cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Manufacturing Executives’ Views of Competitive Challenges That Affect International Trade

United States competitiveness programs emphasize production, finance, and worker training but neglect marketing. This paper reviews data from 544 manufacturing executives regarding the challenges that face their companies and the impacts of these challenges on international sales. The findings validate current policies but also reveal marketing issues that should be addressed in international competitiveness policies.
Summary and Future

Decades of effort understanding, inventing, designing, developing and using photothermal treatments for human disease have clearly improved medical care. Lasers are the treatment of choice for common eye, skin, upper airway, gynecological and venous disorders. The microscopic precision of laser tissue ablation and selective photothermolysis are unprecedented in medicine. Optical diagnostics have also made significant impact. Is the pace of progress in this field likely to continue? Ophthalmology and dermatology are the only two medical specialties that depend heavily on optical treatments by photothermal and photochemical mechanisms, and ophthalmology also depends heavily on optical diagnostics. Many eye and skin problems fit for optical solutions remain unsolved.
Advances in SiGe HBT BiCMOS technology

Silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) BiCMOS technology has established a strong foothold in the communications marketplace by offering a cost competitive solution for a myriad of products. SiGe BiCMOS technologies currently address various applications ranging from 0.9-77 GHz. At the heart of this success is the ease of integration of a high performance SiGe HBT with state-of-the-art CMOS and passive elements. We present the advances in SiGe BiCMOS technologies and an outlook of future challenges and opportunities.
Late Quaternary glaciation of Costa Rica and Guatemala, Central America

Abstract The highest peaks of Costa Rica and the high plateau of the Altos de los Cuchumatanes in Guatemala were glaciated during the Late Pleistocene, attesting to a significantly different climate in the Central American isthmus. In Costa Rica, during the last local glacial maximum (LLGM) ice c. 35 km2 in extent covered the highest peaks of the Cordillera de Talamanca, an additional c. 2 km2 of ice existed around Cerro Kamuk, and c. 6 km2 existed on Cerro de la Muerte. In Chirripo Park, three moraine groups define three glacial stages. The Talamanca stage is represented by the most extensive moraines that reach down to 3040 m a.s.l. The Chirripo stage moraines reach elevations of 3300 m, and the Talari stage moraines formed at around 3300 and 3420 m a.s.l., and have a minimum age of 10,140 14C yr BP ( Horn, 1990 ). Based on moraine elevations and geomorphological evidence, the palaeo-equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) during the Talamanca stage were c. 3500 m a.s.l. Cirque floor elevations around Cerro Kamuk of 3300 m suggest a lower (pre-?) LLGM ELA. Radiosonde data from San Jose place the modern 0°C isotherm at c. 5000 m, which suggests a late Pleistocene ELA depression of c. 1500 m. In Guatemala, an ice cap of c. 60 km2 existed on the high plateau with ice tongues depositing moraines at elevations of 3470 to 3600 m. The Pleistocene ELA was estimated to be c. 3600 m.
A Revival of the De Sitter Universe

The large number hypothesis (LNH) was proposed by Dirac1,2 in 1937; it is related to the assumptions made in Eddington’s ‘Fundamental Theory’, modified, however, by the variation of the dimensionless large numbers with time. The original version was later modified to a theory with matter creation in the expanding universe3. For a while this theory seemed to be in better agreement with empirical data; it was given up when it was shown to yield results conflicting with our present knowledge on the Moon’s surface. The present version4 does not assume matter creation; it is closer related to the original version which can again fit empirical results, because of the change of our estimate of the Hubble parameter.
An algorithm for generalized semi-infinite min-max problems using exact penalties

We develop an implementable algorithm for the solution of a class of generalized semi-infinite min-max problems. First, we use exact penalties to convert a generalized semi-infinite min-max problem into an infinite family of semi-infinite min-max-min problems. Next, the inner min-function is smoothed and the semi-infinite max part is approximated, using discretization, to obtain a three-parameter family of finite min-max problems. We show that the min-max-min problems have identical solutions to those of the original problem when the penalty is sufficiently large and that the solutions of the finite min-max problems converge to solutions of the original problem when the smoothing and discretization parameters go to infinity, provided the penalty parameter is sufficiently large. A numerical example demonstrates the viability of the algorithm.
Are preformed endotracheal tubes appropriately designed for pediatric patients

Summary Background The aim of the study was to examine different brands of preformed oral and nasal endotracheal tubes (ETT) and to assess whether the bend placement gave acceptable guidance for ETT depth positioning in children. Methods The distance from the vertex of the bend to the tip (bend-to-tip distance) of seven brands of preformed oral and nasal ETTs were measured. Front teeth-to-carina (FTC) and nares-to-carina (NC) distance data from orally (0–19 years) and nasally (0–8 years) intubated children were used to assess the risk of endobronchial intubation if a preformed ETT had been placed with its bend at the front teeth or nares. Results While the bend-to-tip distance of a cuffed oral preformed ETT only differed by 0–1 cm from a same size ETT from another brand, uncuffed oral ETTs differed by 0–4 cm. The bend-to-tip distance of cuffed and uncuffed ETTs of the same brand and size differed by 0–3 cm. Had preformed cuffed oral ETTs been placed with their bends at the front teeth in children of the FTC reference group, endobronchial intubation would have occurred in 0–27% of the patients, depending on the size and brand of the used ETT. In contrast to oral ETTs, the bend-to-tip distance of cuffed nasal ETTs differed more (0–5.5 cm) between brands, and uncuffed nasal ETTs less (0–3 cm). Also, the bend-to-tip distance of a cuffed nasal ETT was consistently greater (2–9 cm) than that of a same brand and size nasal uncuffed ETT. Had a preformed cuffed nasal ETT been placed with its bend at the nares in the NC reference group, 50–100% of the patients would have been endobronchially intubated. Conclusion The bend-to-tip distance of preformed ETTs varies between brands, especially for nasal tubes. Some preformed tubes are not well suited for routine use in children. There is a high risk for accidental endobronchial intubation if a cuffed preformed ETT is positioned with its bend at the front teeth or nares in a young child. ETT tube tip position needs to be carefully controlled when a preformed ETT is used in a child.
Coronary artery dissection secondary to coronary arteriography: Case report and review

A case of catheter-induced proximal dissection of an angiographically normal left coronary artery is reported. Dissection was not associated with pressure damping and myocardial ischemia was delayed until 1 hour after dissection occurred. Prompt recognition of this entity is essential as emergency revascularization is the treatment of choice when significant amounts of myocardium are threatened.
Pharmacodynamic Characteristics of Nephrotoxicity Associated With Vancomycin Use in Children.

Background Limited studies incorporating population-based pharmacokinetic modeling have been conducted to determine pharmacodynamic indices associated with nephrotoxicity during vancomycin exposure in children. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted from September 2003 to December 2011 at 2 hospitals. Nephrotoxicity was defined as an increase in serum creatinine concentration (SCr) by ≥0.5 mg/dL, or ≥50% increase in baseline SCr, either persisting for ≥2 consecutive days. A 1-compartment model with first-order kinetics was used in NONMEM 7.2 to estimate trough concentrations (Cmin) and area under the curve over 24 hours (AUC). Univariate, classification and regression tree (CART), and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors contributing to nephrotoxicity. Results The analyses included 680 pediatric subjects with 1576 vancomycin serum concentrations. Based on univariate analysis, median Cmin (14.2 [interquartile range, IQR, 7.1-25.4] vs 8.4 [IQR, 5.5-12.4] mcg/mL; P = .001) and AUC (544 [IQR, 359-801] vs 378 [IQR, 304-494]; P 1063 mg-h/L had a significantly higher occurrence of nephrotoxicity (P = .005). Adjusting for intensive care unit stay and concomitant nephrotoxic drugs, steady-state vancomycin Cmin ≥15 mcg/mL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-5.8; P = .028) and AUC ≥800 mg-h/L (aOR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.2-11.0; P = .018) were associated with increased risk of nephrotoxicity. Conclusions Our study describes the pediatric exposure-nephrotoxicity relationships for vancomycin. Vancomycin Cmin ≥15 mcg/mL and AUC ≥800 mg-h/L in children are independently associated with a > 2.5-fold increased risk of nephrotoxicity and may provide justification for use of alternative antibiotics in selected situations.
A Distributed Reclustering Hierarchy Routing Protocol Using Social Welfare in Wireless Sensor Networks

In recent years, there has been a rapid proliferation of research concerning Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), due to the wide range of potential applications that they can be used for. Lifetime is one of the most important considerations for WSNs due to their inherent energy constraints, and various protocols have been proposed to overcome these difficulties. This study proposes a novel distributed reclustering routing protocol: Predictive and Adaptive Routing Protocol using Energy Welfare (PARPEW). PARPEW incorporates the concept of energy welfare (EW) to achieve both energy efficiency and energy balance simultaneously. PARPEW is equipped with a cluster head (CH) shift mechanism that utilizes predictive energy after transmission for the computation of EW. The average case time complexity of the shift mechanism belongs to 𝑂(|𝐶|2), where |𝐶| is the average number of sensors in a cluster in the WSN. Experimental results demonstrate that the new protocol is capable of significantly prolonging the lifetime of WSNs under various scenarios.
Acculturation and Dietary Practices Among Korean Americans

Abstract Objective Examine variation in dietary practices and nutritional intakes of Korean Americans at different acculturation levels. Design Cross-sectional mail survey. Subjects/setting US national sample of 348 Korean Americans (46% of the Korean American sample to whom questionnaires were delivered). Statistical analysis performed Analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, Spearman rank correlation, χ 2 test, and multiple regression analysis. Results Korean Americans who were more acculturated consumed more American food and less Korean food. American foods such as oranges, low-fat milk, bagels, tomatoes, and bread were consumed regularly by Korean Americans; Korean foods such as rice, kimchi, garlic, green onions, and Korean soup were also consumed regularly. American foods were adopted the most at breakfast and the least at dinner. Bicultural people regularly incorporated more different types of foods into their diet. Despite significant differences in dietary practices, dietary quality did not vary by acculturation status. Application/conclusions Acculturation was influential in the dietary patterns of Korean Americans. Specific information about Korean diet related to acculturation status can be used by dietitians who work with Korean Americans. Dietitians can benefit from gathering and applying specific information about Korean diets and diets of other ethnic groups; they also need to recognize the changing nature of dietary patterns as acculturation occurs. J Am Diet Assoc. 1999;99:1084–1089.
Detecting money-stealing apps in alternative Android markets

The prevalence of malware in Android marketplaces is a growing and significant problem. Among the most worrisome concerns are with regarding to malicious Android applications that attempt to steal money from unsuspecting users. These malicious applications get uploaded under the guise of benign applications, typically to third-party alternative market places that lack proper security vetting procedures, and are subsequently downloaded and executed by unsuspecting victims. In this work, we propose "Money-Guard", a systematic approach to detect stealthy moneystealing applications in popular Android markets. Our technique relies on detecting two key behavioral heuristics that seem to be common across many money-stealing Android malware: hardcoded exfiltration and notification suppression. In our preliminary analysis of 47 SMS-based money stealing applications, we confirm that 41 of these applications follow the above pattern, and describe a light weight detection approach that will identify this behavioral pattern.
Measurement and Calculation of Cu II, Ge II, Si II, and C I Vacuum-Ultraviolet Lines

The discharge in a water-cooled copper hollow cathode containing germanium and silicon was photographed with the NBS 10.7-m Eagle vacuum spectrograph to investigate a portion of the vacuum-ultraviolet spectrum of singly ionized copper in first, second, and third orders. The suitability for use as standards of thirty-two of the thirty-three Cu ii lines of the 4p–6s transitions for which Ritz calculations have been made was investigated. One hundred and eight other lines of Cu ii in the interval 861–1623 A were observed and measured in the second and/or third orders, with estimated wavelength uncertainties of 0.0006 A. These include two previously unobserved lines of the 4p–6s transitions, five members of the calculable 4s–5p transitions, and the three ground-state transitions (a1S0–4p1P1, 3P1, 3D1). The improved data for these three lines improve the accuracy of calculated shorter-wavelength lines.Some vacuum-ultraviolet multiplets of C i, Si ii, and Ge ii in the wavelength range 1492–1602 A, were also measured in second order. They lead to an extension, modification, or confirmation of previously calculated wavelengths of these spectra. A precise measurement of the Lyman Beta line of hydrogen in third order provides added confirmation of the presence of the Lamb shift of the 1 2S state of hydrogen.
The case | A hemodialysis patient with bullous skin lesions.

A 65-year-old woman with end-stage kidney disease secondary to diabetes on hemodialysis for 5 years presented with a several-week history of skin lesions over her face and hands. She had then noted fluid-filled lesions following minor trauma to her hands. The patient did not report any history of skin disease. On clinical examination, multiple erosions with crusting were noted over her cheeks and glabella, dorsal hands, and feet, where she also had some milia (Figure 1). There were no hypertrichosis, sclerodermoid lesions, or any other skin abnormalities. Laboratory analysis showed increased serum ferritin levels to 1735 mg/l (normal 40–250 mg/l), and normal metal screen (aluminum, zinc, and lead). Screening for hepatitis C was negative. Liver enzyme levels were elevated (AST 70 U/l; ALT 70 U/l; and AP 530 U/l).
Direct measurement of T-cell receptor repertoire diversity with AmpliCot

Many studies require the measurement of nucleic acid sequence diversity. Here we describe a method, called AmpliCot, that measures the sequence diversity of PCR products on the basis of DNA hybridization kinetics, thereby avoiding the time, expense and biases associated with cloning and sequencing. SYBR Green dye is used to measure DNA hybridization kinetics in a homogeneous, automated fashion. PCR products are prepared in wholly double-stranded homoduplex form for a baseline measurement of DNA concentration. The DNA is melted and then reannealed under stringent conditions that allow only homoduplexes to form. The sequence diversity of a sample is proportional to the product of its concentration and the time required for it to anneal. After validating AmpliCot with a library of diverse sequences, we use it to measure the diversity of expressed rearrangements of the gene encoding the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) β chain. AmpliCot measurements are in good agreement with previous estimates of murine TCR repertoire diversity that required extensive cloning and sequencing.
Nonlinear interactions among standing surface and internal gravity waves

A laboratory study has been undertaken to measure the energy transfer from two surface waves to one internal gravity wave in a nonlinear, resonant interaction. The interacting waves form triads for which \[ \sigma_{1s} - \sigma_{2s} \pm\sigma_1 = 0\quad {\rm and}\quad \kappa_{1s} - \kappa_2s} \pm \kappa_I = 0; \] σ j and κ j being the frequency and wavenumber of the j th wave. Unlike previously published results involving single triplets of interacting waves, all waves here considered are standing waves. For both a diffuse, two-layer density field and a linearly increasing density with depth, the growth to steady state of a resonant internal wave is observed while two deep water surface eigen-modes are simultaneously forced by a paddle. Internal-wave amplitudes, phases and initial growth rates are compared with theoretical results derived assuming an arbitrary Boussinesq stratification, viscous dissipation and slight detuning of the internal wave. Inclusion of viscous dissipation and slight detuning permit predictions of steady-state amplitudes and phases as well as initial growth rates. Satisfactory agreement is found between predicted and measured amplitudes and phases. Results also suggest that the internal wave in a resonant triad can act as a catalyst, permitting appreciable energy transfer among surface waves.
Institut Louis Armand for 'enterprises of great pith and moment'

(1996). Institut Louis Armand for 'enterprises of great pith and moment' Interdisciplinary Science Reviews: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 11-20.
Study of the systematic behavior of beta 2 values with the P-factor.

The systematic behavior of {beta}{sub 2} values with respect to the parameter {ital P}={ital N}{sub {ital p}N{ital n}}/({ital N}{sub {ital p}}+{ital N}{sub {ital n}}) is examined, and it is found that the rate of increase of {beta}{sub 2}/{beta}{sub 2} sp as a function of {ital P} is the same in all mass regions. A new method for predicting {beta}{sub 2} values which exploits this relationship is described. This method is particularly useful for predicting {beta}{sub 2} values in a region of well-deformed nuclei where no values have yet been measured, such as the region near {sup 130}Sm.
Magnetism and transmission electron microscopy of Fe-Ti oxides and pyroxenes in a granulite from Lofoten, Norway

Granulites from southwest Lofoten, Norway, often carry intense and stable components of natural remanent magnetization (NRM). Coercivities in excess of 100 mT and blocking temperatures up to 580°–645°C are common. Several phases in these rocks can carry stable components of NRM. Clinopyroxenes (augite with exsolved pigeonite and orthopyroxene) usually contain abundant Fe-Ti oxides, the majority of which are too small to be studied conclusively with visible light. Additionally, these rocks typically contain coarse-grained (∼100–1000 μm) exsolution intergrowths of rhombohedral Fe-Ti oxides and coarse-grained magnetite. We have studied the magnetism and mineralogy of the titanohematite and the inclusion-bearing augites in one granulite sample using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and magnetic experiments to understand better the remanence properties of naturally occurring Fe-Ti oxides and their relationships to silicate minerals. The coarse-grained titanohematite has a coercivity of 350 mT and a laboratory saturation remanence that unblocks at 570°–600°C. The hysteresis characteristics of this titanohematite are typical of much smaller ∼10μm-sized single domains, which apparently reflects the presence of exsolved ilmenite lamellae, as small as <10 nm in thickness. These lamellae presumably inhibit (1) domain wall nucleation and (2) movement of walls that manage to nucleate. The inclusions in the augites serve as carriers of lower coercivity remanence with blocking temperatures less than about 560°C. Magnetite, hematite, and ilmenite are present in the augite, and intergrowth of the rhombohedral phases, revealed by TEM, persists down to the 20-nm scale. The distribution of the magnetite inclusions in the augite appears to be unrelated to any silicate microstructure, while that of the rhombohedral Fe-Ti oxides is strongly controlled by silicate microstructure, with intergrowths of these oxides commonly decorating lamellae of pigeonite, orthopyroxene, and clinoamphibole within the augite. The NRM of this sample possibly dates from the amphibolite facies metamorphism that the region experienced about 1000 m.y. ago. Paleomagnetic studies of these rocks could readily recover virtual geomagnetic poles dating from this event. In addition to the included oxides, the augites display a number of unusual features that probably result from the protracted polymetamorphic history of these granulites: pigeonite lamellae are not parallel to the b-crystallographic axis, pigeonite lamellae cut across those of orthopyroxene and numerous included minerals occur. Rare earth elements are concentrated within inclusions that reside in the augite.
Patent ductus arteriosus in a patient surviving to seventy-four years∗

Abstract A case of persistent patent ductus arteriosus in a seventy-four year old woman in whom the clinical diagnosis was confirmed at autopsy is reported.
Economics and Ethics

IN Ss ARTICLE entitled "Business and Ethics" (Fortune, October, 1948, p. 120), William A. Orton stated that "The purposes of good thinking in the field of social policy are two: first, to distinguish the elements in the situation that are given and not immediately alterable from those as to which we have some freedom of choice; and second, to discover the grounds and the probable effects of the choices that are open to us." This statement poses clearly the age-old and fundamental problem of the relation of economics and ethics, and in the word "grounds" suggests the solution. This essay is simply an attempt to amplify that suggestion. It is not our purpose here to consider the relation of business activities themselves to ethics; it should be sufficiently clear that these must be directed by the virtue of justice, and are governed by moral norms as are all human actions. Robbing banks is not a morally legitimate business activity; neither is demanding higher wages on the sole ground that your employer can afford to pay them; neither is setting higher prices on the sole ground that you are big and powerful enough to exercise "price leadership" in a given field. Our primary concern at the moment is with the relation of economic science to ethics. Is there any such relation at all, and, if so, of what sort is it? The term "economics" has undergone considerable change in its long history. Aristotle, and his mediaeval commentators, identified economics with household management, that prudence by which the head of a family looks to the material, intellectual, and moral needs of the members of his household. That part of household management concerned with the obtaining of wealth, in order to satisfy directly the material and indirectly the intellectual and moral needs of the family, Aristotle called chrematistics. In the ancient and mediaeval world, then, economics had a wider meaning than it has today, since it was directed to the satisfaction of more than simply material needs; it also had a narrower meaning, since it was concerned with the requirements of the family alone. The modern science of economics analyzes and describes the past and present efforts of men to acquire and use material wealth, and seeks whatever laws this analysis can be made to reveal. On the basis of these laws it attempts to predict the probable results of a tentative course of action directed to the future acquisition or use of wealth. On as large and as scientific a scale as possible, it provides vicarious experience, and advice based on that experience.
FMRFamide-like material in the earwig, Euborellia annulipes, and its functional significance.

The neurosecretory system of the earwig, Euborellia annulipes, contained material similar to that of FMRFamide, as shown by immunocytochemistry. Within the brain were two pairs of darkly staining perikarya in the medial protocerebrum, and up to four pairs of immunoreactive cells in the lateral protocerebrum. The corpora allata appeared immunoreactive in 10-day females, but not in 2-day-old adults. Additionally, immunoreactive material was detected in midgut endocrine cells of both 2- and 10-day-old females. FMRFamide at 1 to 100 nM did not inhibit juvenile hormone production by earwig corpora allata in vitro. This was true of glands of low activity from 2-day cat food-fed or starved virgin females, 10-day starved females, and those of relatively high activity from 10-day-old, cat food-fed females. In contrast, FMRFamide at 50 and 100 (but not at 1) nM stimulated gut motility in vitro in distended guts from 2-day fed females. Preparations from starved females and those from 10-day fed females (in which feeding behavior is on the decline) did not respond to exogenous FMRFamide with enhanced rates of contraction. Lastly, preparations from females starved for 7 days and subsequently fed for 3 days responded to 10 nM FMRFamide with increases in gut motility.
Saturation and metastable properties of the van der Waals fluid

Modern applications require accurate thermodynamic equations of state that portray stable and metastable states of fluids. Earlier work has shown that the famous van der Waals equation, contrary to widely held views, finds its natural niche in the rank of real substances ordered according to their values of the acentric factor. In this note, the saturated and metastable state properties of a van der Waals fluid are presented in the form of a temperature table and a pressure table. A comparison of these results with the available data for mercury is made and it is established that mercury is approximated rather well as a van der Waals fluid. Les applications modernes exigent l'emploi d'equations d'etat thermodynamiques exactes decrivant les etats stable et metastable des fluides. Un travail anterieur a montre que la fameuse equation de van der Waals, contrairement a certains points de vue exprimes, trouve une place naturelle dans la classe des substances reelles ordonnees selon leurs valeurs du facteur “d'acentricite”. On presente les proprietets a l'etat sature et metastable d'un fluide de van der Waals, sous forme d'un tableau de temperature et d'un tableau de pression. On a compare ces resultats avec les donnees disponibles pour le mercure et I'on a etabli que le mercure est assez bien represente par un fluide de van der Waals.
Formulation and performance evaluation of adaptive, sequential radar target recognition algorithms

An algorithm is formulated for automatic real-aperture radar target recognition that is self- adaptive with respect to both the types and the number of backscatter measurements required for an optimum classification decision. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated by means of Monte-Carlo simulation studies using cross-section data for sets of five commercial aircraft obtained from a compact radar range. Analysis is made of the resulting performance of the adaptive algorithm and compared to other techniques. Results show significant performance advantages through the use of adaptive, sequential techniques.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Secreted Protein Thrombospondin 2 Is an Autocrine Inhibitor of Marrow Stromal Cell Proliferation

Marrow stromal cells (MSCs) are obtained in increased number from mice in which the thrombospondin 2 (TSP2) gene is disrupted, and these cells show increased DNA synthesis in vitro. To examine more closely the role of TSP2 in the physiology and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, an in-depth characterization of TSP2-null MSCs was conducted. Determination of TSP2 protein content by Western analysis and RNA levels by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) indicated that MSCs are the primary source of TSP2 in the marrow and secrete abundant TSP2 into culture medium. Morphologically, the TSP2-null and wild-type (WT) cell populations were similar and by flow cytometry contained equivalent numbers of CD44+, Mac1+, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1+), and ScaI+ cells. TSP2-null cells showed delayed mineralization associated with an increased rate of proliferation. Consistent with this finding, there was a decrease in expression of collagen and osteocalcin RNA by TSP2-null MSCs on day 7 and increased osteopontin expression on day 7 and day 14. In add-back experiments, recombinant TSP2 produced a dose-dependent decrease in proliferation. This reduction was associated with an accumulation of TSP2-treated cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and did not result from an increase in apoptosis. When TSP2 treatment was terminated, the cell population reentered the S phase. We conclude that the increased endosteal bone formation observed in TSP2-null mice results primarily from the failure of TSP2 to regulate locally MSC cell cycle progression.
Measurements of the quantized Hall steps in Si at the ppm level

Abstract Hall voltages of n-channel (100)Si MOSFETs have been studied with a high sensitivity potentiometric method. These experiments reveal Hall steps flat to within at least 1 ppm at a temperature of 1.5 K. and magnetic field of 13 T. In addition, unanticipated features have been observed near the edges of the Hall steps. Possible explanations for these effects will be discussed.
Stimulation of protease activated receptors on RT4 cells mediates arachidonic acid release via Ca2+ independent phospholipase A2.

Purpose: Protease activated receptors (PAR) represent a family of G protein coupled receptors with 7 membrane spanning domains that are activated by proteolysis of the N-terminus of the receptor by serine proteases. The presence of multiple PARs on the same cell is thought to extend the range of proteases a cell responds to rather than expand the range of intracellular responses. We investigated arachidonic acid and prostaglandin E2 release in the human urothelial carcinoma cell line RT4 in response to stimulation with thrombin, which activates PAR-1, and tryptase, which activates PAR-2.Materials and Methods: RT4 cells were incubated with thrombin, tryptase or PAR agonist peptides and intracellular phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity, arachidonic acid and prostaglandin E2 release were measured. Pretreatment with bromoenol lactone, a selective inhibitor for Ca2+ independent PLA2 (iPLA2), was also investigated.Results: Thrombin and tryptase stimulation resulted in a 2 to 3-fold increase in membrane associated ...
Cytochemical Observations on Malic Dehydrogenase, Lipase, Nonspecific Esterase and Monoamine Oxidase in Chick Liver Cell Cultures Infected with Trichomonas vaginalis*

SYNOPSIS. In trypsin-dispersed chick liver cell cultures malic dehydrogenase activity is localized in granules distributed thruout the cytoplasm of fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and macrophages. A progressive increase of the enzymic activity in all cell culture elements, except for phagocytes whose external or internal surfaces remain in direct contact with the parasites, accompanies infection of the cultures with a relatively pathogenic strain of Trichomonas vaginalis. In such phagocytes most staining for malic dehydrogenase is lost. Epithelial cells and parasite-free macrophages in experimental cultures also have a diffuse cytoplasmic reaction. No lipase activity is present in fibroblasts, but epithelial cells and macrophages in chick liver cell cultures contain numerous reactive granules. A strong diffuse cytoplasmic reaction is found in the epithelial cells and a weaker one in the control phagocytes. In cultures infected with T. vaginalis the enzyme is lost progressively from the epithelium and from those macrophages which have engulfed the parasites or whose external surfaces are invested with the flagellates; however, no significant changes in lipase activity can be found in parasite-free experimental phagocytes. In all cell types found in chick liver cultures, the reaction for nonspecific esterase is localized in cytoplasmic inclusions of varying size, some of which tend to accumulate along the cell membranes and around the nuclei. In addition, a weak diffuse cytoplasmic reaction is seen in the epithelial cells. Most cells in cultures infected with T. vaginalis have a significant increase in esterase activity, the exception being the macrophages which contain parasites within their cytoplasm or those with flagellates applied closely to their external surfaces. Only a few specifically stained granules are retained by such phagocytes. Monoamine oxidase activity is limited to fine granules dispersed in the cytoplasm of fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and macrophages of control cultures. Infection of chick liver cultures with T. vaginalis results in lowered enzyme activity in non-phagocytic cells as well as in macrophages with engulfed flagellates and in those whose external surface are invested with the parasites. The number of reactive inclusions appears to increase in trichomonad-free phagocytes of experimental cultures.
Hemodynamic and Electrophysiologic Effects of First- and Second-Generation Calcium Antagonists

Abstract The calcium antagonists currently available exert significantly different in vitro and in vivo electrophysiologic, hemodynamic, and contractile effects on cardiovascular function, mediated through differential cardiac and vascular smooth muscle responses to calcium channel blockade. These differences have important implications regarding choice of agent in specific clinical conditions, such as sinus or atrioventricular nodal disease, depressed left ventricular function, or congestive heart failure—conditions that may coexist with angina or hypertension. Recognizing and utilizing the properties of the different calcium antagonists is important to ensure maximally effective clinical outcomes. For example, in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and supraventricular arrhythmias, verapamil is singularly effective, whereas in post-myocardial infarction patients with pulmonary congestion, diltiazem may produce an added risk. Calcium antagonists of the dihydropyridine class, such as nifedipine and amlodipine, have the greatest peripheral vasoselective effects and thus the greatest potential to reduce afterload, minimizing direct left ventricular depression of contractility. Despite favorable effects of calcium antagonists, most of the agents currently available are not clearly safe in congestive heart failure and may adversely affect left ventricular function. However, newer calcium antagonists such as amlodipine are being investigated with regard to their safety in congestive heart failure.
Activation of Intrinsic Immune Responses and Microglial Phagocytosis in an Ex Vivo Spinal Cord Slice Culture Model of West Nile Virus Infection

West Nile virus (WNV) is a neurotropic flavivirus that causes significant neuroinvasive disease involving the brain and/or spinal cord. Experimental mouse models of WNV infection have established the importance of innate and adaptive immune responses in controlling the extent and severity of central nervous system (CNS) disease. However, differentiating between immune responses that are intrinsic to the CNS and those that are dependent on infiltrating inflammatory cells has proven difficult. We used a murine ex vivo spinal cord slice culture (SCSC) model to determine the innate immune processes specific to the CNS during WNV infections. By 7 days after ex vivo infection of SCSCs, the majority of neurons and a substantial percentage of astrocytes were infected with WNV, resulting in apoptotic cell death and astrogliosis. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the CNS, were activated by WNV infection, as exemplified by their amoeboid morphology, the development of filopodia and lamellipodia, and phagocytosis of WNV-infected cells and debris. Microglial cell activation was concomitant with increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including CXCL10, CXCL1, CCL5, CCL3, CCL2, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The application of minocycline, an inhibitor of neuroinflammation, altered the WNV-induced proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine expression profile, with inhibited production of CCL5, CCL2, and IL-6. Our findings establish that CNS-resident cells have the capacity to initiate a robust innate immune response against WNV infection in the absence of infiltrating inflammatory cells and systemic immune responses. IMPORTANCE There are no specific treatments of proven efficacy available for WNV neuroinvasive disease. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of WNV CNS infection is crucial for the rational development of novel therapies. Development of a spinal cord slice culture (SCSC) model facilitates the study of WNV pathogenesis and allows investigation of the intrinsic immune responses of the CNS. Our studies demonstrate that robust CNS innate immune responses, including microglial activation and proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine production, develop independently of contributions from the peripheral immune system and CNS-infiltrating inflammatory cells.
Using Multiple Data Sources to Develop a Liaison Agenda

Subject librarians at many college and university libraries have a wide variety of job responsibilities. Yet they often lack guidance on goal setting and prioritization. At the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Libraries, the liaison program currently lacks a formal agenda setting process. This study explores using multiple sources of data for liaison goal setting and goal prioritization. Data from the LibQUAL+ survey, faculty surveys and focus groups, and usage statistics were examined for the disciplines of art, architecture, business, and hotel administration, and then applied to the development of liaison agendas. The results show that data can enrich and inform liaison perceptions of the behavior and priorities of their constituents and assist liaisons with establishing annual goals.
Direct detection of deletion mutations in the yeast DEL assay using quantitative PCR (TaqMan).

Abstract Established mutagenesis assays measure mutant frequencies at selectable loci. These assays work by encouraging the growth of mutants to form visible colonies while suppressing the growth of non-mutants. An alternative strategy is to detect DNA alterations directly. We present an example of this latter strategy using TaqMan ® to quantify deletion mutants in mixed cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain RS112. The RS112 strain contains two heteroallelic his3 sequences that share ∼400 bp homology and are separated by ∼7 kb of plasmid DNA. Spontaneous and chemical-induced strand breaks that occur in this region are repaired by intrachromosomal recombination, resulting in the loss of the plasmid DNA and creation of a His prototroph. Ordinarily, these prototrophs are detected by growth on His− medium over 2–3 days. In this case, we used TaqMan ® to selectively detect the DNA of deletion mutants in the presence of a large excess of DNA from non-mutants. This was accomplished using primers whose annealing sites were outside the region of DNA lost due to recombination. Thus, the primers were too far apart to produce PCR products using DNA from non-mutants, but produced a robust TaqMan ® signal using DNA from deletion mutants. Spontaneous and chemical-induced recombination frequencies (RF) were measured in a series of time-course and dose–response experiments with direct-acting mutagens. Interestingly, chemical-induced increases in RF were observed within a few hours of initiation of exposure, demonstrating that deletion mutations in RS112 can be fixed soon after DNA damage occurs. The ability to measure RF at any time during treatment will be useful for additional mechanistic studies. Chemical-induced increases in RF were also observed in the absence of selective growth conditions. As such, detection of deletion mutations with TaqMan may be applicable to measurements of RFs at non-selectable loci in yeast and other species. Finally, chemical-induced RFs after 17 h exposure were similar to those observed after 3 days growth on selective medium. The TaqMan ® assay may therefore be used to screen compounds more quickly for their ability to cause deletion mutations than is currently done by plating on selective medium.
Effect of hydrostatic strain on the band gap of wurtzite GaN

Abstract The effect of hydrostatic strain on wurtzite GaN is studied theoretically using an sp3d5-sp3 empirical tight-binding model (ETBM). The model incorporates all nearest-neighbor and some second-nearest neighbor interactions within the two-center approximation. The second-nearest neighbor interactions excluded are the cation-cation interactions involving the Ga 3d orbital. Strain is included by scaling the two-center integrals appropriately. The strain is, therefore, modeled without invoking deformation potential theory, eliminating the need for additional strain parameters. The effective band gap has been calculated for various hydrostatic strains and the results compared with published experimental data. The theory reproduces the sublinear dependence of the band gap with pressure, and the calculated pressure dependence of the band gap and the hydrostatic deformation potential are found to agree well with experiment and with previously published results calculated via ab initio techniques, showing the validity of the present approach.
A Fast and Robust Algorithm for General Inequality/Equality Constrained Minimum-Time Problems

This paper presents a new algorithm for solving general inequality/equality constrained minimum time problems. The algorithm`s solution time is linear in the number of Runge-Kutta steps and the number of parameters used to discretize the control input history. The method is being applied to a three link redundant robotic arm with torque bounds, joint angle bounds, and a specified tip path. It solves case after case within a graphical user interface in which the user chooses the initial joint angles and the tip path with a mouse. Solve times are from 30 to 120 seconds on a Hewlett Packard workstation. A zero torque history is always used in the initial guess, and the algorithm has never crashed, indicating its robustness. The algorithm solves for a feasible solution for large trajectory execution time t{sub f} and then reduces t{sub f} and then reduces t{sub f} by a small amount and re-solves. The fixed time re- solve uses a new method of finding a near-minimum-2-norm solution to a set of linear equations and inequalities that achieves quadratic convegence to a feasible solution of the full nonlinear problem.
PMS5: an efficient exact algorithm for the (ℓ, d)-motif finding problem

Background Motifs are patterns found in biological sequences that are vital for understanding gene function, human disease, drug design, etc. They are helpful in finding transcriptional regulatory elements, transcription factor binding sites, and so on. As a result, the problem of identifying motifs is very crucial in biology.
RESIDENTIAL LOCATION AND THE PROVISION OF HUMAN SERVICES: SOME DIRECTIONS FOR GEOGRAPHIC RESEARCH*

The concentration of poor, service-dependent groups in aging central cities results both from suburbanization of the affluent and from the reliance of the service-dependent population upon place-specific human services provided by the public sector. Such concentration of services and their users in deteriorating inner-city sites may be functional for the larger society, but it has adverse impacts upon those who are service dependent. This paper argues that the implications of locational interdependence between such groups and their support services demand a paradigm for urban geography that centers upon the fundamental structure and impacts of population/service-provision linkages.
Impurity-induced quasiparticle transport and universal-limit Wiedemann-Franz violation in d -wave superconductors

Due to the node structure of the gap in a d-wave superconductor, the presence of impurities generates a finite density of quasiparticle excitations at zero temperature. Since these impurity-induced quasiparticles are both generated and scattered by impurities, prior calculations indicate a universal limit $(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\Omega}}0,$ $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{T}0)$ where the transport coefficients obtain scattering-independent values, depending only on the velocity anisotropy ${v}_{f}{/v}_{2}.$ We improve upon prior results, including the contributions of vertex corrections and Fermi-liquid corrections in our calculations of universal-limit electrical, thermal, and spin conductivity. We find that while vertex corrections modify electrical conductivity and Fermi-liquid corrections renormalize both electrical and spin conductivity, only thermal conductivity maintains its universal value, independent of impurity scattering or Fermi-liquid interactions. Hence, low-temperature thermal conductivity measurements provide the most direct means of obtaining the velocity anisotropy for high-${T}_{c}$ cuprate superconductors.
Use of occupational therapists in mental health settings in South Carolina.

OBJECTIVES Severe workforce shortages in occupational therapy require an examination of viable practice areas for occupational therapists. The mental health practice area has experienced greater shortages than have other areas of occupational therapy; in South Carolina, only 2% of occupational therapists work in mental health. This study was undertaken to examine the use of occupational therapists in mental health settings in South Carolina. METHOD A survey was sent to administrators at 52 South Carolina mental health facilities to collect information on the use of occupational therapists, the associated economic issues, and the perception of the roles of occupational therapists. RESULTS Among the 34 respondents, 39% hired occupational therapists on a part-time or contractual basis, and 17% had full-time occupational therapist positions; 33% hired certified occupational therapy assistants on a part-time or contractual basis, and 11% had full-time certified occupational therapy assistant positions. Occupational therapy positions decreased over a 5-year period, and respondents cited the cost of salaries and problematic recruitment as two of the major contributing factors. The need for occupational therapy services was ranked as the number one factor both for increased and decreased use of occupational therapists. Personnel factors were highly ranked for facilities with decreased use whereas patient-related factors were highly ranked for facilities with increased use. CONCLUSION The findings highlight factors that may contribute to recent trends of fewer occupational therapists in South Carolina choosing mental health as a primary practice area.