cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Signalling and the broadband Internet

This paper is written from the perspective of an applications developer rather than a network operator or switch manufacturer. The main focus is on the needs of domestic users, and the companies that want to provide broadband services to them. It looks at the development of broadband applications in the real world. Then the application of those lessons to the signalling architectures needed for the new domestic services is examined. The broadband Internet will be what makes the ATM network profitable. However, we need to rethink our whole approach to the development of signalling protocols, and concentrate on simplicity, flexibility, and performance.
Imaging of lung ventilation and respiratory dynamics in a single ventilation cycle using hyperpolarized He-3 MRI.

Purpose To image respiratory dynamics and three-dimensional (3D) ventilation during inhalation, breath-hold, and exhalation for evaluation of obstructive lung disease using a single dose of hyperpolarized (HP) He-3 during MRI. Materials and Methods A single 2D-3D projections inside Z encoding (PRIZE)-2D acquisition was performed that consisted of a rapid 2D radial acquisition phase during inhalation of the HP He-3, a 3D acquisition phase during a breath-hold interval, and finally the same 2D radial acquisition during a forced exhalation maneuver followed by tidal breathing. The 3D PRIZE acquisition was comprised of radial sampling in the coronal plane and Fourier encoding in the patient's anterior–posterior direction. Nine patients with mild/moderate to severe asthma were studied (two individuals were studied twice) using this technique. Results Breath-hold and dynamic imaging results showed physiological abnormalities and were compared with results from standard spirometry, body plethysmography, and computed tomography (CT). Dynamic images depicted regions of differential gas clearance and trapping observed during and after forced exhalation that were corroborated as regions of air trapping on CT imaging. Conclusion The 2D-3D PRIZE-2D acquisition allowed for 3D depiction of ventilation during a breath-hold, as well as detection of gas trapping. Imaging results were confirmed with spirometry, body plethysmography, and CT. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Spontaneous lymphocyte proliferation and the periodontal status of young adults

The objective of this study was to determine if the level of incorporation of 3H-thymidine in unstimulated cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from young adults differs as a function of their periodontal status. Kinetic studies using normal PBL indicated that the rate of 3H-thymidine uptake in unstimulated cultures began to increase markedly by day 5 of culture, peaked about day 7, and then declined. When this spontaneous lymphocyte proliferative response in young adults with a healthy periodontium (HP) was compared with the response obtained from young adults with severe periodontitis (SP) and individuals with juvenile periodontitis (JP), it was observed that responses in the SP group were markedly depressed at day 5 and day 7. In contrast, responses in the JP group were nearly identical to the HP controls. Periodontal treatment of the SP group appeared to restore normal responsiveness. We believe the most likely bases for these responses to be autologous mixed lymphocyte culture reactions. The suppression of the spontaneous response in the untreated SP group may reflect changes in regulatory T-cell function induced by a state of active disease.
Mechanisms of spontaneous and induced ventricular arrhythmias in the 24-hour infarcted dog heart*

The incidence and types of ventricular arrhythmias were evaluated in 14 dogs, 24 hours after occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. After induction of anesthesia and left thoracotomy, standard electrocardiographic leads and electrograms from the His bundle and the left ventricular endocardium and epicardium (both infarct and normal zones) were recorded. Spontaneous ventricular tachycardia presumably due to abnormal automaticity was consistently observed (average rate 154 ± 26 beats/min). These arrhythmias were irregular and multiform. In this same group of dogs 3 ventricular paced beats at rates above 300 beats/min induced rapid and uniform reentrant ventricular tachycardias (average rate 345 ± 17 beats/min) that were difficult to terminate by premature beats or overdrive pacing. During this sustained ventricular tachycardia, continuous electrical activity was recorded from composite electrodes on the epicardial surface overlying the infarcted zone. Such interectopic activity was not observed during the spontaneous, automatic arrhythmias. Two of the 14 dogs showed only ventricular fibrillation in response to the provocative stimuli. These data confirm previous findings that 24 hours after acute myocardial infarction in the dog heart multiform ventricular rhythms can result from enhanced automaticity. In addition, it was found that ventricular tachycardia can be induced in the same dog heart by a standard ventricular pacing procedure. Continuous electrical activity bridging the interectopic intervals only during the latter tachycardia provides strong evidence for the reentrant basis of these induced arrhythmias. These experimental findings are comparable to the 2 different forms of ventricular arrhythmias described clinically, at the same stage of myocardial infarction. The direct myocardial recordings also provide new insights into the phenomenon of entrainment of tachyarrhythmias by overdrive pacing.
Descending noradrenergic pathways involved in the A5 depressor response.

Abstract The objective of the present study was to analyze the anatomical basis of the A5 depressor response and to test if the putative neurotransmitter noradrenaline is involved in the response. Two approaches were used; one was neuroanatomical and the other was pharmacological. First, the retrograde transport method in which two fluorescent markers (Fast blue and rhodamine microspheres) was used in combination with the indirect immunofluorescence technique to establish that A5 catecholamine neurons project to both the spinal cord and the region of the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS). Second, we analyzed the effects of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the spinal cord and/or NTS area on the A5 depressor response. This response was elicited by a 80-nl microinjection of l -glutamate (500 mM) into the A5 region in pentobarbital anesthetized rats; it was characterized by a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. After destruction of various noradrenergic terminal fields we have found that (1) intraspinal injections of 6-OHDA caused a 30% reduction in the blood pressure component of the A5 depressor response and a transient depression of the bradycardic response. This result suggests that only a small portion of the A5 depressor response depends on the descending A5 spinal pathway. (2) Injections of 6-OHDA into the NTS region caused a transient depression of the A5 depressor response, and by 7–14 days postinjection, the response returned to normal. (3) After combined 6-OHDA injections into the spinal cord and NTS area, the blood pressure and heart rate components of the A5 depressor response were reduced to 80% of the control level at 3 days postinjection. By 14 days, even with severe depletion of noradrenaline in the spinal cord (96%) and a moderate depletion of noradrenaline in the NTS (50%), the A5 response was restored to about 80% of its original magnitude, suggesting some type of functional recovery occurs in this system. Third, the blood pressure decrease elicited by l -glutamate stimulation of the A5 cell group was unaffected by pharmacological blockade of the heart. In addition, this response appeared to be normal in rats that had both their autonomic supply to the heart blocked pharmacologically and their spinal cord noradrenaline levels depleted (14 days after intraspinal 6-OHDA injections). These data suggest that the major A5 depressor response operates mainly by inhibition of the sympathetic outflow involved in control of total peripheral resistance and that this system is controlled by a descending spinal pathway which probably does not use noradrenaline as a neurotransmitter.
Benzpyrene pretreatment changes the kinetics and pH optimum for aniline hydroxylation in vitro, but not those for benzphetamine demethylation in vitro by rat liver microsomes

Abstract The effects of benzpyrene pretreatment on aniline para -hydroxylation, benzphetamine demethylation and benzpyrene hydroxylation in rat liver microsomes were studied and the following results were obtained: The pH optimum for the metabolism in vitro of aniline is shifted from pH 7.0 to pH 8.1 by benzpyrene pretreatment. When the spectral dissociation constants ( K s ) with aniline are compared at pH 7.0 and pH 8.1 using microsomes from benzpyrene-pretreated rats, a pH dependency of K s , is seen. The K s , values for microsomes from control rats are the same at both pH's, but they are different from both the K s , value at pH 7.0 for microsomes from benzpyrene-pretreated rats and the K s , value at pH 8.1 for microsomes from benzpyrene-pretreated rats. K m values for aniline hydroxylase are altered by changes in pH with hepatic microsomes from either control or benzpyrene-pretreated rats. Neither the K m nor the pH optimum for benzphetamine demethylase is changed by benzpyrene pretreatment. The K s for benzphetamine is also unchanged by pretreatment with benzpyrene. The K m value for benzpyrene hydroxylase is changed by pretreatment with benzpyrene, but the pH optimum for the metabolism in vitro of benzpyrene does not seem to be altered by benzpyrene pretreatment.
Diapause in a migrant insect, the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae).

Oncopeltus fasciatus exhibits a facultative reproductive diapause which is triggered by short photoperiods. The duration of the triggering photoperiod (the “critical photoperiod”) is a function of the environmental conditions under which populations are reared. Some individuals are apparently sensitive to critical photoperiods in the early instars, but maximum sensitivity, indicated by 100% diapause, occurs in the late 5th instar during development of the pharate adult. Sixty per cent retain sensitivity into the first five days of adulthood. Temperatures of 27°C can prevent diapause. Once initiated, diapause can be broken either by raising the temperature or increasing the day length; it is broken abruptly, for once oviposition starts, it proceeds at maximum rate. Diapause contributes significantly to a migratory strategy in the temperate parts of the range of O. fasciatus and probably does so in the tropics as well.
Post-licensure surveillance of quadrivalent live attenuated influenza vaccine United States, Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), July 2013-June 2014.

Abstract Background Quadrivalent live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4) was approved in 2012 for healthy persons aged 2–49 years. Beginning with the 2013–2014 influenza season, LAIV4 replaced trivalent live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV3). Methods We analyzed LAIV4 reports to VAERS, a national spontaneous reporting system. LAIV4 reports in 2013–2014 were compared to LAIV3 reports from the previous three influenza seasons. Medical records were reviewed for non-manufacturer serious reports (i.e., death, hospitalization, prolonged hospitalization, life-threatening illness, permanent disability) and reports of selected conditions of interest. We conducted Empirical Bayesian data mining to identify disproportional reporting for LAIV4. Results In 2013–2014, 12.7 million doses of LAIV4 were distributed and VAERS received 779 reports in individuals aged 2–49 years; 95% were non-serious. Expired drug administered (42%), fever (13%) and cough (8%) were most commonly reported in children aged 2–17 years when LAIV4 was administered alone, while headache (18%), expired drug administered (15%) and exposure during pregnancy (12%) were most common in adults aged 18–49 years. We identified one death report in a child who died from complications of cerebellar vascular tumors. Among non-death serious reports, neurologic conditions were common in children and adults. In children, seizures (3) and Guillain-Barre syndrome (2) were the most common serious neurologic outcomes. We identified three serious reports of asthma/wheezing following LAIV4 in children. Data mining detected disproportional reporting for vaccine administration errors and for influenza illness in children. Conclusions Our analysis of VAERS reports for LAIV4 did not identify any concerning patterns. The data mining finding for reports of influenza illness is consistent with low LAIV4 vaccine effectiveness observed for influenza A disease in children in 2013–2014. Reports of LAIV4 administration to persons in whom the vaccine is not recommended (e.g., pregnant women) indicate the need for education, training and screening regarding indications.
Throughput capacity of ad hoc networks with route discovery

Throughput capacity of large ad hoc networks has been shown to scale adversely with the size of network n. However the need for the nodes to find or repair routes has not been analyzed in this context. In this paper, we explicitly take route discovery into account and obtain the scaling law for the throughput capacity under general assumptions on the network environment, node behavior, and the quality of route discovery algorithms. We also discuss a number of possible scenarios and show that the need for route discovery may change the scaling for the throughput capacity.
Global Musculoskeletal Health: Inaugural Meeting of the International Society of Orthopaedic Centers:

The International Society of Orthopaedic Centers (ISOC) was founded in 2006 to function as a think tank for leading international orthopaedic academic centers. ISOC’s mission is to facilitate the exchange of ideas and cutting edge practices among these centers and to work together on patient care, education, and research in order to make global improvements in orthopaedic care. The inaugural meeting, hosted by Hospital for Special Surgery on May 17–19, 2007, is described here.
Synthesis and characterization of iron derivatives having a pyridine-linked bis(anilide) pincer ligand.

A pyridine-linked bis(aniline) pincer ligand, [2]H2 ([2]H2 = (2,6-NC5H3(2-(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)-NHC6H4)2), has been synthesized in two steps. Deprotonation with Me3SiCH2Li followed by metalation with FeCl2 yielded a LiCl adduct of [2]Fe. The complex is freed of LiCl with excess TlPF6 or by crystallization from toluene/petroleum ether, giving [2]Fe(THF). [2]Fe(THF) reacts with I2 and O2 to generate [2]FeI and ([2]Fe)2O, respectively. The complexes have been characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, X-ray crystallography, and UV−vis spectroscopy. [2]Fe(THF) has been examined using cyclic voltammetry.
Maximizing Young's modulus of aminated nanodiamond-epoxy composites measured in compression

Abstract Nanodiamond, due to its superior hardness and Young's modulus in combination with its large surface area holds great potential for the mechanical reinforcement of polymer matrices. However, it is still not possible to take full advantage of these properties in polymer matrix composites. The main reasons are poor dispersion, agglomeration and a weak interface between nanodiamond and the polymer. Aminated nanodiamond can be used to form a strong covalent interface with an epoxy polymer. We show how Young's modulus can be further improved if an interference of nanodiamonds amino groups with the epoxy stoichiometry is taken into account. Dispersion of nanodiamond is improved by slightly adjusting the manufacturing process, thus increasing Young's modulus of the composites. Predictions by a micromechanics homogenization method that consider nanodiamond agglomeration and dispersion suggest that Young's modulus can be further increased by slightly improving both parameters. For the first time we show that epoxy can be cured solely by nanodiamonds amino groups without any additions of curing agent, resulting in a composite's Young's modulus measured by nanoindentation of up to ∼18 GPa – a 700% improvement over neat epoxy.
Risk of venous thromboembolism among hospitalizations of adults with selected autoimmune diseases

Previous research has suggested autoimmune diseases are risk factors for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). We assessed whether having diagnoses of selected autoimmune diseases associated with antiphospholipid antibodies—autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)—were associated with having a VTE diagnosis among US adult hospitalizations. A cross-sectional study was conducted using the 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. VTE and autoimmune diseases were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification coded diagnoses information. The percentages of hospitalizations with a VTE diagnosis among all non-maternal adult hospitalizations without any of the four autoimmune diseases of interest and among those with AIHA, ITP, RA, and SLE diagnoses were 2.28, 4.46, 3.35, 2.65 and 2.77 %, respectively. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) for having a diagnosis of VTE among non-maternal adult hospitalizations with diagnoses of AIHA, ITP, RA, and SLE were 1.25 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.05–1.49], 1.20 (95 % CI 1.07–1.34), 1.17 (95 % CI 1.13–1.21), and 1.23 (95 % CI 1.15–1.32), respectively, when compared to those without the corresponding conditions. The adjusted OR for a diagnosis of VTE associated with a diagnosis of any of the four autoimmune diseases was 1.20 (95 % CI 1.16–1.24). The presence of a diagnosis of AIHA, ITP, RA, and SLE was associated with an increased likelihood of having a VTE diagnosis among the group of all non-maternal adult hospitalizations.
Measurement of baseline atmospheric plutonium-239, 240 and americium-241 in the vicinity of the waste isolation pilot plant

Measurements of aerosol239, 240Pu and241Am activity concentrations have been made in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Samples for total suspended particulate matter (TSP) and particulate matter less than or equal to 10±2 μm aerodynamic diameter (PM10) collected on 20×25-cm2 glass fiber filters at a site approximately 1 km from the WIPP exhaust shaft. Samples for both TSP and PM10 were collected concurrently at 5 m above ground level. Other concurrent PM10 samples were also collected at 2 m above ground level. At the 5-m level, approximately 50% of the mass and the239,240Pu and241Am activities in the TSP are contained in the PM10 fraction. Comparison of the PM10 data from 2-and 5-m levels indicates that239,240Pu activity concentrations at the 2-m elevation are approximately 50% higher than the activity concentrations at the 5-m elevation. The overall average of the activity ratio between241Am and239,240Pu is 0.40±0.02 which is in good agreement with other published values.
Differential cell adhesion through spatial and temporal variations of NCAM

Abstract Cell adhesion preferences are believed to play a major role in the assembly and interconnection of the nervous system. Recent studies on the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) suggest that spatial and temporal variations in the amount and form of this molecule can produce differences in cell adhesivity that influence the pathway and target choice of migrating cells and growing axons.
Total Thyroidectomy is Associated with Increased Risk of Complications for Low- and High-Volume Surgeons

There has been an increased use of total thyroidectomy (TT), including in the management of benign thyroid diseases. We sought to compare the risk of complications between TT and unilateral thyroidectomy (UT) and to evaluate the effect of surgeon’s experience on outcomes. Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2003 to 2009 was used to perform cross-sectional analysis of all adult patients who underwent TT and UT for benign or malignant conditions. Logistic regression was used to evaluate outcomes and to provide correlation between outcome and surgeon volume. Surgeon volume was categorized as low or high (performing 99 thyroid operations/year, respectively). A total of 62,722 procedures were included. Most cases were TT (57.9 %) performed for benign disease. There was a significantly increased risk of complication after TT compared to UT (20.4 vs. 10.8 %: p < 0.0001). High-volume surgeons performed only 5.0 % of the procedures overall, with 62.6 % of the high-volume surgeon procedures being TTs. Low-volume surgeons were more likely to have postoperative complications after TT compared to high-volume surgeons (odds ratio 1.53, 95 % confidence interval 1.12, 2.11, p = 0.0083). Mean charges were significantly higher for TT compared to lobectomy ($19,365 vs. $15,602, p < 0.0001), and length of stay was longer for TT compared to lobectomy (1.63 vs. 1.29 days, p < 0.0001). TT is associated with a significantly higher risk of complications compared to UT even among high-volume surgeons. Higher surgeon volume is associated with improved patient outcomes.
Sex differences in depression across the high school to college transition

Although adolescent and adult females have consistently been found to experience depression at twice the rate of males, the college population has represented a notable exception, with equal rates of depression reported for males and females. Using a cross-sectional design with equivalent measures, we explored the nature of these shifting population statistics by the following: (a) examining whether college females were reporting lower levels of depression, or college males were reporting higher levels of depression, relative to same-sex high school peers; and (b) exploring a number of relevant psychological and psychosocial/environmental variables that might explain these shifts. Replicating previous findings on the presence or absence of gender differences in depression in adolescent vs. college subjects, our data also indicated that this shift could be accounted for by lower levels of depression reported by college, relative to high school, females. Moreover, although psychological variables were the best overall predictors of females' depression levels, differences between high school and college females were best explained by psychosocial/environmental variables. Results are discussed in terms of the contextual features associated with the college environment that might protect women against depression and account for differential depression levels.
Preparation of some metal phosphides by ball milling

Abstract Mechanochemical reactions were investigated in the Ni–P and Al–P systems. At the Ni80P20 composition, the product is either an amorphous alloy or a mixture of crystalline phosphides, depending on the milling intensity. The reaction turns into a self-sustaining process between 25 and 40 at.% phosphorus. Surprisingly, the much more exothermic formation of AlP takes place as a gradual process.
Maximal order for multipoint methods with memory using hermitian information

This paper considers multipoint iterations with memory for finding the root of the nonlinear equation f(x)= 0. Suppose that such an iteration uses multipoint Hermitian information (with memory m) and n new evaluations per iteration. We show that its order cannot exceed 2n, verifying a conjecture of Traub and Wozniakowski for the Hermitian case. This bound is shown to be sharp, by exhibiting a class of methods whose order monotonically approaches 2n as m increases to infinity.
Expendable benthic lander (XBL)

Observatories on the sea floor are about to permit long term observations of physical and chemical processes. Most of these observatories will deliver their measurements ashore in real time or near real time and many will derive power from a cable that connects them to shore. The cable is both empowering and limiting insofar as it permits long deployments and real time data return but restricts observations to regions where the cable has been laid. There remains a need for observatory type arrays of sensors where cables have not been emplaced. The expendable benthic lander is an instrument that can be deployed in such an array. The requirements for such an instrument are that it be inexpensive so that large numbers can be deployed in an array, easily deployed so that costs of laying the array are modest, capable so that physical and chemical properties can be resolved at the speed and sensitivity required to understand processes of importance, and recoverable so that the data may be analyzed in detail. Physical instrument recovery is a desirable attribute but not as important as data recovery. Since data may be recovered even if the instrument is lost, the term expendable is applied to this benthic lander although this is not the primary mode of use.
Performance of the strength-reduced adaptive filter architecture for 51.84 Mb/s ATM-LAN

In this paper, a pipelined strength-reduced (PIPSR) adaptive filter architecture is employed as a receive equalizer for 51.84 Mb/s ATM-LAN over unshielded twisted pair category-3 (UTP-3) wiring. This architecture provides the advantage of low-power dissipation and high-speed operation. Simulation results are presented to investigate the effect of level of pipelining on the steady-state signal-to-noise ratio at the slicer (SNR/sub slicer/). Simulation results indicate that speed-ups of up to 160 can be achieved with about 0.8 dB loss in SNR/sub slicer/.
PET measurement of adenosine stimulated absolute myocardial blood flow for physiological assessment of the coronary circulation

Considerable awareness has been raised of late of the need to reduce radiation exposure and control costs of x-ray and radionuclide imaging procedures. PET/CT cameras are now widely available and in conjunction with appropriate radionuclides and commercially available software make quantitative measurement of absolute MBF feasible for routine clinical practice. Quantitative measurement of absolute MBF under condition of coronary vasodilation permits independent assessment of the functional status of each of the three major coronary perfusion zones and so obviates the need for rest MBF determination in the great majority of cases. Coronary microvascular function also may be assessed in this same way. Thus, the stress-only protocol with quantitative PET measurement of MBF provides essential information required for clinical decision making related to need for catheterization and intervention for patients with known or suspected ischemic heart disease. Moreover, the single PET determination of maximal MBF in contrast to the usual rest/stress procedure addresses both safety and cost concerns. The present review focuses on: (1) quantitative PET measurements of myocardial blood flow for physiological assessment of the coronary circulation and (2) the value and potential limitations of performing stress only imaging in the clinical context.
The AML1/ETO Fusion Protein Activates Transcription of BCL-2

The AML1 gene, located on chromosome 21, is involved in several distinct chromosomal translocations in human leukemia. In t(8;21) acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the AML1 gene is juxtaposed to the ETO gene located on chromosome 8, generating an AML1/ETO fusion protein. Both AML1/ETO and the AML1 proteins recognize the same consensus DNA-binding motif (TGT/CGGT), which is found in the promoters of several genes involved in hematopoiesis. We found that two myeloid leukemia cell lines with the t(8;21) translocation, Kasumi and SKNO-1, have elevated levels of BCL-2 protein compared with other myeloid cell lines. In addition, we identified a consensus AML1 binding site in the BCL-2 promoter. Thus far, AML1/ETO has been shown to dominantly repress its target genes; however, we found that AML1/ETO activates transcription of the BCL-2 gene in U937 cells. This activation requires the presence of both the runt homology domain (rhd) and the C-terminal portion of AML1/ETO. We demonstrated sequence specific binding of both AML1A and AML1/ETO to the TGTGGT sequence in the BCL-2 promoter and showed that the AML1 binding site is required for responsiveness to AML1/ETO. Interestingly, AML1A and AML1B do not modulate the activity of the BCL-2 promoter. The elevated levels of BCL-2 in cells that express AML1/ETO may prolong their life span and contribute to the development of t(8;21) leukemia.
In vivo lysogenic conversion of Tox(-) Streptococcus pyogenes to Tox(+) with Lysogenic Streptococci or free phage.

Temperate bacteriophage can transfer toxin-encoding genes between bacteria, often resulting in acquired pathogenicity. However, little is known regarding the effects of the eukaryotic host on the phage-pathogen interaction. Using Streptococcus pyogenes as a model, we demonstrate, both in vitro and in vivo, that the eukaryote mediates the efficient induction of toxin-encoding temperate phage and the resultant conversion of Tox− flora to Tox+. Furthermore, we show that both phage induction and subsequent conversion need not happen in the same mammalian host, as host-to-host phage transmission can result in toxigenic conversion within the secondary host. Ultimately, our findings demonstrate that the eukaryotic host serves as an essential component in the phage-mediated evolution of virulence within the microbial population.
Science signals a new understanding of marihuana

Some recent scientific advances in the study of the cannabinoids are outlined. The mode of action of marihuana and the cannabinoids has now been described. They belong to a new class of drug that acts on a hitherto undescribed neuro-physiological system. An endogenous neurotransmitter or neuromodulator for this system has been isolated, identified and named “anandamide”. These findings throw new light and imbue new confidence for the future of the therapeutic application of compounds derived from and related to the cannabinoids and anandamide. An outline is also provided of the current knowledge and future potential of cannabinoids in therapeutics. The effect of the current legal classification of the cannabinoids on the research and development of these compounds is discussed.
EPR of C60 thermal/photochemical reactions with polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate

Thermal and photochemical free radical reaction products of C60 with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) in orthodichlorobenzene solution were detected by EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance). Thermal radicals (<100°C) of C60/PMMA and C60/PS samples gave single line first-derivative EPR spectra withg=2.0029. Ultraviolet photolysis of a C60/PMMA solid phase sample gave two radical species; whereas, photolysis of a C60/PS solid phase sample gave only one free radical. EPR signals were also recorded for UV and thermal C60 reaction with free radical initiator, azobis(isobutyronitrile).
Supporting the Use of Rudimentary Vocalizations

Children with Rett Syndrome (RS) are reported to use multiple modalities to communicate although their intentionality is often questioned (Bartolotta, Zipp, Simpkins, & Glazewski, 2011; Hetzroni & ...
Understanding the Gradient in Children's Health: Cigarette Taxes, Asthma, and Inequality

The origins of inequality have roots in childhood. Childhood asthma, the most common disease affecting children, disproportionately affects minority and lower SES children. Decades of research shows a strong association between tobacco exposure and respiratory illnesses. By exploiting exogenous variation in cigarette taxes across states and time, I estimate the causal impact of early life tobacco exposure on measures of children’s well-being such as asthma, asthma severity, self-reported health, and school absences. I find economically and statistically significant impacts of cigarette taxes in improving children’s health: a one dollar increase in cigarette taxes reduces the prevalence of asthma by 3.4 percentage points, and raises school attendance by nearly half a day. The largest reductions in asthma are seen in children from the poorest households. Subsequently, decomposing the asthma gap reveals that differences in responses to cigarette taxes by SES can explain three quarters of the gap in asthma prevalence.
Local surface structure effect on reactivity of molecules confined between metallic surfaces

Interactions between metallic surfaces separated by nanometer distances create an unusual reactivity environment. Here we evaluate the effect of the geometry given by differences in the structures of the interacting surfaces and by the presence of steps. Adsorption of an oxygen molecule and its dissociation is examined in gaps defined by interacting platinum surfaces that have separations between 5.36 and 4.70 A, and by comparing the effect of the different gap geometries on the adsorption strength and barriers for dissociation. It is found that specific surface-surface configurations influence the electronic structure of the surface where the molecule is adsorbed, modifying the width of its d-orbital and therefore the adsorption strength due to changes in the overlap of the adsorbate molecular orbitals with the metal d-band. In addition, the degree of the molecule-metal interaction with the other surface may restrict the adsorbate mobility and its dissociation. The presence of defects may decrease the adsorbate-surface interaction strength, but the net result depends on the specific reaction and nature of the intermediates since in some cases weaker adsorptions may result in lower dissociation barriers.
Field-enhanced magnetic moment in ellipsoidal nano-hematite

Bulk hematite is a canted antiferromagnet at room temperature and displays weak magnetic coercivity above the Morin transition temperature T M ~ 262 K. Below T M, hematite displays traditional antiferromagnetic behavior, with no net magnetic moment or magnetic hysteresis. Here, we report that ellipsoidal nanocrystals of hematite (ENH) display a significant field-enhanced magnetic moment (FEMM) upon being poled by a magnetic field. This poled moment displays a giant coercive field of nearly 6000 Oe at low temperature. Atomic resolution transmission electron microscopy indicates that the nanocrystals are single crystalline, and that the surfaces are bulk-terminated. The apical terminations include the sets of planes, which are implicated in possible formation of FM-arrangements near the surface. We tentatively suggest that FEMM in ENH could also arise from uncompensated surface spins or a shell of ordered spins oriented and pinned near the surface by a magnetic field. The gradual loss of magnetic moment with increasing temperature could arise as a result of competition between surface pinning energy, and kT. The large coercive field points toward possible applications for ENH in digital magnetic recording.
Psychology and International Relations Theory

Organized around several major theoretical traditions in international relations, this essay suggests which literature in psychology should be of greatest interest to different kinds of international relations scholars. New work in cognitive social psychology and behavioral decision theory simultaneously expands on and qualifies earlier error-and-bias portraits of the foreign policy maker, thereby enriching our understanding of internal divisions within the realist camp. Work on bounded rationality in competitive markets and mixed-motive games, as well as the literature on the power of human emotions to shape judgments of what represents an equitable allocation of scarce resources or a just resolution of conflicts of interest, can inform neo-institutionalist and constructivist theories. Developments in cross-cultural social psychology shed light on constructivist arguments about the creation and maintenance of international social order that typically rest on assumptions about decision making that are qua...
Swimming endurance of American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) and its role in fish capture

The swimming capability of fish plays an important role in determining the selectivity and efficiency of capture by mobile bottom-trawl fishing gears. The authors test the hypotheses that the swimming endurance of American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) is independent of fish size and water temperature. Using a swimming flume, swimming endurance was examined across a range of fish sizes (14-44cm) and water temperatures (−0.2 to 9.7°C). All trials were conducted at a swimming speed of 0.30ms −1 . This is comparable to the swimming speeds required by flatfish during herding by bottom-trawl sweeps. The data were analysed using failure time (survival) analysis, a more robust statistical technique for endurance-type data. The advantage of this technique over traditional regression analyses is that censored observations can be included in the analysis. An important distinction, however, is that the dependent variable being modelled was not endurance per se, but the instantaneous rate of exhaustion, or hazard rate at a given time t. The results showed that both fish length and water temperature had a negative effect on the endurance hazard rate. This is equivalent to an increase in the probability of American plaice achieving a given endurance with increasing fish length and water temperature. This was sufficient evidence to reject the null hypotheses that the swimming endurance of American plaice is independent of these variables. Probability curves for the distances the fish would be capable of swimming were calculated for different fish sizes and water temperatures. The findings suggest that the herding efficiency of American plaice by bottom-trawl sweeps may be largely size- and temperature-dependent.
The positions of λmax for some trimethylsilyl-substituted silylenes

Abstract Low-temperature photolysis of tris(trimethylsilyl)silane derivatives in a 3-methylpentane glass at 77 K yields hexamethyldisilane and trimethylsilyl-substituted silylenes. These silylenes exhibit broad n → p absorptions at wavelengths typically >600 nm in the UV and have been captured by 2,3-dimethylbutadiene in cyclohexane at room temperature. Exceptions to the usual position of λ max have been observed and are discussed.
Pressure dependence of laser-induced fluorescence from acetone

The use of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) from acetone is becoming increasingly widespread as a diagnostic of mixing processes in both reacting and nonreacting flows. One of the major reasons for its increasing use is that the acetone LIF signal is believed to be nearly independent of pressure because of fast intersystem crossing from the first excited singlet state, from which the fluorescence signal originates, to the first excited triplet state, which does not fluoresce. To evaluate the use of acetone LIF at pressures higher than atmospheric, we have performed a study of acetone LIF in a flowing gas cell at pressures up to 8 atm. We used four different buffer gases: air, nitrogen, methane, and helium. Surprisingly, we find that the acetone fluorescence quantum efficiency increases slightly (∼30%–50%) as the buffer-gas pressure increases from 0.6 to 5 atm for all four buffer gases. When the buffer gas is air, we observe a decrease in the acetone fluorescence quantum efficiency as the buffer-gas pressure is increased from 5 to 8 atm; for the other three buffer gases the quantum efficiency is constant to within experimental error in this pressure regime. The observed pressure dependence of the acetone fluorescence signal is explained by use of a four-level model. The increase in the fluorescence quantum efficiency with pressure is probably the result of incomplete vibrational relaxation coupled with an increase in the intersystem crossing rate with increasing vibrational excitation in the first excited singlet manifold.
Morningstar's Risk-Adjusted Ratings

The characteristics of the “risk-adjusted rating” (RAR) on which Morningstar bases its “star ratings” and “category ratings” are analyzed, and the RAR is compared with more traditional mean–variance measures. The RAR measure has characteristics similar to those of an expected utility function based on an underlying bilinear utility function. These characteristics are of some concern because strict adherence to maximizing expected utility with such a function could lead to extreme investment strategies. This study finds that Morningstar varies one of the parameters of this function in a manner that frequently produces results similar to the results of using the excess-return Sharpe ratio. Finally, the argument is presented that neither Morningstar's measure nor the excess-return Sharpe ratio is an efficient tool for choosing mutual funds within peer groups for a multifund portfolio.
Stimulation of phosphorylcholine turnover and diacylglycerol production in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Novel assay for phosphorylcholine.

Receptor-bypassing stimulants of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs), such as ionomycin or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), generate an increase in diacylglycerol (DAG) which is independent of a phospholipase C specific for phosphatidylinositol 4,5,-bisphosphate (PIP2). Activation of a phospholipase C specific for phosphatidylcholine (PC) has been implicated as a source of DAG in other cells by measuring the release of radiolabelled phosphorylcholine. However, since PMNLs could not be labelled sufficiently with [3H]choline, we developed an h.p.l.c. assay to quantify mass levels of phosphorylcholine after enzymic conversion to [32P]CDP-choline with CTP-phosphorylcholine (choline phosphate) cytidylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.15). This assay was linear to at least 20 nmol, and was sensitive to 10 pmol of phosphorylcholine. Baseline phosphorylcholine levels in unstimulated PMNLs were 2300 +/- 510 pmol/10(7) cells and were decreased by pretreatment with PMA (166 nM) or ionomycin (1 microM) for 10 min by 360 +/- 130 and 600 +/- 290 pmol/10(7) cells respectively (P less than 0.05). In contrast, baseline DAG levels were 147.6 +/- 11.7 pmol/10(7) cells in unstimulated PMNLs, and were increased by PMA or ionomycin by 1320 +/- 222 and 1891 +/- 264 pmol/10(7) cells respectively (P less than 0.05). Similarly, the chemoattractant fMet-Leu-Phe raised DAG levels by 731 +/- 111 pmol/10(7) cells and decreased phosphorylcholine levels by 180 +/- 60 pmol/10(7) cells. Activation of PMNLs by PMA, ionophore or fMet-Leu-Phe thus leads to the sustained production of DAG accompanied by the disappearance of phosphorylcholine. This suggests that these stimulants enhance PC turnover via a hydrolytic mechanism which is independent of phospholipase C, with activation of a PC-specific phospholipase D being a plausible mechanism.
Temporality in Fitzgerald’s Babylon Revisited

Temporality in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Babylon Revisited is germane to the understanding of the experience of Charlie Wales as he returns to Paris in search for his own honor, incorporated in his little daughter, Honoria. Nothing else matters to him now. However, Charlie cannot escape his past and in the end, he leaves the city, renamed Babylon by the author, alone. After his intense quest for Honoria, he is doomed to be alone. Fitzgerald aptly uses the word, alone, as the last word of this literature to name the doom which is the fate of Charlie. Augustine’s concept of time necessarily engages participation. He suggests that we need a medium between things and ideas. The medium must possess the qualities of both the things and the ideas and must allow the ascent from one to the other. Describing time, Augustine writes “Time is never all present at once. The past is always driven on by the future, the future always follows on the heels of the past, and both the past and the future have their beginning and their end in the eternal present. If only men’s minds could be seized and held still! They would see how eternity, in which there is neither past nor future, determines both past and future time” (Confessions, Book XI; 11261–11262) Charlie Wales participates in the time which incorporates his past, in his revisiting of Paris where he encounters two distinct phases of his identity, 1. His past, dissipated existence in this city of lights, where he lost his wife and child and his own moral center. 2. His present, allegedly responsible self, where he desperately tries to regain an innocence and a responsible control of his own experience.
Impact of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement on Surgical Volumes and Outcomes in a Tertiary Academic Cardiac Surgical Practice

Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was FDA approved for the Sapien valve (Edwards Lifesciences) in the United States in November 2011. We sought to examine the impact of TAVR post-FDA approval on aortic valve surgery at our institution. Study Design Prospective data were collected on 573 consecutive patients that underwent surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) or TAVR with either the Sapien or Sapien XT from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2014. Results Patients were divided into the following groups: SAVR before TAVR (n = 215), SAVR post TAVR (n = 163), and TAVR (n = 195). The 30-day mortality was not different among the 3 groups, but the mortality for the SAVR post TAVR group was better than the SAVR before TAVR group (p = 0.03). Postoperative hospital length of stay, ventilation hours, and atrial fibrillation were all decreased in the TAVR group. The number of isolated SAVRs increased after TAVR from 60 per year in group 1 to 67 per year in group 2. The total number of all isolated aortic valve procedures (SAVR + TAVR) increased from 60 per year to 177 per year. The TAVR group was divided into the following subgroups to examine the procedural learning curve: patients 1 to 50, patients 51 to 100, and patients 101 to 195. Mortality was higher in group 1 (8%) vs group 2 (0%) and group 3 (1%). Conclusions Since initiation of the TAVR program at our institution, the total number of aortic valve procedures has increased. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement patients had more preoperative comorbidities, but no difference in postoperative morbidity or mortality and shorter length of stay. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement mortality has continued to improve since the inception of the program.
Working Memory: A Cognitive Limit to Non-Human Primate Recursive Thinking Prior to Hominid Evolution

In this paper I explore the possibility that recursion is not part of the cognitive repertoire of non-human primates such as chimpanzees due to limited working memory capacity. Multiple lines of data, from nut cracking to the velocity and duration of cognitive development, imply that chimpanzees have a short-term memory size that limits working memory to dealing with two, or at most three, concepts at a time. If so, as a species they lack the cognitive capacity for recursive thinking to be integrated into systems of social organization and communication. If this limited working memory capacity is projected back to a common ancestor for Pan and Homo, it follows that early hominid ancestors would have had limited working memory capacity. Hence we should find evidence for expansion of working memory capacity during hominid evolution reflected in changes in the products of conceptually framed activities such as stone tool production. Data on the artifacts made by our hominid ancestors support this expansion hypothesis for hominid working memory, thereby leading to qualitative differences between Pan and Homo.
Dopamine and Reward Prediction Error: An Axiomatic Approach to Neuroeconomics

Reinforcement learning theory has produced important insights into economic behavior. Intriguingly, neuroscientists recently discovered a plausible mechanism through which reinforcement may be encoded in the brain. Yet their resulting "dopaminergic reward prediction error" hypothesis has not yet been incorporated into economics. We develop an axiomatic model that characterizes the empirical implications of this theory for an idealized data set comprising both neuroscientific measurements and choices. Our axiomatization removes the language barrier between economics and neuroscience. This will allow "neuroeconomic" experimental protocols to be developed appropriate to the questions motivating economic, as opposed to purely neuroscientific, interest in learning.