cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The synaptology of parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in the primate prefrontal cortex

Electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry with a monoclonal antibody against parvalbumin (PV) were combined to analyze the distribution and morphology of PV-immunoreactive (PV-IR) neurons and the synaptology of PV-IR processes in the principal sulcus of the macaque prefrontal cortex. Parvalbumin-IR neurons are present in layers II-VI of the macaque principal sulcus (Walker's area 46) and are concentrated in a band centered around layer IV. PV-IR cells are exclusively non-pyramidal in shape and are morphologically heterogeneous with soma sizes ranging from less than 10 microns to greater than 20 microns. Well-labeled neurons that could be classified on the basis of soma size and dendritic configuration resembled large basket and chandelier cells. A novel finding is that supragranular PV-IR neurons exhibit dendritic patterns with predominantly vertical orientations, whereas infragranular cells exhibit mostly horizontal or oblique dendritic orientations. PV-IR cells within layer IV exhibit a mixture of dendritic arrangements. Vertical rows of PV-IR puncta, 15-30 microns in length, resembling the "cartridges" of chandelier cell axons were most dense in layers II, superficial III, and the granular layer IV but were not observed in the infragranular layers. Cartridges were often present beneath unlabeled, presumed pyramidal cells. PV-IR puncta also formed pericellular nests around pyramidal cell somata and proximal dendrites, suggestive of basket cell innervation. PV-IR axons were occasionally observed in the white matter underlying the principal sulcus. Electron microscopic analysis revealed that PV-IR somata and dendrites are densely innervated by nonimmunoreactive terminals forming asymmetric (Gray type I) synapses as well as by fewer terminals forming symmetric (Gray type II) synapses. The majority of terminals forming symmetric synapses with PV-IR post-synaptic structures were not immunolabeled; however, some of these boutons did contain PV-immunoreactivity. PV-IR boutons exclusively form symmetric synapses and heavily innervate layer II/III pyramidal cells. PV-IR axon cartridges formed numerous axo-axonic synapses with the axon initial segments of pyramidal cells 15-20 microns beneath the axon hillock and also terminated on large axonal spines of the initial segment. Furthermore, we failed to observe a mixture of PV-immunoreactive and non-immunoreactive boutons composing a single axon cartridge. Pyramidal cell somata and proximal dendrites were also heavily innervated by PV-IR boutons forming symmetric synapses, again, consistent with basket cell innervation. In addition, PV-IR axon terminals frequently formed symmetric synapses with dendritic shafts and spines of unidentified neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Charge Inversion and Layer-by-Layer Deposition of Non-Polymeric Macroions

We present a model for the adsorption of charged rigid macroions such as dendrimers on oppositely charged substrates, accounting for small ion penetration into the adsorbed layers. We find that the first layer thickness and adsorbed amount decrease with salinity, but the degree of overcharging is maximized at a finite salt concentration. The thickness of subsequent layers is independent of the number of layers, nearly independent of the substrate charge, and decreases mildly with salinity.
Managing pain to prevent aggression in people with dementia: A nonpharmacologic intervention

Aggression is a common form of behavioral disturbance in dementia. Strategies to prevent and treat aggressive behavior are underdeveloped. However, recent work points to several modifiable risk factors that may be targets for intervention. Pain management is an evidence-based, feasible, but potentially underused, strategy that may be incorporated with other behavioral interventions to prevent aggression. In this article, we review areas of overlap in interventions for pain and for behavioral disturbances and describe an intervention concept that may hold promise for older adults with dementia who are at risk of developing aggressive behavior.
Between east and west: Archaeology in the new eastern Europe

The collapse of Communism in eastern Europe has led to significant changes in the research climate for archaeology. Traditional sources of funds have evaporated while others are becoming available. Personnel have changed and many institutions find themselves in a precarious position. Nonetheless, archaeological research has continued throughout the waning days of the People's Democracies and into the new era of market economies. This article surveys the state of archaeological research in eastern Europe between the Elbe and the Pripet Marshes and between the Baltic and the Adriatic during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Parameters of stimulation of RNA synthesis and characterization by hybridization in a molluscan neuron.

Abstract Evidence has accumulated that synaptic activation enhances the incorporation of labeled uridine into Aplysia neuronal RNA. This paper reports evidence which indicates that the enhanced synthesis is: (1) linear with time, (2) is correlated with duration and, to a lesser degree, with frequency of stimulation, and (3) is reversed by the cessation of the stimulus. Efforts to characterize further the RNA which contains the increased label suggest that it is one of the less methylated species and that its hybridization characteristics differ from the RNA of the unstimulated neuron. These results, and others, lead us to conclude that any neuronal plastic changes, whose onset occurs in much less than 1 h, are unlikely to involve changes at the transcriptional level.
Purification and characterization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors from muscle

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor was purified from normal and denervated rat skeletal muscle. The purification protocol included α-cobratoxin biospecific adsorption, ion exchange chromatography, and gel filtration steps. The highest specific activity achieved was 7.5 pmol of 125I-α-bungarotoxin binding sites per μg protein.Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of purified AChR revealed subunits with molecular weights of 42,000 and 66,000 daltons and a minor component with a molecular weight of 52,000 daltons. Normal muscle AChR is comprised of one toxin binding component. Upon denervation a second component appears, but both components are increased as a consequence of denervation. A dissociation constant of 1.5 × 10-8M was determined for dtubocurarine from receptor from both normal and denervated muscle. A dissociation constant of 1 × 10-7M for acetylcholine, perhaps analogous to the high affinity acetylcholine binding observed in electric fish receptor, was determined.
Multi-layered nanoparticles for combination gene and drug delivery to tumors

Drug resistance and toxicity are major obstacles in cancer chemotherapy. Combination therapies can overcome resistance, and synergies can minimize dosing. Polymer nanocarriers are interesting vehicles for cancer therapeutics for their delivery and tumor targeting abilities. We synthesized a multi-layered polymer nanoparticle (MLNP), comprising of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) with surface polyethyleneimine and functional peptides, for targeted drug and gene delivery. We confirmed the particle's ability to inhibit tumor growth through synergistic action of the drug and gene product. MLNPs achieved transfection levels similar to lipofectamine, while maintaining minimal cytotoxicity. The particles delivered camptothecin (CPT), and plasmid encoding TNF related apoptosis inducing ligand (pTRAIL) (CT MLNPs), and synergistically inhibited growth of multiple cancer cells in vitro. The synergy of co-delivering CPT and pTRAIL via CT MLNPs was confirmed using the Chou-Talalay method: the combination index (CI) values at 50% inhibition ranged between 0.31 and 0.53 for all cell lines. Further, co-delivery with MLNPs resulted in a 3.1-15 fold reduction in CPT and 4.7-8.0 fold reduction in pTRAIL dosing. CT MLNPs obtained significant HCT116 growth inhibition in vivo compared to monotherapy. These results support our hypothesis that MLNPs can deliver both small molecules and genetic agents towards synergistically inhibiting tumor growth.
Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) Cell Clustering Does Not Correlate With In Vivo Histamine-Sensitization When Measuring Residual Activity of Aldehyde-Treated Pertussis Toxin (PT)

Abstract CHO cell clustering test failed to detect a reversion to PT toxicity of a commercial DTaP vaccine batch that failed to pass the test for reversion to histamine sensitizing (HS) activity. Efficacy of CHO cell clustering assay was, accordingly, evaluated using purified PT treated with graded concentrations of formaldehyde at 37° C for 24 h. The formaldehyde-treated PT was shown to lose CHO cell clustering activity to the level of 0·01% by the mild treatment while retaining 3·7–20·3% of HS activity which were far over the levels of commercial vaccines. When a reversion to toxicity of the aldehyde-detoxified PT was examined by incubating at 37° C for three weeks, CHO cell clustering test again failed to detect the reversion to toxicity of the PT which showed a remarkable reversion to HS activity. These findings suggested that CHO cell clustering test might have an efficacy limitation in predicting in vivo activity of aldehyde-treated PT. Copyright 2002 The International Association for Biologicals. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .
Presence of T4 "early" messenger RNA on polysomes late in infection.

Hybridization of T4 pulse-labeled RNA to denatured DNA was used to determine whether “early” messenger RNA is found in association with polyribosomes at late times after infection. Results indicate that almost all classes of “early” messenger RNA are attached to polysomes late in infection, and that the distribution of “early” and late messenger RNA on late polysomes is similar.
Predictors of local recurrence after rituximab-based chemotherapy alone in stage III and IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: guiding decisions for consolidative radiation.

Purpose The role of consolidative radiation therapy (RT) for stage III and IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the era of rituximab is not well defined. There is evidence that some patients with bulky disease may benefit, but patient selection criteria are not well established. We sought to identify a subset of patients who experienced a high local failure rate after receiving rituximab-based chemotherapy alone and hence may benefit from the addition of consolidative RT. Methods and Materials Two hundred eleven patients with stage III and IV DLBCL treated between August 1999 and January 2012 were reviewed. Of these, 89 had a complete response to systemic therapy including rituximab and received no initial RT. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression were performed, with local recurrence (LR) as the primary outcome. Results The median follow-up time was 43.9 months. Fifty percent of patients experienced LR at 5 years. In multivariate analysis, tumor ≥5 cm and stage III disease were associated with increased risk of LR. The 5-year LR-free survival was 47.4% for patients with ≥5-cm lesions versus 74.7% for patients with P =.01). In patients with P =.10). Conclusions Advanced-stage DLBCL patients with stage III disease or with disease ≥5 cm appear to be at an increased risk for LR. Patients with
Comparison of serum creatinine and serum cystatin C as biomarkers to detect sepsis-induced acute kidney injury and to predict mortality in CD-1 mice

Acute kidney injury (AKI) dramatically increases sepsis mortality, but AKI diagnosis is delayed when based on serum creatinine (SCr) changes, due in part, to decreased creatinine production. During experimental sepsis, we compared serum cystatin C (sCysC), SCr, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) to inulin glomerular filtration rate (iGFR) before or 3–18 h after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis in CD-1 mice. sCysC had a faster increase and reached peak levels more rapidly than SCr in both sepsis and bilateral nephrectomy (BiNx) models. sCysC was a better surrogate of iGFR than SCr during sepsis. Combining sCysC with SCr values into a composite biomarker improved correlation with iGFR better than any biomarker alone or any other combination. We determined the renal contribution to sCysC handling with BiNx. sCysC and SCr were lower post-BiNx/CLP than post-BiNx alone, despite increased inflammatory and nonrenal organ damage biomarkers. Sepsis decreased CysC production in nephrectomized mice without changing body weight or CysC space. Sepsis decreased sCysC production and increased nonrenal clearance, similar to effects of sepsis on SCr. sCysC, SCr, and BUN were measured 6 h postsepsis to link AKI with mortality. Mice with above-median sCysC, BUN, or SCr values 6 h postsepsis died earlier than mice with below-median values, corresponding to a substantial AKI association with sepsis mortality in this model. sCysC performs similarly to SCr in classifying mice at risk for early mortality. We conclude that sCysC detects AKI early and better reflects iGFR in CLP-induced sepsis. This study shows that renal biomarkers need to be evaluated in specific contexts.
The complexity of the pancreatic lipase in human sera

Abstract 1. (1) Three fractions of the pancreatic lipase m human sera have been identified. 2. (2) All 3 fractions were activated by sodium cholate in vitro. Fraction A alone was inhibited in vitro by sodium chloride. Fraction B was inhibited by the intravenous administration of heparin. Fraction C was not affected by the above treatments. 3. (3) Our results suggest that fraction A is not a distinct enzyme, but an activator or cofactor normally present in the human sera. 4. (4) Intravenous administration of heparin should not be given to patients before serum is drawn for lipase determination. 5. (5) Variation of fraction B is probably related to genetic difference.
A self-similar solution for forced convection boundary layer flow of a FENE-P fluid

Abstract Boundary layer flow of a viscoelastic fluid subjected to an external pressure gradient, surface mass flux and nonisothermal surface temperature is considered. We show that for a FENE-P fluid, the flow is governed by a generalized Falkner–Skan equation which admits a similarity solution only when the streamwise coordinate exponent of the inviscid velocity m = 1 / 3 (i.e. for axisymmetric stagnation point flow). We find that skin friction drag decreases while heat transfer at the plate increases as polymer extensibility decreases.
Lower bounds for VLSI

Increased use of Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) for the fabrication of digital circuits has led to increased interest in complexity results on the inherent VLSI difficulty of various problems. Lower bounds have been obtained for problems such as integer multiplication [1,2], matrix multiplication [7], sorting [8], and discrete Fourier transform [9], all within VLSI models similar to one originally developed by Thompson [8,9]. The lower bound results all pertain to a space-time trade-off measure that arises naturally within this model. In this paper, we extend the model and the class of functions for which non-trivial bounds can be proved. In Section 2, we give a more general model than has been proposed previously. In Section 3 we show how to reduce the derivation of lower bounds within the model to a problem in distributed computing In Section 4, we consider lower bounds for a number of predicates: n-input, l-output functions (as contrasted with the n-input, n-output functions which have been studied previously). In Section 5, we show that previous lower bound results (for n-input, n-output functions) also apply even when the model is extended to allow nondeterminism, randomness, and multiple arrivials. Finally, the full details of the results presented here will appear in the final version of this paper.
Pharmacy faculty retirement at colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States and Canada.

Objectives. To examine the work-related activities of full-time faculty members 55 years of age and older; to describe the retirement plans and perceptions of these faculty members; and to examine the factors, perceptions, or conditions that might influence the retirement decision.Methods. Pharmacy faculty members aged 55 years and older in the United States and Canada were invited to participate in an online survey regarding their perceptions on issues related to their retirement planning behavior.Results. Four hundred eighty-eight faculty members completed the survey instrument. The typical respondent worked 50 hours per week on work-related activities, was active in teaching and service, and had published an average of 5 refereed papers during the previous 36 months. The number of articles published was positively related to the respondent's target retirement age. The average anticipated retirement age was 66.6 years, and most respondents participated in a defined benefit plan. The majority would revis...
Lyapunov-based control of an uncertain Euler-Lagrange system with time-varying input delay

This paper examines control of a general class of uncertain nonlinear Euler-Lagrange systems with time-varying input delay and additive bounded disturbances. A Lyapunov-based stability analysis utilizing Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals is provided to prove semi-global uniformly ultimately bounded tracking. Simulation results demonstrate the robustness of the control design with respect to the delay.
New evidence for canine dietary function in Afropithecus turkanensis

Despite considerable post-cranial and cranial morphological overlap with Proconsul, Afropithecus turkanensis is distinguished from that taxon by a suite of anterior dental and gnathic characters shared in common with extant pitheciin monkeys (i.e. low crowned, robust and laterally splayed canines, procumbent incisors, prognathic premaxilla, powerful temporalis muscles, reduced or absent maxillary sinuses, and deep mandibular corpora). Pitheciins are unique among living anthropoids because their canines serve a habitual dietary function and are not strictly influenced by inter-male competition. Given the functional association between pitheciin canine morphological specializations and sclerocarp foraging, a feeding strategy where the hard pericarps of unripe fruit are mechanically deformed by the canines, it has been suggested that Afropithecus may also have used its canines in a dietary context. This is confirmed by quantitative morphometric analyses of Afropithecus canine curvature and basal dimensions demonstrating that Afropithecus and extant pitheciins (Chiropotes, Cacajao) are distinguished from all other anthropoids by pronounced and evenly distributed mesial canine crown contours as well as greater resistance to canine bending in both the mesiodistal and labiolingual axes. In addition, Afropithecus, Chiropotes and Cacajao are also shown to have significantly longer and more curved premaxillae with greater incisor procumbency that effectively isolates the incisor and canine functional complexes. These morphological similarities are a result of convergence and not a shared derived ancestry. Despite their considerable morphological overlap, it is unlikely that Afropithecus and extant pitheciin diets are identical given significant dissimilarities in their post-canine morphology, maximum angular gape and body size. Nevertheless, Afropithecus canine dietary function is unique among hominoids and may have been a key component for the expansion of hominoids into Eurasia at the end of the early Miocene.
IMPROVING FLUOROHYDROCARBON ELASTOMERS FOR CRITICAL SERVICE OFFSHORE WELLHEAD APPLICATIONS BY VARYING FILLER TYPE

Elastomers for oil field seals are often specified by hardness and generic type. The amount and type of filler plus the cure system in these formulations have the most profound influence on the hardness of the compound. The compounder should optimise the formulation for critical offshore wellhead service and not just focus on the hardness specification. This investigation evaluated the influence of the effect of carbon black filler types in fluorohydrocarbon elastomer formulations. These compounds were aged by exposure to fluids which were intended to simulate oil field environments. Changes in the physical properties of these compounds were determined and tabulated for comparison.
Empirical Research in CS Education (Abstract Only)

Over the past several years, there has been a marked increase in empirical validation in research papers presented at the SIGCSE Symposium. This birds-of-a-feather session intends to bring together faculty interested in empirical research in computer science education to share methodologies and techniques, while also continuing the conversation about how to move empirical computer science education research forward. The computer science education (CSEd) research community consists of a large group of passionate CS educators who often contribute to other disciplines of CS research. There has been a trend in other disciplines toward more rigorous and empirical evaluation of various hypotheses. Prior meta-analyses of the then-current state of CSEd research showed a distinct lack of rigor in the top CSEd publication venues, with most papers falling in the general category of experience reports. Our goal is to engage the SIGCSE community in a discussion as to how we can move empirical research in CSEd forward. We hope to help researchers establish connections that will allow them to share research methodologies and challenges.
An improved procedure for the quantitative determination and characterization of sulfatides in rat kidney and brain by high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract A significant improvement has been made in the desulfation step of our previously published HPLC determination of cerebrosides, sulfatides, and monogalactosyi diacylglycerols (Nonaka G. and Kishimoto Y., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 572 (1978) 423–431). Instead of the original two-phase reaction, a solution of trifluoroacetic acid in ethyl acetate is used for the solvolysis in the new method. The revised method was used to determine the levels of cerebrosides and sulfatides in rat kidney. Among four individual glycosphingolipids studied, hydroxysulfatide was present at the highest level (0.7–1.3 nmol/mg of dry tissue), followed by nonhydroxysulfatide (0.3–0.8 nmol/mg of dry tissue). Hydroxycerebroside (0.09–0.16 nmol/mg of dry tissue) and nonhydroxycerebroside (0.03–0.09 nmol/mg of dry tissue) were present in smaller quantities. There appear to be no significant differences between male and female animals of different ages (30–120 days), although the amounts decreased slightly in older animals and there was a higher concentration in female than in male kidney. Tissue size was significantly smaller in females. The homolog composition of rat kidney sulfatide was studied by reverse-phase HPLC, and was found to be significantly different from that reported in human kidney. Rat sulfatides contained fatty acids with a higher degree of saturation and longer chain length. Preliminary studies indicated that rat kidney contained unusually large quantities of C25:1 and C27:1 fatty acids and also that there was more C26:1 than C24:1 acid. In brain of the same animals the ratio of nonhydroxy to hydroxysulfatide decreased with age (1.5:1 in 30-day-old brain; 1:1 at 90 days).
Capturing excellence in applied settings: A participant conceptualizer and praxis explicator role for community psychologists

Community psychology faces a crisis of personpower similar to that which Albee identified in the clinical field four decades ago. It is clear that there are not, and likely never will be, a sufficient number of community psychologists to be able to provide assessment, consultation, and planned change toward facilitating an inclusive psychological sense of community and sound health and prosocial development in all settings that could benefit from such assistance. To help resolve this crisis, an expanded role for community psychologists is proposed: that of participant conceptualizer and praxis explicator. A participant conceptualizer and praxis explicator has the role not only of working within settings to understand and help conceptualize change processes but also of reflecting on action processes that are a part of the setting, of reflecting on theory, and of generating products that share relevant learnings. How action research serves as the methodology that allows the flow and interplay of theory and action to take place also is discussed. Illustrations are drawn from the work of Leonard Bernstein, Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog, and the author's work in area of school-based social competence promotion.
Properties of TiN and TiZrV thin film as a remedy against electron cloud

In many accelerators running positively charged beams, ionization of residual gas and secondary electron emission in the beam pipe will give rise to an electron cloud which can cause beam blow-up or the loss of the circulating beam. One solution to avoid the electron cloud is to ensure that the vacuum wall has low secondary emission yield (SEY). The SEY of thin films of TiN and sputter-deposited non-evaporable getter were measured for a variety of conditions, including the effect of recontamination in an ultra high vacuum environment.
Exploring a Method for Transference Assessment in Group Therapy Using the Social Relations Model: Suggestions for Future Research

This article discusses how group clinicians and researchers might use a methodological and statistical model called the Social Relations Model (SRM) to circumvent common challenges to studying transference in groups. In particular, it examines how this method of transference assessment deals with the distortion aspect of transference and explains how the SRM can be used to better define transference and examine its relationship to the process and outcome of group therapy. Strengths and limitations of the model are examined and future directions for research are suggested.
Investigating the power architectures and circuit topologies for megawatt superfast electric vehicle charging stations with enhanced grid support functionality

In this paper, the power architectures and the power electronics circuit topologies for future megawatt electric vehicle (EV) superfast charging stations with enhanced grid support functionality are discussed and a promising power architecture is proposed. The paper first does a literature research. Based on the literature research, the disadvantages of the existing technologies are identified. A power architecture is proposed for megawatt multifunctional EV charging stations to get over the disadvantages of the existing technologies. The power architecture is integrated with grid energy storage, renewable energy sources and it can carry bidirectional power flows. The proposed power architecture cannot only charge EVs but also simultaneously achieve grid support functions. The proposed power architecture can also achieve high efficiency and high reliability. Bidirectional DC/DC converters, medium frequency transformer design and control scheme are also briefly discussed in the paper. Finally, simulations are conducted to verify the proposed technical approach.
Part V: Other Consequences of Corporate Reputation: Do corporate reputations influence security analyst earnings forecasts? An empirical study

It is often said that good reputations are powerful signals that can help a company get better ratings by analysts, enable premium product prices, and attract better employees. However, empirical evidence proving these assumptions is scarce. The New York conference provided contributions highlighting some of these effects.
Outcomes of reconstructive surgery in pediatric oncology patients: review of 10-year experience.

Background The purpose of our study was to review the role of reconstructive surgery in the management of pediatric oncology patients and to assess patients’ outcomes, including functional status.
Gait Disturbance, Confusion, and Coma in a 93-Year-Old Blind Woman

Physical examination revealed the following: BP, 90/40 mm Hg; pulse, 45 beats/min; temperature, 31°C; and respiration, 14 breaths/min. The patient was obtunded and not able to be aroused. Her pupils were equal and reactive to light. The lungs were clear. A heart examination revealed a systolic ejection murmur. She did not follow commands but moved all extremities upon painful stimuli. Corneal and gag reflexes were present. Deep tendon reflexes were symmetric.
Axonal regeneration in the central nervous system of aplysia californica determined by anterograde transport of biocytin.

Rhythmic biting, a component of consummatory feeding behavior in the sea hare Aplysia californica, is eliminated following bilateral cerebral–buccal connective (CBC) crushes and recovers within 14 days postlesion. To assess axonal regeneration after CBC lesions, we used biocytin backfills of CBCs followed by fluorescence labeling with streptavidin-lissamine rhodamine. Anterograde transport of biocytin showed up to 1 mm of outgrowth by regenerating axons at 3 days postlesion. At 7 days postlesion, the regenerated axons approached or had entered the ipsilateral buccal neuropil and exhibited numerous varicosities; the average rate of axonal growth was 326 μm/day for the longest, most rapidly growing axons labeled in the CBC. The number of varicosities on labeled axons, suggestive of intercellular interactions, was increased dramatically at all times postlesion. At 14 and 20 days postlesion, regenerated axons branched extensively in the ipsilateral buccal neuropil, entered the contralateral buccal neuropil, and entered peripheral nerves on both sides of the midline. At these later times postlesion, some labeled axons encircled unlabeled buccal cell bodies and exhibited branches containing numerous varicosities, indicative of axosomatic contacts. Some regenerating axons were observed in the sheath of the CBC, but the vast majority of labeled axons remained confined to the connective core, as in control preparations. The bilateral projections within the buccal ganglia of labeled cerebral-to-buccal axons and the large number of varicosities present on these processes are indicative of regenerating axons and synapses that likely contribute to the functional recovery of rhythmic biting. J. Comp. Neurol. 406:476–486, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair

Ventral hernias, whether naturally occurring or the result of previous surgery, comprise one of the most common problems confronting general surgeons. As many as 25% of laparotomy incisions develop a hernia over long-term follow-up, which is a difficult problem with many treatment algorithms. Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair has improved over the last decade and has proven to be an effective treatment option. With fewer wound complications and low recurrence rates, it is a useful tool in the surgeon’s armamentarium. Care should be taken regarding patient selection, operative technique, and mesh size to ensure adequate repair of the hernia, thereby preventing recurrence at a later date. The first attempt at a hernia repair has the highest chance of long-term success, so it is important that the surgeon take all the factors into mind before proceeding with operative repair.
A study of the 16O(6Li, t)19Ne reaction

Abstract The reaction 16(6Li, t)19Ne has been employed in the study of 19Ne with 35 and 36 MeV 6Li ions. Triton spectra were obtained covering an excitation energy in 19Ne up to 10 MeV. Some new strongly excited states were found. Angular distributions were obtained between 6° and 39°, in 3° steps. On the basis of the angular distributions and cross sections the following spin and parity assignments were made: 13 2 + , 4.61 MeV; 7 2 + , 5.41 MeV; ( 5 2 − , 7 2 − and ( 9 2 − , 11 2 − , 6.83 MeV, A comparison with the mirror nucleus 19F is made.
Multiple-goal objective functions for optimization of task assignment in complex computer systems

Abstract Complex systems are large applications, typically running on distributed, heterogeneous networks, driven by a number of distinct constraints and desiderata on goals such as performance, real-time behavior, and fault tolerance. These requirements frequently conflict, and satisfaction of these design objectives interacts strongly with assignment of system tasks to processors. The NSWC design framework DESTINATION provides an assignment module which can be used to optimize the system, as measured by the value of a weighted combination of objective cost functions. For even modest-sized systems and networks, assignment space is too large to search exhaustively. We have implemented algorithms which generate heuristically good assignments. However, compile-time evaluation of many interesting design factors, even those clearly related to assignment, is impossible without some estimate of the schedule. We therefore provide approaches for determining a reasonable “pseudo-schedule” for a given system, network, and assignment, and use this to simulate execution in evaluating cost functions.
Social entrepreneurship: Key issues and concepts

Entrepreneurship involves the identification, evaluation, and exploitation of opportunities (Shane & Venkataraman, 2000). In this sense, opportunities represent occasions to bring new products or services into existence such that individuals or organizations are able to sell new outputs at prices higher than their cost of production. (For an excellent review of opportunities and entrepreneurship, see Eckhardt & Shane, 2003.) The implication, of course, in this definition is that the fundamental mission of entrepreneurial activities involves profit generation, and these profits help entrepreneurs to build personal wealth. In recent years social entrepreneurship, a subdiscipline within the field of entrepreneurship, has gained increasing attention from entrepreneurship scholars. Social entrepreneurship involves the recognition, evaluation, and exploitation of opportunities that result in social value — the basic and long-standing needs of society — as opposed to personal or shareholder wealth (Austin, Stevenson, & Wei-Skillern, 2006). Social value has little to do with profits but instead involves the fulfillment of basic and long-standing needs such as providing food, water, shelter, education, and medical services to those members of society who are in need.
On the inference of stochastic regular grammars

The relevance of grammatical inference techniques to the semiautomatic construction from empirical data, of a model of human decision making, is outlined. A grammatical inference problem is presented in which the least complex stochastic regular grammar is sought which describes a given set of strings. An upper bound on the complexity of the best grammar for a given data set is found, and some properties of the grammars which are less complex than the bound are proved. The technique of splitting grammars is used to organize a search of these grammars. An initial grammar is defined, and it is established that any best grammar is obtainable by repeated splitting of the initial grammar. The performance of a program based on these results is described.
Emittance growth due to crab crossing imperfections in electron-ion colliders

Abstract To achieve luminosities ranging from 10 33 to 10 35 cm - 2 s - 1 , future electron–ion colliders require very small beam sizes, together with a large number of bunches. The strong focusing necessary to achieve β -functions as low as 20 cm can only be achieved by placing low- β quadrupoles as close as possible to the interaction point (IP). With the beam energies of the ion and electron beam differing by more than an order of magnitude, beams need to be separated before encountering the first ion low- β quadrupole, which would otherwise greatly defocus the lower-energy electron beam. This beam separation can be achieved by either deflecting the electron beam away from the ion beam by means of magnetic dipole fields, or by introduction of a crossing angle large enough as to provide sufficient separation at the first ion beam quadrupole. While the former scheme results in large amounts of synchrotron radiation generated near or even inside the detector volume, the latter significantly reduces the luminosity due to the relatively large ion bunch length. This luminosity reduction can be overcome by application of a crab crossing scheme, thus re-instating head-on collisions. However, due to the high ion beam energy, crab cavity RF voltages in the range of tens of megavolts are required, scaling linearly with the RF wavelength. It is therefore desirable to choose the crab cavity RF frequency as high as possible, thus reducing the required voltage. This paper examines the effect of the finite crab cavity RF wavelength on beam dynamics in the proposed electron–ion colliders eRHIC [1] , ELIC [2] , and LHeC [3] .
Laparoscopic Resection is Inappropriate in Patients with Known or Suspected Adrenocortical Carcinoma

Complete surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment for patients with adrenocortical cancer (ACC). Use of laparoscopy has been questioned in patients with ACC. This study compares the outcomes of patients undergoing laparoscopic versus open resection (OR) for ACC. A retrospective review (2003–2008) of patients with ACC was performed. Data were collected for demographics, operative and pathologic data, adjuvant therapy, and outcome. Chi-square analysis was performed. Eighty-eight patients (66% women; median age, 47 (range, 18–81) years) were identified. Seventeen patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA). Median tumor size of those who underwent LA was 7.0 (range, 4–14) cm versus 12.3 (range, 5–27) cm for OR. Recurrent disease in the laparoscopic group occurred in 63% versus 65% in the open group. Mean time to first recurrence for those who underwent LA was 9.6 months (±14) versus 19.2 months (±37.5) in the open group (p < 0.005). Fifty percent of patients who underwent LA had positive margins or notation of intraoperative tumor spill versus 18% of those who underwent OR (p = 0.01). Local recurrence occurred in 25% of the laparoscopic group versus 20% in the open group (p = 0.23). Mean follow-up was 36.5 months (±43.6). ACC continues to be a deadly disease, and little to no progress has been made from a treatment standpoint in the past 20 years. Careful and complete surgical resection is of the utmost importance. Although feasible in many cases and tempting, laparoscopic resection should not be attempted in patients with tumors suspicious for or known to be adrenocortical carcinoma.
Synthesis of an enantiomerically pure 2,2,4-trisubstituted cyclobutanone building block by zirconocene-promoted deoxygenative ring contraction of structurally modified 4-vinylfuranosides

Abstract A route to an enantiopure trisubstituted cyclobutanone has been devised. The pursuit of this building block begins with d -glucose and features a zirconocene-promoted ring contraction.
Polite Women at Work: Negotiating Professional Identity Through Strategic Assertiveness

This study explores how women learn effective communication styles through socialization as well as the strategic choices that women make when performing face-threatening acts at work. We argue that communication style choices are gendered and learned primarily through trial and error. We also argue women learn to perform assertiveness in ways that manage the tension between their personal and professional identities, concluding that participants strategically enact assertiveness by consciously considering gender, relationship, context, and goals.
Androgen Receptor Interacts with a Novel MYST Protein, HBO1

The androgen receptor (AR), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, plays a central role in male sexual differentiation and prostate cell proliferation. Results of treating prostate cancer by androgen ablation indicate that signals mediated through AR are critical for the growth of these tumors. Like other nuclear receptors, AR exerts its transcriptional function by binding to cis-elements upstream of promoters and interacting with other transcriptional factors (e.g. activators, repressors and modulators). To determine the mechanism of AR-regulated transcription, we used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify AR-associated proteins. One of the proteins we identified is identical to the human origin recognition complex-interacting protein termed HBO1. A ligand-enhanced interaction between AR and HBO1 was further confirmed in vivo and in vitro. Immunofluorescence experiments showed that HBO1 is a nuclear protein, and Northern blot analysis revealed that it is ubiquitously expressed, with the highest levels present in human testis. HBO1 belongs to the MYST family, which is characterized by a highly conserved C2HC zinc finger and a putative histone acetyltransferase domain. Surprisingly, two yeast members of the MYST family, SAS2 and SAS3, have been shown to function as transcription silencers, despite the presence of the histone acetyltransferase domain. Using a GAL4 DNA-binding domain assay, we mapped a transcriptional repression domain within the N-terminal region of HBO1. Transient transfection experiments revealed that HBO1 specifically repressed AR-mediated transcription in both CV-1 and PC-3 cells. These results indicate that HBO1 is a new AR-interacting protein capable of modulating AR activity. It could play a significant role in regulating AR-dependent genes in normal and prostate cancer cells.
Recurrent stillbirths: A matched case-control study of unexplained stillbirths at term

SummaryThe aim of this study was to assess the recurrent risk of an unexplained stillbirth at term. A total of 75 women who delivered stillbirths were matched for maternal age and parity with 75 controls. After excluding explained stillbirths, matched cases and controls were compared for maternal age, length of gestation, birth weight and ‘interval to next birth’. The main outcome measure was the frequency of recurrence of a stillbirth. Both groups were similar for maternal age and length of gestation. Birth weight was marginally different (odds ratio (OR) = 0.997, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.996, 0.999) and ‘interval to next birth’ was longer (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.00, 1.17). There were no stillbirths in cases and controls at follow-up. We conclude that a woman who has had an unexplained stillbirth at term has no greater risk of recurrence than a matched control. However, the ‘interval to next birth’ was significantly longer.
Operating on critically ill neonates: the OR or the NICU

Advances in neonatal care have resulted in the survival of smaller infants with more complicated medical problems. From a surgical standpoint this has required novel approaches to patient care. Surgical care has evolved in many respects. Procedures performed on premature infants range from elective, minor procedures to major, emergent lifesaving interventions. The emergent nature of these surgical interventions has led to controversies in management. Certain conditions require surgical procedures that are commonly performed at the bedside by pediatric surgical specialists. Under other circumstances, the specific details of management are less uniform with wide variability in approach by different practitioners. The rationale in these cases is primarily driven by personal preference with a paucity of supportive data in the published literature to either support or contradict individual opinion. Nevertheless, the role of bedside procedures appears to be expanding. If these procedures are to be undertaken, significant planning is required to ensure a good outcome for the patient. Prospective data are needed determine which patients may benefit from this approach.
In situ study of the crystallization from amorphous to cubic zirconium oxide : Rietveld and reverse monte carlo analyses

The amorphous-to-cubic (a−c) crystallization of nanoZrO2 in a reducing environment was studied by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Rietveld analysis was performed to study the changes in crystallite size and lattice parameter as the cubic phase emerged. The pair distribution function (PDF) was obtained from the Fourier transformation of the normalized XRD patterns. A reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) simulation was applied to provide details of the local structure during the crystallization process as well as to calculate partial PDFs of Zr−Zr and Zr−O during the crystallization. The number of Zr's next-nearest neighbors of Zr remains 12, whereas the number of O's as nearest neighbors of Zr increases from 6.7 to 7.3 as the material evolves from an amorphous into a cubic structure, suggesting the persistence of a high concentration of oxygen vacancies. These simulated atomic structures show that the local structure of the amorphous phase bears resemblance to the short-range arrangement of cubic ZrO2, consistent with...
Gd-DTPA T1 relaxivity in brain tissue obtained by convection-enhanced delivery, magnetic resonance imaging and emission spectroscopy

A common approach to quantify gadolinium (Gd) contrast agents involves measuring the post-contrast change in T1 rate and then using the constant T1 relaxivity R to determine the contrast agent concentration. Because this method is fast and non-invasive, it could be potentially valuable in many areas of brain research. However, to accurately measure contrast agent concentrations in the brain, the T1 relaxivity R of the specific agent must be accurately known. Furthermore, the macromolecular content and compartmentalization of the brain extracellular space (ECS) are expected to significantly alter R from values measured in aqueous solutions. In this study, the T1 relaxivity R of gadolinium-diethylene-triamine penta-acetic acid (Gd-DTPA) was measured following direct interstitial infusions of three different contrast agent concentrations to the parenchyma of rat brains. Changes in magnetic resonance (MR) T1 values were compared to brain slice concentrations determined with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) to determine R in 15 rats. Additionally, samples of cerebrospinal fluid, blood and urine were analyzed to evaluate possible Gd-DTPA clearance from the brain. The T1 relaxivity R of Gd-DTPA in the brain ECS was measured to be 5.35 (mM s)−1 in a 2.4 T field. This value is considerably higher than estimations used in studies by other groups. Measurements of brain Gd-DTPA tissue concentrations using MRI and ICP-AES demonstrated a high degree of coincidence. Clearance of Gd-DTPA was minimal at the time point immediately after infusion. These results suggest that the environment of the brain does in fact significantly affect Gd T1 relaxivity, and that MRI can accurately measure contrast agent concentrations when this relaxivity is well characterized.
Cosmology from start to finish

Cosmology is undergoing a revolution. With recent precise measurements of the cosmic microwave background radiation, large galaxy redshift surveys, better measurements of the expansion rate of the Universe and a host of other astrophysical observations, there is now a standard, highly constrained cosmological model. It is not a cosmology that was predicted. Unidentified dark particles dominate the matter content of our Universe, and mysteries surround the processes responsible for the accelerated expansion at its earliest moments (inflation?) and for its recent acceleration (dark energy?). New measurements must address the fundamental questions: what happened at the birth of the Universe, and what is its ultimate fate?