cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased variability of tornado occurrence in the united states

Whether or not climate change has had an impact on the occurrence of tornadoes in the United States has become a question of high public and scientific interest, but changes in how tornadoes are reported have made it difficult to answer it convincingly. We show that, excluding the weakest tornadoes, the mean annual number of tornadoes has remained relatively constant, but their variability of occurrence has increased since the 1970s. This is due to a decrease in the number of days per year with tornadoes combined with an increase in days with many tornadoes, leading to greater variability on annual and monthly time scales and changes in the timing of the start of the tornado season.
Electric and magnetic behaviour of Ce8Pd24M compounds with M(Ga, In, Sn, Pb, Sb and Bi)

Abstract We have prepared and examined the resistivity and magnetic susceptibility of a series of ternary compounds with composition Ce 8 Pd 24 M, where M is one of Ga, In, Sn, Sb, Pb or Bi, and the related composition La 8 Pd 24 In. All members of this series are cubic with effective cerium moments consistent with trivalent cerium. The lanthanum compound behaves as a simple metal in resistivity and has a small, negative susceptibility at 295 K. All the cerium compounds but the gallide exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering below 10 K. Metallic behaviour is observed for all. The properties of the stannide, plumbide, antimonide and bismuthide reflect some weak interactions with crystal-field-split cerium states above 30 K and changes in slope at low temperature coincident with the second-order antiferromagnetic phase transitions. Resistivities for the gallide and indide display broad features near 15 and 50 K, respectively, suggesting that a strong Kondo interaction is present in these materials.
Inhibition of electron transport by antimycin A, alkyl hydroxy napthoquinones and metal coordination compounds

Abstract Inhibition studies of electron transport by antimycin A and its derivatives demonstrated the requirement for available ligand groups and the lipophilic part of the molecule. Inhibition may be caused by the co-ordination of ion in the lipid molecular environment of the electron transport chain. Alkyl hydroxy naphthoquinones may inhibit by a similar mechanism or they may compete with coenzyme Q as their inhibition of succinic dehydrogenase-coenzyme Q indicates. Some conventional metal coordination compounds, especially thenoyl trifluoroacetone, are good inhibitors of electron transport but they lack specificity.
The impulse Toward Restitutionist Thought in Christian Humanism

F anyone wants to learn piety rather than disputation, let him straight away go to the sources and those writers who drank immediately from the sources."' These words of advice given by Erasmus in his Ratio seu Methodus, and so typical of the Christian Humanists' position as a whole, are reiterated throughout the correspondence of that great Dutch scholar. But the Christian Humanist cry adfontes must be seen from within the context of another of Erasmus' oft-repeated assertions, especially after 1517: "I call God," he wrote a group of Swiss on 15 May, 1526, "who alone knows the hearts of men, to be my witness, and I call his wrath down upon me if ever I harbored any belief in my heart contrary to the universally acknowledged teaching of the Catholic Church."2 On the one hand, Erasmus confronts us with the avowed Christian Humanist goal of attempting to restore the pristine purity of the Christian faith by means of a return to its purified sources; on the other hand, the context he presents within which this restoration is to take place is the Catholic context of the sixteenth century. Any discussion of the "impulse toward restitutionist thought in Christian Humanism" must take these two factors into consideration. Indeed, I believe them to be the indispensable poles of any such discussion. To deal with the problem in this
Persistent reservations against the premedical and medical curriculum.

Reflecting on medical education from the vantage of caring for patients, I am tempted to conclude that nearly every step is irrelevant for the next one. This is not a novel or profound observation. Emanuel [1] has argued that premedical curriculum (organic chemistry, calculus and physics) is not useful for clinical practice (nor most biomedical research). Previously, I have argued [2] that the first 2 years of medical school (biochemistry, molecular biology, neuroscience, physiology) are unnecessary for the second 2 years, and encourage a dangerous cognitive bias: subordinating evidence-based medicine to pathophysiological reasoning. This bias has been shown to play a key role in popularizing unproven medical practices [3], many of which are later overturned, a phenomenon called medical reversal [3]. Other critics have concluded rather bluntly that basic science education in the first 2 years of medical school is ‘a waste of time’ [4]. Similar criticism has been levelled against the Medical College Admissions Test, the United States Medical Licensing Exams, and field-specific medical board examinations. These tests have been criticized as: only weakly predicting medical school performance [5, 6], not being predictive of who does well in residency [7] (despite being used for that purpose), and not reflective of real world practice [8], respectively. Here, I wish to focus not on how we ended up in this situation—where every portion of professional training has been challenged (largely by following historical precedent)—nor on how training should be restructured (there have been countless suggestions)—but on the persistent arguments in favour of the status quo. Why do many believe we should not change our system of medical education, or worse, that we have already made the necessary changes?
Spontaneous bowel perforation after ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery: case report and a review of 45 cases

BACKGROUND Ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery is the most widely used procedure in the treatment of hydrocephalus. However, this invasive procedure has been associated with several delayed abdominal complications. Perforation of the bowel is a very rare complication occurring in less than 0.1% of cases. Although infrequent, this delayed complication can be fatal if it goes unrecognized. CASE DESCRIPTION This report presents an adult patient who had undergone ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery and later presented with rectal protrusion of the shunt tube after asymptomatic perforation of the bowel wall. The shunt was removed without complication and the patient remained asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS Forty-five similar cases have been reported in the literature. The information provided within this report examines the case at hand, as well as provides an analysis of the literature as it relates to bowel perforation through symptomatic presentation, diagnosis, cultures, management with or without laparotomy, and outcome.
Pollution–purification rituals, cultural memory and the evolution of religion: How collective trauma shaped ancient Israel

Can a cultural memory and identity constructed around traumatic events in the historical past, interpreted as the result of pollution of the sacred center, give a group an evolutionary advantage under the right conditions? This article assesses this question by examining three different waves of religious entrepreneurship that drove the evolution of the ancient Israelite religion between the late eighth and sixth centuries BCE. Bringing Alexander’s cultural sociology, specifically his theory of trauma and pollution–purification rituals, into dialog with evolutionary sociology, I offer a robust theory of religious evolution. Most work in this area focuses on the evolution of monotheism or the portability of texts, whereas I argue that (i) the specific historical and sociocultural conditions (ii) shaped the specific content of the texts and (iii) the criteria employed in selecting some traditions and not others. Of equal importance, (iv) normative innovations related to interpreting and editing the texts made the Word of God fixed and rigid, yet malleable across a wide swath of milieus. Moreover, (v) annual, weekly and daily rituals meant to inscribe the pollution–purification narrative contributed to the adaptive success of the Israelite cultural assemblage over the course of two millennia.
Treatment of recurrent genital herpes with topical alpha interferon gel combined with nonoxynol 9

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was done to evaluate the efficacy of an alpha interferon preparation in 128 patients with recurrent genital herpes. The preparation containing 10 5 or 10 7 U alpha interferon with nonoxynol 9 in a cream base (Exovir-HZ) was applied three times daily for 5 days. The treatment did not cause any adverse reactions. Patients treated with either interferon concentration became negative for viral culture at a faster rate than placebo recipients. The end of new lesion formation, scabbing, and the healing of lesions were all superior in patients treated with 10 5 U to those treated with 10 7 U interferon. End of new lesion formation and scabbing were also statistically different in patients treated with 10 7 U from those patients treated with placebo. Results suggest that topical interferon might be useful in relieving symptoms of severe cases of genital herpes.
Structure of DNA within three isometric bacteriophages

Abstract This paper describes a model for the structure of DNA contained in three morphologically similar bacteriophages — T7, P22 and φCd-1 — based on the transient electric dichroism of intact phage. The reduced dichroism of each of the phages at perfect orientation is within the range +0.12 to +0.19. Assuming that the phage orientation axis is that which passes from the apex through the tail, the measured dichroism suggests that DNA is wrapped in closely packed, co-axial solenoids with the axis of the solenoids tipped 43.5° ± 2.5° from the orientation axis of the phage. All three phages show a large permanent dipole moment, with respective values of 5600, 200,000 and 500,000 Debye for T7, φCd-1 and P22. The radius of the equivalent sphere for the three phages calculated from the rotational relaxation time for the rise of dichroism is in agreement with birefringence and electron microscope observations. The circular dichroism spectra of all three bacteriophages indicate that the local DNA helicity is similar in each case.
A Periodic Small-Cluster Approach to Many-Body Problems

Many-body problems can very seldom be solved exactly, and their study normally requires approximate methods1. These approximations are of various kinds and accuracy, but usually they involve either a perturbation treatment, or a variational approach. The method employed also depends on whether the problem under study is a real or realistic system (e.g. the ferromagnetism of the surface of the ordered FeCo alloy2; the photoemission spectrum of nickel metal3; the thermal energy gap4 of semiconducting Si) or a prototype, ideal model (e.g. the free-electron gas1,5,6; the one-dimensional Hubbard model7,8; the square-lattice Hubbard model9; the single-center Anderson impurity model10,11).
Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, barriers to internal rotation, normal-coordinate calculations and vibrational assignments for vinyl silyl bromide.

Abstract The infrared (3200–30 cm−1 spectra of gaseous and solid, the Raman spectra (3200–30 cm−1) of the liquid and solid vinyl silyl bromide, CH2CHSiH2Br, have been recorded. Additionally, quantitative depolarization values have been obtained. Both the gauche and cis conformers have been identified in the fluid phases but only the gauche conformer remains in the solid. Variable temperature studies from 0 to −87°C of the Raman spectrum of the liquid was carried out. From these data, the enthalpy difference has been determined to be 22±6 cm−1 (0.26±0.08 kJ/mol), with the gauche conformer being the more stable form. The predictions from the ab initio calculations up to MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set favor the gauche as the more stable form. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed for both the gauche and cis conformers based on infrared band contours, relative intensities, depolarization values and group frequencies. The vibrational assignments are supported by normal coordinate calculations utilizing the force constants from ab initio MP2/6-31G(d) calculations and the potential energy terms for the conformer interconversion have been obtained from the same calculations. Complete equilibrium geometries have been determined for both rotamers by ab initio calculations employing a variety of basis sets up to 6-311++G(2d,2p) at levels of restricted Hartree-Fock (RHF) and/or Moller-Plesset (MP) to second order. The results are discussed and compared to those obtained for some similar molecules.
Can noise make nonbursting chaotic systems more regular

It has been known that noise can enhance the temporal regularity of dynamical systems that exhibit a bursting behavior---the phenomenon of coherence resonance. But can the phenomenon be expected for nonbursting chaotic systems? We present a theoretical argument based on the idea of time-scale matching and provide experimental evidence with a chaotic electronic circuit for coherence resonance in nonbursting chaotic systems.
α-Tocopherol Decreases Interleukin-1β Release From Activated Human Monocytes by Inhibition of 5-Lipoxygenase

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in westernized populations. Low levels of alpha-tocopherol (AT) are associated with increased incidence of atherosclerosis and increased intakes appear to be protective. Recently, we showed that supplementation with AT resulted in significant decreases in monocyte superoxide anion release, lipid oxidation, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) release, and adhesion to endothelium. The reduction in superoxide and lipid oxidation by AT seemed to be mediated by inhibition of protein kinase C. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism(s) by which AT inhibits IL-1 beta release. Potential mechanisms examined included its effect as an antioxidant and its inhibitory effects on protein kinase C and the cyclooxygenase-lipoxygenase pathways. Although AT decreased superoxide release from activated monocytes, superoxide dismutase and catalase had no effect on IL-1 beta release. Also, a similar antioxidant, beta-tocopherol, had no effect on IL-1 beta release. The protein kinase C inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide, did not inhibit IL-1 beta release from activated monocytes, in spite of AT decreasing protein kinase C activity. Leukotriene B4, a major product of 5-lipoxygenase, has been shown to augment IL-1beta release. In the presence of AT, a significant reduction in leukotriene B4 and IL-1 beta levels was observed, which was reversed by the addition of leukotriene B4. Similar observations were seen with specific inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase. The product of cyclooxygenase, prostaglandin E2, has been shown to inhibit IL-1 beta activity in some systems. However, AT had no significant effect on prostaglandin E2 levels in activated monocytes. In the presence of indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, AT inhibited IL-1 beta activity. Also, AT had no effect on IL-1 beta mRNA levels or stability, suggesting a posttranscriptional effect. Thus, in activated human monocytes, AT exerts a novel biological effect of inhibiting the release of the proinflammatory cytokine, IL-1 beta, via inhibition of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway.
Parallel algorithms for solution of tridiagonal systems on multicomputers

Three parallel algorithms, namely the parallel partition LU (PPT) algorithm, the parallel partition hybrid (PPH) algorithm, and the parallel diagonal dominant (PDD) algorithm are proposed for solving tridiagonal linear systems on multicomputers. These algorithms are based on the divide-and-conquer parallel computation model. The PPT and PPH algorithms support both pivoting and non-pivoting. The PPT algorithm is good when the number of processors is small; otherwise, the PPH algorithm is better. When the system is diagonal dominant, the PDD algorithm is highly parallel and provides an approximate solution which equals to the exact solution within machine accuracy. Both computation and communication complexities of the three algorithms are presented. All three methods proposed in this paper outperform other known parallel algorithms and have been implemented on a 64-node Ncube multicomputer. The analytic results matches closely with the results measured from the Ncube machine.
Is There a Limit to Massive Blood Transfusion After Severe Trauma

Objective: To examine the hypothesis that the futility of short-term care for trauma patients requiring emergency operation can be determined based on the number of units of blood transfused and associated risk factors. Design: A 4-year retrospective review of a cohort of critically injured patients who underwent an emergency operation.
Effects of quercetin on exercise potential and exercise-induced cytokines in the horse

The goal of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that quercetin would alter markers of athletic performance as well as markers of exercise-induced inflammation. Six healthy, unfit Standardbred mares (∼500 kg, age 4-5 years) were assigned to one of two treatments (quercetin or water) in an experiment conducted in a crossover fashion. The horses were dosed via a nasogastric tube twice a day (08:00 and 20:00) with either 6 g of quercetin in 2 l tap water or 2 l water for 3.5 d. Two hours after the seventh and final dose, a graded exercise test (GXT) was run. During the test the treadmill remained at a fixed 6% grade. At t=0 the treadmill was started at a speed of 4 m/s. Each following minute the treadmill speed was increased by 1 m/s, up to a maximum speed of 11 m/s. Blood and muscle samples were collected before the initial dosing, before exercise and after the GXT to measure markers of inflammation. There was a significant (P<0.10) increase in run time to fatigue when the horses were dosed with querc...
Signal-Detection Analysis of Hemispheric Differences in Visual Recognition Memory

In the present experiment, subjects decided on each trial whether or not a unilaterally presented probe digit was a member of a previously memorized set of two, three, or four digits. The probe was presented at a near-threshold duration and followed by a visual pattern mask. Signal-detection estimates of detectability and response bias were obtained from subjects' confidence ratings regarding their decisions. The detectability of the probe in memory was significantly better when the probe was presented to the right visual field-left hemisphere than when presented to the left visual field-right hemisphere. The response criterion became significantly more lax as memory-set size increased, but only for probes presented to the left visual field-right hemisphere. The present results are consistent with reaction-time studies using verbal stimuli that indicate a left hemisphere advantage in the efficiency of memory comparison.
Differentiation of the stereochemistry and anomeric configuration for 1-3 linked disaccharides via tandem mass spectrometry and 18O-labeling.

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of deprotonated hexose-containing disaccharides (m/z 341) with 1–2, 1–4, and 1–6 linkages yields product ions at m/z 221, which have been identified as glycosyl-glycolaldehyde anions. From disaccharides with these linkages, CID of m/z 221 ions produces distinct fragmentation patterns that enable the stereochemistries and anomeric configurations of the non-reducing sugar units to be determined. However, only trace quantities of m/z 221 ions can be generated for 1–3 linkages in Paul or linear ion traps, preventing further CID analysis. Here we demonstrate that high intensities of m/z 221 ions can be built up in the linear ion trap (Q3) from beam-type CID of a series of 1–3 linked disaccharides conducted on a triple quadrupole/linear ion trap mass spectrometer. 18O-labeling at the carbonyl position of the reducing sugar allowed mass-discrimination of the “sidedness” of dissociation events to either side of the glycosidic linkage. Under relatively low energy beam-type CID and ion trap CID, an m/z 223 product ion containing 18O predominated. It was a structural isomer that fragmented quite differently than the glycosyl-glycolaldehydes and did not provide structural information about the non-reducing sugar. Under higher collision energy beam-type CID conditions, the formation of m/z 221 ions, which have the glycosyl-glycolaldehyde structures, were favored. Characteristic fragmentation patterns were observed for each m/z 221 ion from higher energy beam-type CID of 1–3 linked disaccharides and the stereochemistry of the non-reducing sugar, together with the anomeric configuration, were successfully identified both with and without 18O-labeling of the reducing sugar carbonyl group.
Frequency of hybridization between Ostrinia nubilalis E‐and Z‐pheromone races in regions of sympatry within the United States

Female European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, produce and males respond to sex pheromone blends with either E- or Z-Δ11-tetradecenyl acetate as the major component. E- and Z-race populations are sympatric in the Eastern United States, Southeastern Canada, and the Mediterranean region of Europe. The E- and Z-pheromone races of O. nubilalis are models for incipient species formation, but hybridization frequencies within natural populations remain obscure due to lack of a high-throughput phenotyping method. Lassance et al. previously identified a pheromone gland-expressed fatty-acyl reductase gene (pgfar) that controls the ratio of Δ11-tetradecenyl acetate stereoisomers. We identified three single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers within pgfar that are differentially fixed between E- and Z-race females, and that are ≥98.2% correlated with female pheromone ratios measured by gas chromatography. Genotypic data from locations in the United States demonstrated that pgfar-z alleles were fixed within historically allopatric Z-pheromone race populations in the Midwest, and that hybrid frequency ranged from 0.00 to 0.42 within 11 sympatric sites where the two races co-occur in the Eastern United States (mean hybridization frequency or heterozygosity (HO) = 0.226 ± 0.279). Estimates of hybridization between the E- and Z-races are important for understanding the dynamics involved in maintaining race integrity, and are consistent with previous estimates of low levels of genetic divergence between E- and Z-races and the presence of weak prezygotic mating barriers. This work describes the development of new single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers within the pheromone gland expressed fatty acyl reductase (pgfar) gene of Ostrinia nubilalis. These SNPs were shown to segregate based upon female pheromone production, and thus provide the first description of an assay for genetic determination of O. nubilalis pheromone strain from field-collected samples. These assays were applied to estimate hybridization within field populations, and represent valuable tools for future population genetic studies of this species.
A theoretical analysis of the extinction limits of a methane-air opposed-jet diffusion flame

A theoretical analysis is described for a methane-air diffusion flame stabilized in the forward stagnation region of a porous metal cylinder in a forced convective flow. The analysis includes effects of radiative heat loss from the porous metal surface and finite rate kinetics but neglects the effects of gravity. The theoretically predicted extinction limits compare well with experimentally observed extinction limits from the literature. After the predicted limits compared well with the experimental limits, a parametric study of the effect of fuel surface emissivity and Lewis number was conducted with the numerical model. It was found that the computed blowoff limit is independent of radiative heat loss for high fuel blowing velocities but is a strong function of Lewis number. At low fuel blowing velocities, the extinction limit varies with both radiative heat loss and Lewis number. It is discovered, however, that even if thermal losses from the fuel surface are absent, the flame can extinguish at the fuel surface independently of Lewis number due to excessive reaction zone thinning.
Intrinsic fluorescence of carp hemoglobin: a study of the R----T transition.

Abstract The intrinsic fluorescence of hemoglobins is known to respond to ligand-induced changes in the quaternary structure of the protein. Carp hemoglobin is an interesting model to study the quaternary transition since its R ↔ T equilibrium is pH-dependent and at low pH, in the presence of organic phosphate, it remains in the T or ‘deoxy’ quaternary structure, even when saturated with ligand. In this study, using front-face fluorometry, we show that the intrinsic fluorescence intensity exhibited by carp carboxyhemoglobin increases as the pH is lowered below 6.5 in the presence of inositol hexaphosphate. At low pH, carp methemoglobin is less affected by the addition of inositol hexaphosphate than is the CO derivative, while little or no change is observed in the met-azide derivative. We conclude: (1) the exact nature of the R to T state transition induced by inositol hexaphosphate differs for carp carboxy-, met- and met-azide hemoglobin derivatives; (2) the chromophores responsible for the changes observed with absorption spectroscopy may not be the same as those chromophores responsible for the fluorescence differences; and (3) α46-Trp is tentatively assigned as one source of fluorescence emission. Furthermore, fluorescence properties of carp hemoglobin are compared to those of human hemoglobin.
Numerically Stable Methods for Updating Regressions

Abstract A stable numerical procedure is presented for updating regressions, including quantities used in the analysis of variance, when regressors or observations are added or deleted. The modified Gram-Schmidt triangular factorization is used, and the matrix with orthonormal columns is stored and updated. In this way it is possible to monitor and to minimize the effects of rounding errors through the techniques of iterative refinement and reorthogonalization. Numerical results are included.
Enhancement of a Radiation Safety System through the Use of a Microprocessor Controlled Speech Synthesizer

A speech synthesizer is being used to differentiate eight separate safety alarms on a high energy accelerator at Argonne National Laboratory. A single board microcomputer monitors eight signals from an existing radiation safety logic circuit. The microcomputer is programmed to output the proper code at the proper time and interfaces to a speech synthesizer which supplies the audio input to a local public-address system. This eliminates the requirement for eight different alarm tones and the personnel training required to differentiate among them. A twenty-word vocabulary has been found adequate to supply the necessary safety announcements. The article describes the techniques used to interface the speech synthesizer into the existing safety-logic circuit.
Grid small and large: distributed systems and global communities

Summary form only given. Grid technologies seek to enable collaborative problem solving and resource sharing within distributed, multi-organizational virtual organizations. Two characteristics of Grid environments make the engineering of systems and applications particularly challenging. First, we face the familiar difficulties that arise when developing software that must provide reliability, performance, and security in environments that may be heterogeneous, unpredictable, unreliable, and hostile; second, we must allow this software to be deployed, operated, and evolved in an environment characterized by multiple participants with different and perhaps conflicting views on system function and design. The author presents the work that is being done to address these challenges.
Whole-field strain measurement in a pin-loaded plate by electronic speckle pattern interferometry and the finite element method

The strain field in an epoxy plate loaded in tension through a steel pin is determined using electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) and the finite element method (FEM). In a dual-beam illumination speckle interferometer, the in-plane component of the displacement at the plate's surface is accurately measured using a four-step phase-shifting algorithm. Digital image processing algorithms have been developed for noise reduction and strain calculation directly in the computer from the phase map with a strain gage length of about 0.4 mm. A whole-field strain map is obtained, as well as distributions of strain concentration factor, in critical regions near the hole of the plate. FEM is used to perform a nonlinear contact analysis accounting for friction effects at the pin/hole interface. The agreement between experimental results and numerical predictions is good. In terms of speed, accuracy and ease of use, dual-beam ESPI appears to be a superior method of whole-field strain analysis.
Remote sensing and modern pollen dispersal in Southern Patagonia and Tierra Del Fuego (Argentina): models for palaeoecology

Abstract A method is proposed for calibrating modern pollen data in terms of remote sensing data. It includes numerical techniques familiar to the pollen analyst, remote sensing data and a simple although robust technique of model testing. The method allows the calibration of equations to predict radiometric data in regions (such as Southern Patagonia) where the paucity of modern climate data is a major obstacle for research in palaeoclimatology. Remote sensing data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA-9) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) [Channels 1 (.58 to .68 μm) and 2 (.725 to 1.1 μm)], were used to calculate albedo values. These values were used to (1) calculate simple ratio (SR) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and (2) to calibrate them in terms of the modern pollen spectra of 74 sites of Southern Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego, to produce predictive models. The data sets were then split so that one half of the data predicted the ra...
Comparison classes, the relative/absolute distinction and the Spanish ser/estar alternation: commentary on the paper by Gumiel-Molina, Moreno-Quibén and Pérez-Jiménez

Gumiel-Molina et al. (this issue) propose that a typology of comparison classes, which has been argued to figure in the analysis of the relative/absolute distinction, has a crucial role in explaining the distribution of adjectives with Spanish copulas ser/estar. This commentary briefly summarizes the main claims and notes several advantages of the proposed analysis. Two further questions arise as a consequence of the approach developed, which are discussed in subsequent sections. One concerns the status of scale structure, and whether it is a lexically-listed property or whether it is also syntactically built up and encoded in functional categories. Some evidence supporting the latter is discussed. Second, the question arises as to whether the unexpected invariance of certain adjectives can be explained in terms of the effects of additional functional categories. Some support for this is adduced for perfective adjectives, which are proposed to differ from other adjectives in terms of their structure, which includes VP structure and VP-related functional category of Aspect.
Vocabulary Instruction: Effects on Word Knowledge and Reading Comprehension

Three experiments were conducted to assess the effects of vocabulary instruction on word knowledge and reading comprehension. Treatments varied in the amount of direct instruction, ranging from mea...
Shape resonances in inner-shell photodetachment of transition metal negative ions

Inner-shell photodetachment of transition metal negative ions was studied using photoion spectroscopy. We focused on shape resonances, their behavior, and their decay mechanisms produced by np → (nd+d) (n = 3, 4, 5) photoexcitation for Fe, Ru, Ni, Pd, and Pt transition metal negative ions.
Protection against acetaldehyde toxicity in the rat by L-cysteine, thiamin and L-2-methylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid.

Acetaldehyde is 10–30 times more toxic than ethanol and has been implicated in alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Its oral LD50 and LD90 Litchfield-Wilcoxon values were found to be 15.0 (14.4–15.6) mM/kg and 18.0 (15.5–20.5) mM/kg, respectively. Protection against acetaldehyde lethality was obtained by oral intubation of test compounds 30–45 minutes prior to oral intubation of 18 mM/kg of acetaldehyde. At 2.0 mM/kg, survival after 24–72 hours withl-cysteine free base(FB)was80%;withl-2-methylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (l-MTCA), 75%; with thiamin·HCl, 90%; and only 10% with saline control. At 0.3 mM/kg, thiamin·HCl gave virtually no protection (13% survival). The combination ofl-cysteine FB plus thiamin·HCl, each at 2.0 mM/kg, gave 100% survival. The oral LD50 dose (Litchfield-Wilcoxon) in mM/kg forl-cysteine FB was 15.6(14.8–16.4); forl-MTCA, 17.9 (17.0–18.8), and for thiamin·HCl, 11.0 (10.4–11.6). The ratio of toxic dose-protective dose of the first two compounds warrants further study of them in combination with thiamin as possible protective agents against the chronic toxicity of acetaldehyde associated with heavy ethanol intake and heavy smoking.
Zn- Se- Te multilayers with submonolayer quantities of Te: Type-II quantum structures and isoelectronic centers

Detailed studies with spectral and time-resolved photoluminescence, photoluminescence excitation, and absorption spectroscopies show the formation of type-II quantum structures (quantum dots) in a $\mathrm{Zn}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Se}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Te}$ multilayer system with submonolayer quantities of Te. Moreover, it is shown that in addition to these quantum dots, Te isoelectronic centers are also present in the same material system and contribute to the photoluminescence emissions. This could be siginificant for the better understanding of the scaling laws between many-atom systems (e.g., quantum dots) and few-atom systems (e.g., isoelectronic centers).
The Dissection of the Atrioventricular Node Bundle and Bundle Branches in the Human Heart

The A-V node, bundle and bundle branches were grossly dissected in 41 human hearts. The method for this dissection is described. Given also are the sizes of the individual structures with advancing age. These structures grow more slowly than the remainder of the myocardium.
Plane harmonic waves in the linearized gauge theory of dislocations

Abstract Dispersion relations and the associated eigenvectors for the linearized gauge theory of dislocations are calculated for an isotropic, centrosymmetric and homogeneous material. Plane harmonic waves of dislocation fields are connected to micro-voigts and micro-slips through appropriately chosen arrays of edge and screw dislocations with Burgers vectors that vary in position and time. The observable displacements that give rise to those internal waves are calculated together with the corresponding dislocation densities and currents.
Anthramycin-induced sister-chromatid exchange and caffeine potentiation in the chromosomes of Indian muntjac.

Abstract Cell-cycle kinetics, sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosome aberrations have been studied from the skin fibroblasts of the Indian muntjac after treatment with 100 μg/ml of caffeine and 0.05 μg/ml of anthramycin. The cultures were incubated for a period which was sufficient for the completion of two consecutive cell cycles and both the drugs appeared to produce a slight inhibitory effect. When anthramycin-treated cells were however post-treated with caffeine, the cells did not proceed beyond one cycle and exhibited a mitotic block. The SCE frequency in the control and the experiments with caffeine and anthramycin was 8.63, 18.32 and 34.38 per cell respectively. The SCEs were randomly distributed amongst all chromosomes unlike a non-random distribution within the X chromosomes. Caffeine and anthramycin produced only 0.5% and 3.1% cells with chromosome aberrations respectively. Potentiation of chromosome aberrations was observed when the anthramycin-treated cells were post-treated with caffeine. Caffeine potentiation presumably results from an inhibition of the cells to cycle and a failure to repair the effect of the mutagen on DNA.
Risk indicators in long QT syndrome: does location matter?

f r h s d t The long QT syndrome (LQTS) was initially reported as a clinical entity in the 1960s. After isolated anecdotal eports, the pioneering vision of Drs Moss and Schwartz et l prompted the creation of the International Long QT Registry that has systematically enrolled new patients with LQTS from all over the world from 1979 to 2003. Through the combined effort of several groups, the International Long QT Registry has helped to define the features and the natural history of the disease. At present, LQTS is one of the best characterized syndromes in terms of clinical and therapeutic management and risk stratification among rare inherited arrhythmias. The discovery of the genetic bases of LQTS showed or the first time that mutations in genes coding for ion hannels could be the substrate for arrhythmogenic synromes even in the absence of structural heart damage. It lso demonstrated that the same phenotype, that is, the nsemble of clinical manifestations typical of one disease, ould be linked to mutations on different genes. At present, 13 different LQTS variants have been disovered. Still, more than 90% of the genotyped patients belong to 1 of the 3 forms initially described: type 1 long QT syndrome (LQT1), type 2 long QT syndrome (LQT2), and type 3 long QT syndrome (LQT3). In 1995, Moss et al reported that each of the 3 genetic variants has a peculiar T-wave morphology, thus prompting the quest for generelated differences that could be used in the clinical practice. In 2001, Schwartz et al demonstrated that the triggers for cardiac arrhythmias could differ for the 3 variants: patients with LQT1 have most events during exercise, patients with LQT2 are more susceptible to emotional stress and startling acoustic stimuli, and individuals with LQT3 experience symptoms at rest and during sleep. The work of the Italian Registry moved the field a step forward in showing that, together with clinical parameters such as sex and QT interval duration, genotype can influence the risk of cardiac events and the response to medical therapy. These studes showed that LQT1 was the variant with the lowest ncidence of cardiac events and the best response to beta-
Minneapolis bridges falling down: emergency transfusion preparedness.

The 7/1/2007 bridge collapse into the Missisippi River was instructional from both a disaster response and a mass casualty transfusion response perspective. It is a well cited example of how community disaster response coordination can work well, especially following systematic preparation of an integrated response network. The blood center is and should be an integral part of this diaster response and should be included in drills where appropriate. We give personal perspectives on both the hospital and transfusion service response to this particularly dramatic event.
Quark mass effects in fermionic decays of the Higgs boson in O(α2s) perturbative QCD

Abstract The results of analytical evaluation of O ( α 2 s ) QCD contributions due to the nonvanishing quark masses to Г H→qƒ q ƒ are presented. The “triangle anomaly” type contributions are included. As a byproduct the O ( α 3 s ) logarithmic contributions are evaluated. The results are presented both in terms of running and pole quark masses. The partial decay modes H→b b and H→c c are considered. The calculated corrections decrease the absolute value of large and negative O ( α s 2 ) massless limit coefficient by ≤ 1% in the intermediate mass region and by 1%–20% in the low mass region which, however, is experimentally ruled out. The results are relevant for H→t t decay mode for the higher Higgs mass region where the mass effects are large and important. The high order corrections remove a very large discrepancy between the results for Г H →qƒ q ƒ in terms of running and pole quark masses almost completely and reduce the scale dependence from about 40% to nearly 5%. The remaining theoretical uncertainties are discussed.
Comment on ‘‘Rayleigh-Taylor instability in spherical geometry’’

We point out that an expression derived recently by Gupta and Lawande for the growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in spherical geometry is identical to the result of Binnie derived some time ago, a result that was subsequently shown to be in error by Plesset. We also comment on some of the differences between the results of Binnie and Gupta-Lawande and of Plesset.
Mill behavior of elastomers: Scale-up criteria†

An investigation into the phenomenon known as “bagging” on a rubber mill was made. Based upon the assumption that bagging is a manifestation of a viscoelastic hydrodynamic instability, a scale-up criterion for the onset of bagging was developed. The derived scale-up method was tested over wide ranges of elastomer compounds and mills and found to hold within the estimated experimental error.
The hemodynamic effects of intravenous digoxin-binding fab immunoglobulin in severe preeclampsia: a double-blind, randomized, clinical trial.

The hemodynamic effects of intravenous digoxin-binding fab immunoglobulin in severe preeclampsia: a double-blind, randomized, clinical trial
Perforation of the colon and rectum during administration of barium enema.

Perforation of the colon or rectum, with an attendant high mortality rate, is apt to occur during administration of barium enema in patients in whom the bowel has been weakened by disease or trauma. This accident is probably more common than reports in medical literature would indicate.
Seizuring cat: what to ask, what to do?

A seizuring cat can be a challenging case for every veterinarian and, therefore, the correct diagnosis and the appropriate management of such a case requires understanding of the most common causes of feline seizures. The underlying cause of the seizures should be investigated by a thorough questioning of the diagnostic approach and most likely diagnoses. If the cause of the seizures can be found then the appropriate therapeutic approach may improve the prognosis. The treatment of the feline seizures is similar to the canine patients; however, the differences should be kept in mind. This article is tailored to answer the most common questions that veterinary surgeons should ask themselves when dealing with a seizuring cat.
Lumbar artery pseudoaneurysm following percutaneous nephrolithotripsy: Treatment by transcatheter embolization

Vascular complications from percutaneous nephrostomy/nephrolithotripsy (PCN/PCNL) mostly involve the kidneys. Lumbar artery pseudoaneurysms from PCN and PCNL are a rare occurrence. We report a case of lumbar artery pseudoaneurysm following PCNL. This was treated successfully by transcatheter embolization.
Photosystem II: The Reaction Center of Oxygenic Photosynthesis*

Photosystem II (PSII) uses light energy to split water into chemical products that power the planet. The stripped protons contribute to a membrane electrochemical potential before combining with the stripped electrons to make chemical bonds and releasing O2 for powering respiratory metabolisms. In this review, we provide an overview of the kinetics and thermodynamics of water oxidation that highlights the conserved performance of PSIIs across species. We discuss recent advances in our understanding of the site of water oxidation based upon the improved (1.9-A resolution) atomic structure of the Mn4CaO5 water-oxidizing complex (WOC) within cyanobacterial PSII. We combine these insights with recent knowledge gained from studies of the biogenesis and assembly of the WOC (called photoassembly) to arrive at a proposed chemical mechanism for water oxidation.
Impact of radiocontaminants in commercially available iodine-123: Dosimetric evaluation

Iodine-123 (/sup 123/I) is considered by some to be the radionuclide of choice for thyroid scintigraphy because of its ideal physical and biological characteristics and low radiation absorbed dose to the thyroid. However, commercially available /sup 123/I (p,2n) and (p,5n) have radiocontaminants. The MIRD formalism was used to estimate the absorbed dose to the thyroid for various age groups receiving recommended administered activities at the time of delivery and at two half-lives assuming radiocontamination levels specified by the suppliers. The calculations demonstrate that an /sup 131/I uptake with a technetium-99m scan at the time of delivery results in less absorbed dose to the thyroid than an /sup 123/I (p,2n) scan and uptake. At two half-lives the absorbed dose triples and becomes equivalent to the dose from an /sup 131/I scan. The absorbed dose from an /sup 123/I (p,5n) scan at two half-lives is higher than that of an /sup 123/I (p,2n) scan at the time of delivery. Iodine-123 capsules should not be decayed down in order to obtain a recommended pediatric administered activity. There appears to be no dosimetric advantage of commercially available /sup 123/I for thyroid scintigraphy for adults or most children.
Evaluating deadlock detection methods for concurrent software

Static analysis of concurrent programs has been hindered by the well-known state explosion problem. Although many different techniques have been proposed to combat this state explosion, there is little empirical data comparing the performance of the methods. This information is essential for assessing the practical value of a technique and for choosing the best method for a particular problem. In this paper, we carry out an evaluation of three techniques for combating the state explosion problem in deadlock detection: reachability searching with a partial-order state-space reduction, symbolic model checking and inequality-necessary conditions. We justify the method used for the comparison, and carefully analyze several sources of potential bias. The results of our evaluation provide valuable data on the kinds of programs to which each technique might best be applied. Furthermore, we believe that the methodological issues we discuss are of general significance in comparison of analysis techniques.
Compound Holographic Scanners

A high resolution and high speed 2-D holorgaphic scanner is described. In addition to straight scan lines and good linearity, the scanner can be designed to be insensitive to mechanical eccentricity and wobble. This scanner can be readily extended for high resolution 3-D and double-raster scans. The latter has a large field of view (with lower resolution) and at the same time a high resolution in a small central area. This is similar to human's eyes and thus can be explored for robot's vision