cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protective effects of vitamin E on methylmercury toxicity in the dorsal root ganglia.

The protective potential of Vitamin E against methylmercury neurotoxicity was investigated by means of both light and electron microscopy. Rats were treated with a daily dosage of methylmercury (2.0 mg McHg/kg body wt), Vitamin E (50 mg Vit. E/kg body wt), both methylmercury and Vitamin E, or saline solution for 8 weeks. All animals were sacrificed by intracardial perfusion of fixative and the dorsal root ganglia (L1-L4) (DRG) were sampled for examination. No remarkable pathological changes were observed in animals treated with Vit. E alone. McHg-treated animals showed toxic neurological signs at 8 weeks of exposure. Both light and electron microscopy demonstrated morphological changes in the neuronal cell bodies (extensive lysosomal accumulation and destruction of Nissl substance—rough endoplasmic reticulum and polyribosomal clusters) and in the dorsal root fibers (axoplasmic degradation and myelin sheath degeneration). In contrast, the McHg/Vit. E-treated animals displayed no observable neurological signs after the same duration of McHg exposure. Pathological examination revealed full protection of the DRG neurons which showed no significant degenerative changes as did those observed in McHg-alone animals. Degenerative changes, however, were still observed in the dorsal root fibers, showing moderate changes (lysosomal and axoplasmic debris accumulation) in some axons, particularly at the regions of the Nodes of Ranvier, and destruction of the myelin sheaths. It is shown in this investigation that Vitamin E can offer significant protection against methylmercury toxicity. Under our present experimental conditions, the protective effectiveness appears to be neuronal cell body > axoplasm > myelin sheaths.
Enhancement of CO2/CH4 selectivity in metal-organic frameworks containing lithium cations

Incorporation of Li cations into MOFs by either of two methods, chemical reduction or cation exchange, significantly improves the CO2/CH4 selectivity. While the selectivity enhancement by the chemical reduction seems to come from favorable displacement of catenated frameworks, the selectivity improvement by the Li cation exchange comes from enhanced solid–gas interactions.
The signaling adapter protein DAP12 regulates multinucleation during osteoclast development.

Deficiency of the signaling adapter protein DAP12 is associated with bony abnormalities in both mice and humans. We identify specific DAP12-associated receptors expressed by osteoclasts and examine function of DAP12 in murine osteoclasts in vivo and in vitro. These data show a new role for DAP12 signaling in regulating formation of multinucleated osteoclasts. Introduction: Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing cells derived from hematopoietic precursors in the myeloid lineage. In other myeloid cell types, the signaling adapter protein DAP12 transmits activating signals on ligation of a DAP12-associated receptor (DAR). The aim of this study was to clarify the role of DAP12 signaling during osteoclast development. Materials and Methods: Osteoclasts from DAP12−/− or control mice were analyzed in vitro for morphology, function, and for osteoclast markers. DARs were identified in osteoclast cultures through reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Bone density of DAP12−/− and control mice were analyzed by microcomputed tomography. DAP12−/− osteoclasts were retrovirally reconstituted with DAP12. RAW264.7 cells were transfected with FLAG-tagged DAP12 or TREM2 and stimulated by anti-FLAG antibody during in vitro osteoclastogenesis. Results: C57BL/6 DAP12-deficient mice have higher bone mass than C57BL/6 wildtype controls. We verified the presence of DAP12 in pre-osteoclasts and osteoclasts derived from C57BL/6 or the pre-osteoclast line RAW 264.7 and identified the DARs expressed. DAP12−/− osteoclasts developed in vitro with macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and RANKL formed only intensely TRACP+ mononuclear cells and failed to generate multinuclear osteoclasts. These mononuclear cells are functional osteoclast-like cells because, by RT-PCR, they express other osteoclast markers and generate resorption pits on dentine slices, although quantitative assessment of bone resorption shows decreased resorption by DAP12−/− osteoclasts compared with C57BL/6 osteoclasts. Restoration of DAP12 expression by retroviral transduction of DAP12−/− osteoclast precursors rescued in vitro osteoclast multinucleation. Direct stimulation of DAP12 expressed in RAW264.7 during in vitro osteoclastogenesis led to a marked increase in the number of TRACP+ multinucleated osteoclast-like cells formed. Conclusion: Our studies indicate that stimulation of the DAP12 adapter protein plays a significant role in formation of multinuclear osteoclasts and that DAP12 and DARs likely participate in the regulation of bony remodeling.
2013 Preface: On the Occasion of Publishing the Endocrinology and Metabolism in English

Dear Esteemed Members of the Korean Endocrine Society I wish you a happy new year and good luck in 2013. The Korean Endocrine Society, which successfully celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and takes pride in its long history, is now confronting the challenges of both qualitative and quantitative growth. As all of our members already know, everyone is in a difficult situation due to the rapidly changing medical environment. However, we shall overcome this crisis by transforming it into an opportunity. The Journal of the Korean Endocrine Society has developed and reached its current status of Endocrinology and Metabolism (EnM) due to the passionate dedication of many committee members. Most domestic journals have fallen behind in the competition with international journals and have been disregarded by their members. For EnM to establish its firm position representing the Korean Endocrine Society under such difficult conditions, I think the only way to assure continued success is to transform the publication into an international journal. Thus, the Korean Endocrine Society is now establishing a new goal, aiming to earn a listing in the Science Citation Index (SCI). This is not intended to show off but was an inevitable decision to become a partner in the international field to assure internal stability for our members and the society itself. To grow as an international journal, EnM requires the attention and care of the society members. As a farmer sows seeds silently in anticipation for fall harvest, I cordially invite our members to send your papers for publication in EnM and actively cite previous publications. Your power is our power and vice versa. We will do our best to bear fruits from the dedication of all members and senior professors of the Korean Endocrine Society. We will also be fully committed to informing you of the listing of EnM in the SCI in the near future. 30 Years United toward World and Future! I wish prosperity to you and the Korean Endocrine Society. Sincerely Kyungjin Kim, Ph.D. President, Korean Endocrine Society Moo-Il Kang, M.D., Ph.D. Chairman, Board of Directors, Korean Endocrine Society
Effect of Temperature on Electron Transport Activities of Isolated Chloroplasts

Temperature-induced changes in electron transport activities of chloroplasts isolated from chilling-sensitive and chilling-resistant plants have been examined. Using methylviologen as electron acceptor, temperature-induced changes occurred in the photosystem II plus photosystem I activities of chloroplasts isolated from chilling-resistant spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.) and pea ( Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) plants. The changes occurred at approximately 17 C for spinach and 15 C for pea. A temperature-induced change, at approximately 13 C, in photosystem I activity using methylviologen was also observed for pea chloroplasts. These results extend earlier work and indicate that temperature has a general effect on the functioning of thylakoid membranes. Chloroplasts isolated from chilling-sensitive bean plants ( Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Blue Lake 141) show a temperature-induced change in ferricyanide reduction at approximately 12 C. These results with spinach, pea, and bean support the view that the presence of temperature-induced changes in chloroplast activity assayed in vitro is not correlated with chilling sensitivity.
Jules Verne's Dream Machines: Technology and Transcendence

This article discusses how Verne mythologizes and poeticizes his fictional machines. More than just a means for solving problems and/or for providing access to exotic geographical locales, Verne's technology is portrayed as being intrinsically poetic. Bridging the worlds of the industrial and the artistic, Verne's machines constitute a new kind of objet d'art. Anthropomorphized to make them seem less coldly mechanical, these devices take on a life of their own and exist in a richly symbiotic relationship with their creators. Such machines transport the readers of Verne's Voyages extraordinaires beyond the mimetic, serving both as a means to build verisimilitude and as a steppingstone to transcend the real.
Generating OpenCL C kernels from OpenACC

Hardware accelerators are now a common way to improve the performances of compute nodes. This performance improvement has a cost: applications need to be rewritten to take advantage of the new hardware. OpenACC is a set of compiler directives to target hardware accelerators with minimal modification of the original application. In this paper, we present the generation of OpenCL C kernels from OpenACC annotated codes. We introduce a method to produce multiple kernels for each OpenACC compute region.We evaluate these kernels on different hardware accelerators (NVidia GPU, Intel MIC). Finally, we show that the produced kernels give different performances for different accelerators. Hence this method produces a tuning space in which we can search for the best kernel version for a given accelerator.
The Effect of Previous Traumatic Injury on Homicide Risk

Research has reported that a strong risk factor for traumatic injury is having a previous injury (i.e., recidivism). To date, the only study examining the relationship between recidivism and homicide reported strong associations, but was limited by possible selection bias. The current matched case-control study utilized coroner's data from 2004 to 2008. Subjects were linked to trauma registry data to determine whether the person had a previous traumatic injury. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between homicide and recidivism. Homicide risk was increased for those having a previous traumatic injury (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.09-2.99) or a previous intentional injury (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.24-5.17). These results suggest an association between homicide and injury recidivism, and that trauma centers may be an effective setting for screening individuals for secondary prevention efforts of homicide through violence prevention programs. Language: en
Preliminary computations of magnetic distributions in ion-implanted garnet films

Magnetic domain structures in a thin ion-implanted garnet film are calculated through numerical integration of Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. The fundamental interactions due to anisotropy (including uniaxial growth anisotropy, stress induced in-plane anisotropy, cubic crystalline anisotropy), exchange, and demagnetization are included. Arbitrary geometric shapes of ion-implanted regions can be accommodated. Results show that magnetic domain structures can be affected strongly by the cubic ansiotropy, the geometric shapes of implanted regions, and the in-plane magnetic field.
Intraoperative balloon-catheter dilatation: University of Florida experience

Thirty-four patients with stable angina underwent coronary artery bypass surgery with supplemental intraoperative coronary artery balloon-catheter dilatation. Coronary dilatation was performed on 35 vessels at 50 sites. The balloon catheter could not be passed through one stenotic site. Intimal dissection occurred at two sites, as noted on early postoperative angiographic studies, with resolution on follow-up studies. There was one perioperative myocardial infarction, 100% early relief of angina, and one operative death. Of 25 distal arterial narrowings studied early by angiography (mean, 10 days), 15 (60%) were unchanged, two (8%) were worse, and eight (32%) were improved. Discrete narrowings improved more than diffuse narrowings; in 46% of the former there was an increase in luminal diameter, in comparison to only 17% of the latter. During a maximal 34-month follow-up period, two patients developed recurrent angina and one died of congestive heart failure. Of 13 distal coronary narrowings studied late (mean, 1 year), six (46%) were unchanged, three (23%) were worse, and four (31%) were improved. Postoperative serial catheterization (early and late) of 10 distal narrowings revealed that nine were unchanged and one was worse. Adjunctive intraoperative coronary balloon-catheter dilatation can be performed safely with acceptable clinical results. The procedure may also allow more complete revascularization of the myocardium.
Utraquists, Lutherans, and the Bohemian Confession of 1575

The purpose of this article is to address the controversial issue of the status of the Utraquist Church in the Kingdom of Bohemia in consequence of the drafting of the Bohemian Confession in 1575. The chronological scope is limited to the period up to 1609, when the issuance of the Letter of Majesty in 1609 formalized the gentlemen's agreement of 1575 and altered the ecclesiastical structure accordingly. According to Czech historiography, the parliamentary action of 1575– which granted toleration, albeit tacit and conditional, to the Lutherans and the Bohemian Brethren—represented a moment of truth for traditional Utraquism, which dated to the original Bohemian Reformation. On the one hand, the Utraquists' choice was to reaffirm its late medieval reformist tradition that preserved the traditional liturgy (including the seven sacraments), a belief in the sacramental episcopate and priesthood in a historic apostolic succession, and the belief in the efficaciousness of good works in the drama of salvation. On the other hand, their choice was to embrace the Lutheran Reformation, which rejected all the doctrines just enumerated.
A MASS BALANCE OF 13C AND 12C IN AN ORGANIC-RICH METHANE-PRODUCING MARINE SEDIMENT

Abstract The sedimentary budgets of 12 C and 13 C were determined for the well-characterized coastal site of Cape Lookout Bight, North Carolina, USA. Degradation of organic carbon with a δ 13 C value of −19.2 ± 0.2‰ proceeds via sulfate reduction and methanogenesis. Neither process detectably alters the 13 C/ 12 C composition of the solid phase organic fraction that is ultimately buried. The remineralized carbon (ΣCO 2 plus CH 4 ) has an annual mean δ 13 C of −18.7 ± 2.2‰, indicating that the breakdown of solid phase organic material to dissolved intermediates does not discriminate between 13 C and 12 C. The dominant carbon isotope effect expressed during the diagenesis of the organic matter is associated with methanogenesis. Methane produced at this site has a measured annual mean δ 13 C value of −58.9 ± 1.4‰. The ΣCO 2 is enriched in 13 C (−11.0 ± 1.2‰) because of the preferential synthesis of 12 CH 4 . The relative rate of production of the ΣCO 2 and CH 4 , which is controlled by the depositional flux of metabolizable organic carbon, along with the fractionation factor associated with methanogenesis and the isotopic composition of the source carbon, determine the 13 C/ 12 C content of the two diagenetic endproducts.
Mid-infrared measurements of the atmospheric emission over the South Pole using a radiometrically calibrated Fourier transform spectrometer.

We conducted year-round measurements of the downwelling atmospheric infrared emission over the South Pole in 1992. The instrument covered the 550–1600-wave-number region with 1-wave-number resolution. We calculated the water vapor content for clear-sky cases and found a good correlation with the surface temperature, with values ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 mm. Ozone-sonde profiles were compared with total column abundances of O3 retrieved from the spectra. The experiment is explained in detail, including the instrumentation, calibration, and retrieval methods used. The calibrated spectra contain information about several trace gases, water, clouds, temperature profiles, and aerosols.
High temperature absorption coefficients of O2, NH3, and H2O for broadband ArF excimer laser radiation

Experimentally-determined absorption coefficients for broadband ArF excimer radiation at 193 mm are presented at temperatures up to 3500 K for O2, NH3, and H2O. These values were determined in a high-purity shock tube, either by measuring excimer pulse fractional absorptions or by measuring photolysis-product yields. Correlations between absorption coefficients and vibrational populations of the absorbing species are discussed. Using these absorption coefficients, a prediction can be made of the amount of O, NH2, OH, and H produced in shock-tube excimer-photolysis experiments. This direct production of radicals is attractive for reaction-kinetics studies in high-temperature gases.
Haiti's democratic challenge

A democratic euphoria gripped the Americas during the decade of the 1980s. During this period, many Latin American countries underwent a 'transition to democracy', generating high expectations, especially in Washington, that the goals of political stability, electoral democracy and economic development through neoliberal economic policies can be simultaneously achieved. Key US foreign policy objectives in Latin America and the Caribbean, as elsewhere under the 'new' world order, have been made abundantly clear: the twin goals of free markets and electoral democracy are to be achieved by unburdening the economy of governmental intrusion. Under IMF direction, states are to allow the free market to determine currency values, curtail many government-sponsored programmes, and enforce the payment of lower wages. Additionally, with support from the USA and supervision by regional/international organisations, where present, the military is to retreat from politics by transferring government to civilian control via competitive elections.' This renewed emphasis on multilateralism suggests that there is a critical role for the OAS in supervising and facilitating the transition to democracy in the Americas. The outbreak of several coup attempts by February 1992, however, has dampened this euphoria. Haiti, the poorest country in the region, underwent a coup in September 1991, a mere 8 months after inaugurating its first truly democratically elected government. The governments of Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela, two of the region's richest and longest-standing democracies, also experienced undemocratic challenges to their rule. Venezuela, in particular, experienced two attempted coups in 1992. Additionally Peru's democratically elected President Fujimori instituted an auto-golpe (palace coup) in April 1992, thereby suspending the democratic process in that country. Thus, within two years of being assigned its new role, the OAS was being called to action, thereby raising an all-important question: can and will the OAS rise to this new challenge and use its multilateral mandate to nurture the democratic process in the region? Focusing on the current crisis in Haiti, this paper argues that despite the best of intentions, the OAS will remain largely ineffective in neutralising challenges to the democratic process in Latin America and the Caribbean. This ineffectiveness is due largely to two factors: (i) misperceptions about the purpose of the organisation; and (ii) power asymmetries and a concomitant fear and suspicion of the OAS among members of US motives.
Religious participation and HIV-disclosure rationales among people living with HIV/AIDS in rural Swaziland

Despite the cultural salience of Christianity in many parts of Africa and the expansion of antiretroviral treatment, few studies have examined experiences of religious participation among HIV-positive individuals. Correspondingly, most studies of HIV self-disclosure in sub-Saharan Africa focus primarily on disclosure to sexual partners. Addressing both concerns, the central concern of this article is HIV self-disclosure in church settings, where disclosure rationales functioned as a key heuristic to explore experience of HIV-positivity, religiosity, and church participation. Given 39.2% antenatal HIV prevalence in Swaziland–the highest in the world–and an estimated 6 500 local congregations, this article draws on a medical anthropological project in Swaziland to investigate experiences of church participation among HIV-positive individuals. The data were derived from semi-structured interviews with 28 HIV-positive individuals across three domains: 1) pre- and post-diagnosis religiosity; 2) HIV stigma and ...
HIV detection by in-situ hybridization based on confocal reflected light microscopy

Elucidation of the pathogenesis of AIDS is confounded by the finding that few actively infected CD4+ cells (1 in 104-105) can be detected in the peripheral blood, even though there is dramatic depletion (often >90%) of CD4+ cells as the disease progresses. A sensitive, 35S-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) mRNA in situ hybridization technique was coupled with a new detection method, confocal laser scanning microscopy, to examine transcriptionally active HIV-infected cells from individuals at different disease stages. An algorithm for image segmentation and analysis has been developed to determine the proportion of HIV-positive cells. Data obtained using this improved detection method suggest that there are more HIV mRNA-producing cells in HIV-infected individuals than previously thought, based on other detection methods.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Halliday-Suranyi expansion for lattice Φ4 theory

Abstract The Halliday-Suranyi perturbation expansion for the anharmonic oscillator is generalized and applied to φ 4 field theory on a spatial lattice. This expansion is believed to converge for any value of the coupling constant. It also serves as a model of renormalization-scheme dependence in QCD in that physical quantities depend on an arbitrary parameter at finite order but not when the series is summed. The propagator is vomputed through second order and the single-particle dispersion relation is extracted at strong and weak coupling. The results test both the expansion itself and Stevenson's principle of minimal sensitivity (PMS) for determining the arbitrary parameter. I show that use of the PMS prescription can alter the convergence properties of the expansion.
Incidence of Side Effects in the Treatment of Telangiectasias by Compression Sclerotherapy: Hypertonic Saline vs. Polidocanol

Two of the most common side effects of sclerotherapy of leg veins are telangiectatic matting (TM), and postsclerosis hyperpigmentation. A random sample of 113 female patients with similar treatment sites of telangiectasias (less than 1 mm in diameter) and venulectasias of 1-2 mm diameter on the legs were treated by sclerotherapy and assessed at 1 and 6 months later for the presence of TM and hyperpigmentation. Patients received treatment with either 23.4% hypertonic saline (HS) alone (N = 74), 1% polidocanol (POL) alone (N = 21), or a comparison treatment with both HS and 1% POL (N = 18). A subgroup of patients received both 1% POL and 0.5% POL (N = 10). The incidence of hyperpigmentation was related both to vessel size and to sclerosing solution; only one patient showed hyperpigmentation in a vessel less than 1 mm, while in 1-2 mm vessels the incidence was 10.9% for HS and 30.7% for 1% POL (p less than .004) at 1 month. At 6 months postsclerotherapy, the incidence of pigmentation was 2% for HS and 7.5% for 1% POL. Both the type and concentration of sclerosing solution affected the incidence of TM; the incidence of TM was 33% for 1% POL, compared to only 13% for HS (p less than .004). At 6 months follow-up, the incidence of TM decreased to 2% for HS and 9% for 1% POL. Ten patients who developed TM with 1% POL were treated subsequently with 0.5% POL and demonstrated no matting. These data indicate that the incidence of side effects was affected by both the concentration and type of sclerosant.
Peripheral professional problems of engineering management

The manager of engineering has the responsibility for assuring optimum utilization of all facilities. The concept of peripheral professional problems points out the many areas of interest to which the manager's attention must be directed.
Long QT syndrome presenting as a seizure

A 21-year-old woman was brought to the emergency department after being found unconscious in a hotel lobby. On presentation, she was awake but confused. The initial evaluation revealed no evidence of trauma, metabolic abnormality, drug ingestion, or intracranial process. The only abnormality noted was electrocardiographic, and included a long QT interval as well as occasional atrial and junctional beats within a normal sinus rhythm. While in the department the patient developed tonic-clonic activity and was concurrently noted to have developed ventricular tachycardia. A precordial thump was given with the simultaneous cessation of the arrythmia and the seizure. After definitive electrophysiologic study, the diagnosis of long QT syndrome was made. Treatment consisting of beta blockade and pacemaker insertion prevented further arrythmia or seizure activity. Long QT syndrome should be considered a possible etiology in any patient presenting with new onset seizures, especially in the young.
Non-uniqueness of critical state line in compression and extension conditions

Experimental evidence has indicated that the critical state line determined from undrained compression tests is not identical to that determined from undrained extension tests. The purpose of this paper is to investigate a modelling method that accounts for the non-uniqueness of critical state lines in the compression and the extension testing conditions. Conventional elastic–plastic cap models can predict only a unique critical state line for the compression and the extension tests. A new micromechanical stress–strain model is developed considering explicitly the location of critical state line. The model is then used to simulate undrained triaxial compression and extension tests performed on isotropically consolidated samples with different over-consolidated ratios. The predictions are compared with experimental results as well as that predicted by models with kinematic hardening of yield surface. All simulations demonstrate that the proposed micromechanical approach is capable of modelling the undrained compression and the undrained extension tests. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Statistical analysis of the fractal gating motions of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase.

The enzyme acetylcholinesterase has an active site that is accessible only by a gorge or main channel from the surface, and perhaps by secondary channels such as the back door. Molecular-dynamics simulations show that these channels are too narrow most of the time to admit substrate or other small molecules. Binding of substrates is therefore gated by structural fluctuations of the enzyme. Here, we analyze the fluctuations of these possible channels, as observed in the 10.8-ns trajectory of the simulation. The probability density function of the gorge proper radius (defined in the text) was calculated. A double-peak feature of the function was discovered and therefore two states with a threshold were identified. The relaxation (transition probability) functions of these two states were also calculated. The results revealed a power-law decay trend and an oscillation around it, which show properties of fractal dynamics with a complex exponent. The cross correlation of potential energy versus proper radius was also investigated. We discuss possible physical models behind the fractal protein dynamics; the dynamic hierarchical model for glassy systems is evaluated in detail.
Direct evidence favouring an internal flip of dimetal units in cubiodal ligand cages

Abstract Four isomeric compounds, Mo 2 Cl 4 (dpdbp) 2 , have been synthesized: 1 , α-anti; 2 , α-syn; 3 , β-anti; 4 , β-syn. When the α isomers are synthesized from a K 4 Mo 2 Cl 8 /1-diphenylphosphino-2-di( p -tert-butylphenyl)phosphinoethane (dpdbp)/CH 3 OH reaction mixture, the ratio 1 / 2 obtained is ∼ 97/3. The β isomers are obtained in an 85/15 mole ratio ( 3 / 4 ) from the reaction mixture MO 2 (O 2 CCF 3 ) 4 /Me 3 SiCl/dpdbp/THF. 1 has been crystallized and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The space group is P 1 and the unit cell constants are a = 13.309(2), b = 18.641(8), c = 9.452(2) A, α = 104.70(4)°, β = 106.77(2)°, γ = 83.14(2)°, V = 2169(2) A 3 and Z 1. The α-anti configuration is rigorously centrosymmetric with MoMo = 2.149(1) A mean MoP = 2.551(3) A and mean MoCl = 2.424(4) A. The 1 / 2 ratio can be altered by column chromatography. It is found by TLC that when a mixture of the α isomers is isomerized to a mixture of the β isomers the 3 / 4 ratio is the same as the initial 1 / 2 ratio. The α → β isomerization reaction, therefore, is stereospecific. An internal flip is the only process that necessarily has this essential character, and its occurrence is thus corroborated.
Treatment of facial vascular lesions with intense pulsed light.

BACKGROUND: Various lasers, particularly the flashlamp-pulsed dye laser, have been proven to be effective in the treatment of facial vascular lesions. Nevertheless, the post-treatment side effects, such as pronounced purpura and changes in pigmentation, have been a matter of concern to patients. OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of an alternative treatment option that uses intense pulsed light to provide patients with a more tolerable post-treatment outcome. METHODS: A total of 200 patients were treated with an intense pulsed light source (PhotoDerm ® VL) using various treatment parameters. The patients were treated for facial veins (primarily telangiectasia), facial hemangiomas, rosacea and port wine stains. RESULTS: Of the 188 patients who returned for follow-up after 2 months, 174 achieved 75% to 100% clearance in one to four treatment sessions. The post-treatment side effects were minimal and well tolerated by the patients. There were no instances of scarring or other permanent side effects. CONCLUSION:...
Circulatory changes associated with inspiratory positive pressure treatment.

In the past decade there has been increasing application of positive pressure in the administration of oxygen therapy in the management of asthma and emphysema, as well as other conditions in which it was considered that this form of therapy might be of benefit. The present study is limited to the application of positive pressure during the inspiratory phase of the respiratory cycle. Two types of apparatus were used, the Emerson Respiration Assistor,f and the Bennett Pressure Breathing Unit (Model TV-2P) . These two appear to be similar in the amount of inspiratory effort required to evoke air flow under positive pressure, and in the readiness with which this flow is interrupted by the increased intrapulmonary resistance at the end of inspiration, permitting normal expiration to take place. A varietyof opinions existsconcerning the benefitsof IPPB provided with this equipment. Some of the leading proponents of this form of treatment have been Gordon,’ Motley,2 Trimble,’ and Segal.4 Examination of the publications of Motley shows that changes in pulmonary function produced by treatment provided with Bennett equipment cannot be shown to be of statistical significance. Segal4 has shown that the use of IPPB, using Bennett equipment, without the aid of a bronchodilator actually brings about a reduction in vital capacity, timed vital capacity, and maximum breathing capacity. However, when the use of a bronchodilator is combined with IPPB, the performance of these tests exceeds that observed following the use of a bronchodilator alone when the latter is provided with )
Maximum likelihood estimation for joint mean¿covariance models from unbalanced repeated-measures data

This paper develops maximum likelihood estimates for jointly modelling the mean and covariance matrix, for unbalanced repeated measures, using an unconstrained parametrization. Furthermore, the asymptotic distribution of the estimated parameters and the results of a simulation study are presented.
Global structure theories for finite semigroups—Introduction

The following four papers develop the global structure theory for finite semigroups. A global structure theory for the finite semigroup S can be carried out by embedding1 S in a long semidirect or wreath product of many finite groups alternated with many elementary (combinatorial order 3) semigroups. That such embeddings exist was proved ten years ago, initiating the global theory. The Cartesian coordinates of the semidirect or wreath product restricted to the image of the embedding gives rise to global (sequential or “triangular”) coordinates for S from which the global properties of the multiplication table can be viewed and computed. For example a global property is complexity, introduced in 1963, being by definition the minimal number of group coordinates possible in all such embeddings for S. In many applications we find complexity in this sense corresponds to complexity in the crude pragmatic sense. Alternatively, a global theory for S can be given by reconstructing S (up to embedding) from its maximal subgroups as follows. Take a maximal subgroup of S, G,, , and form a Rees matrix semigroup over G,, , denoted R(G,). Next add a maximal subgroup G, of S to R(G,) as a group of units (equals the invertible elements) yielding S, =
The effects of age, weight and experience on relative sugar preference in the albino rat

This study examined the effects of weight, age and experience on relative sugar preference and satiation. Albino rats were given 6 hr. per day of free choice between a 12-1/2% and a 25% glucose solution for 14 days. The three groups were given this experience at ages 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks.
Value of Follow-up Examinations of Children and Adolescents Evaluated for Sexual Abuse and Assault

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether follow-up examinations of suspected victims of child sexual abuse influence medical diagnosis or treatment. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients with initial and follow-up examinations (examinations 1 and 2, respectively) over a 5-year study period was conducted. Patient and abuse characteristics, interval between examinations and abuse, and examiner experience levels were collected; examination findings and test results for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were compared for examinations 1 and 2. RESULTS: Among 727 patients, examination 2 resulted in a change in interpretation of trauma likelihood in 129 (17.7%) patients and identified STIs in 47 (6.5%) patients. Changes in trauma likelihood and detection of additional STIs during follow-up examinations were more likely in adolescent, female, and sexually active patients and those with a history of genital−genital contact, unknown examination 1 findings, or drug-facilitated sexual assault. Although examination 2 was less likely to affect the interpretation of trauma likelihood and STIs in preadolescent patients, a change in interpretation of trauma likelihood was noted for 49 (15.5%) of these patients, and 16 (5.1%) were diagnosed with a new STI on examination 2. The level of clinician experience during examination 1 did affect the likelihood of changes in examination findings during examination 2. CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up examinations by specialists affected the interpretation of trauma and detection of STIs in ∼23% of pediatric patients undergoing sexual abuse assessments. * Abbreviations: CAC — : Child Advocacy Center DFSA — : drug-facilitated sexual assault NAAT — : nucleic acid amplification test STI — : sexually transmitted infection
Reliability of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List

Summary The Multiple Affect Adjective Check List was administered to students and psychiatric outpatients. The tests were scored on the three regular scales (anxiety, depression, and hostility), and a fourth score was formed by adding the three scales. All scales were reliable across form and over short intervals. Over larger time intervals the scales indicated greater “state” changes in the student group than in the psychiatric outpatients. Interscale correlations were high, suggesting that the test may be viewed as a single scale measuring general negative affect arousal.
Small-angle light scattering study of quasi-two-dimensional structures of magnetic particles

Abstract We studied quasi-two-dimensional magnetic domain structures using a small-angle light scattering technique. The structures are formed when magnetic particles in an aqueous suspension between two parallel glass plates are assembled and oriented in a magnetic field H perpendicular to the plates. Three different structure regions can be identified, and they are bounded by two critical field lines Hc1 (φ) and Hc2(φ). Below Hc1 (φ) the system consists of single particles; between Hc1 (φ) and HC2 (φ), the particles assemble into elongated disordered domains; and above Hc2 (φ), the domains develop a strong in-plane correlation. In the strong field limit H ⪢ Hc2, the structure factor of the magnetic fluid resembles that of a two-dimensional liquid. However, long lasting metastability and hysteresis observed in the experiment suggest that the system is essentially locked in a glassy state.
Interventional relevance and retrofit programming: Concepts for the improvement of clinician acceptance of computer-generated assessment reports

A brief historical review of research on the use of computers in mental health service delivery is presented. The computer-assisted psychiatric assessment project (PAU) at the Salt Lake City VA Hospital is briefly described in the perspective of previous research. It is noted that the initial design for the PAU was deficient in the development of a computer generated reporting scheme which is totally acceptable to clinicians. Two conceptual innovations, interventionally relevant reporting and retrofit programming, are introduced. These are described as providing solutions to the problem of obtaining clinician acceptance of computer-generated assessment reports. Pilot research on the use of these concepts is presented.
Consumer Credit Literacy: What Price Perception?

This paper considers the question of whether inaccurate self-assessment of credit is associated with undesirable financial market outcomes. Our analysis is empirical, and relies on two different data sets - a consumer survey conducted in 2000 by Freddie Mac, and 1.2 million mortgage loans originated in 2004. We find some support for our hypothesis that inaccurate self-assessments lead to increased probabilities of being denied credit, experiencing a "bad" financial event, or having a higher annual percentage rate on a mortgage.
Water, sediment, and nutrient runoff from urban lawns established on disturbed subsoil or topsoil and managed with inorganic or organic fertilizers

Urban runoff has become an increasingly important environmental concern in recent years. With increasing urbanization, turfgrass area has substantially expanded in North America, and these lawns are often established on subsoil stripped of topsoil. In this study, 24 turfgrass-type tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) plots were established on subsoil or topsoil, and managed with inorganic fertilizer (Scott’s Turf Builder®), organic fertilizer (Nature’s Touch® with enzymes), or no fertilizer (control). A one-hour simulated rainfall at 8.9 cm/hour was applied to the plots, and the time to runoff initiation and total runoff volume were measured. Runoff water samples were analyzed to quantify the amounts of sediment, N (NH4-N), P, K, and S losses. The results indicated that runoff initiation time was almost half in subsoil lawns (12.5 min) than in topsoil lawns (23 min). The total runoff volume and sediment loss were significantly larger in subsoil lawns (11,900 ml and 3,700 mg, respectively) than in topsoil lawns (2,200 ml and 900 mg, respectively). Although the N, P, K, and S losses in runoff were low, they were significantly higher from the subsoil-based than topsoil-based lawns, and were higher from inorganic fertilizer treated lawns than those treated with organic fertilizer. These results highlight the significance of topsoil preservation in city planning and urban development with respect to urban run-off and water quality and show distinct benefits of organic lawn management practices over the conventional inorganic practices for maintaining urban water quality.
How well can we identify the high-performing hospital?

Sharing lessons from high-performing hospitals facilitates quality improvement. High-performing hospitals have usually been identified using a small number of performance measures. The objective was to analyze how well 1,006 hospitals performed across a broader range of measures. Five measures were developed from publicly available data: adherence to processes of care, 30-day readmission rates, in-hospital mortality, efficiency, and patient satisfaction. For a subset of hospitals, the authors included two survey-based assessments of patient care quality, one by chief quality officers and one by frontline clinicians. In general, there was little correlation among the publicly available measures (r ≤ .10), though there was notable correlation between objective measures and survey-based measures (r = .23). Hospitals that performed well on a composite measure calculated from the publicly available measures were often not in the top quintile on most individual measures. This highlights the challenge in identif...
ECONOMICS AND 100 YEARS OF ANTITRUST: INTRODUCTION

Editor's Note: I wish to thank the symposium editors, George Bittlingmayer, Associate Professor, and Gary Walton, Professor, Graduate School of Management, University of California Davis, Davis, CA., for their special efforts and valuable input as they shepherded these papers through the refereeing and editorial process. I also wish to thank Rodney T. Smith, Professor of Economics, Claremont McKenna College and Claremont Graduate School and Coeditor of Economic Inquiry, who served as coordinator of the symposium efforts, and Carolyn Williams, assistant to the editor, who served as liaison between Economic Inquiry, the symposium editors and the authors. These combined efforts have resulted in the exciting collection of papers that follow.
Refined Chromosomal Localization of the Mismatch Repair and Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Genes hMSH2 and hMSH6

The genomic loci for the mismatch repair genes hMSH2 and hMSH6 were mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization, analysis of radiation hybrid panel markers, and linkage analysis of syntenic chromosome regions between human and mouse. Both genes were localized to chromosome 2p21, adjacent to the luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor gene (LHCGR; 2p21), telomeric to the D2S123 polymorphic marker, and centromeric to the calmodulin-2 gene (CALM-2; 2p22-21) and son-of-sevenless gene (SOS; 2p22-21). The genomic locations of hMSH2 and hMSH6 appears to be within 1 Mb of each other because they could not be separated by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization. These results clarify the position of the chromosome 2 hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer locus, which was originally reported to be associated with an adjacent region (chromosome 2p14-16).
Fundamentals and Applications of Gas Hydrates

Fundamental understanding of gas hydrate formation and decomposition processes is critical in many energy and environmental areas and has special importance in flow assurance for the oil and gas industry. These areas represent the core of gas hydrate applications, which, albeit widely studied, are still developing as growing fields of research. Discovering the molecular pathways and chemical and physical concepts underlying gas hydrate formation potentially can lead us beyond flowline blockage prevention strategies toward advancing new technological solutions for fuel storage and transportation, safely producing a new energy resource from natural deposits of gas hydrates in oceanic and arctic sediments, and potentially facilitating effective desalination of seawater. The state of the art in gas hydrate research is leading us to new understanding of formation and dissociation phenomena that focuses on measurement and modeling of time-dependent properties of gas hydrates on the basis of their well-established thermodynamic properties.
Accuracy of sonographically guided intra-articular injections in the native adult hip.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of sonographically guided intra-articular injections performed in the native adult hip using contrast-enhanced fluoroscopy as a reference standard. Methods Twenty-eight consecutive patients (ages 32-91 years; mean, 68 years) referred to the pain clinic for intra-articular hip injections were recruited to participate. In each case, a 2- to 6-MHz curvilinear array transducer was used to place the needle into the hip joint at the femoral head-neck junction using an oblique sagittal approach. A contrast-enhanced fluoroscopic examination was then completed and assessed by an independent observer to determine needle placement accuracy. Once accurate placement was confirmed, the therapeutic injection proceeded. Results Thirty hip injections were completed in 15 women and 13 men (1 man and 1 woman received bilateral injections). The patients' body mass index (BMI) ranged from 20 to 39 kg/cm(2) (mean, 28 kg/cm(2)) and procedure time from initial scanning to injection averaged 112 seconds (range, 47-187 seconds). Overall, 97% of sonographically placed needles were accurate. The single inaccurate placement resulted from inadvertent needle withdrawal from the joint capsule during connection of the extension tubing for contrast agent injection in a young patient with a BMI of 28 kg/cm(2) and no hip effusion. Conclusions Sonographic guidance can be used to inject the native adult hip joint with acceptable accuracy. When using the oblique sagittal approach, operators must be aware of the possibility of needle withdrawal from the joint due to the limited intra-articular space within the target region, particularly in the absence of effusion.
Text-independent speaker verification with dynamic trajectory model

A novel approach is presented for text-independent speaker verification. Based on the frequencies of occurrence of Gaussian component strings in the quantized acoustic trajectories, a universal background trajectory model and multiple target trajectory models are created for the background and target speakers separately. Analysis of the speaker entropy in the trajectory space demonstrates that the segmental dynamic trajectory catches speaker-specific information. Experiments are conducted on the telephony speech used in the NIST 1999 speaker verification evaluation and show that the bicomponent strings achieve good performance and may provide complementary information to a general speaker verification system.