cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A semiflexible normalized quadratic inverse demand system: an application to the price formation of fish

We propose a new inverse demand system, the normalized quadratic distance function, which is similar to the normalized quadratic expenditure function of Diewert and Wales (1988a). Aside from being able to maintain concavity in quantities globally, the resulting specification is also `flexible.' In addition, to obtain more parsimonious specifications, we apply the rank reduction procedures of Diewert and Wales (1988b) to the model's Antonelli matrix. We illustrate the techniques by estimating a system of inverse demands for bi-monthly fish landings, 1971–1991, for U.S. Great Lakes ports. To illustrate the model's usefulness, exact welfare measures associated with catch restrictions are derived.
Small response estimation when parameter sign is known

Abstract This article addresses the problem of estimating a small parameter of a regression model when the sign of the parameter is known. The parameter of interest is considered to be small relative to the error variance. A variety of applications where the problem arises are discussed. By taking an approach similar to that of Stein (1961), a substantial improvement over the LSE is obtained. The superiority of the proposed estimator is shown via a simulation study and illustrated in an application. Given the importance of the problem in applications, a discussion of much needed further research in related problems is included.
Ivacaftor therapy for cystic fibrosis

Introduction: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-shortening autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. CF causes multisystem disease, most importantly pancreatic insufficiency and progressive bronchiectasis. Until recently, CF therapies have treated complications of end organ damage. Ivacaftor is the first commercially available therapy that improves CFTR function. In placebo-controlled clinical trials of CF subjects with the G551D and similar ‘gating’ CFTR mutations, ivacaftor-treated subjects showed improved pulmonary function, body weight and quality-of-life measures.Areas covered: This article discusses basic discoveries leading to the development of ivacaftor and results of Phase II and III clinical trials, accessed by a Medline search using key words ‘VX-770’ and ‘ivacaftor’; supplemental information was accessed using Google search and the US National Institutes of Health clinical trials website.Expert opinion: Ivacaft...
African Democratisation and the Leninist Option

The political openings that took place in the early 1990s, followed by a wave of elections across Africa, were widely interpreted as the beginning of a transition to democracy. Few persons knowledgeable about the continent assumed that this process would be easy. The obstacles, it was recognised, were legion, ranging from the nature of the existing regimes to the difficult economic circumstances confronted by virtually all countries. Nevertheless, the overall assessment remained optimistic. Slowly, imperfectly, with set-backs, Africa would move in the direction of democracy, and western liberal democracy at that.It is time to reassess the validity of such expectations, not least since much of what has happened in Africa on the political front during the past five years could easily be interpreted as indicating the persistence of authoritarianism, the spread of ethnic conflict, or the continuation of a process of state disintegration. Indeed, there is a real danger that attempts to analyse how close African countries are coming to democracy, or how far away they remain, may in the end blind us to the real significance of the available data. Hence the need to re-examine why the idea that Africa is experiencing a democratic transition, however, imperfect, gained ground.
Low-dose intravenous ondansetron (8 mg) plus dexamethasone : an effective regimen for the control of carboplatin-induced emesis

Twenty-nine patients with gynecologic malignancies were treated with a fixed low dose of intravenous ondansetron (8 mg) plus dexamethasone (20 mg) in an effort to develop an effective and less expensive antiemetic regimen for the control of carboplatin-induced emesis. Twenty-six (90%) of the women participating in this trial experienced complete control of both acute nausea and vomiting (developing within the first 24 h after chemotherapy administration), while 27 (93%) patients exhibited either complete or major control (≤2 episodes of vomiting, ≤5 episodes of retching, minimal interference with eating) of emesis. On the basis of our experience in this trial, we conclude that the combination of low dose (8 mg) intravenous ondansetron plus dexamethasone is a well-tolerated and highly cost-effective antiemetic strategy for individuals receiving carboplatin-based chemotherapy.
Effect of storage on lysine-enriched corn, millet and sorghum

Samples of corn and sorghum enriched with 0.4% lysine monohydrochloride and millet enriched with 0.5% lysine monohydrochlo ride were stored for 90 days in relative humidities of 67.2-70.0% and 81.0-83.0%. Temperatures of 25°C and 35°C for 12 hr each were maintained in a cyclic system. Added lysine was lost from each of the enriched meals at a relative humidity of 81-83% whereas the lysine-enriched meals stored at relative humidities of 67.2-70.0 did not decrease. At relative humidities of 81-83%, corn with added lysine lost 28.8%, millet with added lysine lost 34.7% and sorghum with added lysine lost 23.5%.
Factors in truck crashes on roadways with intersections

Accident prediction models have been used to identify factors that may contribute to crashes at a particular location. Models have been developed separately for highway locations and for intersections. Few accident prediction models have been developed specifically for truck crashes on roadways affected by traffic signals. On arterial roadways with a large number of intersections, it is difficult to isolate the relationship between accidents and specific geometric features, including intersections, because of the proximity of many of these elements to each other. For this reason, an accident prediction model that treats intersections as a geometric feature on the roadway may allow for both the impact of the intersection and of the geometric features of the adjacent roadway segments to be accounted for in one model. By using a database developed for truck accidents in New Jersey for 1998 and 1999, an overall analysis of truck accidents at signalized intersections along US-1 in New Jersey was performed. A P...
Defibrination syndrome in an infantborn after abruptio placentae

A severe defibrination syndrome occurring in an infant after abruptio placentae is presented. The unmeasurable fibrinogen and depressed clotting factor levels are considered to be due to intravascular coagulation.
On Quantizer Design for Distributed Bayesian Estimation in Sensor Networks

We consider the problem of distributed estimation under the Bayesian criterion and explore the design of optimal quantizers in such a system. We show that, for a conditionally unbiased and efficient estimator at the fusion center and when local observations have identical distributions, it is optimal to partition the local sensors into groups, with all sensors within a group using the same quantization rule. When all the sensors use identical number of decision regions, use of identical quantizers at the sensors is optimal. When the network is constrained by the capacity of the wireless multiple access channel over which the sensors transmit their quantized observations, we show that binary quantizers at the local sensors are optimal under certain conditions. Based on these observations, we address the location parameter estimation problem and present our optimal quantizer design approach. We also derive the performance limit for distributed location parameter estimation under the Bayesian criterion and find the conditions when the widely used threshold quantizer achieves this limit. We corroborate this result using simulations. We then relax the assumption of conditionally independent observations and derive the optimality conditions of quantizers for conditionally dependent observations. Using counter-examples, we also show that the previous results do not hold in this setting of dependent observations and, therefore, identical quantizers are not optimal. Index Terms
INHIBITION OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES BY LIQUID SMOKE AND ISOEUGENOL, A PHENOLIC COMPONENT FOUND IN SMOKE

The behavior of Listeria monocytogenes was monitored in wiener exudate or Tryptose Broth (TB) in the presence of liquid smoke (CharSol Supreme) or smoke ingredients (i.e., phenols and acetic acid). L. monocytogenes grew in untreated exudate held at 25C, but was inactivated in the presence of 0.2 and 0.6% liq'iid smoke (D-values of 36 and 4.5 h, respectively). Of 11 individual phenols tested, only isoeugenol exhibited antilisterial activity in TB at 37C. Growth of the pathogen in the presence of isoeugenol (100 ppm) was inhibited to a greater extent in TB acidified with acetic acid to pH 5.8 compared to pH 7.0. These studies confirm the potent antilisterial activity of liquid smoke and establish the potential of isoeugenol for controlling the growth of L. monocytogenes in certain processed meats.
Cell adhesion proteins and the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders.

Current theories on the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) maintain that the associated cognitive and behavioral symptoms are caused by aberrant synaptic transmission affecting specifi...
Matrix-Free Numerical Continuation and Bifurcation

A numerical continuation method traces solution branches of a nonlinear system which is typically obtained by discretizing a parameter dependent operator equation. The method is called matrix-free if the Jacobian of H is not calculated explicitly, but its action on a vector is given via a difference approximation of a directional derivative. In connection with modern (transpose-free) iterative linear solvers, this is a suitable approach for large systems. We give an introduction into the technique of matrix-free numerical continuation and analyze those recent approaches to numerical bifurcation which permit a matrix-free approach. A sequence of MATLAB codes, which can be viewed as a blueprint for the numerical implementation of this approach, is currently under construction and will be made available on the internet. Parts of this manuscript are based on the 200 page article [2]. *This work was supported in part by the NSF under contect number DMS-9870274.
Three-dimensional dual-band stacked microbolometer design using resistive dipoles and slots

A dual-band microbolometer with separate absorption of each wavelength band would be desirable for multispectral applications. In addition, a three dimensional (3D) stacked structure would be advantageous for size and integration in focal plane arrays. We present designs for a 3D stacked dual-band microbolometer based on the in-band and out-of-band reflection and transmission characteristics of resistive dipoles and slots. The mechanism of individual absorption in each layer of a dual-band microbolometer is analyzed and simulated to allow the resistive slot layer to efficiently absorb the LWIR band while a superposed resistive dipole layer absorbs the MWIR band. The top dipole layer is designed to have peak absorption at 5 μm, with a second underlying slot layer and mirror layer designed to have peak absorption at 10 μm. The stacked combination of two different types of layers provides highly efficient wavelength selective absorption, yielding calculated power absorption efficiency of nearly 100 % for both LWIR and MWIR bands.
Tolerance to the tremorogenic effects of harmaline: Evidence for altered olivo-cerebellar function

Administration of the beta-carboline alkaloid, harmaline, causes the neurons of the inferior olive to fire synchronously and to act as a pacemaker for the generation of tremor. Rats treated daily with harmaline showed a progressive loss of drug-induced tremor. This tolerance was long-lasting and specific. No cross-tolerance was noted to the drug oxotremorine. Prevention or attenuation of tremor by pretreatment with diazepam or morphine preserved the tremorogenic capacity of harmaline when administered alone. These results suggest a relatively permanent change in the olivo-cerebello-bulbar pathway that underlies the generation of tremor induced by harmaline. Treatment with harmaline also increased cyclic 3',5'-guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in the cerebellum, presumably through activation of the climbing fiber pathway from the inferior olive to the cerebellar cortex. These increases were attenuated after repeated treatment. These results suggest that the site of tolerance to the tremogenic effects of harmaline lies within the olivo-cerebellar system.
Surface tension of normal and branched alkanes

We present results illustrating the effects of using explicit summation terms for the r − 6 dispersion term on the interfacial properties of normal and branched alkanes. We study two all-atom force fields, the OPLS force field of Jorgensen et al. and the exponential-6 force field of Smith and co-workers. We find that the OPLS force field offers excellent agreement with experimental data for surface tension at low temperatures, while the Smith force field agrees well at lower molecular weights. Cutting off the dispersion term at a finite distance r c can have pronounced effects on interfacial properties, with as much as a 20% reduction in the measured liquid–vapour surface tension for r c = 12 A. Our results also suggest the need for long simulation for normal alkanes, as equilibrium values are not reached for nearly 3 ns or more. Examining the effect of molecular weight on the surface tension, we find that the data for both force fields show excellent agreement with the dependence proposed in the literature.
An enhanced technique for simulating short-circuit power dissipation

A circuit-simulation technique which permits the measurement of the average short-circuit power dissipation component in integrated circuits using SPICE is presented. It is an extension of a previously presented scheme by S.M. King (see ibid., vol.21, no.5, p.889-91, 1986) which measures average power dissipation while circuits are being simulated. The extended technique is most appropriate for low-power circuit design. It can be applied effectively to any complementary circuit structure, such as CMOS, that does not permit current flow (other than leakage current) during steady-state operation. Results for differently W/sub p//W/sub n/ ratioed W/sub p//W/sub n/ CMOS circuits are shown. >
Behavioral and physiological responses to central administration of corticotropin-releasing factor in the bluebanded goby (Lythrypnus dalli)

Central manipulation of neuromodulators is critical to establishing causal links between brain function and behavioral output. The absence of a rigorous method of evaluating intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection efficacy in small model organisms is one reason why peripheral administration of neuroactive substances is more common. We use the bluebanded goby (Lythrypnus dalli), a small, highly social fish, to 1) validate our method of i.c.v. injection by testing the hypothesis that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) elevates ventilation rate (VR) and 2) propose a novel bioassay using basal physiology and behavior during recovery from anesthesia/i.c.v. administration to assess injection efficacy, neuromodulator activity, and procedural confounds. Central CRF administration significantly increased ventilation rate, demonstrating successful delivery of CRF to the brain. There were no significant differences in cortisol among treatments. The injection procedure did, however, decouple the temporal relationship between the initiation of ventilation and time to regain equilibrium present in control fish. Importantly, neither i.c.v. vehicle nor CRF injection affected the initiation of ventilation, disrupted the stereotyped recovery pattern following anesthesia, or initiated an endocrine stress response. Taken together, we suggest that 1) i.c.v. injection can be effectively used to manipulate central levels of CRF in L. dalli and 2) physiological and behavioral recovery from anesthesia may be used to evaluate injection/technique efficacy. We will use these data in future studies as a measure of effective CRF delivery, to allow for appropriate recovery from i.c.v. injection, and to better evaluate independent effects of CRF on social and/or sexual behavior.
Social/sexual awareness of persons with autism: a parental perspective.

A parental survey that addressed the social sexual awareness, sex education, and sex behaviors of persons with autism, a developmental disability is provided. Questionnaires from 100 caregivers of persons with autism 9 years of age and older and with the DSM-III-R diagnosis were analyzed. Eighty-five percent of respondents were mothers, 8% both parents, 5% fathers, and 2% others; 32% of the persons with autism were female and 68% male with an age range of 9.1 to 38.9 years'. The verbal level of the person with autism related to parents' beliefs about the relevance of sex relations (Z 2 = 6.99, p < 0.05) and sex education (X 2 = 22.9L p < 0.001). No relationship between parents' report of the verbal level of the individual and the display of inappropriate sexual behaviors was found (Z 2 = 2.56, ns). Parents of males were more concerned about theu" son being taken advantage of by a same-sex person (X 2 = 15.90, p < 0.001); parents of females were worried about an oppos#e-sex person (X 2 = 4.06, p < 0.05). Parental concerns and beliefs regarding sexuality varied and could not be generalized. The nonsignificant finding regarding verbal level and display of inappropriate sexual behaviors suggests that the need for sex education is best determined by the behaviors of the person rather than the functioning or verbal levels.
Analysing partitioning of recently fixed and of reserve carbon in reproductive Phaseolus vulgaris L. plants

Abstract. Partitioning of recently-fixed carbon among plant organs and subsequent distribution of reserve carbon were studied by supplying whole shoots of bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with 14C-labelled CO2 of constant specific radioactivity throughout a photoperiod. The gain of tracer carbon in each part revealed net accumulation of recently-fixed carbon from direct fixation, import or both. Growth rate coefficients describing the present pattern of plant growth were calculated from ratios of tracer carbon to total carbon present in plant organs and were used to project future plant form. The period 10–20 d after the start of flowering was marked by a major increase in partitioning of recently-fixed carbon to reproductive growth. Growth rates for the plant and its parts during this period were projected on the basis of growth rate coefficients and were found to be similar to rates measured by gravimetric growth analysis. Changes in tracer carbon recovered in individual organs after chase periods of various lengths revealed net decreases for leaves and stems. About 9% of the carbon distributed to fruits came from reserves even in the absence of obvious stress. Respiratory loss during the chase period was determined from the progressive drop in recovery of the original tracer carbon. The methods are being applied to measure current net accumulation rates in studies of sink organ physiology, and to compare partitioning of recently-fixed and of stored carbon in several plant species under defined growth conditions.
The Perils of Eighteenth-Century Peacemaking: Austria and the Treaty of Belgrade, 1739

The Treaty of Belgrade, concluded in 1739, ended over fifty years of Austrian expansion at the expense of the Ottoman Empire. From the siege of Vienna in 1683 to the Peace of Passarowitz in 1718, the Austrians enjoyed almost absolute supremacy on the battlefield and at the peace table, forcing the Turks deep into the Balkan peninsula and adding to the Habsburg possessions such cities as Buda, Pest, Timisoara, Cluj, Debrecen, and finally Belgrade, guardian of the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers and bastion of Austrian might in southeastern Europe. Given these successes and the apparent decline of the Ottoman state, in the 1720's and 1730's Austria appeared capable of establishing its hegemony over most of the remaining Turkish possessions in Europe.
DIP: a double-interval-based dynamic voltage scaling scheme for dynamic priority-based task scheduling systems

The goal of dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) is to reduce CPU energy consumption without degrading applications' quality-of-service (QoS). In general-purpose systems, in which a variety of tasks are scheduled by a traditional dynamic priority-based task scheduler, existing DVS schemes tend to degrade the QoS by causing urgent tasks having low priorities to starve because these schemes ignore the behavior of dynamic priority-based task schedulers. In this paper, we propose the 'double-interval-based DVS scheme for priority-based task scheduling systems (DIP)', which better manages time-sensitive tasks' QoS by bridging the gap between CPU speed scheduling and dynamic priority-based task scheduling. We describe how DIP determines an appropriate CPU speed for a group of coexisting tasks considering tasks' priorities, using an improved interval-based algorithm so that the CPU-time requirements of the low priority time-sensitive tasks in the group can be satisfied. Another novel feature of DIP is that it separates QoS-control from throughput-control via two different interval-based algorithms, which allows more energy savings when throughput is not a primary concern. Trace-based simulations show that, depending upon target systems' primary concern, DIP generally provides better energy savings at comparable QoS or better QoS at comparable energy savings, respectively, compared to existing DVS schemes.
Radial profiles of seismic attenuation in the upper mantle based on physical models

SUMMARY Thermally activated, viscoelastic relaxation of the Earth’s materials is responsible for intrinsic attenuation of seismic waves. Seismic observations have been used to define layered radially symmetric attenuation models, independent of any constraints on temperature and composition. Here, we interpret free-oscillation and surface wave attenuation measurements in terms of physical structures, by using the available knowledge on the physical mechanisms that govern attenuation at upper-mantle (<400 km) conditions. We find that observations can be explained by relatively simple thermal and grain-size structures. The 1-D attenuation models obtained do not have any sharp gradients below 100 km, but fit the data equally well as the seismic models. The sharp gradients which characterize these models are therefore not required by the data. In spite of the large sensitivity of seismic observations to temperature, a definitive interpretation is limited by the unknown effects of pressure on anelasticity. Frequency dependence of anelasticity, as well as trade-offs with deeper attenuation structure and dependence on the elastic background model, are less important. Effects of water and dislocations can play an important role as well and further complicate the interpretation. Independent constraints on temperature and grain size expected around 100 km depth, help to constrain better the thermal and grain-size profiles at greater depth. For example, starting from a temperature of 1550 K at 100 km and assuming that the seismic attenuation is governed by the Faul & Jackson’s (2005) mechanism, we found that negative thermal gradients associated with several cm grain sizes (assuming low activation volume) or an adiabatic gradient associated with ∼1 cm grain size, can explain the data. A full waveform analysis, combining the effects on phase and amplitude of, respectively, elasticity and anelasticity, holds promise for further improving our knowledge on the average composition and thermal structure of the upper mantle.
MicroRNAs and HIV-1 Infection: Antiviral Activities and Beyond

Cellular microRNAs (miRNAs) are an important class of small, non-coding RNAs that bind to host mRNAs based on sequence complementarity and regulate protein expression. They play important roles in controlling key cellular processes including cellular inception, differentiation and death. While several viruses have been shown to encode for viral miRNAs, controversy persists over the expression of a functional miRNA encoded in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genome. However, it has been reported that HIV-1 infectivity is influenced by cellular miRNAs. Either through directly targeting the viral genome or by targeting host cellular proteins required for successful virus replication, multiple cellular miRNAs seem to modulate HIV-1 infection and replication. Perhaps as a survival strategy, HIV-1 may modulate proteins in the miRNA biogenesis pathway to subvert miRNA-induced antiviral effects. Global expression profiles of cellular miRNAs have also identified alterations of specific miRNAs post-HIV-1 infection both in vitro and in vivo (in various infected patient cohorts), suggesting potential roles for miRNAs in pathogenesis and disease progression. However, little attention has been devoted in understanding the roles played by these miRNAs at a cellular level. In this manuscript, we review past and current findings pertaining to the field of miRNA and HIV-1 interplay. In addition, we suggest strategies to exploit miRNAs therapeutically for curbing HIV-1 infectivity, replication and latency since they hold an untapped potential that deserves further investigation.
The Krakatoa Air—Sea Waves: An Example of Pulse Propagation in Coupled Systems

The theory of pulse propagation in an atmosphere coupled to an ocean is applied to the air-sea waves excited by the explosion of the volcano Krakatoa. Numerical results for a realistic atmosphere-ocean system show that the principal air pulse corresponds to the fundamental gravity mode GR_0. A small sea wave is associated with the mode GW_0 with phase velocities close to the √(gh) velocity of the ocean. Free waves with this velocity exist in the atmosphere and transfer energy to the ocean in an efficient manner. These air waves ‘jump’ over land barriers and re-excite the sea waves. An explosion of 100–150 megatons is required to produce the equivalent of the Krakatoa pressure disturbance.
A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis and Theory of Postpartum Depression

To synthesize existing qualitative literature on the first-hand experiences of women suffering from postpartum depression (PPD), to uncover potential common themes, a meta-synthesis of 12 qualitative studies using Noblit and Hare's 7-phase model of meta-ethnography was used. Four themes were discovered: crushed maternal role expectation, going into hiding, loss of sense of self, intense feelings of vulnerability, plus practical life concerns. A preliminary theory of PPD as a 4-step process is proposed, based on the relationships between the themes in this meta-synthesis. This 4-step process is compared and contrasted with Cheryl Tatano Beck's 4-stage theory of PPD "Teetering on the Edge". This meta-synthesis and theory offers a significant contribution to the literature in helping identify PPD distinctly from depression outside of the postpartum period, and deserves further study.
Regulation der Atmung

Die spontane Atmung hangt von rhythmischen Impulsen des Atemzentrums in der Medulla oblongata ab; sind die efferenten Verbindungen vom Zentrum zu den Atemmuskeln unterbrochen oder ist das Zentrum selbst zerstort, so hort die Atmung auf. Die Atembewegungen bei Ruhe werden durch intermittierende Impulssalven in den motorischen Nerven der Inspirationsmuskeln ausgelost; Steigerung der Ventilation wird durch vermehrte inspiratorische Aktivitat sowie durch Aktivierung der Exspirationsmuskeln nach jeder Inspiration ermoglicht.
Fight club: a unique weapon in the wing of the solitaire, Pezophaps solitaria (Aves: Columbidae), an extinct flightless bird from Rodrigues, Mascarene Islands

The solitaire (Columbidae; Pezophaps solitaria) of Rodrigues was an extinct giant flightless pigeon and the sister taxon to the dodo (Columbidae; Raphus cucullatus) from neighbouring Mauritius. The appearance and behaviour of the solitaire was recorded in detail by two observers before it became extinct in the mid 1700s. They described a prominent wing structure termed the ‘musket ball’ (carpal knob), which was used as a weapon and to produce an audible signal by either sex in territorial combat. Our study of subfossil solitaire bones from cave localities shows that the carpal knob formed after skeletal maturity, and reached its greatest size in adult males. We describe the morphology of the carpal knob, including its histology in thin section. It is an outgrowth of the processus extensorius of the carpometacarpus, but differs morphologically from homologous structures in other bird taxa, and thus is unique in Aves. We also compare the pectoral and wing osteology of the solitaire with that of the dodo, which had a similar morphology, but lacked any bony outgrowths on the wing. Furthermore, we suggest some biological and environmental factors leading to the evolution of this remarkable and unique carpal weapon. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, ••, ••‐••. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: bird behaviour ‐ intraspecific combat ‐ Pezophaps solitaria ‐ Raphus cucullatus ‐ sexual dimorphism ‐ territory.
Origin and organization of pigment epithelial apical projections to cones in cat retina

The apical surface of the retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) in the cat extend long sheetlike membranes that wrap concentrically above and around cone outer segments forming the cone sheath. The origin and organization of these sheetlike projections were studied in serial sections by electron microscopy. The apical surface of the RPE cells was found to consist of a thin zone of anastomosing ridges, or microplicae, from which longer projections extend. The lamellar projections forming the cone sheath originate from the microplicae as small cytoplasmic tabs that rapidly expand into broader sheets. Growth of individual sheets to their final size and shape continues by lateral and longitudinal expansion, fusion, and subdivision of the membrane. The small area of connection to the cell body allows the lamellae to overlap and interdigitate in forming the complex organization of the sheath. Microfilaments but not microtubules extend into the apical processes. RPE cilia (9 + 0 microtubules) with associated basal bodies, striated rootlets, and microtubules mark the location of retinal cones. These structures may be part of a microtubule organizing center that participates in morphogenesis of the cone sheath. They also may be involved in anchoring the apical projections forming the sheath, or in the movement of apical projections during the phagocytosis of outer segment discs shed from cone tips.
Low‐density polyethylene vessel reactors: Part I: Steady state and dynamic modelling

By the use of a perfectly mixed model and an imperfectly mixed one for lowdensity polyethylene vessel reactors, we show that increases in the initiator consumption with polymerization temperature are due to mixing limitations at the initiator feed. With all its parameters independently estimated, the imperfectly mixed model provides an excellent agreement with experimental data for several initiators, feed flow rates and polymerization pressures. In the temperature region of industrial interest for each type of initiator, the open-loop reactor dynamics drastically change from open-loop unstable, at low temperatures, to open-loop stable at high polymerization temperatures.
Book Review: Plasmalogens: Workhorse Lipids of Membranes in Normal and Injured Neurons and Glia:

Plasmalogens are unique glycerophospholipids because they have an enol ether double bond at the sn-1 position of the glycerol backbone. They are found in all mammalian tissues, with ethanolamine plasmalogens 10-fold higher than choline plasmalogens except in muscles. The enol ether double bond at the sn-1 position makes plasmalogens more susceptible to oxidative stress than the corresponding ester-bonded glycerophospholipids. Plasmalogens are not only structural membrane components and a reservoir for second messengers but may also be involved in membrane fusion, ion transport, and cholesterol efflux. Plasmalogens may also act as antioxidants, thus protecting cells from oxidative stress. Receptor-mediated degradation of plasmalogens by plasmalogen-selective phospholipase A2 results in the generation of arachidonic acid, eicosanoids, and platelet activating factor. Low levels of these metabolites have trophic effects, but at high concentration they are cytotoxic and may be involved in allergic response, in...
Energy Efficient Opportunistic Network Coding for Wireless Networks

We consider energy efficient network coding design in wireless networks with multiple unicast sessions. Our approach decomposes multiple unicast sessions into a superposition of multicast and unicast sessions, with coding occurring only within each session. We give an optimization approach that is more general than the existing poison-remedy optimization formulation. For the case of wireless, we consider XOR coding and give an achievable rate region for a primary interference model. To simplify network operation, we give an oblivious backpressure algorithm which does not optimize overhearing of transmissions, and a practical protocol called COPR based on the oblivious backpressure algorithm. Simulation experiments show that COPR largely reduces network power consumption over existing algorithms.
SEQUENTIAL RELAPSES OF BLASTIC CRISIS MAY INVOLVE DIFFERENT CLONES OF CELLS WITH DIFFERENT MOLECULAR ABNORMALITIES

Summary A patient with typical Ph1-positive CML was studied during sequential phases: (1) initial chronic phase, (2) first myeloid blast crisis, (3) second chronic phase, and (4) accelerated disease leading to a second blast crisis. A point mutation in codon 239 of the p53 gene and a novel chromosome 17 alteration appeared concomitantly with the first blast crisis and then disappeared with re-establishment of a second chronic phase. They did not reappear with the second acute phase, indicating that the clone responsible for the original blast crisis had been suppressed and supplanted by another clone of malignant cells. This observation suggests that in at least some CML patients drug therapy can suppress or eliminate an aggressive malignant cell clone, but that the underlying molecular defect in haemopoietic cells (in this case the c-ABL translocation) persists and other aggressive clones with different molecular lesions eventually arise. Our observations and inferences are consistent with the hypothesis advanced by Fialkow et al (1991) to explain clonal remissions in acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia.
Channel capacity model of binary encoded structured light-stripe illumination

A common approach to structured light-illumination measurement is to encode a surface topology successively with binary light-stripe patterns of variable spatial frequency. Each surface location is thereby encoded with a binary sequence associated with its height. By analyzing the lateral displacements of the reflected encoded pattern, one can reconstruct the surface topology without ambiguity. We present a model for multistripe analysis in terms of an information channel for which the maximum spatial stripe frequency is related to channel capacity and maximized accordingly by use of Shannon’s theorems. The objective is to improve lateral resolution through optimized spatial frequency while maintaining a fixed range resolution. Given an optimized spatial frequency, a technique is presented to enhance lateral resolution further by multiplexing the light structure. Theoretical and numerical results are compared with experimental data.
Glucose deprivation induces heme oxygenase-1 gene expression by a pathway independent of the unfolded protein response.

Abstract Nutrients such as glucose regulate the expression of genes that are involved in plasma membrane transport, metabolic functions, and protein trafficking in the endoplasmic reticulum. Depletion of nutrients results in cellular stress, which evokes adaptive and protective responses, one of which is the induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a 32-kDa endoplasmic reticulum enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in heme degradation. Incubation of HepG2 human hepatoma cells in glucose-free medium resulted in an increased HO-1 mRNA content, reaching a maximum of ∼25-fold over control cells after 12 h. The glucose-dependent induction of HO-1 mRNA was concentration-dependent (k ∼0.5 mm) and was attenuated by fructose, galactose, mannose, and 2-deoxyglucose, but not by the non-metabolizable glucose analog, 3-O-methylglucose. Tunicamycin, thapsigargin, or azetidine 2-carboxylate, each of which activates the unfolded protein response pathway, did not induce HO-1 mRNA expression, whereas glucose-regulated protein 78 mRNA was increased. These results demonstrate that glucose availability regulates transcription of the HO-1 gene via a pathway that is different from the unfolded protein response. The induction of HO-1 may serve as a protective response in hypoglycemic circumstances and underscores the importance of understanding nutrient control of the HO-1 gene.
Prevalence of Obesity in New York Nursing Homes: Associations With Facility Characteristics

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY With the growing obesity epidemic, the proportion of obese U.S. nursing home (NH) residents has increased. Little is known about the characteristics of facilities that serve obese residents. We identified facility characteristics associated with risk-adjusted obesity prevalence, based on resource dependence theory. DESIGN AND METHODS Information on residents' admission records from the Minimum Data Set for New York State was linked with the NH Compare and the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting databases for CY2005-2007. Three facility-level outcome variables were rates of risk-adjusted obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30), mild-to-moderate obesity (30 ≤ BMI < 40), and morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40). Facility characteristics included financial resources, staff resources, quality of care, operational efficiency, and other resources. Individual-level factors were used to calculate risk-adjusted obesity rates. Multivariate regression models were employed. RESULTS Higher staffing was positively related to obesity rates. Every 0.1 increase in the staffing ratio was related to higher obesity (3.9%) prevalence, mild-to-moderate obesity rate (2.6%), and morbid obesity prevalence (4.6%). Facilities with poorer quality had higher obesity rates. Presence of any quality of life (QL) deficiency was associated with higher obesity (3.2%), mild-to-moderate obesity (2.5%), and morbid obesity (3.6%). IMPLICATIONS Facilities more likely to provide care to obese residents appear to be characterized by higher resource use and poorer quality. Policymakers may need to pay closer attention to the financial implications that the growing population of obese residents may have on NHs, as well as the extent to which this trend may affect facilities' resources and the quality of care they provide.
Conjunctivitis in children. A refresher survey of diagnosis and contemporary treatment

The management of acute conjunctivitis need not be confusing. In the newborn period the common etiologic agents are chemical, TRIC, and bacterial. The latter two causes are effectively treated with sulfacetamide ophthalmic preparations. Dacryostenosis should be suspected in any child with recurrent conjunctivitis in the first six months of life. With older children the major causes can be classified as viral, allergic, foreign bodies, and bacterial. Bacterial conjunctivitis almost always responds to sulfacetamide ophthalmic preparations.
The Popes and Nazi Germany: The View from Madrid

1 o the casual reader it might appear that the historical controversy over Pope Pius XII and the question of his silence over the destruction of the European Jews has been resolved. First prompted by Rolf Hochhuth's forceful drama, The Deputy, the controversy escalated with a fluriy of books and articles appearing in the mid-1960s. Then, when the Holy See began publishing some of its documents, a few more works appeared in the 1970s and early 1980s. This lull apparently prompted historian John Conway to observe in 1987 that "the general public has lost interest in the subject."1 This is not quite true. A recent article published in The Tablet by the producer of a BBC production on Pius XII and the Jews prompted such a response that the letters column was filled for weeks afterward with comments both pro and con.2 The issue is still very much alive. In Hochhuth's play, Pius XII is portrayed as a germanophilie cold and calculating cleric, selfishly concerned with protecting himself and the institutional Church from the ravages of war, and favoring the Germans in their war against Soviet bolshevism. Some historians, pick ing up the theme, also point out the probability that the pontiff was unwilling to create a crisis of conscience for the German people by condemning their Fuhrer.3 The pope's defenders on the other hand
Admissible Subspace TRajectory Optimizer (ASTRO) for Autonomous Robot Operations on the Space Station

This paper presents the development of a real-time path-planning optimization approach to controlling the motion of space-based robots. The algorithm is capable of designing a trajectory for a robot to navigate within complex surroundings that include numerous obstacles (generalized shapes) and constraints (geometric and performance limitations). The methodology employs a unique transformation that effectively changes a complex optimization problem into one with a positive definite cost function that enables high convergence rates for complex geometries, enabling its application to real-time operations. This strategy was implemented on the Synchronized Position Hold Engage Reorient Experimental Satellite (SPHERES) test-bed on the International Space Station (ISS), and iterative experimental testing was conducted onboard the ISS during Expedition 17 by the first author.
Enzymatic C(sp3)-H Amination: P450-Catalyzed Conversion of Carbonazidates into Oxazolidinones

Cytochrome P450 enzymes can effectively promote the activation and cyclization of carbonazidate substrates to yield oxazolidinones via an intramolecular nitrene C–H insertion reaction. Investigation of the substrate scope shows that while benzylic/allylic C–H bonds are most readily aminated by these biocatalysts, stronger, secondary C–H bonds are also accessible to functionalization. Leveraging this “non-native” reactivity and assisted by fingerprint-based predictions, improved active-site variants of the bacterial P450 CYP102A1 could be identified to mediate the aminofunctionalization of two terpene natural products with high regio- and stereoselectivity. Mechanistic studies and KIE experiments show that the C–H activation step in these reactions is rate-limiting and proceeds in a stepwise manner, namely, via hydrogen atom abstraction followed by radical recombination. This study expands the reactivity scope of P450-based catalysts in the context of nitrene transfer transformations and provides first-tim...
Correlation of pituitary ribonucleic acid levels and ACTH production following adrenalectomy and cortisone administration.

SummaryThe concentration of RNA in pituitary tissue was determined following various periods of adrenalectomy and prolonged cortisone treatment. Elevations of pituitary RNA at 1/2 and 48 hours post-operatively correlate with increased tissue content of ACTH reported for the post-adrenalectomy periods. Reduction in level of tissue RNA following cortisone administration likewise correlates with decreased amounts of ACTH in pituitaries reported after such treatment. The data, utilizing tissue RNA as an index of protein hormone synthetic activity. provide further information that indicate adrenal cortical steroids regulate synthesis of ACTH.
Debris Flows and Hyperconcentrated Floods Along the Wasatch Front, Utah, 1983 and 1984

The Wasatch Front north of Salt Lake City has a recurrent history of debris flows. Two distinctly different types of climatic events—summer thunderstorms and rapid spring snowmelts—have triggered debris flows. Heavy autumn rains, exceptional winter snowpacks, and cool and extended springs followed by sudden warming characterized weather during 1983 and 1984. As a result of these climatic events, large amounts of water were rapidly added to the landscape, resulting in several hundred landslides, many of which subsequently mobilized into debris flows and (or) hyperconcentrated floods. Reconnaissance during June of 1983 revealed many hillsides with recently active landslides that had moved slightly but had not mobilized, or had only partially mobilized, as debris flows. The presence of these partly-detached landslides prompted an investigation of the potential for future debris flows. Wieczorek and others (1983) developed a technique for evaluating the potential for debris flows and hyperconcentrated floods to reach the canyon mouths, based on three assumptions: 1) debris flows would occur in response to a large influx of water to the soils, either from a thunderstorm or rapid snowmelt; 2) the partly-detached landslides were the most likely sources for future debris flows; and 3) debris-flow material incorporated from channels would be proportional to that from landslide sources. The climatic and debris-flow events of 1984 were sufficiently similar to those of 1983 that we could evaluate these assumptions. Slightly fewer debris flows occurred in 1984 than in 1983, consistent with a slightly lower snow-pack water content and slightly slower rate of melting. Debris flows occurred near the rapidly receding snowline, apparently as a result of the large influx of water into the soils there. On an areal basis, partly-detached landslides identified in 1983 were statistically significant as sources for debris flows in 1984. In the few documented cases, the contribution of material scoured from channels was variable but very high and appeared significantly influenced by the geomorphic condition of the stream channel.
Plasma lipids and desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol: a meta-analysis *

Objective To review the literature to determine the magnitude of the effect of 150 μ g desogestrel-30 μ g ethinyl E 2 , an oral contraceptive (OC) formulation, on plasma lipid concentrations in healthy women using meta-analysis techniques. Data sources All English-language published reports (1981 to 1991) on lipid parameters in women taking 150 μ g desogestrel and 30 μ g ethinyl E 2 for up to 6 months obtained via an Embase database search and via a subsequent review of the reference lists. Methods of study selection Of 98 articles, 18 met eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Data extraction and synthesis Data on total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides were extracted. The change in each parameter from baseline to cycle 6 was estimated as a weighted mean of changes reported in each study; a standard error of the estimate was calculated. This procedure was validated by goodness-of-fit tests. Results The following statistically significant changes from baseline to cycle 6 were estimated (mean ± SE): HDL-C: 0.15 ± 0.02 mmol/L (5.80 ± 0.62 mg/dL); triglycerides: 0.28 ± 0.03 mmol/L (24.49 ± 2.59 mg/dL); and LDL: −0.12 ± 0.04 mmol/L (−4.53 ± 1.55 mg/dL). There was a nonsignificant trend toward an increase in total cholesterol. Conclusion When given in combination with 30 μ g ethinyl E 2 , desogestrel increased HDL-C and triglycerides and decreased LDL-C. The positive impact on HDL-C and LDL-C suggests that a potential cardioprotective benefit (rather than an atherosclerosis risk) may occur with prolonged use of such an OC, but this hypothesis will be difficult to prove.