cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Further Study of Very Close Nonbonded CuI−CuI Contacts. Molecular Structure of a New Compound and Density Functional Theory Calculations

A new compound containing a CuI−CuI unit with a short internuclear distance, 2.453(1) A, is reported. The question of whether such a short distance justifies the postulation of a metal−metal bond is addressed using density functional theory (DFT). The new compound is Cu2(hpp)2, where hpp- (C7N3H12) is the anion derived from 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidine. Cu2(hpp)2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with Z = 2 and cell dimensions a = 7.320(2) A, b = 12.418(4) A, c = 8.689(2) A, and β = 93.76(2)°. The density functional calculations show that the close approach of the copper atoms is predictable without involving any significant amount of covalent bonding. A DFT calculation on the Cu3[(p-tol)N5(p-tol)]3 molecule also foretells the observed short Cu−Cu separation (2.35 A observed vs 2.38 A calculated) but, again, does not imply the formation of Cu−Cu bonds. Very short CuI to CuI distances can be attributed to a combination of strong Cu−N bonding and very short (ca. 2.2 A) b...
Copulation, mating system and sexual dimorphism in an Australian millipede, Cladethosoma clarum

Investigations of millipede mating dynamics have focussed primarily on Old World or North American species. In contrast, data for the diverse and abundant polydesmid millipedes of Australia are lacking. Here I examine copulation, behaviour and sexual dimorphism in an Australian millipede, Cladethosoma clarum. In this species, copula position is best described as ‘in parallel’. Both females and males mated with two or more individuals of the opposite sex, and average copulation duration was 4.7 min. Behavioural observations revealed differences between the sexes in patterns of behaviour. Specifically, females devoted most of their time to feeding, whereas males were more mobile and were observed walking more often than females. The sexes also exhibited marked sexual dimorphism in that females exhibited greater body width and body mass compared with males, whereas males had longer legs relative to females. In millipedes, longer legs allow an individual to walk faster. Consequently, male C. clarum appear to be capable of relatively rapid locomotion. As Australian millipede densities are spatially unpredictable, the increased mobility of males likely reflects an active mate-location strategy. Furthermore, the occurrence of multiple mating by females suggests that male leg length may have evolved as an adaptation for rapid mate location under scramble competition polygyny.
Human somatosensory evoked responses: Effects of attention and distraction on early components

Previous studies in man have reported increases in the amplitude of late secondary evoked potential components, but not of early primary components, with attention. In this study, somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded over somatosensory cortex in normal volunteers while they were counting stimuli and while they were doing mental arithmetic. A positive wave (P30) recorded over the postcentral gyrus was found to be enhanced when subjects attended to the stimuli. This suggests that differential processing of attended stimuli may begin either prior to or at the level of primary sensory cortex.
Corrosion and Electrochemical Behavior of In and In-Bi Alloys in HCl

Abstract The corrosion of In-Bi alloys in HCl was studied using x-ray, scanning electron microscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry techniques. In deaerated 3N HCl solutions, the selective dissolution of indium was the predominant mechanism in the corrosion of In-Bi alloys. The corrosion was always accompanied by a phase change on the surface, and the corrosion rates of In-Bi alloys were found to increase in the presence of oxygen. The corrosion potential values indicated that the corrosion of In-Bi alloys was cathodically controlled, and the occurrence of preferential or simultaneous dissolution in In-Bi alloys was also dependent on potential.
High and low molecular weight DNA cleavage in ovarian granulosa cells: characterization and protease modulation in intact cells and in cell-free nuclear autodigestion assays.

High and low molecular weight DNA cleavage in ovarian granulosa cells: characterization and protease modulation in intact cells and in cell-free nuclear autodigestion assays
Participation in cardiac rehabilitation, readmissions, and death after acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Background Participation in cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to decrease mortality after acute myocardial infarction, but its impact on readmissions requires examination. Methods We conducted a population-based surveillance study of residents discharged from the hospital after their first-ever myocardial infarction in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from January 1, 1987, to September 30, 2010. Patients were followed up through December 31, 2010. Participation in cardiac rehabilitation after myocardial infarction was determined using billing data. We used a landmark analysis approach (cardiac rehabilitation participant vs not determined by attendance in at least 1 session of cardiac rehabilitation at 90 days post-myocardial infarction discharge) to compare readmission and mortality risk between cardiac rehabilitation participants and nonparticipants accounting for propensity to participate using inverse probability treatment weighting. Results Of 2991 patients with incident myocardial infarction, 1569 (52.5%) participated in cardiac rehabilitation after hospital discharge. The cardiac rehabilitation participation rate did not change during the study period, but increased in the elderly and decreased in men and younger patients. After adjustment, cardiac rehabilitation participants had lower all-cause readmission (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-0.87; P P = .037), noncardiovascular readmission (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.61-0.85; P P Conclusions Cardiac rehabilitation participation is associated with a markedly reduced risk of readmission and death after incident myocardial infarction. Improving cardiac rehabilitation participation rates may have a large impact on post-myocardial infarction healthcare resource use and outcomes.
Ontogeny and distribution of opioid receptors in the rat brainstem.

The distribution and postnatal ontogeny of opioid receptors have been investigated using in vitro quantitative receptor autoradiography. Rats were studied at postnatal day 1 (P1), P5, P10, P21 and P120 (adult). Opioid receptor sites for (D-Ala2,N-MePhe4,Gly-ol5)-enkephalin (DAMGO) binding were labelled with 4 nM of 3H-DAMGO; (D-Ala2,D-Leu5)-enkephalin (DADLE) binding sites were labelled with 4 nM of 3H-DADLE in the presence of 1 microM unlabelled mu-agonist (N-MePhe3,D-Pro4)-morphiceptin (PL107). We found that both binding sites have strikingly different distributional patterns. [3H]DADLE binding sites were rather homogeneous, whereas the distribution of [3H]DAMGO binding was very heterogeneous with the highest density in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), ambiguus nucleus, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and the parabrachial areas. [3H]DAMGO binding density was 2- to 40-fold higher than [3H]DADLE binding sites in most brainstem nuclei. [3H]DAMGO binding sites appeared in most brainstem nuclei at birth, with a high density in cardiorespiratory-related nuclei, whereas [3H]DADLE binding sites were too scarce to be quantitated at P1. Both binding sites increased with age, but the developing patterns depended on the nucleus and the type of binding site. In most areas, the densities of both binding sites reached a maximum between P10 and P21 and then decreased to an adult level, but in some nuclei (e.g. the caudal part of the NTS and dorsal raphe nucleus), [3H]DAMGO binding sites kept increasing until adulthood. In contrast with the brainstem, cortical areas had a lower binding density in the newborn and reached peak levels later than brainstem regions (post P21). We conclude that (1) since [3H]DAMGO binding sites mainly reflect mu-receptors and [3H]DADLE binding sites delta-receptors (in the presence of PL017), the brainstem is essentially a mu-receptor region through delta-receptors are present; (2) both opioid receptors are present at birth but delta-receptors are very scarce in the newborn; (3) both receptors increase with age, but the time course depended on various nuclei and receptor types; (4) cardiorespiratory-related nuclei have high density of mu-receptors at all ages; and (5) opioid receptors develop earlier in the brainstem than in the cortex.
Evolution of Enzymatic Activity in the Enolase Superfamily: Structure of o-Succinylbenzoate Synthase from Escherichia coli in Complex with Mg2+ and o-Succinylbenzoate†,‡

The X-ray structures of the ligand free (apo) and the Mg2+•o-succinylbenzoate (OSB) product complex of o-succinylbenzoate synthase (OSBS) from Escherichia coli have been solved to 1.65 and 1.77 A resolution, respectively. The structure of apo OSBS was solved by multiple isomorphous replacement in space group P212121; the structure of the complex with Mg2+•OSB was solved by molecular replacement in space group P21212. The two domain fold found for OSBS is similar to those found for other members of the enolase superfamily: a mixed α/β capping domain formed from segments at the N- and C-termini of the polypeptide and a larger (β/α)7β barrel domain. Two regions of disorder were found in the structure of apo OSBS: (i) the loop between the first two β-strands in the α/β domain; and (ii) the first sheet−helix pair in the barrel domain. These regions are ordered in the product complex with Mg2+•OSB. As expected, the Mg2+•OSB pair is bound at the C-terminal end of the barrel domain. The electron density for the...
Pamphlet processing using Yale's automated acquisitions system

Abstract The automated acquisitions system, Machine Aided Technical Processing System (MATPS), at the Yale University Library was discovered to have the capability of providing acceptable bibliographic control for pamphlets at a much reduced cost over traditional cataloging. For many pamphlets, principal access by researchers is by subject with minimal use of author and title entries. MATPS, by use of special codes, provides a computer printout by subject for such pamphlets, which are selected at various stages during technical processing. Patrons are alerted of the pamphlet collection's existence by special guide cards in the Public Catalog. This unforseen use of MATPS has significantly reduced processing costs and proves that ingenuity can find new uses for existing systems.
Rich socio-cognitive agents for immersive training environments: case of NonKin Village

Demand is on the rise for scientifically based human-behavior models that can be quickly customized and inserted into immersive training environments to recreate a given society or culture. At the same time, there are no readily available science model-driven environments for this purpose (see survey in Sect. 2). In researching how to overcome this obstacle, we have created rich (complex) socio-cognitive agents that include a large number of social science models (cognitive, sociologic, economic, political, etc) needed to enhance the realism of immersive, artificial agent societies. We describe current efforts to apply model-driven development concepts and how to permit other models to be plugged in should a developer prefer them instead. The current, default library of behavioral models is a metamodel, or authoring language, capable of generating immersive social worlds. Section 3 explores the specific metamodels currently in this library (cognitive, socio-political, economic, conversational, etc.) and Sect. 4 illustrates them with an implementation that results in a virtual Afghan village as a platform-independent model. This is instantiated into a server that then works across a bridge to control the agents in an immersive, platform-specific 3D gameworld (client). Section 4 also provides examples of interacting in the resulting gameworld and some of the training a player receives. We end with lessons learned and next steps for improving both the process and the gameworld. The seeming paradox of this research is that as agent complexity increases, the easier it becomes for the agents to explain their world, their dilemmas, and their social networks to a player or trainee.
Phosphatidylethanolamine modulates Ca-ATPase function and dynamics.

Phospholipids containing phosphoethanolamine (PE) headgroups within biological membranes have been suggested to be important with respect to the functional regulation of membrane proteins, includin...
A keyword spotting experiment using perceptually significant features

This paper presents the preliminary results of work carried out for recognizing certain keywords using perceptually significant spectral energy features. Dynamic time warping and artificial neural networks were used for feature matching. Preliminary results indicate that the significant energy features are feasible as a stand-alone set that can also augment the most commonly used cepstral features to yield high recognition scores. For the challenging set of short words used in the present work, results show that a neural network for feature recognition is better than a dynamic time warping technique with different dissimilarity measures.
Ethnic and cultural variations in anger regulation and attachment patterns among Korean American and European American male batterers

This study examined relationships among ethnicity, self-construals, and 2 risk factors for marital violence (anger, insecure attachment) in Korean American and European American male batterers. Korean (vs. European) American batterers experienced more anger and controlled their anger less. Independent self-construal was positively associated with anger experience and anger control and mediated the influence of ethnicity on anger control. Korean batterers were less independent, and less independent batterers controlled their anger less. Korean batterers' attachment styles were more avoidant and less anxious. Independent and interdependent self-construals were negatively associated with anxious and avoidant attachment, respectively. Independent self-construal mediated the influence of ethnicity on avoidant attachment. Clinical severity and adherence to traditional gender roles may help explain these ethnic and cultural variations.
Current evidence on the impact of continuity of care.

Purpose of reviewA core attribute of primary care, continuity of care, is usually viewed as the relationship between a patient and a single practitioner that extends beyond episodes of illness or care for a specific disease and is ongoing over time. The latest evidence of the effectiveness of contin
Implementing efficient multi-object auction institutions: An experimental study of the performance of boundedly rational agents

Abstract We study three alternative implementations of the Vickrey multi-unit demand auction: Vickrey's original static sealed-bid auction and two dynamic/Ausubel auctions, with and without public dropout information reported during the auction. Although implemented by a weaker solution concept, behavior in the dynamic Vickrey auction with the public dropout information comes significantly closer to the theoretical prediction of sincere bidding, bidding one's valuations, than either the static Vickrey auction or the dynamic auction without dropout information. This suggests a possible tradeoff between the simplicity and transparency of a mechanism and the strength of its solution concept when agents are still learning and/or when players are not fully rational. Drawing on results from related single-unit and multi-unit demand auctions, and the results of a new single-unit demand auction experiment, we provide important insights into the behavioral mechanism underlying the superior performance of the Ausubel auction with feedback information.
CRM systems used for targeting market: a case at Cisco Systems

One of the most significant changes in the practice of marketing during the last decade is the shift in emphasis from a transaction orientation customer interaction to the customer relationship management (CRM). However, in large organizations, it is not very easy to collect, collate, and transform the customer data necessary for creating systems to support customer relationship management as the basis of the enterprise-wide customer relationship strategy. There are many reasons for this difficulty, including organizational structure and the resulting complexity in the enterprise systems. In this paper, we use the example of Cisco Systems Inc. to demonstrate how to build an effective customer relationship management system that integrates with the organization processes to help an enterprise recognize more targeted market. The new CRM system helps Cisco integrate all customers' data in a single data repository to support quantifiable and measurable needs of `knowledge marketing' functions. It led to new marketing processes that are more effective and efficient. The experience in Cisco allows us to identify successful design practices and develop recommendations for organizations that are interested in deploying a similar system
THE CORPORATE VEIL REVISITED

The need to boost the sllving rate in the U.S. brought renewed attention to the corporate veil topic. IT the merfact of carrying wealth through the corporate threshold can affect private saving and personal consumption, then tax changes, as the 1986 tax refonn, may have very deleterious effects. The issue in question is whether a $1 reduction in corporate saving, given constant wealth, is matched exactly by a $1 increase in personal saving, leaving private saving and personal consumption unchanged. The literature is surveyed and one extension using aggregate data. is carried out. Unfort Wla.tely, no clear cut answer can be obtair.ed with the use of aggregate data due to theoretical and empirical probleIIl8. A proposal to further investigate the topic using micro data is outlined.
Discovery via Integration of Experimentation and Modeling: Three Examples for Titanium Alloys

One key aspect of any integrated computational materials engineering approach is the integration of experiments that provide critical information for the modeling activities. This article describes, using case studies, three examples of critical experiments that have been conducted in an integrated fashion with modeling activities for titanium alloys, providing valuable information in an accelerated manner. The first has been used to identify key microstructural features associated with fracture toughness in Ti-6Al-4V and integrates artificial neural networks and various experimental techniques. The second is associated with defect accumulation in highly constrained titanium structures and integrates a highly innovative characterization technique (precession electron diffraction) and dislocation dynamics. The third is a high-throughput combinatorial technique to understand the oxidation behavior of titanium alloys and couples the experimental effort with the CALPHAD approach.
Return mapping for nonsmooth and multiscale elastoplasticity

Abstract We present a semi-implicit return mapping algorithm for integrating generic nonsmooth elastoplastic models. The semi-implicit nature of the algorithm stems from “freezing” the plastic internal variables at their previous state, followed by implicitly integrating the stresses and plastic multiplier. The plastic internal variables are incrementally updated once convergence is achieved (a posteriori). Locally, the algorithm behaves as a classic return mapping for perfect plasticity and, hence, inherits the stability of implicit integrators. However, it differs from purely implicit integrators by keeping the plastic internal variables locally constant. This feature affords the method the ability to integrate nonsmooth ( C 0 ) evolution laws that may not be integrable using implicit methods. As a result, we propose and use the algorithm as the backbone of a semi-concurrent multiscale framework, in which nonsmooth constitutive relationships can be directly extracted from the underlying micromechanical processes and faithfully incorporated into elastoplastic continuum models. Though accuracy of the proposed algorithm is step size-dependent, its simplicity and its remarkable ability to handle nonsmooth relations make the method promising and computationally appealing.
Estimation and control of UAV swarms for distributed monitoring tasks

This paper proposes a distributed estimation and control strategy for cooperative monitoring by swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) modeled as constant-speed unicycles. The geometric moments, encoding an abstraction of the swarm, are controlled via a nonlinear gradient descent to match those of a discrete set of particles describing the occurrence of some event of interest to be monitored. Because of its limited sensing capabilities, each agent can measure the position of only a subset of the overall particles, from which it locally estimates the desired moments of the swarm running a proportional-integral (PI) average consensus estimator. The closed-loop stability of the system arising from the combination of the gradient-descent controllers and the consensus estimators is studied and simulation results are provided to illustrate the proposed theory.
Right ventricular wall mechanics in normals and patients with pulmonary hypertension using magnetic resonance tissue tagging

Right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and RV dysfunction are difficult to evaluate due to the complex shape of the RV and prognostic limitations of conventional global function parameters. We used MRI with magnetization tagging to measure 2-D systolic motion and deformation of the right ventricular free wall (RVFW) and septum (SEPT) in 5 patients with RVH secondary to pulmonary hypertension, and 12 normal volunteers (NL). Regional displacement (D) and 2-D principal strains in the short-axis plane were averaged at basal, midventricular and apical levels. SEPT D was severely decreased at all levels in RVH vs. NL (P<0.005). In RVH, RVFW D was higher than SEPT D (P<0.02). The 2-D strains were reduced in SEPT at all levels in RVH vs. NL (P<0.05). This technique may permit the study of progression and regression of RVH in various disease states.
An exploratory study of the patients' sleep patterns and inflammatory response following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)

Aims and Objectives To describe sleep patterns and inflammatory response postCPB, determine sleep pattern changes and inflammatory response over time and explore relationships between sleep and biomarkers of stress and inflammation. Background Despite the numerous citations of the role of sleep in restoration and health maintenance, a paucity of research exists about this phenomenon in patients undergoing CPB. Specifically, there is no research that has explored correlations between sleep patterns and systemic inflammatory response in adult cardiac surgery patients. Design Exploratory, repeated-measures, correlational study. Method Subjects were recruited from a Midwestern urban hospital. Of the 25 eligible subjects, 16 males and four females completed the study. Wrist actigraphy was used to measure sleep variables. Salivary cortisol and C-reactive protein (C-RP) levels were measured daily. Data were collected during postoperative nights/days 1 through 4 (T1–T4). Results Subjects' sleep onset latency (SOL) median scores (0 minute) were within normal range across time periods, whereas median scores for wake after sleep onset (WASO > 270 minutes), sleep fragmentation index (SFI >51%), total sleep time ( 0·05. Median cortisol levels were within normal range (0·3–0·8 μg/dl) from T1−T4, but the C-RP level peaked at T2 (median = 2370 pg/ml). Strong correlations were found: (1) between SFI−cortisol (rs = 0·82), C-RP (rs = 0·65) − WBC (rs = 0·69); (2) between SEI−C-RP (rs = 0·58); (3) between WASO−WBC (rs = 0·48), WASO and cross-clamp time (rs = 0·50); and (4) between SOL−age (rs = −0·55) at p < 0·05. Conclusions Subjects were severely sleep-deprived with inflammatory response exaggerations warranting further investigations using larger sample sizes. Relevance to clinical practice This study offers a foundation for developing a conceptual model explaining mechanisms of sleep disturbance and inflammatory response postCPB. This knowledge is crucial for testing sleep-promoting interventions to modulate inflammatory responses essential for preventing complications, and restoring health.
Mapping Service Networks

ABSTRACT Most social work services rely on networks of referrals, yet tools for accessing and utilizing information technology across agencies is unavailable. This puts decision makers at a disadvantage when it comes to program evaluation, planning, and policy design. In this paper, we describe state-transition analysis (STA) as a set of techniques for mapping service networks across multiple agency databases. We then demonstrate the application of STA to a child welfare longitudinal dataset (N = 3,883 children) spanning 18 different types of services. The results include a simplified map of the service network from child welfare to juvenile justice, and an improved Cox regression model based on the service network map. Implications for information technology and knowledge management applications spanning multiple agencies and evidence-based practice are discussed.
Should the CEO Also Be Chair of the Board? An Empirical Examination of Family-Controlled Public Firms

Using the competing agency theoretic and stewardship theory perspectives, we empirically examine the relationship between CEO duality and firm performance in family-controlled public firms (FCPFs). We find that duality by itself does not influence firm performance in FCPFs. However, our results show that the relationship between duality and performance is contingent on the family's ownership stake in the firm. In nondual firms, performance is inversely related to family ownership level. Dual FCPFs do not exhibit any changes in performance dependent on family ownership levels. Our findings reveal, in short, that when family ownership is low, the separation of CEO and board chair roles is beneficial in terms of shareholder returns. Having different persons occupy the CEO and board chair positions is a useful governance control as the risk of family entrenchment increases.
The last prayer.

Whispered compline, fluorescent suns, white-coat saviors, angels none, and you, my love, never a saint, shorn and halo hung. Like my faith, stretched upon a rack, dislocated, broken-backed. Like seeping prayer, cast out, retracted, sewn and weeping still. Weeping like you, half-witted, in pain, obliged to resurrect again, and so I pray, (though this prayer is surely sin) spare the miracle, this time, let death win.
The Value of Ideal Contingency Markets in Agriculture

An incomplete markets equilibrium, in which no contingency markets are available, is compared to a complete markets equilibrium formed by introducing a futures market and a crop insurance market. The two regimes are compared using comparative static and welfare analyses. Numerical examples highlight important characteristics of the model and illustrate how the effects of introducing contingency markets can be quantified. The main conclusions are that contingency markets in agriculture increase economic efficiency, but there is no guarantee that farmers and consumers both benefit. It is found that futures and crop insurance markets may reduce farmer welfare when the demand for farm products is price inelastic.
Predator recognition in cotton‐top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)

Captive social groups of cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) were presented with inanimate and animate stimuli to determine (1) if the tamarins recognize a snake as a dangerous stimulus and (2) whether the tamarins' response was specific to snakes. Fourteen pairs of tamarins were presented with a live boa constrictor, artificial flowers, and an empty box. Animals visually fixated for a longer period of time and emitted a greater frequency of mild alarm, strong alarm, and mobbing vocalizations during the presentations of the snake than during the presentations of either the flowers or the empty box. However, 97% of the alarm and mobbing vocalizations were emitted from only nine of the 28 individuals. In addition, there was no significant increase in locomotory activity and no significant change in avoidance behavior, as would be expected from reports on wild tamarins responding to snakes. Nine of the 14 pairs of tamarins were presented with a laboratory rat, leaves, and an empty box. The laboratory rat was used to test the animals' response to a moving, non-food, non-predatory stimulus. Animals visually fixated for a longer period of time and emitted a greater frequency of strong alarm and mobbing vocalizations during the presentations of the rat than during the presentations of either the leaves or the empty box. Of the 18 tamarins, seven individuals emitted 91% of the alarm and mobbing vocalizations. There was no significant difference between the number of mild alarm, strong alarm, and mobbing vocalizations emitted during the presentations of the snake and during the presentations of the rat. Results of this study suggest that captive cotton-top tamarins do not demonstrate an alarm response specific to snakes but may simply display fear to moving objects. In addition, the tamarins did not respond to the snake with the degree of behavioral or vocal intensity, as has been reported in wild tamarins.
Invisible Hands: The Political Economy of Child Labour in Colonial Zimbabwe, 1890-1930

This article argues that the role of children as part of both the paid and unpaid labour force in colonial Zimbabwe was of greater significance than has been realised and that the subject has received far less attention than it deserves from historians. Thus child labour has been doubly ‘invisible’. It was, like the labour of women, largely outside the official discourse on labour in the period under discussion (1890–1930) and also it remained largely unobserved by the analysts of the period. The article discusses the reasons for children's presence in the labour force, linking it to the practices of both colonial and indigenous patriarchy, and to the economic needs of the time. It then outlines how they were employed, showing that in some sectors of the colonial economy in Rhodesia they were particularly useful. It concludes by pointing to tensions that arose as officials found it difficult to reconcile the incompatibility of their youth and their usefulness to capital and the economy.
Does host immunity influence helminth egg hatchability in the environment

Transmission success for helminths with free-living stages depends on the ability of eggs and larvae to develop and survive once in the environment. While environmental conditions are often suggested to influence egg phenology and hatching rate, immunity against parasite eggs might also play a role. We examined this hypothesis using the gastrointestinal helminths Trichostrongylus retortaeformis and Graphidium strigosum, two common infections of the European rabbit. Changes in egg hatching rate and volume were examined in relation to specific antibodies in the serum and bound to eggshells, using eggs shed in host faeces over a 15-week period. Hatching rate was consistently higher for T. retortaeformis than G. strigosum and no changes were observed between weeks. Egg volume increased for G. strigosum but decreased for T. retortaeformis. We did find evidence of egg-specific antibody responses and fewer antibodies were bound to eggs of T. retortaeformis compared to G. strigosum. Little to no association was found between antibodies and hatchability, or volume, for both helminths. We suggest that host antibodies play a relatively minor role in the egg hatching rate of these gastrointestinal helminths.
Progesterone and prostanoid production by bovine binucleate trophoblastic cells.

A procedure for preparing highly enriched suspensions of bovine binucleate trophoblastic cells was developed and data showing that these cells produce progesterone, prostacyclin (PGI2). and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were obtained. Approximately 200 X 106 enzymatically dissociated cellsfrom bovine cotyledons were applied to the surface of a density gradient of 2% to 4% Ficoll-400 using the Wescor CELSEP sedimentation chamber. After 90-120 mm of sedimentation at unit gravity, fractions containing binucleate trophoblastic cells were obtained and washed in HEPES-buffered Medium 199. Preparations of 90% to 100% binucleate trophobiastic cells were obtained routinely; viability was 50% to 80%. After incubation at 37#{176}C, concentrations (ng/10’ cells) of progesterone were greater in those fractions containing binucleate cells than in those containing primarily smaller, mononucleate cells. Total progesterone secreted (mean ± SEM) after 4 h by 1 X 10#{176}, 2 X 10#{176}, 4 X 10#{176}, 8 X 10#{176}, and 1.6 X 106 binucleate cells was 0.27 ± 0.03, 1.01 ± 0.09, 4.02 ± 0.37, 10.31 ± 0.92, and 20.96 ± 2.23 ng, respectively (r=0.997). Addition of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) or normal anestrous cow serum increased (P<0.05) production of progesterone by binucleate trophoblasticcells.Luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, thyrotropin, and 8-bromo-adenosine 3’,5’-cyclic monophosphate had no effect. Binucleate trophoblastic cells also produced PGI2 in relation to number of cells incubated (r=0.996). Time courses for production of PGI2, PGE2, and progesterone were similar. Aspirin inhibited production of PGI2 and PGE2 by about 50% at a dose of 100 aiM; FBS stimulated production of both prostanoids.
Stealing on insensibly: end of life politics in the United States

Because the United States often seems (and seems eager to present itself as) the home of the technological imperative and of determination to brand all challenges to it in end-of-life care as a descent into death panels, the prospects look unpromising for progress in US public policies that would expand the range of choices of medical treatments available to individuals preparing for death. Beneath this obdurate and intermittently hysterical surface, however, the diffusion across US states and communities of living wills, advanced directives, palliative care, hospice services and debates about assisted suicide is gradually strengthening not so much 'personal autonomy' as the authority, cultural and formal, of individuals and their loved ones not merely to shape but to lead the inevitably 'social' conversations on which decisions about care at the end of life depend. In short, the nation appears to be (in terms taken from John Donne's mediations on death) 'stealing on insensibly'--making incremental progress toward the replacement of clinical and other types of dogma with end-of-life options that honor the preferences of the dying.
The calcineurin-NFAT pathway and muscle fiber-type gene expression.

To test for a role of the calcineurin-NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) pathway in the regulation of fiber type-specific gene expression, slow and fast muscle-specific promoters were exami...
Native Defects in Wurtzite GaN And AlN

The results of an extensive theoretical study of native defects in GaN and of vacancies in AlN are presented. We have considered cation and anion vacancies, antisites, and intersti-tials. The computations were carried out using quantum molecular dynamics, in supercells containing 72 atoms. Due to the wide gap of nitrides, the formation energies of defects depend strongly on the position of the Fermi level. The N vacancy in GaN introduces a shallow donor level that may be responsible for the n-type character of as-grown GaN.Other defects introduce deep states in the gap, with strongly localized wave functions.
Imaging and Clinical Characteristics Predict Near-Term Disablement From Bone Metastases: Implications for Rehabilitation.

Abstract Objective To distinguish which patients with bone metastases are at risk for near-term disablement in order to assist clinicians in assessing the appropriateness of referrals for rehabilitation services. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting National Cancer Institute–designated comprehensive cancer center imbedded in a tertiary medical center. Participants Data were collected from members (n=78) of a patient cohort (N=311) with stage IIIB or IV non–small-cell lung cancer or extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer who developed new or progressive imaging-confirmed bone metastases during the 2-year course of the study. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Functional capabilities were assessed at 3- to 4-week intervals over the study's 2-year duration with the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care Computer Adaptive Testing. Results Seventy-eight participants developed new or progressive bone metastases during the study. Most were men, and 83% had non–small-cell lung cancer. Metastases were most frequently located in the ribs (n=62), pelvis (n=49), or the thoracic (n=60) and lumbar spine (n=44). While neither the number of bone metastases nor their specific location was associated with near-term changes in patient mobility, their association with pain or a focal neurologic deficit was strongly associated with large declines in mobility. Similarly, patients whose imaging studies revealed new metastases and the expansion of established metastases were more likely to lose mobility. Conclusions The total burden, specific locations, and overall distribution of bone metastases did not predict disablement. Patients with lung cancer–associated bone metastases are at markedly increased risk for declining mobility when their metastases are expanding in size and increasing in number, or are associated with pain or with new neurologic deficits.
Glutamate Excitotoxicity in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of central white matter with prominent demyelination and oligodendrocyte loss. Recent data on MS pathogenesis has implicated disruption of glutamate homeostasis as a disease mechanism, at the center of which, molecules of the glutamate clearance pathway are selectively downregulated on oligodendrocytes. Thus, oligodendrocytes are unable to process extracellular glutamate appropriately, rendering these cells targets for glutamate excitotoxicity. This concept has been supported by data from animal models of inflammatory demyelination and from oligodendroglial cell culture studies. Since oligodendrocyte damage by glutamate excitotoxicity has been described in a number of unrelated white matter conditions, glutamate excitotoxicity may be a common pathway in white matter injury.
Home Range, Movement Rates, and Habitat Use of Queen Conch, Strombus gigas, in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Abstract The queen conch, Strombus gigas, is a highly valued fishery resource in the Caribbean basin, historically second only to the spiny lobster. Currently listed in Appendix II of CITES, historical surveys from the U.S. Virgin Islands have documented wide-spread reductions in population densities. Habitat use and movement patterns of queen conch differ by size and maturity status, making it important to identify areas and habitat types that can play a role in the recovery of this species. We tracked long-term movements and spatial distributions of conch in St. John, USVI, using visual surveys coupled with mark-and-recapture techniques. Juvenile conch exhibited the smallest mean home range (95% contour) and core area (50% contour) at 8470 m2 and 2083 m2, respectively, but had the largest aggregate home range (115,410 m2) and aggregate core area (55,055 m2). Transitional conch had the largest mean home range and core area at 18,203 m2 and 4944 m2, respectively, with an aggregate home range and core area...
Implications of frequent habitat switches in foraging bar-tailed Godwits

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Preparing Slides with Colored Backgrounds—Another Approach

Recently several papers have appeared in the Bulletin of the Entomological Society of America describing techniques for producing slides of tables or graphs with colored backgrounds using Diazo® film, high-contrast copy film, or color reversal film (Elder and Agee 1977, Hefetz 1977, Eaton 1978). This note describes still another quick simple method for producing attractive slides with white lettering on colored backgrounds using Ektachrome color slide film.
Distribution of catecholamine in the dog heart.

SummaryThe total catecholamine content in each of the chambers of the heart and the septum was determined by fluorimetric analysis. Values for the control dog are reported.
Hopping of water in a glassy polymer studied via transition path sampling and likelihood maximization.

Diffusion of small molecules in amorphous polymers is known to follow a form of so-called hopping motion: penetrant molecules are trapped in microscopic cavities for extended time periods; diffusio...
Multidisciplinary Design of a Rocket Engine Thrust Augmentation Ejector for Endoatmospheric Flight

This study documents a process to design a rocket based ejector nozzle propulsion system for use on a small, winged aircraft. Ejector nozzles offer a possibility to address system design problems associated with a rocket propelled aircraft; the need to address base and/or boattail drag at supersonic speeds, the need for a large propellant tank but relatively small nozzle and the need for high specific impulse particularly at subsonic and transonic speeds flown within the troposphere. We incorporated Bernstein’s Compound Compressible Flow Theory into an improved ejector design method. Using this approach, we have developed and documented a numerical procedure to compute the geometry of a high-performance ejector optimized to specific flight conditions.
International and Domestic Product Classifications

The globalization of the world economies (U.S. trade share in 1998 was 29.3 percent) necessitates improved economic statistics. The interest in developing conceptual economic frameworks for industry and product classification systems has intensified because of the need for data to be comparable for domestic production and trade with information from other countries in that comparability allows for more meaningful analyses of international trade relationships. However existing product data systems are organized differently one from the other, and this presents difficulty in the construction of complete and consistent data bases. Indeed, while this issue of international comparability of data is being discussed in many fora, e.g., APEC, UN, WCO, etc., practicality dictates that the Harmonized System (HS) should serve as the foundation for the goods definitions in any new product (goods and services) classification system developed for the United States. Domestically and internationally there is a need for: (1) a wherever-produced, product-oriented system, (2) a highly disaggregated level of product detail, (3) comparability between domestic production and trade data statistics, and (4) more adequate detail as to services industries. Addressing each of these issues is of major importance. This is so because the data obtained from existing production and international trade classifications are inconsistent; i.e., none of the domestic or nternational product classifications is based upon a single unifying, or even the same, economic concept. The Office of Management and Budget established the Economic Classification Policy Committee with the charge of initiating a "fresh slate" examination of economic classification systems. This U.S. effort was joined by the other members of the NAFTA, and the three countries agreed that conceptually based classifications would be adopted. In 1997, work on constructing a supply-side, production-oriented" industry classification resulted in the adoption of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Work within NAFTA has now begun on developing a "demand-side, market-oriented" product classification. The resulting North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) is intended to provide the requisite comparability of product data. This paper describes several existing classification systems for products and illustrates some of the problems that will be encountered in implementing a demand-side product classification. The paper is designed to serve as background in defining NAPCS.
Prudent prescribing. Prescribing suggestions for physicians.

"A significant problem facing patients throughout the country is the rising cost of medical care. In addition to the physician's fees and laboratory charges of a routine office visit, patients may face an even greater bill from the pharmacy. There are several ways that physicians can help."
Effects of depression and antidepressants on sexual functioning

With serotonergic antidepressants dominating the treatment of depressive disorders, antidepressant-induced sexual side effects have emerged as a major clinical issue. Surprisingly, the effects of depression on sexuality are less well established and more variable than previously thought. It is likely that antidepressants with strong serotonergic effects--selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, clomipramine, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors--are associated with higher rates of sexual side effects, compared to other antidepressant classes. Orgasmic and ejaculation difficulties are prominent with these medications, although alterations in libido, arousal, and erectile function are also common. Treatment of these side effects includes both general strategies and specific antidotes, such as cyproheptadine, yohimbine, dopamine agonists, and buspirone.
Psychological Complications After Bariatric Surgery (Eating Disorders, Substance Abuse, Depression, Body Image, etc.)

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. While benefits include improvements in health, physical functioning, quality of life, and psychological well-being, 20 % of patients may fail to lose the expected amount of weight. Research on presurgical psychological factors that predict poor outcomes has been inconclusive, however, several postoperative factors warrant further investigation. A minority of patients experience other psychological challenges following surgery, which may affect overall success from surgery. In this chapter we review current research on bariatric surgery and suicide and discuss the integrated role of the mental health professional on the bariatric care team.
Modelling software quality with GP

Software development managers use software quality prediction methods to determine to which modules expensive reliability techniques should be applied. This paper describes a genetic programming (GP) based system that classifies software modules as "faulty" or "not faulty", allowing the targetting of modules for reliability enhancement. The system is validated via a case study using software quality data from a very large industrial project. The demonstrated quality of the system is such that the system is being integrated into a commercial software quality management system.