cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lack of an endogenous GABAA receptor-mediated tonic current in hypoglossal motoneurons

Key points • Tonic GABAA receptor-mediated currents have profound effects on neuronal excitability, yet it is not known whether this current is present in mammalian motoneurons. • This study shows that tonic GABAA receptor-mediated current can be observed in hypoglossal motoneurons in vitro under certain experimental conditions. • The tonic current was only observed when exogenous GABA was applied and GABA transporters were blocked suggesting that GABA transporters highly regulate extracellular GABA concentration. • Furthermore, we demonstrate that the current probably arises from activation of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors containing a δ subunit. • This tonic current may function to reduce the excitability of hypoglossal motoneurons; these motoneurons are important in many functions including chewing, swallowing, suckling, vocalization and upper airway patency. Abstract Tonic GABAA receptor-mediated current is an important modulator of neuronal excitability, but it is not known if it is present in mammalian motoneurons. To address this question studies were performed using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from mouse hypoglossal motoneurons (HMs) in an in vitro slice preparation. In the presence of blockers of glutamatergic and glycinergic receptor-mediated transmission application of SR-95531 or bicuculline, while abolishing GABAA receptor-mediated phasic synaptic currents, did not reveal a tonic GABAA receptor-mediated current. Additionally, blockade of both GAT-1 and GAT-3 GABA transporters did not unmask this tonic current. In contrast, application of exogenous GABA (1 to 15 μm) resulted in a tonic GABAergic current that was observed when both GAT-1 and GAT-3 transporters were simultaneously blocked, and this current was greater than the sum of the current observed when each transporter was blocked individually. We also investigated which GABAA receptor subunits may be responsible for the current. Application of the δ subunit GABAA receptor agonist THIP resulted in a tonic GABAA receptor current. Application of the δ subunit modulator THDOC resulted in an enhanced tonic current. Application of the α5 subunit GABAA receptor inverse agonist L-655,708 did not modulate the current. In conclusion, these data show that HMs have tonic GABAA receptor-mediated current. The level of GABA in the vicinity of GABAA receptors responsible for this current is regulated by GABA transporters. In HMs a tonic current in response to exogenous GABA probably arises from activation of GABAA receptors containing δ subunits.
Using a connectionist model in a syntactical based language model

We investigate the performance of the Structured Language Model when one of its components is modeled by a connectionist model. Using a connectionist model and a distributed representation of the items in the history makes the component able to use much longer contexts than possible with currently used interpolated or backoff models, both because of the inherent capability of the connectionist model to fight the data sparseness problem, and because of the only sub-linear growth in the model size when increasing the context length. Experiments show significant improvement in perplexity and moderate reduction in word error rate over the baseline SLM results on the UPENN treebank and Wall Street Journal (WSJ) corpora respectively. The results also show that the probability distribution obtained by our model is much less correlated to regular N-grams than the baseline SLM model.
Design to Cope with Fully Developed Fires

Since 80 to 90 percent of the combustible contents of building compartments are consumed during the period of fully developed fire, the conditions that are expected to prevail during this period should be given special attention in the design of buildings for fire safety. The primary purpose of such design is to lessen the danger of spread of fire and smoke beyond the confines of the fire compartment. To provide a sound basis for the design, the characteristics of compartment fires, the factors that determine them, and the mechanisms by which fire and smoke spread through the building are discussed in detail. The most common method of protecting buildings against fire spread is compartmentation by fire-resistant boundary elements. The shortcomings of the conventional practice of fire resistance allotment are analyzed and the principles of a recommended practice, referred to as fire tolerance design, are described. Information on the fire resistance of building elements is usually obtained by standard tests conducted on replicas of the elements. The meaning of the test results, however, is often unclear. It is becoming more and more acceptable to procure fire resistance information either by analytical and numerical studies, or by the use of extension and prediction formulas, graphs, and tables, many of which are reproduced for the designers' convenience. Owing to fundamental faults in the philosophy of fire resistance testing, information on fire resistance, either from tests or other means, cannot be directly utilized in the fire tolerance design. Methods of conversion between fire resistance and fire tolerance are presented, and techniques of designing for fire tolerance in stagnant and spreading fires, without resorting to fire resistance information, are outlined. Because of the prominent role that convection plays in the spread of fire and smoke, design for fire tolerance does not provide the complete answer to fire safety. The use of self-closing doors, cavity barriers and fire stops, and flame detlectors, that cut off the paths of convective fire spread, is an essential part of the overall fire defense scheme. An effective way of attacking the problem of spread of smoke is the pressurization of the principal shafts of the building. The danger of spread of both fire and smoke is greatly reduced by fire drainage. The need for expert knowledge in the design for fire safety is emphasized.
Substitute Teachers: An Endangered Species

(1987). Substitute Teachers: An Endangered Species. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 60, No. 9, pp. 393-396.
The inhibitor-sensitive sites of galactosyl ceramide galactosidase.

A preparation of galactosyl ceramide galactosidase from rat brain has been tested with potential inhibitors which resemble the enzyme’s substrate. The amide made from 2-hydroxydodecanoic acid and nL-erythro-3-phenyl-2-amino-1,3-propanediol proved to be a fine inhibitor, acting noncompetitively. Removal of any of the three hydroxyl groups reduced the effectiveness, as did inversion of the C-3 carbon atom or addition of substituents on the benzene ring. iV-Acetyl psychosine was an effective inhibitor of the mixed type while the longer homolog, N-decanoyl psychosine, was a competitive inhibitor as well as substrate for the enzyme. Lactosyl ceramide, the naturally occurring lipid, was a competitive inhibitor of modest efficacy. Galactonola&one was an excellent competitive inhibitor and I\r-(n-hexyl) psychosine R-as an active inhibitor of the mixed type. It would appear from the above comparisons that the enzyme’s active site binds only galactose-containing or galactose-resembling substances. while the secondary effector site binds a variety of substances which possess the central nitrogenous core region of cerebroside. As part of an attempt to develop specific agents which could block single steps in myelin metabolism, we have synthesized compounds which resemble in structure the myelin component, galactosyl ceramide (“cerebroside”). The hydrolase which normally acts on this lipid, a P-galactosidase, is defective in the human genetic disorder, Krabbe’s disease, and an inhibitor for this enzyme might allow us to generate a model disorder in rats which mimics the human
Synthesis, structure and reactivity of binuclear rhodium dicationic carbonyl complexes

Abstract The reaction of Rh2(CO)3(dppm)2 (1) with an excess of triflic acid, HSO3CF3, yields the dicationic tricarbonyl complex Rh2(CO)3(dppm)2+2 (3). Complex 3 is fluxional and undergoes terminal and bridging CO exchange as well as coordination and dissociation of CF3SO3− in solution. The crystal structure of the η1-acetone complex Rh2(η1-OC(CH3)2)(μ- CO)(CO)(SO3CF3(dppm)2+ (4) has been determined. Complex 4 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P 1 as its triflate salt with a benzene of crystallization in a unit cell of dimensions a = 12.087(4) A, b = 15.268(4) A, c = 20.602(4) A, α= 87.06(2), β = 73.61(2), γ = 72.56(2)°, V = 3477.7 A3 and Z = 2. Complex 4 possesses a binuclear structure in which the Rh centers are bridged by two dppm ligands and an asymmetrically bound CO ligand. The RhRh bond distance is 2.778(2) A while the RhO(acetone) distance is 2.09(1) A. The RhO(triflate) distance is 2.37(1) indicating a weak interaction. Complex 3 reacts readily and reversibly under a CO atmosphere to form the tetracarbonyl complex Rh2(CO)4(dppm)2+2 (5). Upon heating under vacuum, complex 3 undergoes facile CO loss to form the dicarbonyl species Rh2(μ-SO3CF3)(CO)2(dppm)2+2 (6), in situ. Complex 6 is thought to possess an A-frame structure with triflate coordinated in the bridgehead position. Complex 3 promotes H/D exchange with acetone-d6 and catalyzes the hydrogenation of acetone under 3 atm of H2 at 70°C at the rate of 1 turnover per day. The reaction of 3 with H2 leads to the generation of a moderately strong Bronsted acid whereas complex 5 reacts with H2 to produce the known cationic species Rh2(μ-H)(μ-CO)(CO)2(dppm)2+ (2).
A systematic derivative expansion of the adiabatic phase

We present several methods for obtaining a derivative expansion for the adiabatic phase in quantum systems. We consider Hamiltonians of the form H(t) = H/sub 0/+R/sup i/(t)T/sub i/, where R/sup i/(t) are external parameters, T/sub i/ generate a simple three parameter Lie algebra and H/sub 0/ is an element of the center of the algebra. We identify the first correction to the classical adiabatic theorem as Berry's phase and compute the next two orders. In the course of the calculation we also reanalyze an example first studied by Berry and show that due to topological triviality Berry's phase for this system can be removed by a canonical transformation. copyright 1989 Academic Press, Inc.
Fabrication and Raman scattering studies of one‐dimensional nanometer structures in (110) silicon

A simple technique for fabricating large fields of uniform nm scale Si structures is reported. This technique makes use of the highly anisotropic etching rates of KOH:H2O solution (40 wt. %) in Si (400:200:1=〈110〉:〈100〉:〈111〉). A large field of uniform sub‐μm thick walls, along the 〈112〉 direction, is generated on a (110) Si sample coated with Si3N4 and photoresist films, by standard interferometric lithography techniques. The developed photoresist grating pattern is transferred into the Si3N4 layer by isotropic CF4 plasma etching. Finally, the nitride layer serves as an etch mask for the anisotropic chemical etch. Arrays of Si walls with pitch of 0.34 μm, sharp (110)–{111} corners, depths of 2.0 μm, and wall widths below SEM resolution limits are reported. The Raman scattering spectra of these structures shows shifted, asymmetrical line shapes; simple model calculations based on size‐effect‐induced relaxation of the usual Δk=0 momentum selection rule provide estimated wallwidths≤10 nm.
Expression of the RNA component of human telomerase in adult testicular germ cell neoplasia.

BACKGROUND During human development, telomerase is repressed in most somatic cells, whereas it is maintained in male germline cells. Reactivation of telomerase has been associated with somatic cancers. To the authors' knowledge, the role of telomerase in germ cell derived malignancies has not previously been evaluated. METHODS A radioactive in situ hybridization method was used to study the expression of the RNA component of human telomerase (hTR) in 22 cases of adult testicular germ cell neoplasia encompassing all major histomorphologic types. For precise cell identification, hTR in situ hybridization was combined with immunohistochemistry in select cases. RESULTS Testicular germ cell tumors showed differential expression of hTR. The highest level of expression was seen in embryonal carcinoma. Seminoma and unclassified intratubular germ cell neoplasia exhibited moderate levels of expression. Yolk sac tumor was characterized by a range of expression, which mirrored its morphologic variation. Immature teratoma recapitulated the down-regulation of telomerase manifested during human embryogenesis. Mature teratoma represented the adult pattern of somatic repression. Notably, choriocarcinoma showed modest expression. The expression of spermatocytic seminoma was intermediate between that of classic seminoma and embryonal carcinoma. No difference in expression was evident between matching intratubular and invasive components. In nonneoplastic testis, hTR expression was down-regulated during spermatogenesis and was absent in spermatozoa. Expression was negligible in rete testis and interstitial Leydig cells, and low in epididymis. Unexpectedly, Sertoli cells, which are testicular accessory somatic cells, displayed the most intense expression observed in this study. CONCLUSIONS In testicular germ cell tumors of young adults (and during spermatogenesis), hTR expression is down-regulated with differentiation, irrespective of the aggressiveness of the tumors. Spermatocytic seminoma, regarded as a low grade malignancy, shows moderately intense expression. Cancer 1999;86:1802–11. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Transverse depinning in strongly driven vortex lattices with disorder

Using numerical simulations we investigate the transverse depinning of moving vortex lattices interacting with random disorder. We observe a finite transverse depinning barrier for vortex lattices that are driven with high longitudinal drives, when the vortex lattice is defect-free and moving in correlated one-dimensional channels. The transverse barrier is reduced as the longitudinal drive is decreased and defects appear in the vortex lattice, and the barrier disappears in the plastic flow regime. At the transverse depinning transition, the vortex lattice moves in a staircase pattern with a clear transverse narrow-band voltage noise signature.
Molecular Orbital Studies of Titanium Nitride Chemical Vapor Deposition: Gas Phase Complex Formation, Ligand Exchange, and Elimination Reactions

The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of titanium nitride can be carried out with TiCl4 or Ti(NR2)4 and NH3. The present study uses molecular orbital methods to examine complexes of NH3 with TiCl4 and Ti(NH2)4 and the subsequent reaction paths for ligand exchange and elimination reactions which may occur in the gas phase. Geometry optimizations were carried out at the B3LYP/6-311G(d) level of density functional theory, and energies were calculated using a variety of levels of theory, up to G2 for systems with five or fewer heavy atoms. The TiCl4·NH3, TiCl4·(NH3)2, and Ti(NH2)4·NH3 complexes are bound by 14.9, 30.9, and 7.9 kcal/mol, respectively. The barrier for TiCl4 + NH3 → TiCl3NH2 + HCl is 18.4 kcal/mol and is lowered by 23.1 kcal/mol with the introduction of a second NH3. The computed barrier height of 8.4 kcal/mol for the Ti(NH2)4 + NH3 ligand exchange reaction is in very good agreement with the experimental activation energy of 8 kcal/mol for Ti(NMe2)4 + NH3 ligand exchange. The barrier for formation...
Wavelength Calibration of a Multichannel Spectrometer

A readily automated procedure for wavelength calibration of multichannel spectrometers is described. Once applied, line positions can be read from the multichannel display with good accuracy and precision for any spectrometer setting. The procedure uses Ne atomic lines as wavelength standards. A novel apodization procedure is used for accurate measurement of the pixel positions of the neon lines. Raman line positions can be determined with an average error of less than 0.2 cm−1.
Prediction of stress-strain response of SCS-6/Timetal-21S subjected to a hypersonic flight profile

Thermomechanical response of a cross-ply SCS-6/Timetal-21S composite subjected to a generic hypersonic flight profile with the temperature ranging from -130 C to 816 C was evaluated experimentally and analytically. A two dimensional micromechanical anlaysis, VISCOPLY, was used to predict the stress-strain response of the laminate and of the constituents in each ply during thermomechanical loading conditions. In the analysis, the fiber was modeled as elastic with transverse orthotropic and temperature dependent properties and the matrix was modeled using a thermoviscoplastic constitutive relation. The fiber transverse modulus was reduced in the analysis to simulate fiber-matrix interface failure. Reasonable agreement was found between measured and predicted laminate stress-strain response when fiber-matrix debonding was modeled.
Models of the cellular mechanism underlying propagation of epileptiform activity in the CA2-CA3 region of the hippocampal slice.

We have shown experimentally in theprevious paper that spontaneous epileptiform activity, as recorded by extracellular field potentials, propagates smoothly across the CA2-CA3 region of the convulsant-treated hippocampal slice of the guinea pig at velocities of about 0.1 m/s. In the present paper, we used computer simulations of either 500 or 1000 cell arrays of model neurons to examine possible mechanisms underlying this propagation. We show that propagation of epileptiform field potentials can be explained plausibly by slow conduction along axons interconnecting CA2-CA3 neurons, provided that there are sufficiently many interconnections. This propagation can take place even if the interconnections occur randomly. The number of interconnections required decreases as the number of synchronously activated cells initiating a population burst increases. Axonal propagation at 0.1 m/s appears to be a plausible assumption, since conduction velocities along Schaffer collaterals have been experimentally estimated to be as slow as 0.2 m/s, and small recurrent collaterals are likely to conduct more slowly than the main axonal branches. If spontaneous synchronized population bursts are initiated by activity in four or fewer cells, then our model requires, for smooth field potential propagation, more interconnections than are believed to occur on the basis of dual intracellular recording.
Field theory of massive vector bosons in a model with spontaneously broken symmetry

We study the spectrum of particle states for a charged scalar field interacting with an electromagnetic field in the Lorentz gauge. The Lagrangian contains the quartic self-coupling and imaginary-mass terms that give the scalar field a nonvanishing vacuum expectation value, and the symmetry of the model is spontaneously broken. We identify the massive vector boson and demonstrate that our identification is consistent by showing that the transverse and zero-helicity modes transform correctly among themselves in a Lorentz transformation. We show that each of the helicity modes obeys the Gupta-Bleuler subsidiary condition. We identify the Proca field contained in the theory.
patronage, mediators, and the historical context of social organization in Bombay

The focus of this discussion is not so much the dynamics of patronage relationships, but an examination of what individual patronage networks can reveal about the social, political, and economic organization of a large city. Details of selected individual social networks in Bombay, India are compared and are combined with a discussion of the historical development of Bombay. The contemporary structure of patronage is viewed in the context of Bombay's growth under the British colonial administration, and both patronage and personal networks are to be understood as part of broader historical social processes.
Synthesis and Characterization of Biodegradable HPMA-Oligolysine Copolymers for Improved Gene Delivery

Bioactive peptides, including DNA-binding, endosomal release and cell targeting peptides, have been integrated into synthetic gene carriers to improve delivery efficiencies by enabling the vectors to overcome barriers to gene delivery. Our overall goal is to develop multifunctional, peptide-based polymers that incorporate motifs to condense DNA and facilitate sequential trafficking steps. One approach is to polymerize vinyl-terminated peptides by radical polymerization. In this work, cationic oligolysine peptides were designed to contain vinyl termini with internal reducible linkers. These peptides were copolymerized with HPMA to form biodegradable, DNA-condensing copolymers for gene delivery. The polymerization conditions were optimized by varying the initiator to monomer ratios, macromonomer to comonomer ratios, and reactant concentrations. The synthesized copolymers were shown to possess several important properties required for in vivo gene delivery applications, including (i) efficient DNA binding and condensation, (ii) the ability to stabilize particles against salt-induced aggregation, (iii) the ability to resist extracellular polyplex unpackaging, (iv) biocompatibility and the potential to be degraded into nontoxic components after cellular uptake, and (v) efficient delivery of plasmid to cultured cells.
ON THE UPPER MAJORANT PROPERTY

Abstract We prove that the characters of an infinite metrizable compact abelian group G form a strictly conditional (SC) system if and only if the system fails the upper majorant property (UMP). Then we show that a homogeneous system is either an unconditional basic sequence or SC. In the last part we investigate the existence of UMP for the Babenko system.
Identification of transport abnormalities in duodenal mucosa and duodenal enterocytes from patients with cystic fibrosis.

Abstract Background & Aims: The duodenum is a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-expressing epithelium with high bicarbonate secretory capacity. We aimed to define the role of CFTR in human duodenal epithelial bicarbonate secretion in normal (NL) subjects and patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Methods: Endoscopic biopsy specimens of the duodenal bulb were obtained from 9 CF patients and 16 volunteers. Tissues were mounted in modified Ussing chambers. Bicarbonate secretion and short-circuit current (Isc) were quantitated under basal conditions and in response to dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (db-cAMP), carbachol, and the heat-stable toxin of Escherichia coli (STa). Duodenocytes were also isolated and loaded with the pH-sensitive fluoroprobe BCECF/AM, and intracellular pH (pH i ) was measured at rest and after intracellular acidification and alkalinization. Results: Basal HCO 3 − secretion and Isc were significantly lower in the CF vs. NL duodenal mucosa. In contrast to NL, db-cAMP failed to alter either HCO 3 − or Isc in CF tissues. However, in CF, carbachol resulted in an electroneutral HCO 3 − secretion, whereas STa induced electrogenic HCO 3 − secretion that was similar to NL. In CF and NL duodenocytes, basal pH i and recovery from an acid load were comparable, but pH i recovery after an alkaline load in CF duodenocytes was Cl − dependent, whereas in NL duodenocytes it was Cl − independent. Conclusions: These findings implicate CFTR in NL duodenal alkaline transport and its absence in CF. Although duodenal bicarbonate secretion is impaired in CF tissues, alternate pathway(s) likely exist that can be activated by carbachol and STa. GASTROENTEROLOGY 2000;118:1051-1060
The CS-US interval (ISI) function in rabbit nictitating membrane response conditioning with very long intertriai intervals

In Experiment 1, four values of conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus interval, or interstimulus interval (ISI) (200, 500, 800, and 1,100 msec) were studied in one trial/day acquisition of the conditioned nictitating membrane response of the rabbit. The 1,100-msec ISI group was superior to the other groups, contrary to the usual findings of ISI studies in the conditioning literature. In Experiment 2, effective conditioning levels were attained with an ISI as long as 2,200 msec, when the intertriai interval was set at either 24 or 48 h. Results are interpreted in terms of the role of orienting responses in the conditioning process.
Risk Analysis and Stratification of Surgical Morbidity after Immediate Breast Reconstruction

Background Surgical complications after breast reconstruction can be associated with significant morbidity, dissatisfaction, and cost. We used the ACS-NSQIP datasets from 2005 to 2011 to derive predictors of morbidity and to stratify risk after immediate breast reconstruction (IBR). Study Design Surgical complications after implant and autologous reconstruction were assessed using the ACS-NSQIP 2005 to 2011 datasets. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and operative factors were associated with the likelihood of experiencing a surgical complication. A "model cohort" of 12,129 patients was randomly selected from the study cohort to derive predictors. Weighted odds ratios derived from logistic regression analysis were used to create a composite risk score and to stratify patients. The remaining one-third of the cohort (n = 6,065) were used as the "validation cohort" to assess the accuracy value of the risk model. Results On adjusted analysis, autologous reconstruction (odds ratio [OR] 1.41, p Conclusions Surgical complications after IBR are related to preoperatively identifiable factors that can be used to accurately risk stratify patients, which may assist with counseling, selection, and perioperative decision-making.
Cisapride: a survey of the frequency of use and adverse events in premature newborns

Objective. This survey estimated the frequency of use and adverse events associated with cisapride treatment of premature newborns in intensive care units. It was initiated in response to a warning issued in Canada cautioning against cisapride treatment of premature infants of 11 000 preterm newborns treated. Three nonfatal arrhythmias were reported; two associated with 10-fold dosing errors and one with co-treatment with erythromycin, a macrolide antibiotic that reduces the metabolism of cisapride. Diarrhea was reported in 12 patients, and reversible liver enzyme changes were noted in one patient. Typically, cisapride treatment was started in dosages of 0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg/dose, repeated every 6 to 8 hours. Treatment usually was begun empirically, without a preceding study to document gastroesophageal reflux. The most frequent indications for cisapride treatment were choking or gagging, with associated apnea, bradycardia, and desaturation. Approximately 50% of patients had discontinued cisapride treatment before discharge. Eighty-four percent of clinicians judged cisapride to be effective for the problems being treated. Conclusions. Cisapride treatment of premature infants of <36 weeks' gestation and <3 months of age in NICUs appears to be widespread in the United States. Complications and adverse events were seen when cisapride was administered in excessive dosages or in combination with a drug that inhibits its metabolism and leads to increased serum concentrations. Severe toxicities such as arrhythmias were reported with a frequency of <1/11 000 NICU admissions. However, in a retrospective survey, episodes of toxicity, including mortality, attributable to cisapride may not have been recognized or reported.
Reactions of the Schiff Base Rhodium Hydride Complex RhH(Bu4salophen) with Olefins. Observations and Mechanistic Studies

The tetradentate dianionic Schiff base ligand Bu4salophenH2 reacts with [RhCl(C2H4)2]2 and NR4OH (R = n-Bu, Et) to produce the complexes RhR(Bu4salophen) (1, R = n-Bu; 2, R = Et), which undergo pho...
Beyond ACOs and Bundled Payments: Medicare’s Shift Toward Accountability in Fee-for-Service

For all the attention paid to accountable care models, few observers have recognized that Medicare is rolling out the core framework of bundled payments within the hospital fee-for-service payment system. Under its hospital value-based purchasing (HVBP) program, Medicare has established the Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary (MSPB) metric, defined as the average Medicare Part A and Part B spending per patient (eg, all traditional Medicare fee-for-service spending outside of prescription drug coverage) from 3 days prior to admission to 30 days after discharge. Hospital value-based purchasing adjusts each hospital’s fee-for-service Medicare reimbursement based on various performance benchmarks, such as MSPB; more than 1400 hospitals will receive reductions in their Medicare payment rates this year.1 Although Medicare has created a number of pay-for-performance programs over the past decade, MSPB represents the first pay-for-efficiency measure embedded within the fee-for-service system to penalize or reward hospitals not just for readmission rates or efficiency within an inpatient stay but for the value of care delivered across the entire continuum.
A general two-constraint model of consumer demand

We generalise a two-constraint model of consumer demand so as to make utility a function of both consumption of the good and the time allocated to consumption, to accommodate the fact that the consumer may derive utility from the time spent acquiring and/or consuming the good. We use the comparative static results to specify demand systems consistent with this theory and develop an econometric approach to estimate the demand parameters. The model is used to obtain empirical demand functions for customers visiting pick-your-own fruit farms, where customers choose between harvesting fruit themselves and buying pre-harvested fruit on the farm. Oxford University Press and Foundation for the European Review of Agricultural Economics 2010; all rights reserved. For permissions, please email journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org, Oxford University Press.
Mo2O5(OCH3)2and Mo2O5(OCH3)2·2CH3OH: New Structural Insights Derived from Reaction Chemistry and Diffraction Techniques☆

Abstract The reaction of molybdenum trioxide dihydrate, MoO3· 2H2O, with methanol produces the title compounds. That these molybdenum oxy-methoxides decompose with liberation of CH2O suggests that they represent exquisite models for selective oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde over molybdate catalysts. Although a number of physical techniques have been employed to elucidate certain structural features, the actual structures remain unknown. However, their unit cells have been determined for the first time by employing the complimentary nature of electron and powder diffraction techniques. This information coupled with structural insights derived from careful studies of the reaction chemistry, in particular, the synthesis and characterization of a new amorphous intermediate, MoO3·CH3OH, has allowed fairly detailed structures for these interesting molybdenum oxy-methoxide materials to be proposed.
Jelly coat and induction of the acrosome reaction in echinoid sperm

Abstract In a previous study we established that sperm from four species of echinoids differ in their specificity for induction of the acrosome reaction by heterotypic jelly coat and we presented evidence that there were only small compositional differences in the active component of the jelly coat, a polysaccharide composed of fucose sulfate units. In the current report we present additional studies related to the species specificity of jelly coat with respect to Ca2+ uptake (or exchange), which occurs concomitantly with the acrosome reaction, and activation of phospholipase activity, which appears to occur subsequent to the acrosome reaction. The specificity of jelly coat in inducing these processes is the same as that previously observed in induction of the acrosome reaction. Binding of jelly coat to sperm has been demonstrated, and has been shown to be species specific. This finding raises the possibility that a receptor for jelly coat exists on the surface of the sperm. Finally, based on chemical and physical-chemical studies, evidence is presented that establishes that, despite compositional similarities, the fucose sulfate polysaccharides from the four species of eggs differ in structure.
Charge-Transfer Probes for Molecular Recognition Via Steric Hindrance in Donor-Acceptor Pairs

Molecular association of various aromatic hydrocarbons (D, including sterically hindered donors) with a representative group of diverse acceptors (A = quinone, trinitrobenzene, tetracyanoethylene, tropylium, tetranitromethane, and nitrosonium) is visually apparent in solution by the spontaneous appearance of distinctive colors. Spectral (UV−vis) analyses of the colored solutions reveal their charge-transfer origin (λCT), and they provide quantitative information of the intermolecular association in the form of the KDA and eCT values for the formation and visualization, respectively, of different [D,A] complexes. Importantly, such measurements establish charge-transfer absorption to be a sensitive analytical tool for evaluating the steric inhibition of donor−acceptor association. For example, the steric differences among various hindered aromatic donors in their association with quinone are readily dramatized in their distinctive charge-transfer (color) absorptions and verified by X-ray crystallography of ...
A holistic approach towards the validation and legitimisation of information systems

The research aims to show that validation and legitimisation of an information systems (IS) project need to be treated simultaneously to improve software project management. A starting assumption is that traditional aspects of model validity and legitimisation in operational research can be applicable to the field of IS. However, non‐traditional types of IS are more suitable to be viewed from an interpretive viewpoint. Validation is explored both from hard systems and also from soft systems point of view. Some extensions on the notion of validation for soft systems are provided for that purpose. Issues regarding both validation and legitimisation in IS are illustrated on a case study regarding the management of an academic research management IS project. Issues related both validation and legitimisation in IS are illustrated on a case study regarding the management of an academic research IS project. The latter had eventually to be abandoned. The case study shows how the non‐adherence to the principles of validation and legitimisation lead to that situation.
Corrosion Rate Measurement by Hydrogen Effusion In Dynamic Aqueous Systems At Elevated Temperature and Pressure

Abstract A method of applying the hydrogen effusion method to the measurement of corrosion rates in dynamic aqueous systems at elevated temperature and pressure is described. Data obtained in low c...
Terminal modifications inhibit proteolytic degradation of an immunogenic mart-127–35 peptide: Implications for peptide vaccines

Peptide epitopes for tumor-reactive cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) have been identified on human cancers and are being used in tumor vaccine trials. However, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of such peptides have been inadequately studied. It is predicted that immunogenic tumor peptides would have short half-lives in vivo. The goal of the present work was to evaluate the stability of the immunogenic peptide MART-1(27-35) in fresh normal human plasma (NHP) and to identify modifications that convey protection against enzymatic destruction without loss of immunogenicity. We evaluated the stability of the MART-1(27-35) peptide (AAGIGILTV) and modified forms of that peptide for stability and immune recognition in an in vitro model. The peptides were incubated in plasma for varied time intervals and evaluated for their ability to reconstitute the epitope for MART-1(27-35)-reactive CTL. Loss of CTL reactivity signaled loss of immunoreactive peptide. When 1 microM MART-1(27-35) peptide was incubated in plasma prior to pulsing on target cells, CTL reactivity was lost within 3 hr, and the calculated half-life of this peptide was 22 sec. This degradation was mediated by peptidases. The stability of MART-1(27-35) was markedly prolonged by C-terminal amidation and/or N-terminal acetylation (peptide capping), or by polyethylene-glycol modification (PEGylation) of the C-terminus. These modified peptides were recognized by CTL. The MART-1(27-35) peptide is very unstable in plasma. It is probable that it and other immunogenic peptides will be similarly unstable in vivo. Immunogenicity of these peptides might be enhanced by creating modifications that enhance stability.
Taking aim at shotgun phosphoproteomics.

Shotgun phosphoproteomics employs liquid chromatography-coupled tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to analyze phosphopeptides from complex protein mixtures, allowing detection and quantification of phosphorylation events on a global scale. Within the past few years, this powerful technique has been used to uncover novel phosphorylation sites as well as explore changes in protein phosphorylation during cellular signaling in various systems. This review presents a general overview of current phosphoproteomic methodologies, including summaries of various approaches to phosphopeptide enrichment, alternative MS fragmentation strategies, and the latest software for analysis of phosphopeptide data sets.
Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Risk Behaviors in Film: How Well Do MPAA Ratings Distinguish Content?

To evaluate the usefulness of Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings for parental selection of appropriate films for children, the 100 top grossing movies each year from 1996 through 2004 (N = 900) were content analyzed to measure risk behaviors in each film. More restrictive MPAA ratings (R and PG-13) were associated with increased mean seconds of portrayals of tobacco use, alcohol use, and sexual content; increased frequency of violent content; and increased salience of drug use. MPAA ratings, however, did not clearly distinguish films based on tobacco or alcohol use. Fifty percent of R-rated movies contained 124 seconds or more of tobacco use, comparable with 26% of PG-13 and 17% of PG movies. Fifty percent of R-rated movies contained 162 seconds or more of alcohol use, comparable with 49% of PG-13 and 25% of PG movies. Because of the high degree of overlap in alcohol and tobacco content between rating categories, the MPAA rating system, as currently defined, is not adequate for parents who wish to limit their children's exposure to tobacco or alcohol content in movies.
Criminal epidemiology and the immigrant paradox: Intergenerational discontinuity in violence and antisocial behavior among immigrants

article i nfo Available online xxxx Purpose: A growing number of studies have examined the immigrant paradox with respect to antisocial behavior and crimeintheUnitedStates.However, thereremains a needfor a comprehensive examination of theintergen- erational nature of violence and antisocial behavior among immigrants using population-based samples. Methods: The present study, employing data from Wave I and II data of the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), sought to address these gaps by examining the prevalence of nonvi- olentcriminalandviolentantisocialbehavioramong first,second,andthird-generationimmigrantsandcompare these to the prevalence found among non-immigrants and each other in the United States. Results:Thereisclearevidenceofanintergenerationalseverity-basedgradientinthe relationshipbetweenimmi- grant status and antisocial behavior and crime. The protective effect of nativity is far-and-away strongest among first-generation immigrants, attenuates substantially among second-generation immigrants, and essentially disappears among third-generation immigrants. These patterns were also stable across gender. Conclusion: The present study is among the first to examine the intergenerational nature of antisocial behavior and crime among immigrants using population-based samples. Results provide robust evidence that nativity as a protective factor for immigrants wanes with each successive generation.
Towards an Efficient Memory Architecture for Video Decoding Systems

Multimedia applications are known to use large amounts of memory. The video modules need also high throughput memory port for coding and decoding high resolution video sequences. The design of a multimedia System-on-Chip (SoC) could implement embedded block RAMs but it is much more cost-effective to use a single external memory at the expense of a multichannel memory controller. This paper presents the design and implementation of an efficient memory hierarchy for a Set-Top Box (STB) SoC with a video decoder. To use efficiently the Double Data Rate (DDR) external memory it must be accessed in burst mode whenever possible. In this paper we develop an analysis and implementation of a four level memory hierarchy targeting data latency reduction and bandwidth optimization of the memory port. The case study is DDR2 SDRAM memory used as the main system video memory in a digital television set-top box implemented on a Virtex-5 FPGA. This paper presents the architecture of the system and shows that the memory hierarchy efficiently uses the DDR characteristics while serving four client processes. The proposed memory architecture can reduce data latency in 78% when compared to a direct demand-access procedure.
Plasma and Tumor Dopamine-Beta-Hydroxylase Activity in Patients With Familial Pheochromocytomas

The majority of patients with sporadic pheochromocytomas (pheos) have been noted to have normal plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity. We determined the activity of DBH in the plasma of 8 patients with pheos, secondary to multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 2 (MEN II) (medullary carcinoma of the thyroid [MCT], pheochromocytoma(s), and parathyroid hyperplasia). We also determined the activity of DBH in the pheos of six of the patients. Three of the eight patients (38%) had elevated plasma DBH in the preoperative period. After surgical resection of their pheos, the plasma DBH of two of the subjects, in whom it could be measured, returned to normal. Although two of the other patients had bilateral pheos containing large amounts of DBH and norepinephrine (NE), their plasma DBH was normal in the preoperative and postoperative periods. Despite elevated urinary vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) excretion in all eight patients, their homovanillic acid (HVA) excretion was normal. VMA reflects NE plus epinephrine (E) excretion, while HVA reflects dopamine (DA) excretion. We conclude that the majority of patients with pheos, associated with MEN II, have normal plasma DBH activity.
Fully implicit discontinuous finite element methods for two-phase flow

In this paper we present two schemes based on discontinuous Galerkin methods for modeling fully implicit formulations of two-phase flow problems arising in porous media. Convergence with respect to uniform mesh refinement or increase in the polynomial degree are considered. Compared to sequential discontinuous schemes, our proposed schemes do not require slope limiting or upwind stabilization techniques. Numerical examples of homogeneous and heterogeneous media on structured and unstructured meshes show the robustness of the method.
"How Far am I Responsible?": Women and Morphinomania in Late-Nineteenth-Century Britain

TW ^ Then the governess Isabel Gordon recounts her introduction to the hypodermic injection of morphine in Richard Pryce's novel An Evil Spirit, she poses a challenge to the readers of her fictional diary. By requesting them to assign her responsibility for her morphine habituation to a precise moment in her narrative, the text defies them to assign responsibility to her at all. The idea that someone might not be responsible for such actions, but rather the victim of an illness, was new to Victorian readers. In the 1870s and 1880s they were learning of a new disease afflicting the upper classes of European society, especially women. Variously termed "morphinomania" and "morphinism" in Britain, it was the compulsive, clandestine use of new hypodermic technology to inject morphine, a recently isolated alkaloid of opium. This illness differed significantly from the habitual opium ingestion represented as an eccentric, visionary delight and torment by Thomas De Quincey in his Confessions of an English OpiumEater (1821). Whereas De Quincey's text advertised his masculine scholastic and empirical authority to supply the deficiencies of a scanty medical literature, texts about women's morphinomania were largely written by medical men whose analyses mixed scandalized morality with scientific suggestion as they began to articulate a disease model of inebriety and later, addiction. Isabel's challenge to her readers thus cites a larger cultural shift in the perception that drug addiction, from
Tomographic Phase Imaging of Fuel Cell Systems

We extend our optical phase tomographic system for monitoring water content of fuel cell membranes in-situ. Using interferometry at two angles, we tomographically reconstruct smooth distributions using a custom modified filtered backprojection algorithm.
Columbia Bay, Alaska: an ‘upside down’ estuary

Abstract Circulation and water properties within Columbia Bay, Alaska, are dominated by the effects of Columbia Glacier at the head of the Bay. The basin between the glacier terminus and the terminal moraine (sill depth of about 22 m) responds as an ‘upside down’ estuary with the subglacial discharge of freshwater entering at the bottom of the basin. The intense vertical mixing caused by the bouyant plume of freshwater creates a homogeneous water mass that exchanges with the far-field water through either a two- or a three-layer flow. In general, the glacier acts as a large heat sink and creates a water mass which is cooler than that in fjords without tidewater glaciers. The predicted retreat of Columbia Glacier would create a 40 km long fjord that has characteristics in common with other fjords in Prince William Sound.
All-trans-retinoic acid antagonizes the hedgehog pathway by inducing patched

Male germ cell tumors (GCTs) are a model for a curable solid tumor. GCTs can differentiate into mature teratomas. Embryonal carcinomas (ECs) represent the stem cell compartment of GCTs and are the malignant counterpart to embryonic stem (ES) cells. GCTs and EC cells are useful to investigate differentiation therapy and chemotherapy response. This study explored mechanistic interactions between all-trans-retinoic acid (RA), which induces differentiation of EC and ES cells, and the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway, a regulator of self-renewal and proliferation. RA was found to induce mRNA and protein expression of Patched 1 (Ptch1), the Hh ligand receptor and negative regulator of this pathway. PTCH1 is also a target gene of Hh signaling through Smoothened (Smo) activation. Yet, this observed RA-mediated Ptch1 induction was independent of Smo. It occurred despite co-treatment with RA and Smo inhibitors. Retinoid induction of Ptch1 also occurred in other RA-responsive cancer cell lines and in normal ES cells. Notably, this enhanced Ptch1 expression was preceded by induction of the homeobox transcription factor Meis1, a direct RA target. Direct interaction between Meis1 and Ptch1 was confirmed using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. To establish the translational relevance of this work, Ptch1 expression was shown to be deregulated in human ECs relative to mature teratoma and the normal seminiferous tubule. Taken together, these findings reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism through which RA can inhibit the Hh pathway via Ptch1 induction. Engaging this pathway is a new way to repress the Hh pathway that can be translated into the cancer clinic.
A Simplified Method of Calculating the Degree of Operating Leverage for Linear Breakeven Analysis

(1989). A Simplified Method of Calculating the Degree of Operating Leverage for Linear Breakeven Analysis. Journal of Education for Business: Vol. 65, No. 2, pp. 79-80.