cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sjögren Syndrome and Cancer.

The association between malignancy and rheumatic diseases has been demonstrated in a multitude of studies. Little is understood regarding the pathogenesis of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases in association with malignancy. There is strong evidence regarding the association between Sjogren syndrome and lymphoma as well as risk factors for development of lymphoma in these patients. This article discusses the accumulating data on various malignancies described in primary Sjogren syndrome, highlighting non-Hodgkin lymphoma and thyroid, multiple myeloma, and skin cancers. These reported associations may have clinical implications in daily practice and contribute to understanding of both autoimmunity and cancer.
Computational Modeling of Bubbles Growth Using the Coupled Level Set-Volume of Fluid Method

Understanding the generation, growth, and dynamics of bubbles as they absorb or release dissolved gas in reactive flows is crucial for optimizing the efficiency of electrochemically gas-evolving systems like alkaline water electrolysis or hydrogen production. To better model these bubbly flow systems, we use a coupled level set and volume of fluid approach integrated with a one-fluid transport of species model to study the dynamics of stationary and rising bubbles in reactive two-phase flows. To accomplish this, source terms are incorporated into the continuity and phase conservation equations to allow the bubble to grow or shrink as the species moves through the interface. Verification of the hydrodynamics of the solver for non-reactive systems demonstrates the requisite high fidelity interface capturing and mass conservation necessary to incorporate transport of species. In reactive systems where the species impacts the bubble volume, the model reproduces the theoretically predicted and experimentally measured diffusion-controlled growth rate (i.e., R(t)∝t0.5). The model is then applied to rising bubbles to demonstrate the impact of transport of species on both the bubble velocity and shape as well as the concentration field in its wake. This improved model enables the incorporation of electric fields and chemical reactions that are essential for studying the physicochemical hydrodynamics in multiphysics systems.
Novel Functions and Virus–Host Interactions Implicated in Pathogenesis and Replication of Human Herpesvirus 8

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is classified as a γ2-herpesvirus and is related to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a γ1-herpesvirus. One important aspect of the γ-herpesviruses is their association with neoplasia, either naturally or in animal model systems. HHV-8 is associated with B-cell-derived primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD), endothelial-derived Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), and KSHV inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS). EBV is also associated with a number of B-cell malignancies, such as Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease, in addition to epithelial nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinomas. Despite the similarities between these viruses and their associated malignancies, the particular protein functions and activities involved in key aspects of virus biology and neoplastic transformation appear to be quite distinct. Indeed, HHV-8 specifies a number of proteins for which counterparts had not previously been identified in EBV, other herpesviruses, or even viruses in general, and these proteins are believed to play vital functions in virus biology and to be involved centrally in viral pathogenesis. Additionally, a set of microRNAs encoded by HHV-8 appears to modulate the expression of multiple host proteins to provide conditions conductive to virus persistence within the host and possibly contributing to HHV-8-induced neoplasia. Here, we review the molecular biology underlying these novel virus-host interactions and their potential roles in both virus biology and virus-associated disease.
Differential behavioral functioning in the offspring of rats with high vs. low self-administration of the opioid agonist remifentanil.

Abstract Opioid use disorder (OUD) has a variety of adverse effects on both the users and their offspring. In the current study, a random group of Sprague-Dawley rats (25 females and 15 males) were tested for intravenous self-administration of the opioid agonist remifentanil to determine the range of acquisition for opioid. One-month after the end of self-administration of remifentanil, rats with the highest intake were mated together and rats with lowest intake were mated together. Then, the offspring of the two groups were tested for anxiety-like behavior, locomotor activity, nociception and intravenous remifentanil self-administration. The parents showed a range of remifentanil self-administration, especially in the female rats. The offspring of the parents with low and high remifentanil self-administration showed significant differences in specific behavioral functions. On the hotplate test of nociception, the female offspring parents with high remifentanil self-administration had significantly longer hotplate latencies, indicating reduced nociception, than the female offspring of parents with low remifentanil-self-administration, whereas there was no difference in the male offspring of low and high responding parents. In the elevated plus maze test of anxiety-like behavior, the offspring of the parents with high remifentanil intake showed more anxiety-like behavior than the offspring of the parents with low remifentanil intake regardless of sex. Locomotor activity was not significantly different. Interestingly, no significant differences in remifentanil self-administration in the offspring of parents with low and high remifentanil self-administration were detected. Overall, our data suggest a considerable range in remifentanil self-administration in rats and the offspring of rats with high opioid self-administration exhibit different behaviors vs offspring of rats with low opioid self-administration.
Down-regulation of lncRNA MEG3 promotes chronic low dose cadmium exposure-induced cell transformation and cancer stem cell-like property.

Abstract Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal and one of carcinogens that cause lung cancer. However, the exact mechanism of Cd carcinogenesis remains unclear. To investigate the mechanism of Cd carcinogenesis, we exposed human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) to a low dose of Cd (2.5 μM, CdCl2) for 9 months, which caused cell malignant transformation and generated cancer stem cell (CSC)-like cells. The goal of this study is to investigate the underlying mechanism. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) microarray analysis showed that the expression level of a tumor suppressive lncRNA maternally expressed 3 (MEG3) is significantly down-regulated in Cd-transformed cells, which is confirmed by further q-PCR analysis. Mechanistically, it was found that chronic Cd exposure up-regulates the levels of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), which increases the methylation of the differentially methylated region (DMR) 1.5 kb upstream of MEG3 transcription start site to reduce MEG3 expression. Functional studies showed that stably overexpressing MEG3 in Cd-transformed cells significantly reduces their transformed phenotypes. Moreover, stably overexpressing MEG3 in parental non-transformed human bronchial epithelial cells significantly impaired the capability of chronic Cd exposure to induce cell transformation and CSC-like property. Further mechanistic studies revealed that the cell cycle inhibitor p21 level is reduced and retinoblastoma protein (Rb) phosphorylation is increased in Cd-transformed cells to promote cell cycle progression. In addition, Cd-transformed cells also expressed higher levels of Bcl-xL and displayed apoptosis resistance. In contrast, stably overexpressing MEG3 increased p21 levels and reduced Rb phosphorylation and Bcl-xL levels in Cd-exposed cells and reduced their cell cycle progression and apoptosis resistance. Together, these findings suggest that MEG3 down-regulation may play important roles in Cd-induced cell transformation and CSC-like property by promoting cell cycle progression and apoptosis resistance.
Validation of an alternate method for monitoring the presence of cows at the feed bunk in a Calan Broadbent Feeding System using a 3-axis, data-logging accelerometer

Abstract Daily dry matter intake is a key observation in dairy nutrition, and observation of feeding behavior provides insight into the physiological control of hunger and satiety that regulate intake. The objective of the study was to develop and validate an alternative method to observe feeding behavior, including meal length and frequency, in a Calan Broadbent Feeding System (American Calan) using a 3-axis accelerometer (Hobo Pendant G, Onset Computer Corp.). Sensors were mounted between the door and the feed divider using commonly available materials without making permanent modifications to the feeding system. Forty-eight sensors were deployed with a recording frequency of 30 s for the last 7 d of each period in a crossover experiment with 24 multiparous and 24 primiparous animals housed in a freestall barn. The tilt angle on the Z-axis was used to determine when the door was open to indicate feeding activity. The sensor system was in very high agreement with 6 h of visual observation (Cohen's κ = 0.92 ± 0.014; estimate ± 95% confidence interval). The minimum intermeal interval is the time between 2 feeding bouts that is still considered one meal. This essential criterion to characterize meals was calculated by determining the intersection of a mixture of Gaussian distributions fitted to the log-transformed between-feeding intervals. The best fitting mixture of Gaussian distributions was determined with the distribution module of JMP Pro 14.3.0 (SAS Institute Inc.). The minimum intermeal interval was 31.3 min using the best fitting model, a mixture of 3 Gaussian distributions. Using the determined minimum intermeal interval, meal length averaged 37.3 min/meal and meal frequency averaged 7.3 meals/d. In conclusion, data-logging 3-axis accelerometers are adequate to monitor presence of cows in the feed gate in the Calan Broadbent Feeding System, and this approach allows for reasonable estimation of meal length and frequency.
Probability and Statistical Inference: From Basic Principles to Advanced Models: by Miltiadis C. Mavrakakis and Jeremy Penzer. Boca Raton, FL: Chapman & Hall/CRC Press, 2021, xix + 423 pp., $99.95(H/e-book), ISBN: 9781584889397(H), 9781315366630(e-book).

The discipline of data science is comprised of many STEM fields but the two most prominent influences come from statistics and computer science. At a surface level, a data scientist should be a bet...
The Logic of a Quantum Mechanical System

Let 𝔖 be any quantum mechanical system. We have seen that one can associate with 𝔖 the partially ordered set ℒ(𝔖) of all experimentally verifiable propositions concerning The partial ordering is that induced by the implication relation. Moreover, the map, which associates with any element of ℒ(𝔖) its negation, behaves very much like an orthocomplementation. This leads one to introduce axiomatically a class of partially ordered sets and to study their properties. We call these systems logics. The basic assumption of modern quantum theory can then be described (if we anticipate some terminology) by saying that ℒ (𝔖) is a standard logic.
Why Stock and Stock-Option Compensation are Such a Terrible Idea

Stock options have grown over the last decade to take up an increasing percentage of the increasing compensation of top management. Stock options worth millions of dollars are reported to public investors as if they were free, and that allows top management to schnooker more salary from shareholders than they would otherwise get. The popularity of options is best understood as arising from deceptive accounting. But for the opportunity to understate compensation cost, stock compensation is a terrible idea. Take away the accounting advantage and compensatory stock and stock options would undoubtedly die off on their own. First, stock options give management truly perverse incentives to invest in projects with too much downside risk. Option holders participate in gains but not loses, so an option holder will rationally send the company into risks that would scare the flesh off of shareholders who do bear the losses. Second, stock and stock options carry an unnecessarily high discount rate. The high discount rate means the executive gets the least current value per dollar to be paid or requires the highest future cash payment per dollar of current value or both. Stock carries a high discount rate because of unwelcome volatility in the price of the stock and because of market paranoia about management plans about retained earnings, and neither the volatility nor the paranoia is a necessary virtue of any compensation plan. Better management of the discount rate would avoid stock. Third, stock compensation, gives employees capital gains, but compensation would almost always be more efficient if employee capital gains were avoided. Deferred compensation is almost always better for the executive because it delays the tax bite on their capital. Even if there is no upfront tax on capital at stake, employee capital gain is usually inferior tax planning because it loses the employer deduction. This is an edited version of Stock and Stock-Option Compensation: A Bad Idea, 51 Canadian Tax J. No. 3, (Oct. 2003) with the special Canadian concerns deleted out.
An interpolation-based approach to multi-parameter performance modeling for heterogeneous systems

To effectively optimize applications for emerging heterogeneous architectures, compilers and synthesis tools must perform the challenging task of estimating the performance of different implementations and optimizations for different numbers and types of computational resources. Many performance-prediction techniques exist, but those approaches are specific to particular resources or applications, and are often not capable of prediction for all combinations of inputs. In this paper, we introduce an approach to multi-parameter performance modeling based on sampling and interpolation. This approach can be used in conjunction with execution time data, simulated or observed, to quickly perform performance estimation for any function, on any resource, with any combination of inputs. By evaluating a Kriging-based interpolator on a variety of functions and computational resources, we determine bounds on the accuracy of this approach, and show that an interpolation-based approach utilizing Kriging can effectively model execution time for most applications. We also show that Kriging is a highly effective interpolation technique for execution time, and can be up to four orders of magnitude more accurate than nearest-neighbor interpolation or radial basis function interpolation.
Quinnipiac River Bridge Cracking

A large crack was discovered in November 1973 in a fascia girder of the suspended span of the Quinnipiac River Bridge near New Haven, Conn. Crack propagation was found to occur in different stages. Fatigue cracks were found to originate at lack of fusion areas in horizontal stiffener splices. After the crack penetrated the web thickness it resulted in brittle fracture of the web. Rapid crack growth was arrested in the flange. On basis of evidence available, brittle fracture occurred at temperatures between 10 F (-12 C) and -10 F (-23 C). Crack instability developed when the stress intensity at the crack tip reached the material fracture toughness. The fracture toughness was estimated from J-integral measurements and from Charpy V-notch test data. An increase in fracture toughness would not have appreciably affected the behavior of the girder. Random truck loading would have continued to grow the web crack in a stable manner until a critical crack length was eventually reached. (ASCE)
Speculative Parallelization of Partially Parallel Loops

Current parallelizing compilers cannot identify a significant fraction of parallelizable loops because they have complex or statically insufficiently defined access patterns. We have previously proposed a framework for their identification. We speculatively executed a loop as a doall, and applied a fully parallel data dependence test to determine if it had any cross-processor dependences; if the test failed, then the loop was re-executed serially. While this method exploits doall parallelism well, it can cause slowdowns for loops with even one cross-processor flow dependence because we have to re-execute sequentially. Moreover, the existing, partial parallelism of loops is not exploited. In this paper we propose a generalization of our speculative doall parallelization technique, named Recursive LRPD test, that can extract and exploit the maximum available parallelism of any loop and that limits potential slowdowns to the overhead of the run-time dependence test itself, i.e., removes the time lost due to incorrect parallel execution. The asymptotic time-complexity is, for fully serial loops, equal to the sequential execution time. We present the base algorithm and an analysis of the different heuristics for its practical application. Some preliminary experimental results on loops from Track will show the performance of this new technique.
Molecular determinants of virulence of West Nile virus in North America.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that until very recently had not been found in the Americas. In 1999, there was an outbreak of West Nile encephalitis in New York and surrounding areas, involving 62 human cases, including 7 fatalities. The virus has subsequently become established in the United States of America (U.S.) with 4156 human cases, including 284 deaths, in 2002. The WNV strains found in the U.S. are members of “lineage I”, a genetic grouping that includes viruses from Europe, Asia and Africa. Molecular epidemiologic studies indicate that two genetic variants of WNV emerged in 2002. The major genetic variant is found in most parts of the U.S., while the minor genetic variant has been identified only on the southeast coast of Texas. Investigation of WNV in mouse and hamster models demonstrated that strains from the U.S. are highly neurovirulent and neuroinvasive in these laboratory rodents. Other strains, such as Ethiopia 76a from lineage I, are not neuroinvasive and represent important viruses which can be used to elucidate the molecular basis of virulence and attenuation of WNY. To identify putative molecular determinants of virulence and attenuation, we have undertaken comparative nucleotide sequencing of Ethiopia 76a and strains from the U.S. The results show that the two viruses differ by 5 amino acids in the envelope (E) protein, including loss of the glycosylation site . Comparison of our panel of 27 WNV strains suggests that E protein glycosylation is a major determinant of the mouse neuroinvasive phenotype.
GLP-1 receptor agonists: Nonglycemic clinical effects in weight loss and beyond.

Obective Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are indicated for treatment of type 2 diabetes since they mimic the actions of native GLP-1 on pancreatic islet cells, stimulating insulin release, while inhibiting glucagon release, in a glucose-dependent manner. The observation of weight loss has led to exploration of their potential as antiobesity agents, with liraglutide 3.0 mg day−1 approved for weight management in the US on December 23, 2014, and in the EU on March 23, 2015. This review examines the potential nonglycemic effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists. Methods A literature search was conducted to identify preclinical and clinical evidence on nonglycemic effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists. Results GLP-1 receptors are distributed widely in a number of tissues in humans, and their effects are not limited to the well-recognized effects on glycemia. Nonglycemic effects include weight loss, which is perhaps the most widely recognized nonglycemic effect. In addition, effects on the cardiovascular, neurologic, and renal systems and on taste perception may occur independently of weight loss. Conclusions GLP-1 receptor agonists may provide other nonglycemic clinical effects besides weight loss. Understanding these effects is important for prescribers in using GLP-1 receptor agonists for diabetic patients, but also if approved for chronic weight management.
Scintigraphic measurement of regional gut transit in idiopathic constipation

Abstract In this study, total gut transit and regional colonic transit in patients with idiopathic constipation were measured scintigraphically. Eight patients with severe constipation were studied, none of whom had evidence of abnormal function of the pelvic floor. 99mTc-radiolabeled Amberlite resin particles (average diameter, 1 mm; Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO) with a mixed meal were used to assess gastric emptying and small bowel transit; similar particles labeled with 111In were ingested in a coated capsule that dispersed in the ileocecal region. These were used to quantify colonic transit. Five healthy volunteers were also studied. Two patients showed delayed gastric emptying and two had slow small bowel transit. Seven of the eight patients had slow colonic transit. In five, delay affected the whole colon ("pancolonic inertia"); in two, transit in the ascending and transverse colon was normal, but solids moved through the left colon slowly. Mean colonic transit was also measured using radiopaque markers; this technique identified the patients with slow transit, as shown by measurements of overall colonic transit by simultaneous scintigraphy. However, estimated transit through the ascending and transverse colons was considerably shorter by the radiopaque marker technique. In conclusion, idiopathic constipation is characterized by either exaggerated reservoir functions of the ascending and transverse colons and/or impairment of propulsive function in the descending colon. Particle size may influence the result of regional colonic transit tests. Transit delays in other parts of the gut suggest that, in some patients, the condition may be a more generalized motor dysfunction.
Ce-valence variations within the Anderson model framework

The Ce-valence and its thermal variation in the Ce1−xGdxAl3 and Ce(Cu1−xNix)2Si2 systems are measured via Ce-L3 X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The results are correlated with specific heat and structural data within the framework of the Anderson model.
The Effect of l-Dopa on Plasma Growth Hormone, Insulin, and Thyroxine

The effect of l-dopa on glucose, insulin, growth hormone, and thyroxin in plasma was studied in 8 normal subjects and in 7 patients with Parkinson's disease. Growth hormone increased 60–110 min following a single oral dose of 500 mg of l-dopa. Stimulation of growth hormone release by l-dopa was inhibited by the iv infusion of phentolamine, an α-adrenergic blocking agent. The single dose of l-dopa had no effect on the concentration of glucose, insulin, or thyroxine. In patients with Parkinson's disease, treated with 2–3 g l-dopa daily for 2–3 weeks, fasting levels of glucose and growth hormone remained unchanged. The “k” of glucose disappearance and insulin levels in plasma after an iv glucose load were not significantly affected. Fasting plasma insulin and thyroxine increased during l-dopa therapy. Maximum plasma growth hormone levels after iv insulin were less during l-dopa treatment than during the control period. Our results confirm that a single dose of l-dopa stimulates growth hormone secretion. This...
The effects of anticonvulsant agents on 4-aminopyridine induced epileptiform activity in rat hippocampus in vitro

Six anticonvulsant drugs, phenytoin (PHT), carbamazepine (CBZ), valproate (VPA), U-54494A, losigamone (LOS), and D-20443, were studied using rat hippocampal slices and standard electrophysiological techniques. The K+ channel blocker, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), was used as neuronal stimulant. The extracellular parameters evaluated in areas CA3 and CA1 were: (1) interictal-type bursting, (2) evoked population spike (PS) amplitude, (3) latency to PS onset, and (4) duration of the excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP). VPA was ineffective in altering any of the parameters. PHT and CBZ partially reversed the increase in EPSP duration produced by 4-AP in area CA3, while the spontaneous bursting was not affected. The experimental drugs, U-54494A, LOS, and D-20443 (dihydrochloride salt of D-23129 from Asta Medica), tended to reverse to varying degrees the 4-AP effects, especially the increase in the EPSP duration. U-54494A tended to depress responses even under control conditions. LOS partially reversed the 4-AP excitation, but abolished bursting in only one of five slices. D-20443 abolished bursting in all slices. It also partially reversed the 4-AP induced increase in the EPSP duration without depressing the normal evoked potential. The results show that 4-AP induced changes in vitro can help differentiate drugs with similar in vivo spectrums of anticonvulsant activity. While the drug induced changes may not truly define the mechanisms of action of these promising new agents, these experimental anticonvulsants can be differentiated from standard agents using the experimental paradigm in this study.
Ultrafast vibrational spectroscopy (2D-IR) of CO2 in ionic liquids: Carbon capture from carbon dioxide’s point of view

The CO2ν3 asymmetric stretching mode is established as a vibrational chromophore for ultrafast two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) spectroscopic studies of local structure and dynamics in ionic liquids, which are of interest for carbon capture applications. CO2 is dissolved in a series of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids ([C4C1im][X], where [X]− is the anion from the series hexafluorophosphate (PF6−), tetrafluoroborate (BF4−), bis-(trifluoromethyl)sulfonylimide (Tf2N−), triflate (TfO−), trifluoroacetate (TFA−), dicyanamide (DCA−), and thiocyanate (SCN−)). In the ionic liquids studied, the ν3 center frequency is sensitive to the local solvation environment and reports on the timescales for local structural relaxation. Density functional theory calculations predict charge transfer from the anion to the CO2 and from CO2 to the cation. The charge transfer drives geometrical distortion of CO2, which in turn changes the ν3 frequency. The observed structural relaxation timescales vary by up to an ord...
Evidence of a Phospholipid Binding Species within Human Fibrinogen Preparations

Abstract Fibrinogen has been reported to interact with phospholipid; however, the properties of this binding interaction have not been characterized. Purified preparations of human fibrinogen bound to small unilamellar vesicles containing phosphatidylserine (PS) as measured by light scattering and radioisotope filtration. Binding to 100% PS was saturable (apparent K d =5 μM, B max =1.9 g protein/g lipid), reversible, and involved a minor subfraction of the fibrinogen preparation (3–6% of total protein). Fibrinogen interacted minimally with phosphatidylinositol, and not at all with pure phosphatidylcholine (PC) or PC vesicles containing 5% glycosphingolipid (lactosylceramide, ganglioside GM3, ganglioside GD3). Binding efficiency decreased as the PS content of vesicles was diluted with PC. Calcium chloride (2 mM) enhanced protein binding to PS, which was reversed by EDTA. Fibrin clot formation almost quantitatively precipitated the PS binding activity. PS, but not PC, increased the final turbidity of fibrin clots. Computerized sequence analysis of fibrinogen revealed three candidate acidic phospholipid binding motifs located at position 143–210 in the alpha chain, and positions 59–77 and 101–139 in the beta chain. Further study of the PS binding activity of fibrinogen may lead to new insights about fibrinogen function.
Identification of a Major Humoral Epitope in Slc30A8 (ZnT8)

The human zinc transporter Slc30A8 (ZnT8) is a major target of humoral autoimmunity in human type 1A diabetes. However, despite extensive conservation, the majority of human autoimmune sera fail to recognize the murine ortholog. Moreover, Slc30A8 appears not to be a significant target of humoral autoimmunity in the NOD mouse. We therefore "humanized" the murine protein by site-directed mutagenesis. Only conversion of Q324 to arginine (equivalent to R325 in the human protein) partially restored reactivity to a pool of sera selected for high titers to the human probe. Additionally, the reciprocal mutation (human R325 to Q) abolished reactivity for 38/103 (36.9%) of ZnT8(+) sera. We conclude that the C-terminal domain of human ZnT8 contains at least two discrete epitopes, one of which is critically dependent upon the arginine residue at position 325.
Frontiers of research and future directions in information and communication technology

Abstract Information and communication technology (ICT), characterized by continual innovation and rapid technological change, is having a tremendous impact on society. Research and development in ICT are being conducted throughout the technology sector, and fundamental research is being carried out in many university departments of electronics, computer science, and engineering. This paper deals with frontiers of research and trends in selected areas of ICT, including computer hardware, microelectronics, and semiconductor devices and materials—areas that are leading the innovations in ICT. It briefly describes emerging technological developments, and concludes with advances in software engineering.
A Geometric Comparison of the Transformation Loci with Specific and Mobile Capital

The authors show how the transformation loci in the specific factors model (capital specificity) and the Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson model (capital mobility) can be rigorously derived and easily compared by using geometric techniques on the basis of Savosnick geometry. The approach shows directly that the transformation locus with capital specificity has a greater degree of curvature than with capital mobility, given the same technology, and that the latter is an envelope of the former. It can also be used to show how incentives in the short run would lead to the long-run capital reallocation implied by the assumption of capital mobility.
Periphyton productivity and radionuclide accumulation in the Columbia River, Washington, U.S.A.

An investigation of the periphyton of the Columbia River below the Hanford Atomic Works, Washington, was conducted to study the relationships between productivity, radionuclide uptake, and environmental influences. Best correlations between the four biomass measurements were between dry weight, ash weight, and chlorophyll a. Net Production Rate varied from 0.005 to 0.070 mg dry weight/cm2/day and was closely related to chlorophyll a and also to solar energy. The accumulation of 32P and 65Zn was highly related to dry and ash weight and chlorophyll a. Low correlations were found between radionuclide accumulation and the radioisotope burden of the river. The data suggest that adsorption was the dominant mode of uptake.
Extracting impervious surfaces from medium spatial resolution multispectral and hyperspectral imagery: a comparison

Remote sensing estimation of impervious surfaces is significant in monitoring urban development and determining the overall environmental health of a watershed, and has therefore recently attracted increasing interest. The main objective of this study was to develop a general approach to estimating and mapping impervious surfaces by using medium spatial resolution satellite imagery. We have applied spectral mixture analysis (SMA) to Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) Advanced Land Imager (ALI) (multispectral) and Hyperion (hyperspectral) imagery in Marion County, Indiana, USA, to calculate the fraction images of vegetation, soil, high albedo and low albedo. The effectiveness of the two images was compared according to three criteria: (1) high-quality fraction images for the urban landscape, (2) relatively low error, and (3) the distinction among typical land use and land cover (LULC) types in the study area. The fraction images were further used to estimate and map impervious surfaces. The accuracy of the estimated impervious surface was checked against Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quadrangle (DOQQ) images. The results indicate that both ALI and Hyperion sensors were effective in deriving the fraction images with SMA and in computing impervious surfaces. The SMA results for both ALI and Hyperion images using four endmembers were excellent, with a mean root mean square error (RMSE) less than 0.04 in both cases. The ALI-derived impervious surface image yielded an RMSE of 15.3%, and the Hyperion-derived impervious surface image yielded an RMSE of 17.5%. However, the Hyperion image was more powerful in discerning low-albedo surface materials, which has been a major obstacle for impervious surface estimation with medium resolution multispectral images. A sensitivity analysis of the mapping of impervious surfaces using different scenarios of Hyperion band combinations suggests that the improvement in mapping accuracy in general and the better ability in discriminating low-albedo surfaces came mainly from additional bands in the mid-infrared region.
Computation of anomalous modes in the Taylor experiment

Abstract Multigrid continuation methods are used to solve the steady, axisymmetric incompressible Navier-Stokes equations for Taylor-Couette flows between cylinders of finite or infinite length. Using Schaeffer's homotopy, we compute (for finite cylinders) anomalous modes (those seeming to have an odd number of vortices, or seeming to have the “wrong” direction of rotation at an endplate). The results show that these modes possess extra vortices not observed in the experiments of Benjamin and Mullin ( Proc. Roy. Soc. London Ser. A 377 (1981), 221; J. Fluid Mech. 121 (1982), 219). Our computations verify conjectures of Schaeffer, and of Benjamin and Mullin on the unfolding of the bifurcation diagram as periodic (infinite cylinder) flows are continuously transformed to flows with rigid ends. We obtain five distinct solutions with the same Reynolds number, aspect ratio, and radius ratio, and give a systematic procedure for obtaining them. The numerical results show qualitative agreement with the experiments of Benjamin and Mullin. They also show quantitative agreement with the more recent experiments of Cliffe and Mullin ( J. Fluid Mech. 153 (1985), 243).
Multi-goal optimization in managerial science

Abstract A number of modern economists have accepted alternatives to the basic hypothesis of neo-classical economics that the overriding objective of any firm is to maximize the owner's (shareholder's) welfare. However, with one or two outstanding exceptions, these alternatives have been ignored by managerial scientists, whose economics related models continue to be formulated in terms of the neo-classical hypothesis. This paper treats the implications of those alternatives which deny that corporate management is trying to optimize any single goal—let alone shareholder welfare. More specifically, this paper discusses management science models involving the allocation of scarce resources to satisfy several goals. The resulting multi-goal “optimization” problem is identified as a vector “maximization” problem and is formulated in terms of the efficient point concept.
Aluminium Interlayers in Clay Minerals, Montmorillonite and Vermiculite : Laboratory Synthesis

ALUMINIUM interlayers in pure montmorillonite and vermiculite have been produced experimentally as proposed in an earlier communication1. These aluminium interlayers resulted in a stable 14-A. spacing and a reduced cation exchange capacity analogous to the stable spacing2–4 and reduced exchange capacity4 encountered in ‘chloritized’1 soil clays.
Adhesion kinetics of viable Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts to quartz surfaces

The transport and deposition (adhesion) kinetics of viable Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts onto ultrapure quartz surfaces in a radial stagnation point flow system were investigated. Utilizing an optical microscope and an image-capturing device enabled real time observation of oocyst deposition behavior onto the quartz surface in solutions containing either monovalent (KCl) or divalent (CaCl2) salts. Results showed a significantly lower oocyst deposition rate in the presence of a monovalent salt compared to a divalent salt. With a monovalent salt, oocyst deposition rates and corresponding attachment efficiencies were relatively low, even at high KCl concentrations where Derjaguin−Landau−Verwey−Overbeek (DLVO) theory predicts the absence of an electrostatic energy barrier. On the other hand, in the presence of a divalent salt, oocyst deposition rates increased continuously as the salt concentration was increased over the entire range of ionic strengths investigated. The unusually low deposition rate in a mon...
The preparation of L-(2S, 3S)-4,4,4-[2H3] valine

Abstract Isotopically labeled amino acids are important for protein structure determination and in biosynthetic studies. We report now on the synthesis of (2 S , 3 S )-4,4,4-[ 2 H 3 ] valine ( 9 ) using a short, versatile, enzyme-free procedure. The deuterium label is introduced via an organocuprate opening of a chiral epoxide.
Social dominance and play patterns among preschoolers: Gender comparisons

Gender differences in dominance and play among preschoolers were examined. Forty-eight children in girl-girl or girl-boy dyads engaged in masculine and feminine stereotyped activities. Girl-girl dyads displayed more cooperative play than girl-boy dyads. Adventure themes predominated in boys during both activities but in girls only during the masculine activity. Boys had higher functional play compared to girls while engaged in the feminine activity, and lower constructive play overall. Girls engaged in more dramatic play during the feminine activity whereas boys engaged in more dramatic play during the masculine activity. There was a trend for boys to refuse to follow the leads of girls during the masculine activity. Implications and interventions in play are discussed.
Chiral fermions from compactification of O(32) and and E(8) x E(8) string theories.

Compactification to four dimensions of a low-energy approximation to ten-dimensional O(32) string theory leads only to grand unification theories with trivial replication of families. The E(8) x E(8) string is more promising and leads in four dimensions to SU(8) with six families. If compactification breaks the symmetry to lower-rank groups, e.g., SU(7) or E(6), there may be any number of families. In the SU(8) and SU(7) models there is nontrivial family symmetry.
Obligations and expectations: renegotiating pensions in the Russian Federation

While aging trends throughout the former Soviet bloc have been the subject of research less attention is typically paid to the institutional and social legacies of the previous regimes concerning pensions. Unlike developing countries struggling to initiate a system of pensions Russia is attempting to maintain a comprehensive system in the face of extreme resource constraints and a large retirement-aged population. The difficulties associated with the provision of old age pensions in Russia highlight the challenges of curtailing social programmes for transitional economies and the problems associated with adjusting pension systems to evolving economic and demographic realities. (EXCERPT) (SUMMARY IN FRE AND GER)
Adult educators and cultural competence within health care systems: Change at the individual and structural levels

In this chapter, we explore the specific contributions of the field of adult education to the creation of health systems that contribute to the equal treatment of all individuals and communities at the level of individual knowledge, skills, and attitudes, as well as institutional policies and procedures.
Hyponatremia of non-small cell lung cancer: Indian experience.

Background: Hyponatremia is a hazardous complication of lung cancer and its treatment. It is seen at presentation in approximately 15% of patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and 1% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Platinum compounds used as first-line agents along with taxols frequently cause hyponatremia. Till date there is no data on its prevalence in patients with advanced lung cancer in the Indian subcontinent. Aim: This study was undertaken to find out its incidence before and after institution of chemotherapy and to observe the results of treatment of hyponatremia in a group of lung cancer patient. Materials and Methods: Forty patients with advanced lung cancer (25 patients with stage III disease and 15 with stage IV disease) were included in the study. Variables looked at included, but were not limited to, serum sodium, serum albumin, serum alkaline phosphatase, serum lactate dehydrogenase, and hemoglobin. These variables were measured as per the standard clinical laboratory procedure. No ethics approval was required as these parameters are routinely measured in such patients. Results: In the chemo-naive state, one out of five cases with SCLC (20%) had hyponatremia at presentation; among the 35 cases of NSCLC, 7 patients (20%) had hyponatremia at presentation, which is in sharp contrast to earlier reports of 1% prevalence of hyponatremia in this group. Among the 27 cases who died within 6 months, 11 had hyponatremia; this finding was statistically highly significant. Conclusion: In India, NSCLC patients are at high risk of having hyponatremia at presentation and this is significantly associated with a worse outcome.
On the equivalence between some shortest path algorithms

In this paper, we show the equivalence between a particular implementation of the Partitioned Shortest Path (PSP) algorithm, Moore's algorithm, and a dynamic programming approach with an appropriate state space and decision space reduction, when applied to a problem of determining a shortest simple path from a given node to all the nodes in a network having arbitrary costs but with no negative cost circuits. This equivalence provides insights into the PSP method, shows that Moore's algorithm has a polynomial-time implementation, and facilitates by definition the proofs of various properties.
Novel low abundance and transient RNAs in yeast revealed by tiling microarrays and ultra high-throughput sequencing are not conserved across closely related yeast species.

A complete description of the transcriptome of an organism is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of how it functions and how its transcriptional networks are controlled, and may provide insights into the organism's evolution. Despite the status of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as arguably the most well-studied model eukaryote, we still do not have a full catalog or understanding of all its genes. In order to interrogate the transcriptome of S. cerevisiae for low abundance or rapidly turned over transcripts, we deleted elements of the RNA degradation machinery with the goal of preferentially increasing the relative abundance of such transcripts. We then used high-resolution tiling microarrays and ultra high–throughput sequencing (UHTS) to identify, map, and validate unannotated transcripts that are more abundant in the RNA degradation mutants relative to wild-type cells. We identified 365 currently unannotated transcripts, the majority presumably representing low abundance or short-lived RNAs, of which 185 are previously unknown and unique to this study. It is likely that many of these are cryptic unstable transcripts (CUTs), which are rapidly degraded and whose function(s) within the cell are still unclear, while others may be novel functional transcripts. Of the 185 transcripts we identified as novel to our study, greater than 80 percent come from regions of the genome that have lower conservation scores amongst closely related yeast species than 85 percent of the verified ORFs in S. cerevisiae. Such regions of the genome have typically been less well-studied, and by definition transcripts from these regions will distinguish S. cerevisiae from these closely related species.
Differential effects of GABA A and GABA B agonists on sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effects of ethanol in DBA/2 J mice

Contemporary theories of drug abuse suggest that behavioral sensitization plays an important role in addiction. However, few studies have examined the mechanisms underlying behavioral sensitization to ethanol. The present study examined the ability of THIP (2, 4, or 8 mg/kg) and baclofen (5.0, 6.25, or 7.5 mg/kg), GABAA and GABAB agonists, respectively, to prevent development of sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effects of ethanol (2 g/kg) in DBA/2 J mice. Ethanol was administered immediately before four 5-min activity trials conducted at 48-h intervals. Administration of ethanol on each of the four trials resulted in behavioral sensitization in control groups. While having few effects on activity when given alone, both GABA agonists completely blocked the acute stimulant response to ethanol on the first trial. Administration of THIP prior to ethanol on each trial failed to prevent development of sensitization. In contrast, all doses of baclofen blocked sensitization. Assessment of blood ethanol levels 15, 50 and 100 min after administration of ethanol indicated that baclofen did not change the pharmacokinetics of ethanol. These results indicate an important role for GABAB receptors, but not GABAA receptors, in development of sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effects of ethanol.
DECAY OF RHENIUM-187

The end-point energy for $^{187}\mathrm{Re}$ has been determined to be 2.62\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.09 keV by use of ${({\mathrm{C}}_{5}{\mathrm{H}}_{5})}_{2}$ReH vapor in a proportional-counter spectrometer. The $^{187}\mathrm{Re}$ half-life determined from the proportional-counting experiments is (6.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{10}$ year. This is identified as the ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ half-life for decay to continuum states only. When this is combined with the total half-life of (4.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{10}$ year obtained from $^{187}\mathrm{Re}$/$^{187}\mathrm{Os}$ ratios in geologically dated minerals, the ratio of bound-state to continuum-state decays is found to be 0.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3.
Ear rot, aflatoxin accumulation, and fungal biomass in maize after inoculation with Aspergillus flavus

Abstract Aflatoxin, a toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus Link: Fries, occurs naturally in maize (Z ea mays L.). Aflatoxin is a potent human carcinogen and is also toxic to livestock, pets, and wildlife. When contaminated with aflatoxin, the value of maize grain is markedly reduced. This investigation was conducted to compare ear rot, aflatoxin accumulation, and fungal biomass in maize single crosses with varying degrees of resistance to aflatoxin accumulation and to determine the relative importance of general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) in the inheritance of resistance to ear rot, aflatoxin accumulation, and fungal biomass. Eight germplasm lines with different levels of resistance to aflatoxin accumulation were used as parents of a diallel cross. The cross was evaluated for visible ear rot, aflatoxin accumulation, and A. flavus infection in the grain. A. flavus infection was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. Both GCA and SCA were significant sources of variation in the inheritance of the three traits although GCA accounted for a greater portion of the variation among single crosses. The interactions of GCA and SCA with years were highly significant for aflatoxin accumulation, but not significant for A. flavus infection. Estimates of GCA effects were highly significant for both reduced A. flavus infection and reduced aflatoxin accumulation for Mp313E, Mp715, and Mp717. Conversely, GCA effects associated with GA209 were significant for reduced levels of A. flavus infection and ear rot, but high levels of aflatoxin accumulation. Mp313E, Mp715, and Mp717 should be useful in breeding programs targeting both reduced levels of fungal infection and aflatoxin accumulation.