cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nicotine abstinence syndrome precipitated by central but not peripheral hexamethonium

Abstract A rodent model of nicotine dependence has been developed based on continuous subcutaneous (SC) infusion of nicotine tartrate. Nicotine abstinence syndrome was precipitated by SC injection of the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine, which freely crosses the blood–brain barrier. In contrast, the nicotinic antagonist hexamethonium crosses the blood–brain barrier very poorly. This study determined whether central or peripheral administration of hexamethonium could precipitate nicotine abstinence. In the first experiment, 26 nicotine-dependent rats were injected SC with 0.5, 5 or 10 mg/kg hexamethonium dichloride or saline alone and observed for 20 min. Few abstinence signs were observed in any group; there was no significant drug effect. In the second experiment, 18 rats were cannulated in the third ventricle and rendered nicotine dependent. One week later, rats were injected through the cannula with 12 or 18 ng hexamethonium or saline alone and observed for 20 min. Both dose groups differed significantly from the saline-injected group, and there was a significant positive linear trend of signs as a function of dose. The high dose had no significant effect in 14 nondependent rats. We conclude that hexamethonium is much more potent by the central route, and there is a major central nervous system component in nicotine dependence.
Elastic buckling of pin-jointed frames

Abstract This paper describes an investigation into the post-buckling behaviour of plane pin-jointed isostatic frames in statical equilibrium. The main questions examined are the condition of equilibrium at the onset of buckling in the members and the subsequent post-buckling behaviour considering finite distortions of the frame. It is shown that statical equilibrium of pin-jointed frames is possible after buckling if the applied loads are appropriately adjusted and that it may be under stable or unstable conditions. Elastic stability in equilibrium is examined more generally and the result is applied to plane isostatic pin-jointed frames.
Transcriptional regulatory dynamics of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and its peripheral pathways as impacted by the 3-beta HSD inhibitor trilostane in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

To study mechanisms underlying generalized effects of 3β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B) inhibition, reproductively mature zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to trilostane at two dosages for 24, 48, or 96 h and their gonadal RNA samples profiled with Agilent zebrafish microarrays. Trilostane had substantial impact on the transcriptional dynamics of zebrafish, as reflected by a number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) including transcription factors (TFs), altered TF networks, signaling pathways, and Gene Ontology (GO) biological processes. Changes in gene expression between a treatment and its control were mostly moderate, ranging from 1.3 to 2.0 fold. Expression of genes coding for HSD3B and many of its transcriptional regulators remained unchanged, suggesting transcriptional up-regulation is not a primary compensatory mechanism for HSD3B enzyme inhibition. While some trilostane-responsive TFs appear to share cellular functions linked to endocrine disruption, there are also many other DEGs not directly linked to steroidogenesis. Of the 65 significant TF networks, little similarity, and therefore little cross-talk, existed between them and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. The most enriched GO biological processes are regulations of transcription, phosphorylation, and protein kinase activity. Most of the impacted TFs and TF networks are involved in cellular proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. While these functions are fairly broad, their underlying TF networks may be useful to development of generalized toxicological screening methods. These findings suggest that trilostane-induced effects on fish endocrine functions are not confined to the HPG-axis alone. Its impact on corticosteroid synthesis could also have contributed to some system wide transcriptional changes in zebrafish observed in this study.
Stochastic calculus in manifolds

Stochastic calculus in manifolds by M. Emery, Universite Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg. Springer-Verlag, Berlin (1989), 151 pp. ISBN 3-540-51664-6
An audio frequency magnetic tape programmer for cryopreservation equipment.

Abstract The application of a magnetic cassette recorder and a simple solid state circuit as a programmer for cryopreservation equipment is described. Advantages of this system include: (1) ease and flexibility in programming complex time/temperature relationships; (2) incorporation of many experimental variations into single programs.
List based soft-decision MIMO detection by the MCTS algorithm

How to cope with the complexities of sophisticated multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques is critical to realizing these MIMO techniques in real-life applications. In this paper, we propose a list-based soft-decision MIMO detection algorithm based on the memory constraint tree search algorithm. Our algorithm achieves a flexible tradeoff between the memory requirement and computational complexity by tuning the number of available memory units. In comparison with the list sphere decoding detector, our algorithm has reduced computational complexity; as opposed to the list sequential detector, our algorithm achieves similar computational complexity while requiring much less memory. Hence, our algorithm is suitable for hardware implementations.
Hydrophobic monolayers adsorbed from aqueous solutions

Abstract Experimental methods are described for the preparation and examination of hydrophobic monomolecular films adsorbed, and isolated from aqueous solutions of certain types of polar-nonpolar organic compounds. The use of contact angle measurements for the quantitative characterizations of the hydrophobic and oleophobic properties of such films permits the evaluation of the various factors governing their formation, structure, and repellency characteristics. The present paper reports the results of studies on several members of a homologous family of primary amines of the normal alkyl type adsorbed onto platinum surfaces. The critical limits to hydrophobic film formation and the degree of hydrophobicity are found to be functions of the amine concentration and the pH of the generating solution. A definite correlation is established for the relative effectiveness of these factors and the length of the hydrocarbon chain in the aliphatic portion of the amine molecule. The marked response of hydrophobic film formation to pH and concentration is interpreted as an adsorption-desorption phenomenon in which the equilibrium conditions are determined by the solubility and degree of ionization of the individual amines. The short chain amines (up through dodecyl) are found to be most adsorptive in the alkaline region, whereas film formation of the hexadecylamine is limited to the highly acid regions. The intermediate tetradecylamine evinces a transitional behavior, having two separate pH regions favorable to film formation. The identity of adsorbed monomolecular films isolated hydrophobically from aqueous solution and oleophobically from the molten amine or from solution in hexadecane is established. The use of water as solvent increases the number of molecular types available for study as reproducible, repellent films. The method is proposed as a possible approach to the examination of films important in the fields of selective adsorption, mineral flotation, corrosion inhibition, and “pickling” of metals.
Comparison of the wear process for eutectoid rail steels: Field and laboratory tests☆

Abstract There is a need for a reliable laboratory test with which to determine the influence of metallurgical properties on the wear resistance of railroad rails. It is now well established that, in order to be relevant, such a test must reproduce the essential features of the wear process occurring in the field. In this investigation, a detailed examination of the gauge face of a rail used in unlubricated curved track under well-documented conditions has been carried out using a combination of optical and scanning electron microscopy. The results are compared with those from a similar study of the wear surfaces of rail steel specimens tested in both a pin-on-disk and a twin-disk rolling contact wear testing device. It is shown that, provided the test conditions are chosen carefully, an adequate simulation can be produced.
Computational modeling of coupled thermomechanical and neutron transport behavior in a Godiva-like nuclear assembly

The primary shutdown mechanism of all-metal nuclear assemblies engaging in pulsed operations is thermal expansion of the fuel material. Typically, a fuel temperature coefficient of reactivity is acquired by building the apparatus and fitting the operational data to the Nordheim-Fuchs kinetics equations. This value may vary as a function of reactivity insertion because of thermomechanical effects in the fuel material, which leads to uncertainty regarding untested reactor designs. This paper presents a computational method for modeling power, temperature, and thermoelastic displacement behavior of a spherical Godiva-like assembly during a prompt supercritical excursion and provides a way of determining fuel temperature coefficients of reactivity without the use of operational data.
In Memoriam Tribute to James A. Shaver, MD

Dr James A. Shaver, our friend and colleague, died of pneumonia on April 13, 2012, after a long history of chronic renal disease. At the time of his death, he was professor of medicine and the former chief of the division of cardiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Born in Ridgway, Pennsylvania, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Pennsylvania and to Alpha Omega Alpha at the Hahnemann Medical College, from which he graduated in 1959. Dr Shaver trained in internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pittsburgh, where he also completed his cardiology fellowship. He joined the Pitt faculty in 1965 and rose through the ranks to become a full professor in 1977. He was director of the cardiac diagnostic laboratories and then became director of the division from 1971 to 1994. Dr Shaver also served as director of the Cardiovascular Fellowship Program from 1971 to 2006, training more than 325 fellows, many of whom went on to assume leadership positions of their own. Since he left the division directorship, he led the medical school second-year course in physical diagnosis and continued to play an active role as a consulting cardiologist and a charismatic teacher at all levels of medical education. Dr …
Amino compounds and ethanolamine phosphoric acid of the grasshopper egg.

Abstract The presence of 16 or 17 amino acids, amines, ethanolamine phosphoric acid (EPA), and one unknown compound has been demonstrated in the egg of the grasshopper Chortophaga viridifasciata De Geer by means of paper partition chromatography. The role of citrulline in nitrogen elimination in this organism is questionable. EPA may be active in nitrogen elimination. Methionine is the only sulphur amino acid detected. Ethanolamine is metabolically related to serine and glycine. EPA may have the same metabolic relationship to these amino acids as does ethanolamine. The presence of EPA and a high lipid metabolism are probably characteristic of rapidly growing tissues. EPA may be necessary for the maintenance of tissue cultures of the grasshopper embryo.
SAFETY AND RELIABILITY ISSUES IN SAFETY-RELATED SYSTEMS

The increasing number of accidents attributed to computer-based systems is causing increased public awareness of the risk associated with these systems' use in safety-related applications. Examples include the Therac-25 medical LINAC deaths, the growing number of Airbus A320 crashes, the AT&T Long-Lines disaster on Martin Luther King Day in 1990, the spate of regional telephone outages of the summer of 1991, and many more. How do safety and reliability sometimes conflict? What practical computer system and software development technologies and processes can be applied to increase the safety and reliability of computer systems? What are the technical and managerial issues contributing to the construction of less-than-safe computer-based systems? How can systems engineers and software engineers work together to address the issues related safety and reliability of computer systems? This paper will address these topics and include an assessment of the best current state-of-the-practice and of upcoming technologies that will carry us into the 21st century.
Relationship between glucose tolerance and effects of estrogen upon feeding

Two groups of rats were fed 2 different diets—a high-dextrose (D) diet and a high-fat (F) diet for 20 days. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT) were performed, and 5 days later, effects of a single 6 μg dose of estradiol benzoate (EB) upon daily food intake were assessed. F-fed rats were more intolerant to glucose than D-fed rats, and also responded to EB with greater decreases in feeding. Levels of plasma glucose at t=60 min during the IVGTT were significantly correlated (p<0.01) with subsequent maximal responses to EB for F-fed rats. It was proposed that impairment of glucose tolerance leads to increased responsiveness to anorexic effects of EB, perhaps via an altered glucose metabolism of the ventromedial hypothalamus, a site of action of estrogen.
Depth-driven verification of simultaneous interfaces

The verification of modern computing systems has grown to dominate the cost of system design, often with limited success as designs continue to be released with latent bugs. This trend is accelerated with the advent of highly integrated system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs, which feature multiple complex subcomponents connected by simultaneously active interfaces. In this paper, we introduce a closed-loop feedback technique targeting the verification of multiple components connected by parallel interfaces. We utilize an environment with hierarchical Markov models, where top-level submodels specify overarching simulation goals of the system, while lower-level submodels specify the detailed component-level input generation. Test accuracy is improved through the use of depth-driven random test generation. The approach allows users to specify correctness properties and key activity nodes in the design to be exercises. We examine three nontrivial designs, two microprocessors and a chip-multiprocessor router switch, and we demonstrate that our technique finds many more bugs than constrained-random test generation technique and reduces the simulation effort in half, compared to previous Markov-model based solutions.
Characterization of mechanisms of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus saprophyticus.

Abstract The resistance mechanisms of methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus saprophyticus were characterized. Penicillin-binding protein (PBP) studies demonstrated an inducible PBP identical to PBP 2a in the membranes of these isolates. The amount of beta-lactamase produced was minimal. PBP 2a is responsible for the methicillin resistance observed in these strains of S. saprophyticus.
Kinetics of the Reaction of Hydrated Lime with SO2 at Low Temperatures: Effects of the Presence of CO2, O2, and NOx

The effects of the presence of CO2, O2, and NOx in the flue gas on the kinetics of the sulfation of hydrated lime at low temperatures were studied using a differential fixed-bed reactor. When O2 and NOx were not present together the reaction kinetics was about the same as that under gas mixtures containing SO2, H2O, and N2 only. When both O2 and NOx were present, sulfation of hydrated lime was greatly enhanced, forming a large amount of calcium sulfate in addition to calcium sulfite. Sulfation of hydrated lime was well described by the surface coverage model, despite the gas-phase conditions being different. Relative humidity is the major factor affecting the reaction, and its effect was more marked when both O2 and NOx were present. The kinetic model equations obtained in this work can be used to describe the sulfation of hydrated lime in the low-temperature dry and semidry flue gas desulfurization processes with or without an upstream NOx removal unit.
The economic impact of a patient navigator program to increase screening colonoscopy

BACKGROUND: Patient navigation can increase colorectal cancer screening rates. The net economic impact of a colonoscopy patient navigator program was evaluated in an urban public hospital setting. METHODS: Cost, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit analyses were performed of a colonoscopy patient navigation program at 3 urban public hospitals in the period from 2003 to 2007. Program effectiveness was assessed in a 2-group, pre- and post-program, nonrandomized evaluation, comparing program hospitals with comparison hospitals that served similar populations. Costs were assessed from the provider's perspective. Outcomes included colonoscopy volume, colonoscopy completion rate, program cost, incremental cost-effectiveness, and net monetary benefit. RESULTS: Patient navigation was associated with a 61% increase in average monthly colonoscopy volume at program hospitals, from 114 procedures to 184 procedures, compared with a 12% increase at comparison hospitals. Adjusted for other factors, the navigator program increased colonoscopy volume by 44 to 67 additional procedures per month. Average program cost varied from $50 to $300 per patient referred to a navigator. Incremental cost-effectiveness varied from $200 to $700 per additional colonoscopy. At 2 hospitals, net revenue associated with increased colonoscopy volume exceeded the program cost per additional colonoscopy, yielding a net financial benefit; at the third hospital, the program yielded a net cost. Variation between hospitals in the program's economic impact was primarily attributable to differences in personnel costs. CONCLUSIONS: Economic evaluation of this colonoscopy patient navigator program in an urban public hospital setting suggests that such programs can be a cost-effective use of limited resources and yield a net financial benefit for providers. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Teaching Professionalism in Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Programs

Professionalism is difficult to define, to measure, and to teach. The word derives from the Latin verb profiteri , which means “to declare publicly.”1 This etymology embodies the dual nature of professionalism as a personal quality and an active behavior. Professionals must publicly declare the ideals to which they commit themselves and then expect that the public will hold them accountable for meeting those ideals. Members of a profession are also entrusted with the responsibility to educate and self-regulate its members. This paper will review the teaching and assessment of professionalism in orthopaedic surgery residency training. Several fields of medicine have defined professionalism. The American Academy of Pediatrics identified honesty and integrity, reliability, responsibility, respect for others, self-improvement, compassion and empathy, communication, collaboration, self-awareness, and altruism as professionalism’s central components2. The American Board of Internal Medicine, the European Federation of Internal Medicine, and the American College of Physicians (ACP) developed three principles and ten responsibilities of the medical professional. The “principles” are the primacy of patient welfare, patient autonomy, and social justice. Some of the “responsibilities” are commitments to ideals such as honesty, confidentiality, access to care, and trust3. Some have taken a philosophical approach to defining professionalism. For example, DeRosa proposed that professionalism is a moral undertaking that requires commitment to virtues such as fidelity, trust, benevolence, intellectual honesty, courage, compassion, and truthfulness4. Baldwin and Bunch built on work by psychologists and proposed that professionalism is a developmental process in which individuals progress from an awareness of, and sensitivity to, professionalism to actual professional conduct5. Christian et al. suggested that professionalism is grounded in altruism, or putting another’s interests ahead of one’s own6. Given the difficulty of defining professionalism, The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has …
Bank-collapse processes in a valley-bottom gully, western Iowa

Widening and bank-slope reduction of a valley-bottom gully in western Iowa was correlated to increasing subsurface flow over a 36-year period. To study bank collapse at this gully, we measured rainfall, air temperature, hydraulic head near the banks and bank movement nearly continuously over a 2-year period. Styles of movement ranged from imperceptible creep to rapid slab collapses preceded by the formation of tension cracks parallel to the gully walls. Bank movement was commonly correlated to rainfall or snowmelt and associated head increases in the banks. If the banks are modelled as a two-dimensional slab with an adjacent tension crack partly filled with water, measured heads were sufficient to cause bank failures through reduction of frictional support at the base of the slab. During winter months, air temperature variations across 0 °C were correlated with bank movement: during mildly subfreezing periods banks expanded, and most, but usually not all, of this movement was recovered during above-freezing periods. This motion is attributed to frost heave followed by thawing. Deformation of the banks by heaving and thawing during winter may weaken them and prime them for failure during spring rains and snowmelt, when the frequency of mass-wasting events is highest. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.
Exposure and mechanical stabilization in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting via sternotomy

Although off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is gaining popularity, obtaining exposure and stabilization of coronary arteries located on the lateral and inferior wall of the heart may be problematic. The aim of this study is to describe strategies and techniques of coronary exposure and mechanical stabilization that may be used to achieve total myocardial revascularization of the beating heart.
An Evaluation of Squoxin on Insect Drift

Abstract An analysis of 54 drift net samples obtained over a 72-hr period in riffle areas of the St. Joe River, Idaho, showed that a distributed concentration of 0.1 mg/liter (100 parts per billion) of 1,1'-methylenedi-2-naphthol for a 13-hr period cause no significant increase in insect drift during the sampling period. Eight species of insects in the orders Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera represented 87% of the total drift insects. All species drifted in greater abundance during the night.
Geomorphic impacts of mud-nesting swallows in Central Texas

The cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and the cave swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) both construct nests entirely out of mud and aggregate in large colonies (tens to thousands of nests) suggesting they can be considered as geomorphic agents. This study analyzes 16 swallow colonies to address the following three research questions: (1) What is the total sediment present at each colony? (2) What is the annual rate of sediment transport by swallows for nesting purposes? and (3) Is there a significant difference in mud-nest mass between the cave swallow’s cup-shaped and the cliff swallow’s gourd-shaped mud-nest? The total sediment present across all sites was estimated at 2125 kg, ranging from 11.5 kg in the smallest colony to 953.6 kg in the largest colony. In one summer, cliff and cave swallows transported an estimated 560 kg of sediment across all sites, with the greatest colony constructing 233 nests weighing an estimated 193.4 kg. Statistical analysis determined there to be a significant difference i...
Physiology and pathophysiology of male sex hormones

There is currently great interest in understanding the role of androgens in both men and women. It is well established that testosterone levels decline with age in men but whether this is a physiologic or pathologic process remains to be determined. Many older men who have low testosterone levels also have symptoms suggestive of hypogonadism. The role of androgens on androgen-dependent target organs is well documented, particularly for younger patients who have androgen deficiency. It is speculated that women who have testosterone deficiency could benefit from testosterone therapy.
Can the scanning tunneling microscope sequence DNA

A revolutionary new microscope, the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), can image some surfaces at atomic resolution, even in air or water. It can produce high-resolution images of DNA, and we outline what we know of its mechanism, concluding that it may be able to sequence DNA. This application would require major advances in sample preparation in order for the technique to compete with conventional methods. On the other hand, the STM may provide a very useful alternative to gels for probing sequence-directed structural features.
Hepatic disturbances induced by an artificial feed in the sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) during the first year of life

Abstract Alterations in the liver of the sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, as revealed by electron microscopy, were induced by artificial feeding (dry pellets). Anomalies of hepatocytes consist of large deposits of lipid droplets which are interpreted as reflecting a deviation in the metabolism of fatty acids. Moreover, cellular alterations (cytoplasmic segregation, mitochondrial vacuolization, nuclear perturbations) were observed. These are attributable to serious organic perturbations responsible for inhibiting development and survival in culture.
Preferential Growth of Long ZnO Nanowire Array and Its Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

A liquid-phase chemical process for preferential growth of long ZnO nanowires has been developed. The process effectively suppresses homogeneous nucleation and prevents formation of ZnO particles in the bulk solution while allowing rapid growth of ZnO nanowires on seeded substrates. With this process, ZnO nanowires on seeded substrates can grow at an initial rate over 10 times faster than that in the previous process with bulk ZnO precipitation and nanowires of more than 30 μm can be readily obtained within 10 h. The ultralong ZnO nanowires enable fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) with up to 33 μm thick sensitizing films (the thickest in the literatures) while maintaining high electron collection efficiency, which results in greatly improved performance compared to previously reported ZnO nanowire-based DSCs.
Death of a Monopoly

Hunot and Flavell discuss recent findings in Nature by Joza et al. that point to the existence of a new sort of cell death. Cell death is required during the development of an organism to remove portions of the body that will not be needed; this cell death usually requires destructive enzymes called caspases to perform the final demolition of the cell. But cavitation, an early developmental process in the mouse embryo that requires cell death, has now been suggested to occur through a caspase-independent pathway that instead uses a mitochondrial protein called AIF (apoptosis-inducing factor).
O-GlcNAc Cycling: A Link Between Metabolism and Chronic Disease

To maintain homeostasis under variable nutrient conditions, cells rapidly and robustly respond to fluctuations through adaptable signaling networks. Evidence suggests that the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) posttranslational modification of serine and threonine residues functions as a critical regulator of intracellular signaling cascades in response to nutrient changes. O-GlcNAc is a highly regulated, reversible modification poised to integrate metabolic signals and acts to influence many cellular processes, including cellular signaling, protein stability, and transcription. This review describes the role O-GlcNAc plays in governing both integrated cellular processes and the activity of individual proteins in response to nutrient levels. Moreover, we discuss the ways in which cellular changes in O-GlcNAc status may be linked to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, neurodegeneration, and cancers, providing a unique window through which to identify and treat disease conditions.
Surface modification of neural stimulating/recording electrodes with high surface area platinum-iridium alloy coatings

High-surface area platinum-iridium alloys were electrodeposited by on Pt and Au microelectrodes using a potential sweep technique. Detailed investigations of the structure and morphology and the electrochemical properties of the electrodeposited Pt-Ir alloy coatings were performed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used for the determination of the surface morphology and the chemical composition of the Pt-Ir coatings, respectively. The elemental analysis by EDS showed a nearly 60–40% Pt-Ir composition of the coatings. The electrochemical properties of the Pt-Ir coatings were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). CV and EIS measurements revealed that the Pt-Ir coated electrodes exhibit significantly increased charge storage capacity and real surface area compared to uncoated Pt electrodes. Charge injection experiments of the Pt-Ir coated microelectrodes revealed low potential excursions, indicating high charge injection capabilities within safe potential limits.
Impact of involuntary subject movement on 3D face scans

The impact of natural movement/sway while standing still during the capture of a 3D face model for biometric applications has previously been believed to have a negligible impact on biometric performance. Utilizing a newly captured dataset this paper demonstrates a significant negative impact of standing. A 0.5 improvement in d' (test of correct/incorrect match distribution separation) per 3D face region and noticeable improvement to match distributions are shown to result from eliminating movement during the scanning process. By comparing these match distributions to those in the FRGC dataset this paper presents an argument for improving the accuracy of 3D face models by eliminating motion during the capture process.
Attrition in a longitudinal study of an aged population

Abstract This report focuses upon attrition in longitudinal studies of older persons using a Florida survey as an illustration. In 1959 interviews were completed with a probability sample (N = 2544) of older noninstutionalized residents (age 65+) of a retirement community. Data were collected on health status, health practices, social factors, and activities. Nine years later a follow-up study of the same sample was undertaken. In this report 1959 data for 2497 of these persons are analyzed by results of the 1968 effort (reinterviewed, lost to follow-up, or deceased). About one third of this highly migratory sample could not be located in 1968; death certificates were located for another one third; and the remaining one third was reinterviewed. Social characteristics, housing arrangements, activities, and chronic conditions of the three subpopulations are compared. Persons reinterviewed were found to differ from dropouts in age, sex, type of dwelling unit, activity patterns, and prevalence of chronic cond...
Structure and Anticipatory Movements of the S6 Gate in K v Channels

Potassium channels are a diverse family of membrane proteins that in humans are encoded by 75 distinct genes. The ion conduction pores in these channels are well conserved, supporting remarkable ion throughput rates (106–107 s−1) in the face of exquisite selectivity for their namesake ion.
Globalization and Perceptions of Policy Maker Competence: Evidence from France

Does globalization affect perceptions of policy maker competence? Despite considerable attention to connections between globalization and policy efficacy, no research explores connections between the world economy and confidence in politicians. This article makes three novel arguments. First, by constraining administrative control over policy outcomes, economic globalization reduces levels of public confidence in national executives. Second, by signaling a more complex policy-making environment, exposure to world markets increases the volatility of policy maker evaluations. And third, economic openness affects public preferences over policy by shifting policy demands—away from domains constrained by market liberalization and toward areas where national autonomy remains strong. Time-series analyses of public opinion data from France support research expectations. As the first study to link economic globalization to policy perceptions, this article finds that the political consequences of engaging the globa...
Metal–organic complexation in the marine environment

We discuss the voltammetric methods that are used to assess metal–organic complexation in seawater. These consist of titration methods using anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) and cathodic stripping voltammetry competitive ligand experiments (CSV-CLE). These approaches and a kinetic approach using CSV-CLE give similar information on the amount of excess ligand to metal in a sample and the conditional metal ligand stability constant for the excess ligand bound to the metal. CSV-CLE data using different ligands to measure Fe(III) organic complexes are similar. All these methods give conditional stability constants for which the side reaction coefficient for the metal can be corrected but not that for the ligand. Another approach, pseudovoltammetry, provides information on the actual metal–ligand complex(es) in a sample by doing ASV experiments where the deposition potential is varied more negatively in order to destroy the metal–ligand complex. This latter approach gives concentration information on each actual ligand bound to the metal as well as the thermodynamic stability constant of each complex in solution when compared to known metal–ligand complexes. In this case the side reaction coefficients for the metal and ligand are corrected. Thus, this method may not give identical information to the titration methods because the excess ligand in the sample may not be identical to some of the actual ligands binding the metal in the sample.
Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theatre Ethan Mordden. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.

Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theatre Ethan Mordden. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.To use his own phrase, Ethan Mordden really "Knows Stuff" (xi). He is such a genial genius that even when he wears us out with detail, we never doubt the authenticity of his facts or the aptness of his perceptions. Indeed Mordden lavishes on the musical the kind of treatment it deserves-big, bold, and boisterous.His survey opens almost three centuries ago with The Beggars Opera (1728), whose staging first wedded plot to song. This new style was further shaped by comic operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan, zany musical comedies of Offenbach, highly structured minstrel shows, burlesque farce, and fairytale extravaganzaseach adding its own flavor to what Mordden calls the First Age. In the Second Age, beginning around 1900, musical plays borrowed more sophisticated song and dance from vaudeville revues, most spectacularly Ziegfeld's Follies. Meanwhile, Victor Herbert's productions gave rise to the important score. Mordden discusses Herbert's seminal The Red Mill (1906) one act at a time to illustrate how a play's narrative can be expressed through songs. Mordden's precise and sensuous description of music and staging makes us feel as if we're in the first row on opening night.Although these early chapters may be fascinating, they can't fully escape an antiquarian feel. Happily, Mordden's prose and gusto catch fire when he celebrates the Third Age, beginning in the 1920s. Finally we get to savor a guru's pronouncements about an era with which we are fondly familiar. In the older operetta, music told the story; in the new musical comedy, like No, No, Nanette (1925), the script tells a story that is enhanced by song. Quotable phrases abound in this section: "sequels don't work" (132); Gershwin composes "a chowder of whorehouse piano and Puccini" (154); Ethel Merman commands the stage with her "psychotronic personality" (134). Mordden gives us the insider's lowdown on everything from Showboat to Titanic, from Porgy and Bess to Wicked, from West Side Story to Nine. He is a nimble tour guide, pointing out the essential and challenging the obvious. Each chapter packs the clout of a book. Mordden draws on his meticulously researched volumes about the Broadway musical from the 1920s to the 1970s and about luminaries like Flo Ziegfeld, Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, and Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya. …
Cascade regulation of terminal adipocyte differentiation by three members of the C/EBP family of leucine zipper proteins.

Terminal differentiation of cultured 3T3-L1 fibroblasts to the adipogenic phenotype is potently stimulated by dexamethasone (DEX) and methylisobutylxanthine (MIX). Previous studies have shown that these hormones induce the expression of genes encoding two members of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) family of transcription factors. In the absence of new protein synthesis DEX activates the gene encoding C/EBP~. Likewise, MIX is a direct inducer of C/EBP~ gene expression. Optimal conditions for differentiation entail a 2-day period wherein confluent fibroblasts are exposed to DEX and MIX, followed by removal of the hormones and subsequent culture in the presence of insulin and fetal bovine serum. During the early phase of differentiation, high levels of C/EBP6 and C/EBP~ accumulate. These transcription factors diminish during the terminal phase of differentiation and come to be replaced by a third member of the C/EBP family, C/EBP~. Conclusive evidence has already shown that C/EBPot regulates terminal adipocyte differentiation, turning on the battery of fat-specific genes required for the synthesis, uptake, and storage of long chain fatty acids. Here we provide evidence that C/EBP~ and C/EBP~ play early catalytic roles in the differentiation pathway, relaying the effects of the hormonal stimulants DEX and MIX in a cascade-like fashion, leading to the activation of the gene encoding C/EBP~. Conditions facilitating the precocious expression of either C/EBP6 or C/EBPI3 were observed to accelerate adipogenesis and, in the case of C/EBPI3, relieve dependence on the early hormonal stimulants. Likewise, conditions that prevented the expression of functional C/EBP~ effectively blocked terminal differentiation. Finally, we have discovered that ectopic expression of C/EBPI3 in multipotential NIH-3T3 cells results in their conversion into committed adipoblasts capable, upon hormonal stimulation, of synchronous and uniform differentiation into fat-laden adipocytes.
Error Theory for Elimination by Aspects.

Elimination by aspects (EBA) is a random utility model that is considered to represent the choice process used by consumers more faithfully than logit and probit models. One limitation of the model is that it does not have a known error theory. We show that EBA can be derived by assuming that aspects have random utilities with independent, extreme value distributions. Multinomial logit and rank-ordered logit models are special cases of EBA.
Electroweak baryogenesis and dark matter in a minimal extension of the MSSM

We examine the possibility of electroweak baryogenesis and dark matter in the nMSSM, a minimal extension of the MSSM with a singlet field. This extension avoids the usual domain wall problem of the NMSSM, and also appears as the low energy theory in models of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking with a so-called fat-Higgs boson. We demonstrate that a strong, first order electroweak phase transition, necessary for electroweak baryogenesis, may arise in regions of parameter space where the lightest neutralino provides an acceptable dark matter candidate. We investigate the parameter space in which these two properties are fulfilled and discuss the resulting phenomenology. In particular, we show that there are always two light CP-even and one light CP-odd Higgs bosons with masses smaller than about 250 GeV. Moreover, in order to obtain a realistic relic density, the lightest neutralino mass tends to be smaller than ${M}_{Z}/2,$ in which case the lightest Higgs boson decays predominantly into neutralinos.
Limited Arthroplasty for Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Critical Analysis Review.

Cartilage lesions are among the most commonly reported knee injuries1 and can progress to osteoarthritis2-4. These lesions have been reported to cause limitations in quality of life similar to severe osteoarthritis4. A number of biological treatment approaches have been proposed, and these approaches can be classified into one of five categories: palliative, reparative, restorative, reconstructive, and corrective. Debridement is a palliative measure aimed at stabilizing the lesion and eliminating mechanical symptoms. Marrow stimulation, such as microfracture or chondroplasty, is an example of a reparative technique. In contrast, chondral and osteochondral transplantation aim to restore injured tissue. Allografts and prosthetic devices are used to reconstruct defects, and osteotomy is used to address the underlying anatomy of the disease. With the exception of palliative treatment and reconstruction involving the use of a prosthetic device, all of these approaches require prolonged rehabilitation to ensure adequate biological response, remodeling, and healing. While excellent long-term results have been reported …
Fault-based alternate test of RF components

Defect-based RF testing is a strong candidate for providing the best solution in terms of ATE complexity and cost. However, specification-based testing is still the norm for analog/RF because of the limitations of analog fault models. Unfortunately, as the amount of functionality packed into individual devices is increased with each generation, the cost of testing larger numbers of specifications also increases. To address this, the alternate test methodology proposed in the past, which significantly cuts costs associated with specification tests by crafting a single test stimulus and mapping the response signatures into all specifications at once, can be modified for defect-based testing as well. In this work, we explore a new type of alternate test that is more fundamental than defect-based or specification-based approaches. Rather than focusing on physical defect mechanisms or the way individual specifications are measured, fault-based alternate test studies the abstractions of physical phenomena that cause specification violations; it unifies the benefits of reduced ATE complexity of defect-based approaches and the compact stimulus-signature pairs of specification-based alternate tests.
The light-ion pulsed power induction accelerator for the Laboratory Microfusion Facility (LMF)

In order to initiate ignition and substantial energy yield from an inertial confinement fusion target (ICF), a light-ion pulse of /spl sim/700 TW peak power and 15-20 ns duration is required. The preconceptual design presented provides this power. The HERMES-III technology of linear inductive voltage addition in a self-magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) is utilized to generate the 25-36 MV peak voltage needed for lithium ion beams. The 15-20 MA ion current is achieved by utilizing many accelerating modules in parallel. The lithium ion beams are produced in two-stage extraction diodes. To provide the two separate voltage pulses required by the diode, a triaxial adder system is incorporated in each module. The accelerating modules are arranged symmetrically around the fusion chamber in order to provide uniform irradiation onto the ICF target. In addition, the modules are fired in a preprogrammed sequence in order to generate the optimum power pulse shape onto the target. In this paper we present an outline of the LMF accelerator conceptual design with emphasis on the architecture of the accelerating modules. >
Structure of the nitrogen-centered radical formed during inactivation of E. coli ribonucleotide reductase by 2'-azido-2'-deoxyuridine-5'-diphosphate: trapping of the 3'-ketonucleotide.

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze the conversion of nucleotides to deoxynucleotides providing the monomeric precursors required for DNA replication and repair. The class I RNRs are composed of two homodimeric subunits: R1 and R2. R1 has the active site where nucleotide reduction occurs, and R2 contains the diiron tyrosyl radical (Y•) cofactor essential for radical initiation on R1. Mechanism-based inhibitors, such as 2‘-azido-2‘-deoxyuridine-5‘-diphosphate (N3UDP), have provided much insight into the reduction mechanism. N3UDP is a stoichiometric inactivator that, upon interaction with RNR, results in loss of the Y• in R2 and formation of a nitrogen-centered radical (N•) covalently attached to C225 (R−S−N•−X) in the active site of R1. N2 is lost prior to N• formation, and after its formation, stoichiometric amounts of 2-methylene-3-furanone, pyrophosphate, and uracil are also generated. On the basis of the hyperfine interactions associated with N•, it was proposed that N• is also covalently attac...
Results from measuring the performance of the NAS benchmarks on the current generation of parallel computers and observations drawn from these measurements

The NAS Division at NASA Ames Research Center has developed a highly respected and widely used set of benchmarks for parallel computers. These benchmarks are based on the needs of computational fluid dynamics applications, but appear to have relevance to other disciplines as well. Unfortunately, NAS last published a collection of results for a wide range of systems in November of 1997. Given the rapid level of change in the field of computers in general, and high performance parallel computing, it seemed appropriate to try and fill in some of the gaps. As such, the major computational assets of the ARL-MSRC are being benchmarked, with the intent to publish the results on an ARL Web site. While making these measurements, several observations and conclusions were drawn. These observations and conclusions are discussed at length in this document.
Anti-Competitive Practices In The Tourism Industry: The Case Of Small Economies

Who benefits from the proliferation of ecolodges, beachfront resorts, safari parks, river cruises, forest forays and other similar and increasingly popular ventures popping up in developing economies across the world? Critics hold that multinational hotel chains, influential tour operators and foreign interests sometimes in association with powerful domestic groups often engage in anticompetitive practices at the expense of local communities, domestic workers and other stakeholders where the tourism activities take place. In this paper, we examine the possibility of market power abuses in the tourism industry in small economies or small national economies. Many of these small economies have recently inaugurated antitrust enforcement agencies charged with curtailing market power abuses and other anticompetitive practices. We also examine how effective these agencies are likely to be in challenging the powerful tourism industry. Succinctly, we conclude that monopsonistic practices may arise in the tourism sector of small economies. But we argue that domestic competition agencies are not suited to challenge monopsony for various reasons including a lack of political will. We also analyze the plausible cartelization role of regional marketing boards. Regional marketing boards are collaborative efforts by groups of countries. Because it is entrusted with cross jurisdictional enforcement of competition laws, a “regional” agency with jurisdiction in several countries across a region may be more likely to successfully confront monopsony problems. However, we conclude that a regional enforcement agency is equally unlikely to successfully challenged cross-border anticompetitive practices because it is not likely to challenge the impairment of consumer welfare of foreign nationals.