cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE SEVEN SQUARES TEST: PHENOMENON NAMING VS CAUSAL NAMING.

The theoretical origins of the Seven Squares Test have not been explicitly stated. This ambiguity raises the question of how to interpret results from research with the test. It appears that causal naming has been used instead of a more conservative phenomenon naming. Thus, the fact that black Ss did not identify representations has been generalized to indicate that these groups lack the ability to do so. Possible examiner influences were suggested. Caution is recommended in interpreting research results obtained in a culture which requires apartheid.
The electrochemical properties of three dipyridinium salts as mediators

Abstract The electrochemical properties of three dipyridinium salts were studied in order to assess their behavior for use as mediators in titrations of biological molecules. The compounds studied were 1,1′-trimethylene-2,2′-dipyridinium dibromide, 5,5′-dimethyl-1,1′-trimethylene-2,2′-dipyridinium dibromide and 4,4′-dimethyl-1,1′-trimethylene-2,2′-dipyridinium mide. Differential pulse polarographic analysis showed that each of these compounds undergoes two successive one-electron reductions, and that the formal potentials of these reduction steps are independent of pH. Cyclic voltammetry at the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) indicated that in all cases the first reduction step is reversible. However, the sample potentials measured during controlled potential electrolysis of these compounds were not as negative as theoretically expected, indicating decomposition of the electrolysis products. This study concludes, however, that these mediators can be used in the indirect coulometric titration of large biological redox molecules if there is sufficient separation between the formal potential, E 1 0′ , of the mediator and the E 0′ of the biological molecules. This condition prevents the accumulation of the product of the electrode reaction, the cation radical and therefore the decomposition of the mediator.
Biased abortion counseling laws and abortion demand

Abstract Since the U.S. Supreme Court's 1992 Casey decision many states have enacted biased abortion counseling laws. These laws mandate that abortion providers furnish to women with unwanted pregnancies state-approved medical information about possible side effects from having an abortion that are false. The most egregious falsehoods are that abortion is linked to mental health problems (e.g., suicide, postabortion traumatic stress syndrome, and depression), breast cancer, infertility and fetal pain. This paper investigates whether these four biased abortion falsehoods have an impact on the demand for abortions in the year 2000. The empirical results find that these four biased abortion falsehoods have no significant impact on the abortion demand of pregnant women of childbearing age (15–44 years), adult pregnant women (18–44 years) or pregnant teen minors (15–17 years). The findings remain robust even after controlling for regional differences in antiabortion attitudes.
Epididymitis in Older Boys: Dysfunctional Voiding as an Etiology

Although male infants and young boys with epididymitis have a high incidence of anatomical pathology, dysfunctional voiding is not a well established cause of epididymitis. In our series 36 boys with epididymitis underwent noninvasive urodynamic studies to determine whether a physiological defect could be assigned as an etiology. The 2 mechanisms proposed are similar to that in children with vesicoureteral reflux associated with dyssynergia or bladder instability and to a cause of recurrent urinary tract infection in children (the infrequent voider syndrome). Urinalysis and urine culture are recommended in all children with epididymitis and urethral swabs are obtained from those who are sexually active. We recommend renal/bladder ultrasound and voiding cystourethrography in all infants and young children with epididymitis. In the older child we advocate detailed questioning regarding voiding symptoms and the performance of noninvasive urodynamic studies.
Mechanical properties of the heart muscle in the passive state.

Abstract The viscoelastic behaviour of the heart muscle (papillary muscle) in the passive unstimulated) state is studied by such methods as stress relaxation, creep, vibration and stress-strain testing. The tests are conducted on a newly developed electromechanical muscle testing device which is suitable for conducting active and passive tests on biological materials.
Potassium acetate inhibition of Lactobacillus casei and its reversal by lithium, sodium and fatty acids.

SummaryGrowth of L. casei 7469 in a low-sodium, fatty acid-free medium is inhibited synergistically by potassium and acetate. Neither potassium nor acetate is significantly inhibitory when tested separately. The inhibition is readily reversed by either lithium or sodium and by a wide variety of fatty acids, the most effective of which are lactobacillic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids.
Age-specific differences in cadmium sensitivity and bioaccumulation in bivalve molluses

Abstract Age-specific differences in sensitivity to and bioaccumulation of cadmium are demonstrated in a range of life-history stages of the bivalve Isognomon californicum . An acute-toxicity assay was used to document the relative sensitivities of embryos, young veligers, older veligers, pediveligers, juveniles, and adults. There was an inverse relationship between age and sensitivity, so the scale of relative sensitivity was embryos > veligers > pediveligers > juveniles > adults. The bioaccumulation of cadmium by the various life-history stages was measured over a 24-h period by using a radioactive isotope of cadmium. With embryos, there was an 8-h lag phase before accumulation of cadmium was observed. Onset of accumulation coincided with hatching, which supported the hypothesis that embryonic membranes are impermeable to metal ions. The relative rates of accumulation of the various life-history stages did not reflect the relative sensitivities. In these experiments, embryos did have the highest accumulation rates, and adults had the lowest. However, the rates of accumulation of pediveligers were greater than veliger rates. It is therefore interesting to realize that the stages with the highest rates of Cd accumulation were embryos and pediveligers. These two stages can be regarded as developmental hurdles, requiring profound morphological and physiological changes for transformation into the next stage. These results suggest that metal ions and perhaps metallothioneins may play important roles in gene expression and inductive processes and are the basis for continued research.
Life prediction on SCC of solution annealed stainless steels under laboratory conditions

Abstract The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of austenitic stainless steels, types 304 and 316 has been investigated in acidic solutions to verify whether or not a parameter for prediction of time to failure can be detected as functions of applied stress and environmental factors (temperature, concentration, pH, anion species) by using a constant load. The results show that the steady state elongation rate becomes a parameter for predicting time to failure at a time within 10–20% of time to failure irrespective of the above factors. The steady state elongation rate is also found to become a parameter for the assessment of SCC susceptibility. On the basis of the results obtained, a SCC mechanism is discussed in terms of corrosion current density at crack tips, time to failure and length of crack propagation. The SCC mechanism proposed can be applied to both active path dissolution model and film rupture model.
Christmas shopping scenes: From modern miracle to postmodern mall

Abstract Christmas is, for the predominantly Christian western world, the distilled essence of contemporary consumption. By analyzing and contrasting two films about the Christmas shopping experience ( Miracle on 34th Street and Scenes from a Mall ), produced at the close of World War II and at the beginning of the 1990s respectively, it is possible to examine the changing role of shopping in this key consumption celebration. Based on the evidence of these two films and additional historical observations of shopping and consumption, it is concluded that Christmas has become a postmodern spectacle and that Christmas shopping increasingly reflects the search for the disintegrated self while it decreasingly reflects the celebration of home and family.
Modeling the mechanical behavior of vertebral trabecular bone: Effects of age-related changes in microstructure

Age-related reductions in the thickness and number of trabeculae in vertebral trabecular bone have been documented by several workers, yet the relative effects of these changes on mechanical properties are not known. We developed a two-dimensional model of human vertebral trabecular bone and investigated its mechanical behavior using finite element analysis. The stress-strain behavior, failure mode, and strain distributions predicted using the model were consistent with those observed for vertebral trabecular bone under compressive loading. Random reductions in the number of trabeculae reduced the modulus and strength of the models two to five times more than uniform reductions in the thickness of trabeculae that caused the same loss of bone volume. For example, randomly removing longitudinal trabeculae to achieve a reduction in density of 10% reduced the strength by approximately 70%, whereas removing the same amount of bone by uniformly reducing the thickness of the longitudinal trabeculae only reduced the strength by approximately 20%. For a simulation of aged bone, in which the thickness and number of trabeculae were reduced concurrently, the strength was 23% of its intact ("young") value. When the bone mass of the aged model was restored to its intact level by increasing the thickness but not the number of trabeculae, the strength increased by 60%, but was still only 37% of its intact value. These combined findings, based on a two-dimensional, idealized model of vertebral trabecular bone, illustrate the importance of maintaining trabecular number and suggest that it may not be possible to restore bone strength following a period of advanced bone loss if a substantial number of trabeculae have been resorbed. Thus, until treatments exist that can increase trabecular number, the most effective treatment strategy is to prevent the degradation of bone strength by maintaining the number of trabeculae at a healthy level.
RP58/ZNF238 directly modulates proneurogenic gene levels and is required for neuronal differentiation and brain expansion

Although neurogenic pathways have been described in the developing neocortex, less is known about mechanisms ensuring correct neuronal differentiation thus also preventing tumor growth. We have shown that RP58 (aka zfp238 or znf238) is highly expressed in differentiating neurons, that its expression is lost or diminished in brain tumors, and that its reintroduction blocks their proliferation. Mice with loss of RP58 die at birth with neocortical defects. Using a novel conditional RP58 allele here we show that its CNS-specific loss yields a novel postnatal phenotype: microencephaly, agenesis of the corpus callosum and cerebellar hypoplasia that resembles the chr1qter deletion microcephaly syndrome in human. RP58 mutant brains maintain precursor pools but have reduced neuronal and increased glial differentiation. Well-timed downregulation of pax6, ngn2 and neuroD1 depends on RP58 mediated transcriptional repression, ngn2 and neuroD1 being direct targets. Thus, RP58 may act to favor neuronal differentiation and brain growth by coherently repressing multiple proneurogenic genes in a timely manner.
Meta-Analysis of Comparison of Effectiveness of Lowering Apolipoprotein B Versus Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Nonhigh-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Randomized Trials

This study evaluated the relation between apolipoprotein B (apoB) decrease and coronary heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease risk. Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis was used to evaluate the association of mean absolute apoB decrease (milligrams per deciliter) with relative risk of coronary heart disease (nonfatal myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease death), stroke (nonfatal stroke and fatal stroke), or cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease, stroke, and coronary revascularization). Analysis included 25 trials (n = 131,134): 12 on statin, 4 on fibrate, 5 on niacin, 2 on simvastatin–ezetimibe, 1 on ileal bypass surgery, and 1 on aggressive versus standard low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and blood pressure targets. Combining the 25 trials, each 10-mg/dl decrease in apoB was associated with a 9% decrease in coronary heart disease, no decrease in stroke, and a 6% decrease in major cardiovascular disease risk. Non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol decrease modestly outperformed apoB decrease for prediction of coronary heart disease (Bayes factor [BF] 1.45) and cardiovascular disease (BF 2.07) risk decrease; apoB decrease added to non-HDL cholesterol plus LDL cholesterol decrease slightly improved cardiovascular disease risk prediction (1.13) but did not improve coronary heart disease risk prediction (BF 1.03) and worsened stroke risk prediction (BF 0.83). In the 12 statin trials, apoB and non-HDL cholesterol decreases similarly predicted cardiovascular disease risk; apoB improved coronary heart disease prediction when added to non-HDL cholesterol/LDL cholesterol decrease (BF 3.33) but did not improve stroke risk prediction when added to non-HDL cholesterol/LDL cholesterol decrease (BF 1.06). In conclusion, across all drug classes, apoB decreases did not consistently improve risk prediction over LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol decreases. For statins, apoB decreases added information to LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol decreases for predicting coronary heart disease but not stroke or overall cardiovascular disease risk decrease.
Magnetic pukas and the lifetime of the supergranulation

We direct attention to the existence of exceptionally long-lived supergranular patterns (4–7 days) seen on synoptic magnetograms.
Acme and demise of the late Palaeozoic ice age: A view from the southeastern margin of Gondwana

Abstract Palaeoenvironmental reconstructions from across the globe indicate that the climatic and oceanographic changes that accompanied the Permian transition from deep icehouse to greenhouse conditions were uneven and asynchronous. Because of a paucity of well-constrained data, environmental changes in Gondwana remain poorly understood relative to tropical Pangaea. In this regard, the Permian System of eastern Australia provides a unique record of this transition along a high-latitude, open marine shelf. Not only was glaciation protracted here relative to other regions of Gondwana, but the record also spans temperate to polar palaeolatitudes, providing an opportunity to examine environmental changes along a latitudinal transect. We integrate proxies for δ18Oseawater, palaeotemperature, pCO2, and depositional environment to assess the evolution of nearshore conditions through the Permian. Glaciation was not continuous, but rather focused into four discrete, glacial epochs (P1–P4), each several million years in length, which alternated with nonglacial intervals of similar duration. During the Asselian–mid-Artinskian (P1–P2 time), uniform conditions along the full extent of the margin were maintained by a cold boundary current coupled with oceanic upwelling. Increased spatiotemporal variability is evident at the end of glacial P2 (mid-Artinskian), perhaps due to tectonic changes that impacted the palaeogeography of the margin. Although glaciers had disappeared by this time elsewhere in Gondwana, eastern Australia saw two additional periods of glaciation, P3 (Roadian–earliest Captianian) and P4 (early Wuchiagingian). Continued, albeit intermittent, glaciation was facilitated by drift toward higher palaeolatitudes, orogenic activity that led to the development of areas of high elevation that could serve as nucleation points for glaciers, and transient drops in atmospheric pCO2. Variations in meltwater input exerted a strong effect on local δ18Oseawater values, complicating attempts to reconstruct latitudinal gradients in palaeotemperature. Results point to atmospheric CO2 as the primary driver responsible for the dynamic climate variations evident in the record.
Formation of trans fatty acids in ground beef and frankfurters due to irradiation.

This study was conducted to investigate possible formation of trans fatty acids due to irradiation of ground beef and frankfurters. Ground beef and frankfurter samples were irradiated at doses of 0, 1, and 5 kGy at 4 ◦ C, and stored at 4 ◦ C for 7 d (ground beef) or 3 mo (frankfurters). After irradiation and storage of the samples, trans fatty acids along with other fatty acids were analyzed using a modificationof AOAC method 996.01. The results showed that 1 kGy irradiation did not induce any change in trans fatty acid content. However, 5 kGy irradiation caused a small but statistically significant (P < 0.01) increase in the dominant trans fatty acid, C18:1 trans ,w hich increased from 3.99% (of total fatty acid) for the nonirradiated ground beef to 4.05% for the 5 kGy sample, and from 1.21% for the nonirradiated frankfurter to 1.28% for the 5 kGy sample. Irradiation had no apparent effect on C16:1 and C18:2 trans fatty acids. In addition, irradiation slightly decreased the relative amount of poly-unsaturated fatty acid of ground beef and frankfurters, particularly after storage. Compared to variations in trans fatty acid content and fatty acid composition occurring naturally in meat and meat products, the changes due to irradiation were negligible.
Swift GRB mission

Swift is a multi-wavelength observatory designed for the autonomous detection and immediate follow-up of gamma-ray bursts and their afterglows. Following launch in early 2004, Swift's Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) will detect 100s of GRBs per year, and autonomously maneuver sensitive UV/optical and X-ray telescopes onto the burst within 10 to 75 seconds. GRB and X-ray positions and UV/optical finding chart will be rapidly distributed thorugh the GCN to promote ground-based observations. Afterglows will be monitored by Swift for days to weeks. All data will be converted into standard FITS formats and rapidly made available to the community from data centers in the US, Italy, and the UK.
Capture, Release and Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells from Pancreatic Cancer Patients using an Enhanced Mixing Chip

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral blood hold important information for cancer diagnosis and disease monitoring. Analysis of this “liquid biopsy” holds the promise to usher in a new era of personalized therapeutic treatments and real-time monitoring for cancer patients. But the extreme rarity of CTCs in blood makes their isolation and characterization technologically challenging. This paper reports the development of a geometrically enhanced mixing (GEM) chip for high-efficiency and high-purity tumor cell capture. We also successfully demonstrated the release and culture of the captured tumor cells, as well as the isolation of CTCs from cancer patients. The high-performance microchip is based on geometrically optimized micromixer structures, which enhance the transverse flow and flow folding, maximizing the interaction between CTCs and antibody-coated surfaces. With the optimized channel geometry and flow rate, the capture efficiency reached >90% with a purity of >84% when capturing spiked tumor cells in buffer. The system was further validated by isolating a wide range of spiked tumor cells (50–50 000) in 1 mL of lysed blood and whole blood. With the combination of trypsinization and high flow rate washing, captured tumor cells were efficiently released. The released cells were viable and able to proliferate, and showed no difference compared with intact cells that were not subjected to the capture and release process. Furthermore, we applied the device for detecting CTCs from metastatic pancreatic cancer patients' blood; and CTCs were found from 17 out of 18 samples (>94%). We also tested the potential utility of the device in monitoring the response to anti-cancer drug treatment in pancreatic cancer patients, and the CTC numbers correlated with the clinical computed tomograms (CT scans) of tumors. The presented technology shows great promise for accurate CTC enumeration, biological studies of CTCs and cancer metastasis, as well as for cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
Efficiency persistence of bank and thrift CEOs using data envelopment analysis

We examine the performance of chief executive officers (CEOs) of US banks and thrifts. We apply data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure the performance of CEOs on a yearly basis over the 1997-2004 period, and find evidence that best-practice CEOs who have a DEA efficiency score of one are rewarded with higher compensation compared to under-performing CEOs who have a DEA efficiency score greater than one. We find DEA efficiency score to be a highly significant predictor of CEO compensation, even after adjusting for firm size. In addition, we find that DEA efficiency scores of CEOs have decreased over the observation period. We also find that best-practice CEOs tend to be persistent on a yearly basis, but we find little evidence of multi-period persistence. The results of this study can serve as a benchmark for CEOs wishing to evaluate their performance relative to their peers, and as a new measure of CEO performance.
Efficacy of chemical interventions against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and multidrug-resistant and antibiotic-susceptible Salmonella on inoculated beef trimmings

Studies were conducted to compare the decontamination efficacy of six chemical treatments against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and multidrug-resistant and antibiotic-susceptible Salmonella inoculated on beef trimmings. The inocula, comprising four-strain mixtures of rifampin-resistant E. coli O157:H7 and antibiotic-susceptible or multidrug-resistant (MDR and/or MDR-AmpC) Salmonella Newport and Salmonella Typhimurium, were inoculated (3 log CFU/cm2) separately onto samples (10 by 5 by 1 cm) derived from beef chuck rolls. Samples were left untreated (control), were immersed for 30 s in acidified sodium chlorite (0.1%, pH 2.5), peroxyacetic acid (0.02%, pH 3.8), sodium metasilicate (4%, pH 12.6), Bromitize Plus (0.0225% active bromine, pH 6.6), or AFTEC 3000 (pH 1.2), or were immersed for 5 s in SYNTRx 3300 (pH 1.0). Levels of surviving Salmonella on treated trimmings were not influenced by serotype or antibiotic resistance phenotype and were generally similar (P > 0.05) or lower (P < 0.05) than levels of surviv...
Psychological stress reduces cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate levels in the cerebral cortex of conscious rats, as determined by a new cryogenic method of rapid tissue fixation.

— Cryoplates were implanted on the surface of the cortex in 32 chronic rat preparations. These devices were used both to freeze and to extract small samples of tissue. Coolant was circulated through each device by small flexible polyethylene tubes. Two series of experiments were performed. In the first, the animals were unrestrained and showed no behavioral signs of stress during the freeze fixation. The temperature responses of the cryoplates were very rapid (−632°C/s), and samples more than 1 mm thick were frozen and extracted within a few hundred ms following the onset of cooling. Each sample was analyzed for 3′.5′-adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and protein content. The results from the cryoplate group (25.6 ± 15.6pmol cyclic AMP/mg protein) were compared to those obtained from two other groups in which freeze fixation was produced by immersion in liquid nitrogen (13.6 ± 4.6pmol/mg protein) or decapitation into liquid nitrogen (18.6 + 7.6pmol/mg protein). In the second series of experiments, three types of stress (limb restraint, non-adaptation to the experimental situation, and moderate cutaneous electric shock) were induced separately in order to determine the influence of each on cortical levels of cyclic AMP. Control animals were highly adapted to the experimental situation, freely moving and not shocked. The samples from each of the stressed groups showed a statistically significant (P≤. 0.01) reduction in cyclic AMP in comparison with the level in the controls (control: 29.3 pmol/mg protein; restrained: 14.2pmol/mg protein; unadapted: 9.6pmol/mg protein; shocked: 7.1 pmol/mg protein). Thus, psychological and physical stress reduced cyclic AMP content in parietal cortex. Results from the second series of experiments suggest that the significantly higher mean and larger standard deviation of the cryoplate group in the first series are due to less psychological and physical stress being evoked by our method; different types of stress appear to account for the two different lower levels found in the immersion and decapitation groups. We believe that our method of cryogenic tissue fixation offers an improved approach to study of the neurochemical correlates of behavioral and neuroelectric events in the conscious animal.
A New Subspecies of Eutamias quadrivittatus (Rodentia: sciuridae) from the Organ Mountains, New Mexico

Patterns of bacular morphology in the Eutamias quadrivittatus species complex were analyzed to determine the identity of the Eutamias population inhabiting the Organ Mountains of southcentral New Mexico. The bacula of 124 animals from all geographically adjacent taxa in this complex ( E. q. quadrivittatus , E. einereicollis cinereus , E. c. cinereicollis , E. canipes sacramentoensis , E. c. canipes , and E. bulled durangae ) were examined. Bacular data demonstrate the close phyletic relation of the Organ Mountain population with E. q. quadrivittatus , rather than with E. cinereicollis cinereus to which it is currently assigned. This conclusion is supported by karyotypic evidence. However, aspects of morphology and ecology indicate that the Organ Mountain population represents a new subspecies. The divergence of this form from E. q. quadrivittatus probably occurred in Recent time as a consequence of isolation, small population size, and a unique environment.
Integration of technical and value issues in air quality policy formation: A case study

Abstract This paper deals with the problem of air quality policy making in urban areas where the automobile is the major source of air pollution. A quantitative method for integrating technical and social value issues is outlined and applied to air quality policy formation in Denver, Colorado. The implications of this study for quantitative analysis in policy analysis in general are discussed. The study centers on decisions to be made now for managing the future air quality in the Denver metropolitan region. At the time of the study Denver was in violation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for two gaseous pollutants—carbon monoxide and ozone. Three elements of the study are described—structural analysis, quantitative analysis and contextual analysis. The conclusions of the study are: (1) Under 1977 Clean Air Act standards, strategies intended to reduce emissions from automobiles will assure attainment of ambient standards in Denver by approx. 1990. The impacts of these strategies upon the valued dimensions of health effects, cost and lifestyle appear acceptable. The acceptability of adding regulations to accomplish an earlier date of attainment, such as transportation controls, could not be resolved. (2) If federal emissions standards are relaxed, Denver cannot meet ambient standards without making difficult tradeoffs among health effects, economic factors, and citizens' mobility and convenience. (3) Continued increase in the use of diesel automobiles will substantially worsen Denver's “brown cloud” problem. Our analysis also indicates that a “do nothing” option was not acceptable. The choice of a strategy for reducing particulates from diesels involves tradeoffs among health, haze and cost.
How demand response from commercial buildings will provide the regulation needs of the grid

The statement “energy is not storable” is heard in energy conference lectures around the world, even though each person in the audience is sitting in a vast energy storage device. The heat storage in buildings is an enormous untapped resource for providing regulation services. This will be especially important as the grid is subject to more and more volatility from the introduction of power from renewable energy sources. This paper describes how regulation services can be obtained by exploiting the inherent flexibility of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) systems in commercial buildings. A particular simulation test case is considered — A large commercial building at the University of Florida. The conclusions of this research demonstrate that, 1) A simplified model of the building that is adequate for control can be obtained from input-output measurements. In this study, the only control input considered is the supply fan power. 2) Control synthesis to regulate the building air temperature while simultaneously providing regulation to the grid can be cast as an LQR problem that admits a simple closed form solution. 3) Numerical experiments show that for this HVAC system, 15% of fan power capacity can be provided for regulation, while maintaining indoor temperature deviation to no more than ±0.2 °C. Based on these results, we conclude that the HVAC systems in 90, 000 medium-sized commercial buildings can provide the entire regulation service needed by PJM today, without any noticeable change in indoor air quality. The total regulation services that can be potentially provided by all the commercial buildings in the U.S. that have the necessary equipment in place are much higher. Our results indicate that supply fans in existing commercial buildings can provide about 70% of the current regulation capacity needed in the United States.
Hydraulic architecture and the evolution of shoot allometry in contrasting climates

We used pairs of congeneric shrub species from contrasting habitats to test for repeated evolutionary divergence in leaf-stem allometry and shoot hydraulic architecture in response to water availability. Allometric relationships and mean ratios between leaf size (individual and total area and mass per shoot) and stem cross-sectional area were compared between habitats using six species pairs representing three genera (Arctostaphylos, Baccharis, Ceanothus). We measured correlations among evolutionary changes in allometric, morphological, and physiological traits using phylogenetic independent contrasts. Allometric analysis revealed habitat differences: slopes were homogeneous among species (=1.46), but the more mesic-adapted species generally supported more leaf area at a common stem cross-sectional area. Reducing bivariate allometry to a ratio obscured this pattern because ratios varied with stem size, which was unrelated to habitat. Mean individual leaf size also was not correlated with either water availability or leaf-stem allometry. Stem hydraulic conductivity was generally lower in the xeric-adapted species of each pair, and its evolution mirrored changes in shoot allometry. This study provides evidence for repeated evolutionary divergence in shoot allometry and hydraulic architecture associated with water availability and demonstrates the importance of shoot allometry to water relations, independent of leaf size.
Computer-assisted diagnostic tool to quantify the pulmonary veins in sickle cell associated pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a common cause of death among patients with sickle cell disease. This study investigates the use of pulmonary vein analysis to assist the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension non-invasively with CT-Angiography images. The characterization of the pulmonary veins from CT presents two main challenges. Firstly, the number of pulmonary veins is unknown a priori and secondly, the contrast material is degraded when reaching the pulmonary veins, making the edges of these vessels to appear faint. Each image is first denoised and a fast marching approach is used to segment the left atrium and pulmonary veins. Afterward, a geodesic active contour is employed to isolate the left atrium. A thinning technique is then used to extract the skeleton of the atrium and the veins. The locations of the pulmonary veins ostia are determined by the intersection of the skeleton and the contour of the atrium. The diameters of the pulmonary veins are measured in each vein at fixed distances from the corresponding ostium, and for each distance, the sum of the diameters of all the veins is computed. These indicators are shown to be significantly larger in sickle-cell patients with pulmonary hypertension as compared to controls (p-values < 0.01).
Determination of thickness of walls of hard gelatin capsules by radioisotopic means

A procedure has been developed for the determination of the thickness of the wall sections of hard gelatin capsules. A chlorine-36 source was mounted in the tip of a stainless steel capsule dipping pin and was used to observe the differences in thickness of the wall sections. Twelve series (replications) of 25 determinations each were performed. The measurements taken included the weight, area, calculated weight per unit area, thickness in inches using a micrometer, and beta count rate. The count rates were plotted against the corresponding weight per unit area (mg./cm. 2 ) and thickness (in.). Regression curves were prepared using least squares calculations. A t test was used to compare the individual slopes of the regression curves with the mean slope. The applicability of this method of determining the thickness of wall sections of hard gelatin capsules is discussed.
Solvent entropy and coarse-graining of polymer lattice models

The self- and mutual-avoiding walk used in conventional lattice models for polymeric systems requires that all lattice sites, polymer segments, and solvent molecules (unoccupied lattice sites) have the same volume. This incorrectly accounts for the solvent entropy (i.e., the size ratio between the polymer segments and solvent molecules), and also limits the coarse-graining capability of such models, where the invariant degree of polymerization controlling the system fluctuations is too small (thus exaggerating the system fluctuations) compared to that in most experiments. Here we show how to properly account for the solvent entropy in the recently proposed lattice models with multiple occupancy of lattice sites [Q. Wang, Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 4564], and present a quantitative coarse-graining strategy which ensures that both the solvent entropy and the fluctuations in the original systems are properly accounted for using such lattice models. Although proposed in the context of homogeneous polymer solutions, our strategy is equally applicable to inhomogeneous systems such as polymer brushes immersed in a small-molecule solvent, where quantitative agreement with experimental results can be achieved without any adjustable parameters.
The Role of the Cholinergic Pathway in Growth Hormone Feedback

Cholinergic pathways play an important role in the regulation of GH secretion. To assess their participation in GH feedback, we investigated the effect of pyridostigmine (an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor) on plasma GH responses to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) plus TRH, insulin hypoglycemia, and arginine as well as on the inhibition of these responses by exogenous GH. The GH response to each stimulus was inhibited by an infusion of GH (0.55 μg/m2/min), started 4 h earlier. Pyridostigmine (120 mg, orally), administered 30 min before the stimulus, enhanced GH responses to GHRH and insulin during both saline and GH infusions. However, GH responses during combined administration of pyridostigmine and GH were less than those during pyridostigmine alone. GH responses to arginine, in contrast, were not affected by pyridostigmine in either the absence or presence of exogenous GH. TSH responses to TRH were unaltered by either GH or pyridostigmine. Pyridostigmine enhancement of GH responses to a maximally stimulator...
Spectroscopy of Dwarf O Stars in the Region 6250 to 7150A

We present moderate-resolution spectra of normal dwarf O stars taken over the commonly ignored spectral range from 6250 to 7150A. Numerous, strong, telluric absorption features, particularly the prominent O2 feature beyond 6850A, have made the study of stellar photospheres over this spectral region very difficult in the past. In this study, we use a method for removing the atmospheric absorption features during the reduction process. With our cleaned spectra, we have been successful in identifying the He II 6891A line in O dwarf stars that has until now been too heavily contaminated by telluric features to be clearly detected.
Auditory influences on non-auditory cortices.

Although responses to auditory stimuli have been extensively examined in the well-known regions of auditory cortex, there are numerous reports of acoustic sensitivity in cortical areas that are dominated by other sensory modalities. Whether in ‘polysensory’ cortex or in visual or somatosensory regions, auditory responses in non-auditory cortex have been described largely in terms of auditory processing. This review takes a different perspective that auditory responses in non-auditory cortex, either through multisensory subthreshold or bimodal processing, provide subtle but consistent expansion of the range of activity of the dominant modality within a given area. Thus, the features of these acoustic responses may have more to do with the subtle adjustment of response gain within a given non-auditory region than the encoding of their tonal properties.
Ingestion of kerosene complicated by pneumonia, pneumothorax, pneumopericardium, and subcutaneous emphysema

Summary 1. A case of pneumonia, pneumothorax, pneumopericardium, and subcutaneous emphysema of the neck and chest following ingestion of kerosene, is described in detail. 2. Pulmonary involvement following ingestion of kerosene (a) is common; (b) is due to aspiration of the liquid; and (c) occurs in a high percentage of the cases. 3. The possible route by which the pneumothorax and mediastinal emphysema was produced is considered.
Effects of Mediterranean fruit fly malathion bait spray on the longevity and oviposition of parasitoids of linden and tuliptree aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae).

The longevity of two primary aphid parasitoids, Aphidius liriodendrii Liu and Trioxys curvicaudus (MacKauer), was severely reduced when they were exposed in the laboratory to a malathion bait spray used to eradicate the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). The longevity of several hyperparasites of A. liriodendrii and T. curvicaudus also was reduced. Oviposition of A. liriodendrii was severely reduced on plants that received field applications of malathion bait spray. The parasitoids appeared neither attracted to nor repelled by the malathion bait. Pesticide contact occurred during apparently random searching by the parasitoids. As T. curvicaudus is reportedly responsible for the biological control of its aphid host, Eucallipterus tiliae (L.), malathion bait sprays used for Mediterranean fruit fly control may cause an increase in aphid populations by reducing the effectiveness of primary parasitoids.
Comments on A. David Hill's “A Survey of Global Understanding of American College Students”

(1982). Comments on A. David Hill's “A Survey of Global Understanding of American College Students”. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 92-93.
Growth-stimulating action of ferric chloride-treated wheat germ oil

SummaryFeCl3 treated wheat germ oil containing approximately one-tenth of the E activity of the original oil stimulated growth when fed at a level of 80 mg six times weekly to female rats which had plateaued in weight on a vitamin E-low diet.
Convergence of the Iterative Rational Krylov Algorithm

Abstract The iterative rational Krylov algorithm ( IRKA ) of Gugercin et al. (2008) [8] is an interpolatory model reduction approach to the optimal H 2 approximation problem. Even though the method has been illustrated to show rapid convergence in various examples, a proof of convergence has not been provided yet. In this note, we show that in the case of state-space-symmetric systems, IRKA is a locally convergent fixed-point iteration to a local minimum of the underlying H 2 approximation problem.
Horizontal transfers between adjacent surfaces: forces required using different methods.

Abstract Objective: To describe and compare pull forces required to move supine subjects between adjacent surfaces using different devices and methods. Design: Descriptive, correlational, explicatory experiment. Subjects: Convenience sample of volunteers. Intervention: Alternative transfer devices and methods. Main Outcome Measures: Pull forces measured with dynamometers. Results: Pull forces associated with transfers with no device, a draw sheet, a Patient Shifter, and an Easy Slide differed significantly ( F = 245.1, p p r > .89) and subjects' body weights ( r > .82). Pull forces required for transfers with the Easy Slide were lowest. Conclusions: Use of friction-reducing transfer devices significantly decreased the forces required for transferring individuals between adjacent surfaces. The magnitude of this decrease in this study was greatest with the Easy Slide.
What is the value of telerobotic technology in gastrointestinal surgery

Background: Although telerobotic technology has entered clinical application, its value for gastrointestinal surgery is unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the performance characteristics of telerobotically assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy (TALC). Methods: All TALCs performed using the da Vinci Surgical System between January 2000 and September 2001 at a tertiary academic medical center were analyzed. Results: For this study, 20 patients (80% female) with a mean age of 47 ± 4 years underwent TALC. All had symptomatic cholelithiasis, and all had successful TALC results without complications or need for conversion to conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLP). The mean procedure time was 152 ± 8 min. The procedures were performed by one of three staff surgeons experienced in laparoscopic surgery who had training in telerobotic surgery. The perceived advantages of TALC over CLP included easier tissue dissection, enhanced dexterity, and stimulated interest in biliary surgery. The disadvantages included increased operating time and lack of tactile feedback. Conclusions: The TALC procedure is effective and safe when performed by appropriately trained surgeons. Telerobotic technology has the potential to reinvigorate gastrointestinal surgery.
Sociometric Measurements of the Sino-Soviet Conflict: Peaceful and Nonpeaceful Revolutions

T O STUDENTS OF world communism, one of the most important developments within the communist system' since World War II has been the changing relations among states, particularly those between China and the Soviet Union. Several theories have been advanced, some more sound than others, about the causes for the Sino-Soviet conflict. What are the factors and variables responsible for tension leading to conflict between the Russians and the Chinese after the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU)? Did the conflict between these two communist giants originate before 1956 as a result of ideological incompatability as Donald S. Zagoria claims?2 Is the conflict an illustration of the hypothesis that authoritarian states are expansionist in nature and that, owing to geographic location, these two countries were bound to clash as William E. Griffith and Jan F. Triska assert?3 Or is the conflict related to a basic structural change within the international system-a transformation from a monolithic structure to a polycentric one which started in 1953 as Alexander Dallin and Zbigniew Brzezinski argue?4 Or should one attribute the source of the dispute primarily to geographic and economic
The shifting economic demands in health care: what is a pituitary surgeon to do?

s all Americans know, health care costs in the United States form an inordinately large percentage of the gross A domestic product. The growth of these costs, we are told, is unsustainable and has led to a close scrutiny of health care spending and methods to control cost. Hospitals pressure doctors to find new ways to decrease spending and increase savings, all the time careful to emphasize “quality” as the ultimate goal. The day is fast approaching when payments will be bundled into a lump sum that will be given to the hospital to cover a patient’s hospitalization as well as the doctor’s professional fees. With increasing regularity, hospitals track the costs of care for various diagnostic related groups to see if savings can be derived from more efficient care because the only way to increase profits under such a system will be to decrease cost. In the article by Thomas et al., an attempt was made to discharge all pituitary patients on postoperative day (POD) 1. Such a strategy, if it has no impact on quality or safety, would undoubtedly render significant cost savings to the institution and, if pervasive, to the health care system. However, as with most medico-economic issues, several critical issues are raised that require more discussion.
Rethinking the Presentation of Results from Web Search

This paper describes a novel approach to the presentation of results from Web-search by utilizing the semantic correlations amongst the retrieved results as well as their spatio-temporal characteristics. The fundamental goals of this research are threefold; first, it seeks to facilitate easier access to information than what is provided by the current paradigm of listing the retrieved hits in order of relevance. Second, and more importantly, it attempts to recognize, retain, and present context within the retrieved data. Such support is essential for assimilation of the information obtained as the consequence of a query. Finally, it seeks to support both direct search behavior as well as more exploratory search strategies. In this paper, we describe the algorithmic underpinnings, based on latent semantic analysis, of our approach as well as the strategy for spatio-temporal information display and querying. Examples involving different types of queries and comparative experiments illustrate the idea and verify its efficacy
Contribution of Cytoskeletal Elements to the Mechanical Property of Axons

Microtubules, microfilaments, and neurofilaments are cytoskeletal elements that affect cell morphology, cellular processes, and mechanical structures in neural cells. The objective of the current study was to investigate the contribution of each type of cytoskeletal element to the mechanical properties of axons of dorsal root and sympathetic ganglia cells in chick embryos. Microtubules, microfilaments, and neurofilaments in axons were disrupted by nocodazole, cytochalasin D, and acrylamide, respectively, or a combination of three. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was then used to compress the treated axons, and the resulting corresponding force-deformation information was analyzed to determine the mechanical properties of axons that were partially or fully disrupted. We have found that the mechanical stiffness was most reduced in microtubules-disrupted-axons, followed by neurofilaments-disrupted- and microfilaments-disrupted-axons. This suggests that microtubules contribute the most of the mechanical stiffness to axons.