cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Broadcast Advertising and U.S. Demand for Alcoholic Beverages

Quarterly data for 1977–1994 on alcohol consumption and advertising are used to estimate a differential demand system, including explanatory variables for broadcast advertising and print advertising. The model explains the growth rate of per capita consumption dependent on explanatory variables for prices, real income, demographic changes, and real advertising by media and beverage. Empirical results also are reported for total consumption of pure alcohol. The results for the three beverages and total alcohol indicate that advertising has little or no effect on demand. The empirical evidence thus supports the notion that regardless of media, advertising affects mainly brand shares.
Phasers: a unified deadlock-free construct for collective and point-to-point synchronization

Coordination and synchronization of parallel tasks is a major source of complexity in parallel programming. These constructs take many forms in practice including mutual exclusion in accesses to shared resources, termination detection of child tasks, collective barrier synchronization, and point-to-point synchronization. In this paper, we introduce phasers, a new coordination construct that unifies collective and point-to-point synchronizations. We establish two safety properties for phasers: deadlock-freedom and phase-ordering. Performance results obtained from a portable implementation of phasers on three different SMP platforms demonstrate that phasers can deliver superior performance to existing barrier implementations, in addition to the productivity benefits that result from their generality and safety properties.
An instrument for measuring cancer patients' preferences for support groups.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to assess cancer patients’ preferences for all types of social support and organizational features of cancer support groups. The content of the instrument was the result of a detailed analysis of four resources: (1) literature relating to cancer support group interventions, (2) program materials from existing groups, (3) interviews with individuals who developed or directed groups, and (4) interviews with patients who have participated in cancer support groups. A jury of six experts was used to establish content validity of the instrument. The reliability of the instrument was examined by measuring a sample of 258 cancer patients. The reliability coefficients of the instrument were all above .80, except for two types of social support (instrumental and informational‐educational), which were .72 and .78, respectively. It was concluded that the instrument produces valid and reliable measurements of cancer patients’ preferences...
Co-localization of cholesterol, apolipoprotein E and fibrillar Aβ in amyloid plaques

Abstract Recent evidence strongly suggests a role for cholesterol and apolipoprotein E in the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease. We have demonstrated the co-localization of cholesterol and apolipoprotein E with β-amyloid immunoreactivity and thioflavin S immunofluorescence in AD type plaques of a transgenic mouse model. Cholesterol and apolipoprotein E co-localized to the core of thioflavin S-positive (fibrillar) plaques, but not thioflavin S-negative (diffuse) plaques from an early age. By 18 months of age, there was extensive coverage of fibrillar plaques immunopositive for apolipoprotein E and cholesterol oxidase. These findings support evidence that cholesterol and apolipoprotein E are involved in fibrillar plaque formation or maintenance, and suggest that cholesterol may impact amyloid formation extracellularly, as well as through an intracellular effect.
Analyzing linear regression models with hints and the dempster-shafer theory

The aim of this work is to present an analysis of classical linear regression models based on the ideas and principles of the Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence. Assumption-based reasoning plays a central role in the analysis, and the theory of hints is used to represent the results. We start by presenting a general class of statistical models called functional models. Assumption-based reasoning is then applied to these models. A concrete example with both one and two observations illustrates the theory. Finally, generalized linear regression models are considered as instances of functional models. The comparison of the results with those obtained by least squares estimation is very interesting. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Consideration of the State of the Art of Diagnosis in Real Clinical Settings

Summary If diagnosis is to be of value to the clinician the classes must be both functional and different. An examination of diagnosis for 2824 Navy enlisted men who were hospitalized for psychiatric reasons was made. The results showed the following: (a) Diagnosis does reflect clinical decisions manifested by different dispositions for different major classes. (b) The classes were not defined by standard family histories, disciplinary and job histories, past medical histories, attitudes, or standard demographic information. (c) The categories do define distinct factors as used by psychiatry in one industrial setting—the Navy. (d) these results would lead to a Feighner et al. (4) conclusion that the nomenclature is meaningful and can function usefully in a setting in which real defined outcomes are being decided. (e) Studies arguing against the use of diagnostic nomenclature may have some points to make, but their results are limited. Perhaps many experimentally structured tests of the nomenclature have n...
Righteous Rhetoric: Sex, Speech, and the Politics of Concerned Women for America, Leslie Dorrough Smith

As Beverly LaHaye tells it, Concerned Women for America (CWA) was born during the evening news. The year was 1978, and LaHaye was sitting in her San Diego living room with her husband, the conserva...
Pollen studies in the Junín area, central Peruvian Andes

Laguna Junin is a large lake 675 km long but only 4 m deep, located in the grass-covered altiplano at an altitude of 4,100 m, northeast of Lima. Pollen analysis of a 30-m core indicates that from about 12,000 yr ago until some time after 3,000 yr ago, about 30% of the pollen was carried in by easterly winds from the east Andean forests, which today are at least 600 m lower in elevation. Contemporaneous pollen deposition in lakes on moraines of the last glaciation west of the Junin plain was dominated by local grassland types and had little contribution from this easterly source. At some time after 3,000 yr ago (perhaps about 1,200 yr ago), the pollen influx to Laguna Junin from this distant forest source greatly diminished, perhaps because of deforestation by increased human populations. Between about 12,000 and 24,000 yr ago in the Junin core, the sparse pollen concentration was dominated by grassland types, supplemented by Polylepis / Acaena , Alnus , and Compositae blown in from the sub-puna shrublands that may have occupied much of the east Andean slopes in place of the humid forest that occurs there today. The silty sediment in this section of the core is interpreted as outwash from piedmont glaciers that invaded the plain, especially from the cordillera to the west. These glaciers left a distinctive pattern of moraines and outwash fans, which served to dam tine lake basin. An unconformity in the sediment covers the time from about 24,000 to 39,000 yr ago, when the lake was probably dry. Before this time, the silty sediment and the dominance of grassland and shrubland pollen types indicates an earlier interval of glaciation, recorded on the landscape by an older set of moraines and outwash fans, which initially dammed the lake basin.
Metallorganic chemical vapor deposition of InAs/GaSb superlattices on GaAs substrates using a two-step InAs buffer layer

Abstract InAs/GaSb type II superlattices (T2SLs) were grown heteroepitaxially, via metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), on GaAs substrates. The 7% lattice mismatch between the T2SL and GaAs substrate was accommodated through the use of a two-step InAs buffer layer. The periodicity of the grown structures was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). FTIR measurements of the structures yielded cutoff wavelength values from 4.9 μm to 8.7 μm, which, as expected, scaled with thickness of the InAs in the SL structure. Kronig–Penny modeling of the structures produced the general trend of the experimental data.
The Central Role of Wear Debris in Periprosthetic Osteolysis

Periprosthetic osteolysis remains the leading complication of total hip arthroplasty, often resulting in aseptic loosening of the implant, and a requirement for revision surgery. Wear-generated particular debris is the main cause of initiating this destructive process. The purpose of this article is to review recent advances in our understanding of how wear debris causes osteolysis, and emergent strategies for the avoidance and treatment of this disease. The most important cellular target for wear debris is the macrophage, which responds to particle challenge in two distinct ways, both of which contribute to increased bone resorption. First, it is well known that wear debris activates proinflammatory signaling, which leads to increased osteoclast recruitment and activation. More recently, it has been established that wear also inhibits the protective actions of antiosteoclastogenic cytokines such as interferon gamma, thus promoting differentiation of macrophages to bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Osteoblasts, fibroblasts, and possibly lymphocytes may also be involved in responses to wear. At a molecular level, wear particles activate MAP kinase cascades, NFκB and other transcription factors, and induce expression of suppressors of cytokine signaling. Strategies to reduce osteolysis by choosing bearing surface materials with reduced wear properties (such as metal-on-metal) should be balanced by awareness that reducing particle size may increase biological activity. Finally, although therapeutic agents against proinflammatory mediators [such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)] and osteoclasts (bisphosphonates and molecules blocking RANKL signaling) have shown promise in animal models, no approved treatments are yet available to osteolysis patients. Considerable efforts are underway to develop such therapies, and to identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention.
Polymerization (Polycondensation) of Alkanes over Fluosulfonic Acid and Antimony Pentafluoride

Abstract Several low molecular weight alkanes have been polymerized (polycondensed) over HSO3 F-SbF5 to yield a highly branched oily oligomer with a molecular weight range from the molecular weight of the monomer to around 700. The order of reactivity for butane and lower molecular alkanes is isobutane > n-butane > propane > ethane > methane. The reactivity is explained by the ease of attack of an acid proton derived from the acid on the alkane sigma bonds as well as the relative stability of the resulting cation formed. A cationic mechanism for this reaction is proposed.
CONTINUOUS WAVE DOPPLER AND PDA: THE VELOCITY INDEX

A ratio of mean aortic systolic and diastolic velocities determined by continuous wave doppler (CW) has been shown to correlate with ductal (PDA) % left-to-right shunt (LRS). A new simpler ratio, velocity index (VI), of peak systolic to diastolic velocities can be determined from peripheral arteries without planimetry. Shown to correlate with clinical estimates of PDA-LRS in 22 infants, VI has not been validated by measured LRS. We examined 8 pigs (mean weight 6.1 kg, mean age 23.6 days). PDA was created by balloon catheter dilation. 4 studies were before PDA (no angiographic shunt), 4 acute PDA, and 7 chronic (mean 15.8 days) PDA. Pigs were sedated with ketamine. Left ventricular output (LVO) and LRS were determined using LV injection of 15μm radioactive spheres. LRS was corrected for systemic shunting (11.8%) of spheres. CW was performed over brachial and femoral arteries using a 7.0 MHz probe. LVO ranged from 89 to 453 ml/min/kg. Results (mean ± SD, *p<0.05 v. closed):
Accuracy of dipyridamole SPECT imaging in identifying individual coronary stenoses and multivessel disease in women versus men.

Background Older women frequently undergo dipyridamole perfusion imaging and can have advanced coronary artery disease, but little data exist on the accuracy of perfusion imaging in detecting disease in individual vascular territories and multivessel disease in women, compared with men.
IgG and IgG Subclass Specific Antibody Responses to Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids in Newborns and Infants Given DTP Immunization

ABSTRACT. To evaluate immune responses to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids in infants we used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to detect total IgG and specific IgG- 1, IgG-2, IgG-3, and IgG-4 antibody. One group of infants received a newborn dose and subsequently received the usual three doses of DTP. A second group of infants received only the routine dosage at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. In sera acquired at birth, 6, and 9 months of age, there were no statistically significant differences between the two vaccine groups in IgG antibody responses to diphtheria or tetanus, or in IgG subclass tetanus-specific antibody responses. In individual children, tetanus-specific subclass responses were similar in pattern to that for total IgG tetanus antibody, i.e. each IgG subclass response appeared to be regulated by similar mechanisms in that child, but the regulation differed between children. In contrast to a prior study of pertussis immunity, maternally acquired antibody did not significantly affect immune responses to diphtheria or tetanus toxoid by 9 months of age. There was no discernible tolerance due to early tetanus or diphtheria immunization or to high levels of maternally acquired antibody.
Roadside Geology of Ohio by Mark J. Camp

There has long been a need for a book that summarizes the geology of Ohio. The good news is that this is a decent book, indispensable to anyone interested in Ohio geology, and is thus well worth its modest cost. After a 33-page introductory section, the book breaks its coverage into four parts: first, two major sections comprising 114 pages on the western till plains and 155 pages on the eastern uplands (the Allegheny Plateau); second, two smaller sections on the Lake Erie lakeshore and the Ohio River valley (37 pages on each). This allows a logical treatment, starting with the oldest bedrock and the simpler glacial deposits, followed by younger bedrock and more complex glacial deposits. Each section has its own introductory material, and then within each section Dr. Camp provides a few pages of general treatment for a new area, a map of the area (based on a road section plus adjacent terrain), and additional descriptions of the geology along the road. The book makes extensive use of “side trips” to cover particular points of interest. The maps are especially successful. They are bicolor maps, similar but superior to ones I have seen in earlier Roadside Geology volumes. They consist of black/white, grey, and diverse shades of brown with inlaid patterns that work amazingly well; they pack a lot of information into extremely sophisticated and attractive diagrams. Black-and-white photographs are abundant (almost two for every three pages). They are serviceable, and the non-historical ones must look quite good in original glossy prints (well framed; clearly an effort to get winter and spring photos of many outcrops before leaves cover everything up), but the publication quality is unexciting: I do not think people will ever thumb through the book and buy it on account of the photos. Dr. Camp …
Effects of natural organic matter model compounds on the transformation of carbon tetrachloride by chloride green rust.

Abstract Interest has grown in the use of reactive minerals for natural and engineered transformation of ground water contaminants. This study investigated how the structural properties of 10 model compounds representing natural organic matter (NOM) influenced their adsorption to chloride green rust (GR-Cl), and how this adsorption affected rate constants for transformation of carbon tetrachloride (CT) by GR-Cl. The affinity of benzoic acid, phthalic acid, trimesic acid, pyromellitic acid, and mellitic acid for the GR-Cl surface generally increased in the order of increasing number of carboxylic acid functional groups, increasing acidity of these functional groups, and increasing charge density. For NOM model compounds that had phenolic functional groups ( p -hydroxybenzoic acid, α-resorcylic acid, and caffeic acid), the affinity for the GR-Cl surface was greatest for caffeic acid, which had two adjacent phenolic functional groups. Some NOM model compounds had experimentally determined Langmuir maximum adsorption capacities ( q max−Langmuir ) greater than those calculated based on external surface area measurements and the size of the NOM model compound, suggesting adsorption to internal as well as external sites at the GR-Cl surface for these compounds. Rate constants for CT transformation by GR-Cl generally decreased as the affinity of the NOM model compounds (estimated by Langmuir K values) increased, but there was no statistically significant correlation between Langmuir parameters (i.e., K and q max−Langmuir ) and rate constants, perhaps due to significant adsorption of some NOM model compounds to sites that were not accessible to CT, such as interlayer sites. Unlike the other NOM model compounds, caffeic acid, which adsorbed to a significant extent to the GR-Cl surface, increased the rate constant for CT transformation. The influence of NOM on rate constants for CT transformation by green rusts should be considered in ground water remediation planning.
Tool-mediated coordination of virtual teams in complex systems

Support for coordination in online spaces, specifically in peer production systems, has frequently been an after-thought. In the absence of such support, the users of such systems must work to find an emergent order that drives shared project goals and leads to equitable processes. In short, they must rely on the "wisdom of the crowds." As our study demonstrates, however, the reality is that often the system tools available for coordination, evaluation, and work articulation are not suitable to the task at hand. Our study, first, takes a theoretical approach to understanding how tool-mediated coordination functions within peer production systems. Secondly, we enumerate the methods available to identify automated and semi-automated tools that function within such systems by quantitatively and qualitatively analyzing trace interactions and their utility in Wikipedia over a year-long period. Finally, we identify potential vacuums where new design interventions have the greatest potential for enhancing peer-production systems.
Time-resolved fluorescence of human aortic wall: use for improved identification of atherosclerotic lesions.

Background and Objective This study characterized aortic time-resolved fluorescence spectra for stratified levels of atherosclerosis and proposed interpretation of spectrotemporal variations in terms of histologic changes. Study Design/Materials and Methods Fluorescence emission transients were measured at 370–510 nm (337 nm excitation) on 94 excised human aortic samples, ranging from normal to advanced fibrous atherosclerotic lesion. Global analysis yielded a three-exponential approximation of the time-resolved spectra from which average lifetime and decay-associated spectra were derived. Results Average lifetime at 390 nm gradually increased from 2.4 ± 0.1 nsec (normal aorta) to 3.9 ± 0.1 nsec (advanced lesion). Fluorescence intensity was markedly decreased above 430 nm in intermediate and advanced lesions. Spectral intensity associated with the intermediate decay increased at 470–490 nm for early and intermediate lipid-rich lesions. Conclusion Time-resolved fluorescence spectra of aortic samples presented distinctive features for each atherosclerotic lesion type, which could serve as characteristic markers for optical analysis of the aortic wall. Lasers Surg. Med. 27:241–254, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Reaction of hydrogen with uranium catalyzed by platinum clusters

The surface-reaction of hydrogen with uranium in the presence of Pt clusters was studied using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). Uranium was deposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and annealed at temperatures up to 1200°C to obtain atomically flat surfaces. Platinum clusters were then formed using evaporation from a Pt source onto the surface and were subsequently annealed. As a result, hydrogen primarily attacked U in the vicinity of Pt clusters and formed hydride, which expanded non-linearly over time. A simple model to explain this expansion behavior is proposed.
Synergism between leukocyte adherence and shear determines venular permeability in the presence of nitric oxide.

Abstract The effects of nitric oxide (NO) on vascular permeability tend to be controversial. While many studies indicate that NO plays a protective role in several models of inflammation by reducing leukocyte–endothelial cell adhesion, in vitro studies have shown that endothelial permeability to macromolecules increases with increasing shear forces via a NO-dependent mechanism. Most investigations of the role of shear on endothelial permeability have been performed either in vitro or in cannulated vessels, but whether NO and leukocyte adherence (WBC-adh) mediate shear-induced control of albumin leakage in autoperfused venules has yet to be determined. By measuring permeability under regular conditions of blood flow and WBC-adh, we recently found that venular albumin permeability of the rat mesentery correlates strongly with basal levels of both shear rate and WBC-adh. Using the same model in the present study, we were able to further elucidate some of the mechanisms and mediators of venular permeability. In one set of experiments, a role for NO in shear-mediated permeability was confirmed. In additional experiments, a permeability-enhancing collaboration between shear and WBC-adh was revealed: shear-induced permeability was found to be dependent on the presence of adherent leukocytes, and similarly, leukocyte-mediated permeability was found to be dependent on shear. This synergism was present both under basal conditions and following the inflammatory stimulus of ischemia–reperfusion.
Conformational variability of benzamidinium-based inhibitors.

Determining the structure of a small molecule bound to a biological receptor (e.g., a protein implicated in a disease state) is a necessary step in structure-based drug design. The preferred conformation of a small molecule can change when bound to a protein, and a detailed knowledge of the preferred conformation(s) of a bound ligand can help in optimizing the affinity of a molecule for its receptor. However, the quality of a protein/ligand complex determined using X-ray crystallography is dependent on the size of the protein, the crystal quality, and the realized resolution. The energy restraints used in traditional X-ray refinement procedures typically use “reduced” (i.e., neglect of electrostatics and dispersion interactions) Engh and Huber force field models that, while quite suitable for modeling proteins, often are less suitable for small molecule structures due to a lack of validated parameters. Through the use of ab initio QM/MM-based X-ray refinement procedures, this shortcoming can be overcome e...
Trimeric structure of (+)-pinoresinol-forming dirigent protein at 1.95 Å resolution with three isolated active sites.

Control over phenoxy radical-radical coupling reactions in vivo in vascular plants was enigmatic until our discovery of dirigent proteins (DPs, from the Latin dirigere, to guide or align). The first three-dimensional structure of a DP ((+)-pinoresinol-forming DP, 1.95 Å resolution, rhombohedral space group H32)) is reported herein. It has a tightly packed trimeric structure with an eight-stranded β-barrel topology for each DP monomer. Each putative substrate binding and orientation coupling site is located on the trimer surface but too far apart for intermolecular coupling between sites. It is proposed that each site enables stereoselective coupling (using either two coniferyl alcohol radicals or a radical and a monolignol). Interestingly, there are six differentially conserved residues in DPs affording either the (+)- or (−)-antipodes in the vicinity of the putative binding site and region known to control stereoselectivity. DPs are involved in lignan biosynthesis, whereas dirigent domains/sites have been implicated in lignin deposition.
In Vitro Growth of Curcuma longa L. in Response to Five Mineral Elements and Plant Density in Fed-Batch Culture Systems

Plant density was varied with P, Ca, Mg, and KNO3 in a multifactor experiment to improve Curcuma longa L. micropropagation, biomass and microrhizome development in fed-batch liquid culture. The experiment had two paired D-optimal designs, testing sucrose fed-batch and nutrient sucrose fed-batch techniques. When sucrose became depleted, volume was restored to 5% m/v sucrose in 200 ml of modified liquid MS medium by adding sucrose solutions. Similarly, nutrient sucrose fed-batch was restored to set points with double concentration of treatments’ macronutrient and MS micronutrient solutions, along with sucrose solutions. Changes in the amounts of water and sucrose supplementations were driven by the interaction of P and KNO3 concentrations. Increasing P from 1.25 to 6.25 mM increased both multiplication and biomass. The multiplication ratio was greatest in the nutrient sucrose fed-batch technique with the highest level of P, 6 buds/vessel, and the lowest level of Ca and KNO3. The highest density (18 buds/vessel) produced the highest fresh biomass at the highest concentrations of KNO3 and P with nutrient sucrose fed-batch, and moderate Ca and Mg concentrations. However, maximal rhizome dry biomass required highest P, sucrose fed-batch, and a moderate plant density. Different media formulations and fed-batch techniques were identified to maximize the propagation and storage organ responses. A single experimental design was used to optimize these dual purposes.
Teachers’ Instructional Difficulties–A Review of Research

Teachers are not unwilling to admit, to the proper persons and under favorable circumstances, that they have classroom problems. Investigators have discovered, by one means or another, what teachers regard to be their instructional problems. It has also been found, in several studies, that super visors, principals, and superintendents have certain notions of what teachers' problems are. The present report does not purport to analyze all available studies of teachers' instructional problems. It does cover what is probably a fair sample of such studies as were published during the period, 1927 1941. No attempt has been made to canvass the considerable literature deal ing with the personal, health, mental hygiene, and community problems of teachers. Special attention has been given to reports of research on teachers' problems directly related to the classroom and to teaching. The writer is well aware of the fact that he has artificially delimited the area of research to be covered. No one would deny that teachers' instructional problems have mental hygiene, health, community, and personal implications. However, it was felt that real value might come from an analysis of a limited type of research.
Fluctuation of vortices in single-crystal Tl2Ba2CuO6 superconductors.

We report magnetization studies on single crystals of ${\mathrm{Tl}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{6}$ superconductors. For magnetic fields parallel to the c-axis configuration, fluctuations of vortices are observed in this layered compound. The characteristic temperature ${\mathit{T}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ where M is independent of applied field is about 84.2 K. Low-field magnetization measurements show ${\mathit{H}}_{\mathit{c}1}$=0 at ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{s}}$=86.5 K while the mean-field transition temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}0}$=88.8 K. The experimental results strongly suggest the Tl compound is Josephson-coupled between superconducting layers, and the spontaneous excitations are thus the wandering vortex lines rather than pancakes.
Decreased hepatic selenium content in alcoholic cirrhosis.

Selenium deficiency has been implicated as contributing to hepatic injury in alcoholics. The mechanism by which this occurs is most likely lipoperoxidation secondary to decreased activity of the selenoenzyme glutathione peroxidase. To further assess this relationship, we measured selenium content in autopsy livers in 12 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis compared to 13 patients matched for age and sex dying from other causes, mostly with cardiopulmonary diseases. The mean (±sem) hepatic selenium content in cirrhosis was 0.731±0.077 Μg/g dry weight versus 1.309±0.166 Μg/g in controls (P< 0.005; Student's t test). Clinical and biochemical indices of significant hepatic dysfunction, including encephalopathy, ascites, and elevations of serum bilirubin or prothrombin time, were only present in the cirrhotic group. A significant inverse correlation between hepatic selenium content and the prothrombin time was noted (r=−0.50; Ps<0.02). No significant relationships between hepatic selenium and the abnormalities of bilirubin, albumin, or aspartate aminotransferase were found. We conclude that significantly decreased hepatic selenium stores are present in patients with severe alcoholic cirrhosis compared to controls. The magnitude of that selenium deficit does correlate with some indices of hepatic function, specifically the prothrombin time. These data lend further support to a true selenium deficiency state in alcoholic cirrhosis. It is highly possible that selenium deficiency represents an important link, synergistically joining the nutritional and hepatotoxic backgrounds of alcoholic liver injury and cirrhosis.
A patient with encephalitis associated with NMDA receptor antibodies

Background A 34-year-old woman presented with headache, feverish sensation and anxiety, rapidly followed by homicidal ideation, aggressive agitation, seizures, hypoventilation, hyperthermia and prominent autonomic instability requiring intubation and sedation. She developed episodes of hypotension and bradycardia with periods of asystole lasting up to 15 seconds. Upon weaning off sedation, her eyes opened but she was unresponsive to stimuli. There was muscle rigidity, frequent facial grimacing, rhythmic abdominal contractions, kicking motions of the legs, and intermittent dystonic postures of the right arm. Investigations Routine laboratory testing, toxicology screening, studies for autoimmune and infectious etiologies, brain MRI scan, lumbar puncture, electroencephalogram, whole-body CT scan, abdominal ultrasound, paraneoplastic and voltage-gated potassium channel antibody serologies, analysis of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibodies. Diagnosis Paraneoplastic encephalitis associated with immature teratoma of the ovary and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibodies. Management Intensive care, mechanical ventilation, antiepileptics, laparotomy and left salpingo-oophorectomy, corticosteroids, plasma exchange, intravenous immunoglobulin, cyclophosphamide, physical therapy, and chemotherapy.
The performance of an object-oriented threads package

Presto is an object-oriented threads package for writing parallel programs on a shared-memory multiprocessor. The system adds thread objects and synchronization objects to C++ to allow programmers to create and control parallelism. Presto's object-oriented structure, along with its user-level thread implementation, simplifies customization of thread management primitives to meet application-specific needs.The performance of thread primitives is crucial for parallel programs with fine-grained structure; therefore, the principal objective of this effort was to substantially improve Presto's performance under heavy loads without sacrificing the benefits of its object-oriented interface. We discuss design and implementation issues for shared-memory multiprocessors, and the performance impact of various designs is shown through measurements on a 20-processor Sequent Symmetry multiprocessor.
The dephosphorylation of lens α-crystallin a chain

The present communication reports the presence of a phosphoprotein phosphatase activity in bovine lens preparations which dephosphorylates αAp, the phosphorylated form of αA, one of the α-crystallin polypeptides, in a Ca2+/calmodulin dependent manner. The activity was found in soluble preparations from epithelial cells but it could not be detected in similar preparations from fiber cells. A 60,000 Mr calmodulin binding polypeptide and a 15,000 Mr polypeptide found in the epithelial cell preparations comigrated in SDS-PAGE with the A and B subunits of bovine brain calcineurin (phosphoprotein phosphatase 2B) respectively. The 15,000 Mr was specifically recognized by an anti-bovine brain calcineurin antiserum. Bovine brain calcineurin was as effective in dephosphorylating αAp as the lens preparations. Thus, it is likely that the activity present in the lens is related to this enzyme. The results indicate that the lens specific polypeptide αA may be subject to metabolic control through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation pathways regulated by cAMP and calcium, respectively. Changes in the activities of these pathways appear to occur during differentiation of the lens epithelial cell and may be related to gene regulation during the differentiation process.
Dynamics of stable horizontal wall structure in magnetic bubble domains

Abstract Bubble states with statically stable horizontal Bloch lines are investigated using high speed photography. These previously unobserved states have the k = 2 and k = 4 wall structures calculated by Hubert. They can be created only in ion-implanted films, because suppression of Bloch line punch-through is required.
Specificity of alcohol dehydrogenases for sulfoxides.

Sulfoxides inhibit horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (EqADH) by binding to the enzyme−NADH complex. X-ray crystallography suggests that sulfoxides make a cation−π interaction with the benzene ring of Phe-93 [Cho et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 382−389]. Structure−function relationships were examined with seven different sulfoxides binding to five human enzymes (α, β1, γ2, π, and σ) and three mutated forms of the horse enzyme. The human γ2 enzyme, EqADH, and EqADH with Phe-93 replaced with Trp were selectively and strongly inhibited (Ki ≤ 1 μM) by the 3-butyl or hexyl derivatives of thiolane 1-oxide. The other human enzymes (all with Thr-48) and EqADH with Ser-48 substituted with Thr had relatively lower affinities for the thiolane 1-oxides due to close contact of the methyl group of Thr-48 with a carbon adjacent to the sulfoxide sulfur. EqADH binds the S isomers of 3-butylthiolane 1-oxides, hexyl methyl sulfoxide, and phenyl methyl sulfoxide more tightly than the R isomers, but EqADH with Phe-93 substitute...
The Change in European Foreign Trade from 1960 to 2010: A Geography of Leading Merchandise Exporting Partners

An American geographer whose research focuses on Europe reports on changes in geographical patterns and trends in merchandise export trade after the dismantling of political- economic divisions prevailing during the Cold War and their replacement by European political and economic integration as well as globalization. Analysis and comparison of international trade data for the years 1960 and 2010 reveal a dramatic expansion in the role of Germany and China in European merchandise trade, accompanied by a decline in the importance of the United States and United Kingdom. The author also demonstrates how some countries such as the Netherlands have expanded their exports to a broader range of European countries, whereas others appear to be consolidating their roles as leaders of regional trade blocs (e.g., Italy in Southeastern Europe).
A polyunsaturated hydrocarbon (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18-heneicosahexaene) in the marine food web

An olefinic hydrocarbon (all-cis-3,6,9,12,15,18-heneicosahexaene, “HEH”)_was islated from marine planktonic plants and animals. Its structure was established by ultraviolet, infrared and mass spectrometry in combination with chemical techniques. The olefin occurs in many species of marine planktonic algae and is probably derived from the corresponding docosahexaenoic acid. Rhincalanus nasutus accumulates HEH nonselectively from its algal food together with the triglyceride lipids. Other, related copepods contain little or no HEH even when grown in cultures of algae that provide R. nasutus with that olefin. The presence of HEH in marine vertebrates suggests that, within the animal lipids, hydrocarbons are remarkably stable. This work has practical implications for studies of the marine food web and of marine pollution with persistent chemicals.
TU‐C‐BRB‐08: Preliminary Study of DNA Damage and Repair of Tumor Cells under Microbeam Radiation Therapy Using an Integrated Carbon Nanotube‐Based Field Emission and Micropallet Array System

Purpose: This study aims at integration of carbon nanotube‐based field emission and micropallet array technologies to investigate the effects of microbeam radiation therapy(MRT) irradiation on the DNA damage and repair mechanisms of tumor cells in cancerradiation therapy.Methods: A carbon nanotube‐based field emissionelectron beamMRT device was used to deliver a 0.2 – 200 Gy electron MRTbeam to a monolayer of A549 lung cancer cells grown on glass coverslips. Cells were irradiated (100 Gy) and then fixed at various times for analysis. Fixed cells were stained for the stress‐induced protein phospho‐p38 using fluorescently tagged antibodies and fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescence data were analyzed using ImageJ analysis software. Results: The electron MRTbeam has a width of ∼40 microns and a dose rate of ∼100 Gy/s. Following irradiation, levels of phospho‐p38 increased rapidly peaking at six hours and then returning to basal levels by 24 hours. We observed that stress signaling such as phospho‐p38 is upregulated in a remarkably spatially discrete manner in monolayer cells irradiated with the microbeam irradiator. DNA damage as measured by gamma‐H2AX in A549 cells displayed kinetics similar to those for phospho‐p38 following irradiation. Conclusions: We have shown the feasibility of integrating our carbon nanotube‐based field emission and micropallet array system for MRT mechanistic study. Our initial study indicates that the DNA damage and repair from MRT may be different than from conventional therapeutic radiation but the details are still under investigation and clarification. Acknowledgements: This work is partially supported by the North Carolina University Cancer Research Fund. This work is partially supported by the University of North Carolina Cancer Research Fund
Transformational Leadership: Instituting a Nursing Simulation Program

The demands of the health care environment, the need for clinical placements, the changes in health care delivery, and the high volume of nursing students all have created a need for innovative pedagogies, such as the use of high-fidelity simulation. Although many faculty recognize the value of teaching and learning through high-fidelity simulation, implementing a program of simulation within a curriculum is a challenging process. This article describes how the principles of transformational leadership were used to guide the development and integration of a simulation program into the curriculum.
Emission polarization study of the interaction of stellacyanin with tris(2, 2′-bipyridine)osmium(II)

Abstract The association of Os(bpy)32+ and stellacyanin was investigated by measuring the emission polarization of the excited state of the complex [*Os-(bpy)32+]. At high protein concentration (≥1 mM) Os(bpy)32+ appears to bind weakly to reduced stellacyanin and to oxidized stellacyanin to a lesser extent. These results are consistent with those obtained in a previous kinetic study on the redox quenching of *Ru(bpy)32+ by stellacyanin [1]. On excitation at 480 nm, the limiting polarization (Po) of the *Os(bpy)32+ emission at 715 nm is 0.100. From Po we concluded that (1) protein-bound Os(bpy)32+ has considerable rotational freedom independent of the protein-probe complex, and (2) the emission dipole of *Os(bpy)32+ is at ∼45° to the C3 molecular axis.
Single-kernel near-infrared analysis for evaluating wheat samples for Fusarium head blight resistance

ABSTRACT This report describes a method to estimate the bulk deoxynivalenol (DON) content of wheat grain samples with the single-kernel DON levels estimated by a single-kernel near-infrared (SKNIR) system combined with single-kernel weights. The described method estimated the bulk DON levels in 90% of 160 grain samples to within 6.7 ppm of DON when compared with the DON content determined with the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method. The single-kernel DON analysis showed that the DON content among DON-containing kernels (DCKs) varied considerably. The analysis of the distribution of DON levels among all kernels and among the DCKs of grain samples is helpful for the in-depth evaluation of the effect of varieties or fungicides on Fusarium head blight (FHB) reactions. The SKNIR DON analysis and estimation of the single-kernel DON distribution patterns demonstrated in this study may be helpful for wheat breeders to evaluate the FHB resistance of varieties in relation to their resistance to the spread ...
Methods for robotic tool-mediated haptic surface recognition

Robots need to be able understand the haptic sensations that occur during physical interaction in order to recognize and manipulate objects. This paper centers on the problem of robotic toolmediated haptic surface recognition. We collected data as a PR2 robot interacted with fifteen different surfaces through a novel tool that captures high-definition recordings of tactile vibrations, contact forces, and tool position. We then developed algorithms for using the recorded data to recognize the identity of the surface under varying contact conditions. We show that successful recognition of surfaces touched through a tool critically depends on accounting for the physical contact information (tool speed and normal force). Additionally, we present several enhancements to improve surface recognition including the combination of multiple vibration axes into a single axis, using frictional force during contact, and logarithmically spaced frequency scaling for vibration analysis. We implement a flexible classifier composed of multiple One-Class Support VectorMachines trained on a data set containing all fifteen surfaces, and we then use this classifier to identify these same surfaces in a new data set recorded under substantially different contact conditions, achieving an overall texture recognition rate of 80%.
Corner stresses in an elastic wedge bonded to a rigid wall

Es wird das Problem eines elastischen Keils behandelt, der an einem starren Fundament befestigt ist. Das Verhalten der Spannungen langs des starren Fundaments und nahe der Keilspitze wird fur eine Reihe von spitzen Keilwinkeln ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass kritische Keilwinkel und Poisson-Verhaltnisse existieren, bei denen das Verhalten der Spannungen an der Spitze von einem singularen in ein nichtsingulares ubergeht.
The case of the Case of Benny: Elucidating the influence of a landmark study in mathematics education

Abstract Stanley Erlwanger's Case of Benny is seen by many as particularly influential in the mathematics education research community. This paper reports the results of a study designed to describe the nature of that influence. Through an analysis of academic references to the Case of Benny from the past 40 years, five primary purposes for citing the case were identified. These purposes revolve around the themes of student mathematical conceptions, the relationship between correct answers and understanding, the value of qualitative research, the impact of a behaviorist-based curriculum, and students as sense makers. The paper concludes by using these themes to reflect on the past 40 years and to look ahead to the future of research in mathematics education.
Upper bounds for parent-identifying set systems

We derive new upper bounds on the size set families having the c-identifiable parent property (c-IPP) and the c-traceability property (c-TA) and compare these bounds to similar results on parent-identifying codes.
Scaled cortical impact in immature swine: effect of age and gender on lesion volume.

Abstract The piglet scaled cortical impact model creates a focal contusion using a skull-mounted, spring-loaded blunt indentation device scaled to achieve identical tissue strains in subjects with different brain sizes. Preliminary data showed that contusion size increased proportional to subject age. This study details the results from a new, larger series of subjects of three ages, and compares the effect of age and additional host and physiologic variables on injury response. Sixty-seven subjects, including infant (5- to 7-day-old), “toddler” (1-month-old), and early adolescent (4-month-old) swine underwent scaled cortical impact under strict anesthetic protocols. Serum glucose, testosterone, and 17β-estradiol levels were measured. Lesion size was measured at 1 week post injury, as the ratio of the lesion area over the area of the contralateral hemisphere. Adolescent subjects had lesions over eight times larger than infants (p < 0.0001). Lesion volumes were larger in toddlers than in infants, most sign...
Electrophoretic studies on the chemical fractionation of ragweed pollen extracts

Abstract 1.1. An electrophoretic study has been made of fractions separated from extracts of low ragweed pollen, prepared first by extraction with concentrated potassium phosphate buffers at pH 7.0; second, by extraction in the cold with ethyl alcohol of various strengths; and third, by precipitation of aqueous extracts by ammonium sulfate at one-half and at full saturation at pH 4. 2.2. All fractions, except those soluble in 80 per cent alcohol (by volume) or saturated ammonium sulfate, were active by scratch test on sensitive persons. 3.3. A peak in the electrophoretic patterns, which represents a substance or substances having no net charge at pH 4.0 or 7.0, was found in every fraction studied. This is the material which was described by Abramson, Moore and Gettner as "USD" or "artefolin." It is most prominent in the fractions low in nitrogen and high in carbohydrate. This peak cannot be used as a measure of the skin test-active substance nor is it related to carbohydrate. 4.4. Material extracted in 60 per cent alcohol at minus 15° C., and precipitated by 80 per cent alcohol was found to be the most nearly pure of all fractions, being composed largely of uncharged substance with two minor components. This fraction corresponds with Stull's substance "A." 5.5. All the fractions showed several components, but the electrophoretic patterns spread and overlapped to such an extent that it has not been possible to distinguish them clearly. 6.6. None of the different chemical means of fractionation of the pollen extracts have yielded any fraction which is even approximately a pure chemical substance.