cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
REPEAT STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY FOR ACOUSTIC NEUROMAS

Purpose To evaluate the outcome of repeat stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for acoustic neuromas, we assessed tumor control, clinical outcomes, and the risk of adverse radiation effects in patients whose tumors progressed after initial management. Methods and Materials During a 21-year experience at our center, 1,352 patients underwent SRS as management for their acoustic neuromas. We retrospectively identified 6 patients who underwent SRS twice for the same tumor. The median patient age was 47 years (range, 35–71 years). All patients had imaging evidence of tumor progression despite initial SRS. One patient also had incomplete surgical resection after initial SRS. All patients were deaf at the time of the second SRS. The median radiosurgery target volume at the time of the initial SRS was 0.5 cc and was 2.1 cc at the time of the second SRS. The median margin dose at the time of the initial SRS was 13 Gy and was 11 Gy at the time of the second SRS. The median interval between initial SRS and repeat SRS was 63 months (range, 25–169 months). Results At a median follow-up of 29 months after the second SRS (range, 13–71 months), tumor control or regression was achieved in all 6 patients. No patient developed symptomatic adverse radiation effects or new neurological symptoms after the second SRS. Conclusions With this limited experience, we found that repeat SRS for a persistently enlarging acoustic neuroma can be performed safely and effectively.
Effects of modified collector boundary conditions on the basic properties of a transistor

Abstract Effects due to modified collector boundary conditions in an n-p-n alloy-junction transistor are investigated. The modified boundary conditions differ from those conventionally employed in that the minority carrier density nc at the base side of the collector transition region increases with collector current J, and the transition region thickness wt decreases with increasing collector current when high-level injection into the collector transition region occurs. One of the two major objections to the conventional assumptions, namely that zero carrier density at the collector junction would require infinite carrier velocity, is thereby removed. The particular performance properties examined are the collector current J vs. base-emitter voltage V transfer characteristic, and the d.c. current gain β vs. collector current J characteristic. Derivation of these two characteristics is first reviewed for the conventional collector boundary conditions, partly as a tutorial exposition of the charge-control method of analysis, and partly as a foundation for the following derivations with the modified collector boundary conditions. It is shown that the second major objection to the conventional assumptions, namely that charge neutrality would not be maintained in the “neutral” base region at high-level injection, is eliminated in the modified solution. The modified solution predicts that the J vs. V and the β vs. J characteristics differ from the conventional results by only small degrees which, in a practical transistor, will certainly be masked by many effects not represented in the simple model considered. It is concluded, therefore, that the conventional analysis and results do in fact predict with good accuracy the performance of a transistor, within the limitations of the model, and that the major benefit of the modified collector boundary conditions is to remove two untenable assumptions and restore confidence in the conventional analysis.
Chemical kinetic simulation of hydrocarbon oxidation through the exhaust port of a spark ignition engine

The oxidation of unburned hydrocarbons remaining in the cylinder of a spark-ignited engine after the main combustion event takes place both in-cylinder and in the exhaust port. Hydrocarbons emerging from engine tailpipes consist of unburned fuel as well as products of incomplete combustion. This paper addresses the extent of oxidation and the production of nonfuel species in the exhaust port of a single-cylinder spark-ignition engine. Simulations of the unsteady thermal and composition state of the gases emerging from the cylinder were coupled to detailed chemistry models of the oxidation of hydrocarbons (propane, isooctane, methane, and ethane) to determine the change in the average composition of the gas as it passes through the exhaust port. The results are compared to previously measured speciated compositions of the exhaust gases at the exhaust port inlet and outlet. A stratification parameter to represent the growth of the thermal boundary layer due to heat transfer is added to the simplified unsteady plug flow simulation. Comparisons between model and experiment show that the concentration of products of incomplete combustion can only be adequately reproduced if stratification effects are taken into account.
Characterization of nitric oxide signaling pathways in the mouse retina.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous neuromodulator with physiological functions in every retinal cell type. NO is synthesized by several nitric oxide synthases (NOS) and often functions through its second messenger, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), and protein kinase G (PKG). This study combined NO imaging, immunocytochemistry, biochemistry, and molecular biology to localize NO and its downstream signaling pathways in the mouse retina. Neuronal NOS (nNOS) was localized primarily in puncta in the inner plexiform layer, in amacrine cells, and in somata in the ganglion cell layer. Endothelial NOS was in blood vessels. Light-stimulated NO production imaged with diaminofluorescein was present in somata in the inner nuclear layer and in synaptic boutons in the inner plexiform layer. The downstream target of NO, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), was in somata in the inner and outer nuclear layers and in both plexiform layers. Cyclic GMP immunocytochemistry was used functionally to localize sGC that was activated by an NO donor in amacrine, bipolar, and ganglion cells. Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) Iα was found in bipolar cells, ganglion cells, and both plexiform layers, whereas PKG II was found in the outer plexiform layer, amacrine cells, and somata in the ganglion cell layer. This study shows that the NO/cGMP/PKG signaling pathway is functional and widely distributed in specific cell types in the outer and inner mouse retina. A better understanding of these signaling pathways in normal retina will provide a firm basis for targeting their roles in retinal pathology. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:4204–4217, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Advancing Optical Imaging for Breast Margin Assessment: An Analysis of Excisional Time, Cautery, and Patent Blue Dye on Underlying Sources of Contrast

Breast conserving surgery (BCS) is a recommended treatment for breast cancer patients where the goal is to remove the tumor and a surrounding rim of normal tissue. Unfortunately, a high percentage of patients return for additional surgeries to remove all of the cancer. Post-operative pathology is the gold standard for evaluating BCS margins but is limited due to the amount of tissue that can be sampled. Frozen section analysis and touch-preparation cytology have been proposed to address the surgical needs but also have sampling limitations. These issues represent an unmet clinical need for guidance in resecting malignant tissue intra-operatively and for pathological sampling. We have developed a quantitative spectral imaging device to examine margins intra-operatively. The context in which this technology is applied (intra-operative or post-operative setting) is influenced by time after excision and surgical factors including cautery and the presence of patent blue dye (specifically Lymphazurin™, used for sentinel lymph node mapping). Optical endpoints of hemoglobin ([THb]), fat ([β-carotene]), and fibroglandular content via light scattering ( ) measurements were quantified from diffuse reflectance spectra of lumpectomy and mastectomy specimens using a Monte Carlo model. A linear longitudinal mixed-effects model was used to fit the optical endpoints for the cautery and kinetics studies. Monte Carlo simulations and tissue mimicking phantoms were used for the patent blue dye experiments. [THb], [β-carotene], and were affected by , and [β-carotene]/ was 40%. [β-carotene] and [β-carotene]/ were the only parameters not affected by cautery. This work demonstrates the importance of understanding the post-excision kinetics of ex-vivo tissue and the presence of cautery and patent blue dye for breast tumor margin assessment, to accurately interpret data and exploit underling sources of contrast.
Interfacing to Ethernet using VLSI protocol chips

Abstract We present our experience in interfacing to the Ethernet local area network using VLSI protocol chips. Controller boards have been constructed for the IBM Personal Computer using chip sets from three different manufacturers. We report on the capabilities of these chip sets and find they can be operated together in a reliable and compatible fashion.
Sixth Graders’ Conflict Resolution in Role Plays with a Peer, Parent, and Teacher

This study used conflict resolution role play vignettes and self-report surveys of 450 New York City 6th graders to examine associations between adolescents’ conflict resolution efficacy and social skills. Vignettes covered 3 social contexts, conflict with a peer (disagreement over activities), with a parent (raise in allowance), and with a teacher (low grade on report). Effective and ineffective strategies for resolving these conflicts were coded from the videotaped interactions. Adolescents were more often effective in resolving conflict with peers than with parents (χ2(1) = 7.10, p < .01). Strong communication skills cut across interpersonal context as associated with effective resolution. Assertiveness and absence of aggression were associated with effective conflict resolution in vignettes with peers. Assertiveness was also associated with effective conflict resolution in vignettes with parents, however nervousness was unexpectedly found to facilitate conflict resolution in vignettes with parents. Only skills observed within a particular context were associated with effective resolution in that context; self-report skills and cross-context observed skills were not associated with efficacy. Implications for implementation and evaluation of social skills curricula and conflict resolution process are discussed.
Morphological development of the brain stem reticular core in prenatally undernourished rats

The development of brain stem reticular core neurons in prenatally undernourished rats was investigated using the Golgi technique to determine the effect of immediate postnatal nutritional rehabilitation. Quantitative measurements of dendritic extent of branching and of cell size were compared in experimental and control neurons. An assessment of developmental dendritic status was achieved by counting numbers of dendritic protospines and varicosities on proximal and distal segments of dendrite. The protein and DNA content of the brain stem was also examined. The deficit of brain stem cell number at birth was rapidly restored by 11 days of age as was the delay of dendritic development. The number of dendritic protospines was comparable to control levels by 20 days but dendritic varicosities were more numerous on proximal segments. The dendritic extent increased during this period with rehabilitation though not as greatly as in control cells. The pattern of dendritic branching and size of somata were restored. Cell replication with rehabilitation probably represents a return of glial numbers which may impede distal dendritic growth of reticular core dendrites. Proximal growth is enhanced and the afferent supply to the reticular core may be increased during this time.
Localization of benzyl glucosinolate and thioglucosidase in Carica papaya fruit.

Abstract Macerated papaya seeds and pulp contained benzyl isothiocyanate, produced by the enzymatic hydrolysis of benzyl glucosinolate by thioglucosidase. The substrate and enzyme were localized in different areas. In mature papaya seeds, thioglucosidase was found in sarcotestae but not in endosperms, while the reverse was true for benzyl glucosinolate, which constituted more than 6% (w/w) of the endosperms. Both the enzyme and substrate were present in embryos and the amount of the latter was 3·9% (w/w). In immature papaya pulp, benzyl glucosinolate was localized principally, if not exclusively, in the latex, ranging from 7·3 to 11·6% of the dry wt of latex fluid. No thioglucosidase activity was found in papaya latex. The possible significance of the localization of this enzyme-substrate system and aspects concerning functions of papaya latex are discussed.
Inhibition by rapamycin of ornithine decarboxylase and epithelial cell proliferation in intestinal IEC‐6 cells in culture

1 Induction of the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) appears to be controlled primarily at the level of ODC mRNA translation. The immunosuppressant drug, rapamycin, blocked the induction of ODC in response to serum by roughly 50% but was without effect on transport of putrescine into the intracellular space. The effect on ODC was specific for the intracellular signalling pathway leading to activation of p70S6k, as the immunosuppressant FK 506 was without effect on ODC activity. 2 Exposure of IEC-6 duodenal epithelial cells to rapamycin inhibited cellular proliferation. The effect of rapamycin was cytostatic in that removal of the immunosuppressant from the medium resulted in renewed cell division. Conversely, addition of exogenous putrescine, the product of the ODC catalysed reaction, was unable to reverse the cytostatic effects of rapamycin. 3 At a concentration of 10 nM, rapamycin inhibited the induction of ODC by 50%, a level of inhibition which could not be enhanced by exposure cells to 1000 nM rapamycin. This observation suggests that other intracellular signalling pathways, in addition to the p70S6k cascade, might be involved in regulation of translation of ODC mRNA or that rapamycin does not completely inhibit p70S6k.
CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase

CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT) catalyzes the synthesis of CDP-choline and is regulatory for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. This review focuses on recent developments in understanding the catalytic and regulatory mechanisms of this enzyme. Evidence for the nuclear localization of the enzyme is discussed, as well as evidence suggesting cytoplasmic localization. A comparison of the catalytic domains of CCTs from a wide variety of organisms is presented, highlighting a large number of completely conserved residues. Work implying a role for the conserved HXGH sequence in catalysis is described. The membrane-binding domain in rat CCT has been defined, and the role of lipids in activating the enzyme is discussed. The identification of the phosphorylation domain is described, as well as approaches to understand the role of phosphorylation in enzyme activity. Other possible control mechanisms such as enzyme degradation and gene expression are presented.
6-thioguanine in the treatment of psoriasis: a case report and literature review.

Background: 6-Thioguanine is a purine analog primarily indicated for acute myelogenous leukemia. Its use in psoriasis was first investigated in the 1950s and current interest in serious treatments for psoriasis, such as cyclosporine, has renewed interest in this medication. Newer therapies, such as PUVA and retinoids, have side effects as do some older treatments, such as methotrexate, which fell into favor at the same time 6-thioguanine was being investigated. Reexamining older treatments can open up new therapeutic options in difficult cases. Objective: The goal of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the use of 6-thioguanine in the treatment of psoriasis as well as an illustrative case report demonstrating the use and side effects of 6-thioguanine in a patient with pustular psoriasis. Topics reviewed include efficacy, side effects, laboratory monitoring, different dosing regimens, and proposed mechanisms of action. Conclusions: 6-Thioguanine has been highly effective in treating and maintaining improvement in patients with psoriasis. A study comparing efficacies with methotrexate would be extremely useful. Because of the possibility of severe bone marrow depression, 6-thioguanine is not a first-line treatment. However, with new dosing regimens, proper laboratory monitoring, and further studies, use of 6-Thioguanine could expand in the future.
Closed-set effects in consonant confusion patterns

Invariance of error patterns in confusion matrices of varying dimensions were examined. Normal-hearing young adults were presented closed-set arrangements of digitized syllable tokens, spoken by 1 ...
What is a sentinel node? Re‐evaluating the 10% rule for sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma

Introduction: Many surgeons use the ‘‘10% rule’’ to define whether a lymph node is a sentinel node (SLN) when staging malignant melanoma. However, this increases the number of SLN removed and the time and cost of the procedure. We examined the impact of raising this threshold on the accuracy of the procedure. Methods: We reviewed the records of 561 patients with melanoma (624 basins) who underwent SLN with technetium Tc99 labeled sulfur colloid using a definition of a SLN as 10% of that of the node with the highest counts per minute (CPM). Results: Of the 624 basins, 154 (25%) were positive for metastases. An average of 1.9 nodes per basin were removed (range 1–6). Metastases were found in the hottest node in 137 cases (89% of positive basins, 97% of basins overall). Increasing the threshold above 10% decreased the number of nodes excised and the costs involved, but incrementally raised the number of false negative cases above baseline (a 4% increase for a ‘‘20% rule,’’ 5% for a ‘‘30% rule,’’ 6% for a ‘‘40% rule,’’ and 7% for a ‘‘50% rule’’). Taking only the hottest node would raise the false negative rate by 11%. Conclusions: Although using thresholds higher than 10% for the definition of a SLN will minimize the extent of surgery and decrease the costs associated with the procedure, it will compromise the accuracy of the procedure and is not recommended. J. Surg. Oncol. 2007;95:623–628. 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Theoretical evidence for bound electronic excited states of ozone

Abstract Extensive configuration interaction calculations (up to 1532 spin eigenfunctions) have been carried out on ozone with both minimal and extended bases. Vertical and adiabatic excitation energies to 14 excited states are reported, including seven states with vertical excitation energies less than 4 eV. Our calculations indicate that in addition to the ground state there are four other states of ozone ( 3 B 2 , 3 A 2 , 1 A 2 and 3 B 1 ) bound with respect to dissociation to ground state O 2 and O (by 0.4, 0.3, 0.1 and 0.0 eV, respectively). With such small bonding energies, the current results cannot be said to show definitively (except perhaps for 3 B 2 ) these four states to be bound with respect to O 2 + O. However, the theoretical evidence is sufficiently strong as to warrant careful experimental studies. Such bound excited electronic states could play important roles in the chemistry of the upper atmosphere and in the chemistry of oxygen discharge systems. One (or more) of these states may be responsible for the short-lived intermediate (‘ozone precursor’) recently observed in oxygen radiolysis.
Molecular inotropy: a future approach to the treatment of heart failure?

Maurice et al1 recently reported that a global ventricular 10-fold overexpression of the β-2 adrenergic receptor, mediated by the intracoronary injection of an adenoviral vector, can be produced in the rabbit. This overexpression resulted in an increased maximum rate of change in left ventricular pressure, dp/dtmax, both at baseline and in response to isoproterenol infusion at 6 days after transgene delivery, with the enhanced isoproterenol response persisting for up to 21 days. They concluded that genetic modulation to improve the function of the intact heart is feasible. In this issue of Circulation , del Monte et al2 describe experiments that indicate that gene therapy can improve failing human cardiac myocyte function. These investigators demonstrated that the abnormal contraction, relaxation, and contraction amplitude-frequency relationship of isolated myocytes obtained from patients with dilated cardiomyopathy could be normalized by transfection of the myocytes in vitro with an adenovirus expressing the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ ATPase, SERCA2a; transfection increased Ca2+ ATPase activity by 80%. The enhanced function of the myocytes was associated with corresponding improvements in the kinetics of the Ca2+ transient. The isolated myocyte results confirm previous in vitro findings by Meyer et al3 in normal rabbit myocytes that indicated that adenoviral transfection of SERCA2a can improve contraction and relaxation. Early studies by Lindenmayer et al4 suggested that the Ca2+ uptake of isolated SR vesicles was impaired in failing human myocardium, and Grossman et al5 found that the peak dp/dt of left ventricular pressure decline and the velocity of circumferential fiber lengthening were reduced in patients with congestive cardiomyopathy. Evidence that this impaired relaxation in the failing heart is due to abnormal Ca2+ homeostasis was provided by Gwathmey et al.6 …
Studies Of A Fabry-Perot Resonator For The Millimeter Range

An open resonator formed by a flat and a spherical reflector, which with suitable scaling would be appropriate for operation at near-millimeter wavelengths, has been constructed and tested. For ease of fabrication and study, we have performed preliminary experiments in the microwave range of 8.0 to 12.5 GHz on a prototype resonator, but scaling to higher frequencies is quite straightforward. Partial reflectors were constructed of metal strip gratings which have an inductive amplitude reflection coefficient of magnitude about 0.985 at 10.0 GHz. By tuning the frequency of the incident plane-polarized radiation, the Gaussian TEMcimn cavity resonances have been observed in both transmission and reflection. The center frequencies and line widths of several of these resonances have been measured. A confocal resonator of this type would be appropriate as a scanning interferometer for high-resolution spectral analysis of the radiation of a millimeter wave source, and resonators with curved metal grid reflectors could be used for millimeter wave laser oscillators.
Learning issues identified by students in tutorless problem-based tutorials

Of concern in the problem-based learning process in medical student education is the effect of allowing students to generate their own learning issues while discussing cases and problems. This study considered learning issues in problem-based learning, studying faculty and student overlap and consistency across learning groups while adding the perspective of analyzing learning issues developed by students without the assistance of a tutor. Lists of students' learning issues, interviews with the course director and course writer, and final examination scores were collected for 4 of 12 tutorial groups, representing 52 students, and 4 cases prepared by students. The mean case overlap in issues and content covered was somewhat lower for this study than for previous studies using staff tutors. Not having a tutor present during the initial case discussion may slightly reduce the amount of case overlap between faculty-intended learning objectives and the learning issues generated by students for the purposes of self-study. Only one-quarter of the 77 faculty objectives were identified by all 4 groups as learning issues. Results suggest that reliance on a tutorless format may not be appropriate when other sources of structure are absent from the curriculum. (Contains three tables and seven references.) .(SI.D) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************
Theoretical aspects of coupling model schemes of slow relaxation in complex correlated systems

Abstract Experimental data of temporal relaxation phenomena in diverse types of complex correlated condensed matter systems seem to follow stretched exponential behavior (or its frequency space counterpart). Descriptions of such phenomena based on ‘coupling model’ schemes invoke three timescales: τ0 associated with an early linear exponential; τ ∗ associated with a late stretched exponential with a stretching index n (0 ≤ n τ 0 and τ ∗ , namely, ω c τ ∗ = [(1 − n)ω c τ 0 ] 1 1−n·τ 0 represents the relaxation time before correlations become operative and τ ∗ is the relaxation time when correlations are operative. ‘Coupling model’ schemes described here have been successful in bringing together a large body of experimental data for a significant class of complex correlated systems (CCS) and demonstrate certain widely shared behaviors. A review of the conceptual notions used in coupling model schemes in the past decade is outlined. The scope and underlying assumptions of these schemes are made explicit. In an appendix, a general phenomenology that brings out the dynamic structure of relaxation in CCS is also outlined.
A semiclassical correlation function approach to barrier tunneling

Abstract A time domain approach employing the semiclassical approximation to the quantum mechanical propagator, as applied to Gaussian wavepackets, is used to study the barrier penetration problem. We have observed that qualitative agreement with the exact quantum calculations for the correlation function and the transmission probability can be achieved by considering only classically allowed trajectories. The results slowly tend to the classical step function at the barrier top as a function of the wavepacket center parameter, however. We suggest that a full semiclassical calculation, including nonclassical trajectories with complex energies, would improve the results.
Dancing in the Margins: Experiences of African American Ballerinas

“Where are all the Black Swans?” Gia Koulas asked in 2007. The question begs to be answered, yet in my search for “black swans,” I found few leading light-skinned swans and even fewer leading dark-skinned ones. Color casting has riddled the African-American community throughout the American history. The divisions within the African-American community have been an unpleasant cornerstone of the African-American experience. They did not simply exist in the African-American community but seeped into all sectors of society where African-American people were and are present. This paper explores how these issues have been influential in American ballet and reveals the color casting that is rarely addressed. The significance of this persisting issue is not so much its presence, which has been noted time and time again, yet its inability to evolve.
Small group experience for socially withdrawn girls

Social competence is the effectiveness of social interaction behavior. Given its link to mental health outcomes, it is an important consideration in child and adolescent development. Social withdrawal is associated with depression. Socially withdrawn children make few social initiations and tend to be isolated in their play, further limiting their social involvement. To develop effective social behavior, experiences must be provided to learn relationship skills. This practice improvement project provided a small group experience for five socially withdrawn school-age girls. Weekly group meetings provided a social situation in which conversations could occur around a shared snack and craft project. The school nurse facilitated self-assertion and the expression of prosocial behavior in a socially safe (nonrejecting) environment and promoted social problem solving. On completion of the program, the participants not only showed more effective social reasoning and social skills, but developed friendships with each other that lasted beyond the life of the group.
The stock split and dividend effect: information or price pressure?

(1990). The stock split and dividend effect: information or price pressure? Applied Economics: Vol. 22, No. 7, pp. 927-932.
Documentation Panels Enhance Teacher Education Programs

Documentation of children’s projects is advantageous to their learning process and is also a good method for student teachers to observe the process of learning. Documentation panels are a unique way to help student teachers understand how children learn. Completing a panel requires a student teacher to think through a process. Teachers must learn how to ask appropriate questions that reveal the progress of the project and then reflect the information onto a panel that preserves the growth of the child’s thinking. Panels are an effective way to help student teachers convey their knowledge about young children and appropriate methods of teaching.
Parallel Mutual Information Based Construction of Whole-Genome Networks on the Intel (R) Xeon Phi (TM) Coprocessor

Construction of whole-genome networks from large-scale gene expression data is an important problem in systems biology. While several techniques have been developed, most cannot handle network reconstruction at the whole-genome scale, and the few that can, require large clusters. In this paper, we present a solution on the Intel (R) Xeon Phi (TM) coprocessor, taking advantage of its multi-level parallelism including many x86-based cores, multiple threads per core, and vector processing units. We also present a solution on the Intel (R) Xeon (R) processor. Our solution is based on TINGe, a fast parallel network reconstruction technique that uses mutual information and permutation testing for assessing statistical significance. We demonstrate the first ever inference of a plant whole genome regulatory network on a single chip by constructing a 15,575 gene network of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana from 3,137 microarray experiments in only 22 minutes. In addition, our optimization for parallelizing mutual information computation on the Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor holds out lessons that are applicable to other domains.
Multicore vesicles: hyperosmolarity and L-DOPA induce homotypic fusion of dense core vesicles.

A fraction of vesicles in cells treated with hypertonic solution exhibit multiple dense cores and this is enhanced by treatment with l-3,4–dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA). These cells were examined to determine if the multicore vesicles are the product of endocytosis or homotypic fusion. Electron microscopy was used to determine the number of multicore vesicles and amperometry was used to examine if the multicore vesicles are a competent fraction of the readily releasable pool. In this study, we observed that a substantial portion (15.3%) of large dense core vesicles in PC12 cells contained multiple cores in hypertonic saline loaded with l-DOPA, and amperometric measurements show a bimodal distribution of quantal sizes in treated cells. The results suggest that the multicored vesicles are formed from homotypic fusion of LCDVs prior to exocytosis.
Anterograde transsynaptic transport of WGA-HRP in rat olfactory pathways.

The transport of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was studied in rat olfactory pathways. After applications of tracer to the vomeronasal organ, the olfactory epithelium or injections into the olfactory bulb, WGA-HRP reaction product was observed in second-order neuron terminal areas of each pathway, e.g. within posteromedial cortical amygdaloid nucleus, primary olfactory cortex and contralateral primary olfactory cortex, respectively. The results indicate that anterograde transsynaptic transport of WGA-HRP occurs in olfactory pathways, as has been shown in visual, somatosensory and limbic systems, and thus, anterograde transsynaptic transport may be a mechanism for neurons to exchange materials and/or messages.
Applications of Atom-Photon Coincidence Measurements to Charge Transfer

Measurements have been made of the polarization of characteristic radiation of excited states, formed in charge exchange collisions, in delayed time coincidence with the neutral particles formed and scattered during the collision. Such information directly provides ratios of populations of orbital magnetic sublevels and phase differences between scattering amplitudes. This relative phase data, in conjunction with an appropriate model of the collision process, has provided insights into the evolution of the electronic charge distribution during the collision process. These techniques are also being applied to ion-molecule charge transfer collisions.
A hotspot for spontaneous frameshift mutations in the histidinol dehydrogenase gene of Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract A hotspot for spontaneous frameshift mutations in the histidinol dehydrogenase gene of Salmonella typhimurium contains two radically different types of frameshift. Reversion of each type occurs spontaneously but is not enhanced by the frameshift mutagens tested. One type, interpreted as extensive deletions, reverts at a very low frequency and produces only pseudo-wild type (+−) revertants in which histidinol dehydrogenase is either undetectable or cold-sensitive in vitro . The other type of frameshift, interpreted as duplications, reverts at a very high frequency and yields only apparently wild-type revertants with normal histidinol dehydrogenase. Neither type of frameshift appears to be externally suppressible. The hotspot contains a repeating DNA sequence of two to three G.C pairs and occasionally yields (+1) frameshift mutations with the acridine derivative, ICR-191, presumably by strand slippage. Slippage of greater extent may generate the complex spontaneous lesions.
"To wipe a manly tear": The Aesthetics of Emotion in Victorian Narrative Painting

Over the course of the twentieth century, Victorian narrative painting became synonymous with sentimentality, melodrama, and the artificial evocation of emotion. This essay aims to complicate this familiar assessment by examining the role emotional effect played in aesthetic evaluations of some of the most popular modern life genre paintings of the 1850s to 1870s. i argue that the critical discourse on Victorian narrative painting was marked by a persistent skepticism about the role of feeling in aesthetic response—as excessively painful or obvious emotional impact marked the limit between artistic success and failure—and i locate these concerns within the physical and social exhibition culture of the r oyal Academy.
Waiting for the Minimum: US State Wage Laws, Firm Strategy, and Chain-Restaurant Job Quality:

The US approach to employment regulation has created conditions in which ‘high road’ employee management practices can be costly for employers, while limited regulation gives firms ample freedom to pursue ‘low road’ strategies. Within this context, US firms face increasing domestic and global pressures to cut labor costs of all types, particularly businesses operating in the retail service industry with many low-skilled, hourly jobs. Yet as recent organization- and job-level studies document, not all such jobs are created equal. This article considers potentially different business strategies applied to the same job, that of restaurant waiter, within the distinct public policy contexts of two US states. The authors analyze practices related to waitstaff wages, benefits, and staffing and scheduling reported by managers at 16 sites of two national restaurant chains positioned in different lower-end segments of the full-service restaurant industry; and in suburban Seattle and Chicago, reflecting divergent st...
Gulf of Mexico sediment sources and sediment transport trends from magnetic susceptibility measurements of surface samples

Abstract The magnetic properties from 200 trigger core-top and Van Veen grab sediment samples recovered from throughout the Gulf of Mexico have been analyzed and used to characterize sediment source and flow pattern distributions. Magnetic parameters included are anhysteretic remanent magnetism (ARM) and magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements. Results from these measurements are compared to previously determined calcium carbonate percentages, and clay and hematite influx trajectories into the Gulf of Mexico for the same samples reported by Balsam and Beeson [Balsam, W.L. and Beeson, J.P., 2003. Sea-floor sediment distribution in the Gulf of Mexico, Deep-Sea Res. I, 50, 1421–1444.]. The ARM results give an estimate of magnetic grain size distributions, and by analogy, grain size distributions in general, whereas MS patterns show high detrital sediment accumulation zones within the Gulf. The dominant influx of modern high susceptibility sediment into the Gulf of Mexico appears to originate from the Red River, flow into Atchafalaya River Basin and out into the Gulf from Atchafalaya Bay, with significant additional contributions from the Mississippi River through the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River Delta. This material then moves across the continental shelf and down through the Mississippi Canyon into the deep Gulf where it is redistributed at depths > 3600 m. The eastern shelf margins in the Gulf, offshore from Alabama and Florida, are accumulating calcite- or quartz-rich medium to fine-grained sediment that has a very low or diamagnetic MS signature. From the Louisiana to Texas Gulf coast margins, MS is moderate to high, suggesting a river influx of magnetic constituents from the volcanic fields in New Mexico, and from igneous and metamorphic sources in the Mississippi Basin. Offshore from western Mexico, the MS is high to moderate, but the Yucatan Shelf margin is characterized by low to diamagnetic MS values due to sediment dominated by calcite sands and oozes, a trend that continues to the east onto the West Florida Shelf. Additional measurements of samples collected in association with sites characterized by hydrocarbon seepage exhibit anomalously low MS values. The samples from the lower shelf and slope areas are typified by iron reduction by bacterial organisms in these samples. These results produce anomalous localized lows in the MS trends observed.
Class Size and Student Performance at a Public Research University: A Cross-Classified Model

This study addresses several methodological problems that have confronted prior research on the effect of class size on student achievement. Unlike previous studies, this analysis accounts for the hierarchical data structure of student achievement, where grades are nested within classes and students, and considers a wide range of class sizes across various disciplines. Based on data from undergraduate class sections at a single institution, the study provides consistent evidence of a negative effect of class size on grade performance, most substantially affecting the achievement of “A” grades with lesser effect on grades of “C” or higher. Because models with logarithmic specification show superior fit, this study also demonstrates that the effect of class size on students’ final grades diminishes as the class size increases. These findings suggest that a larger impact on student performance could be attained by further trimming enrollment in small classes than by reducing class size overall.
Refined gypsum effective attenuation coefficients for Co-60, 6 MV, 10 MV and 18 MV x-rays.

We report new effective linear attenuation coefficients (μeff) for refined gypsum for Co-60 and 18 MV x-rays. 6 MV and 10 MV μeff agree with published data. For a 100 cm2 field size (FS), tissue defect x = 1.35 cm, target depth d = 1.65 cm beneath the tissue defect x, μeff is 0.123 cm−1 (Co-60) and 0.0934 cm−1 (6 MV). For 100 cm2, x = 1.35 cm, and d = 5.65 cm beneath x, μeff is 0.072 cm−1 (10 MV), and 0.0614 cm−1 (18 MV). For d, μeff decreases about 10% from 25 to 400 cm2. For a given FS, μeff decreases with d by 3%–5% for Co-60, and 3% for 6 MV, 10 MV and 18 MV, but depends on (d − x). For d, when x is large (8 cm), depending on energy and FS, μeff is 2%–4% less than when x is small (2 cm). These data were used in a treatment-planning computer to design compensator filters for a step phantom. Compensation was to within 10% in the compensation plane (CP). Above and below CP, computer-calculated ratios of doses with and without filters were 0.75–1.13. Chamber dose ratios with and without filters were 0.75–1.12.
The burden of hepatitis C virus infection in children: estimated direct medical costs over a 10-year period.

Objective To quantify the burden of pediatric hepatitis C virus (HCV) disease over the coming decade. Study design Using national Census results and published and unpublished data, we constructed estimates of HCV prevalence, incidence, rate of vertical transmission, sustained viral response (SVR), and severe complications of infection. Using these figures, we generated a projection model for pediatric HCV outcomes, and we then performed a sensitivity analysis by altering the rates of fibrosis development and SVR. Results A prevalence of 23,048 to 42,296 pediatric patients with chronic HCV combined with 7200 new cases from vertical transmission was used for further calculations. Over the next decade, estimated screening costs were $26 million, monitoring costs ranged from $117 million to $206 million, and treatment costs ranged from $56 million to $104 million. Conclusions To date, pediatric HCV has received relatively little attention, but it will have a significant economic impact over the next 10 years if changes in practice are not made.
A theoretical study of residual stress effects on fatigue life prediction

Recently, the trend has been toward the use of the full subsurface stress field in rolling element bearing fatigue life prediction (stress field-based life models). By using the stress field-based bearing life models, more accurate assessments of such things as fitting practice and thermal treatments on the bearing performance are achieved. However, one aspect missing in most models has been the consideration of the changing residual stress during operation of the bearing. This study was conducted to investigate the time dependent residual stress on contact fatigue life predictions. This study concluded that the changes in residual stress during operation were most likely a fatigue reaction of the material to the pre-fatigue residual stress and cyclic contact stress fields. The materials fatigue response changes the instantaneous values of the material constants in most stress field-based life equations, thus making them in-calculable. As such, the pre-fatigue residual stress field should be used in the s...
Lithium and amphetamine: Opposite effects on threshold of intracranial reinforcement

The effects of lithium chloride on the behavior of rats aroused by electrical self-stimulation of the brain were compared to the effects of a known stimulant, d-amphetamine sulfate. The threshould of the reinforcing effect of this same electrical stimulation was determined by a classical psychophysical method. A threshold of reinforcement was defined by counting the postreinforcement pauses during concurrent fixed-ratio and continuous reinforcement schedules. Lithium raises and d-amphetamine lowers this threshold. These threshold changes correspond to the opponent behavioral and biochemical actions produced by these drugs in man.
A novel approach to I/sub DDQ/ testing of mixed-signal integrated circuits

This paper presents an effective built-in current sensor (BICS), which has a very small impact on the performance of the circuit under test (CUT). The proposed BICS works in two-modes the normal mode and the test mode. In the normal mode, the BICS is isolated from the CUT due to which there is no performance degradation of the CUT. In the testing mode, our BICS detects the abnormal current caused by permanent manufacturing defects. Furthermore, our BICS can also distinguish the type of defect induced (gate-source short, source-drain short and drain-gate short). Our BICS requires neither an external voltage source nor current source. Hence the BICS requires less area and is more efficient than the conventional current sensors. The circuit under test is a 10-bit digital-to-analog converter using charge-scaling architecture.
Neuropsychological Effects of Formaldehyde Use

This study compared five individuals who intentionally ingested formaldehyde (possibly laced with PCP) in marijuana cigarettes to a control group on measures of cognitive ability. Formaldehyde, a major component in embalming fluid, is legal to purchase and possess and has become popular due to its euphoric properties. In significant doses, the chemical is a neurotoxin. The effects of inadvertent exposure are fairly well known, but the effects of intentional ingestion have only recently been investigated. In addition, there has been little research on the effects of formaldehyde use specific to intellectual ability and cognitive intactness. The results of this study indicate intentional ingestion may cause a decline in neuropsychological intactness, as measured by performance on the Shipley Institute of Living Scale.
Dermatology workforce policy then and now: reflections on Dr Peyton Weary's 1979 manuscript.

‘‘Clearly anecdotal evidence.would force us to conclude that in some areas of the country.there is now, or will soon be, a significant oversupply of dermatologists.’’ correct, his underlying thesis that future workforce needs depended upon unpredictable factors (healthcare financing and delivery reforms, technological innovation, physician productivity, and disease prevalence) was insightful and prescient. At the time of Dr Weary’s commentary, managed care was in its infancy, and Medicare had not yet developed its current fixed payment system for physician services, but a broad consensus was about to emerge suggesting an impending oversupply of dermatologists. This was based largely on the experience of closed-panel health maintenance organizations (HMOs) which were increasingly relying on primary care physicians and reducing dependence on specialists. Those early HMOs, however, had relatively young, healthy, homogeneous patients, and the lower number of specialists utilized in their care did not translate to subsequent expanded managed care populations. More importantly, the predictions of an HMO-induced
The role of boron in ductilizing Ni3Al

Ductilization of Ni3Al at room temperature by microalloying with boron has been primarily attributed to the increased grain boundary cohesion in the presence of boron.1 However, another aspect of the role played by boron in ductilizing Ni3Al is revealed when the Hall-Petch relationships for Ni3Al and B-doped Ni3Al are compared. A shallower slope for the B-doped Ni3Al compared to that for Ni3Al indicates a reduced resistance to slip propagation across grain boundaries, and therefore reduced stress concentration at boundaries, in the presence of boron. This comparison of Hall-Petch relationships was carried out by generating data for powder processed B-doped Ni3Al at various grain sizes and by compiling data for Ni3Al from the literature. In addition, the room temperature fracture of B-doped Ni3Al has been shown to initiate along certain grain boundaries. The fracture eventually occurs by transgranular ductile tearing.
A behavioral and pharmacological analysis of some discriminable properties of d-LSD in rats.

d-LSD was employed as a discriminative stimulus in a two-lever, freechoice procedure involving water reinforcement with rats. The results indicated that 1. doses of 0.02-0.04 mg/kg of d-LSD were at the “threshold” level of discriminability from no drug (saline), 2. 0.08 mg/kg was clearly discriminable from no drug, 3. the same dose of d-LSD (0.08 mg/kg) was also discriminable from d-amphetamine, and 4. subjects could probably discriminate, albeit weakly, between d-LSD and two other hallucinogens, mescaline and psilocybin.