cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Warum Genossenschaften ihr Vermögen zusammenhalten sollten

Anmerkung zum Beitrag "Genossenschaft, spalte dich!" von Dr. Manuel Ritt-Huemer und Dr. Zurab Simonishvili in OBA Heft 5/2019, 328 –338.Das Genossenschaftsspaltungsgesetz (GenSpaltG) scheint eine schon langer bestehende rechtliche Lucke fur Genossenschaften geschlossen zu haben. Doch es nahert das Genossenschaftsrecht weiter an das Recht der Kapitalgesellschaften an. Dies konnte die ausgleichende – soziale – Funktion, wie sie zB Kreditgenossenschaften im Markt und Wettbewerb zukommt, uberlagern, wenn nicht gar schwachen.Stichworter: Genossenschaftsspaltungsgesetz, Kapitalmarkt, Kreditgenossenschaft, Osterreich, Revisionsverband, Vermogen.JEL-Classification: A 13, G 21, G 32, K 11, P 13.The Cooperatives Demerger Act (GenSpaltG) seems to fill a legal gap. But the Act further approximates cooperative law to the law of corporations. The balancing – social – dimension, that characterizes for example credit cooperatives in the market and in competition, is affected, if not weakened.
Predicting Subhourly Clipping Losses for Utility-Scale PV Systems

Utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems are generally designed with a greater DC power capacity than their inverters are capable of converting to AC power, resulting in system clipping. Modeling tools used to forecast the generation of photovoltaic systems predict the degree to which a system is expected to clip throughout the year. However, standard PV modeling software utilizes an input of hourly meteorological data to predict these losses. For periods of intermittent irradiance in which the incident irradiance at times may cause the system to clip, an average of this irradiance over the course of an hour may result in a prediction which fails to encompass clipping losses for those intermittent intervals. Presented within this paper is a model for predicting these losses by averaging high-resolution datasets and comparing losses through the NREL developed modeling tool System Advisor Model. This prediction model utilizes freely available data through the National Solar Radiation Database to predict these losses, so the methodology presented allows users and developers to predict subhourly clipping losses at a site where minute-resolution ground data would otherwise be unavailable.
Characteristic Deviations of Auditory Evoked Potentials in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background Neurological, structural, and behavioral abnormalities are widely reported in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); yet there are no objective markers to date. We postulated that by using dominant and nondominant ear data, underlying differences in auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) between ASD and control groups can be recognized. Purpose The primary purpose was to identify if significant differences exist in AEPs recorded from dominant and nondominant ear stimulation in (1) children with ASD and their matched controls, (2) adults with ASD and their matched controls, and (3) a combined child and adult ASD group and control group. The secondary purpose was to explore the association between the significant findings of this study with those obtained in our previous study that evaluated the effects of auditory training on AEPs in individuals with ASD. Research Design Factorial analysis of variance with interaction was performed. Study Sample Forty subjects with normal hearing between the ages of 9 and 25 years were included. Eleven children and 9 adults with ASD were age- and gender-matched with neurotypical peers. Data Collection and Analysis Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and auditory late responses (ALRs) were recorded. Adult and child ASD subjects were compared with non-ASD adult and child control subjects, respectively. The combined child and adult ASD group was compared with the combined child and adult control group. Results No significant differences in ABR latency or amplitude were observed between ASD and control groups. ALR N1 amplitude in the dominant ear was significantly smaller for the ASD adult group compared with their control group. Combined child and adult data showed significantly smaller amplitude for ALR N1 and longer ALR P2 latency in the dominant ear for the ASD group compared with the control group. In our earlier study, the top predictor of behavioral improvement following auditory training was ALR N1 amplitude in the dominant ear. Correspondingly, the ALR N1 amplitude in the dominant ear yielded group differences in the current study. Conclusions ALR peak N1 amplitude is proposed as the most feasible AEP marker in the evaluation of ASD.
Nonsense and Meaning in Ancient Greek Comedy

Introduction 1. Greek notions of nonsense 2. Nonsense as 'no-reference': riddles, allegories, metaphors 3. Nonsense as 'no-serious-sense': the case of Cinesias 4. Nonsense as 'no-sense': jokes, puns, and language play 5. Playing it straight: comedy's 'nonsense!' accusations Conclusions.
Why Simpler Arguments are Better

In this paper, I argue that, other things being equal, simpler arguments are better. In other words, I argue that, other things being equal, it is rational to prefer simpler arguments over less simple ones. I sketch three arguments in support of this claim: an argument from mathematical proofs, an argument from scientific theories, and an argument from the conjunction rule.
22q11.21 Deletion Syndromes: A Review of Proximal, Central, and Distal Deletions and Their Associated Features

Chromosome 22q11.21 contains a cluster of low-copy repeats (LCRs), referred to as LCR22A-H, that mediate meiotic non-allelic homologous recombination, resulting in either deletion or duplication of various intervals in the region. The deletion of the DiGeorge/velocardiofacial syndrome interval LCR22A-D is the most common recurrent microdeletion in humans, with an estimated incidence of ∼1:4,000 births. Deletion of other intervals in 22q11.21 have also been described, but the literature is often confusing, as the terms 'proximal', 'nested', 'distal', and 'atypical' have all been used to describe various of the other intervals. Individuals with deletions tend to have features with widely variable expressivity, even among families. This review concisely delineates each interval and classifies the reported literature accordingly.
Formal Verification of Pipelined Processors

Correspondence checking formally verifies that a pipelined microprocessor realizes the serial semantics of the instruction set model. By representing the circuit state symbolically with Ordered Binary Decision Diagrams (OBDDs), this correspondence checking can be performed directly on a logic-level representation of the circuit. Our ongoing research seeks to make his approach practical for real-life microprocessors.
Understanding Educational and Occupational Choices

I am delighted to write the commentary for this very rich set of papers. It is wonderful to have such a diverse set of papers together in one volume. When I began my work on this topic in the mid 1970s, the focus in the field was entirely on the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the theoretical tools were quite limited, and the scholars were all of European-American heritage. These papers illustrate how far this area of study has advanced along each of these dimensions.
Cell biology of host-parasite membrane interactions in leishmaniasis.

Molecular interactions at the host-parasite interface are crucial for the outcome of microbial infection, particularly in infection by intracellular parasites, such as Leishmania donovani and Leishmania mexicana, whose natural transmission begins with the delivery of the promastigote stage by the sandfly vector into the susceptible host. The ensuing event is intracellular parasitism of macrophages in the host by the amastigote stage. The establishment of this event in leishmaniasis must follow the sequence: (1) Leishmania-macrophage attachment; (2) entry of Leishmania species into macrophages; (3) intra-macrophage survival and differentiation of Leishmania species; and (4) intracellular multiplication of Leishmania species. This sequence precedes all clinical symptoms and pathological consequences in different forms of the disease. Study of these cellular events in Leishmania-macrophage systems in vitro indicates that host-parasite membrane interactions dictate many of the cellular events. Some morphological and functional changes of macrophages in response to leishmanial infection are related to their membrane activities, i.e. endocytosis and exocytosis. Leishmania parasites undergo profound plasma membrane-related changes, on entry into macrophages, at the morphological, antigenic and molecular levels. Most of these changes probably reflect necessary steps for the transition of Leishmania species from an extracellular to an intracellular life. The remarkable ability of Leishmania species subsequently to live in the secondary lysosome of the macrophage may also be due to certain intrinsic structures and dynamic properties of the parasite plasma membrane. Further analysis of leishmanial surface molecules and their interactions with macrophages is essential in any attempt to understand the pathogenic mechanism in leishmaniasis.
Topology and Growth of the Intracytoplasmic Membrane System of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides: Protein, Chlorophyll, and Phospholipid Insertion into Steady-State Anaerobic Cells

Abstract An equilibrium density gradient centrifugation study involving the separation of “old” and “new” membranes has been developed to determine the manner in which protein, lipid, and chlorophyll are incorporated into growing intracytoplasmic membranes (chromatophores) of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides. Chromatophores derived from cells grown in an H2O-medium had a density of 1.175 to 1.180 g/cm3 and were readily separable from chromatophores having a density of 1.220 to 1.230 isolated from cells grown in a 70% D2O-medium. After a shift from “D2O-” to “H2O”-based media, only hybrid chromatophores derived from a combination of “heavy” (old) and “light” (new) chromatophore material could be detected. The experimentally determined, median density values for the growing intracytoplasmic membrane system followed a theoretically determined profile which was calculated from the density of full “heavy” and full “light” material assuming random, homogeneous incorporation of new material into old membrane. The distribution of the radioactive labels for protein (leucine) and chlorophyll (delta-aminolevulinic acid) were identical and showed a reproducible displacement of the “old” material to the heavy side of the optical density at 365 nm (OD365) absorbance and a displacement of the “new” material to the light side of the OD365 absorbance profile. Specific phospholipid growth showed no displacement for either the “old” or “new” material from the median absorbance profile.
Dynamic Stress Changes during Earthquake Rupture

We assess two competing dynamic interpretations that have been pro- posed for the short slip durations characteristic of kinematic earthquake models de- rived by inversion of earthquake waveform and geodetic data. The first interpretation would require a fault constitutive relationship in which rapid dynamic restrengthen- ing of the fault surface occurs after passage of the rupture front, a hypothesized mechanical behavior that has been referred to as "self-healing." The second inter- pretation would require sufficient spatial heterogeneity of stress drop to permit rapid equilibration of elastic stresses with the residual dynamic friction level, a condition we refer to as "geometrical constraint." These interpretations imply contrasting pre- dictions for the time dependence of the fault-plane shear stresses. We compare these predictions with dynamic shear stress changes for the 1992 Landers (M 7.3), 1994 Northridge (M 6.7), and 1995 Kobe (M 6.9) earthquakes. Stress changes are com- puted from kinematic slip models of these earthquakes, using a finite-difference method. For each event, static stress drop is highly variable spatially, with high stress- drop patches embedded in a background of low, and largely negative, stress drop. The time histories of stress change show predominantly monotonic stress change after passage of the rupture front, settling to a residual level, without significant evidence for dynamic restrengthening. The stress change at the rupture front is usu- ally gradual rather than abrupt, probably reflecting the limited resolution inherent in the underlying kinematic inversions. On the basis of this analysis, as well as recent similar results obtained independently for the Kobe and Morgan Hill earthquakes, we conclude that, at the present time, the self-healing hypothesis is unnecessary to explain earthquake kinematics.
Comment on the nature and specificity of Bayer Corporation and Chiron Diagnostics hCG immunoassays.

We wish to update information in the recent hCG review article (1) , regarding the specificities and antibody configurations used in the Chiron Diagnostics and Bayer Corporation hCG immunoassays. The review article depicted the diverse nature of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) molecule. As described, a non-nicked hCG (the hormone), a nicked hCG, a free α-subunit, and a free β-subunit are present in blood samples, and the same molecules plus a β-core fragment occur in urine samples. As described in the review article (1) , commercial hCG assays sold in the United States use a variety of antibodies directed to different sites on hCG and related molecules. Some assays …
Characteristics of hydrogen bacteria

A brief review of the development of our knowledge about hydrogen bacteria is presented, with emphasis on the characteristics and physiological differences of various Hydrogenomonas species. One species, Hydrogenomonas eutropha, is discussed in greater detail. Nutritional requirements, physical factors affecting growth, and equipment used for culturing 100-ml. shake cultures and 15-1.mass cultures of H. eutropha are described. Cell-free extracts of H. eutropha carry out the oxyhydrogen reaction as demonstrated by the alternate reduction and oxidation of endogenous flavins and cytochromes by molecular hydrogen and oxygen, respectively. Spectra of cell-free extracts of this organism show the presence of cytochromes of the c and b1 types. A cytochrome of the o type was also found, but none of the a cytochromes were detected. The sum of a series of enzymatic reactions shown to be catalyzed by these extracts can account for the oxidation of hydrogen by oxygen.
Multiband effects on β -FeSe single crystals

We present the upper critical fields ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{0}{H}_{c2}(T)$ and Hall effect in $\ensuremath{\beta}$-FeSe single crystals. The ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{0}{H}_{c2}(T)$ increases as the temperature is lowered for fields applied parallel and perpendicular to (101), the natural growth facet of the crystal. The ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{0}{H}_{c2}(T)$ for both field directions and the anisotropy at low temperature increase under pressure. Hole carriers are dominant at high magnetic fields. However, the contribution of electron-type carriers is significant at low fields and low temperature. Our results show that multiband effects dominate ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{0}{H}_{c2}(T)$ and electronic transport in the normal state.
Highly diastereoselective oxidations of a thioether appended with a neighboring hydroxyl group

Abstract Highly diastereoselective oxidations of endo -alcohol 1 to the corresponding sulfoxides, the relative stereochemistries of these sulfoxides and that of an intermediary alkoxysulfonium salt determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis is reported.
Shape-selective isopropylation of naphthalene over dealuminated mordenites. Increasing β-substitution selectivity by adding water

Isopropylation of naphthalene was examined over two dealuminated H-mordenites (HM) having SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio of 38 (HM38) and 74 (HM74). Experiments were done in batch reactors at 200°C. With propylene as the alkylating agent, selectivity forβ-substitution of naphthalene increased when water was added, and reached a maximum with a water-to-catalyst mass ratio of 0.80 (ca. 45 mmol water/g-cat). Of particular importance was the increase inββ-selectivity to 2,6- and 2,7-diisopropylnaphthalene (2,6-DIPN and 2,7-DIPN) with added water. Without added water,ββ-selectivities were 56 and 77% for HM38 and HM74, respectively. Selectivities to the highly desired 2,6-DIPN isomer were 37 and 54%, respectively. With added water,ββ-selectivities increased to 90 and 95%, and 2,6-DIPN selectivities increased to 60 and 70% for HM38 and HM74, respectively. A large amount of added water always decreased the activity; however, mixed effects were observed for intermediate amounts of added water. Sorption of water on the catalyst surface seems to explain changes in isomer selectivity and catalytic activity. Coke deposits on the catalysts also decreased when water was added. Furthermore, it was shown that higherββ-selectivity could be obtained with isopropanol (i-PrOH) as the alkylating agent, rather than propylene, under the same conditions. Comparison experiments showed that this was due to water formed fromi-PrOH.
The evolution of meiosis

Meiosis is too complex to have arisen at once full blown and a stepwise scheme is proposed for its evolution, where each step is believed to have provided an immediate selective advantage: (1) The first step in this tentative sequence is the development of a haploidization process by means of a rapid series of mitotic non-disjunctions, turned on under conditions where haploidy is favored. The non-disjunctions may have resulted from a conditional mutation which caused sister centromere cohesiveness in the past mitotic metaphase. (2) Next probably came the formation of rudimentary synaptonemal complex type structures, first at Holliday-type configurations and later extending from these along chromosome pairs. These structures between homologues, though costly to produce and maintain, may have directly served the disjunctive function by setting the stage for the production of haploidy in one division, under conditions where it was advantageous. (3) Then secondarily acquired functions of the synaptonemal complex or structures associated with it may have promoted greatly increased crossover frequency, in part at least by increasing the frequency of the isomerization-type reaction. The resulting recombination of linked genes could have been advantageous under some conditions. (4) Finally, it is proposed that the capability was acquired for enhanced association of sister chromatids during the period between pachytene and anaphase I to give rise to chiasma-mediated disjunction, so that the relatively costly synaptonemal complex maintenance until anaphase I could be abandoned without losing disjunctive capability. It is implied that the modern synaptonemal complex is a structure which embodies a number of separately encoded proteins and that secondary structures and functions are associated with close homologue pairing. This scheme is based upon observable cytological and molecular characteristics of modern organisms.
Mapping variations in weight percent silica measured from multispectral thermal infrared imagery - Examples from the Hiller Mountains, Nevada, USA and Tres Virgenes-La Reforma, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Remotely sensed multispectral thermal infrared (8–13 μm) images are increasingly being used to map variations in surface silicate mineralogy. These studies utilize the shift to longer wavelengths in the main spectral feature in minerals in this wavelength region (reststrahlen band) as the mineralogy changes from felsic to mafic. An approach is described for determining the amount of this shift and then using the shift with a reference curve, derived from laboratory data, to remotely determine the weight percent SiO_2 of the surface. The approach has broad applicability to many study areas and can also be fine-tuned to give greater accuracy in a particular study area if field samples are available. The approach was assessed using airborne multispectral thermal infrared images from the Hiller Mountains, Nevada, USA and the Tres Virgenes-La Reforma, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Results indicate the general approach slightly overestimates the weight percent SiO_2 of low silica rocks (e.g. basalt) and underestimates the weight percent SiO_2 of high silica rocks (e.g. granite). Fine tuning the general approach with measurements from field samples provided good results for both areas with errors in the recovered weight percent SiO_2 of a few percent. The map units identified by these techniques and traditional mapping at the Hiller Mountains demonstrate the continuity of the crystalline rocks from the Hiller Mountains southward to the White Hills supporting the idea that these ranges represent an essentially continuous footwall block below a regional detachment. Results from the Baja California data verify the most recent volcanism to be basaltic–andesite
Cleavage and internal conflict: an example from India:

Within each human group there is a set of commonly understood symbols attached to every generally experienced form of behavior which places it somewhere along a continuum between aggression and assistance and which has no necessary connection with the actual nature of the behavior. A man with a sharp instrument may represent a doctor, a fellow play actor or an enemy. When a segment of a group reacts to the behavior of another segment, it chooses a behavior symbolizing, among other things, some degree of aggression or some degree of assistance. That one segment takes the trouble to respond to another segment is a sufficient indication that the responding segment hopes to achieve some particular value or set of values through its response. Hence, if an aggressive response is made to an aggressive behavior, thus initiating conflict, it can be assumed that calculation or experience have indicated that the communication of aggressive intent is most likely to lead to value realization. Because the behavior of any two segments of a group must be in sufficient conformity to reality to permit the survival of both, it can be assumed that the choice of conflict as a mode of interaction is ordinarily rational. In any group which survives over a period of time, it can be expected that interaction between individuals and subgroups within it will be patterned in such a way that conflict occurs only under specified conditions and within definite limits. Built into the cultural tradition must be rules of the game which maintain a balance of power and insure that the degree of conflict which develops does not interfere significantly with the realization of values.
Micro-doppler radar classification of human motions under various training scenarios

The identification and classification of human motions has become a popular area of research due to its broad range of applications. Knowledge of a person's movements can be a useful tool in surveillance, security, military combat, search and rescue operations, and the medical fields. Classification of common stationary human movements has been performed under various scenarios for two different micro-Doppler radar systems: S-band radar and millimeter-wave (mm-wave) radar. Each radar system has been designed for a specific scenario. The S-band radar is intended for through-the-wall situations at close distances, whereas the mm-wave radar is designed for long distance applications and also for through light foliage. Here, the performance of these radars for different training scenarios is investigated. The S-band radar will be analyzed for classification without a wall barrier, through a brick wall, and also through a cinder block wall. The effect of a wall barrier on micro-Doppler signatures will be briefly discussed. The mm-wave radar will be analyzed for classification at distances of 30, 60, and 91 meters.
The effects of temperature and acute alcohol intoxication on brain stem auditory evoked potentials in the cat

Abstract The effects of core temperature changes (less than 1°C) and acute ethanol intoxication (100–400 mg%) on brain stem auditory evoked potentials in cats were studied independently — then together — to distinguish between a putative direct pharmacological action of ethanol on brain stem auditory neurons, as reflected in reported BAEP latency changes, and an indirect action of ethanol mediated through slight changes in central temperatures. The results suggest that the reported BAEP latency effects are attributable, largely if not entirely, to the second mechanism above. No significant temperature-independent BAEP latency alterations occurred at any sublethal blood ethanol concentration or in one dosage that subsequently proved fatal. These findings do not exclude a direct ethanol effect on brain stem auditory neurons but provide no evidence for a temperature-independent effect. Knowledge of secondary BAEP temperature effects associated with drug administration is crucial to proper interpretation of BAEPs in both experimental and clinical applications.
An optimal algorithm for perfect phylogeny haplotyping.

Inferring haplotype data from genotype data is a crucial step in linking SNPs to human diseases. Given n genotypes over m SNP sites, the haplotype inference (HI) problem deals with finding a set of...
Measurement of the blood-pressure constant k, over a pressure range in the canine radial artery.

The value of the blood pressure constant k in the now known equation $$M = D + k\left( {S - D} \right)$$ was measured over a wide pressure range in the canine radial artery. This equation is used to estimate the value of the mean blood pressure from the measured values of the diastolic and systolic blood pressures. It was found that k varies widely. It is concluded that this equation cannot give an accurate estimate of the mean blood pressure from the systolic and diastolic pressure readings.
The Lathyrus sativus neurotoxin: evidence of selective retention in monkey tissue.

Abstract Epidemiological studies implicate the food toxin, l -3-oxalylamino-2-aminopropionic acid (OAP), in outbreaks of neurolathyrism. The disease occurs only in humans who have eaten excessive amounts of OAP-containing legumes for many months, thus suggesting that chronic exposure to OAP is needed to cause nerve damage and paralysis. These experiments were carried out to determine whether OAP might be selectively retained by certain tissues. With repeated exposure to OAP, tissues which selectively retain the toxin might build up sufficient concentrations to produce nerve damage. To investigate the rate of loss of OAP from animal tissue, we injected young squirrel monkeys with l -3-[ 14 C]oxalylamino-2-aminopropionic acid and analyzed tissue for radioactivity 1, 24, and 72 hr later. Cerebellum was conspicuously different from other parts of brain in that the concentration of radioactivity (dpm/g) relative to brain as a whole increased with time. At 1 hr, the concentration in cerebellum was about the same as in brain as a whole; at 72 hr, it was more than twice as great. The half-life for disappearance of radioactivity from cerebellum (32.7 hr) matched that for bone and was the longest observed in these experiments. Unchanged [ 14 C]OAP was the major component of radioactivity recovered from brain and other tissues. Entrapped blood in brain was negligible. These experiments suggest that cerebellum may selectively retain OAP and thus tend to accumulate neurotoxic concentrations. Cerebellum contains glutamate receptors, and OAP is a known glutamate antagonist.
Association of smoking with tumor size at diagnosis in non-small cell lung cancer

Tumor size at diagnosis (TSD) indirectly reflects tumor growth rate. The relationship between TSD and smoking is poorly understood. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between smoking and TSD. We reviewed 1712 newly diagnosed and previously untreated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients' electronic medical records and collected tumor characteristics. Demographic and epidemiologic characteristics were derived from questionnaires administered during personal interviews. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between TSD and smoking controlling for demographic and clinical factors. We also investigated the relationship between the rs1051730 SNP in an intron of the CHRNA3 gene (the polymorphism most significantly associated with lung cancer risk and smoking behavior) and TSD. We found a strong dose dependent relationship between TSD and smoking. Current smokers had largest and never smokers smallest TSD with former smokers having intermediate TSD. In the multivariate linear regression model, smoking status (never, former, and current), histological type (adenocarcinoma versus SqCC), and gender were significant predictors of TSD. Smoking duration and intensity may explain the gender effect in predicting TSD. We found that the variant allele of rs1051730 in CHRNA3 gene was associated with larger TSD of squamous cell carcinoma. In the multivariate linear regression model, both rs1051730 and smoking were significant predictors for the size of squamous carcinomas. We conclude that smoking is positively associated with lung tumor size at the moment of diagnosis.
THE STOCHASTIC NATURE OF CARDIAC PROPAGATION DUE TO THE DISCRETE CELLULAR STRUCTURE OF THE MYOCARDIUM

The object of this paper is to describe cardiac conduction phenomena caused by the discrete nature of cardiac cellular structure. Recent results show that the myocardial architecture creates inhomogeneities of electrical load at the microscopic level that cause cardiac propagation to be stochastic in nature. That is, the excitatory events during propagation are constantly changing and disorderly in the sense of varying intracellular events and delays between cells. A unique feature of the stochastic nature of cardiac propagation is that electrical boundaries produced by cellular myocardial architecture create inhomogeneities of electrical load that affect conduction inside individual cells and influence conduction delays across gap junctions, as well as at muscle bundle junctions. This process produces discontinuous propagation as a primary reflection of the nonuniformities of electrical load due to the irregular arrangement of the cellular borders and the associated nonuniform distribution of their electrical interconnections. A fundamental consequence of the stochastic nature of normal propagation at a microscopic level is that it provides a major protective effect against arrhythmias by re-establishing the general trend of wave front movement after small variations in excitation events occur. When the diversity at a very small size scale decreases throughout the tissue, such as occurs when there are regularly repeating relatively isolated groups of cells, larger fluctuations of load can develop and be distributed over more cells than occurs normally. The myocardial architecture may then fail to re-establish a smoothed wave front and re-entry can develop. These relatively new discontinuous conduction phenomena provide important theoretical and experimental challenges to synthesize a complete theory linking continuous and discontinuous media as applied to cardiac conduction. The results show that it will be important to distinguish differences in wave front movement and conduction block caused by mechanisms of continuous media versus wave front movement and block imposed by directional or localized changes in cellular connectivity; i.e., the topology of the electrical connections between cells (gap junctions).
Oxidative assimilation and C-14 distribution in Azotobacter agilis.

SummaryAzotobacter agilis oxidatively assimilates various substrates, generally to an extent of 20-25%. Most of the C-1 carbon of both glucose and pyruvate is given off as CO2, assimilation to slightly different extents occurring from the other carbons and from acetate carbons. A lag period, probably involving formation of inducible enzymes, is noted with some substrates and is dependent upon the nature of the growth substrate. This lag is very marked for utilization of glucose by acetate- or succinate-grown cells, the adapted cells are not highly active, and adaptation is dependent upon more than the induced formation of a permease. The assimilated carbon, in resting or growing cells, is found to the greatest extent in materials insoluble in hot TCA, smaller amounts being present in cellular components soluble in cold and hot TCA and ethanol.
Sexually dimorphic alterations in locomotion and reversal learning after adolescent tetrahydrocannabinol exposure in the rat

Abstract Research suggests that use and abuse of marijuana can be especially harmful if it occurs during adolescence, a period of vast developmental changes throughout the brain. We examined the effects of 2 mg/kg ∆ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) administered daily via intra-peritoneal injections during juvenile/early adolescence (postnatal day 22–40) or late adolescence (postnatal day 41–60) on locomotor activity, development of tolerance, and acquisition/retention of spatial avoidance in adulthood. THC caused locomotor depression in both male and female animals dosed during early adolescence but only in female animals dosed during late adolescence. Evidence of reverse tolerance to THC was seen in early adolescent animals only. In the active place avoidance test (APA), male and female animals administered THC during early adolescence made more errors on the reversal trial requiring flexibility in learning, but in animals dosed during late adolescence there were no significant sex or treatment differences. The results of the locomotor activity study indicate that females may be more sensitive to the effects of THC than males, while results of both locomotor activity and APA studies suggest that early adolescents appear to be more vulnerable to these effects than late adolescents/young adults.
Membrane cyclopropane fatty acid content is a major factor in acid resistance of Escherichia coli

Cyclopropane fatty acid (CFA) formation is a post-synthetic modification of the lipid bilayer that occurs as cultures of Escherichia coli and many other bacteria enter stationary phase. We report the first distinct phenotype for this membrane modification; early stationary phase cultures of strains lacking CFA (as a result of a null mutation in the cfa gene) are abnormally sensitive to killing by a rapid shift from neutral pH to pH 3. This sensitivity to acid shock is dependent on CFA itself because resistance to acid shock is restored to cfa mutant strains by incorporation of CFAs from the growth medium or by introduction of a functional cfa gene on a plasmid. The synthesis of CFA depends in part on the RpoS sigma factor, but the role of RpoS in resistance to acid shock involves additional factors because strains with null mutations in both cfa and rpoS are more sensitive to acid shock than either single mutant strain. Exponential phase cultures of E. coli are much more sensitive to acid shock than stationary phase cultures, but survival is greatly increased if the exponential phase cultures are exposed to moderately acid conditions (pH 5) before shift to pH 3. We show that exposure to moderately acid conditions gives a marked increase in cfa transcription. The efficiency of the survival of acid shock is extremely strain dependent, even among putative wild-type strains. Much, but not all, of this variability can be explained by the partially or totally defective RpoS alleles carried by many strains.
Digital Image Correlation Procedure to Characterize Soil Surface Layer Cracking

This study was conducted to characterize surface layer cracking in Vertisols by determining surface displacement trends. A disturbed sample from the Ap horizon of a Randall clay (fine, smectitic, thermic Ustic Epiaquerts) was evaluated. Digital image correlation (DIC) was used to track the movement of points on the surface as the soil dried and to assess the development of soil surface cracking. Displacement fields among a group of images were obtained by using a cross-correlation algorithm. The displacement vectors resulting from the analysis of the displaced fields can be used to show cracking patterns on a ground-up soil sample from a Vertisol before they become visually apparent. Digital image correlation may be used to calculate the deformation of the surface layer with relatively high precision.
Consumers' Expectations for Service Quality in Economy, Mid-Price and Luxury Hotels

This paper focuses on the development and application of a 26-item instrument which can help hotels measure, assess and manage the quality of their guest service. First, it briefly discusses the development of LODGSERV, an index to measure consumer expectations for Service Quality in their hotel experiences. It next considers its use in differentiating these expectations based on price segment: economy, mid-price, and luxury hotels. Finally, it suggests how management can utilize the index to better measure the degree to which it is meeting, exceeding or falling below the expectations of its guests.
Home affordability, female marriage rates and vote choice in the 2000 US presidential election Evidence from US counties

This article tests the hypothesis that differences in the housing market can partially explain why some American counties are strongly Republican and others strongly Democratic, and that this phenomenon can be largely attributed to the relationship between home values and marriage rates within counties. Specifically, I test the hypothesis that, in the 2000 election, George W. Bush did comparatively better in counties with relatively affordable single-family homes, even when controlling for other economic, demographic and regional variables. Using county-level data, I test this hypothesis using spatial-lag regression models, and provide further evidence using individual-level survey data. My results indicate a statistically significant relationship between Bush’s percentage of the vote at the county level and the median value of owner-occupied homes, and that at least part of this is explained by the relationship between home values and marriage rates among young women.
Purification and Partial Characterization of Caprine Milk Lipoprotein Lipase

Abstract Lipoprotein lipases of caprine and bovine milks were isolated, purified, and partially characterized from raw whole milk. Fractions with enzyme activity were two for caprine and one for bovine lipase. The milk lipoprotein lipase enzyme fractions were purified further by hydroxylapatite and intervent dilution chromatography. Caprine enzyme fractions were purified 142,000 and 87,000-fold from the isolates compared to the bovine enzyme, which was purified 5500-fold. For the two caprine enzyme fractions were three distinct electrophoretic bands of molecular weights 66,100; 58,900; and 55,000. Electrophoretic patterns of the two fractions were similar. Isoelectric focusing of the highly purified caprine fractions also revealed heterogeneity with minor differences in isoelectric points, pH 5.02 and 5.14. Bovine enzyme had two distinct electrophoretic bands with molecular weights of 74,100 and 66,100, but poly aery lamide gel electrophoresis in the absence of sodium dodecylsulfate or β-mercaptoethanol revealed only one major band indicating a quaternary structure. The pH optimum of the caprine milk lipoprotein lipase was 8.7 compared to bovine enzyme of 8.5. Increase of yield of enzyme from both species during purification was attributed to several factors, the most important being the removal of an inhibitor. If in milk, this inhibitor may play a role in susceptibility of milk to hydrolytic rancidity.
Deletion of chromosome 11p15, p12, q22, q23-24 loci in human prostate cancer.

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 11 is frequently altered in various epithelial cancers. The present study was designed to investigate LOH on chromosome 11 in microdissected samples of normal prostatic epithelium and invasive carcinoma from the same patients. For this purpose, DNA was extracted from the microdissected normal and tumor cells of 38 prostate cancers, amplified by polymerase chain reaction PCR and analyzed for LOH on chromosome 11 using 9 different polymorphic DNA markers (D11S1307, D11S989, D11S1313, D11S898, D11S940, D11S1818, D11S924, D11S1336 and D11S912). LOH on chromosome 11 was identified in 30 of 38 cases (78%) with at least one marker. Four distinct regions of loss detected were: 1) at 11p15, at loci between D11S1307 and D11S989; 2) at 11p12, on locus D11S131 (11p12); 3) at 11q22, on loci D11S898, D11S940 and D11S1818; and 4) at 11q23-24, on loci between D11S1336 and D11S912. We found 25% of the tumors with LOH at 11p15; 39% had LOH at 11p12; 66% had LOH at 11q22; and 47% had LOH at 11q23-24. These deletions at 11p15, 11p12, 11q22 and 11q23-24 loci were not related to the stage or grade of the tumor. Int. J. Cancer 72:283–288, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
SU-D-214-05: RTMetrix: Web-Based Dashboard for Automated Data Mining of Record and Verify (R&V) Systems for Efficiency and Quality

Purpose: Record and verify (R&V) systems are used by most radiation oncology practices for storing the technical treatment planning and delivery data for radiation therapy patients. We have developed an automated quality assurance (QA) method with web‐based dashboards and automated quality and efficiency analysis of the technical planning and treatmentdelivery process. Methods: Custom software was developed (RTMetrix) to mine the R&V database and provide real‐time analysis of treatment planning and delivery data. RTMetrix was developed using object‐oriented web development software along with a relational database for storing supplemental data associated with the R&V database. It is a read‐only web application system using the R&V data associated with each patient to reconstruct clinical workflows and assess quality of the treatmentdelivery process. Three main web‐based dashboards with a notification messaging system have been initially developed in areas of treatmentdelivery,image‐ guided radiation therapy(IGRT) and physics‐based QA tools. Results: The workflow using RTMetrix is straightforward for physicians and physicists by providing the information in standard web browsers. Using RTMetrix, a web query is provided to calculate the real‐time statistics for each physician's IGRT review status including the time taken to perform the review. Another web query in the system provides the average room time over any time period including one day to 10 years. An example of using room time review during the past year revealed that the use of breast patients and pediatric patients required more than 15‐minute treatment times. The final dashboard is the automated QA of the patients treated during the clinic each day. This dashboard provides an additional daily audit of the R&V system using AAPM TG‐40 chart checking rules. Conclusions: RTMetrix provides a platform for easily mining the R&V system for quality and efficiency analysis of radiation oncology departments.
Branching process models for mutant genes in nonstationary populations.

Abstract A deleterious gene achieves a population balance between the opposing forces of selection and mutation. In this paper we explore the nature of this stochastic balance when the surrounding normal population is not at equilibrium. Assuming that new mutations occur according to a Poisson process and thereafter evolve by the rules of a continuous time branching process, we derive explicit formulas and recurrence relations determining the probability distribution of the current number of mutant individuals. In fact, we compute expectations for a variety of interesting random variables for genetic models involving autosomal dominant and X -linked diseases. We can also handle haplotype information on linked markers. This feature will be especially helpful in understanding the linkage disequilibrium strategy of positional cloning in population isolates. In the presence of exponential growth of the normal population, our formulas reduce to the evaluation of certain Laplace transforms.
Qualitative spectroscopic study of magnetic nozzle flow

The physics of the magnetic nozzle flow for a 100-kW-level quasi-steady MPD thruster was studied by photographic spectroscopy focusing on the plasma model in the flow and the acceleration mechanism. Spectroscopic visualization for the flow-species analysis indicates that the plasma-exhaust flow dominated by NII species were confined by the magnetic nozzle effect to collimate the flow for the better thruster performance. Inside the nozzle, the plasma flow was found to be in nonhomogeneous collisional-radiative condition. There appears to be a substantial flow acceleration from the magnetic nozzle inlet to the outlet with slight expansion. This suggests that the flow resembles that of constant area supersonic duct flow with cooling.
Hyperuricemia is associated with the development of the composite outcomes of new cardiovascular events and chronic allograft nephropathy.

BACKGROUND To investigate the prevalence and the predictors for the development of hyperuricemia at 6 months after kidney transplantation, and its association with clinical outcomes including patient and graft survival, the development of new cardiovascular events and chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN). MATERIALS AND METHODS Adult patients who underwent kidney transplantation at Mount Sinai Medical Center between January 1, 2001 and December 30, 2004 were included in the study. New cardiovascular events and biopsy-proven CAN were investigated. RESULTS Of the 307 patients, 163 patients (53%) had normal uric acid levels and 144 patients (47%) had hyperuricemia. After adjustment for age, race, and sex, receiving a cadaveric kidney, having an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) less than 50 mL/min, and taking diuretics or cyclosporine were associated with hyperuricemia at 6 months after transplantation. Over a mean 4.3 years of follow-up, 83 patients had one, or more, of the events, 4 died, 20 had graft failure, 40 had new cardiovascular events, and 41 developed CAN. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that these events occurred more frequently in patients with hyperuricemia (P<0.001). Among transplant recipients with an eGFR less than 50 mL/min, 45% of hyperuricemic and 21% of normouricemic patients had an event (P=0.038). For patients with an eGFR more than 50 mL/min, event rates were similar for patients with and without hyperuricemia, 25.0% vs. 19.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest an important association between hyperuricemia at 6 months after kidney transplantation and new cardiovascular events and CAN in patients with decreased allograft function.
A new technique for transvaginal paravaginal repair of high-grade cystocele and associated defects

A new technique for transvaginal paravaginal repair of high-grade cystocele and associated defects