cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathology Informatics Questions and Answers From the University of Pittsburgh Pathology Residency Informatics Rotation

Abstract Context.—Effective pathology practice increasingly requires familiarity with concepts in medical informatics that may cover a broad range of topics, for example, traditional clinical information systems, desktop and Internet computer applications, and effective protocols for computer security. To address this need, the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa) includes a full-time, 3-week rotation in pathology informatics as a required component of pathology residency training. Objective.—To teach pathology residents general informatics concepts important in pathology practice. Design.—We assess the efficacy of the rotation in communicating these concepts using a short-answer examination administered at the end of the rotation. Because the increasing use of computers and the Internet in education and general communications prior to residency training has the potential to communicate key concepts that might not need additional coverage in the rotation, we have also evaluated incoming residents' in...
Debiasing Insights from Process Tests

Most of the articles appearing in JCR that are characterized as behavioral decision theory (BDT) address some kind of bias or deviation from normative decision making. In addition to pointing out biases, these articles often examine underlying decision processes. We leverage approaches that researchers have used to understand process for insights into when and how biases can be corrected. We argue that some of these biases can be corrected by directly altering the decision maker's conscious processes, while other biases can be corrected more indirectly by altering the decision environment.
Refereed paper: Trusted computing update

This is the second paper of a series of three related papers that examine contemporary information technology concepts. The first paper examined how the security community developed the accepted concepts and criteria, looked at changes currently ongoing, and provided insight into the driving forces and probable directions. This paper presents contemporary thinking about object management and summarizes vertical and horizontal extensions to the Trusted Computing Base (TCB) concept.
Sol-gel synthesis of zirconia barrier coatings

A method for applying zirconia barrier coatings using a sol-gel method is described. The coatings of 8 wt % yttria-stabilized zirconia are applied by spin coating a solution containing zirconium alkoxides and yttrium acetate on to stainless steel substrates. Crystallization of the films was observed for thermal treatments in the range 750 to 1050° C. Excellent adhesion at the interface, due to significant coating-substrate interfacial reactions, indicates that this sol-gel route is a feasible method for applying zirconia coatings.
Transnationalising decolonisation: the print media, American public spheres and France’s imperial exit in West Africa

Between 1958 and 1960, all of France's colonies in West Africa became independent. While recent historical studies have shed light on the sociopolitical developments that led to the collapse of the French empire in this part of Africa, very few of them have explored the American or other third-party dimensions of this process. In so doing, they have confined the story of decolonisation to an exclusive Franco-African affair. Using a transnational historical approach, this article argues that a number of US public spheres, including various newspapers contributed to the decolonisation saga in French West Africa. This was carried out through their performative coverage of the colonial situation. Although the French imperial state attempted to hold back the tide of anti-colonial sentiment in the USA through judicious public relations campaigns that targeted American public opinion and policy-makers, its efforts proved largely illusory.
KinImmerse: Macromolecular VR for NMR ensembles

In molecular applications, virtual reality (VR) and immersive virtual environments have generally been used and valued for the visual and interactive experience – to enhance intuition and communicate excitement – rather than as part of the actual research process. In contrast, this work develops a software infrastructure for research use and illustrates such use on a specific case. The Syzygy open-source toolkit for VR software was used to write the KinImmerse program, which translates the molecular capabilities of the kinemage graphics format into software for display and manipulation in the DiVE (Duke immersive Virtual Environment) or other VR system. KinImmerse is supported by the flexible display construction and editing features in the KiNG kinemage viewer and it implements new forms of user interaction in the DiVE. In addition to molecular visualizations and navigation, KinImmerse provides a set of research tools for manipulation, identification, co-centering of multiple models, free-form 3D annotation, and output of results. The molecular research test case analyzes the local neighborhood around an individual atom within an ensemble of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) models, enabling immersive visual comparison of the local conformation with the local NMR experimental data, including target curves for residual dipolar couplings (RDCs). The promise of KinImmerse for production-level molecular research in the DiVE is shown by the locally co-centered RDC visualization developed there, which gave new insights now being pursued in wider data analysis.
The role of collective inertias in heavy ion fusion

Abstract The role of collective inertias in determining the fusion excitation function for heavy ions is investigated. We use a generalized trajectory calculation which allows for a fully dynamical treatment of collective deformations. It is shown that for high bombarding energies, the cross section is sensitive to the choice of collective inertias. For comparison with experiment we chose the symmetric system 40 Ca+ 40 Ca.
Influence of calcium administration on the short-term hemodynamic and anti-ischemic effects of nifedipine

Abstract This prospective study investigated whether pretreatment with intravenously administered calcium would influence the effect of nifedipine on rest hemodynamics and treadmill performance in patients with ischemic heart disease. Seventeen patients were studied after undergoing a qualifying treadmill exercise test that revealed ST segment depression indicative of ischemic heart disease. Study subjects performed three additional treadmill tests as part of the protocol. One treadmill test was obtained from each patient to provide baseline measurements without a preceding intravenous infusion and in the absence of all antianginal drugs including nifedipine; two additional exercise tests were preceded by an infusion and 10 mg of bite-and-swallow nifedipine. The infusions, administered in a randomized, double-blind, crossover fashion, consisted of either 10 ml of 10% calcium chloride (13.6 mEq) in 50 ml of 5% dextrose in water or 5% dextrose in water alone. Rest systolic blood pressure (134 ± 4.6 mm Hg) was unchanged after placebo infusion (135 ± 4.6 mm Hg) but decreased to 124 ± 4.1 mm Hg (p Exercise duration was longer (p Conclusions: Calcium administration was associated with a significant increase in systolic blood pressure in patients with ischemic heart disease. Nifedipine reversed the increase in blood pressure induced by calcium but systolic pressure did not decrease below baseline values. By electrocardiographic criteria, treadmill performance was still improved compared with baseline values when administration of nifedipine was preceded by calcium.
The omission of unconditional cooperators: A critique of Gauthier's argument for constrained maximization

David Gauthier, in his book Morals By Agreement, argues that it is rational to adopt the disposition of constrained maximization (CM) rather than the disposition of straightforward maximization (SM).1 In this essay, I argue that Gauthier's recommended disposition of CM is not rational, in the sense of maximizing expected utility. As I show, in a world in which everyone knows the disposition of others, the policy of constrained maximization may not maximize expected utility, depending upon the percentage of unconditional cooperators, a factor Gauthier fails to take into account in his argument. Furthermore, since it is unrealistic to suppose that everyone knows the disposition of others, even if there are the appropriate number of unconditional cooperators in the population, the argument for constrained maximization is empty, because it has no real-world application. In a more realistic world where everyone has no more than (well-founded) opinions about the disposition of others, it is nearly impossible for constrained maximization to maximize expected utility. Gauthier's argument fails because it does not allow for the existence of unconditional cooperators. Gauthier defines Constrained maximization as the policy of basing one's action on a strategy of cooperation with others(s) in a PD, provided one expects the other(s) to cooperate also. Constrained maximization is a policy of conditional cooperation to be employed on the condition of expected cooperation. A constrained maximizer (CM) is an individual who has chosen to take on the disposition of constrained maximization, that is, the individual is ready to cooperate conditionally.
Lossless compression of multispectral image data

While spatial correlations are adequately exploited by standard lossless image compression techniques, little success has been attained in exploiting spectral correlations when dealing with multispectral image data. The authors present some new lossless image compression techniques that capture spectral correlations as well as spatial correlation in a simple and elegant manner. The schemes are based on the notion of a prediction tree, which defines a noncausal prediction model for an image. The authors present a backward adaptive technique and a forward adaptive technique. They then give a computationally efficient way of approximating the backward adaptive technique. The approximation gives good results and is extremely easy to compute. Simulation results show that for high spectral resolution images, significant savings can be made by using spectral correlations in addition to spatial correlations. Furthermore, the increase in complexity incurred in order to make these gains is minimal. >
IS ASSIMILATION THEORY DEAD? THE EFFECT OF ASSIMILATION ON ADOLESCENT WELL-BEING.

The relationship between assimilation and the well-being of immigrant children has been the focus of debate in the recent sociological literature. Much of this work has questioned whether classical theories of immigrant adaptation, which assumed assimilation to be an integral part of the process of upward mobility for immigrants, are still applicable to today’s immigrant children. This study reevaluates the applicability of classical assimilation theory with a comprehensive empirical assessment of the relationship between assimilation and the well-being of Hispanic and Asian immigrant adolescents. Using Add Health data, we examine the effect of different aspects of assimilation on educational achievement, psychological well-being, and at-risk behaviors. We find that the effect of assimilation varies greatly depending on the ethnic group and outcome under consideration, but that it is generally related to both greater academic achievement and more at-risk behavior. We conclude that assimilation theory is still relevant, but suggest an interpretation that emphasizes a process of decreasing differences between groups rather than either detrimental or beneficial effects of assimilation.
7. Adeno-Associated Virus Type 2 (AAV2) Contains an Integrin alpha5beta1 Recognition Sequence Essential for Viral Cell Entry

Integrins have been implicated as co-receptors in the infectious pathways of several non-enveloped viruses. For example, adenoviruses are known to interact with several alphaV integrins by virtue of a high affinity arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) domain present in the penton base of the capsid. In case of adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2), which lacks this RGD motif, integrin alpha Vbeta5 has been identified as a co-receptor for cellular entry. However, the molecular determinants of AAV2 capsid-integrin interactions and the potential exploitation of alternative integrins as co-receptors by AAV2 have not been determined thus far. In this report, we demonstrate that integrin alpha5beta1 serves as an alternative co-receptor for AAV2 infection in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Such interactions are mediated by a highly conserved asparagine-glycine-arginine (NGR) motif known to bind alpha5beta1 integrin with moderate affinity. Mutation of this domain reduces transduction efficiency by 10-fold ompared with wild type AAV2 in vitro and in vivo. Further characterization of mutant and wild type AAV2 capsids using cell surface and solid phase binding assays, peptide inhibition studies, and transduction assays in cell lines lacking specific integrins confirmed the role of the NGR motif in promoting AAV2-integrin interactions. Molecular modeling studies suggest that the NGR domain forms a surface loop located at the three-fold axis of symmetry adjacent to residues previously implicated in binding heparan sulfate, the primary receptor for AAV2. Based on the aforementioned results, we propose that cellular internalization of AAV2 follows a |[ldquo]|click-to-fit|[rdquo]| mechanism that involves co-operative binding of heparan sulfate and alpha5beta1 integrin receptors by the AAV2 capsid.
Magnetic and electronic transport properties of the monophosphate tungsten bronze (PO2)4(WO3)2m, m = 2

Abstract Large plate-like dark-brown crystals of monophosphate tungsten bronze (PO 2 ) 4 (WO 3 ) 2 m , m = 2 or PWO 5 were prepared by reacting stoichiometric mixtures of P 2 O 5 , WO 3 , and W at 1200°C. The temperature dependence of electrical resistivity along each of the three unique crystallographic axes of a single crystal shows semiconducting behavior down to 50 K with an activation energy of ∼0.084 eV. The room temperature resistivitity along the direction of corner sharing WO 6 octahedra is 5 × 10 −3 Ω · cm and about one to two orders of magnitude lower than along other unique directions, which implies quasi one-dimensional behavior. The magnetization study made on a batch of crystals in the temperature range of 2 to 300 K is indicative of antiferromagnetic ordering with a maximum at 15 K. An earlier theoretical study on the band electronic structure of (PO 2 ) 4 (WO 3 ) 4 predicted both localized and delocalized electrons in narrow and dispersive bands, respectively. The observed magnetic moment of PWO 5 is consistent with the theoretical prediction, but the observed semiconductivity behavior is not. The difference in the observed electronic transport properties of PWO 5 from that of theoretically predicted behavior, as well as the anomalous magnetic and transport properties compared to the higher members of the series of the monophosphate tungsten bronzes {(PO 2 ) 4 (WO 3 ) 2 m , m = 4, 6}, is discussed in terms of the unique structure of PWO 5 .
Solubility Profiles for Several Barbiturates in Hydroalcoholic Mixtures

The solubilities of eight physiologically active barbiturates were determined in binary mixtures of alcohol and water. The solubility curves for these substances varied, showing either solubility maxima or asymptotic solubility isotherms. The dielectric requirement of the barbiturates investigated illustrated an approximate inverse relationship with the number of carbon atoms in the molecule. A similar correlation was found with the solubilities in pure water, with the ratios of the solubilities in ethanol, and at the dielectric requirement to the solubility in water. The therapeutic indexes of duration of action and the period of time involved between administration of the drug and the time when the activity is first manifested increased as the relative polarity of these barbiturates declined. An approximate correlation between activity and solubility ratios is considered.
In brief: classifications in brief: Mirels' classification: metastatic disease in long bones and impending pathologic fracture.

The earliest efforts to predict the risk of an impending fracture in the presence of tumor dates to the 1960s [1–3, 10, 11]. Although some of the earlier studies made positive contributions, they lacked supportive statistical evidence. Later, several larger and well-documented studies were designed to identify the features of an impending pathologic fracture [4, 7, 8]. Although the statistical power of the later studies was improved, they failed to reach an agreement regarding specific criteria on which to base the decision of prophylactic fixation. It was not until 1989 when Hilton Mirels proposed a rating system to classify pathologic fracture risk [12].
Space-Time Spectral Structure of a GLAS General Circulation Model and a Comparison with Observations

The wavenumber-frequency spectra of geopotential height computed from a winter simulation of a general circulation model are compared with the observed winter spectra averaged over 15 winters. The space and time scales studied include: (1) stationary planetary waves; (2) stationary synoptic-scale waves; (3) low-frequency planetary waves; (4) low frequency synoptic-scale waves; (5) medium-frequency planetary waves; and (6) medium frequency synoptic-scale waves. Variances in these categories are presented and their distributions with latitude and height are discussed.
Computer Information System For Nuclear Medicine

To meet the complex needs of a nuclear medicine division serving a 1100-bed hospital, a computer information system has been developed in sequential phases. This database management system is based on a time-shared minicomputer linked to a broadband communications network. The database contains information on patient histories, billing, types of procedures, doses of radiopharmaceuticals, times of study, scanning equipment used, and technician performing the procedure. These patient records are cycled through three levels of storage: (a) an active file of 100 studies for those patients currently scheduled, (b) a temporary storage level of 1000 studies, and (c) an archival level of 10,000 studies containing selected information. Merging of this information with reports and various statistical analyses are possible. This first phase has been in operation for well over a year. The second phase is an upgrade of the size of the various storage levels by a factor of ten.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Texture development in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy current leads

Abstract Isothermal melt processing has been used to partially texture bulk samples of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O y (Bi-2212). Anisotropic growth of Bi-2212 occurs from the partial melt in the presence of an oxygen gradient. The orientational preference is for the c -axis of the Bi-2212 grains to align perpendicular to the oxygen gradient. However, the one-dimensional nature of the oxygen gradient does not result in uniaxial texture. Incorporation of a set of silver plates aligned parallel to the oxygen gradient was found to provide the second texturing mechanism needed to improve grain-to-grain alignment and start the development of uniaxial texture within bulk Bi-2212 bars. Texture within the bars was investigated by anisotropy measurements of the critical current in applied magnetic fields and compared to previously published results on Bi-2212 films. At liquid nitrogen temperatures, the presence of partial texture in the bulk Bi-2212 bars was found to increase the performance in applied fields by a factor of two relative to the untextured current leads. However, comparison of the bulk-textured bar to the Bi-2212 film revealed that the bar has a significantly larger spread in grain orientations than does the 50 μm thick film.
Why FRET about Ran

Abstract The Ran GTPase drives nucleocytoplasmic transport, stabilizes mitotic spindles, and catalyzes nuclear envelope formation. A unifying explanation of these functions is that RanGTP produces an organizing field or "atmosphere" around chromatin and acts as a spatial marker. This RanGTP field has now been visualized using fluorescent biosensors.
Rural Reference Laboratory Possible Through Web-Based Technology

©John Rhoades is the laboratory director at Marquette General Health System (MGHS), located in rural Marquette, MI (population 22,000) in the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. He states that laboratory processing and business opportunities are as readily available in small-town settings as in major metropolitan areas. His reasoning is based on Marquette General’s reference laboratory use of new Web-based technology (called UPCare Reference Lab) that has made ordering and reviewing reference laboratory results as simple as clicking on a computer mouse. In 1994, the reference laboratory program began at Marquette General, and in its early beginning, it served only 2 client hospitals. In 1995, the Upper Peninsula Health Care Network—a consortium of peninsula hospitals that came together to maximize purchasing power, improve operational efficiencies, and help alleviate expenses incurred by member hospitals—was formed. At that time, Marquette General—the Upper Peninsula’s largest health care provider that treats more than 11,000 inpatients and 420,000 outpatients annually— began to actively market its reference laboratory services. A federally designated regional referral center, MGHS is a 352-bed specialty care hospital that offers 54 specialties and sub-specialties under the care of 200-plus physicians. The volume, depth, and breadth of specimens processed by the laboratory positioned it well to provide reference laboratory services to other facilities. “We went after the reference lab business as a way to improve our revenue stream, and counter what we perceived as a threat from national labs that would result in lab carveouts,” Rhoades said. “We knew we would lose business. So, we became pro-active and developed an entrepreneurial attitude to create some business of our own by courting new clients, and we were successful.”
Pooled RCTs: β-blockers reduce mortality in heart failure patients with sinus rhythm but not in those with AF

Source Citation Kotecha D, Holmes J, Krum H, et al; Beta-Blockers in Heart Failure Collaborative Group. Efficacy of β blockers in patients with heart failure plus atrial fibrillation: an individual...
Integrating shape into an interactive segmentation framework

This paper presents a novel interactive annotation toolbox which extends a well-known user-steered segmentation framework, namely Intelligent Scissors (IS). IS, posed as a shortest path problem, is essentially driven by lower level image based features. All the higher level knowledge about the problem domain is obtained from the user through mouse clicks. The proposed work integrates one higher level feature, namely shape up to a rigid transform, into the IS framework, thus reducing the burden on the user and the subjectivity involved in the annotation procedure, especially during instances of occlusions, broken edges, noise and spurious boundaries. The above mentioned scenarios are commonplace in medical image annotation applications and, hence, such a tool will be of immense help to the medical community. As a first step, an offline training procedure is performed in which a mean shape and the corresponding shape variance is computed by registering training shapes up to a rigid transform in a level-set framework. The user starts the interactive segmentation procedure by providing a training segment, which is a part of the target boundary. A partial shape matching scheme based on a scale-invariant curvature signature is employed in order to extract shape correspondences and subsequently predict the shape of the unsegmented target boundary. A ‘zone of confidence’ is generated for the predicted boundary to accommodate shape variations. The method is evaluated on segmentation of digital chest x-ray images for lung annotation which is a crucial step in developing algorithms for screening Tuberculosis.
The use of human milk for premature infants

In its 1997 policy statement on the use of human milk, the American Academy of Pediatrics acknowledged that human milk is beneficial in the management of premature infants. 19 The beneficial effects generally relate to improvements in host defenses, digestion and absorption of nutrients, gastrointestinal function, neurodevelopmental outcomes, and maternal psychological well-being; however, the special needs of premature infants that arise as a result of metabolic and gastrointestinal immaturity, immunologic compromise, and associated medical conditions must be considered so that adequate nutrition can be provided to meet the needs for intrauterine rates of growth and nutrient accretion. 70 Human milk satisfies most of the needs of premature infants if careful attention is given to nutritional status. This article focuses on the benefits of feeding human milk and the practical approaches that meet the nutritional needs of premature infants.
Objective evidence and absence: comment on Sober

Elliott Sober argues that the statistical slogan “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence” cannot be taken literally: it must be interpreted charitably as claiming that the absence of evidence is (typically) not very much evidence of absence. I offer an alternative interpretation, on which the slogan claims that absence of evidence is (typically) not objective evidence of absence. I sketch a definition of objective evidence, founded in the notion of an epistemically objective likelihood, and I show that in Sober’s paradigm case, the slogan can, on this understanding, be sustained.
DIDS protects against neuronal injury by blocking Toll‐like receptor 2 activated‐mechanisms

Using an in vitro ischemia model (ischemic solution; IS model) that induces penumbral cell death, we examined the effect of 4,4'-diisothio-cyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS) on cell injury/death and underlying molecular mechanisms. Propidium iodide (PI) uptake was used to quantify cell death in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures. A 24-h IS exposure caused a fivefold increase in mean PI fluorescence intensity. DIDS, dose-dependently (1-4000 microM), reduced the IS-induced PI uptake in hippocampal CA1 neurons with an IC(50) of 26 microM. This protective effect of DIDS was reversible and effective even 6 h following the onset of IS treatment. Gene expression profiling studies indicated that among approximately 46,000 transcripts tested, the most significantly up-regulated gene by IS was interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) which was also the most significantly down-regulated gene when DIDS was added to the IS-treated slices. The addition of a recombinant IL-1 receptor antagonist (100 microg/mL) or neutralizing IL-1beta antibody significantly attenuated the IS-induced cell death, indicating that the up-regulation of IL-1beta with IS treatment contributed to the IS-induced cell death. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), another gene that was significantly up-regulated by IS and suppressed by DIDS, was studied to determine whether it was related to the IL-1beta up-regulation. Indeed, this was the case as the IS-induced IL-1beta up-regulation was abolished in TLR2-/- mouse brain slices. Furthermore, the IS-induced cell death was significantly reduced in TLR2-/- when compared with that in wild-type slices, indicating that TLR2 is functionally upstream of IL-1beta in this IS model. We conclude that (i) IS up-regulates TLR2 expression and augments TLR2 signaling, causing over-expression of IL-1beta which leads to cell death and (ii) DIDS blocks IS-induced neuronal injury, at least partially, by suppressing the TLR2 pathway.
Appearance potential study of Nd2Fe14B

Abstract Soft X-ray appearance potential spectroscopy has been exploited to study the electronic structure of Nd 2 Fe 14 B alloy. The binding energies of the L 3 level of iron and the M 5 level of neodymium in the intermetallic exhibit positive and negative chemical shifts respectively relative to their elemental values. The full width at half maximum of the iron L 3 level peak also increases. The changes are interpreted in terms of the charge transfer from iron to neodymium and are in agreement with the theoretical calculations of the electronic structure of the Nd 2 Fe 14 B intermetallic.
Optimization of culture conditions for human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

Abstract Approximately 20 years ago the first child conceived with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer was born in England. Although overall pregnancy rates and delivery rates after IVF have improved over the years, success between IVF clinics can vary as much as tenfold. The factors that influence the success rate include type of patient, ovarian stimulation protocol, quality of oocytes, culture conditions, handling of gametes and embryos, quality of embryos, embryo transfer technique, and endometrial receptivity. Culture conditions and handling of gametes and embryos will be reviewed with the hope of improving success of human IVF. The ongoing clinical pregnancy rates in our program increased from about 30% in 1995 and 1996 to about 50% in 1997. Improved embryo culture conditions and embryo cryopreservation technology should not only increase fresh but also frozen-thawed embryo transfer pregnancy. This will make IVF efficient and cost-effective while achieving high overall pregnancy rates with lower multiple pregnancy rates.
Connecting nitrogenase intermediates with the kinetic scheme for N2 reduction by a relaxation protocol and identification of the N2 binding state

A major obstacle to understanding the reduction of N2 to NH3 by nitrogenase has been the impossibility of synchronizing electron delivery to the MoFe protein for generation of specific enzymatic intermediates. When an intermediate is trapped without synchronous electron delivery, the number of electrons, n, it has accumulated is unknown. Consequently, the intermediate is untethered from kinetic schemes for reduction, which are indexed by n. We show that a trapped intermediate itself provides a “synchronously prepared” initial state, and its relaxation to the resting state at 253 K, conditions that prevent electron delivery to MoFe protein, can be analyzed to reveal n and the nature of the relaxation reactions. The approach is applied to the “H+/H− intermediate” (A) that appears during turnover both in the presence and absence of N2 substrate. A exhibits an S = ½ EPR signal from the active-site iron–molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co) to which are bound at least two hydrides/protons. A undergoes two-step relaxation to the resting state (C): A → B → C, where B has an S = 3/2 FeMo-co. Both steps show large solvent kinetic isotope effects: KIE ≈ 3–4 (85% D2O). In the context of the Lowe–Thorneley kinetic scheme for N2 reduction, these results provide powerful evidence that H2 is formed in both relaxation steps, that A is the catalytically central state that is activated for N2 binding by the accumulation of n = 4 electrons, and that B has accumulated n = 2 electrons.
First impressions of talking rates in opposite-sex and same-sex interactions

Four experiments were conducted in which subjects evaluated people who talked 20, 50 or 80% of the time in opposite-sex or same-sex interactions. Multivariate analysis of results showed that first impressions of talking rate can be understood in terms of a "potency" dimension and a "liking" dimension. People who talked 80% of the time were evaluated as being domineering, outgoing, selfish, inconsiderate, inattentive, impolite, cold, and disliked by the other person. People talking 50% of the time were evaluated as being likeable, attentive, polite, and warm. People talking 20% of the time were evaluated as being submissive, introverted, unselfish and unintelligent. There was no interaction between speaker sex and amount of talking in opposite-sex dyads. Males in same-sex interactions were evaluated as being cold when they spoke 20% of the time and females in same-sex interactions were evaluated as being cold, inattentive, and intelligent when they spoke 80% of the time. Suggestions were given for an attributional study of talking rate.
The Transition to Democratic Government in Brazil

Brazil experienced both economic prosperity and political repression in the 1970s. When the “miracle” faltered after the oil shocks, however, repression came to be viewed as neither politically effective nor conducive to further economic growth. Workers, whose incomes had risen during the “economic miracle,” began to seek political freedom as well. The church, a strong proponent of liberation theology, also played an important role by supporting the poor in their struggle. In addition, the elite pressured for liberalization when they perceived that their control over economic rewards was being eroded by increasing state domination of the economy.The elite may now be more responsive to mass demands in order to preclude the return of military control. Their ability to respond will be largely determined by international factors over which Brazil has little influence.
An autoradiographic study of sperm exchange and storage in a sea hare,Phyllaplysia taylori, a hermaphroditic gastropod (Opisthobranchia: Anaspidea)

Tritiated thymidine autoradiography was used to distinguish exogenous from endogenous sperm and to determine the translocations of labeled sperm within the simultaneously hermaphroditic, reciprocally copulating gastropod Phyllaplysia taylori. Heavily labeled sperm start leaving the ovotestis within 14 days after injection of H3-thymidine. These endogenous sperm are stored, evidently less than 20 days, in the ampulla prior to copulation. During copulation the endogenous sperm are tightly bound to one another by extracellular material forming a seminal strand. This seminal strand is moved by ciliary action along the spermoviduct fold and genital groove to the tip of the extended penis. As the seminal strand issues from the tip of the labeled animal's penis into the copulatory duct of an unlabeled mate, the extracellular material of the strand dissolves, releasing the now exogenous sperm (some of which are labeled). Most of the labeled exogenous sperm are found in the seminal receptacle within two hours after copulation. Within five hours some of these sperm have become oriented with their heads buried into the receptacle lining. Surplus exogenous sperm flow into the copulatory bursa where they are destroyed.
Estrogen withdrawal induces macrophage invasion in the rabbit corpus luteum.

Macrophages within the corpus luteum are associated with spontaneous luteal regression in a number of species. However, an understanding of the consequences of macrophage recruitment on the functional capacity and responsiveness of the luteal tissue has remained elusive. Here we investigate the temporal appearance of macrophages and their potential impact in corpora lutea of rabbits, in which a rapid fall in progesterone synthesis and premature regression of the corpus luteum are initiated by withdrawal of the luteotropic hormone estradiol-17beta. Removal of estradiol implants, placed subcutaneously, induced a significant increase in the average number of macrophages per high-power field (hpf) in corpora lutea (p 0.05) between corpora lutea of estradiol-maintained rabbits and those of estradiol-replaced rabbits despite obvious differences in numbers of luteal macrophages (2 +/- 1 vs. 42 +/- 10 macrophages/hpf, respectively; p < 0.05). We conclude that the entry/recruitment of macrophages into the rabbit corpus luteum is sensitive to the luteotropic hormone estradiol-17beta and that the presence of macrophages does not preclude the continuation of progesterone production in surviving luteal tissue revitalized after estradiol removal/replacement.
Senate confirmation of appointments to the cabinet and executive office of the president

Abstract Appointments to senior-level executive positions are at times the subjects of disagreement between the president and Congress. Recent changes in the nature of the executive-legislative relationship in American government are reflected in the manner in which the Senate exercises its power to confirm nominations to executive offices. Presidents since Nixon have found greater proportions of their nominations encountering significant opposition in the Senate. More importantly, questions of public policy—once viewed as inappropriate—have come to dominate confirmation deliberations. As a result, the confirmation process is best viewed as an extension of the policy struggles between the White House and Capitol Hill and one mechanism at the legislature's disposal for exercising control over the executive branch.
The Windows Computer Experience Questionnaire

Windows environments are growing increasingly popular in both academia and industry. Despite the proliferation of these software programs, however, means of systematically determining an individual's experience in a Windows environment are seemingly non-existent. To address this problem we have developed the Windows Computer Experience Questionnaire (WCEQ). This paper describes the questionnaire and the procedures used to establish reliability and validity for the WCEQ. The WCEQ was administered to 82 participants and then re-administered 1-week later. The questionnaire was easy and quick to administer. It also provided a range of results reflecting the inherent diversity in computer experience of the group studied. Split-half and test-retest results indicated that the WCEQ has high internal consistency and is a reliable tool for measuring a user's knowledge of Windows environments. Furthermore, initial validity studies in a follow-up study provided evidence of the instrument's construct validity.
Results of therapy with interferon alpha and cyclic combination chemotherapy in patients with philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukemia in early chronic phase.

The objective of the study was to investigate the toxicity and efficacy of cyclic combination therapy offered to patients with Ph-positive CML having a sub-optimal response to IFN-α. Patients in early chronic phase CML were treated with IFN-α at 5MU/m2 daily. Patients who did not achieve cytogenetic response after 6 months of IFN-α therapy, or Ph-suppression to less than 35% Ph-positive cells (partial cytogenetic response) after 12 months of therapy were offered cyclic intensive chemotherapy every 6 months, with IFN-α maintenance between cycles. The initial 3 cycles included daunorubicin, vincristine, cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) and prednisone (DOAP). Later cycles were given with cyclophosphamide replacing daunorubicin (COAP).Of 74 patients treated, 61 (82%) achieved complete hematologic response (CHR): 51 (69%) had a cytogenetic response, which was major (Ph < 35%) in 31 (42%), and complete in 23 (31%). Fifty-five patients (74%) achieved CHR by 6 months of therapy, 38 (69%; 51% of total) with a cytogene...
Application of H 2 Control to the MIT SERC Interferometer Testbed

In this paper the experimental results of a multivariable, two input-two output, digital, H 2 controller applied to the M.I.T. Space Engineering Research Center's Interferometer testbed are presented. The testbed is a lightly damped truss structure with a disturbance rejection performance objective. To arrive for design purposes at a high fidelity model of the Interferometer testbed, a system identification technique that uses transfer function measurements was used. Next, a frequency-weighted H 2 controller was designed, reduced to 38 states, and digitally implemented on the testbed. The inclusion of the frequency weight in the compensator synthesis resulted in a controller that achieved decent disturbance-rejection performance over the entire range of modeled dynamics and was gain-stabilized for stability-robustness to the higher frequency unmodeled dynamics.
DEFINING THE IMPACT OF PREVENTION AND IMPROVED MANAGEMENT UPON STROKE MORTALITY

Stroke mortality in developed countries has significantly declined. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate a cross-sectional model of aging and mortality with which the impact of prevention and improved management upon stroke mortality can be quantified. Stroke mortality in the U.S. between 1951 and 1988 among whites aged 20-85 years was analyzed using the Strehler-Mildvan modification of the Gompertz relationship between aging and mortality. Between 1951 and 1988, environmental (non-genetic) influences upon U.S. stroke mortality declined 16.4% among white men and 22.16% among white women. Cross-sectional mortality analysis may be necessary to eliminate the effect of differential survival bias inherent in cohort mortality analysis.
Similar Solutions in Vibrational Nonequilibrium Nozzle Flows

Abstract : The problem of obtaining similar solutions in pseudo-one-dimensional nozzle flows with vibrational relaxation is considered. The governing equations are transformed into a similar form by using a new similarity parameter eta so that the nonequilibrium flow solutions depend on two parameters for a given kind of gas. However, the similar equations are further reduced to a universal form by a transformation of the independent variable ETA to xi such that the similar solutions, for all combinations of initial conditions and for a defined family of nozzle shapes, depend on a single parameter chi which are then presented in a single graph. It is also shown that the equilibrium solutions depend on only one parameter xi. The parameters xi and chi are also the exact, general correlating parameters. With the present similar solutions the flow quantities in a nozzle are readily determined without resorting to complex computer programs.
Theoretical Study of Intermediates in the Urate Oxidase Reaction

Abstract The energetics of the urate oxidase reaction has been studied employing HF, MP2, and DFT calculations. Gas-phase energies of possible urate oxidase reaction intermediates were calculated; radical species and dehydrourate had high relative energies while 5-hydroperoxy isourate was stable in the gas phase. Significant stabilization of the initial radical pair relative to reactants occurred in an aqueous environment, suggesting that oxidation of urate in water proceeds via a single-electron transfer pathway. The possibility of enzyme catalysis through proton abstraction from urate has been investigated by comparing the calculated properties of uric acid, urate monoanion, and urate dianion. Results indicate that ionization of uric acid is accompanied by polarization of the central carbon–carbon double bond and weaker binding of valence electrons.
Electrostatic Discharge Protection for RF Integrated Circuits: New ESD Design Challenges

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit design for radio-frequency (RF) integrated circuits emerges as a new design challenge. Yet currently, RF ESD protection is still a problem in definition. This paper proposes a new and comprehensive ESD-circuit interaction theory to address the complex mutual influences between the ESD protection networks and the circuits being protected in both directions. Design examples demonstrating the relevant key factors, e.g., switching and accidental triggering of ESD protection networks, as well as ESD-induced parasitic capacitive, resistive, noise coupling and self-generated noise effects, are provided to justify the new theory. Evaluation techniques, including s-parameter, Q-factor and overall specification examination, are discussed. The solutions to RF ESD protection are low-parasitic compact protection structures.
Kinetic-Studies and Process Analysis of the Reactive Compatibilization of Nylon-6 Polypropylene Blends

This article describes a study on the reactive compatibilization of nylon 6 (N6) and polypropylene (PP) blends through a functionalized PP. A graft copolymer was formed in-situ by reacting an acid modified PP with N6 during blend compounding. The compatibilization reactions are studied in detail. Kinetics were estimated by means of experiments in a batch mixer. Three time constants were estimated, corresponding to (a) reactions, (b) melting of polymers, and (c) melt mixing. The effects of temperature and rotor speed on the reaction kinetics were also measured. There was a substantial increase in initial reaction rate, as the rotor speed was increased. Increasing the temperature did not significantly affect the reaction rate. Process parameters important for such a reactive compatibilization process were identified by statistically designed experiments in a co-roatating intermeshing twin-screw extruder. Screw speed, presence of venting, and sequence of feeding were shown to have a noticeable effect on the reactive compatibilization process during continuous compounding.
Isolation and characterization of an acidic α2-glycoprotein

Abstract Carboxymethyl cellulose columns have been adapted for isolation of homogeneus orosomucoid and a fraction rich in an acidic α 2 -glycoprotein. The acidic α 2 -glycoprotein has been isolated in a reasonably pure form from Cohn 's human plasma fraction VI by fractionation on carboxymethyl cellulose, followed by preparative paper electrophoresis at pH 4.5. This protein contained approximately 20% carbohydrate and was very rich in tryptophan. The relationship between the acidic α 2 -glycoprotein and a protein isolated by K. Schmid is discussed.
Generation of polyunsaturated fatty acids from vegetable oils using the lipase from ground oat (Avena sativa L.) seeds as A Catalyst

Ground oat seeds can serve as a source of lipase in both aqueous-oil emulsions and in organic solvents. In organic solvents the lipase lost selectivity for monounsaturated fatty acids. Because of this, polyunsaturated vegetable oils were rapidly split. The lipase source is very inexpensive and is recyclable, to a certain extent.
Legacy of the chameleon: Edible wild plants in the kingdom of Swaziland, Southern Africa. A cultural, ecological, nutritional study. Part I ‐ Introduction, objectives, methods, Swazi culture, landscape and diet

This paper presents objectives; methods; an introduction to the people, culture and diet of Swaziland, site for a cultural‐ecological study of edible wild plants. Swaziland is ethnically homogeneous, but environmentally diverse. Four distinct botanical zones are recognized: Highveld, Middleveld, Lowveld and Lubombo. Study objectives were to identify maintenance or abandonment of edible plant consumption by both Swazi adults and school children in each of the four ecological zones. Swazi diet is based on white maize. Relishes or side‐dishes are composed of meats, legumes or vegetables, but typically edible wild leaves. Most common legume is Voandzeia subterranea (bambara groundnut). Use of commercial fats is recent. Recently introduced foods include wheat bread, canned fish, carbonated beverages and tea. Prestige meat is beef. Nutritional value of traditional beer has declined because use of commercial beer powders has increased. Traditional Swazi meal patterns comprise two formal meals per day with extens...
Success factors for effective R&D risk management

A four-year field study of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) examines the organisational processes and stakeholder interactions in high-tech R&D projects. The results identify specific barriers and drivers for effective R&D risk management, providing insight into the type of organisational environment and managerial leadership conducive to dealing effectively with risk throughout the R&D project lifecycle. To be effective, managers must understand more than just the tools and techniques of ERM, they must also organise critical support functions and deal with the complex social, technical and economic issues that determine the culture and value system of the enterprise.