cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Congenital Dacryocystocele Associated With Intranasal Cysts: Diagnosis and Management†

Objective To improve the diagnostic and therapeutic database for congenital dacryocystoceles. Study Design/Methods Retrospective case study of 10 patients with dacryocystoceles treated in an academic integrated tertiary care practice. Management and outcomes are compared to previous reports in the literature. Results Between the years 1990 and 2001, 10 patients were diagnosed with dacryocystoceles. Seven were females, and 3 were males. Age ranged from 1 to 75 days. Nine of 10 had a unilateral dacryocystocele, and 1 had bilateral dacryocystoceles. Epiphora was reported in 8 patients. Preoperatively, dacryocystitis, facial cellulitis, or both were present/developed in 2 patients. Symptoms of airway obstruction were present in 3 neonates. Surgery was performed in 9 of 10 patients and was a combined ophthalmology/otolaryngology surgery in 7 cases. Two patients were treated with probing only. Intranasal cysts were identified in all 7 patients who underwent a combined approach. Three of 7 patients had bilateral intranasal cysts. Follow-up ranged from 9 months to 10 years (mean, 5 years). Complete resolution was observed in 9 patients. One patient had postoperative nasolacrimal duct obstruction 2 months postoperatively, presenting with mucopurulent drainage and cellulitis. The existing literature often suggests conservative management as a treatment option. Conclusion True dacryocystoceles are a relative rarity. The literature describes a variable natural course of these lesions with resultant controversy in their management. The current results demonstrate successful treatment in 6 of 7 patients with an early combined surgical approach and 2 of 2 patients treated by probing alone. The high failure rate with conservative management, reported in the literature, supports early surgical intervention.
LINGUISTIC HOMOGENEITY IN CORPORATE MANAGEMENT GROUPS

A corporate organisation, because it exists in a climate characterised by uncertainty, ambiguity and a need for accurate communication, tends to choose a new organisation member on his/her perceived similarity to group social norms. One of the most important of these is language. Since membership results in greater allocation of scarce resources (social acceptance, money and power), self‐interests push the new member to accommodate more closely the group's speech norms. Choice of new members on the basis of language has serious implications for the question of discrimination towards minority groups who typically have their own group‐specific speech norms which may not correspond to management norms.
The prevalence of corporate funding in adult lower extremity research and its correlation with reported results

The author reviewed 603 consecutive articles and scientific presentations pertaining to adult lower extremity orthopedic research from 2 major American orthopedic journals and 2 major American orthopedic meetings. The prevalence of commercial funding in these studies was 50%. Clinical studies of total hip arthroplasty implants by American investigators were commercially sponsored in 75% of studies. Commercially funded hip research reported positive outcomes in 93% of studies, whereas independently funded researchers reported good results in only 37%. Funded clinical studies of total knee arthroplasty implants yielded good results in 75%; this is in contrast to the findings of independently funded investigators, who reported positive conclusions in only 20% of studies. Investigators receiving royalties reported no negative outcomes related to the respective devices. The source of research funding was strongly correlated with reported outcomes.
MAINTAINING RESPECTABILITY: RESPONSE TO NICHOLAOS JONES

. Nicholaos Jones argues that theology is not a respectable discipline because of its inability to meet the standards of contemporary science. Although Jones makes a bold claim, I suggest that he has not made his case by focusing on the question of defining science and metaphysics appropriately, the analysis of the literature he cites, and his central claim that theology presupposes the absolute certainty of God.
Thylakoid anomalies in relation to grana structure in pigment-deficient mutants of Zea mays

In the course of a larger study involving plastid fine structure and development in Zea mays seedlings, a variety of thylakoid aggregations were observed not all of which were grana. These observations, coupled with an equal diversity in previously published reports by many workers, suggested the need for a clarification of types of thylakoid aggregations in relation to a definition of a granum. Normal and mutant seedlings were grown at 21, 27, and 35°C for 7, 11–14, and 18 days under weak and strong light. Samples were fixed, embedded, and sectioned for electron microscopy, and pigment extractions were made for spectrophotometric analyses. Thylakoid configurations are discussed according to structural type and the conditions under which the configurations were observed. A definition of a “true granum” based both on structural characteristics and pigment content is proposed and these criteria are discussed in relation to the types of configurations. Configurations were of three basic types: (a) true grana, (b) non-chlorophyll-containing tight stacks of thylakoids, and (c) stacks of parallel thylakoids. The need for correct interpretation of these thylakoid configurations is emphasized to prevent their being considered grana in a comparative study where their presence or absence is important in the interpretation of a structure-function relationship. The abnormal stacks were not found in normal plastids under optimal conditions but were found in mutant material under optimal conditions as well as in mutant and normal material under lower temperatures, or weak light intensities, and in degenerating plastids.
Genome-wide network analysis of Wnt signaling in three pediatric cancers

Genomic structural alteration is common in pediatric cancers, and analysis of data generated by the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project reveals such tumor-related alterations in many Wnt signaling-associated genes. Most pediatric cancers are thought to arise within developing tissues that undergo substantial expansion during early organ formation, growth and maturation, and Wnt signaling plays an important role in this development. We examined three pediatric tumors-medullobastoma, early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and retinoblastoma-that show multiple genomic structural variations within Wnt signaling pathways. We mathematically modeled this pathway to investigate the effects of cancer-related structural variations on Wnt signaling. Surprisingly, we found that an outcome measure of canonical Wnt signaling was consistently similar in matched cancer cells and normal cells, even in the context of different cancers, different mutations, and different Wnt-related genes. Our results suggest that the cancer cells maintain a normal level of Wnt signaling by developing multiple mutations.
Increased risk for non-melanoma skin cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background & Aims Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) might be at increased risk for certain malignancies. We evaluated the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in patients with IBD and determined how immunosuppressive and biologic medications affect this risk. Methods We performed retrospective cohort and nested case-control studies by using administrative data from PharMetrics Patient Centric Database. In the cohort study, 26,403 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 26,974 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were each matched to 3 non-IBD controls. NMSC risk was evaluated by incidence rate ratio (IRR). In the nested case-control study, 387 CD patients and 355 UC patients with NMSC were each matched to 4 IBD patients without NMSC by using incidence density sampling. Conditional logistic regression was used to determine the association between specific IBD medication use and NMSC. Results In the cohort study, the incidence of NMSC was higher among patients with IBD compared with controls (IRR, 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51–1.78). In the nested-case control study, recent thiopurine use (≤90 days) was associated with NMSC (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.56; 95% CI, 2.81–4.50), as was recent biologic use among patients with CD (adjusted OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.28–3.33). Persistent thiopurine use (>365 days) was associated with NMSC (adjusted OR, 4.27; 95% CI, 3.08–5.92), as was persistent biologic use among patients with CD (adjusted OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.07–4.46). Conclusions Patients with IBD, especially those who receive thiopurines, are at risk for NMSC. Appropriate counseling and monitoring of such patients with IBD are recommended.
Brain drain in African academic libraries: a survey

Purpose – This study was intended to identify and assess the extent and impact of the emigration of professional librarians on every university library in Anglophone Africa as well as the attitudes of library administrators toward national and international programs that have been or might be designed to make use of the skills of librarians in the African diaspora.Design/methodology/approach – The research was conducted by use of an online survey that was sent to 121 African academic libraries.Findings – The study conclusively demonstrated that African academic libraries have been impacted – both positively and negatively – by the effects of the “brain drain”. It also revealed that the administrators of these libraries are highly receptive to the possibility of working with African emigrant librarians in various forms (i.e. permanent, temporary, virtual) of structured “return programs”.Research limitations/implications – The survey's relatively low response rate precluded precise determination as to the d...
Modeling Underwater Acoustic Channels in Short-range Shallow Water Environments

We analyze the statistical channel properties of short to very short-range shallow water communication environments based on real channel measurements taken in a water-tank, a swimming pool, very shallow and shallow lakes. More specifically, we estimate the channel impulse response (CIR), the probability density function (PDF) of channel fading and fit to Rayleigh, Nakagami, Weibull, Rician and Beta distributions. We compare the `goodness-of-fit' of these distributions based on the Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence criteria. From our experimental results, we confirm that the shallow water acoustic channel is highly time-varying and does not necessarily follow a Rayleigh distribution. Instead, we observe that in very-shallow water lake environments the channel fading exhibits close-to Weibull or Rician distribution. On the other hand, in shallow water lake the channel fading behavior is better captured by a Beta distribution.
Continuous dependence of ergodic limits

The discrete and continuous parameter forms of the mean ergodic theorem conclude that 1N∑n=0N−1Tnx→Px,1τ∫0τT(t)x dtx→Px as N → ∞ or τ → ∞. The ergodic limit P is shown to depend continuously on the operator T in the discrete case or on the infinitesimal generator A of the semigroup T in the continuous case. These results are motivated by recent investigations into the asymptotics of Markov chains.
TFX—A Case in Policy Level Decision-Making

The article presents a case study of policy level decision-making. In November 1962, the U.S. Secretary of Defense awarded the TFX development contract to General Dynamics Corp. A discussion is pre...
Effect of phenoxybenzamine (dibenzyline) on sexual function in man

Phenoxybenzamine (Dibenzyline) has been extremely effective in treating patients with detrusor dyssynergia. Its minimal side effects include: mouth dryness, nasal congestion, drowsiness and fatigue, nausea and vomiting, palpitations, ejaculatory failure, and retrograde ejaculation. Nineteen men treated with phenoxybenzamine for detrusor dyssynergia reported ejaculatory failure during treatment; normal ejaculation returned after treatment was discontinued. Postmasturbation urine and semen samples were analyzed for sperm and fructose. The results of the study suggest that ejaculatory failure was due to the lack of seminal emission into the posterior urethra, rather than retrograde ejaculation. Some implications of this study are also discussed.
Relationship between reflectance and structure of high surface area carbons

Abstract Reflectance measurements have been used to try to track the structural alterations during activated carbon synthesis by chemical activation. H3PO4 has been used as a chemical reagent with white oak, subbituminous coal and a bituminous coal, and KOH with a bituminous coal. The reflectance of thermally treated carbons follows a single correlation with heat treatment temperature (HTT), consistent with thermally induced increases in aromaticity and structural order. For chemically activated carbons, the relationship between reflectance and HTT depends upon the precursor-activant combination that is used. At low HTT, chemically activated carbons have higher reflectance than their thermally treated counterparts, due to accelerated chemical change. At higher HTT this situation is reversed, despite further increase in aromaticity. It is proposed that the development of significant porosity (principally in pores 2–50 nm in diameter) reduces the measured reflectance by contributing to the scattering of incident light.
A Non-Oxide 850 nm VCSEL for High-Speed Datacom Applications

We have developed an 850 nm VCSEL where current and photon confinement is achieved by a mesa structure without lateral oxidation. The VCSEL performance and reliability is discussed in the context of 4xFC and 10 GbE applications.
The Hadron to quark-gluon transition in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

In this paper we construct a scenario for the QCD transition from the hadron phase to the quark/gluon phase using physical models for these phases. The hadron phase is modeled by a spectrum of hadrons with masses which drop (with a common scaling factor) towards zero at chiral symmetry restoration. The number of hadronic effective degrees of freedom is limited by the number of microscopic degrees of freedom in the quark/gluon phase. This limitation can be imposed either by fiat or through the introduction of a temperature-dependent excluded volume. Given that the number of degrees of freedom in hadrons and in quarks and gluons are roughly equal, the QCD phase transition is inhibited by the bag constant. The only phase transition seen in lattice-gauge calculations, once low-mass quarks are included, is the restoration of chiral symmetry which occurs at the relatively low temperature of ~ 150 MeV. At present, lattice gauge calculations do not have the resolution to determine the properties of the higher hadronic states accurately. They do, however, demonstrate that chiral restoration takes place in the (ρ. a1), (N(12 +)), (N(12 −)) and (π, σ) systems by yielding “screening masses” for chiral partners which are distinct for T T xSR. Further, within numerical accuracy, these “screening masses” are consistent with pure thermal energies and show no evidence of remaining bare masses once chiral symmetry is restored. These, and other lattice-gauge results, will be discussed in the light of our scenario. We shall also consider the consequences of our picture for relativistic heavy-ion experiments.
StoRM: a stochastic recognition and mining processor

Recognition and Mining are emerging application domains that are becoming prevalent across the entire spectrum of computing platforms, and place very high demands on their capabilities. We propose a Stochastic Recognition and Mining processor (StoRM), which uses Stochastic Computing (SC) to efficiently realize computational kernels from these domains. Stochastic computing facilitates compact, power-efficient realization of arithmetic operations by representing and processing information as pseudo-random bit-streams. However, the overhead of conversion between representations, and the exponential relationship between precision and bit-stream length, are key challenges that limit the efficiency of stochastic designs. The proposed architecture for StoRM consists of a 2D array of Stochastic Processing Elements (StoPEs) with a streaming memory hierarchy, enabling binary-to-stochastic conversion to be amortized across rows or columns of StoPEs. We propos vector processing and segmented stochastic processing in the StoPEs to mitigate the unfavorable tradeoff between precision and bit-stream length. We also exploit the compactness of StoPEs to increase parallelism, thereby improving performance and energy efficiency. Finally, leveraging the resilience of RM applications to approximations in their computations, we design StoRM to support modulation of the stochastic bit-stream length, and utilize this capability to to optimize energy for a desired output quality. StoRM achieves 2-3X energy-delay improvements over a conventional design without sacrificing output quality, and upto 10X (20X) improvements when upto 5% (10%) loss in output quality is allowed. Our results also demonstrate that the proposed design techniques greatly enhance the applicability and benefits of stochastic computing.
Effect of three routes of spectinomycin injection in neonatal turkeys with mixed bacterial contamination.

Abstract Neonatal poults diagnosed to have mixed bacterial contamination were injected with spectinomycin in one of three different routes: yolk sac, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously. An additional group was uninjected controls. Yolk sac injections, but not other routes, resulted in significantly heavier birds.
Assessing the West Ridge of Luzon Strait as an Internal Wave Mediator

The Luzon Strait is blocked by two meridional ridges at depths, with the east ridge somewhat higher than the west ridge in the middle reaches of the Strait. Previous numerical models identified the Luzon Strait as the primary generation site of internal M2 tides entering the northern South China Sea (Niwa and Hibiya, 2004), but the role of the west-versus-east ridge was uncertain. We used a hydrostatic model for the northern South China Sea and a nonhydrostatic, process-oriented model to evaluate how the west ridge of Luzon Strait modifies westward propagation of internal tides, internal bores and internal solitary waves. The dynamic role of the west ridge depends strongly on the characteristics of internal waves and is spatially inhomogeneous. For M2 tides, both models identify the west ridge in the middle reaches of Luzon Strait as a dampener of incoming internal waves from the east ridge. In the northern Luzon Strait, the west ridge is quite imposing in height and becomes a secondary generation site for M2 internal tides. If the incoming wave is an internal tide, previous models suggested that wave attenuation depends crucially on how supercritical the west ridge slope is. If the incoming wave is an internal bore or internal solitary wave, our investigation suggests a loss of sensitivity to the supercritical slope for internal tides, leaving ridge height as the dominant factor regulating the wave attenuation. Mechanisms responsible for the ridge-induced attenuation are discussed.
HUMAN RABIES INFECTION : DIAGNOSIS THERAPY, AND PREVENTION

Abstract Human infection with rabies causes a severe viral encephalitis that is almost uniformly fatal. Human exposure to rabies occurs primarily via bite wounds from an infected animal with injection of infected saliva beneath the skin. Following any potential exposure, the physician must evaluate the likelihood that an actual rabies exposure occurred based on degree of contact and likelihood that the animal was infected. Once exposure is confirmed, postexposure prophylaxis with immunoglobulin and human rabies vaccine must be initiated immediately. If no prophylaxis is given and rabies encephalitis develops, the only available therapy is supportive care, with progression to multiorgan failure and death in essentially all cases.
Multiple immunoreactive forms of calcitonin in human plasma

Abstract The nature of calcitonin in the plasma of nine patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid was evaluated by gel filtration on a column of Bio-Gel P-10 and radioimmunoassay of the fractions obtained. Four distinct peaks of immunoreactive calcitonin were found in each plasma; three were of higher molecular weight than monomer human calcitonin.
Clinical conditions associated with PCP in children

Pneumocystis jirovecii is a leading cause of opportunistic infections among the immune compromised. During the 1980s, attention focused on patients with HIV, however, with the advent of anti-retroviral therapy, we wished to revisit the question of underlying diseases associated with Pneumocystis pneumonia in children. We identified 80 cases from 1986 to 2006 and performed a retrospective chart review to identify clinical characteristics for each of the cases. HIV was the single most common associated underlying condition seen in this cohort, accounting for 39% of the cases overall, however, it was seen in just 15% of the cases since 1998. Transplant recipients and oncology patients together comprised another 39% of the cases, with 9% of cases attributed to primary immune deficiency and another 9% of cases associated with less well-recognized causes of susceptibility. This study documents the ongoing need for vigilance to diagnose Pneumocystis pneumonia in less well-recognized clinical scenarios.
Injecting Drug Users who Want Treatment

This study examined characteristics of injecting drug users (IDUs) who want treatment and the features that differentiate them from IDUs who do not want treatment. Data were collected as part of a community-based HIV prevention project in San Antonio, Texas. Interviews were administered to 1,100 IDUs between February 1993 and May 1995. Interview topics included sociodemographics, drug use history, current drug use, treatment history, injection-related HIV risk behavior, sexual behavior, and previous contact related to HIV prevention. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified four factors independently associated with wanting treatment in the multivariate model. These were: (1) 30 or more injections per month; (2) being eligible for methadone maintenance; (3) 2 or more previous treatment admissions; and (4) being recruited after the first year of the project. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Laparoscopic partial gastric transection and devascularization in order to enhance its flow.

Esophagogastric fistula following an esophagectomy for cancer is very common. One of the most important factors that leads to its development is gastric isquemia. We hypothesize that laparoscopic gastric devascularization and partial transection is a safe operation that will enhance the vascular flow of the fundus of the stomach. Our study included eight pigs. Each animal had two operations. In the first one, a laparoscopic gastric devascularization and mobilization took place. Vascular flow was measured previous to the procedure and immediately after it with a laser doppler (endoscopic probe). After three weeks, a second operation took place. We re-measured the vascular flow and sent a sample of gastric fundus for histopathologic evaluation. The gastric fundus showed signs of neovascularization after both macroscopic and microscopic evaluation. These findings correlated with laser doppler measurements. Laparoscopic gastric devascularization and partial transection is a safe procedure that increases the vascular flow of the stomach in a three week period. This finding can have a positive impact in terms of decreasing fistula formation.
Effect of methamphetamine self-administration on tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter levels in mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine pathways of the rat.

Many studies have examined the effect of experimenter-delivered methamphetamine on the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine pathways. In contrast, little is known about the effect of methamphetamine self-administration on these neuronal pathways. We studied the effect of methamphetamine self-administration on two key regulators of dopamine transmission, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and dopamine transporter (DAT), in components of the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine pathways. Rats self-administered methamphetamine (0.1 mg/kg per infusion, fixed-ratio-1 reinforcement schedule) or saline (control condition) for 9 h/day over 10 days. The brains of these rats were collected after 1 or 30 days of forced abstinence and the expression levels of TH and DAT were assayed by in situ, hybridization and western blot. TH mRNA and protein levels were increased in the ventral tegmental area (VTA, the cell body region of the mesolimbic dopamine system) and the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC, the cell body region of the nigrostriatal dopamine system) after 1 day, but not 30 days, of forced abstinence from methamphetamine. In contrast, methamphetamine self-administration had no effect on TH protein levels in dopaminergic terminals located in the nucleus accumbens and caudate–putamen. In addition, methamphetamine self-administration had no effect on DAT mRNA levels in the VTA. Results suggest that extended daily access to self-administered methamphetamine results in a transient, short-lasting effect on mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine neurons of the rat brain.
Mammography behavior after receiving a negative BRCA1 mutation test result in the Ashkenazim: a community-based study

Mammography behavior after receiving a negative BRCA1 mutation test result in the Ashkenazim: A Community-based study
In vitro discrimination of tumor cell lines with an electronic nose.

Objective The electronic nose is a sensor of volatile molecules that is useful in the analysis of expired gases. Our hypothesis is that the electronic nose can distinguish between different types of upper aerodigestive tract tumor cells in vitro. Study Design Cells from both tumor and normal cell lines were suspended in saline, and a polymer composite electronic nose was used to evaluate the headspace gases. The data were subjected to principal components analysis, and Mahalanobis distances were calculated to demonstrate the ability of the electronic nose to distinguish among samples. Results The tumor cell lines, including adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and mesothelioma, were distinct from each other, and from the normal fibroblast and smooth muscle cells as seen on canonical discrimination plots. Conclusion The electronic nose can distinguish between tumor cell lines in vitro and has the potential to be a useful screening test for cancer.
Recent decreases in fossil-fuel emissions of ethane and methane derived from firn air

Methane is a greenhouse gas with a significant warming effect on climate only water vapour and carbon dioxide are more important yet the factors influencing its atmospheric concentration are poorly understood. In particular, a rapid rise in methane levels in the mid-twentieth century gradually (but temporarily) levelled off around the turn of the millennium; the reasons for this decline in growth rate are still being debated. Two new studies shed light on this conundrum but reach conflicting conclusions. Fuu Ming Kai et al. measure differences in the concentration and isotopic signature of methane between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and conclude that reduced microbial activity in wetlands was primarily responsible. Changing rice agricultural practices seem to explain about half of the Northern Hemispheric trend. By contrast, Murat Aydin et al. combine measurements of ethane trapped in Antarctic ice with a simple atmospheric model and conclude that the slow-down was caused by reduced methane emissions from fossil-fuel production. In News and Views, Martin Heimann discusses the differing findings of these two studies.
Transitions: Perspectives from Parents of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) frequently have difficulty with transitions, which can cause confusion and anxiety; consequently, planning for successful transitions is critical for children with ASD. Parental perspectives are a vital tool in successful transition planning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives and concerns of parents of young children with ASD related to transitions. Purposive sampling was used to identify participants. Data were collected through multiple interviews, observations, and documentation. A cross-case analysis method was used to analyze the data. Findings were confirmed using methods of triangulation, respondent validation, and member checking. Six major themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) transitions that parents considered to be effective were child-centered, (b) communication between school and home was a vital link for successful transitions, (c) preparation for transitions began with an understanding of the child, (d) parents identified barriers to successful transitions, (e) parents understood the different types of transitions but focused on horizontal transitions, and (f) parents identified effective transition strategies for their children. Recommendations for successful transitions are offered.
A FAMILY OF SPATIO-TEMPORAL LOCATION ANALYSIS PROBLEMS OF MOBILE TRADING

It is well known that central place theory explains the spatial organization of permanent service centers in geographic space. But so far there has not been a theory or a set of models that can be used to fully explain the spatio-temporal organization of periodic service centers such as periodic marketplaces. This is notable because many scholars from geography, anthropology, and operations research have been trying to establish adequate models for explaining the spatio-temporal organization of periodic marketplaces during the past 50 years This article first introduces a family of eight classes of spatio-temporal location analysis problems related to a particular form of periodic marketing—mobile trading. It then presents a game theory model of two competing mobile traders as well as simulations on the synchronization of periodic marketplaces. Simulation results suggest that the synchronization of periodic marketplaces, resulting from the location patterns of two competing mobile traders, confirms the findings observed in empirical studies but does not follow those suggested by the consumer and the trader hypotheses. In addition, simulation results show that two competing traders agglomerate on a discrete linear structure.
Television as a cultural forum: Implications for research∗

(1983). Television as a cultural forum: Implications for research. Quarterly Review of Film Studies: Vol. 8, The Economic and Political Structure of American Television, pp. 45-55.
Analytical separation of nucleosides by anion-exchange chromatography: influence of pH, solvents, temperature, concentration, and flow rate.

The anion-exchange separation of nucleosides is influenced by pH, alcohols, temperature, ionic strength, and flow rate. The influence of each of these conditions, leading to choice of optimal operating conditions, is explored. The results are expressed quantitatively in terms of resolution and theoretical plate height. These basic parameters are derived and their use in assessing separation procedures is demonstrated.
EFFECTS OF NO. 2 FUEL OIL ON CHEMICALLY-EVOKED FEEDING BEHAVIOR OF THE MUD SNAIL, ILYANASSA OBSOLETA

ABSTRACT Chemically-mediated feeding responses of the mud snail, Ilyanassa obsoleta, were evaluated after exposure to various fractions and concentrations of No. 2 fuel oil in a continuous flow-through seawater system. This type of feeding response involves chemical perception of and movement toward a point source of food followed by feeding through an extended proboscis. To investigate the effects of oil on this behavior, two types of bioassays were employed. In the first, arousal was used as a criterion to document effects on initial perception of food (olfaction or distance chemoreception). This initial phase of the feeding response is particularly susceptible to disruption by oil, with significant inhibition occurring after 48 hours exposure to concentrations as low as 0.015 ppm of an oil-in-water dispersion (OWD) and 0.43 ppm of the water-accommodated fraction (WAF). In the second bioassay, extension of the proboscis was used as a criterion to document effects on subsequent tasting or contact chemore...
Time series estimation of the bond default risk premium

Abstract The bond default risk premium, measured by the spread between higher and lower grade bond returns, is often estimated with univariate time series procedures and used as an input in financial models. In this paper, time series properties of the historical default risk premium are analyzed and forecasting results from univariate time series models are compared. An autoregressive model with an overreaction component provides the best statistical fit for the bond default risk premium series. A random walk model exhibits the worst fit. The findings are robust over a variety of model specifications and measurement choices. For all forms of the time series process the univariate time series models explain a small percentage of the variation in the default risk premium, raising questions about traditional approaches to estimating the expected default risk premium.
Variation in human nasal height and breadth.

It has been suggested that the long-standing association of variability in the human nasal index [100 × (nasal breadth)/(nasal height)] with climatic variation is spurious evidence for natural selection in humans (Hoyme, 1965; St. Hoyme and Iscan, 1989). The argument is based principally on the observation that nasal height is globally more variable than nasal breadth, with nasal breadth thus contributing little to variation in the index. This argument does not take into account the confounding effect of absolute size of these variables on their variances. In this study we compare the intrinsic variation in skeletal nasal height and breadth within and among 26 mixed-sex populations (N = 2,408) at globally diverse localities (Howells, 1989), using 2 × 2 variance-covariance matrices of the logarithmically transformed variates. Hypothesis tests for homogeneity of matrices and equalvariance/equal-covariance indicate that the intrinsic variation in nasal breadth is greater than that for nasal height within populations, and that nasal breadth and nasal height exhibit equivalent intrinsic variation among populations. The argument that nasal breadth contributes little to the worldwide variation in the human nasal index is rejected. Given our present understanding of nasal physiological morpho-function, these results support, but do not demonstrate, an adaptive role for human nasal index variation. Promising methods for elucidating natural selection on human nasal form are suggested.
Polymer Micelles with Hydrazone-Ester Dual Linkers for Tunable Release of Dexamethasone

Purpose To develop polymer micelles for the tunable release of Dexamethasone (DEX) in tumors.
Empirical Bayes Confidence Intervals for Means of Natural Exponential Family‐Quadratic Variance Function Distributions with Application to Small Area Estimation

The paper develops empirical Bayes (EB) confidence intervals for population means with distributions belonging to the natural exponential family-quadratic variance function (NEF-QVF) family when the sample size for a particular population is moderate or large. The basis for such development is to find an interval centred around the posterior mean which meets the target coverage probability asymptotically, and then show that the difference between the coverage probabilities of the Bayes and EB intervals is negligible up to a certain order. The approach taken is Edgeworth expansion so that the sample sizes from the different populations need not be significantly large. The proposed intervals meet the target coverage probabilities asymptotically, and are easy to construct. We illustrate use of these intervals in the context of small area estimation both through real and simulated data. The proposed intervals are different from the bootstrap intervals. The latter can be applied quite generally, but the order of accuracy of these intervals in meeting the desired coverage probability is unknown.
The structure of picornaviruses: classification of the bonding networks.

Abstract An icosahedral shell with 60 each of three nonidentical polypeptide chains must contain at least four intersubunit bonds. A set of four connections defines a minimal bonding network. A classification scheme has been devised to count all of the minimal bonding networks; it has been found that there are 240 distinct possible four-bonded nets. The data of the previous paper by Scraba and co-workers ( Hordern, Leonard, and Scraba, 1979 , Virology 97 , 131–140) suggest that such an approach to the description of the picornavirus capsid might have validity. In turn, the minimal bonding net theory can be applied to the data obtained for the Mengo virion. The results of such an analysis suggest that, of the 240 possible minimal nets, there are two minimal nets that are completely consistent with the data obtained. Because the analysis is general and complete, there are no other possibilities. Deciding between the two remaining possible minimal nets will require further experiments.
Modification of a stimulus-reinforcer interaction by blocking

Abstract With tone-light compound-stimulus training, light will gain control of responding under an appetitive schedule while tone will gain considerable control with avoidance training. The present experiment sought to determine whether this stimulus-reinforcer interaction could be modified by a “blocking” procedure. Initially, one group of rats was trained to respond for food in tone while tone-off was food free, and a second group was trained to avoid shock in light while light-out was shock free. Following attainment of a 10:1 discrimination ratio, food and avoidance schedules were signaled, for the respective groups, by a tone-light compound stimulus. An element test demonstrated that the blocking procedure overcame the stimulus-reinforcer interaction previously reported with rats in both the appetitive and avoidance groups. Contrary to previous stimulus-reinforcer interaction research, here, the tone, rather than the light, controlled responding after food training while the light, rather than the tone, controlled responding after avoidance training. These results obey predictions from associative theory. The current experiment is also the first demonstration of blocking within an instrumental avoidance procedure.
Heliostat drive unit design considerations – Site wind load effects on projected fatigue life and safety factor

Abstract A parametric analysis shows the importance of various effects on heliostat drive unit life, including wind conditions, angles of attack, size, and endurance limits and how these affect predicted safety factors required in terms of fatigue damage. Endurance limit effects are shown to be critical, including “wear and tear” reductions from field exposure and operation, which significantly reduce remaining life. Low safety factors are shown to pose a risk of achieving 30-year life, especially when site wind conditions are considered. Gusts significantly increase the required safety factor, even if they occur for only 10% of the time. Seasonal wind speed variations are also shown to be important, in that speeds during a 3-month period, typically in the Spring, that are above the annual average require a significantly higher safety factor than the predicted value based on the annual average alone. Sites with low annual average wind speeds are shown to be preferable. Having heliostats fully stowed at lower wind speeds than legacy specifications of 50 mph increase life and reduce safety factors required.
Impact of gender on exocrine gland inflammation in mouse models of Sjögren's syndrome.

Sjogren's syndrome is a complex autoimmune disorder, that occurs almost exclusively in females, induces extensive lymphocyte accumulation in lacrimal and salivary glands, and represents one of the leading causes of dry eye and mouth in the world. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the profound, gender-related differences observed in the magnitude of exocrine gland inflammation in Sjogren's syndrome may also be found in tissues of mouse models of this disorder. Lacrimal and submandibular glands were obtained from adult MRL/lpr, MRL+/+ (MRL+), NZB/NZW F1 (F1), C3H/lpr, C3H/gld (gld), C57BL/6-lpr/lpr [B6/lpr; with (bcl-2(+)/lpr) or without (bcl-2(-)/lpr) bcl-2 transgene insertion] and nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice after the onset of autoimmune disease, and processed for microscopy and image analysis. Our results showed that: (1) the extent of inflammation was significantly greater in lacrimal glands of female MRL/lpr, MRL+, F1, C3H/lpr and gld mice, and salivary glands of female MRL+, F1 and gld mice, relative to those of males; (2) the severity of inflammation in NOD mice showed a tissue-specific pattern: inflammation was far worse in lacrimal glands of males, whereas immune pathology was far greater in salivary tissues in females; and (3) no gender-related variations were present in the degree of inflammation in lacrimal glands of bcl-2(+)/lpr and bcl-2(-)/lpr mice or in submandibular tissues of MRL/lpr, C3H/lpr, bcl-2(+)/lpr and bcl-2(-)/lpr mice. Our findings demonstrate that gender-, strain- and tissue-related differences exist in the extent of inflammation in several mouse models of Sjogren's syndrome.
A rapid electrophoretic technique for human and Chinese hamster galactokinase.

In this paper a simple direct staining method is described for the detection of the human and Chinese hamster forms of galactokinase as separated by electrophoresis.
Bayesian Semiparametric Frailty Selection in Multivariate Event Time Data

Biomedical studies often collect multivariate event time data from multiple clusters (either subjects or groups) within each of which event times for individuals are correlated and the correlation may vary in different classes. In such survival analyses, heterogeneity among clusters for shared and specific classes can be accommodated by incorporating parametric frailty terms into the model. In this article, we propose a Bayesian approach to relax the parametric distribution assumption for shared and specific-class frailties by using a Dirichlet process prior while also allowing for the uncertainty of heterogeneity for different classes. Multiple cluster-specific frailty selections rely on variable selection-type mixture priors by applying mixtures of point masses at zero and inverse gamma distributions to the variance of log frailties. This selection allows frailties with zero variance to effectively drop out of the model. A reparameterization of log-frailty terms is performed to reduce the potential bias of fixed effects due to variation of the random distribution and dependence among the parameters resulting in easy interpretation and faster Markov chain Monte Carlo convergence. Simulated data examples and an application to a lung cancer clinical trial are used for illustration.
Routine determination of the plasmapause based on COSMIC GPS total electron content observations of the midlatitude trough

[1] Observations from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) GPS precise orbit determination (POD) antennae are used to create a database of vertical total electron content (VTEC) measurements between roughly 800 and 20,200 km. Owing to the correlation between the midlatitude trough and the plasmapause, the COSMIC GPS VTEC observations are used to determine the plasmapause location throughout 2008. The COSMIC observations of the plasmapause during 2008 are used to illustrate the variations with local time and geomagnetic activity as well as to reveal periodic behavior of the plasmapause. The plasmapause variation with geomagnetic activity obtained by the COSMIC observations is found to be consistent with previous results based on different observation methods. The similarity to prior results demonstrates the effectiveness of using the COSMIC POD observations for determining the plasmapause. The COSMIC observations further reveal that the plasmapause exhibits significant variability and is, on average, primarily invariant in local time. The plasmapause is also found to oscillate at periods of 9 and 13.5 days during 2008 in connection with recurrent geomagnetic activity due to high-speed solar wind streams. This is the first time that multiday oscillations have been observed in the plasmapause. The presence of a periodic modulation of the plasmapause further demonstrates the importance of periodic high-speed streams in the Earth's upper atmosphere and inner magnetosphere during the current solar minimum.
In vivo dynamics of myosin II in Dictyostelium by fluorescent analogue cytochemistry.

We used fluorescent analogue cytochemistry to study in vivo dynamics of myosin II in Dictyostelium discoideum. We labeled myosin with biotin or tetramethylrhodamine iodoacetamide (IATR). The labeled myosin shows normal activities as reversible filament assembly and Ca2+ and actin-activatable Mg2+ -ATPases. We used the biotin-myosin as a probe examining the effects of microinjection on the amoebae and the ability to associate with endogenous actin cytoskeleton. The biotin-myosin incorporates into certain actin populations and localizes to the cortex with the highest accumulation in the posterior end of polarized amoebae. The dynamics in live amoebae were probed by TR-myosin. We monitored the dynamics for a long period to determine the dynamic reorganization corresponding specific cellular behaviors. The TR-myosin converges into a discrete actin- and myosin-rich structure located at the posterior end (“myosin-organizing center”). The rod-shaped TR-myosin exhibits linear orderly arrays emanating from the organizing center which extend about two-thirds of the cell length. The myosin arrays show a dynamic reorganization when the amoebae move. To examine if the observed myosin dynamics are related to filamentous (F-) actin, we disrupted the F-actin by cytochalasin D. The ratioed image of TR-myosin (vs. FITC-dextran) demonstrates that myosin in these cells accumulates in the cortex but does not form the organizing center. Overall, the results suggest that the filamentous myosin organizes into orderly arrays in the live cytoplasm and its translocation occurs by means of F-actin cables, converging into the organizing center. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.