cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ceramide accumulation after photosensitization is absent after the Bcl-2 inhibitor HA14-1

The oxidative stress initiated by photodynamic therapy (PDT) results in accumulation of ceramide in various cell types undergoing apoptosis. Apoptotic responses to PDT are similar to those of the oxidative stress inducer and the Bcl-2 inhibitor HA 14-1 in murine leukemia L1210 cells. Here we tested whether de novo ceramide accumulation can be induced by HA 14-1 during apoptosis in Jurkat T human leukemia cells. Similar to photosensitization with Pc 4, treatment of Jurkat cells with HA14-1 leads to DEVDase activation and nuclear apoptosis. However, unlike Pc 4-PDT, HA 14-1 did not induce accumulation of de novo ceramide. The data suggest that, compared to HA 14-1, de novo ceramide accumulation is a distinct response to PDT in Jurkat cells.
JET PENETRATION IN GLASS

We describe a phenomenological model which accounts for the mechanical response of glass to intense impulsive loading. An important aspect of this response is the dilatancy accompanying fracture. We have also conducted a number of experiments with 38.1-mm diameter precision shaped charges to establish the performance against various targets and to allow evaluation of our model. At 3 charge diameters standoff, the data indicate that both virgin and damaged glass offer better (Bernoulli-scaled) resistance to penetration than either of 4340 steel, or 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. Time-resolved measurements indicate two distinct phases of jet penetration in glass: An initial hydrodynamic phase, and a second phase characterized by a slower penetration velocity. Our calculations show that at early time, a crater is formed around the jet and only the tip of the undisturbed jet interacts with the glass. At late time the glass has collapsed on the jet and degraded penetration continues via a disturbed and fragmented jet.
Combine Effects on Commingling and Residual Grain

Emerging identity-preserved grain markets depend on avoidance of commingling grain at harvest. Knowledge of where grain resides in a combine, cleaning labor requirements, and resulting purity levels would assist producers. Measurements were made of grain and other material residing in different areas of rotary- and cylinder-type combines in replicated clean-outs during corn and soybean harvest and also in preliminary clean-outs during oat harvest. Concentration of the prior (i.e. commingled) grain was measured in the first grain harvested of the subsequent crop.
Branded product information search on the Web: The role of brand trust and credibility of online information sources

Drawing upon the cost–benefit framework and trust mechanism as a risk reducer, this study examines the influence of brand factors and source credibility on branded product information Web searches. The online survey was conducted within the pre-purchase context of digital camera brands. The results revealed that brand factors did not influence overall branded information search efforts. However, brand trust and source credibility appeared to influence the different types of online information sources sought.
Functional mesoporous carbon built from the 1,10-phenanthroline building block: A new class of catalyst support

A simple synthesis of a high surface area catalyst support composed of a nanoporous carbon architecture built from a 1,10-phenanthroline precursor is described.
Peptide studies using a fast atom bombardment high field mass spectrometer and data system. 1—Sample introduction, data acquisition and mass calibration

Conditions were established for analyzing as little as 5 pmol of an underivatized peptide delivered in a glycerol sample matrix as a thin film onto a gold-plated copper sample stage and then bombarded with xenon fast atoms. Calibration of the fast atom bombardment high field mass spectrometer and data system was achieved using cesium iodide/glycerol as a reference. Calibration at several accelerating potentials permitted a mass range from 393 to 5941 u. Several factors were examined that contribute to the quality of the mass spectrum: components within the glycerol such as other peptides, alkali salts, acid and reducing agents; the nature of the fast atom gas; concentration of the peptide delivered to the sample stage; and the effect of the sample stage and sample matrix on sensitivity.
Mammary fat necrosis following radiotherapy in the conservative management of localized breast cancer: Does it matter?

Purpose: Fat necrosis is a well-described and relatively common complication arising from post-lumpectomy irradiation of the breast, most commonly breast brachytherapy. We wish to assess the clinical significance of fat necrosis resulting from post-lumpectomy breast irradiation. Methods: We reviewed the literature to determine the overall incidence and significance of fat necrosis to determine whether or not fat necrosis poses a significant clinical problem. Results: Fat necrosis occurs in up to one-quarter of patients following post-lumpectomy breast irradiation. Only rarely is invasive intervention required however, it does significantly degrade the quality of all modalities of breast imaging. Conclusions: Fat necrosis is a common complication of radiotherapy which rarely requires therapeutic intervention. However, post-therapeutic clinical imaging such as mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging are affected which may result in additional diagnostic procedures up to and including biopsy.
Index of refraction engineering in five-level dressed interacting ground states atoms.

We present a five-level atomic system in which the index of refraction of a probe laser can be enhanced or reduced below unity with vanishing absorption in the region between pairs of absorption and gain lines formed by dressing of the atoms with a control laser and rf/microwave fields. By weak incoherent pumping of the population into a single metastable state, one can create several narrow amplifying resonances. At frequencies between these gain lines and additional absorption lines, there exist regions of vanishing absorption but resonantly enhanced index of refraction. In Rb vapors with density N in units of cm−3, we predict an index of refraction up to n≈1+1.2×10−14N for the D1 line, which is more than an order of magnitude larger than other proposals for index of refraction enhancement. Furthermore, the index can be readily reduced below 1 by simply changing the sign of the probe or rf field detunings. This enhancement is robust with respect to homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening.
Aconitine-Induced Auricular Arrhythmias and Their Relation to Circus-Movement Flutter

Certain characteristics of aconitine-induced auricular arrhythmias in dogs and the responses of aconitine-induced flutter to various experimental procedures and to drugs are described. In certain experiments there was evidence that a secondary flutter mechanism had developed which, in some instances, resembled flutter of circus-movement origin. When aconitine-induced and circus-movement flutters were induced separately and simultaneously in auricles functionally divided by a crush, they responded to drugs in their characteristic manners. Aconitine-induced flutter slowed progressively and recovered gradually to flutter, whereas circus-movement flutter frequently reverted suddenly and permanently to sinus rhythm.
Computational investigation of the photochemical deoxygenation of thiophene-S-oxide and selenophene-Se-oxide

CASSCF and multireference MP2 calculations were carried out on thiophene-S-oxide (TO) and selenophene-Se-oxide (SeO), comparing the energies of the ground state to the first two electronically excited singlet and triplet states, using constrained optimizations and multiple fixed S–O or Se–O distances. For both molecules, one of the two triplet states smoothly dissociates to yield O(3P) with little or no barrier. Single point calculations are consistent with the same phenomenon occurring for dibenzothiophene-S-oxide (DBTO). This provides an explanation for the inefficient unimolecular photochemical dissociation of O(3P) from DBTO despite a phosphorescence energy below that of S–O dissociation, i.e., that S–O scission probably occurs from a spectroscopically unobserved triplet (T2) state.
ACQUIRED HYPOPITUITARISM AFTER REYE'S SYNDROME

Growth failure after Reye's Syndrome was studied in a 14 year old white male. He had Reye's Syndrome at age ten years and also had loss of vision, which later improved considerably in the right eye. After recovery from Reye's Syndrome, he had no increase in linear growth during the following four years. From 75th percentile, his height dropped to below 5th percentile. His sexual maturation was in Tanner Stage I and funduscopic examination revealed optic atrophy on the left side with right disc being normal. He was admitted for complete neuroendocrine workup at this time which showed a low Somatomedin-C level, subnormal growth hormone response to arginine-glucagon stimulation test (maximum growth hormone level of 1.2 ng/ml), subnormal TSH response to TRH stimulation (maximum TSH level of 5 μIU/ml) and a normal metyrapone test. Serum LH and FSH were 7 and < 1 MIU/ml respectively. Urinary sp.gr. and osmolality were within normal limits indicating normal posterior pituitary functions. CT scan of the head showed small old infarct in right occipital lobe with slightly prominent CSF space. The bone age was compatible with his height age. Subsequently, patient has been started on Human Growth Hormone and levo-thyroxine treatment and response has been satisfactory. These results indicate hypopituitarism and optic atrophy following Reye's Syndrome. These complications after Reye's Syndrome have not been reported before. The patients with Reye's Syndrome should be monitored for subsequent growth failure and visual complications.
Logical Network Cost and Entropy

A measure of the minimum cost of a logical network is important in the evaluation of such networks. A hypothesis is investigated which states that the average minimum cost depends on both the number of input variables and the entropy (``entropy'' in this sense is based on the probability of a ``1'' in the functions' truth table) of the function realized. Some experimental results are presented to support the hypothesis.
Genetics update : impact of the human genome projects and identification of a stroke gene.

Two articles were published in February 2001 that will have a significant impact on our understanding of human development, the pathogenesis of many human diseases, and the discovery of new therapies for many disorders.1 2 These articles deal with the mapping of the human genome. Two different entities, one a publicly traded company (Celera) and the other the Human Genome Project (HGP, sponsored and funded by NIH), published somewhat different versions of the human genome. The HGP began in 1990 (although extensive sequencing of the human genome began in 1995) and cost approximately $3 billion, while the Celera effort began in 1998.1 2 The HGP involved multiple laboratories in the United States and abroad. The 2 projects produced maps that differ from each other in terms of completeness, order of some genetic markers, and the ability to search the database for specific DNA sequences. A comparison of some features of both projects is in Table 1⇓. The challenge of sequencing the 3 billion base pairs of the human genome required the development of unique tools and approaches. Celera constructed a facility capable of high-throughput sequencing at a rate of 175 000 reads per day and conducted sequencing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The HGP divided the sequencing task among several large laboratories with demonstrated expertise in large-scale DNA sequencing. The strategy employed by the HGP focused on subcloning the human genome into bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC), which were then sequenced and properly arranged.1 Each BAC could hold an insert of 150 000 bases on average. Celera used a shotgun whole genome approach to sequencing, which involved generating many small, random fragments of DNA for sequencing.2 After the sequence was determined, advanced computational algorithms combined with publicly available mapping and sequence information …
Analysis of Transition-Sensitized Turbulent Transport Equations

The dynamics of an ensemble of linear disturbances in boundary-layer flows at various Reynolds numbers is studied through an analysis of the transport equations for the mean disturbance kinetic energy and energy dissipation rate. Effects of adverse and favorable pressure-gradients on the disturbance dynamics are also included in the analysis Unlike the fully turbulent regime where nonlinear phase scrambling of the fluctuations affects the flow field even in proximity to the wall, the early stage transition regime fluctuations studied here are influenced cross the boundary layer by the solid boundary. The dominating dynamics in the disturbance kinetic energy and dissipation rate equations are described. These results are then used to formulate transition-sensitized turbulent transport equations, which are solved in a two-step process and applied to zero-pressure-gradient flow over a flat plate. Computed results are in good agreement with experimental data.
Medicaid coverage of tobacco-dependence treatment for pregnant women: impact of the Affordable Care Act.

Background Twenty percent of pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid use tobacco products. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires Medicaid to cover tobacco-dependence treatments for pregnant women beginning in 2010. Purpose To summarize the impact of the ACA provisions on Medicaid coverage of tobacco-dependence treatments for pregnant women. Methods Medicaid programs were surveyed regarding their coverage for tobacco-dependence treatments after the ACA provisions went into effect. Results From 2009 to 2010, coverage for tobacco-dependence treatments increased from 43 to 51 programs covering pharmacotherapy treatments and from 30 to 38 programs covering tobacco-cessation counseling. States added additional coverage for counseling in 2011 and 2012. Conclusions To maximize these benefits, Medicaid programs need to conduct outreach to inform Medicaid-enrolled pregnant smokers of this coverage.
Phonetics and swallowing to determine palatal contours of dentures

Abstract A method for using soft wax to physiologically develop the palatal-rugae surface of a denture prior to fabrication in acrylic resin has been described. This technique is based on the movements and pressures made by the tongue during swallowing and speech.
Comparative study of agglutinins and complement-fixing antibodies for Brucella in blood and cerebrospinal fluid.

SummarySimultaneous tests for agglutinins and complement-fixing antibodies for Brucella were carried out on the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of 13 patients having brucellosis. Complement-fixing antibodies and agglutinins were demonstrated in the cerebrospinal fluid of one patient with chronic encephalomeningitis and in one patient with a paravertebral abscess associated with Brucella spondylitis. A third patient having chronic Brucella encephalomeningitis had agglutinins in the cerebrospinal fluid. In 13 cases these two serologic tests when performed with cerebrospinal fluid have not aided in resolving the problem of the incidence of organic brain damage in patients with brucellosis.
Oxidative iodine monochloride iodination technique

Abstract The iodine monochloride (ICl) technique is used to radiolabel proteins under mild experimental conditions. Proteins labeled by this technique have been shown to have both in vitro and in vivo characteristics often superior to those proteins labeled by the more frequently used chloramine-T method. Although first published more than two decades ago, use of the ICl technique has largely been superceded by other more recently developed iodination methods. This paper attempts to reintroduce the oxidative ICl method to the research community. This is accomplished by the presentation of a detailed protocol for a convenient modification of the original technique. A review of the qualities of the iodinated proteins produced by the ICl and other iodination methods is also discussed.
Electromagnetic Mass Shifts in the Pseudoscalar Octet

An effective Lagrangian for pseudoscalar, vector, and axial-vector mesons is used to calculate the electro-magnetic mass shifts of pseudoscalar mesons on the basis of vector-meson dominance. We show that a previously studied $\mathrm{PVV}$ interaction can give a significant negative contribution to $\ensuremath{\delta}{m}_{{K}^{+}}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}{m}_{{K}^{0}}$, at the same time implying an experimentally accessible enhanced decay rate for ${K}^{*+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{+}+\ensuremath{\gamma}$. On the other hand, the $\mathrm{PVV}$ contribution to the pion mass shifts remains small and does not alter the previously obtained good agreement with experiment.
Chronic exposure to dioxin-like compounds and thyroid function among New York anglers.

Abstract Experimental studies suggest that dioxin-like compounds influence thyroid function, although human studies have presented equivocal results. Great Lakes sportfish consumers represent a population with greater potential for exposure to dioxin-like compounds than non-consumers. Thirty-eight licensed anglers participating in a dioxin exposure study, consumers and non-consumers, conducted as part of the New York Angler Cohort Study, donated blood and completed questionnaires regarding demographic, clinical, and sportfish consumption data. Sera were analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), coplanar biphenyls (PCB), and PCB IUPAC #153, in addition to thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total and free thyroxine (T 4 and fT 4 ), total triiodothyronine (T 3 ), and lipids. An inverse linear association between serum fT 4 and the sum of dioxin-like congener concentrations (∑DIOXs) in serum ( B = −0.3, 95% CI = −0.5, −0.1) was identified adjusting for PCB #153 and serum lipids ( R 2 = 0.3, p = 0.02, n = 37). The results of this study are preliminary but suggest an inverse association between dioxin-like compounds and fT 4 .
Flat panels in future ground combat vehicles

The efforts of the design team for the Crewman's Associate Advanced Technology Demonstration (CA ATD) and its use of advanced display concepts is discussed. This team has the responsibility of identifying future technologies with the potential for maximizing human- machine interaction for incorporation into future crew station designs for ground combat vehicles. The design process utilizes extensive user involvement in all stages. This is critical to developing systems that have complex functions, yet are simple to maintain and operate. Described are the needs which have driven the U.S. Army towards the use of flat panels. Ultimately, the army is looking at smaller, lighter, more deployable ground combat vehicles. This goal is driving individual components to have characteristics such as low weight, low power usage, and reduced volume while maintaining ruggedness and functionality. The potential applications for flat panels in ground vehicles is also discussed. The army is looking at applications for out-the-window views (virtual periscopes), multi-functional displays, and head mounted displays to accomplish its goals of designing better crew interfaces. The army's requirements in regards to the technologies that must be developed and supported by flat panel displays are also discussed in this section. In conclusion, future projections of the use of flat panels for the Crewman's Associate ATD will be outlined. Projections will be made in terms of physical numbers and promising technologies that fulfill the goals of the CAATD and achieve the approval of the user community.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Substituent effects on the stabilities of polymeric and small molecule bis-terpyridine complexes

Metallo-supramolecular assemblies of polymeric, particulate, or small-molecule building blocks based on 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine most commonly rely on chemical substitution of this ligand at the 4′ position. Here, we investigate the effects that this modification to the ligand have on the kinetic stabilities of bis transition metal complexes, and therefore the lifetime of supramolecular bonds that it forms. The decay of aqueous cobalt(II) and iron(II) complexes in the presence of excesses of competing metal ions is studied by ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, and rate constants for the decay of amino-, ether-, and non-substituted ligands are determined. Remarkably, for cobalt(II), amino substituents lead to rapid oxidation in air to kinetically inert cobalt(III) complexes, while ether substituents yield decay constants three- to six-fold larger than unsubstituted complexes. Ether linkages apparently weaken cobalt complexes by inductive withdrawal of electrons, while amino substituents donate electron density, thus lowering the oxidation potential of the complexes. For iron(II), both ether- and amino-linked complexes decay at least an order of magnitude faster than unsubstituted complexes. Our results highlight the importance of considering linking chemistry when designing dynamic supramolecular assemblies based on terpyridine ligands, as it yields significant, and occasionally dramatic, changes in the kinetic stabilities of these complexes.
The Influence of Pain and Stress on Sleep in Children With Sickle Cell Disease

This study explored the relation among pain, stress, and sleep in 24 children with sickle cell disease aged 8 to 12 years. Children and their parents completed a baseline assessment of the children's pain, stress, and sleep. Following the baseline assessment, children completed a daily diary assessing these variables for up to 8 weeks. Children's baseline sleep reports appeared fairly consistent with their parents' reports and the children's daily diaries. Results from regression models indicated that high pain severity was related to poor sleep quality and that this relation was exacerbated at higher levels of stress. Understanding the way in which pain and stress relate to sleep may lead to improved symptom management in pediatric populations.
Aminozucker‐Synthesen, I. Reaktionen der d‐Glucosaminuronsäure

Bei der katalytischen Oxydation von Benzyl-N-carbobenzoxy-α-d-glucosaminid zu Benzyl-N-carbobenzoxy-α-d-glucosaminuronsaure (I) lies sich die Ausbeute wesentlich verbessern. Es werden eine Anzahl von Derivaten von I beschrieben.
Recommending relevant code artifacts for change requests using multiple predictors

Finding code artifacts affected by a given change request is a time-consuming process in large software systems. Various approaches have been proposed to automate this activity, e.g., based on information retrieval. The performance of a particular prediction approach often highly depends on attributes like coding style or writing style of change request. Thus, we propose to use multiple prediction approaches in combination with machine learning. First experiments show that machine learning is well suitable to weight different prediction approaches for individual software projects and hence improve prediction performance.
The role of loose coupling in expert database system architectures

The author maintains that loose AI-DBMS (artificial intelligence-database-management system) coupling will thrive in the future. The specific approaches adopted for the coupling (loose or tight) of AI-DBMS systems will depend on engineering, economic, social, organizational factors. A number of applications involving the processing of knowledge and data are presented and classified in terms of their need for loose or tight coupling. The author asserts that both approaches are valid expert database system architectures, and both have a role in present and future systems and applications. >
Sequence heterogeneity and anomalous electrophoretic mobility of kinetoplast minicircle DNA from Leishmania tarentolae.

Abstract Several unit-length minicircles from the kinetoplast DNA of Leishmania tarentolae were cloned into pBR322 and into M13 phage vectors. The complete nucleotide sequences of three different partially homologous minicircles were obtained. The molecules contained a region of approx. 80% sequence homology extending for 160–270 bp and a region unique to each minicircle. A 14-mer was found to be conserved in all kinetoplast minicircle sequences reported to date. The frequency distributions of various minicircle sequence classes in L. tarentolae were obtained by quantitative gel electrophoresis and by examination of the “T ladder” patterns of minicircles randomly cloned into M13 at several sites. By these methods we could assign approx. 50% of the total minicircle DNA into a minimum of five sequence classes. A sequence-dependent polyacrylamide gel migration abnormality was observed with several minicircle fragments both cloned and uncloned. The abnormality was dependent on the presence of a portion of the conserved region of the minicircle.
Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder as an Adaptive Anachronism: The Operation of Phylogenetic Inertia Upon Obsessive Populations in Western Modernity

Consistent with its classification by the American Psychiatric Association as one of ten personality disorders, nearly all etiologies assume Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder to be an environmentally instilled syndrome. However, a recent evolutionary etiology, better accounting for prevalence rates and heritability estimates, ecologically explains obsessive psychology as an adaptation to northern climates with express seasonality, low population density, and low social complexity. While this evolutionary etiology justifiably eschews assumptions of pathology, it does not explain why those assumptions were so long made. To this end, the concept of phylogenetic inertia, the decrease in fitness arising from incongruity between past and present selective pressures, is applied. The present paper considers how an evolved strategy could be mistaken for a detrimental disorder by examining the misalignment between evolved obsessive psychology and modernity's demands for flexible attention, communion and collaboration, openness and complexity. As discussed, however, empirical studies are divided, such that only some show evidence of dysfunction; moreover, any evidence of dysfunction is relativistic in that it does not impair survival or decrease reproduction. While suggestions for future research are made, from the weight of present evidence it appears that Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder, evolved in prehistory, remains adaptive in modernity and so phylogenetic inertia can only be invoked as a metaphorical heuristic.
Coupled evolution of BrOx-ClOx-HOx-NOx chemistry during bromine- catalyzed ozone depletion events in the arctic boundary layer

[1] Extensive chemical characterization of ozone (O3) depletion events in the Arctic boundary layer during the TOPSE aircraft mission in March–May 2000 enables analysis of the coupled chemical evolution of bromine (BrOx), chlorine (ClOx), hydrogen oxide (HOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) radicals during these events. We project the TOPSE observations onto an O3 chemical coordinate to construct a chronology of radical chemistry during O3 depletion events, and we compare this chronology to results from a photochemical model simulation. Comparison of observed trends in ethyne (oxidized by Br) and ethane (oxidized by Cl) indicates that ClOx chemistry is only active during the early stage of O3 depletion (O3 > 10 ppbv). We attribute this result to the suppression of BrCl regeneration as O3 decreases. Formaldehyde and peroxy radical concentrations decline by factors of 4 and 2 respectively during O3 depletion and we explain both trends on the basis of the reaction of CH2O with Br. Observed NOx concentrations decline abruptly in the early stages of O3 depletion and recover as O3 drops below 10 ppbv. We attribute the initial decline to BrNO3 hydrolysis in aerosol, and the subsequent recovery to suppression of BrNO3 formation as O3 drops. Under halogen-free conditions we find that HNO4 heterogeneous chemistry could provide a major NOx sink not included in standard models. Halogen radical chemistry in the model can produce under realistic conditions an oscillatory system with a period of 3 days, which we believe is the fastest oscillation ever reported for a chemical system in the atmosphere.
Dynamic Power Management by Combination of Dual Static Supply Voltages

Energy efficient computing is a first order design concern in portable devices. This paper describes a design approach that enables operation of a processor in various performance-energy modes. Depending on the workload and performance requirements, the processor can easily switch between these modes and save energy while still computing jobs in the required time. The proposed approach can also be used as an adaptive technique to compensate for process variation. We describe a feedback circuit to reduce power-performance spread due to process variation. We apply the adaptive technique to a 63-bit adder test circuit and show that the proposed method reduces the standard deviation of delay from 8.1% to 1.6%
Optimal Portfolios with Monitoring, Private Benefits of Control, and Budget Constraints

This paper develops a model that combines features of portfolio theory and corporate governance research. The model analyzes the problem of how large investors form optimal equity portfolios when the return on each investment depends on the size the investment. The optimal solution counterweighs the benefits of higher returns through private benefits of control and monitoring of firm management with the costs of higher transaction prices and bearing diversifiable risk. The general model predicts that controlling investors will monitor more the firms in which they can appropriate more private benefits of control. Large investors are more likely to buy controlling blocks in smaller firms, firms with higher private benefits of control, and firms where the trading costs of buying large blocks are smaller. A special case is numerically solved using an integer-programming algorithm. The numerical analysis shows that investor utility is strictly increasing in available capital for purchasing controlling blocks. The optimal portfolios of large investors dominate the portfolios of small investors both in terms of expected return and risk. The classical result that the efficient frontier is the same for all investors regardless of their wealth does not hold in the setting of this paper.
Recovery of Ordovician conodonts by hydrochloric acid from phosphate nodules reworked into the Sulphur Springs Formation (Devonian) in Missouri, U.S.A.

The Glen Park Member of the Sulphur Springs Formation (Devonian) in east-central Missouri contains abundant phosphate nodules. Dissolution of several nodules in hydrochloric acid yielded a diverse, well-preserved Ordovician fauna, containing diagnostic graptolites, ostracodes and conodonts, demonstrating that the Glen Park phosphate nodules are reworked from the Ordovician. Faunal similarities and the in situ occurrence of phosphorite in nearby exposures of the Mequoketa Shale (Ordovician ) strongly suggest hat phosphate nodules in the Glen Park were reworked from the Maquoketa.
Targeted Therapies for Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer is a highly aggressive neoplasm. In 2005, 14,520 Americans will be diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and more than 90% will die of their disease. On a global basis, cancer of the esophagus is the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In fact, gastric and esophageal cancers together accounted for nearly 1.3 million new cases and 980,000 deaths worldwide in 2000-more than lung, breast, or colorectal cancer. Although esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cases have steadily declined, the incidence of gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma has increased 4%-10% per year among U.S. men since 1976, more rapidly than for any other cancer type, and parallels rises in population trends in obesity and reflux disease. With advances in surgical techniques and treatment, the prognosis of esophageal cancer has slowly improved over the past three decades. However, the 5-year overall survival rate (14%) remains poor, even in comparison with the dismal survival rates (4%) from the 1970s. The underlying reasons for this disappointingly low survival rate are multifold: (a) ineffective screening tools and guidelines; (b) cancer detection at an advanced stage, with over 50% of patients with unresectable disease or distant metastasis at presentation; (c) high risk for recurrent disease after esophagectomy or definitive chemoradiotherapy; (d) unreliable noninvasive tools to measure complete response to chemoradiotherapy; and (e) limited survival achieved with palliative chemotherapy alone for patients with metastatic or unresectable disease. Clearly, additional strategies are needed to detect esophageal cancer earlier and to improve our systemic treatment options. Over the past decade, the field of drug development has been transformed with the identification of and ability to direct treatment at specific molecular targets. This review focuses on novel targeted treatments in development for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and distal esophageal and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.
Sparse weighted voting classifier selection and its linear programming relaxations

We consider the problem of minimizing the number of misclassifications of a weighted voting classifier, plus a penalty proportional to the number of nonzero weights. We first prove that its optimum is at least as hard to approximate as the minimum disagreement halfspace problem for a wide range of penalty parameter values. After formulating the problem as a mixed integer program (MIP), we show that common ''soft margin'' linear programming (LP) formulations for constructing weighted voting classsifiers are equivalent to an LP relaxation of our formulation. We show that this relaxation is very weak, with a potentially exponential integrality gap. However, we also show that augmenting the relaxation with certain valid inequalities tightens it considerably, yielding a linear upper bound on the gap for all values of the penalty parameter that exceed a reasonable threshold. Unlike earlier techniques proposed for similar problems (Bradley and Mangasarian (1998) [4], Weston et al. (2003) [14]), our approach provides bounds on the optimal solution value.
Long-term administration of the TNF blocking drug Remicade (cV1q) to mdx mice reduces skeletal and cardiac muscle fibrosis, but negatively impacts cardiac function

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a degenerative skeletal muscle disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding dystrophin (DYS). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has been implicated in the pathogenesis since short-term treatment of mdx mice with TNF blocking drugs proved beneficial; however, it is not clear whether long-term treatment will also improve long-term outcomes of fibrosis and cardiac health. In this investigation, short and long-term dosing studies were carried out using the TNF blocking drug Remicade and a variety of outcome measures were assessed. Here we show no demonstrable benefit to muscle strength or morphology with 10mg/kg or 20mg/kg Remicade; however, 3mg/kg produced positive strength benefits. Remicade treatment correlated with reductions in myostatin mRNA in the heart, and concomitant reductions in cardiac and skeletal fibrosis. Surprisingly, although Remicade treated mdx hearts were less fibrotic, reductions in LV mass and ejection fraction were also observed, and these changes coincided with reductions in AKT phosphorylation on threonine 308. Thus, TNF blockade benefits mdx skeletal muscle strength and fibrosis, but negatively impacts AKT activation, leading to deleterious changes to dystrophic heart function. These studies uncover a previously unknown relationship between TNF blockade and alteration of muscle growth signaling pathways.
Masculinities Go to Community College: Understanding Male Identity Socialization and Gender Role Conflict.

Previous research has neglected to explore identities and development among male students at community colleges. This chapter provides some insight into who these men are, their precollege gender socialization experiences, and conflicts that impede the development of productive masculinities.
Plant communities associated with different shoreline elements at Cave Run Lake, Kentucky

The purpose of this research was to determine if slope and exposure are important determinants of plant communities emerging on reservoir shorelines. We sampled 30 sites on the previously inundated shoreline of Cave Run Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoir in east-central Ken- tucky, USA. These sites were categorized as either flats, riparian forests, exposed banks, or sheltered banks. Two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and detrended correspondence analysis were used with presence/absence data to group sites of similar community composition. There were 167 species of plants identified in the study plots, of which 29% were annuals, 2% were biennials, 69% were perennials, 11% were non-indigenous, and 63% met the criterion for inclusion in community analysis. A distinct assemblage of plant species was associated with all riparian forests, with six of eight flats, and with five of twelve exposed banks. Six sheltered banks were not obviously associated with a single community type. The TWIN- SPAN group including riparian forests had the highest percentage of wetland species; the TWINSPAN group including most flats had the highest species richness; the TWINSPAN group comprised entirely of exposed banks had low species richness and low representation of wetland species. Our results suggest that plant communities of high conservation value can emerge on relatively flat sites under a human-controlled flooding regimen as long as the soil remains intact. However, steep exposed banks are susceptible to soil loss, and the resulting rock substrates support a depauperate flora of low conservation value.
Baby Booms and Drug Busts: Trends in Youth Drug use in the United States, 1975–2000

Are there agglomeration economies in crime? The positive correlation between city size and crime rates is well-known. This paper establishes a positive relationship between youth cohort size and marijuana use rates. It further demonstrates a negative association between youth cohort size and marijuana prices, youth drug possession arrest rates, and both overall and youth sales arrest rates. Cohort size affects demand by lowering possession arrest probabilities, but this factor explains less than 10 percent of the relationship. The main effect shown here, accounting for at least a quarter of the relationship, is on the supply of marijuana. Larger youth cohorts yield thicker drug markets that, through lower sales arrest risk and informational economies, generate cost-savings in drug distribution.
Using device diversity to protect data against batch-correlated disk failures

Batch-correlated failures result from the manifestation of a common defect in most, if not all, disk drives belonging to the same production batch. They are much less frequent than random disk failures but can cause catastrophic data losses even in systems that rely on mirroring or erasure codes to protect their data. We propose to reduce impact of batch-correlated failures on disk arrays by storing redundant copies of the same data on disks from different batches and, possibly, different manufacturers. The technique is especially attractive for mirrored organizations as it only requires that the two disks that hold copies of the same data never belong to the same production batch. We also show that even partial diversity can greatly increase the probability that the data stored in a RAID array will survive batch-correlated failures.
Distributed techniques in software systems integration

Many aspects of software development use varieties of distributed computing techniques. We focus on a specific phase known generally as testing but more appropriately as iterative test and integration. Traditional software development is mandated by methodologies. These methodologies follow from the waterfall model of software development, and provide automation support via software tools for coding, documentation analysis and evaluation. Quality and productivity have become the driving forces and this in turn emphasized modularity, reusability and use of formal methods where possible. The traditional waterfall model of software development partitions the processing sequence into phases of requirements, specification, design, implementation, and testing and validation. While this is still the basic conceptual model used in most of the development methodologies, this does not explicitly include the feedback and revisions between phases due to errors, problems, omissions and changes. Also it does not include the process of integration that takes place at every step and most importantly in the later stages namely, iterative testing and integration. We discuss our approach to the system integration problems which are outlined. The system integration process mainly depends on (a) a formal methodology that leads to an efficient integration testing plan, and (b) a consistency checking mechanism that validates the module subsystem interfaces and intermodule interactions during all the changes of the integration testing process. The integration plan that is produced should be good in the sense that the scheduling and partitioning of a collection of modules to be integrated should be done to reduce the interactions and dependencies between program units as modifications are made at the different phases of the development and assist in localizing errors during integration testing. We investigate issues in the generic integration lifecycle including properties that individual software modules should possess for efficient integration and guidelines for designing modules.
Cranial Invasion by Basal Cell Carcinoma

. The direct spread of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) into the bones of the cranium takes a long period. In its early stages, it may not be detectable by radiography or computerized tomography, but can be visible as pitting during surgery. Invasion through the thickness of the calvarium due to extension of a BCC of the scalp, or involvement of the cribriform plate by spread from an intranasal lesion, is serious. Examples of cranial invasion by BCC are presented. The methods used in diagnosis and treatment are outlined.
The role of Fontan's procedure and aortic translocation in the surgical management of patients with discordant atrioventricular connections, interventricular communication, and pulmonary stenosis or atresia.

A variety of surgical strategies have been utilized in attempts to accomplish long-term haemodynamic stability in patients with cardiac anomalies characterized by discordant atrioventricular connections, ventricular septal defect, and severe sub-pulmonary obstruction. The majority of these patients have what is commonly referred to as congenitally corrected transposition, together with a ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis or atresia, in the setting of either usual or mirror imaged arrangement of the atrial chambers and the other organs of the body. A smaller sub-group, with discordant atrioventricular connections and double outlet right ventricle, with severe sub-pulmonary obstruction or pulmonary atresia, present similar physiology, and a comparable surgical challenge.
RAISING YOUNG CHILDREN: PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS

Parents' perceptions of raising young children were examined using the Parent Behavior Checklist. The sample included 44 married couples with children between one and four years of age. Parents com...
A method for the consistent creation and quantitative testing of postoperative pelvic adhesions in a porcine model.

Introduction: The assessment of methods for the prevention of postoperative pelvic adhesions is hampered by the lack of a quantifiable adhesion measurement technique. Currently available methods for adhesion model assessment rely on qualitative grading scales; a quantitative method would have many attendant benefits, including standardized reporting. Methods: A technique was developed to generate consistent and significant adhesions in a swine model that are suitable for quantitative assessment using a Material Testing System (MTS) machine platform. In this method, the uterine horns are cannulated and then attached to the pelvic sidewall using loose silk sutures. The underlying sidewall and adjacent uterine serosa are injured with electrocautery. Following a two-week survival the entire complex of uterine horn and sidewall are excised en bloc and prepared for MTS testing. Results: Extrication of the adhesion, as measured by the MTS platform, generates a quantitative assessment of adhesion strength that ca...
Color-Blind Ideology and the Cultural Appropriation of Hip-Hop:

This article examines how white youths culturally appropriate hip-hop by adhering to the demands of color-blind ideology. Using ethnographic methods and interviews of members in a local hip-hop scene, I argue that colorblind ideology provides whites with the discursive resources to justify their presence in the scene, and more important, to appropriate hip-hop by removing the racially coded meanings embedded in the music and replacing them with color-blind ones. This research contributes to the existing scholarship on racial ideology by analyzing how it is put into action by individuals in a specific local context in which race is salient. Furthermore, it extends our understanding of how color-blind ideology operates in practice, enabling whites with the discursive resources and racial power to culturally appropriate hip-hop, however unintentionally, for their own purposes.
Incremental global optimization for faster recompilations

Although modular programming with separate compilation aids in eliminating unnecessary recompilation and reoptimization, recent studies have discovered that more efficient code can be generated by collapsing a modular program through procedure inlining. To avoid having to reoptimize the resultant large procedures, techniques for incrementally incorporating changes into globally optimized code are presented. The algorithm determines which optimizations are no longer safe after a program change, and also discovers which new optimizations can be performed in order to maintain a high level of optimization. An intermediate representation is incrementally updated to reflect the current optimizations in the program. The techniques developed in this paper have been exploited to improve on the current techniques for symbolic debugging of optimized code. >