cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE PHOTODYNAMIC ACTION OF EOSIN AND ERYTHROSIN UPON SNAKE VENOM.

Since the haemolysins of the several venoms respond differently to photodynamic action, they may be regarded as possessing different chemical constitutions. As regards stability, cobra haemolysin ranks first, daboia second, and Crotalus third. The toxicity of all the venoms is more or less diminished by eosin and erythrosin in sunlight. This reduction in toxicity depends upon chemical changes, of more or less profound nature, taking place in certain of the active principles of the venom. The more stabile the predominant active principles the less the reduction in toxicity, and vice versa. Venom-neurotoxins are highly resistant to photodynamic action, venom-haemolysins are less resistant, while the haemorrhagin and thrombokinase of Crotalus and daboia venoms exhibit weak powers of resistance to their action. Hence it follows that while cobra venom remained almost unaltered, rattlesnake and daboia venoms were greatly reduced in toxicity when mixed with the fluorescent dyes and exposed to sunlight. There is an interesting parallel between the action of eosin and erythrosin upon the different venoms and their reactions to other injurious agencies. For example, the haemolysins of cobra and daboia venoms are more heat resistant than the haemolysin of Crotalus venom, and the former are less injured by the dyes than the latter. The neurotoxin of the former venoms is also more heat stabile than that of the rattlesnake, and the same relative degree of resistance holds for this substance and the anilines. Just as the haemorrhagin of rattlesnake venom and the thrombokinase of daboia venom are destroyed by a temperature of 75° C., so are they readily inactivated by the photo dynamic substances employed. The globulin-precipitating and blood corpuscle-protecting principle of cobra venom is relatively thermostabile and in contradistinction to the immunity-precipitins it is also unaffected by eosin and erythrosin. This study of the action of photodynamic substances upon snake venoms serves again to bring out the fact of their highly complex nature, and while enlarging somewhat the field in which photodynamic activity is known to operate, it also proves that this form of destructive activity is affected by the same conditions of resistance as confront the action of the usual physical and chemical agents.
Alcohol Drinking and Risk of Breast Cancer.

: Using a case-control design, the authors studied female residents of five Massachusetts towns between 1983 and 1986. The objective was to measure the association between breast cancer occurrence and drinking alcohol. Cohort and case-control studies have often observed an association between drinking alcohol and breast cancer risk. In this study, women with any history of drinking alcohol had a risk of breast cancer 1.2-fold greater than women who never drank alcohol (95% confidence interval 0.7–1.8). The relative risk of breast cancer did not depend on the usual number of drinks per day or drinking history relative to time of diagnosis. Women who reported ever having a period of 6 months or more during which they drank more than average had an adjusted relative risk of breast cancer equal to 2.6 (95% confidence interval 1.1–5.8). The estimates of effect are consistent with the positive dose-response trends reported in a pooled analysis of large cohort studies and a meta-analysis of a broader spectrum of studies. Alcohol drinking remains one of the few risk factors for breast cancer amenable to intervention.
Pediatricians and the US Preventive Services Task Force: a natural partnership to enhance the health of children.

In this issue of Pediatrics , readers will find the recommendation of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) that all newborns be screened for hearing loss1; readers will also find a concise version of the systematic evidence report that was commissioned to help develop this recommendation.2 Over the last several years, Pediatrics has published 5 recommendations relevant to children from the USPSTF3–7 and plans to publish additional recommendations as they are released. Because many pediatricians know very little about the USPSTF,8 we would like to use this commentary to inform readers about this task force: what it is, who is involved, how it works, and what readers can expect from these publications. The USPSTF is an independent panel charged by the US Congress to review the scientific evidence for clinical preventive services and develop evidence-based recommendations for the health care community. It was first convened by the US Public Health Service in 1984 and, since 1998, has been sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The USPSTF comprises 16 private-sector experts in prevention and primary care, representing primary care specialties and nursing, who serve for terms of 4 to 6 years. Members of the USPSTF are nominated by federal agencies, partner organizations (such as the American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP]), and individuals in response to an announcement in the Federal Register . Members are chosen for their ability to make rigorous, impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services, including screening, counseling, and preventive medications, and synthesize these assessments into recommendations. Throughout its existence, the task force has had at least 2 pediatricians, as well as other pediatric health care providers, among its members. Currently, 3 of its 16 … Address correspondence to Virginia A. Moyer, MD, MPH, Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 6621 Fannin St, #1540, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: moyer{at}bcm.edu
NON‐LINEAR DYNAMICS VERSUS DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES: TWO KINDS OF CHANGE*

This paper shows that nonlinear dynamics is fitting only for the study of one kind of change, viz., fluctuations ranging from business cycles to geographical bifurcations of core and periphery. Nonlinear dynamics is inappropriate for the analysis of another kind of change, viz., technological and institutional development. Many economists confuse the two. The distinction between them should establish that evolutionary economics is not an alternative to neoclassical economics. Copyright 1996 by Blackwell Publishers Ltd and The Victoria University of Manchester
Fluctuations, Escape, and Nucleation in Driven Systems: Logarithmic Susceptibility

We analyze the probabilities of large infrequent fluctuations in nonadiabatically driven systems. In a broad range of the driving field magnitudes, the logarithm of the fluctuation probability is linear in the field, and the response can be characterized by a logarithmic susceptibility (LS). We evaluate the activation energies for nucleation, with account taken of the field-induced lifting of time and spatial degeneracy of instantonlike nucleation trajectories. LS for nucleation in systems with nonconserved order parameter is shown to be a nonmonotonic function of $\ensuremath{\omega}$ and $\mathbf{k}$.
Archaeometallurgy: Evidence of a Paradigm Shift?

Practitioners of archaeological and historical metallurgy have begun to identify their discipline by a new term: “archaeometallurgy.” Tracing the roots of this discipline shows that up to about 1980 the focus of study was on the technical examination of metal objects and determining site plans of metallurgical installations. Essentially it was a study of ancient metals of interest to historians of art or of technology. The focus then shifted to other materials and their archaeological contexts, processing byproducts such as slag, matte, furnace linings and furnace bottoms, crucibles, molds, cupels and tuyeres which are often more abundant on sites than metal. Thus the field of study has been enlarged beyond metallurgy to an interdisciplinary undertaking of materials science, archaeology, and material culture. Simultaneously with this shift in focus came the application of newly-developed instrumentation which supported a parallel shift in methodology from one emphasizing chemical analysis and microstructure to one of materials charactexrization, emphasising properties and performance.
The Yarkovsky effect as a heat engine

Abstract We show how the Yarkovsky effect can be understood as a heat engine. The output of the engine, manifested in the rate of change in semimajor axis of the body, has a maximum at an intermediate heat capacity, depending on the rotation rate of the body. This maximum arises because the work output depends on the product of the solar heat absorbed by the body and transported from its morning to evening side (this am–pm heat flux increases with heat capacity) and the Carnot efficiency (which declines with heat capacity).
Rotationally resolved electronic spectra of 1,2-dimethoxybenzene and the 1,2-dimethoxybenzene-water complex.

Rotationally resolved S1 ← S0 electronic spectra of 1,2-dimethoxybenzene (DMB) and its water complex have been observed and assigned. The derived values of the rotational constants show that the bare molecule has a planar heavy-atom structure with trans-disposed methoxy groups in its ground and excited electronic states. The transition of DMB is polarized along the b-axis bisecting the methoxy groups, demonstrating that its S1 state is an 1Lb state. Higher energy bands of DMB are also polarized along the b-axis and have been tentatively assigned to different vibrational modes of the 1Lb state. The water complex origin appears 127 cm-1 to the blue of the bare molecule origin. Analyses of the high resolution spectra of DMB/H2O and DMB/D2O suggest that the water molecule is attached via two O−H···O hydrogen bonds to the methoxy groups in both electronic states. A tunneling motion of the attached water molecule is revealed by a splitting of these spectra into two subbands. Potential barriers to this motion ha...
A candidate cytokine gene selectively expressed in human CD34+ cells

Abstract Residing in bone marrow (BM) and neonatal cord blood (CB), a rare population of human cells bearing the CD34 cell surface marker (CD34 + ) functions as hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. In contrast, cells lacking CD34 expression (CD34 − ) are largely mature hematopoietic cells of various lineages. To elucidate molecular mechanisms governing functional differences between CD34 + and CD34 − cells, we set up a molecular screen to identify genes that are preferentially expressed in CD34 + cells. After 3 rounds of PCR-based subtraction (CB CD34 + vs. CD34 − ) using the RDA method, genes expressed preferentially in CD34 + cells were highly enriched (10% and 20% of cloned fragments were from the CD34 and c-kit gene, respectively). Among the 73 initially sequenced RDA fragments, 27 (37%) were novel, or homologous only to entries in EST databases. One of these Novel/EST clones (C17) was found 4 times (5.5%). By RT-PCR and Northern blot analyses, C17 gene expression was detected in CD34 + cells from CB, BM and G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood, but not in bulk CD34 − cells, peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) or marrow stromal cells. The C17 cDNA is approximately 1.0 kb, and encodes a polypeptide of 136 amino acids. It has a putative signal peptide at its N-terminus. Transient expression in transfected human 293 cells demonstrated that the C17 peptide is indeed a secreted molecule. To date we have not found any existing molecule that shows significant homology to the amino acid sequence of the C17 gene. A secondary structure analysis predicts that the C17 peptide contains 4 alpha-helices, a characteristic of hematopoietic cytokines and interleukins. We are now investigating whether the C17 protein functions as a cytokine.
Steroid hormone responsiveness of a family of closely related mouse proviral elements

Regulation of the mouse sex-limited protein (Slp) gene is unusual in that hormone response is conferred by the 5′ LTR of an upstream inserted provirus, dubbed the imposon (imp1). In a search for additional genes whose regulation has been affected by retrotransposition events, we isolated two partial proviral elements by stringent screening of a mouse genomic library. One clone (imp2) contained a portion of the envelope gene and a 3′ LTR that was nearly identical to the 3′ LTR of imp1; this similarity extended to insertion into a B1 repetitive element. The second proviral clone (imp3) contained a 5′ LTR and associated coding sequences, but lacked its 3′ LTR; the LTR of imp3 differed by 12% from the imp1 sequence. To assess potential hormone response, proviral enhancer regions cloned into reporter vectors were tested in transfection. The imp2 enhancer was similar in behavior to impl, conferring both androgen and glucocorticoid induction in one fragment context and an androgen-specific response in another. In contrast, the imp3 enhancer allowed high expression in the absence of hormone and was less responsive to steroids in general and androgen in particular. These three proviral elements define a small family of steroid responsive proviruses in the mouse genome, and at least one member has had a lasting impact on an endogenous gene’s regulation.
Optical Distortion Coefficients Of Laser Windows: One More Time

This paper concerns the problem of describing and evaluating thermal lensing phenomena that occur as a result of the absorption of laser light in solid windows. The aberration-function expansion method is applied for deriving the two optical distortion coefficients X+ and x_ that characterize the degradation in light intensity at the Gaussian focus of an initially diffraction-limited laser beam passing through a weakly absorbing stress-birefringent window. In a pulsed mode of operation, the concept of an effective optical distortion coefficient Xeff, which properly combines the coefficients X+ and X_ in terms of potential impact on focal irradiances, then leads to the definition of a figure of merit for distortion. The theory and the calculations presented in this and earlier papers provide simple analytical tools for predicting the optical performance of a window-material candidate in a specific system's environment.
Interactive effects of ST-T wave abnormalities on survival of patients with coronary artery disease.

Abstract Previous studies have documented a reduced survival time in patients with an electrocardiographic (ECG) ST-T wave abnormality. This study was designed to determine the clinical, hemodynamic and angiographic correlates of this observation. Data from 9,731 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization from 1976 through 1986 were analyzed; 5,531 had severe (>70%) obstruction of at least one major coronary artery, 1,706 had mild (10 to 69%) obstruction and 2,494 had no obstruction. Of the patients with severe obstruction, 2,536 were treated medically and 2,995 were treated by surgical revascularization. Patients with an ST-T abnormality had more clinical risk factors (including older age and greater prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and prior myocardial infarction) and greater left ventricular dysfunction (including higher end-diastolic pressure and ventricular volume, reduced ejection fraction and greater prevalence of contraction abnormality) than did those without this ECG pattern. Survival time was significantly (p Stepwise regression analysis was applied to each group to determine the independent predictors of 5-year survival. In patients with severe disease or no disease, an ST-T abnormality was not chosen as an independent predictor of 5-year survival; in the group with mild disease, ST-T changes were an independent predictor of reduced survival. Thus, the independent impact of an ST-T abnormality on survival is dependent on the severity of underlying coronary artery disease.
Lunar dust charging by photoelectric emissions

The lunar surface is covered with a thick layer of sub-micron/micron size dust grains formed by meteoritic impact over billions of years. The fine dust grains are levitated and transported on the lunar surface, as indicated by the transient dust clouds observed over the lunar horizon during the Apollo 17 mission. Theoretical models suggest that the dust grains on the lunar surface are charged by the solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation as well as the solar wind. Even without any physical activity, the dust grains are levitated by electrostatic fields and transported away from the surface in the near vacuum environment of the Moon. The current dust charging and levitation models, however, do not fully explain the observed phenomena. Since the abundance of dust on the Moon's surface with its observed adhesive characteristics has the potential of severe impact on human habitat and operations and lifetime of a variety of equipment, it is necessary to investigate the charging properties and the lunar dust phenomena in order to develop appropriate mitigating strategies. Photoelectric emission induced by the solar UV radiation with photon energies higher than the work function (WF) of the grain materials is recognized to be the dominant process for charging of the lunar dust, and requires measurements of the photoelectric yields to determine the charging and equilibrium potentials of individual dust grains. In this paper, we present the first laboratory measurements of the photoelectric efficiencies and yields of individual sub-micron/micron size dust grains selected from sample returns of Apollo 17 and Luna-24 missions as well as similar size dust grains from the JSC-1 simulants. The measurements were made on a laboratory facility based on an electrodynamic balance that permits a variety of experiments to be conducted on individual sub-micron/micron size dust grains in simulated space environments. The photoelectric emission measurements indicate grain size dependence with the yield increasing by an order of magnitude for grains of sub-micron to several micron size radii, at which it reaches asymptotic values. The yield for large size grains is found to be more than an order of magnitude higher than the bulk measurements on lunar fines reported in the literature.
8‐Methoxypsoralen photoadduct formation in complementary oligonucleotides containing a cross‐linkable site

The complete profile of 8-methoxypsoralen photoadduct formation in complementary oligonucleotides (5'-GAGTATGAG and 5'-CATAC) has been determined. Equimolar solutions of the oligonucleotides were irradiated at 4 degrees C in order to stabilize the mini-double helix. Photomodified oligonucleotides were separated by reversed phase chromatography on a Vydac C4 column. Photoadduct formation favored the 5'TAT site in the 9mer over the 5'ATA site in the 5mer by a factor of two. Split-dose studies showed that the monoadducts formed on GAGTATGAG were preferentially converted to cross-links by an additional UVA exposure.
Ethnocultural Voting? Explaining Ethnic Minority Preferences in Bulgarian Elections

Conventional models of electoral choice explain the ethnic minority vote as a product of nonideological factors, primarily ethnic identities. However, the voting preferences of the minority electorate based on their policy and attitudinal dimensions have not been systematically studied. How are minority interests represented in politics? Although their culturally based proximity to ethnic parties and minority representatives is well established, may we expect the electoral preferences of minorities to also reflect policy positions, economic concerns, or political attitudes? This article sets out to examine the sources and intensity of the electoral preferences of minority voters on the example of electoral support for the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), a party traditionally regarded as a representative of the ethnic Turkish minority in Bulgaria, a less conventional case of minority participation in politics. Based on analysis of survey data, the article demonstrates that the preferences of the et...
A series of 3 cases of corneal abrasion with multiple etiologies.

Abstract Background Most corneal abrasions are caused by mechanical injuries affecting the superficial epithelial layer. Although one of the functions of the eyelid is to protect the eye, its reaction time of about 425 msec is slower than many ocular insults; thus, corneal abrasions are among the most commonly occurring eye emergencies. Case Reports Three cases of corneal abrasions with different etiologies are presented. The first case was a large abrasion of the cornea near the visual axis caused by a wood chip. A metal foreign body with rust was lodged in the cornea from metal grinding in the second case. The third case was iatrongenically induced by an A-scan probe while a fellow student was measuring the axial length of the eye. Conclusion Corneal abrasions are one of the most common ocular conditions presented to eye clinics or emergency departments. Although there are different etiologies of abraded corneal epithelium, current clinical management for most corneal abrasions involves a bandage contact lens, use of topical antibiotics, and cycloplegics. Large and central corneal abrasions, however, warrant a consultation with a corneal specialist.
STATISTICS AND GENERAL RELATIVITY

There exists a class of particle-like topological excitations in generally covariant theories called geons, discussed by Friedman and Sorkin, and by these authors, and others. Here, we show by specific examples that certain of these geons can be so quantized that they are characterized by no definite statistics. For instance, three-dimensional geons may be neither bosons nor fermions (nor paraparticles). It can also happen, as pointed out before by Sorkin, and as we briefly discuss here, that a tensorial (spinorial) goen obeys Fermi (Bose) statistics. Our usual conceptions about the statistics of particle species thus do not seem to be valid in generally covariant theories, at least without further physical inputs such as, perhaps, the possibility of topology change.
Simultaneous multivelocity component laser Doppler velocimetry using one digital frequency processor

Digital frequency processing used in conjunction with optical frquency shifting is an ideal way to achieve simultaneous multivelocity component measurements in laser Doppler velocimetry. This becomes obvious once realized that multivelocity component information at different frequency offsets can be obtained directly from the composite frequency spectrum of a single‐channel digital frequency processor. The approach has numerous advantages over the very popular approach of using a different laser wavelength, photodetector, and signal processor for each velocity component.
Managing impressions using distorted graphs of income and earnings per share: The role of memory

Abstract This study investigates the role that memory plays in interpreting and using distorted graphs that mislead the user of the financial information. It draws upon the literatures concerning memory, impression management and effective graph design. In order to examine whether reliance on memory for distorted graphs leads to different impressions of the data, we conduct an experiment in which we manipulate the type of graph distortion and whether memory of the graph is required by the decision. We present evidence that individuals receiving misleading graphs are more likely to misinterpret underlying data trends and that memory moderates the effect depending upon the type of distortion used to mislead the individual. The resulting data interpretation errors lead to more positive judgments and investment decisions than would otherwise be warranted. Thus our findings suggest that graph distortions mislead users into incorrect conclusions about the underlying data and that these interpretation errors persist in memory and affect judgments and investment decisions. We extend the prior literature, which has not considered the direct effects of graph interpretation or the effects of memory, and provide a baseline for investigating the effects of memory on impression management.
Smoothing Monte Carlo Exchange Factors through Constrained Maximum Likelihood Estimation

N jEbjAjFij. 1 The resulting system of linear equations is solved for the unknown values of emissive power Ebi and heat flux, qi. Since exchange factors are often analytically intractable, they are instead estimated by performing a large number of statistical experiments. In each experiment, a "photon bundle" representing a quantity of radiant energy is emitted from a random location on the ith surface in a direction chosen at random from a prescribed distribution of emission angles. Each time this bundle is inter- cepted by another surface it is either absorbed or reflected, de- pending on the optical properties of the intervening surface rela- tive to the value of a pseudorandom number. Every bundle is ray traced until it is ultimately absorbed by another surface. Once a large number of bundles have been emitted by all the surfaces, the exchange factor between the ith and jth surfaces is estimated by Fij=Nbij/Nbi, where Nbi is the total number of bundles emitted by the ith surface and Nbij is the number of those bundles ultimately absorbed by the jth surface. From the definition of an exchange factor, it is clear that in order to satisfy energy conservation over any surface, the subset of exchange factors between a particular enclosure surface and the other surfaces must sum to unity
SOYMILK: A COMPARISON OF PROCESSING METHODS ON YIELDS AND COMPOSITION

Soymilk was produced by (A) heating of intact soybeans after soaking but before disruption, (B) heating of soaked soybeans to 80°C during disruption, and (C) disruption of soaked soybeans with no prior heating. The results show that process A has low yields of solids and low recoveries of protein in comparison with processes B and C. Heating of soybeans preceding disruption seems to keep protein bodies intact when soybean cells are disrupted. Homogenization will redisperse protein bodies that have been fixed by heat, and homogenization at high pressure (8,000 psi) and high temperature (75°C) is more effective than lower pressures and temperatures. Data are presented on rates of water or buffer uptake by steeping soybeans, on times and temperatures needed to eliminate the green-beany flavor and on the solids analysis by spectrophotometry.
First X-Ray Diffraction Evidence for a Phase Transition during Shock-Wave Compression

The x-ray diffraction pattern of a shock-compressed material which is in the process of undergoing a crystal structure transformation has been observed for the first time. Pyrolytic BN, explosively shocked to 245 kbar, exhibits a diffraction pattern which indicates that the crystal structure during compression is like that of wurtzite.
Bifurcation of periodic orbits in a chemical reaction problem

Abstract The bifurcation and stability of periodic orbits is obtained by algebraic means for a chemical reaction problem that has been extensively studied recently. After a summary of the Hopf-Friedrichs bifurcation theory, the application to the chemical reaction problem is given to demonstrate the technique and the type of information that is obtainable from this theory.
Simultaneous detection of tocopherols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in vegetable oils by direct injection C30 RP-HPLC with coulometric electrochemical array detection

Detection and quantification of tocopherols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in vegetable oil have been used to aid their authentication. Their importance in influencing the oxidative stability of vegetable oils and their possible health benefits have been shown in numerous studies. Therefore, the need for a rapid and reliable analysis method has become increasingly important. This study demonstrates the application of C30 RP-HPLC with electrochemical detection for the simultaneous analysis of tocopherols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in vegetable oils. Aliquots of vegetable oils were dissolved in appropriate solvents and injected directly without saponification, thus preventing sample loss or component degradation. Effective separation of tocopherols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls was achieved. Detection was performed using a coulometric electrochemical array detector set between 200 and 620 mV. For a 25-μL injection, the respective detection limits for carotenoids, tocopherols, and chlorophylls were 1 fmol, 0.15 pmol, and 0.5 pmol, representing 1000-, 25-, and 5-fold enhancement over the UV-vis methodology. The detector response was linear between 0.01 and 2.00 μg/mL for all compounds studied. Within-day variations (CV) were between 2.0 and 6.3%, whereas between-day variations were between 2.7 and 7.4%. This method can be applied for rapid and sensitive analysis in the study of oil quality and adulteration.
Propaganda in the trivial: puzzles in the women's section of the Völkischer Beobachter

This article examines word-based puzzles as texts. In particular, it analyzes the potential of using a seemingly harmless pastime — the solving of puzzles — for propagandistic ends. Propaganda is an attempt to manipulate and dominate discourses some of whose manifestations are texts. Because a thorough examination of puzzles has not yet been undertaken, word-based puzzles will be considered first in general, followed by a detailed examination of the potential propagandistic impact of puzzles drawn from the official Nazi newspaper, Volkischer Beobachter [Folkish Observer].
Prenatal Cocaine Exposure and Motor Performance at 4 Months

OBJECTIVE The relation between prenatal cocaine exposure and quality of movement was studied at 4 mo using the Posture and Fine Motor Assessment of Infants (PFMAI-I). METHOD Posture and fine motor scores of 4-month-old infants exposed to cocaine in utero (n = 370) were compared with an unexposed group (n = 533) within the context of gestational age, medical and demographic characteristics, and level of prenatal substance exposure using the PFMAI-I. RESULTS Infants prenatally exposed to cocaine had significantly lower posture scores than infants in the unexposed group. There was no main effect of cocaine exposure on fine motor scores; however, there were independent effects of gestational age at birth on both posture and fine motor scores at 4-mo corrected age. CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate independent contributions of prenatal cocaine exposure and prematurity to risk of motor delay and support the validity of the PFMAI-I as a measure of motor competence in early infancy.
Laser formed connections for integrated circuit chip personalization

The use of lasers for thermal processing of materials has been studied extensively [1,2]. Their use in integrated circuit processing has been limited mainly to material removal (resistor trimming, metal delineation, etc.) [3]. This paper describes a recently discovered process in which nanosecond dye laser pulses are used to form reliable low resistance ohmic contacts between conductors on integrated circuit chips. In particular, connections have been formed between the aluminum and diffused silicon layers of a conventional MOS structure (Fig. 1). The key to the connection process is the use of short laser pulses (2–6 ns) which are capable of redistributing materials in a microscopic region without damaging heat sensitive structures surrounding that region. This process of connecting initially isolated structures makes it possible to personalize integrated circuit chips after fabrication without the use of high voltages, high currents or decoding circuitry. Moreover the process allows isolation of propagating faults such as short circuits. The rapid turnaround time of this approach is attractive for ROS and PLA personalization [4] and makes chip repair and the interconnecting of good working parts at the chip or wafer level possible. The purpose of this paper is to describe experimental studies of these laser formed connections with an emphasis on the mechanism, reliability and reproducibility of the process.
Can Compassion be Taught? Let’s Ask Our Students

Medical educators act on the belief that students benefit from formal and informal educational experiences that foster virtues such as compassion, altruism, and respect for patients. The purpose of this study is to examine fourth year medical students’ perspectives on how, where, and by whom they believe the virtues associated with good physicianhood have been taught to them. Fourth year students were assigned a two- to three-page essay that asked them to reflect on how their medical education had “fostered and hindered” their conceptions of compassion, altruism, and respect for patients. All 112 students completed this assignment, and 52 (46%) gave us permission to use their essays for this study. An inductive, qualitative approach was used to develop themes derived from students’ essays. Students’ thoughts were organized around the idea of influences in three areas to which they consistently referred. Foundational influences included parents and “formative years,” religious faith, and other experiences preceding medical school. Preclinical education influences comprised formal classroom experiences (both positive and negative effects). Clinical education influences included role modeling (both positive and negative) and the clinical environment (notable for emphasis on efficiency and conflicting cues). Students’ essays drew most heavily on the effects of role modeling. Medical students arrive at our doors as thoughtful, compassionate people. Positive role models and activities to promote critical self-reflection may help nurture these attitudes.
Prior exercise training produces NO-dependent increases in collateral blood flow after acute arterial occlusion.

We previously reported that prior training improves collateral blood flow (BF) to the calf muscles after acute-onset occlusion of the femoral artery (Yang HT et al. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol ...
Flickering Patterns and Lateral Inhibition

The effects of spatial patterns on the sine-wave flicker sensitivity are explored with sharp and blurred edges, circular and rectilinear targets having various flickering and nonflickering areas, and gratings of various spatial frequencies with adjacent bars flickering in opposite phases. The results are consistent with pattern responses studied electro-physiologically by Spekreijse, Riggs, and others. Pattern effects (as opposed to area effects) are confined to frequencies below 10 Hz, and can be explained in terms of the temporal characteristics of lateral inhibition. Earlier differences between the flicker data of deLange and those of Kelly are resolved on this basis, and a response function is calculated for the cross-connecting filters of the inhibiting network.
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents are effective in myelodysplastic syndromes, but are they safe?

69. 11. Gotlib J, Lavori P, Quesada S, et al. A phase II intra-patient dose-escalation trial of weight-based darbepoetin alfa with or without granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in myelodysplastic syndromes. Am J Hematol 10.1002/
Serological and biochemical characterization of recombinant baculovirus carcinoembryonic antigen

Abstract Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a glycosylated protein of Mr 180 kDa, is one of the most widely used human tumor markers. A majority of gastrointestinal cancers as well as breast and nonsmall cell lung carcinomas express CEA. We have previously described a recombinant baculovirus BVCEA-140 expressing the full-length human CEA and a variant, BVCEA-16, that encodes only the NH2-terminal domain, as well as a recombinant (BVNCA) expressing the closely related molecule nonspecific cross-reactive antigen (NCA). We have now compared a panel of 24 anti-CEA and anti-NCA monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for their ability to bind to these recombinant CEA and NCA proteins, as well as with a new 60 kDa subgenomic form designated BVCEA-60. The epitope mapping studies indicate that all the CEA specific MAbs can recognize BVCEA-140. We also compared the sugar composition of BVCEA-140 to native CEA, using a lectin-linked immunoradiometric assay. The results demonstrated that both the native and recombinant baculovirus CEA contain simple high-mannose carbohydrates as well as biantennary and biantennary hybrid complexes. However, native CEA also contains triantennary and tetraantennary complex sugars, while the recombinant CEA molecule does not. Immunogenicity of the recombinant CEA molecules was demonstrated in mice. ELISA and Western blot analyses were used to determine the cross-reactivity of the anti-CEA sera. Mice immunized with BVCEA-140 elicit antibodies that are reactive to native CEA. When the BVCEA-16 was used as an immunogen, the antisera failed to detect native CEA or BVCEA-140. These studies demonstrate that minor sugar differences exist between native and baculovirus-derived CEA. However, epitope mapping with a panel of 24 anti-CEA MAbs (recognizing at least 10 CEA epitopes) stowed virtual immunologic identity between these two molecules. Moreover, BVCEA-140 appears to be a more potent humoral immunogen in mice than native CEA. These purified recombinant proteins can thus serve as standards in CEA serum assays for the possible detection and characterization of cell-mediated immune responses to CEA and as a potential source of immunogen (primary or for boosting) for active specific immunotherapy protocols of human carcinomas.
Estrogen agonist (zeranol) treatment in a castrated male lamb model : Effects on growth and bone mineral accretion

The mechanism of estrogen's action on bone mineralization in children has received little attention. Our objective was to determine the effect of time (developmentally) and duration of exposure to an estrogen agonist (zeranol) on bone growth and mineralization using a castrated male lamb model. At birth, 40 male lambs were castrated and within 14 days of birth (day = 0) they were assigned (n = 10 per group) to age-matched control lambs (C-AGE) or to receive a 12.5-mg zeranol implant as follows: E-0, implanted on days 0, 45, 90, and 135; E-90, implanted on days 90 and 135; and E-0, 90, implanted on days 0, 90, and 135. Lambs were studied for 163 days. Serum was collected on days 28, 73, 118, 135, and 163 and analyzed for minerals (Ca, P, and Mg), markers of bone remodeling (bone alkaline phosphatase [ALP] and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase [TRAP]), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D], growth hormone (GH), and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). Whole-body bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), fat mass, and lean mass were determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) on days 28, 73, 118, and 163. There was a linear increase in growth at all time points. Whole-body BMC, weight, and lean mass of C-AGE and E-90 lambs were less than E-0, and E-0, 90 lambs at all time points. Whole-body BMD of C-AGE and E-90 lambs was less than E-0 and E-0, 90 lambs at 28 days and 73 days; however, after implantation at day 90 whole-body BMD of E-90 lambs was similar to E-0 and E-0, 90 lambs at day 118 and day 163 and all three were greater than C-AGE lambs. There was no effect of treatment on calcium absorption, serum minerals, hormones, or markers of bone remodeling. We conclude from these data that treatment of growing castrated lambs with an estrogen agonist from birth augments growth, whereas delaying estrogen agonist treatment does not facilitate growth but appears to augment bone mineral accretion. We suggest these observations may have clinical relevance, and deserve consideration when treating children with delays in growth and bone mineral accretion.
Factors affecting the levels of hydrogen peroxide in rainwater

Abstract Measurements of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and several meteorological and chemical parameters were made for 34 rain events which occurred in Miami, Florida between April, 1995 and October, 1996. The measured H2O2 concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 38.6 μM with an average concentration of 6.9 μM. A strong seasonal dependence for H2O2 concentrations was observed during this period, with highest concentrations in the summer and lower levels in the winter, which corresponds to the stronger solar radiation and higher vaporization of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the summer and fall, and the weaker sunlight and lower vaporization in the winter and spring. Measurements also showed a significant increase trend of H2O2 with increasing ambient rainwater temperature. Rains that were out from lower latitude were exposed to higher solar irradiation and contained relatively higher levels of H2O2 than those from the north. All these observations indicate that photochemical reactions that involved volatile organic compounds are the predominant source of H2O2 observed in rainwater. During several individual rainstorms, H2O2 concentration was found to increase as a function of time due to electrical storm activities. This finding suggests that lightning could be an important factor that determines the level of H2O2 during thunderstorms. Statistical data showed that the highest concentrations of H2O2 were observed only in rains containing low levels of nonsea-salt sulfate (NSS), nitrate and hydrogen ion. H2O2 concentrations in continental originated rains were much lower than marine originated ones, indicating that air pollutants in continental rains could significantly deplete the H2O2 concentration in atmospheric gas-phase, clouds and rainwater.
The complexity of backtrack searches

In this paper, we study the complexity of finding an efficient search for combinatorial problems which are commonly solved by backtracking. First, a formalism is introduced. Backtrack searches are ordinarily thought of as following a tree pattern. Our model is considerably more general, and there are problems where this allows much shorter searches.Next, we look at the complexity of search strategies (probabilistic decision trees) that can solve any problem in a collection of problems. Let C be the collection of problems that can be solved by a (possibly lucky) search involving K or fewer queries. We prove a nonpolynomial lower bound (in terms of K) on any search strategy for C. We conjecture that a matching upper bound exists.Finally, a few heuristics are presented that give the flavor of an interesting line of research: to test the effectiveness of a heuristic that should work on any problem, try it out on a few specific problems of known complexity. On some simple problems, our heuristics allow polynomial-time searches.
QALB: Qatar Arabic language bank

Automatic text correction has been attracting research attention for English and some other western languages. Applications for automatic text correction vary from improving language learning for humans and reducing noise in text input to natural language processing tools to correcting machine translation output for grammatical and lexical choice errors. Despite the recent focus on some Arabic language technologies, Arabic automatic correction is still a fairly understudied research problem. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is a morphologically and syntactically complex language, which poses multiple writing challenges not only to language learners, but also to Arabic speakers, whose dialects differ substantially from MSA. We are currently creating resources to address these challenges. Our project has two components: first is QALB (Qatar Arabic Language Bank), a large parallel corpus of Arabic sentences and their corrections, and second is ACLE (Automatic Correction of Language Errors), an Arabic text correc...
CLINICAL EFFECTS OF KETAMINE INFUSIONS IN AWAKE HORSES

The primary classes of drugs used for pain control in horses include the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), the alpha-2 agonists, and the opiates, but each of these drug classes has significant adverse effects. Ketamine hydrochloride is a non-competitive antagonist at N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the spinal cord and has been used in both dogs and humans to provide analgesia. The purpose of this study was to identify a safe administration rate for a continuous infusion of ketamine to awake horses and describe the clinical effects of this infusion. Six horses were administered a continuous infusion of ketamine hydrochloride at a low dose (0.4 mg/kg/hr) and high dose (0.8 mg/kg/hr). Each infusion took place over 6 hours and the horses were monitored during infusion as well as for the 6 hours post-infusion. The following parameters were evaluated: heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, activity level, and analgesic thresholds. Both the low dose and high dose rates were tolerated well by all horses with no signs of excitation or discomfort. Post-infusion heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure were significantly decreased as compared to pre-infusion values (p=0.02 and p=0.02, respectively) A significant increase in analgesic threshold was not identified. Subanesthetic infusions of ketamine to awake horses appear to be well tolerated and cause only mild changes in clinical parameters. Further research is needed to evaluate the analgesic potential of these infusions.
Frequency Variation of the Intensity of Cosmic Radio Noise

THE intensity of cosmic radio noise (as received on horizontal half-wave dipole antennae one quarter wave-length above ground) has been measured at 25 Mc. and 110 Mc. by H. V. Cottony, W. Q. Crichlow, J. W. Herbstreit and J. R. Johler at the Central Radio Propagation Laboratory, National Bureau of Standards, using identical noise diode calibration methods. The use of similar antennae on the two frequencies ensured that comparable weights would be given the cosmic radio noise arriving from various directions in space. Results of these measurements are shown in the accompanying graph in terms of an external noise factor 1. Results are given on 110 Mc. for antennae oriented both normal to and parallel to the geographic meridian. These have somewhat different diurnal patterns which compare favourably with the calculated patterns obtained when the cosmic radio noise intensity contours obtained by Reber2, using highly directional antennae, are appropriately integrated over the two broad directivity patterns of the dipole antennae.
Application of three scattering models to characterization of solid tumors in mice.

Two mouse models of mammary cancer (a carcinoma and sarcoma) were examined using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) and three models for ultrasound backscattering. The first model that was examined was ...
A noninvasive reporter system to image adenoviral-mediated gene transfer to ovarian cancer xenografts.

Abstract Objective. Gene therapy trials for ovarian cancer would benefit from a noninvasive imaging modality to detect the location and extent of gene transfer. The human type 2 somatostatin receptor gene (hSSTr2) was evaluated as a reporter gene for imaging adenoviral (Ad) gene transfer to ovarian cancer. Methods. A replication-incompetent Ad vector encoding hSSTr2 (Ad-hSSTr2) was used to infect SKOV3.ip1 cells in vitro and tumors growing in nude mice. Gamma camera imaging detected uptake of 99m-Tc-P2045 (a somatostatin analogue) due to expressed hSSTr2. Results. Specific uptake of 99m-Tc-P2045 was imaged in Ad-hSSTr2-infected cells in vitro. Noninvasive in vivo imaging detected gene transfer to intraperitoneal tumors. Uptake of 99m-Tc-P2045 (percentage dose per gram of tumor) averaged 2.2 and 0.18 for Ad-hSSTr2-injected mice and controls, respectively. Conclusion. This study reports the first noninvasive imaging method for imaging gene transfer to ovarian cancer. A human gene therapy trial is planned.