cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of biochemistry in the new curriculum at Jefferson medical college

Abstract The new curriculum at Jefferson Medical College represents a “conservative revolution”, in that the four-year format is retained and certain departments continue to teach on a departmental basis. However, some courses have been completely integrated, others interdigitated (resulting in minimal disruption of traditional departmental lines) and the beginning student is exposed to clinical subject-matter at an early stage in his career. Biochemistry, together with Histology, furnishes the organizing framework to which are attached relevant contributions from other disciplines to constitute a course in Cell and Tissue Biology. In a later phase, biochemistry and the other basic sciences will participate with the clinical departments in the presentation of advanced level subject-matter, organized in discrete tracks according to the various medical and surgical specialities.
Electric field breakdown in borosilicate glass and other amorphous insulators

Abstract It is proposed that the intrinsic breakdown field strenght, EB, can be determined from P=σE2B where P is the power absorbed from an incident pulse of X-rays and σ is the measured conductivity.
Product energy distributions from the 193 nm photodissociation of NH3

Abstract Product energy distributions are reported for 193 nm NH 3 photodissociation. Velocity-aligned Doppler spectroscopy on the H-atom fragment reveals a “cold” kinetic energy distribution, indicating a high degree of NH 2 internal excitation. Data are compared with the trajectory calculations of Rice, Raff and Thompson for NH 3 (X 1 A 1 ) dissociation, and the reaction mechanism of Ashfold, Bennett and Dixon is discussed.
Optical subcarrier multiplexing for multigigabit optical communication

Future broadband fiber communication networks for commercial and/or military application will require tens to hundreds of communication channels, each channel transporting multigigabit data resulting in an aggregate throughput upwards of 100 Gb/s. Optical-based systems have the potential for realizing such networks because of the inherent speed of optical signals, and the large optical (30-terahertz) bandwidth that can be exploited for communication. Optical signal multiplexing in the spectral and temporal domains provides means of interconnecting and transporting large user data through a network. One approach to achieving multigigabit data transport via time division multiplexed requires the development of femtosecond mode-locked lasers or soliton lasers of high repetition rates. Such lasers are bulky making them impractical for systems applications. Furthermore their performance can be severely affected by optical nonlinearities. WDM offers another approach to multigigabit data transport. Typically WDM systems utilize a separate single frequency laser for each channel. Stabilizing and controlling each individual wavelength of a high density WDM system is difficult and costly. Furthermore cross-talk and cross-phase modulation limit the channel capacity in WDM systems. In this paper we propose a subcarrier multiplexing scheme as an alternative to multigigabit fiber optics data communication. In this approach, a comb of optical RF subcarriers are generated in a matched-pair of optical traveling-wave amplifiers (TWA). Each subcarrier serves as a transmission channel. The most important aspect of this approach is that optical processing of the subcarriers are done via the main optical carrier. Thus amplification of the main carrier translates into a direct amplification of the subcarriers. We present theoretical framework and simulation results for optical RF subcarrier generation.
Impeller wear impact-abrasive wear test

Abstract In order to more accurately simulate wear behavior that occurs in the field (i.e., impact coupled with abrasion), an impeller-in-drum wear test has been developed. The apparatus is similar to the one first developed by Bond; however, in the apparatus used at the Albany Research Center, three paddles instead of just one are situated in the drum which can be impacted and abraded during the course of the wear test. In using three paddles, a standard can be run at the same time as the specimens of interest. Two test procedures have been developed which provide information on the relative resistance of a material to the combined action of impact and abrasion. In the first procedure, the wear samples are run for 1 h on each side of the specimen paddle. This average value of the two tests gives an upper average limit to the impact-abrasive wear of the material, but has the advantages of being easy to run and relatively quick. The second procedure attempts to determine the steady-state wear behavior by running sequential wear tests on one surface of the specimen paddle. In this procedure, anywhere from three to five 1-h tests are run on one surface of the paddle. The cumulative mass or volume loss is plotted as a function of time and the slope of the linear portion of the curve provides the value for the steady-state wear rate. In addition to describing the experimental procedure, wear mechanisms will be discussed and the changes that occur in the microstructure as a result of the wear tests will also be described. The way various alloys behave in pure abrasion and in impact–abrasion will be discussed, highlighting the change in a material's wear behavior with a change in wear mode.
Ground-state correlations of quantum antiferromagnets: A Green-function Monte Carlo study.

We have studied via a Green-function Monte Carlo (GFMC) method the S=(1/2 Heisenberg quantum antiferromagnet in two dimensions. We use a well-known transformation to map the spin problem onto a system of hard-core bosons that allows us to exploit interesting analogies between magnetism and superfluidity. The GFMC method is a zero-temperature stochastic method that projects out the component of the true ground state in a given variational wave function. This method is complementary to previously used finite-temperature Monte Carlo methods and is well suited to studying the ground state and low-lying excited states. Starting with even a simple wave function, e.g., the classical N\'eel state, the GFMC method can obtain the short-range correlations very accurately, and we find the ground-state energy per site ${\mathit{E}}_{0}$/J=-0.6692(2). We show that it is important to include the zero-point motion of the elementary excitations in the ground state and by a spin-wave analysis find that it produces long-range correlations in the wave function. Upon inclusion of such long-range correlations, we obtain a staggered magnetization ${\mathit{m}}^{\mathrm{\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}}}$=0.31(2) and the structure factor scrS(q)\ensuremath{\sim}q at long wavelengths. Using the Feynman-Bijl relation, from the slope we deduce the renormalization of the spin-wave velocity by quantum fluctuations to be ${\mathit{Z}}_{\mathit{c}}$==c/${\mathit{c}}_{\mathit{s}}$=1.14(5).
Resonant tunneling via an accumulation layer.

The electron states are investigated for a resonant-tunneling diode in which the potential well of an accumulation layer prevents electrons from tunneling coherently from source to drain at resonance energies. They may be specified as extended states, incident from the drain (anode) side and reflected back to it, or as localized discrete «quasilevel» states, almost trapped in the overall barrier system and decaying to the continuum on the anode side. The relation between these two representations is investigated. Quasilevels that are at energies not near a barrier resonance energy in general have long escape (decay) times
1735 INFLUENCE OF MATURATION AND HYPEROXIA ON SURFACTANT PHOSPHOLIPIDS AND PULMONARY COMPLIANCE IN THE PREMATURE AND TERM RABBIT

1735 INFLUENCE OF MATURATION AND HYPEROXIA ON SURFACTANT PHOSPHOLIPIDS AND PULMONARY COMPLIANCE IN THE PREMATURE AND TERM RABBIT
How High Can Brook Trout Jump? A Laboratory Evaluation of Brook Trout Jumping Performance

Abstract Quantitative data on how high brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis can jump are crucial for efforts by fisheries managers to exclude brook trout from streams containing native cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii subspp. and to build effective fishways for brook trout migration. We identified factors that could influence brook trout jumping ability and demonstrated how this knowledge could be applied to improve the design of barriers to brook trout migration or fishways to facilitate their migration. Our objective was to measure brook trout jumping performance under laboratory conditions to identify design features for constructing waterfall-type barriers or pool-and-weir-type fishways. We used flashboard-type and flume-type adjustable waterfall devices to measure brook trout jumping performance at various combinations of vertical or waterfall height (13.5–93.5 cm in 10-cm increments) and plunge pool depth (10–60 cm in 10-cm increments) over a 24-h interval. We tested three size-classes of brook tro...
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ON THE PERCENTAGE OF STAINABLE AND PRESUMED NORMAL POLLEN IN ASTER (COMPOSITAE)

A B S T R A C T tions, however, the effects of meiotic irregularities resulting from hybridization may be masked by those of the environment. In the genus Aster high percentages of pollen stainability were obtained in most samples from plants flowering in the greenhouse, including hybrids of distantly related species. When grown outdoors, plants of the same clones frequently suffered significant reduction in the amounts of normal pollen produced. During the period of flower development, two climatic parameters were assessed, relative humidity and maximum/minimum temperatures. Fluctuations in relative humidity were considerable but of nearly equal amplitude both in the greenhouse and in the open field. Diurnal temperature fluctuations, however, were much less drastic in the greenhouse than outdoors. The differential percentages of stainable pollen observed are probably attributable to the sum of environmental factors, including hard rains and strong winds, rather than any single parameter. In the genus Aster high amounts of aborted pollen grains appear to be largely a reflection of sensitivity to unfavorable microclimatic conditions during the post-meiotic period of flower development, and data on pollen stainability cannot be employed as a measure of fertility or degree of hybridity.
Simultaneous deformations of a Lie algebroid and its Lie subalgebroid

Abstract Deformation problem is an interesting problem in mathematical physics. In this paper, we show that the deformations of a Lie algebroid are governed by a differential graded Lie algebra; and under certain regularity assumptions, an L ∞ -algebra can be constructed to govern the deformations of its Lie subalgebroid. Furthermore, by applying Y. Fregier and M. Zambon’s result (0000, Thm. 3), these structures can be combined together to govern the simultaneous deformations. Applications of our results include deformations of a foliation, deformations of a Lie subalgebra, deformations of a complex structure, and deformations of a homomorphism of Lie algebroids.
Two-spin relaxation of P dimers in silicon

We study two-electron singlet-triplet relaxation of donor-bound electrons in Silicon. Hyperfine interaction of the electrons with the phosphorus (P) nuclei, in combination with the electron-phonon interaction, lead to relaxation of the triplet states. Within the Heitler-London and effective-mass approximations, we calculate the triplet relaxation rates in the presence of an applied magnetic field. This relaxation mechanism affects the resonance peaks in current electron-spin-resonance experiments on P dimers. Moreover, the estimated time scales for the spin decay put an upper bound on the gate pulses needed to perform fault-tolerant two-qubit operations in donor-spin-based quantum computers. We have found the optimal regimes though, which mitigate this relaxation mechanism, yet permit sufficiently fast two-qubit operations.
Trichinella spiralis: Intestinal Myoelectric Activity during Enteric Infection in the Rat

Abstract The objective was to characterize changes in the host's small intestinal smooth muscle contractile activity caused by the enteric stages of the nematode, Trichinella spiralis , during primary infection. Myoelectric activity was recorded from electrodes permanently implanted on the seromuscular surface of the small bowel in conscious, unrestrained rats during the first 2 weeks postinfection (PI). Several myoelectric parameters examined collectively indicated that smooth muscle function of the small bowel was altered by infection. A decrease in contractile activity was indicated by reductions in electrical slow wave and spike potential frequencies that were maximal 6–12 days postinfection. Normal coordinated contractile behavior was also impaired, as evident from a reduction in the frequency of migrating myoelectric complexes. An infection-induced qualitative change occurred designated as a migrating action potential complex. This unusual spiking activity swept down the bowl rapidly, occurred with greatest frequency 2–6 days PI, and coincided with the disruption of the normal migrating myoelectric complex. It is concluded that recordings of intestinal myoelectric activity provide sensitive, quantifiable correlates of contractile patterns throughout the intestinal phase of trichinellosis in a single host.
THE EFFECTS OF REINFORCEMENT FREQUENCY AND RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS ON THE MAINTENANCE OF BEHAVIOR

Six rats responded under fixed-interval and tandem fixed-interval fixed-ratio schedules of food reinforcement. Basic fixed-interval schedules alternated over experimental conditions with tandem fixed-interval fixed-ratio schedules with the same fixed-interval value. Fixed-interval length was varied within subjects over pairs of experimental conditions; the ratio requirement of the tandem schedules was varied across subjects. For both subjects with a ratio requirement of 10, overall response rates and running response rates typically were higher under the tandem schedules than under the corresponding basic fixed-interval schedules. For all subjects with ratio requirements of 30 or 60, overall response rates and running response rates were higher under the tandem schedules than under the corresponding basic fixed-interval schedules only with relatively short fixed intervals. At longer fixed intervals, higher overall response rates and running rates were maintained by the basic fixed-interval schedules than by the tandem schedules. These findings support Zeiler and Buchman's (1979) reinforcement-theory account of response strength as an increasing monotonic function of both the response requirement and reinforcement frequency. Small response requirements added in tandem to fixed-interval schedules have little effect on reinforcement frequency and so their net effect is to enhance responding. Larger response requirements reduce reinforcement frequency more substantially; therefore their net effect depends on the length of the fixed interval, which limits overall reinforcement frequency. At the longest fixed intervals studied in the present experiment, reinforcement frequency under the tandem schedules was sufficiently low that responding weakened or ceased altogether.
Abnormal proteins as the trigger for the induction of stress responses: Heat, diamide, and sodium arsenite

Thermotolerance and synthesis of heat shock proteins are induced in cells in response to a variety of environmental stresses. We examined the suggestion of Hightower (1980) that modifications of intracellular proteins may be the triggering event that induces heat shock protein synthesis and thermotolerance. We did so by modifying cellular proteins, using diamide, a sulfhydryl oxicizing agent, and dithio-bis (succinimidyl propionate), an agent that cross-links bifunctional amino groups. Both of these agents induced heat shock proteins and thermotolerance in CHO (HA-1) cells. Furthermore, we observed cross-resistance and self-tolerance with three seemingly unrelated stimuli (diamide, heat, and sodium arsenite). This observation suggests that the induction of protective responses to these stimuli is mediated by a common mechanism. The results support the hypothesis that production of abnormal proteins by various stresses induces the stress responses as well as tolerance.
Ultrafast correlation interferometric imaging through turbulent medium

Optical imaging through highly scattering media is an active field of research. Recently, a novel method of ultrafast correlation interferometric reflectometry (UCIR) was proposed to convert the time propagation of pulses reflected from the objects into a corresponding coherence-domain interference pattern. This new approach permits femtosecond single-shot registration of reflections from objects within a medium using a CCD array which can be used for image through strongly turbulent media. In this paper, we describe the use of UCIR for imaging objects through a moving scattering medium. An 120 fs single-shot interferometric image of a slide is achieved with a resolution of 25 micrometers after backscattering through fast rotating scattering medium at 2.5 X 103 rpm.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
X-Ray photoelectron spectra of dopant molecules for conducting polymers. Vapor phase core level binding energies for arsenic and antimony pentafluorides

Abstract The core level binding energies of AsF 3 and AsF 5 gas have been measured and the ΔBE(F 1s-As 3d) shift between the two molecules has been found to be over twice as large as the value previosly reported. Core data lavel has also been recorded for antimony pentafluoride gas. It is anticipated that these data will be useful in evaluating the nature of polymerdopant interactions.
Lifetime control by palladium diffusion in silicon

Abstract This paper will discuss the use of palladium for the control of lifetime in silicon power devices. It is shown that palladium has the advantage over platinum of lower solid solubility (by a factor of 20–50). As a result, greater process control can be achieved for lifetimes in the range that is desirable for power rectifiers and thyristors (0.1–1 μsec). Experiments, conducted on diodes made with both p - and n -type silicon, are used to establish the dominant lifetime controlling level in each case, together with its capture parameters. Finally, an assessment is made of the advantages and disadvantages of palladium doping for semiconductor power devices.
Application of biotechnology in the poultry industry

Abstract Tremendous progress has been made in recent years in understanding the biochemical and physiological basis of the genetic control of growth and development. Many of these advances have been made through molecular approaches or biotechnology. The techniques of biotechnology have benefitted and will continue to benefit the poultry industry of the future. Future benefits will come about from several different directions, including: 1) the production of transgenic animals; 2) the production of more effective biologicals, vaccines and diagnostic procedures; 3) the production of feed‐grade enzymes; and by, 4) novel biological approaches to the reduction and utilization of industry waste.
Policy-based voting, perceptions of issue space, and the 2000 Mexican elections

Abstract I argue, and test using data from the 2000 Mexican elections, the following assertions: perceptions of issue space condition the weights voters assign to policy stances and these perceptions in turn are affected by both individual and contextual variables. By perceptions of issue space I mean the choice candidates appear to offer on a given issue. The principal data I use come from the Mexico 2000 Panel Study; hypotheses are tested using multinomial logit and OLS analyses. The first set of results supports the thesis that perceptions of issue space condition the tendency for individuals to select leaders on the basis of select policy stances. The second set demonstrates that individual characteristics, structural constraints, and candidates' rhetorical strategies (the latter mediated by partisan leanings) all affect perceptions of issue space. Combined, these findings have important implications for understanding voting behavior in young and old democracies alike.
Phosphorylation of ATF2 and interaction with NFY induces c-Jun in the gonadotrope

Induction of c-Jun and c-Fos, partners that comprise the AP1 transcription factor, is critical for GnRH regulation of FSHβ gene expression. The signaling pathways that are necessary for regulation of AP1 in the gonadotrope cell are not known. Here, we investigate the mechanism of c-Jun induction by GnRH, the sole regulator of c-Jun in the gonadotrope. We identify that GnRH phosphorylates ATF2 via p38 and JNK, the same pathways responsible for GnRH induction of c-Jun. Upon phosphorylation, ATF2 binds the CRE element within the c-Jun proximal promoter and interacts with NFY. Functional ATF2 is necessary for both GnRH induction of c-Jun and FSHβ. Taken together, these studies elucidate the specificity of c-Jun induction by GnRH in the gonadotrope by demonstrating GnRH activation of the p38 and JNK signaling pathways that lead to phosphorylation of ATF2, providing critical insight into GnRH regulation of its target gene, the gonadotropin subunit FSHβ.
Near-threshold photoionization mass spectra of combustion-generated high-molecular-weight soot precursors

Abstract In this work, we present mass spectra showing organic species with mass-to-charge ratios between 15 and 900 sampled from near-atmospheric pressure, non-premixed, opposed-flow flames of acetylene, ethylene, and propane using an aerosol mass spectrometer with flash vaporization. Near-threshold photoionization was achieved by synchrotron-generated tunable vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) light. Among the three different fuels, we observed variation in the mass progression, peak intensities, and isomeric content identifiable in photoionization-efficiency curves. The results indicate that different pathways contribute to the molecular growth of soot precursors and that the significance of these mechanisms is likely to depend on the fuel structure and/or flame conditions. Previous work has highlighted thermodynamic propensities for precursor formation; however, our results suggest that kinetic mechanisms play a role in determining the partitioning of soot precursor isomers under the conditions investigated here. Evidence for aliphatic-bridged and oxygenated species was also observed. Such species have been proposed as a possible precursor to particle inception following cluster formation but have never been confirmed.
Adhesion of metals to polymers. I. Study of interfaces modified by inductive heating

The objective of the work reported in this paper is to explain theoretically the observations made in an earlier study that castings of an epoxide resin reinforced by electrically conductive inserts, after having been postcured by inductive heating, had strength properties superior to those achieved by a purely thermal postcure. A search of the literature on adhesion suggested that among the theories presented, those dealing with electrical double layer formation, interdiffusion, and mixed polymer grafting on the insert–polymer interface deserve to be considered. Experiments were then planned in such a manner as to permit a choice between these theories. Epoxide resin specimens reinforced with various metals (pure silver, silver with an oxide layer, pure copper, copper with an oxide layer, aluminum, and stainless steel) were prepared. They were then either postcured in a heated oven, or postcured in an induction furnace for various lengths of time. Bonding strength was determined by a knife-edge method, and the exposed insert and resin surfaces were tested for electrical potential and surface wettability (angle-of-contact). Most strikingly, the curves obtained with increasing induction heating times for bonding strength, electrical potential, and wettability were all sinusoidal in shape, and their maxima and minima generally were found to coincide. For oven-postcured specimens, bonding between different metal inserts and an epoxide resin is explained by double electrical layer formation (insert positive, resin negative), with bonding strength increasing as the stability of the oxide forming the surface layer of the metal decreases. Metals with no oxide surface layer thus have the highest bonding strengths. For inductively postcured specimens, bonding is effected by both electrical double layer formation and mixed polymer grafting through the oxygen atoms in the metal surfaces, with the more stable metal oxide giving the stronger bonding in grafting. Where the insert does not carry an oxygen surface layer, bonding takes place through electrical forces only. Alternating build-up and internal discharge of electrical double layers are the direct cause of the sinusoidal shape of the electrical potential curves and the indirect cause of the comparable shape of the wettability curves. Their combination results in the observed periodicity of the breaking load curves.
On measuring serial correlation: Implications for finance and accounting research studies

Accounting and finance studies that measure serial correlation implicitly make two assumptions. One, the studies assume that the sample estimate of the autocorrelation coefficient is unbiased. The assumption is intuitively appealing, but incorrect. This article provides a measure of the size of the bias. Two, the studies assume that the target of the time series is constant over time. However, over a long period target values may change. This article models the general case in which not only do random shocks affect actual values, but also random changes affect target values.
Hormone replacement therapy is associated with less coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.

Most observational studies indicate that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) protects women from cardiovascular disease. Two recent randomized trials, however, showed no reduction in coronary events with HRT in postmenopausal women. A randomized study evaluating subclinical atherosclerosis showed a beneficial effect of estrogen. In the current study we evaluated the association between HRT and coronary artery atherosclerosis, as quantified by coronary artery calcium score. Current users of HRT were significantly more likely to have a coronary artery calcium score less than 100 and were less likely to have a score greater than 400 than non-HRT users. After adjustment for cardiac risk factors, current use of HRT was associated with a significant reduction of coronary artery calcium score (−28; 95% confidence interval, −48 to −10). The average age of users was 59 yr, the mean duration of use was 9 yr, and the duration of HRT use was significantly associated with a reduction in coronary artery calcium. These re...
A Problem of Ranking and Estimation with Poisson Processes

There are given k Poisson processes with parameters (rates of occurrence) λ1, …, λ k . Let λ(1) ≤ λ(2) ≤ … ≤ λ(k) denote the ordered set of values of the parameters. A procedure is given for selecting the process corresponding to λ(k) and estimating its parameter (λ(k)). The given procedure controls the joint risk of improper selection and of large error in the estimate. Let θ > 1 and 0 < α, β < 1 be given numbers, and let δ denote the estimate of λ(k). The joint probability that a correct selection is made and that |(δ/λ(k)) − 1| ≤ α is at least as large as β, for (λ(k)/λ(k−1)) ≥ θ. Two cases are considered, that is, when the processes are observed continuously in time, and when they are observed at successive intervals of time. Both the cases lead to the same theoretical results.
Earthquakes induced by fluid injection and explosion

Abstract Earthquakes generated by fluid injection near Denver, Colorado, are compared with earthquakes triggered by nuclear explosion at the Nevada Test Site. Spatial distributions of the earthquakes in both cases are compatible with the hypothesis that variation of fluid pressure in preexisting fractures controls the time distribution of the seismic events in an “aftershock” sequence. We suggest that the fluid pressure changes may also control the distribution in time and space of natural aftershock sequences and of earthquakes that have been reported near large reservoirs.
Solubility, miscibility and their relation to interfacial tension in ternary liquid systems

Abstract The terms, miscibility and solubility, are widely used in phase behavior studies of multicomponent hydrocarbon systems. The distinction between these two terms appears to be still hazy, leading to their synonymous use in some quarters. Also, the relation of these two thermodynamic properties with interfacial tension has largely remained unexplored. However, recently a new experimental technique of vanishing interfacial tension (VIT) has been reported relating miscibility with interfacial tension in gas–oil systems. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to correlate miscibility and solubility with interfacial tension and to investigate the applicability of the new VIT technique to determine miscibility conditions in ternary fluid systems. For this purpose, a standard ternary liquid system of benzene, ethanol and water was chosen since their phase behavior and solubility data were readily available. The interfacial tensions of benzene in aqueous ethanol at various ethanol enrichments were measured using the drop shape analysis (DSA) and capillary rise techniques. The experimental results indicate the applicability of VIT technique to determine miscibility conditions for ternary liquid systems as well. Comparison of IFT measurements with solubility data showed a strong mutual relationship between these two properties, in addition to demonstrating a clear distinction between solubility and miscibility. The interfacial tension appears to be independent of solvent–oil ratio in feed, provided that complete equilibration of fluid phases is allowed to incorporate all the mass transfer effects during experimentation. All these experimental observations have immense application in fluid–fluid phase equilibria studies and to determine the miscibility conditions of gas injection improved oil recovery projects.
Physical risk factors and controls for musculoskeletal disorders in construction trades

Adoption of the Washington State Ergonomics Rule in 2000 initiated seven different demonstration projects in nine high-risk construction trades. The Ergonomics Rule was repealed in 2003, however valuable cooperative field research was conducted in construction prior to rule dissolution. This paper presents summaries and results of each project with the aim of providing the results to construction professionals and researchers seeking to identify and reduce injury risks and building costs. The projects were organized independently but each with the specific aims of conducting work in conjunction with industry, identifying “hazard zone” risk factors as defined by the rule, and identifying feasible solutions in agreement with company partners to mitigate these risk factors. Musculoskeletal injury risk factors were evaluated by ergonomist field observation and working group analysis. Solutions were developed through field work and consensus agreement with industry and labor representatives. Identified injury ...
Inflammatory Response in Unstable Angina

We read with great interest the article by Liuzzo et al1 regarding the systemic inflammatory markers associated with unstable angina. We would like to also emphasize the fact that the increase of inflammatory markers is present not only in the circulation, as shown in their article, but also in the arterial atherosclerotic wall itself. We2 3 have previously measured C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels eluted from human aortic wall with atherosclerosis. …
Preparation and enzymatic hydrolysis of dinucleoside monophosphates and DNA modified with aromatic residues

The following procedures have been used to prepare fifteen modified dinucleoside monophosphates: (a) bisulfite-catalyzed transamination with aniline to give an N4-phenylcytidine (CPh), (b) bisulfite-catalyzed transamination with β-naphthylamine to give an N4-β-naphthylcytidine (Cβ N), (c) alkylation with 7-bromomethylbenz[a]anthracene to afford a 7-(benz[a]anthryl-7-methyl)guanosine (GMBA), and (d) reaction with N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene to give an 8-(N-2-fluorenylacetamido)guanosine (GAAF). The compounds prepared were A-CPh, CPh-A, CPh-G, U-CPh, CPh-U, A-CβN, CβN-A, G-CβN, CβN-G, U-CβN, CβN-U, GMBA-U, U-GMBA, GAAF-U, and U-GAAF. All of the modified compounds were hydrolyzed to the expected monomers with venom and spleen exonucleases. Hydrolysis by micrococcal nuclease was inhibited in the following cases: A-CPh, A-CβN, U-GMBA, and U-GAAF. The first three reactions above were applied to denatured calf thymus DNA to prepare modified DNA samples containing from 0.3 to 2.0% bound aromatic residues. The modified nucleic acids were completely hydrolyzed to nucleosides by the combination of venom exonuclease, deoxyribonuclease I and alkaline phosphatase. The same results were obtained with a combination of spleen exonuclease, deoxyribonuclease II, and alkaline phosphatase. Hydrolysis of the modified nucleic acids by micrococcal nuclease and alkaline phosphatase afforded primarily nucleosides, with some dinucleoside monophosphates. The amount of the latter did not exceed that found in the hydrolysis of control DNA, however. Other workers have observed inhibition of enzymatic hydrolysis of nucleic acids modified by aromatic carcinogens. We postulated that their results may have been caused by cross-links, which were avoided in our studies.
The application of surface science to fatigue: The role of surface chemistry and surface modification in fatigue crack initiation in silver single crystals

Abstract The role of surface chemistry in the initiation of fatigue cracks was studied for silver single crystals. Fatigue tests up to crack initiation were carried out on pure silver specimens and specimens surface-alloyed with gold. The ambient used was oxygen. Concurrent investigations of the effect of gold on oxygen adsorption on Ag(111) surfaces were carried out using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A strong correlation was observed between the number of cycles to crack initiation and the reactivity of slip steps exposed by the fatigue process as well as the rate of oxygen adsorptio on the exposed slip steps. It was also found that oxygen adsorbed on the slip steps was transported into subsurface regions during fatigue. When the same test was performed in bromine, subsurface transport of bromine was not observed; yet the fatigue life up to crack initiation was found to be the same as that in oxygen. The absence of bromine transport is likely due to its larger atomic size. Based on these studies, we conclude that the dominant mechanism for accelerating fatigue crack initiation in an active environment is the reduction of dislocation reversibility by strong adsorption of ambient species on exposed slip steps.
Identification of a Short Viral Transcript in Leishmania RNA Virus-infected Cells

Certain strains of Leishmania guyanensis carry persistently infecting double-stranded RNA viruses. The viral polymerase has been shown to have both transcriptase and replicase activity. To date, only full-length RNA transcription of minus and plus strands have been reported. This report describes the synthesis of a 320 nt transcript which is complementary to the 3′ end of the minus strand RNA. This plus-stranded short transcript was first detected in an in vitro polymerase assay. It was also detected in virus-infected Leishmania cells by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay and by Northern analysis of infected Leishmania cell RNA.
Stress Distribution on the Boundary of a Circular Hole in a Large Plate During Passage of a Stress Pulse of Long Duration

Summary A solution to the problem of the stress distribution on the boundary of a square hole (with rounded corners) in a large plate during passage of a stress pulse of relatively long duration is presented. The solution was experimentally obtained by using a low modulus model material in a combined photoelasticity and moire analysis. The stress pulse was generated by loading a small region on an edge of the plate with a falling weight. The length of the pulse front (rise from zero to peak), based on the velocity of propagation of the zero order fringe, was approximately 20 times the length of a side of the square hole. The hole was oriented with one side tangent to the wave front. The results of the investigation indicate that loading by means of a falling weight generates a time dependent biaxial state of stress at every point in the plate. The magnitude of the maximum dynamic compressive stress which develops on the boundary of the hole at any instant can be computed with a fair degree of accuracy by combining: (1) the static boundary stress distribution for the hole properly oriented in a uniform uniaxial stress field, and (2) the biaxial stress field which would have existed at the same instant at the point corresponding to the center of the hole if the hole had not been present. This time dependent biaxial stress field was determined at a point symmetric with respect to the center of the hole (free field stresses). The dynamic distribution of the stresses on the boundary of the hole differs from the static distribution as the initial portion of the front of the pulse passes the hole, therefore, the location of the dynamic maxima cannot be computed with any degree of accuracy during this interval. As the peak of the stress pulse passes the hole, the distributions of the dynamic and static boundary stresses for the same biaxial stress field agree in general.
Determination of organic acids in Vaccinium berry standard reference materials

Nine organic acids (citric acid, galacturonic acid, glycolic acid, isocitric acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, quinic acid, shikimic acid, and tartaric acid) and two anions (phosphate and sulfate) were determined in a suite of Vaccinium berry-containing dietary supplement standard reference materials (SRMs). Following solvent extraction, three independent methods were utilized in the quantification of these compounds. The first method involved reversed-phase liquid chromatography with ultraviolet absorbance detection at 210 nm and isotope dilution mass spectrometry. The second method utilized ion chromatography with conductivity detection. Finally, gas chromatography with isotope dilution mass spectrometry detection was used following derivatization with N-methyl-N-trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA). The combined data from these methods was used for the assignment of organic acid levels in the seven candidate SRMs.
Plasma 11-deoxycortisol radioimmunoassay for metyrapone tests.

Abstract A radioimmunoassay for the measurement of 11-deoxycortisol in plasma after metyrapone administration is described. Antiserum against 11-deoxycortisol was produced by immunizing rabbits with the 21-hemisuccinate of 11-deoxycortisol coupled to bovine serum albumin. All animals produced antisera with sufficient titer to use for radioimmunoassay. The best antiserum was selected for use on the basis of high titer, low cross reactivity with other steroids and high association constant. The antiserum contained heterogeneous antibodies with association constants varying from 0.28×109 to 1.5×109 liters per mole. With the exception of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, none of the tested steroids cross-reacted more than 7 percent. Because of the high specificity of the antisera and the low concentration of other steroids in plasma following metyrapone administration, it was possible to measure 11-deoxycortisol in crude extracts of plasma. The recovery of tritium labeled 11-deoxycortisol through extraction was 94.2 ± 3.8% (n = 100). The recoveries of unlabeled 11-deoxycortisol added in known amounts to plasma were 99.0 ± 5% at a level of 5 μg/100 ml (n = 10) and 102 ± 4% at 20 μg/100 ml (n = 18). The intra-assay coefficient of variation determined in the usual fashion, was 5% at 10 μg/100 ml. The inter-assay coefficient of variation ranged from 2.8 to 6.8% on four plasma pools with levels ranging from 7.4 to 15.5 μg/100 ml. With the single dose plasma metyrapone test previously reported from this laboratory, plasma 11-deoxycortisol levels by RIA in 54 sick controls ranged from 8.0 to 22.3 μg/100 ml with a mean of 13.7 ± 3.4 μg/100 ml. No sex difference in 11-deoxycortisol levels was observed. In 20 cases of hypopituitarism, plasma values varied from 0 to 7.0 μg/100 ml with a mean of 2.9 ± 2.6 μg/100 ml. The blank for the method was determined in plasma from 10 dexamethasone suppressed normal subjects and 9 adrenalectomized patients. The values were 0.2 ± 0.1 μg/100 ml and 0.6 ± 0.3 μrmg/100 ml respectively. Six patients with Addison's disease had an average plasma 11-deoxycortisol value of 0.5 ± 0.2 μrmg/100 ml.
Miscibility of polystyrene-based ionomers with poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)

Sulfonated and carboxylated styrenic ionomers are investigated for their miscibilities with poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PXE), a nonassociating polymer. The nanoscale phase separation in the ionomer component presents a barrier to miscibility, which is nonetheless possible when the functionalization level or PXE content is low. The ionomers absorb PXE up to a certain level, beyond which additional PXE forms a pure phase. As the level of added PXE approaches the saturation limit, ionic groups can be forced from aggregates into the matrix. The saturation limit diminishes as the ionomer's functionalization level increases, but it also depends on the ion type, with ZnSPS showing the highest micibility of all ionomers studied
Software thread integration for embedded system display applications

Embedded systems require control of many concurrent real-time activities, leading to system designs that feature a variety of hardware peripherals, with each providing a specific, dedicated service. These peripherals increase system size, cost, weight, and design time. Software thread integration (STI) provides low-cost thread concurrency on general-purpose processors by automatically interleaving multiple threads of control into one. This simplifies hardware to software migration (which eliminates dedicated hardware) and can help embedded system designers meet design constraints, such as size, weight and cost. We have developed concepts for performing STI and have implemented many in our automated postpass compiler Thrint. Here we present the transformations and examine how well the compiler integrates threads for two display applications. We examine the integration procedure, the processor load, and code memory expansion. Integration allows reclamation of CPU idle time, allowing run-time speedups of 1.6x to 3.6x.
An eruptive vascular proliferation resembling acquired tufted angioma in the recipient of a liver transplant

A 59-year-old man developed grouped erythematous papules on the skin of the right axilla and arm shortly after orthotopic liver transplantation. Histologic changes closely resembled those of acquired tufted angioma, with capillary lobules studding the dermis. The lesions spontaneously involuted over several months. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings excluded Kaposi's sarcoma and bacillary angiomatosis, the two vascular proliferations most frequently seen in the immunocompromised host. We believe that our case is one of acquired tufted angioma appearing as an eruptive condition similar to eruptive pyogenic granuloma, to which it seems closely related. The involution of lesions in this case is unexplained.
Projections and Trends in RN Supply: What Do They Tell Us About the Nursing Shortage?:

This article presents an analysis of trends in the supply of RNs. When weighted for population growth, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2002 projection of future RN shortages indicates a more immanent and stronger decline in RN supply than initially presented. Analysis of national RN survey data from 1977 to 2000 finds recent decreased gains and increased losses from the RN license pool, a decline in RNs working or looking for work in nursing, and RN supply shifts away from bedside nursing. Policy implications to address these trends include regulatory/legislative and incentive approaches aimed at improving education and employment.
RSA encryption using extended modular arithmetic on the Quicksilver COSM adaptive computing machine

Modular arithmetic is typically the computational bottleneck in a hardware implementation of public key cryptography algorithms. This paper focuses on an implementation of modular multiplication on the Quicksilver COSM adaptive computing machine as a run-time-reconfigurable user authentication context candidate. The design is targeted specifically to the COSM adaptive computing machine, taking into account the underlying architecture of the device.
Communitarian versus Universalistic Norms

The celebration of communitarianism by political philosophers (Sandel, M. 1982 Liberalism and the Limits of Justice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) has apparently been extended to strategic analyses of ascriptively attuned norms (Fearon, J. and D. Laitin. 1996. “Explaining Interethnic Cooperation.” American Political Science Review 90: 715–735) — an intriguing development, given game theory’s individualistic premises. We believe, however, that game theory offers little comfort to prescriptive theories of communitarian rules: a hardheaded strategic analysis supports the Enlightenment view that such norms tend to be Pareto inefficient or distributionally unjust. This survey uses a specific criterion — supporting cooperation as a Nash equilibrium — to compare communitarian norms, which turn on people’s ascriptive identities, to universalistic ones, which focus on people’s actions. We show that universalistic rules are better at stabilizing cooperation in a broad class of circumstances. Moreover, communitarian norms hurt minorities the most, and the advantages of universalism become more pronounced the more ascriptively fragmented a society is or the smaller is the minority group.
Clinical assessment of dry laser-processed film versus traditional wet-processed film with computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound.

Rationale and Objectives. To compare image quality and diagnostic performance (by using receiver operating characteristic techniques) for laser imaging film from two systems: a traditional wet system that uses chemical processing and a new dry system that is wet-chemistry-free. Methods. For three separate studies (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound), identical images for 40 cases were printed on both the wet and dry imaging systems. Ten radiologists participated in each study, giving a decision confidence rating for lesion present or absent and evaluating image quality. Results. In all three studies, there were no statistically significant differences in diagnostic performance when reading images that had been wet processed versus those that had been dry processed. Image quality was comparable for wet- and dry-processed films for all three modalities. Conclusion. Dry laser processing produces high-quality radiologic films that are comparable to those currently produced by using wet laser processing. Dry-processed film represents a useful alternative to wet-processed film.