cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WAIS-R VALIDATION OF THE THURSTONE TEST OF MENTAL ALERTNESS

Summary.-This preliminary study evaluated the concurrent validity of the Thurstone Test of Mental Alertness as a brief intelligence test using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised as the criterion of adult intellectual achievement. Analyses indicated that the Total score on Thurstone's test was significantly correlated with the standard summary scores as well as with the WAIS-R factor scores. On the Thurstone Test of Mental Alertness scores could accurately predict WAIS-R intelligence for this nonclinical sample of 32 undergraduates. The concurrent val~dity of the test as a brief intelligence test was inferred and the results were consistent with the range of correlations expected among all measures of global intellectual achievement. Reading comprehension was suggested as a principal factor attenuating the correlation between the two tests. The Thurstone Test of Mental Alertness (TMA; Thurstone & Thurstone, 1989) is a brief self-administered test of adult intellectual achievement originally published forty years ago specifically for use in vocational counseling and industrial-organizational evaluations. The test continues to be used by industrial-organizational psychologists for selection of employees, job placement and retraining decisions, and in some types of performance evaluation (Anastasi, 1988). Among the unique aspects of the test is the emphasis on "mental alertness" or cognitive flexibility. The test items are arranged both in order of increasing difficulty and in a fixed, repetitive pattern alternating verbal and quantitative content. The 1988 restandardization provides contemporary normative data based on the performance of 3,745 adults selected from 10 vocational categories ranging from entry-level clerical workers to senior executives. A short form of the test, the SRA Verbal Form (Thurstone & Thurstone, 1984), has received considerably more attention as an intellectual screening test, and its psychometric characteristics have been reviewed favorably (Sweeney, 1985). The advantages of the original Thurstone Test of Mental Alertness include greater temporal consistency and a higher ceiling for the evaluation of collegiate and professional-level intellectual achievement. Intelligence tests are usually called "ability" tests in industrial-organizational psychology. The development of psychological tests for the evaluation
From molecular PDT damage to cellular PDT responses: attempts at bridging the gap on the role of Bcl-2

Expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and/or Bcl-xL is greatly elevated in many advanced cancers, especially those resistant to standard therapies, such as radiation or chemotherapy. It has been suggested that those two proteins would be attractive targets for the development of new cancer treatments. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with photosensitizers that localize in or target mitochondria, such as the phthalocyanine Pc 4, specifically attack the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, generating a variety of oxidized, complexed, and cleaved photoproducts. The closely related protein Bcl-xL is also a target of Pc 4-PDT. In a recent study employing transient transfection of an expression vector encoding deletion mutants of Bcl-2, we identified the membrane anchorage regions of the protein that are required to form the photosensitive target. In spite of the demonstrated photodamage to Bcl-2 (and Bcl-xL), how the photodamage translates into changes in the sensitivity of cells to PDT-induced apoptosis or other modes of cell death is not clear, and it also remains unclear how elevated amounts of anti-apoptotic proteins in tumors might make them more or less responsive to PDT. In the present study, we have studied the PDT response of MCF7 human breast cancer cells overexpressing wild-type Bcl-2 or certain deletion mutants either in a transient or stable mode. We show that cells expressing modestly elevated amounts ( 50-fold increase) of Bcl-2 or certain mutants are made significantly more resistant to the induction of apoptosis and the loss of clonogenicity upon exposure to Pc 4-PDT. In the presence of high levels of Bcl-2, extensive photodamage requires higher PDT doses. We conclude that Pc 4-PDT targets Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, eliminating one mechanism that protects the tumor cells from other types of therapy. However, it is possible that cells expressing very high levels of the anti-apoptotic proteins might still be resistant to PDT. The data suggest that PDT with a non-vascular-targeting photosensitizer might be effective in a combination treatment in which Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL are first photodamaged before delivery of a second agent.
cGMP and EGTA increase the light-sensitive current of retinal rods

Stimulation of the retina by light leads to a decrease in the inward current that normally flows into rod outer segments in the dark. Both cGMP and Ca2+ have been proposed as internal messengers that mediate the response and adaptation to illumination by regulating this 'light-sensitive' inward current. Since several lines of evidence suggest that the levels of cGMP and Ca2+ change with photostimulation, it was of interest to determine if these substances affect the light-sensitive current in rods. In the present study, solitary cultured photoreceptors were voltage-clamped and treated with TEA, Cs+ and Co2+ to isolate the light-sensitive current. Using this new method, intracellular injection of either cGMP or EGTA produced an increase in the inward current in the dark. Subsequent responses to bright flashes were larger, probably because there was more light-sensitive current to be suppressed. With longer injections of these substances, increasingly brighter flashes were necessary to elicit a maximum response. Since the reversal potential of the cGMP- or EGTA-induced current was the same as the normal light-sensitive current, the ionic basis of the two currents appeared identical. The finding that a change in Ca2+ or cGMP can modulate the light-sensitive current supports the notion that both may act as internal messengers in rod outer segments.
Influence of Kinetin and Gibberellic Acid on the Growth and Alkaloid Patterns in Datura meteloides

Datura meteloides D.C. was administered four weekly-doses of 25 mcg. of kinetin (K) or gibberellic acid (GA). Different growth responses were induced by each treatment. Significant increases in height were noted in plants treated with GA whereas those treated with K were shorter than controls. Considerable increases in dry weights were noted in the GA-treated plants while reductions were observed in K-treated plants. The concentration of alkaloids in the organs of plants treated with GA was markedly reduced but no significant changes occurred with K. The total alkaloid content per plant was less in each of the treated groups but total stem alkaloids were greater in those treated with GA. The per cent of chlorophyll a and b was decreased by GA but increased by K.
Political attitudes: Interactions of cognition and affect

Commonly held political opinions provide an ecologically relevant focus for studying the interactions of environmental context, affect or emotion, and cognition. To explore this approach to information processing, John T. Lanzetta helped initiate a series of experiments examining how emotional responses to politicians' nonverbal displays influence changes in attitude toward these leaders. Although this line of research has revealed how a number of variables interact when humans respond to known individuals in meaningful situations, the precise relationship between mood state or affect prior to a stimulus and subsequent emotions and cognitions remains unclear. Based on recent theories of modular brain function, an experimental paradigm was designed to test the hypothesis that the effects of a mood state on information processing depend on the subject's awareness of the affect as well as on its valence. Preliminary data from such a study, in which preconscious images of emotionally evocative stimuli were used to induce positive or negative affect prior to viewing the leader, suggests that the induction of negative affective states can lead to more positive attitudes. Reflected in such public opinion phenomena as the “rally-round-the-flag” effect, this mood-incongruent attitude change challenges many traditional theories of emotion and cognition.
Iterative least squares development of discriminant functions for spectroscopic data analysis by pattern recognition

Abstract Chemical data can be automatically classified into useful chemical categories by computerized learning machines using adaptive pattern dichotomizers. Previous investigations have employed negative, error correction feedback procedures to train the two-class pattern categorizers. This paper reports a new method based on an iterative least squares procedure developed for obtaining the discriminant functions used by the pattern dichotomizers. The iterative least squares method is discussed in detail, and its application to the training of decision makers to classify low resolution mass spectra is demonstrated. It is shown that pattern dichotomizers trained with the method can obtain predictive abilities of 98% in classifying unknown low resolution mass spectra into useful chemical categories.
To be euro or not to be euro: a comparative analysis of banking systems

For the past half century, European countries have moved to harmonize their economies. While there has been a push for a single banking market in Europe, the 25 European Union (EU) countries have still not achieved full harmonization. The purpose of this study is to explore similarities and differences in country-specific banking system attributes between member nations in the EU that have adopted the Euro and those that have not. We find evidence suggesting that the currency adoption decision is related to the level of market disclosure and openness. In general, countries that have adopted the Euro have the strongest quality of information and greatest protection against the exploitation of banking entities.
Ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy studies of a continuous permalloy–cobalt film

Magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) offers a means of performing local ferromagnetic resonance. We have studied the evolution of the MRFM force spectra in a continuous 20 nm thick cobalt-permalloy film as a function of lateral position. We clearly observed localized resonance signals originating from cobalt and permalloy. The spatial resolution in our experiments was determined to be better than 5 μm thus opening up the possibility to perform localized spectroscopic studies in continuous ferromagnetic samples.
New Drug Application 21-628, Certican (Everolimus), for the Proposed Indication of Prophylaxis of Rejection in Heart Transplantation Report From the Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee, US Food and Drug Administration, November 16, 2005, Rockville, Md

The Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee (Committee) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, met on November 16, 2005, to discuss the new drug application (NDA) 21-628 by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation for Certican (everolimus), for the proposed indication of prophylaxis of rejection in heart transplantation. The Committee reviewed 1 primary trial in heart failure and additional background information, as well as 2 studies of everolimus in renal transplantation. The meeting consisted of presentations by the sponsor and the FDA regarding an overview of heart transplantation; a summary of the efficacy and safety of everolimus, including the intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) results and renal toxicity; and an overall assessment of risk and benefit. The primary causes of heart failure in patients undergoing transplantation are coronary artery disease and noncoronary cardiomyopathy.1 After transplant, there is an initially high mortality rate due to acute postsurgical complications. Survivors have a subsequent average mortality of 3.4% per year.1 Risk factors for mortality at 5 years include need for repeat transplant, cerebrovascular disease, and the development of coronary artery vasculopathy. IVUS identification of rapidly progressive vasculopathy is an independent predictor of adverse outcomes and mortality in heart transplant recipients.2 Morbidity rates are also high in heart transplantation patients, with more than 30% developing renal dysfunction within 1 year, 1.5% requiring dialysis, and 0.3% requiring renal transplantation. After 3 years, more than 16% will develop chronic renal failure, of whom &29% will require maintenance dialysis or renal transplantation.3 The development of chronic renal failure is also an independent predictor of mortality. There are 2 FDA-approved drugs to prevent cardiac rejection. The first is the calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporin A (CsA), and the other is mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), which is used …
The traveling salesman problem: A duality approach

In this study we formulate the dual of the traveling salesman problem, which extends in a natural way the dual problem of Held and Karp to the nonsymmetric case. The dual problem is solved by a subgradient optimization technique. A branch and bound scheme with stepped fathoming is then used to find optimal and suboptimal tours. Computational experience for the algorithm is presented.
Synapses are lost during aging in the primate prefrontal cortex

An electron microscopic analysis has been carried out on the effects of age on the numerical density of both excitatory (asymmetric) and inhibitory (symmetric) synapses in the neuropil of layers 2/3 and of layer 5 in area 46 from the frontal cortex of behaviorally tested rhesus monkeys. There is no change in the lengths of synaptic junctions with age or in the percentage distribution of synapses relative to the postsynaptic spines and dendritic shafts. However, in layers 2/3 there is an overall loss of about 30% of synapses from 5 to 30 years of age, and both asymmetric and symmetric synapses are lost at the same rate. In layer 5 the situation is different; the overall loss of synapses is only 20% and this is almost entirely due to a loss of asymmetric synapses, since there is no significant loss of symmetric synapses from this layer with age. When the synapse data are correlated with the overall cognitive impairment shown by the monkeys, it is found that there is a strong correlation between the numerical density of asymmetric synapses in layers 2/3 and cognitive impairment, with a weaker correlation between symmetric synapse loss and cognitive impairment. In layer 5 on the other hand there is no correlation between synapse loss and cognitive impairment. However synapse loss is not the only factor causing cognitive impairment, since in previous studies of area 46 we have found that age-related alteration in myelin in this frontal area also significantly contributes to cognitive decline. The synapse loss is also considered in light of earlier studies, which show that the frequency of spontaneous excitatory synaptic responses is reduced with age in layers 2/3 neurons.
Biogenic nitric oxide from wastewater land application

Abstract The importance of municipal wastewater land application to nitric oxide production and transport in soil was studied through the formulation and conduct of a comprehensive laboratory testing protocol. Nitric oxide (NO) is a precursor in the formation of tropospheric ozone which can directly impact public health and the environment. It is the uncertainty in the NO budget, and its relation to O3, that motivates the need for measurements and modeling of NO flux from soils. Wastewater-amended soil is potentially one important component of that budget. NO emissions reported here were measured from: a well-characterized unamended soil, water-amended soil, and wastewater-amended soil in the laboratory in a dynamic test chamber. Laboratory results indicate that NO emissions from the selected sandy loam soil ranged from 0.3 to 0.4 ng N m-2 s-1 per cm2 of unamended soil, while water-amended soil emissions ranged from 0.4 to 0.7 ng N m-2 s-1 per cm2. NO flux from wastewater-amended soil ranged from 1.0 to 1.2 ng N m-2 s-1 per cm2 of applied soil.
Andy Isserman's Regional Science

Andy Isserman left a lasting impact on the fields of Regional Science and Planning. This special issue is dedicated to his memory. In addition to summarizing its contents, in this article I also re...
Synthesis and release of proteins from cultured larval fat body of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella

Abstract The larval fat body of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella , was cultured in vitro to examine the relationship between proteins present in the fat body, those released into the medium, and those present in the haemolymph. While the incorporation of [ 3 H]leucine into fat body proteins was high in last instar pre-diapausing and non-diapausing larvae, it fell in early diapausing larvae to about 11% of that found in prediapausing larvae. Incorporation of [ 3 H]leucine into the diapause-associated protein of the fat body increased gradually in pre-diapausing larvae and reached a maximum in newly-diapaused larvae at a time when the incorporation of [ 3 H]leucine into other proteins of the fat body had declined. The proteins released from the cultured fat body showed identical electrophoretic properties and close immunochemical relationships to most of those present in the haemolymph. Small amounts of the diapause-associated protein were released in vitro from the fat body of larvae of different ages in diapause. Lipophorin was also released in vitro from the fat body of non-diapausing and diapausing larvae, and shown to be immunochemically identical to the lipophorin present in the haemolymph.
Effects of estrogen on cardiac electrophysiology in female mice.

Estrogen and Cardiac Electrophysiology.Introduction: Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie gender- and hormonal-related differences in susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmias has been hampered by the lack of a suitable animal model. We examined the effect of hormonal status on the electrophysiologic (EP) properties of the mouse heart in an in vivo, closed chest model. Methods and Results: Fifty-three female C57/J mice aged 10 to 12 weeks were studied. Thirty-six mice underwent bilateral ovariectomies; 18 received estrogen (OVX + E) and 18 received placebo (OVX). Seventeen female mice underwent only sham surgery. All animals underwent in vivo EP studies. Select EP parameters were measured after quinidine treatment. Data were analyzed by a blinded observer. Compared with the intact female mice, the PR and AH intervals were significantly shorter in the OVX mice, and these parameters normalized with estrogen replacement (PR = 45.9 ± 4.5 msec in the intact mice, 42.1 ± 4.3 msec in the OVX group, and 46.9 ± 3.5 msec in the OVX + E group, P < 0.005; AH = 36.5 ± 4.9 msec in the intact mice, 34.4 ± 4.7 msec in the OVX group, and 38.8 ± 2.7 msec in the OVX + E group, P = 0.03). The right ventricular effective refractory period was significantly shorter in the OVX mice versus the intact mice, and this also normalized with estrogen replacement. Hormonal status did not significantly affect any other EP variable, including QT interval. Conclusion: In female mice, estrogen prolongs AV nodal conduction and the right ventricular effective refractory period. Taken together, these data suggest that hormonal status affects aspects of cardiac EP function. Future application of this mouse model will be helpful in determining the molecular pathways that mediate hormonal differences in cardiac EP.
Uniqueness for sublinear boundary value problems

This paper presents uniqueness theorems for positive solutions of the semilinear second order elliptic boundary value problem (1) below with a nonnegative nonlinearity F(x, zu) which is monotonic and sublinear (Eq. (2)) in w. The proofs of the theorems use the methods developed by Krasnosel’skii [l, Sections 6.1 and 7.2.61 and Urysohn [2] f or nonlinear operators together with the maximum principle of Hopf [3] f or elliptic difkrential operators, Since use is made of the maximum principle, we consider only classical (positive) solutions of the boundary value probiem, and the only smoothness assumptions necessary for the given functions appearing in the probIem are that the coefhcients of the differential operator be bounded in the domain J2 in which the solution is sought. In order to apply the techniques of Urysohn and Krasnosel’skii, however, it is necessary to make a careful study of the boundary of !ZJ and the behavior of the solutions near the boundary (cf. Theorem 2). The uniqueness theorem states that under certain smoothness conditions (see especially Corollary 2.2), (1) h as either at most 01x positive solution or an infinite number of positive solutions, each of which is a scalar multiple of any other. For domains whose boundaries satisfy the conditions imposed below, our results include the uniqueness results of Keller [4, 5, 61, Kdler and Cohen [7], Cohen [S], and Shampine [9], for self-adjoint elliptic operators. In contmst to the results just cited, our method of proof does not require one to assume the existence of solutions (eigenvalues and eigenfunctions) for associated linear problems or the differentiability of the nonlinearityfi: The technique used here has been applied to a closely related problem in [lo]. For ordinary differential equations, the uniqueness of the positive solutions for sublinear ~nonlinearities is proven by Pimbley [l l] (see also [12] and [l, Section 7.4.41). The existence
Heterogeneous Response to a Quorum-Sensing Signal in the Luminescence of Individual Vibrio fischeri

The marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri regulates its bioluminescence through a quorum sensing mechanism: the bacterium releases diffusible small molecules (autoinducers) that accumulate in the environment as the population density increases. This accumulation of autoinducer (AI) eventually activates transcriptional regulators for bioluminescence as well as host colonization behaviors. Although V.fischeri quorum sensing has been extensively characterized in bulk populations, far less is known about how it performs at the level of the individual cell, where biochemical noise is likely to limit the precision of luminescence regulation. We have measured the time-dependence and AI-dependence of light production by individual V.fischeri cells that are immobilized in a perfusion chamber and supplied with a defined concentration of exogenous AI. We use low-light level microscopy to record and quantify the photon emission from the cells over periods of several hours as they respond to the introduction of AI. We observe an extremely heterogeneous response to the AI signal. Individual cells differ widely in the onset time for their luminescence and in their resulting brightness, even in the presence of high AI concentrations that saturate the light output from a bulk population. The observed heterogeneity shows that although a given concentration of quorum signal may determine the average light output from a population of cells, it provides far weaker control over the luminescence output of each individual cell.
Variable gain amplifier circuit using titanium dioxide memristors

A variable gain amplifier (VGA) topology utilising titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) memristors is presented. The circuit is analysed based on recently published charge-controlled and voltage-controlled memristor models. The analysis includes a theoretical prediction of total harmonic distortion for the amplifier as a figure of merit. The theoretical results are supported with SPICE circuit simulation including a memristor macromodel.
Aerosol emissions near a coal gasification plant in the Kosovo region, Yugoslavia

Abstract Ambient aerosol samples from the region of Kosovo, Yugoslavia, were collected and analyzed for their elemental composition in order to determine the effect on ambient air quality of Lurgi coal gasification carried out there using low BTU lignite. Low-volume aerosol samples were used to collect air particulate matter during May of 1979. These samplers were deployed at five sites near the Kosovo industrial complex which is comprised of coal gasifier, a coal-fired power plant and a fertilizer plant which uses the waste products from the gasifier and power plant. A total of 126 impactor sets and 10 week-long “streaker” filters were analyzed by PIXE at FSU for 16–18 elements providing a data base of approximately 16 000 elemental concentrations. Preliminary results are reported here with emphasis on the following elements: Si, S, Ca, Fe, Zn and Pb.
Plasma aldosterone concentrations in wild and captive western spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa)

Abstract Plasma aldosterone concentration (1.33 ± O.10 ng/ml) was substantially lower in a wild population of Rana pretiosa than in frogs from the same population held in captivity for three weeks (4.48 ± 0.55 ng/ml). The aldosterone value for the wild population was much lower than circulating levels previously reported for laboratory amphibians but higher than those reported for other vertebrates.
Radioprotective effects of amifostine on acute and chronic esophageal injury in rodents.

Purpose This study was performed to evaluate the protective benefit of amifostine against esophageal injury from fractionated radiation in a rodent model. Methods Fractionated or sham esophageal irradiation was administered to Fisher-344 rats for 5 consecutive daily fractions of 9 Gy using 150 kV X-rays. Animals received an intraperitoneal injection of amifostine or placebo 30 min before each fraction. Histopathologic analyses for mucosal thickness, submucosal collagen deposition, activation of macrophages, oxidative stress and expression/activation of integrinαvβ6 and transforming growth factor (TGF)–β were performed 5 days and 10 weeks after irradiation. Results Pre-RT mean mucosal thickness was 35 μm in both the placebo and the amifostine groups. Five days post-RT, mean mucosal thicknesses were 30 μm in the placebo group versus 37 μm in the amifostine group ( p = 0.024). At 10 weeks post-RT, the group receiving amifostine experienced a significant decrease in tunica muscularis damage ( p = 0.002), submucosal collagen deposition ( p = 0.027), and macrophage accumulation ( p = 0.026) when compared with the placebo group. The levels of immunoreactivity for oxidative stress, TGF-β, and integrinαvβ6 were significantly decreased 10 weeks post-RT in the group receiving amifostine treatment compared with placebo group. Conclusions This study demonstrates that amifostine given before each radiation fraction protects against acute and chronic esophageal injury in a rodent model. Protection of the mucosal epithelium integrity by amifostine prevents integrinαvβ6 expression which reduces TGF-β activation and subsequent development of chronic esophageal injury in this model. Further investigation is necessary to determine the clinical relevance of these findings.
A scalable, micropore, platelet rich plasma separation device

We have designed a novel, low energy platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) separator capable of producing 50 mL of PRP in 30 min, intended for military and emergency applications. Blood flows over a 3 mm length of sieve at high rates of shear. A plasma-platelet filtrate passes through the sieve’s pores while erythrocytes remain. The filtrate is flowed over a second 3 mm length of smaller-pored sieve that withdraws plasma. Bulk blood volume is maintained by returning platelet-free plasma to the erythrocyte pool, enabling a nearly complete multi-pass platelet extraction. The total percentage of platelets extracted is: $$ \theta (T) = 1 - exp\left( {\frac{{ - {V_f}(T){\phi_P}}}{V}} \right) $$ where V is the original plasma volume, V f (T) is the total filtered volume, and ϕ P is platelet passage ratio (filtrate concentration/bulk average concentration) taken to be constant. Maximum θ(T) occurs at maximum V f (T) × ϕ P Test microsieves, 3 mm long × 3 mm wide, were used. ϕ P values measured at various filtrate flow rates (20–100uL/min) and utilizing various filter pore sizes (1.2–3.5 μm), was as high as 150 %. Maximum V f (T) × ϕ P was achieved utilizing the 3.5um filters at the highest flow rate, 100 uL/min. Erythrocyte leakages were always below 2,000/uL, far below the allowable limit stipulated by the American Association of Blood Banking. These data imply that a 13.7 cm2 filter area is sufficient to achieve the target separation of 50 mL of platelet concentrate in 30 min. The filtration cartridge would consist of multiple microporous strips of 3 mm width arranged in parallel so that each element would see the conditions used in the prototype experiments presented here. Other microfiltration schemes suggest no method of scaling to practical levels.
Relativistic theory of the Lamb shift in self-field quantum electrodynamics

The self-field QED is based on a nonlinear action in the ψ field alone obtained by eliminating the electromagnetic field A μ . This approach, previously applied to spontaneous emission, vacuum polarization, and g-2 and to the low-energy part of the Lamb shift, is here extended to the fully relativistic calculation of the Lamb shift. It is shown that, to first order of iteration, it gives the same result as the quantized theory of Mohr [Ann. Phys. (N.Y.) 88, 26 (1974); 88, 52 (1974)]. The renormalization procedure is different and simpler
CALCIFICATION AND CATION SORPTION OF CLADOPHOHA GLOMERATA (CHLOROPHYTA)1, 2

Clacium sorption by Cladophora glomerata (L.) Kutz grown in continuous-flow culture increased substantially as the alga aged (12.3–160 mg Calg dry wt). This reflected increased pectin layered in thickening cell walls followed by deposition of CaCO3 around cells. The high levels of pectin (up to 23% of dry wt) may account for the plant's reported high affinity for cations. The onset of carbonate deposition coincided with the appearance of carbonabic anhydrase activity in cells. This suggests that carbonate deposition mey be a funtion of bicarbonate use as a source of CO2 for photosynthesis. Calcium uptake appears to occur by active transport in that it exhibited saturation kinetics, occurred against a concentration gradient, depended on light, and was nearly abolished by treatments that allow diffusion. Although strontium competed for Ca for binding sites of pectin, it did not inhibit intermal transport of Ca. Consequently, the proposed carrier may be specific for Ca.
Criteria for using the Superpave gyratory compactor to design airport HMA mixtures

Asphalt concrete pavements for commercial airport applications in the USA are constructed according to guidelines in Item P-401, ‘Plant Mix Bituminous Pavements’, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular 150/5370-10E. Item P-401 specifies the material characteristics and construction requirements for airport asphalt pavements, but does not currently provide guidance for using the Superpave gyratory compactor (SGC) in the preparation of specimens used in the design of hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures. Nearly all state departments of transportation in the USA use the SGC along with the Superpave mix design procedure. Since most HMA mixes are used in roadways, many asphalt contractors no longer maintain expertise and equipment for conducting the Marshall mix design procedure currently used by the FAA. The lack of contractors familiar with the Marshall method may become a significant problem for the FAA in the future. This paper describes a laboratory study of the HMA mix design for airport pavem...
Kinetics of thiophene hydrogenolysis on a cobalt molybdate catalyst

The intrinsic kinetics of the hydrogenolysis of thiophene on a cobalt molybdate catalyst were studied in a differential reactor with recirculation, at a total pressure of about 1 atm. and temperatures of 235° to 265°C. Retardation of the reaction by both thiophene and hydrogen sulfide was significant and the rate of thiophene disappearance was correlated by a Langmuir-Hinshelwood type of kinetic equation. Hydrogenation of the butene intermediate was inhibited by both butene and hydrogen sulfide and the rate of this reaction was also described with a Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate equation. The forms of the kinetic expressions obtained imply that the butene is not hydrogenated at the original desulfurization site.
Comparison of free and immobilized Cephalosporium acremonium for β-lactam antibiotic production

Cephalosporium acremonium cells were immobilized in calcium alginate beads. Immobilized cells were used to produce β-lactam antibiotics in rest medium under various oxygen concentrations, and the results were compared with free cell performance. Cell growth rate of immobilized cells was 35% of the growth rate of free cells. β-Lactam antibiotic production rate of immobilized cells was also limited by mass transfer of oxygen. β-Lactam antibiotic production rate of immobilized cells was 70% of that of free cells at oxygen saturation condition (i.e., 0.27 mM O2). Specific antibiotic production of immobilized cells was about 200% of that of free cells at 0.27 mM O2.
Emergency temporary obturators

Abstract A technique for making an emergency type of obturator for patients with acquired palatal defects has been described. This appliance will meet emergency situations as quickly as possible.
Extensibility and scanning electron microscopy evaluation of 5 pediatric anterior capsulotomy techniques in a porcine model.

Purpose To compare the extensibility and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of 5 currently used pediatric anterior capsulotomy techniques: vitrectorhexis, manual continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC), can-opener, radio frequency diathermy, and plasma blade in a porcine model. Setting Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Methods Extensibility was determined by stretching each capsulotomy until it ruptured and measuring it by calculating the mean stretch-to-rupture circumference of each capsulotomy (20 eyes per technique) as a percentage of its baseline circumference. Edge characteristics were evaluated using SEM. Results The mean extensibility of each technique tested (vitrectorhexis 161%, CCC 185%, can opener 149%, radio frequency 145%, plasma blade 170%) was significantly different (P Conclusions The manual CCC technique produced the most extensible porcine capsulotomy, followed by the plasma blade, vitrectorhexis, can-opener, and radio-frequency techniques, in a porcine model. The manual CCC technique also produced the smoothest anterior capsulotomy edge according SEM evaluation.
Pathological Outcomes in Men with Low Risk and Very Low Risk Prostate Cancer: Implications on the Practice of Active Surveillance

Purpose: We assessed oncologic outcomes at surgery in men with low risk and very low risk prostate cancer who were candidates for active surveillance.Materials and Methods: In a prospectively collected institutional database, we identified 7,486 subjects eligible for active surveillance who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy. Candidates were designated as being at low risk (stage T1c/T2a, prostate specific antigen 10 ng/ml or less, and Gleason score 6 or less) or very low risk (stage T1c, prostate specific antigen density 0.15 or less, Gleason score 6 or less, 2 or fewer positive biopsy cores, 50% or less cancer involvement per core) based on preoperative data. Adverse findings were Gleason score upgrade (score 7 or greater) and nonorgan confined cancer on surgical pathology. The relative risk of adverse findings in men at low risk with very low risk disease was evaluated in a multivariate model using Poisson regression.Results: A total of 7,333 subjects met the criteria for low risk disease and 1...
Novel high-frequency electroabsorption multiple-quantum-well waveguide modulator operating at 1.3 μm on GaAs substrates

A novel InGaAs/InAlAs multiple-quantum-well electroabsorption waveguide modulator operating at 1.3 micrometer wavelength has been designed and fabricated for the first time on a GaAs substrate The high-frequency performance of the modulator in an amplifierless rf fiber- optic link is described.
Recent advances and developments in refractory alloys

Refractory metal alloys based on Mo, W, Re, Ta, and Nb (Cb) find applications in a wide range of aerospace applications because of their high melting points and high-temperature strength. This paper, presents recent progress in understanding and applications of these alloys. Recent studies to improve the oxidation and mechanical behavior of refractory metal alloys, and particularly Nb alloys, are also discussed. Some Re structures, for extremely high temperature applications (> 2000C), made by CVD and P/M processes, are also illustrated. Interesting work on the development of new W alloys (W-HfC-X) and the characterization of some commercial refractory metals, e.g., K-doped W, TZM, and Nb-1%Zr, continues. Finally, recent developments in high temperature composites reinforced with refractory metal filaments, and refractory metal-based intermetallics, e.g., Nb{sub 3}Al, Nb{sub 2}Be{sub 17}, and MoSi{sub 2}, are briefly described.
My revolving closet door.

Abstract The author reflects upon her experience as a college professor, particularly on the question of whether and how to come out to her students as a lesbian. She contrasts her own experiences as a college student on a progressive, gay-friendly campus with her experience teaching at a more conservative institution. The author concludes that she has established a “revolving closet door,’ one that is never closed and is constantly opening for whoever wishes to enter. doi:10.1080/10894160802174326
Reduction by phentolamine of the hypotensive effect of methionine enkephalin in anaesthetized rabbits

Abstract In intact rabbits anaesthetized with pentobarbitone, methionine enkephalin (Met enkephalin, 1-1,000 micrograms kg-1 i.v.) produced a dose-dependent bradycardia and hypotension. The bradycardia and hypotension were antagonized by naloxone hydrochloride (1 mg kg-1), but not by naloxone methobromide (1.3 mg kg-1). Phentolamine (1 and 4 mg kg-1 i.v.) blocked both the hypotension and bradycardia produced by Met enkephalin. The inhibitory effect of phentolamine was not due to a simple hypotensive action of this drug per se because a similar degree of hypotension induced by nitroprusside (15 micrograms kg-1, i.v.) caused a further reduction of pressure when Met enkephalin was added. Atropine (2 mg kg-1) reduced the bradycardia but not the hypotensive response to Met enkephalin. Met enkephalin did not antagonize the vasopressor effect of exogenous noradrenaline (2-8 micrograms kg-1, i.v.). Met enkephalin had no significant effects in superfused thoracic aortic strips and in isolated perfused hearts of rabbits. It is concluded that the cardiovascular effects of Met enkephalin are more probably due to an action on the central nervous system, although a peripheral site of action cannot be completely excluded.
Negative regulators of cell growth

Abstract Endogenous inhibitors of cell proliferation have been purified from several sources, including normal tissues and conditioned medium from epithelial and fibroblast cell lines. Structural and functional studies on these molecules and their receptors will provide new insights into the significance of growth inhibitors in cellular homeostasis.
Antiangiogenic therapy for the treatment of pediatric solid malignancies

Although the past 30 years have seen remarkable progress in the treatment of childhood malignancies, not all types of cancer have enjoyed this improvement in prognosis. Because of this, clinical trials are ongoing in which novel treatment approaches are being evaluated, including immunotherapy, radionuclide therapy, and the use of agents that induce tumor apoptosis or differentiation. Additional treatment strategies are needed, however. One such strategy involves the use of angiogenesis inhibitors. Angiogenesis is the biologic process of new blood vessel formation. In addition to occurring as part of several normal, physiologic processes, angiogenesis is an essential component of a number of pathologic conditions, including cancer. Compelling data suggest that inhibition of angiogenesis can not only prevent tumor-associated neovascularization but also affect tumor growth and spread. An anticancer approach in which the tumor-induced new blood vessels are targeted is particularly appealing for several reasons. First, despite the extreme molecular and phenotypic heterogeneity of human cancer, it is likely that most, if not all, tumor types require neovascularization to achieve their full malignant phenotype. Therefore, antiangiogenic therapy may have broad applicability for the treatment of human cancer, as well as the many other pathologic processes that depend on angiogenesis. Second, the endothelial cells, although rapidly proliferating, are inherently normal with a very low rate of mutation. They are, therefore, unlikely to evolve an angiogenesis inhibitor-insensitive phenotype. This is in distinction to the rapidly proliferating tumor cells that do undergo a high rate of spontaneous mutation and therefore can readily generate drug-resistant clones. This review discusses progress in the development of antiangiogenic therapy for the treatment of pediatric solid tumors.
“performance index” of growing chickens

Abstract In commercial broiler production and in research on growth of chickens, it is common practice to compare groups with respect to weight and with respect to feed efficiency which is defined as the gain per unit of feed consumed. It often happens that groups are arranged in one sequence when compared on the basis of mean live weight and in an entirely different sequence when compared on the basis of efficiency. It then becomes desirable to make an over-all comparison that takes account of both weight and efficiency. Very frequently this is accomplished by multiplying mean live weight by efficiency or dividing mean live weight by feed conversion which is the reciprocal of efficiency. The resulting figure, designated the “performance index,” “efficiency index,” or “performance efficiency” has been used both by commercial broiler producers and by research workers (Lanson and Smyth, 1955; Wilder et al., 1955). Wilder et al., after …
Using Task Clarification, Goal Setting, and Feedback to Decrease Table Busing Times in a Franchise Pizza Restaurant

ABSTRACT The current study investigated the effects of task-clarification, and manager verbal and graphic feedback on employee busing times at a pizza restaurant. Using an ABC design, task-clarification was provided in a memo, which described the process, priority, and goal time of busing. The busing time decreased slightly, from an average of 315 seconds during baseline to an average of 284 seconds after the task clarification memo. The majority of this change was accounted for by servers decreasing the time it took them to arrive at the table to begin busing. Subsequent to the employee memo, group feedback was administered in the form of verbal feedback and a weekly graph of average server busing times. This feedback was associated with reductions in busing time to an average 152 seconds. Changes in the feedback phase were caused almost exclusively by reductions in the time it took to clean the table once the server was there. A reversal to near-baseline busing times was observed in a follow-up phase. P...
Dress and Appearance Responses to Perceptions of Aging

This study examined the relationship between elderly females' (55 years of age and older) perceptions of aging and their dress/ adornmentlappearance responses. The meta-analysis procedure was used ...
Prediction of Flow and Heat Transfer in Rotating Two-Pass Rectangular Channels With 45-deg Rib Turbulators

Numerical predictions of three-dimensional flow and heat transfer are presented for a rotating two-pass rectangular channel with 45° rib turbulators and channel aspect ratio of 2:1. The rib height-to-hydraulic diameter ratio (e/Dh) is 0.094 and the rib-pitch-to-height ratio (P/e) is 10. Two channel orientations are studied: β = 90° and β = 135° corresponding to the mid-portion and the trailing edge regions of a turbine blade, respectively. The focus of this study is twofold; namely, to investigate the effect of the channel aspect ratio and the channel orientation on the nature of the flow and heat transfer enhancement. A multi-block Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method was employed in conjunction with a near-wall second-moment turbulence closure. In the present method, the convective transport equations for momentum, energy, and turbulence quantities are solved in curvilinear, body-fitted coordinates using the finite-analytic method. The numerical results compare reasonably well with experimental data for both stationary and rotating rectangular channels with rib turbulators at Reynolds number (Re) of 10,000, rotation number (Ro) of 0.11 and inlet coolant-to-wall density ratio (Δρ/ρ) of 0.115.Copyright © 2001 by ASME
A design methodology for domain-optimized power-efficient supercomputing

As power has become the pre-eminent design constraint for future HPC systems, computational efficiency is being emphasized over simply peak performance. Recently, static benchmark codes have been used to find a power efficient architecture. Unfortunately, because compilers generate sub-optimal code, benchmark performance can be a poor indicator of the performance potential of architecture design points. Therefore, we present hardware/software cotuning as a novel approach for system design, in which traditional architecture space exploration is tightly coupled with software auto-tuning for delivering substantial improvements in area and power efficiency. We demonstrate the proposed methodology by exploring the parameter space of a Tensilica-based multi-processor running three of the most heavily used kernels in scientific computing, each with widely varying micro-architectural requirements: sparse matrix vector multiplication, stencil-based computations, and general matrix-matrix multiplication. Results demonstrate that co-tuning significantly improves hardware area and energy efficiency -- a key driver for next generation of HPC system design.
14N, 1H, and metal ENDOR of single crystal Ag(II)(TPP) and Cu(II)(TPP)

The results of ENDOR investigations of magnetically dilute single crystals of Ag(II) and Cu(II) tetraphenylporphyrins (TPP) are presented and discussed. The complete hyperfine tensors, and quadrupole tensor for nitrogen, have been determined for the metal ions, nitrogens and pyrrole protons. The non-first order 14N ENDOR spectra resulting from multiple equivalences among the nitrogen nuclei have been completely analysed by exact diagonalization. The standard ligand-field treatment of electron-nuclear coupling parameters can largely accommodate the 14N results; among other conclusions, it is shown that the nominally d-like odd-electron is only ⩽ 62 per cent 3d in Cu(TPP) and in fact is only ⩽ 38 per cent 4d in Ag(TPP). This treatment cannot describe the observed degree of σ-π mixing manifested in the significantly non-axial 14N hyperfine tensors observed. The 14N nuclear quadrupole couplings are analysed to obtain the total electronic distribution at nitrogen; in addition, the assignment of quadrupole tens...
Transmission amplitude and phase measurements of microring Coupled-Resonator Optical Waveguides

We present measurements of the transmission amplitude and phase properties of Coupled-Resonator Optical Waveguides in the form of a large number ( >10) of weakly coupled microring resonators fabricated in optical polymers.