cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flow murmur associated with partial occlusion of the right pulmonary artery.

Abstract An 18-year-old male student presented with a brief history of syncope followed by shortness of breath with exertion, and the development of a murmur over the right chest. The symptoms and murmurs were related to a pulmonary embolus which partially occluded the right pulmonary artery and its major branches. The murmur gradually diminished and disappeared when right pulmonary perfusion had almost returned to normal as determined by lung scan. The association of pulmonic flow murmurs and pulmonary emboli is reviewed.
Preliminary Studies in Chickens on the Relative Absorptive Capacities for Oxytetracycline of Various Intestinal Tract Segments

Abstract EVIDENCE that calcium in the intestinal contents retards absorption of oxytetracycline * from the intestinal tract of chickens has been presented by Price et al. (1959b). They administered the antibiotic by injection into ligated duodenal segments and studied blood and tissue levels of the drug. Other investigations have shown that, by markedly decreasing calcium concentration of the gut contents through dietary alterations, the blood serum level of tetracycline antibiotics can be enhanced (Price et al., 1959 a, b; Stokstad et al., 1959; Cover et al., 1959). It was of interest, therefore, to determine whether inhibition of antibiotic absorption is more pronounced in certain intestinal segments than in others, since a better understanding of the mechanism of inhibition might lead to more effective use of antibiotics. A first step was to determine whether, under relatively calcium-free conditions, rate of antibiotic absorption differs among the several segments of the intestinal tract. This report …
International comparisons of the residential demand for energy

A revised and updated version of "International comparisons of the residential demand for energy: a preliminary analysis," Working paper #MIT-EL 76-023WP, by the same author.
Transport Through Electrophoretically Deposited CuMn1.8O4 Spinel Coatings on Crofer Interconnects

Dense and well-adhered CuMn1.8O4 spinel oxide coatings were successfully deposited on Crofer 22 APU stainless steel substrates by a cost effective electrophoretic deposition technique. Coated and uncoated Crofer substrates were oxidized for 120 hours in air at 800°C. A diffusion model was developed for the oxidation of the coated alloys, which predicted para-linear oxidation kinetics. The effective diffusivities in the coating and in the thermally grown oxide were calculated to be 2X10−15 cm2/s and 2.5X10−16 cm2/s respectively, at 800°C. Area specific resistances (ASR) of thermally cycled samples at 800°C did not show a significant difference compared to the isothermally oxidized sample for the same total oxidation time, suggesting good coating adherence. The ASR of the coated alloys is projected to be around 3.8x10−2Ωcm2 after 50000 at 800°C in air, making them excellent candidates for interconnect applications for solid oxide fuel cells operated at 800°C or lower.
Assessing Programming Costs of Explicit Memory Localization on a Large Scale Shared Memory Multiprocessor

We present detailed experimental work involving a commercially available large scale shared memory multiple instruction stream-multiple data stream (MIMD) parallel computer having a software controlled cache coherence mechanism. To make effective use of such an architecture, the programmer is responsible for designing the program's structure to match the underlying multiprocessors capabilities. We describe the techniques used to exploit our multiprocessor (the BBN TC2000) on a network simulation program, showing the resulting performance gains and the associated programming costs. We show that an efficient implementation relies heavily on the user's ability to explicitly manage the memory system.
Long-term remission in pediatric Wegener granulomatosis following allo-SCT after reduced-intensity conditioning

Long-term remission in pediatric Wegener granulomatosis following allo-SCT after reduced-intensity conditioning
Analysis of the Pressure Rise in a Partially Filled Liquid Tank in Microgravity with Low Wall Heat Flux and Simultaneous Boiling and Condensation

Experiments performed with Freon 113 in the space shuttle have shown that in a pro- cess of very slow heating, high liquid superheats can be sustained for a long period in microgravity. In a closed system explosive vaporization of superheated liquid resulted in pressure spikes of varying magnitudes. In this paper, we analyze the pressure rise in a partially lled closed tank in which a large vapor bubble (i.e., ullage) is initially present, and the liquid is subjected to a low wall heat ux. The liquid layer adjacent to the wall becomes superheated until the temperature for nucleation of the bubbles (or the incipience of boiling) is achieved. In the absence of the gravity-induced convection large quantities of superheated liquid can accumulate over time near the heated surface. Once the incipience temperature is attained, explosive boiling occurs and the vapor bubbles that are produced on the heater surface tend to quickly raise the tank pressure. The liquid-vapor saturation temperature increases as well. These two e ects tend to induce condensation of the large ullage bubble that is initially present, and tends to mitigate the tank pressure rise. As a result, the tank pressure is predicted to rise sharply, attain a maximum, and subsequently decay slowly. The predicted pressure rise is compared with experimental results obtained in the microgravity environments of the space shuttle for Freon 113. The analysis is appli- cable, in general to heating of liquid in closed containers in microgravity and to cryogenic fuel tanks, in particular where small heat leaks into the tank are unavoidable.
Low-temperature methanation and Fischer-Tropsch activity over supported ruthenium, nickel, and cobalt catalysts

It has been shown previously that surface carbon derived from the dissociation of CO on supported ruthenium, nickel, and cobalt catalysts at temperatures in excess of 423 K can be hydrogenated to methane at room temperature. However, methanation activity for CO absorbed at ambient temperatures on these catalysts has not been observed. Reported here is methane formation from CO adsorbed under H/sub 2/ and hydrogenated at ambient temperature (298-307 K) on supported ruthenium, nickel, and cobalt catalysts. Hydrocarbon chain growth on ruthenium at a slightly higher temperature (324 K) is also reported. A sensitive stopped-flow gas-chromatographic reactor technique was employed to measure the small rates of reaction at these temperatures.
Chemical pressure analysis (CPA): yttrium, bismuth, thallium, and mercury based high-temperature superconductors

Abstract Chemical pressure analysis (CPA) is used to determine the anisotropic dependence of the critical temperature on the lattice parameters of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 + x. CPA yields a quantitative expression relating Tc and lattice parameter values and offers a phenomenological approach to studying the effect of structure on superconductivity. Similar to previously reported results for YBa2Cu3O7 − x and YBa2(Cu1 − xFex)3O7 − y, CPA for Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 + x reveals that the dependence of the critical temperature is strongly anisotropic and is influenced much more by chemical pressure than by physical (mechanical) pressure, per unit change in lattice parameter. A positive correlation is found between unit cell volume and Tc for Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 + x, but these parameters are negatively correlated for YBa2Cu3O7 − x and YBa2(Cu1 − xFex)3O7 − y. Physical pressure results for both Tl2Ba2CaCu2Ox and HgBa2Cam − 1CumO2m + 2 + δ indicate that increases of up to 28 K (10 GPa) and 30 K (45 GPa), respectively, can be obtained from these compounds, but sufficient lattice constant and elastic constant data for CPA are not yet available.
Clinical predictors of theophylline blood levels in asthmatic patients

To determine the usefulness of clinical information in predicting theophylline levels, 21 parameters were studied in 204 asthmatic patients. The best single parameter for predicting theophylline levels was the last outpatient level (r = 0.484), which was within ± 5 μ g/mL of the presenting theophylline level in 62.5% of cases. However, there was considerable variability in theophylline levels in the other 37.5% of cases. The best combination of predictors was the last outpatient level and time since the last dose in patients taking a short-acting preparation. Even with this combination, however, 20.8% of predicted levels fell outside a range of ± 5 μ g/mL of the presenting theophylline levels. The only patients in whom a theophylline level could be predicted reliably were those who reported taking a sustained-release or short-acting preparation more than 15 or 8 hours prior to evaluation, respectively. In these patients, all presenting theophylline levels were in the subtherapeutic range (ie, μ g/mL), with 92% of the levels μ g/mL. Except for these patients, readily available theophylline determinations are necessary in order to optimize theophylline therapy with minimal risk of toxicity.
Scanning tunneling microscopy of platinum-rhodium gauze HCN catalysts

Abstract Scanning tunneling microscopy provides resolution of topographical features from 1 to 100 nm on images of the surface structure of commercial PtRh gauze catalysts for HCN production. Estimates of the surface roughness based on the widths of height distributions calculated for these images suggest that the roughness on this scale changes with time on stream. Surface area enhancement on a 350-nm-length scale was observed to be as high as 100% for the roughest area but was generally less than 15%. Thus, crystallite growth on a larger length scale (i.e., > 1000 nm) appears to be the primary source of the reaction-induced increase in the surface area of this catalyst system. STM observations of the structure around pits and of features on a 1-nm scale suggest that this technique can reveal important details of the initiation and mechanism of the surface roughening process in this system. Scanning Auger microprobe results suggest further that local surface composition may play a role in controlling surface topography.
Fashioning nationality and identity in the eighteenth century: The comte de Bonneval in the Ottoman Empire

Abstract Among the colourful characters that populate eighteenth-century military history, the French-born comte de Bonneval (1675–1747) has been kept alive in historical memory longer than most. His surprising conversion to Islam and contribution to Ottoman military reform long made him a popular subject for biography in his own right. Nowadays, he mainly features in biographies of Prince Eugene of Savoy. Both were commanders in the Habsburg army, and for nineteen years they were close companions in war and peace.1 The circumstances that turned Bonneval's friendship with Eugene to enmity also led him in 1729 to offer his services to the Ottoman Empire. For most scholars, this is the moment when his actions became of lasting historical significance. The Ottomans, who suffered in the eighteenth century a series of military defeats, employed foreigners to help them reform their army. After converting to Islam and renaming himself Ahmed Pasha, Bonneval became the first of these when the grand vizier, Topal O...
Sequences of the lizard cDNAs encoding lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isozymes A (muscle) and B (heart)

The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of cDNAs encoding L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isozymes A (muscle) and B (heart) from the lizard, Sceloporus undulatus, were determined. The evolutionary relationships among LDH isozymes from animals, plants and bacteria are presented.
Variable-Range Hopping in Finite One-Dimensional Wires

Numerical studies of variable-range hopping in finite one-dimensional systems show large variations in the resistance as a function of chemical potential. This may explain recently observed structures in resistance versus gate voltage in narrow metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors. Our explanation suggests the possibility of probing a particular pair of localized states.
Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase SS: Purification and characterization of the homogeneous isoenzyme

Abstract Alcohol dehydrogenase SS was prepared from horse liver by salt fractionation, ion-exchange chromatography, and affinity chromatography. The purified isoenzyme is free from extraneous protein and other alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzyme contaminants and contains four Zinc atoms per molecule. The substrate specificity with saturated aliphatic alcohols and aldehydes of two to six carbon chain lengths has been investigated. The Km values and turnover numbers at maximal velocity (kcat) are presented. Values of kcat are constant within a substrate category and independent of the substrate chain length, while the Km values decrease with the increase of the substrate chain length. The Km values for two- and three-carbon substrates are large, that for ethanol (40 m m ) is two orders of magnitude larger than that reported for classical preparations of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase. At pH 7, the kcat values for alcohol oxidation are almost 30 times smaller than for aldehyde reduction. The enzyme has been characterized with regard to specific activity with several nonsteroidal substrates and with two steroids: 3-oxo-5β-androstan-17β-ol and 5β-pregnan-21-ol-3,20-dione hemisuccinate. NAD(H) is the preferred coenzyme. Values of Km for NADH with constant steroidal substrates are an order of magnitude smaller than the corresponding Km values with nonsteroidal substrates. A possible explanation for this observation is presented.
Natural forest floor clearings around trees in Jeffrey pine forests reduce tree damage and mortality following wildfire.

Abstract In the western United States, trees in pine-dominated forests historically characterized by frequent, low severity wildfires often support deep litter and duff accumulations due to the fire exclusion policies of the last century. These accumulations at the bases of trees can smolder for long periods of time after the passage of fire, which can result in high temperatures, cambial injury, and subsequent tree mortality. As a result, prescribed fire prescriptions often call for the manual removal of litter and duff from the bases of large trees by raking or other means before fire is applied. Here we report on the presence of naturally formed, circular clearings in the soil surface litter layer that occur around the bases of tree boles in seasonally dry forests dominated by Pinus jeffreyi (Jeffrey pine) in eastern California and Baja California (along the eastern edge of the North American Mediterranean-climate zone). We show that such clearings significantly reduce fire severity and tree mortality in surface fires. In the Lake Tahoe Basin (LTB) study area, Jeffrey pine individuals surrounded by clearings experienced much lower bole char heights, and were 1/3 as likely to support crown torching as individuals lacking the clearings; mortality of Jeffrey pine lacking clearings was more than five times higher than individuals surrounded by clearings. Clearings also reduced mortality in incense cedar and white fir. Data from both the LTB and Inyo National Forest (INF) study areas show that clearings are larger and much more common in forests that have recently burned at low severity. In both locations, natural clearings around trees were about four times more common, and existing clearings about three times wider, in recently burned versus long unburned (>60 years) sites. Logistic regression models show that clearing size, specifically the percentage of tree bole surrounded by a clearing, is an important predictor of Jeffrey pine survivorship in low to moderate severity fires, but clearing measures have never been included in previously published assessments of tree survival. We suggest that these previously unreported clearings are important features of Jeffrey pine and related semiarid forests and we recommend that more in-depth studies be made of their occurrence, formation, and ecological relationships.
Laser-induced electron ejection at metal surfaces Evidence for photoelectroreduction of cobalt(III) and chromium(III) ammines by direct heterogeneous electron transfer

Abstract Photocurrents for the reduction of selected Co(III) and Cr(II) ammine complexes at silver, gold, and mercury electrodes induced by laser irradiation at 514.5 and 647.1 nm have been measured as a function of electrode potential and double-layer structure, and compared with corresponding thermal electroreduction data in order to provide information diagnostic of the photoelectroreduction mechanism. Photocurrents were observed at potentials considerably (up to 2 V) positive of the threshold for conventional photoemission. Similar responses were obtained in the photo- and thermal currents for outer-sphere Co(NH 3 ) 3+ 6 reduction brought about by variations in the reactant double-layer concentration by means of specific ionic adsorption at silver and mercury electrodes. This suggests that the effective electron-tunneling distance is similarly small (⪅ 0.6–0.8 nm) for the photoassisted as well as unassisted electroreduction pathways. A relationship was seen between the electrode potentials at which photoassisted and unassisted reduction occurred for the various reactants, including those following inner- as well as outer-sphere thermal reduction mechanisms. The photoelectroreduction mechanism appears to involve direct transfer of photoexcited electrons at the metal surface to acceptor species located within the double-layer region. The photocurrent-potential behavior is consistent with the presence of only a small Gibbs energy barrier, due to nuclear reorganization, as a result of the high reaction exoergicity. The possible value of such photoassisted pathways for examining highly exoergic electrode reactions is pointed out, along with complications from their presence when utilizing laser spectroscopic methods for examining thermal electrochemical processes.
Thermal decomposition kinetics of PBAN-binder and composite solid rocket propellants

Abstract Thermogravimetric analysis at heating rates between 0.5 and 10°C min −1 has been used to study the decomposition kinetics of the PBAN binder and three propellants based on ammonium perchlorate (AP) with PBAN, HTPB, or BAMO-AMMO binders. Thermal runaway was observed for the PBAN and HTPB propellants at heating rates faster than 4.5 and 3°C min −1 , respectively. The multistep decomposition kinetics were analyzed by an advanced isoconversional method that showed that the effective activation varies with the extent of decomposition of the studied systems. For PBAN the activation energy increases from 100 to 200 kJ mol −1 throughout the polymer decomposition. In propellants the major mass loss step primarily relates to AP decomposition accompanied by some degradation of the polymer binder. For the PBAN and HTPB propellants this step shows respective increases in the activation energy from 60 to 180 kJ mol −1 and from 100 to 230 kJ mol −1 . The major decomposition step of the BAMO-AMMO propellant has a fairly constant activation energy of 120 kJ mol −1 .
Effective interaction of three resonantly interacting particles and the force range.

The effect of the force range [ital r][sub 0] on an effective long-range interaction in a system of three resonantly interacting particles is considered. By employing a boundary-condition approach, it is explicitly shown that the account of the force range gives rise to a correction [ital r][sub 0]/[ital R][sup 3] in the effective long-range interaction. The correction is universal (i.e., independent of detail structure of the force), and is attractive for symmetric 0[sup +] three-particle states. The effect of the correction on the well-known correlation between the three-particle binding energy and the particle-pair scattering length is calculated.
An investigation of the viscous and inertial coefficients for the flow of gases through porous sintered metals with high pressure gradients

Abstract This paper deals with the results of an investigation of the steady-state flow of gas through porous sintered metals under high pressure gradients. The purpose of the study was to determine the behaviour of the viscous and intertial flow coefficients in such media as a function of pressure and temperature. Pore size distributions of the various cores tested were obtained by means of mercury intrusion measurements. Mean cross-section diameters which were derived from this data correlated well with experimentally obtained permeabilities. The porosities of all six of the cores which were used were within the 30–40 per cent porosity range. It is found that the permeability (the reciprocal of the viscous flow coefficient), while not a function of pressure, decreases significantly as the temperature of a sintered porous medium is increased. This is attributed to small changes in the surface structure of the particles which constitute the medium. The inertial coefficient for any given core is found to be a constant within the pressure and temperature ranges which were covered by the present experiments.
Soil Treatments for the Potential Elimination of Phytophthora ramorum in Ornamental Nursery Beds

Ramorum leaf blight, caused by Phytophthora ramorum, has reemerged at several California nurseries after removal of infested material. In many cases, reemergence was not associated with reintroduction of the pathogen and may be attributed to inoculum surviving in soil beds because P. ramorum propagules can survive for over a year in soil. Using artificially infested soil in microcosms, fumigation and heat treatments were examined as potential eradicants of P. ramorum from soil. Treatments with chloropicrin, Vapam, and iodomethane were effective in reducing P. ramorum propagules below detection limits. Basamid was consistently effective only when fully incorporated into the soil. Application of Basamid (392 kg/ha) at infested ornamental nursery sites mirrored results from microcosm experiments, indicating that a tarp cover over treated soil is necessary for reliable efficacy. Dimethyldisulfide, 1,3-dichloropropene, and two formulations of hydrogen dioxide were less effective, resulting in only partial reduction of propagules. In heat treatments, P. ramorum in soil microcosms remained detectable 42 days after microcosms were incubated at 30 and 22°C but was not detectable in soil heated above 40°C for 3 days. Results from a solarized field plot indicate that prolonged sublethal temperatures, between 35 and 40°C for 42 days, can be effective in eliminating detectable propagules of P. ramorum.
Synthesis of three fluorescent boronic acid sensors for tumor marker Sialyl Lewis X in cancer diagnosis

Abstract Sialyl Lewis X (sLex) is a carbohydrate that is considered not only a marker for cancer, but also an antigen associated with the malignant behavior of cancerous cells. We have synthesized three fluorescent boronic acid sensors as potential sensors for sLex. Photoinduced electron transfer by a fluorescence analyzer was used to assess sensor-sLex antigen binding. The reaction was carried out in mixed aqueous solution, and Sensor 3 was identified as showing the strongest fluorescence enhancement upon binding to sLex at 10 nM. In cell-line culture experiments, Sensor 1 was shown to label sLex expression positively for HepG2, Colo 205, and COS-7 cells, and negatively for MDA-MB-231 cells; Sensor 2 did so positively for HepG2, PLC/PRF/5, and Colo 205 cells, and negatively for MDA-MB-231 and COS7 cells; and Sensor 3 did so positively for PLC/PRF/5 and HepG2 cells, and negatively for MDA-MD-231 and COS7 cells. MTT cytotoxicity experiment results showed that the three sensors are nontoxic, and Hoechst 33258 experiments showed that no apoptosis occurred.
Collaboration and conversation: Three voices

Abstract This article presents an anecdotal inspection of the theory, classroom environment, and application of one experiment with hypertext and developmental writers in a computer-mediated classroom. Specifically a feminist perspective of valuing multiple authorities in combination with a networked classroom designed for small-group collaboration engendered the creation of an electronic hypertext, Poememo , that juxtaposed poetic and bureaucratic language designed to instigate conversation about composition and rhetorical choice. The classroom focused on the maternal practice of storytelling and conversation, two alternative modes of learning associated with feminist concerns. The authors assert that this environment and approach encouraged students to participate dynamically as a community in constructing ideas about the contexts in which people write and promoted the success of marginal students.
Acquisition of basic object categories.

Abstract Two implications of best-example theory for category acquisition were considered. The first is that categories which people acquire based on initial exposure to good exemplars should be learned more easily and (at first) more accurately than categories based on initial exposure to poor exemplars. The second is that people should generally learn that the best exemplars are category members, before learning that the poor exemplars are category members. These implications are based on the premise that people generalize based on similarity, and that the best example has maximal within-category similarity and minimal extra-category similarity, while the poor examples have minimal within-category similarity and relatively high extra-category similarity. Both implications were strongly supported by the present research. It was also found that when pressure to communicate was removed, comprehension and production of category names were virtually identical. The predictions of best-example theory concerning the conceptual structures underlying the words used by children who are just beginning to talk were discussed briefly. This research also allowed the replication of several important categorization results which had previously been found with real-world categories, with a set of artificial concrete object categories.
Thermodynamic equilibrium in isolated spin systems

A computational study of the redistribution of magnetization in systems of 2–15 coupled spins is presented, exhibiting the principles that govern the application of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics to isolated systems and emphasizing the meaning of equilibrium. In general, the equilibrium distribution is not uniform, i.e., the systems are not ergodic, because a nonuniform initial distribution sets the values of a large number of auxiliary nonphysical constants of the motion.
Modulations in cerebral hemodynamics under three response requirements while solving language-based problems : A transcranial Doppler study

This experiment used transcranial Doppler ultrasound to measure blood flow velocity in the middle, anterior or posterior cerebral artery (MCA, ACA and PCA, respectively) while separate groups of college students (each n = 20) solved anagrams and constructed new words using letters of a target word, each while viewing, speaking or writing the responses. The silent viewing requirement affected global velocities only while constructing words: velocities in both the MCA and ACA were faster than in the PCA. Speaking the solutions during both types of problems yielded faster overall velocities in the MCA than in the PCA. Finally, writing the solutions while constructing words led to faster velocities in the MCA compared to both the ACA and PCA. Time-course patterns to velocity changes from the thinking periods showed elevations in MCA velocity at the beginning and end of the periods, while PCA velocity typically slowed below baseline in the middle of the periods. These data show that the kind of language-based problem-solving task and the specific response requirement arranged to accomplish a task selectively affected velocity in three cerebral arteries.
Absolute bioavailability and absorption characteristics of aerosolized tobramycin in adults with cystic fibrosis

Administration of antibiotics by the inhalational route has become part of standard protocols for treatment of and prophylaxis for Pseudomonal pneumonias in patients with cystic fibrosis. For tobramycin, however, limited data are available on the aerosol absorption patterns, and no absolute bioavailability data for tobramycin exist. The purpose of this study was to measure the absolute bioavailability and systemic absorption characteristics of tobramycin when administered in high doses by a nebulizer. Multiple serum concentrations of tobramycin were measured after administration of an intravenous dose (mean, 2.9 mg/kg every 6 hours) and after an inhalational dose (5.6 mg/kg over 1 hour). Inhalational doses were superimposed over the "tail" of a steady-state intravenous dose to improve the sensitivity of the assay procedure (Abbott-TDX). Absolute bioavailability (F) was determined from AUC ratios normalized for dose. Model-independent pharmacokinetic parameters (volume of distribution [Vss] and total clearance [CLt]) were determined for each subject. Absorption characteristics (absorption rate constant [Ka] and mean absorption time [MAT]) were assessed after calculation of the cumulative fraction of drug absorbed, amount of bioavailable drug, and percent remaining to be absorbed per unit time using the Loo-Riegelman method. Three men and three women completed the study, and all received concurrent doses of ceftazidime. Mean absolute bioavailability (+/- standard deviation) was 9.13% (+/- 3.82), and the rate of absorption into the systemic circulation was consistent with a zero-order model profile for all subjects. Mean absorption time values reflected a wide degree of subject variability and ranged from approximately 15 to 150 minutes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Custom Ice Dispenser

The custom dispenser is an electromechanical system for automatically delivering ice cubes or chilled water through the door of a domestic refrigerator into the user's glass at the touch of a button. This revolutionary product feature is the result of the efforts of many people rather than the idea of one individual.
Band alignment in molecular devices: Influence of anchoring group and metal work function

Density functional theory calculations are carried out to investigate the electronic properties of molecular junctions formed by amine- and thiol-terminated alkane monolayers sandwiched between two metal (Au, Ag) electrodes. Based on extensive analysis of molecular monolayers of varying densities, we establish a relationship between the alignment of the molecular energy levels and the interface dipoles, which shows that the band alignment (BA) in the limit of long, isolated chains is independent of the link group and can be computed from a reference system of noninteracting $\text{molecule}+\text{metal}$ molecule metal electrodes. The main difference between the amine and thiol linkers is the effective dipole moment at the contact. This is very large, about 4.5 D, for amine linkers, leading to a strong dependence of the BA on the monolayer density and a slow convergence to the isolated molecule limit. Instead, this convergence is relatively fast for $S$ anchors due to the very small, $\ensuremath{\sim}0.2\text{ }\text{D}$, effective dipoles at the contacts.
Stratigraphic signatures due to flood deposition near the Rhône River : Gulf of Lions, northwest Mediterranean Sea

Abstract Episodic flood delivery provides the bulk of the solid discharge for many small to moderate river systems, including the Rhone River in the northwestern Mediterranean. Several recent studies have demonstrated that the fate of this sediment depends on the coherence between river discharge and energetic ocean conditions. The deposition of flood sediment in the ocean can be confirmed by common signatures of episodic discharge events: presence of 7 Be, physical stratification, and elevated clay content associated with low 210 Pb activities. Previous research has indicated that the Rhone River discharge is episodic and generally independent of oceanic conditions. Sometimes the floods coincide with energetic storms and winds from the southeast, which facilitate the movement of sediment towards the southwestern Gulf of Lions. High-resolution coring near the mouth of the Rhone River provides a detailed record of sedimentation associated with past flood events. Cores were collected on two cruises, October 2004 and April 2005, in a study area seaward of the Rhone subaerial delta. Episodic sediment discharge from the Rhone River routinely deposits on the seabed in water depths shallower than 40 m. This is documented by the presence of 7 Be in the surficial sediments of physically stratified cores. Through identification of a dilution signature in 210 Pb profiles (i.e., increased clay content, decreased 210 Pb activity), past flood events are recognized. Greater water depths and distances from the river mouth allow bioturbation to erase these signatures, except in the most extreme events where physical stratification is preserved. Excess 210 Pb and 137 Cs were ubiquitous in cores from this study, indicating apparent accumulation rates in the range of 2.5 to >10 cm/yr. This study confirms that although flood-event signatures provide a basis with which to examine recent flood deposits of all scales, only the thickest deposits are likely to be preserved over the long term (>100 yr).
Chronic kidney disease is associated with oxidative stress independent of hypertension.

Background Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and essential hypertension (EHTN). However, the role of hypertension in causing increased oxidative stress in patients with CKD is unknown. Methods We performed a case control study in patients with EHTN and those with equal blood pressure assessed by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring but with concomitant CKD. Those with diabetes mellitus and those taking renin angiotensin inhibitors were excluded. Biomarkers of oxidative stress, malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonylation and total glutathione levels were measured. Results Average (SD) 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in 12 patients with CKD was 134 (17)/75 (16) compared to 134 (10)/80 (9) in 11 patients with EHTN (p = NS). Plasma MDA in CKD was 0.89 +/- 0.38 micromol/l compared to 0.68 +/- 0.16 micromol/l in EHTN (p = 0.07). Urinary MDA/creatinine ratio was 1.78 (0.31) in CKD vs 1.43 (0.69) micromol/g in those with EHTN (p = 0.04). Thus, lipid peroxidation was increased in urine of CKD patients. Patients with CKD had higher (1.04 (0.20) nmol) carbonyl/mg protein compared to those with EHTN (0.80 (0.21) nmol carbonyl/mg protein) (p = 0.03). Thus, protein carbonylation was increased in CKD patients. Total glutathione in CKD and EHTN patients was 6.6 (1.8) ng/ml and 7.3 (3.1) ng/ml (p = NS). There was a good correlation between biomarkers of lipid (MDA) and protein oxidation (protein carbonyls) (r = 0.6, p = 0.004). Conclusions Biomarkers of lipid and protein oxidation are higher in patients with CKD compared to EHTN despite similar blood pressure. Thus, nonhemodynamic factors such as inflammation and altered cellular redox state may play a greater role in the generation of oxidative stress in CKD.
International Students’ Reflections on the Cultural Embeddedness of Evaluation Theory

Locally adapted and culturally sensitive evaluation approaches are needed throughout the world. International students studying evaluation theory in the U.S. must both understand evaluation theory itself, and have a good grasp of the U.S. context in which it was developed and intended for use. They must then attempt to translate the theory into their own contexts, adjusting for differences in culture and socio-political realities, and assess its possible utility in their own evaluation work back home. This task is challenging; often, international students are inadequately prepared for it. In this article, both international and U.S. students reflect on the cultural, communication, and instructional difficulties of this process.
Reflections on Post-Evaluation of Baccalaureate Programs: Revisiting Education Quality.

This paper discusses the distinction between two types of educational quality: quality at the institutional level and quality at the student learning level. The key element for continuous institutional improvement after completion of the evaluation of institutional teaching should be on redefining quality in student learning and developing a systematic quality assurance system on campus.
Digoxin Metabolism in the Elderly

Tritiated digoxin (0.5 mg) was given intravenously to five elderly men (mean age, 77 years) and nine young men (mean age, 27 years). The elderly were not in congestive heart failure. The serum creatinines of the old and young were not different. However, the creatinine clearance averaged 56 ml/min/1.73 m2 in the old and 122 ml/min/1.73 m2 in the young (P<0.001). Digoxin clearance averaged 53 ml/min/1.73 m2 in the old and 83 ml/min/1.73 m2 in the young (P<0.001). The blood concentrations of tritiated digoxin were significantly higher in the elderly throughout the study (P<0.05). When blood digoxin concentrations were corrected for body surface area, there was no significant difference between the two groups during the first 24 hr, but thereafter the concentrations in the elderly were higher. The same dose of digoxin resulted in higher blood concentrations and longer blood half-life in the elderly. This is due to the smaller body size and a diminished urinary excretion of digoxin in the elderly.
Probabilistic analysis of k -dimensional packing algorithms

In the k-dimensional packing problem, we are given a set I = b1, b2,…, bn of k-dimensional boxes and a k-dimensional box B with unit length in each of the first k − 1 dimensions and unbounded length in the kth dimension. Each box bi is represented by a k-tuplebi = (xi(1),…, xi(k − 1), xi(k)) ϵ (0, 1]k − 1 × (0, ∞), where x(j) denotes its length in the jth dimension, 1 ⩽ j ⩽ k. We are asked to find a packing of I into B such that each box is packed orthogonally and oriented in all k dimensions and such that the height in the kth dimension of the packing is minimized. The k-dimensional packing problem is known to be NP-hard for each k < 1. In this note, we study the average-case behavior of a class of algorithms, which includes any optimal algorithm and an on-line algorithm. Let A denote an algorithm in this class. Assume that b1, b2,…, bn are independent, identically distributed according to a distribution F(x(1),…, x(k − 1), x(k)) over (0, 1]k −1 × (0, ∞), and the marginal distribution Fk of x(k) satisfies the property that there is a positive number α at which the moment generating function MFk(t) has a finite value Cα < 0. It is shown that for each given s < 0, there is an Ns,F < 0 such that for all n ⩾ Ns,F, Pr(¦ A(b1,…,bn)/n − Γ ¦ < s) < (2 + Cα)exp(−(sα3)23n13), where Γ = limn → ∞E[A(b1,…, bn)]n and A(b1,…, bn) denotes the height in the kth dimension of the packing of (b1,…, bn) produced by A.
Mini-Incision Versus Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Background: We report a prospective randomised comparison between laparoscopic and small-incision cholecystectomy in 200 patients which was designed to eliminate bias for or against either technique.
Simultaneous alignment and multiple surface figure testing of optical system components via wavefront aberration measurement and reverse optimization

Simultaneous alignment and figure testing have been simulated by computer for components of a Cooke triplet and a two-. Petzval telescope using end-to-end wavefront aberration measurement and computer model reverse optimization. Experimental confirmation is discussed. 2.
Russian Jews Between the Reds and the Whites, 1917–1920

The volume under review is a welcome English translation of Oleg Budnitskii's excellent 2005 ROSSPEN publication, Rossiiskie evrei mezhdu krasnymi i belymi, 1917–1920 (reviewed by Liudmila Novikova...
Information and Long-Term Stock Performance Following Open-Market Share Repurchases

We find that firm managers have private information when they decide on open-market share repurchases, and that this information is significantly correlated with announcement period and post-announcement abnormal returns. We further find that long-term post-announcement abnormal returns are related to private information differently for firms that actually repurchase shares when compared to firms that announce a repurchase program but do not acquire shares. Our results indicate that managers’ private information is only ambiguously revealed by the repurchase announcement, and that the market waits for the firm's subsequent actions, such as actual repurchase, to further interpret the private information.
Indifference-zone ranking and selection: confidence intervals for true achieved P(CD)

In this paper we present procedures which attempt to allow experimenters to take at least partial advantage of more-favorable configurations of the population parameters (without, in the process, sacrificing precise probability statements about the inferences made) by obtaining confidence intervals for the true probability of a correct decision, regarded as a function of the true unknown underlying parameter values.
A gene genealogical approach to recognize phylogenetic species boundaries in the lichenized fungus Letharia

Letharia, a genus of lichenized fungi de- scribed as a pair of sympatric species, one making abundant sexual structures and the other making few, was investigated as a model system in which to recognize species boundaries. Gene genealogies of 6 and 12 loci were used to estimate the evolutionary history of Letharia, based on the principles of lineage sorting of alleles in divergent lineages after genetic isolation. Instead of a species pair consisting of a pu- tative clonal species derived from a progenitor sexual species, Letharia comprises at least six phylogenetic species. Judging by the presence of perennial apo- thecia and clonal reproductive structures, one spe- cies is exclusively sexual, three species are sexual and isidiate, and two species are sorediate and rarely sex- ual. Not all of these species would have been detect- ed with a single gene genealogy, demonstrating the need for multiple independent loci in phylogenetic analysis to recognize recent speciation events. The results are concordant with aspects of both biological and phylogenetic species recognition. However, only phylogenetic species recognition can be applied to fungi like Letharia species that are difficult to culti- vate and mate in the lab. (Nutt.) Thomson always produce sexual structures (apothecia). Some individuals also produce clonal symbiotic propagules in the form of isidia, short lat- eral branches that break off easily for wind dispersal. Mature individuals of Letharia vulpina (L.) Hue rare- ly produce apothecia, whereas all individuals produce clonal propagules in the form of soredia consisting of ecorticate wefts of fungal hyphae, each surround- ing a nest of algal cells. The existence of lichen species pairs has been called into question, and it has been proposed that the clonal lichens are asexual individuals repeatedly arising from within a sexual species (Tehler 1982). This alternative hypothesis is represented diagram- matically by showing clonal individuals intermixed with sexual individuals throughout the phylogeny, rather than showing all the clonal individuals as a
Do private capital markets insure regional risk? Evidence from the United States and Europe

A striking feature of international economic relations is the limited extent of intertemporal trade and risk-sharing among nations. This paper uses data on consumption, income, and production from regions of the United States to address the question of whether the limited participation of national economies in international capital markets is a fundamental aspect of economic relations among large geographic regions, or whether it is specifically an artifact of international economic relations. We conclude that capital flows among the regions of the United States are significantly larger than those across countries. However, such private markets still provide a relatively limited degree of insurance against regional fluctuations.
Epithelial V-like antigen regulates permeability of the blood-CSF barrier.

Abstract Epithelial V-like antigen (EVA), a CD3-binding immunoglobulin-like protein, regulates embryonic thymic development. Here we demonstrate that EVA is expressed in choroid plexus from mature immune competent and lymphocyte-deficient (RAG−/−) mice. Choroid plexus epithelial cells from RAG−/− mice demonstrated reduced junctional integrity and enhanced permeability that was associated with decreased expression of E-cadherin and EVA mRNA as compared to wild-type mice. Following iv infusion of an anti-CD3 antibody (145-2C11) that also binds EVA, expression of E-cadherin and EVA mRNA approached levels seen in wild-type mice. Immuno-fluorescent staining for cadherin also revealed decreased expression in untreated RAG−/− mice that could be increased by 145-2C11 treatment. Expression of mouse EVA in HEK-293 cells followed by challenge with 145-2C11 resulted in increased cytosolic calcium that was not seen in control cells. These results suggest that EVA expressed in choroid plexus cells may regulate the permeability of the blood–CSF barrier.
Acetaldehyde increases endogenous adiponectin and fibrogenesis in hepatic stellate cells but exogenous adiponectin inhibits fibrogenesis.

Background: Adiponectin has antifibrogenic properties. Acetaldehyde, the principal metabolite of ethanol, is known to stimulate the expression of type I collagen genes and the production of type I collagen by wild-type (wt) but not by obese gene (ob/ob) stellate cells. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of adiponectin in activated stellate cells obtained from wt and ob/ob mice and to determine the effects of acetaldehyde on adiponectin in relation to the expression of type I collagen. Methods: Stellate cells were isolated from wt and ob/ob mice by perfusion of the portal vein and cultured. Cell adiponectin was visualized by immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy and determined by radioimmunoassay and by western blot. Adiponectin mRNA and α1(I) collagen mRNA were determined by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Adiponectin levels were similar in wt and ob/ob stellate cells. Adiponectin receptor 2 mRNA (AdipoR2 mRNA) and AdipoR2 immunoprotein were higher in ob/ob than in wt stellate cells (p < 0.01). Acetaldehyde (200 μM) increased adiponectin both in wt and in ob/ob stellate cells (p < 0.05), but increased AdipoR2 immunoprotein only in ob/ob stellate cells (p < 0.01). However, in the presence of leptin, acetaldehyde decreased adiponectin in ob/ob stellate cells (p < 0.01). Acetaldehyde enhanced α1(I) collagen mRNA in wt (p < 0.05), but decreased it in ob/ob stellate cells (p < 0.01). Leptin abrogated the effect of acetaldehyde in decreasing α1(I) collagen mRNA in ob/ob stellate cells (p < 0.01). Adiponectin inhibited α1(I) collagen mRNA in the basal state in wt stellate cells or when enhanced by acetaldehyde. Conclusions: Adiponectin and adiponectin receptor are present in activated stellate cells. Adiponectin has a negative regulatory role on the enhancing effect of acetaldehyde on fibrogenesis in alcoholic liver disease.
Chemotherapy of hepatic neoplasms via the umbilical-portal vein.

Abstract 1. 1. A method of prolonged perfusion of unresectable hepatic tumors with chemotherapeutic agents via a catheter in the umbilicalportal vein is described. 2. 2. Preliminary results in twelve patients are sufficiently encouraging to warrant further trial of this method.