An optical pulse modulator based on an all-fiber mirror

1996

Left-handed neutrino disappearance probe of neutrino mass and character

1996

We explore the sensitivity to a non vanishing neutrino mass offered by dynamical observables, i.e., branching ratios and polarizations. The longitudinal polarization in the C.M. frame decreases by a 4% for $D^+ \rightarrow \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ and $m_{\nu_\tau}=24$ MeV. Taking advantage of the fact that the polarization is a Lorentz variant quantity, we study the polarization effects in a boosted frame. By means of a neutrino beam, produced by a high velocity boosted parent able to flip the neutrino helicity, we find that an enhanced left-handed neutrino deficit, induced by a Wigner rotation, appears.

Interferon-alpha stimulates production of interleukin-10 in activated CD4+ T cells and monocytes

1996

In the present study, we investigated the effect of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on the expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA and protein synthesis in human monocytes and CD4+ T cells. In mononuclear cells, IFN-alpha induced expression of IL-10 mRNA and further enhanced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated IL-10 expression. In purified monocytes, a strong expression of IL-10 mRNA induced by LPS was not further enhanced by IFN-alpha. In highly purified CD4+ T cells, IFN- alpha upregulated IL-10 mRNA upon activation with phytohemagglutinin and phorbol myristate acetate. In purified monocytes, an effect of IFN- alpha on IL-10 protein synthesis was dependent on costimulation with LPS. Maxima…

Four-jet final state production in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV

1996

The four-jet final state is analyzed to search for hadronic decays of pair-produced heavy particles. The analysis uses the ALEPH data collected at LEP in November 1995 at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 5.7 pb(-1). An excess of four-jet events is observed with respect to the standard model predictions. In addition, these events exhibit an enhancement in the sum of the two di-jet masses around 105 GeV/c(2). The properties of these events are studied and compared to the expectations from standard processes and to pair production hypotheses. RI ANTONELLI, ANTONELLA/C-6238-2011; Passalacqua, Luca/F-5127-2011; Murtas, Fabrizio/B-5729-…

Control Structures in Motivational Psychology

1996

Abstract Motivational processes in psychology have been interpreted from many different viewpoints. In the general case, they present an information feedback structure, with goals and disturbances, in a similar way most control systems behave. In this contribution, this similarity is analysed and examples of motivational processes corresponding to the most common control system structures are given. This comparison will be fruitful from both sides: to explore a new field of control theory application and to provide a new framework to the analysis of these complex processes.

Some structural properties of a formal model of measurement procedure

1996

Three kinds of a model structure for a measurement procedure are analyzed, i.e. one-cyclic, tree-like and multicyclic. For a multicyclic structure a method of the choice of the optimal strategy for partitioning the uncertainty interval is constructed. An example of a measurement procedure using the suggested strategy is given. Some specific cases of the strategies under different initial conditions are discussed.

Tangency conditions for multivalued mappings

1996

We prove that interiority conditions imply tangency conditions for two multivalued mappings from a topological space into a normed vector space. As a consequence, we obtain the lower semicontinuity of the intersection of two multivalued mappings. An application to the epi-upper semicontinuity of the sum of convex vector-valued mappings is given.

Evidence for an overlap syndrome of autoimmune hepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.

1996

Abstract Background/Aims: Autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis are chronic liver diseases with probable autoimmune background. Overlapping features have been described for primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis. In contrast, there have been only a few case reports on an overlap of autoimmune hepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Methods: We describe three male patients with clinical and histological overlapping features of primary sclerosing cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis. Results: All initially asymptomatic patients had elevated levels of aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and IgG. Anti-n…

Assessment of the Perception of Symptoms and Anxiety in Terminally Ill Patients in Spain

1996

Detection of Mycoplasma sp. in bronchoalveolar lavage of AIDS patients with pulmonary infiltrates.

1996

We examined 486 bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) including 32 from AIDS patients with pulmonary infiltrates and 20 from patients with leukemia or after transplantation. Mycoplasmas were found in 4/32 (12.5%) HIV-positive patients compared to 4/454 (0.9%) HIV-negative patients (p0.001). All of these four HIV-positive patients suffered from advanced infection (CD4 counts100/microL) and developed complications (Pcp, n = 2, recurrent bacterial pneumonia, n = 1, pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma, n = 1). No mycoplasmas were detected in 20 immunosuppressed patients with leukemia or after transplantation. Our data indicate that AIDS patients may be more often colonised or infected by mycoplasmas than HIV-nega…

Financing for quality : a new deal in Spanish higher education

1996

In recent years, higher education in Spain has undergone major legal and organizational changes. The number of students and the resources committed to higher education has also grown dramatically in the last decade. After this period of rapid changes, the Spanish Public Higher Education System (SPHES) is launching mechanisms to improve overall efficiency and quality. To meet these objectives, three programs are being carried out: first, a new organization of the teaching system, which aims to make the programs more flexible, varied, of shorter duration and more closely related to social needs; second, a program to assess the quality of university institutions; and, third, a new model to fin…

Detection of human immunodeficiency virus-1 DNA, RNA and antibody, and occult blood in inactivated saliva: Availability of the filter paper disk meth…

1996

Eighty three samples of saliva were collected from 60 subjects who were asymptomatic carriers of AIDS related complex (ARC) and AIDS. They included hemophiliacs, homosexuals and heterosexuals. Occult blood, human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) antibody and DNA were assayed after heat treatment at 56 degrees C by strip method, particle agglutination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. HIV-1 RNA was assayed by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR after heat treatment at 56 degrees C or 90 degrees C, or after application to filter paper disks with drying and heat treatment at 90 degrees C. Positive results were found in 53% (occult blood), 73% (HIV-1 antibody), 23% (HIV-1 DNA, 56 de…

CATs, a family of three distinct mammalian cationic amino acid transporters

1996

Three related mammalian carrier proteins that mediate the transport of cationic amino acids through the plasma membrane have been identified in murine and human cells (CAT for cationic amino acid transporter). Models of the CAT proteins in the membrane suggest they have 12 or 14 transmembrane domains connected by short hydrophilic loops and intracellular N- and C-termini. The transport activity of the CAT proteins is sensitive to trans-stimulation and independent of the presence of sodium ions. These features agree with the behaviour of carrier proteins mediating facilitated diffusion. The three CAT proteins, CAT-1, CAT-2A and CAT-2(B) are encoded by two different genes (CAT-1 and CAT-2). C…

L'estètica en Ramon Hull: Una qüestió epistemològica1

1996

A Question of R. Maier Concerning Formations

1996

The formation f is said to be saturated if the group G belongs to f Ž . whenever the Frattini factor group GrF G is in f. Let P be the set of all prime numbers. A formation function is a Ž . function f defined on P such that f p is a, possibly empty, formation. A formation f is said to be a local formation if there exists a formation Ž function f such that f s G g G : if HrK is a chief factor of G and p < < Ž . Ž .. divides HrK , then GrC HrK g f p ; G is the class of all finite G groups. If f is a local formation defined by a formation function f , then Ž . we denote f s LF f and f is a local definition of f. Among all possible local definitions of a local formation f there exists exactly …

Control of intrauterine device insertion with three-dimensional ultrasound: is it the future?

1996

A comparative study was designed to determine whether three-dimensional transvaginal sonography (3D-TVS) offered advantages over two-dimensional transvaginal sonography (2D-TVS) for the identification and location of IUDs in 66 asymptomatic women. Hysteroscopy was performed in cases in which there was a discrepancy between the information obtained by both methods (n = 14). In eight cases (12.2%) the IUD was misidentified with 2D-TVS. In six cases (9.1%) it was not possible to identify the device model with 2D-TVS. In two cases (3.0%) 2D-TVS failed to identify the position of the device. In contrast, all IUDs were identified and located accurately with 3D-TVS. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Coulomb blockade thermometry

1996

One dimensional arrays of normal metal tunnel junctions have been found to exhibit properties which are very suitable for primary and secondary thermometry in a lithographically adjustable temperature range which extends over about two decades. The thermometer is remarkably insensitive to nonuniformities in the actual pattern and to even strong magnetic fields. We also discuss the behaviour of this device at very low temperatures where the hot electron effect due to poor electron phonon coupling ultimately takes over and at very high temperatures where the finite tunnel barrier effects appear. Short arrays, and especially single tunnel junctions show interesting deviations from the universa…

The IHS classification criteria for migraine headaches in adolescents need minor modifications

1996

The operational and diagnostic criteria for migraine and all other headache disorders released in 1988 by the International Headache Society are universally considered reliable and exhaustive. These criteria, however, cannot be considered as satisfactory for population-based studies on migraine prevalence, especially if adolescents are the subjects of the study. Using these diagnostic criteria, we conducted an epidemiological study in order to assess the prevalence of migraine headache in a student population aged 11 to 14 years. Our survey made it possible to code IHS 1.1 (migraine without aura) in 2.35%, IHS 1.2 (migraine with aura) in 0.62%, IHS 1.7 (migrainous disorders not fulfilling m…

Thermodynamic Studies of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate–Sodium Dodecanoate Mixtures in Water

1996

Abstract Conductivity, density, heat capacity, enthalpy of dilution, and osmotic coefficient measurements of water–sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDS)–sodium dodecanoate systems were carried out as functions of the surfactants total molality ( m t ) at different mole fractions ( X NaDS ). From conductivity data, the critical micelle concentration (cmc) and the degree of ionization of the micelles (β) were calculated. The cmc vs X NaDS profile deviates negatively from that predicted on the basis of the Clint approach, while the β vs X NaDS profile deviates positively from the line correlating the values for pure surfactants. At a given mole fraction, the profiles of all the investigated properties…

Equilibrium swelling properties of polyampholytic hydrogels

1996

The role of counter ions and ion dissociation in establishing the equilibrium swelling of balanced and unbalanced polyampholytic hydrogels has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The swelling dependence on both the net charge offset and the external bath salt concentration has been examined using an acrylamide based polyampholytic hydrogels. By careful consideration of the swelling kinetics, we illustrate the effects of ion dissociation equilibria and counter ion shielding in polyampholytic hydrogels near their balance point where both polyelectrolyte and polyampholyte effects are present. The theory considers a Flory type swelling model where the Coulombic interactions betw…

Selecting students for medical school: What predicts success during basic science studies? A cognitive approach

1996

This study focuses on differences between multiple-choice science tests and a learning-from-text (LFT) test, and how these tests predict success in basic medical studies. The subjects (N = 503) were applicants to the Helsinki University Medical Faculty. All of them had to take an entrance examination in order to be considered for admission to a 6-year study programme combining medical school and graduate studies. The entrance examination consisted of three traditional multiple-choice science tests and one LFT test, the latter designed to measure deep-level processing of text. A follow-up study was conducted in order to see how the different tasks were related to the grades and pace of study…

A Widrow–Hoff Learning Rule for a Generalization of the Linear Auto-associator

1996

Abstract A generalization of the linear auto-associator that allows for differential importance and nonindependence of both the stimuli and the units has been described previously by Abdi (1988). This model was shown to implement the general linear model of multivariate statistics. In this note, a proof is given that the Widrow–Hoff learning rule can be similarly generalized and that the weight matrix will converge to a generalized pseudo-inverse when the learning parameter is properly chosen. The value of the learning parameter is shown to be dependent only upon the (generalized) eigenvalues of the weight matrix and not upon the eigenvectors themselves. This proof provides a unified framew…

German randomized double-blind multicentre comparison of terbinafine and itraconazole for the treatment of toenail tinea infection

1996

Summary One–hundred and ninety–five patients with toenail tinea unguium were recruited to a multicentre double–blind clinical trial. Patients were given 250mg terbinafine or 200 mg itraconazole daily for 12 weeks, with follow–up for a further 40 weeks. At the end of the study, mycological cure rates were 81% (70/86 assessed) for terbinafine and 63% (53/84 assessed) for itraconazole (two–tailed, P < 0·05). The length of unaffected nail was 9·44 mm in the terbinafine group and 7·85 mm in the itraconazole group (two–tailed, P < 0·05). Patient self–assessment also favoured terbinafine, with 65% evaluating it as good to very good, compared with 58% for itraconazole. Before treatment the terbinaf…

Reduced brain N-acetyl-aspartate in frontal lobes suggests neuronal loss in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

1996

International audience; Abstract: We performed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (IH-MRS) in three patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to evaluate the distribution and extent of cortical neuronal damage as demonstrated by decreased N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) levels. We examined primary motor (precentral gyrus) and parietal neocortical (superior parietal gyrus) regions. ALS was defined with lower and upper motor neuron signs. Compared with matched healthy controls, ALS patients had a significant decrease in NAA levels in the primary motor cortex (p<0.001) compared with parietal regions and homologous regions in healthy controls. Two clinical applications can be extracted: fi…

Rare association of human herpesvirus 6 DNA with human papillomavirus DNA in cervical smears of women with normal and abnormal cytologies.

1996

We investigated by nested PCR the possible association of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and human papillomavirus (HPV) genomes in the cervixes of 109 women with normal and abnormal cytological smears. HPV DNA was detected in 8.33% of 24 women with normal cytologies and in 41.1% of 85 women with abnormal cytologies; the proportion of HPV DNA was directly related to the severity of the lesions. HHV-6 DNA was found in only one patient, who had a cytological pattern of koilocytosis. The HHV-6 genome was classified by restriction enzyme analysis as variant B. The study indicates that detection of the HHV-6 genome in the cervixes of women with a wide spectrum of gynecological complaints is a rare e…

Reversible swelling of polyanion/polycation multilayer films in solutions of different ionic strength

1996

Immersion of consecutively adsorbed polyanion/polycation multilayer films in solutions of different ionic strength causes reversible thickness changes. Swelling of the films up to 18% was observed after soaking the films in aqueous solutions of NaCl at concentrations up to 1.0 mol/l. X-ray reflectivity clearly shows that the thickness changes are reversible within experimental error and that the films seem to get smoother after several cycles of immersion in salt solutions and in pure water. The extent of swelling depends on the internal film structure, namely on the number of polyanion/polycation interfaces in a film of a given thickness. Interestingly, the swelling levels off at salt conc…

Pour une véritable théorie de la latitude managériale et du gouvernement des entreprises.

1996

Le problème du contrôle des dirigeants et la notion de gouvernement des entreprises font l'objet depuis longtemps de travaux, souvent liés à des théories de l'organisation parmi les plus connues (théorie des coûts de transaction, théorie de l'agence…). Mais il semble que ces analyses, notamment parce qu'elles sont trop centrées sur les relations avec les actionnaires et négligent l'examen de la « latitude managériale », ne puissent qu'incomplètement rendre compte du statut et du comportement effectif des dirigeants. L'auteur propose ici de suivre diverses pistes pour dépasser cette situation en enrichissant les approches réductrices aujourd'hui dominantes.

Automated Determination of Dextromethorphan and Its Main Metabolites in Human Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Column Switching

1996

An automated column-switching technique coupled to isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection was developed for simultaneous determination of dextromethorphan and its three major metabolites, dextrorphan, hydroxymorphinan, and methoxymorphinan. After cleavage of conjugates by incubation with glucuronidasearylsulfatase at 37 degrees C for 15 h, plasma samples were injected directly into the HPLC system. Dextromethorphan and metabolites were retained on a cleanup column (10 x 4.6 mm internal diameter [ID]) filled with cyanopropyl (CN) material (Hypersil CPS, 10-microns article size) while interfering proteins and lipids were washed to waste. After colu…

Mental Models vs Integrated Models: Explanations of Syllogistic Reasoning

1996

To compare mental versus integrated models explanations of syllogistic reasoning, we administered a multiple-choice questionnaire containing 19 pairs of syllogistic premises with valid conclusions (given in a C-A order) to 72 psychology undergraduates. Association between our integrated models classification and the empirical difficulty of items was strong.

Detection of a germline mutation and somatic homozygous loss of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor-suppressor gene in a family with a de novo mutation

1996

von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a pleiotropic disorder featuring a variety of malignant and benign tumors of the eye, central nervous system, kidney, and adrenal gland. Recently the VHL gene has been identified in the chromosomal region 3p25-26. Prognosis and successful management of VHL patients and their descendants depend on unambiguous diagnosis. Due to recurrent hemangioblastomas, a29-year-old patient without familial history of VHL disease was diagnosed to be at risk for the disease. Histopathological examination of a small renal mass identified a clear cell tumor with a G1 grading. Genetic characterization of the germline and of the renal tumor was performed. Polymerase chain reac…

Sorptionsverhalten von 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluol und 1,3-Dinitrobenzol an unterschidlichen Bodenmodellsubstanzen

1996

In Batchversuchen wurden sechs Tone sehr geringen C org -Gehaltes und drei Sande mit 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluol- (TNT) und 1,3-Dinitrobenzollosungen (DNB) unterschiedlicher Konzentrationen versetzt und geschuttelt. Anhand der Ergebnisse dieser Versuche wurden Henry- und Langmuir-Adsorptionsisothermen erstellt. Bei den Tonen ergeben sich durchschnittlich um den Faktor 1,6 hohere K d -Werte fur TNT (0,4–1,8) gegenuber DNB (0,2–1,3). Die Sande zeigen diesen Effekt der starkeren Adsorption von TNT aufgrund ihrer geringeren reaktiven Oberflache und zum Teil durch den Einflus hydrophober Adsorption nicht. Die K d -Werte der Tone weisen eine positive Abhangigkeit von der K + -Ionenkonzentration und der …

Collisional shifting and broadening coefficients for the rovibrational anisotropic S(J) lines of nitrogen studied by inverse Raman spectroscopy

1996

0377-0486; Line shifting and broadening coefficients of the anisotropic S(J) lines (v = 0, J --> v = 1, J + 2) of the nitrogen molecule were measured at room temperature using high-resolution stimulated Raman spectroscopy. A rotational quantum number dependence of the S(J) line shifts was observed. In order to avoid an asymmetry of experimental origin, a suitable theoretical profile was fitted to the experimental lineshapes. This study allows the testing of the theoretical methods for calculating the line broadening coefficients in anisotropic Raman scattering, which have already been used in the analysis of infrared absorption data. The behaviour of the modified sum rule and the RPA (rando…

An approach to single trial analysis of event-related potentials based on signal detection theory.

1996

Abstract The aim of the present paper was to introduce a single trial analysis to event-related potential measurement in order to illuminate the mechanisms behind an impaired P300 amplitude occurring under certain experimental conditions. For this purpose we applied tools from linear system theory and signal detection theory to single trials in an oddball paradigm in order to estimate the amplitude of the positive deflection around the P300 latency following target and nontarget stimuli. According to the density functions of these amplitude distributions we operationally defined ‘P300 absent in target’ (P300 amplitude smaller than an individual threshold under target conditions) as well as …

Sex Pheromone of Chilo Suppressalis: Efficient Syntheses of (Z)-11-Hexadecenal, (Z)-13-Octadecenal And (Z)-9-Hexadecenal

1996

Abstract The constituents of the sex attractant pheromone of Chilo suppressalis: (Z)-11-Hexedecenal 1, (Z)-13-octadecenenal 2 and (Z)-9-Hexadecenal 3 have been synthesized as their ethylene acetals 19, 15 and 13, in six steps from easily available compounds. The synthetic methodology can be applied to preparative scale.

On the microwave background anisotropy produced by big voids in open universes

1996

The Tolman-Bondi solution of the Einstein equations is used in order to model the time evolution of the void observed in Bo\"otes. The present density contrast of the central region ($\sim -0.75$) and its radius ($\sim 30h^{-1} \ Mpc$) are fixed, while the density parameter of the Universe, the amplitude of the density contrast inside the void wall, the width of this wall and the distance from the void centre to the Local Group are appropriately varied. The microwave background anisotropy produced by Bo\"otes-like voids is estimated for a significant set of locations. All the voids are placed far from the last scattering surface. It is shown that the anisotropy generated by these voids stro…

Improved variables for measuring theΛbpolarization

1996

We discuss a few possible strategies for measuring the polarization of the {Lambda}{sub {ital b}} baryons produced in {ital e}{sup +}{ital e}{sup {minus}} annihilation at the {ital Z} resonance through their inclusive semileptonic decays. After reviewing the existing methods, an extension is proposed, based on the ratio of the averages of the squared electron and neutrino energies, including both perturbative and nonperturbative corrections. This variable minimizes the statistical error on the {Lambda}{sub {ital b}} polarization, while keeping the systematic theoretical errors at the level of 1{endash}2{percent}. A number of other polarization-sensitive variables are also discussed, such as…