cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Night of the Living Dead Books

A Saturday night of intellectual debauchery—flipping through People magazine issues and simultaneously conducting an ongoing multichannel search for bearable moments in a host of uncolorized old movies, while munching on a large bag of chips and two bags full of microwave popcorn—washed down by a gallon of new generation cola. The last‐minute peanut‐butter‐and‐jelly sandwich is definitely a major mistake. Thoroughly sick to the stomach, I dizzily stumble into bed. After tossing restlessly into a fitful sleep, I somehow find myself stranded on a desert isle, a beautiful green hump of earth in the midst of a sparkling sea. It does not take long to explore the length and breadth of the island—no people are about, and not even a pet in sight unless I can housebreak the members of a rather ugly species of large iguana. There are some small finches high up in the trees that make a pleasant peep but could never be trained to parrot human speech. What to do for intellectual companionship?
Survival after lung transplant for coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

have contributed to driveline failure. Our findings indicate that abdominal X-ray images can be used to aid in the diagnosis of LVAD driveline damage. Both ends of the driveline sheath are enclosed with a flexible silicone strain relief cover, which then tapers over approximately 10 cm. We suspect that stress forces occurring at the interface between the strain relief cover and the sheath explain the propensity for driveline damage at these 2 sites. We have brought this to the attention of Thoratec engineers. This study has several limitations. Because only patients with suspected driveline damage were referred for abdominal X-ray imaging, we do not know whether patients without LVAD dysfunction also have X-ray evidence of driveline kinking or fraying. In addition, imaging of driveline damage was exclusive to the HeartMate II LVAD. Driveline damage has been reported in older generation LVADs, but the appearance of driveline damage on X-ray imaging in these devices is unknown. However, because the HeartMate II is the most commonly implanted LVAD, most instances of LVAD dysfunction due to driveline damage are likely to occur in the HeartMate II. X-ray imaging evidence of driveline kinking or fraying in patients with unexplained alterations in LVAD performance suggests driveline damage and necessitates surgical consultation. Implementation of this technique is straightforward but requires strict adherence to the imaging protocol by the technologist and careful image review by the radiologist and cardiac surgeon.
Alkali attack on a mullite refractory in the Grand Forks Energy Technology Center slagging gasifier

A mullite refractory lining in the Grand Forks Energy Technology Center slagging gasifier cracked and spoiled after intermittent exposure to the coal-gasification atmosphere for a total of only about 125 h at a hot- face temperature of 1000 ± 200 °C. The mullite refractory was found to have reacted with a sodium compound (probably NaOH) to form carnegieite and betaalumina. Failure occurred as the result of the volume expansion associated with this reaction. A review of the literature indicates that a dense magnesiumaluminate spinel refractory should be significantly superior to mullite in resistance to alkali attack.
Renewable energy potential on marginal lands in the United States

Abstract This study identifies several marginal land categories suitable for renewable energy development, representing about 11% of U.S. mainland. The authors define marginal lands as areas with inherent disadvantages or lands that have been marginalized by natural and/or artificial forces. These lands are generally underused, difficult to cultivate, have low economic value, and varied developmental potential. The study finds that a significant potential exists for renewable energy development on these lands. Technologies assessed include utility-scale photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar power (CSP), wind, hydrothermal geothermal, mini-hydro systems (low head/low power), biomass power, and landfill gas-to-energy. Solar technologies present the highest opportunity, followed by wind and biomass power. It is estimated that about 4.5 PWh of electricity could be produced from PV on marginal lands in the conterminous United States, 4 PWh from CSP, 2.7 PWh from wind, 1.9 PWh from biomass, 11 TWh from mini-hydropower systems, 8.8 TWh from hydrothermal geothermal, and 7.3 TWh from landfill gas. While it is possible for some technologies to be co-located, it is more likely that only one will be deployed in a given area. Thus, it is most reasonable to view the potential for different technologies separately.
Coupled mesoscale—continuum simulations of copper electrodeposition in a trench

Copper electrodeposition in submicron trenches involves phenomena that span many orders of magnitude in time and length scales. In the present work, two codes that simulate electrochemical phenomena on different time and length scales were externally linked. A Monte Carlo code simulated surface phenomena in order to resolve surface roughness evolution and trench in-fill. A 2-D finite difference code simulated transport phenomena in the diffusion boundary layer outside the trench. The continuum code passed fluxes to the Monte Carlo code, which passed back a concentration to the continuum code. A numerical instability that arises in the multiscale linked code was suppressed by filtering the concentration data passed from the Monte Carlo code to the finite difference code. The resulting simulation results were self-consistent for a sufficiently small amount of filtering. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 50: 226 –240, 2004
Quantitative studies of bud initiation in cultured tobacco tissues.

After transferring leaf, pith, and stemcortex tissues ofNicotiana tabacum L. cv. “Havana 425” from a complete medium containing auxin and cytokinin to an inductive medium with auxin deleted, there is lag phase of approx. 14d followed by a linear phase in which the rate of bud initiation is constant. The incidence of buds formed is very low, approx. one bud per 103 or 104 cells. Statistical analysis of the distribution of buds among explants and subcloning experiments provide evidence that the paucity of buds results from neither negative interactions among bud forming centers nor a paucity of cells with the potential for organogenesis. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the frequency of bud initiation is determined by the availability of competent cells, by position effects, or by a combination of both mechanisms.
Worlds of knowing and nonmonotonic reasoning

The project of formalizing nonmonotonic reasoning on the basis of historical and contemporary philosophical reflections on reasoning and knowing is examined. Some paradigmatic accounts of the prospects of formalizing reasoning, from the ancient beginnings of western epistemology up to contemporary debate about the reasonableness of scientific development, are reviewed. Implications of these historical and philosophical reflections for the project of formalizing nonmonotonic reasoning are then sketched. The contention defended is that, because of the inevitable conventionality involved in distinguishing between revisable and nonrevisable rules, this formalizing is best viewed as an art dependent upon background knowledge of a world. In conclusion, certain symptoms of this worldly knowledge, constituting the limits both of the art of knowledge engineering and of philosophical analysis, are advanced. >
Practice and politics in Japanese science: Hitoshi Kihara and the formation of a genetics discipline.

This paper examines the history of Japanese genetics in the 1920s to 1950s as seen through the work of Hitoshi Kihara, a prominent wheat geneticist as well as a leader in the development of the discipline in Japan. As Kihara’s career illustrates, Japanese genetics developed quickly in the early twentieth century through interactions with biologists outside Japan. The interactions, however, ceased due to the war in the late 1930s, and Japanese geneticists were mostly isolated from outside information until the late 1940s. During the isolation in wartime and under the postwar U.S. Occupation, Kihara adapted to political changes. During wartime, he developed a research institute focusing on applied biology of various crops, which conformed to the national need to address food scarcity. After the war, he led the campaign for the establishment of a national institute of genetics and negotiated with American Occupation officers. The Americans viewed this Japanese effort with suspicion because of the rising popularity of the controversial theory of the Russian agronomist, Trofim Lysenko, in Japan. The institute was approved in 1949 partly because Kihara was able to bridge the gap between the American and Japanese sides. With Kihara’s flexible and generous leadership, Japanese genetics steadily developed, survived the wartime, and recovered quickly in the postwar period. The article discusses Kihara’s interest in cytoplasmic inheritance and his synthetic approach to genetics in this political context, and draws attention to the relation between Kihara’s genetics and agricultural practice in Japan.
Transovarial transmission of novaluron in Choristoneura rosaceana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

The obliquebanded leafroller (OBLR), Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), has become a significant pest of tree fruit production in North America within the past 25 years. Control of the OBLR has historically relied upon broad-spectrum insecticides like organophosphates, carbamates, and pyrethroids. However, with evidence of resistance development, newer chemistries have been developed to combat this pest. The effects of novaluron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, were studied to determine if reduced egg hatch occurs after exposure to adults. The transovarial effects of this compound were tested through laboratory bioassays, looking at decreased egg hatch and also presence of novaluron in egg masses following adult exposure. Results from the study demonstrated a decrease in egg hatch after adult exposure. Analysis of egg mass using HPLC also demonstrated novaluron present in the eggs laid by treated adults. Along with the direct ovicidal and larvicidal properties of novaluron, this transovarial activity provides an important contribution to the overall control seen in the field.
Neonatal Skin in Mice and Humans Expresses Increased Levels of Antimicrobial Peptides: Innate Immunity During Development of the Adaptive Response

The expression of antimicrobial peptides and proteins is an important innate immune defense mechanism that has recently been shown to be essential for cutaneous defense against invasive bacterial disease. Newborns have an immature cellular immune defense system that leads to increased susceptibility to infections. Here we show that skin from embryonic and newborn mice, as well as human newborn foreskin, express antimicrobial peptides of the cathelicidin and β-defensin gene families. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization demonstrated abundant cathelicidin protein and mRNA is present in normal skin during the perinatal period. Quantitative real-time PCR showed mouse cathelicidin expression (CRAMP) is 10- to 100-fold greater in the perinatal period than adult. Murine β-defensins-1 and -4 and human β-defensin-2 were also present in newborn skin. Combined, human cathelicidin (LL-37/hCAP/18) and β-defensin-2 demonstrated synergistic antimicrobial activity and efficiently killed group B Streptococcus, an important neonatal pathogen. Antimicrobial peptides may therefore provide a compensatory innate defense mechanism during development of cellular immune response mechanisms in the newborn period.
To define a specialty: A brief history of the American Board of Anesthesiology's first written examination

The initial written examination of the American Board of Anesthesiology, a division of the American Board of Surgery, was given on March 28, 1939. For all anesthesiologists, this date has double significance. First, what was meant by anesthesiology as a medical specialty was defined through the questions posed on the first examination. Second, the physicians being tested that day were among the first physician-anesthetists to exploit the newly created path to recognition as specialists in the science and art of anesthesia by the American medical hierarchy. Gaining the support of organized medicine was an involved and arduous struggle that consumed most of the 1930s. A triumvirate of visionaries, Paul Wood, John Lundy, and Ralph Waters, was necessary to crystalize the goal of specialty recognition of physician-anesthetists. The first written examination was the consummation of this dream of equal status for anesthesia. The examination would not become repetitious, and within the first decade of testing, the style would change from an essay format to multiple-choice questions similar to the current form.
Resection of a giant anterior sacral meningocele via an anterior approach: case report and review of literature.

Abstract Background An anterior sacral meningocele is a rare form of spinal dysraphism that is sometimes associated with syndromes such as Currarino and Marfan syndromes. These lesions rarely cause neurological complications, but meningitis, sepsis, obstetric problems, and bowel and bladder difficulties are common secondary conditions. The lesions can even be fatal. Because these lesions usually do not regress spontaneously, surgical treatment is the standard for symptomatic or growing masses. The dural defect can be repaired with a variety of anterior or posterior approaches. Case Description We present a case of a 16-year-old female patient with a giant nonsyndromic anterior sacral meningocele that we successfully treated using an open anterior approach. We discuss the treatment options and present a brief review of the literature. Conclusions Although the posterior approach remains the treatment of choice for most lesions, we believe that the anterior laparotomy provides excellent exposure and is a safe alternative approach for the treatment of selected lesions. Patients with these lesions should be cared for by a multidisciplinary team.
Organogenesis and functional genomics of the endocrine pancreas

Functional genomics, the analysis of the wealth of data produced by genome-wide analyses of gene expression, protein–protein, and protein–DNA interactions, has revolutionized biomedical research. Our ability to determine global gene expression profiles, transcription factor-binding sites, and histone modification maps using microarray-based technologies and next-generation sequencing applications has greatly enhanced our understanding of gene regulatory networks and the molecular wiring diagrams of cells and tissues. The organogenesis of the endocrine pancreas involves numerous signaling events within the endoderm-derived pancreatic epithelium and the surrounding mesenchyme, as well as complex transcription factor networks. Detailed understanding of the differentiation process from foregut endoderm to mature endocrine cells has enabled the rational design of in vitro differentiation protocols that coax embryonic stem cells into β-like cells that might enable cell replacement therapy for diabetes in the future. In this review, we summarize the research studies that have utilized genomic tools to elucidate endocrine pancreatic organogenesis.
Qualitative Changes in Luteinizing Hormone and Prolactin Responses to N-Methyl-Aspartic Acid during Lactation in the Rat

The suppression during lactation of pulsatile LH release and pituitary GnRH receptors has been attributed to a primary deficit in hypothalamic GnRH release. In the present investigation we have attempted to characterize the responsiveness of the lactational hypothalamus using the excitatory amino acid receptor agonist N-methyl-aspartic acid (NMA) to stimulate LH and PRL secretion. Lactating rats were ovariectomized on day 2 postpartum, and their litters were adjusted to eight pups. Dual venous catheters were implanted 6-7 days later, and rats were fitted with protective tethers and jackets for chronic pulsatile infusions of GnRH and NMA. GnRH pulses (5 or 10 ng/pulse once every 50 min) were administered for 20 h to upregulate GnRH receptors and restore pituitary responsiveness to GnRH. Rats were then infused with NMA (40 mg/kg BWpulse) once every 50 min for four pulses or once every 2 h over a 24-h period. Blood samples were collected at 10-min intervals at times surrounding the final two GnRH pulses, the...
The N-terminal domain of the mineralocorticoid receptor modulates both mineralocorticoid receptor- and glucocorticoid receptor-mediated transactivation from Na/K ATPase beta1 target gene promoter.

Mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid hormones activate the expression of the Na/K ATPase β1 through direct binding of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) to a mineralocorticoid-and glucocorticoid-responsive element in the β1 promoter region, but activation of the β1 promoter is inhibited by coexpression of both receptors. Here, using a series of mutated and chimeric receptors, we show that the N-terminal region of MR mediates an inhibitory effect on MR and GR activation from the β1 promoter, in CV-1 cells. Deletion of the N-terminal region of MR (1-603) enhanced MR activation four-fold. Activation by chimeric MR, in which the N-terminus of GR replaces the N-terminal region of MR, was threefold that of wild-type MR. In addition, whereas coexpression of wild-type MR and GR was inhibitory, coexpression of chimeric MR and wild-type GR was nearly equal to that of MR. By contrast, mutated GR lacking its N-terminal region (1–420) was less efficient than the wild type in activating this promoter. These results demonstrate that the N-terminal domains of MR and GR have opposite transactivation properties and that MR region 1–603 is indeed inhibitory for both MR- and GR-mediated regulation of the Na/K ATPase β1 gene promoter.
Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy With Use of Cone-Down Boost for Pediatric Head-and-Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma

Purpose To report our initial experience using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with a cone-down boost for pediatric head-and-neck rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Methods and Materials A review of institutional treatment records identified children treated with IMRT for head-and-neck RMS between January 2000 and February 2007. All patients had undergone chemotherapy according to cooperative group RMS protocols. The initial planning target volume (PTV) covered the prechemotherapy tumor extent with variable margins, generally 1–2 cm. The boost PTV covered the postchemotherapy tumor volume, usually with a margin of 0.5–1 cm. Results A total of 20 patients were treated with IMRT for head-and-neck RMS. Of these 20 patients, 4 had Group II, 15 Group III, and 1 Group IV disease. The site was parameningeal in 12, nonparameningeal in 6, and orbit primary in 2. Of the 20 patients, 14 were treated with a cone-down boost after a median dose of 36 Gy (range, 30–45.6). The mean initial PTV was 213.5 cm 3 , and the mean boost PTV was 76.9 cm 3 . Patients received a median total dose of 50.4 Gy. The median follow-up time was 29 months. The 3-year Kaplan-Meier local control rate was 100%, although 1 patient developed an in-field recurrence 50 months after IMRT. The 3-year event-free survival rate, overall survival rate, and risk of central nervous system failure was 74%, 76%, and 7%, respectively. Conclusions Our preliminary follow-up of pediatric head-and-neck RMS patients treated with IMRT revealed excellent local control. The initial targeting of the prechemotherapy tumor volume with 1–2-cm margin to 30.6 or 36 Gy followed by a cone-down boost to the postchemotherapy tumor volume with a 0.5–1-cm margin allowed for significant sparing of normal tissues and provided good local control.
Effects Of Picosecond-Laser-Driven Shock Waves On The Photoluminescence From Semiconductors

A pump-and-probe technique was used to investigate the shock wave effects on the photoluminescence spectra from GaSe and GaAs semiconductors. Shock waves were generated by focusing intense picosecond laser pulses of the pump beam at 1.064 μm onto an aluminum foil attached to the sample. Under laser driven shock loading, a 24 nm spectral red-shift of the spontaneous emission peak which corresponds to 14 kbar shock pressure was detected in GaSe. Significant line broadening is attributed to the shock-wave-induced collision mechanism. The observed larger red-shift of 36 nm and the intensity decrease of the stimulated emission were explained by the shock-wave-induced band gap shrinkage through the gain reduction mechanism based on exciton-exciton scattering process. In GaAs, the photoluminescence peak was observed to blue-shift and split into two components, corresponding to the transitions from the r6 conduction band to the valence heavy-hole- and light-hole-subbands due to symmetry breaking by the uniaxial shock compression along the [001] direction.
Correlation between spectral domain optical coherence tomography findings and fluorescein angiography patterns in diabetic macular edema.

Objective To study the relationship between spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings and fluorescein angiography (FA) patterns in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). Design Retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study. Participants We included 59 eyes from 59 patients with DME that had SD-OCT/scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) and FA performed on the same day. Eyes with macular edema owing to other ocular diseases were excluded. Methods The relationship between SD-OCT and FA findings was evaluated by superimposing and aligning the SLO images onto the FA photos. The SLO image of the OPKO/OTI Spectral OCT/SLO (OPKO-OTI, Miami, FL) corresponds with the exact origin and orientation of the SD-OCT scan, which was then correlated with the FA image. Foveal and extrafoveal regions were studied separately. Leakage on FA and pathologic changes on OCT were graded by using standard photographs. Pathologic changes studied in the OCT images included edema and cystic spaces in the inner and outer retina, loss of retinal layers, and foveal cysts. Main Outcome Measures Correlation between SD-OCT changes and corresponding FA patterns. Results The outer retina was the predominant location of fluid in DME. The severity of the outer retinal edema on OCT was positively correlated with the severity of leakage on FA ( r = 0.735; P r = 0.507 and P r = 0.561 and P r = 0.953; P Conclusions Pathologic changes on SD-OCT correlated well with FA findings. Loss of inner retinal layers was specifically correlated with capillary nonperfusion and severe ischemia. Judgment of whether management of DME based on fine retinal structural changes influences clinical outcomes must be reserved pending further investigation with prospective trials. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
Reversal of flecainide-induced ventricular arrhythmia by hypertonic sodium bicarbonate in dogs

Flecainide occasionally produces incessant ventricular tachycardia that is difficult to treat. Reports of uncontrolled clinical studies have suggested a therapeutic role for hypertonic sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). To test this observation, spontaneous and pacing-induced arrhythmia canine models were designed. In the spontaneous model, flecainide was infused at 0.5 mg/kg/min until ventricular tachycardia occurred spontaneously. In the pacing-induced model, flecainide was infused at 1.0 mg/kg/min load (0.5 mg/kg/min maintenance) stepwise until the QRS was widened 50%, 75%, and 100%, with programmed ventricular stimulation at each step until ventricular arrhythmia was induced. Dogs who developed spontaneous arrhythmia were treated blindly with three doses of either NaHCO3 (3 mEq/kg/dose, with 1 minute between doses) or normal saline. Dogs who were induced in the second model were treated with the same three doses, 10 minutes apart, with programmed stimulation between each dose. Before unblinding in both protocols, dogs were classified as “responders” or “nonresponders” to therapy. In the spontaneous model, of 14 dogs with spontaneous ventricular tachycardia, all 7 dogs treated with NaHCO3 showed response, compared with only 1 of 7 dogs treated with saline (P < .01). Ventricular QRS complexes/min were reduced by NaHCO3 in that protocol. In the induced arrhythmia protocol, of 14 dogs with inducible arrhythmia, 6 of 7 responded to NaHCO3, and 1 of 7 responded to placebo (P < .05). In both protocols, arterial pH and the serum sodium concentration were increased by NaHCO3 but not by normal saline control treatment. QRS interval duration was shortened by NaHCO3 therapy. Thus, prolongation of the QRS interval and ventricular arrhythmia can be produced in dogs by flecainide infusion and can be treated effectively by administration of hypertonic NaHCO3. In view of the response to NaHCO3, the mechanism of arrhythmia may be slowed intraventricular conduction caused by sodium channel inhibition. These data suggest that hypertonic NaHCO3 may be useful in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmia due to flecainide overdose and, possibly, for proarrhythmia as well.
Supporting stored video: reducing rate variability and end-to-end resource requirements through optimal smoothing

VBR compressed video is known to exhibit significant, multiple-time-scale bit rate variability. In this paper, we consider the transmission of stored video from a server to a client across a high speed network, and explore how the client buffer space can be used most effectively toward reducing the variability of the transmitted bit rate.We present two basic results. First, we present an optimal smoothing algorithm for achieving the greatest possible reduction in rate variability when transmitting stored video to a client with given buffer size. We provide a formal proof of optimality, and demonstrate the performance of the algorithm on a set of long MPEG-1 encoded video traces. Second, we evaluate the impact of optimal smoothing on the network resources needed for video transport, under two network service models: Deterministic Guaranteed service [1, 9] and Renegotiated CBR (RCBR) service [8, 7]. Under both models, we find the impact of optimal smoothing to be dramatic.
The Fcγ receptor of natural killer cells is a phospholipid-linked membrane protein

Three types of receptor for the Fc (constant) region of human immunoglobulin G have been described1,2; FcRI, a high-affinity (Ka≈108 M−1) receptor expressed on monocytes3–5; FcRII (CD32), a low-affinity (Ka≈106 M−1) receptor expressed on B cells, granulocytes, macrophages and platelets6–9; and FcRIII (CD 16, FcR10), a low-affinity receptor expressed on macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, natural killer cells and a subset of T cells believed to comprise the suppresssor cells10–13. Anti-CD 16 anti-bodies block natural killer-cell mediated antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)14,15. Binding of aggregated IgG to CD 16 on natural killer cells leads to the expression of lymphocyte activation antigens, mediator release, morphological changes and lytic activity16–18. We report here the isolation of a complementary DNA clone encoding CD 16 determinants which gave rise to IgG binding of the expected affinity and subtype specificity in COS cells, and which proved to encode a phospholipid anchored protein. A single messenger RNA transcript was found in all positive RNA samples, and N-glycanase treatment showed the form found in COS cells was identical to the form present on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We also show that CD 16 is most closely related to the α-form of the murine IgG 2b/l receptor and propose that extracellular contacts mediate the signal initiated by IgG binding.
Reason and the past: The role of rationality in diachronic self-knowledge

Knowing one’s past thoughts and attitudes is a vital sort of self-knowledge. In the absence of memorial impressions to serve as evidence, we face a pressing question of how such self-knowledge is possible. Recently, philosophers of mind have argued that self-knowledge of past attitudes supervenes on rationality. I examine two kinds of argument for this supervenience claim, one from cognitive dynamics, and one from practical rationality, and reject both. I present an alternative account, on which knowledge of past attitudes is inferential knowledge, and depends upon contingent facts of one’s rationality and consistency. Failures of self-knowledge are better explained by the inferential account.
Linear and parabolic estimates of the titers of herpes simplex from pock counts on the chorioallantoic membrane of embryonated eggs

Abstract Analysis of 33 randomly selected titrations of herpes simplex on chorioallantoic membranes of embryonated hens' eggs revealed that the variance of pock counts among replicate eggs was considerably higher than expected and that the mean pock counts at high concentrations of virus were less than predicted from counts obtained following infection at low concentration of virus. The curve relating mean pock count to virus concentration leveled off in 26 titrations. The deviation was significant in 4 of the titrations. The upper limit of the linear portion of the dose response curve as defined in the text varied from 11 to 1100 mean pocks per membrane. Methods for estimating virus titers based on linear and parabolic approximations of the pock count-dose relationship were described and compared. The parabolic approximation was recommended for studies in which a more precise estimate of virus titer was desired.
Determining the intracellular transport mechanism of a cleft-[2]rotaxane

Rotaxanes are a class of interlocked compounds that have been extensively investigated for their potential utility as switches or sensors. We recently demonstrated that rotaxanes have further application as agents that transport material into cells. This novel finding prompted our investigation into the mechanism by which rotaxanes are involved in transmembrane transport. Two-dimensional NMR analysis showed that a cleft-containing rotaxane exists in two dominant conformations ("closed" and "open"). To determine the importance of conformational flexibility on the ability of the rotaxanes to bind guests and transport material into cells, the rotaxane was chemically modified to lock it in the closed conformation. Charged guests interact less favorably with the locked rotaxane, as compared to the unmodified rotaxane, both in an aqueous solution and in DMSO. In a chloroform solution, both rotaxanes bind the guests with similar affinities. The locked rotaxane exhibited a reduced capacity to transport a fluoresceinated peptide into cells, whereas the unmodified rotaxane efficiently delivers the peptide. Flow cytometry experiments demonstrated that a high percentage of the cells contained the delivered peptide (89-98%), the level of delivery is concentration dependent, and the rotaxanes and peptide have low toxicity. Cellular uptake of the peptide was largely temperature and ATP independent, suggesting that the rotaxane-peptide complex passes through the cellular membrane without requiring active cell-mediated processes. The results show that the sliding motion of the wheel is necessary for the delivery of materials into cells and can enhance the association of guests. These studies demonstrate the potential for rotaxanes as a new class of mechanical devices that deliver a variety of therapeutic agents into targeted cell populations.
Main‐chain, thermotropic, liquid‐crystalline, hydrogen‐bonded polymers of 4,4′‐bipyridyl with aliphatic dicarboxylic acids

A series of main-chain, thermotropic, liquid-crystalline (LC), hydrogen-bonded polymers or self-assembled structures based on 4,4'-bipyridyl as a hydrogen-bond acceptor and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, such as adipic and sebacic acids, as hydrogen-bond donors were prepared by a slow evaporation technique from a pyridine solution and were characterized for their thermotropic, LC properties with a number of experimental techniques. The homopolymer of 4,4'-bipyridyl with adipic acid exhibited high-order and low-order smectic phases, and that with sebacic acid exhibited only a high-order smectic phase. Like the homopolymer with adipic acid, the two copolymers of 4,4'-bipyridyl with adipic and sebacic acids (75/25 and 25/75) also exhibited two types of smectic phases. In contrast, the copolymer of 4,4'-bipyridyl with adipic and sebacic acids (50/50), like the homopolymer with sebacic acid, exhibited only one high-order smectic phase. Each of them, including the copolymers, had a broad temperature range of LC phases (36-51 °C). The effect of copolymerization for these hydrogen-bonded polymers on the thermotropic properties was examined. Generally, copolymerization increased the temperature range of LC phases for these polymers, as expected, with a larger decrease in the crystal-to-LC transition than in the LC-to-isotropic transition. Additionally, it neither suppressed the formation of smectic phases nor promoted the formation of a nematic phase in these hydrogen-bonded polymers, as usually observed in many thermotropic LC polymers. The thermal transitions for all of them, measured by differential scanning calorimetry, were well below their decomposition temperatures, as measured by thermogravimetric analysis, which were in the temperature range of 193-210 °C.
Nonparametric estimation of time-changed Lévy models under high-frequency data

Let {Z t } t≥0 be a Levy process with Levy measure v, and let τ(t) = ∫ 0 t r(u) du, where {r(t)} t≥0 is a positive ergodic diffusion independent from Z. Based upon discrete observations of the time-changed Levy process X t := Z τt during a time interval [0, T], we study the asymptotic properties of certain estimators of the parameters β(ϕ): : = ∫ ϕ(x)v(dx), which in turn are well known to be the building blocks of several nonparametric methods such as sieve-based estimation and kernel estimation. Under uniform boundedness of the second moments of r and conditions on ϕ necessary for the standard short-term ergodic property lim t→0 E ϕ(Z t )/t = β(ϕ) to hold, consistency and asymptotic normality of the proposed estimators are ensured when the time horizon T increases in such a way that the sampling frequency is high enough relative to T.
Hindsight Bias and Third-Party Consentors to Warrantless Police Searches*

Research on hindsight bias indicates that awareness of event outcome influences how individuals interpret information and form judgments. We extend this earlier work to suggest that the effect of this bias on lay perceptions of third-party consent to warrantless searchers of residences may be contingent upon the presence verus absence of the search target(the suspect). A study using random assignment to experimental conditions in a between-subjects design explored this possibility. The experiment indicated that hindsight bias in perceived rights of the third-party consentor is influenced, not only by search outcome, but also by a web of overlapping and potentially competing social obligations and personal prerogatives, the salience of which is influenced by situational dynamics.
Influence of obesity on breast cancer receptor status and prognosis

Pre-existing obesity and postoperative weight gain are related to a poor prognosis in breast cancer regardless of menopausal status. Delayed diagnosis may be one cause, but of more biological significance, especially in younger women, is the association of adiposity with estrogen receptor-negative tumors with a propensity for distant metastasis. After the menopause, the major mechanism for the relationship is the elevated estrogen synthesis by adipose tissue; these hormone-dependent tumors are estrogen receptor-positive. Insulin and some adipokines also stimulate breast cancer growth and metastasis, both directly and most probably by enhanced angiogenesis. Weight control is important, not only to target breast cancer progression, but also to reduce the risk of nonbreast cancer mortality risk associated with excess adiposity.
Discrimination Task Reveals Differences in Neural Bases of Tinnitus and Hearing Impairment

We investigated auditory perception and cognitive processing in individuals with chronic tinnitus or hearing loss using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Our participants belonged to one of three groups: bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus (TIN), bilateral hearing loss without tinnitus (HL), and normal hearing without tinnitus (NH). We employed pure tones and frequency-modulated sweeps as stimuli in two tasks: passive listening and active discrimination. All subjects had normal hearing through 2 kHz and all stimuli were low-pass filtered at 2 kHz so that all participants could hear them equally well. Performance was similar among all three groups for the discrimination task. In all participants, a distributed set of brain regions including the primary and non-primary auditory cortices showed greater response for both tasks compared to rest. Comparing the groups directly, we found decreased activation in the parietal and frontal lobes in the participants with tinnitus compared to the HL group and decreased response in the frontal lobes relative to the NH group. Additionally, the HL subjects exhibited increased response in the anterior cingulate relative to the NH group. Our results suggest that a differential engagement of a putative auditory attention and short-term memory network, comprising regions in the frontal, parietal and temporal cortices and the anterior cingulate, may represent a key difference in the neural bases of chronic tinnitus accompanied by hearing loss relative to hearing loss alone.
Simple analytics of segmented markets: What case for liberalization?

Abstract Discussion about the liberalization of controlled markets in developing countries frequently assumes that the removal of price or quantity restrictions will lead rapidly to increased marketed output. However, when parallel markets exist, market controls may not depress marketed output and may actually increase it. Conversely, liberalization may not increase marketed output much, if at all. The benefits of liberalization will be greater where parallel markets are costly to enter, so that decontrol increases efficiency, and scarce resources such as entrepreneurial and administrative ability are diverted into the rent-seeking activity of gaining access to illegal parallel markets. This paper employs partial equilibrium techniques to analyze market controls and liberalization in the presence of parallel markets for foodgrains, credit, labor, and foreign exchange.
Putting Quality Indicators to the Test: An Examination of 30 Years of Research

Corresponding with the 30th year following the passage of P.L. 94-142, a task force of the Council for Exceptional Children Division of Research published a set of articles outlining quality indica...
A slowly mixing Markov chain with implications for Gibbs sampling

Abstract We give a Markov chain that converges to its stationary distribution very slowly. It has the form of a Gibbs sampler running on a posterior distribution of a parameter θ given data X. Consequences for Gibbs sampling are discussed.
Aneurysms in children: Review of 15 years experience

Abstract Introduction Intracranial aneurysms in children are rare. The location, size, age, and presentation in the young are markedly different from that of adults. The 15-year experience of the senior author in southern California is presented. Methods All paediatric patients treated for cerebral aneurysm over a 15-year period were identified. Intraoperative and postoperative data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. The need for additional surgery as well as the incidence of complications including death, hemiparesis, seizures, memory disturbances, and the need for subsequent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion were identified. Results Fifty children were identified (54 lesions). Subarachnoid haemorrhage was the most common mode of presentation with the average Hunt–Hess grade being I–II. The locations of the lesions were middle cerebral (10), internal carotid (8), anterior communicating (7), posterior cerebral (6), posterior communicating (5), pericallosal (4), anterior cerebral (3), choroidal (3), posterior inferior cerebellar (3), basilar (2), vertebral (2) and frontopolar (1) arteries. Clinical vasospasm was encountered in eight of our patients, but no cases were observed in those younger than nine years. Long-term outcome was excellent in 22 cases, good in 20 and poor in nine, with one death and two patients lost to follow-up. Conclusion Analysis of our data suggested a predilection for the posterior circulation compared to adults, larger size, more complex architecture, and a decreased incidence of clinical vasospasm in the younger age group. This series and a review of the literature suggest that aneurysmal disease in children may be distinct from that of adults.
A temperature dependent 2D-ACAR study of untwinned metallic YBa2Cu3O7−x

Abstract We have carried out 2D-ACAR measurements in the c -axis projection on an untwinned single crystal of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x as a function of temperature, for five temperatures ranging from 30 K to 300 K. These temperature dependent 2D-ACAR spectra can be approximated by a superposition of two temperature independent spectra with temperature dependent weighting factors. We discuss how the temperature dependence of the data can be exploited to obtain a “background corrected” experimental spectrum, which is found to be in remarkable accord with the corresponding band theory based predictions, including for the first time the overall amplitude of the anisotropy in the 2D-ACAR. The corrected data also shows clear signatures of the ridge Fermi surface and an indication of the pillbox surface.
Nicotinic receptors and cognition in Parkinson's Disease: the importance of neuronal synchrony.

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is associated with cognitive deficits. The earliest impairment is evident for executive abilities, visuospatial orientation and memory. Dopamine deficiency is unlikely to be singly responsible for all cognitive changes in PD. Acetyl-choline has an essential role in cognition, thus cholinergic transmission may have an important role in non-dopaminergic cognitive changes. If so, some cognitive defects could possibly be treated with choline-esterase inhibitors. A concern is the potential negative motor effect of cholinergic medication in PD. Surprisingly, these are reported only in a few patients studied. Establishing the relationship between select cognitive deficits and nicotinic neurotransmission may lay the foundation for rational pharmacotherapy of cognitive dysfunction in PD.
Effect of conservation tillage systems on corn root growth

Abstract The effects of conservation tillage on crop production have been widely investigated, but less information is available on root growth with different tillage systems over a range of soils. In this study, we compared corn ( Zea mays L.) root length density and distribution with conventional moldboard plowing (MP) and 3 conservation-tillage treatments: chisel plowing (CH); ridge-tillage (RT); no-tillage (NT); for Griswold and Kewaunee silt loam and Plainfield loamy-sand soils. Root length densities were determined for the row (R), non-wheel track (NWT) and wheel track (WT) positions for two growing seasons (1982 and 1983). Conservation-tillage systems had equal or higher root densities than MP for all positions and depths at all 3 sites. Maximum root densities occurred between 10 and 40 cm for all tillage systems at all locations. In most cases, reduced root growth was associated with wheel traffic positions. Wheel traffic reduced root densities in the surface 10 cm by as much as 52% in MP at the Plainfield site.
Effects of progesterone-binding globulin versus a progesterone antiserum on steroid hormone transport through the blood-brain barrier.

Serum obtained from pregnant guinea pigs, neonatal rats, or immunized rabbits provides a homogeneous source of steroid hormone-binding proteins, e.g. progesterone-binding globulin (PBG), estradiol-binding protein, or a specific antibody, respectively. The effects of these proteins on steroid hormone transport through the brain capillary wall, i.e. the blood-brain barrier, was investigated in barbiturate-anesthetized adult male rats using a tissue sampling-carotid injection technique. Since only free, nonprotein bound, hormone is transported through the blood-brain barrier, transport measurements reflect the fraction of plasma hormone that is free in vivo. In the presence of a specific rabbit antiserum, the fraction of plasma progesterone that was free, Le. transported in vivo, paralleled the fraction that was free in vitro (determined by charcoal separation). Conversely, the fraction of progesterone that was free (transported) in vivo in the presence of PBG exceeded the in vitro free fraction. In the pres...
Improvements to graph coloring register allocation

We describe two improvements to Chaitin-style graph coloring register allocators. The first, optimistic coloring, uses a stronger heuristic to find a k-coloring for the interference graph. The second extends Chaitin's treatment of rematerialization to handle a larger class of values. These techniques are complementary. Optimistic coloring decreases the number of procedures that require spill code and reduces the amount of spill code when spilling is unavoidable. Rematerialization lowers the cost of spilling some values. This paper describes both of the techniques and our experience building and using register allocators that incorporate them. It provides a detailed description of optimistic coloring and rematerialization. It presents experimental data to show the performance of several versions of the register allocator on a suite of FORTRAN programs. It discusses several insights that we discovered only after repeated implementation of these allocators.
Biochemical abnormalities of muscle ribosomes during attacks of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis.

Abstract Three familial cases (a mother and 2 sons) with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis are presented. Myotonia (orbicularis oculi and hands) was noted all 3 cases. Exposure to cold produced weakness in the 2 older patients. An oral KCl loading test induced paroxysmal weakness in all 3 cases. Ribosomes isolated in 2 cases from biopsied muscle during the induced attacks showed definite increases of protein synthesis in a group of rather heavy muscle polyribosomes. Electron microscopy revealed in both cases scattered small membrane-bound vacuoles, subsarcolemmal aggregates of myotubules, glycogen particles and occasional filamentous bodies.
Beyond the Margin: American Indians, First Nations, and Archaeology in North America

In North America, American Indians and First Nations have often been at odds with archaeologists over the status of their relationships, about who should have control over research designs and research questions, the interpretation of information about past cultures, and the ways past cultures are represented in the present. While the influence of the voice of Indigenous Nations in the discipline has risen, in many ways their voices are as stifled now as they were in the 1960s. This paper gives an American Indian perspective on the current practice of archaeology in North America and offers suggestions for improving relationships.
Joint source localization and sensor position refinement for sensor networks

Modern localization systems/platforms such as sensor networks often experience uncertainty in the sensor positions. Improving the sensor positions is necessary in order to achieve better localization performance. This paper proposes a joint estimator for locating multiple unknown sources and refining the sensor positions using TOA measurements. Rather than resorting to the traditional iterative nonlinear least-squares approach that requires careful initializations, the proposed estimator is algebraic and computationally attractive. The small noise analysis shows that the proposed estimator is able to attain the CRLB performance for both the unknown sources and the sensor positions. Simulations support the efficiency of the proposed estimator.