cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Potential Value of Virtual Environments (VEs) in Rehabilitation

The Potential Value of Virtual Environments (VEs) in Rehabilitation Virtual Environments (VEs) are computer-generated immersive, interactive simulations. These controlled settings can be designed to enable assessment and training of a wide variety of daily tasks, including those that are difficult to practice in the real-world for practical and safety reasons. The use of VEs has attracted increased interest as shown by increasing publications in the realm of rehabilitation. VEs are especially promising in the area of rehabilitation of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Despite this recent growth in research, the use of these technologies lacks the validation necessary to establish them as standard practices in rehabilitation. Given the growing use and potential of VEs in rehabilitation, there is a need for specific guidelines to be established for the validity testing of these constructs.
Risk factors for clinical failure after stent graft treatment for femoropopliteal occlusive disease

Objective Optimal selection of a revascularization strategy in femoropopliteal occlusive disease (FPOD) remains controversial. Among endovascular treatment options for FPOD, covered stent placement has become increasingly used. We sought to examine the influence of clinical, anatomic, and device-related characteristics on the clinical performance of these devices. Methods This was a retrospective, single-center study of consecutively treated limbs that underwent Viabahn (W. L. Gore, Flagstaff, Ariz) stent graft placement for FPOD from 2005 to 2010. Clinical, anatomic, and device-related characteristics were obtained from review of medical records and angiograms. End points were occurrence of any reintervention, major adverse limb event (eg, major amputation, thrombolysis/thrombectomy, or open bypass surgery), or thrombolysis/thrombectomy treatment alone. Univariate predictors were calculated and multivariate models constructed for each clinical end point using Cox proportional hazards models. Results The study cohort included 87 limbs in 77 unique patients, with a median follow-up time of 382 days. The indication for intervention was claudication in 56%. In 25 cases (29%), the index procedure was a secondary intervention for FPOD, including treatment of in-stent restenosis in 22 cases (25%). Lesions treated included 45% TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) II D and 58% chronic total occlusions. The observed Kaplan-Meier 1-year event rates for reintervention, major adverse limb event (MALE), and thrombolysis were 43%, 28%, and 17%, respectively. MALE occurred in 18 patients, nine of whom presented with acute limb ischemia; no patient underwent major amputation. Univariate predictors of negative outcomes included lack of dual-antiplatelet usage, advanced TASC II classification, smaller implant diameter, increased number of devices used, longer total implant length, and coverage of a patent distal collateral vessel. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the presence of dual-antiplatelet usage was protective against all three outcomes, 5-mm device diameter was a risk factor for both reintervention and MALE, and the use of multiple devices and distal collateral coverage were significant risk factors for thrombolysis events. Conclusions Reintervention is common in the first year after Viabahn placement for FPOD, with more than half of the events being a MALE. Procedural factors such as antiplatelet therapy, stent graft diameter, implant length/number, and distal collateral coverage are strongly associated with adverse clinical outcomes. These factors should be carefully considered to optimize patient selection and intraoperative decision making for this procedure.
Book review: Intelligent Systems in Business: Integrating the Technology Edited by J. Jeffrey Richardson and Marjorie J. DeFries (Ablex, Norwood, N J, 1990)

This book is a collection of 22 papers and represents the proceedings of a forum on "Increasing Management Productivity with Intelligent Systems" held in Snowmass/Aspen, Colorado, in August 1988. The proceedings are aimed at the managerial reader, and the content is intended to be relatively nontechnical. The purpose of these proceedings is "to help managers learn, not about techniques, but about applications of intelligent systems to the business problems of today" and to provide nontechnical "advice from others with some experience using these new systems." As in any collection of papers, individual contributors have followed the stated objectives to a greater or lesser degree.
Drug-induced sleep: theoretical and practical considerations

Faithful replication of normal sleep through medications—can it be achieved? Departure from normal sleep with the use of drugs—when is it desired? Answers to these questions depend on accurate understanding of sleep and on concrete criteria upon which to define it. Since these elements are evolving sciences, as yet incompletely known, one might take a nihilistic approach that we simply cannot judge whether we have successfully replicated sleep, since we do not fully grasp what sleep is or what it does. To address these potential obstacles, our article is written in two sections. The first addresses theoretical considerations for how medications might be seen in the larger framework of sleep. The purpose of this section is to inform readers about key issues in evaluating whether a drug has sufficient data to persuasively argue it is re-creating sleep. (We hope that researchers interested in conducting studies, or critical readers of the drug-study literature, might find this section particularly useful.) The second section of this article approaches exemplary, current concepts of pharmacologic manipulation of sleep, organized by disorders as articulated by the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (2005). This second section will combine practical knowledge of clinical sleep medicine, with emphasis on contemporary knowledge about molecular mechanisms that are felt to underlie some of these phenomena. We recognize that our collective knowledge about sleep will advance in the coming years. We hope that this article serves to facilitate that advance.
Electronic Spectra of Ferrocenyldithiolene Nickel Complexes: Steric and Electron Donor/Acceptor Effects†

Unlike other dithiolenes, ferrocenyl-substituted dithiolenes show two low-energy absorptions of comparable intensity in the 1200 and 750 nm regions. The longest wavelength peak is strongly influenced by electron-donating or -withdrawing groups, whereas the shorter wavelength peak is much less affected. Reducing the overlap between the ferrocene groups and the dithiolenes leads to shifts of both peaks to higher energy. Increased conjugation led to a remarkable shift of the first peak but influences the second one hardly at all. Although several of the results could be used to assign the longest wavelength peak to an Fe → π* transition, we present evidence that it originates from the π system (π → π*).
From “Don't Ask, Just Trust” to “Trust Those Who are Accountable”: Performance Measurement and Its Transformation to Quality

The past three decades have primarily focused on improving performance across health care providing organizations and even individual professionals. While their interest in performance improvement is global, the strategies across health care systems remain variable and the resulting methods of accountability to select audiences continue to be influenced by tradition and expectation. The purpose of this article is to review the key dimensions of the operationalization of performance measurement and the translation of its findings to statements about quality of care. While significant literature exists on the conceptual debates about the nature of quality, the deciding factor in demonstrating that better quality may have been achieved resides in the acceptability of the measurement tools to translate performance measures into profiles of quality. Fundamentally, the use of the tools is seen as only one component of a successful strategy â€“ the education of various audiences as to what the measures mean not only is a necessary requisite for sound project design but also will determine how the accountability model is shaped in each environment based on the generic measurement tools results, local traditions of care and caring, and expectations about outcomes.
Low-Cost Semi-Z-source Inverter for Single-Phase Photovoltaic Systems

This paper presents several nonisolated semi-Z-source inverters for a single-phase photovoltaic (PV) system with low cost and doubly grounded features. These semi-Z-source inverters employ the Z-source/quasi-Z-source network and only two active switches to achieve the same output voltage as the traditional voltage-fed full-bridge inverter does. The two active switches of the semi-Z-source inverter are controlled complementarily. Different from the traditional single-phase Z-source/quasi-Z-source inverter, shoot-through zero state is not applicable to the semi-Z-source inverter. The input dc source and the output ac voltage of the semi-Z-source inverter share the same ground, thus leading to less leakage ground current advantages over other nondoubly grounded inverters, such as voltage-fed full-bridge inverter. This is a preferred feature for nonisolated grid-connected inverters, especially in PV application. A revised nonlinear sinusoid pulse width modulation method for a semi-Z-source inverter is also proposed. By using this method, desired duty cycle can be generated to output the sinusoidal voltage. Other dc-dc converters with similar voltage gain curve, which can also be used as a single-phase inverter, are also discussed and summarized. A single-phase semi-Z-source inverter prototype is built; experimental results are provided to verify and demonstrate the special features of the proposed circuit.
Approximation for the inverse speed of sound in seawater, suitable for assimilating acoustic tomography data into numerical models

Abstract An approximate formula for the reciprocal speed of sound in seawater is obtained in the form of a polynomial that is cubic in potential temperature, and quadratic in pressure and salinity. The expression provides a reformulation of Del Grosso's empirical formula for the speed of sound in seawater in terms of salinity, pressure, and potential temperature, which are the basic thermodynamic parameters describing oceanic state in numerical models. This makes the proposed approximation convenient for constraining the acoustic tomography data by dynamics.
Thin scintillators for ultrafast hard X-ray imaging

A multilayer thin-scintillator concept is described for ultrafast imaging. The individual layer thickness is determined by the spatial resolution and light attenuation length, the number of layers is determined by the overall efficiency. By coating the scintillators with a high quantum-efficiency photocathode, single X-ray photon detection can be achieved using fast scintillators with low light yield. The fast, efficient sensors, when combined with MCP and novel nanostructed electron amplification schemes, is a possible way towards GHz hard X-ray cameras for a few frames of images.
Low-voltage tunnel-injection electroluminescent devices

Tunnel-injection electroluminescence has been observed in Al-Al 2 O 3 -GaAs and Pt-Al 2 0 3 -CdS devices formed by vacuum deposition of thin films onto n-type semiconductor crystals. Results show a luminescence voltage threshold comparable to the semiconductor bandgap, and high hole injection efficiency.
Phase shifting the hamster circadian clock by 15-minute dark pulses.

The mammalian circadian pacemaker can be phase shifted by exposure to a period of darkness interrupting otherwise continuous light. Circadian phase shifting by dark pulses was interpreted originally as reflecting a photic mirrorimage mechanism, but more recent observations suggest that dark pulseinduced phase shifting may be mediated by a nonphotic, behavioral state-dependent mechanism. The authors recently presented evidence indicating that the dark-pulse phase response curve (PRC) is in fact a complex function, reflecting both photic mirror image and nonphotic mechanisms at different phases of the circadian cycle. Previous studies of dark pulse-induced phase shifting have universally employed relatively long (2 to 6 h) pulses, which complicates PRC analysis due to the extended segment of the underlying PRC spanned by such a long pulse. The present study was therefore designed to examine the phaseshifting effects of brief 15-min dark pulses presented at both mid-subjective day and subjective dusk, and to...
Immunohistochemical studies of c-kit, transforming growth factor-β, and basic fibroblast growth factor in mast cell disease

Abstract In 58 patients with mast cell disease (MCD) and three with basophilic leukemia, bone marrow (54 cases) or skin tissue (four cases) was studied immunohistochemically for expression of Kit (c- kit protein), the different isomers of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and their respective receptors. Kit was expressed in all cases of MCD but in none of basophilic leukemia. Expression pattern of cytokines and their receptors was variable in systemic MCD with (SMCD-HD) or without (SMCD) associated hematologic disorder. However, type I TGF-β receptor (TGFβ1R) was not expressed in 30% of SMCD-HD patients or in patients with mast cell leukemia, but the remaining cases of MCD showed near uniform expression. The associated hematologic disorders in TGFβ1R-negative cases of SMCD-HD were prognostically less favorable than those associated with TGFβ1R-positive cases of SMCD-HD. The results confirm the diagnostic value of Kit immunohistochemistry in MCD and suggest a biologically relevant heterogeneity in TGFβ1R expression among patients with SMCD-HD.
The determination of root loci using Routh's algorithm

Matrix form of Routh algorithm and invariance principle used in digital computer construction of root locus of system
Collisionally activated dissociation of some pyridinium cations: Novel fragmentation pathways

Three novel collisionally induced dissociation pathways, additional to the usual formation of pyridine or pyridinium cation, are described for laser-desorbed N-substituted pyridinium cations. Particularly prevalent is the formation of an ion of m/z 94, corresponding to [PyCH 3 ] + . Doubly charged pyridiniums tend to lose H + , and one example of the apparent formation of the neutral radical C 5 H 6 N . is reported
Some exact expressions for the mean and higher moments of functions of sample moments

Examples of exact expressions for the moments (mainly of the mean) of functions of sample moments are given. These provide checks on alternative developments such as asymptotic series for n→∞, and simulation processes. Exact expressions are given for the mean of the square of the sample coefficient of variation, particularly in uniform sampling; Frullani integrals studied by G. H. Hardy arise. It should be kept in mind that exact results for (joint) moment generating functions (mgfs) are of interest as they produce a means of obtaining exact results for (cross) moments—including moments with negative indices. Thus an exact expression for the joint mgf of the 1st two noncentral moments can be used to obtain the mean of the (c.v.)2 (but not for the mean of the c.υ.). A general expression is given for the moment generating function of the sample variance. The limitations of Fisher's symbolic formula for the characteristic function of sample moments (or more general statistics) are noted.
Interpretation of low-temperature nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra in La 1.875 Ba 0.125 Cu O 4 in terms of two-dimensional spin superstructure

This paper reanalyzes the low temperature nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) experiments in ${\mathrm{La}}_{1.875}{\mathrm{Ba}}_{0.125}\mathrm{Cu}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ by Hunt et al. [Phys. Rev. B 64, 134565 (2001)] in an attempt to determine the dimensionality of spin modulations in this and other compounds of the lanthanum family of high temperature cuprate superconductors. It is concluded that the shape of the NQR spectra obtained by Hunt et al. favors the two-dimensional pattern of spin modulations known as ``grid'' or ``checkerboard.'' The paper also contains the discussion of charge patterns, which can accompany the above spin modulation.
Recent progress in conventional and biologic therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus

The recent approval of belimumab for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) ended a decade in which there was mounting optimism about the prospect for developing biologically based therapies for SLE. During this same period, steady progress had been made in understanding and applying conventional therapies for SLE. These advances in the use of conventional therapies provide an important frame of reference for evaluating the novel biologic therapies that are expected to emerge in the near future.
Nutrient databases without borders: Canada and the US address the issues with international input

Abstract From 14 to 18 May 2008, the city of Ottawa and the National Capital Region of Canada were host to the 32nd National Nutrient Databank Conference (NNDC), entitled “Nutrient Databases without Borders”. The program included 35 oral and 38 poster presentations (see Appendix, this issue). Presenters came to the conference from over 10 countries.
Economic manufacturing quantities under conditions of learning and forgetting (EMQ/LaF)

Abstract Abstract. It has been empirically observed that productivity improves as production continues due to system 'learning’, but that it deteriorates once the activity is stopped due to system 'forgetting’. Both learning and forgetting follow an exponential form with a 'doubling factor’ ranging between 0.75 and 0.98. We review and critique two previously proposed models, correct some minor errors in them, and expand one of them to accommodate a finite horizon. We also propose a new model that is more in harmony with the established learning function, for the determination of the optimal number and size of the lots in the finite and infinite horizon. The methodology used throughout is dynamic programming. We investigate the impact of all three models on the optimal lot sires and their costs, and establish the functional relations between the total cost and the various factors affecting them.
The Evolving Role of Partial Breast Irradiation in Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Whole breast irradiation (WBI) over 5–7 weeks has long been considered standard adjuvant treatment after breast-conserving surgery. Recently the concept of irradiating the whole breast has been challenged by accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI), which exclusively targets the lumpectomy site plus margin. We review the evidence supporting APBI from modern clinical trials, the pros and cons of various APBI techniques, and the controversies regarding the applicability of APBI to specific patient groups.
Unconventional superconductors under a rotating magnetic field. II. Thermal transport

We present a microscopic approach to the calculations of thermal conductivity in unconventional superconductors for a wide range of temperatures and magnetic fields. Our work employs the non-equilibrium Keldysh formulation of the quasiclassical theory. We solve the transport equations using a variation of the Brandt-Pesch-Tewordt (BPT) method, that accounts for the quasiparticle scattering on vortices. We focus on the dependence of the thermal conductivity on the direction of the field with the respect to the nodes of the order parameter, and discuss it in the context of experiments aiming to determine the shape of the gap from such anisotropy measurements. We consider quasi-two dimensional Fermi surfaces with vertical line nodes and use our analysis to establish the location of gap nodes in heavy fermion CeCoIn$_5$ and organic superconductor $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu(NCS)$_2$.
Antenna array for 5 th generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi applications

In this paper, the design and simulation study of a compact 8-element MIMO antenna system for next generation IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi application is presented. The IEEE 802.11ac is an emerging WLAN standard which operates at 5GHz band. The real challenges for IEEE 802.11ac are to meet the recent functional demands and the extensive wireless market growth expected in next 3–5 years. The aim of this research is to propose an antenna design that can operate at 5GHz WLAN band and facilitates the features that conform to 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard requirements. The proposed antenna design consists of eight radiating elements and a gap coupled inset-feed technique is incorporated to achieve better performance by the MIMO antenna array. The dimensions of the patch antenna were calculated using transmission-line model whereas layouts of the single element antenna and the array are simulated on two different platforms i.e. momentum - an EM tool of Agilent's advance design system (ADS) system simulator based on method of moments technique and CST microwave studio which is based on finite difference time domain technique. In the end, the comparative analysis of the antenna simulation results using both the techniques is presented.
Alternating direction methods on multiprocessors

We propose several implementations of the Alternating Direction Method (ADM) for solving parabolic partial differential equations on multiprocessors. A complexity analysis of these implementations shows that the method can be made highly efficient on parallel architectures by using pipelining and variations of the classical Gaussian elimination algorithm for solving tridiagonal systems. Previously, we showed that we could obtain linear speedups for moderate numbers of processors in a ring architecture. In this paper we discuss extensions to a large number of processors in a 2-D grid architecture and a hypercube.
APPLICATIONS OF LASERS IN CHEMICAL SPECTROSCOPY AND DYNAMICS: HIGHER ORDER SUSCEPTIBILITY EFFECTS

A survey of recent experiments on molecular excited states will be presented. Many non-linear optical processes have now become extremely useful in chemical spectroscopy and dynamics. Laser E-fields induce a dipole moment μ in molecular systems which in turn acts as a source of additional fields in the medium. The polarization is generally a power series in the fields: Figure options Download full-size image Download as PowerPoint slide Normally, centrosymmetric molecules have x(2) = 0 and systems that are centrosymmetric will not generally exhibit second harmonic generation. Thus the study of x(2) in such cases has provided information on the magnetically induced SHG. This effect coupled with the two-photon absorption, a resonant part of x(3), was used to explore polariton effects in molecular crystals of anthracene and naphthalene. High resolution spectroscopy of gases and solids were also accomplished using three wave mixing brought about through two-photon and Raman resonances in x(3).These techniques allow accurate measurements of two-photon cross-sections. The various non-linear experiments yield new information on the relaxation and dephasing dynamics in molecular excited states Pulsed lasers permit the resolution in time of excited state relaxation in the condensed phase and experiments will be described in which non-linear phenomena were used to study vibrational relaxation in some simple diatomic solids at low temperature, and chemical reactions in the condensed phase.
Subthrackleable graphs and four cycles

According to Conway as quoted in a paper by Woodall a graph is `thrackled? if it can be drawn with every edge crossing every other `eligible? one. The thrackle conjecture, which remains unsolved, states that any such graph with n vertices can have at most n edges. Since a four cycle is unable to be `thrackled? a new upper bound for maximum crossings is demonstrated in a previous paper, taking into account this factor. In this paper we call a graph `subthrackleable? if it meets this new upper bound and several subthrackleable graphs are given, with a concentration on those with several four cycles. We also demonstrate that there are many graphs which are not subthrackleable.
Early and Late Effects of Coronary Artery Occlusion on Canine Purkinje Fibers

The electrophysiological characteristics of subendocardial Purkinje and myocardial cells were studied during acute (within 30 minutes) and chronic (after 10 days) phases of myocardial infarction. Endocardial Purkinje and myocardial electrograms were recorded in vivo with bipolar electrodes before and after occlusion of the anterior descending coronary artery. Also, intracellular and extracellular potentials were recorded in vitro from the endocardial surface of infarcted regions of hearts excised during the acute and chronic phases. In the acute phase, Purkinje and myocardial potentials within the ischemic zone deteriorated in vivo, but they were not markedly delayed. Intracellular recordings in vitro showed partial depolarization of both Purkinje and myocardial cells. In the chronic phase, extracellular and intracellular Purkinje potentials recorded in vivo and in vitro from the infarcted zone usually did not differ from normal. No myocardial potentials were recorded from the endocardial surface of the chronic infarcts. Thus, subendocardial Purkinje and myocardial cells are affected early in infarction, but many Purkinje cells survive and return to normal.
9th Annual Symposium on Advances in Separation Science and Mass Spectrometry

On May 9 earlier this year, MASSEP.org and the Greater Boston Mass Spectrometry Discussion Group (GBMSDG) hosted their Annual Symposium on Advances in Separation Science and Mass Spectrometry for t...
Sebaceous carcinoma in children

Abstract Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor derived from the epithelium of sebaceous glands. It potentially may develop from any sebaceous gland, but most commonly occurs in the periorbital area. We report a case of sebaceous carcinoma in a 14-year-old girl who was first seen with an asymptomatic 2.5 × 2.3-cm firm, multilobulated cutaneous nodule on the anterior thorax, which had been present for 1 year. She was adopted, and no family history is available. A skin biopsy specimen revealed a poorly differentiated infiltrative carcinoma involving the dermis and subcutaneous fat and focally involving the epidermis. Tumor cells had sebaceous and squamous differentiation. A diagnosis of sebaceous carcinoma was made. She was treated by surgical excision with a 2-cm margin. Further work-up showed no evidence of Muir-Torre syndrome. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;47:950-3.)
Exchange transfusion as treatment for rasburicase induced methemoglobinemia in a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient patient.

To the Editor: A recent letter in this journal described methemoglobinemia and hemolysis due to rasburicase in a patient with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency [1]. We would like to report on the management of a patient with rasburicase induced methemoglobinemia and G6PD deficiency. DS is a 12-year-old Laotian male who presented with a white blood cell count of 533,900/mm (89% blasts), hemoglobin 10.1 mg/dL, and platelets of 27,000/mm and was diagnosed with T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Metabolic labs were normal except BUN 23 mg/dL, LDH 4,698 mg/dL, and uric acid 22.1 mg/dL. Rasburicase (Elitek) 10.5 mg (0.2 mg/kg) was administered. One hour later his uric acid was 18.1 mg/dL, and 10 hr later it was<0.2 mg/dL. During leukopheresis, his oxygen saturation level dropped to the 70s and did not improve with supplemental oxygen. Methemoglobin levels were found to be 7–10%. He received two doses of methylene blue, and a repeat methemoglobin level was 7% with persistently low oxygen saturation. A G6PD assay showed activity of 3 U/gm Hgb (normal 4.6–13.5 U/gm Hgb). He underwent a double-volume exchange transfusion, after which his methemoglobin level was 0% and his oxygen saturation was normal. Both remained normal throughout the remainder of his induction therapy. Methemoglobin is generated when hemoglobin iron is oxidized from the ferrous (Fe2þ) to the ferric (Fe3þ) state. Administered methylene blue is converted to leukomethylene blue by the NADPH-dependent methemoglobin reductase system, which then transfers an electron to ferric iron reducing it to ferrous iron [2]. As evidenced in our patient, this mechanism is ineffective in G6PDdeficient patients because of the inability to generate sufficient NADPH to drive the reaction [2,3]. Therefore, the only effective treatment is direct removal of the methemoglobin by exchange transfusion [4]. In our patient, this treatment was successful in lowering his methemoglobin level and resolving his hypoxia. Rasburicase has been reported to cause methemoglobinemia and hemolysis [1]. The package insert contains a recommendation for screening high-risk patients for G6PD deficiency prior to initiating rasburicase. However, in clinically emergent cases involving severe hyperuricemia and impending renal damage, waiting for a G6PD assay is usually not practical. Therefore, in patients at high risk for G6PD deficiency, we advocate close monitoring for hypoxia and methemoglobinemia when administering rasburicase. If the patient becomes hypoxic due to methemoglobinemia, avoid the use of methylene blue as this may precipitate a hemolytic anemia in a G6PD deficient patient while not treating the methemoglobinemia. Instead exchange transfusion is needed to remove the methemoglobinemia and improve oxygen saturations.
Extreme Deindividuation in the Laboratory: Its Magnitude and Subjective Components

One cause of violent or wildly celebratory behavior in groups is deindividuation. The present study addresses two issues of concern to recent deindividuation researchers: (1) the investigation of a more extreme form of deindividuation than that customarily used in prior research and (2) the accurate assessment of the composition of the subjective deindividuated state. In the initial study, a manipulation of extreme deindividuation was developed in a context conducive to collective aggression. Subjects exposed to the extreme condition responded with significantly greater shock intensities and shock durations than those observed in previous research. In the second study, the self-reports of 91 subjects exposed to the extreme deindividuation condition were factor analyzed, revealing a subjective deindividuated state composed of Altered Experience and Private Self-Awareness. A path analysis indicated a possible causal role for Private Self-Awareness, but not Altered Experience, in producing aggression. Result...
Measurement methods for technological change embodied in inputs

Abstract This paper shows how unmeasured quality change embodied in purchased materials input may be estimated as part of a cost function model. The methods presented simultaneously incorporate quality-adjusted price and quantity of the materials input into the model.
Simulating N leaching in furrow irrigated corn

Crop simulation models are increasingly used to evaluate the effect of alternative agricultural practices on crop yields and the environment. Difficulty in obtaining concise field data often requires that simulation results reflect a single point assumed to represent average field condition. Results of this study indicate that the single point analysis can have significant effects upon estimates of nitrogen leaching and crop yield under various surface irrigation practices. Practices considered illustrate the effects of differences in infiltration along the row, between irrigations, and between irrigated sets. Attempts to add intermediate realism in describing the irrigation system may not improve yield and leaching estimates over the single point simulation when compared to simulation results where even more realism is introduced.
Beading of myelinated nerve fibers

Abstract The phenomena of beading upon stretching was studied in nerve fibers of freeze-substituted nerves. Beading appears rapidly along the length of the mammalian nerve. Nerve fibers of frogs kept at low temperatures have a crenated shape in cross section and show wrinkling in longitudinal section, but no beading is produced upon stretching them. Frogs kept at higher temperatures have nerve fibers which are more cylindrical in shape and a moderate degree of beading can then be excited by stretching. The beading is due to constrictions along the length of the fibers. Electron micrographs show an increased concentration of neurofilaments in the constricted part of the fiber, a change interpreted as squeezing of the fluid part of the axoplasm into the expanded parts of the beads.
Government Financial Policy and Capital

Economists have long been concerned about the best way to finance government deficits. Finding the proper fiscal policy and monetary policy mix is a crucial decision. When government debt grows too fast, interest rates rise and capital is crowded out. If the money growth rate is excessive, inflation occurs. The study of this issue at the theoretical level requires a model which incorporates the following features: (1) modeling money and bonds as endogenous financial assets, whose rates of return are determined in general equilibrium, (2) examination of the utility maximization decisions of individuals, so that welfare analysis of alternative policies may be made, (3) modeling the government's optimization problem and its budget constraint, and (4) modeling capital investment, showing how the returns to financial assets affect investment decisions. In such a model, the government's financing decisions affect the rates of return on money and bonds, which affect the welfare of individuals. Standard models in the economic literature do not satisfy all these features. The purpose of this paper is to derive such a model. Macroeconomic models often assume that it is optimal to maximize consumption or output of the economy. This paper shows clearly that such an assumption is false in a dynamic context. Output can be maximized by government policy which drives the interest rate to a low level. But the interest rate affects intertemporal consumption possibilities, and a low interest rate may reduce welfare. The goal of this paper is thus to examine the optimal growth rates of money and government debt, considering their implications for welfare. Changes in the rates of return on money and debt affect welfare in three ways: (1) they affect the capital stock and thus output, (2) they affect consumption directly because people take out consumption loans, and (3) they affect the quantity of resources devoted to transactions costs. We develop a model of the financial-asset holding decision. Money and bonds are the two financial assets. Bonds are an explicit contract between two agents in the economy, a contract which is costly to write. Money is issued by the government by fiat, and represents a costless, implicit contract with a zero nominal rate of return.
Opium Alkaloids II: Isolation and Characterization of Codamine

A minor phenolic alkaloid has been isolated from opium and characterized as (+)-codamine. Some of its physical and chemical properties are described. The alkaloid is of interest as a possible biogenetic intermediate between (+)-reticuline and (+)-laudanosine.
Deep UV exposure of Ag 2 Se/GeSe 2 utilizing an excimer laser

Although inorganic resists are characterized by high contrast and resolution, they have traditionally suffered from poor sensitivity. We have investigated the use of a rare-gas halide excimer laser operating at λ = 249 nm to expose the inorganic resist Ag 2 Se/GeSe 2 . Well-controlled lines and spaces, each of 0.5-µm width, were contact printed using a chromium-on-quartz mask. By increasing the peak dose rate to about 520 kW/cm2, we found that the required dose could be lowered from 130 to 5.2 mJ/cm2; this sensitivity is a factor of 250 better than that obtained with exposures at λ = 436 nm and low power densities. The reciprocity failure at these high flux rates can be explained by a locally induced temperature rise.
Morphological changes in mouse eggs due to aging in the fallopian tube.

Morphological changes in mouse eggs due to aging become evident after the eggs have spent approximately 12 hours in the oviduct. The spindle rotates at first and is radially disposed. Later the entire spindle migrates to the center of the egg. In most eggs the spindle is maintained throughout the first 24 hours after ovulation. In some eggs a nucleus is reconstituted without formation of polar body II. Other eggs break into several cytoplasmic fragments but a nucleus is seen only in the largest fragment. The cortical granules lose their proximity to the cell membrane, migrate centrad and frequently swell. The cumulus cells and the cells of the corona radiata degenerate and/or disperse.
Microbial phytotoxins as potential herbicides

Abstract Microbes are sources of a diverse array of phytotoxic compounds. These compounds are generally structurally different from commercial herbicides, targeting different molecular sites of action within the plant. These novel structures and sites can be excellent leads for the discovery and development of safer synthetic herbicides. Microbial phytotoxins are often more environmentally benign than synthetic herbicides. Examples of phytotoxins from fungi (AAL‐toxin, cornexistin, cyperin, and tentoxin) with novel structures and sites of action are discussed. AAL‐toxin is toxic to a wide variety of weeds at very low dose rates. AAL‐toxin and many of its analogues kill plants by inhibiting a ceramide synthase‐like enzyme, causing rapid accumulation of free sphingoid bases that disrupt membranes. Cornexistin appears to be metabolically cnverted to an inhibitor of certain aspartate amino transferase isoenzymes. Its activity can be reversed by feeding aspartate and glutamate or with tricarboxylic acid cycle ...
The effects of electrode contamination on the properties of air-arc plasmas

Abstract The plasma test environments originating from arcs are usually contaminated with material from the arc electrodes. Carbon electrodes contribute appreciable quantities of vapor which alter the chemical composition and thermodynamic properties of the jet and cooled copper electrodes contribute trace quantities of vapor which, as expected, alter the character of the electrical discharge. In this work, the chemical composition and thermodynamic properties of air are compared to those of air-carbon gaseous mixtures containing 1–30 per cent carbon by weight. The comparison of the different environments is made over the temperature range 4000°–10,000°K and pressures between 0.1 and 100 atm. The effects of trace amounts of copper on the electrical conductivity and power dissipated in the air column are calculated.
Quantification of iNOS mRNA with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction directly from cell lysates.

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is a member of a family of primary inflammatory response genes. Quantitative measurement of iNOS mRNA levels is important for the study of gene expression of this enzyme during the process of inflammation. We report here a method for quantitative measurement of iNOS mRNA levels with rtPCR directly from cells lysed with a single step phenol/chloroform/ether extraction. Using a mouse macrophage cell line, J774.2, which expresses iNOS mRNA upon LPS + IFN-gamma treatment as the model, the effects of the extraction on iNOS mRNA recovery and cytosolic RNase removal have been studied. The cells are lysed and RNases denatured and removed by phenol/chloroform extraction. Trace amounts of the phenol partitioned in the samples are then removed by ether extraction. After the extraction, the samples can be used directly for reverse transcription and PCR without further purification of RNA. The recovery of specific mRNA is not affected by the extraction procedure and externally added iNOS cRNA shows no degradation by the extracted cell lysates. Measurement of iNOS mRNA with this procedure is linear using serially double-diluted cells in the range from 94 to 6000 cells. The efficiencies of rtPCR of iNOS wild-type and deletion cRNAs are also compared in our study. By controlling the molecular size of the deletion construct to within 10% of that of the wild type and maintaining PCR cycling below 25 cycles, the rtPCR efficiencies of iNOS wild type and deletion are identical. The detection of rtPCR products is enhanced by hybridization with specific probes. Under these conditions, iNOS mRNA concentration can directly be calculated from the internal standard in each tube without a standard curve. We conclude that our procedure provides an accurate method for quantitative measurement of iNOS mRNA from limited amount of cells without complete RNA isolation.
Chiropractic: A Deviant Theory of Disease and Treatment in Contemporary Western Culture

Native theories of illness and native healing practices have been parts of the traditional subject matter of ethnography. In recent years, growing interest in the field of culture and medical care has led to intensive work on the nature and meaning of folk medicine, particularly in Latin America, but also in other regions where interdisciplinary teams have been formed to consider public health problems.
Effect of Fluorescent Particle Size on the Modulation Efficiency of Ultrasound-Modulated Fluorescence

To investigate whether the size of fluorescent particles affects the modulation efficiency of ultrasound-modulated fluorescence (UMF), we measured UMF and DC (direct current) signals of the fluorescence emission from four different-sized fluorescent particles: (1) three carboxylate-modified fluorescent microspheres (FM) with diameters of 20 nm, 200 nm, and 1.0 μm and (2) streptavidin-conjugated Alexa Fluor 647 with a diameter of approximately 5 nm. The UMF and DC signals were simultaneously measured using a broadband lock-in amplifier and a narrowband amplifier, respectively. The ratio of the UMF strength to the DC signal strength is defined as the modulation efficiency. This modulation efficiency was then used to evaluate the effects of fluorophore size and concentration. Results show that the modulation efficiency was improved by approximately a factor of two when the size of the fluorescent particles is increased from 5 nm to 1 μm. In addition, the linear relationship between the UMF strength and ultrasound pressure (observed in our previous study) was maintained regardless of the fluorescent particle sizes.
Parallel modulation of striatal dopamine synthetic enzymes by second messenger pathways

Abstract The activity of tyrosine hydroxylase and aromatic l -amino acid decarboxylase in the striatum and their mRNA content in the midbrain were assayed in mice following the intracerebroventricular injection of forskolin or phorbol-12,13-myristic acid (PMA). Control and 1-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned animals were studied. Both forskolin and PMA induced a rapid and transient increase of tyrosine hydroxylase and aromatic l -amino acid decarboxylase activity in the striatum that lasted less than 45 and 60 min, respectively. A second belated increase of striatal tyrosine hydroxylase and aromatic l -amino acid decarboxylase activities was seen only after forskolin, and it was accompanied by a rise of tyrosine hydroxylase and aromatic l -amino acid decarboxylase mRNA in the midbrain. In the MPTP-lesioned mouse, the rise of tyrosine hydroxylase and aromatic l -amino acid decarboxylase following forskolin appeared exaggerated, while the response to PMA was not. These studies suggest that tyrosine hydroxylase and aromatic l -amino acid decarboxylase of striatum can be modulated in parallel by protein kinase A and protein kinase C, and that exaggerated responsiveness to protein kinase A is observed in the partially denervated striatum.
Optimal Admission and Scholarship Decisions: Choosing Customized Marketing Offers to Attract a Desirable Mix of Customers

Each year in the postsecondary education industry, schools offer admission to nearly 3 million new students and scholarships totaling nearly $100 billion. This is a large, understudied targeted marketing and price discrimination problem. This problem falls into a broader class of configuration utility problems (CUPs), which typically require an approach tailored to exploit the particular setting. This paper provides such an approach for the admission and scholarship decisions problem. The approach accounts for the key distinguishing feature of this industry---schools value the average features of the matriculating students such as percent female, percent from different regions of the world, average test scores, and average grade point average. Thus, as in any CUP, the value of one object (i.e., student) cannot be separated from the composition of all of the objects (other students in the enrolling class). This goal of achieving a class with a desirable set of average characteristics greatly complicates the optimization problem and does not allow the application of standard approaches. We develop a new approach that solves this more complex optimization problem using an empirical system to estimate each student's choice and the focal school's utility function. We test the approach in a field study of an MBA scholarship process and implement adjusted scholarship decisions. Using a holdout sample, we provide evidence that the methodology can lead to improvements over current management decisions. Finally, by comparing our solution to what management would do on its own, we provide insight into how to improve management decisions in this setting.
Bengali-American Fiction in Immigrant Identity Work:

In this article I focus on the reception and appropriation of three critically acclaimed, best-selling novels about Bengali-Americans by Bengali immigrants in the San Francisco Bay Area. The three novels are: Bharati Mukherjee’s Desirable Daughters (2002); Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Queen of Dreams (2004); and Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake (2004). Using data from interviews and participant observation, I argue that questions concerning the reception of ethnic literature are inextricably linked with the processes of adaptation and identification. This article seeks to contextualize fiction by Bengali-Americans in relation to the continually debated issue of multicultural politics in the USA. The novels provide immigrants with appealing themes of nostalgia, empowerment, dissonance and self-determination to construct an internal ethnic identity. Immigrants actively use these themes to reconcile apparently contradictory impulses and to draw boundaries that safeguard their class privilege, assuage gender ...