cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Absolutely Calibrated Source of 6.13 MeV Gamma-Rays

At the 340 keV resonance in the 19F(p, ??)16O reaction, after kinematic corrections, there is a 1:1 correspondence between the 55/s=deg/ yield of alpha particles feeding the 6.13 MeV state and the yield of 6.13 MeV photons observed at 55° to the proton beam. The 55° intensities of alpha particles feeding the various states in 16O were found to be: ?6.05: ?6.13: ?6.92: ?7.12 = ?0.14: 100: 0.08: 2.6 which implies the only non-negligible contaminant is a 7.12 MeV gamma-ray radiation with an intensity of 2.6%. After a number of small corrections, including those for photon attenuation in the target backing and air, the fluence of 6.13 MeV gamma-rays can be determined absolutely with an uncertainty of ~1%. Excellent agreement was obtained in a comparison of the calculated and measured efficiencies of a 5 × 4" NaI detector. The calibration of Ge(Li) detectors required an aluminium coated target to avoid a Doppler tail on the 6.13 MeV photon peaks caused by 16O nuclei recoiling from the surface of the CaF2 target.
Temperature-dependent energy thresholds for ion-stimulated defect formation in solids: Effects of ion mass and adsorbate–substrate pairing

Abstract Recent simulations and experiments have indicated that solid temperature affects the dynamics of defect formation when the energies of bombarding ions fall below about 100 eV. The physical picture formulated for this phenomenon predicts that ion mass should exert only a weak influence on the threshold energy for defect formation. The present work experimentally confirms that prediction through mesoscale surface diffusion measurements of Ge on Si(1 1 1) as a marker for ion-induced defect behavior. Furthermore, comparisons between the results and those already obtained for In on Si(1 1 1) and Ge(1 1 1) show that the magnitude of the variation in threshold energy with temperature (∼0.1 eV/K) is largely independent of the adsorbate–substrate pairing. The present results give further evidence for the existence of a broad class of temperature-dependent ion-induced defect formation processes.
Chromium Chloride Inhibits Oxidative Stress and TNF-α Secretion Caused by Exposure to High Glucose in Cultured U937 Monocytes

Chromium supplementation has been proposed to promote the action of insulin and the lowering of blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. However, the molecular mechanism by which chromium increases insulin sensitivity is not known. Using U937 monocytes as a cell culture model, this study demonstrates that chromium inhibits the secretion of TNF-alpha, a cytokine known to inhibit the sensitivity and action of insulin. U937 cells were cultured with high levels of glucose (mimicking diabetes) in the presence or absence of chromium chloride in the medium at 37 degrees C for 24 h. This study demonstrates that chromium supplementation prevents the increase in TNF-alpha levels and oxidative stress caused by the high levels of glucose in cultured U937 monocytic cells. Similarly, chromium supplementation prevented elevated TNF-alpha secretion and lipid peroxidation levels in H(2)O(2)-treated U937 cells. This study demonstrates for the first time that chromium supplementation inhibits TNF-alpha secretion in U937 monocytes cultured in high-glucose medium, which appears to be mediated by its antioxidative effect. This provides evidence for a novel molecular mechanism by which chromium supplementation may increase insulin sensitivity and glycemic control in diabetic patients.
Latin America’s challenge: A fresh look at industrial policy

When John Price and I wrote Can Latin America Compete? several years ago, we were unflinching in our criticism of the region for failing to undertake sweeping microeconomic and institutional changes, such as improved access to capital, investment in infrastructure, and regulatory reform.Weurged the region to undertake at the minimum incremental reforms across nearly a dozen areas (including public safety, judicial reform, and education) to boost its competitiveness, less it continue to lose out to emerging markets in Asia.
Studies of the Interaction of Phenylbutazone, Oxyphenbutazone and Methandrostenolone in Man∗:

SummaryThe action of methandrostenolone on phenylbutazone and its major metabolite, oxyphenbutazone, has been studied in man by determining the half-life and plateau plasma levels of the antirheumatic drugs. The anabolic steroid caused an increase in the plasma level of oxyphenbutazone, confirming previous studies. This effect was previously attributed to a change in volume of distribution. In the present study, in addition to the effect on volume of distribution, a prolongation of half-life of oxyphenbutazone was observed in one subject. In contrast, in six patients receiving continuous therapy with phenylbutazone, plasma levels were unchanged when methandrostenolone was superimposed. The plasma levels of oxyphenbutazone, determined in the same samples, were unaffected. The half-life of phenylbutazone in two patients was not changed upon the administration of methandrostenolone, showing that no alteration had occurred in the metabolism of phenylbutazone. Equilibrium dialysis experiments indicated competi...
Sampling distributions of ppos and pneg

In the absence of a gold standard, assessment of clinimetric properties of dichotomous variables should include reporting of the proportions of positive agreement (ppos) and negative agreement (pneg). For example, for a patient considering whether or not to undergo elective surgery, ppos represents the probability that a second physician would concur with a recommendation to undergo surgery and pneg represents the probability that a second physician would concur with a recommendation not to undergo surgery. This article uses a conditional binomial distribution to derive the sampling distributions of ppos and pneg. The sampling distribution can be used as a basis for confidence intervals and hypothesis tests.
The mesoscopic and microscopic structural consequences from decomposition and desorption of ultrathin oxide layers on Si(100) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy

Abstract The spatially inhomogeneous decomposition and desorption reaction of oxide layers with coverage 1-0.3 monolayers (ML) from a silicon (100) surface has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). After desorption, microscopic changes to the (2 × 1) reconstruction produce two variations on the dimer row reconstruction with decreased surface atom density. A (2 × n ) vacancy chain reconstruction and a c(4 × 4) incomplete row reconstruction were observed; a structure for the latter is proposed. Both reconstructions are metastable, reforming the (2 × 1) reconstruction upon heating. At greater length scales during desorption from an initial 1.0 ML coverage, the mesoscopic changes to the surface structure include pitting and roughening, with up to a measured 20 fold increase in the edge density as compared to the clean Si(100) surface. These structural changes suggest a reaction mechanism involving a substantial rearrangement of the substrate silicon. From an initial 1.0 ML oxygen coverage, using measured void size distributions at total desorption levels of 13% and below — before voids have begun to coalesce — the evolution of void sizes during initial desorption can be followed. A mechanism for desorption is proposed in which silicon atoms must diffuse from adjacent clean surface area to the oxide boundary, producing a reactive complex from which SiO is desorbed. Void growth rates derived from two rate limiting cases for this desorption reaction mechanism can be compared to measured results. We show that the measured void area evolution is consistent with a reaction mechanism where the rate limiting step for monolayer desorption is the promotion of a silicon atom in a lattice site to a mobile monomer within the void.
The origin of the rotational state dependence of electronic relaxation in azabenzenes

Abstract We show here that the rotational state dependence of electronic relaxation in azabenzenes arises from the rotational effect on the number of effectively coupled triplet levels.
NEUTRALIZING PREJUDICED EVALUATION

Prejudice is a critical problem in education. A linear aggregation rule for use on an automatic mediator is shown to neutralize discrimination, motivate fair evaluation and correct perceptual bias. The mediator combines anonymous inputs using automatic rules to both select speakers and deliver rewards.
Interpersonal problem-solving skills training with aggressive young children☆

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an interpersonal problem-solving training program with aggressive young children. There were 13 children in the experimental group and 11 children in the contact control group. Both experimental and contact control group children were evaluated at pretest, posttest, and follow-up on the Behavioral Interpersonal Problem Solving Test (BIPS). Experimental group subjects were exposed to the interpersonal problem-solving skills training program for 50 training sessions. The contact control group participated in reading-story sessions during the same time period. Results and discussion reflect the efficacy of the training procedure and the nature of the change in interpersonal problem-solving behavior in aggressive young children.
Improved Synthesis of Photo-leucine

An improved and reproducible synthesis of photo-leucine [3-(3-methyl-3-diazirinyl)-alanine] is presented.
Theoretical Total-Energy Distribution of Field-Emitted Electrons

The Fowler-Nordheim equation is derived in terms of total electron energy so as to obtain the total-energy distribution of field-emitted electrons. At 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K the new distribution width is less than $\frac{1}{3}$ of that obtained from the previous "normal-energy" theory. A surprising mirror-image symmetry is observed between the zero-temperature total-energy field emission and the zero-field normal-energy thermionic emission distributions. The total-energy distribution is also derived for the zero-field thermionic case and this is found to be the mirror image of the normal-energy zero-temperature field emission distribution.The new distribution applies to problems involving the total energy of electrons before and after emission.
Aggregation of Surfactant Squaraine Dyes in Aqueous Solution and Microheterogeneous Media: Correlation of Aggregation Behavior with Molecular Structure

The synthesis of several amphiphilic squaraine dyes and a study of their aggregation behavior and photophysics are reported. The several different squaraines are found to give spectrally blue-shift...
Semantic and schematic similarities between database objects: a context-based approach

In a multidatabase system, schematic conflicts between two objects are usually of interest only when the objects have some semantic similarity. We use the concept of semantic proximity, which is essentially an abstraction/mapping between the domains of the two objects associated with the context of comparison. An explicit though partial context representation is proposed and the specificity relationship between contexts is defined. The contexts are organized as a meet semi-lattice and associated operations like the greatest lower bound are defined. The context of comparison and the type of abstractions used to relate the two objects form the basis of a semantic taxonomy. At the semantic level, the intensional description of database objects provided by the context is expressed using description logics. The terms used to construct the contexts are obtained from {\em domain-specific ontologies}. Schema correspondences are used to store mappings from the semantic level to the data level and are associated with the respective contexts. Inferences about database content at the federation level are modeled as changes in the context and the associated schema correspondences. We try to reconcile the dual (schematic and semantic) perspectives by enumerating possible semantic similarities between objects having schema and data conflicts, and modeling schema correspondences as the projection of semantic proximity with respect to (wrt) context.
NMR studies of spin dynamics in cuprates

We report recent NMR results in cuprates. The oxygen Knight shift and the Cu nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate in Bi2.1Sr1.94Ca0.88Cu2.07O8+δ single crystals revealed a gapless superconducting state, which can be most naturally explained by a d-wave pairing state and the intrinsic disorder in this material. The Cu nuclear spin-spin relaxation rate in underdoped YBa2Cu3O6.63 shows distinct temperature dependence from the spin-lattice relaxation rate, providing direct evidence for a pseudo spin-gap near the antiferromagnetic wave vector.
Substrate Alteration by Spawning Brook Trout in a Southeastern Wyoming Stream

Abstract To measure the changes in substrate composition produced by spawning brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis, we collected 187 freeze-core samples, both before and after spawning, from egg pockets, inside redds but excluding egg pockets, and outside redds. In the upper strata of reddassociated samples, we found that the proportions of particles 0.85–1.70, 0.425–0.85, 0.212–0.425, and less than 0.212 mm in diameter were significantly lower in egg pockets than outside redds, and the proportions of particles 0.425–0.85, 0.212–0.425, and less than 0.212 mm in diameter were also lower in egg pockets than in other areas inside redds. Samples collected outside redds were similar to samples collected before spawning. We observed no significant correlations between the proportion of fine sediment in samples from outside redds (and presumably the proportion present before spawning) and the proportion of fine sediment in egg pockets. In vertically stratified samples, the lower strata contained a greater proportio...
Interaction design case: VasSol CANVAS

CANVAS is a software product from VasSol, Inc., which uses input from MRI scanners to create 3-D models of a patientis vasculature and accurately calculate blood flow. This case study reports on a nine-month effort to turn a prototype into a commercial product.The authors derived high value from small amounts of field research, by using a series of semiformal analysis techniques. One key concept was that of ia lignmenti o clearly connecting functionality with interface, and these in turn with the needs at each step of the task. This is a basic idea, but difficult to achieve for a complex feature set and complicated task.The final product is built around a small set of views, around which all controls are grouped. It makes the task and work flow explicit in the interface, and provides a i complexity gradient,i in which more complicated controls are revealed as the user faces more difficult challenges.
A method to correct for stray light in telecentric optical-CT imaging of radiochromic dosimeters.

Radiochromic plastic and gel materials have recently emerged which can yield 3D dose information over clinical volumes in high resolution. These dosimeters can provide a much more comprehensive verification of complex radiation therapy treatments than can be achieved by conventional planar and point dosimeters. To achieve full clinical potential, these dosimeters require a fast and accurate read-out technology. Broad-beam optical-computed tomography (optical-CT) systems have shown promise, but can be sensitive to stray light artifacts originating in the imaging chain. In this work we present and evaluate a method to correct for stray light artifacts by deconvolving a measured, spatially invariant, point spread function (PSF). The correction was developed for the DLOS (Duke large field-of-view optical-CT scanner) in conjunction with radiochromic PRESAGE® dosimeters. The PSF was constructed from a series of acquisitions of projection images of various sized apertures placed in the optical imaging chain. Images were acquired with a range of exposure times, and for a range of aperture sizes (0.2–11 mm). The PSF is investigated under a variety of conditions, and found to be robust and spatially invariant, key factors enabling the viability of the deconvolution approach. The spatial invariance and robustness of the PSF are facilitated by telecentric imaging, which produces a collimated light beam and removes stray light originating upstream of the imaging lens. The telecentric capability of the DLOS therefore represents a significant advantage, both in keeping stray light levels to a minimum and enabling viability of an accurate PSF deconvolution method to correct for the residual. The performance of the correction method was evaluated on projection images containing known optical-density variations, and also on known 3D dose distributions. The method is shown to accurately account for stray light on small field dosimetry with corrections up to 3% in magnitude shown here although corrections of >10% have been observed in extreme cases. The dominant source of stray light was found to be within the imaging lens. Correcting for stray light extended the dynamic range of the system from ~30 to ~60 dB. The correction should be used when measurements need to be accurate within 3%.
Course of comorbidity of tobacco and marijuana use: Psychosocial risk factors

INTRODUCTION This longitudinal study examined the psychosocial factors associated with the comorbidity of pairs of tobacco and marijuana use trajectories from adolescence extending into adulthood in two ethnic groups, Blacks and Puerto Ricans. METHODS Data on psychosocial functioning and tobacco and marijuana use at four points in time were obtained. RESULTS The association between the trajectories of tobacco and marijuana use was quite high. Pairs of comorbid trajectories of tobacco and marijuana use may share at least three kinds of influence: (a) a constellation of externalizing personality risk factors, (b) Depressive Mood and low Ego Integration, and (c) identification with certain group values. DISCUSSION Knowledge of the risk and protective factors for pairs of comorbid trajectories of use may strengthen the foundation for individual and group targets for prevention and treatment programs.
Renal Function After Partial Nephrectomy: Effect of Warm Ischemia Relative to Quantity and Quality of Preserved Kidney

Objective To evaluate the effects of warm ischemia time (WIT) and quantity and quality of kidney preserved on renal functional recovery after partial nephrectomy (PN). The effect of WIT relative to these other parameters has recently been challenged. Methods We identified 362 consecutive patients with a solitary kidney who had undergone PN using warm ischemia. Multivariate models with multiple imputations were used to evaluate the associations with acute renal failure and new-onset stage IV chronic kidney disease (CKD). Results The median WIT was 21 minutes (range 4-55), the median percentage of kidney preserved was 80% (range 25%-98%), and the median preoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 61 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (range 11-133). Postoperative acute renal failure occurred in 70 patients (19%). Of the 226 patients with a preoperative GFR >30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , 38 (17%) developed new-onset stage IV CKD during follow-up. On multivariate analysis, the WIT ( P = .021), percentage of kidney preserved ( P = .009), and preoperative GFR ( P P P 25 minutes remained significantly associated with new-onset stage IV CKD in a multivariate analysis adjusting for the quantity and quality factors (hazard ratio 2.27, P = .049). Conclusion Our results have validated that the quality and quantity of kidney are the most important determinants of renal function after PN. In addition, we have also demonstrated that the WIT remains an important modifiable feature associated with short- and long-term renal function. The precision of surgery, maximizing the amount of preserved, vascularized parenchyma, should be a focus of study for optimizing the PN procedure.
SIMPLIFIED METHOD OF SAMPLE CLEAN-UP FOR GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF CHLORINATED INSECTICIDE RESIDUES IN MILK.

Abstract A modification of the Langlois et al. (1) procedure has further shortened the time for sample clean-up prior to ECGC analysis of insecticides in milk. The use of a slurrying technique allows a technician to analyze 40–50 samples of milk per 8-hr day. In addition, some impurities occasionally encountered in the original procedure have been eliminated. The modification allows for use of larger milk samples to further increase the sensitivity of the method.
Adsorption Gas Chromatography of Hydrocarbons on Activated Alumina

A MULTICOMPONENT mixture of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons has been successfully separated on a single gas–solid chromatographic (GSC) column of activated alumina. This separation is remarkable when the extreme boiling-point range (−88.3° to +125.8° C) of the respective components is considered.
Archaeology and the social history of ships

Maritime archaeology deals with shipwrecks and is carried out by divers rather than diggers. It embraces maritime history and analyses changes in shipbuilding, navigation and seamanship and offers fresh perspectives on the cultures and societies that produced the ships and sailors. Drawing on detailed past and recent case studies, Richard A. Gould provides an up-to-date review of the field that includes dramatic new findings arising from improved undersea technologies. This second edition of Archaeology and the Social History of Ships has been updated throughout to reflect new findings and new interpretations of old sites. The new edition explores advances in undersea technology in archaeology, especially remotely operated vehicles. The book reviews many of the major recent shipwreck findings, including the Vasa in Stockholm, the Viking wrecks at Roskilde Fjord and the Titanic.
Synthesis, structure, and spectroscopy of two benzil-based α-diimine ligands and their palladium(II) complexes

Two α-diimine ligands were prepared in 60–70% yield via p-toluenesulfonic acid-catalyzed condensation reactions from benzil with 4-bromoaniline and with p-anisidine. Palladium(II) complexes were prepared from both ligands in 70–80% yield. X-ray structures were obtained for the ligand prepared from p-anisidine and its palladium(II) complex. A notable feature observed in the former was its unconjugated C–N double bonds, both in the (E)-configuration. The latter structure possessed two molecules of the metal complex in its unit cell, both of which have diimine cores with a degree of conjugation and a nonideal square-planar geometry around palladium caused by the small bite angles (79.61(3) and 79.15(3)°) of the diimine ligands. Solution-phase electronic absorption spectra of the ligands in chloroform have two bands from π→π ∗ and n→π ∗ transitions at 269–345 nm. Absorption spectra of the complexes in chloroform exhibited bands attributed to ligand-centered transitions that were red-shifted as compared to fre...
Evidence for the Pairwise Disposition of Grafting Sites on Highly Dehydroxylated Silicas via Their Reactions with Ga(CH3)3

Molecules encountering silica interfaces interact primarily with the hydroxyl groups that terminate the bulk structure. When the nominal surface density is very low, these “silanols” are presumed to be isolated. Nevertheless, silicas that are highly dehydroxylated by pretreatment at 800 °C react with Ga(CH3)3 at room temperature to give primarily disilanolate-bridged digallium sites, [(CH3)2Ga(μ-OSi≡)]2. The EXAFS at the Ga K-edge shows a prominent Ga−Ga scattering path, regardless of whether an excess or a limiting amount of Ga(CH3)3 is used. Some dimers are formed by the concerted reaction of Ga(CH3)3 with an “isolated” silanol and an adjacent siloxane bond. These grafting sites are proposed to be hydroxyl-substituted 2-rings, formed by condensation within a vicinal Q2−Q3 pair. Other dimers are formed by reaction of Ga(CH3)3 with vicinal Q3−Q3 pairs which have not condensed, even at 800 °C. In a computational model for the dimer sites, the O−O distance is <2.6 A, which is far shorter than the calculated...
Beginnings continued: a decade of studies of Old English prose

When this article appears, a decade will have passed since the publication of Continuations and Beginnings , edited by E. G. Stanley, a collection of studies in Old English literature, three of which deal with aspects of Old English prose. Each of these essays is a superb and expert summary of recent scholarship by someone who has made major contributions in this field; and they may, therefore, serve as an approximate terminus a quo for main sections of the present survey of the etat des questions which are of current concern in the study of Old English prose. One hears from time to time more-or-less facetious attempts at explication of the title Continuations and Beginnings and I hope not to have compounded an issue by playing on that heading myself. I take Stanley to have meant that the essays he edited are intended both as summaries of the achievements of English philologists who studied the prose of the Anglo-Saxons in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and as pointers to newer trends. By my title I mean to convey that I am concerned here primarily with current trends.
Is India's Pride Actually African?

From their examination of the historical record, the authors argue that the extant lion and cheetah populations of India are not native but the results of animals imported by royalty for sport.
Effects of Noise and Reverberation on the Precedence Effect in Listeners With Normal Hearing and Impaired Hearing

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of reverberation and noise on the precedence effect in listeners with hearing loss. Lag burst thresholds (LBTs) for 4-ms noise bursts were obt...
Neuronal migration disorders.

Neuronal migration disorders are a category of developmental brain disorders leading to cortical dysplasia. This group of disorders is characterized by defective movement of neurons from the place of origin along the lining of the lateral ventricle, to the eventual place of residence in the correct laminar position within the cerebral cortex. As a result of defective migration, affected individuals typically display mental retardation and epilepsy. Although patients with the more severe forms of these disorders often present during infancy, patients may present at any age from newborn to adulthood. The migration defect may be generalized or focal, and may be disturbed at any of several stages, leading to several distinct radiographical and clinical presentations. The human phenotypes suggests that there are at least four distinct and clinically-important steps in cortical neuronal migration, and the identification of the responsible genes suggests that multiple cellular processes are critical for correct neuronal positioning.
A kindred showing hypocalcified amelogenesis imperfecta: report of case.

A Negro girl came to the Emory University Dental School and requested full-mouth extractions. She was found to have amelogenesis imperfecta of the hypocalcified or hypomineralized type. Calculus deposition was unusually severe; it apparently was aggravated by poor oral hygiene. Information indicated that amelogenesis imperfecta was present in the teeth of other members of the family.
Mycobacterium fortuitum infection of the sternum. Review of the literature and case illustration.

Sternal wound infection with atypical mycobacteria following open heart surgery is a rare occurrence. Previous reports have described infection byMycobacterium fortuitum, an acid-fast bacillus and member of a larger family of rapidly growing mycobacteria. The source and mode of transmission have not been identified. Surgical debridement and the combination of aminoglycosides and quinolones have been shown to be effective methods of treatment. More recently, clarithromycin has been shown to be the drug of choice against rapidly growing mycobacteria. We describe a 49-year-old woman who underwent infundibular stenosis repair and in whomM fortuitumsternal osteomyelitis developed. Total sternectomy, muscle flap reconstruction, and antibiotic treatment successfully eradicated the infection. Arch Surg. 1996;131:1344-1346
Classifying quadratic quantum P2s by using graded skew Clifford algebras

Abstract We prove that quadratic regular algebras of global dimension three on degree-one generators are related to graded skew Clifford algebras. In particular, we prove that almost all such algebras may be constructed as a twist of either a regular graded skew Clifford algebra or of an Ore extension of a regular graded skew Clifford algebra of global dimension two. In so doing, we classify all quadratic regular algebras of global dimension three that have point scheme either a nodal cubic curve or a cuspidal cubic curve in P 2 .
Pictures at an Execution: An Inquiry Into the Subject of Murder

Pictures at an Execution: An Inquiry Into the Subject of Murder. Wendy Lesser. 1993.Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 270 pages, illustrations. $24.95. ISBN 0-674-66735-2.
Wear characteristics of porcelain denture teeth

Abstract Surface wear and frictional behavior of porcelain denture teeth were examined with a single-pass sliding technique. The influence of environment, type of surface (enamel or dentin) and repeated passes on the wear characteristics of the teeth were investigated. The enamel surface of the teeth was more resistant to penetration and to surface damage than the dentin surface was. Damage was more severe for double-pass than for single-pass sliding. The wear characteristics were affected similarly by the liquid environments of water and of human saliva. Quantitative differences in the wear parameters investigated were found between the two brands of porcelain denture teeth.
A 1:1 complex of 2,4,5,6-tetra­chloro-1,3-dicyano­benzene with pyrene

In the crystal structure of the title compound, 2,4,5,6-tetra­chloro-1,3-dicyano­benzene–pyrene (1/1), C8Cl4N2·C16H10, the dicyano­benzene mol­ecules located on twofold rotation axes of symmetry and the pyrene mol­ecules on inversion centers. The primary inter­molecular inter­action is in an alternate π-stacked arrangement. There are no unusual inter­actions between the stacks.
The in vitro effect of levamisole on lymphocyte proliferation, polymorphonuclear leucocyte chemotaxis, basophil histamine release and platelet serotonin release in patients with atopic dermatitis

The in vitro effect of levamisole (LMS) on lymphocyte, neutrophil, basophil and platelet function was investigated in patients with severe atopic dermatitis and hyperimmunoglobulinaemia E. Lymphocyte stimulation by several concentrations of PHA, con A and PWM, polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotaxis and basophil histamine release were unaffected by LMS (10 micrograms/ml). Platelet serotonin release induced by iodipamide was decreased in patient and control groups by LMS but release induced by methacholine, epinephrine and thrombin was not.
WiFi access point pricing as a dynamic game

We study the economic interests of a wireless access point owner and his paying client, and model their interaction as a dynamic game. The key feature of this game is that the players have asymmetric information - the client knows more than the access provider. We find that if a client has a "web browser" utility function (a temporal utility function that grows linearly), it is a Nash equilibrium for the provider to charge the client a constant price per unit time. On the other hand, if the client has a "file transferor" utility function (a utility function that is a step function), the client would be unwilling to pay until the final time slot of the file transfer. We also study an expanded game where an access point sells to a reseller,which in turn sells to a mobile client and show that if the client has a web browser utility function, that constant price is a Nash equilibrium of the three player game. Finally, we study a two player game in which the access point does not know whether he faces a web browser or file transferor type client, and show conditions for which it is not a Nash equilibrium for the access point to maintain a constant price.
Model-free learning control of nonlinear discrete-time systems

A model-free learning controller for a general class of nonlinear discrete-time state-space systems is introduced. The learning component of the proposed controller can use an arbitrary function approximator such as a Polynomial, Radial Basis, or Neural Network to directly learn the inverse of the input-state mapping of the plant while forcing its state to track a prescribed desired trajectory. Unlike most of the existing direct adaptive or learning schemes, the nonlinear plant is not assumed to be feedback linearizable. The developed controller is subsequently applied to control the configuration of a nonholonomic differential drive robot. The simulation results of this application demonstrate a significant improvement in the tracking performance of the robot once the control input is fully learned.
Motor development, infantile reactions and postural responses of preterm, at-risk infants

Eighty-nine low-birthweight, preterm infants were enrolled in a longitudinal study to describe motor development, infantile reactions and postural responses during the first chronological year of life and to determine the relationship between these behaviors. There was a clear trend from prevalence of primitive patterns, such as the asymmetric tonic neck reflex, towards a prevalence of mature postural reactions such as the Landau, righting and protective extension reflexes. Statistical analysis suggested that a relationship exists between infantile patterns, automatic postural reactions and motor development that is similar to that accepted as normal in term infant development, when allowance is made for preterm birth. Correlations were also obtained between integration of the tonic labyrinthine response and the presence of the asymmetric tonic neck pattern at the time of hospital discharge and later achievement of motor milestones. These relationships warrant further investigation.
Information status relates to production, distribution, and comprehension

MacDonald's (2013) paper makes two strong contributions to the psycholinguistics literature, in my opinion. First, it calls for a serious consideration of how cognitive pressures affect production processing, which is a necessary step for the development of mechanistic theories of language use. A second major contribution of the PDC is that it provides a theoretical explanation for the body of evidence showing that language comprehension is affected by the user's experience, for example where frequent structures and words are processed more easily than less frequent structures and words. The boldest portion of this proposal is that processing constraints on production are the primary source of typological distributions, which in turn affect comprehension biases. This is exactly the kind of theoretical claim that helps the field move forward, by being clear, simple, and far-reaching. At the same time, I argue that the PDC would benefit from greater consideration of information status. Language production is not primarily the retrieval of words and structures. Instead, these activities serve the speaker's goal, which is to communicate a meaning to the addressee. Likewise, linguistic meanings consist of more than identifying who did what. An important part of communication involves linking the utterance to information in the world and the linguistic context. Information varies across dimensions such as given vs. new, and topic vs. focus (for a review see Arnold et al., 2013). Information status is critical to understanding the PDC's proposed mechanisms, for two reasons. First, it is intimately related to the memory/attention cognitive mechanisms that are central to the reasoning behind the PDC. Second, these correlations highlight an important challenge for the PDC, which is to specify the distributional patterns that comprehenders use. I will illustrate these points with evidence of how information status is related to both (1) acoustic prominence and disfluency, and (2) syntactic structure and animacy.
Some useful properties of Teager's energy operators

Teager's energy operators are defined in both the continuous and discrete domains and are very useful tools for analyzing single component signals from an energy point of view. A number of important properties of these operators are shown that make it possible to determine the energy functions of quite complicated functions, provided these functions can be expressed as products of simpler functions, this operation of function multiplication being typical of a modulation process. Some of the eigenfunction properties of the energy operator that illustrate the special role of the trigonometric, Gaussian, and single soliton functions are also given. >
On the use of cartographic projections in visualizing phylo-genetic tree space

Phylogenetic analysis is becoming an increasingly important tool for biological research. Applications include epidemiological studies, drug development, and evolutionary analysis. Phylogenetic search is a known NP-Hard problem. The size of the data sets which can be analyzed is limited by the exponential growth in the number of trees that must be considered as the problem size increases. A better understanding of the problem space could lead to better methods, which in turn could lead to the feasible analysis of more data sets. We present a definition of phylogenetic tree space and a visualization of this space that shows significant exploitable structure. This structure can be used to develop search methods capable of handling much larger data sets.
Mechanism of thrombin inactivation by immobilized heparin

The ability of heparin to interact with plasma proteins, in particular antithrombin III (ATIII) and thrombin, is its primary mechanism as an anticoagulant drug. Research efforts have focused on the biological activity of heparin under three conditions: in solution as a free molecule, chemically coupled directly onto a polymer surface, and coupled onto a polymer surface using hydrophilic spacer groups. Each of these conditions yields altered biological activity, presumably a result of differing binding interactions with ATIII and thrombin. In this report, insights into binding interaction of direct versus polyethylene oxide space immobilized heparin with ATIII, thrombin, and the generation of the thrombin-antithrombin complex will be presented.
A Theory of Impulse Noise in Telephone Networks

This paper presents a physical theory of impulse noise in telephone networks based on the assumption that impulsive disturbances can reverberate through a network for very long periods of time. A mechanism of regeneration and propagation of disturbances through signaling circuits is proposed, and the resulting reverberation is modeled as a random walk in one dimension. Theoretical results agree surprisingly well with empirical probability distributions of inter-error intervals in data transmission. However, direct experimental evidence is lacking to substantiate (or disprove) the physical mechanism on which the theory is based.
HIGH INCIDENCE OF VAGINAL MESH EXTRUSION USING THE INTRAVAGINAL SLINGPLASTY SLING

ABSTRACTPurpose: The intravaginal slingplasty (IVS) is a tension-free vaginal tape variant that uses a multifilament polypropylene tape to support the mid urethra for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence. Numerous cases of defective vaginal wound healing have been described in the international urogynecological literature. We describe our experience of vaginal mesh extrusion using the IVS sling.Materials and Methods: A total of 35 patients underwent suburethral sling procedures for anatomical stress urinary incontinence using the IVS system from November 2002 to September 2003. A retrospective chart review was performed to retrieve data on safety and efficacy, complications and outcomes using this product.Results: Six patients (17%) to date have presented with defective vaginal healing manifested by extrusion of the sling material. Mean time to presenting symptoms was 9 months (range 2 to 15). All patients required surgical removal of the sling material. No urethral erosions were noted.Conc...
Higher Total Protein Intake and Change in Total Protein Intake Affect Body Composition but Not Metabolic Syndrome Indexes in Middle-Aged Overweight and Obese Adults Who Perform Resistance and Aerobic Exercise for 36 Weeks

Background: Studies assessing the effects of protein supplementation on changes in body composition (BC) and health rarely consider the impact of total protein intake (TPro) or the change in TPro (CTPro) from participants usual diets. Objective: This secondary data analysis assessed the impact of TPro and CTPro on changes in BC and metabolic syndrome (MetS) indexes in overweight and obese middle-aged adults who participated in an exercise training program. Methods: Men and women [n = 117; age: 50 6 0.7 y, body mass index (BMI; in kg/m 2 ): 30.1 6 0.3; means 6 SEs] performed resistance exercise 2 d/wk and aerobic exercise 1 d/wk and consumed an unrestricted diet along with 200-kcal supplements (0, 10, 20, or 30 g whey protein) twice daily for 36 wk. Protein intake was assessed via 4-d food records. Multiple linear regression model and stratified analysis were applied for data analyses. Results:Among all subjects, TPro and CTProwereinversely associated (P< 0.05) with changes in body mass,fat mass(FM), and BMI. Changes in BC were different (P < 0.05) among groups that consumed <1.0 (n= 43) vs. $ 1.0 to<1.2 (n= 29) vs. $1.2 g kg 21 d 21 (n = 45). The TPro group with $ 1.0 to <1.2 g kg 21 d 21 reduced FM and %FM and increased percentage of LM (%LM) compared with the lowest TPro group, whereas the TPro group with $1.2 g kg 21 d 21 presented intermediate responses on changes in FM, %FM, and %LM. The gain in LM was not different among groups. In addition, MetS indexes were not influenced by TPro and CTPro. Conclusions: In conjunction with exercise training, higher TPro promoted positive changes in BC but not in MetS indexes in overweight and obese middle-aged adults. Changes in TPro from before to during the intervention also influenced BC responses and should be considered in future research when different TPro is achieved via diet or supplements. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00812409. J Nutr doi: 10.3945/jn.115.213595.
Kierkegaard and Dialogue: The Communication of Capability

Despite his claim that his work was rooted in Socratic dialogue, little attention has been given to the implications of Kierkegaard’s ideas for communication. This article examines two aspects of Kierkegaard’s philosophy of communication. First, it considers Kierkegaardian critiques of chatter, everyday talk, and the press and considers how these activities are involved in a process of objectification he called leveling. Second, this essay investigates Kierkegaard’s distinction between the communication of knowledge (Videns Meddelelse) and the communication of capability (Kunnis Meddelelse). Finally, it situates Kierkegaard within the dialogic tradition and presents a variety of possibilities for exploring Kierkegaardian thought further within the communication discipline.
The multi-armed bandit problem with switching cost

We consider multi-armed bandit problems with switching cost, and present asymptotically optimal adaptive allocation schemes. We illustrate an optimal allocation scheme for a large class of distributions which includes members of the exponential family.
Experimental characterization of metal fill placement and size impact on spiral inductors

This paper experimentally studies the parasitic impact of metal fill on a spiral inductor fabricated in a 180nm Bi-CMOS process. Metal fill design aspects such as placement (in-plane vs. off-plane) and size are considered. We demonstrate larger impact on the quality factor (Q) and self-resonance frequency for off-plane metal fill compared to in-plane metal fill. A 70% decrease in fill size with unchanged metal density gives a 13% improvement in measured Q.
A fabrication laboratory course based on GaAs MESFETs

This paper describes the organization and operation of an introductory, dual level (senior/graduate) laboratory course on semiconductor device processing that is based on the fabrication and testing of GaAs MESFETs. The course is organized into a weekly lecture with a corresponding laboratory session. Over the period of one quarter, the students are led through a four mask process for fabricating n-channel GaAs MESFETs. The last three weeks of the course are utilized to perform electrical characterization of the devices and test structures incorporated in the test chip. This paper provides a description of the breakdown of the fabrication process in weekly increments, the topics covered in the accompanying lecture, resource materials provided to the student, methods used for student assessment, facilities and staffing requirements, and student capacity.
State Dependency of Chemosensory Coding in the Gustatory Thalamus (VPMpc) of Alert Rats.

The parvicellular portion of the ventroposteromedial nucleus (VPMpc) is the part of the thalamus that processes gustatory information. Anatomical evidence shows that the VPMpc receives ascending gustatory inputs from the parabrachial nucleus (PbN) in the brainstem and sends projections to the gustatory cortex (GC). Although taste processing in PbN and GC has been the subject of intense investigation in behaving rodents, much less is known on how VPMpc neurons encode gustatory information. Here we present results from single-unit recordings in the VPMpc of alert rats receiving multiple tastants. Thalamic neurons respond to taste with time-varying modulations of firing rates, consistent with those observed in GC and PbN. These responses encode taste quality as well as palatability. Comparing responses to tastants either passively delivered, or self-administered after a cue, unveiled the effects of general expectation on taste processing in VPMpc. General expectation led to an improvement of taste coding by modulating response dynamics, and single neuron ability to encode multiple tastants. Our results demonstrate that the time course of taste coding as well as single neurons9 ability to encode for multiple qualities are not fixed but rather can be altered by the state of the animal. Together, the data presented here provide the first description that taste coding in VPMpc is dynamic and state-dependent. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Over the past years, a great deal of attention has been devoted to understanding taste coding in the brainstem and cortex of alert rodents. Thanks to this research, we now know that taste coding is dynamic, distributed, and context-dependent. Alas, virtually nothing is known on how the gustatory thalamus (VPMpc) processes gustatory information in behaving rats. This manuscript investigates taste processing in the VPMpc of behaving rats. Our results show that thalamic neurons encode taste and palatability with time-varying patterns of activity and that thalamic coding of taste is modulated by general expectation. Our data will appeal not only to researchers interested in taste, but also to a broader audience of sensory and systems neuroscientists interested in the thalamocortical system.
ADRENAL CORTICAL VIRILISM1

FOR MANY YEARS it has been known that adrenal cortical tumors might be W associated with disturbances of the secondary sexual characteristics, and JL. more recently it has been noted that these tumors vary in the number and nature of the symptoms they produce. Thus, some adenomas of the adrenal cortex have appeared as incidental findings at autopsy; others are associated with virilism alone; and still others appear as the only gross lesion in the extensive metabolic disturbance of Cushing–s syndrome (1). Young has summarised the literature in his text (2). The patient described is a girl with virilism in whom (a), early surgical exploration revealed no tumor of the ovaries or adrenals, (b), Subsequently an adrenal tumor was diagnosed and was removed with striking symptomatic improvement, (c), Before the tumor was removed her urinary androgen excretion was greatly elevated and estrogens were very high by one method of assay, but were normal by another method.