cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myocardial blood flow at rest and contractile reserve in patients with chronic coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction

The mechanisms that determine chronic left ventricular dysfunction in coronary artery disease (in particular, critical reductions in coronary artery blood flow leading to hibernating myocardium) may affect the ability of the myocardium to respond to inotropic stimulation with dobutamine. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between resting myocardial blood flow and contractile reserve in patients with coronary artery disease and chronic left ventricular dysfunction. Twenty-three patients (21 men and 2 women; age 61±9 years) underwent transesophageal echocardiography during infusion of dobutamine (2.5 μg/kg to 40 μg/kg per minute) and positron emission tomography (PET) with 15O-water (9 patients) or 13N-ammonia (14 patients). Systolic wall thickening at each dose of dobutamine and resting myocardial blood flow were quantitatively analyzed in 8 anatomically matched regions at mid-ventricular level. Myocardial regions with preserved contraction had higher blood flow compared with regions with basal dyssynergy (0.99±0.3 vs 0.65±0.3 mL/min/gm.; P<.0001). Among myocardial regions with preserved resting contraction, no relation was observed between blood flow and the response to dobutamine (r=0.06). In contrast, among myocardial regions with diminished resting contraction, a significant correlation was observed between resting blood flow and contractile reserve (r=0.53; P<.0001). The maximum increase in percent systolic wall thickening with dobutamine was 32.8%±14% in regions with normal blood flow, 21.5%±17% in regions with mildly to moderately reduced blood flow, and 10.7%±10% in regions with severely reduced blood flow (P<.0001). These findings emphasize the importance of resting myocardial blood flow for the preservation of contractile reserve in patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction. Because a positive inotropic response to dobutamine is more likely to occur in dyssynergic regions with preserved rather than reduced myocardial blood flow, regional perfusion may determine in which circumstances dobutamine echocardiography contributes to the assessment of myocardial viability.
A reassessment of uterine neoplasms originally diagnosed as leiomyosarcomas

Twenty-eight uterine tumors originally diagnosed as leiomyosarcomas were histologically reclassified without prior knowledge of follow-up or clinical data. Thirteen (46%) neoplasms were reinterpreted as cellular or pleomorphic leiomyomas. They had sparse mitotic activity with three or fewer mitotic figures per 10 high power microscopic fields (MF/10 HPF). None recurred or metastasized, and all patients were alive from 6.3 to 23 years after operation (median of 14.2 years). In 15 cases the diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma (LMS) was confirmed. All showed hypercellularity, nuclear atypism and high mitotic activity. Mitosis counts ranged from 6 to more than 50 MF/10 HPF with 93% of LMS having at least 15 MF/10 HPF. These patients all died of LMS after post-operative intervals of 3 months to 7.5 years (median survival of 13 months). No consistent correlation was found between length of survival and the patient's menopausal status or histologic grade of LMS. The degree of mitotic activity is the single most reliable diagnostic criterion of malignant potential, albeit not the only one. Surgery alone is ineffective treatment for LMS and combination therapy with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy should be considered.
Weaving Ada 95 into the .net environment

This paper explains our efforts to add Ada to Microsoft's family of .NET languages. There are several advantages to weaving Ada into the Common Language Environment provided by the .NET environment. This paper explains our approach and current progress on the research. We provide the means to extract Ada specification files from Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL) code and compile Ada programs into MSIL.
Visible absorption spectra of quantum mixed-spin ferric heme proteins.

Abstract Recently, it has been shown that the magnetic data for Chromatium ferri-cytochrome c′ at pH 7 are consistent with quantum mechanically (as distinguished from thermally) mixed mid-spin ( S = 3 2 ) and high-spin ( S = 5 2 ) heme. Visible absorption spectra of the protein measured at 77°K and 293°K, pH 7, show peaks at 400, 490 and 632 nm. The observation of a 630 nm band in quantum mixed-spin heme spectra, and the spin state-dependence of the band intensity, are discussed in the context of the iron-ligand structure for quantum mixed-spin heme inferred from magnetic data.
Assessing the importance of an independent variable in multiple regression: Is stepwise unwise?

Two procedures for evaluating the importance of an independent variable are reviewed: the allocation of R2 method and the significance method. Multicollinearity severely hampers attempts to evaluate an independent variable using the allocation of R2 method. The significance method relies on assessing the stochastic, "magnitudinal", (or clinical) and practical significance of an independent variable and does not suffer as severely from the ravages of multicollinearity. An example of the limitations of allocations of R2 method in stepwise regression is discussed and another interpretation of the results using the significance approach is suggested.
Dopaminergic influence on rat tongue function and limb movement initiation

Altering dopamine synaptic transmission can affect both cranial and limb sensorimotor function, but often to a different degree of severity. We hypothesized that haloperidol has dose-dependent but differential effects on lingual forces, lingual movement rates, and limb movement initiation. We measured average and maximal lingual force, tongue press rate and cataleptic descent time in nine Fischer 344/Brown Norway rats in varied doses of haloperidol. Decreases in lingual force and temporal parameters and increases in cataleptic descent time were related to haloperidol dose. However, they were related to a different degree as the relationships were strong between average force and tongue press rate, moderate between maximal force and tongue press rate, moderate between average force and cataleptic descent time, and weak between maximal force and cataleptic descent time. Elucidating the relationships between the cranial and limb sensorimotor systems in the context of altered dopamine synaptic transmission may assist in developing therapies for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.
Aqueous deposition of calcium phosphates and silicate substituted calcium phosphates on magnesium alloys

Abstract Attempts were made to deposit homogeneous films of calcium phosphates (CaPs) on two magnesium alloy systems, AZ31 and Mg–4Y, through an aqueous phosphating bath method. The deposition of silicate substituted CaPs by this aqueous method was also explored as silicate substitution is believed to increase the bioactivity of CaPs. The effect of doped and undoped coatings on the in vitro degradation and bioactivity of both alloy systems was studied. FTIR and EDX confirmed the deposition of Ca, P, and Si on both alloys and the coatings appeared to consist primarily biphasic mixtures of hydroxyapatite and β-TCP. These largely inhomogeneous coatings, as observed by SEM, were not shown to have any significant effect on maintaining the physiological pH of the culture medium in comparison to the uncoated samples, as the pH remained approximately in the 8.4–8.7 range. Interestingly, despite similar pH profiles between the coated and uncoated samples, CaP coatings affected the degradation of both alloys. These doped and undoped calcium phosphate coatings were observed to decrease the degradation of AZ31 whereas they increased the degradation of Mg–4Y. In vitro studies on cell attachment using MC3T3-E1 mouse osteoblasts showed that between the uncoated alloys, Mg–4Y appeared to be the more biocompatible of the two. Silicate substituted CaP coatings were observed to increase the cell attachment on AZ31 compared to bare and undoped CaPs coated samples, but did not have as great of an effect on increasing cell attachment on Mg–4Y.
Phosphine Functionalization of GaAs(111)A Surfaces

Phosphorus-functionalized GaAs surfaces have been prepared by exposure of Cl-terminated GaAs(111)A surfaces to triethylphosphine (PEt3) or trichlorophosphine (PCl3), or by the direct functionalization of the native-oxide terminated GaAs(111)A surface with PCl3. The presence of phosphorus on each functionalized surface was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High-resolution, soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to evaluate the As and Ga 3d regions of such surfaces. On PEt3 treated surfaces, the Ga 3d spectra exhibited a bulk Ga peak as well as peaks that were shifted to 0.35, 0.92 and 1.86 eV higher binding energy. These peaks were assigned to residual Cl-terminated Ga surface sites, surficial Ga2O and surficial Ga2O3, respectively. For PCl3-treated surfaces, the Ga 3d spectra displayed peaks ascribable to bulk Ga(As), Ga2O, and Ga2O3, as well as a peak shifted 0.30 eV to higher binding energy relative to the bulk signal. A peak corresponding to Ga(OH)3, observed on the Cl-terminated surface, was absent from all of the phosphine-functionalized surfaces. After reaction of the Cl-terminated GaAs(111)A surface with PCl3 or PEt3, the As 3d spectral region was free of As oxides and As0. Although native oxide-terminated GaAs surfaces were free of As oxides after reaction with PCl3, such surfaces contained detectable amounts of As0. Photoluminescence measurements indicted that phosphine-functionalized surfaces prepared from Cl-terminated GaAs(111)A surfaces had better electrical properties than the native-oxide capped GaAs(111)A surface, while the native-oxide covered surface treated with PCl3 showed no enhancement in PL intensity.
Sequelae of botulinum toxin injection.

A total of, 136 injections was given to 83 patients for strabismus (99 injections), blepharospasm (29 injections), and spastic entropion (eight injections). All four patients with entropion experienced temporary benefits and early recurrence; one injection resulted in temporary paralytic ectropion. Two of 13 patients treated for blepharospasm developed transient bilateral blepharoptosis. Temporary and related sequelae of extraocular muscle injection included one periocular hemorrhage, one total ophthalmoplegia, and a 44% incidence (29 of 66 patients) of blepharoptosis, which in two patients lasted more than six months. Within three days of injection one patient developed homolateral acute herpes simplex keratitis and a second died of an acute myocardial infarction. No causal relationship for these events has been established.
Monoterpenes in sitka spruce: Within tree and seasonal variation

Abstract The composition of oils from needles and cortex of Sitka spruce is unique. Cortex oil is essentially all monoterpene hydrocarbons, while needle oil may be up to 50% oxygenated monoterpenes. Very wide seasonal variations in composition occur in needle oil in young tissue. At bud burst, the oil is > 95% myrcene; this drops to about 40% at the end of summer. The oxygenated terpenes camphor and piperitone develop to about 20% each in concentration during the growing season.
Impact of the Use of Produce Grown in an Elementary School Garden on Consumption of Vegetables at School Lunch

Low consumption of fruits and vegetables has been implicated as a factor in the increasing childhood obesity seen over the past 2 decades. The use of school gardens is a relatively new nutrition education strategy that may provide some additional benefit in getting children to consume the recommended amount of vegetables. Previous research into the effectiveness of school gardens has shown that they have positive impacts on children's vegetable preferences, and they can have a positive impact on children's consumption of vegetables at school lunch. However, no research has examined using school garden produce at school lunch to determine whether that tactic would have an additional impact on children's consumption of vegetables at school lunch, so that is the purpose of this study. A quasi-experimental design was used along with cafeteria observations. The results showed that offering garden produce at school lunch had a small positive impact on children's food choices.
Melanocyte Mediated Paracrine Induction of Extracellular Matrix Degrading Proteases in Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells

The expression of extracellular-matrix (ECM)-degrading proteases has been shown to be necessary for invasion of tumor cells into surrounding tissue. For several tumor types, overexpression of these proteases is dependent upon interactions with adjacent fibroblast cell populations. We previously demonstrated activation of matrix metalloprotease (MMP) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPa) expression in a coculture model consisting of squamous cell carcinoma cells (SCC) with dermal fibroblasts. In the present study we have examined whether melanocytes, which are known to interact closely with keratinocytes of the basal epidermal layer, might influence ECM-degrading protease expression in SCC cells as well. Upon coculture of the human SCC cell line II-4 with the nontumorigenic mouse melanocyte cell line Melan-a or treatment of II-4 cells with Melan-a conditioned media, induction of expression of the MMP matrilysin and uPa was observed. In contrast, no induction was observed for stromelysin-1 or 92-kDa type IV collagenase. Matrilysin/uPa-inducing activity was found to act at the level of gene transcription for both matrilysin and uPa and was ubiquitously expressed among six different human melanocytic cell strains/lines, ranging from primary normal melanocytes to cell lines established from metastatic melanoma lesions. These data demonstrate that melanocytic cells can exert a paracrine influence in SCC cells on the expression of specific proteases involved in ECM turnover and tumor invasiveness.
Cesarean delivery rates at the threshold of viability.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess whether the treatment of deliveries at the traditional threshold of viability has become more interventional since the publication of higher survival rates. Study Design: State vital statistic data from 1995 to 2000 were reviewed to identify deliveries at 22 to 25 weeks of gestation with a birth weight of Results: Of 2924 births that met the study criteria, 1005 births (34.4%) were by cesarean delivery. The cesarean delivery rate at 23 weeks rose from 15.9% in 1995 to 28.2% in 2000 ( P =.023). Demographic/obstetric factors did not vary with year of delivery. The neonatal mortality rate remained unchanged. Conclusion: These data suggest an increasingly aggressive approach to deliveries at the threshold of viability, beginning at 23 weeks of gestation. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:873-6.)
A plot design to sequentially harvest early generation selections and its use in evaluating fresh market characteristics of three new cultivars

A plot design was developed to compare changing yield and quality characteristics of early generation selections in our potato breeding program over a 6-wk harvest season. In this design all replicates for one harvest date are located within one row to facilitate harvesting and the variety plot arrangements in adjacent rows are identical to eliminate inter-variety plant competition effects. To illustrate the usefulness of this design, three new fresh market cultivars, Norkotah Russet, HiLite Russet, and Frontier Russet, and a standard commercial cultivar, Norgold Russet, were harvested every 10 to 14 days from late July through early September to measure earliness and optimum time of harvest for each cultivar. Each cultivar was found to have a characteristic maturation pattern. Total and marketable yields and tuber size distribution generally improved in all four cultivars as the harvest season progressed. However, the yield of marketable tubers of Norkotah and Frontier peaked and then decreased later in the season as many tubers became oversized (over 340 gms). Tuber number per plot was a stable attribute and was judged to be the most important factor determining performance of each line. Norkotah and Frontier produced fewer tubers and showed rapid tuber bulking and early production of marketable tubers of preferred sizes. HiLite produced more tubers than the other cultivars so had higher percentages of undersized tubers in late July and early August, but it produced high yields and desirable size distributions in late August and early September. Specific gravities for all three new cultivars decreased during early August, increased in mid-August as plants died, and then declined. HiLite and Frontier had higher solids than Norgold and Norkotah throughout the season.
Multilevel factors influencing preterm birth in an urban setting

Racial disparity in preterm is a major problem in the US. Although significant strides have been made in identifying some of the risk factors, the complexities between community and individual factors are not understood. This study examines the influence of individual and community level factors affecting preterm birth among Black and White women in an urban setting. A 10-year live birth registry dataset from a mid-sized, racially diverse city was analyzed (N = 30,591). Data were geocoded and merged with block group level Census data. Five hierarchical models were examined using PROC GLIMMIX. Education, illicit drug use, pregnancy complications, previous preterm birth, paternal presence, inadequate and adequate plus prenatal care, and poverty were associated with preterm births in both Blacks and Whites. In Black women, increasing maternal age, maternal smoking, and a previous infant death were significant predictors of preterm births, which was not the case for White women. Residing in medium or high pov...
Simulated Single-Molecule FRET Trajectories: A Comparative Analysis Between Three Telomeric G-quadruplexes

The human telomeric DNA sequence d[AGGG(TTAGGG)3] is known to have multiple conformations in vitro. The primary objective of this study is to understand folding and unfolding mechanisms of three human telomeric quadruplexes. Relative stabilities of two quadruplex structures, an anti-parallel and parallel form, were studied using molecular simulations and molecular modeling techniques. A third mixed form which contains the sequence d[TTGGG(TTAGGG)3A], along with the parallel and anti-parallel form was pushed away from its original conformation via a bias command on the sugar-phosphate backbone. It was found that the anti-parallel conformation was the most stable, in that it remained closest to its original conformation. Common characteristics are seen throughout the simulations, particularly stacking near the 3′ end that outlasts the rest of the structure. In an effort to understand the unfolding mechanism or transition state between observed structures, theoretical FRET signals were calculated by analyzing the movement of backbones during simulation. The movement of the backbone in simulations supports published results, namely that similar structures are seen in other studies, and the theoretical FRET signals show similarities to single molecule studies. Clustering by rmsd values shows 7 distinct possible unfolding mechanisms with similarities to published results. A more complete understanding of the stabilizing and destabilizing factors involved in quadruplexes will allow further research into the possible manipulation of the cell cycle and has been cited as an important and promising aspect in the field of cancer research.
A fast algorithm for extrapolation of discrete band-limited signals

A fast algorithm for exact extrapolation of a discrete-time periodic band-limited signal from its known values in an interval having the same length as the bandwidth of the signal is presented. The procedure is a simple autoregression on the time-domain values of the signal, and it is much simpler than previous algorithms for discrete-discrete extrapolation, which required computation of large pseudoinverses. The procedure is highly parallelizable, and the computational savings are especially significant for multidimensional signal extrapolation. Three sample numerical examples are shown: (1) noiseless 1-D extrapolation; (2) noiseless 2-D extrapolation; and (3) band-limited noisy 1-D extrapolation. >
An electromagnetic mirror for neutral atoms

Abstract When light is totally reflected internally at a vacuum-dielectric interface, an atom in the thin transmitted evanescent wave experiences a radiation force. For light tuned above the transition frequency of a two-level atom, this force tends to repel the atom from the dielectric surface; and hence the internally illuminated surface acts as a mirror for slow neutral atoms. This paper presents the first analysis of this atomic reflection process and suggests that the effect can be used to trap slow atoms or to focus a slow atomic beam.
Alternating iteration and elliptic variational inequalities

Free boundary value problems, too complicated for formulation as a variational inequality, are broken up into two problems on overlapping regions. On one region the problem is treated as an ordinary boundary value problem; on the second region, the "free boundary part" of the problem is reduced to a variational inequality. By solving the two problems successively it is shown that under certain conditions the successive solutions converge to a single function that gives a solution of the original problem. Application to a filtration problem is given.
Deposit insurance, bank regulation, and financial system risks

Abstract Empirical evidence is presented to show that in modern times banks can hedge liquidity shocks but could not do so prior to FDIC insurance. However, the government's limitations in properly pricing FDIC insurance are leading to many current examples of moral hazard. A model is presented to show that if insurance premiums are set to be “actuarially fair,” incentives for banks to take excessive systematic risks remain. Motivated by empirical evidence that money market mutual funds also can hedge liquidity shocks, I consider an alternative government insurance system that mitigates distortions to risk-taking yet preserves liquidity hedging and information synergies.
Metabolism of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in mouse brain due to decapitation ischemic insult: effects of acute lithium administration and temporal relationship to diacylglycerols, free fatty acids and energy metabolites

Abstract Previous studies have shown that global cerebral ischemia induced by decapitation leads to the stimulated hydrolysis of poly-phosphoinositides. In this study, the decapitation model was used to further examine the temporal events related to metabolism of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and the release of diacylglycerols (DGs) and free fatty acids (FFAs) in the mouse brain. Since lithium administration is known to inhibit inositol monophosphatase activity in brain, the effects of acute lithium injection on Ins(1,4,5)P3 metabolism were also examined. Cerebral ischemia induced by decapitation of C57 B1/6J mice resulted in transient increases of Ins(1,4,5)P3, Ins(1,4)P2 and Ins(4)P which peaked at 35, 65 and 125 s, respectively. The level of Ins(1)P, however, was not altered. Mice administered lithium by intraperitoneal injection (8 meq/kg for 4 h) gave rise to a 40- and 4-fold increase in levels of Ins(1)P, Ins(4)P, respectively, a 20% increase in levels of Ins(1,4)P2 but no apparent changes in the levels of Ins(1,4,5) P3. Decapitation also induced an increase in the levels of DGs and FFAs. Unlike the transient appearance of Ins(1,4,5)P3, however, DG levels increased steadily for 2 min and then reached a plateau whereas the FFAs showed a lag time of 35 s prior to a biphasic increase. During the initial 2 min after decapitation, there was a preferential increase in the DG species containing 18:0 and 20:4. Lithium administration did not alter the decapitation-induced release of DG and FFA. As expected, decapitation gave rise to a rapid decrese iin the levels of phosphocreatine and ATP and the decline in ATP was marked by a transient appearance of ADP and a concomitant increase in AMP. With the exception of a slight change in the level of phosphocreatine at the 5 s time point, the temporal changes in energy metabolites were not different in mice that were administered lithium.
Calibration of Hirschber Test Photographs under Clinical Conditions

The feasibility of determining the angle of ocular deviation from clinical photographs was assessed. Corneal reflex photographs were obtained from 30 strabismic patients and 5 orthophoric control subjects, using a centered electronic flash, with a millimeter ruler placed across the forehead for calibration. Measurements of corneal reflex displacement were obtained from the photographs and compared with standard prism-cover results. The value of 20.89 prism diopters (PD) per millimeter of corneal reflex displacement was obtained for the factor of conversion from reflex displacement to strabismic angle. This value of the Hirschberg coefficient is valid only for measurements of reflex displacement along a true frontal plane, as provided in a photograph. Detailed algorithms for the calculation of strabismic angle from photographic data are provided in an appendix.
Reductive Cleavage of Aldehydes to Oxo−Alkylidene and Oxo−Alkylidyne Complexes in Their Reactions with W2(OCH2tBu)6(py)2

Aldehydes react with W2(OCH2tBu)6(py)2 to give W2(μ-CHR)(O)(OCH2tBu)6(py) compounds, where R = alkyl or aryl, which, in the presence of excess pyridine, yield W2(μ-CR)(μ-O)(OCH2tBu)5(py)2 compounds and neopentanol. A relative order of rates of reductive cleavage of the CO bond is found to be aryl > alkyl, and for p-X-C6H4CHO, the rates follow the order X = CF3 > H > F > Me > OMe. Four complexes have been structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography: W2(μ-CHcC3H5)(O)(OCH2tBu)6(py), 1; W2(μ-CH(tolyl))−(O)(OCH2tBu)6(py), 2; W2(μ-CcC3H5)(μ-O)(OCH2tBu)5(py)2, 3, and W2(μ-C(p-MeOC6H4))(OCH2tBu)5(py)2, 4. Factors influencing the reductive cleavage of the CO bond are discussed in light of earlier studies of related reactions, and most notably comparisons are made with the development of a molecular alternative to the McMurry reagent.
Affinity of the enantiomers of α- and β-cyclazocine for binding to the phencyclidine and μ opioid receptors

The enantiomers in the {alpha} and {beta} series of cyclazocine were evaluated for their ability to bind to phencyclidine (PCP) and {mu}-opioid receptors in order to determine their receptor selectivity. The affinity of (-)-{beta}-cyclazocine for the PCP receptor was 1.5 greater than PCP itself. In contrast, (-)-{alpha}-cyclazocine, (+)-{alpha}-cyclazocine, and (+)-{beta}-cyclazocine were 3-, 5- and 138-fold less potent than PCP, respectively. Scatchard analysis of saturable binding of ({sup 3}H)Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-N-MePhe-Gly-ol (DAMGO) also exhibited a homogeneous population of binding sites with an apparent K{sub D} of 1.9 nM and an estimated Bmax of 117 pM. (3H)Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-N-MePhe-Gly-ol (DAMGO) binding studies revealed that (-)-{alpha}-cyclazocine (K{sub D} = 0.48 nM) was 31-, 1020- and 12,600-fold more potent than (-)-{beta}-cyclazocine, (+)-{alpha}-cyclazocine and (+)-{beta}-cyclazocine, respectively, for binding to the {mu}-opioid receptor. These data show that, although (-)-{beta}-cyclazocine is a potent PCP receptor ligand consistent with its potent PCP-like discriminative stimulus effects, it shows little selectivity for PCP receptor since it also potently displaces {mu}-opioid binding. However, these cyclazocine isomers, due to their extraordinary degree of stereoselectivity, may be useful in characterizing the structural requirements for benzomorphans having activity at the PCP receptor.
Propagation and extinction of benzene and alkylated benzene flames

Abstract Laminar flame speeds and extinction strain rates of benzene, n -propylbenzene, toluene, o -, m -, and p -xylene, and 1,2,4- and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene flames were studied experimentally in the counterflow configuration under atmospheric pressure and at the elevated temperature of 353 K for the unreacted fuel-containing stream. The experimental data revealed that the aromatic fuel structure plays a critical role on flame propagation, with the laminar flame speed decreasing with an increase in methylation of benzene. Numerical simulations suggest that the aromatics flames are highly sensitive to fuel-specific chemistry and more specifically to the reaction kinetics of the first few intermediates in the oxidation process following the fuel consumption, and that the different flame propagation speeds relate strongly to radical–radical termination facilitated by benzyl or benzyl-like intermediates. The tendencies of stretch-induced extinction of non-premixed flames was found to follow a trend that is identical to the laminar flame speed, but the extinction data revealed a more discriminative effect arising from fuel-structure differences. Comparisons between kinetic model predictions and experimental data showed that there exist significant discrepancies among these models and uncertainties in the oxidation and pyrolysis kinetics of one-ring aromatics.
The interiors plant shutdown: Using dialectic inquiry in a complex ethical decision

The experiential exercise presented here, using a dialectic process similar to that found within Strategic Assumption Surfacing and Testing (SAST), developed by Mason and Mitroff, offers graduate and undergraduate management students the opportunity to study a contemporary ethical problem in a new way. The ethical issues of a plant closedown presented in this exercise are very complex and involve fact, human passion and emotion, issues of aesthetics, and morality. The goal is not only to introduce the dialectic method but also to provide students with a very clear understanding of the way that their own biases serve to filter information and to bypass necessary questions and testing of assumptions.
Blood plasma proteins in fetal goats and sheep.

SummaryElectrophoretic separation of fetal and maternal plasma proteins in goats and sheep revealed that the fetal plasma lacks γ-globulins and exhibits an additional peak in the area of α1-globulins. This peak probably corresponds to fetuin. Quantitative conditions of fetal plasma proteins seem to depend largely on age of the fetus. In goats, the percentage of total plasma proteins and of plasma albumin increases; percentage of fetuin decreases with the progressing age of the fetus. The remaining plasma proteins do not seem to be affected. In fetal sheep the percentages of total plasma proteins, plasma albumin and probably of β-globulins increase; levels of fetuin and α1-globulins decrease with age. The percentage of α2-globulins remains unaffected.
Human-computer interaction research at the University of Illinois (lab review)

The Engineering Psychology program at the University of Illinois is interdisciplinary in nature and involves the participation of faculty members, undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students from the Department of Psychology, Department of Industrial Engineering, the Institute of Aviation, and the Beckman Institute. While the interests of the faculty members and the students run the gamut from nuts and bolts ergonomics to the design of intelligent systems there are two topics, the design of displays and the acquisition of perceptual-motor and cognitive skills, which serve as a unifying focus of research in Human-Computer Interaction.The examination of issues in display design and skill acquisition ranges from basic research on visual psychophysics and automatization to applied research and design projects on aviation displays and computer-based tutorials. Three laboratories within the Engineering Psychology program contribute to these research efforts: the Visual Information Processing laboratory, the Human-Computer Interaction laboratory, and the Aviation Research laboratory. In the description that follows we will indicate the mission of each of these laboratories and the manner in which they contribute to the interdisciplinary research programs on displays and skill acquisition.The core faculty members conducting Human-Computer Interaction research within the interdisciplinary Engineering Psychology program include: John Andersen (Psychology)John Flach (Engineering)Arthur Kramer (Psychology)Gavan Lintern (Aviation)George McConkie (Psychology)Neville Moray (Engineering)Penelope Sanderson (Engineering)Alan Stokes (Aviation)Brian Ross (Psychology)Christopher Wickens (Aviation)
Bipolaron lattice formation at metal-polymer interfaces.

We describe a model for metal-polymer interfaces based on the nondegenerate continuum model of Brazovskii and Kirova for the electronic properties of polymers. The correct analytic equations for a bipolaron lattice in this model are stated and the electronic properties of the bulk polymer, i.e., the energy-level structure, the energy density, and the chemical potential as a function of electron density are obtained numerically. We find that the bipolaron lattice is unstable at high densities when the intrinsic gap parameter exceeds a critical fraction of the total energy gap. The electronic properties of the bulk polymer are used for modeling the metal-polymer interface. The charge density near a metal-polymer interface is found from the electrostatic potential and an analytic expression for the bipolaron chemical potential assuming that the contact is in equilibrium with the polymer layer. Poisson's equation is integrated to determine the electrostatic potential. We find that a large charge density is transferred into the polymer layer if the Fermi level of the metal contact is higher than the negative bipolaron formation energy per particle or lower than the positive bipolaron formation energy per particle. The transferred charge lies very close to the metal-polymer interface as a bipolaron lattice with charge density progressively decreasing away from the interface.The transferred charge gives rise to a region of rapid ``band bending,'' pins the Fermi level, and establishes the effective Schottky energy barrier. Upon increasing the metal Fermi level above the bipolaron formation energy per particle, the effective Schottky barrier saturates at the energy difference between the polaron formation energy and the bipolaron formation energy per particle. The model results are useful in interpreting recent measurements of internal photoemission, device electroabsorption, and capacitance-voltage characteristics in polymer light-emitting diodes. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Treating a woman who believes she has bugs under her skin.

Dr. Munro, this month's guest expert, is professor and head of the department of psychiatry at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has the widest experience of any psychiatrist in diagnosing and treating delusional disorders.
Applications of Optical Interferometer Techniques for Precision Measurements of Changes in Temperature, Growth and Refractive Index of Materials

Optical metrology techniques used to measure changes in thickness; temperature and refractive index are surveyed. Optical heterodyne detection principle and its applications for precision measurements of changes in thickness and temperature are discussed. Theoretical formulations are developed to estimate crystal growth rate, surface roughness and laser cooling/heating of solids. Applications of Michelson and Mach-Zehnder interferometers to measure temperature changes in laser heating of solids are described. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer is used to measure refractive index and concentration variations of solutions in crystal growth experiments. Additionally, fluorescence lifetime sensing and fluorescence ratio method are described for temperature measurement. For all the above techniques, uncertainty calculations are included.
Status update: high school CS internationally

Many countries are engaged in efforts to revamp their high school computer science curricula. This paper touches briefly on the state of affairs with high school CS in Canada, Israel, India, and New Zealand. Each country has different issues to address in implementing a concepts-rich high school computer science curriculum. The paper then reviews the recent report from the United Kingdom, Shut Down or Restart? The Way Forward for Computing in the UK Schools.
Influences of ultra‐violet (UV)‐blue light radiation on the growth of cotton. II. Photosynthesis, leaf anatomy, and iron reduction

Abstract Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants grown under low pressure sodium lamps (LPS) developed chlorosis which was similar in appearance to iron‐stress induced chlorosis, while plants under cool white fluorescent lamps (CWF) at the same level of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) developed normally. These illumination sources differ in spectral irradiance; CWF lamps emit ultra violet (UV), whereas LPS lamps do not. Ultraviolet radiation is capable of reducing Fe3+ to Fe2+ through a chlorotic leaf which may be important in establishing an active iron fraction in the leaf. Root reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ was lacking in Fe‐stressed cotton under LPS light, but was present under CWF light. Net photosynthesis, photosynthetic electron transport, and leaf chlorophyll content were lower under LPS than CWF light in most of the growing media studies (soil or solutions with nitrate‐ or ammonium‐nitrogen supplied). Chloroplast ultrastructure and leaf thickness were also altered by LPS irradiance. Electron ...
How does studying schizotypal personality disorder inform us about the prodrome of schizophrenia

An increasing emphasis in the schizophrenia literature has been on the prodromal phase of the illness. The study of schizophrenia spectrum illness, including schizotypal personality disorder, has added important insight into the etiology, neuropathology, and treatment of schizophrenia, which can facilitate early identification, intervention, and perhaps prevention of the illness. The heterogeneity of the schizophrenia spectrum makes its definition elusive at best. The primary aim of the Cognitive Assessment and Risk Evaluation Program at the authors' institution is to combine the current knowledge of clinical and demographic risk factors for schizophrenia with the rapidly emerging data on vulnerability markers, or endophenotypes, that are associated with schizophrenia. The use of brain-based vulnerability markers may help to identify neurobiologically and clinically meaningful subgroups within this heterogeneous population of individuals in the early stages of schizophrenia. Another important aim of the Cognitive Assessment and Risk Evaluation program is to thoroughly assess those individuals who have not converted to psychosis to understand potential protective factors, reduce the rate of false positives, and decrease disability. The current review details a strategy for researching the schizophrenia prodrome by using information gained from research in schizotypal personality disorder.
The role of accounting conservatism in management forecast bias

Abstract We investigate whether management earnings forecasts fully incorporate information in historical accounting conservatism. We find that management earnings forecasts are more optimistic for firms with greater accounting conservatism in the previous year. We further examine whether this conservatism-related optimistic bias in management earnings forecasts varies with managers’ difficulty predicting earnings accurately, managers’ opportunistic incentives, and the firms’ litigation risk. We find that the negative association between management forecast errors and conservatism increases, to various extent, with the firms’ operating cycles, earnings volatility, and the width of forecast range but does not change with proxies for opportunistic incentives or litigation risk. These results suggest that forecast difficulty is the primary reason for managers’ failure to incorporate conservatism fully in their earnings forecasts.
A Simple Analytical Formulation of the Dancoff Correction

The Dancoff correction to the surface term of a resonance integral has hitherto required tedious numerical evaluation of a double integral in cylindrical geometry. A recognition of the functional d...
Evaluation of Diffusion-weighted MR Imaging for Detection of Bowel Inflammation in Patients with Crohn's Disease

Rationale and Objectives The aims of this study were to determine the feasibility of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) in the detection of bowel inflammation and to investigate the changes in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the inflamed bowel in patients with Crohn's disease. Materials and Methods Eleven patients who underwent magnetic resonance enterography (including DWI) for Crohn's disease and colonoscopy or surgery within 4 weeks of examination were recruited. Two radiologists reviewed diffusion-weighted images and ADC maps to evaluate for inflammation in each bowel segment (terminal ileum, cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and rectosigmoid colon) and measured the ADC values of each bowel segment. Endoscopic and pathologic results were correlated with DWI findings. Results Fifty-three segments (19 with inflammation, 34 normal) were included. DWI detected inflammation in 18 of 19 segments (94.7%) and showed normal results in 28 of 34 segments (82.4%). On diffusion-weighted images, bowel segments with inflammation revealed higher signal compared to normal segments. Artifact levels were none or minimal in 10 of 11 patients (90.9%) and moderate in one patient. On quantitative analysis, ADC values of inflamed and normal bowel were measured as 0.47 − 2.60 × 10−3 and 1.39 − 4.03 × 10−3 mm2/s, respectively (P Conclusion DWI with parallel imaging is a feasible technique for the detection of inflammation in patients with Crohn's disease. ADC values are decreased in inflamed bowel segments, indicating restricted diffusion.
Characterization of liquid-metal Galinstan® for droplet applications

We report our characterization of nontoxic liquid-metal alloy Galinstan® on its potential for substituting mercury droplets in miniature devices. To combat the super fast oxidation, which has been hindering the studies of Galinstan® our entire experiments are performed in a nitrogen-filled glove box. Galinstan® droplets are found to behave like a true liquid, indicating a good liquid-air interface, only if the oxygen traces stay below 1 ppm. Surface tension of Galinstan® is measured to be 534.6±±10.7 mN/m in nitrogen at 28°C using a pendant drop method. Advancing/receding contact angles on glass and Teflon surfaces are found to be 146.8°/121.5° and 161.2°/144.4°, respectively. The electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) mechanism of Galinstan® is also demonstrated.
Juvenile xanthogranuloma: Non-X histiocytosis with systemic involvement

Two patients with different patterns of soft tissue and bone involvement demonstrate the variability of extracutaneous manifestations of juvenile xanthogranuloma, a non-X histiocytosis, better known to dermatologists than to radiologists.
RBS and XPS analyses of phosphor packages for laser-heat thermoluminescence dosimetry

Phosphor packages for a laser-heat thermoluminescence radiation-dosimetry system have been analyzed with Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Samples consist of 20--50 {mu}m diameter powder grains of CaSO{sub 4}:Tm and LiF:(Mg,Ti) phosphor embedded in a transparent silicone matrix about 60 {mu}m thick. Our principal finding with regard to layer morphology indicates an inhomogeneous outer layer of areal density at least {similar to}300 {mu}g/cm{sup 2} depleted of phosphor and contaminated with boron.
TERRAscope and CUBE Project at Caltech

The TERRAscope project of the California Institute of Technology began in 1988 and now has six very broadband seismic stations (PAS, GSC, PFO, SBC, ISA, and SVD) in southern California (Figure 1). The goal of TERRAscope is to provide high-quality broadband data needed for significant advances in both regional and global seismology. TERRAscope will replace the old Caltech seismographic network in southern California, which dates back to the 1920s. In many cases, new stations are deployed in cooperation with local institutions. The goal is to encourage involvement of both students and researchers in the operation of the stations and analysis of new data. The station PAS is a joint project between Caltech, the University of Southern California, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). The station SBC was deployed in cooperation with the University of California at Santa Barbara. The station PFO is operated jointly with the University of California at San Diego, and the station SVD was installed and is operated by the USGS. Except for SVD, all of the stations are equipped with a broadband Streckeisen STS-1 seismometer and Quanterra data logger with a 24-bit digitizer and a Kinemetrics FBA-23 strong-motion sensor. The station SVD has a Streckeisen STS-2 seismometer and a Guralp CMG-5 accelerograph. The project is funded mainly by grants from the L. K. Whittier Foundation and the Arco Foundation. In addition to the automatic dial-up data retrieving system called Caltech Gopher (adapted from the IRIS Gopher system) has been implemented. The Caltech Gopher receives mail from NEIC for teleseisms and the SCSN with origin time, location, and magnitude for regional events. The Gopher retrieves data from all six TERRAscope stations for these events. The TERRAscope data reside in an FTP anonymous account (seismo.gps.caltech.edu; password: “your e-mail address”) at the Caltech Seismological Laboratory, and are available to users through Internet. Usually the data are available within 30 minutes after a regional event and several hours after a teleseism. In the near future a new version of the Gopher software will be installed, which will also make some of the Gopher data available directly from the IRIS-DMC Gopher. When the Data Center of the Southern California Earthquake Center begins full operation in early 1992, it will take over the distribution of earthquake data from southern California, including both TERRAscope Gopher data and continuous data from the tape cartridges. The data will also be available from IRIS-DMC, and future improvements and changes in data access will be posted on the IRIS-DMC bulletin board.
New Energetic Polynitro Cyclic Esters: Ammonium, Hydrazinium, and Hydroxylammonim Salts of Polynitramines

Reaction of 2,2-dinitro-1,3-propanediol (1) with oxalyl dichloride or malonyl dichloride in refluxing ether led to the formation of cyclic dinitro-containing esters (2, 3) in very good yields. Compounds 2 and 3 were also isolated in similar yields by the treatment of 1 with oxalic acid or malonic acid in trifluoroacetic anhydride at room temperature. Nitration of 3 with fuming nitric acid resulted in the corresponding trinitro cyclic ester 4 in 70 % isolated yield. Treatment of 1 with a large excess of methanolic ammonia gave impure 2,2-dinitro-1,3-diaminopropane (5). Polynitraamines, 7 and 11, were treated with aqueous ammonia, hydrazine monohydrate or hydroxylamine in methanol at room temperature to obtain their corresponding salts 8–10 and 12–14, respectively, in excellent isolated yields. All new compounds were characterized by IR, NMR spectroscopy (1H, 13C, 15N), DSC, and elemental analysis. Their energetic properties, such as impact sensitivity, detonation velocity, and detonation pressure were also determined and compared with existing energetic compounds, such as PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate), RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane), and TNT (trinitrotoluene).
CONCERNING CICADELLA HIEROGLYPHICA VAR. DOLOBRATA BALL (HOMOPTERA, CICADELLIDAE)

This variety of C. hieroglyphica was described by Ball ( I ) as follows: “Somewhat smaller than the preceding. Shining black, a few of the white markings of the typical form persisting, as follows : the margins of the clypeds, the genae, a line below the margin of the pronotum, the circle around the apex of head, a line against the eye, and the marking of the scutellum. Often there is part of a median line on vertex and a pair of slender lines running from the inner corner of the eye back across the pronotum to the light margined claval suture.”