cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monitoring of laminate cure with microdielectrometry

Abstract : We report the use of microdielectrometry for monitoring the cure of the matrix resins in epoxy-glass and epoxy-graphite composites. The multi-ply laminates are cured in a press using ramped temperatures. The microdielectrometer sensor is embedded in a cavity made by cutting a hole in each of the inner plies. For a brominated-epoxy glass-reinforced prepreg ramped to final cure temperatures as high as 200 C and at pressure up to 60 psi, a reproducible pattern of cure events is observed beginning with the flow of resin onto the sensor electrodes and ending with the characteristic stabilizing of the loss factor late in cure. The apparent dielectric properties (permittivity and loss factor) show good reproductibility for identically prepared samples, but their characteristics differ from those observed in neat resin. For an MY-720 based graphite prepreg, at cure temperatures below 160 C and at pressures up to 60 psi, features in the cure data are similar to what is seen in epoxy glass. However, at pressures of 60 psi and higher cure temperatures, there is evidence that the graphite fiber can touch the sensor surface and short the electrodes, a problem that will require a revised sensor package design. Keywords include: Fiber-reinforced composite and Cure monitoring.
Identification of Paints by Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography

A simple method for the identification of paints by pyrolysis-gas chromatography, utilizing a 6 1 2 ft. glass column which was packed with 9.1% di-isodecylphthalate on 70–80 mesh, DMCS treated Chromosorb G, is described here. Thirty-four surface coatings, three plastics and four drying oils thus pyrolyzed could be distinguished, except with two lacquers, where the only difference in their chemical composition was in the metallic components of their pigments. All other paints, including those which utilized the same vehicles but were of different colors could be differentiated, and the resulting pyrolysis patterns so obtained were used to predict the chemical nature of the samples.
Super-Helix Formation Induced by Cyanine J-Aggregates onto Random-Coil Carboxymethyl Amylose as Template

The J-aggregation of Cyanine-1dye in the presence of carboxymethyl amylose (CMA) is described. The J-aggregation requires a large excess CMA concentration; the J-band maximum appears in the concentration range, [CMA]/[dye] = 10−50, depending on the degree of substitution (DS) of carboxylation, where [CMA] is the concentration of polymer repeat units. An extraordinarily large induced circular dichroism (CD) is observed from J-aggregates of the achiral cyanine dye in association with a random coil CMA, suggesting that the CMA is transformed into a helix. The magnitude of CD intensity increases with increasing DS of CMA and pH up to neutral (where a maximum J-aggregation occurs), while the CMA-bound dye monomer and H-aggregates (occurring at pH ≥ 9) exhibit no induced CD. The trend in the CD intensity (of the J-aggregates) is in parallel with the fluorescence intensity of the J-aggregates. This suggests that binding of the J-aggregates onto the template CMA is sterically controlled by the asymmetric environm...
The differential binding of antibody from the sera of patients with pemphigus and pemphigoid to isolated guinea‐pig epidermal cells

SUMMARY A method for preparing isolated epidermal cells using trypsin is described. The isolated cells retain the ability to bind antibody from patients with pemphigus or with pemphigoid in a disease-specific manner.
Relationship between Human T Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) Type 1/2 Viral Burden and Clinical and Treatment Parameters among Patients with HIV Type 1 and HTLV-1/2 Coinfection

Author(s): Beilke, Mark A; Traina-Dorge, Vicki L; Sirois, Maria; Bhuiyan, Azad; Murphy, Edward L; Walls, Jane M; Fagan, Ryan; Winsor, Elsa L; Kissinger, Patricia J | Abstract: BACKGROUND: Human T lymphotropic virus types 1 (HTLV-1) and 2 (HTLV-2) are frequent copathogens among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The long-term effects of coinfection are unknown, and little information exists regarding how levels of HTLV-1/2 viral burden are affected by antiretroviral medications. METHODS: Factors associated with HTLV-1/2 viral burden were examined in patients with HIV-HTLV-1/2 coinfection. A total of 72 subjects were evaluated. The variables analyzed included HTLV-1/2 proviral load, HTLV-1/2 tax/rex mRNA expression, HIV load, HTLV-1/2 viral antigen detection in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures, T cell subsets, demographic variables (age, race, sex, and reported use of injection drugs), and administration of highly active antiretroviral therapy. RESULTS: An HTLV-1/2 proviral DNA copy number g20,000 copies/10(6) PBMCs was significantly associated with the following variables: (1) a positive HTLV-1 Western blot test result, (2) a positive HTLV-1/2 PBMC culture result, (3) a positive tax/rex mRNA result, (4) an HIV load l10,000 copies/mL, and (5) higher CD4 cell counts among subjects with HIV-HTLV-1 coinfection. There was no correlation between HTLV-1/2 proviral copy number or HTLV-1/2 tax/rex mRNA detection and administration of antiretroviral therapy. CONCLUSIONS: HTLV-1/2 proviral burden was significantly higher among patients with HIV-HTLV-1 coinfection than among patients with HIV-HTLV-2 coinfection. Highly active antiretroviral therapy may be of limited value in controlling virus expression of HTLV-1/2 in patients with HIV-HTLV-1/2 coinfection.
Shining Examples of Service When the Lights Went Out: Hotel Employees and Service Recovery during the Blackout of 2003

ABSTRACT The electrical outage in the summer of 2003 that interrupted power to thousands of hotels wrought a variety of facilities failures and service-process problems. Fortunately, strong service-recovery efforts from hotel employees mitigated the worst of the blackout's effects. Using survey data from hotel managers who experienced the blackout, this study highlights those employee actions that most contributed to immediate service recovery; however, the study also reveals limited organizational learning or efforts to failsafe hospitality service from the eventuality of future power failures.
William James and the Mechanisms of Emotional Experience

William James proposed that emotional behavior is antecedent to emotional experience. The most distinctive empirical implication of James's model is that manipulations of emotional behaviors should lead to corresponding changes in self-reports of emotion. Numerous studies confirm this prediction for manipulations of facial expressions. Although the evidence is more limited, studies involving manipulations of autonomic arousal and instrumental behavior also support James's model Despite support for James's central premise that emotional behavior may be viewed as preceding emotional experience, empirical work suggests the need for refinements of James's model, particularly regarding the processes by which emotional experience is generated. The evidence is more consistent with the view that through a self-perception process individuals "construct" their emotional experience from a variety of sources, including physiological responses, expressive behavior, instrumental behavior, and contextual elements. Furth...
Harmonic measure on locally flat domains

We will review work with Tatiana Toro yielding a characterizati on of those domains for which the harmonic measure has a density whose logarithm has vanishing mean oscillation.
FPGA implementation of fast QR decomposition based on givens rotation

In this paper, an improved fixed-point hardware design of QR decomposition, specifically optimized for Xilinx FPGAs is introduced. A Givens Rotation algorithm is implemented by using a folded systolic array and the CORDIC algorithm, making this very suitable for high-speed FPGAs or ASIC designs. We improve the internal cell structure so that the system can run at 246MHz with nearly 24M updates per second throughout on a Virtex5 FPGA. The matrix size can be easily scaled up.
RNAP II CTD Phosphorylated on Threonine-4 Is Required for Histone mRNA 3′ End Processing

The RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) largest subunit contains a C-terminal domain (CTD) with up to 52 Tyr(1)-Ser(2)-Pro(3)-Thr(4)-Ser(5)-Pro(6)-Ser(7) consensus repeats. Serines 2, 5, and 7 are known to be phosphorylated, and these modifications help to orchestrate the interplay between transcription and processing of messenger RNA (mRNA) precursors. Here, we provide evidence that phosphorylation of CTD Thr(4) residues is required specifically for histone mRNA 3' end processing, functioning to facilitate recruitment of 3' processing factors to histone genes. Like Ser(2), Thr(4) phosphorylation requires the CTD kinase CDK9 and is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to human. Our data thus illustrate how a CTD modification can play a highly specific role in facilitating efficient gene expression.
Amplitude of the daily rhythm of body temperature in eleven mammalian species

Abstract The amplitude of the daily rhythm of body temperature was investigated in 11 species of small mammals. Recording equipment, housing and environmental conditions were identical for all species. Intraperitoneal temperature was measured by telemetry at 6 min intervals for 10 or more days. The results indicate that the amplitude of the body temperature rhythm is a species-specific trait in small mammals. Interspecies differences in amplitude are not a function of surface area (as determined by body size) but seem to relate to diurnality (nocturnal species displaying smaller amplitude than diurnal ones) and habitat (species from temperate habitats displaying smaller amplitude than species from desert and tropical habitats).
The impact of intraoperative saline irrigations on bacterial load within the maxillary sinus

Background Saline irrigations are routinely employed during endoscopic sinus surgery to remove mucous and debris from the sinus cavities. What is unknown is whether this results in a quantitative reduction in pathologic bacteria within the sinus mucosa. The objectives of this study were to quantify the amount of 5 different bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS), and Streptococcus pneumoniae) within the maxillary sinus and to determine the impact of saline irrigations on bacterial counts. Methods Twenty patients with chronic rhinosinusitis were prospectively enrolled. After bilateral maxillary antrostomies, biopsies were taken of the maxillary sinus mucosa prior to any irrigation. In each patient, the left maxillary sinus was then irrigated with 250 cc of normal saline (NS) with a pressurized pulse-irrigation device and the right side was irrigated with 250 cc of NS using a 30-cc syringe attached to a curved suction tip. Repeat maxillary sinus mucosal biopsies were then taken from each side. Each biopsy was analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction to determine the presence and amount of each of the bacteria. Results Saline irrigations were found to significantly reduce the amount of S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and S. pneumoniae found within the maxillary sinus mucosa. No difference was found for H. influenzae or CNS. No difference in bacterial load reduction was able to be shown between the pressurized saline flushes and manual saline rinse methods. Conclusion Intraoperative saline irrigations are able to significantly reduce the amount of potentially pathogenic bacteria within the diseased sinus mucosa.
Expression of Functional δ-Opioid Receptors in Xenopus Oocytes

Abstract Functional δ opioid receptors were expressed in Xenopus oocytes following injection of poly(A+)RNA isolated from the mouse neuroblastoma X rat glioma hybrid cell line, NG108-15. Oocytes coinjected with in vitro transcribed β2-adrenergic receptor mRNA and NG108-15 cell mRNA had 3-fold elevated cAMP levels following isoproterenol treatment. Application of δ opioids to these oocytes caused dose-dependent inhibition of isoproterenol-induced increase of cAMP, which was antagonized by naltrexone. This is the first demonstration of the expression of opioid receptors in Xenopus oocytes. The ability to assay expression of δ opioid receptors functionally coupled to the inhibition of adenylate cyclase in Xenopus oocytes following injection of exogenous mRNA will provide a system to investigate the relationship of molecular structure to function of opioid receptors.
Marketing Reference Resources and Services Through a University Outreach Program

Abstract In many respects the Outreach Program at Mississippi State University Libraries provides an excellent framework for the marketing of reference services and resources. It is often the close, long-term collaboration between academic faculty and reference librarians, however, that makes the discovery of crucial information needs possible. In-depth interviews with strategically selected faculty and continuous feedback provide the basis of effective planning for reference services and a wise marketing strategy.
Sequence signatures from DNA amplification fingerprints reveal fine population structure of the dogwood pathogen Discula destructiva

Isolates of Discula destructiva Redlin and an undescribed species of Discula, the filamentous fungi that cause anthracnose of flowering (Cornus florida L.) and Pacific (Cornus nuttalli Aud.) dogwoods, were analyzed for genetic variation by nucleic acid scanning with arbitrary mini-hairpin oligonucleotide primers. While the fungal population was highly homogeneous throughout the disease range in eastern and western North America, the generation of arbitrary signatures from amplification profiles (ASAP) distinguished isolates from the northeast, middle and southern Appalachian mountain range, and western United States and Canada. ASAP involves a dual-step arbitrary primer-based amplification procedure that generates a large number of informative allelic characters by amplification of monomorphic DNA fingerprints. ASAP analyses showed a fine fungal population structure consistent with the recent and separate introduction of the pathogen on the west and east coasts of North America.
Li 5 as a pseudorotating planar cluster

A pseudorotating state of ${\mathrm{Li}}_{5}$ observed in a recent EPR experiment is investigated using the local density functional method. The calculated isotropic spin population indicates that a planar ${\mathit{C}}_{2\mathit{v}}$ structure is more consistent with the experimental result than a suggested trigonal bipyramid. A new pseudorotating state based on the planar structure is proposed.
Expression of Bax and Bcl-2 Proteins during Graded Hypoxia in Cerebral Cortical Nuclei of Newborn Piglets

Expression of Bax and Bcl-2 Proteins during Graded Hypoxia in Cerebral Cortical Nuclei of Newborn Piglets
Combustion of carbon slurry drops in a turbulent diffusion flame

A theoretical and experimental investigation of the combustion properties of individual carbon slurry drops is described. The experiments involved observations of drops having diameters of 400-1000 /mu/m, supported at various positions in an open turbulent diffusion flame. There were two main stages of combustion: heat-up and gasification of the liquid, leaving a porous solid agglomerate of the carbon particles in the slurry; and heat-up and reaction or quenching of the agglomerate. Consumption of the agglomerate was the slowest step in the process. Use of a catalyst increased agglomerate reaction rates and expanded the region where reaction of the agglomerate was observed. A model for predicting agglomerate reaction rates and lifetimes was developed and compared with measurements in the lean portions of the flame. 15 refs.
Optimal geometric arrangement of staggered plates in forced convection

Abstract This paper reports the results of an experimental and numerical study of the optimal geometric arrangement of staggered parallel plates in a fixed volume with forced convection heat transfer. The objective of the geometric optimization effort is to maximize the total heat transfer rate between the given volume and the given external flow, when the maximum temperature at a point inside the volume cannot exceed a certain level. The geometric arrangement was varied systematically, by changing the spacing between plates, the number of plates installed in one row, the plate swept length, and the degree to which the plates are staggered. In the first part of the study, it is demonstrated experimentally that there exists an optimal spacing between two adjacent row of plates. Experimental results are reported for air in the range 1000 ⩽ ReL ⩽ 6000, where L is the swept length of the fixed volume. In the second part of the study, extensive numerical results support and extend these findings to 100 ⩽ ReL ⩽10000. In addition, it is shown that there is an optimal way to stagger the plates. In the concluding part of the paper, the optimal spacing and maximum heat transfer rate results are correlated based on the theoretical method of intersecting the two asymptotes (small spacing, large spacing) of the geometric arrangement.
WE‐E‐BRC‐06: Comparison of Two Methods of Contouring Internal Target Volume on Multiple 4DCT Data Sets from the Same Subjects: Maximum Intensity Projection and Combination of 10 Phases

Purpose: Two methods to generate ITV on 4DCT images are explored: direct contouring on MIP images and combining GTV contours on individual phase images. We compared these two methods on multiple 4D data sets from the same subjects. Methods: 42 simulation and image guidance 4DCT data sets, for 9 SBRT patients treated 3–5 fractions each, were retrospectively analyzed. Two sets of ITV contours were generated from the raw 4DCT cine data for each patient scan: MIP image set [ITV(MIP)‐ direct contouring on MIP] and 10 phase‐binned image sets [ITV(10phase)‐ Boolean OR of GTVs contoured on 10 phase image sets]. A single operator segmented all ITVs using a semi‐automated approach with the ITK‐SNAP 3D segmentation tool. Results: The mean volumetric ratio of ITV(MIP) to ITV(10phase) across all patients was 1.02 (Range 0.56 – 1.77; 1 = ideal). The distance between the Center Of Mass of the two sets of ITVs, across all patients, had a median of 1.3 mm (range 0.1 – 7.5 mm), thus indicating that both volume and location of the ITVs generated by these two methods agree well on average across all patients, but can differ non‐trivially for select cases. Interestingly, we observed large variations between the two contouring methods for repeated scans of the same patient. For example, one patient demonstrated excellent agreement for the first (simulation) scan (agreement ratio=1.02), but then poor agreement for three subsequent scans (agreement ratios = 0.85, 1.11, 1.15). Conclusion: ITVs generated by the two methods of MIP, and combination of 10 phases on 4DCT, agreed well on average, but differed non‐trivially for select cases. In particular, we observed the potential for large variation within the same patient, when multiple 4D scans of the same patient were evaluated. This is likely attributable to daily breathing pattern variations.
The Duration of Breast-Feeding: How Is It Affected by Biological, Sociodemographic, Health Sector, and Food Industry Factors?*

Breast-feeding duration has important effects on a wide array of demographic and maternal and infant health outcomes. This study uses a discrete-time logit hazards model to explore the relationship of biological, sociodemographic, health sector, and food industry practices on the duration of full and partial breast-feeding in a sample of more than 2,600 infants from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey. Food industry and health sector practices (such as distribution of free samples of infant formula), the mother's perception of being pregnant, infant fatness, and a set of standard sociodemographic factors all affect breast-feeding duration significantly.
Pharmacokinetics of Morphine and Its Surrogates II: Methods of Separation of Stabilized Heroin and Its Metabolites from Hydrolyzing Biological Fluids and Applications to Protein Binding and Red Blood Cell Partition Studies

The inhibition of the spontaneous hydrolysis of heroin in fresh dog plasma and blood (t1/2 = 8 min) is effected by 10 mg of sodium fluoride/ml (t1/2 = 40 min) and 35 μg of tetraethyl pyrophosphate/ml (t1/2 = 415 min). Tetraethyl pyrophosphate is the inhibitor of choice and gives the same stability for heroin as in phosphate buffer. Aged plasma loses its enzymatic efficiency. Heroin in cerebrospinal fluid hydrolyzes at rates similar to those in buffer. Modified extraction procedures developed for enzyme-inhibited plasma at pH 4.5 have high extraction efficiencies (86–100%) and permit isolation of undegraded heroin from its metabolites. Separations of heroin and metabolites from enzyme-inhibited plasma were effected by described high-pressure liquid chromatographic systems and from TLC with elution of pertinent developed spots. Efficiencies of these TLC recoveries were 81 ± 1% for heroin and 82 ± 1% for morphine. Contrary to the literature, heroin has significant protein binding where 40% of that not bound to an ultrafiltration membrane is bound to dog plasma proteins. The apparent partition coefficient is 1.4 ± 0.2 between red blood cells and plasma water, and it is 0.8 ± 0.1 between red blood cells and dog plasma.
Expenditures and receipts in state and local government finances: Comment

The aim of this note has been to show that Marlow and Manage's (1987) paper suffers from serious methodological problems due to the non-stationary data series used and the arbitrary lag lengths employed. Use of appropriate stationarity tests and optimal lag lengths of the variables change some of the basic conclusions of their paper. Contrary to their suggestion, the presence of a feedback between local tax receipts and expenditures imply that local governments should be concerned with the implication of their spending and revenue-enhancing decisions on their budget. Decisions to increase current expenditures may lead to higher future taxes. Similarly, efforts to impose higher taxes to reduce budget deficits at the local government level may be futile due to a subsequent increase in spending.
Application of a New Technique for Deriving Prominence Mass from SOHO EIT Fe XII (19.5 nm) Absorption Features

In a previous study we developed a new technique for deriving prominence mass by observing how much coronal radiation in the Fe XII (19.5 nm) spectral line is absorbed by prominence material. In the present work we apply this new method, which allows us to consider the effects of both foreground and background radiation in our calculations, to a sample of different types of prominences (eruptive, quiescent, and surging) observed during the period 1999 July through 2004 July. The masses of prominences involved in CMEs are not generally measured, but the accurate determination of such masses may help in assessing the dynamical importance of prominences in CME events. In the present study, we find the average mass of our sample of quiescent prominences to be 4.18 × 1014 g, while the average mass of the eruptive prominences is 9.09 × 1014 g, and that of surges is 1.53 × 1014 g.
The department chair as academic leader

This important new work will help department chairs, faculty, and administrators understand and address the increasing complexity of relationships within higher education, as well as the growing influence of external factors. The Department Chair as Academic Leader is a completely updated revision of Allan Tucker's seminal contribution, Chairing the Academic Department, last published in 1992. This work reflects the approach used in the ACE Workshops for Division and Department Chairs and Deans.
Nietzsche's Fourfold Conception of the Self

Abstract Struck by essentialist and anti-essentialist elements in his writings, Nietzsche's readers have wondered whether his conception of the self is incoherent or paradoxical. This paper demonstrates that his conception of the self, while complex, is not paradoxical or incoherent, but contains four distinct levels. Section I shows Schopenhauer as Educator to contain an early description of the four levels: (1) a person's deepest self, embracing all that cannot be educated or molded; (2) a person's ego; (3) a person's “ideal” or “higher self”; (4) a person's “true self” or “true nature”. In the remaining three sections, I show that Nietzsche develops and enriches this conception, without ever abandoning it. Section II treats the fourfold conception as it appears in Human, All Too Human. Section III interrogates relevant passages in the Gay Science, showing that while Nietzsche speaks of artful self-fashioning (as Alexander Nehamas emphasizes), he also pays due regard to the sense in which we are not our...
Radio stations and the world wide Web

Based on a survey of 419 industry professionals responsible for maintaining radio station Web sites and a content analysis of 900 radio station Web sites, this study provides an overview of the state of Web radio in the late 1990s. This study investigates the extent of Web radio, the range of content offered on radio station Web sites, the benefits realized as a result of having a Web site, and the problems encountered with Web sites, and makes recommendations based on the findings. A general conclusion of this study is that although the Web presents a wealth of exciting possibilities, most radio broadcasters are currently underutilizing the Web and their Web sites.
Eating, Dancing, and Courting in New York Black and Latino Relations, 1930–1970

Using records from the WPA's "America Eats" project, manuscript collections, periodicals, oral histories, and autobiographies, the paper interprets Black and Latino relations in Harlem, New York and further north in the Suburbs of Westchester County. The paper focuses on southern African American and Hispanic Caribbean migrants in New York and the race and gender dynamics that develop between them.
Estrogen Synthesis and Secretion in the Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

Estrogens exert profound effects on vertebrate physiology and behavior. In most vertebrates, including birds, estrogens derived from ovarian tissue circulate at high levels during discrete periods of reproductive activity, and estrogen levels in males are low. In some songbirds (Passeriformes) plasma estrogens are high in both males and females. In the zebra finch, aromatase (estrogen-synthetase) is expressed abundantly in several regions of the male and female telencephalon and contributes to peripheral estrogen titers. To determine if this pattern of neural aromatase and estrogen synthesis is found in other songbirds, we have examined the patterns of estrogen synthesis in various tissues of another songbird, the common North American cowbird (Molothrus ater). Radiolabeled aromatizable androgenic substrate was injected in vivo or provided in vitro to telencephalic and gonadal tissue from adult male and female cowbirds. Estrogenic products were assayed in blood from the carotid artery and jugular vein, and in the telencephalon, ovary, and testes. Additionally, the presence of aromatase mRNA was studied in the brain using in situ hybridization. Radiolabeled androgenic substrate, injected in vivo, was readily converted to estrogens with higher amounts in the jugular compared to carotid blood, suggesting that the brain contains relatively high levels of aromatase. Further, radiolabeled androgens, provided in vitro to telencephalic, ovarian, and testicular tissue, resulted in the formation of radiolabeled estrogens. Aromatase mRNA is distributed widely in several areas of the cowbird telencephalon including the hippocampus, caudomedial neostriatum (including Field L), and nucleus taeniae. This pattern of neural aromatase expression resembles what we found previously in the zebra finch. Telencephalic aromatase may be characteristic of passerine songbirds and may function to provide local estrogenic cues to estrogen-sensitive neural loci, and/or contribute to peripheral estrogen titers in male and female songbirds.
X-ray contrast polymers of p-styryldi(p-tolyl)bismuth : synthesis and properties

Abstract The radiopacifying organobismuth monomer p-styryldi(p-tolyl)bismuth was synthesized in 40% yield by means of a three-step process using 4-bromotoluene, 4-bromostyrene and bismuth trichloride as starting compounds. The product is a crystalline solid of at least 95% purity, unlike the earlier reported styryldiphenylbismuth which could only be obtained in a very impure form. Radical or anionic polymerization yields a soluble homopolymer, and copolymers were made with styrene and methyl methacrylate. The products were characterized by standard techniques. Data are reported on their solubility, blending and radiopacity. The latter property, expressed in mm of aluminium per mm resin, is a linear function of the molar bismuth concentration in the polymer specimens.
On the vibrational spectra of poly-1,1,2,2-tetrachlorobutane-a model for head-to-head poly(vinylidene chloride)

Abstract Infra-red and Raman spectra of poly (1,1,2,2-tetrachlorobutane), a model polymer for head-to-head poly(vinylidene chloride), are presented. Mutual exclusion of the infra-red and Raman spectra is observed and the polymer appears to be highly ordered. The preferred conformation of the polymer chain is inferred to be most probably in the form of a planar zigzag.
Hand Position and Motorcycle Front Brake Response Time

The frequent involvement of motorcycles in traffic accidents is often related to ineffective use of the motorcycle's front brake. This experiment examines the difference in response time between two rider hand positions for front brake response. The proposed covered position shows a response time advantage of approximately one and one half over the more traditional uncovered brake control.
A Model-Based Vision System for Industrial Parts

A vision system has been developed which can determine the position and orientation of complex curved objects in gray-level noisy scenes. The system organizes and reduces the image data from a digitized picture to a compact representation having the appearance of a line drawing. This compact image representation can be used for forming a model under favorable viewing conditions or for locating a part under poor viewing conditions by a matching process that uses a previously formed model. Thus, models are formed automatically by having the program view the part under favorable lighting and background conditions. The compact image representation describes the boundaries of the part.
Snap harness for biotelemetry from rodents

Abstract A snap harness is described which incorporates a commercially built 5g FM transmitter (FM-110-E3) (Narco Bio-System, Inc., Houston, TX) for telemetering biopotentials in rats and other small rodents. The harness allows the stable recording of a variety of biopotentials from unanesthetized freely moving animals for experimental periods of a few weeks. There is the added advantage and flexibility of easily snapping the harness on and off during and after experimental periods, permitting recordings from a number of animals with the same transmitter.
Spatial bose condensation: Universal features in size distribution of clusters

We present the computation of the mean cluster size distribution in quantum systems displaying spatial Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC). The key result is the sudden appearance of a bimodal cluster weight distribution precisely at the temperature at which the specific heat curve is peaked. We suggest that the bimodality in mean weight distribution of clusters can serve as a new criteria for spatial BEC in finite systems.
The design of a stub generator for heterogeneous RPC systems

Abstract A stub generator is a tool used to support distributed applications communicating via remote procedure calls. A stub generator generates stubs, which serve as local agents acting on behalf of remote callers and callees. We describe a novel stub generator design which supports RPCs between programs written in different programming languages and running on machines of different architectures. The stub generation includes determining procedure interface compatibility and determining whether format representation conversion is possible. Both direct and indirect conversion schemes are supported. Stubs are constructed from language-dependent templates that capture the essential syntactic and semantic structure of data types in the supported language. The stub generator itself is language independent. Marshaling and unmarshaling of scalar and composite data types, including recursive or pointer-based data types, are supported.
Impedance plethysmography: the origin of electrical impedance changes measured in the human calf.

Electrical impedance plethysmography of the lower leg is now a widely used test for detection of deep vein thrombosis. The origin of the impedance signal is difficult to evaluate in the living subject, and experimental animals have important anatomic differences. A controlled study on human cadavers was therefore undertaken. Conductive and nonconductive fluids were injected into the lower legs of cadavers, while electrical impedance changes were recorded utilising a 4-electrode technique. X-ray studies confirmed the localisation of the injections. Results from ten cadavers showed that significant impedance changes occurred only in response to injections of saline in the region between the electrodes. Injections of nonconductive silicone oil caused a small increase in the measured impedance. It is concluded that electrical impedance plethysmography reflects changes in conductivity confined to the region between the electrodes; and that the ratio of deep to superficial impedance sensitivity is a function of the electrode spacing.
Analysis of Load Average and its Relationship to Program Run Time on Networks of Workstations

Parallel processing systems using networks of workstations are being used to provide an alternative to expensive parallel processors. Scheduling of tasks on these networks is an important and practical problem that must be addressed. Although CPU load is an important parameter to many of the proposed scheduling schemes, no quantitative analysis of CPU load and its precise relation to the run time of application programs has to date been presented. The work in this paper describes the experimental analysis of one common load measure, the UNIX load average, and its relationship to the run time of computation-bound parallel programs. Data was gathered using a test application program designed to mimic common applications, performing long bursts of computation with occasional interprocess data exchange over the network. The resulting execution times and measured load averages were then analyzed using regression analysis to detect load-run time trends. This paper describes the test program and the experiments, then details the results of the data analysis. A technique is then presented for the evaluation of the load-run time relationship for a computation-bound program on a network of workstations.
Leydig Cell Function After Cryptorchidism: Evidence Of The Beneficial Result Of Early Surgery

Purpose: We determined whether there are differences indicative of the function of the Leydig cell-pituitary axis in formerly unilateral cryptorchid men. Parameters were compared with those in control men.Materials and Methods: We determined luteinizing hormone, testosterone, free testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, inhibin B, sperm density, motility and morphology, testicular volume, patient weight and age at orchiopexy or at other nonrelated childhood surgery in controls.Results: Significant correlations were noted between hormone levels and other parameters. An inverse correlation between age of surgery and testosterone suggested the detrimental effect of deferring orchiopexy during childhood. Correlations of testosterone with sperm density, motility and morphology suggested a direct relationship between spermatogenesis and testosterone in cryptorchid men. An inverse relationship between body weight and testosterone was observed in each group. There was considerable variation in the range of pa...
Indications and results of direct cerebral revascularization in the modern era.

Background There has been a progressive decrease in the indications for cerebral revascularization during the past 30 years, particularly with the advance of endovascular techniques. Our objective was to define indications for and evaluate outcomes of patients treated with bypass surgery in the modern endovascular era. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all patients who underwent direct cerebral revascularization procedures between January 2006 and March 2013. Results In total, 121 patients underwent 131 direct microsurgical revascularization procedures. The indications for bypass surgery were moyamoya angiopathy (40 patients, 47 bypasses), complex aneurysms (54 patients, 56 bypasses), and occlusive vascular disease (27 patients, 28 bypasses). Revascularization resulted in improvement of symptoms in 77.5% of patients with moyamoya angiopathy (mean clinical follow-up 18.8 months) and 55.5% of patients with occlusive vascular disease (mean clinical follow-up 10.4 months). Among the aneurysm patients treated with revascularization, 81.5% had a favorable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale score 4–5) at long-term follow-up (mean clinical followup 18.5 months). Conclusions Although microvascular cerebral revascularization is no longer performed as commonly as in the past, it remains an essential part of the skill set required to treat select vascular pathologies. Complex aneurysms are the single largest indication for direct bypass procedures. Moyamoya disease is by far the largest indication if indirect bypass procedures are included in the analysis. In experienced hands, the morbidity and mortality of patients undergoing cerebral revascularization procedures are low and long-term outcomes generally excellent.
Identification of a Domain on the β-Subunit of the Rod cGMP-gated Cation Channel That Mediates Inhibition by Calcium-Calmodulin

Abstract The cGMP-gated cation channel mediating phototransduction in retinal rods has recently been shown to be inhibited by calcium-calmodulin, through direct binding of the latter to the β-subunit of the heterotetrameric channel complex. Here, we report the characterization of this inhibition and the identification of a domain crucial for this modulation. Heterologous expression of the α- and β-subunits of the human rod channel in HEK 293 cells produced a cGMP-gated current that was highly sensitive to calcium-calmodulin, with half-maximal inhibition at approximately 4 nm. In biochemical and electrophysiological experiments on deletion mutants of the β-subunit, we have identified a region on its cytoplasmic N terminus that binds calmodulin and is necessary for the calmodulin-mediated inhibition of the channel. However, in gel shift assays and fluorescence emission experiments, peptides derived from this region indicated a low calmodulin affinity, with dissociation constants of approximately 3–10 μm. On the C terminus, a region was also found to bind calmodulin, but it was likewise of low affinity, and its deletion did not abolish the calmodulin-mediated inhibition. We suggest that although the identified region on the N terminus of the β-subunit is crucial for the calmodulin effect, other regions are likely to be involved as well. In this respect, the rod channel appears to differ from the olfactory cyclic nucleotide-gated channel, which is also modulated by calcium-calmodulin.
An Investigation of the Relationship Between Unemployment and Absenteeism: A Multi-Level Approach

The article discusses research pertaining to the relationship between unemployment and absenteeism at the national level, the regional level, and/or the organizational level. Data on monthly absent...
Anthocyanin in Freestone Peaches

SUMMARY Anthocyanin in freestone peaches was extracted, purified, and crystallized. The pigment was characterized by its absorption spectra in the visible and infrared region. Acid hydrolysis of the pigment yielded glucose and cyanidin, present in equal amount on a molar basis. No intermediate glycoside was found when the pigment was hydrolyzed under mild conditions, indicating a monoglycoside structure. Alkali degradation of the aglycone yielded phloroglucinol and protocatechuic acid, showing the presence of cyanidin in the pigment. The absorption peak of the pigment in a 0.01% methanolic HCl solution shifted from 525 to 568 mμ when aluminum chloride was added to form a chelate, indicating the presence of orthophenolic groups in the molecule. The peach anthocyanin is identified as a J-mono-glucoside of cyanidin. Variation in anthocyanin content between different varieties of California-grown freestone peaches at various ripeness levels is presented. The importance of anthocyanin to discoloration in canned freestone peaches is discussed.
Cover Crop Mulch and Weed Management Influence Arthropod Communities in Strip-Tilled Cabbage

ABSTRACT Cover crop mulch and weeds create habitat complexity in agricultural fields that may influence arthropods. Under strip-tillage systems, planting rows are tilled and preestablished cover crops can remain between rows. In field experiments conducted in Michigan in 2010 and 2011, a preestablished oat (Avena sativa L.) cover crop was allowed to grow between rows of strip-tilled cabbage and killed at 0, 9–14, or 21–27 d after transplanting (DAT). The effects of herbicide intensity and oat kill date on arthropods, weeds, and crop yield were examined. Two levels of herbicide intensity (low or high) were used to manipulate habitat vegetational complexity, with low weed management intensity resulting in more weeds, particularly in 2010. Oat kill date manipulated the amount of cover crop mulch on the soil surface. Later oat kill dates were associated with higher natural enemy abundance. Reduced herbicide intensity was associated with 1) lower abundance of several key cabbage (Brassica oleraceae L.) pests, ...
Dignity and Rank : In memory of Gregory Vlastos (1907-1991)

This paper considers the meaning conveyed by the term “dignity” in human rights discourse. It considers various ambiguities associated with the term (e.g. Does it describe the content or the ground of certain rights?) as well as alternative accounts of the kind of meaning that “dignity” has (descriptive or evaluative, technical or ordinary language). The second part of the paper argues that the distinctive contribution that “dignity” makes to human rights discourse is associated, paradoxically, with the idea of rank: once associated with hierarchical differentiations of rank and status, “dignity” now conveys the idea that all human persons belong to the same rank and that, that rank is a very high one indeed, in many ways as high as what were formerly regarded as ranks of nobility.
Characterization of Hortulanus Endogenous Murine Leukemia Virus, an Endogenous Provirus That Encodes an Infectious Murine Leukemia Virus of a Novel Subgroup

Simple retroviruses present a unique opportunity for examining the host-virus relationship. Following exogenous infection and integration into the germ line, copies of these viruses can become fixed within the genome. The resulting endogenous proviral “fossils” represent a record of past retroviral infections and forms. Previous work in our laboratory has been directed at dissecting the extensive nonecotropic murine leukemia virus content of the mouse genome. One such provirus, hortulanus endogenous murine leukemia virus (HEMV), found in a single copy in the genome of Mus spicilegus, was remarkable for characteristics that suggested that it was ancient and related to the hypothetical common ancestor of murine leukemia viruses (MLVs) and other gammaretroviral species. In the present study, we have analyzed its functional properties. Transfection of a molecular clone of the HEMV provirus into mouse-derived cell lines revealed that it is replication competent. Furthermore, host range and interference studies revealed a strictly ecotropic host range and the use of a receptor distinct from those used by other classical MLVs. The identity of nucleotide sequence of the long terminal repeats (LTRs) further suggested that HEMV is a relatively recent insertion into the M. spicilegus genome at the distal end of chromosome 7. Although unique to M. spicilegus, its presence in a homozygous state in three individuals obtained from different regions implies that it has been present long enough to become fixed in this species. Exhaustive phylogenetic analysis of all regions of the HEMV genome supported the previously assigned ancestral position of HEMV relative to other MLV-related viruses. Thus, HEMV is a relatively recent introduction into the Mus germ line but is representative of a relatively ancestral MLV group.
Developmental toxicity of copper chloride, methylene chloride, and 6-aminonicotinamide to embryos of the grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio

Embryos of estuarine grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio have demonstrated sensitivity to various solvents and petroleum products, indicating utility for evaluating estuarine contamination. Testing was performed to establish concentration-response curves for methylene chloride, copper chloride, and 6-aminonicotinamide, three known teratogenic chemicals. Two exposure periods were used, 4 d and 12 d, and both periods extended through hatching. The average 4-d LC50 values for methylene chloride, copper chloride, and 6-aminonicotinamide were 0.071% v/v, 1.82 mg/L, and 0.21 mg/ml, respectively. The average 12-d LC50 values for methylene chloride, copper chloride, and 6-aminonicotinamide were 0.031% v/v, 1.44 mg/L, and 0.057 mg/ml, respectively. Eye malformations were observed with embryos exposed to concentrations greater than 3 mg/L copper chloride or greater than 0.07% v/v methylene chloride. Very few abnormalities were observed in embryos exposed to 6-aminonicotinamide. Abnormal larval development was found with exposure to copper chloride at concentrations greater than 1 mg/L. The sensitivity and low variability found here further supports the development of these relatively simple methods using grass shrimp embryos. Establishment of sublethal developmental endpoints warrants further investigation because of their potential correspondence to mechanisms of toxic action.
Alkali-metal ion formation constants of fluorine-substituted β-diketones

Abstract Chelating tendencies of β-diketones of the type R COC R ′CO R ″ toward alkali-metal ions in 75% (v/v) dioxane-water have been evaluated. Fluorine substituted compounds ( R = CF 3 , C 2 F 5 , C 3 F 5 ; R ′ = H; R ″ = t -butyl) had poor lithium-ion chelating tendencies, relative to the unsubstituted compound dipivaloylmethane. Specificity for lithium, relative to sodium-ion chelation, was evaluated as the difference, log K 1 Li -log K 2 Na , and the greatest specificity observed was for di-isobutyrylmethane and dipivaloylethane.
Regulating Transformer Model for Use in Load Flow Analysis

This paper describes how an impedance, voltage, and phase model for complicated regulating transformers may be obtained for use in load flow analysis. The explained step-by-step procedure is simple and easy to apply to a wide range of regulating transformers. A typical seven windings per phase regulating transformer is used for a case study and the effectiveness of the proposed procedure was examined. This work should be of interest to design and systems analysis engineers who are looking for an accurate representation of tap changing transformers.