cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Capturing Evolving Visit Behavior in Clickstream Data

Many online sites, both retailers and content providers, routinely monitor visitor traffic as a useful measure of their overall success. However, simple summaries such as the total number of visits per month provide little insight about individual-level site-visit patterns, especially in a changing environment such as the Internet. This article develops an individual-level model for evolving visiting behavior based on Internet clickstream data. We capture cross-sectional variation in site-visit behavior as well as changes over time as visitors gain experience with the site. In addition, we examine the relationship between visiting frequency and purchasing propensity at an e-commerce site. We find evidence supporting the notion that people who visit a retail site more frequently have a greater propensity to buy. We also show that changes (i.e., evolution) in an individual's visit frequency over time provides further information regarding which customer segments are likely to have higher purchasing conversion rates.
Simple microwave QPSK modulator using piezoelectric transducers

A new technique to realise a simple low-cost binary-phase-shift-keying (BPSK) or quadri-phase-shift-keying (QPSK) modulator using a piezoelectric transducer (PET) is described. This modulator has the advantages of low loss, high power handling capability, low power consumption, and simple structure. The technique can be applied to any microwave and millimetre-wave frequency.
Celiac compression syndrome and liver transplantation.

Objective The authors assessed the prevalence and clinical significance of the celiac compression syndrome in liver transplantation patients. Summary background data Compression of the celiac axis by the median arcuate ligament of the diaphragm, causes a decrease in celiac artery blood flow which may lead to hepatic artery thrombosis in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation. Methods From July 1991 to July 1992, 17 (10%) cases of celiac compression syndrome were identified among 164 consecutive adult patients who underwent liver transplantation. The diagnosis was confirmed by blood flow recording demonstrating a typical pattern of accentuated decrease in celiac blood flow during expiration. Results Surgical transection of the median arcuate ligament resulted in normalization of the hepatic artery blood flow. In two cases (11.7%), an interposition iliac graft from the recipient supra-celiac aorta was used for the arterial reconstruction. During the follow-up period of up to 15 months, there was no incidence of hepatic artery thrombosis. Conclusions The clinical significance of the celiac compression syndrome is evident in liver transplantation in which the collateral circulation to the liver is compromised and the celiac artery remains the only source of arterial blood. It is imperative to identify and remove the obstruction of the celiac axis to prevent severe complications and potential graft loss.
Scalar curvature estimates for (n + 4k)-dimensional manifolds

Combining vanishing arguments with certain Gromov-Lawson techniques some sharp estimates on the scalar curvature are found. More precisely, any compact spin (n + 4k)-dimensional manifold which admits a distance decreasing non-zero A-degree map onto the standard n-dimensional sphere must have a point at which the scalar curvature is stictly less than n(n + 1)/(n + 4k)(n + 4k − 1), otherwise, the map is an isometric submersion.
True aneurysm of the pancreaticoduodenal artery: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract A case of aneurysm of the pancreaticoduodenal artery is reported. Its differences from false aneurysms of the same artery are defined. The use of CT as a screening instrument and angiography as the definitive diagnostic tool is suggested to avoid undue delay in corrective treatment. (J VASC SURG 1985;2:741-2.)
A rapid and efficient method for purification of rat B cells for complement-dependent cytotoxicity testing

Abstract The development of an effective technique for the enrichment of rat B cells is described. This protocol is an adaptation of the ‘panning’ technique employing anti-Ig-coated plastic dishes. Rat B cells are bound directly to anti-rat Ig-coated wells in Terasaki test plates where they are typed by complement-dependent cytotoxicity. This technique enriches class II (Ia-like) antigen-positive B cells, facilitating detection with antisera specific for rat class II alloantigens. The utility of this technique in the cell surface phenotyping of minor lymphocyte subpopulations is discussed.
Chemokines in chronic progressive neurological diseases: HTLV-1 associated myelopathy and multiple sclerosis.

It is hypothesized that in MS and HTLV-1, chemokine and chemokine receptor expression are important mechanisms by which T cells migrate to sites of inflammation. Preliminary evidence supports the roles of several chemokines, including MIP1β, in mediating the enhanced migration capacity of MS derived PBLs. In addition, the ligand CCR-5 seems to be up regulated on PBLs from some MS patients. Analysis of T cell clones does not reveal a definite correlation between cytokine phenotype and chemokine receptor profile. The chemokines and chemokine receptor family are likely to be important molecules in chronic progressive neurological diseases, in which immune cells invade the central nervous system.
Clinical reasoning: a 56-year-old man with progressive spasticity.

A 56-year-old man presented with progressive neurologic symptoms that developed more than 14 years ago. His symptoms started with numbness in the toes, followed by slowly progressive lower extremity weakness, increase in tone, and imbalance. He also developed bladder and bowel urgency, constipation, and erectile dysfunction. He did not have any symptoms in his arms.
An Internet Review: The Compleat Neuroscientist Scours the World Wide Web

The World Wide Web provides a graphical interface that allows users to explore the multiple databases of information that are accessible on the Internet. In the field of neuroscience, several hundred sites contain potentially pertinent information. This article takes a critical look at those sites and offers recommendations to those seeking broad neuroscience resources as well as those desiring sites specialized for the developmental neurosciences.
Prophecy as a genre of revelation: Synergisms of inspiration and imagination in the book of Isaiah

This essay attempts to reconceptualize prophecy in the wake of the recent theological turn in phenomenology. It stresses how prophecy continues and intensifies the process of actualizing revelation in present acts of interpretation that mythic and historical imagination in their different ways inaugurate in biblical tradition. Revelation in this sense turns on the present dimension of the interpreters’ lived experience, in which the event of revelation occurs – or rather recurs – as fully actual in new cultural contexts and existential situations. The role of poetic language turns out to be key for this paradoxically original experience of revelation as prophecy.
Three-Dimensional Structure and Dynamics of a de Novo Designed, Amphiphilic, Metallo-Porphyrin-Binding Protein Maquette at Soft Interfaces by Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The three-dimensional structure and dynamics of de novo designed, amphiphilic four-helix bundle peptides (or “maquettes”), capable of binding metallo-porphyrin cofactors at selected locations along the length of the core of the bundle, are investigated via molecular dynamics simulations. The rapid evolution of the initial design to stable three-dimensional structures in the absence (apo-form) and presence (holo-form) of bound cofactors is described for the maquettes at two different soft interfaces between polar and nonpolar media. This comparison of the apo- versus holo-forms allows the investigation of the effects of cofactor incorporation on the structure of the four-helix bundle. The simulation results are in qualitative agreement with available experimental data describing the structures at lower resolution and limited dimension.
Teratological evaluation of a novel antiabortifacient, dibenzyloxyindanpropionic acid--I. Dysmorphological and histopathological studies.

Dibenzyloxyindanpropionic acid (DIPA) is an anti-abortifacient prostaglandin F2 alpha(PGF2 alpha) antagonist. Significant protection against PGF2 alpha-induced abortion in Charles River CD-1 mice is afforded by 50 mg/kg DIPA, administered i.m. twice daily from day-15 of gestation; two days prior to PGF2 alpha challenge. In the present teratological evaluation, CD-1 mice were treated either daily throughout gestation with 50 mg/kg DIPA i.m., or only on day-15 of gestation with two doses each of 50 or 200 mg/kg DIPA i.m. Controls received saline injections. Some dams were delivered by cesarian section on day-19 of gestation, while others were allowed to deliver spontaneously at term. Parameters monitored in the offspring were litter sizes, body weights, sex ratios, viability of progeny, external malformations, cleft palate, skeletal anomalies, patency (prenatal) and closure (postnatal) of the ductus arteriosus, gross anatomy of organs, and histopathological examination of tissues. Consistent with a PGF2 alpha antagonistic mechanism of action, DIPA treatment throughout gestation prolonged pregnancy to the upper normal limit. Prenatal administration of DIPA increased the pseudopregnancy rate, but none of the treatment schedules produced any recognizable teratogenic effects.
An Analytical and Experimental Study of Cleaning With Moving Waterjets

A mathematical model of cleaning with moving waterjet is established by considering the structure of waterjet and applying Springer’s semi-empirical model on material erosion due to impact of water droplets. Based on this model, the cleaning width as a function of travel speed, standoff distance, water pressure, and nozzle radius is derived. Also derived is the relation of the critical cleaning standoff distance to travel speed, water pressure, and nozzle radius. The validity of the derived relations is verified by conducting moving waterjet experiments with varied cleaning system parameters.
Mössbauer spectra narrowing by the ‘magic-angle‘ technique

We conduct a numerical study of the possibility of using the `magic-angle' technique to suppress inhomogeneous broadening of Mossbauer spectra. We use the Floquet-state perturbation theory for the rf modulation of the Mossbauer resonance, which was adjusted to suit our purpose. A system of two nuclei of 57Fe coupled by the dipole–dipole interaction is considered. The analysis here completes studies started in 2004, by including the dipole–dipole interaction between one nucleus in the ground state and the other in the excited state. We show that partial suppression of inhomogeneous broadening remains possible.
Characteristics of Urinary Incontinence in Homebound Older Adults

OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of urinary incontinence and related factors in incontinent homebound older adults. DESIGN: A descriptive study of 90 cognitively intact incontinent homebound older persons referred to a clinical trial to examine the effectiveness of behavioral therapies in the treatment of urinary incontinence (UI) in homebound patients. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Incontinent patients more than 60 years of age who met the Health Care Financing Administration's definition of homebound were referred to a clinical trial by home care nurses from a Medicare-approved home care agency in a large metropolitan county in Pennsylvania. MEASURES: Structured continence and medical history, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, Folstein MMSE, Geriatric Depression Scale, mobility-toileting skills, bladder diaries, and physical examination. RESULTS: Four hundred eighty-four persons were referred to the clinical trial, and 90 cognitively intact persons were found eligible to participate in this study (80 women and 10 men). Subjects had a mean age of 75.8 years, reported a mean of 8.4 medical problems, and most, 80%, had functional limitations in ambulation. Subjects recorded a mean of 3.8 urinary accidents/day–1.4 large and 2.4 small accidents/ day – in baseline bladder diaries. The majority, 73.3%, had more than 10 accidents per week, and most patients reported mixed urge, stress (57.1%), or pure urge (37.7%) UI. Half (54.4%) reported that UI further restricted their activities, and 52.2% reported that this problem was extremely disturbing. However, 90.5% believed that UI could be treated. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary incontinence tends to be severe among cognitively intact homebound older adults in both frequency and volume of accidents. Although subjects were homebound with many health and functional disabilities, they perceived UI as a very disturbing problem that further restricted their activities. Participants in this study were optimistic about the potential benefits of treatment. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:963–968, 1996.
Highly sensitive flow-injection immunoassay system for rapid detection of bacteria

A flow-injection amperometric immunofiltration assay system for the rapid detection of total Escherichia coli and Salmonella was developed. The system is based on the use of disposable porous nylon membranes which act as a support for the immobilization of anti-E. coli or anti-Salmonella antibodies. The assay system consists of a flow-injection system, a disposable filter-membrane and an amperometric sensor. Parameters affecting the performance of the immunofiltration assay system such as membrane pore size, non-specific binding, conjugate concentration and sample volume were studied and optimized. A sandwich scheme of immunoassay was employed and the immunofiltration system was able to specifically and directly detect 50 cells/ml of total E. coli or 50 cells/ml of Salmonella with an overall analysis time of 35 min. This immunosensor can be easily adapted for the assay of other microorganisms and may be a basis for a new class of highly sensitive and automated bioanalytical devices for the rapid quantitative detection of bacteria.
Lateral Heat Exchange after the Labrador Sea Deep Convection in 2008

AbstractThe mechanisms through which convected water restratifies in the Labrador Sea are still under debate. The Labrador Sea restratification after deep convection in the 2007/08 winter is studied with an eddy-resolving numerical model. The modeled mixed layer depth during wintertime resembles the Argo observed mixed layer very well, and the lateral heat flux during the subsequent restratification is in line with observations. The Irminger rings (IRs) are reproduced with fresher caps above the 300-m depths, and they are identified and tracked automatically. The model underestimates both the number of IRs in the convection area and the heat they carry. The underestimation is most likely caused by the errors in the direction of the west Greenland currents in the model, which causes more IRs propagating westward, and only the IRs originating south of 61.5°N are able to propagate southward, yet with speed much slower than observed speed. The model still observed three eddies propagating into the convection ...
Performance Appraisal: Nonverbal Influences On the Rating Process:

Until recently, attempts to improve the accuracy of employee performance ratings have been largely disappointing. The reason is that past research has been limited primarily to the verbal ele ment of performance rating; further, it has addressed mainly the behaviors that occur when a rating is actually assigned. Fortunately, research now has begun to examine important nonverbal variables that can affect, over time, the supervisor's development of an employee's performance rating. The model proposed here summarizes that research and highlights the three broad categories of nonverbal influence.
Chemical preparation of powders and films for high temperature superconductors

A precipitation process has been developed to prepare precursor powders which can be calcined and sintered to form high critical temperature superconductors such as YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/. Precursor powders are prepared using a continuous precipitation system in which a solution containing highly soluble salts of the desired metal cations is rapidly and completely mixed with a solution containing precipitating anions such as hydroxide and carbonate ions. The resulting amorphous powder can be calcined to form submicron particles of desired superconducting phases which are useful in preparing inks for the ink-jet printing of superconducting interconnects. The powders can be redissolved in organic solvents to form solutions which can be used in spin or dip coating substrates with thin superconducting films. Finally, the powders have been used to prepare bulk ceramics which exhibit the highest reported critical currents of any chem-prep ceramics. Bulk samples prepared from chloride doped precursors exhibit large, oriented grains and extensive flux pinning. 11 refs., 8 figs.
Transcription Termination by Phage HK022 Nun Is Facilitated by COOH-terminal Lysine Residues *

The 109-amino acid Nun protein of prophage HK022 excludes superinfecting bacteriophage λ by blocking transcription elongation on the λ chromosome. Multiple interactions between Nun and the transcription elongation complex are involved in this reaction. The Nun NH2-terminal arginine-rich motif binds BOXB sequence in nascent λ transcripts, whereas the COOH terminus binds RNA polymerase and contacts DNA template. Nun Trp108 is required for interaction with DNA and transcription arrest. We analyzed the role of the adjacent Lys106 and Lys107 residues in the Nun reaction. Substitution of the lysine residues with arginine (K106R/K107R) had no effect on transcription arrest in vitro or in vivo. Nun K106A/K107A was partially active, whereas Nun K106D/K107D was defective in vitro and failed to exclude λ. All mutants bound RNA polymerase and BOXB. In contrast to Nun K106R/K107R and K106A/K107A, Nun K106D/K107D did not cross-link DNA template. These results suggest that transcription arrest is facilitated by electrostatic interactions between positively charged Nun residues Lys106 and Lys107 and negatively charged DNA phosphate groups. These may assist intercalation of Trp108 into template.
An Uncertainty Analysis of the NIST Airspeed Standards

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides calibration services for airspeed instrumentation. This document describes the uncertainty of the NIST airspeed standards. An extensive component analysis of the system was performed. The standard for airspeed measurement at NIST is a fiber optic Laser Doppler Anemometer (LDA), which is calibrated with known velocities produced by a rotating disk. Airspeed calibrations are performed in a wind tunnel which has a test cross section of 1.5 m by 2.1 m over a range of speeds from 0.15 m/s to 40 m/s. Over this range, the airspeed uncertainty is found to be a function of airspeed and the expanded uncertainty at 95% confidence level, i.e. k = 2, in m/s can be expressed by the root-sum-square of 0.0048V and 0.0068 m/s, where V is airspeed in m/s. This gives a maximum uncertainty of 4.6% at the lowest airspeed of 0.15 m/s and a minimum uncertainty of 0.48% at the highest speed of 40 m/s.
When the Shift Hits the (Television) Fan: A Growing Opportunity for Companion Devices

The television ecosystem faces growing attention and audience fragmentation thanks to an explosion of content sources and content consumption devices. In this article, the author looks at some of the interaction paradigms, viewer behaviors, and innovative social and dual-screen experiences that seek to disrupt or redefine the traditional models of audience measurement and content distribution, in an effort to address these challenges.
Latin American Popular Theatre: The First Five Centuries

Latin American Popular Theatre: The First Five Centuries. JUDITH A. WEISS. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1993. 269 pp. $39.95 (cloth), $22.50 (paper). ISBN 0-8263-1401-5, ISBN 0-8263-1402-3.
What is the good society for hominoids

In Sick Societies, Robert Edgerton argues that the longstanding principle of cultural relativism is misguided. In its place, he claims, we need to evaluate both traditional and modern societies in terms of their commitment to providing a satisfying “quality of life” for their members. This essay takes up the merits of Edgerton's thesis by using primate data to analyze and consider human nature, the adaptation thesis, the nature of culture, and, on purely hominoid grounds, the “good” society for humankind.
Testing hypotheses when there could be an initial effect

In many treatment-versus-control experiments, the observed random variables can be written as the product of a Bernoulli and a continuous random variable. The treatment can affect the distribution of the observations in two ways. 1. the probability that the observation is 0 could be altered. 2. the distribution of the nonzero observations could be changed. We may also want to measure the combined effect of the treatment. 3. the expected value of control and treated units may differ. A method is presented for testing for the presence of the combined effect when the general form of the distribution function of the continuous observations is known. For the case when this distribution function is from the family of gamma distributions, a previously proposed test criterion for the combined effect has poor power properties. In this paper, we discuss a test criterion that has improved power properties.
Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy and Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection: Initial Experience at Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Abstract Objectives One series of robot-assisted radical cystectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection has been reported. We report our operative technique and initial experience. Methods Twenty consecutive patients underwent robot-assisted radical cystectomy, pelvic lymph node dissection, and open urinary diversion for operable bladder cancer from October 2005 to June 2006. Data were collected prospectively on patient demographics, intraoperative parameters, pathologic staging, and postoperative outcomes. Results The mean patient age was 70 years (range 56 to 90). The mean body mass index was 26 kg/m 2 (range 17.3 to 36). Fourteen patients had undergone previous abdominal surgery. The mean operative time was 197 minutes for robot-assisted radical cystectomy, 44 minutes for pelvic lymph node dissection, and 133 minutes for urinary diversion. The mean blood loss was 555 mL. One case was converted to an open procedure because of the patient’s inability to tolerate the Trendelenburg position. The mean hospital stay was 10 days. Two patients had major complications. One patient had positive vaginal margins and 9 of 26 nodes were positive. Four patients had incidental prostate cancer. The mean time to the return to nonstrenuous activity was 4 weeks and to strenuous activity was 10 weeks. Conclusions Robot-assisted radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection can be performed safely in patients who are considered candidates for open cystectomy. Long-term oncologic control data and functional outcomes are needed to assess the true benefits of robot-assisted radical cystectomy.
Synthetic libraries of tyrosine-derived bacterial metabolites

The preparation of a collection of 131 small molecules, reminiscent of families of long chain N-acyl tyrosines, enamides and enol esters that have been isolated from heterologous expression of environmental DNA (eDNA) in Escherichia coli, is reported. The synthetic libraries of N-acyl tyrosines and their 3-keto counterparts were prepared via solid-phase routes, whereas the enamides and enol esters were synthesized in solution-phase.
Current strategies for management of initial Clostridium difficile infection

In the past decade, an epidemic strain of Clostridium difficile has led to increased incidence and severity of nosocomial C. difficile infections (CDI). Responsiveness to standard antimicrobial care for this strain is declining, and the morbidity and mortality of CDI and recurrent CDI are rising. Effective management requires a coordinated effort among all members of the healthcare team to facilitate early identification of patients at risk for CDI, early recognition of disease onset and confirmatory testing, prompt initiation of the most appropriate management approach, and ongoing monitoring throughout the continuum of care. Hospitalists, as coordinators of patient care, are in an ideal position to ensure that patients receive prompt and optimal treatment based on current clinical evidence and severity of the disease. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2012;7:S5–S10 © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine
Effects of oxidized regenerated cellulose on the expression of extracellular matrix and transforming growth factor-β1 in human peritoneal fibroblasts and mesothelial cells

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential biologic effects of oxidized regenerated cellulose, which has been shown in multiple human in vivo studies to reduce postoperative adhesion development, on the messenger RNA levels of transforming growth factor-β1, type I collagen, type III collagen, and fibronectin. Study design The oxidized regenerated cellulose was dissolved in saline solution and added to confluent, monolayer cultures of human normal fibroblasts and mesothelial cells. Control cells were maintained in media alone at the same pH. After 24 hours of treatment, total RNA was extracted from all cells. Real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine the relative change in messenger RNA levels of type I, type HI collagen, fibronectin, transforming growth factor-β1, and β-actin (housekeeping gene) in response to the oxidized regenerated cellulose treatment (n = 4 cultures). Student t tests were performed for each cell type, which compared oxidized regenerated cellulose–treated cells to control cells. Calculated power for the statistically significant findings ranged from 65% to 100%. Results Transforming growth factor-β1 messenger RNA was elevated by the oxidized regenerated cellulose treatment in the mesothelial cells by 13% (control cells, 0.562±0.022; oxidized regenerated cellulose–treated cells, 0.636±0.014; P = .03). In normal fibroblasts, transforming growth factor-β1 messenger RNA was slightly, but not significantly, decreased in oxidized regenerated cellulose–exposed normal fibroblasts compared with controls (control cells, 0.622±0.062; oxidized regenerated cellulose–treated cells, 0.609±0.006; P = .85). Type I collagen was found to be increased by exposure to oxidized regenerated cellulose in both mesothelial cells and normal peritoneal fibroblasts. Type I collagen was increased by 23% in mesothelial cells (control cells [0.587±0.018] vs oxidized regenerated cellulose–treated cells [0.722±0.010], P = .002), and 27% in normal fibroblasts (control cells, 0.522±0.018, oxidized regenerated cellulose–treated cells, 0.665±0.009; P = .001). However, messenger RNA levels of type III collagen and fibronectin (other representative molecules of the extracellular matrix) were not altered significantly by oxidized regenerated cellulose application in vitro. Conclusion Oxidized regenerated cellulose influences the expression of factors that are accepted commonly to be associated with adhesiogenesis. Oxidized regenerated cellulose increased the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 in mesothelial cells and type I collagen in mesothelial cells and normal peritoneal fibroblasts. Minimization of these oxidized regenerated cellulose–induced molecular changes, if they occur in vivo, may improve the ability of oxidized regenerated cellulose to reduce postoperative adhesion development.
Vitamin E modulation of hepatic focal lesion growth in mice.

The effect of DL-alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E) on hepatic focal lesion growth in male B6C3F1 mice previously treated with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was investigated. After hepatic focal lesions were formed, mice were placed into one of the following dose groups: 0 mg vitamin E/kg NIH-07 diet, 50 mg vitamin E/kg NIH-07 diet (control diet), 250 mg vitamin E/kg NIH-07 diet, and 450 mg vitamin E/kg NIH-07 diet. Mice were euthanized after either 30 or 60 days of dietary treatment. In normal (nonlesion) liver, vitamin E deficiency (0 mg/kg diet) increased hepatic DNA synthesis. In addition, vitamin E supplementation (450 mg/kg diet) decreased the incidence of hepatic apoptosis, while vitamin E deficiency (0 mg/kg diet) increased the incidence of hepatic apoptosis. The effect of vitamin E-induced lesion growth was examined by measuring the number of focal lesions per liver and the relative focal lesion volume. High-dose vitamin E supplementation (450 mg/kg diet) appeared to enhance the growth of hepatic focal lesions. In particular, basophilic lesions appeared to be the most sensitive to high-dose vitamin E modulation (450 mg/kg diet) as evidenced by increased number, volume, and labeling index of hepatic focal lesions. Vitamin E deficiency also appeared to enhance the growth of hepatic focal lesions, though to a lesser extent than vitamin E supplementation (450 mg/kg diet). In the present study, both vitamin E supplementation (450 mg/kg diet) and deficiency (0 mg/kg diet) appeared to enhance focal lesion growth albeit neither treatment enhanced lesion growth as dramatically as known nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogens (e.g., phenobarbital and dieldrin). The data presented here suggest that oxidative stress in focal hepatocytes may be a component of the liver tumor promotion process.
Transient magnetic resonance without RF pulses: fast field switching.

An unusual strategy for performing magnetic resonance experiments is demonstrated. Instead of employing conventional radiofrequency transmitter fields to perturb spin state populations away from equilibrium, as is the basis of most magnetic resonance spectrometers today, technological advances now make possible fast switching of the magnetic field orientation to achieve the same effect. This is demonstrated with an electron spin resonance experiment where the magnetic field is switched 90 degrees nonadiabatically with a dead time of a few tens of nanoseconds and an electron free induction decay observed.
Novel Combinations for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer

Anthracyclines and taxanes represent the mainstay of first-line cytotoxic therapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC), but most patients eventually develop resistance to these agents. Consequently, alternative combinations for MBC therapy are the subject of much ongoing research. Capecitabine and ixabepilone is the only chemotherapy combination specifically approved for MBC after failure of anthracyclines and taxanes. Other options have limited data to support their use in this setting but are commonly used in practice. Future MBC therapies will likely combine alternative chemotherapies and novel biologic agents, and numerous ongoing trials should help to further define the proper use of these regimens.
Daily Ratings on a Child Psychiatric Unit: Psychometric Evaluation of the Child Behavior Rating Form

ABSTRACT The present study examines the properties of an assessment instrument, the Child Behavior Rating Form (CBRF), for rating individual behavioral and emotional symptoms exhibited by children residing in inpatient settings. Modeled after the Child Behavior Checklist, the CBRF consists of 55 behavior problem items and 10 social competence items. Two hundred child inpatients were rated for 1 week by a staff nurse. Principal components factor analyses conducted separately with the means of each behavior problem and social competence item resulted in a five- and two-factor solution, respectively. Item-Factor correlations and alphas were in the moderate-to-high range. Interrater agreement between two research assistants was generally high. The validity of the CBRF using the parent-rated Child Behavior Checklist and DSM-III diagnoses was found to be acceptable. The implications of these findings for standardized assessment of child psychopathology in inpatient settings and the use of repeated measures in treatment outcome evaluation are discussed.
Laser safety in otolaryngology ― head and neck surgery: anesthetic and educational considerations for laryngeal surgery

Two investigations concerning anesthetic and educational considerations for laser safety in microlaryngeal carbon dioxide laser surgery have been performed. The first study demonstrated that attendance at a "hands-on" laser surgery course that stressed safety precautions was associated with a reduced rate of laser-related complications in the selected group of otolaryngologists who participated in the course, when compared to another selected group of otolaryngologists who were members of a senior otolaryngology society, and surveyed solely on the basis of their society membership. The second series of studies compared the incendiary characteristics of three endotracheal tubes in various mixtures of oxygen, diluted with either helium or nitrogen. It was determined that the polyvinyl chloride tube should not be used for laser surgery, even when wrapped with reflective, metallic tape. The safest anesthetic gas mixture was found to be 30% oxygen in helium; the addition of 2% halothane did not have an adverse effect, as had been previously reported. Both the Xomed Laser-Shield and Rusch red rubber endotracheal tubes were found to be safe, when used with the laser in the pulsed mode in an atmosphere of 100% oxygen. When the laser was used in the continuous mode, both tubes ignited in an atmosphere of 30% oxygen in helium. These findings challenged the previously reported levels of safety associated with the use of an unwrapped Xomed tube. Based on the results of this investigation, it has been concluded that both the Rusch red rubber tube and the Xomed Laser-Shield tube should be wrapped with reflective, metallic tape, when used for cases of microlaryngeal surgery with the carbon dioxide laser.
Perineal scent gland of wild and domestic cavies: bacterial activity and urine as sources of biologically significant odors.

Abstract Several studies were conducted to evaluate the source of biologically relevant odorous substances in male wild cavy ( Cavia aperea ) perineal gland secretions. In the first study, using a habituation procedure, male wild cavies distinguished between the urine of two individuals after exposure to the perineal secretions of one of the individuals. However, these animals did not distinguish between the perineal secretions of two individuals after exposure to the urine of one of the individuals. These results suggest that urine is a component of cavy perineal gland secretions as normally found in the perineal sac. Other studies were designed to evaluate the possible role of bacteria in producing biologically relevant odors from cavy perineal gland secretions. Microbiological analyses of secretion that had accumulated in the perineal sacs (“dirty”) or been squeezed directly from the glands (“clean”) of wild and domestic ( C. porcellus ) cavies indicated large numbers of bacteria inhabited these secretions. In behavioral studies using two-choice preference tests, male wild cavies spent more time investigating conspecific dirty perineal gland secretions than clean secretions. Clean secretions, however, which had been incubated for 48 hr at 37°C were preferred by these cavies over clean secretions which had been frozen at −60°C during the same time period. In a final experiment it was found that wild cavies preferred conspecific clean secretion that had been sterilized and incubated with bacteria over uninoculated sterilized secretion. Together, these results indicate that urine and bacteria are responsible for components of biologically significant odors of cavy perineal scent marks.
A peripherally administered, centrally acting angiotensin II AT2 antagonist selectively increases brain AT1 receptors and decreases brain tyrosine hydroxylase transcription, pituitary vasopressin and ACTH.

The physiological actions of brain Angiotensin II AT2 receptors and their relationship to Angiotensin II AT1 receptors remain controversial. To further clarify their role, we determined to what extent systemic administration of an AT2 receptor antagonist affected AT2 receptor binding within the brain and the expression of AT1 receptors. For this purpose, we subcutaneously administered the AT2 receptor antagonist PD123319 (1 mg/kg/day) to adult male rats for two weeks via osmotic minipumps. We also studied the content of pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone and vasopressin, representative of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activation, and the tyrosine hydroxylase gene expression in the locus coeruleus as a measure of central norepinephrine function. We found significant decreases in AT2 receptor binding in brain areas inside the blood brain barrier, the inferior olive and the locus coeruleus. AT2 receptor blockade increased AT1 receptor binding and mRNA expression not only in the subfornical organ and the median eminence, situated outside the blood brain barrier, but also in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, located inside the blood brain barrier. These changes paralleled decreased expression of tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA in the locus coeruleus and decreased pituitary adrenocorticotropic and vasopressin content. Our results demonstrate that sustained peripheral administration of an AT2 antagonist decreases binding to brain AT2 receptors, indicating that this drug is a useful tool for the study of their central role. AT2 receptor activity inhibition up-regulates AT1 receptor expression in specific brain areas. Blockade of brain AT2 receptors is compatible with enhanced hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and decreased central sympathetic system activity.
Special cases of the quadratic assignment problem

Abstract This paper presents a result of transforming a class of non-convex programs into parametric programs. Parametric linear programming algorithms are then developed to solve several special cases of the quadratic assignment problem (QAP). Lower and upper bounds of the parameters are derived to further accelerate the parameter search. Numerical experiments are conducted to show the efficiency of the algorithm.
Time-of-flight elastic recoil analysis of ion beam modified nitrocellulose thin films

Abstract The erosion properties of nitrocellulose (C6H7N3O11) thin films on Si have been studied under exposure to 270 keV H, He, C, and Ar ions. Time-of-flight elastic recoil spectrometry has been applied to determine the atomic composition of the films as a function of deposited charge. All exposed films exhibit an initial removal of N and O consistent with RONO2 bond breaking, proceeding at a rate that appears to depend on the density of electronic excitation. A non-volatile, carbon-rich residue remains after prolonged exposure to H, He, and C ions, while the film is effectively removed under Ar irradiation. Experimental evidence supports the proposition that binary collisions are an important mechanism affecting desorption of the H and C components. The results are consistent with a suggestion that complete volatilization of the film is determined by the nuclear stopping power of the incident ion.
Optical characterization of excited states in films of undoped C60

Abstract We have used various optical characterization techniques to study the electronic excited states in icosahedral clusters of C 60 thin films produced by high-vacuum evaporation onto sapphire substrates. These techniques include c.w. photoluminescence (PL), photomodulation (PM) and spin-dependent PL and PM. We have found a modestly strong PL band at 1.72 eV, with two phonon replicas 185 meV apart. This phonon is the most strongly coupled C 60 pentagonal pinch mode and therefore shows that the PL band is intrinsic to C 60 . From its flat modulation frequency response up to 100 kHz, we conclude that the PL lifetime is shorter than 3 μs, implying that it is due to singlet exciton recombination. The PM spectrum contains a single band peaking at about 1 eV, which is correlated with a derivative-like feature around 2.3 eV; no photoinduced IR-active vibrations have been discovered. From the additional study of the frequency and excitation dependencies, we conjecture that the PM is due to charged carriers which recombine with bimolecular kinetics.
Ground-penetrating radar signal processing techniques for road subsurface measurements

This paper will describe novel techniques and results of the current project to employ advanced signal processing techniques to detect and classify subsurface layers. In particular, a computational fast layer tracking processing technique will be described along with results of the algorithm. It is expected that the ground penetrating radar and the results of current research will assist the Florida Department of Transportation in determining more accurate road layer thickness profiles, assessing road subsurface conditions with less coring, and rehabilitating roads with less manpower than is now required. Such capabilities will allow potentially serious problems to be corrected before they become costly and will also provide a useful tool for future road design and improvement.
Complexity-stability relationship of two-prey-one-predator species system model: local and global stability.

Abstract Parrish & Saila (1970) , motivated by the experiments of Paine (1966) , constructed a simple mathematical model for a two-prey-one-predator system. They were unable to find, in their model, a set of parametric values with which the three-species system can be stable, whereas a twoprey species system without a predator is unstable. Cramer & May (1972) showed that, in fact, such parametric values exist, and gave the necessary mathematical condition. I have investigated the complete conditions for the stability of the system around the equilibrium point, and show that the conditions must be more stringent than given by Cramer & May (1972) . Also, it is shown that the present model can have a globally stable limit cycle in three species even when the equilibrium point is locally unstable.
B-cell extrinsic CR1/CR2 promotes natural antibody production and tolerance induction of anti-αGAL–producing B-1 cells

B-1b cells produce IgM natural antibodies against α1-3Galβ1-4GlcNAc (αGal). These can be tolerized by nonmyeloablative induction of mixed chimerism using αGal-positive (αGal+) donor marrow. We assessed the role of CR1/2 in this model for induction of tolerance of B-1b cells. Mixed hematopoietic chimerism was induced in α1-3galactosyltransferase (GalT−/−) and GalT−/−Cr2−/− mice with αGal+ BALB/c marrow donors. Anti-αGal Ab and anti-αGal Ab–producing B cells became undetectable in GalT−/− chimeras, whereas they persisted in chimeric GalT−/−Cr2−/− mice. To determine whether CR1/2 expression on stromal cells and/or hematopoietic cells was critical for B-1–cell tolerance, we generated GalT−/− radiation chimeras in which CR1/CR2 was expressed on either stromal cells, hematopoietic cells, neither, or both. After induction of mixed chimerism from αGal+ allogeneic bone marrow (BM) donors, anti-αGal–producing B cells were rendered tolerant in reconstituted recipients expressing only stromal CR1/CR2. Our results suggest a possible role for follicular dendritic cells that pick up immune complexes via CR1/CR2 receptors in the tolerization of B-1b cells.
Solving ambiguities in the semantic representation of texts

One of the issues of Artificial Intelligence is the transfer of he knowledge conveyed by Natural Language into formalisms that a computer can interpret. In the Natural Language Processing department of the IBM France Paris Scientific Center, we are developing and evaluating a system prototype whose purpose is to build a semantic representation of written French texts in a rigorous formal model (the Conceptual Graph model, introduced by J. F. Sowa[10]).The semantic representation of texts may then be used in various applications, such as intelligent information retrieval. The accuracy of the semantic representation is therefore crucial in order to obtain valid results in any subsequent applications. In this article we explain how ambiguities related to Natural Language may be solved by semantic analysis using the Conceptual Graph model.
Efficient channels for the ideal observer

For a signal-detection task, the Bayesian ideal observer is optimal among all observers because it incorporates all the statistical information of the raw data from an imaging system. The ideal observer test statistic, the likelihood ratio, is difficult to compute when uncertainties are present in backgrounds and signals. In this work, we propose a new approximation technique to estimate the likelihood ratio. This technique is a dimensionality-reduction scheme we will call the channelized-ideal observer (CIO). We can reduce the high-dimensional integrals of the ideal observer to the low-dimensional integrals of the CIO by applying a set of channels to the data. Lumpy backgrounds and circularly symmetric Gaussian signals are used for simulations studies. Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) channels have been shown to be useful for approximating ideal linear observers with these backgrounds and signals. For this reason, we choose to use LG channels for our data. The concept of efficient channels is introduced to closely approximate ideal-observer performance with the CIO for signal-known-exactly (SKE) detection tasks. Preliminary results using one to three LG channels show that the performance of the CIO is better than the channelized-Hotelling observer for the SKE detection tasks.
'Cape capture': Geologic data and modeling results suggest the Holocene loss of a Carolina Cape

For more than a century, the origin and evolution of the set of cuspate forelands known as the Carolina Capes—Hatteras, Lookout, Fear, and Romain—off the eastern coast of the United States have been discussed and debated. The consensus conceptual model is not only that these capes existed through much or all of the Holocene transgression, but also that their number has not changed. Here we describe bathymetric, lithologic, seismic, and chronologic data that suggest another cape may have existed between Capes Hatteras and Lookout during the early to middle Holocene. This cape likely formed at the distal end of the Neuse-Tar-Pamlico fluvial system during the early Holocene transgression, when this portion of the shelf was flooded ca. 9 cal (calibrated) kyr B.P., and was probably abandoned by ca. 4 cal kyr B.P., when the shoreline attained its present general configuration. Previously proposed mechanisms for cape formation suggest that the large-scale, rhythmic pattern of the Carolina Capes arose from a hydrodynamic template or the preexisting geologic framework. Numerical modeling, however, suggests that the number and spacing of capes can be dynamic, and that a coast can self-organize in response to a high-angle-wave instability in shoreline shape. In shoreline evolution model simulations, smaller cuspate forelands are subsumed by larger neighbors over millennial time scales through a process of ‘cape capture.’ The suggested former cape in Raleigh Bay represents the first interpreted geological evidence of dynamic abandonment suggested by the self-organization hypothesis. Cape capture may be a widespread process in coastal environments with large-scale rhythmic shoreline features; its preservation in the sedimentary record will vary according to geologic setting, physical processes, and sea-level history.
Complex Fibonacci and Lucas Numbers, Continued Fractions, and the Square Root of the Golden Ratio (Condensed Version)

The connections between the Golden Ratio namely (1 + √5)/2, a simple continued fraction, and Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, are familiar. The Fibonacci and Lucas numbers have many fascinating properties. We now point out that the square root of the Golden Ratio is the real part of a simple periodic continued fraction but using (complex) Gaussian integers a + ib instead of the natural integers. This fact provokes a definition and a study of complex Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, and the study again turns out to have a rich theoretic structure. A fuller account will appear in The Fibonacci Quarterly.