cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Profit-Squeeze and Tax Policy: Can the State Actively Intervene?

The argument that there will be an inevitable fall in the profit rate is most often made without reference to interventions by the state, which can use a myriad of instrument to offset a profit rate decline. In this paper I examine, by using intervention analysis techniques, the effects of changes in tax laws on the posttax profit rate in the United States. It is shown that changes in the tax laws thought to be favorable to capital did not have the desired effect of raising the posttax profit rates. Several explanations for this finding are suggested, all of which constrain the ability of the state to intervene in the market.
Alternative mind-body therapies used by adults with medical conditions.

Abstract Objective Mind–body therapies (MBT) are used by 16.6% of adults in the United States. Little is known about the patterns of and reasons for use of MBT by adults with common medical conditions. Methods We analyzed data on MBT use from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey Alternative Medicine Supplement ( n =31,044). MBT included relaxation techniques (deep breathing exercises, guided imagery, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation), yoga, tai chi, and qigong. To identify medical conditions associated with use of MBT overall and of individual MBT, we used multivariable models adjusted for sociodemographic factors, insurance status, and health habits. Among users of MBT ( n =5170), we assessed which medical conditions were most frequently treated with MBT, additional rationale for using MBT, and perceived helpfulness. Results We found a positive association between MBT use and several medical conditions including various pain syndromes and anxiety/depression. Among adults using MBT to treat specific medical conditions, MBT was most commonly used for anxiety/depression and musculoskeletal pain syndromes. More than 50% of respondents used MBT in conjunction with conventional medical care, and 20% used MBT for conditions they thought conventional medicine would not help. Overall, we found high rates (68–90%) of perceived helpfulness of MBT for specific medical conditions. Discussion MBT is commonly used by patients with prevalent medical conditions. Further research is needed to determine the reasons for widespread use of MBT for treatment of specific medical conditions and to evaluate the efficacy of MBT.
Assessing the risk to firefighters from chemical vapors and gases during vehicle fire suppression

Despite the frequent occurrence of vehicle fires, very few studies investigating firefighters' potential inhalation exposures during vehicle fire suppression have been conducted. In this paper, we present an assessment of firefighters' health risk from vehicle fire suppression that accounts for the mixture of gases and vapors likely to be found in these fires. Summa canisters were used to collect emissions from the engine and cabin fires of a single vehicle and were analyzed for 75 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Firefighters' breathing zone concentrations (BZCs) of aromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, isocyanates, and carbon monoxide were measured during the suppression of three vehicle fires. The Summa canister and BZC data were used to develop a simple model for predicting BZCs for the compounds that were not measured in the firefighters' breathing zones. Hazard quotients (HQs) were calculated by dividing the predicted and measured BZCs by the most conservative short-term exposure limits (STELs) or ceiling limits. Hazard indices (HIs) were determined by adding HQs for compounds grouped by the target organ for acute health effects. Any HIs above unity represented unacceptable risks. According to this mixture analysis, the estimated 95th percentile of the exposure distribution for the study population represents ≥9.2 times the acceptable level of risk to the respiratory tract and eyes. Furthermore, chemicals known or reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens contributed to >45% of these HIs. While STELs are not usually based on carcinogenicity, maintaining exposures below STELs may protect individuals from the biological stress that could result from short-term exposures to carcinogens over time. Although vehicle fires are suppressed quickly (<10 min), this assessment suggests that firefighters have the potential to be overexposed to acute toxins during vehicle fire suppression and should therefore wear self-contained breathing apparatus at all times during vehicle fire response.
Agricultural Distance Education in China

Abstract The writer reports on a project involving the major agricultural distance education institution in China. The Central Agricultural Broadcasting School (CABS) is a relatively new institution organized to address rural development needs as a foundation to the modernization of the country. The project, supported by an international agency, was constructed to assist CABS in strengthening its audio‐visual design and production capabilities. The writer describes the design, activities and outcome of the project, and cites the lessons learned from it. He maintains that the main reason for the positive results of the project stemmed from careful assessment of the needs of the recipient and from flexibility in adapting to different conditions arising from unforeseen circumstances often occurring in international projects.
A METHOD FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF OUTSOLE MODIFICATIONS IN THERAPEUTIC FOOTWEAR

Experiments to determine the effects of therapeutic shoe outsole modifications frequently require the examination of many different configurations and typically use in-shoe pressure measurement to determine the optimal design. A method is presented here to allow the foot-shoe interface to remain undisturbed as different outsole designs are used in the same patient. A standard extra-depth (or super extra-depth) shoe is modified to house three receptacles for quarter-turn fasteners in a carbon fiber plate. The fasteners pass through the outsole unit and secure it firmly to the plate. Results from a typical experiment are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the approach. It is possible that a large clinic could use this approach in complex cases to assist with optimal footwear prescription.
All-Digital Adaptive Clocking to Tolerate Transient Supply Noise in a Low-Voltage Operation

This paper presents an all-digital technique to modulate the system clock and local clocks in response to global and local voltage noise to prevent timing errors during low-voltage operation. The critical path replica circuits are utilized to change the clock period within a clock cycle in response to transient supply noise. Measurement in 130-nm CMOS demonstrates reliable operation of a test pipeline over a wide dc (1.3-0.74 V) voltage range. At 0.81 V, the pipeline operates without timing errors at 7.2% higher frequency even under a 189-mV transient voltage droop.
Mass and Energy Transfer between a Confined Plasma Jet and a Gaseous Coolant

Mass and energy transfer between confined plasma and coolant gas streams was studied experimentally. Argon was used as the plasma gas and nitrogen was used as the coolant gas. The temperature profiles present in the mixing region were determined by optical-spectrographic methods. Both the electronic excitation temperature of the argon atoms and the rotational temperatures of the nitrogen molecules were determined. The compositions and axial velocities present in the plasma coolant mixing region were determined by sampling probe methods. The measured nitrogen temperatures were found to be much lower than the argon temperatures present at the same point in the flow. The difference could be explained on the basis of incomplete mixing and thermal equilibration on the microscopic scale. The composition profiles indicated that direct induction of coolant into the high-velocity plasma jet and the formation of a recirculation eddy increased the mixing of plasma and coolant. From the standpoint of carrying out a chemical reaction in the plasma jet, the results indicate that the mixing of a reactant injected into a plasma jet reaction chamber with the plasma would be very rapid but that the internal energy modes of the reactant molecule might not be fully excited during the short residence time in the high-velocity flow.
An analysis of 3.5 kHz acoustic reflections and sediment physical properties

Abstract Near-bottom normal incidence acoustic reflection data and sediment physical property data are used to study the relationships between acoustic reflections and sediment physical properties. A pinger-hydrophone experiment was performed to obtain the necessary acoustic reflection data. In addition, a standard piston core was retrieved in the acoustic survey area for physical property analysis. The piston core was sampled and 13 properties were measured at 55 locations within the top 12 m of the core. Correlation studies amongst the sediment physical properties resulted in the following strong correlations: acoustic impedance ( Z ) and porosity ( N ), (0.96); water content ( WC ) and Z , (0.95); bulk density ( BD ) and Z , (0.99). The empirical orthonormal function (EOF) method was employed for acoustic signal analysis. This method assumes no a-priori models of the sediment or causality. The EOF method reduced the acoustic data to 8 functions that contained 97.6% of the sample variance. The EOFs were subsequently analysed by using cepstrum analysis which reveals time delay information and enhances detecting zones of reflectivity. The result of the sediment physical property and cepstrum analysis indicates that zones of reflectivity are essentially zones of relatively high acoustic impedance, low porosity, and low phi (high mean grain size).
Preparation of neutron dosimeters for reactors

Neutron activation is a very important and widely used method for the determination of reactor neutron flux and energy spectra. To optimize this technique a high purity and repetitive source of materials should be established. At the present time ORNL can supply flux and spectra monitors of 45Sc, 235U, 237Np, 238Pu, 239Pu, 240Pu, and 241Pu of purities greater than 99.4% in isotopic enrichment and in most cases greater than 99.9%. These monitors, encapsulated in 99.995%pure vanadium, when shipped have been leak tested to <10−4cm3/sec and oven tested to 800 °C, microscopically examined for flaws, marked for identification, and the amounts of fissionble materials contained therein are known to <±0.5%. The contamination on the outside of the capsule is <3 dis/min alpha. The plutonium monitors are doubly encapsulated while all other materials are contained in a single capsule.
A neural network approach for safety and collision avoidance in robotic systems

A major factor which has limited the application of robots in industrial and human service applications has been the lack of robust sensing and control algorithms for detection and prevention of collision conditions. This paper discusses an approach to the collision avoidance control of robots using a neural network methodology for the integration of sensory input data from the robot's environment. The paper presents a formulation of the collision avoidance problem using the occupancy grid formulation, and discusses the use of a combination of Dempster-Shafer inference and neural networks in fusing the sensory information and making robot movement decisions. Initial studies have shown this approach to be both robust and computationally tractable in providing enhanced safety capabilities.
Connoisseur's Choice: Luanheite: Elisa de Bordos Mine, Northern Chile

(2002). Connoisseur's Choice: Luanheite: Elisa de Bordos Mine, Northern Chile. Rocks & Minerals: Vol. 77, No. 2, pp. 120-122.
Perspective: Selected Benchmarks From Commercial CFD Codes

This paper summarizes the results of a series of five benchmark simulations which were completed using commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes. These simulations were performed by the vendors themselves, and then reported by them in ASME`s CFD Triathlon Forum and CFD Biathlon Forum. The first group of benchmarks consisted of three laminar flow problems. These were the steady, two-dimensional flow over a backward-facing step, the low Reynolds number flow around a circular cylinder, and the unsteady three-dimensional flow in a shear-driven cubical cavity. The second group of benchmarks consisted of two turbulent flow problems. These were the two-dimensional flow around a square cylinder with periodic separated flow phenomena, and the stead, three-dimensional flow in a 180-degree square bend. All simulation results were evaluated against existing experimental data nd thereby satisfied item 10 of the Journal`s policy statement for numerical accuracy. The objective of this exercise was to provide the engineering and scientific community with a common reference point for the evaluation of commercial CFD codes.
The Performance of the Advanced Light Source Slicing Beamline, ALS BL6.0

A beamline optimized for the bunch slicing technique has been constructed and commissioned at the Advanced Light Source (ALS). This beamline includes an in-vacuum undulator, soft and hard x-ray beamlines and a femtosecond laser system.
Myelin transcription factor 1 (Myt1) modulates the proliferation and differentiation of oligodendrocyte lineage cells.

Abstract Myelin transcription factor 1 (Myt1) is a zinc finger DNA-binding protein that is expressed in neural progenitors and oligodendrocyte lineage cells. This study examines the role of Myt1 in oligodendrocyte lineage cells by overexpressing putative functional domains, a four-zinc finger DNA-binding region (4FMyt1) or a central protein–protein interaction domain (CDMyt1), without the predicted transcriptional activation domain. In the presence of mitogens, overexpression of 4FMyt1 inhibited proliferation of oligodendrocyte progenitors, but not cell types (astrocytes and NIH3T3 cells) lacking endogenous Myt1. Expression of 4FMyt1 inhibited the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitors into oligodendrocytes as assessed by morphology, immunostaining, and myelin gene expression. Progenitor differentiation was similarly inhibited by expression of CDMyt1 but only partially suppressed by overexpression of the intact Myt1. These data indicate that Myt1 may regulate a critical transition point in oligodendrocyte lineage development by modulating oligodendrocyte progenitor proliferation relative to terminal differentiation and up-regulation of myelin gene transcription.
Virtual communities of care: online peer networks with post-organ transplant youth

This paper discusses the Virtual Communities of Care Project that uses a 3D virtual environment, Zora, to support a psycho-educational intervention for pediatric post-organ transplant patients. These patients have difficulties in developing a peer network due to chronic illness, and as a result they are often incompliant to medical and other requirements. Our goals are to examine the extent to which we can leverage youth interest in technologies to develop an intervention to support peer network building and medical adherence. During an eight-week intervention, participants engage in weekly online group and individual activities in Zora. We describe here the intervention and preliminary data to illustrate the objectives of this project.
Chronic myeloid leukemia.

Over the past twenty years, clinical and laboratory studies have led to important new insights into the biology of chronic myeloid leukemia. Basic science has defined the molecular pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) as unregulated signal transduction by the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase. Clinical studies have demonstrated that CML can be curable through immune-mediated elimination of leukemia cells by allogeneic T lymphocytes. Recently, specific inhibition of signal transduction by the tyrosine kinase Bcr-Abl has been found to be active in managing the disease.
Pedagogical Comparison of Five Reactions Performed under Microwave Heating in Multi-Mode versus Mono-Mode Ovens: Diels–Alder Cycloaddition, Wittig Salt Formation, E2 Dehydrohalogenation To Form an Alkyne, Williamson Ether Synthesis, and Fischer Esterification

Five reactions were rate-accelerated relative to the standard reflux workup in both multi-mode and mono-mode microwave ovens, and the results were compared to determine whether the sequential processing of a mono-mode unit could provide for better lab logistics and pedagogy. Conditions were optimized so that yields matched in both types of microwave ovens for a Diels–Alder cycloaddition, Wittig salt formation, Fischer esterifications, an E2 alkyne formation, and Williamson ether synthesis. Typically, a 10-fold rate acceleration was observed under mono-mode heating versus multi-mode heating, reducing the total run-time between 1.5 and 3.0 min per sample, which rivals the batch run-time of a multi-mode unit in ∼16 student lab sections. Thus, the mono-mode microwave oven required a similar quantity of total reaction time in the lab, allowing students to run their experiments individually with less wait-time, competition for chemicals, equipment, and instrumentation and to complete the experiments in the lab ...
"Spike the Football": Truth-Telling, the Press and the Bin Laden Photos

This article looks at press interpretations of the role of images—specifically, images of national enemies in death—in constructing various duties of media truth-telling. Discourse about the need, or duty, to publish photos of the Nazi leaders hanged at Nuremberg in 1946 provides a context for examining discourse surrounding a similar decision that the White House faced after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May 2011. What was seen largely as a third-person effect seven decades ago is more often seen now as a first-person effect: We no longer need to persuade or daunt the slain enemy's die-hard followers, but we have created a set of obligations to persuade or please ourselves.
Substance abuse prevalence and treatment among Latinos and Latinas

Substance abuse prevalence rates for Latinos/as generally mirror those of the general U.S. population; however, a number of indicators of assimilation to U.S. culture as well as sociodemographic variables predict substance use and abuse among this group. Latinos/as have poorer outcomes in substance abuse treatment programs. Yet there is little empirical evidence that explains the problems these individuals experience in treatment, and there are few studies on the use and effectiveness of mutual help groups among this population. New developments in the conceptualization and measurement of acculturation will lead to a greater understanding of the role of culture in the prevalence and treatment of substance-related problems.
Effect of Vitamin B12 on Experimental Hepatic Injury.

SummaryVit. B12 (1 γ daily, by mouth) had no effect on the development of massive hepatic necrosis in rats fed experimental rations with yeast as sole source of protein.Vit. B12 (0.5 γ daily by mouth) has shown significant lipotropic activity in rats fed a low protein-low fat ration. Under the experimental conditions chosen methionine was more effective than vitamin B12 in preventing fat deposition in the liver. A low protein-high fat diet seemed to interfere with the lipotropic effect of B12.
Influence of nearby fractures on stress measurements by hydraulic fracturing

The interaction between a vertical borehole and a nearby vertical fracture is modelled by an infinite plane containing a circular hole and a crack. Analytical expressions for the stress field are obtained in terms of integral equations. Numerical results show how the stress distribution at the borehole is affected by fracture length (L), fracture-borehole separation (d), and the offset (l) of the crack centre from the minimum distance to the borehole. The crack offset can have a much stronger effect on the locations of the local minimum tangential stress at the hole boundary than the crack length and the fracture-borehole separation. When √ d2+l2< 2.5L, the effect of the crack on the borehole is negligible. In addition, the symmetry of the stress distribution around the hole is significantly destroyed for small d or intermediate L. The model is applied to stress measurements in a deep borehole in Northern Illinois granite [1]. The results suggest that the presence of nearby fractures is very likely to be the cause for the deviations between the orientations of the hydraulic fractures and the direction of the maximum remote stress.
Comparison between granular starch hydrolyzing enzyme and conventional enzymes for ethanol production from maize starch with different amylose : Amylopectin ratios

The effect of enzyme treatments (granular starch hydrolyzing and conventional enzymes) and different amylose: amylopectin ratios of maize starch on ethanol production was evaluated. For starch treatments, amylose: amylopectin ratios were prepared by mixing commercially available Hylon VII (70% amylose and 30% amylopectin) and Amioca (∼100% amylopectin) starches. For maize treatments, waxy, high amylose and regular dent hybrids were used to represent varying amylose: amylopectin ratios. All hydrolyses followed by fermentations were conducted at 15% solids content. Differences were observed in ethanol yields among granular starch hydrolyzing and conventional enzymes. Differences also were observed in ethanol yields between different amylose: amylopectin ratios for pure starch and maize samples. For starch samples, final ethanol concentrations varied from 2.2 to 9.1 % (v/v) for fermentation with granular starch hydrolyzing enzyme and from 6.7 to 9.3% (v/v) for conventional enzymes. Higher ethanol concentrations were observed for Amioca starch for both enzymes. For maize samples, final ethanol concentrations were highest for waxy maize for both granular starch hydrolyzing (8.2%, v/v) and conventional (8.2%, v/v) enzymes. Lowest ethanol concentrations were observed for high-amylose maize samples for granular starch hydrolyzing (6.3%, v/v) and conventional (5.2%, v/v) enzymes.
Looking Time Predicts Choice but Not Aesthetic Value

Although visual fixations are commonly used to index stimulus-driven or internally-determined preference, recent evidence suggests that visual fixations can also be a source of decisional bias that moves selection toward the fixated object. These contrasting results raise the question of whether visual fixations always index comparative processes during choice-based tasks, or whether they might better reflect internal preferences when the decision does not carry any economic or corporeal consequences. In two experiments, participants chose which of two objects were more aesthetically pleasing (Exp.1) or appeared more organic (Exp.2), and provided independent aesthetic ratings of the stimuli. Our results demonstrated that fixation parameters were a better index of choice in both decisional domains than of aesthetic preference. The data support models in which visual fixations are specifically related to the evolution of decision processes even when the decision has no tangible consequences.
All biomass is local: The cost, volume produced, and global warming impact of cellulosic biofuels depend strongly on logistics and local conditions

Current models of cellulosic biofuel systems require that the delivered price of the cellulosic biomass feedstock be kept low. Thus the predicted biorefinery size is relatively small, limiting potential economies of scale. However, it is actually the ultimate selling price of the biofuel that largely determines market penetration. We relaxed the constraint of low delivered feedstock price and explored the resulting effects on biofuel price, biofuel volume produced, and global warming impact (GWI). Feedstock price greatly affects the feedstock supply chains that may develop. Increased feedstock price does not affect the final ethanol selling price very much, but higher feedstock prices greatly increase the amount of ethanol produced. Farmers will supply much more cellulosic biomass at higher feedstock prices, leading to shorter transportation distances with reduced transportation costs and enabling larger biorefineries with improved economies of scale, thereby reducing the ethanol selling price. The cellulosic feedstock supply chain systems were studied as a function of feedstock prices by determining potential feedstock supply clusters and the maximum capacity of cellulosic biorefineries across the United States. Supply clusters were determined by minimizing costs associated with ethanol production. The analysis is based on county-level cellulosic feedstock production data projected in the US Billion-Ton Update report. Each biomass supply cluster is unique in terms of local and regional characteristics (e.g. area, feedstock types), biorefinery capacity, ethanol selling price, and GWI. Very large-scale biorefineries (≥20 000 dry Mg day−1) may be feasible in some regions. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Reproducibility of the School-Based Nutrition Monitoring Questionnaire among fourth-grade students in Texas.

Abstract Objective To assess reproducibility of a School-Based Nutrition Monitoring (SBNM) questionnaire for fourth-grade students. Design Test–retest. Setting Fourth-grade elementary school classrooms Participants Multiethnic fourth-grade students from 2 area school districts (N = 322). Main Outcome Measures Reproducibility coefficients with time intervals between questionnaire administrations of 2 hours for the yesterday food choice and physical activity questions or 2 weeks for the nutrition knowledge and attitude questions. Analysis Spearman rank order correlation, percent agreement, and Kappa statistic calculated for each individual questionnaire item. Results Of 43 questions that were included in the reproducibility analyses, test–retest kappa values were moderate to high (greater than 0.40) for more than 90% of the questions (39 questions). Spearman coefficients were greater than 0.70 for 24 questions, whereas percent agreement exceeded 75% for 28 questions. Conclusions and Implications The SBNM questionnaire showed good to excellent reproducibility for nutrition behavior questions, physical activity, weight behavior, and food selection skills overall. However, questions that assessed nutrition knowledge and attitudes were not as reproducible, probably resulting from learning effects over time. Results from the study indicate that this questionnaire can be easily administered in an elementary school classroom and can be used to measure nutrition behaviors among 9- to 10-year-old school children.
Is the "10% rule" equally valid for all subsets of sentinel-node-positive breast cancer patients?

Background In breast cancer, a combination of radioisotope and blue dye mapping maximizes the success and accuracy of sentinel node (SLN) biopsy. When multiple radioactive nodes are present, there is no single definition of isotope success, but the popular “10% rule” dictates removal of all SLN with counts >10% of the most radioactive node. Here we determine how frequently a positive SLN would be missed by the 10% rule.
Digital V 2 control with fast-acting capacitor current estimator

A digital hybrid ramp compensation method with output capacitor current ramp estimator and external ramp for digital V2 control is proposed to solve the stability issues in low-ESR output capacitor application of buck converters. Since capacitor current is in derivative relation with output voltage, the proposed method has faster transient response and simpler structure than digital inductor current estimation. Besides, proposed estimation technique solves ramp distortion issue of prior analog or digital capacitor current estimators considering the ESR and ESL of output capacitor. The small-signal model is derived by describing function to understand the dynamic of the current estimator and provides stability criteria to design the current feedback gain and external ramp slope in proposed structure. The effectiveness of the proposed control structure and the current ramp estimator has been verified with simulation and experimental results.
Decreased high density lipoprotein cholesterol in hypopituitarism.

Serum triglyceride, cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured in 10 men and 3 women with hypopituitarism. The mean total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly increased but were within the range of controls. The mean HDL-C concentration and the HDL-C to total cholesterol ratio were significantly decreased. Similar findings were present in a patient with isolated GH deficiency. Two men with Kallman's syndrome and 3 patients with active acromegaly had values that were either within or just below the normal range. Replacement therapy with thyroid hormone and prednisone resulted in a normalization of HDL-C concentrations in four of the five patients studied. This improvement suggests a role for thyroid hormone and⁄or glucocorticoids in the maintenance of normal HDL-C concentrations. These observations a so suggest that the distribution of plasma lipoprotein fractions is dependent, in part, either directly or indirectly, on pituitary hormones.
Computations of the Magnus effect for slender bodies in supersonic flow

A recently reported Parabolized Navier-Stokes code has been employed to compute the supersonic flow field about spinning cone, ogive-cylinder, and boattailed bodies of revolution at moderate incidence. The computations were performed for flow conditions where extensive measurements for wall pressure, boundary layer velocity profiles and Magnus force had been obtained. Comparisons between the computational results and experiment indicate excellent agreement for angles of attack up to six degrees. The comparisons for Magnus effects show that the code accurately predicts the effects of body shape and Mach number for the selected models for Mach numbers in the range of 2-4.
ENZYME LINKED IMMUNOSORBENTASSAY (ELISA) IN THE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN CHILDREN

As parasitology does not detect always succesfully leishmania infections, it was attempted worth to investigate the potential use of ELISA for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis.Specific antibodies to leishmania were searched in a) 110 healthy controls (infants and children aged 6 months to 14 years), b) 80 children clinically suspected for leishmaniasis. None of the normal children had antileishmania antibodies. In contrast all 40 children with leishmaniasis had antibodies at the time of diagnosis and 2,6 and 12 months after treatment.In 31 patients leish manias were found in the bone marrow smear. In the remaining 9 children the diagnosis was confirmed by immunofluorescence technique,the clinical course and the positive response to specific treatment.The persistence of high antibody titres at 2 and 6 months did not correlate with the severity or the outcome of the disease.The results demonstrate that ELISA ,is a non invasive valuable supplementary method for diagnosis of leishmaniasis.
Elevated Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA2) activity in tuna hearts: comparative aspects of temperature dependence.

Abstract Tunas have an extraordinary physiology including elevated metabolic rates and high cardiac performance. In some species, retention of metabolic heat warms the slow oxidative swimming muscles and visceral tissues. In all tunas, the heart functions at ambient temperature. Enhanced rates of calcium transport in tuna myocytes are associated with increased expression of proteins involved in the contraction-relaxation cycle. The cardiac SR Ca 2+ -ATPase (SERCA2) plays a major role during cardiac excitation–contraction (E-C) coupling. Measurements of oxalate-supported Ca 2+ -uptake in atrial SR vesicles isolated from four species of tunas indicate that bluefin have at least two fold higher Ca 2+ -uptake than all other tunas examined between 5 and 30 °C. The highest atrial Ca 2+ -uptake was measured in bluefin tuna at 30 °C (23.32 ± 1.58 nmol Ca 2+ /mg/min). Differences among tunas in the temperature dependency of Ca 2+ -uptake were similar for ATP hydrolysis. Western blot analysis revealed a significant increase in SERCA2 content associated with higher Ca 2+ uptake rates in the atrial tissues of bluefin tuna and similar RyR expression across species. We propose that the expression of EC coupling proteins in cardiac myocytes, and the higher rates of SERCA2 activity are an important evolutionary step for the maintenance of higher heart rates and endothermy in bluefin tuna.
RNA cleavage by a DNA enzyme with extended chemical functionality.

In vitro selection techniques were applied to the development of a DNA enzyme that contains three catalytically essential imidazole groups and catalyzes the cleavage of RNA substrates. Nucleic acid libraries for selection were constructed by polymerase-catalyzed incorporation of C5-imidazole-functionalized deoxyuridine in place of thymidine. Chemical synthesis was used to define a minimized catalytic domain composed of only 12 residues. The catalytic domain forms a compact hairpin structure that displays the three imidazole-containing residues. The enzyme can be made to cleave RNAs of almost any sequence by simple alteration of the two substrate-recognition domains that surround the catalytic domain. The enzyme operates with multiple turnover in the presence of micromolar concentrations of Zn2+, exhibiting saturation kinetics and a catalytic rate of >1 min-1. The imidazole-containing DNA enzyme, one of the smallest known nucleic acid enzymes, combines the substrate-recognition properties of nucleic acid e...
Opposing effects of D1 and D2 receptor activation on odor discrimination learning.

Dopaminergic modulation of cortical activity has been implicated in the formation of reward associations. There is abundant evidence for dopaminergic effects on olfactory processing. Using an olfactory discrimination task, the authors show that D 1 and D 2 dopamine receptors can regulate rats' olfactory discrimination capacities and that the effects of receptor activation functionally oppose one another. Injection of either the D 1 agonist SKF 38393 (10 mg/kg) or the D 2 antagonist spiperone (0.62 mg/kg) facilitated the discrimination of similar odorants but had no effect on the discrimination of dissimilar odorants, whereas both the D, antagonist SCH 23390 (0.025 mg/kg) and the D 2 agonist quinpirole (0.2 mg/kg) significantly impaired rats' ability to discriminate similar and dissimilar odorants.
Systematic RNAi Studies on the Role of Sp/KLF Factors in Globin Gene Expression and Erythroid Differentiation

Sp/KLF family of factors regulates gene expression by binding to the CACCC/GC/GT boxes in the DNA through their highly conserved three zinc finger domains. To investigate the role of this family of factors in erythroid differentiation and globin gene expression, we first measured the expression levels of selected Sp/KLF factors in primary cells of fetal and adult stages of erythroid development. This quantitative analysis revealed that their expression levels vary significantly in cells of either stages of the erythroid development. Significant difference in their expression levels was observed between fetal and adult erythroid cells for some Sp/KLF factors. Functional studies using RNA interference revealed that the silencing of Sp1 and KLF8 resulted in elevated level of gamma globin expression in K562 cells. In addition, K562 cells become visibly red after Sp1 knockdown. Benzidine staining revealed significant hemoglobinization of these cells, indicating erythroid differentiation. Moreover, the expression of PU.1, ETS1 and Notch1 is significantly down-regulated in the cells that underwent erythroid differentiation following Sp1 knockdown. Overexpression of PU.1 or ETS1 efficiently blocked the erythroid differentiation caused by Sp1 knockdown in K562 cells. The expression of c-Kit, however, was significantly up-regulated. These data indicate that Sp1 may play an important role in erythroid differentiation.
Robust Eigenstructure Assignment with Structured State Space Uncertainty

Recent sufficient conditions for robust stability and robust performance of linear time-invariant systems subject to structured state-space uncertainty are utilized to obtain a robust eigenstructure assignment design method. This new approach optimizes either the sufficient condition for stability or performance robustness while constraining the dominant eigenvalues to lie within chosen regions in the complex plane. This constrained optimization problem is solved by using the sequential unconstrained minimization technique with a quadratic extended interior penalty function. The use of constraints on certain eigenvector entries and the effect of these constraints on robustness and nominal performance are considered. Conservatism of the robustness conditions is reduced by simultaneously introducing a similarity transformation, a positive real diagonal weighting, and a unitary weighting into the design procedure. An example that illustrates the design of a robust eigenstructure assignment controller for a pitch pointing/vertical translation maneuver of the AFTIF-16 aircraft is presented.
The Influence of Emerson's Divinity School Address

Thomas Carlyle never visited American shores. There was much to encourage his coming, especially the argument dear to his Scottish heart of money to be earned by lecturing. His friend Emerson, whose efforts made Sartor Resartus appreciated in America earlier than in England, was ready both to entertain him at Concord and to introduce him to the paying public. Once Emerson wrote to Carlyle a letter of invitation, describing his life at Concord so charmingly that the invitation must have been hard to decline. Carlyle was touched at one of his most tender points when his correspondent suggested that the hardy Scot's destiny lay in a new world. “What have you to do with Italy?” Emerson asked. “Your genius tendeth to the New, to the West.” Carlyle was invited to try New England for a year, with the promise of new health for poor Jane. The conclusion of Emerson's postscript made the mock assumption of real expectation. “Shall we have anthracite coal or wood in your chamber? My old mother is glad you are coming.”
Coping with complexity : lessons from the mathematical sciences

I suggest five research paradigms fundamental in the mathematical sciences that seem relevant to the hunt for explanations of genetic susceptibility to complex diseases. I discuss a few ways in which these paradigms are, or are not, currently being followed in complex disease genetics. This essay is intended to provoke discussion and not to resolve any problems. It represents a written version of remarks that I made as “Discussant’’ at a session at the 1997 National Institutes of Health Research Festival.
STRUCTURE AND BONDING IN 9-HYDROXY-1,4-DIMETHYLTHIOXANTHENIUM BIS(CARBOMETHOXY)METHYLIDE AND RELATED YLIDES

The single-crystal X-ray structures of 9-hydroxy-1,4-dimethylthioxanthenium bis(carbomethoxy)methylide and 1,4-oxathianium bis(carbomethoxy)methylide are reported. The methylide carbon of the former is pseudo-axial while that of the latter is equatorial. The former exhibits a strong intramolecular hydrogen bond to a carbonyl oxygen atom.
Concept for a beryllium divertor with in-situ plasma spray surface regeneration

Abstract Two serious problems with the use of graphite tiles on the ITER divertor are the limited lifetime due to erosion and the difficulty of replacing broken tiles inside the machine. Beryllium is proposed as an alternative low-Z armor material because the plasma spray process can be used to make in-situ repairs of eroded or damaged surfaces. Recent advances in plasma spray technology have produced beryllium coatings of 98% density with a 95% deposition efficiency and strong adhesion to the substrate. With existing technology, the entire active region of the ITER divertor surface could be coated with 2 mm of beryllium in less than 15 h using four small plasma spray guns. Beryllium also has other potential advantages over graphite, e.g., efficient gettering of oxygen, ten times less tritium inventory, reduced problems of transient fueling from D/T exchange and release, no runaway erosion cascades from self-sputtering, better adhesion of redeposited material, as well as higher strength, ductility, and fracture toughness than graphite. A 2-D finite element stress analysis was performed on a 3 mm thick Be tile brazed to an OFHC soft-copper saddle block, which was brazed to a high-strength copper tube. Peak stresses remained 50% below the ultimate strength for both brazing and in-service thermal stresses.
Efficient and Color-Tunable Mn-Doped ZnSe Nanocrystal Emitters: Control of Optical Performance via Greener Synthetic Chemistry

Formation of Mn-doped ZnSe quantum dots (Mn:ZnSe d-dots) using nucleation-doping strategy was studied systematically and optimized through greener approaches. The resulting d-dots were with high (∼50%) photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (QY), which was achieved by the controlled formation of small-sized MnSe nanoclusters as the core and a diffused interface between the nanocluster core and the ZnSe overcoating layers. Synthesis of the d-dots under high temperatures (240−300 °C) was achieved by varying the structure of the metal carboxylate precursors, concentration of the inhibitors, free fatty acid, and concentration of the activation reagents, fatty amines. Highly emissive d-dots synthesized under desired conditions were found to be extremely stable upon thermal treatment up to the boiling point of the solvent (about 300 °C), which was quantitatively studied using in situ measurements. The PL peak of the d-dots was controllably tuned in a surprisingly large optical window, from 565 to 610 nm. These hi...
Role of uptake in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated responses in guinea pig hippocampal neurons.

1. Intracellular recordings were obtained from hippocampal pyramidal neurons maintainedin vitro. Measurements were made of the conductance change induced by iontophoretically appliedγ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and, using voltage-clamp techniques, of inhibitory postsynaptic currents resulting from activation of inhibitory pathways. 2. Analysis of GABA iontophoretic charge-response curves indicated that there was considerable variation among neurons with respect to the slope of this relation. 3. The placement of the GABA-containing pipette did not appear to be responsible for the observed variation, since vertical repositioning of the pipette did not alter the slope of the charge-response relationship. 4. Steady iontophoresis of GABA from one barrel of a double-barreled pipette markedly affected the charge-response relation obtained when short pulses were applied to the other barrel. The curve was shifted to the left, and the slope was decreased. Concomitantly, the enhanced GABA-induced responses were prolonged. 5. Similar alterations in GABA responsiveness were observed when the uptake blocker, nipecotic acid, was iontophoretically applied. Furthermore, bath application of saline containing a reduced sodium concentration (25% of control) also produced a prolongation of GABA-mediated responses. 6. Under voltage clamp, inhibitory postsynaptic currents were observed to have biphasic decays. The initial, fast decay was prolonged by an average of 18% by nipecotic acid, whereas the later, slow phase was prolonged by 23%. 7. The results of these studies support the hypothesis that a saturable GABA uptake system is responsible for the observed variation in the charge-response curves and, in turn, underlies the apparent sensitizing effect of excess GABA application. The results also suggest that a reduction of transmitter uptake affects the time course of inhibitory postsynaptic currents in the hippocampus.
Media Reviews: Emeralds—A Passionate Guide by Ronald Ringsrud. Green View Press, Oxnard, California; giveabighand@yahoo.com. 2009; 382 pages; $80 plus shipping and handling (hardbound).

Emeralds—A Passionate Guide is a rather well-done source book on emerald that includes a broad spectrum of topics spanning not only emeralds per se but the mysteries and the people associated with ...
Modeling obsolete computer stock under regional data constraints: An Atlanta case study

In this paper, we report on our efforts to develop a research framework that can be used to quantify waste flows for different geographical areas in the face of limited waste data availability. We demonstrate this framework in our case study of obsolete computers in the Atlanta metropolitan area. We develop computer obsolescence rates at the national metropolitan level, and couple this data with economic information at the census tract level to generate product inventory estimates (PIE) of the stock of obsolete computers from both business and household sectors in the Atlanta metropolitan area. We seek to improve the accuracy of waste flow estimates for specific geographic areas over those of previous studies, provide an easily replicable and cost effective methodology, highlight the ensuing spatial implications for collection and recycling systems using GIS, and demonstrate the potential economic benefits from diverting electronic wastes within a region. The modeling framework we have developed is intended to be applicable to other regions and to other medium range durable goods discarded by households, businesses, or obtained from buildings.
Optical tractor beams in scattering-induced left-handed fields

We show here that left handed electromagnetic fields can be established over extended regions in fully dielectric structures. Particles immersed in such field configurations would move upstream against the radiation pressure of the incident wave.
Off-shell effects in 16O

Abstract We calculate the binding energy of 16 O for a set of phase-shift-equivalent potentials previously studied in nuclear matter. Off-shell variations of up to 2.8 MeV per particle occur compared with about a 10 MeV per particle variation in nuclear matter. As in nuclear matter calculations a nearly linear relation exists between the variations in the binding-energy results and the wound integral k . We compare the 16 O results with a nuclear matter calculation at the “equivalent” nuclear matter density of k F = 1.13 fm −1 . This “equivalent” density reflects the fact that 16 O has a surface and hence a lower average density than nuclear matter. The 16 O and nuclear matter off-shell variations are comparable once one takes into account the lower average density of 16 O and the suppression of the relative D-wave interaction — also a surface effect. We present a method of computing the correlated wave functions of finite nuclear systems and display such wave functions for 16 O. The correlated wave functions of 16 O and of nuclear matter are strikingly similar for all of the potentials studied.
Whose decision is it? The microstructure of medical decision making.

Summary Medical decision making is sometimes viewed as a relatively simple process in which a decision may be made by the patient, by the physician, or by both patient and physician working together. This two-dimensional portrayal eclipses the important role that others, such as other professionals, family, and friends, may play in the process; as an example of this phenomenon, we trace the evolution of a decision of a teenager with cancer who is contemplating discontinuing chemotherapy. This example also shows how a decision can usefully be understood as consisting of a number of identifiable substeps – what we call the “microstructure” of the decision. These steps show how the physician can play an important role without usurping the patient's rightful decisional authority.