cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organ specificity of glucocorticoid-sensitive tyrosine aminotransferase. Separation from aspartate aminotransferase isoenzymes.

Abstract In order to study whether hormone-sensitive tyrosine aminotransferase exists in tissues other than liver, we have devised means to separate the liver-specific enzyme from other enzymes that transaminate tyrosine and to distinguish between the authentic enzyme and the principal "pseudotyrosine aminotransferases," which are the isoenzymes of aspartate aminotransferase. We accomplish this by suppressing proteolysis of the authentic enzyme using a buffer of pH 8.0 containing 0.1 M potassium chloride; enzyme extracted from liver in this buffer migrates as a single peak during chromatography on hydroxylapatite and represents the undegraded native form. A much smaller peak of tyrosine aminotransferase activity elutes at higher ionic strength and corresponds to a mixture of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase and partially degraded tyrosine aminotransferase. Cytosolic aspartate aminotransferase, in contrast, adsorbs weakly to the hydroxylapatite column and transaminates tyrosine very poorly although it readily utilizes monoiodotyrosine. The aspartate aminotransferase isoenzymes separate completely from tyrosine aminotransferase during chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B. By combining these techniques with the use of specific antibodies, we show that brain, heart, and kidney do not contain tyrosine aminotransferase. Furthermore, we locate both isoenzymes of aspartate aminotransferase on polyacrylamide gels and show that both react histochemically as tyrosine aminotransferases when monoiodotyrosine is used as substrate. Use of these techniques, therefore, permits unambiguous identification of tyrosine aminotransferase and its separation from the background of nonspecific transamination.
Splines and Linear Control Theory

In this work, the relationship between splines and the linear control theory has been analyzed. We show that spline functions can be constructed naturally from the control theory. By establishing a framework based on control theory, we provide a simple and systematic way to construct splines. We have constructed the traditional spline functions including polynomial splines and the classical exponential spline. We have also discovered some new spline functions such as the combination of polynomial, exponential and trigonometric splines. The method proposed in this paper is easy to implement. Some numerical experiments are performed to investigate properties of different spline approximations.
Reading retardation. II. Psychoeducational aspects of reading disabilities.

THE Chinese alphabet is said to have been the invention of one Ts9ang Chien, dragon-faced and four-eyed, who patterned the Chinese characters after nature: the stars he saw above him, the marks on the back of the turtle running before him, and the footprints left by birds on the ground below him. And it is said that Brahma searching for a way to write down his teachings, invented the Hindu letters by copying the patterns of the seams of the human skull. The puzzling symbolism of the written word to the ancients, whose bewilderment is conveyed by these legends, remains to confound many of us. A writing system may represent objects on ideas directly, or may, as in our alphabet system, be a transformation of spoken language and represent both sounds and ideas. No matter how representational or abstract the written symbols are, learning from experience with the signs is basic to literacy: reading is an active process involving a learned reaction to symbols or symbols of symbols. Provided an opportunity for experience with two-dimensional representations, the mastery of reading skill should proceed as one9s own writing system becomes increasingly familiar. When it does not, we are faced with a reading problem and have to look further. There are many useful conceptual templates one might choose to use in examining the clinical and research findings related to reading disability; one also confronts an impressive array of terminological offerings. The present paper uses the term "dyslexia," and regards reading disability as a major disturbance in adaptive behavior, resulting from deficient mechanisms for processing sensory information.
Plasminogen/Plasminogen Activator and Growth Factor Activation

The plasminogen/plasminogen activator system is widely used in extracellular proteolysis. In this review the involvement of this system in tumour invasion, cell migration, growth factor presentation and inhibition of angiogenesis are discussed.
Degradation in magnetoresistive sensors by short pulse zapping

In this paper, we discuss about the degradation in magnetoresistive properties by short pulse zapping has been investigated for both spin valve (SV) and tunnelling giant magnetoresistive (GMR) heads of about 80 Gb/spl bsol/in/sup 2/ areal density. Simulated ESD transients with pulse from 0.1 nsec to 10 nsec were applied to both spin valve and tunneling GMR devices, and GMR properties of the devices were measure.
Lineage specific differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells on biomimetic 3D scaffolds

Lineage specific differentiation of stem cells is the governing factor behind the success of tissue engineering approaches. Current philosophy is to use growth factors to guide the differentiation of stem cells. However, complex growth factor delivery systems, timing and dosage of growth factor delivery severely hamper the translational potential of tissue engineering approaches. We have developed a three dimensional biomimetic system that contains the intact extracellular matrix (ECM) of the target cell phenotype. These scaffolds contain all the ECM components including structural and functional proteins of a specific target cell type. Our results show that it is possible to achieve lineage specific differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells by varying their environment alone without the need for complex growth factor delivery systems. In this manuscript we have shown the differentiation of human marrow stromal cells (HMSCs) into an osteogenic (bone forming), chondrogenic (cartilage forming) and odontogenic (dentin forming) phenotype by varying only their biomimetic environment. With these scaffolds being mass-producible, we hypothesize that they have the potential for easy and early clinical translation.
Should the U.S. Allow Prescription Drugs Reimports from Canada

As a result of public outrage over lower prescription drug prices in Canada, Congress passed legislation that would allow these drugs to be imported into the United States. The lower Canadian prices reflect price regulation. Opponents of allowing these imports have argued that the U.S. will import Canadian price controls and that profits of pharmaceutical companies will be hurt. In this paper, a model is developed in which a good sold in the foreign country is subject to a negotiated price which is determined in a Nash Bargaining game. When imports back into the home country are allowed, this negotiated price also becomes the domestic price. This causes the home firm to make fewer price concession in the Nash Bargaining game. When the example of linear demand is analyzed, it is found that home firm profits are always higher when reimports are allowed.
Chains of Length 2 in Fillings of Layer Polyominoes

The symmetry of the joint distribution of the numbers of crossings and nestings of length $2$ has been observed in many combinatorial structures, including permutations, matchings, set partitions, linked partitions, and certain families of graphs. These results have been unified in the larger context of enumeration of northeast and southeast chains of length $2$ in $01$-fillings of moon polyominoes. In this paper we extend this symmetry to fillings of a more general family — layer polyominoes, which are intersection-free and row-convex, but not necessarily column-convex. Our main result is that the joint distribution of the numbers of northeast and southeast chains of length $2$ over $01$-fillings is symmetric and invariant under an arbitrary permutation of rows.
An Investigation Into Second Language Aptitude for Advanced Chinese Language Learning

ABSTRACT In this study I examine the construct of aptitude in learning Chinese as a second language (L2) to an advanced level. I test 2 hypotheses: first, that L2 aptitude comprises 4 components-working memory, rote memory, grammatical sensitivity, and phonemic coding ability-and second, that L2 aptitude affects learning both directly and indirectly (mediated by strategy use and motivation). Native speakers of English ( n = 96) studying advanced Chinese took the Modern Language Aptitude Test and a phonological working memory test and responded to motivation and strategy use questionnaires. Using end-of-course listening, reading, and speaking proficiency test results as measures of Chinese learning, I constructed a structural equation model to test the hypotheses. The model fit the observed data. Of the 4 components foreseen to comprise L2 aptitude, rote memory contributed the most and working memory the least. Aptitude, strategy use, and motivation had about the same impact on learning but varied in how well they predicted the individual skills of listening, reading, and speaking. The results shed light on L2 aptitude in the particular context of an advanced L2 Chinese course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
The American Cancer Society's Approach to Addressing the Cancer Burden in the LGBT Community.

Abstract The American Cancer Society (ACS) has embraced the achievement of equity in cancer-related health outcomes as a foundational principle. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals experience health disparities related to certain risk factors for cancer and in certain cancer outcomes. Accordingly, the ACS is defining a new program of work in partnership with the LGBT community to help understand and reduce disparities in cancer risk factors and outcomes. This article describes the cancer control program of the ACS including specific public health and research programs targeted at reducing cancer-related health disparities for the LGBT population.
Technical Human Capital Diversification, Innovation Output and Market Structure in U.S. Manufacturing Industries

This study examines the effects of a human capital-based measure of technology diversification on innovation output and market structure across 239 U.S. manufacturing industries. Technology diversification is measured using data on the occupational diversification of an industry’s engineering employment, unlike other studies that have used measures based on patent count data. Also in contrast to related studies, it incorporates a direct measure of innovation output. The study’s results suggest that, in industries with modest technological opportunity, greater technology diversification is associated with lower innovation output. Its findings also suggest that higher technology diversification may be associated with higher market power.
From battlefields to urban grids: New research challenges in ad hoc wireless networks

There has been much talk over the past two decades about commercialization of the mobile ad hoc network (MANET) technology. Potential ad hoc network applications with some commercial appeal are now finally emerging, ''drafted'' by the enormously successful wireless LAN technology. Closely coupled to commercial applications and critically dependent on commercial ad hoc networks will be the ''pervasive computing'' applications. Since military and civilian emergency MANETs have been around for over three decades, and since the Government has continuously supported MANET research for as many years, it may seem natural to assume that all the research has already been done and that commercial MANETs can be deployed by simply leveraging the military and civilian research results. Unfortunately, there is a catch. Commercial MANETs (and therefore pervasive computing applications) will evolve in a way totally different from their military counterparts. Most importantly, they will start small, and will initially be tethered to the Internet. They will be extremely cost-aware. They will also need to cater to a variety of different applications. This is in sharp contrast with the large scale, autonomous, special purpose and cost insensitive military networks. In this paper we review a typical ''battlefield'' MANET application and contrast it to two emerging commercial MANET scenarios-the urban vehicle grid and the Campus network. We compare characteristics and design goals and make the case for new research to help kick off commercial MANETs. In particular we argue that P2P technology will be critical in the early evolution of commercial MANETs and identify research directions for P2P MANETs.
The evolution of a trading zone: a case study of the turtle excluder device

Abstract This paper explores the evolution of a trading zone by organizing the case study of turtle excluder devices within the model proposed by Collins et al. (2007) . The case study offers evidence that trading zones do evolve and that the concepts of enforced and fractionated trading zones hold practical utility for describing and defining the complexities of actual exchanges. In this case a trading zone evolved from enforced to fractionated and ultimately diverged into two trading zones. For each step of the evolution I describe the forces that drove these transitions. Finally, I present an adapted trading zone model that is conceptually a better fit for the turtle excluder device case study.
Platelet adhesion to polyurethane blended with polytetramethylene oxide

The surface and blood compatibility characteristics of Pellethane polyurethane blended with 1% or 5% (w/w) polytetramethylene oxide (PTMO) were evaluated. Analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that blending of PTMO caused an increased amount of amide wax, a processing agent present in Pellethane, to be expressed on the surface of the blended films in vacuo. Dynamic contact angle measurements in water, however, showed that PTMO was preferentially expressed on the blend film surfaces in water. The two lower molecular weight species, PTMO and amide wax, were thus capable of reorienting, depending on the environmental conditions. An in vitro assay of platelet adherence and thrombosis showed that polyurethane blended with 5% PTMO had about two-thirds fewer adherent platelets compared to unblended polyurethane and that a blend containing 1% PTMO was intermediate in platelet adherence. Measurements of albumin adsorption from binary solution with fibrinogen indicated that PTMO blends did not preferentially adsorb albumin compared to unblended polyurethane.
Applying “Most Different Systems” Designs Comparing Development Policy in Alabama and Jamaica

In every polity, development policy choices often remain either implicit or largely ignored. Whereas economic growth can be measured with some precision, development policy choices continue to cons...
Gender effects on customer satisfaction with employment services

This study examined gender differences of the customer expectations and satisfaction of job seekers with employment and training services by a state government in the USA. A customer satisfaction survey was administered yielding 1,393 responses from individuals who applied for employment and training services from the New Jersey Employment Service. It was found that women generally have higher expectations regarding the importance of service delivery issues than their male counterparts. However, no differences were found between men and women reporting their actual satisfaction of the service received. This research created a baseline and further research is necessary to delve into reasons for the differences.
Anionic Polymerization Chemistry of Epoxides: Electron‐Transfer Processes

The reaction of poly(styryl)lithium (PSLi) with styrene oxide (SO) in benzene solution has been investigated. In addition to the functionalized polymer (83.5 wt %) the product mixture consisted of unfunctionalized polymer (9 wt %) and a dimeric product (5.6 wt %). The structure of the dimeric product was determined to be the head-to-head dimer. The regiochemistry of the addition reaction was unselective: 53 mol % addition to the methylene carbon and 47 mol % corresponding to addition to the hindered, methine carbon. Based on the formation of the dimer and the lack of regioselectivity, a pathway involving electron transfer from PSLi to SO was proposed. To further investigate the propensity to react via this electron-transfer mechanism, the SO functionalization of the adduct of PSLi with 1,1-diphenylethylene was investigated as well as the functionalization of PSLi with 1,1-diphenylethylene oxide.
Commentary: what is the right price in discrete choice models of health plan choice?

The paper by Marquis et al. (2007) makes a contribution to the literature on health plan choice in the nongroup market, a topic that is likely to be of continuing interest for health policy debates in the United States. However, the authors have made an error in specifying the model they estimated. The result is bias toward zero in the estimated coefficients that are crucial to calculating estimates of the elasticity of health plan choice with respect to plans' premiums and quality. This comment begins by providing some background on discrete choice models of health plan choice, a topic where I and the authors should be in agreement. Then it summarizes how the authors introduced price and quality into the model. I explain what they should have done and the bias that results from not estimating the correct model, and conclude with suggestions for future research.
Numerical and Experimental Measurements of Die Swell for a LCP and an Amorphous Polymer

It is known that liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) melts have a high elasticity which can be measured from its effect on the rheology on the cessation of shear. On the other hand, LCPs show very limited die swell after extrusion. In this paper, the results of experimental measurements of the die swell for a liquid crystalline material and polypropylene (PP), an amorphous polymer, are presented. The extrudate thickness 5 cm below the die lip is optically measured and the results are analyzed using ImageJ software. A numerical simulation of the die swell based on the capillary rheometry data and oscillatory rheometry is performed for LCP materials using ANSYS ® POLYFLOW ®. Different viscoelastic properties are used to model the LCP and optimum properties to model the die swell for the base volume flow rate are determined. Results show similarity between die swell modeling for the LCP at the base volume flow rate but increasing the die swell results in some deviation from the experimental results.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis of nanostructured titanium aluminide alloys with varying porosity

Abstract Metallic foams were synthesized by means of a self-propagating high-temperature reaction producing a highly porous solid metal alloy with customizable material properties. Nanoscale aluminum (nAl) and nanoscale titanium (nTi) particles were mixed with either nanoscale aluminum passivated with a gasifying agent such as perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (C 13 F 27 COOH) or polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) (C 2 F 4 ) n particles and pressed into pellets. These samples were then ignited with a laser producing a reaction product composed of an AlTi alloy that has a highly porous structure. Objectives of this study were to use combustion synthesis to create a functionally graded porous AlTi alloy and identify correlations between the product microstructure and parameters such as type and amount of gasifying agent present in the reactants. Photographic data allowed interpretation of the reaction propagation while characterization of the final product indicated porosity and morphology. Results from this study may have applications in biomaterial development by tailoring porosity throughout the matrix.
Prediction of leading-edge sheet cavitation inception on hydrofoils at low to moderate Reynolds number flows

The inception of leading-edge sheet cavitation on two-dimensional smooth thin hydrofoils at low to moderately high Reynolds number flows is investigated by an asymptotic approach and numerical simulations. The asymptotic theory is based on the work of Rusak (1994, “Subsonic Flow Around Leading Edge of a Thin Aerofoil With a Parabolic Nose ,” Eur. J. Appl. Mech., 5, pp. 283–311) and demonstrates that the flow about a thin hydrofoil can be described in terms of an outer region, around most of the hydrofoil chord, and an inner region, around the nose, which asymptotically match each other. The flow in the outer region is dominated by the classical thin hydrofoil theory. Scaled (magnified) coordinates and a modified (smaller) Reynolds number (ReM ) are used to correctly account for the nonlinear behavior and extreme velocity changes in the inner region, where both the near-stagnation and high suction areas occur. It results in a model (simplified) problem of a uniform flow past a semi-infinite smooth parabola with a far-field circulation governed by a parameter A that is related to the hydrofoil’s angle of attack, nose radius of curvature, and camber. The model parabola problem consists of a viscous flow that is solved numerically for various values of A and ReM to determine the minimum pressure coefficient and the cavitation number for the inception of leading-edge cavitation as function of the hydrofoil’s geometry, flow Reynolds number, and fluid thermodynamic properties. The predictions according to this approach show good agreement with results from available experimental data. This simplified approach provides a universal criterion to determine the onset of leading-edge (sheet) cavitation on hydrofoils with a parabolic nose in terms of the similarity parameters A and ReM and the effect of hydrofoil’s thickness ratio, nose radius of curvature, camber, and flow Reynolds number on the onset.
Some effects of pressure on a phenylglycosidase.

The rate of hydrolysis of a phenylglycoside by a glycosidase has been studied over the range 20° to 50° at pressures from ambient to 1000 atmospheres. Increased pressure inhibits both the rate of hydrolysis and the rate of thermal denaturation. However, when substrate is absent, thermal inactivation of the enzyme is accelerated by increased pressure. Some thermodynamic characteristics of the system are presented★
EPR detection of an electron scavenging contaminant in irradiated deoxyoligonucleotides: one-electron reduced benzoyl.

Our lab investigated damage of DNA due to ionizing radiation using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Through studies focused on one-electron-reduction of synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing only thymine and adenine, we discovered the significant presence of a contaminant in all samples. The contaminant was observed to have a reduction potential greater than that of thymine. In addition, the contaminant yielded a sharp EPR singlet when it was one-electron reduced that interfered with the distinctive doublet of one-electron reduced thymine. We determined that the contaminant contained a benzoyl group, a chemical used in to protect the amine group of adenine during oligodeoxynucleotide synthesis. Derivatives of benzoyl and 16 different oligomer sequences were prepared in a LiCl glass and studied using EPR after X-irradiating at 4K. This treatment selectively creates one-electron reduced radicals. Synthetic derivatives were used to develop an EPR benchmark of the benzoyl radical. Using this, along...
Effect of Aripiprazole, a Partial Dopamine D2 Receptor Agonist, on Increased Rate of Methamphetamine Self-Administration in Rats with Prolonged Session Duration

Aripiprazole is a dopamine (DA) D2 receptor partial agonist, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of schizophrenia. DA receptor partial agonists have been previously assessed as potential therapeutic agents for cocaine dependence. The present experiment examined the effect of aripiprazole on methamphetamine self-administration in a rodent model of an increasing drug self-administration with prolonged session duration. Wistar rats were allowed to self-administer methamphetamine (0.05 mg/kg/injection, intravenously) in either 1-h (short access: ShA rats) or 6-h sessions (long access: LgA rats). After 15 sessions, the dose–response function of methamphetamine was determined under either a progressive- or a fixed-ratio schedule. Next, the effect of aripiprazole (0.3–10 mg/kg, subcutaneuously (s.c.)) on the dose–response function was examined. LgA rats exhibited an increasing rate of methamphetamine self-administration. Responding for methamphetamine by LgA rats was higher than that of ShA rats under both schedules. Pretreatment with aripiprazole shifted the dose–response function of methamphetamine to the right in both LgA and ShA rats. However, the effect of aripiprazole was greater in LgA than ShA rats. In in vitro receptor binding assay, no change in the level of D2 DA receptors in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum was found in any group. The present data suggest increased sensitivity of the dopaminergic system to aripiprazole in LgA rats compared with ShA rats. However, mechanisms other than downregulation of D2 DA receptors in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum may be responsible for the increased sensitivity of the dopaminergic function in LgA rats.
Magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused laser interstitial thermal therapy for intracranial lesions: single-institution series.

Background Surgical treatments for deep-seated intracranial lesions have been limited by morbidities associated with resection. Real-time magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) offers a minimally invasive surgical treatment option for such lesions. Objective To review treatments and results of patients treated with LITT for intracranial lesions at Washington University School of Medicine. Methods In a review of 17 prospectively recruited LITT patients (34-78 years of age; mean, 59 years), we report demographics, treatment details, postoperative imaging characteristics, and peri- and postoperative clinical courses. Results Targets included 11 gliomas, 5 brain metastases, and 1 epilepsy focus. Lesions were lobar (n = 8), thalamic/basal ganglia (n = 5), insular (n = 3), and corpus callosum (n = 1). Mean target volume was 11.6 cm, and LITT produced 93% target ablation. Patients with superficial lesions had shorter intensive care unit stays. Ten patients experienced no perioperative morbidities. Morbidities included transient aphasia, hemiparesis, hyponatremia, deep venous thrombosis, and fatal meningitis. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed blood products within the lesion surrounded by new thin uniform rim of contrast enhancement and diffusion restriction. In conjunction with other therapies, LITT targets often showed stable or reduced local disease. Epilepsy focus LITT produced seizure freedom at 8 months. Preliminary overall median progression-free survival and survival from LITT in tumor patients were 7.6 and 10.9 months, respectively. However, this small cohort has not been followed for a sufficient length of time, necessitating future outcomes studies. Conclusion Early peri- and postoperative clinical data demonstrate that LITT is a safe and viable ablative treatment option for intracranial lesions, and may be considered for select patients.
Some pedagogic considerations in teaching elementary programming using structured FORTRAN

This paper contains a description of several aspects of a course in introductory computer programming that is taught using a few basic control structure extensions to FORTRAN. The FORTRAN syntactic forms and flow diagram patterns of these structures are defined, and some of the advantages of these forms are listed. The problem solving methods developed in the course are outlined, and the structures are shown to be consistent with these methods. Some pedagogic considerations which provide an effective environment for the presentation of these control structures are described.
Arterial compliance abnormalities in isolated systolic hypertension

Arterial compliance measurements using intraarterial pulse contour analysis and a modified Windkessel model were carried out in 19 patients with isolated systolic hypertension (> or = 160/ or = 95 mm Hg) and 47 normotensive control subjects. Arterial capacitive compliance was significantly lower in isolated systolic hypertension than in essential hypertension (P < .0002) and significantly lower in essential hypertension than in normotensive control subjects (P < .0001). Although the isolated systolic hypertension group was older than the essential hypertension group, the reduction of capacitive compliance in isolated systolic hypertension persisted even when comparison was made with a more nearly age-matched group of essential hypertension. In contrast, oscillatory compliance was reduced similarly in isolated systolic hypertension and essential hypertension compared to normotensive control subjects (P < .0001). Although pulse pressure was greater in isolated systolic hypertension than in essential hypertension, only a weak correlation (r = -0.34) existed between pulse pressure and capacitive compliance. These data indicate that both essential hypertension and isolated systolic hypertension patients exhibit comparably abnormal structure or tone of the small vessels that are the site of oscillations or reflections in the arterial vasculature. In isolated systolic hypertension there is a profound reduction in large artery or capacitive compliance that accounts for the increase in systolic BP and decrease in diastolic BP. This abnormality cannot be accurately assessed by pulse pressure alone.
Continuous extensions of functions defined on subsets of products

Abstract A subset Y of a space X is G δ - dense if it intersects every nonempty G δ -set. The G δ - closure of Y in X is the largest subspace of X in which Y is G δ -dense. The space X has a regular G δ - diagonal if the diagonal of X is the intersection of countably many regular-closed subsets of X × X . Consider now these results: (a) (N. Noble, 1972 [18] ) every G δ -dense subspace in a product of separable metric spaces is C -embedded; (b) (M. Ulmer, 1970 [22] , 1973 [23] ) every Σ -product in a product of first-countable spaces is C -embedded; (c) (R. Pol and E. Pol, 1976 [20] , also A.V. Arhangelʼskiĭ, 2000 [3] ; as corollaries of more general theorems), every dense subset of a product of completely regular, first-countable spaces is C -embedded in its G δ -closure. The present authorsʼ Theorem 3.10 concerns the continuous extension of functions defined on subsets of product spaces with the κ -box topology. Here is the case κ = ω of Theorem 3.10, which simultaneously generalizes the above-mentioned results. Theorem Let { X i : i ∈ I } be a set of T 1 -spaces, and let Y be dense in an open subspace of X I : = ∏ i ∈ I X i . If χ ( q i , X i ) ⩽ ω for every i ∈ I and every q in the G δ -closure of Y in X I , then for every regular space Z with a regular G δ -diagonal, every continuous function f : Y → Z extends continuously over the G δ -closure of Y in X I . Some examples are cited to show that the hypothesis χ ( q i , X i ) ⩽ ω cannot be replaced by the weaker hypothesis ψ ( q i , X i ) ⩽ ω .
Third Side of the Lampert Triangle: Evidence of Traps-Filled-Limit Single-Carrier Injection

Rosental and Kalda have pointed out that the full theoretical solution of the Lampert triangle in the traps-filled-limit region predicts a more gentle slope than the experimentally observed results reported by Henderson and Ashley in neutron-irradiated silicon. While this is true, the experimental results are consistent with the simple space-charge-limited model. Although Rosental and Kalda suggest that the experimental results are due to high-field or double-injection effects, further experimental data tend to confirm the original assertion of traps-filled-limit behavior.
Foreign body in lower urinary tract.

Abstract A forty-four-year-old white man had a stout rubber cable extruding 2 cm. from the external urethral meatus. He had introduced an 82-cm. rubber cable via his urethra into his bladder to assist in clearing dysuria and hematuria. Suprapubic removal of the rubber cable was accomplished, and his postoperative course was benign.
A Rose by Any Other Name: Are Family Firms Named After Their Founding Families Rewarded More for Their New Product Introductions?

The authors explore the relation between the way different family firms are named, and the shareholder value impact of these firms’ new product introductions. Using an event study of 1,294 product introduction announcements of 107 publicly listed U.S. family firms, the authors find that the presence of the founding family’s name as part of a family firm’s name acts as a valuable firm resource, increasing the abnormal stock returns surrounding the firm’s new product introductions. Superior returns to family-named firms’ new product introductions are partially mediated by these firms’ history of ethical product-related behavior: family-named firms, particularly those with corporate branding, and those wherein a founding family member holds the CEO or chairman position, are more likely to exhibit a history of avoiding such product-related controversies as product safety issues, and deceptive advertising. The authors highlight the managerial and theoretical contributions of this research.
Etch-free formation of porous silicon by high-energy ion irradiation

Abstract In this study, porous silicon was fabricated without any chemical etching by self-ion implantation of crystalline Si performed at high temperature and at high fluences. The irradiated silicon samples, which remained crystalline under high temperature ion irradiation, exhibited an increased porous fraction with increasing sample temperature at a given fluence, up to the maximum tested temperature of 650 °C. Extremely high ion fluences of at least 2 × 1018 ions/cm2 were necessary to produce significant void growth. Comparisons between the porous silicon structures and irradiation-induced porous networks in Ge, GaSb, and InSb are made, and differences in the formation conditions for these porous networks are discussed.
Linear and Nonlinear Development of the m = 0 Instability in Z-Pinch Equilibria with Axial Sheared Flows

The effect of sheared flows on the m = 0 instability development in a z-pinch is numerically investigated using a 2D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code. The behavior of both internal and free-boundary modes is studied by using two types of initial configurations: a diffuse Bennett equilibrium and a free-boundary parabolic equilibrium. It was found that sheared flows change the m = 0 development by reducing the linear growth rates, decreasing the saturation amplitude, and modifying the instability spectrum. Full stability can be obtained for supersonic plasma flows, but a larger shear is needed to obtain stabilization of free-boundary modes.
Dessler receives Fleming Medal

Alexander J. Dessler was presented with the John Adam Fleming Medal at the AGU Spring Meeting in Baltimore last May. The award recognizes original research and technical leadership in geomagnetism, atmospheric electricity, aeronomy, and related sciences. The citation was delivered by Thomas W. Hill.
Writing Can Still Be the Better Way

Criteria for situations in which writing is more effective as a communication tool compared to other media are discussed in this article. Emphasis is placed on "when" writing should be used instead of "how" to write. Survey-based guidelines are expressed in terms of administrative interrelation between people. Communication failure caused by implementation of the wrong medium is also discussed. An extended bibliography on oral communication, written communication, and the art of communication is included.
Topological susceptibility in SU(2) lattice gauge theory

Abstract We describe the results of a Monte Carlo calculation of the topological susceptibility χ t = 〈 Q 2 〉/volume in SU(2) lattice gauge theory. We find χ t = (219 ± 14 MeV) 4 , in good agreement with calculations by two other groups using different definitions of the lattice topological charge.
Twenty-one-year trend in ESRD due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in the United States

Background: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a clinicopathologic syndrome with a substantial risk for progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Recent studies of renal biopsy archives in the United States suggest that the incidence of FSGS has increased. FSGS has become the leading cause of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in the United States, with the greatest incidence rates in the black population. In the absence of a population-based estimate of FSGS incidence, we wished to obtain a population-based estimate of incident ESRD cases caused by FSGS (FSGS ESRD) and characterize temporal changes in this group. Methods: We examined the incidence of FSGS ESRD during a 21-year period (1980 to 2000) using data from the United States Renal Data System. We excluded patients who were classified as having acquired immunodeficiency syndrome nephropathy. Results: The annual incidence of FSGS ESRD has increased considerably, whether expressed as an absolute number or a fraction of the total incident ESRD population. Thus, the proportion of ESRD attributed to FSGS has increased 11-fold, from 0.2% in 1980 to 2.3% in 2000. The recent increase in incident FSGS ESRD cases likely is multifactorial in origin, with contributions from changes in renal biopsy practices, changes in disease classification, and a real increase in the incidence of FSGS disease. Black individuals have a 4-fold greater risk of FSGS ESRD than white or Asian individuals. The peak decade for FSGS ESRD incidence is 40 to 49 years among black subjects and 70 to 79 years among white and Asian individuals. Males have 1.5- to 2-fold greater risk than females. Conclusion: The incidence of FSGS ESRD has increased considerably in the United States, with black individuals at greatest risk. Idiopathic FSGS now is the most common cause of ESRD caused by primary glomerular disease in the United States in both the black and white populations.
The flavonoids of Stenosiphon (Onagraceae)

Abstract Stenosiphon linifolius is a monotypic genus of the tribe Onagreae of the Onagraceae. The species is widespread in, but restricted to, the Great Plains of the United States. Three flavonol glycosides, kaempferol 3-O-rhamnoside, quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside and myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside, were found to occur in methanolic extracts of Stenosiphon leaves. Similar compounds are found in the leaves of such related genera as Oenothera and Gaura, but in the latter genera, additional flavonols exhibiting greater substitutional variation also are found.
A Lesson Learned: Teacher's Aide or Child's Aide.

Traditional child study techniques are enhanced through a nonauthoritarian approach to behavioral assessment.
New single crystal scintillators: CsCaCl3:Eu and CsCaI3:Eu

Abstract The current work describes two new Eu 2+ -activated scintillator materials, CsCaI 3 :Eu and CsCaCl 3 :Eu. Single crystals of CsCaI 3 :Eu and CsCaCl 3 :Eu were grown from the melt via the vertical Bridgman method. Scintillation properties, including decay time, light output, X-ray excited luminescence and light output, as a function of excitation energy were measured, as were the photoluminescence emission and excitation spectra. In addition, moisture sensitivity was evaluated by measuring the moisture uptake rate and compared with those of NaI:Tl and Cs 2 LiYCl 6 :Ce reference scintillators.
Pancreatic insulin secretion in exocrine pancreatic cancer

Adenocarcinoma of the exocrine pancreas in man is associated with a high incidence of diabetes mellitus. Hyperglycemia in humans with pancreatic cancer is presumed to be caused by destruction of islets of Langerhans with a resultant impairment in pancreatic insulin secretion. This hypothesis was tested in an animal model of exocrine pancreatic cancer. Carcinoma of the pancreas was induced in male Syrian golden hamsters by weekly injection of N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine. Using an ex vivo isolated perfused pancreas preparation, the capacity of cancer-bearing pancreata to secrete insulin in response to glucose and arginine was compared to normal animals of the same age. Animals with pancreatic cancer demonstrated a normal insulin secretory response to both glucose and arginine. Thus the hypothesis that exocrine pancreatic cancer causes diabetes by directly impairing insulin release must be questioned and alternative explanations for the association of diabetes and pancreatic cancer should be sought.
The direct determination of serum chromium by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with a heated graphite atomizer

Abstract By the use of a heated graphite atomizer, serum chromium concentrations can now be measured directly by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 50-μl serum samples. Pretreatment or tedious extraction procedures of serum samples are avoided by this relatively simple, rapid, and reproducible method. Interference by other metals or salts in serum can be eliminated by this technique of selective volatilization. The coefficient of variability on a single pooled serum sample was 5.8%, and a value of 100.6% was obtained in recovery studies. When serum Cr concentrations were measured in a group of 15 healthy young adults, a mean serum concentration of 1.58 ppb (± SE of 0.08) was obtained. The results obtained can be attributed to the sensitivity of the analytical system, the reduction of possible sources of exogenous contamination, and the elimination of interference by other elements within the sample or system.
On constructing an optimal consensus clustering from multiple clusterings

Computing a suitable measure of consensus among several clusterings on the same data is an important problem that arises in several areas such as computational biology and data mining. In this paper, we formalize a set-theoretic model for computing such a similarity measure. Roughly speaking, in this model we have k >1 partitions (clusters) of the same data set each containing the same number of sets and the goal is to align the sets in each partition to minimize a similarity measure. For k=2, a polynomial-time solution was proposed by Gusfield (Information Processing Letters 82 (2002) 159-164). In this paper, we show that the problem is MAX-SNP-hard for k=3 even if each partition in each cluster contains no more than 2 elements and provide a -approximation algorithm for the problem for any k.
Bone Health in Adult Cancer Survivorship

Optimizing health outcomes, including prevention of osteoporotic fractures, is essential for promoting the well-being of the growing number of cancer survivors. Medical providers who participate in the care of cancer survivors should be aware that various cancer treatments may cause bone loss, which can increase the risk of subsequent of osteoporosis. Healthy bone remodeling is a balanced and dynamic equation between new bone formation and bone resorption. Aging, natural menopause, and cancer treatments such as surgical oophorectomy, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure, androgen deprivation therapy, and aromatase inhibitors can all promote bone loss. The WHO Fracture Assessment Tool can be used as a clinical aid to assess an individual's osteoporotic fracture risk, with or without bone mineral density measurements obtained from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Preventative strategies include adequate calcium and vitamin D supplementation and modifying risk factors such as alcohol intake, tobacco use, and lack of exercise. Bisphosphonate therapy and rank-ligand monoclonal antibody therapy are the most commonly used agents for management of bone loss resulting from cancer treatment. This review will summarize the mechanisms by which cancer treatments cause bone loss as well provide screening and treatment recommendations for the management of bone loss.
Comparative Effects of Infrared and One-Third Hot-Blade Trimming on Beak Topography, Behavior, and Growth

This research examined the effects of infrared beak treatment on layer chicks. Seventy-two layer chicks were assigned to hot-blade trimming (HB), infrared treatment (IR), or a control treatment. Day-old chicks were pair-housed by treatment. Beak photographs, behavior, and production indices were obtained at intervals for 9 wk posttreatment. All beaks were normally shaped at the onset of the study, and no perceptible treatment-related differences in shape occurred over time (P > 0.05). Posttreatment, HB birds had shorter beaks relative to the other 2 groups (P < 0.05). Control and IR beaks remained comparable in length until tissue eroded in IR beaks at 1 to 2 wk posttreatment. Thereafter, beak length increased in all treatments over time (P < 0.01). Two weeks posttreatment, beaks were longest in control birds, intermediate in HB birds (P < 0.001), and shortest in IR birds (P < 0.001). The HB birds had abnormal deviations from a normal upper-to-lower mandible length ratio than the IR or control birds (P < 0.05). Notable effects of treatment on production emerged by +2 d and persisted for 5 wk. Growth and feed intake were lower in HB and IR birds compared with control birds (P < 0.05), with IR birds performing least well until the fourth week of the study (P < 0.05). Thereafter, they performed similarly to the HB group. Feed waste was lowest in the IR group and was generally greatest in the control group (P < 0.05). There was an overall effect of trimming, irrespective of method, on behavior, particularly eating and drinking behaviors (P < 0.05). Specifically, IR birds were less active (P < 0.01) and spent less time eating (P < 0.01) and drinking (P < 0.05) than did control birds. Behavior in HB birds often ranked intermediate in duration and incidence, but was not significantly different compared with behavior measured in the control and IR groups. Effects of treatment on behavior were not present after 1 wk posttrimming. Results indicate that acute pain occurred with both trimming methods. Although the impact of trimming appeared to be greatest in the IR birds initially, these differences disappeared relatively quickly, and subsequent performance was similar in both trimmed groups.
Binding of Antimicrobial Lactoferricin Peptides to Targets in the Angiogenesis Pathway

Peptides derived from lactoferricin B (LfB25; FKCRRWQWRMKKLGAPSITCVRRAF; +8), a 25-residue cationic innate immunity peptide released from bovine lactoferrin, exhibit broad spectrum antimicrobial and anti-angiogenic properties. An increase in drug-resistant bacteria and the role of angiogenesis in promoting tumor growth make LfB peptides attractive candidates for future drug development. An important principle for the design of peptide drugs is to reduce the number of amino acids and the sequence complexity, while maintaining maximal activity and minimal toxicity. LfB25 is proposed to inhibit angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, by competing with fibroblast growth factor (FGF) for binding to negatively charged heparin sulfate proteoglycans on endothelial cell surfaces. Previously we used isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to characterize the binding of LfB25 and LfB6 (RRWQWR-NH2; +4; underlined above), the ‘antimicrobial core’ of LfB25, to heparin and sucrose octasulfate (SOS), a heparin analogue. The binding of LfB25 with SOS and heparin was found to fit a two site model, with Kd values on the order of 10−6 and 10−7; whereas the isotherms for LfB6 fit a single binding site model, with Kd values on the order of 10−6.We now report ITC binding assays for two new LfB peptides, LfB25-Ala3,20 and LfB11-Ala2,9 (KARRWQWRAKK-NH2; +7;sequence italicized above). To remove the disulfide bond, the two cysteines were replaced to give LfB25-Ala3,20. To reduce sequence length and complexity, in LfB11-Ala2,9 a cysteine and a methionine were changed to alanine, and the sequence was reduced to 11 residues. The binding of both LfB25-Ala3,20 and LfB11-Ala2,9 to SOS and heparin fit a single-site model, with Kd values on the order of 10−6, similar to those for LfB6. Results from antimicrobial and hemolytic assays will be presented.