cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Superradiant Level Shift and Its Possible Detection in a Transient Optical Experiment

The superradiant level shift of a system of $N$ two-level molecules, interacting with the radiation field, is calculated for pencil-like geometry. Introducing the self-energy ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{(N)}(E)$ of the molecular systems due to its radiative interaction, we first discuss the trivial ($N=1$) and familiar ($N=2$) cases in more detail. The analytic properties of the self-energy ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{(N)}(E)$ are used to derive dispersion relations for its real and imaginary parts ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}^{(N)}(E)$, ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}^{(N)}(E)$. We then generalize to the case of $N\ensuremath{\gg}1$, employing a self-consistency argument advanced by Arecchi and Courtens. The modified Dicke expression for the cooperative spontaneous decay rate is then used in the dispersion relation for the shift ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}^{(N)}$ and a value of \ensuremath{\sim}6 MHz calculated corresponding to typical molecular-gas parameters. The physical measurability of the shift is discussed and a Brewer-Shoemaker experiment in a molecular gas is proposed for the observation of the shift.
Sex similarities and differences in pain-related periaqueductal gray connectivity

This study investigated sex similarities and differences in pain-related functional connectivity in 60 healthy subjects. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging and psychophysiological interaction analysis to investigate how exposure to low vs high experimental pain modulates the functional connectivity of the periaqueductal gray (PAG). We found no sex differences in pain thresholds, and in both men and women, the PAG was more functionally connected with the somatosensory cortex, the supplemental motor area, cerebellum, and thalamus during high pain, consistent with anatomic predictions. Twenty-six men displayed a pain-induced increase in PAG functional connectivity with the amygdala caudate and putamen that was not observed in women. In an extensive literature search, we found that female animals have been largely overlooked when the connections between the PAG and the amygdala have been described, and that women are systematically understudied with regard to endogenous pain inhibition. Our results emphasize the importance of including both male and female subjects when studying basic mechanisms of pain processing, and point toward a possible sex difference in endogenous pain inhibition.
Polyethylene glycol treatment after traumatic brain injury reduces β-amyloid precursor protein accumulation in degenerating axons

Polyethylene glycol (PEG; 2,000 MW; 30% v/v) is a nontoxic molecule that can be injected intravenously and possesses well-documented neuroprotective properties in the spinal cord of the guinea pig. Recent studies have shown that intravenous PEG can also enter the rat brain parenchyma after injury and repair cellular membrane damage in the region of the corpus callosum. Disrupted anterograde axonal transport and resulting beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) accumulation are byproducts of traumatic axonal injury (TAI) in the brain. APP accumulation indicates axonal degeneration as a result of axotomy, a detriment that can lead to cell death. In this study, we show that PEG treatment can eliminate APP accumulation in specific brain areas of rats receiving TAI. Six areas of the brain were analyzed: the medial cortex, hippocampus, lateral cortex, thalamus, medial lemniscus, and medial longitudinal fasciculus. Increased APP expression after injury was abolished in the thalamus and reduced in the medial longitudinal fasciculus by PEG treatment. In all remaining areas except for the lateral cortex, APP expression was not increased between injured and uninjured brains, indicating that damage was undetected in those brain areas in this study.
Failure of apomorphine to induce dopamine receptor hypersensitivity.

A pomorphine, a direct dopamine agonist, failed to induce the so called dopamine receptor supersensitivity. Furthermore, a review of the evidence strongly suggests that the mechanisms involved in this phenomenon are not purely dopaminergic. This phenomenon is more complex than one of simple changes in the sensitivity or number of a particular type of receptor. Also sexual differences were observed and the literature suggest an involvement of serotoninergic mechanisms in stereotyped behavior.
Note: A note on short cycles in a hypercube

How many edges can a quadrilateral-free subgraph of a hypercube have? This question was raised by Paul Erdos about 27 years ago. His conjecture that such a subgraph asymptotically has at most half the edges of a hypercube is still unresolved. Let f(n,C"l) be the largest number of edges in a subgraph of a hypercube Q"n containing no cycle of length l. It is known that f(n,C"l)=o(|E(Q"n)|), when l=4k, k>=2 and that f(n,C"6)>=13|E(Q"n)|. It is an open question to determine f(n,C"l) for l=4k+2, k>=2. Here, we give a general upper bound for f(n,C"l) when l=4k+2 and provide a coloring of E(Q"n) by four colors containing no induced monochromatic C"1"0.
23-Gauge transconjunctival pars plana vitrectomy for removal of retained lens fragments.

Purpose To examine the usefulness of 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in removing retained lens fragments and to determine which cases require 20-gauge ultrasonic fragmentation. Design Retrospective comparative case series. Methods Twenty eyes in 20 consecutive patients who had 23-gauge PPV for retained lens fragments after complicated cataract surgery at Wills Eye Institute were retrospectively reviewed. Retained lens fragments were graded based on percentage of total nuclear size. Every surgical case started with 23-gauge PPV, but 1 sclerotomy was enlarged to facilitate 20-gauge ultrasonic fragmentation if all lens material could not be adequately removed. Results Twelve patients (60%) were successfully managed with 23-gauge PPV alone while 8 patients (40%) required 20-gauge ultrasonic fragmentation. The 23-gauge cases had a lower percentage of retained lens fragments (median 10%, range 0% to 75%) compared to the 20-gauge cases (median 90%, range 10% to 100%). Conclusion 23-Gauge PPV is a feasible approach in the surgical management of select cases of retained lens fragments.
Gene regulation by RNA binding proteins and microRNAs in angiogenesis

Once mRNAs are transcribed, spliced and transported to the cytoplasm, their fate is determined by the complex interplay of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) that act on regulatory elements within the transcripts. The importance of post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in angiogenesis is underscored by the observation that perturbations in miRNAs and/or RBPs lead to profound phenotypic alterations in vascular development, homeostasis and disease, with current data suggesting that mRNAs for key angiogenic regulators (secreted factors and intracellular signaling intermediates) are subject to stringent post-transcriptional regulation by both RBPs and miRNAs. In addition, an intricate network of miRNAs and RBPs allow robust gene regulation in vascular cells. This review focuses on the miRNAs and RBPs which often cooperate to achieve precise spatial and temporal control of angiogenic regulatory genes.
Application of ac impedance in fuel cell research and development

In applying ac impedance to fuel cells and their porous (gas diffusion) electrodes the emphasis lies on different fuel cell components, and their properties, according to the fuel cell type. The focus has been directed at the electrode/electrolyte interface in MCFC and PAFC, whereas in SOFC and PEMFC the ionic/electronic conductivity of the electrolyte or the characteristics of its composite with the electrocatalyst is of primary interest. The limitations of ac impedance in fuel cell application are in part due to difficulties of interpretation and in part due to experimental difficulties because of the generally fast electrode reaction kinetics. Further research directions are indicated.
Fighting Doxorubicin-induced Cardiotoxicity with Adiponectin

This editorial refers to ‘Adiponectin protects against doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy by anti-apoptotic effects through AMPK up-regulation’ by M. Konishi et al. , pp. 309–319, this issue. Doxorubicin, an anthracycline drug widely used for the treatment of various solid-organ tumours and haematological malignancies, has significant cardiac toxicity that limits its utilization. Doxorubicin can cause both an acute and a chronic form of cardiotoxicity and heart failure. Chronic cardiotoxicity, which ranges from an incidence of ∼1% at a cumulative dose of 550 mg/m2 to >30% at cumulative doses above 560–1160 mg/m2, can occur at any time after initiation of treatment and even years after cessation of therapy.1 The clinical presentation is that of classic progressive idiopathic heart failure, with histological evidence of cardiac damage defined by swelling of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and myofibrillar loss. However, the occurrence of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity can vary widely regardless of cumulative drug dosage, and the assessment of parameters that modify risk is of great interest. Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and heart failure can also be induced in mice, presenting a model system to identify the mechanisms by which doxorubicin-induced heart failure occurs and to test therapeutic approaches by which this toxicity may be prevented. Despite the availability of model systems, the anti-neoplastic and cardiotoxic mechanisms of doxorubicin are not entirely clear. Doxorubicin is reduced by NADPH oxidase2 to a semi-quinone free radical that can, in the presence of iron, interact with oxygen to …
Effects of Cue Reliability, Realism, and Interactivity on Biases of Attention and Trust in Augmented Reality

This experiment seeks to examine the relationship between three advanced technology features (presentation of target cueing – and the reliability of that data, image reality, and interactivity) and the attention and trust provided to that information. Sixteen military personnel were asked to detect targets camouflaged in terrain, presented at two levels of scene detail, while performing a terrain association task. Half the subjects actively navigated through the terrain; the other half passively viewed the control path of an active navigator. Cueing was presented for some of the targets, and the reliability of this information was manipulated at two levels (100% and 75%). The results revealed that the presence of cueing aided the target detection task for expected targets but drew attention away from the presence of unexpected targets in the environment. This attentional tunneling was mediated by cue reliability; unexpected targets, presented in conjunction with a cued object, were detected more often whe...
Creativity and Preschool Children

The purpose of this study was to investigate the creative performance of 48 preschool children from middle and lower income homes. The Picture Construction, The Unusual Uses, and The Product Improvement Tests of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (1966b, 1966c) were used for measuring performance. A significant sex difference (F= 5.32, p <.05) was noted in creative originality. The boys produced more original ideas than the girls. A social class difference (F= 4.00, p <.05) was found in favor of the middle class chil dren in creative fluency ability.
Observations on the π + → μ → e + Angular correlation in nuclear emulsion

The asymmetry coefficient characterizing the angular correlation in the π-μ-e decay has been measured in emulsion as −0.19±0.06 for a sample of π+ -mesons produced at the Brookhaven Cosmotron. A discussion is given concerning depolarization effects in nuclear emulsion.
The efficacy of a placebo and several oral analgesics in the treatment of pain of alveolar osteitis.

Abstract One hundred patients with moderate to severe pain of alveolar osteitis were treated on successive days with one to five drugs including a placebo, administered in random order. Sixty-one per cent of the sixty-seven patients who received a placebo obtained adequate relief of pain. All drugs studied produced higher pain relief scores than the placebo. As the analgesic effectiveness of the drugs increased, so did the incidence of unpleasant side actions. The problem of the placebo response in drug evaluations was discussed briefly. The hazards of drawing conclusions from uncontrolled drug trials, especially in outpatients or office patients, were pointed out.
Treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer with radioactive implants.

Background. Long-term survival and possible cure can be achieved in selected patients after resection of liver metastases from a colorectal primary tumor. In this study, the authors used radioactive implants as adjunctive therapy for patients who had incomplete resections of liver metastases. Methods. From 1979 to 1990, 17 implants were performed in 12 patients (median age, 61 years). Brachytherapy was performed for microscopically positive margins in 7 implants and for gross residual disease in 10 implants. Volume implants were performed for gross residual disease using 125I seeds, with a median matched peripheral dose of 160 Gy. Most of the implants for microscopic residual disease were planar implants with 125I suture seeds, with a median treatment dose of 150 Gy. Results. There were no serious postoperative complications. Overall median survival was 18 months, and 42% of patients survived 2 years or more. Extrahepatic metastases occurred in 83% of patients (10 of 12). Intrahepatic failure close to the implanted site occurred in 42% of patients (5 of 12), and intrahepatic failure anatomically remote from the implant site occurred in 25% (3 of 12). Conclusions. This approach is feasible and achieves reasonable local control of residual disease after resection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer. The anatomic pattern of failure supports efforts to intensify local therapy and to address the high rate of distant metastases. Cancer 1994; 73:1800–4.
Transducers for Machine Control

The paper presents a discussion of the types of analog transducers in use today for the automatic control of machine tools. Mentioned are comparator type transducers as used in tracer heads as well as direct measuring type transducers used for numerical positioning and numerical contouring controls. Types of transducers are classified and discussed from the standpoint of application and expected accuracy.
Photoreduction of methylene blue on cadmium sulfide powder

Abstract The relaxation of photogenerated charge carriers in cadmium sulfide powder and the reduction of surface bound methylene blue have been investigated using both picosecond multiple light scattering transients and transient band gap emission measurements. A comparison of the bleaching kinetics for adsorbed dye with near-IR absorption and band gap emission transients from the semiconductor indicate that interfacial electron transfer is driven by mobile conduction band carriers with little participation by the longer-lived weakly trapped carriers. In addition, adsorbate reduction is simulated using the diffusion equation with a surface reaction.
Use of Selected Antibiotics in the Elderly

Management of medications in the elderly patient is often a major challenge. Advancing age is accompanied by changes in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs, often exacerbated by renal effects of coexisting diseases. Some of these diseases are diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, and hypertension, which can predispose elderly patients to the risk of antibiotic-induced toxicity, especially drugs with a narrow therapeutic index, such as aminoglycosides. Elderly patients are often taking multiple drugs (including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and supplements) that may adversely interact with antibiotics and contribute to a significant increase in the incidence of deleterious reactions. This review of the use of antibiotics in the elderly will concentrate on certain classes of antibiotics that are commonly used in the elderly or that have serious adverse events that are more commonly seen in this population.
Differential contribution of the two phases of the formalin test to the pattern of c-fos expression in the rat spinal cord: studies with remifentanil and lidocaine

Injection of formalin in the rat hindpaw produces two phases of nociceptive behavior. Although it is generally agreed that the first phase results from direct chemical activation of nociceptive primary afferent fibers, the factors that contribute to the second phase are not established. In the present study, we monitored the expression of the c-fos protein to evaluate whether the pattern of activity of dorsal horn neurons differs as a result of ongoing afferent activity during the two phases. To selectively block the first or second phase, we respectively used remifentanil, a potent and short acting opiate agonist, and QX-314, a quaternary derivative of lidocaine, which does not cross the blood brain barrier. We also evaluated the effect of eliminating nociceptive behavior in both phases using both remifentanil and lidocaine or a combination of local anesthetics, bupivicaine and quaternary lidocaine. In all groups, formalin (5%, 50 microliters) was injected subcutaneously into the plantar surface of the hindpaw. To assess the nociceptive behavior produced by formalin, we monitored the number of flinches. Injection of remifentanil during the first phase completely blocked the first phase formalin-evoked nociceptive behavior, and had no effect on the second phase. Injection of lidocaine during the interphase completely blocked second phase nociceptive behavior. As expected, when remifentanil was administered during the first phase and lidocaine during the second phase, all formalin-evoked nociceptive behavior was blocked. The same was true for rats that received injections of bupivicaine and lidocaine during phases 1 and 2, respectively. In laminae I-II of the L4-L5 segment, the magnitude of the decrease in Fos expression was comparable for remifentanil (26.5%) and lidocaine (27.3%); the decrease was greater when both remifentanil and lidocaine were administered (50.5%), and even greater when bupivicaine and lidocaine were used (74.2%). In laminae V-VI, remifentanil, by itself, decreased c-fos expression by 39.4%; for lidocaine alone, the decrease was 58.4%. We did not observe further significant decreases when both remifentanil and lidocaine, or bupivacaine and lidocaine were injected (69.7% and 74.6%, respectively). Our results not only provide strong evidence that activity during the second phase is necessary for maintaining the maximal expression of c-fos in the spinal cord, but also reveal significant regional differences in the central patterns of activity generated during the two phases. These results also confirm our previous reports that c-fos expression is not eliminated when the behavioral manifestation of the noxious stimulus is completely blocked.
Nannoplankton origination events and environmental changes in the late Paleocene and early Eocene

Abstract The origination of six nannoplankton species in the late Paleocene to middle Eocene involves significant change in the entire nannofossil assemblage. The change began at the first occurrence and accelerates at the increase in abundance of the new species. The changes in the environment generally reflect the preferred ecology of the originating species. The species that originated in the late Paleocene to early Eocene (outside of the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM)) are generally thought to be oligotrophic taxa adapted to warm water conditions. During this long interval, temperatures were generally increasing and nutrient availability was decreasing; conditions that would have been advantageous for the originating taxa. Conversely, the species that originated in the middle Eocene are generally thought to be mesotrophs adapted to colder water conditions. These taxa were selected for during a time of generally increasing nutrient availability and decreasing temperature. Orbital stratigraphy indicates that the first occurrences of three Paleocene taxa are time transgressive by up to 400 kyr. The only event that appears to be synchronous is the abundance increase of Zygrhablithus bijugatus during the PETM. This species is thought to be mesotrophic and replaces the genus Fasciculithus at a time when nutrient availability was likely increasing rapidly.
Hydroxyl-radical-initiated oxidation mechanism of bromopropane.

Bromopropane has been considered as a replacement for chlorofluorocarbons used as the active component of industrial cleaning solvents, more specifically for HCFC-141b. The proposed mechanism for the atmospheric oxidation of bromopropane is studied via ab initio methodology. Ab initio molecular orbital methods at the CCSD(T)/6-311++G(2df,2p)//MP2/6-31G(d) level of theory have been used to determine the structure and energetics of the 58 species and transition states involved in the atmospheric oxidation of bromopropane. The calculations show that the major oxidation species is bromoacetone. Other brominated species that result from the oxidation are BrCH2CH2C(O)H, BrC(O)CH2CH3, and BrC(O)H, potential new bromine reservoir species that result from bromopropane in the atmosphere.
Variants of the primate vesicular monoamine transporter-2

The vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT2) sequesters monoamine neurotransmitters into vesicles and prevents neurotoxicity. Human or monkey striatum generated three VMAT2 immunoreactive proteins of approximately 75 kDa, approximately 52-55 kDa, and approximately 45 kDa. The approximately 55-kDa band is considered the unglycosylated native protein. Deglycosylation of the VMAT2 from striatum or human VMAT2 expressed in HEK293 cells yielded a approximately 45-kDa, but not a 55-kDa immunoreactive band. We investigated this apparent mismatch between observed molecular size and predicted size.
Light-scattering Mueller matrix for a rough fiber

The light-scattering Mueller matrix for an r ≈ 2.0 μm radius, rough quartz fiber contains phase information different from that of a perfectly cylindrical fiber of the same optical constants and radius. The rough surface creates higher-frequency, smaller-amplitude oscillations that mask the lower-frequency oscillations indicative of a perfect cylinder. Roughness also causes scatter outside the plane of incidence.
Evidence that relaxin inhibits apoptosis in the cervix and the vagina during the second half of pregnancy in the rat.

The growth of the cervix and vagina that occurs during the second half of rat pregnancy is accompanied by an increase in both epithelial and stromal cells. Neither the mechanism(s) that regulates this accumulation of cells nor its hormonal control is known. To test the hypothesis that the rate of apoptosis declines during the second half of pregnancy, cervices and vaginas were collected on days 5, 10, 15, 18, and 21 of pregnancy. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate nick end-labeling was used to detect apoptotic cells. The rate of apoptosis declined (P < 0.05) in epithelial and stromal cells in both the cervix and vagina during the second half of pregnancy, when blood levels of relaxin are increasing. To test the hypothesis that relaxin inhibits apoptosis, cervices and vaginas were collected 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after the neutralization of endogenous relaxin, on days 19–21 of pregnancy, with a monoclonal antibody for rat relaxin. Both the terminal deoxynucleotidyl...
Hybrid control of flexible manipulators with multiple contact

A hybrid position/force controller is proposed for flexible link manipulators that make contact with the environment at more than one point. The dynamic equations of the motion with multiple contact constraints are derived. The dynamic equations are transformed into two subspaces (the constrained and constraint-free subspace) using singular value decomposition of the constraint equations. Each force and position controller is developed based on the orthogonality of these two subspaces. A hybrid controller is proposed from the new coordinates. Its stability is proved analytically under the quasi-static condition. An experimental study is carried out to justify the feasibility and application of the proposed ideas. >
Low-energy supersymmetry with D-term contributions to scalar masses.

We investigate how the predictions of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model are modified by D-term contributions to soft scalar masses, which arise whenever the rank of the gauge group at very high energies is greater than four. We give a parameterization of the most general such contributions that can occur when the unbroken gauge symmetry is an arbitrary subgroup of E_6, and show how the D-term contributions leave their imprint on physics at ordinary energies. We impose experimental constraints on the resulting parameter space and discuss some features of the resulting supersymmetric spectrum which differ from the predictions obtained with universal boundary conditions on scalar masses near the Planck scale. These include relations between squark and slepton masses; the behavior of $\sin^2 (\beta-\alpha)$ (which determines the production cross-section for the lightest Higgs scalar boson at an e+e- collider) and the mass of the pseudoscalar Higgs bosons; R_b [the ratio $\Gamma(Z -> b\overline b)/\Gamma(Z -> hadrons)$; and mass differences between charginos and neutralinos.
Modulator property of the intrinsic cortical projection from layer 6 to layer 4.

Layer 4 of the sensory neocortex receives widespread convergent inputs from thalamic, intracortical, and corticocortical sources. Yet, the relative information bearing roles for most of these pathways remain largely undefined. Here we show that the intracortical projections from layer 6 to layer 4 exhibit a physiological property that is consistent with a modulator role. Using in vitro slice preparations of the auditory and somatosensory cortices, we found that electrical stimulation or photostimulation of layer 6 elicits a prolonged depolarizing response that is attributable to the activation of group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). These results complement the known physiological properties of the layer 6 to layer 4 pathway, and further suggest that this pathway is not a principle conduit for information flow, but rather acts as a modulator of cortical activity.
B2 and B32 ordering transformations of equiatomic bcc alloys with ballistic and thermal atom movements

We used Monte Carlo simulations to study the kinetics and steady states of B2 and B32 ordering in an equiatomic binary bcc alloy having both thermal and ballistic atom movements. Atom movements occurred by a vacancy mechanism, where first-neighbor atoms exchanged sites with the vacancy. In the thermodynamic case, where this jump probability was set by a Boltzmann factor alone, we found the formation of large amounts of transient B2 (B32) during disorder → B32 (B2) order transformations. The transient order developed in distinct regions, but vanished completely when equilibrium was attained. Ballistic jumps were included as random interchanges of the vacancy with one of its neighboring atoms. Even with small fractions of ballistic jumps, there were large changes in the transient states and steady states of order in the alloy. A kinetic explanation is proposed, in which the presence of ballistic jumps contributed a greater amount of internal energy to the B2 phase than to the B32 phase when there was a strong asymmetry in the second-nearest neighbor pair potentials (V AA2 ↗ V BB2). A two-phase coexistence in the steady state was explained by fluctuations in the local density of ballistic jumps.
Robust 3D pose estimation from multiple video cameras

In this paper, we introduce a method to estimate the object's pose from multiple video cameras. We derive a centralized solution to pose estimation from multiple video cameras by solving a general matrix equation. Moreover, we provide an equivalent distributed solution to the pose estimation problem based on the independent pose estimation obtained from each camera. We demonstrate that both methods generate superior estimates to the results obtained from any specific camera view. The resulting pose estimation technique is shown to be robust to occlusion and errors from specific camera views, and the computational complexity of the distributed solution grows linearly with the number of cameras. Furthermore, the proposed approach does not require feature matching among images from different camera views nor does it demand reconstruction of 3D points.
Use of recombinant factor VIIa for hip surgery in a patient with factor-VII deficiency. A case report.

F actor-VII deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder affecting approximately one in 500,000 persons1. The risk of bleeding complications depends on the factor-VII level, and patients with factor-VII activities of 5% are mildly affected2. As a result of its short half-life of six hours, factor-VII-replacement strategies require frequent infusions of factor preparations. Historically, options for treatment of or prophylaxis against bleeding in factor-VII-deficient patients included use of fresh-frozen plasma and plasma-derived concentrates of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors (prothrombin complex concentrates). Potential complications associated with these products include infection with blood-borne pathogens as well as volume overload with fresh-frozen plasma and thrombotic events with prothrombin complex concentrates. Recombinant activated factor VII (recombinant factor VIIa) (NovoSeven; Novo Nordisk, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1999 for treatment of bleeding in patients with hemophilia A or B who have inhibitors to factors VIII and IX, respectively. On the basis of limited clinical experience, recombinant factor VIIa appears to also have beneficial hemostatic effects in bleeding situations complicated by coagulopathies due to liver disease, massive hemorrhage, qualitative and quantitative platelet disorders, oral anticoagulation, and congenital factor-VII deficiency3,4. We present a case of off-label use of recombinant factor VIIa to prevent perioperative bleeding complications in association with a major hip procedure in a patient with congenital factor-VII deficiency. The patient's wife granted permission for us to submit data concerning the case for publication, as the patient had died of chronic cardiac disease. I n 2003, a seventy-six-year-old man had major bleeding after a primary right …
CDM ESD failure modes and VFTLP testing for protection evaluation

Most integrated circuit ESD damages are caused by CDM stresses. This paper discusses CDM failure modes. The most common such failure is damage to the gate oxide in the MOS device. A new methodology that uses a gate oxide damage monitor and modified VFTLP testing is proposed for assessing CDM protection effectiveness and robustness in I/O circuits. A test structure for such an evaluation is also introduced.
Rethinking Antipsychotic Formulary Policy

In this commentary, we review recent research suggesting that (a) second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) may be no more effective than first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs), (b) the reduced risk of EPS and tardive dyskinesia with SGAs is more weakly supported by the research literature than has been appreciated, and (c) benefits may be offset by greater metabolic risks of some SGAs and their substantially greater cost. Bearing in mind, as well, that risperidone, currently the least expensive SGA, will soon be available as an even less expensive generic drug, we propose a new algorithm for maintenance antipsychotic therapy. We further outline a cautious implementation procedure that relies on standardized documentation and feedback, without a restrictive formulary that would limit physician choice. The algorithm outlined here and the process for its implementation are intended as a stimulus for discussion of potential policy responses, not as a finalized proposition.
A new method to monitor the rate of conformational transitions in RNA

Many RNAs need Mg2+to produce stable tertiary structures. Here we describe a simple method to measure the rate and activation parameters of tertiary structure unfolding that exploits this Mg2+dependence. Our approach is based on mixing an RNA solution with excess EDTA in a stopped-flow instrument equipped with an absorbance detector, under conditions of temperature and ionic strength where, after chelation of Mg2+, tertiary structure unfolds. We have demonstrated the utility of this method by studying phenylalanine-specific transfer RNA from yeast (tRNAPhe) because the unfolding rates and the corresponding activation parameters have been determined previously and provide a benchmark for our technique. We find that within error, our stopped-flow method reproduces both the rate and activation enthalpy for tertiary unfolding of yeast tRNAPhe measured previously by temperature-jump relaxation kinetics. Since many different RNAs require divalent magnesium for tertiary structure stabilization, this technique should be applicable to study the folding of other RNAs.
Information technology and consumer behavior in travel and tourism: insights from travel planning using the internet.

Abstract Sustaining business success hinges upon a firm׳s ability to understand and capitalize on consumer behavior trends. Synthesizing information from a variety of sources, this paper discusses the nature of use of the Internet by American travelers. In general, the adoption of the Internet has reached a level of saturation and some traditional channels such as online travel agencies (OTAs) continue to dominate travel planning. While traditional means of Internet use for travel planning appears to be widespread across all customer segments, higher-order Internet uses (i.e., social media) are now prevalent among some segments, particularly among travelers of Generation Y. Also, there seems to be an important bifurcation in the traveler population in that the traditional online consumers remain unchanged with their pattern of use of online tools while sizable groups are adopting emergent information sources and transaction channels. This article details the particulars of these trends and offers managerial implications and future research directions.
On the structure of graph edge designs that optimize the algebraic connectivity

We take a structural approach to the problem of designing the edge weights in an undirected graph subject to an upper bound on their total, so as to maximize the algebraic connectivity. Specifically, we first characterize the eigenvector(s) associated with the algebraic connectivity at the optimum, using optimization machinery together with eigenvalue sensitivity notions. Using these characterizations, we fully address optimal design in tree graphs that is quadratic in the number of vertices, and also obtain a suite of results concerning the topological and eigen-structure of optimal designs for bipartite and general graphs.
Vaginal douching and preterm birth: an intriguing hypothesis.

The rate of preterm birth has risen in recent years and is twice as high among black women as among white women. Neither the underlying causes nor the reasons for the racial disparity are clearly understood. Further, preventable risk factors have not been identified. We hypothesize that vaginal douching plays a key role in the risk of infection-related spontaneous preterm birth. Vaginal douching is a common behavior, twice as prevalent among black women as among white women. Douching may be an important mechanism by which vaginal pathogens gain access to the upper genital tract. Douching increases the risk of acquiring bacterial vaginosis. It may also facilitate the ascent of microorganisms into the upper genital tract, resulting in a chronic bacterial colonization inside the uterus. During pregnancy, the host inflammatory response is initiated, which stimulates preterm labor and birth. Douching, a potentially preventable risk factor, may explain a substantial proportion of the black-white disparity in preterm birth.
Withdrawal Symptoms and Nicotine Dependence Severity Predict Virtual Reality Craving in Cigarette-Deprived Smokers.

Introduction: Virtual reality (VR) has been shown to be effective in eliciting responses to nicotine cues in cigarette smokers. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether cigarette-deprived smokers would exhibit increased craving and changes in heart rate when viewing cigarette related cues as compared to non-smoking cues in a VR environment, and the secondary aim was to assess the extent to which self-assessed measures of withdrawal and dependence correlated with VR craving. Methods: Nicotine-dependent cigarette smokers were recruited for a 2 day study. On Day 1, participants smoked as usual and on Day 2 were deprived from smoking overnight. On both days, participants completed self-assessment questionnaires on withdrawal, craving, and nicotine-dependence. Participants completed a VR session during the cigarette deprivation condition only (Day 2). During this session, they were exposed to active smoking and placebo (non-smoking) cues. Results: The data show that self-reported levels of “craving” (p < .01) and “thinking about cigarettes” (p < .0001) were significantly greater after exposure to the active cues versus non-smoking cues. Significant increases in heart rate were found for 3 of 4 active cues when compared to non-smoking cues (p < .05). Finally, significant positive correlations were found between self-reported craving prior to the VR session and craving induced by active VR cues (p < .01). Conclusions: In this report, active VR cues elicited craving during cigarette deprivation. This is the first study to demonstrate that self-reported craving, withdrawal symptoms, and nicotine dependence severity predict cue-induced craving in the VR setting.
Food and Culture: Using Ethnic Recipes to Demonstrate the Post-Columbian Exchange of Plants and Animals

Abstract The impact of the post-Columbian exchange on both New World and Old World cultures can be examined through college student analyses of ethnic recipes. Working independently or in a classroom exercise, the student selects a recipe, identifies the world region of domestication of each ingredient listed, determines to what extent the ethnic recipe is comprised of native foods, and suggests what cultural processes may be involved in the evolution of the recipe. Information sources, lists of domesticated biota by region and type, and two sample recipes are presented to illustrate the methodology.
Bounded and stably bounded palindromic difference equations of first order

Criteria for palindromic difference equations Axi + Axi+1 =0 , wherestands for either transpose or conjugate transpose,to have bounded or stably bounded solutions are given in terms of the congruent equivalent classes of the matrix A. It is proved that the set of bounded palindromic difference equations is connected in the complex case,and has two connected components corresponding to the sign of the determinant of A in the real case. The connected components of the set of stably bounded palindromic difference equations are characterized.
Soft computing approach to steganalysis of LSB embedding in digital images

Steganography methods embed hidden data in digital images to provide a means of secret communication. Steganalysis methods detect such embedded data based on statistical analysis of a digital image. We experimented with using decision trees for detecting messages hidden in the least significant bit plane of an image and compared their results to those obtained using multilayered feedforward neural networks.
An integrated framework for yield management and defect/fault reduction

An integrated framework for yield management and defect/fault reduction is presented. A 3D space consisting of a quality axis, a process integration axis, and a scaling axis encompasses all process and manufacturing parameters. Cross-functional teams of process, equipment, operations, and materials personnel proactively explore this space, and provide process engineers with a stable and capable environment for process development and manufacturing activities. >
Characterization of integration algorithms for the timing analysis of mos vlsi circuits

Displacement techniques used for the timing analysis of VLSI circuits are presented under a new perspective. Their numerical properties such as stability, accuracy, consistency and convergence are investigated.
Loneliness Correlates, Attributions, and Coping among Older Adults

The present study provides much needed empirical data on loneliness. Subjects (n = 57, M = 64.9 years, SD = 5.04) were given measures of loneliness frequency, intensity, attributions, and coping styles. UCLA Loneliness Scale performance correlated significantly with three of eight items of a social risk-taking scale. In each instance, lonely persons were less willing to take a risk. Loneliness was most frequently attributed to being without others (44%o). Thus loneliness seems to be aggravated by social inaction and resultant isolation. The UCLA scare also correlated with measured depression and anxiety, but they are not identical constructs. Self-descriptions of loneliness ('depressed/sad"-39901? "anxious/restless," -30%) agree with correlations of loneliness with depression and anxiety. Mean incidence of loneliness was 1.50 bouts/mo. (M duration = 7.16 hrs.). In comparison with college samples, older adults evidence a low incidence of loneliness, but equivalent loneliness as measured by the UCLA scale. ...
A review of RSICC software for medical and health physics

The Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been in the business of software maintenance, testing, and evaluation in the field of radiation transport and has promoted software development in the area of radiation transport for the last forty years. As a result, radiation transport software tools have been very useful in dose estimation and medical applications.
Mixed bacterial-fungal infections in the CF respiratory tract

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common genetic disease whose major clinical manifestations include repeated episodes of airway infection and inflammation that ultimately result in premature death from respiratory failure. The consequences of infection by individual bacteria have been well studied and the evidence is building that fungal pathogens may be playing an important role in lung disease progression. In contrast, though many CF patients have airway infections characterized by the presence of both bacteria and fungi, our understanding of the impact of such polymicrobial infections on the host is limited. In this review, we discuss what is currently known about incidence of mixed bacterial-fungal infections, and the potential consequences of these mixed infections on the progression of CF lung disease.
Pathway of cholesterol biosynthesis in the brain of the neonatal rat.

Suckling rats were killed at various intervals after intraperitoneal injection of acetate-l-14C and their brain sterols were analyzed by column, thin-layer, paper, and gas- liquid chromatography. The crude sterol (to which carrier zymosterol was added) was separated by column chromatog- raphy into cholesterol, desmosterol, and zymosterol fractions, and the specific activities of the recovered digitonides were determined . The zymosterol fraction, mainly carrier, was not uniformly labeled, in that the trailing half of the peak had a higher specific activity than the leading half. Evidence obtained sug- gests that this carbon activity was present in one or more sterols resembling zymosterol (A8~24-cholestadieno1), A7*24-cholestadi- enol, and A7~5.24-ch~le~tatrieno1. The desmosterol and choles- terol were also carbon-labeled. The time course of the distribu- tion of carbon activity among the above fractions indicated that the zymosterol fraction is a precursor of the desmosterol and that the desmosterol is, in turn, a precursor of the choles- terol. The data suggest that, in the developing brain of the rat, the course of the transformation of cholesterol precursors into cholesterol is influenced by the presence of at least two slow steps, one involving the conversion of A7- and As-compounds to A5-compounds and the other, the reduction of the A24-un- saturation.
Stereoselective Alkene Isomerization over One Position

Although controlling both the position of the double bond and E:Z selectivity in alkene isomerization is difficult, 1 is a very efficient catalyst for selective mono-isomerization of a variety of multifunctional alkenes to afford >99.5% E-products. Many reactions are complete within 10 min at room temperature. Even sensitive enols and enamides susceptible to further reaction can be generated. Catalyst loadings in the 0.01–0.1 mol% range can be employed. E-to-Z isomerization of the product from diallyl ether was only <10–6 times as fast as its formation, showing the extremely high kinetic selectivity of 1.
AUTOMATED GRID INDEPENDENCE VIA UNSTRUCTURED ADAPTIVE REFINEMENT

Grid independence is frequently an overlooked item in CFD analyses. Often an attempt is made to perform due diligence towards this end, but time and resource constraints prevent this from becoming reality. Results obtained from grid dependent solutions may prove to be costly, in that design decisions can be made using potentially faulty information. Therefore, grid independence should be viewed as an extremely important element of any CFD study. An Automated system for Grid Independence (AGI) for 2D unstructured wall function grids is presented here. In this system, grid independence is achieved via successive levels of grid refinement. This is accomplished by utilizing grid adaptation based upon solution variables in an automated fashion. Three cases are examined, the backward facing step, flow over an asymmetric transonic airfoil and hydrogen combustion in a channel. Grid independent solutions are obtained for all three cases. Results for each case compare well with experimental and/or other numerical predictions.
The Efficacy of Civil Commitment in Treating Narcotics Addiction

The California Civil Addict Program (CAP) was established by the state legislature in 1961 to control and rehabilitate narcotics addicts. In the first two years of the program, a number of legal an...
House Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Genetics: Field Studies of Males from a Male-Producing Strain

Male house flies ( Musca domestica L.), which produced only male progeny when mated with wild-type females were released on a dairy farm in Minnesota during the fly breeding seasons of 1978 and 1979. The progress and mating interactions of the released flies (designated as the PM strain) were monitored by recording sampling frequencies of 1) allozyme variants at an enzymatic marker locus, 2) all-male progenies produced by females fertilized in the field, and 3) all male progenies resulting from matings between field-sampled males and laboratory-reared wild-type females. Also, sex-ratios were recorded from all individual cultures produced by field-collected females. Mortality of the PM males was measured in cages placed at the test location. In addition, PM males marked with fluorescent pigments were released on two occasions during 1978 to determine recapture frequencies. Mark-release-recapture experiments using field-collected flies were used to estimate population sizes. The combined data indicated that the PM males failed to compete for mates during 1978. However, there was significantly higher number of all-male cultures produced by field-collected females during 1979. Mating competitiveness values of 0.21 and 0.12 were calculated for the PM males during 1978 using two methods of calculation. Corresponding values for 1979 were 0.45 and 0.42, respectively.
PREVALENCE OF TIBIAL ARTERY AND PEDAL ARCH PATENCY BY ANGIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH CRITICAL LIMB ISCHEMIA AND NON-COMPRESSIBLE ABI (≥1.4)

Many patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) have non-compressible ankle brachial index (ABI), believed to be due to vessel calcification. We sought to identify the prevalence of tibial artery and pedal arch patency by angiography in these patients. 125 limbs (of 89 patients) with CLI and ABI