cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fast helical flux compression generator using a 50 mm form factor

Summary form only given, as follows. Growing interest in compact forms of pulsed power has led to the investigation of small, helical, flux compression generators. This study examines the design and testing of two helical generators using a 50 mm form factor. The generators consisted of armatures made from 3003 Aluminum alloy, 12 gage Copper wire used for the single coil stators, and naval brass for the guide planes. Both stators shared outer diameters of 50 mm with 40 and 41 turns in each coil. The armatures were machined to a wall thickness of 0.635 mm and an outer diameter of 25.4 mm. Kapton insulation was used between both the input glide plane and the armature and the output glide plane and the stator. We used a Reynolds RP-501 detonator to initiate the C-4 explosive charge. Both copper load coils were a single loop having inductances of 24 nH and 62 nH for the first and second generator, respectively. The total inductance for each generator was 23.530 /spl mu/H and 24.580 /spl mu/H. A single 0.414 /spl mu/F capacitor, connected with an explosive actuated switch, provided seed currents of 233 amps and 181 amps. The final currents for each generator were 4.42 kA and 3.54 kA. The overall gain and generator efficiency were lower than expected resulting from flux losses caused by pocketing effects and possible fabrication difficulties due to material limitations. Results of analyses will be presented.
New U.S. energy secretary Moniz calls climate change a high priority

Climate change is “an extraordinarily high priority,” Ernest Moniz, the new secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), said during a 22 May town hall meeting 1 day after being sworn into office.
Detection of tumorigenesis in rat bladders with optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel technique that enables noninvasive cross-sectional imaging of biological tissues. Because of its high resolution (approximately 10 microm), superior dynamic range (140 dB in our case) and up to 2-3 mm penetration depth, OCT is potentially useful for noninvasive screening of superficial lesions. Bladder cancer arises within the transitional epithelium. Despite the ability to visualize the epithelium via cystoscopy, it is often difficult to detect early epithelial cancers and to determine their penetration to the underlying layers. To investigate the potential of OCT to enhance imaging of bladder cancers and other epithelial lesions, we applied OCT to normal and diseased bladder epithelium, and correlated the results with histological findings. OCT images of porcine bladder (a close homolog of human bladder) confirm the ability of this method to image human tissues. To determine whether OCT can track the course of bladder cancer, a standard rat model of bladder cancer in which Fisher rats are exposed to methyl-nitroso-urea (MNU), was followed both with OCT and histological studies. Our results show that the micro morphology of porcine bladder such as the urothelium, submucosa and muscles is identified by OCT and well correlated with the histological evaluations. OCT detected edema, inflammatory infiltrates, and submucosal blood congestion as well as the abnormal growth of urothelium (e.g., papillary hyperplasia and carcinomas). By contrast, surface imaging, which resembles cystoscopy, provided far less sensitivity and resolution than OCT. This is the first OCT study of any tumor documented in a systematic fashion, and the results suggest the potential of OCT for the noninvasive diagnosis of both bladder inflammatory lesions and early urothelial abnormalities, which conventional cystoscopy often misses, by imaging characterization of the increases in urothelial thickening and backscattering. However, because of the depth limitation, OCT may have limited applications in staging the invasion of higher-state urothelial cancers, especially for papillary carcinomas.
Effectiveness of dental services in facilitating recovery from oral disadvantage

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of dental health care services in facilitating recovery from quality of life decrements in symptom-specific subgroups with the most prevalent chronic infectious diseases (periodontal disease and dental caries), and a 'stained teeth' subgroup. Methods: Data were taken from the prospective longitudinal Florida Dental Care Study of 873 individuals 45+ years old. Logistic regression modeling quantified associations between recovery from oral health-related quality of life decrements ('recovery') and dental services. Results: Adjusting for age, race, gender, income, approach to dental care, and signs/symptoms, any dental visit (odds ratio, OR: 4.0; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.3, 6.9), corrective treatment (OR: 3.8; 95% CI: 1.6, 8.7), denture visit (OR:4.8; 95% CI: 1.1, 21.9), or extraction (OR: 6.2; 95% CI: 2.2, 17.4) were positively associated with recovery. Upon conditioning the analyses on specific symptoms, point estimates increased substantially for most service types, and dental cleaning was associated with recovery for the stained teeth subgroup (OR: 10.9; 95% CI: 1.2, 99.4). Conclusion: Dental care was highly effective in treating quality of life decrements. Treatment effectiveness increased substantially when analyses were restricted to symptom-specific subgroups similar to selection criteria of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Restricted cohort analyses can be applied to many other health outcomes for which RCTs are not feasible or ethical.
On interpreting developmental changes in the dichotic right-ear advantage.

Some conflicting data bearing on the development of the dichotic right-ear advantage and of language laterality are discussed. It is argued that the conflicts might be reconciled if different dichotic tests were viewed as assessing different levels of language processing. For example, more slowly maturing mnemonic processes may be tapped by four digit-pairs-per-trial dichotic tasks, whereas earlier maturing auditory and phonetic processes may be tapped when single pairs of nonsense-syllables are used. A levels-of-processing model may lend insight into the pathological as well as the normal course of language development.
Integrin-mediated adhesion and signalling in ovarian cancer cells.

Abstract The integrins are a family of cell surface receptors which mediate cellular adhesion and signalling events. Our goal was to evaluate integrin function and signalling pathways in ovarian cancer cells. Ovarian cancer cell lines, NIH:OVCAR-3 and NIH:OVCAR-5, exhibited distinct extracellular matrix (ECM) binding preferences which were mediated primarily through β1 integrin interactions. Western blot analysis was used to identify changes in cellular phosphotyrosine, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase. Tyrosine phosphorylation of integrin-associated phosphoproteins was not enhanced in either cell type in response to adhesion onto ECM components or receptor crosslinking. FAK expression was greater in NIH:OVCAR-5 cells while MAP kinase activity was higher in NIH:OVCAR-3 cells. The data suggest that these two ovarian cancer cell lines exhibit specific ECM binding preferences and distinct differences in phosphotyrosine, focal adhesion and MAP kinase expression profiles.
Ocean eddy freshwater flux convergence into the North Atlantic subtropics

For a quasi steady state condition, the water vapor flux from the ocean to atmosphere typical of the salty subtropics must be compensated by ocean processes that transfer freshwater into the evaporative regime. Observations of the North Atlantic subtropical sea surface salinity maximum region frequently reveal the presence of eddies with distinct salinity/temperature signatures of up to 0.2 psu/1°C, with horizontal scales of up to 200 km. Using the surface layer salinity and meridional velocity from the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) reanalysis data, we find that the eddy flux can accomplish 50% to 75% of the required freshwater convergence into the subtropical regime, the rest being delivered by Ekman transport convergence, and therefore represents a significant component of the marine hydrological cycle. Interannual fluctuations of the eddy freshwater flux are reflected in sea surface salinity variability.
Optimizing antifungal choice and administration.

AbstractBackground:The antifungal armamentarium includes a number of drug classes and agents within each class. Successful IFI management depends on optimal matching of drug choice with the individual patient and causative pathogen, and maximizing effectiveness of the selected drug through appropriate dosing and toxicity management.Objective:This review is intended to provide a brief overview of key factors involved in optimizing antifungal choice and administration for patients with invasive fungal infections (IFIs).Findings:Antifungals differ in spectrum of activity, and these differences are critical when selecting the antifungal most likely to provide success for a patient with an IFI. When the species has not yet been identified, an analysis of regional epidemiology and risk factors can provide clues as to the most likely pathogen. For severely immunocompromised patients, a fungicidal agent may be preferred over a fungistatic agent, although more research is needed in this area. Triazoles, particular...
Application of aeroelastic modes on nonlinear supersonic panel flutter at elevated temperatures

This paper shows that the use of aeroelastic modes, instead of the traditional in vacuo natural modes, can reduce drastically the number of coupled nonlinear modal equations for the large amplitude nonlinear panel flutter analysis at an arbitrary yawed supersonic flow angle and elevated temperatures. All four types of panel behavior can be predicted and they are flat and stable, aerothermally buckled but dynamically stable, limit cycle oscillations, and chaos.
If at first you don't succeed: the neuroendocrine impact of using a range of strategies during social conflict.

Using a variety of cognitive or behavioral strategies to manage stressful situations may be more adaptive than relying on a narrow selection. Although research has explored the psychological benefits of a range of coping responses, the physiological impact within and across stressful situations has not been examined. Moreover, research has primarily relied upon self-reports of what people believe they generally do across stressful situations, which may be subject to recall bias. This study observed and coded the range of behavioral response strategies that young adults (n=74, mean age 18.1) used to manage a laboratory-based, interpersonal conflict task and collected self-reports of the cognitive strategies used to manage similar stressors. Analyses examined the impact of response range on cortisol activity during the task. Greater range of observed response strategies predicted lower cortisol reactivity (t(133)=2.65; p=.009), whereas the range of self-reported strategies was unrelated to cortisol reactivi...
Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Alcohol Dependence: Therapeutic Mechanisms and Intervention Acceptability

Mindfulness-based interventions can decrease addictive behaviors while promoting nonreactivity to stressors. This study employed qualitative methods to enhance understanding of mindfulness-related treatment effects. Study participants were 18 alcohol-dependent adults residing in a therapeutic community who had participated in a mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement (MORE) intervention. Interviews were conducted to elicit participant narratives. Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using a grounded theory approach and the method of constant comparison. Narrative accounts suggested that MORE enhanced self-awareness while helping clients to cope more effectively with emotional distress and addictive impulses. MORE appears to be acceptable to participants and feasible to implement within a residential treatment setting. Mindfulness training could assist marginalized persons in recovering from addiction.
Why we should eliminate the due date: a truth in jest

We currently use flawed calculations to set a woman's due date based on menstrual periods to determine gestational age. We use the estimated gestational age to make management decisions based on our patients' individual needs. This principle is in contrast to our patients' use of dating to set an estimated date of confinement. This date is seen as a very specific point in time. Patients and their families plan on that date and become distressed when the expected date is not met. Given that many patients are induced electively, that many will have their delivery dates changed, and that many will have delivery dates adjusted for medical reasons, and most importantly given that dating is inaccurate and unreliable, we propose eliminating the due date. We propose giving patients a calculated assigned week of delivery at 32 weeks. An assigned week of delivery allows for individualization of obstetric care based on the needs of our patients, their support systems, and hospital staffing. We believe an assigned week of delivery will improve obstetric practice and patient satisfaction.
A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODEL OF THE BREEZE-INDUCED CIRCULATION OF WATERS IN THE KERCH STRAIT

We generalize the problem of evaluation of currents caused by the action of breeze winds to the three-dimensional case. In the “solid-lid” approximation, the problem is reduced to the numerical solution of a two-dimensional equation for the integral current function (with complex-valued coefficients) with subsequent evaluation of the components of current velocity according to analytic formulas. The breeze is specified as acting in a narrow coastal strip in the form of a zonal wind. The three-dimensional structure and the variations of currents near the west boundary of the Kerch Strait as functions of time are studied in detail.
A Discrete Model for Inventory Control and Disaster Planning

When there is a high-volume usage of a product which requires procurement through multisourcing, the question must be asked: ``How would the business respond to a loss (complete or temporary) of one or more of the sources providing the product?'' The answer to this question is largely dependent upon factors such as the following: a) the ability of other present sources to provide additional units beyond present deliveries, in conjunction with their current or potential tooling, test, and manpower capabilities; b) the response time of other sources to added demands; c) the extent and nature of the disaster to a particular source and its relative ability to recover; d) the amount of protection provided by present inventory levels. Simulation of a disaster at a key source or sources can give invaluable insight into these factors and serve as an aid to management in the development of sourcing strategy and the maintenance of protection inventory levels. A model has been developed which determines the impact of a disaster at any of the sources producing one or more key products. The model simulates the interaction of deliveries and requirements on inventory levels as deliveries are impacted by disaster. This model enables an accurate assessment of sourcing strategy and provides management with the ability to perform quick turn around ``what if'' studies to aid in future decisions.
The role of emotional aspects in younger consumer‐brand relationships

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the roles of three emotional factors (self‐concept connection, emotional attachment, and brand love) in the context of younger consumer‐luxury brand relationships.Design/methodology/approach – The main data collection was done via a self‐selected online survey of a representative group of younger consumers. Data analysis was performed with structural equation modelling and multidimensional scaling.Findings – Three emotional factors enhance younger consumers' brand loyalty, but the strength of the impact varies. Emotional attachment has the strongest impact on brand loyalty, followed by self‐concept connection and brand love. Self‐concept connection increases brand love as well as emotional attachment. The result of perceptual mapping shows different perceptions of the luxury brands in younger consumers' minds.Research limitations/implications – Generalizability needs to be established with a wider range of younger consumer groups. The insights on younger consumers'...
Numerical solutions of reaction-diffusion equations with nonlocal boundary conditions

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present some iterative methods for numerical solutions of a class of nonlinear reaction–diffusion equations with nonlocal boundary conditions. Using the finite-difference method and the method of upper and lower solutions we present some monotone iterative schemes for both the time-dependent and the steady-state finite-difference systems. Each monotone iterative scheme gives a computational algorithm for numerical solutions and an existence-comparison theorem for the corresponding finite-difference system. The existence-comparison theorems are used to investigate the asymptotic behavior of the discrete time-dependent solution in relation to the discrete maximal and minimal solutions of the steady-state problem. Numerical results are given to a model problem where the solution of the continuous problem is explicitly known and its values at the mesh points are used to compare with the numerical solutions obtained by the monotone iterative schemes.
Amiodarone-induced pulmonary fibrosis in Fischer 344 rats.

Amiodarone is a potent antiarrhythmic agent with a number of side-effects, the most serious being the development of pulmonary toxicity. The purpose of the study was to determine if a single intratracheal instillation of amiodarone would induce pulmonary fibrosis and associated functional changes in rats. Female Fischer 344 rats were given a single intratracheal instillation of 200 μl containing 1.25 mg amiodarone (n = 9) while the control group received an equivalent volume of sterile water (n = 8). After 6 weeks, pulmonary function tests, lung hydroxyproline measurements and lung histology were performed. The amiodarone-treated animals showed a significant reduction in the coefficient of diffusion (kCO) and a significant increase in lung hydroxyproline levels as compared to the control group. The treated group had abnormal histology including areas of septal thickening with cellular infiltration of the interstitial and alveolar spaces, whereas the control group had normal histology. These observations suggest that the intratracheal instillation route of amiodarone treatment produces a fibrotic response in rats that can be measured physiologically, biochemically and histologically. This model may aid in the elucidation of the mechanism of amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity (AIPT)./ABS.
The opportunities and challenges of multi-site evaluations: Lessons from the jail diversion and trauma recovery national cross-site evaluation

Multi-site evaluations, particularly of federally funded service programs, pose a special set of challenges for program evaluation. Not only are there contextual differences related to project location, there are often relatively few programmatic requirements, which results in variations in program models, target populations and services. The Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery-Priority to Veterans (JDTR) National Cross-Site Evaluation was tasked with conducting a multi-site evaluation of thirteen grantee programs that varied along multiple domains. This article describes the use of a mixed methods evaluation design to understand the jail diversion programs and client outcomes for veterans with trauma, mental health and/or substance use problems. We discuss the challenges encountered in evaluating diverse programs, the benefits of the evaluation in the face of these challenges, and offer lessons learned for other evaluators undertaking this type of evaluation.
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin: relationship between toxicity and the induction of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and ornithine decarboxylase

Abstract Both ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) are inducible by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) in rodents. Moreover, in genetically inbred mice the induction of both enzymes appears to be mediated through the ligand-activated Ah receptor protein. In rats, there is a 6 hour peak of induced ODC activity which occurs after administration of high (250 ug/kg) but not low (1–100 ug/kg) doses of 2,3,7,8-TCDD; the 6 hour peak of activity is not observed at any other times points following exposure to the toxin. The induction of AHH is a time and dose-dependent process in which enzyme activity is maximized 72 hours after treatment with 2,3,7,8-TCDD and persists for several days. Coadministration of -difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and a toxic dose of 2,3,7,8-TCDD (250 umol/kg) completely eliminated the induction of ODC but did not effect the induction of AHH or alter the toxicity (thymic atrophy) of 2,3,7,8-TCDD. These results confirm that both ODC and AHH are induced by 2,3,7,8-TCDD and that the induction of the former enzyme does not play a role in modulating AHH induction or thymic atrophy.
Did Mencius know the Analects

This article questions the widely held assumption that the received Mengzi (Mencius) was composed by an author or authors familiar with the Lunyu (Analects). After reviewing the history of the association between Kongzi (Confucius) and Mengzi and between the Lunyu and Mengzi, it summarizes the case against the traditional dating of the Lunyu to argue for a reevaluation of the “Lunyu→Mengzi nexus.” It then analyzes Lunyu parallels in the Mengzi to show that those parallels do not establish the Mengzi authors’ familiarity with a Lunyu text. The next section on the dating of the Mengzi examines early Mengzi quotations to suggest that the text may not have been fixed until the Eastern Han period, in which case some Lunyu parallels in the Mengzi might reflect a Han milieu. A final section considers the implications of a Mengzi→Lunyu nexus for the study of early Chinese thought. Cet article met en question l’opinion extremement repandue selon laquelle le texte recu du Mengzi (Mencius) aurait ete compose par un ou plusieurs auteurs familiers du Lunyu (Analectes). Apres avoir passe en revue l’histoire de l’association entre Kongzi (Con­fu­cius) et Mengzi et entre le Lunyu et le Mengzi, l’auteur recapitule les arguments allant a ­l’encontre de la datation traditionnelle du Lunyu et argumente en faveur d’une reevaluation de la “connexion Lunyu→Mengzi”. Il analyse ensuite les paralleles avec le Lunyu dans le Mengzi et montre que ceux-ci ne prouvent pas que les auteurs du Mengzi aient ete au fait d’une quelconque version du Lunyu. La section suivante, sur la datation du Mengzi, s’interesse aux citations anciennes du Mengzi et suggere que le texte n’a pu etre fixe avant la periode des Han Orientaux, auquel cas certains paralleles avec le Lunyu dans le Mengzi pourraient refleter un contexte Han. La section finale examine les implications de la connexion Lunyu→Mengzi pour l’etude de la pensee chinoise ancienne.
The Problem of Shot Selection in Basketball

In basketball, every time the offense produces a shot opportunity the player with the ball must decide whether the shot is worth taking. In this article, I explore the question of when a team should shoot and when they should pass up the shot by considering a simple theoretical model of the shot selection process, in which the quality of shot opportunities generated by the offense is assumed to fall randomly within a uniform distribution. Within this model I derive an answer to the question "how likely must the shot be to go in before the player should take it?" and I show that this lower cutoff for shot quality f depends crucially on the number n of shot opportunities remaining (say, before the shot clock expires), with larger n demanding that only higher-quality shots should be taken. The function f(n) is also derived in the presence of a finite turnover rate and used to predict the shooting rate of an optimal-shooting team as a function of time. The theoretical prediction for the optimal shooting rate is compared to data from the National Basketball Association (NBA). The comparison highlights some limitations of the theoretical model, while also suggesting that NBA teams may be overly reluctant to shoot the ball early in the shot clock.
Expression and its discontents: toward an ecology of musical creation

We describe the prevailing model of musical expression, which assumes a binary formulation of "the text" and "the act," along with its implied roles of composer and performer. We argue that this model not only excludes some contemporary aesthetic values but also limits the communicative ability of new music interfaces. As an alternative, an ecology of musical creation accounts for both a diversity of aesthetic goals and the complex interrelation of human and non-human agents. An ecological perspective on several approaches to musical creation with interactive technologies reveals an expanded, more inclusive view of artistic interaction that facilitates novel, compelling ways to use technology for music. This paper is fundamentally a call to consider the role of aesthetic values in the analysis of artistic processes and technologies.
Adolescent Health: Are We Willing to Pay the Price for Inaction?

Several years ago, a legislator spoke clearly of the wishful unawareness we often confront in public health. After a session of frank exchange in his committee about teen pregnancy in Arkansas, he said, “Dr. Elders, until you became the health department director, we didn't have this problem.” The facts paint a startling scenario for such people. We have not provided an environment in which our children can flourish. Instead, we have allowed the number of children who are economically, educationally, and medically disadvantaged to grow. Called “at-risk,” their existence is an affront to democratic ideals, especially the belief that all have an equal chance for prosperity. It is time for true reform, but before that can happen, we must face the state of our children's health. After this, we must set to work at effective strategies.
Survivin regulates the p53 tumor suppressor gene family.

Survivin regulates cell division and inhibits apoptosis by blocking caspase activation. The tumor suppressor p53 inhibits cell cycle progression and induces apoptosis. Since Survivin overexpression and loss of wild-type p53 expression/function occur in most cancers, we investigated whether Survivin regulates p53. Stable overexpression of Survivin protects BaF3 cells from Adriamycin-induced apoptosis, while dominant-negative (T34A) and antisense (AS) Survivin accelerate apoptosis. In BaF3 cells and transiently transfected MCF7 breast cancer cells, elevation of total and phospho-Ser15-p53 in response to Adriamycin is blocked by Survivin and enhanced by Survivin disruption. Furthermore, in Adriamycin-treated MCF7 cells, ectopic Survivin decreased p53 mRNA and increased mRNA and protein of the p53 homologues ΔNp63 and TAp73 and mRNA for ΔNp73, suggesting that Survivin may differentially regulate p53 family transcription. Concomitant with decreasing p53 mRNA, Survivin decreased Mdm2 mRNA. Survivin disruption by T34A or AS Survivin resulted in reduced Mdm2 protein. The caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK, blocked the decrease in Mdm2 as well as the increase in p53 resulting from Survivin disruption, indicating that Survivin regulates Mdm2 at the post-translational level. Proteosome inhibition confirmed that reduced p53 protein observed in cells overexpressing Survivin is due to enhanced p53 degradation resulting from Survivin-mediated inhibition of Mdm2 cleavage by caspases. In summary, our results identify regulatory interactions between Survivin and p53 at the mRNA and protein levels, and suggest that the p53 homologues ΔNp63, TAp73 and ΔNp73 may also be regulated by Survivin.
Cervicovaginal cytology in carcinosarcoma [malignant mixed mullerian (mesodermal) tumor] of the uterus.

We examined the cervicovaginal cytology (PAP) findings in a series of 21 endometrial and 2 cervical carcinosarcomas (CS) [malignant mixed mullerian (mesodermal) tumors] (MMMT). Initial cytology diagnosis was positive for cancer in 14 of 23 cases (sensitivity of 61%); however, CS was correctly identified only 2 times. The remaining 12 cancer diagnoses were carcinomas: 10 adenocarcinomas (4 endometrial, 1 cervical, and 5 adenocarcinomas not otherwise specified), 1 squamous carcinoma, and 1 poorly differentiated carcinoma. Seventeen smears were available for review, all 8 false negative, one unsatisfactory, and 8 of 14 true positive smears. One false negative smear showed rare clusters diagnostic of adenocarcinoma. The remaining 7 false negative smears showed 3 high grade squamous dysplasias (two with additional findings: one showed atypical spindle cells and the other showed endometrial stromal cells), 2 extensive repair changes, and 2 negatives. The unsatisfactory smear showed atypical spindle cells. Review of the 8 true positive smears confirmed malignant spindle cells in the two cases originally identified as CS by cytology and in 3 other cases originally identified as adenocarcinoma. Of 9 smears positive for cancer available for review, 4 showed only carcinoma cells. PAP positive for cancer was associated with high stage at presentation (P less than .025) and recurrent disease (P less than .001) (even among stage I or II patients, P less than .025). PAP positive for cancer showed no association with depth of myometrial invasion, size, grade, or histologic type of carcinosarcoma. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of consultative cytology reporting in which recommendations for appropriate biopsy are included in the report.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Antitumor activity and cardiac stimulatory effects of constituents of Anthopleura elegantissima.

Abstract: A crude aqueous ethanolic extract of the sea anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima (Brandt), displayed activity against two experimental mouse tumors (P-388 lymphocytic leukemia and Ehrlich ascites tumor). In addition, it displayed a positive inotropic effect on isolated rat atria. Preliminary separations established that the three biological activities are due to three different constituents of this marine organism.
The Dispersion Due to Weak Absorption Bands

The evaluation of the transition probability or the electron number from absorption measurements is difficult for weak bands with background absorption. Here the formulae are developed to evaluate this quantity from the difference in height of maximum and minimum of the dispersion curve.
Health insurance is not health care.

Thanks to theAffordableCareAct (ACA), low-incomeAmericans (thoseearning less than 139%of the federal poverty level) living in 25 states and theDistrict of Columbia gained eligibility to Medicaid on January 1, 2014.1 The Congressional Budget Office estimates that by 2022 there will be 12 mill ion new enrollees into Medicaid.2 Although this is anunprecedented leap forward in providing low-income Americans with health insurance, it is important to remember thathealth insurance isnothealthcare. Health insurance is a financialmechanismforpaying forhealth care. It is not the care itself, or even a guarantee of care.
An access control language for web services

This paper presents an approach for formally specifying and enforcing security policies on web service implementations. Networked services in general, and web services in particular, require extensive amounts of code to ensure that clients respect site-integrity constraints. We provide a language by which these constraints can be expressed and enforced automatically, portably and efficiently. Security policies in our system are specified in a language based on temporal logic, and are processed by an enforcement engine to yield site and platform-specific access control code. This code is integrated with a web server and platform-specific libraries to enforce the specified policy on a given web service. Our approach decouples the security policy specification from service implementations, provides a mandatory access control model for web services, and achieves good performance. We show that up to 22% of the code in a traditional web service module is dedicated to security checking functionality, including checks for client sequencing and parameter validation. We show that our prototype language implementation, WebGuard, enables web programmers to significantly reduce the amount of security checking code they need to develop manually. The quality of the code generated by WebGuard from formal policy specifications is competitive with the latency of handcrafted code to within a few percent.
Characterization of somatostatin receptor subtypes controlling rat gastric acid and pancreatic amylase release

Abstract An examination of the binding characteristics of a large number of somatostatin analogues with respect to the five known somatostatin receptor subtypes has recently resulted in the discovery of several peptides with some selectivity for types 2, 3, and 4 and little affinity for type 1 or 5 receptor. A panel of these peptides has thus far implicated type 2 receptors in the inhibition of release of pituitary growth hormone and type 4 receptors in inhibiting pancreatic insulin release. In the present article, we have examined the inhibitory effects of the same group of peptides on in vivo rat gastric acid and pancreatic amylase release and binding to rat pancreatic acinar cells. The type 2-selective ligand NC-8–12 was a potent inhibitor of gastric acid release (EC50s in the 1.5 n M region) whereas the type 4-selective ligand, DC-23–99, elicited little response. However, some involvement of type 3 receptors could not be ruled out because the type 3-selective analoueg, DC-25–20, exhibited inhibitory effects at higher dose levels ( EC 50 > 10 n M ). Conversely, the type 4 analogue was a potent inhibitor of amylase release (EC50 1.1 nM) whereas the type 3 analogue had no significant effects at doses tested. DC-23–99 also bound with high affinity to rat acinar cells (EC50 3.8 n M ), whereas DC-25-20 exhibited more than 10-fold less affinity. Thus, these two major biological functions of somatostatin appear to be controlled by different receptors and, furthermore, effects on both endocrine and exocrine pancreas appear to be type 4 receptor mediated.
Role of Transcription Factor NF-κB in Asbestos-Induced TNFα Response from Macrophages☆

Asbestos exposure in humans is associated with inflammatory, fibrotic, and malignant diseases in the lung. Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) is an important mediator of the pathologic responses of asbestosis. In this study, we examine the role of nuclear transcription factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and free oxygen radicals in asbestos-induced TNFalpha gene and protein expression in lung macrophages. Exposure of the cells to crocidolite asbestos caused a parallel increase in TNFalpha production and NF-kappaB activation, as analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Inhibition of NF-kappaB by SN50, an inhibitor of NF-kappaB nuclear translocation, or by sequence-specific oligonucleotides directed against the NF-kappaB binding site of TNFalpha promoter attenuated the asbestos effect on TNFalpha production. Gene transfection assays using an expression plasmid containing a luciferase reporter gene and a TNFalpha-derived NF-kappaB gene promoter further indicated the dependence of NF-kappaB activation on asbestos-induced gene expression. The effects of asbestos on NF-kappaB and TNFalpha activation were inhibited by oxygen radical scavengers and were enhanced by antioxidant enzyme inhibitors. These results indicate that asbestos-induced TNFalpha gene expression is mediated through a process that involves NF-kappaB activation and free radical reactions.
The development of a gridded weather typing classification scheme

Gridded reanalysis datasets have proven quite useful for a broad range of synoptic climatological analyses, especially those utilizing a map-pattern classification approach. However, their use in broad-scale, surface weather typing classifications and applications have not yet been explored. This research details the development of such a gridded weather typing classification (GWTC) scheme using North American Regional Reanalysis data for 1979–2010 for the continental United States. Utilizing eight-times daily observations of six surface variables, the GWTC categorizes the daily surface weather of 2070 locations into one of 11 discrete weather types – nine core types and two transitional types (TRs) – that remain consistent throughout the domain. Due to the use of an automated deseasonalized z-score initial typing procedure, the character of each type is both geographically and seasonally relative, allowing each core weather type to occur at every location, at any time of the year. Diagnostic statistics reveal a high degree of spatial cohesion among the weather types classified at neighbouring locations, along with an effective partitioning of climate variability into these 11 weather types. Daily maps of the spatial distribution of GWTC weather types across the United States correspond well to traditional surface weather maps, and comparisons of the GWTC with the Spatial Synoptic Classification are also favourable. While the potential future utility of the classification is expected to be primarily for the resultant calendars of daily weather types at specific locations, the automation of the methodology allows the classification to be easily repeatable, and therefore, easily transportable to other locations, atmospheric levels and datasets, including general circulation models. The enhanced spatial resolution of the GWTC may allow for new applications of surface weather typing classifications in mountainous and rural areas not well represented by weather stations.
On the core of the multicommodity flow game

In citepapa, Papadimitriou formalized the notion of routing stability in BGP as the following coalitional game theoretic problem: Given a network with a multicommodity flow satisfying node capacity and demand constraints, the payoff of a node is the total flow originated or terminated at it. A payoff allocation is in the core if and only if there is no subset of nodes that can increase their payoff by seceding from the network. We answer one of the open problems in citepapa by proving that for any network, the core is non-empty in both the transferable (where the nodes can compensate each other with side payments) and the non-transferable case. In the transferable case we show that such an allocation can be computed in polynomial time. We also generalize this result to the case where a strictly concave utility function is associated with each commodity.
Eliminating the mystery from the concept of emergence

While some branches of complexity theory are advancing rapidly, the same cannot be said for our understanding of emergence. Despite a complete knowledge of the rules underlying the interactions between the parts of many systems, we are often baffled by their sudden transitions from simple to complex. Here I propose a solution to this conceptual problem. Given that emergence is often the result of many interactions occurring simultaneously in time and space, an ability to intuitively grasp it would require the ability to consciously think in parallel. A simple exercise is used to demonstrate that we do not possess this ability. Our surprise at the behaviour of cellular automata models, and the natural cases of pattern formation they mimic, is then explained from this perspective. This work suggests that the cognitive limitations of the mind can be as significant a barrier to scientific progress as the limitations of our senses.
Vocational behavior, 1989–1991: Life-span career development and reciprocal interaction of work and nonwork

Abstract This article represents the 17th in a series of reviews of the vocational behavior literature. The review includes research related to life-span, developmental perspectives of career behavior, and the reciprocal interactions that occur between work and nonwork domains. Life-span research continues to be focused primarily on early career stages, particularly on exploration and initial career choice, with lesser attention to career behavior in middle and later adulthood. Research regarding work-nonwork interface, although relatively recent in nature, has grown considerably in complexity and in volume. A greater integration of these two lines of investigation is necessary for a more complete understanding of life-span career, family, and individual development.
Measurement of oxygen consumption in mouse aortic endothelial cells using a microparticulate oximetry probe

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of oxygen consumption in mouse aortic endothelial cells (MAECs) and to determine the effect of a variety of inhibitors and stimulators of oxygen consumption measured by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy utilizing a new particulate oximetry probe. We have previously demonstrated that the octa- n -butoxy derivative of naphthalocyanine neutral radical (LiNc-BuO) enables accurate, precise, and reproducible measurements of pO 2 in cellular suspensions. In the current study, we carried out measurements to provide an accurate determination of pO 2 in small volume with less number of cells (20,000 cells) that has not been possible with other techniques. To establish the reliability of this method, agents such as menadione, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), potassium cyanide, rotenone, and diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI) were used to modulate the oxygen consumption rate in the cells. We observed an increase in oxygen consumption by the cells upon treatment with menadione and LPS, whereas treatment with cyanide, rotenone, and DPI inhibited oxygen consumption. This study clearly demonstrated the utilization of EPR spectrometry with LiNc-BuO probe for determination of oxygen concentration in cultured cells.
Experiments on the formation of a recirculation zone in swirling coaxial jets

The near flow field of coaxial air jets, with swirl in the outer one, was studied using flow visualization and hot-wire anemometry. The flow is sensitive to both the swirl number and the mass flow ratio between the outer and inner jets. A necessary condition for the formation of an internal recirculation zone (IRZ) is that the swirl number must exceed a minimum value which depends on the mass flow ratio. Spectral analysis of the velocity fluctuations indicates that the formation of an IRZ in the present flow does not appear to be related to the growth of convective flow instabilities. Analysis of the flow visualization and X-wire data indicates that the vorticity dynamics model for vortex breakdown proposed by Brown and Lopez [J Fluid Mech (1990) 222: 553] provides a plausible mechanism for the formation of an IRZ in this flow.
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor compounds alter net Ca2+ flux and contractility in an invertebrate smooth muscle.

Responses of a holothurian smooth muscle to a range of muscarinic (M1 to M5) acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) agonists and antagonists were surveyed using calcium (Ca2+)-selective electrodes and a mechanical recording technique. Most of the mAChR agonists and antagonists tested increased both contractility and net Ca2+ efflux, with M1-specific agents like oxotremorine M being the most potent in their action. To investigate the possible sources of Ca2+ used during mAChR activation, agents that disrupt intracellular Ca2+ ion sequestration [cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), caffeine, ryanodine], the phosphoinositide signaling pathway [lithium chloride (LiCl)], and L-type Ca2+ channels (diltiazem and verapamil) were used to challenge contractions induced by oxotremorine M. These contractions were blocked by treatment with CPA, caffeine, LiCl, and by channel blockers, diltiazem and verapamil, but were unaltered by ryanodine. Our data suggest that this smooth muscle had an M1,3,5-like receptor that was associated with the phosphoinositide signaling pathway that relied on intracellular Ca2+ stores, but secondarily used extracellular Ca2+ via the opening of L-type channels.
Model for a metal—electrolyte interface: elastically bonded molecular capacitor

Abstract Two most important contributions to the electric response of the compact layer at a metal—electrolyte solution interface, namely the reorientation of the molecular dipoles and the interfacial capacitor's effective gap relaxation, are considered in the unified “elastically bonded molecular capacitor” model. The phase diagram and the capacitance vs charge plots are calculated and existence of the capacity anomalies (divergence, negativity in some range of charges, etc. ) is proved.
Studies on Dark Adaptation. V. Effect of Various Sizes of Centrally Fixated Pre-Exposure Fields on Foveal and Peripheral Dark Adaptation*

The effect of various sizes of centrally fixated pre-exposures on foveal and peripheral dark adaptation was investigated. For both foveal and peripheral determinations, absolute brightness sensitivity was measured monocularly with a 1-deg circular test patch. Peripheral locations tested were 2, 6, and 15 deg on the horizontal meridian of the temporal retina. Foveal dark-adaptation curves were obtained after pre-exposure to fields which subtended 1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 37.5 deg diam. Peripheral dark-adaptation curves were obtained for three sizes of pre-exposure field at each location. In the fovea, each size was presented at 1 ft-L for 10 sec, 100 ft-L for 10 sec, and 1000 ft-L for 100 sec. In the periphery, each size was presented at 0.1 ft-L for 10 sec and 10 ft-L for 10 sec. The foveal results, with one exception, indicated that size is not a differential factor. In the periphery, the effects of size were most pronounced between those sizes which did and those which did not stimulate the area tested.
Colorectal procedures: what proportion is performed by American board of colon and rectal surgery-certified surgeons?

Purpose The surgical workforce within the United States is moving rapidly toward increasing subspecialization. We hypothesized that over time an increasing proportion of colorectal procedures is performed by subspecialty-trained colorectal surgeons. Methods We used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare program to examine the treatment of patients who underwent a colorectal surgical procedure between 1992 and 2002. We established whether the surgeon responsible for the patient's initial care was a board-certified colorectal surgeon based on a linkage with 2 overlapping data sources: 1) historical data from the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery and 2) the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. Results We examined a total of 104,636 procedures; overall, 30.6% of anorectal procedures, 22.0% of proctectomies, 14.0% of ostomy-related procedures, and 11.5% of colectomies were performed by board-certified colorectal surgeons. Procedures in regions with lower population density or during urgent/emergent hospitalizations were more likely to be performed by a noncolorectal surgeon. Operations for cancer and those performed on an elective basis were more likely to be performed by a board-certified colorectal surgeon. Over time, the proportion of each of these types of cases performed by a colorectal surgeon increased. This increase was fastest for anorectal procedures. Conclusions During the 11-year period of our study, there was a significant increase in the proportion of colorectal surgical procedures performed by board-certified colorectal surgeons.