cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Markedly Enhanced Permeability and Retention Effects Induced by Photo-immunotherapy of Tumors

A major barrier to cancer treatment is the inability to deliver sufficient concentrations of drug to the tumor without incurring systemic toxicities. Nanomaterials are appealing because they can carry a large drug payload; however, tumor delivery is limited by modest leakage and retention in most tumors. We observed that after photoimmunotherapy (PIT), which is a light-mediated treatment based on an antibody–photosensitizer conjugate, there was surprisingly high leakage of nanosized (10–200 nm) agents into the tumor bed. PIT rapidly induced death in perivascular cancer cells, leading to immediate and dramatic increases in vascular permeability, resulting in up to 24-fold greater accumulation of nanomaterials within the PIT-treated tumor compared with controls, an effect termed “super-enhanced permeability and retention”. In a treatment study, PIT followed by liposome-containing daunorubicin, DaunoXome (diameter 50 nm), resulted in greater survival in tumor-bearing mice than either PIT or DaunoXome alone. ...
Appareillage pour l'etude du frottement de roulement sous ultravide

Resume Nous decrivons un appareillage concu et construit pour etudier les proprietes des couples de materiaux et les selectionner en vue d'une utilisation pour des roulements a billes fonctionnant a faible vitesse et sans lubrification, dans l'ultravide. Les mesures du mouvement amorti par le frottement (systeme pendulaire) sont depouillees par un programme au calculateur et les premiers resultats en sont presentes ici.
Ceria films on zirconia substrates: models for understanding oxygen-storage properties

Abstract The oxygen-storage properties of ceria in three-way automotive catalysts are promoted and stabilized by mixing with zirconia. In the present study, this promotion was investigated using model catalysts in which ceria films were vapor deposited onto α-Al2O3, polycrystalline ZrO2, polycrystalline Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ), and YSZ(1 0 0), (1 1 1), and (1 1 0) single crystals. Following deposition of Pd, both TPD of CO and steady-state CO-oxidation kinetics suggest that the ceria films on the zirconia-based substrates were much more easily reduced than films on α-Al2O3. Polycrystalline zirconia and YSZ and the YSZ single crystals were equally effective in promoting ceria reducibility. Structural studies of ceria on YSZ(1 0 0), using both TEM and EDSXD (energy-dispersive, surface X-ray diffraction), demonstrate that ceria forms ordered overlayers on YSZ(1 0 0), oriented with respect to the YSZ surface. The lattice parameter for ceria is decreased by only 0.6% compared to bulk CeO2, but the coherence length suggests that the overlayer may have a high defect density. It is suggested that the structure-directing properties of zirconia are responsible for the enhanced properties of ceria–zirconia mixed oxides.
Thermodynamics of polar anisotropy in morphotropic ferroelectric solid solutions

A classical 2-4-6 Landau polynomial is used to describe the generic pseudo-binary composition–temperature (c–T) diagram of ferroelectric solid solutions that display a morphotropic boundary (MB). This polynomial is separated into an isotropic part that depends on the absolute value of the polarization and an anisotropic part that depends also on the direction of polarization. Composition and temperature are taken as external thermodynamic variables and the direction of the polarization vector is treated as an internal relaxing variable of the system. Conditions leading to the observation of stable rhombohedral (FR), tetragonal (FT) and orthorhombic (FO) phases in the c–T plane are determined. In the lowest-order approximation, the isothermal composition change producing the FR to FT transition at the MB is dictated by the condition that the polarization anisotropy energy vanishes. A small lifting of the orientational degeneracy of the polarization leads to differing phase diagram topologies wherein a stab...
Nano-structured Cadmium Sulfide thin films for solar cell applications

A window layer made from Cadmium Sulfide thin films was constructed to enhance the electrical and optical properties of the solar cell. With the help of a Indium Tin Oxide layer and a Tin Oxide layer, a deposition of Cadmium Sulfide was performed by both Chemical Bath Deposition and Electro Deposition. Gold contacts were thermally evaporated on to the samples to test the successful creation of Schottky diodes that would make the layer more efficient for real world use. Measurements were made to test the samples thickness, absorption and transmittance percentages, and IV properties. Results show that the most efficient sample for use was the Chemical Bath Deposited sample. The sample revealed low absorption percentage of about 1%, while having a transmittance percentage of about 70%. IV measurements also revealed that a successful Schottky diode could be created with the use of gold contacts and Cadmium Sulfide. Future research is to be recorded to enhance the results and better create the window layer for the solar cell.
Government policy and industrial investment in cogeneration in the USA

Abstract This paper presents an economic analysis of investment in cogeneration in selected industries and assesses the impact of investment tax credits policy directed at cogeneration. We use a dynamic partial equilibrium model that is derived under the assumption that investment in cogeneration occurs if and when the annualized cost of the incremental investment is less than the annualized benefits of avoiding electricity purchase from the utilities. Policy simulations show that investment in cogeneration is economically feasible even without the tax credits; the tax credit policy marginally increases investment in cogeneration. The welfare distortions and revenue loss to the US Treasury are also estimated. External benefits required per barrel of oil to offset distortion costs would come to $2.83.
Response to “Sleep Duration and Hypertension With Special Emphasis on Gender and Obesity”

To the Editor: I thank Dr Kawada for raising interesting points related to our study on sleep duration and risk for hypertension in women, “Sleep Duration and Hypertension With Special Emphasis on Gender and Obesity.” In analyses stratified by age, we found sleep durations of ≤5 hours to be associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension in all age groups and with higher incidence of hypertension only in the younger age group (aged 50 years. The inclusion of older adults in their analyses could have lowered the odds ratio. The sample size in the Whitehall II analysis was also much smaller than that of the Nurses’ Health Study,2 resulting in less statistical power. We explored whether obesity, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia could have acted as partial mediators in the relationship between sleep duration and hypertension by seeing whether the inclusion of these variables in the multivariate models sufficiently attenuated the associations. Statistical analyses alone cannot distinguish between a confounding variable and a mediating variable. However, results from experimental studies showing that insufficient sleep compromises insulin sensitivity and increases hunger provide plausible mechanisms for the potential for mediation. Although sleep duration has been shown to be associated with diabetes incidence in previous analyses from the Nurses’ Health Study and diabetes was associated with increased risk for hypertension prevalence and incidence (Table 1) in the present study, our results were not consistent with diabetes acting as a partial mediator of the relationships between sleep duration and hypertension. Our results were consistent with obesity acting as a partial mediator. Sleep duration has been shown to be associated with weight gain in data from the Nurses’ Health Study;3 in our analysis, body mass index was associated with hypertension prevalence and incidence (Table 1). As Dr Kawada points out, we were not able to control for the presence of sleep apnea in our analyses; however, we were able to control for snoring and body weight, which are closely related to sleep disordered breathing. Our results lend support to the hypothesis that inadequate sleep plays a role in the etiology of hypertension in some young women and that obesity acts as a partial mediator of this relationship. Table 1. Multivariate analyses using logistic and Cox proportional hazards models to explore the relationship between diabetes and BMI and hypertension.
DEVELOPMENT OF A CONTINUOUS INTRUSION MINIATURE CONE PENETRATION TEST SYSTEM FOR SUBSURFACE EXPLORATIONS

This paper describes the development of a continuous intrusion miniature cone penetration test system (CIMCPT) or shallow to semi-deep subsurface investigations. A novel feature of this new in situ testing system is the chain driven caterpillar-type continuous push device powered by a hydraulic motor to advance the cone penetrometer, which greatly increases productivity and serviceability. The system is housed in an environmentally controlled van body that is mounted on a one-ton, four-wheel drive, all-terrain vehicle. A new state-of -the-art data acquisition system using interface modules and a global positioning system, for real-time monitoring, acquiring, storing, and displaying data in real time on a computer screen in graphic form was developed and implemented. The miniature cone penetrometer has a projected cone area of 2sq cm and a friction sleeve surface area equal to 40sq cm, It gives finer detailed soil profiles compared to the standard 10sq cm cross-sectional area reference cone penetrometer. In situ calibration of the CIMCPT system with the standard 10sq cm cone penetrometer indicated that the average tip resistance of the CIMCPT was 11 percent higher than that of the standard cone penetrometer. The average CIMCPT sleeve friction was 11 percent lower than that of the standard cone penetrometer. (A)
Adaptations in maximal motor unit discharge rate to strength training in young and older adults.

Six young (mean = 23 years) and 6 older (mean = 76 years) adults participated in isometric resistance training 5 days/week for 6 weeks. The task involved isometric fifth finger abduction. Maximal motor unit discharge rates (MUDRs) were obtained from the abductor digiti minimi of each hand at 0, 2, 14, and 42 days of training using a quadrifilar needle electrode and automatic spike recognition software. In agreement with previous findings, maximal MUDR at baseline was significantly lower in older adults (P < 0.001), averaging 51.5 (+/-17.13) HZ in young and 43.3 (+/-14.88) HZ in older adults. In response to resistance training, maximal voluntary force increased 25% in young and 33% in older subjects (P < 0.001). Maximal MUDR increased significantly (11% young, 23% older) on day 2 [F(3,36) = 2.58, P < 0.05], but in older subjects returned to baseline levels thereafter. These adaptations in abductor digiti minimi MUDR suggest a two-part response to strengthening fifth finger abduction: early disinhibition followed by altered MU activation.
Taking the pulse of the B & B industry: An assessment of current marketing practices:

The purpose of this study is to examine and identify the effective and useful marketing channels for B & B establishments. An updated assessment that focuses on varied marketing channels is needed as the recent research related to B & Bs and marketing has strictly focused on the use of web-based tactics. The study used an electronic survey to gather information from B & B owners/operators regarding marketing channels used. Additionally semi-structured interviews were conducted. Best practices were also identified in the study. Although there is a high degree of use and effectiveness of web-based marketing activities, the sample identified non web-based activities as well. Word-of-mouth marketing is still considered the most frequently used and highly effective marketing activity among B & B owner/operators. This research provides an understanding of current marketing channels and best practices utilized by B & B owners/operators.
Cellular and biochemical requirements for thymocyte negative selection

Developing T cells which recognize self-proteins are specifically deleted by the process of negative selection in the thymus. This review summarizes data from both in-vitro and in-vivo systems on the cellular and biochemical requirements that play roles in this process. We first consider the involvement of co-receptors and antigen presenting cells in negative selection. Next, we discuss the involvement of various signalling pathways in thymocyte deletion, particularly under conditions of limiting stimulation. Finally, these data are discussed in terms of how positive and negative selection are regulated during T-cell development.
Motile cryptofauna associated with live and dead coral substrates: implications for coral mortality and framework erosion

Coral reef cryptofauna are a diverse group of metazoan taxa that live within intra- and inter-skeletal voids formed by framework structures. Despite a hypothesized high biomass and numerous trophic roles, they remain uncharacterized relative to exposed reef communities. Motile cryptofauna were sampled from live coral colonies and dead frameworks typifying four successive levels of degradation on an eastern Pacific pocilloporid reef. Abundances and biomass were higher on live versus dead corals habitats. The density of cryptofauna per volume substrate was highest on dead coral frameworks of intermediate degradation, where complex eroded substrates provide abundant shelters. These data have important and far-reaching ramifications for how the diverse multispecies assemblages that are reef ecosystems will respond to anthropogenic stressors such as those associated with climate change. Extreme levels of coral mortality, bioerosion, and habitat destruction will lead to impairment and eventually loss of ecosystem functions.
Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio Typologies are Misleading

Abstract The psychophysicist S.S. Stevens developed a measurement scale typology that has dominated social statistics methodology for almost 50 years. During this period, it has generated considerable controversy among statisticians. Recently, there has been a renaissance in the use of Stevens's scale typology for guiding the design of statistical computer packages. The current use of Stevens's terminology fails to deal with the classical criticisms at the time it was proposed and ignores important developments in data analysis over the last several decades.
Single-wafer solution and optical phased array application of micro-mirror arrays with high fill factor and large sub-apertures

This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of high-fill-factor micro-mirror arrays (MMAs) with large sub-apertures (i.e., mirror pixels). The MMAs are fabricated by a single-wafer fabrication process without any wafer bonding/transfer processes and are directly surface-mountable after the fabrication. A fabricated 4×4 MMA achieves a combined optical aperture of 6.4mm× 6.4mm with ∼90% fill factor and ≪±25° scan range in both x- and y- rotational axes. Preliminary optical-phased-array beam steering results are also demonstrated.
The microstructural engineering of Mo-Si-B alloys produced by reaction synthesis

Mo-Si-B alloys are candidate materials for next-generation jet engine turbine blades and have the potential to increase the service temperature of the base metals 200°C higher than nickel superalloys. These refractory alloys form a composite microstructure of molybdenum solid Solution (Moss and two intermetallic phases, Mo3Bi and Mo5SiB2, where the Moss phase enhances toughness and the intermetallic phases provide oxidation resistance. The properties of the alloys are highly dependent on the morphology of the microstructure. A powder processing approach has been developed to synthesize the three-phase alloys through the reaction of molybdenum, Si3N4 and BN powders. Electron backscatter diffraction imaging has been used to map the location of individual phases and provide a method for quantifying the Cluster size distribution of a secondary phase to examine the effect of BN reactant powders on the dispersion of the intermetallic phases.
Chlordiazepoxide-induced discrimination impairment

Chlordiazepoxide (5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg but not 2.5 mg/kg) administered on 10 successive sessions, significantly impaired the reinforcement-cued discrimination performance of male Sprague-Dawley rats. On three postdrug (saline) recovery sessions, groups previously treated with the drug demonstrated good recovery in discrimination performance. An analysis of response components indicated that the discrimination impairment was due to less inhibition of responding during "no-go" phases of the task by the drugged than control animals. While changes in responding during reinforcement phases may also contribute to the performance of drugged animals, no clear pattern emerges from the present study.
Causal diagrams for empirical legal research: a methodology for identifying causation, avoiding bias and interpreting results

In this paper we introduce methodology-causal directed acyclic graphs-that empirical researchers can use to identify causation, avoid bias, and interpret empirical results. This methodology has become popular in a number of disciplines, including statistics, biostatistics, epidemiology and computer science, but has yet to appear in the empirical legal literature. Accordingly we outline the rules and principles underlying this new methodology and then show how it can assist empirical researchers through both hypothetical and real-world examples found in the extant literature. While causal directed acyclic graphs are certainly not a panacea for all empirical problems, we show they have potential to make the most basic and fundamental tasks, such as selecting covariate controls, relatively easy and straightforward.
The Sequencing of Audit Evidence: Its Impact on the Extent of Audit Testing and Report Formulation

Abstract Auditing is a sequential process in which an auditor evaluates pieces of evidence relative to audit assertions. Hogarth and Einhorn (1992) have recently developed a descriptive model of the belief revision process which predicts a recency effect when a short series of complex, mixed evidence is evaluated. A number of studies in auditing have found such effects in auditors ‘belief revisions. An unanswered question, however, is whether such recency effects lead to different actions on the part of auditors. Two experiments were conducted to determine whether recency effects found in the auditors’ belief revisions lead to different actions. The results show that recency effects occurred but that they do not appear to result in different levels of audit testing or in the issue of different audit reports.
Unsteady Effects of Dissociative Cooling Under High-Stagnation-Point Heat Loads

By embedding a solid dissociating material into the porous outer structure of a projectile subjected to highstagnation-point heating, internal cooling may be achieved from the dissociation of the heated material and by the subsequent outgassing of the products. Ammonium chloride, NH 4Cl, which absorbs substantial energy upon dissociation into ammonia and hydrogen chlorideat temperatures over613 K, is the principalmaterial considered. Stagnation-pointheattransfersolutionsfortheinjectionofthedissociationproductsofNH 4Clhavebeendeveloped and are coupled to a model of the internal heat and mass transfer through the porous medium to calculate the transient temperature proe lesduring thee ight of the body. Results show that dissociativecooling has the potential to slow the rate of temperature rise of the body. Nomenclature ci = mass fraction of species i cp = specie c heat per unit mass at constant pressure, J/kg¢K N cp = mass average specie c heat of gas mixture, J/kg ¢K D = binary diffusion coefe cient, m 2 /s h = enthalpy, J/kg j = diffusive mass e ux, kg/m 2 ¢ s K = permeability, m 2 k = thermal conductivity, W/m ¢ K M = molar mass P M = blowing parameter, ΩwAw= p Ωeπe· P m = mass e ow rate, kg/m 2 ¢ s P N = molar e ux, mol/s ¢ m 2 Nu = Nusselt number, qwx=.Te i Tw/k
The association of two invasive shrubs, common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and Tartarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica), with oak communities in the midwestern United States

Oak forests throughout North America are declining due to changes in disturbance regimes that have led to increased competition from other tree and shrub species. We evaluated associations between ...
Source Apportionment of Lead Contamination in Residential, Undisturbed, and Roadside Soil (Part II)

Lead (Pb) and antimony (Sb) concentrations in bulk soils and results of individual particle analysis were used to obtain apportionment estimates of identifiable sources of anthropogenic Pb contamination in residential and undisturbed soils. Soil was analyzed from residential and undisturbed wooded areas, an adjacent automobile battery manufacturing facility, and a roadside 2.4 km from the site. Sb in bulk soil was used in apportionment estimates because Sb occurred with Pb originating from the battery facility. Average Pb concentrations in roadside soil were used to obtain estimates of maximum Pb portions attributable to automobile exhaust in residential and undisturbed soils. Data from Pb-Sb-Sn particles and Pb-oxide particles provided apportionment estimates of Pb contamination similar to that derived from bulk soil concentrations. Estimates indicated most (> 80%) of the Pb contamination in residential and undisturbed wooded area soils originated from the neighboring battery facility. Less than a few pe...
Evidence that a glucose-mediated rise in cyclic AMP triggers germination ofPilobolus longipes spores

Abstract Spores ofPilobolus longipes incubated in phosphate buffer were activated within 5–10 min following the addition of either glucose or 6-deoxyglucose. Cyclic AMP content increased in response to glucose or 6-deoxyglucose, and the increase consistently preceded spore activation. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP also caused activation. The phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) did not cause activation, but, when added to spores with a suboptimal level of 6-deoxyglucose, it amplified the signal to produce a large increase in activation. IBMX increased intracellular cyclic AMP levels when it was applied with 6-deoxyglucose, but had no effect when it was applied alone. Phosphodiesterase activities in cell extracts from dormant and activated spores were not significantly different. These results indicate that the rise in cyclic AMP that follows exposure to glucose may play an important role in triggering spore germination.
Modelling the kinetics of hepatitis C virus RNA decline over 4 weeks of treatment with pegylated interferon α‐2b

Viral kinetic models for hepatitis C virus (HCV) have generally assumed that the effectiveness of therapy in blocking virion production, epsilon, is constant. However, with pegylated interferon alpha-2b (PEG-IFN) given weekly, there are significant changes in drug concentration between doses that may lead to changes in drug effectiveness and viral rebounds towards the end of the dosing interval. Here we investigate the effects of using a model that assumes a constant effectiveness for studies involving PEG-IFN. We simulated PEG-IFN treatment in a population of 294 computer simulated 'patients', each characterized by a different set of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters. We then sampled the simulated treatment data over 4 weeks with a schedule similar to that used in viral kinetic studies, and fitted a viral kinetic model assuming constant drug effectiveness, the CE model, to that data. Although the CE model was able to fit to the data well in most cases, the parameter estimates obtained scattered widely both above and below the true values. Thus, this model is less useful to analyse HCV RNA data during therapy with PEG-IFN than with standard IFN given daily. With PEG-IFN accurate estimation of viral dynamic parameters necessitates concomitant measurements of serum viral load and drug concentration.
Sex differences in fear-induced feeding cessation: Prolonged effect in female rats

Fear inhibits food intake. Cessation of eating in anticipation of danger is an adaptive response that prepares an organism for an imminent threat, but it could become maladaptive when persistent. To begin to examine the underlying mechanisms, we developed an animal model for fear-cue induced inhibition of feeding. In that preparation, food-deprived rats stop eating when presented with a tone that signals a foot-shock based on prior associations. Here, we examined whether there are sex differences in adult male and female rats. We found that female rats showed sustained fear-cue induced feeding inhibition compared to males during the extinction. During the first of four extinction tests with tone presentations, both male and female rats showed similar, robust cessation of eating. Rats of both sexes that previously received tone-shock pairings ate significantly less than the control rats that received tones without shocks during training. Male rats extinguished this behavior during the second test, while females continued to show the effect during the second and third tests, and extinguished during the fourth test. The findings provide a novel framework for investigation of sex differences in the control of feeding and the underlying brain substrates. The animal model may also be informative for understanding human eating and associated disorders. In particular, the potential contribution of fear in the maintenance of low food intake in anorexia nervosa is hypothesized.
Terrorism, altruism, and patriotism: An examination of children’s letters to Santa Claus, 1998–2002

One annual tradition that children participate in is writing letters to Santa Claus. While parents and teachers pass on the general “rules” for the letters, the children often dictate the contents. The current study focused on whether the letters to Santa have changed over the years, especially in light of recent terrorist actions (for example, on the World Trade Center and Pentagon), and if so, how. Although many aspects of the letters to Santa have remained the same across the years, results indicated that requests for gifts for other people and the number of patriotic sentiments and drawings increased in 2001 and 2002. Also, compared to the year 2000, fewer gifts were requested in 2001. Santa Claus appears to be conceptualized as part demigod, part social worker, and part grandfather. The letters to Santa Claus provide a provocative and insightful look into the everyday life and world events that impact children.
Crack Suppression in Strongly Bonded Homogeneous/Heterogeneous Laminates: A Study on Glass/Glass-Ceramic Bilayers

A study is made of a glass/glass-ceramic bilayer as a model homogeneous/heterogeneous laminate. The underlying objective is microstructural design of ceramic layer systems with optimum mechanical properties, alternating hard layers, for wear resistance, with tough layers, for fracture resistance. Mica flakes in the glass-ceramic layer inhibit the propagation of well-developed intrusive cracks, by bridging; these same flakes render the structure susceptible to distributed damage, by providing discrete weakness at the microstructural level. A major distinguishing feature of the bilayer design is the incorporation of a strong interface, so that cracks are inhibited by the underlayer rather than deflected between the layers. Vickers and Hertzian indentation tests on specimen cross sections demonstrate the capacity of the glass-ceramic layer to arrest radial and cone cracks penetrating from the adjacent glass layer. Additional Hertzian tests on the outer surfaces of glass layers in a coating/substrate configuration show diffuse damage accumulation in the glass-ceramic substrate layers. This diffuse damage absorbs energy and shields cone cracks in the glass from the applied loading. Implications concerning the design of damage-tolerant laminate structures are discussed.
Potential of chemosynthesis in molluscan mariculture

Abstract The large edible clam Codakia orbicularis lives in sulfide-rich environments in subtropical regions. It possesses simplified gills, palps, and digestive systems. Gill tissues contain intracellular procaryotic cells and yield enzyme activities associated with sulfide oxidation, carbon fixation, and nitrogen reduction. Together with carbon-13 depletion values, these findings suggest chemoautotrophic capabilities similar to those of deep-sea hydrothermal vent animals. Reproduction, growth rates, and chemical composition of C. orbicularis are similar to other commercially exploited clams. The potential for mariculture using industrial sulfur waste products is evident, but needs to be demonstrated.
Role of sorbed and lattice oxygen in propylene oxidation catalyzed by silica-supported bismuth molybdate

Abstract By using gaseous oxygen-18, the oxidation of propylene on a bismuth molybdate catalyst has been shown to include sorbed oxygen at low catalyst temperatures and predominantly oxygen from the lattice at higher temperatures at which oxygen-ion mobility in the lattice becomes appreciable. The oxygen atoms of oxygen-18-enriched carbon dioxide exchanged very rapidly with lattice oxygen and participated in oxidation of propylene to labeled acrolein. In the heterogeneous oxidation of allyl alcohol, the original oxygen in allyl alcohol is found in the acrolein product.
Global Maximization of a Convex Function with Linear Inequality Constraints

This paper presents an algorithm for the global maximization of a convex function subject to linear inequality constraints. It is computationally finite and is designed to converge rapidly on problems in which there are few local optima or the global optimum is significantly better than most of the other local optima.
A soluble 3,5-dinitrotyrosine aminotransferase from rabbit liver which catalyzes the transamination of thyroid hormone.

Abstract A soluble enzyme which catalyzes the transamination of 3,5-dinitrotyrosine has been purified 300-fold from rabbit liver. Triiodothyronine, thyroxine and iodinated tyrosines were also found to serve as substrates. The activities for transamination of dinitrotyrosine and triiodothyronine migrated together during polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme preparation, indicating that the same enzyme catalyzes the transamination of both substrates.
Multi-functional airborne external hazard monitoring radar with antenna diversity

An airborne radar sensing technology for detecting and monitoring of multiple types of external hazards is investigated. Antennas with spatial and polarimetry diversity are adopted in the radar sensor to support the comprehensive hazard monitoring requirements. A knowledge-aided joint space-time processing approach is developed for monitoring wind hazard as well as estimating target direction and Doppler spectrum simultaneously. The hazard microphysics information can be retrieved through polarimetric data processing. In addition to the intelligent processing algorithms, the system design and the tradeoffs are considered.
Validating Trauma-Specific Frailty Index for Geriatric Trauma Patients: A Prospective Analysis

Background The Frailty Index has been shown to predict discharge disposition in geriatric patients. The aim of this study was to validate the modified 15-variable Trauma-Specific Frailty Index (TSFI) to predict discharge disposition in geriatric trauma patients. We hypothesized that TSFI can predict discharge disposition in geriatric trauma patients. Study Design We performed a 2-year (2011–2013) prospective analysis of all geriatric trauma patients presenting to our Level I trauma center. Patient discharge disposition was dichotomized into unfavorable (discharge to skilled nursing facility or death) and favorable (discharge to home or rehabilitation center) discharge disposition. Patients were evaluated using the developed 15-variable TSFI. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors that predict unfavorable discharge disposition. Results A total of 200 patients were enrolled for validation of TSFI. Mean age was 77 ± 12.1 years, median Injury Severity Score was 15 (interquartile range [IQR] 9 to 20), median Glasgow Coma Scale score was 14 (IQR 13 to 15), and median Frailty Index score was 0.20 (IQR 0.17 to 0.28); 29.5% (n = 59) patients had unfavorable discharge. After adjusting for age, sex, Injury Severity Score, Head Abbreviated Injury Scale, and vitals on admission, Frailty Index (odds ratio = 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.5) was the only significant predictor for unfavorable discharge disposition. Age (odds ratio = 1.2; 95% CI, 0.9–3.1; p = 0.2) was not predictive of unfavorable discharge disposition. Conclusions The 15-variable TSFI is an independent predictor of unfavorable discharge disposition in geriatric trauma patients. The Trauma-Specific Frailty Index is an effective tool that can aid clinicians in planning discharge disposition of geriatric trauma patients. Level of Evidence II Prognostic Studies−Investigating the Effect of a Patient Characteristic on the Outcome of Disease.
Effect of thyroid hormone on growth: Lessons from the syndrome of resistance to thyroid hormone

Thyroid hormone deprivation results in deleterious effects on bone growth. The delayed bone development is mediated by a direct effect of thyroid hormone on bone and an indirect effect of the hormone on GH release and IGF-1 action. Both TR alpha and TR beta are expressed in bone cells. To examine the role of TR beta on bone, we have reviewed the growth abnormalities in the human syndrome of RTH caused by mutations in the TR beta gene. The mutant TR beta reduces the tissue responsiveness to thyroid hormone, producing in some tissues variable degrees of thyroid hormone deprivation. With regard to bone, relative thyroid hormone deficiency caused by the mutant TR beta produces short stature and delayed bone growth but does not attenuate growth to the extent that absolute thyroid hormone deficiency does. These observations indicate that an intact TR beta is required for normal bone development and growth.
Black Power in Chicago: An Historical Overview of Class Stratification and Electoral Politics in a Black Urban Community

The 1983 election of Harold Washington as mayor of Chicago represented the fruition of black social reform currents within the city's turbulent political history. Black Chicago was dominated for decades by Republican and Democratic machines. Economically, blacks experienced permanently high unemployment rates and severe income inequality. Initially, black middle class leaders followed a policy of accommodation to the dominant economic and political interests. This strategy was overturned in the 1970s and 1980s, as black reformist elites, workers and the unemployed used the electoral system to challenge the status quo. The long-term success of Washington will depend upon a continued mass mobilization of black labor.
Ghostly Girls in the "Eerie Bush": Helen Oyeyemi's The Icarus Girl as Postcolonial Female Gothic Fiction

in his study African Oral Literature, isidore Okpewho describes the Yoruba oral tradition of “tales told by hunters of extraordinary confrontations with supernatural creatures and spirits in the eerie bush” (305). a haunted forest or wasteland, the bush is a symbolic space where solitary male protagonists test their mettle and, implicitly, their masculinity. Okpewho goes on to discuss the bush as an important site and source for modern Yoruba writers such as D. O. Fagunwa and Amos Tutuola. Fagunwa’s first and best-known novel, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale, was published in Yoruba in 1938 and translated into English as Forest of a Thousand Daemons by Wole soyinka in 1968. The most famous examples from Tutuola’s oeuvre are The Palm-Wine Drinkard (1952) and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1954). This article focuses on a recent addition to this trajectory of fantastical Yoruba writing on the bush. Helen Oyeyemi arguably ushers this historically male tradition into the new millennium with her debut novel The Icarus Girl (2005). like her literary predecessors, Oyeyemi characterizes the bush as a treacherous realm that must be carefully navigated. Specifically, the child protagonist Jessamy Harrison, a surviving twin, must traverse the bush in order to restore balance to her soul. also like the bush landscapes of earlier writers, Oyeyemi’s “wilderness of the mind” integrates Yoruba belief systems with Western myths, literatures, and technologies. In imagining a twenty-first-century version of the bush, Oyeyemi answers the call of the anonymous scribe at the end of Fagunwa’s Forest of a Thousand Daemons: “You men and women of Yorubaland, the wisdom of others teaches us not to think an elder a madman—put the story of this book to wise use” (139). Oyeyemi puts the paradigmatic stories of her Yoruba “elders” to “wise use” and creates her own next generation narrative of the bush. admittedly, Fagunwa’s Forest of a Thousand Daemons and Tutuola’s The PalmWine Drinkard and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts cannot be considered postcolonial novels in a temporal sense (post-1960 when Nigeria gained independence) and they are rarely considered postcolonial novels in the academic sense of “writing back” to European stereotypes and models. Nonetheless, these texts engage with and
Dopamine D1 and D5 Receptors Modulate Spike Timing-Dependent Plasticity at Medial Perforant Path to Dentate Granule Cell Synapses

Although evidence suggests that DA modulates hippocampal function, the mechanisms underlying that dopaminergic modulation are largely unknown. Using perforated-patch electrophysiological techniques to maintain the intracellular milieu, we investigated how the activation of D1-type DA receptors regulates spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) of the medial perforant path (mPP) synapse onto dentate granule cells. When D1-type receptors were inhibited, a relatively mild STDP protocol induced LTP only within a very narrow timing window between presynaptic stimulation and postsynaptic response. The stimulus protocol produced timing-dependent LTP (tLTP) only when the presynaptic stimulation was followed 30 ms later by depolarization-induced postsynaptic action potentials. That is, the time between presynaptic stimulation and postsynaptic response was 30 ms (Δt = +30 ms). When D1-type receptors were activated, however, the same mild STDP protocol induced tLTP over a much broader timing window: tLTP was induced when −30 ms ≤ Δt ≤ +30 ms. The result indicated that D1-type receptor activation enabled synaptic potentiation even when postsynaptic activity preceded presynaptic stimulation within this Δt range. Results with null mice lacking the Kv4.2 potassium channel and with the potassium channel inhibitor, 4-aminopyridine, suggested that D1-type receptors enhanced tLTP induction by suppressing the transient IA-type K+ current. Results obtained with antagonists and DA receptor knock-out mice indicated that endogenous activity of both D1 and D5 receptors modulated plasticity in the mPP. The DA D5 receptors appeared particularly important in regulating plasticity of the mPP onto the dentate granule cells.
Heights of convex polytopes

Abstract : Though phrased in geometric terms, this report is concerned with the comparative efficiency of various pivot rules for the simplex method of linear programming, in which one seeks to maximize a linear objective function by moving along the edges of the feasible region. The following three rules are considered: (1) from the vertex v, survey the adjacent vertices until a vertex w is found for which the linear function of v is less than that for w, then move to w and continue the process; (2) from the vertex v, survey all of the adjacent vertices in order to find one, say w, at which the linear function has the greatest value; then move to w and continue the process; (3) from the vertex v, survey all of the adjacent vertices in order to find one, say w, for which the slope has the greatest value; then move to w and continue the process. (Author)
An Interpersonal Analysis of Rorschach Aggression Variables in a Normal Sample

This study investigated the relationship between Rorschach aggression variables and a self-report measure of interpersonal control and aggression (Structural Analysis of Social Behavior), rated for best and worst states, with 50 college students using forward stepwise regression analyses. Aggressive Movement (AG) was related to the report of self-attack for the best state ratings. The following findings were significant for the worst state ratings. AG was related to viewing the other as reacting as if attacked but the self as acting more affiliatively to the other. Aggressive Past (AgPast) was related to reacting to the other more submissively. A combined Aggressive Potential (AgPot)/Aggressive Content (AgC) variable was related to viewing the other as reacting less submissively and acting more dominantly. AgC was related to viewing the other as reacting less submissively. Methodological limitations are discussed, including potential problems regarding social desirability for the self-report aggression measure.
The effect of stimulus element redundancy on speed of discrimination as a function of state and process limitation

The effect of spatially repeated stimulus elements on the speed of discrimination, measured in a sorting task, was determined under conditions of low stimulus visibility (state limitation) and high stimulus similarity (process limitation). A significant increase in speed of sorting stimuli was found when the stimuli were state limited but not when process limited, even though base speeds were the same in both cases. It is concluded that element redundancy will improve discrimination performance only when the need for the improvement is a state limitation.
Second order associative memory models with threshold logics - eigen mode selections

The capacity of an order-d associative memory model is O(Nd /logN) where N is the memory size in bit. The exponential growth of the capacity with respect to d gives higher order models (d > 1) a significant advantage over the Hopfield network, whose capacity is limited to O(N/logN). In particular, a second order correlation memory (d = 2) has attractive properties: a small implementation cost of O(N2), a small number of spurious states, and the presence of a diagonalization form. Due to these properties, it is of both practical and scientific interests to investigate biological feasibility of such network. One disadvantage of higher order associative memory is that it cannot be implemented with simple threshold neurons or McCulloch-Pitts neurons, thus a direct implementation of its computational mechanism on a biological substrate is questionable. In this paper, we propose two approximation models of a second order associative memory using threshold logics. Both are two-layered and employ eigenvalue decomposition of the correlation tensor. The first model uses a winner-take-all mechanism and the second uses a multiple selection mechanism. Extensive numerical simulations demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed models.
Ecological Genetics and the Restoration of Plant Communities: Mix or Match?

We present a conceptual framework for choosing native plant material to be used in restoration projects on the basis of ecological genetics. We evaluate both the likelihood of rapid establishment of plants and the probability of long-term persistence of restored or later successional communities. In addition, we consider the possible harmful effects of restoration projects on nearby ecosystems and their native resident populations. Two attributes of the site to be restored play an important role in determining which genetic source will be most appropriate: (1) degree of disturbance and (2) size of the disturbance. Local plants or plants from environments that “match” the habitat to be restored are best suited to restore sites where degree of disturbance has been low. Hybrids or “mixtures” of genotypes from different sources may provide the best strategy for restoring highly disturbed sites to which local plants are not adapted. Cultivars that have been modified by intentional or inadvertent selection have serious drawbacks. Nevertheless, cultivars may be appropriate when the goal is rapid recovery of small sites that are highly disturbed.
A recap of the 2011 ISPI University Case Study Competition

The 2011 International Society for Performance Improvement University Human Performance Technology Case Study Competition challenged teams of graduate students from three universities to apply their theoretical knowledge to a real-world scenario. This article examines the challenge from the perspective of the 2011 winning team from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
The costs of services and employment outcomes achieved by adults with autism in the US

This article examines the cost of services and employment outcomes obtained by adults with autism within the United States vocational rehabilitation (VR) system. It found that the number of such individuals has increased by more than 121 percent from 2002 to 2006. Moreover, though adults with autism were employed at higher rates than most disability groups investigated, they tended to work far fewer hours and earn less in wages per week. The study also found that adults with autism were among the most costly individuals to serve.
Ganglionitis and genetic cardiac arrhythmias: more questions than answers.

In 1968, Zipes et al1 reported surgical sympathectomy for the control of ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with ischemic heart disease. In 1971, our research group reported the effectiveness of surgical left cervicothoracic sympathetic ganglionectomy for the treatment of a patient with long-QT syndrome (LQTS) who experienced recurrent syncope related to ventricular tachyarrhythmias.2 This patient is still alive 43 years later without recurrent cardiac events, and she, her daughter, and her grandson have genotype-confirmed type-1 LQTS. In 1995, we reported the use of this ganglionectomy technique in 10 patients with LQTS.3 In all these patients, the removed lower half of the left stellate ganglion and the second and third left thoracic ganglia were reported as normal by routine histological analysis by our pathologists. Subsequently, this ganglionectomy technique, now called left cardiac sympathetic denervation, has been performed in several arrhythmia centers throughout the world. The major investigators who have reported their ganglionectomy experience in addition to ourselves include Drs Schwartz et al4 and Collura et al,5 and in none of the published reports have ganglionitis been reported in the removed stellate or thoracic ganglia. Article see p 224 In the current publication by Rizzo et al6 from the Amsterdam group, the lower half of the left stellate ganglion and the left second through fourth thoracic ganglia were removed through a videoscopic transthoracic approach in 8 patients with LQTS and 4 patients with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). All patients were severely symptomatic before the ganglionectomy …
Stakeholder Theory, Value, and Firm Performance

This paper argues that the notion of value has been overly simplified and narrowed to focus on economic returns. Stakeholder theory provides an appropriate lens for considering a more complex perspective of the value that stakeholders seek as well as new ways to measure it. We develop a four-factor perspective for defining value that includes, but extends beyond, the economic value stakeholders seek. To highlight its distinctiveness, we compare this perspective to three other popular performance perspectives. Recommendations are made regarding performance measurement for both academic researchers and practitioners. The stakeholder perspective on value offered in this paper draws attention to those factors that are most closely associated with building more value for stakeholders, and in so doing, allows academics to better measure it and enhances managerial ability to create it.