cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential Analyzer Study of Harmonic Power Generation with Nonlinear Impedance Element

Occasionally it is desirable and even necessary to have available sources of voltage supply of harmonic frequencies. Rotating machines with the appropriate number of poles have been used for this purpose. When the power requirements are low, electronic devices may be used. This paper presents results of an analysis of a nonlinear static element circuit which also may be useful as an efficient source of voltage supply of harmonic frequency of good wave form. The circuit is unique in that it uses neither rotating parts nor electronic devices.
The “S” in “SOAP”: Exploring the poetic connection

This article draws attention to a phrase often used in medicine, namely “SOAP,” which stands for “Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan”. The author reflects on how the “S” in SOAP is rarely given the attention it deserves to highlight the patient's subjective experience of illness. He reviews how writing poetry has been helpful during his medical career to capture moments of close connection between his patients and colleagues and himself, and how this has sometimes helped make sense of difficult and apparently senseless medical events. He underscores the common root of “communication”, “community” and “communion”.
Teachers’ professional discretion and the curricula

At the heart of many current debates about curriculum and curriculum policy is an inadequately conceptualized and articulated notion of teachers’ professional discretion. This paper begins to detail a normative and descriptive theory of the social and individual conditions required for the development of professional discretion. A better understanding of teachers’ professional discretion should enable professional curriculum developers and policy writers to help teachers to adapt to the dynamic, complex social conditions of schooling.
Popular initiatives in Uruguay: confidence votes on government or political loyalties?

Abstract Among stable democracies, Uruguay is one of the most prodigious users of direct democratic devices at the national level. If we analyze the relationship between the share of “yes” votes received by any popular initiative and the share of votes received by politicians who politically supported it, we observe a strikingly high positive correlation of 0.9. Explaining this correlation is the central objective of this paper. Three alternative hypotheses are plausible: First, such a correlation could be a spurious association due to aggregation bias. Second, PI results could be reflections of economic conditions. Third, Uruguayans are extremely consistent in following their political parties' advice. This paper finds that when Uruguayans go to the polls to vote on a popular initiative, their vote choice is primarily the result of their party loyalty, rather than their reaction to economic conditions. In testing my hypotheses I rely on the following statistical methods: King's “Ecological Inference,” multivariate regression, and path analysis. The data come from seven popular initiatives in Uruguay since 1985 (133 observations).
A 560-Year Record of Santa Ana Fires Reconstructed from Charcoal Deposited in the Santa Barbara Basin, California

Microscopic charcoal from varved Santa Barbara Basin sediments was used to reconstruct a 560-yr record (A.D. 1425 to 1985) of Santa Ana fires. Comparison of large (>3750 μm2) charcoal with documented fire records in the Santa Barbara Ranger District shows that high accumulations correspond to large fires (>20,000 ha) that occurred during Santa Ana conditions. The charcoal record reconstructed a minimum of 20 large fires in the Santa Barbara region during the study period. The average time between fires shows no distinct change across three different land use periods: the Chumash period, apparently characterized by frequent burning, the Spanish/Early American period with nominal fire control, and the 20th century with active fire suppression. Pollen data support the conclusion that the fire regime has not dramatically changed during the last 500 yr. Comparison of large charcoal particle accumulation rates and precipitation reconstructed from tree rings show a strong relationship between climate and fire history, with large fires consistently occurring at the end of wet periods and the beginning of droughts.
The Changing Attitudes of Physicians Toward Prolonging Life

This follow-up survey of physicians' attitudes and practices reveals a changing approach toward the care of terminal patients. It shows that: 1) communication with dying patients is becoming more open, 2) support for the omission of life-prolonging treatments is increasing, and 3) opposition to the use of death-hastening measures remains strong. It indicates that the physician's experience with terminal patients and the setting of his practice influence his attitude towards these patients and the approach to treatment.
Failure to deactivate in autism: the co-constitution of self and other

A new brain imaging study demonstrates that patients with autism have a strikingly different pattern of brain activity compared with control subjects. During cognitive tasks, cortical areas known as the ‘default state’ network – areas that have been implicated in both self-referential processing and processing of socially relevant information – typically reduce their brain activity. In patients with autism, such a reduction was not observed. This new finding indicates that a core deficit in autism might be related to the construal of a sense of self in its relationship with others and will certainly generate exciting new research on the neurobiology of autism.
The quantum spin-valve in cobalt atomic point contacts

Magnetic materials reduced to a single atom show unexpected magnetic properties that interact with the spin states of the transmitting electrons and modify the nature of the quantized conductance. This integration of quantized conductance and spin-dependent transport across a magnetic atom gives rise to a multichannel system across which the transmission of electron waves can be regulated by a domain wall acting as a ‘valve’ —a quantum spin-valve. Here we measure complete magnetoresistance loops across magnetic quantum point contacts as small as a single atom, using cobalt. ‘Discrete’ or quantum magnetoresistance loops are observed owing to the varying transmission probability from the available discrete conductance channels. A remarkable feature of these quantum contacts is the discovery of a rapid oscillatory decay in magnetoresistance with increasing contact size. The results provide an evolutionary trace of spin-dependent transport from a single atom to larger ensembles.
Resuscitation Fluids for the Treatment of Hemorrhagic Shock in Dogs: The Effects on Myocardial Blood Flow

The importance of plasma substitutes as an alternative or adjunct to blood has been well recognized for many years. Today, this importance is re-emphasized because of the AIDS epidemic and the increasing number of surgical procedures requiring large replacement volumes of blood.
Rapamycin induces heme oxygenase-1 in human pulmonary vascular cells: implications in the antiproliferative response to rapamycin.

Background— Rapamycin is an immunosuppressive agent with antiproliferative properties against not only lymphocytes but also vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, and it reduces the fibroproliferative response to vascular injury. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has also been shown to have graft protective effects and to inhibit vascular remodeling. In this study, we evaluated whether there is an interaction between rapamycin and HO-1. Methods and Results— In human pulmonary artery endothelial or smooth muscle cells, HO-1 expression was evaluated in response to rapamycin or wortmannin, an inhibitor of the upstream modulator of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) PI-3K. We also evaluated whether the inhibitory actions of rapamycin on platelet-derived growth factor–dependent proliferation was mediated by HO using the chemical inhibitor tin protoporphyrin. Rapamycin induced HO-1 expression in both pulmonary endothelial and smooth muscle cells, whereas no to little increase was seen in response to another immu...
A procedural framework for design to fabrication

Abstract In the past five years, research in design to fabrication has significantly advanced the instruments that enable a fluid connection between design environments and production machines. Today, current research enquiries how these technological advances can be deployed to a wide range of material processes. In this process of expansion of the scope of design to fabrication, coordination between diverse research efforts regarding common goals, instruments and processes can be of significant importance for consolidating design to fabrication as a distinct area of study and understand its role in architectural education. To this effect, this paper studies projects that involve design to fabrication and elaborates a procedural framework that discusses four components: goals, scope, instruments and workflows. This framework is based on the analysis of previous research projects by the author and collaborators and tested through the work done by students in a design studio based on this framework.
Scaling violations in inclusive e + e - annihilation spectra

The origin of the observed scaling violations in inclusive ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ annihilation is investigated. Perturbative jet evolution is not necessarily the only reason for scale breaking in the hadron spectra at present energies. Remnants of finite-transverse-momentum and mass effects are still important in nonperturbative, cascade-type, jet formation in the \ensuremath{\sim}10 GeV range. Heavy-quark fragmentation has a strong impact on hadronic inclusive spectra. A simple parametrization for the heavy-quark fragmentation function is given which describes well recently measured charmed-meson spectra. Taking these effects into account, good agreement with the observed scaling violations is obtained in cascade-type jet models with hard-gluon bremsstrahlung.
Are coulomb interaction effects important in two-dimensional impurity bands?

Abstract We examine whether transport in two-dimensional impurity bands is affected by electron-electron interactions. A physical discussion of interaction effects is presented, particularly of the effects of carriers on the disorder energy, and of the effects of static and dynamic screening of localized carriers on transport. It is then argued that a number of features reported by Fowler and Hartstein are consistent with the predicted effects of interactions.
Making Citizens or Good Citizens? Naturalization as a Predictor of Organizational and Electoral Behavior among Latino Immigrants:

In this article, the author draws on the Latino National Political Survey (LNPS) to contrast the political behaviors of naturalized and native-born Latino U.S. citizens. The author examines three types of political behavior-organizational participation, ethnic organizational participation, and electoral participation-and one form of community activity that may serve as a precursor of political activity-school-focused parental involvement. The authorfinds that the naturalized are less likely than similarly situated native-born Latinos to participate in electoral politics and organizational activity. The author also finds that the weight of the negative influence of naturalization is less than the weight of the positive influence on participation of increasing levels of education and of age. The consequence of these findings is that strategies for Latino political empowerment based on naturalization will have to recognize that naturalization is just thefirst step in making politically active citizens.
Madness as Religious Experience: The Case of Allen Ginsberg

Various writers have considered madness to be a religious experience. On the basis of the literature in the area and conversations with psychiatric patients, it is argued that madness as a religious experience can be viewed as a four-stage developmental process. The four stages are: 1) The hurt-and-be-hurt state of being, 2) The self-induced psychedelic experience, 3) The confusion-and-dread reaction, and 4) The reconstruction-with-insight world view. To clarify how these four stages make up a religious experience, the poet Allen Ginsberg's so-called psychotic episode is organized around each of the stages.
Within-compound associations mediate augmented flavor aversions

Abstract Five experiments with rat subjects explored flavor-aversion conditioning in the A+/AX+ design. In Experiment 1, odor preconditioning prior to taste + odor compound conditioning significantly strengthened a taste aversion, and taste preconditioning prior to taste + odor conditioning significantly augmented an odor aversion. Experiments 2A and 2B eliminated the alternative explanation that the augmentation effect was produced by differential exposure to the compound during conditioning. Next, we examined a possible mechanism of these augmentation effects by employing post-conditioning extinction of the augmenting stimulus (CS A); previous research had also used this technique to explore augmentation, but those studies yielded conflicting results. In both Experiments 3A and 3B, post-conditioning extinction of CS A led to a significant decrease in the strength of the augmented aversion to CS X, regardless of stimulus modality or stimulus salience. Collectively, these results suggest augmented flavor aversions are produced via within-compound associations between CS A and CS X.
Phytophagous insects found onSalsola in Turkey during exploration for biological weed control agents for California

A total of 50 species of phytophagous insects were collected from Russian thistle (Salsola ibericaSennen & Pau),S. kali L.,S. tragus L., and their apparent hybrids in Turkey during June and July, 1970. These collections contained many new host-plant and locality records forSalsola insects. Among the natural enemies detected and thought to warrant further consideration as agents worth importing for the biological control of Russian thistle in California were:Piesma salsolae (Becker) (Hemiptera-Heteroptera: Piesmatidae); Coleophora klimenoschiellaToll (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae); an unidentified species ofPhycitidae (Lepidoptera), and an undeterminedLixus sp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Coleophora parthenicaMeyrick, scheduled for initial release in California for the biological control of Russian thistle in early-1973, also is reported for the first time from Turkey.
Multiregressional Analysis of the Griffin HLB Numbers for Polyoxyethylene Polyoxypropylene Surfactants

Using data from 32 polyoxypropylene polyoxyethylene surfactants and the technique of multiregressional analysis, an equation was determined. This equation describes the relationship between Griffin HLB number, percent polyoxyethylene in the total molecule, and the typical molecular weight of the polyoxypropylene. From the equation, given any two variables, the third variable can be readily determined with good accuracy for this series of polymeric surfactants.
Activation of succinate dehydrogenase by bicarbonate.

Abstract Succinate dehydrogenase (SD) of mitochondria from rat liver or kidney is to a large extent in the active form as isolated, whereas SD activity of heart and skeletal muscle mitochondria can be activated as much as ten-fold over the basal activity when isolated. Incubation of the latter at 37° with bicarbonate resulted in more extensive activation of SD than when succinate was the activator. Activation by bicarbonate was not readily reversed by washing unless succinate was also present. The data indicate that bicarbonate and succinate share the same site for activation of SD. A physiological role for bicarbonate in regulation of SD activity in muscle is suggested.
The Rebirth of the Death of God: Radical Theology Politicized, Political Theology Radicalized, and Radical Politics Theologized in the Work of Clayton Crockett and Jeffrey Robbins

This article offers a critical reflection on the mutually resonant recent works of Clayton Crockett and Jeffrey Robbins, both of whom expose “radical theology” as insufficiently political, “political theology” as insufficiently radical, and “radical politics” as insufficiently attuned to theology. In light of these shortcomings, they offer a radical political theology as a “necessary supplement” to the project of radical democracy—which is to say a politics of, by, and for “the multitude.” This article tracks the shifting and occasionally conflicting contours of this radically democratic theology.
Timing of precision agriculture technology adoption in US cotton production

The timing of technology adoption is influenced by profitability and farmer ability to bear risk. Innovators are typically more risk tolerant than laggards. Understanding the factors influencing early adoption of precision agriculture (PA) technologies by cotton farmers is important for anticipating technology diffusion over time. The factors influencing the timing of grid soil sampling (GSS), yield monitoring (YMR) and remote sensing (RMS) adoption by cotton producers was evaluated using multivariate censored regression. Data for cotton farmers in 12 states were obtained from a survey conducted in 2009. The factors hypothesized to influence the timing of adoption included farm characteristics, operator characteristics, PA information sources, adoption of other PA technologies, and farm location. The results suggest that different factors influenced when cotton farmers adopted GSS, YMR and RMS after these technologies became commercially available. For example, land ownership was associated with the timing of GSS adoption, but not YMR or RMS adoption; farmer age was correlated with the timing of GSS and YMR adoption, but not RMS adoption; and obtaining PA information from consultants affected the timing of GSS and RMS adoption, but not YMR adoption. The only factors correlated with the early adoption of all three technologies were beliefs that PA would improve environmental quality and the adoption of at least one other PA technology. Thus, the potential for improved environmental quality appears to be a strong adoption motivator across PA technologies, as is the earlier adoption of other PA technologies. This research may be useful for farmers, researchers, Extension personnel, machinery manufacturers, PA information providers and agricultural retailers to anticipate the future adoption of new and emerging PA technologies.
Cryptosporidiosis Report of a fatal case complicated by disseminated toxoplasmosis

Abstract A middle-aged woman suffered from chronic diarrhea and malnutrition as a result of a small intestinal infection with a coccidial protozoan—Cryptosporidium. This parasite has been found among a wide range of reptilian, avian and mammalian hosts, but rarely in human beings. This woman ultimately died as a result of disseminated toxoplasmosis of the type usually encountered in an adult whose immune responses were compromised. There was clinical evidence of both humoral and cellular immunologic incompetence, such as depressed levels of complement and immunoglobulins, and decreased T cell reactivity, respectively. The former could be accounted for on the basis of malnutrition causing deficient protein synthesis, and the latter may have been a manifestation of altered function of transformed T cells.
The Hydrogenase Chip: a tiling oligonucleotide DNA microarray technique for characterizing hydrogen-producing and -consuming microbes in microbial communities

We developed a broad-ranging method for identifying key hydrogen-producing and consuming microorganisms through analysis of hydrogenase gene content and expression in complex anaerobic microbial communities. The method is based on a tiling hydrogenase gene oligonucleotide DNA microarray (Hydrogenase Chip), which implements a high number of probes per gene by tiling probe sequences across genes of interest at 1.67 × –2 × coverage. This design favors the avoidance of false positive gene identification in samples of DNA or RNA extracted from complex microbial communities. We applied this technique to interrogate interspecies hydrogen transfer in complex communities in (i) lab-scale reductive dehalogenating microcosms enabling us to delineate key H2-consuming microorganisms, and (ii) hydrogen-generating microbial mats where we found evidence for significant H2 production by cyanobacteria. Independent quantitative PCR analysis on selected hydrogenase genes showed that this Hydrogenase Chip technique is semiquantitative. We also determined that as microbial community complexity increases, specificity must be traded for sensitivity in analyzing data from tiling DNA microarrays.
Plastic deformation of a polygon

Abstract A closed-form solution is derived for the large plastic deformation of a polygonal frame loaded by a uniform internal pressure. The material of the frame is assumed to be rigid, perfectly plastic, and the effects of large geometric changes are included. A comparison is made between theoretical results and available experimental data for a pressurized hexagonal tube.
The effect of wave—particle interactions on the polar wind: Preliminary results

A Monte Carlo simulation was developed in order to study the effects of wave-particle interactions (WPI) on the plasma outflow in the polar wind. The simulation also considered the other mechanisms included in the `classical' polar wind studies such as gravity, the polarization electrostatic field, and the divergence of geomagnetic field lines. Although the plasma consisted of electrons, H(+) and O(+) ions, we emphasized the behavior of H(+) in this preliminary study. The ion distribution function, as well as the profiles of its moments (density, drift velocity, temperatures, etc.) were found for different levels of WPI, that is, for different values of normalized diffusion rates in the velocity space (normalized D(sub perpendicular) H(+)). We found that as the WPI strength increases: (1) the ion drift velocity increases and its density decreases; (2) the perpendicular temperature T(sub perpendicular) (H(+)) increases; (3) the parallel temperature T(sub parallel) (H(+)) first decreases and then increases due to the balance between the parallel adiabatic cooling and the transfer of the energy from the perpendicular to the parallel direction; and (4) the temperature anisotropy ((T(sub parallel) (H(+))/T(sub perpendicular) (H(+)) is reduced and even reversed in some cases. For strong WPI (normalized D(sub perpendicular) (H(+) much greater than 1), the ion distribution function shows weak conic features at high altitudes.
A Single-Step Procedure for Inducing Partial Tolerance of Dncb in Human Subjects

A single application of 1–8 mgm DNCB to the buccal mucosa was found to impair the development of contact sensitivity following topical applications of the same chemical begun 2 weeks later. This simplification of previous techniques for indication of partial tolerance should make this phenomenon much more accessible to investigation.
Tracking continuous topological changes of complex moving regions

A moving region whose location and extend change over time can imply topological changes such as region split and hole formation. To study this phenomenon is useful in many applications, e.g. the topology control of wireless sensor networks and emergency handling. It is challenging to detect the topological changes of a moving region since we lack the ability to capture its continuous change of shapes all the time. Moreover, for a complex moving region containing multiple components, it is hard to determine which component before the change corresponds to which component after the change. In this paper, we propose a model to determine topological changes of a complex moving region through snapshots called observations. We introduce a two-phase strategy that the first phase partitions the observations into several evaluation units and uniquely maps a unit before the change to exactly one unit after the change; the second phase interprets the topological change by integrating all basic topological changes from evaluation units.
Tolerance and efficacy of oral ribavirin treatment of chronic hepatitis C: a multicenter trial.

Hepatitis C is a common cause of chronic liver disease that may progress to cirrhosis. We conducted a multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled trial of ribavirin 600 mg given orally twice daily for 36 weeks with follow-up off therapy for an additional 16 weeks. Fifty-nine patients with compensated chronic hepatitis C were entered. Efficacy was measured at the end of therapy and after follow-up by normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), improvement in liver histology, reduction in hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA level and improvement of symptoms. Among the ribavirin recipients, 12 of 29 (41.4%) had normal ALT values at 36 weeks compared with only 1 of 30 (3.3%) placebo recipients (P < .001). No patient maintained a normal ALT when therapy was stopped. No significant decrease in level of HCV RNA was observed during the study. Histological improvement among subjects who normalized ALT (-1.67 Knodell index) was significantly greater than that in other treated patients (+0.33 Knodell index; P < .05). Fatigue improved in 19.2% of ribavirin-treated subjects and in 8.3% of placebo recipients whereas no worsening of fatigue was reported by ribavirin recipients compared with 16.7% of controls. This difference in fatigue was significant at weeks 36 and 52 (P < .05; .02, respectively). Adverse events were generally comparable between treatment groups except for a reversible hemolytic anemia experienced by ribavirin recipients. Chest pain was noted in four patients on ribavirin. Ribavirin was well tolerated and improved aminotransferase values and reduced fatigue in patients with hepatitis C viral infection while treatment was being administered. Because this action was produced without change in viral level, the mechanism of action of this agent requires further investigation.
Targeted therapies for advanced Ewing sarcoma family of tumors

The prognosis of adolescent and young adult patients battling metastatic Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) remains less than 30% despite the development of systemic therapies. In the era of personalized medicine, novel molecular targets have been tested in preclinical or clinical settings in ESFT. In this review, we focus on early clinical and translational research that identified multiple molecular targets, including IGF-1R; mTOR; tyrosine kinase inhibitors; EWS-FLI1-related targets, and others. Overall, novel targeted therapies demonstrated modest efficacy; however pronounced and durable antineoplastic responses have been observed in small subsets of treated patients, for example with IGF-1R antibodies. Identifying outcome-predicting biomarkers and overcoming treatment resistance remain major challenges. Due to the rarity of ESFT, multi-institutional collaboration efforts of clinicians, basic and translational scientists are needed in order to understand biology of therapeutic response or resistance, which can lead to development of novel therapeutic methods and improved patient outcomes.
Effect of mobilization on the blood supply and regeneration of injured nerves.

Abstract Both tibial nerves were partially crushed in 6 monkeys, completely crushed in 10, severed and sutured in 12, and left intact in 4. Evoked nerve action potentials and electromyograms were monitored to document the extent of injury. The nerve on one side was then completely mobilized while the opposite nerve was not mobilized. At an interval from 1 to 52 weeks later, electrical studies were repeated and extremities perfused for x-ray studies of the nerve vasculature. Mobilized and injured nerves kept electrical and histologic pace with those nerves injured but not mobilized. Postinjury conduction velocities and nerve action potential amplitudes were comparable in both series. Patterns of revascularization were identical except in the early weeks after injury where a larger quantity of both collateral and intraneural vessels was seen in the nonmobilized nerves than in those mobilized. Mobilization of acutely injured nerves should be minimal but, from these studies, appears safe since functional regeneration does not depend on the initial preservation of collateral blood supply.
Influence of 3,4-benzpyrene or γ-chlordane on the rate of metabolism and acute toxicity of aminopyrine, hexobarbital, and zoxazolamine in the mouse☆

Abstract The rates of metabolism and toxicity of several drugs were studied in groups of male Swiss-Webster mice treated with 3,4-benzpyrene or γ-chlordane and in control mice. The in vitro metabolism of aminopyrine, hexobarbital, and zoxazolamine by hepatic 9000 g supernatants, the acute LD50's of the three drugs, the duration of hexobarbital narcosis and zoxazolamine paralysis, and the microsomal cytochrome P-450 levels were measured in mice from each treatment group. γ-Chlordane treatment increased cytochrome P-450 and increased the rates of drug metabolism in vivo and in vitro, while decreasing the toxicity of each of the drugs studied. Treatment with 3,4-benzpyrene had no effect on any of the properties studied except the in vitro metabolism of zoxazolamine. Benzpyrene slightly increased in vitro zoxazolamine metabolism in one experiment and produced no change in three others.
Performance on the radiology component of a critical clinical skills examination.

Rationale and Objectives. Clinical competence certification is now required in some specialties in medicine. A Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (CCA) was created to test mastery of critical clinical skills by students at the end of the 3rd year of medical school. Methods. The CCA is a series of stations that test skills the faculty consider important for all medical students (eg, breast examination, electrocardiogram reading, chest pain assessment, ophthalmology photographs). The radiology station was designed to evaluate imaging skills believed to be taught and learned in the core 3rd-year rotations. Results. External measures (National Board Examinations, grade point average, and overall score) of clinical performance of the 608 medical students who completed the CCA examination between 1991 and 1993 were found to be correlated with the radiology station scores. Conclusion. The radiology station in the CCA examination is a reproducible measure of clinical performance.
Factors affecting lecithinase activity and production in Clostridium welchii.

A variety of factors that affect lecithinase activity and lecithinase production by Cl. welchii were studied. The lecithinase activity was time and temperature dependent. The optimum temperature varied from 30° to 46° C. according to the strain of Cl. welchii employed. Maximum lecithinase activity was produced after 12–60 hr. There was considerable strain variation. This could easily account for the differences in the published data. Commercial purified lecithinase was more readily destroyed by heat than the lecithinase produced by Cl. welchii in culture media. The enzyme inactivation pattern at 60° C. was similar to that at 90° C. This is not in agreement with the reports of others who found that less enzyme was inactivated at the higher temperatures. Acid pH values completely inactivated the enzyme. However, alkaline pH values did not significantly destroy the enzyme. The lecithovitellin reaction was completely inhibited at pH values of 1–5. The optimum pH for the reaction was around pH 7–8. The production of lecithinase was dependent upon the pH of the culture medium. One strain produced measurable lecithinase at pH values of 5·5–8·5, whereas another strain produced lecithinase only at pH values 6–5–7–5. Lecithin stimulated the production of lecithinase in a chemically defined medium.
A semiclassical surface-hopping procedure for vibrational relaxation in polyatomic molecules: model calculations

Abstract In this paper, the application to polyatomic systems of a semiclassical surface-hopping theory for the calculation of vibrational transition probabilities and rates is explored through the use of simple model systems. The theory has previously been applied to relaxation of vibrational excitation energy in diatomics. The non-adiabatic coupling is analyzed for the polyatomic case. Two systems are considered. One of these, which qualitatively mimics CO 2 in Ar, has a strongly bonded triatomic. In the other system, which roughly models KrF 2 in Ar, the triatomic is a comparatively weakly bonded molecule, and the solvent interactions are relatively more significant. Results of calculations using this theory are compared with calculations based on approximations to the full theory. These approximations have previously been found to provide a very computationally facile procedure for the calculation vibrational relaxation rates of diatomic molecules in condensed-phase systems.
Stress shielding effect of rigid internal fixation plates on mandibular bone grafts. A photon absorption densitometry and quantitative computerized tomographic evaluation

The use of rigid internal fixation reconstruction plates in combination with bone grafts provides many advantages in mandibular reconstruction. These advantages include ease of adaptability at the time of surgery as well as immediate postoperative function for the patient. Disadvantages may include a "stress shielding" or disuse osteoporosis effect on the underlying bone graft as a result of the rigidity of the reconstruction plate. This study evaluated the stress shielding effects on bone grafts in primate mandibles. Bilateral bone grafts stabilized with rigid fixation plates were performed in 4 Macaca fascicularis monkeys. Three months after the bone grafting procedure one plate was removed from each monkey. The monkeys were then killed 1, 4, 6 and 8 months after plate removal. Photon absorption densitometry and computerized tomography were used to evaluate stress shielding. The results of this study indicate that the stress shielding effect occurs if the plate is not removed from the area of bone grafting postoperatively.
Effects of gibberellin mutations on tolerance to apical meristem damage in Arabidopsis thaliana.

To examine the role of gibberellin hormones (GAs) in tolerance to apical meristem damage (AMD), we characterized the reaction norms of several GA-deficient and insensitive mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana in response to AMD and compared them to those of the wild type, Landsberg, from which they were derived. We included ‘natural’ genotypes of A. thaliana – accessions with shorter lab histories – in order to evaluate how representative Landsberg is of other genotypes. The GA mutations did not alter the level of tolerance to AMD, which was consistent with equal compensation for all genotypes. Generally, the reaction norms to AMD did not differ among the GA mutants themselves, or between the GA mutants and Landsberg. The GA mutations did affect the overall phenotypes of the plants, but these effects were not simply related to whether the mutation was early or late in the biochemical pathways. The GA-insensitive mutant was phenotypically different from the GA-deficient mutants and from Landsberg. The natural populations differed significantly from Landsberg, particularly in attributes related to size and inflorescence production, one more example of the need for researchers to be careful when generalizing the results of studies based upon laboratory strains. Our results indicate that early-flowering genotypes of A. thaliana can be remarkably tolerant to AMD, and that GA deficiency/insensitivity does not hinder tolerance to AMD, at least in this genetic background. Moreover, we confirm that mutations at regulatory loci can have noncatastrophic effects on fitness, as recently found by other investigators.
Dietary management of phenylketonuria from birth using a phenylalanine-free product.

A RESTRICTED PHENYLALANINE diet is the mainstay of therapy of phenylketonuria. Intellectual outcome is excellent if treatment is initiated in early infancy and serum PA concentrations are maintained <10 mg/dlJ The dietary management of PKU in infants relies on the use of a low PA-containing formula base, Lofenalac (Mead Johnson, Evansville, IN), which is produced by the hydrolysis of casein and contains 0.8 mg PA per gram powder. To our knowledge, the use of a PA-free product in the dietary treatment of PKU in patients younger than 2 years has not been reported, and it is not yet recommended for use in this age group. Since 1979, the Virginia State PKU program has used Phenylfree (Mead Johnson), a PA-free formula base, in the management of PKU in infants. We report a retrospective analysis of the experience with the first eight patients in this program who were given the PA-free product from the time of diagnosis.
BEHAVIORAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN COEXISTING SPECIES: SONG PLAYBACK EXPERIMENTS WITH WOOD WARBLERS

Behavioral interactions between coexisting species may reflect underlying ecological interactions or may arise from factors unrelated to ecological interactions between species. We examined behavioral interactions between two coexisting, migratory wood warblers that competitively interact on breeding territories in central Arizona, USA. The larger Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata) is aggressive toward the later-arriving Virginia's Warbler ( V. virginiae) and responds to playback of Virginia's Warbler songs by approaching the playback speaker or by singing over Virginia's Warbler songs. Virginia's Warblers retreat from interactions with Orange-crowned Warblers and avoid the playback speaker when presented with Orange-crowned Warbler songs. Responses of both species to song playback of the opposite species differed from responses to conspecific songs, indicating that behavioral interactions do not result from misdirected intraspecific aggres- sion. Behavioral responses were consistent with observed ecological interactions between the two species and suggest that asymmetrical behavioral aggression by the dominant Orange-crowned Warbler may be an important mechanism for competitive interactions involving nest sites. These results support previous studies that have used behavioral ex- periments to infer ecological interactions among coexisting species. While Orange-crowned Warblers may benefit from aggressively excluding Virginia's Warblers from preferred nest sites, limited data on Virginia's Warbler settlement patterns suggest that Virginia's Warblers do not avoid settling on Orange-crowned Warbler territories. Similar reproductive success in sympatric vs. allopatric habitats suggests little consequence for Virginia's Warblers settling with Orange-crowned Warblers, despite increased reproductive success of Virginia's Warblers in sympatric habitat when Orange-crowned Warblers were experimentally re-
Some psychophysiological and latency correlates of rule induction

Psychophysiological and latency measures associated with solution of a complex problem were studied. Twenty high-school Ss were given tasks requiring formulation of a rule for solution. Skin potential (SP), vasoconstriction f VC), and response latency (RL) were continuously measured. Comparing early and late measures on solved and unsolved tasks, it was found that: f 1) response decrements did occur in all three measures in solved tasks; (2) they did not occur in unsolved tasks; (3) the difference in decrease between solved and unsolved tasks was significant for SP and RL but not for VC.
The Anticonvulsant Drug Retigabine Enhances M-current and Reduces Neuronal Excitability in Bullfrog Sympathetic Neurons

Abstract. The M-current is a voltage-activated outward K+ current that plays important roles in the regulation of neuronal resting membrane potential and action potential firing patterns. Retigabine is an investigational anticonvulsant drug that acts to enhance M-current in neurons or cells expressing M-channel subunits. The present study examines the actions of retigabine on the M-current of bullfrog sympathetic neurons, the cells in which the M-current was originally described. Using whole cell patch-clamp recordings from isolated bullfrog neurons, we found that retigabine (10 µM) produced a -12 mV hyperpolarization of the resting membrane potential. After controlling for this hyperpolarization, neurons were stimulated with depolarizing current pulses to induce action potential firing. Retigabine produced a 92% decrease in action potential production. Voltage clamp analysis revealed that retigabine produced a 71% increase in outward current amplitude at -30 mV, an increase that was accompanied by a larg...
The association between comorbid illness, colonization status, and acute hospitalization in patients receiving prolonged mechanical ventilation

BACKGROUND: Long-term acute care (LTAC) hospitals provide specialized care for survivors of critical illness who require prolonged mechanical ventilation. These chronically ill patients often have multiple comorbidities and are colonized with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We investigated the association of comorbidities and colonization status with outcomes in patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation in an LTAC facility. We hypothesized that comorbidity burden and colonization with multiple drug resistant organisms would be associated with worse clinical outcomes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective, cohort study of 157 mechanically ventilated subjects in an urban LTAC facility admitted from January 2007 to September 2009. Comorbidity burden was documented from pre-admission data using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Colonization data were obtained from surveillance cultures. Outcomes studied included transfer back to acute care facilities, stay, and ventilator weaning status. RESULTS: Within 60 days, 58.6% of subjects were transferred back to an acute care facility. The most common reason for transfer was infection/sepsis (37%). The Charlson Comorbidity Index of subjects transferred to acute care, versus those who were not, was 4.9 ± 3.1 versus 3.6 ± 2.7 ( P = .01), an odds ratio of 1.1 for each 1-point increase in Charlson Comorbidity Index (95% CI 1.03–1.71, P = .02). Colonization with acinetobacter was associated with higher incidence of transfer (71% vs 51%, P = .01). The odds ratio for transfer to acute care was 1.3 for each additional organism colonizing a subject (95% CI 1.11–1.53, P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: Higher comorbidity burden and colonization status were associated with increased risk of transfer to acute care. Further investigation is needed to clarify this relationship between comorbidity burden and colonization with change in clinical status.
PREDICTION OF COLLEGE GRADES FOR ALL PUBLIC COLLEGES OF A STATE

Not infrequently studies are published concerning the prediction of grades in a single college for a single year's entering students. However, it is rare to find studied together a large number of colleges over several years' time. Without more general study than that of the single college for a single year, one can say little about what to expect in a new situation in terms of level of prediction, fluctuations from year to year, the gain to be obtained from using as predictors test scores in addition to records of previous performance in high school, and the differences in predictability for males and females. The data to be reported here are for all publicly-supported higher education in the State of Georgia for the five years from 1958 through 1962. There are 19 different colleges, but, since not all have students of both sexes, for each year there are only 35 different sets of data. For all five years there are 175 sets of data involving 27,961 different students. Data of such magnitude and exhaustiveness should be sufficient to permit general conclusions for much of public higher education, even though there has been no attempt randomly to sample from the entire nation.
Improved Marginal Loss Calculations During Hours of Transmission Congestion

Shortcomings of the current policy focus and accepted implementations for calculating and settling transmission losses strictly as marginal losses are presented. One modified marginal loss calculation approach for hours of transmission congestion is proposed and demonstrated using a 5-bus model from the PJM system. The objective of the suggested change in the use and determination of marginal losses is both to improve market transparency through an increased understanding of marginal loss calculations, and to improve the accuracy of the marginal loss calculation during hours with binding transmission constraints. Along with an ability to hedge risks associated with losses, these changes will lead to better defined market rules and property rights in electricity markets.
The Relationship Between Exercise Intensity and Affective Responses Demystified: To Crack the 40-Year-Old Nut, Replace the 40-Year-Old Nutcracker!

A causal chain linking exercise intensity, affective responses (e.g., pleasure–displeasure), and adherence has long been suspected as a contributor to the public health problem of physical inactivity. However, progress in the investigation of this model has been limited, mainly due to inconsistent findings on the first link between exercise intensity and affective responses. The purpose was to reexamine the intensity–affect relationship using a new methodological platform. Thirty young adults (14 women and 16 men) participated in 15-min treadmill exercise sessions below, at, and above their ventilatory threshold. The innovative elements were the following: (a) Affect was assessed in terms of the dimensions of the circumplex model; (b) assessments were made repeatedly during and after exercise; (c) patterns of interindividual variability were examined; (d) intensity was determined in relation to the ventilatory threshold; and (e) hypotheses derived from the dual-mode model were tested. Intensity did not influence the positive changes from pre- to post-exercise, but it did influence the responses during exercise, with the intensity that exceeded the ventilatory threshold eliciting significant and relatively homogeneous decreases in pleasure. Exceeding the intensity of the ventilatory threshold appears to reduce pleasure, an effect that could negatively impact adherence.
Near-surface remote sensing of spatial and temporal variation in canopy phenology

There is a need to document how plant phenology is responding to global change factors, particularly warming trends. "Near-surface" remote sensing, using radiometric instruments or imaging sensors, has great potential to improve phenological monitoring because automated observations can be made at high temporal frequency. Here we build on previous work and show how inexpensive, networked digital cameras ("webcams") can be used to document spatial and temporal variation in the spring and autumn phenology of forest canopies. We use two years of imagery from a deciduous, northern hardwood site, and one year of imagery from a coniferous, boreal transition site. A quantitative signal is obtained by splitting images into separate red, green, and blue color channels and calculating the relative brightness of each channel for "regions of interest" within each image. We put the observed phenological signal in context by relating it to seasonal patterns of gross primary productivity, inferred from eddy covariance measurements of surface-atmosphere CO2 exchange. We show that spring increases, and autumn decreases, in canopy greenness can be detected in both deciduous and coniferous stands. In deciduous stands, an autumn red peak is also observed. The timing and rate of spring development and autumn senescence varies across the canopy, with greater variability in autumn than spring. Interannual variation in phenology can be detected both visually and quantitatively; delayed spring onset in 2007 compared to 2006 is related to a prolonged cold spell from day 85 to day 110. This work lays the foundation for regional- to continental-scale camera-based monitoring of phenology at network observatory sites, e.g., National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) or AmeriFlux.