cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting recognition during storage: The capacity of the memory system to evaluate itself

The major goal of this experiment was to determine the accuracy with which subjects could predict at input their later recognition performance. Predictions were based on words varying on a number of attributes. Four categories of words were used: nonsense, abstract, concrete, and emotional. The number of words correctly recognized increased in the foregoing order although the difference between the concrete and emotional words was marginal. When all words were combined, there was a strong relationship between predicted recognition and actual recognition for words that were hits with a "very sure" confidence rating. Additionally, subjects considerably underestimated their later recognition performance. The results indicated that a new interpretation of the mechanism underlying "correct rejects" is feasible. The relevance of the results to other memory issues was also discussed. Despite the voluminous literature on verbal learning and memory, much remains to be learned about what would seem to be a core issue: What happens in terms of cognitive variables when a person sees or hears a word? A greater appreciation of this deceptively simple state­ ment is obtained if a few possibilities are outlined. Words are not stored solely on the basis of their phono­ logical characteristics, rather a storage complex in the sense of several attributes (Bower, 1967 ; Morton, 1970 ; Norman & Rumelhart, 1970 ; Underwood, 1969 , 1972; Wickens, 1970 , 1972) or propositions (Anderson & Bower, 1973) seems to be a more appropriate descrip­ tion . But is this complex automatically activated given a specific context or does conscious control playa role (Posner & Warren, 1974)? Consider another problem. How can a person accurately predict that he knows a word, in the absence of recall of that word-the "tip of the tongue" phenomena (Brown & McNeill, 1966)? The ramification of these questions about memory structure in relation to recognition memory was the focus of the present investigation. More specifically , consider the remarkable ability of subjects to correct­ ly reject words not previously presented. When subjects place a high degree of confidence in their decisions, they are correct about 800/0-90% of the time, the exact per­ centage depending on the usual variables affecting recog­ nition memory. The traditional method of accounting for correct rejects as well as hits is to use a familiarity dimension , the subject reporting that he is sure that a word is " old" if it is very familiar (within the context
IR optical fiber-based noncontact pyrometer for drop tube instrumentation

The design of a two color pyrometer with infrared optical fiber bundles for collection of the infrared radiation is described. The pyrometer design is engineered to facilitate its use for measurement of the temperature of small, falling samples in a microgravity materials processing experiment using a 100 meter long drop tube. Because the samples are small and move rapidly through the field of view of the pyrometer, the optical power budget of the detection system is severly limited. Strategies for overcoming this limitation are discussed.
Solar array technology for solar electric propulsion missions

Development of 66 W/kg and 200 W/kg solar arrays for solar electric propulsion is discussed along with two basic concentrator solar array design concepts. Considerable testing was performed to demonstrate the availability and capability of the technology used for these arrays. To provide complete demonstration of 66 W/kg technology, a full-scale wing was built and tested and NASA decided to fly it as an experiment on one of the early Shuttle flights. Performance of the concentrator array system was demonstrated by model testing in a thermal-vacuum chamber.
Drug-eluting stents: issues of late stent thrombosis.

In in-stent restenosis, drug-eluting stents are superior compared with bare metal stents. However, there are concerns about safety because of the reports of increased risk of late and very late stent thrombosis. Stent thrombosis remains a major pitfall in contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention, leading to high rates of death and nonfatal myocardial infarction. A new standardized definition of stent thrombosis was established to provide consistency in the reporting of this complica- tion and to enable accurate and reliable data to be described for both types of stents, bare metal and drug-eluting. This new consensual definition reflects a large amount of new data reported in the literature. New generations of drug-eluting stents with novel polymers, antiproliferative drugs, and improved platforms are now approved and available for use. In this article, the authors provide a critical appraisal of the safety of different drug-eluting stents based on the published clinical data focusing on late and very late stent thrombosis.
Evaluating radiometric sensitivity of Landsat 8 over coastal/inland waters

The operational Land Imager (OLI) aboard Landsat 8 was launched in February 2013 to continue the Landsat's mission of monitoring earth resources at relatively high spatial resolution. Compared to Landsat heritage sensors, OLI has an additional 443-nm band (termed coastal/aerosol (CA) band), which extends Landsat's potential for mapping/monitoring water quality in coastal/inland waters. In addition, OLI's pushbroom design allows for longer integration time and, as a result, higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Using a series of radiative transfer simulations, we provide insights into the radiometric sensitivity of OLI when studying coastal/inland waters. This will address how the changes in water constituents manifest at the sensor level and whether the changes are resolvable (focal plane) relative to OLI's overall noise1.
A Distinct Minority: LULAC, Mexican American Identity, and Presidential Policymaking, 1965-1972

During the presidencies of Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, Mexican American civil rights went from being an addendum to civil rights for African Americans to a stand-alone policy with a bureaucracy, federal programs, and an independent rationale. Ever since President Harry Truman accepted civil rights in the Democratic platform in 1948, federal policymakers and politicians tried to fit Mexican Americans, and other minority groups, into the civil rights mold they had carved out for blacks in the South. While subject to severe discrimination and disadvantage, Mexican Americans did not face the consistent statutory segregation and discrimination faced by blacks. Federal civil rights policy for Mexican Americans through the mid-1960s consisted of New Frontier and Great Society funding programs to which Mexican American organizations could apply for money to develop and carry out projects in their communities. By the end of Richard Nixon's first term, a federal bilingual education program was established, agencies and committees existed whose sole function was to coordinate Mexican American programs, and Mexican Americans were recognized by policymakers as a distinct minority group with unique needs that required particular federal remedies.
The interaction of size and density with graph-level indices

Abstract The size and density of graphs interact powerfully and subtly with other graph-level indices (GLIs), thereby complicating their interpretation. Here we examine these interactions by plotting changes in the distributions of several popular graph measures across graphs of varying sizes and densities. We provide a generalized framework for hypothesis testing as a means of controlling for size and density effects, and apply this method to several well-known sets of social network data; implications of our findings for methodology and substantive theory are discussed.
A Partial Answer to Accounting Information Overload

Abstract T his article does not deal directly with auditing;it deals with things that are primarily a chief financial officer's responsibility. But this article should be studied with care by every IS auditor because it considers a process that every audit evaluates and contributes to. Accounting information disclosure is a process that defines a key element in the work of the IS auditor. The ultimate goal of every audit review is an appraisal of the reliability of the financial information that is being disclosed by an organization to its various stakeholders and the effectiveness of that disclosure process.
Research of Secondary Gel Technic to Synthesize Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy Superconductor

A new method named secondary gel technic has been devised and applied to synthesize Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O y (Bi-2212) superconductor. XRD and FTIR analysis were used to characterize the influence of different gel process on Bi-2212 phase purity. Results revealed that the technic of secondary gel was preferable to intensify the three-dimensional net structure of gel and consequently improved the superconducting phase purity of Bi-2212.
226 - Effect of lewis acids on the electrochemical reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

Abstract Electrochemically, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+; DPN+; coenzyme I) is reduced in two steps, i.e., a pH-independent one-electron reduction to the free radical, which, at more negative potential, is reduced in a one-electron, one-proton process to NADH. The variation in the electrochemical pattern resulting from interaction with two Lewis acids known to be involved biologically with NAD+ i.e., Ca(II) and Zn(II), has been examined. Potentiometric titration indicates that Ca(II) forms a weak 1:1 complex with NAD+ at pH 7.2 (formation constant equals 38); d.c. polarography supports such complexation. The nature and effects of these complexes have been explored, e.g., Ca(II) increases the rate of charge transfer to that expected for a reversible reaction for the first reduction step only at relatively high concentration but has a marked effect on the second step even at low concentration. Zn(II) apparently forms a complex with a decomposition product of NAD+, which catalyzes the Zn(II) reduction.
Physiological evidence for two sturgeon gonadotrophins in Acipenser transmontanus

Abstract Physiological evidence in white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus suggests that two gonadotrophins, termed sturgeon gonadotropin I (stGTH I) and sturgeon gonadotropin II (stGTH II), are involved in regulating reproduction. Pituitary and plasma concentrations of stGTH I were found to be higher than concentrations of stGTH II during vitellogenesis and the early stages of spermatogenesis. Conversely, pituitary and plasma concentrations of stGTH II were greater compared with stGTH I during ovulation and spermiation. The gonadotropin releasing hormone analog D-Ala 6 -des-Gly 10 -GnRH ethylamide (GnRHa) was effective in stimulating the release of both gonadotrophins in mature males and preovulatory females, with a maximal response occurring in the spring. Collectively, the data supports our view that sturgeon possess a dual gonadotropin system controlling reproduction.
Consumer Health Search Engines Comparison

ABSTRACT This article is a comparison of six health search engines based on the following criteria to determine which ones yield the best results for consumers: ease of navigation, appropriate type of health information for consumers, and search results derived from authoritative sources. Based on an analysis of the data, there are two consumer health search engines that are excellent in terms of meeting the above-stated criteria.
Variation with temperature of the distribution coefficient of indium in germanium

Abstract A relationship is derived for an alloyed-junction transistor giving the solid solubility of the emitter material (indium) in the base crystal (germanium) in terms of the slope of a plot of reciprocal current gain vs. emitter current. Measurements were carried out on batches of transistors alloyed at temperatures in the range 350–805°C. The form of the temperature variation of the distribution coefficient deduced from these measurements is in good agreement with that predicted by H all down to about 550°C. Below this temperature the observed values of the distribution coefficient are higher than would be expected from H all 's relationship. A discussion of the possible causes of this divergence is presented.
Can control and creativity coexist

By necessity, corporate computing environments heavily restrict users in an attempt to limit corporate legal liability and to control cost and maintenance efforts. Academia, on the other hand, has long tolerated wide-ranging capabilities for users, all in the name of academic freedom. If corporations want employees to use technology creatively, it seems as if they should take a lesson or two from academia.
Next-Generation Models for Evaluation of the Flow Number of Asphalt Mixtures

AbstractThis paper presents the development of next-generation prediction models for the flow number of dense asphalt–aggregate mixtures via an innovative machine learning approach. New nonlinear models were developed to predict the flow number using two robust machine learning techniques, called linear genetic programming (LGP) and artificial neural network (ANN). The flow number of Marshall specimens was formulated in terms of percentages of coarse aggregate, filler, bitumen, air voids, voids in mineral aggregate, and Marshall quotient. An experimental database containing 118 test results for Marshall specimens was used for the development of the models. Validity of the models was verified using parts of laboratory data that were not involved in the calibration process. The statistical measures of coefficient of determination, coefficient of efficiency, root-mean squared error, and mean absolute error were used to evaluate the performance of the models. Further, a multivariable least-squares regression ...
Transverse acoustoelectric effect in ferromagnetic superconductors

A longitudinal ultrasonic wave in a type-II superconductor with a ferromagnetic subsystem and negligible Hall effect carries the vortex structure in its propagation direction and generates a constant transverse electric (acoustoelectric) field. This field has a maximum in temperature and external magnetic field. The magnitudes and positions of these maxima depend on the magnitude and direction of the internal ferromagnetic moment of the superconductor. It is shown that experimental investigation of the temperature dependence of the acoustoelectric field in a fixed external magnetic field or at a fixed temperature on the external magnetic field strength makes it possible to measure the magnetic moment and magnetic susceptibility of the superconductor ferromagnetic subsystem and the viscosity coefficient of the vortex structure.
Journal of Composites for Construction Best Paper Awards

We are pleased to announce the Best Paper Awards for the Journal of Composites for Construction for papers published in 2006 Volume 10 . Awards are given for papers in the basic research category and the applied research category. In each category, up to two awards are given—one Best Paper and one Honorable Mention paper. Not all awards are given out every year. The committee for the 2005 awards consisted of Prof. Amnon Katz of Technion–Israel Institute of Technology Chair , Prof. Vicki Brown of Widener University, and Prof. Charles Dolan of the University of Wyoming. I express my sincere thanks to the committee members for their dedicated service to the Journal. I also congratulate the
C-reactive protein (CRP) gene polymorphisms, CRP levels, and risk of incident coronary heart disease in two nested case-control studies.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute phase reactant and marker of inflammation, has been shown to predict risk of incident cardiovascular events. However, few studies have comprehensively examined six common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CRP gene, haplotypes, and plasma CRP levels with risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods and Findings: We conducted parallel nested case-control studies within two ongoing, prospective cohort studies of U.S. women (Nurses' Health Study) and men (Health Professionals Follow-up Study). Blood samples were available in a subset of 32,826 women and 18,225 men for biomarker and DNA analyses. During 8 and 6 years of follow-up, 249 women and 266 men developed incident nonfatal myocardial infarction or fatal CHD, and controls (498 women, 531 men) were matched 2:1 on age, smoking, and date of blood draw from participants free of cardiovascular disease at the time the case was diagnosed. Among both women and men, minor alleles were significantly associated with higher CRP levels for SNPs 1919A greater than T and 4741G greater than C, but associated with lower CRP levels for SNPs 2667G greater than C and 3872C greater than T. SNP 2667G greater than C was individually associated with increased risk of CHD in both women [OR 1.57 (95% CI 1.01–2.44); p = 0.047] and men [1.93 (95% CI 1.30–2.88); p = 0.001]. Two of the five common haplotypes were associated with lower CRP levels, and Haplotype 4 which included minor alleles for 2667 and 3872 was associated with significantly lower CRP levels and an elevated risk of CHD. The remaining SNPs or haplotypes were not associated with CHD in both populations. Conclusions: Common variation in the CRP gene was significantly associated with plasma CRP levels; however, the association between common SNPs and CRP levels did not correspond to a predicted change in CHD risk. The underlying inflammatory processes which predict coronary events cannot be captured solely by variation in the CRP gene.
Galactooligosaccharide supplementation reduces stress-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction and days of cold or flu: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial in healthy university students

Background: Acute psychological stress induced by academic exams is associated with dysregulated gastrointestinal and immune function. Objective: We examined whether supplementation with galactooligosaccharides reduced gastrointestinal dysfunction and the percentage of days with cold or flu in academically stressed undergraduate students. Design: In a randomized, double-blind study, subjects (n = 427) received 0, 2.5, or 5.0 g galactooligosaccharides for 8 wk around the time of fall final exams. Levels of stress and cold or flu symptom intensity (SI; 0 = not experiencing to 3 = severe) were recorded daily. The SI from 9 cold or flu symptoms was summed with 1 d of cold or flu defined as a sum .6. The Gastrointestinal Symptom Response Scale was completed weekly. Results: Stress was positively related to diarrhea, indigestion, and reflux syndromes and with abdominal pain, average daily cold or flu SI score, and the percentage of days with cold or flu. Gastrointestinal symptom scores for diarrhea (P = 0.0298), constipation (P = 0.0342), abdominal pain (P = 0.0058), and indigestion (P = 0.0003) syndromes were lower after galactooligosaccharide supplementation. The cold or flu SI score was affected by galactooligosaccharides and stress (P , 0.0001); 2.5 g was associated with a lower SI score across all levels of stress, but 5.0 g was protective only at lower levels of stress. The percentage of days with cold or flu was associated with galactooligosaccharides within different body mass index categories ( P= 0.0002), wherein a 40% reduction in the percentage of days with cold or flu was observed in normal-weight individuals with 5.0 g galactooligosaccharides. This effect was not observed in overweight or obese individuals. Conclusions: Acute psychological stress was directly related to symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction and cold or flu. Galactooligosaccharide supplementation reduced these symptoms and the number of days with cold or flu. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01137760. Am J Clin Nutr doi: 10. 3945/ajcn.111.014126.
Efficient distributed consensus with n=(3 + ɛ)t processors

In a Distributed Consensus protocol n processors, of which at most t may be faulty, are given initial binary values; after exchanging messages all the processors that are correct must agree on one of the initial values. We measure the quality of a consensus protocol by the following parameters: the total number of processors n, the number of rounds of message exchange r, and the communication complexity, given by the maximal message size.
Functional cDNA Clones of the Human Respiratory Syncytial (RS) Virus N, P, and L Proteins Support Replication of RS Virus Genomic RNA Analogs and Define Minimal trans-Acting Requirements for RNA Replication

The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of human respiratory syncytial (RS) virus was expressed in a functional form from a cDNA clone. Coexpression of the viral polymerase (L) protein, phosphoprotein (P), and nucleocapsid (N) protein allowed us to develop a system for expression and recovery of replicable RS virus RNA entirely from cDNA clones. cDNA clones of the N, P, and L genes were constructed in pGEM-based expression plasmids and shown to direct expression of the appropriate polypeptides. Two types of RS virus genomic RNA analogs were expressed from an intracellular transcription plasmid that directed the synthesis of RNAs with defined 5' and 3' ends. One analog included the authentic 5' and 3' termini of the genome, and the second contained the authentic 5' terminus and its complement at the 3' terminus as found in copyback defective interfering RNAs of other negative-strand RNA viruses. Both types of genomic analogs were encapsidated and replicated in cells expressing the RS virus N, P, and L proteins. Omission of any of the three viral proteins abrogated replication, thereby defining the N, P, and L proteins as the minimal trans-acting proteins required for RNA replication. This system has the advantages that expression occurs at a level sufficient to allow direct biochemical analysis of the products of RNA replication and that neither the use of reporter genes nor wild-type RS helper virus is required. These features allow analysis of both cis- and trans-acting factors involved in the control of replication of RS virus RNA.
Simulated value-based insurance design applied to statin use by Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.

Abstract Objective To examine cost responsiveness and total costs associated with a simulated "value-based" insurance design for statin therapy in a Medicare population with diabetes. Methods Four-year panels were constructed from the 1997-2005 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey selected by self-report or claims-based diagnoses of diabetes in year 1 and use of statins in year 2 (N = 899). We computed the number of 30-day statin prescription fills, out-of-pocket and third-party drug costs, and Medicare Part A and Part B spending. Multivariate ordinary least squares regression models predicted statin fills as a function of out-of-pocket costs, and a generalized linear model with log link predicted Medicare spending as a function of number of fills, controlling for baseline characteristics. Estimated coefficients were used to simulate changes in fills associated with co-payment caps from $25 to $1 and to compute changes in third-party payments and Medicare cost offsets associated with incremental fills. Analyses were stratified by patient cardiovascular event risk. Results A simulated out-of-pocket price of $25 [$1] increased plan drug spending by $340 [$794] and generated Medicare Part A/B savings of $262 [$531]; savings for high-risk patients were $558 [$1193], generating a net saving of $249 [$415]. Conclusions Reducing statin co-payments for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes resulted in modestly increased use and reduced medical spending. The value-based insurance design simulation strategy met financial feasibility criteria but only for higher-risk patients.
A microcomputer-based vision system to recognize and locate partially occluded parts in binary and gray level images

This paper presents a microcomputer-based machine vision system to recognize and locate partially occluded parts in binary or gray level images. The recognition process is restricted to untilted, two-dimensional objects. A new edge-tracking technique in conjunction with a straight-line approximation algorithm is used to identify the local features in an image. Corners and holes serve as local features. The local features identified in an image are matched against all the compatible features stored for the model parts. The algorithm computes, for all image and model features matches, a coordinate transformation that maps a model feature onto an image feature. A new clustering algorithm has been developed to identify consistent coordinate transformation clusters that serve as initial match hypotheses. A hypothesis verification process eliminates the match hypotheses that are not compatible with the image information. The system performance was compared to a vision system restricted to recognize nonoverlapping parts. Both systems require the same hardware configuration and share the basic image processing routines.
Transmission of lupus anticoagulant by allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Passive transmission of autoimmune diseases by allogeneic stem cell transplantation is rare and is ascribed to passive transfer of memory B-cells from donor to recipient. We hereby report a case of transmission of an asymptomatic lupus anticoagulant from a sibling donor to a recipient of transplantation for secondary acute myeloid leukemia. On pre-harvest evaluation, the sibling donor with no history of bleeding or thrombosis was found to have a lupus anticoagulant. After engraftment, the recipient was found to have a new prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and was subsequently shown to have a lupus anticoagulant on Day +73 after stem cell transplantation. The recipient remained well with no evidence of bleeding, thrombosis, or graft-versus-host disease and was on a stable dose of tacrolimus at the time the lupus anticoagulant was detected. There was no other identifiable trigger for the appearance of a lupus anticoagulant.
Robot-assisted oesophageal and gastric surgery for benign disease: antireflux operations and Heller's myotomy.

Robot-assisted general surgery operations are being performed more frequently. This review investigates whether robotic assistance results in significant advantages or disadvantages for the operative treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and achalasia.
Performance monitoring of diabetic patient systems

The minimum variance performance measure is applied to two diabetic patient models under simulated fault scenarios. The Bergman model and the automated insulin dosage advisor, are controlled in the internal model control framework to achieve adequate blood glucose levels. The focus of the paper is to reflect the importance and feasibility of implementing a detection and diagnosis tool such as the minimum variance performance benchmark to an implantable device for diabetics to guarantee adequate control of blood glucose levels.
Effects of Communication Impairments on Quorum Sensing

Motivations. Observations of behaviors in natural organisms provide useful insight into the complexity of self-organizing systems and the building blocks that under pin them. A behavior that is important to both biological and computational systems is quorum sensing(QS), where sufficient group density triggers a collective group action. Quorum sensing bacteria, for example, continually secrete and detect molecules called autoinducers (AIs). Under low-density conditions, AI molecules diffuse through the environment and go undetected. As the number of bacterial cells increases, so does the level of AI, eventually reaching a threshold that triggers a change in gene expression. Studies have shown that bacteria use quorum sensing in a wide variety of functions. In pathogenic bacteria, for instance, quorum sensing enables organisms to coordinate attacks and express virulence factors in sufficient quantities to overwhelm the host’s immune response.
Yeast replicative life span--the mitochondrial connection.

Mitochondria have been associated with aging in many experimental systems through the damaging action of reactive oxygen species. There is more, however, to the connection between mitochondria and Saccharomyces cerevisiae longevity and aging. Induction of the retrograde response, a pathway signaling mitochondrial dysfunction, results in the extension of life span and postponement of the manifestations of aging, changing the metabolic and stress resistance status of the cell. A paradox associated with the retrograde response is the simultaneous triggering of extrachromosomal ribosomal DNA circle (ERC) production, because of the deleterious effect these circles have on yeast longevity. The retrograde response gene RTG2 appears to play a pivotal role in ERC production, linking metabolism and genome stability. In addition to mother cell aging, mitochondria are important in establishment of age asymmetry between mother and daughter cells. The results more generally point to the existence of a mechanism to ‘‘filter’’ damaged components from daughter cells, a form of checkpoint control. Mitochondrial integrity is affected by the PHB1 and PHB2 genes, which encode inner mitochondrial membrane chaperones called prohibitins. The Phb1/2 proteins protect the cell from imbalances in the production of mitochondrial proteins. Such imbalances appear to cause a stochastic stratification of the yeast population with the appearance of short-lived cells. Ras2p impacts this process. Maintenance of mitochondrial membrane potential and the provision of Krebs cycle intermediates for biosyntheses appear to be crucial elements in yeast longevity. In sum, it is clear that mitochondria lie at the nexus of yeast longevity and aging. 2004 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The effect of saturable binding to plasma proteins on the pharmacokinetic properties of disopyramide

Disopyramide exhibits saturable binding to plasma proteins in the therapeutic plasma concentration range. Because of this property, controversy exists in the literature regarding the pharmacokinetic properties of the drug. The purposes of this study were to reassess the pharmacokinetic properties of disopyramide in humans, taking into consideration both total and unbound concentrations and to use disopyramide as a model compound to study the effect of drug binding on the renal clearance of both total and unbound drug. A single intravenous dose of disopyramide (1.5 mg/kg) was administered to eight normal volunteers. Blood and urine samples were collected for 36 h. Total concentrations of disopyramide in plasma and urine were determined by high pressure liquid chromatography. Binding of disopyramide to plasma proteins was determined by equilibrium dialysis. In all subjects the binding of disopyramide to plasma proteins was saturable, but there were considerable differences in binding between subjects. The volume of distribution, total body clearance, and renal clearances of both total and unbound drug were calculated. Because only the total body clearance and renal clearance of unbound compound are not dependent upon unbound fraction (alpha), these are the only parameters which can be reported without qualification as to the concentration. The mean +/-DS total body clearance of unbound drug in the eight subjects was 5.40 +/- 2.80 ml/min/kg. About 50% of this was due to renal elimination. A statistically significant negative correlation of the renal clearance of total disopyramide with time was observed in seven of eight subjects, whereas a significant correlation between the renal clearance of unbound disopyramide and time was observed in only one subject. This suggests that the renal clearance of unbound disopyramide is independent of alpha, while the renal clearance of total disopyramide is dependent upon alpha.
The molecular basis of fluidity in membranes

Abstract Fluidity as a prominent feature of the phospholipid portion of biological membranes, as well as of model phospholipid bilayer systems, has been detected by numerous physical techniques 1 . However, correlation of this fluidity with biological functions of membranes is, as yet, documented in only a few cases. For example, fatty acid auxotrophs of E. coli grown on different fatty acids exhibit an abruptly increased rate of transport of metabolites across the cell wall at temperatures above the “melting” temperature of the fatty acid supplement 2,3 ). The physical properties of lipids extracted from E. coli also reflect the temperature at which the bacteria were grown 4 ). Fluidity of hydrocarbon chains has been related to the calcium dependent ATPase activity of sarcoplasmic vesicles 5 ). A number of other essential functions of biological membranes may very well be associated with fluidity 6,7 ), but such considerations are limited by lack of precise knowledge of the molecular basis of fluidity and of the rates of motions involved. The following discussion will review the use of spin labels 8–11 to determine the rates of several of the motions involved in the fluidity of phospholipid bilayers and, where possible, to provide a structural basis for these motions.
DYNAMIC EVALUATION OF THE VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF A BIOMEDICAL POLYMER (BIOMER)

This paper deals with the experimental determination of the dynamic constants, storage and loss moduli of a viscoelastic material currently used as membranes in the artificial heart or other types of cardiac bypass pumps. A brief discussion of the viscoelastic theory is given, starting with the relaxation and creep function leading to the determination of the stress-strain relationship in integral equation form. It is shown that when dealing with periodical strain histories, the integral equation form may be reduced to a complex form. The complex moduli are used to describe the stress-strain relationship. The "Hysteresis Loop" method was used in this investigation to experimentally determine the material constants. This method was found to be convenient and direct for the experimental evaluation of the constants. These dynamic constants may then be used in a computer analysis, i.e., finite elements analysis, to determine the stress distribution in the membrane when subjected to loads or deformations.
The USDA's National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program: update 2002

Abstract The National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP) was designed in 1997 to develop robust and nationally representative estimates of the mean nutrient content of important foods in the food supply and significantly improve the quality of food composition data in the US Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient Databank. The underlying aims defining the process behind the NFNAP are: (1) evaluation of existing data; (2) identification of Key Foods and nutrients for analysis; (3) development of nationally based sampling plans; (4) analysis of samples; and (5) compilation and calculation of representative food composition data. Supported by a self-weighting stratified sampling design, the NFNAP approach has been applied to other sampling programs for the analysis of specific nutrients (e.g., fluoride-containing beverages and foods) and ethnic foods (e.g., American Indian foods). For select nutrients of potential health significance, additional sampling approaches allow for the estimation of serving-to-serving variability (e.g., highly processed foods). Under NFNAP, over 500 foods of the targeted 1000 important foods in the US food supply have been analyzed. Unrivaled research on food sampling, sample handling, and analytical methodology (e.g., for study of perishable nutrients in fresh produce) is integral to this effort. The NFNAP data are current, reflective of the market and nationally representative of the US food supply and therefore a crucial resource to health researchers, architects of nutrition policy, the nutrition and medical communities, and the food industry. They are released through the Web site: www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp
Evaluating policies and mechanisms for supporting embedded, real-time applications with CORBA 3.0

To be an effective platform for performance-sensitive real time systems, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) distributed object computing (DOC) middleware must support application quality of service (QoS) requirements end-to-end. However, conventional DOC middleware does not provide this support, which makes it unsuited for applications with stringent latency, determinism, and priority preservation requirements. It is essential, therefore, to develop standards based, COTS DOC middleware that permits the specification, allocation, and enforcement of application QoS requirements end-to-end. The Real-time CORBA and Messaging specifications in the forthcoming CORBA 3.0 standard are important steps towards defining standards based COTS DOC middleware that can deliver end-to-end QoS support at multiple levels in distributed and embedded real time systems. However these specifications still lack sufficient detail to portably configure and control processor, communication, and memory resources for applications with stringent QoS requirements. The paper provides four contributions to research on real time DOC middleware. First, we show how the CORBA 3.0 Real-time and Messaging specifications provide a starting point for addressing the needs of an important class of applications with stringent real time requirements. Second, we show how the CORBA 3.0 specifications are not sufficient to solve all the issues within this application domain. Third, we describe how we have implemented portions of these specifications, as well as several enhancements, using TAO, which is our open-source real time CORBA ORB. Finally, we empirically evaluate the performance of TAO to illustrate how its features address the QoS requirements of certain types of real time applications.
Open Access Publishing Practices in a Complex Environment: Conditions, Barriers, and Bases of Power

The system of scholarly communication is a complex environment made up of various stakeholders including not only researchers, librarians, and publishers, but also academic administrators. This paper examines conditions each group faces while also noting barriers preventing movement toward open access. To further analyze interrelationships and interdependencies among groups, a discussion is presented using French & Raven’s bases of power to describe how members of each stakeholder group exert some degree of power upon all other groups while at the same time being influenced, either directly or indirectly, by external forces. A better understanding of the many existing interactions and dependencies can help those who work within this system navigate ongoing changes while more successfully positioning their organizations for the future.
Use of agar in ophthalmic pathology: A technique to improve the handling and diagnosis of temporal artery biopsies, subfoveal membranes, lens capsules, and other ocular tissues

Abstract Design Prospective laboratory methodology study. Purpose Certain tissues, by virtue of their shape and extreme thinness or pliability, are difficult to position correctly during routine paraffin embedding to provide the optimal orientation for histopathologic studies. Biopsy specimens from temporal arteries must be sampled at different points along the length of the artery. Other tissues such as subfoveal neovascular membranes and fragments of lens capsule lack the thickness and rigidity to be positioned on edge to yield cross-sectional views. The authors' technique improves the orientation and thereby maximizes the histologic information obtained from such specimens. Methods and materials From January 1, 1990, to April 30, 1999, the authors studied 500 consecutive temporal artery biopsy specimens and 200 successive subfoveal neovascular membranes. Results Cutting a 20-mm cylindrical fragment of temporal artery at 1- to 1.5-mm intervals yielded approximately 13 to 20 cross-sections along the length of the artery. When the specimens were positioned together and embedded in agar, the pathologist could easily study multiple cross-sections of the artery. Additionally, using the agar technique, the authors were able to obtain cross-sections of other specimens submitted, such as subfoveal neovascular membranes, and studied each of the different layers to evaluate the disease process. By the same method, the authors placed small fragments of lens capsule with underlying cortex on edge and readily identified short, gram-positive coccobacilli consistent with Propionibacterium acnes endophthalmitis. Conclusion The agar technique can greatly improve the quality of diagnostic information gleaned from temporal artery biopsy specimens and other small tissue samples.
Wall Street vs. Main Street: Firm Strategies for Defending Legitimacy and Their Impact on Different Stakeholders

We assess the effect of firm strategies to defend legitimacy on two different stakeholder groups—the public (“Main Street”) and the investment community (“Wall Street”). We identify four types of firm strategies in response to challenges to their legitimacy—denial, defiance, decoupling, and accommodation— drawing from theory and from case studies of international outsourcing. We then develop and test hypotheses on the effectiveness of these strategies in defending legitimacy across these two stakeholder groups, using data from media reports and press releases on all 126 distinct accusations of the use of international sweatshops by U.S. firms from 1990 through 2002. We find that denial and defiance responses hinder the recovery of legitimacy on Main Street, and none of the responses has a positive effect on public perception, whereas Wall Street is unaffected by denial and defiance but views decoupling favorably. Main Street and Wall Street thus perceive firm actions to defend its legitimacy quite differently, suggesting that these worlds operate by separate moralities in which Main Street appears to privilege fairness as a core value, whereas Wall Street privileges profit.
Ultrasensitive detection of DNA and protein markers in cancer cells

Cancer cells differ from normal cells in various parameters, and these differences are caused by genomic mutations and consequential altered gene expression. The genetic and functional heterogeneity of tumor cells is a major challenge in cancer research, detection, and effective treatment. As such, the use of diagnostic methods is important to reveal this heterogeneity at the single-cell level. Droplet microfluidic devices are effective tools that provide exceptional sensitivity for analyzing single cells and molecules. In this review, we highlight two novel methods that employ droplet microfluidics for ultra-sensitive detection of nucleic acids and protein markers in cancer cells. We also discuss the future practical applications of these methods.
Follistatin Regulates Germ Cell Nest Breakdown and Primordial Follicle Formation

Follistatin (FST) is an antagonist of activin and related TGFβ superfamily members that has important reproductive actions as well as critical regulatory functions in other tissues and systems. FST is produced as three protein isoforms that differ in their biochemical properties and in their localization within the body. We created FST288-only mice that only express the short FST288 isoform and previously reported that females are subfertile, but have an excess of primordial follicles on postnatal day (PND) 8.5 that undergo accelerated demise in adults. We have now examined germ cell nest breakdown and primordial follicle formation in the critical PND 0.5-8.5 period to test the hypothesis that the excess primordial follicles derive from increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis during germ cell nest breakdown. Using double immunofluorescence microscopy we found that there is virtually no germ cell proliferation after birth in wild-type or FST288-only females. However, the entire process of germ cell nest breakdown was extended in time (through at least PND 8.5) and apoptosis was significantly reduced in FST288-only females. In addition, FST288-only females are born with more germ cells within the nests. Thus, the excess primordial follicles in FST288-only mice derive from a greater number of germ cells at birth as well as a reduced rate of apoptosis during nest breakdown. These results also demonstrate that FST is critical for normal regulation of germ cell nest breakdown and that loss of the FST303 and/or FST315 isoforms leads to excess primordial follicles with accelerated demise, resulting in premature cessation of ovarian function.
The Incidence and Patterns of Failure in Patients With Stage I/II Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity (SCC-OC) Treated With Surgery Alone: Implications for Adjuvant Radiation Therapy

Materials/Methods: From August 2001 through May 2012, 183 patients with cancer of the oral cavity were identified. Following exclusion of patients with prior head and neck cancer, non-squamous histology, no surgery, N2c or greater or M1 staging, or PORT plans unavailable or bilateral necks treated, 57 patients remained for analysis. Patient demographics, tumor, treatment, and outcome information were abstracted from the charts. Regional recurrence was estimated via Kaplan-Meier method and groups were compared via log-rank test. Results: Median follow-up from diagnosis was 21 months range. Primary sites included alveolar ridge (17.5%), buccal (8.8%), floor of mouth (21.1%), hard palate (5.3%), retromolar trigone (5.3%), and oral tongue (42.1%). Primary site was staged T1-2 in 59.6% and T3-4 in 40.4%. Of the cohort, 12% did not undergo neck dissection, while 18% underwent bilateral and 70% ipsilateral neck dissection. Concurrent chemotherapy was used in 26.3% of patients. Of the cohort, 34 (59.6%) patients were found to be clinically or pathologically node negative, out of which 22 (38.5%) were treated with PORT only to the primary site and 12 (21.1%) had primary site and ipsilateral neck PORT; actuarial regional control (RC) at 2 years was 78.6% and 80%, respectively. Of the 4 total regional failures in the PORT-primary only group, 1 patient had a regional only relapse, the remainder failed both locally and regionally. Of the 2 total regional failures in the PORT-primary/ipsilateral neck, both were in the treated neck, and one was both local and regional. Of the node positive patients, all 23 were treated with primary and ipsilateral PORT with 2 year RC rate of 94.7%. The one patient with regional failure relapsed in the treated neck. Conclusions: In selected patients with lateralized oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma it may be reasonable to exclude the N0 bilateral neck, or in ipsilateral node positive neck the contralateral neck, from the post-operative radiation therapy volumes. Author Disclosure: J.A. Contreras: None. N.G. Rao: None. A.M. Trotti: None. J.J. Caudell: None.
BACKACHE AFTER EXTRADURAL ANAESTHESIA IN THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD: DISSECTION OF THORACIC ANEURYSM

We describe a case of postpartum ruptured dissecting aneurysm of the thoracic aorta, unrelated to the anaesthetic management with extradural anaesthesia. This complication is discussed in detail, as the anaesthetist may be the specialist required to respond to the common presenting symptom of severe back pain.