cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accurate magnetic field and field gradient measuring instrument for dynamic low fields in a synchrotron magnet

Abstract Two biased peaking strips have been combined into a differential magnetic probe. The pulses from the two peaking strips are displayed on an oscilloscope screen with a time separation, for the same bias field, given by the field difference between the locations of the two strips. At the bias current corresponding to the chosen field level, the two peaking strips are given slightly different bias, so as to cancel the time lag between pulses. The field differences is read directly as a D.C. current. The magnetic field itself is measured with one of the peaking strips, as its D.C. bias current. With careful calibration, the accuracy in gradient divided by field ( n -value) was estimated to be of the order of 1% in a nearly linear synchrotron field of 25 gauss, varying by 4 percent per cm and 0.15 gauss/μs. The instrument, when applied to the CEA magnets, confirmed the feasibility of an injection field as low as 25 gauss, although at the magnet ends sharp peaks occurs in the field and gradient distributions, apparently a remanent field contribution.
Holding a tablet computer with one hand: effect of tablet design features on biomechanics and subjective usability among users with small hands.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate tablet size (weight), orientation, grip shape, texture and stylus shape on productivity, biomechanics and subjective usability and fatigue when the tablet was held with just the left hand. A total of 15 male and 15 female subjects, ages 16–64 years, tested eight tablets and three styluses. Overall, the usability, fatigue and biomechanical evaluation of tablet design features supported the use of smaller to medium-sized tablets, with a ledge or handle shape on the back and surfaced with a rubberised texture. Larger, heavier tablets had significantly worse usability and biomechanics and their use with one hand should be limited. The stylus with a tapered grip (7.5–9.5 mm) or larger grip (7.6 mm) had better usability and biomechanics than one with a smaller grip (5 mm). There were no significant differences in productivity between design features. These design parameters may be important when designing tablets. Practitioner Summary: Different tablet and stylus design...
The timing of erf-mediated recombination in replication, lysogenization, and the formation of recombinant progeny by Salmonella phage P22

Following infection, the development of phage P22 by either the lytic or the lysogenic pathways requires recombination, mediated either by the phage erf system or by the bacterial ret system [Botstein, D., and Matz, M. J. (1970) J. Mol. Biol. 54, 417-4401. We have investigated the timing of the essential recombinational processes with temperature-shift experiments using a temperature-sensitive erf mutant. In ret- cells, erf function appears to be required early in the infection to complete some essential step, the timing of which is the same in both the lytic and lysogenic circumstances. Once the step has taken place, subsequent development can occur without further erf function. However, the bulk of recombinant progeny arising in lytic crosses in ret- cells result from nonessential erf action late in the infection, after the time of the required early step.
A Diagnostic Study of the Time-Averaged Budget of Atmospheric Zonal Momentum over North America

Abstract The terms in the time-mean zonal momentum equation which depend only on the large-scale motions are evaluated for the North American continent during the winter season. The computations are based on two different sets of upper air atmospheric circulation statistics between 850 and 200 mb. The first (GFDL) data set consists of global objective horizontal analyses of monthly circulation statistics evaluated at individual stations; the second (NMC) data set was compiled by processing twice-daily synoptic analyses on a hemispheric grid. The mean residual forces needed for balance are discussed assuming that they represent the effects of horizontal and vertical subgrid-scale processes. The results derived from the two largely independent data sets are similar. Zonal momentum is produced in the free atmosphere over North America by a local, thermally direct meridional circulation, with mean poleward ageostrophic flow above 700 mb. This production is partially counterbalanced by a net export of zonal mo...
Chemotherapy for prostate cancer

Androgen deprivation therapy remains the mainstay of therapy for patients with advanced prostate cancer and for selected patients with localized prostate cancer. Androgen deprivation therapy is the model of target-based therapies in this disease. Although it is clear that other target-based therapies need to be developed, cytotoxic chemotherapy is emerging as an effective form of treatment for men with prostate cancer. The early studies combining mitoxantrone plus a corticosteroid demonstrated that chemotherapy could be given to men with symptomatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer with minimal toxicity, and significant palliation could be provided. Since then, it has been recognized that estramustine, when combined with a variety of microtubular inhibitors, is very active in hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Doublets combining estramustine plus a taxane seem to be the most active. Although it appears that estramustine may add some activity to taxanes, the mechanism of its activity is uncertain, and its overall value is similarly questioned, particularly in light of its significant toxicity. Regimens that omit estramustine are being explored (ie, either taxane alone or taxane plus biologic agents). In addition, triplet therapy (combining estramustine plus a taxane plus a third drug, such as carboplatin or etoposide) is being explored. Finally, the utility of chemotherapy is beginning to be explored in the context of earlier disease in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or serologically relapsing group of patients. Data from these studies are just beginning to be gathered.
Unstable oscillation of tubular cantilevered beams conveying a compressible fluid

Abstract This paper is concerned with establishing the conditions of stability of a cantilevered tube conveying a compressible fluid. Solutions to Niordson's eigenvalue problem associated with the equations of motion are computed using Muller's method. The effects on critical velocity of compressibility which are accommodated by specifying the tube aspect ratio and fluid sonic velocity are parametrically studied. Aspect ratio is found to have a more pronounced effect on critical velocity than sonic velocity over the parameter range that was considered.
Design of Nonlinear Springs for Prescribed Load-Displacement Functions

A nonlinear spring has a defined nonlinear load-displacement function, which is also equivalent to its strain energy absorption rate. Various applications benefit from nonlinear springs, including prosthetics and microelectromechanical system devices. Since each nonlinear spring application requires a unique load-displacement function, spring configurations must be custom designed, and no generalized design methodology exists. In this paper, we present a generalized nonlinear spring synthesis methodology that (i) synthesizes a spring for any prescribed nonlinear load-displacement function and (ii) generates designs having distributed compliance. We introduce a design parametrization that is conducive to geometric nonlinearities, enabling individual beam segments to vary their effective stiffness as the spring deforms. Key features of our method include (i) a branching network of compliant beams used for topology synthesis rather than a ground structure or a continuum model based design parametrization, (ii) curved beams without sudden changes in cross section, offering a more even stress distribution, and (iii) boundary conditions that impose both axial and bending loads on the compliant members and enable large rotations while minimizing bending stresses. To generate nonlinear spring designs, the design parametrization is implemented into a genetic algorithm, and the objective function evaluates spring designs based on the prescribed load-displacement function. The designs are analyzed using nonlinear finite element analysis. Three nonlinear spring examples are presented. Each has a unique prescribed load-displacement function, including a (i) “J-shaped,” (ii) “S-shaped,” and (iii) constant-force function. A fourth example reveals the methodology’s versatility by generating a large displacement linear spring. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of this generalized synthesis methodology for designing nonlinear springs for any given load-displacement function.
Optimizing Families of Reconfigurable Aircraft for Multiple Missions

Aircraft with modular airframe components may offer significant flexibility in mission performance by enabling reconfiguration between sorties. This paper introduces an approach for optimizing a family of aircraft variants defined by a library of interchangeable components such as wings, tails, engines, and payloads. First, the combinatorial problemof composing interchangeable components into feasible aircraft variants and assigning the variants to missions is posed. Next, two methods are presented to determine optimal reconfigurable family designs. The methods are then applied to an example problem to define optimal families of modular unmanned aerial vehicles consisting of interchangeable wings and engines. The results indicate a rich trade space of family architectures and aircraft configurations that depends strongly on the type and diversity of the required missions.
Cloning and sequence analysis of the extracellular region of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) luteinizing hormone receptor (LHr), follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHr), and prolactin receptor (PRLr) genes and their expression in the testis of the black bear (Ursus americanus)

Male black bears undergo seasonal changes in testicular activity. The testes are fully functional from May through July, regress from July through December, and recrudesce from January until May. The mechanisms responsible for the initiation of testicular recrudescence in the bear are unknown. The objectives of this study were to: (1) clone and sequence a substantial fragment of the extracellular portion of the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHr: 646 bp) and follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHr: 852 bp), and the extracellular/transmembrane portion of the prolactin receptor (PRLr: 680 bp) in the bear using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); and (2) determine whether the expression of LH-, FSH-, and PRL-receptor mRNA transcripts differs between the beginning and terminal stages of testicular recrudescence. Comparisons of the partial cDNA and predicted amino acid sequences of ursine receptors with the corresponding sequences from the pig, cow, human, and rat suggest that the LHr and FSHr are highly conserved (LHr: 87.1–93.7%; FSHr: 86.0–92.7%) whereas the PRLr is less well conserved (81–87%). Testicular LHr mRNA was more abundant during the breeding season in May than during the non-breeding season (early stage of recrudescence) in January. In contrast, testicular FSHr mRNA abundance was greater in January than in May. Testicular PRLr mRNA appeared equally abundant in January and May; however, two additional transcripts were present during the breeding season in May. This study provides molecular tools for future investigations of the control of testicular recrudescence in the black bear and demonstrates that the expression of testicular gonadotropin and PRL receptor mRNA is seasonally regulated. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 55:136–145, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Emissions of N2O from Sonoran Desert and effluent-irrigated grass ecosystems

Abstract Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a radiatively and photochemically important atmospheric trace gas whose concentration is increasing annually by about 0·25%. The cause of this increase is not fully known but may be related to land cover changes in terrestrial ecosystems. N2O emissions from Arizona Upland Sonoran Desert and effluent-irrigated turf grass (golf course) were measured by a closed chamber method at weekly intervals during a 10-week period from 18 June to 20 August 1991. Fluxes at three turf grass sites ranged from 7 to 275 ng N2O-N m−2s−1, while fluxes at three desert sites ranged from −1·6 to 7·3 ng N2O-N m−2s−1. The mean (±1 SE) flux over the 10-week period at the grass location (40·2 ± 48·7 ng N2O-N m−2s−1) was almost 17 times larger than the mean flux at the desert location (2·4 ± 2·2 ng N2O-N m−2s−1). Additional measurements during November 1991 and April 1992 indicated nearly negligible fluxes during cooler months at both locations. The estimated annual flux of 6·4 kg N2O-N ha−1from grass was similar to, but slightly larger than, emissions reported for most other intensively managed ecosystems. The estimated annual flux of 0·4 kg N2O-N ha−1indicates that the Sonoran Desert may emit more N2O-N per unit land area than other dry regions such as grassland steppe and sagebrush steppe. More measurements are needed over longer periods to fully assess the contribution of the Sonoran Desert to the atmospheric budget of N2O. Results indicate, however, that land use change from desert to irrigated grass can markedly increase N2O emissions.
KC expert—the development of an ICAI system for chemistry

We are in the process of developing an Intelligent Computer Assisted Instruction (ICAI) program for chemistry which is based on a database of the chemical elements. This system will contain facts and rules about the chemical elements and can be used both in research and for instructional purposes. The database includes forty eight properties for each element and was obtained from Project SERAPHIM (at Eastern Michigan University).The first objective of the project was to convert the chemical database from a Pascal compatible format to a Prolog compatible format. The next objective was to put a Natural Language Interface (NLI) onto the database, so the user could query the system. The NLI allows the user to enter several types of queries, including nested queries with conjunctions such as “what is the hardness of the elements with a melting point greater than 500 and a melting point less than 600”.The queries do not have to be in correct English and abbreviations can be used for some of the attributes, such as “mpt” for “melting point”. All words in the query are significant so that misspellings are not ignored but are flagged.The second phase of the development is the addition of various rules involving the information stored in the database, thus moving from a database to an expert system. These rules use the information in the database to compute new properties such as “what is the ionicity of a bond between hydrogen and chlorine”. These rules can be quite complex and involve extended computations, as for example, computing the enthalpy of formation of a compound.Graphics procedures will be added to the system to allow the user to plot different properties against each other. The graphics procedures are written in Pascal and linked into the Prolog program.The last phase of development will be the addition of a student and a teaching model to the ICAI system. The teaching model will pose problems for the student, observe and evaluate the students progress in solving the problem (the student model) and give hints to the student.The first Prolog system used was Turbo Prolog from Borland International. The chemical database was converted to a Prolog compatible format and initially the GEOBASE example program (from Borland) was used as the query system. This soon became too limiting and then we used the parser generator from the Turbo Prolog Toolbox to generate a parser for context free sentences. The output of the parser was a query of the chemical database.Problems soon arose with using Turbo Prolog. It is a completely compiled Prolog which means that every minor change means a program recompilation. It also has certain memory restrictions and cannot use memory above the DOS 640K limit. We have since changed to the Arity Prolog interpreter/compiler system. This system allows for the development of larger programs and is generally easier to use.
TNM staging for renal cell carcinoma: time for a new method.

Every physician is at least generally familiar with TNM staging, the universally accepted system to describe the characteristics of a particular cancer. Strictly based on anatomic features, TNM is concise, intuitive, and straightforward. Regardless of the origin of the cancer, the structural intent is for each incremental stage increase to denote a progressively less favorable prognosis. This provides a basic answer to what every patient (and physician) wants to know: ‘‘How will I do?’’ Clinical TNM stage is used routinely to guide the choice and intensity of primary therapy. Pathologic TNM stage can be translated to an estimated prognosis and informs the recommendation and type of adjuvant therapy, if needed. Both have been used to establish inclusion criteria or stratify randomization for clinical trials. As a health services research instrument, TNM terminology has been valuable for evaluating changes in diagnostic strategies, stage at presentation, and comparing treatment outcomes by era, region, or modality. The TNM system has played a major role in standardizing the nomenclature, communication, and understanding of cancers. Paradoxically, the same simplicity making it such a handy and easily understood tool also handicaps its accuracy. By relying solely on anatomic features, the TNM system is anachronistic, and its perpetual use as the gold standard of cancer staging is satisficing, a term coined by the Nobel laureate Herbert Simon to explain the act of accepting ‘‘good enough’’ rather than striving for the optimal result. It would seemunwise to choose a restaurant solely based on its geographic location (organ), size (T stage), and whether other franchises exist in the region or country (N andM stage). In themodern era, why should our primary language to discuss cancers be limited to those same simple criteria?
Propagation of Localized Electromagnetic Pulses in Plasmas

We study the propagation of three-dimensional, localized, transverse, circularly polarized pulses of electromagnetic radiation in ionized matter. Soliton propagation both below and above the plasma frequency can occur. A critical energy for the formation of solitons exists. The solitons can exist with states of internal excitation.
Cast-Saw Burns: Evaluation of Skin, Cast, and Blade Temperatures Generated During Cast Removal

Background: The use of an oscillating saw for cast removal creates a potential for iatrogenic injury and patient discomfort. Burns and abrasions can occur from the heat created by frictional forces and direct blade contact. With use of a cadaver model system, skin temperature measurements were recorded during cast removal with an oscillating saw. Methods: Casts of uniform thickness were applied to cadavers equilibrated to body temperature. The casts were removed by a single individual while simultaneously measuring temperatures at the skin-padding interface, cast-padding interface, and the blade. Variables tested include two removal techniques, two casting materials (fiberglass and plaster), and two cast-padding thicknesses. Results: A poor removal technique (the cast saw blade never leaving the cast material during cutting), fiberglass casting material, and thinner cast padding resulted in significantly higher skin temperatures. The poor technique increased skin temperatures by an average of 5.0°C (p < 0.05). Fiberglass casting materials increased skin temperatures by an average of 7.4°C (p < 0.05). Four layers of cast padding compared with two layers decreased skin temperatures by 8.0°C (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The highest skin temperatures were recorded for fiberglass casts with two layers of padding. The lowest skin temperatures were recorded for plaster casts with four layers of padding. Four layers of cast padding compared with two layers significantly reduced skin temperatures for both plaster and fiberglass casts. Clinical Relevance: A routine assessment of the layers of padding and the type of cast material prior to splitting casts with an oscillating saw can help clinicians to identify cast removal conditions with a higher risk for causing patient discomfort, abrasions, or burns.
The photosensitized oxidation of tyrosine derivatives in the presence of alginate. II: Reaction under heterogeneous conditions.

—The thionine sensitized photooxidations of several tyrosine derivatives have been compared in a system in which the dye, bound to the anionic polysaccharide alginate, is separated by a dialysis membrane from a much larger external phase containing most of the substrate. Brown oxidation products appear both inside the bag and outside, but at considerably greater concentration inside. Oxidation products inside the bag retard the oxidation of the original substrate by competing with it for photooxidant. Substrates were divided into two groups, related to tyrosine and tyramine respectively, according to their rates of oxidation. The groups differ as to whether the prevailing phenolate form of the substrate is a zwitterion or an anion. In case of the latter, the Donnan equilibrium set up by the polyelectrolyte reduces its concentration in the polymer phase, and thereby the rate of oxidation. Titration and dialysis data support this interpretation.
An overview and a selected bibliography of the VLSI/microprocessor-based data modem design

Abstract Data modem design using microprocessors and VLSI design techniques is becoming increasingly popular. As the interest grows, the number of published papers increases, making the need for a comprehensive bibliography on the subject necessary. The purpose of this paper is to provide such a bibliography. In addition to the bibliography, we have also incorporated sections which serve to introduce and familiarize the reader with the state-of-the-art in mode design. The various data modem types are discussed, as well as the types of microprocessors and VLSI used in data modem design. Also included is a discussion on the impacts of technology in data modem design. Elements of the processor and the interface, as well as one implementation of digital filtering, are also described. Finally, a comprehensive bibliography is provided on the recent research and development in modem design and implementation.
Performance predictions of scaled BiCMOS gates using physical simulation

The necessary reduction in supply voltage for future scaled-down BiCMOS technologies will cause a degradation in speed because the base-emitter forward voltage drop is not scaled. The analysis of how the performance difference between BiCMOS and CMOS changes with scaling has been ambiguous in previous work because of insufficient model accuracy. In this work, mixed-level device-circuit simulation with accurate numerical device models, used to predict gate delay, output voltage drop, breakdown voltage and hot-carrier reliability estimates for BiCMOS and CMOS structures with different scaling, is described. A very significant result was that for 0.25- mu m feature size the bipolar part of BiCMOS will still contribute to performance if the fan-out is high and if appropriate scaling including doping, supply voltage, vertical dimensions, and lateral dimensions is used. >
Role of dietary magnesium deficiency in the pressor and arrhythmogenic response to epinephrine in the intact dog

The effect of dietary magnesium deficiency on the pressor and arrhythmogenic responses to epinephrine was investigated in 19 dogs maintained either on a normal diet (11 dogs) or a diet deficient in magnesium (8 dogs). Magnesium-deficient dogs had significantly lower serum magnesium levels than the control dogs on a normal diet. Magnesium-deficient dogs showed an increased pressor sensitivity to epinephrine as determined by the dose of epinephrine required to cause a maximal pressor response (3.4 μg/kg/min compared to 13.4 μg/kg/min, p < 0.05). Magnesium-deficient dogs also had a significantly lower threshold dose for ventricular premature beats (0.8 μg/kg/min compared to 2.7 μg/kg/min, p < 0.05). Acute administration of magnesium sulfate restored pressor sensitivity and ventricular premature beat threshold to normal levels in the magnesium-deficient dogs. Threshold dose for ventricular tachycardia beat was similar in both normal and magnesium-deficient dogs, and threshold was raised significantly in both groups by acute administration of magnesium.
The social sources of financial power : domestic legitimacy and international financial orders

A state's financial power is built on the effect its credit, property, and tax policies have on ordinary people: this is the key message of Leonard Seabrooke's comparative historical investigation, which turns the spotlight away from elite financial actors and toward institutions that matter for the majority of citizens. Seabrooke suggests that everyday contests between social groups and the state over how the economy should work determine the legitimacy of a state's financial and fiscal system. Ideally, he believes, such contests compel a state to intervene on behalf of people below the median income level, leading the state to broaden and deepen its domestic pool of capital while increasing its influence on international finance. But to do so, Seabrooke asserts, a state must first challenge powerful interests that benefit from the concentration of financial wealth. Seabrooke's novel constructivist approach is informed by economic sociology and the work of Max Weber. This book demonstrates how domestic legitimacy influences the character of international financial orders. It will interest all readers concerned with how best to transform state intervention in the economy for the good of the majority.
Holes in a Kondo lattice.

Real metals invariably contain impurity atoms, and at concentrations of parts per million, nonmagnetic impurities have a barely detectable influence on the electronic properties of the vast majority of metals. On the other hand, pronounced changes can arise from magnetic impurities, such as iron impurity atoms in gold. At room temperature the magnetic moment carried by iron's 3d electrons is decoupled from the electrically conducting electrons of gold and produces a magnetic susceptibility expected for atomic iron moments, but at much lower temperatures the iron moments are compensated exactly by the collective antiferromagnetic alignment of spins carried by conduction electrons. The inherently quantum many-body process of moment compensation, called the Kondo effect (1), builds up a resonance in the electronic density of states (2), giving the conduction electrons a heavy mass. An extreme limit of the Kondo-impurity effect is found in intermetallic compounds that are built structurally from a periodic lattice of 4f- or 5f-electron Kondo atoms, such as cerium or uranium. Except for the very heavy mass of their itinerant charge carriers and the physics that underlies this mass enhancement (3), these Kondo-lattice or heavy-electron metals at very low temperatures are physically equivalent to a simple metal like gold. Writing in PNAS, Hamidian et al. (4) address the question of what happens when a magnetic atom U is replaced by a nonmagnetic impurity atom Th in the Kondo lattice formed in URu2Si2. Unlike the negligible influence of Th impurities in gold, the Th defect induces strong nanoscale electronic heterogeneity in URu2Si2 that is revealed in spectroscopic images obtained with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). In effect, the nonmagnetic atom “digs a hole” in the strongly correlated electron state of URu2Si2, with consequences that ripple well beyond the immediate …
Clinical issues in the management of non-small-cell lung cancer and the role of platinum-based therapy.

Abstract Although the benefits of chemotherapy have been established for treating non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), several clinical issues remain. Currently, doublets offer the maximum benefit in terms of balancing efficacy with tolerability to patients with advanced-stage disease. The optimal duration of therapy continues to be evaluated, and several agents have emerged for treating patients with recurrent advanced NSCLC. Chemotherapy benefits for populations underrepresented in clinical trials, such as elderly patients and patients with poor performance status, also need to be established. Although combination therapy with carboplatin/paclitaxel is one regimen of choice for treating advanced NSCLC, there may be ways to optimize its delivery schedule including use of weekly administration of paclitaxel and monthly administration of carboplatin. In addition, biologic approaches are being investigated to determine if these agents may be appropriate for treating patients with advanced NSCLC and how best to administer them. In resectable stage IIIA disease, benefits of preoperative chemotherapy and chemotherapy/radiation therapy followed by surgery continue to be evaluated. Although associated with esophageal toxicity, in non-resectable stage IIIA/IIIB disease, concurrent chemotherapy/radiation therapy has emerged as the schedule of choice. Yet, benefits of higher radiation dosage need evaluation. Based on phase II studies, preoperative chemotherapy with or without radiation may benefit patients with early-stage disease, but studies have been inconclusive, yielding mixed results. Recent trials of adjuvant chemotherapy following surgical resection in early-stage NSCLC have yielded conflicting results, with some trials showing no benefit to adjuvant therapy. Trials under way will determine the future of adjuvant or induction chemotherapy in treating this patient population.
The Coming Gerontocracy: Social and Ethical Ramifications

Today we face an aging population, increasing poverty among younger generations, massive federal budget deficits, and a burgeoning array of entitlement programs for the old, programs that are paid for by the young. For more than 2 decades, some of America’s best minds have been working on solutions to the coming crises in Social Security and Medicare. However, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This article explores the extent of the fiscal crises, some of the proposed solutions, and the impact that these proposals are likely to have on hospitals and health systems.
A day in the life of Oscar the cat.

Since he was adopted by nursing home staff members as a kitten, Oscar the Cat has had an uncanny ability to predict when residents are about to die. Dr. David Dosa describes a day in the life of Oscar.
Psychiatric issues and human immunodeficiency virus-associated dementia

Abstract Neurological and psychiatric morbidity are commonly associated with advanced HIV infection. Dementia, delirium, major depression, and mania usually are confined to the symptomatic stages of HIV infection. Cognition, behavior, and motor function abnormalities all are associated with HIV dementia. HIV dementia and major depression may occur together or as separate conditions in AIDS patients. Neuropsychological testing is useful in distinguishing dementia from depression. The diagnostic work-up for HIV dementia includes a detailed history and physical examination, neuropsychological testing, laboratory studies including cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and neuroimaging. Effective treatment is available for some patients with HIV dementia, depression, and mania.
Infrared studies of the energy gap and electron-phonon interaction in potassium-tetracyanoquinodimethane (K-TCNQ)

The polarized reflectance at room temperature of potassium-tetracyanoquinodimethane (K-TCNQ) has been measured. Analysis using the Kramers-Kronig transforms gives the response functions (dielectric function and conductivity) between 300 and 23 000 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Attempts have been made to fit these functions with Lorentzian oscillators and it has been found that at least two such oscillators were required to give a satisfactory fit to the electronic transitions above 4000 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$: a strong, sharp peak corresponding to interband transitions and a weaker, broader absorption at higher energy from an intramolecular excitation. The oscillator-strength sum rule indicates that the energy gap is much larger than that inferred from magnetic resonance measurements and supports the view that Coulomb correlations are important in K-TCNQ. The molecular stretching modes are found to be stronger for the infrared electric field along the chain axis than perpendicular to it. As shown by recent calculations, this effect arises from electron\char22{}optical-phonon coupling effects. From the infrared data, we estimate the dimensionless electron\char22{}optical-phonon coupling constant to be ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{opt}}\ensuremath{\sim}0.1$.
Regulation of COX-2 Expression and IL-6 Release by Particulate Matter in Airway Epithelial Cells

Particulate matter (PM) in ambient air is a risk factor for human respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The delivery of PM to airway epithelial cells has been linked to release of proinflammatory cytokines; however, the mechanisms of PM-induced inflammatory responses are not well-characterized. This study demonstrates that PM induces cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression and IL-6 release through both a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent NF-κB pathway and an ROS-independent C/EBPβ pathway in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEpCs) in culture. Treatment of HBEpCs with Baltimore PM induced ROS production, COX-2 expression, and IL-6 release. Pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or EUK-134, in a dose-dependent manner, attenuated PM-induced ROS production, COX-2 expression, and IL-6 release. The PM-induced ROS was significantly of mitochondrial origin, as evidenced by increased oxidation of the mitochondrially targeted hydroethidine to hydroxyethidium by reaction with superoxide. Exposure of HBEpCs to...
Threshold adjustment in response to asymmetric loss functions: The case of auditors’ “substantial doubt” thresholds

Abstract Thresholds play a critical role in linking judgments and choices. One way they do so is by dividing a continuous judgment variable, such as probability, into two regions that imply different choices and actions, such as operate/do not operate, admit/do not admit, or invest/do not invest. We examine this link by focusing on the tendency of professional decision makers to adjust their thresholds when the risks associated with negative decision outcomes are elevated. We report two studies involving experienced auditors that investigate thresholds in a “going-concern” setting. In this setting, the auditor assesses the probability that a business firm will be unable to continue in existence for the coming year; if that probability exceeds a “substantial doubt” threshold (also assessed by the auditor), the auditor is required to disclose the relevant information in the firm’s annual report to the public. Our studies use two experimental cases based on actual business firms that differ in their objective likelihoods of not continuing as going concerns. We derive the auditors’ substantial doubt thresholds from the relationship between their probability assessments and their disclosure choices, unlike all prior research which has simply asked auditors to state the probability they believe represents substantial doubt. We find that auditors’ derived thresholds are adjusted downward for the more problematic firm, a result that we attribute to the asymmetric loss functions inherent in going-concern settings. The second study has some of the auditors directly provide their substantial doubt thresholds (SDTs). The downward adjustment is again found for derived thresholds but not for elicited thresholds, suggesting that the method of capturing thresholds may be an important issue in understanding judgment and choice.
Gender and geographic influence on the racial disparity in bladder cancer mortality in the US.

Background In 2005, there were an estimated 63,210 new cases of bladder cancer and 13,180 related deaths in the US. African Americans reportedly have a lower incidence of bladder cancer, but a higher mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gender and geographic differences in bladder cancer survival between Caucasians and African Americans to better understand the racial disparity in bladder cancer survival. Study design Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER) data were used to evaluate racial differences in bladder cancer survival from 1973 to 1999. Bivariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were performed to determine the relationship between race and survival, adjusting for cancer stage and grade, marital status, region of country, treatment received, and the interaction between race and region. Results African Americans were diagnosed with higher grade (p Conclusions African Americans were diagnosed with more aggressive and more advanced tumors. Adjusted multivariable models demonstrated a survival advantage for Caucasians, with African-American race being an independent predictor of poor survival, especially when diagnosed in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Racial disparity continues to exist in bladder cancer presentation and survival in the US.
Textured coatings from colloidal suspensions of faceted oxide microcrystals

The morphological properties of cubic, faceted MgO microcrystals have been exploited in the formation of textured coatings. Coatings exhibiting a ``fiber`` texture were formed by centrifugal sedimentation of colloidal suspensions onto a flat substrate. A decrease in the degree of preferred orientation in the coatings with increasing areal coverage of the particles was quantified for several particle-size distributions by using x-ray diffraction. Novel methods for the deposition of particles exhibiting an in-plane preferred orientation in addition to fiber texture have been investigated.
Audition Influences Color Processing in the Sound-Induced Visual Flash Illusion

Multisensory interactions can lead to illusory percepts, as exemplified by the sound-induced extra flash illusion (SIFI: Shams, Kamitani, & Shimojo, 2000, 2002). In this illusion, an audio-visual stimulus sequence consisting of two pulsed sounds and a light flash presented within a 100 ms time window generates the visual percept of two flashes. Here, we used colored visual stimuli to investigate whether concurrent auditory stimuli can affect the perceived features of the illusory flash. Zero, one or two pulsed sounds were presented concurrently with either a red or green flash or with two flashes of different colors (red followed by green) in rapid sequence. By querying both the number and color of the participants' visual percepts, we found that the double flash illusion is stimulus specific: i.e., two sounds paired with one red or one green flash generated the percept of two red or two green flashes, respectively. This implies that the illusory second flash is induced at a level of visual processing after perceived color has been encoded. In addition, we found that the presence of two sounds influenced the integration of color information from two successive flashes. In the absence of any sounds, a red and a green flash presented in rapid succession fused to form a single orange percept, but when accompanied by two sounds, this integrated orange percept was perceived to flash twice on a significant proportion of trials. In addition, the number of concurrent auditory stimuli modified the degree to which the successive flashes were integrated to an orange percept vs. maintained as separate red-green percepts. Overall, these findings show that concurrent auditory input can affect both the temporal and featural properties of visual percepts.
A Sterically Demanding Enolate Ligand: Tantalum Ligation and Pyridine Coupling

Enolate ligands of formula [OC(Ad)Ar]- (Ad = 2-adamantylidene; Ar = 3,5-C6H3Me2 1a, Ar = 2,4,6-C6H2Me3 1b) were designed and prepared as potassium salts to mimic the topology of related N-tert-hydrocarbyl and ketimide ligands. Subsequently, trimethyltantalum bis-enolate complexes TaMe3(O-C[Ad]Ar)2 (Ar = 3,5-C6H3Me2 2a, Ar = 2,4,6-C6H2Me3 2b) were prepared in good yields from a salt metathesis reaction between TaMe3Cl2 and 2 equiv of the corresponding potassium enolate. Complex 2a was structurally characterized and found to be monomeric in the solid state and to exhibit an inner coordination sphere of approximate D3h symmetry. Reaction between 2a and pyridine in the presence of dihydrogen resulted in an unanticipated pyridine coupling with formation of the bipyridine complex TaMe(O-C[Ad](3,5-C6H3Me2))2(py)(bpy), 3a (py = pyridyl, bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridyl), which was structurally characterized to confirm its formulation. Labeling experiments using pyridine-d5 and D2 suggest that formation of the tantalum(III) c...
From tools to communities: designs to support online creative collaboration in scratch

In this paper, we investigate the support of online creative collaborations among young programmers in Scratch. We designed and implemented two online collaboration events, the Collab Challenge and Collab Camp, implemented in January 2011 and in August 2011, respectively, in which members of the Scratch community were invited to work together on programming projects. This paper explores what we learned from iteratively designing and implementing the second event Collab Camp. In our analyses, we reflect on how the changes in context of collaboration (context), the opportunities for finding collaborators (connection), and the engagement of members in constructive feedback (critique) emerged as critical spaces supportive of online collaboration. We discuss how these spaces can serve as guiding principles for online communities that support young designers in creating expressive and personally meaningful projects together.
Atomic and Molecular Negative Ions

An upper bound is given for the maximum number, N c , of negative particles (fermions or bosons or a mixture of both) of charge — e that can be bound to an atomic nucleus of charge + ze. If z is integral then N c ⩽ 2z. In particular, this is the first proof that H− − is not stable. For a molecule, N c ⩽ 2Z + K−1, where K is the number of atoms in the molecule and Z is the total nuclear charge.
Molecular economy and antibody function: the evolution of a Protecton.

The humoral immune response protects against a very large array of pathogens which attempt to escape immune recognition by changing the antigens they display. When looked at from the point of two competing sets of DNA (i.e., the pathogens vs. the host), there is a vastly larger pool of mutating pathogen DNA than in, say, a mouse. The stratagems that allow a tiny fraction of the mouse's genome to effectively compete with a hugely diverse array of pathogens is analyzed in terms of how antibody functions and how the immune system avoids such pitfalls as self-recognition and destruction. This review is a more general description of a lengthy series of papers which detailed the evolution of the Protecton. Starting from the obvious, that is the concentration-dependence of antibody function, it is apparent that the functional antibody repertoire must be relatively small if a sufficient concentration of specific antibody is to be produced in time to arrest the growth of pathogens and eventually eliminate them. Thus, commonly quoted estimates of antibody repertoires in the range from greater than 10(10) to "complete" (infinite?) must be seriously in error. Other well known "facts", such as D-diversity, and B cell signaling by receptor aggregation are also shown to be lacking in biological commonsense.
Electronic Quenching Of OH A2Σ+ Radicals In Collisions With Molecular Hydrogen

Abstract Collisional quenching of electronically excited OH A 2 Σ + radicals by molecular hydrogen introduces nonradiative pathways that rapidly remove OH population from the excited state, and result in a significantly decreased fluorescence lifetime. One of these pathways is shown to lead to ground state OH X 2 Π products with ∼1 eV of internal excitation in both highly excited rotational levels of v = 1 and the lowest rotational levels of v = 2. This highly nonstatistical OH X 2 Π product distribution reflects the passage of the HO–H 2 system through the conical intersection regions that couple the ground and excited state surfaces.
Influence of Age Factors on Immunizability of Mice to Rabies Virus.

1. W-Swiss mice 60 or more days old are more readily immunizable against rabies virus infection than 20 day old or younger mice; this difference in immunizability with increasing age is most conspicuous when vaccination with virulent virus is followed by intracerebral test infection and least apparent when vaccination with avirulent virus is followed by intramuscular test infection. 2. The titre of circulating neutralizing antibodies does not parallel the titre of immunity.
Method for radioassay of migratory alpha-particle emitters

Abstract An electrostatic precipitation method is described for the individual alpha-particle activities associated with radionuclidic decays that trace their origin to sites in the surface layers of solid matter. The energy resolution is sufficient to resolve all of the detected, major alpha-particle groups of the identifying member(s) of the uranium, thorium, and actinium series. The 12% absolute efficiency associated with the device allows determination of individual migration rates from surface layers of solid materials of 10 −4 atom/s, which corresponds to detection of one alpha-particle per day, to be made with negligible background contributions: This efficiency is independent of the material's surface area over a wide range. The background in the detector, presumably produced by cosmic rays, is not found to be measurably dependent upon the orientation of the detector with respect to the cosmic-ray flux. Ambiguities associated with the birthplaces of migratory radon atoms are discussed.
An Approximate Solution for the Potential Flow of a Pore Fluid Into a Slotted Cylinder

Afin de determiner l'influence d'un ecoulement non symetrique sur la deformation permanente des roches et l'effondrement du tubage dans les puits de production les auteurs analysent la repartition des pressions de couche generee par un ecoulement laminaire stationnaire traversant un cylindre rainure
Some Psychodynamic Considerations in the Treatment of Drug Abuse in Early Adolescence

Abstract A group of elementary school children between the ages of 11 and 13 years were found to be heavily involved in the use of marihuana. Their parents as a unified group developed a program which rapidly curtailed the drug use of their children. The program was based primarily upon establishing firm external control of the children's drug-seeking behavior. This paper examines some of the psychodynamic factors which seem to account for the success of this program. Some applications of the findings of this study to the practice of child psychiatrists are presented.