cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Relative Abundance of the Elements

The theory of the neutron capture process for the formation of the elements has been reformulated, taking into account the radioactive decay of neutrons as well as the expansion of the universe. However, the calculations have been carried out for the case of a static universe. Satisfactory agreement between this theory and observed relative abundances has been obtained with the assumption that the density of matter was 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ g/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$ at the start of the capture process.
The Modern(?) Korean Woman in Prime-Time: Analyzing the Representation of Sun on the Television Series Lost

This article investigates the representation of Sun, the most prominent non-white female character on ABC's Lost. Given the importance of Sun's character in terms of visibility for Korean women specifically (and Asian women generally) coupled with the fact that Lost under-represents women in general, her role provides a substantial case-study of gender within the science fiction genre. Through a narrative analysis of the first season, we demonstrate the simultaneously flawed and empowered dimensions of Sun, who challenges some of the stereotypes viewers have come to expect from prime-time drama. Elements of colonialism, interpersonal relationships, and the castaway narrative in Lost are also explored.
First-principles calculation of crystal-field parameters in Nd 2 Fe 14 B

A new approach to calculating the crystal-field parameters in a perfect crystal based on real-space charge distribution from energy-band calculations is formulated. The contribution from the charges in the vicinity of the ion is evaluated numerically using a method of successive least-squares fitting. The contribution from other ion sites is approximated by a point-charge model, but with effective ionic charges obtained from the band calculation. The method is applied to the Nd/sub 2/Fe/sub 14/B permanent magnet. The crystal-field parameters up to sixth order are calculated for the Nd site. The results are in good agreement with experimental analysis and are qualitatively different from the existing theoretical values based purely on a point-charge model.
Allergy to mice. II. Further characterization of two major mouse allergens (AG 1 and AG 3) and immunohistochemical investigations of their sources.

Summary Sodium dodecyl sulphale polyacrylamide gel elcctrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and quantitative immunoelectrophoretic techniques have been used to characterize further the two major mouse allergens, antigen I (Ag 1) and antigen 3 (Ag 3). Gel filtration using Sephacryl S-200 showed Ag 1 to have a molecular weight of 18 kD and Ag 3 of 21 kD. SDS-PAGE followed by Western blotting onto nitrocellulose then incubation with individual antisera directed against each of the two major allergens, and an alkaline phosphalase enzyme system, was used to distinguish between the two allergens and indicated a molecular weight of 17 kD for Ag 1 and 16 kD for Ag 3. Ag 3 but not Ag 1 was shown to contain polysaccharide residues. Immunohistochemical staining of mouse skin sections demonstrated that antigens detected in whole dust extracts were present in the hair follicles, on the hair shafts and on the stratum corneum. Staining of similar sections using the rabbit anti-Ag 3 showed the presence of this major allergen in the hair follicles coaling the hairs and extending along the skin surface. Serum from a pool of mouse-allergic subjects also demonstrated staining in the same areas when detected using a fluoroscein-labelled anti-human IgE as second antibody. As both major allergens were present in extracts of fur this would appear to be most appropriate for use in diagnosis (i.e. skin test and RAST) and also possibly desensitization. However, dust from isolators (available in greater amounts) would be equally suitable.
A Note on Customs Unions vs. Non-Preferential Tariffs

It has been shown by Cooper and Massell [1965] that making a non-preferential tariff reduction is always superior to joining a customs union. The purpose of this paper is to show that if the country concerned is a large country, then joining a customs union is not necessarily inferior to making a non-preferential tariff reduction.
Myosin-X functions in polarized epithelial cells

Myosin-X (Myo10) is an unconventional myosin that localizes to the tips of filopodia and has critical functions in filopodia. Although Myo10 has been studied primarily in nonpolarized, fibroblast-like cells, Myo10 is expressed in vivo in many epithelia-rich tissues, such as kidney. In this study, we investigate the localization and functions of Myo10 in polarized epithelial cells, using Madin-Darby canine kidney II cells as a model system. Calcium-switch experiments demonstrate that, during junction assembly, green fluorescent protein–Myo10 localizes to lateral membrane cell–cell contacts and to filopodia-like structures imaged by total internal reflection fluorescence on the basal surface. Knockdown of Myo10 leads to delayed recruitment of E-cadherin and ZO-1 to junctions, as well as a delay in tight junction barrier formation, as indicated by a delay in the development of peak transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). Although Myo10 knockdown cells eventually mature into monolayers with normal TER, these monolayers do exhibit increased paracellular permeability to fluorescent dextrans. Importantly, knockdown of Myo10 leads to mitotic spindle misorientation, and in three-dimensional culture, Myo10 knockdown cysts exhibit defects in lumen formation. Together these results reveal that Myo10 functions in polarized epithelial cells in junction formation, regulation of paracellular permeability, and epithelial morphogenesis.
Critical role for galectin-3 in airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in a murine model of asthma

Galectin-3 is a member of a β-galactoside-binding animal lectin family. Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that galectin-3 is involved in a number of activities; however, the roles of this lectin in physiological and pathological processes in vivo remain to be elucidated. Herein, we show, in a murine model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma that 1) peribronchial inflammatory cells expressed large amounts of galectin-3; 2) bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from OVA-challenged mice contained significantly higher levels of galectin-3 compared to control mice; and 3) macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were the major cell type that contained galectin-3. We investigated the role of galectin-3 in the allergic airway response by comparing galectin-3-deficient (gal3−/−) mice and wild-type (gal3+/+) mice. OVA-sensitized gal3−/− mice developed fewer eosinophils and lower goblet cell metaplasia, after airway OVA challenge compared to similarly treated gal3+/+ mice. In addition, the OVA-sensitized gal3−/− mice developed significantly less airway hyperresponsiveness after airway OVA challenge compared to gal3+/+ mice. Finally, gal3−/− mice developed a lower Th2 response, but a higher Th1 response, suggesting that galectin-3 regulates the Th1/Th2 response. We conclude that galectin-3 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma and inhibitors of this lectin may prove useful for treatment of this disease.
Microbial inhibition kinetics revisited

Abstract From both the biological and engineering points of view, microbial inhibition kinetics is of importance and interest. To date, due to the complex nature of microbial metabolism and behavior, only unstructured models have been developed to quantify the inhibitory effects of substrate and end product. The exact form of the mathematical model varies widely depending on the microbial species, operating conditions, and medium status. This review assesses such models for representing microbial kinetics data. A critique of their applicability and limitations is also discussed in detail.
Antioxidant enzyme activity in human abdominal aortic aneurysmal and occlusive disease

The present study further investigates evidence for lipid peroxidation in atherosclerotic aortic tissue by determining the activity of antioxidant enzymes and concentrations of lipid peroxide fluorochromes in abdominal aortas from 15 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), an additional 7 patients with ruptured abdominal aneurysms, and 12 patients with atherosclerotic occlusive disease (AOD). Aortas from nonatherosclerotic organ donors served as nondiseased controls. Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) activities in AAA and AOD tissues were 16% and 25% of control activity, respectively. Mn-SOD activity in diseased aortae were about 65% of controls. CuZn-SOD protein in AAA and AOD was 56% and 100% of controls, respectively, resulting in significantly lower CuZn-SOD specific activity in these tissues. Ruptured AAA tissue also had low SOD activity and protein. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in AAA and AOD aortas was 70% and 65% of controls, respectively, and glutathione reductase (GR) activity in AAA and AOD aortas was 80% and 65% of control activities, respectively. These results were associated with significantly higher lipid peroxide fluorochromes, expressed as U/g aorta, in both groups of atherosclerotic aortas than in controls. AOD aortas had 33% higher fluorescence than AAA aortas, but the highest levels were seen in ruptured AAA. These data further support the involvement of free radicals and lipid peroxidation in atherosclerotic aortic disease, but do not indicate that these mechanisms are specifically involved in aneurysm formation versus development of occlusive disease.
Associative Duties and Immigration

This paper evaluates an argument for immigration restrictions that appeals to the costs that immigration imposes on the citizens of a recipient state. According to this argument, citizens have associative duties to protect each other’s interests, immigration can damage these interests in certain cases, and the associative duties between compatriots justify immigration restrictions in these cases. Call this: the partiality argument for immigration restrictions. I argue that the partiality argument is unsound. Immigration restrictions violate negative duties to refrain from interfering with people’s liberties and these duties silence compatriots’ associative duties to one another. Furthermore, I argue that compatriots lack associative duties to one another in virtue of the fact that the relationships between compatriots reliably cause injustice to outsiders.
Examining the Impact of Taiwan's Cash Allowance Program on Private Households

Summary To fill the gap of crowding-out literature in Asia, this study analyzes the crowding-out impact of Taiwan’s public old-age allowances on familial transfers to poor parents. Using government data during 1990–2003, we estimate that 1$ of public transfers displaces 30–50 cents of inter-household transfers. One explanation is that the old parents in this analysis were from poor families and they reacted strongly to allowances. However, the overall consumption, especially in luxury goods, of the poor individuals has substantially increased. This finding indicates that Taiwan’s old-age allowance program does improve the welfare of older individuals.
The Possibility of Industrial Policy

In this paper I shall outline and analyse the case for employing industrial policy in the pursuit of economic development, in the particular context of Sanjaya Lall's contributions in this area. The case for industrial policy rests on both a positive vision (the nature of technological knowledge and technological capabilities) and a normative vision (government capacity and the promotion of competitiveness). The case for industrial policy depends on establishing both its necessity and its possibility. Necessity is defined in terms of the nature of knowledge and technology, and its implications in terms of market failure; possibility is defined in the context of political economy, and in terms of the costs of discretionary policy interventions. The broader debate on industrial policy is framed in terms of these two dimensions. In particular, the possibility of a welfare-enhancing industrial policy is circumscribed by the ability to control the potential costs of discretionary government intervention. This ...
Apparent Asymmetry in Fingerprint Similarity Searching is a Direct Consequence of Differences in Bit Densities and Molecular Size

Recently, systematic similarity calculations using Tversky coefficients have suggested that putting higher weight on bit settings of active reference molecules (templates) than database compounds increases hit rates in similarity searching using 2D fingerprints. These findings have been interpreted as evidence for "asymmetry" in chemical similarity searching. We have thoroughly analyzed this phenomenon and demonstrate that apparent asymmetry in similarity search calculations is a direct consequence of differences in fingerprint bit densities, which often correlate with differences in molecular size. Accordingly, a size-independent fingerprint with constant bit density does not produce asymmetrical search results. For Tversky similarity calculations, differences in fingerprint bit densities between active and inactive compounds determine which weighting factors produce high hit rates.
Usefulness of isoproterenol in facilitating atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia during electrophysiologic testing.

Abstract In some patients with documented atrioventricular (AV) nodal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), the arrhythmia is not inducible during a standard stimulation protocol. In these patients the level of sympathetic activity may be an important factor. This study evaluates the Influence of isoproterenol on anterograde and retrograde pathway properties in patients with AV nodal SVT and the mechanism by which this SVT is facilitated. Group 1 consisted of 8 consecutive patients, ages 23 to 85 years (mean ± standard error, 57 ± 8) who had no inducible AV nodal SVT during electrophysiologic testing until isoproterenol (0.5 to 3.0 μg/min) was infused. These patients were compared with 6 patients in the same age range (45 to 78 years, mean ± standard error, 64 ± 5) who had inducible AV nodal SVT without isoproterenol and who comprised group 2. In comparing group 1 (before isoproterenol) with group 2, there was no significant difference in the refractory periods of the anterograde slow and fast pathways, although the anterograde block cycle length was longer in group 1 patients (421 ± 18 vs 362 ± 14 ms, p
Developmental Biology: Notching the Hindbrain

One of the best-characterized lineage restrictions in developing vertebrates occurs between adjacent -rhombomeres of the hindbrain. It was recently shown that cells at the boundaries of zebrafish rhombomeres also differ from non-boundary cells in their migratory abilities, a difference driven by Notch signaling.
Impact of subclinical hypothyroidism in women with recurrent early pregnancy loss.

Objective To assess the impact of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in women with recurrent early pregnancy loss (REPL). Design Observational cohort study. Setting REPL program in an academic medical center. Patient(s) 286 women with a history of ≥2 pregnancy losses Intervention(s) From 2004–2007, no treatment for women with SCH (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] >2.5 mIU/L with a normal free thyroxine or free thyroxine index); from 2008 onward, levothyroxine treatment prepregnancy to maintain TSH ≤2.5 mIU/L. Main Outcome Measure(s) Live-birth rate (LBR). Result(s) The prevalence of SCH was 55 (19%) of 286 in this REPL cohort. The cumulative LBR was 27 (69%) of 39 for women with SCH versus 104 (74%) of 141 for euthyroid women. The per-pregnancy LBR was 34 (49%) of 69 for SCH versus 129 (58%) of 221 for euthyroid women. When the LBR was compared between treated and untreated SCH, the cumulative LBR was 17 (71%) of 24 versus 10 (67%) of 15, respectively. The per-pregnancy LBR for SCH treated versus untreated women was 22 (48%) of 46 versus 12 (52%) of 23, respectively. Conclusion(s) Although there was a high prevalence of SCH in the REPL cohort, there was no statistically significant difference in the subsequent live-birth rate when comparing women with SCH and euthyroid women, or treated and untreated SCH.
Security and insurance management in networks with heterogeneous agents

Computer users express a strong desire to prevent attacks and to reduce the losses from computer and information security breaches. However, security compromises are common and widespread and highly damaging. Next to attackers' increased sophistication, a root cause for the harm inflicted is that users often fail to optimally protect their resources or to recover gracefully from a security breach.We argue that users often underestimate the strong mutual dependence between their security strategies and the economic environment (e.g., threat model) in which these choices are made and evaluated. This misunderstanding weakens the effectiveness of users' security investments, and is compounded by heterogeneity within the user population, in some cases further reducing incentives for cooperation and coordination.We study how economic agents invest into security in five different economic environments, that are characteristic of different threat models. We consider generalized models of traditional public goods games (e.g., total effort and weakest link) and two recently proposed games (e.g., weakest target game). Agents may split their contributions between a public good (protection) and a private good (self-insurance).Our analysis centers on how agents respond to incentives when important parameters of the game (i.e., loss probability, loss magnitude, and cost of technology) are heterogeneous in the agent population. We also highlight key differences to the case of homogeneous decision makers. For example, security investments may become substantially more sensitive to the size of the network. We extend our results to discuss important modes of intervention.
Treatment and prevention of obesity: what works, what doesn't work, and what might work.

We provide a very broad conceptual overview of some of the issues involved in the treatment and prevention of obesity. Data suggest that clinicians have some ability to promote positive changes with obesity treatment. The environment, though important in influencing one’s degree of adiposity, has largely transient effects that do not tend to carry over from one time to substantially later times. In contrast, the genetic influences on body mass index at any one time do tend to carry over to later times. This information influences the types of approaches that are and are not likely to be successful in terms of preventing obesity or reducing obesity on a population level. A second issue concerns the composition of weight lost. Conditional on fat loss, weight loss has been associated with an increased mortality rate (MR) whereas, conditional upon weight loss, fat loss has been associated with a decreased MR. This suggests that we should seek treatments that maximize the proportion of weight lost as fat. Third, the efficacy of current treatments is far below patients’ expectations and desires. We need both to increase the efficacy of our treatments dramatically and help patients adjust their expectations so that they can take satisfaction in smaller weight losses. Perhaps, with continued efforts at enhancing treatments, we will see incremental advances in the treatment and prevention of obesity.
Diagnostic Performance of CT Attenuation Values of Focal 18F-FDG Avid Breast Lesions Detected on Whole-Body PET-CT in Postoperative Breast Cancer Patients

To assess whether CT attenuation values help in differentiating benign from malignant etiology of focal (18) F-FDG avid breast lesions detected on whole-body PET/CT exam in postoperative breast cancer patients. Institutional review board approval and waived informed consent were obtained for this HIPAA-compliant retrospective study. Between January 2009 and July 2011, a total of 85 patients had 97 focal (18) F-FDG avid breast lesions on whole-body PET/CT. Of these, 54 (56%) lesions were biopsy-proven primary invasive breast carcinoma that had not undergone treatment at the time of PET/CT, 35 (36%) were benign lesions, and 8 were locally recurrent breast carcinoma. Mean attenuation values were retrospectively measured in Hounsfield units (HU) for the correlative lesion on the CT portion of the exam. Receiver-operating characteristic curves (ROC) were calculated to determine the optimal cutoff values of HU that would best discriminate between benign and malignant lesions. Interobserver agreement for measured mean attenuation values was assessed by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Mean HU for the benign lesions group and the local recurrence lesions group was -11.0 ± 30.3 versus 32.9 ± 6.87 (p < 0.0002). ROC curve analysis comparing benign breast lesions to local recurrence lesions found an optimal cutoff value of 17 HU (area under curve = 0.982, p < 0.0001, Sensitivity = 100%, Specificity = 89%). ICC with regard to interobserver agreement in measuring the mean HU of the benign lesions was 0.84 (95% confidence interval 0.64-0.93) and for the malignant lesions was 0.88 (95% confidence interval 0.77-0.94). A CT attenuation threshold value of less than 17 HU suggests benign etiology of focal (18) FDG avid breast lesions in postoperative breast cancer patients. If confirmed by additional studies, these findings may provide additional information to guide the treating physician regarding decisions for supplementary imaging or the need to biopsy.
Earnings management in the electric utility industry: profit incentives

Electric utilities face profit regulation tied explicitly to accounting data. Under existing rate structure, the utilities are required to provide periodic and specialized accounting reports for use in rate decisions. Consumer groups and opponents often criticize the rate structure alleging possible alteration of accounting reports by utilities to gain favorable regulation. Nonetheless, there is little empirical evidence supporting the allegation. This study investigates profit incentives for earnings management by utilities seeking rate increases. Specifically, this study investigates whether electric utilities proactively adopt profit-reducing actions before and during rate requests. The results are consistent with strategic use of accounting methods to reduce reported profits immediately before and during rate requests. The evidence supports the notion that utilities reduce profits just before and during rate reviews to relax regulatory constraints and improve profit opportunities.
Comparison of a tartaric acid derived polymeric MRI contrast agent to a small molecule model chelate

Contrast agents with high relaxivity are needed to increase the sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for novel clinical and research applications. For this reason, polymeric structures containing multiple Gd(III) chelates are of current interest. Described in this communication are the syntheses and characterization of a glycopolymer derived from l-tartaric acid, Gd4(H2O), as well as a low molecular weight compound, Gd10(H2O), that models the Gd(III) chelate structure in the repeat unit of polymer Gd4(H2O). Luminescence lifetime measurements in H2O and D2O for Eu(III) analogues of Gd4(H2O) and Gd10(H2O) [named Eu4(H2O) and Eu10(H2O)] reveal that the lanthanide in both structures likely has one water ligand in the primary coordination sphere. The relaxivity of the model chelate Gd10(H2O) at 400 MHz and 310 K was determined to be 4.7 mmol−1·s−1, representing a nearly 50% increase over Magnevist (3.2 mmol−1·s−1). Relaxivity values on a per Gd basis for the polymeric structure Gd4(H2O) prepared at ...
Thin Polyurethane Films of Polyhydroxysilicon Phthalocyanine and Bis - phthalocyanine Derivatives

A series of new silicon phthalocyanine [SiPc(OR) 2 ] and silicon bis-phthalocyanine [RO(SiPcO) 2 R] derivatives containing two or more hydroxyl groups was synthesized by axial etherification of [PcSi(OH) 2 ] or [HO(SiPcO) 2 H] with various polyfunctional alcohols, where R is a residue generated from the corresponding alcohol namely, triethanolamine, triethylene glycol or N, N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl isonicotinamide). These derivatives can be processed into thin polymeric films by reacting with isophorone diisocyanate. Many of the derivatives demonstrated high solubility in common organic solvents such as chloroform and dioxane, and exhibit low absorptions in the visible region.
Acute toxicity of methanol to Mytilus edulis.

Methanol is being promoted as an alternative fuel because of the clean air benefits of reduced carbon monoxide and other by-product emissions. In the event of an accidental spill or leakage from a storage tank, there is limited data available on the impact of alternative fuels on marine ecosystems. Before considering the impact of methanol on ecosystem processes, it is necessary to establish the acute toxicity. The blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) was selected for study because of its use as an indicator species of marine ecosystem health (Widdows and Donkin 1992). Our primary objective was to determine the LC-50 value of methanol to adult Mytilus edulis. We also not sublethal effects that were observed during the course of the 96-hr exposure. 16 refs., 1 fig. 3 tabs.
Physics: Atomic secrets

Mystery lingers round the sudden defection of cold-war physicist Bruno Pontecorvo, finds Sharon Weinberger.
Images in clinical medicine. Prosthetic mitral valve with partial thrombosis.

A 63-year-old woman presented with 2 weeks of progressive dyspnea. She had a history of dilated cardiomyopathy and a St. Jude prosthetic valve in the mitral position. The physical examination was notable for bibasilar crackles and a muffled S1 heart sound.
Master production scheduling: a multiple-objective linear programming approach

This paper describes and discusses a mathematical model for developing a Master Production Schedule. The model considers multiple objectives and several typical constraints. The input parameters to the model are determined and an example is solved to illustrate the procedure.
Immunostimulation by plant polyphenols: A relationship between tumor necrosis factor-α production and tannin structure

Abstract The ability of the naturally occurring tumoricidal ellagitannin coriariin A to stimulate secretion of both IL-1β and TNF-α from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells has been demonstrated. Companion studies with the monomeric gallotanmin β- d -pentagalloylglucose and a synthesized dimeric gallotannin-ellagitannin hybrid suggest that TNF-α rather than IL-1β is the causative agent in tannin-mediated antitumor action in vivo, in contrast to an earlier proposal.
THEME AND TRADITION IN AESTHETICS

Professor Cua has presented a very illuminating analysis of moral attitudes and of the implications of such commitments for moral agents. While his paper is restricted to an explication of Confucian and Classical Taoist approaches to morality, it is obvious that the analysis he provides is equally applicable to Western traditions of morality. In this paper I would like to suggest that his account also serves as a useful model for elucidating certain problems in aesthetics. For the purpose of my analysis, I shall approach these problems in aesthetics from the perspective of a practicing critic who seeks to establish a reflective basis for his judgments. My discussion focuses on three issues: the distinction between ideal norm and ideal theme, the place of tradition and convention in the critic's practice, and the critic's appeal to paradigms.
Metabonomic investigation of liver profiles of nonpolar metabolites obtained from alcohol-dosed rats and mice using high mass accuracy MSn analysis.

Alcoholism is a complex disorder that, in man, appears to be genetically influenced, although the underlying genes and molecular pathways are not completely known. Here, the intragastric alcohol fe...
Partially coherent bidirectional reflectance distribution data computation for modeling periodic plasmonic structures at infrared wavelengths

Abstract A series of methods for employing Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) to predict bidirectional reflectance distributions for periodic plasmonic surface structures, under partial longitudinal spatial coherence conditions, is presented. Two new methods are presented, which accurately represent the effects of directionally dependent absorption on the profiles of reflected diffraction lobes. Bidirectional reflectance distribution functions may be fit to the resulting bidirectional reflectance distributions, allowing plasmonic structures to be accurately incorporated into infrared scene-rendering and component modeling tools.
Total Path Length for Random Recursive Trees

Total path length, or search cost, for a rooted tree is defined as the sum of all root-to-node distances. Let Tn be the total path length for a random recursive tree of order n. Mahmoud [10] showed that Wn := (Tn − E[Tn])/n converges almost surely and in L2 to a nondegenerate limiting random variable W. Here we give recurrence relations for the moments of Wn and of W and show that Wn converges to W in Lp for each 0 < p < ∞. We confirm the conjecture that the distribution of W is not normal. We also show that the distribution of W is characterized among all distributions having zero mean and finite variance by the distributional identity***** Insert equation here *****where E(x) := − x ln x − (1 minus; x) ln(1 − x) is the binary entropy function, U is a uniform (0, 1) random variable, W* and W have the same distribution, and U, W and W* are mutually independent. Finally, we derive an approximation for the distribution of W using a Pearson curve density estimator.
Bachata: A Social History of a Dominican Popular Music

Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Defining Bachata 2. Music and Dictatorship 3. The Birth of Bachata 4. Power, Representation, and Identity 5. Love, Sex, and Gender 6. From the Margins to the Mainstream 7. Conclusions Notes Bibliography Discography Index Photo Galleries
Images in vascular medicine Fibromuscular dysplasia: an atypical cause of intermittent claudication

A 47-year-old female was referred to the vascular center with a 15-year history of exertional bilateral calf pain with rapid resolution upon standing. She denied symptoms with weight-bearing or prolonged standing. Her symptoms were very reproducible at two flights of stairs or less than one block at a rapid pace. Cardiovascular risk factors included elevated total (236 mg=dl) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (142 mg=dl). She otherwise denied tobacco exposure, diabetes mellitus, hypertension or a family history of premature atherosclerosis. Cardiovascular Panels A, B and C
FtsZ-spirals and -arcs determine the shape of the invaginating septa in some mutants of Escherichia coli

The essential cell division protein FtsZ forms a dynamic ring structure at the future division site. This Z-ring contracts during cell division while maintaining a position at the leading edge of the invaginating septum. Using immunofluorescence microscopy we have characterized two situations in which non-ring FtsZ structures are formed. In ftsZ26 (temperature sensitive, Ts) mutant cells, FtsZ-spirals are formed and lead to formation of spirally invaginating septa, which in turn cause morphological abnormalities. In rodAsui mutant cells, which grow as spheres instead of rods, FtsZ-arcs are formed where asymmetric septal invaginations are initiated. The FtsZ-arcs later mature into complete FtsZ-rings. Our data show that Z-spirals and Z-arcs can contract and that in doing so, they determine the shape of the invaginating septa. These results also strongly suggest that in normal cell division, FtsZ is positioned to a single nucleation site on the inner membrane, from which it polymerizes bidirectionally around the cell circumference to form the Z-ring.
Overlapping intracellular and differential synaptic distributions of dopamine D1 and glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in rat nucleus accumbens.

The dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) in the nucleus accumbens (Acb) shell is highly implicated in psychostimulant-evoked locomotor activity and reward, whereas the D1R in the Acb core is more crucial for appetitive instrumental learning. These behavioral effects depend in part on interactions involving glutamatergic NMDA receptors, whose essential NR1 subunit has physical associations with the D1R. To determine the relevant sites for D1R activation and interactions involving NMDA receptors, we examined the electron microscopic immunolabeling of D1R and NR1 C-terminal peptides in rat Acb shell and core. In each Acb subdivision, the D1Rs were located principally on extrasynaptic plasma membranes of dendritic shafts and spines and more rarely associated with cytoplasmic endomembranes. Many D1R-labeled somata and dendrites also contained NR1 immunoreactivity. In comparison with D1R, NR1 immunoreactivity was more often seen in the cytoplasm and near asymmetric synapses on somatodendritic profiles. In these profiles, notable overlapping distributions of D1R and NR1 occurred near endomembranes. The exclusively D1R or D1R and NR1 containing dendrites were most prevalent in the Acb shell, but also present in the Acb core. In each region, NR1 was also detected in axon terminals without D1R, which formed excitatory-type synapses with D1R-labeled dendrites. These results provide ultrastructural evidence that D1Rs in the Acb have subcellular distributions supporting, 1) intracellular co-trafficking with NR1, and 2) modulation of the postsynaptic excitability in spiny neurons affected by presynaptic NMDA receptor activation. The region-specific differences in receptor distributions suggest a major, but not exclusive, involvement of Acb D1R in reward-related processing.
Accidental transmission of malaria through the injection of whole blood

Summary 1. Malaria may be transmitted by transfusion or intramuscular injectionof blood from individuals suffering from latent, asymptomatic infections. 2. Twenty-three reports of this accident are analyzed. 3. Six new cases are added. 4. All but one of the 29 cases was of the tertian or quartan type 5. The incubation period of clinical malaria following transfusion varied from one to fifty-six days, two-thirds of the cases occurring between the eighth and twenty-eighth days. 6. All cases responded to quinine therapy, only one suffering a relapse. 7. Less than half the donors had malarial parasites in their blood smears, and less than half had ever had symptoms of malaria; but all had at one time or other been in malarial districts. 8. Complete protection from this accident is possible only if all previous inhabitants of malarial regions are excluded as donors of blood or serum. 9. Judging by the number of reports, the accident is infrequent in temperate climates.
MMT: Exploiting fine-grained parallelism in dynamic memory management

Dynamic memory management is one of the most expensive but ubiquitous operations in many operations in many C/C++ applications. Additional features such as security checks, while desirable, further worsen memory management overheads. With advent of multicore architecture, it is important to investigate how dynamic memory management overheads for sequential applications can be reduced. In this paper, we propose a new approach for accelerating dynamic memory management on multicore architecture, by offloading dynamic management functions to a separate thread that we refer to as memory management thread (MMT). We show that an efficient MMT design can give significant performance improvement by extracting parallelism while being agnostic to the underlying memory management library algorithms and data structures. We also show how parallelism provided by MMT can be beneficial for high overhead memory management tasks, for example, security checks related to memory management. We evaluate MMT on heap allocation-intensive benchmarks running on an Intel core 2 quad platform for two widely-used memory allocators: Doug Lea's and PHKmalloc allocators. On average, MMT achieves a speedup ratio of 1.19× for both allocators, while both the application and memory management libraries are unmodified and are oblivious to the parallelization scheme. For PHKmalloc with security checks turned on, MMT reduces the security check overheads from 21% to only 1% on average.
Next-Generation Software Engineering: Function Extraction for Computation of Software Behavior

The ultra-large-scale systems of the future require the transformation of software engineering into a computational discipline capable of fast and dependable software development. This paper discusses an emerging next-generation software engineering research area: function extraction (FX) technology for automated computation to the maximum extent possible of the behavior, correctness, and quality attributes of software components and their compositions into systems. An introduction to the mathematical foundations for computation of software behavior is provided, followed by an overview description of a rigorously designed experiment to quantify the potential for FX technology, and a discussion of a CERT STAR *Lab first application of FX technology to compute the behavior of code expressed in the Intel assembly language instruction set
Uniform Distribution: Definitions and Properties

A discrete uniform distribution has constant probability for each integer within a stated range. A continuous uniform distribution has constant probability density within a stated range. The continuous uniform distribution in the range (0, 1) has connections with the probability integral transformation, and with the exponential, logistic, and beta distributions. Some characterizations of functions of two independent random variables are given. Keywords: discrete; continuous; exponential; logistic; beta; probability integral; characterization
Redox recipes. I. Reaction between ferrous iron and peroxides. General considerations

Various mechanisms which have been proposed for the reaction between ferrous iron and hydrogen peroxide are reviewed. Two of these mechanisms appear equally satisfactory on the basis of present evidence: that of Bray and Gorin, involving formation of tetravalent (ferryl) iron, and that of Haber and Weiss, involving formation ofhydroxyl and perhydroxyl radicals. Mechanisms involving these intermediates have been developed for the ferric iron-catalyzed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide; the mechanism of Bray and Gorin appears satisfactory, while that of Haber and Weiss leads to certain inconsistencies. A mechanism with ferrous iron and hydroxyl and perhydroxyl radicals as intermediates is presented, which accounts for the experimental observations in the ferric iron-catalyzed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The reaction between hydrogen peroxide and ferrous iron induces the reaction between hydrogen peroxide and various organic compounds; this induced reaction (termed a Fenton reaction) is a chain reaction which is initiated by the active intermediates (ferryl iron or hydroxyl radical) formed in the primary reaction. The determination of hydrogen peroxide by reaction with ferrous iron, if carried out in the presence of various organic compounds (termed promoters), gives incorrect results, due to induced oxidation of the promoters; other compounds, termed suppressors, reduce the extent of this induced oxidation of promoters. It appears that both types of compounds react with ferryl iron or hydroxyl radical to form radicals, which if formed from promoters, reduce ferric iron or hydrogen peroxide, while the radicals formed from suppressors oxidize ferrous iron. These considerations are of particular importance in the determination of organic hydroperoxides. The reaction between hydrogen peroxide or organic peroxides and ferrous iron can induce, or initiate, the polymerization of vinyl monomers; this is an example of redox polymerization, which is of considerable practical importance at present.
Deformation in the hinge region of a chevron fold, Valley and Ridge Province, central Pennsylvania

The hinge region of an asymmetrical chevron fold in sandstone, taken from the Tuscarora Formation of central Pennsylvania. U.S.A., was studied in detail in an attempt to account for the strain that produced the fold shape. The'fold hinge consists of a medium-grained quartz arenite and was deformed predominantly by brittle fracturing and minor amounts of pressure solution and intracrystalline strain. These fractures include: (1) faults, either minor offsets or major limb thrusts, (2) solitary well-healed quartz veins and (3) fibrous quartz veins which are the result of repeated fracturing and healing of grains. The fractures formed during folding as they are observed to cross-cut the authigenic cement. Deformation lamellae and in a few cases, pressure solution, occurred contemporaneousl y with folding. The fibrous veins appear to have formed as a result of stretching of one limb: the', cross-cut all other structures. Based upon the spatial relationships between the deformation features, we believe that a neutral surface was present during folding, separating zones of compression and extension along the inner and outer arcs, respectively. Using the strain data from the major faults, the fold can be restored back to an interlimb angle of 157°; however, the extension required for such an angle along the outer arc is much more than was actually measured. This disparity between observed and required deformation suggests that the rest of the folding strain may be attributed to minor faulting, isolated severe pressure solution and to slight grain movements: we were not able to recognize the latter. We propose that a single episode of deformation produced the chevron fold causing the brittle deformation after the sandstone had been lithified. This brittle deformation was accomplished by faulting together with the translation of individual sandstone blocks which do not contain significant internal deformation.
Quantitative Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry as a Temperature Diagnostic for Spherical Flames

Numerical analysis and experimental results are presented to define a method for quantitatively measuring the temperature distribution of a spherical diffusion flame using Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry in microgravity. First, a numerical analysis is completed to show the method can suitably determine temperature in the presence of spatially varying species composition. Also, a numerical forward-backward inversion calculation is presented to illustrate the types of calculations and deflections to be encountered. Lastly, a normal gravity demonstration of temperature measurement in an axisymmetric laminar, diffusion flame using Rainbow Schlieren deflectometry is presented. The method employed in this paper illustrates the necessary steps for the preliminary design of a Schlieren system. The largest deflections for the normal gravity flame considered in this paper are 7.4 x 10(-4) radians which can be accurately measured with 2 meter focal length collimating and decollimating optics. The experimental uncertainty of deflection is less than 5 x 10(-5) radians.
Mathematical Programming Formulations for the Discriminant Problem: An Old Dog Does New Tricks*

In recent years, much research has been done on the application of mathematical programming (MP) techniques to the discriminant problem. While promising results have been obtained, many of these techniques are plagued by a number of problems associated with the model formulation including unbounded, improper, and unacceptable solutions as well as solution instability under linear transformation of the data. In attempting to solve these problems, numerous formulations have been proposec involving additional variables and/or normalization constraints. While effective, these models can also become quite complex. In this paper we demonstrate that a simple, well-known special case of Hand's [13] original formulation provides an implicit normalization which avoids the problems for which various complicated remedies have been devised. While other researchers have made use of this formulation, its properties have not previously been fully recognized.
Inhibition of N'-nitrosonornicotine-induced esophageal tumorigenesis by 3-phenylpropyl isothiocyanate

The ability of dietary isothiocyanates to inhibit the esophageal metabolism of N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) was examined in F344 rats. Following feeding of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), 3-phenylpropyl isothiocyanate (PPITC), 4-phenylbutyl isothiocyanate (PBITC) or 6-phenylhexyl isothiocyanate for 2 weeks, rats were killed and the esophagi were incubated in vitro with [5-3H]NNN. While dietary BITC, PEITC and PBITC all decreased NNN metabolism, dietary PPITC had the greatest effect, yielding inhibition ranging from 55 to 91% of the control production of various NNN metabolites. To determine the chemopreventive efficacy of PPITC on NNN-induced esophageal tumorigenesis, rats were fed AIN-76A diets containing 0, 1.0 or 2.5 micromol/g PPITC and were given untreated drinking water or drinking water containing 5 p.p.m. NNN. After 87 weeks, the experiment was terminated and the esophageal tumors were counted. Rats that were given untreated drinking water developed no tumors. Rats that were given 5 p.p.m. NNN and unadulterated AIN-76A diet had an esophageal tumor incidence of 71% and a multiplicity of 1.57 tumors/animal. The two dietary concentrations of PPITC reduced the incidence and multiplicity of NNN-induced esophageal tumors by >95%. These results demonstrate the remarkable chemopreventive efficacy of PPITC in the NNN-induced esophageal tumor model.
Implications for Northern Europe of the emergence of West Nile virus in the USA

The unexpected appearance of fatal encephalitis in six elderly people living in New York in 1999, heralded the re-birth of arbovirology in the United States of America. The subsequent rapid spread through North America and impact of the disease on humans, birds, horses and a wide range of other species including alligators and frogs, has brought West Nile virus (WNV) to the attention of governments and the media, worldwide. The response of the public in the United Kingdom has not been hysterical, despite being fuelled by press reports that scientists have demonstrated the presence of WNV antibodies in birds in the UK. Nevertheless, concern has been expressed by government bodies either directly or indirectly connected with the potential health problems that could arise if WNV was introduced and caused the same degree of morbidity and mortality as that seen in the USA. Is the concern justified and are we likely to see significant health problems associated with WNV if this virus is confirmed to be present and circulating amongst birds in the UK? In this review I shall try to put the virus in its true context and assess the risks that WNV might pose both to animals and humans in the United Kingdom.
Positive pressure infusion of therapeutic agents into brain tissues: Mathematical and experimental simulations

Positive pressure infusion is a clinical means of achieving convection-enhanced delivery of therapeutic agents within the tissues of the central nervous system for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme and other diseases of the brain. We have developed a mathematical model of the technique and an in vitro gelatin surrogate for it, which provide biophysical insights into the performance characteristics of candidate infusion systems and drug delivery protocols. We present a brief overview of the clinical problems that are being addressed, succinctly describe the mathematical and in vitro models used in our laboratories, and highlight some representative results from our studies. A number of references to related work are provided for those seeking further details.