cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Commentary on ''The Effects of Financial Incentives in Experiments: A Review and Capital- Labor-Production Framework''

Camerer and Hogarth have produced an insightful review of the thorny issue of financial incentives in experiments. It is much more than a survey, and proposes an intriguing capitalrlabor theory of decisions in experiments. I decided to try out their theory on data from a recent experiment, where subjects participated in a series of tasks designed to elicit their risk preferences. . . Details are in Eckel, Grossman and Lutz 1999 . Two of the tasks are identical except for the frame. In one, subjects must write down a certainty equivalent the . minimum selling price for a series of gambles, one of which is a 90% chance of $10 and a 10% chance of $0. In another task, subjects choose an egg from twenty in a basket. Two of the eggs are ''bad eggs,'' containing a green marble; the remaining 18 are ''good eggs,'' containing a blue marble. Subjects are given the chance to sell back their egg for a price. Good eggs pay off $10, and bad eggs $0. Both gambles have an expected value of $9. According to C & H, this intellectually-engaging framing should lower the cost of effort, acting in much the same way as an increase in incentives. Experiments generally find that subjects are . less risk-seeking or more risk-averse in treatments with higher stakes. Unfor- . tunately our design does not vary incentive levels directly. I find evidence that C & H are correct. The average certainty equivalent differs across the treatments: the abstract gamble produces an average value of $9.18, and . the egg gamble an average value of $8.73 significantly different at p s .03 : subjects appear risk-seeking for the abstract gamble, but risk-averse over the eggs. This mimics the usual effect of increased incentives on reported risk preferences. We also collect data on the grade point average of the student subjects. GPA is only weakly related to the degree of risk-aversion, but has a more interesting effect. I examined the correlation between GPA and the deviation between the two certainty-equivalents, and calculated the following simple linear regression:
Comparison of Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes Following Arthroscopic Debridement With Extracellular Matrix Augmentation and Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation for Medium-Size Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus.

Background:Historically, microfracture has been used to treat small talar osteochondral lesions with good results, whereas osteochondral autologous transplantation (OAT) has proven effective for th...
Design and Measurement of Low-Profile, Metal-only, Offset Parabolic Stepped Reflector Antenna for Emerging CubeSats

The needs for low-profile high gain antennas have significantly evolved in the recent past due to the possibilities of advanced space missions with CubeSats. In this paper, we describe the development of a low-profile, offset, metal-only stepped parabolic reflector antenna which can be integrated with the CubeSat form factor with minimal deployment complexity. The reflector surface consists of multiple parabolic sections that are confocal and thus provide a collimated beam in the far-field. As a representative example, an offset stepped reflector with a diameter of 20 cm and a profile height of 7.9 mm at 19 GHz is designed, fabricated and measured. The performance of this stepped reflector is comparable to that of an ideal parabolic reflector, however with a significant reduction in profile height.
Primary Non-adherence to Prescribed Medications

Authors' Reply:— We agree with the comments of Karter and colleagues that our methods could misclassify e-prescriptions as unfilled if they were paid for by sources other than the patient’s insurance. As they note, there is no standard method for linking these types of data, although we hope that our analysis stimulates others to work on the development of such techniques. Karter and colleagues point out that their study found much lower rates of primary non-adherence than we did,1 although some of these differences may be due to differences between our study setting—community-based practices in the first year of a new e-prescribing initiative—and the study setting used by Karter et al.—established users of e-prescribing within the Kaiser system. The ability of a system like Kaiser to offer the convenience of retrieving a medication almost immediately, and at the same location as the doctor's office, could make it much easier for patients to fill their initial prescription. After that, however, adherence may drop off when patients need to come back to refill their prescriptions, as reflected in the finding described by Karter et al. Our study may also have found higher primary non-adherence if early experiences with the implementation of the e-prescribing system resulted in problems such as delays in the prescription reaching the pharmacy, which could lead more patients to abandon their prescriptions than would happen with a more established system. At least two other recent studies of adherence to new prescriptions for diabetes and hypertension among patients treated in a single health system found non-adherence rates similar to those seen in our study. 2,3 As with the comparison between our findings and those of Karter et al., it is difficult to be certain whether these findings reflect some characteristics unique to the study setting as opposed to more universal behaviors around prescription filling. We agree that more such studies will be needed, both to improve the methods used for identifying primary non-adherence and to develop more robust estimates of the prevalence of this phenomenon in a wide variety of real-world practice settings. The final comment by Karter and colleagues relates to the observations made by Lapane about how information on non-adherence can be used to improve care, especially in the context of e-prescribing use. Studies that can accurately identify patients who are non-adherent to their medications and that can further determine the optimum way to communicate this information to clinicians in order to facilitate intervention with patients will represent a major step towards better care for many chronic diseases.
Distinct Patterns of Choroidal Lesions in Punctate Inner Choroidopathy and Multifocal Choroiditis Determined by Heatmap Analysis.

Purpose: A heatmap analysis of choroidal lesions in patients with punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC) or multifocal choroiditis (MFC) with or without uveitis was performed to determine if there were any distinguishing features among these uveitic entities.Methods: Retrospective review of medical records was conducted at the Byers Eye Institute, Stanford. Fundus photographs were masked and placed on a standardized template. Lesions were identified and heatmaps were generated in a standardized fashion.Results: 30 eyes were identified with PIC or MFC. Heatmap analysis revealed three distinct patterns of fundus lesions: posterior, peripheral, and combined. All patients with PIC had the posterior pattern. Patients with MFC had the peripheral or combined pattern, and all patients with MFC with uveitis had the combined pattern.Conclusion: Three patterns of fundus lesions were identified in patients with PIC and MFC. PIC and MFC may represent two separate disease entities with distinct phenotypes of choroidal lesions.
Expanding evaluation of ocean acidification responses in a marine gadid: elevated CO2 impacts development, but not size of larval walleye pollock

Responses of marine populations to climate conditions reflect the integration of a suite of complex and interrelated physiological and behavioral responses at the individual level. Many of these responses are not immediately reflected in changes to survival, but may impact growth or survival at later life stages. Understanding the broad range of impacts of rising CO2 concentrations on marine fishes is critical to predicting the consequences of ongoing ocean acidification. Walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) support the largest single-species fishery in the world and provide a critical forage base throughout north Pacific ecosystems. Previous studies of high CO2 effects on early life stages of walleye pollock have suggested a general resiliency in this species, but those studies focused primarily on growth and survival rates. Here, we expand on earlier studies with an independent experiment focused on walleye pollock larval development, swimming behavior, and lipid composition from fertilization to 4 weeks post-hatch at ambient (~ 425 µatm) and elevated (~ 1230 µatm) CO2 levels. Consistent with previous observations, size metrics of walleye pollock were generally insensitive to CO2 treatment. However, 4-week post-hatch larvae had significantly reduced rates of swim bladder inflation. A modest change in the swimming behavior of post-feeding larvae was observed at four, but not at 2 weeks post-hatch. Although there were no differences in overall lipid levels between CO2 treatments, the ratio of energy storage lipids (triacylglycerols) to structural membrane lipids (sterols) was lower among larvae reared at high CO2 levels. Although we observed higher survival to 4 weeks post-hatch among fish reared at high CO2 levels, the observations of reduced swim bladder inflation rates and changes in lipid cycling suggest the presence of sub-lethal effects of acidification that may carry over and manifest in later life stages. These observations support the continued need to evaluate the impacts of ocean acidification on marine fishes across a wide range of traits and life stages with replicated, independent experiments.
An Unconventional NLS is Critical for the Nuclear Import of the Influenza A Virus Nucleoprotein and Ribonucleoprotein

Replication of the RNAs of influenza virus occurs in the nucleus of infected cells. The nucleoprotein (NP) has been shown to be important for the import of the viral RNA into the nucleus and has been proposed to contain at least three different nuclear localization signals (NLSs). Here, an import assay in digitonin-permeabilized cells was used to further define the contribution of these NLSs. Mutation of the unconventional NLS impaired the nuclear import of the NP. A peptide bearing the unconventional NLS could inhibit the nuclear import of the NP in this import assay and prevent the NP–karyopherin α interaction in a binding assay confirming the crucial role of this signal. Interestingly, a peptide containing the SV40 T antigen NLS was unable to inhibit the nuclear import of NP or the NP–karyopherin α interaction, suggesting that the NP and the SV40 T antigen do not share a common binding site on karyopherin α. We also investigated the question of which NLS(s) is/are necessary for the viral ribonucleoprotein complex to enter the nucleus. We found that the peptide containing the unconventional NLS efficiently inhibited the nuclear import of the ribonucleoprotein complexes. This finding suggests that the unconventional NLS is the major signal necessary not only for the nuclear transport of free NP but also for the import of the ribonucleoprotein complexes. Finally, viral replication could be specifically inhibited by a membrane-permeable peptide containing the unconventional NLS, confirming the crucial role of this signal during the replicative cycle of the virus.
Frictional Slip Between Layer and Substrate

Certain aspects of frictional slip in elasticity are analyzed. The paper considers a layer that is pressed uniformly against a substrate with identical elastic constants and, subsequently, subjected to a tangential concentrated load. If the magnitude of the tangential load is gradually increased, a localized slip zone develops and, for low levels of friction, a second slip starts to grow before separation sets in. The problem is formulated using known results from dislocation theory. The resulting singular integral equations are solved numerically and illustrative results presented graphically.
Three-phase optimal power flow based distribution locational marginal pricing and associated price stability

Most of the ongoing smart grid projects are focused on power distribution system automation and upgrades. Although there is no electricity market in the distribution system yet, this will be a natural step with increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DER). This work extends transmission locational marginal price (LMP) concept to distribution level. A new Optimal Power Flow (OPF) methodology based on Three-phase Current Injection Method (TCIM) is proposed in this paper to compute distribution locational margin price (DLMP). The proposed OPF method is used to compute LMP for three-phase unbalanced distribution system. The computed DLMP is used for price stability computation utilizing Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedastic (GARCH). The case study is implemented with a modified IEEE 13-bus system. The results demonstrate the satisfactory performance of the developed OPF based DLMP algorithm and allows for the evaluation of the price stability of the system. Indicating the level of price stability can enable electric market participants and operators to make informed decisions.
Electric wheelchair propulsion by induction motors

This paper presents the design and implementation of a practical variable frequency induction motor propulsion system for electric wheelchairs. The power source is a 24 volt battery which is converted to three phase variable frequency voltage by means of a microcomputer controlled inverter. The frequency can be varied between 10 and 80 Hz, adequate for the speeds required in this type of system. The system was first tested in an open loop configuration. Then, a closed loop system was implemented in which the output and reference speed were compared for different load situations, and the error in speed was minimized by adjusting the frequency.
Human Bile Proteins: I. Proteins Identified by Antibody to Human Serum

A study of human bile by immunologic technics designed to identify proteins which are also found in serum shows that both albumin and gamma globulin are consistently present in both normal gallbladder bile and T-tube drainage bile. Also present in most specimens are several proteins of alpha and beta mobility sharing antigenic determinants with serum proteins.
The familiar and the strange: Western travelers' maps of Europe and Asia, ca. 1600-1800

Early Modern European travelers sought to gather and disseminate knowledge through narratives written for avid publishers and public. Yet not all travelers used the same tools to inform their readers. Despite a shared interest in conveying new knowledge based on eyewitness authority, Grand Tour accounts differed in an important respect from travelogues about Asia: they were less likely to include maps until the late eighteenth century. This paper examines why, using travel accounts published between 1600 and 1800 about Italy and France (Europe) and India and Japan (Asia). It argues that maps of different types--coastlines, city plans, country topographies--appeared more frequently in accounts of Asian trips in part because of Europeans' more limited geographical knowledge about Asian destinations. More important, however, was the purpose of travel, the type of information gathered, and the intended audience of accounts. Seventeenth-century authors of Grand Tour experiences focused on single topics, ignore...
Thermal alteration experiments on organic matter from recent marine sediments in relation to petroleum genesis

Three fractions of organic matter: lipid (benzene:methanol-extractable), humic acid (alkali-extractable) and kerogen (residue) were extracted from a young marine sediment (Tanner Basin, offshore southern California) and heated for different times (5-116 hr) and temperatures (150-410 C). The volatile (gases) and liquid products, as well as residual material, were then analyzed. On a weight basis, the lipid fraction produced 58% of the total identified n-alkanes, the kerogen fraction 41%, and the humic acid less than 1%. The volatiles produced by heating the lipid and humic acid fractions were largely CO2 and water, whereas those produced from heated kerogen also included methane, hydrogen gas and small amounts of C2-C4 hydrocarbons. A mechanism for hydrocarbon production due to the thermal alteration of organic constituents of marine sediment is discussed.
Rabies virus-specific T cell hybridomas: identification of class II MHC-restricted T-cell epitopes using synthetic peptides.

Rabies virus-specific T-cell hybridomas were produced from immune mice by somatic cell fusion. Cloned T-cell hybridomas were studied for antigen specificity using purified virus, a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing rabies glycoprotein and synthetic peptides containing amino acid sequences of rabies viral antigens. Two closely situated T-cell epitopes of rabies glycoprotein, and one of rabies nucleoprotein were identified using synthetic peptides corresponding to amino acid sequences of these proteins. The major histocompatibility gene complex elements that determine the recognition of antigen by these T-cell hybrids were determined using mouse fibroblasts (L cells) transfected with and expressing the I-Ad and I-Ed genes. Some of the T cell hybridomas exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against target cells expressing surface rabies antigens. This T cell mediated cytotoxicity requires cell-to-cell contact between target and effector cells since no by-stander cytotoxicity was observed. The results ...
Motion tracking of the left-ventricular surface

A framework for tracking the motion of surfaces with specific applications to the left- ventricular endocardial wall is outlined. We use an elastic model of the object with constraints on the types of motion for tracking the movement. Conformal stretching is measured from a system of coordinates based on the principal directions of a surface patch, and in addition, an energy for bending of a 3-D surface is defined. Once initial match vectors are obtained from the bending and stretching model, membrane smoothing with confidences optimizes the flow estimates. To this end, a linear vector equation in terms of components of flow vectors is derived which must be satisfied at all nodes of a finite element grid. The coupled system of equations are solved with relaxation techniques. Applications of the algorithms to real and simulated data are given at the end.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Anastomosis by invagination: a technique to preserve anal sphincter function.

The surgeon faced with cancer of the mid-third of the rectum who wishes to eradicate the tumor, yet avoid an abdominal colostomy, has three options. Goligher recommends the anal eversion pull-through technique of Cutait-Turnbull; however, an endorectal pull-through procedure similar to the Soave procedure where the mucosa is removed has also received favorable comment. Finally, there is the invagination technique utilized by Black.
Nematic Elastomer Fiber Actuator

We report the synthesis and physical studies of a liquid crystalline elastomer fiber consisting of two side-chain liquid crystalline acrylates and a nonmesogennic comonomer side group that acts as a reactive site for cross-linking. The terpolymer was synthesized by radical polymerization, and the cross-linking of the network was achieved by using a diisocyanate unit. The fiber formed shows good liquid crystal alignment texture under a cross-polarizer microscope. Thermoelastic response shows strain changes through the nematic−isotropic phase transition of about 30−35%. A retractive force of nearly 300 kPa was measured in the isotropic phase. Static work loop studies show the viscoelastic losses in these materials to be very small. We also present preliminary studies on the effect of doping carbon nanotubes on the induced strain at the nematic−isotropic transition.
Reassessing Firm Size in International Marketing Research

This study investigates the relevance and importance of firm size as a current research variable in international marketing while being cognizant of the reasons behind previous researcher's focus on firm size. Utilizing two different databases and analyses, this study integrates existing research on the effects of firm size variables on decisions in international marketing and draws a general conclusion. The main research questions center on whether firm size matters in internationalization decisions and whether firm size is a meaningful proxy for specific firm resources. Our results suggest that the effect of size on internationalization becomes less significant over time and that the effect of firm size on choice of ownership is significantly less than that of other firm-specific variables such as R&D intensity and advertising intensity, suggesting that strategic international marketing decisions are more related to a firm's unique assets than to its size.
Children's preference for novelty in selective learning: Developmental stability or change?☆

Abstract Data relating novelty preference to age for normal children are inconsistent, although a current theory predicts a developmental shift from novelty to familiarity preference in selective learning ( D. Zeaman, 1976 , in T. J. Tighe & R. N. Leaton (Eds.), Habituation: Perspectives from child development, animal behavior, and neurophysiology (pp. 297–320), Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum). Support for this theory, however, has been derived primarily from studies of retardate learning. Normal children's novelty preference was examined within a modified Moss-Harlow ( E. Moss & H. F. Harlow, 1947 , Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology , 40 , 333–342) design to compare Zeaman's model with that of S. L. Witryol and W. Wanich (1983 , The Journal of Genetic Psychology , 143 , 3–8). Each of 16 problems, consisting of three single-stimulus demonstration trials and one two-choice test, was administered to 180 children (mean CA 4, 5.5, and 7 years) in three reward conditions. Novelty was manipulated by varying stimulus familiarization in the demonstration trials. Experiment 1 showed strong preferences for novel over familiar (demonstrated) stimuli at each age. Experiment 2 revealed novelty preference across age levels, two levels of reward contrast, and two levels of task difficulty. It was reasoned that Moss-Harlow tasks designed for normal children typically present a much higher level of difficulty than that intended by researchers. Furthermore, developmental decreases in novelty preference by retardates may derive from (a) transfer of training from prior experiments and (b) specific, repetitive instructions which may have directed attention away from stimulus novelty.
Tracking remediation and redevelopment trends of brownfield clean‐up programmes: the Cook County experience

This study provides evidence on the clean‐up and development of properties in Cook County that have completed the two Illinois brownfield voluntary clean‐up programmes (VCPs) since 1989. Real estate and environmental databases are merged to allow analysis of development trends for a sample of several hundred entering sites, which are followed through the programme and into the marketplace. Results show that over half of the sites entering the programme received a closure letter, and that a quarter used a residential standard when remediating property. One‐third used caps or other engineering controls, and about 20% have received financing since obtaining the closure letter. These promising outcomes demonstrate the return of these properties to productive use.
Metabolism of alcohol by human gastric cells: Relation to first-pass metabolism

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The bioavailability of orally administered alcohol is incomplete, indicating first-pass metabolism. There is debate regarding the site of first-pass metabolism and specifically whether the stomach has the metabolic capacity to account for first-pass metabolism. The aim of this study was to assess ethanol metabolism by human gastric mucosa cells in primary culture. METHODS: Cells were incubated with [1-14C]ethanol, and the quantity of ethanol oxidized was measured by the production of [1-14C]acetate. RESULTS: Gastric cells cultured from men produced 7.3 +/- 3.5 mumol acetate.10(6) cells-1.h-1, which was more than that generated in cells from women (3.2 +/- 0.6; P < 0.05). Acetate production was inhibited by 4-methylpyrazole (a class I alcohol dehydrogenase [ADH] inhibitor) and by m-nitrobenzaldehyde (a selective substrate for class IV ADH isoenzyme) but not by sodium azide (a catalase inhibitor). Cimetidine (a gastric ADH inhibitor) reduced acetate production by as much as 59%, whereas ranitidine had no significant effect. CONCLUSIONS: Human gastric cells metabolize sufficient alcohol to account for the bulk of first-pass metabolism. At least two isozymes of gastric ADH contribute to this metabolism. Cimetidine, but not ranitidine, inhibits gastric alcohol metabolism in keeping with its inhibition of in vivo first-pass metabolism. (Gastroenterology 1996 Oct;111(4):863-70)
Managing the organizational maze in birthing new corporate ventures

The speed and the degree with which new technologies and markets change create the need for more effective approaches for dealing with these strategic challenges. Moreover, as industry observers often note, globalization offers as many problems as opportunities. Organizations continually wrestle with the challenge of how to compete in this new competitive landscape. Unfortunately, many organizations are encumbered by cultures, mindsets. Astute companies, however, are finding that venture teams can be a useful approach for managing emerging competitive opportunities. How are corporate ventures defined? Zahra defines internal ventures this way: Corporate entrepreneurship may be formal or informal activities aimed at creating new businesses within established companies through product & process innovations, and market developments. These activities may take place at the corporate, division, functional, or project level, with the unifying objective of improving a company's competitive position and financial performance. [15] This presentation offers several perspectives on managing internal corporate ventures. Unfortunately, to create a major new venture is one of the most difficult challenges organizations encounter. Research suggests that there have been for more venture failures than successes. However, the positive news is that we have learned a lot from the rich experiences of companies that have used internal venturing as an avenue for growth and change. In this presentation, the emphasis is on what is required to create and manage new ventures or significant new business opportunities within existing organizations. Topics include: 1) why corporate venturing can be an excellent avenue for growth; 2) forming, chartering, and organizing the venture team; 3) identifying and evaluating growth opportunities; 4) managing & championing the venturing process; 5) the politics of venturing; 6) gaomomg & maintaining organizational support: & 7) learning from corporate venturing as a form of organizational renewal. Also addressed are the common causes of venture failure as well as what we know about the primary drivers of venture success. The presentation concludes with a number of suggestions for those charged with managing new organizational ventures.
Primitive Ovoids in O+8(q)

Kleidman (1988) has classified the 2-transitive ovoids in finite polar spaces. We show that any ovoid O in O+8(q) for which Aut(O) permutes the points of O primitively, is either the Cooperstein ovoid in O+8(5), or is 2-transitive (and so appears in Kleidman's list).
Validation of an FSI Modeling Framework for Internal Captive Carriage Applications.

A newly-developed computational fluid-structure interaction framework for simulation of stores in captive carriage environments is validated. The computational method involves one-way coupling, with pressure loads calculated by a hybrid RANS-LES CFD model transferred to a structural dynamics solver. Validation is performed at several levels. First, the ability of the CFD model to accurately predict the flow-field and resulting aerodynamic loads in an empty cavity is assessed against wind tunnel data. In parallel, the structural dynamics model for a simulated store is calibrated and then validated against a shaker table experiment. Finally, predictions of aerodynamic loads and store vibrations from the coupled simulation model are compared to new wind tunnel experimental data for a model captive carriage configuration.
SENSORY QUALITY OF FOODS AFTER HOLDING IN STEAM TABLE AND TEMPERATURE CONTAINMENT CABINET

Maintaining the proper temperature of foods that are cooked and then held for later service has always been a concern for the foodservice industry; however, holding the foods over periods of time without losing flavor, texture, taste, and overall quality has proven to have greater implications in the hospitality industry. In this study two types of holding equipment were tested, a temperature containment cabinet and a steam table. Three different food items were used to monitor and measure changes in the temperature and changes in the quality of the foods. All three food items used in testing were meat products. The temperature of food products held over time was measured comparing the results from the two types of equipment, and their ability to maintain temperature. Additionally the study evaluated the sensory qualities of taste, texture, appearance, and overall quality of these foods items at various time intervals from both holding devices.
Right frontal lobe activation and right hemisphere performance. Decrement during a depressed mood.

• Evidence from psychiatric patients has suggested that depressive affect may coincide with a decrement in the functioning of the right cerebral hemisphere. We have observed that college students who reported greater depression also reported less vivid imagery. Students undergoing experimental induction of depressive and euphoric moods in the laboratory showed an auditory attentional bias and impaired imagery during the depression condition, while their arithmetic task performance was unchanged. A second mood-induction experiment indicated a depressed mood to be characterized by asymmetrical EEG activation over the frontal lobes, with relatively greater activity in the right frontal region. These observations suggest that anterior regions of the brain may modulate the differential effects of emotional arousal on the information-processing capacities of the cerebral hemispheres.
Complementary bases of a matroid

Let e"1, e'"1, e"2, e'"2, ..., e"n, e'"n be the elements of matroid M. Suppose that {e"1, e"2, ...;, e"n} is a base of M and that every circuit of M contains at least m + 1 elements. We prove that there exist at least 2^m bases, called complementary bases, of M with the property that only one of each complementary pair e"j, e'"j is contained in any base. We also prove an analogous result for the case where E is partitioned into E"1, E"2, ..., E"n and the initial base contains |E"j| - 1 elements from partition E"j.
Real time cure monitoring of composite structures using the techniques of mechanical impedence analysis

A dynamic mechanical apparatus, based on the concept of mechanical impedance analysis (MIA), was constructed for real-time cure monitoring of composites. The frequency response function (FRF), in terms of the inertance, impedance or admittance value, can be obtained from the ratio of the Fourier Transforms of excitation and response signals. Spectra during curing of several different kinds of composite materials were obtained with the Fast Fourier Transform spectrum analyzer while the material was continually excited with a random input generated by an electro-magnetic shaker. The dynamic properties, such as storage modulus (E′) and loss tangent (tan δ), of the composite can be obtained from the FRF spectra as a function of cure time and temperature. Variations of the inertance spectra with cure time, reflecting the changes in the dynamic mechanical properties, for the composite materials under various isothermal cure conditions are discussed. Optimal cure cycles of a new resin can be determined by characterizing the phase transformation of the material, which can be identified from the MIA measurement results. The MIA technique is found to be a sensitive and direct means for monitoring the overall cure state of composites. The signals obtained can be integrated in real-time in a closed-loop feedback control system for composite fabrication.
Proteomic Analysis of a Detergent-resistant Membrane Skeleton from Neutrophil Plasma Membranes

Abstract Plasma membranes are organized into functional domains both by liquid-ordered packing into “lipid rafts,” structures that resist Triton extraction, and by attachments to underlying cytoskeletal proteins in assemblies called “membrane skeletons.” Although the actin cytoskeleton is implicated in many lipid raft-mediated signaling processes, little is known about the biochemical basis for actin involvement. We show here that a subset of plasma membrane skeleton proteins from bovine neutrophils co-isolates with cholesterol-rich, detergent-resistant membrane fragments (DRMs) that exhibit a relatively high buoyant density in sucrose (DRM-H;d ∼1.16 g/ml). By using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight and tandem mass spectrometry, we identified 19 major DRM-H proteins. Membrane skeleton proteins include fodrin (nonerythroid spectrin), myosin-IIA, myosin-IG, α-actinin 1, α-actinin 4, vimentin, and the F-actin-binding protein, supervillin. Other DRM-H components include lipid raft-associated integral membrane proteins (stomatin, flotillin 1, and flotillin 2), extracellular surface-bound and glycophosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (IgM, membrane-type 6 matrix metalloproteinase), and intracellular dually acylated signaling proteins (Lyn kinase, Gαi-2). Consistent with cytoskeletal association, most DRM-H-associated flotillin 2, Lyn, and Gαi-2 also resist extraction with 0.1 m octyl glucoside. Supervillin, myosin-IG, and myosin-IIA resist extraction with 0.1 m sodium carbonate, a treatment that removes all detectable actin, suggesting that these cytoskeletal proteins are proximal to the DRM-H bilayer. Binding of supervillin to the DRM-H fragments is confirmed by co-immunoaffinity purification. In spreading neutrophils, supervillin localizes with F-actin in cell extensions and in discrete basal puncta that partially overlap with Gαi staining. We suggest that the DRM-H fraction represents a membrane skeleton-associated subset of leukocyte signaling domains.
A Truly Human Incarnation: Recovering a Place for Nativity in Contemporary Christology

Theological reflection on the person and saving work of Christ in the past several decades has been concerned primarily with the adult man Jesus, his life-giving ministry, his consequent death on the cross, and the salvation that his life, death, and resurrection offer to sinful human beings and a broken and unjust world. But the liberating good news of divine incarnation does not begin with Jesus’ public ministry as an adult. Rather, it begins with a socially high-risk pregnancy; with a humble, messy, and painful birth; and with the natal body of a squalling, dependent, and vulnerable infant. This article draws on both contemporary feminist scholarship and premodern theological voices to posit that recovering the nativity as a christological symbol brings into focus at least three important theological insights that a predominant emphasis on the adult Jesus marginalizes in christology and the Christian community today: that the natal life taken on in the Incarnation, like all human life, is inherently vu...
Genetics of graft-versus-host disease, I. A locus on Chromosome 1 influences development of acute graft-versus-host disease in a major histocompatibility complex mismatched murine model

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the major complication occurring after bone marrow transplantation. The severity of GVHD varies widely, with this variation generally being attributed to variation in the degree of disparity between host and donor for minor histocompatibility antigens. However, it is also possible that other forms of polymorphism, such as polymorphisms in immune effector molecules, might play a significant role in determining GVHD severity. In order to investigate this hypothesis, we are studying the genetic factors that influence GVHD development in a murine model. We here report the first results of this analysis, which demonstrate that a locus on Chromosome 1 of the mouse, and possibly also a locus on Chromosome 4, exert considerable influence over the development of one aspect of acute GVHD – splenomegaly – in a parentF1 murine model. These results demonstrate that non-MHC genes can exert quite significant effects on the development of GVHD-associated pathology and that gene mapping can be used as a tool to identify these loci. Further analysis of such loci will allow identification of the mechanism whereby they influence GVHD and may lead in the future to improved selection of donors for human bone marrow transplantation.
Simultaneous Floor Planning and Global Routing for Hierarchical Building-Block Layout

A new methodology for hierarchical floor planning and global routing for building block layout is presented. Unlike the traditional approach, which separates placement and global routing into two consecutive stages, our approach accomplishes both jobs simultaneously in a hierarchical fashion. The global routing problem is formulated at each level as a series of the minimum Steiner tree problem in a special class of partial 3-trees, which can be solved optimally in linear time. The floor planner with a maximum of five rooms per level has been implemented in the C language, running on a VAX 8650 under 4.3 BSD UNIX. The experimental results on examples with a large number of irregular blocks show that our approach out-performs other well-known deterministic algorithms, and gives results that are comparable to random-based algorithms but with a computing time an order of magnitude less. Due to the unique goal-oriented and pattern-directed features of our floor planner, it accepts specifications for overall aspect ratio and I/O pad positions, thus making our approach suitable for hierarchical design.
Cancellation of one-loop contributions to the cosmological constant in quantum gravity☆

Abstract The one-loop contributions to the induced cosmological constant are computed in a theory of gravity with no cosmological term present in the classical action, and with no coupling to matter. Due to the form of the measure in the path integral for gravity, the induced cosmological term vanishes to this order, independently of the method of regularization.
SU-FF-I-93: The Effect of Surface Rendering On Anatomical Structures Arising From Deformable Image Registration

Purpose: Volume rendering is important in deformable image registration (DIR) and hyperdimensional imaging (>3D). Interpolation and the use of finite volume element grids to describe the image and 3D surface/volume datasets can cause partial occupancy when structures are mapped by deformation vectors. The choice of surface rendering technique directly impacts the agreement between manually and automatically delineated structures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect different surface rendering algorithms have for CTimaging sets mapped by DIR. Method and Materials: 4DCT clinical lungimaging was used in this study. A single expert user with secondary confirmation contoured the GTV, right lung, and left lung on the FBCT as well as on all ten phases of the 4DCT. The Juggler DIR algorithm was used to calculate the deformation vectors between the free breathing CT and each phase of the 4DCT. The deformation vectors were then applied to the contours of the FBCT, and different surface rendering techniques were applied (including thresholding and [Christiansen.s mosaic method) to reconstruct the volume. Reconstructed structures were compared with manually delineated structures and agreement was evaluated based on volume, center‐of‐mass position, similarity index, and 3D distance maps. Results: We found the center‐of‐mass for all organs over all phases to be invariant to rendering technique. Percent volume difference varied greatly depending on the technique and organ, ranging from −23% to +56% for the gtv to −3.75% to +13.58% for the left lung volume. Conclusion: TH50% and SR1 gave the best results, but significant differences can arise between DIR‐generated structures and manually delineated structures depending on the rendering technique used. We suggest rigorous QA before implementation of such a system prior clinical use.
Dam Removals and River Channel Changes in Northern Ohio: Implications for Lake Erie Sediment Budgets and Water Quality

There is increasing recognition that anthropogenic changes in rivers, such as construction of dams, river diversions, or channel modifications, have significant long-term consequences for water supply, water quality, aquatic ecosystems, and sediment budgets (e.g., Williams and Wolman 1984, Graf 1999). The impetus to reverse some of these effects has included the removal of approximately 500 dams in the U.S. by the late-1990s (American Rivers et al. 1999), and fostered scientific and policy analysis of the effects of dam removals (Shuman 1995, Heinz Center 2002, Doyle et al. 2003). Given the interdisciplinary nature of hydrology, several scientific journals have compiled special issues on this subject (e.g., Hart and Poff 2002, Beyer 2002) but none have focused on the changes in the watersheds of one of the Great Lakes. This special issue of the Journal of Great Lakes Research initiated from a theme session on “dam removals as a tool for river restoration” at the North-Central Section Meeting of the Geological Society of America, at the University of Akron, on 20 April 2006. The authors at that earlier meeting discovered a commonality to their research, being the impacts of anthropogenic changes in rivers primarily within the Lake Erie watershed. The anthropogenic changes discussed at the meeting included the effects of flow regulation by dams on water quality, changes in fluvial sediment budgets, accu-
Pulsatile motion artifact reduction in 3D steady-state-free-precession-echo brain imaging

Abstract An image can be made from the echo of a steady-state-free-precession and pulse sequences for this purpose have been implemented on various commercial systems under such names as “CE-FAST” and “SSFP” (herein generically termed SSFP-Echo). Such sequences can be employed to achieve strong T 2 -weighting with reduced T 2 ∗ effects, but are limited by their sensitivity to flow and motion which produce artifacts. Simple considerations indicate that this sensitivity is primarily related to the (implementation-dependent) moments of the imaging gradients. In this work, MR imaging of the brain using a standard implementation of the sequence with large moment “crusher” gradients on the slice select axis (to dephase the FID of the SSFP) is compared to a modified implementation with reduced moment gradient pulses and different radiofrequency (RF) phase cycling. Asymmetric echo acquisition and narrowed bandwidth was used to further reduce gradient moments. The sensitivity of this sequence to flow and motion artifacts, especially for motion perpendicular to the slice, is thus expected to be significantly reduced. The modified sequence was found to have flow and motion artifacts reduced by a factor of five in the axial plane and a factor of two in the coronal plane. These modifications can thus significantly reduce the flow and motion artifacts commonly seen in conventional images of the SSFP echo with little or no penalty in scan time or signal-to-noise ratio.
Development of a perturbative approach for Monte Carlo simulations using a hybrid ab initio QM/MM method

Abstract We present the development and assessment on the accuracy of perturbative approach for Monte Carlo simulations using a hybrid ab initio quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) potential. The central idea of this approach is that for most solvent moves, the changes in the solute wavefunction are small, thus one can use the perturbation theory to approximate the energy change without having to perform full quantum calculation at each Monte Carlo step. Consequently, the computational demand can be reduced by several orders of magnitude while maintaining a reasonable level of accuracy. This opens new possibilities for using more accurate levels of theory to describe both solute and solvent molecules in Monte Carlo simulations.
Adiabatic ionization energies from charge transfer equilibrium constants; experimental determinations of entropy changes for charge transfer equilibria

Abstract Equilibrium constants have been measured as a function of temperature for the charge transfer equilibria in mixtures of NO with aromatic compounds, and mixtures of aromatic compounds. The experimentally determined entropy changes are in good agreement with entropy changes calculated from statistical mechanical considerations provided an intermolecular component is included. The enthalpy changes for the charge transfer reactions correspond to the differences in the adiabatic ionization potentials of the compounds.
FINITE-DIFFERENCE ANALYSIS OF GROWTH AND DECAY OF A FREEZE COAT ON A CONTINUOUS MOVING CYLINDER

The process of freeze coating of a polymeric melt on an axially moving continuous cylinder is studied numerically by a finite-difference method, taking into account heat convection from the melt to the freeze coat and spatial variation of the cylinder temperature. The solid-liquid interface location is immobilized in the finite-difference analysis of the problem by transforming the system of equations governing the behavior of the freeze coat and the cylinder temperature into a dimensionless space. Various controlling parameters of the system are identified and their effects on the growth-and-decay behavior of the freeze coat are determined. Also determined are the maximum freeze-coat thickness and the corresponding axial location, based on which criteria for selection of the optimum freeze-coating operation conditions are established. The accuracy of the computational scheme is demonstrated by comparing the numerical results with the similarity solutions that are valid at small dimensionless axial locations.
Physiological factors in stretcher carriage performance.

In this study we examined the anthropometric and physiological factors that may account for the ability to carry a casualty on a stretcher. Eleven young soldiers were pretested to obtain their anthropometry, body composition, physical fitness, and muscle cross-sectional areas. They then performed a two-person manual carry of a stretcher containing an 82-kg manikin while walking on a treadmill at a speed of 4.8 km/h. Subjects walked until volitional fatigue, as indicated by slippage of the stretcher from their hands. Average (SD) carriage time was 2.7(1.4) min with a range of 1.4–6.4 min. A stepwise multiple linear regression revealed that forearm bone-plus-muscle cross-sectional area, thigh muscle cross-sectional area, and push-up performance accounted for most of the variance in hand carriage time (r 2 = 0.99, P < 0.001). These data suggest that muscle cross-sectional area and upper-body muscular endurance are important physiological factors in the ability to carry a loaded stretcher by hand.
Pertussis with severe pulmonary hypertension and leukocytosis treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Pertussis, or “whooping cough,” is a highly communicable disease caused by the coccobacillus Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis remains one of the most common causes of death from infectious diseases worldwide. We describe a 5-week-old infant girl who presented with severe pertussis infection associated with extreme leukocytosis and required prolonged extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Nitric oxide therapy resolved the pulmonary hypertension, and she was successfully weaned from ECMO and discharged home after 3 months. We report successful application of ECMO for severe pertussis-induced respiratory failure despite multiple grave prognostic indicators (<1 year age, leukocytosis, pulmonary hypertension) and discuss the role of extracorporeal life support in treating pertussis.