cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Femoral Condylar Fracture Through a Femoral Tunnel Eleven Years After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Case Report

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is among the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures in the United States, with more than 100,000 done each year1. Complication rates associated with this procedure range between 1.8% and 24%, with the most common problem being joint stiffness2. Infection, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, hardware failure, and fracture are also known to occur. Fracture of the patella is the most common fracture in the postoperative period, but supracondylar fractures have also been reported2-5. Fracture through the femoral tunnel is a rare but increasingly documented complication of arthroscopic reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament2-5. A number of authors have reported interference screws and multiple trocar pin holes acting as stress risers predisposing to femoral fracture, and fractures through screw-hole-augmentation devices have been reported as well2-5. Two recent case reports also describe supracondylar stress fractures developing in professional athletes who may have returned to competitive sports too early (at twenty-two and twelve weeks after the surgery)3,5. Here, we report a femoral condylar fracture through an accessory lateral femoral tunnel used for cross-pinning femoral graft fixation in an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction performed eleven years previously. To our knowledge, other reported cases of femoral fracture following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction have all been through the primary femoral graft tunnel site. The patient was informed that data concerning the case would be submitted for publication, and he consented. A twenty-nine-year-old man who was a recreational athlete presented to our institution after sustaining an injury to the left knee during a kickball game in 2006. He exercised occasionally, had no relevant medical history, and had no history of metabolic, oncologic, or prior musculoskeletal disease. A left anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with medial and …
Multiobjective L1/H∞ Controller Design for Systems with Frequency and Time Domain Constraints

In this paper we develop an optimal mixed-norm L1 bound/H∞ and l1 bound/H∞ controller synthesis framework for continuous-time and discrete-time systems. This multiobjective problem is treated by forming a convex combination ofboth L1 (time domain worst-case peak amplitude response) and entropy (frequency domain worst-case H∞ disturbance attenuation) performance measures. For flexibility in controller synthesis, we adopt the approach of fixedstructure controller design which allows consideration of arbitrary controller structures, including order, internal structure, and decentralization. Finally, using a quasi-Newton continuation algorithm, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mixed-norm L1/ H∞ approach via two numerical design examples.
Electron g-2 in Light-front Quantization

Abstract Basis Light-front Quantization has been proposed as a nonperturbative framework for solving quantum field theory. We apply this approach to Quantum Electrodynamics and explicitly solve for the light-front wave function of a physical electron. Based on the resulting light-front wave function, we evaluate the electron anomalous magnetic moment. Nonperturbative mass renormalization is performed. Upon extrapolation to the infinite basis limit our numerical results agree with the Schwinger result obtained in perturbation theory to an accuracy of 0.06%.
OCULAR AND ORBITAL MANIFESTATIONS OF THE INHERITED BONE MARROW FAILURE SYNDROMES: FANCONI ANEMIA AND DYSKERATOSIS CONGENITA

Purpose The inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders that share the inability of the bone marrow to produce an adequate number of blood cells. The 4 most frequent syndromes are Fanconi anemia (FA), dyskeratosis congenita (DC), Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), and Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS). All 4 syndromes have been associated with various physical abnormalities. As part of a genotype/phenotype/cancer susceptibility study, we determined the prevalence of ophthalmic manifestations in these 4 syndromes. Design Cross-sectional study of a patient cohort. Participants Seventy-five patients with an IBMFS and 121 of their first-degree relatives were seen in the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, from 2001 to 2007. The patient group included 22 with FA, 28 with DC, 19 with DBA, and 6 with SDS. Methods Every participant underwent a complete ophthalmic evaluation and digital facial photography with an adhesive paper ruler on the patient's forehead for an internal measure of scale. Interpupillary distance (IPD), inner canthal distance (ICD), outer canthal distance (OCD), palpebral fissure length (PFL), and corneal diameter (CD) were measured. Thirteen of the 22 patients with FA underwent axial length (AL) measurements by A-scan ultrasonography. Main Outcome Measures Type and prevalence of ophthalmic manifestations. Results Ninety-five percent of patients with FA had at least 1 abnormal parameter, and 25% of patients had at least 4 abnormal parameters. Eighty-two percent of patients had small palpebral fissures, 69% of patients had simple microphthalmia, 64% of patients had small OCD, 55% of patients had microcornea, 28% of patients had ptosis, and 6% of patients had epicanthal folds. In patients with DC, abnormalities of the lacrimal drainage system (29%) were the most prevalent findings, followed by retinal abnormalities (pigmentary changes, retinal neovascularization, retinal detachment, exudative retinopathy) in 21%, cicatricial entropion with trichiasis and blepharitis in 7% each, and sparse eyelashes and congenital cataract in 3.5% each. No significant ophthalmic abnormalities were seen in patients with DBA or SDS. Conclusions Syndrome-specific ocular findings are associated with FA and DC and may antedate diagnosis of the specific syndrome. Early recognition of these abnormalities is important for optimal management. Financial Disclosure(s) The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Aromaticity in heterocyclic systems V. Bromination studies of certain purines, pyrrolo[3,2‐d]pyrimidines and pyrazolo[4,3‐d]pyrimidines

The bromination of certain selected purines, pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines and pyrazolo[4,3-d]-pyrimidines has been studied and the reactivity of these systems compared. Displacement of a carboxyl group by bromine was noted in the case of 6-carboxypyrrolo[3,2-d]-2,4-pyrimidinedione. In contrast to xanthine, 2,6-diethoxypurine readily brominated at position 8. Pyrazolo-[4,3-d]-7-pyrimidone was readily brominated at position 3.
Adolescent substance use assessment: concordance between tools using self-administered and interview formats.

The present study evaluates the agreement between adolescent self-report of substance use frequencies obtained from a self-administered questionnaire vs. face-to-face interview formats. Participant...
Lipopolysaccharide Increases the Expression of Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 1 (MRP1) in RAW 264.7 Macrophages

Multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP-1) is a ubiquitously expressed member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter family. MRP-1 is one of the primary transporters of glutathione and glutathione conjugates. This protein also transports antiretroviral therapeutics, such as HIV-1 protease inhibitors (PI). We hypothesized that inflammatory mediators that activate macrophages would modify the expression and activity of MRP-1 in macrophages. Real-time PCR assays, western blots, and calcein efflux assays were used to show that exposure of macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased expression of MRP-1 at the levels of mRNA, protein, and functional activity. Treatment of macrophages with LPS resulted in 2-fold increases of MRP-1 expression or functional activity. LPS-mediated increases in calcein efflux were repressed by the MRP-specific inhibitor MK-571. These results suggest that the effectiveness of HIV-1 PI therapy may be compromised by the presence of opportunistic infections.
Monte Carlo Calculations of the Sputtering of Grains: Enhanced Sputtering of Small Grains

The sputtering of a small grain embedded in a plasma or hot gas in the interstellar medium (ISM) is calculated using a Monte Carlo binary collision code. This technique is used to describe the transport of the atoms set in motion in the solid by an incident ion or atom and the sputtering from the surface of a grain induced by collisional cascades. The calculations, calibrated to laboratory data, describe the enhancement in the yield due to erosion from the edges and back surfaces by the incident particle and the energetic recoils. The angular dependence of the sputtering yield typically used, Y ~ (cos θ)-1, is shown not to be valid. The grain size effect manifests itself even when the grain radius is only ~3 times larger than the mean penetration depth of the incident particle. Sputtering of a grain in a single-fluid shock is used as an example to test the effect of grain size on the erosion rate. The enhancement in the sputtering rate due to grain size exacerbates the problem of small grain destruction, placing more severe constraints on grain growth in the ISM. The results presented are also relevant to the erosion of circumstellar and circumplanetary grains by energetic ions.
Clinical significance of antinuclear antibodies: comparison of detection with immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Objective. To compare the measurement of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) by immunofluorescence and by 6 different commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) in clearly defined patient groups and serum samples. Methods. Serum samples were derived from 3 sources: 1) patients with a known clinical diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (group 1), 2) sera with known monospecific ANA reactivity (group 2), and 3) sera from consecutive patients for whom ANA testing had been ordered (group 3). Each of these sera was tested for the presence of ANA by immunofluorescence on HEp-2 cells, and by using each of 6 commercially available ELISA ANA kits. Results. In patients with known clinical SLE, 88% were ANA positive by immunofluorescence. Positivity with the different ELISAs ranged from 62% to 90%. While most ELISAs successfully detected antibodies to SS-A, RNP, and Sm, there were significant differences between assays in the detection of anticentromere antibodies and anti-DNA. Measurement of ANA in consecutive patients for whom an ANA test was requested showed that, generally, those assays with high sensitivity for detection of SLE had a high false-positive rate, whereas those assays with a low false-positive rate failed to identify some patients with a clinical diagnosis of SLE. Conclusion. There are significant differences in the detection of ANA by immunofluorescence and different ELISA kits. Agreement between different assays is generally marginal. When ordering and interpreting an ANA test, the clinician must be familiar with the specific assay being used to measure ANA and the differences between the various ANA assays.
Enucleation-induced Metastasis of Intraocular Melanomas in Mice

Abstract The present review summarizes and integrates the results from recent studies on the metastatic behavior and immunology of intraocular melanomas in mice. The data suggest strongly that enucleation of a melanomacontaining eye promotes intravascular showering of melanoma emboli that, in the immunologically compromised host, develop into fulminant metastases. By contrast, similarly disseminated melanoma cells are rejected by T-cell-dependent immune mechanisms in the immunocompetent host. Preliminary results suggest that this immune rejection is mediated by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. Several independent experiments showed that neither enucleation nor immune impairment alone is capable of inducing progressive metastases in the intraocular melanoma-bearing host. Thus, the development of progressive metastases from intraocular melanomas is a two step process requiring: (1) a surgeryinduced, intravascular showering of melanoma emboli and (2) a simultaneous impairment of T-cell-dependent immune functions. The present results support the Zimmerman-McLean hypothesis that enucleation of a melanoma-containing eye can (under defined conditions) promote the metastatic spread of the primary tumor. The finding that immunocompetent intraocular melanoma-bearing hosts reject disseminated metastases offers hope that immunotherapeutic maneuvers may greatly reduce the risk of metastatic disease.
Dynamic reference sifting: a case study in the homepage domain

Abstract Robot-generated Web indices such as AltaVista are comprehensive but imprecise; manually generated directories such as Yahoo! are precise but cannot keep up with large, rapidly growing categories such as personal homepages or news stories on the American economy. Thus, if a user is searching for a particular page that is not cataloged in a directory, she is forced to query a web index and manually sift through a large number of responses. Furthermore, if the page is not yet indexed, then the user is stymied. This paper presents Dynamic Reference Sifting — a novel architecture that attempts to provide both maximally comprehensive coverage and highly precise responses in real time, for specific page categories. To demonstrate our approach, we describe Ahoy! The Homepage Finder (http://www.cs.washington,edu/research/ahoy), a fielded web service that embodies Dynamic Reference Sifting for the domain of personal homepages. Given a person's name and institution, Ahoy! filters the output of multiple web indices to extract one or two references that are most likely to point to the person's homepage. If it finds no likely candidates, Ahoy! uses knowledge of homepage placement conventions, which it has accumulated from previous experience, to “guess” the URL for the desired homepage. The search process takes 9 seconds on average. On 74% of queries from our primary test sample, Ahoy! finds the target homepage and ranks it as the top reference. 9% of the targets are found by guessing the URL. In comparison, AltaVista can find 58% of the targets and ranks only 23% of these as the top reference.
Executive system dysfunction in the aged monkey: Spatial and object reversal learning

Abstract As part of an effort to characterize age-related cognitive changes in executive system function in a nonhuman primate model of human aging, the performance of seven rhesus monkeys, 20 to 28 years of age, was compared to that of five young adult monkeys, 6 to 11 years of age, on spatial and object reversal tasks. No differences in performance were found between the two groups in the initial learning of either task. On spatial reversals, aged monkeys were impaired relative to young adults, but there was no difference in overall performance between the groups on object reversals. Central to this article, a perseverative tendency was noted in the aged group on both spatial and object reversal tasks. Changes in executive system dysfunction may represent an important aspect of age-related cognitive decline.
A review of behavioral procedures to teach motor skills to individuals with severe disabilities

Behavioral procedures are one approach to teaching or improving the fluency of motor skills of individuals with severe disabilities. This article provides a review of behavioral procedures by highlighting antecedents, consequences, and multifaceted techniques. Investigations are reviewed in each area according to (a) replicability of the intervention, (b) experimental control, (c) maintenance, (d) generalization, and (e) social validation. Practitioner implications address selection of reinforcers, reinforcement schedules, and teaching within meaningful routines. Future research recommendations highlight the need for documenting that stimuli are actually reinforcers. Additional research needs emphasize targeting maintenance, generalization, and social validation.
Nucleic acid deficiency in the prothanic homozygous mutant of creeper fowl.

Prothanic Cp/Cp chick embryos synthesize ribosomal RNA to a lesser extent than control embryos, but incorporate radioactive uridine into RNA of a higher specific activity. Prothanic embryos contain less DNA, RNA and protein than control embryos at 72 hours. The deficiency of DNA is found equally in embryonic and extra-embryonic Cp/Cp tissues. The deficiencies of RNA and protein are more marked in Cp/Cp embryos than in Cp/Cp extra-embryonic tissue. These results, and similar observations on phenocopies, are considered to imply that the primary developmental defect of prothanic embryos concerns the extra-embryonic circulatory system.
Evidence of complexation between poly(acrylic acid) and sodium dodecyl sulfate

Abstract Interactions between poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in aqueous solution were studied using fluorescence spectroscopy. Pyrene labeled PAA was used to study changes in conformation of the polymer on its association with SDS. Externally added pyrene was used to study the aggregation behavior of the surfactant in the absence and presence of PAA. Effects of polymer concentration and pH were determined. It was observed that PAA and SDS interact, under acidic pH conditions, when the PAA concentration is low. Under conditions where the PAA is ionized, there are no interactions between PAA and SDS, but if the polymer concentration is high then an increase in ionic strength due to the dissociation of a large number of carboxylic acid groups results in aggregation of the surfactant, even at concentrations much lower than its critical micelle concentration in the absence or any polymer.
Highly Efficient Optical Gain Media Based on Thick-Shell CdSe/CdS Nanocrystals with Suppressed Auger Recombination

Significant suppression of Auger recombination in thick-shell CdSe/CdS nanocrystal quantum dots derives primarily from “smoothing” of the confinement potential. These nanocrystals show strong optical gain due to involvement of multiexcitons of very high orders.
Changes in Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Parameters Following Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation and Heart Transplantation

Abstract Background Reduced exercise tolerance from impaired cardiac output is an important criterion for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. However, little is known about how exercise capacity changes after LVAD and how changes compare with patients undergoing heart transplantation. Methods and Results We compared changes in cardiopulmonary exercise testing performed pre- and postoperatively in patients who underwent HeartMate II LVAD implantation (n = 25) and heart transplantation (n = 74) at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, between 2007 and 2012. Preoperatively, patients undergoing LVAD and transplant had markedly reduced exercise time (mean 5.1 minutes [45% predicted] and 5.0 minutes [44% predicted], respectively), low peak oxygen consumption (VO 2 ; mean 11.5 mL·kg·min [43% predicted] and 11.9 mL·kg·min [38% predicted]), and abnormal ventilatory gas exchange (ratio of minute ventilation to carbon dioxide production [VE/VCO 2 ] nadir 39.4 and 37.4). After LVAD and transplant, there were similar improvements in exercise time (mean Δ +1.2 vs. 1.7 minutes, respectively, P = .27) and VE/VCO 2 nadir (mean Δ −3.7 vs. −4.2, P = .74). However, peak VO 2 increased posttransplant but did not change post-LVAD (mean Δ +5.4 vs. +0.9 mL·kg·min, respectively, P 2 Conclusions Although improvements in exercise capacity and gas exchange are seen after LVAD and heart transplant, peak VO 2 doesn't improve post-LVAD and remains markedly abnormal in most patients.
Surfactant sculpting of biologically inspired hierarchical surfaces

We describe a method for fabricating biologically inspired hierarchical surfaces in a single step through surfactant self-assembly at an oil/water interface. The key to this system is the use of polydimethylsiloxane-diacrylate for the oil phase, which makes it possible to solidify these delicate structures with UV photocuring. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 3-D optical profilometry reveals morphologies that capture the randomness, fractal geometry, and hierarchical organization of natural materials. The morphology is controlled by surfactant type, surfactant concentration, viscosity, film thickness, and time. The experimental evidence is consistent with a spontaneous increase in surface area driven by a transiently negative surface tension. Spontaneous emulsification generates distinct morphologies for a given surfactant and surfactant concentration in a manner reminiscent of phase behavior in a ternary phase diagram. When emulsification cannot keep pace with the increase in surface area, buckles form. These perturbations are then amplified at increasing length scales by dewetting and the Rayleigh–Taylor instability.
Global Environmental Forces

Greenhouse warming is global in at least two respects. First, carbon dioxide (CO,) and the other gases released or withheld anywhere on earth disperse rapidly into the global inventory. The location of origin makes no difference. Second, the effect will be a change in global circulation of air and water. Although the mean rise in atmospheric temperature is commonly used as an index of climate change, the change in temperature differential between equatorial and polar regions may be a better measure of global environmental forces. The standard point estimate of global warming for a doubling of the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is 3°C [ 11. But it is usually estimated that the warming in the polar regions associated with this three-degree average change might be eight or ten degrees, whereas the change in atmospheric temperature near the equator might be closer to one degree [ 11. Offhand this sounds like a welcome dispersion of temperature change: it will mainly get warmer where it is already very cold and warm up the least where it is already hot. But more significant is that it is the temperature gradients between equatorial and polar regions that drive the winds, which in mm drive the oceans, and a change of seven or eight degrees in the mean temperature f some will undoubtedly become cooler. But the observed changes will include not only temperature and temperature variation from season to season and year to year, but also, and probably more importantly, the amounts, the seasonal distribution, and the year-to-year variation in rainfall, snow, wind, fog, sunlight, humidity, and storms. For the purpose of comparing forthcoming changes in climate with changes experienced in the past, the mean global atmospheric temperature is probably not only a reliable index but also something of a measure of magnitude. Using the commonly accepted three-degree rise from a doubling of the atmospheric concentration as an approximation to what may be forthcoming, the ensuing temperature will not only be well outside the range of atmospheric temperatures experienced in the past 10,000 years but may be several times the range of temperature variation experienced in that time. This
Integrating PET with behavioral neuroscience using RatCAP tomography.

Behavioral studies are an important part of neuroscience. They allow inferences about the functions of the brain and any internal states and processes it controls. Positron emission tomography (PET) is an in vivo imaging technique that provides insights into the mechanisms of neuronal communication. In this review, we focus on some of the contributions of PET to the fi eld of behavioral neuroscience. Small animals typically require anesthesia to remain still during PET imaging, which places a burden on behavioral studies. Our approach integrates PET with behavioral observations using a miniature PET scanner that rats wear on the head, a mobility system to facilitate animal movement and ways to integrate the PET data with behavioral measures. We summarize our studies that assessed spontaneous, self-initiated behavioral activity and dopamine D2 receptor functions simultaneously.
The Wilms' tumor gene product WT1 mediates the down-regulation of the rat epidermal growth factor receptor by nerve growth factor in PC12 cells.

Abstract Recently, we characterized the rat epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) promoter and demonstrated that TCC repeat sequences are required for the down-regulation of EGFR by nerve growth factor (NGF) in PC12 cells. In this study, we report that the Wilms' tumor gene product WT1, a zinc finger transcription factor, is able to enhance the activity of the rat EGFR promoter in cotransfection assays. Gel mobility shift assays demonstrate that WT1 binds to the TCC repeat sequences of the rat EGFR promoter. Overexpression of WT1 resulted in up-regulation of the expression levels of endogenous EGFR in PC12 cells. Interestingly, NGF down-regulated the expression levels of WT1 and EGFR in PC12 cells, but not in the p140trk-deficient variant PC12nnr5 cells or in cells expressing either dominant-negative Ras or dominant-negative Src. Most importantly, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of antisense WT1 RNA on EGFR expression, and we found that antisense WT1 RNA could substantially reduce EGFR repression in either histochemical staining study or immunoblot analysis. These results indicate that NGF-induced down-regulation of the EGFR in PC12 cells is mediated through WT1 and that WT1 may play an important role in the differentiation of nerve cells.
Selective Elevation of Monomeric IgA1 in IgA Nephropathy Patients With Normal Renal Function

The molecular form of the pathognomonic IgA in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) remains controversial. Because characterization of the molecular form of IgA molecules can lend insight into their origin (systemic v mucosal), we developed immunoassays to measure both total and J chain-containing (polymeric) IgA1 and IgA2. These assays were used to measure IgA in sera from two groups of IgAN patients (with normal or decreased renal function), as well as from a group of normal individuals. IgA1 levels were higher in both groups of patients with IgAN when compared with the controls. The elevation appeared to be restricted to non-J chain-containing (monomeric) IgA1 in patients with normal renal function, whereas polymeric IgA1 was also slightly elevated in patients whose renal function was diminished. While there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of the levels of total IgA2, the patient group with normal kidney function appeared to have lower levels of polymeric IgA2. The observation that the elevation in serum IgA appears to be restricted to the monomeric form of IgA1, at least when renal function is normal, implies a systemic origin of the pathognomonic IgA in IgAN and further suggests an abnormality in the regulation of IgA secretion by immunoglobulin-producing cells in bone marrow, the site of systemic IgA synthesis.
A convergence theorem for convex set valued supermartingales

Functions whose values are convex subsets provide a natural setting for the study of goal uncertainty in decision making. In fact under reasonable assumptions the successive estimates of the convex valued conditional expectations of the utility function form a supermartingale. It is of course important to determine if such estimates converge It is shown that if {Fn, Hn} is a supermartingale where Fn has as values convex subsets of a Banach space X with separable dual and provided that Fn is “uniformly integrable” then Fn converges in some appropriate mode made precise in the work
Sequence homology among different size classes of plant mtDNAs

Abstract Supercoiled mtDNAs were isolated from tissue culture cells of tobacco, bean, and corn, and the smallest size classes were used to study the relationships among the different size classes of each species through restriction digests and hybridizations. Three of the smallest tobacco mtDNAs [10.1, 20.2, and 28.8 kilobases (kb)], the two smallest bean mtDNAs (1.9 and 3.8 kb), and the two smallest corn mtDNAs (1.5 and 1.8 kb) were extracted from the gels and nick translated. The 10.1-kb tobacco mtDNA hybridizes to all the other tobacco mtDNA size classes and a large percentage of the tobacco mtRNAs. Restriction digests indicate that the 20.2-kb size class is a dimer of the 10.1-kb size class. The 1.9-kb bean mtDNA hybridizes to all but three of the bean mtDNA size classes and hybridizes to two mtRNAs. Restriction digests indicate that the 3.8-kb size class is a dimer of the 1.9-kb size class. The 1.5- and 1.8-kb corn mtDNAs, which do not have any Hha I restriction fragments in common, both hybridize to many of the same size classes of the corn mtDNA profile and, in addition, each hybridizes to a few size classes not recognized by the other. The 1.5- and 1.8-kb size classes both hybridize to two RNAs, one of which they appear to have in common. However, with both the 1.9-kb bean mtDNA and the two corn mtDNAs, the molecular sizes of the two RNAs exceed those of the respective DNAs. The possible role and origin of the many size classes are discussed.
Improved Bounds on the Conductivity of Composites by Interpolation

Different bounds on the conductivity of a composite material may improve on each other in different conductivity regimes. If so, the question arises of how to efficiently interpolate between the bounds. In this paper I show how to do an interpolation with a two-point Pade approximation method. For bounds on two-component composites the interpolation method is shown to be, in a sense, the best possible. The method is discussed in the context of equiaxed polycrystals where the classic Hashin-Shtrikman bounds and the more recent null-lagrangian bounds, partly improve on each other. Denoting the principal conductivities of the crystallite $\sigma \_{1}\leq \sigma \_{2}\leq \sigma \_{3}$, the method gives improved lower bounds for equiaxed polycrystals which have $\sigma \_{2}$ (0.77$\sigma \_{1}$ + 0.23$\sigma \_{3}$) $\geq \sigma \_{1}\sigma \_{3}$. The method also gives improved upper bounds.
Paraquat and nitrofurantoin inhibit growth of escherichia coli by inducing stringency

The herbicide paraquat and the antibiotic nitrofurantoin (redox‐active compounds that can transfer electrons singly to oxygen) induced intracellular accumulation of the regulatory inhibitor guanosine tetraphosphate (stringency) in Escherichia coli. This mechanism is sufficient to account for the rapid bacteristasis produced in minimal medium by these agents. The growth inhibition and stringency induction were prevented by inclusion of specific amino acids in the medium. Stringency was first reported to result from amino acid starvation, with unloaded transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNAs) acting as the trigger. Previously, inhibition of growth of E. coli by paraquat and hyperbaric oxygen were shown to be prevented by inclusion in the medium of a nearly identical profile of specific amino acids, including branched‐chain amino acids, which were required because of poisoning of their biosynthesis at the dihydroxyacid dehydratase site, and stringency has been induced by hyperbaric oxygen poisoning. Thus, stringen...
Proactive interference in STM for consonant units of two sizes

An experiment is reported with respect to STM for consonant units of two sizes. Methods provided adequate time to read each unit and provided for the measurement of retention without PI. At both of the retention intervals used (3 and 18 sec) there were no retention differences of any magnitude between one- and three-consonant units when PI was eliminated by examining only the first test of the series. Later tests showed more forgetting for three- than for one-consonant units, presumably because of greater susceptibility to PI.
Pacific/North American teleconnection controls on precipitation isotope ratios across the contiguous United States

Abstract Large-scale climate teleconnections such as the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern strongly influence atmospheric processes and continental climate. Here we show that precipitation δ18O values in the contiguous United States are correlated with an index of the PNA pattern. The δ18O/PNA relationship varies across the study region and exhibits two prominent modes, with positive correlation in the western USA and negative correlation in the east. This spatial pattern appears not to reflect variation in local climate variables, but rather primarily reflects differences in atmospheric circulation and moisture sources associated with PNA. Our results suggest that strong antiphase variation in paired paleo-water δ18O proxy records from regions characterized by the two modes of δ18O/PNA correlation, especially in the Midwest and southwestern USA, may provide a robust basis for reconstruction of past variation in the PNA pattern.
Relation of serum reverse T3 to amiodarone antiarrhythmic efficacy and toxicity

The relation of serum reverse T3 (rT3) to amiodarone efficacy and toxicity was studied in 31 patients with frequent and complex ventricular arrhythmias. Baseline studies included 48-hour Holter recordings and rT3 levels (normal 33 ng/dl or less). Amiodarone therapy was initiated with a 5 mg/kg infusion followed by 600 to 800 mg/day for 7 to 10 days, then 200 to 400 mg/day. Holters and rT3 levels were repeated every 1 to 3 months and amiodarone was titrated to achieve at least a 70% reduction in total ventricular premature complexes, at least a 90% reduction in couplets and abolition of ventricular tachycardia. The baseline rT3 level was 18 +/- 7 ng/dl (range 10 to 30) and patients were followed 12 +/- 9 months. Arrhythmia control was achieved in 25 patients (81%), including 21 patients with elevated rT3 levels (36 to 105 ng/dl) and 4 patients with normal rT3 (15 to 33 ng/dl). Six patients were uncontrolled with rT3 (27 to 90 ng/dl) and 14 patients had minor side effects with rT3 (27 to 123 ng/dl). Three of 4 patients in whom rT3 levels exceeded 130 ng/dl died suddenly (137 to 174 ng/dl before the event). Thus, amiodarone efficacy and minor toxicity occurs at rT3 levels less than 105 ng/dl and sudden death may be associated with levels greater than 130 ng/dl.
Depletion of Carbon-13 in Young Kauri Tree

MEASUREMENTS have been carried out of the carbon-13/carbon-12 ratio in a New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis) a thousand years old. This tree grew in the Omahutu Forest, in the north of New Zealand, In 1912 it was felled. The stump, from which the specimen was taken, suffered in a forest fire in 1931. It is estimated that the fire removed the outer 10–30 growth rings.
Extended Squaraine Dyes with Large Two-Photon Absorption Cross-Sections

Extended bis(donor)-substituted squaraine chromophores exhibit very high two-photon cross-sections (as high as 33 000 GM) in the near-IR; these can be attributed to the combination of large transition dipoles with small detuning energies. The modulus of the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility at 1.3 μm has been found to be 7.0 × 10-11 esu for one of these chromophores.
A Bayesian threshold-linear model evaluation of perinatal mortality, dystocia, birth weight, and gestation length in a Holstein herd1

The objective of this research was to estimate genetic parameters for a multiple-trait evaluation of dystocia (DYS), perinatal mortality (PM), birth weight (BWT), and gestation length (GL) in Holsteins. The data included 5,712 calving records collected between 1968 and 2005 from the Iowa State University dairy breeding herd in Ankeny. The incidence of PM was 8.8% and that of DYS 28.8%; mean BWT was 40.5 kg, and GL was 279 d. A threshold-linear animal model included the effects of year, season, sex of calf, parity, sire group, direct genetic, maternal genetic, and maternal permanent environment. Direct heritabilities for DYS, PM, BWT, and GL were 0.11 (0.04), 0.13 (0.05), 0.26 (0.04), and 0.51 (0.05), respectively. Maternal heritabilities were 0.14 (0.04), 0.15 (0.03), 0.08 (0.01), and 0.08 (0.02), for DYS, PM, BWT, and GL, respectively. The heritabilities are the posterior means of the Gibbs samples with their standard deviations in parentheses. The direct genetic correlation between PM and DYS was estimated at 0.67 (0.19), whereas the maternal genetic correlation was 0.45 (0.16). Direct and maternal PM and DYS are partially controlled by the same genes. Selection on only calving ease is not sufficient to control PM. With moderate genetic correlations between all 4 traits, BWT and GL should be included with DYS and PM in an evaluation of calving performance.
Phospholipids and the Reaction of Skin to Ultra-Violet Radiation

INVESTIGATIONS are being carried out in these laboratories into the primary photochemical changes in skin caused by ultra-violet irradiation. In the course of this work it was shown that the concentration of phospholipids in mouse skin was significantly decreased following prolonged in vitro irradiation at −20° C.1–3.
Estimating information rates of Bernoulli-Gaussian impulsive noise channels in Rayleigh fading

This paper presents simple methods to tightly estimate the information rate achieved by a Gaussian input and the constrained capacity of a finite-alphabet input of a Bernoulli-Gaussian (BG) impulsive noise channel in Rayleigh fading. Specifically, under the assumption of a Gaussian input, we propose a novel approach to calculate the achievable rate by examining the instantaneous output entropy in two regions of channel gains. In the high-gain region, the rate is evaluated via an upper bound obtained under the Gaussian output assumption. In the other region, we apply the piecewise-linear curve fitting (PWLCF) method to estimate the rate. It is then demonstrated that the information rate achieved by Gaussian inputs can be effectively calculated with a pre-determined accuracy. For a finite-alphabet input, we detail a PWLCF-based method to estimate the constrained capacity. In particular, we first propose a numerical technique to calculate the instantaneous output entropy using 2-dimensional Gauss-Hermite quadrature formulas. The average output entropy is then obtained using PWLCF. Combined with the closed-form expression the entropy of the BG impulse noise, an accurate estimation of the constrained capacity is finally established.
"Welfare Magnets" and Benefit Decline: Symbolic Problems and Substantive Consequences

In response to concern about "welfare migration, " some states have been freezing benefit levels and trying to institute lower benefits for newly arrived out-of-state applicants. There is also evidence that rising welfare rolls lead states not to raise benefits. Yet, interstate variation in welfare benefits has narrowed over the last two decades. There is also evidence that while interstate competition, or comparison of benefit levels, discourages high-benefit states from raising benefits, states look more at themselves then they look at each other. The most significant factor affecting AFDC benefit-levels appears to lie in the intergovernmental arrangements forfinancing public assistance (i.e., states often allow Food Stamps and Medicaid to substitute for AFDC). In addition, the migration ofpoorfemaleheaded families is patterned after the migration of the population in general; they move to where there isjob growth. A major political consequence ofstressing welfare migration may be its symbolic value in reinforcing prejudices against welfare recipients.
Separation of galactose 1-phosphate from other hexose phosphates by lon exchange

Abstract 1. 1. Galactose 1-phosphate is easily separated from the other common hexose phosphates in the chromatographic system of Goodman, Benson and Calvin (Dowex-1 borate column, borax eluant). It emerges from the column after glucose 1-phosphate and before fructose 6-phosphate. Mannose 6-phosphate is eluted with fructose 6-phosphate and galactose 6-phosphate with glucose 6-phosphate. 2. 2. Procedures are described for the removal of borate from chromatographic fractions containing hexose phosphates, and for the subsequent isolation of the phosphates as salts. 3. 3. A sensitive, convenient colorimetric method for monitoring chromatograms of sugars and their derivatives is described. The method discriminates well between hexoses and pentoses. 4. 4. Instructions are given for the accurate determination of inorganic phosphate in the presence of hexose 1-phosphates.
Country institutional context, social networks, and new venture internationalization speed

Summary This paper examines the role of social networks in the internationalization processes of new ventures in contexts characterized by different levels of institutional development. A country’s level of institutional development may have a direct effect on the composition of entrepreneurs’ social networks (i.e., prevalence of strong versus weak ties). Furthermore, both strong and weak ties may have direct, positive effects on the speed of new venture internationalization, but the relative strength of these effects likely depends on a country’s level of institutional development. Building on these arguments, we develop a theoretical model which specifies the rationale entrepreneurs use to draw on their social networks and drive internationalization; the model also enumerates institutional conditions in which different types of network ties tend to be most prominent and valuable.
An interpretational study of field ion microscope images.

Abstract Field ion images of both the perfect and the dislocated crystal were simulated with the aid of a computer. A model (neighbor model) was developed which made it possible to obtain point for point agreement with an experimental image for the perfect crystal. Distortions in the image due to the presence of total dislocations were studied with the shell model in FCC, BCC and hexagonal systems. Total dislocations always appear as some kind of a spiral configuration. Partial dislocations separated by a stacking fault can also give rise to a spiral, however, there is some distortion in the region of the intersection of the stacking fault with the surface.
Population differentiation in plethodontid salamanders: divergence of allozymes and sexual compatibility among populations of Desmognathus imitator and D. ochrophaeus (Caudata: Plethodontidae)

Plethodontid salamanders of the genus Desmognathus exhibit varying levels of genetic differentiation among and within both allopatric and sympatric taxa. This provides excellent opportunities to study population differentiation and speciation. Two morphologically similar species in this genus, D. imitator and D. ochrophaeus, are genetically well-differentiated from one another and occur in sympatry with no evidence of hybridization and introgression. We report that the degree of sexual isolation between these two species is very high, regardless of whether the populations under comparison are allopatric or sympatric with one another. Neither reinforcement nor reproductive character displacement are required to explain the evolution of sexual incompatibility in sympatry. Sexual behaviour apparently diverges while populations are allopatric with one another. Preliminary study indicates that D. imitator consists of populations among which there may be significant sexual isolation in the absence of detectable genetic differentiation.
Micro-scale modeling of axial flow through unidirectional disordered fiber arrays

Abstract The objective of this study is to develop a model for the axial hydraulic permeability ( K ∥ ) of fibrous media, taking explicit account of the underlying microstructure and its variability. In this numerical study, a unidirectional fiber array is represented by a unit cell consisting of ∼600 randomly placed fiber cross-sections. Stokes flow through such a unidirectional fiber array in the axial direction is modeled by a two-dimensional Stokes equation and solved using a parallel implementation of the boundary element method. A large number of simulations in such geometries have been carried out. The results indicate that ( K ∥ ) increases as the underlying microstructure progresses from a uniform distribution to a non-uniform one. To explain this relation between ( K ∥ ) and microstructure, a microstructural parameter, namely the mean nearest inter-fiber spacing, is proposed to characterize the heterogeneity of the fiber distribution. Following this, an empirical model correlating the axial permeability and the mean nearest inter-fiber spacing is presented.
BEHAVIORAL DYSCONTROL SCALE-ELECTRONIC VERSION: FIRST EXAMINATION OF RELIABILITY, VALIDITY, AND INCREMENTAL UTILITY

Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale (BDS) is a clinical measure previously shown to be related to frontal lobe integrity, executive abilities, and functional independence. Electronic version of the scale (BDS-EV) was developed and its reliability and validity were examined. The BDS-EV, the original BDS, and a brief battery of traditional clinical tests were administered to 55 community-dwelling adults ages 18 to 68. The results yielded high internal consistency and provided support for convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity. Overall, the results demonstrate the feasibility of converting the BDS into an electronic instrument and support continued research and development of this instrument.
Quantitation and Distribution of β-tubulin in Human Cardiac Myocytes

Increasing evidence suggests that derangements of cytoskeletal proteins contribute to alterations in intracellular signaling, myocyte function, and the coupling of myocytes to the extracellular matrix during cardiac hypertrophy and failure. Data from animal studies have shown an increased density of beta-tubulin protein in the right or left ventricle subjected to pressure overload, and have demonstrated that interfering with excess polymerization of beta-tubulin improves contractility. We tested the hypothesis that beta-tubulin is increased in human left ventricular hypertrophy and end-stage heart failure. Confocal microscopy of fluorescently labeled beta-tubulin protein revealed an increased density of the beta-tubulin network in cardiomyocytes from both hypertrophied and failing human hearts as compared to cells from nonfailing hearts. Western blot analysis on total heart homogenate showed no change in beta-tubulin when data were normalized to either actin or calsequestrin, although there was a significant increase in failing human hearts when data were normalized only for a constant amount of protein per heart. The mRNA for beta-tubulin was not changed in hypertrophied hearts, but was significantly decreased in failing human hearts. Thus, similar to animal models, we have shown that the density of the microtubular network within the cardiomyocyte is increased in end-stage failing human hearts. We have also shown for the first time that beta-tubulin density is increased in cells from hypertrophied human hearts. Although the functional implications of this finding in the human heart remain to be explored, data from animal studies suggest that increased beta-tubulin protein contributes to cardiac dysfunction.
Examining Conflict Escalation Within the Civilizations Context

Samuel Huntington's article and book on the clash of civilizations has created a great deal of controversy and interest. The focus of this is his assertion that in the post-Cold War era, there will...
Force-assemblability: insertion of a workpiece into a fixture guided by contact forces alone

The authors describe the concept of force-assemblability, which may be applied to fixture insertion as well as other assembly tasks. They define a linear force assemblable fixture to be one for which there exists a linear motion control law (examples of which include compliance and accommodation) which necessarily results in workpiece contact with all fixture elements (fixels) despite initial positional error. For reliable insertion, the fixture should have the property that contact with all fixels insures a unique workpiece position (i.e. the fixture should be deterministic) and the property that, after the inserting motion terminates, contact with all fixels is insured. It is shown that all deterministic fixtures are force-assemblable when friction is less than some value dictated by the workpiece/fixture geometry. It is also shown how to generate a motion control law that satisfies force-assemblability at this value of friction. >