cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU-E-T-116: Analysis of Patient Specific VMAT QA Passing Rates with Delta4 for Matched Machines

Purpose: To test whether unified vendor specified beam conformance for matched machines implies volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy(VMAT) delivery consistency. Methods: Twenty-two identical patient QA plans, eleven 6MV and eleven 15MV, were delivered to the Delta⁴(Scandidos, Uppsala, Sweden) on two Varian TrueBEAM matched machines. Sixteen patient QA plans, nine 6 MV and seven 10 MV, were delivered to Delta⁴ on two Elekta Agility matched machines. The percent dose deviation(%DDev), distance-to-agreement(DTA), and the gamma analysis(γ) were collected for all plans and the differences in measurements were tabulated between matched machines. A paired t-test analysis of the data with an alpha of 0.05 determines statistical significance. Power(P) was calculated to detect a difference of 5%; all data except Elekta %DDev sets were strong with above a 0.85 power. Results: The average differences for Varian machines (%DDev, DTA, and γ) are 6.4%, 1.6% and 2.7% for 6MV, respectively, and 8.0%, 0.6%, and 2.5% for 15MV. The average differences for matched Elekta machines (%DDev, DTA, and γ) are 10.2%, 0.6% and 0.9% for 6 MV, respectively, and 7.0%, 1.9%, and 2.8% for 10MV.A paired t-test shows for Varian the %DDev difference is significant for 6MV and 15MV(p-value6MV=0.019, P6MV=0.96; p-value15MV=0.0003, P15MV=0.86). Differences in DTA are insignificant for both 6MV and 15MV(p-value6MV=0.063, P6MV=1; p-value15MV=0.907, P15MV=1). Varian differences in gamma are significant for both energies(p-value6MV=0.025, P6MV=0.99; p-value15MV=0.013, P15MV=1). A paired t-test shows for Elekta the difference in %DDev is significant for 6MV but not 10MV(p-value6MV=0.00065, P6MV=0.68; p-value10MV=0.262, P10MV=0.39). Differences in DTA are statistically insignificant(p-value6MV=0.803, P6MV = 1; p-value10MV=0.269, P10MV=1). Elekta differences in gamma are significant for 10MV only(p-value6MV=0.094, P6MV=1; p-value10MV=0.011, P10MV=1). Conclusion: These results show vendor specified beam conformance across machines does not ensure equivalent patient specific QA pass rates. Gamma differences are statistically significant in three of the four comparisons for two pairs of vendor matched machines.
Cytochrome c interaction with membranes. The enthalpy of oxidation of cytochromes c, c2, and a1,2.

Abstract The enthalpy of oxidation of horse-heart cytochrome c bound to phospholipid vesicles was found to be 14.6 ± 0.3 kcal/mole at 25 °C, pH 7.0, equal to the value for oxidation of the free form of the cytochrome. The affinity constants for binding of the reduced and oxidized forms of cytochrome c were the same at 4 °C and 30 °C, indicating that Δ H ° of binding contributes negligibly to the overall enthalpy of oxidation of the bound cytochrome c . The free energy ( ΔG °′) of oxidation of the bound cytochrome c was 1.3 kcal/mole smaller than that for the free form, the difference being due to the change in entropy favoring the oxidized state of the cytochrome in the bound state. Measurement of the ΔH °′ for the oxidation of cytochrome a relative to the ferri/ferrocyanide couple shows it to be the same, within the limits of experimental error to that for the oxidation of cytochrome c .
FFA: a flexible fusiform area for subordinate-level visual processing automatized by expertise

Much evidence suggests that the fusiform face area is involved in face processing. In contrast to the accompanying article by Kanwisher, we conclude that the apparent face selectivity of this area reflects a more generalized form of processing not intrinsically specific to faces.
Denitrification as a component of the nitrogen budget for a large plains river

Nitrogen dynamics of a plains reach of the SouthPlatte River were studied over a 12-month cycle forthe purpose of quantifying denitrification rates. The working hypothesis of the study was thatdenitrification would be of extraordinary importancein the system because of large amounts of waterexchange between the channel and an extensivesubsurface alluvium consisting of gravel. Denitrification losses of nitrate were quantifiedthrough the use of a mass-balance model based ondetailed hydrologic information and fieldquantification of the rates of nitrate accrualthrough surface and subsurface input of water aswell as nitrification. Denitrification rates ranged between 2and 100 mg N/m2/hr. Distancerequired to achieve 90% reduction of nitrate was asshort as 6 km during mid-summer and as long as300 km during mid-winter. On an annual basis, closeto half of nitrate input to a 100-km reach was removed bydenitrification (3.6 × 106 kg/yr). Rates of nitrate loss to denitrification (annual mean, 28 mgN/m2/h) and overall percent removalof nitrate by denitrification were approximately 10times as high as rates documented for rivers in theeastern U.S. The study shows that high rates ofhyporheic exchange can support extraordinary ratesof denitrification.
HEMANGIOMAS IN PREGNANCY.

Washington, D. C. T H I s IS a report of a series of unusual experiences with cutaneous and mucosal hemangiomas which developed or became symptomatic during pregnancy. A hemangioma may be defined as a benign blood vessel tumor with its components somewhat apart from the general circulatory system. In pregnancy, these vascular tumors first appear during the middle trimester, gradually increase in size until term, and then usually regress in the puerperium. They may disappear completely after pregnancy or they remain permanently. In some instances, in which no treatment of the lesion had been instituted during a previous pregnancy, the tumor recurred or enlarged during subsequent pregnancies. There are many different classifications of hemangiomas. Some are clinical, while others are based on microscopic findings. Winer and Levin’ consider the acquired cutaneous hemangiomas of pregnancy to be eruptive angiomas. The involved capillaries may be arterial or venous. Arterial capillary angiomas may represent an overgrowth of an end artery of the skin or a thickened coiled artery of the cutis. The venous capillary angioma usually overlies a vein or venule which has become obstructed.
Adipose tissue in diabetes

The sections in this article are: 1 Glucose Utilization and Fatty Acid Synthesis in Diabetes 2 Lipoprotein Lipase Activity in Diabetes 3 Lipid Mobilization from Adipose Tissue in Diabetes 4 Endogenous Respiration of Adipose Tissue in Diabetes 5 Glucuronic Acid Pathway Activity in Diabetes
MCL1 in transgenic mice acts at specific stages of T cell differentiation and in response to stimulation

AACR Centennial Conference: Translational Cancer Medicine-- Nov 4-8, 2007; Singapore C12 MCL1 is an anti-apoptotic BCL-2 member that was identified based on increased expression during the induction of differentiation in human myeloblastic leukemia cells. Previous studies in MCL1 transgenic mice demonstrated moderate viability enhancement in cells of a variety of hematopoietic lineages, as assessed using pan-B, T, and myeloid markers. The present studies utilized differentiation-stage specific markers to determine whether the MCL1 transgene affects specific cells within the T cell lineage. Findings to date have revealed an increase in early T lineage progenitors in the thymus of transgenic mice. This was accompanied by an increase in cells at the early stages of thymopoiesis, including CD4-CD8- double negative cells expressing CD25 (alpha chain of interleukin-2 receptor) and CD4+CD8+ double positive cells. This increase in occurred despite the fact that the bone marrow of the transgenic animals did not exhibit a noticeably change in the expression of markers characteristic of hematopoietic stem cells. In addition, analysis of peripheral lymphocytes did not demonstrate a change in lineage distribution or in the B/T cell ratio, suggesting that homeostatic mechanisms keep in check the effects of enforced MCL1 expression. Strikingly, however, transgenic splenocytes exposed in vitro to anti-CD3/anti-CD28 to mimic antigen stimulation exhibited an increase in CD4+ cells producing IL-2. Taken together, these findings show that, in normal healthy transgenic animals, MCL1 acts at specific stages in the differentiation of hematopoietic cells as well as in cells responding to stimulation.
Progressive learning for robotic assembly: learning impedance with an excitation scheduling method

A novel approach to stable learning control is developed inspired by human learning behavior, and applied to an impedance learning problem for high-speed dynamic robotic assembly. The new method termed "progressive learning" uses scheduled excitation inputs that allow the system to learn quasi-static, slow modes in the beginning, followed by the learning of faster modes. This new method is presented in the context of high speed robotic assembly, where an impedance control law is learned with this excitation scheduling method. Extensive simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of this method. A detailed analysis of the mechanism of progressive learning is also provided and verified through simulation.
BRST cohomology of the fermionic string

Abstract The BRST cohomology of the first-quantized fermionic string (Ramond model) is explicitly computed by using methods developed in a previous letter. The infinite degeneracy due to the commuting ghost zero mode is shown to be spurious by extending to the BRSt context an argument originally due to Corrigan and Goddard.
Intramolecular NH···S Hydrogen Bonding in the Zinc Thiolate Complex [TmPh]ZnSCH2C(O)NHPh: A Mechanistic Investigation of Thiolate Alkylation as Probed by Kinetics Studies and by Kinetic Isotope Effects

The zinc thiolate complex [TmPh]ZnSCH2C(O)N(H)Ph, which features a tetrahedral [ZnS4] motif analogous to that of the Ada DNA repair protein, may be obtained by the reaction of Zn(NO3)2 with [TmPh]Li and Li[SCH2C(O)N(H)Ph] ([TmPh] = tris(2-mercapto-1-phenylimidazolyl)hydroborato ligand). Structural characterization of [TmPh]ZnSCH2C(O)N(H)Ph by X-ray diffraction demonstrates that the molecule exhibits an intramolecular NH···S hydrogen bond between the amide N−H group and thiolate sulfur atom, a structure that is reproduced by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The thiolate ligand of [TmPh]ZnSCH2C(O)N(H)Ph is subject to alkylation, a reaction that is analogous to the function of the Ada DNA repair protein. Specifically, [TmPh]ZnSCH2C(O)N(H)Ph reacts with MeI to yield PhN(H)C(O)CH2SMe and [TmPh]ZnI, a reaction which is characterized by second-order kinetics that is consistent with either (i) an associative mechanism or (ii) a stepwise dissociative mechanism in which the alkylation step is rate dete...
Predicted Polishing Behavior Of Plasma Assisted Chemical Etching (PACE) From A Unified Model Of The Temporal Evolution Of Etched Surfaces

We study the smoothing behavior of PACE using a differential equation which describes the temporal evolution of a solid surface subject to any etch (or deposition) process. The differential equation explicitly exhibits the evolution of any surface to be a product of a geometric factor, common to all such processes, and a rate factor that depends on the process physics. We take the rate factor to be a combination of isotropic and anisotropic processes. In general, it must be derived from first principles or deduced by comparing the topography predicted by the surface evolution equation with the observed etch topography for a particular physical hypothesis. An example of this is shown for the etched shape of microelectronic "deep isolation trenches" fabricated by a purely anisotropic process. Good agreement with observation is achieved when the rate coefficient is taken to have a local surface curvature or local electric field dependence. Finally, the surface evolution equation is used to explore the ability of PACE to smooth and polish an initially rough surface by obtaining the time dependence of the spatial Fourier coefficients of the surface shape from the differential equation. This analysis provides a vivid exposition of the PACE smoothing process. Both the anisotropic and isotropic etching regimes of PACE are considered.
Cognitive Interference Networks with Partial and Noisy Observations: A Learning Framework

An algorithm for the optimization of secondary user's transmission strategies in cognitive networks with imperfect network state observations is presented. The task of the secondary user is to maximize its performance while generating a bounded performance loss to the primary users' network. The state of the primary users' network, defined as a collection of variables describing features of the network (e.g., buffer state, ARQ state), evolves according to a Markov process whose statistics depend on the transmission strategy of the secondary user. The main contribution of this paper is an online learning algorithm that, without any a priori knowledge about the statistics of the network and state-observation map, iteratively optimizes the strategy of the secondary user based on a sample-path of noisy and partial state observations.
Male Pseudohermaphroditism: Long-term Quality of Life Outcome in Five 46,XY Individuals Reared Female

We assessed the adult quality of life of five medical chart-selected genetic males (ages 29-34 years) assigned and reared as females due to ambiguity of the external genitalia. All five were treated following the traditional method proposed by John Money and colleagues in 1955, commonly referred to as the "optimal gender policy". The adult follow-up assessment included physical and endocrinological evaluation, completion of self-report questionnaires, and a semi-structured interview assessing gender identity, sexual experience and orientation. Quality of life domains assessed by questionnaire included health-related issues, satisfaction with health-care management, emotional distress, and relationship satisfaction. Vaginoplasty in four out of five patients was initially unsuccessful. Four patients had periodic lapses in adherence to hormone replacement therapy. Gender role behavior across development was masculine relative to norms for women. All participants reported a female gender identity without a history of gender dysphoria. The majority of participants (four of five) reported being sexually active and in long-term relationships (three heterosexual, one homosexual). Current emotional adaptation and health-related quality of life are within the normal range for four participants. Sex assignment of 46,XY individuals with ambiguous genitalia as females is compatible with a positive quality of life.
Genomic regions that mediate placental cell-specific and developmental regulation of human Cyp19 (aromatase) gene expression in transgenic mice.

The human aromatase (hCYP19) gene is controlled by tissue-specific promoters that lie upstream of tissue-specific first exons. Placenta-specific exon I.1 lies approximately 100,000 bp upstream of exon II. Previously, we observed that genomic sequences within 501 bp upstream of exon I.1 mediate placenta-specific expression. In the present study, transgenic mice were created carrying hCYP19I.1−246:hGH/hGX, hCYP19I.1−201:hGH, and hCYP19I.1−125:hGH fusion genes to further delineate 5′-flanking sequences within 501 bp of exon I.1 that are required to mediate placenta-specific hCYP19 gene expression. As little as 246 bp of hCYP19 exon I.1 5′-flanking sequence was sufficient to direct placenta-specific expression in transgenic mice. By contrast, transgenes containing 201 or 125 bp of exon I.1 5′-flanking DNA were not expressed in mouse placenta. Furthermore, hCYP19I.1−246:hGX transgene expression was developmentally regulated; expression was observed as early as embryonic d 7.5 (E7.5) in several cells of the tro...
Sensitive periods for language and recovery from stroke: conceptual and practical parallels.

In this review, we consider the literature on sensitive periods for language acquisition from the perspective of the stroke recovery literature treated in this Special Issue. Conceptually, the two areas of study are linked in a number of ways. For example, the fact that learning itself can set the stage for future failures to learn (in second language learning) or to remediate (as described in constraint therapy) is an important insight in both areas, as is the increasing awareness that limits on learning can be overcome by creating the appropriate environmental context. Similar practical issues, such as distinguishing native-like language acquisition or recovery of function from compensatory mechanisms, arise in both areas as well. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 54:332-342, 2012.
Suppression of postovulatory gonadotropin levels does not affect corpus luteum function in rhesus monkeys.

The exact mechanism(s) of control of corpus luteum function remains unknown. To address the question whether luteinizing hormone (LH) plays an important role, the following experiments were performed in cycling rhesus monkeys. Experiment 1: 10 monkeys were followed for 2 consecutive cycles and ovulation data determined using serum estradiol(E2) measurements and serial laparoscopies. In the second cycle, starting on day 1 after ovulation, the animals received daily administration of a potent inhibitory LHRH analog, [N-Ac-D-Trp1,3, D-p-CI-Phe1, D-Phe6, D-Ala10]-LH-RH (N = 5) or vehicle (N = 5) until the onset of vaginal bleeding. Serum FSH and LH concentrations declined significantly in animals treated with the antagonist. However, E2 and progesterone (P) levels were not different from vehicle-treated monkeys. Luteal phase length in both groups was unchanged from the control cycle. Experiment 2: the same protocol was followed, adding the administration of hCG in increasing dosages from days 6–10 after ovula...
Recognition of HIV-1 Peptides by Host CTL Is Related to HIV-1 Similarity to Human Proteins

Background While human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes preferentially target specific regions of the viral proteome, HIV-1 features that contribute to immune recognition are not well understood. One hypothesis is that similarities between HIV and human proteins influence the host immune response, i.e., resemblance between viral and host peptides could preclude reactivity against certain HIV epitopes. Methodology/Principal Findings We analyzed the extent of similarity between HIV-1 and the human proteome. Proteins from the HIV-1 B consensus sequence from 2001 were dissected into overlapping k-mers, which were then probed against a non-redundant database of the human proteome in order to identify segments of high similarity. We tested the relationship between HIV-1 similarity to host encoded peptides and immune recognition in HIV-infected individuals, and found that HIV immunogenicity could be partially modulated by the sequence similarity to the host proteome. ELISpot responses to peptides spanning the entire viral proteome evaluated in 314 individuals showed a trend indicating an inverse relationship between the similarity to the host proteome and the frequency of recognition. In addition, analysis of responses by a group of 30 HIV-infected individuals against 944 overlapping peptides representing a broad range of individual HIV-1B Nef variants, affirmed that the degree of similarity to the host was significantly lower for peptides with reactive epitopes than for those that were not recognized. Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that antigenic motifs that are scarcely represented in human proteins might represent more immunogenic CTL targets not selected against in the host. This observation could provide guidance in the design of more effective HIV immunogens, as sequences devoid of host-like features might afford superior immune reactivity.
All-YBa2Cu3O(7-x) edge-geometry weak links

High quality YBa2Cu3O(7-x)/normal-metal/YBa2Cu3O(7-x) edge-geometry weak links are fabricated using nonsuperconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O barrier layers deposited by laser ablation at reduced growth temperatures. Devices incorporating 25-100-A-thick barrier layers exhibit current-voltage characteristics consistent with the resistively-shunted-junction model, as well as ac Josephson steps. Magnetic field modulation of the critical currents shows Fraunhofer-like behavior with a periodicity which scales with device area. The critical currents vary exponentially with barrier thickness indicating an effective normal metal coherence length of 20 A. The average resistances scale linearly with Y-Ba-Cu-O interlayer thickness and device area. The scaling behavior of the device parameters combined with the well-behaved magnetic field modulation of the critical currents demonstrates good barrier-layer uniformity with low pinhole densities. Near the transition temperature, the critical currents exhibit a temperature dependence proportional to (1 - T/Tc) squared.
Niche separation in Varecia variegata rubra and Eulemur fulvus albifrons: I. Interspecific patterns.

Niche separation was documented in a year-long study of Varecia variegata rubra and Eulemur fulvus albifrons on the Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar. Feeding trees were measured, and diet, forest height, and forest site were recorded at 5-min time points on focal animals. For time point data, multivariate and bivariate analysis of frequencies was employed to examine how niche dimensions vary between species according to sex, season, and reproductive stage. V. v. rubra feeds in larger trees than E. f. albifrons. V. v. rubra has a diet consisting mainly of fruit, whereas E. f. lbifrons has a more varied diet. V. v. ubra ranges mainly above 15 m in tree crowns, whereas E. f. albifrons ranges mainly below 15 m in a wide array of forest sites. Both species are largely frugivorous, but they harvest fruit in different-sized trees, in different quantities, and in different forest strata. Niche partitioning varies in tandem with seasonal shifts in climate and food availability and with reproductive stages. Seasonal shifts in forest site and forest height use are largely attributed to species-specific tactics for behavioral thermoregulation and predator avoidance. The diet of E. f. albifrons is diverse whether examined by season or reproductive stage. However, females of both species diversify their diets with more low-fiber protein than males during gestation, lactation, and the hot seasons. This pattern is most pronounced for V. v. rubra females and may be directly attributed to high energetic investment in reproduction. These results suggest that niche partitioning may be driven more by the energetic requirements of reproductive females than males. Am J Phys Anthropol 112:411–431, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Biofilm formation by group A Streptococcus: a role for the streptococcal regulator of virulence (Srv) and streptococcal cysteine protease (SpeB).

Recently, biofilms have become a topic of interest in the study of the human pathogen group A Streptococcus (GAS). In this study, we sought to learn more about the make-up of these structures and gain insight into biofilm regulation. Enzymic studies indicated that biofilm formation by GAS strain MGAS5005 required an extracellular protein and DNA component(s). Previous results indicated that inactivation of the transcriptional regulator Srv in MGAS5005 resulted in a significant decrease in virulence. Here, inactivation of Srv also resulted in a significant decrease in biofilm formation under both static and flow conditions. Given that production of the extracellular cysteine protease SpeB is increased in the srv mutant, we tested the hypothesis that increased levels of active SpeB may be responsible for the reduction in biofilm formation. Western immunoblot analysis indicated that SpeB was absent from MGAS5005 biofilms. Complementation of MGAS5005Δsrv restored the biofilm phenotype and eliminated the overproduction of active SpeB. Inhibition of SpeB with E64 also restored the MGAS5005Δsrv biofilm to wild-type levels.
The Average Charge of Heavy Ions Stripped in Gases and Solids

A review is presented of extensive experimental data on average equilibrium charge states, q, of heavy ions penetrating through gaseous and solid media at energies up to 180 MeV. The usefulness of various semi-empirical methods to predict q is critically evaluated, and it is discussed to what extent these methods can be used for extrapolations into ranges where no measurements are available. Existing theoretical models are examined in detail and it is shown that the criterion by Bohr and Lamb is well suited to predict q with good accuracy in gaseous targets. A brief discussion is presented concerning the influence of the density of stripper targets on q.
Does humor in radio advertising affect recognition of novel product brand names

The authors proposed that item selection during shopping is based on brand name recognition rather than recall. College students rated advertisements and news stories of a simulated radio program for level of amusement (orienting activity) before participating in a surprise recognition test. Humor level of the advertisements was varied systematically, and content was controlled. According to signal detection analysis, humor did not affect the strength of recognition memory for brand names (nonsense units). However, brand names and product types were significantly more likely to be associated when appearing in humorous advertisements than in nonhumorous advertisements. The results are compared with prior findings concerning humor and recall.
Headaches in Brain Tumor Patients: Primary or Secondary?

Background Headaches occur commonly in all patients, including those who have brain tumors. It has been argued that there is a classic “brain tumor headache type” – defined by the International Headache Society as one that is localized, progressive, worse in the morning, aggravated by coughing or bending forward, develops in temporal and often spatial relation to the neoplasm, and resolves within 7 days of surgical removal or treatment with corticosteroids. Methods Using the search terms “headache and brain tumors,” “intracranial neoplasms and headache,” and “facial pain and brain tumors,” we reviewed the literature from the past 20 years on brain tumor-associated headache and reflected upon the International Classification of Headache Disorders-3 (ICHD-3). In a separate, complementary paper, the proposed mechanisms of brain tumor headache are reviewed. Results We discuss multiple clinical presentations of brain tumor headaches, present the ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria for each type of headache, and then apply our findings to the ICHD-3. Our primary and major finding was that brain tumor headaches can present similarly to primary headaches in those with a predisposition to headaches, suggesting that following ICHD-3 criteria could cause a clinician to overlook a headache caused by a brain tumor. We further find that some types of headaches are not explicitly discussed in the ICHD-3 and also propose that the International Headache Society formally define SMART (Stroke-like Migraine Attacks after Radiation Therapy) syndrome given the increasing amount of literature on this disorder. Conclusion Our literature review revealed that brain tumor headache uncommonly presents with classic brain tumor headache characteristics and often satisfies criteria for a primary headache category such as migraine or tension-type. Thus, clinicians may miss headaches due to brain tumors in following ICHD-3 criteria, and the distinction between primary and secondary headache disorders may not be so clear-cut.
Governing the suicide bomber: reading terrorism studies as governmentality

This article engages with the suicide bomber as he or she appears in the terrorism studies literature. In contrast to sensationalised narratives of the suicide bomber as pathological or fanatical, terrorism studies has increasingly come to view suicide bombing as a rational phenomenon that follows an identifiable strategic logic. Following Foucault’s articulation of governmentality, I read this literature as a governmental practice that attempts to understand the latent rationality of suicide bombing so that the phenomenon may be effectively governed and managed. With this understanding, I look specifically at the terrorism studies accounts of female suicide bombers and argue that the concerns they articulate regarding the superior capacity of these women to go undetected, such as with the use of fake pregnancies as disguises, produces the female suicide bomber as a uniquely risky and ungovernable subject.
Demand modeling of stochastic product diffusion over the life cycle

Abstract Planning during the product life cycle (PLC) poses a number of challenges for managers due to the pace of change and uncertainties in the marketplace. The ability to better understand, predict, and make decisions based on manifestations of demand forms a set of important operational problems that ultimately affect the profitability of enterprises. This paper models the stochastic diffusion of a product in the market as a geometric Brownian motion (GBM) process that has a time-varying drift rate. The model is calibrated such that model parameters are able to feature different product types and diffusion conditions. Imperfect information on the expected peak demand is treated as model uncertainty, and a Bayesian approach is employed to update knowledge on it. The demand model demonstrates robust performance over a wide range of conditions despite model uncertainty. It provides both qualitative and quantitative information for manufacturers and service providers to design strategies for stochastic PLC conditions as well as dynamic production planning.
Intake of a liquid diet after 2-deoxy-D-glucose injections in rats☆

The effects of a liquid diet after 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) were examined following water deprivation, after food deprivation, and at longer post-injection intervals when animals reportedly are hypophagic as a function of drug treatment. Water deprived rats were unable to increase their post-drug feeding when ingesting the liquid diet; and in food deprived subjects, intake patterns of liquid diet and of lab chow pellets were essentially identical after 2DG. The tendency of a 750 mg/kg dosage to produce a longer-term hypophagic reaction was more evident in animals given pellets instead of the liquid diet. While previous studies have found the liquid diet to promote 2DG-induced feeding in lesioned subjects, the present data demonstrate that such facilitation effects do not invariably occur during post-drug conditions in which animals are inhibited in their intake.
Observations of low-frequency radio emissions in the Earth's magnetosphere

Electromagnetic radiation in the earth's magnetosphere was investigated for the frequency range between 10 kHz and 80 kHz, using data from the Minnesota Plasma Wave Experiment aboard the IMP 6 spacecraft. Two types of radio emissions were examined, the first being the nonthermal continuum radiation, and the second, much more impulsive, is the radiation which lies between 10 and 60 kHz. The first type of radiation was found to correlate with the enhancements of the magnetic substorm index AE and to follow the onset of the negative bay feature of the AU index by about 20 min. The second radiation was found to correlate with auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) on a time scale of about 1 min; this radiation was found to have a source direction very near that of the coincident AKR.
Estimation of discrete multivariate densities for computer-aided differential diagnosis of disease

SUMMARY A Bayesian approach is taken to the problem of estimating a multivariate discrete density. Prior distributions on the space of multivariate densities are formulated to reflect the idea that the density is near a particular one, or near one which has independent variates. Given a sample of multivariate observations, an approximation to the posterior distribution of the unknown density is developed, and simple formulae for a density which approximates the mode of this posterior distribution are given. The estimate is developed in particular when the variates are binary and the prior distribution reflects that the variates are nearly but not exactly independent. The degree of apparent lack of independence in the sample determines how far from the usual estimate assuming independence this estimate will be. The proposed estimate can be thought of as interpolating between the histogram or 'cell frequency' estimate and an estimate assuming independence.
Activity and dexamethasone sensitivity of natural cytotoxic cell subpopulations.

Abstract Natural cytotoxic (NC) activity is the natural cell-mediated cytotoxic activity of normal spleen cells directed at fibroblast targets. Treatment of spleen cells with dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticosteroid, reveals two populations of NC effectors: one population whose cytolytic activity is inhibited by dexamethasone (DEX S ) and another which is resistant to inhibition by dexamethasone (DEX R ). The short-term culturing of spleen cells results in a shift in the population of splenic NC effectors from predominantly DEX S to predominantly DEX R . This shift also occurs when spleen cells are treated with conditioned medium from which the short-term cultured DEX R populations were derived.
Seismic Response of Electrical Substation Equipment Interconnected by Flexible Conductors

In this paper we investigate experimentally the dynamic interaction between components of electrical substation equipment interconnected by flexible (cable) conductors. Shake table tests were conducted on five different pairs of generic substation equipment specimens interconnected by three different flexible conductors with three different levels of slackness. No damage to any of the three flexible conductors was observed during any of the seismic tests conducted. Two different types of dynamic response were observed during the seismic tests. The first type involves low interaction between the interconnected equipment due to a large slack and/or low intensity ground motion. For this case, very different frequency contents among the relative displacement, absolute acceleration, and force response of each piece of equipment were observed. Also, large horizontal movement of the more flexible equipment was transferred almost entirely into vertical motion of the conductor with little transmission to the more rigid equipment. The second type of dynamic response involves high interaction between interconnected equipment due to a small slack and/or high intensity ground motion. For this case, large vertical acceleration pulses were observed at midspan of the conductor.
Amenorrhea in Premenopausal Women After Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy and ovarian ablation both independently improve survival in premenopausal women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer. Amenorrhea is a well-recognized occurrence after chemotherapy. The rate of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea varies with patient age and chemotherapy regimens administered. However, the impact of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea on prognosis is still being defined. Older studies in premenopausal women argue that the benefit with chemotherapy is a result of direct cytotoxicity alone. However, studies that restrict outcome analysis to hormone receptor-positive tumors suggest that chemotherapy has a dual mechanism in women with hormone-responsive tumors; indirect endocrine manipulation secondary to chemotherapy-induced ovarian suppression and direct cytotoxicity. The significant health ramifications involved with the induction of premature menopause as well as potential benefits necessitate a comprehensive evaluation of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea. This review will discuss the incidence of amenorrhea with commonly-used adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens, the possible benefits of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea, and the challenges of interpreting the existing data in breast cancer trials.
Positive and negative roles of CD72 in B cell function

Regulation of B cell activation depends on integration of signals transmitted by the B cell receptor (BCR) and a variety of co-receptors. CD72 is a B cell co-receptor that is expressed in all stages of B cell development except plasma cells. Ligation of CD72 enhances B cell growth and differentiation. Recently, the class IV semaphoring, CD100, has been identified as the natural ligand for CD72. Cytoplasmic domain of CD72 has been shown to be associated with SHP-1 leading to the proposal that the positive effects of CD72 on B cell response may result from sequestration of negative signals from BCR. However, association of CD72 with Grb2 and/or CD19 suggests that CD72 could transmit positive signals. Based on these data, we propose a dual signaling model of CD72.
Irreducible polynomials over GF(2) with three prescribed coefficients

For an odd positive integer n, we determine formulas for the number of irreducible polynomials of degree n over GF(2) in which the coefficients of x^n^-^1, x^n^-^2 and x^n^-^3 are specified in advance. Formulas for the number of elements in GF(2^n) with the first three traces specified are also given.
Partition subalgebras for maximal almost disjoint families

Abstract Partitioner algebras are defined by Baumgartner and Weese (Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 274 (2) (1982) 619) as a natural tool for studying the properties of maximal almost disjoint families of subsets of ω . We prove from PFA + and ♢( S 0 2 ) that there exists a partitioner algebra which contains a subalgebra which is not representable as a partitioner algebra.
Influence of omega-3 fatty acids on the growth of human colon carcinoma in nude mice

The present study investigated the influence of dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the growth of human colon carcinoma xenograft in athymic nude mice. Four diets were fed to evaluate the effect of levels and types of fat on colon tumor growth. Animals were maintained on a standard diet modified by addition of fats containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to represent high and low fat intakes for 53 days. The final mean estimated tumor weight for the high fat corn oil (24%) fed group was 2302 mg, whereas the low fat (8% corn oil) group was 1681 mg. The final mean tumor weight of the high fat menhaden oil fed group was 782 mg representing a 66% decrease in growth compared to the high fat corn oil group and a decrease of 54% compared to the low corn oil fed group. The high fat golden algae oil fed group resulted in a mean final tumor weight of 223 mg representing a 90% inhibition of tumor growth relative to the high fat corn oil fed group and 87% inhibition of growth compared to the low fat corn oil fed group. These findings indicate that dietary omega-3 fatty acids possess significant tumor suppressing properties and that the primary tumor suppressing fatty acid is docosahexaenoic acid. Histopathologic examination of control and treated tumors and expression array analyses (human cytokine and apoptosis arrays) support the tumor growth inhibition data and provide evidence for discussion of possible mechanisms for the observed growth inhibition.
Saint René Goupil, Surgeon: Witness to the Sanctity of Life in Seventeenth-Century North America

Saint Rene Goupil is the patron of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. Given his training as a surgeon and his efforts to relieve the suffering of others, he makes an excellent patron for physicians also. Goupil worked at the Hotel Dieu Hospital in Sillery, near Quebec City, which combated the Indians' practice of euthanasia by providing palliative care. There, as well as in his captivity, he epitomized a Catholic medical practice which shows concern for the soul as well as the body. Finally, Goupil bore heroic witness to the dignity of all human persons when he offered medical treatment even to one of his Mohawk torturers.
Chorion villi sampling (CVS) for prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders: first results and future research

Chorion villi sampling (CVS) in the first trimester of pregnancy has become available recently as an alternative method to second trimester amniocentesis for prenatal diagnosis of genetic defects. Currently there are six different tissue sampling techniques being investigated in different centers around the world, but there are very few trials in ongoing pregnancies. From chorionic villi material cytogenetic and biochemical studies as well as DNA analyses can be performed. Different methods of chromosome analysis are being investigated at the University of California San Francisco and elsewhere to determine the most efficient and reliable techniques. Larger studies will be needed to establish the efficacy and the safety of the chorionic villi sampling procedure for the mother and the developing fetus. Although CVS is preferable to amniocentesis for psychological and medical reasons (earlier elective termination of a fetus with a genetic disorder), many questions remain to be answered in carefully controlled studies.
Preparing for euro business transactions

On January 1, 1999, the European Monetary Union (EMU) introduced the euro, a single currency for participating member states. Obviously, the transition to the euro will immediately affect information systems in EMU member countries. What is not so obvious to many companies in the United States is that they too must immediately prepare their information systems for the move to the euro if they plan to conduct business in Europe.
Hybrid catalyst-metathesis catalysts attached to polystyrene copolymer

Abstract Hybrid catalysts have been prepared by the attachment of homogeneous metathesis catalysts to polystyrene supports through phosphine links or by cocatalyst interactions, Mo(φ3P)2(NO2)Cl2 was attached through a phosphine link and activated with methylaluminium sesquichloride. This catalyst system could only be reused if more aluminium co-catalyst was added. A second catalyst was prepared from polystyryl-trimethyltin and tungsten hexachloride. This catalyst showed moderate activity and could be used in a flow system.
Drug reps and the academic medical center: a case for management rather than prohibition.

Academic physicians and bioethicists are increasingly voicing objec- tions to "drug rep" detailing. Leaders in academic medical centers are considering pro- posals to ban the small gifts of detailing within their walls. Such bans would be a mis- take, as the small gifts are unlikely to act as bribes and do not create unacceptable conflicts of interest for physicians. Drug rep detailing does influence physician behav- ior, but this influence has not been shown to be harmful. Calls for a ban are premised on empirical evidence for harm that is inconclusive at best, and emerging literature in economics suggests that detailing may well be socially beneficial. A preponderance of harm over benefit is not, however, the primary source of the animus against detailing, which stems from moral considerations that are independent of its social consequences. However, pharmaceutical advertising, including detailing, is a morally legitimate aspect of the world of medical practice that we in academic medicine ought to be preparing our trainees to encounter and properly sift.
Alterations of deoxyribonucleoprotein thermal stability induced by lymphocyte-Ehrlich ascites tumor cell interactions

Abstract Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and normal lymphocytes of the mouse were suspended in isotonic saline and allowed to settle on the surface of glass slides in equal densities. The cells were heated to various temperatures in SSC containing formaldehyde and stained with acridine orange (AO). When the tumor cells and lymphocytes were attached to different slides, thermal denaturation of the deoxyribonucleoprotein (DNP) was greater in the tumor cells. When the two cell types were mixed and attached on common slides, the DNP thermal denaturation was greater in the lymphocytes and melting occurred at a higher temperature in both cell types. This relationship was found to hold regardless of the relative proportions of either cell type in a mixture. However, when the tumor cells constituted the majority cell type the difference in DNP thermal stability was smaller. Predominance of lymphocytes in reciprocal proportions induced a marked increase in the thermal stability of both cell types. Washing of the Ehrlich ascites tumor cells before or after attachment to the glass surface resulted in strikingly different thermal denaturation profiles. No difference in DNP thermal stability was found within the hyperdiploid tumor cell population. The results are discussed and interpreted in the light of recent findings relating basic dye binding to cell density.
Synthesis and incorporation of a cationic pyridinium nucleoside mimic in duplex DNA: effect on long-distance radical cation transport.

A convenient method for the synthesis and solid-phase incorporation of a cationic nucleoside mimic and its role in DNA long-range charge transfer are described.
Structural information from the J-coupled multiplet of a (CH3)3PAlCl3 coordination complex on zeolite Y

Abstract The influence of the dipolar interaction on the magic-angle spinning (MAS) sideband intensity has been illustrated through the 31P MAS-NMR of a (CH3)3PAlCl3 coordination complex which was stabilized on a dehydrated NaHY zeolite. The dramatic change of the J coupling multiplet pattern in each spinning sideband with rotation frequency served as a direct and convenient approach in determining the dipolar coupling constant and the orientation between the dipolar tensor and the chemical-shift tensor. The hextet splitting which results from the coupling of the phosphorus nuclei with the spin - 5 2 aluminum nuclei includes detailed lineshape features which make the simulation unique. From the analysis, the AlP internuclear distance is found to equal 2.51 A, and the orientation between chemical-shift anisotropy and dipolar interaction in the complex is found to be coincident. This approach will be useful in interpreting the dipolar coupling interaction for isolated dipolar pairs which occur, for example, when the probe molecule (CH3)3P interacts with Lewis acid sites in zeolites.
Empathy in Client-Centered Therapy: A Contrast with Psychoanalysis and Self Psychology

While empathy is important in psychoanalytic, self-psychological, and client-centered therapies, its primary function is seen as different in each. For client-centered therapy, the major function o...
A listing of skin conditions exhibiting the koebner and pseudo-koebner phenomena with eliciting stimuli.

Background:The Koebner phenomenon was first described in 1872. It occurs after a variety of traumatic insults. New examples of koebnerization are reported each decade.Objective:We have compiled, for the first time in the dermatologic literature, an extensive list of the cutaneous diseases reported to demonstrate koebnerization, correlated in each case with the precise source of trauma. Cutaneous diseases reported to show a pseudo-Koebner phenomenon and the corresponding mechanism of trauma are also detailed.Methods:A search and review of the English language literature on MEDLINE was made to identify cutaneous diseases exhibiting the Koebner phenomenon and the correlated mechanism of trauma.Results:Results of our efforts are cataloged in table format.Conclusion:We present an extensive list of cutaneous diseases reported to exhibit the Koebner and pseudo-Koebner phenomena, correlating each entry with the mechanism of trauma.
The Effect of Plate Spacing on Free Convection Between Heated Parallel Plates

In the past, considerable attention has been given to free convection between heated vertical parallel plates. This problem is considerable interest to engineers because of its application to electronic equipment cooling and solar energy. Some attempts have been made to optimize the spacing between parallel plates in the past. Bodoia and Osterle analytically derived a criterion for an optimum plate spacing for which the heat dissipation is maximum. The objective of this paper is to predict the optimum plate spacing for single channels by using the governing equations for a continuous system model. No heat transfer coefficient known a priori will be used in these calculations, but will be calculated as part of the solution.