cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure of Binary Liquid Mixtures. II. Resistivity of Alloys and the Ion-Ion Interaction

We have applied the analytic partial structure factors ${S}_{\mathrm{ij}}(K)$ developed in an earlier work to a study of the resistivity of binary alloys. We find the substitutional model to hold reasonably well, provided that it is modified to incorporate the volume dependence of the pseudopotentials. Deviation from this model can be accounted for by changing the hard-sphere ratio $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ [used in obtaining ${S}_{\mathrm{ij}}(K)$] from unity. Such a deviation is non-negligible in Na-K, for example, and is obtained by a calculation of the ion-ion interaction in the alloys. This interaction has been calculated for a number of other alloys as well. Some discussion of the Hg amalgams is also given.
Contemporary Art: World Currents in Transition Beyond Globalization

An edited transcript of a colloquium between Terry Smith, Mellon Professor of Contemporary Art History and Theory at the University of Pittsburgh, and Saloni Mathur, Associate Professor of the History of Art, University of California, Los Angeles, held at the Department of the History of Art and Architecture, University of Pittsburgh, on October 17, 2012.
Political Insulation, Information Exchange, and Interest Group Access to the Bureaucracy

Under political uncertainty, legislative coalitions have incentives to insulate policy from future coalitions. While there is evidence of legislators' use of agency design to insulate the bureaucracy from elected officials, little is known about the ultimate consequences of such design choices on the policy participation of interest groups. How such design choices affect group access is important because of the centrality of groups in providing both bureaucratic accountability and information for policy development. Accordingly, we examine the consequences of the so-called “insulation game” on group access to the bureaucracy. We develop an information exchange theory that portrays the impact of agency design choices on group-reported access as a function of the level of design-induced political insulation and the quality of the information offered by a given group. We test our theory with two original datasets that include design parameters of US state environmental agencies and survey data measuring reported agency access by state-level interest groups. Our results suggest that insulating agencies via design does lead to lower reported access to regulators by interest groups, but only among those groups who supply less valuable information.
“Weathering” HOPE VI: The Importance of Evaluating the Population Health Impact of Public Housing Demolition and Displacement

HOPE VI has funded the demolition of public housing developments across the United States and created in their place mixed-income communities that are often inaccessible to the majority of former tenants. This recent uprooting of low-income, urban, and predominantly African American communities raises concern about the health impacts of the HOPE VI program for a population that already shoulders an enormous burden of excess morbidity and mortality. In this paper, we rely on existing literature about HOPE VI relocation to evaluate the program from the perspective of weathering—a biosocial process hypothesized by Geronimus to underlie early health deterioration and excess mortality observed among African Americans. Relying on the weathering framework, we consider the effects of HOPE VI relocation on the material context of urban poverty, autonomous institutions that are health protective, and on the broader discourse surrounding urban poverty. We conclude that relocated HOPE VI residents have experienced few improvements to the living conditions and economic realities that are likely sources of stress and illness among this population. Additionally, we find that relocated residents must contend with these material realities, without the health-protective, community-based social resources that they often rely on in public housing. Finally, we conclude that by disregarding the significance of health-protective autonomous institutions and by obscuring the structural context that gave rise to racially segregated public housing projects, the discourse surrounding HOPE VI is likely to reinforce health-demoting stereotypes of low-income urban African American communities. Given the potential for urban and housing policies to negatively affect the health of an already vulnerable population, we argue that a health-equity perspective is a critical component of future policy conversations.
Escape from the acute Wolff-Chaikoff effect is associated with a decrease in thyroid sodium/iodide symporter messenger ribonucleic acid and protein.

In 1948, Wolff and Chaikoff reported that organic binding of iodide in the thyroid was decreased when plasma iodide levels were elevated (acute Wolff-Chaikoff effect), and that adaptation or escape from the acute effect occurred in approximately 2 days, in the presence of continued high plasma iodide concentrations. We later demonstrated that the escape is attributable to a decrease in iodide transport into the thyroid, lowering the intrathyroidal iodine content below a critical inhibitory threshold and allowing organification of iodide to resume. We have now measured the rat thyroid sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels, in response to both chronic and acute iodide excess, in an attempt to determine the mechanism responsible for the decreased iodide transport. Rats were given 0.05% NaI in their drinking water for 1 and 6 days in the chronic experiments, and a single 2000-μg dose of NaI ip in the acute experiments. Serum was collected for iodine and hormone measurements, an...
Ship-Owners and the Twenty-First Century Somali Pirate: The Business Ethics of Ransom Payment

The attacks on commercial shipping vessels by Somali pirates have introduced a business dilemma for ship-owners. While maritime piracy has been outlawed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, ship-owners must determine whether to pay ransom demands to Somali pirates or not. There is no easy answer to solve this ethical dilemma for ship-owners and other interest groups, however, this article proposes a solution which takes into account all of the parties involved.
Toward the Finite-Time Blowup of the 3D Axisymmetric Euler Equations: A Numerical Investigation

Whether the three-dimensional incompressible Euler equations can develop a singularity in finite time from smooth initial data is one of the most challenging problems in mathematical fluid dynamics. This work attempts to provide an affirmative answer to this long-standing open question from a numerical point of view by presenting a class of potentially singular solutions to the Euler equations computed in axisymmetric geometries. The solutions satisfy a periodic boundary condition along the axial direction and a no-flow boundary condition on the solid wall. The equations are discretized in space using a hybrid 6th-order Galerkin and 6th-order finite difference method on specially designed adaptive (moving) meshes that are dynamically adjusted to the evolving solutions. With a maximum effective resolution of over (3 x 10^(12))^2 near the point of the singularity, we are able to advance the solution up to tau_2 = 0.003505 and predict a singularity time of t(s) approximate to 0.0035056, while achieving a pointwise relative error of O(10^(-4)) in the vorticity vector. and observing a (3 x 10^8)-fold increase in the maximum vorticity parallel to omega parallel to(infinity). The numerical data are checked against all major blowup/non-blowup criteria, including Beale-Kato-Majda, Constantin-Fefferman-Majda, and Deng-Hou-Yu, to confirm the validity of the singularity. A local analysis near the point of the singularity also suggests the existence of a self-similar blowup in the meridian plane.
Monocular Cues Control Binocular Alignment

By haploscopic presentation of lines in various orientations, holding overall binocular percept constant, it was experimentally demonstrated that monocular cues control the stability of the alignment of the eyes.
Counseling Without Assuming Free Will

Assumptions are presented that might permit the counselor simultaneously to (1) assume that human behavior is completely determined by causal factors and (2) provide an atmosphere for choice to take place, encourage students to make choices, reward students positively if he thinks best—in short, to carry on the usual range of counseling activities. The deterministic assumption has not been empirically proven or refuted, but it appears to be both internally consistent and not in conflict with any customary counseling approaches.
THE CURRENT STATE OF SOCIAL THEORY: AN INTRODUCTION

The following papers represent a selection from presentations made to the Theory Session of the 1995 Annual Meetings of the American Sociological Association in Washington, D.C. The papers document the broad diversity of styles and topics of sociological theorizing. While this diversity appears to many as an impediment to science and paradigmatic closure, others celebrate it as a sign of intellectual liveliness and excitement. Without taking sides in this debate, one can appreciate the range of the papers published here, and one may even discern some commonalities, such as the attempt to bridge the gaps between various ideological camps and perspectives. If anything, what holds this collection together is a willingness to engage a variety of arguments, and to listen to what other schools of thought have to offer. In my view, this is the foremost task of theory today, for theory is uniquely equipped to detect unity in diversity. Without this effort, sociology is in danger of disintegrating altogether.
MTI and Landsat detection of ponded water on arid southwest playas

Although playas are specifically mentioned as protected in Federal regulations regarding the Clean Water Act, there is a lack of supporting evidence describing basic concepts relevant to vegetation, soils, and hydrology for the purposes of establishing a scientifically sound method of playa delineation. To date no hydrological studies have attempted to describe the frequency and duration associated with ponded water on desert playa systems. This study analyzed the duration and frequency of inundation on hard playas in the western Mojave Desert on Edwards Air Force Base, CA during the wet season (Oct.-Mar.) using satellite imagery over the last 19 years and precipitation records over the last 59 years. Our results indicate that ponding on these playas, lasting at least 16 days, occurs with a frequency of 0.51 or every other year. Average precipitation needed to initiate ponding is 8.29 cm. Years in which ponding was verified for 16 days between October and March could also be verified for ponding for at least 16 days during the growing season (Mar.-Nov.). Total duration of ponding through the wet season was found to range between 1 and 32 weeks with a second order non-linear relationship between length of inundation and total rainfall during the wet season.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
In search of lasting principles for designing interactive systems

Any area of research and education aims to build a body of validated knowledge (facts, theories, models, rules of thumb, etc.) that can form a stable foundation for practice, education and continued research. For the field of Designing Interactive Systems, what are the lasting principles that form the basis of our understanding of complex design problems and provide guidance to designers? In this talk, we will suggest some lasting principles for the Design of Interactive Systems.A unifying theme is the idea that interactive systems assume or contain conceptual models of the worlds with which they interact and in which they perform their functions. The critical success factors for interactive systems - how they achieve their goals, align with their environments, adapt to changing requirements, recover from errors, etc. - depend on the development of these conceptual models as much as on the development of the code. This perspective has consequences for the users, designers and sponsors of the artifacts we design. The talk will explore the role of models and modeling in the analysis, design, deployment and evolution of systems.
Susceptibility of zebra fish Danio rerio to infection by Flavobacterium columnare and F. johnsoniae.

Flavobacterium columnare is a serious pathogen in a wide range of fish species. F. johnsoniae is an opportunistic pathogen of certain fish. Both are gliding bacteria. These species were tested for their ability to infect the zebra fish Danio rerio. Both injection and bath infection methods were tested. The results indicate that F. johnsoniae is not an effective pathogen in D. rerio, but that F. columnare is an effective pathogen. F. johnsoniae did not cause increased death rates following bath infection, but did cause increased death rates following injection, with an LD 50 (mean lethal dose) of approximately 3 x 10 10 cfu (colony-forming units). Non-motile mutants of F. johnsoniae produced a similar LD 50 . F. columnare caused increased death rates following both injection and bath infections. There was considerable strain variation in LD 50 , with the most lethal strain tested producing an LD 50 of 3.2 x 10 6 cfu injected and 1.1 x 10 6 cfu ml -1 in bath experiments, including skin damage. The LD 50 of F. columnare in zebra fish without skin damage was >1 x 10 8 , indicating an important effect of skin damage.
Current densities measured in human models exposed to 60-Hz electric fields

This paper gives current densities measured in homogeneous grounded human models exposed to vertical, 60-Hz electric fields. The methods used for these measurements were validated by measuring the current densities induced in a grounded hemisphere and in a grounded prolate hemispheroid; agreement between measurement and theory was good. For an unperturbed field strength of 10 kV/m, current densities measured in the human chest were in the range 125-300 nA/cmS. A strong horizontal current-density enhancement was observed in the axillae, with peak values of about 400 nA/cmS. The vertical current density in the arms, when held downward, was in the opposite direction to that in the chest. Current densities in the abdomen, pelvis, and legs were a strong function of whether the body was grounded through one or both feet. With one foot grounded, the horizontal current density in the lower pelvic region, just above the crotch, was 770 nA/cmS. This value was the largest of those measured in the head, arms, or torso of the human model. Scaling factors derived from these data and similar data for animals will provide a quantitative basis for comparing animal and human exposure to 60-Hz electric fields. In addition, current-density data given in thismore » paper can be directly extrapolated to higher frequencies, at least to 1 MHz. 29 references, 8 figures, 3 tables.« less
An optimization approach to plan for reusable software components

Abstract It is well acknowledged in software engineering that there is a great potential for accomplishing significant productivity improvements through the implementation of a successful software reuse program. On the other hand, such gains are attainable only by instituting detailed action plans at both the organizational and program level. Given this need, the paucity of research papers related to planning, and in particular, optimized planning is surprising. This research, which is aimed at this gap, brings out an application of optimization for the planning of reusable software components (SCs). We present a model that selects a set of SCs that must be built, in order to lower development and adaptation costs. We also provide implications to project management based on simulation, an approach that has been adopted by other cost models in the software engineering literature. Such a prescriptive model does not exist in the literature.
Right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia: high utilization of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and high survival.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the treatment strategies and outcome of right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (R-CDH), particularly extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Methods: We reviewed the cases of 42 patients treated for R-CDH at our institution from 1991 to 2006. We gathered demographic information, documented ECMO use and the type of surgical repair, and compared outcomes with predicted survival as calculated by the CDH Study Group's equation. Results: Of the 35 patients included in our statistical analysis (7 were excluded), 12 (34%) were born at our institution, all of whom were prenatally diagnosed with R-CDH. Nineteen patients (54%) required ECMO therapy. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was initiated after repair of the R-CDH in 2 patients (11%). Of those patients who went on ECMO before repair, 4 patients (21%) were repaired on ECMO, 9 patients (47%) underwent repair after ECMO, and 4 patients (21%) underwent ECMO but died before their R-CDH could be repaired. Primary repair of the diaphragm was possible in 15 cases (56%), and primary closure of the abdominal incision was possible in 15 of the 23 open repairs (65%). The mean predicted survival for all 35 patients was 63%, whereas 28 (80%) actually survived. Logistic regression showed a significant association between the presence of cardiac defects and mortality (odds ratio = 0.008, P = .014). Conclusions: Our data suggest that patients with R-CDH have high ECMO utilization and may experience greater relative benefit from ECMO as evidenced by their higher-than-expected overall survival. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may be found to have a distinctive role in managing R-CDH. More high-powered series are needed to elucidate differences between R-CDH and left-sided CDH that may dictate alternate forms of management.
The genetic basis of Cowden’s syndrome: three novel mutations in PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1

Cowden’s syndrome (CS) is an autosomal dominant disorder associated with an increased risk of developing benign and malignant tumors in a variety of tissues, including the skin, thyroid, breast and brain. Women with CS are felt to have an increased risk of developing breast cancer, and virtually all women with CS develop bilateral fibrocystic disease of the breast. Recently, a series of germline mutations have been identified from CS families in a gene known as PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1. In this study, we used heteroduplex analysis and direct sequencing analysis and identified three novel germline mutations in the PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1 coding sequence from unrelated individuals with CS. We report a de novo transition (T→C) at nucleotide 335 in exon 5. This missense mutation resulted in a leucine to proline (CTA to CCA) change at codon 112. We also describe a novel splice site mutation (801+2T→G) in intron 7 that caused exon skipping in PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1 mRNA. The third mutation we report is a missense mutation, consisting of a transition (T→C) at nucleotide 202 in exon 3, resulting in a tyrosine to histidine (TAC to CAC) change at codon 68. Finally, we also detected a rare polymorphism in exon 7 of the PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1 coding sequence. These data confirm the observation that mutations of the PTEN/MMAC1/ TEP1 coding sequence are responsible for at least some cases of CS, and further define the spectrum of mutations in this autosomal dominant disorder.
Structural Approaches to Health Promotion What Do We Need to Know About Policy and Environmental Change

Although the public health literature has increasingly called on practitioners to implement changes to social, environmental, and political structures as a means of improving population health, recent research suggests that articles evaluating organization, community, or policy changes are more limited than those focused on programs with individuals or their social networks. Even when these approaches appear promising, we do not fully understand whether they will benefit all population groups or can be successful in the absence of accompanying individually oriented programs. The role of this broad category of approaches, including both policy and environmental changes, in decreasing health disparities is also unclear, often benefiting some communities more than others. Finally, the political nature of policy and environmental change, including the impact on personal autonomy, raises questions about the appropriate role for public health professionals in advancing specific policies and practices that alter the conditions in which people live. This article addresses these issues and ends with a series of questions about the effectiveness and ethical implementation of what we have termed "structural initiatives."
Exergy and industrial ecology—Part 1: An exergy-based definition of consumption and a thermodynamic interpretation of ecosystem evolution

Abstract A central theme of industrial ecology (IE) is the idea of using the cyclical resource-use patterns observed in mature, biological ecosystems as a model for designing increasingly mature ‘industrial ecosystems’ whose productivity relies less on resource extraction and waste emission. In this two part series, we will use a thermodynamic interpretation of ecosystem evolution to strengthen this biological–industrial (B–I) ecosystem analogy. We begin by describing limitations in the current analogy and discussing resulting implications for the development and implementation of IE principles. We propose that these limitations arise largely from a poor definition of resource consumption. We then show that defining resource consumption as a process of removing exergy from a resource provides a basis for interpreting ecosystem evolution as a process of allowing consumption to occur with decreasing levels of depletion, i.e., a process of ‘de-linking’ consumption and depletion. We use thermodynamic principles to deduce the limitations and interrelation of several strategies for de-linking consumption and depletion. Lastly, we explore the benefits and limitations of using the proposed interpretation of ecosystem evolution as an analogy for the development of industrial systems.
1259 GLYCOHEMOGLOBIN BY AFFINITY CHROMATOGRAPHY: A THIRTY MINUTE PROCEDURE IN CLINIC

The utility of glycohemoglobin (GHb) in the management of diabetes mellitus (DM) is undisputed. Clinical decisions frequently are deferred 3-5 days until the GHb results are available; hence, follow-up instructions must be given by telephone or letter. The delay and lack of personal attention may markedly reduce compliance; conversely, postponing new recommendations until the next evaluation may reduce the utility of GHb to a mere academic exercise. We evaluated affinity chromatography (AC) for the possibility of obtaining GHb results while the patients were in the clinic. From 23 children with insulin dependent DM, 25 ul of blood was collected by a fingerstick and GHb was measured by AC. Results for up to 5 specimens were available in 30 minutes. A venous blood specimen was collected simultaneously from the same 23 children and HbA1c was measured by high pressure liquid chromatography after removal of labile fraction (LF). A remarkable correlation was found between the two methods (r = 0.89). The study was repeated 2 months later and similar results were obtained (r = 0.91, n = 25). Even though LF was not removed in AC, the correlation between the two methods indicates that LF may only be an insignificant portion of total GHb. The AC was less expensive than the conventional methods and was more acceptable to the children as venipuncture was not required. We conclude that the utility of GHb may be improved in clinical practice utilizing AC, as prompt results can be obtained at less expense without the necessity of a venipuncture.
HIV-Associated Nephropathy: Case Study and Review of the Literature

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-seropositive patients are at risk for the development of a variety of acute and chronic renal diseases. The most common cause of chronic renal failure in HIV-1-seropositive patients is HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN). HIVAN occurs almost exclusively in black patients and the majority of published cases are of patients who present with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This disease is currently the third leading cause of end-stage renal disease in blacks aged 20-64. Because HIV-1-seropositive patients may develop a wide variety of acute and chronic renal diseases, definitive diagnosis requires renal biopsy. Emerging data suggest a direct role of HIV-1 infection of kidney cells in the pathogenesis of HIVAN. There have been no well-controlled clinical trials in the treatment of HIVAN. The therapeutic agents with the most promise are angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and antiretroviral medications. Long-term renal prognosis may be changing in the setting of improved aggressive antiretroviral therapy. Patient survival is determined primarily by the stage of HIV-1 infection. In this article, we present the case history of a patient who developed HIVAN. We then review the current literature concerning the epidemiology, differential diagnosis, etiology, and treatment of HIVAN.
A Criterion for Evaluating the Thermal Stability of Glasses

To evaluate the stability of glasses, a new criterion kf(T) = ν exp[−E/RT·(Tp − Tf)/Tf] is proposed, where Tf is the inflection point temperature and Tp is the maximum peak temperature on the differential thermal analysis curves. Not only the kinetic parameters of the crystallization of glasses, namely, activation energy, E, and frequency factor, ν, but also a thermodynamic factor (Tp − Tf)/Tf have been taken into account in the kf(T) criterion. A higher value of kf(T) means a poor stability of glasses. Two glasses with the compositions of Li2O·2SiO2 and Li2O·1.5SiO2 were prepared by the conventional melting process and the validity of the proposed criterion is ascertained by applying it on these glasses. The stability of these two glasses was also evaluated by the existing criteria. The results indicate that all existing criteria are either affected by the heating rate or they are not suitable for evaluating the stability of these glasses. On the contrary, the new criterion is independent of the heating ...
Prophylactic antibiotic use in clean, uncontaminated neck dissection

A recent report in the literature cites a 10% wound infection rate for clean, uncontaminated neck dissections in patients who did not receive antibiotic prophylaxis as compared with a 3.3% infection rate in patients who received prophylactic antibiotics. Although a trend favoring antibiotic prophylaxis was identified, the duration of therapy was not considered. The present analysis addresses this issue. The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 120 patients who underwent clean, uncontaminated neck dissections over a 3-year period (July 1989 through May 1992) for variables related to wound infections. Radiation therapy had previously been used in 70% of these patients. Group 1 (31 patients) received 24 hours of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis, and group 2 (89 patients) received antibiotic prophylaxis until the suction drains were removed (usually 4 or 5 days after surgery). No perioperative wound infections occurred in either group. The authors concluded that perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis for 24 hours is sufficient to prevent wound infections in clean, uncontaminated neck dissections.
A new method for endoscopic closure of gastrocolonic fistula: novel application of a cardiac septal defect closure device (with video)

Background Gastrocolonic fistula after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy PEG tube placement is an uncommon but serious complication. These fistulous tracts are often fibrotic and frequently require surgical intervention. Objective To describe a novel endoscopic treatment for gastrocolonic fistula. Design Case report. Setting Inpatient hospital setting. Patient An 82-year-old woman was seen 1 year after PEG placement with feculent vomiting; imaging studies showed a gastrocolonic fistula. Cardiopulmonary comorbidities posed an unacceptable surgical risk. Endoscopic attempts at fistula closure with hemoclip placement and biodegradable plug were unsuccessful. Total parenteral nutrition resulted in multiple metabolic and infectious complications. Intervention Gastrocolonic fistula closure was performed twice by using cardiac septal defect closure devices. The first closure was achieved by using the Amplatzer double-disk nitinol wire mesh atrial septal defect closure device, which was deployed under endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance across the fistula tract. The proximal disk was then injected with cyanoacrylate glue to create a watertight seal. The second closure, performed 4 months later after collapse of the initial device, was performed by using the CardioSEAL septal repair implant. This was secured in place with hemoclips and similarly injected with cyanoacrylate glue to create a watertight seal. Main Outcome Measurements Fistula closure, as determined by contrast gastrogram through a PEG tube and gastrograffin enema. Results Successful fistula closure was achieved for 4 months after initial device placement. After the second device was placed, the patient remained clinically well until her demise 18 months later from unrelated causes. Limitations These procedures were performed on only one subject. Conclusions Successful endoscopic closure of gastrocolonic fistula can be achieved, even with long-standing, fibrotic fistulous tracts by using a novel endoscopic approach.
Identification and partial characterization of the xanthine oxidase transitions of the milk fat globule membrane

Differential scanning calorimetry of bovine milk fat globule membranes (MFGM) yields five to eight transitions, depending on the conditions employed during isolation and assay of the membranes. Transitions A, B, and C were shown in a previous publication to derive from lipid melting, while transition D was found to stem from the unfolding of a structural protein termed butyrophilin [K. C. Appell, T. W. Kennan, and P. S. Low (1982) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 690, 243-250]. In this report we present evidence that the E1, E2, and F endotherms derive from the major MFGM protein, xanthine oxidase. Support for this contention derives from (i) thermal gel analysis; (ii) thermal inactivation analysis; (iii) comparison of the calorimetric properties of endotherms I, II, and III of purified xanthine oxidase with transitions E1, E2, and F of MFGM; (iv) comparison of the properties of a peculiar exotherm in scans of both the purified enzyme and MFGM; and (v) examination of the effects of specific ligands, reducing agents, and pH on both the xanthine oxidase and MFGM transition. The existence of three independent endotherms (I, II, and III) in purified xanthine oxidase demonstrates that the enzyme is composed of multiple independent domains. The interconversion of transitions I (E1) and II (E2) with a change in the redox conditions of the medium implies that these two transitions may be manifestations of the interconvertible dehydrogenase and oxidase forms of the enzyme, respectively. The relative independence of the I/II transitions from transition III further shows that only slight interaction between the major domains of xanthine oxidase exists.
A novel strategy for general sustainability and resistance management in pest and pathogen resistant crops.

ABSTRACT A novel and general strategy for the management of plant genes for pest or pathogen resistance is presented. The strategy utilizes F2 hybrids produced from two parents similar in agronomic and quality traits but which differ in their plant genes for resistance to a pest or pathogen. The grower would plant F2 hybrid seed that should allow for the expression of hybrid vigor for agronomic and quality traits while presenting a diverse population of plants to the pest or pathogen in which individual plants differ for their pest resistance genotype. This strategy will be suitable especially in self-pollinated crops like cotton (Gossypium spp.) where there is no significant effect of inbreeding depression. This simulates nature where the pest or pathogen is exposed to a population of host plants that differ in resistance genes. This strategy should delay or minimize the selection of a dominant pest or pathogen biotype that can damage and reproduce on the resistant plants resulting in the loss of the use...
Biochemistry of the egg-white proteins of the ratite group.

Abstract The properties of the avian egg-white proteins from the five living members of the ratite group and one related species were studied. The ratite egg whites examined were cassowary ( Casuarius aruensis ), emu ( Dromiceius n. hollandiae ), kiwi ( Apteryx mantelli ), ostrich ( Struthio camelus ), and rhea ( Rhea americana ). The egg white of the related species was that of the tinamou ( Eudromia elegans ). Examinations included starch and acrylamide gel electrophoreses of whole egg whites; direct determinations for the amounts of biochemically detectable constituents in whole egg whites; physical and chemical separations of individual constituents; and the examinations of properties of purified fractions. The lysozymes, ovomucoids, ovotransferrins, ovoflavoproteins, ovomucins, ovalbumins, and components containing sialic acid and amlyase activity were examined. Comparisons were also made with the egg whites and egg-white constituents of the chicken ( Gallus gallus ) and the turkey ( Maleagris gallopavo ). Many of the individual constituents had similar physical and chemical properties, but definite differences existed in most cases. The most obvious differences were in the specificities of the ovomucoids against trypsin and chymotrypsin, a different activity of kiwi lysozyme, the presence of varying amounts of a constituent with amylase activity, and the presence of either comparatively low or high amounts of sialic acid. Close biochemical and immunochemical relationships were found among the ratites, and they appeared remotely related to the tinamou.
Diagnosis and Multimodality Management of Cushing’s Disease: A Practical Review

Cushing’s Disease is caused by oversecretion of ACTH from a pituitary adenoma and results in subsequent elevations of systemic cortisol, ultimately contributing to reduced patient survival. The diagnosis of Cushing’s Disease frequently involves a stepwise approach including clinical, laboratory, neuroimaging, and sometimes interventional radiology techniques, often mandating multidisciplinary collaboration from numerous specialty practitioners. Pituitary microadenomas that do not appear on designated pituitary MRI or dynamic contrast protocols may pose a particularly challenging subset of this disease. The treatment of Cushing’s Disease typically involves transsphenoidal surgical resection of the pituitary adenoma as a first-line option, yet may require the addition of adjunctive measures such as stereotactic radiosurgery or medical management to achieve normalization of serum cortisol levels. Vigilant long-term serial endocrine monitoring of patients is imperative in order to detect any recurrence that may occur, even years following initial remission. In this paper, a stepwise approach to the diagnosis, and various management strategies and associated outcomes in patients with Cushing’s Disease are discussed.
Differentiation of bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) genotypes by AFLP analyses

Bermudagrasses (Cynodon spp.) are major turfgrasses for home lawns, public parks, golf courses and sport fields, and are widely adapted to tropical and warmer temperate climates. Morphological and physiological characteristics are not sufficient to differentiate some bermudagrass genotypes because the differences between them are often subtle and subject to environmental influence. In this study, a DNA-typing technique, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), was used to differentiate bermudagrass genotypes and to explore their genetic relationships. Twenty seven bermudagrass cultivars and introductions, mostly from the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Ga., were assayed by the radioactive (32P) and the fluorescence-labeled AFLP methods. The AFLP technique produced enough polymorphism to differentiate all 27 bermudagrass genotypes, even the closely related ones. An average of 48–74 bands in the 30–600-bp size range was detected by the 32P-labeled AFLP method. The results indicated that most of the 14 primer combinations tested in this study could be used to distinguish bermudagrass genotypes, and that some single primer-pairs could differentiate all 27 of them. To test the reliability and reproducibility of the AFLP procedure, three DNA isolations (replications) of the 27 bermudagrass genotypes were assayed using five primer pairs. Only 0.6% of the bands were evaluated differently among the three replications. One replication of one genotype (which was most likely a planting contaminant) was grouped in an unexpected cluster using the Unweighted Pair Group Mean Average (UPGMA) method. A one- or two-band difference in scoring did not change the clustering of genotypes or the replications within genotypes. The 27 genotypes were grouped into three major clusters, many of which were in agreement with known pedigrees. Trees constructed with different primer combinations using 32P- and fluorescence-labelling formed similar major groupings. The semi-automated fluorescence-based AFLP technique offered significant improvements on fragment sizing and data handling. It was also more accurate for detection and more efficient than the radioactive labelling method. This study shows that the AFLP technique is a reliable tool for differentiating bermudagrass genotypes and for determining genetic relationships among them.
Isolation of mutant T lymphocytes with defects in capacitative calcium entry

Abstract Calcium and calcium-binding proteins play important roles in the signaling cascade leading from the initial engagement of TCRs on T cells to the fully activated state. To undertake a molecular dissection of this cascade, we first isolated a Jurkat T cell line derivative containing the NF-AT promoter element driving transcription of the diphtheria toxin A chain gene ( dipA ), resulting in rapid cell death. Selecting viable cells that fail to activate NF-AT-dependent transcription, we isolated two independent cell lines possessing defects in capacitative Ca 2+ entry. NF-AT-dependent transcription can be restored in these cells by expression of a constitutively active calcineurin, but not by overexpression of the Ca 2+ regulatory protein CAML, which can normally replace the Ca 2+ signal. The defect in these cell lines probably lies between CAML and calcineurin in the T cell activation cascade.
Boundary Current Separation in a Quasigeostrophic, Eddy-resolving Ocean Circulation Model

Abstract The response of a rectangular, flat-bottom, eddy-resolving, quasigeostrophic ocean to a steady, double-gyre wind stress is studied to assess the sensitivity of the solutions to a partial-slip lateral boundary condition in which tangential stress is proportional to tangential velocity. The constant of proportionality (α) has limiting values of zero and infinity, corresponding to free-slip (no-stress) and no-slip conditions, respectively. Seven numerical solutions—corresponding to the α values 0.0, 2.0, 3.5, 5.0, 6.5, 8.0, and 100.0—are obtained, which span the free-slip and no-slip limits. Significant qualitative changes in the time-mean behavior of the solutions are observed to occur with increasing α. These changes include a gradual retreat of the separation points of the western boundary currents in the subtropical and subpolar gyres, a dramatic reduction in the basin-integrated reservoirs of mean and eddy kinetic energy, a weakening of bottom dissipation and its replacement by lateral dissipat...
New Horizons for Research in Continuing Medical Education.

Research must investigate the three overlapping areas of continuing medical education: it must discover and document what, how, and why physicians learn and change; how better programs of education can be designed to fit into this process; and in what ways the organizations that provide CME can or should differ in their policies, procedures, and resources. In terms of physician learning, for example, the basic assumption must be that physicians are like other adults in the general ways they learn in voluntary settings, yet have specific differences from other professional groups and from their physician colleagues in other specialties. Making the changes necessary for informed medical practice depends on understanding the role of learning in changes--which in turn depends on CME research. But barriers hinder much-needed research: conducting CME research is seldom rewarded in medical centers; CME is usually not a highly valued component of the institution; funding sources are few and support is limited; and persistent debate over the relative merits of qualitative and quantitative methods diverts energy that should be going into productive, cooperative research. The urgency of needed changes in medical practice and organization may give the necessary impetus for interdisciplinary, collaborative CME research projects that will take a longer-term view of the effect of learning on physician change.
The nature, sources, and consequences of firm differences in the early history of the semiconductor industry

Four entrants into the early semiconductor industry—Sprague Electric, Motorola, Shockley Semiconductor Laboratories, and Fairchild Semiconductor—displayed remarkably different performance and behavior. Case studies of the firms demonstrate that the key differences stemmed from the firms’ technological goals and activities and their abilities to integrate R&D and manufacturing. These differences can in turn be related to the firms’ origins and their different conditions upon entry into the semiconductor industry, which had lasting effects due to constraints on change. While the cases offer limited prescriptions for management, they underscore the importance of technological diversity for an industry’s rate of technical advance and, in turn, public policies that support such diversity. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimenal analysis of in-plane strain on curved surfaces using transferring techniques

AbstractA new grid-transferring technique is introduced that allows the strain analysis of flat or curved surfaces of single or double curvature. The technique consists of transferring a grid from the structure to a flat surface by means of a thin, adhesive, transparent ribbon. Information is obtained along a strip, or point-by-point when circles or rosettes are used. The technique is specially suitable for the solution of problems of finite deformation of flexible structures, and its threshold strain is about 0.004. As a verification of the new method, strains obtained on a disc under diametral compression are compared with results already given in the literature. As a general example of application, strains on the anticlastic surface of tubes with and without perforation, and turned inside out, are determined. The method is not influenced by rigid-body motions.
Blood–plasma separation in Y-shaped bifurcating microfluidic channels: a dissipative particle dynamics simulation study

The motion of a suspension of red blood cells (RBCs) flowing in a Y-shaped bifurcating microfluidic channel is investigated using a validated low-dimensional RBC model based on dissipative particle dynamics. Specifically, the RBC is represented as a closed torus-like ring of ten colloidal particles, which leads to efficient simulations of blood flow in microcirculation over a wide range of hematocrits. Adaptive no-slip wall boundary conditions were implemented to model hydrodynamic flow within a specific wall structure of diverging three-dimensional microfluidic channels, paying attention to controlling density fluctuations. Plasma skimming and the all-or-nothing phenomenon of RBCs in a bifurcating microfluidic channel have been investigated in our simulations for healthy and diseased blood, including the size of a cell-free layer on the daughter branches. The feed hematocrit level in the parent channel has considerable influence on blood‐plasma separation. Compared to the blood‐plasma separation efficiencies of healthy RBCs, malaria-infected stiff RBCs (iRBCs) have a tendency to travel into the low flow-rate daughter branch because of their different initial distribution in the parent channel. Our simulation results are consistent with previously published experimental results and theoretical predictions.
Symptoms of vascular headache triggered by intracranial hypertension.

SYNOPSIS A 23-year-old male presented with features of vascular headache (unilateral throbbing pain of brief duration and ocular site). Ipsilateral tingling and hypalgesia were noted over part of the face during the headache. Papilledema was prominent. Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) and hydrocephalus were caused by aqueductal stenosis as noted in the computerized tomograms. Asymmetrical herniation of a cerebellar tonsil was noted in the angiograms. The patient's symptoms were relieved by a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. Although intraventricular pressure was not monitored, the brief duration of the headache and its associated symptoms are best explained by the effect of plateau waves of extreme intracranial hypertension. Asymmetrical tonsillar herniation causing traction of nociceptive vascular structures of the tentorium cerebelli and on cervical nerve roots can account for the focal nature of the headache and associated symptoms. The clinical features and theories of mechanisms of plateau waves are discussed.
Adjacent cell interference in FH-MFSK cellular mobile radio system

The effect of adjacent cell interference in cellular mobile system using FH-MFSK transmission is evaluated quantitatively. The performance of base to mobile communication in the system is analyzed, assuming perfect synchronization between users in all the cells. Analysis of the system employing no power control shows that the number of simultaneous users possible at average bit error probability P b of less than 1 × 10-3is reduced greatly from the corresponding figure for the isolated cell (which is about 170). It is then shown that a simple power control strategy could reduce the adjacent cell interference significantly. A reasonable knowledge of the distribution of users within a cell allows the optimization of the receiver threshold with respect to distance from the base. With this optimization, each cell could accomodate ≳ 115 users at P b < 10-3, the exact figure being dependent on the user distribution. The power control also helps to reduce the average power transmitted from a base.
Maximizing multi-sensor system dependability

This paper considers distributed sensor systems and finds redundant configurations which maximize dependability while insuring the system remains within cost or weight constraints. Given different sensor modules which fulfil the system's operational requirements but have different dependability and cost parameters, efficient methods are used to find maximum dependability configurations. These methods limit the search to a constrained subspace of the problem space. It is shown that this region must contain the optimal configuration. Three heuristics: genetic algorithms, simulated annealing and tabu search are used. Experimental results are presented with dependability gains of between 10 and 15%. These test cases compare results from all methods and verify that in most cases the simulated annealing heuristic provides the best solutions.