cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An examination of information center implementation and impact

The concept of the Information Center was developed by IBM in 1976 in response to the large backlogs in applications development facing data processing departments. The concept called for a new degree of cooperation and mutual support between the end user and the data processing department. Under the Information Center concept, the end users were to assume a far greater responsibility in both defining and developing non-production data processing applications, while the data processing department would supply computer and data as well as instruction and support in utilizing these computer resources in meeting end user needs. Since that time, explosive growth in microcomputers technology, development of local area networks, advances in database systems, and increased computer literacy among the user community has enlarged demand for computer resources by non-data processing personnel.Despite the fact that large numbers of organizations have made major commitments to the implementation of Information Centers, there is little in the literature, beyond anecdotal experiences, about the key issues involved in installing an operational Information Center. This study examines the techniques used by a number of firms in the San Diego area to develop Information Centers and the impact of the Information Center concept on the organization.The paper makes the following conclusions: While there a number of similarities in approaches, as of yet, no distinct pattern of management response to the opportunities or problems created by the Information Center concept has emerged.User demands for resource access will continue to increase and many more organizations will adopt the Information Center concept.Computer science and information systems departments must re-examine their curricula and role, in light of these changing computational support environments.
The Potential for Reducing Asthma Disparities Through Improved Family and Social Function and Modified Health Behaviors

The National Workshop To Reduce Asthma Disparities assembled a multidisciplinary group comprised of scientists, clinicians, and community representatives to examine factors related to asthma disparities. Attention was given to the importance of discerning family, social, and behavioral factors that facilitate or impede the use of health-care services suitable to the medical status of an individual. This review highlights select biopsychosocial factors that contribute to these disparities, the manner in which they may contribute or protect persons affected by asthma, and recommended directions for future research.
Coronary to pulmonary artery collaterals in patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect

Background. The frequency, distribution, and surgical importance of coronary artery to pulmonary artery (CAPA) collaterals have not been established. The aim of this study was to establish prevalence, anatomical pattern, and significance of CAPA in patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD). Methods. We reviewed cardiac catheterization and operative data of 87 consecutive, unselected patients who underwent one-stage complete unifocalization for PA/VSD and assessed major systemic to pulmonary collaterals from July 1992 to June 1998. Results. CAPA collaterals were diagnosed in 9 of 87 patients (10%). The collaterals originated from the left coronary artery system in 7 patients and the right in 2. Collaterals from the left coronary system arose from the left main coronary artery in 3 patients and the circumflex in 4. All collaterals joined the central pulmonary artery, which bifurcated and supplied both lungs. One collateral from the right coronary system joined the stump of the main pulmonary artery and the other gave origin to a true left pulmonary artery, which was the sole supply to 75% of the left lung. Coronary artery enlargement was seen in 2 patients only. No patient had evidence of myocardial ischemia. Coronary collaterals comprised a dual source of pulmonary blood flow in all but 1 patient. During unifocalization, the CAPA collaterals were ligated at its origin in all cases, and the collateral from the right coronary to the left pulmonary artery was unifocalized. Conclusions. The prevalence of CAPA collaterals in patients with PA/VSD is approximately 10%. The diagnosis may be missed without appropriate angiograms. We recommend selective ascending aortogram or selective coronary angiogram in all patients.
The agreement chart

When assessing the concordance between two methods of measurement of ordinal categorical data, summary measures such as Cohen’s (1960) kappa or Bangdiwala’s (1985) B-statistic are used. However, a picture conveys more information than a single summary measure. We describe how to construct and interpret Bangdiwala’s (1985) agreement chart and illustrate its use in visually assessing concordance in several example clinical applications. The agreement charts provide a visual impression that no summary statistic can convey, and summary statistics reduce the information to a single characteristic of the data. However, the visual impression is personal and subjective, and not usually reproducible from one reader to another. The agreement chart should be used to complement the summary kappa or B-statistics, not to replace them. The graphs can be very helpful to researchers as an early step to understand relationships in their data when assessing concordance.
Human fibroblast tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases: glycosylation and function.

Abstract The glycosylation of human fibroblast tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases and procollagenase was examined in vivo using tunicamycin B 2 and in vivo using Peptide: N-glycosidase F. In the presence of tunicamycin B 2, unglycosylated inhibitor continues to be synthesized and secreted at normal or increased rates. The protein core of this collagenase inhibitor has an apparent Mr of 21,000 and possesses at least two oligosaccharide linkage sites as evidenced by the accumulation of a single 25,000 dalton intermediate. Collagenase inhibitor deglycosylated by Peptide: N-glycosidase also has an apparent molecular weight of 21,000 daltons; furthermore, deglycosylated inhibitor continues to block the activity of collagenase at a 1 : 1 molar stoichiometry and does not differ from the native glycoprotein in its resistance to tryptic degradation. Using these same two reagents, the characteristic doublet of human fibroblast procollagenase was found to result from glycosylation in the upper (60,000 dalton) form. Secretion of procollagenase was significantly inhibited in the presence of tunicamycin B2.
Limitations of and lessons learned from clinical experience of 1,020 duplex arteriography.

Objective: Due to the inherent risks, deficiencies and cost associated with contrast arteriography (CA), our group has been utitilizing duplex arteriography (DA) for evaluating the arteries of the ...
γ-Valerolactone from pyrolysis of calcium salts of levulinic-formic acid mixtures derived from cellulose

Hydrothermal degradation of cellulose (DP ∼ 450) in 0.02–0.20 mol dm−3 aq. hydrochloric acid at 160 °C, for 2–8 h and neutralization of the filtrate with calcium hydroxide can be used to prepare a mixture of carboxylic acid calcium salts. The mixture consists of calcium levulinate and calcium formate in approximately 1:0.65 mol ratio, together with CaCl2. Pyrolysis of this crude mixture at 350 °C for 3.0 min produces pyrolyzate oil yield of 140–210 g kg−1 of dry salt mixture. The pyrolyzate was identified as ∼97% γ-valerolactone, with the minor products; levulinic acid, 3-methyl-2-cyclopentenone, and 2,3-dimethyl-2-cyclopentenone by using a combination of GC–MS and NMR spectroscopy.
On the existence of pure-strategy perfect equilibrium in discontinuous games

Abstract We provide sufficient conditions for a (possibly) discontinuous normal-form game to possess a pure-strategy trembling-hand perfect equilibrium. We first show that compactness, continuity, and quasiconcavity of a game are too weak to warrant the existence of a pure-strategy perfect equilibrium. We then identify two classes of games for which the existence of a pure-strategy perfect equilibrium can be established: (1) the class of compact, metric, concave games satisfying upper semicontinuity of the sum of payoffs and a strengthening of payoff security; and (2) the class of compact, metric games satisfying upper semicontinuity of the sum of payoffs, strengthenings of payoff security and quasiconcavity, and a notion of local concavity and boundedness of payoff differences on certain subdomains of a player's payoff function. Various economic games illustrate our results.
Processing of polyurethane–polyester interpenetrating polymer network (IPN)

Cinetique et transfert de chaleur au cours du durcissement d'un reseau polymere interpenetre lors du moulage par injection reactif
An Integrated Implementation of Two-Phase Interleaved PFC and Dual Motor Drive Using Single MCU With CLA

Heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) drives utilize variable speed control to maximize efficiency. Power factor correction (PFC) stage is used in the rectifier design in these applications to comply with regulations, such as IEC 61000-3-2, which limit the input current harmonics. Typically control of PFC and the motor stage is kept separate, due to limited CPU bandwidth, where fast is desired for PFC stage (up to 200 kHz) and motor inverter (10-20 kHz). This paper presents a MCU with control law accelerator (CLA) architecture, which enables integration of dual motor control and PFC on a single controller, for a cost sensitive application such as HVAC. In addition to cost reduction and performance improvement, the integration enables the control of the stages together. Also, the surplus bandwidth provided by the CLA, allows the execution of slow background tasks, diagnostics and communication. Integration challenges with software and system level details for the proposed solutions are highlighted in the paper. Additionally improvements to the PFC algorithm using a nonlinear control technique for better output voltage control under dynamic load conditions are presented.
Sturge-Weber syndrome; nonsurgical management

Summary 1. A case of Sturge-Weber syndrome in an 8-year-old Negro girl is reported. The most salient feature is the skull roentgenogram which shows marked calcification in the cortex of the left occipital and parietal lobes and a portion of the temporal lobe. 2. The incidence and the location of the cerebral calcification are discussed briefly. It is emphasized that diligent efforts should be made to control the convulsions by drugs and that cerebral hemispherectomy should be considered only in those cases refractory to such therapy.
Is ADHD a valid disorder in children with intellectual delays

To assess the validity of ADHD in children with mental retardation, we applied Robins and Guze's [Robins, E., and Guze, S.B. (1970). Establishment of diagnostic validity in psychiatric illness: Its application to schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 983-987.] criteria for determining the validity of a psychiatric disorder. We review the literature describing clinical correlates, family history, treatment response, laboratory studies, course, and outcome of children with ADHD and mental retardation. Although clearly an area in need of further research, there is preliminary evidence to suggest that ADHD is a valid psychiatric condition in children with mental retardation. Nevertheless, without knowing the base rates of ADHD symptoms in the mental retardation population, the positive predictive power and negative predictive power of ADHD symptoms in this population remain an open question. In addition to assessment of base rate symptoms, future research should consider what diagnostic algorithm may best be applied to the diagnosis of ADHD in mental retardation.
Bioprosthetic tissue matrices in complex abdominal wall reconstruction.

Background:Complex abdominal defects are difficult problems encountered by surgeons in multiple specialties. Although current evidence supports the primary repair of these defects with mesh reinforcement, it is unclear which mesh is superior for any given clinical scenario. The purpose of this revie
Evidence for catalytic water oxidation by a dimanganese tetrakis-Schiff base macrocycle

Abstract A dimanganese tetrakis-Schiff base complex [MnII2L]2+, where L provides a N6O2 coordination environment, has been synthesized and characterized via electrochemical and spectroscopic studies. Cyclic voltammograms (CV) of [MnII2L]2+ in propylene carbonate, to which water has been added as a limiting reagent, show an increase in current starting at +1.3 V versus Fc+/0. The current shows a first order dependence on H2O and [MnII2L]2+, indicative of electrocatalytic water oxidation. Controlled potential electrolysis produced O2 in 39–45% Faradaic efficiency. Blocking the axial coordination site to the manganese centers by a μ-carboxylato axial ligand in an analogous Schiff base complex [MnII2LAc]+ lowers the catalytic activity, suggesting the importance of an open coordination site to the central manganese atoms for aqua ligands. Photosensitization of [MnII2L]2+ with [Ru(bpy)3]2+ and K2S2O8 in acetonitrile–water mixtures produced O2 as measured by a Clark electrode, with the rate of O2 evolution proportional to [MnII2L]2+.
Staging Invisibility in English Early Modern Drama

Sometime after 3 April 1598 Philip Henslowe laid out part of a 3.10s sum on 'a robe for to goo invisibell'. Not withstanding his good fortune in locating this elusive garment, stage conventions of invisibility are earlier and more varied than the robe itself. This study draws its treatment of invisibility from such appropriate English 'cycle' pageants as the annunciation and resurrection as well as the several appearance, ascension, and assumption plays. Further, the piece explores Alan C. Dessen's and Leslie Thomson's Dictionary of Stage Directions in English Drama, 1580-1642 entries under 'invisible' and 'vanish'. Finally, some attention is paid to contemporary wardrobe inventories, images, and performance accounts in speculation about what 'a robe for to goo invisibell' might have looked like.
Cold War on Campus: A Study of the Politics of Organizational Control.

(1990). Cold War on Campus: A Study of the Politics of Organizational Control. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 61, No. 2, pp. 226-229.
Role-Taking and Referential Communication Abilities in First-and-Third-Grade Children.

This study investigated role-taking and referential communication abilities in children. The effects of age, sex, and IQ on both abilities were tested, and the effect of age of receiver on referential communication ability was also examined. Multiple regression analyses were utilized to determine how well the independent variables predict the measures of role-taking and referential communication. Finally, the relationship between role-taking and referential communication was assessed. The participants were 32 first-graders and 32 third-graders. At each grade level, there were equal numbers of boys and girls. Age was found to affect performance on role-taking and communication tasks. Both sex of the child and IQ were found to affect referential communication performance. The relationship between role-taking and referential communication abilities was low. Interpretation of significant results is given, and testing procedures are discussed.
The Effects of a Combined Goal Setting, Feedback and Incentive Intervention on Job Performance in a Manufacturing Environment

Abstract Baked anodes are used in finished aluminum production. Employees of a large multinational aluminum smelter were responsible for the production of more than 3500 baked anodes per week. During a 74 week long baseline (A) condition, production of unusable anodes exceeded 300 per week or 8.6 percent of their nominal 3500 anode production requirement. A problem analysis suggested that this high rate of defective anodes might have been due to weak antecedents, inefficient work procedures and weak performance contingencies. An intervention package that included a combination of goal setting, performance feedback, and tangible rewards was designed to strengthen antecedents and consequences of job performance. A performance feedback system was introduced with and remained constant across the three types of performance contingent rewards and three successively higher goal levels. The three reward and goal combinations were introduced to “strengthen” antecedents and performance contingencies within an A-B1-...
Mechanism of Internal Stratification of Siliceous Sponge Spicules

BECAUSE sponges constitute an important part of many fossil records, their fine structure should be of interest to palaeontologists. Internal fine structure in spicule fossils would provide a valuable comparison with present day spicules. Furthermore, changes in the fine structure of spicule fossils may offer clues as to climatological or ecological conditions in that period.
Between information and communication: middle spaces in computer media for learning

In this paper, we identify two categories of media that are common in computer-supported collaborative learning and software in general: communication media, and information media. These two types of media map easily on to two types of social activities in which learning is grounded: dialogue and monologue. Drawing on literature in learning theory, we suggest the need for interfaces that help students transition from dialogue to monologue and back again. This "middle space" between communication and information interfaces is illustrated with several examples from CSCL. We advocate filling in this middle space with software and activities that transcend some of the traditional design tradeoffs associated with information and communication interfaces.
Induction of IGF-1 mRNA expression following traumatic injury to the postnatal brain

A variety of adult, non-neural tissues respond to injury by increasing expression of the gene which encodes for insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). This response is thought to be a key component in the regenerative capacity of these tissues. In contrast, the central nervous system (CNS) has relatively little regenerative capacity following injury. Interestingly, compared to many non-neuronal tissues, little IGF-1 mRNA can be detected in the adult CNS, raising the possibility that its lack of regenerative capacity is related its relative lack of IGF-1 expression. However, in the 2-week-old adolescent CNS IGF-1 mRNA can be detected in numerous brain regions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the responsiveness of the IGF-1 gene to injury in adolescent CNS tissue, a period in which expression of this gene is relatively abundant. Expression of IGF-1 mRNA was measured by means of a sensitive solution hybridization/RNase protection assay in the parieto-occipital lobes of 2-week-old and adult mice following penetrating injury. Levels of IGF-1 transcript in the injured brains were significantly increased above those of controls in both 2-week-old and adult brains 3-day post injury and remained elevated for 1 week after injury. These observations demonstrate that the adult CNS, like other tissues, can respond to injury by increasing expression of IGF-1 mRNA.
Examining the Impact of Job Burnout on the Health and Well-Being of Human Service Workers: A Systematic Review and Synthesis

This systematic review synthesizes findings from 19 empirical studies published between 1970 and 2014 that examine the relationship between job burnout and affective, psychological, physiological, and behavioral well-being among human service workers. Study findings point to the detrimental impact of job burnout on the well-being of workers. Studies in this area of research continue to use the Maslach Burnout Inventory as the primary measure of burnout, are largely cross-sectional in design, and focus mostly on affective well-being as an outcome. A discussion on the impact of study findings for human service workforce management and future research is presented.
Re: Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection Among Inpatients

Re: Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection Among Inpatients
High-angle reverse faulting associated with the 1946 Nankaido earthquake

Abstract Analysis of vertical crustal deformation data in the southwestern part of Shikoku, southwest Japan, suggests that the Nankaido earthquake of 1946 ( M w = 8.1), which is a principal interplate thrust earthquake, was accompanied by subsidiary faulting on a splay fault adjacent to the coast of Shikoku. Discarding crustal movement resulting from the main thrusting of the Nankaido earthquake, local leveling data are explained by slip on a simple rectangular thrust fault located just offshore of Shikoku. Although it is difficult to constrain the fault location, a possible result is a high-angle thrust dipping landward at an angle of about 70°, with a dislocation of about 1.5 m, and source dimensions of 30 × 13 km along strike and dip. respectively. This result indicates that the fault may be one of the steeply dipping subsidiary faults branching from the main low-angle thrust, as was the case in the Alaska earthquake of 1964. Although several lines of evidence suggest that this faulting occurred as slow aseismic slip, its discrimination from the main seismic event is extremely difficult. This kind of high-angle thrusting just offshore of the coast would play an important role for the formation of the marine terraces during the late Quaternary period.
Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization of Size- and Composition-Selected Aerosol Particles

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) was performed on individual, size-selected aerosol particles in the 2−8 μm diameter range. Monodisperse aerosol droplets containing matrix, analyte, and solvent were generated and entrained in a dry stream of air. The dried particles were drawn from atmospheric pressure directly into the source region of a reflecting field time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Individual particles were then detected by light scattering and analyzed on-the-fly by MALDI. The particle size and composition were systematically varied, and both liquid and solid matrices were studied. As the analyte-to-matrix mole ratio increased, the analyte signal intensity first increased and then leveled off. Quenching effects were observed when two different peptides were present in the same particle. These dependences were interpreted on the basis of analyte surface activity and adsorption isotherms. With a liquid matrix, the analyte is thought to partition between the particle surface and bu...
In‐line fiber‐optic near‐infrared spectroscopy: Monitoring of rheological properties in an extrusion process. Part I.

In an extrusion process, linear viscoelastic properties of molten poly( ethylene vinyl acetate) (EVA) copolymers, which have one principal factor of variation, can be estimated from in-line near-infrared (NIR) spectra. The NIR transmission spectra of molten polymer flow stream were collected in a flow cell attached to a single-screw extruder. Dynamic rheological functions obtained from linear viscoelastic measurements, for example, the complex viscosity response, are regressed against the NIR spectra. The primary method for the rheological measurements involved sinusoidal, oscillatory shear experiments at varying angular frequencies using a cone-and-plate viscometer. All measurements were carried out on molten EVA polymers at 200°C. Calibration models were built on spectra in the carbon-hydrogen (C-H) vibrational stretch, first overtone, wavelength region (1620-1840 nm), and these models were used to predict the rheological material functions of copolymer samples. The robustness of these models was tested on independent prediction samples that had not been included in the calibration models.
Intestinal bioavailability and biotransformation of 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (CB 77) in in situ preparations of channel catfish following dietary induction of CYP1A

Abstract Previous studies with the catfish in situ perfused intestinal preparation have demonstrated a significant decline in the intestinal bioavailability of a coplanar polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (CB 77)(14C-TCB) dose in animals pre-exposed in vivo to TCB. This response was accompanied by CYP1A induction in the intestine, but little effect upon the oxidative metabolism of the subsequent in situ dose of [14C]-TCB. To ascertain the basis of these responses and the intestine specific contributions, the intestinal bioavailability and metabolism of [14C]-TCB were examined in the in situ intestinal preparation following in vivo exposure to β-naphthoflavone (BNF; 0, 10 or 50 mg BNF/kg diet for 10 days), BNF was selected as a known inducer of CYP1A and as a compound with a structure unlikely to influence or directly partake in diffusion based TCB concentration gradients. Appreciable amounts of [14C]-TCB molar equivalents (Meq) reached the perfused circulation of the intestinal preparation for all treatments. While BNF pre-exposure elicited induction of CYP1A activities aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) (9.2–12.5-fold) and elicited modest morphological changes (muciparous) in the intestine these changes were not associated with alterations in [14C]-TCB Meq bioavailability. [14C]-TCB metabolism in the intestinal mucosa ranged between 0.54 and 1.27%, for all treatments. As with bioavailability, intestinal metabolism of [14C]-TCB was not significantly influenced in either extent or profile by induction of CYP1A activity as associated with BNF treatment. Four metabolites were found in mucosal sample extracts of which three were tentatively identified as 2-OH-TCB, 4-OH-3,3′,4′,5-TCB, and 4,4′-diOH-3,3′,5,5′ tetrachlorobiphenyl. A fourth unknown metabolite presented chromatographic characteristics suggestive of another dihydroxylated metabolite. These data when examined alone and compared to the literature suggest that the intestine may metabolize [14C]-TCB slowly and independent of CYP1A, resulting in somewhat different profiles than published for other organs. In addition, it is likely that previous [14C]-TCB bioavailability findings in the perfused intestine may be based on TCB concentration gradients rather than biotransformation.
Über die Verbindungen der Kerne der hinteren Commissur und die Frage des Vorhandenseins ascendierender Vestibularisbahnen

Es werden einige wenig bekannte Faserzuge des Zwischen- und Mittelhirnes der Katze beschrieben und ihre Zugehorigkeit zum vestibularen System gepruft. Aus diesen und fruheren Untersuchungen ergibt sich:
Active galactic nuclei and star-forming galaxies: competition and cooperation

Abstract It is often hard to determine whether, in any given case, star-formation or galactic nuclear processes dominate the bolometric luminosity of individual galaxies. We discuss just why this should be so difficult, critically examining several proposed tests. We also discuss the evidence suggesting that star-formation and nuclear activity may affect each other.
Crystalline silica-induced leukotriene B4-dependent inflammation promotes lung tumour growth

Chronic exposure to crystalline silica (CS) causes silicosis, an irreversible lung inflammatory disease that may eventually lead to lung cancer. In this study, we demonstrate that in K-ras(LA1) mice, CS exposure markedly enhances the lung tumour burden and genetic deletion of leukotriene B4 receptor-1 (BLT1(-/-)) attenuates this increase. Pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation induced by CS is significantly reduced in BLT1(-/-)K-ras(LA1) mice. CS exposure induces LTB4 production by mast cells and macrophages independent of inflammasome activation. In an air-pouch model, CS-induced neutrophil recruitment is dependent on LTB4 production by mast cells and BLT1 expression on neutrophils. In an implantable lung tumour model, CS exposure results in rapid tumour growth and decreased survival that is attenuated in the absence of BLT1. These results suggest that the LTB4/BLT1 axis sets the pace of CS-induced sterile inflammation that promotes lung cancer progression. This knowledge may facilitate development of immunotherapeutic strategies to fight silicosis and lung cancer.
Dispersive constant false alarm rate receiver

Search radars require a constant false alarm rate (CFAR) receiver to compensate for changes in noise and clutter levels. A CFAR circuit is described which uses matched dispersive delay lines flanking a hard limiter. The circuit's operation is discussed and plan-position indicator (PPI) photographs are shown which illustrate its effectiveness.
Reduced Ethanol Inhibition ofN-Methyl-d-aspartate Receptors by Deletion of the NR1 C0 Domain or Overexpression of α-Actinin-2 Proteins

Abstract The depressant actions of ethanol on central nervous system activity appear to be mediated by its actions on a number of important membrane associated ion channels including theN-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptor. Although no specific site of action for ethanol on the NMDA receptor has been found, previous studies suggest that the ethanol sensitivity of the receptor may be affected by intracellular C-terminal domains of the receptor that regulate the calcium-dependent inactivation of the receptor. In the present study, co-expression of the NR2A subunit and an NR1 subunit that lacks the alternatively spliced intracellular C1 cassette did not reduce the effects of ethanol on channel function as measured by patch-clamp electrophysiology. Full inhibition was also observed in cells expressing an NR1 subunit truncated at the end of the C0 domain (NR1863stop). However, the inhibitory effects of ethanol were reduced by expression of an NR1 C0 domain deletion mutant (NR1Δ839–863), truncation mutant (NR1858stop), or a triple-point mutant (Arg to Ala, Lys to Ala, and Asn to Ala at 859–861) previously shown to significantly reduce calcium-dependent inactivation. A similar reduction in the effects of ethanol on wild-type NR1/2A but not NR1/2B or NR1/2C receptors was observed after co-expression of full-length or truncated human skeletal muscle α-actinin-2 proteins that produce a functional knockout of the C0 domain. The effects of ethanol on hippocampal and cortical NMDA-induced currents were similarly attenuated in low calcium recording conditions, suggesting that a C0 domain-dependent process may confer additional ethanol sensitivity to NMDA receptors.
Mathematical properties of renormalization-group transformations

Abstract Renormalization-group transformations of the type introduced into statistical physics by K. G. Wilson have been widely used with great success for a variety of many-body calculations. The basic approach consists in integrating out certain degrees of freedom and using a new “image” Hamiltonian to describe the statistical properties of those that remain. The mathematical foundations of the procedure, however, remain somewhat obscure. P.A. Pearce and the author have pointed out that there are serious questions about the existence and properties of a thermodynamic limit for renormalization-group transformations. In particular, certain real-space transformations show peculiarities in this limit. These suggest that there may be serious mathematical problems with renormalization-group procedures, despite their considerable practical sucess.
Self-Esteem, Cultural Identity, and Psychosocial Adjustment in African American Children

Identity development in African American children-has been afocus of research for over a half century. However, confusion remains about the nature of identity formation in African American children...
The Role of Potential Loss in the Influence of Affect on Risk-Taking Behavior

Abstract In three experiments the influence of positive affect on risk-taking behavior was examined. In Experiment 1 subjects who received a free gift of candy, compared to those in a control group, were willing to pay increasingly more for lottery tickets as the prize rose from $10 to $90 and as the probability of winning rose from .10 to .90. In Experiment 2 subjects who received a free gift of candy, compared to those in a control group, were willing to pay more to buy insurance against loss, and were particularly more likely to do so when the potential loss was large. A third study, which found that subjects who received a free gift of candy were not willing to pay more for an item than were control subjects, led us to conclude that the results of the first two experiments are not best interpreted as merely due to a general increase in the willingness to spend as a consequence of having received a gift. Instead it was concluded that positive feelings can foster both risk-prone behavior (Experiment 1) and risk-averse behavior (Experiment 2). When a positive-affect subject faces a risk situation in which the potential loss is emphasized, the subject demonstrates risk aversion; when the potential loss is minimized, then risk proneness is observed.
Interrogational Torture: Or How Good Guys Get Bad Information with Ugly Methods

Debate about the sources of intelligence leading to bin Laden’s location has revived the question as to whether interrogational torture is effective. Answering this question is a necessary—if not sufficient—condition for any justification of interrogational torture. Given the impossibility of approaching the question empirically, I address it theoretically, asking whether the use of torture to extract information satisfies reasonable expectations about reliability of information as well as normative constraints on the frequency and intensity of torture. I find that although information from interrogational torture is unreliable, it is likely to be used frequently and harshly.
P-197 - Risperidone and divalproex influence brain function networks in pediatric mania

Introduction There is accumulating evidence for the efficacy and effectiveness of divalproex sodium (divalproex) and risperidone in the treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD). Objectives Clinical neuroimaging studies using appropriate challenge paradigms are a promising strategy for investigating how these medications influence brain function to provide therapeutic benefit. Aims Given that affect regulation is influenced by cognitive operations and vice versa, the current study of pediatric mania adopted a mechanistic orientation in comparing the action of two types of medications on brain function while engaged in memory operations, executive function, and response inhibition. Methods This was a double-blind 6-week fMRI trial with 24 unmedicated manic patients randomized to risperidone or divalproex, and 14 healthy controls (HCs) (mean age: 13.1 ± 3.3years). Response inhibition, affective N back, and affective colormatching fMRI tasks were completed pre- and post-treatment. Results Risperidone, a serotonin dopamine antagonist, impacted frontostriatal circuitry while divalproex, a mood stabilizer, worked on frontotemporal circuitry. This finding was replicated across paradigms. In conjunction, across medication types, increased VLPFC at baseline timepoint predicted better treatment outcome. Conversely, increased amygdala activity at baseline predicted poorer treatment outcome. Conclusions Our study demonstrated how the neural networks were engaged in PBD patients during both cognitive and affective paradigms and while under the influence of an SGA and an anti-epileptic. When risperidone and divalproex are directly compared, there was significantly greater engagement of the frontostriatal regions with risperidone and in the frontotemporal regions with divalproex across all tasks.
Differential transmission of sunlight on Mars: Biological implications

A euphotic zone seems to exist at about 1 cm subsurface in the Martian epilith. At this depth, visible light is still intense enough to be utilized by conceivable photosynthetic organisms; but the germicidal ultraviolet intensities at the Martian surface have been reduced to values manageable by terrestrial life. Such euphotic zone organisms would experience moderately high Martian temperatures at equatorial latitudes and can be dispersed readily during global dust storms. During such storms the Martian euphotic zone may reach the surface. The aerosol content of the Martian atmosphere can be monitored by multiband single-line scans of the sun at large zenith angles by the Viking lander camera; and the postulated euphotic zone organisms can be searched for with the Viking lander sample arm and biology experiments.
Cardiac sympathetic neuronal imaging using PET

Introduction Balance of the autonomic nervous system is essential for adequate cardiac performance, and alterations seem to play a key role in the development and progression of various cardiac diseases.
Intravenous verapamil kinetics in rats: marked arteriovenous concentration difference and comparison with humans.

The pharmacokinetics of verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats following i.v. administration at a dose of 1 mg kg-1. Both arterial and venous blood were collected and the plasma drug concentrations were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Verapamil was distributed to the extravascular tissues very rapidly as indicated by the large Vdss (2.99 +/- 0.57 l kg-1) and Vd beta (5.08 +/- 0.54 l kg-1). The apparent terminal plasma T1/2, MRTiv, and CLp were 1.59 +/- 0.46, 1.26 +/- 0.12 h, and 40.4 +/- 9.73 ml min-1 kg-1, respectively. Marked arterial/venous differences were found with a considerable influence on the MRT and Vdss, and the terminal phase venous levels were higher than arterial levels by 103, 69, and 90%, respectively, for the three rats studied. The distribution of verapamil between plasma and erythrocytes occurred very rapidly and was identical in vitro and in vivo. The average blood to plasma and plasma to blood cell concentration ratios were 0.85 and 1.47, respectively. In contrast to propranolol, blood data rather than plasma data should be used to predict the hepatic extraction ratio of verapamil (0.87). The plasma protein binding of verapamil in humans (90%) and rats (95%) were quite similar and constant over the wide concentration range studied. A comparison of some pharmacokinetic parameters between rats and humans is presented and the potential shortcomings of using T1/2 or CLp and the advantage of using CLu (unbound plasma clearance) in interspecies scaling is also discussed.
Predicting change in borderline personality: Using neurobehavioral systems indicators within an individual growth curve framework

The natural history and course of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has long been the focus of speculation, typically guided by impressions from clinical work with BPD-affected individuals. Not unlike the other personality disorders (PDs), it has long been assumed that BPD is relatively stable, traitlike, and enduring in nature. The extent to which BPD is or is not a plastic construct has implications not only for understanding its longitudinal course, but also for understanding its development and, ultimately, its treatment and/or prevention. This paper consists of two parts. The first part reviews the longitudinal research corpus that bears directly upon the issue of stability of BPD in both adolescents and adults. The consistent trend in very nearly all studies, whether using a categorical or dimensional approach to assessment, is one of considerable change over time. This literature presents complexities, however, because most of the extant studies examine BPD-affected individuals who have been exposed to treatment. However, at least two large-scale longitudinal studies, which include both treated and untreated persons, also provide support for viewing BPD as a malleable disorder that declines in severity over time. The second part presents original data from the Longitudinal Study of Personality Disorders that specifically examine the predictors of change in BPD using a neurobehavioral model of personality within an individual growth curve (IGC) analytical framework. This IGC analysis revealed important predictors of both overall level of BPD features as well as rate of change in BPD features, with particularly important roles played by the agentic positive emotion (i.e., incentive motivation) and anxiety (negative emotion) systems. The benefits of the IGC approach for understanding the developmental psychopathology of BPD is also stressed.
A study of the atmospheric reactions of 1,3-dichloropropene and other selected organochlorine compounds

Thecis- andtrans-1,3-dichloropropene isomers are widely used as an insecticide fumigant in a variety of commercial formulations such as D-D,® Vidden D,® Telone,® Telone II,® and Telone C17.® In order to investigate their atmospheric lifetimes and reaction mechanisms, kinetic and product data have been obtained at room temperature for the gas phase reactions of part-per-million (ppm) concentrations ofcis- andtrans-1,3-dichloropropene with O3 and with OH radicals in Teflon chambers. In addition, rate constants for OH radical and O3 reactions with 1,2-dichloropropane and 3-chloro-2-chloromethyl-1-propene have been determined. The products observed by FT-IR analyses from the reaction of O3 with the two 1,3-dichloropropene isomers were formyl chloride and chloroacetaldehyde, together with chloroacetic acid, HCl, CO, CO2, and formic acid. The products observed from the reaction of OH radicals with the 1,3-dichloropropene isomers were formyl chloride and chloroacetaldehyde, with unit yields. The kinetic data allow atmospheric lifetimes to be estimated for the four halogenated organic chemicals studied and, together with literature data, permit the estimation of atmospheric lifetimes for other halogenated organic compounds for which no experimental data are available. The reaction pathways and atmospheric lifetimes of these widely employed chemicals are discussed.
The convulsant effect of topically applied atropine.

Abstract Atropine is a potent convulsant when applied topically to the cortex, producing long-lasting large amplitude spikes. This study was designed to dilineate further this convulsant action and to determine whether it is related to the cholinolytic or local anesthetic properties of atropine. We studied therefore the effects of topically applied aatropine, homatropine, methylatropine, scopolamine, acetylcholine and procaine in a series of cats prepared with high cervical transection. Atropine, homatropine and methylatropine produced prominent spike activity in the electrocorticogram within minutes after the application of a 1 solution, but scopolamine and procaine did not do so in strengths of up to 40% and 10%, respectively. All the cholinolytic agents used, however, had identical effects on the action of topically applied acetylcholine, in that they raised the threshold for the production of the well known acetylcholine-induced paroxysms, and they modified these paroxysms so that they came to resemble atropine-induced spikes. These findings suggest that the convulsant property of atropine is independent of the hitherto established actions of this drug, namely as a muscarinic antagonist or as a local anesthetic agent.
Production and Reactions of Organic-Soluble Lanthanide Complexes of the Monolacunary Dawson [α1-P2W17O61]10- Polyoxotungstate

The incorporation of lanthanides into polyoxometalates provides entry to new classes of potentially useful materials that combine the intrinsic properties of both constituents. To utilize the [α1-Ln(H2O)4P2W17O61]7- species in applications of catalysis and development of luminescent materials, the chemistry of this family of lanthanide polyoxometalates in organic solvents has been developed. Organic-soluble polyoxometalate−lanthanide complexes TBA5H2[α1-Ln(H2O)4P2W17O61] (Ln = La(III), Sm(III), Eu(III), Yb(III)) were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, acid−base titration, IR, 31P NMR, and mass spectrometry. The synthetic procedure involves a cation metathesis reaction in aqueous solution under strict pH control. A solid−liquid-phase transfer protocol yielded a unique species (TBA)8K3[Yb(α1-YbP2W17O61)2] with three ytterbium ions and two [α1-P2W17O61]10- polyoxotungstates. A centrosymmetric dimeric complex [{α1-La(H2O)4P2W17O61}2]14- was crystallized from aqueous solution and characterized b...
Toward an in silico models for variation in neuroangiogenesis in retina

The problem Phenotypic variation is ubiquitous. Diversity in behavioral response within a single genotype is ubiquitous. Sources, mechanisms and innovations in variation within a genotype are hardly understood. In neuroscience, the problem of genotype-phenotype relationship is notoriously difficult due to many intermediate layers that mediate between the DNA, the physical structures of cells, and the dynamics of neuroglial and vascular interactions in development and response to environmental stimuli. Neuroangiogenesis in mice retina provides a mechanism that lends itself to detailed study of the relationship between genotype and phenotype.
Intelligent Direct Torque Control of Brushless DC motors for hybrid electric vehicles

This paper investigates the application of neural networks for Direct Torque Control (DTC) of a Brushless DC (BLDC) motor with non-sinusoidal back EMF. Conventional DTC technique controls the torque directly by providing appropriate switching signals from a predefined switching table based on torque error, stator flux linkage error and the stator flux angle. Applying this method for hybrid electric vehicles, results in serious torque ripple and power loss due to several system limitations. An intelligent neural network based direct torque control of BLDC motors for hybrid electric vehicle applications is proposed in this paper. The proposed method decreases the torque ripple and the number of switching and hence the switching power loss. Both the conventional DTC method and neural network based DTC of BLDC motor are simulated in MATLAB/SIMULINK and the results are compared and discussed to verify the proposed control.
A new X-linked multiple congenital anomalies/ mental retardation syndrome

We report on 2 boys, the sons of sisters, and their mother's brother who have a new, X-linked multiple congenital anomalies/mental retardation (MCA/MR) syndrome. The propositus was a 16-month-old caucasian male with 1) mental retardation, 2) congenital microcephaly, 3) postnatal growth deficiency, 4) ridged metopic suture with narrow bifrontal diameter, 5) upslanted palpebral fissures with persistent epicanthal folds, strabismus, and lacrimal duct obstruction, 6) narrow palate, 7) macrodontia, 8) anteverted ears, 9) atrial septal defect, 10) dry brittle scalp hair and 11) cutis marmorata. His chromosomes were normal. His cousin and uncle were similarly affected. This distinctive MCA/MR syndrome is added to the list of X-linked malformation syndromes known at the present time.