cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regenerative medicine for neurological diseases—will regenerative neurosurgery deliver?

Regenerative medicine aspires to transform the future practice of medicine by providing curative, rather than palliative, treatments. Healing the central nervous system (CNS) remains among regenerative medicine's most highly prized but formidable challenges. "Regenerative neurosurgery" provides access to the CNS or its surrounding structures to preserve or restore neurological function. Pioneering efforts over the past three decades have introduced cells, neurotrophins, and genes with putative regenerative capacity into the CNS to combat neurodegenerative, ischemic, and traumatic diseases. In this review we critically evaluate the rationale, paradigms, and translational progress of regenerative neurosurgery, harnessing access to the CNS to protect, rejuvenate, or replace cell types otherwise irreversibly compromised by neurological disease. We discuss the evidence surrounding fetal, somatic, and pluripotent stem cell derived implants to replace endogenous neuronal and glial cell types and provide trophic support. Neurotrophin based strategies via infusions and gene therapy highlight the motivation to preserve neuronal circuits, the complex fidelity of which cannot be readily recreated. We specifically highlight ongoing translational efforts in Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, and spinal cord injury, using these to illustrate the principles, challenges, and opportunities of regenerative neurosurgery. Risks of associated procedures and novel neurosurgical trials are discussed, together with the ethical challenges they pose. After decades of efforts to develop and refine necessary tools and methodologies, regenerative neurosurgery is well positioned to advance treatments for refractory neurological diseases. Strategic multidisciplinary efforts will be critical to harness complementary technologies and maximize mechanistic feedback, accelerating iterative progress toward cures for neurological diseases.
Captive Carry Testing of Remotely Piloted Vehicles

Captive carry testing is a valuable supplement to wind tunnel testing, allowing important dynamic properties to be validated while providing significant information pertaining to the flight worthiness of the vehicle. As in the early days of flight, some form of ground testing has preceded significant technology advances while minimizing risk and failure probability. The researcher is afforded the opportunity to evaluate integrated subsystems operation and handling qualities in a realistically simulated flight environment. Therefore, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) considers a pre-flight testing program an essential step in the development of advanced unmanned aircraft.
A taxonomy for public safety networks

The building of public safety network (PSN) infrastructures for the purposes of facilitating communication, sharing of information, and collaboration among first responders has been identified as a key policy goal in the aftermath of events such as the September 11th terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. Early analysis of professional and academic literature in conjunction with prior empirical research indicates that there is a great variety in the types of systems being developed under the rubric of "public safety network," as well as the services these systems deliver. As part of an ongoing National Science Foundation-sponsored project, we have developed a taxonomy of PSNs to bring conceptual clarity to our research and to the domain at large, which we present in this poster.
Transmission of acoustic cross-spectral matrices over low-bandwidth communications channels

This paper has discussed the potential for transmitting spectral data from a remote array via existing low-bandwidth satellite communication channels. Two methods of reducing the necessary data have been presented and illustrated with synthetic test cases. It is apparent that the existing satellite channels are insufficient for continuous operation, but should meet the requirements of some applications where periodic snapshots of data will suffice.
Integrated MEMS actuators for sub-Micron patterning on thin polymer films

This paper reports on a new enabling technology for simultaneous generation of nanopatterns on thin polymer films using MEMS actuators. Monolithically integrated MEMS actuators with two-dimensional probe arrays are used as scanning probe nanolithography tools capable of generating multiple identical patterns on thin polymer films. The presented approach can circumvent the main deficiency of tip-based nanolithography techniques which is their low throughput. Two-degrees of freedom (DOF) electro-thermal MEMS positioning structures integrated with nanoscale probe-tips are successfully fabricated and utilized for generating nanopatterns scratched into 800 nm thick photoresist films. Scratch marks as narrow and long as ∼100 nm and 18 μm, respectively, have been generated in x and y directions using a micro-actuator structures carrying 49 nanotips.
Nurses' ability and willingness to work during pandemic flu.

martin s.d. (2011) Journal of Nursing Management 19, 98–108 Nurses’ ability and willingness to work during pandemic flu Aim The present study reports factors affecting nurses’ ability and willingness to work during pandemic flu (PF). Background Previous studies suggest some nurses may be unable or unwilling to work during PF. Method A questionnaire was mailed to nurses during October to December 2009, the second wave of the 2009 A/H1N1 flu pandemic. Results Most (90.1%) reported they would work. Willingness decreased primarily as personal protective equipment (PPE) dwindled, family or nurse were perceived to be at risk and when vaccine or antiviral medication was not provided to both nurse and family although many other factors also affected willingness to work. Ability decreased primarily when the nurse was sick, a loved one needed care at home or transportation problems existed although many other factors also affected ability to work. Conclusion Certain factors can decrease willingness and ability of nurses to work during a flu pandemic. Implications for nursing management Managers can anticipate factors that may decrease nurse’s ability and willingness to work during pandemic flu. Preparing for staffing during emergencies can retain the health care workforce when it is needed most.
Distribution and trophic dynamics of riparian tetragnathid spiders in a large river system

Development and agriculture are increasingly encroaching into riparian areas, with largely unknown effects on nearshore arthropods, which are important components of linked aquatic–terrestrial food webs. To assess the environmental determinants of the distribution and trophic dynamics of riparian spiders of the family Tetragnathidae, we characterised riparian habitat, collected emergent aquatic insects, and surveyed spiders in developed and rural landscapes of the Scioto River system, Ohio, USA, which provided a range of riparian land cover, nearshore vegetation types and habitat complexity. We also estimated the trophic position (TP) of Tetragnathidae and the proportion of energetic and nutritional subsidies derived from benthic algae (EBA) using naturally abundant carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotopes. Model-selection results revealed that tetragnathid spider density (1.57–3.80individualsm–1) was more sensitive to differences in overhanging vegetation than to those in aquatic food resources (i.e. emergent aquatic insects). Tetragnathidae TP, which averaged 3.16 across all 12 study reaches (range: 2.35–3.98), was largely driven by canopy density, shoreline shape, percentage overhanging vegetation and emergent-insect density. Emergent-insect density was the strongest driver of tetragnathid spider EBA (0.04–0.54, µ=0.24). Our study reinforced the notion that riparian spiders ecologically link aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In particular, our results further current understanding of the mechanisms affecting riparian spider distribution and trophic dynamics, particularly in the context of larger stream and river systems, given that the propensity of related research has occurred in small streams.
Propofol and thiopental for refractory status epilepticus in children

Thiopental is commonly used as a last treatment modality in case of refractory status epilepticus (RSE). Its side effects are well known, but there is little information about the frequency in which they occur and the impact they have on clinical practice. Because of the adverse effects of thiopental, several guidelines recommend propofol as an alternative therapy before thiopental is started. However, propofol is associated with potentially fatal outcome, and its efficacy in the treatment of RSE is almost exclusively based on small case series and case reports.
Linear control of PWM inverter by avoiding the pulse dropping

In PWM inverter fed ac machine drives, at higher modulation indices, the output pulse-width becomes very narrow. These short pulses do not contribute to produce torque in the machine but introduce additional losses and stress in the power switching devices. This is especially true in large drive systems, where the sine triangle based PWM strategies are being widely used. In this paper, a technique to eliminate these narrow pulses is proposed. This is based on injecting an optimized amount of third harmonic signal to the reference waveform. This optimized amount of the third harmonic is defined off-line for different modulation indices and minimum pulse-width required by the power electronics devices used in the inverter. Finally, use of this method in vector-controlled drives is explained and improvement of the efficiency is demonstrated by experiment.
Tetrahydrobiopterin, l-Arginine and Vitamin C Act Synergistically to Decrease Oxidative Stress, Increase Nitric Oxide and Improve Blood Flow after Induction of Hindlimb Ischemia in the Rat

Nitric oxide (NO) derived from endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is a potent vasodilator and signaling molecule that plays an essential role in vascular remodeling of collateral arteries and perfusion recovery in response to hindlimb ischemia. In ischemic conditions, decreased NO bioavailability was observed because of increased oxidative stress, decreased L-arginine and tetrahydrobiopterin. This study tested the hypothesis that dietary cosupplementation with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), L-arginine, and vitamin C acts synergistically to decrease oxidative stress, increase nitric oxide and improve blood flow in response to acute hindlimb ischemia. Rats were fed normal chow, chow supplemented with BH4 or L-arginine (alone or in combination) or chow supplemented with BH4 + L-arginine + vitamin C for 1 wk before induction of unilateral hindlimb ischemia. Cosupplementation with BH4 + L-arginine resulted in greater eNOS expression, Ca²⁺-dependent NOS activity and NO concentration in gastrocnemius from the ischemic hindlimb, as well as greater recovery of foot perfusion and more collateral artery enlargement than did rats receiving either agent separately. The addition of vitamin C to the BH4 + L-arginine regimen did further increase these dependent variables, although only the increase in eNOS expression reached statistical significances. In addition, rats given all three supplements demonstrated significantly less Ca²⁺-independent activity, less nitrotyrosine accumulation, greater glutathione:glutathione disulfide (GSH:GSSG) ratio and less gastrocnemius muscle necrosis, on both macroscopic and microscopic levels. In conclusion, cosupplementation with BH4 + L-arginine + vitamin C significantly increased vascular perfusion after hindlimb ischemia by increasing eNOS activity and reducing oxidative stress and tissue necrosis. Oral cosupplementation of L-arginine, BH4 and vitamin C holds promise as a biological therapy to induce collateral artery enlargement.
Aluminum in magnesium silicate perovskite: Formation, structure, and energetics of magnesium‐rich defect solid solutions

[1] MgSiO3-rich perovskite is expected to dominate Earth's lower mantle (pressures >25 GPa) with iron and aluminum as significant substituents. The incorporation of trivalent ions, M3+, may occur by two competing mechanisms: MgA + SiB = MA + MB and SiB = AlB + 0.5 (vacancy)O. Phase synthesis studies show that both substitutions do occur and the nonstoichiometric or defect substitution is prevalent along the MgSiO3-MgAlO2.5 join. Lattice parameters associated with the first substitution (stoichiometric) show more rapid increases with increasing Al content than those for the second substitution (nonstoichiometric), consistent with the differences in size of substituting ions. Oxide melt solution calorimetry has been used to compare the energetics of both substitutions. The stoichiometric substitution, represented by the reaction 0.95 MgSiO3 (perovskite) + 0.05 Al2O3 (corundum) = Mg0.95Al0.10Si0.95O3 (perovskite), has an enthalpy of −0.8 ± 2.2 kJ/mol. The nonstoichiometric reaction, 0.90 MgSiO3 (perovskite) + 0.10 MgO (rocksalt) + 0.05 Al2O3 (corundum) = MgSi0.9Al0.1O2.95 (perovskite) has a small positive enthalpy of 8.5 ± 4.6 kJ/mol. Configurational T ΔS terms play a role in both substitutions. The defect substitution is not prohibitive in enthalpy, entropy, or volume, is favored in perovskite coexisting with magnesiowustite and may significantly affect the elasticity, rheology, and water retention of silicate perovskite in Earth.
Effort, memory, attention and time: paths to more effective personal information management

With the widespread availability of digital tools for storing, accessing, and sharing information, why is so much information still lost, forgotten, or kept on paper? The work in this thesis finds that such disorganization results from problems in the designs of the personal information management (PIM) tools in common use today. Such problems impede information capture, force many information forms to be left out, and cause information to be forgotten. How can these problems be mitigated? Our Information Scraps study identifies the need to support more diverse kinds of information, while conserving time, attention, and memory for retained information items. Our first approach to achieving these goals is to eliminate the artificial separation and homogeneity that structured PIM tools impose, so that arbitrary information can be captured in any way desired. A two-year study of List-it, our short-note-taking tool, discovers that people keep notes serving 5 primary roles: reminders, reference items, progress trackers, places to think, and archives of personal value. The second reintroduces structured data to support more effective use and management of information collections. Jourknow addresses the manageability of large note collections with lightweight-structured note contents and contextual retrieval, the access of notes by the contexts and activities at the time of creation. Poyozo reinforces recollection of previously seen information, by providing visualizations of all of a person's past information activities. Finally, Atomate addresses the challenge of managing the ever-increasing deluge of new information, by letting people delegate to software behaviors actions to be automatically taken when new information arrives. These studies identify critical needs of PIM tools and offer viable solutions. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Voltage risk assessment

This paper describes computational techniques for computing risk associated with voltage insecurity, where risk is assessed as the product of probability and consequence of under-voltage and voltage collapse. In contrast to deterministic assessment of voltage security, our approach directly accounts for uncertainties in the analysis. An approach for operational assessment is provided that uses continuation power flow methods. In addition, a planning approach is described which utilizes an interior point optimization method to identify maximum loading conditions over a sequential trajectory of operating conditions. Analysis of the IEEE Reliability Test System illustrates results that are obtained from the approaches.
12 Adult Age Differences in Traditional and Practical Problem Solving

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the adult age differences in traditional and practical problem solving. Research with both traditional, abstract problem-solving tasks as well as research with practical, everyday tasks is reviewed. Intervention research aimed at facilitating problem-solving performance is also considered and professional creativity and productivity is explored. Performance on concept learning tasks has typically been found to decline with increasing age. On these tasks the subjects are presented with stimuli that vary in a number of dimensions and are told, with each presentation, whether the stimulus is a positive or negative example of the concept. From this information the subjects are supposed to determine what the concept is. The concept learning research indicates that it takes older adults more trials to determine what the concept is in a typical concept learning experiment. The research further indicates that it also takes older adults longer to shift from one concept to another.
Antigenic characteristics of Borrelia burgdorferi isolates from ixodid ticks in California.

Abstract Twenty (1.4%) of 1,421 adult Ixodes pacificus ticks and 2 (20%) of 10 adult Ixodes neotomae ticks collected in five counties of northern California were found to contain spirochetes by direct immunofluorescence examination of their tissues with a polyvalent conjugate. Borreliae isolated from the tissues of nine of these ticks (I. pacificus, 8; I. neotomae, 1) were identified as Borrelia burgdorferi with specific monoclonal antibodies and characterized further by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot (immunoblot) analyses. The isolate from I. neotomae was the first to be characterized from a tick other than I. pacificus in western North America. All strains were relatively homogeneous with respect to the kind of OspA proteins they produced, whereas they were heterogeneous with regard to their OspB proteins and to several low-molecular-weight proteins in the 21,500-to-24,000 region. Significant phenotypic variation was observed among isolates obtained within and between populations of I. pacificus. This investigation nearly doubles the number of isolates of B. burgdorferi that have been characterized from ixodid ticks in the far western United States.
Liquidity and Prediction Market Efficiency

I investigate the relationship between liquidity and market efficiency using data from short-horizon binary outcome securities listed on the TradeSports exchange. I find that liquidity does not reduce—and sometimes increases—deviations of prices from financial and sporting event outcomes. One explanation is that limit order traders are naive about other traders’ knowledge and unwittingly bet against them, which can slow the response of prices to information. Consistent with this explanation, the limit orders that execute during informative time periods have negative expected returns; and limit orders often execute against traders who exploit the well-known favorite-longshot bias in prices.
Abstract B46: Adult stem cell quiescence as a tumor suppressor mechanism in squamous tumors

Adult stem cells cycle between periods of quiescence and activation with varied periodicities. In many organs, adult stem cells are also uniquely poised to serve as cancer cells of origin. It is unclear, however, whether tumorigenesis is influenced by the activation state of the adult stem cell. Since hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) act as cancer cells of origin for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and undergo defined cycles of quiescence and activation, we sought to determine if SCC initiation was dependent on stem cell activity. These data show that HFSCs are unable to initiate tumors during the quiescent phase of the hair cycle, indicating that the mechanisms that keep HFSCs dormant are dominant to gain of oncogenes (Ras) or loss of tumor suppressors (p53). Instead, prolonged oncogenic stimuli only exert their effects when HFSC quiescence mechanisms are removed by normal HFSC activation. Thus, stem cell quiescence is a novel form of tumor suppression in hair follicle stem cells. Furthermore, Pten activity is necessary for quiescence based tumor suppression, since Pten deletion alleviates this stem cell specific ability. The loss of Pten in this context differentially regulates a number of signaling pathways, all of which led to phenotype progression without induction of a typical anagen cycle. This model suggests a mechanism with potentially broad implications, in which adult stem cells that contain mutations sufficient to initiate cancer could lay dormant for long periods of time without presentation of disease. Citation Format: Andrew C. White, Joan Khuu, Christine Dang, Kathy Tran, Anqi Liu, Bill Lowry. Adult stem cell quiescence as a tumor suppressor mechanism in squamous tumors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: The Translational Impact of Model Organisms in Cancer; Nov 5-8, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2014;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B46.
The emerging role of triple helices in RNA biology

The ability of RNA to form sophisticated secondary and tertiary structures enables it to perform a wide variety of cellular functions. One tertiary structure, the RNA triple helix, was first observed in vitro over 50 years ago, but biological activities for triple helices are only beginning to be appreciated. The recent determination of several RNA structures has implicated triple helices in distinct biological functions. For example, the SAM-II riboswitch forms a triple helix that creates a highly specific binding pocket for S-adenosylmethionine. In addition, a triple helix in the conserved pseudoknot domain of the telomerase-associated RNA TER is essential for telomerase activity. A viral RNA cis-acting RNA element called the ENE contributes to the nuclear stability of a viral noncoding RNA by forming a triple helix with the poly(A) tail. Finally, a cellular noncoding RNA, MALAT1, includes a triple helix at its 3′-end that contributes to RNA stability, but surprisingly also supports translation. These examples highlight the diverse roles that RNA triple helices play in biology. Moreover, the dissection of triple helix mechanisms has the potential to uncover fundamental pathways in cell biology. WIREs RNA 2014, 5:15–29. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1194 Conflict of interest: The author has declared no conflicts of interest for this article. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Factors influencing patients' willingness to pay for new technologies in hip and knee implants.

Abstract Rising implant prices and evolving technologies are important factors contributing to the increased cost of arthroplasty. Assessing how patients value arthroplasty, new technologies, and their perceived outcomes is critical in planning cost-effective care, as well as evaluating new-technologies. One hundred one patients undergoing arthroplasty took part in the survey. We captured demographics, spending practices, knowledge of implants, patient willingness to pay for implants, and preferences related to implant attributes. When patients were asked if they would be satisfied with “standard of care” prosthesis, 80% replied “no”. When asked if they would pay for a higher than “standard of care” prosthesis, 86% replied “yes”. The study demonstrated that patients, regardless of their socio-economic status, are not satisfied with standard of care implants when newer technologies are available, and they may be willing to share in the cost of their prosthesis. Patients also prefer the option to choose what they perceive to be a higher quality or innovative implant even if the “out of pocket” cost is higher.
Study of the brain functional network using synthetic data

The brain functional connectivity is usually assessed with the correlation coefficients of certain signals. The partial correlation matrix can reveal direct interactions between brain regions. However, computing this matrix is usually challenging due to the availability of only a limited number of samples. As an alternative, thresholding the sample correlation matrix is a common technique for the identification of the direct interactions. In this work, we investigate the performance of this method in addition to some other well-known techniques, namely graphical lasso and Chow-Liu algorithm. Our analysis is performed on some synthetic data produced by an electrical circuit model with certain structural properties. We show that the simple method of thresholding the correlation matrix and the graphical lasso algorithm would both create false positives and negatives that wrongly imply some network properties such as small-worldness. We also apply these techniques to some resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data and show that similar observations can be made.
The Primary Care Physician/Nephrologist Partnership in Treating Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) continues to be an ever-increasing health problem in the United States and elsewhere. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension remain the primary causes, and much of this is related to increased rates of obesity. Studies have demonstrated that early referral to a nephrologist can be life-saving and can also markedly improve quality of life. Besides recommending treatments for CKD, early referral can assist in medication management and in minimizing exposure to potential nephrotoxins. In patients who progress to end-stage renal disease, having an established patient-PCP-nephrologist relationship can ease the transition to renal replacement therapy or transplantation.
Badge of dishonor: Jewish Badges in medieval Europe

The purpose of this study was to examine how medieval authorities legislated and enforced the wearing of the Jewish badge, a patch of fabric Jews were required to wear to visually identify themselves as distinct from, and less than, Christians. While most clothing communicates encoded or vague messages, in this case both wearers and observers understood the explicit message of the wearer's Judaism, as well as the coded connotations that Jews were inferior and deserving of stigmatisation. This study documented the Jewish badge, including the physical stigma symbol itself, the negative concepts the badges communicated, and the consequences of this communication. Additionally, comparisons were drawn between the discriminatory laws of medieval Europe and those of Nazi-occupied Europe. This study explored fashion as a form of non-verbal communication by examining the use of Jewish badges as a tool of oppression.
Ba + Resonance-Line Excitation in Plasmas

The rate of excitation by electron collisions of the $6^{2}P$ levels of the ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{+}$ ion is experimentally determined as a function of electron temperature in the range 2500-6000\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} K. The measured rate is the sum of the excitation rates from the $6^{2}S$ ground state and from the metastable $5^{2}D$ states. The rate coefficients, as well as the corresponding electron temperatures, are obtained from population densities of the $6^{2}P$, $6^{2}S$, and $5^{2}D$ levels. The $6^{2}S$ and $5^{2}D$ population densities are determined from resonance fluorescence measurements and the $6^{2}P$ densities from the emitted light intensities. Approximate near-threshold excitation cross sections are deduced from the rate coefficients. Either the absolute rate coefficients or the ratio of excitation rates to the two $6^{2}P$ levels is suitable for electron thermometry in low-density plasmas where photoexcitation and radiation trapping are negligible.
Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plans (SCAMPs): Perspectives on a New Method to Understand Treatment Decisions and Outcomes in Immune Thrombocytopenia

Modern evidence based guidelines in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) are mostly based on expert opinion. Standardized clinical assessment and management plans (SCAMPs) are flexible, feedback-based practice guidelines that could be valuable for both managing patients with ITP and understanding treatment decisions and outcomes. At Boston Children's Hospital, we have implemented a SCAMP for patients with newly diagnosed and persistent ITP. To develop the algorithm, a group of local ITP experts devised an initial guideline, which was then modified by the attending hematologists who care for ITP patients until consensus was reached. Since deviations from the algorithm are encouraged, all clinicians did not need to agree with all aspects of the algorithm. At each clinic visit, clinicians fill out data collection forms explaining practice deviations. The goals of this process are to decrease practice variation and resource utilization and learn from the outcomes and deviations that occur to continually improve our practice. SCAMPs are an innovative approach to improve quality of care in ITP.
Taking the Septic Patient to the Operating Room

The acutely septic patient is a multifaceted challenge for the anesthetist. Unlike most elective surgery patients, acutely septic patients have severe systemic disease before the physiologic insults of anesthesia and surgery. The decision to operate is usually informed by the urgent or emergent need to correct a severe surgical problem and weighed against the higher risks of morbidity and mortality from the procedure itself. The care of the septic patient in the intensive care unit can help guide operating room management. However, the acuity and time course of intraoperative events, including hemorrhage and drug-induced shock states, compel the anesthetist to respond aggressively with therapies that may or may not be strongly substantiated with long-term data in the intensive care unit setting. The anesthesiologist must place considerations concerning short-term survival from the acute insult of surgery ahead of longer-term considerations.
Effects of Potassium Sorbate Alone and in Combination with Sodium Chloride on the Growth of Salmonella typhimurium 7136

The effects of potassium sorbate alone and in combination with 2 or 3% sodium chloride (NaCl) on the growth of Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 7136 were examined. Growth studies were performed in tryptic soy brogh (adjusted to a final pH 6.3) at 22°C for 15 days and 35°C for 48 hr without shaking. A dual plating procedure was employed to monitor growth (tryptic soy agar) and development of injury in the cell population (Levine's eosine methylene blue agar + 2% NaCl + 0.05% sodium desoxycholate). The difference between these two plate counts served as a measure of the number of injured organisms. It was found that combinations of sorbate and NaCl were more effective in the inhibition of S. typhimurium than sorbate alone under the conditions and variables studied. No injury was observed in the cell population as determined by our assay procedure. The combination of 3% NaCl + 0.3% potassium sorbate was the most effective in inhibiting growth of S. typhimurium at either storage temperature.
Age and sex differences in the development of children's occupational reasoning

Abstract The purpose of this study was an investigation of age and sex differences in the thinking processes that underlie children's occupational choices and their perception of adult roles. Subjects were 48 nursery school children (24 3-year-olds and 24 4-year-olds) and 48 third graders, all middle class, evenly divided by sex. Subjects were interviewed, using a modified form of Van Den Daele's Ego Ideal interview, on what they wanted to be when they grew up, their reasons for their choices, and their knowledge of means and ends regarding their choices. They were also asked what they would want to be if they were of the opposite sex. Tape-recorded responses were evaluated according to Van Den Daele's Ego Ideal levels. Analyses of variance indicated significant ( p
Passive antibody therapy for infectious diseases

Antibody-based therapies are currently undergoing a renaissance. After being developed and then largely abandoned in the twentieth century, many antibody preparations are now in clinical use. However, most of the reagents that are available target non-infectious diseases. Interest in using antibodies to treat infectious diseases is now being fuelled by the wide dissemination of drug-resistant microorganisms, the emergence of new microorganisms, the relative inefficacy of antimicrobial drugs in immunocompromised hosts and the fact that antibody-based therapies are the only means to provide immediate immunity against biological weapons. Given the need for new antimicrobial therapies and many recent technological advances in the field of immunoglobulin research, there is considerable optimism regarding renewed applications of antibody-based therapy for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.
Robust, reduced-order, nonstrictly proper state estimation via the optimal projection equations with Petersen-Hollot bounds

A state-estimation design problem involving parametric plant uncertainties is considered. An error bound suggested by recent work of Petersen and Hollot is utilized for guaranteeing robust estimation. Necessary conditions which generalize the optimal projection equations for reduced-order state estimation are used to characterize the estimator which minimizes the error bound. The design equations thus effectively serve as sufficient conditions for synthesizing robust estimators. An additional feature is the presence of a static estimation gain in conjunction with the dynamic (Kalman) estimator, i.e., a nonstrictly proper estimator.
Correlation of Free Radical Copolymerization Behavior and Copolymer Properties with the Strength of π-π Stacking Interactions between Aromatic Fluorocarbons and Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Copolymerization of Styrene and Fluorinated Styrenes at the Two Extreme Levels of Fluorination

In order to determine if the alternating tendency of styrene with fluorinated styrenes in free radical copolymerizations correlates with the strength and/or extent of π-π stacking interactions between aromatic fluorocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons, styrene (St) was copolymerized with 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorostyrene (PFS) and 4-fluorostyrene (4FS) under a variety of conditions. For the copolymerization of styrene with PFS at 25 °C, r St r FS = 0.048 and 0.069 in bulk and toluene, respectively, using tert-butylperoxy pivalate as the initiator. For the copolymerization of styrene with PFS at 70 °C using benzoyl peroxide as the initiator, r St r FS = 0.17 in bulk and r St r FS = 0.14 in toluene. For the copolymerization of styrene with 4FS, r St r FS = 0.69 at 25 °C under redox conditions and r St r FS = 0.62 at 70 °C in bulk. As confirmed by 1 H, 13 C, and 19 F one-dimensional NMR and 1 H- 13 C heteronuclear single quantum coherence and 1 H- 1 H nuclear Overhauser effect two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy results, St and 4FS tend to form random copolymers whereas the St-PFS copolymers tend to alternate with the alternating tendency increasing with decreasing temperature. The glass-transition temperatures determined by differential scanning calorimetry of the St-PFS copolymers are elevated relative to their mole-average values, whereas those of the corresponding homopolymer blends and the St-4FS copolymers occur at mole-average values. The water and ethylene glycol contact angles of both the St-PFS and St-4FS copolymer films occur at their mole-average values.
Death caused by air embolism associated with neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser surgery and artificial sapphire tips.

Abstract Two women undergoing intrauterine surgery with the neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser delivered by the artificial sapphire tip had catastrophic cardiovascular collapse during operation. In each case the evolution of clinical events was consistent with the diagnosis of air embolus. Investigation of causative factors links the use of the sapphire tip and the gaseous cooling of the tip to the calamitous outcomes. Both women died.
On the existence and occurrence of mediation in discrimination transfer: A critical note

Abstract Discrimination learning studies designed to study mediational processes of young children are discussed using a recent paper by Brown and Scott as a point of departure. It is urged that investigators lay aside demonstrations of the existence of mediation in young children as a focus of research, substituting a search for the conditions of its occurrence.
Developing countries converging with developed-country accounting standards: Evidence from South Africa and Mexico

Abstract I examine the usefulness (relevance and timeliness) of earnings announcements in two emerging markets, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores Stock Exchange (BMV). A weighted least-squares regression is used to test the association of book values of earnings and equity with firm market value. I find that, on JSE and BMV, earnings and/or book value of equity are value relevant in explaining stock prices. I also find that this association is greater in 2000 as compared to 1998 on the BMV. Regarding timeliness, I find that earnings announcements are accompanied by unusually different returns on JSE, but not on BMV. Market infrastructure, specifically insider-trading rules, may explain BMV results. I suggest that accounting and market infrastructure interact and that such interaction is valuable input to the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) in their deliberations regarding one set of accounting regulations for all countries.
Calculation of the Pseudoscalar-Isoscalar Hadronic Current Correlation Functions of the Quark-Gluon Plasma

We report the results of calculations of pseudoscalar-isoscalar hadronic current correlators using the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model and the real-time finite-temperature formalism. Results are presented for the temperatures range 1.2 $\leq T/T_c\leq$ 6.0, where $T_c$ is the temperature of the confinement-deconfinement transition, which we take to be $T_c=170$ MeV. Two important resonant features are seen in our calculations. In order to understand the origin of these resonances, we have performed relativistic random phase approximation (RPA)calculations of the temperature-dependent spectrum of the $\eta$ mesons for $T<T_c$. For the RPA calculations, use is made of a simple model in which we introduce temperature- dependent constituent quark masses calculated in a mean-field approximation and a temperature-dependent confining interaction whose form is motivated by recent studies made using lattice simulations of QCD with dynamical quarks. We also introduce temperature-dependent coupling constants in our generalized NJL model. Our motivation in the latter case is the simulation of the approach to a weakly interacting system at high temperatures. We present some evidence that supports our use of temperature-dependent coupling constants for the NJL model. We suggest that our results may be of interest to researchers who use lattice simulations of QCD to obtain temperature dependent spectral functions for various hadronic current correlation functions.
An Interview with Tina Feick: A Ten-year Retrospective

In November 2008 Michelle Williams interviewed Tina Feick, director of sales and marketing for North America at HARRASSOWITZ. Feick shares her views on how subscription agencies, publishers, libraries and the North American Serials Interest Group (NASIG) have changed over the last decade and how they have been affected by economic and technological factors like shrinking budgets and the growth of e-journals.
Chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents: substituting our way toward human carcinogenicity.

A discussion of the history of substitutions in industrial solvent use is presented, and animal carcinogenicity studies with certain chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents are reviewed. The present knowledge on the association between occupational exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents and human carcinogenicity is summarized, including a critical review of 23 studies pertaining to human carcinogenicity. Several deficiencies are identified in these studies that make interpretation of the results uncertain, including poor characterization of exposures in qualitative and quantitative terms, the small numbers of deaths or cases, and short follow-up periods. Despite these weaknesses, we conclude that, when viewed collectively, the evidence strongly suggests that occupational exposures to chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents are associated with an excess human cancer risk. The literature supports an association between occupational exposures to chlorinated hydrocarbons and elevated risks of leukemia, lymphoma, and urinary tract cancer. Parental occupational exposures are consistently associated with an elevated childhood cancer risk in the offspring. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Applications Of Digital Image Processing To Ongoing Research In Complex Terrain Meteorology

Digital elevation models and Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) scenes constitute image resolution data over spatial domains of typical interest in complex terrain meteorol-ogy. Techniques in use and under development for applying these data to research problems are presented. Topics include decorrelation of topographic shading under direct beam illumination and investigation of nighttime surface temperature.
Tolerance Induction and Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Amelioration After Administration of Myelin Basic Protein–derived Peptide

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, is an animal model of paralyzing human disease, multiple sclerosis. EAE is readily induced by immunization with myelin basic protein (MBP) in mice transgenic for an αβ T cell receptor (TCR) that is specific for MBP. Subcutaneous injection of p17 (a peptide consisting of 17 NH2-terminal aminoacids of MBP) in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) causes paralysis. Induction of paralysis is inhibited by prior intraperitoneal injection of the same peptide in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). In addition, ongoing paralysis is ameliorated by subsequent intraperitoneal injection of p17 in IFA. Tolerance induction is equally efficient in Fas-deficient and IL-4–deficient TCR-transgenic mice, suggesting that neither activation-induced cell death nor differentiation into Th2 type cells plays a role in the tolerance induction. Tolerance induction by p17 seems to be based on reduction in the responsiveness of anti-MBP T cells, as documented by lower overall antigen-induced lymphokine production and proliferation, as well as diminished upregulation of early activation marker CD69 by tolerized T cells. We propose that continuous encounters of MBP-specific T cells with p17 play a critical role in the induction and maintenance of tolerance.
Single or multiple reproductive experiences attenuate neurobehavioral stress and fear responses in the female rat.

The female brain is a dynamic structure, which expresses its plasticity most readily following reproductive experience (RE). In Experiment 1, we generated nulliparous (NP), primiparous (PP), and multiparous (MP) females (none, one, and two litters, respectively). Two weeks following the weaning of the first/second six-pup litters, the age-matched MP and PP and the non-pup-exposed NP animals were subjected to a 60-min restraint stress paradigm (enclosure in a Plexiglas restraint tube). The brains were removed and processed for c-fos immunoreactivity (c-fos-IR) in CA3 region of the hippocampus (HI) and in basolateral amygdala (BLA). MP and PP females had very similar numbers of c-fos-IR neurons in both HI and BLA, whereas both were lower than NPs. In a second experiment, the same groups were generated, together with primigravid (PG; first pregnancy) and multigravid (MG; second pregnancy) females, tested in late pregnancy. The animals were exposed to a 30-min trial in an open field and were killed, and the brains were again examined for c-fos-IR. The parous and gravid animals displayed less reactivity to the stress of the open field (i.e., reductions in behavioral measures of anxiety) and significantly less c-fos expression in both CA3 and BLA. The gravid animals displayed significantly less c-fos expression in CA3 and BLA compared to parous females, although neither group differed as a result of a second RE. The data suggest that reproductive (viz., hormonal) and/or maternal (viz., pup exposure) experience may inure a female and her brain to stress, rendering her less susceptible to the behavioral-or other-disruptions that stress sensitivity can produce. Together, these data suggest that the experiences of motherhood (pregnancy, pup exposure, suckling stimulation, etc.) summate to produce reductions in anxiety and stress responsiveness that start before and last long after pup exposure and care. Such reductions may be adaptive in the face of demands placed upon the parous vs. the NP female.
Assessment of intergovernmental revenue transfers

Abstract This paper employs data envelopment analysis (DEA) to study intergovernmental transfers of revenue from central to local government, termed local aid in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The pattern of transfers is evaluated relative to DBA efficiency measures. The viability of employing DEA for assessing state and city government efforts to meet the unique needs of each community is illustrated using available data for 53 of the cities and towns of Massachusetts for the year 1988.
Theory and applications of fuzzy random variables

We discuss the historical perspective of concepts of fuzziness and randomness, with emphasis on fuzzy random variables. We will describe the analysis of the interpretation, modeling, and impact of fuzzy random variables. Examples will be given of scenarios modeled by fuzzy random variables. Also, main approaches using fuzzy random variables will be discussed. The theoretical concept of expected value will be one of our main focus points. Finally, we present some statistical applications of fuzzy random variables mainly to statistical testing of hypotheses and to regression analysis with imprecise data.
Computerized analysis of error patterns in digit span recall

We analyzed error patterns during digit span (DS) testing in four experiments. In Experiment 1, error patterns analyzed from a community sample of 427 subjects revealed strong primacy and recency effects. Subjects with shorter DSs showed an increased incidence of transposition errors in comparison with other error types and a greater incidence of multiple errors on incorrect trials. Experiment 2 investigated 46 young subjects in three test sessions. The results replicated those of Experiment 1 and demonstrated that error patterns of individual subjects were consistent across repeated test administrations. Experiment 3 investigated 40 subjects from Experiment 2 who feigned symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with 80% of malingering subjects producing digit spans in the abnormal range. A digit span malingering index (DSMI) was developed to detect atypical error patterns in malingering subjects. Overall, 59% of malingering subjects with abnormal digit spans showed DSMIs in the abnormal range and DSMI values correlated significantly with the magnitude of malingering. Experiment 4 compared 29 patients with TBI with a new group of 38 control subjects. The TBI group showed significant reductions in digit span. Overall, 32% of the TBI patients showed DS abnormalities and 11% showed abnormal DSMIs. Computerized error-pattern analysis improves the sensitivity of DS assessment and can assist in the detection of malingering.