cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulatory effects of mast cells on lymphoid cells: the role of histamine type 1 receptors in the interaction between mast cells, helper T cells and natural suppressor cells.

Abstract We have investigated the role of mast cells as modulators of lymphocyte function because the mast cells are concentrated in the areas of lymphoid storage; they are dependent upon T-cell growth factor for their proliferation; and they appear to be the principle if not sole storage site for histamine. We have tested the influence of mast cells on the proliferation of alloreactive cloned helper T cells, mixed leukocyte reactions, and the suppressive capacity of natural suppressor cells. We used an IL-3-dependent mast cell line that at high numbers (>10 5 ) suppressed and at low numbers (10 3 to 6 × 10 4 ) augmented the proliferation of T H cells. Addition of histamine to cocultures enhanced the mast cell mediated proliferation of T H cells without directly affecting the helper cells. The action of histamine appeared to be mediated with H 1 type receptors on these mast cells. Pretreatment of natural suppressor cells with supernatants from mast cell enhanced their suppressive capability. Here too, histamines enhanced suppression by the NS cell via histamine type 1 receptors on the natural suppressor cells. Our data suggest that mast cells may be a major modulator of the lymphoid cell immune function and demonstrate a role of histamine type 1 receptors in the interaction between mast cells, helper T cells, and natural suppressor cells.
Double-blinded Study Examining the Effects of Evening Primrose Oil on Feline Pruritic Dermatitis

Abstract— The object of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) liquid (Efamol Vet; Guildford, U.K.) to decrease the signs of feline pruritic skin disease. Cats were accepted into the study if their dermatologic signs were related to probable flea allergy and/or atopy, their signs did not abate with increased flea control alone and they were not on any concurrent anti-inflammatory drugs or supplements. They were initially placed on 4 weeks of intense flea control then randomly in a double-blinded manner placed on either 8 weeks of EPO liquid or olive oil (control). Pruritus, erythema, self-trauma, alopecia and overall dermatologic condition were monitored and scored at 4-week intervals for the entire 12 weeks of study. The mean of each parameter for each group (EPO or olive oil) was compared to itself over time and to the other group using an analysis of variance with repeated measures. No significant difference (P≪ 0.05) was noted over time or between groups for any of the five parameters.
Prevention of common wrestling injuries

Wrestling, both a contact and collision sport, places extreme demands on the entire body. These demands all too often result in injury. With injury rates second only to football (41), strength and conditioning professionals must understand not only injuries common to wrestling but also how a properly designed, well-planned strength training and conditioning program may help to decrease this high injury rate. The sections that follow provide a brief overview of wrestling, including its muscular and physiological demands, and suggestions for exercises intended to reduce the risk of common injuries while improving performance.
Scenario based dynamic video abstractions using graph matching

In this paper, we present scenario based dynamic video abstractions using graph matching. Our approach has two main components: multi-level scenario generations and dynamic video abstractions. Multi-level scenarios are generated by a graph-based video segmentation and a hierarchy of the segments. Dynamic video abstractions are accomplished by accessing the generated hierarchy level by level. The first step in the proposed approach is to segment a video into shots using Region Adjacency Graph (RAG). A RAG expresses spatial relationships among segmented regions of a frame. To measure the similarity between two consecutive RAGs, we propose a new similarity measure, called Graph Similarity Measure (GSM). Next, we construct a tree structure called scene tree based on the correlation between the detected shots. The correlation is computed by the GSM since it considers the relations between the detected shots properly. Multi-level scenarios which provide various levels of video abstractions are generated using the constructed scene tree. We provide two types of abstraction using multi-level scenarios: multi-level highlights and multi-length summarizations. Multi-level highlights are made by entire shots in each scenario level. To summarize a video in various lengths, we select key frames by considering temporal relationships among RAGs computed by the GSM. We have developed a system, called Automatic Video Analysis System (AVAS), by integrating the proposed techniques to show their effectiveness. The experimental results show that the proposed techniques are promising.
Anisotropy in the conductivity of n-gallium arsenide

N type GaAs doped with Si, conductivity anisotropy observed from measurement and explanation in terms of electron distribution
New design method for a hierarchical SVM-based classifier

We propose to use new SVM-type classifiers in a binary hierarchical tree classification structure to efficiently address the multi-class classification problem. A new hierarchical design method, WSV (weighted support vector) K-means Clustering, is presented; it automatically selects the classes to be separated at each node in the hierarchy. Our method is able to visualize and cluster high-dimensional support vector data; therefore, it improves upon prior hierarchical classifier designs. At each node in the hierarchy, we apply an SVRDM (support vector representation and discrimination machine) classifier, which offers generalization and good rejection of unseen false objects; rejection is not achieved with the standard SVM classifier. We provide the theoretical basis and insight into the choice of the Gaussian kernel to provide the SVRDM's rejection ability. New classification and rejection test results are presented on a real IR (infra-red) database.
Activated mutant of Gα12 enhances the hyperosmotic stress response of NIH3T3 cells

Heterotrimeric G protein G12 stimulates diverse physiological responses including the activities of Na+/H+ exchangers and Jun kinases. We have observed that the expression of the constitutively activated, GTPase-deficient mutant of Galpha(12) (Galpha(12)QL) accelerates the hyperosmotic response of NIH3T3 cells as monitored by the hyperosmotic stress-stimulated activity of JNK1. The accelerated response appears to be partly due to the increased basal activity of JNK since cell lines-such as NIH3T3 cells expressing JNK1-in which JNK activity is elevated, show a similar response. NIH3T3 cells expressing Galpha(12)QL also display heightened sensitivity to hyperosmotic stress. This is in contrast to JNK1-NIH3T3 cells that failed to enhance sensitivity although they do exhibit an accelerated hyperosmotic response. Reasoning that the increased sensitivity seen in Galpha(12)QL cells is due to a signaling component other than JNK, the effect of dimethyamiloride, an inhibitor of Na+/H+ exchanger in this response, was assessed. Treatment of vector control NIH3T3 cells with 50 microM dimethylamiloride potently inhibited their hyperosmotic response whereas the response was only partially inhibited in Galpha(12)QL-NIH3T3 cells. These results, for the first time, identify that NHEs are upstream of the JNK module in the hyperosmotic stress-signaling pathway and that Galpha(12) can enhance this response by modulating either or both of these components namely, JNKs and NHEs in NIH3T3 cells.
Pb–Li compatibility issues for DEMO☆

Abstract The current dual coolant fusion blanket concept is limited to a ∼475 °C (748 K) wall temperature due to dissolution/redeposition of the FeCr steel in Pb–Li. Higher wall temperatures could be achieved if compatibility issues can be controlled. Isothermal capsule experiments have demonstrated that thin (
A polynomial time algorithm for generating neural networks for pattern classification: its stability properties and some test results

Polynomial time training and network design are two major issues for the neural network community. A new algorithm has been developed that can learn in polynomial time and also design an appropriate network. The algorithm is for classification problems and uses linear programing models to design and train the network. This paper summarizes the new algorithm, proves its stability properties, and provides some computational results to demonstrate its potential.
Pain and aggression: some findings and implications

Consistent with the cognitive-neoassociationistic conception of anger and emotional aggression, a wide variety of studies with animal as well as human subjects demonstrate that pain often gives rise to an inclination to hurt an available target, and also, at the human level, that people in pain are apt to be angry. However, and also in accord with the present formulation, these “primitive” angry/aggressive reactions can be suppressed, intensified, or modified by cognitive processes.
ANXIOUS MASCULINITY IN FRANK WEDEKIND’S SPRING AWAKENING

Late]nineteenth]century Europe saw an unprecedented crisis in masculinity that resulted in an intensified fear of the feminine and of feminization. Triggered in part by the womenfs movement, sexologistsf investigations into sexual pathologies, and the increasingly visible homosexual, this crisis was also exacerbated by a cult of masculinity that promoted a hypermasculinity unattainable by most. Using this crisis as the backdrop for his first critically acclaimed work Spring Awakening (1891), Frank Wedekind chronicles the lives of several adolescents, and in particular several young boys, as they begin their journeys into puberty. Looking in particular at the various forms of masculinity Wedekind projects onto the young boys in Spring Awakening, this article presents the marginalization of the ordinary male through characters who either express, reject, or combat the feminine dangers they perceive threatening their already precarious manhood.
Dual Doppler Radar Coordination Using Nomograms

Abstract A simple nomogram technique to facilitate dual Doppler radar data collection is presented. Equations and nomograms are developed for relating the position of a given target relative to two radars. The results are general, but application is made to the National Severe Storms Laboratory radars at Norman and the Cimarron site 40 km northwest of Norman.
Thalidomide Effects in Behçet's Syndrome and Pustular Vasculitis

• Pustular vasculitis is a new disease concept that links cutaneous, and possibly systemic, aspects of Behcet's, bowel bypass, bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis, and disseminated gonorrhea syndromes. The pathomechanism of pustular vasculitic lesion generation may relate to circulating immune complex (CIC)-mediated vessel damage and serum enhancement of neutrophil migration. Thalidomide, an oral pharmaceutical available on strict protocol, has therapeutic effects based on proposed modulation of CIC- and neutrophil-mediated cytotoxicity. Thalidomide therapy was started for four patients with significant morbidity from Behcet's syndrome and for one patient with bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome. Clinical benefit was dramatic in all patients who completed sequential four-week "on" and "off" thalidomide therapeutic cycles. In three of four patients, in vivo testing for CIC after histamine injection immunopathology converted from positive (immunoreactant deposition in dermal vasculature [four hours after histamine] and CIC-mediated vasculitis [24 hours after histamine]) to negative during therapy. No effects were noted on neutrophil migration or on the LFA-1/Mac-1/p150,95 family of glycoproteins associated with neutrophil adherence as assessed qualitatively by tritium labeling of neutrophil cell surfaces. In this small patient group, thalidomide was a clinically effective, safe (with rigid monitoring) therapy whose mechanism of action may relate more to inhibitory effects on CIC-induced vasculitis than to effects on neutrophil-mediated cytotoxicity. (Arch Intern Med1986;146:878-881)
Studies in American orchids VII

Vanilla rubra (Lam.) Urb. in Fedde Rep. Beih, 5: 157, 1920 / Elleanthus Kalbreyeri Garay, nom. nov. / Elleanthus lancifolius Presl, Rel. Haenk. 97, 1827 / Pleurothallis cardiothallis Rchb. f. in Bot. Zeit. 15: 158, 1857 / Pleurothallis excelsa Garay, sp. nov. / Platystele Johnstonii (Ames) Garay, comb. nov. / Platystele propinqua (Ames), Garay, comb. nov. / Platystele xiphochila (Rchb. f.) Garay, comb. nov. / Lepanthopsis serrulata (Cogn.) Hespenheide & Garay, comb. nov. / Masdevallia bulbophyllopsis Krzl. in Fedde Rep. 17: 412, 1921. / Masdevallia heteroptera Rchb. f. in Gard. Chron. n. s. 3: 590, 1875. / Masdevallia velutina Rchb. f. in Gard. Chron. n. s. 4: 420, 1875 / Epidendrum bracteolatum Presl, ReI. Haenk. 100, 1827 / Epidendrum infaustum Rchb. f. in Hamb. Gartenz. 19: 13, 1863 / Epidendrum jejunum Rchb. f. in Otia Bot. Hamb, 12, 1878 / Epidendrum vernixium Rchb. f. & Warsc. in Bonpl. 2: 110, 1854 / Maxillaria ochracea (Rchb. f.) Garay, comb. nov / Odontoglossum narthecioides (Krzl.) Garay, comb. nov. / Sigmatostalix auriculata, Garay, sp. nov. / Sigmatostalix Brownii Garay,· sp. nov / Rusbyella pusilla (C. Schweinf.) Garay, comb. nov / Sphyrastylis ecuadorensis Garay, sp. nov / Pterostemma calceolaris Garay, sp. nov.
Functional significance of cyclic AMP secretion in cerebral cortex

Cyclic AMP secretion in response to beta adrenergic receptor stimulation has been demonstrated in glioma-derived cell lines, in cerebral cortex in dissociated cell culture, and in the frontal cortex of living animals. The possible functions of cAMP secretion are considered; in particular, a role for this phenomenon in mediating some of the actions of norepinephrine as a neuromodulator in cerebral cortex.
Comparative Characterization of the Human and Mouse Third Ventricle Germinal Zones

Recent evidence indicates differences in neural stem cell biology in different brain regions. For example, we demonstrated that neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) tumor suppressor gene inactivation leads to increased neural stem cell proliferation and gliogenesis in the optic chiasm and brainstem but not in the cerebral cortex. The differential effect of Nf1 inactivation in the optic nerve and brainstem (in which gliomas commonly form in children with NF1) versus the cortex (in which gliomas rarely develop) suggests the existence of distinct ventricular zones for gliomagenesis in children and in adults. Here, we characterized the third ventricle subventricular zone (tv-SVZ) in young and adult mouse and human brains. In children, but not adult humans, the tv-SVZ contains nestin-positive, glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive, brain fatty acid binding protein-positive, and sox2-positive cells with radial processes and prominent cilia. In contrast, the tv-SVZ in young mice contains sox2-positive progenitor cells and ciliated ependymal lining cells but lacks glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive, nestin-positive radial glia. As in the lateral ventricle SVZ, proliferation in the human and murine tv-SVZ decreases with age. The tv-SVZ in adult mice lacks the hypocellular subventricular zone observed in adult human specimens. Collectively, these data indicate the existence of a subventricular zone relevant to our understanding of glioma formation in children and will assist interpretation of genetically engineered mouse glioma models.
Ultrasonic Reflector Classification with Autoregressive Models

Ultrasonic flaw classification has received much attention in recent years. This paper presents a new approach of classification by employing some characteristic features extracted from autoregressive (AR) models. Impressive results were obtained by classifying eight types of artificial flaws in aluminum blocks and four in stainless steel blocks. This method eliminates subjective interpretation, especially for certain random-like ultrasonic signals, and it is easily implemented on a microcomputer. It also has the advantage that it can be adjusted to fit different measurement conditions.
Measurement of particle deposition in industrial ducts

Abstract A new method was developed to measure particle deposition in industrial ducts. Greased wire grids were used to capture particles in situ by impaction upstream and downstream of a duct bend. Particles were recovered from the grid using a hexane extraction procedure. Cumulative mass distributions of the recovered particles were determined with a sedimentation pipette; these distributions were then used to compute particle deposition by size. As these procedures were compatible with solid particles only, the interior surface of the bend was coated with grease to eliminate solid particle bounce so that results obtained here could be compared to published models for droplet deposition in bends. In a 20.3-cm-diameter, 90° bend at an air velocity of 27.4 m s −1 , deposition increased from approximately 35% at 15 μm to nearly 100% at 100 μm . These data generally agreed with models developed for small sampling tubes.
Essential fatty acid deficiency in cultured human keratinocytes attenuates toxicity due to lipid peroxidation

Human keratinocytes are commonly grown in culture with a serum-free medium. Under these conditions, keratinocytes become essential fatty acid deficient (EFAD), as determined by gas chromatographic analysis of cell phospholipid fatty acid composition. Exposure of EFAD keratinocytes for 2 hr to concentrations of t-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) up to 2 mM did not result in toxicity assessed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and only a small indication of lipid peroxidation assessed by the release of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). Addition of 10 microM linoleic acid (LA) to serum-free medium alleviated the EFAD condition by increasing the phospholipid content of LA and its elongation and desaturation products, arachidonic acid and docosatetraenoic acid. Exposure of LA-supplemented keratinocytes to tBHP resulted in significant LDH (at 1 and 2 mM tBHP) and TBARS (tBHP concentration dependent) release. TBARS release was also significantly elevated in unexposed LA-supplemented keratinocytes (basal release). Co-supplementation with the antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol succinate (TS) prevented tBHP (1 mM)-induced LDH release in LA-supplemented cultures. TS supplementation also attenuated the effect of tBHP on TBARS release, but when compared to TS-supplemented EFAD cultures, LA supplementation still led to increased tBHP-induced TBARS release. Keratinocyte cultures are potentially useful as an alternative to animals in toxicology research and testing. It is important, however, that the cell model provide a response to toxic insult similar to that experienced in vivo. Our results suggest that fatty acid and antioxidant nutrition of cultured keratinocytes are important parameters in mediating the toxic effects of lipid peroxidation.
RELATION OF RIBONUCLEIC ACID COMPOSITION TO GROWTH RATE AND DORMANCY IN BACILLUS SUBTILIS.

RECENTLY, Kjeldgaard and Kurland1 have shown with Salmonella typhimurium that the ratio of soluble RNA to DNA is constant at all growth rates, and that the increase in cell RNA content with increasing growth rates results from an increase in the ratio of ribosomal RNA to DNA. Protein synthesis was also directly related to the amount of ribosomal RNA present. The results of these investigations indicate that the ratio of soluble RNA to ribosomal RNA increased at lower growth rates. If this relationship between the two major RNA fractions of bacterial cells is consistent, one might expect a relatively high soluble RNA to ribosomal RNA ratio in spores which are a non-growing stage in certain bacterial species. An analysis of vegetative cells and spores of Bacillus subtilis was undertaken therefore to determine if this relationship between RNA composition and growth rate was maintained.
2K radiological image display station

We intend to design a 2K display station which can be used in most of the radiology sections. This paper describes how we collected the basic viewing requirements and defined the criteria for designing the 2K display station. Based on the design criteria, hardware components are selected and software modules are implemented. The hardware components in the display station consist of a SUN 470 computer, two 21' diagonal 2K MegaScan monitors, and a 2.6- Gbyte formatted storage concepts parallel transfer disk. The software modules include a communication software module, a local database module, a local storage management module, and an image display module. The station provides features such as dual-cine, region- of-interest, caliper measurement, image retrieval, and diagnostic report. Four stations have been used in genitourinary radiology, pediatric radiology in-patient and out-patient, and neuroradiology since January 1992. The stations are used for morning and afternoon radiology rounds and frequently for consultations between radiologists and clinicians.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Uptake and degradation of plasma lipoproteins by human choriocarcinoma cells in culture

The uptake and degradation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) by human choriocarcinoma cells in culture was studied using [125I]iodo-LDL as the substrate. At 37 C, uptake of [125I]iodo-LDL was rapid, attaining a steady state within 4.5 h. After a lag time of about 1 h, degradation of [125I]iodo-LDL proceeded linearly for at least 30 h. The relationship of uptake and degradation to the concentration of [125I]iodo-LDL in the culture medium was consistent with the conclusion that both of these processes involved binding to a population of high affinity (apparent Kd, 4 × 10-9 M), low capacity cell surface receptors. High density lipoprotein caused little displacement of [125I]iodo- LDL from these receptor sites. At 4 C, the extent of uptake of [125I]iodo-LDL was reduced by 75%, whereas its degradation was completely inhibited. At 4 C, addition of heparin (10 mg/ml) to the culture medium bathing the cells caused dissociation of most of the bound [125I]iodo-LDL from the cells; but at 37 C, addition of heparin cau...
Effects of three diagram instruction methods on transfer of diagram comprehension skills: The critical role of inference while learning

Abstract Can students be taught to better comprehend the diagrams in their textbooks? Can such teaching transfer to uninstructed diagrams in the same domain or even in a new domain? What methods work best for these goals? Building on previous research showing positive results compared to control groups in both laboratory studies and short-term interventions, the authors developed three 6-week-long classroom treatments and compared their effectiveness in a sample of 137 high school biology students. Treatments involved students generating explanations (Self-Expl), completing a diagram with graphic elements (SCD-Visual), or completing a diagram with text (SCD-Verbal). Treatments were both effective for literal and inferential biology diagram comprehension, but the Self-Expl treatment showed greater pre-posttest gains on inferential items and SCD-Visual showed greater gains on literal items. Far transfer to geoscience diagram comprehension was only found for SCD-Verbal. There were no gains on biology knowledge for SCD-Visual. Analyses of instructional materials and students' coded answers during the intervention suggest that Self-Expl and SCD-Verbal conditions fostered more effort and more inferences while learning than did SCD-Visual. Results are consistent with the emphasis on inference in Hegarty's model of diagram comprehension.
A181: Evaluating Decision-Making in a Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic

Background/Purpose: Children with rheumatic disease often have chronic needs that require comprehensive, lifelong medical care. Transition of adolescent rheumatology patients from pediatric to adult institutions, in addition to a shift in legal responsibility, calls for the development and activation of medical decision-making skills. Medical decision-making is the umbrella term for the dynamic and evolving process of arriving at a medical decision, and is comprised of multiple factors including adherence, self-management, patient activation, health consciousness, and patient empowerment. This study assessed adolescent and caregiver medical decision-making characteristics in the outpatient Rheumatology clinic of a pediatric tertiary care hospital. We hypothesized that (1) pediatric patients who are more involved in their care have lower decisional conflict (i.e., conflict over making a medical decision), (2) adolescents want to be involved in their care, and (3) higher health consciousness is positively correlated with valuing involvement in medical decision-making, actual involvement in decision making, and lower decisional conflict. Methods: This was an anonymous survey study of adolescent patients with chronic rheumatologic illness and their caregivers presenting to the outpatient Rheumatology clinic at Boston Children's Hospital. Both adolescent and caregiver surveys included measures pertaining to health consciousness, medical values, potential barriers to involvement in care, decisional conflict, perceived actual involvement, and desired involvement. Results: A total of twenty-eight adolescent'caregiver pairs completed the survey. The mean age of adolescents was 16.14 years old (SD = 2.5). There was a significant positive correlation between adolescent and caregiver health consciousness (r = 0.43, p = 0.027). Valuing involvement in medical decision-making by adolescent patients was positively correlated with their perception of actual involvement (r = 0.39, p = 0.04) and with their level of health consciousness (r = 0.48, p = 0.009). Furthermore, adolescent perception of actual involvement in medical decision-making correlated negatively with their feelings of decisional conflict (r = −0.64, p <0.001). Conclusion: Adolescent patients with chronic rheumatic disease have considerable motivation for involvement in care. Given the link between treatment adherence and medical decision-making, the characteristics of medical decision-making in the pediatric rheumatology population are a valuable area for future research.
Use of radio frequency bridge for re-entry plasma diagnostics.

The use of an rf bridge technique to determine the electrical conductivity of the plasma sheath surrounding a re-entry vehicle (R/V) is considered. The theory of bridge operation and an analytical prediction of the bridge sensitivity are presented and validated by metal foil calibration and shock tube experiments. The range of plasma properties over which the rf bridge technique is valid is discussed, and the demonstrated sensitivity is shown to be capable of measuring the plasma encountered during re-entry. The Hall effect and rf breakdown could cause difficulty; these are examined and found to be of negligible influence. Requirements for installation aboard the R/Fare discussed.
Structural Support for Cognitive Radio System Deployment

This paper describes research on the development of an appropriate support structure for the analysis of the spectral environments to support the successful deployment and utilization of a cognitive radio system in specific high value spatial domains (e.g. urban centers). Specifically the paper discusses the opportunity to use a system of spectrum observatories augmented by wireless sensor networks to provide guidance to the discrete radios within a cognitive radio system on the most likely available spectral channels and bands. Toward this end, the paper separates and characterizes the spectral opportunity into four distinct classes. The paper also discusses four criteria for identifying and separating spectral bands into these classes. Generic implementation requirements for a Spectrum Observatory are identified and illustrated with the embodiment at IIT's Chicago campus. The paper discusses various academic and research opportunities afforded by the availability of a Spectrum Observatory. Finally, the potential for the full deployment of a "spectrum traffic" system is discussed along with the requirement for continuing research efforts.
Videogames in Computer Space: The Complex History of Pong

The earliest digital games emerged out of laboratories and research centers in the 1960s and 1970s. The intertwined histories of Nolan Bushnell's Computer Space and Pong illustrate the transition from these "university games" to accessible entertainment and educational games as well as the complicated historical relationship among the arcade, computer, and videogames.
A Network Theorem and Its Application

The proof of a theorem useful in analyzing the response of certain types of circuits to modulated signals and examples of the use of the theorem are presented.
Work and Family Issues in the Hospitality Industry: Perspectives of Entrants, Managers, and Spouses:

With smaller, more efficient workforces, hotel organizations are competing to retain highly valued managers. Work stress and burnout are often cited as precursors to work and family stress, and together these factors influence employee intentions to leave an organization. However, work and family issues have received little attention in the hospitality and tourism literature. Using focus groups and semistructured interviews with three groups of participants (new entrants into the hotel industry, hotel managers, and their spouses), the authors explore the connections among work characteristics, work stress, and the work–family interface. Results of the multisource qualitative research suggest that long, unpredictable hours create individual and family-related stress. Furthermore, there is agreement among the three sources regarding the stressors and benefits associated with working in the hotel industry. Discussion of future research and practice is presented.
Cognitive bases of lexical development: object permanence and relational words

The hypothesis that there is a close relationship between object permanence and early language acquisition has not been supported by most previous research. McCune-Nicolich (1981), however, performed a detailed theoretical analysis and, as a result, found a close relationship between stage 6 object permanence development and the use of relational words. Unlike previous studies which used mostly quantitative measures of language, McCune-Nicolich related object permanence to the semantic content of the child's early words. She concluded that relational words enter the child's lexicon ‘as a group’ during stage 6, due in part to the development of the cognitive abilities of that stage. The current study attempts to make this claim more specific and consequently more accurate. Relational words requiring the conceptualization of the visible displacement of objects should emerge during stage 5, those involving invisible displacements during stage 6, and those referring to more complex spatial displacements only later during the pre-operational period. Data from a longitudinal study of six 1-year-olds corroborate this more specific account.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Trap Blocks Tumor Growth, Metastasis Formation, and Vascular Leakage in an Orthotopic Murine Renal Cell Cancer Model

Purpose: Angiogenesis inhibitors have shown clinical benefit in patients with advanced renal cell cancer, but further therapeutic improvement is needed. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) Trap is a newly developed VEGF-blocking agent with stronger affinity and broader activity than the anti-VEGF antibody bevacizumab. In this study, we tested the activity of VEGF Trap in an orthotopic murine model of renal cancer with spontaneous lung metastases. Experimental Design: Murine syngeneic renal cell carcinoma cells (RENCA) transfected with a luciferase-expressing vector were injected into the renal capsule of BALB/c mice. I.p. treatment with VEGF Trap or control protein (10 or 25 mg/kg twice weekly) was started shortly after tumor injection to prevent tumor development (prevention model) or after established tumors were formed to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis formation (intervention model). Results: In the prevention model, VEGF Trap inhibited tumor growth by 87 ± 14% compared with control ( P = 0.007) and significantly prolonged survival. In the intervention model, VEGF Trap inhibited tumor growth by 74 ± 9% ( P < 0.001) and the formation of lung metastases was inhibited by 98% ( P < 0.004). Microvascular density was reduced by 66% due to VEGF Trap treatment ( P < 0.001). In addition, VEGF Trap prevented fibrinogen leakage into the tumor microenvironment representative for reduced vascular leaking as shown by immunohistochemical staining. Conclusions: VEGF Trap is a potent inhibitor of RENCA tumor growth and metastasis formation and blocks the biological function of VEGF in vivo . These results support further clinical development of VEGF Trap for renal cell cancer and other cancer types.
DUSP6 (MKP3) null mice show enhanced ERK1/2 phosphorylation at baseline and increased myocyte proliferation in the heart affecting disease susceptibility.

The strength and duration of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling is regulated through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation by dedicated dual-specificity kinases and phosphatases, respectively. Here we investigated the physiological role that extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) dephosphorylation plays in vivo through targeted disruption of the gene encoding dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (Dusp6) in the mouse. Dusp6-/- mice, which were viable, fertile, and otherwise overtly normal, showed an increase in basal ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the heart, spleen, kidney, brain, and fibroblasts, but no change in ERK5, p38, or c-Jun N-terminal kinases activation. However, loss of Dusp6 did not increase or prolong ERK1/2 activation after stimulation, suggesting that its function is more dedicated to basal ERK1/2 signaling tone. In-depth analysis of the physiological effect associated with increased baseline ERK1/2 signaling was performed in cultured mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and the heart. Interestingly, mice lacking Dusp6 had larger hearts at every age examined, which was associated with greater rates of myocyte proliferation during embryonic development and in the early postnatal period, resulting in cardiac hypercellularity. This increase in myocyte content in the heart was protective against decompensation and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy following long term pressure overload and myocardial infarction injury in adult mice. Dusp6-/- MEFs also showed reduced apoptosis rates compared with wild-type MEFs. These results demonstrate that ERK1/2 signaling is physiologically restrained by DUSP6 in coordinating cellular development and survival characteristics, directly impacting disease-responsiveness in adulthood.
‘Good, you identified the suspect…but please ignore this feedback’: can warnings eliminate the effects of post-identification feedback?

The present experiments focus on whether the post-identification feedback effect can be reduced by providing participants with warnings. Participants viewed a crime on video and identified a suspect from a target-absent lineup (Experiment 1) or target-present lineup (Experiment 2). Participants then received positive feedback, negative feedback or no feedback. Half of the participants received a warning saying their feedback was randomly generated by the computer, and the other half received no warning. Robust post-identification feedback effects were observed in both experiments in the no warning condition. These effects were largely eliminated when participants received a warning. In Experiments 3 and 4, we failed to find an ameliorative effect of a forensically realistic warning. These results indicate that warnings can reduce the effect of post-identification feedback in principle, but the application of warnings in practice may be more difficult. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Elimination of a Recessive Allele Conferring Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis from a Heterogeneous Strain of Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

We devised and tested a procedure for eliminating a recessive allele conferring resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki from a laboratory strain of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), composed of resistant and susceptible individuals. We established a ho- mozygous susceptible strain (LAB-PS) from a heterogeneous strain (LAB-P) as follows: We obtained F1 progeny from 7 single-pair families from the heterogeneous strain. Hybrid F2 progeny were produced in 7 mass crosses, each of which involved 10 female F1 progeny from a single-pair family and 10 males from a resistant strain (NO-QA). The hybrid F2 progeny were tested in bioassays with a liquid formulation of B. thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ab at a diagnostic concentration that kills sus- ceptible homozygotes and heterozygotes, but not resistant homozygotes. If the resistance allele occurredineitherofthe2parentsthatproducedaparticularF1 family,thehybridF2 progenyderived from that family were expected to contain at least 25% homozygous resistant individuals that would survive exposure to the diagnostic concentration of Cry1Ab. Conversely, 0% survival of a set of hybrid F2 progeny in the diagnostic bioassay would indicate that the single-pair family from which it was derived was homozygous susceptible. We found 0% survival in 1 set of hybrid F2 progeny and used the F1 single-pair family from which this set was derived to establish a homozygous susceptible strain. Subsequent bioassays showed that diagnostic concentrations of Cry1Ab or Cry1Aa killed 100% of larvae tested from this strain. The LC50 of Cry1Ab at 5 d for the susceptible strain was 7-fold lower than that for the heterogeneous strain. The procedure can be adapted for other insects and other traits, such as resistance to other insecticides.
G protein activation in rat ponto-mesencephalic nuclei is enhanced by combined treatment with a mu opioid and an adenosine A1 receptor agonist.

Study Objectives: Opioids delivered to the pons inhibit REM sleep, whereas pontine administration of adenosine enhances REM sleep. In other brain areas opioids and adenosine interact to produce antinociception. Adenosine A1 receptors and mu opioid receptors each activate Gi/Go proteins. This study tested the hypothesis that combined treatment with the adenosine A1 receptor agonist SPA and the mu opioid agonist DAMGO would enhance G protein activation to a greater level than produced by either agonist alone. G protein activation was quantified in seven brainstem regions regulating sleep and nociception. This study also tested the hypothesis that G protein activation caused by SPA would be concentration dependent and blocked by the adenosine A1 receptor antagonist DPCPX. Design: Activation of G proteins was assessed autoradiographically by agonist stimulation of [ 35 S]GTPγS binding in slide-mounted sections of
Individual, Area, and Provider Characteristics Associated With Care Received for Stages I to III Breast Cancer in a Multistate Region of Appalachia

Notable variation in care by geographic and surgical provider characteristics provides targets for further research in underserved areas.
Synchronizing manufacturing and materials flows

The authors discuss a new logistics project being developed and implemented to synchronize materials flow with manufacturing. Called network management, the project is intended to satisfy the following requirements: recognize that not all parts should be ordered or controlled in the same manner; develop a system to classify parts to better determine what control mechanism to apply to which parts; define the material logistics business process and design the system to support it; forecast the use of selected items as the result of a timely outlook rather than a monthly requirements regeneration; generate pull signals to suppliers resulting from actual needs rather than a static plan; communicate information with suppliers via electronic data interchange (EDI); and associate a disbursement method with the characteristics of the item being replenished to the manufacturing line. The authors also address, as background, the thought process used in selecting the parts to which this concept was applied. >
Parseval-type relations for Laplace transform and their applications

In the present note, two Parseval-type relations involving the Laplace transform are given. The application of the relations is demonstrated in evaluating improper integrals and Laplace transforms of trigonometric functions.
Prediction Models for Annual U.S. Hurricane Counts

Abstract The authors build on their efforts to understand and predict coastal hurricane activity by developing statistical seasonal forecast models that can be used operationally. The modeling strategy uses May–June averaged values representing the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Southern Oscillation index (SOI), and the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation to predict the probabilities of observing U.S. hurricanes in the months ahead (July–November). The models are developed using a Bayesian approach and make use of data that extend back to 1851 with the earlier hurricane counts (prior to 1899) treated as less certain relative to the later counts. Out-of-sample hindcast skill is assessed using the mean-squared prediction error within a hold-one-out cross-validation exercise. Skill levels are compared to climatology. Predictions show skill above climatology, especially using the NAO + SOI and the NAO-only models. When the springtime NAO values are below normal, there is a heightened risk of U.S. hurrica...
Serum Levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I Are Related to Age and Not to Body Composition in Healthy Women and Men

BACKGROUND: Aging is accompanied by decreased bone and lean body mass, increased fat mass, and reduced growth hormone (GH) axis function, reflected in diminished levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Similar changes in body composition occur in nonelderly, GH-deficient adults and are reversible with GH administration, suggesting that diminished GH/IGF-I axis activity may contribute to such age-related changes. To determine the precise pattern of IGF-I decline with age, and to test the hypothesis that this decline is related to concomitant changes in body composition and bone metabolism independent of age, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 351 healthy participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. METHODS: We evaluated relationships among IGF-I, age, and total and regional adiposity, as assessed by body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR); lean body mass, as estimated from urinary creatinine excretion (Crex/ht); bone mineral density (BMD), as assessed by single and dual photon absorptiometry scanning; and circulating levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), 1,25-(OH)2 D3, 25-OHD, and osteocalcin. RESULTS: Serum IGF-I levels declined with age (p < .0001) in both men (r = -.51) and women (r = -.67). In men, the decline was linear, whereas IGF-I levels decreased faster in women < 45 years of age than in older women (p < .01) or in men (p < .001). IGF-I was inversely related to BMI (p < .005), WHR (p < .001), and PTH (p < .01) in women. IGF-I was positively related to BMD of the hip and radius in both genders (p < .0003) and to Crex/ht (p < .0005) and osteocalcin (p < .0001) in men. With increasing age, Crex/ht and BMD decreased (p < .0001) and WHR, PTH, and osteocalcin increased (p < .005) in both genders, whereas BMI increased only in women (p < .005). After adjustment for age, IGF-I was not significantly related to BMI, WHR, Crex/ht, or BMD in either gender. IGF-I was positively related to 1,25-(OH)2 D3 (p < .01) independently of age in women. CONCLUSIONS: Advancing age, rather than declining serum levels of IGF-I, appears to be a major determinant of life-time changes in body composition and BMD in women and men.
A Framework for Simulating and Evaluating Artificial Chatter Bot Conversations

Chatter bots are computer programs that can simulate a conversation through text chat. Current chatter bots perform well in artificial conversations consisting of pairs of utterance exchanges like a question-answer session where the context switches with every pair. But they perform poorly in longer conversations where the context is maintained across several utterance exchanges. Existing approaches to artificial conversation generation focus on linguistic and grammatical modeling to generate individual sentence-level utterances. We present a framework that enables longer and more meaningful conversations by combining concepts of content representation and conversation semantics. We also present a metric for evaluating the conversations based on Grice's maxims, that form the central idea in the theory of pragmatics.
Childlessness and the Health Status of Older Americans

Objectives: The study examines the relationship between childlessness and ten indicators of older Americans’ health: self-reported health status, obesity, being underweight, limitations in performing ADL and instrumental ADL, limitations on fine and gross motor activities, depression, obtaining vigorous exercise, and alcohol use. Methods: Using data from the Health and Retirement Survey, the study estimates this relationship and compares findings from OLS, logit and propensity score models. Results: Childless older persons are worse off than parents on most indicators. For men, the evidence is strongest that childlessness is positively related to being underweight, having limitations on fine motor skills, and not getting vigorous exercise. For women, the evidence is strongest for positive relationships with being underweight and drinking heavily. Discussion: Results on being underweight, exercise and heavy drinking are consistent with the theory that parents take better care of themselves than childless elders and are more likely to avoid risky health behaviors because of social pressures and personal motivations to behave responsibly. The result on being underweight is also consistent with the possibility that childless elders do not eat adequately because they lack adult children who may help with grocery shopping and cooking, and monitor their nutritional status.
Maintaining a Proper Perspective of Risk Associated with Radiation Exposure

Objectives: The objectives of this article are to provide the reader with (a) a brief discussion of actual, perceived, and acceptable risks associated with radiation exposure; (b) a basic review of radiation protection units and a discussion as to how these units are used to estimate risk associated with occupational radiation exposure; (c) a summary of radiation doses required for specific human biologic responses and a comparison of relative doses encountered in a variety of clinical situations; and (d) a practical approach to discussing relative risks associated with medical radiation exposures when patients inquire.
FPGA implementation of JADE ICA algorithm

Blind Source Separation (BSS) has gained recognition in its application to many different fields of research such as medical, military, and industry fields. Of the many challenges that must be overcome to apply BSS to a real system, implementation restrictions are the most challenging. Software implementations require a significant amount of overhead to make them applicable to real-time systems, and have a lower maximum speed of operation than hardware implementations. When speed is desired, the algorithm should be implemented on specialized hardware such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) which allows the user to take advantage of parallel computational abilities. In this paper, a hardware implementation of the Joint Approximation and Diagonalization of Eigenmatrices (JADE) algorithm is compared with software implementations. The algorithm is implemented in VHDL on an Artix-7 XC7A100T FPGA. The effective speed of source separation, cost of equipment, and ease of use can all be improved via a hardware implementation.