cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Many-body forces and nucleon clustering near the QCD critical point

It has been proposed that one can look for the QCD critical point (CP) by the Beam Energy Scan accurately monitoring event-by-event fluctuations. This experimental program is under way at the BNL RHIC collider. Separately, it has been studied how clustering of nucleons at freeze out affects proton multiplicity distribution and light nuclei production. It was found that even a minor increase of the range of nuclear forces dramatically increases clustering, while large correlation length $\ensuremath{\xi}$ near CP makes attraction due to binary forces unrealistically large. In this paper we show that repulsive many-body forces near CP should overcome the binary ones and effectively suppress clustering. We also discuss current experimental data and point out locations at which a certain drop in clustering may already be observed.
Cannulation Strategy for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Does Not Influence Total Hospital Cost.

Abstract Background The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services decreased reimbursement rates for peripheral venoarterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and venovenous (VV) ECMO procedures in October 2018. Limited data are available describing hospital costs and clinical resources required to support ECMO patients. Methods All patients supported on ECMO at our institution between March 2017 and October 2018 were identified. Exclusion criteria were cannulation at referring hospitals, organ transplant recipients, and temporary right ventricular support. The cohort was stratified by the initial cannulation strategy. Outcomes were total hospital cost and clinical resource utilization. Results There were 29 patients supported on central VA, 72 on peripheral VA, and 37 on VV ECMO. Survival at 30 days was 48% for central vs 37% for peripheral vs 51% for VV. Hospital costs were $187,848 for central vs $178,069 for peripheral vs $172,994 for VV (P = .91). Mean hospital stay was 25.8 days for central vs 21.5 days for peripheral vs 26.2 days for VV (P = .49). Mean intensive care unit stay was 14.1 days for central vs 12.8 days for peripheral vs 7.7 days for VV (P = .25). Mean length of ECMO support was 6.5 days for central vs 6.2 days for peripheral vs 7.8 days for VV (P = .38). Mean ventilator time was 13.0 days for central vs 8.2 days for peripheral vs 10.0 days for VV (P = .06). Hemodialysis was used in 41% central patients, 47% peripheral, and 41% VV (P = .75). Theoretical ECMO reimbursement losses ranged from $1,970,698 to $5,648,219 annually under 2018 Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services rates. Conclusions ECMO cannulation strategy has minimal impact on resource utilization and hospital cost.
Proinflammatory TH17 cytokine activation, disease severity and outcomes in peripartum cardiomyopathy

Abstract Background Immune dysregulation is implicated in the development and clinical outcomes of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). Methods and results 98 women with PPCM were enrolled and followed for 1 year postpartum (PP). LVEF was assessed at entry, 6-, and 12-months PP by echocardiography. Serum levels of soluble interleukin (IL)-2 receptor (sIL2R), IL-2, IL-4, IL-17, IL-22, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ were measured by ELISA at entry. Cytokine levels were compared between women with PPCM by NYHA class. Outcomes including myocardial recovery and event-free survival were compared by cytokine tertiles. For cytokines found to impact survival outcomes, parameters indicative of disease severity including baseline LVEF, medications, and use of inotropic and mechanical support were analyzed. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines including IL-17, IL-22, and sIL2R, were elevated in higher NYHA classes at baseline. Subjects with higher IL-22 levels were more likely to require inotropic or mechanical support. Higher levels of TNF-α and IL-22 were associated with poorer event-free survival. Higher TNF-α levels were associated with lower mean LVEF at entry and 12 months. In contrast, higher levels of immune-regulatory cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-2 were associated with higher LVEF during follow up. Conclusion Proinflammatory cytokines IL-22 and TNF-α were associated with adverse event-free survival. IL-17 and IL-22 were associated with more severe disease. In contrast, higher levels of IL-2 and IL-4 corresponded with higher subsequent LVEF. Increased production of TH17 type cytokines in PPCM correlated with worse disease and outcomes, while an increased immune-regulatory response seems to be protective.
What do COVID-19 Tweets Reveal about Public Engagement with Nature of Science?

Using the social media platform Twitter, this study explores public reference to "scientific method(s)" in tweets specifically pertaining to COVID-19 posted between January and June 2020. The study focuses on three research questions: When did reference to scientific methods peak, which aspects of nature of science (NOS) do these tweets address, and the extent to which Twitter users' sentiments provide useful information about their attitudes towards the scientific method. COVID-19 tweets were mined and queried using "scientific method(s)" as a keyword. A content analysis using the Family Resemblance Approach (FRA) to NOS and a non-computational sentiment analysis were conducted on the obtained data set. The findings revealed that tweets using science method(s) peaked most during the months of April and May, as more information was being communicated about promising treatments and vaccine development. Most tweets were assigned multiple FRA categories. The sentiment analysis revealed that attitude towards the scientific method was predominantly supportive. Discussion of three events that were observed in clusters of tweets provided additional context. The paper concludes by noting the methodological affordances and limitations of applying the FRA for identifying NOS-related content in Twitter environments and underscoring the potential of targeted NOS messaging in promoting informed discussions about NOS in the public sphere.
Patients’ use of physical therapy for lower back pain: A qualitative study

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence a patient's decision to use physical therapy (PT) services for a low back pain (LBP) complaint. Methods Semi-structured qualitative phone interviews were conducted with patients who were offered an early outpatient PT visit secondary to patients’ primary appointment for LBP with a non-operative sports medicine specialist physician. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to identify themes using an iterative process. Results Forty participants were interviewed; 20 accepted early PT services, and 20 did not. Patients' decisions were influenced by perceived provider training, costs, doctor recommendations, wait times, symptoms, and a desire for a diagnosis. Patients preferred the care of non-operative sports medicine doctors over physical therapists for LBP due to their beliefs that favored doctors’ diagnosis and management of LBP. Patients perceived exercise as an effective treatment for back pain. Physical therapists were viewed as an adjunct service, despite positive comments about PT and the belief that exercise is one of the most effective treatments for LBP. Conclusion Barriers including costs, patient preferences, and knowledge about physical therapists limited patients' use of PT. Value-based care strategies aimed at improving the management of LBP increasingly promote the early use of PT. For these strategies to be effective, it is critical that patient perceptions and the influence of barriers on PT use are further understood. This study highlights the need to promote confidence in physical therapists’ expertise in the management and diagnosis of lower back pain.
Work, Right to

This article discusses whether it is ethically imperative to provide work to people who are unemployed, can't find jobs or other economic opportunities, and want to work. The idea of a right to work is explained and arguments for and against such a right are presented. Keywords: work; unemployment; right to employment; human rights
New dental and isotope evidence of biological distance and place of origin for mass burial groups at Cahokia's mound 72.

Objectives: Mound 72 at Cahokia figures prominently into interpretations of early Mississippian sociopolitical development. A previous study utilizing dental morphology concluded that the groups of mostly young adult females interred in four mass graves in Mound 72 were likely not from Cahokia and possibly reflect sacrificial offerings from outside communities. The purpose of this study is to reevaluate these findings using multiple indicators of biological relatedness and place of origin/migration. Materials and Methods: Biological relatedness in Mound 72 was examined using dental metrics and morphology. Four additional archaeological samples from nearby sites were included to better assess biological variation within Mound 72. Strontium isotope analysis (87Sr/86Sr) was also conducted on individuals from several burial features in Mound 72 to determine heterogeneity in place of origin. Results: Biodistance studies indicate that individuals in the four mass graves are phenotypically similar to other groups in the region, whereas F229-lower, a burial group with an aberrant mortuary context, is phenotypically distinct. Strontium isotope analyses show that mean Sr signatures for each feature investigated fall within the established local range for Cahokia. However, the range of Sr ratios for individuals in F229-lower is very narrow, suggesting they reflect a single population from a limited geologic region. Discussion: Collectively, these results question the long-standing idea that individuals in the four mass graves were non-local to Cahokia and suggest that F229-lower contained a biologically dissimilar group that either came from an outside region with a similar Sr signature to Cahokia, or represent a distinct and restricted group from the region. Am J Phys Anthropol 158:341–357, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reduced quinolines and quinolinium compounds. I. Reduction of quinoline analogs of model compounds for coenzyme I.

Abstract The reduction of quinoline analogs of model compounds for coenzyme I was investigated. The reaction of 1-benzyl-3-carbamidoquinolinium chloride (I) with alkaline sodium dithionite yielded predominantly a stable product which was shown to be sodium 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydro-3-carbamido-4-quinoline sulfonate (II). Compound II was also obtained from the reaction of I with alkaline sodium bisulfite. The reaction of II with sodium dithionite yielded 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydro-3-carbamidoquinoline (III). When II was treated with a variety of acids, a new compound (V) was obtained and identified as 1-benzyl-3-carbamidoquinolinium 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydro-3-carbamidoquinoline-4-sulfonate. This compound was also obtained from the reaction of I with aqueous sulfur dioxide or thionyl chloride and pyridine or aqueous sodium bisulfite. 1-Methyl-3-carbamidoquinolinium iodide (VI) was reduced by alkaline sodium dithionite to yield 1-methyl-1,4-dihydro-3-carbamidoquinoline (VII). Compound VII reduced hexachloroacetone to hexachloroisopropanol in 10% yield.
Thermoplastic polyurethanes with isosorbide chain extender

Isosorbide, a renewable diol derived from starch, was used alone or in combination with butane diol (BD) as the chain extender in two series of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) with 50 and 70% polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG) soft segment concentration (SSC), respectively. In the synthesized TPUs, the hard segment composition was systematically varied in both series following BD/isosorbide molar ratios of 100 : 0; 75 : 25; 50 : 50; 25 : 75, and 0 : 100 to examine in detail the effect of chain extenders on properties of segmented polyurethane elastomers with different morphologies. We found that polyurethanes with 50% SSC were hard elastomers with Shore D hardness of around 50, which is consistent with assumed co-continuous morphology. Polymers with 70% SSC displayed lower Shore A hardness of 74–79 (Shore D around 25) as a result of globular hard domains dispersed in the soft matrix. Insertion of isosorbide increased rigidity, melting point and glass transition temperature of hard segments and tensile strength of elastomers with 50% SSC. These effects were weaker or non-existent in 70% SSC series due to the short hard segments and low content of isosorbide. We also found that the thermal stability was lowered by increasing isosorbidemore » content in both series.« less
Implementation of a Model of Robotic Tele-Presence (RTP) in the Neuro-ICU: Effect on Critical Care Nursing Team Satisfaction

Robotic Tele-Presence (RTP) is a form of mobile telemedicine, which enables a direct face-to-face rapid response by the physician, instead of the traditional telephonic paradigm. We hypothesized that a model of RTP for after-hour ICU rounds and emergencies would be associated with improved ICU nurse satisfaction. We implemented a prospective nighttime multidisciplinary ICU round time, using RTP at our Neuro-ICU. To test for critical ICU nurse team satisfaction, a questionnaire was implemented. The primary outcome was nurse satisfaction measured through a questionnaire with answers trichotomized into: agreement, disagreement, and no opinion. The occurrence of outcomes was compared between the groups by χ2 or Fisher exact tests for the difference in proportions (PD) with Bonferroni correction for multiple pairwise comparisons. In total, 34 nurses completed the pre-survey and 40 nurses completed the post-survey. Night nurses were more likely to agree that RTP was associated with: ICU physicians being sufficiently available in the ICU (agreement 6–20 %, PD 14 %, p = 0.008), present during acute emergencies (agreement 44–65 %, PD 21 %, p = 0.007), and had enough time to get questions answered from the physician team (agreement 41–53 %, PD 11 %, p = NS). This data suggest improvement in critical care nursing team satisfaction with a model of RTP in the Neuroscience ICU, particularly during nighttime hours. RTP is a tool that may enhance communication among components of the ICU team.
Mutation of Cysteine-295 to Alanine in Secondary Alcohol Dehydrogenase from Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus Affects the Enantioselectivity and Substrate Specificity of Ketone Reductions

The mutation of Cys-295 to alanine in Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus secondary alcohol dehydrogenase (SADH) was performed to give C295A SADH, on the basis of molecular modeling studies utilizing the X-ray crystal structure coordinates of the highly homologous T. brockii secondary alcohol dehydrogenase (1YKF.PDB). This mutant SADH has activity for 2-propanol comparable to wild-type SADH. However, the C295A mutation was found to cause a significant shift of enantioselectivity toward the (S)-configuration in the reduction of some ethynylketones to the corresponding chiral propargyl alcohols. This result confirms our prediction that Cys-295 is part of a small alkyl group binding pocket whose size determines the binding orientation of ketone substrates, and, hence, the stereochemical configuration of the product alcohol. Furthermore, C295A SADH has much higher activity towards t-butyl and some α-branched ketones than does wild-type SADH. The C295A mutation does not affect the thioester reductase activity of SADH. The broader substrate specificity and altered stereoselectivity for C295A SADH make it a potentially useful tool for asymmetric reductions.
Correction: A Mean-Variance Framework for Tests of Asset Pricing Models

In Kandel and Stambaugh (1989), we provide the rejection regions in sample mean-variance space for likelihood ratio tests of various asset-pricing models. When a riskless asset exists, we note that, in some cases, there can be no rejection region to construct in sample mean-variance space. That is, there can be samples in which no portfolio would produce a likelihood-ratio test statistic above the critical value for a given significance level (see Propositions 1 and 4). [This possibility was first noted in Kandel and Stambaugh (1987).] What we failed to observe is that a similar phenomenon can arise when no riskless asset exists. It is possible in that case as well to have samples in which there are no portfolios that produce a likelihood ratio test-statistic above the critical value. Specifically, WA, the transformation of the likelihood ratio (defined on page 135 of our article) has an upper bound equal to D/L (where D and L are defined on page 129). As a result, there is no rejection region ex post whenever the critical value for WA exceeds DIL. The critical parabolas given in Propositions 2, 3, and 5 are therefore defined only when, in each proposition, the argument of 6, ( ) and 62 ( ) is less than DIL. Although this outcome does not occur in any of the
Azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine before colectomy for ulcerative colitis is not associated with increased postoperative complications

AIM:To determine whether the use of azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine before colectomy is associated with an increased rate of postoperative complications. METHODS:All patients who underwent colectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis between 1997 and 1999 were identified. Medical records were abstracted for demographics, extent and duration of disease, dose and duration of corticosteroids and azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine, albumin, and Truelove/Witts score. Early (30-day) and late (6-month) complications were identified. Noncorticosteroid immunosuppressive use was coded as none, azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine within 1 week of surgery, or therapy with other immunosuppressive agents within 1 month of surgery. A logistic regression analysis assessed the association between these variables and complications. RESULTS:Early complications occurred in 49 of 151 (32%) patients not treated with immunosuppressive agents, 12 of 46 (26%) azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine-treated patients, and 4 of 12 (33%) patients treated with other immunosuppressive agents (p = 0.71). Late complications occurred in 72 of 148 (49%), 20 of 46 (43%), and 8 of 12 (67%) patients in these same groups, respectively. Intravenous or oral steroids at doses of 40 mg/d or greater (p < 0.01) and severe or fulminant disease (p = 0.0094) were associated with greater early complication rates. CONCLUSION:Early complications after restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis are associated with high dose steroids and severe disease but not use of azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine.
Anisotropic etching of silicon

Anisotropic etching of silicon has become an important technology in silicon semiconductor processing during the past ten years. It will continue to gain stature and acceptance as standard processing technology in the next few years. Anisotropic etching of
Comparison of Ensemble Kalman Filters under Non-Gaussianity

Abstract Recently various versions of ensemble Kalman filters (EnKFs) have been proposed and studied. This work concerns, in a mathematically rigorous manner, the relative performance of two major versions of EnKF when the forecast ensemble is non-Gaussian. The approach is based on the stability of the filtering methods against small model violations, using the expected squared L2 distance as a measure of the deviation between the updated distributions. Analytical and experimental results suggest that both stochastic and deterministic EnKFs are sensitive to the violation of the Gaussian assumption, while the stochastic filter is relatively more stable than the deterministic filter under certain circumstances, especially when there are wild outliers. These results not only agree with previous empirical studies, but also suggest a natural choice of a free parameter in the square root Kalman filter algorithm.
Plasmid-mediated reduced phage sensitivity in Streptococcus lactis KR5

Abstract The phage insensitivity of Streptococcus lactis KR5 was evaluated for its possible linkage to plasmid DNA. This strain possessed plasmids of 40, 29, 26, 21, 16.5, 10.5, 7.8, and 1.5 Mdal. Plasmid curing using novobiocin resulted in derivatives with increased sensitivity to prolate-headed phage, suggesting the involvement of plasmid DNA in phage insensitivity. Transformation of S. lactis LM0230 protoplasts with the KR5 plasmid DNA pool produced transformants containing a plasmid of about 27 Mdal. These erythromycin-resistant transformants were lactose-positive phagesensitive or were lactose-negative and exhibited a reduced sensitivity to phage. Agarose gel electrophoresis and restriction endonuclease digestion analysis showed the 27-Mdal plasmid band to be composed of two distinct plasmids of 26 Mdal (pBF61) and 29 Mdal (pBF62), which coded for reduced phage sensitivity and lactose-positive phenotypes, respectively. The mechanisms of reduced phage sensitivity encoded by pBF61 included a restriction/modification system and a mechanism that resulted in reduced plaque size independent of incubation temperature. These results further support the involvement of plasmid DNA in the mechanisms for reduced phage sensitivity in dairy streptococci.
Electro-osmotic screening of the DNA charge in a nanopore.

Extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations were performed to characterize the microscopic origin of the force experienced by DNA in a bulk electrolyte and a solid-state nanopore when subject to an external electrostatic field E. The effective screening of the DNA charge was found to originate from the hydrodynamic drag of the electroosmotic flow that is driven by the motion of counterions along the surface of DNA. We show that the effective driving force F in a nanopore obeys the same law as in a bulk electrolyte: F = ξμE, where ξ and μ are the friction coefficient and electrophoretic mobility of DNA, respectively. Using this relationship, we suggest a method for determining the effective driving force on DNA in a nanopore that does not require a direct force measurement.
Laboratory analysis of catheters for percutaneous abscess drainage

A laboratory model was designed to evaluate factors contributing to catheter efficacy as they pertain to percutaneous abscess drainage (PAD). Sixteen commercially available and commonly used cathet...
Influence of scramble competition for mates upon the spatial ability of male meadow voles

Scramble competition for mates selects for traits that increase an individual's ability to efficiently locate mates. We tested the hypothesis that scramble competition for mates is the cause of sex differences in spatial ability among meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus. Specifically, we tested the predictions that males with better spatial ability have larger home ranges, visit more females' nests, and achieve greater reproductive success. We also tested the prediction that receptive females would mate with the first male that they contacted. The spatial ability of wild-caught males was quantified using the Morris water maze. Males with known spatial ability were released into enclosures for two field experiments. In the first experiment, we determined the males' home range sizes using radiotelemetry. In the second experiment, we quantified males' visits to nests by housing females in nestboxes with one-way doors and checking the boxes for male visitors twice daily. Paternity was determined by amplifying polymorphic loci using nine microsatellite primers. We found that males with better spatial ability had larger home ranges and made more visits to different nestboxes than did males with poorer spatial ability. Males with better spatial ability did not, however, sire more litters or pups. This finding may have been the result of female mate choice based on traits other than spatial ability. Females also did not always mate with the first male that they encountered.
Early management of the child with multiple injuries.

Resuscitation of the child with multiple injuries is similar to that for adults, except that instrumentation and therapy must be tailored in accordance with variable patient size, emotional maturity, and injury response. Because this response is rapid and often compensatory, there is greater relianc
Spatio-temporal techniques for anti-jamming in embedded wireless networks

Electromagnetic jamming results in a loss of link reliability, increased energy consumption and packet delays. In the context of energy-constrained wireless networks, nodes are scheduled to maximize the common sleep duration and coordinate communication to extend their battery life. This coordination results in statistical and predictable activity patterns that may be easily detected and jammed. To eliminate spatio-temporal patterns of communication in the link and network layers, we present WisperNet, an energy-efficient anti-jamming protocol. WisperNet employs hardware-based time synchronization and lightweight cryptographic hashing for coordinated temporal randomization of slot schedules at the link layer and adapts routes to avoid static jammers in the network layer.We demonstrate thatWisperNet reduces the efficiency of any statistical jammer to that of a random jammer, which has the lowest censorship-to-link utilization ratio. In the presence of a statistical jammer, WisperNet provides sub- 2% packet drop ratios for link utilization up to 50%. In addition, the jammer's censorship efficiency is linear with link utilization as it is unable to extract any communication patterns. WisperNet is more efficient than low-power CSMA protocols in terms of energy, effective network throughput, reliability and delay.
To the beat of a different drummer: Ideological nonconformity and issue scales

This study examines and tests assumptions about the dimensionality of issue scales commonly used in attitude research. Researchers assume that a respondent designation of his or her position on an issue represents an ideal point on a single-peaked preference scale. However, in comparing actual respondent preference orderings with the liberal-conservative ordering assumed by the scale, it is found that many respondents do not conform to the assumption. Furthermore, in a sample of relatively well-educated respondents, those who do not conform to the dominant scaling dimension are found to be as interested in politics, as efficacious, and as predictable in their voting as those who do conform. However, nonconformists do appear to be somewhat more internally directed and more dogmatic than conformist respondents.
Optimizing genome-scale network reconstructions

Metabolic reconstructions remain limited in their scope and content, and improvements in biochemical knowledge and collaborative research are required.
Divided culture: integrating agriculture and conservation biology

Production agriculture, with its implied ecosystem simplification, pesticide and fertilizer use, and emphasis on yield, often appears to be at odds with conservation biology. From a farmer's perspective, the weight conservation biology places on wildlife may seem overly idealistic and naive, detached from economic and sociopolitical reality. In fact, these endeavors are two sides of the same coin, with a shared heritage in decades of population and community ecological theory and experimentation. Better integration of the two disciplines requires acknowledging their various goals and working to produce mutually beneficial outcomes. The best examples of this type of integrated approach result from careful implementation of sustainable agriculture practices that support biological conservation efforts via habitat amelioration or restructuring. Successful integrated approaches take into account both the environmental and economic costs of different farming schemes and compensate farmers for the costs they in...
Current in Equalizer Connections of D-C Machine Armature Windings

Equalizer connections are a necessary part of d-c machine armature windings having more than two circuits. Nearly all machines of medium and large sizes and many small machines for special purposes are in this category. These connections cause substantially equal currents to flow in the circuits of the armature winding resulting in minimum losses, minimum temperature rise, and uniform commutation at each brush arm. This paper determines the current which the connections carry when the excitation of the field poles is unbalanced. From the results, the size of the connections to meet a specified temperature rise, under given unbalanced conditions, can be determined. The paper explains the reasons for the use of equalizer connections and describes how they work.
Lack of effects by σ ligands on neuropeptide Y-induced G-protein activation in rat hippocampus and cerebellum

Abstract It has been suggested that neuropeptide Y (NPY) and sigma (σ) receptor ligands may share a putative NPY/σ receptor in rat brain. To study whether NPY and σ receptor ligands have an inverse agonism at this putative NPY/σ receptor, we measured their effects on G-protein activity in rat brain. Using [35S]GTPγS autoradiography, we found that NPY-induced G-protein activation exhibited a discrete distribution pattern in rat brain. G-protein activation in superficial cortical layers and hippocampal CA1–3 region was mainly attributed to Y1 and Y2 receptors, respectively. In the presence of 10 μM σ-receptor agonist BD737 or 10 μM σ-receptor antagonist haloperidol, the distribution and density of [35S]GTPγS binding stimulated by 10 nM NPY was not significantly altered. In rat cerebellar membranes, NPY stimulated high-affinity GTPase activity in a dose-related manner, with maximal effects of 29% increase over basal level seen at 500 nM. This NPY-elicited GTPase activity was not significantly affected by micromolar concentrations of the σ-receptor antagonists Dup734 or haloperidol. Since no significant effects by σ-receptor ligands on NPY-induced G-protein activation were observed, we did not see an inverse agonism of NPY and σ-receptor ligands at the putative NPY/σ receptor measured at the level of G-protein activation, suggesting that σ receptors and NPY receptors do not represent a common population in rat hippocampus and cerebellum. It is also suggested that G-protein activation is not a convergent point for the signal transduction mechanisms of NPY receptors and σ receptors.
Comparative studies of mammalian adenosine deaminases--some distinctive properties in higher mammals.

Abstract 1. 1. The pattern of adenosine deaminases in beed liver is very strikingly different from that in lower vertebrates, i.e. chicken, opossum and amphibians. There is no type-B adenosine deaminase in beef liver and the high-molecular-weight enzyme present (type A) can be dissociated into the monomeric type-C enzyme in the presence of high concentrations of ammonium sulfate or sucrose. 2. 2. A survey of hepatic adenosine deaminases in fourteen species of higher mammals including representatives from seven different orders has shown that there are characteristic patterns for the various orders even though they are all distinctive from lower forms in the same way as is beef liver. Carnivores and rodents have predominantly monomeric enzyme whereas rabbits have predominantly polymeric adenosine deaminase. 3. 3. Marsupials (if the opossum is a typical example) have patterns very similar to the chicken and amphibians, i.e. a type-B enzyme is present with a low relative substrate specificity. 4. 4. The pattern of adenosine deaminases in beef liver is strikingly different from the patterns in the heart, spleen and duodenum of the same organism. In the latter tissues there is almost no polymeric enzyme.
MONOLAYER PROPERTIES OF MONOSIALIOGANGLIOSIDE IN THE MIXED DIACETYLENE LIPID FILMS ON THE AIR/WATER INTERFACE

Abstract By combining the cellular membrane receptor GM1 with diacetylenic lipids, blue monolayer films can be created that undergo a colorimetric transition to red upon exposure to cholera toxin. The monolayer behaviour of GM1 in diacetylenic films was studied using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique with the goal of building colorimetric biosensors. Macroscopic characteristics of the films were obtained through analysis of surface pressure-area isotherms of GM1 and derivatized diacetylenic lipids at the air/water interface. Film optical properties and colorimetric response were optimized through modification of the ratio of receptor GM1 to diacetylene lipids and detection of the target analyte cholera toxin. Isothermic compression studies show that the mixed monolayers exhibit favourable film compressibility and high transferability as compared to the monolayers consisting of pure GM1. The impact of ionic strength and sub-phase pH on molecular interactions of lipids and miscibility of the mixed films is discussed. Contrary to usual temperature dependence observed for saturated fatty lipids, GM1/diacetylenic monolayers display an inverse relationship between temperature and surface pressure.
Singularity-treated quadrature-evaluated method of moments solver for 3-D capacitance extraction

While research work on fast integral equation solver has resulted in several algorithms of similar linear equation solving performance, it has been well observed that the convergence of capacitance versus discretization is rather slow due to the most commonly used first-order collocation or Galerkin methods. This paper reports a new high-order scheme, Quadrature-evaluated Method of Moments Solver (QMMS), that uses high-order weighting and Gaussian quadrature to optimally handle the singularities at the edges and corners. For practical interconnect extraction problems, singularities at edges are analytically known and the corresponding Gaussian nodes allocation affords a near optimal discretization scheme. The new formulation avoids the special position-dependent quadrature rules, and surprisingly, provides a well-behaved matrix that converges rapidly without any pre-conditioning. Combining the high-order scheme with a kernel-independent fast solver yields an efficient algorithm for 3-D capacitance extraction.
Keith porter and the founding of the tissue culture association: A fiftieth anniversary tribute, 1946–1996

The art of tissue culture has been practiced for nearly a century. During its first 50 years, these techniques addressed many research questions (42). Among them were problems in development and growth, inflammation, malignancy, immunity, and wound healing, as well as propagating viruses and bacteria, and analyzing the effects of nutrition, toxins, and radiation on cells. For a small number of scientists, these techniques worked well for viewing tissue cultures with light microscopy. By the beginning of World War II, however, "tissue culture lay becalmed in the doldrums," according to E. N. Willmer (44). What was needed were more uniform populations of cells, akin to the pure strains used by bacteriologists, and media whose composition could be accurately defined. For an individual researcher, there were nu merous, even esoteric, hurdles in preparing the cells, extended pe riods of trial and error in manipulating media and cells, and a sig nificant lack of uniformity from one experiment to the next. When Keith Porter began to introduce cells into electron micros copy in 1944, he found standard tissue culture techniques needed radical modifications (18). In place of specimens that could be ma nipulated for analysis under a light microscope, cells suitable for electron beams had to be dry and ultrathin. The rigors of the electron microscope demanded that tissue culture techniques be more refined and more exacting if glimpses were expected inside the cell. Initially, Porter thought dried cultures had nothing to excite a student of cells. Nonetheless, in his frustration and determination to penetrate the interior landscape of the cell, Porter accomplished three things. He adapted and refined techniques of master tissue culturists developed over four decades. He created even more deli cate methods to accommodate the harsh microscope environment. To solve many of his research problems, he helped found a new asso ciation of scientists in November 1946. Through his efforts in its first years, the Tissue Culture Association was able to transform many individual vagaries of the art of cultivating cells and tissues into a burgeoning science devoted to cell biology.
Blue emission from polymer light-emitting diodes using non-conjugated polymer blends with air-stable electrodes

Abstract By dispersing a non-conjugated luminescent polymer and an electron-transporting material, 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD), into a hole-transporting polymer, poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK), we have achieved improved efficiencies for blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fabricated with a copolyester (CPE) containing isolated 1,2-dinaphthylethene units. Quantum efficiencies of the LEDs with the solid dispersion of CPE and PBD in PVK as electroluminescent layer and indium as the electron injection electrodes are about 0.1% photons per electron, better by factor of 102 than similar devices made with only the CPE. The LEDs turn on at about 30 V and have a peak emission wavelength in the blue at 485 nm.
The role of articulatory cues in the establishment of perceptual categories

This study investigates the interaction of perceptual and articulatory information in the acquisition of non-native phoneme categories. There is evidence that perceptual learning can improve production of target sounds in a new language, but the reverse—improvement of perceptual discrimination from articulatory learning—is less well-studied (for one example, see Catford and Pisoni 1970). In this experiment, native English speakers learned Hindi coronal stop contrasts (dental vs. retroflex; 4-way VOT contrast) in a pre-test/training/post-test paradigm. Training involved production training, where subjects got explicit instruction about place of articulation and voicing of the target sounds, and practiced producing them. Comparison of pre- and post-test performance on an AX discrimination task indicated greater accuracy (β = 0.486, t = 2.763) and faster responses (β = −0.215, t = −3.396) for most target contrasts after training. (Those contrasts which did not improve tended to map onto English phonemic distinctions, and were well-discriminated at pre-test.) This result supports the hypothesis that articulatory information can contribute to the early development of novel perceptual categories under certain conditions. More generally, it suggests that information from one speech domain can be used to support representations in another speech domain.
Actor vs observer: Attributions to behavior with positive or negative outcomes and empathy for the other role.

Forty-eight female introductory psychology students were run in a study investigating the attributions of actors and observers to actions with positive or negative outcomes for the actor. Each actor was run with a yoked observer. After helping a confederate look for a “lost” contact the actor was told she had helped 50% more or 50% less than the average subject. Actors and observers were asked to make causal attributions to the actor's behavior from their own perspectives and from the perspective of the person occupying the other role. It was found that actors and observers make more situational attributions to positive than to negative behavior. Actors and observers were not able to predict accurately the causal attributions that would be made by a person in the other role, but they were able to predict accurately the evaluative nature of the attributions that the other person would make. Actors tended to give more positive reasons for their behavior than did observers.
Sugar hydrolases and their arrangement on the rat intestinal microvillus membrane

The arrangement of the sugar hydrolases, sucrase-isomaltase, maltase, and lactase on the microvillus membrane of rat intestine was investigated by immunological technique. The enzymes were purified essentially free of each other to near homogeneity and antisera of high specificity were obtained against each. Microvillus membranes were prepared routinely in high purity from rat intestine and contained an average 61% protein, 20% lipid, and 19% carbohydrate, with the sugar hydrolases comprising an estimated 20–25% of the membrane protein. The immunoreactivity of membrane-bound sucrase-isomaltase, maltase, and lactase was investigated with antisera demonstrating specific reactivity to each, when tested in the presence of other membrane extractives. The membrane-bound enzymes were found in each case to combine with antibody in amounts equivalent to that required to effect precipitation of comparable units of the free enzymes from solution. Preloading membrane vesicles with antibodies to any two of the enzymes did not affect either the immunoreactivity or extractability (by papain or Triton X-100) of the third. The antibody-binding studies indicated an arrangement of these enzymes independent of each other on the membrane surface, in a manner allowing each to maintain a high degree of molecular freedom.
The British Paediatric Surveillance Unit--a pioneering method for investigating the less common disorders of childhood. Report of a seminar held in June 1995.

The British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU) of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health is an ‘active’ case reporting scheme set up in 1986 to facilitate the investigation of uncommon childhood conditions of public health and clinical importance in the UK and Ireland. Its methodology involves the monthly mailing of a card containing a menu of up to 12 reportable conditions to all clinically active paediatricians in the British Isles. Respondents either indicate any cases seen in the past month or make a nil return. The BPSU forwards details of respondents reporting cases to the investigators, who when obtain information from the clinician. The menu changes from time to time and studies undergo a rigorous selection process. In 1995, the BPSU held an international seminar to review lessons learned during its first decade which would improve and develop surveillance of paediatric disorders. Over the 9 years to mid-1995 a total of 34 studies took place (25 completed, nine still in progress) with a high respondent response rate (e.g. 90% in 1994). Under-ascertainment had been addressed by seeking, in parallel, other sources of cases, e.g. death registrations, laboratory reports, other relevant clinical specialists, and by use of capture-recapture techniques. Other specialities and countries have since followed the BPSU example providing opportunity for multispeciality and international studies. The latter were valuable, but required careful planning to standardize case definitions and laboratory techniques, otherwise geographical differences in the incidence of study disorders were difficult to interpret. The BPSU has facilitated studies which increased knowledge about a range of disorders and informed national policy decisions. It also increased diagnostic awareness and showed itself able to respond to public health emergencies. Its emulation in further countries will have similar benefits.
Recoil properties and charge distribution in the fission of 208Pb by 450 MeV protons

Abstract Cross-sections and thick-target recoil properties have been determined for three isobaric nuclides with A = 111 as well as for several other palladium and silver nuclides formed in the fission of 208Pb by 450 MeV protons. The cross-sections have been used to construct a Gaussian charge distribution. The analysis indicates that the neutron-to-proton ratio of the most probable product, N Zp , has a value of 1·337 ± 0·008 for A = 103–111; the full width at half maximum of the distribution is 1·88 ± 0·04 Z units; the isobaric fission cross-section for A = 111 is 6·1 ± 0·4 mb. The recoil data have been used to derive, for a given mass chain, the dependence on atomic number of the average cascade deposition energy, the average total kinetic energy release, and the average separation distance between the primary fragment charge centers. The results are compared with similar data previously obtained for 238U.
Impact Assessment and Remediation Strategies for Roadway Construction in Acid-Bearing Media: Case Study from Mid-Appalachia

The likelihood of encountering land impacted by current and/or historic coal mining activities is high when constructing roadways in the Mid-Appalachian region. Through additional disturbance of these lands, environmental impacts such as acid and dissolved metals loading and subsequent impacts to aquatic flora and fauna will ensue. Consequently, it is necessary to affect a paradigm shift in roadway design and construction to account for the presence of factors that compound the already difficult task of working in a region characterized by steep topography and aggressive geochemistry. In this study, assessments of the water chemistry and biological impacts of a waste pile containing spoils from previous mining and the presence of an exposed coal mine bench were made as representative microcosmic examples of typical conditions found in the region. Based on quantitative measurements of water quality and biological conditions, recommendations are presented for the assessment and avoidance of impacts prior to construction through acid-bearing materials and suggestions are offered for postconstruction remediation at previously impacted sites.
Holistic review--shaping the medical profession one applicant at a time.

Key aspects of behavior, character, and performance that are essential for physicians can't be predicted from MCAT scores and grades (metrics that are also influenced by many diverse factors). Some medical schools have therefore embraced holistic review of applicants.
Vibration Analysis Of Automotive Structures Using Holographic Interferometry

Since 1979, Ford Motor Company has been developing holographic interferometry to supplement more conventional test methods to measure vehicle component vibrations. An Apollo PHK-1 Double Pulse Holographic Laser System was employed to visualize a variety of complex vibration modes, primarily on current production and prototype powertrain components. Design improvements to reduce powertrain response to problem excitations have been deter-mined through pulsed laser holography, and have, in several cases, been put into production in Ford vehicles. Whole-field definition of vibration related deflections provide continuity of information missed by accelerometer/modal analysis techniaues. Certain opera-tional problems, common among pulsed ruby holographic lasers, have reauired ongoing hardware and electronics improvements to minimize system downtime. Real-time, time-averaged and stroboscopic C. W. laser holographic techniques are being developed at Ford to complement the double pulse capabilities and provide rapid identification of modal frequencies and nodal lines for analysis of powertrain structures. Methods for mounting and exciting powertrains to minimize rigid body motions are discussed. Work at Ford will continue toward development of C. W. holographic techniques to provide refined test methodology dedicated to noise and vibration diagnostics with particular emphasis on semi-automated methods for quantifying displacement and relative phase using high resolution digitized video and computers. Continued use of refined pulsed and CW laser holographic interferometry for the analysis of complex structure vibrations seems assured.