cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The analgetic properties of piroxicam in animals and correlation with expreimentally determined plasma levels

In animal antinociceptive tests responsive to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), piroxicam is an extremely potent and effective analgetic at doses of 1–2 mg/kg p.o. In mice the plasma half-life and duration of analgetic action is short (t1/2=1.7 h), unlike man, wherein piroxicam exhibits an exceptionally long duration of action (half-life 40–45 h). An excellent correlation is observed between plasma levels and analgetic activity in the writhing test in mice suggesting that piroxicam will exhibit potent and long-lasting analgetic activity in man.
Surface tension-driven shape-recovery of micro/nanometer-scale surface features in a Pt57.5Ni5.3Cu14.7P22.5 metallic glass in the supercooled liquid region: A numerical modeling capability

Abstract Recent experiments in the literature show that micro/nano-scale features imprinted in a Pt-based metallic glass, Pt 57.5 Ni 5.3 Cu 14.7 P 22.5 , using thermoplastic forming at a temperature above its glass transition temperature, may be erased by subsequent annealing at a slightly higher temperature in the supercooled liquid region ( Kumar and Schroers, 2008 ). The mechanism of shape-recovery is believed to be surface tension-driven viscous flow of the metallic glass. We have developed an elastic–viscoplastic constitutive theory for metallic glasses in the supercooled liquid temperature range at low strain rates, and we have used existing experimental data in the literature for Pt 57.5 Ni 5.3 Cu 14.7 P 22.5 ( Harmon et al., 2007 ) to estimate the material parameters appearing in our constitutive equations. We have implemented our constitutive model for the bulk response of the glass in a finite element program, and we have also developed a numerical scheme for calculating surface curvatures and incorporating surface tension effects in finite element simulations. By carrying out full three-dimensional finite-element simulations of the shape-recovery experiments of Kumar and Schroers (2008) , and using the independently determined material parameters for the bulk glass, we estimate the surface tension of Pt 57.5 Ni 5.3 Cu 14.7 P 22.5 at the temperature at which the shape-recovery experiments were conducted. Finally, with the material parameters for the underlying elastic–viscoplastic bulk response as well as a value for the surface tension of the Pt-based metallic glass fixed, we validate our simulation capability by comparing predictions from our numerical simulations of shape-recovery experiments of Berkovich nanoindents, against corresponding recent experimental results of Packard et al. (2009) who reported shape-recovery data of nanoindents on the same Pt-based metallic glass.
Effective stiffness theory for a laminated elastic-viscoplastic work-hardening composite

Abstract Effective stiffness theory is derived for modeling the dynamic behavior of a laminated composite material made of elastic-viscoplastic work-hardening constituents. The resulting theory represents the composite as a higher order continuum with microstructure, with the corresponding equations of motion and flow rules. The theory is illustrated and applied to obtain the dynamic response of a laminated slab subjected to time-dependent normal extended load in the direction of the layering.
Qualitative "Versus" Quantitative Methods in Social Research

The perennial controversy over quantitative and qualitative methods is addressed from an empirical point of view rather than as a purely methodological or epistemological question. Consideration of empirical findings leads to rejection of the prevailing views that social science is either nomothetic or idiographic and that a significant methodological distinction can be drawn between quantitative and qualitative methods in social research. As a consequence, quantitative and qualitative methods are seen as inherently complementary, and the question of objectivity in social science is viewed, not as a matter of following "correct" procedure, but rather as an issue dealt with as a practical matter by researchers in terms of internal and external coherence.
Uniqueness and localization. II, Coupled elastoplasticity

Abstract Uniqueness of the incremental response is investigated for an elastoplastic coupling model with elastic stiffness degradation. The criteria of second order work positiveness and strain localization are used in the form derived by Bigoni and Hueckel (1991. Int. J. Solids Structures 28 , 197–213). A numerical example shows that in a triaxial test the loss of second order work positiveness occurs at the positive hardening modulus, whereas the condition of strain localization is never fulfilled. Thus shear hands or splits are predicted not to form, despite strong elasticity degradation and non-associativity.
The multiplicative complexity of discrete cosine transforms

We obtain the multiplicative complexity of discrete cosine transforms in all cases. It is given as a function of the multiplicative complexity of discrete Fourier transforms. The latter have all been determined previously.
Strengthening of two continuous-span steel stringer bridges

Abstract The need to upgrade a large number of under-strength bridges in the United States has been well documented in the literature. Through several Iowa Department of Transportation projects, the concept of strengthening simple-span steel-beam composite concrete-deck bridges by post-tensioning has been developed. The purpose of this paper is to describe how this strengthening procedure has been extended for use on continuous-span steel-beam composite concrete-deck bridges. The feasibility of using this strengthening procedure was demonstrated on a laboratory 1/3-scale-model three-span bridge. The laboratory model was subjected to various post-tensioning systems in which the positive-moment regions, negative-moment regions and combinations thereof were post-tensioned. Post-tension strengthening systems were then implemented and tested on two existing three-span bridges; both bridges (Bridges 1 and 2) were 150 ft (45.72 m) in length with a roadway width of 24 ft (7.27 m). From analysis, it was determined that both bridges, when subjected to legal live loads, were overstressed in both the positive- and negative-moment regions. The bridges, instrumented so that strains and deflections could be measured, were loaded with trucks prior to and after strengthening to determine the effectiveness of the strengthening systems. To alleviate the flexural overstress in Bridge 1, a post-tensioning scheme was designed in which the positive-moment region of all beams were post-tensioned. In Bridge 2, superimposed trusses were employed over the piers on the exterior beams in addition to the post-tensioning of the positive-moment regions of all beams. In both bridges, considerable end-restraint was measured; also it was determined that the guardrails on both bridges were making a structural contribution. In this paper, the effectiveness of both strengthening systems is presented as well as numerous behavioral characteristics noted in the field. This paper summarizes transverse and longitudinal distributions, behavioral changes noted and the effectiveness of the strengthening systems. A design methodology for use by practicing engineers for designing strengthening systems for continuous-span bridges is also briefly described.
Astrophysical MHD simulations in two and three dimensions

Numerical methods are developed to study astrophysical plasma flows within the physical framework of compressible magnetohydrodynamics. Numerical finite-difference codes have been developed and applied to a variety of problems in two and three space dimensions. Key technical issues which arise in MHD simulations are discussed: (1) preservation of a divergence-free magnetic field, and (2) accurate and numerically stable treatment of all MHD wave modes. These difficulties, and the importance of incorporating upwind information in the Alfven wave characteristics into the numerical representations of the magnetic induction equation and Lorentz force term are described. Several astrophysical applications are presented which show the generality of the methods. 29 refs.
Physiological and pharmacological properties of Purkinje cells in rat cerebellum degranulated by postnatal x-irradiation.

Elimination of most granule, basket, and stellate interneurons in the rat cerebellum was achieved by repeated doses of low level x-irradiation applied during the first two weeks of postnatal life. Purkinje neurons in these rats, studied when adults, exhibited sustained spiking activity in Halothane anesthetized preparations. Mean firing rates were 35--40/sec, no different from normal. Spontaneous bursts presumed to be generated by climbing fiber synaptic activity differed from normal by often consisting of full sized spikes rather than characteristic inactivation responses. Intracellularly observed correlates of bursts consisted of epsp's of several discretely different amplitudes appearing independently in time. Stimulation of white matter revealed evidence for, (a) graded synaptic excitation of Purkinje cells indicating more than one converging excitatory synapse, and (b) inhibitory actions on Purkinje cells either through a few remaining inhibitory interneurons or through Purkinje cell recurrent collaterals. Iontophoretic drug application studies showed normal chemosensitivity of the Purkinje cell membrane, i.e., excitation by glutamate and inhibition by gamma-amino butyric acid, serotonin, norepinephrine, and 3′5′ cyclic AMP. These studies indicate considerable autonomy of Purkinje cell ontogenesis in the absence of normal interneuronal input. A unique synaptic relation only rarely found in normal cerebellum is the innervation of single Purkinje cells by more than one climbing fiber.
Report of interval timing or action

Xu et al. (1) argue that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is involved in interval timing. However, we believe that their data can be explained by the hypothesis that the mPFC simply responds to port exit: the action indicating the expiry of timed intervals. To illustrate our argument, imagine the following addition to the experiment: a flash of light is presented to animals when they exit the waiting port. Say that neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) respond to the light, as expected. If one were to plot a peri-event time histogram (PETH) of these responses aligned to the sound onset (as in figure 3 of ref. 1), neurons … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: shuler{at}jhmi.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Concentration and composition of dissolved combined neutral sugars (polysaccharides) in seawater determined by HPLC−PAD

The purpose of this study was to examine concentrations and composition of polysaccharides in marine systems. To do so, we explored various procedures for hydrolyzing combined sugars, which would be compatible with high-performance anion-exchange chromatography and pulsed amperometric detection (HPLC-PAD). Hydrolysis in 0.85 M H,SO, for 24 h gave the same or higher concentrations for natural samples as hydrolysis in dilute HCl or a 12 M H,SO, pretreatment method. The 24-h hydrolysis was in general less efficient in hydrolyzing commercially available polysaccharides compared to the 12 M H,SO, pretreatment method, but the methods gave similar concentrations for natural waters. These data indicate that the 24-h hydrolysis method without any pretreatment is adequate for most natural waters and that known standards may not be representative models for naturally occurring combined sugars. Total concentrations of neutral sugars in estuarine and deep oceanic waters ranged from 4 to < 0.02 PM, a range larger than observed by other carbohydrate analysis methods or for total dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Total concentrations of neutral sugars also decreased greatly with depth. These data suggest that dissolved combined neutral sugars are a reactive component of the DOC pool. The molecular composition of these combined sugars was generally similar for surface waters ranging from marsh effluents to oligotrophic oceanic waters; glucose, galactose, mannose + xylose (coeluted), and fucose were the dominant sugars. Our data suggest that the molecular composition of dissolved neutral sugars in surface waters is quite uniform throughout the ocean.
A Diagnostic Test for Students Entering a Computer-Assisted Learning Curriculum in French.

Abstract Axiomatic in computer-aided instructional strategies is the goal of individualized instruction. In foreign language instruction, however, the kinds of individuation needed are particularly complex. Most college-level students of a foreign language have had some prior training. Yet their proficiency in the so-called four skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening-comprehension) is rarely uniform. Traditionally, placement tests have been used to determine the appropriate course in a multicourse sequence. The student with some prior language training takes the test and, on the basis of a composite score, is told to register for foreign language 1, 2, 3 or 4. Some placement tests provide subscores for one or more of the four skills. Unfortunately, no existing placement tests give the precise diagnosis needed to interface with a CAL curriculum. In a CAL context, an overall score is not sufficient. To make most effective use of instructional time, scores relating to the student's ability to handle particular features of the language are crucial. One needs to know which language features the student is able to manipulate adequately and those which he cannot. With a complete profile of the student's language skills, CAL units can be used to ‘fill in the gaps’ and to assure a smooth transition into the course sequence. Such a diagnostic test has been implemented for French on the PLATO system at the University of Illinois, Urbana campus. A 2-h test provides a profile for each student's performance using a matrix of 300 lexical, morphological and syntactic cells. Furthermore, the test indicates the student's proficiency in reading, writing and listening skills (an audio device is used for the latter). Instructors and students report their satisfaction with the program. Students especially like the ease with which the answers are entered and reviewed before they are submitted for evaluation. Instructors appreciate the detailed profiles and the sensitive partial answer scoring algorithm. Although presently used for diagnostic testing for French, the testing strategies employed in EXAM can be adapted to other foreign languages.
Axial Ligation Equilibria and Dynamics in a Redox Polyether Hybrid: An Fe Tetraphenylporphyrin Melt

Pyridine axial ligation is investigated in a molten Fe tetraphenylporphyrin fashioned by attaching oligomeric (MW 550) ethylene glycol chains at the p-phenyl ring positions ([Fe(T550PP)Cl]). Dissolution of LiClO{sub 4} electrolyte renders the highly viscous, room-temperature melt (0.40 M in porphyrin sites) modestly ionically conductive, so that microelectrode voltammetry can be employed to follow axial pyridine ligation in a thin film of Fe porphyrin melt resting on the electrode assembly. Introduction of pyridine at the gas/melt interface produces distinctive changes in the microelectrode voltammetry, from which relative populations of chloride and pyridine-coordinated Fe(III) porphyrin can be measured and equilibrium constants for ligation of the Fe(III) and Fe(II) oxidation states estimated. Removal of the pyridine at the porphyrin melt/gas interface causes dissociation of the ligating pyridine in an overall process that has a time constant on the order of 5--10 min at 25 C.
Enhancing the potential of quality improvement organizations to improve quality of care.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for improving the quality of care for the nation's Medicare beneficiaries. A key component of this responsibility is the Quality Im...
Descriptive epidemiology in job injury surveillance

Abstract Coleman, P.J., 1984. Descriptive epidemiology in job injury surveillance. Journal of Occupational Accidents, 6: 135–146. Descriptive epidemiology is a well-defined set of methods for describing the distribution of diseases among human populations. It is less commonly used in describing accident and injury occurrences, particularly for occupational injuries. In particular, surveillance of occupational injuries in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Safety Research, is currently carried out using traditional labor statistics and administrative statistics. By combining these data sources with employment figures, risk assessment using epidemiologic methods is carried out where possible. The data sources are described and their advantages and limitations discussed. The various purposes of surveillance activities are outlined, and the data sources are examined as to how well they serve these purposes. Recommendations are included for improving existing data sources and for planning new data collection efforts so that safety problems in the workplace can be more scientifically assessed and defined.
The evidential category of mutual knowledge in Quechua

Abstract In this paper we examine the notion of mutual knowledge, an evidential category that has remained largely unexplored in the relevant literature. Mutual knowledge principally refers to knowledge which is jointly constructed through linguistic interaction and shared perceptual experience. Sources of information for mutual knowledge include the contributions of conversational participants, together with their jointly held beliefs and assumptions. Interlocutors use individual knowledge evidentials to introduce information and use mutual knowledge evidentials to establish facts by consensus. Once established, this shared knowledge is marked as such in subsequent speech. Evidentials are thus shown to be part of a system for building up the epistemic base shared between speakers in dynamic, interactive discourse. In South Conchucos Quechua and in Sihuas Quechua the individual and mutual knowledge categories are formally distinguished via dedicated enclitics in paradigmatic contrast. We describe and illustrate the five-choice evidential system of South Conchucos and the six-choice system of Sihuas, then compare the two systems with each other and with the more well-known three-choice system of Cusco Quechua, a system in which mutual knowledge forms have not been attested. The comparison of the three evidential systems suggests a sequence of stages in the development of mutual knowledge as a grammatical category. The findings presented here are primarily based on spontaneous conversation, the setting in which mutual knowledge forms principally reside and in which epistemic authority is carefully negotiated.
Transoral Robotic Surgery for Larynx Cancer

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has become increasingly used to manage laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers, although the published experience in the larynx is small. Although there is burgeoning use of TORS for primary pharyngeal cancer, its application in the larynx is currently more limited. Successful TORS of the larynx has been predominantly as supraglottic laryngectomy, although there is some experience in total laryngectomy and cordectomy. Limitations of TORS of the larynx are primarily those of access and instrumentation, with respect to both the surgical robot and the retractors used to access the larynx transorally.
Evaluation of the prevalence of antiwheat-, anti-flour dust, and anti—α-amylase specific IgE antibodies in US blood donors

Background Asthma in bakery workers is one of the most frequently occurring forms of occupational asthma in the world. Experience from other countries has shown the prevalence of sensitization (IgE) to bakery-associated allergens (BAAs) (wheat [W], flour dust [FD], α-amylase [AA]) in bakery workers to be 5% to 53%, whereas the prevalence in nonoccupationally exposed individuals was estimated to be 1.2% to 6.4%. Objective To estimate the prevalence of BAA sensitization by measuring BAA specific IgE in the residual serum tubes of volunteer blood donors. Methods Serum samples from 534 volunteer blood donors were measured for anti-W, anti-FD, and anti-AA specific IgE antibodies (in duplicate) using the AlaSTAT microplate assay. Samples with BAA IgE concentrations of 0.35 kU/L or greater were considered positive. Results Nineteen of 530 serum samples (3.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3%-3.9%) were positive for W (range, 0.38-3.61 kU/L), whereas 31 of 534 (5.8%; 95% CI, 5.3%-6.3%) were positive for FD (range, 0.35-2.34 kU/L) and 5 of 529 (1.0%; 95% CI, 0.9%-1.1%) were positive for AA (range, 0.38-1.59 kU/L). Thirteen serum samples were positive for both W and FD; 1 sample each was positive for W and AA and FD and AA. Conclusions The prevalence of IgE sensitization in serum samples from a relatively large unselected population of volunteer blood donors is 1.0% for AA, 3.6% for W, and 5.8% for FD, which agrees well with data from other countries for sensitization prevalence rates for nonoccupationally exposed individuals.
Spatial Mapping of the Biomechanical Properties of the Pericellular Matrix of Articular Cartilage Measured In Situ via Atomic Force Microscopy

In articular cartilage, chondrocytes are surrounded by a narrow region called the pericellular matrix (PCM), which is biochemically, structurally, and mechanically distinct from the bulk extracellular matrix (ECM). Although multiple techniques have been used to measure the mechanical properties of the PCM using isolated chondrons (the PCM with enclosed cells), few studies have measured the biomechanical properties of the PCM in situ. The objective of this study was to quantify the in situ mechanical properties of the PCM and ECM of human, porcine, and murine articular cartilage using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Microscale elastic moduli were quantitatively measured for a region of interest using stiffness mapping, or force-volume mapping, via AFM. This technique was first validated by means of elastomeric models (polyacrylamide or polydimethylsiloxane) of a soft inclusion surrounded by a stiff medium. The elastic properties of the PCM were evaluated for regions surrounding cell voids in the middle/deep zone of sectioned articular cartilage samples. ECM elastic properties were evaluated in regions visually devoid of PCM. Stiffness mapping successfully depicted the spatial arrangement of moduli in both model and cartilage surfaces. The modulus of the PCM was significantly lower than that of the ECM in human, porcine, and murine articular cartilage, with a ratio of PCM to ECM properties of ∼0.35 for all species. These findings are consistent with previous studies of mechanically isolated chondrons, and suggest that stiffness mapping via AFM can provide a means of determining microscale inhomogeneities in the mechanical properties of articular cartilage in situ.
Pregnancy-related substance use in the United States during 1996-1998.

Abstract Objective To provide a baseline estimate of the national prevalence of pregnancy-related illicit drug use and abstinence rates. Methods We analyzed data collected between 1996 and 1998 from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, a nationally representative sample survey of 22,303 noninstitutionalized women aged 18–44 years, of whom 1249 were pregnant. Results During 1996–1998, 6.4% of nonpregnant women of childbearing age and 2.8% of pregnant women reported that they used illicit drugs. Of the women who used drugs, the relative proportion of women who abstained from illicit drugs after recognition of pregnancy increased from 28% during the first trimester of pregnancy to 93% by the third trimester. However, because of postpregnancy relapse, the net pregnancy-related reduction in illicit drug use at postpartum was only 24%. Marijuana accounted for three-fourths of illicit drug use, and cocaine accounted for one-tenth of illicit drug use. Of those who used illicit drugs, over half of pregnant and two-thirds of nonpregnant women also used cigarettes and alcohol. Among the sociodemographic subgroups, pregnant and nonpregnant women who were young (18–30 years) or unmarried, and pregnant women with less than high school education had the highest rates of illicit drug use. Conclusion The continued burden of illicit drug use during pregnancy calls for policy efforts to enable primary care providers to identify and refer women who use substances to treatment and support services. Prevention of uptake of illicit drug use should be an integral part of public health programs for young women.
Quantifying the structural requirements of the folding transition state of protein A and other systems.

Abstract The B-domain of protein A is a small three-helix bundle that has been the subject of considerable experimental and theoretical investigation. Nevertheless, a unified view of the structure of the transition-state ensemble (TSE) is still lacking. To characterize the TSE of this surprisingly challenging protein, we apply a combination of ψ analysis (which probes the role of specific side-chain to side-chain contacts) and kinetic H/D amide isotope effects (which measures hydrogen-bond content), building upon previous studies using mutational ϕ analysis (which probes the energetic influence of side-chain substitutions). The second helix is folded in the TSE, while helix formation appears just at the carboxy and amino termini of the first and third helices, respectively. The experimental data suggest a homogenous yet plastic TS with a native-like topology. This study generalizes our earlier conclusion, based on two larger α/β proteins, that the TSEs of most small proteins achieve ∼ 70% of their native state's relative contact order. This high percentage limits the degree of possible TS heterogeneity and requires a reevaluation of the structural content of the TSE of other proteins, especially when they are characterized as small or polarized.
The Metaphysics of Harm

Harm seems to have special moral significance. We have strong reason to avoid causing it and to come to the aid of those who have suffered it. But what exactly is it to suffer harm? In this article I try to go some distance towards answering this question. We speak both of a person's suffering harm and of his being harmed. I shall assume, provisionally, that being harmed is roughly equivalent to being caused to suffer it. Likewise, harming someone is roughly equivalent to causing him to suffer it. Suffering harm is thus the more fundamental notion. And I take it that to suffer harm is sim-
The resting and active metabolism of red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) on land at simulated winter and summer temperatures

Abstract 1. 1. By measuring resting and active oxygen uptake at various locomotor speeds, the aerobic metabolic rates of the newts were determined. 2. 2. Oxygen uptake of the newts slightly increased with locomotor speed in winter, but no significant difference was found between 1 and 5°C. 3. 3. Oxygen uptake at 25°C was significantly higher than that at 1 or 5°C. 4. 4. Transport costs for the newts decreased as locomotion speed increased. 5. 5. The metabolic rates were incorporated into a total energy budget which indicated that the newts could only survive about 30 days on land if they maintained a low level of activity in cold winter. 6. 6. The newts thus do not appear to be capable of remaining active and surviving winter on land without ingesting food. 7. 7. Lactate contents after resting and locomotion were measured to determine the anaerobic metabolism of the newts. 8. 8. Lactate accumulation and formation after locomotion indicated that most of the energy for supporting the movement of newts (about 90% in winter and 75% in summer) was derived from anaerobiosis. 9. 9. The production of lactate by the newts after locomotion was independent of seasonal changes, but the quantity of formed lactic acid increased with increased locomotor speeds.
A Study of B-Grade and Refinery B-Molasses in Layer Rations

Abstract THE importance of investigating and developing indigenous plants from the tropics to supplement the world’s supply of carbohydrate feedstuffs for poultry has been emphasized by Rosenberg (1953). He reported that low-grade sugar mixed with bagasse pith in the ratio of 10:1, by weight, showed promise as a substitute for the cereal grains, although efficiency of feed conversion into eggs tended to decrease as the concentration of this new feedstuff was increased from 35.5 to 57.5 percent of total ration. Two other byproducts of the sugar industry are also commonly available; they are B-grade molasses and refinery B-molasses. The former was selected for biological assay because it can be made available from sugar mills in tremendous supply, approximately 7 percent of total cane juice. It is cheaper than low-grade sugar and easier to combine with bagasse pith. Refinery B-molasses was also tested because it is produced by sugar refineries located in …
Mechanism of yielding in dislocation-free crystals at finite temperatures—Part II. Applications to the deformation of whiskers and the brittle-to-ductile transition

The cooperative dislocation generation model, described in Part I, is used to explain the onset of dislocation activity at the yield point in whiskers and at the brittle-to-ductile transition. This common approach helps to bring out the similarities between the two processes and the predictions of the model agree well with observations in both cases.
The impact of E-commerce technology on the air travel industry

This case study examines the impact of online reservation systems and e-commerce on the travel industry. Two questions are examined: 1. How can competitive advantage be obtained from the exploitation of new information technologies--in particular, e-commerce technologies? 2. How has the role of travel agents chaaged because of the new information technologies being used to achieve competitive advantage in the air travel industry?Initial discussion concerns the impact of the American Airlines SABRE system, as this has often been touted as giving American Airlines first-mover advantage in the industry. The wider impact of remote-access, computerized reservation systems, or Global Distribution Systems, and e-commerce access to online reservations in the travel industry is analyzed, using Porter's five-force model of industry competitive forces, to understand how the travel industry has shaped and has been shaped by information systems.The case study concludes with a comparison of the impact of information technologies between the U.S. and European travel industries. It concludes that technology alone does not affect the roles of industry players, but the development of winning technologies exploits structural factors in the environment. Constant evolution of strategic information systems is critical to producing competitive advanatage, but opportunism also plays a strong role.
Evaluation of the vasodilator vs inotropic effect of milrinone using an animal model of left ventricular failure: reversal of disopyramide depression of the myocardium with milrinone

Milrinone (M) has been shown to improve left ventricular (LV) performance in animal and human studies. M has strong vasodilator action, and whether increased LV performance is due primarily to vasodilation or to a direct positive inotropic effect is unclear. Ten mongrel dogs were studied. Disopyramide caused a significant and sustained decrease in LV function and was a good model for myocardial depression. At equal reduction in systemic vascular resistance (SVR), M reversed this LV depression to a significantly greater degree than nitroprusside (NP) did. At equal levels of vasodilation, M produced significantly greater improvement in indices of LV function than NP did in our model of disopyramide-induced LV failure. This suggest that its effect on LV function is not due entirely to afterload reduction, or to reflex sympathetic stimulation, but has a substantial component of direct inotropic stimulation. This study also demonstrated a reversal of disopyramide-induced LV dysfunction by M, which may be clinically useful since, as in many antiarrhythmics, myocardial depression may be a limiting factor in its use.
Impact of gene patents on the development of molecular diagnostics.

There is a widely held view that gene patents in particular and patents in general, because of the exclusionary rights that they provide, are inhibiting the development of and access to critical molecular diagnostic testing. This is a highly relevant issue for healthcare delivery as we move towards personalized medicine, which relies heavily on genetic testing to tailor treatments that are specific for individual characteristics. Critics of the patent system hope to void or diminish the exclusionary aspect of patents by removing genes from the definition of what is patentable, by increasing the number of activities that fall within the research use exemption, or by compelling patent holders to license their rights non-exclusively. Although a re-examination of what constitutes patentable subject matter is an important undertaking, narrowing the definition of patentable subject matter is at best only a partial solution. Erosion of the patent system through compulsory licensing or expansion of the research u...
Adolescents' multisubstance use patterns: the role of heavy alcohol and cigarette use:

OBJECTIVES. Knowledge about the roles that heavy alcohol and cigarette use play in patterns of concurrent substance use among adolescents is lacking despite studies showing that adolescent substance users are typically multisubstance users and that alcohol and cigarettes are commonly used heavily by those who use illicit substances. METHODS. The roles of increasing use and heavy first-time use of alcohol and cigarettes in multisubstance use patterns were examined in a cohort of 4192 secondary students who were surveyed three times over a 4-year period. RESULTS. When subsequent use patterns were compared for students who increased their levels of alcohol or cigarette use and those who initiated use for the first time but at heavy frequencies, analyses indicated that the former group was more likely to initiate the subsequent use of other substances and to maintain and increase use already initiated. CONCLUSIONS. These results suggest that adolescents are likely to have been involved in a history of licit s...
Hypoxia triggers neuroprotective alterations in hippocampal gene expression via a heme-containing sensor

Abstract Sublethal ischemia or hypoxia triggers adaptive changes that protect the brain against future hypoxic/ischemic damage. Preexposure of in vitro hippocampal slices to brief periods of hypoxia increases the resistance of Schaffer collateral-CA1 synaptic potentials to further, longer periods of hypoxia that would otherwise cause an irreversible loss of synaptic transmission. Since hypoxia has been shown to cause alterations in the patterns of protein synthesis, we hypothesized that newly-expressed proteins might mediate hypoxia-induced neuroprotection. We report here that the induction of neuroprotection by hypoxic preconditioning in rat hippocampal slices is blocked by either cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, or by Actinomycin D, an inhibitor of RNA synthesis. In contrast, pharmacological blockade of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-i sox azolepropionate (AMPA) and N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) subtypes of glutamate receptors did not prevent the induction of neuroprotection by hypoxia. Carbon monoxide (CO), which can lock heme moieties in their oxygenated configurations, did prevent hypoxia from inducing neuroprotection. We conclude that hypoxia activates protective mechanisms via deoxygenation of a heme moiety, triggering expression of gene products which protect synaptic function from subsequent hypoxic damage.
MINIMIZING MEAN ABSOLUTE DEVIATION OF COMPLETION TIMES ABOUT A COMMON DUE DATE.

We consider a single machine scheduling problem in which the objective is to minimize the mean absolute deviation of job completion times about a common due date. We present an algorithm for determining multiple optimal schedules under restrictive assumptions about the due date, and an implicit enumeration procedure when the assumptions do not hold. We also establish the similarity of this problem to the two parallel machines mean flow time problem.
The Antinociceptive Effects of Nicotinic Receptors α7-Positive Allosteric Modulators in Murine Acute and Tonic Pain Models

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtype is abundantly expressed in the central nervous system and in the periphery. Recent evidence suggests that α7 nAChR subtypes, which can be activated by an endogenous cholinergic tone, comprising acetylcholine and the α7 nAChR agonist choline, play an important role in subchronic pain and inflammation. This study’s objective was to test whether α7 nAChR positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) produce antinociception in in vivo mouse models of acute and persistent pain. Testing type I [N-(5-chloro-2-hydroxyphenyl)-N′-[2-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] (NS1738)] and type II [1-(5-chloro-2,4-dimethoxy-phenyl)-3-(5-methyl-isoxazol-3-yl) (PNU-120596)] α7 nAChR PAMs in acute and persistent pain, we found that, although neither reduced acute thermal pain, only PNU-120596 dose-dependently attenuated paw-licking behavior in the formalin test. The long-acting effect of PNU-120596 in this test was in discordance with its pharmacokinetic profile in mice, which suggests the involvement of postreceptor signaling mechanisms. Our results with selective mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor 1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(o-aminophenylmercapto)butadiene monoethanolate (U0126) argues for an important role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 pathways activation in PNU-120596’s antinociceptive effects. The α7 antagonist MLA, administered intrathecally, reversed PNU-120596’s effects, confirming PNU-120596’s action, in part, through central α7 nAChRs. Importantly, tolerance to PNU-120596 was not developed after subchronic treatment of the drug. Surprisingly, PNU-120596’s antinociceptive effects were blocked by NS1738. Our results indicate that type II α7 nAChR PAM PNU-120596, but not type I α7 nAChR PAM NS1738, shows significant antinociception effects in persistent pain models in mice.
On the mechanical behaviour of AA 7075-T6 during cyclic loading

The mechanical behavior of an aluminum alloy during uniaxial cyclic loading is examined using finite element simulations of aggregates with individually resolved crystals. The aggregates consist of face centered cubic (FCC) crystals with initial orientations assigned by sampling the orientation distribution function (ODF) determined from the measured crystallographic texture. The simulations show that the (elastic) lattice strains within the crystals evolve as the number of cycles increases. This evolution is attributed to the interactions between grains driven by the local plasticity. Under constant amplitude strain cycles, the average (macroscopic) stress decays with increasing number of cycles in concert with the evolution of the lattice strains. Further, the average number of active slip systems also decreases with increasing cycles, eventually reaching zero as the material response becomes totally elastic at the grain level. During much of the cyclic history only a single slip system is activated in most grains. The simulation results are compared to experimental data for the macroscopic stress and for lattice strains in the unloaded state after 1, 30 and 1000 cycles.
Derivatives of light scattering properties of a nonspherical particle computed with the T-matrix method

Based on the T-matrix formalism, we analytically calculate derivatives of light scattering quantities by a nonspherical particle with respect to its microphysical parameters. Illustrative computations are performed for a spheroid, and the results agree with those obtained by finite differencing. The proposed formalism also predicts correctly derivatives for a sphere obtained by linearized Lorenz–Mie theory.
A new algorithm for outlier rejection in particle filters

Filtering algorithms have found numerous application in various fields. One of the main factors that affect the performance of filtering algorithms is when the instrument recording the observations is faulty and yields observations which are outliers, that subsequently degrade the performance of the filter. A standard procedures to deal with this issue is to reject any measurement that is at least three standard deviations away from the predicted measurement. This method works very well for linear Gaussian estimation. For particle filter which does not require any Gaussian assumptions, the aforementioned noise rejection procedure yields poor performance. In this paper, we present a new outlier rejection procedure for particle filters that uses the theory from kernel density estimation and probability level sets. The proposed solution does not impose any constraint on the type of noise or the system transformation, and consequently the particle filter realizes its full potential. Simulation examples are presented in the end to show that our proposed algorithms works better than conventional outlier rejection algorithm.
A novel approach to the placement of Palmaz-Schatz biliary stents in saphenous vein grafts

The placement of Palmaz-Schatz biliary stents has become a successful method to treat stenoses in large saphenous vein grafts. Unlike coronary stents, the biliary stents are not routinely delivered with a selective delivery sheath and may be more difficult to deliver and prone to detachment from the balloon and even embolization during delivery. In order to enhance the ability to deliver these stents, a guide-within-a-guide system was developed. A 7F guiding catheter was used as a selective delivery sheath within a standard guiding catheter. Nineteen biliary stents were successfully placed in vein grafts in 15 patients using this system. One procedure was complicated by an embolic event documented angiographically following intragraft delivery of urokinase but prior to stent implantation.
Estrogen Receptor β , but not α , Mediates Estrogen's Effect on Cocaine-Induced Reinstatement of Extinguished Cocaine-Seeking Behavior in Ovariectomized Female Rats

Preclinical and clinical studies indicate that females are more vulnerable to relapse than males, and the neurobiological effects of estrogen are thought to mediate, in part, the sex differences in cocaine-taking behavior. The goal of the present study was to investigate the involvement of estrogen receptor α (ERα) and β (ERβ) in estrogen-mediated increases in cocaine-induced reinstatement of extinguished cocaine-seeking behavior in ovariectomized (OVX) female rats. Rats were initially trained to self-administer cocaine (0.4 mg/kg/inf, i.v.) under a fixed-ratio 1 (FR 1) schedule of reinforcement during daily 2-h sessions. After a 10-day maintenance period, cocaine solutions were replaced with saline, and self-administration was extinguished over a 14-day period. OVX rats were then treated with either the mixed ERα/β agonist estradiol benzoate (EB), the ERα-selective agonist, propyl-pyrazole-triol (PPT), the ERβ-selective agonist, diarylpropionitrile (DPN), or a vehicle control (dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO). Treatment lasted a total of 9 days, and during this time, rats were assessed for nonreinforced reinstatement of extinguished cocaine-seeking behavior after priming injections of saline or cocaine (5, 10, or 15 mg/kg, i.p.). OVX rats showed no differences in self-administration during maintenance or extinction. OVX rats treated with EB exhibited greater responding for cocaine during reinstatement compared to OVX+DMSO controls. Selective activation of ERβ with DPN also increased cocaine-induced reinstatement responding, whereas selective activation of ERα with PPT did not affect cocaine-seeking behavior. These results indicate that estrogen influences the propensity for reinstatement of extinguished cocaine-seeking behavior, and that estrogen-mediated enhancement of cocaine-induced reinstatement responding involves the activation of ERβ.
Pumping Performance of a Slow‐Rotating Paddlewheel for Split‐Pond Aquaculture Systems

Abstract Commercial catfish farmers are intensifying production by retrofitting ponds with variations of the partitioned aquaculture system. The split-pond system is the most common variation used commercially. The split-pond consists of a small fish-holding basin connected to a waste treatment lagoon by two conduits. Water is circulated between the two basins to remove fish waste and provide oxygenated water to the fish-holding basin. Although much research has been devoted to algal and fish production dynamics in variations of the partitioned aquaculture system, little information is available on basic engineering considerations for devices to circulate water in these systems. This study evaluated performance characteristics for a slow-rotating paddlewheel pump that looked at the relationships among power input, rotational speed (circular tip velocity), water velocity, and water flow rate. Rotational speeds of 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 rpm were evaluated in open channels and in channels with fish barriers....
A vacuum ultraviolet filtering monochromator for synchrotron-based spectroscopy

Abstract We describe the design, characterization, and implementation of a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) monochromator for use in filtering stray and scattered light from the principal monochromator output of the Stainless Steel Seya VUV synchrotron beam line at the Synchrotron Radiation Center, University of Wisconsin—Madison. We demonstrate a reduction of three orders of magnitude of stray and scattered light over the wavelength range 1400–2000 A with minimal loss of light intensity, allowing for over six orders of magnitude of dynamic range in light detection. We suggest that a similar filtering scheme can be utilized in any variety of spectroscopic applications where a large dynamic range and low amount of background signal are of import, such as in transmittance experiments with very high optical density.
The use of plea bargaining in civil commitment.

As attorneys, courts, and legislatures have taken greater interest in the process of involuntary civil commitment, critics have reacted with protests that what had been (and should continue to be) a clinical process was being “criminalized” (Abramson, 1972; Kumasaka, Stokes, & Gupta, 1972; Slovenko, 1977; Stone, 1982). Requirements for dangerousness as a criterion for commitment, increased attention to due process safeguards, and adversarial representation of patients at stricter commitment hearings have come under considerable scrutiny; there is, however, another criminal justice procedure which has been grafted onto civil commitment to which much less attention is being paid-plea bargaining. There is essentially nothing in either the legal or clinical literature concerning this process as used in civil commitment; in a leading textbook on forensic psychiatry, Dr. Seymour Halleck (1980, p. 142) even states “There is no analogy to plea bargaining in civil commitment cases.” There is, however, a large body of literature on plea bargaining in the criminal justice system, which will be used in the discussion in this paper. We will show that a process comparable to plea bargaining is assuming increasing importance in civil commitment as the procedures become more formalized; this paper will examine the issue generally, and present specific data from several jurisdictions to illustrate varying current uses of plea bargaining. Although most states now have formal requirements for patient representation by attorneys in commitment hearings, the roles of those attorneys vary widely, even within a given state. There is little question, however, that where activist attorneys have argued vigorously for release of their clients, they have been quite successful (Kumasaka, Stokes, & Gupta, 1972; Litwack, 1974; Miller & Fiddleman, 1982; Warren, 1977). Prior to these reforms of commitment practice, many states had few due process protections for patients; as attorneys were added, so was their accustomed arena of operation, the court hearing, to determine disposition for involuntarily hospitalized patients. Initially, most such hearings were rather perfunctory and informal affairs in which judges, doctors, and court-