cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paraneoplastic Disorders in Thymoma Patients

Thymic malignancy is often associated with paraneoplastic neurological diseases (PNDs) and recognition of these disorders is important for physicians who treat these patients. The most common thymoma-associated PNDs are myasthenia gravis (MG), acquired neuromyotonia (Isaacs' syndrome), encephalitis, Morvan's syndrome, and myositis. Diagnosis of these disorders is complex but often aided by testing for specific autoantibodies, including those to the acetylcholine receptor for MG and to contactin-associated protein-like 2, protein of the voltage-gated potassium channel complex, in patients with acquired neuromyotonia, Morvan's syndrome, or encephalitis. Patients who manifest these disorders should be screened for thymoma at diagnosis, and worsening of these PNDs may be associated with recurrent thymoma. These disorders can cause profound disability but usually respond to immunotherapy, and often improve with thymoma treatment. Close cooperation among a team of specialists is required to take proper care of these patients.
Immunochemical detection of covalently modified kidney proteins in S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine-treated rats.

Abstract The nephrotoxicity of several haloalkenes is associated with glutathione S -conjugate formation, metabolism of the glutathione S -conjugate to the corresponding cysteine S -conjugate and translocation to the kidney, and metabolism by renal cysteine conjugate β-lyase (β-lyase, EC 4.4.1.13) to electrophilic metabolites that cause cell damage and death in proximal tubular cells (1,2). S -(1,1,2,2-Tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine (TFEC), the cysteine S -conjugate of tetrafluoroethene, is nephrotoxic (3), and covalent modification of cellular macromolecules has been implicated in the toxicity of S -conjugates (4,5) and other xenobiotics (6,7). The present study utilized immunochemical methods to demonstrate selective binding of the TFEC metabolites to renal proteins in TFEC-treated rats. Previous studies indicated that mitochondria are a primary target of toxic S -conjugates (8,9) and that β-lyase activity is present in both renal cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions (10). Therefore, renal mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions were examined for the presence of modified proteins, which were detected with polyclonal antibodies to trifluoroacetylated proteins that cross-react with protein-bound metabolites of TFEC.
Autosampler AS 41 Ein automatischer Probengeber für die Gas-Chromatographie

Es wird ein Gerat zur automatischen Probenaufgabe fur Gas-Chromatographen beschrieben. Maximal 100 Proben konnen ohne Uberwachung behandelt werden; Identifizierungsfehler sind dabei ausgeschlossen. Der Autosampler arbeitet mit kleinen Behaltern (Kapseln), in welche die zu analysierenden Substanzgemische (flussig, fest, gasformig) vor der Analyse gasdicht eingeschlossen werden. Die gas-chromatographischen Resultate sind entsprechenden Daten der Spritzendosierung gleichwertig oder uberlegen; neue Anwendungsmoglichkeiten, wie z. B. losungsmittelfreie Probenaufgabe, werden erschlossen.
Histological and histochemical studies of the secretory components of the salamander olfactory mucosa: effects of isoproterenol and olfactory nerve section.

Secretory components of the salamander olfactory mucosa, sustentacular cells (SC), and Bowman's glands (BG), were examined histologically and histochemically. In the aquatic larval salamander, SC in sensory grooves contained secretory granules; the submucosa contained a single layer of homogeneous, ductless glands. In the land-dwelling adult salamander, SC spanning a flat epithelial sheet contained vesicles. Subjacent to the epithelium in both dorsal and ventral mucosae lay BG whose ducts opened at the surface of the epithelium. In the ventral mucosa, two additional layers of olfactory glands (OG) lying below the BG were identified; ducts were not observed in association with the OG. The beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol caused depletion of secretory granules from BG and OG of larval, young, and adult salamanders but had no discernible effect on SC. Histochemical techniques (Alcian blue at pH 2.5 and pH 1.0, high-iron diamine, and the periodic acid-Schiff reaction) demonstrated that SC contained neutral, acidic, and small amounts of sulfated mucopolysaccharides (MPS), BG and OG contained only neutral MPS. In contrast, glands under adjacent respiratory epithelium contained both acidic and sulfated MPS. Unilateral olfactory nerve section ( ONX ) caused changes in the histochemical reactivity of acidic and sulfated MPS in SC on the ipsilateral and later on the contralateral side. Neutral MPS staining became enhanced first in the OG that lay under the BG, then in BG cells, and later in the deepest OG layer. Ipsilateral changes preceded contralateral ones. At 24 days post- ONX , some acinar cells in the deep OG contained acidic but not sulfated MPS.
Effects of reserpine on reproduction and serotonin immunoreactivity in the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans (L.).

Biogenic amines are known to play critical roles in key insect behaviors such as feeding and reproduction. This study documents the effects of reserpine on mating and egg-laying behaviors of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), which is one of the most significant biting fly pests affecting cattle. Two sperm staining techniques were adapted successfully to reveal the morphology of stable fly sperm, for the first time, and determine successful mating in females through the assessment of sperm transfer. This approach was also applied to assess sperm transfer by males treated with different doses of reserpine. Mating or sperm transfer did not occur in flies during the first 3 days after emergence. Thereafter, the percentage of females that mated increased with age. Reserpine treatment of males reduced sperm transfer in a dose-dependent manner. Older males were more sensitive to reserpine treatment than younger flies. Reserpine treatment of 5 days old females reduced the number of eggs laid, but had no effect on egg-hatching rates. Results of immunoreactivity (IR) experiments indicated that serotonin in the neuronal processes innervating male testes was completely depleted by reserpine within 5 h after treatment. This effect was transient as the serotonin immunoreactive signal was recovered in 33.3% of the males at 1 day post-treatment and in 94.4% of the flies at 3 days post-treatment. The results of this study concur with previous findings in other insect species and extend our knowledge of the critical roles biogenic amines play in mating and oviposition behaviors of the stable fly. The work could provide a foundation to further characterize the specific roles of individual biogenic amines and their receptors in stable fly reproduction.
The stability of high-Tc BSCCO/Ag superconducting microcomposites in water, some inorganic solutions and organic solvents

Abstract Bi(Pb)SrCaCuO/Ag (BSCCO/Ag) superconducting microcomposites with zero-resistance temperatures from 102 to 108 K and critical current densities of ∼ 600 A/cm2 at 77 K were produced by oxidation and annealing of metallic precursor alloys. The stabilities and degradation behavior of BSCCO/Ag specimens in various environments were studied by a combination of mass loss measurement, electrical transport measurement and microstructural observation. The environmental conditions used in the present work were moist air, distilled water, aqueous solutions of NaCl, NaOH and acetic acid, and organic solvents methanol and acetone. Although there is a general tendency toward a decrease in critical current density after a long exposure to most of the testing conditions, the specimens containing a high percent of Ag (⩾ 70 wt. %) showed very little decrease in Tc and Jc up to 200 days of exposure in moist air and distilled water, and up to 20 days in NaCl solution, methanol and acetone. It was found that the superconducting “2223” phase is stable in water, neutral solutions and the organic solvents, reacts very slowly with basic solutions, and dissolves rapidly in acidic solutions. Some non-superconducting Ca-rich oxides dissolve in water and neutral and basic solutions and therefore damage the connection of the superconducting grains in low-Ag containing specimens. The excellent stability of the BSCCO/Ag superconducting microcomposites containing high Ag provides an important advantage for their potential industrial application.
Subcontracting Work via Social Networks: Migrant Latino Labour and the Rebuilding of New Orleans

The unprecedented destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina attracted tens of thousands of Latino migrants to work in clean-up and reconstruction jobs in the New Orleans area. This study uses a survey of Latino workers in New Orleans and interviews from various actors involved in the recruitment and hiring of migrant labour – including employers, subcontractors, and the workers themselves – to explore how migrant networks function. In particular, it highlights the key role of migrant entrepreneur subcontractors in drawing new migrants and securing them jobs in unfamiliar destinations. This is of conceptual importance to migration theory because it highlights the need to expand the dominant concept of social networks to include employers, recruiters, and other migrant service-providers. Latino migration to New Orleans provides insight into the complexity of contemporary network migration, including the overlapping roles of friend, family, and employer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Phase II Study of Bevacizumab and Everolimus as Treatment for Refractory Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract Background Agents that inhibit the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) prolong progression-free survival (PFS), but durable complete responses are rare. Combinations of these cytostatic therapies have great potential to improve efficacy and to escape tumoral resistance mechanisms, but supra-additive toxicity is a valid concern. We investigated whether horizontal blockade with the combination of bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody to VEGF-A, and of everolimus, an oral mTOR inhibitor, improved PFS in patients with clear cell mRCC who had received prior VEGF blockade. Methods In this phase II investigator-initiated study, 10 of 30 planned patients were enrolled. Bevacizumab 10 mg/kg was administered intravenously every 14 days. Everolimus was orally dosed at 10 mg daily. The patients were treated until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was PFS. Results The median age was 55 years. The majority of patients were white men with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 1 (80%) and intermediate risk disease by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center criteria (70%). All the patients had received 1 prior VEGF inhibitor. The median PFS in the 10 evaluable patients was 5.1 months, which was less than the expected historical control of bevacizumab monotherapy at 6 months. The median overall survival was 21 months. The best response was a partial response in 1 patient and stable disease in 9. Forty percent of the patients were discontinued from the study due to toxicity. Conclusions In our experience, the combination of bevacizumab and everolimus was toxic. The efficacy achieved did not support its combined use over sequential administration. Ongoing randomized studies will definitively evaluate the combination's efficacy and tolerability.
The positive correlation of affluence and freedom

Abstract Non-communist countries rated ‘free’ have on average a much higher per capita income than those rated ‘partly free’ or ‘not free’. The latter two groups differ primarily in terms of the dispersion of their per capita incomes, those rated ‘not free’ being much more dispersed than those rated ‘partly free’.
Polymorph screening: influence of solvents on the rate of solvent-mediated polymorphic transformation.

Solvent-mediated polymorphic transformation is an efficient technique to obtain the most stable polymorph. The rate of solvent-mediated polymorphic transformation of sulfamerazine at 24°C in various solvents and solvent mixtures is controlled by the nucleation rate of the more stable Form II. The transformation rate is generally higher in the solvent giving a higher solubility and is low in the solvent giving a low solubility (8 mmol/L). In these solvents, because of a high interfacial energy, the metastable zone may be wider than the solubility difference between two polymorphs, such that the critical free energy barrier for nucleation cannot be overcome. In addition to the solubility, the strength of the solvent-solute interactions is also important in determining the transformation rate. For sulfamerazine, the transformation rate is lower in the solvent with a stronger hydrogen bond acceptor propensity. Because solubility is higher in the solvent with stronger hydrogen bond acceptor propensity, the balance of solubility and strength of hydrogen bonding interactions between the solute and solvent molecules determines the polymorphic transformation rate. Degree of agitation and temperature also change the polymorphic transformation rate by influencing the crystallization kinetics of the more stable polymorph. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 90:1878–1890, 2001
Assessment of Stream Ecosystem Function and Sensitivity in the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming

This paper presents a hierarchical analysis of stream ecosystem distribution and sensitivity to natural and anthropogenic disturbances for the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming. We designated stream gradient, flow regime, and lithology as environmental parameters that would result in the most robust, readily applied, and parsimonious description of physical and chemical characteristics of individual stream segments. We used these parameters to map the spatial distribution and relative abundance of stream habitats in the study area. We then used the proportion of each sixth-level hydrologic unit boundary comprised by each category of stream gradient, flow regime, and lithology as input to an agglomerative cluster analysis, which identified six clusters for the 74 watersheds intersecting or within the national forest boundary. Five of the six clusters have predominantly high gradient streams and runoff dominated by snowmelt or mixed snowmelt and rainfall. Most watersheds on the Bighorn National Forest are sensitive to alterations in water supply because of the relatively small size of streams. Although watersheds are generally less sensitive to changed sediment supply, low-gradient stream segments create sensitive sites within individual watersheds. Field verification studies indicate that this approach reasonably characterizes physical channel properties and biological associations for the study area.
Rethink the virtual machine template

Server virtualization technology facilitates the creation of an elastic computing infrastructure on demand. There are cloud applications like server-based computing and virtual desktop that concern startup latency and require impromptu requests for VM creation in a real-time manner. Conventional template-based VM creation is a time consuming process and lacks flexibility for the deployment of stateful VMs. In this paper, we present an abstraction of VM substrate to represent generic VM instances in miniature. Unlike templates that are stored as an image file in disk, VM substrates are docked in memory in a designated VM pool. They can be activated into stateful VMs without machine booting and application initialization. The abstraction leverages an arrange of techniques, including VM miniaturization, generalization, clone and migration, storage copy-on-write, and on-the-fly resource configuration, for rapid deployment of VMs and VM clusters on demand. We implement a prototype on a Xen platform and show that a server with typical configuration of TB disk and GB memory can accommodate more substrates in memory than templates in disk and stateful VMs can be created from the same or different substrates and deployed on to the same or different physical hosts in a cluster without causing any configuration conflicts. Experimental results show that general purpose VMs or a VM cluster for parallel computing can be deployed in a few seconds. We demonstrate the usage of VM substrates in a mobile gaming application.
A quantum theory of causality

The statement "jc is the cause of y" is usually taken to mean one of two things either, in common-sense contexts, that the occurrence of x is a "jointly-sufficient condition" x for the occurrence of y, where x and y are distinct events (e.g. the throwing of a stone and the breaking of a window), or, in scientific contexts, that x and y both belong to a "causal line" 2 and x is antecedent to y, where x and y are states of some system undergoing continuous variation (e.g. the position of the moon yesterday and its position today). There is, it is true, something odd about saying "the moon's being where it was yesterday is the cause of its being where it is today", but this way of putting it is generally avoided by saying instead that the moon obeys a "causal law". Discussions of the philosophy of physics tend to take the latter meaning as paradigmatic; after all, the form of expression of most physical laws is
Photon structure function as calculated using perturbative quantum chromodynamics

The calculation of the moments of the photon structure function using perturbative quantum chromodynamics is briefly reviewed and extended with special emphasis being placed on the large magnitude of the next-to-leading-order corrections with respect to the leading-logarithm calculation. In addition, the moments are inverted in order to study the detailed ${Q}^{2}$ dependence of the structure function. It is found that even for large values of $x$ the structure function is not positive definite when the next-to-leading-order corrections are included, indicating the unreliability of the calculation. This result is insensitive to the scheme used to define the coupling constant ${\overline{g}}^{2}$. A brief discussion of a vector-dominance estimate of possible background terms is also included.
Africa Interweave: Textile Diasporas (Cooksey, ed.)

This work is a book review considering the title Africa Interweave: Textile Diasporas edited by Susan Cooksey.
Use of Simulation and Random Matrix Theory to Identify the State of Network Traffic

The traffic behavior of the University of Louisville network with the interconnected backbone routers and the number of Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) subnets is investigated using the Random Matrix Theory (RMT) approach. We employ the system of equal interval time series of traffic counts at all router to router and router to subnet connections as a representation of the inter-domain traffic. The cross-correlation matrix C of the real and simulated traffic rate changes between different traffic time series is calculated and tested against null- hypothesis of random interactions. The majority of the eigenvalues lambdai of matrix C fall within the bounds predicted by the RMT for the eigenvalues of random correlation matrices. The inverse participation ratio (IPR) of congested traffic shows the higher level of localization (fewer number of randomly interacting network nodes). In other words, the IPR level signifies the start of congestion or correlated traffic. Hence, the RMT based model for multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system widely accepted in wireless communication domain is quite applicable for analysis and modeling of traffic dynamics of wired systems. In particular, the IPR of the RMT predicted boundaries in real traffic can be used as a congestion indicator in network congestion control mechanisms.
The contemporary management of penetrating splenic injury.

Abstract Introduction Selective non-operative management (NOM) is standard of care for clinically stable patients with blunt splenic trauma and expectant management approaches are increasingly utilised in penetrating abdominal trauma, including in the setting of solid organ injury. Despite this evolution of clinical practice, little is known about the safety and efficacy of NOM in penetrating splenic injury. Methods Trauma registry and medical record review identified all consecutive patients presenting to LAC+USC Medical Center with penetrating splenic injury between January 2001 and December 2011. Associated injuries, incidence and nature of operative intervention, local and systemic complications and mortality were determined. Results During the study period, 225 patients experienced penetrating splenic trauma. The majority (187/225, 83%) underwent emergent laparotomy. Thirty-eight clinically stable patients underwent a deliberate trial of NOM and 24/38 (63%) were ultimately managed without laparotomy. Amongst patients failing NOM, 3/14 (21%) underwent splenectomy while an additional 6/14 (42%) had splenorrhaphy. Hollow viscus injury (HVI) occurred in 21% of all patients failing NOM. Forty percent of all NOM patients had diaphragmatic injury (DI). All patients undergoing delayed laparotomy for HVI or a splenic procedure presented symptomatically within 24 h of the initial injury. No deaths occurred in patients undergoing NOM. Conclusions Although the vast majority of penetrating splenic trauma requires urgent operative management, a group of patients does present without haemodynamic instability, peritonitis or radiologic evidence of hollow viscus injury. Management of these patients is complicated as over half may remain clinically stable and can avoid laparotomy, making them potential candidates for a trial of NOM. HVI is responsible for NOM failure in up to a fifth of these cases and typically presents within 24 h of injury. Delayed laparotomy, within this limited time period, did not appear to increase mortality nor preclude successful splenic salvage. In clinically stable patients, diagnostic laparoscopy remains essential to evaluate and repair occult DI. As NOM for penetrating abdominal trauma becomes more common, multi-centre data is needed to more accurately define the principles of patient selection and the limitations and consequences of this approach in the setting of splenic injury.
Genetic relatedness between Listeria monocytogenes isolates from seafood and humans using PFGE and REP-PCR

Listeria monocytogenes has been isolated from catfish and various non-catfish seafoods. Despite progress that was made to understand the relationship between L. monocytogenes isolated from seafood and humans, no study has emphasized the genetic relatedness between catfish and non-catfish seafood and human isolates. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the genetic relationship between L. monocytogenes isolates from catfish, non-catfish seafood and humans using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and repetitive extragenic palindromic element-based PCR (REP-PCR) linking with serotypes; and (2) compare the distinct capabilities of these methods. The genetic relationship among 36 catfish, 35 non-catfish seafood, and 57 human isolates were analyzed using Bionumerics software. Among a total of 128 isolates, only two subtypes by PFGE with ApaI-digestion, one subtype by PFGE with AscI-digestion and three subtypes by REP-PCR were shared by non-catfish seafood or catfish with human isolates. Although most of the non-catfish seafood and catfish isolates were genetically distinct from human isolates, the human isolates used in this study may not be truly representative of all clinical isolates. Serotype 4b was dominant in human isolates, whereas serotypes 3b, 1/2a, and 1/2b and serotypes 4b, 1/2a and 1/2b were commonly found in catfish and non-catfish seafood, respectively. Furthermore, 97, 87 and 94 subtypes of L. monocytogenes were revealed using the ApaI-digestion, the AscI-digestion, and the REP-PCR, respectively. Their respective discriminatory indexes were 0.994, 0.990 and 0.994. Distinct genetic groups based on the difference of flagella antigens were observed in all three methods. The study suggests that the REP-PCR possesses a similar discriminatory ability as the PFGE for subtyping L. monocytogenes. Therefore, the REP-PCR that is rapid and less expensive could be considered as an alternative method for subtyping L. monocytogenes.
The Small Animal Operative Practice Laboratory

The small animal operative practice laboratory is the technical component of the fundamentals of surgery lecture course and should give students the basic skills necessary to actively participate in the operative and anesthetic management of client's animals in the teaching hospital. The surgery faculty is challenged with structuring a laboratory that will maximize use of available resources, including clinical and morphologic pathology faculty, for the benefit of the student. The laboratory can be structured as a small animal practice to give students the responsibility and equipment for preoperative, operative, and postoperative care of their animals. The keys to the educational success of the laboratory are the attitude and enthusiasm of the surgery faculty.
The Effect of On-Site Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation on the Therapy Choice and Outcomes of Neonates With Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension

The effect of on-site extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (OS-ECMO) and selection criteria on the utilization rate of this technology is unknown. We retrospectively studied 55 neonates who were admitted to Arkansas Children's Hospital from 1985 to 1993. We compared the ECMO utilization, mortality, and morbidity rates for outborn neonates with moderate and severe persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) before and after the establishment of an ECMO program with guidelines for its use at our institution. The rate of ECMO use was three times higher and the mortality rate was 13 times lower in the period after OS-ECMO compared with the period when ECMO was available only at other institutions. No differences were observed in the morbidity rates between the two periods. Physician decisions to initiate ECMO involved more than guidelines, since 37% of the increased ECMO use was not associated with use of the guidelines. Possible reasons for noncompliance with the guidelines are discussed. Neonates who had received medical therapy only and who had an oxygenation index ≥30 and
Remote sensing of aerosols with the earth-observing scanning polarimeter

Tropospheric aerosols have potential climate forcing roles through both the direct effect on solar radiation scattered and absorbed and the indirect effect as condensation nuclei for cloud particles. Present capabilities for characterizing the global aerosol climatology are limited by the existing satellite remote sensing measurements, making a quantitative determination of the climate forcing effects of aerosols rather difficult and uncertain. The Earth Observing Scanning Polarimeter (EOSP) instrument under consideration for Earth Observing System (EOS) mission platforms and for a proposed Climsat Earth Probe mission is intended to provide global mapping with multispectral photopolarimetry, which can be exploited for the more pronounced aerosol signature in the polarization of the scattered light as compared to the radiance. We describe the essential features and performance specifications of the EOSP instrument and discuss approaches for retrieving tropospheric aerosol properties from multispectral photopolarimetry.
Measurements of electron drift velocity and collision frequency in an argon discharge

Abstract The interaction between waves on a helix and a plasma column has been used to measure the electron drift velocity in the column. From these measurements, and also from insertion loss measurements, collision frequency has been determined. The results are in agreement with each other and with data published elsewhere.
Error Analysis for Relay Type Satellite-Aided Search and Rescue Systems

An analysis is made of the errors in the determination of the position of an emergency transmitter in a satellite-aided search and rescue system. The satellite is assumed to be at a height of 820 km in a near-circular near polar orbit. Short data spans of four minutes or less are used. The error sources considered are measurement noise, transmitter frequency drift, ionospheric effects, and error in the assumed height of the transmitter. The errors are calculated for several different transmitter positions, data rates, and data spans. The only transmitter frequency used was 406 MHz, but the result can be scaled to different frequencies.
Calculated intracellular distributions of dicarboxylic acids in rat liver.

Abstract The intracellular distributions of dicarboxylic acids between the extramitochondrial and intramitochondrial spaces in rat livers can be estimated by assuming that the malate dehydrogenases and glutamate transaminases are close to equilibrium. These calculations predict that none of the dicarboxylic acids are uniformly distributed within the cell, oxaloacetate and α-ketoglutarate being primarily cytosolic under all metabolic conditions. Aspartate and glutamate distributions depend on cytosolic alanine concentrations; malate distribution on the pyridine nucleotide redox potentials. Ten percent deviations from equilibrium conditions are sufficient to generate enzymatic rates (using steady state rate equations) similar to the experimentally measured flux through these livers. These findings are not significantly affected by random experimental error in the data. Thus these calculations appear to be reasonble approximations of the steady state intracellular distributions in vivo . The distributions calculated by this method resolve several apparent paradoxes concerning control of the rates of gluconeogenesis, urea synthesis, and the citric acid cycle, and elucidate some properties of the transport processes in the mitochondrial membrane and associated energy requirements.
Improved low‐cloud simulation from a multiscale modeling framework with a third‐order turbulence closure in its cloud‐resolving model component

[1] In the original multiscale modeling framework (MMF), the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM3.5) is used as the host general circulation model (GCM), and the System for Atmospheric Modeling model with a first-order turbulence closure is used as the cloud resolving model (CRM) for representing cloud physical processes in each grid column of the GCM. This study introduces an upgrade of the MMF in which the first-order turbulence closure scheme is replaced by an advanced third-order turbulence closure in its CRM component. The results are compared between the upgraded and original MMFs, CAM3.5, and observations. The global distributions of low-level cloud amounts in the subtropics in the upgraded MMF show substantial improvement relative to the original MMF when both are compared with observations. The improved simulation of low-level clouds is attributed not only to the representation of subgrid-scale condensation in the embedded CRM but also is closely related to the increased surface sensible and latent heat fluxes, the increased lower tropospheric stability (LTS), and stronger longwave radiative cooling. Both MMF simulations show close agreement in the vertical structures of cloud amount and liquid water content of midlatitude storm-track clouds and subtropical low-level clouds, compared with observations, with the upgraded MMF being better at simulating the low-level cumulus regime. Since the upgraded MMF produces more subtropical low-level clouds and does not produce an excessive amount of optically thick high-level clouds in either the tropics or midlatitudes as the original MMF does, the global mean albedo decreases. The positive bias in albedo and longwave cloud radiative forcing (CRF) and negative bias in shortwave CRF are reduced in the tropical convective regions.
Electronic properties of low temperature epitaxial silicon thin film photovoltaic devices grown by HWCVD

This study addresses the correlation of the electrical, surface, and structural evolution of HWCVD crystalline Si thin films with temperature, thickness, and hydrogen dilution. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy reveal an increase with surface roughness with hydrogen dilution, as expected, while showing increasing surface roughness with substrate temperature, in contrast to previous studies of crystalline Si growth. This suggests that H desorption enables more contaminant absorption of the growing surface with increasing temperature, in turn increasing roughness. The open-circuit voltage of these films is shown to increase significantly over time, ∼ 50 mV over one week, due to the decrease in surface recombination velocity associated with the growth of a native oxide layer. This indicates the importance of post-deposition treatments for surface passivation.
Multicollinear effects of weighted least squares regression

Abstract Weighted least squares estimators, such as those arising from certain variance stabilizing transformations and robust regression procedures, alter the multicollinear structure of the original matrix of predictor variables. We investigate the effects of weighted least squares on the eigenvalues and the spectral condition number of the original correlation matrix of predictor variables.
Growth and stability of a cholesterol-independent Semliki Forest virus mutant in mosquitoes.

Semliki Forest virus (SFV) is an enveloped alphavirus that is transmitted in the wild by mosquito vectors. In tissue culture cells, SFV requires cholesterol in the cell membrane both for virus membrane fusion and for the efficient exit of progeny virus from the cell. A previously isolated SFV mutant, srf-3, is strikingly less cholesterol-dependent for virus fusion, exit, and growth due to a single amino acid change in the E1 spike protein subunit, proline 226 to serine. Here we show that when mosquitoes were infected by intrathoracic injection at a range of virus multiplicities, the growth of srf-3 was significantly more rapid than that of wild-type virus, particularly at low multiplicity infection. The differential cholesterol requirements for wild-type and srf-3 infection were maintained during virus passage through mosquitoes. The presence or absence of cholesterol in the srf-3 virus membrane did not affect its infection properties in mosquitoes. Thus the srf-3 mutation causes a growth advantage in the tissues of the mosquito host.
The effect of consumer's social characteristics and behavior on psychiatric admission decisions.

Psychiatrists violate the marketing concept when irrelevant consumer characteristics influence admission decisions. Video tapes of a consumer in a psychiatric examination were presented to 48 residents in psychiatry to test if extra-psychiatric variables influence admission decisions. It was found psychiatrists are adopting a more consumer-oriented approach.
An Energy Harvesting Comparison of Piezoelectric and Ionically Conductive Polymers

With advances in wireless communications and low power electronics there is an ever increasing need for efficient self-contained power systems. Traditional batteries are often selected for this purpose; however, there are limitations due to finite life-spans and the need to periodically recharge or replace the spent power source. One method to address this issue is the inclusion of an energy harvesting strategy that can scavenge energy from the surrounding environment and convert it into usable electrical energy. Since civil, industrial, and aerospace applications are often plagued with an overabundance of ambient vibrations, electromechanical transducers are often considered a viable choice for energy scavengers. In this study, two classes of transducer are considered: the piezoelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride and the ionically conductive ionic polymer transducer. Analytical models are formed for each material assuming axial loading and simulation results are compared with experimental results fo...
Probing the Melting Behavior of a Homogeneous Ethylene/1-Hexene Copolymer by Small-Angle Light Scattering

The melting behavior of a homogeneous ethylene/1-hexene copolymer (Mw = 70 000 g/mol; ρ = 0.90 g/cm3; 6.4 mol % hexene) is studied by the simultaneous measurement of small-angle light scattering (SALS) under cross-polarized (HV) or parallel-polarized (VV) optical alignments and transmitted light. The temperature variation of HV and VV patterns and integrated intensities during melting is consistent with the predictions of a generalized SALS model presented. The data show that HV and VV SALS can be used to determine the number of crystal populations, the melting temperature of each crystal population, and the spatial organization of crystalline aggregates. For a given crystallization condition, the final melting temperature (Tmf = 114 °C) obtained from HV and VV SALS is in good agreement with values obtained from differential scanning calorimetry and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements on thicker samples with the same thermal history. The thickness of the largest crystals that can form (lf = 1...
Thermochemical study of cesium dichromate

Abstract Calorimetric measurements of the enthalpies of reaction of Cs2CrO4 with aqueous nitric acid and of Cs2Cr2O7 with aqueous cesium hydroxide gave a mean value for the standard enthalpy of formation of cesium dichromate: ΔHfo(Cs2Cr2O7, c, 298.15 K) = −(499.79 ± 0.68) kcalth mol−1. Standard enthalpies of formation of Na2Cr2O7 and K2Cr2O7 have been recalculated from published results to be −(473.71 ± 0.92) and −(493.3 ± 0.8) kcalth mol−1, respectively, and ΔHfo(Rb2Cr2O7, c, 298.15 K) has been estimated to be −(492.0 ± 2.6) kcalth mol−1. Measurements of the enthalpy of solution of CsNO3 in HNO3(aq) suggest the need for additional studies of the enthalpy of dilution of CsNO3(aq).
The power of quantitative grammatical evolution neural networks to detect gene-gene interactions

Applying grammatical evolution to evolve neural networks (GENN) has been increasing used in genetic epidemiology to detect gene-gene or gene-environment interactions, also known as epistasis, in high dimensional data. GENN approaches have previously been shown to be highly successful in a range of simulated and real case-control studies, and has recently been applied to quantitative traits. In the current study, we evaluate the potential of an application of GENN to quantitative traits (QTGENN) to a range of simulated genetic models. We demonstrate the power of the approach, and compare this power to more traditional linear regression analysis approaches. We find that the QTGENN approach has relatively high power to detect both single-locus models as well as several completely epistatic two-locus models, and favorably compares to the regression methods.
Inhibition of human serum complement activity by diisopropylfluorophosphate and selected anticholinesterase insecticides

Abstract Activation of the human complement (C′) system, a major line of defense against infections, requires the participation of serine esterases. Since the widely used anticholinesterase insecticides inhibit serine esterases, the present study evaluated potencies of carbaryl, carbofuran, dichlorvos, and paraoxon to inhibit C′ activities of a panel of normal human sera. C′-mediated lysis of sheep red cells was measured with a modified assay (1) incorporating suboptimal concentrations of sensitizing antibody and (2) exhibiting increased sensitivity to serine esterase inhibitors. Test chemicals were added to diluted sera 2 hr prior to incorporation into C′ reaction mixtures. Potencies to inhibit C′ and serum cholinesterase (CHE) were compared to potencies of diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), a potent serine esterase inhibitor and a standard probe for C′ esterases. At 0.5 to 3.0 m m , carbaryl, carbofuran, dichlorvos, and DFP produced a dose-dependent inhibition of lysis, whereas paraoxon was not inhibitory. On a molar basis, carbaryl was three times more potent than DFP, and inhibited lysis 15–25 and 26–45% at 1.0 and 3.0 m m , respectively. Carbofuran, dichlorvos, and DFP were equipotent. Mean IC50's for inhibition of CHE (a marker for occupational exposure to organophosphates and carbamates) by DFP, paraoxon, dichlorvos, carbofuran, and carbaryl were 1.0 × 10−8, 4.1 × 10−8, 1.0 × 10−7, 3.3 × 10−6, and 1.8 × 10−5 m , respectively. Potencies of the insecticides to inhibit CHE did not predict absolute or relative potencies to inhibit serum C′ activity.
A Stochastic Optimization Model to Reduce Expected Post-Disaster Response Time Through Pre-Disaster Investment Decisions

This paper seeks to enhance network survivability under a disaster and reduce the expected post-disaster response time for transportation networks through pre-disaster investment decisions. The planning focuses on determining the links of the network to strengthen through investment under two types of uncertainties: the disaster characteristics, and the surviving network under each disaster. A bi-level stochastic optimization model is proposed for this problem, in which link investment decisions are made at the upper level to enhance the network survivability subject to a budget constraint such that the expected post-disaster response time is minimized at the lower level. A two-stage heuristic algorithm is proposed to obtain effective solutions efficiently. The numerical experiments indicate that the proposed heuristic algorithm converges to a fixed point representing a feasible solution, within an acceptable tolerance level, of the bi-level stochastic optimization model which is an effective solution under disasters of moderate severity. Parametric and sensitivity analyses reinforce the need for a holistic approach that integrates multiple relevant considerations to determine the link investment decisions.
Sugarcane recovery from spring stand losses associated with simulated insect feeding as influenced by soil-applied herbicides

Abstract The influence of stand losses of sugarcane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum spp.) shoots in the spring associated with simulated insect feeding was investigated by removing 0, 25, 50, and 75% of the emerged sugarcane shoots 2–5 cm below the soil surface in mid-March, mid-April, and mid-May in plant-cane and first-ratoon fields of sugarcane. The effects of spring stand reductions on sugar yield and its components were determined at the end of the growing season and in the subsequent ratoon crops that remained in a conventional, Louisiana 3-year crop cycle. Sugar yields were affected by a 25% removal of shoots only when the removal occurred in mid-May during the first-ratoon crop. Reductions in sugar yield ranged from 6 to 10% when 50% of the shoots were removed in mid-April or mid-May, to 8–18% when 75% of the shoots were removed. Reductions in sugar yield associated with the April and May removal dates were generally higher when shoots were removed during the first-ratoon than the plant-cane crop. Although reductions in sugar yield were obtained in the subsequent ratoon crops, reductions in cumulative sugar yields were not as great as the reductions in the affected crop. Yearly and cumulative sugar yields were higher when metribuzin was applied each spring than when fenac or terbacil was applied; however, none of these herbicides appeared to influence how quickly the cane crop recovered from shoot loss. Reductions in yearly, tennant grower profits were greater than the reductions in sugar yield following shoot loss when averaged over an 8-year, two crop cycle, payback period. Due to high planting costs, the premature destruction of the crop prior to the completion of its 3-year crop cycle was not warranted despite the significant reduction in profit.
Mortality amenable to health care in the United States: The roles of demographics and health systems performance

This article examines associations of socio-demographic and health-care indicators, and the statistic ‘mortality amenable to health care’ (amenable mortality) across the US states. There is over two-fold variation in amenable mortality, strongly associated with the percentages of state populations that are poor or black. Controlling for poverty and race with bi- and multi-variate analyses, several indicators of health system performance, such as hospital readmission rates and preventive care for diabetics, are significantly associated with amenable mortality. A significant crude association of ‘uninsurance’ and amenable mortality rates is no longer statistically significant when poverty and race are controlled. Overall, there appear to be opportunities for states to focus on specific modifiable health system performance indicators. Comparative rates of amenable mortality should be useful for estimating potential gains in population health from delivering more timely and effective care and for tracking the health outcomes of efforts to improve health system performance.
Endemic hypertension in a poor, Black rural community: Can it be controlled?

Abstract Endemic hypertension was discovered in a biosocial assessment of the Black population of Holmes County, a poor, rural community in central Mississippi. In order to find ways of treating a disease of this magnitude at the community level, a small-scale detection and control program was undertaken in the Spring of 1972 and lasted about 17 months. Despite numerous constraints (lack of full-time medical professionals and a 769 sq. mile area of coverage), working essentially outside the existing health care system (although local physicians did accept referral patients), and relying primarily on an indigenous staff, it was possible to screen over 4200 persons 5 yr and older in their homes (of which 1100 had blood pressure readings of 160 95 or greater), refer almost half of those with elevated blood pressures (over 500) to a make-shift clinic where simplified diagnostic evaluations were performed, and follow a small group of hypertensives who were put on treatment (about 100) for over 1 yr. This paper details the history of this project, the unusual circumstances under which it operated, the results of the vast quantity of epidemiological and clinical data that were collected, and its implications for initiating a full-scale community intervention program.
Is There Shareholder Expropriation in the United States? An Analysis of Publicly Traded Subsidiaries

This paper examines the relation between the performance and valuations of publicly traded subsidiaries in the United States and the ownership stake of their parent compa nies. Cross-sectional and time-series tests demonstrate that subsidiaries of parents that own a substantial minority stake exhibit negative peer-adjusted operating performance and are valued at a 23% median discount relative to peers. In contrast, majority-owned and fully divested subsidiaries show no abnormal performance or valuations. The results of our study indicate that the association between parent ownership and subsidiary performance is nonlinear and that some parents behave opportunistically toward their publicly traded subsidiaries.
The effect of hydrogen bonding on the phase behaviour of ternary polymer blends

In this paper theoretical and experimental studies of the phase behaviour of ternary polymer blends are reviewed. Particular emphasis is placed upon the effect of specific interactions (hydrogen bonds). The association model developed to predict the phase behaviour of binary hydrogen-bonded polymer blends has been extended to ternary polymer blends. Simulations have been performed to illustrate the major effects of ‘physical’ (primarily dispersion) and ‘chemical’ (hydrogen bonding) forces on phase behaviour. Theoretically predicted phase diagrams have also been compared to experimental results obtained from five hydrogen-bonded ternary polymer blend systems. Overall, the agreement is satisfactory. One general conclusion is that it will be very difficult to find ternary polymer blends that exist in a single phase over a wide composition range. Furthermore, in most cases an immiscible binary blend cannot be made homogeneous by introducing a small amount of a third polymer (‘compatibilizer’).