cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of acute glucagon removal on the metabolic response to stress hormone infusion in the conscious dog

The effect of acute glucagon removal on glucose metabolism following long-term (70-hour) stress hormone infusion (day 3) was investigated in 20-hour-fasted conscious dogs. Stress hormone infusion increased arterial plasma glucagon, cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine (approximately fivefold), as well as arterial plasma glucose (delta 82 +/- 16 mg/dL) and insulin (delta 26 +/- 5 microU/mL). After assessing basal glucose metabolism on day 3, the long-term glucagon infusion was discontinued (n = 6), and the remaining hormones were infused for an additional 180 minutes. Constant glycemia was maintained by an exogenous glucose infusion. In five dogs, the stress hormone infusion containing glucagon was continued for 180 minutes. Glucose production and gluconeogenesis were assessed using tracer and arteriovenous-difference techniques. Acute removal of glucagon decreased arterial plasma glucagon from 220 +/- 24 to 32 +/- 4 pg/mL and net hepatic glucose output (delta 1.6 +/- 0.3 mg/kg/min). Net hepatic handling of lactate, alanine, and glycerol was not altered. The efficiency of gluconeogenesis, on the other hand, was decreased by 40%. Liver biopsies taken following discontinuation of glucagon indicated that both 3H- and 14C-glucose accumulated in glycogen. The calculated rate of plasma glucose and gluconeogenic precursor diversion to glycogen increased by fivefold and fourfold, respectively. The increased gluconeogenic precursor diversion to glycogen accounted for 58% of the decrease in the efficiency of gluconeogenesis. In conclusion, acute removal of glucagon during stress hormone infusion decreased net hepatic glycogenolysis in the face of prevailing hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, while having minimal effects on the gluconeogenic process per se.
Accounting for Divestitures: A Comparison of Sell‐Offs, Spin‐Offs, Split‐Offs, and Split‐Ups

In the 1990s, the financial press has frequently announced corporate spin‐offs and split‐offs. Financial accounting textbooks, though, contain little or no coverage of spin‐offs, split‐offs and other types of divestitures. This paper discusses the reasons for divestitures, identifies four types of divestitures, describes the characteristics and common conditions associated with each type, reviews the accounting standards and federal income tax rules and regulations pertaining to each type, illustrates the application of the accounting standards for each type and discusses the potential impact of these accounting standards and tax rules and regulations on a corporation's choice of one type of divestiture over another. As such, this paper may be used as a supplement in an upper‐division financial accounting course.
Endogenous antigen tunes the responsiveness of naive B cells but not T cells.

Mature B cells encounter antigens during development that induce anergy or functional unresponsiveness; this large reservoir of dormant autoreactive B cells may serve as a pool of extended antibody specificity for purposes of protective immunity, as well as the source of pathogenic autoantibodies that characterize rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. This study demonstrates that B cells encounter autoantigens during development and that autoreactive B cells persist in the mature repertoire, but become less responsive or anergic to B-cell antigen-receptor stimulation, thereby avoiding autoimmunity. Autoreactivity seems to correlate with the threshold of B-cell activation so that only foreign antigens interacting with B cells at a level greater than the cells' inherent autoreactivity will be activated. The authors speculate that this large reservoir of dormant autoreactive B cells may act as a source of pathogenic autoantibodies in rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. In humans, up to 75% of newly generated B cells and about 30% of mature B cells show some degree of autoreactivity1. Yet, how B cells establish and maintain tolerance in the face of autoantigen exposure during and after development is not certain. Studies of model B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) transgenic systems have highlighted the critical role of functional unresponsiveness or ‘anergy’2,3. Unlike T cells, evidence suggests that receptor editing and anergy, rather than deletion, account for much of B-cell tolerance4,5. However, it remains unclear whether the mature diverse B-cell repertoire of mice contains anergic autoreactive B cells, and if so, whether antigen was encountered during or after their development. By taking advantage of a reporter mouse in which BCR signalling rapidly and robustly induces green fluorescent protein expression under the control of the Nur77 regulatory region, antigen-dependent and antigen-independent BCR signalling events in vivo during B-cell maturation were visualized. Here we show that B cells encounter antigen during development in the spleen, and that this antigen exposure, in turn, tunes the responsiveness of BCR signalling in B cells at least partly by downmodulating expression of surface IgM but not IgD BCRs, and by modifying basal calcium levels. By contrast, no analogous process occurs in naive mature T cells. Our data demonstrate not only that autoreactive B cells persist in the mature repertoire, but that functional unresponsiveness or anergy exists in the mature B-cell repertoire along a continuum, a fact that has long been suspected, but never yet shown. These results have important implications for understanding how tolerance in T and B cells is differently imposed, and how these processes might go awry in disease.
Absorption and distribution of radioactivity from suppositories containing 3H-benzocaine in rats

Abstract The effects of the suppository vehicle, drug concentration, and nonionic surfactants on in vitro benzocaine dialysis through a cellulose membrane and on rectal absorption in rats of total radioactivity following administration of 3 H-benzocaine were investigated. In vitro dialysis correlated quite well with in vivo absorption, and drug release was greater from water-soluble vehicles than from oleaginous vehicles. Inclusion of a nonionic hydrophilic or lipophilic surfactant in cocoa butter resulted in a statistically significant increase for in vitro drug release, while a lipophilic surfactant showed little effect in vivo and a hydrophilic surfactant depressed release in vivo. Both types of surfactant had small effects on release from polyethylene glycol. In vitro release of benzocaine from some commercially available suppositories was compared with experimental preparations. Variation in blood radioactivity following administration of the same concentration of 3 H-benzocaine in the same dosage form in male and female rats is reported.
Whitehead torsion, group extensions, and Zeeman's conjecture in high dimensions

WE WORK in the category of finite C W complexes, writing L < K if L is a subcomplex of K, and writing K ~ L if L < K and K deformation retracts to L. The Whitehead group of the group G is denoted Wh(G). If K xt L then r(K, L) E Wh(~'tL) denotes the Whitehead torsion of the pair (K, L). We shall assume a basic knowledge of Whitehead torsion theory. (See [1] or [8] for background material.) The purpose of this paper is to study the problem of realizing Whitehead torsion elements by relative 2-complexes: If ~'o E Wh(rr,L) then we define the dimension of I"o by
Spatio-temporal object relationships in image sequences using adjacency matrices

In this work, we bring together object tracking and digital watermarking to solve the spatio-temporal object adjacency problem in image sequences. Spatio-temporal relationships are established by embedding objects with unique digital watermarks and then by propagating the watermark frame by frame. Watermark propagation is accomplished by an existing object tracking module so that a tracked object acquires its watermark from the correspondences established by the object tracker. The spatio-temporally marked image sequences can then be searched to establish spatial and temporal adjacency among objects without using traditional spatio-temporal graphs. Borrowing from graph theory, we construct binary adjacency matrices among tracked objects and develop interpretation rules to establish a track history for each object. Track history can be used to determine the arrival of new objects in frames or the changing of spatial and temporal positions of objects with respect to each other as they move through time and space.
Slow and Fast Light in Semiconductors

Rapid progress has been made in achieving control in group velocity of optical signals. We review advances of ultraslow and fast light in semiconductors and their applications. We examine key figures of merit. We will discuss results obtained using semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) and optical injection locking vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (OILVCSELs)
A criterion for hypoellipticity of operators constructed from vector fields

(1979). A criterion for hypoellipticity of operators constructed from vector fields. Communications in Partial Differential Equations: Vol. 4, No. 6, pp. 645-699.
Arsenic compounds in marine and terrestrial organisms: Analytical, chemical and biochemical aspects

Arsenic has a reputation as a poison, because arsenic trioxide was used during medieval times as an agent for murder. Lingering memories of these events make any arsenic-containing material suspect. Toxicity is a property of a specific compound and varies with the composition and structure of compounds. Developments in analytical methodology made it possible not only to determine total arsenic in a variety of matrices but also arsenic compounds. Knowledge about the arsenic cycle in marine systems has expanded considerably during the past decade. The marine arsenic cycle appears to be more complex than the cycle in the terrestrial environment. More attention must be given to the minor arsenic-containing compounds detected in organisms and experiments should be undertaken that provide information about the biochemical pathways used for the transformation of arsenic compounds.
Extensions to the Chatoyant O/E CAD Framework forModeling Micro-Opto-Electronic Systems

Chatoyant is a mixed signal CAD tool developed at the University of Pittsburgh and University of California, San Diego. The tool has been extensively used to design and simulate free space opto-electronic interconnect systems.[1] Chatoyant is capable of performing end-to-end system simulations, with analyses including bit error rate (BER), insertion loss, cross talk, and mechanical tolerancing.
ASSOCIATION OF TRIPHALANGEAL THUMBS, CAFE AU LAIT SPOTS AND LEUKEMIA

Triphalangeal thumbs (TrTh) have been linked with 3 syndromes involving bone marrow dysfunction: Fanconi pancytopenia and Blackfan-Diamond (both autosomal recessive) and Aase-Smith (? X-linked recessive). The present patient may represent a 4th such association, since the combination of findings is novel. Studies have been made on an 18 8/12 year old girl with TrTh who showed cafŕ au lait skin lesions and acute lymphocytic leukemia. Heart is normal. Her first symptoms were fatigue and anemia (Hgb. 9.9 gm%; Hct. 29.9%) which improved on iron and Imferon therapy. Subsequent studies revealed a hvpercellular bone marrow consistent with acute lymphocytic leukemia. There was 86% blasts which were Sudan black B negative and PAS positive. At this time peripheral blood was essentially normal, including platelets. Cytogenetic analysis of bone marrow cells showed two main cell lines: one with 46, XX karyotype and the other with a wide range of distribution (between 48 and 97). The latter cell line is believed to be derived from malignant bone marrow cells. There appeared to be no increase in chromosome breaks, nor were examples of quadriradial figures or endoreduplication seen. The kindred has 7 persons in 4 generations with abnormal thumbs (2 with polydactyly). Pattern is autosomal dominant. The proposita's father (affected) died at a relatively young age of “cancer”, and one of her affected aunts had “anemia”.
Infrared intensity and charge transfer in hydrogen dimers

Abstract Direct evaluation of the dipole derivative μ′ for overlapping H 2 dimers is consistent with the vibron oscillator strength of ≈ 10 −5 at the 150 GPa transition of dense hydrogen. The angular anisotropy of μ′ follows closely the σ−σ ∗ overlap for charge transfer (CT) between closed-shell H 2 molecules. We relate electron-vibron coupling above 150 GPa to CT models for ion-radical solids and conjugated polymers.
Variations in U.S. Pediatric Burn Injury Hospitalizations Using the National Burn Repository Data

An understanding of population-specific variation in pediatric burn injuries is essential to the development of effective prevention strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the etiology of pediatric burn injury considering age and race categories using the National Burn Repository. The authors reviewed the records of all pediatric patients (age <18 years) in the American Burn Association's National Burn Registry injured between 1995 and 2007. The authors compared patient and injury characteristics across race, age, etiology, and payor status. A total of 46,582 patients were included in this study. The etiology of burn injury varied by both age and race. Populations of color were younger, constituting 53.8% of patients younger than 5 years, whereas 53.9% of the total study population identified as Caucasian. Scald etiology was disproportionately less common in patients identifying as Caucasian (39.9 vs 61.4%, P < .001), and scald was a common etiology in older children identifying as African American, Asian, and Hispanic. Inhalation injuries were also higher in patients identifying as Native American (5.4%), Hispanic (4.2%), and African American (3.7%). Pediatric burn injury etiology varies with age and race. These data should encourage careful consideration of race, age, and other differences in formulating the most effective, population-specific prevention and outreach strategies.
Future Considerations Concerning Geodynamics: ABSTRACT

The past decade has seen remarkable advances in ideas about the earth and the origin of its surface features. Among the most significant results of efforts during this decade is the realization that the tectonically active belts may be considered as the edges of large lithospheric plates moving relative to each other. In addition, there is evidence of lateral inhomogeneities in the mantle which may be related to the driving mechanism for these motions. It is difficult to overstate the importance of these ideas in drawing together the different disciplines which make up the earth sciences. It is time for a second look at these ideas. The short term movements in the seismically active belts appear to be related to the long term movements preserved in the geologic record, hence, it is possible to study process as well as result. It also is apparent that there have been major movements, primarily vertical, within the lithospheric plates that are apparently unrelated to the relative horizontal movements of the plates. The International Council of Scientific Unions has established a new Commission, the Inter-Union Commission on Geodynamics, to encourage research in these areas and to provide international coordination of efforts. End_of_Article - Last_Page 336------------
A hollow discharge duoplasmatron as a negative hydrogen ion source

Abstract Preliminary results are reported on a hollow discharge duoplasmatron for the production of negative hydrogen ions. A beam current of more than 5 mA was extracted.
Epithelial Sodium Channel Pore Region STRUCTURE AND ROLE IN GATING

Epithelial sodium channels (ENaC) have a crucial role in the regulation of extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure. To study the structure of the pore region of ENaC, the susceptibility of introduced cysteine residues to sulfhydryl-reactive methanethiosulfonate derivatives ((2-aminoethyl)methanethiosulfonate hydrobromide (MTSEA) and [(2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl]methanethiosulfonate bromide (MTSET)) and to Cd2+ was determined. Selected mutants within the amino-terminal portion (αVal569–αTrp582) of the pore region responded to MTSEA, MTSET, or Cd2+ with stimulation or inhibition of whole cell Na+ current. The reactive residues were not contiguous but were separated by 2–3 residues where substituted cysteine residues did not respond to the reagents and line one face of an α-helix. The activation of αS580Cβγ mENaC by MTSET was associated with a large increase in channel open probability. Within the carboxyl-terminal portion (αSer583–αSer592) of the pore region, only one mutation (αS583C) conferred a rapid, nearly complete block by MTSEA, MTSET, and Cd2+, whereas several other mutant channels were partially blocked by MTSEA or Cd2+ but not by MTSET. Our data suggest that the outer pore of ENaC is formed by an α-helix, followed by an extended region that forms a selectivity filter. Furthermore, our data suggest that the pore region participates in ENaC gating.
Systems hierarchy as a basis for simulation model description

This paper elaborates an integrated hierarchy of model description formalisms previously proposed. We discuss the advantages of the hierarchical approach vis a vis a standardized universal model description language. Among the principal advantages are the opportunities provided for concise model specification while at the same time enabling equivalence testing of models expressed in diverse formalisms.
“We’re never been close, we’re very different”: Three narrative types in sister discourse

Drawing on interviews I conducted with women about their sisters, I identify three narrative types: small-n narratives, big-N Narratives and Master Narratives. Small-n narratives are accounts of specific events or interactions that speakers said had occurred with their sisters. Big-N Narratives are the themes speakers developed in telling me about their sisters, and in support of which they told the small-n narratives. Master Narratives are culture-wide ideologies shaping the big-N Narratives. In my sister interviews, an unstated Master Narrative is the assumption that sisters are expected to be close and similar. This Master Narrative explains why nearly all the American women I interviewed organized their discourse around big-N Narratives by which they told me whether, how and why they are close to their sisters or not, and whether, how and why they and their sisters are similar or different. In exploring the interrelationship among these three narrative types, I examine closely the small-n narratives told by two women, with particular attention to the ways that the involvement strategies repetition, dialogue, and details work together to create scenes. Scenes, moreover, anchor the small-n narratives, helping them support the big-N Narratives which are motivated in turn by the culturally-driven Master Narrative.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MOLAR PARTITION COEFFICIENT AND THE ULTRALOW INTERFACIAL TENSION MINIMUM IN A PETROLEUM SULFONATE/ HYDROCARBON/BRINE SYSTEM

ABSTRACT The partitioning of a sodium petroleum sulfonate between heptane and brine yields surfactants with different molar absorptivity and λmax values in the two phases, except near the point of minimum interfacial tension, e of the surfactant in the heptane phase increases sharply above the point of minimum interfacial tension between the two phases. The molar partition coefficient, MH/MW, for the surfactant between the heptane and brine phases is unity at surfactant concentrations in the brine phase below the point of minimum interfacial tension and drops sharply at concentrations above it. The critical micelle concentration of the surfactant in the aqueous phase equilibrated with the heptane phase is considerably below the concentration for minimum interfacial tension
Hypomorphic mutation in the site-1 protease Mbtps1 endows resistance to persistent viral infection in a cell specific manner

The prototypic arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), which naturally persists in rodents, represents a model for HIV, HBV, and HCV. Cleavage of the viral glycoprotein precursor by membrane-bound transcription factor peptidase, site 1 (Mbtps1 or site-1 protease), is crucial for the life cycle of arenaviruses and therefore represents a potential target for therapy. Recently, we reported a viable hypomorphic allele of Mbtps1 (woodrat) encoding a protease with diminished enzymatic activity. Using the woodrat allele, we examine the role of Mbtps1 during persistent LCMV infection. Surprisingly, Mbtps1 inhibition limits persistent but not acute viral infection and is associated with an organ/cell type-specific decrease in viral titers. Analysis of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells from woodrat mice supports their specific role in resolving persistent viral infection. These results support in vivo targeting of Mbtps1 in the treatment of arenavirus infections and demonstrate a critical role for dendritic cells in persistent viral infections.
Protein–DNA Complexes: Specific

Sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins recognize and interact with discrete base sequences in the genome to regulate fundamental metabolic processes. Keywords: DNA-binding proteins; DNA sequence recognition; DNA structure
Witness to Suffering: Mindfulness and Compassion Fatigue among Traumatic Bereavement Volunteers and Professionals

This study used a survey to investigate the relationship between mindfulness and compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among 41 volunteers and professionals at an agency serving the traumatically bereaved. Compassion fatigue comprises two aspects: secondary traumatic stress and burnout. Because prior research suggests that compassion satisfaction may protect against compassion fatigue, the authors hypothesized that (a) mindfulness would be positively correlated with compassion satisfaction, (b) mindfulness would be inversely correlated with compassion fatigue, and (c) there would be differences between respondents with a personal history of traumatic bereavement and those with no such history. Correlation analyses supported the first two hypotheses; an independent means t test did not provide evidence for the latter hypothesis, although the number ofnontraumatically bereaved respondents was small. Overall, this sample showed surprisingly high levels of compassion satisfaction and low levels of compassion fatigue, even among respondents thought to be at higher risk of problems due to personal trauma. Implications of these findings are particularly relevant for social workers and other professionals employed in positions in which they encounter trauma and high emotional stress.
Violent Video Games and Hostile Expectations: A Test of the General Aggression Model

Research conducted over several decades has shown that violent media increase aggression. It is now time to move beyond the question of whether violent media increase aggression to answering the question why violent media increase aggression. The present research tested whether violent video games produce a hostile expectation bias—the tendency to expect others to react to potential conflicts with aggression. Participants (N = 224) played either a violent or nonviolent video game. Next, they read ambiguous story stems about potential interpersonal conflicts. They were asked what the main character will do, say, think, and feel as the story continues. People who played a violent video game described the main character as behaving more aggressively, thinking more aggressive thoughts, and feeling more angry than did people who played a nonviolent video game. These results are consistent with the General Aggression Model.
Bifurcating solutions at the onset of convection in the Begard problem for two fluids

Abstract We consider two fluids with different thermal and mechanical properties arranged in parallel layers between two infinite horizontal plates. The bottom plate is kept at a higher temperature than the top plate. In the unbounded directions we impose periodic boundary conditions with the periods chosen such that the problem has hexagonal symmetry. In contrast to the Benard problem for one fluid, the onset of convection in the two-fluid Benard problem considering here can be oscillatory. The oscillations are essentially due to the competition between the destabilizing temperature gradient and a stable interface between the two fluids. The hexagonal symmetry of the problem causes a sixfold degeneracy of the critical eigenvalues. On the “abstract” level, Hopf bifurcations with this type of symmetry-induced degeneracy were investigated by Roberts, Swift and Wagner. They showed that there are eleven qualitatively different types of bifurcating solutions and they identified the parameters which determine the stability of these solutions. In this paper, we apply their results to the two-fluid Benard problem. Since the eigenfunctions at criticality are not explicitly known in this problem, we shall use a combination of analysis and numerical computation. In the examples we study, we find that most branches are subcritical and none are stable near the bifurcation point.
Individual differences in paired comparison data

Thurstonian models provide a flexible framework for the analysis of multiple paired comparison judgments because they allow a wide range of hypotheses about the judgments' mean and covariance structures to be tested. However, applications have been limited to a large extent by the computational intractability involved in fitting this class of models. This paper demonstrates that the Monte Carlo EM algorithm facilitates maximum likelihood estimation of Thurstonian paired comparison models even when the number of items is large. A paired comparison study is presented in detail to illustrate the estimation approach.
Role of Olf-1 and Pax-6 Transcription Factors in Neurodevelopment

The Olf-1 transcription factor is expressed in olfactory sensory neurons where it regulates the expression of genes that encode components of the odorant signal transduction cascade and contributes to the terminal phenotype of these sensory neurons. We examined the pattern of expression of Olf-1 protein during mouse embryogenesis and observed Olf-1 expression transiently in a subset of neural precursor cells in the CNS and peripheral nervous system. The expression of Olf-1 protein was enriched in sensory components and coincided with postmitotic cells and the initiation of overt differentiation within the nervous system. The spatial and temporal patterns of Olf-1 expression during development suggest a role in neurogenesis that is common among different neural cell types. In parallel, the expression pattern of Pax-6, a transcription factor that is widely expressed in the developing nervous system, including the visual and olfactory systems, was examined with a C-terminal antibody. In the retina, Pax-6 protein is detected in the lens, the cornea, and the neural and pigmented retinas. In the olfactory epithelium, Pax-6 protein is expressed exclusively in cells of non-neuronal lineage, including sustentacular cells, basal cells, and Bowman’s glands. The nonoverlapping, cellular localization patterns of Pax-6 and Olf-1 demarcate distinct cell lineages within the developing olfactory epithelium.
Physics and characteristics of high performance 1200 nm InGaAs and 1300–1400 nm InGaAsN quantum well lasers obtained by metal–organic chemical vapour deposition

Here we present the physics and device characteristics of high performance strain-compensated MOCVD-grown 1200 nm InGaAs and 1300–1400 nm InGaAsN quantum well (QW) lasers. Utilizing the GaAsP barriers surrounding the highly strained InGaAsN QW active regions, high performance QW lasers have been realized from 1170 nm up to 1400 nm wavelength regions. The design of the InGaAsN QW active region utilizes an In content of approximately 40%, which requires only approximately 0.5–1% N content to realize emission wavelengths up to 1300–1410 nm. Threshold current densities of only 65–90 A cm−2 were realized for InGaAs QW lasers, with emission wavelengths of 1170–1233 nm. Room temperature threshold and transparency current densities of 210 and 75–80 A cm−2, respectively, have been realized for 1300 nm InGaAsN QW lasers. Despite the utilization of the highly strained InGaAsN QW, multiple-QW lasers have been realized with excellent lasing performance. Methods for extending the lasing emission wavelength up to 1400 nm with InGaAsN QW lasers are also presented. Theoretical analysis and experiments also show suppression of thermionic carrier leakages in InGaAsN QW systems leading to high performance lasers operating at high temperature.
A general optimization framework for smoothing language models on graph structures

Recent work on language models for information retrieval has shown that smoothing language models is crucial for achieving good retrieval performance. Many different effective smoothing methods have been proposed, which mostly implement various heuristics to exploit corpus structures. In this paper, we propose a general and unified optimization framework for smoothing language models on graph structures. This framework not only provides a unified formulation of the existing smoothing heuristics, but also serves as a road map for systematically exploring smoothing methods for language models. We follow this road map and derive several different instantiations of the framework. Some of the instantiations lead to novel smoothing methods. Empirical results show that all such instantiations are effective with some outperforming the state of the art smoothing methods.
Query by attention: visually searchable information maps

This paper explores how the design of information spaces might be grounded in knowledge of human visual processing, notably what kinds of visual selection are most efficient. Information maps spatially array graphical symbols representing items of information and their attributes. Ideally their users should be able to do query by attention: answer questions about the information quickly by controlling visual attention (i.e., through spatial selection and visual search), instead of manipulating an interface. I propose a preliminary method for designing visually searchable maps based on experimental results about what kinds of visual search are easy. The hope is that the resulting maps will better employ the perceptual capabilities of their viewers when they search. An example information map of recent movies illustrates the approach.
Oxygen Effect in Diamond Deposition at Low Temperatures

Diamond thin films were deposited on different substrates at low temperatures (lowest temperature~ 300°C, estimated) in a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) system. The deposited films were amorphous carbon or diamond films depending on the different gas mixtures used. The growth rate of diamond thin films was decreased by adding oxygen to the gas mixture. The addition of oxygen to the gas mixtures was found to be important for diamond growth at low temperatures. Different concentrations of oxygen have been added into the gas mixture. Without oxygen, the deposited films were white soots and easily scratched off. Increasing the oxygen input improved the quality of the Raman peaks and increased the film transpancy. The diamond films were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Combined induction therapy with rabbit antithymocyte globulin and rituximab in highly sensitized renal recipients.

Compared to non-sensitized renal transplant recipients, patients with preformed alloantibodies are at greater risk of cellular and humoral rejection and premature graft failure. We explored the effects of adding B-cell depleting agent (rituximab) to standard rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (rATG) induction regimen for patients with panel reactive antibody levels >50%. Following induction therapy, 14 recipients were given two doses of rituximab (375 mg/m2) within the first month post-transplantation. Their long-term outcomes were compared to a historical control group of 23 recipients who received rATG alone. Graft survival at 5 years was superior with combination therapy compared to induction therapy alone (92.9 versus 48.3%, respectively, p = 0.02). While 30% of the rATG alone group experienced cellular rejection and 26% humoral rejection, none of rituximab plus rATG renal transplant recipients group had rejection. Thus, addition of rituximab to rATG provided superior outcomes to rATG alone. This combinat...
Web surveys as part of a mixed-mode strategy for populations that cannot be contacted by E-mail

Potential respondents to web surveys are usually contacted by e-mail. For general target populations, e-mail addresses are usually not available. This study explores whether a sequential mixed-mode web/ mail strategy can be used for such a population to encourage respondents to choose the web mode. In the authors' sequential mixed-mode web/mail survey, respondents were first encouraged to reply by web and in a follow-up were also offered mail questionnaires. Even though the target population (high school students) is presumed to be relatively computer savvy, the authors find that almost two thirds of the respondents nonetheless prefer responding by mail. In the first stage (when respondents can only reply on the web), phone reminders increase the number of web responses. In the second stage (when respondents may choose between responding by mail or by web), mail incentives increase the number of mail responses but do not affect the number of web responses.
Intracellular Trafficking of Plasmids for Gene Therapy: Mechanisms of Cytoplasmic Movement and Nuclear Import

Under physiologically relevant conditions, the levels of non-viral gene transfer are low at best. The reason for this is that many barriers exist for the efficient transfer of genes to cells, even before any gene expression can occur. While many transfection strategies focus on DNA condensation and overcoming the plasma membrane, events associated with the intracellular trafficking of the DNA complexes have not been as extensively studied. Once internalized, plasmids must travel potentially long distances through the cytoplasm to reach their next barrier, the nuclear envelope. This review summarizes the current progress on the cytoplasmic trafficking and nuclear transport of plasmids used for gene therapy applications. Both of these processes utilize specific and defined mechanisms to facilitate movement of DNA complexes through the cell. The continued elucidation and exploitation of these mechanisms will lead to improved strategies for transfection and successful gene therapy.
Effect of experience with nontraditional workers on psychological and social dimensions of occupational sex-role stereotyping by elementary school children.

AngloAmerican and Hispanic boys and girls ages 6 to 11 yr. (N = 219) were exposed to nontraditional workers within their elementary school classrooms. They rated 30 occupations as appropriate for men, women, or both men and women, on a pre- and posttest for a social dimension score (attribution of occupational sex-role stereotypes to others). Pre- and posttest fixed-choice selection of individual career aspirations indicated a psychological dimension score (individual job preference). Traditionality was measured from the child's point of view, not an adult concensus. Analysis shows: (a) When students are exposed to nontraditional role models their attitudes become less sex-typed on the social but not on the psychological dimension. (b) Sex and age affected career choices. (c) Historical-cultural (i.e., women's movement) events appear to have affected the children's attitudes on the social dimension.
Wiskott–Aldrich Syndrome at the nexus of autoimmune and primary immunodeficiency diseases

Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS) is a X-linked primary immunodeficiency disorder also marked by a very high (up to 70%) incidence of autoimmunity. Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome arises from mutations in the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein (WASp), a cytoplasmic protein that links signaling by cell surface receptors such as the T-cell receptor and integrins to actin polymerization. WASp promotes the functions of multiple cell types that support immune responses, but also is important for the function of regulatory T cells and in TCR-induced apoptosis, two negative mechanisms of immune regulation that maintain peripheral immune tolerance. Here we review the nature of immune defects and autoimmunity in WAS and WASp deficient mice and discuss how this single gene defect can simultaneously impair immune responses to pathogens and promote autoimmunity. The myriad cellular immune defects found in WAS make this Mendelian syndrome an interesting model for the study of more complex immune diseases that arise from the interplay of environmental and multiple genetic risk factors.
Ethnic differences in upper lip response to incisor retraction.

Introduction: The purpose of this retrospective longitudinal study was to investigate the response of the upper lip to incisor retraction and to ascertain the effect of ethnicity on this response. Methods: Pretreatment and posttreatment lateral cephalograms of 88 postpubertal female patients (44 black and 44 white; mean age, 18.45 years) were evaluated. The groups were matched by age and the amount of incisor retraction at incisor superius. Results: Although significant pretreatment differences existed between the groups in some cephalometric measurements, analysis of the treatment changes demonstrated significant differences only in incisor inclination. Hard and soft tissue changes of the black group were more downward, whereas changes in the white group were more backward. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the horizontal response of the upper lip to hard tissue changes at subnasale and superior labial sulcus was different in whites than in blacks. At subnasale, stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed that ethnicity contributed to the upper lip response to incisor retraction and was significantly greater in the white group. Conclusions: The hard and soft tissue treatment changes of the black group were more downward, and those of the white group were more backward. Ethnic differences exist in the soft tissue response to hard tissue changes in the upper lip, and at subnasale and the superior labial sulcus; however, these response differences at superior labial sulcus can be explained by the ethnic differences in initial lip thickness and incisor inclination; they are not due in and of themselves to ethnicity. The change at prosthion was significantly correlated with the response of the upper lip at labrale superius to incisor retraction. Ethnicity added no increase to the predictability of the response. When incisor retraction was performed, the final horizontal upper lip position could be accurately and reliably predicted.
The grand challenges of the Gates Foundation: what impact on global child health?

Millions of children in poor countries die each year from preventable diseases.1 This is not news. Since their inception, international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN), have dedicated countless hours and millions of dollars to alleviating this problem. More recently, a number of private foundations have become active in the work of childhood survival. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the leading financial supporters of global health, recently announced over US$ 450 million to be distributed in grants to 43 projects that address the Foundation's 14 Grand Challenges (Box 1).2 The programme aims to stimulate the creation of novel ways to prevent, treat and cure the diseases that kill millions of people each year in developing countries. In this paper we will explore the potential impact of some of goals of the Grand Challenges for global child health within the context of current international health initiatives including the Integrated Management of Child Diseases created by the WHO and UNICEF, the UN's Millennium Development Goals, and the Bellagio Study Group's assessment of the current state of global child survival in the developing world.
Creating social capital in MNCs: the international human resource management challenge

Social capital has assumed a critical role in the successful implementation of global strategy for multinational companies (MNCs). The article focuses on the ways in which the international human resource management (IHRM) system and those responsible for it influence the creation and utilisation of social capital in MNCs. It examines the challenges posed to IHRM by the wide diversity of definitions and manifestations of social capital found in the multiple cultural contexts of the global business environment and provides a framework on how to approach the cultural influences on the definitions and behavioural expressions of social capital. It also critically assesses the recommendations that have been made regarding developing social capital in MNCs, the competencies most critical to the ability to develop social capital in multiple cultural settings, and provides a set of recommendations for future research in this area.
Molecular Pathobiology of Gastrointestinal Stromal Sarcomas

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) form an interesting group of sarcomas whose unique pathobiology provides a model of how molecularly targeted therapeutics can have a major impact on patient welfare. Approximately 85% of GISTs are driven by oncogenic mutations in either of two receptor tyrosine kinases: KIT or plateletderived growth factor receptor α. We review the pivotal relationship between specific mutations in these kinase genes, the origin and pathologic spectrum of GISTs, and the response of these tumors to treatment with kinase inhibitors such as imatinib and sunitinib. Mechanisms of resistance to kinase inhibitor therapy are discussed, and targets for the next generation of therapeutics are considered. The rapid evolution in our understanding of GISTs, which stems directly from the close alliance of basic and clinical researchers in the field, illustrates the growing role of the molecular classification of solid tumors in the development of modern oncological treatments.
Vision change and quality of life in the elderly. Response to cataract surgery and treatment of other chronic ocular conditions.

• Objective. —Evaluation of health care in older populations has increasingly focused on quality of life as a critical outcome of treatment. Vision is assumed to be central to functioning. Data suggest that aging, in itself, is associated with a decline in visual functioning, which, in turn, is related to a decline in physical and mental functioning. Other studies indicate that cataract surgery is followed by significant improvement in vision and visual function. Our objective was to test these assumptions. Design.—Prospective study of 1021 patients, consecutively drawn from 76 randomly selected ophthalmologists' offices in three cities. Structured interviews were completed at baseline, 2 months, and 1 year after entry. Patients. —Six hundred thirteen patients with cataracts and 408 other ophthalmic patients drawn from the same offices but treated for other chronic ocular disorders. All received refractive services as needed. Setting. —Patients from three cities (Baltimore, Md, St Louis, Mo, and San Diego, Calif) were interviewed once in their homes and twice by telephone. Interventions. —The study involved the measurement of the effects of usual treatment for cataracts and other degenerative eye diseases. Major Outcome Measures. —Visual, social, and psychological functioning. Results. —Within 1 year of treatment, change in visual function was accompanied by significant changes, in the same direction, in quality of life functions: nighttime driving, daytime driving, community activities, home activities, mental health, and life satisfaction. In addition, the patients with cataracts showed significantly greater improvement in measures of vision than did the noncataract group. Conclusions. —Regardless of treatment, improvement across quality of life functions occurred when visual function improved. Thus, many types of functional degeneration observed in older populations, attributed to a decline in vision, can be slowed, or evenreversed, when visual function is improved. Cataract surgery was effective in improving vision and quality of life functions.
Intermittent positive pressure breathing; an adjunct in the rehabilitation of thoracic surgery patients.

In the past decade, important consideration has been given to the rehabilitation of post-operative thoracic surgery patients. Particularly in those institutions where large volumes of thoracic surgery have been done, the need for early restoration of shoulder function and chest motion has become obvious. As early as 1934, Miss Winifred Linton at the Brompton Hospital1 in London, instituted, under Mr. J. E. H. Roberts, a pioneer rehabilitation program in the field of non-tuberculous chest surgery. In 1938, Mr. Tudor Edwards initiated a program of controlled breathing and shoulder exercises for post-thoracoplasty patients, with special emphasis directed toward posture correction. It was largely through his interest that this type of treatment was brought to the attention of American physicians on duty in England during World Wan II. Since that time, similar rehabilitation programs have been adopted in this country, particularly in Army2’ 3, and Veterans’ Administration6’ 8 chest centers.
High power rechargeable batteries

Energy and power density are the key figures of merit for most electrochemical energy storage systems. Considerable efforts worldwide have been made to improve the energy density of rechargeable (secondary) batteries, as this is critical for most applications. As the penetration of batteries into ever more demanding applications has increased, power density, the allowed rate of energy transfer per unit volume or mass, is becoming equally important. High power density batteries have the potential to be rapidly charged, possibly in a few minutes or less, and can also deliver high peak discharge powers. Normally increases in power density are only possible through significant reductions in energy density, however emerging materials research is showing this needs not to be the case. Here we discuss emerging concepts in high power batteries, with a particular focus on Li-ion based chemistries.
Congestion Mitigation at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City: Potential of Schedule Coordination

With the significant growth in air traffic experienced during the past few decades, airport capacity has become an increasingly costly constraint. Flight delays reached record-high levels in 2007, with a nationwide impact estimated at more than $30 billion for that calendar year. At airports where capacity expansion and improvements in operational efficiency are not feasible, congestion could be mitigated in the short and medium terms through implementation of schedule coordination mechanisms. Such measures essentially reduce peak hour scheduling levels; however, these measures have been criticized for the constraints that they might create on airline scheduling. This paper presents a schedule coordination model that reduces flight delays while minimizing interference with airline scheduling and then applies the model to one of the most congested U.S. airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. The analysis suggests that it may be possible to reduce peak arrival and departure delays ...