IHC and FISH assay results provide a less straightforward picture of the HER2 status and, in turn, create uncertainty regarding the likelihood of benefit from HER2-targeted therapy. These include cases which on dual-probe FISH testing show: 1) HER2/CEP17 ratio >2.0 and an average HER2 copy number 6.0 signals/cell (polysomy); and 3) HER2/CEP17 ratio 4.0 and Citation Format: Schnitt S. What is a HER2-positive in breast cancer in 2018? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr ES1-1.
Isolation of proliferating cells from whole blood using Human Transferrin Receptor in a two-stage separation system.

Abstract Blood is a routinely tested biological fluid for diagnosis and monitoring of diseases as many diseases would trigger a change in white blood cell count. Thus, several methods have been established to isolate or enrich white blood cells from patient blood samples for such analyses. One method of preparing an enriched white blood cell sample is through the selective lysis of red blood cells by hypotonic shock and restoration of osmolarity to maintain viability of target white blood cells. An inherent problem with this approach is the loss of target cells during sample handling. We report a two-stage separation system that can perform lysis and restoration of osmolarity of blood on-chip and direct the resultant sample to the second step of the analysis. Hence, there is no loss of sample. The post-lysis makeup features a protein-rich buffer to help stabilize cells. As proof of concept, we spiked HL-60 cells into a whole blood and a pre-lysed blood sample and compared capture metrics of each method using a downstream affinity separation. The capture efficiency of the whole blood sample ranged between 40 and 80% using
Soft Tissue Reconstruction for the Knee and Proximal Tibia

Wounds in the knee region are very common, secondary to trauma or orthopedic procedures. When hardware is associated with the wound, flap coverage is often needed. Additionally, because the knee is a very flexible joint, secondary healing and skin grafting are seldom adequate primary options for wound closure.
Contesting Dishonesty: When and Why Perspective-Taking Decreases Ethical Tolerance of Marketplace Deception

Deception is common in the marketplace where individuals pursue self-interests from their perspectives. Extant research suggests that perspective-taking, a cognitive process of putting oneself in other’s situation, increases consumers’ ethical tolerance for marketers’ deceptive behaviors. By contrast, the current research demonstrates that consumers (as observers) who take the dishonest marketers’ perspective (vs. not) become less tolerant of deception when consumers’ moral self-awareness is high. This effect is driven by moral self-other differentiation as consumers contemplate deception from the marketers’ perspective: high awareness of the “moral self” motivates consumers to distance themselves from the “immoral other.” The findings shed new light on how self-morality can vicariously shape social consideration in ethical judgments.
Semi-transparent and Flexible Single Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell

Power generation for the Internet of Things (IoT), particularly wearable electronics, is a significant challenge and a subject of great interest in the field of photovoltaics research. Here, we have designed and fabricated single crystalline silicon solar cells using a single-sided micromachining process. Preliminary results indicate that the solar cell is flexible and ~50% transparent. Furthermore, the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current density of the fabricated device under indoor light with the power density of 2 mW.cm-2 are 0.4 V and 110 µA.cm-2, respectively. The fabricated solar cells have been specifically designed to conformally fit on the commercial contact lenses.
Exploiting Prisoners: Precedent, Technology, and the Promise of Access to Justice

This article examines the legal evolution of access to information for incarcerated litigants and the role that access to the internet, libraries, and “ownership” of the law play in providing access to the Courts under decades of precedent. It then discusses the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence regarding the way technology has changed American behavior, including access to the internet, and how that significant shift in behavior is impacting incarcerated litigants. It concludes by offering a hopeful – and significantly more fair – approach to providing inmates access the courts and, therefore, true access to justice, without exploiting them in the process.
A Strategic Perspective of Internet Information Providers

Forecasters predict that the new century will usher in more extensive commercial impacts of the Internet that will dwarf those achieved in the late 1990s. Strategic models need to be applied to understand electronic commerce from two perspectives: one that emphasizes the structure of the entire industry, and one that emphasizes the contribution of the particular resources of an individual firm. This chapter provides structural and resource-based analysis of Internet information providers (IIPs) along with consideration of issues important in the generation, processing, storage, and transmission of information. Structural issues address risk, barriers to entry, bargaining power, and substitute goods available in an industry, while resource-based issues focus on a particular firm’s balance of property versus knowledge, as well as its information capacity, exclusivity, and overall reputation. In general, resource-based analysis implies that generation and processing of information are knowledge-based resources, while storage and transmission are property-based resources. Structural analysis implies that there is a large and ever-increasing amount of competitiveness in the industry, bringing into doubt the effectiveness of adopting a price/cost strategy. Combined analysis leads us to conclude that knowledge-based resources will be more effective in achieving competitive advantage than property-based resources because the former will provide more capability for all-important product differentiation.
Perpetrate network attacks from mobile devices

Due to the recent evolution of mobile devices, the gap between smartphones and desktop computers has been reduced in the last year. Today, last generation smart devices can execute almost every activity associated to a common computer. In this paper we focus on the adoption of mobile devices as a vector to perpetrate network attacks. Our aim is to prove the possibility to execute malicious activities from mobile devices. Since desktop oriented attacks are often perpetrated through anonymizing network (i.e. Tor, I2P), we also analyze a possible attack executed over an onion network. We introduce in particular a mobile denial of service threat, SlowDroid, running on Android mobile devices and making use of minimum amount of network bandwidth.
PTCR properties and aging characteristics in Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/ doped BaTiO/sub 3/ ceramics with ZrO/sub 2/ additions

The effects of yttria and zirconia additions to the BaTiO/sub 3/ microstructure and the positive temperature coefficient of resistance (PTCR) effect are studied. Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and ZrO/sub 2/ were added to barium- and titanium-rich samples without the incorporation of SiO/sub 2/, so that only the effects of each could be observed. Several aging studies were used to determine the type of changes which occur from added ZrO/sub 2/. The stoichiometry was varied using Ba/Ti=1.003 and 0.997. Small ZrO/sub 2/ additions to the Ti excess materials greatly affected the microstructures and within the limit of solubility lowered the resistivity by up to an order of magnitude and increased the rise at the Curie temperature (T/sub c/). ZrO/sub 2/ additions degraded the PTCR properties for Ba excess samples. Various static and cyclic modes of aging were used to study the resistivity instability. ZrO/sub 2/ additions were found to improve the degradation in resistivity in Ti excess materials. Without added ZrO/sub 2/ the Ba excess materials showed smaller variations in resistivity in all modes. >
Event-Driven Video Abstraction and Visualization

In this paper, we propose a new video summarization procedure that produces a dynamic (video) abstract of the original video sequence. Our technique compactly summarizes a video data by preserving its original temporal characteristics (visual activity) and semantically essential information. It relies on an adaptive nonlinear sampling. The local sampling rate is directly proportional to the amount of visual activity in localized sub-shot units of the video. To get very short, yet semantically meaningful summaries, we also present an event-oriented abstraction scheme, in which two semantic eventss emotional dialogue and violent action, are characterized and abstracted into the video summary before all other events. If the length of the summary permits, other non key events are then added. The resulting video abstract is highly compact.
Dynamics and distribution of nano‐dust particles in the inner solar system

[1] Dust particles in the approximate mass range of 10−22<m<10−20 kg produced near the Sun, due to collisions and breakup of larger interplanetary dust particles, have been shown to become entrained in the solar wind plasma flow. When these so-called nano-dust particles (NDPs) impact a spacecraft, they have been suggested to produce sufficiently large plasma clouds to cause a detectable signal in the onboard electric antennas. NDPs have been identified on the twin STEREO spacecraft, and the observed intermittent nature of their fluxes were suggested to represent the stochastic nature of their sources near the Sun. Here we show that even if the generation of NDPs remains a constant in time, their detectability near the ecliptic plane becomes intermittent due their interaction with the interplanetary magnetic fields.
Functional genomics in postmortem human brain: Abnormalities in a DISC1 molecular pathway in schizophrenia

The disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene has been identified as a schizophrenia susceptibility gene based on linkage and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) association studies and clinical data, suggesting that risk SNPs impact on hippocampal structure and function. We hypothesized that altered expression of DISC1 andlor its molecular partners (nuclear distribution element-like [NUDEL], fasciculation and elongation protein zeta-1 [FEZ1], and lissencephaly 1 [L1S1 ]) may underlie its pathogenic role in schizophrenia and explain its genetic association. We examined the expression of DISC1 and its binding partners in the hippocampus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of postmortem human brains of schizophrenic patients and controls. We found no difference in the expression of DISC1 mRNA in schizophrenia, and no association with previously identified risk SNPs, However, the expression of NUDEL, FEZ1, and LIS1 vas significantly reduced in tissue from schizophrenic subjects, and the expression of each showed association with high-risk DISC1 polymorphisms. These data suggest involvement of genetically linked abnormalities in the DISC1 molecular pathway in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Characterization of porous polymer monoliths as flow restrictors for capillary electrophoresis on a chip

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) lends itself to miniaturization, because it uses electroosmotic flow rather than moving parts for flow generation. Its analytical figures of merit improve as channel dimensions decrease. However, solution flow in the small planar channels used in CE-on-a-chip is very sensitive to reservoir solution height. This adds a pressure driven flow components, which decreases resolution, sensitivity, and separation efficiency of the EOF-driven technique. We have observed that this contribution to parabolic flow from uneven solution heights can be minimized by using a porous polymer monolith (PPM) as a flow restriction plug in the reservoirs of a 75 micrometers wide X 15 micrometers deep microchannel etched in glass. Our results indicate an average PPM pore size of 1 micrometers is sufficient for flow restriction. Pore sizes below this result in charge trapping of even small dye molecules. Images of the flow profile on and off the monolith show the inverse-parabolic effect on the electroosmotic flow profile due to mismatched zeta potentials between the polymer and the fused silica wall surfaces depending on PPM surface charge and plug length.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interactive effects of fitness and statin treatment on mortality risk in veterans with dyslipidaemia: a cohort study

Summary Background Statins are commonly prescribed for management of dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular disease. Increased fitness is also associated with low mortality and is recommended as an essential part of promoting health. However, little information exists about the combined effects of fitness and statin treatment on all-cause mortality. We assessed the combined effects of statin treatment and fitness on all-cause mortality risk. Methods In this prospective cohort study, we included dyslipidaemic veterans from Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Palo Alto, CA, and Washington DC, USA, who had had an exercise tolerance test between 1986, and 2011. We assigned participants to one of four fitness categories based on peak metabolic equivalents (MET) achieved during exercise test and eight categories based on fitness status and statin treatment. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality adjusted for age, body-mass index, ethnic origin, sex, history of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular drugs, and cardiovascular risk factors. We assessed mortality from Veteran's Affairs' records on Dec 31, 2011. We compared groups with Cox proportional hazard model. Findings We assessed 10 043 participants (mean age 58·8 years, SD 10·9 years). During a median follow-up of 10·0 years (IQR 6·0–14·2), 2318 patients died, with an average yearly mortality rate of 22 deaths per 1000 person-years. Mortality risk was 18·5% (935/5046) in people taking statins versus 27·7% (1386/4997) in those not taking statins (p 9 MET; n=694), the hazard ratio (HR) was 0·30 (95% CI 0·21–0·41; p Interpretation Statin treatment and increased fitness are independently associated with low mortality among dyslipidaemic individuals. The combination of statin treatment and increased fitness resulted in substantially lower mortality risk than either alone, reinforcing the importance of physical activity for individuals with dyslipidaemia. Funding None.
Parametric study of dissociation and ionization models at 12 kilometers/second

Thermochemical nonequilibrium solution dependence on available models for the chemical reaction rates is examined. Solutions from the Kang and Dunn reaction rate set, the Park rate set of 1987, and the Park rate set of 1991 are compared. The blunt-nosed, axisymmetric geometry considered is a 60-deg sphere cone with nose radius of 1.07 m and circular aft skirt. The nonequilibrium test case is 12-km/s entry into the Earth's atmosphere at 80-km altitude. The model variations are implemented into the Langley Aerothermodynamics Upwind Relaxation Algorithm code. New, high-temperature, equilibrium-constant curve fits proposed by Gupta are also examined, and Hansen's new formulation for the rate controlling temperature for the dissociation reactions is compared with existing formulations for this parameter. Although variations in the reaction rates have no effect on the surface pressure distribution and little effect on the convective heating, the effect on degree of ionization and radiative heating can be a factor of 3. Nomenclature Art Br = coefficients in Arrhenius expression for reaction rate an = coefficients for equilibrium constant curve fits Er = activation energy for reaction r K^r = equilibrium constant for reaction r kbr — backward reaction rate for reaction r kfr = forward reaction rate for reaction r m,n = coefficients in definition of Td 7Ve_ = electron number density, m ~3 q = surface heating (radiative or convective), W/cm2 s = distance along body surface, m T - heavy particle translational temperature, K Td = rate controlling temperature for dissociation, K Te = electron temperature, K Tr = rate controlling temperature for reaction r, K Tv = vibrational, electronic, electron-translational temperature, K x,z - spatial coordinates, m p =mass density, kg/m3 Po2/P = specific density of molecular oxygen
Turning Points in the Development of Blended Families

A modified retrospective interview technique (RIT) was employed with members of 53 blended families to determine the types of turning points they reported experiencing and the developmental trajectories of their respective blended family’s first 4 years. Findings revealed 15 primary types of turning points, of which ‘Changes in Household Configuration’, ‘Conflict’, ‘Holidays/Special Events’, ‘Quality Time’ and ‘Family Crisis’ were the most frequent. A cluster analysis revealed five basic trajectories of development for the first 48 months of family development: Accelerated, Prolonged, Stagnating, Declining and High-amplitude Turbulent. The trajectories differed in the overall positive-to-negative valence ratio, the frequency of conflict related events, the average amplitude of change in feeling like a family, and the current reported level of feeling like a family.
Cathodoluminescence of Magnetite

The cathodoluminescence spectrum of magnetite indicates optical transitions which correspond to energy separations of 2.6 and 3.2 eV. These luminescence data, coupled to the available optical absorption and soft x-ray data, lead to the first proposed semiquantitative band model for this material.
The effects of maturation and aging on the wave form of visually evoked potentials.

Abstract Visually evoked responses (VERs) of 215 normal subjects, aged 1 month–81 years, were studied with the following results. Amplitudes of several waves in the first 250 msec of the VER changed markedly with age. In responses recorded from the occiput there was a rapid increase in amplitude reaching a maximum in 5–6-year-old children. The mean amplitude of VERs at this age was about twice as large as in some older age groups. With children of 7 years and older there was a decline in amplitude until ages 13–14, when an abrupt increase in amplitude appeared. Amplitude appeared to stabilize at about age 16. With older subjects, mean age 67 years, earlier components, those appearing in the first 100 msec, were consistently larger and arrived significantly later. With infants, mean age 3 years, later components, those after 100 msec, had significantly longer peak delays. A comparison of responses from different brain areas as well as the degree of homogeneity of VERs at different age levels showed a gradually changing relationship with increasing age.
Effects of parameter uncertainty on predictions of unsaturated flow

Abstract This study uses first-order first and second moment analysis to evaluate the error in predictions of unsaturated flow models caused by parameter uncertainty, expressed in terms of a mean value for each parameter and an error covariance matrix. These are related to the mean and variance in the model predictions by a first-order Taylor expansion. Two applications of the methodology are presented. The first involves the estimation of parameters and their error covariance matrix from particle size distribution data for a layered field soil. These are used to predict water contents and associated errors for a static retention test and a dynamic drainage experiment. The second case involves parameter estimation using a numerical inversion method from a transient flow experiment for a hypothetical homogeneous soil. Predictions of water contents and their errors for a rainfall-redistribution event using the estimated parameters compare well with predictions corresponding to actual parameters. Uncertainty predictions with the first-order error analysis procedure also agree well with results of a Monte Carlo simulation study.
Isolated uvular angioedema associated with ACE inhibitor use

Angioedema is a well-known complication of medical therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Isolated uvular angioedema, a rare presentation of angioedema, in a patient taking lisinopril (Zestril) is described in this case report. Management of uvular edema is also reviewed.
Diagnosis of old inferior myocardial infarction by body surface isopotential mapping

Body surface isopotential maps obtained from 28 patients with old inferior wall myocardial infarction were compared with maps from 120 normal subjects. The 12 lead electrocardiogram of 8 of the 28 patients (29 percent) with inferior wall infarction was normal or showed only nondiagnostic ST-T wave abnormalities at the time the isopotential maps were obtained. In all patients with inferior wall infarction the isopotential map showed a minimum (area of negative potentials) on the inferior or right thoracic surface during the early portions of the QRS complex. This finding was observed in patients with normal or nonspecific abnormalities in the 12 lead electrocardiogram as well as those with QRS abnormalities. By contrast, the minimum during the early QRS complex in normal subjects was located on the right upper back and shoulder region. The body surface isopotential map may therefore be a useful clinical tool for detecting the approximately 25 percent of patients with previous inferior infarction whose electrocardiogram ultimately returns to normal or becomes nondiagnostic for the previous infarction. It contains information not available in the 12 lead electrocardiogram that may be useful in diagnosing various cardiac states in addition to inferior myocardial infarction.
Decentering resources: a phenomenological study of interpretive pedagogies in patient education

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to document an innovative approach to teaching patient education where RN-Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, through an online course, learned and applied the interpretive pedagogies in patient education. The online course was the educational intervention which laid the groundwork of the study. Data were then collected from 9 of 18 students who took the course and agreed to participate. Interviews were audiotaped face to face or by telephone and transcribed and interpreted for meanings. Two themes that emerged for teaching patient education included "Decentering Resources: Listening Through Questioning" and "Decentering Resources: Empowering Through Questioning." This study revealed that, as students learned the interpretive pedagogies, resources (brochures, handouts, videos, etc.) took on less importance in their patient education practice. They recognized how resources frequently impeded patient-nurse interactions in teaching and learning encounters. Once students understood that they were perhaps depending too much on resources, they began engaging in questioning practices where significant meanings of listening and empowering in patient education unfolded. This study encourages nurse educators to teach students interpretive pedagogies in patient education to promote pedagogical literacy, which preserves the time-honored tradition of working together with patients during teaching and learning encounters.
Properties of Purified Ribonuclease P from Escherichia coli

The purified protein moiety of ribonuclease P (EC 3.1.26.5) from Escherichia coli, a single polypeptide of molecular weight approximately 17 500, has not catalytic activity by itself on several RNA substrates. However, when it is marked in vitro with an RNA species called M1 RNA, RNase P activity is reconstituted. The rate at which the purified RNase P cleaves any particular tRNA precursor molecule depends on the identity of that tRNA precursor.
New or little‐known species of exotic Tipulidae (Diptera).—XII

SYNOPSIS Two new species of Ula (Metaula) are described from males and females taken in Sikkim and in Burma, Assam and Sikkim, respectively; two new species of Pedicia (Tricyphona) are described from Sikkim, one for both sexes and one for the male only. A new species of Dicranota (Dicranota) is described from a female taken in Sikkim; two new species of Dicranota (Rhaphidolabina) are described, one from a female taken in Sikkim and the other from males and females taken in Assam; a new species of Dicranota (Amalopina) and one of Dicranota (Rhaphidolabis) are described from unique males taken in Assam.
PASSIVE AND MIDDLE CONSTRUCTIONS IN KOREAN

In this paper, I have shown evidence that the potential Korean middle construction (K2) is a passive, adducing five pieces of evidence: (1) spontaneity, (2) the existence of an agent, (3) non-stative, (4) non-generic, and (5) no requirement of adverb modification. It will also be classified under a morphological passive, since it carries the same morpheme as the suffixal passive and has properties of the canonical passive.
On-particle detection of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein II by a "switch-on" iridium(III) probe.

Abstract The need for robust reagents for biomarker detection has become an increasing necessity in designing point-of-care diagnostics. We report a non-emissive, cyclometalated iridium(III) complex, Ir ( ppy ) 2 ( H 2 O ) 2 + (Ir1), which, on coordination to a histidine-containing protein bound to the surface of a magnetic particle, elicits a rapid, long-lived phosphorescent signal. The interactions between Ir1 and numerous other amino acids were examined for activity, but only the addition of histidine resulted in a four orders of magnitude enhancement in signal intensity. Buffer conditions (pH and temperature) and composition (coordinating vs. non-coordinating and ionic strength) were optimized to achieve maximum signal and stability of Ir1. The activity of the probe under optimized conditions was validated with BNT-II, a histidine-containing branched peptide mimic of the malarial biomarker Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein II (PfHRPII). By comparing Ir1 binding to BNT-II versus l -histidine, steric and quenching effects were noted in the peptide. Despite these deviations from ideal conditions, signal response reached saturation with both BNT-II and recombinant HRPII (rcHRPII). When immobilized on the surface of a 50 μM magnetic agarose particles, the limit of detection of rcHRPII was 14.5 nM. The robust signal response of this inorganic probe lends itself to future applications in on-particle enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based assays.
Detection of organic substrates in alkali halide matrices using room temperature phosphorescence

Abstract Room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) emission was detected from several organic substrates using a solid surface composed solely of alkali salts. This technique yields detection limits comparable to the popular polymer-salt and filter paper methods. More importantly, the alkali halide matrix environment requires no special drying processes, has a simple, reproducible sample preparation procedure, and yields no interfering background RTP.
Evaluation of implicit formulas for the solution of ODEs

Implicit formulas are quite popular for the solution of ODEs. They seem to be necessary for the solution of stiff problems. An acceptance test must be made of the approximate solution of the algebraic equations arising in the evaluation of an implicit formula. A reliable way to make this test is presented. It offers many practical advantages over current tests.
Picosecond flash photolysis and spectroscopy: Bis-(4-dimethylaminodithiobenzil)-Ni(II), BDN

Abstract The transient absorption spectrum of an electronically excited dithiene, bis-(4-dimethylaminodithiobenzil)-Ni(II), which we term BDN, was measured with 10 ps temporal resolution and 1 nm wavelength resolution. For a series of “heavy atom” solvents, both the ground state and the excited state spectra remained constant while the decay kinetics of the excited state absorption, as well as the recovery from ground state bleaching, varied; the extreme values were 9 ns in benzene and 0.22 ns in iodoethane. The excited state spectrum can be plausibly fitted by a particular one electron transition between previously calculated molecular orbitals, although this clearly does not prove that these orbitals provide the best description for the excited states. Similarly, present data do not determine a unique decay scheme. We comment on three possibilities within the framework of the ground state virtual orbital picture. We are aware of no previous direct detection of excited states of such nickel complexes either in absorption or in emission. We conclude that our recently developed techniques will be generally applicable in probing the photodynamics of presently intractable molecular species. The significance of our data for laser mode-locking is discussed.
Characteristics of an Effective Community College Web Site

This study examined the characteristics of a community college Web site by using focus groups and questionnaires with currently enrolled students. Consistent with other studies, organization and co...
Electronic spectroscopic investigations of the stationary phase in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Abstract Electronic spectroscopy of probe molecules provides a powerful means of characterizing the stationary phase in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. In particular, both fluorescence and UV—visible absorption spectroscopies have been used to characterize these complex interfacial environments. This article reviews the progress made with these approaches for studying the structure of the stationary phase, the solute environment that it produces, and the dynamics of sorbed molecules in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Fluorescence studies using either covalently attached probes, or physiosorbed probes are reviewed, along with total internal reflection fluorescence studies of flat, model interfaces. Dynamic effects due to excimer formation and quenching are shown to provide information about hydrocarbon ligand proximity, microviscosity, and contact of sorbed molecules with the mobile phase. UV—visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy has also been used to characterize the dipolarity, polarizability and hydrogen bonding interactions of the reversed-phase surface environment. These electronic spectroscopic approaches lend insight into the organization, orientation, and polarity of the alkyl chains. In this article, the results of these studies are reviewed, and their impact on models for reversed- phase retention are discussed.
The influence of obesity on calf blood flow and vascular reactivity in older adults

To determine whether differences in vascular reactivity existed among normal weight, overweight, and obese older men and women, and to examine the association between abdominal fat distribution and vascular reactivity. Eighty-seven individuals who were 60 years of age or older (age = 69 ± 7 yrs; mean ± SD) were grouped into normal weight (BMI < 25; n = 30), overweight (BMI ≥ 25 and < 30; n = 28), or obese (BMI ≥ 30; n = 29) categories. Calf blood flow (BF) was assessed by venous occlusion strain-gauge plethysmography at rest and post-occlusive reactive hyperemia. Post-occlusive reactive hyperemia BF was lower (p = 0.038) in the obese group (5.55 ± 4.67 %/min) than in the normal weight group (8.34 ± 3.89 %/min). Additionally, change in BF from rest to post-occlusion in the obese group (1.93 ± 2.58 %/min) was lower (p = 0.001) than in the normal weight group (5.21 ± 3.59 %/min), as well as the percentage change (75 ± 98 % vs. 202 ± 190 %, p = 0.006, respectively). After adjusting for age, prevalence in hypertension and calf skinfold thickness, change in BF values remained lower (p < 0.05) in obese subjects compared to the normal weight subjects. Lastly, the absolute and percentage change in BF were significantly related to BMI (r = -0.44, p < 0.001, and r = -0.37, p < 0.001, respectively) and to waist circumference (r = -0.36, p = 0.001, and r = -0.32, p = 0.002). Obesity and abdominal adiposity impair vascular reactivity in older men and women, and these deleterious effects on vascular reactivity are independent of conventional risk factors.
The average distance property of Banach spaces

Let (A,d) be a bounded metric space. A positive real number \( \alpha \) is said to be a rendezvous number of A if for any \( n \in {\Bbb N} \) and any x 1, ... ,x n (not necessarily distinct) in A, there exists \( x \in A \) such that¶¶\( {{1}\over{n}} \sum\limits_{i=1}^n d(x_i,x)= \alpha \).¶¶A (real) Banach space X is said to have the average distance property if the unit sphere has a unique rendezvous number. R. Wolf conjectured that every reflexive Banach space has the average distance property. In this article, we showed that if 1 < p < 2, then \( \ell_p \) does not have the average distance property. This gives a negative solution of above conjecture. In this article, we also considered the set C(K) of all bounded continuous functions on normal space K. We proved that C(K) has the average distance property if and only if K contains at least one isolated point.
A historical view of imaging systems and technology

When approached from a historical viewpoint the development of many important imaging systems throughout history often share common ground. Extremely important was the development of the idea of mathematical projection which provides methods for making an image that conformally represents the object. The prime example is the discovery of the stereographic projection by Hipparchus of Nicaea in the second century BC. The stereographic projection provided the basis for the astrolabe, an astronomical device that acted both as an instrument of observation and as an analog computer. The stereographic projection and similar ones also provided the basis for the world maps of the ancients which utilized a grid of longitude and latitude. When the ancient Greek books were rediscovered in the Renaissance, the maps provided the impetus for the age of exploration. The Mercator projection of the sixteenth century was obtained as a logarithmic transformation of the stereographic projection. The Mercator projection provided sea captains with maps that had a rectangular grid of latitude and longitude and also had the property that straight lines represented courses of constant compass directions. The development of the telescope and microscope in the early seventeenth century provided means to obtain images that could not be seen by the unaided eye. Galileo's discovery of the moons of Jupiter led to Roemer's determination in 1676 that light travels at a finite velocity. Unknowingly, Roemer also discovered the relativistic Doppler effect, which in the present century helped to establish our concept of the expanding universe. The relativistic Doppler factor mathematically is none other than the expression for the stereographic projection of Hipparchus. The development of high energy physics in this century has led to images of the microworld of subatomic particles. In this environment Einstein's equation E = mc2 finds verification. This equation is a result of the theory of special relativity. The basic mathematics of special relativity is contained in the Lorentz transform. Again we can return to Hipparchus, because the Lorentz transform follows from a sequential application of the stereographic projection.
Rapid consolidation of powdered materials by induction hot pressing

A rapid hot press system in which the heat is supplied by RF induction to rapidly consolidate thermoelectric materials is described. Use of RF induction heating enables rapid heating and consolidation of powdered materials over a wide temperature range. Such rapid consolidation in nanomaterials is typically performed by spark plasma sintering (SPS) which can be much more expensive. Details of the system design, instrumentation, and performance using a thermoelectric material as an example are reported. The Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal diffusivity of thermoelectric PbTe material pressed at an optimized temperature and time in this system are shown to agree with material consolidated under typical consolidation parameters.
Strip theory for underwater vehicles in water of finite depth

This paper addresses the need to know the unsteady forces and moments on an underwater vehicle in finite-depth water, at small enough submergences for it to be influenced by sea waves. The forces are those due to the waves themselves, as well as the radiation forces due to unsteady vehicle motions. Knowledge of these forces and the mass distribution of the vehicle allow solution of the equations of motion at a single-frequency. Since the theory is linear, any incident wave field can be decomposed into the sum of many individual single-frequency sinusoidal waves. The motions due to each frequency component can then be added together to obtain the total predicted vehicle motions. The wave forces are due to the undisturbed sea wave plus those due to the diffracted wave necessary to satisfy boundary conditions on the vehicle. The long-used strip theory for ships, with the inviscid-flow approximation, is modified for finite depth and inclusion of lift forces on the vehicle fins. The two-dimensional solutions for the forces on each strip are found by a different method than is commonly used for strip theory. This form of the theory is easier to deal with and requires much less computing time than a fully three-dimensional approach. Experiments are conducted and their results are compared with the theory. Excellent agreement is found between the theoretical and experimental wave forces, including the diffracted wave. It is shown that inclusion of the forces on the fins not only improves the theoretical wave forces, but also brings the results of theory for the radiation forces and moments due to vehicle motions much closer to the experimental values that the theory without inclusion of fin lift forces.
Improving the letter of recommendation

The selection of applicants to otolaryngology training programs is a challenging task. Applicants and their evaluators rely on objective and subjective data to facilitate the selection process. Unfortunately, data are often less helpful than either side assumes, suffering from poor validity and reliability in predicting future performance. The traditional resume-based letter of recommendation bears some responsibility in this. It is often a lengthy reiteration of already available objective data and contains nonstandardized, superlative evaluations of personal attributes. As a result, many letters are similar, describing "excellent" candidates who have done well on previous examinations and clerkships. Research has indicated improved reliability and satisfaction as well as decreased time expenditure using standardized letters of recommendation. These letters demonstrate how basic, easy-to-implement improvements can create letters that provide accurate information, separate applicants, and improve the selection process. Consideration should be given to adopting these improvements at the program director and/or educational committee level.
Something for nothing: A model of gambling behavior

Abstract Gambling is an ancient economic activity, but despite its universality and importance, no single explanation for the demand for gambles has gained ascendance among economists. This paper suggests that the demand for gambles is based on the ability to obtain “something for nothing.” That is, the gain from gambling is not merely additional income, but additional income for which the gambler does not need to work. Thus, to fully understand gambling behavior, it must be placed in a labor supply context. The theory is tested empirically using the Survey of Gambling in the U.S. Support for the theory is found.
Patterns of cocaine binging: Effect on pregnancy

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine how cocaine and crack binging affected perinatal complications. Study Design: Between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 1989, patterns of cocaine-crack binging and perinatal consequences in 905 pregnant women from multiethnic, multiracial, inner-city populations were studied. Binging cycles reflect the chaotic lifestyle of drug abuse and multiple obstetric at-risk cofactors as integral parts of binging and are more accurately defined than amount of drugs consumed. Results: Binging patterns in 905 pregnant women who use cocaine-crack as their primary drug were as follows: group 1, 78 women with "erratic" binging that is variable in intervals, duration, and amounts but who are very aggressive drug seekers; group 2, 67 women who binged daily; group 3, 760 women who binged in cycles at 3-, 5-, 7-, or > 7-day intervals. Binges ranged from 26.4 to 34.4 hours. Complications were proportional to the frequency of binging, (linear association p Conclusion: Erratic use of cocaine-crack results in perinatal complications that are as severe as those occurring with daily binging but the patterns differ. Cofactors play a significant role in outcomes.
A fast numerical procedure for determining the saddle point of a free energy surface

Abstract A fast numerical procedure is presented for locating free energy of formation surface saddle points for sulfuric acid and water or other binary systems.
Salivary IgA secretion rate in young and elderly persons

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is the dominant immunoglobulin isotype on all mucosal surfaces where it acts as a first line of defense against microbial invasion. Recent investigations suggest that secretory IgA (sIgA) concentrations vary over the day due to a range of variables including dietary factors, daily mood, and exercise. In this study, salivary IgA was determined by ELISA in samples of 48 persons grouped as "young" (20-30 years old) and "elderly" (60-80 years old). Unstimulated, stabilized morning and afternoon saliva was collected during 7 consecutive days. Saliva flow, total proteins, sIgA concentrations, and sIgA secretion rates were determined. The main finding was that saliva flow and sIgA secretion rate were significantly lower in the elderly than in the young. Salivary IgA secretion rate was found to be independent of total proteins secreted in all samples. There is individual variability within a particular age group. It was also found that stress and daily events influence the sIgA secretion rate.
Elementary properties and pharmacological sensitivities of calcium channels in mammalian peripheral neurons

Abstract The major component of whole-cell Ca 2+ current in differentiated, neuron-like rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells and sympathetic neurons is carried by dihydropyridine-insensitive, high-threshold-activated N-type Ca 2+ channels. We show that these channels have unitary properties distinct from those of previously described Ca 2+ channels and contribute both slowly inactivating and large sustained components of whole-cell current. The N-type Ca 2+ currents are modulated by GTP binding proteins. The snail toxin ω-conotoxin reveals two pharmacological components of N-type currents, one blocked irreversibly and one inhibited reversibly. Contrary to previous reports, neuronal L-type channels are insensitive to ω-conotoxin. N-type Ca 2+ channels appear to be specific for neuronal cells, since their functional expression is greatly enhanced by nerve growth factor.
Inhibition of Vaccinia virus entry by a broad spectrum antiviral peptide.

Concerns about the possible use of Variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox, as a weapon for bioterrorism have led to renewed efforts to identify new antivirals against orthopoxviruses. We identified a peptide, EB, which inhibited infection by Vaccinia virus with an EC50 of 15 μM. A control peptide, EBX, identical in composition to EB but differing in sequence, was inactive (EC50 > 200 μM), indicating sequence specificity. The inhibition was reversed upon removal of the peptide, and EB treatment had no effect on the physical integrity of virus particles as determined by electron microscopy. Viral adsorption was unaffected by the presence of EB, and the addition of EB post-entry had no effect on viral titers or on early gene expression. The addition of EB post-adsorption resulted in the inhibition of β-galactosidase expression from an early viral promoter with an EC50 of 45 μM. A significant reduction in virus entry was detected in the presence of the peptide when the number of viral cores released into the cytoplasm was quantified. Electron microscopy indicated that 88% of the virions remained on the surface of cells in the presence of EB, compared to 37% in the control (p < 0.001). EB also blocked fusion-from-within, suggesting that virus infection is inhibited at the fusion step. Analysis of EB derivatives suggested that peptide length may be important for the activity of EB. The EB peptide is, to our knowledge, the first known small molecule inhibitor of Vaccinia virus entry.
Some early vexing optical and mechanical problems of the 13-inch “Pluto” telescope

Abstract The circumstances relating to the initiation of the final search for Lowell's Planet X are summarized as an introduction, followed by a description of the planning and fabrication of the 13-inch astrograph. In the final trial testing of the new instrument, several difficult problems were encountered. One by one, these difficulties were overcome, some by minor modifications of the equipment, and some by changes in the observational procedure. The solutions to each of these problems are described. These were vital before a successful planet search could be started. Reasons ae given for extending the planet search over a large sky area.
The accurate reporting of software‐generated p‐values: A cautionary research note

Quantitatively oriented researchers differ in how they report the results of tests of statistical significance. Some authors report statistically significant results as less than an alpha level (e.g., p .50. Awareness of these issues should facilitate accurate statistical reporting.