cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Desolvation kinetics of cefamandole sodium methanolate: the effect of water vapor

Abstract Processing of crystalline pharmaceuticals often involves removal of the solvent of crystallization. Several cases are documented where removal of solvated alcohol is much faster when the sample is simply exposed to ambient humidity than when the sample is vacuum-dried. The most dramatic example of this phenomenon occurs with the methanolate of cefamandole sodium. Cefamandole sodium may exist in 1 of 3 crystalline forms giving different X-ray powder patterns: methanolate, hydrate, or anhydrate. This research is a detailed phenomenological study of the kinetics and thermodynamics of the desolvation and solvation reactions of cefamandole sodium. The effects of water vapor, temperature, sample history, and crystal size are experimentally evaluated. The phenomenological generalizations are employed to develop a mechanistic interpretation of the data. The methanolate of cefamandole sodium exhibits some characteristics of a non-stoichiometric solvate and has a solvation enthalpy 3.7 kcal/mol greater than the enthalpy of condensation of the solvent. The rate of vacuum demethanolation increases sharply as the crystal size decreases; is as much as a factor of 200 slower than demethanolation in the presence of water vapor; yields an apparent activation energy equal to the enthalpy of reaction; and is apparently limited by mass transfer of the methanol through the low permeability anhydrate phase. Demethanolation in the presence of water vapor yields a hydrate which, as a first approximation, is a non-stoichiometric solvate. Dehydration of the hydrate is rapid. The much faster rate of conversion of methanolate to hydrate is largely a result of the extensive crystal cracking and subsequent reduction of effective crystal size which occurs during the early stages of hydrate formation. However, it also appears that the hydrate phase is more permeable to methanol than is the anhydrate phase.
Fluid dynamics of flow through microscale lattice structures formed from self‐propagating photopolymer waveguides

The fluid dynamics of flow through microscale lattice structures is characterized for different unit cell sizes, flow angles, and flow rates. The structures consist of an octahedral-type periodic unit cell, which is formed from an interconnected pattern of self-propagating photopolymer waveguides. The periodic unit cell of each sample has a node-to-node spacing between 800 and 2400 μm and a truss member diameter between 148 and 277 μm. Water is directed through the microscale lattice structures, and the resulting pressure drop is investigated for two different flow angles and superficial flow rates between 0.5 and 4.8 L/min. Finite element analysis is used to determine pressure drop in the laminar flow regime. The results are used to develop a correlation describing friction factor as a function of flow direction, geometric characteristics, and Reynolds number. This work enables control of the fluid dynamics in microarchitected multifunctional truss materials through design and superficial flow angle. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
Primary Care Providers’ Views on Using Lung Age as an Aid to Smoking Cessation Counseling for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Purpose Smoking cessation is the primary goal for managing patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who smoke. However, previous studies have demonstrated poor cessation rates. The “lung age” concept (an estimate of the age at which the FEV1 would be considered normal) was developed to present spirometry data in an understandable format and to serve as a tool to encourage smokers to quit. Primary care physicians’ (PCPs) views of using lung age to help COPD patients to quit smoking were assessed.
The energy criterion for stability in continuum thermodynamics

It is shown that the famous energy criterion does supply, in a precise sense, a necessary condition for the stability of equilibrium states of bodies of materials with fading memory subjected to intrinsically dissipative boundary conditions, and it is pointed out that a strengthened form of the energy criterion gives a sufficient condition for stability.
Nematode Tango Milonguero - the C. elegans male's search for the hermaphrodite vulva.

Abstract The vulva search corresponds to the first step of mating in Caenorhabditis elegans wherein the male recognizes a potential mate through contact and commences a systematic, contact-based search of her surface for the vulva. During this ‘dance’ the male presses his tail genitalia firmly against the hermaphrodite surface and moves backward, modulating tail posture to effect changes in search trajectory. Upon sensing the vulva, the male pauses and the insemination phase of mating begins. External tail sensilla, the rays, induce and guide the male's search by registering hermaphrodite surface cues. C. elegans male mating behavior, like many other animate interactions (such as predator–prey interactions or intrasexual aggression), is performed at close quarters and requires that participants constantly adjust their movement with respect to one another on a moment-by-moment basis. The design features of the supporting circuitry explain simultaneously the robustness, speed and acuity of the male's behavior and its male-specific nature. Processing at all levels of the circuitry appears to be distributed. Cellular components exhibit both partial redundancy (thus conferring robustness in output) and subtle functional differences (predicted to confer acuity). Surprisingly, gender-shared cell types feature prominently in the circuitry. Male-specific components form sensory pathways that render downstream gender-shared circuits responsive to mate cues, while other male cells act to augment gender-shared cell activity. Overall, the attributes of the vulva search circuitry provide insight into principles guiding the design and operation of circuits supporting dynamic social behaviors expressed by more complex and less tractable animal species.
Comparison of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of phosphomonoesterases of soils and of corn and soybean roots.

The kinetic and thennodynamic parameters of phosphomonoesterases of soils and of corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) roots were evaluated. The optimum pH values for acid phosphatase activity in corn and soybean roots were 4 and 5, respectively. Roots of these plants did not contain alkaline phosphatase activity: therefore, the alkaline phosphatase activity in agricultural soils seems solely derived from microbial and animal sources. Soils contained both acid and alkaline phosphatase activities, with acid phosphatase being predominant in acid soils and alkaline phosphatase being predominant in alkaline soils. The Km values of acid phosphatase in acid soils ranged from 1.11 to 1.88 mM and were in the same order of magnitude as those of sterile and nonsterile soybean roots (1.89-2.73 mM). The Km values of add phosphatase activity in 2 alkaline soils were 2.53 and 3.40 mM and were significantly greater than those of this enzyme in acid soils. The Km values of alkaline phosphatase activity ranged from 0.44 to 4.94 mM and did not show any particular trend with respect to soil pH. Acid phosphatase activity of plant roots, as estimated by Vmax, under sterile and nonsterile conditions were significantly different (P < 0.05) within plant varieties. Temperature of inactivation of soil and root phosphatases was between 60–65°C. The mean activation energy (Ea) for acid phosphatase of corn roots (42.1 kJ mol−1) was about 6kJ mol−1 higher than that for soybean roots but was similar to that of acid soils, Ea values for acid phosphatase of 6 soils ranged from 38.4 to 50.1 kJ mol−1. The Ea values of alkaline phosphatase of 3 alkaline soils averaged to 31.2 kJ mol−1 and were significantly lower than those of 3 acid soils (av. = 42.4 kJ mol−1). The heat of activation (ΔHa) values for soil and root phosphatases showed similar trends to the Ea, except that their magnitudes were 2.5 kJ mol−1 lower. The entropy of activation (δSa) values for acid phosphatase of corn roots ranged from −85 to −92J deg−1 mol−1 and were higher than those of soybean roots (−103 to −110J deg−1 mol−1). The ΔSa, for add phosphatase of soils ranged from −58.5 to −86.5 J deg−1 mol−1. The ΔSa, values of alkaline phosphatase of 3 acid soils ranged from −80 to −95J deg−1 mol−1 and were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of alkaline soils (−104 to − 114 J deg −1 mol−1). The free energy of activation (ΔGa) values for phosphatases of soils and corn and soybean roots ranged from 61.7 to 67.3 kJ mol−1. The relatively constant ΔGa for phosphatases suggests that the energy requirement for the overall reaction is independent of the plant root or soil used.
Mass Spectrometric Mapping of Fibrinogen Conformations at Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Interfaces

We have characterized the adsorption of bovine fibrinogen onto the biomedical polymer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by performing mass spectrometric mapping with a lysine-reactive biotin label. After digestion with trypsin, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was used to detect peptides from biotinylated bovine fibrinogen, with the goal of identifying lysines that were more accessible for reaction with the chemical label after adsorption. Peptides within domains that are believed to contribute to heparin binding, leukocyte activation, and platelet adhesion were found to be biotin labeled only after bovine fibrinogen adsorbed to the PET surface. Additionally, the accessibility of lysine residues throughout the entire molecule was observed to increase as the concentration of the adsorbing bovine fibrinogen solution decreased, suggesting that the proximity of biologically active motifs to hydrophilic residues leads to their exposure. The surface area per adsorbed bovine fibrinogen molecule was quantified on PET using optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy (OWLS), which revealed higher surface densities for bovine fibrinogen adsorbed from higher concentration solutions. By measuring changes in both the identity and conformation of proteins that adsorb from complex mixtures such as blood or plasma, this technique may have applications in fundamental studies of protein adsorption and may allow for more accurate predictions of the biocompatibility of materials.
Practical Intelligence for School: Developing Metacognitive Sources of Achievement in Adolescence.

Abstract We sought to boost school achievement by creating an intervention that would develop practical intelligence for school in middle-school students. Researchers worked with teachers in Connecticut and Massachusetts schools over a 2-year period. Teachers were trained to deliver a five-part program developed to inculcate practical intelligence by emphasizing five sources of metacognitive awareness: knowing why, knowing self, knowing differences, knowing process, and revisiting. A broad range of assessments was administered in a pre–post design both to the children receiving the practical intelligence program and to matched control children. We found that the program successfully enhanced both practical and academic skills in each of the target skill areas (reading, writing, homework, and test-taking) in children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds attending diverse types of schools. These results are discussed in terms of the acquisition of cognitive and metacognitive insights during adolescence and the promise such insights hold for enhancing adolescent achievement over and above traditional g-based approaches to learning. Finally, we discuss trade-offs between ecologically based and laboratory-based interventions.
Future events, early experience, and mental health: clinical assessment using the anticipated life history measure.

This study's goals were (a) to provide convergent validity for the Anticipated Life History measure (ALH), an instrument prompting participants to describe their future life course from their 21st birthday until their death, and (b) to assess the impact of early experience and early memories on the ALH. The ALH narratives were coded for the presence and/or absence of future life events and for five clinical features (Narrative Integrity, Depression, Fantasy Distortion, Impulsivity, and Malevolence) using a detailed scoring manual. A sample of 285 young adults completed the ALH and a battery of cognitive, mood, and life events measures. The results confirm the utility of this new instrument: Participants whose ALH scored high on the clinical measures also had higher levels of current depression, lower quality-of-life satisfaction, reported more negative early life experiences, and recounted negative early memories.
Comparison of a Recently Developed Macroscopic Agglutination Test for the Diagnosis of Leptospiral Jaundice with the Standard Microscopic Test

The laboratory diagnosis of leptospiral jaundice has been handicapped by the lack of a simple serological test. Satisfactory microscopic agglutination tests have been described, among others, by Schiiffner and Mochtar,1 Erber,2 and Fletcher.3 While these tests are quite satisfactory, they have the decided disadvantage that they require microscopic examination by dark ground illumination, and are relatively time-consuming to perform. Pot4 and Smith and Tulloch5 have described macroscopic agglutination tests in which formalized cul-
Periodic review stochastic inventory problem with forecast updates: Worst-case bounds for the myopic solution

Abstract Muth first considered the linear cost periodic review inventory problem in which the mean demand in a period undergoes a non-observed random walk. Assuming the random walk variance and the within period demand variance to be known, and stationary, he showed that the Best Linear Unbiased Estimate (BLUE) for the mean is given by exponential smoothing and derived the formula for the optimal steady state smoothing constant in terms of the variances. We first show that the corresponding Bayesian analysis is useful under transient conditions, and converges to the Muth results under steady state. For the steady state solution, we prove that the myopic policy is near-optimal, using the concepts of P -myopic and D -myopic introduced in this paper, in the sense that the worst case bounds on policy errors in using it may be given analytically, and are small for reasonable values of parameters. As further validation, we use dynamic programming (DP) to compute optimal policies and compare them with myopic policies; policy errors are very small. By considering analogous results in recent literature, it is conjectured that additions of such factors as non-stationarity, lead-times, perishability, setup costs would produce near-myopic results.
Modeling ordered decision making in product development

This paper models the process of ordered product design decision making and shows that the order in which product development decisions are made has a significant effect on the product designed. The problem is formulated by introducing the notion of Quality Loss to quantify the loss of design freedom incurred by the decision makers in the later stages of a cross-functional decision process. In this context, the optimal order is the decision order with the lowest quality loss, whose characterization is one of the contributions of this paper. Design variables are partitioned into exclusive groups based on their connectivities, and the design sensitivities and connectivities are combined to develop two properties called order invariance and task invariance. Sufficient conditions, relating exclusive group structure to these invariance properties, are presented to help enhance our understanding of the optimal order. When all decision variables are order invariant, the optimal order identification problem is shown to map to the well known shortest path problem. The invariance properties derived in the paper can also be used to simplify subsequent design iterations, as shown with a simple industrial product design example.
Feasibility of using a compact elliptical device to increase energy expenditure during sedentary activities

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using a compact elliptical device to increase energy expenditure during sedentary activities. A secondary aim was to evaluate if two accelerometers attached to the elliptical device could provide reliable and valid assessments of participants' frequency and duration of elliptical device use. Design Physically inactive adults (n=32, age range=25-65) were recruited through local advertisements and selected using stratified random sampling based on sex, body mass index (BMI), and age. Methods Indirect calorimetry was used to assess participants' energy expenditure while seated and while using the elliptical device at a self-selected intensity level. Participants also self-reported their interest in using the elliptical device during sedentary activities. Two Actigraph GT3X accelerometers were attached to the elliptical device to record time-use patterns. Results Participants expended a median of 179.1 kilocalories per hour while using the elliptical device (range=108.2-269.0), or a median of 87.9 more kilocalories (range=19.7-178.6) than they would expend per hour of sedentary sitting. Participants reported high interest in using the elliptical device during TV watching and computer work, but relatively low interest in using the device during office meetings. Women reported greater interest in using the elliptical device than men. The two accelerometers recorded identical time-use patterns on the elliptical device and demonstrated concurrent validity with time-stamped computer records. Conclusions Compact elliptical devices could increase energy expenditure during sedentary activities, and may provide proximal environmental cues for increasing energy expenditure across multiple life domains.
Contribution of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species to particulate-induced lung injury.

Recently, a second pathway for the generation of potential oxidants with the reactivity of the hydroxyl radical without the need for metal catalysis has been described. In response to various infla...
The Genetic Linkage Map of the Human X Chromosome

A database useful for mapping the human X chromosome has been established. The data consist of the genotypic characterizations obtained at more than 20 DNA marker loci from a set of 38 selected families. Multilocus linkage analysis has provided an initial genetic map completely spanning the distance from the distal short arm to the distal long arm of the chromosome, for a total genetic length of at least 185 recombination units. Analysis of the recombinational behavior of fully marked chromosomes suggests that the number of recombination events on the X chromosome may be nonrandom. Linkage studies of six families that carry the mutation which causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy were combined with linkage data from a large number of normal families. This permitted mapping of the locus for Duchenne muscular dystrophy with greater precision and statistical confidence than studies in which disease families alone provided the genotypic database. This observation suggests that the normal linkage map of this chromosome should be especially valuable in the mapping of rare X-linked diseases.
Incorporation of l-2,5-Dihydrophenylalanine into Cell Proteins of Escherichia coli and Sarcoma 180

l-2,5-Dihydrophenylalanine is extensively incorporated as a phenylalanine analogue into cell proteins. Phenylalanine-requiring Escherichia coli ATCC 9723f and sarcoma 180 grow at normal rates initially with the analogue and maximally replace 65 and 33%, respectively, of phenylalanine in the peptide residues of their cell protein without death. With the analogue alone growth of E. coli becomes non-steady-state and asymptotically inhibited. In mixtures of the analogue and phenylalanine, growth eventually becomes steady state or logarithmic. The logarithmic rate is inversely proportional to the extent of incorporation of this analogue or of p -fluorophenylalanine, and the projected maximal replacement is the same as that obtained asymptotically with the analogue alone. Thus, the toxicities in steady-state and non-steady-state growth are closely related. Moreover, it is proposed that single salient protein defects may determine the extent of growth rate reduction.
Calibration of Stock Betas from Skews of Implied Volatilities

Abstract We develop call option price approximations for both the market index and an individual asset using a singular perturbation of a continuous-time capital asset pricing model in a stochastic volatility environment. These approximations show the role played by the asset's beta parameter as a component of the parameters of the call option price of the asset. They also show how these parameters, in combination with the parameters of the call option price for the market, can be used to extract the beta parameter. Finally, a calibration technique for the beta parameter is derived using the estimated option price parameters of both the asset and market index. The resulting estimator of the beta parameter is not only simple to implement but has the advantage of being forward looking as it is calibrated from skews of implied volatilities.
Characterization of aggregate size in Taxus suspension cell culture.

Plant cells grow as aggregates in suspension culture, but little is known about the dynamics of aggregation, and no routine methodology exists to measure aggregate size. In this study, we evaluate several different methods to characterize aggregate size in Taxus suspension cultures, in which aggregate diameters range from 50 to 2,000 μm, including filtration and image analysis, and develop a novel method using a specially equipped Coulter counter system. We demonstrate the suitability of this technology to measure plant cell culture aggregates, and show that it can be reliably used to measure total biomass accumulation compared to standard methods such as dry weight. Furthermore, we demonstrate that all three methods can be used to measure an aggregate size distribution, but that the Coulter counter is more reliable and much faster, and also provides far better resolution. While absolute measurements of aggregate size differ based on the three evaluation techniques, we show that linear correlations are sufficient to account for these differences (R 2 > 0.99). We then demonstrate the utility of the novel Coulter counter methodology by monitoring the dynamics of a batch process and find that the mean aggregate size increases by 55% during the exponential growth phase, but decreases during stationary phase. The results indicate that the Coulter counter method can be routinely used for advanced process characterization, particularly to study the relationship between aggregate size and secondary metabolite production, as well as a source of reliable experimental data for modeling aggregation dynamics in plant cell culture.
Commentary: clinical diagnostic use of cystatin C.

Clinicians recognize and compensate for limitations in estimating the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using serum creatinine (sCr) measurements by the use of timed collections and mathematical manipulations of sCr. These limitations stem from that fact that sCr is affected by nonrenal influences, including muscle mass and disease state. In addition, sCr may not be sensitive enough to detect minimal declines in GFR in those patient populations in which it is important to recognize early decline. This brief review describes the limitations of sCr, and examines the contribution that sCysC may be able to make in the early recognition of declining renal function. The physiology of CysC is presented, as are the results of clinical investigations that suggest sCysC is in many instances superior to sCr in the recognition of early decline in renal function. Certain exceptions to this are noted. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 18:55–60, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Improving speech-based navigation during dictation

This research focuses on understanding the failures of speech-based navigation as it exists in state-of-the-art speech recognition software. A detailed analysis of failure rates, reasons commands fail, and consequences of these failures in the allowed for the identification of three specific improvements to spech-based navigation. Results from a follow-up study are reported, indicating that each of the three improvements reduced failure rates.
JUVENILE CRIME AND WHY WAIVER IS NOT THE ANSWER

Many states deal with the issue of juvenile crime by charging juveniles as adults. This is done by a method of waiver. Waiver allows adult criminal courts to have the power to exercise jurisdiction over juveniles.1 In effect, a juvenile is tried and sentenced as an adult when his or her case is waived (removed) from the juvenile court to the adult court. Waiver in juvenile (youths seventeen and younger) cases should never be allowed because juvenile offenders are too immature and incompetent to appreciate the nature of their crimes and because the juvenile justice system is a more appropriate place to rehabilitate juvenile offenders.
Analysis of an energy efficient optimistic TMR scheme

For mission critical real-time applications, such as satellite and surveillance systems, a high level of reliability is desired as well as low energy consumption. In this paper, we propose a general system power model and explore the optimal speed setting to minimize system energy consumption for an optimistic TMR (OTMR) scheme. The performance of OTMR is compared with that of TMR (triple modular redundancy) and duplex with respect to energy and reliability. The results show that OTMR is always better than TMR by achieving higher levels of reliability and consuming less energy. With checkpoint overhead and recovery, duplex is not applicable when system load is high. However, duplex may be more energy efficient than OTMR depending on system static power and checkpointing overhead. Moreover, with one recovery section, duplex achieves comparable levels of reliability as that of OTMR.
NONIDENTITY, WRONGFUL CONCEPTION AND HARMLESS WRONGS

Joel Feinberg and Dan Brock have independently developed a solution to the Problem of Nonidentity as it occurs in cases where a mother's negligent act of conception causes her child to be born with a severe disability. I display three problems in the Feinberg-Brock proposal and develop an alternative view that explains both cases of wrongful conception and additional instances of the Problem of Nonidentity presented by Derek Parfit and others.
Apparatus for the Oscillating‐Heating Method of X‐Ray Powder Diffraction

An apparatus for obtaining the X-ray powder diffraction pattern of a sample while its temperature is increasing at a constant controlled rate has been developed. This equipment is described in enough detail to permit duplicate construction. The program controller is continuously sensitive to the sample temperature and controls the amount of power supplied to the sample heater. Complete schematic details of the electronic circuitry are included, and mechanical details of the program generator are illustrated photographically. The dehydration of clays and related minerals is discussed to illustrate the use of this versatile apparatus. The first order diffraction maxima of water-wet vermiculite and monoionic sodium, calcium, and magnesium montmorillonites are recorded while the sample temperature is increased at the rate of 5°C. per minute. This is then repeated with ethylene glycol substituting for the water. The temperatures of dehydration and of deglycolation depend on the nature of the exchange cation and are shown to increase in the order sodium < calcium < magnesium.
Exploring Tradeoffs in Accuracy, Energy and Latency of Scale Invariant Feature Transform in Wireless Camera Networks

Advances in DSP technology create important avenues of research for embedded vision. One such avenue is the investigation of tradeoffs amongst system parameters which affect the energy, accuracy, and latency of the overall system. This paper reports work on benchmarking the performance and cost of scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) for visual classification on a Blackfin DSP processor. Through measurements and modeling of the camera sensor node, we investigate system performance (classification accuracy, latency, energy consumption) in light of image resolution, arithmetic precision, location of processing (local vs. server-side), and processor speed. A case study on counting eggs during avian nesting season is used to experimentally determine the tradeoffs of different design parameters and discuss implications to other application domains.
Positional Cloning Works!: Identification of Genes That Cause IDDM

The strategy of positional cloning has been highly successful in identifying a number of single gene disorders that exhibit clear Mendelian patterns of inheritance. Positional cloning of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) has been assisted by the expansion of molecular genetic tools and highly informative markers, so that new IDDM susceptibility genes are being uncovered. The ultimate characterization of IDDM susceptibility, including the manner in which the individual genes interact to determine the genetic component of susceptibility, may be hindered by the complexity of the disease itself. Recent developments in analytic and experimental genetics have renewed enthusiasm in the use of identity by descent (state) methods that use affected relatives (sib pairs) rather than pedigrees as a fundamental tool of gene mapping. Given the relative position of IDDM susceptibility genes, major hurdles in understanding the roles of the identified genes in defining genetic susceptibility as well as their function lie ahead.
A stationary potential-flow approximation for a breaking-wave crest

The flow in a breaking-wave crest is represented by a complex velocity potential on a Riemann surface, satisfying the Bernoulli condition on two free boundaries. The flow is assumed to be stationary in the reference frame which moves with the wave crest, and at large distances approximates Stokes corner flow in the main part of the fluid and a parabolic descending flow in the jet. The interaction of the jet with the rest of the fluid is neglected. The solution is obtained by means of a conformal transformation from a bounded, teardrop-shaped domain, using a Faber polynomial expansion. The Bernoulli condition is applied at a number of discrete points on the boundaries, and the resulting nonlinear equations for the expansion coefficients are solved iteratively
The effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on the electrophysiology of rat brain slices in vitro

Current safety guidelines for human exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields are based on the well-understood heating effects produced by the fields. However, the possibility that RF fields may produce subtle, so-called "non-thermal" effects in biological tissues is becoming an increasingly important issue, particularly with regard to pulsed waveforms which are commonly used in applications such as telecommunications and radar. Currently, the possible health risks associated with exposure to electromagnetic radiation from cellular telephones are of particular public concern. It has been suggested that the nervous system may be particularly sensitive to this type of electromagnetic radiation, and behavioural effects have been reported in rats exposed to pulsed 2450 MHz microwaves. We have therefore investigated the effects of exposure to RF fields on the electrophysiology of brain tissue maintained in vitro. This study used slices of hippocampal tissue from rats, a well characterised preparation which is widely used in studies of neurophysiology and neurotoxicology. Unlike dissociated cell cultures, the slice preparation retains much of the structure and connectivity of the brain tissue and is thus able to display many of the functions of the intact hippocampus, enabling mechanisms of interactions to be investigated in detail. Furthermore, since the hippocampus is widely accepted to have a substantial involvement in the performance of behavioural tasks such as the radial arm maze used by Lai et al. (1994), this approach offers the possibility of extrapolating the in vitro results to the intact animal.
Egoism, Altruism, and the Ethical Foundations of Personhood

Most contemporary theorizing in psychology rejects the possibility of genuine altruism by endorsing explanations that assume psychological egoism. We seek to reframe psychological inquiry on the question of altruism by exploring an alternative, nonegoistic conceptual framework, within which genuine altruism is possible and whereby the meaning and moral dimensions of altruism can be more fruitfully explored. Two central features of our analysis are (a) the conceptual necessity of human agency for the preservation of the possibility of meaning in human affairs and (b) an examination of the ontological necessity of a genuinely social and moral understanding of personhood that preserves the possibility of altruism. Once these two issues have been addressed, an alternative conceptual framework for exploring the question of altruism drawing on the work of the French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas is briefly presented.
Property–Composition–Temperature Modeling of Waste Glass Melt Data Subject to a Randomization Restriction

Properties such as viscosity and electrical conductivity of glass melts are functions of melt temperature as well as glass composition. When measuring such a property for several compositions, the property is typically measured at several temperatures for one composition, then at several temperatures for the next composition, and so on. This data collection process involves a restriction on randomization, which is referred to as a split-plot experiment. The split-plot data structure must be accounted for in developing property–composition–temperature models and the corresponding uncertainty equations for model predictions. Instead of ordinary least squares (OLS) regression methods, generalized least squares (GLS) regression methods using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimation must be used. This article summarizes the methodology for developing property–composition–temperature models and corresponding prediction uncertainty equations using the GLS/REML regression approach. Viscosity data collected on 197 simulated nuclear waste glasses are used to sequentially develop a viscosity-composition-temperature model. The final model has 29 terms in 15 components, reduced from the initial model of 44 terms in 22 components. For the initial model, the correct results using GLS/REML regression are compared with the incorrect results obtained using OLS regression.
Electronic versus paper surveys: analysis of potential psychometric biases

The Internet and World Wide Web are increasingly being used for survey distribution and administration in both academic and practitioner research. Little systematic research exists on the efficacy of these survey administration media or their potential psychometric effects. This paper reports on a study of the potential biasing effects of online versus paper surveys. We consider issues specifically related to the information systems research context and introduce psychometric issues of general interest to those considering testing for response stability between online and paper survey administration. The study provides an assessment of the psychometric differences between paper-and-pencil and online survey administration for the well-known technology acceptance model (TAM) instrument. The results indicate that biasing effects can occur which significantly reduce the stability of an instrument across administration methods. We sound a cautionary note on the practice of placing any existing paper-and-pencil survey instrument on the Web without consideration of the biasing effects of Web-based survey administration.
Apnea testing: the effects of insufflation catheter size and flow on pressure and volume in a test lung.

BACKGROUND: The apnea test is used to determine the absence of respiratory drive when determining brain death. Current guidelines for performing the apnea test do not specify the size of insufflation catheter (IC) to use with each endotracheal tube (ETT) size, despite case reports describing procedure-related complications with the use of various IC sizes. We studied the effect of the ratio of IC outer diameter to ETT inner diameter on the pressure and volume generated within the lungs during the apnea test. METHODS: We tested ETTs with inner diameters of 6.0–10.0 mm, IC outer diameters of 10–16 French, and oxygen-supply tubing, at oxygen flows of 6–15 L/min, in an intubation manikin connected to a test lung. RESULTS: The multivariate analysis of variance method identified significant differences in the pressures and volumes during the apnea test ( P < .001), and the Tukey method identified significant differences in the pressures and volumes associated with IC/ETT ratios ≥ 0.7 and < 0.7 ( P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: An IC with an outer diameter < 70% of the ETT inner diameter, at 6 L/min, may prevent inappropriate lung pressure and volume during the apnea test. This recommendation, coupled with current American Academy of Neurology guidelines for the determination of brain death, may reduce the risk of procedure-related complications.
Induction of continuous I-A expression by murine peritoneal macrophages: lack of correlation with T cell responses of Bcgr and Bcgs mice.

The induction of continuous I-A expression by L3T4 and Lyt2 lymphocyte subpopulations from Bcgr and Bcgs mice was compared. We found that the induction of continuous I-A expression was independent of the Bcg genotype of the T cells. T cells from congenic Bcgs BALB/c mice and C.D2Bcgr mice could not induce continuous I-A expression in vitro and were deficient in their ability to produce IFN-gamma in vitro. In contrast, T cells from other strains of Bcgr and Bcgs mice could induce continuous I-A expression. Both recombinant IL-2 and IL-4 acted synergistically with low levels of IFN-gamma to induce continuous I-A expression by macrophages from Bcgr mice.
Mesh morphing methodology for strength predictions in composites

Abstract This work presents a methodology based on mesh morphing techniques for transfer of high-fidelity X-ray computed tomography (CT) data, including manufacturing defects information, into finite element (FE) models for failure prognosis in composite structures. An IM7/8552 carbon/epoxy hat-section element with complex layup is considered. Failure initiates at the location of seeded defects, including in-plane and out-of-plane fiber waviness, representative of irregularities that could occur during manufacturing of composite parts with complex layup and geometry. The ability of the method to efficiently transition high fidelity CT data into structural models for assessment of the effects of manufacturing defects is essential for condition-based structural substantiation. Stress-based failure criteria are considered for prediction of matrix-dominated failure under quasi-static loading. FE results are compared with experimental data, including correlation with CT-based post-failure damage information.
The Maturing TV Industry

Television has now achieved over 90% saturation of electrically wired homes in the United States.Here is a brief summary of the various competitive methods of TV-set manufacturers as to product, pr...
EPILEPSY UPDATE : NEW MEDICAL AND SURGICAL TREATMENT OPTIONS

A variety of new drugs and surgical options are available for the treatment of epilepsy. Yet the cornerstone of therapy remains the appropriate classification of different types of seizures. This review explores the current knowledge about this common neurological problem and presents an outline for making the diagnosis, controlling the seizures, and preserving quality of life.
Tactics of Maternal Investment of Northern Grasshopper Mice in Response to Postnatal Restriction of Food

Various theories predict sex-biased maternal investment under specific environmental or maternal conditions. The Trivers-Willard hypothesis, for instance, predicts that in some polygynous species maternal investment should be biased toward daughters when the mother is in poor condition. Empirical data testing this hypothesis are equivocal. I compared patterns of maternal investment in lactating northern grasshopper mice ( Onychomys leucogaster ) allowed unrestricted access to food with those of mothers that received 80% of requirements for non-lactating mice. Nutritionally deprived mothers either attempted to rear their entire litter, or killed and consumed all young before maternal mass dropped below 75% of initial mass. Growth rates of young from experimental litters were lower than those from control litters, but there was no evidence of sex-biased maternal investment.
GROUP SELECTION: THE INTERACTION OF LOCAL DEME SIZE AND MIGRATION IN THE DIFFERENTIATION OF SMALL POPULATIONS.

The effects of population subdivision on the genetic differentiation of local demes by random genetic drift have been extensively studied from a theoretical point of view (see Wright, 1931, 1943, 1969; Crow and Kimura, 1970; Bodmer and Cavalli-Sforza, 1968; Lande, 1976; Maruyama, 1977). These theoretical investigations have been focused primarily on a single component of the genetic variance, the additive genetic variance, although the potential importance of the nonadditive components of genetic variance in the local differentiation of subdivided populations is often acknowledged (e.g., Wright, 1931, 1969; Crow and Kimura, 1970 p. 242; Slatkin, 1981). Few empirical laboratory studies of the genetic effects of population subdivision have been carried out and, with one exception, the studies have been carried out with single loci or major chromosomal inversions (Wright and Kerr, 1954; Buri, 1956; Dobzhansky and Pavlovsky, 1957; McCauley and Wade, 1980; Wade and McCauley, 1980; Wade, 1982). Population structure can be characterized by two parameters: (1) Ne, the effective size of local demes; and (2) m, the amount of migration among local demes (Crow and Kimura, 1970). In our previous experimental work (Wade and McCauley, 1980; Wade, 1982), one or the other of these parameters was held constant by design. In this paper, we report the results of an experimental study in which both parameters were varied singly and in combination to measure the interaction of Ne and m in their influence on the random genetic differentiation of local demes. Specifically, we examined the effects of three different local deme sizes (N = 16,48, and 96 breeding adults) in factorial combination with three island model migration rates (m = 0%, 6.25%, and 12.5% per deme per generation). Thus, the present study significantly extends the range of population structures previously examined (Wade and McCauley, 1980; Wade, 1982) to include FST values (Wright's measure of population subdivision) in the range .01 to .10. Random genetic differentiation of local demes is necessary for interdemic selection to occur in Sewall Wright's "shifting balance theory" of evolution (Wright, 1931, 1978). Just as the genetic response to individual selection depends upon the extent to which the phenotypic variation among individuals is determined by genetic variation, the response to interdemic selection depends upon the amount of genetic variation among demes and its relation to the phenotypic variation among demes. For this reason, empirical studies of population subdivision and its effects on population differentiation are important in evaluating the role of interdemic selection in nature. The fraction of the observed betweendeme phenotypic variance that determines the response to interdemic selection is called the "populational heritability" (Wade and McCauley, 1980; Slatkin, 1981; Wade, 1982). The populational heritability is the fraction of the between-deme phenotypic variance that
A highly potent peptide analgesic that protects against ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial stunning.

We recently discovered an opioid peptide analgesic, 2′,6′-dimethyltyrosine (Dmt)-d-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH2([Dmt1]DALDA), that can protect against ischemia-induced myocardial stunning. In buffer-perfused hearts, 30-min global ischemia followed by reperfusion resulted in a significant increase in norepinephrine (NE) overflow immediately upon reperfusion and significant decline in contractile force (45%). Pretreatment with [Dmt1]DALDA before ischemia completely abolished myocardial stunning and significantly reduced NE overflow (68%). In contrast, pretreatment with morphine before ischemia only provided brief protection against myocardial stunning and no reduction in NE overflow. [Dmt1]DALDA inhibited [3H]NE uptake into cardiac synaptosomes in vitro (IC50 = 3.9 μM), whereas morphine had no effect. Surprisingly, protection against myocardial stunning was apparent even when hearts were perfused with [Dmt1]DALDA only upon reperfusion, whereas reperfusion with morphine had no effect. Binding studies with [3H][Dmt1]DALDA...
Optimal Spectrum Handoff Control for CRN Based on Hybrid Priority Queuing and Multi-Teacher Apprentice Learning

An optimal spectrum handoff scheme for cognitive radio networks (CRNs) is presented in this paper. This scheme has two novel features: 1) Hybrid rule-based priority queuing model : To overcome the limitations of preemptive resume priority and nonpreemptive resume priority (PRP/NPRP) queuing models, a hybrid queuing model with discretion rule is proposed to characterize the spectrum access priority among secondary users (SUs). This hybrid queuing model is then used to calculate the channel waiting time during spectrum handoff; and 2) Multiteacher apprentice learning : Unlike existing CRN cognition engine designs that focus on spectrum adaptation through SU self-learning (i.e., an SU learns how to adapt to the dynamic CRN environment by itself), we propose the concept of multiteacher knowledge transfer , wherein the multiple SUs that already have mature spectrum adaptation strategies share their knowledge with an inexperienced SU. Our simulation results show that the proposed new designs improve the spectrum handoff accuracy for the complex CRN environments.
Primary immunodeficiency diseases

Part I Overview: Ochs, Smith, Puck, molecular approaches to primary immune disoders Puck, genetics Sprangrude, mammalian haematopoietic development and function Tak Mak, T cell development Rolink, Andersson, Ghia, Grawunder, Kalberer, Karasuyama, Oka, Ten Boekel, Winkler, Melcher, molecular mechanisms guiding B cell development Weiss, DeFranco, signal transduction Yang, Hill, Quie, phagocytic system. Part II Syndromes: Puck, severe combined immune deficiency due to mutation of the IL-2R common gamma chain (X-SCID) Candotti, Notarangelo, severe combined immune deficiency due to defects of the JAK3 tyrosine kinase Hirschhorn, adenosine deaminase (ADA) Osborne and Ochs, purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) deficiencies Elder, Weiss, SCID resulting from mutations of the protein tyrosine kinase ZAP 70 Schwarz, rag 1/2 deficiency Reith, Steimle, Lisowska-Grospierre, Fischer, Mach, molecular basis of major histocompatibility complex class II deficiency Reguieiro et al, Pacheco A, Alvarez-Zapata D, Corell A, Sun JY, Arnaiz-Villena A (Madrid), CD3 deficiencies Driscoll, DiGeorge syndrome Casanova, Newport, Fischer, Levin, inherited interferon-Y receptor deficiency Schuster, Kreth, X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP) Remesh, Geha, Notarangelo, CD40L and the hyper IgM syndrome Hammerstrom, Smith, genetic approach to CVI and IgA deficiency Smith, Witte, BTK and XLA Conley Ochs, Rosen, the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome Lavin, Shiloh, ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) Wegner, Chrzanowska, Sperling, Stumm, NBS+Ligase German, Bloom syndrome Fischer, Puck, FAS deficiency Roos, Curnutte, CGD Etzioni, Harlan, Cell adhesion and leukocyte adhesion defects Spritz. Chediak-Higashi syndrome Sullivan, Winkelstein, genetically determined deficiencies of the complement system. Part III Assessment and treatment Webster, Chapel, assessment of the immune system Puck, Conley, assessment of genetic aspects of primary immunodeficiencies Vihinen, Lehvaslaiho, Cotton, immunodeficiency mutation databases Stiehm, conventional therapy of primary immunodeficiency diseases Fischer, Buckley, BMT (including stem cells) Candotti, Blaese, gene therapy (including foetal cells).