cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A survey of college courses of economic botany

Of the 135 schools listed in this survey, there are still over 110 schools and colleges in the United States giving courses covering the general area of Economic Botany at the undergraduate or graduate level in colleges of arts, sciences or letters. Such courses consist largely of lectures, meeting two or three times a week, and supplemented in many instances by at least an additional period of laboratory microscopic observation or demonstration of visual aids, muscum tours or trips into the fields or factories where plant products are being grown or produced on a large scale.
Re-envisioning Multicultural Education in Diverse Academic Contexts

Abstract The authors, who respectively represent a large research institution and a small Liberal Arts college located in different geographic and sociocultural contexts, compare and contrast institutional multicultural education policies and practices. Drawing from their current research and the vast literature focusing on equitable and inclusive education, they articulate recommendations for re-envisioning multicultural education to enhance teaching and learning in all subject areas and across diverse academic contexts.
Safety motivation and human resource management in North America

Approximately 4.2 million Americans suffered nonfatal work-related injuries and 6,000 workers died of fatal work-related injuries in the US in 2005 (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2007). Given these numbers, employee safety continues to be a concern in organizations despite engineering advances that have reduced exposures over the past few decades. Many factors contribute to workplace safety. These include characteristics of the physical environment and human behaviour within that environment. Human behaviour on some level plays a role in the vast majority of workplace accidents and injuries. This can include risky behaviour and signal detection failures, as well as a lack of proactive and collective safety behaviours that focus on changing the work environment to increase safety. Although several predictors of safety-related behaviour have been identified, there are some unresolved issues with respect to safety performance in organizations. This article focuses on the behaviours that compose safety performan...
Regulation of the erythropoietin gene: evidence that the oxygen sensor is a heme protein

Erythropoietin (Epo), the hormone that stimulates red blood cell production, is synthesized in the kidney and liver in response to hypoxia. The human hepatoma cell line Hep3B regulates its production of Epo in a physiologic manner. Either hypoxia or cobalt chloride markedly increases expression of Epo mRNA as well as production of biologically active and immunologically distinct Epo protein. New protein synthesis is required before the induction of increased levels of hypoxia- or cobalt-induced Epo mRNA. Hypoxia, cobalt chloride, and nickel chloride appear to stimulate Epo production through a common pathway. The inhibition of Epo production at low partial pressures of oxygen by carbon monoxide provides evidence that a heme protein is integrally involved in the oxygen-sensing mechanism. This hypothesis is further supported by the finding that when heme synthesis is blocked, hypoxia-, cobalt-, and nickel-induced Epo production are all markedly inhibited. A model is proposed in which a ligand-dependent conformational change in a heme protein accounts for the mechanism by which hypoxia as well as cobalt and nickel stimulate the production of Epo.
Fistulotomy without external sphincter division for high anal fistulae

Thirty-two patients with high trans-sphincteric or suprasphincteric fistulae underwent fistulotomy without external sphincter division. Fifteen patients had posterior fistulae involving the deep postanal space and 17 patients had anterior fistulae. Primary healing, after removal of the seton, occurred in 25 of the 32 patients (78 per cent). Primary healing in patients with posterior fistulae occurred in 66 per cent and in 88 per cent of patients with anterior fistulae. Following surgery, eight patients (33 per cent) reported problems controlling flatus, six patients (25 per cent) reported mucous discharge and one patient (4 per cent) complained of occasional incontinence for liquid stool. No patient experienced problems controlling solid stool nor did any patient require the use of a protective pad. These results have encouraged us to use this method as the initial procedure of choice for these more difficult fistulae. A significant number of patients can be cured of their fistula while preserving the external sphincter, thereby minimizing the impact of surgical therapy on continence.
Ultrastructural, Histochemical and Biochemical Studies of the Melanin Metabolism in Eye and Skin of Pallid Mice

The hair follicles and the eyes of pallid mice (C57/6J-Pa/Pa) and those of black mice (C57/6J−+/Pa) were examined ultrastructurally, histochemically, and biochemically to determine the cause of pigment dilution. The pigment cells in the hair follicles and the eyes of pallid mice have less mature melanosomes than those of black mice. In the hair follicles the pallid melanosomes were transferred into keratinocytes and became aggregated. In the eyes they were already aggregated within the pigment cells and were digested in acid phosphatase-positive lysosomes. The activity of acid phosphatase, a marker of lysosomal enzymes, was significantly higher in pallid hair follicles and eyes than in black hair follicles and eyes. Dopa reactions at light and electron microscopical levels indicated that the pigment cells in each tissue produced a large amount of Dopa oxidase when compared with those in each black ocunterpart. However, the rate of hydroxylation of L-tyrosine–3,5– 3 H was significantly lower in the pallid eyes than in black eyes, while this rate was significantly higher in pallid hair follicles than in black hair follicles. Immediate digestion of melanosomes within the pigment cells, i.e. autophagocytosis, seemed to explain the low activity in the pallid eyes. The diluted coat and eye colors of pallid mice are, therefore, not related to low Dopa oxidase activity but to immaturity of melanosomes and high activities of lysosomal enzymes; these enzymes seem to digest many of these immature melanosomes and contribute to the diluted coat and eye colors of pallid mice.
The dynamics of repeat consumption

We study the patterns by which a user consumes the same item repeatedly over time, in a wide variety domains ranging from check-ins at the same business location to re-watches of the same video. We find that recency of consumption is the strongest predictor of repeat consumption. Based on this, we develop a model by which the item from $t$ timesteps ago is reconsumed with a probability proportional to a function of t. We study theoretical properties of this model, develop algorithms to learn reconsumption likelihood as a function of t, and show a strong fit of the resulting inferred function via a power law with exponential cutoff. We then introduce a notion of item quality, show that it alone underperforms our recency-based model, and develop a hybrid model that predicts user choice based on a combination of recency and quality. We show how the parameters of this model may be jointly estimated, and show that the resulting scheme outperforms other alternatives.
Efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant trastuzumab combined with paclitaxel and epirubicin: a retrospective review of the M. D. Anderson experience.

BACKGROUND. A previously published prospective randomized phase 3 trial showed that administration of 24 weeks of primary systemic chemotherapy (PST) with paclitaxel and FEC75 (fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide) concurrently with trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive primary breast cancer resulted in a 60% pathologic complete response rate (PCR) with no associated severe cardiac toxicity. The purpose of this study was to review the efficacy and safety of a similar regimen outside the setting of a clinical trial. METHODS. Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer (defined as either immunohistochemical 3+ or fluorescence in situ hybridization-positive) that had received 24 weeks of neoadjuvant trastuzumab concurrently with taxane and anthracycline-based chemotherapy between 2004 and 2006 were included in the analysis. PST chemotherapy consisted of paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) weekly for 12 weeks followed by 4 cycles of FEC75 (500 mg/m2, 75 mg/m2, and 500 mg/m2, respectively). RESULTS. Forty patients were identified. The median age was 48 years (range, 29–81). In all, 60% of patients had stage III disease and 4 had inflammatory breast cancer. The PCR rate was 55% (95% confidence interval [CI], 38.5%–70.7%). At a median follow-up of 19 months. 5 patients had a recurrence, of which 4 did not achieve a PCR. No severe cardiac events were observed. CONCLUSIONS. Stage II and III HER2-positive breast cancer patients achieved a high rate of PCR with trastuzumab given concurrently with paclitaxel and FEC75 chemotherapy. No severe cardiac events were observed with the regimen. The data concur with the results of a previously published trial. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Usefulness of FDG-PET scan in the assessment of suspected metastatic or recurrent adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of positron emission tomography with 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose compared with computed tomography plus other conventional diagnostic studies in patients suspected of having metastatic or recurrent colorectal adenocarcinoma. METHODS: The records of 105 patients who underwent 101 computed tomography and 109 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography scans for suspected metastatic or recurrent colorectal adenocarcinoma were reviewed. Clinical correlation was confirmed at time of operation, histopathologically, or by clinical course. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity and specificity of 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in detection of clinically relevant tumor were higher (87 and 68 percent) than for computed tomography plus other conventional diagnostic studies (66 and 59 percent). The sensitivity of 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in detecting mucinous cancer was lower (58 percent; n=16) than for nonmucinous cancer (92 percent; n=93). The sensitivity of 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in detecting locoregional recurrence (n=70) was higher than for computed tomography plus colonoscopy (90vs. 71 percent, respectively). The sensitivity of 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in detecting hepatic metastasis (n=101) was higher than for computed tomography (89vs. 71 percent). The sensitivity of 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in detecting extrahepatic metastases exclusive of locoregional recurrence (n=101) was higher than for computed tomography plus other conventional diagnostic studies (94vs. 67 percent). 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography altered clinical management in a beneficial manner in 26 percent of cases (26/101) when compared with evaluation by computed tomography plus other conventional diagnostic studies. CONCLUSION: 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography is more sensitive than computed tomography for the detection of metastatic or recurrent colorectal cancer and may improve clinical management in one-quarter of cases. However, 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography is not as sensitive in detecting mucinous adenocarcinoma, possibly because of the relative hypocellularity of these tumors.
Commercial whaling, tourism, and boycotts: An economic perspective

Commercial whaling is highly contentious, angering animal rights groups and conservation organizations, who threaten boycotts. Proponents of whaling argue that many whale stocks are plentiful enough to support sustainable harvests. In terms of economic efficiency, a nation's decision to engage in whaling depends on rents from the whaling industry, ecological and market linkages, and the potential for boycotts. We analyze the tradeoffs involved in a nation's decision to engage in whaling, whale-watching, and fishing. Scenarios exist in which whaling is economically rational. Indeed, sometimes it makes economic sense to subsidize whaling. In other circumstances, market pressures make commercial whaling inefficient.
Land use and socioeconomic influences on a vulnerable freshwater resource in northern New England, United States

Land use and cover conversions as well as climatic factors drive current and future threats to freshwater systems. Research from the United States and across the globe has focused on already threatened and degraded freshwater systems, whose recovery requires significant investments. Attention must also be directed to monitoring freshwater systems that may appear robust, yet are likely to face enhanced vulnerabilities in the future due to climate and land use and cover changes. Such proactive monitoring can help identify problems early and provide potential solutions. In this study, we consider the case of Sebago Lake and its watershed in southern Maine; a region that has experienced significant population growth and development activity. Land use, socioeconomic change and water quality trends are monitored over a 20-year period using Landsat imagery, census, water quality and precipitation data. Our results indicate that Developed Land within the watershed has increased from 5.4 % of the total land area in 1987 to 8.9 % in 2009 with associated increases in population and housing activity. Sebago Lake’s water quality indicators from 1990 to 2010 show a directional trend concomitant with this change. The increase in Developed Land is likely to place additional pressures on water quality in the future. The analysis also indicates that precipitation trends play an important role in water quality variability for Sebago Lake. Predicted changes to climatic factors including enhanced spring time precipitation or earlier ice-out conditions combined with further land use change may play an influential role in determining water quality. The analysis highlights emerging areas of concern and reiterates the essential role of proactively monitoring vulnerable systems to help mitigate future threats.
Disease and ecology in the Lower Mississippi Valley and the Trans-Mississippi South

Previous research suggested that maize agriculture was associated with an initial increase in skeletal infections followed by a return to former low levels. This conclusion is retested with a much larger sample, which includes all extant osteological data from the Trans-Mississippi South and Lower Mississippi Valley archaeological areas which include eastern Texas and eastern Oklahoma, all Arkansas and Louisiana, and southern Missouri. In the present analysis the adult rates of pathological lesions range between 10 and 80 per cent, with the variation being explained by three factors. First, settlement density is associated directly with infection rates and appears to be the primary variable in all ecological zones and cultural periods. Second, both the amount and diversity of exploitable biomass are connected directly with infections for both collecting and farming peoples, while degenerative disease appears to vary with the effort required for resource extraction. Third, the direct relationship between maize agriculture and elevated infections is found only when the settlement pattern limits the diversity and availability of collectable resources in the less productive ecological zones.
Water Vapor in Carbon-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars from the Vaporization of Icy Orbiting Bodies

We argue that the presence of water vapor in the circumstellar outflow of a carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star is potentially a distinctive signature of extrasolar cometary systems. Detailed models show that at suitable distances from the star, water ice can survive well into the carbon-rich AGB phase; water vapor abundances as large as 10-6 could result from the vaporization of a collection of orbiting icy bodies with a total mass comparable to what might have been originally present in the solar system's Kuiper Belt. In particular, the recently reported detection by the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite of water vapor in the circumstellar outflow of IRC +10216 can be explained if ~10 Earth masses of ice is present at a distance ~300 AU from that carbon-rich star. Future observations with the Herschel Space Observatory (HSO, formerly known as the Far Infrared Submillimeter Telescope) will facilitate sensitive multitransition observations of water, yielding line ratios that can establish the radial distribution of water vapor in IRC +10216. The greater sensitivity of HSO will also allow searches for water vapor to be carried out in a much larger sample of carbon-rich AGB stars.
Proactive Support for Large-Scale Data Exploration

Computational science is generating increasingly unwieldy datasets created by complex and high-resolution simulations of physical, social, and economic systems. Traditional post processing of such large datasets requires high bandwidth to large storage resources. In situ processing approaches can reduce I/O requirements but steal processing cycles from the simulation and forsake interactive data exploration. The Fusion project aims to develop a new approach for exploring large-scale scientific datasets wherein the system actively assists the user in the data exploration process. A key component of the system is a software assistant that evaluates the stated and implied analysis goals of the scientist, observes the environment, models and proposes actions to be taken, and orchestrates the generation of analysis and visualization products for the user. These products are managed and made available to the scientist through an interactive space consisting of a database and a visual interface. The scientist sifts through and explores the available analysis products while indicating preferences that are translated into goals, completing the feedback loop that steers the assistant in its future actions.
A 280mV-to-1.2V wide-operating-range IA-32 processor in 32nm CMOS

Near-threshold computing brings the promise of an order of magnitude improvement in energy efficiency over the current generation of microprocessors [1]. However, frequency degradation due to aggressive voltage scaling may not be acceptable across all single-threaded or performance-constrained applications. Enabling the processor to operate over a wide voltage range helps to achieve best possible energy efficiency while satisfying varying performance demands of the applications. This paper describes an IA-32 processor fabricated in 32nm CMOS technology [2], demonstrating a reliable ultra-low voltage operation and energy efficient performance across the wide voltage range from 280mV to 1.2V.
Prevalence of storage and voiding symptoms among men aged 40 years and older in a US population-based study: results from the Male Attitudes Regarding Sexual Health study

Summary Aims: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are categorised as storage (urgency, frequency, nocturia and incontinence), voiding (sensation of incomplete emptying, hesitancy, weak stream and straining) or mixed symptoms. Methods: In this US population-based study, we investigated the prevalence of male LUTS and the relative frequency of the LUTS subtypes, and we evaluated associations between LUTS and age, race/ethnicity and erectile dysfunction (ED). The Male Attitudes Regarding Sexual Health study included a nationally representative sample of non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white and Hispanic men aged ≥ 40 years. Participants completed a questionnaire including items on ED and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). The prevalence and subtypes of LUTS were investigated post hoc by age, race/ethnicity and the presence of ED. Results: The overall prevalence rates of storage (13%) and mixed (9%) symptoms were higher than that of voiding symptoms (6%). The prevalence of storage symptoms was similar across age groups, whereas voiding and mixed symptoms increased with age. Among men with IPSS ≥ 8, the rates of storage (29%) and mixed (38%) symptoms were also higher than voiding symptoms (23%). Distributions of the LUTS subtypes were comparable among black, white and Hispanic respondents with IPSS ≥ 8. The overall prevalence rate of ED (40%) increased with age among those with IPSS ≥ 8. Isolated storage symptoms were more than twice as common as isolated voiding symptoms among US men ≥ 40 years of age. Conclusion: Careful attention to individual symptoms may help distinguish storage LUTS from voiding LUTS, a distinction that has important implications for treatment.
A Questionnaire Study of Personality and Ethnocentrism

(1956). A Questionnaire Study of Personality and Ethnocentrism. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 65-71.
The development and testing of a nonconsequentialist decision‐making model

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to show that new conceptual work in the judgment and decision‐making research arena has suggested a nonconsequentialist perspective to decision‐making. The current study successfully tested and found support for a decision‐making model, which serves an alternative to expected utility theory.Design/methodology/approach – Using a natural decision‐making setting, 578 participants completed a one time study using questionnaires attempting to test a nonconsequentialist decision‐making model, which includes indecisiveness as a vital construct.Findings – Full mediation was found for the Nonconsequentialist Decision‐Making Model (NDMM), allowing us to discuss directionality and causality. Further, 81 percent of the 578 participants felt indecisive about their personal decision, highlighting the importance of examining this understudied construct. Research limitations/implications – The current study suggests that individuals facing a difficult decision would soon rather m...
Fine-needle aspiration cytology in fibromatoses

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology was performed in seven cases of fibromatosis of variable types with tumorous clinical presentation. These included: four cases of musculoaponeurotic fibromatosis, two in posterior neck muscles, one in anterior neck muscles and one in intercostal muscles; one case of fibromatosis of the breast; and two cases of fibromatosis colli in neonates. In all cases the specimens contained connective tissue with many fibroblast-like cells, lacking features which could indicate a malignant lesion. The findings in these cases indicate that, although by FNA cytology in fibromatoses a specific diagnosis for each pathologic entity may not be easily reached, in the proper clinical setting the cytologic findings can be of sufficient relevance to offset the need for an open tissue biopsy, where there are valid reasons against a surgical intervention.
Establishment of an imported natural enemy, Neomusotima conspurcatalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) against an invasive weed, Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum, in Florida

Abstract Neomusotima conspurcatalis established populations against L. microphyllum at three locations in Florida during 2008. A total of 31,091 insects were released. Ten months later populations estimated at 1.6 to 8.2 million larvae per site had defoliated over 14,000 m2 of L. microphyllum. Findings look promising for biocontrol of L. microphyllum in Florida.
Pore‐forming activity is not sufficient for Legionella pneumophila phagosome trafficking and intracellular growth

Bacterial pathogens often subvert eukaryotic cellular processes in order to establish a replicative niche and evade host immunity. Inhibition of phagosome lysosome fusion is a strategy used by several intracellular bacteria that grow within mammalian cells. It was shown recently that Legionella pneumophila possesses a cytolytic activity that results from the insertion of pores in the macrophage membrane upon contact, and that this activity requires the dot/icm gene products, which are necessary for intracellular growth and phagosome trafficking. Other bacteria that inhibit phagosome lysosome fusion, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, demonstrate similar cytolytic activities, which suggests that formation of pores in the phagosome membrane may account for the defects observed in phagosome trafficking. In this study, we identify a new class of L. pneumophila mutant that retains the pore-forming activity found in virulent bacteria, but is defective in phagosome lysosome fusion inhibition and intracellular growth. These data indicate that cytolytic activity is not sufficient for L. pneumophila-induced alterations in phagosome trafficking. Rather, the pore may be a vehicle that facilitates delivery of bacterial-derived effector molecules to the host cell cytoplasm.
Review of Ets1 structure, function, and roles in immunity

The Ets1 transcription factor is a member of the Ets gene family and is highly conserved throughout evolution. Ets1 is known to regulate a number of important biological processes in normal cells and in tumors. In particular, Ets1 has been associated with regulation of immune cell function and with an aggressive behavior in tumors that express it at high levels. Here we review and summarize the general features of Ets1 and describe its roles in immunity and autoimmunity, with a focus on its roles in B lymphocytes. We also review evidence that suggests that Ets1 may play a role in malignant transformation of hematopoietic malignancies including B cell malignancies.
Confirmatory factor analysis of posttraumatic stress symptoms in cambodian refugees

This study used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the factor structure of the Cambodian version of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire in 488 Cambodian refugees residing in the United States. Five alternative conceptual models were compared. A model with four correlated factors reflecting symptoms of reexperiencing, avoidance, emotional numbing, and hyperarousal provided the best fit to these data. The avoidance and emotional numbing clusters demonstrated distinct associations with depression symptoms, providing some evidence of the construct validity of the four-factor solution.
Relationship between protein synthesis and ribosome assembly in HeLa cells

Abstract The relationship between protein synthesis and ribosome assembly has been investigated in growing HeLa cells. Short-term incubation of cells in hypertonic medium (1.5 times isotonicity) induces a gradual inhibition of cellular protein synthesis, to which the nucleolus quickly responds. The first detectable effect on ribosome synthesis is a reduced rate of 45 s ribosomal RNA processing, while its transcription continues unabated. This is not due to inactivation of the enzymes responsible for the 45 s to 32 s transition since 45 s RNA transcribed under normal conditions is processed at the usual rate after transferring cells to hypertonic medium. The slowdown in processing may therefore be related to an intrinsic property of the 45 s rRNA-containing structures themselves. Analysis of the assembly of 80 s and 55 s intranucleolar ribosomal precursor particles revealed that their average protein contents decreased in parallel with the reduction in cellular protein synthesis. This effect was evident both in pulselabeling experiments with radioactive amino acids and in buoyant density measurements of glutaraldehyde-fixed particles in cesium chloride gradients. The data suggest that the supply of newly-synthesized ribosomal proteins within the nucleolus may be a rate-limiting factor in the assembly of ribosomal precursor particles. The regulation of ribosome synthesis at the level of 45 s rRNA processing may involve a mechanism in which the processing time of the 80 s particle is determined by its protein content.
Lacrimal Sac Cyst

This report details the presentation, workup, and treatment of the largest lacrimal duct cyst ever reported in the ophthalmic literature. Included in this report is the first computed tomographic (CT) image of this unusual lesion. Typical and atypical clinical features of this lacrimal sac cyst are emphasized.
Combined effects of H7 and pilocarpine on anterior segment physiology in monkey eyes.

Purpose: To determine, in monkey eyes in vivo if low doses of the cholinergic agonist pilocarpine (PILO) can enhance the outflow facility responses to a maximal dose of the serine-threonine kinase inhibitor H7 without producing apparent miosis and/or excessive accommodation. Methods: Outflow facility was determined by two-level constant pressure perfusion in living monkeys after 24.5 μM phenylephrine (PE) bilaterally (stimulates the iris dilator without influencing the iris sphincter, ciliary muscle, or outflow facility, and facilitates the measurement of miosis and accommodation), 24.5 μM PE + 300 μM H7 (maximal outflow facility-effective dose) bilaterally, or 24.5 μM PE + 300 μ M H7 ± 2 or 10 μM PILO (2 μM PILO alone does not significantly increase outflow facility or accommodation but moderately constricts the pupil; 10 μM PILO is a threshold outflow facility-effective dose) in opposite eyes. Pupil diameter (Vernier calipers) and accommodation (coincidence refractometer) were measured essentially concu...
Subjectivity, intersubjectivity and the historical construction of interlocutor stance: from stance markers to discourse markers:

This study draws upon the techniques of corpus linguistics, discourse analysis and historical pragmatics to provide an account of the ways in which speakers recruit markers of epistemic stance to c...
Single photon self-interference via inelastic two-wave mixing in a coherently prepared cold medium

Abstract We investigate a coherently prepared cold medium for efficient single-photon inelastic two-wave mixing (ITWM), maximum Fock state entanglement and single photon self-interference. We show the possibility of generating maximally entangled single-photon state, and near 100% conversion efficiency for generating a frequency shifted TWM photon by proper choice of medium length and concentration. In addition, we demonstrate a new type of transparency effect produced by an efficient single photon self-interference , a transparency effect that is very different from the conventional electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) process.
Multiterawatt amplification of ultrabroadband optical pulses: breaking the 100 fs limit

A first of its kind, multiterawatt, ultrashort pulse laser system is described. The system is capable of producing 125 mJ, 35 fs, 800 nm pulsed with near diffraction limited beam quality at a 10 Hz repetition rate. Methods for control of phase and amplitude distortion during sub- 100 fs amplification are presented.
Lipid levels in anorexia nervosa.

Objective Anorexia nervosa is a chronic disorder characterized by the patient's refusal to maintain body weight and a myriad of medical complications. Two frequently cited and poorly understood complications are hypercholesterolemia and hypercarotenemia. We therefore measured fasting cholesterol and beta-carotene levels in a cohort of moderately severe anorectics. Method: All subjects were female and met DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa. Lipid profiles and beta-carotene levels were determined in 23 female anorexics. Results: The mean total cholesterol for this group of anorectics was 179.3 mg/dl. Low-density lipoprotein values (LDL) ranged from 47 to 173, with a mean of 104.1 mg/dl. The mean high-density lipoprotein value (HDL) was 51.5 mg/dl. Beta-carotene levels were all normal. Discussion: We conclude that total and LDL cholesterol in anorexia are well within the range of normal, and HDL levels are favorably high. Further, hypercarotenemia was not associated with anorexia nervosa. © 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 24: 217–221, 1998.
Neural Membrane Phospholipids in Alzheimer Disease

Phospholipids form the backbone of neural membranes, providing fluidity and permeability. Two plasma membrane fractions, one from synaptosomes (SPM), the other from glial and neuronal cell bodies (PM), were prepared from different regions of autopsied Alzheimer disease (AD) brains. Corresponding fractions were prepared from age-matched control brains. All fractions from AD brains showed significantly lower levels of ethanolamine glycerophospholipids and significantly higher levels of serine glycerophospholipids than the control brain. No differences were observed in phosphatidylcholine levels among these membranes. These results suggest that altered phospholipid composition of plasma membranes may be involved in the abnormal signal transduction and neurodegeneration in AD.
Usage of terms for sexual intercourse by men and women.

Linguistic styles of men and women in the area of sexual language were explored.. Two hundred forty-eight students were requested to list as many synonyms as possible for “sexual intercourse.” On the average, males listed a larger number of sexual intercourse synonyms than did females (nine vs. six). Similarly, males listed over 160 different words, whereas females listed over 130. In both instances, the vocabularies were rich, descriptive, and extensive. Males preferred the word “fuck”; females preferred the word “screw.” Males vis-a-vis females were more prone to approve the use of “fuck” and “screw” in same-sex or mixed-sex company. Females had a penchant for using the phrase “make love,” which may be related to the strong emphasis that females place on love in the context of sexual intimacy.
Solving SDD linear systems in nearly mlog1/2n time

We show an algorithm for solving symmetric diagonally dominant (SDD) linear systems with m non-zero entries to a relative error of e in O(m log1/2 n logc n log(1/e)) time. Our approach follows the recursive preconditioning framework, which aims to reduce graphs to trees using iterative methods. We improve two key components of this framework: random sampling and tree embeddings. Both of these components are used in a variety of other algorithms, and our approach also extends to the dual problem of computing electrical flows. We show that preconditioners constructed by random sampling can perform well without meeting the standard requirements of iterative methods. In the graph setting, this leads to ultra-sparsifiers that have optimal behavior in expectation. The improved running time makes previous low stretch embedding algorithms the running time bottleneck in this framework. In our analysis, we relax the requirement of these embeddings to snowflake spaces. We then obtain a two-pass approach algorithm for constructing optimal embeddings in snowflake spaces that runs in O(m log log n) time. This algorithm is also readily parallelizable.
Differential effects of typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs on striosome and matrix compartments of the striatum.

Administration of typical antipsychotic drugs (APDs) is often accompanied by extrapyramidal side-effects (EPS). Treatment with atypical APDs has a lower incidence of motor side-effects and atypical APDs are superior to typical APDs in treating the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Although typical APDs strongly induce the immediate-early gene c-fos in the striatum while atypical APDs do so only weakly, it is possible that the effects of atypical APDs are more pronounced within certain regions of the striatum. The striatum contains two histochemically defined compartments, the striosome (patch) and the matrix. These compartments have been well characterized anatomically but their functional attributes are unclear. We therefore examined the effects of typical and atypical APDs on Fos expression in the striosome and matrix of the rat. Typical and atypical APDs were distinguished by the pattern of striatal compartmental activation they induced: the striosome : matrix ratio of Fos-li neurons was greater in rats treated with atypical APDs. Pretreating animals with selective antagonists of receptors that atypical APDs target with high affinity did not increase the striosome : matrix Fos ratio of typical APD-treated rats and thus did not mimic the ratio seen in response to atypical APDs. However, pretreatment with the atypical APD clozapine did recapitulate the characteristic compartmental Fos pattern seen in response to typical APDs. These data suggest that some characteristics of atypical APDs, such as the lower EPS liability and greater reduction of negative symptoms, may be linked to the coordinate regulation of the striatal striosome and matrix.
Preprocedural Imaging for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure

Various electrophysiological procedures and device implantation has been shown to improve morbidity and mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and patients with heart failure (HF). Noninvasive cardiac imaging is used extensively in the preprocedural patient selection and for procedural guidance. In this review, we will discuss the application of preprocedural cardiac imaging in patients with AF prior to pulmonary vein and left atrial ablation as well as insertion of left atrial occluder device. We also discuss the role of noninvasive cardiac imaging in the selection of appropriate HF patients for device therapy as well as their use in guiding implantation of biventricular pacemaker for cardiac resynchronization therapy by assessing left ventricular ejection fraction, coronary venous anatomy, mechanical dyssynchrony and myocardial scar. We describe new research associated with preprocedural imaging in these patient cohorts.
A mutation in the converter subdomain of Aspergillus nidulans MyoB blocks constriction of the actomyosin ring in cytokinesis.

Abstract We have identified a mutant allele of the Aspergillus nidulans homologue of myosin II (myoB; AN4706), which prevents normal septum formation. This is the first reported myosin II mutation in a filamentous fungus. Strains expressing the myoBG843D allele produce mainly aberrant septa at 30 °C and are completely aseptate at temperatures above 37 °C. Conidium formation is greatly reduced at 30 °C and progressively impaired with increasing temperature. Sequencing of the myoBG843D allele identified a point mutation predicted to result in a glycine-to-aspartate amino acid substitution at residue 843 in the myosin II converter domain. This residue is conserved in all fungal, plant, and animal myosin sequences that we have examined. The mutation does not prevent localization of the myoBG843D gene product to contractile rings, but it does block ring constriction. MyoBG843D rings at sites of abortive septation disassemble after an extended period and dissipate into the cytoplasm. During contractile ring formation, both wild type and mutant MyoB::GFP colocalize with actin – an association that begins at the pre-ring “string” stage. Down-regulation of wild-type myoB expression under control of the alcA promoter blocks septation but does not prevent actin from aggregating at putative septation sites – the actin rings, however, do not fully coalesce. Both septation and targeting of MyoB are blocked by disruption of filamentous actin using latrunculin B. We propose a model in which myosin assembly at septation sites depends upon the presence of F-actin, but assembly of the actin component of contractile rings depends upon normal levels of myosin only for the final stages of ring compaction.
Calorimeter trigger applications, training, and assessment of a feed-forward neural net

A feed-forward neural net technique is applied to trigger on b→evX decays in the high background environment of pp collisions at Ecm = 1.8 TeV. For the 1992 data run, we will install electronics into the CDF detector trigger using calorimeter signals as input to a neural net IC chip. We describe our algorithm and network optimization (training) issues, including those unique to pp physics and to an electronic implementation. We assess the advantages and problems of using trained neural nets. In addition to the trained mode of operation, the architecture of the analog chip also allows employing it as a massively parallel arithmetic processor for conventional trigger applications. The device may be reprogrammed to accommodate changes in trigger requirements and to provide considerable flexibility in trigger design.
Bounded by Culture or Culture Bound

The debate over whether turn-of-the-century immigrants were influenced more by their cultural heritage or by their socioeconomic circumstances when deciding to send their children either to school or to work, serves to illustrate the interplay between theory and evidence in the research process. The authors examine how ethnicity, the local economy, and the family economy affected children's participation in school and work. Using cost-of-living data from 1888-1890, they find that the effects of ethnicity on children's school participation were attenuated by local and family economy factors, and in some cases ethnic group coefficients no longer differed significantly from those of Yankees. The significant effects of ethnicity on children's work participation, however, persisted even when local and family economy factors were taken into consideration.
Neoadjuvant (presurgical) therapy for renal cell carcinoma: A new treatment paradigm for locally advanced and metastatic disease

BACKGROUND: Although upfront cytoreductive nephrectomy followed by systemic therapy remains the standard of care for metastatic renal cell carcinoma, the addition of novel targeted therapy has prompted a reevaluation of this treatment paradigm. The authors reviewed their experience with neoadjuvant systemic therapy administered before cytoreductive surgery for metastatic, locally recurrent, or regionally advanced renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: The authors compared patients treated with presurgical targeted therapy (with sunitinib, sorafenib, or bevacizumab) with a contemporary group that underwent upfront cytoreductive surgery. RESULTS: The authors found no difference in any perioperative surgical parameters indicative of morbidity or mortality between the 2 groups. Laboratory models of renal cell carcinoma treated with systemic targeted therapy demonstrate specific protein expression profiles that correlate with response to therapy and the development of therapy resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant (presurgical) targeted therapy before cytoreductive surgery appears safe in the setting of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. It identifies patients who respond to systemic therapy before surgery, thus avoiding highly morbid surgery in patients destined for a poor outcome. Further studies are needed to identify the molecular endpoints associated with treatment response and the development of the resistant phenotype, which will in turn identify novel transduction pathways worthy of therapeutic development.
A relativistic rotating frame with physics majors, photons and mirrors: causality lost

An analysis of cylinders rotating at relativistic speeds is considered from the point of view of observers living on the cylinders and from the point of view of observers in an inertial frame at rest with respect to translational motion of the cylinder. All of the observers measure time and distance using the recently introduced floor mirrored Einstein–Langevin light clock (FMEL). Two 'obvious' choices for synchronizing clocks, the traditional Einstein method and the well-known 'global' method, will be compared. It is shown that Selleri's paradox does not actually illustrate a contradiction, and it is shown that the Einstein method seems to allow apparent time ordering violations of causality. The global method leads to a disagreement with those in the inertial frame about velocities, and to a non-isotropic value for the speed of light. Ehrenfest's paradox is explained from the point of view of observers using each choice of synchronization.
Temperature, time-of-night of testing, and responsiveness to stimuli presented while sleeping.

The present study examined how time-of-night of testing and body temperature related to responsiveness to stimuli presented in sleep. Nine males slept for two nonconsecutive nights in the sleep laboratory. On Night 1, tympanic temperature was assessed at 30-min intervals. On Night 2, responsiveness was assessed with an incremental series of tones (5dB steps) presented in sleep stages 2, 3/4, and REM throughout the night (0030–0800 h). Subjects were instructed and given practice prior to sleep to make a microswitch closure to the tones. Results showed a curvilinear pattern of responsiveness across the night in that the intensity of tones required for a response increased until about 0530 h, then decreased thereafter. This pattern of responsiveness was positively related to the circadian rhythm of body temperature. A close correspondence was also found between the temperature trough and the performance trough (both occurred at about 0530 h). A greater emphasis on circadian factors may help understand previously reported but contradictory findings. The present results also suggest that measures of responsiveness follow a circadian factors may help understand previously reported but contradictory findings. The present results also suggest that measures of responsiveness follow a circadian pattern regardless of the sleep/wake state.
On the Friction and Wear Performance of Boric Acid Lubricant Combinations in Extended Duration Operations

Lubrication is critical for minimizing wear in mechanical systems that operate for extended time periods. Developing lubricants that can be used in engineering systems without replenishment — particularly those that are environmentally friendly — is very important for increasing the functional lifetime of mechanical components. In the present investigation, extended duration pin-on-disk experiments were carried out to determine the relative performance of a wide range of lubricant combinations in a commercial brake valve assembly. In the experiments, the lubricants were initially applied to the disk surface but were not replenished over a sliding distance of more than 6000 m. The experimental results revealed that the environmentally friendly lubricant boric acid was inefficient for reducing the wear in the surfaces tested. When combined with a commercial transmission fluid, however, the boric acid mixture proved highly effective in terms of both friction and wear performance. Based on the success of the combined lubricant experiments, the boric acid was then mixed with canola oil to form a completely natural lubricant combination. Based on further pin on disk experiments, this lubricant combination yielded the best wear performance of all the lubricants tested. The importance of these results, as related to the use of the natural lubricant combination in other engineering systems was subsequently ascertained and discussed.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Hearing girls’ silences: thoughts on the politics and practices of a feminist method of group discussion

Many contemporary feminist research methods employed in the interest of realizing social justice advocate ‘listening’ to subordinated others, groups variously categorized and marginalized by gender, sexuality, race, age, and so on, in order to examine the sources and workings of knowledge construction and social power. Increasingly, feminist scholars are using group discussion or focus groups, in an effort to give subordinated others ‘a voice.’ Group discussions are seen as potentially empowering in exploring and enabling group members’ social agency and knowledge production while at the same time diminishing the unequal power relations between the researched and researcher. In this article, I argue that the attention given to ‘voices’ in group discussions (dis)misses meaning‐ful silences thereby limiting its political potential. There exists an ‘epistemological messiness’ inherent in a feminist group discussion method that makes it difficult to hear meaning‐ful silences. Through reflection on my own rese...