cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunotherapy of malignant melanoma

Because of the relative inefficacy of conventional chemotherapy in the treatment of malignant melanoma (MM),I research efforts have concentrated on alternate methods of treating this condition when surgical resection 2,a is impractical. In this section this month, immunotherapy of malignant melanoma (MM) is reviewed. Before discussing specific modes of immunotherapy, it might be wise to consider the theoretical basis of this form of treatment. 4 The ability of the cancer patient's immune system to control the proliferation of malignant cells is predicated on the assumption that the surfaces of neoplastic cells contain antigens not present on normal cells. If such antigens do indeed exist (and there is no presumptive reason to assume that they do), they must be recognizable by the patient's immune system, which in turn must be capable of mounting an effector (as opposed to suppressor) humoral or cellular response to the antigenic stimulus. Finally, the neoantigens must be able to provide a suitable milieu for antibody-mediated or cell-mediated damage to tumor cells. No human cancer cell has as yet been identified with all these characteristics. 4 With a few notable exceptions, no form of immunotherapy has been found consistently effective against all types of cancer. This may simply be a reflection of several false assumptions which were held to be true in the early study of tumor immunology: that tumor antigens always exist, that these antigens are specific enough to allow for recognition of a particular tumor and discrimination between benign and malignant cells, and that the cancer patient regularly maintains a weak immune response against neoantigens which can be
Decoding Schemes for Amplify-and-Forward Cooperative OFDM-Based Wireless LAN Systems

Cooperative communication can be regarded as virtual multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems where distributed multiple terminals behave as a virtual antenna array. This paper presents two space-time coding (STC) methods, i.e., the Golden code and Alamouti code, for cooperative orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-based wireless local area network (LAN) systems. We propose a decoding scheme for both STC methods. The proposed decoding scheme for the Golden code has approximate maximum likelihood (ML) property, and the one for the Alamouti code has exact ML property. we show the performances of the two proposed schemes for various typical relay locations through simulations. Simulation results reveal that energy gain greater than 2.1 dB can be obtained with the proposed schemes over non-cooperative (direct) communication in each relay location at a packet error rate of 0.1.
Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism Has Its Evolution Been Redefined

Despite nearly 4 decades of creative scientific and clinical scrutiny by physicians and surgeons, worldwide pulmonary thromboembolism remains a dreaded, life-threatening illness. Older statistics estimate that in the United States, acute pulmonary thromboembolism afflicts 500 000 to 600 000 persons annually and is either a primary or secondary cause of death in 150 000 to 200 000 of these individuals.1 2 Extrapolation of a population-based study from data accumulated in 1985 through 1986 in Worcester, Mass, suggests that each year there are ≈170 000 new cases of clinically recognized venous thromboembolism treated in short-stay hospitals and 99 000 hospitalizations for recurrent disease.3 When the disease process was followed from the time of clinical recognition, the 1-year mortality rate in a national multicenter project (PIOPED) was reported as ≈25%, with 2.5% dying from pulmonary embolism itself and most patients dying from the major diseases that are associated with pulmonary thromboembolism, including cancer, various infections, cardiovascular diseases, and other pulmonary diseases.4 Other studies have reported that in patients without preexisting cardiac or pulmonary disease, the 1-year mortality rate ranged from 3% to 9%.5 6 If a massive pulmonary embolism occurs associated with systemic hypotension, the in-hospital mortality rate is ≈18%.7 The persistence of pulmonary hypertension after embolization has been associated with increased mortality rates; the higher the pulmonary artery pressure, the lower the survival rate at 5 years.8 Furthermore, it has been predicted, with admitted imprecision, that 0.01% of patients develop what is now commonly referred to as chronic pulmonary thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.9 Although these statistics are often reiterated, they likely belie an accurate description of the natural history of the disease. In fact, there are a number of impediments to precise characterization of the incidence and course of the disease: (1) many episodes of …
Smart Men, Beautiful Women: Social Values and Gamete Commodification

For couples for whom assisted reproduction is the only way to have genetically related offspring, the donation of gametes by others makes available enhanced reproductive options. There has been an ...
Biochemical genetics of hybridisation in European house mice.

Techniques for demonstrating allozymic variation in seven enzymes (four esterases, isocitrate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, and malate dehydrogenase) were employed to study genie variation in a narrow zone of hybridisation between allopatric semispecies of the house mouse (Mus musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus) on the Jutland Peninsula of Denmark. Material consisted of 2696 mice collected at 152 farms representing 44 sample areas on the peninsula and adjacent islands. The history of movements of early farming cultures with which mice were associated as commensals suggests that musculus and domesticus have been in contact and hybridising in northern Europe since 3000 B.C. The zone in Jutland and another in Germany lie in regions transitional between Atlantic and continental climates, the two parental forms meeting where they are equally well adapted to ecological conditions. The zone in Jutland has not shifted since Ursin defined its position in 1952 on the basis of morphological characters. An analysis of genotypic proportions in populations in the zone of hybridisation failed to demonstrate assortative mating, thus supporting laboratory evidence of free interbreeding between the semispecies. Genie heterozygosity levels are “ normal “ on the large islands of Falster, Fyn, and Als but reduced on the small islands of Airo and Hjaelm, presumably through the founder effect or genetic drift. The zone is strongly asymmetrical north to south, with extensive introgression of domesticus alleles into musculus, but little introgression in the other direction. A marked increase in width of the zone in western Jutland is associated with a more extensive gradient of environmental factors, particularly precipitation. In the narrow eastern part of the zone, 90 per cent of the transition in genetic character (as measured by a hybrid index) occurs over a distance of 20 km. The extent of introgression varies markedly among loci. Linkage between the loci studied is not a major factor affecting patterns of introgression. The extreme steepness of the gradient of transition in genetic character and the occurrence of major changes in frequencies at all loci along the same line are cited as evidence that the selective values of alleles are determined in part by the internal genetic environment. The “new” genetic environment created by introgression of domesticus alleles into musculus populations apparently favours the occurrence of minor alleles at the Es-2 and Es-3 loci. The failure of the musculus and domesticus gene pools to fuse despite long-standing hybridisation argues that genetic isolation cannot be equated with reproductive isolation. Selection against introgression of the genes studied (or the chromosomal segments that they mark) is presumed to involve reduced fitness in backcross generations caused by disruption of co-adapted parental gene complexes.
Deformation behavior of tin and some tin alloys

Plastic deformation, creep and deformation twinning of β-tin and some tin alloys related to Pb-free solder applications are reviewed. The results are summarized and evaluated among conflicting findings and conclusions. The studies are helpful for the search of the best Pb-free solder with reliability and long service life. The areas which need more information are pointed out.
Study of level crossings in the selective adsorption of 4He on graphite (0001)

Abstract Strongly interacting selective adsorption resonances were examined for 4 He/graphite at both 17 and 4.7 meV incident energies. Weak second-order resonances were seen by means of their admixture with stronger resonances. Matrix elements were measured at 4.7 meV and found to agree with those determined by Boato et al., at higher incident energies.
Entamoeba histolytica: localization and characterization of phosphorylase and particulate glycogen.

Abstract Localization of the particulate glycogen and phosphorylase in Entamoeba histolytica was accomplished by differential and density gradient centrifugation. Both phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.1) and the participate glycogen were concentrated in the 15,000g and 110,000g pellet fractions of amoebal homogenates. Neither adenine nucleotides, cyclic AMP, nor Mg 2+ affected phosphorylase activity. Incubation of the 15,000g pellet with α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) abolished phosphorylase activity, whereas treatment with phospholipase A (EC 3.1.1.4) or sodium deoxycholate had no effect. Treatment with pronase and trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4) completely abolished phosphorylase activity and resulted in loss of the particulate glycogen. Sucrose density centrifugation of the 15,000 g pellet resulted in eight fractions. Although four of these fractions exhibited phosphorylase activity, particulate glycogen was found in only two. The fractions lacking glycogen consisted primarily of membrane fragments. It is concluded that the amoebal phosphorylase is bound to these membrane fragments by an α-amylase-sensitive polysaccharide chain.
Modulation of interleukin signalling and gene expression in cardiac myocytes by endothelin-1.

The related inflammatory cytokines, interleukin- (IL-) 1β and IL-33, are both implicated in the response of the heart to injury. They also activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in cardiac myocytes. The hypertrophic Gq protein-coupled receptor agonist endothelin-1 is a potentially cardioprotective peptide and may modulate the inflammatory response. Endothelin-1 also stimulates (MAPKs) in cardiac myocytes and promotes rapid changes in expression of mRNAs encoding intercellular and intracellular signalling components including receptors for IL-33 (ST2) and phosphoprotein phosphatases. Prior exposure to endothelin-1 may specifically modulate the response to IL-33 and, more globally, influence MAPK activation by different stimuli. Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes were exposed to IL-1β or IL-33 with or without pre-exposure to endothelin-1 (5 h) and MAPK activation assessed. IL-33 activated ERK1/2, JNKs and p38-MAPK, but to a lesser degree than IL-1β. Endothelin-1 increased expression of soluble IL-33 receptors (sST2 receptors) which may prevent binding of IL-33 to the cell-surface receptors. However, pretreatment with endothelin-1 only inhibited activation of p38-MAPK by IL-33 with no significant influence on ERK1/2 and a small increase in activation of JNKs. Inhibition of p38-MAPK signalling following pretreatment with endothelin-1 was also detected with IL-1β, H2O2 or tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) indicating an effect intrinsic to the signalling pathway. Endothelin-1 pretreatment suppressed the increase in expression of IL-6 mRNA induced by IL-1β and decreased the duration of expression of TNFα mRNA. Coupled with the general decrease in p38-MAPK signalling, we conclude that endothelin-1 attenuates the cardiac myocyte inflammatory response, potentially to confer cardioprotection.
A Whig view of slavery, development and the world market∗

This essay offers an interpretation of an influential theory of the relation between slavery, national development, and international economics developed by the American Whig leader, H.C. Carey, over a period of years, but most fully expressed in a single text published in 1856. Although Carey was widely read at the time, his mode of opposition to slavery was unorthodox, and his political situation put him under certain rhetorical burdens. Consequently his text requires a close reading to be be understood.
Dynamic changes of pancreatic structure and function in rats treated chronically with nicotine.

Abstract Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing initially 185–225 g, were treated with 5, 15, or 50 mg nicotine or placebo 3-week-release pellets by sc implantation, for 1.5, 3, 6, and 12 weeks. These doses of nicotine correspond to infusion rates of 9.9, 29.8, and 99.2 μg/hr, respectively. At the highest nicotine dose trypsin and chymotrypsin activities were markedly higher in pancreas from 12-week nicotine-treated rats compared with controls. This was associated with a fourfold increase in steady-state amylase mRNA levels in comparison to placebo controls. In addition, secretagogue-stimulated enzyme release from pancreatic acini isolated from rats treated with 50 mg nicotine pellets was significantly higher than controls at 1.5 and 3 weeks and declined below control levels after 12 weeks of treatment. In rats treated with 15-mg nicotine pellets, maximal secretagogue-stimulated enzyme release from isolated acini occurred at 1.5 weeks, declining thereafter to control levels. Electron microscopy of pancreas from rats treated with the 50 mg nicotine dose revealed intracytoplasmic vacuoles appearing after 3 weeks of treatment, and persisting throughout the remaining experimental period. It is concluded that 12-week nicotine treatment results in increased pancreatic enzyme biosynthesis and accumulation of digestive enzymes within the pancreas. This is associated with altered responsiveness to secretagogues and evidence of morphological damage.
Making Sense of the Senseless: Identity, Justice, and the Framing of Environmental Crises

Responses to environmental crises will depend on the way in which these events are understood and characterized, perceptions that may be affected by media frames as well as by individual motivations. This paper reports on two studies looking at the role of justice and framing of environmental problems. In Study 1, 297 participants were asked to characterize the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon as an injustice, a crime, or a natural disaster following a description of the event that focused on one of several different types of harm. They also rated harm caused, responsibility for the harm, and their own affective response. In Study 2, 387 participants read a paragraph about climate change that focused on one of several targets of harm and then rated the threat of climate change, responsibility for addressing climate change, and affective response. In both studies, general belief in a just world was associated with weaker negative affect, whereas environmental identity and a liberal political orientation were associated with stronger responses. Business and industry were seen as primarily responsible for both causing and remediating the problems. Framing the issue had a limited influence. The results suggest that political differences in environmental concern are associated with different characterizations of environmental crises and that a desire for justice can both facilitate and hamper pro-environmental responses.
Gestational effects of corticosteroids and surfactant in ventilated rabbits

ABSTRACT: Maternal corticosteroid treatments decreased lung protein leaks and increased the compliance responses to exogenous surfactant in 27-day preterm rabbits. We asked if maternal corticosteroid treatments at different gestational ages might alter these responses. Pregnant does were given 0.1 mg/kg betamethasone 48 and 24 h before study of the rabbits at 27, 28, and 29 days of gestational age and term newborns at 31 days of gestational age. Alternate rabbits at each gestation were treated with 50 mg/kg surfactant after delivery. Alveolar saturated phosphatidylcholine pool sizes increased with gestation similarly in control and corticosteroid-treated groups. Corticosteroids improved compliance relative to control values at 29 days of gestational age in animals not treated with surfactant and improved the compliance response to surfactant treatment at 27 and 28 days of gestational age. Corticosteroids decreased the leak of radiolabeled albumin to the lungs and alveolar washes at all preterm gestations with a maximum decrease to 16% of the control value at 29 days of gestation. Surfactant decreased this protein leak more effectively than did corticosteroids at the earlier gestations. There were potentially beneficial effects of corticosteroids either alone or together with surfactant at all preterm gestations studied. No protein leak or compliance effects of either treatment were noted in the term newborns.
Citation patterns in the optometric and ophthalmologic clinical binocular vision literature.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare citation patterns in the clinical binocular vision literature of optometry and ophthalmology. Methods The author conducted citation analysis of two current clinical binocular vision textbooks from optometry and two from ophthalmology and of articles published in the years 2000 to 2004 in optometry and ophthalmology journals. Topical parameters for inclusion of sources were diagnosis and management of nonstrabismic binocular vision disorders, diagnosis and management of nonpresbyopic ocular accommodation disorders, and procedures for examining such conditions. These topical parameters were chosen because they are areas in which the diagnostic procedures and treatment options available to members of the two professions are not delineated by their respective scopes of practice. Results The most frequently cited journals in the optometric publications were optometry journals (63% of citations in the optometry textbooks and 58% in the optometry journal articles). The most frequently cited journals in the ophthalmology publications were ophthalmology journals (79% of citations in the ophthalmology textbooks and 49% in the ophthalmology journal articles). Each discipline also cited a greater variety of journals from within its own field than was cited by the other discipline. The journal with the highest total number of citations was Optometry and Vision Science (280) followed by Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics (73), American Journal of Ophthalmology (68), Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (62), and Optometry (61). Conclusions Optometry and ophthalmology sources show more citations to materials from their own discipline than from their fellow discipline in the area of nonstrabismic binocular vision disorders and nonpresbyopic accommodative disorders. Reasons may include lack of awareness of the literature of the other discipline, bias toward the literature of one's own discipline, or bias against the literature of another discipline. It is also likely that the diagnostic and management strategies of the two professions are significantly different, although scope of practice would not constrain the range of strategies for the conditions chosen as the topical matter for consideration in this study. The journals found to be most frequently cited in this study should help to identify the core journals in this area of clinical binocular vision.
HIV-Associated Periodontal Disease: New Oral Spirochete Found

This study examines plaque for the presence of a recently described oral spirochete, tentatively called pathogen-related oral spirochete. This investigation found PROS in plaque of patients with HIV-associated periodontal disease.
Utilization of l-glutamine in intercellular adhesion, ascites tumor and embryonic cells.

Abstract l -Glutamine is required for the synthesis of complex carbohydrates required for the intercellular adhesion of mouse teratoma cells. It remained to be seen if these pathways were of general importance in the adhesion of other cell types. In this study, using an electronic particle counter assay to measure cell adhesion, Ehrlich ascites, Sarcoma 180 and Taper liver ascites tumor cells require exogenous l -glutamine to aggregate. This effect is concentration dependent and the amino sugar, d -glucosamine, replaces the glutamine requirement. Structural analogs of the active compounds are substantially less effective and metabolic inhibitors block the activity of the effective compounds. Two specific glutamine antagonists, DON (6-diazo-5-oxo- l -norleucine) and azaserine (O-diazoacetyl-serine) decrease the action of l -glutamine but not of d -glucosamine. Trypsin dissociated six day old chick embryo neural retina cells do not require l -glutamine to reaggregate, though the rate of aggregation is enhanced after preincubation with glutamine. Dissociation of small clumps of neural retina and inhibition of reaggregation of these cells are facilitated by preincubation with azaserine for 3–5 h. l -Glutamine reduces the effect of azaserine on retina cells. These results are consistent with known metabolic pathways and suggest that l -glutamine is involved in the synthesis of complex carbohydrates necessary for adhesion in a variety of cell types. The defective adhesion of the tumor cells examined may result from inability to produce glutamine synthetase, or effectively store cr transport l -glutamine.
Single-Center Experience With Parastomal Hernia Repair Using Retromuscular Mesh Placement

Parastomal hernias (PHs) are frequent complications of enterostomies. We aimed to evaluate our outcomes of open PH repair with retromuscular mesh reinforcement. From 2006 to 2013, 48 parastomal hernias were repaired in 46 consecutive patients undergoing open retromuscular repair. Surgical technique included stoma relocation, retromuscular dissection, posterior component separation, and retromuscular mesh placement. All stomas were prophylactically reinforced with cruciate incisions through mesh. Main outcome measures included demographics, perioperative details, wound complications (classified according to the CDC guidelines), and recurrences. There were 24 male and 22 female patients with a mean age of 61.8 and body mass index (BMI) of 31.7 kg/m2. Twenty-four patients had recurrent PH with an average of 3.8 prior repairs. Ostomies included 18 colostomies, 20 ileostomies, and 10 ileal conduits. Thirty-two patients had a concurrent repair of a midline incisional hernia. All patients underwent mesh repair with either biologic (n = 29), lightweight polypropylene (n = 15), or absorbable synthetic mesh (n = 2). There were 15 superficial surgical site infections (SSIs) and 6 deep SSIs. There was one case of an ischemic ostomy requiring surgical revision. No mesh grafts required removal and there were no mesh erosions. At a mean follow-up time of 13 months, five patients (11 %) developed a recurrence; three patients required re-repair. In this largest series of complex open repairs with retromuscular mesh reinforcement and stoma relocation, we demonstrate that this results in an effective repair. This technique should be considered for complex parastomal hernia repair.
Analytic Reviews : Organ Procurement and Brain Death in Trauma Patients

The success rates and effectiveness of transplantation programs continue to increase, as does the need for cadaveric organs. Increasing organ procurement is a worthwhile goal that can be fully justified on economic, humanistic, and ethical bases. Although a great deal of progress has been made in terms of public and political awareness of organ procurement problems, additional changes and further education will be necessary before the number of cadaveric organs that are needlessly wasted can be reduced.Management of patients with unsurvivable head in juries or patients who are candidates for organ donation is a complex task involving critical care management, the declaration of brain death, and the identification of, and request for, organ donation from next of kin. This process involves the coordinated efforts of neurosur geons, critical care specialists, social workers, and the transplant team coordinators in organ procurement pro grams. Patients are best managed in tertiary centers that have staffs wit...
American Pediatric Society 2014 presidential address: the thrill of discovery (and other foundations of biomedical research).

American Pediatric Society 2014 presidential address: the thrill of discovery (and other foundations of biomedical research)
So debate the world of Late Antiquity revisited

It is twenty‐five years since Peter Brown's seminal book The World of Late Antiquity first appeared. Symbolae Osloenses has asked Professor Brown to revisit that world and give us a report, describing both the circumstances in which the book was written and in what respects, through his own subsequent research and that of others, his picture of Late Antiquity has changed since then. We have also asked ten scholars from various disciplines to comment on his report, and Professor Brown to reply to their comments. A common bibliographical list concludes the debate section. Further contributions on the present state of research on Late Antiquity are invited.
A new approach for skin recognition in near-infrared images

In this paper, we proposed a new skin recognition approach for human identification. An automatic skin segmentation method is developed to detect the location of eyes and the skin area. A 1D Log-Gabor filter is used for skin feature extraction and template generation. And the center area of the skin template is matched with the database. The experimental results show that the proposed skin recognition method can achieve better performance compared to face recognition systems when it is used on the CASIA-Iris-Distance.
High affinity vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors on fetal human nonpigmented ciliary epithelial cells.

The effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on stimulation of adenylyl cyclase in fetal human nonpigmented ciliary epithelial (NPE) and pigmented ciliary epithelial (CPE) cells was studied. 1 μM VIP elicited a 5–10 fold increase in intracellular cAMP in NPE cells from three fetal donors, but caused little or no response in CPE from two fetal donors and other ocular cell types employed as controls. Appearance of cAMP in the extracellular medium was stimulated in NPE but not in CPE in response to VIP. Both NPE and CPE gave similar cAMP responses (8–13 fold) to the β-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol. Binding studies of [125I]VIP to intact NPE and CPE revealed that VIP bound to NPE cells at a high affinity site (KD =. 33 nM and a low affinity site (KD = 16 nM), whereas VIP bound to CPE cells only at the low affinity site (KD =18 nM).In NPE cells, VIP stimulated cAMP formation with an EC50 of ≈0.6–1 nM, similar to the high affinity binding site KD, with maximal stimulation at 10 nM. Four peptides with v...
A comparison of lesbians, gay men, and heterosexuals on weight and restrained eating.

It is possible that lesbians are as concerned with weight and dieting as are heterosexual women in order to be socially accepted in our society, while men (both gay and heterosexual) have more flexibility in this regard. On the other hand, lesbians, like heterosexual men, may be less concerned with weight than are heterosexual woman and gay men, since the latter groups may strive to be desirable to men. To test these hypotheses, lesbians, gay men, and heterosexual women and men were compared on weight, dieting, preoccupation with weight, and exercise activity. Heterosexual women and gay men reported lower ideal weights and tended to be more preoccupied with their weights than were lesbians or heterosexual men. However, gender was a more salient factor than sexual orientation on most variables, with both lesbians and heterosexual women reporting greater concern with weight, more body dissatisfaction, and greater frequency of dieting than did gay or heterosexual men. The results indicate that both lesbians and heterosexual women are influenced by cultural pressures to be thin, but that these pressures may be greater for heterosexual women.
Stresses Arising During the Leaching of a Two-Phase Glass

The stresses which arise when one phase of a two-phase alkali borosilicate glass rod is chemically removed are examined. Three mechanisms which may account for these stresses are described: thermal expansion coefficient differences between the phases, hydration of the porous glass, and ion exchange within the leached layers. The first two effects induce eompres-sive stresses, whereas the latter causes tension in the clads of partially leached glasses. Expressions for the stresses are developed in terms of glass properties and specimen geometry. Experimental photoelastic data on stress profiles, the effects of clad thickness, and heat-treatment conditions in two compositions are presented and compared with theoretical predictions. The stresses, whether tensile or compressive, are constant as a function of the radius within the clad, but are strongly dependent on clad thickness. At a given heat-treatment temperature, compressive stresses increase with time until a constant value is reached. This constant value increases with decreasing heat-treatment temperature.
A Fuzzy Logic Knowledge-Based Approach for Finite Element Mesh Generation and Analysis

A fuzzy logic knowledge-based approach, FUZZYMESH , for finite element mesh generation and analysis is presented. The proposed approach initiates the adaptive process with a high quality initial mesh that is more refined around the critical points/regions in the problem domain. In order to create high quality initial meshes, the heuristic knowledge, past experience, common sense, and ad hoc methods of finite element specialists are incorporated into the knowledge base of the fuzzy system. Using the linguistic variable concept and approximate reasoning techniques, the fuzzy system makes expert decisions about the initial mesh design by considering the geometric information, as well as the boundary and loading conditions. The decision process includes the determination of priority of critical points/regions and the prediction of mesh sizes for them. According to the mesh size information, a near-optimal initial mesh is created with an automatic mesh generator that is based on the advancing front mesh generation technique. The performance of the proposed approach was measured and evaluated in terms of efficiency and accuracy. The evaluation included comparison between the results of a code based on the proposed fuzzy logic knowledge-based approach, FUZZYMESH , and the conventional approach, which starts the finite element analysis with different meshes, by solving various problems. The global as well as local errors of different solutions were examined and compared. The CPU times for different approaches to achieve a particular accuracy were also measured and compared. The results showed that due to better quality of initial meshes, FUZZYMESH results in lower levels and more accurate error estimates. In turn, the proposed approach is able to solve the problem with a more accurate solution at less cost.
Importance of the synthesis of acidic polysaccharide for wound healing.

Weiss and Matoltsy1 have reported that wounds in chick embryos fail to exhibit healing prior to about the twelfth day of incubation, but that by the sixteenth day of incubation the mechanisms of healing appeared to be fully developed. This observation appears to have additional significance in relation to some of our work on the synthesis of sulphated polysaccharides in the tissues of embryos and young animals.
The spatial variation of ozone climatology on the Western slope of the Sierra Nevada

Abstract The spatial variability of ozone climatology is described for six remote sites on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. A statistical analysis was applied to determine relationships between ozone concentrations and atmospheric variables, as well as relationships among sites. The sites, whose locations vary in latitude, elevation, and topography, show considerable variability in climatological patterns and statistics. However, the stations fall into two general groups: those with a distinct diurnal ozone pattern and those with a flat diurnal ozone pattern. Diurnal variations among sites appear to depend primarily on topographic setting rather than on remoteness from urban sources.
Right to assisted reproductive technology: Overcoming infertility in low-resource countries

This article examines the high prevalence of primary and secondary infertility in low-resource countries. Provision of assisted reproductive technology (ART) to overcome both female and male infertility is in line with the reproductive rights agenda developed at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo 15 years ago. In addition to the right to control fertility, reproductive rights must encompass the right to facilitate fertility when fertility is threatened. Facilitation of fertility may require resort to ART, among both men and women. Egypt is highlighted as a positive example of progress in this regard.
Survival of L1210 leukemia cells and normal hematopoietic stem cells following in vivo administration of cyclocytidine.

The survival of L1210 cells following increasing doses of cyclocytidine (cyclo-C) was determined by spleen colony assay. For single dose, cyclo-C was effective reaching a fractional survival of less than 10−3 at 10 mg/mouse. This is significantly more effective than a similar dose of arabinosyl cytosine (ara-C) given by rapid infusion. The time-survival curve demonstrated extended cytotoxicity following a single 10 mg/mouse dose of cyclo-C as expected for a long-acting agent. When a 24-hour infusion was examined, however, ara-C was more effective than cyclo-C by a factor of about 10. The clinical implication of this is discussed.
Displacement of Formins from Growing Barbed Ends by Bud14 Is Critical for Actin Cable Architecture and Function

Summary Normal cellular development and function require tight spatiotemporal control of actin assembly. Formins are potent actin assembly factors that protect the growing ends of actin filaments from capping proteins. However, it is unresolved how the duration of formin-mediated actin assembly events is controlled, whether formins are actively displaced from growing ends, and how filament length is regulated in vivo. Here, we identify Bud14 as a high-affinity inhibitor of the yeast formin Bnr1 that rapidly displaces the Bnr1 FH2 domain from growing barbed ends. Consistent with these activities, bud14Δ cells display fewer actin cables, which are aberrantly long, bent, and latrunculinA resistant, leading to defects in secretory vesicle movement. Moreover, bud14Δ suppressed mutations that cause abnormally numerous and shortened cables, restoring wild-type actin architecture. From these results, we propose that formin displacement factors regulate filament length and are required in vivo to maintain proper actin network architecture and function.
Communication Instruction in Landscape Architecture Courses: A Model and Effects on Students’ Self-Efficacy

Communication skills are an increasingly important component of college students’ education because these skills are in high demand from employers. This study provides a close examination of commun...
Making periclase cement waterproof

Waterproofing of pure periclase cement with 1.5% petroleum resin is due to its lower capillary and sorption water absorption; the treatment also prevents caking. The activity of periclase cement that has been waterproofed with petroleum resin remains practically unaltered during storage.
An experimental investigation of multi-defendant bargaining in ‘joint and several’ and proportionate liability regimes

Abstract This study uses experimental methods to assess how different legal regimes affect the frequency and amounts of settlements in a three person setting (one plaintiff and two defendants). The four legal regimes investigated differ along two dimensions: (1) allocation of liability, either ‘joint and several’ or proportionate liability, and (2) liability mappings, either unconditional or conditional mappings. We find that the lowest settlement frequencies occur in regimes with joint and several allocation rules. In addition, joint and several rules have the most adverse effects on the defendants' wealth.
Metabolomic biomarkers: their role in the critical path.

Global metabolic profiling is being applied to identify biomarkers of health. Some small molecules are exquisitely sensitive indicators of health status. Metabolic profiling analyses are being used to determine biomarkers of drug safety and effectiveness as well as disease diagnosis and prognosis including organ transplant rejection. To understand the mechanism(s) of drug toxicity and disease, a systems biology approach that considers the information generated from metabolic profiling, genetics, transcriptomics and proteomics research paradigms is necessary. This will allow for a better understanding of the mechanism(s) of drug interactions and disease while possibly identifying susceptible populations, an important goal in the move toward personalized medicine.
Food Habits of Angler-Caught Salmonines in Western Lake Huron

Stomachs were collected from 1,833 trout and salmon caught in western Lake Huron by tournament and volunteer anglers during 1983–1986. Diets of all species collected were dominated by rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax; 67% by number) and alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus; 29%). Although predator and prey lengths had significant positive regressions, the strength of the relationships (r2 < 0.05) indicated little selection of prey by length. Number of prey per stomach ranged from 0 to 79, but most predators contained less than 5 prey. Alewife abundance in the diet decreased significantly over summer, with a concomitant increase in rainbow smelt consumption. The ratio of alewives to rainbow smelt also varied with year. Diet of salmonines from western Lake Huron was quite different from that in other Great Lakes, particularly in the preponderance of rainbow smelt and in low overall diversity. I suggest that stocking rates and other regulations should consider lake differences in management of trout and salmon populations.
Differential Display of Reticulocalbin in the Highly Invasive Cell Line, MDA-MB-435, versus the Poorly Invasive Cell Line, MCF-7

Matrigel invasion assays were used to characterize the invasive abilities of five breast cancer cell lines. Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the differential gene expression of estrogen receptor (ER), E-cadherin, vimentin and cathepsin D in these cell lines. Using mRNA differential display, we identified novel cDNA clones representing the partial sequences of genes overexpressed in the invasive MDA-MB-435 cells as compared to that of the less invasive MCF-7 cells. One of the cDNAs was homologous to reticulocalbin. The studies were repeated in all of the cell lines and the overexpression of this cDNA was confirmed by RT-PRC and Northern hybridization analysis. Reticulocalbin was expressed in the highly invasive breast cancer cell lines but was not expressed in poorly invasive ones. Although its function is still unknown, reticulocalbin is implicated in tumor cell invasiveness because of its differential expression in breast tumor cell lines.
Illinois occultation summary. II - 1979

Lunar occultation records are presented for the third year of a continuing program. Included are 17 observations of stars brighter than seventh magnitude, 13 reappearances, four angular diameter measurements, and seven observations of stars that are either binary or may be double. The observations were made with Stromgren y filter, the u or b filter, or the FI filter described in the first paper of this series (Radick and Lien, 1980). Five observations, including four of Aldebaran, were made with two filters centered on or near H-alpha.
Methyl farnesoate: its site of synthesis and regulation of secretion in a juvenile crustacean

Abstract Analogy to Insecta suggests that JH(s) may play important roles in the development and reproduction of Crustacea. It has recently been shown by Laufer et al. (1987), using LC and GC/MS that the mandibular organ of adult crabs synthesized methyl farnesoate, the unepoxidated from of JH III, and that synthesis varied according to the sex, as a function of eyestalk ablation, and stage of vitellogenesis. In experiments reported here, we found that eyestalk removal from juvenile spider crabs, Libinia emarginata, resulted in a two-fold increase in the rate of MF synthesis by MOs in vitro. Furthermore, 2 h incubations of MOs from eyestalk ablated animals with eyestalk extracts inhibited the rate of synthesis of MF by about 60%. These results suggest that MF may be a gonad stimulating hormone (GSH) reported by other workers. Secretion by the MO is inhibited by an eyestalk factor (MO-IH), and MO-IH may be similar or identical to the gonad inhibiting hormone (GIH) reported by others.
Hypothesis Creation in Organizational Behavior Research

The field of organizational behavior has begun to place undue emphasis on hypothesis testing and thereby underemphasize hypothesis generation. After suggesting several reasons for this, this paper reviews how useful research ideas are discovered and the prerequisites for hypothesis creation, and then catalogues hypothesis generation. Suggested criteria for acting on new research ideas and questions are: extensity, professional encounter, mental experiments, and timing.
Thermal stability of phosphonitrilic fluoroelastomers

The thermal stability of the polymer prepared by substituting poly(dichlorophosphazene) with an excess of a 64/36 mole-% mixture of the sodium salts of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol/2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentanol were studied by thermogravimetric and gel permeation chromatography techniques. The primary mode of degradation of this polymer was shown to be via random scission. The overall degradation reaction corresponds to quasi-zero-order kinetics.
Quantifying temporal change in seagrass areal coverage: the use of GIS and low resolution aerial photography

Abstract Geographical Information Systems and the availability of digital data acquired through governmental agencies provide an opportunity to quantify and detect spatial patterns at large (km 2 ) scales. These usually low resolution maps may be useful as inventory tools and, as such, aid in management decisions. This work addresses the suitability of using aerial photographs interpreted at a resolution of 1:24 000 when examining temporal change in seagrass cover in Tampa Bay, FL, a subtropical estuary. Temporal change in seagrass areal extent based on two categories of seagrass, i.e. patchy and continuous, was examined. Seagrass cover in Tampa Bay was found to have increased 87% (5750–10 759 ha) during the decade of 1982–1992. However, this recovery of seagrass areal extent is only 35% of the areal extent recorded in 1879. Most expansion of seagrass areal extent was found in areas categorized as having continuous cover when compared to patchy cover, suggesting that fragmentation of the seagrass habitat was not occurring.
A FRAMEWORK FOR FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE: CONTEXT, CRITERIA, AND CULTURE

Community colleges, like most other social institutions, are being forced to respond to the unrelenting waves of rapid and radical change that are accompanying the shift to a new socioeconomic age. Although the relevance of the colleges themselves may not be in question, the long‐term viability of many traditional programs, processes, and operating practices certainly is in question. As a result, colleges must commit to change in fundamental rather than incremental ways. Leaders will find the greatest insights into the emerging operating context for their colleges at the intersection of changes in technology, lifestyles, demographics, public policy, public opinion, and the world of work. To optimize outcomes, leaders should attempt to align specific change initiatives within a broader transformational framework. A suggested 10‐point “framework for fundamental change” is proposed and includes such elements as streamlining governance processes, providing more options, redefining roles, and redesigning work....
Local Conformational Flexibility Provides a Basis for Facile Polymer Formation in Human Neuroserpin

Neuroserpin is a regulator of neuronal growth and plasticity. Like other members of the serpin family, neuroserpin undergoes a large conformational change as part of its function. Unlike other serpins such as α1-antitrypsin, wild-type neuroserpin will polymerize under near-physiological conditions, and will spontaneously transition to the latent state. To probe the origins of this conformational lability, we have performed hydrogen exchange measurements and molecular-dynamics simulations on human neuroserpin. Hydrogen exchange indicates that neuroserpin has greater flexibility in the breach region and in β-strand 1C compared with α1-antitrypsin. Molecular-dynamics simulations show that the distance between the top of β-strands 3 and 5A averages 4.6 A but becomes as large as 7.5 A in neuroserpin while it remains stable at ∼3.5 A in α1-antitrypsin. Further simulations show that the stabilizing S340A mutation suppresses these fluctuations in neuroserpin. The first principal component calculated from the simulations shows a movement of helix F away from the face of β-sheet A in neuroserpin while no such movement is evident in α1-antitrypsin. The increased mobility of these regions in neuroserpin relative to α1-antitrypsin provides a basis for neuroserpin's increased tendency toward the formation of polymers and/or the latent state.
Multiple mechanisms of fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the enteric nervous system.

The enteric nervous system (ENS) can control gastrointestinal function independent of direct connections with the central nervous system. Enteric nerves perform this important function using multiple mechanisms of excitatory neurotransmission in enteric ganglia. Fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is largely mediated by acetylcholine (ACh) acting at nicotinic cholinergic receptors but in the ENS there are noncholinergic fast excitatory neurotransmitters. There are two broad types of neurons in the ENS: S neurons and AH neurons. S neurons are interneurons and motoneurons while AH neurons are sensory neurons. Three subsets of S neurons in the myenteric plexus can be distinguished on the basis of the neurotransmitters producing fast excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in each subset. In one subset, fEPSPs are mediated solely by ACh acting at nicotinic cholinergic receptors. In a second subset of S neurons, ATP acting at P2X purine receptors and ACh contribute to the fEPSP while in a third subset, fEPSPs are mediated by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) acting at 5-HT3 receptors and ACh. Some AH neurons also receive fast excitatory synaptic input. The fEPSPs recorded from AH neurons are mediated ACh and also by glutamate acting at alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors. Multiple mechanisms of fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the ENS are likely to contribute to its capacity to regulate complex gastrointestinal functions.