cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parabolic Partial Differential Equations

In Chapter 2, Section 2.2, we showed how one can start with a transition probability function P(s, x; t, ·) and end up with a Markov process. The problem is: where does P(s, x; t, ·) come from? The example we gave there, namely: $$ P(s,x;t,\Gamma ) = \int\limits_\Gamma {g_d } \left( {t - s,y - x} \right)dy $$ (11) is a natural one from the probabilistic point of view because of its connection with independent increments and Gaussian processes. It turns out to be natural from another point of view as well: the theory of second order parabolic partial differential equations. The connection between the P(s, x; t, ·) in (1.1) and partial differential equations is well-known and easy to derive. Namely, if ϕ ∈ C b (R d ) and $$ f(s,\,x)\, = \,\int {g_d (T\, - \,s,\,y\, - \,x)\phi (y)\,dy,\,s < \,T,} $$ then $$ \left\{ {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {\frac{{\partial f}} {{\partial s}} + \frac{1} {2}\Delta f\, = \,0,\,s\, < \,T,} \\ {\mathop {\lim }\limits_{s\dag T} f(s, \cdot \,)\, = \,\phi } \\ \end{array} } \right. $$ (1.2) where Δ is Laplace’s operator $$ \sum\limits_1^d {\frac{{\partial ^2 }} {{\partial x_i^2 }}}. $$
A comparison of action-based hierarchies and decision trees for real-time performance

Decision trees have provided a classical mechanism for progressively narrowing down a search from a large group of possibilities to a single alternative. The structuring of a decision tree is based on a heuristic that maximizes the value of the information gained at each level in the hierarchy. Decision trees are effective when an agent needs to reach the goal of complete diagnosis as quickly as possible and cannot accept a partial solution. We present an alternative to the decision tree heuristic which is useful when partial solutions do have value and when limited resources may require an agent to accept a partial solution. Our heuristic maximizes the improvement in the value of the partial solution gained at each level in the hierarchy; we term the resulting structure an action-based hierarchy. We present the results of a set of experiments designed to compare these two heuristics for hierarchy structuring. Finally, we describe some preliminary work we have done in applying these ideas to a medical domain--surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patient monitoring.
Using Semantics in Predictive Big Data Analytics

Predictive analytics in the big data era is taking on an ever increasingly important role. Issues related to choice on modeling technique, estimation procedure/algorithm and efficient execution can present significant challenges. For example, selection of appropriate/optimal models for big data analytics often requires careful investigation and considerable expertise which might not always be readily available. In this paper, we propose to use semantic technology to assist data analysts/data scientists in selecting appropriate modeling techniques and building specific models as well as the rationale for the techniques and models selected. To formally describe the modeling techniques, models and results, we developed the Analytics Ontology that supports inferencing for semi-automated model selection. The ScalaTion framework, which currently supports over thirty modeling techniques for predictive big data analytics is used as a test bed for evaluating the use of semantic technology.
Deposit Interest Ceiling and the Cost of Bank Borrowing

Created under the power of the Banking Act of 1933, Regulation Q was designed to control the cost of bank borrowing by curbing competition for deposit liabilities, a factor thought to induce investment in high-yield risky assets. Although a number of studies in recent years have sought to assess effects of the ceiling on the value of interest received by depositors, no similar attempt has been made to determine its impact in terms of the Act's legal intent. This empirical study fills the void. Our estimates show that the Act in general and the ceiling in particular have been largely ineffective in decreasing bank costs. The law has effected only a 13 percent reduction in the cost of soliciting deposits, a finding explained by evidence that cash payments represented only 15 percent of the total interest paid before 1933 and 11 percent since, while preferential credit terms accounted for as much as 80 percent of the interest paid before 1933 and 72 percent since. In view of the composition of interest paid before 1933, the ineffectiveness of a regulatory constraint focusing on cash payment of interest could have been predicted prior to enactment. Notwithstanding long-term effects, there is some indication that the ceiling has been more effective during periods of high market interest rates.
Mortality risk of rapid growth in the spider Nephila clavipes

Summary 1 Female Nephila clavipes from univoltine populations have greatly reduced reproductive success if they grow slowly and reach maturity late in the growing season. Although such fitness costs are expected to select for rapid increases in mass, several authors have presented models and data describing physiological costs of rapidly increasing mass. 2 In order to test the hypothesis that there are inherent costs of rapid growth (increasing mass), laboratory-reared juveniles of the orb-weaving spider Nephila clavipes were randomly assigned to receive daily feedings ranging from 2·5% to 23% of their initial mass. 3 Spiders receiving higher amounts of food were more likely to die at or immediately before the next moulting cycle. 4 These results indicate that there may be inherent physiological costs of rapidly increasing mass. In opportunistic feeders such as spiders that tend to gorge when prey are abundant, this could present a real cost to a common foraging strategy.
Clinical and Molecular Genetic Features of Hereditary Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disorder that may be hereditary (HPAH), idiopathic (IPAH), or associated with either drug-toxin exposures or other medical conditions. Familial cases have long been recognised and are usually due to mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 gene (BMPR2), or, much less commonly, two other members of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, activin-like kinase-type 1 (ALK1), and endoglin (ENG), which are associated with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. In addition, approximately 20% of patients with IPAH carry mutations in BMPR2. Clinical testing for BMPR2 mutations is available and may be offered to HPAH and IPAH patients but should be preceded by genetic counselling, since lifetime penetrance is only 10% to 20%, and there are currently no known effective preventative measures. Identification of a familial mutation can be valuable in reproductive planning and identifying family members who are not mutation carriers and thus will not require lifelong surveillance. With advances in genomic technology and with international collaborative efforts, genome-wide association studies will be conducted to identify additional genes for HPAH, genetic modifiers for BMPR2 penetrance, and genetic susceptibility to IPAH. In addition, collaborative studies of BMPR2 mutation carriers should enable identification of environmental modifiers, biomarkers for disease development and progression, and surrogate markers for efficacy end points in clinical drug development, thereby providing an invaluable resource for trials of PAH prevention.
Problem solving approach in data management

This paper looks at an artificial intelligence control program required for a system which accepts queries to a data base which consists of both data and program modules. Using a problem solving approach, the data base structure and the program modules specify the initial world model. The operators consist of functions which look through sets in the data base and the actual program modules themselves. The goal is the query which requests data and/or processes. The control program determines the path which maps through the data base and the program modules in a manner which satisfies the predicate calculus constraints and the goal. Real examples of how this system is being used for a large scale data base is included.
Case-Based Knowledge Management Tools for Software Development

Modern software development is a knowledge-intensive activity. The proliferation of development tools, rapidly changing technology, and increasing complexity and diversity of application domains all increase the cognitive burden placed on software developers. General purpose programming languages and CASE tools offer little relief from these problems. Knowledge management tools are needed that can effectively capture and disseminate software development knowledge that applies to the domain-specific needs of an organization. This knowledge is not static, but evolves with technology and the changing needs of the organization‘s development practices, customer base, and business milieu. This paper presents an infrastructure that supports evolving knowledge through case-based techniques and domain analysis methods that capture emerging knowledge and synthesize it into generally applicable forms. The approach is less concerned with the veracity of knowledge in its repository than evolving the knowledge toward answers to problems that fit the organization‘s technical and business context. Implications of this approach go beyond supporting software development to other knowledge-intensive professions where knowledge management tools can be used to support an organizational memory.
Elevated mitochondrial alternative oxidase activity in dsRNA-free, hypovirulent isolates of Cryphonectria parasitica

Abstract In Cryphonectria parasitica , the causal agent of chestnut blight, hypovirulence is commonly associated with the presence of cytoplasmically transmissible, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Recently, hypovirulent isolates of C. parasitica that do not have detectable levels of dsRNA have been obtained from healing cankers on chestnut trees. In these isolates, most of the respiratory activity is cyanide-resistant and salicylhydroxamate-sensitive, indicating that the mitochondrial alternative oxidase was induced. In contrast, the respiration of virulent isolates from the same trees and most of the dsRNA-containing hypovirulent isolates from a variety of geographical locations was cyanide sensitive. In all of these isolates, the alternative oxidase could be induced by growing them in the presence of chloramphenicol, an inhibitor of mitochondrial protein synthesis. The attenuated virulence and altered respiratory phenotypes could be transferred from the dsRNA-free hypovirulent isolates to virulent strains through hyphal anastomosis. Some of the dsRNA-free hypovirulent isolates grew more slowly than virulent strains. These results indicate that, in Cryphonectria , cytoplasmically transmitted hypovirulence may have more than one cause, and that mitochondrial mutations sometimes may be involved in the generation of this phenotype.
Infrastructure, Multinational Affiliate Production, and the Pattern of Trade

AbstractIn a two-country general equilibrium model with endogenously determined domestic and multinational firms, it is shown that public infrastructure development can have diverging implications for horizontal multinational affiliate firm production and trade, depending on the type of infrastructure invested in. Infrastructure investments with strong productive or local transport effects (i.e. schools or local roads) lead to greater domestic firm production and exports, fewer imports, and more foreign multinational affiliate firm production in the country making the investment. On the other hand, infrastructure projects that lower international trade and transaction costs (i.e. shipping ports or airports) lead to more domestic firms in both countries, a greater volume of bilateral exports in both directions, and less multinational affiliate production. Further, the effect of different types of infrastructure investment on income and welfare of the open economies is explored.
A GHz IA-32 architecture microprocessor implemented on 0.18 /spl mu/m technology with aluminum interconnect

A 28M transistor 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS microprocessor uses aluminum interconnect to defer the cost of copper technology conversion by one process generation with little design-effort impact. The implementation is an architectural superset of a previous Pentium (R) III Processor implemented in 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS. Feature additions include: placement of 256 k L2 advanced transfer cache on die with re-optimized data width and latency. Speed step dual-voltage VCC support for enhanced mobile products. The bandwidth to L2 cache is increased to 16 GB/s at 1.0 GHz utilizing a 256 bit data bus with >4x reduction in latency. The L2 architecture is easily scalable to enable variations of the design with different cache sizes. Advanced system buffering in the memory subsystem increases utilization of system bus bandwidth. System bus bandwidth is 1.066 GB/s utilizing a 64 b data bus operating at 133 MHz. The chip runs at 1 GHz core frequency at room temperature and nominal voltage. This performance milestone is achieved by enabling full utilization of 0.18 /spl mu/m transistor performance with rigorous attention to wire engineering. This did not require the use of either copper interconnect or dual Vt.
Developmental microbial ecology of the neonatal gastrointestinal tract

The gastrointestinal tract of a normal fetus is sterile. During the birth process and rapidly thereafter, microbes from the mother and surrounding environment colonize the gastrointestinal tract of the infant until a dense, complex microbiota develops. The succession of microbes colonizing the intestinal tract is most marked in early development, during which the feeding mode shifts from breast-feeding to formula feeding to weaning to the introduction of solid food. Dynamic balances exist between the gastrointestinal microbiota, host physiology, and diet that directly influence the initial acquisition, developmental succession, and eventual stability of the gut ecosystem. In this review, the development of the intestinal microbiota is discussed in terms of initial acquisition and subsequent succession of bacteria in human infants. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing succession and their health significance are discussed. The advantages of modern molecular ecology techniques that provide sensitive and specific, culture-independent evaluation of the gastrointestinal ecosystem are introduced and discussed briefly. Further advances in our understanding of developmental microbial ecology in the neonatal gastrointestinal tract are dependent on the application of these modern molecular techniques.
Life-Long Transgene Expression in Skeletal Muscle Without Transduction of Satellite Cells Following Embryonic Myogenic Progenitor Transduction by Lentivirus Administered in Utero

Embryologic events in mammalian myogenesis remain to be fully defined. Recent evidence supports the presence of a common progenitor arising in the dermomyotome that gives rise to both embryologic and adult muscle and postnatal myogenic stem cells (satellite cells). In this study, we utilize the technique of early intra-amniotic gene transfer to target nascent muscle progenitors as they traverse the primitive streak before formation of the dermomyotome. This technique robustly transduced both epaxial and hypaxial muscle groups. Marker gene expression is observed in up to 100% muscle fibers in the lower extremities and is sustained for the lifetime of the mouse. We next analyzed transduced muscle for satellite cell transduction using highly sensitive methodology. Surprisingly, despite high levels of sustained transgene expression in muscle fibers, satellite cells lacked the marker transgene. Our data suggest that dermatomyotome is a heterogeneous structure and that not all myogenic progenitors of dermatomyo...
A simplified procedure for survey and design of diagnostic casts

Abstract The procedure described for survey and design of diagnostic casts is applicable to either dental arch. It is presented in a sequential manner, is not complex, and will produce uniformly acceptable results. The following steps should be followed: (1) locate a path by tilting the cast; (2) mark the survey lines and tripod the cast; (3) outline the rests and guide planes; (4) draw minor connectors; (5) draw major connectors; (6) draw retention mesh for acrylic resin; (7) draw acrylic resin base extension; and (8) draw direct retainers (clasps).
Doped Ceria as a Solid Oxide Electrolyte

Ceria doped with divalent or trivalent cations is a mixed conductor; conduction occurs predominantly by the motion of oxygen vacancies or by electrons, depending on the departure from stoichiometry. In order to establish the electrolytic domain at which behaves primarily as an ionic conductor with transference number , a careful study was made of the conductivity, σ, as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure, covering the range of 100;–10−22 atm in small steps. From these data the electrolytic domain was determined; it extends to about 10−13 atm at 600°C. When compared to calcia‐stabilized zirconia (CSZ), doped ceria shows a higher conductivity, lower activation energy (0.76 eV) for anion vacancy migration, and absence of polarization effects to lower temperatures. These results indicate that doped ceria may be an attractive candidate for fuel cells and other applications at temperatures below those at which CSZ is useful.
Alternatives To Population-Based Crime Rates

This paper examines several alternatives to standard, population-based crime rates. These alternatives include rates standardized according to a variable other than population, and rates calculated by statistically standardizing for a number of variables simultaneously. Augmenting traditional crime rates with alternative types of rates can provide more information about the prevalence of crime, can help avoid the limitations of traditional rates, and can enhance analysts' flexibility in choosing crime rates appropriate to their analytical purpose.
Electricity, life, and sensation

With several of the historical physiological investigations as a basis, this article presents a discussion of the electrical characteristics and activity of living matter, particularly of nerves and the connection between stimulus and sensation.
Are Children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) at Higher Risk of Developing Penicillin-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc) Infections than Other Children?

Are Children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) at Higher Risk of Developing Penicillin-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc) Infections than Other Children?
Radial-arm maze deficits produced by colchicine administered into the area of the nucleus basalis are ameliorated by cholinergic agents

Rats were given bilateral injections of colchicine into the area of the nucleus basalis. Colchicine produced dose-dependent alterations in the acquisition of a food-reinforced working-memory task. Colchicine-induced deficits in maze performance were attenuated by cholinergic agents, including physostigmine, RS-86 (2-ethyl-8-methyl-2,8-diazospiro-(4,5)-decan-1,3-dione-hydro bromide) and nicotine. Naloxone and vasopressin did not affect radial-arm maze performance of colchicine-treated rats. Subsequent neurochemical analysis showed that colchicine decreased choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and levels of norepinephrine, dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the neocortex. However, ChAT activity and other neurochemical measures were not altered in the hippocampus or corpus striatum. Histological assessment indicated damage limited to the injection in the area of the nucleus basalis and enlarged cerebrolateral ventricles. These data suggest the possible utility of the colchicine model in the study of cognitive deficits associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
The Greek Census Inscriptions of Late Antiquity

This article reconsiders a set of Late Roman inscriptions which record the tax liabilities of dozens of landowners in terms of post-Diocletianic fiscality. The stones, from eleven cities in the Aegean and western Asia Minor, are evaluated as evidence for the social and economic history of the Late Empire, challenging Jones' fundamental study in which the inscriptions are read as a sign of structural crisis. With their non-Egyptian provenance, the inscriptions offer unique, quantitative insights into land-ownership and labour. The inscriptions reveal surprising levels of slave labour in the eastern provinces, particularly in a new inscription from Thera. This last document allows, for the first time, an empirical analysis of the demographics of an estate-based population of slaves in antiquity.
Extremely correlated Fermi liquids: Self-consistent solution of the second-order theory

We present detailed results from a recent microscopic theory of extremely correlated Fermi liquids, applied to the $t$-$J$ model in two dimensions, developed recently by Shastry [Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 056403 (2011); Phys. Rev. B 87, 125124 (2013)]. The second-order theory in the parameter $\ensuremath{\lambda}$, related to the density, is argued to be quantitatively valid in the overdoped regime for $0\ensuremath{\le}n\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.75$, with $n$ denoting the particle density. The calculation involves the self-consistent solution of equations for an auxiliary Fermi liquid Green's function and an adaptive spectral weight. We present numerical results at low as well as high $T$, at various low to intermediate densities in the normal phase, using a minimal set of band parameters relevant to the cuprate superconductors. We display the momentum space occupation function ${m}_{k}$, energy dispersion curves locating the peaks of spectral functions, the optical conductivity, relaxation rates for quasiparticles, and the electronic spectral functions on an absolute scale. The line shapes have an asymmetric shape and a broad background that is also seen in experiments, and our calculations validate approximate recent versions of the theory. The results also display the experimentally noted high-energy kink and provide an in-depth understanding of its origin and dependence on band parameters.
A Comparison of james–sten regression with least squares in the pitman nearness sense

The least squares ectimatnr and the James-Stein estimator of rhe vector-valued parameter in a multiple linear regression model are compared in thc Pitman searness sense. A table of the comparison is presented, and the James—Siein esiiriiaior is fad to be uniform!y preferred te the least squares in this sense. In many practical situations the James-Stein estimate is extremely close to the least squares estimate, and so is barely preferred in the Pitman nearness sense. However, there are practical situations in which the James—Stein estimate is sufficiently different from the least squares estimate to be substantially better in the Pitman nearness sense.
Toward an Understanding of the High Enantioselectivity in the Osmium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Dihydroxylation. 3. New Insights into Isomeric Forms of the Putative Osmaoxetane Intermediate

A systematic study of the possible diastereomeric osmaoxetane intermediates in the asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction (AD) has been undertaken. Several of these intermediates have been examined by...
Utility of ultrasound in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescents.

Objective To determine the utility of transabdominal pelvic ultrasound in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) during adolescence. Design Retrospective case-control study. Setting Academic tertiary care pediatric hospital. Patient(s) A case group of 54 patients (mean age, 15.2 years) with PCOS based on the National Institutes of Health criteria and a comparison group of 98 patients (mean age, 14.6 years) with acute appendicitis. Intervention(s) Transabdominal ultrasound (TAUS) images were evaluated in the two groups of adolescents, with data collected on quality of the images, ovarian volume, ovarian follicle count, and endometrial thickness. Main Outcome Measure(s) Sonographic modified Rotterdam criteria (volume >10 mL and/or follicle number per section ≥10) for polycystic ovaries (PCO). Result(s) Among the 54 patients with PCOS and 98 comparison subjects with usable images, the sonographic modified Rotterdam criteria for PCO morphology (PCOM) were met more frequently in the PCOS group than in the comparison group (65% vs. 11%). The vast majority of images were of adequate quality for diagnosis (PCOS = 94% and comparison=91%), even in the presence of obesity. Conclusion(s) The prevalence of ovarian morphology meeting the sonographic modified Rotterdam criteria by TAUS in girls with PCOS was markedly higher than in the adolescents serving as a comparison group. PCOM findings by the sonographic modified Rotterdam criteria were uncommon in the nongynecologic comparison group, in contrast to previous reports. TAUS may provide useful information in the evaluation of PCOS during adolescence, even in obese adolescents.
Influence of the electric current waveform on the dynamic response of the electrified composites

The influence of the electric current waveform (DC, AC and pulsed currents) on the dynamic electromagnetic, thermal, and impact response of the composite plate is studied. The analysis includes solving Maxwell’s equations in the electrified composite plate to determine an electric-current induced magnetic field and heat transfer equation to estimate the electric-current-induced heating. In addition, the dynamic mechanical response of the electrified composite plate subjected to impact and various electromagnetic loads (DC, AC, pulsed electric currents and a constant magnetic field) is analyzed by solving a coupled system of equations of motion and Maxwell’s equations in the composite plate. The results show that the dynamic response of the plate is highly dependent on the characteristics of the electromagnetic field, and the pulsed electromagnetic fields are most effective in reducing vibrations caused by the application of dynamic mechanical loads.
Bubbling phenomena of Palais-Smale-like sequences of m -harmonic type systems

In this paper, we study the bubbling phenomena of weak solution sequences of a class of degenerate quasilinear elliptic systems ofm-harmonic type. We prove that, under appropriate conditions, the energy is preserved during the bubbling process. The results apply tom-harmonic maps from a closed Riemannian manifoldM to a Riemannian homogeneous space, and tom-harmonic maps with constant volumes, and also to certain Palais-Smale sequences.
Beta blockade improves survival in patients with congestive heart failure

The efficacy of beta blockade on improvement of survival and symptoms in congestive heart failure is now proven. It improves the functioning of the heart and has shown usefulness in a wide range of patients. When used properly—with careful initiation at a low dose, slow and watched titration, and the ultimate prescription of doses known to be effective—metoprolol, bisoprolol, and carvedilol should lead to a marked improvement in quality and length of life.
The developmental genetics of dextrality and sinistrality in the gastropodLymnaea peregra.

The genetics of body asymmetry inLymnaea peregra follows a maternal mode of inheritance involving a single locus with dextrality being dominant to sinistrality. Maternal inheritance implies that all members of a brood have the same phenotype, however, some broods contain a few individuals of opposite coil. One purpose of this paper is to explain the origin of these anomalous individuals. Genetic analyses of sinistral broods with a few dextral individuals have led to the development of a cross-over model, with the anomalous dextrals originating as a consequence of crossing over either during meiosis or mitosis in the female germ line. The crossover either reconstitutes the dextral gene from previously dissociated parts, or creates a dextral gene by means of a position effect. The probability of a crossover event depends upon the appropriate combination of complementary sinistral chromosomes. Each crossover event has the potential of creating a unique dextral gene. Genetic analyses of dextral broods containing a few sinistral individuals have demonstrated that different dextral genes vary in penetrance.
Gravity wave modulated airglow observation from spacecraft

During the STS-75 shuttle mission a special purpose electronic imager viewed the atmosphere below the shuttle orbiter in the wake direction with the objective of imaging gravity wave induced airglow modulation. A continuous sequence of images was taken with a picture repetition rate of 4 per second. A narrow band (3nm) filter was used to select the O 2 atmospheric 0,0 band at 762 nm. The effectiveness of the filter was demonstrated by comparing images of tropospheric clouds with and without filter under full moon conditions. The test showed that the atmospheric O 2 absorption combined with the filter was effective in suppressing intensity variations of the bright full moon illuminated clouds and any other earth albedo. Therefore under conditions of low moonlight the filtered images truly represented the modulation of the airglow intensity uncontaminated by earthshine. Longer sequences of airglow data were processed to compensate for spacecraft motion and to dynamically integrate the signal into a latitude and longitude map of airglow modulations. Because of the intrinsic low pass filtering of the slant view observation geometry preferential enhancement of the higher frequencies was needed to bring out waves in the wavelength range of <200 km. Although the shuttle based limited operation of the imager did not permit to make large area global surveys, the results demonstrated that spacecraft based imaging of the airglow on a long duration flight would produce a global data set much needed for the understanding of Mesosphere Lower Thermosphere dynamics.
Chlorpromazine and memory consolidation.

To determine whether chlorpromazine affects learning by disrupting memory traces 40 23-hr. water-deprived rats were given 1 trial per day in a straight alley maze for a water reward. The factorial design included (a) chlorpromazine vs saline and (b) injection 10 sec. after a learning trial vs injection 30 min. after a learning trial. All groups learned but there were no significant main effects or interaction, which indicates that chlorpromazine does not affect learning this simple task under water-deprivation.
Regulation of the adrenal renin angiotensin system in cultured bovine zona glomerulosa cells: effect of catecholamines.

The renin-angiotensin system consists of two main enzymes, renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme, which lead to the formation of angiotensin-II. Angiotensin-II is a potent vasoconstrictor and stimulates the production of aldosterone. In this study we examined the effect of ACTH, potassium, (Bu)2cAMP (dbcAMP), and catecholamines on the adrenal renin-angiotensin system. To study the production of renin and aldosterone in vitro, we developed a monolayer culture of bovine zona glomerulosa cells in serum-free medium. Collagenase-dispersed zona glomerulosa cells were incubated in Pasadena Foundation for Medical Research-4 medium containing 10% fetal calf serum for 72 h, and the medium was replaced with serum-free medium for the next 24 h of the experimental period. The cells during this 24 h were exposed to various doses of ACTH, potassium, dbcAMP, and sympathomimetic agents. ACTH and dbcAMP stimulated aldosterone secretion, and this secretion was associated with an increase in renin activity in cells and med...
ENHANCEMENT OF POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL-MEDIATED CELL HYBRIDIZATION BY INDUCERS OF ERYTHROLEUKEMIA CELL DIFFERENTIATION

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has many biological effects, which include enhancement of polyethylene glycol (PEG) -mediated cell fusion, induction of cell differentiation in erythroleukemia and other cell systems, and cryoprotection of cells from freezing damage. In this study, compounds which induce erythroleukemia cell differentiation were tested for their ability to enhance PEG-mediated cell fusion. It was found that many compounds which induce erythroleukemia cell differentiation also promote cell membrane fusion as well as protect cells against freezing damage. Hence, many inducers of erythroleukemia cell differentiation have direct and similar effects on cell membranes. This study also demonstrates previously unrecognized effects of cryoprotective agents and cell fusogens on the differentiated state of cultured cells.
Immunology of childhood acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

I have read with interest the paper by Koyanagi et al entitled Immunological study of childhood acute ITP at onset,1 which failed to mention our results
AN INSTRUMENT TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF CONTRACT RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS

A modular survey for evaluating contract research organization (CRO) performance is described. Ten of the 11 modules address a specific area of CRO performance, such as project management, monitoring, and data handling; the eleventh module addresses general CRO performance. Each module consists of positive statements to be checked under one of four categories of response: strongly agree, inclined to agree, inclined to disagree, strongly disagree. The survey is designed to allow quantitative evaluation. Sponsors’ employees who closely interact with CROs can use the survey to compare among CROs or to measure a CRO’s performance from project to project. In contrast to open exchanges of opinion among reviewers of CRO performance, the results of this modular survey showed less variability of opinion among the same reviewers. This standardized approach to evaluating CRO performance is an invaluable guide lo a sound decision as to which CRO to choose.
Interfacial Interactions between Polyethylene and Polypropylene and Some Ethylene-Containing Copolymers

Annealed interfaces between high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polypropylene (PP) and some ethylene-co-vinyl acetate (EVA) and ethylene-co-acrylic acid (EAA) copolymers were examined using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron microprobe analysis. Transcrystalline zones were observed in a polarizing microscope on the copolymer side of the interfaces between EVA copolymers with ≤18 wt % VA or EAA copolymers with ≤6.5 wt % AA and HDPE or LDPE when the samples were heated above the melting points of both polymers and allowed to cool slowly to room temperature. The crystallization temperatures in the transcrystalline zones were all above those of the bulk copolymers and, in some cases, above the melting points of the bulk copolymers. Electron microprobe data on EVA−HDPE freeze-fractured interfaces showed a percentage of VA less than that in the bulk copolymer in the region corresponding to the transcrystalline zone on the copolymer side of the...
Laser Desorption/Ionization of Single Ultrafine Multicomponent Aerosols

Laser desorption/ionization characteristics of single ultrafine multicomponent aerosols have been investigated. A simple model is developed to quantify the relationship between ion yield and particle composition. Using this model, a relative ion yield and particle composition. Using this model, a relative ion yield of 4.9 is found for K{sup +} from KCl over Na{sup +} from NaCl, while 4.4 is found for Na{sup +} from NaCl over NO{sup +} from NH{sub 4}NO{sub 3}. It has been shown that analyzing particles composed of chemicals with common cations but different anions, such as NaCl/NaNO{sub 3} from positive ion spectra, is also possible. The ability of laser desorption/ionization to detect trace metals (sodium, magnesium, potassium, chromium, iron, copper, zinc, cadmium, cesium, lanthanum, and lead) is studied. The application of laser desorption/ionization to measuring atmospheric ultrafine aerosols is also discussed.
The development and translation of the tissue-engineered vascular graft

This lecture will define the classic tissue engineering paradigm, describe cell trafficking with regard to neotissue formation, and explain the role of the host in neotissue formation.
Current Status of Professional Training in the Addictions

Addictions training curricula within traditional graduate and postgraduate programs of professional disciplines lag behind those devoted to other disorders. After presenting a brief historical overview of addictions training in the United States, this paper focuses on current addictions training practices for each of the major health care professions, highlighting both recent advancements as well as shortcomings, particularly with respect to the ability to disseminate recent empirically tested addiction treatments. New psychosocial and pharmacotherapies for addictive disorders are then discussed which would be better disseminated within training programs with enhanced addictions training components. The paper concludes with a discussion of and recommendations for enhancing substance abuse training and knowledge dissemination.
Assessing Conceptualizations of User Friendliness for Consumer Products

This study examines the conceptualizations of the user-friendliness of technology-based consumer products. Participants (n=205) were asked to evaluate 25 statements related to the topic of user-friendliness. Participants’ ratings indicated that statements concerning positive productivity levels and reliable displays (e.g. “I quickly learned how to use this product” or “I can find information quickly within the display”) received the highest ratings of user friendliness. Low user-friendliness was associated with systems deemed as complex or with longer durations of product adaptation and learning (e.g. “This product prevents me from choosing what I would like to do” or “I really have to concentrate to use this product”). A factor analysis of the data suggested four dimensions of user-friendliness: ease-of-use, delight, reliability and feedback. Design implications and possible human factors’ interventions for consumer products are discussed.
The Ocean Boundary Layer below Hurricane Dennis

Abstract Three neutrally buoyant floats were air deployed ahead of Hurricane Dennis on 28 August 1999. These floats were designed to accurately follow three-dimensional water trajectories and measure pressure (i.e., their own depth) and temperature. The hurricane eye passed between two of the floats; both measured the properties of the ocean boundary layer beneath sustained 30 m s−1 winds. The floats repeatedly moved through a mixed layer 30–70 m deep at average vertical speeds of 0.03–0.06 m s−1. The speed was roughly proportional to the friction velocity. Mixed layer temperature cooled about 2.8° and 0.75°C at the floats on the east and west sides of the northward-going storm, respectively. Much of the cooling occurred before the eye passage. The remaining terms in the horizontally averaged mixed layer heat budget, the vertical velocity–temperature covariance and the Lagrangian heating rate, were computed from the float data. Surface heat fluxes accounted for only a small part of the cooling. Most of th...
Keepin' it Real Black Youth, Hip-Hop Culture, and Black Identity

The relationship between Black youth and hip-hop culture is the focus of this article. The author considers how African American youth use hip-hop as a form of cultural capital in everyday settings. By focusing on how Black youth interact with one another at the City Youth Center, the article examines how this particular form of cultural capital may be used to authenticate a Black identity. Finally, how the articulation of this identity is based on traditional gender roles is explored. Bourdieu's theory of cultural capital is heavily relied on to investigate how Black youth construct legitimate racial boundaries in predominately Black settings. The intention is to provide an extension of Bourdieu's theory by examining how Black youth identity is formed and renegotiated in everyday interactions with other Black youth and how this negotiation is mediated through hip-hop culture.
Hubble Space Telescope STIS Ultraviolet Spectral Evidence of Outflow in Extreme Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxies. II. Modeling and Interpretation* **

We present modeling to explore the conditions of the broad-line-emitting gas in two extreme narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies, using the observational results described in the first paper of this series. Photoionization modeling using CLOUDY was conducted for the broad blueshifted wind lines and the narrow, symmetric, rest-wavelength-centered disk lines separately. A broad range of physical conditions was explored for the wind component, and a figure of merit was used to quantitatively evaluate the simulation results. Of the three minima in the figure-of-merit parameter space, we favor the solution characterized by an X-ray-weak continuum, elevated abundances, a small column density (log NH ? 21.4), a relatively high ionization parameter (log U ? -1.2 to -0.2), a wide range of densities (log n ? 7-11), and a covering fraction of ~0.15. The presence of low-ionization emission lines implies that the disk component is optically thick to the continuum, and the Si III]/C III] ratio implies a density of 1010-1010.25 cm-3. A low ionization parameter (log U = -3) is inferred for the intermediate-ionization lines, unless the continuum is filtered through the wind before illuminating the intermediate-line-emitting gas, in which case log U = -2.1. The location of the emission regions was inferred from the photoionization modeling and a simple toy dynamical model. A large black hole mass (1.3 ? 108 M?) radiating at 11% of the Eddington luminosity is consistent with the kinematics of both the disk and wind lines, and an emission radius of ~104 RS is inferred for both. We compare these results with previous work and discuss implications.
A Rab Protein Is Required for the Assembly of SNARE Complexes in the Docking of Transport Vesicles

Rab proteins are generally required for transport vesicle docking. We have exploited yeast secretion mutants to demonstrate that a rab protein is required for v-SNAREs and t-SNAREs to assemble. The absence of the rab protein in the docking complex suggests that, in a broad sense, rab proteins participate in a reaction catalyzing SNARE complex assembly. In so doing, rab proteins could help impart an additional layer of specificity to vesicle docking. This mechanism likely involves the Sec1 homolog Sly1, which we identified in isolated docking complexes. We also report the identification of a novel v-SNARE (Ykt6p) component of the yeast ER-Golgi docking complex that has a CAAX box and is predicted to be lipid anchored. The surprising finding that docking complexes can contain many distinct species of SNAREs (Sed5p, Bos1p, Sec22p, Ykt6p, and likely Bet1p, p28, and p14) suggests that multimeric interactions are features of the fusion machinery, and may also improve the fidelity of vesicle targeting.
The Intimacy Genogram.

This column provides aforum within which you, the reader, may share with your colleagues some of the creative techniques that you have invented or adapted and find successful in counseling with cou...
'Non-lethal' weapons and international law: three perspectives on the future.

Literature on 'non-lethal' weapons (NLWs) frequently contains assertions that more robust NLW development and use are needed because of the changing nature of military operations. These assertions are in opposition to international legal analysis of NLWs, which show international law restricting NLW development and use. This article examines this tension by briefly analyzing the restrictive impact that international law has on NLWs and by elaborating three perspectives on what the relationship between NLWs and international law should be. The article outlines the moral foundations for existing international law on the use of force and armed conflict and then sketches international law's current impact on NLW development and use. Next, the article explores the compliance, selective and radical change perspectives that emerge from discourse about international law and NLWs. The compliance perspective insists that NLWs comply with existing rules of international law. The selective change perspective seeks limited changes in international law to allow more robust use of NLWs. The radical change perspective sees in NLWs the potential to reform radically international law on the use of force and armed conflict. Identifying the three perspectives helps clarify future choices NLWs may present in international law and suggests that the future relationship between NLWs and international law will be more complex, controversial and dangerous than people may realize.
Self-esteem and the need for social approval

This experiment attempted to show that high and low self-esteem persons have a greater need for approval from others than do moderate self-esteem people. Ss from the three self-esteem groups evaluated a fictitious “other S,” either anonymously or believing that the other would see the evaluation and would meet the S after the evaluation. A significant interaction between self-esteem and the experimental manipulation was obtained on personal liking. The hypothesis was supported. Additional explanations are proposed to account for the reactions of the low self-esteem Ss.
Pseudoaneurysm of the Gastroduodenal Artery Arising Within a Pancreatic Pseudocyst

A case is presented of a 41-year-old man admitted for obstructive jaundice. Work-up revealed a pseudocyst of the pancreatic head which contained a large pseudoaneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery. After an unsuccessful attempt at embolization, the patient was treated with an uncomplicated pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Tumor Microenvironment in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The tumor microenvironment (TME) of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is comprised of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), immune cells, and other supporting cells. Genetic changes in the carcinoma cells, such as alterations to TP53, NOTCH1, and specific gene expression profiles, contribute to derangements in cancer and microenvironment cells such as increased ROS, overproduction of cytokines, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). CAFs are among the most critical elements of the TME contributing to proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. The adaptive immune response is suppressed in HNSCC through overexpression of cytokines, triggered apoptosis of T cells, and alterations in antigen processing machinery. Overexpression of critical cytokines, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), contributes to EMT, immune suppression, and evolution of CAFs. Inflammation and hypoxia are driving forces in angiogenesis and altered metabolism. HNSCC utilizes glycolytic and oxidative metabolism to fuel tumorigenesis via coupled mechanisms between cancer cell regions and cells of the TME. Increased understanding of the TME in HNSCC illustrates that the long-held notion of "condemned mucosa" reflects a process that extends beyond the epithelial cells to the entire tissue comprised of each of these elements.
Wave propagation in a plate after impact by a projectile

The wave propagation in a circular plate after impact by a cylindrical projectile is studied. In the vicinity of impact, the pressure is computed numerically. An intense pressure pulse is generated that peaks 0.2 μs after impact, then drops sharply to a plateau. The response of the plate is determined adopting a modal solution of Mindlin’s equations. Velocity and acceleration histories display both propagating and dispersive features.