cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antecedents to managerial trust and sales control in Malaysian salesforce

Abstract This study proposes and empirically tests an integrated framework investigating the antecedents to managerial trust and sales control in Malaysian salesforce. The theoretical framework of transaction cost analysis (TCA) serves as the main paradigm for suggesting that uncertainty is the basis for managers making decision to trust and/or use sales control to manage their salesforce. Sales managers from Malaysia were sampled to test hypotheses relating six uncertainty variables to managerial trust and sales control strategies. Our empirical evidence suggests that managerial trust plays an important mediating role in how Malaysian sales managers utilize sales control strategies to deal with uncertainty. The cultural implications for researchers and sales managers are discussed.
Fixed drug combinations for the acute treatment of migraine : place in therapy.

Fixed drug combinations (FDCs) combine standardised doses of two or more drugs in a single tablet, injection, nasal spray or suppository. FDCs may improve treatment compliance, efficacy or tolerability through a variety of mechanisms.
Multimodal treatment strategies combining neoadjuvant hormonal therapy and/or chemotherapy with radical prostatectomy in high-risk localised prostate cancer

By combining the readily available clinical parameters of tumour stage, Gleason score of the diagnostic biopsy specimen and serum prostate-specific antigen level, men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer can be assessed as to their risk of treatment failure after radiotherapy or radical prostatectomy. For men considered to be at high-risk of treatment failure after local therapy alone, multimodal treatment strategies may result in improved cancer-control outcomes. This strategy has proven effective in the setting of clinical stage T3 – T4 tumours in which the combination of radiotherapy followed by hormonal therapy has improved patient survival. The benefit of neoadjuvant or adjuvant hormonal and/or chemotherapy followed by radical prostatectomy in this setting is unclear but is the subject of ongoing or planned Phase III clinical trials. These studies will help examine the role of multimodal treatment strategies in these high-risk patients.
Model Validation of a Magnetic Ball Levitation System

In this paper, modeling, simulation and experimental validation of a magnetic ball suspension system are presented. Non-linear empirical expressions for inductance and electromagnetic force are determined using experimental data. A simple PID controller and a Gain scheduling PID controller are designed based on the linearized model. The controllers are used in real time levitation and tracking of a steel ball. Numerical simulation is carried out using Simulink. The derived model is verified by comparing the simulation results with experimental results.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Price dynamics when there are alternatives to cash payment

Empirical evidence from the 1980s and 1990s indicates that cash use in the U.S. remains high even though there has been a proliferation of alternatives to cash. This paper examines the dynamics of inflation and asset prices in response to innovations in the efficiency of processing noncash transactions. The quantitative results suggest that inflation is more sensitive than nominal interest rates or real equity prices to innovations in the efficiency of non-cash payments processing. Thus, as alternatives to cash payment become more prominent, the volatility of real interest rates may increase.(JELE31, E41, G12)
Hemingway's a Clean, Well-Lighted Place and Tolstoy's the Death of Ivan Ilych

(2003). Hemingway's a Clean, Well-Lighted Place and Tolstoy's the Death of Ivan Ilych. The Explicator: Vol. 61, No. 3, pp. 162-164.
Continuous Commissioning of Salt Lake City Community College South City Campus

The State of Utah’s Department of Natural Resources funded two projects in Salt Lake City to demonstrate the feasibility of the Continuous Commissioning® (CC® ) process. The two sites selected were a modern state building, the Matheson Courthouse [1], and a very old building, the South City campus of Salt Lake Community College [2]. This paper describes the measures and latest savings results from the CC® process at the Community College. The energy savings amounted to 15% of the annual utility bill. While most of the savings were attributed to CC, part was attributed to the on-site facility operators who implemented measures over and above those recommended by the CC engineers. It was an exciting team effort and a good example of the savings that can be achieved by CC engineers working closely with a good facility operations staff.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
The Role of Glucocorticoids in Secretory Activation and Milk Secretion, a Historical Perspective

In this review we present our current understanding of the role of glucocorticoids in secretory activation and milk secretion by looking at the literature from a historical perspective. We begin with the early endocrine ablation experiments and continue from there to show that glucocorticoids are not just necessary for secretory activation and milk secretion--but mandatory. Specifically, we discuss the importance of glucocorticoids to: (1) induce the formation of ultrastructural components necessary to support milk synthesis and secretion, including rough endoplasmic reticulum and tight junction sealing; (2) regulate milk protein gene expression; and (3) prevent the second phase of involution, possibly by preventing the breakdown of the extracellular matrix.
Effect of the nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio on the mechanical behavior of vanadium, niobium and tantalum

Abstract In niobium and tantalum alloys containing nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratios greater than unity, no hydrides were observed down to 78 K, the lowest temperature investigated. In vanadium alloys with a nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio greater than unity, hydrides were observed but the hydride precipitation temperature was drastically decreased from that in the alloys containing hydrogen alone or having a nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio less than unity. In vanadium the strenght and ductility appeared to be influenced by the magnitude of the nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio. In niobium and tantalum the resultant strengthening from combined nitrogen and hydrogen seemed to be a superposition of the strengthening resulting from the individual contributions of nitrogen and hydrogen regardless of the nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio (about 0.27 or 1.3). Similarly, the loss of ductility and the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) of niobium and tantalum were primarily a consequence of the hydrogen content and they were not significantly affected by the nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio or the absence of hydrides when the nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio was greater than unity. In vanadium the strengthening that occurred when the nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio was 1.38 was about 25%–75% greater, depending on the temperature, than that resulting when the nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio was 0.45 or when the individual contributions of nitrogen and hydrogen to strengthening were added. In addition, the DBTT for vanadium with a hydrogen-to-hydrogen ratio of 1.38 was significantly below that expected on the basis of the hydrogen content or the results for with a nitrogen-to-hydrogen ratio of 0.45.
Antagonism by cholinergic drugs of behavioural effects in cats of an anticholinergic psychotomimetic drug and enhancement by nicotine

Abstract Various cholinergic agents were examined for their ability to antagonize the behavioural effects in cats of an anticholinergic psychotomimetic agent, N-methyl 4-piperidyl isopentynylphenyl glycolate. The behavioural scheme consisted of determining a number of quantifiable psychophysical parameters exhibited by cats trained to press a lever for a food reward in response to an auditory stimulus. Among the parameters which were significantly modified by the glycolate were the number of responses during a session and the lateral preference for the use of left or right levers. When physostigmine was administered along with the glycolate, both parameters returned to almost normal. A similar, but lesser tendency was noted with tetrahydroaminoacridine, which has the same anticholin-esterase potency as physostigmine. Arecoline, a muscarinic agent, had a slight antagonistic effect, while nicotine had an opposite effect, significantly enhancing the action of the glycolate. The results support the hypothesis that the behavioural effects of the anticholinergic psychotomimetics involve largely muscarinic neurones.
Origin of single pronucleated human zygotes

Diploidy in embryos developing from single pronucleated zygotes can occur following parthenogenetic activation or by asynchronous inflation of pronuclei following fertilization. To distinguish between these two mechanisms, sexing was performed. The presence of a Y chromosome in the embryo was considered proof that fertilization had occurred. Twenty-one dividing embryos originating from single pronucleated zygotes were analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction or fluorescence in situ hybridization. In total, 43% (9/21) of the embryos showed Y chromosomes. It can be extrapolated that more than 80% of them originated from fertilized eggs.
Clinical effects of L-carnitine supplementation on apnea and growth in very low birth weight infants.

Objective. Systemic carnitine deficiency may present with apnea, hypotonia, and poor growth. Premature infants often manifest these symptoms and are at risk of developing carnitine deficiency because of immaturity of the biosynthetic pathway, lack of sufficient predelivery transplacental transport, and lack of sufficient exogenous supplementation. This study was undertaken to examine the effect of carnitine supplementation in premature infants. Methods. Eighty preterm infants <1500 g were enrolled in a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of carnitine supplementation within 96 hours of delivery. Growth, length of hospital stay, and frequency and severity of apnea were the primary outcome measures. Results. Weight gain and change in length, frontooccipital head circumference, mid arm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness were similar between the carnitine-supplemented and placebo groups. The amount and severity of apnea and the overall length of hospitalization were also similar between the 2 groups. The carnitine levels in the supplemented group were significantly higher than in the placebo group at 4 and 8 weeks after study entry. Conclusion. Although preterm infants <1500 g have low carnitine levels, routine supplementation with carnitine has no demonstrable effect on growth, apnea, or length of hospitalization and thus seems to be unnecessary.
Nearly Optimal Partial Steiner Systems

Abstract Abstract A partial Steiner system Sp(t, k, n) is a collection of k-subsets (i.e. subsets of size k) of n element set such that every t-subset is contained in at most one k-subset. To avoid trivial cases, we assume 2 ⩾ t < k < n. It is easy to see that the size of a partial Steiner system Sp(t, k, n) is at most (tn)/(kt). Confirming a conjecture of Erdos and Hanani [5], Rodl [19] proved that for fixed positive integers t and k, there is a partial Steiner system Sp(t, k, n) of size at least (1 − o(1)) ( n t ) ( k t ) where o(1) goes to 0 as n goes to infinity. Grable [7] found an explicit bound of the o(1) term above and it was improved by Kostochka and Rodl [15] to n−1/((kt)+o(1)−1). All proofs used Rodl's nibble method. We also use the method to improve the bound to O(( log n n ) k − t (( k t )−1) for 2 ⩾ t
Endocarditis caused by streptococcus morbillorum

Although patients with nutritionally variant streptococcal endocarditis have been reported in recent years, the specific clinical features of this disease have not been well characterized. We report here the clinical and laboratory features of a particularly unusual case of persistent bacteremia caused by Streptococcus morbillorum , one of the nutritionally variant streptococci. The patient was successfully treated with a combination of penicillin and rifampin after two treatment failures. We also review cases of nutritionally variant streptococcal endocarditis published in the English literature since 1971, in an attempt to understand some difficulties encountered in diagnosing and treating this type of endocarditis.
Endogenous HPRT activity in a cryptic strain of mycoplasma and its effect on cellular resistance to selective media in infected cell lines.

Abstract A cryptic strain of mycoplasma, which contains a high level of endogenous hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) activity, was isolated from a subclone of mouse cell mutant A9 that had been maintained for over 100 cell generations in 8-azaguanine medium. HPRT-deficient cells deliberately infected with the mycoplasma acquire an apparent wild-type level of HPRT when assayed in cell-free extracts, even when cultured in medium with 8-azaguanine or 6-thioguanine. However, both normal and HPRT-deficient cells become extremely sensitive to HAT medium after infection. As a consequence, HPRT-deficient mutants contaminated with this mycoplasma will not yield HAT-resistant colonies when hybridized with HPRT-positive cells. Biochemical analysis suggests that the resistance of the mycoplasma to purine analogues may be due to elevated substrate binding constants of the mycoplasma HPRT, which render it non-functional at the physiological concentrations of the substrates. The mycoplasma-coded HPRT has characteristic electrophoretic mobility, substrate specificity and thermolability, which together distinguish it from animal HPRT allozymes in man, mouse, rat, Chinese hamster, Syrian hamster and chicken. This mycoplasma strain can grow only in association with animal cells, fails to incorporate exogenous thymidine, bands with a density of 1.217 g/ml in sucrose gradients, and passes through 0.22 μm membrane filters. Growth medium of animal cells deliberately infected with the mycoplasma can reach a maximum titer of 108 infectious particles per ml within a few days. The mycoplasma was positively identified by scanning electron microscopy and typed as Mycoplasma hyorhinis with a monospecific antiserum.
Image guidance could aid performance of atraumatic cochlear implantation surgical techniques

It is widely believed that major factors in achieving atraumatic insertion of the electrode array into the cochlea in cochlear implant (CI) surgery include amount of tissue resection, selection of the entry point, and angle of insertion. Our group is interested in developing an image guidance (IG) system for electrode insertion if IG can improve outcomes. Thus, in this work we conducted the first study evaluating whether IG could aid atraumatic electrode insertion. To do this, we measured the performance of experienced surgeons when tasked to perform cochleostomy resection and to select CI insertion trajectories in virtual 3D surgical field-of-view simulation software. This software, which simulates views through the surgical microscope, was designed to allow a user to manually perform cochleostomy resection and to select a preferred insertion trajectory in one of two modes: (a) where the traditional approach is simulated and sub-surface anatomy is not visible; and (b) where an IG approach is simulated and the surgical view is augmented with rendering of subsurface intra-cochlear structures. We used this software to compare two surgeons’ performance in selecting insertion trajectories with and without IG. Our results show that when using virtual IG, both surgeons could choose insertion trajectories with less variability, select higher quality insertion trajectories, and create the cochleostomy with substantially less tissue resection. These results suggest that IG could indeed aid performance of atraumatic cochlear implantation techniques.
Mexico and the development of the practice of the International Monetary Fund

Abstract Mexico has had a striking influence on the IMF's Articles and on the development of some of its most important policies both before and after the present version of the Articles took effect. In more recent years, the problem of Mexico's external debt has produced changes in the IMF's relations with commercial banks, its practice of surveillance, and on the use of its resources under stand-by arrangements. In addition, impending changes in the IMF's response to external contingencies can be attributed to experience with Mexico. One of the generalizations drawn from this experience is that the IMF's practice is not determined solely by the major industrialized countries.
Local void fraction and velocity field description in horizontal bubbly flow

The internal phase distribution of concurrent, air–water bubbly flow in a 50.3-mm i.d. transparent horizontal pipeline has been experimentally investigated using the hot-film anemometry technique. Liquid and gas volumetric superficial velocities ranged from 3.8 to 5.0 m s−1 and 0.25 to 0.8 m s−1, respectively. The time-averaged local values of the void fraction, bubble-passing frequency, the mean liquid velocity, and the liquid turbulence fluctuations were measured. The experimental results indicate that the void fraction and bubble-passing frequency have local maxima near the upper pipe wall, and the profiles tend to flatten with increasing liquid flow rate. For the horizontal bubbly flow, the observed time-averaged local void fraction can reach 65%, whereas the bubble frequency may reach a value of 1400 s−1. The fact that the local peak void fraction in all cases never exceeds 65% indicates that the maximum bubble packing exists within the channel. It was found that increasing the gas flow rate at fixed liquid flow rate would increase the local void fraction and bubble-passing frequency. The axial liquid mean velocity showed a relatively uniform distribution except near the upper pipe wall, where a sharp reduction in velocity was noticed. The local mean liquid velocity and turbulence fluctuations increased with gas flow rate. An interesting feature of the liquid velocity distribution is that it tends to form a fully-developed turbulent pipe-flow profile at the lower part of the pipe irrespective of the liquid and gas superficial velocities. At very low local void fractions, the turbulent intensity consistently tended to be slightly lower than the single-phase. However, at high void fraction, i.e. high bubble population, introduction of gas strongly enhances the turbulence level as characterized by the turbulent velocity fluctuation and turbulent intensity. In general, it was concluded that the local turbulence intensity is mainly affected by the local void fraction distribution.
Regulation of the acute phase response genes alpha1-acid glycoprotein and alpha1-antitrypsin correlates with sensitivity to thermal injury

Background. The response to thermal injury is a complex physiologic process requiring communication between sites of injury and distal target organs. The liver, one of these target organs, synthesizes a family of secretory proteins, the acute phase reactants (APRs), that carries out specific protective functions. This study investigates the response of positively regulated (α1-acid glycoprotein and α1-antitrypsin) and negatively regulated (albumin) APR genes to severe thermal injury in three rat strains with differing abilities to survive thermal stress. Methods. Age and weight matched male Buffalo, Sprague-Dawley, and Fischer 344, 12-to 16-week-old rats (275 to 325 gm) received a 40% total body surface area scald burn. Total RNA was isolated from livers at 0, 2, 5, 12, 24, and 48 hours. Northern blot hybridization was performed with 32P-labeled rat α1-glycoprotein, rat albumin, and mouse α1-antitrypsin cDNAs. Relative amounts of α1-glycoprotein, α1-antitrypsin, and albumin mRNAs were determined by means of densitometric analyses. Results. All three strains elicit both a positive and negative acute phase (AP) response. Significant differences were observed in the degree and kinetics between strains. Those more sensitive to thermal injury exhibited a more intense positive AP response and possibly a delayed recovery. The AP response between these strains correlates with the variation in ability to survive severe trauma. Conclusions. The differences in the kinetics and intensity of induction of APR genes between Buffalo, Sprague-Dawley, and Fischer rat strains suggest that the least intense AP response and its timely recovery correlated with the ability to survive a severe thermal injury and that, conversely, the more intense and prolonged response correlated with sensitivity to severe thermal injury. We propose that this may be a basis for variation in survival to thermal injury.
Selection in utero contributes to the male longevity deficit

The literature offering evolutionary explanations of the male longevity deficit does not address temporal variation in the deficit. This circumstance appears attributable to the fact that natural selection intuitively explains the deficit's pervasive and persistent nature, while social processes more parsimoniously explain its temporal variability. I offer consilience of these perspectives by speculating that selection in utero, a mechanism both conserved by natural selection and affected by social processes, could induce deviations around trend in the male longevity deficit. I describe the mechanism and offer an empirical test of its possible effect among Swedes - a population with the longest continuous record of sex-specific longevity in annual birth cohorts. I replicate the test with data from England and Wales. Results support the hypothesis that selection in utero against less fit males may explain part of the difference in longevity between males and females in modern populations.
Long-term antidepressant treatment decreases spiroperidol-labeled serotonin receptor binding

Antidepressants compete at several neurotransmitter receptor binding site, but drug affinities do not correlate with clinical efficacy. Long-term, but not short-term, antidepressant treatment decreases the numbers of both serotonin and beta-adrenergic receptors. The decrease in the number of receptor sites is most marked for [3H]spiroperidol-labeled serotonin receptors and is characteristic for antidepressants of several classes.
Comparison of the Kobayashi-Royden and Sibony metrics on ring domains

In this paper we show that the Kobayashi-Royden metric and the Sibony metric are different on ring domains, i.e., the difference of two concentric balls, in higher dimension.
Rare earth elements in minerals of the ALHA77005 shergottite and implications for its parent magma and crystallization history

Analyses of mineral REE and selected minor and trace elements were carried out on individual grains of pyroxenes, whitlockite, maskelynite, and olivine of the Antarctic shergottite ALHA77005, and the results are used to interpret its parent magma and crystallization history. The results of mineral compositions and textural observations suggest that ALHA77005 is a cumulate with about half cumulus material (olivine + chromite) and half postcumulus phases. Most of the REEs in ALHA77005 reside in whitlockite whose modal concentration is about 1 percent. Mineral REE data support previous suggestions that plagioclase and whitlockite crystallized late, and that low-Ca pyroxene initiated crystallization before high-Ca pyroxene. The REE patterns for the intercumulus liquid, calculated from distribution coefficients for ALHA77005 pyroxene, plagioclase, and whitlockite, are in very good agreement and are similar to that of Shergotty.
Assessment of Archived Paraffin-Embedded Cervical Condyloma Tissues for Mycoplasma-Conserved DNA Using Sensitive PCR–ELISA☆

Clinically, it is important to detect mycoplasmas because these organisms have been implicated in gastric and ovarian cancer, pneumonia, postabortal fever, pelvic inflammatory disease, pyelonephritis, endometritis, urethritis, perinatal mortality, arthritis, spontaneous abortion, infertility and interference with sperm development and they act as cofactors catalyzing the HIV disease state. Recently, the combined polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method targeting the consensus DNA of over 15 species of mycoplasmas was shown to be superior for the detection of mycoplasmas. The objective was to determine if there was an association between mycoplasmas and cervical neoplasia. Cervical tissues, histopathologically categorized by cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade, flat or exophytic, and acanthosis or koilocytotic, were used. The results showed that mycoplasmas DNA were present in 21.4% of the condyloma tissues and in 33.3% of condyloma tissues with CIN. In contrast, mycoplasmas DNA were not detected when there were no CIN. The presence or absence of human papillomavirus (HPV) did not make a difference. Mycoplasmas DNA were present in 40.0 and 12.5% of the exophytic and flat condylomas, respectively. A higher percentage of cervical tissues graded with slight koilocytosis had (P = 0.05) mycoplasmas DNA compared with tissues graded with moderate koilocytosis. The detection of mycoplasmas DNA in archived cervical condyloma tissues with CIN corroborated previous reports of an association between mycoplasmas and CIN. However, the association between mycoplasmas and the presence of HPV could not be made in this study.
¡Avance! Intermediate Spanish. 2nd ed. by BRETZ, MARY LEE, TRISHA DVORAK, CARL KIRSCHNER, RODNEY BRANSDORFER, & CONSTANCE KIHYET Workbook/Laboratory Manual to Accompany ¡Avance! Intermediate Spanish. 2nd ed. by BRETZ, MARY LEE, TRISHA DVORAK, CARL KIRSCHNER, & RODNEY BRANSDORFER

The article reviews the books "Avance! Intermediate Spanish," 2nd ed., by Mary Lee Bretz, Trisha Dvorak, Carl Kirschner, Rodney Bransdorfer and Constance Kihyet and "Workbook/Laboratory Manual to Accompany Avance! Intermediate Spanish," 2nd ed., by Mary Lee Bretz, Trisha Dvorak, Carl Kirschner and Rodney Bransdorfer.
Villarsia cambodiana (Menyanthaceae) in southeastern Asia

A single, distinctive, vegetatively variable species of Villarsia occurs in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, and is correctly called V. cambodiana.
Influence of Broth Cultures and Media upon the Self-Disinfection of the Skin.:

Arnold, Gustafson, Hull, Montgomery and Singer1 reported upon the disappearance of viable bacteria from the skin when applied in 1:200 saline dilution. This suspension was chosen after varying concentrations had been applied to the skin. Pease, and Himebaugh2 reported some observations using undiluted broth cultures of bacteria under certain conditions. These workers overloaded the skin with the foreign solids in the broth. The air drying of the skin causes a concentration of the protein and other materials in the broth upon the skin and delays its self-disinfecting power. The undiluted 24-hour-old broth cultures contain more bacteria than the skin can remove in 15 minutes, but the foreign substances covering the cornified layer are more important in the reaction than the concentrations of the bacteria.The middle finger of both hands was submerged in the various fluid media indicated in the table. Immediately after removal the palmar surface of one finger was pressed against the surface of a sterile agar ...
Chronic high glucose downregulates mitochondrial calpain 10 and contributes to renal cell death and diabetes-induced renal injury.

Whereas most calpains are cytosolic proteases, calpain 10 is resident in mitochondria and is important in mitochondrial homeostasis. Because calpain 10 has been implicated in type 2 diabetes, we studied its possible role in diabetes-induced renal dysfunction. We treated renal proximal tubular cells with high glucose (17mmol/l) and found decreased mitochondrial calpain 10 mRNA and protein at 96h compared with cells incubated with 0 or 5mmol/l glucose or 17mmol/l D-mannitol. High glucose increased mitochondrial calpain 10 substrates (NDUFB8 and ATP synthase β), decreased basal and uncoupled respiration, and initiated cell apoptosis as indicated by cleaved caspase 3 and nuclear condensation. Renal calpain 10 protein and mRNA were specifically decreased in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with kidney dysfunction, and in diabetic ob/ob mice. In agreement with our in vitro data, the kidneys of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats had elevated calpain 10 substrates and cleaved caspase 3. Finally, specific siRNA-induced knockdown of calpain 10 in the proximal tubules of control rats resulted in decreased renal function as evidenced by increased serum creatinine, and increased caspase 3 cleavage compared with rats receiving scrambled siRNA. Thus, the glucose-induced loss of calpain 10 in vivo results in renal cell apoptosis and organ failure through accumulation of mitochondrial calpain 10 substrates and mitochondrial dysfunction. Whether this is a major cause of the decreased renal function in diabetic nephropathy will require further studies.
ASYMPTOTIC IMPLICATIONS OF FLUCTUATING NUPTIALITY AND FERTILITY CONSIDERING BOTH SEXES TOGETHER

In this paper we have suggested a procedure of measuring population change which takes into account fluctuating sequences of nuptiality and fertility schedules as they reflect a population’s response pattern to its changing socioeconomic conditions. Through numerical experiments, the two-sex population model of cyclical change, which considers the interaction between sexes through marriage, is seen to converge to an asymptotic stability. The advantage of such a convergence is to enable comparative investigations, in terms of a set of asymptotic parameters, of rather complex series of nuptiality and fertility changes and their implications for short-run oscillation in population structure as well as for long-run population growth.
Baselines for Assessment of Choice Programs

Critics of choice argue that it will allow alert and aggressive parents to get the best of everything for their children, leaving poor and minority children concentrated in the worst schools. (Note 1) But choice is not the only mechanism whereby this occurs. Alert and aggressive parents work the bureaucracy to get the best for their children. Thus, choice programs should be compared against the real performance of the current public education system, not its idealized aspirations.
Microscale 3D Collagen Cell Culture Assays in Conventional Flat-Bottom 384-Well Plates

Three-dimensional (3D) culture systems such as cell-laden hydrogels are superior to standard two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures for many drug-screening applications. However, their adoption into high-throughput screening (HTS) has been lagging, in part because of the difficulty of incorporating these culture formats into existing robotic liquid handling and imaging infrastructures. Dispensing cell-laden prepolymer solutions into 2D well plates is a potential solution but typically requires large volumes of reagents to avoid evaporation during polymerization, which (1) increases costs, (2) makes drug penetration variable and (3) complicates imaging. Here we describe a technique to efficiently produce 3D microgels using automated liquid-handling systems and standard, nonpatterned, flat-bottomed, 384-well plates. Sub-millimeter-diameter, cell-laden collagen gels are deposited on the bottom of a ~2.5 mm diameter microwell with no concerns about evaporation or meniscus effects at the edges of wells, using aqueous two-phase system patterning. The microscale cell-laden collagengel constructs are readily imaged and readily penetrated by drugs. The cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutics was monitored by bioluminescence and demonstrated that 3D cultures confer chemoresistance as compared with similar 2D cultures. Hence, these data demonstrate the importance of culturing cells in 3D to obtain realistic cellular responses. Overall, this system provides a simple and inexpensive method for integrating 3D culture capability into existing HTS infrastructure.
MEMS in laminates and package substrates

Post semiconductor manufacturing processes (PSM), including packaging and printed circuit board (PCB) technologies with a few micrometer line and space resolution and sub-mil vias are readily achievable. Such PSM technology can be used to manufacture micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) for sensing and actuation applications, which are traditionally produced using silicon processes. A lamination-based manufacturing process allows for a broader selection of materials and fabrication processes than silicon-based manufacturing, and therefore provides greater design freedom for producing functional microdevices. In many cases devices can be fabricated that are more suited to their applications than their silicon counterparts. Furthermore, such microdevices can be built with a high degree of integration, pre-packaged, and at low cost. Indeed, the PCB and packaging industries stand to benefit greatly by expanding their offerings beyond serving the semiconductor industry and developing their own devices and products. This paper illustrates that good quality MEMS devices can be manufactured in laminates, and discusses some of the unique benefits of such devices. This laminate MEMS technology promises for not only manufacturing microdevices but also heterogeneously integrating them with silicon microelectronics into their package with the same manufacturing processes.
Deficient ryanodine receptor S-nitrosylation increases sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium leak and arrhythmogenesis in cardiomyocytes.

Altered Ca2+ homeostasis is a salient feature of heart disease, where the calcium release channel ryanodine receptor (RyR) plays a major role. Accumulating data support the notion that neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1) regulates the cardiac RyR via S-nitrosylation. We tested the hypothesis that NOS1 deficiency impairs RyR S-nitrosylation, leading to altered Ca2+ homeostasis. Diastolic Ca2+ levels are elevated in NOS1−/− and NOS1/NOS3−/− but not NOS3−/− myocytes compared with wild-type (WT), suggesting diastolic Ca2+ leakage. Measured leak was increased in NOS1−/− and NOS1/NOS3−/− but not in NOS3−/− myocytes compared with WT. Importantly, NOS1−/− and NOS1/NOS3−/− myocytes also exhibited spontaneous calcium waves. Whereas the stoichiometry and binding of FK-binding protein 12.6 to RyR and the degree of RyR phosphorylation were not altered in NOS1−/− hearts, RyR2 S-nitrosylation was substantially decreased, and the level of thiol oxidation increased. Together, these findings demonstrate that NOS1 deficiency causes RyR2 hyponitrosylation, leading to diastolic Ca2+ leak and a proarrhythmic phenotype. NOS1 dysregulation may be a proximate cause of key phenotypes associated with heart disease.
Corporate Bond Risk and Real Activity: An Empirical Analysis of Yield Spreads and Their Systematic Components

This paper finds that the yield spread of investment-grade bonds relative to Treasuries, a proxy of default risk, predicts marginal changes in industrial production in the United States up to 12 months in the future, even upon controlling for a commonly used predictor such as the commercial paper spread. The paper also finds that systematic risk factors associated with the yield spread of investment-grade bonds to a variety of risk-free benchmarks - Treasuries, agency bonds, and AAA-rated bonds - have significant predictive content for future growth rate of industrial production at 3 to 18 months forecasting horizon, both in- and out-of-sample. Finally, a regime-switching estimation shows that the systematic risk component is also able to capture industrial production business cycle well.
Approximations to Item Parameters of Mental Test Models and Their Uses1

Equations were derived to enable the graphic approximation of the item parameters of the stochastic mental test models, i.e., the generalized normal ogive and logistic models. The item parameters for the models are discriminatory power (ai), difficulty (bi), and lower asymptote of the item characteristic curve (ci) where the item characteristic curve (ICC) is the regression of the binary item on latent ability. In brief, c i can be approximated through visual inspection of the left-hand (lower) asymptote of the proportion passing the item plotted against the total test score minus the particular item. Thereafter, a graph appropriate to the approximate ci can be consulted to convert an ordinary item-total test point-biserial correlation and proportion passing the item into approximations of item discriminatory power (ai) and item difficulty (bi). Suggested uses for the approximations were to provide a basis for screening items for tailored testing, to enable a determination as to the appropriateness of a s...
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Length at Age and Condition of Yellow Perch in Southern Lake Michigan during 1986−1988

Abstract Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin share management jurisdiction over yellow perch Perca flavescens in southern Lake Michigan. Because yellow perch abundance varies greatly among years and because the states may enforce differing management policies, it is important to define the degree to which stocks move among management jurisdictions. The length of the long axis of the first sagittal annulus (referred to as first annulus diameter) from adult yellow perch collected during 1986–1988 was used as an index of size at age at the end of their first growing season. Those measurements indicated that yellow perch collected as adults in Indiana waters were larger at the end of their first growing season than those collected elsewhere, even though they tended to be smaller at the time of capture. Whatever environmental or genetic factors determined the initial differences in size at age of age-0 yellow perch, the existence of geographic differences in this juvenile trait among fish captured as ad...
Structure–property relationships in polyamides containing cyclohexylene or phenylene structures

Polyamides were prepared from linear, aliphatic dicarboxylic acids of six to twelve carbon atoms with 1,4-cyclohexanebis(methylamine), 1,4-cyclohexanebis (ethylamine), p-xylylenediamine, and p-phenylenebis(ethylamine). Melting points, glass transition temperatures, densities, and moisture regains were compared for the polymers to determine the relative effect of the cyclohexylene and phenylene linkages. While polyamides containing the trans-cyclohexylene group possessed higher glass transition temperatures than their aromatic counterparts, melting behavior was not as consistent. The odd-even rule, which states that polyamides with an even number of methylene linkages between the ring and the functional group melt higher than those with an odd number of such linkages, was violated in the cycloaliphatic systems. The Tg of ring-containing polyamide fibers was not dependent solely upon ring concentration, but was influenced by the molecular fit of the ringed intermediate in the polymer chains. Molecular fit appears to affect the Tg and melting point of alicyclic polyamides to a greater extent than the aromatic analogs. Differences in Tg, both within and among the polymer series, was not explained by either density or the degree of crystallinity.
Classifier-guided sampling for discrete variable, discontinuous design space exploration: Convergence and computational performance

A classifier-guided sampling (CGS) method is introduced for solving engineering design optimization problems with discrete and/or continuous variables and continuous and/or discontinuous responses. The method merges concepts from metamodel-guided sampling and population-based optimization algorithms. The CGS method uses a Bayesian network classifier for predicting the performance of new designs based on a set of known observations or training points. Unlike most metamodelling techniques, however, the classifier assigns a categorical class label to a new design, rather than predicting the resulting response in continuous space, and thereby accommodates non-differentiable and discontinuous functions of discrete or categorical variables. The CGS method uses these classifiers to guide a population-based sampling process towards combinations of discrete and/or continuous variable values with a high probability of yielding preferred performance. Accordingly, the CGS method is appropriate for discrete/discontinu...
Monolithic circuit for reflection coefficient measurement

A monolithic circuit for measuring the complex reflection coefficient using fixed-probe voltage sampling has been investigated. Ion-implanted GaAs Schottky diodes, with built-in isolation resistance, have been used as voltage samplers along a microstrip transmission line on semi-insulating GaAs. An algorithm for determining reflection coefficient from three detected DC voltages is described. Circuit analysis and modeling, DC voltage calculations, and experimental results for the 5-18 GHz frequency range are presented. >
A multi-gigahertz, Josephson flash A/D converter with a pipelined encoder using large-dynamic-range current-latch comparators

The design of a multigigahertz 4-b A/D converter with a pipelined encoder is presented. A wideband and large dynamic range comparator serves as basic building block for both the quantizer and the encoder, which simplifies the design. The design of the comparator and the building of the quantizer and the encoder with the comparator circuits are discussed. Simulation and initial test results are presented, and the possibility of adapting the design to high-T/sub c/ circuit is discussed.
Exploring the Feasibility of an Academic Course That Provides Nutrition Education to Collegiate Student-Athletes

The purpose of this article is to explore the delivery of nutrition education to collegiate student-athletes through an academic course. Existing literature has established the need for nutrition education among collegiate athletes. This article considers the collaboration of the university and the athletic department to better serve this population. Academic wellness courses for student-athletes can be used as models. Finally, benefits, barriers, and proposed course objectives are considered. This report proposes a potential solution to provide consistent, sustainable nutrition education to collegiate student-athletes.
Does Secondary Cardioplegia Provide Long-term Recovery from Ischemic Injury?

Abstract Short-term experimental studies have indicated that initial reperfusion with blood cardioplegia may decrease ischemic injury after aortic occlusion; however, no long-term studies have been performed. We evaluated cardioplegic reperfusion in fifteen dogs, divided into three groups of five each. Group I underwent 2 hours of cardiopulmonary bypass at 37°C. Group II underwent 2 hours of cardiopulmonary bypass, including 1 hour of ischemic arrest, at 25°C. Group III was identical to Group II, but the hearts of the animals were initially reperfused with 500 ml of blood cardioplegia at 25°C (K + = 30 mEq/L). Stroke work index (SWI), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), dp/dt max and maximal contractile element velocity (Vpm) were measured preoperatively, immediately after operation, 21 days postoperatively and 120 days postoperatively. Compliance curves were evaluated using an intraventricular balloon at 120 days. Groups II and III had significant ( p p
Hydroxyapatite powders and thin films prepared by a sol-gel technique

The formation of hydroxyapatite (HA) from a sol-gel precursor was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The sol-gel was processed into both powders and thin films. The effect of drying and firing temperatures on the HA phase formation was studied. Thin HA films up to 1 μm thick were deposited on silicon wafers coated either with borophosphate silicate glass (BPSG) or titanium films, dried and then fired. Increasing the drying temperature raised the firing temperature for initial formation of crystalline HA. It was found that at firing temperatures ranging from 300 to 1000°C, the dominant phase in the powders was HA with small amounts of calcium oxide and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP). As the firing temperature increased the amount of CaO and β-TCP increased. At firing temperatures ranging from 300 to 500°C the only observable crystalline phase in the films was HA.
Multivariate visualization using metric scaling

The authors present an efficient visualization approach to support multivariate data exploration through a simple but effective low dimensional data overview based on metric scaling. A multivariate dataset is first transformed into a set of dissimilarities between all pairs of data records. A graph configuration algorithm based on principal components is then wed to determine the display coordinates of the data records in the low dimensional data overview. This overview provides a graphical summary of the multivariate data with reduced data dimensions, reduced data size, and additional data semantics. It can be used to enhance multidimensional data brushing, or to arrange the layout of other conventional multivariate visualization techniques. Real life data is used to demonstrate the approach.
Direct Use of Sulfur-Containing Coke on a Ni―Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Anode Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

The direct use of sulfur-containing coke to generate electricity has been studied by a transient approach that involves feeding a batch of coke samples to a Ni−yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) anode solid oxide fuel cell operating at 750 °C in flowing He, measuring the fuel cell performance, and monitoring the concentration of the exhaust gases with a mass spectrometer (MS) and a gas chromatograph (GC). Feeding coke to the fuel cell produced current densities as high as 261 mA/cm2 at a load of 0.56 V with the concomitant evolution of CO2, giving an energy efficiency (i.e., the ratio of the electric energy produced to the enthalpy of consumed fuel) of 52.9%, nearly 3 times higher than the efficiency resulting from feeding H2 fuel. The volumetric three-phase boundary (TPB) length available at the Ni−YSZ anode for electrochemical oxidation of H2 was estimated to be 4.1 × 1012 m/m3, which is 3 orders of magnitude larger than the TPB length available for oxidation of carbon at the anode surface in direct conta...
Identifying Opportunities for Virtual Reality Simulation in Surgical Education: A Review of the Proceedings from the Innovation, Design, and Emerging Alliances in Surgery (IDEAS) Conference: VR Surgery

Objectives. To conduct a review of the state of virtual reality (VR) simulation technology, to identify areas of surgical education that have the greatest potential to benefit from it, and to identify challenges to implementation. Background Data. Simulation is an increasingly important part of surgical training. VR is a developing platform for using simulation to teach technical skills, behavioral skills, and entire procedures to trainees and practicing surgeons worldwide. Questions exist regarding the science behind the technology and most effective usage of VR simulation. A symposium was held to address these issues. Methods. Engineers, educators, and surgeons held a conference in November 2013 both to review the background science behind simulation technology and to create guidelines for its use in teaching and credentialing trainees and surgeons in practice. Results. Several technologic challenges were identified that must be overcome in order for VR simulation to be useful in surgery. Specific areas...
Metabolism of Leucine in Fibroblasts from Patients with Deficiencies in Each of the Major Catabolic Enzymes: Branched-Chain Ketoacid Dehydrogenase, Isovaleryl-CoA Dehydrogenase, 3-Methylcrotonyl- CoA Carboxylase, 3-Methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase, and 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA Lyase

The metabolism of leucine was studied in cultured human fibroblasts derived from patients with defects in each of the major steps in the catabolism of the amino acid. Intact fibroblasts were incubated with [U-14Clleucine and the organic acid products were isolated by liquid partition chromatography. In control fibroblasts the major product of leucine was 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid. This was also the case for fibroblasts with deficiency of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase, 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase and 3-methyl-glutaconyl-CoA hydratase. There was little or no accumulation of the compound with fibroblasts from patients with maple syrup urine disease and isovaleric acidemia.