cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spontaneous alterations in coronary blood flow velocity before and after coronary angioplasty in patients with severe angina.

Abstract Cyclic coronary artery flow variations with a spontaneous decline in coronary blood flow to very low levels have been documented in stenosed canine coronary arteries with endothelial injury. These flow variations are associated with transient platelet aggregation and dislodgment and the release of selected mediators, including thromboxane A2and serotonin. However, cyclic or spontaneous How variations have not been demonstrated in stenosed coronary arteries in humans. In this study, the hypothesis was tested that spontaneous coronary blood flow velocity variations occur in some patients with stenosed coronary arteries before or after coronary artery angioplasty. Thus, 13 patients with severe and limiting angina underwent intracoronary pulsed Doppler velocimetry of their dilated artery immediately before and after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, whereas 9 control patients underwent velocimetry of an angiographically normal coronary artery. A 3F catheter with a 20 MHz Doppler crystal was positioned to achieve a maximal stable signal, and the flow velocity signal was recorded continuously for 20 min. Spontaneous flow velocity variations (≥38% change in Doppler frequency shift with wide morphologic changes) were present in 3 of the 13 patients tested. Spontaneous flow velocity variations occurred before angioplasty in one patient, after angioplasty in another and both before and after angioplasty in a third. In addition, 2 of the 13 patients, 1 with spontaneous coronary artery flow velocity variations before angioplasty, had frank vasospasm in an adjacent area just distal to the area of coronary dilation immediately after balloon inflation. These data establish that spontaneous coronary artery flow velocity variations occur in some patients with severe and limiting angina before and after coronary angioplasty. These variations may be related to platelet aggregation or coronary vasoconstriction, or both, at sites of endothelial injury resulting from plaque fissuring or ulceration and endothelial and medial injury occurring during coronary angioplasty.
Giving Businesses What They Need

It is time for a preliminary look at how political science, both in its teaching and research components, can contribute to meeting the needs of the business community. The business sector has generally been bypassed, or even ignored, by many political scientists whose applied connection tends to focus on the governmental sector. This is quite understandable for the links forged between political science and government are obvious. Not so obvious, but nevertheless of growing importance, is the link between the business community, academic business schools, and the discipline of political science. The strengthening of this link will become more feasible as the global economic arena becomes the norm in which business is conducted in a manner in which understanding of foreign political situations is critical. If this assumption is valid, we will expect to see increased demand for political scientists, especially those whose subspecialties are international relations and/or area studies. Another fertile subset of political science that can prove useful to business is policy science. Since policy science frequently crosses multidisciplinary lines in its analysis of programs and policies, it is one subspecialty that should have an easier time forging new links to business. Bobrow aptly notes that policy issues do not "respect entrenched disciplinary boundaries that owe their existence . .to the rigidities of academic institutions" (Bobrow 1987, 6). For this reason, policy analysts do not need to be convinced to venture outside of their discipline as might be the case for the political theorist. We are also reminded that policy analysts are often called upon to practice the art of persuasion as they present their analyses to those in government (Majone 1989, 9). This skill is certainly useful to successful interaction with a business community that frequently uses persuasive techniques to its advantage. Finally, policy analysts are particularly well suited to serve business because they are already "sensitive to the ..,. realities with which politicians and administrators must live and work" (Hofferbert 1990, 19). Replace the words "politicians and administrators" with business people and managers, and we have a good fit between the policy analyst and business. In short, the policy analyst is accustomed to rubbing shoulders with those outside of his discipline in matters of research. Meeting this nascent demand, however, does not mean that the business community will be banging on our office doors. This is because the business community views its needs in an applied manner and generally perceives academics as unable to produce results that can be rapidly absorbed by their personnel and managers. In short, what we produce in the form of research is regarded as not relevant to their needs. This is unfortunate, for many political scientists do have years of accumulated knowledge that, if channeled in an applied manner, can be of enormous practical use to the business community.
Relationships Between Adult Workers' Spiritual Well‐Being and Job Satisfaction: A Preliminary Study

The authors studied the relationships between adult workers' spiritual well being and job satisfaction, Two hundred participants completed 2 instruments: the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (C, W. Ellison & R. F, Paloutzian, 1982) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (D, J.Weiss, R. V. Dawis, G. W. Engiand. & L. H. Lofquist. 1967). A bivariate correlational analysis showed spiritual well-being, religious well-being, and existential well-being to be positively related to job satisfaction for this sample. With a forced-entry multiple regression analysis, overall spiritual well-being was found to have a moderate influence, existential well-being had a much stronger influence, and religious well-being had a minimal influence all on, general job satisfaction.
Codimension two bifurcations of symmetric cycles in Hamiltonian systems with an antisymplectic involution

Consider a Hamiltonian system\(\dot x = L_\mu (x) + 0(|x|^2 )\) with parametersμ, such that there exists an involution which reverses this Hamiltonian system. Let us assume the linear part Lμ at μ=0 has only nonzero purely imaginary eigen-values ±ib1,..., ±ibn. In this paper, we classify the typical bifurcations of families of symmetric periodic solutions of this system at resonance if bi/bj=±1, ±2, or ±1/2 and the number of parametersμ needed is one or two. First, one puts the Hamiltonians into a convenient normal form. Next, applying a Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction and making further manipulations, one can geta reduced bifurcation equation which can possess certain symmetry. Finally, by using elementary methods from singularity theory or isotopy methods, one obtains the desired bifurcation diagrams.
Redescription of adults and description of developmental stages of Trebius shiinoi Nagasawa, Tanaka & Benz, 1998 (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Trebiidae) from the Japanese angelshark, Squatina japonica Bleeker, 1858

A redescription of Trebius shiinoi Nagasawa, Tanaka & Benz, 1998 and descriptions of its developmental stages, nauplius I and II, copepodid I, II (female), III (female), IV (female) and V (male) are presented based on specimens obtained from the Japanese angelshark, Squatina japonica Bleeker, 1858, captured at Seto and Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, in 1971-1972. The family is the second representative of the Siphonostomatoida known to have nauplii with spatulate balancers, next to Caligidae. However, T. shiinoi also differs significantly from caligids in lacking a chalimus phase in its life cycle. The postnaupliar development of the species involves a single morphological leap, which takes place through a moult from copepodid II to III, and then development proceeds linearly up to the adult. The majority of the copepodids I found appear to have already been grasped by an adult male each (precopulatory mate guarding). Copepodid II exhibits sexual activity by the possession of a spermatophore receptacle in the female. Copepodids after copepodid III are caligiform, having marginal membranes on the cephalothrax, as in the adult. Copulation takes place at least in copepodid III and/or IV, and the spermatozoa discharged are stored in the genital antra to later fertilize the ova in the adult. Judging from the fact that in the adult female a spermatophore receptacle is absent, it is deducible that no copulation is taking place in the adult stage. This reproductive process is unique in the Copepoda.
Can ischemic preconditioning protect against hypoxia-induced damage? Studies of contractile function in isolated perfused rat hearts.

Ischemic preconditioning in the rat significantly improves functional recovery following global ischemia by undefined mechanisms. It has been suggested that preconditioning protects by altering the tissue metabolic milieu during ischemia, either by increasing ischemic tissue accumulation of a beneficial substance (e.g. adenosine), or inhibiting tissue accumulation of a malefic component (e.g. protons). If this is the case, we hypothesized that no protection should be afforded by preconditioning against a prolonged period of hypoxia, since the continued coronary flow would prevent the accumulation of any metabolic products in the myocardium. To test this hypothesis, isolated buffer-perfused rat hearts were preconditioned by 5 min of ischemia + 5 min of reperfusion and then subjected to 30 min of ischemia, or 25 min of substrate-free hypoxia, or 60 or 90 min of hypoxia with substrate. Function was re-assessed after reperfusion/reoxygenation for a further 30 min and compared to non-preconditioned controls. Ischemic preconditioning improved functional recovery following 30 min of global ischemia (% recovery of developed pressure (LVDP) in control v preconditioned hearts was 31±4 v 66±6%; P<0.05). Importantly, this protection was achieved almost entirely via a better preservation of diastolic function (end diastolic pressure=78±3 mmHg in control and 40±5 mmHg in preconditioned hearts following 30 min of reperfusion; P<0.05). However, no preconditioning-induced protection was observed following either substrate-free hypoxia or hypoxia with substrate (% recovery of LVDP in control v preconditioned hearts was 31±4 v 34±4% after 25 min of substrate-free hypoxia, 48±3 v 53±6% after 60 min of hypoxia+substrate and 25±5 v 30±6% after 90 min of hypoxia+substrate respectively). Furthermore, no protection by preconditioning against hypoxia-induced diastolic dysfunction was observed. We conclude that preconditioning protects against ischemic injury, but not hypoxic injury. Although hypoxia-induced injury may differ from that induced by ischemia, the results are consistent with the hypothesis that the continued presence of flow with hypoxia abolishes the protective effect of preconditioning. Furthermore, the results support the concept that preconditioning of the ischemic myocardium requires the accumulation of a factor in the ischemic myocardium, either to exert the preconditioning protective effect, or as a factor of injury against which preconditioning affords protection.
Propositional semantics for disjunctive logic programs

In this paper we study the properties of the class of head-cycle-free extended disjunctive logic programs (HEDLPs), which includes, as a special case, all nondisjunctive extended logic programs. We show that any propositional HEDLP can be mapped in polynomial time into a propositional theory such that each model of the latter corresponds to an answer set, as defined by stable model semantics, of the former. Using this mapping, we show that many queries over HEDLPs can be determined by solving propositional satisfiability problems. Our mapping has several important implications: It establishes the NP-completeness of this class of disjunctive logic programs; it allows existing algorithms and tractable subsets for the satisfiability problem to be used in logic programming; it facilitates evaluation of the expressive power of disjunctive logic programs; and it leads to the discovery of useful similarities between stable model semantics and Clark's predicate completion.
Another Look at Task Analysis

An overview of approaches to task analysis is presented together with suggestions for alternative approaches that the teacher may consider.
A Biophysical Analysis of Cell and Nucleus Relation

Recently, studies of nuclear motion as well as the identification of the actin cap and the LINC (linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) complex have suggested that the cytoskeleton may regulate the position and physical properties of the nucleus. The Rho GTPase family proteins act through separate yet intertwined pathways to govern cytoskeletal remodeling, which affect diverse cell features throughout the cell. Thus, monitored biophysical changes in such features under different conditions may be correlated to their upstream Rho GTPases' signaling. In this study, we analyzed the correlation between nucleus and cell movements of single live cells in an effort to uncover the states of Rho GTPases’ signaling, the underlying contributors to cytoskeletal reorganization. Our novel approach possesses the ability to quantitatively characterize changes in cell movement behavior patterns resulting from Rho GTPase manipulation, and can further distinguish between different cell lines, which should each possess unique Rho GTPase signaling profiles. Cell motility trends predicted by this analysis are in agreement with wound healing assays of the same cells with the advantages of more insight into molecular information and the capability to monitor individual cells. Thus, this analysis can offer a rapid, convenient platform to decipher a cell motility pattern while matching it to its underlying RhoA and Rac1 activities.
Characteristics of motile strains of Streptococcus faecalis pathogenic to larvae of the gypsy moth

Abstract A bacterial disease of larvae of the gypsy moth, Porthetria dispar, is caused by infection of the gut with a streptococcus. The morphological, biochemical, and serological features of the organism were consistent with those of Streptococcus faecalis. The bacterium is ingested with food, multiplies in the digestive tract, and causes diarrhea. The diarrheic discharge contains a high concentration of infectious streptococci. The gut, especially the foregut, becomes distended with liquid from the hemocoel. Streptococci are found in especially high concentration in the midgut. The infected larva does not feed and, as liquid is lost continually, body length decreases markedly and death occurs in 3 to 15 days. The cadavers usually have a characteristic mummified or desiccated appearance. Serological studies with antisera prepared by immunizing rabbits with several isolates indicate that at least three distinct serotypes were isolated from infected larvae. They appear to be serologically different from noninsect S. faecalis strains tested. It is suggested that this antigenic difference may form the basis of pathogenicity of the species. A pilot study revealed that an immunofluorescence technique may be an extremely valuable tool in identifying these organisms in insects and in determining their distribution in nature.
Silent chromatin determines target preference of the Saccharomyces retrotransposon Ty5.

The HML and HMR mating loci of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are bound in silent chromatin, which is assembled at the flanking E and I transcriptional silencers. The retrotransposon Ty5 preferentially integrates into regions of silent chromatin, and Ty5 insertions near the HMR-E silencer account for ≈2% of total transposition events. Most Ty5 insertions occur within 800 bp on either side of the autonomously replicating consensus sequence within HMR-E. Ty5 target preference is determined by silent chromatin, because integration near HMR-E is abolished in strains with silencer mutations that alleviate transcriptional repression. The recognition of specific DNA sequences per se does not direct integration, rather, it is the protein complex assembled at the silencers. As demonstrated here for Ty5, recognition of specific chromatin domains may be a general mechanism by which retrotransposons and retroviruses determine integration sites.
Investigation of Inconsistent ENDF/B-VII.1 Independent and Cumulative Fission Product Yields with Proposed Revisions

A recent implementation of ENDF/B-VII. independent fission product yields and nuclear decay data identified inconsistencies in the data caused by the use of updated nuclear scheme in the decay sub-library that is not reflected in legacy fission product yield data. Recent changes in the decay data sub-library, particularly the delayed neutron branching fractions, result in calculated fission product concentrations that are incompatible with the cumulative fission yields in the library, and also with experimental measurements. A comprehensive set of independent fission product yields was generated for thermal and fission spectrum neutron induced fission for 235,238U and 239,241Pu in order to provide a preliminary assessment of the updated fission product yield data consistency. These updated independent fission product yields were utilized in the ORIGEN code to evaluate the calculated fission product inventories with experimentally measured inventories, with particular attention given to the noble gases. An important outcome of this work is the development of fission product yield covariance data necessary for fission product uncertainty quantification. The evaluation methodology combines a sequential Bayesian method to guarantee consistency between independent and cumulative yields along with the physical constraints on the independent yields. This work was motivated to improve the performance of the ENDF/B-VII.1more » library in the case of stable and long-lived cumulative yields due to the inconsistency of ENDF/B-VII.1 fission p;roduct yield and decay data sub-libraries. The revised fission product yields and the new covariance data are proposed as a revision to the fission yield data currently in ENDF/B-VII.1.« less
Calculation of an Optical Merit Function and Its Derivatives with Respect to the System Parameters

In designing lenses with automatic computing machinery it is necessary to have certain quantitative measures of lens performance which may be called performance numbers. In a perfect system all the performance numbers are zero. For practical systems it is the object of the designer to reduce the performance numbers to satisfactorily small quantities. It is the principal purpose of this paper to define a characteristic function suitable for use as a performance number, and to derive equations for computing this function and its derivatives with respect to the parameters of the system. The characteristic function H is defined to be the optical path difference between a principal ray and an arbitrary ray, measured on a sphere of infinite radius centered at the intersection of the principal ray and the focal plane.In addition performance numbers are developed for the chromatic aberration, distortion, and boundary conditions. A merit function is defined which comprises the individual performance numbers.
Health information seeking, diet and physical activity: an empirical assessment by medium and critical demographics.

Abstract Purpose Research over the past decade has conveyed a dramatic rise in health information seeking via the Internet and articulated various profiles and outcomes of health information seeking. In building upon this research, the current study is innovative in considering predictors of health information seeking by medium, as well as outcomes of health information seeking by medium and by critical demographics. Methods OLS regression and logistic regression are conducted on data from a telephone survey of American adults in 2007 (N = 700). Results Profiles of health information seekers vary dramatically by medium (Internet versus newspapers versus television). In terms of outcomes, newspaper health information seeking is associated with fruit and vegetable consumption, while television health information seeking is associated with sweetened soft drink consumption. There are four significant interaction terms between these two health information seeking variables and unhealthy snack consumption. Internet health information seeking has no significant effects. Conclusions In comparison to the Internet, newspaper and television media have more favorable associations with recommended levels of lifestyle behaviors that may be critical in efforts to decrease obesity in the United States.
Strategies for determining causes of events

In this paper, we study the problem of determining actual causes of events in specific scenarios, based on a definition of actual cause proposed by Halpern and Pearl. To this end, we explore two different search-based approaches, enrich them with admissible pruning techniques and compare them experimentally. We also consider the task of designing algorithms for restricted forms of the problem.
{2,6-Bis[(2,6-diphenyl-phosphan-yl)-oxy]-4-fluoro-phenyl-κP,C,P'}(6-methyl-2,2,4-trioxo-3,4-dihydro-1,2,3-oxathia-zin-3-ido-κN)palladium(II).

The title acesulfamate complex, [Pd(C30H22FO2P2)(C4H4NO4S)], contains a four-coordinate Pd(II) ion with the expected, although relatively distorted, square-planar geometry where the four L—Pd—L angles range from 79.58 (8) to 102.47 (7)°. The acesulfamate ligand is N-bound to Pd [Pd—N = 2.127 (2) A] with a dihedral angle of 76.35 (6)° relative to the square plane. Relatively long phen­yl–acesulfamate C—H⋯O and phen­yl–fluorine C—H⋯F inter­actions consolidate the crystal packing.
Miocene rifting in the Los Angeles basin: Evidence from the Puente Hills half-graben, volcanic rocks, and P-wave tomography

Formation of the Puente Hills half-graben in the northeastern Los Angeles basin and eruption of the Glendora and El Modeno Volcanics (16–14 Ma) help to define the timing of extension in the basin. Normal faulting on the proto-Whittier fault ca. 14 Ma established the Puente Hills half-graben, in which sedimentary strata accumulated between ca. 14 and 10 Ma and into which diabase sills intruded. North-South contraction began to invert the Puente Hills half-graben ca. 7 Ma, leading to formation of the Puente Hills anticline and the Whittier fault. Our high-resolution three-dimensional P-wave velocity model shows two anomalous higher velocity (6.63 km/s) bodies at depths between 9 and 18 km, which we attribute to dioritic plutons named here for Whittier Narrows and El Modeno. The stocklike Whittier Narrows pluton could have been a source for the Glendora Volcanics and the diabase sills in the Puente Hills half-graben. The sill-shaped El Modeno pluton was a likely source for the El Modeno Volcanics. The northwesterly alignment of the plutons may mark the location of the northeastern Los Angeles basin rift boundary, which is associated with the clockwise rotation of the western Transverse Ranges. Three active faults, the Elysian Park blind thrust, the Puente Hills blind thrust, and the Whittier fault, converge on the Whittier Narrows pluton, which may have played a role in their location and segmentation.
Identity Development and Self-Esteem of First-Generation American College Students: An Exploratory Study

Based on Chickering's model, differences in self-esteem and identity development among first-generation American (FGA) college students and non first-generation American (NFGA) students were examined. FGAs were the first generation born in the U.S. to one or both parents born and raised in another country. All participants responded to the Erwin Identity Scale and the Index of Self-Esteem. Results indicated that FGAs reported significantly higher self-esteem than the NFGAs. This research adds to the body of knowledge concerning multicultural issues of development in college students. Implications for college counselors and other student affairs professionals are addressed.
Quadrupole moments of sd-shell nuclei.

Shell-model calculations are presented for electric quadrupole moments of A = 17-39 nuclei. The shell-model wave functions, which span the complete 0d/sub 5/2/-ls/sub 1/2/-0d/sub 3/2/ model space in all instances, are obtained by diagonalizing an sd-shell Hamiltonian which consists of a fixed single-particle energy spectrum and a single set of two-body matrix elements scaled as a function of the mass number A. Results obtained with harmonic oscillator and Saxon-Woods single-particle radial wave functions and matched effective-charge models are presented for ground states of odd-even and doubly odd nuclei and for J/sup ..pi../ = 2/sup +/ first-excited states of doubly even sd-shell nuclei.
Juvenile hormone regulation of CYCLIC AMP and cAMP phosphodiesterase activity in Oncopeltus fasciatus.

Abstract The fifth instar large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus, exhibits fluctuation in both cyclic AMP titre and cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity. Cyclic AMP titres are lowest very early in the instar, increase rapidly to peak at 14% of the instar, and decrease throughout the remainder of the instar. The juvenile hormone (JH) mimic (Law-Williams mixture) treated bugs exhibit a similar pattern for cyclic AMP titres except the peak titre is at 20% of the instar. Phosphodiesterase activity is the greatest at 5% of the instar, decreases during the middle of the instar, and increases again at approximately 90% of the instar. One day corresponds to 14% of the instar in these bugs. Treatment with JH shifts the period of greatest activity to 11% of the instar. One day corresponds to 20% of the instar for JH treated bugs. It is proposed that these findings are due to a stimulatory effect of JH on phosphodiesterase activity.
Developing Structure−Activity Relationships for the Prediction of Hepatotoxicity

Drug-induced liver injury is a major issue of concern and has led to the withdrawal of a significant number of marketed drugs. An understanding of structure−activity relationships (SARs) of chemicals can make a significant contribution to the identification of potential toxic effects early in the drug development process and aid in avoiding such problems. This process can be supported by the use of existing toxicity data and mechanistic understanding of the biological processes for related compounds. In the published literature, this information is often spread across diverse sources and can be varied and unstructured in quality and content. The current work has explored whether it is feasible to collect and use such data for the development of new SARs for the hepatotoxicity endpoint and expand upon the limited information currently available in this area. Reviews of hepatotoxicity data were used to build a structure-searchable database, which was analyzed to identify chemical classes associated with an ...
Individual differences at 20 months: analytic and holistic strategies in language acquisition*

The study focuses on the language abilities of 30 20-month-old children, using data from two sources: a detailed maternal interview and 90 minutes of videotaped observation. Observed language was coded into the categories used for the interview. Production and comprehension at 28 months (MLU, PPVT and morphology comprehension) were also assessed. Observation and interview data at 20 months were highly intercorrelated. Cluster analyses of both data sets yielded referential, grammatical morpheme and dialogue clusters, providing partial support for the nominal/pronominal and referential/expressive acquisition styles reported in the literature. However, the referential and grammatical morpheme clusters were highly correlated, suggesting that two acquisition strategies are developing in parallel. Only for those children who heavily emphasize one strategy can one speak of a distinctive style. All interview and observation clusters predicted 28-months MLU, but the grammatical morpheme clusters did not predict later performance on a Grammatical Morpheme Test. It is tentatively suggested that holistic processing strategies underlie the pronominal/expressive style.
Kinesthetic Force Feedback and Belt Control for the Treadport Locomotion Interface

This paper describes an improved control system for the Treadport immersive locomotion interface, with results that generalize to any treadmill that utilizes an actuated tether to enable self-selected walking speed. A new belt controller is implemented to regulate the user’s position; when combined with the user’s own volition, this controller also enables the user to naturally self-select their walking speed as they would when walking over ground. A new kinesthetic-force-feedback controller is designed for the tether that applies forces to the user’s torso. This new controller is derived based on maintaining the user’s sense of balance during belt acceleration, rather than by rendering an inertial force as was done in our prior work. Based on the results of a human-subjects study, the improvements in both controllers significantly contribute to an improved perception of realistic walking on the Treadport. The improved control system uses intuitive dynamic-system and anatomical parameters and requires no ad hoc gain tuning. The control system simply requires three measurements to be made for a given user: the user’s mass, the user’s height, and the height of the tether attachment point on the user’s torso.
Purchase Attributes of Wine Consumers with Low Involvement

Abstract The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in wine consumption. With this increase comes the need to understand how consumers choose wine. Wine consumers have different types of experiences and expectations, and a one bottle fits all method of catering to wine consumers is not an appropriate marketing strategy. Consumer segmentation based upon involvement with wine is critical to understanding buying behaviors. This study used factor analysis and logistic regression to identify the wine novice and what marketing cues they use to purchase wine. The results identified key marketing cues wine novices use to purchase wine and revealed yet another involvement category: the emerging wine learner.
Synchronous Luminescence Screening for Polynuclear Aromatic Compounds in Environmental Samples Collected at a Coal Gasification Process Development Unit

An evaluation of the synchronous luminescence screening technique for rapid analysis of environmental samples is described. Synchronous luminescence is employed to estimate the content of polynuclear aromatic species of product gas particulate samples, and the content in aqueous and solid waste samples collected at a coal gasification process development unit. The synchronous luminescence technique shows good agreement with results obtained by detailed gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography.
Dynamics of Poly(vinylmethyl ether) Blends with a Strongly Interassociating Copolymer

We apply broadband dielectric relaxation spectroscopy to probe the dynamics of hydrogen bonded polymer blends. A copolymer consisting of 2 , 3 -dimethylbutadiene (DMB) [86%] and p-(hexafluoro-2-hydroxyl-2-propyl)styrene (HFS) [ 14 %] was synthesized and blended with poly(vinylmethyl ether) (PVME). The copolymer is capable of forming strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds, while minimizing the degree of intramolecular associations, and its blends with PVME are predicted to be miscible over the entire composition range. Two segmental processes, α and α 1 , are present in blends containing 26, 50, and 76 weight percent copolymer. The slower process (α 1 ) is assigned to the segmental motion of the intermolecularly associated copolymer, and the faster process (α) to segmental motions of PVME modified by the HFS:DMB copolymer. A relaxation associated with residual water is present in the glassy state. A local process due to motions of the PVME ether groups (β) is also present in the glassy state, and does not change with blend composition.
Rational Catalyst Design via Imprinted Nanostructured Materials

Progress on the use of imprinting (templating) for the synthesis of nanostructured catalysts is reviewed. In the context of providing a foundation for synthetic mimics, the basic principles of enzyme catalysis are enumerated. With these paradigms in mind, catalytic antibodies, imprinted polymers, imprinted amorphous metal oxides, and zeolites are discussed with respect to their preparation procedures and catalytic properties. These synthetic catalysts are contrasted to one another in order to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each system. Suggestions for future work on preparing enzyme-mimicking materials by imprinting are provided.
Pilot Study for Aging Classification Criteria of Fledged Juvenile Eastern White-winged Doves

Abstract Nineteen eastern white-winged doves Zenaida asiatica asiatica were hatched and raised in captivity and used to develop an aging key that 1) quickly identifies juveniles based on a series o...
Estimation of the extinction coefficient of clouds from multiwavelength lidar backscatter measurements

Lidar remote sensing of clouds provides direct measurement of the radar backscatter coefficient but not the extinction coefficient, which is needed for any calculations involving optical depth. The relationship between these quantities for single spheres is very complicated but becomes simpler for polydispersions or illumination by radiation with a broad spectrum. The accuracy of estimating the extinction coefficient from measured radar backscatter coefficients of thin clouds is examined for single- and multiple-wavelength lidar systems. The stability of the ratio of the coefficients is examined for radii between 1 and 100 μm for a polydispersion of 5-μm width. The results show that the extinction coefficients of a broad selection of thin clouds may be obtained from lidar measurements with errors of ∼15% by visible and near visible lidar systems. Multiple lidar wavelengths permit a reduction of the error to ∼9%.
Inverse problem for Schrödinger equations with Yang–Mills potentials in a slab

Abstract In this work we consider the inverse boundary value problem for Schrodinger equations with Yang–Mills potentials in the domain of infinite slab type. We prove that the potentials can be determined uniquely up to a gauge equivalent class assuming that only partial measurements are known on the boundary hyperplanes.
Relationships between facial discrimination and social adjustment in mental retardation.

Abstract Sixty-two adults with mental retardation of heterogeneous etiology performed four facial emotion discrimination tasks and two facial nonemotion tasks. Staff members familiar with the parti...
Spannungsfeld der auf den Rand einer elastisch anisotropen Halbebene wirkenden Tangentialkraft

The stress distribution obtained by solving the two-dimensional problem in an anisotropic medium, with boundary conditions of a concentrated tangential load acting on the boundary of a semi-infinite plate, is purely radial. The solution is given in closed form and is combined with the solution for a concentrated normal load to solve the problem of an inclined force acting on the boundary.
A case for routine screening of coronary artery origins during echocardiography: fortuitous discovery of a life-threatening coronary anomaly.

Abstract Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva with retropulmonary course is a rare congenital abnormality. It is associated with a high incidence of sudden cardiac death, particularly among young, athletic individuals. Many of these individuals do not have symptoms before sudden death, and the diagnosis is usually made at postmortem examination. We present a case of a 15-year-old boy who was evaluated for a systolic click with routine 2-dimensional echocardiography. The anomalous coronary artery was serendipitously identified, allowing surgical intervention. Coronary artery origin and proximal course should be visualized on routine echocardiography in the pediatric population. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1999;12:769-72.)
Trends in distribution and prognostic significance of Gleason grades on radical retropubic prostatectomy specimens between 1989 and 2001.

BACKGROUND The objectives of the current study were to examine time trends in the prevalence of Gleason grades of prostate cancer on radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) specimens and to assess the resultant impact on prognosis. METHODS The authors examined the prevalence over time of each grade and Gleason score (GS) on RRP specimens from 8750 patients who were treated between 1989 and 2001. Biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS), which was estimated by using Kaplan–Meier methodology, was examined in subgroups of patients defined by tumor grade and era of surgery. RESULTS The prevalence of Grade 3 prostate cancers increased (86% vs. 49% for primary Gleason grade and 71% vs. 47% for secondary Gleason grade; 1999–2001 vs. 1989–1990, respectively), whereas the prevalence of Grade 2 tumors decreased (0.4% vs. 38% for primary Gleason grade and 1.3% vs. 28% for secondary Gleason grade, respectively) over the study period, leading to fewer GS 4 and 5 tumors and more GS 6 and 7 tumors. BRFS improved over time for patients who had GS 5 tumors (hazards ratio [HR], 0.92 per year; P = .003) and GS 6 tumors (HR, 0.93; P<.001) but remained unchanged for GS 7 tumors (HR 0.99; P = .462) and GS 8–10 tumors (HR 1.02; P = .360). Patients who were treated in the recent era (1997–2001) had greater differentiation of BRFS based on GS or Gleason grade compared with patients who were treated earlier (1989–1991). CONCLUSIONS The current results confirmed that there were changes in the prevalence of Gleason grades on RRP specimens between 1989 and 2001. A chronological change in pathologic grading classification is suggested by evolving prognostic implications, which must be accounted for when comparing outcomes from different eras. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Hyperturbulence and the Emergence of Type 5 Environments

This paper explores what happens when complexity and change exceed the collective adaptive capacity of members populating an environment—a condition called hyperturbulence. The prospect of hyperturbulence generates an adaptive response by members called partitioning, which attempts to allocate and protect scarce capacity. Two types of domains emerge within the environment: the social enclave and the social vortex. Both domains are described, examples of each given, and implications for future research noted.
A novel Passivity-Based Stability Criterion (PBSC) for switching converter DC distribution systems

A novel Passivity-Based Stability Criterion (PBSC) is proposed for the stability analysis and design of DC power distribution systems. The proposed criterion is based on imposing passivity of the overall bus impedance. If passivity of the overall DC bus impedance is ensured, stability is guaranteed as well. The PBSC reduces artificial design conservativeness and sensitivity to component grouping typical of existing stability criteria, such as the Middlebrook criterion and its extensions. Moreover, the criterion is easily applicable to multi-converter systems and to systems in which the power flow direction changes, for example as a result of system reconfiguration. Moreover, the criterion can be used for the design of active damping networks for DC power distribution systems. The approach results in greatly improved stability and damping of transients on the DC bus voltage. Experimental validation is performed using a hardware test-bed that emulates a DC power distribution system.
Comment on Kahn and Davidson. The Reality of Type 2 Diabetes Prevention. Diabetes Care 2014;37:943–949

Kahn and Davidson (1) conclude that inadequacies in the evidence base support inaction on diabetes prevention in the community. Because we lack evidence from randomized controlled trials of community-based translations of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) showing long-term maintenance of weight loss and prevention of diabetes and diabetes complications, they state that “… it is premature to siphon off precious national health care resources or revenue going into health plans toward an intervention that has no clear clinical benefit” (1). Fortunately, Kahn and Davidson are not responsible for developing public health policy. Many sound health policies are based on evidence that would fall short …
Temperature dependence of early and late currents in human cardiac wild-type and long Q-T ΔKPQ Na+ channels

Na+current (I Na) through wild-type human heart Na+channels (hH1) is important for normal cardiac excitability and conduction, and it participates in the control of repolarization and refractorines...
Speedup and synchronisation overhead analysis of Gauss-Seidel type algorithms on a Sequent balance machine

The parallelisation and implementation of Gauss-Seidel (G-S) algorithms for power flow analysis have been investigated previously. Numerous runs to demonstrate the speedup have been illustrated on a Sequent Balance shared-memory multi-instruction, multidata access (SM MIMD) machine. The authors extend the idea and investigate-the effects of acceleration factors. It is shown on systems ranging from teens to thousands that when the acceleration factors are used, the implementation using colour-by-colour synchronisation is more reliable and has better convergence rate, even though it takes a longer time to synchronise. The authors also analyse the dependence of synchronisation overhead in terms of system sizes, network connection and number of processors. Comparisons between G-S and fast decoupled load-flow algorithms are also made. The implications on nCUBE implementations are also discussed. It is also shown that the idea of parallel G-S algorithm can be easily extended to solve the transient stability problem which involves a set of algebraic differential equations.
Atromentin Anticoagulant from Hydnellum diabolus

Gross screening revealed that Hydnellum diabolus Banker contained a parenterally effective anticoagulant, while H. aurantiacum , H. caeruleum , and Hydnum laevigatum lacked activity. A 70 per cent ethanolic extract of H. diabolus contained all anticoagulant activity as well as pressor-leiomyotonic principles. The anticoagulant activity grossly resembled that of heparin, except that in vivo activity was not reversed by protamine injection. In vivo , 1 mg. of the ethanol extract was equivalent to 0.58 u. of heparin. Selective solvent extraction of the mushroom with diethyl ether removed all anticoagulant activity, and from this extract atromentin was isolated. In vitro , 1 mg. of atromentin was equivalent to 5.1 u. of heparin and 2.3 mg. of reference 70 per cent ethanol extract. Synthetic dimethylatromentin, 2,5-diphenylbenzoquinone, and polyporic acid were without anticoagulant properties.
Effects of dansyl-arginyl-(4'-ethyl)piperidine amide on gonadotropin binding to rat tissues.

The effects of dansyl-arginyl-(4′-ethyl)-piper-idine amide (DAPA) on the binding of gonadotropins has been investigated. The compound inhibited the binding of hCG, human LH, and porcine LH to rat luteal membranes with an ED50 of 70 μM and the binding of human FSH to rat testicular membranes with an ED50 of 350 μM. Alteration of the substitution at the 4 carbon of the piperidine moiety altered the effect for hCG binding to luteal tissue, the ED50 being lowered with increased chain length (ED50 for H > methyl > ethyl > propyl = isobutyl) and shifted approximately half an order of magnitude for each carbon added. Analysis of equilibrium binding data for hCG to rat luteal membranes showed a decrease in the Ka with increasing DAPA concentrations (2.2 × 1010, 1.0 × 1010, and 0.4 × 1010 M−1 for 0, 50, and 150 μM DAPA, respectively), with little or no effect on the number of sites. At a concentration of 50 μM the compound did not affect the initial rate of association of the hormone and its receptor, but did chan...
Range of cumulative sums, II. Application to storage capacity of reservoirs

Abstract This paper deals with determining the storage capacity of a reservoir when the eithin-the-year water fluctuations are considered. The analysis is based on the approximate expected values of the range presented in Part I of this paper (Salas-La Cruz, 1974). The total storage capacity needed to regulate the mean inflow is shown to be made up of a deterministic and a stochastic part.
Integration of developmentally supportive care and family-centered issues into neonatal nurse practitioner education

Abstract Arizona State University (ASU) undertook an innovative master of science in nursing (MSN) program designed to implement a neonatal nurse practitioner program that incorporated developmental and family-centered care as cornerstones of the educational process. The ASU program is unique in its emphasis on developmental and family-centered care as foundational knowledge for the neonatal nurse practitioner graduate. This article describes the development of the ASU program and the integration of developmental and family-centered care into the curriculum plan. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Synchronous rectification with adaptive timing control

This paper describes a MOSFET synchronous rectifier suitable for use in high-frequency DC-DC converters. The MOSFET control circuitry is designed to replicate the basic functionality of a rectifier diode, turning on when the voltage across the device falls to zero, and turning off when the current through the device tries to reverse. This synchronous rectification device can be incorporated into a wide range of converter topologies, without the restrictions imposed on other synchronous rectification schemes. In order to minimize the losses resulting from gate drive timing errors at high switching frequencies (/spl sim/1 MHz), adaptive timing control loops are used to null the inherent delays of the control and driver circuitry. The power FETs and control circuitry are integrated in a 1.2 /spl mu/m CMOS process. >
Parallel force measurement with a polymeric microbeam array using an optical microscope and micromanipulator

An image analysis method and its validation are presented for tracking the displacements of parallel mechanical force sensors. Force is measured using a combination of beam theory, optical microscopy, and image analysis. The primary instrument is a calibrated polymeric microbeam array mounted on a micromanipulator with the intended purpose of measuring traction forces on cell cultures or cell arrays. One application is the testing of hypotheses involving cellular mechanotransduction mechanisms. An Otsu-based image analysis code calculates displacement and force on cellular or other soft structures by using edge detection and image subtraction on digitally captured optical microscopy images. Forces as small as 250+/-50nN and as great as 25+/[email protected] may be applied and measured upon as few as one or as many as hundreds of structures in parallel. A validation of the method is provided by comparing results from a rigid glass surface and a compliant polymeric surface.