cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Testis Ecdysiotropin (TE) from Brains of Lepidoptera

Testis ecdysiotropin (TE) induces synthesis of ecdysteroids by testes of Heliothis virescens and Lymantria dispar. TE was detected in extracts of male brains, at times corresponding to fusion of paired testes (Loeb et al.. 1987, 1988) and development of the genital tract (Loeb, unpublished) and did not necessarily correspond to major hemolymph ecdysteroid peaks (Loeb et al, 1987, 1988; Schnee et al., 1984). TE may be comparable to the neuropeptides prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) and egg development neurosecretory hormone (EDNH).
Maximum likelihood estimators in the equations of physical oceanography

We study parametric models of the upper ocean variability described by a certain class of stochastic partial differential equations. The maximum likelihood (ML) method is used to estimate the unknown model parameters for continuous or discrete (in time) observations. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the consistency, asymptotic normality and efficiency of the ML estimators when the number of observed spatial modes increases.
The Challenges of Interpreting Oil–Water Spatial and Spectral Contrasts for the Estimation of Oil Thickness: Examples From Satellite and Airborne Measurements of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Optical remote sensing is one of the most commonly used techniques to detect oil in the surface ocean. This is because oil has optical properties that are different from water to modulate oil–water spatial and spectral contrasts. However, understanding these contrasts is challenging because of variable results from laboratory and field experiments as well as from different observing conditions and spatial/spectral resolutions of remote sensing imagery. Here, through reviewing published oil–water spectral contrasts and analyzing remotely sensed spectra collected by several satellite and airborne sensors (MERIS, MODIS, MISR, Landsat, and AVIRIS) from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, we provide the interpretation of the spatial/spectral contrasts of various oil slicks and discuss the challenges in such interpretations. In addition to oil thickness, several other factors also affect oil–water spatial/spectral contrasts, including sun glint strength, oil emulsification state, optical properties of oil covered water, and spatial/spectral resolutions of remote sensing imagery. In the absence of high spatial- and spectral-resolution imagery, a multistep scheme may be used to classify oil type (emulsion and non-emulsion) and to estimate relative oil thickness for each type based on the known optical properties of oil, yet such a scheme requires further research to improve and validate.
Connecting nutrition composition measures to biomedical research

Biomedical research is gaining ground on human disease through many types of “omics”, which is leading to increasingly effective treatments and broad applications for precision medicine. The majority of disease treatments still revolve around drugs and biologics. Although food is consumed in much higher quantities, we understand very little about how the human body metabolizes and uses the full range of nutrients, or how these processes affect human health and disease risk. Nutrient composition databases are used by dietitians to describe common consumer food products, but these fail to identify chemicals with the same nomenclature as metabolic pathways in basic life sciences research and with far less precision. Consumer-oriented nutrient compositions often describe generic substances (e.g. Sugars) while scientific reporting is often much more specific (e.g. Dextrose, Fructose, etc.). Integrating these two fields of research presents a difficult challenge for novel applications of precision nutrition. This data set provides a manually curated collection of nutrient identifiers from the USDA’s Nutrition Data Bases and maps them to PubChem (a resource for cheminformatics and drug discovery research), biomedical literature records in PubMed using Medical Subject Headings, biological pathways using the Chemical Entities of Biological Interest ontology.
Considerations for Athletic Trainers: A Review of Guidance on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Athletic Trainers' Association

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published an evidence-based guideline, “Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Among Children.” The guideline has man...
Relationship Between Foreign Direct Investments and Capital Flight in Kenya: 1998-2018

The study established the relationship between Foreign Direct investments and Capital Flight in Kenya over the period 1998 to 2018. Quarterly time series data for calculation of capital flight and Gross Domestic Product growth rate, inflation and Foreign Direct investments were collected from the Central Bank of Kenya and Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Two Autoregressive Distributed-lagged model models were fitted. Regression coefficients for FDI were 0.44 and -0.040 in the short run and -0.501 in the long run. The p values were 0.008 and 0.015 and 0.654 respectively. The results indicated that a 1 % increase in current quarters FDI would lead to a 0.44% increase in capital flight and a 1% increase in previous quarters FDI would lead to a decrease of 0.040% in capital flight. Regression results showed a coefficient of 0.006 and - 0.004 for Gross Domestic Product growth rate in the short run, and 0.038 in the long run. The p values were 0.422, and 0.638 and 0.749 respectively meaning that Gross Domestic Product growth rate and the capital flight had no significant relationship. Regression results showed a coefficient of -0.001 and -0.005 for inflation in the short run and -0.088 for inflation for the long run. The p values were 0.844 and 0.363 and 0.253 respectively. This indicated that inflation and the capital flight had an insignificant relationship. The study recommends that government adopts strategic management on FDI inflow transactions to avoid possible leakages of the same money going out as capital flight.
Comparative advantage and agricultural trade

This article is based on a transcript of the Leonard K. Elmhirst Memorial Address, delivered at the 30th International Conference of Agricultural Economists in Vancouver, Canada, on July 29, 2018. The presentation provided an overview of work that I have done recently on comparative advantage and its role in agricultural trade patterns and trade‐driven changes in welfare. Two topics are addressed: (a) the static gains from intranational agricultural trade due to comparative advantage; and (b) how trade might mitigate consumption losses and food insecurity from changes in agricultural productivity caused by drought and climate change.
An open-data open-model framework for hydrological models’ integration, evaluation and application

Abstract To tackle fundamental scientific questions regarding health, resilience and sustainability of water resources which encompass multiple disciplines, researchers need to be able to easily access diverse data sources and to also effectively incorporate these data into heterogeneous models. To address these cyberinfrastructure challenges, a new sustainable and easy-to-use Open Data and Open Modeling framework called Meta-Scientific-Modeling (MSM) is developed. MSM addresses the challenges of accessing heterogeneous data sources via the Open Data architecture which facilitates integration of various external data sources. Data Agents are used to handle remote data access protocols, metadata standards, and source-specific implementations. The Open Modeling architecture allows different models to be easily integrated into MSM via Model Agents, enabling direct heterogeneous model coupling. MSM adopts a graphical scientific workflow system (VisTrails) and does not require re-compiling or adding interface codes for any diverse model integration. A study case is presented to illustrate the merit of MSM.
8 – Soybean Proteins

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on soybean proteins. Soybeans contain a variety of proteins with unique properties for the germinating seed. The characteristics of soybean foods are attributable in part to the proteins from the bean. The largest mass of the seed protein is the storage proteins, glycinin and β-conglycinin, which do not have biological activity other than as amino nitrogen stores for the germinating seed. The structures of these two proteins were relatively conserved across many legume species and other related plants in major plant gene families of the legumins and vicilins. The other important soybean seed proteins that are discussed in the chapter have biological activity and include the lipoxygenases, the trypsin inhibitor family, including Kunitz trypsin inhibitor and Bowman-Birk inhibitor, and the soy lectins. The seed proteins represent between 30 and 50% of seed mass with the storage proteins accounting for 65–80% of the seed protein. Soybean proteins have excellent amino acid profiles for humans although they are deficient in sulfur amino acids for livestock and rodents. In addition to soy's protein nutritional qualities, other biological activities are attributed to them, including cholesterol-lowering abilities and anti-cancer activities. The storage proteins possess major flavor-binding ability that is a challenge in preparing bland soy protein products for Western tastes as well as formulation properties unique among food proteins.
External Retraction Technique for Robotic Pancreatoduodenectomy.

Summary Minimally invasive surgery techniques have evolved remarkably over the past few decades in the field of surgical oncology, including nascent techniques for pancreatic malignancies. The emergence of the robotic surgery platform has accelerated widespread implementation of minimally invasive pancreatectomy. However, whether minimally invasive approaches can maintain the quality of oncologic surgical procedures, particularly in superior mesenteric artery (SMA) dissection during pancreatoduodenectomy, remains unknown. We developed external retraction techniques to mitigate the limitations of the robotic surgery platform and help maintain the quality of oncologic resection. Specifically, vessel loops encircling the superior mesenteric vein are ligated with Endoloops, and the ends of the Endoloops are carefully retracted externally on the patient’s left side. This maneuver provides critical exposure of the SMA that allows safe, high-quality oncologic dissection. We describe our external retraction techniques in the video presentation, which can improve the safety and quality of robotic pancreatoduodenectomy.
Beyond abstinence and relapse: cluster analysis of drug-use patterns during treatment as an outcome measure for clinical trials.

Many people being treated for opioid use disorder continue to use drugs during treatment. This use occurs in patterns that rarely conform to well-defined cycles of abstinence and relapse. Systematic identification and evaluation of these patterns could enhance analysis of clinical trials and provide insight into drug use. To evaluate such an approach, we analyzed patterns of opioid and cocaine use from three randomized clinical trials of contingency management in methadone-treated participants. Sequences of drug test results were analyzed with unsupervised machine-learning techniques, including hierarchical clustering of categorical results (i.e., whether any samples were positive during each week) and K-means longitudinal clustering of quantitative results (i.e., the proportion positive each week). The sensitivity of cluster membership as an experimental outcome was assessed based on the effects of contingency management. External validation of clusters was based on drug craving and other symptoms of substance use disorder. In each clinical trial, we identified four clusters of use patterns, which can be described as opioid use, cocaine use, dual use (opioid and cocaine), and partial/complete abstinence. Different clustering techniques produced substantially similar classifications of individual participants, with strong above-chance agreement. Contingency management increased membership in clusters with lower levels of drug use and fewer symptoms of substance use disorder. Cluster analysis provides person-level output that is more interpretable and actionable than traditional outcome measures, providing a concrete answer to the question of what clinicians can tell patients about the success rates of new treatments.
Improving the computational efficiency of first arrival time uncertainty estimation using a connectivity-based ranking Monte Carlo method

The first arrival time of a solute plume migrating from its source to an environmentally sensitive target is one of the key quantities of interest when assessing the risks of groundwater contamination. First arrival times are correlated with the hydraulic connectivity properties of spatially heterogeneous porous formations. Hydraulic connectivity leads to the presence of preferential flow paths which in turn control the transport dynamics of the leading edge of the solute plume and therefore first arrival times. In applications, these arrival times are subject to uncertainty given the lack of a detailed site characterization. The Monte Carlo method is commonly adopted to estimate the uncertainty of solute arrival times, however it leads to a computational burden. In this work, we build upon the existing knowledge regarding the correlation between connectivity and first arrival times to propose an innovative connectivity-based ranking Monte Carlo approach to quantify the uncertainty of first arrival times. The proposed method is tailored to predict first arrival times and allows to alleviate the computational costs when compared to the traditional Monte Carlo method. Our method consists of ranking the randomly generated spatially heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity fields according to their connectivity. The connectivity metric adopted is based on the concept of the minimum hydraulic resistance and can be obtained at a very low computational cost through the use of graph theory. We illustrate the methodology by analyzing the convergence rate of the first arrival time means and standard deviations. We compare the convergence rate of the first arrival times statistics obtained through the proposed methodology with those computed through the traditional Monte Carlo method. Overall, our results indicate the that the proposed methodology ensures a faster convergence of the considered quantities, thus reducing the time required for their estimation and the associated computational burden.
Investigating Heavy-Ion Effects on 14-nm Process FinFETs: Displacement Damage Versus Total Ionizing Dose

Bulk 14-nm FinFET technology was irradiated in a heavy-ion environment (42-MeV Si ions) to study the possibility of displacement damage (DD) in scaled technology devices, resulting in drive current degradation with increased cumulative fluence. These devices were also exposed to an electron beam, proton beam, and cobalt-60 source (gamma radiation) to further elucidate the physics of the device response. Annealing measurements show minimal to no “rebound” in the ON-state current back to its initial high value; however, the OFF-state current “rebound” was significant for gamma radiation environments. Low-temperature experiments of the heavy-ion-irradiated devices reveal increased defect concentration as the result for mobility degradation with increased fluence. Furthermore, the subthreshold slope (SS) temperature dependence uncovers a possible mechanism of increased defect bulk traps contributing to tunneling at low temperatures. Simulation work in Silvaco technology computer-aided design (TCAD) suggests that the increased OFF-state current is a total ionizing dose (TID) effect due to oxide traps in the shallow trench isolation (STI). The significant SS elongation and ON-state current degradation could only be produced when bulk traps in the channel were added. Heavy-ion irradiation on bulk 14-nm FinFETs was found to be a combination of TID and DD effects.
Interleukin 36 expression in psoriasis variants and other dermatologic diseases with psoriasis-like histopathologic features.

Background Elevated epidermal interleukin (IL)-36 expression distinguishes psoriasis from eczematous dermatitis, but other psoriasiform dermatitides (PDs) have not been thoroughly investigated for IL-36 expression. In this study, we assess the IL-36 staining pattern (IL36-SP) in psoriasis variants and other PDs including lichen simplex chronicus (LSC), prurigo nodularis (PN), lichen planus (LP), tinea, pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP), mycosis fungoides (MF), pemphigus foliaceus (PF), acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), impetigo (IMP), and syphilis (SY). Methods IL-36 immunostaining was performed on 307 cases of psoriasis and various PDs. IL36-SP in the upper epidermis was graded on a scale of 0-4. Results High IL36-SP occurred in all variants of psoriasis, as well as in AGEP, PRP, PN, tinea, IMP, and LP (P > 0.05). SY, PF, LSC, and MF showed a lower IL36-SP (P ≤ 0.05) compared with psoriasis. Conclusion All variants of psoriasis exhibit high IL36-SP. IL-36 staining can assist in differentiating MF, PF, SY, and LSC from psoriasis, particularly MF and LSC, which have consistent low IL-36 expression. AGEP, PRP, tinea, IMP, PN, and LP exhibit high IL-36 expression similar to psoriasis, indicating Th17 activation in these diseases.
Index Fund Trading Costs are Inversely Related to Fund and Family Size

Trading costs are a significant, but unobserved, drag on mutual fund performance. Because an index fund does not engage in securities selection or market timing, its net benchmark-adjusted return is equivalent, but opposite in sign, to its net trading costs. Using a sample of index funds, we find positive returns to scale at the fund and family levels. We also find greater fund size helps alleviate the higher trading costs associated with illiquid equities and that net trading costs are comparable in magnitude to expense ratios. Because reduced trading costs to scale are not limited to index funds, our results also have implications for active funds.
The Genetic Map of Bacillus stearothermophilus NUB36

Although some progress has been made in the development of genetic technology for Bacillus stearothermophilus, strains of the genus Thermus, and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, the lack of efficient and reliable genetic exchange systems, a repertoire of mutants, or plasmids that express useful genetic markers has hampered the exploitation of these organisms for basic and applied research. Recent progress in the development of genetic techniques for B. stearothermophilus NUB36 makes it possible to elucidate the molecular and genetic mechanisms of thermophily in this organism. The genetic characterization of the B. stearothermophilus NUB36 genome is the first step in attaining this goal. The map was constructed using the linkages reported by Vallier and Welker. The genetic map of B. stearothermophilus NUB36 may be similar to the B. subtilis 168 map; however, the identity of the genes in B. stearothermophilus with the putative analogous genes of B. subtilis must be rigorously established by biochemical and molecular biological techniques.
CB 2 Cannabinoid Receptors: Molecular, Signaling, and Trafficking Properties

Two G protein-coupled receptors, CB 1 and CB 2 , have thus far been identified and are responsible for most of the effects produced by cannabinoids. Cannabinoids, such as ∆ 9 -THC, produce psychoactive effects through activation of neuronal CB 1 receptors, while CB 2 receptors mediate the immune properties of this class of drugs. The molecular, signaling, and trafficking properties of CB 2 receptors will be the focus of this review. The cloning of CB 2 receptors will be de- scribed, along with evidence that individual cannabinoid ligands, differing subtly in structure, might bind to CB 2 receptors in distinct fashions. In addition, potential mechanisms underlying the dramatic upregulation of CB 2 receptors in response to inflammatory stimuli will be discussed. Next, the currently known signal trans- duction pathways associated with CB 2 receptor activation will be detailed, from G protein coupling to regulation of intracellular effectors. Evidence for the ability of different CB 2 receptor agonists to distinctly regulate multiple effectors, known as agonist-directed trafficking of response (ADTR), will also be presented. Fur- thermore, a potential relationship between CB 2 receptor ADTR and immune cell function will be discussed. Lastly, two distinct aspects of CB 2 receptor signaling will be described that may help to explain the well-documented interactions of cannabinoids with other receptor systems. It is hoped that this brief review will provide a basic understanding of CB 2 receptor signaling necessary to appreciate the exciting future approaching for the development of potentially therapeutic selective CB 2 receptor ligands.
God-Talk in the Survival Epistemology of Liberian Refugee Women

This qualitative research study examines and analyzes the narratives of Muslim and Christian Liberian refugee women. Findings speak to the expression of God-Talk in the collective subjective lives of the participants’ survival stories. This interpretation is based in a cultural context and historical perspective and utilizes a womanist theological framework. Narrative research methodology reveals an understanding that faith and its expression, God-Talk, is the mechanism of Liberian women’s’ epistemology of survival. Women’s reliance on God protects and guides them while ensuring their families’ survival. Six subcategories ground the findings in a cultural context.
Growth of InP/GaInAs at reduced temperature using tertiarybutyl sources, with application to InP-based heterostructure bipolar transistors

The lower decomposition temperatures of tertiarybutylarsine and tetriarybutylphosphide relative to their hydride alternatives were used to optimally grow high-quality InP and lattice-matched GaInAs at 500 degrees C. Doping with diethylzinc was achieved as high as 2.8*10/sup 19/ cm/sup -3/. The material was demonstrated by fabrication of both single and double heterostructure bipolar transistors that exhibited encouraging device characteristics for low-power applications. This is believed to be the first demonstration of InP-based transistors using all tertiarybutyl Group V sources. >
Chair support, faculty entrepreneurship, and the teaching of statistical reasoning to journalism undergraduates in the United States:

Statistical reasoning is not the same as doing calculations. Instead, it involves cognitive skills such as the ability to think critically and systematically with data, skills important for everyday news work and essential for the era of data journalism. Twin surveys of the chairs of undergraduate journalism programs in the United States, conducted 11 years apart, revealed that those who perceived benefits from statistical reasoning instruction were more likely to reward entrepreneurship (faculty attempts to integrate this instruction into their classes), but with slow gains over time in the fairly small number of such faculty. Being consistent with university goals in statistical reasoning instruction appeared to motivate chairs’ reward decisions in both waves. Increasingly, they took into account what they saw as the general value of statistical reasoning for their students and the competitive edge it could give them in the journalism job market. Perceived constraints to teaching this content had no app...
Probability and Information Theory

This chapter serves as an introduction to concepts from elementary probability theory and information theory in the concrete context of the real line and multi-dimensional Euclidean space. The probabilistic concepts of mean, variance, expected value, marginalization, conditioning, and conditional expectation are reviewed. In this part of the presentation there is some overlap with the previous chapter, which has some pedagogical benefit. There will be no mention of Borel measurability, σ-algebras, filtrations, or martingales, as these are treated in numerous other books on probability theory and stochastic processes such as [1, 14, 15, 32, 27, 48]. The presentation here, while drawing from these excellent works, will be restricted only to those topics that are required either in the mathematical and computational modeling of stochastic physical systems, or the determination of properties of solutions to the equations in these models. Basic concepts of information theory are addressed such as measures of distance, or “divergence,” between probability density functions, and the properties of “information” and entropy. All pdfs treated here will be differentiable functions on Rn. Therefore the entropy and information measures addressed in this chapter are those that are referred to in the literature as the “differential” or “continuous” version.
Psoriasis, a model of dermatologic psychosomatic disease: psychiatric implications and treatments

Psoriasis is a common dermatologic disorder with psychiatric comorbidity that often goes undetected and untreated. Psoriasis has higher associations with psychiatric illness than do other dermatologic conditions. We conducted a comprehensive qualitative review of all published medical literature on psoriasis and psychiatric comorbidities since 2005. We found that psoriasis patients suffer psychiatric and psychosocial morbidity that is not commensurate with the extent of cutaneous lesions. Biologic therapies and nonpharmacologic psychosocial interventions show promise in treating comorbid psychiatric illness. The main limitations of this review are the low quality of published studies and the infrequent use of basic science endpoints in reporting treatment outcomes. The literature examining the psychiatric comorbidity of psoriasis is expanding but remains of variable quality. Stronger studies will be necessary to more accurately estimate comorbidities and help identify and comprehensively treat suffering patients.
Primary calibration of coiled 103Pd brachytherapy sources.

Coiled {sup 103}Pd brachytherapy sources have been developed by RadioMed Corporation for use as low-dose-rate (LDR) interstitial implants. The coiled sources are provided in integer lengths from 1 to 6 cm and address many common issues seen with traditional LDR brachytherapy sources. The current standard for determining the air-kerma strength (S{sub K}) of low-energy LDR brachytherapy sources is the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Wide-Angle Free-Air Chamber (NIST WAFAC). Due to geometric limitations, however, the NIST WAFAC is unable to determine the S{sub K} of sources longer than 1 cm. This project utilized the University of Wisconsin's Variable-Aperture Free-Air Chamber (UW VAFAC) to determine the S{sub K} of the longer coiled sources. The UW VAFAC has shown agreement in S{sub K} values of 1 cm length coils to within 1% of those determined with the NIST WAFAC, but the UW VAFAC does not share the same geometric limitations as the NIST WAFAC. A new source holder was constructed to hold the coiled sources in place during measurements with the UW VAFAC. Correction factors for the increased length of the sources have been determined and applied to the measurements. Using the new source holder and corrections, the S{sub K} ofmore » 3 and 6 cm coiled sources has been determined. Corrected UW VAFAC data and ionization current measurements from well chambers have been used to determine calibration coefficients for use in the measurement of 3 and 6 cm coiled sources in well chambers. Thus, the UW VAFAC has provided the first transferable, primary measurement of low-energy LDR brachytherapy sources with lengths greater than 1 cm.« less
Variable Features on Mars III: Comparison of Mariner 1969 and Mariner 1971 Photography

Mariner 9 (M9) and Mariner 6 and 7 photography of common regions of Mars are compared, with appropriate attention to the photometric properties of the camera systems. The comparison provides a 2.5 yr time baseline for study of variable albedo features. We find the development of bright streaks and patches, a phenomenon unobserved through the entire M9 mission; the evolution of dark crater splotches into dark streaks; and a planetwide increase in splotchiness. Yet, a large number of splotches and albedo boundaries remain fixed over the same period. Many of the observations are interpreted in terms of a global fallout and subsequent local redistribution of bright fine particulates raised by global dust storms.
Minimax games for cooperative spectrum sensing in a centralized cognitive radio network in the presence of interferers

In this paper, we consider the problem of interferers for cooperative spectrum sensing in a centralized cognitive radio network comprising N cognitive radios (CRs) and one fusion center (FC) in the presence of a fixed interferer. The design metric chosen is the error probability. We prove the existence of a saddle-point in the minimax game between the interferer and the CR network. An optimal solution is found that maximizes the objective with respect to the interferer's parameters and minimizes the same with respect to the CR network's parameters. We show that the probability of error is a quasi-convex function with respect to the network's parameters and a monotone function with respect to the interferer's parameters. We also present numerical results that corroborate our theoretical results.
The Intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway: Suggestions for Use in the Emergency Department

With the increased use of rapid-sequence induction and its potential complications, emergency physicians need a rescue device for unexpected difficult intubations. The intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) is an ideal rescue airway since it can be placed quickly and can provide adequate ventilation in nearly all patients. It can then be used as conduit for endotracheal intubation, while ventilation is ongoing. The authors review the current literature on the ILMA. In conjunction with their experience using the ILMA in the emergency department (ED), a modification of the American Society of Anesthesiologists difficult airway algorithm was derived for use in the ED. The ILMA appears to be valuable for managing difficult airways.
Adjustment of long-term survival rates for deaths due to intercurrent disease.

PA= survival is the ultimate criterion for measuring the effectiveness of treatment for a chronic disease, but the interpretation of survival rates is complicated by deaths due to causes other than the disease under study. The risk of death from intercurrent disease is particularly important in comparing the survival of patient groups with different age distributions and in comparing the survival of different age groups. Consider the observed survival curves for women with cancer of the breast who were surgically treated at the Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases in New York City during 1950-1952 (Fig. 1). The data are for 1481 women, divided into 6 age groups. Survival rates were calculated by the life table method [l-3]. It is clear that after ages 45-54 survival decreases as age increases. Is this because treatment is less effective in older women or does the decreasing survival reflect the increasing risk of dying from other causes? The relative survival rate has been used to adjust for ‘normal mortality risk [45]. The relative rate is the ratio of the observed survival rate in a group of patients to the survival rate expected from general population experience. In the United States, Life Tables published by the National Center for Health Statistics are generally used for estimating expected survival. In estimating expected rates the race, sex, and age distribution of the patient group and the calendar period of observation must be taken into account. Thus, the relative rate can be regarded as a measure of the probability of escaping the extra risk of dying from the disease under study. Relative survival rates by age are shown in Fig. 2. The relative survival curves for the 4 age groups under age 65 are close together. The survival curve for patients 75-84 yr of age is at a lower level from the Hth year on, but the rates are subject to considerable chance variation due to the small number of patients involved. A puzzling finding is the apparently more favorable survival of women in the 65-74 yr age group from the ninth year on. If we were to accept this finding at face value, we would conclude that women found to have breast cancer at ages 65-74 and surgically treated have a higher long range probability of not dying from the disease. The use of general population mortality experience as a base for comparison
Adsorption-desorption and hysteresis of sulfonates on kaolinite: pH effects

Abstract Adsorption and desorption behavior of dodecylbenzenesulfonate on kaolinite was investigated under carefully controlled conditions of pH, ionic strength, and dissolved mineral species. The nature of the adsorption maximum and the hysteresis obtained is found to strongly depend on the pH change that occurs during equilibration and dilution. Interestingly, hysteresis can be positive or negative depending mainly on the pH perturbations that take place during the experiment. The results are examined on the basis of available data for the pH-dependent dissolution equilibria for kaolinite. Kaolinite dissolution and subsequent sulfonate precipitation and redissolution are identified to be the major factors in determining abstraction in this system. Many complex interactions are involved in determining surfactant adsorption; studies of desorption behavior along with that of adsorption have proved to be a powerful tool for studying the mechanisms involved.
A training program for information technology organizations transitioning to enterprise-wide client/server computing

Islands of information are still common place in many organizations. Yet, the growth of electronic-business and the increased use of enterprise resource planning software suggest the transition to enterprise-wide information systems will be one of the most important challenges facing information technology organizations during this millenium.Facing a major "year 2000" software rewrite during the beginning of 1990, the organization in this case study decided to revamp their information systems using client/server technologies and establish a new way of doing business (PCISS Board Minutes, 1995). Their plan was to share data and software across organizational boundaries in an effort to reduce software development costs and increase data quality (PCTTP, 1995).Transitioning to this new paradigm required rethinking how the information technology organization was organized and managed. It also required updating the employee's skills (Lee, Trauth, & Farwell, 1995) and the building of team-based structures (DeSanctis & Jackson, 1994). This case study discusses the training program used to transition the employees to an enterprise-wide client/server computing model, a strategy that supports adult learning issues and fosters the creation of cross-functional teams.
An Empirical Methodology for the Ethical Assessment of Marketing Phenomena Such as Casino Gambling

The methodology proposed here exemplifies how psychometric measures can be dovetailed to assess ethical dimensions of social marketing phenomena such as legalized casino gambling. Three traditional ethical theories—Deontology, Teleology, and Distributional Justice—are incorporated in the methodology design. Reactions of metro household-heads to legalizing casino gambling in their city were obtained from an existing metro panel. A pro-gambling attitudinal scale developed for this purpose, and tested for its reliability, discriminant and nomological validity, was the basis for deriving valid and insightful teleological and distributive assessment measures. As expected, casino gamblers and gamers obtained higher pro-gambling scores than non-gamblers. While teleological and deontological justifications of casino gambling were decisively low, distributive-justice related conditional acceptance of casino gambling was higher.
Intrinsically switchable ferroelectric bulk acoustic wave filters based on barium strontium titanate thin films

Single-standard wireless transceivers are of limited use as multi-mode devices become ubiquitous. Adaptive and reconfigurable RF circuits are necessary to decrease size, cost, and power consumption as well as increase reliability and robustness of wireless devices. In this paper, the design, fabrication, and performance of acoustically coupled and electrically coupled filters based on the ferroelectric barium strontium titanate are discussed. In their off state, the input and output ports are isolated from one another. When switched on with the application of a dc bias voltage, a bandpass filter response is obtained.
Acetylcholine receptors on cultured skeletal muscle cells: induction by neuronal factors

and the realization that toxic products of microsomal lipid peroxidation may not be significant as 'toxicological second messengers' point toward disturbed hepatocellular calcium homeostasis as a new and cogent possibility linking the ini- tial events of CC14 metabolism to pathologi- cal consequences in other parts of the cell. Obviously, a great deal of work will have to be carried out to determine whether this possibility accords with the realities of halogenated hydrocarbon toxicity. Reading list
How to make X-ray simulation software working on WWW: A simple recipe based on seven years of experience

Attaching WWW interfaces to scientific software opens new opportunities to researchers by making their results available to wide scientific community in a way complimentary to publication. We have shown that this task may be much easier than many used to think: the amount of additional code is small, the Common Gateway Interface (CGI) can be written in any language, not necessarily PERL, and the software can be interfaced on any operating system it was originally written and does not have to be ported to UNIX. This paper provides some useful recipes resulted from seven years of author's experience in developing and maintaining highly successful X-ray Web server project. All these solutions are based on free public domain software (Apache, GnuPlot, and InfoZip) and applicable for multiple computer platforms. Some practical examples are provided.
Glucocorticoid mechanisms in acute spinal cord injury: A review and therapeutic rationale

This review seeks to provide pharmacological evidence that intensive glucocorticoid dosing can enhance sensorimotor recovery after blunt spinal cord trauma. It is suggested that high doses of glucocorticoids can beneficially affect the injured cord through the influence of at least three mechanisms. These are: (1) a facilitation of neuronal excitability and impulse conduction; (2) an improved blood flow; and, perhaps most importantly, (3) the preservation of cord ultrastructure through a reduction of injury-induced, free radical--catalyzed lipid peroxidation. In the case of methylprednisolone, the minimal intravenous dosage required to initially achieve each of these effects is in the range of 15 to 30 mg per kilogram of body weight, which is beyond that used currently for neurosurgical purposes. In addition, based upon the hypothesized mechanism of action and the tissue pharmacokinetics, the earliest possible initiation of therapy is imperative and rigorous maintenance dosing for an as yet undetermined length of time is needed.
Membrane flow within the myelin sheath in IDPN neuropathy

This report describes some aspects of beta,beta'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) neuropathy in rats as observed by ultrastructural methods and X-ray diffraction. Light microscopy shows gross swelling of the axons in proximal lumbar spinal roots 8 days after intraperitoneal injection of IDPN. Mean axon cross-sectional area and mean axon perimeter increased to 280% and 160% of their control values, respectively. At the same time, myelin membrane packing was not visibly disturbed. In addition, X-ray diffraction patterns, recorded under physiological conditions, demonstrate that the myelin lipid bilayer thickness and widths of the aqueous spaces between bilayers did not change. Related observations are made on posterior tibial nerve (PNS myelin) and ventral spinal cord (CNS myelin). The various observations together are interpreted in terms of a fluid myelin membrane. It is proposed that the myelin membrane flows during axon swelling even though normal membrane-membrane contacts are maintained within the sheath. Membrane flow and slippage between membranes are explained in terms of a molecular model of the myelin multilayer.
Handling Module of Glass Slide for Whole Human Genome Micro-Array Automated Hybridization Platform

A micro-array based automated hybridization platform, ITRI HybOne, with the throughput rate of 12-sets per lot has been proposed and developed for whole human genome expression profiling test. A special handling module has been designed for capturing of Whole Human Genome Micro-array which is a glass slide 75mm in length and 25mm in width and 1mm in thickness. According to the user-defined protocol, an operator can set the heating temperature, washing temperature, heating hours and washing hours before starting the profiling test. Operator inputs target samples and micro-arrays to ITRI HybOne, pushes the Cycle-Start button to start. With the help of the handling module and other automatic devices, after hours of automatic process, the micro-arrays are ready for profile scanning. All the handling modules used in the platform are recycled for next profiling test.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Differential brain responses when applying criterion attribute versus family resemblance rule learning.

Subsystems of category learning have been identified on the basis of general domains of content (e.g., tools, faces). The present study examined categories from the standpoint of internal structure and determined brain topography associated with expressing two fundamentally different category rule structures (criterion attribute, CA, and family resemblance, FR). CA category learning involves processing stimuli by isolated features and classifying by properties held by all members. FR learning involves processing stimuli by integral wholes and classifying on overall similarity among members without sharing identical features. fMRI BOLD response to CA and FR categorization was measured with pseudowords as stimuli. Category knowledge for both tasks was mastered prior to brain imaging. Areas of activation emerged unique to the structure of each category and followed from the nature of the rule abstraction procedure. CA categorization was implemented by strong target monitoring and expectation (medial parietal), rule maintenance in working memory, feature selection processes (inferior frontal), and a sensitivity to high frequency components of the stimulus such as isolated features (anterior temporal). FR categorization, consistent with its multi-featural nature, involved word-level processing (left extrastriate) that evoked articulatory rehearsal (medial cerebellar). The data suggest category structure is an important determinant of brain response during categorization. For instance, anterior temporal structures may help attune visual processing systems to high frequency components to support the learning of criterial, highly predictive rules.
Renormalization-group study of the Anderson-Hubbard model

We study the half-filled Hubbard model with random on-site energies with the use of a real-space renormalization group. For $d=1$, we find a transition from an Anderson insulator to a Hubbard insulator as the Hubbard $U$ is increased. We find no metallic phase. For $d=3$, we find a metallic phase which, surprisingly, is stabilized against Anderson localization by a small Hubbard $U$.
Comparative Efficiency of Feed Utilization During First Lactation of Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, and Holstein Cows

Abstract First-lactation data on 57 Ayrshire, 68 Brown Swiss, and 57 Holstein cows, milked contemporarily in the Beltsville herd between 1958 and 1966, were studied to estimate inter-breed differences in feed efficiency and intra-breed relations of feed efficiency to body size, weight, and weight gain. The foundation cows of this group, and the sires of all cows were selected so that the 182 cows studied constituted representative cross-sections of the genetic pool of registered cows in Dairy Herd Improvement Association herds. Daily records were kept on each cow's feed consumption and milk yield. Feed and milk were evaluated using U.S. average prices. Body size of each cow was measured at 30 months of age. Phenotypic correlations indicated a high positive relation between efficiency and various measures of production and income, and uniformly negative relations between efficiency and mean body weight, gain in weight, and four measures of body size. The data were fitted to least-squares models which included breed, year and season of calving, and various combinations of the body weight and size variables (linear and quadratic). Adjusting only for breed, year, and season of calving, the mean feed efficiencies were 60.3% for Ayrshires, 54.3% for Brown Swiss, and 61.0% for Holsteins, indicating that the Brown Swiss were less efficient (P
Effects of genetic background on cardiovascular anomalies in the Ts16 mouse.

To investigate the genetic contribution to phenotypic variability in aneuploidy, we generated mice with trisomy 16 (Ts16) by mating [Rb(6.16)24Lub × Rb(16.17)7Bnr]F1 males with females from four inbred strains, BALB/cJ, C3H/HeJ, C57BL/6J, and DBA/2J. Among the four Ts16 strains that were generated, there were no significant differences in survival, weight, or length relative to euploid control littermates at either embryonic day (E) 14.5 or E17.5. All Ts16 fetuses at E14.5 had edema that ranged from mild to severe, increased amniotic fluid volume, and a thickened neck. At E17.5, Ts16 fetuses exhibited two distinct phenotypes, one with an edematous morphology and the other runt-like. None of these gross morphological abnormalities was strain-specific either in occurrence or frequency. At E10.5, there were pharyngeal arch artery (PAA) anomalies in all Ts16 embryos on the C3H/HeJ background, but none in trisomics on the other three backgrounds. However, at E17.5, there was in addition to ventricular and atrioventricular septal defects, a high frequency of aortic arch defects in Ts16 fetuses, irrespective of genetic background. Taken together, these findings indicate that there are at least two mechanistic responses to the presence of three copies of mouse chromosome 16 in the modeling of the cardiovascular system: one, development of PAA defects, is strongly influenced by genetic background; but the second, development of aortic arch anomalies in the absence of preexisting PAA anomalies, is not. Developmental Dynamics 232:131–139, 2005. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A unified approach for allocation of highway pavement costs

Abstract There is a need to allocate various components of highway pavement costs in a unified and consistent manner in highway cost allocation analysis. Previous cost allocation studies have not placed sufficient emphasis on this aspect. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to allocate highway pavement costs. In contrast to the elaborate disaggregate distress function approach by the 1982 Federal Cost Allocation Study, the approach presented is based upon the aggregate performance of a pavement. The methodology was developed and used in the 1983–1984 Indiana Highway Cost Allocation Study to allocate pavement construction, maintenance and rehabilitation costs.