cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corrosion of galvanized steel in animal waste environments

Abstract Specimens of seven different types of steel plate] were subjected to animal waste environments to determine resistance to corrosion during a 49-month trial. The metal types included: unpainted cold-rolled steel (BS), cold-rolled steel covered with epoxy paint (ECS), batch galvanized (BG), Galfan 60 (GF-60), Galfan 90 (GF-90), stainless steel (SS) and drawing quality galvanized (DQ). Specimens were exposed to dairy, swine and poultry manure in the following situations: manure collection pit, animal housing area, suspended over an anaerobic lagoon and submerged in an anaerobic lagoon. The manure collection pit environments caused the greatest amount of corrosion. Only the SS and BG specimens did not suffer metal loss for either the swine, dairy or poultry manure pits. All other metal types suffered appreciable metal loss in manure pit environments with the exception of GF-90 in the swine and dairy manure pits. Very little metal loss was observed on any of the specimens in the animal housing areas or those submerged in the anaerobic lagoons. Of the specimens positioned above the anaerobic lagoons only BS and ECS suffered metal loss.
Relevance weighting for combining multi-domain data for n-gram language modeling

Standard statistical language modeling techniques suffer from sparse-data problems in tasks where large amounts of domain-specific text are not available. In this paper, we focus on improving the estimation of domain-dependent n -gram models by the selective use of out-of-domain text data. Previous approaches for estimating language models from multi-domain data have not accounted for the characteristic variations of style and content across domains. In contrast, this work aims at differentially weighting subsets of the out-of-domain data according to style and/or content similarity to the given task, where “style" is represented by part-of-speech statistics and “content" by the particular choice of vocabulary items. In addition to n -gram estimation, the differential weights can be used for lexicon design. Recognition experiments are based on the Switchboard corpus of spontaneous conversations, with out-of-domain text drawn from the Wall Street Journal and Broadcast News corpora. The similarity weighting approach gives a 3?5% reduction in word error rate over a domain-specific n -gram language model, providing some of the largest language modeling gains reported for the Switchboard task in recent years.
New Technologies for New Learning Opportunities: Laying the Groundwork for a Successful Professional Development School/University Partnership

Current research (Adkins & Vasu, 2000; Casey & Rakes, 2002; Dawson and Rakes, 2003) supports technology training for teachers for the purpose of using this technology as an instructional tool in the classroom to improve student learning. To meet this request for teacher educators, it is important to provide quality professional development. Connecting local public school teachers with university faculty for training opportunities was an excellent starting point since our university could provide a high degree of instructional delivery. Our PDS start-up grant enabled us to offer a very successful workshop that provided monetary incentives, ACT 48 credits (PA requirement for teachers), and a positive view on the part of the teachers in using new technologies as well as strengthen a collaborative partnership between the University and a K-12 school district in order to improve student achievement.
An optimized method for determining cytochrome oxidase activity in brain tissue homogenates

We have developed a method to accurately and reproducibly determine the total activity of cytochrome oxidase (CO) in rat brain tissue homogenates. Previously, accurate measurements have been difficult to obtain because detergents, which are needed to disrupt membranes and unmask CO, also inhibit the enzyme by solubilizing certain phospholipids required for rapid turnover. We compared various methods of sample preparation, and found that maximal CO activity in homogenates could be obtained using specific concentrations of detergents. The range of optimal detergent concentrations was relatively narrow, as CO activity fell sharply with small deviations from the optimum. Of 5 detergents tested, deoxycholate stimulated CO maximally over the widest range of concentrations. In deoxycholate-treated homogenate samples, the calculated CO turnover number was about 480 s−1, indicating that overall enzyme activity was maximal or near maximal, and therefore that the total content of CO was probably detected. This method was reproducible with large or small samples (e.g., < 1 mg tissue), and should be applicable to studies of neural tissue in general.
PROVISIONING THE CEREN HOUSEHOLD: The vertical economy, village economy, and household economy in the southeastern Maya periphery

The Classic-period households of the Ceren village in the southeastern periphery of the Maya area provisioned themselves by one of three different economies. (1) Household members produced many items for intrahousehold use, including architecture, food, and some artifacts, with no input from outside. (2) Each household produced some commodity in excess of what they needed for their internal consumption, by means of part-time specialization, and they used this for exchange with other households within the village or nearby. This is termed the horizontal or village economy. The commodities included craft items such as groundstone tools and painted gourds as well as agricultural specialities such as agave for fiber. (3) Each household obtained distant exotic items, such as obsidian tools, jade axes, and polychrome serving ceramics, by exchanging their household surplus commodities in elite centers. In this paper, this is called the vertical economy. The choices available to commoner households in negotiating economic transactions in various elite centers gave them economic power and could have the effect of constraining the elite in setting exchange equivalencies. This is quite different from the view from the top of the pyramid which generally depicts commoners as the exploited class at the bottom of a powerful political and economic hierarchy.
Prefrontal cortical projections to the striatum in macaque monkeys: evidence for an organization related to prefrontal networks.

The organization of projections from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) to the striatum in relation to previously defined "orbital" and "medial" networks within the PFC were studied in monkeys using anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques. The results indicate that the orbital and medial networks connect to different striatal regions. The ventromedial striatum (the medial caudate nucleus, accumbens nucleus, and ventral putamen) receives input predominantly from the medial PFC (mPFC) and orbital areas 12o, Iai, and 13a, which constitute the "medial" network. More specifically, caudal medial areas 32, 25, and 14r project to the medial edge of the caudate nucleus, accumbens nucleus, and ventromedial putamen, whereas rostral areas 10o, 10m, and 11m are restricted to the medial edge of the caudate. Projections from orbital areas 12o, 13a, and Iai extend more laterally into the lateral accumbens and the ventral putamen. Area 24 gives rise to a divided pattern of projections, including fibers to the ventromedial striatum, apparently from area 24b, and fibers to the dorsolateral striatum, apparently from area 24c. Other areas of orbital cortex (11l, 12m, 12l, 13m, 13l, Ial, and Iam) that constitute the "orbital" network project primarily to the central part of the rostral striatum. This region includes the central and lateral parts of the caudate nucleus, and the ventromedial putamen, on either side of the internal capsule. The results support the subdivision of the orbital and medial PFC into "medial" and "orbital" networks and suggest that the prefrontostriatal projections reflect the functional organization of the PFC rather than topographic location.
Reduction of the same calcium current component by A and C kinases: Differential pertussis toxin sensitivity

Voltage-clamp techniques were used to study the effect of forskolin, 8-Br-cyclic AMP, and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) on the 3 voltage-dependent calcium current components of mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons in culture. Forskolin and 8-Br-cyclic AMP selectively reduced the transient high-threshold (N-type) calcium current component, an effect also produced by PDBu, a C kinase activator. Pretreatment of cultures with pertussis toxin prevented the reduction of calcium current by PDBu, but was without effect on the reductions produced by forskolin or 8-Br-cyclic AMP. These results support the contention that activation of both A and C kinases selectively affect calcium currents in vertebrate neurons by reducing the N-type calcium current component. While the activation of the C kinase required a G protein to exert its effect, the activation of A kinase did not.
Left-handed extensions of Maxwell's equations for metamaterials

Left-handed materials are commonly analyzed by using frequency-dependent parameters that include regions of negative permittivity and negative permeability in Maxwell's equations. An alternative approach is presented where both right-handed and left-handed behavior are supported by augmenting Maxwell's equations with additional terms. The proposed equations exhibit typical metamaterial behavior, including frequency bandgap and dispersion.
SU‐EE‐A3‐04: ROI‐Based Response Assessment Using Pre‐ and Post‐RT 18F‐FDG PET/CT

Purpose: To assess the therapy‐induced changes of head and neck cancers using 18F‐FDG PET/CT imaging studies performed prior to and following the completion of a course of radiotherapy (RT) through a region‐of‐interest based (ROI) analysis.Method and Materials: As part of an ongoing study, nine patients with carcinoma of the head and neck had PET/CT imaging studies performed prior to the start of treatment (range: 4 – 58 days; median: 36 days) and following the conclusion of treatment (range: 33 – 63 days; median: 59 days). RT contours, created with the Pinnacle treatment planning system and CT simulation images, from physician‐approved plans were collected to align with pre‐ and post‐RT PET/CT images. Utilizing in‐house developed software, the contours were deformed to the pre‐ and post‐RT PET/CT images through a non‐rigid registration. The non‐rigidly aligned RT contours were then used as ROIs to collect data from the pre‐and post‐RT PET images. The standard uptake value (SUV) was calculated assuming that identical structures were contained in the pre‐ and post‐RT deformed volumes, which were altered by anatomic changes as a result of RT. Results: For the GTV contour, the mean pre‐ and post‐RT SUV and standard deviation was (5.6 ± 0.9) and (2.4 ± 0.6), respectively. Within the GTV, the mean maximum SUV prior to RT was (23 ± 4.6), while after the conclusion of RT, the mean maximum SUV was (5.0 ± 1.9). Additionally, the mean ratio of the pre‐ to post‐RT mean SUV was (2.5 ± 0.7), indicating an overall decrease in uptake of the tracer in tissues within the GTV contour. Conclusion: Through the use of deformable image registration, the feasibility of 18F‐FDG PET/CT ROI‐based analyses of RT‐induced changes in patients with head and neck cancers has been demonstrated.
Control of larval release in the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus: role of chemical cues

The current model for larval release in subtidal crustaceans suggests that hatching time is controlled by the embryos, which release a pheromone that stimulates the parent female to undergo behaviors that synchronize larval release. Alternatively, hatching could be controlled by the females. Ovigerous spiny lobsters Panulirus argus (Latreille) exhibit stereotypic behaviors during larval release, including rapid abdominal extensions and pleopod-pumping activity. Ovigerous P. argus were collected from coral reefs in the Florida Keys, USA during the summers of 2005 and 2006. Pleopod-pumping activity was quantified to determine if a female’s pumping activity correlates with the developmental state of the embryos. The role of pheromones released by developing and hatching embryos in controlling pumping behaviors was tested by measuring the pumping response of ovigerous lobsters to (1) hatch water, (2) homogenized embryo water, (3) embryo-conditioned water (unhatched late-stage embryos soaked for 20 h), and (4) water containing homogenized post-hatch embryo cases. Bioassays were conducted under constant conditions (dim-red light) in the laboratory at random times during the day to control for any possible rhythm in pumping activity. Spontaneous pleopod-pumping activity increased significantly with increasing embryo development. Upon exposure to hatch water, ovigerous lobsters with late-stage embryos displayed increased pleopod pumping with increased treatment concentration. Water individually conditioned with homogenized late-stage embryos, intact late-stage embryos, and homogenized post-hatch embryo cases all induced larval release behaviors in females with late-stage embryos. Ovigerous females with early-stage embryos did not respond to water conditioned with homogenized early- or late-stage embryos. These results suggest that active substances are released by embryos at the time of hatching and induce the stereotypical pumping behaviors of the female that synchronizes larval release. The results support the model that larval release in subtidal crustaceans is controlled by pheromones released from hatching embryos.
Electrochemical paper‐based microfluidic devices

Self-pumping porous microfluidic devices have attracted significant interest because of their low cost and broad applicability in point-of-care and low resource settings. One limitation of many of the devices is sensitivity and selectivity for detection. Electrochemistry can provide a sensitive, selective detection method while still using low cost, portable instrumentation as typified by handheld glucometers. Here, the development of electrochemical paper-based analytical devices (ePADs) is reviewed. Given the importance of electrode geometry and composition, fabrication methods are reviewed first. This is followed by a review of example applications demonstrated for ePADs. Finally, major accomplishments and future directions are summarized.
Relationship between the fine structure of native cellulose and cellulose degradability by the cellulase complexes of Trichoderma reesei and Clostridium thermocellum

The initial rate of hydrolysis of six commercially available native (type l) celluloses was determined for the crude cellulase complexes of the thermophilic anaerobic bacterium C. thermocellum and the mesophilic fungus T. reesei. These rates were then compared with certain physical features of the substrates in an attempt to determine the role of cellulose structure in its degradability. Within the substrate series tested, the Clostridium system showed a greater relative range in rate of enzymatic hydrolysis than did the Trichoderma system. Average correlation coefficients for the kinetic rates from bacterial and fungal cellulases, respectively, and the following physical parameters were obtained: relative crystallinity index (RCl) from acid hydrolysis, -0.61 and -0.85; RCl from x-ray diffraction, -0.75 and -0.89; accessibility to formylation at 4 degrees C, + 0.49 and +0.60; nonaccessibility to formylation at 65 degrees C, -0.40 and -0.73; fiber saturation point, + 0.83 and + 0.85. Kinetic and pore volume distribution data suggest that the rate-limiting components of both the bacterial and fungal cellulase systems are of similar size, approximately 43 A along one axis.
Effect of caffeine on prospective and retrospective duration judgements.

The effects of caffeine on prospective and retrospective duration judgements were evaluated in a double-blind placebo-controlled experiment. After taking either 200 mg caffeine or a placebo, participants touched a 17-sided polygon for 15 s. Then they verbally estimated the number of angles and the duration. Participants in the prospective group were told in advance they would be making a duration estimate, whereas those in the retrospective group were not told. Caffeine reduced duration estimates in the prospective condition but not in the retrospective condition. The effect of caffeine on very long duration comparisons (the past year compared with a year at one-half and one-quarter of one's age) was also evaluated, but none was found. The findings do not support the hypothesis that caffeine affects duration experience by increasing the internal clock rate as a result of its dopamine D2 agonist properties. The hypothesis that caffeine produces its effect by enhancing memory was considered and rejected. The most parsimonious explanation is that caffeine increased arousal level, which led to a narrowing of the focus of attention to the most salient task. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sensory Studies of High Potency Multiple Sweetener Systems for Shortbread Cookies with and without Polydextrose

Time-intensity (TI) sweetness and bitterness curves determined for six potent sweetener combinations with and without polydextrose were compared to sucrose in shortbread cookies. Hardness, fracturability and cohesiveness of shortbreads were determined. Sweetener combinations of aspartame/cyclamate, aspartame/cyclamate/saccharin, acesulfame K/saccharin, aspartame/saccharin/acesulfame K, acesulfame K/aspartame and aspartame/saccharin gave sweetener TI profiles similar to that of sucrose. Bitterness TI profiles were similar for all potent sweetener combinations but higher than for sucrose. Polydextrose increased hardness and fracturability and decreased cohesiveness of cookies compared to those made with high potency sweeteners without polydextrose. Textural characteristics of polydextrose cookies approached those of sucrose shortbreads.
Study of unsteady state process operation

Unsteady state process operation has been studied for three common cases: (i) varying inputs (compositions and flow rate); (ii) processes themselves generating oscillations and (iii) combination of (i) and (ii) to see the combined effect. It is observed that sometimes operation at unsteady state, i.e. dynamic operation, gives higher productivity than the operation at steady state. The various parametric studies have been performed to study the effect of input fluctuations. Unsymmetrical fluctuations in process output have been observed with symmetric sinusoidal disturbances in process inputs. Chemical oscillatory behavior is found very sensitive to disturbance. The reactant concentration and temperature of the process output are found strongly dependent on each other. The variation in input composition is found to be prominent effect on the process output. The variation in temperature and overall heat transfer coefficient has significant effect in chemical oscillatory system, studied herein.
Impairment of endothelium-dependent dilatation of the basilar artery during diabetes mellitus.

The goal of this study was to determine whether responses of the basilar artery are altered during diabetes mellitus. We measured the diameter of the basilar artery in vivo in non-diabetic and diabetic rats (streptozotocin; 50–60 mg/kg i.p.). Responses of the basilar artery to agonists, which presumably produce dilatation by releasing endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), were impaired in diabetic rats compared to non-diabetic rats. Acetylcholine (1.0 and 10 μM) dilated the basilar artery by 13 ± 2 and 26 ± 4% (means±S.E.M.), respectively, in non-diabetic rats, but by only 13 ± 1 and 9 ± 2%, respectively, in diabetic rats (P < 0.05). Bradykinin (1.0 and 10 μM) dilated the basilar artery by14 ± 2 and 35 ± 6 % (means±S.E.M.), respectively, in non-diabetic rats, but by only5 ± 1 and 6± 2%, respectively, in diabetic rats (P < 0.05). The response to nitroglycerin was similar in non-diabetic and diabetic rats. Thus, impairment of vasodilatation in diabetic rats in response to acetylcholine and bradykinin is not related to non-specific impaired of vasodilation than impaired dilator responses of the basilar artery in response to acetylcholine and bradykinin in diabetic rats may be related to the activation of the throm☐ane A2-prostaglandin H2 receptor. SQ 29548 (a specific throm☐ane A2-prostaglandin H2 receptor antagonist) did not alter responses of the basilar artery to acetylcholine and bradykinin. These findings suggest that diabetes mellitus impairs endothelium-dependent dilation of the basilar artery. In addition, the mechanism of impaired responses of the basilar artery during diabetes mellitus does not appear to be related to the activation of the throm☐ane A2-prostaglandin H2 receptor.
Extrinsic curvature of semiconvex subspaces in Alexandrov geometry

In Alexandrov spaces of curvature bounded either above (CBA) or below (CBB), we obtain extrinsic curvature bounds on subspaces associated with semiconcave functions. These subspaces play the role in singular geometry of submanifolds in Riemannian geometry, and arise naturally in many different places. For CBA spaces, we obtain new intrinsic curvature bounds on subspaces. For CBB spaces whose boundary is extrinsically curved, we strengthen Perelman’s concavity theorem for distance from the boundary, deriving corollaries on sharp diameter bounds, contractibility, and rigidity.
Seeding with endothelial cells derived from the microvessels of the omentum and from the jugular vein: a comparative study.

Abstract Segments of an experimental polytetrafluoroethylene graft (9 cm long, 6 mm I.D.) of high porosity were implanted in 25 dogs as aortic interposition grafts. Nine grafts were seeded with a mean of 7 × 105 viable endothelial cells (ECs) derived from the jugular vein (group A) and eight were seeded with a mean of 7 × 105 viable ECs derived from the microvessels of the omentum (group B). Eight grafts were not seeded and they served as controls (group C). Animals were put to death 5 weeks after graft implantation. The thrombus-free area was measured at 81% ± 10% in group A, 65% ± 22% in group B, and 25% ± 13% in group C (p
Nanobiology and physiology of growth hormone secretion.

Growth hormone (GH) secretion is controlled by hypothalamic releasing hormones from the median eminence together with hormones and neuropeptides produced by peripheral organs. Secretion of GH involves movement of secretory vesicles along microtubules, transient ‘docking’ with the porosome in the cell membrane and subsequent release of GH. Release of GH is stimulated by GH releasing hormone (GHRH) and inhibited by somatostatin (SRIF). Ghrelin may be functioning to stimulate GH release from somatotropes acting via the GH secretagogue (GHS) receptor (GHSR). However, recent physiological studies militate against this. In addition, ghrelin does influence GH release acting within the hypothalamus. Release of GH from the somatotropes involves the GH-containing secretory granules moving close to the cell surface followed by transitory fusion of the secretory granules with the porosomes located in multiple secretory pits in the cell membrane. Other peptides/proteins can influence GH secretion, particularly in spec...
Spatial Scaling and Variability of Soil Moisture Over Heterogeneous Land Cover and Dynamic Vegetation Conditions

In this letter, near-surface and root-zone soil moisture (RZSM), land surface temperature (LST), leaf area index, and vegetation water content were simulated at different spatial scales for three land cover types in North Central Florida under dynamic vegetation conditions. Insights into expected retrieval errors in soil moisture (SM) due to assumptions of static landscape were obtained from differences in the estimates using the static and dynamic land covers. Maximum differences of about 0.04 m3/m3 in near-surface SM and RZSM, and 5.1 K in LST were observed between estimates obtained over the vegetated and bare-soil regions during dry-soil conditions. During wet conditions, the maximum differences in near-surface SM and RZSM increased to about 0.05 m3/m3, while those in LST decreased to 3.6 K. The RZSM simulations generated at the two resolutions of 200 m and 10 km were used to implement an upscaling algorithm based on averaging, to illustrate the use of the synthetic data set for upscaling studies. This letter highlights the importance of simulating land surface states at multiple scales for heterogeneous landscapes under dynamic vegetation conditions and for developing accurate SM retrieval and scaling algorithms.
Sex differences in β-amyloid accumulation in 3xTg-AD mice: Role of neonatal sex steroid hormone exposure

The risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is higher in women than in men, a sex difference that likely results from the effects of sex steroid hormones. To investigate this relationship, we first compared progression of β-amyloid (Aβ) pathology in male and female triple transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice. We found that female 3xTg-AD mice exhibit significantly greater Aβ burden and larger behavioral deficits than age-matched males. Next, we evaluated how the organizational effects of sex steroid hormones during postnatal development may affect adult vulnerability to Aβ pathology. We observed that male 3xTg-AD mice demasculinized during early development exhibit significantly increased Aβ accumulation in adulthood. In contrast, female mice defeminized during early development exhibit a more male-like pattern of Aβ pathology in adulthood. Taken together, these results demonstrate significant sex differences in pathology in 3xTg-AD mice and suggest that these differences may be mediated by organizational actions of sex steroid hormones during development.
Room-temperature, electrically-pumped multiple-active-region VCSELs with high differential efficiency at 1.55 [micro sign]m

All-monolithic, single-step grown, room-temperature, electrically-pumped vertical cavity lasers based on III-As compounds are presented with a threshold current density 570 A/cm/sup 2/, a differential efficiency greater than 50% and a threshold voltage of 3 V. The lasers employ three active regions, epitaxially stacked in series with Esaki junctions to increase the gain and the differential efficiency.
Extensive surface phenotyping of alveolar macrophages in interstitial lung disease.

Abstract There is increasing evidence implicating activated macrophages in the pathogenesis of interstitial and other lung diseases. We investigated whether there was a unique pattern of cell surface expression that constituted a disease-specific phenotype on alveolar macrophages from patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Macrophage cell surface receptor expression of 19 selected markers was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF, n = 4), scleroderma (SCL-ILD, n = 14), mild asthma (n = 7), allergy without asthma (n = 2), and normal subjects (n = 9). There was increased expression of adhesion receptors (CD11c, CD29, CD36, CD44, CD49e, CD54), receptors involved in signal transduction and/or inflammation (CD13, CD45, CD53), and other markers (CD9, CD52, CD71, CD98, HLA Class I) on macrophages from ILD patients compared to the non-ILD group. Most markers upregulated on macrophages in ILD were significantly inversely correlated with clinical parameters of disease activity such as FEV1, FVC, and DLCO and positively correlated with numbers of BAL neutrophils and eosinophils. Increased expression of several cell surface markers suggests that activated alveolar macrophages may contribute to the pathophysiology of IPF and SCL-ILD.
Measurement of electroconvulsive shock Intensity

This paper discusses the error introduced in administering ECS by calibrating intensity on the S’s dc rather than ac resistance. Since the ac resistance of rats and mice can be lower than their corresponding dc resistance by a factor of 50, calibrating on dc resistance can introduce appreciable error depending on the current regulation of the ECS device. Examples are included to illustrate the range of possible error. In addition, an alternative method for measuring ECS intensity is presented that greatly reduces measurement error including those due to between-animal resistance differences that necessarily occur when using the usual methods.
Kinetic Theory of the Sharp Leading Edge Problem in Supersonic Flow

The sharp leading edge problem is studied within the framework of the kinetic theory of gases. The Boltzmann equation with the Bhatnagar‐Gross‐Krook model is used as the governing equation. The method of discrete ordinates developed by Huang is applied. The local distribution functions for the entire flow field have been calculated for the case of supersonic flow, M∞ = 1.5; thus, the complete flow field has been generated for various plate temperature values. The calculated results offer considerable insight into the behavior of a rarefied gas flow as it traverses the complete spectrum of flow regimes from near‐free molecular to continuum, and present a meaningful connection between the near‐free molecule solution at the leading edge and the extended continuum theories in the interaction regimes. Comparison with the existing theories and experimental data show reasonably good agreement in all flow properties. For higher Mach numbers, however, a higher‐order quadrature is necessary. It is felt that the onl...
Molecular Interaction of α-Conotoxin RgIA with the Rat α9α10 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor

The α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) was first identified in the auditory system, where it mediates synaptic transmission between efferent olivocochlear cholinergic fibers and cochlea hair cells. This receptor gained further attention due to its potential role in chronic pain and breast and lung cancers. We previously showed that α-conotoxin (α-CTx) RgIA, one of the few α9α10 selective ligands identified to date, is 300-fold less potent on human versus rat α9α10 nAChR. This species difference was conferred by only one residue in the (−), rather than (+), binding region of the α9 subunit. In light of this unexpected discovery, we sought to determine other interacting residues with α-CTx RgIA. A previous molecular modeling study, based on the structure of the homologous molluscan acetylcholine-binding protein, predicted that RgIA interacts with three residues on the α9(+) face and two residues on the α10(−) face of the α9α10 nAChR. However, mutations of these residues had little or no effect on toxin block of the α9α10 nAChR. In contrast, mutations of homologous residues in the opposing nAChR subunits (α10 E197, P200 and α9 T61, D121) resulted in 19- to 1700-fold loss of toxin activity. Based on the crystal structure of the extracellular domain (ECD) of human α9 nAChR, we modeled the rat α9α10 ECD and its complexes with α-CTx RgIA and acetylcholine. Our data support the interaction of α-CTx RgIA at the α10/α9 rather than the α9/α10 nAChR subunit interface, and may facilitate the development of selective ligands with therapeutic potential.
Lifetimes of conditioned diffusions

We investigate when an upper bound on expected lifetimes of conditioned diffusions associated with elliptic operators in divergence and non-divergence form can be found. The critical value of the parameter is found for each of the following classes of domains:L p -domains (p=n−1), uniformly regular twistedL p -domains (p=n−1), and twisted Holder domains (α=1/3). A related parabolic boundary Harnack principle is proved.
Thiamine pyxophosphatase activity of the prenatal mouse molar. A histochemical investigation

Summary Thiamine pyxophosphatase (TPPase), an enzyme associated with the GOLGI apparatus, has been implicated in the regulation of cellular oxidation as well as of transport across cell membranes. This enzyme has been localized in odontogenic tissues of the postnatal mouse and it was the intent of the present study to localize TPPase during prenatal odontogenesis. Mouse fetuses (CD1, Charles River) 14 through 19 days postconception were decapitated, the heads were frozen and mounted on the chuck of a cryostat. Frontal sections, 141,tm thick, were air-dried and incubated for TPPase activity. Subsequent to incubation the activity was visualized by immersion in 1 ammonium sulfide. The degree of enzyme activity varied not only with the chronological age of the fetus but also as a function of the tissue's metabolic state. Regions, such as the dental lamina, evidenced decreased TPPase activity with increasing age, while tissue layers such as the IEE displayed greater enzyme activity with increasing age.
Stability and Predictive Validity of the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts-Revised among Black Kindergartners.

Abstract Children's mastery of basic concepts is fundamental to their understanding of verbal instructions and essential for early school achievement. A recognized source for the assessment of basic concepts is the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts (BTBC). This study focuses on the stability and predictive validity of the most recent edition of the BTBC, the Boehm-R. Black urban kindergartners between the ages of 58 months and 77 months ( N =58) were administered the Boehm-R in the fall. The following spring, the children were reevaluated on the Boehm-R and two criteria of academic achievement (Metropolitan Readiness Test; Cognitive Skills Assessment Battery) and two criteria of learning-related classroom behavior (Learning Behavior Scale; Study of Children's Learning Behaviors). The results extend previous findings for the Boehm-R by showing appreciable test-retest reliability and moderate to substantial predictive validity across the four external criteria. The implications are discussed in respect to the importance of basic concepts for the diagnosis and remediation of children's learning difficulties.
Hypersim: distributed discrete-event simulation on an iPSC

This paper describes HYPERSIM, a distributed discrete-event simulation system developed as a research test bed for distributed simulation synchronization techniques. HYPERSIM is a Fortran-based, GASP-like distributed simulation software system which runs on a 32-node Intel iPSC hypercube computer. The simulation system is used to evaluate and expand on the “conservative” synchronization techniques developed by K. Mani Chandy and Jayadev Misra [1]. HYPERSIM provides a complete distributed simulation environment with event and multi-use queues, lists, simulated clock management, automatic statistic collection and comprehensive result reporting.
Assessing the Relationship of CEO Compensation and Company Financial Performance in the Restaurant Segment of the Hospitality Industry

Abstract There is a perception that little relationship may exist between company performance and CEO compensation. CEOs have personal goals that can conflict with the interests of shareholders. One approach to resolving this has been to align the incentives of executives with the interests of the shareholders. This solution may affect how top executives behave, and the caliber of executives an organization attracts. Using the Nations Restaurant News Stock Index, this study examined the correlation between company performance and CEO compensation in the restaurant industry. Results show that a positive correlation exists, although weak, among CEO compensation, gross revenue, net income, and stock price. Regression analysis indicated that stock price was a statistically significant predictor of CEO compensation.
Burger King and Subway: key nutrients, glycemic index, and glycemic load of nutritionally promoted items.

Purpose The purpose of this investigation was to estimate the glycemic load (GL) of nutritionally promoted fast-food menu items and to compare menu items nutritionally. Methods Published glycemic index (GI) values and nutritional information from the Web sites of Subway and Burger King were used to calculate the GL of nutritionally promoted items. Menu items were compared based on calories, macronutrients, saturated fat, GI, and GL as basic items and as often served. Results Subway offered 7 low-fat (total/saturated fat: 3-5/1-2 g), low-calorie (230-330) sandwich options that had an average GL of 29. If the customer accepts the soda and baked potato chips, the total calories exceed 600 and the total/saturated fat becomes 13/4 g, with a doubling of the GL. The Burger King low-fat options contained 4.5 g total fat and 1.5 g saturated fat, with GLs of 53 to 54, and low-calorie options (265-310 calories) had low GLs (0-18.3). Adding fries and a soda brings the GL up from a 53 for just the sandwich to 123 for the meal. The bunless low-carb Whopper has the same fat content (total/saturated fat: 42/13g) as the original Whopper, but the GI and GL are zero. Conclusions The nutritional information for meal options available at Burger King and Subway can help the patient with diabetes make choices. Accepting the fries or chips and soda can dramatically increase the calories, carbohydrate, fat, and GL of the nutritionally promoted fast-food meal.
The potential size of the hospitalist workforce in the United States.

Abstract PURPOSE: In the United States, there are currently 1,000 to 2,000 physicians who specialize in inpatient hospital care. The number of such hospitalists appears to be growing rapidly, but the ultimate size of the hospitalist workforce is not known. METHODS: We obtained workload data from 365 practicing hospitalists who completed a survey by the National Association of Inpatient Physicians. We then estimated the number of potential hospitalists, based on published national hospital census data. We assumed that hospitalists would care for all medical inpatients, but only at hospitals large enough to require ≥3 hospitalists. We also made estimates based on the primary care physician referral base and international benchmarks. We estimated hospitalists' primary care referral base from telephone interviews with key informants. Official sources in England and Germany provided international workforce data. RESULTS: Hospitalists reported an average workload of 13 inpatients. To cover all adult medical inpatients in the United States, we estimate a potential workforce of 19,000 hospitalists. Sensitivity analysis yielded 10,000 to 30,000 hospitalists. Our alternative models yielded estimates within this same range. CONCLUSIONS: The future hospitalist workforce is potentially quite large. This finding highlights the need to evaluate the economic and clinical outcomes of hospitalist systems.
Picosecond Laser Chemistry in Supersonic Jet Beams

In this review we describe the development and the applications of the picosecond-jet technique, which utilizes a picosecond laser and a supersonically-cold jet beam of large molecules. The applications include studies of coherence (quantum beats), photodissociation, isomerization, and partial solvation. The results emphasize the role of intramolecular energy redistribution, and provide evidence for intramolecular threshold effect for rates vs. excess molecular energy. Simple theory for this redistribution of energy among certain modes in molecules is given, and comparison with RRKM calculation is also made to assess the nature of the statistical behavior for the redistribution.
Irinotecan in small-cell lung cancer: current data.

Abstract Irinotecan, a new topoisomerase I inhibitor, has significant activity in the treatment of untreated and previously treated patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). In combination with cisplatin, a Japanese randomized trial showed a statistically significant survival advantage over cisplatin/etoposide in chemotherapynaive patients with extensive-stage disease. This represents the first major advance in the treatment of extensive-stage SCLC in 20 years. Randomized trials in the United States are underway to confirm these impressive results. Meanwhile, trials incorporating irinotecan and cisplatin into treatment regimens for limitedstage disease are being conducted. Furthermore, irinotecan-containing regimens with other agents such as carboplatin, etoposide, and paclitaxel in first- or second-line therapies for SCLC are being evaluated. Preliminary results are encouraging. This article will highlight the exciting results achieved with irinotecan in SCLC and discuss its promising future in this disease.
AM-FM analysis over spatially bounded domains for applications in medical imaging

AM-FM analysis methods have been used in several biomedical imaging applications. In this paper, we are interested in the development of AM-FM analysis methods for small components, regions of interests (ROIs), and segmented objects.
Radiological assessment of target debris in the National Ignition Facility

Detailed activation analysis and dose rate calculations are performed for the different materials under consideration for use in the target capsules and hohlraums used during the ignition campaign on the National Ignition Facility. This analysis examined the impact of using Be-Cu and Ge-doped CH capsules on the external dose received by workers during maintenance activities. Five days following a 20 MJ shot, dose rates inside the Target Chamber (TC) due to the two proposed capsule materials are small (∼ 1 mrem/h). Gold and depleted-uranium (DU) are considered as potential hohlraum materials. Following a shot, Au will most probably get deposited on the TC first wall. On the other hand, while noble-gas precursors from the DU are expected to stay in the TC, most of the noble gases are pumped out of the chamber and end up on the cryo-pumps. The dose rates inside the TC due to activated Au or DU, at 5 days following a 20 MJ shot, are about 1 mrem/h. Dose rates in the vicinity of the cryo-pumps (containing noble “fission” gases) drop-off to about 1 mrem/h during the first 12 hours following the shot. A wait period of about 12 hours is recommended before transporting the fission gases outside the Target Bay for radchem analysis.
Diet and physical activity behavior among users of prescription weight loss medications

There is limited population-based data on diet and physical activity behaviors and weight loss among users of prescription weight loss medications. Most findings are from clinical settings or from research that includes organized behavioral programs. We analyzed data from the 1998 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an annual telephone survey conducted in all fifty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The sample consisted of 135,435 noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 years old and older. We determined the prevalence and odds of prescription weight loss medication use, odds of 10% weight loss, and among current weight loss medication users, the prevalence and odds for diet and physical activity behaviors. 10.2% of obese women and 3.1% of obese men reported using prescription weight loss medications in the past 2 years. Of users, 28.2% had lost at least 10% of their pretreatment body weight. The odds of losing at least this much weight were higher among women, those who usually consumed ≥ 5 fruits and vegetables daily and those who met physical activity recommendations. Among current prescription weight loss medication users, 26.7% reported both eating fewer calories and meeting recommended leisure-time physical activity levels (<40% of any group met both). Of those meeting both recommendations, almost half (47.2%) had lost 10% of their pretreatment body weight. Of current users, 9% reported using the medications for weight maintenance. Only 26.7% of prescription weight loss medication users reported following recommended diet and physical activity behaviors. Further research is needed to assess whether behavioral changes are associated with greater weight loss and maintenance among prescription weight loss medication users.
Phytophthora ramorum is a generalist plant pathogen with differences in virulence between isolates from infectious and dead-end hosts

Variation in virulence was examined among isolates of Phytophthora ramorum from epidemiologically important or infectious (non-oak) and transmissive dead-end (oak) hosts from North America. Twelve isolates representative of the genetic, geographic and host range of P. ramorum in the western United States were inoculated on leaves of Umbellularia californica (bay laurel or bay) and stems of Quercus agrifolia (coast live oak). In spite of extreme genetic similarity among the isolates employed, and even within the same genotype, significant differences in lesion size were measured, suggesting virulence in this pathogen is also controlled by epigenetic factors. A strong positive correlation between lesion size on bay laurel and coast live oak provides experimental evidence P. ramorum is a generalist pathogen that lacks host specificity. Isolates from non-transmissive oaks were significantly less pathogenic both on oaks and bays than isolates from infectious hosts. These results are essential to further our understanding of the epidemiology and evolutionary potential of this pathogen. A quantitative differential in virulence of isolates from hosts with different epidemiological roles has been described for many animal diseases, but is a novel report for a plant disease.
The effect of night temperature on chrysanthemum flowering: heat-tolerant versus heat-sensitive cultivars

Abstract The effect of night temperature on the flowering of heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive cultivars of potted chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum xgrandiflorum) was examined in four experiments over a period of 4 years. Temperature reductions were imposed only while the plants were under black cloth using a combination of air-conditioning and under-cloth ventilation. The two heat-sensitive cultivars tested were ‘Yellow Mandalay’ and ‘Coral Charm’ and the two heat-tolerant cultivars were ‘Iridon’ and ‘Dark Bronze Charm’. Differences in time-to-flower (TTF) between heat tolerance classifications were less than anticipated. TTF was affected the most in ‘Iridon’, a heat-tolerant cultivar, decreasing by an average of 4.2 days/°C as mean diurnal temperatures (MT) decreased from about 26°C to about 23°C. TTF was affected the least in ‘Coral Charm’, a heat-sensitive cultivar, decreasing by an average of 2.8 days/°C over the same range. Inflorescence diameter, on the other hand, increased by as much as 9% in the two heat-sensitive cultivars but by only about 4% in the heat-tolerant cultivars. The results suggest that the heat-tolerant cultivars tested here may have been classified based on consistency of flower quality rather than TTF.
Cracks in the Foundation: Frederick T. Gates, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the China Medical Board

As his lengthy career neared an end, Rockefeller advisor Frederick T. Gates made a bold and unsuccessful proposal to the trustees of the Rockefeller Foundation in 1924, asking them to invest $265 million in the China Medical Board. Founded in 1914, the China Medical Board (CMB) was one of the earliest ventures of the Rockefeller Foundation, the most prominent of the Progressive Era's giant secular philanthropic foundations. The CMB was also the last major philanthropic effort by Gates, the man most responsible for shifting the Rockefellers from denominational charity to international philanthropy. After a decade in existence, the CMB had not come close to realizing the hopes of its founder. Only with this massive, unprecedented infusion of capital, Gates explained, could his dream “spring into existence full panoplied.” This dream was never fully realized because of its astonishingly grandiose scale and complexity: its goal was to make Chinese medical care the finest in the world, and in the process close the chasm that he saw between denominational Christianity and the needs of the modern world. Although the story of the China Medical Board is the story of a failed vision, it also affords a glimpse of the cracks at the base of modern American philanthropy.