cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of funnel length from cross section versus LET measurements

Proposes an empirical model and method for determining the funnel length from heavy ion upset cross sections as a function of LET (linear energy transfer) data. It is valid for bulk technologies having a lightly doped epi region over a heavily doped substrate region. The proposed method is applied to 8 K*8 K SRAM (static random-access memory) heavy ion SEU (single event upset) test data. It is shown that the primary cause of discontinuities decreases in the upset cross section even though the surface normal effective LET has increased in the upset cross section versus surface normal effective LET curves. This is due to inappropriate conversion of the ion LET into surface normal effective LET. Previous attempts to resolve these discontinuities focused on modifying the upset cross section. The proposed model focuses on the conversion from ion LET to surface normal effective LET. The discontinuities are significantly reduced by modifying the traditionally used 1/cos conversion equation. >
The Laser Interferometer And Programmable Calculator As An Inspection And Metrology Tool

Because this Seminar is sponsored by SPIE and ASQC, I am assuming there is a broad range of interests represented by the audience. We've tried to orient this paper to cover the interests of both societies. However, because of the nature of our work and interest, this paper is weighted more to user applications for inspection, calibration and problem solving. We hope we have something for everyone. We'll be showing schematics of the various optical accessories and their applications. We'll be looking at the Laser Interferometer interfaced with the calculator for immediate data processing for statistical analysis. With immediate data processing we can easily repeat a measurement for data confirmation should there be some question regarding the results. In some instances, we can interface the calculator to other instruments for data analysis. Again with the calculator on the job - literally -data confirmation is easy.
Impact of support layer pore size on performance of thin film composite membranes for forward osmosis

Abstract Previous investigations of forward osmosis (FO) concluded that thin film composite (TFC) membranes should be designed with hydrophilic supports to help mitigate internal concentration polarization and improve water flux. A number of research groups and companies around the world have responded to those findings by developing TFC membranes with hydrophilic supporting materials. However, there has been few fundamental studies on how hydrophilic support structure affects selective layer formation and hence membrane performance. Here, a systematic investigation on the influence of support layer pore size on the osmotic performance of thin film composite membranes is conducted for the first time. Specifically, TFC membranes were made by interfacial polymerization to form a polyamide selective layer on top of a series of commercially available nylon 6,6 microfiltration membranes with similar physical and chemical properties but different pore sizes. The interfacial polymerization process is affected by the support pore dimensions and the resulting polyamide composite membranes exhibited varying film morphology, cross-linking degree, mechanical integrity, and permselectivity. Osmotic flux tests show that the osmotic flux performances (water flux, salt flux and specific salt flux) are dependent on a permeability-selectivity trade-off which is in part impacted by the pore size of the support layer.
A simple estimator for a shared frailty regression model

Summary. We propose a simple estimation procedure for a proportional hazards frailty regression model for clustered survival data in which the dependence is generated by a positive stable distribution. Inferences for the frailty parameter can be obtained by using output from Cox regression analyses. The computational burden is substantially less than that of the other approaches to estimation. The large sample behaviour of the estimator is studied and simulations show that the approximations are appropriate for use with realistic sample sizes. The methods are motivated by studies of familial associations in the natural history of diseases. Their practical utility is illustrated with sib pair data from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
Pervasive Direct Brain Interfaces

Several areas of study could provide significant breakthroughs in making direct brain interface systems work. First, improving techniques for obtaining clear and artifact-free brain signals are difficult but critical to making DBIs feasible. Invasive techniques, such as implanted electrodes, could provide better control through clearer, more distinct signal acquisition. We can improve noninvasive techniques, such as scalp electrodes and functional near-infrared (fNIR) imaging, by reducing noise and incorporating more sophisticated filters. In addition, we need much more research on under standing how best to use DBIs in real-world applications
The effect of LSD-25 on spatial and stimulus perseverative tendencies in rats.

Two studies were performed to investigate the effect of LSD-25 on position and stimulus perseverative tendencies in rats. In Experiment I, rats with strong position habits learned a brightness discrimination (in which position was an irrelevant cue) after LSD-25 or placebo injections. The LSD-25 animals showed more position perseveration and slower learning than did the placebo controls. In Experiment II, rats with brightness preferences learned a position discrimination (in which brightness cues were irrelevant) under LSD-25 or control conditions. Compared to the placebo animals, the LSD-25 rats manifested less stimulus (brightness) perseveration and learned the position discrimination more quickly.
Pulmonary effects in rats inhaling size-separated chrysotile asbestos fibres or p-aramid fibrils: differences in cellular proliferative responses

This study was designed to compare the pulmonary cellular proliferative effects of inhaled, size-separated preparations of chrysotile asbestos fibres with similar aerosol fibre concentrations of para-aramid fibrils. Following fibre preparation, rats were exposed for 2 weeks to aerosols of p-aramid fibrils or chrysotile asbestos fibres at design fibre concentrations of 750 and 400 f/cc. Two week exposures to p-aramid fibrils produced transient pulmonary inflammatory and cell labeling responses in terminal bronchiolar and subpleural regions. Similar to p-aramid, exposure to chrysotile produced a transient increase in neutrophils. In contrast, however, substantial increases compared to controls in pulmonary cell labeling indices were measured on terminal bronchiolar, parenchymal, subpleural, and mesothelial surfaces immediately after exposure, and some increases persisted for 3 months postexposure. In complementary studies we demonstrated that p-aramid is biodegradable in the lungs of exposed rats; in contrast, the clearance of long chrysotile fibres was slow or insignificant, resulting in a pulmonary retention of long chrysotile asbestos fibres. The dimensional changes of asbestos fibres as well as the pulmonary cell labeling data indicate that chrysotile asbestos fibres may produce greater long-term pulmonary effects when compared to inhaled para-aramid fibrils.
Effective nuclear charges for atoms from self-consistent field calculations

Results of calculations of $2{Z}_{p}$, the effective nuclear charge for the potential in an atom are reported for those atoms treated by self-consistent field methods. Tables of the effective nuclear charges are given for atoms in various degrees of ionization.
Functional and biochemical characterization of the human potassium channel Kv1.5 with a transplanted carboxyl-terminal epitope in stable mammalian cell lines

The role of the C-terminal domain of the hPCN1/Kv1.5 delayed rectifier K+ channel was investigated in transfected stable cell lines employing antipeptide and anti-epitope antibodies against hPCN1-cp, an epitope-fusion gene carrying additional sequences encoding a 32 amino acid C-terminal extension. Both wild-type and chimeric genes showed high levels of K+ channel expression. Detailed electrophysiologic characterization showed there to be no significant effect of the C-terminal extension on channel activity. Immunoblots of whole-cell and membrane preparations demonstrated primarily intact protein in which the C-terminal extension was not cleaved from the peptide chain. Two bands were visualized from cells transfected with either the wild-type or chimeric channels; the slower migrating band was a non-N-glycosylated form. The epitope-fusion method will be a useful adjunct to studying the role of functional domains in ion channels, and may provide a means for rapid affinity purification of channel protein.
Effect of Various Pesticides on Lettuce Physiology and Yield

The effects of various insecticides on lettuce physiology and productivity were investigated in the field, Measurements of plant photosynthesis and stomatal conductance rates were taken with a dual-isotope porameter. Methyl parathion and permethrin had the greatest significant effects on photosynthesis and stomatal conductance rates. Lettuce plants receiving weekly treatments of methyl parathion produced smaller lettuce heads as compared with those treated with other insecticides and untreated check plants. Results indicate that the use of the dual-isotope porometer has great potential in monitoring subtle changes in plant photosynthesis and stomatal conductance rates caused by pesticides. The potential development of “pesticide thresholds” which would indicate the maximum safe number of pesticide applications permissible on designated crops was suggested.
Vine Deloria Jr. as a Philosopher of Education: An Essay of Remembrance.

This essay engages the concepts of maturity, relationality, and responsibility in the writings of Vine Deloria Jr. as foundational to a Native philosophy of education. After situating Deloria and these Native philosophic concepts as a moment of difference in the colonial—modern world, I explore how these concepts of maturity, relationships, and responsibility have been discussed in his work and remain potent forces in the continuing evolution of education among Native peoples.
A Tale of Two Migrations: Reconciling Recent Biological and Archaeological Evidence for the Pleistocene Peopling of the Americas

This article synthesizes the 2000s-era “peopling of the Americas” data drawn from molecular biology, osteology, and archaeology. Collectively, they suggest that colonization proceeded in two pulses, both originating in western Beringia, and before that, south-central and southeastern Siberia. The first pulse occurred circa 16 k–15 k cal. B.P. by watercraft along the coast of Beringia and western North and South America. The second took place 1,000 years later and involved proto-Clovis hunter-gatherers who used the ice-free corridor as a conduit south. At least eight North American sites dating as far back as the Last Glacial Maximum suggest that the peopling picture may eventually need to change to accommodate an earlier than previously thought migration through the ice-free corridor. For now, the data are not strong enough to support this scenario, but they are tantalizingly close.
Inhibition of pitted morning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.) and certain other weed species by phytotoxic components of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw.

This study was conducted to determine if well-known phytotoxic effects of plant residues on crop growth could also be responsible for observed reductions of certain weed species in no-till cropping systems. An aqueous extract of field-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) reduced the germination and root length of pitted morning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.) and common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.). Phytotoxicity was increased by about 70% when bioassays with the wheat extract on morning glory and ragweed were conducted in the presence of light. Phytotoxic substances were extracted from wheat with 2 N NaOH. The hydrolyzed extract was fractionated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The compound isolated by TLC having the greatest inhibitory effects on morning glory germination was identified using mass spectrometry and determined to be ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid). Ferulic acid at 5 × 103 M inhibited the germination and root length of morning glory 23 and 82%, respectively, and prickly sida (Sida spinosa L.) with carpels 85 and 82%, respectively. Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis L.) germination was inhibited 100%. Ferulic acid had no effect on ragweed or prickly sida without carpels. Morning glory root and shoot biomass were reduced 52 and 26%, respectively, when morning glory was grown in sand and watered with a 5 × 103 M solution of ferulic acid. Ferulic acid in the presence of prickly sida seed carpels was found to undergo decarboxylation, forming a styrene derivative, 2-methoxy-4-ethenylphenol. The more phytotoxic styrene compound was produced by a bacterium isolated from the carpels of prickly sida seed. The study showed that ferulic acid and other compounds may indeed play a role in reducing the growth of certain weeds in no-tillage cropping systems.
New Dynamic Participation Factor for Turbine-Generator Foundations

This paper proposes a new dynamic participation factor (DPF) for analysis and design of structures supporting rotational machines, especially large turbine generators. The new DPF takes into account the distribution patterns of the machine unbalanced forces and addresses the phase lags among the forces at different bearings and between the different force components. An example of a real turbine-generator foundation is presented and the new and traditional DPFs are compared along with examination of the vibration modes. The results show that the new DPF can clearly identify the local vibration modes that cause severe resonance. Using the traditional DPF could cause engineers to ignore these modes and, consequently, result in unsafe design. The common misconceptions of dominant fundamental modes and low tuning are clarified. Harmonic analyses (frequency sweeps) are also performed and the results are compared with the results of the new DPF analyses. The new DPF analysis has clear advantages over the harmon...
A new dicarboxylic amino acid from seeds of Pentaclethra macrophylla

Abstract The title compound was isolated and shown by various physical and chemical techniques to be a new pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid.
Anomalies in the Foundations of Ridge Regression: Some Clarifications

Summary Several anomalies in the foundations of ridge regression from the perspective of constrained least-square (LS) problems were pointed out in Jensen & Ramirez. Some of these so-called anomalies, attributed to the non-monotonic behaviour of the norm of unconstrained ridge estimators and the consequent lack of sufficiency of Lagrange's principle, are shown to be incorrect. It is noted in this paper that, for a fixed Y, norms of unconstrained ridge estimators corresponding to the given basis are indeed strictly monotone. Furthermore, the conditions for sufficiency of Lagrange's principle are valid for a suitable range of the constraint parameter. The discrepancy arose in the context of one data set due to confusion between estimates of the parameter vector, β, corresponding to different parametrization (choice of bases) and/or constraint norms. In order to avoid such confusion, it is suggested that the parameter β corresponding to each basis be labelled appropriately.
The infeasibility of quantifying the reliability of life-critical real-time software

This work affirms that the quantification of life-critical software reliability is infeasible using statistical methods, whether these methods are applied to standard software or fault-tolerant software. The classical methods of estimating reliability are shown to lead to exorbitant amounts of testing when applied to life-critical software. Reliability growth models are examined and also shown to be incapable of overcoming the need for excessive amounts of testing. The key assumption of software fault tolerance-separately programmed versions fail independently-is shown to be problematic. This assumption cannot be justified by experimentation in the ultrareliability region, and subjective arguments in its favor are not sufficiently strong to justify it as an axiom. Also, the implications of the recent multiversion software experiments support this affirmation. >
Recepter-mediated signal transduction and egg activation

Egg activation at fertilisation is composed of a complex, choreographed series of events, the initiation of which still is not understood. Two major hypotheses have emerged as explanations for the mechanism of egg activation (reviewed by Nuccitelli, 1991; Whitaker & Swann, 1993). The first holds that the sperm delivers an ‘activating factor’ (e.g. inositol trisphosphate, calcium, or a protein) that diffuses into the egg cytoplasm after gamete fusion. The second hypothesis holds that sperm bind to receptors spanning the egg plasma membrane which then transduce a signal to second messenger enzymes. We present here the evidence for receptor-mediated signal transduction in egg activation at fertilisation. By ‘receptor’ we mean only molecules that bind an extra-membrane ligand and which transduce a signal to molecules residing on the cytoplasmic side of the egg membrane. It is critical to be aware that several alternative activating mechanisms are not mutually exclusive and that species differences may exist. In fact, as more has been learnt about the molecules involved in gamete recognition and binding and of the signalling pathways in the egg, it seems likely that multiple pathways exist to trigger complete egg activation.
Freud, biologist of the mind : beyond the psychoanalytic legend

Preface to the1992 Edition Preface and Guide to the Reader Acknowledgments Abbreviations Illustrations Introduction PART ONE: Freud and Nineteenth-Century Psychophysics 1. The Nature and Origins of Psychoanalysis 2. Sigmund Freud and Josef Breuer: Toward a Psychophysical Theory of Hysteria (1880-95) 3. Sexuality and the Etiology of Neurosis: The Estrangement of Breuer and Freud 4. Freud's Three Major Psychoanalytic Problems and the Project for a Scientific Psychology (1895) PART TWO: Psychoanalysis: The Birth of a Genetic Psychobiology 5. Wilhelm Fliess and the Mathematics of Human Sexual Biology 6. Freud's Psychoanalytic Transformation of the Fliessian Id 7. The Darwinian Revolution's Legacy to Psychology and Psychoanalysis 8. Freud and the Sexologists 9. Dreams and the Psychopathology of Everyday Life 10. Evolutionary Biology Resolves Freud's Three Psychoanalytic Problems (1905-39) 11. Life (Eros) and Death Instincts: Culmination of a Biogenetic Romance PART THREE: Ideology, Myth, and History in the Origins of Psychoanalysis 12. Freud as Crypto-Biologist: The Politics of Scientific Independence 13. The Myth of the Hero in the Psychoanalytic Movement 14. Epilogue and Conclusion Appendix A: Two Published Accounts Detailing Josef Breuer's 4 November 1895 Defense of Freud's Views on Sexuality and Neurosis Appendix B: Josef Breuer's Met psychology: The Matter of the "Remarkable Paradox" Appendix C: Dr. Felix Gattel's Scientific Collaboration with Freud (1897/98) Appendix D: The Dating of Freud's Reading of Albert Moll's Untersuchungen uher die Libido sexualis Bibliography Index
Are Implanted Defibrillators Effective Therapy in the Elderly? Asked, Not Answered

There is a general agreement that before a therapy can be accepted into widespread clinical use, demonstration of efficacy in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is absolutely necessary. There are, however, a growing number of experts who believe that demonstration of RCT efficacy might not be a sufficient basis for widespread acceptance.1 RCTs may not enroll subjects representative of patients in community settings, who may differ from RCT subjects in age, gender distribution, disease severity, comorbidity burden, and intensity of ancillary therapy. Additionally, randomized trials may not enroll sufficient numbers of subjects to demonstrate safety from rare adverse events. As a result of these differences, some therapies with demonstrated efficacy may have a smaller effect or no effect at all in community patients. For example, spironolactone reduced mortality in a randomized trial,2 but in community-based studies, its effectiveness was limited by rates of adverse events significantly higher than in the trial.3,4 Article see p 7 Payers and consumers are increasingly concerned about unmeasured gaps between efficacy and effectiveness. As a result, calls are escalating for comparative effectiveness research to guide decisions regarding which new treatments to pay for. For example, the state of Washington has a health technology assessment committee that recently recommended limiting reimbursement for drug eluting stents to patients with diabetes mellitus, treatment of left main coronary disease, treatment of in stent restenosis, or situations in which stent diameter is 3 mm or less or stent length is 15 mm or more, on the grounds that effectiveness beyond these relatively narrow indications has not been demonstrated.5 These strong arguments for making effectiveness research customary, however, run headlong into the reality of a healthcare system poorly able to conduct such work. First, funding for routine collection of effectiveness data is scarce, and financially squeezed healthcare organizations …
Initial antihyperglycemic drug therapy among 241 327 adults with newly identified diabetes from 2005 through 2010: a surveillance, prevention, and management of diabetes mellitus (SUPREME-DM) study.

Background: Among adults with incident diabetes, data are lacking about first antihyperglycemic initiation and whether medication choice aligns with recommendations. Objective: To identify predictors of initiating any antihyperglycemic, and specifically sulfonylurea versus metformin. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 241 327 patients from 11 US health systems, 2005 through 2010. Assessments included antihyperglycemic initiation within 6 months of diabetes identification, first medication initiated, and initiation predictors. Results: Only 40.3% (n = 97 350) started any antihyperglycemic; 75.2% (n = 73 221) started metformin. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) predicted initiating any antihyperglycemic (HbA1c >9%, relative risk [RR] = 3.94, 95% CI = 3.82, 4.07, vs HbA1c >6.5%-7%). Age modified the HbA1c effect: at higher HbA1c, likelihood of starting antihyperglycemics differed little across ages; at lower HbA1c, older patients were less likely to start antihyperglycemics (P < .001). Individua...
A Heuristic Detection/Protection Algorithm on DWDM Layers

In this paper we propose a heuristics for the failure detection/protection in optical networks. We shall utilize the algorithms of Eulerian graph, the minimum perfect matching algorithm and the Dijstra shortest-path algorithms. Our performance evaluation and comparison shows that our algorithm is the simplest among all heuristic algorithms to provide a cycle cover for both detection and full-protection.
The MerR-Like Transcriptional Regulator BrlR Contributes to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Tolerance

Biofilms are composed of surface-attached microbial communities. A hallmark of biofilms is their profound tolerance of antimicrobial agents. While biofilm drug tolerance has been considered to be multifactorial, our findings indicate, instead, that bacteria within biofilms employ a classical regulatory mechanism to resist the action of antimicrobial agents. Here we report that the transcriptional regulator BrlR, a member of the MerR family of multidrug transport activators, plays a role in the high-level drug tolerance of biofilms formed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Expression of brlR was found to be biofilm specific, with brlR inactivation not affecting biofilm formation, motility, or pslA expression but increasing ndvB expression. Inactivation of brlR rendered biofilms but not planktonic cells grown to exponential or stationary phase significantly more susceptible to hydrogen peroxide and five different classes of antibiotics by affecting the MICs and the recalcitrance of biofilms to killing by microbicidal antimicrobial agents. In contrast, overexpression of brlR rendered both biofilms and planktonic cells more tolerant to the same compounds. brlR expression in three cystic fibrosis (CF) isolates was elevated regardless of the mode of growth, suggesting a selection for constitutive brlR expression upon in vivo biofilm formation associated with chronic infections. Despite increased brlR expression, however, isolate CF1-8 was as susceptible to tobramycin as was a ΔbrlR mutant because of a nonsense mutation in brlR. Our results indicate for the first time that biofilms employ a specific regulatory mechanism to resist the action of antimicrobial agents in a BrlR-dependent manner which affects MIC and recalcitrance to killing by microbicidal antimicrobial agents.
Simultaneous determination of inositol and inositol phosphates in complex biological matrices: quantitative ion‐exchange chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

myo-Inositol (Ins) and myo-inositol phosphates (InsPs) are widely distributed in plants and animals. The evaluation of the distribution of Ins and InsPs in cells and plant sources can impact the understanding of their role in nutrition, cellular processes and diseases, and how they may be modulated by diet. We developed an anion-exchange chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS/MS) method for the separation and simultaneous quantitation of Ins and different naturally occurring phosphorylated inositol compounds. Chromatographic separation was achieved in 30 min on a commercial anion-exchange column (0.5 × 150 mm) using a gradient of 200 mM ammonium carbonate buffer (pH 9.0) and 5% methanol in H2O. Analytes were identified by selective reaction monitoring using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in negative ion electrospray ionization mode. Adenosine 5′-monophosphate was used as a general internal standard for quantitation. Detection is linear in the range of 0.25–400 pmol for Ins, InsP1, InsP4, and InsP5, 40–400 pmol for InsP2 and InsP3, and 60–400 pmol for InsP6, with a minimum r2 > 0.994. The limit of detection is 0.25 pmol with a signal-to-noise ratio of 10:1 for all analytes. The intra-day and inter-day variations were within 17% at three concentration levels. Recovery values for the seven analytes spiked into extraction solution or different matrices were between 63 and 121%. Using this approach, Ins and InsPs were measured in three different plant samples and in cultured cells, illustrating significant differences in the distribution of inositol compounds in food samples compared to cells and between cell types. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The steady-state interaction of a grid-connected doubly-fed induction generator and the wind turbine

The generic expressions for the steady-state stability profile of a doubly-fed induction generator operating in maximum power tracking (MPT), power regulation, and rated output power modes are derived in this paper. This paper considers both mechanical and electrical dynamics in the derivation of the stability criterion. The contour plots using these expressions reveal a reduced stability region than previously reported in literature for both MPT and rated power modes. The paper further explores the sensitivity of the steady-state stability region to changes in rotor speed, wind speed, and blade pitch angle as to guarantee a good prediction of the steady-state stability region. Specifically, the simulations show that when operating in the sub-synchronous region, the effect of the pitch angle on the stability region is more prominent than its corresponding super-synchronous region when the mechanical dynamics are accounted for.
Group Testing in the Development of an Expanded Cancer Staging System

Though the TNM (Tumor, Lymph Node, Metastasis) is a widely used staging system for predicting the outcome of cancer patients, it is limited in prediction mainly because it does not integrate multiple prognostic factors. Expanding the TNM now becomes possible due to availability of large cancer patient datasets. In this paper, we introduce a group testing algorithm that can be used to add new prognostic factors while preserving the TNM staging system. Our approach starts with survival and evaluates its relation to potential prognostic factors individually and in various combinations. A demonstration is given for lung cancer.
Recurrent intrapulmonary malignant small cell tumor of the thoracopulmonary region with metastasis to the oral cavity: review of literature and case report

Malignant small cell tumor of the thoracopulmonary region (MSCT) was first described in 1979 and has been referred to as the Askin tumor. This malignant neoplasm is a member of the peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PPNET) family and typically involves the periosteum, soft tissue, and extrapulmonary tissue of the thoracic wall. MSCT may also involve the lung parenchyma by local extension or may arise de novo in peripheral lung tissue. Local recurrence, abdominal involvement by tumor extravasation across the diaphragm, and skeletal metastatic disease are relatively common. However, metastasis to the head and neck region and in particular to the oral cavity is extremely rare. We present a recurrent intrapulmonary MSCT with metastasis to the oral cavity in an adolescent Hispanic boy, and review the literature regarding this member of the PPNET family. Differentiation from neuroblastoma may be made based on immunoreactivity for beta 2 microglobulin and HBA71 and lack of immunoreactivity for chromogranin in PPNET and MSCT. Ultrastructural features commonly seen in MSCT and PPNET are round to ovoid tumor cells with occasional cytoplasmic processes with relatively few pleomorphic dense core granules. These tumors lack the gangliocytic and Schwann cell differentiation that is characteristic of neuroblastoma. MSCT and PPNET have a common reciprocal cytogenetic translocation [t(11;22)q(24;q12)], which is shared with Ewing's sarcoma. Prognosis in MSCT is quite dismal, with a 2-year survival of 38% and a 6-year survival of only 14%.
Immunohistochemical analysis of amyloid by the fluorescence technique

The immunohistochemical composition of amyloid deposits in secondary human amyloidosis and experimental amyloidosis in rabbits was studied by means of the "fluorescent antibody" technique of Coons et al. Quantitative studies of the relative amounts of gamma globulin present in the amyloid deposits by the use of radioiodinated fluorescent antibody are reported. It is concluded that amyloid deposits in several organs from cases of secondary human amyloidosis and experimental amyloidosis in rabbits contain considerable concentrations of gamma globulin. The presence of gamma globulin in amyloid might be interpreted as either a metabolic deposition of circulating globulin present in high concentrations in the plasma or as a result of an immunologic reaction involving antigen and antibody.
Pre-Discharge BNP Predicts 30 and 60 Day Re-admissions in Patients with Decompensated Heart Failure

Introduction: Identifying patients at risk for re-admission after hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is critical so that preventative interventions can be implemented. Potentially predictive biomarkers include BNP, troponin I (HsTnI), and galectin-3 (Gal-3). BNP is a marker of myocardial stretch which is increased in ADHF. Gal-3 is thought to be associated with cardiac macrophage activation of fibro-
Targeting Interventions for Ethnic Minority and Low-Income Populations

Summary Although rates of childhood obesity among the general population are alarmingly high, they are higher still in ethnic minority and low-income communities. The disparities pose a major challenge for policymakers and practitioners planning strategies for obesity prevention. In this article Shiriki Kumanyika and Sonya Grier summarize differences in childhood obesity prevalence by race and ethnicity and by socioeconomic status. They show how various environmental factors can have larger effects on disadvantaged and minority children than on their advantaged white peers—and thus contribute to disparities in obesity rates.
Application Insight Through Performance Modeling

Tuning the performance of applications requires understanding the interactions between code and target architecture. This paper describes a performance modeling approach that not only makes accurate predictions about the behavior of an application on a target architecture for different inputs, but also provides guidance for tuning by high-lighting the factors that limit performance in each section of a program. We introduce two new performance metrics that estimate the maximum gain expected from tuning different parts of an application, or from increasing the number of machine resources. We show how this metric helped identify a bottleneck in the ASCI SweepSD benchmark where the lack of instruction-level parallelism limited performance. Transforming one frequently executed loop to ameliorate this bottleneck improved performance by 16% on an Itanium2 system.
Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Selectively Stimulates Angiogenesis of Small Vessels in Arterial Tree

There is a critical need for quantifiable models of angiogenesis in vivo, and in general, differential effects of angiogenic regulators on vascular morphology have not been measured. Because the potent angiogenic stimulators fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 (basic FGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are reported to stimulate angiogenesis through distinct signaling pathways, we hypothesized that FGF-2 stimulates vascular morphology differently than does VEGF and that stimulation of angiogenesis by FGF-2 is directly correlated to FGF receptor density. FGF-2 was applied at embryonic day 7 (E7), E8, or E9 to the quail chorioallantoic membrane (CAM); subsequent response of the arterial tree was measured by the fractal dimension (D(f)), a mathematical descriptor of complex spatial patterns, and by several generational branching parameters that included vessel length density (L(v)). After application of FGF-2 at E7, arterial density increased according to D(f) as a direct function of increasing FGF-2 concentration, and FGF-2 stimulated the growth of small vessels, but not of large vessels, according to L(v) and other branching parameters. For untreated control specimens at E7, L(v) of small vessels and D(f) were 11.1+/-1.6 cm(-1) and 1.38+/-0.01, respectively; at E8, after treatment with 5 microgram FGF-2/CAM for 24 hours, L(v) of small vessels and D(f) increased respectively to 22.8+/-0.7 cm(-1) and 1. 49+/-0.02 compared with 16.3+/-0.9 cm(-1) and 1.43+/-0.02 for PBS-treated control specimens. Application of FGF-2 at E8 and E9 did not significantly increase arterial density. By immunohistochemistry, the expression of 4 high-affinity tyrosine kinase FGF receptors was significantly expressed at E7, when CAM vasculature responded strongly to FGF-2 stimulation, but FGF receptor expression decreased throughout the CAM by E8, when vascular response to FGF-2 was negligible. In conclusion, the "fingerprint" vascular pattern elicited by FGF-2 was distinct from vascular patterns induced by other angiogenic regulators that included VEGF(165), transforming growth factor-beta1, and angiostatin.
Changes in excitability of tendon tap and hoffmann reflexes following voluntary contractions

Abstract The effects on the Hoffmann reflex and tendon tap responses in the human soleus and medial gastrocnemius muscles of a brief conditioning volitional contraction have been compared with the objective of distinguishing contributions from the central nervous system and the periphery. The H-wave on successive trials over a 50 sec period following contraction for the most part demonstrated a depression, especially upon the initial trial. The T-wave responses in the first few trials were greater than those in the control period. Using the assumption that responses to tendon taps had been reduced by the amounts reflected in the excitability curve for H-response, it was deduced that a marked enhancement in T-wave excitability had been present at the initial tendon tap and more moderate facilitation thereafter. This is consistent with the post-contraction discharge and increase in stretch sensitivity of spindle receptors seen after contraction of a muscle in experimental animals. It is concluded that such effects on spindles may occur in man, maybe of such force as to detectably influence dynamic movements.
An eosin-fast green-naphthol yellow mixture for differential staining of cytologic components in mammalian spermatozoa.

Air-dried smears of saline suspensions of mammalian spermatozoa were stained for 10-60 min at room temperature in a mixture of eosin Y, fast green FCF, and naphthol yellow S (0.1% w/v, each dye) in 1.0% aqueous acetic acid. They were then blotted, rinsed in 1.0% acetic acid until no more dye was removed (0.5-1.5 min), blotted and allowed to dry completely, rinsed in xylene and mounted in synthetic resin. In all species examined except the rat, acrosomes were stained greenish blue to bluish green or blue depending on their thickness; in the rat, they displayed more affinity for eosin and were reddish. In all species, spermatozoan nuclei were strongly stained by naphthol yellow. In intact sperm heads, postnuclear cap had a yellowish green appearance. Midpieces of rodent spermatozoa, especially those of younger gametes, were stained bright red while those of ejaculated bull and rabbit spermatozoa were stained blue-green. Cytoplasmic droplets associated with rodent spermatozoa were consistently stained a dark...
A Genomic Regulatory Network for Development

Development of the body plan is controlled by large networks of regulatory genes. A gene regulatory network that controls the specification of endoderm and mesoderm in the sea urchin embryo is summarized here. The network was derived from large-scale perturbation analyses, in combination with computational methodologies, genomic data, cis-regulatory analysis, and molecular embryology. The network contains over 40 genes at present, and each node can be directly verified at the DNA sequence level by cis-regulatory analysis. Its architecture reveals specific and general aspects of development, such as how given cells generate their ordained fates in the embryo and why the process moves inexorably forward in developmental time.
Production of microbial organic aggregates from macrophyte‐derived dissolved organic material

Organic aggregates were produced in the laboratory by bubbling dissolved organic material derived from five species of coastal macrophytes. The weight ofaggregates produced after bubbling was significantly related to the amount of DOC (dissolved organic C) initially present. An average of 19% of the initial DOC was converted to aggregates, 23% remained in solution, and the remaining 58% was mineralized to CO,. The C: N ratios of aggregates did not vary between species or runs and ranged from 4 to 12. Microscopic examination of aggregates showed that they contained large numbers of rod-shaped bacteria. The data were interpreted to suggest that aggregates are composed of live and dead bacteria, other microbes, and extracellular material. The ingestion of aggregates of this type by consumers is a potentially important route for the flow of labile organic C in marine systems.
Humidity affects populations of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in blueberry

Temperature and humidity affect insect physiology, survival, fecundity, reproductive status and behaviour. Complementing previous work investigating the effects of temperature on adult survival and fecundity of the invasive frugivorous pest, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), this study was conducted to determine the effect of humidity on D. suzukii larval development, adult survival, fecundity and reproductive status using blueberry as a host substrate. The five constant humidity levels in laboratory bioassays were 20, 33, 71, 82 and 94% RH at 20.6 0.2°C. As RH increased, fecundity and longevity increased. At the higher humidity levels, RH had limited impact on mean generation times (T), larval development and eclosion times. The highest net reproductive rate (Ro = 68) and highest intrinsic rate of population increase (rm = 0.17) were both recorded at 94% RH. The reproductive status of females, as indicated by the number of mature oocytes per female, was significantly greater at 82 and 94% RH, compared to 71% RH. In addition to the laboratory procedures, we correlated field trap captures over an 81-day summer period to relative humidity (RH) levels in close proximity to those traps. In the field, low ambient humidity levels resulted in decreased trap captures. A humidity-dependent population model predicted lower densities of D. suzukii relative to populations at higher humidity. This study supports the hypothesis that cultural practices that minimize lower humidity levels in crops can contribute to the management of D. suzukii. Such methods may include open pruning, drip irrigation and field floor management.
Effect of sphingosine kinase 1 inhibition on blood pressure

Accumulating evidence suggests that sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) plays a key role in carcinogenesis by regulating cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Recent clinical studies have revealed that COX-2 inhibitors cause adverse cardiovascular side effects, likely due to inhibition of prostacyclin (PGI(2)). In this work, we investigated the roles of SphK1 inhibition on blood pressure (BP). The results show that lack of SphK1 expression did not exacerbate angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced acute hypertension, whereas celecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, augmented and sustained higher BP in mice. Interestingly, SphK1-knockout mice inhibited prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) but not PGI(2) production in response to Ang II, whereas celecoxib blocked both PGE(2) and PGI(2) production. Mechanistically, SphK1 down-regulation by siRNA in human umbilical vein endothelial cells decreased cytokine-induced PGE(2) production primarily through inhibition of microsomal PGE synthase-1 (mPGES-1), not COX-2. SphK1 down-regulation also decreased MKK6 expression, which phosphorylates and activates P38 MAPK, which, in turn, regulates early growth response-1 (Egr-1), a transcription factor of mPGES-1. Together, these data indicate that SphK1 regulates PGE(2) production by mPGES-1 expression via the p38 MAPK pathway, independent of COX-2 signaling, in endothelial cells, suggesting that SphK1 inhibition may be a promising strategy for cancer chemoprevention with lack of the adverse cardiovascular side effects associated with coxibs.
Animal Testing and Legitimization: Evidence of Social Investment and Corporate Disclosure

Little research has been done concerning the disclosure of animal testing in annual reports. We posit that companies receive pressure from two groups to disclose animal testing practices: social/political activists and financial intermediaries (fund managers). We describe a legitimization framework culminating in corporate social disclosures on animal testing in annual reports and we use legitimacy theory to inform our empirical investigation of animal testing disclosures. The results reveal a significant increase in number and intensity of disclosures over the period considered. These disclosures also reflect a change in the nature of the underlying firm behavior in a manner consistent with legitimacy theory and predictions of our legitimization framework. We find that political/social activists appear to be more effective in their legitimizer role than financial intermediaries. Further, exploratory analyses reveal that some socially‐responsible mutual fund managers invested in companies that perform ani...
Evolution, Psychology, and a Conflict Theory of Culture

This article develops an evolutionary theory of conflict over the construction of culture that is informed by current knowledge of psychological mechanisms. Psychological mechanisms important for the production of culture include (1) general intelligence (including the ability to engender hypothetical scenarios and means-end reasoning necessary for constructing tools and other exemplars of technology); (2) explicit processing mechanisms (e.g., symbolic representations of the world). Explicit processing allows humans to regulate modular mechanisms in accordance with culturally constructed norms and culturally constructed cost/benefit payoff schedules. It also enables active attempts to construct culture in accordance with explicit perceptions of possible costs and benefits. Because people have different construals of the costs and benefits of particular forms of culture, there is conflict over the construction of culture. Social controls and ideologies are introduced as general cultural categories that are...
Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds and Pubertal Development: The Effects of Environmental Compounds on the Timing of Puberty in Humans

Endocrine-disrupting compounds can be either synthetic chemicals or natural compounds that have the ability to interfere with endogenous endocrine signaling. Although only a minority of the thousands of synthetic chemicals that are commercially produced or generated as by-products of industrial processes can interfere with hormonal action, contamination of soil, water, and food sources results in ubiquitous exposure to these chemicals. Wildlife observations and toxicological studies in animals have demonstrated that endocrine disruptors have adverse effects on reproductive health, including altering the timing of pubertal development in both males and females, and have identified critical windows of vulnerability. Susceptibility to specific compounds also varies at different developmental periods. A growing number of epidemiologic studies have shown that EDCs can also alter pubertal timing and progression in humans. Recent studies demonstrate an association of phthalates, pesticides, and PCBs with earlier breast development and menarche and confirm subtle effects of lead, dioxins, and phytoestrogens on delaying onset of puberty and age of attaining pubertal milestones in both males and females. Human studies are complicated by the long interval between exposure and outcome and the likelihood of mixed exposures which may have opposing, additive, or synergistic actions on the reproductive system. Cumulatively, these studies have identified key factors that affect vulnerability and toxicity. Dose, duration, and timing of exposure, genetic susceptibility, and the endogenous endocrine milieu may all modulate the effects of exposures to EDCs. In summary, animal and human data confirm perturbations in pubertal onset, tempo, and age of menarche with early-life exposures to EDCs.
Regulated genomic instability and neoplasia in the lymphoid lineage.

A DAPTIVE IMMUNITY in mammals depends on the generation of a vast repertoire of Ig and T-cell receptor (TCR) specificities expressed on individual B and T lymphocytes. Antigen receptor diversity is created by the assembly of variable region gene segments by a process of somatic DNA rearrangement
Invariance Properties for General Diagnostic Classification Models

In item response theory (IRT), the invariance property states that item parameter estimates are independent of the examinee sample, and examinee ability estimates are independent of the test items. While this property has long been established and understood by the measurement community for IRT models, the same cannot be said for diagnostic classification models (DCMs). DCMs are a newer class of psychometric models that are designed to classify examinees according to levels of categorical latent traits. We examined the invariance property for general DCMs using the log-linear cognitive diagnosis model (LCDM) framework. We conducted a simulation study to examine the degree to which theoretical invariance of LCDM classifications and item parameter estimates can be observed under various sample and test characteristics. Results illustrated that LCDM classifications and item parameter estimates show clear invariance when adequate model data fit is present. To demonstrate the implications of this important pro...