cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A tangled web—interconnecting pathways to amorphadiene and the amorphene sesquiterpenes

Quantum chemical studies on the formation of amorphadiene and the amorphene sesquiterpenes are described. These natural products are commonly thought to arise from distinct pathways involving initial 1,6- and 1,10-cyclization of farnesyl diphosphate, respectively. We have found, using density functional calculations, that the pathway usually invoked for amorphadiene formation is not only energetically feasible, but is also the energetically favored pathway to the amorphenes as a result of a low energy (two-step) 1,5-hydride transfer involving an unusual carbocation containing a 3-center 2-electron [C⋯H⋯C]+ bonding array.
Stress-Responsive Polymers Containing Cyclobutane Core Mechanophores: Reactivity and Mechanistic Insights

A primary goal of covalent mechanochemistry is to develop polymer bound mechanophores that undergo constructive transformations in response to otherwise destructive forces. The [2 + 2] cycloreversion of cyclobutane mechanophores has emerged as a versatile framework to develop a wide range of stress-activated functionality. Herein, we report the development of a class of cyclobutane bearing bicyclo[4.2.0]octane mechanophores. Using carbodiimide polyesterification, these stress-responsive units were incorporated into high molecular weight polymers containing up to 700 mechanophores per polymer chain. Under exposure to the otherwise destructive elongational forces of pulsed ultrasound, these mechanophores unravel by ∼7 A per monomer unit to form α,β-unsaturated esters that react constructively via thiol-ene conjugate addition to form sulfide functionalized copolymers and cross-linked polymer networks. To probe the dynamics of the mechanochemical ring opening, a series of bicyclo[4.2.0]octane derivatives that varied in stereochemistry, substitution, and symmetry were synthesized and activated. Reactivity and product stereochemistry was analyzed by (1)H NMR, which allowed us to interrogate the mechanism of the mechanochemical [2 + 2] cycloreversion. These results support that the ring opening is not concerted but proceeds via a 1,4 diradical intermediate. The bicyclo[4.2.0]octanes hold promise as active functional groups in new classes of stress-responsive polymeric materials.
Germany’s Economic Preparations for War

In the pre-war period, the German economy produced both ‘butter’ and ‘guns’ — much more of the former and much less of the latter than has been commonly assumed. By 1937, civilian consumption, investment in consumer goods industries, and government non-war expenditures equalled or exceeded previous peak levels. There is no question, therefore, of a rearmament programme so large that it prevented a substantial recovery of civilian production.
Revised Ground-Penetrating Radar Soil Suitability Maps

The United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) recently revised its ground-penetrating radar (GPR) soil suitability maps (GPRSSM). These maps, which have been prepared for most areas of the USA at different scales and levels of resolution, show the relative suitability of soils for GPR soil investigations. These digital maps are based on physical and chemical properties of approximately 22,000 different soils. The smaller scale (1:250,000) Ground-Penetrating Radar Soil Suitability Map of the Conterminous United States shows the relative suitability of soils to GPR within major soil and physiographic areas. The larger scale (1:12,000 to 1:63,360) state ground-penetrating radar soil suitability maps duplicate the scale and level of detail of the original soil survey maps. GPR soil suitability maps have been used to evaluate the relative appropriateness of using GPR, select the most suitable antennas, and assess the need and level of data processing. Limitations of these maps are discussed and examples of radar records collected in soils having different GPR suitability indices are presented.
Regional Investment as a Theme in Public Works Policy Making and Management

Policy decisions regarding investment in public works such as water systems, highways, or public buildings are important decisions for local public officials. The management of these investments over time is equally important. However, information about public works investments across a region is often inadequate. Individual jurisdictions and authorities often have good information about the public works for which they are directly responsible but far less complete information about public works that are the responsibility of overlapping or nearby entities that are relevant to the effective functioning of a region. Systematic analyses of the consequences of particular investment or management decisions on the region and its subareas can improve understanding of those choices.
Isotropic random walks in a tree

Let T be an infinite homogeneous tree of order a+1. We study Markov chains {Xn} in T whose transition functions p(x, y)=A[d(x,y)] depend only on the shortest distance between x and y in the graph. The graph T can be represented as a symmetric space of a p-adic matrix group; we prove a series of results using essentially the spherical functions of this symmetric space. Theorem 1.d(Xn,x)∼β n a.s., where β>0 if A(0) ≠ 1, X0=x. Assuming {Xn} is strongly aperiodic, Theorem 2. p2(x, y)∼CRn/n3/2 for fixed x, y where R=∑φ(d) A(d)<1, and if E[d(X1, X0)2]<∞, Theorem 3. R(1−u, x, y) = ∑(1−u)npn(x, y)=Ca−d[exp(−du/β)+od(1)] as d=d(x,y)→∞ uniformly for 0≦u≦2. Using Theorem 3, we calculate the Martin boundary Dirichlet kernel of p(x, y) on T, which turns out to be independent of {itA(d)}. We also consider a “stepping-stone” model of a randomly-mating-and-migrating population on the nodes of T. If initially all individuals are distinct, then in generation n approximately half of the individuals of a given type are within βn of a typical one and essentially all are within 2βn.
Art and ideology in revolutionary China

Introduction: Part I: The Development of a CCP Cultural Policy: CCP art and propaganda before 1937 The dilemmas of national form Rectification Part II: Yangge: A New Model Genre: Yangge and the Communist Party before 1943 The peasants' own Yangge New Yangge: The Lu Xun Academy's Pilog Project High tide: The Yangge movement in Yan'an Transforming the repertoire of the folk dance and folk play Conclusion: Yangge, the party, and the mandate of heaven Appendix: Yangge troupes active in Yan'an, Spring 1944 Bibliography Index
Effect of stimulus frequency on subjective vibrotactile magnitude functions

Subjective magnitude functions were determined by the method of magnitude estimation at 60 and 250 Hz at the fingertip and thenar eminence, both with and without a rigid surface surrounding the contactor. When the surround was in place, the slopes of the curves were independent of stimulus frequency. The slopes became frequency dependent when the surround was removed—the lower frequency produced a steeper slope at both body sites. An explanation of the effect is suggested. It involves the frequency characteristics and spatial sensitivity of the receptors.
Suppressive effects of intraperitoneal and intraventricular injections of nicotine on muricide and shock-induced attack on conspecifics☆

Abstract Rats were used to investigate the effect of nicotine on mouse-killing and foot shock-induced attack on conspecifics. It was found that intraperitoneal injections of nicotine (100–1000 μg/kg) suppressed mouse-killing in a dose dependent manner. The suppression of mouse-killing by nicotine was not blocked by hexamethonium (30 mg/kg), a peripheral nicotinic receptor blocking agent. Mecamylamine (30 mg/kg), a nicotinec blocking agent with central effects, did reduce the inhibition of attack produced by nicotine. Both intraperitoneal and intraventricular injections of nicotine suppressed shock-induced attack on conspecifics. Shock-elicited flinch, vocalization, and escape were not influenced by nicotine injections. These findings give further support to the view the muscarinic and nicotinic compounds produce antagonistic effects on certain types of attack behavior.
A longitudinal study of the effects of menopause on sexuality

From an initial group of 39, 16 cycling peri-menopausal women completed a longitudinal study in which they recorded menstrual and sexual behavior daily and were interviewed at roughly 4-mth intervals until 1 yr or more without cycling. At each interview women gave 20-ml blood samples, completed sexuality questionnaires, and rated themselves for menopausal symptoms. As predicted, the difference in weekly rate of sexual intercourse before and after the cycle showed a significant decline (P less than 0.05). For each subject, mean weekly rates of sexual intercourse for 13-wk periods over the entire transition period were plotted and the slope of the line was calculated. Overall, the mean slope was negative, as predicted, and was significantly different from zero (P less than 0.05). The questionnaire data showed that compared with their pre-menopause data, the women had fewer sexual thoughts or fantasies (P less than 0.01), suffered more from lack of vaginal lubrication during sex (P less than 0.01), and were less satisfied with their partners as lovers (P less than 0.05) after menopause. While estradiol (E) and testosterone (T) levels showed significant declines (P less than 0.02), testosterone showed the most consistent association with coital frequency. The findings generally supported our initial hypothesis of a decline in sexual interest and coital frequency after menopause.
FLORAL BIOLOGY OF MAGNOLIA

The floral biology of eight species of Magniolia native to the United States is described. The flowers are protogynous. They are pollinated by several species of beetles that enter buds as well as closed and open flowers to feed on nectar, stigmas, pollen, and secretions of the petals. Individual flowers persist from two to four days and undergo a series of petal, stigma, and stamen movements that assure pollination by beetles. It is suggested that the flowers of Magnolia are highly specialized for exclusive pollination by beetles. These specialization mechanisms produce large quantities of food for the beetles and deny other types of insects (bees, moths, etc.) access to the flowers at critical stages in the pollination process, i.e., when stigmas are mature and pollen is shed.
Arginine vasopressin 4–9 retards spatial alternation learning

Thirty adult male rats were randomly divided into three groups and prepared with either posterior parietal, medial frontal or sham neocortical injuries. After a 10-12 day recovery interval, access to water was restricted to a 30-min period per day and the rats were trained to run in a T-maze for a reward of sweetened water. After reaching a pre-training criterion, osmotic mini-pumps (Alzet 2002) were installed subcutaneously. For the next 14 to 15 days, the pumps delivered chronically either 0 or 1.2 micrograms of arginine vasopressin 4-9 (AVP 4-9) dissolved in bacteriostatic saline while the animals were trained on a reinforced spatial alternation task. Analysis of variance on the number of errors committed to a criterion of at least 80% correct alternations in two consecutive training sessions, or a ceiling of 50 errors (attained by two rats with parietal lesions), revealed a significant retardation in animals administered AVP 4-9 during training. These results demonstrate that this centrally active metabolite of vasopressin can interfere with the acquisition of a cognitive learning task when administered concomitantly with training.
Dynamics of synaptic vesicle fusion and membrane retrieval in synaptic terminals

Communication among neurons occurs at specialized synaptic junctions, where neurotransmitter is released via calcium-dependent exocytosis from the synaptic terminal of the presynaptic cell onto the postsynaptic target neuron. Here we exploit the unique properties of giant synaptic terminals of bipolar neurons from goldfish retina to establish the kinetics and calcium-dependence of exocytosis, and the characteristics of membrane retrieval following secretion in presynaptic terminals. Simultaneous patch-clamp, calcium-indicator dye and time-resolved capacitance measurements reveal that activation of calcium current drives secretion at a rapid rate of about 10,000 vesicles per s and the calcium level necessary to drive secretion is locally greater than 50 microM. Two components of membrane retrieval were observed following secretory stimulation. After strong stimulation, capacitance returned to rest with a time constant of about 30 s, but after weaker stimuli recovery was much faster, with a time constant of about 2 s. Secretion in a vertebrate central nervous system neuron was thus found to differ substantially from that in other secretory cells in its rapid rate of vesicle fusion, requirement for high levels of intracellular calcium, and the high speed and completeness of membrane retrieval. These distinctive features reflect the specialization of neuronal synaptic terminals for rapid and focally directed release of neurotransmitter.
Location-Based Service Provisioning for Next Generation Wireless Networks

We study how the wireless network infrastructure can support location-based services (LBSs). We assume that each mobile is equipped with self-geolocation capability. The wireless network can provide geolocation information of mobiles to an application services provider (ASP) so that the ASP can customize services based on the geolocation of the users. The main challenge in wireless networking is to keep track of the geolocation of mobile users such that the application service can maintain a certain quality of service (QoS). In general, the quality of service depends on how often mobiles update their geolocation. Because geolocation updates require battery power, radio resources, and signaling in the wired network, optimization of the geolocation update frequency is critical. In this paper, we present geolocation update schemes in which we can minimize the update frequency while satisfying the QoS of application service. For case study, we consider location-based traffic report service (LBS-TR) and location-based navigation service (LBS-NS). In LBS-TR, each mobile user about to enter a heavily jammed highway is informed in a timely manner so that the user can avoid traffic congestion. In LBS-NS, a mobile user is given navigation instructions custom-tailored to the geolocation of the user. The granularity of navigation instructions changes as the user moves from highway to local street and from local street to building complex.
CHAP II therapy for epithelial ovarian cancers following primary treatment with platinum-based combination chemotherapy.

Abstract Nineteen patients with stage III or IV epithelial ovarian cancer treated on a prospective randomized protocol with either adriamycin and cis -diamminedichloroplatinum or tamoxifen, adriamycin, and cis -diamminedichloroplatinum received a modified "CHAP II" regimen at the time of clinical progression of disease or the finding of occult cancer at second-look surgery. One patient had a clinical complete response lasting 6 months, one had a partial response lasting 23 months, 6 had clinically stable disease for an average of 6.5 months (range 4–15 months), 8 patients had progressive disease, and 3 patients without clinically detectable disease remained disease free for a mean time of 10 months (range 7–16 months). The modified "CHAP II" regimen employed in this study for patients failing prior cis -diamminedichloroplatinum-based regimens appears to have only limited efficacy in inducing Objective remissions.
Therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest.

Purpose of review Patients who are successfully resuscitated following cardiac arrest often have a significant medical condition termed postresuscitation disease. This includes myocardial stunning, metabolic abnormalities and neurologic injury from global ischemia. There are no clinical signs or diagnostic tests for 24-72 h to distinguish patients who will and will not recover neurologic function. Recent findings Therapeutic hypothermia had been advocated for decades as a treatment to improve neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest. The early studies focused on moderate hypothermia, which was associated with complications and was not clearly beneficial. Over the past decade, studies have focused on mild hypothermia with target temperatures of 32-34 degrees C. Two recent multicentered, randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated improved neurologic outcome with mild therapeutic hypothermia applied to comatose survivors after cardiac arrest compared with a normothermic control group. Summary As a result of these studies the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation recommends that 'Unconscious adult patients with spontaneous circulation after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest should be cooled to 32 degrees C to 34 degrees C for 12 to 24 hours when the initial rhythm was ventricular fibrillation'. Mild therapeutic hypothermia should also be considered for patients with in-hospital arrest and asystole and pulseless electrical activity who are comatose after return of spontaneous circulation.
Systematic review of research methods: the case of business instruction

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the body of business instruction literature by academic librarians against evolving models for evidence‐based research.Design/methodology/approach – The paper used systematic review and inter‐rater reliability of the literature of business information research instruction to test two attributes of research quality: the evidence‐based levels of evidence and the EBLIP critical analysis checklist.Findings – Intervention questions and case studies are the most popular research methods on the EBL levels of evidence scale. The majority of articles score below 75 on the EBLIP critical appraisal checklist. Prediction questions are represented by higher levels of evidence and study quality. Intervention questions paired with the cohort design and exploratory questions paired with survey design indicate strong areas of research quality. The case study method, while most popular, showes lower scores across all question types yet revealed some high‐quality benchmark ex...
Lightwave modulators: Early days

I give a personal perspective on early telecom modulator research following Maiman's demonstration of the first laser in 1960. I start with the 9 GHz KDP linear electrooptic amplitude modulator and follow with the Ti-diffused lithium niobate planar phase modulator.
Time of Oil and Gas Accumulation: ABSTRACT

An idea of the time oil and gas accumulated into pools may be gained through two separate and simple lines of reasoning. These are: (1) a pool can not form until after the trap has been formed. We have several methods of dating geologically the time the trap was formed and consequently setting the time or times before which there could have been little or no accumulation; and (2) the capacity of a trap to contain oil and gas is roughly a function of the pressure in the reservoir. The pressure in turn is related to the depth of burial and the hydrostatic head. Pools full of oil and gas to the spill point have accumulated only under the increasing pressure which comes with burial. Both types of reasoning support the idea that in some pools at least, the accumulation was lat in terms of the life of the reservoir rock--accumulation even taking place to the present time. The PVT relationship of gases may also be used to explain the time of regional migration of oil and gas within basins and provinces. The drilling of a hole into an oil and gas pool, for example, allows the gas to expand as the pressure gradient develops between the pool and the well hole. The expanding gas moves toward the area of lower pressure, either carrying or pushing the oil along with it. Basins and other large geologic units have experienced numerous upsets of their PVT relationships during their history. Tilting, faulting, folding, regional arching, erosion, and deposition all serve to upset the PVT equilibrium from time to time. The development of a pressure gradient through such causes as these makes for the expansion and movement of gas toward the area of lower pressure in a manner similar to what we know exists when a well is drilled into a pool. The available energy may be very large. Local traps which existed prior to the regional movement would collect oil and gas into pools whereas local traps which formed after the regional movement would be barren. End_of_Article - Last_Page 2063------------
On the Poisson Transform on Symmetric Spaces of Real Rank One

Abstract In this paper we investigate L 2 boundedness properties of the Poisson transform associated to a symmetric space of real rank one and prove a related Plancherel-type theorem.
Cesium and rubidium salts: Effects on voluntary intake of ethanol by the rat

Abstract The effects of RbCl and CsCl on voluntary intake of ethanol solution by rats preferring ethanol solution 5% (w/w) over water as the drinking fluid was studied as a function of the dose given and the vehicle injected. Administration of RbCl or CsCl, 0.5 mEq/kg/day or 1.5 mEq/kg/day for three consecutive days, did not alter amounts of ethanol consumed. Repeated administration of RbCl or CsCl, 3.0 mEq/kg/day for three days, produced some moderate reduction in ethanol consumption. Simultaneous injection of RbCl (1.5 mEq/kg) and CsCl (1.5 mEq/kg) resulted in greater and profound lasting decrease in ethanol drinking. The later treatment did not alter specific activities of rat liver alcohol-and aldehyde dehydrogenase from saline treated controls. In general, dissolving the chloride salt of the alkali metals in saline resulted in greater effects on ethanol drinking than that determined after identical doses injected with water as the vehicle. The possible mechanism(s) underlying the effects of alkali metal salts used are suggested.
Implementing Dialectical Behavior Therapy With Adolescents and Their Families in a Community Outpatient Clinic

Abstract Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), an empirically supported treatment for adult women diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), has been increasingly adapted for use with adolescents across a variety of settings. This article describes a community-based application of DBT principles and strategies for adolescents and their families. It is the first study of DBT with suicidal and self-injuring adolescents to provide parent as well as adolescent reports of change. Uncontrolled pre- to posttreatment effects ranged from d = .62 to .94 for adolescent-reported depressive symptoms, anger, dissociative symptoms, overall symptoms and functional difficulties, and items on which adolescents reported wanting to hurt or kill themselves. Not only did parents report similar changes ( d = .55 to .65) in adolescent internalizing, externalizing, and total problem behaviors, they reported a large change ( d = .72) in their own depressive symptoms as well. The consistency of these effects with those of other preliminary studies of adolescent DBT suggests that this model is indeed feasible within a naturalistic community treatment setting and may have benefits for families as well as adolescents.
Free energy profiles from single-molecule pulling experiments

Nonequilibrium pulling experiments provide detailed information about the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of molecules. We show that unperturbed free energy profiles as a function of molecular extension can be obtained rigorously from such experiments without using work-weighted position histograms. An inverse Weierstrass transform is used to relate the system free energy obtained from the Jarzynski equality directly to the underlying molecular free energy surface. An accurate approximation for the free energy surface is obtained by using the method of steepest descent to evaluate the inverse transform. The formalism is applied to simulated data obtained from a kinetic model of RNA folding, in which the dynamics consists of jumping between linker-dominated folded and unfolded free energy surfaces.
The nature of copper in thin films of copper iodide grown by laser-assisted molecular beam deposition: comparative ESCA and EDXS studies

Thin molecular films of copper iodide have been grown by direct chemical reaction within a molecular beam using laser-assisted molecular beam deposition. Molecular iodine vapour entrained in a helium carrier gas stream was supersonically expanded into the laser-ablated plasma plume of vaporized copper, producing copper iodide. Films of this material were grown on substrates situated in the path of this molecular beam. The oxidation state of copper and the chemical composition of these films were studied by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and, the results were compared with those of a high-purity Cul powder. The binding energy of the Cu 2p3/2 photoelectron line and the kinetic energy of the X-ray-induced Cu L3M4.5M4.5 Auger line are determined to be the same for both samples. The surface morphology and extent of surface inhomogeneities in copper iodide films were found to be largely dependent on the fluence of the incident laser and the expansion conditions. Secondary electron images of these films indicate clustering of copper iodide on the surface of the films during film growth. The copper in these films is found to be in the Cu+ ionization state.
Low-background direct readout array performance.

The development and evaluation of an integrated array of antimony-doped silicon detectors is described. The spectral range of extrinsic silicon-integrated arrays useful for low-background IR astronomical applications is extended to about 31 microns with this development. The 58 x 62-element array is accessed by a direct readout multiplexer. The device is evaluated with a flexible microcomputer-based drive and readout electronics system in a low-background test dewar. Acceptance testing indicates single-pixel NEPs in the mid-10 to the -18th W/sq rt Hz range, and good global uniformity statistics.
Current account and fiscal deficits: Evidence from five developing economies of Asia

The persistent and coinciding fiscal and external trade deficits have been in the economic spotlight largely because of its important policy implications concerning the long-term viability of economic progress. Most studies on the subject have focused attention on the relationship between the two deficits in developed countries such as the United States. The present study, in contrast, uses multi-variate time series analysis to extend the “twin deficits” debate to five developing Southeast Asian economies—namely, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines. The discussion is especially relevant given the backdrop of the current economic crisis that is engulfing many Asian economies, and the plausibility that there could be wide disparities in the macroeconomic dynamics governing fiscal and current deficits between developing and developed economies. Specifically, Granger causality test based on a vector autoregressive (VAR) model is utilized to underpin the direction of causality between the two deficit series. Contrary to most findings in the literature, this study finds trade deficits to cause fiscal deficits and not vice versa. A case for increased government spending in response to the domestic hardships caused by a worsening of trade balance is made. Furthermore, the study identifies several other macroeconomic variables that jointly influence the twin deficits, thus highlighting some degree of commonality in the twin deficit nexus. A number of policy implications are derived.
Nuclear import factor Srp1 and its associated protein Sts1 couple ribosome-bound nascent polypeptides to proteasomes for cotranslational degradation.

Cotranslational protein degradation plays an important role in protein quality control and proteostasis. Although ubiquitylation has been suggested to signal cotranslational degradation of nascent polypeptides, cotranslational ubiquitylation occurs at a low level, suggesting the existence of an alternative route for delivery of nascent polypeptides to the proteasome. Here we report that the nuclear import factor Srp1 (also known as importin α or karyopherin α) is required for ubiquitin-independent cotranslational degradation of the transcription factor Rpn4. We further demonstrate that cotranslational protein degradation is generally impaired in the srp1–49 mutant. Srp1 binds nascent polypeptides emerging from the ribosome. The association of proteasomes with polysomes is weakened in srp1–49. The interaction between Srp1 and the proteasome is mediated by Sts1, a multicopy suppressor of srp1–49. The srp1–49 and sts1–2 mutants are hypersensitive to stressors that promote protein misfolding, underscoring the physiological function of Srp1 and Sts1 in degradation of misfolded nascent polypeptides. This study unveils a previously unknown role for Srp1 and Sts1 in cotranslational protein degradation and suggests a novel model whereby Srp1 and Sts1 cooperate to couple proteasomes to ribosome-bound nascent polypeptides.
Long latency event related potentials in rats: The effects of changes in stimulus parameters and neurochemical lesions

Animal models of event related potentials (ERPs) have recently been developed in order to gain further understanding of the psychobiological variables which may underlie these brain potentials. In the present study, unanaesthetized rats were utilized in order to evaluate the effects on rat ERP morphology of changes in the auditory stimulus parameters used to elicit these potentials such as tone probability and intensity. In addition, the consequences of reductions in norepinephrine (NE) produced by six-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions to the area of the dorsal noradrenergic bundle in ERP wave forms were evaluated. Forty, experimentally naive, male rats chronically implanted with electrodes were used in this study. The results of these studies showed that in all electrode sites (frontal cortex, ventral thalamus, dorsal hippocampus, locus coeruleus) a series of large amplitude potentials in the 10–200 msec latency range could be recorded, some of which were sensitive to changes in the auditory stimulus parameters such as probability and tone intensity. Late positive potentials in the 300–400 msec range could be identified in recordings from the dorsal hippocampus and were found to be sensitive to probability independent of tone intensity. Dorsal noradrenergic bundle lesions were also found to produce significant changes in these rat ERP components. Lesioned animals were found to have increases in amplitude to the early negative potentials (in the 50–100 msec range) in response to frequent tones in cortical leads and decreases in the amplitude of the late positive potentials (in the 300–400 msec range) recorded in hippocampal leads in response to infrequent tones. These findings are consistent with a role for NE in the forebrain in the processing of novel or “selective” stimuli.
Early prenatal diagnosis of an infratentorial arachnoid cyst: Association with an unbalanced translocation

Arachnoid cysts are an uncommon central nervous system malformation, representing only 1 per cent of all intracranial masses. We report the second-trimester prenatal diagnosis of a posterior fossa arachnoid cyst, associated with an unbalanced X;9 translocation.
Japan's develop-for-import policy

Abstract Much of the world's remaining mineral resources lie within the underdeveloped nations of the Third World. The current crisis of confidence characterized in international investment and trade in extractive resources has become detrimental to both the resource-rich developing countries and the resource-hungry industrialized countries. Japan is one nation that has developed a strategy to foster mutual trust and to restore confidence in the international extractive industries. This paper examines Japan's develop-for-import policy, ‘kaihatsu yunso’, and its design, implementation and effects on securing foreign resources supplies.
On a special case of the intersection of quadric and cubic surfaces

Abstract The intersection curve between two surfaces in three-dimensional real projective space R P 3 is important in the study of computer graphics and solid modelling. However, much of the past work has been directed towards the intersection of two quadric surfaces. In this paper we study the intersection curve between a quadric and a cubic surface and its projection onto the plane at infinity. Formulas for the plane and space curves are given for the intersection of a quadric and a cubic surface. A family of cubic surfaces that give the same space curve when we intersect them with a quadric surface is found. By generalizing the methods in Wang et al. (2002) [6] that are used to parametrize the space curve between two quadric surfaces, we give a parametrization for the intersection curve between a quadric and a cubic surface when the intersection has a singularity of order 3.
Serum Neopterin Levels Following Intravenous Endotoxin Administration to Normal Humans

Abstract Endotoxin was administered intravenously to five normal subjects.Measurement of serum neopterin levels demonstrated no significant change from baseline during the first 6 h after endotoxin administration, but were elevated two to four-fold at 24 h.In the three subjects in whom it was measured, a two-fold rise of the mean serum neopterin levels persisted at 48 h.The acute inflammatory events initiated by endotoxin administration to normal humans result in a delayed, but sustained, rise in serum neopterin levels which persists well after the acute phase response has subsided.
Professionals and the Conflicting Forces of Administrative Modernization and Civic Engagement

As governments worldwide give more responsibility to local authorities, it makes sense to examine emerging roles of the local government professional. These roles are developing in a contemporary context that features the conflicting forces of administrative modernization and civic engagement (Nalbandian and Nalbandian 2002, 2003; Naschold and Daley 1999a, 1999b, 1999c; for a global perspective see Barber 1995; Friedman 1999; Kettl 2000a; Sacks 2002; Yergin and Stanislaw 1999). Modernization creates an administrative culture driven by efficiency and the pervasive influence of technique. This trend is increasingly divorced from a second force that involves citizen engagement, participation, and the passion of local politics. In Chapter 12, Hambleton describes these forces succinctly in figure 12.2, as he outlines what he refers to as the new city management.
Cortical mapping of the auditory middle latency response in the unanesthetized guinea pig

Auditory middle latency responses (MLRs) were mapped on the cortical surface of the unanesthetized guinea pig. The MLR consists of two positive peaks, designated A and C, with latencies of approximately 11 and 29 msec respectively, and a negative trough B, at 18 msec. Results suggest that each MLR component appears to have different generator sites and specific stimulus-response characteristics. The present work suggests that positive MLR components A and C have different generator sources because each component was maximally recorded from a different location over the contralateral temporal lobe. Little MLR activity was evident outside an area roughly 4 mm X 4 mm for each component.
Coding for Ambiguity Reduction in Pulsed Scanning Systems

A technique for suppressing the ambiguities arising in pulsed scanning systems is described. A system of multiple antennas is employed, and a coded sequence of pulses is radiated.
Cold event in the South Atlantic Bight during summer of 2003: Model simulations and implications

[1] A set of model simulations are used to determine the principal forcing mechanisms that resulted in anomalously cold water in the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) in the summer of 2003. Updated mass field and elevation boundary conditions from basin-scale Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) simulations are compared to climatological forcing to provide offshore and upstream influences in a one-way nesting sense. Model skill is evaluated by comparing model results with observations of velocity, water level, and surface and bottom temperature. Inclusion of realistic atmospheric forcing, river discharge, and improved model dynamics produced good skill on the inner shelf and midshelf. The intrusion of cold water onto the shelf occurred predominantly along the shelf-break associated with onshore flow in the southern part of the domain north of Cape Canaveral (29° to 31.5°). The atmospheric forcing (anomalously strong and persistent upwelling-favorable winds) was the principal mechanism driving the cold event. Elevated river discharge increased the level of stratification across the inner shelf and midshelf and contributed to additional input of cold water into the shelf. The resulting pool of anomalously cold water constituted more than 50% of the water on the shelf in late July and early August. The excess nutrient flux onto the shelf associated with the upwelling was approximated using published nitrate-temperature proxies, suggesting increased primary production during the summer over most of the SAB shelf.
Improving the Professional Engineering Licensure Process for Construction Engineers

Professional engineering licensure is important in the career development of engineers who undertake work critical to protecting public health, safety, and welfare. The knowledge and experience of construction engineers has not previously been well represented in professional engineering licensure evaluation. The ASCE-CI Construction Engineering Education Committee identified recognition of construction engineering in the professional engineering licensure process as one of its missions when it was organized in 1995. With the support of the states and the receptiveness of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), improvements were gradually achieved in recognition of construction engineering experience by changes in NCEES Model Rules. In 2003, the NCEES Board decided to evaluate modification of the Civil Engineering PE exam to include a Construction Engineering module. The evaluation included a Professional Activities and Knowledge Study (PAKS) of the skills appropriate for ...
Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms among Pregnant Women: The PIN3 Study

Prenatal depression confers health risks for both mother and family. Physical activity may promote better mental health; however, few studies have examined the influence of physical activity on prenatal depression. Data from 1,220 women enrolled in the third Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Study (2001–2005) were used to examine the associations between overall and domain-specific moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Self-reported, past week physical activity assessed at 17−22 weeks’ gestation was modeled in logistic regression with self-reported depressive symptoms assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression Scale at 24–29 weeks’ gestation. Active women with ≤2.67 h/week of total MVPA had almost half the odds of having high depressive symptoms as compared to women with no MVPA (odds ratio [OR] = 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38, 0.83). Increased odds of elevated depressive symptoms were found for women participating in some but ≤2.25 h/week of adult and child care MVPA (OR = 1.84; 95% CI = 1.08, 3.11) and >1 h of indoor household MVPA (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 0.99, 2.70) when compared to women with no MVPA. While overall MVPA may play a role in reducing the odds of developing elevated depressive symptoms, adult and child care and indoor household activities may increase it.
Selective oxidation technologies for high density MOS

Selective oxidation technologies using various thicknesses of silicon nitride formed by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), plasma assisted nitridation in ammonia, and by nitrogen ion implantation were investigated. The transition region ("bird's beak") profiles were found to be related to the rigidity of the nitride film and also the oxidation underneath the nitride film via the buffer oxide or even a native oxide. With complete elimination of any oxide between Si 3 N 4 and Si achieved by implanting with nitrogen ions or nitriding in an ammonia plasma, a very abrupt transition region was achieved. This new sealed interface localized oxidation (SILO) technology appears to have low crystal defect density suitable for VLSI MOS technology.
The treatment of hypertension with renoportal venous shunts

Abstract The problem of shunting a systemic venous outflow into the portal system was studied in dogs. The high venous pressure of the portal system resulted in leakage of portal vein blood into the systemic circulation rather than flow of systemic vein blood into the portal circulation. Only end-organs having a single vascular pedicle such as the kidney could be successfully shunted into the portal system. Even with this situation, collateral veins developed causing renal vein blood to leak into the systemic venous circulation. Renovascular hypertension was created in dogs and an end-to-side caval mesentric shunt was done with ligation of the vena cava just above the renal veins. All tributaries of the vena cava were ligated except the renals. This procedure restored normotension, but hypertension recurred following development of collateral vein leaks. Half of 13 dogs studied over 1 1 2 years regained their hypertension. The problem of leakage of portal vein blood into the systemic circulation is a major problem to be overcome before such therapy can be advocated for humans.
Primary central nervous system angiosarcoma: two case reports

Primary angiosarcoma of the brain is extremely rare; only 15 cases have been reported in adults over the last 25 years. We describe two cases of primary angiosarcoma of the brain that are well characterized by imaging, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. Case 1: our first patient was a 35-year-old woman who developed exophthalmos. Subtotal resection of a left extra-axial retro-orbital mass was performed. Case 2: our second patient was a 47-year-old man who presented to our facility with acute visual loss, word-finding difficulty and subtle memory loss. A heterogeneously-enhancing left sphenoid wing mass was removed. We also review the literature aiming at developing a rational approach to diagnosis and treatment, given the rarity of this entity. Gross total resection is the standard of care for primary angiosarcoma of the brain. Adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy are playing increasingly recognized roles in the therapy of these rare tumors.
Primary intent vaginal hysterectomy: outcomes for common contraindications to vaginal approach hysterectomy

The objective of this study is, within a broadly inclusive selection strategy for benign vaginal hysterectomy, to determine whether the most commonly invoked “contraindications” to vaginal hysterectomy—fibroid enlargement >14 weeks, prior cesarean, need for oophorectomy—result in increased risk of complications. This study is of retrospective design within a rural community hospital. All vaginal hysterectomies performed by a single practitioner over an 11-year-period (1998–2009) were used as samples in this study. With few exclusions, all candidates for benign hysterectomy underwent vaginal hysterectomy. Comparison was made between vaginal cases without enlargement >14 weeks, prior cesarean, or need for oopherectomy defined as “Standard” and those with contraindications defined as “Non-standard.” Intraoperative complications and morbidity, including conversion to abdominal route, and postoperative morbidity, including return to the OR, transfusions, and length of hospital stay, were the main outcome measures. Of 325 hysterectomies attempted vaginally during the study period, 165 were classified as “Standard” and 160 classified as “Non-standard.” Hysterectomy was completed vaginally in 311 (95.7%) patients, while 14 (4.3%) required abdominal conversion; more common for the non-standard group (8.1% vs. 0.6%, p 14 weeks, prior cesarean, or oophorectomy conventionally contraindicates vaginal hysterectomy; a primary intent vaginal hysterectomy strategy using broad inclusion criteria results in a high vaginal hysterectomy rate, and low complication rates no greater for vaginal hysterectomies performed with contraindications than for those performed without such contraindications.
A Model for Describing Performance and Productivity

A model for describing performance and productivity is presented as an equation in which Performance (P) is equal to the product of basic skills or ability (A) and motivation or drive (D), plus an oscillatory factor (O) which consists of five variables: selection, supervision, communication, training, and environment. Emphasis is placed on the multiplicative function of ability and drive and explains how highly motivated persons of average ability can exhibit better performance than individuals with the same ability who are poorly motivated. Implications for the human factors community, as it relates to the oscillatory factors, are discussed.
Factors that Influence Science Teachers’ Selection and Usage of Technologies in High School Science Classrooms

This study contributed to our understanding of those factors that serve as predictors of science teachers’ selection and use of technologies and more specifically, how selection and usage was realized among teachers of different science disciplines. Notable descriptive statistics were examined, and we tested an explanatory model of how demographics, school context, pedagogical approaches and professional development (PD) influenced the likelihood of a teacher using a tool via a multilevel cross-classification-ordered logit analysis (Goldstein 1995). The findings revealed that science teachers were more likely to use hardware than software; more specifically, this included instructional tools (i.e., SMARTboards, clickers) and laboratory tools (probeware). Differences in teachers’ use of tools were largely due to differences in tools as opposed to differences in teacher characteristics. Use of a tool was more likely by teachers who taught physics, who taught via inquiry, or who had more PD with a tool. These findings have implications for how we conceptualize selection and usage of technologies that enter the science education pipeline; which tools become sustainable in the science classroom and how technological take-up differs across science disciplines.
Presynaptic inhibition of olfactory receptor neurons in crustaceans.

Presynaptic inhibition of transmitter release from primary sensory afferents is a common strategy for regulating sensory input to the arthropod central nervous system. In the olfactory system, presynaptic inhibition of olfactory receptor neurons has been long suspected, but until recently could not be demonstrated directly because of the difficulty in recording from the afferent nerve terminals. A preparation using the isolated but intact brain of the spiny lobster in combination with voltage-sensitive dye staining has allowed stimulus-evoked responses of olfactory receptor axons to be recorded selectively with optical imaging methods. This approach has provided the first direct physiological evidence for presynaptic inhibition of olfactory receptor neurons. As in other arthropod sensory systems, the cellular mechanism underlying presynaptic afferent inhibition appears to be a reduction of action potential amplitude in the axon terminal. In the spiny lobster, two inhibitory transmitters, GABA and histamine, can independently mediate presynaptic inhibition. GABA- and histaminergic interneurons in the lobster olfactory lobe (the target of olfactory receptor neurons) constitute dual, functionally distinct inhibitory pathways that are likely to play different roles in regulating primary olfactory input to the CNS. Presynaptic inhibition in the vertebrate olfactory system is also mediated by dual inhibitory pathways, but via a different cellular mechanism. Thus, it is possible that presynaptic inhibition of primary olfactory afferents evolved independently in vertebrates and invertebrates to fill a common, fundamental role in processing olfactory information.