cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Limit theorems for random evolutions with explicit error estimates

We think of x (t, y) as the position of a particle at time t when its velocity is v (t). The process x (t, y) is the simplest example of a random evolution: one-dimensional motion at a constant but random velocity determined by the state of the Markov chain associated with v(t). We denote by P(y,~i){" }, Y real, v~sA, the probability laws of the joint process (x (t, y), v (t)), where v (0)= v/. E(y, v,) will denote integration with respect to P(y, v~). The purpose of this paper is to prove the following two theorems, which correspond respectively to the weak law of large numbers and the central limit theorem for x (t).
The enzymic resolution of β-methylaspartic acid with acylase II

Abstract β-Methylaspartic acid was synthesized by a modification of Dakin's procedure. Apparently only one of the two possible diastereomeric racemates was obtained. The resolution of acetyl- dl -β-methylaspartic acid by renal acylase II at pH 8 in the presence of Co 2+ gives the l - and d -isomers of the amino acid i n good yield, and with equal and opposite rotation values.
Response to Letter by Verdolin

Dear Editor, Dr. Verdolin has raised a series of interesting issues related to intrathecal opioids. On one point, I certainly agree with him: the costs and safety of mixtures compounded by external pharmacies should result in the elimination of this method of treating …
Support Seeking in Personal Relationships

This paper introduces a new model of interactive support seeking and describes a study derived from it. Task vs relationship type of problem and gender of support seeker were examined for their effect on the selection of same-sex vs opposite-sex friends to provide social support. Male and female undergraduates were asked to vividly imagine each of two task and two relationship problems and to indicate for each problem the friend to whom they would prefer to talk. Participants were also asked to anticipate the specific interactive coping behaviors that their same-and opposite-sex friends would offer in response to each problem. We found that both males and females preferred to talk to their same-sex friends rather than their opposite-sex friends about both relationship and task problems. Yet males indicated that they would rather talk about task than relationship issues with their male friends and expected the male friends to use more dismiss behaviors in response to a relationship problem. Females expecte...
Phosphomonoesterase activity in hepatic tissues of the mouse.

Abstract 1. 1. Accurate quantitative methods for the assay of phosphomonoesterase activity at pH 5.5 and 9.2 within fresh liver homogenates were presented using phenylphosphate as the substrate. 2. 2. The levels of phosphomonoesterase activity at pH 5.5 and 9.2 were determined for normal adult and regenerating hepatic tissues of the mouse. Although increases in phosphomonoesterase activity were found at pH 9.2 within the regenerating tissues, little differences were observed in enzyme levels at pH 5.5. 3. 3. Centrifugation techniques were incorporated to investigate the relative distribution of phosphomonoesterase activity at both pH 5.5 and 9.2 within normal and regenerating hepatic tissues of the mouse. All separated fractions from normal adult mouse liver were found to contain phosphomonoesterase active at pH 5.5 and 9.2. Enzyme active at pH 5.5 appeared to be concentrated within the submicroscopic or microsomal fraction. Little concentration of enzyme active at pH 9.2 was found within any of the sedimented fractions of normal mouse liver; however, a concentration of this enzyme was present within the nuclear fractions isolated from regenerating liver. Extensive extraction of enzyme active at pH 9.2 from particulate components was suspected. 4. 4. Differences in inactivation rates, sedimentability and relative alterations within regenerating liver were found between phosphomonoesterase active at pH 5.5 and 9.2 suggesting the presence of separate enzymes acting at these hydrogen ion concentrations.
Localization of Nitric Oxide Synthase I and III and the α1 Subunit of Soluble Guanylate Cyclase (sGC) in the Pulmonary Vasculature of Normal and Hypertensive Fetal Lambs

Localization of Nitric Oxide Synthase I and III and the α1 Subunit of Soluble Guanylate Cyclase (sGC) in the Pulmonary Vasculature of Normal and Hypertensive Fetal Lambs
A closed economy with exogenous uncertainty, different levels of information, money, futures and spot markets

AMoney Game is a model of trade (and production) in which there is a distinguished commodity (real or fiat) which is used as a money; and in which complete rules for the formation of price, as a result of individual strategies, are given.
Indomethacin decreases both prolactin binding and membrane fluidity of ventral and dorso-lateral lobes of rat prostate gland.

The objective of these studies was to examine the effects of in vivo treatment with indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor, on prolactin binding activity and fluidity in membrane preparations of rat prostate gland. Adult male rats were treated with vehicle or either of two doses of indomethacin (3.8 μg/g body weight or 7.5 μg/g body weight) every 8 hr for 1, 2, and 3 days. Indomethacin treatment decreased prolactin binding in rat ventral and dorso-lateral lobes of prostate gland in a time and dose-dependent fashion. In ventral prostate membranes the higher dose of indomethacin decreased prolactin binding by approximately 80% after 3 days of treatment. Prolactin binding to membrane preparations from dorso-lateral prostate gland of control animals was 10% of that observed for ventral prostate and decreased to undetectable levels within 24–48 hr after the start of indomethacin treatment. Scatchard analysis of the prolactin binding of ventral prostate indicated that indomethacin treatment decreased the number of prolactin binding sites rather than the apparent affinity constant. Prostatic membrane fluidity was measured by a fluorescence polarization technique. Dorso-lateral prostate membrane preparations were found to have a higher membrane fluidity than those observed for ventral prostate membranes. The effects of indomethacin on membrane fluidity paralleled that of prolactin binding. Both ventral and dorso-lateral prostatic membrane fluidity decreased after indomethacin treatment in a time and dose-dependent manner. These simultaneous effects of indomethacin on prostatic prolactin binding and fluidity suggest that these phenomena are interrelated and that prostaglandins are involved in the maintenance of prolactin receptors in vivo.
Intensity distribution due to a partially coherent field and the Collett-Wolf equivalence theorem in the Fresnel zone

Abstract An expression is derived for the intensity distribution due to a partially coherent field at a distance satisfying the Fresnel approximation. The Collet-Wolf equivalence theorem, which provides conditions under which sources of different states of coherence generate the same intensity distribution in the far zone, is examined in the Fresnel zone.
Interspecific Competition between Root-Feeding and Leaf-Galling Aphids Mediated by Host-Plant Resistance

While the competitive interactions of herbivores are often debated, rarely have the resistance traits of their host plants been considered as an important factor that might determine the outcome of an interaction. In the study reported here, host-mediated interactions were explored for two aphid species that feed on plants of the genus Cheno- podium. Pemphigus betae feeds underground on roots, while Hayhurstia atriplicis feeds aboveground where it forms leaf galls. Although they never encountered one another directly, these two aphid species shared a common resource, the phloem sap of their host. We examined the effects of each of these herbivore species on their host plants and on one another through several garden and growth chamber experiments. Four major results emerged. First, the root-feeding aphid P. betae had no significant effects on its hosts. In contrast, leaf galling by H. atriplicis reduced overall host mass by an average of 54% and seed set by an average of 60%. Second, competitive interactions between the herbivore species depended on the level of host resistance to leaf galling by H. atriplicis. On susceptible plants, leaf-galling colonies of H. atriplicis reduced P. betae numbers by an average of 9 1%, often eliminating the root feeders entirely. In contrast, on plants resistant to galling, H. atriplic is were smaller and did not affect P. betae infesting roots of the same hosts. Third, the interaction was asymmetrical; although H. atriplicis had a strong negative effect on P. betae, the latter showed no measurable effects on H. atriplicis. Censuses indicated that the strong negative effects of H. atriplicis on P. betae, as found in the growth chamber and garden experiments, also take place naturally in the field. Fourth, although one might expect plants resistant to one aphid species to be resistant to other aphids also, resistance to leaf-galling aphids is not correlated with resistance to root-feeding aphids in this system.
Addition of Thianthrene Cation Radical to Cycloalkenes. An Unexpected Monoadduct.

Whereas the addition of thianthrene cation radical perchlorate (Th•+ClO4-) to cyclohexene gives a bisadduct, namely, trans-1,2-bis(5-thianthreniumyl)cyclohexane diperchlorate (1), and additon to other alkenes and alkynes also gives trans-bisadducts, addition to cyclooctene gave only a cis-monoadduct, namely, 1,2-(5,10-thianthreniumdiyl)cyclooctane diperchlorate (2a). Similar monoadducts 2b−d were obtained from the addition of Th•+BF4-, Th•+SbF6-, and Th•+PF6- to cyclooctene. The structure of the monoadduct was deduced from its 1H and 13C NMR spectra, from the stoichiometry of its formation, and from the stoichiometry of its reaction with NaSPh, which gave equimolar amounts of cyclooctene, thianthrene, and diphenyl disulfide. The structure was confirmed with X-ray crystallography. Addition of Th•+ salts to cyclopentene and cycloheptene gave mixtures of mono- and bisadducts. The bisadduct of Th•+SbF6- to cyclopentene, separated from the small amount of monoadduct by crystallization, was shown with X-ray cry...
A pilot study of bibliotherapy to reduce alcohol problems among patients in a hospital trauma center

Because alcohol use plays a major role in many injuries that require hospital care, there is increasing interest in developing interventions to address alcohol problems among emergency department and trauma center patients. The aim of the current study was to extend past research on brief interventions by investigating the use of a self-help manual to treat problem drinkers in a hospital trauma center. Forty injured patients who were either intoxicated at the time of injury or screened positive for harmful drinking were randomly assigned to receive either a brief assessment and a self-help booklet with no more than 5 minutes clinician contact (bibliotherapy) or brief assessment only. Follow-up data obtained five months after hospital discharge indicated that patients in both conditions made significant reductions in drinking and associated negative consequences. There was a trend toward further treatment-seeking among those in the bibliotherapy condition (40% versus 13%). Results suggest that the provisio...
An examination of the relationships between select nature of work characteristics and organizational commitment of IT professionals

One of the problems faced by IT managers in periods of prosperity and economic constraint is turnover. The effects of turnover, especially in times of growth, include escalating hiring and training costs. In more challenging economic times, turnover of key employees can jeopardize organizational sustenance. IT professionals' level of commitment to the organization is important in minimizing turnover. This study explores the nature of work context within the IT context and asserts that nature of work as contextually specified contributes to an IT professional's commitment to the organization. Nature of work in the IT context is expressed as core job characteristics, the level of group cohesion, and the level of role stress. IT managers and organizations can use this information to guide project assignment job decisions and improve job and work design to increase organizational commitment and ultimately to increase retention.
Studies of molecular relaxation of poly(propylene oxide) solutions by dielectric relaxation and brillouin scattering

Dielectric relaxation and Brillouin scattering are jointly used in studying molecular relaxation in poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) and its solutions in methylcyclohexane. The dielectric method was applied to the more concentrated (100%, 80%, 60%, by volume) solutions over a wide temperature and frequency range (30 Hz to 8 GHz) in order that the variation in activation energy characteristic of a glass-forming substance could be delineated. The present work extends previous work on the undiluted polymer to higher frequencies so that range of 12 decades in the dielectric loss maximum fmax as a function of temperature is now available. The “Antoine” equation is found to represent the behavior of log fmax, of the bulk concentrated solutions very well. The more dilute (40%, 20%) solutions were studied only in the high-frequency (GHz) region since phase separation occurred at low temperatures. Both the temperature and dilution effects were interpreted in terms of free-volume theory. Brillouin scattering spectra were obtained at several scattering angles and a wide range of temperatures. A maximum in the curve of hypersonic attenuation versus temperature was observed in each polymer solution. The attenuation maximum shifts toward lower temperature upon dilution, in agreement with the dielectric relaxation result. The Brillouin scattering follows different activation parameters and evidences a more rapid process than does the dielectric relaxation. It is speculated that it monitors a secondary or subglass relaxation, due perhaps, to damped torsional oscillations.
A method of generating objective functions for probability estimation

Abstract Multi-Layer Neural Networks (MLNNs) have been known to be used to model the statistical properties of their training data. Several authors have shown that, depending on the objective function chosen, MLNNs estimate the posterior class probabilities of their inputs, provided the network is trained with binary desired outputs. It has recently been shown that conditions exist that define a general class of objective functions which provide probability estimates. This paper introduces a method of generating such objective functions. This generator is simple to use, and so far has been found to be universally applicable. Known objective functions, which include the mean-squared error (MSE) and the cross entropy (CE) measure, are generated here as examples of its application. To demonstrate the potential of this method a new objective function is derived and discussed. This work provides practising engineers with an explicit method for generating objective functions that could be used in their classification applications.
Glucagon regulation of energy metabolism.

Abstract Glucagon has long been known as a counter-regulatory hormone to insulin of fundamental importance to glucose homeostasis. Its prominent ability to stimulate glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, has historically cast this peptide as one hormone where the metabolic consequences of increasing blood glucose levels, especially in obesity, are viewed largely as being deleterious. This perspective may be changing in light of emerging data and reconsideration of historic studies, which suggest that glucagon has beneficial effects on body fat mass, food intake, and energy expenditure. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of glucagon-mediated body weight regulation as well as possible novel therapeutic approaches in the treatment of obesity and glucose intolerance that may arise from these findings. The paper represents an invited review by a symposium, award winner or keynote speaker at the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior [SSIB] Annual Meeting in Portland, July 2009.
Calculating Dislocation Spacings in Pile-Ups at Grain Boundaries

Dislocation pile-ups near planar grain boundaries have been analyzed employing full anisotropic elastic solutions, single-crystal anisotropic approximations, and isotropic approximations. The calculations were performed for a series of iron-silicon bicrystal configurations and results from the various methods compared. Three of the bicrystal/slip system combinations exhibited repulsive image forces, allowing elastically self-consistent position calculations. Based on these results, either linear elastic or nonlinear effects can dominate the behavior of these pile-ups, depending on specific boundary conditions.
Physicians pursuing the humanities: Benefits and barriers

We surveyed selected physician members of the Society for Health and Human Values (SHHV) to study the benefits and problems of combining a medical career with a strong scholarly interest in the humanities. The 19 usable narrative responses characterized major benefits as experiential base and teaching opportunities. Barriers were numerous and fell under the general headings of: lack of time; lack of institutional rewards; lack of money for research and scholarship; lack of support from humanities peers; lack of suport from medical colleagues; personal financial sacrifice; and lack of training. Some respondents offered creative solutions to these problems, including assertive negotiation of a job description, identification of helpful mentors, and various networking and administrative strategies. The survey results, while preliminary, suggest ways in which SHHV can assist clinicians who wish to develop a serious commitment to humanities study and teaching.
Concerning Derek Freeman's Comment on Holmes's Quest for the Real Samoa

I believe that the so-called "Mead/Freeman controversy" has already taken more of my time and effort than it is worth, but I feel that I must respond to the numerous half-truths and fantasies about my research activities and findings in Samoa to be found in Derek Freeman's "Comment on Holmes's Quest for the Real Samoa" (AA 89:930-935, 1987). The comment, of course, represents still another example of Freeman's ongoing demands for editorial control. It is interesting to note that Freeman's comment on my book is roughly five and one-half times longer than its review by Paul Shankman in the June 1987 issue of American Anthropologist (89[2]:498-499, 1987). Since I am still alive and able to respond (an advantage not enjoyed by Margaret Mead) I would like to present the following corrections to Freeman's claims.
Integrated circuit neural networks using ferroelectric analog memory

The application of ferroelectric thin-film capacitors as synapses in integrated circuit implementation of artificial neural networks is described. A continuous-valued synapse where the synaptic efficacy is controlled by the polarization of a ferroelectric capacitor element is presented. The ferroelectric analog synapse utilizes nondestructive readout. A ferroelectric capacitor circuit model has been added to the SPICE circuit simulation program and is complete with respect to current vs. time, polarization, and current vs. voltage responses. The simulated response in characterization circuits is shown to closely model that of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin-film capacitors. Simulation and experimental results show the proposed synapse circuit to possess a number of favorable characteristics, including very infrequent refresh and fine programming granularity. >
Cynicism and job satisfaction in policing: Muddying the waters

Since Niederhoffer’s (1969) pioneering work, police cynicism has been a staple in research on police officers and police work, various typologies of police officers and definitions of the police subculture or police personality rely to a greater or lesser degree on conceptions of cynicism and suspicion. More recent research has questioned both the validity of measures of cynicism and typologies of police officers. The present study examines the link between cynicism and job satisfaction which is implicit in the literature. Findings indicate not only that these two factors are correlated, but also that relationships reported between cynicism and other factors in policing are mirrored by correlations between those factors and a measure of job satisfaction. The question which arises is, to what degree are correlations reported in the literature spurious, resulting not from cynicism, as was thought, but from a more generic measure of job satisfaction?
Observational study of consumer role and awareness in checking medications

ISSUE: Medication errors are the single most common type of adverse event. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices reported in 2002 that one out of every 20 prescriptions filled in a pharmacy has an error. While many hospitals and pharmacies are trying to reduce the prevalence of medication errors in a variety of ways, consumers must take an active role in protecting themselves from potential errors of this kind. Therefore, we evaluated how actively involved consumers are in protecting themselves against medication errors by observing their behavior when picking up prescriptions. PROJECT: Observed all individuals who came to pick up a prescription at a specific selection of pharmacies in and around an urban academic institution. By blending into the waiting area, we noted a selection of characteristics about each consumer including: gender, age, race, whether the consumer looked in his medicine bag during the time in which he was visible to us, whether the consumer asked questions of the pharmacist, whether the pharmacist asked the consumer if he had any questions, and whether there were any other significant, distinguishing characteristics about each interaction. RESULTS: The sample size for this study consisted of 220 observed interactions. Fourteen percent (14%) of observed consumers looked in their medicine bags before leaving the pharmacy, and 18% of observed consumers asked medication questions of their pharmacist. Some pharmacists were better than others about actively asking consumers if they had any questions about their medication. Overall, 23% of observed pharmacists asked the consumers if they had any questions about their medication. Other factors such as workload and the number of other pharmacists available influenced whether or not the pharmacists engaged with the consumers and whether or not the consumers had a chance to ask questions. LESSONS LEARNED: The majority of observed consumers did not play an active role in preventing medication errors, suggesting a need for a new, more active protocol to get the average consumer more interested in their own healthcare. A simple reminder poster or card on the counter where the interaction between the pharmacist and consumer takes place may decrease medication errors.
Wavelet-based restoration with tunable parameter

This paper demonstrates result of wavelet-based restoration for scenes with pixel-scale features, where noise amplification is controlled using a tunable parameter. The image acquisition model is chosen based on the so-called C/D/C system model that accounts for system blur, for the effects of aliasing, and for additive noise. By way of wavelet domain modeling, both the image acquisition kernel and the representations, of scenes an image become discrete. Consequently, the image acquisition kernel and the representations of scenes and images become discrete. Consequently, the image restoration problem is formed as a discrete least squares problem in the wavelet domain. The treatment of noise is real to the singular values of the image acquisition kernel. Pixel-scale features can be restored exactly in the absence of noise, and result are similar in the presence of noise, except for some noise- amplification and truncation artifacts. We devise an automated empirical procedure that provides a choice of the restoration parameters which conservatively avoids noise- amplification. This paper extends work in wavelet-based restoration, and builds on research in C/D/C model-based restoration.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Well recognised but still overlooked: norepinephrine extravasation.

A 46-year-old man was transferred from an outside hospital for evaluation of acute renal failure and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. During his initial presentation at the outside hospital, the patient was profoundly hypotensive with signs of respiratory failure. Owing to the perceived urgency, he was started on norepinephrine for haemodynamic support through a peripheral intravenous line. Following the resolution of haemodynamic instability, the patient was noted …
How To Avoid Mis‐Reiding Hume's Maxim Of Conceivability

In his Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, Thomas Reid offers a barrage of objections to the view, held by David Hume, that conceivability implies possibility. In this paper, I present Reid's first two objections to the ‘maxim of conceivability’ and defend Hume from them. The first objection concerns our ability to understand impossible claims, while the second concerns thoughts about impossible claims (such as, for instance, the thought that they are impossible). Reid's objections have special force against Hume because of his commitment to analyse all operations of the understanding in terms of conception. I argue that these objections fail, on the grounds that they presuppose substantive views about language which we are not warranted in attributing to Hume. Ultimately, Reid's objections help us draw out a set of intertwined issues about the language-mind relationship in Hume.
Changes in frequency–size relationship from small to large earthquakes

THE constant 'b value' observed in frequency–magnitude distributions of earthquakes has been taken as an indication of self-similarity at all magnitudes. Hence, earthquake properties should scale uniformly in the same way from small to large earthquakes. It has often been observed, however, that the seismic moment released in small earthquakes scales differently with rupture length than it does for large events1,2, where the crossover between small and large events is defined at a rupture dimension equal to the down-dip width of the seismogenic zone. A possible explanation for this contradiction is that frequency–size distributions are biased by small earthquakes. Small events dominate most global earthquake catalogues because of the short time-period covered. Another source of bias in size distributions is the saturation of earthquake magnitudes for large events. Here we correct biases in calculations of b values and present evidence for a change in b value in frequency–size distributions. We find that a break in self-similarity, from small to large earthquakes, occurs at a point where the dimension of the event equals the down-dip width of the seismogenic layer.
The Balance of Power Game

The BALANCE OF POWER GAME is a simulation that teaches participants about the nature of the international system of states. A key method of state interaction, both in theory and practice, has been the balance of power The simulation requires participants to represent and control countries. The main objective for each is to survive. Four or more countries of varying strengths form the international system. The participants must decide what course of action they will adopt for their respective countries: to engage in war, to negotiate international agreements, to form alliances, or to take some other course of action. The simulation helps students learn about the balance of power, the anarchy of the international system, the measurement of power, international law, and cooperation. The simulation is most effective when followed by a critical debriefing. The time required for the simulation is approximately 15 to 30 minutes, with another 20 to 45 minutes for debriefing.
Storm stories: surviving an upgrade to WebCT Vista

West Virginia University recently upgraded from WebCT Campus Edition 3.8 to WebCT Vista 3.0, hosting multiple regional campuses on the same server. WVU went live with hosting four institutions on a single instance of WebCT Vista in January 2005; the main campus in Morgantown was simultaneously integrated with its SCT Banner student information system. This enterprise-level software upgrade required a significant investment of resources and contributed to a reorganization of our instructional systems support staff. I will share what worked well for us and what to be careful about. Some components of our support model could be applied to other large-scale software implementation projects.
Rationale for B cell targeting in SLE

B cells are central pathogenic players in systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple other autoimmune diseases through antibody production as well as antibody independent function. At the same time, B cells are known to play important regulatory functions that may protect against autoimmune manifestations. Yet, the functional role of different B cell populations and their contribution to disease remain to be understood. The advent of agents that specifically target B cells, in particular anti-CD20 and ant-BLyS antibodies, have demonstrated the efficacy of this approach for the treatment of human autoimmunity. The analysis of patients treated with these and other B cell agents provides a unique opportunity to understand the correlates of clinical response and the significance of different B cell subsets. Here, we discuss this information and how it could be used to better understand SLE and improve the rational design of B cell-directed therapies in this disease.
An Allee effect at the front of a plant invasion: Spartina in a Pacific estuary

Summary 1 Spartina alterniflora sets very little viable seed at the leading edges of an invasion in Willapa Bay, Washington, USA, where it was introduced c. 100 years ago. This largely outbreeding, rhizomatous grass recruits into previously unoccupied areas at low density, so young plants initially grow isolated from one another but eventually coalesce to form continuous meadows. 2 Isolated recruits set approximately one-tenth the seed of meadow plants at five sites, spread over the 230 km2 of Willapa Bay mudflats, and this seed germinated at only one-third the rate observed in meadow plants. 3 The consistent patterns suggested that the low seed set in the isolated plants was largely due to the demographic effects of density. Differences between sites in the incidence and amount of seed set and germination rate indicated, however, that there was some environmental influence. 4 These data imply that plants in newly invaded, low-density areas produce little viable seed until rhizomatous growth brings them into close contact. This Allee effect could substantially reduce the rate of invasion.
The Inquisition and the Jews of France in the Time of Bernard Gui

The Papal Inquisition of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries cannot be assigned so prominent a position in the history of French Jewry as that which the “New” Inquisition later occupied in the destinies of the Jews of Spain. It is perhaps for this reason that the Jewish aspects of the Inquisition in France have attracted comparatively little attention from scholars. The paucity of original documents relating to the subject may also have been a contributing factor. Still, though it can be understood, this neglect remains unfortunate. In addition to its intrinsic interest for the study of Franco-Jewish history and of Jewish relations with the medieval Church, research into the treatment of the Jews by the French Inquisition can shed much light on the later development in Spain. For all the difference in the historical situations, the Papal Inquisition adumbrated, in its dealings with the Jews, the institution which was to play such a formidable role in the Iberian Peninsula. There is surprisingly little in the theoretical, procedural, and even the practical approach of the Spanish Inquisition to Jewish affairs for which one cannot find the archetype in the earlier Inquisition.
Myelofibrosis and acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a child with Down syndrome.

immunoglobul in analysis can be normal in patients in whom functional specific antibodies are deficient, and indicate the need to assay functional elements of the immune system when immune deficiency is Suspected. The presence of normal cellular response to PHA, pokeweed, and SKSD differentiates this patient from Nezelof syndrome and place him in the category of ant ibody deficiency with normal immunoglobulins .
Use of drugs in resuscitation from electric shock

Stimulants to the heart and circulation — what they do, what they fail to do — observations on the practice of young doctors in treating “shock” cases and the findings of a long experience in the study of administering drugs, are discussed in this article by a medical doctor.
ADME of monoclonal antibody biotherapeutics: knowledge gaps and emerging tools

Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) data are pivotal for small-molecule drug development, with well-developed in vitro and in vivo correlation tools and guidances from regulatory agencies. In the past two decades, monoclonal antibody (mAb) biotherapeutics have been successfully approved, including derived novel conjugates of active molecules (toxins or bioactive peptides) for specific target delivery or half-life extension. However, ADME information of mAb therapeutics lags behind that of small molecules due to the complex nature of the molecules and lack of appropriate tools to study drug exposure, biotransformation, and target engagement in the vascular and tissue spaces. In this perspective, the current knowledge gaps on ADME of mAb-related therapeutics are reviewed with potential solutions from emerging analytical technologies.
Prevalence of Depression and Antidepressant Therapy Use in a Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Population

Background: Depression is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In recent years reports of depression in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients of all ages have increased. As awareness of depression in CF increases, there remains limited data regarding the prevalence and management of depression in the pediatric CF population. Objectives: To assess the prevalence of depression, describe depression treatment regimens, and identify risk factors for depression in the pediatric CF population at a single care center. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 190 patients at 1 accredited CF center. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were collected and compared between patients with depression and patients without depression. In addition, the treatment strategies of patients with depression were recorded. Results: The number of patients with a documented diagnosis of depression was found to be 9%, and 50% of these patients were prescribed antidepressant therapy. The most common ...
High-voltage pulsed life for multistressed polypropylene capacitor dielectric

High-voltage polypropylene capacitors were aged under singular as well as simultaneous multiple stresses (electrical, thermal, and radiation) at the University at Buffalo's 2-MW thermal nuclear reactor. These stresses were combined neutron-gamma radiation with a total dose of 1.6*10/sup 6/ rad, electrical stress at 40 V/sub rms// mu m, and thermal stress at 90 degrees C. After exposure, the polypropylene dielectric was tested for life (number of pulses to fail) under high-voltage high-repetition-rate (100 pps) pulses. Pulsed life data were also compared with AC life data. Results show that radiation stress causes the most degradation in life, either acting alone or in combination with other stresses. >
The effects of early season and late season prescribed fires on small mammals in a Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest

Prescribed fire is an important management tool used in the restoration of Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forests where fire has been suppressed over the last century. It is not well known, however, how the timing of prescribed fire affects wildlife populations. We used model selection and multi-model inference methods to compare the effects of early (spring and early summer) and late (late summer and fall) season prescribed fires on small mammal populations, based on 4 years of mark-recapture data collected in Sequoia National Park, California. The effects of prescribed fires on four small mammal metrics were evaluated: deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) densities, deer mouse age ratios, lodgepole chipmunk (Neotamias speciosus) densities, and total small mammal biomass. For each of these four metrics, the top ranked model in the evaluation of prescribed fire treatment effects contained no prescribed fire effects, but did contain effects of strong year-to-year variation in populations. Models which predicted that fire effects differed depending on the season of fire received only limited support for each of the four metrics. Our results suggest that initial prescribed fires set during the early season will have similar impacts as late season fires on deer mouse populations, lodgepole chipmunk populations, and total small mammal biomass in Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forests.
Sustainable Production of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids represent essential nutrients for animals and humans. The most common plant-derived precursor for the bioactive long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is the only omega-3 fatty acid available in vegetable oils that are produced in substantial volumes. However, conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA is inefficient in humans due to a metabolic bottleneck represented by the Δ6-desaturase enzyme that converts ALA to stearidonic acid (SDA), the first intermediate in the metabolic pathway that converts ALA to EPA and DHA. SDA is present in small amounts in the oil of some herbs such as borage oil or hemp oil; however, these oils are not available in large quantities. Compared to the main vegetable oils that contain ALA, a more efficient source for long-chain omega-3 fatty acids is provided by marine cold water fish that contain substantial amounts of EPA and DHA in membrane and storage lipids. These fish do not have the metabolic capacity to synthesize omega-3 fatty acids from central intermediates of their metabolism themselves. Instead they acquire EPA and DHA through their food chain that is founded on marine algae as primary producers. Unfortunately the human consumption of fish is limited by an increasingly finite supply of marine stocks, by encumbrance of some marine fish with environmental toxins, and by dietary preferences in the Western cultures that tend to avoid fish as food source. This chapter reviews the discovery and relevance of omega-3 fatty acids as an essential human nutrient, the limitations of the marine ecosystem in providing the bioactive omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in sufficient quantities for human consumption, and the development of SDA soybeans that are soybeans with substantially improved omega-3 profile. SDA soybeans contain 20 % of their total fatty acids as SDA. As such, they represent a much more efficient source of omega-3 fatty acids than traditional vegetable oils that contain ALA only. SDA soybean oil has been shown to perform similar as conventional soybean when incorporated into human foods. In contrast to specialty oils, production of SDA soybean oil is more economical and can easily be ramped up to produce large quantities. In contrast to marine omega-3 sources SDA soybean oil is free of environmental toxins and not tied to the volume limitations of the marine ecosystem. This positions SDA soybean oil as an environmentally friendly sustainable source of essential omega-3 fatty acids for the increasing demand of a growing human population.
Modeling the dynamic suspension behavior of an eddy current device

A 2D steady-state analytic based eddy-current model for a conducting plate that is capable of accounting for frequency and velocity changes in two directions is derived. Only the source field on the surface of the conducting plate needs to be known. In addition, a 2D transient model is derived that is capable of accounting of continuous changes in the input conditions. Both analytic based models have been validated using finite element code. The transient and steady-state models are integrated into an electromechanical system where the magnetic source is a Halbach rotor. The accuracy of both calculation methods is compared. The stiffness and damping coefficients are derived using the steady-state model.
The role of β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors in the management of mixed infections

Abstract Microbiological studies show that the in vitro antimicrobial activity of sulbactam–ampicillin encompasses not only Gram-positive and Gram-negative aerobes, but also anaerobes. Such a broad spectrum of activity suggests its suitability as monotherapy for the empiric management of polymicrobial infections. Typical mixed infections, which are frequently life-threatening, include those occurring in the abdomen or pelvis, diabetic foot infections, and brain abscess. Numerous comparative clinical studies have revealed the clinical and bacteriological efficacy of sulbactam–ampicillin to be comparable to that of imipenem–cilastatin and the second-generation cephalosporins cefoxitin and cefotetan. In addition, other studies have demonstrated that sulbactam–ampicillin monotherapy is cost-beneficial. A reduction in the duration of hospitalization, the lack of potentially toxic side-effects, and lower drug costs associated with monotherapy all contribute to the cost-effectiveness of sulbactam–ampicillin.
The Precautionary Principle and Medical Decision Making

The precautionary principle is a useful strategy for decision-making when physicians and patients lack evidence relating to the potential outcomes associated with various choices. According to a version of the principle defended here, one should take reasonable measures to avoid threats that are serious and plausible. The reasonableness of a response to a threat depends on several factors, including benefit vs. harm, realism, proportionality, and consistency. Since a concept of reasonableness plays an essential role in applying the precautionary principle, this principle gives physicians and patients a decision-making strategy that encourages the careful weighing and balancing of different values that one finds in humanistic approaches to clinical reasoning. Properly understood, the principle presents a worthwhile alternative to approaches to clinical reasoning that apply expected utility theory to decision problems.
Selection on incremental variation of eye size in a wild population of Daphnia.

Several studies of eye morphology have analysed macroevolutionary patterns in the diversity of eyes, and although these studies are often linked to environment or behaviour, they provide only indirect evidence of selection. Specific data to show the microevolutionary potential for adaptation by natural selection in eye morphology have been lacking. We document directional selection on eye size, an important determinant of visual capabilities, in a wild population of the freshwater microcrustacean Daphnia. We show that even slight changes in eye size may have major consequences for fitness. An increase in eye diameter of 19.9 μm - slightly more than one standard deviation - is associated with an increase in clutch size of one egg, or an increase of nearly 20% of the mean clutch size. Furthermore, relative eye size is genetically variable and thus could evolve in response to the observed selective pressure. We conclude that selection on incremental variation in eye size may have led to differences observed on broader taxonomic scales.
Pivotal role of hepatocellular regeneration in the ultimate hepatotoxicity of CCl4 in chlordecone-, mirex-, or phenobarbital-pretreated rats.

Our earlier histomorphometric and biochemical studies suggested that the progressive phase of the interactive toxicity of chlordecone (CD) + CCl4 involves suppression of hepatocellular regeneration. The objective of the present work was to correlate hepatocellular regeneration with CCl4 (100 μl/kg)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats maintained for 15 days on a normal (N) diet, relative to the regenerative response in rats maintained on a diet containing either 10 ppm CD, 225 ppm phenobarbital (PB), or 10 ppm mirex (M). Hepatocellular regeneration was assessed by measuring DNA and 3H-thymidine (3H-T) incorporation, followed by autoradiographic analysis of liver sections. Hepatotoxicity was assessed by measuring plasma transaminases (aspartate and alanine) followed by histopathological observations of liver sections for necrotic, swollen, and lipid-laden cells. Lethality studies were also carried out to assess the consequence of hepatotoxicity on animal survival. Dietary 10 ppm CD potentiated the hepatotoxicity...
DNA fingerprinting of serial Candida albicans isolates obtained during itraconazole prophylaxis in patients with AIDS

During a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study testing the efficacy of itraconazole for prophylaxis of systemic and mucosal fungal infections in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome, 298 patients were enrolled with 295 evaluable. Of those, 46 patients were considered prophylaxis failures because of recurrent oral or esophageal candidiasis. Oropharyngeal fungal cultures were taken at the time of suspected thrush or Candida esophagitis, but not at baseline. All of the Candida spp. isolates were cultured on CHROMagar Candida medium then identified using API 20 AUX strips. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed following the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards M-27A guidelines. Sequential isolates were genotyped using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA. Polymerase chain reaction fingerprints were generated using two repetitive sequence primers, (GGA)7 and (GACA)4. The study group consisted of 23 patients, nine from the itraconazole arm and 14 from the placebo arm, who were prophylaxis failures and had more than two C. albicans isolates. Five of 23 had isolates showing a > or =4-fold reduction in susceptibility; four of these patients were in the itraconazole prophylaxis arm and one was in the placebo arm. Three of the five had yeast isolations showing changes in banding patterns over time. Such changes may indicate genetic changes in the same strain that could be linked to acquired resistance to itraconazole, or acquisition of a new strain, or emergence of a previously minor component of the original population.