cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
1910-P: Effects of Glucagon Concentrations on Splanchnic and Leg Glucagon Extraction in Healthy Humans

We have recently developed a novel isotope dilution method using nonradioactive, stable human Glucagon (Phe 6 13C9, 15N; Phe 22 13C9, 15N) tracer to measure glucagon turnover. In this study we combined this method with organ catheterization technique to estimate the effects of increasing circulating glucagon concentrations, spanning the physiological range, on splanchnic and leg glucagon extraction. We present data from the first 6 healthy subjects (age 25±3.6 yrs; BMI 26.7±4.5 kg/m2; fasting glucose 4.6±0.5 mM; HbA1c 5.1±0.3%) completed thus far. After IRB approval and informed consent, subjects were admitted in the morning after an overnight fast to Interventional Radiology, where catheters were placed in the right femoral artery and vein under local anesthesia with aseptic precautions. Under fluoroscopic guidance, a hepatic venous catheter was positioned through the femoral vein. Glucagon tracer was infused intravenously and Indocyanine Green infused via the femoral artery sheath to measure splanchnic and femoral plasma flows. After a 90 min period for basal sampling, exogenous glucagon was infused at 0.65 ng/kg/min for 60 minutes (low) followed by 1.5 ng/kg/min (high) for another 60 minutes. Plasma samples were collected periodically from femoral artery, femoral vein and hepatic vein for concentrations of Glucagon tracer (Tandem Mass Spectrometry), glucagon, glucose and Indocyanine Green (Spectrophotometry) concentrations. Arterial glucagon concentrations were 45.2±9.6 pg/ml (basal), 56.3±13.3 pg/ml (low) and 81.4±15.5 pg/ml (high). While fractional splanchnic glucagon extraction remained relatively unchanged (24.0±12.5% vs. 27.7±15.6% vs. 23.5±10.1%: basal vs. low vs. high), fractional leg glucagon extraction tended to increase (13.5±3.8% vs. 16.0±7.2% vs. 18.5±9.4%: basal vs. low vs. high) with increasing glucagon concentrations. These initial data suggest differing mechanisms of glucagon clearance across the splanchnic and leg tissues in humans. Disclosure F. Ruchi: None. Y.R. Yadav: None. D. Romeres: None. S. Sawleh: None. L.M. Benson: None. K.L. Johnson: None. C. Dalla Man: Research Support; Self; Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH. C. Cobelli: None. D.J. McCormick: None. L.R. Wilkins: None. R. Basu: Consultant; Self; GENFIT. Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca. A. Basu: Consultant; Spouse/Partner; GENFIT. Research Support; Spouse/Partner; AstraZeneca. Funding National Institutes of Health (R01DK029953 to R.B.), (R01DK085516 to A.B.), (DK059637, DK020593)
Ion diffusion coefficients in poly(3-alkylthiophenes) for energy conversion and biosensing: role of side-chain length and microstructure

Conductive polymers are promising materials as active elements for energy storage and conversion devices due to mixed ion–electron conduction. The ion diffusion coefficient is a relative measure of the efficacy of ion transport, allowing for comparison between materials and electrochemical conditions. In this work, diffusion coefficients of hexafluorophosphate (PF6−) counterions in poly(3-alkylthiophene) (P3AT) materials are measured as a function of both side-chain length and microstructure using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). For semi-crystalline films, the diffusion coefficient is found to be anomalous and nearly independent of applied electrochemical potential. The anomalous behavior of diffusion indicates that spin casting yields compact films with an enthalpic barrier to ion transport, attributed to ionic trapping. Diffusion coefficient values ∼10−11 cm2 s−1 were measured for all films, indicating interchain spacing, in the absence of strong intermolecular interactions with the electrolyte, is not a viable design strategy to control ion transport. For the prototypical system of poly(3-hexylthiophene), we observe almost no potential dependence in ion transport for regioregular and regiorandom films of comparable molecular weight, with both exhibiting anomalous diffusion. Alternatively, changing the microstructure of poly(3-hexylthiophene) to a mostly amorphous, ion-imprinted structure yields ∼500× increase in the diffusion coefficient to ∼2 × 10−8 cm2 s−1 at 0.8 V vs. Ag/Ag+ with behavior closer to ordinary diffusion. Collectively, these results indicate new insight into ion transport in conductive polymers, where ionic trapping effects can be mitigated through electrodeposition protocols over post-synthesis processing (i.e. spin coating).
A multiple linear regression approach to correlate the Indoor Environmental Factors to the global comfort in a Zero-Energy building

The quality of the indoor environment, in terms of thermal, lighting, air and acoustic quality, grouped in the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) concept, plays a key role in occupants’ wellbeing and satisfaction. Only in recent years IEQ has been investigated as a whole. Today, IEQ occupies the same place of energy efficiency in the design of buildings, especially those with high performance level as the Zero-Energy Buildings (ZEB). The research deals with an experimental campaign during the cooling season carried out in a ZEB laboratory that involved 100 participants aimed at evaluating the IEQ and the indoor environments (e.g. thermal and air quality). The test consists in a survey, during which each participant is required to answer a questionnaire about how he feels the indoor environment. The experimental campaign was completed with a monitoring activity aimed at detecting the main environmental variables that can affect the participants’ answers. Collected data were treated with regression techniques to highlight possible relationships between them. The results show how in a building with high levels of energy performances the air quality plays a key role on occupants’ evaluation.
Surgical management of dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica of the posterior medial ankle using a medial malleolar osteotomy: A case report

Abstract Dysplasia Epiphysealis Hemimelica (DEH) or Trevor's disease is a rare skeletal condition that forms osteochondroma like lesions in the epiphysis of long bones. This occurs mainly in pediatric patients with a predilection for the lower extremities. The knee and the ankle joint are most commonly affected in a hemimelic distribution meaning that either the medial or the lateral part of the center of ossification is affected. We report a rare case of Dysplasia Epiphysealis Hemimelica in an active pediatric patient involving multiple tarsal bones around the left ankle that was surgically excised after using a medial malleolar osteotomy for exposure. At over four years of follow up, our patient is pain free, has no growth arrest and continues to engage in normal activities.
Implementation of a comprehensive flavoured tobacco product sales restriction and retail tobacco sales.

Objective San Francisco’s comprehensive restriction on flavoured tobacco sales applies to all flavours (including menthol), all products and all retailers (without exemptions). This study evaluates associations of policy implementation with changes in tobacco sales in San Francisco and in two California cities without any sales restriction. Methods Using weekly retail sales data (July 2015 through December 2019), we computed sales volume in equivalent units within product categories and the proportion of flavoured tobacco. An interrupted time series analysis estimated within-city changes associated with the policy’s effective and enforcement dates, separately by product category for San Francisco and comparison cities, San Jose and San Diego. Results Predicted average weekly flavoured tobacco sales decreased by 96% from before the policy to after enforcement (p Conclusions San Francisco’s comprehensive restriction virtually eliminated flavoured tobacco sales and decreased total tobacco sales in mainstream retailers. Unlike other US flavoured tobacco policy evaluations, there was no evidence of substitution to concept–flavour named products. Results may be attributed to San Francisco Department of Health’s self-education and rigorous retailer education, as well as the law’s rebuttable presumption of a product as flavoured based on manufacturer communication.
A scalable digital platform for the use of digital twins in additive manufacturing

Abstract While Additive Manufacturing promises to reshape the manufacturing landscape, challenges related to part, and process qualification hinder its widespread adoption. The Instance-Qualified approach seeks to qualify individual parts, even for processes with high variability, by leveraging the concept of a digital twin. This work proposes a scalable cyberphysical infrastructure to enable the construction and use of such digital twins. This work also introduces the concept of an Augmented Intelligence Relay, which allows Artificial Intelligence algorithms to predict component performance for a given application even when it is impractical to perform a large number of physical tests.
An application programming interface for multiscale shape-material modeling

Abstract The application of multiscale structure in mechanical design become increasingly prevalent due to the rapid advancement of modern manufacturing technologies. Over the past few years, a multitude of methods, algorithms, and software have emerged to support the design and representation of such structures. An interoperable solution to connect and compose ad hoc approaches, therefore, could create the network effect to further the advancement of the field. In this paper, we proposed an Application Programming Interface (API) for multiscale structure modeling, which employs a query-based approach to provide interoperability between different shape and material property representations across different scales. The concept of neighborhood is used to link the adjacent scales such that the effective material property of the structure within a neighborhood on the fine-scale equals the material property on the coarse-scale. The use of intrinsic effective material properties enables the interchangeability between different families of fine-scale structures that support a common set of effective properties. The interoperability with downstream applications such as visualization and manufacturing planning is guaranteed through multiscale queries that extend but remains compatible with single scale queries. Such capability is demonstrated through a novel multiscale ray-marching algorithm. We discuss several usage scenarios and provide exemplary implementations of the core interfaces and functionalities of the proposed multiscale API.
Management of forensic psychiatry patients who refuse medication--two scenarios.

An Ohio federal court set Wyatt-type standards for treatment rights of forensic psychiatry patients and ordered legal due process-type hospital hearings to protect patients from what the court considers harmful clinical practices. Experience with this legal method for management of patients who refuse medication is examined for its impact on staff and patient care. Under legal pressure Ohio has built new regional forensic psychiatry hospitals. In one, spurred by legal activism, the prevalence of patients refusing medication has become pandemic. In its typical 16-bed ward, when 2 or more patients refuse medication, danger escalates rapidly for patients and staff. The method adopted to manage these situations is to assess the emergency of danger to patient or others, and if warranted to administer medication despite objections. This emergency management is dramatic in improving patient behavior and defusing milieu tensions. The psychiatrist ordering emergency management, however, faces challenges from several quarters—patient advocates, outside patients' rights legal advocates, and the commissioner of mental health. The clinically managed process contrasts markedly also with the legally imposed one in its impact on the personal and professional integrity of the responsible psychiatrist. Both scenarios illustrate the task yet remaining—integration of the clinical and legal concerns into a multisystem resolution of diverse interests, values, ethics, and rights.
Biosynthesis of Riboflavine in Corynebacterium Species: the Purine Precursor

Corynebacterium species lacks the ability to convert either xanthine or guanine to adenine. This defect and the use of the purine nucleoside antibiotic decoyinine, which blocks the conversion of xanthosine monophosphate → guanosine monophosphate, permit an experimental design in which the interconversion of purines is largely prevented. Cultures of this organism were grown in the presence of decoyinine and various purine supplements. Data obtained by comparing the radioactivity incorporated from guanine-2-14C or xanthine-2-14C into bacterial guanine, xanthine, and riboflavine indicate that guanine or a close derivative of guanine is the purine precursor of riboflavine.
Acquired Gerbode defect and third-degree atrioventricular block secondary to vehicular trauma in a dog.

Objective To describe a case of traumatically acquired left ventricular to right atrial communication (Gerbode defect), atrial septal defect (ASD), and third-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) necessitating permanent pacemaker placement in a dog. Case Summary A 1.5-year-old neutered male Newfoundland dog was struck by a car and was referred for further evaluation and treatment of hemoabdomen. Persistent third-degree AVB, a right-sided cardiac murmur and right-sided congestive heart failure (CHF) were identified, and echocardiographic examination revealed a type-A Gerbode defect and ASD. Pimobendan, furosemide, and enalapril therapies were initiated for treatment of CHF. Persistent AVB eventually necessitated permanent pacemaker implantation. Initial attempts at minimally invasive occlusion of the Gerbode defect were unsuccessful; however the dog continues to do well clinically on chronic cardiac medications. New or Unique Information Provided To our knowledge, an acquired Gerbode defect secondary to trauma with associated ASD, CHF, and third-degree AVB necessitating permanent pacemaker therapy have not yet been reported in the veterinary literature. The extended survival and follow-up available on this patient postpacemaker implantation also documents that longer term survival is possible with this defect.
Immunological Basis of the Adenovirus 8-9 Cross-Reaction

The dedecon and hexon components of adenovirus types 8 and 9 have been extensively purified for use in establishing the basis of the cross-reaction between these types. Dodecons, the complete hemagglutinins, were purified 304- to 362-fold by fluorocarbon extraction, calcium phosphate batch chromatography, and ion-exchange column chromatography. Hexons, the group complement-fixation (CF) antigens, were purified 230- to 240-fold by erythrocyte adsorption, ion-exchange chromatography, and exclusion chromatography. Component antisera prepared in rabbits were tested in reciprocal fashion with crude virus and dodecon and hexon components. By hemagglutination-inhibition (HI), the dodecons of types 8 and 9 demonstrated the same predominantly one-sided relationship characteristic of the crude antigens. Some neutralizing activity was associated with both dodecons and hexons of each type. However, combining anti-dodecon and anti-hexon sera or producing antisera against the combined dodecon-hexon components resulted in neutralizing titers which were identical to titers obtained with antisera against the crude virus harvests. Dedecons of each type appear to share at least one antigenic determinant with hexons of the same type, and this determinant may reside on the vertex capsomere. Hexons possess group- and type-specific determinants, as shown by CF, neutralization, and immunodiffusion tests, and may exhibit some minor relationship between types 8 and 9. The results with the purified components are consistent with the predominantly one-sided antigenic relationship between types 8 and 9 in the conventional HI tests and the largely type-specific relationship by neutralization tests.
Determinants Of Long-Term Interest Rates In The United States

The behavior of the long-term interest rates is a practical problem for private and public organizations. Organizations need to estimate interest rates for purposes of assigning value to long-term obligations such as defined benefit plans and long-term leases and making decisions related to long term capital purchases. The purpose of this study was to analyze the determinants of long-term interest rates in the United States, using 352 quarterly time series data points extending from 1999 to 2009. This study examines how a change in overnight interest rates, budget deficit, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation, and net capital inflow impact on longterm interest rates, which is the 30-year U.S. Treasury constant securities rate. We find that the variables (overnight interest rates, expected inflation, budget deficit, foreign capital inflow, and GDP) have statistically significant impact on long-term interest rates in the United States; all variables jointly explain changes in the long-term interest rates. The findings of this study can assist organization as they assign values to long-term obligations and assets.
Synthesis and Structure of Caulobacter crescentus Flagella

Abstract During the normal cell cycle of Caulobacter crescentus, flagella are released into the culture fluid as swarmer cells differentiate into stalked cells. The released flagellum is composed of a filament, hook, and rod. The molecular weight of purified flagellin (subunit of flagella filament) is 25,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The formation of a flagellum opposite the stalk has been observed by microscope during the differentiation of a stalked cell in preparation for cell division. By pulsing synchronized cultures with 14C-amino acids it has been demonstrated that the synthesis of flagellin occurs approximately 30 to 40 min before cell division. Flagellin, therefore, is synthesized at a discrete time in the cell cycle and is assembled into flagella at a specific site on the cell. A mutant of C. crescentus that fails to synthesize flagellin has been isolated.
Risk Factors for Acute Wheezing in Infants and Children: Viruses, Passive Smoke, and IgE Antibodies to Inhalant Allergens

Objective. To examine the prevalence of viral infection, passive smoke exposure, and IgE antibody to inhaled allergens in infants and children treated for acute wheezing. Design. Case-control study of actively wheezing children who were compared with children without respiratory tract symptoms. Setting. University of Virginia Pediatric Emergency Room. Patients. Convenience sample of 99 wheezing patients (2 months to 16 years of age) and 57 control patients (6 months to 16 years of age). Measurements and results. Serum IgE antibody to inhalant allergens, measured by radioallergosorbent test (RAST), was uncommon in wheezing and control patients under age 2. After 2 years of age, the percentage of RAST-positive patients increased markedly and was significantly higher in wheezing patients than controls after age 4 (72%, n = 54, and 30%, n = 40, respectively, P Conclusion. Wheezing children younger than 2 years of age had a high rate of viral infection and a low rate of IgE antibody to inhalant allergens. When these children were exposed to passive smoke, salivary cotinine levels were elevated suggesting heavy exposure. After 2 years of age, sensitization to inhaled allergens became increasingly important and viruses remained a significant risk factor for wheezing. These data support recommendations to reduce tobacco smoke exposure at home, especially for young patients, and to consider sensitization to inhaled allergens and allergen avoidance in wheezing children at an early age, particularly after age 2 years.
Validation of resistivity spectra from reinforced concrete corrosion by Kramers–Kronig transformations

Abstract In order to determine the true corrosion conditions in reinforced concrete structures, the measured impedance data must be of high quality. This paper applies Kramers–Kronig transforms (KKT) to validate the resistivity spectra measured from corrosion of reinforcing steel bar in concrete. The resistivity spectra were measured using four-electrode Wenner array that was placed on the surface of a reinforced concrete specimen. Various levels of anodic corrosion rates were applied to the sample in order to induce corrosion. This paper shows that the KKT successfully assess the quality of the data.
Relationships between dimensions of depressive experience and perceptions of the lives of people in general.

This study examines relationships between depression and perceptions of the lives of people in general. One hundred fourteen college students completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977), the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (Blatt, D'Afflitti, & Quinlan, 1976), and two instruments that asked subjects to make judgments about the frequency of various positive and negative outcomes in other people's lives. Highly Dependent and highly Self-Critical women perceived people's lives as characterized by much misfortune, failure, and unhappiness. Unexpectedly, Efficacy scores, which are negatively related to depression, were also associated with negative perceptions of people's lives in women. Among the men, overall depression was not related to perceptions of how frequently people succeed at specific, concrete life tasks, but depressed subjects perceived others as experiencing a tow level of subjective well-being. Implications for the notion of a depressive negative bias t...
Effects of Exchange Forces on the Excitation Function of Li 7 Under Proton Bombardment

In a recent paper Van Vleck gave an approximate method of estimating the effective potential due to Majorana exchange forces, which acts on a proton or neutron when they collide with a nucleus. The effective potential obtained in this manner varies with velocity. Calculations reported on here show that the effect of this variation with velocity on the shape of the excitation curve of lithium under proton bombardment is small and is of no practical importance. The position of stationary proton levels which are consistent with the excitation curve is affected seriously. Agreement of calculations with the mass defect of ${\mathrm{Be}}^{8}$ is materially improved through the use of the exchange potential. With a radius 0.35 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ cm the empirical mass defect of ${\mathrm{Be}}^{8}$ is accounted for perfectly by the calculation which simultaneously fits the excitation curve for the 8-cm particles.
Hepatitis B and serum DNA polymerase activities in chimpanzees.

THE association of hepatitis B antigen (Australia antigen, HBS Ag) in human serum with DNA polymerase activity was first reported by Hirschman et al.1. This has been confirmed and extended by Kaplan et al.2 who found DNA polymerase activity in preparations of concentrated human hepatitis B antigen which were rich in Dane particles. The DNA polymerase activity previously described by Hirschman et al., however, was considered to be dependent on an RNA template, whereas the DNA polymerase reported by Kaplan et al. appeared to be a DNA-dependent DNA polymerase.
eXtreme deployment: distributing and configuring 450 student laptops in five hours

Drew University has been recognized as a leader in Ubiquitous Computing since 1984, with the introduction of our Computer Initiative program, distributing more than 450 notebook computers to incoming students. Drew's first Windows XP implementation did not register student computers into an Active Directory domain, instead opting for an unmanaged local account, which caused many support issues. By contract, having the computers in the domain would mean that users would not need a separate password to log in locally. eXtreme Deployment was developed during the summer of 2003. Preloaded on the notebooks by the vendor, and built on open-source technologies, it identifies computers by their BIOS asset tag information and walks students through the process of joining the domain, and customizing settings for the user. With this, Drew is able to provide just-in-time personalization of student computers, without needing to pre-allocate them to specific students. The Fall 2003 computer distribution using eXtreme Deployment was a success, registering over 450 computers into our domain in five hours. We have since integrated the technology into our staff computer deployment and have found the deployment technology to be quite flexible. Our paper will further explain the development and adaptability of this technology.
Prospective evaluation of bone mineral density among middle-aged HIV-infected and uninfected women: Association between methadone use and bone loss.

Objective We undertook a prospective study to assess the impact of HIV infection on BMD in a cohort of HIV-infected and uninfected women that included illicit drug users, and to measure the contribution of traditional risk factors as well as HIV-related factors to loss of BMD over time.
Lithography Challenges for 32nm Technologies and Beyond

Advances in lithography, which have been the critical driving force behind the remarkable scaling trend of transistors and integrated circuits over several generations of process technologies, are becoming increasingly more difficult, complex and expensive. Moreover, newer lithography techniques have significant design and layout collateral which makes their implementation challenging. This paper will illustrate the lithography technologies being considered for the future, their challenges and limitations and the co-optimization needed on the device, circuit and layout fronts to facilitate continued scaling
Phospholipid metabolism in human neutrophil subfractions.

Abstract We describe a procedure for isolating human neutrophil subfractions by sucrose density centrifugation following nitrogen cavitation. Using this procedure we were able to isolate and characterize a cytosolic fraction, two separate plasma membrane-enriched fractions, and specific and azurophilic granule fractions. We used this procedure to examine the subcellular localization of the enzymes and substrates involved in the release of arachidonic acid from cellular phospholipids in response to whole cell stimulation. Whole cells were prelabeled for 2 h with [ 3 H]arachidonic acid and [ 14 C]stearic acid. When prelabeled cells were challenged with calcium ionophore A23187 (2 μ m ) for 5 min at 37 °C, each membrane-associated fraction, including both plasma membrane fractions and specific and azurophilic granule fractions, exhibited deacylation of phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). The specific granule fraction exhibited the greatest proportion of deacylation from PI while the more dense plasma membrane fraction was deacylated to a much lower extent than the other fractions. In terms of mass, the azurophilic granules deacylated the greatest amount of radiolabeled arachidonic acid. Although all membrane fractions may be sources of arachidonic acid to some extent, the azurophilic granule fraction may contain the largest pool of radiolabeled arachidonic acid that is released upon cell stimulation.
The Sweet Smell of... Helping: Effects of Pleasant Ambient Fragrance on Prosocial Behavior in Shopping Malls

In a preliminary study, passersby in a large shopping mall were significantly more likely to help a same-sex accomplice (by retrieving a dropped pen or providing change for a dollar) when these helping opportunities took place in the presence of pleasant ambient odors (e.g., baking cookies, roasting coffee) than in the absence of such odors. Participants also reported significantly higher levels of positive affect in the presence of pleasant odors. In a second study, the order in which passersby were exposed to a helping opportunity and rated their current mood was systematically varied. Results similar to those of the first study were obtained; order of task had no effect on either mood or helping, but helping was significantly greater in the presence of pleasant fragrances than in their absence. In addition, there was some evidence that fragrance-induced increments in helping were mediated by increments in positive affect.
Machine locking of degenerated thin shell elements

The degenerated shell element is one of the most efficient elements for analysing shell structures. However, it is known to result in rather stiff models when used in thin element applications. The phenomena associated with this behaviour are known as locking phenomena. This paper analyses the machine locking mechanism developed in thin to very thin Lagrangian and serendipity elements. The machine related locking phenomenon is distinguished from the shear and membrane locking phenomena. A remedy for the pure machine locking problem is developed for the two elements. The proposed remedy is based on the technique of the modified transverse shear modulus. It is also extended to control shear locking. The proposed technique is shown to completely eliminate machine locking. Also, it is shown to effectively alleviate stiffening effects due to the presence of spurious shear strain.
Climate and Weather Impact Timing of Emergence of Bats

Interest in forecasting impacts of climate change have heightened attention in recent decades to how animals respond to variation in climate and weather patterns. One difficulty in determining animal response to climate variation is lack of long-term datasets that record animal behaviors over decadal scales. We used radar observations from the national NEXRAD network of Doppler weather radars to measure how group behavior in a colonially-roosting bat species responded to annual variation in climate and daily variation in weather over the past 11 years. Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) form dense aggregations in cave roosts in Texas. These bats emerge from caves daily to forage at high altitudes, which makes them detectable with Doppler weather radars. Timing of emergence in bats is often viewed as an adaptive trade-off between emerging early and risking predation or increased competition and emerging late which restricts foraging opportunities. We used timing of emergence from five maternity colonies of Brazilian free-tailed bats in south-central Texas during the peak lactation period (15 June–15 July) to determine whether emergence behavior was associated with summer drought conditions and daily temperatures. Bats emerged significantly earlier during years with extreme drought conditions than during moist years. Bats emerged later on days with high surface temperatures in both dry and moist years, but there was no relationship between surface temperatures and timing of emergence in summers with normal moisture levels. We conclude that emergence behavior is a flexible animal response to climate and weather conditions and may be a useful indicator for monitoring animal response to long-term shifts in climate.
Comparing neuropsychological and psychiatric evaluation of competency in rehabilitation: a case example

This report describes the case of a 20-year-old man who sustained a gunshot wound to the forehead, resulting in traumatic brain injury and C2 ventilator-dependent quadriplegia. Issues of personal control and autonomy typified his psychological adjustment. The question of competency to refuse medical treatment arose when he disallowed intervention for a suspected ear infection not confirmed by culture. Subsequently, the patient was alternately described as incompetent by a psychiatrist and competent by a medical ethics review panel. These decisions are interpreted within the context of existing medical-legal literature and historical precedent of competency in civil law. Central to competency evaluation is the patient's ability to recognize that a decision-making process is required, to review the pros and cons of various options, and to communicate a decision. Importantly, this decision need not be in accordance with the opinion of family or the health care team. Neuropsychological screening indicated the patient's cognitive abilities were within functional limits, and he subsequently agreed to treatment after experiencing pain and fever, and learning of a positive culture. It is concluded that a two-pronged neuropsychological evaluation of competency based on the patient's information processing capabilities is most appropriate in medical rehabilitation settings.
Thermal fracture of bonded dissimilar media containing a penny-shaped crack

The problem of uniform heat flow disturbed by an insulated penny-shaped crack along the common plane between two semi-infinite elastic media with different thermo-mechanical properties is formulated in terms of two potential functions in a half-space which in turn is reduced to a plane problem solvable by Muskhelishvili's method in complex function theory. Explicit expressions for the stress-intensity factors and the local stress field are derived and used in conjunction with Griffith's energy criterion to obtain the critical temperature gradient which motivates and produces initial crack extension along the bonding surface. The stress analysis involved is also applicable to a penny-shaped crack between two dissimilar solids under shear loadings.
Alternating Minimization as Sequential Unconstrained Minimization: A Survey

Sequential unconstrained minimization is a general iterative method for minimizing a function over a given set. At each step of the iteration we minimize the sum of the objective function and an auxiliary function. The aim is to select the auxiliary functions so that, at least, we get convergence in function value to the constrained minimum. The SUMMA is a broad class of these methods for which such convergence holds. Included in the SUMMA class are the barrier-function methods, entropic and other proximal minimization algorithms, the simultaneous multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique, and, after some reformulation, penalty-function methods. The alternating minimization method of Csiszar and Tusnady also falls within the SUMMA class, whenever their five-point property holds. Therefore, the expectation maximization maximum likelihood algorithm for the Poisson case is also in the SUMMA class.
Thomas Colledge: a pioneering British eye surgeon in China.

Popular opinion of medical missionaries has undergone wide swings during the last 2 centuries. Individuals who traveled far from home, often into dangerous territory to spread their religious faith in conjunction with medical care, have been both praised enthusiastically for their benevolent work, and castigated as pompous, presumptuous, and overly pious. 1(vii) Considering the enormous effect these Europeans and Americans had in Asia, Africa, and South America, they are little remembered today.
Sri Lanka: The Invention of Enmity, by David Little. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace Press, 1992, xxviii + 176 pp. $14.95

For over two millennia, the Buddhists and Hindus of Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) lived together in relative peace. But in the twentieth century, this small island republic off the coast of India has been wracked by recurrent violence and ethnic tension.Especially since independence in 1948, the majority Sinhalese population, predominantly Buddhist, and the Tamil minority, mainly Hindu and some Muslims, have competed fiercely over questions of rate, language, religion, and political control. Several revisions of the constitution have failed to resolve these issues, and the post-independence period has witnessed horrific riots, guerrilla movements on both sides, and pro-government death squads, as well as a peace-keeping effort by Indian forces to try to protect the Tamil minority and to resolve the dispute.What role does religion in fact play in the conflict, and what can be done to reduce the level of tension and violence in Sri Lanka? This volume addresses those questions by examining the sources of this intense conflict; the political, legal, and nongovernmental efforts at reconciliation; and the prospects for a settlement."
SYNTHESIS AND CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF A NOVEL MIXED VALENCE IRON COMPOUND, [(η5-CYCLOPENTADIENYL)(η6-TETRALIN) Fe(II)]3[Fe(III)(NCS)6]

Abstract The title compound was encountered in the course of preparing [(η5-C5H5)(η6-C10H12)Fe]SCN from [(η5-C5H5)(η6-C10H12)Fe]PF6. The mixed valence iron compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with four formula units per unit cell. There are three crystallographically independent cations and two anions (each residing on a center of inversion) in the asymmetric unit. Lattice constants are a = 17.231(7), b = 18.167(6), c = 16.572(7) A, and β = 97.86(4)°.
Daily animal exposure and children’s biological concepts

A large body of research has focused on the developmental trajectory of children's acquisition of a theoretically coherent naive biology. However, considerably less work has focused on how specific daily experiences shape the development of children's knowledge about living things. In the current research, we investigated one common experience that might contribute to biological knowledge development during early childhood-pet ownership. In Study 1, we investigated how children interact with pets by observing 24 preschool-aged children with their pet cats or dogs and asking parents about their children's daily involvement with the pets. We found that most of young children's observed and reported interactions with their pets are reciprocal social interactions. In Study 2, we tested whether children who have daily social experiences with animals are more likely to attribute biological properties to animals than children without pets. Both 3- and 5-year-olds with pets were more likely to attribute biological properties to animals than those without pets. Similarly, both older and younger children with pets showed less anthropocentric patterns of extension of novel biological information. The results suggest that having pets may facilitate the development of a more sophisticated, human-inclusive representation of animals.
On the accuracy of the Green-Rivlin representation for viscoelastic materials

Abstract The applicability of the Green-Rivlin representation for non-linear viscoelastic materials is investigated by taking the errors of the experimental data into account. Two bounds for the relative error of the relaxation or creep kernel functions have been obtained as a function of measurement errors. The analysis shows that the kernels are very sensitive to experimental errors. Moreover, when the number of terms in the integral expansion is increased, so is the error. The theoretical estimates are compared with the errors obtained when using experimental data of a Lexan-polycarbonate polymer. The comparison is satisfactory for one of the bounds, at least in this particular case.
High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of pyrazoloacridine, a nitro-9-methoxyacridine anticancer agent, in human plasma

Pyrazoloacridine (PZA) is a 9-methoxy substituted acridine with a reducible nitro group. PZA has shown selective solid tumor cytotoxicity with activity against hypoxic cells, non-cycling cells and cells expressing the multidrug resistant phenotype. A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay was developed and validated for the determination of PZA in human plasma to support phase II clinical trials. PZA and ethyl orange, the internal standard, were isolated from human plasma by precipitating plasma proteins with methanol, and centrifuging to pellet the proteins. The resulting supernatant was injected onto a cyanopropyl HPLC column eluted isocratically with a mobile phase consisting of 125 mM ammonium acetate buffer pH 4.75-acetonitrile (76:24, v/v). A single wavelength at 460 nm was used for detection. Relative standard deviations for the assay ranged from 5.0% to 12.2% for four different drug concentrations and the limit of quantitation was 100 ng/ml. During the validation short term stability of the drug in plasma and stability of PZA on repeated freezing and thawing of plasma was evaluated. Overall recovery of PZA was 88%. This simple assay was found suitable for studying the clinical pharmacokinetics of PZA.
The frequency in Japanese of genetic variants of 22 proteins: V. Summary and comparison with data on Caucasians from the British Isles

Summary The frequencies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki of rare variants (represented in less than 2 % of the individuals surveyed) is summarized for a series of 22 proteins (25 polypeptides). The average number of persons examined for each protein was 3312. There are three pairs of homologous proteins in the series: PGM, and PGM, CA I and CA 11, and HGB A and A,. Only for the first pair is there a significant difference between the two in the total frequency and number of different kinds of variants; it is suggested this may reflect differences in the mutation rates of the corresponding structural genes. For 23 of these polypeptides, comparable data are available for British Caucasians. The average frequency of variants for loci in common in the two series is 2.0/1000 person determinations for Japanese and 1.6/1000 for Caucasoids. At two loci (PGMl and PHI) there were significantly more variants in Japanese than in British; these two loci account for the greater average frequency of variants in Japanese. However, a conservative comparison of number of diflerent variants (electromorphs) encountered, using the 0 statistic of Ewens (1972), yields no significant difference for any of the 22 possible contrasts. The potential usefulness of data of this type in reaching conclusions regarding comparability of mutation rates in two populations is discussed. For the present, the fact that one electromorph may shelter multiple different amino acid substitutions in a protein limits the inferences to be drawn from such contrasts. It is 8 pleasure to acknowledge our indebtedness to Dr Peter Smouse and Dr Warren Ewens for statistical consultations, but responsibility for the tentative interpretations is entirely our own.
Economic Education in an International Context

The authors explain the purpose and context for the 2009 International Symposium on Economic Education that was the source for articles on four nations with relatively developed systems for economic education: Australia, England, Japan, and Korea. The authors highlight several key comparisons from the four articles that appear in this Journal of Economic Education issue.
Deep-water chlorophyll concentration global time series fluctuation

The deep water chlorophyll concentration fluctuation from 2003 to 2007 has been studied using fractal analysis. The SeaWiFS global daily mean chlorophyll concentration time series were used. The Higuchi fractal algorithm was used to calculate fractal dimension, which is given by the slope of an associated length versus the lag. Short range fluctuation investigation using a six point slope gives fractal dimensions from 1.80 to 1.85, suggesting the presence of correlation, which was confirmed by computer simulations. The gradual increase of fractal dimension to 1.9 in about 15 lag-days suggests that a long-range de-correlation mechanism favoring random fluctuation is present. The 2007 times series shows a relatively low overall fractal dimension and exhibits a peculiar multi-fractal behavior. This phenomenon and the observed low accumulated cyclone energy in 2007 support the interpretation that cyclone energy can promote deep-water chlorophyll concentration fluctuation. A regression of fractal dimension at 10 lag-days versus the log of cyclone energy gives an R2 value of 0.75 (N = 5)., which suggests the presence of additional or related de-correlation mechanisms.
Diagnosis and Nomenclature of the Disorders of the Terminal Portion of the Aldosterone Biosynthetic Pathway

Abstract The abnormal steroid pattern in an inborn error in aldosterone biosynthesis consists of overproduction of glomerulosa zone 18-hydroxycorticosterone relative to aldosterone. The normal values for the excretory ratio of the major umiary metabolites of these two steroids are presented to provide a basis for the diagnosis of abnormalities in their ratio. The production of glomerulosa zone 18-hydroxycorticosterone relative to aldosterone is remarkably constant over a large range of absolute values, except in the disorder involving the terminal portion of the aldosterone biosynthetic pathway for which the term corticosterone methyl oxidase defect, Type 2, is suggested.
Polish Sovietology in the Lead-up to the Cold War

After the Bolsheviks took power in Russia, some of the closest study of the new Communist regime and Soviet state was conducted by Polish scholars, whose country had a long history of troubled relations with Russia. Polish scholars had long been studying the Tsarist regime, but the advent of Soviet rule forced major adjustments. Some of the literature that emerged in Poland about the Soviet Union was perceptive, but other works were warped by anti-Semitism and an obsession with alleged Bolshevik-Judeo conspiracies. By the time of World War II, a substantial body of expertise about the USSR had accumulated in Poland. The war and the subsequent establishment of Soviet hegemony largely brought an end to this tradition, which could not truly be revived until after 1989.
Motivational specificity of the signal value of odor cues

The performance of the laboratory rat in the enclosed maze apparatus is profoundly influenced by subject-generated cues that seem to be olfactory. The present experiment investigated the specificity of these cues. Odor cues produced by odor-donor rats placed in the startbox were ineffective determinants of the behavior of runway-trained rats when the deprivation states of these two groups differed. However, when the deprivation states of these two groups coincided, the odor cues produced by the odor-donor rats became effective determinants of performance. Thus, it would appear that even though odor cues are influential in determining the runway performance of the rat subject, their effectiveness may well be drive-state dependent.
Syndrome of androgen insensitivity in man: absence of 5α dihydrotestosterone binding protein in skin fibroblasts

ABSTRACT A method has been developed for measuring specific DHT binding in cultured human skin fibroblasts. Initial studies indicate that about one half of the measured bindingis nuclear and the rest cytoplasmic. The amount of binding per cell and the dissociation constant measured in normal fibroblasts is comparable to reported values for prostatic tissue. No appreciable DHT binding was detectable in fibroblasts from androgen insensitive patients. Deficiency of DHT binding protein (s) could account for the syndrome of androgen insensitivity (testicular feminization) in man.
Does the binding of cyclosporine to calmodulin result in immunosuppression

The cyclosporines are a family of cyclic endecapeptides that cause a profound suppression of primary immune stimulation both in vitro and in vivo. Recently, the regulatory protein calmodulin (CaM) has been implicated as a target for cyclosporin A (CsA) binding. This study utilized two less-active isomers of CsA to evaluate the specificity and biological significance of CaM binding. The three cyclosporines exhibited equivalent in vitro binding to CaM, regardless of immunosuppressive activity. Furthermore, CaM-dependent enzyme systems were inhibited equally by active and inactive cyclosporines, but only at concentrations 100 times those necessary to block lymphocyte activation. Thus the exquisite immunosuppressive stereospecificity displayed by cyclosporine isomers is not reflected in the binding to and inhibition of CaM, suggesting that inhibition of CaM-dependent processes is not sufficient to explain the immunosuppressive activity of CsA.