cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Sandwich Plate Twist Test for Shear Testing

This work examines the viability of the sandwich twist (anticlastic) test as a means to determine the in-plane and transverse shear properties of the face sheets and core in sandwich materials through analysis and testing. The contribution of core transverse shear to the total compliance of the specimen is quantified for different material systems and the adequacy of classical laminated plate theory (CLPT) as a data reduction method for such a test is examined. Parametric studies are conducted using finite element analysis (FEA) to examine the influence of transverse shear deformation on the plate compliance and propose some guidelines for specimen design. It is shown that CLPT greatly underestimates the plate compliance, except when very stiff cores and compliant face sheets are used, as a result of transverse core shear deformation. A shear correction factor is proposed to correct the CLPT compliance for transverse shear deformation of the core. For sandwich panels with compliant cores, the shear correction factor may be used to determine transverse shear modulus of the core.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Age-induced differentiation of morphine's effect on cyclic nucleotide metabolism

Male ICR mice, immature (25 days old), mature adult (3 months old) and aged (22 months old), were injected with morphine sulfate (10 mg/kg, SC) or were implanted with morphine pellets (75 mg). Age-matched controls received saline injections or placebo pellets. One hour after injections and 72 hours after pellet implantation (when tolerance to morphine had occurred), the mice were decapitated and the frontal cortex and cerebellum were removed. Basal activities of adenylate cyclase, guanylate cyclase, cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase were determined in both brain regions. Results showed that there are age- and region-differentiated effects of morphine on these enzymes.
On an Expression for the Total Cross Section

The well-known expression for the toral cross section inrerms of the imaginary part or'the coherent forward scattered amplitUde is. derived in a simple and general ¥fay from wave theory. 'The derivation also shows that there is a "shadow remnant" beyond the actual shadow, within· which the forward coherent scattering intensity is diminished, of approximate radius (r/k) 1/2, where r is the distance from the scattering center and k=2n/).. is the wave number. A qualitative understanding of the shadow remnant is obtain~ in terms of the uncertainty principle. ' It is well known that the total cross section (elastic. plus in~lastic and absorption, or coherent plus incoherent) in any scattering process is proportional' to the imaginary part of the elastic or coherent scattere,d amplitude in the forward direction}> The physical reason for this proportionality is that any- reduction in the incident beam, which represents a loss by scattering or absorption, must be produced by interference bet~een the incident plane wave and the coherent scattered wave in the forward direction, and hence·. must be a linear function of the forwar.sf scattered elastic amplitude. This suggests that' the theorem referred to above can be established by a straightforward consideration of, the incid~t and scattered waves. It is shown below that this can be done, and that the region in the forward direction over which substantial destructive interference occurs can easily be found. The relation of this interference. region to shadow formation is also discussed. Finally, the situation is discussed qualitatively from the point of view of the uncertainty principle. All of the calculations and results are applic;able, to the relativistic case. We write the total stationary wave function It as the sum of a coherent part Uc and an inc<therent partw. Asymptotically, ltc consists of an incident plane wave and an out­ going scattered wave; iA:~
ASSESSMENT OF A SYNCHROTRON X-RAY METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF CALCIUM HYDROXIDE

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and quantitative X-ray diffraction (QXRD) are widely used to determine the calcium hydroxide (CH) content in cementitious systems containing blends of Portland cement, fly ash, blast furnace slag, silica fume and other pozzolanic and hydraulic materials. These techniques, however, are destructive to cement samples and subject to various forms of error. While precise weight losses can be measured by TGA, extracting information from samples with multiple overlapping thermal events is difficult. And, however, while QXRD can offer easier deconvolution, the accuracy for components below about 5 wt.% is typically poor when a laboratory X-ray source is used. Furthermore, the destructive nature of both techniques prevents using them to study the in situ hydration of a single contiguous sample for kinetic analysis. In an attempt to overcome these problems, the present research evaluated the use of synchrotron X-rays for quantitative analysis of CH. A synchrotron X-ray source was used to develop calibration data for quantification of the amount of CH in mixtures with fly ash. These data were compared to conventional laboratory XRD data for like samples. While both methods were found to offer good quantification, synchrotron XRD (SXRD) provided a broader range of detectability and higher accuracy than laboratory diffraction and removed the subjectivity as compared to TGA analysis. Further, the sealed glass capillaries used with the synchrotron source provided a nondestructive closed, in situ environment for tracking hydrating specimens from zero to any desired age.
Left-to-Right Shunts in Control of Bleeding Following Surgery for Aneurysms of the Ascending Aorta

Surgical repair of complex thoracic aneurysms requiring aortic valve replacement and coronary revascularization is occasionally complicated by significant bleeding despite the experience of the surgeon. While bleeding from the mediastinal tissues and the anterior suture line is usually easily controlled, posterior bleeding may require dismantling the repair and a second bypass run. The synergism of a second bypass run and continued bleeding may result in increased mortality and/or morbidity. We recently encountered bleeding in a patient who developed ventricular dysfunction after bypass and opted to interpose a Gore-tex graft between the aneurysm wall and the right atrium with immediate hemostasis and a benign course. Subsequently we used four different shunts successfully in 9 of 33 patients. The average bleeding rate 30 minutes after protamine was 221 ±60 ml/minute with a range of 190 to 350 ml/minute. The initial two hour chest tube drainage averaged 880±285 ml with a range of 490 to 1300 ml. There were no re-explorations for bleeding. The shunt in the first patient has remained open without cardiac decompensation. The last patient developed heart failure and required elective repair of a leak at the descending end of an arch replacement. Our experience suggests that these shunts can be effective, particularly if posterior suture line bleeding is encountered.
Effect of the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ2 Pro12Ala Variant on Obesity, Glucose Homeostasis, and Blood Pressure in Members of Familial Type 2 Diabetic Kindreds

The Pro(12)Ala (P12A) variant of exon B of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(2) (PPAR gamma) been variably associated with obesity, insulin sensitivity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, but its role in insulin resistance-associated traits remains uncertain. We tested the hypothesis that this variant is associated with the insulin resistance syndrome by genotyping 619 members of 52 familial type 2 diabetes kindreds. A subset of 124 family members underwent iv glucose tolerance tests and minimal model determination of insulin sensitivity. We estimated the frequency of the A12 allele as 0.12, within the range observed in random Caucasian samples. We were unable to demonstrate any effect on direct measures of insulin sensitivity, and no trait was linked to markers near PPAR gamma on chromosome 3q. However, body mass index, serum total cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and glucose concentration showed at least a trend to association (P < 0.1) when tested separately for a family-based association. When these 6 traits were included in a multivariate analysis, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, triglyceride levels, and glucose concentration remained significantly associated with the P12A variant (P < 0.05), whereas the effect of P12A on liability for diabetes was not significant. The predicted means for each trait and each genotype suggested that the P12A variant acted most like a recessive mutation, with the major effect among homozygous individuals who comprise only 1--2% of the population. We confirm an association of the P12A variant in traits commonly ascribed to the insulin resistance syndrome, but not with direct measures of insulin sensitivity. The tendency for this variant to act in a recessive manner with effects on multiple traits may explain the inconsistent associations noted in previous studies.
Series Reversion Solution for MIMO Microwave Feed Networks

A solution based on series reversion is derived and tested to estimate an N-port device-under-test (DUT) scattering matrix through a multiple-in/multiple-out microwave feed network. The feed network uses power dividers in place of fan-in/fan-out stages of traditional double-pole N-throw (2PNT) switching matrices. A fast recursive algorithm is derived to simultaneously estimate the DUT scattering matrix and solve the multiple scattering problem for weakly interacting networks. In experiment, the method was able to recover the scattering matrix of a passive DUT to within 0.1 dB in magnitude and 2° in phase.
In vitro control of prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone secretion of neonatal rat pituitary glands: Effects of ovine PRL, salmon calcitonin, endothelin-3, angiotensin II, bromocryptine and somatostatin

Abstract Bromocryptine potently decreased prolactin (PRL) secretion of pituitary glands of 2-day-old rats in vitro (up to 85% inhibition; ED 50 between 0.1 and 1.0 nM) without altering the bioactivity to immunoreactivity (B/l) ratio. Bromocryptine tended to suppress growth hormone (GH) secretion although the effect did not reach statistical significance. Angiotensin-II (A-II; 1–1000 nM) stimulated PRL secretion in a dose-dependent manner without affecting secretion of GH. The B/i ration of PRL secreted in response to A-II was increased. Somatostatin (SRIF) had no effect on PRL secretion but inhibited GH secretion in a dose-dependent manner; significant inhibition (50%) was observed at 100 nM. A 6-h exposure to ovine PRL (oPRL) in concentrations equipotent with 1.2–120 ng/ml rat PRL (rPRL) in the Nb2 bioassay had no effect on immunoreactive rPRL secretion. Salmon calcitonin (sCT) and endothelin-3 (ET-3; 0.1–100 nM) failed to inhibit secretion of PRL or GH. PRL secretion was slightly stimulated by sCT with no apparent dose-response relationship. The present findings suggest that neonatal pituitary glands do not display autoregulation of PRL secretion, and sCT and ET-3 (either endogenous or milk-derived) may not function as PRL inhibiting factors in 2-day-old pups. Thus, the receptors of PRL, sCT and ET-3 on lactotropos, or their functional coupling with inhibition of basal PRL secretion, occur at a later state of development. The specificity of the PRL releasing factor (PRF) activity of A-II at this age is unique for established PRFs and might reflect a physiological function of PRL in osmoregulation. The increased B/l ratio of PRL secreted in response to A-II may be due to the release of specific PRL variants, and might be a sign of functional heterogeneity among lactotropes. The differential sensitivity of PRL and GH to the applied secretagogues suggests that the intracellular regulation of PRL and GH are compartmentalized in the mammosomatotrope cell.
Reaction Efficiency for Cellulose Cationization Using 3-Chloro-2- Hydroxypropyl Trimethyl Ammonium Chloride:

A major cost factor of cationizing cellulose with 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHTAC) is the reaction efficiency, which is less than perfect due to a competing hydrolysis reaction. The efficiency of the cationization reaction sequence is analyzed in terms of chemical kinetics, and experimental results are presented for several reaction methods including pad-batch, pad-steam, pad-dry-steam, exhaust, and pad-dry- cure. The effects of CHTAC and alkali concentrations, additives to the treatment bath, pretreatments, time, temperature, reaction method, and sequence of events are investigated in terms of percent fixation of CHTAC. In addition, data are presented for the reaction in non-aqueous solvents.
CENOZOIC VOLCANISM IN ANTARCTICA : JONES MOUNTAINS AND PETER I ISLAND

Abstract Cenozoic volcanism is widespread along the Pacific coast of Antarctica; a relationship to the rifting of the West Antarctic Rift System is obvious, but the possible role for mantle plumes is not established. We compare here complete geochemical and strontium, neodymium, and lead isotopic data for volcanic rocks from one probable plume just off the coast of Ellsworth Land (Peter I Island) with data from rift-related volcanic rocks from the nearby Jones Mountains, Ellsworth Land. The alkali basalts from Peter I Island are similar in most respects to average oceanic island basalt, and we propose recognition of this island as the most southerly known oceanic plume/hotspot—only unusually high 207/204 Pb ratios set the Peter I Island plume apart from other oceanic plumes. The volcanics from the Jones Mountains share many trace element and isotopic characteristics with the Peter I volcanics, including isotopic arrays which have as one end member the low 87/86 Sr-high 206/204 Pb component which is characteristic of Cenozoic volcanism throughout the West Antarctic Rift System. Basalts from the Jones Mountains are distinctive from those of Peter I Island principally in their much lower 207/204 Pb ratios, and their low and non-OIB-like Ce/Pb ratios (8.5–17.6). To explain this difference, we propose that a minor component of subduction-impregnated subcontinental lithosphere has been incorporated into the rift-related Jones Mountains volcanics that is not present in the oceanic Peter I Island plume.
Simultaneous Two-Photon Activation of Type-I Photodynamic Therapy Agents

The excitation and emission properties of several psoralen derivatives are compared using conventional single-photon excitation and simultaneous two-photon excitation (TPE). Two-photon excitation is effected using the output of a mode-locked titanium: sapphire laser, the near infrared output of which is used to promote non-resonant TPE directly. Specifically, the excitation spectra and excited-state properties of 8-methoxypsoralen and 4′-aminomethyl-4,5,8-trimethylpsoralen are shown to be equivalent using both modes of excitation. Further, in vitro feasibility of two-photon photodynamic therapy (PDT) is demonstrated using Salmonella typhimurium. Two-photon excitation may be beneficial in the practice of PDT because it would allow replacement of visible or UV excitation light with highly penetrating, nondamag-ing near infrared light and could provide a means for improving localization of therapy. Comparison of possible laser excitation sources for PDT reveals the titanium: sapphire laser to be exceptionally well suited for nonlinear excitation of PDT agents in biological systems due to its extremely short pulse width and high repetition rate that together provide efficient PDT activation and greatly reduced potential for biological damage
PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CHRONIC PAIN SYNDROMES. Edited by Gary W. Jay, MD. Informa Healthcare USA, New York, 2010, Hardbound, 436 pages, ISBN: 9781420080452, List price: $200

With little dedicated time for pain management, didactics in medical or nursing schools, students, and practitioners must rely on many different sources for up-to-date and accurate information. Int...
CMOS compatible photodetectors for optical interconnects

In this paper we describe the design and testing of a high speed photodetector that is fully integrated into a CMOS chip, with a response time of 2.6 ns and an operating speed of 112 MHz. The photodetector is to be used in an optically interconnected multi-chip module.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Bicyclist's Exposure to Risk

Bicycle accident statistics in the U.S.A. are usually obtained by counting accident numbers rather than measuring accident rates. As part of a larger study of bicycling safety, the bicyclist's exposure to risk was measured in terms of the number of times each of 851 functions were encountered. Data from a roadside census survey showed that bicyclists were forced into using major highways both by the design of the road system and by the bicyclist's preferences in route choice. Language: en
Paraneoplastic pemphigus: A brief update

First described in 1990, paraneoplastic pemphigus is an autoimmune condition that causes considerable morbidity, is resistant to therapy and is frequently fatal. Clinical heterogeneity is being recognized as more cases are reported and the documented auto-antigen profile is also increasing. Target antigens are now known to be not restricted to the skin, suggesting that this condition is part of a paraneoplastic autoimmune multiorgan syndrome.
Toward a high availability cloud: Techniques and challenges

Cloud computing in its many forms has become the key computing-infrastructure that supports business and more recently governmental computing across the globe. With its geographical spread and value proposition comes the need to provide guaranteed level of availability in the infrastructure and in its services. Multicore processing, virtualization, distributed storage systems and an overarching management framework that enable a Cloud, offer a plethora of possibilities to provide high availability using commodity systems. Herein lie the opportunities and challenges discussed in this paper.
Walter burley and the obligationes attributed to william of sherwood

The history of the mediaeval obligationes-literature has only recently begun to be studied. Two important treatises in this literature, one by Walter Burley and the other attributed to William of Sherwood, have been edited by Romuald Green in a forthcoming book. But there is considerable doubt concerning the authenticity of the text attributed to Sherwood. The correct attribution and dating of this treatise is crucial for our understanding of the history of this literature. In this paper, we argue that the treatise is not as early as William of Sherwood, that on the contrary it dates no earlier than the very end of the thirteenth century, and that, although there is some contrary evidence, the treatise may be an early work by Walter Burley himself.
Chromosomes of the sperm whale.

THIS report describes the results of a chromosomal analysis of the sperm whale by the method of leucocyte tissue culture. During July and August, 1964, fresh sterile blood was obtained at sea for various research purposes from sperm, finback, and sei whales (Physeter catodon, Balaenoptera physalus and B. borealis, respectively) during the course of commercial whaling operations. The method of blood collection, developed by one of us (R. P. A.), will be described elsewhere.
Some uniqueness results for upper bound

The upper bound graphs that arise from exactly one (up to isomorphism) poset are characterized. Weakening these conditions, the class of graphs whose intersection number is equal to the independence number is characterized.
Some new mixed A-site chromium chalcogenide spinels☆

Several new spinels of general formula A+12A3+12Cr2X4 were prepared, where A+ was Li, Cu or Ag: A3+ was Al, Ga, or In: and X was S or Se. When A+ was either Li+ or Cu+ there was cationic ordering on the spinel A-site. With the exception of Ag12In12Cr2Se4, which is a ferromagnet (Tc = 50°K), the other compounds are antiferromagnets with Neel temperatures varying from 6° to 31°K.
Closed-form maximum entropy image restoration

Abstract The use of maximum entropy image restoration has, heretofore, required recursive, or iterative, search routines. This paper, by contrast, describes a one-pass, closed-form maximum entropy algorithm. The approach derives from minimization of a log L 2 -error norm between object and reconstruction. The resulting output has the form of the exponential of a Wiener-type filtering of the image data. The logarithmic nature of the norm gives rise to a tendency toward constant relative error across the output field.
STRING APPROACH TO QCD WITH QUARKS IN FUNDAMENTAL REPRESENTATIONS

Straightforward use of AdS/CFT correspondence can give QCD with quarks in adjoint representations. Using an asymmetric orbifold approach we obtain nonsupersymmetric QCD with four quark flavors in fundamental representations of color.
A Bernoulli-Gaussian mixture model of donation likelihood and monetary value: An application to alumni segmentation in a university setting

Advances in computational power and enterprise technology, e.g., Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and data warehouses, allow many businesses to collect a wealth of information on large numbers of consumers. This includes information on past purchasing behavior, demographic characteristics, as well as how consumers interact with the organization, e.g., in events, on the web. The ability to mine such data sets is crucial to an organization's ability to deliver better customer service, as well as manage its resource allocation decisions. To this end, we formulate a Bernoulli-Gaussian mixture model that jointly describes the likelihood and monetary value of repeat transactions. In addition to presenting the model, we derive an instance of the Expectation-Maximization Algorithm to estimate the associated parameters, and to segment the consumer population. We apply the model to an extensive dataset of donations received at a private, Ph.D.-granting university in the Midwestern United States. We use the model to assess the effect of individual traits on their contribution likelihood and monetary value, discuss insights stemming from the results, and how the model can be used to support resource allocation decisions. For example, we find that participation in alumni-oriented activities, i.e., reunions or travel programs, is associated with increased donation likelihood and value, and that fraternity/sorority membership magnifies this effect. The presence/characterization of unobserved, cross-sectional heterogeneity in the data set, i.e., unobserved/unexplained systematic differences among individuals, is, perhaps, our most important finding. Finally, we argue that the proposed segmentation approach is more appealing than alternatives appearing in the literature that consider donation likelihood and monetary value separately. Among them and as a benchmark, we compare the proposed model to a segmentation that builds on a multivariate Normal mixture model, and conclude that the Bernoulli-Gaussian mixture model provides a more coherent approach to generate segments.
The Hub Operation Scheduling Problem

This paper treats the problem of scheduling a transportation system consisting of one central terminal and a number of outlying terminals. Commodities are transported between the central terminal and outlying terminals, but not directly between outlying terminals. The immediate demand is probabilistic. The criterion function includes the cost of failure to transport commodities when they are available, and the cost of moving transport equipment empty from one terminal to another. An iterative solution procedure, requiring a precomputable number of steps, is developed and illustrated by examples.
Preparation of biphenyl-2,2′,3,3′,5,5′,6,6′-2H8

Biphenyl-2,2′,3,3′,5,5′,6,6′-2H8 was prepared from biphenyl-d10. Initial bromination of biphenyl-d10 followed by hydrogenolysis of the 4,4′-dibromobiphenyl-d8 with lithium aluminum hydride gave the desired product in 40% overall yield.
Different Conformers and Protonation States of Dipeptides Probed by Polarized Raman, UV−Resonance Raman, and FTIR Spectroscopy

We have measured the polarized nonresonance and resonance Raman as well as FTIR spectra of the model peptides glycylglycine and N-acetylglycine in H2O and D2O at pH/pD values between 1.5 and 12.0 with visible, near UV, and far UV excitation wavelengths. The spectra were self-consistently analyzed to obtain reliable spectral parameters of even strongly overlapping bands. Additionally, we have analyzed the polarized nonresonance and preresonance Raman spectra of glycylglycine single crystals. The most important result of this analysis is that for glycylglycine all amide bands as well as the symmetric carboxyl stretch band at ca. 1400 cm-1 are doublets. As shown in an earlier study (Sieler, G.; Schweitzer-Stenner, R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997, 119, 1720) the amide I doublet results from vibrational coupling of the delocalized H2O bending mode with internal coordinates of the amide I mode. The amide III doublet is interpreted to result from vibrational coupling between the twisting mode of the Cα methylene group...
Pharmacogenetic biomarkers for the prediction of response to antiangiogenic treatment

Antiangiogenic treatments have shown activity across multiple tumour types and in various settings. Despite having been approved on the basis of efficacy, the therapeutic index varies substantially in different settings for many of these agents. A major limitation is the current inability to personalise treatment a priori according to findings on measurement of a predictive biomarker. The roles of germline single-nucleotide polymorphisms have been investigated as potential biomarkers for antiangiogenic treatments. The rationale is founded on the understanding that the drugs target the vasculature rather than the tumour, which could mean that much of the variability is regulated by the host. Several single-nucleotide polymorphisms have been associated with differential outcomes and toxic effects in clinical trials. In this Review we provide an overview of available data with particular attention paid to the pitfalls and strengths of potential biomarkers. We also highlight continuing work and plans for confirmatory studies.
Visibility measurements along extended paths over the ocean surface

A new system is being developed for measurement of visibility and scattering characteristics in the visible and NIR wavelengths over extended paths. This is being developed to better understand transmission properties over long horizontal near-surface propagation paths over the ocean. The instrument, a Multispectral Scattering Imager, is designed to acquire calibrated radiance images in several wavelengths over extended paths. From measurements of the radiance near the horizon and the radiance of dark targets, combined with measurements of the inherent properties of the dark targets, visibility and effective scattering coefficient over the integrated path can be determined. The technique uses the Koschmeider equations for radiative transfer, and it allows for correction of sensor characteristics such as non-linearity and of non-zero target reflectance. The technique is based in part on the Horizon Scanning Imager, a visibility system developed in the 1990's by the Marine Physical Lab. However, it utilizes better imaging systems than were available at that time, as well as improvements to the visibility and scattering algorithms. Initial experiments are designed to test the strengths and weaknesses of the system, and to provide multispectral visible band results. These results will be used for modeling and statistical studies with respect to simultaneous measurements by a suite of other instruments. This talk will present an overview of the system and algorithms, as well as initial experimental results.
EFFECTS OF RULE STRUCTURE, SENSITIVITY DISTRIBUTION, AND NUMBER OF TRIALS ON THRESHOLD ESTIMATION BY METHOD OF LIMITS: A COMPUTER SIMULATION

Traditionally, those disciplines concerned with the study of sensory processes have relied on the psychophysical procedure to obtain estimates of sensory thresholds. This procedure involves manipulation of various dimensions of a physical stimulus and measurement of changes in the response of a sensory system to that stimulus. There are a number of psychophysical methods; each method is defined in terms of the rules governing the variation of the physical stimulus. A well-established fact in psychophysics is that the particular method employed can influence the threshold value obtained. This fact has led workers to assume that non-sensory "context effects," such as response perseveration and response anticipation are responsible for the lack of convergence onto a single threshold value (Dember, 1960). But more recently it has been demonstrated by computer simulation that differences in threshold values obtained with different psychophysical methods can be attributed, at least in part, to the different rule structures associated with the various methods (Pollack, 1968; Wales & Blake, 1970). METHOD In this report we have used an IBM 1130 computer to simulate hypothetical threshold observations with the method of limits. This method is characterized by the systematic increase (ascending series) or decrease (descending series) in the intensity of the stimulus until a predefined trial-termination rule is satisfied We were interested in investigating changes in threshold estimates as a function of (a) the method (ascending vs descending) and termination rule employed, (b) assumptions about the underlying sensitivity distribution, and (c) the number of trials used to obtain the threshold estimate. This study is a partial replication and extension of a computer simulation smdy reported by Pollack (1968). Specifically, Pollack was concerned with the effect of the method (ascending vs descending) and termination rule upon threshold observations under the condition of a fixed underlying sensitivity distribution. 'Research conducted while first author was an NIMH predoctoral fellow. We thank Dr. J. Hogge and the Peabody Computer Center for technical assistance and computer time.
Principal factors affecting sequential photoinduced graft polymerization

Abstract Gel permeation chromatography was used to show that poly(ethylene glycol 200) monomethacrylate (PEG200MA) is chemically bound to polystyrene by a sequential graft polymerization in liquid solution. For the graft polymerization on solid substrates, cellulose acetate has higher photografting reactivity and poly(vinylidene fluoride) shows lower photografting reactivity, compared to that of polypropylene. It was found that acrylic acid has higher photografting reactivity than either dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate or PEG200MA. The rate of graft polymerization of AA increases linearly with increasing surface initiator concentration, as predicted by a kinetic model. The rate of the surface initiator formation follows a sequence of decreasing order in the following solvents: benzene>chloroform>hexane>methanol>cyclohexane>dimethyl sulfoxide due to the relative abstractability of hydrogen in the solvent and the wettability of the substrate by the solvent.
Gauged vector models and higher-spin representations in AdS5

Abstract Motivated by the work of Klebanov and Polyakov [ hep-th/0210114 ] on the relationship of the large N O ( N ) vector model in three-dimensions to AdS4 and higher spin representations, we attempt to find analogous connections for AdS5. Since the usual O ( N ) vector model in four-dimensions is inconsistent, we consider the (consistent) large N gauged vector model and a N = 1 supersymmetric analogue in four-dimensions. Both these theories have UV and IR fixed points, and are candidates for a ( α ′ ) − 1 expansion in AdS5, a conjectured AdS5/CFT correspondence and higher-spin representations in the bulk theory.
COMPARISON OF DOXORUBICIN CARDIOTOXICITY IN PEDIATRIC SARCOMA PATIENTS WHEN GIVEN WITH DEXRAZOXANE VERSUS AS CONTINUOUS INFUSION

Doxorubicin is an effective agent for many malignancies. To limit cardiotoxicity, doxorubicin can be given as prolonged infusion (PIDX) or bolus infusion following dexrazoxane (DZX). The authors report their institutional experience comparing PIDX and DZX in a sarcoma cohort. Retrospective record review for newly diagnosed sarcoma patients at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center from June 1998 to June 2006. There were 23 Ewing's sarcoma (EWS) patients treated with DZX and 40 osteosarcoma (OS) patients treated with PIDX. The DZX group had higher mean cumulative anthracycline dose (510 mg/m2 [SD 120 mg/m2] versus 414 mg/m2 [SD 99 mg/m2], P = .002), however mean lowest left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) values were higher for DZX (52.5% [SD 5.6%] versus 47.2% [SD 10.9%], P = .014). Fifteen of 19 patients with cardiac dysfunction were PIDX patients (P = .15). Five PIDX patients required cardiac medication, and 1 patient died of congestive heart failure (CHF). Sixteen patients with cardiac ...
Amino acid metabolism in chameleons.

Abstract 1. 1. In general non-essential amino acids were catabolized more rapidly by the intact chemeleon than essential amino acids. 2. 2. Body glycine and glutamine increased after the injection of most amino acids. 3. 3. Amino acid interconversions observed resembled those reported for other animals. 4. 4. Feeding increased body glycine several fold and glutamine, alanine, and glutamate somewhat less. 5. 5. Tissue amino acid compositions were similar to those observed in other reptiles and the rat.
Postcolonial Collages: Distributions of Power and Constitutional Models: With Special Reference to South Africa

The wave of post-Cold War state reconstruction was marked in its reliance on the adoption of new constitutions as the marker of a state's transition to a new order. Whether at the beginning or end of the process, or as the central theme, as was the case in South Africa, post-Cold War constitutions came to reflect a common core of principles and institutions, despite the often nationalist tone surrounding their creation. This article argues that these constitutions both reflect a dominant post-Cold War international political culture and yet rely on their own histories and reconstruction processes to create hybrid forms to address local conditions. This process involves a specific politics, in which models - such as the US Constitution - are either used as models or anti-models, and results in the creation of a postcolonial collage of constitutional mechanisms and institutions that might offer an opportunity to achieve the democratic outcomes which have so often eluded postcolonial countries.
Statistical thermodynamics of polymer crystal and melt

A crystalline-state theory recently developed by Midha and Nanda is commented on and applied to the isobars of polyethylene, poly(vinylidene fluoride), and poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) at atmospheric pressure, and to an isotherm of polyethylene. Satisfactory agreement with experiment results. This includes the volume change at the melting point Tm and the volume difference ΔV between crystal and melt below Tm, when crystal and the earlier liquid-state theory are combined. A similar agreement is noted with respect to the results at high pressure. The scaling parameters obtained indicate the approximate role of melt temperature and volume as reducing quantities. An inverse proportionality between Tm and αl, the expansivity of the melt at Tm, derived much earlier for low-molecular-weight solids, is recovered with an identical numerical coefficient. The thermodynamic functions of polyethylene are investigated in both phases. For this purpose contributions of internal harmonic modes are considered within the framework of the equivalent s-mer model. One or, at most, two average frequencies are adequate to represent the temperature dependence of the excess free energy and entropy over the value at absolute zero, when the external contributions are included for the crystal. A similar representation of the hard modes can be adopted for the melt. However, the free energy of segmental disorientation computed either from a constant entropy for the s-mer or a rotational isomeric state model for the isolated chain does not appear to be an adequate representation over a sufficient temperature range. An additional temperature-dependent term in the entropy and free energy is introduced and tentatively attributed to a volume- and temperature-dependent short-range ordering. Good agreement with experiment, including the entropy and temperature of fusion, ensues.
Rubredoxin from the Green Sulfur Bacterium Chlorobium tepidum Functions as an Electron Acceptor for Pyruvate Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase

Rubredoxin (Rd) from the moderately thermophilic green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium tepidum was found to function as an electron acceptor for pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR). This enzyme, which catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA and CO(2), exhibited an absolute dependence upon the presence of Rd. However, Rd was incapable of participating in the pyruvate synthase or CO(2) fixation reaction of C. tepidum PFOR, for which two different reduced ferredoxins are employed as electron donors. These results suggest a specific functional role for Rd in pyruvate oxidation and provide the initial indication that the two important physiological reactions catalyzed by PFOR/pyruvate synthase are dependent on different electron carriers in the cell. The UV-visible spectrum of oxidized Rd, with a monomer molecular weight of 6500, gave a molar absorption coefficient at 492 nm of 6.89 mM(-1) cm(-1) with an A(492)/A(280) ratio of 0.343 and contained one iron atom/molecule. Further spectroscopic studies indicated that the CD spectrum of oxidized C. tepidum Rd exhibited a unique absorption maximum at 385 nm and a shoulder at 420 nm. The EPR spectrum of oxidized Rd also exhibited unusual anisotropic resonances at g = 9.675 and g = 4.322, which is composed of a narrow central feature with broader shoulders to high and low field. The midpoint reduction potential of C. tepidum Rd was determined to be -87 mV, which is the most electronegative value reported for Rd from any source.
The effect of ethanol on lactate and base deficit as predictors of morbidity and mortality in trauma.

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the predictive value of lactate and base deficit in determining outcomes in trauma patients who are positive for ethanol.
Parenting Behaviours during Child Problem Solving: The Roles of Child Temperament, Mother Education and Personality, and the Problem-Solving Context.

Child temperament, parent openness to experience, conscientiousness, and education, and parent a priori assessments of the task were examined in relation to parenting behaviours during child problem solving. Mothers and their children (73 dyads) were visited the summer before kindergarten. Mothers’ cognitive, emotional, and autonomy support were coded as they provided assistance during four child problem-solving tasks. Mothers with more education provided more metacognitive information. Before education was considered, it appeared that mothers who perceived their children as difficult and who were less open to experiences were less likely to regulate task difficulty, encourage their children’s efforts, and encourage their children’s active role in problem solving. However, more educated mothers regulated task difficulty, encouraged their children’s efforts, and encouraged their children’s active role more when they perceived their children as difficult than when they perceived their children as easy. More...
Complexity and Relative Specificity in a Mammalian Pheromone

BLACKTAILED deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) of the Pacific Coast of North America sniff and lick each other's scent-carrying tarsal organ in various social situations1,2. Tarsal scent, a mixture of odoriferous compounds2, is important in individual recognition. The tarsal organ consists of a scent gland and a hair tuft carrying the scent in its centre.
Epigenetic modulation of miR-122 facilitates human embryonic stem cell self-renewal and hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation.

The self-renewal capacity ascribed to hESCs is paralleled in cancer cell proliferation, suggesting that a common network of genes may facilitate the promotion of these traits. However, the molecular mechanisms that are involved in regulating the silencing of these genes as stem cells differentiate into quiescent cellular lineages remain poorly understood. Here, we show that a differentiated cell specific miR-122 exemplifies this regulatory attribute by suppressing the translation of a gene, Pkm2, which is commonly enriched in hESCs and liver cancer cells (HCCs), and facilitates self-renewal and proliferation. Through a series of gene expression analysis, we show that miR-122 expression is highly elevated in quiescent human primary hepatocytes (hPHs) but lost or attenuated in hESCs and HCCs, while an opposing expression pattern is observed for Pkm2. Depleting hESCs and HCCs of Pkm2, or overexpressing miR-122, leads to a common deficiency in self-renewal and proliferation. Likewise, during the differentiation process of hESCs into hepatocytes, a reciprocal expression pattern is observed between miR-122 and Pkm2. An examination of the genomic region upstream of miR-122 uncovered hyper-methylation in hESCs and HCCs, while the same region is de-methylated and occupied by a transcription initiating protein, RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), in hPHs. These findings indicate that one possible mechanism by which hESC self-renewal is modulated in quiescent hepatic derivatives of hESCs is through the regulatory activity of a differentiated cell-specific miR-122, and that a failure to properly turn “on” this miRNA is observed in uncontrollably proliferating HCCs.
Systemic and coronary hemodynamic effects of combined oral alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade (labetalol) in normotensive patients with stable angina pectoris and positive exercise stress tests†

The systemic and coronary hemodynamic effects of combined alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade produced by oral labetalol were assessed in 12 normotensive patients with angina pectoris and an ischemic electrocardiographic response to exercise stress. At rest, labetalol (200 mg, orally) produced systemic vasodilation (systemic vascular resistance -9%, p less than .01) as aortic pressure fell and cardiac output was unchanged. Left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure also fell slightly (17%, p = .05). Systemic vasodilation was not accompanied by reflexly mediated increases in heart rate. Coronary flow and resistance and myocardial oxygen uptake were unchanged. Before labetalol, supine bicycle exercise produced angina in 10 patients. After labetalol, exercise duration was prolonged in 6 of these 10 (average 56%). During exercise, tachycardia was blunted (-7%, p less than .05) as were increases in aortic pressure (-12%, p less than .01) and coronary sinus flow (-25%, p = .03). Cardiac output and LV end-diastolic pressure were similar to control period values. These hemodynamic effects of oral labetalol appeared beneficial, differed from those expected of classic beta-adrenergic blocking agents, and were, in general, similar to those we have observed after intravenous labetalol. The clinical response was good and the drug safe. Labetalol should undergo further evaluation in normotensive as well as hypertensive patients with ischemic heart disease.
INCREASE IN BLOOD VISCOSITY IN THE SPRINTING HORSE : CAN IT ACCOUNT FOR THE HIGH PULMONARY ARTERIAL PRESSURE ?

Summary Blood was taken from 49 Thoroughbred horses before and after racing at the track to determine if frusemide modified the apparent viscosity of the blood and to determine the effects of changes in shear rate and packed cell volume (PCV), associated with strenuous exercise, on apparent and relative viscosities. Small increases in apparent viscosity of the blood (at a specified PCV and shear rate) occurred in horses given frusemide compared to those receiving no frusemide; however, no differences were seen in relative viscosity. Although 2 groups of horses, those receiving frusemide before racing and those not receiving this drug were studied, the results suggest no infuence of frusemide on any red blood cell variable that might modify apparent blood viscosity. Apparent viscosity of the blood was slightly (but significantly) higher after racing than before racing at any given PCV and shear rate, but relative viscosity was lower in the post race than in the prerace blood sample. The most important contributing factor to the increase in apparent viscosity in blood during racing is the increase in PCV, because the blood becomes nearly shear rate independent at shear rates likely to exist in the cardiovascular system during exercise. With an increase in PCV from 40 to 65% at shear rates above 225/s, apparent viscosity approximately doubled. However, this increase alone cannot account for the elevated pulmonary vascular pressure in the running horse, and additional factors, especially those causing the high left atrial pressure, must be considered. The cause of the elevated pressure may be multifactorial in nature.
GIS-Based Water Budget Framework for High-Resolution Groundwater Recharge Estimation of Large-Scale Humid Regions

AbstractGroundwater recharge plays a vital role in replenishing aquifers, which impacts on groundwater resources availability. This paper develops a geographic information system (GIS)-based water budget framework in conjunction with a hydrologic model to derive high-resolution spatial-temporal distribution of groundwater recharge for the Southern Hills aquifer system, southwestern Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana, United States. The framework includes parallel programming to distribute the large amount of software runs to a cluster of supercomputers to expedite computation time. Under the parallel computation, the hydrologic models are calibrated by the USGS WaterWatch runoff dataset and verified by the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) evapotranspiration dataset. A map of recharge time lag is derived to understand travel time of infiltrated precipitation reaching the last soil layer. A recharge index map is derived to quantify the percentage of precipitation that becomes groun...
Ultrahigh enhancement in absolute and relative rotation sensing using fast and slow light

We describe a resonator-based optical gyroscope whose sensitivity for measuring absolute rotation is enhanced via use of the anomalous dispersion characteristic of superluminal light propagation. The enhancement is given by the inverse of the group index, saturating to a bound determined by the group velocity dispersion. We also show how the offsetting effect of the concomitant broadening of the resonator linewidth may be circumvented by using an active cavity. For realistic conditions, the enhancement factor is as high as ${10}^{6}$. We also show how normal dispersion used for slow light can enhance relative rotation sensing in a specially designed Sagnac interferometer, with the enhancement given by the slowing factor.