cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review of Geld und Magie: Eine okonomische Deutung von Goethes Faust

Hans Christoph Binswanger, Geld und Magie: Eine okonomische Deutung von Goethes Faust. Hamburg: Murmann Verlag, 2005. 166 pp. The first thing that must be said about this book is that, despite the claim that it is a "vollstandig uberarbeitete Ausgabe," this is simply not the case. Although the subtitle may have changed (originally "Deutung und Kritik der modernen Wirtschaft anhand von Goethes Faust'), the story it tells twenty years later remains in effect the same. I shall return to the significance of this for those of us interested in Goethe Age economics, but first I will address Binswanger's argument, the additions made to the second edition, and the value of this type of economic commentary on Goethe and Faust. One need not read far to determine that Binswanger places a great deal of emphasis on alchemy in his interpretation of Faust. Goethe, we learn in the first paragraph, "erklart die Wirtschaft als einen alchemistischen Prozess" (13). Binswanger proceeds to argue that the alchemical attempt to create gold was transformed into the economically successful creation of value as exemplified in the creation of paper money. With respect to economic theory of the Goethezeit, he maintains that Goethe's economic insight extended beyond the classical labor theory of value proposed by Adam Smith and forecast the potential of the modern economy to create value ex nihilo. For Binswanger, the creation of surplus value is equivalent to magic (24). Rather than exploring further the question of value in Faust and/or economic value theories of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Binswanger returns to his alchemical analysis, one apparently influenced by the work of the psychoanalyst Carl G.Jung, who described Faust as "ein alchemistisches Drama von Anfang bis Ende" (17, note on page 12 9). According to Binswanger's reading, the alchemical process in Faust proceeds in three stages. The first is the creation of paper money, followed by the acquisition of property, and finally the formation of real capital. "Das alchemistische Werk," he concludes, "gipfelt schlieslich in dem von Faust geleiteten grosen Unternehmen der Kolonisierung __ Das von Faust geplante Unternehmen ist das groste aller alchemistischen Werke" (43). In the second part of the book, Binswanger elaborates on Faust's colonial endeavors and presents Philemon and Baucis as impediments to progress, who must be removed at the behest of Faust, "der moderne Mensch" and the personification of "Geldkapital" (126, 128-29). Many a reader, I expect, would balk at this description of Faust and the interpretation of the events that unfold in Part 2. In the end, Binswanger's argument fails to convince, largely because he sees alchemy in everything. Mephistopheles, Wagner, and Faust are all described as alchemists. An even great problem with this text is that it defies scholarly convention. Line numbers are not given for Faust quotes, and there are a number of missing citations from Goethe, Schiller, Baudelaire, and others. …
Forebrain induction, retinoic acid, and vulnerability to schizophrenia: insights from molecular and genetic analysis in developing mice.

Abstract Schizophrenia is thought to be a disease of early development that ultimately affects forebrain neurons and circuits. There may be a relationship between disrupted forebrain development; malformations of the limb, face, and heart; and signaling via the steroid-like hormone retinoic acid (RA) in some schizophrenic patients. The limbs, face, heart, and forebrain all develop from sites where neural crest-derived, RA-producing mesenchyme contributes to induction and differentiation of adjacent epithelia. Induction between neural crest-derived, RA-producing mesenchyme, the anterior neural tube, and the anterior surface epithelium of the embryo guides regional differentiation and pathway formation during forebrain development. Furthermore, there are at least two mouse mutations—in the Pax-6 and Gli-3 genes—that cause peripheral malformations and specifically disrupt neural crest mediated, RA-dependent induction and differentiation in the forebrain. These observations suggest that induction might provide a common target for genes that alter morphogenesis of peripheral structures, disrupt RA-signaling, and compromise forebrain development. In the forebrain, some of these disruptions might influence the numbers or cellular properties of neurons and circuits. Such changes might be reflected in the aberrant forebrain function that characterizes schizophrenia.
Leucine and α-ketoisocaproate metabolism and interconversions in fed and fasted sheep☆

Abstract Fed and three-day-fasted sheep were infused with [1-14C] α-ketoisocaproate (KIC), l -[1-14C] leucine, and [14C] bicarbonate for determination of their whole-body turnovers, interconversions, and oxidation. Protein synthesis (PS), protein degradation (PD), net tissue metabolism, unidirectional utilization, and production rates also were estimated for the portal-drained viscera, liver, and hindquarters. KIC and leucine arterial concentrations (6.5 and 95 μmol · L−1) both increased with fasting. KIC turnover (9 μmol · min−1) also increased but leucine turnover (108 μmol · min−1) decreased. About 40% of KIC and 15% of leucine were oxidized, but they contributed less than 1% of whole-body CO2 production. The portal-drained viscera released KIC and leucine into the blood only in fed sheep. Hepatic net utilization of KIC and leucine (approximately 2 and 12 μmol · min−1) changed only little with fasting; thus, total splanchnic tissues utilized both in fasted sheep. Net metabolism by the hindquarters (representative of skeletal muscle) was always opposite to splanchnic metabolism. Thus, muscle must produce both KIC and leucine during fasting. In fed sheep whole-body PS, expressed as μmol · min−1 of leucine, was 92 ± 6 and PD was 71 ± 5. After fasting, PS decreased by 27%. Calculated liver protein metabolism was unaffected by the fast; PS (fixed and plasma) remained at about 25 and PD at about 15 μmol · min−1. However, protein metabolism by the hindquarters was sensitive to fasting; PS decreased from 30 ± 4 in fed sheep to 20 ± 3 μmol · min−1 after fasting and PD increased from 27 ± 2 to 35 ± 6 μmol · min−1. Thus, hepatic PS was maintained at the expense of muscle. If the total muscle mass of the body is considered, muscle PS contributed more than one half of whole-body PS.
Evaluation of the abuse liability of aminorex

Aminorex is a cyclic phenylisopropylamine that has been marketed as an anorectic. Despite obvious pharmacological similarities to the amphetamines, little is known about its liability for abuse. In the present study, one group of rhesus monkeys (n = 3) was prepared with intravenous catheters and allowed to self-administer either methohexital or saline in daily experimental sessions. When methohexital and saline self-administration were stable and clearly different, various doses of aminorex (0.001-0.1 mg/kg/injection) were made available for self-administration. Aminorex maintained self-administration above that maintained by saline and slightly lower than that maintained by methohexital in all monkeys. The discriminative stimulus effects of aminorex were evaluated in rhesus monkeys trained to discriminate d-amphetamine (n = 3) or pentobarbital (n = 4) from saline. Aminorex substituted completely for d-amphetamine as a discriminative stimulus but engendered little or no pentobarbital-appropriate responding. Aminorex stimulated locomotor activity in mice and exacerbated the withdrawal syndrome in rats that were dependent upon pentobarbital. These findings indicate that aminorex is a psychomotor stimulant that would be predicted to have significant d-amphetamine-like abuse liability in humans.
Exact Boundary Condition Perturbation Solutions in Eigenvalue Problems

A perturbation method is developed for linear, self-adjoint eigenvalue problems with perturbation operators confined to the boundary conditions. Results are derived through third order perturbation for distinct eigensolutions of the unperturbed problem and through second order perturbation for degenerate eigensolutions, where splitting of the degenerate eigensolutions from asymmetry is identified. A key feature, demonstrated for the plate vibration and Helmholtz equation problems on annular domains, is that the solutions of the perturbation problems are determined exactly in closed-form expressions. The approximation in the eigensolutions of the original problem results only from truncation of the asymptotic perturbation series; no approximation is made in the calculation of the eigensolution perturbations. Confinement of the perturbation terms to the boundary conditions ensures that the exact solutions can be calculated for any combination of unperturbed and perturbed boundary conditions that render the problem self-adjoint. The exact solution avoids the common expansion of the solution to the perturbation problems in infinite series of the unperturbed eigenfunctions. The compactness of solution in this formulation is convenient for modal analysis, system identification, design, and control applications. Examples ofboundary asymmetries where the method applies include stiffness nonuniformities and geometric deviations from idealized boundary shapes such as annuli and rectangles.
Effects of pregnancy on CYP3A and P-glycoprotein activities as measured by disposition of midazolam and digoxin: a University of Washington specialized center of research study.

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effects of pregnancy on CYP3A and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activities, as measured by disposition of midazolam and digoxin, respectively. Thirteen women received digoxin (0.25 mg p.o.) and midazolam (2 mg p.o.) in random order, separated by 1–2 weeks at 28–32 weeks gestation, and the same order was repeated at 6–10 weeks postpartum. Plasma and urine concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and analyzed by noncompartmental methods. Midazolam CL/Funbound (593 ± 237 l/min vs. 345 ± 103 l/min; P = 0.007), digoxin CLRenal, unbound (272 ± 45 ml/min vs. 183 ± 37 ml/min; P < 0.002) and digoxin CLsecretion, unbound (109 ± 34 ml/min vs. 58 ± 22 ml/min; P < 0.002) were higher during pregnancy than postpartum. These data are consistent with increased hepatic and/or intestinal CYP3A and renal P-gp activities during pregnancy. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2008); 84, 2, 248–253 doi:10.1038/clpt.2008.1
A critical evaluation for a class of micro-mechanics models

New results are derived for the effective properties of composite materials composed of a continuous matrix phase containing a highly concentrated suspension of rigid spherical inclusions. The resulting analytical forms from several different theoretical micro-mechanics models are found to vary widely and they are assessed with respect to physical significance.
Four-year follow-up of children with low intelligence and ADHD.

Abstract Twenty-six of 30 participants (87%) who took part in a medication study for treatment of ADHD were followed up 2.9 to 4.8 years (Mean = 3.9 years) later. Parent ratings on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist Community (ABC-C) indicated continued problems on the acting-out subscales, and parent assessments on the Stony Brook Checklist-3R showed a high rate of difficulty on domains called ADHD, Conduct Disorder, and Separation Anxiety Disorder. A high percentage of children (69%) were taking psychotropic drugs, substantial numbers of their families had sought nonmedical treatments, children's friendships were often rudimentary, and a significant minority of children had disciplinary problems in school or difficulty with the law. Using Pearson correlations, we identified a number of initial variables that predicted follow-up parent ratings on the ABC-C and Stony Brook. The ABC-C Irritability subscale was useful in predicting both internalizing and externalizing problems at follow-up, whereas parent and teacher hyperactivity subscales failed to predict later hyperactivity. Children identified with both low intelligence and ADHD appear to have significant behavioral and emotional problems in their early adolescence, and there may be some important qualitative differences in the outcome of these youngsters as compared with that of children identified with ADHD and normal IQ.
Public policy toward the development and evaluation of devices for the control of diabetes mellitus

Recent research progress toward new technologies for managing diabetes mellitus prompts consideration of related public policy. As guides to this technological development: 1) the potential societal value of specific advances should be estimated; and 2) scientific, commercial, and public concerns should be reflected. In evaluating the new technologies: 1) the cost-effectiveness format for comparing net monetary effects to net health effects seems suitable; 2) the long lead time required to assess many diabetic effects suggests that evaluation of the technologies commence even while their modification continues; 3) a premium is placed on identifying observable short-term effects linked to long-term outcomes; and 4) the placebo effect should be scrutinized. Apace with evaluation of technologies should come evalution and modification of public polices for dealing with them.
IDENTIFICATION OF PETROLEUM OILS BY FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY

ABSTRACT A simple and rapid method for the identification of weathered petroleum oils (passive tagging) by fluorescence spectroscopy is described. The approach used takes advantage of the three-dimensional character of the oil fluorescence spectra. Oil identification methods of other investigators that use fluorescence spectroscopy are also reviewed within the context of the three-dimensional system. Our method involves excitation of the oils at 15 wavelengths, between 220–500 nanometers (nm), at 20-nm intervals. The emission monochromator is rapidly scanned at each excitation wavelength to obtain an emission spectrum. The maximum emission intensities are then plotted versus the excitation wavelengths to derive silhouette profiles. These are used as fingerprints for passive tagging petroleum oils. The influence of weathering, quenching, and solvent effects on our method are also examined.
Can desorption be described by the local density formalism

Abstract The local spin density approximation, commonly used in modern chemisorption calculations, sometimes provides a spurious description of desorption. Adsorbates can desorb with fractional charge, leading to qualitatively incorrect binding energy curves and induced dipole moments at large distances. However, the true binding-energy curves exhibit a universal nature which allows them to be simply predicted, as exemplified by atomic and molecular chemisorption of oxygen on Pt(111). The exact density functional explanation for the desorption limit is also presented.
The Effect of Time in the U.S. on the Duration of Breastfeeding in Women of Mexican Descent

Objectives: Although women of Mexican decent have high rates of breastfeeding, these rates may vary considerably by acculturation level. This study investigated whether increased years of residence in the U.S. is associated with poorer breastfeeding practices, including shorter duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding, in a population of low-income mothers of Mexican descent. Methods: Pregnant women (n = 490) were recruited from prenatal clinics serving a predominantly Mexican-origin population in an agricultural region of California. Women were interviewed during pregnancy, shortly postpartum, and when their child was 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3.5 years of age. Results: Increased years of residence in the U.S. was associated with decreased likelihood of initiating breastfeeding and shorter duration of exclusive and any breastfeeding. Median duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 2 months for women living in the U.S. for 5 years or less, 1 month for women living in the U.S. for 6 to 10 years, and less than one week for women living in the U.S. for 11 years or more, or for their entire lives (lifetime residents). After controlling for maternal age, education, marital status and work status, lifetime residents of the U.S. were 2.4 times more likely to stop breastfeeding, and 1.5 times more likely to stop exclusive breastfeeding, than immigrants who had lived in the U.S. for 5 years or less. Conclusions: Efforts are needed to encourage and support Mexican-origin women to maintain their cultural tradition of breastfeeding as they become more acculturated in the U.S.
Improving immunity in the elderly: current and future lessons from nonhuman primate models.

The immune system must overcome daily challenges from pathogens to protect the body from infection. The success of the immune response to infection relies on the ability to sense and evaluate microbial threats and organize their elimination, while limiting damage to host tissues. This delicate balance is achieved through coordinated action of the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. Aging results in several structural and functional changes in the immune system, often described under the umbrella term “immune senescence”. Age-related changes affect both the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system and are believed to result in increased susceptibility and severity of infectious diseases, which is further exacerbated by reduced vaccine efficacy in the elderly. Therefore, multiple strategies to improve immune function in the aged are being investigated. Traditionally, studies on immune senescence are conducted using inbred specific pathogen free (SPF) rodents. This animal model has provided invaluable insight into the mechanisms of aging. However, the limited genetic heterogeneity and the SPF status of this model restrict the successful transfer of immunological discoveries between murine models and the clinical setting. More recently, nonhuman primates (NHPs) have emerged as a leading translational model to investigate immune senescence and to test interventions aimed at delaying/reversing age-related changes in immune function. In this article, we review and summarize advances in immuno-restorative approaches investigated in the NHP model system and discuss where the NHP model can support the development of novel therapeutics.
Soluble cytokine receptors (sIL-2Rα, sIL-2Rβ) induce subunit-specific behavioral responses and accumulate in the cerebral cortex and basal forebrain.

Soluble cytokine receptors are normal constituents of body fluids that regulate peripheral cytokine and lymphoid activity. Levels of soluble IL-2 receptors (sIL-2R) are elevated in psychiatric disorders linked with autoimmune processes, including ones in which repetitive stereotypic behaviors and motor disturbances are present. However, there is no evidence that sIL-2Rs (or any peripheral soluble receptor) induce such behavioral changes, or that they localize in relevant brain regions. Here, we determined in male Balb/c mice the effects of single peripheral injections of sIL-2Rα or sIL-2Rβ (0–2 µg/male Balb/c mouse; s.c.) on novelty-induced ambulatory activity and stereotypic motor behaviors. We discovered that sIL-2Rα increased the incidence of in-place stereotypic motor behaviors, including head up head bobbing, rearing/sniffing, turning, and grooming behavior. A wider spectrum of behavioral changes was evident in sIL-2Rβ-treated mice, including increases in vertical and horizontal ambulatory activity and stereotypic motor movements. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that soluble receptors induce such behavioral disturbances. In contrast, soluble IL-1 Type-1 receptors (0–4 µg, s.c.) didn't appreciably affect these behaviors. We further demonstrated that sIL-2Rα and sIL-2Rβ induced marked increases in c-Fos in caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. Anatomical specificity was supported by the presence of increased activity in lateral caudate in sIL-2Rα treated mice, while sIL-2Rβ treated mice induced greater c-Fos activity in prepyriform cortex. Moreover, injected sIL-2Rs were widely distributed in regions that showed increased c-Fos expression. Thus, sIL-2Rα and sIL-2Rβ induce marked subunit- and soluble cytokine receptor-specific behavioral disturbances, which included increases in the expression of ambulatory activity and stereotypic motor behaviors, while inducing increased neuronal activity localized to cortex and striatum. These findings suggest that sIL-2Rs act as novel immune-to- brain messengers and raise the possibility that they contribute to the disease process in psychiatric disorders in which marked increases in these receptors have been reported.
Edges, exotics and deer: the seed bank of a suburban secondary successional temperate deciduous forest

Questions (1) What is the utility of the soil seed bank in passive restoration of a suburban secondary successional temperate deciduous forest? (2) What is the composition and structure of the seed bank? (3) How abundant are woody and exotic species and how are they distributed in the seed bank? (4) Are edge effects evident in seed bank composition? (5) What is the influence of a suite of abiotic and biotic variables, including deer browse, on seed bank richness and abundance? Location A 413-ha suburban forest near Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Methods We sampled the seed bank and vegetation of 100 permanent plots in a Liriodendron–Fagus–Acer–Quercus dominated secondary successional forest. Information on soil chemistry, canopy cover, leaf litter cover and depth, deer browse severity and distance to the nearest urban edge and path was also collected for each plot. Seedling emergence was monitored in a greenhouse over 2 yr. Results A total of 76 species emerged from the seed bank, including 16 woody species and 22 exotic species. Compositional similarity between the seed bank and vegetation was low. Woody species were under-represented and exotic species were over-represented, with exotic species found in the seed bank of 94 of 100 plots. Species composition and exotic species richness and abundance were similar between edge or path and interior plots. Leaf litter cover, vegetation cover, browse severity and variables related to soil fertility were included in top models explaining patterns in seed bank richness and abundance. Conclusions Reliance on the soil seed bank as a passive restoration strategy will be insufficient for restoring a mature secondary successional suburban forest community. However, a suite of shade-tolerant exotic shrubs and vines that are of concern to management do not appear to use the seed bank, indicating that targeted removal of these species may be successful. Increased deer browse was associated with decreased seed bank abundance and richness, suggesting that deer may directly reduce inputs to the seed bank. If deer are impacting seed bank composition, active restoration will need to include understorey herbs in addition to overstorey species.
Induction of rat liver drug-metabolizing enzymes by heterocycle-containing Mono-, Di-, Tri- and tetra-arylmethanes

Abstract The effect of a nitrogen heterocycle constituent on the ability of arylmethanes to induce phase I and phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes has been examined. Rats were treated with tetra-, tri-, di- or monoarylmethane compounds daily for 3 days at a dose of 75mg/kg. Induction of UDP- glucuronosyltransferase(morphine) activity was seen with twelve of the eighteen compounds investigated and for three compounds it occurred independent of any induction of cytochrome P450. Induction of glutathione S -transferase activity was seen with ten of the compounds and was generally paralleled by changes in overall cytochrome P450 concentration and in both pentoxyresorufin and erythromycin dealkylase activities. Major induction of ethoxyresorufin deethylase activity was only apparent with two diarylmethanes that contained a 1-substituted imidazole moiety. UDP-glucuronosyltransferase(1- naphthol) activity was coinduced by these two compounds. A tthird compound, diphenyl-4-pyridylmethane induced UDP-glucuronosyltransferase(1-naphthol) activity without increasing ethoxy-resorufin deethylase activity. Cytosolic sulfotransferase activity was not induced by the administration of any compound in this study. Among arylmethane derivatives, the presence of two aryl groups appeared to be a minimum requirement for induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes. If one of the aryl groups was not a heterocycle, or if the nitrogen atom of the heterocycle was sterically hindred, major induction of cytochrome P450 did not occur. With triarylmethanes, induction was independent of whether the heterocycle was imidazole, pyridine or pyrimidine.
Self-consistent charge density and surface electronic states for the (001) face of lithium

The self-consistent electronic energy band structure of a 13-layer (001) film of lithium has been calculated using the method described previously. The crystalline potential is described in terms of a nonlocal pseudopotential, with exchange-correlation effects treated in terms of the local approximation used in the Lang-Kohn jellium studies. The planar averages of both charge density and local part of the potential exhibit Friedel oscillations that are appreciably greater than a superposition of the jellium results on the bulklike envelopes in the inner selvage region; in the outer selvage the planar average of the potential agrees well with the jellium result. The (unoccupied) surface state appearing in the $\overline{X}$ gap of the two-dimensional band structure in our initial communication has descended almost to the bulk band below, and in its place a surface state of complementary planar symmetry has descended into the $\overline{X}$ gap from the bulk band above.
Computer-assisted shape classification of middle cerebral artery aneurysms for surgical planning

We present a method for classifying the shape of middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms using segmented surfaces from angiograms. The classification follows a set of visual criteria established by experienced surgeons to group aneurysms based on the clipping strategies used in surgery. Starting from a centerline representation of the input, our method automatically classifies the input into one of 4 types using a combination of graph analysis and supervised learning. When evaluated on a cohort of 84 subjects, our method achieves between 60% to 69% expected classification accuracy (p < 10) with zero to a moderate amount of input from novice users.
Regulation of Notch Signaling by a Novel Mechanism Involving Suppressor of Hairless Stability and Carboxyl Terminus-Truncated Notch

Different amounts of Suppressor of Hairless (SuH)-dependent Notch (N) signaling is often used during animal development to produce two different tissues from a population of equipotent cells. During Drosophila melanogaster embryogenesis, cells with high amounts of this signaling differentiate the larval epidermis whereas cells with low amounts, or none, differentiate the central nervous system (CNS). The mechanism by which SuH-dependent N signaling is increased or decreased in these different cells is obscure. The developing epidermis is known to get enriched for the full-length N (NFull) and the developing CNS for the carboxyl terminus-truncated N (NΔCterm). Results described here indicate that this differential accumulation of N receptors is part of a mechanism that would promote SuH-dependent N signaling in the developing epidermis but suppress it in the developing CNS. This mechanism involves SuH-dependent stability of NFull, NFull-dependent accumulation of SuH, stage specific stability of SuH, and NΔCterm-dependent loss of SuH and NFull.
Effects of caudate nuclei or frontal cortex ablations in cats: III. Recovery of limb placing reactions, including observations in hemispherectomized animals

This is a long-term study of the time course of impairments of the limb placing reactions in cats following bilateral removal of the frontal cortical areas (n = 9), bilateral (n = 11), or unilateral (n = 10), ablation of the caudate nuclei or removal of one cerebral hemisphere (n = 5). In addition the effects of d-amphetamine and of removal of the remaining frontal cortex on the placing reactions of the limbs contralateral to the hemispherectomy were assessed. The main results were: (i) a substantial recovery of the contact placing reactions was observed in frontal cats; the recovery started very late (third or fourth month) and was considered as complete within 6 to 9 months in four cats. (ii) A variable degree of impairment of the contact placing reactions occurred in caudatectomized cats; both the magnitude of the impairments and the length of the recovery period (up to 4 months) were proportional to the extent of the ablation. (iii) No recovery of the contact placing reactions was observed in limbs contralateral to the hemispherectomy either spontaneously, under the action of d-amphetamine (producing a transient enhancement of proprioceptive components and a pseudocontact placing reaction), or following removal of the remaining frontal cortex. The meaning of the above findings in the context of pertinent literature, the mechanisms of compensation following frontal ablation, and the possible participation of the caudate in the physiological control of the contact placing reactions are discussed.
Complete High Dimensional Inverse Characterization of Fractal Surfaces and Volumes

In the present paper, we are describing a methodology for the determination of the complete set of parameters associated with the Weierstrass-Mandelbrot (W-M) function that can describe a fractal scalar field distribution defined by measured or computed data distributed on a surface or in a volume. Our effort is motivated not only by the need for accurate fractal surface and volume reconstruction but also by the need to be able to describe analytically a scalar field quantity distribution on a surface or in a volume that corresponds to various material properties distributions for engineering and science applications. Our method involves utilizing a refactoring of the W-M function that permits defining the characterization problem as a high dimensional inverse problem solved by singular value decomposition for the so-called phases of the function. Coupled with this process is a second level exhaustive search that enables the determination of the density of the frequencies involved in defining the trigonometric functions participating in the definition of the W-M function. Numerical applications of the proposed method on both synthetic and actual surface and volume data, validate the efficiency and the accuracy of the proposed approach. This approach constitutes a radical departure from the traditional fractal dimension characterization studies and opens the road for a very large number of applications.
Absence of microwave effect on blood-brain barrier permeability to [14C]sucrose in the conscious rat.

Abstract The permeability-capillary surface area product (PA) for [14C]sucrose was examined at the blood-brain barrier of unanesthetized rats, after their exposure to continuous wave or pulsed wave microwave energy at a frequency of 2.8 gHz. The PA was calculated by a dual compartment (plasma-brain) model of S. I. Rapoport, K. Ohno, W. R. Fredericks, and K. D. Pettigrew (1979, Radio Sci.14, 345–348). After the intravenous injection of[14C]sucrose, plasma radioactivity was measured until the rats were decapitated at 30 min, when brain radioactivity was determined in 11 separate brain regions. Regardless of the power density level (10 to 40 mW/cm2, continuous wave; 1 to 15 mW/cm2, pulsed wave) of the microwaves, the PA for [14C]sucrose in any brain region was not significantly different from that in sham-irradiated control animals. The findings indicate that microwave irradiation under the given experimental conditions does not damage the blood-brain barrier.
Hypothetical core disruptive accident experiments on simple fast test reactor models

Abstract The primary containment of a liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) is designed to allow removal of decay heat from a damaged core in the event of a hypothetical core disruptive accident (HCDA). The primary containment consists of the reactor vessel, the vessel head and the primary loops (piping, heat exchangers, pumps, etc.) and must retain functional integrity if decay heat requirements are to be met following an HCDA. As part of an evaluation program, an experimental program was carried out by Stanford Research Institute (SRI) under the auspices of the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory (HEDL) and the US Atomic Energy Commission ∗∗ to investigate the structural integrity of the primary containment of the fast flux test facility (FFTF) under an HCDA of 150 MW sec. The main objective of the program was to determine whether the structural envelope, comprised of the reactor vessel, vessel head and primary piping, would remain intact so that in the post-accident period coolant flow and decay heat removal through the heat transport system would not be precluded. Another objective was to provide data for correlation with predictions of computer codes so that they can eventually be applied with confidence to full-scale reactors. The two main parts of the program were: (1) development of an explosive energy source for simulating the HCDA, and (2) investigation of hydrodynamic and structural effects of an HCDA. In the source development, instrumented 1 : 30 and 1 : 10 scale models of the fast test reactor (FTR) were employed without the vessel head. In the investigation of hydrodynamic and structural effects of an HCDA, instrumented 1 : 30 and 1 : 10 scale simple models of the FTR were employed, as well as two instrumented 1 : 30 scale complex models of the FTR and one instrumented 1 : 10 scale complex model of the FTR with three primary loops. The paper presents selected detailed results from the experiments on the 1 : 30 and 1 : 10 scale simple rigid and flexible models of the FTR to increase the data available for computer code development. Source development and most of the general results of the simple model experiments have already been presented. For convenience, the paper includes the general results. To achieve the objective of providing experimental data for assisting computer code validation the description includes the FTR model dimensions and material properties. The specific results generated include: simulated HCDA core pressures; pressures at the vessel wall, head and outlet pipe; strains in the vessel wall and head; water surface displacement behavior; and final vessel and core barrel deformations. Observations drawn from the experimental results address the following subjects: overall structural response; energy partition among vessel, core barrel, head and holding-down bolts; strain and deformation magnitudes; reproducibility; and scaling.
Characterization of shaking intensity distribution and seismic assessment of RC buildings for the Kashmir (Pakistan) earthquake of October 2005

Abstract On October 8, 2005, an earthquake of magnitude M w 7.6 shook northern Pakistan particularly the Kashmir region. With nearly 73,000 dead, 70,000 injured, 270,000 buildings destroyed, and 180,000 damaged, the earthquake ranks amongst the worst natural disasters in the history of Pakistan and the Indian subcontinent. In this paper, the shaking intensity distribution of the affected region is reconstructed using the limited ground motion data available. Selection of a suite of records representative of characteristics of the Kashmir earthquake at locations of major damage is undertaken. An ensemble of buildings is collated which represents (i) actual Pakistan reinforced concrete design, (ii) general non-seismic and (iii) code-conforming buildings with different levels of detailing. The buildings are subjected to the selected records, including the vertical component of the earthquake ground motion thought to be significant in this earthquake. Conclusions are drawn with regard to the relative performance of the different types of building investigated, the effect of different levels of design and detailing, and the effect of the vertical earthquake component on damage. It is observed that buildings that are seismically designed to contemporary codes would have survived the earthquake. However, the vertical motion would have caused significant reduction of shear capacity in vertical members. The extensive results reported in the paper are useful for practicing engineers operating in areas of high seismicity where limited seismic design and construction quality control exist, as well as code drafting panels interested in the effect of multi-axial excitation on reinforced concrete buildings.
Effects and Underlying Mechanisms of Self-Adapted Testing

Undergraduates participated in 3 experiments related to self-adapted testing. Experiment 1 demonstrated that, in comparison with computerized adaptive testing, self-adapted testing reduced the influence of anxiety on performance but took longer and was less efficient. Experiment 2 indicated that benefits of self-adapted testing cannot be attributed solely to item ordering. Instead, active choice of item difficulty seems to be necessary. Experiment 3 demonstrated that the provision of feedback increased the efficiency of the test but had no effect on estimates of ability derived. The potential of self-adapted testing to reduce the influence of extraneous sources of variation in test performance is discussed
Origin of longitudinal triangular ripples on the Nova Scotian continental rise

Since the recognition of current-produced bedforms in the deep ocean, attempts have been made to predict direction, intensity and variability of abyssal flow from the nature of sea floor irregularities (see refs 1–3). Longitudinal triangular ripples (LTRs) are inter mediate-scale bedforms (<20 cm high, metres long) that are becoming recognized as important and geographically widespread predictors of bottom-current flow. I describe here recent sea floor photographs of LTR fields on the lower continental rise off Nova Scotia which show that the bedforms develop in fine-grained, cohesive sediment with an alignment parallel to the regional contours and to mean current direction. An observational model for LTR formation is proposed, wherein LTRs are deposited initially as ‘tails’ behind large sea floor biological mounds and are subsequently constructed and propagate in the direction of mean current by sediment transport oblique to the bedform axis. This transport is induced by short-term currents that deviate from mean current direction and cause formation of a separation bubble on one side or the other of the LTR crest.
Indirect optical injection-locking of multiple X-band oscillators

Experimental results of indirect optical injection-locking of two X-band oscillators are presented. An S-band master source is used to lock both oscillators over 18 MHz using the laser diode nonlinearities. System FM noise degradation is 14 dB and the means to improve system performance are suggested.
Self-absorption in spheres and cylinders of radioactive material

According to thereciprocity law, the total dose absorbed in a specimen irradiated by a point source can be inferred from the reciprocal situation, where the absorber is replaced by a source of the same shape and the radiation is measured at the position of the original point source.
Absorption of 2-acetylaminofluorene in the guinea-pig colon.

Abstract Absorption of the known chemical carcinogen, 2-acetylaminofluorene has been measured in the colon of guinea pigs. Unidirectional influx across the luminal cell membrane was determined in vitro, and transmural absorption across colonic mucosa was evaluated in vivo. The kinetics of unidirectional influx into colon in vitro do not indicate that absorption proceeds by simple diffusion. The observed saturable uptake is indicative of binding of 2-acetylaminofluorene to a cellular component. With 2-acetylaminofluorene present in the lumen in vivo at an initial concentration of 3.5 μM, the rate of absorption decreases over a 20 min period, which also indicates some form of specific interaction between 2-acetylaminofluorene and the intestinal mucosa. We have evaluated the hypothesis that surfactants and a bile salt act as cocarcinogens by increasing the rate of intestinal absorption of 2-acetylaminofluorene. The results lend no support to this possibility.
Silician magnetite from the Dales Gorge Member of the Brockman Iron Formation, Hamersley Group, Western Australia

We report silician magnetite from banded iron formation (BIF) in the Dales Gorge Member of the Brockman Iron Formation, Hamersley Group, Western Australia. Magnetite mesobands typically consisting of individual ~100 μm microlaminae are revealed to be composed of silician magnetite overgrowths on magnetite. Silician magnetite overgrowths contain from 1 to 3 wt% SiO 2 , whereas (low-Si) magnetite domains contain less than 1 wt% SiO 2 . Silicon solid solution is present in the magnetite crystal lattice as determined by in situ micro-X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Three textures are distinguished in magnetite mesobands: (1) magnetite sub-microlaminae with silician magnetite overgrowths, (2) recrystallized magnetite fragments with silician magnetite overgrowths, and (3) a complex intergrowth of magnetite and silician magnetite. All three textures are found in magnetite mesobands from the BIF4–5 and BIF12–16 macrobands of the Dales Gorge type-section drill core DDH-47A from Wittenoom, Western Australia. Magnetite domains contain numerous submicrometer-to-micrometer inclusions of quartz, carbonate, stilpnomelane, and apatite, whereas silician magnetite overgrowths are devoid of mineral inclusions. The presence of mineral inclusions in magnetite indicates the BIF oxide precipitate was not chemically pure iron oxyhydroxide/oxide. Magnetite domains display textures formed during soft sediment deformation that are the earliest and best preserved relict sedimentary structures in this BIF. Silician magnetite is the dominant iron oxide in the Dales Gorge BIF and is present in many other sub-greenschist facies BIFs worldwide. We suggest the former presence of organic matter creates reducing conditions necessary to stabilize silician magnetite. Thus, silician magnetite is a potential biosignature in BIFs.
Abridgment of telemeteringz

In addition to surveying the field of application of “telemetering” and relating it to “supervisory control,” the paper presents several innovations in the types of “telemeters” available. Operating requirements and channels available for the transmission of readings are discussed, and an installation of the varying frequency type of telemeter on the Montaup Electric Company's System is described.
Effect of Material Constants and Mechanical Damping on Piezoelectric Power Generation

Vibration-to-electricity conversion using piezoelectric transduction has been studied by several researchers over the last decade. PZT (lead zirconate titanate) - based piezoelectric ceramics such as PZT-5A and PZT-5H have been very frequently employed in design of piezoelectric energy harvester beams. Recently, the single-crystal piezoceramics PMN-PT (lead magnesium niobate – lead titanate) and PMN-PZT (lead magnesium niobate – lead zirconate titanate) have also been investigated for electrical power generation due to their large piezoelectric constants (particularly the d31 constant for the bending mode). Piezoelectric, elastic and dielectric properties of these piezoceramics differ from each other considerably. Even though the d31 constants of two piezoceramics might differ by an order of magnitude (e.g. PZT-5A and PMN-PZT), this large difference is not necessarily the case for their power outputs. It is theoretically discussed and experimentally demonstrated in this paper that the d31 piezoelectric constant alone is an insufficient parameter for selecting the best piezoelectric material to design a power generator for vibration-based energy harvesting. Elastic compliance of a piezoceramic has a strong effect on its electrical power output. In addition, since these devices are usually designed for resonance excitation, mechanical damping constitutes another parameter that might change the entire picture regarding the power generation performance. The last one is particularly critical considering the fact that it is difficult to control mechanical damping due to clamped interfaces and adhesive layers in practice. Theoretical comparisons are given for geometrically identical bimorphs with PZT-5A, PZT-5H, PMN-PT (with 30% PT), PMN-PT (with 33% PT) and PMN-PZT layers using an experimentally validated distributed-parameter electromechanical model. Two experimental demonstrations are presented. The first case compares two geometrically identical bimorphs (using PZT-5A and PZT-5H piezoceramics) and shows that the bimorph with PZT-5A can generate larger power than the one with PZT-5H in spite of the larger d31 constant of the latter. The second experimental case compares the power generation performances of a PZT-5H unimorph and a PMN-PZT unimorph. In agreement with the theory, considerably large damping identified for the PMN-PZT unimorph results in much lower power output compared to that of the PZT-5H unimorph.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Information Theory of High-Precision Measurements

We formulate a broadly applicable theory of high-precision measurements. A quantitative measure of information in signals is given and it is shown that signals with greater structure carry a quantifiably larger amount of information.
A comparison of the efficacy for antitumor activity of the non-steroidal antiestrogens analog II and tamoxifen in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a] anthracene-induced rat mammary tumors.

Abstract Analog II is a cyclopropyl derivative of stilbene which has been shown to produce antiestrogenic activity with no latent estrogenic effects in the mouse and to reduce the growth of 7,12-dimethylbenz[ a ]anthracene (DMBA)-induced tumors in the rat. Thus, it was of interest to compare the antitumor activity of analog II to the antiestrogen, tamoxifen, which is a partial estrogen agonist in the rat and fully estrogenic in the mouse. The results indicate that analog II and tamoxifen were equally effective in reducing the growth of established DMBA-induced rat mammary tumors and that analog II produced a greater reduction in the occurrence of new tumors during the 7-week treatment period.
Asymptotic results for model robust regression

Since the mid 1980's many statisticians have studied methods for combining parametric and nonparametric models to improve the quality of fits in a regression problem. Notably Einsporn (1987) proposed the Model Robust Regression 1 estimate (MRRl) in which the parametric function, f, and the nonparametric functiong were combined in a straightforward fashion via the use of a mixing parameter, λ This technique was studied extensively atsmall samples and was shown to be quite effective at modeling various unusual functions. In this paper we have asymptotic results for the MRRl estimate in the case where λ is theoretically optimal, is asymptotically optimal and data driven, and is chosen with the PRESS statistic (Allen, 1971) We demonstrate that the MRRl estimate with λchosen by the PRESS statistic is slightly inferior asymptotically to the other two estimates, but, nevertheless possesses positive asymptotic qualities.
The etiology and treatment of infective prostatitis

Summary Prostatitis is a common disorder which remains poorly understood. The causes of nonbacterial prostatitis and prostadynia are unclear, but new molecular methods show promise in uncovering some infectious agents. Bacterial prostatitis constitutes 5 to 10% of the total cases of prostatitis, but causative organisms are well-delineated. Unfortunately the high initial therapeutic success rates using antibiotics directed against these susceptible organisms are too often associated with high relapse rates. Quinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and trovafloxain, are the agents of choice for antibacterial therapy of prostatitis. More information is needed concerning the antibiotic levels and activity in infected prostatic tissue and secretions, optimum duration of therapy, and benefit of long-term suppressive therapy.