cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minutiae: A Formal Methodology for Accurate Protocol Fingerprinting

We study the new problem of network protocol fingerprinting, which has been recognized as both a threat to cyberspace privacy and a useful technique for intrusion detection. This paper provides the first taxonomy of fingerprint matching and discovery problems based on a formal fingerprint model call Minutiae. The FSM based Minutiae model captures more structural characteristics of a protocol implementation than the traditional trace-based representation, and therefore enables rigid analysis and more accurate fingerprinting algorithms. We first introduce our formal model and classification of fingerprinting problems; then propose solution for each category of problem illustrated with examples. For all algorithms we also present analysis of their time complexity.
On Certain Elements of Free Groups

Abstract LetFmbe a free group of finite rankm. It is proven that for everyn ≥ 2 there is a non-trivial wordwn(x1,…,xn) such that if valueswn(Un), wn(Vn) ofwn(x1,…,xn) on twon-tuplesUnandVnof elements ofFmare conjugate and non-trivial then thesen-tuples themselves are conjugate. As a corollary, one has the existence of two elements inFmwhose images uniquely determine any monomorphism ψ:Fm → Fm.
Obesity and the perianesthesia patient.

FROM Oprah to CNN to the television reality show The Biggest Loser, obesity is drawing unprecedented attention. Much of the discussion involves the health risks associated with obesity—hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnea, stroke, gastric reflux, back pain, cancer, etc. The list continues to grow. Beyond the physiological effects, focus is also on the psychological risks and ramifications associated with obesity . No one can argue that the stigma associated with obesity is real and damaging.
Full recovery following delayed neurologic signs after smoke inhalation in a dog

Objective: To report a dog experiencing full recovery after delayed neurological sequelae secondary to smoke inhalation, and to review the related literature. Case summary: A 1-year-old Australian shepherd dog was found unconscious in a house fire. Although recovery after initial therapy was reportedly complete, the dog's condition acutely worsened 4 days later and progressed to stupor and non-ambulatory tetraparesis with subsequent pneumonia. Therapy was successful, and the dog regained full neurologic function after approximately one week. New or unique information provided: Delayed neurologic sequelae may occur in dogs after smoke inhalation (and presumably carbon monoxide) injury. Neurologic recovery can be complete and sustained, even with severe central nervous system dysfunction.
Phantoms for Thermoacoustic Tomography with RF Heating

Thermoacoustic contrast under RF illumination is a function of electrical conductivity and applied electric field, as well as mechanical and thermal properties. An array of phantom objects complement our RF testbed which illuminates with a controlled E field. All rely on electrical conductivity to generate TCT contrast. Inexpensive and easily fabricated resolution phantoms are highly conductive small inclusions with similar acoustic and thermal properties as background water bath. Tissue mimicking phantoms developed for microwave imaging have acoustic and dielectric properties similar to fat and muscle. Thermal properties are measured to completely quantify expected TCT contrast for experimental corroboration.
Why is the global CNS pharmaceutical market so under-penetrated?

Abstract ‘The global CNS drug market must grow by >500% just to be comparable to the global market for cardiovascular drugs.’
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced down-regulation of glucose transporting activities in mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocyte.

The possibility that 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, while the level of its glucose uptake activity is relatively low, may offer a useful tool for studying the cause for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced “lipolytic response” was studied. It was established first, that TCDD causes reduction of glucose uptake, one of the hallmark events of the lipolytic process. Then the function of c-Src was investigated. The antisense c-src oligonucleotide decreased the inhibitory action of TCDD on glucose uptake activity in a sequence specific manner. Since antisense oligonucleotides are known to own their blocking effects to their ability to reduce translation of proteins, Western blotting analysis was performed to verify their effectiveness. As expected, the treatment of preadipocytes with antisense c-src oligonucleotide reduced c-Src in a sequence specific manner. The treatment of antisense c-src oligonucleotide alone was sufficient to diminish the inhibitory action of TCDD on glucose uptake activity in 3T3-L1 ...
Green's function derivation of the method of approximate second quantization

Abstract Plasma Alfven waves propagating in certain inhomogeneous magnetic fields suffer a strong anomalous viscous and Ohmic dissipation. The dissipation is caused by transversal velocity differences of the wave resulting from the different propagation velocities along the lines of force. The effect may be useful for heating a plasma to high temperatures and may become competitive with the gyrorelaxation effect. The predicted rapid dissipation may also be of significance in astrophysical questions. The dissipation is studied for a simple inhomogeneous magnetic field. The results, however, can be semiquantitatively extended to less simple inhomogeneous fields. It is shown that the homogeneous magnetic field belongs to a wider class of magnetic fields which do not lead to anomalous dissipation of Alfven waves. It is also shown that magnetic fields possessing this property have to satisfy a certain nonlinear partial differential equation. The anomalous dissipation is studied in the Appendix for a special model in further detail. There it is shown that the described anomalous dissipation is connected with the existence of a peculiar transversal wave which is strongly damped and which is propagating in a direction perpendicular to the lines of force.
THE AVAILABILITY OF SOLAR RADIATION BELOW 290 nm AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN PHOTOMODIFICATION OF POLYMERS

— On a percentage basis, ozone is a very minor component of the atmosphere; at STP it would make a layer only about 2 mm thick. On almost every other basis (biological, meteorological, paleontological, photochemical, etc.) it is a major component, due mainly to the tremendous reduction in solar ultraviolet flux which it causes in the 220–290 nm region. Since no data are available for Λ < 285 nm, a rational basis for estimating the flux reaching the earth's surface in this region is discussed. Variations in ozone concentration are of great importance, and it is possible to have more radiation with Λ < 270 nm fall on a surface in one extreme day than in several years of typical days. Often, persons involved in studies of polymer degradation by sunlight mention that a negligible fraction (1 ppm) of the radiant flux reaching the earth's surface is associated with wavelengths below 290 nm and infer that studies at shorter wavelengths will not be of much practical value. Such inferences are questionable for at least two reasons. (1) The quantum flux density below 290 nm is about 1016 photons cm-2 month-1, so that considerable long-term damage is possible since most of the flux will be absorbed in a layer only a few microns thick. (2) Even if solar radiation below 290 nm were completely absent, the existence of correlations between absorption peaks in the near ultraviolet and visible, and in the infrared with ionization potentials typically 6–12 eV or 200-100 nm) is evidence that we may expect studies in the ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) to provide important clues to the problem of improving the resistance of polymers to sunlight.
Weak ferromagnetism and excitonic condensates

We investigate a model of excitonic ordering (i.e., electron-hole pair condensation) appropriate for divalent hexaborides. We show that the inclusion of imperfectly nested electron-hole Fermi surfaces can lead to the formation of an undoped excitonic metal phase. In addition, we find that weak ferromagnetism with compensated moments arises as a result of gapless excitations. We study the effect of low-lying excitations on the density of states, Fermi-surface topology, and optical conductivity, and compare to available experimental data.
Creativity and Narrative in Eva Maddox Associates Design Beyond Space

This study examined aspects of creativity by interviewing a designer and a client group as they reflected on an award-winning design project and their relationship of nearly two decades. The narrative was constructed from semistructured interviews with key informants and an on-site project analysis. The case selection criteria included (1) a professionally recognized design firm and project, (2) access to multiple sources of evidence, (3) authenticity in the reporting of events, and (4) access to the project site. The interview data were transcribed and the narrative structure was constructed and analyzed. Findings showed that the delivery of traditional design services developed into a pioneering of innovative design initiatives that advanced corporate strategy. The case revealed creativity as developmental, showing a mature and concept-driven foundation. Creativity was characterized as complex, a synthesis of apparently dichotomous traits and processes. Finally, creativity also emerged as strategic, enhancing the identity and memorability of the client's product and services. Thus, a narrative approach to design research more fully captures the complexity of real-world creativity that previous methods helped establish and points toward a progressive model of interior design practice.
Abnormal image detection in endoscopy videos using a filter bank and local binary patterns

Finding mucosal abnormalities (e.g., erythema, blood, ulcer, erosion, and polyp) is one of the most essential tasks during endoscopy video review. Since these abnormalities typically appear in a small number of frames (around 5% of the total frame number), automated detection of frames with an abnormality can save [email protected]?s time significantly. In this paper, we propose a new multi-texture analysis method that effectively discerns images showing mucosal abnormalities from the ones without any abnormality since most abnormalities in endoscopy images have textures that are clearly distinguishable from normal textures using an advanced image texture analysis method. The method uses a ''texton histogram'' of an image block as features. The histogram captures the distribution of different ''textons'' representing various textures in an endoscopy image. The textons are representative response vectors of an application of a combination of Leung and Malik (LM) filter bank (i.e., a set of image filters) and a set of Local Binary Patterns on the image. Our experimental results indicate that the proposed method achieves 92% recall and 91.8% specificity on wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) images and 91% recall and 90.8% specificity on colonoscopy images.
Enabling quantitative analysis in ambient ionization mass spectrometry: internal standard coated capillary samplers

We describe a sampling method using glass capillaries for quantitative analysis of trace analytes in small volumes of complex mixtures (~1 μL) using ambient ionization mass spectrometry. The internal surface of a sampling glass capillary was coated with internal standard then used to draw liquid sample and so transfer both the analyte and internal standard in a single fixed volume onto a substrate for analysis. The internal standard was automatically mixed into the sample during this process and the volumes of the internal standard solution and sample are both fixed by the capillary volume. Precision in quantitation is insensitive to variations in length of the capillary, making the preparation of the sampling capillary simple and providing a robust sampling protocol. Significant improvements in quantitation accuracy were obtained for analysis of 1 μL samples using various ambient ionization methods.
Opioid modulation of capsaicin-evoked release of substance P from rat spinal cord in vivo.

Abstract Capsaicin has been shown to evoke the release of substance P (SP) from small diameter primary afferent fibers. Using an in vivo perfusion of the rat spinal cord, this study examined the pharmacology of opioid receptor systems which modulate the capsaicin-evoked release of SP. The addition of capsaicin (200 μM) to the perfusate raised SP-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI) from resting levels of 31±5 to 74±14 pg/ml or an increase of 139% above the baseline. Using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) the identity of the released SP-LI was determined to coelute primarily with authentic SP or the oxidized form of SP. Opioid receptor agonists were added to the perfusate and their ability to inhibit capsaicin-evoked release of SP-LI was assessed. Morphine (10–100 μM), DAGO (1–100 μM), DPLPE (10–100 μM), but not U50488H (100 μM) produced a dose-dependent reduction in the capsaicin-evoked release of SP-LI. Pretreatment with the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (1 mg/kg, IP) had no effect on the basal or capsaicin-evoked release of SP-LI. Naloxone pretreatment was able to antagonize completely the opioid-produced inhibition of capsaicin-evoked SP-LI release. These data indicate that the release of SP from primary afferent fibers can be modulated by the activation of mu or delta but not kappa opioid receptors. Further, these data support the hypothesis that spinally administered mu and delta opioid agonists may produce their antinociceptive effect through the presynaptic inhibition of neuropeptide release from small diameter primary afferent fibers.
Improved, rapid radioimmunoassay for rhodopsin.

An improved radioimmunoassay for rhodopsin has been devised using [125I]rhodopsin, antibodyto purified bovine rhodopsin and protein A-bearing Staphylococcus aureus, serving as a solid phase immunoadsorbent in place of a second antibody. The method retains the high degree of sensitivity of the previous method (Lentrichia, Plantner and Kean, 1980), while being much more rapid and economical.
Problem-Solving Variability in Cognitive Architectures

Cognitive architectures provide a promising means to model human behavior in complex systems and problem domains. The fields of social simulation and cognitive architectures can be linked more effectively if cognitive variability can be modeled in a realistic way. In particular, if individual differences in the ways humans solve problems can be captured in computational models, the dynamic patterns of change and diversity in human systems can be explored in greater depth. Kirton's Adaption-Innovation theory provides a robust foundation for the study of creativity, problem solving, and decision making based on individual differences in cognitive level (capacity) and cognitive style (preferred approach) of problem solving. This paper examines four well-known cognitive architectures (SOAR, ACT-R, CLARION, and DUAL) in light of Adaption-Innovation theory to explore if and how cognitive style and level variables are manifested within them. This analysis leads to a proposed cognitive style continuum for cognitive architectures, as well as other possible architectural mechanisms to incorporate problem-solving variability.
“Culture Wars” in the American Party System Religious and Cultural Change among Partisan Activists Since 1972

This article uses surveys of the parties' national convention delegates from 1972 to 1992 to examine the emergence of a religious cleavage between Republican and Democratic activists. The findings indicate that the religious cleavage between the two parties has grown over time, with the Republicans becoming more traditionally religious and with the Democrats growing more secular and religiously modern. This religious polarization has been associated with a growing partisan polarization on “cultural” issues such as abortion, women's rights, and homosexual rights. Finally, the article demonstrates that the impact of religious change within the parties on interparty differences on cultural issues has been even broader than a model focusing only on religious replacement would predict. Not only is religious replacement within the parties occurring, but within religious groups, Democratic activists are becoming more culturally liberal relative to Republican activists.
Newer antistaphylococcal agents.

Purpose of reviewAs antibiotic resistance in staphylococci continues to evolve, the ability to treat infections in children with confidence using first-generation cephalosporins, penicillins, and macrolides is decreasing. Knowledge of the local trends in resistance is important in making decisions o
An investigation of school-related variables as risk and protective factors associated with problematic substance use among vulnerable urban adolescents

Research has shown that early initiation of substance abuse has negative impacts on school performance and is predictive of substance abuse in adulthood. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between school-related variables and problematic substance use among adolescents in an urban setting. Adolescent participants (M age = 16.26, SD = 2.10; 65.3% male; 70.2% African-American) completed face-to-face interviews consisting of the Personal Experience Inventory (PEI) and a school-related questionnaire. Participants reported using alcohol to get drunk (44.9%), using marijuana (63.9 %) and other drugs to get high (19.8%). School-related risk and protective factors included: failed a class (61.8%), held back a grade (42.7%), sent to the principal (46.0%), family called for a conference (44.7%), suspended (39.0%), expelled (18.7%), and feeling good about school (61.3%) and teachers (66.1%). Having failed a class (AOR = 2.83), having been held back a grade (AOR = 4.68), and having been sent...
Effects of intravenous Escherichia coli dose on the pathophysiological response of colostrum-fed Jersey calves

Abstract Objectives of the present study were to characterize the dose dependency of an intravenous Escherichia coli O111:H8 challenge in colostrum-fed Jersey calves and to identify any biochemical markers indicative of septicemia. Eighteen 3-week old colostrum-fed Jersey calves were completely randomized to 1 of 6 doses of E. coli O111:H8. The challenge doses included 0, 1.5 × 105, 1.5 × 106, 1.5 × 107, 1.5 × 108, and 1.5 × 109 colony-forming units (CFU) given intravenously as a bolus in 5 mL of sterile isotonic saline. Peripheral blood samples were collected at 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h relative to the challenge for biochemical, total leukocyte count, and differential analyses. Rectal temperatures were collected via indwelling rectal temperature probes at 5-min intervals, and hourly averages calculated from 2 d prior to the challenge till 2 d after the challenge. All calves survived the 48 h observation period following the challenge. Calves given 1.5 × 108 and 1.5 × 109 CFU displayed sickness behaviors (P
An alternative strategy for bacterial ribosome synthesis: Bacillus subtilis rRNA transcription regulation

As an approach to the study of rRNA synthesis in Gram-positive bacteria, we characterized the regulation of the Bacillus subtilis rrnB and rrnO rRNA promoters. We conclude that B. subtilis and Escherichia coli use different strategies to control rRNA synthesis. In contrast to E. coli, it appears that the initiating NTP for transcription from B. subtilis rRNA promoters is GTP, promoter strength is determined primarily by the core promoter (−10/−35 region), and changes in promoter activity always correlate with changes in the intracellular GTP concentration. rRNA promoters in B. subtilis appear to be regulated by changes in the initiating NTP pools, but in some growth transitions, changes in rRNA promoter activity are also dependent on relA, which codes for ppGpp synthetase. In contrast to the situation for E. coli where ppGpp decreases rRNA promoter activity by directly inhibiting RNA polymerase, it appears that ppGpp may not inhibit B. subtilis RNA polymerase directly. Rather, increases in the ppGpp concentration might reduce the available GTP pools, thereby modulating rRNA promoter activity indirectly.
Mutations affecting tRNATrp and its charging and their effect on regulation of transcription termination at the attenuator of the tryptophan operon.

Abstract A mutant altered in the sole structural gene for tRNATrp produces sevenfold elevated levels of trp operon enzymes and messenger RNA. These increases are probably due to a reduced frequency of transcription termination at the attenuator region of the operon. A normal termination frequency is observed in this mutant, however, when conditions are imposed that should permit an increase in the extent of charging of the mutant tRNATrp. Similarly, a mutant with an altered tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase exhibits increased expression of the operon; this increase is also eliminated by conditions which should allow charging of a greater fraction of cellular tRNATrp. These observations suggest that the extent of charging of tRNATrp rather than the availability of tryptophan is the determinative factor in regulation at the attenuator. A second mutation which alters tRNATrp, but which is not in the tRNATrp structural gene, also increases expression of the operon. Conditions which should promote charging of this tRNATrp do not overcome the regulatory defect. Analyses were performed with various trpT heterozygotes in an attempt to determine whether charged or uncharged tRNATrp is the active species in the regulation of transcription termination at the attenuator. The findings obtained suggest that both species influence regulation at the attenuator.
Accurate Localization of 3D Objects from RGB-D Data Using Segmentation Hypotheses

In this paper we focus on the problem of detecting objects in 3D from RGB-D images. We propose a novel framework that explores the compatibility between segmentation hypotheses of the object in the image and the corresponding 3D map. Our framework allows to discover the optimal location of the object using a generalization of the structural latent SVM formulation in 3D as well as the definition of a new loss function defined over the 3D space in training. We evaluate our method using two existing RGB-D datasets. Extensive quantitative and qualitative experimental results show that our proposed approach outperforms state-of-the-art as methods well as a number of baseline approaches for both 3D and 2D object recognition tasks.
Chemotherapeutic and surgical strategies for germ cell tumors

Testicular cancer has become a model for a curable neoplasm. Studies of cisplatin combination chemotherapy performed by the author's group allow the following conclusions: (1) short-duration, intensive induction therapy with the most active agents in optimal dosage is more important than maintenance therapy; (2) a modest dose escalation increases toxicity without improving therapeutic efficacy; (3) it is possible to develop curative salvage therapy for refractory germ cell tumors; and (4) preclinical models predicting synergism, such as vinblastine plus bleomycin or cisplatin plus etoposide, have clinical relevance. Testicular cancer has also become a model for new drug development. Cisplatin has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for testis and ovarian cancer and VP-16 and ifosfamide for refractory germ cell tumors. The success of these studies confirms the importance of the continued search for new investigational drugs in all solid tumors.
The oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of the Black Sea

The oxygen (18O/16O) and hydrogen (D/H) isotopic ratios have been measured at eight stations in the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. Analyses revealed that the O and H isotopic characteristics of the deep water were similar [(δ18O = −1.65‰ (σ = 0.27), δD = −14.29‰ (σ = 2.19)] across the entire width. The upper oxic layer however exhibited a high degree of variability related to high rates of evaporation during the summer and probable mixing during the winter. Using an evaporation model it can be calculated that the stable O and H isotopic composition of the Black Sea are relatively insensitive to large variations in the fluxes and isotopic compositions of the inputs. Based on this model it is estimated the (δ18O of the Black Sea prior to Mediterranean influence was approximately −3.3‰ (SMOW-standard mean ocean water). The upper oxic layer could have reached an O and H isotopic composition close to the present day approximately 10 years after the initiation of Mediterranean flow into the Black Sea. Continued changes in the O and H isotopic composition of the upper layer occurred until the lower anoxic portion of the Black Sea reached a steady-state composition, approximately 1000 years after initiation of Mediterranean flow.
Enhanced magnetism in metal film sandwiches (invited)

The magnetic susceptibilities, χ, of Pd and Cr have been found to show very large enhancements in metal‐film sandwiches of Au/Pd/Au and Au/Cr/Au. The enhancement arises from a combination of two factors: a narrowing of the density of states due to the thinness (∼1.5 nm) of the Pd and Cr films, and a stretching of the lattice by the Au. Stretching has been verified for the Au/Pd/Au films. Although the low density of states for Cr should limit such an enhancement, resistivity and susceptibility data are consistent with an antiferromagnetic transition at 2.4 K. Between 3 and 10 K, the temperature dependences of χ are approximately Curie‐Weiss like for both Au/Pd/Au and Au/Cr/Au. The Au/Pd/Au and Au/Cr/Au data yield exchange enhancements of 400–28000 and ∼200, respectively. This makes Au/Pd/Au a possible candidate for p‐wave‐pairing superconductivity. Measurements seeking superconductivity at 0.010 K for Au/Pd/Au are described. No measurable χ is observed with Au/V/Au sandwiches, although surface spin fluctuations have been predicted.
Paraneoplastic Limbic Encephalitis Associated With Anti-N-methyl-D Aspartate Receptor Antibodies and an Ovarian Teratoma: A Case for Concern

Background: An association of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis (PLE) with ovarian teratomas containing neural tissue has been reported in the neurologic literature. In a small number of patients, surgical excision of the ovarian teratoma has resulted in clinical improvement in some of the affected patients. Case: Our patient is a previously healthy 14 year old girl who presented to an outside hospital with vomiting, confusion, restlessness and agitation. She began to hallucinate, talk ‘‘gibberish’’, and have choreiform movements. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin for suspected acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and empirically treated with antibiotics. She failed to respond, became comatose, was intubated and then underwent a tracheotomy for airway protection. She was then transferred to a tertiary care center for plasmapheresis. Paraneoplastic syndrome was considered and imaging studies revealed a 7.3cm X 6.8 cm complex mass in the right adnexa. Based on literature reports of an association of PLE with pelvic tumors and resolution of the neurologic symptoms in some of the patients who underwent resection of the tumors, the family consented to an exploratory laparotomy. A right salpingoophorectomy was done. The pathologic diagnosis was a mature teratoma. Central nervous system tissue, skin, respiratory tract, fat, cartilage, salivary gland, bone, and colon were identified within the tumor. The patient’s CSF was positive for antibodies to NR1/NR2 heteromers of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Unfortunately removal of the ovarian teratoma did not result in improvement of this young woman’s condition. Five months after her initial hospitalization she was placed in a long-term care facility. Comments: Mature cystic teratomas, also known as dermoid cysts, are one of the most common benign ovarian tumors in women of reproductive age. Surgical excision has long been accepted as the standard treatment for ovarian dermoid tumors, not only for definitive diagnosis, but to also prevent future complications-most commonly torsion, rupture, or the small risk of malignant transformation. While an association of ovarian teratomas with neural elements and PLE is published in the neurologic literature, there is only emerging mention of this association in the gynecologic literature. Even though this young woman had anti-NMDA receptor antibodies and neural elements in her tumor, she did not improve once the teratoma was resected. This case report serves to heighten awareness in the gynecologic community of this association.
Quantum-Cascade Lasers with One-Well Injector Operating at 1.59 THz (λ = 188.5 μm)

We report quantum-cascade lasers operating at 1.59 THz using a single quantum-well injector, which significantly reduces photon re-absorption losses in the active-region. Continuous- wave operation up to 71 K, and >0.65mW optical-power at 30 K is demonstrated.
The visualization lab: Crossroads between research and education

Abstract This paper describes how the visualization lab for advanced research computing at The University of Iowa began and developed over the past 3 years. As accomplishments from research develop new tools and gain funding, these tools and funds contribute to education in the classrooms and departmental educational labs, as well as the next research efforts. The enhanced education furthers new research, and the cycle continues. Research and education come together in the visualization lab, with the common goals of learning and disseminating information. New insights are gained, materials for publications and presentations are developed, and both educational and research needs are facilitated.
Blunted IL-6 and IL-10 response to maximal aerobic exercise in patients with traumatic brain injury.

In healthy individuals, strenuous exercise typically results in a transient increase in the inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6). This increase in IL-6 is reported to have pleiotropic effects including increased glucose uptake, increased fat oxidation, and anti-inflammatory actions. The purpose of this study was to determine if patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have a differential cytokine response to exercise compared to healthy control subjects (CON). Eight patients with a TBI and eight age- and sex-matched controls completed an exercise test to volitional exhaustion. Metabolic data were collected continuously, and blood was collected at baseline, immediately post-exercise, and every 10 min for an hour post-exercise. Serum was analyzed for IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and cortisol. Peak oxygen consumption (CON 33 ± 2 ml kg−1 min−1; TBI 29 ± 2 ml kg−1 min−1) and respiratory exchange ratio during exercise were equivalent between groups. There were no baseline differences between groups for cytokine or cortisol concentrations. Exercise did not increase IL-6 in TBI, whereas IL-6 was elevated from baseline in CON at 0, 40, and 50 min post-exercise (p < 0.05). IL-10 and cortisol increased from baseline in CON at 40 min post-exercise (p < 0.05). These data indicate that patients recovering from TBI have blunted IL-6, IL-10, and cortisol responses following a peak exercise test compared to non-TBI controls. This lack of an exercise response may represent impaired hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis function.
A combined fluorescence histochemical and electron microscopic method for studying special monoamine-containing cells (SIF cells).

This paper describes a method for locating “small intensely fluorescent” (SIF) cells on the basis of their monoamine fluorescence preparatory to study with the electron microscope. After fixation by perfusion with a formal-dehyde-glutaraldehyde mixture, the cells develop a bright yellow fluorescence easily seen when thick, unembedded slices of ganglionic tissue are examined with fluorescence optics. Once located, the same cells can then be studied electronmicroscopically following a second fixation with osmium tetroxide and Epon embedding. The resultant images are of good quality and highly reproducible. As an alternative to extensive sampling of plastic-embedded ganglia, the method has the advantage of being less time-consuming and more informative. Cells stored in fixative for months or embedded in paraffin retain their specific fluorescence. Since the particular fixative used is compatible with a variety of neurohistological and histochemical techniques, the method provides unprecedented opportunities for correlative studies employing fluorescence, light, and electron microscopy. The method can also be applied to glomus cells of the carotid and aortic bodies and to adrenal medullary cells.
Collision‐induced dissociation of ester enolate ions using fourier transform mass spectrometry

A series of ester enolates was investigated by the technique of collision-induced dissociation (CID) using a Fourier transform mass spectrometer. Two primary modes of fragmentation were observed which led to CID products characteristic of the acyl and alkoxyl moieties of the ester enolates. An investigation of the fragmentation mechanism revealed that the primary fragmentation mode appears to be a sensitive function of the structure and the proton affinities of the two possible product ions. In most cases the anion (ketenyl or alkoxide) with the lower proton affinity was observed as the threshold product, suggestive of a proton-bound dimer intermediate. Interesting secondary dissociations were observed to occur from the primary product ions, as alkoxide ions fragmented to enolate ions or other stabilized anions.
Cancer-Associated Retinopathy in a Patient with Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma

Abstract Background. Paraneoplastic phenomena, such as retinopathy, may herald an unsuspected gynecologic malignancy. Case. A 75-year-old woman presented to a neuro-ophthalmologist with abrupt onset of unilateral visual loss. A diagnosis of branch retinal artery occlusion was made and she was treated with aspirin. An echocardiogram subsequently revealed atrial dilation and she was placed on coumadin therapy. Her vision worsened and a cancer-associated retinopathy was entertained. A serum cancer-associated retinopathy antibody was detected; subsequent computed tomographies of the abdomen and pelvis revealed findings consistent with a primary ovarian carcinoma. Conclusion. Patients with unexplained ophthalmologic symptoms may harbor an underlying gynecologic cancer.
Biomedical Nanotechnology for Molecular Imaging, Profiling, and Drug Targeting

Nanometer-sized particles have novel optical, electronic, and structural properties that are not available from either individual molecules or bulk solids. When linked with tumor targeting ligands such as monoclonal antibodies, these nanoparticles can be used to target tumor antigens (biomarkers) as well as tumor vasculatures with high affinity and specificity. In the "mesoscopic" size range of 10-100 nm (diameter), nanoparticles also have more surface areas and functional groups that can be linked to multiple diagnostic (e.g., optical, radioisotopic, or magnetic) and therapeutic (e.g., anticancer) agents. In this article, we briefly discuss the use of bioconjugated nanoparticles for delivery and targeting of anticancer drugs
There are (STILL) no coercive offers

John McMillan's article raises numerous important points about the ethics of surgical castration of sex offenders.1 In this commentary, we focus solely on and argue against the claim that the offer of release from detention conditional upon surgical castration is a coercive offer that compromises the validity of the offender's consent. We take no view on the question as to whether castration for sex offenders is ethically permissible. But, we reject the claim that it is ethically permissible only if competing ethical considerations outweigh worries about coercion. For in the situation described, the proposal is not coercive at all. McMillan states that if offenders agree to castration because they fear long-term detention, then ‘it seems, intuitively, as if agreeing to be castrated under these conditions makes the decision coerced in some way.’1 He adds that if castration is ‘the only way that they will be released back into the community, the status of this decision as a genuine expression of their autonomy is questionable.’1 In defence of his claim, he uses two analogies that he borrows from Joel Feinberg. First, if a governor offers to commute a death sentence if the prisoner agrees to participate in a medical experiment, then ‘it's clear that the governor is coercing the prisoner.’1 Second, if a millionaire offers to give a woman $1 000 000 …
The option‐creating institution: a real options perspective on economic organization

This paper proposes a dynamic framework of economic organization called the option-creating institution (OCI) model. The claim is made that firm, market, and hybrid governance structures emerge from the need for flexibility in an uncertain world. Each governance structure uniquely provides strategic real options that allow capitalist-entrepreneurs, with unique risk preferences, to better organize their economic activities. The real options perspective on economic organization is developed by drawing insights from the exchange and coordination perspectives. It is proposed that this real options perspective matches practicing decision makers' intuition and that an inductive OCI model will offer a prescriptive guide. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Instructing Struggling Older Readers: A Selective Meta-Analysis of Intervention Research

This article synthesizes the experimental literature on reading interventions for upper elementary and middle school students identified with reading disabilities on norm-referenced reading measures. Ten studies (12 independent samples) yielded 70 effect sizes on norm-referenced reading measures with an aggregated mean of 0.41 (SE= .04) in favor of the experimental condition. Moderate effect sizes emerged on norm-referenced measures of word identification (M= 0.41), decoding (M= 0.43), and comprehension (M= 0.73) and low effect sizes for fluency (M=–.29). Intervention outcomes did not significantly vary as a function of the reading skills measured, type of reading instruction, and/or variations in sample characteristics. Studies yielding low and relatively moderate effect sizes shared a number of instructional components. Overall, the magnitude of the results for experimental reading intervention studies for students with reading disabilities in the middle school age range was small to moderate. Implications of the study were discussed.
EVIDENCE THAT IMMUNOGLOBULIN VH-DJ RECOMBINATION DOES NOT REQUIRE GERM LINE TRANSCRIPTION OF THE RECOMBINING VARIABLE GENE SEGMENT

The importance of V(D)J recombination for generating diversity in the immune system is well established, but the mechanisms which regulate V(D)J recombination are still poorly understood. Although transcription of unrearranged (germ line) immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor gene segments often precedes V(D)J recombination and has been implicated in its control, the actual role of germ line transcripts in V(D)J recombination is not known. We used a sensitive reverse transcription-PCR assay to study immunoglobulin VH germ line transcripts in proB lines from RAG-deficient mice. All 10 VH families analyzed were germ line transcribed, and germ line transcription was found in all of the cell lines examined, indicating that active chromatin was present in the VH region. However, not all VH families were germ line transcribed in every cell line, and there was a surprising lack of uniformity in the number and family distribution of germ line VH transcripts in individual lines. When V(D)J recombination was activated by restoration of RAG activity, recombinational activity of endogenous VH genes for which germ line transcription was observed could be compared with those of genes for which it was not observed. This analysis revealed multiple examples of endogenous VH gene segments which were rearranged in cells where their germ line transcription was not detectable prior to RAG expression. Thus, our data provide strong support for the idea that V-(D)J recombination does not require germ line transcription of the recombining variable gene segment.
Selective osteoblast overexpression of IGF-I in mice prevents low protein-induced deterioration of bone strength and material level properties

Protein deficiency is frequently observed in elderly osteoporotic patients. Undernutrition leads to decreased levels of IGF-I, an important factor in regulating bone homeostasis throughout life. IGF-I is produced in the liver and locally in the skeleton. We hypothesized that increasing IGF-I expression in the osteoblasts, the bone forming cells, would protect the skeleton from the negative effects of a low-protein diet. To test our hypothesis, we employed a mouse model in which IGF-I was overexpressed exclusively in osteoblasts and fed either a 15% (normal) or a 2.5% (low) protein isocaloric diet to the transgenic (TG) mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates for 8 weeks. Blood was collected for biochemical determinations and weight was monitored weekly. Bones were excised for microstructural analysis (μCT), as well as biomechanical and material level properties. Histomorphometric analysis was performed for bone formation parameters. A low protein diet decreased body weight, circulating IGF-I and osteocalcin levels regardless of genotype. Overexpression of IGF-I in the osteoblasts was, however, able to protect the negative effects of low protein diet on microstructure including tibia cortical thickness and volumetric density, and on bone strength. Overexpression of IGF-I in osteoblasts in these mice protected the vertebrae from the substantial negative effects of low protein on the material level properties as measured my nanoindentation. TG mice also had larger overall geometric properties than WT mice regardless of diet. This study provides evidence that while a low protein diet leads to decreased circulating IGF-I, altered microstructure and decreased bone strength, these negative effects can be prevented with IGF-I overexpression exclusively in bone cells.
Texture classification using nonlinear color quantization: Application to histopathological image analysis

In this paper, a novel color texture classification approach is introduced and applied to computer-assisted grading of follicular lymphoma from whole-slide tissue samples. The digitized tissue samples of follicular lymphoma were classified into histological grades under a statistical framework. The proposed method classifies the image either into low or high grades based on the amount of cytological components. To further discriminate the lower grades into low and mid grades, we proposed a novel color texture analysis approach. This approach modifies the gray level cooccurrence matrix method by using a nonlinear color quantization with self-organizing feature maps (SOFMs). This is particularly useful for the analysis of H&E stained pathological images whose dynamic color range is considerably limited. Experimental results on real follicular lymphoma images demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the gray level based texture analysis.
Factors that will influence oil and gas supply and demand in the 21st century

A recent report published by the National Petroleum Council (NPC) in the United States predicted a 50–60% growth in total global demand for energy by 2030. Because oil, gas, and coal will continue to be the primary energy sources during this time, the energy industry will have to continue increasing the supply of these fuels to meet this increasing demand. Achieving this goal will require the exploitation of both conventional and unconventional reservoirs of oil and gas in an environmentally acceptable manner. Such efforts will, in turn, require advancements in materials science, particularly in the development of materials that can withstand high-pressure, high-temperature, and high-stress conditions.
Effect of change in pole shape design on harmonic contents of PM synchronous motor air gap flux density waveform

This paper utilizes the wavelet packet transform to study the effects of change in the shape of the magnetic pole on the harmonic behavior of air gap flux density waveform. A surface mounted PM motor is used as an example. The original design contains 6 PM poles and 36 stator slots. The rotor and the stator winding are redesigned to have 4, 8, and 12 poles. The air gap flux density waveform is obtained from the finite element solutions. The results have been compared with different pole structure design. It has been found that there is not much difference in the harmonic content due to change in PM pole structure on the air gap flux density waveform.
The Use of Information and Communication Technologies as a Critical Success Factor for Marketing in Turkish Agri-Food Companies

Abstract In the mid to late 1980s, the rapid growth in computer networks and online services directed companies, including those in the agri-food industry, to use information and communication technologies (ICT). As a result of this progress, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) need to change to remain competitive in the rapidly changing business environment of the twenty-first century through the use of Internet and Web sites. The use of ICT as communication and marketing platforms provides agri-food SMEs considerable advantage. The main aim of this article is to examine the impact of the Internet and Web sites on the marketing of Turkish agri-food SMEs and to obtain information about the uses of ICT by these firms. This is reported by a two-stage survey undertaken by the Turkish agri-food directorate (KOBI).
Understanding Socially Responsible Investing: The Effect of Decision Frames and Trade-off Options

Over the past two decades, the phenomenon of socially responsible investing has become more widespread. However, knowledge about the individual socially responsible investor is largely limited to descriptive and comparative accounts. The question of “why do some investors practice socially responsible investing and others don’t?” is therefore still largely unanswered. To address this shortcoming in the current literature, this paper develops a model of the decision to invest socially responsibly that is grounded in the cognition literature. The hypotheses proposed in the model are tested with an experimental survey. The results indicate that the framing of the investing situation influences the likelihood of engagement in socially responsible investing and how much return the individuals are willing to sacrifice when choosing socially responsible over conventional investments. The study does not find support for a relationship between expectations about corporate social responsibility and the likelihood of engagement in socially responsible investing.
Characterization of Matrigel interfaces during defined human embryonic stem cell culture

Differences in attachment, proliferation, and differentiation were measured for human embryonic stem (hES) cells cultured on various substrata coated with Matrigeltm, a blend of extracellular matrix proteins derived from murine tumor cells. The authors observed that hES cells attach and grow poorly on Matrigel adsorbed onto polystyrene, while they proliferate when exposed to Matrigel adsorbed onto glass or oxygen plasma treated polystyrene (e.g., “tissue culture” treated polystyrene). Furthermore, hES cells grown on the Matrigel-coated tissue culture polystyrene are less likely to differentiate than those grown on the Matrigel-coated glass. To assess the mechanism for these observations, they replicated the cell culture interface in a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. In addition, they used ellipsometry and scanning electron microscopy to determine the thickness and topography of Matrigel on the varying surfaces. Matrigel formed a viscoelastic multilayer with similar thickness on al...