cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Humanism, Technology, and Language

Publisher Summary One of the most important characteristics of technology is that all the technical acts undertaken are in essence collectivistic and centralizing. The more diverse and pervasive in the economy a technology becomes, the more it tends to weld things together. The values that spring from aggression and territoriality are well known. It is impossible to think of a value that can be held alone; it depends upon others for its context. Values are essentially collectivistic and centralizing in the same way that technology is. There remains the question of the translatability of technology or technological change into a value structure. The notion of what happens to value systems when a technology changes depends upon its common base in language. Both technology and value systems are absolutely dependent upon language and symbolic knowledge. When talking about values, it is really about values as manifested in symbols and languages. It seems equally clear that, in some sense the highest manifestations of mind and language are in science and technology. The language of mathematics, which describes the physical world, is perhaps the most precise and the most immediately in accord with nature. Another point about this communality of language, technology, and values is that through language and reason, the world can be transformed.
Can a Use-based Taxonomy be Natural? An example from Aguaruna folk classification of trees

This work examines the classic utilitarian vs. intellectualist debate in cognitive ethnobiology from a new perspective. It challenges the notion that classifications based on utility are artificial, that is, necessarily constructed from a few special characteristics. The paper involves a new analysis of ethnographic data collected by the author over multiple field sessions from 2004 to 2010 in nine Aguaruna villages in Amazonas, Peru. In previous work, Aguaruna participants described uses, along with sensory and ecological characteristics of local tree species. They also stated which tree folk genera they consider related to each other as “companions,” typically placing taxa together in natural groupings. This new synthesis took the descriptions of uses and physical characteristics for a sample of 41 Aguaruna tree folk genera and subjected both to hierarchical cluster analysis to see which would better reproduce the folk classification. Use data performed nearly as well as sensory data in reproducing the natural groupings of trees. This makes sense considering that plant uses tend to be based on physical properties (including presence of secondary compounds) that related species will often share. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE
An Improved and Scalable Process for Zafirlukast: An Asthma Drug†

An improved and scalable process for the large-scale production of zafirlukast (Accolate), an important drug for asthma, is discussed along with impurity and scale-up-related issues.
A novel cytotoxic agent for human carcinoid tumors

Abstract Background: Conventional adjuvant therapy for advanced carcinoid tumors remains disappointing; novel therapeutic agents are needed. We have shown previously that inhibiting polyamine biosynthesis with αdifluoromethylornithine (DFMO) slows the growth of carcinoid tumors. However, the clinical utility of DFMO has been limited by its cytostatic property. Synthetic polyamine analogs such as 1,19-bis(ethylamino)-5,10,15-triaztanonadecane (BE-4-4-4-4) appear to be cytotoxic against several human tumors. The purpose of our study was to determine whether BE-4-4-4-4 is a more effective antiproliferative and cytotoxic agent than DFMO on human carcinoid (BON) cells in vitro. Methods: BON cells were treated with either 5 mmol/L DFMO, 0.5 to 10 μmol/L BE-4-4-4-4, or vehicle (control). Ornithine decarboxylase activity was determined by the rate of 14CO2 production, and intracellular polyamine levels were determined by chromatography. Cell number and viability were determined by Coulter counter and trypan blue exclusion, respectively. Results: BE-4-4-4-4 inhibited ornithine decarboxylase activity and depleted all 3 polyamines. BE-4-4-4-4 decreased cell numbers by 81% compared with control and 27% compared with DFMO. BE-4-4-4-4 also induced a 2-fold increase in cell death compared with control or DFMO. Conclusions: BE-4-4-4-4 is cytotoxic and more effective than DFMO in inhibiting growth of BON cells. Polyamine analogs such as BE-4-4-4-4 may be effective adjuvant therapeutic agents for advanced carcinoid tumors. (Surgery 1998;124:1071-6.)
ESTABLISHMENT OF A METALIMNETIC OXYGEN REFUGE FOR ZOOPLANKTON IN A PRODUCTIVE LAKE ONTARIO EMBAYMENT

Hypolimnetic oxygen injection is a management tool used to improve water quality by preventing anoxia and associated phosphorus release from the sediments. An additional benefit would be formation of a low-oxygen refuge for large-bodied herbivorous zooplankton in the metalimnion. The magnitude and timing of hypolimnetic oxygenation was deliberately manipulated during summer 1997 in Irondequoit Bay, a eutrophic Lake Ontario embayment (New York, USA), to maintain metalimnetic dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in the range of 1–2 mg/L. We assessed the vertical distributions of fish and zooplankton in 1997, a year with controlled oxygenation, and 1996, a year with oxygenation but without a deliberate attempt to create amenable refuge conditions. After initiation of oxygenation, June through early August metalimnetic DO in 1997 was 1.8 ± 0.5 mg/L (means ± 2 se), whereas metalimnetic DO in 1996 was 3.8 ± 1.0 mg/L. Hydroacoustic surveys in 1997 and gillnet catches in both years indicated that >96% of planktiv...
Circuit Simulation on the Connection Machine

Accurate circuit simulation is a very important step in the design of high performance integrated circuits. The ever increasing size of integrated circuits requires the use of an inordinate amount of computer time to be spent in circuit simulation. Parallel processors have been considered to speed up the simulation process. Massively parallel computers have been made available recently and present a new interesting paradigm for expensive CAD applications. This paper describes algorithms and programming techniques needed to develop SUM (Simulation Using Massively parallel computers), a relaxation-based circuit simulator on the Connection Machine, a massively parallel processor with up to 65536 processors. SUM can simulate circuits at almost constant CPU time per iteration, regardless of circuit size. SUM can simulate very large circuits. Circuit simulators running on the largest super computers can run circuits of comparable size, however SUM is easily scalable as the number of processors in the Connection Machine increases, with almost no increase in CPU time.
Resistance to Rolling in the Adhesive Contact of Two Elastic Spheres

For the stability of agglomerates of micron sized particles it is of considerable importance to study the effects of tangential forces on the contact of two particles. If the particles can slide or roll easily over each other, fractal structures of these agglomerates will not be stable. We use the description of contact forces by Johnson, Kendall and Roberts, along with arguments based on the atomic structure of the surfaces in contact, in order to calculate the resistance to rolling in such a contact. It is shown that the contact reacts elastically to torque forces up to a critical bending angle. Beyond that, irreversible rolling occurs. In the elastic regime, the moment opposing the attempt to roll is proportional to the bending angle and to the pull-off force P(sub c). Young's modulus of the involved materials has hardly any influence on the results. We show that agglomerates of sub-micron sized particles will in general be quite rigid and even long chains of particles cannot be bent easily. For very small particles, the contact will rather break than allow for rolling. We further discuss dynamic properties such as the possibility of vibrations in this degree of freedom and the typical amount of rolling during a collision of two particles.
Complications of thoracoscopy

Although thoracoscopy has been a part of thoracic surgical practice for many years, the advent of video-assisted techniques has greatly expanded the indications and the uses of this procedure. Where previously thoracoscopy was performed mainly for diagnostic purposes, it now has assumed a major role in the therapy of chest pathology. In an attempt to inject a modicum of perspective into the tremendous enthusiasm that has accompanied the meteoric rise of video-assisted thoracoscopy, we have reviewed the experience at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania accumulated over the 1-year period from December 1991 to December 1992, specifically looking at complications resulting from the thoracoscopic procedure. During this period we performed 266 thoracoscopic procedures with no deaths. The overall incidence of complications was 10%, with the most prevalent complication being prolonged air leak (3.7%). There were five superficial wound infections (1.9%) and 5 patients who bled significantly enough to require either transfusion or reoperation, or both. In 11 patients (4.1%), the proposed thoracoscopic procedure could not be completed as planned, and a thoracotomy was required. The incidence of complications is certainly acceptable and similar to that seen after thoracotomy, although overall hospital stay is shorter and patients seem to have less pain and return to normal activity sooner. One would expect the incidence of complications to further decrease as surgeons acquire more experience with this significant modification and improvement of an old technique.
Surface analyses of composites exposed to the space environment on the Long Duration Exposure Facility satellite

We have conducted a series of surface analyses on carbon fiber/poly(arylacetylene) (PAA) matrix composites that were exposed to the space environment on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) satellite. These composite panels were arranged in pairs on both the leading edge and trailing edge of the LDEF satellite. None of the composites were catastrophically damaged by nearly six years of exposure to the space environment. Composites on the leading edge exhibited from 25 to 125 )im of surface erosion, but trailing-edge panels exhibited no physical appearance changes due to exposure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to show that the erosion morphology on the leading edge samples was dominated by crevasses parallel to the fibers with triangular cross sections 10-100 jam in depth. The edges of the crevasses were well defined and penetrated through both matrix and fiber. The data suggest that the carbon fibers are playing an important role in crevasse initiation and/or enlargement and in the overall erosion rate of the composite. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results showed contamination from in-flight sources of silicone.
Characteristics of Chinese aerosols determined by individual-particle analysis

Tropospheric aerosols that originate in China and are transported over the North Pacific Ocean have potentially significant impacts on regional and global climate. These aerosols are complex mixtures of soil dust and anthropogenic particles from a variety of sources, including fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning, mining, smelting, and other industrial processes, plus reaction products of heterogeneous processes that affect these particles during transport. In the coastal marine atmosphere, these particles could be further mixed with marine aerosols. To provide examples of the diversity of chemical and physical properties of east Asian aerosols in the spring, individual aerosol particle samples were collected in April and May 1999 in three different environments in China: Qingdao on the coast of the East China Sea, Beijing in the northeast interior, and Mount Waliguan in remote northwestern China. Results reveal that aerosols in this region are complex and heterogeneous. In addition to significant differences in aerosol composition and size distributions among the samples, each sample contains a large number of polyphase aggregates. Many of the particles also have irregular shapes; for a number of the particle types, the irregular shapes should persist even at high ambient RH. Because composition, degree and nature of polyphase aggregation, and shape all effect aerosol radiative properties, the complex state of east Asian aerosols presents a challenge for the modeling of aerosol radiative forcing in the region.
Robust game theoretic synthesis in the presence of uncertain initial states

In this paper a performance robust control synthesis problem is considered; the performance measure v represents the sensitivity of the output to the nonzero initial state. The problem is to find a controller, out of a prescribed set, that minimizes v such that internal stability and a prescribed level of disturbance attenuation for all real parameter uncertainties in a given set are achieved. The primary motivation for considering this problem is that v can be given a direct physical interpretation in terms of the transient response of a closed-loop system. Linear time-invariant systems with output feedback are considered. A game theoretic approach is employed to solve the synthesis problem and necessary conditions for optimality are given.
Phosphorylation modulates the voltage dependence of channels reconstituted from the major intrinsic protein of lens fiber membranes.

Major intrinsic polypeptide (MIP), a 28-kDa protein isolated from lens fiber cell membranes, forms large, nonselective channels when reconstituted into lipid bilayers. MIP channels are regulated by voltage, such that these channels close when the potential across the membrane is greater than 30 mV. We have investigated the modulation of the voltage-dependent closure of MIP channels by phosphorylation. In this report, we describe the isolation of two isomers of MIP from lens fiber cell membranes. These isomers differ by a single phosphate at a protein kinase A phosphorylation site. The phosphorylated isomer produces channels that close in response to applied voltages when reconstituted into bilayers. The nonphosphorylated isomer produces voltage-independent hannels. Direct phosphorylation with protein kinase A converts voltage-independent channels to voltage-dependent channels in situ. Analyses of macroscopic and single channel currents suggest that phosphorylation increases the voltage-dependent closure of MIP channels by increasing closed channel lifetimes and the rate of channel closure following the application of voltage.
A Possible Limiting Case Behavior for Brittle Material Fracture

The self-consistent scheme is used to model the state of an elastic material with a very high density of nearly connected cracks. Then fracture mechanics is used to pose the problem of the complete and final failure of the material under uniaxial and eqibiaxial tension. These failure states are taken to be those of the extreme case of brittle fracture. A specific form for the resulting extreme brittle failure criterion is given. ©2002 ASME
Sertoli cell cytoplasts in the semen of the spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias

Abstract The fine structure of Squalus acanthias (Elasmobranchii) semen was investigated to determine the cellular component responsible for the steroidogenic activity previously demonstrated in the seminal plasma of this species. Semen was found to consist of bundles of spermatozoa, many of which were encased in a sleeve of cytoplasm restricted to the tail region; large, dense bodies tacking a limiting membrane and numerous anuclear cytoplasmic remnants containing lipid droplets, mitochondria, areas of agranular reticulum, and possibly unreleased spermatozoa. These remnants, which we have termed cytoplasts, morphologically resemble in appearance Sertoli cells of S. acanthias at the time of spermiation. This structural similarity, plus the fact that many elasmobranch species slough the apical regions of Sertoli cells during the release of spermatozoa, indicates that the cytoplasts present in the semen of S. acanthias originate from Sertoli cells. Furthermore, the occurrence in these cytoplasts of organelles normally associated with steroid synthesis strongly suggests these structures are the source of steroidogenic enzymes in the semen of S. acanthias . The steroidal contribution to the semen by Sertoli cell cytoplasts may be necessary for either maturation or maintenance of spermatozoa in the excurrent reproductive ducts of S. acanthias .
The diversity of older voters

D O older people really have enough in common with each other to bind them together and set them off from the rest of the adult population as a political entity? Three things are usually discussed as factors in the potential political mobilization of the aged: their expanding numbers, their political behavior, and their common concerns. The first, the expansion of the aged population, is an empirical reality. The number of people over 65 has grown from 3 million in 1900 to 22 million in 1975; more importantly, their proportion of the total population has increased from 4 percent to 10 percent in that same period. The second factor, the political attitudes, partisanship, voting patterns, organizing efforts, and other political resources of the aged, is much more debated and debatable, and we will not attempt to address these issues. The common concerns of the aged, however, are often simply taken for granted. We hear that this segment of the population shares not only chronological age, large numbers, and healthy voter turnout, but that they share needs and problems which form the basis for their potential political mobilization.
Advances in the Management of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Protective Ventilation

The approach to mechanical ventilation has been revolutionized by new insights into the pathogenesis of respiratory failure in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Concepts such as low-volume ventilation, permissive hypercapnia, inverse ratio ventilation, best and intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure, airway shear, pressure volume curves, inflection points, and prone positioning have radically transformed thinking about ventilator management. Since 1966, more than 8000 ARDS-related publications have appeared. Studies highlighting the experimental basis for innovations in mechanical ventilation are presented. Selected clinical series that exemplify the use of these new strategies are reviewed, to demonstrate how key experimental and clinical research has altered our understanding about what works, and why. Mismanagement of mechanical ventilation causes lung injury and increases mortality. The strategy of protective ventilation has provided the first substantial reduction of mortality in the history of ARDS.
Magnetization, anomalous barkhausen effect, and core loss of supermendur under high temperature cycling

The magnetization and core loss of Supermendur were measured up to 900°C under conditions of slow temperature cycling in vacuum. As a consequence of this heating the coercivity at 25°C increased from 21 A/m to about 110 A/m. This increase is less than previously reported. A prominent anomalous Barkhausen effect, pinched-in hysteresis loops, and a magnetic viscosity field in excess of 20 A/m were observed in the range 600 to 700°C. At 850°C Super-mendur had a coercivity of 23 A/m, a saturation induction exceeding 1.5 T, a core loss of 26 W/kg at 400 Hz, and B_{\max} of 1.5 T. Super-mendur may be useful for high temperature soft magnetic material applications where some history dependence of properties and instability of minor loops at lower temperatures is acceptable.
A ten-stage electrostatic depressed collector for improving klystron efficiency

A ten-stage electrostatic depressed collector, designed with the aid of an analog computer, was tested on a 1-kW CW 750-MHz klystron. Excellent correlation was achieved between computed and measured performance under varying conditions of RF drive. At full RF power output approximately 60 percent of the spent beam energy was recovered by use of the depressed collector. The net power conversion efficiency of the tube was raised from its undepressed value of 54.3 percent to approximately 70.9 percent. At one-half full power output, a collector efficiency of 70 percent was measured. At zero RF power output collector efficiency was 80 percent. To achieve these results it was necessary to install a small focusing coil between the final drift tube and the collector. No spurious oscillations or instabilities were detected when collector depression was employed, nor was electron backstreaming increased significantly. Intentional short circuiting of adjacent collector electrode pairs was shown to cause only minor degradation in collector performance.
The RAD52 gene is not required for the function of the DEL1 mutator gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The DEL1 mutator in Saccharomyces cerevisiae leads to the formation of deletions adjacent to itself (Liebman et al. 1979). Here we show that the frequency of these DEL1-promoted deletions is not altered by the presence of the recombination-deficient mutation, rad52-1. This indicates that generalized recombination is not required for the formation of deletions in DEL1 yeast strains.
Some unusual aspects of the adsorption of Cr(NCS)63− and trans-Cr(NH3)2(NCS)4− on mercury

Summary The adsorption isotherm for Cr(NCS) 6 3− exhibits an almost discontinuous region at intermediate coverages which is attributed to chemical binding between the adsorbed complexes that are in turn bound by the isothiocyanate ligands to the mercury surface. The utility of single-step chronocoulometry in making adsorption measurements as a function of electrode potential to separate the faradaic and non-faradaic contributions to the apparent chronocoulometric intercepts is emphasized. The very unusual kinetic behavior of adsorbed trans -Cr(NH 3 ) 2 (NCS) 4 − is also outlined. In particular, the marked decrease in the reduction rates for the adsorbed complex as its bulk concentration is increased is compared with the analogous behavior of certain organic adsorbates which has been attributed to the so-called “high coverage effect” 20 .
Serum insulin-like growth factors and their binding proteins in patients with hepatic failure and after liver transplantation

The liver is the major source of circulating insulin-like growth factor-I and -II (IGF-I and IGF-II) and several of their binding proteins (BPs). This study examined the effects of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) and subsequent liver transplantation (LT) on serum levels of these growth factors and their BPs in four children and six adults for up to 2 years. Serum IGF-I and IGF-II were quantified by radioimmunoassay (RIA), IGFBP-3 by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), and changes in IGFBP-1, -2, -3, and -4 were estimated by Western ligand blotting (WLB). In severe hepatic disease, serum concentrations of IGF-I (10 ± 5 ng/mL) and IGF-II (126 ± 32 ng/mL) were significantly (P < .01) less than in normal controls (170 ± 37 and 590 ± 41 ng/mL, respectively). One year following LT, the mean levels of IGF-I (344 ± 55 ng/mL) and IGF-II (627 ± 38 ng/mL) were within normal limits and remained so for the duration of the study. Patients exhibited considerable variation not only in the rate of achieving normal IGF-I and IGF-II concentrations, but also in the ultimate height and stability of these peptide levels. Serum IGFBP-3 in hepatic failure (580 ± 140 ng/mL) was significantly (P < .05) lower than in controls (2,900 ± 220 ng/mL) and increased to normal levels (3,650 ± 360 ng/mL) 2 to 14 weeks after LT. Serum levels of IGFBP-1, -2, and -4 before and after LT were variable but usually remained within normal limits compared with control sera. The decreases observed in IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 in patients with hepatic failure and their subsequent restoration after LT probably result primarily from the reduced number of functional hepatocytes in ESLD and their subsequent replacement by healthy hepatic tissue. These changes may also result from hormonal alterations and nutritional deficiencies known to exist in patients with severe liver dysfunction, which are corrected by LT. We conclude that LT in patients with severe hepatic insufficiency enhances the potential for normal cell growth and replication by restoring serum IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 concentrations to normal concomitantly with the improvement in hormonal and nutritional status.
Brief measures of sensation seeking for screening and large-scale surveys

Sensation seeking is central to research on the prevention of risky health behaviors, but current measures of sensation seeking are fairly long, thereby reducing their chances of inclusion in some research projects. Hence, we developed and evaluated two brief indices of sensation seeking, a four-item measure that retains the framework of the Sensation Seeking Scale-Form V (SSS-V) and a shorter two-item measure focusing on the risk-taking elements of sensation seeking. We compared the performance of the new indices with that of two well documented but longer measures of sensation seeking. The evaluation was based on data provided by more than 5000 teens and pre-teens in grades 7 through 11. Psychometric analyses revealed that the internal consistency of the two new measures was very good overall and across grade and sex categories. Additionally, the new indices correlated as expected with a series of risk and protective factors as well as tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. Both indices performed in ways remarkably similar to the established measures of sensation seeking and should prove useful for future research involving risky health behaviors.
Stoichiometric flames and their stability

We consider a flame in a stoichiometric combustible mixture of two reactants, A and B, having different diffusivities. We employ a thin reaction zone approximation and assume that the reaction ceases when the concentrations and temperature approach their thermodynamic equilibrium values. Thus, our analysis accounts for the possibility of a reversible stage in the combustion reactions. We find uniform flames and analyze both their cellular and pulsating instabilities. We compare our results with those for a one reactant flame as well as with previously obtained results for a stoichiometric mixture of two reactants. Studies of the latter assumed complete consumption of one of the reactants in the reaction front and that both Lewis numbers, LA and LB, are close to 1. They showed that the cellular stability boundary for bimolecular reactions is determined by an effective Lewis number which is the arithmetic mean of LA and LB, i.e., 12(LA + LB). By considering the limiting case of a negligibly small equilibrium constant, so that the final concentrations of the reactants approach zero, we show that for general Lewis numbers, not limited to being close to 1, the cellular stability boundary is determined by an effective Lewis number which, for equimolecular, e.g., bimolecular reactions, is the harmonic mean of the Lewis numbers of the two reactants, i.e., Leff = 2(LA−1 + LB−1)−1 The leading term of an asymptotic expansion of our effective Lewis number, for both LA and LB close to 1, is the simple arithmetic mean, previously obtained. For significantly different Lewis numbers, a case not covered by previous results, our solution shows that stability is determined by diffusion of the lighter reactant, in accord with experimental observations. Thus, we provide a theoretical basis for the effect of preferential diffusion. We also find that dissociation of the product is stabilizing.
Modeling Calcium Dynamics in Realistic Rabbit Ventricular Myocytes with Several Transverse Tubules

Calcium signaling in cardiomyocytes is strongly influenced by the topology of the sarcolemma (SL) and the distribution of sarcolemmal proteins, including the L-type calcium channel (LCC) and sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX). Peculiar to mammalian ventricular cardiomyocytes are sarcolemmal invaginations called transverse tubules (TT) exhibiting high densities of LCC clusters that trigger Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Prior studies of pharmacologically-disabled SR release in rabbit ventricular myocytes have demonstrated that sub-micrometer resolution details of the SL geometry shape local Ca2+ dynamics and suggest a feedback between cytosolic [Ca2+] and SL ion channel and transporter activity. Here we investigate the hypothesis that the ordered spatial arrangement of TT and coupling between adjacent tubules leads to an organized Ca2+ transient. Moreover, we compare Ca2+ transients arising from clustered or continuously-distributed trigger fluxes for the propensity to produce Ca2+ waves. Our findings are that 1) the arrangement of TTs promotes a faster rise in [Ca2+] transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of cardiomyocytes and 2) clustering of SL transporters along the TT promotes an axially-uniform calcium transient. These results evidence contribution of structural detail at sub-micrometer resolution to excitation-contraction coupling and anomalous Ca2+ dynamics underlying cardiac arrhythmias.Supported by NBCR (NIH grant 2 P41 RR08605), NIH GM31749, NSF MCB-0506593, MCA93S013, Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, SDSC, W. M. Keck foundation, Richard A. and Nora Eccles Fund for Cardiovascular Research.
Growth Plate Compressions and Altered Hematopoiesis in Collagen X Null Mice

A variable skeleto-hematopoietic phenotype was observed in collagen X null mice which mirrored the defects in transgenic (Tg) mice with dominant interference collagen X mutations (Jacenko, O., P. LuValle, and B.R. Olsen. 1993. Nature. 365:56-61). Specifically, perinatal lethality was seen in approximately 10.8% of null mutants at week three after birth, and in another subset by 12 wk. In perinatal lethal mutants, growth plates were compressed, trabecular bone reduced, and hematopoietic aplasia and erythrocyte-filled vascular sinusoids were apparent in marrows. Lymphatic organs, reduced to approximately 80% that of controls, displayed altered architecture and lymphocyte content. In thymuses, a paucity of cortical CD3(+)/CD4(+)/CD8(+) lymphocytes was consistent with the marrow's inability to replenish maturing T cells. In spleens, an unaltered T cell distribution was coupled with diffuse staining for IgD(+)/B220(+) B cells, whose reduction was prominent in poorly organized lymphatic nodules. Disorderly arrays of splenic macrophages surrounding periarteriolar lymphatic sheaths and a red pulp depletion further complemented the Tg perinatal lethal phenotype. Moreover, subtle growth plate compressions and hematopoietic changes were seen in all null mice. Data from Tg and null mice implicate the disruption of collagen X function in the observed skeleto-hematopoietic defects, and suggest that hypertrophic cartilage and endochondral skeletogenesis may contribute to the marrow microenvironment prerequisite for blood cell differentiation.
Status Report: DARPA/NASA Convertible Turbofan/Turboshaft Engine Program

A development status report is presented for the NASA/Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency convertible turbofan-turboshaft engine, which can power a high speed rotorcraft in vertical flight, as well as in horizontal flight up to speeds of Mach 0.85. The basis for this development program is a modified TF34-GE-400 engine. Program objectives include both the demonstration of dual output mode (jet thrust and shaft horsepower) capability and the development of a control system which will operate the engine in either mode and convert operation between the modes.
Does Bait and Switch Really Benefit Consumers? Advancing the Discussion '

We applaud the advances in this colloquy and the areas of convergence that are emerging. However, this reply points out that the purported benefits of"bait and switch " found in Hess and Gerstner (1998) are predicated upon (i) only a single component (availability) within the broader domain of bait and switch; (ii) the assumption that one of the parameters in the consumer utility function differs with the availability of advertised brands; and (iii) a further assumption that no other parameters in the model will change when the availability condition changes. After assessing these developments, we conclude that i) the legal status of bait-and-switch schemes is fine as it stands; ii) when understood in their true complexity, parameters in the consumer utility functions likely will not differ with regard to availability, thus obviating the finding of increased consumer welfare; and iii) even if it is believed that utility functions would differ, effects on other model parameters clearly suggest that consumers will be worse off with bait and switch. Despite these differences, however, we are pleased with the developments the dialogue has produced.
A feasible computer system for grey-level, pictorial pattern recognition

Abstract A general-purpose interactive hardware-software system is described which allows the analysis, representation and enhancement of poor quality, multiple-frame, grey-level pictures. A precise, computer-controlled, high-speed, random-access flying-spot scanner is used. Contour-finding, piece-wise linear fitting and global region-extraction algorithms with an interactive executive program are described. The results obtained when the system was applied to straight line drawings and cine-angiograms are given.
Aharonov-Bohm Radiation of Fermions

We analyze Aharonov-Bohm radiation of charged fermions from oscillating solenoids and cosmic strings. We find that the angular pattern of the radiation has features that differ significantly from that for bosons. For example, fermionic radiation in the lowest harmonic is approximately isotropically distributed around an oscillating solenoid, whereas for bosons the radiation is dipolar. We also investigate the spin polarization of the emitted fermion-antifermion pair. Fermionic radiation from kinks and cusps on cosmic strings is shown to depend linearly on the ultraviolet cutoff, suggesting strong emission at an energy scale comparable to the string energy scale.
One-dimensional turbulence model simulations of autoignition of hydrogen/carbon monoxide fuel mixtures in a turbulent jet

The autoignition of hydrogen/carbon monoxide in a turbulent jet with preheated co-flow air is studied using the one-dimensional turbulence (ODT) model. The simulations are performed at atmospheric pressure based on varying the jet Reynolds number and the oxidizer preheat temperature for two compositions corresponding to varying the ratios of H2 and CO in the fuel stream. Moreover, simulations for homogeneous autoignition are implemented for similar mixture conditions for comparison with the turbulent jet results. The results identify the key effects of differential diffusion and turbulence on the onset and eventual progress of autoignition in the turbulent jets. The differential diffusion of hydrogen fuels results in a reduction of the ignition delay relative to similar conditions of homogeneous autoignition. Turbulence may play an important role in delaying ignition at high-turbulence conditions, a process countered by the differential diffusion of hydrogen relative to carbon monoxide; however, when ignition is established, turbulence enhances the overall rates of combustion of the non-premixed flame downstream of the ignition point.
Some optimal algorithms for decomposed partially ordered sets

Abstract We describe two problems and their optimal solutions for partially ordered sets. We first describe an optimal algorithm for computing the largest anti-chain of a partially ordered set given its decomposition into its chains. Our algorithm requires O(n2m) comparisons where n is the number of chains and m is the maximum number of elements in any chain. We also give an adversary argument to prove that this is a lower bound. Our second problem requires us to find if the given poset is a total order. Our optimal algorithm requires O(mn log n) comparisons. These algorithms have applications in distributed debugging and recovery in distributed systems.
Living arrangements and health status in later life: A review of recent literature

The living arrangements of older persons play a key role in their use of formal and informal care, as well as in their health and well-being. Nurses engaged in primary care, discharge planning, and home care are strategically positioned to contribute to an optimal fit between older persons and their home environment. This article describes the demographic significance of late-life living arrangements and proposes a model for organizing the complex web of factors associated with household composition and late-life migration. The article then summarizes qualitative and quantitative evidence in support of the proposed model. Key areas for nursing research and strategies for applying available research are identified.
Incorporating margin status information in treatment decisions for women with ductal carcinoma in situ: a decision analysis

To integrate margin status information into the decision to undergo radiation therapy (RT) following breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We developed a decision-analytic Markov model to project quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for a hypothetical cohort of 55-year-old women with DCIS over a lifetime horizon treated with or without RT following BCS. We estimated the transition probabilities of local DCIS and invasive recurrences based on the margin status (free, close, or positive) from a systematic literature review. Other probability estimates and utilities were collected from the published literature. Using the conditions defined in this model, expected QALYs after BCS alone were better than those after BCS with RT under the free-margin scenario (15.72 vs. 15.58) and worse in the close-margin (15.44 vs. 15.50) and positive-margin scenarios (15.20 vs. 15.33). The probability of receiving a salvage mastectomy varied from 10 to 28%, depending on margin status and treatment. One-way sensitivity analyses showed that the optimal treatment was sensitive to patients’ preferences and RT side effects. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses revealed that BCS alone would be the best strategy in 54% of the cases under the free-margin scenario, 48% under the close-margin scenario, and 44% under the positive-margin scenario. This study illustrates that margin status is able to provide supplementary information on the decision of DCIS treatment. Our analyses also highlight the importance of patients’ preferences in decision making. Our findings suggest that RT is not necessary for all patients with DCIS undergoing BCS.
A STUDY OF THE URINARY PORPHYRINS AND PORPHYRIN PRECURSORS IN PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT DISEASE RECEIVING DIETHYLSTILBESTROL.

Abstract Administration of diethylstilbestrol, diethylstilbestrol diphosphate, testosterone propionate and 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone-n-caproate did not alter the urinary excretion values for coproporphyrin, uroporphyrin, porphobilinogen and delta aminolevulinic acid in nonporphyric subjects. In 1 patient with latent porphyria a slight increase of δ-ALA was observed after diethylstilbestrol but PBG and porphyrin excretion were unaffected. This individual had received stilbestrol previously over a 2 year period.
John Kabes of Komenda: An Early African Entrepreneur and State Builder

The flowering of the Atlantic trade in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries caused many of the West African societies of the near hinterland to orient themselves increasingly toward the coast. This new focus created new geopolitical conformations. Given the nature of the stimulus, trade and politics went hand in hand and entrepreneurial ability could reap political rewards. These possibilities were greatest along the Gold Coast and in the Niger delta where the actual European presence was small in relation to the extent of the trade.Such a trader cum political leader was John Kabes who, in a career spanning nearly forty years, established the paramount stool of Komenda, hitherto part of the inland state of Eguafo. Kabes began as a trader for the English (and sometimes for the Dutch) and gradually achieved political status which, however it may have been acquired, proved to be lasting because it was acceptable to existing political mores.Such of Kabes's activities as are known suggest that his success sprang from his ability to wring advantage from the new exigencies of the time and place in ways which enabled him to acquire legitimacy as well as wealth and influence. Although Kabes's career is uniquely documented there is no reason to suppose that it was particularly unusual in its other facets. On this argument it can suggest ways in which other West African trade-derived polities, particularly in the Niger delta, may have coalesced.
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of bright light and high-density negative air ions for treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder

article i nfo This study, conducted over the course of 5 years, assessed the antidepressant efficacy of two active treatments, bright white light and high-density negative ions, and the efficacy of two placebo treatments, dim red light and low-density negative ions, for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). In a controlled laboratory setting, 73 women with SAD were exposed to one of the four treatment conditions over 12 consecutive days. Pretreatment expectationratingsdidnotsignificantlydifferamongthefourtreatmentgroups;however,expectationscoresand treatment benefits were positively related. Over the course of treatment, subjects in all four groups showed significant score decreases onthe StructuredInterview Guidefor theHamilton DepressionRating Scale-Seasonal Affective Disorder Version-SelfRating (SIGH-SAD-SR)and on theBeck Depression Inventory (BDI).For rawscale scores, neither main effects of treatment nor interactions between treatment and time were significant. When remission outcome criteria were used, bright white light was significantly more effective than any of the other three treatments, and exposure to high-density negative ions was more effective than either of the two placebo conditions, although the difference was not significant.
Accidental head injuries in children under 5 years of age

AIM To evaluate the type and nature of head injuries sustained by children under the age of 5 years who present to a busy accident and emergency (A&E) department following an accidental fall. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study included all children under the age of 5 years, who over an 8-month period were referred to our A&E Department with head injury following an accidental fall. Data were collected regarding the height of the fall, whether or not stairs were involved, the type of surface that the child landed on and the height of the child. This was correlated with any soft-tissue injury or skull fracture. RESULTS A total of 72 children (aged 4 months to 4.75 years) fulfilled all the criteria for an accidental fall. The heights of the falls ranged from less than 50 cm to over 3 m, with the majority below 1 m. Of the falls, 49 were onto a hard surface and 23 were onto a soft surface. Of the 72 children, 52 had visible evidence of head injury, 35 (71%) of 49 being the result of falls onto hard surfaces and 17 (74%) of 23 onto soft (carpeted) surfaces. There was no significant difference in the type of surface that resulted in a visible head injury. A visible head injury was seen in all children who fell from a height of over 1.5 m and in 95% of children who fell over 1 m. Of the 72 children, 32 (44%) had skull radiographs performed in accordance with established guidelines and 4 (12.5%) were identified as having a fracture. Of the 3 linear parietal fractures 2 were inflicted by falls of just over 1 m (from a work surface) and 1 by a fall of 80 to 90 cm onto the hard-edged surface of a stone fire surround. The 4th was a fracture of the base of skull following a fall from more than 3 m (from a first-storey window). CONCLUSIONS In the vast majority of domestic accidents children do not suffer significant harm. Skull fractures are rare and probably occur in less than 5% of cases. To cause a skull fracture the fall needs to be from over 1 m or, if from a lesser height, then a small-area impact point should be considered an integral component of the injury.
Accurate measurements of dynamics and reproducibility in small genetic networks

Quantification of gene expression has become a central tool for understanding genetic networks. In many systems, the only viable way to measure protein levels is by immunofluorescence, which is notorious for its limited accuracy. Using the early Drosophila embryo as an example, we show that careful identification and control of experimental error allows for highly accurate gene expression measurements. We generated antibodies in different host species, allowing for simultaneous staining of four Drosophila gap genes in individual embryos. Careful error analysis of hundreds of expression profiles reveals that less than ∼20% of the observed embryo-to-embryo fluctuations stem from experimental error. These measurements make it possible to extract not only very accurate mean gene expression profiles but also their naturally occurring fluctuations of biological origin and corresponding cross-correlations. We use this analysis to extract gap gene profile dynamics with ∼1 min accuracy. The combination of these new measurements and analysis techniques reveals a twofold increase in profile reproducibility owing to a collective network dynamics that relays positional accuracy from the maternal gradients to the pair-rule genes.
The health and cognitive growth of Latino toddlers: at risk or immigrant paradox?

Epidemiologists have shown how birth outcomes are generally robust for immigrant Latina mothers, despite often situated in poor households, advanced by their strong prenatal and nutritional practices. But little is known about (1) how these protective factors may differ among Latino subgroups, (2) the extent to which birth outcomes, ongoing maternal practices, and family supports advance Latino toddlers’ health and physical growth, and (3) whether the same processes advance toddlers’ early cognitive growth. We drew on a national probability sample of 8,114 infants born in 2001, including 1,450 of diverse Latino origins. Data come from birth records, maternal interviews when the child was 9 and 24 months of age, and direct assessments of health status, physical growth, and cognitive proficiencies. Descriptive analyses compared Mexican-heritage and other Latino mothers and toddlers relative to middle-class whites. Multivariate regression techniques identified predictors of child health, weight, and BMI, as well as cognitive proficiencies at 24 months. Infants of Mexican-heritage or less acculturated Latina mothers displayed robust birth outcomes, compared with other ethnic groups. The low incidence of premature births and low birthweight among these mothers continued to advance their cognitive growth through 24 months of age. Yet Latino children overall displayed smaller gains in cognitive proficiencies between 9 and 24 months, compared with middle-class populations, attributable to Latinas’ lower levels of maternal education, weaker preliteracy practices, and a higher ratio of children per resident adult. Health practitioners should recognize that many Latina mothers display healthy prenatal practices and give birth to robust infants. But these early protective factors do not necessarily advance early cognitive growth. Screening practices, early interventions, and federal policy should become more sensitive to these countervailing dynamics.