cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of fiber orientation on the toughening of short fiber-reinforced polymers

The effect of fiber orientation on the tough- ening of polymers by short glass fibers generally below their critical length was investigated using specimens with either well-aligned or randomly oriented fibers. The fibers were aligned by an electric field in a photopolymerizable mono- mer, which was polymerized while the field was still being applied. These materials were fractured with the aligned fibers in three orientations with respect to the crack plane and propagation direction. Specimens with fibers aligned normal to the fracture plane were the most tough, those with randomly oriented fibers were less tough, and those with fibers aligned within the fracture plane were the least tough. The fracture behaviors compared favorably with predictions based on observed processes accounting for fiber orienta- tion. The processes considered were fiber pull-out (includ- ing snubbing), fiber breakage, fiber-matrix debonding, and localized matrix-yielding adjacent to fibers bridging the frac- ture plane. Fibers not quite perpendicular to the fracture plane provided the greatest toughening; these fibers pulled out completely and gave a significant contribution from snubbing. Fibers at higher angles provided less toughening, involving nearly equal contributions from pull-out, break- age, and debonding. Fibers within the fracture plane pro- vided the least toughening, involving debonding alone. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 2740 -2751, 2003
Sleep Disruption and Gestational Diabetes

Numerous studies in non-pregnant populations have demonstrated associations between sleep disturbances and a broad range of medical conditions including type 2 diabetes. Data exploring the relationship between sleep and adverse pregnancy outcomes are now emerging. This review will summarize the literature regarding sleep duration and sleep disordered breathing during pregnancy and its potential impact on maternal glucose metabolism.
Osmo-dependent Cl‾ currents activated by cyclic AMP in follicle-enclosed Xenopus oocytes

The role of adenosine 3$^{\prime}$,5$^{\prime}$-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) in generating the osmo-dependent slow inward membrane currents (S$_{\text{in}}$) elicited by activation of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) or acetylcholine (ACh) receptors was studied in voltage-clamped, follicle-enclosed oocytes of Xenopus laevis (follicles). Forskolin (FSK) also generated S$_{\text{in}}$ currents, and in low concentrations it potentiated the S$_{\text{in}}$ currents elicited by FSH but not those elicited by ACh. Moreover, intra-oocyte injections of cAMP elicited similar slow inward currents (cAMP-S$_{\text{in}}$) that: (i) were carried mainly by chloride ions; (ii) were abolished by defolliculating the oocytes; and (iii) were dependent on the osmolarity of the external medium. Compared with the Ca$^{2+}$-dependent chloride channels that are located in the oocyte membrane; the cAMP-activated S$_{\text{in}}$ channels were less permeable to I$^{-}$ and Br$^{-}$, and their current-voltage relation did not rectify strongly at negative potentials. Generation of cAMP-S$_{\text{in}}$ desensitized the FSH-S$_{\text{in}}$ currents, but did not have effects on both the S$_{\text{in}}$ and the fast chloride current (F$_{\text{in}}$) specifically elicited by ACh. Furthermore, follicular phospholipase C activation through stimulation of angiotensin II (AII) receptors failed to generate the current responses elicited by ACh. We conclude that cAMP acts as a potent second messenger in generating the osmo-dependent Cl$^{-}$ currents elicited by FSH but not those elicited by ACh. The mechanisms underlying the ACh responses remain unknown. The osmo-dependent chloride channels activated by cAMP may play a role in the control of volume of the follicular cells-oocyte complex.
Earnings and management incentives: Comments☆

Abstract In the preceding papers, Pourciau, Murphy and Zimmerman, and Clinch and Magliolo address the role of earnings in evaluating CEO performance for dismissal or compensation decisions, and the implications for earnings management. This comment evaluates the three papers and suggests avenues for future research into the stewardship role of accounting data and opportunistic financial reporting behavior.
TEMPORAL VARIATION OF FLOWER AND FRUIT SIZE IN RELATION TO SEED YIELD IN CELANDINE POPPY (CHELIDONIUM MAJUS; PAPAVERACEAE)

Ecological and evolutionary studies typically consider variation in single reproductive characters in isolation, without considering how they might be correlated with other reproductive and vegetative characters. In our study, we examined temporal patterns of variation and correlation in flower diameter and fruit length during a reproductive phase in two Massachusetts populations of the herb, Chelidonium majus. We also examined the relationships of such variation to measurements of seed yield components (mean seed weight and number per fruit) and aspects of plant vegetative size. Most of the variation in the sizes of reproductive characters occurred within individual plants, instead of among plants or between populations. Flower and fruit sizes as well as seed number per fruit declined significantly during the season in both populations. Only mean seed size per fruit was relatively stable for individual plants in both populations. Conserving resources by a gradual reduction in the size of reproductive characters over the season may be a strategy for maternal plants to continue seed production. The strong, persistent patterns of correlation between certain characters, such as flower and fruit size, in spite of extensive phenotypic plasticity, was interpreted as indirect evidence for developmental correlation. Furthermore, vegetatively larger plants produced not only more flowers and fruits, but also consistently larger flowers and fruits. The results emphasize that variation in fitness characters, such as seed size and number, should not be viewed in isolation from vegetative characters, flower, and fruit sizes in ecological and evolutionary studies, if the goal is to understand the mechanisms of natural selection in wild populations.
Antagonistic effects of MYC and hypoxia in channeling glucose and glutamine into de novo nucleotide biosynthesis

Background Cell proliferation requires up regulation of nucleotide biosynthesis for making new DNA and RNA to support protein bio-synthesis. MYC is a major transcription factor that regulates metabolic processes essential for cell division, and is overexpressed in many cancers. The nutrient sources and integration of the metabolic pathways for nucleotide biosynthesis that enable MYC-dependent cell division are poorly defined. Using Stable Isotope Resolved Metabolomics (SIRM) we have determined the fate of atoms from C6-glucose, C5, N2-glutamine, or H-glycine into nucleotides under varied conditions of MYC expression in the MYC-inducible P493-6 B-lymphocyte [2] and several lung cell lines.
HEPATITIS B IN ADULTS

The diagnosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection relies on the detection of hepatitis B antigens and antibodies, and HBV DNA in serum. The clinical manifestations of HBV infection range from subclinical hepatitis to symptomatic hepatitis and, in rare instances, fulminant hepatitis during the acute phase, and from an asymptomatic carrier state to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during the chronic phase. The clinical presentation and outcome of HBV infection depend on the age at infection, the level of HBV replication and the immune status of the host. Perinatal or childhood infection usually is associated with little or no symptoms, but a high risk of chronicity, whereas adult acquired infection is usually associated with symptomatic hepatitis, but a low risk of chronicity. Liver disease tends to be active during the replicative phase of infection and quiescent during the non-replicative phase.
Commuting transfer matrix solution of the asymmetric six-vertex model

Abstract We use Baxter's commuting transfer matrix method to solve the asymmetric six-vertex model which is not a special case of the symmetric eight-vertex model solved by Baxter. This provides a simple and elegant rederivation of Yang's results for this model.
Treating the whole patient

In this address given to the president and Diplomates on the presentation of his honorary membership to the College, Professor Coran looks back on a long and distinguished career in paediatric surgery. Central to his discussion are the privileges and responsibilities that come with the surgical career, and the globalisation of medicine.
Antagonism of vasoactive intestinal peptide mRNA in the suprachiasmatic nucleus disrupts the rhythm of FRAs expression in neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons

This study was designed to determine whether there is a functional relationship between cfos expression in vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) -containing neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and Fos-related antigens (FRAs) expression in neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons of the arcuate (ARN) and periventricular (PeVN) nuclei of the hypothalamus. Brains were obtained from ovariectomized (OVX) female rats killed at 12:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 7:00 PM (12 hours illumination beginning 6:00 AM). Antibodies against FRAs and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) identified activated neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons. Antibodies against cfos and VIP identified activated VIP-immunoreactive (IR) neurons in the SCN. The proportion of neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons in the ARN and PeVN expressing FRAs was greatest and equivalent at 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 12:00 AM. At 7:00 PM, the proportion of neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons expressing FRAs was significantly lower than all other time points. In the SCN, a subpopulation of VIP-IR neurons maximally expressed cfos at 7:00 AM, which decreased through 9:00 AM. cFos was not expressed at 7:00 PM and 12:00 AM in VIP-IR neurons. Antisense VIP oligonucleotides were injected into the SCN to determine whether attenuation of VIP expression disturbs rhythms in neuroendocrine dopaminergic neuronal activity. OVX rats were infused with either antisense VIP oligonucleotides or scrambled sequence oligonucleotides bilaterally (0.5 μg in 0.5 μl of saline per side) in the SCN. Animals were killed 34 hours (7:00 PM) and 46 hours (7:00 AM) after receiving infusions, and brains were recovered. Administration of antisense VIP oligonucleotides decreased VIP protein expression in the SCN and prevented the decrease in the percentage of neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons expressing FRAs at 7:00 PM but did not affect FRAs expression at 7:00 AM when compared with animals receiving scrambled oligonucleotides. These data suggest that VIP fibers from the SCN may relay time-of-day information to neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons to inhibit their activity and, thus, initiate prolactin release in the evening. J. Comp. Neurol. 450:135–143, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs FOR ANALOG AND DIGITAL APPLICATIONS

AlGaAs/GaAs Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT) technology has emerged as an important IC technology for high performance electronic systems. Many outstanding circuits have been demonstrated as a result of the AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs high speed, high accuracy and its semi-insulating substrate. Several GaAs HBT manufacturing lines have been established; some of which are shipping products. In this paper, we describe AlGaAs/GaAs HBT technology, summarize some key and representative circuits in analog, A/D conversion and digital applications, and provide prospects of GaAs HBT research.
An Efficient Monte Carlo Model of Protein Chains. Modeling the Short-Range Correlations between Side Group Centers of Mass

A new high-coordination lattice model of polypeptide chains has been designed and tested. The model employs a single united atom representation of amino acid residues. These atoms are centered on protein side groups. Characteristic short-range distance correlations have been built into the model, thereby providing a rather accurate description of proteinlike conformational stiffness. Sequence-specific interaction schemes have been derived from sequence similarity and sequence-structure compatibility criteria. The conformations of the model chain observed in isothermal Monte Carlo simulations reproduce protein secondary structure with high fidelity. Implications for structural studies of protein systems are briefly discussed.
Generation of multiple forms of methionyl-tRNA synthetase from the multi-enzyme complex of mammalian aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases by endogenous proteolysis.

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase occurs free and as high-molecular-weight multi-enzyme complexes in rat liver. The free form is purified to near homogeneity by conventional column chromatography and affinity chromatography on tRNA-Sepharose. The native molecular weight of free methionyl-tRNA synthetase is 64 500, based on its sedimentation coefficient of 4.5 S and Stokes radius of 33 A. The free methionyl-tRNA synthetase apparently belongs to alpha-type subunit structure, since the subunit molecular weight is 68 000, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Methionyl-tRNA synthetase is dissociated from the high-molecular-weight synthetase complex by controlled trypsinization, according to Kellermann, O., Viel, C. and Waller, J.P. (Eur. J. Biochem. 88 (1978) 197-204). The dissociated, free methionyl-tRNA synthetase is subsequently purified to near homogeneity. The subunit structure of dissociated methionyl-tRNA synthetase is identical to that of endogenous free methionyl-tRNA synthetase. Anti-serum raised against Mr 104 000 protein in the synthetase complex, specifically inhibited methionyl-tRNA synthetase in both the free and the high-molecular-weight forms to the same extent. These results suggest that the occurrence of multiple forms of methionyl-tRNA synthetases in mammalian cells may, in part, be due to proteolytic cleavage.
Relationship Between Driver's License Renewal Policies and Fatal Crashes Involving Drivers 70 Years or Older

Objective. —To assess the relationship between state driver's license renewal policies and fatal crashes involving drivers aged 70 years or older (seniors). Design and Analysis. —Poisson regression methods were used to isolate the relationship between different state policies mandating vision tests, knowledge tests, or road tests for driver's license renewal and fatal crashes involving senior drivers. The analysis controlled for differences among states, other than their renewal policies, likely to influence senior motor vehicle crashes. Setting. —United States, 1985 through 1989. Participants. —All fatal crashes identified in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatal Accident Reporting System involving at least one driver aged 70 years or older. Main Outcome Measure. —The number of fatal crashes per state in which at least one of the drivers was aged 70 years or older. When a single fatal crash involved more than one senior driver, each was included. Results. —State-mandated tests of visual acuity, adjusted for license renewal period, were associated with lower fatal crash risk for senior drivers (relative risk, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.89 to 0.97). Knowledge tests, when added to vision tests and applied only to seniors, provided a nonsignificant reduction in the senior fatal crash risk (relative risk, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.79 to 1.05). Conclusion. —Tests of vision and knowledge for senior drivers at license renewal merit further attention as a means of improving senior traffic safety. ( JAMA . 1995;274:1026-1030)
Active absorption of vitamin B12 and conjugated bile salts by guinea pig ileum occurs in villous and not crypt cells

We isolated highly enriched fractions of villous and crypt cells from guinea pig intestine to determine whether this preparation provided a suitable model for comparing the transport of cobalamin and conjugated bile salts by these cell populations. The uptake of [57Co] cyanocobalamin by ileal villous cells was 30-fold greater when incubated with cobalamin bound to intrinsic factor than with free cobalamin. Intrinsic factor-mediated uptake of cobalamin could not be demonstrated using ileal crypt or jejunal villous or crypt cells. When incubated with [3H] taurocholate, the uptake by ileal villous cells was significantly greater than by ileal crypt or jejunal villous cells. These results indicate the suitability of using isolated guinea pig villous and crypt cells to examine transport processess of molecules that involve specialized mechanisms. The results also demonstrate that the undifferentiated crypt cell lacks specific transport processes necessary for the active absorption of cobalamin and taurocholate.
Interleukin-1 beta regulates the expression of a leukocyte type of 12-lipoxygenase in rat islets and RIN m5F cells.

The leukocyte type of 12-lipoxygenase (12-LO) may play a role in inflammatory reactions in many cell types through the conversion of arachidonic acid to proinflammatory eicosanoids that include 12-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid and 12-hydroeicosatetraenoic acid. Previous studies demonstrating the presence of a functional 12-LO pathway in rat and human pancreatic beta-cells plus the recent cloning of a rat leukocyte type of 12-LO allowed us to evaluate whether inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) can regulate the beta-cell 12-LO enzyme pathway, thus providing a potential link between the cytotoxic effects of cytokines on pancreatic beta-cells and the proinflammatory effects of 12-LO products. We demonstrate that IL-1 beta induces 12-LO protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in RIN m5F cells and 12-LO mRNA expression in rat islets. RIN m5F cells treated for 16 h with IL-1 beta (25, 50, and 100 ng/liter) showed a maximal 2-fold increase in the expression of a leukocyte form of...
Automated Attacks on Compression-Based Classifiers

Methods of compression-based text classification have proven their usefulness for various applications. However, in some classification problems, such as spam filtering, a classifier confronts one or many adversaries willing to induce errors in the classifier's judgment on certain kinds of input. In this paper, we consider the problem of finding thrifty strategies for character-based text modification that allow an adversary to revert classifier's verdict on a given family of input texts. We propose three statistical statements of the problem that can be used by an attacker to obtain transformation models which are optimal in some sense. Evaluating these three techniques on a realistic spam corpus, we find that an adversary can transform a spam message (detectable as such by an entropy-based text classifier) into a legitimate one by generating and appending, in some cases, as few additional characters as 11% of the original length of the message.
Benefits and pitfalls of secondary antibodies: why choosing the right secondary is of primary importance.

Simultaneous labeling of multiple targets in a single sample, or multiplexing, is a powerful approach to directly compare the amount, localization and/or molecular properties of different targets in the same sample. Here we highlight the robust reliability of the simultaneous use of multiple mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) of different immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses in a wide variety of multiplexing applications employing anti-mouse IgG subclass-specific secondary antibodies (2°Abs). We also describe the unexpected finding that IgG subclass-specific 2°Abs are superior to general anti-mouse IgG 2°Abs in every tested application in which mouse mAbs were used. This was due to a detection bias of general anti-mouse IgG-specific 2°Abs against mAbs of the most common mouse IgG subclass, IgG1, and to a lesser extent IgG2b mAbs. Thus, when using any of numerous mouse mAbs available through commercial and non-profit sources, for cleaner and more robust results each mAb should be detected with its respective IgG subclass-specific 2°Ab and not a general anti-mouse IgG-specific 2°Ab.
Development of an Elisa for Quantification of Human Protein S in Cell Culture Fluids Using Commercial Polyclonal Antisera

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure protein S antigen released into cell culture fluids. We used readily available commercial polyclonal antisera to develop the assay. This assay was sensitive with a detection limit of about 0.086 ng/ml. Between-assay precision (coefficient of variation) at levels of 0.2, 1.1, and 13.9 ng/ml was 14%, 15%, and 11% respectively. Specificity and accuracy were demonstrated from the use of: 1) culture fluids from 3-primary endothelial cell cultures and 7-cell lines known to constitutively produce protein S; 2) 2-cell lines not synthesizing protein S; and 3) from selected samples of normal and protein S deficient plasma. The ELISA described here was about 12-fold more sensitive and 40-fold more cost effective when compared to a commercial ELISA kit. Thus the assay provided a sensitive, specific, precise and economical method useful for the measurement of the nanogram amounts of protein S commonly encountered in cell culture fluids.
Flow cytometry of X and Y chromosome-bearing sperm for DNA using an improved preparation method and staining with Hoechst 33342.

A new and improved method of preparing mammalian spermatozoa for high resolution flow cytometric DNA analysis and flow sorting is described. Ejaculated or cryopreserved sperm were briefly sonicated to remove tails and then stained with Hoechst 33342. This simple procedure was found superior to more severe treatments of dimethylsulfoxide washes, fixation in 80% ethanol, and protease digestion of the sperm membranes and tails by papain. Flow cytometric DNA analyses of sperm samples subjected to varying sonication times indicated that X and Y chromosome-bearing sperm populations could be well resolved with as little as 15-sec sonication. In addition, a comparison of sonicated samples stained with four concentrations of bisbenzimide (Hoechst 33342) or 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) indicated that 2.5 or 5.0 μg/ml of Hoechst was sufficient to resolve the X and Y sperm populations. In order to quantitatively describe the flow cytometric data, several indices (sample quality, orientation and splitting) were developed.
Effects, Quenching Mechanisms, and Kinetics of Water Soluble Compounds in Riboflavin Photosensitized Oxidation of Milk

To protect the nutrient and flavor stability of milk under light, the effects of 0, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05 M 1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane (DABCO) and 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) on the riboflavin photosensitized oxidation of milk were studied. The oxidation of milk was studied by measuring the headspace oxygen in sample bottles after 3 h of light exposure at 3000 lux. As the concentration of DABCO and DMF, which are water soluble compounds, increased in the sample from 0, 0.01, and 0.03 to 0.05 M, the depleted headspace oxygen content significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Steady state kinetic studies of singlet oxygen oxidation showed that the antioxidant activity of DABCO and DMF was due to singlet oxygen quenching. The reaction rate constant of singlet oxygen with milk fat was 8.1 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1). Total singlet oxygen quenching rates of DABCO and DMF were 1.5 x 10(7) and 2.6 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. DABCO and DMF could be used to slow the reaction between singlet oxygen and milk components to protect nutrients, especially riboflavin, and to improve the oxidative stability of milk fat during storage or processing under light.
Poor sleep and impaired self-care: Towards a comprehensive model linking sleep, cognition, and heart failure outcomes

Background: Persons with heart failure (HF) have significantly lower sleep quantity and quality than persons without HF. The purpose of this article is to propose a conceptual model describing how ...
Discharge of elemental sulfur and its distribution in surficial sediments in the region of the buccaneer oil field

Abstract The concentration of elemental sulfur in the produced water effluent from production platforms in the Buccaneer oil field was determined. In 15 samples collected between June, 1977 and May, 1978 the mean sulfur content was 457 ppm (range:
Mössbauer studies of prehistoric Cherokee pottery sherds

Mossbauer spectroscopy is a very useful tool in the examination and characterization of ancient pottery sherds. In this study, Mossbauer spectra for sherds and clay from the Warren Wilson Site, a prehistoric Native American (Cherokee) settlement in western North Carolina, were measured. Data from one sherd and samples from two clay beds indicate that the sherd was not made from local clays and was originally fired to 350 ‡C.
Photoinduced femtosecond relaxation of antiferromagnetic orders in the iron pnictides revealed by ultrafast laser ellipsometry

We report ultrafast softening of the antiferromagnetic order, ~150fs after the electron thermalization, which follows a two-step recovery pathway to reveal a distinct interplay of magnetism and the nematic order in iron pnictides.
Chemical footprinting of structural and functional elements of dhfr oriβ during the CHOC 400 cell cycle

Oribeta, an origin of replication 3' to Chinese hamster dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene, contains several sequence elements that function as components of a chromosomal replicator. Here we have examined sensitivity to KMnO(4) in vitro and in living cells of three regions within dhfr oribeta which contribute to replicator function: the origin of bidirectional DNA replication (OBR) that serves as an initiation site for DNA synthesis, a stably bent DNA region that binds activator protein one (AP-1) and RIP60 in vitro, and an AT-rich region that contains a dA/dT(23) dinucleotide repeat that has properties of a DNA unwinding element. The in vitro patterns of KMnO(4) modification in linear plasmid differed from that in supercoiled plasmid most prominently in the dA/dT(23) repeat, with evidence of palindrome extrusion in supercoiled plasmid. Although palindrome extrusion was not detected in genomic DNA during the cell cycle, the pattern of genomic DNA modification within the dA/dT(23) repeat differed substantially from that of either linear or plasmid DNA in vitro. An AT-rich region that borders the dA/dT repeat was also highly sensitive to modification by KMnO(4) in cells. Within the bent DNA region, the patterns of chemical modification of both the AP-1 and RIP60 sites differed between plasmid and genomic DNA, and minor differences in the in vitro and cellular modification patterns also were observed for the OBR. Nonetheless, there was little evidence of cell cycle-specific modifications in any sequence examined. These studies suggest that sequences within dhfr oribeta adopt specific conformations in cells, with the most prominent changes in the AT-rich region associated with the dA/dT(23) repeat and DNA unwinding.
Direct measurement of external iliac artery blood flow in the awake unmedicated primate (rhesus monkey): Effect of sympathectomy

Abstract Blood flows in the external iliac artery measured with noncannulating square wave electromagnetic flow probes are reported in 15 unmedicated rhesus monkeys. Blood flows up to 22 months after unilateral lumbar sympathectomy increased 5–200% when compared to simultaneous contralateral flows or ipsilateral flows prior to sympathectomy. Central (aortic) blood pressures in 13 old monkeys were 80–130 mm. Hg diastolic and 105–185 mm. Hg systolic. Cardiac output in two monkeys was 80–200 ml./kg./minute.
Dermatitic effect of nonionic surfactants I. Gross, microscopic, and metabolic changes in rabbit skin treated with nonionic surface‐active agents

Nonionic surface-active agents were applied to rabbit skin daily in an attempt to determine the physiological properties and irritative potential of some seleted surfactants. Three methods of evaluation were used: gross examination, microscopical examination, and measurement of the respiratory metabolic activity of the treated skin. The gross and microscopical evaluations of these tests both indicated that the greatest irritation was produced by the polyoxyethylene ethers. These substances produced gross inflammation in even short periods of time (3 days) in the weakest dilutions (1 per cent) in which they were tested. Polysorbates caused more irritation than sorbitans. The metabolic measurements indicated a two, three, and fourfold increase in the oxygen consumption of the inflamed, treated skin sample, depending on the length of the treatment and the type of agent used.
High resolution observations of the radio galaxy NGC5128 at 10.7 GHz

NGC5128 (Centaurus A) is at a distance of approximately 4 Mpc and is the nearest of the strong radio galaxies. It is an important object for study, since with a given angular resolution it should be possible to observe small-scale structure which might not be resolved in more distant objects of the same class.
Academic Libraries and Discovery Tools: A Survey of the Literature

Discovery tools are becoming increasingly popular in academic libraries, yet there is little information available concerning the tools used regarding their implementation, maintenance, and evaluation, or the tools’ effects on public service librarians. Key questions considered through a literature review include the most common tools used, how their effectiveness is evaluated, and user satisfaction data. Readers will learn how public service librarians are involved in discovery tool processes; the usability of discovery tools; and how to incorporate discovery tools into information literacy endeavors.
Experiencing the whole.

This personal essay describes the author's theoretical and methodological journey in her quest for understanding of wholeness as a basic concept of the discipline of nursing.She asserts that wholeness, seen as pattern and meaning of the life process, is not amenable to external measurement and control, but is learned from within by a hermeneutic dialectic process with clients. The emphasis on the evolution of undivided wholeness is consistent with a unitary-transformative paradigm of the discipline.
Effects of theophylline on chromosomal breakage and sister-chromatid exchange

Abstract Frequencies of both sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosomal breakage (CB) were studied in the lymphocytes of normal individuals (10 and 7 individuals respectively). The cells were exposed in vitro to 3 different concentrations of theophylline (1, 10 and 100 μg/ml). A significant concentration effect of the drug was demonstrated for both SCEs and CB. Utilizing a Dunnett's test for individual comparisons, the 10 and 100 μg/ml concentrations both demonstrated a significant elevation of SCEs and CB compared to the untreated control cultures. This study suggests that in vitro concentrations of theophylline equal to or greater than 10 μg/ml, corresponding to serum levels attained during therapy, increase the frequency of SCEs and chromosome breakage in human lymphocytes.
A linear-time algorithm for computing the memory access sequence in data-parallel programs

Data-parallel languages, such as High Performance Fortran, are widely regarded as a promising means for writing portable programs for distributed-memory machines. Novel features of these languages call for the development of new techniques in both compilers and run-time systems. In this paper, we present an improved algorithm for finding the local memory access sequence in computations involving regular sections of arrays with cyclic(k) distributions. After establishing the fact that regular section indices correspond to elements of an integer lattice, we show how to find a lattice basis that allows for simple and fast enumeration of memory accesses. The complexity of our algorithm is shown to be lower than that of the previous solution for the same problem. In addition, the experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of our method in practice.
The Deprofessionalization of Medicine

To the Editor. —The article by Drs Reed and Evans 1 critically analyzes the external factors that are causing decreased autonomy and professionalism among physicians. I applaud their prescription for an expanding system of physician-driven organizations. They fail, however, to address the internal factors that influence this trend and the inherent problem with physician-driven organizations. In their listing of the components of professionalism, Drs Reed and Evans state that "a service orientation supersedes the proprietary interests of the professionals." I suggest that this requirement is not being met by a significant number of physicians. As leaders of the big business of medicine, many physicians have come to feel entitled to their large salaries. With Medicare, Medicaid, and the other components of the social safety net for the poor, many physicians no longer feel individually responsible for indigent health care. The main problem with physician-driven organizations is that the goal of
Mean firing rate spike representations for speech recognition

The nature of spike coding of auditory signals is studied by comparing mean firing rate codes with conventional approaches in speech recognition tasks. Mean firing rate spike representations are problematic since most auditory nerve fibers are saturated at typical conversation levels. However, these problems are eased somewhat when it is considered that there are other nerve fibers (e.g. low spontaneous firing rate fibers) that could efficiently encode the information at each channel of the cochlea. We show that window-based, mean firing rate features can be used with a crude cochlea model to achieve the same level of performance as a conventional MFCC-based approach. These results assume that there are sufficient neurons available at each channel to average the randomness of the stochastic spike trains. Furthermore, we argue that the mean firing rate features could be augmented with timing cues for further performance improvement.
Transferrin modifies surfactant responsiveness in acute respiratory failure: Role of iron‐free transferrin as an antioxidant

In respiratory failure, transferrin (TF) with variable iron saturation accumulates in the alveolar space. Binding free iron to TF may inhibit metal-catalyzed formation of free radicals. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the degree of the iron-saturation of TF influences the severity of respiratory failure and surfactant responsiveness. Surfactant deficiency and lung edema was induced in 42 paralyzed and ventilated young rabbits by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL); 19 of these animals were preexposed to 100% O2 for 40 hours. The animals received (1) exogenous surfactant intratracheally (100 mg/kg in 4 ml/kg saline); (2) surfactant and Fe(3+)-TF (50 or 25 mg/kg); or (3) surfactant and iron-free TF (50 mg/kg). One hour after administration of TF, 13-25% of exogenous TF was recovered by BAL. Administration of Iron-free TF significantly decreased the iron saturation of TF in BAL. In acute respiratory failure induced by BAL, Fe(3+)-TF decreased the efficacy of exogenous surfactant in improving the gas exchange, and increased surfactant inhibition, while iron-free TF had no effect. By contrast, in respiratory failure induced by hyperoxia and BAL, iron-free TF improved the efficacy of exogenous surfactant, but Fe(2+)-TF had no effect. After administration of iron-free TF, surfactant isolated from BAL was more surface-active than surfactant from BAL of the other hyperoxia-treated animals. In animals exposed to hyperoxia, treatment with iron-free TF decreased malondialdehyde content of BAL. We propose that low iron saturation of TF decreases oxidant stress and favors the recovery from respiratory failure.
Geochemistry of the Trans-Labrador granitoid belt, Canada. A quantitative comparative study of a Proterozoic batholith and possible Phanerozoic counterparts

Abstract The Trans-Labrador granitoid belt (TLGB) of eastern Canada is a 600 km-long magmatic province, that forms part of a wider belt of Lower to Middle Proterozoic crust along the southern margin of the pre-1800 Ma cratonic nucleus of North America. The size, geometry and tectonic position of the TLGB invite comparison with continental margin batholiths such as those of circum-Pacific areas. Quantitative comparative studies using a large, statistically representative, database suggest that there are significant contrasts between the compositional spectra and differentiation trends of the TLGB and typical continental arc batholiths. Specifically, the TLGB is dominated volumetrically by alkali-calcic granites (s.s.), showing locally agpaitic tendencies and relatively enhanced levels of F, Zr and REE. Such trace element characteristics invite comparison with “A-type”, “anorogenic” or “within-plate” granites, and some components of the TLGB fall into this category. In terms of bulk compositional spectra, the TLGB is similar empirically to post-tectonic and anorogenic intrusions of the Newfoundland Appalachians. It is suggested that a continental arc setting is inappropriate for the TLGB, and that a more likely environment is a post-orogenic setting dominated by crustal thickening, uplift and transcurrent faults. It is also possible, however, that the TLGB was generated in an intraplate environment by melting and vertical differentiation of continental crust in response to thermal input from the mantle. It is suggested that the use of large, representative databases, coupled with quantitative comparative studies of compositional spectra and differentiation trends, may be a useful approach in the discrimination of batholiths from different tectonic environments. At the present time, however, studies of this type are hampered by the lack of representative data from “type” areas.
Mutational Analysis of the CD6 Binding Site in Activated Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule

The interaction between CD6 and its ligand activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) mediates adhesion of thymocytes to thymic epithelial cells. The extracellular region of ALCAM includes five Ig-like domains, and its N-terminal V-like domain specifically binds to the membraneproximal scavenger receptor cysteine-rich domain of CD6. Previously, six ALCAM residues were identified by alanine scanning mutagenesis to contribute to the interaction with CD6. All of these residues mapped to the predicted A'GFCC'C" face of ALCAM's N-terminal domain. Here we describe the results of experiments designed to further study the CD6 binding site. Other mutagenesis experiments at four previously studied sites were carried out to better understand their importance for the interaction with CD6, and different receptor binding assays were employed to compare the contribution of these and other ALCAM residues to the CD6-ligand interaction. A total of ten new ALCAM mutants were prepared, and three additional residues were identified as critical for CD6 binding. These studies have enabled us to classify ALCAM residues according to their importance for binding and to describe the CD6 binding site in some detail.
The population biology of Tapinoma minutum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Australia

Nests ofTapinoma minutum were collected and mapped from a wet sclerophyll forest in New South Wales during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Queen number was variable, indicating the population is both facultatively polygynous and polydomous. Electrophoretic data from three polymorphic enzymes revealed that relatedness among workers conformed to the Hamiltonian expectation of 0.75. Colony boundaries were inferred from electrophoretic data synthesized with nest spatial locations. For this species colonies were composed of at most three nests; this simple pattern of polydomy suggests it has a recent origin in this population. The pattern of facultative polygyny may be linked to an apparent high rate of colony orphaning.
Central pancreatectomy for benign pancreatic lesions.

Introduction. Traditional resections for pancreatic malignancies include distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and pancrearicoduodenectomy (PD). Alternative resections for benign pancreatic disease are used to minimize the resection of normal pancreatic and splenic parenchyma. This study describes the use of central pancreatectomy (CP) in 10 patients. Methods. A retrospective chart review of all patients undergoing CP between May 1999 and February 2004 was undertaken. Results. Ten patients (eight female, two male) underwent CP for benign pancreatic disease. Median age was 59 years (range 21–75). Eight patients presented with abdominal pain, two of whom also had weight loss. One patient each presented with hypoglycemia and as an incidental finding. Median operative time was 255 min (range 160–380 min). Proximal pancreatic remnant was stapled in five and oversewn in five. Distal pancreatic remnant was managed with pancreaticojejunostomy in six patients and pancreatjcogastrostomy in four patients. There were no 30-day mortalities. Pancreatic fistula developed in four patients (40%), and all resolved without operative intervention. All patients are alive with no recurrence and no new endocrine or exocrine dysfunction. Conclusion. CP has similar morbidity and mortality rates to traditional pancreatic resections and may offer a lower incidence of diabetes and exocrine insufficiency.
Nighttime F-region morphology in the low and middle latitudes seen from DMSP F15 and TIMED/GUVI

Abstract We investigate the seasonal, longitudinal, and altitudinal variations of the F -region morphology at 2100–2300 LT in the low- and middle-latitudes using the data collected in August, September, and November of 2003. The topside morphology is investigated using in situ measurements of the O + fraction and total ion density by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F15 satellite. The morphology of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) near the F peak altitude is investigated using the OI 135.6-nm radiance maps provided by the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) on board the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite. The hemispheric asymmetries of the topside ionosphere at 840 km in the months near solstices can be characterized by the reduction of the O + fraction and ion density in the winter hemisphere compared to those in the summer hemisphere. The minimum O + fraction and ion density layers occur around 30 ∘ magnetic latitude in the winter hemisphere. During the fall equinox, the hemispheric asymmetries are reversed in the regions of opposite magnetic declinations. From the comparison of the topside morphology with the global wind circulation pattern at 2200 LT predicted by the Horizontal Wind Model 93 (HWM93) we infer that hemispheric asymmetry of the topside ionosphere is created primarily by the retardation of the downward plasma diffusion in one hemisphere through the field-aligned equatorward winds. The global EIA morphology does not conform to the topside morphology. The complex seasonal-longitudinal variations of the EIA strength and asymmetry are not explained simply by considering the modulation of the F -layer height by the winds. The magnetic declination is not a useful tool in understanding the global EIA morphology.
Basic Structures of Some Interconnection Networks

Abstract Beginning in the late 1980's attractive alternatives to the n -cubes were proposed as the topologies for larger interconnection networks. These graphs tend to have many vertices as well as good connectivity and routing properties. We will look at recent developments on some newer topologies such as star graphs, alternating group graphs, split-stars, arrangement graphs and generalized ( n,k ) star graphs. We will present results on routing algorithms, various connectivity measures, structural theorems, augmentation, and open problems. Some applications suggest directed graphs, so the directed versions of above graphs will also be considered.
What Comes After Victory For Behavioral Law and Economics

The battle to separate the economic analysis of legal rules and institutions from the straightjacket of strict rational choice assumptions has been won by the proponents of behavioral law and economics. With the revealed preferences assumption of neoclassical economics - that individual behavior necessarily maximizes subjective expected utility - discarded, what comes next for the discipline of law and economics? The article argues that theorists should turn their attention to a series of philosophical and methodological problems that surround the measurement of subjective expected utility: (1) the need to recognize and value autonomy for its own sake, separate from its ability to enhance utility; (2) the need to advance a theory of subjective utility that takes into account the use of heuristics in the construction of preferences as well as in understanding facts and judging probabilities; and (3) the need to recognize and confront the consequences of individual difference in the extent of bounded rationality.
Joint estimation of respiratory motion and activity in 4D PET using CT side information

In previous work, we proposed a Poisson statistical model for gated PET data in which the distribution was parametrized in terms of both image intensity and motion parameters. The motion parameters related the activity image in each gate to that of a base image in some fixed gate. By doing maximum loglikelihood (ML) estimation of all parameters simultaneously, one obtains an estimate of the base gate image that exploits the full set of measured sinogram data. Previously, this joint ML approach was compared, in a highly simplified single-slice setting, to more conventional methods. Performance was measured in terms of the recovery of tracer uptake in a synthetic lung nodule. This paper reports the extension to 3D with much more realistic simulated motion. Furthermore, in addition to pure ML estimation, we consider the use of side information from a breath-hold CT scan to facilitate regularization, while preserving hot lesions of the kind seen in FDG oncology studies.
Iterative integer programming formulation for robust resource allocation in dynamic real-time systems

Summary form only given. Dynamic real-time systems often operate in a continuously changing environment, causing workload of the system to fluctuate. An initial resource allocation for these systems should be robust with respect to the variation in workload. Using the amount of additional workload that an allocation can accommodate as a measure of robustness, we develop an iterative integer programming approach, called IIP, to determine a robust resource allocation. IIP guarantees to produce an allocation with the measure of robustness that falls within /spl delta/ from the optimal value, where /spl delta/ is a user provided parameter for the IIP algorithm. In addition, trade-off between the quality of the resulting allocation and the execution time of IIP can be achieved by adjusting the parameter /spl delta/.
Agency Costs in the Era of Economic Crisis – The Enhanced Connection between CEO Compensation and Corporate Cash Holdings

This Article reports results of an empirical study that suggests that the current economic crisis has changed managerial behavior in the US in a way that may impede economic recovery. The study finds a strong, statistically significant and economically meaningful, positive correlation between the CEO total annual compensation and corporate cash holdings during the economic crisis in the years 2008-2010. This correlation did not exist in comparable magnitudes in prior years. The empirical findings suggest that high CEO compensation increases managerial risk aversion in times of crisis. The Article considers several explanations for these empirical findings, some of which imply a market failure. The study has implications for the discussion on managerial pay arrangements and the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act concerning say-on-pay.