cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Immigration Paradox: Alien Workers and Distributive Justice

The immigration of relatively unskilled workers poses a fundamental problem for liberals. While from the perspective of the economic welfare of natives, the optimal policy would be to admit these aliens as guest workers, this policy would violate liberal ideals. These ideals would treat these workers as equals, entitled to access to citizenship and to the full set of public benefits provided to citizens. If the welfare of incumbent residents determines admissions policies, however, and we anticipate the fiscal burden that the immigration of the poor would impose, then our welfare criterion would preclude the admission of relatively unskilled workers in the first place. Thus, our commitment to treat these workers as equals once admitted would cut against their admission and make them worse off than they would be if we agreed never to treat them as equals. A liberal can avoid this "immigration paradox" by adopting a cosmopolitan perspective that extends equal concern to all individuals, including prospective immigrants and other aliens, which suggests liberal immigration policies for relatively unskilled workers. I argue that liberal ideals require a global view of distributive justice and that attempts to defend more limited conceptions of distributive justice that apply only within nations are ultimately question-begging. The problem with policy prescriptions based on global justice is the failure of most citizens to adopt such a cosmopolitan perspective. As long as citizens are reluctant to bear the fiscal burdens that cosmopolitan liberalism would impose, constraints of political feasibility may imply that guest-worker programs are the best policies that cosmopolitan liberals can obtain with respect to many aliens.
Serological analysis of supernatant liquids of cultures of El Tor vibrios.

Watanabe, Y. (406th Medical General Laboratory, U.S. Army Medical Center, Japan) and O. Felsenfeld. Serological analysis of supernatant liquids of cultures of El Tor vibrios. J. Bacteriol. 85:31–36. 1963.—Supernatant liquids of cultures of El Tor vibrios were analyzed serologically by applying the Ouchterlony agar diffusion technique. There are at least three different water-soluble antigenic components: thermolabile and exotoxin-like, thermolabile-bacterial, and thermostable-bacterial. All rabbit sera containing antibody(s) against the thermolabile exotoxin-like antigen(s) neutralized the lethal and hemolytic activities of the supernatant liquids of the cultures. These antibodies behave differently when absorbed with bacterial cells. The antihemolytic activity was not absorbed, whereas the antilethal was partially absorbed. The possibility of the existence of a nonactive toxin(s), which can stimulate production of antibodies against the lethal and hemolytic principles in the rabbit, was indicated.
Ocean acoustic waveguide invariant parameter estimation using tonal noise sources

The abundance of shipping noise sources in ocean littoral zones provides a great opportunity to estimate ocean environmental parameters. The waveguide invariant parameter β, defined as the ratio of inverse group and phase velocities between modes, has been used in a variety of applications including ranging of passive sources. Previous work utilizing the waveguide invariant in passive sonar has relied on processing the time-frequency intensity striations of broadband sources. In this paper, the reception of strong tonal components from transiting commercial ships of known location (e.g., from AIS data) are used for estimating β over the source-receiver path. A maximum likelihood estimate of β is derived by relating the fading characteristics of different tonal components over range. The method is verified on simulated data using a Pekeris waveguide model.
Home and where the heart is: marriage timing and joint home purchase

This article evaluates the relationship between the timing of marriage and the purchase of a jointly owned home among Swedish cohabiting couples. Data for this analysis come from the Swedish Housing and Life Course Cohort Study (N = 1,596 couples; 2,006 cohabiting spells). The author develops models to proxy for simultaneity and intentions and test hypotheses about positive and negative and long- and short-run relationships between the two life-course events. The author uses a novel modeling approach, allowing for differences in the risk before, concurrently and after the conditioning event. Results indicate a positive relationship between marriage and joint home purchase and suggest the possibility of an ordering of events: For some couples, formalizing their union through marriage may be a prerequisite for a joint home purchase.
Segregated Pt on Pd nanotubes for enhanced oxygen reduction activity in alkaline electrolyte

Nanoscaled Pt domains were integrated with Pd nanotubes via vapor deposition to yield a highly active electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media. The surface-area-normalized ORR activity of these bi-metallic Pt-on-Pd nanotubes (PtPdNTs) was nearly 6× the corresponding carbon-supported Pt nanoparticle (Pt/C) activity at 0.9 V vs. RHE (1.5 vs. 0.24 mA cmmetal−2, respectively). Furthermore, the high specific activity of the PtPdNTs was achieved without sacrificing mass-normalized activity, which is more than twice that of Pt/C (0.333 A mgPtPdNT−1vs. 0.141 A mgPt/C−1) and also greater than that of Pd/C (0.221 A mgPd/C−1). We attribute the enhancements in specific and mass activity to modifications of the segregated Pt electronic structure and to nanoscale porosity, respectively.
Weighted universal bit allocation: optimal multiple quantization matrix coding

We introduce a two-stage bit allocation algorithm analogous to the algorithm for weighted universal vector quantization (WUVQ). The encoder uses a collection of possible bit allocations (typically in the form of a collection of quantization matrices) rather than a single bit allocation (or single quantization matrix). We describe both an encoding algorithm for achieving optimal compression using a collection of bit allocations and a technique for designing locally optimal collections of bit allocations. We demonstrate performance on a JPEG style coder using the mean squared error (MSE) distortion measure. On a sequence of medical brain scans, the algorithm achieves up to 2.5 dB improvement over a single bit allocation system, up to 5 dB improvement over a WUVQ with first- and second-stage vector dimensions equal to 16 and 4 respectively, and up to 12 dB improvement over an entropy constrained vector quantizer (ECVQ) using 4 dimensional vectors.
Actin-dependent clustering of insulin receptors in membrane microdomains.

Abstract Recent evidence suggests that, after binding insulin, insulin receptors (IR) interact with specialized, cholesterol-containing, membrane microdomains and components of the actin cytoskeleton. Using single particle tracking techniques, we examined how binding of insulin, depletion of membrane cholesterol and disruption of actin filaments affect the lateral diffusion of individual quantum dot-labeled native IR on live rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 cells. We also examined the effects of similar treatments on IR clustering and multivalent insulin binding on these cells using both photon counting histogram analysis and polarization-based fluorescence resonance energy homo-transfer imaging. Our analyses indicate that binding of insulin to IR on these cells is multivalent, involving at least two insulin molecules per IR as labeling concentrations approach 1 μM. Insulin binding also reduces lateral diffusion of IR and the size of membrane compartments accessed by IR. For IR that have not bound insulin, lateral diffusion of IR and the size of membrane compartments accessed by IR increase after disrupting actin filaments or depleting membrane cholesterol. However, clustering of insulin-occupied IR is reduced only by disrupting actin filaments or by fixing cells with paraformaldehyde prior to exposure to insulin, but not by depleting membrane cholesterol. Thus, it appears that, although restriction of IR lateral diffusion on these cells is sensitive to both actin filament dynamics and membrane cholesterol content, clustering of insulin-occupied IR primarily involves an actin-dependent mechanism.
Effect of Number of Bars and Reciprocation Speed on Residence Time of Particles on a Moving Grate

The moving grate systems of waste-to-energy (WTE) mass-burn combustion chambers are designed for providing efficient flow and mixing of the municipal solid waste (MSW) over the length of the grade. This study presents results from a numerical analysis of the effect of number of reciprocating bars and reciprocation speed on the degree of mixing and residence time of MSW particles on the grate. A particle-based bed model of MSW and a physical model of reverse-acting grate were used in order to quantify the mixing diffusion coefficient of MSW particles. We analyzed the particle mixing with different parameters: particle size (d = 6–22cm diameter), reciprocation speed of moving bars (Rr = 0–90recip./h), and number of moving bars (Nb = 0 to 16 bars). This combination of mathematical modeling and experimental work has shown that: (1) different particle sizes result in different residence times, according to the Brazil Nut Effect (BNE) (2) The number of moving bars (from 0 to 16 bars) of a reverse-acting grate has the net effect of increasing the mean residence time of small and medium sized particles, while decreasing that of large particles. (3) The bar height, h, was found to be one of the major geometric parameters influencing mixing diffusion coefficient, D, and residence time.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Long‐term protection of axotomized neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the rat following a single administration of basic fibroblast growth factor or ciliary neurotrophic factor

We have studied the long-term effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on axotomy-induced cell death in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of adult rats. LGN neurons were axotomized by a visual cortex lesion in 31 adult rats. A gelatin sponge soaked in a solution of bFGF, CNTF, or saline (control) was placed on the surface of the lesion, and the animals were allowed to survive for 1-12 weeks. Compared with controls, no major improvement was noted in the mean cross-sectional area of surviving LGN neurons in rats treated with bFGF or CNTF at any survival time. However, treatment with either factor significantly increased the number of surviving neurons at each survival time. At 1 week, the survival of LGN neurons in rats treated with bFGF or CNTF was 136% and 131% greater, respectively, than in controls. At 12 weeks, the number of surviving LGN neurons in bFGF- and CNTF-treated rats exceeded that seen in controls by 114% and 58%, respectively. Thus, a single administration of bFGF or CNTF following axotomy reduced neuronal death for long periods of time, but could not prevent atrophy. A single treatment with bFGF or CNTF, therefore, may block the full execution of a cell death program, but cannot prevent its initiation. Alternatively, the transduction pathways for maintaining cell size and preventing cell death may not be identical, and bFGF and CNTF applied as described above may be effective in activating one pathway but not the other.
Formation of ion channels in lipid bilayers by a peptide with the predicted transmembrane sequence of botulinum neurotoxin A

Synthetic peptides patterned after the predicted transmembrane sequence of botulinum toxin A were used as tools to identify an ion channel-forming motif. A peptide denoted BoTxATM, with the sequence GAVILLEFIPEIAI PVLGTFALV, forms cation-selective channels when reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers. As predicted, the self-assembled conductive oligomers express heterogeneous single-channel conductances. The most frequent openings exhibit single-channel conductance of 12 and 7 pS in 0.5 M NaCl, and 29 and 9 pS in 0.5 M KCl. In contrast, ion channels are not formed by a peptide of the same amino acid composition as BoTxATM with a scrambled sequence. Conformational energy calculations show that a bundle of four amphipathic alpha-helices is a plausible structural motif underlying the measured pore properties. These studies suggest that the identified module may play a functional role in the ion channel-forming activity of intact botulinum toxin A.
Review: Noninvasive vs invasive weaning from mechanical ventilation reduces mortality in respiratory failure

Source Citation Burns KE, Meade MO, Premji A, Adhikari NK. Noninvasive ventilation as a weaning strategy for mechanical ventilation in adults with respiratory failure: a Cochrane systematic review....
A comparative outcome study of frequent, moderate, occasional, and nonattenders of alcoholics anonymous

The purpose of this project was to identify the outcomes associated with frequent, moderate, occasional, and nonparticipation in Alcoholics Anonymous by male alcohol dependents during the first month after treatment. Informants reported nonparticipants consumed far more alcohol during a 48 week followup than moderate or occasional participants. Moderate and occasional participants were rated as abstinent more often than nonparticipants. Nonparticipants were also reported jailed more often than participants. All other consumption and quality of life comparisons between the groups were nonsignificant. Occasional and moderate AA attendance appear to be associated with better outcomes than nonattendance, but frequent participation was not associated with additional improvement.
Hypothyroidism. A frequent event after radiotherapy and after radiotherapy with chemotherapy for patients with head and neck carcinoma

Background The incidence of hypothyroidism was assessed retrospectively from a data base of 155 patients with head and neck carcinoma who were treated at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation between 1990 and 1997. Methods One hundred patients were randomized between radiotherapy (RT) (66-72 grays in single daily fractions) and RT with concurrent chemotherapy (CT) using 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin. An additional 55 patients received RT and CT without randomization. Primary site surgery was performed for tumor persistence or recurrence and included a thyroidectomy in nine patients. These nine patients, along with three patients who had hypothyroidism prior to treatment, were excluded from the analysis. At regular intervals after the completion of treatment, all patients were evaluated for the development of hypothyroidism, defined as a serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level > 5.5 microU/mL. Results With a median follow-up for 143 evaluable patients of 4.4 years (range, 1.5-9.2 years), the 5-year Kaplan-Meier projected incidence rate of hypothyroidism was 48%, and the 8-year projected incidence rate was 67%. The median time to the development of hypothyroidism was 1.4 years (range, 0.3-7.2 years). The likelihood of developing hypothyroidism could not be predicted according to age, gender, primary site, tumor or lymph node status, overall stage, RT dosage to the primary site or to the neck, or inclusion of CT in the treatment plan. Only race proved predictive, with no African-American patients developing hypothyroidism (P = 0.02). Conclusions The authors conclude that the incidence rate of hypothyroidism after patients undergo RT for head and neck carcinoma is higher than generally reported and that TSH screening after treatment appears justified.
Percentiles and markovian decision processes

In a Markovian Decision Process in which the rewards are ordinal rather than cardinal, the decision-maker may be interested in a policy attaining desirable outcomes 'sufficiently' often. Here we define such policies more precisely and point out that they can be computed by known techniques.
Closing the loop: best practices for cross-setting communication at ED discharge☆

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to develop emergency department best practice guidelines for improved communication during patient care transitions. Basic Procedures To our knowledge, there are no specific guidelines for communication at the point of transition from the emergency department to the community. In Rhode Island, we used a multistage collaborative quality improvement process to define best practices for emergency department care transitions. We reviewed the medical literature, consensus statements, and materials from national campaigns; gathered preferences from emergency medicine and primary care clinicians; and created guidelines that we vetted with emergency medicine clinicians and other key stakeholders. Main Findings Because we did not find any guidelines that globally addressed care transitions from the emergency department, we drew from studies on patient discharge instructions and extrapolated from the evidence base available for other, related settings. Our key outcome is a set of care transition best practices for emergency departments, which can be implemented to establish measurable, communitywide expectations for cross-setting clinician-to-clinician communication. They include obtaining information about patients' outpatient clinicians, sending summary clinical information to downstream clinicians, performing modified medication reconciliation, and providing patients with effective education and written discharge instructions. Principal Conclusions The best practices provide feasible standards for evaluating and improving how patients transition out of the emergency department and can provide a framework for emergency department leaders expanding their collaboration with community partners, particularly in the context of emerging payment models. They also catalyze introspection and debate about how to improve communication and accountability across the care continuum.
Treatment programme and long‐term outcome in chronic schizophrenia

Antipsychotic drug treatment is usually started during an acute episode or exacerbation of a pre-existing psychosis. Although the medication has marked therapeutic benefit for most patients, there is considerable heterogeneity in drug response. A variety of factors may influence this response, but at present we have no well-established predictors which would help targeting specific pharmacological treatments. The continuation of antipsychotic drug treatment to control persistent symptoms and to prevent further exacerbations or relapse has become a mainstay in the long-term treatment of schizophrenia. There are various considerations which come into play in deciding which patients should receive such treatment, at what dose, and for how long. Research in recent years has attempted to identify strategies to minimize the risks associated with long-term treatment (particularly tardive dyskinesia). In addition, other factors influencing long-term outcome have been better studied in combination with controlled drug treatment.
Oligomerization, secretion, and biological function of an anchor-free parainfluenza virus type 2 (PI2) fusion protein.

Abstract A number of studies indicate that the transmembrane domain, the cytoplasmic domain, or both regions of viral surface glycoproteins are involved in quaternary structure formation. In this report, the transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail coding sequence of the fusion (F) glycoprotein gene from parainfluenza type 2 virus was truncated by PCR and the resulting gene (PI2F′) was expressed in HeLa-T4 cells by using the vaccinia virus-T7 transient expression system. Pulse–chase experiments indicated that the anchor-free PI2F′ was expressed and processed into F1 and F2 subunits. Both the processed and the unprocessed anchor-free PI2F′ proteins were found to be efficiently secreted into the culture medium. Examination of the oligomeric form of the anchor-free PI2F′ by chemical cross-linking demonstrated that it assembles posttranslationally into dimers and trimers with a pattern similar to that of the wild-type PI2F protein. In an effort to better understand the biological properties of the truncated form of PI2F′, we anchored PI2F′ by a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) linkage. The GPI-anchored PI2F′ protein, when coexpressed with PI2HN, did not induce cell fusion seen as syncytium formation, but was found to initiate lipid mixing (hemifusion) as observed by transfer of R-18 rhodamine from red blood cells to the GPI-PI2F′/PI2HN cotransfected cells. The results therefore indicate that the extracellular domain of the PI2 fusion protein contains not only the structural information sufficient to direct assembly into higher oligomers, but also is competent to initiate membrane fusion, suggesting that the anchor-free PI2F′ may be useful for further structural studies.
Near rings associated with Sperner spaces

In this paper we introduce Sperner spaces with operators, denoted by TSO, and associate to each such space a near-ring. The associated near-ring provides a generalization of the kernel of an affine translation space. We obtain a characterization of those TSO for which the associated near-ring is a near-field. Special attention is given to finite TSO's with cyclic monoids of operators.
CobaltII substitution in the type 1 site of the multi-copper oxidase rhus laccase

Abstract Anaerobic dialysis of apolaccase from the Chinese laquer tree against CoCl 2 produced an absorption spectrum similar to that of the previously characterized Co II substituted stellacyanin. It includes an intense band at 305 nm, assignable to S → Co II charge transfer, and relatively strong visible absorption bands characteristic of non-tetragonal Co II . The splitting of the ligand field transitions is less than for Co II stellacyanin, suggesting a more nearly tetrahedral type 1 site coordination geometry for Co II -laccase. The type 1 Co II is more readily removed from laccase than from stellacyanin. Further experiments are needed to determine whether Co II occupies the type 2 and type 3 sites which are not expected to contribute significantly to the absorption spectrum.
Highly-strained Germanium as a gain medium for silicon-compatible lasers

Germanium-on-silicon lasers have recently been demonstrated. Our theoretical modeling shows that increasing germanium's strain to 1.1%, which we show is achievable, can reduce the threshold for net gain by over a factor of 20.
Sequence Similarity Search Using Discrete Fourier and Wavelet Transformation Techniques

In this paper, we study the problem of sequence similarity search. We incorporate vector transformations and apply DFT (Discrete Fourier Transformation) and DWT (Discrete Wavelet Transformation, Haar) dimensionality reduction techniques to reduce the search space/time of sequence similarity range queries. Our empirical results on a number of Prokaryote and Eukaryote DNA contig databases demonstrate up to 50-fold filtration ratio reduction of the search space and up to 13 times faster filtration. The proposed transformation techniques may easily be integrated as a pre-processing phase on top of current similarity search heuristics/techniques such as BLAST, PatternHunter, FastA and QUASAR to efficiently prune non-relevant sequences. We study the precision of applying dimensionality reduction techniques for faster and more efficient range query searches and discuss the imposed trade-offs.
Isolation and characterization of cytoplasmic cofilin-actin rods.

Cofilin-actin bundles (rods), which form in axons and dendrites of stressed neurons, lead to synaptic dysfunction and may mediate cognitive deficits in dementias. Rods form abundantly in the cytoplasm of non-neuronal cells in response to many treatments that induce rods in neurons. Rods in cell lysates are not stable in detergents or with added calcium. Rods induced by ATP-depletion and released from cells by mechanical lysis were first isolated from two cell lines expressing chimeric actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin fluorescent proteins by differential and equilibrium sedimentation on OptiPrep gradients and then from neuronal and non-neuronal cells expressing only endogenous proteins. Rods contain ADF/cofilin and actin in a 1:1 ratio. Isolated rods are stable in dithiothreitol, EGTA, Ca2+, and ATP. Cofilin-GFP-containing rods are stable in 500 mm NaCl, whereas rods formed from endogenous proteins are significantly less stable in high salt. Proteomic analysis of rods formed from endogenous proteins identified other potential components whose presence in rods was examined by immunofluorescence staining of cells. Only actin and ADF/cofilin are in rods during all phases of their formation; furthermore, the rapid assembly of rods in vitro from these purified proteins at physiological concentration shows that they are the only proteins necessary for rod formation. Cytoplasmic rod formation is inhibited by cytochalasin D and jasplakinolide. Time lapse imaging of rod formation shows abundant small needle-shaped rods that coalesce over time. Rod filament lengths measured by ultrastructural tomography ranged from 22 to 1480 nm. These results suggest rods form by assembly of cofilin-actin subunits, followed by self-association of ADF/cofilin-saturated F-actin.
Management of Hyperglycemia in Hospitalized Patients with Renal Insufficiency or Steroid-Induced Diabetes

Pharmacologic doses of glucocorticoids and chronic renal failure are challenging comorbidities and complications for safe and effective dosing of insulin for the management of hospitalized patients with diabetes. Glucocorticoids are used widely in hospitalized patients and will commonly provoke new-onset hyperglycemia in patients without a prior history of diabetes or will provoke severely uncontrolled hyperglycemia in patients with known diabetes. Insulin therapy is invariably necessary for the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced hyperglycemia and must be tailored to the pharmacodynamics of the glucocorticoid being given. Renal failure causes a decrease in the clearance of insulin, especially exogenous injected insulin. Dosing algorithms for hospitalized patients should be adjusted for patients with renal failure in order to minimize hypoglycemia. Many patients with type 2 diabetes will need little or no therapy after the development of end-stage renal failure. Care must be taken to avoid the overtreatment of hyperglycemia.
Recent results on sparse recovery over graphs

In this paper, we review our recent results on sparse recovery over graphs, which was motivated by network tomography problems. Our finding has made a new connection between coding theory and graph theory. We also discuss robustness of our proposed measurement construction.
Guilds, laws, and markets for manufactured merchandise in late-medieval England

Abstract The prevailing paradigm of medieval manufacturing presumes guilds monopolized markets for durable goods in late-medieval England. The sources of the monopolies are said to have been the charters of towns, charters of guilds, parliamentary statutes, and judicial precedents. This essay examines those sources, demonstrates they did not give guilds legal monopolies in the modern sense of the word, and replaces that erroneous assumption with an accurate description of the legal institutions underlying markets for manufactures in medieval England.
Analysis of Nanoparticle Agglomeration in Aqueous Suspensions via Constant-Number Monte Carlo Simulation

A constant-number direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) model was developed for the analysis of nanoparticle (NP) agglomeration in aqueous suspensions. The modeling approach, based on the "particles in a box" simulation method, considered both particle agglomeration and gravitational settling. Particle-particle agglomeration probability was determined based on the classical Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory and considerations of the collision frequency as impacted by Brownian motion. Model predictions were in reasonable agreement with respect to the particle size distribution and average agglomerate size when compared with dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements for aqueous TiO(2), CeO(2), and C(60) nanoparticle suspensions over a wide range of pH (3-10) and ionic strength (0.01-156 mM). Simulations also demonstrated, in quantitative agreement with DLS measurements, that nanoparticle agglomerate size increased both with ionic strength and as the solution pH approached the isoelectric point (IEP). The present work suggests that the DSMC modeling approach, along with future use of an extended DLVO theory, has the potential for becoming a practical environmental analysis tool for predicting the agglomeration behavior of aqueous nanoparticle suspensions.
Unilateral conjunctival AL kappa amyloidosis with trace evidence of systemic amyloidosis.

Background: Amyloidosis is a systemic disorder that results from the tissue deposition of various proteins with distinctive morphological characteristics. Conjunctival amyloidosis is a rare variant which is generally localized and not associated with systemic involvement.
Modeling population variation in Peromyscus leucopus : An exploratory analysis

Time-series analysis was applied in an exploratory analysis of density estimates for Peromyscus leucopus obtained over 9 years by weekly nest-box checks supplemented by live trapping. We developed a model that quantified the relationship between population density in a given month and density 1 month prior (1st-order autocorrelation), 12 months prior (seasonal effects), and 36 months prior (multiannual effects). The remaining variation was examined to determine the influence of stochastic variations in parameters of weather. In order of importance, predictors of density in a given month were density in the previous month (60.4% of variance explained), seasonality (6.1%), and multiannual effects (7.0%). Of the remaining 26.5% of variance, 3.4% was due to two weather factors; deviation from mean precipitation with a 5-month lag and high temperature with a 2-month lag. The population of P. leucopus was relatively resilient to abiotic effects over the 9 years. Quantitative models of this type are rare in the literature because gathering and adequately analyzing long-term ecological data is a demanding task. However, quantitative descriptions of variations in population density are essential to assessment of the relative importance of various mechanisms contributing to population regulation.
High pressure studies of the liquid crystal phase transitions in N-p-cyano-benzylidene-p-octyloxyaniline (CBOOA)

Abstract High pressure investigations in CBOOA have provided the first example of a liquid crystal phase transition in which the volume discontinuity is negative upon heating. The nematic-smetic A transition is found to be first order at all pressures.
Follow-up skeletal surveys for nonaccidental trauma: can a more limited survey be performed?

Background Studies have demonstrated the value of the follow-up skeletal survey in identifying additional fractures, clarifying indeterminate findings, and improving dating of skeletal injuries in victims of physical abuse.
Analysis of manufacturing systems by the Research Queueing Package

Many aspects of manufacturing systems can be analyzed using simulation to model the system's behavior. The Research Queueing Package (RESQ) is a tool developed to construct and solve models of systems with jobs contending for service from many resources. The capabilities of RESQ are described in order to understand the model elements which are available for representing manufacturing systems. Then an analysis of several work-in-process (WIP) policies is presented using RESQ models solved by simulation. Four WIP management policies are analyzed and compared for a future assembly manufacturing line: (1) a push system, (2) a pull system, (3) a transfer line, and (4) a closed loop system.
Caddisfly diapause aggregations facilitate benthic invertebrate colonization

Summary 1 We used natural and manipulative field experiments to examine the effects of caddisfly (Trichoptera) diapause aggregations on benthic macroinvertebrates communities in a Vermont river. 2 Natural substrates with aggregations of Neophylax and Brachycentrus (Trichoptera: Uenoidae and Brachycentridae) had higher species richness than did substrates lacking aggregations. Aggregations of caddisfly cases added to artificial substrates (bricks) also accumulated greater abundance, species density (number of species per unit area), and species richness (number of species per standard number of individuals) than did control bricks. 3 Low-density, uniformly spaced, Brachycentrus cases accumulated higher species density and species richness than did an equivalent density of clumped cases. Similarly, empty Neophylax cases accumulated higher diversity than did cases still occupied by Neophylax pupae. 4 Although natural substrates had higher species richness than artificial substrates, substrate type did not change qualitatively the effect of caddisfly aggregations on species richness. 5 We subsampled individuals randomly from aggregations and control surfaces to provide an estimate of species richness unbiased by abundance. Expected species richness was higher in aggregations than on control surfaces. These results suggest that caddisfly aggregations increase species density by altering the shape of the species–abundance distribution as well as by accumulating individuals and species passively. 6 We conclude that caddisfly diapause aggregations increase habitat complexity and facilitate colonization of other benthic species.
Studies of diffusion in random fields produced by variations in susceptibility

The effects of diffusion of nuclear spins on the echo amplitudes in a multiple echo sequence are analyzed in a medium containing random distributions of susceptibility variations. It is predicted from theory that the apparent transverse relaxation rate is directly proportional to the variance of the distribution of the magnetic field gradients in a heterogeneous region. This dependence has been confirmed by computer simulation of diffusion in a randomly varying array of gradient fields. A physical model has been developed by considering the magnetostatic superposition of the field perturbations arising from many microspherical deposits, and a relationship derived between the number density, composition and size of the particles, and the variance of the resultant gradient field distribution. The Bloch equations are solved numerically for spins diffusing in random arrangements of such particles for multiple echo sequences of RF pulses, and the rate of loss of coherent transverse magnetization due to diffusion effects is calculated. The precise dependence of the apparent T2 on the statistics of the field arrangement has been demonstrated. The relevance of these calculations to a variety of problems, including the design and behavior of superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic contrast materials, and to the effects of susceptibility variations arising from metal deposits or air-tissue interfaces in NMR imaging is discussed.
William McElroy, the McCollum–Pratt Institute,and the Transformation of Biology at Johns Hopkins, 1945–1960

In 1948, a dynamic junior member of the Johns Hopkins Biology Department, William McElroy, became the first director of the McCollum-Pratt Institute for the Investigation of Micronutrient Elements. The Institute was founded at the university to further studies into the practicalities of animal nutrition. Ultimately, however, the Institute reflected McElroy's vision that all biological problems, including nutrition, could be best investigated through basic biochemical and enzyme studies. The Institute quickly became a hub of biochemical research over the following decade, producing foundational work on metabolism and a respected series of symposia. In this paper, I argue that McElroy's biochemical vantage on biology also permeated the traditionally morphological and embryological Biology Department at Hopkins. Largely due to the activity of McElroy and the Institute, the faculty, course offerings, and research underwent a radical reorientation toward biochemistry and molecular biology in the 1950s, even while maintaining a commitment to developmental biology. While the history of postwar biology is often told as the ascendancy of the "new" biology over "traditional" biology, the case of McElroy and the McCollum-Pratt Institute affords an opportunity for historical examination of biochemical and molecular science as a lens through which all branches of biology at an institution were reconceived and unified.
Transmission in airway ganglia of ferrets: inhibition by norepinephrine.

Abstract We examined the possibility that norepinephrine inhibits transmission in parasympathetic ganglia of the ferret trachea. We impaled ganglion cells on recording microelectrodes and evoked postsynaptic action potentials by stimulating fiber tracts entering the ganglion. When norepinephrine was added to the recording bath, the action potentials were blocked. Phentolamine reversed this block. These results indicate that, by activating α-receptors, norepinephrine inhibits transmission in airway ganglia.
Permanency in kinship care: an exploration of disruption rates and factors associated with placement disruption

Abstract Relative households are regularly used as temporary foster families for abused and neglected children. However, for those children who are unable to return to their families of origin, relatives are often called on to provide permanent homes for these children. Little information is available regarding the outcomes of such relative placements. This research utilizes multiple methods and data sources on relative placements in Houston, Texas to explore disruption rates for potentially permanent kinship placements and barriers to achieving permanency with relatives. Results reveal substantial disruption rates (approximately 50%) for children placed in kinship care that do not go home to their original families. Exploratory qualititative analyses revealed that the majority of relatives reportedly wanted to keep the children permanently and did not pose a threat of continued maltreatment to them. However, several familial stressors were present which undermined the stability of these placements. Barriers to permanency include; contact with biological parents, adolescents' rejection of structured environments, special needs children, and health limitations of relatives. These findings support the view that kinship care households are valuable resources. However, they also provide new details regarding the possible unmet needs to relative caregivers that may need to be addressed to enables relatives to represent promising options for permanency.
Structural correlates of mouse IgA allotypes

A set of mouse IgAs containing amino acids differing amongst the six alpha-chain allotypes was constructed by mutating an S107-IgA plasmid and transfecting it into a non-producer myeloma cell line along with a kappa-chain plasmid. The secreted IgAs were examined for their possession of a covalent bond between alpha- and light (L)-chains and for their ability to bind to three anti-allotypic monoclonal antibodies, HIS-M2, HY-15, and HY-16. IgA of the Igh-2(a) allotype was found to be unique in its total lack of a covalent bond between alpha and L: -chains, formation of which apparently depends on the presence of an "extra" Cys in the hinges of all of the other five allotypes. The allotypic epitopes are associated with identifiable amino acids in the Calpha1 region of the molecule. Binding to HIS-M2 requires Ala 216 whereas binding to HY-15 requires Pro 216 and Asp 222. Binding to Hy-16 requires Arg 183 and either Pro 216 or Ser 216 but not Ala 216. However, binding to HY-16 by all of the IgAs produced by transfectants is impaired by defective glycosylation in the transfected myeloma and is only revealed after deglycosylation.
Molecular coupling layers formed by reactions of epoxy resins with self-assembled carboxylate monolayers grown on the native oxide of aluminium

In order to produce molecular coupling layers, epoxy resins cross-linked with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) grown on the native oxide of aluminium have been investigated. Initially, SAMs were formed by the attachment of carboxylic acids, RCO2H [R = C17H35, CH3, C6H4-3-Br, C6H4-4-OH, and C(NH2)(CH2)4NH2], to the native oxides of aluminium thin films on silicon substrates. In order to investigate the cross-linking reaction between carboxylate monolayers and an epoxide, grown monolayers of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and lysine were reacted with a mono-epoxy resin, 1,2-epoxy-3-phenoxypropane. The SAM systems have been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron dispersive X-ray analysis, and contact angle measurements. In addition to these surface materials, aluminium oxide surfaces supporting either lysine or p-hydroxybenzoic acid monolayers were reacted in pairs with a di-epoxide (the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A) to form an adhesive layer between the two surfaces. Finally, this epoxide–SAM interaction is shown to form a “molecular glue”-type interface, which has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy.
HIV-mediated B-lymphocyte activation and lymphomagenesis

Non-Hodgkin's1ulymphoma is an AIDS-defining event in a significant percent of U.S. patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Advances in anti-retroviral treatment and management of opportunistic infection have been accompanied by an increase in the incidence of these lymphomas. In the immunocompromised state of patients late in the course of HIV infection, these lymphomas represent a complication of HIV infection that is associated with an extremely poor prognosis. Currently, there is little understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV-associated lymphomas, which are nearly exclusively of B-cell origin. Experimental data do not support HIV infection in these lymphomas. While some lymphomas show evidence of EBV infection, the majority do not. Polyclonal B-cell hyperactivity during the early phases of HIV infection argues that chronic B-cell stimulation may be the major process predisposing B-cells in the HIV-infected individual to malignant transformation. The mechanism of this stimulation of normal B cells and its relationship to AIDS-associated lymphomas remain poorly understood. In this review, we will summarize current information on HIV-associated B lymphoma and then discuss our views on the association and regulation of HIV-related hyperactivity on the pathogenesis of this lymphoma.
Conversion and selectivity modifications due to mixing in unpremixed reactors

Abstract Several experimental studies have established the importance of fluid mechanics and mass transfer in modifying the course of complex chemical reactions The objective is to provide a guide to interpreting and predicting mixing effects in systems where reactant segregation occurs. Conversion and selectiv
Irradiation behavior of bonded structures: Radiation induced mixing (RIM) along interfaces

Abstract Radiation damage along interfaces of bonded structures remains an open for near-, intermediate-, and long-term fusion reactors. One possible mechanism for failure is the intermixing of atomic constituents along interfaces and its consequences. The objective of this work is to quantify the radiation induced mixing (RIM) along interfaces using the Monte Carlo simulation. Mixing layers of hundreds of angstroms thick were calculated between beryllium coating on a semi-infinite iron substrate. In an ITER environment, alterations in the thermal conductivity along the interface reached 20% of its initial value. Also, appreciable modification of the Young's modulus resulted. Thick coatings suffered more mixing. The phenomena resembled the radiation induced segregation (RIS) with its implications on issues like swelling and crack-growth rate. It is expected that thermal, as well as radiation, induced diffusion will broaded the mixing layer. A lack of diffusion data on most candidate fusion materials seriously affects the ability to predict bonded structures behavior at the relevant temperatures.
Clinical significance of in situ detection of T lymphocyte subsets and monocyte/macrophage lineages in heart allografts.

Etude de 70 biopsies fraiches de 22 cœurs greffes. Numeration des cellules infiltrantes OKT-4, OKT-8 et OKM-1. Interet de ces mesures et particulierement du rapport T4/T8 pour la detection precoce du rejet et la surveillance des effets du traitement
Gradient Theoretic Clustering: A Theoretic Model

The research discussed in this paper is a continuation of the author's previous research published in SPIE's Visual Information Processing Proceedings of 2003 [1] entitled "Improving the Performance of Content-Based Image Retrieval Systems". The SPIE article discussed a new method for clustering an image database based on level one similarity using a new technique called the "enumeration of gradient states". This technique is based on the direction of the gradient (converting the gradient into pixel moments and computing a value known as the "gradient spin excess" for determining the complexity level of an image). This complexity level was used for clustering images into similarity groupings. From this similarity grouping or clustering, level one similarity retrieval was improved by searching each cluster for the proper membership in a cluster rather than searching the whole database. This article expands the previous study with a theoretical discussion showing that complexity based clustering using gradient spin excess is directly related to the degree of randomness (entropy) of pixel moments. In addition, we propose an improved gradient states methodology by calculating the pixel moments of an image at various sub-block sizes and clustering the image database based on hierarchical clustering using level one similarity. Finally it is shown theoretically as well as experimentally that the speed of similarity retrieval is of complexity O(n), a definite improvement over the traditional color histogram (L1-norm) similarity retrieval method.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Localization and characterization of chromatin within the interphase nucleus of Amoeba proteus by means of in situ centrifugation and radioautography

Centrifugation of living Amoeba proteus labeled with 3H-thymidine permits the identification by electron microscopic radioautography of chromatin in the interphase nucleus by segregating (through centrifugation-induced stratification) the relatively dilute chromatin from the remainder of the nuclear contents. This procedure reveals that the bulk of the chromatin is in the form of a network of 800 to 900 A fibrils that are moved by centrifugation to a region just centripetal to the rapidly sedimenting nucleoli. — There is a surprising absence of 3H-thymidine labeling associated with the numerous A. proteus nucleoli, raising the possibility that in this organism the genes specifying ribosomal RNA are non-nucleolar. 3H-thymidine label also is absent from nuclear helixes, membranes, and all other recognizable nuclear regions.