cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Association Between a Functional CYP1A1 Polymorphism and Colorectal Neoplasia Risk in Post Menopausal Women

Background The impact of estrogen on risk of colorectal neoplasia is uncertain. Carriers of the AA and CA genotype allele of the C4887A polymorphism of the CYP1A1 gene have enhanced estrogen metabolism relative to carriers of the CC genotype.
Hypothalamic sensing of fatty acids

Selective regions of the brain, including the hypothalamus, are capable of gathering information on the body's nutritional status in order to implement appropriate behavioral and metabolic responses to changes in fuel availability. This review focuses on direct metabolic signaling within the hypothalamus. There is growing evidence supporting the idea that fatty acid metabolism within discrete hypothalamic regions can function as a sensor for nutrient availability that can integrate multiple nutritional and hormonal signals.
Common sense signalling.

Extracellular stimuli transmit information to cells by activating receptor-dependent signal-transduction cascades, most typically involving tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases. The cell's response to the activation of these kinases depends on the duration of their signals. New work now shows how cells sense the duration of an ERK signal in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The study suggests that a common mechanism for sensing ERK signal duration may be involved in diverse cellular functions.
The synthesis of the ligand 5-bis[2-(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)ethyl]amine-1,10-phenanthroline and of its ruthenium(II) and rhenium(I) complexes. Binuclear species with Cu(I) and some photophysical properties

The synthesis and characterization of the new polyfunctional ligand phen-pza (5-bis[2-(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)ethyl]amine-1,10-phenanthroline) are described. Also reported are the preparations and some photophysical properties of the ruthenium(II) and rhenium(I) complexes [Ru(bpy)2(phen-pza)](PF6)2 (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) and [Re(CO)3Br(phen-pza)], respectively, and the supramolecular copper(I) adducts [Ru(bpy)2(phen-pzaCuI)](PF6)3 and [Re(CO)3Br(phen-pzaCuI)](PF6). Limited studies of copper(II) adducts and photophysical changes upon reaction with NO are also described. The synthesis, structural characterization and some redox chemistry of the model copper(II) complex [Cu(pza)](CF3SO3)2 (pza = bis[2-(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)ethyl]amine) are reported as are the syntheses and characterizations of 5-diethylamino-1,10-phenanthroline (phen-dea) and rhenium(I) complex Re(CO)3Br(phen-dea).
A methodology for improving computer access security

A computer access verification methodology that uses pattern recognition techniques is presented in this paper. The input vectors were made up of the time intervals between successive keystrokes created by users while typing a known sequence of characters. Each input vector was classified into one of several classes, thereby identifying the user. Five pattern recognition techniques were used in this study. A 100% classification accuracy was achieved using the potential function algorithm, but this required the longest computing time. The least successful algorithm was the cosine measure, with an accuracy of 92.92% The application of these algorithms in identifying computer users could lead to more secure computer systems. This method is simple and accurate, with cost-effective characteristics.
Another Look at Some Results on the Recursive Estimation in the General Linear Model

Abstract Written mainly for its pedagogical interest, this note deals with the computational formulas for the recursive updating of weighted least squares parameter estimates and the residual sum of squares in the general linear model under the assumption that the errors have a multivariate normal distribution. This approach simplifies considerably the derivations of Haslett (1985).
Measurement of the Elastic Modulus of Individual Type I Collagen Fibrils

The primary focus of this work was to measure the mechanical properties of hydrated individual type I collagen fibrils using atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. In particular, we are investigating anisotropy in the elastic modulus of these fibrils. Radial measurements were performed by compressing the fibril between the tip of an AFM cantilever and the flat substrate on which the fibril was supported. The elastic modulus was extracted from this data using a Hertzian analysis. To investigate the axial properties, a three-point bending technique was used. The fibril was suspended between adhesive supports and deflected centrally by the AFM tip. Here, the bending modulus was found by fitting the data to the equation describing the bending of an elastic beam affixed and supported at each end. Both the radial and the axial experiments were performed on fibrils assembled from pepsin digested collagen monomers, and the results were compared with similar measurements perform on intact, native fibrils. The outcomes are of interest to those investigating extracellular matrix mechanics, especially with application to cell differentiation and tissue engineering.
Visual Performance as a Function of Spectral Power Distribution of Light Sources at Luminances Used for General Outdoor Lighting

(1999). Visual Performance as a Function of Spectral Power Distribution of Light Sources at Luminances Used for General Outdoor Lighting. Journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society: Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 37-42.
FLUCTUATION PAIRING AND HEAT CAPACITY OF HIGH Tc SUPERCONDUCTORS

The leading correction due to thermodynamic fluctuations to the dependence of the heat capacity on temperature and applied magnetic field is calculated for anisotropic high Tc superconductors.
Predecessors and Prototypes: Towards a Conceptual History of the Buddhist Antarābhava

The Buddhist Sanskrit term antarābhava refers quite literally to existence ( bhava ) in an interval ( antarā ) and designates the temporal space between death and subsequent rebirth. It is apparent that, among the early schools of Buddhism in India, the status of this intermediate existence inspired considerable controversy. However, in spite of its controversial beginnings, the concept of the antarābhava continued to flourish and to exert a significant force upon the theories and practices of the later Northern Buddhist traditions. Questions concerning the conceptual origins of this notion and its theoretical connections with earlier Indian systems of thought have received little scholarly attention, despite a growing popularity of literature on the subject of death in Buddhist traditions. In this essay the possible links between the early conceptual systems of Hinduism (the Vedic and Upaniṣadic traditions) and Buddhism are examined to determine whether certain theoretical developments in Hinduism may have contributed to the emergence of the Buddhist notion of a postmortem intermediate period. The conclusion is drawn that the early Buddhists, in formulating a concept of the antarābhava , borrowed and reinterpreted elements from Hindu cosmography and mythology surrounding the issue of postmortem transition.
A gamma-shaped detection function for line-transect surveys with mark-recapture and covariate data

We have developed a procedure for estimating animal population size from aerial survey data collected simultaneously by two observers on the same sighting platform. We used a line transect sample design where transects follow elevation contours in mountainous terrain. Because our 10 data sets from aerial line transect surveys, conducted over a terrestrial environment, consistently show unimodal detection shapes, we chose a gamma-shaped detection function that is unimodal and admits covariates. We fit models separately to data from each observer, and then used all of the data to estimate the probabilities at the apex of the detection curves. We used a Horvitz-Thompson estimator to estimate the population size. We illustrate our procedure on a recently collected brown bear data set. The programs and data set used in this work are available in the online supplements.
In Vivo Reperfusion Dynamics of Autofluorescence during Prolonged Renal Warm Ischemia for Early Prediction of Tissue Function and Ability to Recover

Autofluorescence dynamics of kidneys in situ in response to different durations of prolonged ischemia is characterized in rats using a relaxation model. Relaxation times increased with injury time and are compared to post-operative survival outcome.
Flow analysis of the Cleveland Clinic centrifugal pump

An implantable ventricular assist rotordynamic blood pump is being developed by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in cooperation with the NASA Lewis Research Center. At the nominal design condition, the pump provides blood flow at the rate of 5 liters per minute at a pressure rise of 100 mm of mercury and a rotative speed of 3000 RPM. Bench testing of the centrifugal pump in a water/glycerin mixture has provided flow and pressure data at several rotative speeds. A one-dimensional empirical based pump flow analysis computer code developed at NASA Lewis Research Center has been used in the design process to simulate the flow in the primary centrifugal pump stage. The computer model was used to size key impeller and volute geometric parameters that influence pressure rise and flow. Input requirements to the computer model include a simple representation of the pump geometry. The model estimates the flow conditions at the design and at off-design operating conditions at the impeller leading and trailing edges and the volute inlet and exit. The output from the computer model is compared to flow and pressure data obtained from bench testing.
Segment router: a novel router design for parallel computers

In this paper we present the Segment router, a novel router design for the interconnection networks of massively parallel computers. The design decisions of the Segment router are motivated by the need to improve the network performance when the traffic consists of messages with widely different lengths.The key novelty of the Segment router is that it provides different queueing policies for the two classes of messages it services. Short messages are stored in a centralized, dynamically allocated queue that guarantees storage availability for the whole packet of the short message. Long messages on the other hand are stored in small FIFO buffers associated with the input channels of the router. Thus when a long message becomes blocked, it is stored in segments in the FIFO buffers of a number of routing elements in the network. Furthermore, the physical channels of the Segment router are fairly multiplexed between the two supported classes of messages without the potential for starvation.Using simulations we compare the performance of our technique to the performance of multipacket messages and networks implementing lanes. The results clearly demonstrate the performance advantages of our technique.
Mechanisms of Antimicrobial, Cytolytic, and Cell-Penetrating Peptides: From Kinetics to Thermodynamics

The mechanisms of six different antimicrobial, cytolytic, and cell-penetrating peptides, including some of their variants, are discussed and compared. The specificity of these polypeptides varies; however, they all form amphipathic alpha-helices when bound to membranes, and there are no striking differences in their sequences. We have examined the thermodynamics and kinetics of their interaction with phospholipid vesicles, namely, binding and peptide-induced dye efflux. The thermodynamics of binding calculated using the Wimley-White interfacial hydrophobicity scale are in good agreement with the values derived from experiment. The generally accepted view that binding affinity determines functional specificity is also supported by experiments in model membranes. We now propose the hypothesis that it is the thermodynamics of the insertion of the peptide into the membrane, from a surface-bound state, that determine the mechanism.
Using a five-gene phylogeny to test morphology-based hypotheses of Smittium and allies, endosymbiotic gut fungi (Harpellales) associated with arthropods.

Smittium, one of the first described genera of gut fungi, is part of a larger group of endosymbiotic microorganisms (Harpellales) that live predominantly in the digestive tracts of aquatic insects. As a diverse and species-rich taxon, Smittium has helped to advance our understanding of the gut fungi, in part due to the relative success of attempts to culture species of Smittium as compared to other members of Harpellales. Approximately 40% of the 81 known species of Smittium have been cultured. This is the first Smittium multigene dataset and phylogenetic analysis, using the 18S and 28S rRNA genes, as well as RPB1, RPB2, and MCM7 translated protein sequences. Several well-supported clades were recovered within Smittium. One includes the epitype S. mucronatum (the “True Smittium” clade), and another contains many species including S. simulii and S. orthocladii (the “Parasmittium” clade). Ancestral states were reconstructed for holdfast shape, thallus branching type, as well as asexual (trichospore) and sexual (zygospore) spore morphology. Two of these characters, holdfast shape and trichospore morphology, supported the split of the two main clades revealed by the molecular phylogeny, suggesting these are natural clades and these traits may have evolutionary and perhaps ecological significance.
Making and repairing the mammalian brain—in vitro production of dopaminergic neurons

Abstract Midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons play an essential role in modulating motor control, and their degeneration is the hallmark feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD). In vitro production of DA neurons provides insight into the mechanisms that control cell fate choice, and offers an alternative to the use of fetal tissue for experimental cell replacement in PD. Here we will review the advantages and disadvantages of the various renewable cell sources and protocols tested, and discuss their relevance for basic studies and for cell therapy.
Content-based retransmission for a video streaming system with error concealment

In order to provide good QoS for video streaming in error-prone environments, effective error control methods are essential. Current error control methods can be classified into two categories: 1) Transport layer approaches such as FEC and retransmission; 2) Application layer approaches such as error resilience coding and error concealment. By far, most existing research is aimed towards optimizing one of the above approaches to reduce the impact of transmission errors. However, there is usually more than one error control method in a real video streaming system. In this case, how to optimize the system performance becomes more complicated, and is not standardized. This paper presents the research effort to joint-optimize the effects of two error control methods, retransmission and error concealment, in wavelet-based video streaming system. The major difficulty of the joint-optimization is that the two methods are mutually dependent; the system cannot be optimized by improving each error control method independently. To tackle this problem, a new content index, namely "reconstruction distortion", is defined to quantify both the packet content and its importance in error concealment. Based on the defined content index, a content-based retransmission approach is developed to select the best packet-sending scheme to maximize the quality of the received video under the given error concealment method. Experiments results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Integrative medicine: implementation and evaluation of a professional development program using experiential learning and conceptual change teaching approaches.

Abstract Objective To meet the increasing patient interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), conventional physicians need to understand CAM, be willing to talk with their patients about CAM, and be open to recommending selected patients to appropriate CAM modalities. We aimed to raise physicians’ awareness of, and initiate attitudinal changes towards CAM in the context of integrative medical practice. We developed and implemented a professional development program involving experiential learning and conceptual change teaching approaches. Methods A randomized controlled study with a pre-post design in a large academic medical center. The 8-hour intervention used experiential and conceptual change educational approaches. Forty-eight cardiologists were randomized to participant and control groups. A questionnaire measured physicians’ conceptions of, and attitudes to CAM, the likelihood of changing practice patterns, and the factors most important in influencing such changes. The questionnaire included an embedded control question on a topic that was not the focus of this program. We administered the questionnaire before (pretest) and after (posttest) the intervention. We compared differences in pre- and post-intervention scores between the participant ( N = 20) and control ( N = 16) groups. We used both groups to identify factors that influenced their practice patterns. The study was NIH-funded and IRB-exempt. Results Both groups initially had little knowledge about, and negative attitudes to CAM. The participant group had significant positive changes in their conceptions about, and attitudes to CAM after the program, and significant improvements when compared with the control group. Participant physicians significantly increased in their willingness to integrate CAM in their practices. Physicians (combined groups) rated research evidence as the most important factor influencing their willingness to integrate CAM. They requested more research evidence for CAM efficacy, and more information on non-conventional pharmacology. Participants reflected enthusiasm for the experiential program. Conclusions The participants were able to experience the positive effects of selected CAM modalities. It is possible to increase physician knowledge and change attitudes towards integrative medicine with an eight-hour intervention using experiential and conceptual change teaching approaches. Practice implications Professional development on integrative medicine can be offered to medical practitioners using experiential learning and conceptual change teaching approaches, with the help of local CAM practitioners.
Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia.Party Politics in Southeast Asia: Clientelism and Electoral Competition in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines

Donald L. Horowitz's Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia and Dirk Tomsa and Andreas Ufen's Party Politics in Southeast Asia are two recent contributions to the contemporary literature ...
A non-quasi-static small-signal model for metal-semiconductor junction diodes

Abstract The quasi-static approximation, which assumes that free-carrier propagation delay in the semiconductor device is zero, is often used in device modeling. Consequently, the quasi-static model is adequate only for low-frequency excitations for which free-carrier propagation delay is very small compared to the variation of the excitations. This paper develops a non-quasi-static model suitable for metal-semiconductor junction diodes subjected to small-signal excitation. We show that the predictions of the non-quasi-static model agree more favourably with experimental data taken from AlSi diodes than that of the quasi-static model, particularly when the frequency of the excitation is high.
Differential pricing when costs differ: a welfare analysis

This article analyzes the welfare effects of monopoly differential pricing in the important, but largely neglected, case where costs of service differ across consumer groups. Cost-based differential pricing is shown to increase total welfare and consumer welfare relative to uniform pricing for broad classes of demand functions, even when total output falls or the output allocation between consumers worsens. We discuss why cost-based differential pricing tends to be more beneficial for consumers than its demand-based counterpart, third-degree price discrimination. We also provide sufficient conditions for welfare-improving differential pricing when costs and demands differ across consumer groups.
Psychiatric diagnostic dilemmas in the medical setting

Objective: To review the problems posed for doctors by the failure of existing taxonomies to provide a satisfactory method for deriving diagnoses in cases of physical/psychiatric comorbidity, and of relating diagnoses on multiple axes.Method: Review of existing taxonomies and key criticisms. The author was guided in selection by his experience as a member of the working parties involved in the creation of the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-IV.Results: The attempts of the two major taxonomies, the ICD-10 and the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-IV, to address the problem by use of glossaries and multiple axes are described, and found wanting. Novel approaches, including McHugh and Slavey's perspectives of disease, dimensions, behaviour and life story, are described and evaluated. The problem of developing valid and reliable measures of physical/psychiatric comorbidity is addressed, including a discussion of genetic factors, neurobiological variables, target markers and other pathophysiologica...
Parameterization of Drop-Spectrum Evolution due to Coalescence and Breakup.

Abstract Coalescence and collision-induced breakup of water drops are the two basic drop-interaction processes governing warm-rain development. In this work, recently derived model results are used to construct a parameterization of drop-spectrum evolution as an initial Marshall-Palmer-type drop distribution undergoes the effects of coalescence and breakup. The parameterization, as developed so far, is designed to represent with accuracy only the large-drop portion of the spectrum. The initial distributions are of the form of N = N0e−AD where Λ and N0 are constants, and D denotes raindrop diameter (mm). During its evolution, the large-drop portion of the spectrum maintains exponential form, approaching an equilibrium with Λ=3.6 mm−1. Analysis pertaining to the parameterization has led to the discovery that initial spectra with Λ>3.6 mm−1 rapidly just to a quasi-stationary state before slowly approaching the true equilibrium.
Passive films: nature's exquisitely nano-engineered protection system

Abstract Some of the physico-electrochemical properties of passive oxide films that form on reactive metal and alloy surfaces, and which protect the underlying metals from corrosion, are reviewed within the context of the point defect model and the mixed potential model. The application of the models to the prediction of damage is illustrated by estimating the loss in wall thickness of alloy C-22 canisters containing high-level nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain like repositories.
Cephalometric morphological analysis: what information does it give you?

Cephalometric analysis is an invaluable tool for orthodontists in the diagnosis and treatment planning of their patients. This article discusses the history, development and application of the Bjork cephalometric analysis. The advantages and disadvantages of the conventional analysis are discussed and the benefits of using a limited number of parameters are emphasized.
Leadership, Innovation Climate, and Attitudes Toward Evidence-Based Practice During a Statewide Implementation

Objective Leadership is important in practice change, yet there are few studies addressing this issue in mental health and social services. This study examined the differential roles of transformational (i.e., charismatic) leadership and leader–member exchange (i.e., the relationship between a supervisor and their direct service providers) on team innovation climate (i.e., openness to new innovations) and provider attitudes toward adopting evidence-based practice (EBP) during a statewide evidence-based practice implementation (EBPI) of an intervention to reduce child neglect. Method Participants were 140 case-managers in 30 teams providing home-based services to families in a statewide child-welfare system. Teams were assigned by region to EBPI or services as usual (SAU) conditions. Multiple group path analysis was used to examine associations of transformational leadership and leader–member exchange with innovation climate and attitudes toward adoption and use of EBP. Results Transformational leadership predicted higher innovation climate during implementation, whereas leader–member exchange predicted higher innovation climate during SAU. Innovation climate was, in turn, associated with more positive attitudes toward EBP for the EBPI group. Conclusions Strategies designed to enhance supervisor transformational leadership have the potential to facilitate implementation efforts by promoting a strong climate for EBPI and positive provider attitudes toward adoption and use of EBP.
Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome associated with bioprosthetic tricuspid valve stenosis and reverse Lutembacher syndrome.

A 43-year-old woman presented with shortness of breath. She developed dyspnea on exertion 6 months prior to presentation, with resting shortness of breath for 2 months. Dyspnea was worse in the upright position. She recently noted that her lips were turning blue in color. Her past medical history was significant for intravenous drug abuse, hepatitis C, and tricuspid valve (TV) endocarditis 3 years prior. She underwent TV replacement with a bioprosthetic valve that was complicated by chest wall necrotizing fasciitis and septic embolism with brain abscess requiring craniotomy. She reported tobacco use, medication noncompliance, and continued intravenous drug abuse. Medications included albuterol/ipratropium, pantoprazole, and furosemide. She had been started on continuous home oxygen. She presented to another institution and was found to have a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Coronary angiography showed no significant coronary artery disease, and chest computed tomography angiography demonstrated normal lung parenchyma and no pulmonary embolus. She was referred to our institution for percutaneous PFO closure. Admission vital signs and basic labs are shown in Table 1. Pulse oximetry on 5L continuous oxygen by nasal cannula was 75% to 78%. When upright, her oxygen saturation decreased to 65% and she became more tachypneic, findings consistent with the platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome. Physical examination showed perioral cyanosis, no jugular venous distention, …
Measurement of Pressure-Broadening Parameters for the CO-He System at 4 K

A technique has been developed to observe collisions in a regime where the rotational energy-level separation is greater than the thermal energy. Pressure-broadening parameters of trace quantities of CO, thermalized by collisions with helium at 4 K, were measured and found to be 10.1 and 11.2 MHz/Torr (half width at half maximum) for the $J=0\ensuremath{-}1$ and $J=1\ensuremath{-}1$ transitions, respectively. At 4 K only a small number of collision channels are energetically available and comparisons between experiment and theory are facilitated.
Tradeoffs in CDN designs for throughput oriented traffic

Internet delivery infrastructures are traditionally optimized for low-latency traffic, such as the Web traffic. However, in recent years we are witnessing a massive growth of throughput-oriented applications, such as video streaming. These applications introduce new tradeoffs and design choices for content delivery networks (CDNs). In this paper, we focus on understanding two key design choices: (1) What is the impact of the number of CDN's peering points and server locations on its aggregate throughput and operating costs? (2) How much can ISP-CDNs benefit from using path selection to maximize its aggregate throughput compared to other CDNs who only have control at the edge? Answering these questions is challenging because content distribution involves a complex ecosystem consisting of many parties (clients, CDNs, ISPs) and depends on various settings which differ across places and over time. We introduce a simple model to illustrate and quantify the essential tradeoffs in CDN designs. Using extensive analysis over a variety of network topologies (with varying numbers of CDN peering points and server locations), operating cost models, and client video streaming traces, we observe that: (1) Doubling the number of peering points roughly doubles the aggregate throughput over a wide range of values and network topologies. In contrast, optimal path selection improves the CDN aggregate throughput by less than 70\%, and in many cases by as little as a few percents. (2) Keeping the number of peering points constant, but reducing the number of location (data centers) at which the CDN is deployed can significantly reduce operating costs.
Monazite–allanite phase relations in metapelites

Abstract Calculations of the transition from allanite to monazite-bearing assemblages in typical pelitic bulk compositions have been made using thermodynamic data estimated from oxide sums and inferred from natural parageneses. Calculations in the CFASHPCe and MnNCKFMASHPCe systems place the allanite to monazite transition in the middle amphibolite facies (525–600 °C) for a bulk composition similar to Shaw's average pelite. The temperature of the transition is pressure dependent, and strongly dependent on the bulk rock CaO content, consistent with inferences from natural parageneses. The transition is also a function of the bulk Al 2 O 3 content, although the calculated result is opposite to that inferred from natural samples. Comparison with published results in the La–Mg system suggest that the nature of the REE phosphate does not greatly influence the conditions of the transition.
Social network interactions: A buffer or a stress.

Forty-four caregivers to spouses with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease provided a stressed subject population considered at high risk for depression. Unlike more typical unidirectional measures of perceived social support quality, subject ratings were elicited separately as to how helpful as well as how upsetting each network member was in five different support categories. Correlations between perceived network "upset" and depression (Beck Depression Inventory) were highly significant, while in no case did perceived "helpfulness" relate to depression. Using stepwise multiple regression, the set of five support category Upset ratings predicted depression better than did helpful/upset ratios, which in turn predicted depression better than the Helpfulness ratings as a group. The implications of these findings for the conceptualization of social support and its measurement are discussed.
Noninvasive Pulmonary Aspergillus Infections

Aspergillus can cause several forms of pulmonary disease ranging from colonization to invasive aspergillosis and largely depends on the underlying lung and immune function of the host. This article reviews the clinical presentation, diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of noninvasive forms of Aspergillus infection, including allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), aspergilloma, and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). ABPA is caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to Aspergillus species and is most commonly seen in patients who have asthma or cystic fibrosis. Aspergillomas, or fungus balls, can develop in previous areas of cavitary lung disease, most commonly from tuberculosis. CPA has also been termed semi-invasive aspergillosis and usually occurs in patients who have underlying lung disease or mild immunosuppression.
On the consistency of consistent conjectures

Abstract A Consistent Conjectures Equilibrium, CCE, requires that firms be correct in their beliefs concerning rival behavior. This paper presents conditions which ensure equivalence of CCE's in price and quantity models of oligopoly.
Nucleic Acid and Protein Metabolism of Senescing and Regenerating Soybean Cotyledons

An alternative to the leaf disk system for studies of the metabolism of senescence is described. The progress of senescence of soybean ( Glycine max L.) cotyledons is arrested when the epicotyl is removed. Epicotyl removal at 16 or 17 days reversed the decline in nucleic acid, protein, and chlorophyll content in the cotyledon. Epicotyl removal at 18 days did not reverse the decline in the above components, and therefore the progress of cotyledon has passed the point of no return. Cotyledons lost 90% of their nucleic acid and 80% of their protein before senescence became irreversible. The rate of recovery in various macromolecular components after epicotyl removal did not occur in an equal manner. Nucleic acid was regenerated at a faster rate than chlorophyll, which was regenerated at a faster rate than soluble protein. The heavy nucleic acid components (ribosomal and heavy ribosomal messenger fractions) regenerated at greater rates than did the soluble RNA or DNA. No label from 14 CO 2 was incorporated into DNA of the cotyledons when the epicotyl was present but label was incorporated into DNA after epicotyl removal. The parallels between the mechanisms of cotyledon senescence and apical dominance are discussed.
The role of reproductive hormones in maintaining cognition

It is an exciting challenge to be a practitioner in women’s health care. Although traditionally held benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are being challenged, compelling evidence of previously unappreciated benefits is emerging. This phenomenon is most dramatic in the study of cognition. The impact of sex steroids, most notably estrogen, on the central nervous system (CNS) is profound and diverse. Currently, there are over 300 journals published annually that are devoted to the study of neuroscience. Moreover, it is a rare occurrence for one of these journals not to address this subject. This article summarizes the current data describing the relationship between reproductive hormones and cognition on women during the late reproductive years and the perimenopause. The wealth of data on the relationship between hormones and other brain functions like mood, behavior, coordination, sexuality, or sleep are not reviewed. A review of hormonal therapy in patients with established neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease is also not provided. The interested reader is encouraged, however, to pursue these subjects and it is hoped those issues can be addressed in future publications. Cognition: the often overlooked symptom of the menopausal syndrome Cognition is a term describing a variety of brain functions including memory, learning, language, attentiveness, reasoning, and motor speed. The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation recently confirmed that memory problems rank among the most common complaints of women experiencing menopause in the United States regardless of their racial background. As a result of techniques developed during the last decade, clinicians are beginning to understand the association between hypoestrogenism and memory problems. The development of a vast knowledge base has enabled clinicians to generate physiologic
Radial glia give rise to perinodal processes.

Nodes of Ranvier in the central nervous system in mammals are characterized by the presence of perinodal astrocytic processes. This study examines the association between processes of radial glia and the axolemma at nodes of Ranvier in the spinal cord of the mature axolotl, an animal in which radial glia represent a large portion of the total glial population. The radial glial cells have their cell bodies located close to the central canal. Those situated dorsal to the canal send long processes to the dorsal surface of the spinal cord. Along this trajectory these processes coalesce into large fascicles in the midline and form the dorsal median septum. Slender branches rise from the processes in these fascicles and extend into the adjacent white matter to terminate in close apposition to the axolemma at nodes of Ranvier. This arrangement provides an intracellular pathway extending from the perinodal region to the surface of the spinal cord. Radial glia ventral to the central canal give rise to processes that project to the glia limitans adjacent to the ventral spinal artery. These ventrally projecting processes appear to be more irregular in their branching pattern than their dorsal counterparts. Multiple slender processes are seen in close apposition to the nodal axolemma of myelinated axons in the ventral white commissure, again providing an intracellular pathway that runs from the perinodal region to the cord surface. In one instance a radial glial process was observed to occupy a pocket formed by the invagination of the nodal axolemma. The axonal cytoplasm adjacent to the invagination contained a variety of organelles, e.g. multivesicular bodies, vesicles and endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting that this relationship between the radial glial process and the axon is more than a passive interaction. These observations are consistent with the view that processes of radial glial cells may regulate the extracellular environment adjacent to the nodal axolemma, and/or play an active role in the maintenance of the nodal membrane. The existence of perinodally-directed processes of radial glial cells in the salamander indicates that this axo-glial specialization reflects an important functional interaction preserved across a large segment of the phylogenetic scale.
Twice-a-day radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: The University of Florida experience

Between March 1978 and March 1989, 419 patients with 439 moderately advanced or advanced primary squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck received treatment with curative intent with twice-a-day radiotherapy (120 cGy per fraction with a 4- to 6-hour interfraction interval). Seventy-nine percent of the patients had AJCC stage III or stage IV cancers. The primary site in most patients was the oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx. All patients received radiotherapy alone to the primary site, with or without planned neck dissection after radiotherapy. Surgery at the primary site was reserved for salvage of radiotherapy failures. No patient received chemotherapy as part of the initial treatment plan. Total doses were 7440 cGy to 7920 cGy in the majority of patients. In 54 patients with oropharyngeal lesions, an interstitial implant was used to add a 1,000- to 1,500-cGy boost after the basic dose. Local control results were compared on a site-by-site and stage-by-stage basis with the results of continuous-course, once-a-day radiotherapy at the University of Florida; the control results were the same as or better than after once-a-day radiotherapy for each site and stage (T2 to T4). Severe complications of radiotherapy occurred in 4% of patients and correlated with tumor dose, T stage, and disease site (oropharynx or larynx/hypopharynx). The addition of a neck dissection 4 to 6 weeks after radiotherapy of patients with advanced-stage neck disease was accomplished with an acceptable rate of morbidity and significantly improved the rate of control of neck metastases compared with radiotherapy alone.
Modeling the subsurface thermal impact of Arctic thaw lakes in a warming climate

Warming air temperatures in the Arctic are modifying the rates of thermokarst processes along Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain. The Arctic Coastal Plain is dominated by thaw lakes. These kilometer-scale lakes are the most visible surface features in the region, and they provide important habitats for migratory birds. The lakes are formed by thermokarst processes, and are therefore susceptible to change as warming continues. We present a 1D numerical model of permafrost and subsidence processes in order to investigate the subsurface thermal impact of thaw lakes of various depths, and to evaluate how this impact might change in a warming climate. Currently, most thaw lakes in the region are shallow (<~2m deep), freeze to their base each winter, and are not underlain by permanently unfrozen ground (taliks). Field observations indicate that these shallow lakes have not greatly altered the thermal structure of the subsurface. Our model suggests that under a warming scenario, the number of lakes that do not freeze to their base during the winter, and are therefore underlain by taliks, will increase. Such changes could substantially alter the hydrology of the Arctic Coastal Plain.
Signal recognition of fatigue crack growth in bridge structures connected to specimen behaviour

Health monitoring in life and material sciences is involved fundamentally with the scaling of time and space variables. The use specificity, however, can differ widely with reference to ranges of the space and time scales even when the application is narrowed down to aeronautics and civil engineering structures. Reliable evaluation of the structural integrity depends on the connection between data acquisition and interpretation. The fulfillment of this link can vary from the most obvious to the very subtle. It is prudent that the effectiveness of the monitoring technology be identified with signal recognition. To this end, this work will be confined to the failure of bridge structural members by fatigue crack propagation, which is one of the primary concerns over the lifetime of the structure as the operational conditions and structural properties can change over a period of 100 years or less. Conventional fatigue crack growth methodology has been scrutinized in recent research in light of multiscaling wh...
Intervention in free radical mediated hepatotoxicity and lipid peroxidation by indole-3-carbinol

The cytoprotective effect of the natural dietary constituent indole-3-carbinol (I-3-C) on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) mediated hepatotoxicity in mice was examined. I-3-C pretreatment by gavage 1 hr prior to intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 produced a 63% decrease in CCl4-mediated centrolobular necrosis and a related 60% decrease in plasma alanine aminotransferase activity (a marker of liver necrosis). Since the toxicological effects of CCl4 are mediated by radical species generated during reductive metabolism by cytochrome P-450, we examined the potential ability of I-3-C to scavenge reactive radicals. Three systems were used to evaluate the ability of I-3-C to intervene in free radical mediated lipid peroxidation. These systems consisted of the following: (1) phospholipid dissolved in chlorobenzene, with peroxidation initiated by the thermal and photo decomposition of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN); (2) sonicated phospholipid vesicles in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), with peroxidation initiated by ferrous/ascorbate; and (3) mouse liver microsomes containing an NADPH-regenerating system, with peroxidation initiated with CCl4. Lipid peroxidation was measured in these three systems as thiobarbiturate-reacting material. In the AIBN and ferrous/ascorbate systems, I-3-C inhibited lipid peroxidation, with greater inhibition under conditions of low rates of free radical generation. I-3-C was not as effective an antioxidant as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) or tocopherol, but it inhibited peroxidation in a dose-response manner. I-3-C was most effective as a radical scavenger in the microsomal CCl4-initiated system by inhibiting lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent fashion, with 50% inhibition at 35-40 microM I-3-C. This concentration is about one-third of the concentration of I-3-C achieved in liver after treatment of mice by gavage with 50 mg I-3-C/kg body weight. These data suggest that I-3-C may be a natural antioxidant in the human diet and, as such, may intervene in toxicological or carcinogenic processes that are mediated by radical mechanisms.
A Line Grid Method in Areal Sampling and its Connection with some Early Work of H. Robbins

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTAn unbiased estimate of a sum of two dimensional areas is obtained using a line grid method. A formula for the variance and nth moment is derived for the case of a single area. Connections with Robbins's measure of random sets and with integral geometry are discussed.
A maximum power point algorithm using the Lagrange method

Abstract The maximum power transfer problem is posed as a constrained optimization problem and the well-known Lagrange method is employed to address it in case of some simple circuits including a photovoltaic cell. In graphical terms, the maximum power point (MPP) is the point of tangency between the isopower contours and the source curve. For the example of a photovoltaic cell a Seidel type iteration is also suggested. A brief mathematical treatment of its convergence and uniqueness of the solution is given along with numerical simulations performed using MATLAB. This new algorithm lends itself to the implementation of the Lagrange MPP tracker (LMPPT). To show its working, the Solarex module MSX-60 is chosen and a simple buck-boost converter circuit is simulated with PSIM software. The terminal current, voltage and power are displayed showing the accuracy and the reliability of the proposed method under varying load and irradiance conditions.
The economic factor in the Sino-Vietnamese split, 1972–75: An analysis of Vietnamese archival sources

Relying on so far untapped Vietnamese archival sources, this article examines the impact of China's gradual curtailment of its economic assistance to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam's (DRV) war and economic recovery efforts and its implications for Sino-Vietnamese relations between 1972 and 1975. While Beijing's gradual reduction of aid to the DRV during this period was primarily motivated by the declining importance of North Vietnam to China's strategic security combined with the reality of China's domestic economic hardship which largely resulted from the disastrous Cultural Revolution of 1966–69, Hanoi's reactions and policy responses were driven by their deep-rooted perception of Beijing's insincerity and hidden intention to keep Vietnam weak. The Sino-Vietnamese conflict that ensued after 1975 was not inevitable; Hanoi's leaders launched concerted diplomatic efforts to improve economic relations with Beijing throughout 1975 because they clearly recognised the importance of China's continued econom...