cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Field tests of a dynamic green driving strategy based on inter-vehicle communication

Abstract This paper presents the design and results for field tests regarding the environmental benefits in stop-and-go traffic of an algorithmic green driving strategy based on inter-vehicle communication (IVC), which was proposed in Yang and Jin (2014). The green driving strategy dynamically calculates advisory speed limits for vehicles equipped with IVC devices so as to smooth their speed profiles and reduce their emissions and fuel consumption. For the field tests, we develop a smartphone-based IVC system, in which vehicles’ speeds and locations are collected by GPS and accelerometer sensors embedded in smartphones, and communications among vehicles are enabled by specially designed smartphone applications, a central server, and 4G cellular networks. Six field tests are carried out on an uninterrupted ring road under slow or fast stop-and-go traffic conditions. We compare the performances of three alternatives: no green driving, heuristic green driving, and the IVC-based algorithmic green driving. Results show that heuristic green driving has better smoothing and environmental effects than no green driving, but the IVC-based algorithmic green driving outperforms both. In the future, we are interested in field tests under more realistic traffic conditions.
Stress, Conflict, and Depression

Stress and conflict may elicit a syndrome of behavioral and motivational accommodation in rats which resembles the clinical syndrome of depression. The utility of stress, conflict, or related models is constrained both practically and theoretically, however. I review three issues related to stress models, these being their definition, validity, and neurobiology.
La construcción de “aprendices de lengua inglesa” (ELL): Un análisis de procesos de registro y efectos de Estado en la escolarización de estudiantes migrantes multilingües*

Las migraciones de las decadas recientes han aumentado la diversidad linguistica de America, lo que alimenta controversias acerca de la educacion bilingue y revela el punto en que la identidad nacional se entremezcla con supuestos acerca del lenguaje y la raza. Partiendo de un analisis de los debates politicos acerca de la legislacion federal y la politica educativa conocida como Ningun Nino Dejado Atras (No Child Left Behind, NCLB) y los estudios etnograficos de hogares de migrantes multilingues asi como practicas de escolarizacion del norte del Estado de Nueva York, examino como los metadiscursos acerca de lenguas y personas circulan a traves de eventos discursivos y espacios sociales de diferentes escalas, que incluyen audiencias en el Congreso e investigaciones academicas acerca de NCLB, asi como los ambitos escolares en los que, en cada escuela, se ponen en practica las politicas educativas destinadas a estudiantes clasificados como “aprendices de lengua inglesa”. Mi analisis utiliza teorias antropologicas de registro, racializacion y del Estado para investigar como son coconstruidas las inequidades linguisticas y sociales en una era de creciente polarizacion social. Dicha coconstruccion depende de formas de gubernamentalidad, formas de efectos de Estado descentralizados, que operan a traves de las fronteras aparentes entre Estado y sociedad civil, y resultan tanto de procesos “de arriba hacia abajo” como “de abajo hacia arriba”; de mandatos politicos asi como de categorias locales de “buenas” y “malas” minorias. El analisis revela conexiones complejas y duraderas entre el lenguaje, la raza y la desigualdad en los procesos de educacion; su critica sigue siendo una tarea apremiante para la antropologia de la educacion.
A defense of Arrow’s independence of irrelevant alternatives

Since the publication of Social Choice and Individual Values, Kenneth Arrow’s independence of irrelevant alternatives (IIA) axiom has drawn criticism for being too strong a requirement of a collective choice rule. In this article, we detail and counter some of the criticisms. We present two axioms (one cardinal and one ordinal) that are equivalent to Arrow’s IIA, discuss an implication of IIA for transitive social choice, and argue that violations of IIA do indeed constitute a perversity. We claim that violations of IIA are particularly troubling in contexts where many alternatives are considered simultaneously, good information is available about the ranking of each alternative with respect to each criterion being aggregated, final decisions can be scrutinized and revisited, and/or the correlation between how the various criteria rank alternatives is low. While a mass election is precisely a decision-making scenario that satisfies none of these conditions, we argue that the normative appeal of IIA is maximized for aggregation problems that can be revisited and revised, and that involve objective and varying criteria (e.g., routine administrative and judicial decisions).
Suppression of Chemical Reactions in a 3D Lattice

For many experiments based on the long-range interactions of polar molecules, contact between the molecules is unnecessary or even unwanted. For such experiments, a full 3D optical lattice can be used to pin molecules to individual sites where they will remain without colliding for the duration of the experiment. While research on ultracold polar molecules in optical lattices has started only recently (Chotia et al., Phys Rev Lett 108:080405, 2012; Danzl et al., Nat Phys 6:265–270, 2010), promising initial experimental results have already been achieved, as will be summarized in this chapter. I will begin with a review of optical trapping, optical lattices, and lattice techniques.
An alternate numerical treatment for nonlinear PDE models of piezoelectric laminates

When piezoelectric laminates undergo large deformations, exhibiting a nonlinear stress-strain behavior, and the longitudinal vibrations are not neglected, linear models of piezoelectric laminates fail to represent and predict the governing dynamics. These large deformations are pronounced in certain applications such as energy harvesting. In this paper, first, a consistent variational approach is used by considering nonlinear elasticity theory to derive equations of motion for a three-layer piezoelectric laminate where the interactions of layers are modeled by the Rao-Nakra sandwich beam theory. The resulting equations of motion form into an unbounded infinite dimensional bilinear control system with nonlinear boundary conditions. The corresponding state-space formulation is shown to be well-posed in the natural energy space. With a particular choice of nonlinear feedback controllers, based on the nonlinearity of the model, the system dynamics can be stabilized to the equilibrium. Stabilization results are presented through the filtered semi-discrete Finite Difference approximations, and these results are compared to the ones of the linearized model
Chapter 2.2 – Sustainable Synthesis

The most important tools for sustainable synthesis are summarized in this chapter. Catalysis is one of the most commonly applied contributors. After an introduction to the basics of catalytic reactions is presented, the specific categories are discussed separately, including homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. In both cases the discussion includes metal-based and metal-free catalytic systems. After these major fields, two special areas of catalysis, such as phase-transfer catalysis and biocatalysis will be described separately. As many chemical reactions occur in the liquid phase the role of solvents will also be discussed. Although all major types of solvents will be described, there will be emphasis on aqueous reactions and solvent-free approaches. The closing part of the chapter will analyze several nonconvective activation methods, such as microwave, ultrasonic, photochemical, and electrochemical activations. These methods are different from traditional convective heating in many ways. Most importantly, they all transfer energy inside the reaction mixture and activation occurs by one or more component of the mixture absorbing it. Due to the internal activation, these methods usually produce higher reaction rates and greater selectivity than traditional methods. For each topic, we present a discussion of the basics, a list of the applied tools, and a few representative examples. At the end of the chapter, general references and a thematic problem set are included to aid further learning.
Changes in Discharge to Rehabilitation: Potential Unintended Consequences of Medicare Total Hip Arthroplasty/Total Knee Arthroplasty Bundled Payments, Should They Be Implemented on a Nationwide Scale?

Abstract Background As a part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, Medicare was committed to changing 50% of its reimbursement to alternative payment models by 2018. One strategy included introduction of “bundled payments” or a fixed price for an episode of care. Early studies of the first operative bundles for elective total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) suggest changes in discharge to rehabilitation. It remains unclear the extent to which such changes affect patient well-being. In order to address these concerns, the objective of this study is to estimate projected changes in discharge to various type of rehabilitation, 90-day outcomes, extent of therapy received, and patient health-related quality-of-life before and after introduction of bundled payments should they be implemented on a nationwide scale. Methods A nationwide policy simulation was conducted using decision-tree methodology in order to estimate changes in overt and patient-centered outcomes. Model parameters were informed by published research on bundled payment effects and anticipated outcomes of patients discharged to various types of rehabilitation. Results Following bundled payment introduction, discharge to inpatient rehabilitation facilities decreased by 16.9 percentage-points (95% confidence interval [CI] 16.5-17.3) among primary TKA patients (THA 16.8 percentage-points), a relative decline from baseline of 58.9%. Skilled nursing facility use fell by 24.0 percentage-points (95% CI 23.6-24.4). It was accompanied by a 36.7 percentage-point (95% CI 36.3-37.2) increase in home health agency use. Although simulation models predicted minimal changes in overt outcome measures such as unplanned readmission (TKA +0.8 percentage-points), changes in discharge disposition were accompanied by significant increases in the need for further assistive care (TKA +8.0 percentage-points) and decreases in patients’ functional recovery and extent of therapy received. They collectively accounted for a 30% reduction in recovered motor gains. Conclusion The results demonstrate substantial changes in discharge to rehabilitation with accompanying declines in average functional outcomes, extent of therapy received, and health-related quality-of-life. Such findings challenge notions of reduced cost at no harm previously attributed to the bundled payment program and lend credence to concerns about reductions in access to facility-based rehabilitation.
Predictors of Need for Liver Transplantation in Children Undergoing Hepatoportoenterostomy for Biliary Atresia.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine perioperative risk factors for need of liver transplantation following hepatoportoenterostomy. Methods A retrospective review of patients undergoing hepatoportoenterostomy for biliary atresia at our institution from 1990 to 2016 was completed. Results A total of 81 patients were identified with a median age of 51 days (IQR: 33-68) at hepatoportoenterostomy and a median follow-up time of 5.7 years (IQR: 1-11.6). Ten-year overall survival was 93% (95% CI: 84-97). Thirty-six patients (44%) ultimately required transplantation at a median time from hepatoportoenterostomy of 8.9 months (IQR: 5.2-19). The 10-year transplant-free survival was 36% (95%CI: 24-49). Steroid use (N = 42) was not associated with improved 10-yr transplant-free survival (33% vs. 38%, p = 0.690). Age at hepatoportoenterostomy was not significantly associated with the need for transplantation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that total bilirubin > 2mg/dL (OR: 97, p Conclusion Overall survival for children with biliary atresia is excellent, although most patients will ultimately require liver transplantation. Total bilirubin and albumin level at 3 months following hepatoportoenterostomy are predictive of the need for transplantation. Steroid use is not associated with improved outcomes.
Optional wh-movement is discourse-connected movement in Eastern Cham

Eastern Cham (Austronesian: Vietnam) exhibits apparent optional wh -movement, which shares properties with apparent topicalization. This paper demonstrates that it is not true wh -movement, but discourse connected-, or DC-movement. DC requires a phrase to have an antecedent in a prior sentence and for the antecedent's sentence and the anaphor's sentence to be in a particular discourse structural configuration. Data from complex DP's, specifically partitives, inventory forms, and close appositives demonstrate that DC is a property of referential indices that bind DP's. The incompatibility of wh -phrases and topicality is then explained as the inability of wh -phrases to supply referential indices on their own.
Abstract 555: Investigation of 4-oxo-2-nonenal Mediated HDL Dysfunction and the Use of Lipid Dicarbonyl Scavengers in Preserving HDL Function

Background: Lipid peroxidation products such as hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) are elevated in atherosclerosis and cause HDL dysfunction. Generated in parallel to HNE is 4-oxo-2-nonenal (ONE), a less stud...
Social support in cancer: How do patients want us to help?

AbstractObjective: Social support is fundamentally important to the well-being of patients with cancer, and informal caregivers often wish they had better insight into how to help. The aims of this...
Supramolecular Spheres Self-Assembled from Conical Dendrons Are Chiral.

Frank-Kasper phases and liquid quasicrystals self-organize from supramolecular spheres of dendrimers, block copolymers, surfactants and other self-assembling molecules. These spheres are expected to be achiral due to their isotropic shape. Nevertheless, supramolecular spheres from short helical stacks of crown-like dendrimers self-organize a Pm3 n cubic (Frank-Kasper A15) phase which exhibits chirality on the macroscopic scale. However, the chirality of classic isotropic supramolecular micellar-like spheres, generated from conical dendrons, is unknown. Here we report a library of second and third generation biphenylpropyl dendrons with chiral groups at their apex that produces single-handed chiral supramolecular spheres. Up to 480 conical dendrons self-assemble to form micellar-like spheres, with a molar mass of up to 1.1 × 106 g/mol, that self-organize into a Pm3 n phase with chirality detectable on the macroscopic scale. This demonstration of chirality in micellar-like spheres of a Frank-Kasper phase raises the fundamental question whether micellar-like spheres forming 3D phases generated from other soft matter such as block copolymers, surfactants, and other molecules are chiral.
Biomechanical Analysis of All-Suture Suture Anchor Fixation Compared With Conventional Suture Anchors and Interference Screws for Biceps Tenodesis.

Purpose To compare the biomechanical properties of all-suture suture anchors (ASSAs) with conventional interference screws (CISs) and conventional suture anchors (CSAs) for long head of the biceps tendon fixation during proximal biceps tenodesis (BT). Methods We randomized 21 fresh-frozen human cadaveric shoulders into 3 subpectoral BT treatment groups: ASSA, CSA, and CIS. Each construct was cyclically loaded from 5 to 70 N for 500 cycles (1 Hz). All specimens that survived cyclic loading were then pulled to failure (1 mm/s). Elongation, maximum load, energy, and failure mode were recorded. The humerus was stripped of tissue and then subjected to torsional displacement at a rate of 1°/s until fracture occurred. Maximum load, displacement, stiffness, and energy were recorded. Results During tendon testing, 3 specimens (43%) in the CIS group failed early during cyclic testing by the tendon tearing at the screw-tendon interface. All other specimens in the CIS group, as well as all specimens in the ASSA and CSA groups, survived cyclic testing and failed during pull-to-failure testing. Failure occurred at the tendon-anchor or -screw interface in all specimens (100%), with no anchor or screw pullout. The CIS group had significantly decreased elongation (8.9 ± 2.23 mm) at maximum load compared with the ASSA (19.2 ± 5.2 mm) and CSA (18.9 ± 2.23 mm) groups (P = .001). During torsional testing, the ASSA group was able to withstand significantly greater torsional displacement (9.22° ± 0.86°) before failure and had greater energy to failure (497.3 ± 45 Nmm-degrees) than the CIS group (6.13° ± 1.24° and 256.6 ± 70.3 Nmm-degrees, respectively; P = .005). Conclusions This study shows that the biomechanical properties of ASSA, CSA, and CIS constructs are similar. The interference screw group had lower tendon elongation at maximum load but had several early failures compared with the suture anchor groups. The use of suture anchors results in maximum tendon and torsional bone loads similar to interference screws for the long head of the biceps tendon. Torsional testing of the CIS resulted in spiral fractures traversing the screw tunnel in 100% of the specimens, which was not found in the suture anchor groups. Clinical Relevance The ASSA is a viable fixation method for BT in comparison with the CSA and CIS.
Calculational verification and process control applications utilizing the high sensitivity of noise measurement parameters to fissile system configuration

The {sup 252}Cf-source-driven noise analysis method has been used in measurements for subcritical configurations of fissile systems for a variety of applications. Measurements and sensitivity studies with the KENO-NR Monte Carlo neutron transport code showed that this measurement method has the potential to monitor many dynamic situations in processing plants such as in casting facilities, in a continuous dissolver, or in batch dissolvers either to be used as a signature to verify that various processes are occurring in a repeatable or bounded way or to obtain the neutron multiplication factor k. This Verification of normal operation would be by comparing noise analysis signatures for the process with reference signatures. Abnormal operation could be ascertained if the signature deviates by some specified amount from the reference signatures from normal operation. The deviations from normal could be specified by measurements or by Monte Carlo neutron transport theory methods directly calculating the measured parameters for the processing plant applications. Measurements with enriched uranyl nitrate solutions are presented as an example to demonstrate the high measured sensitivity of noise-measured parameters. To evaluate this high sensitivity, KENO-NR was used to investigate changes in the noise-measured parameters to variation in fissile system parameters using neutron transportmore » calculations for three aqueous solutions, uranyl nitrate, uranyl fluoride, and plutonium nitrate, and also for an array of light water reactor spent fuel. This high sensitivity has also allowed this measurement method to be used to identify nuclear weapons and/or weapons components in shipping containers by comparing with reference signatures obtained from measurements or calculations and for nondestructive assay of special nuclear materials.« less
Abstract P192: Implications of a Simplified Hypertension Screening Approach for Low-and Middle-Income Countries

Background: In low- and middle- income settings, standardized protocols that require triplicate blood pressure (BP) readings pose substantial logistical barriers to hypertension (HTN) screening. We...
Patient Preference, Prognosis, and Decision-Making in Screening and Treatment

Screening and treatment decisions for older adults are complex due to a limited evidence base and heterogeneity within the elderly population. Older adults are a diverse group with wide variation in comorbidities, functional status, cognition, and personal values; therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all set of guidelines that can be utilized to direct management for all older patients. When balancing the risks and benefits of any medical intervention, whether preventive, diagnostic, or therapeutic, clinicians must consider patient prognosis. For an older adult, chronological age is often an insufficient marker of health, and assessment tools that encapsulate functional status and/or frailty are more accurate predictors of health outcomes. Understanding patient function and goals of care will allow the clinician to make sound recommendations that individualize the application of evidence-based guidelines to each older adult.
Exploring Career Change Transitions through a Dialogic Conceptualization of Science Teacher Identity

Research into the construct of science teacher identity has gained momentum over the past decade in an effort to achieve a more comprehensive, holistic understanding of teacher learning and develop...
Reviews of Global Historical Sociology : Toward a globalized and historicized social science

In Global Historical Sociology, editors Julian Go and George Lawson boldly call for the advancement of a ‘Global Historical Sociology’, (GHS) which they define as the study of two interrelated dyna...
Impact of Surgical and Medical Treatment on Survival of Patients with Cerebral Aspergillosis: Systematic Review of the Literature.

Objective Cerebral aspergillosis carries a high mortality. Rapid diagnosis and treatment can increase survival, but symptoms and imaging findings are nonspecific. The literature on cerebral aspergillosis consists mostly of case reports and case series and lacks large-scale review of data. Methods We performed a review of the literature using PubMed in March 2019. We recorded the year of publication, age and sex of patients, neurosurgical involvement, the antifungals administered, use of intrathecal antifungals, and the outcome of patients. The relationships among variables were tested using bivariant statics and linear regression. Results A total of 324 studies met the eligibility criteria, and 198 studies including 248 patients were included. Surgical resection (odds ratio [OR], 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25–0.80; P Conclusions Given the significant survival benefits for patients who received voriconazole and surgical intervention, we suggest early antifungal medical treatment and resection.
Trends in treatment of Peyronie's disease in adult men in the United States from 2008 to 2017-results from an encounter and claims database.

Treatments for Peyronie’s Disease (PD) include oral medications, intralesional injections, and surgery. Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCh) is the only FDA-approved treatment for PD. We sought to examine current trends in treatment of PD across the United States. Using data in the MarketScan Database, we conducted a retrospective study of men with PD in the United States. Cases were identified by ICD-9 and 10 codes, and treatments were identified using NDC and CPT codes. Treatment rates were analyzed using a linear regression model, and a Cox proportional hazard function test was performed for time-to-treatment analysis. About 27.8% of men with PD were treated within a year of diagnosis. The annual treatment rate increased from 23.2 to 35.4%, and intralesional injection was the most used treatment. Over the study period, the percentage of men receiving treatment with oral medication increased from 0.66 to 20.5%, while the use of intralesional injection and surgery decreased. Increased odds of treatment were observed in men 45–54 years (odds ratio [OR] 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–1.50; p = 0) and in the southern region (OR 1.48; 95% CI, 1.39–1.56; p = 0). Trends in treatment of PD have changed over time. Intralesional injection remains the most used treatment option for men with PD.
Will high school students ‘rethink their drink’? Findings from an impact evaluation of a healthy beverage curriculum:

Objective:To promote healthy beverage consumption among 9–12 grade students (ages 14–18) by means of a 4-week curriculum promoting increased awareness of drinks containing added sugar and the assoc...
Long-Term Care: An Alternative Model

If all individuals acted or behaved in a similar, stable manner, policy development would be a rather simple matter. However, that is not the case. Sociologists, social psychologists, and scientists have pointed out the difficulties of moving between the “micro” and the “macro”, or from individual behaviour to national policy and programs. Economists have had an equally difficult time; microeconomics and macroeconomics are derived from different theoretical constructs, and no theorist has been able to build a bridge between the two theories.
Evidence-Based Treatments in Communication for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This chapter considers treatments that aim to enhance the ability of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to communicate and use language. Since disorders of communication constitute one of the core symptom areas in ASD and represent an aspect of function in which all children on this spectrum experience significant disability, virtually every child on the autism spectrum will require some form of communicative intervention. Moreover, communication is vital for learning and establishing connections with others, so that deficits in communication skill not only characterize the syndrome, but set limits on opportunities for play, socialization, academic achievement, and integration. Thus, interventions aimed at improving communication in ASD are crucial to success both in school programs and functional, real-world adaptation.
An alternative mode of translation permits production of a variant NBS1 protein from the common Nijmegen breakage syndrome allele

Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) is a rare chromosomal-instability syndrome associated with cancer predisposition, radiosensitivity and radioresistant DNA synthesis-S phase checkpoint deficiency, which results in the failure to suppress DNA replication origins following DNA damage. Approximately 90% of NBS patients are homozygous for the 657del5 allele, a truncating mutation of NBS1 that causes premature termination at codon 219. Because null mutations in MRE11 and RAD50, which encode binding partners of NBS1, are lethal in vertebrates, and mouse Nbs1-null mutants are inviable, we tested the hypothesis that the NBS1 657del5 mutation was a hypomorphic defect. We showed that NBS cells contain the predicted 26-kD amino-terminal protein fragment, NBS1p26, and a 70-kD NBS1 protein (NBS1p70) lacking the native N terminus. The NBSp26 protein is not physically associated with the MRE11 complex, whereas the p70 species is physically associated with it. NBS1p70 is produced by internal translation initiation within the NBS1 mRNA using an open reading frame generated by the 657del5 frameshift. We propose that the common NBS1 allele encodes a partially functional protein that diminishes the severity of the NBS phenotype.
Lock-Free Asynchronous Rendezvous Design for MPI Point-to-Point Communication

Message Passing Interface (MPI) is the most commonly used method for programming distributed-memory systems. Most MPI implementations use a rendezvous protocol for transmitting large messages. One of the features desired in a MPI implementation is the ability to asynchronously progress the rendezvous protocol. This is important to provide potential for good computation and communication overlap to applications. There are several designs that have been proposed in previous work to provide asynchronous progress. These designs typically use progress helper threads with support from the network hardware to make progress on the communication. However, most of these designs use locking to protect the shared data structures in the critical communication path. Secondly, multiple interrupts may be necessary to make progress. Further, there is no mechanism to selectively ignore the events generated during communication. In this paper, we propose an enhanced asynchronous rendezvous protocol which overcomes these limitations. Specifically, our design does not require locks in the communication path. In our approach, the main application thread makes progress on the rendezvous transfer with the help of an additional thread. The communication between the two threads occurs via system signals. The new design can achieve near total overlap of communication with computation. Further, our design does not degrade the performance of non-overlapped communication. We have also experimented with different thread scheduling policies of Linux kernel and found out that the round robin policy provides the best performance. With the new design we have been able to achieve 20% reduction in time for a matrix multiplication kernel with MPI+OpenMP paradigm on 256 cores.
Verifying nonlinear real formulas via sums of squares

Techniques based on sums of squares appear promising as a general approach to the universal theory of reals with addition and multiplication, i.e. verifying Boolean combinations of equations and inequalities. A particularly attractive feature is that suitable 'sum of squares' certificates can be found by sophisticated numerical methods such as semidefinite programming, yet the actual verification of the resulting proof is straightforward even in a highly foundational theorem prover. We will describe our experience with an implementation in HOL Light, noting some successes as well as difficulties. We also describe a new approach to the univariate case that can handle some otherwise difficult examples.
Comparison of oral propranolol and verapamil for combined systemic hypertension and angina pectoris: A placebo-controlled double-blind randomized crossover trial☆

The relative efficacies of oral verapamil, a calcium-entry blocking drug, and propranolol, a beta-adrenergic blocking drug, were compared in 12 patients who had both stable angina pectoris and mild to moderate systemic hypertension, using a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized crossover protocol. Compared with placebo, both propranolol and verapamil decreased the frequency of anginal attacks and the number of nitroglycerin tablets consumed, and increased exercise duration and total work; there were no significant differences in the antianginal effect of the two drugs. Both verapamil and propranolol reduced the supine and standing systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured at rest; compared with propranolol, however, verapamil had greater effects on standing diastolic blood pressure (p less than 0.002). Resting heart rate was reduced from placebo baseline with large doses of both drugs; compared with verapamil, however, propranolol exerted greater effects on resting heart rate and rate-pressure product. Plasma renin activity was increased from placebo baseline with verapamil (p less than 0.05), but was reduced with propranolol (p less than 0.05); no significant change in plasma aldosterone was seen with either drug. Verapamil appears to be a safe and effective treatment alternative to propranolol for relieving anginal symptoms, improving exercise tolerance, and reducing elevated systemic blood pressure in patients with both angina pectoris and mild to moderate systemic hypertension.
Synthesis and Molecular Structure of [Me2Ga-PPh2]3

The trimeric phosphinogallane [Me2Ga-PPh2]3 was prepared by the room temperature reaction of trimethylgallium with diphenylphosphine in toluene. The title compound, characterized by 1H NMR, 31P NMR, elemental analyses, and single-crystal x-ray diffraction, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n (No. 14) with one trimeric phosphinogallane and two toluene solvent molecules per asymmetric unit. The unit cell parameters were a = 14.455(3) A; b = 22.541 (4) A; c = 16.847 (4) A, β = 105.53 (2)°, D calcd = 1.30 g cm−3, and V = 5289 (2) A3, for Z = 4. Refinement converged at R = 0.039, R w = 0.054. The crystal structure reveals that the title compound resides about a Ga3P3 six-membered ring in a chair conformation with a mean Ga-P bond distance of 2.433 (1) A.
Comments on tritium monitoring by liquid-scintillation counting.

Abstract Luminescence components in the filter papers and other cellulosic materials used in smear and wipe test may interfere with the measurement of tritium by liquid-scintillation counting. A Scotch tape method for tritium monitoring is recommended, to avoid this interference.
Antibodies with Broad Specificity to Azaspiracids by Use of Synthetic Haptens

The development of general, sensitive, portable, and quantitative assays for the azaspiracid (AZA) class of marine toxins is urgently needed. Use of a synthetic hapten containing rings F-I of AZA to generate antibodies that cross-react with the AZAs via their common C28-C40 domain and use of these antibodies in ELISA and immunoaffinity columns are reported. This approach has many advantages over using intact azaspiracids (AZAs) derived from environmental samples or total synthesis as haptens for antibody development. A derivative of the levorotatory C28-C40 azaspiracid domain (1) was synthesized efficiently using a one-pot Staudinger reduction/intramolecular aza-Wittig reaction-imine capture sequence to form the H-I ring spiroaminal and a double intramolecluar hetero-Michael addition to assemble the F-G ring ketal. Conjugation of the hapten 1 to cBSA and immunization in sheep generated antibodies that recognized and bound to ovalbumin-conjugated 1 in the absence of AZA1. This binding was inhibited by 1 in a concentration-dependent manner. A mixture of AZA1, AZA2, AZA3, and AZA6 caused a degree of inhibition of antibody binding consistent with its total AZA content, rather than just its content of AZA1. This result suggests that the antibodies also have a similar affinity for AZA2, AZA3, and AZA6 as they do for AZA1 and that such antibodies are suitable for analysis of AZAs in shellfish samples.
Application of transglutaminase to derivatize proteins: 1. Studies on soluble proteins and preliminary results on wool

The use of enzymes in chemical processing is gaining favour due to the reduction of hazardous chemicals and because it is considered to be environmentally safe. The acyl transfer reaction between primary amines and glutamine residues in proteins is catalysed by the enzyme transglutaminase. The efficiency of microbial transglutaminase to attach functional amines and catalyse inter- and intra- molecular crosslinks was investigated using reduced carboxymethylated κ-casein, gelatin and wool. Model systems used in this research gave evidence of both cross-linking of the protein and covalent binding of the primary amine o-phosphorylethanolamine to the protein. These data agree with earlier publications that show transglutaminase catalyses the formation of covalent cross-links between the γ-carboxyamide group of glutamine and thee-amino group of lysine and also the incorporation of primary amines into proteins. Preliminary analysis of treated wool indicated the covalent bonding of the functional amine to the protein. Our goal is to increase the value of wool by enzymatic addition of functional groups to the wool fibre. Published in 2004 for SCI by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved Measurement-based Modeling of Inverted-MSM Photodetectors using On-wafer Calibration Structures

Photodetectors (PDs) are an important active device in optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs), and, for shorter haul interconnections where circuit (e.g. transimpedance amplifier (TIA)) noise may be the dominant noise in receivers, metal-semiconductor-metal photodiodes (MSM PDs) are attractive due to their low capacitance per unit area compared to PIN photodetectors and the ease of monolithic integration with field effect transistors (FETs). Inverted-MSM PDs (I-MSM PDs), which are thin film MSM PDs with the fingers on the bottom of the device, have demonstrated higher responsivities compared to conventional MSM PDs while maintaining small capacitance per unit area, low dark current (~nA), and high speed. However, the modeling of MSM PDs and I-MSM PDs for insertion into circuit simulators for integrated PD/TIA modeling has not been reported. In this paper, an accurate high-frequency equivalent circuit-level model of thin film I-MSM PDs is obtained using an on-wafer measurement-based modeling technique. This circuit-level model of MSM PDs can be used for capacitance sensitive preamplifier design for co-optimization with widely used simulators (ADS and HSPICE). The obtained circuit-level model shows good agreement with measured s-parameters.
Comparison of soft-decision decoding metrics in a QAM system with phase and amplitude errors

Demodulation of M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM) requires the receiver to estimate the phase and amplitude of the received signal. The demodulator performance is sensitive to errors in these estimates, and the sensitivity increases as M increases. We examine the effects of phase and amplitude errors on the performance of QAM communication systems with error-control coding and soft-decision decoding. Performance comparisons are given for 16-QAM and 64-QAM for two error-control coding techniques and two soft-decision decoding metrics.
The contribution of dissociative processes to the production of atomic lines in hydrogen plasmas

The contribution of molecular dissociative processes to the production of atomic lines is considered for a steady-state hydrogen plasma. If the contribution of dissociative processes is dominant, a substantial simplification in plasma diagnostics can be achieved. Numerical calculations have been performed for the production of Balmer alpha, beta, and gamma lines in hydrogen plasmas with medium and large degrees of ionization (x greater than about 0.0001) and for electron temperatures of 5000-45,000 K and electron densities of 10 to the 10th to 10 to the 16th/cu cm.
AIDS response at a crossroads.

![Figure][1] CREDIT: (TOP RIGHT) NATHAN GOLON; (BOTTOM RIGHT) LEO SOREL Later this month, the XVIII International AIDS Conference will be held in Vienna, Austria. Now the largest conference dedicated to a single disease, it will bring together more than 20,000 attendees. Over the past
Dynamic Properties of Hydraulic Lines for Fluid Power Transmission

This paper presents the results of a hydraulic line dynamic properties analysis taking into account inertia of the fluid flowing in rigid and flexible lines, the compressibility effect for this fluid and the viscous friction effect. The following are described and analyzed: solution of the wave equation in the form binding four variables: pressure and flow rate at the line input, and pressure and flow rate and the line output; two of the above-mentioned variables should be regarded as independent (input) and the other two as dependent (output), the accuracy comparison of distributed parameters model to lumped parameters model with regard to applicability range in hydraulic systems analysis, pressure value at given installation points as a response to rapid valve closing (transient response) or to valve opening (fluid hammer effect). In these considerations the hydraulic line is regarded as a two-port with two inputs and two outputs with a definite transmittance matrix. Main considerations concern the variable resistance model. A general solution is given as a function of the Laplace operator. Adaptation of the hydraulic line model to the turbulent flow and to the flow through a line with elastic boundaries is given. Introducing appropriate simplifications into the variable resistance model, the constant resistance model and lossless line model is obtained. Also, general solutions for three different lump parameter models are presented. Accuracy of individual methods are compared with examples for selected systems.
QUARTR: A FORTRAN IV subroutine to calculate quarter life

This project was supported by NIMH Grant MH1l752, ES-01248 and in part by a contract with the USDOE and was assigned Report No. UR-3490-1367. formance. This index, called quarter life of responses, represents the time taken by the subject to emit the first one-fourth of the total responses within that particular interval. If the rate of responding is constant throughout the interval, the quarter life is equal to one-fourth of the interval. If the rate of response is positively accelerated through the interval, the index is greater than one-fourth of the interval. If it is negatively accelerated within the interval, the index is smaller than one-fourth of the interval. Quarter life is still used (Bignami & Gatti, 1969; Byrd, 1972; Carney, 1977; Dukich & Lee, 1973; Goldberg & Kelleher, 1976; Goldberg & Tang, 1977; Kelleher & Goldberg, 1977; Lattal & Bryan, 1976; Spealman, Goldberg, Kelleher,
Use Of Fiber Optics To Eliminate Ground Loops And Maintain Shielding Integrity On A Controlled Fusion Experiment

Fiber optic technology is being used to solve electromagnetic compatibility problems on ZT-40. Design and performance parameters of four different types of optical links are discussed.
Fancd2 and p21 function independently in maintaining the size of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell pool in mice

Fanconi anemia patients suffer from progressive bone marrow failure. An overactive p53 response to DNA damage contributes to the progressive elimination of Fanconi anemia hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC), and hence presents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. To investigate whether the cell cycle regulatory protein p21 is the primary mediator of the p53-dependent stem cell loss, p21/Fancd2 double-knockout mice were generated. Surprisingly double mutant mice displayed even more severe loss of HSPCs than Fancd2−/− single mutants. p21 deletion did not rescue the abnormal cell cycle profile and had no impact on the long-term repopulating potential of Fancd2−/− bone marrow cells. Collectively, our data indicate that p21 has an indispensable role in maintaining a normal HSPC pool and suggest that other p53-targeted factors, not p21, mediate the progressive elimination of HSPC in Fanconi anemia.
Characterization of Protein Fractions from Immature Alaska Walleye Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) Roe

There are good markets for mature pollock roe; however, immature pollock roe is underutilized. The physical and nutritional properties of immature pollock roe (IPR) have not been reported, which limits its potential use as a food ingredient. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical and nutritional properties of immature pollock roe and soluble and insoluble protein powders made from the immature roe. IPR samples were obtained during the spring pollock harvest from a seafood processing plant in Kodiak, Alaska. Soluble (SP) and insoluble protein (IP) fractions were produced by heating IPR, separating by centrifugation and freeze drying. The protein contents of freeze-dried IPR, SP, and IP were 81.7%, 63.2%, and 83.0%, respectively. The amino acid contents of IPR and IP were similar except for isoleucine and valine. However, the amino acid contents of IPR and IP were different from values for SP. Lipid contents of IPR, SP, and IP were 9.2%, 9.3%, and 11.1%, respectively. Palmitic acid (C16:0; 21.2%), DHA (C22:6omega3; 21.2%), and EPA (C20:5omega3; 19.0%) were the 3 most abundant fatty acids in fresh IPR. Fat adsorption capacity value for SP was significantly higher than IPR and IP (P < 0.05). SDS electrophoresis indicated a major protein band with molecular weight of 103 KDa in all samples. Results indicate that IPR can be utilized to make a number of unique food ingredients with good nutritional characteristics and functional properties.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE COLLODION MEMBRANE AND ITS ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOR: V. THE INFLUENCE OF THE THICKNESS OF DRIED COLLODION MEMBRANES UPON THEIR ELECTROMOTIVE BEHAVIOR

1. Experiments were carried out to decide whether or not the electromotive properties of dried collodion membranes depend upon their thickness. 2. A number of dried collodion membranes of varying thickness, 3–160 µ, were prepared from collodion preparations of different electrochemical activity. The characteristic concentration potentials across them were measured and the means of these values determined for each thickness. 3. The characteristic concentration potentials across dried collodion membranes are a function of their thickness. The thinnest membranes yield in all cases the lowest concentration potentials; increasingly thicker membranes give increasingly higher potential values, until a constant value is reached which is characteristic of the particular collodion preparation used. With electrochemically active collodion, characteristic concentration potentials approaching the thermodynamically possible maximum are obtained with membranes of only 10 µ thickness, thinner membranes giving appreciably lower values. With two rather inactive commercial collodion preparations the characteristic concentration potential increases from about 30 mv. for membranes 3 µ thick to about 42 mv. for 20 µ membranes; still thicker membranes do not show a significant increase in the potential values. With a highly purified collodion preparation the constant maximum value was found to be about 32 mv., 4 µ thick membranes giving only about 22 mv. 4. These results do not support the homogeneous phase theory as applied to the dried collodion membrane. They are readily compatible with the micellar-structural theory. Several special possible cases of the latter as applied to the dried collodion membrane are discussed.
A modified coalescence—dispersion model for the axial mixing of segregating particles in a motionless mixer

Abstract A modified coalescence—dispersion model has been developed for the axial mixing of segregating particle systems in a motionless mixer (Kenics mixer). This model is capable of generating the concentration distribution as a function of time and its applicability is not constrained by the initial concentration distribution in the mixture. Two important parameters in this model are the coalescence rate and the distribution ratio. It has been found that the former can be correlated as a linear function of the number of helices in the mixer, and the latter depends heavily upon the physical properties of the individual particles. The validity of the present model has been tested against the available experimental data [16].
Synthesis and polymerization of O6-methylguanosine 5′-diphosphate

Abstract O 6 -Methylguanosine 5′-diphosphate has been prepared from 6-chloro-2-aminopurine riboside by a three-step synthetic process. Conversion of the chloro compound to O 6 -methylguanosine using sodium methoxide was followed by enzymatic phosphorylation of the riboside to form the 5′-monophosphate. The diphosphate was synthesized from the monophosphate through an imidazolidate intermediate. O 6 -Methylguanosine 5′-diphosphate proved to be a good substrate for polynucleotide phosphorylase, yielding a high molecular weight homopolymer with an s 20 value of 9 at pH 11.
Rise time gated leading edge trigger for improved timing of monoenergetic gamma rays with Ge detectors

Abstract With monoenergetic gamma rays on planar Ge(Li) detectors, it is possible to achieve timing accuracy very close to the theoretical limit despite the low initial slope of the charge signals and the increasing probability of slope change as bias levels are increased. A rise-time gating circuit permits biasing a leading-edge trigger above the initial “toe” by rejecting those signals that experience a slope change below the bias level. Line widths of 770 ps fwhm and 1.5 ns fw 1 10 m have been achieved with 511 keV gamma rays, a 10 pF planar detector and a plastic scintintillation counter.