cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of extractives in naturally durable wood species

Abstract There are numerous examples of wood species that naturally exhibit enhanced performance and longevity in outside exposure independent of preservative treatment. Wood extractives are largely considered to be the contributing factor when evaluating and predicting the performance of a naturally durable wood species. However, little test methodology exists that focuses on the extent of the role of extractives in wood durability. In this study, eight candidate naturally durable wood species plus a non-durable control were evaluated in laboratory soil block tests for resistance to termite attack and decay by three brown-rot and three white-rot decay fungi. Chemically extracted test blocks were compared to unextracted controls. Extracted durable species were also compared to non-durable controls. Results showed nearly all of the wood species exhibited higher weight loss due to termite or fungi when extractives were removed and extracted samples had weight losses that were comparable to the non-durable controls.
An adaptive programming technique for sequencing highway improvements to affect land use growth

Dickey J. W. and Azola M. P. (1972) An adaptive programming technique for sequencing highway improvements to affect land use growth, Reg. Studies 6, 331–342. A technique is presented in which the EMPIRIC land use model, developed for utilization in the Eastern Massachusetts region, is employed adaptively over several time periods. In each period a linear programme is formulated in conjunction with EMPIRIC and with a set of pre-specified desirable goals (i.e. directions and relative weights of importance) for all zonal land use variables. The solution to the programme indicates the interzonal highway travel time changes needed to produce the most desirable land use changes. However, realistically, by the end of the time period not all highway changes can be made and thus land use will not develop as specified by the linear programme. For the succeeding period, then, the linear programme is employed starting with actual developments. This adaptive process continues for three time periods. Results from the a...
Effect of growth rate on the relative rates of synthesis of messenger, ribosomal and transfer RNA in Escherichia coli.

Abstract The relative amounts and relative rates of synthesis of messenger, ribosomal and transfer RNA have been determined by hybridization techniques in Escherichia coli strain B grown on glucose in chemostat- and batch cultures at doubling times from 55 minutes to 10 hours. Hybridization experiments included “titration curves”, and two types of RNA-DNA competition experiments using an excess of pure, unlabeled 16 s + 23 s rRNA and tRNA. The mRNA represents a constant fraction (0.03) of the amount of total RNA at all growth rates, and the ratio of the rates of synthesis of mRNA to rRNA increases twofold while the tRNA to rRNA decreases twofold as the growth rate is decreased about tenfold. Together with our previous findings that the effective messenger life and the chain elongation rate of RNA are the same throughout these ranges of doubling time, these data suggest that there is turnover of 16 + 23 s rRNA at slow growth rates in addition to the metabolic control affecting the rate of RNA synthesis which acts on the frequency with which transcription is initiated. Furthermore, since the ratios of the velocities of synthesis of m-, r- and tRNA are significantly different at a doubling time of 55 minutes from these same ratios at a doubling time of 10 hours, control of the three classes of RNA must be independently mediated.
Awareness of the continuously visible: information acquisition during preview.

What can we learn about a scene while we stare at it, but before we know what we will be looking for? Three experiments were performed to investigate whether previewing a search array prior to knowing the target allows search to operate more quickly (lower reaction time [RT]), more efficiently (reduced set size slope), and/or by consulting abstract mental representations. Experiment 1 compared RTs for previewed and nonpreviewed arrays, some of which were highly degraded with visual noise. Preview reduced RTs for the noisy displays but did not affect search efficiency. Limited interactions of visual quality and preview suggested that prior exposure allowed the extraction and maintenance of about three abstract identities. If the target was one of those items, the observer responded without searching; if not, the observer searched the remaining items as if there had been no preview. Experiment 2 replicated these findings with less extreme noise. In Experiment 3, subjects previewed 0–6 items of a 12-item display. RTs decreased linearly as the number of previewed items increased from 0 to 3 and then reached a plateau, confirming that the capacity of the representation was about 3 items. Implications for visual awareness are discussed.
A Proposal to Further Increase the Stability of the American Grain Sector

This paper presents a policy proposal which is designed to complement current agricultural legislation in its attempt to stabilize the United States grain sector. Price and income stability is important to commercial agriculture and consumers (e.g., see Brandow), has been of central concern in past agricultural legislation (Cochrane and Ryan), and will, in all likelihood, continue to be on the legislative agenda in one form or another. The proposal advanced in this paper is predicated on the following statements: First, the programs and instruments contained in the 1977 Food and Agriculture Act are adequate for stabilizing prices between the loan rate and the farmer-held reserve release rates when global production does not significantly veer below trend for grain crops. The target price deficiency payment scheme is also deemed adequate for protecting income levels. (For details and discussion on the 1977 Act, see U.S. Department of Agriculture, Spitze.) But it is our assertion that the existing programs in their present form are not adequate for protecting the long-run interests of American consumers and producers in periods when global production does drastically veer below trend (e.g., the production shortfalls as witnessed in 1972/73). Second, major importers of grains, such as the EEC, Japan, the USSR, and China, insulate their agricultural sectors from the world grain market. These insulation policies exaggerate the price adjustments required by countries openly linked to the world market. (See Johnson, Grennes, Thursby; and Nelson for a discussion of these operational instruments for Japan and the EEC. D. G. Johnson provides a description of agriculture and agricultural policies in the Soviet Union.) Third, prices for agricultural products in the United States, especially grain products, would not have reached the high levels of the early seventies if the major importers, instead of maintaining their protective and insulating policies, had adjusted internal prices in accordance with world conditions at that time.
Key German Cartels Under the Nazi Regime

Introduction: impact of the Nazi economic policy on the cartels, 576. — I. Potash: early developments, 577; the 1919 legislation, 578; operations under the 1919 law, 582; the International Potash Cartel, 582; penetration of the American potash industry, 584; the Potash Cartel and Combines under the Nazi regime, 585. — II. Cement: pre-Nazi market controls, 588; early stages of Nazi control, 589; the cement industry during the war, 591; the International Cement Cartel, 594.
Magnetorheological fluid composites

An interesting extension in the use of magnetic fluids has resulted from the development of magnetic fluid composites obtained by dispersing micrometre-sized non-magnetic particles in a magnetic fluid. The composites possess a yield stress in a magnetic field which can be described at sufficiently high strain rates by the Bingham relation , where is the shear stress perpendicular to the applied field, the extrapolated yield stress, the strain rate and the plastic viscosity. Thus, a composite, particle concentration , in a field 0.036 T with has a yield stress of 26 Pa. The yield stresses obtained experimentally for different and correspond well to values predicted theoretically by Rosensweig using a determination of based on a continuum concept of unsymmetric stress that develops in the deformed but unyielded anisotropic medium.
“A new international voice for prevention and control of infectious diseases”—Five years later

This is the last issue of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases under the original founding editorial board. We have been in action for 6 years and have published the IJIID for 5 years. Beginning on July 1,2001, we have forwarded all articles to Jonathan Cohen in the new editorial office in London, The next two issues at least (Vol. 6, issues 1 and 2), will present a “spill over” of articles that have been reviewed; all articles under review initiated in the New York office will be handled to completion. The aims of the IJID as stated in the opening editorial of July 1996 have been mostly fulfilled. That statement compiled by the publications committee of the IJID states in part:
A brief Sleep Scale for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Addendum for PTSD

Sleep disturbances reflect a core dysfunction underlying Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Specifically, disruptive nocturnal behaviors (DNB) may represent PTSD-specific sleep disturbances. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Addendum for PTSD (PSQI-A) is self-report instrument designed to assess the frequency of seven DNB. The goal of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the PSQI-A to characterize DNB in a group of participants with and without PTSD. Results indicate that the PSQI-A has satisfactory internal consistency and good convergent validity with two standard PTSD measures even when excluding their sleep-related items. A global PSQI score of 4 yielded a sensitivity of 94%, a specificity of 82%, and a positive predictive value of 93% for discriminating participants with PTSD from those without PTSD. The PSQI-A is a valid instrument for PTSD applicable to both clinical and research settings.
Immunostimulatory effects of human recombinant interleukin-12 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from normal dogs

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) plays a pivotal role in regulating cellular immune responses involving autoimmunity, infectious disease, and cancer. Human recombinant (hr) IL-12 is being evaluated for therapy of human cancer. We investigated the potential of hrIL-12 to activate canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using proliferation and cytotoxicity as readouts. Human rIL-12 caused increased proliferation of PBMC, and enhanced lysis of allogeneic canine tumor targets mediated by PBMC from normal dogs in vitro. In addition, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) mediated by canine PBMC was enhanced by hrIL-12. These results indicate that hrIL-12 is recognized by canine immune cells, triggering a number of immune responses in canine PBMC, that may be important for immunotherapy of canine cancer. Information from this investigation provides impetus for evaluation of the effects of hrIL-12 on PBMC from tumor-bearing dogs and should be helpful in the development of hrIL-12 as an immune cell activator in vivo in the dog.
The role of ground state complexation in the electron transfer quenching of methylene blue fluorescence by purine nucleotides

The effect of three purine nucleotides on the fluorescence of methylene blue in aqueous buffer has been investigated. Guanosine-5'-monophosphate (GMP) and xanthosine-5'-monophosphate cause fluorescence quenching while adenosine-5'-monophosphate causes a red shift in the fluorescence maximum. All three nucleotides form ground state complexes with the nucleotides as indicated by absorption spectroscopy. The fluorescence changes at nucleotide concentrations less than 30 mM are best described by a static mechanism involving the formation of non-fluorescent binary and ternary complexes in competition with dimerization of the dye. Quenching of the fluorescence decay (tau = 368 ps) at high GMP concentrations (10-100 mM) occurs at the rate of diffusion. The mechanism of fluorescence quenching may involve electron transfer within the singlet excited dye-nucleotide complex although published values of the oxidation potentials of various purine derivatives would suggest that all three nucleotides should cause quenching. Evidence for electron transfer was obtained from flash photolysis experiments in which 100 mM GMP was found to cause the appearance of a long lived transient species absorbing in the region expected for semimethylene blue.
Parathyroid surgery: We still need traditional and selective approaches

Since the first parathyroidectomy in 1925, the traditional bilateral cervical approach has been the gold standard surgical treatment for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, with a success rate >95%. Over the past decade, the focus on minimally invasive surgery has led to the development of several innovative approaches to the parathyroid glands including the focused, radio-guided, video-assisted and videoscopic parathyroidectomy. Improvements in pre-operative parathyroid localization studies as well as the use of the intraoperative PTH assay have made these minimally invasive approaches possible, and they have been proven to be safe and effective for the solitary parathyroid adenoma. For patients with multiple gland disease or equivocal localization studies, the traditional bilateral approach remains the standard of care.
Multi-dimensional non-linear acoustic wave propagation, part II: The non-linear interaction of an acoustic fluid and plate under harmonic excitation

The non-linear interaction of a harmonically excited fiat plate interfacing with an acoustic fluid is investigated by using the techniques developed in Part I. The plate is infinitely long and is periodically supported, and the fluid is an inviscid perfect gas. In the analysis the non-linear terms arising from the equations of motion for the fluid and the plate, and also from the boundary conditions describing the interface, are fully treated. It is found that the non-linearities arising from the fluid do not affect the plate response. The non-linear acoustic waves show several strong differences from the predictions of linear theory, all attributable to the phenomenon of self-refraction.
Characterizing the Impact of Category Uncertainty on Human Auditory Categorization Behavior

Categorization is an important cognitive process. However, the correct categorization of a stimulus is often challenging because categories can have overlapping boundaries. Whereas perceptual categorization has been extensively studied in vision, the analogous phenomenon in audition has yet to be systematically explored. Here, we test whether and how human subjects learn to use category distributions and prior probabilities, as well as whether subjects employ an optimal decision strategy when making auditory-category decisions. We asked subjects to classify the frequency of a tone burst into one of two overlapping, uniform categories according to the perceived tone frequency. We systematically varied the prior probability of presenting a tone burst with a frequency originating from one versus the other category. Most subjects learned these changes in prior probabilities early in testing and used this information to influence categorization. We also measured each subject's frequency-discrimination thresholds (i.e., their sensory uncertainty levels). We tested each subject's average behavior against variations of a Bayesian model that either led to optimal or sub-optimal decision behavior (i.e. probability matching). In both predicting and fitting each subject's average behavior, we found that probability matching provided a better account of human decision behavior. The model fits confirmed that subjects were able to learn category prior probabilities and approximate forms of the category distributions. Finally, we systematically explored the potential ways that additional noise sources could influence categorization behavior. We found that an optimal decision strategy can produce probability-matching behavior if it utilized non-stationary category distributions and prior probabilities formed over a short stimulus history. Our work extends previous findings into the auditory domain and reformulates the issue of categorization in a manner that can help to interpret the results of previous research within a generative framework.
A randomized controlled evaluation of absorption of silver with the use of silver alginate (Algidex) patches in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with central lines

To measure systemic silver absorption when using silver-impregnated alginate central catheter dressings in very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates and to monitor blood stream infection. Fifty infants were enrolled in a prospective, randomized controlled trial lasting 28 days. Each patient was assigned to standard dressing or silver alginate (Algidex) group. Serum silver concentrations were obtained on day 1, 7, and 28. Significant differences in mean serum silver concentrations for the treatment versus standard dressing group were observed using student’s t-test analysis. The silver alginate group had a 45.8% reduction in infection/1000 line days, although too few patients were enrolled to draw meaningful efficacy conclusions about prevention of blood stream infection. Mean serum silver concentrations in the treatment group were significantly higher than controls although below levels anticipated to result in toxicity. A large study evaluating reduced blood stream infections in VLBW infants is warranted.
Apparent Flows above an Active Region Observed with the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer

The Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) observed Active Region 8395 on 1998 December 1 from 1:30:00 to 3:00:00 UT at high cadence in the Fe IX/Fe X channel (log Te ≈ 6.0). Throughout the observing time, brightness variations along a dense bundle of coronal field lines in the southwest corner of the active region were observed. Movies made of this region give the impression of continuous intermittent outflow in this bundle of coronal loops; such apparent outflow is often seen in the TRACE data. In this Letter, we present an analysis of four separate flow events occurring in three different loops. These events are used as tracers of the flow in order to characterize its physical properties, such as apparent velocity. The projected velocities of the intensity fronts of these flows (and hence lower limits of true velocities) are between 5 and 20 km s-1. Comparisons of the observed intensities with those predicted by a quasi-static model suggest that the events can be explained only by a mass flow from the chromosphere into the corona. The persistence of the flows, and their ubiquity in the TRACE observations, indicates that hydrostatic loops models are not applicable to this class of coronal structures.
Are Workplace Friendships a Mixed Blessing? Exploring Tradeoffs of Multiplex Relationships and their Associations with Job Performance

Theory and research note the ubiquity of multiplex workplace friendships—multifaceted relationships that superimpose friendship with work-focused interactions—but it is unclear how they compel or hinder job performance. In a study of insurance company employees (n = 168), we found that the number of multiplex workplace friendships in one's social network is positively associated with supervisor ratings of job performance. However, we also found that there is a negative indirect effect on job performance through emotional exhaustion, which is offset, in part, through enhanced positive affect. Results of a second study of restaurant and retail sales employees (n = 182) provide greater insight into the positive and negative effects of multiplex workplace friendships. Specifically, these relationships enhanced job performance through trust but detracted from job performance through maintenance difficulty. Collectively, our results illustrate that having a large number of multiplex friendships at work is a mixed blessing. Although the provision and restoration of resources fostered by multiplex relationships benefits employee job performance, these benefits are muted somewhat by the personal resources they deplete.
Ultrafast Carbene−Carbene Isomerization

The photochemistry of two isomeric aryl diazo ketones was investigated by fs time-resolved UV–vis and IR spectroscopies. Both diazo ketone excited states decompose in less than 300 fs by multiple pathways. One pathway involves concerted Wolff rearrangement and nitrogen extrusion, most likely in the syn rotomer. In the anti rotomer of one isomer, oxygen migration proceeds in concert with nitrogen extrusion to form rearranged keto carbene. This rotomer excited state also decomposes to form unrearranged carbene, which isomerizes in 5 ps.
North American History of Two Invasive Plant Species: Phytogeographic Distribution, Dispersal Vectors, and Multiple Introductions

The North American historic phytogeographic distribution of mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) and Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), two invasive perennial species introduced from Eurasia and East Asia respectively, was recreated using herbarium records. The putative initial introduction of these two species differs by c.a. 400 years, but their patterns of geographic distribution, introduction pathways, and local dispersal pathways are similar. Both species showed the expected logistic growth relationship between range size and the time following introduction, with lag phases of nearly 400 and 50 years for mugwort and Japanese knotweed respectively. The intrinsic growth rate was greater in Japanese knotweed than mugwort for the US, Canada, and North America. Both species were frequently found along waterway, railroad, and road rights-of-way. Introduction pathways differed, with Japanese knotweed commonly labeled as an ornamental escape (151 collections), while mugwort was commonly cited as an inadvertent component of ship ballast (20 collections). These potential founding populations were located across the final distribution for both species, suggesting anthropogenic large-scale dispersal across North America with local secondary spread. Range expansion appears to be active for both species in the US while nearing the carrying capacity in Canada. Managers of mugwort and Japanese knotweed can make use of this information on their range expansion dynamics and dispersal pathways by reducing anthropogenic dispersal and focusing resources on satellite populations and invasion corridors.
MRI characteristics of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome and multiple sclerosis

MRI findings of primary anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome (PAPLS) are difficult to distinguish from those of multiple sclerosis (MS). Only a few previous studies have compared conventional and non-conventional MRI findings in MS and PAPLS patients. In addition, MRI differences between anti-phospholipid antibody (APLA) positive (+) and APLA negative (-) MS patients have not been reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the differences in MRI measures among patients with PAPLS, MS and normal control (NC) subjects. We also explored non-conventional MRI measures in APLA+ and APLA- MS patients. Forty-nine (49) consecutive MS patients among whom 39 had relapsing-remitting (RR) and 10 secondary-progressive (SP) disease course, 30 patients with PAPLS and 49 NC were enrolled. Twenty-eight (28) MS patients were APLA+. MRI measures of T1- and T2-lesion volumes (LV) and brain atrophy, including fractions of whole brain (BPF), gray matter (GMF) and white matter (WMF), were evaluated. The magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) of T2- and T1-LVs and different normal-appearing brain tissue (NABT) compartments as well as diffusion-weighted imaging of whole brain mean parenchyma diffusivity (MPD) were obtained. MS patients differed significantly from NC in all MRI measures. PAPLS patients differed from NC in their T2-LV, in MTR measures and in MPD. When MS patients were compared to PAPLS patients, they showed significantly higher T2- and T1-LVs and T2-LV MTR, lower BPF and GMF and higher MPD. APLA+ RR and SPMS (all APLA+) patients showed significantly higher T2-LV, lower GMF, lower normal-appearing gray matter MTR and higher MPD when compared to APLA- patients. The results indicate that brain abnormalities can be detected in PAPLS patients with non-conventional MRI. MRI reveals more profound injury in patients with MS versus PAPLS. APLA mediates heterogeneous cerebral pathology that remains to be further investigated.
Application of physiological genomics to the microcirculation.

Physiological genomics represents a new challenge in the biological sciences--the quest to define the functions of thousands of genes that will emerge from the sequencing of the human genome and the genomes of other model organisms. Because the attention of the scientific community has focused on this task, new tools that will allow high-efficiency identification of gene function are being developed at remarkable speed. Physiological genomic approaches to understanding integrated systems function are now becoming widely used in many areas of biological research. The availability of genomic information across species has now revealed a striking degree of conservation of both gene order and function, allowing researchers to easily move from model organisms to man in the hunt for gene function. Physiological genomics approaches in the cardiovascular system have focused on disease-based models and the behavior of large vessels. In the microcirculation, genomic studies have largely been confined to the use of ...
Clostridium botulinum Neurotoxins — Applications in Medicine and Potential Agents of Bioterrorism

Abstract Botulism is one of the distinctive diseases known to humankind. Botulism is characterized by a flaccid paralysis progressing to suffocation and death in severe cases that do not receive adequate treatment. Botulism is caused by clostridial neurotoxins with extraordinary potency and neurospecificity. The disease is a true toxemia, in which the neurotoxins are the responsible agents, and the bacteria are not directly involved in paralytic symptoms. Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is produced by strains of neurotoxigenic clostridia, including Clostridium botulinum , as well as rare strains of Clostridium baratii and Clostridium butyricum . During the past two decades, because of new knowledge about the cellular biology and pharmacology of BoNT, this toxin has become an important tool in cell biology and for the understanding of disease and has stimulated much interest in its actions on the human nervous system. Interest in BoNT has also been raised by awareness of its possible use in bioterrorism, yet the most remarkable discovery that has resulted from investigation of BoNT is its use as a pharmaceutical for the treatment of a myriad of neuronal and hyperactive muscle disorders.
Effects of biotic and abiotic factors on the distribution of trout and salmon along a longitudinal stream gradient

We examined the influence of biotic and abiotic factors on the distribution, abundance, and condition of salmonid fishes along a stream gradient. We observed a longitudinal change in fish distribution with native cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki utah, and introduced brown trout, Salmo trutta, demonstrating a distinct pattern of allopatry. Cutthroat trout dominated high elevation reaches, while reaches at lower elevations were dominated by brown trout. A transition zone between these populations was associated with lower total trout abundance, consistent changes in temperature and discharge, and differences in dietary preference. Variation in cutthroat trout abundance was best explained by a model including the abundance of brown trout and diel temperature, whereas variation in brown trout abundance was best explained by a model including the abundance of cutthroat trout and discharge. These results suggest the potential for condition-mediated competition between the two species. The results from our study can aid biologists in prioritizing conservation activities and in developing robust management strategies for cutthroat trout.
The glass transition temperature in amorphous CU1−xZrx alloys synthesized by mechanical alloying/milling

While most amorphous alloys have been prepared by rapid quenching from the liquid state or quenching from the vapor state, there has been recent interest in solid state amorphization. High energy ball milling of powders is a solid state amorphization method that can synthesize amorphous alloys by mechanical alloying (MA) of elemental powders or by mechanical milling (MM) of intermetallic compound powder. It is emphasized from the present observations of Tg's in Cu/sub 1-chi/Zr/sub chi/ alloys and previous work of Ni/sub 1-chi/Zr/sub chi/, that amorphous alloys prepared by MA or MM can be amorphous rather than microcrystalline. When the authors account for the effects of impurities (oxygen or iron), the T/sub g/ values are essentially identical to those for amorphous rapidly solidified alloys of the same composition (i.e. Cu/sub 50/Zr/sub 50/).
Regulation of Actin Filament Assembly by Arp2/3 Complex and Formins

This review summarizes what is known about the biochemical and biophysical mechanisms that initiate the assembly of actin filaments in cells. Assembly and disassembly of these filaments contribute to many types of cellular movements. Numerous proteins regulate actin assembly, but Arp2/3 complex and formins are the focus of this review because more is known about them than other proteins that stimulate the formation of new filaments. Arp2/3 complex is active at the leading edge of motile cells, where it produces branches on the sides of existing filaments. Growth of these filaments produces force to protrude the membrane. Crystal structures, reconstructions from electron micrographs, and biophysical experiments have started to map out the steps through which proteins called nucleation-promoting factors stimulate the formation of branches. Formins nucleate and support the elongation of unbranched actin filaments for cytokinesis and various types of actin filament bundles. Formins associate processively with the fast-growing ends of filaments and protect them from capping.
Electromagnetic analysis of axially symmetric diffractive lenses with the method of moments.

We present the electromagnetic analysis of axially symmetric diffractive lenses. Analysis is performed by numerically solving the electric and magnetic field integral equations using the method of moments, and it exploits axial symmetry to reduce computational cost. Formulations for the analysis of lossless dielectric and perfectly conducting lenses are presented. The analysis of binary and eight-level lenses are performed to illustrate the utility of the technique.
Susceptibility testing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and clinical response to parenteral antibiotic administration: lack of association in cystic fibrosis.

Study objective: To determine the relationship between the antibiotic susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from the sputum of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and the patient’s response to parenteral antibiotic administration, we performed a retrospective analysis using data from patients in the placebo arm of a phase 3 trial of tobramycin solution for inhalation. All patients were chronically infected with P aeruginosa. Seventy-seven of the 262 patients receiving placebo experienced a pulmonary exacerbation during the trial for which they received therapy with IV tobramycin and ceftazidime. The susceptibility of the P aeruginosa isolates to ceftazidime and tobramycin was determined at trial enrollment by broth microdilution. Design: The clinical response to combination antibiotic therapy was assessed by analyzing differences in spirometry before and after antibiotic administration. The FEV1 percent predicted at the first visit after the conclusion of antibiotic administration was compared to the FEV1 percent predicted prior to antibiotic therapy. The results were analyzed both descriptively and by regression analyses. Results: The conditions of 54 patients improved, and those of 9 patients worsened, and in 14 patients there was no change in FEV1 with antibiotic administration. No correlation was observed between the susceptibility of P aeruginosa to tobramycin or ceftazidime and clinical response. Only the three following variables were observed to significantly correlate with FEV1 after antibiotic treatment on regression analysis: FEV1 prior to treatment (p < 0.0001); number of days elapsed between the previous FEV1 measurement and the initiation of IV antibiotic therapy (p < 0.002); and the number of days elapsed between the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration and the initiation of IV therapy (p < 0.03). No significant trends were observed between the antibiotic susceptibility of P aeruginosa isolates and treatment outcomes. Conclusion: While lack of statistical significance for a trend between bacterial susceptibilities and the response to parenteral antibiotic administration does not mean that no such trend exists, the precision of the confidence intervals allows us to conclude that even if isolate antibiotic susceptibilities affect outcome, the impact would be small and not clinically relevant. (CHEST 2003; 123:1495–1502)
Material and structural criteria for ultra-fast Kerr nonlinear switching in optical resonant cavities

Abstract We present material and structural criteria for ultra-fast Kerr nonlinear switching in optical resonant cavities. The material criterion with a new nonlinear figure of merit suggests that Si, GaAs and even AlGaAs cannot be considered as the materials for resonator-enhanced Kerr nonlinear switch at 1.55 μm (0.8 eV) of wavelength, due to the large free-carrier nonlinearity excited by two-photon or three-photon process. Insulators with wider band-gaps such as SiO2 and Si3N4 will be interesting materials to investigate for this purpose.
Tie strength in question & answer on social network sites

Asking friends, colleagues, or other trusted people to help answer a question or find information is a familiar and tried-and-true concept. Widespread use of online social networks has made social information seeking easier, and has provided researchers with opportunities to better observe this process. In this paper, we relate question answering to tie strength, a metric drawn from sociology describing how close a friendship is. We present a study evaluating the role of tie strength in question answers. We used previous research on tie strength in social media to generate tie strength information between participants and their answering friends, and asked them for feedback about the value of answers across several dimensions. While sociological studies have indicated that weak ties are able to provide better information, our findings are significant in that weak ties do not have this effect, and stronger ties (close friends) provide a subtle increase in information that contributes more to participants' overall knowledge, and is less likely to have been seen before.
AC losses of high-field superconductors

The Riemersma critical state model is applied to a long irreversible type-II superconductor carrying ac. Voltage waveforms, energy loss per cycle, and limiting values of effective resistivity are derived. For sinusoidal current of frequency f in 10-mil wire the critical current limit of resistivity is 4.06 × 10-14f (ω.m). An equivalent circuit consisting of a variable inductance is proposed. Ex-perinlents at 4.2°K on bifilar windings of bare and copper-plated single-strand 10-mil nb-25Zr wire at 60, 400, and 800 Hz gave only fair agreement with the model with indications that the model can be improved by including surface hysteresis and eddy-current effects. Experimental values of resistivity agree more with Zar than with Wisseman, leading to the conclusion that continuous ac power applications of superconductivity are not attractive for the sake of efficiency. There remains some promise for dc energy storage for discharge into pulse power devices.
Integral solution for diffraction problems involving conducting surfaces with complex geometries. II. Application to ellipsoidal surfaces

The absorptivity and reflectivity are determined from the Fresnel coefficients of reflection and transmission by the complex ray-tracing method for a plane wave incident upon the surface Z(x, y) of an isotropic conducting medium located in vacuum. A coordinate-dependent real refractive index of the form ν(Z, σ, ω) = [q2(Z, σ, ω) + 2q(Z, σ, ω) cos θin + 1]1/2 is used, where q and cos θin are defined in part I of this series [ J. Opt. Soc. Am. A5, 200 ( 1988)]. Numerical results are presented for the scattered far fields, the surface waves, and the scattering and absorption efficiencies for ellipsoidal surfaces. We demonstrate the simplicity and accuracy of the complex ray-tracing method over the scalar-potentials method in solving for an absorbing medium located in parallel fields.
Spinning the past: Russian and Georgian accounts of the war of August 2008

Efforts by national media and political leaders to ‘spin’, or shape the public interpretation of events, are examined from the perspective of collective memory. It is argued that top-down analyses ...
Constrictive Pericarditis Masked by CAPD

I ardiac disease is the leading cause of death in the end-stage renal disease population. ericardial diseases, although less common than ther types of cardiac disease, continue to contribte to the increased cardiovascular morbidity and ortality in this population. Dialysis pericarditis s a term used to describe the occurrence of linical features of pericardial disease after clinial stabilization on long-term dialysis therapy usually 8 weeks after its initiation). Most bservational data suggest inadequate dialysis is he major factor in its development. Patients with constrictive pericarditis typically resent with signs of systemic venous congesion, including hepatomegaly, ascites, and periphral edema. Deep “x” and “y” descent in the ugular venous pulse and Kussmaul sign (jugular enous pressure does not decrease appropriately uring inspiration or even increases) may also be resent. With more prolonged and severe constricive pericarditis, symptoms related to decreased ardiac output may occur, including dyspnea, ypotension, dizziness, fatigue, cachexia, and eight loss. In this report, we describe a long-term dialysis atient who developed refractory hypotension elated to constrictive pericarditis with extensive ericardial calcification. Many of the classic hysical findings associated with constrictive ericarditis were absent or masked by ongoing olume removal by means of continuous ambulaory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). We discuss
Selective knockout of the casein kinase 2 in d1 medium spiny neurons controls dopaminergic function.

Background Dopamine, crucial for the regulation of motor function and reward, acts through receptors mainly expressed in striatum as well as cortex. Dysregulation of dopaminergic signaling is associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders. Consequently, dopamine-regulating drugs are effectively used in treating these disorders, such as L-DOPA for Parkinson's disease, methylphenidate for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or antipsychotics for schizophrenia. As a result, there has been much interest in dissecting signaling networks in the two morphologically indistinguishable D1- and D2-receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons. Our previous results highlighted a role for casein kinase 2 (CK2) in the modulation of dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) signaling in cells. Methods To study the importance of CK2 in vivo, we have selectively knocked out CK2, in either D1- or D2-medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and characterized the mice behaviorally and biochemically ( n = 4–18). Results The D1-MSN knockout mice exhibited distinct behavioral phenotypes including novelty-induced hyperlocomotion and exploratory behavior, defective motor control, and motor learning. All of these behavioral traits are indicative of dysregulated dopamine signaling and the underlying mechanism appears to be an alteration of D1R signaling. In support of this hypothesis, D1R levels were upregulated in the knockout mice, as well as phosphorylation of DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cyclic adenosine monophosphate [cAMP]-regulated phospho-protein of 32 kDa), most of the behavioral phenotypes were abolished by the D1R antagonist, SCH23390, and the D2-MSN knockout mice displayed no obvious behavioral phenotype. Conclusions A single kinase, CK2, in D1-MSNs significantly alters dopamine signaling, a finding that could have therapeutic implications for disorders characterized by dopamine imbalance such as Parkinson's disease, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia.
Peer Group Similarity in Perceptions of Pubertal Timing

Self-report measures of perceived pubertal timing correspond only weakly with clinical measures of “objective” physical development. Peer and school contexts shape adolescents’ self-perceptions of pubertal timing. The current study examined associations between perceived pubertal timing and the pubertal timing reported by nominated friends and schoolmates. Participants included 2817 adolescents (Mage = 16.6; 49 % female; 16 % Black; 20 % Hispanic) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Three measures of pubertal timing were included: age-standardized ratings of body changes, comparisons of development relative to peers (relative timing), and, in females, age at menarche. It was hypothesized that relative timing, which explicitly asks adolescents to compare themselves to their peers, would be related to the age-standardized pubertal timing of nominated friends and schoolmates. Surprisingly, there were no associations between relative timing and age-standardized pubertal timing reported by peers, suggesting that pubertal self-perceptions do not fluctuate in response to the average level of development in a friend group. Instead, males were similar to nominated friends and schoolmates in age-standardized ratings of body changes, and females were similar to nominated friends in relative timing, controlling for race, ethnicity, and age. Different self-report measures of pubertal timing index different underlying constructs, and the social processes that influence adolescents’ perceptions of pubertal maturation may differ between genders.
Characteristics of Hydrogen Ion Transport in Urinary Bladder of Water Turtle

The mechanism of acidification by the urinary bladder of the wa- ter turtle was studied in an in vitro system which permitted control and mea- surement of electrical and concentration driving forces. The rate of hydrogen ion secretion was measured by means of a pH stat technique in the absence of exogenous carbon dioxide and bicarbonate. Transport of hydrogen ion into the solution bathing the mucosal surface of the bladder was associated with the appearance of alkali in the serosal compartment. The mean rate of hydrogen ion secretion in the absence of electrical and concentration gradients across the bladder was 0.96 Mumole/hr. The secretion rate was only slightly greater in the presence of the spontane- ous potential difference. The maximal hydrogen ion gradient that could be generated by the bladder was 3.33 pH units in the presence of the spontaneous voltage and 3.02 pH units in the short-circuited state. Hydrogen ion secretion was markedly reduced by acetazolamide and anaerobiosis, which indicated that under our experimental conditions acidifica- tion depended on the production and enzymatic hydration of metabolic carbon dioxide. On the basis of the stoichiometry of the pH changes across the membrane under different conditions, it is suggested that the active transport mechanism for hydrogen ion is located near the mucosal surface of the epi- thelial cell and that the alkali generated in back of the pump moves passively into the serosal fluid along an electrochemical gradient.
INSIDE INFORMATION AND THE OWN COMPANY STOCK PUZZLE

U.S. investors allocate 30–40% of their financial asset portfolio in the stock of the company they work for. Such a portfolio flies in the face of standard portfolio theory, which prescribes that an investor should hold less of a financial asset that is positively correlated with her undiversified labor income. Nevertheless, we propose a rational explanation that prescribes a long position in own company stock. Precisely because the own company stock is positively correlated with the investor's labor income, any information the investor learns about her earnings is a partial information advantage in her own company stock. When confronted with a choice of what information to acquire, employees may choose to learn about their own firm. Learning lowers the employee's risk of holding own-firm equity, which raises its risk-adjusted returns and makes a long position optimal. (JEL: F30, G11, D82)
The quest for compromise : peacemakers in Counter-Reformation Vienna

List of illustrations Acknowledgements A political and cultural chronology List of abbreviations Introduction Part I. The Emergence of an Irenic Court: 1. From confrontation to conciliation: the conversion of Lazarus von Schwendi 2. Jacopo Strada and the transformation of the imperial court Part II. Maximilian II and the High Point of Irenicism: Introduction 3. Hugo Blotius and the intellectual foundation of Austrian irenicism 4. Ordering a chaotic world: the reformation of the imperial library 5. Protestant ecumenism and Catholic reform: the case of Johannes Crato 6. Finding a via media: Lazarus von Schwendi and the climax of Austrian irenicism Part III. The Failure of Irenicism: Introduction 7. Confessional ambiguity and unambiguous critics: religion and the Austrian middle way 8. The funeral of Maximilian II: struggling for the soul of central Europe 9. Matthias in the Netherlands: the political failure of irenicism Conclusion: storm clouds on the horizon: from the great milk war to the Thirty Years War Epilogue: the wider circle of irenicism Select bibliography Index.
Pharmacogenetic Research: Perceptions of Informed Consent

GlaxoSmithKline (formerly Glaxo Wellcome Genetics Directorate) undertook a descriptive study to elicit volunteers’ perceptions of a pharmacogenetic research consent form, an educational brochure, and a video; and to identify modifications in these materials that would enhance their usefulness. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to obtain feedback on the material and assess volunteer understanding of the basic components of the study. Although repeated exposure to key information in different formats resulted in improved comprehension, almost one-third of respondents could not accurately describe the two options for participating in the pharmacogenetic research. Almost all of the respondents reported that they would like to have the brochure, video, or both, in addition to the consent form. These results underscore the importance of providing volunteers with the opportunity for discussion with the study physician. They also support the use of supplementary aids to accommodate different styles of processing information. The respondents’ suggestions will be considered when the materials are revised.
A novel high-Q u octave-tunable resonator with lumped tuning elements

This paper presents a novel design of high-quality factor (Qu) continuously-tunable resonator compatible with standard PCB fabrication technology. The proposed resonator is tuned by lumped element varactors placed on the top surface of a substrate-integrated evanescent-mode cavity, thus significantly reducing the complexity of integration without sacrificing Qu. The proposed design approach is compatible with a variety of tuning elements, including solid-state, ferroelectric, and RF-MEMS varactors. A tunable resonator with solid-state varactors is demonstrated to validate this design approach. The resonator surpasses the state-of-the-art with a frequency tuning range of 0.5-1.2 GHz (tuning ratio of 2.4 : 1) and Qu of 82-197. An RF-MEMS varactor enabled tunable resonator based on the same design further shows Qu of 240 at 6.6 GHz.