cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shareholder proposals in the new millennium: Shareholder support, board response, and market reaction☆

Abstract Although the owners of publicly traded companies have had the right to offer shareholder proposals using Rule 14a-8 for several decades, the effectiveness of the rule has been frequently questioned because few of these proposals received substantial support from other shareholders and even fewer have been implemented by boards. Using new data from the 2002–2004 proxy seasons, we analyze shareholder voting patterns on these proposals, board reactions to them, and market responses. We find some big changes from earlier periods: many more proposals are receiving majority shareholder support during our sample period relative to earlier studies, and this support has translated into directors implementing more of the actions called for by shareholders. In particular, boards are increasingly willing to remove important anti-takeover defenses, such as the classified board and poison pill, in response to shareholders' requests, something rarely seen in the past. Despite the increase in support for shareholder proposals and board action in response, we find small and insignificant stock market reaction. We conclude that shareholder proposals under Rule 14a-8 have an emerging role in reducing agency costs by increasing director responsiveness to shareholder concerns to open the market more fully to corporate control.
Using a Hybrid Telehealth and Adaptive Aquatics Father Coaching Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study

Parent coaching interventions have been shown to be effective for increasing parent responsiveness and improving communication skills for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, few ...
Surfing the Sweet Wave: Migrating Giant Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apis dorsata) Display Spatial and Temporal Fidelity to Annual Stopover Site in Thailand

Apis dorsata F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), the giant honey bee of southern Asia, is an important pollinator of crops and non-cultivated angiosperms, and a producer of honey and beeswax. Its populations are in decline in many areas. Colonies migrate seasonally between highland and lowland nesting sites, taking advantage of available food sources. In 2009, a stopover site was discovered in Thailand where numerous migrating colonies bivouacked near one another. Bivouacs used the site again in 2010. I went to the site in 2016 to test the hypothesis that bees use the site regularly as part of an annual migration. I witnessed many bivouacs, spanning almost precisely the same time period and occupying the same area as in 2010. Here I describe their migratory dances in preparation for departure and their subsequent flights as well as periodic mass flight and defensive behavior. Analysis of photographs indicated that the bivouacking bees aged slowly and may thus live long enough to be capable of intergenerational transmission of migratory route knowledge. I describe attributes of the stopover site, e.g., abundant food and water availability, its location along a major river, and other possible navigational cues. Although the site is the only one of its kind so far known to researchers, such stopover sites probably exist wherever giant honey bees undertake long seasonal migrations. I recommend searching for bivouacking sites, particularly along rivers, wherever giant honey bees migrate. Stopover sites are undoubtedly essential to the life history and health of migratory bee populations, and thus warrant conservation policies.
An Application of Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making for Topological Design of Large Networks

In this paper, techniques of fuzzy nultiple attribute decision making are applied to the design and analysis of large network topologies. A theoretical approach is presented that is computationally efficient, and broadly applicable to a wide class of large network design problems. This approach was developed to allow rapid analysis of performance trade-offs inherent in a broad range of topological network structures, and to assess and identify the sensitivity of design selection to changes in the decision criteria.
Glucocorticoids inhibit intestinal phosphate absorption in developing rabbits.

Children are apt to develop osteoporosis during chronic glucocorticoid therapy, in part due to suppression of intestinal calcium absorption. Little is known about effects of glucocorticoids on phosphate absorption. To characterize effects of glucocorticoids on intestinal phosphate transport, 4-wk-old suckling rabbits were injected with methylprednisolone. Twenty-four hours following injection, phosphate transport was studied in brush border membrane vesicles. Vesicles from steroid-treated and control animals demonstrated sodium-phosphate cotransport. Uptake was significantly greater in controls than in methylprednisolone-treated animals. Controls demonstrated an "overshoot," in that peak phosphate uptake exceeded equilibrium by nearly 100%, whereas minimal overshoot was observed in methylprednisolone-treated animals. Vmax and Km for sodium-dependent phosphate transport were 556.6 +/- 13.2 pmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1 and 0.051 +/- 0.01 mmol/L, respectively, for controls and 285.4 +/- 3.5 pmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1 and 0.044 +/- 0.01 mmol/L for methylprednisolone-treated animals. Although phosphate uptake was greater in controls than in methylprednisolone-treated animals, maximal stimulation of phosphate uptake occurred between 75 and 100 mmol/L sodium in both groups. Uptake was half-maximally stimulated by 32.5 +/- 8.1 mmol/L sodium in controls and 41.4 +/- 6.2 mmol/L sodium in treated animals. These results indicate that within 24 h methylprednisolone suppressed intestinal sodium-coupled phosphate transport. This is due to decreased maximal transport capacity without changes in transporter affinity for phosphate or sodium.
Control of cell type in yeast by the mating type locus: The α1-α2 hypothesis☆

Abstract We have extended the genetic analysis of four mutants carrying defective MATα alleles in order to determine how the mating type locus controls yeast cell types: a, a, and a α . First, we have mapped the defect in the mutant VC73 to the mating type locus by diploid and tetraploid segregation analysis. Second, we have determined that the mutations in these strains define two complementation groups, MATα1 and MATα2. The MATα1 gene is proposed to be a positive regulator of α mating functions. The MATα2 gene product is proposed to have two roles, as a negative regulator of a-specific mating functions and as a regulator of a α cell functions (required for sporulation, for inhibition of mating and other processes). This view of MATα leads to the prediction that matα1− matα2− mutants should have the mating ability of an a cell and that matα1− matα2−/MATα strains should mate as α and be unable to sporulate. Such double mutants have been constructed and behave as predicted. We therefore propose that a-specific mating functions in MAT a cells are constitutively expressed due to the absence of the MATα2 gene product and that α-specific mating functions are not expressed due to the absence of the MATα1 gene product.
When Rights Become Weapons: Comparative Insights from Political Battles in Europe, the United States and Elsewhere

Rights are usually viewed as defensive concepts representing mankind’s highest aspirations to protect and uplift the vulnerable. Since the Enlightenment, however, political combatants have also used rights belligerently -- to batter despised communities, demolish existing institutions, and smash opposing ideas. Examining historical and contemporary conflicts, I describe how activists sharpen rights into weapons: by naturalizing, absolutizing, universalizing, and depoliticizing them. I show how they wield rights: to camouflage ulterior motives, break rival coalitions, attack policies, and explode societies. Finally, I analyze how targets repulse the assault, often by fashioning contrary rights. My paper, part of a larger book project combining historical and comparative analysis, focuses on contemporary cases in which rights are deployed belligerently: in Spain, minority Catalan nationalists’ use of animal rights to attack Spanish culture epitomized by bullfighting; in England, right-wing activists’ deployment of free expression rights to undermine recent hate speech laws protecting Muslim communities; and in the U.S., pro-Israel activists’ use of gay rights to sow discord in the Palestinian solidarity network. Comparing these important cases in which rights are wielded as weapons, I raise troubling new questions about a concept we thought we knew.
Natural Products as Inspiration for Reaction Development: Catalytic Enantioselective Decarboxylative Reactions of Prochiral Enolate Equivalents

This account describes the circumstances leading to our group’s innovations in the area of decarboxylative asymmetric allylic alkylation reactions and the initial discovery of palladium phosphinooxazoline complexes as efficient enantioselective catalysts. This chapter also chronicles the growth of the methodology to include several substrate classes, the expansion of the project into several other reaction manifolds, and the use of these reactions in natural product synthesis. Finally, important contributions from other research groups involving related methods or products similar to the α-quaternary products that are the focus of our studies, as well as future directions for asymmetric alkylation reactions, are discussed.
Zeroing tests of luminescence sediment dating in the Arctic Ocean: Review and new results from Alaska-margin core tops and central-ocean dirty sea ice

Abstract Additional numeric dating techniques are needed for sediments in the Arctic Ocean that span at least the last half million years. Almost all presently suitable geochronometers are relative-dating methods, requiring significant assumptions about sedimentation rates (such as continuous deposition and preservation). An alternative ‘absolute’ geochronometer, luminescence sediment dating, assumes daylight exposure of siliciclastic grains before burial. Early tests and applications of thermoluminescence (TL) techniques in the western Arctic Ocean showed some promise, but trans-ocean application to core tops of more sensitive photon-stimulated-luminescence (PSL) multi-aliquot procedures revealed large regional variations in accuracy. Recent applications of single-aliquot PSL procedures to core tops and dirty sea ice refine our understanding of the limitations and capabilities of PSL dating in this ocean. Dirty sea ice is the source of most of the bottom sediment. Particular procedures for multi-aliquot and single-aliquot PSL dating produce near-zero ages for silt grains from 4 available dirty sea-ice samples. This suggests that TL and PSL age overestimates obtained previously from core-top samples were due mainly to bottom-current reworking (mixing or stripping) of silt grains in abyssal darkness, rather than due to sedimentation of relict-age grains from sea ice. Single-aliquot PSL dating of silt grains from core tops at two different-depth sites at the Alaskan margin reveals large variations in accuracy. This re-emphasizes the critical sensitivity of fine-silt PSL dating accuracy to the effects of bottom-current processes. These recent applications are beginning to provide a more precise knowledge of just where and how PSL methods are likely to be accurate in the Arctic Ocean.
Toward a Stroke-Free Childhood in Sickle Cell Disease: The 2013 Sherman Lecture

Stroke in childhood is not common outside of congenital heart disease and a few other conditions including sickle cell disease (SCD). The background rates reported have been between 2.3 and 2.7 per 100 000 per year.1–3 Adults, on the contrary, have a background rate of ≈800 per 100 000.4 There are some special conditions that increase the risk including congenital heart disease, trauma, infections (basilar meningitis), cancer, and SCD.5 Stroke rates in SCD were estimated to be high at 500 to 1000 per 100 000.6 The Baltimore Washington Cooperative Young Stroke Study reported data from 1988 to 1991 at rate of 285 per 100 000 children for SCD.7 For children with SCD, this is a long way for a stroke-free childhood. SCD fundamental pathophysiology results from hemoglobin S forming polymer strands inside the red blood cell which causes distortion of the red blood cell, leading to microcirculatory occlusion and accelerated erythrocyte destruction with release of toxic-free hemoglobin into the vascular system.8 How SCD leads to cerebrovascular disease is only partly understood. Although there are many manifestations of vascular pathology in SCD, the one that plays the most prominent role is an intracranial cerebral large artery vasculopathy causing stenosis or occlusion. This unusual vascular disease process was confirmed 90 years ago9 as a cause of large brain infarctions in patients with SCD, typically children, and confirmed with arterial studies much later. In the mid-1980s, a confluence of factors, from disparate worlds, led to the work herein described. Aaslid et al introduced the transcranial Doppler (TCD) for detection of intracranial artery vasospasm in 1982 based on experience in Norway.10 Interest in this tool was at first manifested in neurosurgery but soon its potential as a noninvasive way to assess intracranial arteries became …
The RNA tether from the poly(A) signal to the polymerase mediates coupling of transcription to cleavage and polyadenylation.

Summary We have investigated the mechanism by which transcription accelerates cleavage and polyadenylation in vitro. By using a coupled transcription-processing system, we show that rapid and efficient 3′ end processing occurs in the absence of crowding agents like polyvinyl alcohol. The continuity of the RNA from the poly(A) signal down to the polymerase is critical to this processing. If this tether is cut with DNA oligonucleotides and RNaseH during transcription, the efficiency of processing is drastically reduced. The polymerase is known to be an integral part of the cleavage and polyadenylation apparatus. RNA polymerase II pull-down and immobilized template experiments suggest that the role of the tether is to hold the poly(A) signal close to the polymerase during the early stages of processing complex assembly until the complex is sufficiently mature to remain stably associated with the polymerase on its own.
Pharmacokinetics of gemcitabine in tumor and non-tumor extracellular fluid of brain: an in vivo assessment in rats employing intracerebral microdialysis

Purpose Gemcitabine is a pyrimidine nucleoside analogue anticancer agent that has shown promising anti-tumor activity in several experimental models of brain tumor. However, the pharmacokinetic behavior of gemcitabine in the central nervous system, especially in brain tumors is currently not well understood. In this study we evaluated the gemcitabine brain extracellular fluid (ECF) in normal rats and in ECF obtained from tumor- and tumor-free regions of glioma-bearing rats, to better understand the availability of the drug to brain and brain tumors.
Reconstruction of the antero-superior shoulder capsule with the subscapularis tendon: A case report.

A 14-year-old boy presented with recurrent, anteroinferior, and multidirectional instability of his dominant shoulder. Examination with the patient under anesthesia demonstrated marked anterior and inferior translation when drawer testing was performed in adduction; however, abduction of the shoulder reduced the magnitude of humeral head translation in both these directions. Arthroscopy and open surgical dissection revealed the absence of any capsuloligamentous structures above the anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament complex. This superior capsular defect could not be closed by a capsular shift procedure; therefore it was reconstructed with a portion of the subscapularis tendon. This case provides a clinical correlation of capsular anatomy with laxity on drawer testing. The glenohumeral laxity documented on examination with the patient under anesthesia supports experimental ligament-cutting studies that suggest the inferior glenohumeral ligament complex is the important stabilizer in abduction, whereas the superior and middle glenohumeral ligaments are more important in adduction.
Differential equation systems for heat‐loss corrections of isoperibolic microcalorimeters: A computer‐modeling approach

The problem of adequately correcting thermal titration curves for heat losses in isoperibolic microcalorimeters during rapid reactions in small volumes has been examined. With a data-acquisition system for the simultaneous encoding of changes in heat, pH, and time linked directly to a DEC-20 computer, various possible mechanisms for heat-loss corrections were tested using computer-modeling techniques. Models expressed by series exponential terms, as commonly used in linear pharmacokinetics to describe the time-course concentration of a drug, proved to be inadequate to reconstruct the “adiabatic” thermal curve, since its apparent magnitude increased with the time taken for its generation. However, models based on mechanisms incorporating at least two heat sinks, one of which can be equated to the surroundings, have proved successful. The differential equations descriptive of the various models examined have rate constants characteristic of the reaction cell and its inserts, the reaction volume, and the calorimeter used. These can be evaluated by a curve-fitting algorithm (MLAB) using standard thermal-titration data (the neutralization of HCL with KOH). Once the rate constants are known, the differential equation solver of MLAB is then used to deconvolute any time: heat-change matrix to that which would obtain in the absence of heat loss (the “adiabatic” state). With an appropriate differential equation model, the magnitude of the corrected heat change is independent of the time taken for its production and so-called best model(s) have been judged on the basis of Akaike's information criterion. The application of the heat-loss correction procedure to the thermal titration of chymotrypsinogen is illustrated.
Physicians' Preferences for Bone Metastases Drug Therapy in the United States

Objective: Several characteristics of bone-targeted agents are considered when making treatment decisions. This study evaluated physicians’ therapy preferences for preventing skeletal-related events (SREs) in patients with bone metastases secondary to solid tumors. Methods: A Web-enabled, discrete-choice experiment online survey was conducted among physicians who treated patients with bone metastases and solid tumors in the United States. Respondents chose between pairs of hypothetical medications defined by combinations of six attributes at varying levels for two hypothetical patients. Preference weights for attribute levels were estimated using a randomparameters logit model. Results: In total, 200 physicians completed the survey. Their mean age was 52 years, 57% were in practice for more than 15 years, 37% were oncologists, and 65% treated 10 or fewer patients with bone metastases weekly. Out-of-pocket cost to patients was the most important attribute overall. Among clinical outcomes, time to first SRE and risk of renal impairment were the most important attributes. Statistically significant preferences were observed for all attribute levels for time to first SRE, risk of renal impairment, and mode of administration. Predicted choice probability analysis showed that physicians preferred a hypothetical medication with attributes similar to those of denosumab over one with attributes similar to those of zoledronic acid. Conclusions: Physicians indicated that clinical attributes are important when considering bone-targeting therapy for bone metastases, but consistent with the current health care landscape, patient out-of-pocket cost was the most important. With health care costs being increasingly shifted to patients, physicians require accurate information about co-pays and assistance programs to avoid patients receiving less costly, yet potentially inferior, treatment.
Instructional Design Issues for Electronic Performance Support Systems

Electronic performance support systems are becoming a significant software resource in many corporate organisations due to their potential to improve human performance while decreasing the time required for users to obtain information or instruction. While these software tools are extremely powerful, they must include highly effective individual components and a powerful, yet intuitive, human–computer interface. The present article summarises and reviews instructional design issues for these increasingly popular software tools and provides suggestions for developing an effective electronic performance support system for a given organisational setting.
Suicide among male veterans: a prospective population‐based study

Objectives: To assess the risk of mortality from suicide among male veteran participants in a large population-based health survey. Design and setting: A prospective follow-up study in the US. Data were obtained from the US National Health Interview Surveys 1986–94 and linked to the Multiple Cause of Death file (1986–97) through the National Death Index. Participants: The sample comprised 320 890 men, aged ≥18 years at baseline. The participants were followed up with respect to mortality for 12 years. Results: Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that veterans who were white, those with ≥12 years of education and those with activity limitations (after adjusting for medical and psychiatric morbidity) were at a greater risk for completing suicide. Veterans were twice as likely (adjusted hazard ratio 2.04, 95% CI 1.10 to 3.80) to die of suicide compared with non-veterans in the general population. The risk of death from “natural” causes (diseases) and the risk of death from “external” causes did not differ between the veterans and the non-veterans. Interestingly, male veterans who were overweight had a significantly lower risk of completing suicide than those who were of normal weight. Conclusions: Veterans in the general US population, whether or not they are affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), are at an increased risk of suicide. With a projected rise in the incidence of functional impairment and psychiatric morbidity among veterans of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, clinical and community interventions that are directed towards patients in both VA and non-VA healthcare facilities are needed.
Linkage disequilibria in finite populations.

Abstract Four-locus recombination frequencies are summarized into two-locus pair frequencies and three-locus frequencies, and further, into two-locus frequencies such that higher-order frequencies are linear functions of lower-order frequencies. Frequencies of gene combinations are defined according to their position on the same or distinct gametes, and linear functions of these provide the measures of linkage disequilibria. These concepts are utilized to derive the transitional behavior of the gene combination frequencies and the linkage disequilibria in a finite monoecious population with random union of gametes for up to four loci. The transitions of lower-order disequilibria in a higher-order (more loci) setting involve the higher-order disequilibria which must be taken into account in arriving at the final (fixation) frequencies. The methods allow different initial conditions. Since corresponding data functions of the gene combination frequencies provide unbiased estimates of the parameters, estimators follow naturally.
Diffusion induced stresses in buckling battery electrodes

Abstract Highly networked nanostructured battery electrode materials offer the possibility of achieving both rapid battery charge–discharge rates and high storage capacity. Recently, lithium ion battery (LIB) electrodes based on a 2-D honeycomb architecture were shown to undergo remarkable and reversible morphological changes during the lithiation process. Charge–discharge rates in 3-D composite electrode have also been shown to benefit from sandwiching the electrolytically active material between highly conductive ion and electron transport pathways to reduce electrical resistance and solid-state diffusion lengths. In the present work we simulate and analyze the observed morphological changes in honeycomb electrodes, with and without the presence of conductive pathways, during the lithiation–delithiation process. Diffusion induced stresses are analyzed for such structures undergoing elastic–plastic deformation during cycling. The results show that such a periodic, nanostructured electrode geometry allows for the presence of buckling-like deformation modes, which effectively reduce the resulting mechanical stresses that lead to electrode failure.
Image formation through inhomogeneities

Various methods of imaging through inhomogeneous media and small apertures are described and experimental results are given. 1.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An interesting synthesis of 3-methoxy-2,6-dimethylphenethyl alcohol☆

Abstract A simple procedure for the conversion of m-methoxyphenethyl alcohol into 3-methoxy-2,6-dimethylphenethyl alcohol by internal methylation is described.
The effect of overall treatment time on local control in patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate treated with radiation therapy

Studies of patients treated with radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck have demonstrated that when all other variables are constant, protraction of the overall treatment time leads to a decreased probability of local control. Few data exist on the effect of overall treatment time on local control following irradiation of tumors that are generally thought to be slowly proliferating, such as adenocarcinoma of the prostate. This analysis was undertaken to determine the time-dose relationships for local control of prostatic adenocarcinoma at the University of Florida. All patients were treated at least 5 years prior to the date of analysis. For patients with Stage A2 disease, a tumor dose of 6500 cGy in 7 to 7.5 weeks to 7000 cGy in 8 weeks resulted in local control in 17/17 patients (100%). For patients with Stage B1 disease, the local control rate was 14/16 (88%) with an overall treatment time of less than or equal to 8 weeks versus 1/3 in patients who received split-course treatment in greater than 8 weeks (p = .097). For patients with Stage B2, C1, and C2 disease who received greater than or equal to 6500 cGy, the 5-year rate of local control was lower when overall treatment time was protracted beyond 8 weeks. Results were as follows: B2 (62 patients), less than or equal to 8 weeks, 88%, versus greater than 8 weeks, 55%, p = .002; C1 (87 patients), less than or equal to 8 weeks, 88%, versus greater than 8 weeks, 73%, p = .052; Cs (33 patients), less than or equal to 8 weeks, 81%, versus greater than 8 weeks, 65%, p = .056. Stratification by tumor grade of patients with Stage B1, B2, C1, and C2 disease who received greater than or equal to 6500 cGy demonstrated significantly lower local control rates for all grade categories when the overall treatment time was protracted beyond 8 weeks. Five-year local control rates (life-table method) for overall treatment time less than or equal to 8 weeks versus greater than 8 weeks were as follows: well differentiated, 93% versus 73% (p = .003); moderately differentiated, 86% versus 69% (p = .017); and poorly differentiated, 75% versus 59% (p = .046). These data suggest that tumor repopulation during excessively protracted treatment may be a clinically significant factor in patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
Distribution of urocortin-like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system of the rat

Urocortin was recently cloned from the rat midbrain. Urocortin is a member of the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) peptide family and shows 45% sequence identity to CRF and 63% sequence identity to urotensin. It binds with a high affinity to CRF1 and CRF2 receptors, resulting in the stimulation of their adenylate cyclase activity. We used a polyclonal antibody against rat urocortin to define the distribution of urocortin-like immunoreactivity in the rat central nervous system. Several immunostained cell bodies were found in the supraoptic, paraventricular, and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei. A large number of neurons with urocortin-like immunoreactivity were seen in the dorsolateral tegmental nucleus, in the linear and dorsal raphe nuclei, and in the substantia nigra. The most abundant immunoreactive (ir) perikarya were found in the Edinger-Westphal nucleus. Some neurons showed immunoreactivity in the interstitial nucleus of Cajal, the nucleus of Darkeschewitsch, and the periaqueductal gray. A dense immunoreactive fiber network was found in the lateral septal area. Some faintly stained axon terminals were observed among urocortin-ir perikarya in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei, in the central and periaqueductal gray, and in the Edinger-Westphal nucleus. No fibers with urocortin-ir were seen in the median eminence or the posterior pituitary. The distribution of urocortin-ir overlapped with the expression of the mRNA for the CRF2 receptor in several brain areas. These data support the hypothesis that this peptide is the endogenous ligand for the CRF2 receptor. Urocortin has been implicated in various endocrine responses, such as blood pressure regulation, as well as in higher cognitive functions.
On the evolution of globular cluster systems. I - Present characteristics and rate of destruction in our Galaxy

The current dynamic state and rate of destruction for the system of globular clusters in the Galaxy are modeled. It is found that gravitational shocks due to the central bulge of the Galaxy are very efficient in destroying clusters on highly radial orbits. This effect, extrapolated at the present unweighted destruction rate over 10 to the 10th yr, can account for the observed difference between the velocity distribution of globular clusters and other tracers of the halo population.
Image segmentation using multiresolution wavelet analysis and expectation‐maximization (EM) algorithm for digital mammography

This article presents a novel algorithm for image seg- been developed for classification purposes. In addition, many mentation via the use of the multiresolution wavelet analysis and the authors have discovered significant advantages in the use of the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. The development of a multiresolution concept ( 4,5 ) . Brazkovic and Neskovic presented multiresolution wavelet feature extraction scheme is based on the the Gaussian pyramid and fuzzy linking method for the adaptive Gaussian Markov random field (GMRF) assumption in mammo- detection of cancerous changes in mammograms (6). graphic image modeling. Mammographic images are hierarchically Recently, as a result of cross-fertilization of innovative ideas decomposed into different resolutions. In general, larger breast le- from image processing, spatial statistics, and statistical physics, sions are characterized by coarser resolutions, whereas higher resolu- a significant amount of research activity on image modeling and tions show finer and more detailed anatomical structures. These hier- archical variations in the anatomical features displayed by multiresolu- segmentation has also been concentrated on the two-dimensional tion decomposition are further quantified through the application of ( 2D ) Markov random field ( MRF ) . Although many of the poten- the Gaussian Markov random field. Because of its uniqueness in local- tials of MRF had been envisioned by the early works of Levy ity, adaptive features based on the nonstationary assumption of (7), McCormick and Jayaramamrhy (8), and Abend et al. (9), GMRF are defined for each pixel of the mammogram. Fibroadenomas exploitation of the powers of the MRF was not possible until are then segmented via the fuzzy C-means algorithm using these significant recent advances occurred in the appropriate mathemat- localized features. Subsequently, the segmentation results are further ical and computational tools. Chellappa and Kashyap (10 ) suc- enhanced via the introduction of a maximum a posteriori (MAP) seg- cessfully applied the noncausal autoregressive ( NCAR ) model mentation estimation scheme based on the Bayesian learning para-
Active avoidance responding as a function of insulin-induced hypoglycemia

Two experiments investigating the effect of insulin-induced hypoglycemia (lowered blood sugar level) on one-way active avoidance learning by rats are reported. The first study indicated that hypoglycemia resulted in significantly inferior avoidance acquisition. These results were replicated in the first phase of the second experiment. However, this acquisition deficit did not carry over to the second (retention) phase conducted 24 h later.
Decoherence, chaos, and the correspondence principle

We present evidence that decoherence can produce a smooth quantum-to-classical transition in nonlinear dynamical systems. High-resolution tracking of quantum and classical evolutions reveals differences in expectation values of corresponding observables. Solutions of master equations demonstrate that decoherence destroys quantum interference in Wigner distributions and washes out fine structure in classical distributions, bringing the two closer together. Correspondence between quantum and classical expectation values is also reestablished. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Studies of the superconducting oxides NdxY1−xBa2Cu3Oy

Abstract We have prepared polycrystalline samples of the superconducting oxides NdxY1−xBa2Cu3Oy with x=0, 0.1, 0.5, 0.9, and 1.0. A SEM investigation indicates, for neodymium containing samples, 20 micron size particles in the interior and a “basket weave” morphology on the pressed surface. EDX and x-ray diffraction reveal no indication of rare earth segregation in the alloys. The in-plane lattice constants increase by 1% with x, but ther is no variation in the orthorhombic splitting (b/a−1 = 2%). All samples have transition (50% resistance) temperatures between 91 K and 92 K.
Design of a workstation: A team summary

Although consensus for total problem identification with optimal solutions was not obtained, the team did agree that much work lies ahead. Only through discussions by all interested parties will the efforts for a new design of the workstation come to fruition.
The bishops' dilemma with capitalism: A critical analysis

One of the major criticisms of contemporary capitalist society which the bishops' pastoral letter raises is the increasing economic, political and social marginalization resulting from the concentration of wealth and power in the form of monopoly capital. The bishops condemn these contemporary inequalities as unjust, undemocratic and antithetical to the teachings of the Church and Catholic humanism. Given this criticism, we can better understand the bishops' policy prescriptions as intended to show how monopoly “capital can be reconciled with the common good”, the problem as explicitly posed in section 281 of their pastoral. Hence, their proposal for economic democracy and economic planning can be seen as one possible solution to this general problem of monopoly concentration and marginalization.
The horizontal organization of stellate cell dendrites in layer IV of the visual cortex of tree shrews

Abstract Within layer IV of the visual cortex (area 17) of the tree shrew essentially all of the neurons are stellate cells. The majority (approximately 90%) are small and have spiny dendrites while the rest are larger with smooth dendrites. The dendritic arbors are all confined within the borders of layer IV and show a remarkable tendency, particularly marked for the small cells, to be flattened in a plane parallel to the pia. The dendritic arbors can be regarded as discs. More than half of the arbors occupy less than one-sixth of the thickness of layer IV: about 90% occupy less than one-third of the thickness. The highly oriented arrangement of the dendritic arbors is related to the laminar organization of the geniculocortical terminals in layer IV. It appears that most of the stellate cells can receive their direct input from only one or two of the six geniculate layers. Therefore, interactions between the several retino-geniculo-cortical pathways must occur at intracortical levels.
Biological Observations on Some Mediterranean Foraminifera and Related Protozoans: ABSTRACT

A study of laboratory populations of Nubecularia lucifuga Defrance, in addition to confirming the main aspects of the asexual phase of the cycle observed by LeCalvez, has disclosed a sexual phase as well, whereas an examination of the species' variation potential in cultures and a comparison of cultural with natural populations suggest that, in the light of a marked correlation between the form of the test and that of the substratum to which the living organism is attached, the Jurassic form, N. triloculina ten Dam, should be considered conspecific with N. lucifuga (Eocene to Recent). The occurrence of large numbers of paired tests of Gromia oviformis in subtidal waters of southern France confirms the original observation of this phenomenon (Valkanov, 1938); a cytological examination of the sexual generation, including newly discovered fertilization, zygote formation, and the subsequent transformation of distinctive fusiform zygotes into equally distinctive radiate "embryos," indicate further differences between this foraminiferoidal sarcodinian and such a simple isomorphic foraminifer as Allogromia laticollaris. Culture observations on species of Cibicides, Planorbulina, and agglutinating forms resembling Webbinella and Crithionina--all from the same natural population--emphasize the pressing need for a rigorous application of isolation culture techniques to the study of the life cycle of Cibicides lobatulus before Nyholm's striking conclusions can be confirmed or refuted. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1078------------
Atypical results of thoracic aortography performed to exclude aortic injury

This study was undertaken to determine the incidence and spectrum of “equivocal” findings on thoracic aortography performed: (a) to exclude traumatic aortic injury (TAI), and (b) to identify radiologic signs that might be useful in increasing diagnostic confidence. All cases of thoracic aortography performed during a 5-year period to evaluate possible major thoracic arterial injury were identified. Those with atypical or uncertain results were reviewed by the authors, and medical records were analyzed to determine initial diagnosis, management course, and clinical outcome.
Construction of a scale to measure the persuasive impact of qualitative and quantitative evaluation reports

Abstract A scale for measuring the persuasive impact of qualitative and quantitative evaluation reports upon decision makers was developed. Accepted psychometric scale-development procedures were followed that rigorously tested a pool of items. Using two exploratory and two confirmatory samples, the current research developed a 28-item Likert-like scale to measure perceived attention, liking, comprehension, generating related cognition, learning how, attitude and decision making. The scale demonstrated high reliability and validity. The instrument can be used to help researchers and practitioners estimate the impact of their reports upon decision makers.
A premature infant with fetal myocardial and abdominal calcifications and factor V Leiden homozygosity

We present a premature male neonate with confirmed factor V Leiden deficiency diagnosed prenatally with cardiac and abdominal calcifications. Our patient's findings suggest that clinicians consider thromboembolic conditions when multiple fetal calcifications are visualized.
Perspectives for Strategic Analysis in Advancing Ocean Technology

There is a growing need for the scientist, engineer, and administrator to better understand the kinds of overall, across-the-board planning problems involved in the development of off-shore coastal areas. A recommended approach is to use systems analysis techniques. Principles will be set forth on maintaining and improving the quality of the ocean environment, with considerations of cost in so doing. Each proponent of an aspect of ocean technology usually believes that his field must be greatly enlarged in the near future. Along with these advances there is the likelihood of unnecessary social costs emanating from undesirable modifications of the environment. In making the analysis, an early step is to identify specific needs and appropriate roles. A next step is to lay out alternatives for achieving objectives both within a given organization and external to it. The alternatives may be appraised through their costs and benefits. But how do you make choices between goals when resources are limited? How can we gather the data, accomplish the evaluation, and do the planning that will make rational choices possible? This paper elucidates the problems involved in these kinds of questions and suggests methodology that might lead toward solutions.
Immunochemical measurement of airborne mouse allergens in a laboratory animal facility

Abstract The major allergens from the mouse, including mouse serum albumin (MSA) and mouse urinary protein complex, are present in various concentrations in urine, serum, and pelts of mice. Subjects clinically sensitive to laboratory animals were screened by the RAST for specific IgE antibodies to mouse urine (MU), MSA, and mouse pelt extract (MPE). Twenty-four hour air samples from both a mouse-care room (2000 mice) and an immunology laboratory (five to 100 mice) were collected with a high-volume air sampler that retained particles greater than 0.3 μm with 95% efficiency. Eluates from the filter sheets were dialyzed, lyophilized, reconstituted in water, and used as fluid-phase inhibitors in the MU RAST and MPE RAST. MPE allergenic activity could be quantitated in filter eluates from both locations, but MU allergenic activity could be quantitated only in the mouse-care room. Airborne allergen content ranged from 1.8 to 825 ng/m 3 and varied with both the number of mice and the degree of work activity in the rooms. The sampling and assay techniques described can be used to accurately quantitate amorphous airborne allergens.
Endoscopic biopsies of normal duodenal mucosa

Direct vision endoscopic biopsies of the proximal duodenum, if properly oriented, sectioned parallel to the long axis of the villi, and examined in multiple serial sections appear to be adequate for histological evaluation. In this study normal histological parameters for these biopsies have been defined.
Malaria: seroepidemiology and serologic diagnosis.

Abstract Recent advances on the application of serologic methods employing the indirect hemagglutination test with a Plasmodium knowlesi antigen for the study of malaria epidemiology are outlined. Work in progress on the stabilization of malaria antigens and the preparation of gluteraldehyde sensitized cells were reviewed. Fluorescent antibody studies in progress are discussed and work on the cross reactivity of Babesia antigens with malaria is mentioned.
Induced cellular DNA synthesis by 'early' and 'late' temperature-sensitive mutants of polyoma virus.

Temperature-sensitive mutants of polyoma virus have been examined to determine whether they are able to induce the synthesis of cellular DNA under conditions where viral gene products are defective. Two ‘early’ mutants, and one ‘late’ mutant of polyoma induce cellular DNA synthesis normally under conditions where virus growth is inhibited because viral gene products are defective.
Comment on "Destructive effect of disorder and bias voltage on interface resonance transmission in symmetric tunnel junctions".

A Comment on the Letter by C. Tusche et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 176101 (2005). The authors of the Letter offer a Reply.
Convex preserving scattered data interpolation using bivariate C 1 cubic splines

Abstract We use bivariate C1 cubic splines to deal with convexity preserving scattered data interpolation problem. Using a necessary and sufficient condition on Bernstein–Bezier polynomials, we set the convexity-preserving interpolation problem into a quadratically constraint quadratic programming problem. We show the existence of convexity preserving interpolatory surfaces under certain conditions on the data. That is, under certain conditions on the data, there always exists a convexity preservation C1 cubic spline interpolation if the triangulation is refined sufficiently many times. We then replace the quadratical constrains by three linear constrains and formulate the problem into linearly constraint quadratic programming problems in order to be able to solve it easily. Certainly, the existence of convexity preserving interpolatory surfaces is equivalent to the feasibility of the linear constrains. We present a numerical experiment to test which of these three linear constraints performs the best.
Detection of hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma using indium-111 (111In) labeled monoclonal antibody (mAB): MSKCC experience with mAb 111In-C110

Abstract Sixteen patients with colorectal carcinoma and a rising serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level and no evidence of extra-abdominal disease were administered 5 mg of an anti-CEA monoclonal antibody (mAb), C110, labeled with approx. 5 mCi of 111 In. All patients subsequently underwent exploratory laparotomy, and samples of tumor and normal tissue were obtained. Hepatic lesions (confirmed by histopathology) were visualized as areas of increased radiotracer uptake in 13 of 16 patients. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) considerably aided detection, being positive in two patients with normal planar images. Ten of the 16 patients had positive x-ray computed tomographic (CT) images. The radioimmunodiagnostic study was falsely negative in 3 of 16 patients with subsequently proven hepatic disease, in one of whom CT was also normal. The antibody study was positive in 80% of lesions, thus being, in this small series, significantly more sensitive ( P 111 In-C110 is a promising monoclonal antibody for the detection of hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma; this is the first study to show consistently greater concentration of 111 In-labeled antibody in hepatic lesions than in surrounding normal hepatic parenchyma.
Formation of protoplasts in Azotobacter vinelandii.

Protoplasts of Azotobacter vinelandii were formed by incubating whole cells in lysozyme and EDTA in Tris-HCl buffer (0.05 M, pH 8.0) supplemented with sucrose (15% w/v). This appeared to be related to the special chelating ability of EDTA and Tris-HCl since substitution of the former by nitrilotriacetic acid or by trisodium citrate and the latter by veronal-acetate buffer or tris-maleate buffer over a pH range of 5.2 to 8.6 yielded only spheroplasts. Of nine strains of Azotobacter studied, only A. vinelandii strain 12837 and strain 0 formed protoplasts.
MicroRNAs play a role in neoplasia

In this issue of Blood , Raveche and colleagues provide evidence that the dysregulated expression of a single microRNA can factor in the development of neoplasia. MicroRNAs are a group of small noncoding RNA molecules of 19 to 24 nucleotides in length that can regulate the stability and/or