cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of anticipating positive events on responses to stress

Abstract The few studies examining the impact of positive emotions on discrete stressors suggest that positive emotions improve stress responding. We hypothesized that merely anticipating a positive event would be sufficient to harness these benefits. In Study 1, we found that the anticipation of funny (relative to unfunny) cartoons increased positive emotions immediately following the offset of a social stressor. In Study 2, we found that the post-stress mood elevation was greater when anticipating a positive event than when having experienced the same positive event prior to the stressor, but that both positive emotion groups reported more adaptive thoughts during the stressor itself compared to participants receiving a neutral emotion induction. In Study 3, we found that this boost in post-stress positive emotion predicts decreases in concurrent negative emotion. In sum, these findings suggest that anticipating a positive event is uniquely able to induce positive emotions both during and after stress, and that this boost subserves improved coping and recovery.
WE‐C‐M100F‐08: Use of Adaptive Filtering and Relative Intensity Limits in Deliverable IMRT Optimization to Improve Delivery Efficiency

Purpose: To investigate the effect of adaptive filtering, relative intensity limits, and fluence matrix resolution in deliverable IMRT optimization on MU efficiency and plan quality for dynamic MLC delivery. Method and Materials: An adaptive filtering method that filters the optimized intensities as needed in combination with different relative intensity limits were used to reduce MUs needed to deliver the beams. The adaptive filtering parameters were adjusted so that it achieved the optimal results. A deliverable‐based optimization that incorporates beam‐delivery constraints directly into the IMRT optimization process was used. H&N and prostate cases were used to evaluate the quality and complexity of each plan. Each case was optimized with and without adaptive filtering and in combination with a series of relative intensity limits for fluence matrix resolution of 1.5 mm to 6 mm. The IMRT plans were evaluated in terms of dose‐volume statistics , MUs, and the complexity of fluence matrix resolution. Results: Up to 47.5% reductions in MUs were achieved using adaptive filtering in combination with relative intensity limits. When the adaptive filtering is on, the use of a relative intensity limit of 1.5 further reduced the total MUs by 6.3% and 15.9% for a fluence matrix resolution of 3‐ and 6mm respectively. Adaptive filtering in combination with relative intensity limits was able to reduce the total MUs without significantly changing the prostate and nodal PTV coverages. The changes in critical structure doses were negligible. The similar results have been obtained for the H&N case included in the study. Conclusion: The adaptive filtering was able to significantly reduce total MUs without compromising the plan quality for deliverable IMRT optimization process. The use of relative intensity limits in combination with adaptive filtering did not have a significant effect on MU efficiency as compared to the use of adaptive filtering alone.
Simple oscillators-based readout circuit for low-power biomedical implant system

This paper reports a wireless sensor readout circuit for continuous physiological parameters monitoring including a potentiostat, a data generation unit and a frequency-shift-keying (FSK) modulator unit with the low drop-out (LDO) regulator for biomedical implant system. The potentiostat can generate an output potential of 0.7 V for the data generation unit. The data generation unit is designed based on a relaxation oscillator scheme and can be used to sense a current signal from any amperometric biomedical sensor and convert the signal to a square waveform in which the frequency of the square wave signal is proportional to the sensor current. FSK modulation scheme has been selected for wireless transmission. Designed with a very simple ring oscillator, this modulator integrates the modulation functionality into the oscillator itself by using the data signal to control the oscillation frequency. The prototype circuits have been fabricated in a 0.35 μm bulk complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. Working with a regulated 1.8 V supply, the potentiostat consumes only 2 μA of current while the data generation unit can generate around 15.7 kHz output frequency with an input current of 1 μA. The FSK modulator consumes a total current of around 19 μA for a carrier frequency around 1 MHz. An off-chip demodulator is constructed to demodulate the data signal from the FSK modulator and the demodulated signal has less than 1.6 % variation of frequency.
Lattice dynamic measurements and calculations of the superionic conductor CuI

We report Raman measurements of the superionic conductor CuI in all three crystallographic phases. There is considerable temperature variation of the spectra in the zinc-blende phase, below 369\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The temperature variation is much less in the hexagonal phase (369-407\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C) and in the ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ phase above 407\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. However, abrupt changes in the spectra are observed at the phase transitions. Using a harmonic lattice-dynamic model, with the four Cu ions randomly positioned among eight proposed sites in the ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$- phase unit cell, we have calculated the density of states, infrared conductivity, and Raman scattering. For this model we take the force constants from those we find in the zinc-blende phase and make no further adjustments. The model explains the main features of the experimental results, as we have also found in AgI which has a different crystal structure. Thus, we conclude that the phonon spectra (above 10 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) in these simple superionic conductors can be understood in terms of ordinary lattice dynamics when the disorder in the structures is taken into account. Some of the more complex assumptions, contained in earlier models, are not required.
Multiple primary cancers of the lung, esophagus, and other sites

Years ago, when a solitary lung shadow was found with a known cancer elsewhere, it was presumed to be a metastasis and as such, the visible representative of many far-flung metastases not readily observable; hence there seemed to be little point in aggressive action. However, from 1933 through 1972 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 626 such solitary lung shadows proved to be separate primary cancers of the lung instead of a metastasis. During the same period, there were 196 solitary pulmonary metastases and 12 benign conditions. The true nature of these equivocal shadows can be determined only by microscopic analysis. It cannot be derived from symptoms, roentgenographic interpretation, the time interval between the known cancer, and the shadow's appearance or the pathological nature of the primary tumor. Therefore, all efforts to obtain histologic material should be made without delay. Multiplicity, of itself, does not portend a poorer prognosis, therefore each cancer should receive definitive and not tentative treatment. Following this precept, there was a 30% 5-year survival after the lung surgery. Diagnostic dilemmas exist when two or more cancers microscopically resemble each other. Several aids to help distinguish a new primary from a solitary metastasis are discussed. Implicit in this study is the necessity for cancer patients to have lifetime surveillance at regular intervals, at which time chest roentgenograms should be taken. If a solitary shadow appears, it should be considered a unique and ambiguous situation and aggressive diagnosis and treatment should be instituted without delay.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE YIELD SPREAD BETWEEN INSURED AND UNINSURED DEBT

Currently, municipal bonds insured by major insurance firms receive the highest credit rating from rating agencies. The interest rates on regular triple-A municipal bonds, however, have been persistently below those of insured bond issues. The yield spread between insured and uninsured triple-A bonds in the tax-exempt market is examined here, and it is shown that the yield spread may be attributable to split ratings and default-related risks.
Alternate routes of surgical fluid administration.

Abstract 1. 1. Selected patients undergoing a variety of elective abdominal surgical procedures have been given peritoneal or intestinal balanced salt solutions at the time of surgery in addition to the intravenous fluids used during anesthesia. 2. 2. Postoperative fluid requirements were met by oral and intestinal tube fluid administration. No postoperative intravenous fluids were given. 3. 3. Analysis of functional extracellular fluid volume changes and sodium balance indicated that fluids given by these extravascular routes are comparable in their effects to the same solutions given intravenously. 4. 4. Increased patient comfort and mobility, and greater physiological fluid absorption, argue for increased acceptance of nonintravenous routes of fluid administration by gastrointestinal surgeons.
Modelling and analysis of network resilience

As the Internet becomes increasingly important to all aspects of society, the consequences of disruption become increasingly severe. Thus it is critical to increase the resilience and survivability of the future network. We define resilience as the ability of the network to provide desired service even when challenged by attacks, large-scale disasters, and other failures. This paper describes a comprehensive methodology to evaluate network resilience using a combination of analytical and simulation techniques with the goal of improving the resilience and survivability of the Future Internet.
Assortative Mating in Two Pheromone Strains of the Cabbage Looper Moth, Trichoplusia ni

The evolution of animal communication systems is an integral part of speciation. In moths, species specificity of the communication channel is largely a result of unique sex pheromone blends produced by females and corresponding specificity of male behavioral response. Insights into the process of speciation may result from studies of pheromone strains within a species in which reproductive isolation is not complete. Toward this end we investigated assortative mating based on female pheromone phenotypes and male response specificity between mutant and normal colonies of the cabbage looper moth, Trichoplusia ni. There was no evidence of assortative mating in small cages in which the density of moths was high. In larger cages with lower densities of moths, assortative mating was evident. In these larger cages, matings between normal males and normal females and mutant males and mutant females were more frequent than interstrain matings. Wind tunnel tests indicated that normal males responded preferentially to pheromone released by normal females, whereas mutant males did not discriminate between normal and mutant pheromone blends. In large field cages, pheromone traps baited with normal females caught equal numbers of mutant and normal males, while pheromone traps baited with mutant females caught primarily mutant males. The overall pattern of assortative mating could be explained primarily based on the normal males' preference for the pheromone blend released by normal females.
Pathologic Aspects of Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Part 2. Biologic Insights Into Its Aggressive Phenotype

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is the most aggressive and distinct form of primary breast cancer with a peculiar clinical presentation and dismal clinical outcome. This review addresses the pathologic aspects of this entity and discusses the molecular alterations involved in the highly malignant phenotype of IBC.
The relationship between urinary excretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and glycosaminoglycans

Wahrend 2 simulierten, 14 Tage dauernden Raumflugen wurde bei 2 Astronauten untersucht, ob zwischen der Ausscheidung von Glycosaminglycanen und der Ausscheidung der Nebennierenrindensteroide eine Korrelation besteht. Eine signifikante Korrelation zwischen diesen beiden Parametern wurde gefunden.
Mass-dependent bond vibrational dynamics influence catalysis by HIV-1 protease.

Protein motions that occur on the microsecond to millisecond time scale have been linked to enzymatic rates observed for catalytic turnovers, but not to transition-state barrier crossing. It has been hypothesized that enzyme motions on the femtosecond time scale of bond vibrations play a role in transition state formation. Here, we perturb femtosecond motion by substituting all nonexchangeable carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen atoms with 13C, 15N, and 2H and observe the catalytic effects in HIV-1 protease. According to the Born–Oppenheimer approximation, isotopic substitution alters vibrational frequency with unchanged electrostatic properties. With the use of a fluorescent peptide to report on multiple steps in the reaction, we observe significantly reduced rates in the heavy enzyme relative to the light enzyme. A possible interpretation of our results is that there exists a dynamic link between mass-dependent bond vibrations of the enzyme and events in the reaction coordinate.
The role of STAT proteins in growth hormone signaling

Growth hormone (GH) has long been known to be the body's primary regulator of body growth and a regulator of metabolism, yet the mechanisms by which GH regulates the transcription of specific genes required for these processes are just now being delineated. GH binding to its receptor recruits and activates the receptor-associated JAK2 that in turn phosphorylates tyrosines within itself and the GH receptor. These tyrosines form binding sites for a number of signaling proteins, including members of the family of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT). Among the known signaling molecules for GH, STAT proteins play a particularly prominent role in the regulation of gene transcription. This paper will review what is currently understood about which STAT proteins are regulated by GH, how they are regulated by GH, the GH-dependent genes they regulate, and discuss current theories about how GH-activated STAT signaling is regulated. Particular attention will be given to the novel role that STAT5 plays in sexually dimorphic gene expression in the liver as determined by the secretory pattern of GH and the role of STAT5 in body growth. Oncogene (2000).
Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of a Dimeric Chromium(II) Pyrazolato Complex with a Long Chromium−Chromium Distance. Maintenance of a Dimeric Structure in Solution and Interconversion between Dimeric and Monomeric Structures

The synthesis, solid-state structure, and solution structure of Cr2(tBu2pz)4 are described. This complex is obtained by sublimation of the monomeric species Cr(tBu2pz)2(4-tBupy)2 and contains long chromium−chromium distances that are enforced by the divergent nature of the pyrazolato ligands.
Interactions between Northern-Shifting Tropical Species and Native Species in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Niche models applied in the context of future climate change predict that as regional temperatures increase, the distribution of tropical species will shift poleward. While range expansions have been documented for a number of species, there is limited information on the ecological impacts of shifts on native species. Recently, abundances of tropically-associated gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) and lane snapper (Lutjanus synagris) have increased in seagrass nurseries in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM), concurrent with regional increases in sea surface temperature. We investigated effects of increased abundances of these species on abundance and growth of pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), the dominant native species. Because juvenile pinfish and snappers share common prey, predators, and habitat, the high degree of niche overlap suggests an equally high potential for competition. We used a multiple before–after control impact design to determine whether increased snapper abundances significantly affected abundance or growth of pinfish. Trawl surveys at six locations in the northern GOM in summer and fall 2010 were used to calculate pinfish and snapper abundances. We identified three locations with high snapper abundances and three locations with no snapper and compared pinfish abundance and otolith-determined growth rates in these locations before and after snapper recruitment. Paired t tests and two-way analysis of variance revealed no significant differences in pinfish abundance or growth in the presence of snappers compared to locations and seasons without snappers. We conclude that range expansions of tropically associated snappers have had no significant effect on abundance or growth of native pinfish in northern GOM seagrass habitats.
Impact of transitioning from HIV clinical trials to routine medical care on clinical outcomes and patient perceptions

Participation in antiretroviral therapy clinical trials (ART-RCTs) offers many advantages including access to new drugs, close monitoring, and cost savings. These same benefits may pose a risk to patients ending ART-RCTs and returning to routine care; as they may experience changes to their drug regimen, decreased monitoring, and new out-of-pocket costs. We aimed to evaluate this transition and determine its effects on viral outcomes and patient perceptions. A retrospective cohort was assembled from participants of naive ART-RCTs at the University of Pennsylvania between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2009. Data were collected in the 12 months prior to and after trial completion. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate viral failure rates and to identify factors associated with viral failure. Qualitative interviews were held with a subset of patients. Content analysis was used to identify thematic differences between patients with viral failure and those with viral suppression. In total, 11...
An investigation of the resonance properties of rainbow devices

In the last fifteen years considerable progress has been made in developing novel materials and devices for electromechanical actuator applications based on a variety of ferroelectric materials. Recently a novel type of high displacement actuator was developed. It is a monolithic, domed, stress-biased wafer consisting of oxide and reduced layers. These actuators are envisioned to be used in a variety of applications for which the knowledge of the resonance modes is essential. In this paper measurements of the resonant modes are compared to the predictions of the finite-element model. A number of low frequency modes were observed and identified as the bending modes. A higher frequency radial mode was determined to be less dependent on the sample dimensions than the bending modes. Effects of the boundary conditions on the resonant modes were modeled and investigated experimentally. For the modeling aspect of the study it was necessary to measure elastic constants, thermal expansion coefficients, and bulk de...
Spermatocyte responses in vitro to induced DNA damage

Spermatocytes normally sustain many meiotically induced double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) early in meiotic prophase; in autosomal chromatin, these are repaired by initiation of meiotic homologous-recombination processes. Little is known about how spermatocytes respond to environmentally induced DNA damage after recombination-related DSBs have been repaired. The experiments described here tested the hypothesis that, even though actively completing meiotic recombination, pachytene spermatocytes cultured in the absence of testicular somatic cells initiate appropriate chromatin remodeling and cell-cycle responses to environmentally induced DNA damage. Two DNA-damaging agents were employed for in vitro treatment of pachytene spermatocytes: γ-irradiation and etoposide, a topoisomerase II (TOP2) inhibitor that results in persistent unligated DSBs. Chromatin modifications associated with DSBs were monitored after exposure by labeling surface-spread chromatin with antibodies against RAD51 (which recognizes DSBs) and the phosphorylated variant of histone H2AFX (herein designated by its commonly used symbol, H2AX), γH2AX (which modifies chromatin associated with DSBs). Both γH2AX and RAD51 were rapidly recruited to irradiation- or etoposide-damaged chromatin. These chromatin modifications imply that spermatocytes recruit active DNA damage responses, even after recombination is substantially completed. Furthermore, irradiation-induced DNA damage inhibited okadaic acid-induced progression of spermatocytes from meiotic prophase to metaphase I (MI), implying efficacy of DNA damage checkpoint mechanisms. Apoptotic responses of spermatocytes with DNA damage differed, with an increase in frequency of early apoptotic spermatocytes after etoposide treatment, but not following irradiation. Taken together, these results demonstrate modification of pachytene spermatocyte chromatin and inhibition of meiotic progress after DNA damage by mechanisms that may ensure gametic genetic integrity. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 1061–1072, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Non-equivalence of WPPSI, WPPSI-R, and WISC-R scores

The WPPSI-R, WISC-R, and WPPSI were administered in a counterbalanced design to 72 children, between the ages of 5 years, 11 months and 6 years, 8 months, in order to determine their equivalence by testing the equality of means, variances, and covariances based on scaled scores and IQs. The results indicated that the three scales were not equivalent with respect to any of the IQs because they did not meet one or more of the criteria. The relative magnitudes of the mean IQs on the three scales were in accord with the predicted order: highest IQs on WPPSI, next highest on WISC-R, and the lowest on WPPSI-R. Results were discussed in the context of the secular inflation in IQs and the corresponding compensatory deflation built into the normative data of the new versions.
ERK1/2 signaling dominates over RhoA signaling in regulating early changes in RNA expression induced by endothelin-1 in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

BACKGROUND Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy is associated with changes in gene expression. Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) and RhoA [activated by hypertrophic agonists (e.g. endothelin-1)] regulate gene expression and are implicated in the response, but their relative significance in regulating the cardiomyocyte transcriptome is unknown. Our aim was to establish the significance of ERK1/2 and/or RhoA in the early cardiomyocyte transcriptomic response to endothelin-1. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Cardiomyocytes were exposed to endothelin-1 (1 h) with/without PD184352 (to inhibit ERK1/2) or C3 transferase (C3T, to inhibit RhoA). RNA expression was analyzed using microarrays and qPCR. ERK1/2 signaling positively regulated approximately 65% of the early gene expression response to ET-1 with a small (approximately 2%) negative effect, whereas RhoA signaling positively regulated approximately 10% of the early gene expression response to ET-1 with a greater (approximately 14%) negative contribution. Of RNAs non-responsive to endothelin-1, 66 or 448 were regulated by PD184352 or C3T, respectively, indicating that RhoA had a more significant effect on baseline RNA expression. mRNAs upregulated by endothelin-1 encoded a number of receptor ligands (e.g. Ereg, Areg, Hbegf) and transcription factors (e.g. Abra/Srf) that potentially propagate the response. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE ERK1/2 dominates over RhoA in the early transcriptomic response to endothelin-1. RhoA plays a major role in maintaining baseline RNA expression but, with upregulation of Abra/Srf by endothelin-1, RhoA may regulate changes in RNA expression over longer times. Our data identify ERK1/2 as a more significant node than RhoA in regulating the early stages of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.
Prevention and Intervention in Beginning Reading: Two Complex Systems

This paper addresses two sets of organizing principles to guide prevention and intervention in beginning reading: (a) the complexity in our alphabetic writing system, and (b) the complexity in our schools. The first set is related to instructional design, while the second set is related to a schoolwide model. Prevention and intervention efforts in beginning reading for students with learning disabilities must attend to 2 systems, our complex alphabetic writing system and our equally complex schools. In this article, we present 2 sets of organizing principles to guide prevention and intervention in beginning reading drawn from the substantial body of converging research evidence accumulated over the past 40 years. The first set consists of 6 instructional design principles focused on teaching reading in our alphabetic writing system. These principles include big ideas, mediated scaffolding, conspicuous strategies, strategic integration, primed background knowledge, and judicious review. The second set includes organizational principles designed to anchor effective reading practices at the school-building level. These principles are structured around 3 interrelated areas: (1) the schoolwide establishment of long-term reading goals and intermediate performance benchmarks, (2) the early identification and frequent monitoring of students experiencing reading difficulties, and (3) the development of coordinated and differentiated instructional interventions for the full range of learners.
Thyroid dysfunction and neoplasia in children receiving neck irradiation for cancer.

The reported relationship of radiation exposure and thyroid carcinoma stimulated this retrospective study of 298 patients treated at St. Jude Children's Hospital with radiation therapy to the neck for childhood cancer to identify patients who developed subsequent thyroid abnormalities. This series includes 153 patients with Hodgkin's disease, 95 with acute lymphocytic leukemia, 28 with lymphoepithelioma, and 22 with miscellaneous tumors. Inclusion in the study required 5 years of disease-free survival following therapy for their original tumor, which included thyroid irradiation. Follow-up has been 100%. Most patients also received chemotherapy. Seventeen patients were found to have decreased thyroid reserve with normal levels of free triiodothyroxine (T3) or free thyroxin, (T4) and an elevated level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). In nine patients hypothyroidism developed, with decreased T3 or T4 levels and an elevated level of TSH. One hyperthyroid patient was identified. Two patients had thyroiditis, and seven had thyroid neoplasms: (carcinoma in two, adenoma in two, colloid nodule in one, and undiagnosed nodules in two). This survey has demonstrated an increased incidence of thyroid dysfunction and thyroid neoplasia when compared to the general population. The importance of long-term follow-up for thyroid disease is emphasized in patients who have received thyroid irradiation. Themore » possible role of subclinical hypothyroidism with TSH elevation coupled with radiation damage to the thyroid gland as a model for the development of neoplastic disease is discussed.« less
Doubly adaptive biased coin designs with heterogeneous responses

Doubly adaptive biased coin design (DBCD) is an important family of response-adaptive randomization procedures for clinical trials. It uses sequentially updated estimation to skew the allocation probability to favor the treatment that has performed better thus far. An important assumption for the DBCD is the homogeneity assumption for the patient responses. However, this assumption may be violated in many sequential experiments. Here we prove the robustness of the DBCD against certain time trends in patient responses. Strong consistency and asymptotic normality of the design are obtained under some widely satisfied conditions. Also, we propose a general weighted likelihood method to reduce the bias caused by the heterogeneity in the inference after a trial. Some numerical studies are also presented to illustrate the finite sample properties of DBCD.
HCL: a language for low-level image analysis

Abstract Pyramids have received a great deal of interest as a data structure for use in hierarchical computer vision. This paper describes a language for the description of pyramid algorithms, supporting conceptually parallel pattern-matching and arithmetic operations. The language is defined by adding constructs from a notation for pyramid algorithms called Hierarchical Cellular Logic to the general-purpose programming language C. Initially developed to support vision research on PCLIP II, a cellular processor with a pyramidal interconnection topology, the language is also implementable on a wide range of parallel architectures.
Lipid Encapsulated Phenolic Compounds by Fluidization

Phenolic compounds exhibit antioxidant and antimicrobial activities with applications as functional food and feed additives. Ferulic acid, a phenolic compound present in grain crops and lignocellulose biomass, was encapsulated with saturated triglycerides using a laboratory fluidizer. Stability of the encapsulated ferulic acid particles was evaluated over a 3 month storage period. Laser light scattering and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to characterize particles. Loss of ferulic acid from particles was measured by emission spectra. Results showed no significant changes in particle diameter, 717.6 nm ± 28.4 nm, or loss of ferulic acid from lipid particles during storage. This combination of renewable materials, physical processing techniques, and nondestructive analytical methods promotes sustainable agriculture.
A return to the past: a student perspective on medical school pharmacology.

In 1989, the second-year medical school pharmacology course at New York Medical College was revised to help improve student and faculty morale, improve scores on class exams and the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), and encourage more active student participation in the course. Rather than incorporating new and innovative teaching techniques, the course adapted a more classical presentation of material. Traditional blackboard lectures replaced lectures aided by the use of slides, overheads, and extensive handouts. Transcripts and the tape recording of lectures were prohibited. Higher standards for students were set with the implementation of a passing grade, initially set at 65% and increased to 66%. Review sessions with senior graduate students were incorporated, and the use of live animal demonstrations was continued. Despite the return toward a more traditional classroom, students' satisfaction with the course continues to be high, with an overall 80% satisfaction rating. Attendance at lectures is quite high (> or = 80%). In addition, student scores on the USMLE continue to improve, and the number of students failing pharmacology continues to decrease. Overall, these trends indicate that the changes implemented in the pharmacology course at New York Medical College in 1989 successfully improved student participation in class and performance in the course and on the USMLE.
60Co γ-ray induced peroxidation of DNA in aqueous solution

Abstract γ-Radiolysis of N 1 -substituted derivatives of cytosine gives hydroperoxides which are stable enough in neutral solution to be considered as models for the fast-decaying component of the DNA hydroperoxides. The decay kinetics of these derivatives and some of thymine have been investigated as a function of pH, temperature, buffer concentration and inert salt. Activation enegies for the decay of the hydroperoxides of cytidylic acid and thymine are found to be 10·3 kcal/ mol and 22·3 kcal/mol (45 and 93 kJ/mol) respectively. Decay kinetics of the DNA hydroperoxides have been measured from 12°C to 80°C; for the fast component Δ E ‡ = 10·2 kcal/mol) (42 · 6 kJ/mol) and for the slow component Δ E ‡ = 21 · 5 kcal/mol (89·8 kJ/mol) making their assignments to a location on the thymine residues quite reasonable. The decay kinetics of the slow component are strongly dependent on the presence of inert electrolytes and urea. This is discussed in terms of effects on the local water structure, which thus affects the hydrolytic transition state. Yields of the hydroperoxides, hydrogen peroxide and of base loss are reported for various DNA concentrations and are shown to be consistent with a simple free radical mechanism.
Characterizing the behavior and reproductive biology of zoo-housed Sichuan takin (Budorcas taxicolor tibetana) using non-invasive techniques

The Sichuan takin (takin; Budorcas taxicolor tibetana) is distributed in the Gansu and Sichuan providences of southern China and along eastern Tibet. Because of their ecology, few data on takin reproductive biology exist, with the exception of its mating season in the Sichuan province, which occurs from July through August. Therefore, the objectives were to: 1) characterize reproductive hormones in zoo-housed male and female takin, including pregnancy in the female, using non-invasive fecal steroid hormonal monitoring; 2) characterize behaviors of zoo-housed takin, emphasizing reproductive behaviors and activity budget; and 3) assess the influence of season on births in North America and reproductive hormonal and behavioral activity. Fecal samples were collected 3 to 5 times per week from two adult males and three adult females. Extracted hormones were analyzed using an enzyme immunoassay for progestagen and androgen concentrations. Behavioral observations were collected for 2 yrs using an ethogram. In this study, season affected reproduction, specifically birth occurrences, reproductive cyclicity in females and androgen production in males. The duration of the estrous cycle was approximately 35 d and cycles occurred June through December. Androgen concentrations peaked in May through August. Season did not influence behavior; however, age and sex may affect some behaviors, including activity level, foraging and drinking, social affiliative behavior, and visibility from the visitor's viewpoint. In conclusion, fecal hormonal and behavioral analyses can provide information for management and conservation of this herd species.
THE EFFECT OF LOW‐TEMPERATURE STORAGE AND FREEZING ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

The importance of low-temperature storage and refrigerated transportation facilities for food products in the present state of our social and economic system can hardly be estimated. Enormous quantities of foodstuffs which might otherwise be unprofitably utilized or wasted outright are conserved each year by cold storage or are transported in refrigerated cars or ships from the localities where they are grown to communities where they can be utilized. Thus a diversity of diet ranging from tropical fruits to caribou flesh from the Arctic regions is made possible over a large part of the civilized world. The feeding of the large population in industrial centers is rendered much more economical, convenient, and sanitary by the proper application of low-temperature storage to food products. The mechanical problems of refrigeration have of necessity received much attention, and methods have been perfected whereby constant low temperatures can be readily maintained at a comparatively low cost. The effect of these temperatures on the produce has not received as much attention as the problems seem to warrant. There are, of course, considerable data on the behavior of plant products under low temperatures, which have been obtained by empirical methods. These methods are probably not the best for determining the facts to be used as a basis for a great industry. With the inadequate facilities for careful experimentation and study of physiological problems, it has been the only way for obtaining much of the information urgently needed. Although the present status of our knowledge of the effect of low temperatures on living plant products leaves much to be desired, a survey of the field of plant physiology shows that some work has been done. It is the province of this paper to take up briefly some phases of the effect of low-temperature storage on fruits and vegetables. In the commercial storage of these products it is essential that they be kept in such a condition that that group of chemical and physical processes usually associated with living organisms and characterized for want of a better name as "life processes"^ or "vital activities" can proceed without interruption. At the same time, it is essential that these processes be slowed down as much as possible, so that this portion of the life cycle of the 1 Paper read at the symposium on "The Low Temperature Relations of Plants," at Toronto, December 29, I921.
A chondrule origin for dusty relict olivine in unequilibrated chondrites

We address the origin of ''dusty,'' metal-bearing relict olivine grains in chondrules. It has been suggested previously that these grains may be either primitive condensates or derived from a previous generation of chondrules. In this paper, we infer the original composition of dusty olivine grains, before they were reduced, and examine the possibility that they were derived from a previous generation of chondrules. Original compositions of dusty grains, including their estimated initial FeO contents and their minor element contents, match closely with compositions of olivines from chondrules in unequilibrated chondrites. In addition, the cores of some dusty grains are unaltered, and the compositions of these cores are also consistent with a chondrule origin. Therefore, we conclude that a derivation from a previous generation of chondrules is a plausible origin for these relicts. Although alternative origins, such as condensates or interstellar grains, cannot be ruled out on the basis of the available data, chondrules are an obvious source, and we suggest that this is the most likely interpretation. If this is the case, it is additional evidence for the importance of recycling of chondrule material in the chondrule-forming region.
Zeno and anti-Zeno effects in spin-bath models

We investigate the quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effects in spin bath models: the spin-boson model and a spin-fermion model. We show that the Zeno--anti-Zeno transition is critically controlled by the system-bath coupling parameter, the same parameter that determines spin decoherence rate. We also discuss the crossover in a biased system, at high temperatures, and for a nonequilibrium spin-fermion system, manifesting the counteracting roles of electrical bias, temperature, and magnetic field on the spin decoherence rate.
Response of macroinvertebrates and small fish to nutrient enrichment in the northern Everglades

The northern Everglades (Water Conservation Area 2A) annually receives an excess addition of 60M tons of phosphorus and 1814 M tons of nitrogen from agricultural run-off. During 1990–91, invertebrates were collected from replicate sweep and core samples at eight sites along the nutrient enrichment gradient in Water Conservation Area 2A (WCA-2A). Species richness, Shannon’s diversity, the number of unique species, and the density of invertebrates and small fish were all greater within enriched and intermediately enriched open water habitats than unenriched sloughs. Sorenson’s taxonomic similarity index was significantly different between enriched and unenriched areas. Ostracods in particular were 14 times more abundant in the enriched area than at unenriched sites. The freshwater shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus) was the only common species with lower densities in enriched than unenriched areas. However, the trophic structure or percent composition of grazers, predators, and collector-gatherers and the number of species within taxonomic orders and functional feeding groups was very similar among sites along the nutrient enrichment gradient. Higher invertebrate and small fish diversity and density within enriched sites indicates that nutrient enrichment has not caused direct harmful foodweb effects that may adversely influence higher trophic levels (e.g., wading birds). Assuming, however, that nutrients can cause cattails to overgrow and eliminate sloughs, the centers of biological diversity in the Everglades, then nutrient enrichment may have harmful indirect effects.
Situating the employee rights debate

Theological ethics provides a framework for at least adequately resolving the dilemma inherent in the issue of employee rights: the tension between individual rights and organizational authority. The central question is what consitutes the human dignity of the worker. The Roman Catholic theological tradition centers on the concept of human dignity and recognizes the causal relationship between how one's social conditions are divided and structured and the realization of one's human dignity. The author discussed why and how this tradition provides a useful methodology for resolving the employee rights debate.
Effects of methadone-HCl on dorsal root ganglia in organotypic culture

Abstract In this study an attempt was made to evaluate comparatively, using methadone, previous reports of habituation and addiction in cultured tissues to narcotics, especially morphine derivatives. Organotypic cultures of dorsal root ganglia from fetal mice were exposed to d - or l -methadone-HCl for periods up to 55 days, in dosages ranging from 2 × 10 −3 m to 10 −6 m . Initial overt toxic response to methadone of three neural elements, viz., neuron somas, myelinated neurites, and satellite cells, was rated on a scale of 0 to +++, on the basis of light-microscopic observation of living cultures. At 10 −4 m or greater concentrations of drug, morphological evidence of toxicity was seen within 24 hr, and a concentration of 10 −3 m was lethal. At 10 −4 m , recovery was observed if the drug was withdrawn after 7 days. Continued exposure to concentrations of 10 −5 m and 10 −6 m permitted indefinite survival, though at a lower rating than that of the controls: the neuronal elements did not return to normal status during exposure periods of 27–44 days. At 10 −6 m , satellite cells were not affected, but neuronal elements continued at a slightly subnormal rating. Cultures maintained at the lower drug levels (10 −5 m , 10 −6 m ) did not develop increased tolerance of higher levels, nor did they return to normal condition during the exposure period. d -methadone-HCl was no less toxic than the l -form In this system, during the time period of exposure, neither increased tolerance nor dependence of neural tissue upon methadone was observed.
In Situ Spectroscopic Ellipsometry for Real Time Composition Control of Hg1-xcdx Te Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Spectral ellipsometry (SE) was applied to in situ composition control of Hg1-xCdxTe grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), and the impact of surface topography of the Hg1-xCdxTe layers on the accuracy of SE was investigated. Of particular importance is the presence of surface defects, such as voids in MBE- Hg1-xCdx.Te layers. While dislocations do not have any significant impact on the dielectric functions, the experimental data in this work show that MBE- Hg1-xCdxTe samples having the same composition, but different void densities, have different effective dielectric functions.
Randomized selection on the GPU

We implement here a fast and memory-sparing probabilistic top k selection algorithm on the GPU. The algorithm proceeds via an iterative probabilistic guess-and-check process on pivots for a three-way partition. When the guess is correct, the problem is reduced to selection on a much smaller set. This probabilistic algorithm always gives a correct result and always terminates. Las Vegas algorithms of this kind are a form of stochastic optimization and can be well suited to more general parallel processors with limited amounts of fast memory.
A floating-gate MOSFET with tunneling injector fabricated using a standard double-polysilicon CMOS process

A floating-gate MOSFET which is programmable in both directions by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling and is fabricated using an inexpensive standard 2- mu m double-polysilicon CMOS technology is discussed. Tunneling occurs at a crossover of polysilicon 1 with polysilicon 2. Device layout and basic device characteristics are presented, and recommendations for efficient programming are given. This is the first floating-gate FET with a tunneling injector fabricated in standard technology that has close to symmetric programming characteristics for both charging and discharging of the gate. >
Peer review organizations. Promises and potential pitfalls.

Abstract The Health Care Financing Administration has contracted with 54 peer review organizations (PROs) to monitor hospital use and quality of care for Medicare patients. PROs promised reductions in readmissions, in "unnecessary" admissions or invasive procedures, and in "avoidable" mortality and morbidity. A review of contract summaries for 49 PROs revealed wide variations in reduction targets. In attempting to meet their goals, PROs will encounter numerous potential pitfalls, including inaccurate and incomplete discharge data, inadequate descriptors for the variety of patients and physicians' management plans, honest differences in judgments about patient care, and limited research on the criteria used to set their reduction targets as well as the means to accomplish them. Despite having more explicit quality-of-care objectives, PROs, like PSROs (professional standards review organizations) before them, are more likely to be seen as agents of cost containment than of quality assurance. Both their cred...
RANKL Inhibition Blocks Osteolytic Lesions and Reduces Skeletal Tumor Burden in Models of Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Bone Metastases

Introduction: Bone metastasis is a serious complication in patients with lung cancer, occurring in up to 40% of patients. Tumor cell–mediated osteolysis occurs ultimately through induction of RANK ligand (RANKL) within the bone stroma although this hypothesis has not been tested extensively in the setting of non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). By using two novel NSCLC bone metastasis mouse models, we examined the effects of RANKL inhibition on osteolysis and tumor progression. Methods: We treated mice bearing skeletal NSCLC tumors with osteoprotegerin-Fc (OPG-Fc) to assess whether osteoclast inhibition through RANKL inhibition would affect bone metastases at early or late stages of bone colonization. Progression of skeletal tumor was determined by radiography, longitudinal bioluminescent imaging, and histological analyses. Results: OPG-Fc reduced development and progression of radiographically evident osteolytic lesions and also significantly reduced skeletal tumor progression in both NSCLC bone metastasis models. In the H1299 human NSCLC bone metastasis model, OPG-Fc plus docetaxel in combination resulted in significantly greater inhibition of skeletal tumor growth compared with either single agent alone. The observed ability of RANKL inhibition to reduce NSCLC osteolytic bone destruction or skeletal tumor burden was associated with decreases in tumor-associated osteoclasts. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that RANKL is required for the development of tumor-induced osteolytic bone destruction caused by NSCLC cells in vivo. RANKL inhibition also reduced skeletal tumor burden, presumably through the indirect mechanism of blocking tumor-induced osteoclastogenesis and resultant production of growth factors and calcium from the bone microenvironment. RANKL inhibition also provided an additive benefit to docetaxel treatment by augmenting the reduction of tumor burden.
The Newxin puzzle

A variety of thought experiments suggest that, if the standard picture of practical rationality is correct, then practical rationality is sometimes an obstacle to practical success. For some, this in turn suggests that there is something wrong with the standard picture. In particular, it has been argued that we should revise the standard picture so that practical rationality and practical success emerge as more closely connected than the current picture allows. In this paper, I construct a choice situation—which I refer to as the Newxin puzzle—and discuss its implications in relation to the revisionist approach just described. Using the Newxin puzzle, I argue that the approach leads to a more radically revisionist picture of practical rationality than current debate suggests.