cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Fascists and the Jews of Italy: Mussolini's Race Laws, 1938–1943

From 1938 until 1943 - before the German occupation and accompanying Holocaust - Fascist Italy drafted and enforced a comprehensive set of anti-Semitic laws. Notwithstanding later rationalizations, the laws were administered with a high degree of severity and resulted in serious damage to the Italian Jewish community. Written from the perspective of an American legal scholar, this book constitutes the first truly comprehensive survey of the Race Laws in the English language. Based on an exhaustive review of Italian legal, administrative and judicial sources, together with archives of the Italian Jewish community, Professor Michael A. Livingston demonstrates the zeal but also the occasional ambivalence and contradictions with which the Race Laws were applied by the Italian legal order and ordinary citizens. Although frequently depressing, the history of the Race Laws contains numerous examples of personal courage and idealism, providing a useful and timely study of what happens when otherwise decent people are confronted with an evil and unjust legal order.
Thermal Infrared Imaging to Study Microstructural Damage and Failure in Aluminum Alloys

This paper describes the development of infra-red imaging methods to visualize and monitor damage evolution in metallic alloys. Imaging is performed in-situ during tensile and notched tensile experiments at the microstructural grain level. Specimen preparation and imaging techniques are described. The results are anticipated to guide and improve alloy-specific damage evolution constitutive models to enable improved deformation and failure predictions.
2,4-Diaminovaleric Acid: an Intermediate in the Anaerobic Oxidation of Ornithine by Clostridium sticklandii

The oxidation of ornithine in the presence of proline by crude extracts of Clostridium sticklandii cells was stimulated by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, coenzyme A, α-ketoglutarate, dimethylbenzimidazolyl cobamide (DBC) coenzyme, MgCl2, and adenosine diphosphate. Deletion of various cofactors resulted in the accumulation of a new dibasic amino acid which was identified as 2,4-diaminovaleric acid. Both the oxidation of ornithine to alanine and acetate and the conversion of ornithine to 2,4-diaminovaleric acid were stimulated by addition of DBC coenzyme, and both were inhibited by intrinsic factor, an inhibitor of cobamide coenzyme-dependent reactions. This inhibition was reversed by addition of DBC coenzyme. However, the oxidation of 2,4-diaminovaleric acid was insensitive to added intrinsic factor. The data indicate that 2,4-diaminovaleric acid represents the first intermediate in the oxidation of ornithine by C. sticklandii.
Isotopic exchange in solid cobalt locyphthalocyanine—II: Space-charge-limited electron injection

Abstract It has been shown that electrons are injected during the space-charge-limited-current injection in CoPc, using Al and Au electrodes. There is direct evidence of injected electrons inducing exchange in 57Co2+ doped Copc. A fraction of the injected charge is trapped during injection. It is depopulated during subsequent thermal treatment, and is available for inducing exchange. The donor density in CoPc can thus be manipulated. When CoPc is treated with oxygen, holes are injected into the material, which can be sensed by doping the material with the probe 57Co2+. The holes induce considerable exchange. If electrons are injected in oxygen-treated CoPc, electron-hole recombination occurs and the concentration of holes is considerably reduced as probed by doping it with 57CoCl2. However, if the size of the particles (from which the pellet is compacted) is very small (∼ 12μ), the sorbed O2 apparently succeeds in populating practically all the recombination centers with holes. Subsequent electron injection in this material does not lead to electron-hole recombination. The recombination centers with trapped holes presumably cease to act as recombination centers. Consequently, one can inject large concentrations of electrons over a prolonged period, without bringing about any diminution in the population of holes.
X-29A forward-swept-wing flight research program status

The X-29A aircraft is a fascinating combination of integrated technologies incorporated into a unique research aircraft. The X-29A program is a multiple agency program with management and other responsibilities divided among NASA, DARPA, the U.S. Air Force, and the Grumman Corporation. An overview of the recently completed X-29A flight research program, objectives achieved, and a discussion of its future is presented. Also discussed are the flight test approach expanding the envelope, typical flight maneuvers performed, X-29A program accomplishments, lessons learned for the Number One aircraft, and future plans with the Number Two aircraft. A schedule for both aircraft is presented. A description of the unique technologies incorporated into the X-29A aircraft is given, along with descriptions of the onboard instrumentation system. The X-29A aircraft research program has proven highly successful. Using high fly rates from a very reliable experimental aircraft, the program has consistently met or exceeded its design and research goals.
Using Design Patterns and XML to Construct an Extensible Finite Element System

We present an object-oriented finite element software package which employs XML and design patterns in order to solve a problem which is fundamental to the simulation of viscoelastic flows. The XML format increases flexibility in data handling, while design patterns provide a high-level organizational structure. The application problem and the finite element methodology are described, along with the opportunities presented for incorporation of the software tools. Numerical experiments comparing results with and without XML and design patterns are also presented.
Current status of cimetidine in upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Published studies of cimetidine in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding include an unblinded, controlled trial suggesting that cimetidine prevents upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with fulminant hepatic failure’ and an uncontrolled series suggesting benefit in patients bleeding from stress gastritis.” We reviewed the records (supplied by Smith Kline & French Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa.) of 340 consecutive patients treated for upper gastrointestinal bleeding with cimetidine. Only 100 (29%) of the records reviewed met our previously determined analysis criteria. Of these 100 patients, more than 80% had a severe underlying illness. Forty-eight were judged successes, and 52 were judged failures. Success did not correlate with survival. In a double blind, randomized, controlled trial of cimetidine, we have treated 51 patients in nine diagnostic categories with severe upper gastrointestinal bleed-
Ethics Committees in Social Work

THERE IS CONSIDERABLE evi dence that interest in the subject of professional ethics is on the rise in social work. Course content in social work train ing programs, workshops, and literature on the subject have increased substantially since the mid-1970s.1 In part, this is due to increased awareness among social workers that decisions in practice dften contain eth ical issues that clinical and technical tools alone cannot resolve. Complex decisions about, for example, limitations on clients' right to confidentiality or self-determina tion, allocation of limited social service resources, and whistle-blowing have led social workers to seek guidelines to help them resolve hard ethical dilemmas. In addition, publicity about scandals, mal practice, and professionals' misbehavior has heightened social workers' interest in ethical issues. Recently, publications such as the NASW News have begun to publi cize cases in which members have been sanctioned for unethical practices, and there has been a steady increase in the number of complaints filed with NASW committees on inquiry.2 Despite the fact that ethical issues in the profession have drawn considerable atten tion in recent years, few mechanisms exist to assist social workers who would like consultation on ethical matters. Although the profession's Code of Ethics is an impor tant symbolic document, it was not de signed to provide precise, unequivocal guidelines to practitioners who face diffi cult ethical choices.3 This is not a fault of
An unusual transposon encoding heat shock inducible and developmentally regulated transcripts in Dictyostelium

Abstract We have isolated and characterized a transposable element from Dictyostelium discoideum denoted Tdd-1. There are ∼50 complete copies of the element per haploid genome and ∼100–150 partial elements. Southern blots of DNA from different Dictyostelium discoideum strains show that Tdd-1 is a mobile element. Tdd-1 is 4.9 kb long, with 313 bp inverted repeats. These repeats lie near the termini, but unlike other transposable elements one end of Tdd-1 extends 36 bp past the repeat and the other extends 1 bp. Tdd-1 encodes a series of developmentally regulated transcripts, all with the same polarity, that increase dramatically in abundance after ∼10 hr of development. We have also identified a heat shock inducible transcript of the opposite polarity.
The visual cells of the skate retina: Structure, histochemistry, and disc‐shedding properties

Earlier studies have shown that visual function in skate is subserved solely by the rod mechanism and that the retina of this elasmobranch contains only rod photoreceptors. Nevertheless, the skate retina is capable of responding to levels of illumination that extend well into the photopic range, and we have detected in histological sections (usually from younger animals) small, proximally displaced, conelike photoreceptors which possibly represent another class of visual cell. However, ultrastructural and histochem-ical studies showed that the membranous discs of the outer segments of these cells were isolated from the plasma membrane, and that their synaptic terminals appeared immature and unlike those usually associated with cone receptors. In addition, the pattern of incorporation of 3H-fucose, as revealed by radioautography, was similar for both the rods and the smaller visual cells; i.e., the label was concentrated along the basal discs of the outer segment. When we examined the disc-shedding behavior of the visual cells in skates entrained for 2 weeks or longer to a 12-hour light: 12-hour dark cycle, enhanced phagocytic activity was seen only following light onset; there was no significant increase following light offset. On the available evidence, it seems reasonable to conclude that the small visual cells are rods that have recently differentiated, and are growing and being incorporated into the photoreceptor layer of the retina.
Low-power nitrogen and carbon dioxide inductively coupled plasmas for spectrochemical analysis

In recent years the application of the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) has been extended to plasma source mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), as well as to gas, high-performance liquid, and supercritical fluid chromatography (GC, HPLC, and SFC). Argon typically is the discharge gas, although some developments with helium have been undertaken. Common molecular gases including air and nitrogen also can be used as the discharge gas. For example, a nitrogen ICP would be useful for ICP-MS.
Vengeance is mine: Narcissism, vengeance, and the tendency to forgive

Abstract Recent theory and research have suggested that the disposition to forgive and the tendency to seek vengeance are related but distinguishable characteristics. Although highly forgiving individuals cannot be simultaneously high in vengeance, those who are low in forgiveness could be either vengeful or not. The present study tested the hypothesis that what distinguishes unforgiving people who are highly vengeful from unforgiving people who are not highly vengeful is that the latter group is lower in narcissism. Measures of dispositional forgiveness, narcissism, global self-esteem, and vengeance were administered to 248 undergraduates. As expected, people low in dispositional forgiveness were more vengeful than were people high in dispositional forgiveness, but particularly so among those high in narcissism; among those low in narcissism, forgiveness was less strongly related to vengeance. Thus, the most vengeful people were those who were both low in forgiveness and high in narcissism, independent of gender differences and healthy self-esteem.
Sensitivity of salmonid freshwater life history in western US streams to future climate conditions

We projected effects of mid-21st century climate on the early life growth of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss) in western United States streams. Air temperature and snowpack trends projected from observed 20th century trends were used to predict future seasonal stream temperatures. Fish growth from winter to summer was projected with temperature-dependent models of egg development and juvenile growth. Based on temperature data from 115 sites, by mid-21st century, the effects of climate change are projected to be mixed. Fish in warm-region streams that are currently cooled by snow melt will grow less, and fish in suboptimally cool streams will grow more. Relative to 20th century conditions, by mid-21st century juvenile salmonids' weights are expected to be lower in the Columbia Basin and California Central Valley, but unchanged or greater in coastal and mountain streams. Because fish weight affects fish survival, the predicted changes in weight could impact population fitness depending on other factors such as density effects, food quality and quantity changes, habitat alterations, etc. The level of year-to-year variability in stream temperatures is high and our analysis suggests that identifying effects of climate change over the natural variability will be difficult except in a few streams.
Bioinspired Scaffolds with Varying Pore Architectures and Mechanical Properties

Scaffolds with potential biological applications having a variety of microstructural and mechanical properties can be fabricated by freezing colloidal solutions into porous solids. In this work, the structural and mechanical properties of TiO2 freeze cast with different soluble additives, including polyethylene glycol, NaOH or HCl, and isopropanol alcohol, are characterized to determine the effects of slurry viscosity, pH, and alcohol concentration on the freezing process. TiO2 powders mixed with water and these different additives are directionally frozen in a mold, then sublimated and sintered to create the porous scaffolds. The different scaffolds are characterized to compare the compressive strength, modulus, porosity, and pore morphology. For all scaffolds, the overall porosity remains constant (80–85%). By changing the concentration of each additive, the lamellar thickness, pore area, and aspect ratio vary significantly, showing inverse relationships to both the compressive strength and modulus. The strength is predicted from the pore aspect ratio of the scaffolds when subjected to compressive loading with the primary failure mode identified as Euler buckling. TiO2 scaffolds freeze cast with different soluble additives are suitable for biomedical applications, such as bone replacements, requiring high porosity and specific pore morphologies.
Belief, awareness, and limited reasoning

Several new logics for belief and knowledge are introduced and studied, all of which have the property that agents are not logically omniscient. In particular, in these logics, the set of beliefs of an agent does not necessarily contain all valid formulas. Thus, these logics are more suitable than traditional logics for modelling beliefs of humans (or machines) with limited reasoning capabilities. Our first logic is essentially an extension of Levesque's logic of implicit and explicit belief, where we extend to allow multiple agents and higher-level belief (i.e., beliefs about beliefs). Our second logic deals explicitly with "awareness," where, roughly speaking, it is necessary to be aware of a concept before one can have beliefs about it. Our third logic gives a model of "local reasoning," where an agent is viewed as a "society of minds," each with its own cluster of beliefs, which may contradict each other.
The “Fighting Sioux” Conflict: Lessons on Social Justice for Higher Education

Conflict over the University of North Dakota's (UND) “Fighting Sioux” logo and nickname has been protracted and bitter, lasting over 40 years. This article presents four explanations for UND's status as one of the last universities to maintain a Native American nickname and logo: the dynamics of racism, the power of booster culture, North Dakota cultural features, and the influence of a wealthy donor. The article contributes to an understanding of how American Indian sports monikers and images represent the intractable nature of institutionalized white privilege and reflect the consequent failure of educational systems to promote social justice.
Selective hydrogenation catalyzed by polymeric palladium and platinum complexes

An organic polymer containing a diphenylbenzyl-phosphine functional group, combined with PtCl2 or PdCl2, gives a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst which is analogous to the homogeneous catalysts PtCl2(Po3)2 and PdCl2(Po3)2. In the hydrogenation of soybean methyl ester, this catalyst is highly selective, the products being monoene and diene, with almost no increase in the content of saturated ester.
The measurement of ionization constants of electronically excited species from aminonaphthols

Abstract The absorption and fluorescence spectra of seven aminonaphthols have been studied as a function of pH. Although some of the isomers decomposed in neutral or basic media, the stable isomers had three pH-dependent ground-state species: naphtholammonium ion, neutral aminonaphthol, and aminonaphtholate anion. In the excited state, an additional fourth species was found; it has been assigned a zwitterion structure. The ground-state and excited-state ionization constants have been measured.
Signals of supersymmetric lepton flavor violation at the CERN LHC

In a generic supersymmetric extension of the standard model, there will be lepton flavor violation at a neutral gaugino vertex due to misalignment between the lepton Yukawa couplings and the slepton soft masses. Sleptons produced at the CERN LHC through the cascade decays of squarks and gluinos can give a sizable number of events with 4 leptons. This channel could give a clean signature of supersymmetric lepton flavor violation under conditions which are identified. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
A Boundary Condition Capturing Method for Poisson's Equation on Irregular Domains

Interfaces have a variety of boundary conditions (or jump conditions) that need to be enforced. The Ghost Fluid Method (GFM) was developed to capture the boundary conditions at a contact discontinuity in the inviscid Euler equations and has been extended to treat more general discontinuities such as shocks, detonations, and deflagrations and compressible viscous flows. In this paper, a similar boundary condition capturing approach is used to develop a new numerical method for the variable coefficient Poisson equation in the presence of interfaces where both the variable coefficients and the solution itself may be discontinuous. This new method is robust and easy to implement even in three spatial dimensions. Furthermore, the coefficient matrix of the associated linear system is the standard symmetric matrix for the variable coefficient Poisson equation in the absence of interfaces allowing for straightforward application of standard “black box” solvers.
Site of catabolism of serum albumin.

THE relative importance of the liver, kidneys and intestines for the catabolism of serum albumin has been examined in Swiss albino mice, 5–6 weeks of age. Mouse serum albumin and human serum albumin were labelled with iodine-131 as described elsewhere1 and given to the mice intravenously, about 0.5 µc or 5–15 µgm. iodoalbumin per mouse. The biological half-lives of the radioiodinated albumins were determined by one or more of three methods: (1) the living whole mouse was counted at intervals in a crystal scintillator; (2) pooled serum was obtained by exsanguination of two or three mice at a time from a given group and the protein-bound radioactivity of the serum determined; (3) protein-bound radioactivity in the individual whole mouse of a given group was estimated after homogenization of the animal in 10 per cent trichloracetic acid. All animals were given sodium iodide in their drinking water throughout the period of an experiment. Surgical operations were performed under ether anaesthesia. In these experiments, iodinated human albumin behaved in vivo as did iodinated mouse albumin; detectable antibodies to human serum albumin were not formed during the periods of study chosen.
Water models and water politics: design, deliberation, and virtual accountability

Computer simulation models have emerged in recent decades as increasingly prominent technologies within the toolkit of modern democratic governance. Despite and/or because of this centrality, however, formerly 'technical' domains of modeling have been opened up to new forms of public debate, scrutiny and critique, with uncertain policy consequences. This paper traces such dynamics through one field of contemporary relevance: the joint evolution of simulation models and water management in California. Rather than decrying the politicization or debasement of expertise, I argue that broadening the deliberative basis of model design and use is likely to improve both the technical and political functioning of models. The paper concludes by sketching a model of 'virtual accountability' meant to inform the actions of future model builders, users, and stakeholders in contested realms of public policy.
Microprobe analysis and fine structure of mitochondrial granules in ultrathin frozen sections of rat pancreas.

Summary High resolution electron microscopy and microprobe analysis studies on untreated frozen sections of normal pancreas reveal a distinct appearance of mitochondrial granules. These granules have been shown to contain a significant amount of calcium and potassium. Based upon these findings, it is proposed that normal mitochondrial granules represent special sites for cation storage and release since these structures are quite labile in contrast to the abnormal accumulation of divalent cations in loading experiments.
Bhutan's Military Action against Indian Insurgents

This article describes the December 2003 Bhutanese military action against northeast Indian insurgent groups that had set up camps in Bhutan. It analyzes the reasons why Bhutan was forced to deal with this problem and places its actions in the context of domestic politics and foreign relations.
Using model ionization efficiency curves to evaluate the methods for determining appearance potentials

Six methods of estimating appearance potentials from ionization efficiency curves of ions arising from single, competitive, consecutive and isolated ionic reactions are evaluated, using computed electron-impact ionization efficiency curves as ‘experimental’ data. Of the linear extrapolation, semi-log, second derivative, energy compensation, Warren and critical slope methods, a modified critical slope method gives the most accurate appearance potentials for fragment ions. Experimental data are presented to support this conclusion.
Cost-Effectiveness of Long-Term Outpatient Buprenorphine-Naloxone Treatment for Opioid Dependence in Primary Care

BACKGROUND Primary care physicians with appropriate training may prescribe buprenorphine-naloxone (bup/nx) to treat opioid dependence in US office-based settings, where many patients prefer to be treated. Bup/nx is off patent but not available as a generic.
Indicators of homosexuality in the human figure drawings of heroin- and pill-using addicts.

Human figure drawings of addicts using heroin (n = 27) or addicts using pills (n = 25) were examined in terms of which sex drawn first and which sex drawn larger. Out-patient addicts differed significantly from incarcerated addicts for sex drawn first but not from normals. The female figure was drawn larger than the male figure only by addicts using pills.
Inferring Transactions from Financial Statements

In this paper, we embed the double entry accounting structure in a simple belief revision (estimation) problem. We ask the following question: Presented with a set of financial statements (and priors), what is the reader’s “best guess” of the underlying transactions that generated these statements? Two properties of accounting information facilitate a particularly simple closed form solution to this estimation problem. First, accounting information is the outcome of a linear aggregation process. Second, the aggregation rule is double entry.
The Optimal Number of Pleural Biopsy Specimens for a Diagnosis of Tuberculous Pleurisy

Study objectives To determine the optimal number of pleural biopsy (PLBX) specimens for a diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. Design Retrospective review. Setting County hospital. Methods We reviewed all percutaneous needle biopsy specimens of the parietal pleura in 30 patients who had tuberculous pleurisy. Data are reported as mean±SEM and statistical comparisons are done with the Mann-Whitney test. We accepted p Results The number of biopsy specimens obtained from each patient ranged from 4 to 10 with 1 sample submitted for mycobacterial culture and the rest submitted for histologic study. Sixty percent of patients had pleural cultures positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 80% had diagnostic histology. Overall pleural biopsy sensitivity (histology and culture) for tuberculous pleurisy was 87%. On average, 40.4% ±4.7% of all PLBX specimens contained pleura. Diagnostic PLBX procedures compared to false-negative procedures produced more tissue specimens (7.1 ±0.3 vs 4.8 ±0.5, p=0.005) containing more pleural specimens (2.4±0.2 vs 0.8 ±0.5, p=0.01). If only PLBX procedures yielding more than six tissue specimens (n=18) or more than two pleural specimens (n=12) were analyzed, then the diagnostic sensitivity of PLBX for pleural tuberculosis was 100%. There seemed to be a direct relationship between the sensitivity of PLBX and the number of specimens submitted. Conclusions The sensitivity of percutaneous needle biopsy for diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy is highest when more than six specimens are obtained which, on average, contain more than two specimens of parietal pleura. There are no conclusive data indicating how many tissue specimens to submit for mycobacterial culture, but one specimen seems sufficient.
Analytic solutions of the optical bistability equations for a standing wave cavity

Abstract The problem of optical bistability in a standing wave cavity in the steady state leads to a pair of coupled, nonlinear, ordinary differential equations for the forward and backward waves. Only numerical solutions have so far been presented for these equations. We give their exact analytic solutions and find good agreement with the numerical results. The exact solutions are shown to reduce to the mean field equation for the input and output fields in the double limits T → 0 and α L → 0 for the mirror transmission and the linear absorption absorption, respectively.
Lithium/air cell: Preliminary mathematical formulation and analysis

Fundamentals of classical thermodynamics and chemical species mole balances have been applied to formulate the mathematical equations to compute lithium/air cell reversible reaction voltages, heat transfer rate between the cell and its surroundings, theoretical discharge capacity, and thermal efficiency. The developed formulation also provides a set of mathematical equations to compute the total cathode volume for a desired maximum discharge capacity of a lithium/air cell or battery.
Utilization of autochthonous macroinvertebrate drift by a pool fish community in a woodland stream

Qualitative and quantitative drift data were collected simultaneously above and below a pool both before and after the pool was heavily electrofished. These data revealed no significant difference between drift organism densities (#/m3) above or below the pool before or after fish collection. Qualitative and quantitative fish gut analyses suggest that the sunfishes Lepomis megalotis, L. macrochirus and L. cyanellus may be feeding on drifting invertebrates as these organisms comprised 58%, 37% and 35% gut volume, respectively. A design for a long-term drift net apparatus is presented.
The future of left ventricular assist device therapy in adults.

Major advances have been seen both in the development and design of left ventricular assist devices. As a result, the indications for use have increased substantially. In this month's Viewpoint, Jonathan Chen, Yoshifumi Naka and Eric Rose explore the clinical promise and the current technical barriers of widespread application of left ventricular assist devices as destination therapy.
Six month postoperative hemodynamics of the Hancock heterograft and the Björk-Shiley prosthesis: Results of a Veterans Administration Cooperative prospective randomized trial

Abstract In a Veterans Administration Cooperative Study involving 13 medical centers, 575 patients undergoing single valve replacement were prospectively randomized to receive either the standard Bjork-Shiley prosthesis or the Hancock porcine heterograft (with a modified orifice for sizes 23 and smaller). The hemodynamic data in the 268 patients who underwent cardiac catheterization an average of 6 months (range 3 to 12) postoperatively are reported. Statistical analyses were performed on valve sizes 23, 25 and 27 in the aortic position, and 29, 31 and 33 in the mitral position. A wide variation was observed in mean pressure gradient and calculated orifice area in both valve types within all sizes in both the aortic and the mitral positions. In the aortic position, the Bjork-Shiley prosthesis tended to have a lower pressure gradient and larger calculated orifice area than the Hancock heterograft, but the differences in gradient between the two valve types were significant only in the larger-sized valves. The difference in calculated area between the two valve types was not significant within each valve size. In the mitral position, there were no differences in gradient and calculated orifice area between the two types of prostheses. The postoperative cardiac index, regurgitant volume, pulmonary artery systolic and mean pressures, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular end-diastolic volume index did not differ in patients receiving the Bjork-Shiley prosthesis from values in patients receiving the Hancock heterograft. Hence, the overall hemodynamic performance of both types of valves is remarkably similar. The choice between these two prostheses should, therefore, be governed not by the hemodynamic performance, but by other factors such as valve durability, risk of anticoagulation and incidence of valve-related complications.
Microwave Properties of Fresh Mammalian Brain Tissues at Body Temperature

The complex dielectric constant of human, primate, canine, ovine, and swine brain tissues at 37°C was measured in S band using a slotted waveguide section. The in vitro measurements indicate that mammalian brains exhibit very little dispersion within the frequency range of 2.25 to 3.95 GHz. The dielectric constant was found between 30 and 35 and the conductivity varied from 1.1 to 3.1 mho/m.
Insiders Can Disclose and Trade – Or Can They?

The article addresses the rather ambiguous doctrine of “disclose or abstain” with respect to insider trading. A brief review of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and court cases and judicial opinions suggests that the only real option available for someone possessing insider information is to abstain from trading on that information. The alternative of disclosing this information and trading does not appear to be a viable alternative. The authors offer a specific recommendation for new regulatory guidelines for disclosure which could, indeed, make this a realistic alternative.
Assessment of carotenoids, capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid composition of some selected pepper cultivars (Capsicum annuum L.) grown in Turkey

Abstract Carotenoid, capsaicinoid and ascorbic acid composition of ripe fruits of five Capsicum annuum cultivars (730 F1, 1245 F1, Amazon F1, Serademre 8 and Kusak 295F1), grown as principle breeding material in Turkey, were quantitatively investigated by means of HPLC technique. Seven main carotenoids, five analogues of capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid were quantified in the fruits grown for 2 year replication. From the capsaicinoids and carotenoids data, Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) and retinol activity equivalent (RAE) values of the fruits were also calculated, respectively. The findings determined that the cultivars of 730 F1 and 1245 F1 had higher carotenoids (2310–2390 mg/kg in dry basis), capsaicinoids (471.3–688.1 mg/kg in dry basis), vitamin A (218.8–243.0 μg RAE/100 g in wet basis) and vitamin C (63.1–64.9 mg/100 g in wet basis) content, without any significant difference among each of them. Furthermore, the cultivars which had higher capsaicinoids contents had higher ascorbic acids content as well. With their high nutritional and functional components, the cultivar of 730 F1 and 1245 F1 can be considered to be selected breeding material for cultivar development.
Chemical Short-Range-Ordering Effect on Structural Relaxation in Metallic Glasses

A model is proposed to address chemical effects on structural relaxation in metallic glasses. The atomic short range ordering (SRO) is described under the quasi-chemical approximation (QCA). Local chemical deviations from the ideal SRO are considered as an excess enthalpy. The simplified analysis of a disordered region’s evolution is based on the notion of the collective bond exchange between neighboring atoms. The approach suggests a bimolecular mechanism with possibly large apparent activation energy for structural relaxation near the glass transitions.
907-103 Evidence for a Role of Angiotensin II on Neutrophil-Mediated Injury in Postischemic Hearts

Recent evidence indicates that Angiotensin II (A-II) can be formed in ischemic hearts. Locally released A-II might exert deleterious effects in the setting of acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, including activation and adhesion of neutrophils (PMNs), with release of proinflammatory substances which may aggravate injury. To directly study the role of A-II in myocardial postischemic injury, we used the A-II receptor antagonist Losartan in an isolated rat heart model perfused with PMNs and plasma. Control hearts were subjected to 20 min of total global ischemia. PMNs (3×107 and 5% rat plasma) were infused over the initial 5 min of reflow, followed by 40 min of reperfusion with standard buffer. Treated hearts received Losartan (1 μM) for 2 min prior to ischemia, and for the initial 15 min of reflow. Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), rate-pressure product (RPP), coronary flow (CF) (% of baseline), and left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP; mmHg) at the end of reperfusion are shown. Group LVDP RPP LVEDP CF control (n = 8) 36 ± 5 32 ± 6 97 ± 4 50 ± 4 Losartan (n = 8) 55 ± 3 * 58 ± 5 * 27 ± 7 * 77 ± 3 * * p l 0.05 vs controls Losartan treatment resulted in enhanced recovery of contractile function, and it also significantly decreased cardiac PMN retention (55 ± 7% in control hearts vs 11 ± 4% in Losartan-treated hearts; p g 0.05). These results demonstrate that blocking A-II receptors can effectively reduce cardiac injury in a model characterized by marked neutrophil-mediated damage, thus indicating that A-II may play an important role in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.
A Low-Precipitation Cumulonimbus along the Dryline in Colorado

Abstract An unusual low-precipitation cumulonimbus that developed in northeastern Colorado is photographically documented in some detail. The storm produced at least 12 funnels, mostly at midlevels on the north side of the main updraft. The base of the cloud consisted of a lenticular “bell” that rotated cyclonically, while a couplet of counterrotating storm-scale eddies prevailed aloft. The funnels originated in a region of enhanced shear between easterly low-level flow on the north side of the bell and westerly flow aloft on the north side of a midlevel anticyclonic eddy.
Role of Copper Efflux in Pneumococcal Pathogenesis and Resistance to Macrophage-Mediated Immune Clearance

In bacteria, the intracellular levels of metals are mediated by tightly controlled acquisition and efflux systems. This is particularly true of copper, a trace element that is universally toxic in excess. During infection, the toxic properties of copper are exploited by the mammalian host to facilitate bacterial clearance. To better understand the role of copper during infection, we characterized the contribution of the cop operon to copper homeostasis and virulence in Streptococcus pneumoniae. Deletion of either the exporter, encoded by copA, or the chaperone, encoded by cupA, led to hypersensitivity to copper stress. We further demonstrated that loss of the copper exporter encoded by copA led to decreased virulence in pulmonary, intraperitoneal, and intravenous models of infection. Deletion of copA resulted in enhanced macrophage-mediated bacterial clearance in vitro. The attenuation phenotype of the copA mutant in the lung was found to be dependent on pulmonary macrophages, underscoring the importance of copper efflux in evading immune defenses. Overall, these data provide insight into the role of the cop operon in pneumococcal pathogenesis.
The Case for Offload Shaping

When offloading computation from a mobile device, we show that it can pay to perform additional on-device work in order to reduce the offloading workload. We call this offload shaping, and demonstrate its application at many different levels of abstraction using a variety of techniques. We show that offload shaping can produce significant reduction in resource demand, with little loss of application-level fidelity.
Blind Calibration Algorithm for Nonlinearity Correction Based on Selective Sampling

This paper proposes a blind calibration algorithm for suppressing nonlinearity in analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The proposed algorithm does not need any external calibration signal and is first of its kind. The proposed algorithm relies on the properties of downsampling and orthogonality of sinusoidal signals to estimate the nonlinearity coefficients present in the system and can be operated to remove even and odd order nonlinearities simultaneously. The working of the algorithm is demonstrated on a first-order ring oscillator based ΔΣ ADC, whose performance is limited due to the nonlinearity present in its system. Built in 0.13 μm CMOS, the algorithm improves the SNDR of the ADC by 39 dB, while improving SFDR by 45 dB.
Effects of Interest Arousal on Compliance With a Request for Help

Isen (1984) and Berkowitz (1987) noted the strong link between positive moods and positive thinking. Isen proposed that the well-established relation between positive moods and increased helping or compliance is attributable to the mediating effects of positive thinking. In the current study, the effect of interest—a type of positive thinking—on compliance was examined. Because of the strong link between positive moods and positive thinking, it was expected that inducing interest would increase compliance. College students sitting alone in a university library were approached and asked to complete an interesting task, an uninteresting task, or were not asked to do an initial task. All students were then asked to answer questions from a sociology survey. Students in the interesting task condition were willing to answer more questions than students in the other two conditions, in which compliance rates were equal. A second experiment was conducted to determine whether the task used in Experiment 1 increased...
Comparison of dehydrated plants in their ability to prevent scale in a sea-water evaporator

Addition of dehydrated alfalfa can eliminate the formation of scale in a sea-water evaporator. This article compares the scale-preventing ability of each of four dehydrated plant species, to the previously proven ability of dehydrated alfalfa.
Prospective Study of the Association Between Dispositional Optimism and Incident Heart Failure

Background—Although higher optimism has been linked with an array of positive health behaviors, biological processes, and cardiovascular outcomes, the relationship between optimism and heart failure has not been examined. In the United States, 80% of heart failures occur in adults aged 65+ years. Therefore, we examined whether higher optimism was linked with a reduced incidence of heart failure among older adults. Methods and Results—Prospective data were from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative study of older US adults. Our sample included 6808 participants who were followed for 4 years. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess whether optimism was independently associated with incident heart failure. We adjusted for sociodemographic, behavioral, biological, and psychological covariates. Higher optimism was associated with a lower risk of incident heart failure during the follow-up period. In a model that adjusted for sociodemographic factors, each SD increase in o...
Cannabis extract, but not Δ1-tetrahydrocannabinol, inhibits human brain and liver monoamine oxidase

Abstract 1. 1. Mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO) of human brain and liver was inhibited by low concentrations of cannabis extract (CE) and a cannabinoid fraction isolated from it. 2. 2. Δ1-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) did not elicit any inhibitory effect on the enzyme. 3. 3. The inhibition of MAO activity by CE and by its active fraction was more pronounced when the monoamine substrates 2-phenylethylamine (PEA) and benzylamine (BA) were used, as compared to the inhibition of the enzyme activity when 5-hydroxytryptamine was the substrate. 4. 4. The active cannabinoid fraction was found to be more potent than CE in inhibiting the activity of MAO with either substrate. 5. 5. The isolated fraction contains at least two cannabinoids with Rf values of 0.67 and 0.71 on silica gel thin layer chromatography (TLC), as determined with toluene/chloroform/methanol (100:10:1, by volume) as the solvent system. 6. 6. The findings of this study emphasize the need for further exploration of the potential of cannabis as a source for therapeutic agents.
A combined microsurgical skull-base and endovascular approach to giant and large paraclinoid aneurysms

Abstract BACKGROUND The treatment of giant and large paraclinoid aneurysms remains challenging. To improve exposure, facilitate the dissection of aneurysms, assure vascular control, reduce brain retraction and temporary occlusion time, enable simultaneous treatment of associated lesions, and achieve more successful treatment of “difficult” (atherosclerotic and calcified) aneurysms, we combined the skull-base approach with endovascular balloon occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and suction decompression of the aneurysm. METHODS Sixteen female patients were treated, eight with giant aneurysms and eight with large aneurysms. Eight aneurysms occurred on the right side and eight on the left. Eight patients had an additional aneurysm; five were clipped during the same procedure. Three patients had infundibular arterial dilation. One patient had an associated hemangioma of the ipsilateral cavernous sinus. The cranio-orbital-zygomatic approach was used for all patients. The anterior clinoid was drilled, and the optic nerve was decompressed, dissected, and mobilized. Transfemoral temporary balloon occlusion of the ICA in the neck was followed by placement of a temporary clip proximal to the posterior communicating artery. Suction decompression was then applied. All aneurysms were then successfully clipped, except one that had a calcified neck and wall that could not be collapsed. Intraoperative angiography performed in 13 of 15 patients with clipped aneurysms confirmed obliteration of the aneurysm and patency of the blood vessels. RESULTS Postoperative results were good in 14 patients. One patient had right-sided hemiplegia and expressive aphasia, which improved after rehabilitation. One patient with an additional basilar tip aneurysm clipped simultaneously died on the fifth postoperative day because of intraventricular hemorrhage. The origin of bleeding could not be determined on autopsy. Surgical difficulties and morbidity stemmed mainly from a severely calcified or atherosclerotic aneurysmal neck. CONCLUSION The combination of skull-base approaches and endovascular balloon occlusion coupled with suction decompression is a successful option for the treatment of these challenging aneurysms.
Long saphenous tunnel infiltration with levobupivicaine reduces rescue analgesia requirements following varicose vein surgery: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial [ISRCTN58431114].

Objectives: To determine whether local anaesthetic infiltration of the long saphenous tunnel in patients undergoing unilateral, primary long saphenous stripping and multiple avulsions reduces early postoperative pain and requirement for opiate analgesia.Methods: Patients were randomized to receive either levobupivicaine or an equivalent volume of normal saline infiltrated around the groin incision and along the long saphenous tunnel. Analgesia and linear analogue pain scores at 1, 6 and 24 h postoperatively were recorded.Results: Fourteen patients received local anaesthetic and 13 patients received saline placebo. The anaesthetic group experienced a 22% reduction in pain scores 1 h postoperatively and a 48% reduction at 6 h although this failed to achieve statistical significance. However, the anaesthetic group were less likely to require morphine in recovery (2/14 [14%] versus 8/13 [62%]; P = 0.01). The high morphine requirements in the control group may have reduced the amount of pain those patients rec...