cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uncertainty, information, and time-frequency distributions

The well-known uncertain principle is often invoked in signal processing. It is also often considered to have the same implications in signal analysis as does the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics. The uncertainty principle is often incorrectly interpreted to mean that one cannot locate the time-frequency coordinates of a signal with arbitrarily good precision, since, in quantum mechanics, one cannot determine the position and momentum of a particle with arbitrarily good precision. Renyi information of the third order is used to provide an information measure on time-frequency distributions. The results suggest that even though this new measure tracks time-bandwidth results for two Gabor log-ons separated in time and/or frequency, the information measure is more general and provides a quantitative assessment of the number of resolvable components in a time frequency representation. As such, the information measure may be useful as a tool in the design and evaluation of time-frequency distributions.
Pentoxifylline in regional cerebral ischemia in cats.

The effect of pentoxifylline on regional cerebral ischemia was evaluated in 22 cats. In one group of 10 cats the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded by a transorbital approach, and the cats were maintained on an intensive care protocol for 48 h. Pentoxifylline 10 mg.kg-1 initiated intravenously 30 min post-occlusion and followed by 6.3 mg.kg-1.h-1 for 48 h failed improve the neurologic outcome or infarct size when compared to controls. In another group of 12 cats with the same ischemic lesion, regional cerebral blood flow in the anterior (ischemic) area and an ipsilateral parieto-occipital region was measured by 133Xe wash-out after intra-arterial injection. MCA occlusion reduced the anterior flow by 50% from a mean control value of 62.7 ml.100 g-1.min-1 to 31.9 ml.100 g-1.min-1. The parieto-occipital flow was reduced by 20-30%, probably due to diaschisis. Pentoxifylline produced only a brief, although approximately 50%, increase in flow detected over both brain regions and failed to improve the cerebral energy stores as measured 150 min following MCA occlusion. From the neurologic, blood flow and metabolic data, it is concluded that pentoxifylline failed to affect cerebral ischemia favorably in cats.
Individual differences among young children in Logo environments

Abstract Computers are becoming an integral part of the classroom and home environments of children. Yet, there are unanswered questions concerning their effects on young children's learning. Conceptualized within the framework of Piagetian theory and the educational philosophy provided by Papert, this study is a longitudinal investigation of the qualitative changes shown by fourteen preschool children in the development of programming knowledge about Logo over a period of 8 months. Based on their performance, children were grouped into three groups: (1) those who are sophisticated Logo learners; (2) those who function well in Logo environments under support and continuous direction from the Logo teacher; and (3) children who do not function well in Logo environments. In the second part of the study, an investigation of individual difference variables such as field dependent-independent cognitive styles, mathematical ability, creativity, computer and computer-related experiences within the home and outside the home, indicated that only the variable computer-related experiences within the home and outside the home was important in differentiating between the three groups. The findings of the study do not support the claims made by Papert about learning in Logo environments and suggest that Logo learning environments for preschool children be designed by taking into consideration developmental levels of children and individual differences among children. Furthermore, a new set of concepts and paradigms for studying learning in Logo environments needs to be formulated.
Interaction design research with adolescents: methodological challenges and best practices

Adolescents represent nearly one-fifth of the planet's population, yet the interaction design literature offers little guidance on the unique needs, opportunities, and challenges of designing for this age group. In this paper, we provide guidance on interaction design with adolescents, grounded in methodological and behavioral sciences literature. We clarify what adolescence is and what the needs of adolescents are with respect to their cognitive, emotional, social, and physical changes. We present and discuss common pitfalls that can occur in research and design projects involving adolescent populations. We single out of video data gathering methods as a particularly apropos approach to understanding teen populations and offer up an overview our own approach to videography, called 'mobile video collage'. We conclude with a call to the field of interaction design and children to better understand the unique position, needs and values of adolescents.
Recurrent hypernatremia: A proposed mechanism in a patient with absence of thirst and abnormal excretion of water†

A 7-year-old girl twice developed severe hypernatremia (serum sodium values up to 194 mEq/l) without obvious cause. The ability of her kidneys to conserve water was normal, and increasing her plasma osmolality stimulated an appropriate ADH response. Unable to excrete a water load, her kidneys continued to conserve water even with a serum sodium concentration of 133 mEq/l. She was never thirsty and did not ingest sufficient fluid by choice. Although there was no demonstrable anatomic lesion, we postulate a localized defect of her thirst center. This may have modified release of ADH and resulted in an inability to dilute the urine by interrupting a pathway that could exist from the thirst center to the supraoptic nuclei. A therapeutic regimen based on these studies has prevented further hypernatremia.
A small-specimen investigation of the fracture toughness of Ti5Si3

The fracture toughness of the refractory hardmetal Ti5Si3, with a grain size between 5 and 6 μm, was measured using the controlled-flaw method in conjunction with the miniaturized disc-bend test. The specimens used in these experiments were 3 mm diameter and varied in thickness from 150–450 μm. They were indented using a Vickers pyramid indentor to indention loads varying from 2.9–79.2 N. Indentation cracking was experienced at all indentation loads, and R-curve behaviour was exhibited. The fracture toughness was determined to be 2.69 ± 0.21 MPam1/2 using a straightforward graphical procedure involving an empirical R-curve equation. This value is almost 30% higher than that of similar material (2.1 MPam1/2) with a larger grain size, suggesting that the fracture toughness of this material, which fractures intergranularly, might be grain-size dependent.
Blood and Urine Bioindicators for Methanol Exposure: Effect of Chilled and Frozen Sample Storage

Abstract Measurements of methanol concentrations in blood and urine may be used as bioindicators of methanol exposure that account for all exposure pathways. These measurements will be practical if the integrity of samples from the time of collection to the time of analysis can be maintained. This study was designed to test the stability of methanol in blood and urine samples stored at 4° and −20°C for various periods of time up to 7 months. Methanol recoveries of the stored blood samples were found to fit a first-order decay model, with the best estimates for the half-life of methanol in chilled and frozen blood of 114 ± 14 and 240 ± 58 days, respectively. A half-life of 562 ± 145 days is estimated for chilled and frozen urine. These long half-lives enhance the utility of methanol bioindicators. While freezing increased the recovery in blood, it also decreased the reproducibility of results. Thus, refrigeration of samples is recommended if the analysis will be completed within about a month of sample col...
From image to economic value: a genre analysis of sustainability reporting

Purpose – The paper aims to examine the extent to which the genre of the sustainability report has evolved due to the increased emphasis placed on the economic value of addressing environmental and social problems.Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on the concept of genre, this paper compares the most recent sustainability reports of ten global companies to earlier versions of these same companies' sustainability reports.Findings – A concerted effort to define sustainability in terms of economic value is evident in the opening sections and chief executive letters. More recent reports illustrate an increase in efforts to advance the business case for sustainability, including attempts to provide measurable economic outcomes from various sustainable activities and initiatives. In sum, while sustainability reports still convey a company's efforts to comply with environmental and social regulations, sustainability reports are showing an increase in communicating the direct economic benefits that sustainabl...
Studies on the continuous use of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (diamox) in ambulatory patients.

Abstract 1.1. Diamox was administered orally to thirty ambulatory patients with edema for periods of 114 to 812 months. The results were good to excellent with maintenance of satisfactory cardiac compensation in nineteen, (63.6 per cent) of the thirty subjects. 2.2. The response was usually less satisfactory in patients with long-standing and recurrent right-sided heart failure and fixed hepatomegaly. 3.3. Side effects occurred in nine subjects and were severe enough to require discontinuance of the drug in two of the nine. 4.4. It is lelt that Diamox is a safe and effective oral diuretic for use in ambulatory patients. 5.5. The drug may be useful in combating edema of the nephrotic syndrome and may have a place in managing edema due to venous insufficiency.
Experimental and analytical estimates of the J-integral for tensile panels containing short center cracks

The finite element method (FEM) is used to predict the applied J-integral values in highly strained tensile panels containing short center cracks. Experimental J-values are obtained by integrating strain and displacement quantities measured along an instrumented contour. FEM plane stress predictions for J-values and crack mouth opening displacements (CMOD) are much larger than experimentally measured values for short cracks (a/W<0.05). Large geometry changes near the crack tip are demonstrated to have a negligible effect on the FEM J and CMOD values. The introduction of a small stiffened zone near the crack tip using an overlay of plane strain elements brings FEM J and CMOD values into close agreement with experimental values. For longer crack lengths, conventional plane stress FEM solutions are adequate to predict J and CMOD values.
Residual Strength of a Carbon/Epoxy Composite Material Subjected to Repeated Impact:

The residual tensile and compressive strengths of specimens cut from composite plates subjected to repeated impact at various energy levels were measured. The 16-ply quasi- isotropic composite plates were 2 mm thick, fabricated from Hercules AS4/3501-6 car bon/epoxy prepreg. Impact energy level and number of impacts were found to be major factors influencing strength degradation. However, strength degradation was limited to the region near the impact point.
Crystal-field excitations and magnetic properties of Ho3+ in HoVO4.

The magnetic excitations in ${\mathrm{HoVO}}_{4}$ were studied by neutron scattering and susceptibility techniques. Well-defined transitions between the crystal-field-split states of the ${\mathrm{Ho}}^{3+}$ ions were observed at 15, 40, and 100 K. The magnetic spectra were analyzed using a single-ion crystal-field model which includes intermediate coupling of the LS states of Ho. A quantitative comparison of the observed energies and intensities with the model was made and used to refine the five crystal-field parameters needed to calculate the Ho ionic wave functions and other magnetic properties. The nonmagnetic ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{1}$-singlet ground state (containing about 90% pure \ensuremath{\Vert}8,0〉 component) of the Ho ions, in conjunction with the next higher doublet state situated at 2.5 meV, strongly influences the low-temperature magnetic behavior. The calculated magnetic susceptibility, which exhibits an easy plane coinciding with the crystallographic a-b plane at low temperatures, agrees very well with the experimental data obtained from single-crystal measurements. The magnetic properties of ${\mathrm{HoVO}}_{4}$ are contrasted with those of an isostructural compound ${\mathrm{HoPO}}_{4}$ which has a 98% pure \ensuremath{\Vert}8,7〉-doublet ground state. The difference in the crystal-field-level structure between these two compounds is reflected in a sign change of the ${\mathit{B}}_{0}^{2}$ crystal-field parameter. Despite the overall tetragonal crystal structure of ${\mathrm{HoVO}}_{4}$, which predicts double degeneracy for each ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{5}$ state, a small splitting in the first-excited doublet was clearly observed at low temperatures.
Isolation of a calreticulin-like calcium binding protein from bovine brain.

Abstract Intracellular calcium levels are stringently regulated in all cells. The nature of this regulation is incompletely understood, but recent evidence indicates that the endoplasmic reticulum plays an important role in sequestering intracellular calcium. Using methods for isolating both calsequestrin and calreticulin, we have isolated a 58 kDa, high capacity cacium binding protein that exists in microsomes that shift their density in an oxalate-mediated density shift assay. This protein which we call CBP-58 bears similarities to the endoplasmic reticulum protein, calreticulin, in that it has a pI of 4.7 containing approximately 30% glutamate and aspartate, has a high capacity for calcium, and stains blue with the carbocyanine dye, ‘Stains-all’. Peptide, amino acid, nucleotide and immunochemical analyses reveal further similarities between CBP-58 and calreticulin, but also some marked differences. Its tissue distribution suggests it is highly enriched in brain versus other tissues. We believe that CBP-58 is a calreticulin-like protein and that differences in the amino acid composition and sequences may reflect species diversity in calreticulin.
A note on the amylolytic breakdown of some raw algal starches

With the aid of 5 different amylases (bacterial a.,Cryptochiton a., malt a., pancreatic a. and salivary a.), an optical and biochemical study was made of the amylolytic breakdown of 8 raw algal starches. The latter were obtained from the red algaeConstantinea, Laurencia, Plocamium andRhodymenia and from the green algaeCodium, Hydrodictyon, Spirogyra andUlva. Starches fromCanna, potato, wheat and the mossMnium affine were used as reference materials.
Desmoplastic small round cell tumor: using FISH as an ancillary technique to support cytologic diagnosis in an unusual case

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor is a rare and aggressive neoplasm that predominantly affects young males. In almost all cases, a reciprocal translocation is present resulting in the fusion of the Ewing sarcoma gene with the Wilms' tumor gene. Here we describe an unusual case occurring in a 59-year-old male, in which fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used in conjunction with immunohistochemical studies to confirm the diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of using FISH as an ancillary technique to confirm the cytologic diagnosis of this tumor.
Imaging the Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Proteome

Purpose: A key barrier to identifying tissue biomarkers of clear cell renal cell carcinoma is the heterogeneity of protein expression in tissue. However, by providing spectra for every 0.05 mm2 area of tissue, imaging mass spectrometry reveals the spatial distribution of peptides. We determined whether this approach could be used to identify and map protein signatures of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.Materials and Methods: We constructed 2 tissue microarrays with 2 cores each of matched tumor and normal tissue from the nephrectomy specimens of 70 patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Samples were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. In each tissue microarray peptide signatures were identified that differentiated cancer from normal tissue. The signatures were then cross validated. Mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry sequencing was performed to determine the identity of select, differentially expressed peptides. Immunohistochemistry was used fo...
Continuous Flow Aerobic Alcohol Oxidation Reactions Using a Heterogeneous Ru(OH) x /Al2O3 Catalyst.

Ru(OH)x/Al2O3 is among the more versatile catalysts for aerobic alcohol oxidation and dehydrogenation of nitrogen heterocycles. Here, we describe the translation of batch reactions to a continuous-flow method that enables high steady-state conversion and single-pass yields in the oxidation of benzylic alcohols and dehydrogenation of indoline. A dilute source of O2 (8% in N2) was used to ensure that the reaction mixture, which employs toluene as the solvent, is nonflammable throughout the process. A packed bed reactor was operated isothermally in an up-flow orientation, allowing good liquid–solid contact. Deactivation of the catalyst during the reaction was modeled empirically, and this model was used to achieve high conversion and yield during extended operation in the aerobic oxidation of 2-thiophene methanol (99+% continuous yield over 72 h).
Principal strain tensor elements for (h,h,k)-oriented cubic crystals: an application to ZnSe-based heterostructures

Strain parameters of thin films are needed to numerically simulate the optical gain of light amplification for semiconductor devices. We report a complete quantitative treatment of the stress-strain relations for several common (h,h,k) orientations. We find that earlier reports that attributed the presence of tensile elastic strain to both thermal and lattice-mismatches gave strain estimates that were too low. Using our calculations, we present a model to explain the observed shifts in excitonic recombination energies that have been reported by many groups to date.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Observation of Direct Production of Leptons in p-Be Collisions at 300 GeV

Direct production of electrons and muons is observed in 300-GeV $p$-Be collisions. The yields are much higher than predicted from current models. Data are consistent with charge symmetry and universality.
Ligand-binding characterization of xanthophyll carotenoids to solubilized membrane proteins derived from human retina

Abstract The macula of the human retina contains extraordinarily high concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin, xanthophyll carotenoids that appear to play an important role in protecting against age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among the elderly. It is likely that the uptake and stabilization of these carotenoids is mediated by specific xanthophyll-binding proteins. In order to purify and characterize such a binding protein, a carotenoid-rich membrane fraction derived from human macula or peripheral retina was prepared by homogenization, differential centrifugation, and detergent solubilization. Further purification was carried out using ion-exchange chromatography and gel-filtration chromatography coupled with continuous photodiode-array monitoring for endogenously associated xanthophyll carotenoids. The most highly purified preparations contained two major protein bands at 25 and 55 kDa that consistently co-eluted with endogenous lutein and zeaxanthin. The visible absorbance spectrum of the binding protein preparation closely matches the spectral absorbance of the human macular pigment, and it is bathochromically shifted about 10 nm from the spectrum of lutein and zeaxanthin dissolved in organic solvents. Binding of exogenously added lutein and zeaxanthin is saturable and specific with an apparent K d of approximately 1 μ M . Canthaxanthin and β-carotene exhibit no significant binding activity to solubilized retinal membrane proteins when assayed under identical conditions. Other potential mammalian xanthophyll-binding proteins such as albumin, tubulin, lactoglobulin and serum lipoproteins possess only weak non-specific binding affinity for carotenoids when assayed under the same stringent binding conditions. This investigation provides the first direct evidence for the existence of specific xanthophyll-binding protein(s) in the vertebrate retina and macula. The possible roles of xanthophyll-binding proteins in normal macular function and in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration remain to be elucidated.
Stages in Developing a Consulting Relation: A Case Study of a Long Beginning

The literature on Organization Development (OD) emphasizes a collaborative relationship between consultant and client and an open, data-based confrontation of an organization's problems in human interaction. Less attention has been given to how collaboration and openness are achieved. Focusing on organizational self-analysis in organizations new to OD, this paper considers the stages of development through which consultant and client organizations must pass for the consulting relation to reach maturity. The paper is based on a case study of an OD project in which 2 years were consumed in this preparatory phase. The argument is made that before the desired changes in the organization are possible, a meta-change in the organization's capacity to learn and change and to collaborate with change agents is necessary. On the basis of the case study and the literature on group development, a formulation is presented of the stages by which this meta-change is accomplished. The argument is made that this developmen...
EVALUATION OF DOFETILIDE INITIATION ALGORITHM: A SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE

Manufacturer/FDA recommend inpatient initiation of dofetilide with the manufacturer providing an initiation algorithm. The outcomes of algorithm-adherence has not been evaluated outside clinical trials. We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent manufacturer's algorithm driven
Hydrofoil Leading Edge Isolation for Vibration and Noise Reduction in Marine Systems

A technique for reducing the vibration and noise from hydrofoils subject to unsteady lift is examined experimentally. Since the unsteady lift is known to be concentrated in the leading edge vicinity, a single-stage vibration isolation mount is integrated into a hydrofoil near its leading edge to inhibit the leading edge-generated unsteady forces from being transmitted to the remainder of the foil and any structures coupled to it. A single layer of elastomer forms the mount and is used to isolate the leading 20% chord of the hydrofoil from the remainder of the structure. The hydrofoil is excited into vibration by turbulence from an upstream wake generator in a water tunnel facility. Compared to a nonisolated hydrofoil, vibration reductions up to 10dB in level are recorded on the portion of the hydrofoil isolated from the leading edge.
Dynamic mathematical model for the biodegradation of VOCs in a biofilter: Biomass accumulation study

Although biofiltration is a firmly established technology for the control of emissions of volatile organic compound (VOCs), more fundamental research is still needed. This work uses a mathematical model describing the dynamic physical and biological processes occurring in a packed trickle-bed air biofilter to analyze the relationship between biofilter performance, biomass accumulation in the reactor, and mathematical description of the packed bed porous media. In this study a biofilter packed with pelletized support media was used to treat toluene achieving removal efficiencies over 99% and 97% for 4.1 and 6.2 kg COD/m{sup 3} day toluene loading, respectively. Experimental results showed that as biomass accumulates in the reactor, the available area for the contaminant to diffuse into the biofilm decreases causing a drop in removal efficiency. This effect is specially important for biofilters where there is a high degree of biomass accumulation that significantly affects biofilter performance. In response to these observations, a new approach for the calculation of the biofilm specific surface area of the reactor as a function of biomass growth was developed. Three models of the reactor porous medium were analyzed. The medium was represented as a bed of equivalent spheres in the first model, as an equivalentmore » set of parallel pipes in the second model, and as an equivalent set of flat parallel plates in the third model. The first two models, spheres and pipes, were proven superior in their ability to explain the system performance. The effect of contaminant solubility on biofilter performance was also analyzed.« less
Voyager Observations of the Magnetic Field, Interstellar Pickup Ions and Solar Wind in the Distant Heliosphere

Voyagers 1 and 2 are now observing the latitudinal structure of the heliospheric magnetic field in the distant heliosphere (the region between ≃ 30 AU and the termination shock). Voyager 2 is observing the influence of the interstellar medium on the solar wind. The pressure of the interstellar pickup protons, measured by their contribution to pressure balanced structures, is greater than or equal to the magnetic pressure and much greater than the thermal pressures of the solar wind protons and electrons in the distant heliosphere. The solar wind speed is observed to decrease and the proton temperature increase with increasing distance from the sun. This may result from the production of pickup ions by the charge exchange process with the interstellar neutrals. The introduction of the pickup ions into the dynamics of the magnetized solar wind plasma appears to be an important new process which must be considered in future theoretical studies of the termination shock and boundary with the local interstellar medium.
N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced and spontaneous AKR/J thymic lymphomas express distinct differentiation antigen phenotypes

Spontaneous and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced AKR/J thymic lymphomas were characterized for expression of several lymphocyte differentiation antigens. The majority (53%) of spontaneous lymphomas expressed both Lyt-2 and L3T4 antigens, similar to the predominant normal thymocyte subset. In contrast, 63% of the thymic lymphomas induced by the chemical carcinogen MNU, expressed an Lyt-2+ L3T4- antigenic profile. Although this profile suggested that MNU-induced lymphomas are phenotypically similar to a mature thymocyte subset, the presence of ThB antigen on Lyt-2+ L3T4- lymphomas did not support this notion. Diagonal gel electrophoresis of 125I-labeled membrane extracts and immunoprecipitates revealed that 17 of 29 Lyt-2+ L3T4-MNU-induced lymphomas expressed cell surface T-cell receptor heterodimer components. Northern blot analyses confirmed that the T-cell receptor material was composed of alpha and beta polypeptide chains. The results from this study indicate a distinct origin or differentiation potential of the target cells involved in viral and chemical induced lymphomagenesis of AKR/J mice.
Nonoperative options for management of residual stones after cholecystostomy in high-risk patients

Cholecystostomy is frequently performed to obtain control of sepsis in high risk patients with acute cholecystitis. Retained stones in the gallbladder may cause future clinical problems. We present two patients with cholecystostomy tubes managed non-operatively. A review of other reported methods for stone extraction or destruction is also presented. Knowledge of safe and effective techniques for removal of these stones, using minimally invasive techniques is useful to the general surgeon.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
INTRODUCTION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF AEDES (FINLAYA) JAPONICUS JAPONICUS (THEOBALD) ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAII: IMPLICATIONS FOR ARBOVIRUS TRANSMISSION

On November 24, 2003, 1 female adult specimen of Aedes (Finlaya) japonicus japonicus (Theobald) was collected in a New Jersey (NJ) light trap on the island of Hawaii. From June through October, 2004, female and male adults were collected by NJ light traps and gravid traps placed at multiple sites on the island of Hawaii. Larvae were collected in artificial containers and reared to adults for identification. Aedes (Fin.) j. japonicus is the 8th mosquito species to be introduced and established in the State of Hawaii. Currently, this species is known only from the island of Hawaii. Aedes (Fin.) j. japonicus is a competent laboratory vector for a number of arboviruses. Increased quarantine inspections, inspection and treatment of imported used tires and plants, disinsection of airline cargo holds, enhanced vector surveillance, and the development of sanitary corridors around airports and port facilities are necessary to reduce the introduction of vectors and pathogens.
Genetic control of susceptibility to spontaneous testicular germ cell tumors in mice

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are the most common cancer affecting young men. TGCT is a polygenic trait and genes that control susceptibility for TGCT development have not yet been identified. The 129/Sv inbred strain of mice is an important experimental model to study the genetics and development of TGCTs. We review several novel approaches that were developed to study the susceptibility of TGCTs in the 129/Sv mouse model and its application in humans. These approaches showed that several spontaneous and engineered mutations interact with 129/Sv-derived susceptibility genes to enhance or suppress susceptibility; two of these mutations (Ter and Trp53) revealed novel linkages for susceptibility genes in sensitized polygenic trait analysis. Linkage analysis with a chromosome substitution strains suggests that as many as 100 genes control susceptibility. Bilateral TGCTs result from the coincidental occurrence of unilateral tumors. These results highlight the important contributions that this mouse model can make to studies of TGCT susceptibility in humans.
Responses To Conspecific Advertisement Calls in the Green Frog (Rana Clamitans) and Their Role in Male-Male Communication

We investigated vocal communication between males in a central Indiana population of the green frog, Rana clamitans. Three playback experiments were conducted. In the first test, we broadcasted a single-note and a multiple-note conspecific advertisement call and a control call (Acris crepitans) to calling males. In response to the conspecific stimuli, males increased the number of calls made per minute, increased note duration, lowered the dominant frequency in the call, and often approached the speaker platform. In a second playback test, designed to examine changes in the sound pressure levels of response calls, we broadcasted a conspecific single-note advertisement call and the control call to calling males. Males in this test lowered the intensity of their responses to the conspecific stimulus. We take these altered response calls to be encounter calls used in the vocal defense of a territory during agonistic male-male interactions. We examine the function of these calls and discuss their possible role in communication between males. In the third test, we broadcasted a second type of conspecific multiple-note call and the control call. In their responses, males increased the number of the second multiple-note calls. The multiple-note stimulus used in this test failed to elicit the agonistic responses of the first two conspecific calls. The role of this second type of multiple-note call in male-male communication remains unclear.
Control plane integration for cloud services

This paper addresses the problem of control plane integration for management and control of cloud services. Unlike data plane integration, which ensures that services can exchange data during operation, control plane integration ensures proper configuration of services before their use. Examples of control plane integration include creating user accounts or establishing profiles in multiple services to allow them to work together during operation. The heterogeneity of service interfaces in the control plane arises from the different ways in which services are implemented and the different requirements they have for their use. Control plane integration is often needed for service bundling and ad-hoc compositions across services, such as for promotional campaigns that must be developed and deployed rapidly. In this paper, we propose a developer-centric approach to integration of services on the control plane. Our approach is based on using Java code annotation, which is introspected at runtime to create rich service models. A multi-layered architecture allows the rapid modeling, development and implementation of service integration scenarios. We demonstrate our approach with an example of a promotional campaign that uses two external service providers.
Some new bounds and values for van der Waerden-like numbers

Numbers similar to those of van der Waerden are studied. We consider increasing sequences of positive integers {x 1,x 2,...,x n } that either form an arithmetic progression or for which there exists a polynomialf with integer coefficients and degree exactlyn − 2, andx j+1 =f(x j ). We denote byq(n, k) the least positive integer such that if {1, 2,...,q(n, k)} is partitioned intok classes, then some class must contain a sequence of the type just described. Upper bounds are obtained forq(n, 3), q(n, 4), q(3, k), andq(4, k). A table of several values is also given.
Measurement of Stress and Delamination in Flip Chip on Laminate Assemblies

Mechanical stress distributions in packaged silicon die that have resulted during assembly or environmental testing can be accurately characterized using test chips incorporating integral piezoresistive sensors. In this paper, an overview of recent measurements made in flip chip on laminate assemblies with (111) silicon test chips is presented. Transient die stress measurements have been made during underfill cure, and the room temperature die stresses in final cured assemblies have been compared for several different underfill encapsulants. The experimental stress measurements in the flip chip samples were then correlated with finite element predictions for the tested configurations. In addition, stress variations have been monitored in the assembled flip chip die as the test boards were subjected to slow temperature changes from −40 to +150°C. Finally the stress variations occurring during thermal cycling from −40 to +125°C have been characterized. These measurements have been correlated with the delaminations occurring at the die passivation to underfill interface measured using C-mode Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (C-SAM). Using the measurements and numerical simulations, valuable insight has been gained on the effects of assembly variables and underfill material properties on the reliability of flip chip packages.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Investigating instrument-based pragmatic variability: effects of enhancing discourse completion tests

A significant dilemma in sociolinguistic research concerns the methods used to collect data, the validity of different types of data and, '…their adequacy to approximate the authentic performance of linguistic action' (Kasper and Dahl 1991: 215). Manes and Wolfson (1981) claimed that the most authentic data in sociolinguistic research is spontaneous speech gathered by ethnographic observation. Difficulties in relying on this method are well-documented (Blum-Kulka et al. 1989, Aston 1995) and have led to the wide use of an elicitation procedure known as the discourse completion test (DCT). Justified criticisms have been levelled at the DCT, some labelling it an instrument that limits the capturing of authentic communication, and others making it look almost obsolete. However, there are to date no other sociolinguistic data collection instruments that have as many administrative advantages as the DCT, making it, practically speaking, a resource pragmatics testing and teaching will continue to rely on. Furthermore, a better understanding of communication in such a constructed context may help us gain a better understanding of authentic communication. This study investigates the effect of systematic modification to DCT situational prompts used to elicit requests on the responses of native and non-native speakers of English. Modification included enhancing the situational prompts by adding information on a number of social and contextual variables considered relevant to this study. Results indicate that enhancement did not affect the request strategy or amount of internal modification. However, enhancing situational prompts did produce significantly longer, more elaborated requests in both groups. These findings point to the importance of external modification of speech act production and the need for an instrument that can satisfactorily account for both variation and context. This study has implications for both teaching and testing in interlanguage pragmatics.
Multimodality imaging of multivalvular endocarditis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has emerged as an alternative to surgery for severe aortic stenosis in non-operable and high surgical risk patients. While endocarditis following TAVR is rare, the significant co-morbidities commonly found in this patient population can complicate evaluation and management. A case of TAVR endocarditis initially diagnosed by cardiac computed tomography angiography and confirmed with transesophageal echocardiogram is presented. In addition to demonstrating the appearance of vegetations and perivalvular involvement in endocarditis complicating TAVR, this case illustrates the utility of cardiac CT techniques in imaging suspected TAVR endocarditis.
Energy parameter calculations of the charge-transfer complexes formed from substituted pyridines and iodine

Abstract Equations derived from the simple form of Mulliken's theory have been used to calculate various energy parameters for the ground and excited states of the complexes formed between substituted pyridine donors and iodine acceptor. The calculations of ground state energy parameters make use of the values of the frequency of the charge-transfer band, ν CT , and the enthalpy of formation, Δ H f , obtained spectrophotometrically, for the complexes and assumed values for β 0 and S 01 . The calculated values for the energy parameters correlate well with the strength of the complexes as measured by the values of Δ H f .
Methadone: opioid of choice for treatment of persistent pain in the elderly

The undertreatment of persistent pain is a worldwide dilemma. Studies show that one in five adults are living with inadequately treated moderate-to-severe persistent pain. One of the major barriers to the appropriate assessment and treatment of persistent pain is a ‘knowledge gap’. This gap affects healthcare providers, policy makers, patients and their families in their understanding of the magnitude and importance of this problem and available options for treatment. The impact of this knowledge gap is compounded by the lack of available and affordable opioid analgesics. Of the few long-acting opioids available to treat persistent pain, methadone has been available for the longest time and is dramatically less expensive than the others. Yet, methadone has been used minimally in treating persistent pain. Clinical studies assessing its efficacy, tolerability and safety have been few and inadequate. From the perspective of a clinician who, for 30 years, has extensively used methadone to treat pain, this art...
The ECU as international money

Abstract The ECU is compared with alternative foreign currencies to determine how adequately it performs the various functions of international money. For the period April 1979 through December 1984 it is found that for most European economic agents the ECU was superior to the SDR, the US dollar, and a representative foreign currency (the Netherlands guilder) as a unit-of-account, as a store of value, and as a means of deferred payment. An examination is made of the distribution of the series of exchange-rate changes so that appropriate statistical methods are employed in making a final assessment about the variability of the ECU.
Glycosylation/Hydroxylation-induced Stabilization of the Collagen Triple Helix 4-trans-HYDROXYPROLINE IN THE Xaa POSITION CAN STABILIZE THE TRIPLE HELIX

We have shown recently that glycosylation of threonine in the peptide Ac-(Gly-Pro-Thr)(10)-NH(2) with beta-d-galactose induces the formation of a collagen triple helix, whereas the nonglycosylated peptide does not. In this report, we present evidence that a collagen triple helix can also be formed in the Ac-(Gly-Pro-Thr)(10)-NH(2) peptide, if the proline (Pro) in the Xaa position is replaced with 4-trans-hydroxyproline (Hyp). Furthermore, replacement of Pro with Hyp in the sequence Ac-(Gly-Pro-Thr(beta-d-Gal))(10)-NH(2) increases the T(m) of the triple helix by 15.7 degrees C. It is generally believed that Hyp in the Xaa position destabilizes the triple helix because (Pro-Pro-Gly)(10) and (Pro-Hyp-Gly)(10) form stable triple helices but the peptide (Hyp-Pro-Gly)(10) does not. Our data suggest that the destabilizing effect of Hyp relative to Pro in the Xaa position is only true in the case of (Hyp-Pro-Gly)(10). Increasing concentrations of galactose in the solvent stabilize the triple helix of Ac-(Gly-Hyp-Thr)(10)-NH(2) but to a much lesser extent than that achieved by covalently linked galactose. The data explain some of the forces governing the stability of the annelid/vestimentiferan cuticle collagens.
The Death of the Author through False Translation in Mario Bellatin's Orientalised Japan

This article argues that Mario Bellatin's exploration of the potential relationship between writing, translation and physical deformity leads, perhaps unconsciously, to the continuation of exoticising stereotypes about ‘Oriental’ cultures. In El jardin de la senora Murakami, Shiki Nagaoka: una nariz de ficcion, and Biografia ilustrada de Mishima, Bellatin resorts to Japanese characters to distance himself from his own writings, as if it were the culture that is the most alien to his own. His lucubrations about reading and writing are sometimes accompanied of exocitising and orientalist overtones, which he mocks at times.
Transforming Powder Mechanical Properties by Core/Shell Structure: Compressible Sand

Some active pharmaceutical ingredients possess poor mechanical properties and are not suitable for tableting. Using fine sand (silicon dioxide), we show that a core/shell structure, where a core particle (sand) is coated with a thin layer of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), can profoundly improve powder compaction properties. Sand coated with 5% PVP could be compressed into intact tablets. Under a given compaction pressure, tablet tensile strength increases dramatically with the amount of coating. This is in sharp contrast to poor compaction properties of physical mixtures, where intact tablets cannot be made when PVP content is 20% or less. The profoundly improved tabletability of core/shell particles is attributed to the formation of a continuous three-dimensional bonding network in the tablet.
Imide-aryl ether phenylquinoxalines 2

Novel imide-aryl ether phenylquinoxaline copolymers were prepared and their morphology and thermal properties investigated. A key feature of these copolymers is the incorporation of an aryl ether phenylquinoxaline linkage into a semi-rigid polyimide backbone based in pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) with 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA) and either 2,3-bis-[(3-aminophenoxy)phenyl]quinoxaline or 2,3-bis-[(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]quinoxaline as co-diamines. These monomers were prepared by a novel nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction of 2,3-bis(4-fluorophenyl)quinoxaline with 4- or 3-aminophenol in the presence of K2CO3. These diamines were used as co-monomers with PMDA and ODA to synthesize poly(amic-acids) which were cast and cured (350°C) to effect imidization, affording tough films. The copolymers with high phenylquinoxaline compositions displayed glass transition temperature values in the 300°C range. The thermal stability of the copolymers was comparable to that of the parent polyimide, with decomposition temperatures between 455 and 480°C. The morphology of the copolymers was investigated by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and wide angle X-ray diffraction.
Inotropic responses to selective (RO 20-1724 and SQ 65,442) and nonselective (trequinsin) inhibitors of cyclic AMP-specific class IV phosphodiesterase in newborn, immature, and adult rabbit myocardium.

ABSTRACT: In contrast to myocardium from adult rabbits, myocardium from newborns is insensitive to the inotropic effects of selective inhibitors (e. g. amrinone, milrinone, and indolidan) of the cGMP-inhibited high-affinity cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) localized in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This difference may be explained at least partially by our recent observation that this camp PDE activity is low in sarcoplasmic reticulum from newborns. Furthermore, because the predominant cytosolic high-affinity cAMP PDE activity in newborns is a cGMP-insensitive form, we postulated that selective inhibitors of this form of cAMP-specific PDE may increase cardiac contractility in newborns. Therefore, the inotropic effects of RO 20–1724 and SQ 65, 442 (selective inhibitors of cGMP-insensitive, high-affinity cAMP PDE) were compared with trequinsin (a potent, less selective PDE inhibitor) in right ventricular papillary muscles isolated from newborn (NB; 24–48 h), immature (14–16 d), and adult New Zealand White rabbits. At a drug concentration of 100 $mUm, RO 20–1724 and SQ 65, 442 depressed maximal rate of tension development to 67 ± 4 and 70 ± 2% of control, respectively, in NB papillary muscles. The NB response to RO 20–1724 differed significantly from the immature (127 ± 2%) and adult (115 ± 3%) groups (p < 0.05), but the effects of SQ 65, 442 were comparable among the three age groups. In contrast, trequinsin exerted a positive inotropic effect in the NB group (355 ± 22% of control) that was substantially greater than the maximal response obtained in the immature (139 ± 6% of control) or adult (131 ± 5% of control) groups (p < 0.01). These differences in inotropic responsiveness could not be ex- plained by differences in sensitivity to drug-induced inhibition of cAMP or cGMP hydrolysis in cytosolic fractions from the three age groups. Thus, selective inhibitors of the predominant form of high-affinity cAMP PDE in NB myocardium do not exert a positive inotropic response in NB papillary muscles. The age-specific cardiotonic effects of trequinsin suggest that other PDE isozymes could contribute to the modulation of contractility during postnatal maturation.
Late Quaternary vegetation in the Mohave Desert (U.S.A.)

Abstract Pollen analysis of alluvium, playa lake cores, and ancient spring deposits has allowed the development of a 14C-dated pollen chronology for the Mohave Desert of California and Nevada (U.S.A.). The evidence indicates that the present vegetation zones of the desert mountain ranges were reduced in elevation by about 1000 m during the maximum advances of Wisconsin (Wurm) continental glaciation. Southward vegetational shifts of several hundred kilometers are also suggested. Many vegetation changes of less magnitude have been dated and can be correlated with other palynological sequences in the arid and semiarid southwestern U.S.A.