cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data aggregation architectures for single-chip SDH/SONET framers

Single-chip SDH/SONET framer architectures are described that permit data aggregation from several line ports. After presenting an overview of the usual parallel approach and an extension thereof that exploits distributed algorithms, we introduce a novel data-multiplexing architecture that should be suitable for accommodating data from a relatively large number of ports in a single device. In combination with the new virtual concatenation feature of SDH/SONET, this architecture should also allow transport of data from high-bandwidth applications over multiple wavelengths or multiple fibers.
The efficacy of real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography for right ventricular biopsy.

Background In recipients of cardiac transplant, repetitive right ventricular (RV) biopsies can result in decreased sample quality as a consequence of fibrosis from oversampling specific locations. Real-time 3-dimensional echocardiography (RT3D) is a new imaging modality that may precisely guide bioptome placement and, therefore, is a potential alternative to fluoroscopy (Fl). We sought to determine if a RT3D-guided biopsy procedure would result in a comparable or decreased incidence of fibrosis versus Fl. Methods Fifteen patients underwent 32 RV biopsy procedures with an equal number by each technique. RT3D was performed from the apical 4-chamber position. Fl was performed with biplane images. With both RT3D and Fl, attempts were made to vary bioptome position with each sample. A pathologist determined the percent fibrosis, with a biopsy sample containing 50% or more fibrosis considered uninterpretable for rejection. Results RT3D provided excellent visualization of the distal end of the bioptome within the right atrium and RV. A mean of 4.3 ± 1.0 RV biopsy samples were collected per procedure with 64 samples obtained by Fl and 72 obtained by RT3D. In all, 13 samples (20.3%) by Fl versus 10 samples (13.9%) by RT3D ( P = .45) contained fibrosis and 7 samples (10.9%) by Fl versus 4 samples (5.6%) were uninterpretable ( P = .41). Two Fl- versus zero RT3D-guided procedures contained 75% or more uninterpretable samples ( P = .47) and were, therefore, nondiagnostic. There were no complications. Conclusions RT3D is a new modality to facilitate accurate localization of the bioptome in patients undergoing transplant providing comparable quality RV samples to that of biplane Fl.
Thermolysis of the Benzophenone Ketyl

Benzophenone, a material that is common in biomass and coal, resists pyrolysis up to 400 °C. However, when the compound is reduced with potassium metal in tetrahydrofuran (THF) followed by solvent removal, the C−H bonds, as well as the CO bond, are activated, and the solid K+C12H10CO•–·THF salt begins to gasify at less than 250 °C. The noncondensable (at liquid nitrogen temperature) gases consist of hydrogen and methane. Condensable pyrolysis products include the following: benzene, toluene, biphenyl, xylenes, diphenylmethane, and ethylbenzene. When the temperature is raised to 380 °C and held there for several hours, CO is also liberated. Isotopic labeling studies suggest that the CH4 comes from a carbene intermediate, and the CO does not originate from the carbonyl moiety of the ketyl.
Television Use and Self-esteem of Blacks

High TV entertainment viewing is accompanied by low self-esteem among black but not white audiences.
463 CELLULAR IMMUNE RESPONSES TO VARICELLA-ZOSTER (VZ) IN THE AGED

Skin test reactivity and in-vitro lymphocyte stimulation responses to V-Z were examined in a large normal population ranging in age from 6 months to 93 years. Emphasis was on evaluation of specific immune competence of the aged. V-Z antigen was prepared from an infected culture of diploid cells. Positive V-Z skin test reactivity by age was as follows: 0-12 mo.(non-immune) 0%; 1-10 yr.-100%; 10-20 yr.-100%; 20-30 yr.-96%; 30-40 yr.-92%; 40-50 yr.-72%; 50-60 yr.-39%; and 60-100 yr.-9%. Thus, waning of cellular immunity as examined by skin delayed hypersensitivity began at age 40. Skin test responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) however, remained positive into the 10th decade. In-vitro lymphocyte stimulation responses to V-Z were usually positive (stimulation index ≥ 2.5) until age 60 after which time levels as observed with non-immune individuals were often demonstrated. These in-vitro results appear more sensitive in discriminating susceptibility to reactivation disease. Similar data were observed in a large group of cancer patients who, at a younger age, have depressed reactivity and likewise represent a high risk group for V-Z infection. Antibody as measured by FAMA (fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen) remained positive into the 9th and 10th decades, especially with a history of reactivation (Zoster) V-Z infection; on the other hand, skin test and in-vitro responses were rarely positive in those individuals. Thus, cellular as contrasted with humoral deficiency may account for a propensity to reactivation of varicella-zoster virus.
Vitamin E, cholesterol, and lipids during atherogenesis in rabbits

Rabbits were fed diets including cholesterol and 10% butterfat to determine whether polyunsaturated butter (9% 18∶2) would be less atherogenic than normal saturated butter (3% 18∶2) when fed for 12 weeks. The cholesterol diets alone, 0.5% or 2%, produced aortic plaque development, and plasma cholesterol increased 20 times, lipids increased 10 times, and vitamin E increased 5 times. The inclusion of both fat and cholesterol in the diet produced a synergistic effect, doubling these values to 40 times for cholesterol, 20 times for lipids, and 10 times for vitamin E. The higher circulating levels of cholesterol caused increased tissue levels of cholesterol. With 2% cholesterol and fat, liver and aorta cholesterol increased 10 times, heart 4 times, and muscle cholesterol 2 times. The lower 0.5% dietary cholesterol load was successful in limiting the amount of tissue cholesterol increase. Liver, aorta, heart, and muscle levels of cholesterol were only about half the concentration attained when 2% cholesterol was fed. It was concluded that there were no differences in plasma or tissue cholesterol, vitamin E, or atherosclerosis attributable to the polyunsaturated nature of the diet. The 10% butterfat diets alone, whether saturated or unsaturated, did not induce aortic plaques and did not increase blood or tissue cholesterol, lipids, or vitamin E. Our results suggest that the lipid mobilizing effect is mediated by cholesterol, probably by conversion to bile acids and a stimulation in intestinal absorption.
Data access and research transparency in the quantitative tradition

The number of people conducting scientific analyses and the number of topics being studied are higher than ever. At the same time, there are questions about the public value of social scientific endeavors, particularly of federally funded quantitative research (Prewitt 2013). In this article, we contend that data access and research transparency are essential to the public value of the enterprise as a whole and to the credibility of the growing number of individuals who conduct such research (also see Esterling 2013).
Limitations of phosphatidylcholine/deoxycholate mixtures for the analysis of phospholipase A2 inhibition and activation: illustration with annexins.

Abstract The effects of human recombinant lipocortin I (annexin I) and bovine lung caipactin I (annexin II) on porcine pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity in phosphatidylcholine (PC)/deoxycholate (DOC) mictures were investigated. Annexin-associated decreases in PLA2 activity were observed under some conditions, for example, at high DOC/PC molar ratios; however, activation was observed under other conditions. NaCl, which lowers the non-critical micellar concentration (NCMC) of deoxycholate, caused significant decreases in control PLA2 activity in the absence of annexins, and greater decreases in PLA2 activity in annexin-containing samples, resulting in an apparent increase in inhibition. The PC/DOC substrate mixtures themselves appeared unstable. Despite a large excess of detergent, precipitates were, at times, observed upon incubation of some PC/DOC mixtures at 37°C. Such behavior is of interest in view of the numerous reports of PLA2 inhibition by annexins and annexin-derived peptides in the PC/DOC system. The influence of the annexins on activity in this system is consistent with effects on the phase behavior of the PC/DOC mixture and/or competition with the enzyme for available Ca2+. These results caution against use of the PC/DOC system for analysis of potential PLA2 inhibitors unless the phase behavior of the system is more fully delineated.
Allocation of Male Parental Care in Relation to Paternity Within and Among Broods of the Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

The relationship between male parental care and paternity has been investigated in a number of avian species, but in many cases the influences of confounding factors, such as variation in male and territory quality, were not addressed. These sources of variation can be controlled for by making within-male comparisons between successive broods or within-brood comparisons between groups of fledglings in a divided brood. We studied the relationship between male parental care and paternity in the common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) at three levels: between groups of fledglings in divided broods, between first and second broods of the same pair, and among all broods in the population. In this study we proposed three hypotheses: first, males in double-brooded pairs should provide relatively more parental care to broods in which they have higher paternity; secondly, after fledging and brood division, males should provide more care to related offspring; and finally, among all broods in the population, paternity should be related positively to male parental care. Brood division occurred in many of the broods studied; however, broods were not divided according to fledgling size or paternity. Furthermore, within divided broods, males fed within-pair and extra-pair fledglings at similar rates. For sequential broods of the same pair, male feeding rates were not associated with differences in paternity between broods. Among all broods in the population, males did not provide relatively less care to broods containing unrelated young. The lack of a relationship between male parental care and paternity suggests that either males cannot assess their paternity or the costs of reducing male parental care outweigh the benefits.
The temporal variability of soil wetness and its impact on climate

The temporal variability of soil wetness and its interactions with the atmosphere were studied using a general circulation model of the atmosphere. It was found that time series of soil wetness computed by the model contain substantial amounts of variance at low frequencies. Long time-scale anomalies of soil moisture resemble the red noise response of the soil layer to white noise rainfall forcing. The dependence of the temporal variability of soil moisture on potential evaporation and precipitation is discussed.
Thyroid hormone action on mitochondria

Measurements of fluorescence at >420 nm and extracted NADPH in mitochondria obtained from the livers of hypothyroid rats show that the addition of Pi, ADP and glutamate rapidly reduces over 90% of the total reducible intrinsic pyridine nucleotides in State 3, compared with 20% in normals. The total fluorescence intensity change and reducible NADP+ is about twice normal in hypothyroid mitochondria. Adding 6–30 µMl-thyroxine to hypothyroid mitochondriain vitro decreases and delays the substrate-induced reduction of pyridine nucleotides, and excludes both NADP+ from such reduction and NADPH from oxidation by added ADP + Pi, without changing the high NADP(H) content. The correcting actions of the hormone are rapidly reversed by albumin, probably by binding free hormone. Changes in respiration do not appear to account for these observations. There is indirect evidence for decreased phosphorylation of added ADP in hypothyroid mitochondria, and a correction by added hormone. The hormonal actions on NADP(H) redox reactions are not reproduced by 1 to 6 µM dinitrophenolin vitro.l-Thyroxine appears to specifically block the participation of NADP (H) in redox reactions in mitochondria from hypothyroid rats, perhaps by effecting a sequestration of the nucleotide, by inhibiting the pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase, or by activating an energy-linked process that competes with transhydrogenation.
How hippocampus and cortex contribute to recognition memory: Revisiting the Complementary Learning Systems model

We describe how the Complementary Learning Systems neural network model of recognition memory (Norman and O'Reilly (2003) Psychol Rev 104:611-646) can shed light on current debates regarding hippocampal and cortical contributions to recognition memory. We review simulation results illustrating three critical differences in how (according to the model) hippocampus and cortex contribute to recognition memory, all of which derive from the hippocampus' use of pattern separated representations. Pattern separation makes the hippocampus especially well-suited for discriminating between studied items and related lures; it makes the hippocampus especially poorly suited for computing global match; and it imbues the hippocampal ROC curve with a Y-intercept > 0. We also describe a key boundary condition on these differences: When the average level of similarity between items in an experiment is very high, hippocampal pattern separation can fail, at which point the hippocampal model will start to behave like the cortical model. We describe the implications of these simulation results for extant debates over how to describe hippocampal versus cortical contributions and how to measure these contributions.
Factorial experimental investigation of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of silicon nitride thin films

Abstract A set of fractional factorial experiments on silicon nitride film growth on 〈111〉 bare silicon wafers was carried out by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in a commercial production reactor. A mixture of SiH 4 , N 2 and NH 3 was used as the reactant gas. Power input, system pressure, SiH 4 :N 2 and SiH 4 :NH 3 ratios, substrate temperature, and gas flow rate were included as system variables. The system responses were deposition rate (A min -1 ), film Si:N ratio, refractive index, density (g cm -3 ), and film nonuniformity (%). It was confirmed that power input and system pressure are important factors in determining deposition rate. The three reactant species had different effects on film Si:N ratio, nonuniformity and refractive index. Some composition two-factor interactions were found to be significant.
Bone Formation by BMP-7-transduced Human Gingival Keratinocytes

BMPs are a family of pleiotropic signaling molecules involved at various stages in the formation of bones and teeth. In addition, recombinant BMP can induce bone and dentin regeneration when applied directly to adult tissues. We have shown that fibroblasts transduced ex vivo by BMP cDNA delivered by recombinant adenoviruses induce bone formation and convert to osteoblasts upon implantation in vivo. To determine if this osteogenic capacity was limited to fibroblasts, we found that BMP-7-transduced human oral keratinocyte cells (HOKC) also formed ectopic bone. The ossicles formed by the BMP-7-transduced HOKC were smaller and more dense than those formed by BMP-7-transduced human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). Implanted HOKC were localized adjacent to the developing bone by immunocytochemical detection of keratin expression. However, no bone-like tissue formed when HOKC were implanted into diffusion chambers in vivo. We conclude that BMP-transduced HOKC secrete BMP and form bone in vivo but, unlike BMP-transduced HGF, do not transdifferentiate to osteoblasts.
Flexible in-lined reference monitor certification: challenges and future directions

Over the last few years, in-lined reference monitors (IRM's) have gained much popularity as successful security enforcement mechanisms. Aspect-oriented programming (AOP) provides one elegant paradigm for implementing IRM frameworks. There is a foreseen need to enhance both AOP-style and non-AOP IRM's with static certification due to two main concerns. Firstly, the Trusted Computing Base (TCB) can grow large quickly in an AOP-style IRM framework. Secondly, in many practical settings, such as in the domain of web-security, aspectually encoded policy implementations and the rewriters that apply them to untrusted code are subject to frequent change. Replacing the rewriter with a small, light-weight, yet powerful certifier that is policy-independent and less subject to change addresses both these concerns.The goal of this paper is two-fold. First, interesting issues encountered in the process of building certification systems for IRM frameworks, such as policy specification, certifier soundness, and certifier completeness, are explored in the light of related work. In the second half of the paper, three prominent unsolved problems in the domain of IRM certification are examined: runtime code-generation via eval, IRM certification in the presence of concurrency, and formal verification of transparency. Promising directions suggested by recent work related to these problems are highlighted.
Equilibrium Policy with Dynamically Naive Agents

Abstract Within the context of a two-period-lived overlapping generations monetary economy, I define an equilibrium policy as a competitive equilibrium in which agents in their second period of life determine the economy's rates of labor income tax and money supply growth on a period-by-period basis. A numerical example shows that equilibrium policy can be unique and either Pareto undominated or dominated. Since agents are assumed to behave as if their policy choices have no intertemporal effects, the existence of undominated equilibrium policies is only consistent with financing relatively small levels of government expenditure.
Comparison of manual polychromatophilic cell and automated reticulocyte quantification in evaluating regenerative response in anemic dogs.

Background Degree of polychromasia and reticulocyte counts are commonly used in veterinary medicine to evaluate response to anemia. The quantitative association between these 2 measurements has not been evaluated. Objective The aim of this retrospective study was to compare automated reticulocyte percents and counts with those of polychromatophilic cells on blood films from dogs. Methods Blood films and medical records from 30 clinically healthy dogs and 60 anemic dogs were evaluated. Manual percentage of polychromatophilic cells (MPP) was determined by counting cells in 10 1000× fields, and automated reticulocyte percentage (ARP) was measured using an ADVIA 120 hematology analyzer; absolute polychromatophilic cell and reticulocyte counts were then calculated. Degree of polychromasia, estimated as slight, mild, moderate, marked was documented. Percentages and absolute counts of polychromatophilic cells and reticulocytes were compared using least squares regression and Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results The reference interval for MPP in healthy dogs was 0.21–0.26%. Correlation between MPP and ARP was highest when all levels were considered (n = 60, r = .98, P 5% (n = 20, r = .91, P 150,000/μL (r = .94). Correlation of estimates of polychromasia with ARP was good (r = .83). Conclusion In anemic dogs MPP can be used for assessment of regeneration, especially in dogs with higher levels of ARP. Standard quantification of reticulocytes is more accurate in dogs with lesser degrees of regeneration.
On the mechanism of nitric oxide decomposition over Cu-ZSM-5

Cu-ZSM-5, a copper-containing zeolite, catalytically decomposes NO at temperatures below those of other catalysts. A mechanism is proposed which is based on active sites consisting of coordinatively unsaturated cupric (Cu2+) ions in a square planar configuration. These sites are posited to chemisorb NO molecules in the gem-dinitrosyl form. The pair of adsorbed NO molecules desorbs as N2 and O2. This mechanism accounts for the experimental behavior in chemisorption and decomposition without invoking a cyclical oxyreduction of the surface sites.
Cardiovascular medicine: Subspecialty or specialty

D epartments of internal medicine, and divisions of cardiology (or more appropriately, cardiovascular medicine) both currently stand at major, diverging roads. Conflicting social, intellectual and administrative forces and pressures are exerting enormous impact on the future of both disciplines. The road taken (or not taken) may shape the patterns of clinical care and investigation for years to come. Departments of internal medicine represent the largest single departmental structure within most medical schools. They generally comprise 10 to 20 divisions, representing major disease or organ system-related subspecialties. Their growth has resulted in enormous diversity on both a clinical and investigational basis. The management responsibilities associated with this departmental structure often have assumed corporate proportions. The very size of their enterprises has resulted often in substantial separations, both intellectual and personal, between leadership and constituents. While trying to manage the diverse investigative and clinical, specialized components, departments have had to address significant needs of society, mandating major changes in the principles and structure of medical training. Movements to downsize internal medicine residency programs are evident.’ One goal fosters and mandates entry of 50% of internal medicine residency graduates into the practice of general internal medicine and primary care, rather than into subspecialty training and practice.2 The possibility of alternate pathways for training also has been proposed.3 Such pathways will likely diminish the duration of general internal medicine residencies for those desiring further subspecialty training. The division, or section, of cardiovascular medicine generally constitutes the largest single component of the department of internal medicine in most medical centers. In the academic year 1990-1991, the average number of faculty members per academic cardiology program in the United States was 16.5 (range 2 to 47). Within the typical section there is much diversity, with an amalgam of clinicians, catheterization laboratory/interventionalists, electrophysiologists, echocardiographers, nuclear cardiology specialists and other cardiac imagers, heart failure/transplantation specialists, coronary care unit directors, and those committed primarily to basic or clinical research, or both. In addition, the progressive union of cardiologic and vascular medicine has resulted
Effect of Pediatric Amino Acid Mixtures Aminosyn-Pf and Trophamine on Bacterial Growth of Staphylococcus Epidermidis 1479

Infection by staphylococcus (s) epidermidis is a common problem in infants who are on total parenteral nutrition for long periods. The purpose of this in- vitro study is to see whether two commonly used pediatric aminoacid mixtures differ in their effect on growth of s. epidermidis.
The relative role of dopamine and norepinephrine receptor blockade in the action of antipsychotic drugs: Metoclopramide, thiethylperazine, and molindone as pharmacological tools

The aim of the present studies was to further delineate the role of striatal and limbic dopaminergic versus limbic noradrenergic blockade in the pharmacologic and perhaps therapeutic action of antipsychotic drugs. Metoclopramide shares many properties of antipsychotic neuroleptic drugs, including the production of extrapyramidal side effects, but is not an efficacious antipsychotic agent. This drug was a potent blocker of dopamine (DA) receptors in both striatum and limbic forebrain (comparable in potency to that of chlorpromazine) as evidenced from the increase in homovanillic acid in both brain structures. In contrast, metoclopramide was a weak inhibitor of the norepinephrine (NE) receptor-coupled adenylate cyclase system in the limbic forebrain. Molindone, which is reported not to block DA-sensitive adenylate cyclase, was a potent in vivo blocker of DA receptors in both striatum and limbic forebrain and also inhibited markedly the cyclic AMP response to NE in the limbic forebrain. The phenothiazine derivative, thiethylperazine, was also a potent blocker of DA receptors in both brain areas and displayed an IC50 for NE blockade in the limbic forebrain comparable to that of chlorpromazine. The present results support the view that the ability and potency of drugs to block DA receptors parallels their ability and potency to cause extrapyramidal symptoms in man. Moreover, these results suggest that the blockade of NE receptor-coupled adenylate cyclase systems in brain may be relevant to both the pharmacologic and therapeutic activity of antipsychotic drugs.
Generalized energetics for inertially stable parallel shear flows

For simple parallel shear flows on the f-plane and the equatorial β-plane we derive an energy norm for zonally invariant perturbations. It is used to derive the linear stability boundary for when these flows are inertially stable in the classical sense but may be destabilized due to unequal rates of diffusion of momentum and heat. The analysis is valid when there are arbitrary, zonally invariant, no-slip boundaries which are perfect thermal conductors.
Activation of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinases by Formyl Peptide Receptors Is Regulated by the Cytoplasmic Tail

Abstract Wild type formyl peptide receptors (FPRwt) and receptors deleted of the carboxyl-terminal 45 amino acids (FPRdel) were stably expressed in undifferentiated HL-60 promyelocytes. Expression of FPRwt reconstituted N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP)-stimulated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 kinase activity. Expression of FPRdel resulted in a 2–5-fold increase in basal ERK and p38 kinase activity, whereas FMLP failed to stimulate either mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Pertussis toxin abolished FMLP stimulation of both MAPKs in FPRwt cells but had no effect on either basal or FMLP-stimulated MAPK activity in FPRdel cells. FMLP stimulated a concentration-dependent increase in guanosine 5′-3-O-(thio)triphosphate (GTPγS) binding in membranes from FPRwt but not FPRdel cells. GTPγS inhibited FMLP binding to FPRwt but not FPRdel membranes. Photoaffinity labeling with azidoanilide-[γ-32P]GTP in the presence or absence of FMLP showed increased labeling only in FPRwt membranes. Immunoprecipitation of αi2 and αq/11 from solubilized, photolabeled membranes showed that FPRwt were coupled to αi2 but not to αq/11. FPRwt cells demonstrated calcium mobilization following stimulation with FMLP, whereas FPRdel cells showed no increase in intracellular calcium. We conclude that the carboxyl-terminal tail of FPRs is necessary for ligand-mediated activation of Gi proteins and MAPK cascades. Deletion of the carboxyl-terminal tail results in constitutive activation of ERK and p38 kinase through a Gi2-independent pathway.
Episodic refabrication of biologically significant information in script recall

Recent theoretical attention in the study of memory processes has shifted from the perspective of cognitive architecture to an adaptionist view. This has resulted in the formulation of questions pertaining to the brain’s innate capacity to organize information and build scenarios using genetic schemata to enhance the meaningfulness of material. Our study used the episodic refabrication methodology of Owens, Bower, and Black (1979) to test the evolutionary hypothesis of gender specific cognitive mechanisms which are differentially sensitive to biologically salient information. The results replicate and support the findings of others concerning the effect of scripts and schemata on episodic refabrication and also revealed significantly shorter free recall latencies for males when the to-be-recalled material was given biological relevance. These differences are interpreted in support of the adaptionist perspective.
It just happens: Colorblind ideology and undergraduate explanations of racial interaction on campus

This article examines student perceptions of racial segregation on campus in terms of interaction across racial groups. Theories of colorblind racial ideology are used to interpret data from 14 gro...
Comparison of robotic and laparoendoscopic single-site surgery systems in a suturing and knot tying task

Laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) surgery has been established for various procedures. Shortcomings of LESS surgery include loss of triangulation, instrument collisions, and poor ergonomics, making advanced laparoscopic tasks especially challenging. We compared a LESS system with a robotic single-site surgery platform in performance of a suturing and knot-tying task under clinically simulated conditions. Each of five volunteer minimally invasive surgeons was tasked with suturing a 5 cm longitudinal enterotomy in porcine small intestine with square knots at either end, using a laparoendoscopic or da Vinci robotic single-site surgery platform, within a 20 min time limit. A saline leak test was then performed. Each surgeon performed the task twice using each system. The time to completion of the task and presence of a leak were noted. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the overall completion rate within the defined time limit, and a Wilcoxon rank test was used to compare the specific times to complete the task. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant. All surgeons were able to complete the task on the first try within 20 min using the robot system; 60 % of surgeons were able to complete it after two attempts using the LESS surgery system. Time to completion using the robot system was significantly shorter than the time using the standard LESS system (p < 0.0001). There were no leaks after closure with the robot system; the leak rate following the standard LESS system was 90 %. Surgeons demonstrated significantly better suturing and knot-tying capabilities using the robot single-site system compared to a standard LESS system. The robotic system has the potential to expand single-site surgery to more complex tasks.
Individual and Combined Effects of Feeding Fusarium moniliforme Culture Material, Containing Known Levels of Fumonisin B1 and Aflatoxin B1 in the Young Turkey Poult

Abstract The individual and combined effects of fumonisin B1 (FB1) and aflatoxin B1 (AF) were evaluated using a 2 × 2 factorial with treatments of 0 and 75 mg FB1/kg feed and 0 and 200 μg AF/kg feed. Each of the four diets was fed to eight pen replicates of six poults from Day 1 to 21. Body weight gain was reduced (P
Risk Assessment in Drug Development: Autoimmunity

Autoimmunity is a physiological condition in which the immune system responds to normal tissues as if they were foreign pathogens. If this reaction produces pathology, it is referred to as autoimmune disease. Many human diseases (most often chronic in nature) appear to have an autoimmune basis. No model exists that has proven to be sufficiently predictive to screen drugs for potential to induce autoimmunity (hazard identification); thus, it seems somewhat illogical to consider this as an example of risk assessment. However, given the knowledge currently available, it is at least conceivable that drugs could be identified as having the potential to produce autoimmune reactions, and especially to predict the conditions under which autoimmune disease may be induced. This has proven to be an especially important topic with protein drugs designed to replace endogenous molecules. Immunogenicity, thought to be an important component of protein drug-induced autoimmunity, can be modeled in animals. However, interp...
Legislation, Political Context, and Interest Group Behavior

It is well documented that the number of interest groups lobbying a piece of legislation in Congress varies greatly. While most legislation generates little to no activity, the number of groups interested in a bill can grow into the hundreds. The challenge for scholars is to explain these behavioral differences. Using a population ecology approach to explain interest-group populations, it is argued that the number of groups lobbying a bill is influenced by the political context. Using data generated by the Lobbying Disclosure Act, this article demonstrates how the actions of members of Congress can both stimulate and suppress lobbying activity.
Regulation of MBK-2/Dyrk Kinase by Dynamic Cortical Anchoring during the Oocyte-to-Zygote Transition

Summary Background Successful transition from oocyte to zygote depends on the timely degradation of oocyte proteins to prepare for embryonic development. In C. elegans , degradation of the oocyte protein MEI-1 depends on MBK-2, a kinase that phosphorylates MEI-1 shortly after fertilization during the second meiotic division. Results Here we report that precise timing of MEI-1 phosphorylation depends on the cell cycle-regulated release of MBK-2 from the cortex. Prior to the meiotic divisions, MBK-2 is tethered at the cortex by EGG-3, an oocyte protein required for egg activation (see [1], accompanying paper in this issue). During the meiotic divisions, EGG-3 is internalized and degraded in an APC/C (anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome)-dependent manner. EGG-3 internalization and degradation correlate with MBK-2 release from the cortex and MEI-1 phosphorylation in the cytoplasm. In an egg-3 mutant, MEI-1 is phosphorylated and degraded prematurely. Conclusion We suggest that successful transition from an oocyte to a zygote depends on the cell cycle-regulated relocalization of key regulators from the cortex to the cytoplasm of the egg.
K-ABC subtest specificity recalculated

Abstract This study provides recalculated subtest specificity figures for the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) and corrects original calculation errors made during the determination of subtest specificity when the instrument was first published. The recalculated figures indicate that the instrument has considerably more specific variance than was originally thought. Questions about whether there is sufficient shared variance associated with the two principle factors underlying the K-ABC are raised.
The Market for Agricultural Economists: Discussion

The three papers contribute to a greater understanding of the educational and research services industry with which many of us are directly or indirectly involved. Each author addresses the topic assigned with a different perspective. In Schrimper's paper the industry is defined as Ph.D.-producing institutions and the characteristics regarding their output of doctoral graduates. Schrimper discusses numerous trends that have been occurring in the number and characteristics of Ph.D. recipients in agricultural economics in the United States in recent years. This paper is an update of his previous work, which now covers ten years. The results are particularly useful for university administrators and departmental planners, as the analysis is particularly revealing about what factors are associated with the supply of resources which eventually become the firms' output of the Ph.D.-producing institutions. Schrimper should be encouraged to broaden his descriptive analysis of the characteristics associated with the demand for agricultural economics. Procurement of inputs is only one essential element in analyzing a value-added industry. The Huffman/Orazem (HO) paper introduces the results of the first model of the market for postgraduate-trained individuals in agricultural economics. HO make some innovative improvements to models used for other professions and then estimate supply/demand schedules for masters degree students, supply function for new Ph.D.s and a demand function for agricultural economics faculty. The results are consistent with traditional ecoomic hypotheses but, as in the case of Schrimper, the topic of market demand for agricultural economists is not addressed. The French/Erven paper is an ambitious attempt to address a complex demand related issue-the demand for terminal masters degree students. With refinement, this piece could serve as the classic for terminal agribusiness masters degree-granting institutions. The shared experience of a large land grantoriented teacher and the director of an agribusiness program in a small, flexible, liberal arts college provides the right blend for the development of some innovative and radical thinking the profession so desperately, but unknowingly, needs. Particularly stimulating is the first half of the paper and the questions posed and partially answered. The session adds to our knowledge and whets our appetite for much more. A profession which markets itself as particularly strong in analytical and empirical analysis knows very, very little about the demand for its own product. Michael Cook is president of the Rice Growers Association.
Mode of action of diethyl ether on ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles.

Abstract The mode of action of diethyl ether on the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ pump and ATPase activity was investigated in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles (SR). The addition of ether (5%, v/v) at 23° nearly doubled the rates of ATP-dependent Ca 2+ uptake and ATP hydrolysis by SR for a wide range of ATP concentrations (20μM to 10 mM). By contrast, the Ca 2+ -independent ATPase acivity of SR decreased with increasing ether concentrations and practically ceased at higher ether solutions (5–7%, v/v). Ether not only enhanced the forward transport of Ca 2+ into vesicles but also the reversal of the Ca 2+ pump, and higher rates of Ca 2+ efflux coupled to ATP synthesis were observed from Ca 2+ -loaded vesicles. Electron micrographs of SR pellets showed that the average radius of the vesicles increased by about 20% upon exposure to ether. In the range of 5–40° the rate of Ca 2+ transport increased with temperature; at about 4° active Ca 2+ transport by SR normally ceased, but with the addition of ether (5%, v/v) significant Ca 2+ transport (1–2 nmoles Ca 2+ per mg per sec) occurred at 0°. The further stimulation of SR Ca 2+ transport induced by ether was particularly effective at low temperatures; ether increased the rate of Ca 2+ uptake by a factor of 10 at 5° but only by a factor of 1.5 at 40°. The effect of ether on the (Ca 2+ -Mg 2+ )ATPase of SR could be reversed by resuspending the vesicles in ether-free media. The centrifugation and resuspension of SR in ether-free solutions did not make the vesicles leaky nor did it lyse them irreversibly unless they were also mechanically disrupted. The results indicate that, in ether, there was an increase of intravesicular volume and an increase in membrane fluidity of SR, which could account for the dramatic increase in Ca 2+ capacity and rate of Ca 2+ transport of ether-treated SR.
Neutrino alternatives for missing energy events at colliders

If the dark matter consists of a weakly interacting massive particle, it can be produced and studied at future collider experiments like those at the LHC. The production of collider-stable weakly interacting massive particles is characterized by hard scattering events with large missing transverse energy. Here we emphasize and discuss the fact that the discovery of events inconsistent with the standard model with large missing transverse energy need not point to the existence of new, collider-stable particles. We explore an alternative explanation where the only sources of missing transverse energy are standard model neutrinos. We present concrete examples of such scenarios, focusing on supersymmetric models with R-parity violation. We also discuss means of differentiating neutrino missing energy signals from the production of new collider-stable particles. These include both model-dependent signals, such as particle tags and flavor counts, as well as model-independent tests that attempt to measure the missing particle mass.
Robustness of analytical models for nonclassical discrete event systems

Analytical models based on queueing-network theory have been observed to work well for discrete event systems which violate many of the classical assumptions, such as exponential service time distributions. This has been explained recently by the Operational Analysis approach. Use of this approach however, also involves an assumption on the service times, which can be considered restrictive. Here we give results showing that system performance measures are surprisingly robust to violations of this assumption. This justifies the use of operational analysis for predicting the performance of nonclassical discrete event systems. We also define a class of systems called monotonic systems, and give some new results for such systems.
Comparison of techniques for in vivo attenuation measurements

The attenuation of an ultrasound pulse within tissue can be estimated from either the amplitude decay or the frequency downshift of returning echoes. The authors compare the results of both analyses as applied to ultrasound B scan echoes from the livers of 49 individuals. The amplitude decay of the backscattered signal Fourier components with depth was used to calculate attenuation coefficients. In addition, the frequency downshift of the same backscattered signals was estimated using both zero-crossing and spectral centroid methods. The results show that the frequency-domain estimators yield consistently higher attenuation coefficients, with higher variability compared to the amplitude decay method. Explanations for the apparent bias and variability of the frequency-shift estimators include both the assumptions regarding tissue and signal which may not be met in practice and the effects of low-frequency electronic noise on spectral estimates. >
The For Ever Storybook Program

Newborn Care Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program Maternal bonding is critical in the newborn period that has traditionally been entrusted to nurses. Nurses have met this challenge through a variety of interventions, including keeping newborns in close physical proximity to their mothers, helping mothers interpret the behavioral cues of their newborns, and creating a nurse–mother relationship that gives credibility to all other nursing interventions. Nurses continually search for ways to help mother fall in love with their newborns, which is critical beginning for a positive, life-long, secure mother–child attachment. The For Ever program facilitates bonding and promotes early literacy. Proposed Change The envisioned change of the For Ever program is improved maternal (and paternal) bonding and long-term appreciation of a book that has special meaning in the postpartum moment. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation The nurse gives each mother a spiral-bound children's book that has been especially designed for these tasks. The book's story line reinforces the importance of a mother's responsiveness to the cues of her newborn and the long-term effects of that responsiveness for the child: "When I'm sleeping you gaze at me. When I cry, you hold me close, and I feel safe. When I open my eyes and look at you, you look back. You touch my toes…." Brightly colored drawings depict an infant who while growing into a young child searches for and unites with his/her mom. The For Ever book, written and illustrated by a nurse, is personalized with one page for writing the newborn's birth information and another for attaching a family photo that can be taken by the nurse at the bedside with an instant camera added later. Evaluating the importance of this program requires an interim time of several months to understand how the book and its message have been used over time. We hypothesize that the personalizing features of the book will be an enticement for it to be read and valued, even in families where literacy is not a priority. Evaluation is planned for 6 months after hospital discharge via a phone call to the mother to answer a short list of questions about the use of and interest in the book. Implications for Nursing Practice The For Ever Program offers the nurse a tool to facilitate maternal bonding while enriching the postpartum experience and strengthening family literacy.
Boundary manifolds of projective hypersurfaces

Abstract We study the topology of the boundary manifold of a regular neighborhood of a complex projective hypersurface. We show that, under certain Hodge-theoretic conditions, the cohomology ring of the complement of the hypersurface functorially determines that of the boundary. When the hypersurface defines a hyperplane arrangement, the cohomology of the boundary is completely determined by the combinatorics of the underlying arrangement and the ambient dimension. We also study the LS category and topological complexity of the boundary manifold, as well as the resonance varieties of its cohomology ring.
Retention of an Avoidance Response Learned under Bilateral Spreading Depression

An experiment investigated the effect of recovery or no recovery from bilateral spreading depression (BSD) during the retention interval on an avoidance response learned and tested for retention under BSD. One group experienced BSD throughout the retention interval, another had cortical recovery. A third group had a sham BSD treatment before each training session and between sessions. A fourth group was treated like Group 1 except it was given no original training. Only Group 3 showed significant retention between training sessions. Group 1 showed negative transfer and did not differ from Group 4 in Session 2. Group 4 was significantly inferior to Groups 1 and 2 in original learning. Prolonged BSD treatment appears to interfere with the learning and/or retention of an avoidance response.
A Reconfigurable Architecture for Multi-Gigabit Speed Content-Based Routing

This paper presents a reconfigurable architecture for high-speed content-based routing. Our architecture goes beyond simple pattern matching by implementing a parsing engine that defines the semantics of patterns that are parsed within the data stream. Defining the semantics of patterns allows for more accurate processing and routing of packets using any fields that appear within the payload of the packet. The architecture consists of several components, including a pattern matcher, a parsing structure, and a routing module. Both the pattern matcher and parsing structure are automatically generated using an application-specific compiler that is described in this paper. The compiler accepts a grammar specification as input and outputs a data parser in VHDL. The routing module receives control signals from both the pattern matcher and the parsing structure that aid in the routing of packets. We illustrate how a content-based router can be implemented with our technique using an XML parser as an example. The XML parser presented was designed, implemented, and tested in a Xilinx Virtex XCV2000E FPGA on the FPX platform. It is capable of processing 32-bits of data per clock cycle and runs at 100 MHz. This allows the system to process and route XML messages at 3.2 Gbps.
VARIABILITY IN LARVAL CHARACTER STATES USED TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SPECIES OF PANTALA HAGEN (ODONATA: LIBELLULIDAE)

Abstract Despite widespread distributions and abundance, previously published diagnoses of the larvae of the two species of the dragonfly genus Pantala often were contradictory or confusing. Morphometric analysis of mensural characters and qualitative analysis of relative character states were used to determine the ability of previously published characterizations to accurately distinguish larvae of the two species. We found that many published characterizations were inaccurate or insufficient, and their use in making species level determinations would result in frequent misidentifications. In distinguishing between the two species, the most useful and reliable characteristic was the palpal setal count. However, in specimens where this count is intermediate, other characteristics may need to be evaluated.