cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Consequences of Rural Industrialization in Terms of Income Distribution

Previous research by Kuehn, Agricultural Economics Report No. 225, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, and others investigated the extent to which manufacturing growth benefited the poor in selected areas. A study in Wisconsin examined the effects of multicounty regional economic growth on a sample of rural and rural poor families. Both studies indicated some alleviation of poverty with industrialization. However, these studies did not indicate whether the impact is dependent upon the type of industry that is expanding. Research considered in this report goes one step further to examine the income-distribution consequences of alternative types of industrialization in rural areas. Three basic industries of the Ozark region--manufacturing, mining, and recreation--were chosen for this study; thru counties in each industry were selected. Two types of comparisons are made. First, the study counties were compared with their adjoining counties to determine if their more-rapid rates of employment growth were reflected in a greater income-distribution impact. Second, each industry group of counties was compared with each of the other two groups of counties where the type of employment growth was of a different nature. Among the conclusions, (1) no verdict was rendered in favor of any particular industry, and (2) all counties experienced changesmore » in income distribution, but the measures differed according to the type of shift taking place.« less
Translating PI observing proposals into ALMA observing scripts

The ALMA telescope is a complex 66-antenna array working in the specialized domain of mm- and sub-mm aperture synthesis imaging. To make ALMA accessible to technically inexperienced but scientifically expert users, the ALMA Observing Tool (OT) has been developed. Using the OT, scientifically oriented user input is formatted as observing proposals that are packaged for peer-review and assessment of technical feasibility. If accepted, the proposal’s scientifically oriented inputs are translated by the OT into scheduling blocks, which function as input to observing scripts for the telescope’s online control system. Here I describe the processes and practices by which this translation from PI scientific goals to online control input and schedule block execution actually occurs.
Urokinase Plasminogen Activator/Urokinase-specific Surface Receptor Expression and Matrix Invasion by Breast Cancer Cells Requires Constitutive p38α Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Activity

Overexpression of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) has been well documented in a wide variety of tumor cells. In breast cancer, expression of uPA/uPAR is essential for tumor cell invasion and metastasis. However, the mechanism responsible for uPA/uPAR expression in cancer cells remains unclear. In the studies reported here, we show that endogenous p38 MAPK activity correlates well with breast carcinoma cell invasiveness. Treatment of highly invasive BT549 cells with a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 diminished both uPA/uPAR mRNA and protein expression and abrogated the ability of these cells to invade matrigel, suggesting that p38 MAPK signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of uPA/uPAR expression and breast cancer cell invasion. We also demonstrated that SB203580-induced reduction in uPA/uPAR mRNA expression resulted from the de- stabilization of uPA and uPAR mRNA. Finally, by selectively inhibiting p38alpha or p38beta MAPK isoforms, we demonstrate that p38alpha, rather than p38beta, MAPK activity is essential for uPA/uPAR expression. These studies suggest that p38alpha MAPK signaling pathway is important for the maintenance of breast cancer invasive phenotype by promoting the stabilities of uPA and uPAR mRNA.
Designing Effective Learning Systems for Management Education: Student Roles, Requisite Variety, and Practicing What We Teach

Process design principles from organization science offer insights for constructing learning systems that produce consistent, high-quality management education. We incorporated key process design c...
Flowfield-dependent mixed explicit-implicit (FDMEI) methods for high and low speed and compressible and incompressible flows

Abstract Despite significant achievements in computational fluid dynamics, there still remain many fluid flow phenomena not well understood. For example, the prediction of temperature distributions is inaccurate when temperature gradients are high, particularly in shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions close to the wall. Complexities of fluid flow phenomena include transition to turbulence, relaminarization, separated flows, transition between viscous and inviscid, incompressible and compressible flows, among others, in all speed regimes. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new approach, called the Flowfield-Dependent Mixed Explicit-Implicit (FDMEI) method, in an attempt to resolve these difficult issues in CFD. In this process, a total of six implicitness parameters characteristic of the current flowfield are introduced. They are calculated from the current flowfield or changes of Mach numbers, Reynolds numbers, Peclet numbers, and Damkohler numbers (if reacting) at each nodal point and time step. This implies that every nodal point or element is provided with different or unique numerical scheme according to their current flowfield situations, whether compressible, incompressible, viscous, inviscid, laminar, turbulent, reacting, or nonreacting. In this procedure, discontinuities or fluctuations of all variables between adjacent nodal points are determined accurately. If these implicitness parameters are fixed to certain numbers instead of being calculated from the flowfield information, then practically all currently available schemes of finite differences or finite elements arise as special cases. Some benchmark problems to be presented in this paper will show the validity, accuracy, and efficiency of the proposed methodology.
Establishment of a human B cell line that proliferates in response to B cell growth factor

A human B cell line which shows a marked dose dependence on B cell growth factor (BCGF) when cultured in less than or equal to 2% serum has been established. Human B lymphocytes were obtained from peripheral blood of normal donors and cultured in the presence of anti-IgM (mu chain specific) and BCGF. Frequent refeedings with fresh medium containing BCGF and anti-IgM led to the establishment of a long term cultured human B cell line, HAB-40. Phenotyping of HAB-40 revealed that the cell population consisted predominantly of IgM-bearing (72%) and B1 (100%) positive cells. This B cell line consistently secreted IgM and IgG when co-cultured in the presence of PMA, anti-IgM and beta or gamma interferon (IFN). Also, it was Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) positive (100%). HAB-40 cells have been successfully maintained in the presence of BCGF without anti-IgM for over a year. Removal of BCGF led to the rapid loss of viable cells in cultures containing less than 2% serum. HAB-40 cells in microassays exhibited a marked dose-dependent incorporation of [3H]thymidine in response to BCGF in the absence of any exogenous stimulants such as anti-IgM or Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC). Recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) failed to augment the [3H]thymidine uptake by these B cells despite the low density expression of Tac antigen (IL-2 receptor) on their cell surface, or even when the cells were stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) to express higher density of Tac antigen (48%). HAB-40 cells could be maintained in BCGF which was partially purified to deplete it of other contaminating proteins. None of the seven well established EBNA-positive human B cell lines nor two chronic B lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cell lines that were tested showed BCGF dependence. The same BCGF-active chromatographic fractions that were active on HAB-40 cells also stimulated BCL1 and normal human B cells stimulated with anti-IgM. In the presence of less than or equal to 2% serum proteins this cell line provides a simple, reproducible assay for BCGF even in the presence of contaminant IL-2.
Why Scientific Details Are Important When Novel Technologies Encounter Law, Politics, and Ethics

Lost at times in the heat of debate about stem cell research, or any controversial advanced technology, is the need for precision in debate and discussion. The details matter a great deal, ranging from the need to use words that have precise definitions, to accurately quote colleagues and adversaries, and to cite scientific and medical results in a way that reflects the quality, rigor, and reliability of the work at issue. Regrettably, considerable inaccuracy has found its way into the debates about stem cells, on all sides, with consequent fogging of the issues. A key detail that is often overlooked in the debates about the uses of human embryonic stem cells in research comes from the nature of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment for infertility. Specifically, there are many frozen human embryos (more precisely called blastocysts) that are in excess of reproductive needs of the couple who generated them, and that must be either frozen indefinitely, donated to another couple, or destroyed.
Morphologic variations of clinically normal mallei and incudes.

Objectives:Various features and shapes of malleus and incus are reported. Partially or unaddressed are their bilateral symmetry, correlation with otitis media, and concordance of features and shapes. Such information may contribute to the understanding of malleus and incus ontogeny and the installation and function of implantable middle ear devices. We sought to address the following hypotheses: (1) a cranium’s malleus and incus have bilateral symmetry, with respect to their features and shapes; (2) features and shapes of malleus and incus are unrelated to the mastoid size indicator of childhood otitis media; and (3) an ear’s malleus and incus have concordant features and shapes (ie, the presence or absence of a feature or shape of a malleus or incus is associated with the presence or absence of another feature or shape in that ear’s malleus or incus).Methods:Postmortem material-analysis prevalence study of 41 adult crania without clinical otitis media. Mastoid sizes were assessed radiographically.Results...
Does Paying Referees Expedite Reviews?: Results of a Natural Experiment

A natural experiment in an economics field journal afforded time-series observations on payments to referees for on-time reviews. The natural experiment yielded 15 months’ worth of data with no payments and about two subsequent years of data with payments. Using refereeand manuscript-specific measures as covariates, hazard models were used to gauge the effects of payments on individual referee’s review times. All models indicate statistically significant reductions in review times owing to referee payments. Reductions in review times translate into significant reductions in first-response time (FRT). Median FRT was reduced from 90 to 70 days, a 22% reduction in the presence of payments. With payments, only 1% of the FRTs exceeded six months; without payments, 16% of the FRTs exceeded six months.
Results of Silicone Oil Removal in Patients With Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Related Retinal Detachments

Purpose To evaluate the percentage and risk indicators leading to retinal redetachment in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) patients with CMV (cytomegalovirus) retinitis related retinal detachments that were repaired with silicone oil, and then subsequently underwent oil removal. Design Retrospective, noncomparative interventional case series. Methods The study cohort consisted of a series of 15 eyes in 14 patients with HIV and CMV retinitis with a retinal detachment (RD) repaired with silicone oil at a single center and followed from the time of the CMV retinitis diagnosis through the time of silicone oil removal. Patient- and eye-specific data regarding demographic and clinical characteristics were collected retrospectively and statistical analyses were performed to compare differences between the eyes that had retinal detachments versus the eyes that remained attached following removal of silicone oil. Results Eight eyes (53%) redetached after a median of 4.0 months following oil removal. Cataract surgery performed at the time of oil removal was a statistically significant risk factor for redetachment ( P = .01). There was a trend for lower CD4 levels to be associated with a higher risk of retinal redetachment. The use of a scleral buckle at the time of surgery (initial RD repair or at the time of oil removal) did not reduce the risk of redetachment. Conclusions Approximately half of the eyes with CMV related retinal detachment may safely undergo oil removal. The risk factor for redetachment was simultaneous cataract extraction at the time of silicone oil removal. There was also a trend for lower CD4 levels to be associated with a higher risk of retinal redetachment.
"Who gets in?" Recruitment and screening processes of outpatient substance abuse trials.

A brief telephone-screening interview was conducted with 1759 callers seeking treatment for substance abuse at the Treatment Research Clinic (TRC) over a 16-month period. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of various recruitment methods in attracting eligible participants and to identify screening variables that characterized eligible and ineligible callers. Callers referred by friends and family were more likely to be eligible than callers from other referral sources. Callers seeking treatment for cocaine abuse who reported more severe alcohol/substance problems were more likely to be eligible for treatment protocols, while those with severe problems in other psychosocial areas (legal, medical, and psychiatric) were more often excluded. Alcohol- and nicotine-dependent callers reporting severe alcohol problems were more likely to be eligible but otherwise were not different from callers who were ineligible. The effectiveness of recruitment methods may not be the same for different types of substance use disorders. This study underscores the importance of having a sensitive screening assessment for recruiting a homogenous yet representative sample for outpatient substance abuse clinical trials.
Rural infrastructure, transactions costs and market participation in Kenya

Abstract We develop a conceptual framework for quantifying fixed transactions costs facing semisubsistence households. Using household survey data from a sample of 324 Kenyan maize farmers, we jointly estimate household supply and demand schedules and transactions costs. Econometric results indicate that on average the ad valorem tax equivalent of fixed transactions costs for households in our sample is 15%. Additional analysis indicates that economic isolation is positively associated with the size of transactions costs. To the best of our knowledge, ours are the first empirical estimates of the magnitude of fixed transactions costs for agricultural households in developing countries.
Ankyrin-G promotes cyclic nucleotide-gated channel transport to rod photoreceptor sensory cilia.

Cyclic nucleotide–gated (CNG) channels localize exclusively to the plasma membrane of photosensitive outer segments of rod photoreceptors where they generate the electrical response to light. Here, we report the finding that targeting of CNG channels to the rod outer segment required their interaction with ankyrin-G. Ankyrin-G localized exclusively to rod outer segments, coimmunoprecipitated with the CNG channel, and bound to the C-terminal domain of the channel β1 subunit. Ankyrin-G depletion in neonatal mouse retinas markedly reduced CNG channel expression. Transgenic expression of CNG channel β-subunit mutants in Xenopus rods showed that ankyrin-G binding was necessary and sufficient for targeting of the β1 subunit to outer segments. Thus, ankyrin-G is required for transport of CNG channels to the plasma membrane of rod outer segments.
Historical editions in the States

A late 1990 survey found that most historical editors in the United States continue to use the computer primarily as a word processing tool to prepare texts and editorial apparatus. Among older projects, a migration from mainframe or mini-computers to PCs has been the norm. New developments in the field include the “Founding Fathers” CD-ROM project, the impending release of Version 2.0 of NLCindex, and a strong interest in the Text Encoding Initiative.
Return to unsaturated response of polymeric scintillators excited by relativistic heavy ions

Abstract From the response of two scintillators to relativistic 20 Ne ions obtained at the Lawrence Berkeley Bevalac, to cosmic-ray iron ions, and to atmospheric muons, it is shown that plastic scintillators provide a very nearly linear response in d E /dx at high charge and relativistic energies, i.e., scintillators become “unsaturated” in this regime. Scintillators operated in this regime are found to be “halo” detectors, sensitive almost solely to delta rays with energies above 1.5 keV. A simple algebraic expression 13 ) is given which permits rapid calculation of scintillator response.
Training in paediatric trauma: the problem of safer societies.

Trauma remains the most common cause of child death worldwide but the incidence of major trauma is declining in many developed countries: this has implications for training. A survey of pediatric surgeons and pediatric surgical trainees was undertaken to evaluate perceptions of the relative importance of various forms of trauma training. A questionnaire was emailed to Australasian paediatric surgeons and trainees to determine trauma courses they had undertaken, operative and non-operative pediatric trauma experience and attitudes towards trauma training. The overall response rate was 49% (40 of 83 consultants and 11 of 22 trainees). The Early Management of Severe Trauma course had been undertaken by 82% of consultants and all trainees. The Definitive Surgical Trauma Care course had been undertaken by 22% of consultants and one trainee. The number of trauma laparotomies carried out in the previous year was in the one to five range for 71% of responders. Greater emphasis was placed on the value of adult trauma experience by consultants who had a general surgical fellowship. In societies where major trauma in children is relatively rare (fortunately) and the opportunities for training are limited, it is important to ensure that advanced trainees in paediatric surgery gain sufficient skills from a variety of sources to enable them to treat competently the severely injured child with multiple injuries. Language: en
Carbon‐13 delta shifts and steric interactions in N‐aryl‐1‐isoindolinones and Isoindoline‐1,3‐diones

Consistently deshielding 13C δ shifts resulting from the presence of aryl ortho substituents have been measured for the 3-methylene carbon atoms of some N-aryl-1-isoindolinones (0.12-3.25 ppm) and for the carbonyl carbon atoms of these compounds and corresponding N-arylisoindoline-1,3-diones (0.04-1.47 ppm). Low-temperature (−75 and −150 °C) 1H NMR studies indicate that steric barriers to internal rotation about the aryl CN bonds in the N-aryl-1-isoindolinones are low. The compounds with the bulkiest aryl ortho substituents tend to show the largest δ shifts (particularly for the 3-methylene carbons). No consistent correlation with the size of aryl ortho-substituents or their expected electronic properties is evident.
Summary from the Academy's Seventh State -of -the -Science Conference on Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses for Ambulation

article summarizes the results from deliberations by an international multidisciplinary group of experts convened by the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists to review the State-of-the-Science regarding use of custom-made knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs) to assist in ambulation. Based on a comprehensive review of peer-reviewed literature from the past decade, only four articles on this topic were identified as controlled trials, with only three investigating the use of KAFOs by clinical populations. The participants concluded that there is currently no substantive evidence at the highest level of scientific certainty regarding the use of KAFOs and hip-knee-ankle-foot orthoses (HKAFOs) for ambulation, but there are a number of core assumptions supported by expert opinion and peer-reviewed publications that can be considered clinical hypotheses about these orthoses. These rehabilitation beliefs can and should be tested in future research applications. Six primary research priorities and associated implications were identified. The panelists concluded that scientific research into these questions would significantly advance our understanding about the optimal application of KAFOs and HKAFOs to assist in ambulation. This State-of-the-Science Conference was convened to examine the body of peer-reviewed evidence related to the use of knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs) to assist in ambulation. The goal was to establish what is known, what is believed to be true, and what needs to be known to optimize the application of these orthoses. Evidence reviewed was based on both unilateral and bilateral KAFOs, including those incorporated into more extensive lower limb orthoses such as hip-knee-ankle-foot orthoses (HKAFOs) and the various reciprocating gait orthoses (RGOs). Prefabricated items intended to be worn for less than one year were excluded from this review, as were orthoses not used primarily to enhance ambulation, such as fracture braces and postoperative immobilization devices.
Wireless Communications" (Molisch, A.; 2011) [Book review]

In the last two decades, wireless communications has become a vast field of application and research consisting of subdomains, such as cellular networks, satellite networks, wireless mesh networks, cognitive radio networks, and wireless ad hoc and sensor networks. The common theme for all these networks is the shared wireless medium; however, they differ on a host of other aspects, such as coding techniques, antenna design, and protocols.
Henri Poincaré, Marcel Duchamp and Innovation in Science and Art

In the early years of the twentieth century, the striking scientific developments of the period included a great increase in popular and professional attention to non-Euclidean geometry. One of the leading scholars of the subject was Henri Poincare, who was also a widely read theorist of the scientific discovery process, keenly concerned with the role of the intuition and the subconscious. His writings, and those of his interpreters, could well have increased the appeal of four-dimensional geometry for artists already attracted to the possibilities presented by these concepts. The working notes of one such artist, Marcel Duchamp, record directly his debt to ideas linked to Poincare—an example of the interaction of greatly different parts of the wider culture.
Survey-based comparison of performance and change in performance of firms using traditional manufacturing, JIT and TOC

In recent decades, companies have adopted management philosophies such as Just-In-Time (JIT) and Theory of Constraints (TOC) in an effort to improve productivity and, thus, financial performance. This paper describes the use of a comprehensive set of criteria to examine empirically changes in business unit performance, over 3 years, as reported by firms adopting these management philosophies as well as by those using a traditional manufacturing approach. We compare the performance and the change in performance of companies reporting TOC adoption, those reporting JIT adoption, those reporting to have adopted both, and those reporting to have adopted neither (traditional manufacturing). Results indicate that the greatest performance and improvement in performance accrued to adopters of TOC. JIT did not have superior performance or superior change in performance when compared with traditional manufacturing. Change in performance for firms using JIT and TOC simultaneously was negative and trailed all others, ...
Use of historical temperature data for timing insecticide applications of the Nantucket pine tip moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): evaluation of damage and volume increment efficacy

1 The effectiveness of optimal spray period intervals based on mean daily temperatures were evaluated as a spray-timing tool to control high density populations of the Nantucket pine tip moth Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock). 2 Initial tree growth realized from first generation R. frustrana control was compared to that from conventional applications of one insecticide treatment scheduled for each of three annual generations. 3 The optimal spray period intervals provided by Fettig et al. (2000a) were highly effective for controlling R. frustrana infestations. The control group averaged 47.0 ± 2.2% whole tree damage for all sites and generations as compared to 0.6 ± 0.2% for the treated group. 4 Volume gains attributable to R. frustrana control averaged 16.9%, 46.4% and 98.6% for first generation control, and 46.6%, 72.7% and 146.3% for conventional applications of one insecticide treatment scheduled for each of three annual R. frustrana generations at Northampton, Halifax I and Halifax II, respectively. Growth returns increased as mean damage estimates increased for both treatments, suggesting that returns realized from a single, first generation application are likely to increase with population density.
Drainage Analysis in Geologic Interpretation: A Summation

Drainage analysis is useful in structural interpretation, particularly in areas of low relief. Analysis includes consideration of drainage patterns, drainage texture, individual stream patterns, and drainage anomalies. Drainage patterns generally are subdivided into basic and modified basic. To these might be added pattern varieties. A basic pattern is one whose gross characteristics readily distinguish it from other basic patterns. Modified basic patterns differ from the type patterns in some fairly obvious regional aspect as, for example, a tendency toward parallelism of the larger tributaries in a dendritic pattern. Thus many modified patterns are transitional in character between basic patterns, and the naming of such patterns may be a matter of judgment. Pattern varieties are characterized by internal details, commonly obscure. In a broad sense, the basic patterns, the modified basic patterns, and the pattern varieties are analogous to the genera, species, and varieties of the zoological classi ication. A complex pattern consists of two contemporaneous patterns adjacent to each other; a compound pattern consists of two unlike superimposed patterns. The palimpsest pattern consists of two superimposed patterns, but one is a paleopattern. Drainage texture depends on a variety of factors. In any one small area where all other factors are constant, drainage texture may provide information on underlying materials and indirectly on structure. Individual stream patterns may display characteristics similar to those of the gross drainage pattern and may be referred to by the same name. Thus individual patterns may be referred to by such terms as rectangular, angulate, or contorted. Other stream patterns include irregular, rectilinear, meandering, braided, misfit, and beaded. Drainage anomalies are local deviations from drainage and stream patterns which elsewhere accord with the known regional geology and/or topography. The expectable pattern is regarded as the norm; the anomalies indicate departures from the regional geologic or topographic controls. Analysis of drainage anomalies has revealed structural data in some flatland regions where other methods of investigation have been unsatisfactory.
Shine on: Review of laser- and light-based therapies for the treatment of burn scars

Restoration of form and function after burn injury remains challenging, but emerging laser and pulsed light technologies now offer hope for patients with hypertrophic scars, which may be associated with persistent hyperemia, chronic folliculitis, intense pruritis, and neuropathic pain. In addition to impairing body image, these scars may limit functional recovery, compromise activities of daily living, and prevent return to work. Three different platforms are now poised to alter our reconstructive algorithm: (1) vascular-specific pulsed dye laser (PDL) to reduce hyperemia, (2) ablative fractional CO2 laser to improve texture and pliability of the burn scar, and (3) intense pulsed light (IPL) to correct burn scar dyschromia and alleviate chronic folliculitis. In this paper, we will provide an overview of our work in this area, which includes a systematic review, a retrospective analysis of our preliminary experience, and interim data from our on-going, prospective, before-after cohort trial. We will demonstrate that laser- and light-based therapies can be combined with each other safely to yield superior results, often at lower cost, by reducing the need for reconstructive surgery. Modulating the burn scar, through minimally invasive modalities, may replace conventional methods of burn scar excision and yield outcomes not previously possible or conceivable.
Laser balloon angioplasty combined with local intracoronary heparin therapy: immediate and short-term follow-up results.

Laser balloon angioplasty (LBA) has been shown to acutely increase angiographic luminal dimensions after conventional balloon angioplasty (PTCA) without a favorable impact on chronic restenosis. Experimentally, laser and thermal energy enhance binding of heparin to the injured arterial wall and to the thrombus. In view of the anticoagulant, antiproliferative, and antifibrotic activities of the drug, a pilot study was performed to evaluate the potential safety and efficacy of LBA combined with local heparin therapy. Ten patients scheduled for elective PTCA were entered in the study. In each patient, a single lesion was treated with a laser balloon and coated with a heparin film (3000 IU at a concentration >100,000 IU/gm) immediately after optimal PTCA. The mean minimum luminal diameter and mean percent stenosis of the 10 treated lesions after PTCA were 1.62 ± 0.39 mm and 37% ± 9%, respectively. After LBA and local heparin therapy, the mean minimal lumen diameter increased to 2.01 ± 0.34 mm ( p < 0.01) and the mean percent stenosis decreased to 20% ± 10% ( p < 0.01). Systemic heparin was discontinued immediately after the procedure in all patients. Acute or inhospital complications, either major or minor, occurred in none (0%) of the 10 patients (95% confidence interval 0% to 31%); all were discharged home on the day after the procedure. All patients remained well and free of cardiac symptoms for at least 2 months after the procedure. However, restenosis developed in six (60%) of the 10 patients (95% confidence interval 26% to 88%) 2 to 6 months after the procedure. The results suggest that LBA and local heparin therapy, with discontinuation of systemic heparin immediately after angioplasty, is a safe treatment modality that yields favorable acute angiographic results. (Am Heart J 1997;134:266-73.)
Homosexuality tolerance among male and female Vietnamese youth: an examination of traditional sexual values, self-esteem, and demographic/contextual characteristics.

Abstract Purpose Disapproval of homosexuality is the cause of tremendous suffering among sexual minorities. No research has examined determinants of Vietnamese attitudes toward homosexuality. This article examined predictors of such attitudes among Vietnamese youth. Methods Data were from Vietnamese youth aged 15–24 years nationally surveyed in 2009 (Survey Assessment of Vietnamese Youth II). We evaluated structural equation models in which homosexuality tolerance was conceptualized to be influenced by two tiers of predictors: tier 1 (more proximal) including traditional sexual values and self-esteem and tier 2 (more distal) including demographic/contextual variables (urban residence, college education, Internet use, age, and marital status). Female (n = 3,135) and male (n = 3,072) data were analyzed separately. Results Sexual conservativeness predicted intolerance in both men and women; value of fidelity also predicted intolerance in women. Self-esteem was nonsignificant for women; for men, positive self-perception was nonsignificant, but negative self-perception predicted tolerance. College education, urban residence, and Internet use predicted tolerance, with gender differences. Conclusions Findings about traditional sexual values, college education, urban residence, and the gender difference in whether self-esteem matters are consistent with the literature. The positive association of Internet use with tolerance was first theorized and tested in this study. The study informs discussions on practice, in terms of tailoring/targeting attitude change interventions to rural versus urban youth and male versus female youth, capitalizing on the Internet to promote respect of sexual diversity, and locating attitudes toward homosexuality within the broader approach to sexuality.
Pathogenic role of the Wnt signaling pathway activation in laser-induced choroidal neovascularization.

Purpose Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a severe complication of AMD. The Wnt signaling pathway has been shown to mediate angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pathogenic role of the Wnt pathway in CNV and explore the therapeutic potential of a novel Wnt signaling inhibitor in CNV. Methods Adult rats and mice were photocoagulated using diode laser to induce CNV. On the same day, the animals were intravitreally injected with a monoclonal antibody (Mab2F1) blocking LRP6 or nonspecific mouse IgG. The Wnt signaling activation and target gene expression in the eyecup were determined by Western blot analysis. Fundus angiography was used to examine leakage from the laser lesion. CNV areas were measured on choroidal flatmount using FITC-dextran. Results Levels of Wnt pathway components and Wnt target gene expression were elevated in both laser-induced CNV rat and mouse eyecups, suggesting activation of the Wnt pathway. Significant suppression of Wnt signaling was observed in the Mab2F1 treatment group. Mab2F1 decreased vascular leakage from CNV lesions and reduced the neovascular area in laser-induced CNV rats. Mab2F1 inhibited the hypoxia-induced activation of Wnt signaling in cultured RPE cells. Mab2F1 also ameliorated retinal inflammation and vascular leakage in the eyecups of very low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice, a model of subretinal neovascularization. Conclusions The Wnt pathway is activated in the laser-induced CNV models and plays a pathogenic role in CNV. Blockade of Wnt signaling using an anti-LRP6 antibody has therapeutic potential in CNV.
Acute effect of DMBA application on mitotic activity of hamster buccal pouch epithelium

One, two, or three applications of a 0.5% solution of DMBA in mineral oil were made to the buccal pouches of three groups of hamsters. There were 10 animals in each group, and additional groups of 10 animals were used as mineral oil controls. Mitotic activity was studied in epithelial whole mounts of buccal pouch following intraperitoneal injection of vinblastine (VBL) in a dose of 4 mg per kilogram of body weight 4 1/2 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 1 week, and 2 weeks after treatment. Similar groups of animals were used for a thymidine-labeling experiment. Immediately after the last DMBA application to buccal pouches, 3H-TdR was injected intraperitoneally in a dose of 1 microcurie per gram of body weight. All labeling was studied autoradiographically in epithelial whole mounts of buccal pouches stained with hematoxylin. A cell with five or more grains of label per nucleus was considered labeled. It was found that with one application of DMBA mitotic activity, as studied after VBL injection, was greatly reduced during the experimental period of 2 weeks. After two DMBA applications there was a significant reduction in mitotic activity in the first 48 hours but a return to normal by 2 weeks, indicating a reaction to the damage produced by the two DMBA applications. The thymidine-labeling study tended to confirm this result. The label in the animals that received two DMBA applications disappeared after 48 hours, indicating increased mitotic activity and tissue repair, while animals with one DMBA application maintained the label after 1 week.
Purification and properties of groE, a host protein involved in bacteriophage assembly.

Abstract A method is presented for the purification of gp groE, an Escherichia coli protein which is required for correct assembly of bacteriophages λ, T4, T5 and others, gp groE is a soluble protein which is found as an oligomer containing 14 subunits of molecular weight 65,000 each. The gp groE particle is cylindrical with a diameter of 125 A and a height of 100 A, and it has 7-fold rotational symmetry. It has a weak ATPase activity, and is identical to a protein commonly found to copurify with RNA polymerase and which was originally misidentified as RNA polymerase.
Effect of Donor Age on Long-Term Survival Following Cardiac Transplantation

Background and Aim: The current shortage of donor hearts has forced the criteria of organ procurement to be extended, leading to increased use of older donor hearts to bridge the gap between demand and availability. Our objective was to analyze the effect of donor age on outcomes after cardiac transplantation. Methods: We retrospectively studied 864 patients who underwent cardiac transplantation at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Columbia University between 1992 and 2002. Patients were divided into two groups; donor age <40 years (Group A, n = 600) and donor age ≥40 years (Group B, n = 264). Results: Characteristics including gender, body mass index, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) status were significantly different between the two donor age groups. Race, CMV status, toxoplasmosis status, left ventricular assist device prior to transplant, diabetes mellitus, and retransplantation were similar in both the recipient groups, while age, gender, and BMI were different. Early mortality was lower in Group A, 5%, versus 9.5% in Group B. Multivariate analysis revealed recipient female gender (odd ratio (OR) = 1.71), retransplantation (OR = 1.63), and increased donor age (OR = 1.02) as significant predictors of poor survival in the recipient population. Actuarial survival at 1 year (86.7% vs 81%), 5 years (75% vs 65%), and 10 years (56% vs 42%) was significantly different as well with a log rank p = 0.002. Conclusions: These findings suggest that increased donor age is an independent predictor of long-term survival. However, the shortage of organs makes it difficult to follow strict guidelines when placing hearts; therefore, decisions need to be made on a relative basis.
Effects of shock-loading on Young's Modulus and activation energy of recovery in 1018 steel

Abstract The effects of shock-loading on Young's Modulus of 1018 carbon steel and the activation energy of recovery were studied. The shock pressures employed were 104 and 304 kbars respectively. The results are explained in terms of Mott's defect Modulus theory and the theory of ageing hardening. It was found that the activation energy of diffusion during recovery is different between the specimens shock-loaded to 104 and to 304 kbars. This difference in activation energies is attributed to the difference in vacancy concentrations.
The initial and boundary value problem for a class of degenerate parabolic equations

(1983). The initial and boundary value problem for a class of degenerate parabolic equations. Communications in Partial Differential Equations: Vol. 8, No. 7, pp. 693-733.
Ultraspectral infrared technology development on the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and future applications

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) is an ultraspectral infrared instrument on the EOS Aqua Spacecraft, launched on May 4, 2002. AIRS has 2378 infrared channels ranging from 3.7 μm to 15.4 μm and a 13.5 km footprint. AIRS, in conjunction with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) produces temperature profiles with 1K/km accuracy on a global scale, as well as water vapor profiles and trace gas amounts for CO2, CO, SO2, Ozone and Methane. AIRS will be used for weather forecasting and studies of global climate change. The technology developed on the AIRS project includes advanced grating spectrometer optics, long-wavelength cutoff HgCdTe infrared detectors and active cooling. A status of the AIRS data products is presented. Advancements in the last decade allow the AIRS measurement to be made with better than 1 km spatial resolution. The higher spatial resolution will improve regional forecasting and reduce computational noise in trace gas measurements.
Rab11 Endosomes Contribute to Mitotic Spindle Organization and Orientation

During interphase, Rab11-GTPase-containing endosomes recycle endocytic cargo. However, little is known about Rab11 endosomes in mitosis. Here, we show that Rab11 localizes to the mitotic spindle and regulates dynein-dependent endosome localization at poles. We found that mitotic recycling endosomes bind γ-TuRC components and associate with tubulin in vitro. Rab11 depletion or dominant-negative Rab11 expression disrupts astral microtubules, delays mitosis, and redistributes spindle pole proteins. Reciprocally, constitutively active Rab11 increases astral microtubules, restores γ-tubulin spindle pole localization, and generates robust spindles. This suggests a role for Rab11 activity in spindle pole maturation during mitosis. Rab11 depletion causes misorientation of the mitotic spindle and the plane of cell division. These findings suggest a molecular mechanism for the organization of astral microtubules and the mitotic spindle through Rab11-dependent control of spindle pole assembly and function. We propose that Rab11 and its associated endosomes cocontribute to these processes through retrograde transport to poles by dynein.
Document Image Dewarping Based on Line Estimation for Visually Impaired

In this paper, we present an image-text dewarping methodology based on robust estimation of text-lines. When a text-page is captured by a camera, it suffers both from the perspective distortions and the page curl. The non-linear distortion due to page-curl is inherently present, given the surface nature of the pages and the text-book. The state-of-the-art OCR systems have a very low performance on recognizing such distorted text. To remove both these distortions and to produce a flattened view of the text, we use the cues present in the image-text, i.e., the text-lines on the surface of the page are straight. The methodology requires only a single camera captured image and does not require any calibration or any other expensive hardware setups as in other methods. Experimental results on a set of documents show that the methodology produces visually pleasing output and also improves OCR accuracy.
Use of fluorescence resonance energy transfer to study serpin-proteinase interactions.

Abstract One of the important questions in the serpin mechanism of inhibition of serine and cysteine proteinases of different specificities and structural classes is whether a common “crushing” mechanism of proteinase inactivation is used in all cases. This mechanism was seen in an X-ray structure of the complex between α 1 -proteinase inhibitor and trypsin and required the full insertion of the reactive center loop into β-sheet A and translocation of the proteinase from one pole of the serpin to the other. However, it has yet to be shown to be general for serine proteinases of structural classes other than the trypsin-fold or for cysteine proteinases with the papain-fold or for the caspases. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer offers a potential means of obtaining an answer to this question for each of these classes, without the concern for the effect that increasing size has on the observed signal that applies to NMR spectroscopy. However, care must be taken to ensure that measurements made represent sufficient overdetermination that the answer obtained is unambiguous.
Ocean nomads: Distribution and movements of sperm whales in the North Pacific shown by whaling data and Discovery marks

We investigated the distribution and movements of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in the North Pacific by analyzing whaling data and movement data of whales marked with Discovery marks. Prior studies suggested that there were discrete “stocks” of sperm whales, assuming that the intervals between historical areas of concentration indicated subpopulation boundaries. Our analyses clearly refute this assumption: whaling and marking data suggest no obvious divisions between separate demes or stocks within the North Pacific. Sperm whales appear to be nomadic and show widespread movements between areas of concentration, with documented movements of over 5,000 km, time spans between marking and recovery over 20 yr, and ranges that cover many thousand km2. Males appear to range more widely than females. Sperm whales likely travel in response to geographical and temporal variations in the abundance of medium- and large-sized pelagic squids, their primary prey. Our analyses demonstrate that males and females concentrated seasonally in the Subtropical Frontal Zone (ca. 28oN–34oN) and the Subarctic Frontal Zone (ca. 40oN–43oN), and males also concentrated seasonally near the Aleutian Islands and along the Bering Sea shelf edge. It appears that the sperm whales targeted by the pelagic whalers range widely across this ocean basin.
Steroid-induced enhancement of functional recovery of postischemic, reperfused myocardium in conscious dogs.

Abstract The effects of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (20 mg/kg, intravenously administered) on the time course of functional recovery of myocardium following a 15-minute coronary artery occlusion period and subsequent 5 hour reperfusion period were studied in chronically instrumented, conscious dogs. In comparison to a control group, animals receiving methylprednisolone 90 minutes prior to coronary occlusion demonstrated less depression of regional segment shortening following 15 minutes of reperfusion (52 ± 13% vs control levels of 23 ± 7% of preocclusion values) and improved recovery at 5 hours postreperfusion (106 ± 6% vs control levels of 54 ± 4% of preocclusion values). In animals receiving methylprednisolone immediately prior to reperfusion, there was also similar recovery of segment shortening at 5 hours (97 ± 3%). In contrast, dogs receiving methylprednisolone 15 minutes after the onset of reperfusion or sodium succinate (5.5 mg/kg, intravenously administered) 90 minutes prior to occlusion demonstrated no improvement in recovery of function. Experiments in dogs not subjected to coronary occlusion documented that methylprednisolone sodium succinate lacked inotropic and vasodilator properties. The results suggest that methylprednisolone administered prior to or during coronary artery occlusion but not after reperfusion enhances the functional recovery of hypokinetic, postischemic, reperfused myocardium. These effects are unrelated to any direct hemodynamic action of steroids or to the sodium succinate salt.
Verification of non-functional properties of cloud-based distributed system services

For distributed system services implemented on a cloud, system verification assumes added importance because of third-party control of cloud resources and the attendant problems of faults, QoS degradations, and security violations. Our paper focuses on a "model-based assessment" to reason about the non-functional properties of a cloud-based distributed system using observational agents. Our approach is corroborated by measurements on system-level prototypes and simulation analysis of system models in the face of hostile environment conditions. A case study of CDN realized on cloud infrastructures is also described.
A NOTE ON SIMULTANEOUS EQUATIONS AND MATRIX INVERSION

The following note discusses the special advantages of the ‘hierarchical method’ of solving linear equations, and describes and illustrates in detail the working procedure recommended for calculating inverses in the case of both symmetric and non-symmetric matrices.