cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
General Motors Corporation, 1988 (a)

In the spring of 1988, GM is being criticized for poor financial performance. The student must evaluate corporate performance and identify the underperforming divisions. The case provides an opportunity to exercise a range of equity-pricing models: CAPM, APT, dividend growth, and earnings/price. The challenges in deriving an equity cost come to the forefront. Student and instructor spreadsheet files are available for use with this case and teaching note. Excerpt UVA-F-0789 GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, 1988 (A) In the spring of 1988, some observers were arguing that General Motors had misallocated its capital over the previous few years, and critics contended that GM's core business, automobile manufacturing, was the main arena of value destruction within the company. Among the automotive hands within the company, the criticism was apostasy. To long-time employees, GM was the virtual embodiment of the automobile industry, and to question GM's continuing investment in its automotive division was to challenge its very corporate identity. The debate over GM's performance focused on two specific topics. First, both the company's defenders as well as its critics wished to establish the soundness of GM's continued massive investment in its core automotive business, an investment which totaled roughly $ 40 billion in the 1980s alone for tooling, facilities, and product design. In order to assess this investment correctly, it would be necessary to determine the appropriate cost of capital for General Motors Corporation as a whole and also for GM's major non-automotive operating divisions. Second, in the spring of 1988 there were those who suspected that GM was attempting to overcome shortcomings in its automotive performance by shifting profits to other divisions such as its financing subsidiary General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) and its consolidated data-processing services division Electronic Data Systems (EDS). The Company In 1988 General Motors was composed of three major consolidated entities and one major unconsolidated operation, GMAC. The three consolidated divisions were, in order of revenues, the automotive operation (identified as GMC in this discussion to distinguish the corporation's automotive activities from the performance of GM, the consolidated corporate entity), the aerospace and electronics operation General Motors Hughes Electronics (GMHE) and Electronic Data Systems (EDS). GMC had 31 major operating divisions including its North American nameplates Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC Truck, and GMHE had two divisions, Hughes Aircraft Company and Delco Electronics Corporation. . . .
Decompression Versus Fusion for Grade I Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Meta-Analysis:

Study Design:Meta-analysis of evidence level I to IV studies.Objective:To compare decompression alone versus decompression plus fusion in the treatment of grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS...
Somatosensory-Evoked Potential Monitoring

Somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) are an excellent modality for spinal cord monitoring during surgery. They cover much territory, including the peripheral, spinal, brain stem, thalamic, and cortical levels of sensory pathways. They are used for monitoring for both spinal cord and cerebral injury during various types of surgery.
How little is known about the role of human FOXP3+ Tregs in tumors.

The accompanying review by Dr. Theresa Whiteside provides a thoughtful and erudite coverage of the importance of FOXP3+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells in cancer, including during therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors [1]. This editorial briefly summarizes significant gaps in our knowledge of human FOXP3+ Tregs, especially in the context of anti-tumor immune responses, and will emphasize the need for investigators to characterize human Tregs directly rather than to assume that their phenotype and functions can be readily extrapolated from murine studies.
Quantification of CO 2 and CH 4 emissions over Sacramento, California, based on divergence theorem using aircraft measurements

Abstract. Emission estimates of carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) and methane ( CH4 ) and the meteorological factors affecting them are investigated over Sacramento, California, using an aircraft equipped with a cavity ring-down greenhouse gas sensor as part of the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) project. To better constrain the emission fluxes, we designed flights in a cylindrical pattern and computed the emission fluxes from two flights using a kriging method and Gauss's divergence theorem. Differences in wind treatment and assumptions about background concentrations affect the emission estimates by a factor of 1.5 to 7. The uncertainty is also impacted by meteorological conditions and distance from the emission sources. The vertical layer averaging affects the flux estimate, but the choice of raw wind or mass-balanced wind is more important than the thickness of the vertical averaging for mass-balanced wind for both urban and local scales. The importance of vertical mass transfer for flux estimates is examined, and the difference in the total emission estimate with and without vertical mass transfer is found to be small, especially at the local scale. The total flux estimates accounting for the entire circumference are larger than those based solely on measurements made in the downwind region. This indicates that a closed-shape flight profile can better contain total emissions relative to a one-sided curtain flight because most cities have more than one point source and wind direction can change with time and altitude. To reduce the uncertainty of the emission estimate, it is important that the sampling strategy account not only for known source locations but also possible unidentified sources around the city. Our results highlight that aircraft-based measurements using a closed-shape flight pattern are an efficient and useful strategy for identifying emission sources and estimating local- and city-scale greenhouse gas emission fluxes.
Mole: The unit of chemical amount

The need to redefine the kilogram and ampere has been discussed for several decades now. There were many technical reasons to do so [1]. Following the success of the 1983 definition of the meter based on the speed of light in vacuum, the International Committee on Weights and Measures decided that this was also an opportune time to recast the definitions of all seven SI base units in terms of the most stable things known to scientists - physical constants [2].
Manipulation of organolanthanide coordinative unsaturation. Synthesis, structures, structural dynamics, comparative reactivity, and comparative thermochemistry of dinuclear .mu.-hydrides and .mu.-alkyls with [.mu.-R2Si(Me4C5)(C5H4)]2 supporting ligation

This contribution describes lutetium and yttrium hydrocarbyl and hydride chemistry based upon the chelating R{sub 2}Si({eta}{sup 5}-C{sub 5}H{sub 4})({eta}{sup 5}-Me{sub 4}C{sub 5}){sup 2{minus}} ligand (R = Me, Et; abbreviated R{sub 2}SiCpCp{double prime}). The ligand is prepared by reaction of the corresponding R{sub 2}Si(CP{double prime})Cl derivative with NaC{sub 5}H{sub 5}. Subsequent metalation and reaction with MCl{sub 3}{center dot}3THF (M = Y, Lu) yields R{sub 2}SiCpCp{double prime}MCl{sub 2}{sup {minus}}Li(OEt{sub 2}){sub 2}{sup +} complexes, which in turn can be alkylated to yield R{sub 2}SiCpCp{double prime}MCHTMS{sub 2} derivatives (TMS = SiMe{sub 3}). Pertinent crystallographic data for Me{sub 2}SiCpCp{double prime}LuCHTMS{sub 2} at {minus}120C: P{ovr 1} (no. 2), z = 4, a = 16.049 (3) {angstrom}, b = 17.945 (4) {angstrom}, c = 8.993 (3) {angstrom}, {alpha} = 93.36 (2){degree}, {beta} = 90.92 (2){degree}, and {gamma} = 82.54 (2){degree}; R(F) = 0.030 for 6085 independent reflections with I > 3{sigma}(I). The structure is of a 'bent-sandwich' Cp{prime}MX-type (Cp{prime} = {eta}{sup 5}-Me{sub 5}C{sub 5}) with relaxed interligand nonbonded interactions vis-a-vis the Cp{prime}{sub 2}M and Me{sub 2}SiCP{double prime}M analogs (Lu-CHTMS{sub 2} = 2.365 (7) {angstrom}) and having one close Lu{center dot}{center dot}{center dot}MeSi (Lu-C = 2.820 (8) {angstrom}) secondary interaction. These alkyls initiate the polymerization of ethylene andmore » undergo relatively slow hydrogenolysis to yield dihydrides of stoichiometry (R{sub 2}SiCpCp{double prime}MH){sub 2} via detectable intermediates of stoichiometry (R{sub 2}SiCpCp{double prime}){sub 2}M{sub 2}(H)(CHTMS{sub 2}). 90 refs.« less
A 35-Year Experiment in Public Deliberation

In the late 1970s, a small group of academics and former government officials began an initiative that led to the creation of a network of National Issues Forums (NIF) in 1981. NIF-style deliberation is based on the assumption that the greatest challenge in collective decision making is dealing with the tensions that result when many of the things most people hold dear are brought into conflict by the necessity to act on a problem. Public deliberation is a naturally occurring phenomenon that makes use of the human faculty for judgment. The most powerful insight from the NIF experiment has been the recognition that democracy depends on constant learning and that deliberation is a form of learning.
How the Primer-Literate Read Ming Steles: A Digital Speculation

Historians disagree about the role of literacy in Ming society. Certainly, the stone inscriptions that littered the Chinese landscape displayed elaborate essays showing the gentry author's erudition and compositional skill. Yet steles for shrines to living officials also sent political messages. They authorized and amplified the voice of “the common people,” embodying and explicitly arguing for a popular voice in the evaluation of magistrates and prefects. How were these texts on public monuments understood by the many Ming people with only basic literacy? The Late Imperial Primer Literacy Sieve is a digital tool that sifts a target text, such as a commemorative stele, leaving only the characters found in one or more primers. The Sieve may bring us closer to understanding not only what was written, but what was read. The article argues that the message of premortem steles about popular participation could indeed come across.
Minimally invasive surgery for spinal tumors

Spinal tumors comprise a diverse set of pathologies, including tumors of the spinal cord, its meninges, and tumors of the bony spinal column. Tumors in each location can be divided into benign and malignant primary lesions, which most commonly arise from the cord and meninges, and metastases, which more commonly localize to the bony elements. Traditionally both spinal cord tumors and lesions of the vertebral column have been treated surgically, despite the often high morbidity associated with such procedures. In the past two decades though, more minimally invasive techniques have been developed for the treatment of spinal tumors, which decrease intraoperative morbidity, shorten postoperative recovery, and accelerate the return to systemic treatment. The goal of this chapter is to give a brief overview of spinal oncology, along with a description of the minimally invasive surgical techniques that have been developed to address these pathologies.
Chronology of Advance and Recession Dynamics of the Southern Green Bay Lobe of the Laurentide Ice Sheet,South-Central Wisconsin, USA

We used a combination of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) age estimates, and stratigraphic data from cores collected along the southern margin of the Green Bay Lobe (GBL) of the Laurentide Ice Sheet to provide new information on the timing and dynamics of the end of advance of the GBL and the dynamics of the ice sheet while very near its maximum position. Coring at multiple sites along the margin of the GBL indicate that ice had reached a stable position near its maximum extent by 24.7 ka; that ice advanced several kilometers to the Marine Isotope Stage 2 maximum position sometime shortly after 21.2 ka; and that ice remained at or beyond that position through the time interval represented by an OSL age estimate of 19.2 ± 3.2 ka. The timeline developed from these chronological data is internally consistent with, and further refines, AMS radiocarbon ages and OSL age estimates previously published for the southern margin of the GBL. It also provides new chronological control on the expansion of the GBL from its late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 extent to its MIS 2 maximum.
Recursive Analytic Solution of Nonlinear Optimal Regulators

The paper develops an optimal regulator for a general class of multi-input affine nonlinear systems minimizing a nonlinear cost functional with infinite horizon. The cost functional is general enough to enforce saturation limits on the control input if desired. An efficient algorithm utilizing tensor algebra is employed to compute the tensor coefficients of the Taylor series expansion of the value function (i.e., optimal cost-to-go). The tensor coefficients are found by solving a set of nonlinear matrix equations recursively generalizing the well-known linear quadratic solution. The resulting solution generates the optimal controller as a nonlinear function of the state vector up to a prescribed truncation order. Moreover, a complete convergence of the computed solution together with an estimation of its applicability domain are provided to further guide the user. The algorithm's computational complexity is shown to grow only polynomially with respect to the series order. Finally, several nonlinear examples including some with input saturation are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the algorithm to generate high order Taylor series solution of the optimal controller.
Abstract 675: First-in-class approved phosphoinositide-3-kinase inhibitor Alpelesib (BYL 719): Examination of disease-specific activity in human tumor 3 dimensional primary culture organoids

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are hetero-dimeric lipid kinases that are frequently dysregulated in cancer. Class I PI3K activity is upregulated in many breast cancers via mutations in PIK3CA, PIK3R1, PTEN and AKT1 making PI3K inhibition attractive as a therapeutic target. BYL719, an oral α-specific PI3K inhibitor that selectively inhibits p110α was granted FDA approval for estrogen receptor (ER) + breast cancer following the successful completion of the SOLAR-1 trial (Andre, F. et al NEJM, 2019). To explore the clinical utility of BYL 719 in human cancer, we applied the Ex Vivo Analysis of Programmed Cell Death (EVA/PCD) in surgical specimens obtained from 388 individual patients. Methods: EVA/PCD technique uses enzymatic and mechanical disaggregation followed by density centrifugation to isolate human tumor 3-D organoids of desired size. Morphologic and metabolic measures of cell death provide lethal concentration 50% (LC50), interpolated from 5-point dose response curves and then compared by modified Z-score to provide disease-specific activity. BYL 719 correlations with other classes of drugs are performed by Pearson Moment with significance by two tailed T-test. Results: By rank order the highest BYL719 activity was found in Uterine>Breast>Colon>Gastric>Ovary> Pancreas. The lowest BYL719 activity was found for Melanoma Citation Format: Robert Alan Nagourney, Adam J. Nagourney, Peter Tran, Paula Bernard, Federico Francisco, Steven S. Evans. First-in-class approved phosphoinositide-3-kinase inhibitor Alpelesib (BYL 719): Examination of disease-specific activity in human tumor 3 dimensional primary culture organoids [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 675.
LRP-1 Commands Two Parallel Signalling Mechanisms to Support Constitutive Tumour Cell Motility in the Absence of Blood Supply

Tumour cells often face the stress of ischemic (nutrient paucity and hypoxia) environment and must act self-sufficient to migrate toward the nearest blood supply or die. The mechanism that supports the constitutive motility of tumour cells under stress is poorly understood. We and others have previously shown that the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP-1) plays a critical role in tumour cell migration and invasion in vitro and tumour formation in mice. Herein we show that depletion of LRP-1 completely abolishes the self-supported and serum-independent tumour cell motility. More intriguingly, we demonstrate that LRP-1 commands the full tumour cell motility by connecting with two independent cell surface signalling pathways. First, LRP-1 mediates secreted Hsp90α signalling via the Hsp90α > LRP-1 receptor autocrine loop for a half of tumour cell motility. Second, LRP1 stabilizes constitutively activated EGFR signalling that contributes the other half of tumour cell motility. Only combined inhibitions of the secreted Hsp90α autocrine and the EGFR signalling reproduces the effect of LRP1 down-regulation on constitutive tumour cell motility. This study reveals a novel mechanism of how tumour cells migrate in the absence of blood support.
Gene Transfers Between Distantly Related Organisms

With the completion of numerous microbial genome sequences, reports of individual gene transfers between distantly related prokaryotes have become commonplace. On the other hand, transfers between prokaryotes and eukaryotes still excite the imagination. Many of these claims may be premature, but some are certainly valid. In this chapter, the kinds of supporting data needed to propose transfers between distantly related organisms and cite some interesting examples are considered.
The fungal genome initiative and lessons learned from genome sequencing.

Abstract The sequence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae enabled systematic genome-wide experimental approaches, demonstrating the power of having the complete genome of an organism. The rapid impact of these methods on research in yeast mobilized an effort to expand genomic resources for other fungi. The “fungal genome initiative” represents an organized genome sequencing effort to promote comparative and evolutionary studies across the fungal kingdom. Through such an approach, scientists can not only better understand specific organisms but also illuminate the shared and unique aspects of fungal biology that underlie the importance of fungi in biomedical research, health, food production, and industry. To date, assembled genomes for over 100 fungi are available in public databases, and many more sequencing projects are underway. Here, we discuss both examples of findings from comparative analysis of fungal sequences, with a specific emphasis on yeast genomes, and on the analytical approaches taken to mine fungal genomes. New sequencing methods are accelerating comparative studies of fungi by reducing the cost and difficulty of sequencing. This has driven more common use of sequencing applications, such as to study genome-wide variation in populations or to deeply profile RNA transcripts. These and further technological innovations will continue to be piloted in yeasts and other fungi, and will expand the applications of sequencing to study fungal biology.
Statistical Process Control

Manufacturing processes must be stable, repeatable, and of high quality to yield products with acceptable performance. This implies that all individuals involved in manufacturing a product (including operators, engineers, and management) must continuously seek to improve manufacturing process output and reduce variability. Variability reduction is accomplished in a large part by strict process control. The application of process control in manufacturing continues to expand in the semiconductor industry. We focus in this chapter on statistical process control techniques a as means to achieve high-quality products.
An Anatomy of the London Agent

This article considers the London agent through the careers of Gilbert Mabbott and, to a lesser extent, William Raylton. The London agent was a commonplace in early modern political culture, but the phenomenon is rarely addressed in the historiography. I argue for the importance of the agent to early modern English history in general, but I also consider Mabbott's situation in particular. Because of the civil wars, Mabbott was able to rise beyond his social station as a scrivener and freed himself from the bonds of the patron-client relationship. This article seeks to define some of the roles played by agents in the early modern period by looking at Mabbott's and Raylton's work for their major employers: Thomas Wentworth, Hull, royalist delinquents and their children, various parliamentary armies, and Oliver Cromwell. It ends by looking at the wealth that Mabbott acquired through his work, both before and after the Restoration, as demonstrative of how an agent's power could yield impressive rewards when freed of social constraints.
Booker Defined: Examining the Application of United States v. Booker in the Nation's Most Divergent Circuit Courts

For much of the twentieth century, the imprisonment of individuals who have violated criminal codes has been the dominant, and even preferred, form of punishment in American criminal justice. In fact, it is challenging to find examples of the criminal justice system offering meaningful alternatives to incarceration. Moreover, the prominence of prisons and prison life in American television shows, movies, and books reflects the nation's enduring attachment to this means of dealing with its criminals. Yet the belief that offenders also should be treated fairly has been equally popular with Americans, and since its birth, the United States has endeavored to make this ideal a reality. These efforts have led to such accomplishments as the passage of the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees that offenders receive fair trials, and the funding of public defender offices, which ensures that criminal defendants have the assistance of counsel. Unfortunately, not all of America's efforts to ensure just punishment have been successful. In particular, the Federal Sentencing Guidelines ("Guidelines") have had disappointing effects. Originally created to ensure that
Determining When Severe Mental Illness Should Disqualify a Defendant from Capital Punishment

The American Bar Association and other professional organizations have adopted policy statements calling for an exclusion from capital punishment for those with severe mental illness at the time of the offense. If this policy is adopted, either legislatively or judicially under the Eighth Amendment, a procedural question would arise concerning how this mental illness/capital punishment exclusion issue is determined. Should the issue be determined by pretrial motion made to the trial judge or a special jury convened for this purpose? Should it be determined by the capital jury at the penalty stage that would follow conviction for a capital crime? This Chapter analyzes the various factors that should be considered in resolving the procedural question of how this exclusion from capital punishment should be determined, and argues that Eighth Amendment values and considerations of accuracy, cost, and therapeutic jurisprudence all tilt strongly in the direction of having the issue decided pretrial by the trial judge. The chapter then examines whether having the trial judge make the determination would be inconsistent with Ring v. Arizona (2002), which reflects the Sixth Amendment’s constitutional preference for jury determinations of disputed issues of fact in capital sentencing. Finally, the chapter analyzes whether the prosecution or the defense should have the burden of persuasion on the Eighth Amendment question, and by what standard of proof that burden should be carried.
Severity of spinal cord injury influences diffusion tensor imaging of the brain.

Background The purpose of this study was to determine whether DTI changes in the brain induced by a thoracic spinal cord injury are sensitive to varying severity of spinal contusion in rats. Methods A control, mild, moderate, or severe contusion injury was administered over the eighth thoracic vertebral level in 32 Sprague-Dawley rats. At 11 weeks postinjury, ex vivo DTI of the brain was performed on a 9.4T Bruker scanner using a pulsed gradient spin-echo sequence. Results Mean water diffusion in the internal capsule regions of the brain and pyramid locations of the brainstem were correlated with motor function (r2 = 0.55). Additionally, there were significant differences between injury severity groups for mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy at regions associated with the corticospinal tract (P = 0.05). Conclusion These results indicate that DTI is sensitive to changes in brain tissue as a consequence of thoracic SCI. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015.
Using Student-Centered Projects To Teach Mathematics Content Standards To Middle School Teachers II (The Second Course)

Teaching and learning standards across the country are becoming more content driven, especially in mathematics. As such, it is essential to develop substantive college level math courses for pre-service and in-service teachers. These courses should deliver mathematical content in a relevant way. Teachers must not only be proficient in their subject, but also recognize how to apply content meaningfully to student’s lives. As part of a grant funded through the Department of Education in coordination with the Clark County School District, I have designed two college level courses that will deliver mathematical content standards to middle school teachers. These courses will help prepare teachers at the middle school level by focusing on mathematical content, making connections within the curriculum, using technology, and enhancing the role of mathematics in everyday life and problem solving. This paper extends the concepts provided in [1]. The primary purpose of this paper is to share with the academic community the projects used to develop content understanding in mathematics topics such as: spatial relationships, geometry, problem solving, reasoning, mathematical modeling, financial and economic analysis, and probability. This paper will present these projects, and tie them to mathematics standards outlined in the Clark County School District (and state of Nevada).
Prospective Follow‐Up of Female Sexual Function after Vaginal Surgery for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Using Transobturator Mesh Implants

ABSTRACT Introduction Although the use of transobturator mesh implants for pelvic organ prolapse repair has been shown to be safe and effective, concern exists that the presence of prosthetic material in the vagina may adversely affect sexual function. Aim To evaluate the impact of transobturator mesh implantation on sexual function using validated questionnaire. Main Outcome Measures Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a validated 19‐item questionnaire that assesses six domains of sexual function (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain), was used. The questionnaire was administered preoperatively, and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Clinical data were also recorded at each time point. Methods Prospective nonrandomized study including 96 women with pelvic organ prolapse (cystocele, rectocele, vault prolapse). Transvaginal anterior or posterior wall repair using transobturator mesh implants with or without concomitant transobturator sling procedure. Results Mean age was 51.4 ± 5.2 years. Mean operating time was 47.6 ± 23.4 minutes, and the mean hospitalization period was 3.8 ± 1.6 days. After initial decrease during the first 3 months, patients experienced a steady improvement in their sexual function. At 24 months postoperatively, the total mean FSFI score reached significantly higher values compared to the baseline ( P = 0.023). Furthermore, pain‐free intercourse improved during the follow‐up reaching mean score of 4.27 ± 0.79 ( P Conclusions Surgical repair of symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse using mesh implants results in improvement of major parameters of sexual function. A worsening in pain with intercourse during the initial months postoperatively lessens after 3 months as healing is completed. Hoda MR, Wagner S, Greco F, Heynemann H, and Fornara P. Prospective follow‐up of female sexual function after vaginal surgery for pelvic organ prolapse using transobturator mesh implants.
Activities as a vehicle for linguistic and sociocultural knowledge at the elementary level

This paper reports on a content-based elementary Chinese as a foreign language programme. It focuses on classroom language activities that are designed and implemented to serve the dual goals of language development and cultural learning. From a sociocultural perspective, it investigated how classroom activities are organized to integrate culture/content and language learning for young beginners. Two themes are highlighted in the discussion: (1) initial teacher planning vs. curriculum as experienced; (2) graphic organizers and language product. The result of the study throws light on the possibilities of a wide range of systematic form-function relations in the classroom, the integration of language and content learning, and on further directions for intentional planning in any other second or foreign language teaching programmes. It also reveals potential for implementing content-based foreign language instruction at the elementary level even in a situation where the teacher is still working on her own language proficiency.
AUTOMATIC ZERO-DRIFT CORRECTION OF THE TITRILOG.

Abstract An accessory circuit modification to correct automatically for zero drift was developed for use with the Titrilog with increased sensitivity. Correction relative to a preset baseline is accurate within ± 2% of full scale. The sensitivity was increased by a factor of 15 to give a calibration sensitivity of one pphm of S02 per recorder chart division. The sensitivity and time response of the modified system permit operation of the Titrilog as a continuous, unattended monitor of SO2 in the ambient atmosphere. The instrument responds to low concentrations in the pphm range and to transient peak concentrations of several minutes duration.
Thermodynamic studies of U(VI) complexation with glutardiamidoxime for sequestration of uranium from seawater

Glutardiamidoxime (H2B), a diamidoxime ligand that has implications in sequestering uranium from seawater, forms strong complexes with UO2(2+). Five U(VI) complexes were identified in 3% NaCl solution. The stability constants and the enthalpies of complexation were measured by potentiometry and microcalorimetry. The competition between glutardiamidoxime and carbonate for complexing U(VI) in 3% NaCl was also studied in comparison with the cyclic glutarimidedioxime ligand (H2A) previously studied.
On the importance of modeling camera calibration uncertainty in visual SLAM

This paper reports on methods for incorporating camera calibration uncertainty into a two-view sparse bundle adjustment (SBA) framework. The co-registration of two images is useful in mobile robotics for determining motion over time. These camera measurements can constrain a robot's relative poses so that the trajectory and map can be estimated in a technique known as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). Here, we comment on the importance of propagating uncertainty in both feature extraction and camera calibration in visual pose-graph SLAM. We derive an improved pose covariance estimate that leverages the Unscented Transform, and compare its performance to previous methods in both simulated and experimental trials. The two experiments reported here involve data from a camera mounted on a KUKA robotic arm (where a precise ground-truth trajectory is available) and a Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HAUV) for large-scale autonomous ship hull inspection.
Application of mode-of-action considerations in human cancer risk assessment

The distinction between carcinogens with DNA-reactive and epigenetic modes of action and the application of mode-of-action considerations to risk assessment is reviewed. A bioindicator-based risk assessment strategy is described. This approach involves the use of mechanistic data to establish a "toxicologically insignificant daily intake".
Immobilization of Phanerochaete chrysosporium on porous polyurethane particles with application to biodegradation of 2-chlorophenol

Porous polyurethane particles were prepared and used for the immobilization of white rot fungusPhanerochaete chrysosporium. The immobilized cells were employed for the production of lignin peroxidase. Polyurethane immobilized spores, or mycelial pellets ofPhanerochaete chrysosporium as well as freely suspended mycelial pellets of fungus were used as biocatalyst for the degradation of 2-chlorophenol. The polyurethane carriers appear to be superior to the other carriers already used for the immobilization of fungus.
Characterization of organic matrix macromolecules from the shells of the antarctic scallop, Adamussium colbecki

The highly acidic soluble organic matrix (SM) isolated from shells of the Antarctic scallop, Adamussium colbecki, was shown to consist of 1.5% carbohydrate by weight and 12.8% phosphate by weight. Total SM is composed of approximately 31% Asx, 29% Ser, and 18% Gly. Separation of the SM using RP-HPLC yielded a minimum of six protein fractions labeled RP-1 through RP-6 in order of elution off the column. The first fraction, RP-1, was found to be an effective inhibitor of calcium carbonate crystal nucleation in vitro suggesting a role for this protein in the regulation of shell mineralization. A less acidic fraction, RP-3, showed less inhibitory activity and dephosphorylation of RP-1 resulted in almost complete loss of inhibitory activity. Automated Edman degradation was used to sequence peptides generated by chemical cleavage of RP-1. Mild acid hydrolysis yielded peptides with sequences of N-S-G-D-D-D-D-G-G-OH, N-S-G-G-(S,G)-G-OH, and N-S-G-R-G-OH. Cleavage with hydroxylamine yielded peptides of N-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-OH, N-L-Y-Y-OH, and N-A-V-G-E-S-D-OH. These data suggest biochemical similarities between this SM and other SM proteins isolated from both calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate biominerals, and presents evidence of a primary domain structure similar to that described for oyster SM and phosphophoryn isolated from rat dentin.
Transplantation trends in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has shown efficacy in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), a chronic, slowly progressive disease. We hypothesized that UDCA use would reduce the need for liver transplantation in PBC. Our study's aim was to assess liver transplantation requirements in PBC over a 12-year period. For comparison, we studied patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) because it shares similar characteristics to PBC, but with a decreased response to UDCA. Methods: PBC and PSC transplant data of first-time liver recipients from the United Network for Organ Sharing database were collected from 1995 to 2006. Results: The absolute number of liver transplantations in the United States increased an average of 249 transplants per year ( P P = .004). The absolute number of transplantations for PSC showed no statistical change ( P = .621). The trends for the absolute number of individuals added to the transplant waitlist showed a similar pattern: (1) an increase in total listings for transplants of all diagnoses (β = 265; P = .001); (2) a decrease in PBC (β = −12.1; P P = .083). Conclusions: The liver transplantation burden of PBC in the United States decreased between 1995 and 2006. This is despite an increase in total liver transplants and no change in transplant rates for PSC.
A mathematical model for determining minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) via diffusion assays

A mathematical model is presented for the description of inhibition zones in a diffusion bioassay. In such an experiment the drug is placed at the center of a Petri dish containing a bacterial lawn in an agar gel and after a certain incubation period one observes a concentric ring around the center marking the toxic area. From the knowledge of the radius r tox of the toxic zone, the lower limit c tox at which the inhibitory response is observed can be readily calculated. This quantity is very important in evaluating the sensitivity of microorganisms to toxic substances. The mathematical model of the assay is given by a two-dimensional diffusion equation describing the changes in drug concentration due to diffusion, decay of the chemical and consumption by bacteria. The diffusion equation being mildly non-linear is solved numerically with the aid of a computer. For this purpose a numerical solver was developed as well as a “best-fit” simulation program that fits the parameters for which experimental values could not be obtained. The method was tested with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and ethylmethanesulfonate and was seen to be fast, efficient, and inexpensive. In principle it could be used for routine quantitative screening for toxicity of chemicals.
The PHONASCII system

The Journal has received this newsletter which describes a well-developed system for the computer coding of phonetic symbols. Although the account shows a bias towards the transcription of English, the system does provide for an unusually wide range of prosodic codes and of diacritic symbols, including some for which the current International Phonetic Alphabet makes no provision. Given the Journal's active interest in the subject of computer coding of phonetic symbols, and the wish to encourage further debate and comment in our pages, we are publishing this particular newsletter in its entirety. In the discussion of the symbols, it is necessary to be able to distinguish ‘l’ (lower case ‘l’) from ‘i’ (upper case ‘i’). We have therefore used the serifed typeface of the original for the citation of the symbol forms (—Ed.).
Quantitation of catecholamines in inflamed human dental pulp by high-performance liquid chromatography

Catecholamines may play an important role in the control of intrapulpal pressure as mediators of vasoconstriction. A baseline level of catecholamines (dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine) in the uninflamed human dental pulp was previously reported using high-performance liquid chromatography. The purpose of this study was to compare the level of catecholamines present in the inflamed human dental pulp with the baseline level established in virgin teeth. Twelve uninflamed pulps were analyzed as a control and to validate previous findings. Pulp tissue was obtained from 10 vital and inflamed teeth requiring endodontic treatment. Selective criteria for each patient included: absence of systemic disease, medications, and allergies; a vital response to ice, heat, and electric pulp tests; and periodontal probing ≤ 3 mm. A prior history of pain associated with the tooth was an additional criterion for inflamed pulps. To avoid the presence of an exogenous catecholamine, local anesthesia without epinephrine was administered. Dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine were chemically extracted and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Catecholamine levels found to be present in the pulp during inflammation were greater than the baseline level established in uninflamed pulp tissue.
Respiratory diseases of reptiles

Respiratory disease is one of the most commonly encountered disease processes in collections of captive reptiles. In many cases, improper husbandry techniques, including too high or too low temperatures, inadequate humidity, and poor nutrition will compromise the reptile's immune system and its response to potential pathogens. Poor hygiene and lack of quarantine procedures may allow introduction of potential pathogens into an established collection of reptiles. A variety of infectious and noninfectious agents have been associated with respiratory tract disease in reptiles. In many cases, multiple organisms are isolated from a reptile patient with respiratory tract disease. Aerobic and anaerobic bacterial organisms may be the primary agents causing respiratory tract disease or can be secondary invaders in reptiles with viral respiratory disease. Treatment should be based on eliminating predisposing factors such as improper husbandry, proper collection of diagnostic samples, culture and sensitivity testing, and selection of proper antimicrobial agents. Adequate supportive therapy, including fluid therapy and nutritional support, is indicated in patients with clinical signs of anorexia, lethargy, and systemic illness. Ultimately, preventing introduction of potential pathogens into an established collection, developing specific diagnostic tests, and vaccines will protect the reptile patient from the most commonly encountered pathogens.
Fatherhood affects dendritic spines and vasopressin V1a receptors in the primate prefrontal cortex.

Like human fathers, male marmosets help raise their young, yet the ways in which fatherhood influences the brain remain largely unknown. We show that first-time and experienced marmoset fathers have enhanced density of dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons in prefrontal cortex as compared to non-fathers. In parallel, the abundance of vasopressin V1a receptors and the proportion of V1a receptor–labeled dendritic spines increase.
Simulation of diffuse photon migration in tissue by a Monte Carlo method derived from the optical scattering of spheroids.

A Monte Carlo method was derived from the optical scattering properties of spheroidal particles and used for modeling diffuse photon migration in biological tissue. The spheroidal scattering solution used a separation of variables approach and numerical calculation of the light intensity as a function of the scattering angle. A Monte Carlo algorithm was then developed which utilized the scattering solution to determine successive photon trajectories in a three-dimensional simulation of optical diffusion and resultant scattering intensities in virtual tissue. Monte Carlo simulations using isotropic randomization, Henyey–Greenstein phase functions, and spherical Mie scattering were additionally developed and used for comparison to the spheroidal method. Intensity profiles extracted from diffusion simulations showed that the four models differed significantly. The depth of scattering extinction varied widely among the four models, with the isotropic, spherical, spheroidal, and phase function models displaying total extinction at depths of 3.62, 2.83, 3.28, and 1.95 cm, respectively. The results suggest that advanced scattering simulations could be used as a diagnostic tool by distinguishing specific cellular structures in the diffused signal. For example, simulations could be used to detect large concentrations of deformed cell nuclei indicative of early stage cancer. The presented technique is proposed to be a more physical description of photon migration than existing phase function methods. This is attributed to the spheroidal structure of highly scattering mitochondria and elongation of the cell nucleus, which occurs in the initial phases of certain cancers. The potential applications of the model and its importance to diffusive imaging techniques are discussed.
Effects of extender, incubation temperature, and added seminal plasma on capacitation of cryopreserved, thawed boar sperm as determined by chlortetracycline staining

Abstract The effect on apparent capacitation status of frozen-thawed (FT), washed boar sperm was examined in capacitation-supporting medium at 39 °C without added seminal plasma (SP) or supplemented with either 10 or 20% (v/v) boar SP. The thawed sperm from three boars were washed to remove the egg yolk-based freezing medium (EY) and then incubated for 1–8 h after addition of SP. Capacitation status of the sperm was determined microscopically using chlortetracycline staining patterns. At 1 h after the addition of 10 or 20% (v/v) SP, capacitated sperm decreased from 59.7 to 30.3% and from 59.5 to 26.8%, respectively (P 0.1). These results indicate that SP appears able to reverse capacitation of FT boar sperm, but that this effect is dependent on both temperature and composition of the thawing extender.
Incidental receptive language growth associated with expressive grammar intervention in SLI

Children with SLI (Specific Language Impairment) display language deficits in the absence of frank neurological lesions, global cognitive deficits or significant clinical hearing loss. Although these children can display disruptions in both receptive and expressive grammar, the intervention literature has been largely focused on expressive deficits. Thus, there are numerous reports in the literature suggesting that expressive language skills can be improved using focused presentation of grammatical targets (cf. conversational recast; Camarata, Nelson & Camarata, 1994), but there have been few investigations addressing the remediation of receptive language skills in SLI for those children with receptive language deficits. The purpose of this study was to examine whether focused grammatical intervention on expressive grammar is associated with growth in receptive language in 21 children with SLI who have receptive language deficits. These children displayed significant growth in receptive language scores as...
Towards a taxonomy of intrusion-detection systems

Intrusion-detection systems aim at detecting attacks against computer systems and networks, or against information systems in general, as it is difficult to provide provably secure information systems and maintain them in such a secure state for their entire lifetime and for every utilization. Sometimes, legacy or operational constraints do not even allow a fully secure information system to be realized at all. Therefore, the task of intrusion-detection systems is to monitor the usage of such systems and to detect the apparition of insecure states. They detect attempts and active misuse by legitimate users of the information systems or external parties to abuse their privileges or exploit security vulnerabilities. In this paper, we introduce a taxonomy of intrusion-detection systems that highlights the various aspects of this area. This taxonomy defines families of intrusion-detection systems according to their properties. It is illustrated by numerous examples from past and current projects.
Plexin-B1 Utilizes RhoA and Rho Kinase to Promote the Integrin-dependent Activation of Akt and ERK and Endothelial Cell Motility

The semaphorins are a family of proteins originally identified as axon-guiding molecules in the developing nervous system that have been recently shown to regulate many cellular functions, including motility, in a variety of cell types. We have previously shown that in endothelial cells Semaphorin 4D acts through its receptor, Plexin-B1, to elicit a pro-angiogenic phenotype that involves the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway. Here we show through the use of a receptor chimeric approach, Plexin-B1 mutants, and dominant negative and pharmacological inhibitors that this response is dependent upon the activation of RhoA and its downstream target, Rho kinase (ROK). Indeed, we demonstrate that in endothelial cells, Semaphorin 4D promotes the formation of focal adhesion complexes, stress fibers, and the phosphorylation of myosin light chain, a response that was abolished by the use of ROK inhibitors and absent from cells expressing Plexin-B1 mutant constructs incapable of signaling to RhoA. Stress fiber polymerization and contraction are in turn necessary for RhoA-dependent pro-angiogenic signaling through Plexin-B1. Furthermore, we observed that in endothelial cells Plexin-B1 promotes the integrin-mediated activation of Pyk2, resulting in the stimulation of PI3K, Akt, and ERK. These findings provide evidence that Plexin-B1 promotes endothelial cell motility through RhoA and ROK by regulating the integrin-dependent signaling networks that result in the activation of PI3K and Akt.