cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward understanding marketing students' ethical judgment of controversial personal selling practices.

Abstract This study investigates ethical judgement and sensitivity to controversial sales practices among marketing students. The first part of the study reports how 198 college students evaluated 20 ethical problems commonly encountered in personal selling. The second part of the study explores factors underlying the students' ethical judgements. Scenarios are used to manipulate the nature of a sales practice (involves money, does not involve money directly) and the party toward whom the practice is directed (customer, employer, competitor) in a 2 × 3 between-subjects design. The third part of the study examines changes in ethical judgements after review and reevaluation. Results indicate that controversial sales practices with direct monetary consequences and practices involving transgressions against customers are judged most severely. Findings also indicate a significant tendency to consider a given practice as less ethical after review. Implications for business educators, practitioners, and future research are discussed.
Microwave-initiated living free radical polymerization: rapid formation of custom Rasta resins

Abstract Microwave heating of high-loading TEMPO-methyl resin with functionalized styrenyl monomers in a SmithSynthesizer™ affords larger resin beads (>500 μm) via living free radical polymerization. Novel, high-loading Rasta resins (>5.5 mmol/g) are obtained ∼150 times faster than with conventional heating.
The rise of modern sport in Guatemala and the first central American games

(1992). The rise of modern sport in Guatemala and the first central American games. The International Journal of the History of Sport: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 132-140.
That’s Gay! Gay as a Slur Among College Students:

1. Robert Postic[1][1] 2. Elizabeth Prough[2][2] 1. 1The University of Findlay, OH, USA 2. 2Madonna University, Livonia, MI, USA 1. Robert Postic, The University of Findlay, 1000 North Main, Findlay, OH 45840, USA. Email: postic{at}findlay.edu In recent years, the use of the word “gay” as a synonym for dumb or lame or stupid has become prevalent in our culture. Because of this, it is clear that many individuals do not consider the word to be a slur and are not offended by its use. Using an original data set ( N = 790) collected from four Midwestern universities in the winter of 2011-2012, this article examines the characteristics of those college students who perceive the word gay to be a slur or who are offended. We find that those individuals who report having more gay friends are more likely to take offense at the use of the word gay as a slur even after controls are instituted. We also find that, contrary to expectations, attendance at religious services appears to have a direct relationship, with more frequent attenders more likely to express offense at the use of gay as a slur. Egalitarianism also emerged as a significant predictor. We offer suggestions as to why some college students perceive the word to be a slur while a majority of college students do not. [1]: #aff-1 [2]: #aff-2
WE‐E‐BRA‐06: Imaging Linear Accelerator Startup Using a High‐Speed Scintillation Based Electronic Portal Imaging Device (Hi‐EPID)

Purpose: Using the high‐speed scintillation based electronic portal imaging device (Hi‐EPID), to analyze the characteristics of the fluence delivered from a commercial clinical linear accelerator (Synergy® S, Elekta). To study the fluence output at short time scales. Method and Materials: The Hi‐EPID consists of a high speed digital camera coupled with a fast terbium‐doped gadolinium‐oxy‐sulfide (Gd2O2S:Tb) scintillator. The camera can record every single radiation pulse out of the accelerator, at up to 500 fps. Both open field and multileaf collimator(MLC) based intensity modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) fields were evaluated. The startup time of linac delivery was recorded. Results: Fluence delivery irregularities were observed with the Hi‐EPID device, within 250 ms. For the open field delivery, the fluence increased with time until it reached a plateau, in approximately 100 to 250 ms, and then remained constant. However, in the case of a six segment IMRT field delivery, the fluence variation differed between segments. For some segments, the fluence increased in the beginning and then reached a plateau. For others, the fluence rose and fell sharply, followed by a slower rise to the plateau. The rapid fluence variation before a plateau was as high as 60% of the maximum. A field size dependence of fluence was observed. An analysis of field shapes showed no unplanned motion of MLC was during step and shoot delivery, as has been reported for other clinical linac.Conclusion: The Hi‐EPID is capable of imaging the fluence out of a linear accelerator with high temporal resolution. The startup characteristics of the accelerator can be studied. For short time IMRT segments, fluence and dose rate varied over a significant portion of the segment. As the dose rate fluctuates during startup, its effect on IMRT delivery can be studied. This work was supported by NCI grant R01‐CA‐100636.
Regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and flight performance by a hypertrehalosaemic hormone in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae

The role of adipokinetic hormones (AKHs) in the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and flight performance was evaluated for females of the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. Injection of various dosages of synthetic Anoga-AKH-I increased carbohydrate levels in the haemolymph and reduced glycogen reserves in sugar-fed females but did not affect lipid levels. Anoga-AKH-I enhanced the flight performance of both intact and decapitated sugar-fed females, during a 4 h flight period. Anoga-AKH-II had no effect on carbohydrate or lipid levels or flight performance, thus its function remains unknown. Targeted RNA-interference lowered Anoga-AKH receptor expression in sugar-fed females, consequently injections of Anoga-AKH-I failed to mobilize glycogen reserves. Taken together, these results show that a primary role for the neurohormone, Anoga-AKH-I, is to elevate trehalose levels in the haemolymph of female mosquitoes.
Chemical vapor deposition of amorphous ruthenium–phosphorus alloy films

Abstract Chemical vapor deposition growth of amorphous ruthenium–phosphorus films on SiO 2 containing ∼ 15% phosphorus is reported. cis -Ruthenium(II)dihydridotetrakis-(trimethylphosphine), cis -RuH 2 (PMe 3 ) 4 (Me = CH 3 ) was used at growth temperatures ranging from 525 to 575 K. Both Ru and P are zero-valent. The films are metastable, becoming increasingly more polycrystalline upon annealing to 775 and 975 K. Surface studies illustrate that demethylation is quite efficient near 560 K. Precursor adsorption at 135 K or 210 K and heating reveal the precursor undergoes a complex decomposition process in which the hydride and trimethylphosphine ligands are lost at temperatures as low at 280 K. Phosphorus and its manner of incorporation appear responsible for the amorphous-like character. Molecular dynamics simulations are presented to suggest the local structure in the films and the causes for phosphorus stabilizing the amorphous phase.
Wind erosion of the wind‐deposited Navajo Sandstone, USA

Outcrops of the Early Jurassic Navajo Sandstone in southern Utah and northern Arizona, south-western USA are being actively eroded by sand-laden, south-westerly winds. Small-scale stepped topography with risers facing into the wind develops even on steep canyon walls when wind-swept grains strike the rock at a low angle. Photosynthetic, endolithic microbes directly underlie most outcrop surfaces; the crusts formed by these organisms are essential to formation of the small-scale steps. Wind erosion of highlands also forms troughs and pits that are tens of metres across. The pits have deeply scalloped, overhanging walls, and contain central domes surrounded by ‘moats’ filled with dune sand. Wind erosion of aeolian sandstone is favoured by a positive feedback mechanism in which grains that are liberated from outcrops by impacting particles become a fresh supply of pre-sorted abrasive particles for further attack.
A case report comparing various radiological tests in the diagnosis of calcific uremic arteriolopathy.

Background: Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA) is a rare necrotizing skin condition characterized by calcification in arterioles, leading to ischemia and skin ulcerations. This disease affects 1% to 4% of patients with chronic kidney disease and has a reported mortality rate up to 80%. The diagnosis of CUA is based on clinical judgment suggested by the characteristic skin lesions. Although skin biopsy is the gold standard for establishing the diagnosis, it is performed infrequently because of poor healing and risk for secondary infections. Methods: In this case report, we compare the ability of various radiological tests to show arteriolar calcifications of patients with CUA. Our patient had biopsy-proven CUA manifesting as chronic nonhealing ulcers of the calves. She underwent soft-tissue x-ray of the affected extremities and high-resolution (0.5-mm slice) computed tomographic (CT) scanning with 3-dimensional image reconstruction. We also used a dedicated mammography machine to obtain images of the patient's calves. Images were compared based on the ability to show small-vessel calcification. Results: Plain soft-tissue x-ray showed mildly increased soft-tissue density and very few calcified vessels, whereas CT showed few calcified small- and medium-sized arterioles. Diffuse calcification of small arterioles in a mesh-like pattern was shown by means of the mammography technique. Conclusion: Simple, safe, and inexpensive x-ray imaging using the mammography technique was superior to plain soft-tissue x-ray and 3-dimensional CT in showing the hallmark arteriolar calcifications of patients with CUA. Thus, we propose a possible role for this technique in diagnosing CUA.
Determination of highly concentrated Na, K, Mg and Ca in dialysis solution with flow injection on-line dilution and flame atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract An on-line flow injection dilution method for flame atomic absorption spectrometry was developed. This method is based on the cascade method of dilution. The method combines the technology of merging streams with on-line sample volume reduction using stream splitting to obtain precise dilution factors: a series of split and confluence points are traversed by the injected sample zone. At each split point, the sample volume is reduced and at each confluence point dilution occurs to an extent governed by the relative flow rates in the two merging streams. Using various configurations of the manifold and by changing the flow rate of the carrier stream, dilution factors ranging from 10 to 10 000 are obtained. Normally, to achieve high dilution factors the carrier flow rate must be reduced. However, the dilution performance depends critically on the carrier flow rate; when the latter is low, the throughput is correspondingly reduced as well. In this work, it is shown that a reasonably high dilution factor is achievable when using relatively high carrier flow rates. Higher carrier flow rate provides precise dilution factors with the use of peristaltic pumps. To combine precise performance with high sample throughput, the dilution range, using this method, is recommended at 10-3000. To demonstrate the performance of this manifold, high concentrations of Na, K, Mg and Ca were measured in a dialysis solution. Using a 1000-fold dilution, the sample throughput for a fully automated analysis was 70 measurements per hour, with a precision of approximately 2% (RSD n = 11). The automated results were checked with a conventional manual dilution method and the results between the two methods were comparable and with no significant difference found at the 95% level (t-test) for analyte concentration range from 64 000 to 450 mg l−1.
Synthesis, crystal structure, magnetic and electrochemical studies of two copper complexes with carboxylate rich dinucleating ligand

Abstract Three new copper compounds of a symmetric dinucleating ligand, N,N′-bis[2-carboxybenzomethyl]-N,N′-bis[carboxymethyl]-1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol (H5ccdp) with diverse coordinating groups, have been synthesized and studied in the solid state as well as in solution. In acetonitrile/H2O solution, the reaction of stoichiometric amounts of Cu(NO3)2·2.5H2O and the ligand H5ccdp, in the presence of K2CO3, produced a dinuclear copper compound, K3[Cu2(ccdp)(μ-CO3)]·7H2O·C3H6O, K3[1]·7H2O·C3H6O. Whereas in an alkaline methanol/water solution, the reaction of Cu(ClO4)2·6H2O and the ligand H5ccdp gave a slightly different dinuclear copper compound, Na3[Cu2(ccdp)(μ-CO3)]·5H2O, Na3[1]·5H2O. The reaction of Cu(ClO4)2·6H2O and the ligand H5ccdp, in the presence of NaOH in water yielded a tetranuclear copper compound, Na2[Cu2(ccdp)(H2O)(μ-OH2)]2·15H2O, Na2[2]·15H2O. The structures of the all three complexes were determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility studies on the powder samples of the complexes showed antiferromagnetic behavior. Electrochemical studies in aqueous solutions of these negatively charged complex ions showed fairly assessable oxidations.
Who Is Still Using Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene

Background. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) is a permanent, solid implant that has been used for facial soft tissue augmentation. The implants are generally used in the lower third of the face for filling lips, nasolabial folds, and deeper facial lines. Many physicians have noted complications with this use. Objective. To determine physician satisfaction trends for ePTFE. Methods. A physician satisfaction survey was sent out in February 2000. Information regarding perceived patient and physician satisfaction regarding favored sites for the use of augmentation with ePTFE, the quantity used, and revision rates was assessed. A second survey was mailed in July 2003 to the same physicians to gain information regarding long-term satisfaction with ePTFE. Results. The results from the first survey revealed that 10 of 12 physicians perceived that their patients were satisfied with ePTFE implants in all locations with the exception of the lips. There was a wide variation in the number of cases of ePTFE performed per year among the different physicians. Reported revision rates varied from less than 1 to 100% in the lips. The majority of the physicians found that removal of the implant was easy. The results from the second survey in 2003 revealed that 100% of the physicians were disappointed with these products. Physicians' assessments of their patients' satisfaction revealed that one-third were mildly disappointed and two-thirds were satisfied. Revision rates in all cases were increased between the first and second survey. A subjective patient satisfaction survey was not done during either of these time periods. Conclusions. New procedures are often quickly embraced by both physicians and patients. It is crucial that we reevaluate and report long-term experience and satisfaction. Although this informal survey has limitations, it appears that some physicians are less satisfied with ePTFE as a soft tissue implant. Larger studies including objective measurements delineating the degree of improvement and subjective patient satisfaction would be welcomed.
Model-predictive control of the Czochralski crystallization process. Part II. Reduced-order convection model

A new reduced-order model (ROM) is proposed for the bulk-controller presented in Part I. This model considers convection in the melt based upon the assumption of an idealized flow geometry consisting of horizontal donuts and vertical tubes with radial and axial dispersion, respectively. Boundary and bulk layers are assumed to separate the core fluid from the crystal and crucible. Scale analysis and integral boundary-layer theory are utilized to estimate the boundary-layer thicknesses and the maximum stream function in the core fluid. A strategy is presented for adjusting the imperfect model online to reduce the process/model mismatch during MPC.
Octopine Accumulation Early in Crown Gall Development is Progressive.

A purification of octopine from crown gall tissue was developed to quantitate conversion of precursor [ 3 H]arginine into [ 3 H]octopine. Plant wound tissue which was sterile or infected with an avirulent strain of Agrobacterium tumefaciens did not accumulate detectable quantities of octopine, consistent with opine synthesis not being induced by wounding or infection. Octopine was only recovered from tissue infected with virulent tumor-inducing strains of A. tumefaciens . In every case tested, the morphological appearance of tumors preceded the accumulation of octopine by at least 1 week, and in some instances 3 weeks. Thus, what was necessary and sufficient for the expression of plant hormones (auxin and cytokinin) required for tumor growth was not sufficient for the accumulation of octopine. The possible nature of the temporal difference in the expression of hormone autotrophy and octopine synthesis is discussed.
Gastric lesions produced by cinchophen in the ferret.

Abstract The gastric ulcerogenicity of cinchophen was evaluated in the ferret, which has a stomach anatomically and physiologically similar to man. Cinchophen was administered by gastric intubation to a total of 36 ferrets in single, daily doses of 220 mg/kg, 5 times a week, and animals were sacrificed from 3 hr to 35 days. Acute exudative inflammation was noted at 3 hr after administration of cinchophen, was more severe at 3–4 days, and was especially prominent in the antrum. Deep linear, multiple, hemorrhagic ulcerations were also observed and acute antral ulcers were found in 25% of treated animals. These manifestations subsided at 7 days despite continued administration and began to reappear at 14–35 days. An antral ulcer was found in one of 5 ferrets at 35 days. Secretory studies on chronic fistula ferrets injected ip with a single 220 mg/kg dose of cinchophen indicated that the acid concentration and output and the pepsin activity were not altered by cinchophen during a 3-hr period following cinchophen administration. Histopathologic study of 6 antral pouch ferrets demonstrated only slight, acute inflammatory changes following cinchophen administration directly into the pouch and no antral changes following po administration. Thus, the present investigation suggests that topical irritation of the gastric mucosa by cinchophen is not a significant factor, but that the presence of gastric acid (but not hypersecretion) plays an important role in cinchophen-induced ulcerogenesis.
Imaging dark objects with intensity interferometry

We have developed a technique for imaging dark, i.e. non-radiating, objects by intensity interferometry measurements using a thermal light source in the background. This technique is based on encoding the dark object's profile into the spatial coherence of such light. We demonstrate the image recovery using an adaptive error-minimizing Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm in case of a completely opaque object, and outline the steps for imaging purely refractive objects.
Comparative Effectiveness of On-Pump versus Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Among Elderly Patients: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

Abstract Objective Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a procedure used to restore blood flow to the heart for patients with coronary artery disease. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of on-pump versus off-pump CABG in elderly patients using the 2006–2008 5% national sample of Medicare administrative claims. Study Design A retrospective matched cohort study design was used. Elderly patients (over 65 years of age) undergoing CABG between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2008 were identified using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Propensity scores were used to match patients undergoing on-pump versus off-pump CABG in a ratio of 1:1. Outcomes assessed in this study include a composite cardiovascular end point consisting of postoperative acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or revascularization (percutaneous coronary intervention or CABG) and all-cause mortality. Descriptive statistics were reported along with Kaplan-Meier estimates. Postoperative risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality in these groups was compared using Cox proportional hazards models. Results The matched sample consisted of 5356 patients (2678 patients in each group). The risk of composite outcome in the 2 groups was not significantly different (hazard ratio [HR] 0.915; P = 0.316). The risk of all-cause mortality was significantly lower among on-pump CABG patients compared with off-pump CABG patients (HR 0.544; P Conclusion This study shows that elderly patients undergoing on-pump CABG have a lower risk of mortality as compared with those receiving off-pump CABG. Caution should be exercised when recommending elderly patients for off-pump CABG.
Experimental and numerical analysis of a halved and tabled traditional timber scarf joint

Abstract Traditionally constructed heavy timber trusses, found in timber framed buildings and bridges, employ various traditional joints, among them the lower chord scarf joint. This paper examines the behavior of a halved and tabled scarf joint, which was studied as an isolated structural component using experimental tests and finite element analyses. Experimental tests identified two different limit states for these particular scarf joints: shear failure parallel to grain and tension failure perpendicular to grain. The possibility of failure due to tension perpendicular to grain results from variations in grain angle and means that the limit state of shear failure parallel to grain, typically assumed in analysis and design, is unconservative. For the purposes of design and rehabilitation, the authors propose that the scarf joint be treated as a member subject to combined bending and axial tension forces. The results of the finite element analysis, performed using solid continuum elements in ABAQUS, are in good agreement with the experimental test results. In addition to finite element models, the authors use analytical spring models to demonstrate that when developing a two-dimensional model of a truss with lower chord scarf joints, serviceability limit states be checked with a model that reduces the lower chord section properties in the vicinity of the scarf joints.
An Apparatus for the Measurement of Radiation Intensity Over a Wide Range of Wave Lengths (0.02-3 Angstrom)

An apparatus for measuring radiation intensity over a wide range of wave lengths is described. This apparatus consists of two parts: (1) a condenser unit to which an ionization chamber is attached, and (2) an improved type of string electrometer, including a static charger. The condenser unit, with the electrometer attached, can be charged to a known potential, after which it is removed and placed with its ionization chamber in the field of radiation which is to be measured. After the chamber has been exposed for a specified length of time, the condenser unit with the attached ionization chamber is again connected with the electrometer and the loss of charge is directly read on the scale. This loss of charge can be converted into r units if the material from which the ionization chamber is constructed and the size of the chamber are properly selected, and if the electrical factors of the instrument are known. Radiation intensities for the range of wave lengths from 0.02 to 3A measured with this instrument are given.
Dynamics of spinup through resonance

Abstract This work concerns the phenomenon of resonant capture, i.e. the failure of a rotating mechanical system to be spunup to a desired terminal state, due to its resonant interaction with another system or with itself. The phenomenon is important in the dynamics of dual-spin spacecraft. Starting from a simple mechanical system consisting of an unbalanced rotor attached to an elastic support and driven by a constant torque, we derive an abstract model of resonant capture. The model is investigated by using perturbation theory and elliptic functions. For a given system, the analysis predicts which initial conditions lead to capture. These predictions are shown to compare reasonably with the results of numerical integration.
Hybridization Analysis of Microbial DNA from Fuel Oil–Contaminated and Noncontaminated Soil

The enrichment of several genes (xylE, nahAcd, todC1C2BA, tmoABCDE, alkB) that encode enzymes responsible for key steps in the degradation of hydrocarbons, and one gene specific to rRNA group I of the genus Pseudomonas, was studied in DNA extracted from a fuel oil–contaminated field site, and in laboratory microcosms (with the exception of alkB). Toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and naphthalene concentrations were related to the extent of hybridization of the genes in the field studies. Significant differences were observed in the extent of hybridization of some of the genes between contaminated and noncontaminated samples. In the microcosm studies, gasoline at rates ranging from 0.5 mg to 125 mg gasoline/g of soil as applied to soils, and the changes in hybridization intensity of these genes monitored with time. The lower threshold of gene enrichment of these genes in response to gasoline addition was below 0.5 mg/g soil. Small increases were observed at the 0.5-mg exposure level, but hybridization intensity quickly decreased to levels below detection 6–8 days after addition of the gasoline. A dose-response effect was observed from treatments with gasoline concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 35 mg/g soil. Inhibition by toxic components in gasoline was observed at 75 and 125 mg/g soil levels. Hybridization of the Pseudomonas group 1 probe to field DNA was not significantly enriched in the contaminated field site, although these sequences were enriched in the microcosm studies. Among the genes tested, xylE was the most sensitive indicator of low levels of fuel oil contamination.
Exobiological Exploration of Mars

Of all the other planets in the solar system, Mars remains the most promising for further elucidating concepts about chemical evolution and the origin of life. Strategies were developed to pursue three exobiological objectives for Mars exploration: determining the abundance and distribution of the biogenic elements and organic compounds, detecting evidence of an ancient biota on Mars, and determining whether indigenous organisms exist anywhere on the planet. The three strategies are quite similar and, in fact, share the same sequence of phases. In the first phase, each requires global reconnaissance and remote sensing by orbiters to select sites of interest for detailed in situ analyses. In the second phase, lander missions are conducted to characterize the chemical and physical properties of the selected sites. The third phase involves conducting 'critical' experiments at sites whose properties make them particularly attractive for exobiology. These critical experiments would include, for example, identification of organics, detection of fossils, and detection of extant life. The fourth phase is the detailed analysis of samples returned from these sites in Earth-based laboratories to confirm and extend previous discoveries. Finally, in the fifth phase, human exploration is needed to establish the geological settings for the earlier findings or to discover and explore sites that are not accessible to robotic spacecraft.
Spectrum: a Web-based tool for describing electronic resources

Abstract Substantial efforts to establish standards for encoding and accessing electronic resources have occurred over the past five years. We have designed a Web-based tool, called Spectrum, to enable individuals without specialized knowledge of library cataloging or markup to create records for describing and accessing networked electronic resources of various types. System users may create descriptions of electronic resources and view them as formatted USMARC bibliographic records, TEI headers and URCs. Because we anticipate continued volatility in the definition of data element standards, the Spectrum system is designed to allow maximum flexibility in the design of the input formats.
The effect of length range on heat rate and power during shortening near in situ length in frog muscle.

Heat rate and tension were measured during the steady state of isovelocity shortening in frog sartorius muscles at two speeds (7.5 and 2.0 mm s−1) through two ranges of the length-tension curve: 1.11 to 1.01L0and 1.01 to 0.91L0. Both heat rate and mechanical power were higher at short length than at long length. The ratio of mechanical power to total energy rate was smaller at short length. The difference in heat rates in the two length ranges was greatest during shortening at 7.5 mm s−1 and least during isometric contractions. Calculations were made for two extreme interpretations of the results, based on the assumption that 30% of the isometric maintenance heat rate at optimum length is produced by processes related to activation: (1) that all the difference in heat rate results from effects of length on activation processes and (2) that all the difference results from effects on contractile processes. The rate of heat production by activation processes would have to be 1.5 times higher at short than at long length in an isometric contraction, 1.7 times higher during shortening at 2 mm s−1 and 2.0 times higher at 7.5 mm s−1 to explain the differences in heat rate. The rate of contractile processes would have to be only 1.2 times higher at short than at long length. The results favour the interpretation that the contractile process itself is sensitive to sarcomere length near the plateau of the length-tension curve.
Lower pole pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction in duplicated collecting systems.

Authors from Philadelphia revisit their extensive experience in lower-pole PUJ obstruction in duplicated collecting systems, finding that this occurred in 2.05% of duplicated systems. They found an apparent increase in the incidence of this anomaly in boys, and in those with complete duplications. In the second paper in this section, authors from Belgrade describe calibration and dilatation with topical steroids in the treatment of stenosis of the neourethral meatus after hypospadias repair. OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence and efficacy of treatment for pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction (PUJO, the most common cause of hydronephrosis in the fetal kidney) in duplicated systems. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively assessed patients with PUJO in a duplex collecting system, reviewing each case for age, sex, anatomy, presenting symptoms and type of management. RESULTS From 1994 to 2004, 1413 patients were identified to have hydronephrosis; 243 of them had pyeloplasty for PUJO, and five (2%) involved the lower pole of a duplicated collecting system. In two of the patients the presentation was prenatal hydronephrosis (mean age at diagnosis 6 weeks) and the remainder presented with flank pain and pyelonephritis (mean age 5 years); all were boys. There was only one incomplete duplication (Y type). Four patients had a dismembered pyeloplasty and one a ureteric calycostomy. Vesico-ureteric reflux was present in three patients and two required common sheath reimplantation. On a radioisotope scan during the follow-up (mean 12 months) the five patients showed an improvement and no evidence of functional obstruction. CONCLUSION The incidence of PUJO in duplicated systems was 2%; treatment should be individualized and requires a careful preoperative evaluation. This anomaly appears to be more common in boys and in completely duplicated systems.
Radiation losses from high-temperature gas discharges

An account is given on some numerical calculations of the impurity- radiation losses and cooling of a deuterium plasma produced by high-current electrodeless discharges in low-inductance, single turn coils ( theta pinches). A semiquantitative comparison of the theory was made with available experimental data. In general, the observed gross features of theta pinch discharges can be described by the hydromagnetic theory, including Corona-like radiation effects. (P.C.H.)
Effects of diabetes on nitric oxide synthase and growth factor genes and protein expression in an animal model.

Erectile dysfunction occurs frequently in humans with diabetes mellitus; the molecular basis of this phenomenon is not known. We investigated the effects of diabetes on penile erection, nitric oxide synthase and growth factors expression in an animal model. Forty male rats were divided into two groups: the experimental group (n=30) received intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin (STZ) dissolved in citrate buffer to induce diabetes; ten age-matched control rats received injection of citrate buffer vehicle only. Before euthanization at eight weeks, erectile function was assessed by electrostimulation of the cavernous nerves. NADPH diaphorase staining was used to identify NOS and immunostaining technique was used to identify nNOS in the penile nerve fibers. RT-PCR was used to identify mRNA expression of nNOS, eNOS, iNOS, ER-ββ, ER-α, NGF, IGF-I, TGF-β1, and AR. Western blot was used to identify nNOS, IGF-I, NGF, and TFG-β protein expressions. In the diabetic group, there was: (1) a significant decrease in NOS containing nerve fibers in the dorsal and intracavernosal nerves; (2) a significant lower maximal intracavernosal pressure. RT-PCR showed down-regulation of nNOS (large form), iNOS and ER-β mRNA expression, Immunoblot showed down-regulation of nNOS protein expression and nNOS immunostaining showed less positive staining in the dorsal and intracavernous nerves in the diabetic group. These molecular changes may provide the basis for further studies to explore the association between diabetes and impotence.
OPTIMISATION OF WATER RESOURCES SYSTEMS WITH STATISTICAL INFLOWS.

The optimisation of water resources systems has been the subject of several investigations throughout the world. Methods of optimisation such as linear, nonlinear and dynamic programming have been considered by many workers in the field. Dynamic programming has been one of the most widely used methods owing to its natural characteristics of being able to deal with discrete dynamic models and no limitations on the types of equations governing the system, constraints, or cost functional. Dynamic programming, although useful, has its shortcomings in the amount of storage and time consumed on a digital computer. In an attempt to use dynamic programming, several approximation schemes have been proposed. The `successive approximation?, `incremental dynamic programming?, and `corridoring? are three such proposals. The primary concern of the last approach used in this study is that in each iteration a corridor is formed around a previously defined trajectory and a new trajectory is obtained by applying the discrete differential dynamic programming within the present corridor, hence reducing the computer time and memory requirements. In this paper a four-reservoir water-resources system with four power plants, two input rivers, and an irrigation area is considered. Optimum trajectories are obtained for the reservoirs' water storages and releases assuming statistical data for the rivers' inflows and evaporations. Limitations of the approximate dynamic programming solution are discussed.
Abstract 5508: B lymphocytes are activated during the course of sipuleucel-T treatment, leading to an antigen-specific humoral response

Introduction: Sipuleucel-T is an autologous cellular immunotherapy FDA approved for men with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Previous clinical data have shown that antibodies specific for the immunizing antigen, PA2024, develop within two weeks post-end of sipuleucel-T treatment. Here, we sought to determine whether B lymphocytes were activated during the course of treatment and to evaluate their phenotypic profile in two ongoing clinical studies (NEoACT and PRoACT). Materials and Methods: Sipuleucel-T is manufactured from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated every two weeks by leukapheresis. The PBMCs are cultured with PA2024, an antigen composed of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) fused to granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), washed, and then infused into the patient as sipuleucel-T. Each patient receives three infusions. The activation status of B lymphocytes was evaluated by multi-color flow cytometry during the manufacture of sipuleucel-T, before and after culture at each of the three treatment times. B lymphocyte subsets were identified by their expression of CD20, IgD and CD27: CD20+IgD+CD27− naive, CD20+IgD+CD27+ mature activated, and CD20+IgD−CD27+ memory. Activation of each of these subsets was determined by their expression of CD80 and CD96. Antigen-specific B lymphocyte function, in the form of antibody production, was evaluated in the serum of sipuleucel-T-treated subjects before and after treatment. Summary: In the mature activated B lymphocyte subset, an increase in the proportion of lymphocytes expressing CD80+ and CD86+ was detected following culture with PA2024, with the increase in CD86+ mature B lymphocytes being the highest after the second infusion of sipuleucel-T. An increase in mature activated B lymphocytes directly ex vivo, pre-culture, was not observed prior to the second or third infusion. Additionally, CD80 and CD86 expression was upregulated on memory B lymphocytes in response to culture with PA2024 and following the first infusion. Furthermore, PA2024- and PAP-specific antibody responses were detected and maintained 2-22 weeks after the completion of sipuleucel-T treatment.Conclusions: These data demonstrate that B lymphocyte activation is a consequence of ex vivo culture with PA2024 and precedes an antigen-specific humoral response, as detected in the patients’ serum after treatment with sipuleucel-T. Collectively, these findings provide evidence of therapy-induced humoral immune activation in men with mCRPC treated with sipuleucel-T. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5508. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-5508
More Flies with Honey: Positive Economic Linkage in German Ostpolitik from Bismarck to Kohl

The existing literature on economic sanctions has rarely addressed the key question of comparing the effectiveness of positive and negative sanctions. It is the contention of this study that positive sanctions can potentially be more effective, even in cases where contentious “high politics” issues are being negotiated, relations between the states concerned are tense and militarized, and the state being targeted with sanctions has substantial military power. This assertion will be tested in a set of case studies drawn from German-Polish and German-Russian/Soviet relations from the nineteenth century to the present. It will be shown that positive sanctions can be used effectively, both as “specific” sanctions to influence a target state on one particular issue, and as “general” sanctions, which aim to change the state's behavior as a whole in a more slow and subtle process.
A Multivariate, Multitaper Approach to Detecting and Estimating Harmonic Response in Cortical Optical Imaging Data

Abstract The efficiency and accuracy of cortical maps from optical imaging experiments have been improved using periodic stimulation protocols. The resulting data analysis requires the detection and estimation of periodic information in a multivariate dataset. To date, these analyses have relied on discrete Fourier transform (DFT) sinusoid estimates. Multitaper methods have become common statistical tools in the analysis of univariate time series that can give improved estimates. Here, we extend univariate multitaper harmonic analysis methods to the multivariate, imaging context. Given the hypothesis that a coherent oscillation across many pixels exists within a specified bandwidth, we investigate the problem of its detection and estimation in noisy data by constructing Hotelling's generalized T2-test. We then extend the investigation of this problem in two contexts, that of standard canonical variate analysis (CVA) and that of generalized indicator function analysis (GIFA) which is often more robust in extracting a signal in spatially correlated noise. We provide detailed information on the fidelities of the mean estimates found with our methods and comparison with DFT estimates. Our results indicate that GIFA provides particularly good estimates of harmonic signals in spatially correlated noise and is useful for detecting small amplitude harmonic signals in applications such as biological imaging measurements where spatially correlated noise is common. We demonstrate the power of our methods with an optical imaging dataset of the periodic response to a periodically rotating oriented drifting grating stimulus experiment in cat visual cortex.
An exploratory investigation of the landscape-lake interface: Land cover controls over consumer N and C isotopic composition in Lake Michigan rivermouths

Rivermouth ecosystems are areas where tributary waters mix with lentic near-shore waters and provide habitat for many Laurentian Great Lakes fish and wildlife species. Rivermouths are the interface between terrestrial activities that influence rivers and the ecologically important nearshore. Stable isotopes of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in consumers were measured from a range of rivermouths systems to address two questions: 1) What is the effect of rivermouth ecosystems and land cover on the isotopic composition of N available to rivermouth consumers? 2) Are rivermouth consumers composed of lake-like or river-like C? For question 1, data suggest that strong relationships between watershed agriculture and consumer N are weakened or eliminated at the rivermouth, in favor of stronger relationships between consumer N and depositional areas that may favor denitrification. For question 2, despite apparently large riverine inputs, consumers only occasionally appear river-like. More often consumers seem to incorporate large amounts of C from either the nearshore or primary production within the rivermouth itself. Rivermouths appear to be active C and N processing environments, thus necessitating their explicit incorporation into models estimating nearshore loading and possibly contributing to their importance to Great Lakes biota.
Genetic Aspects of the Added Carbon Dioxide Requirements of Brucella abortus.

Summary and conclusionsThe results indicate that B. abortus loses its requirement for added CO2 by spontaneous mutation at a rate of approximately 3 × 10−10 per cell division. Training of such cultures to dispense with their added CO2 requirement probably consists of a selection of a spontaneously occurring mutant rather than gradual adaptation of the culture as a whole. The low mutation rate indicates a high degree of stability for CO2 requirement in cultures of B. abortus.
Urea tolerance in the killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus

Abstract 1. 1. Killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus , were exposed to high urea concentrations at different salinities. Mortality, plasma urea and plasma sodium were determined. 2. 2. Following a step-wise increase in environmental urea, seawater (SW) fish die at concentrations from 0.6 to 1.0 M. At a constant 0.4 M urea concentration, higher mortality is found in fresh water (FW)than in SW or 1 3 SW. 3. 3. Plasma urea offish in 0.4 M urea is less than that of the environment and ranged from 197mM in SW to 260 mM in 1 3 SW after 3 days and 370 mM in SW fish after 9 days. 4. 4. High urea elicited changes in plasma sodium that followed the environmental gradient. 5. 5. Evolutionary implications of the moderately low toxicity of urea to the teleost fishes are discussed.
Organic Inhibitors for Hydrogen Permeation in Iron

Organic molecules have been added to gaseous hydrogen to assess their effect on hydrogen permeation through iron. Ethylene and ethane reduce the hydrogen permeation rate by up to a factor of 50 at 200°C, while methane has a negligible effect. Removing the ethylene or ethane from the gas allows the original higher permeation rate to resume. 1,2-dibromoethylene reduces the permeation rate by up to a factor of 90; this compound is difficult to remove from the surface once it is adsorbed. These effects are rationalized on the basis of adsorption of ethylene, ethane, or dibromoethylene at adjacent metal surface sites, blocking these sites to hydrogen adsorption, dissociation and entry into the metal.
Some reaction variables in the solution synthesis of lead (IV) polyesters

A number of reaction variables in the solution synthesis of lead (IV) polyesters were examined. Both electronic nature of the diacid and lead-containing material is important, with an increase in yield resulting as the nucleophilicity of the salt increases. Diffusion is also an important factor. Reaction is favored by an increase in the concentration of reactants.
Some concepts relating to the molecular genetic basis of certain MNS blood group antigens

The unfolding story of genes encoding variant glycophorin molecules is already known to be more complicated than described here. The principles outlined provide a basis for understanding the fundamental events that occur in genes encoding the glycophorins as well as genes encoding unrelated proteins carrying other blood group antigens. Over 20 different genes involving the GYPA and GYPB family have been described. These genes arise from gene rearrangements within a relatively short region. This hot spot of activity has inverted palindromic sequences, which are known to be sites for DNA recombination. Similar structures exist in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) where allelic diversity is a functional requisite. However, the significance of allelic diversity in the glycophorin gene family is not understood. The GYPA, GYPB and GYPE gene cluster is known to be prone to mutation by radiation because there is a high incidence of somatic mutation events in atomic bomb survivors, in people exposed to accidental radiation, in patients with Bloom's syndrome and in patients receiving radiation therapy. The mutation events were dose dependent: the greater the exposure, the greater proportion of red blood cells exhibited mutations. While it is known that MHC diversity protects against infection, the reason for glycophorin rearrangements remains to be determined.