cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of conventional and real time PCR assays for rapid species authentication of mammalian cell lines commonly used in veterinary diagnostic laboratories

Abstract Mammalian cell lines are valuable tools in biomedical fields, with applications ranging from disease diagnosis to the production of biological reagents and vaccines. Here we report the development of new conventional (cPCR) and real time PCR (qPCR) assays for species identification of several mammalian kidney cell lines originated from swine, green monkey, hamster and bovine tissues that are extensively used in veterinary diagnostic laboratories. The PCR primers and probes were selected from highly conserved mitochondrial genes and analyzed in silico by nucleotide BLAST in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website to ensure target specificity. The assays were highly species-specific and had no cross-reactivity against other tested cell lines originated from different mammalian species. Assay sensitivity (limit of detection; LOD) was determined using serial dilutions of cell line DNA as template. The estimated LODs were between 2.95 and 48 pg (picogram) DNA/assay for cPCR, and between 1.5 × 10−3 and 4.8 × 10−2 pg DNA/assay for qPCR. Multiplex qPCR assays were developed for simultaneous detection of up to three species in a single assay. The multiplex qPCR assays exhibited the same sensitivity as the corresponding singleplex assays with the exception of the green monkey species that demonstrated a 10–100 fold decline in the sensitivity. Contamination of swine cells was detected in one of the rabbit cell lines. The contamination was further confirmed by Sanger and Next-Generation sequencing.
Fashion and Artification in the French Luxury Fashion Industry

Fashion design is created in systems of collaborative relationships comparable to art worlds but fashion systems differ from art worlds in the relative emphasis on economic considerations and in th...
Combating Burnout: Back to Medicine as a Calling

For several years, the medical literature has exploded with headlines decrying an epidemic of physician burnout. Burnout rates are reportedly highest among those on the front lines of patient care, including primary care physicians (PCPs).[1][1] While there is still no consensus on how to define
Market segmentation on dating platforms

Abstract Individuals from two populations seek matchmaking services from competing dating websites. Each population is heterogeneous along an objective quality rank and matched couples experience disutility if there are incompatibilities in their quality ranks. Individuals in the populations care also about other traits that they wish their partner to possess. They are more likely to find a partner possessing such traits, the bigger the population served by the website. We investigate whether price competition can lead to segmentation of the two populations. We find that segmentation arises, only if compatibility in quality is relatively important to individuals in comparison to the importance of matching with high quality partners and in comparison to cross network externalities. At the market equilibrium, too many men and women patronize the website that matches high quality individuals. Allowing websites to price discriminate between men and women reduces social welfare.
Racial disparity of stage III rectal cancer among young adults: A combined NCDB/SEER analysis.

85Background: With the advent of screening colonoscopy in 1997, there has been an overall decreasing incidence in rectal cancer. Recently, the ACS updated guidelines to started screening patients a...
Blockchain-Based Firmware Security Check and Recovery for Battery Management Systems

Blockchain technology has many beneficial properties that can advance electric vehicles in cyber-physical environments, especially for security-related purposes for EV battery management systems (BMSs). This paper explores firmware security vulnerabilities of a current BMS through reverse engineering and how the blockchain technology can be applied toward a next-generation BMS by managing critical activities and tasks including BMS firmware security check, recovery, and patch generation. A breakthrough method for blockchain-based automated detection of the firmware vulnerabilities and a patch generation is implemented in Internet-of-Thing (IoT) security modules as nodes of a blockchain network and validated by experiments. The proposed methods transformative to other cyber-physical system applications.
Interplay and roles of oxidative stress, toll-like receptor 4 and Nrf2 in trichloroethene-mediated autoimmunity.

Abstract Previous studies in MRL+/+ mice suggest involvement of oxidative stress (OS) in trichloroethene (TCE)-mediated autoimmunity. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the autoimmunity remain to be fully elucidated. Even though toll-like receptors (TLRs) and Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like2 (Nrf2) pathways are implicated in autoimmune diseases (ADs), interplay of OS, TLR and Nrf2 in TCE-mediated autoimmune response remains unexplored. This study was, therefore, undertaken to clearly establish a link among OS, TLR4 and Nrf2 pathways in TCE-induced autoimmunity. Groups of female MRL+/+ mice were treated with TCE, sulforaphane (SFN, an antioxidant) or TCE + SFN (TCE, 10 mmol/kg, i.p., every 4th day; SFN, 8 mg/kg, i.p., every other day) for 6 weeks. TCE exposure led to greater formation of serum 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE)-protein adducts, HNE-specific circulating immune complexes (CICs) and protein carbonyls which were associated with significant increases in serum antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). Moreover, incubation of splenocytes from TCE-treated mice with HNE-modified proteins resulted in enhanced splenocyte proliferation and cytokine release evidenced by increased expression of cyclin D3, Cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) and phospho-pRb as well as increased release of IL-6, TNF-α and INF-γ. More importantly, TCE exposure resulted in increased expression of TLR4, MyD88, IRAK4, NF-kB and reduced expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in the spleen. Remarkably, SFN supplementation not only attenuated TCE-induced OS, upregulation in TLR4 and NF-kB signaling and downregulation of Nrf2, but also ANA levels. These results, in addition to providing further support to a role of OS, also suggest that an interplay among OS, TLR4 and Nrf2 pathways contributes to TCE-mediated autoimmune response. Attenuation of TCE-mediated autoimmunity by SFN provides an avenue for preventive and/or therapeutic strategies for ADs involving OS.
Outcomes of Carotid Revascularization in Patients with Contralateral Carotid Artery Occlusion.

Background Little is known about the best revascularization procedure for patients with contralateral carotid artery occlusion (CCO). We aim to compare the outcomes of transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR), carotid endarterectomy (CEA), and transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TFCAS) in patients with CCO. Study design Patients in the Vascular Quality Initiative dataset who underwent CEA, TFCAS, or TCAR, and had CCO between September 2016 and April 2020, were included. Multivariable logistic analysis was used to evaluate in-hospital outcomes. Results The final cohort included 1,144 TCARs, 1,182 TFCAS, and 2,527 CEA procedures performed in patients with CCO. Compared with TFCAS, TCAR was associated with a significant reduction in the odds of in-hospital stroke or death (odds ratio [OR] 0.26; 95% CI: 0.12–0.59; p Conclusions TCAR has lower odds of in-hospital stroke or death compared to TFCAS, independent of symptomatic status. Compared to CEA, TCAR seems to be a better option in asymptomatic patients, with lower odds of in-hospital stroke. Yet, no significant difference is observed in symptomatic patients.
‘Sleep-dependent’ memory consolidation? Brief periods of post-training rest and sleep provide an equivalent benefit for both declarative and procedural memory

Sleep following learning facilitates the consolidation of memories. This effect has often been attributed to sleep-specific factors, such as the presence of sleep spindles or slow waves in the electroencephalogram (EEG). However, recent studies suggest that simply resting quietly while awake could confer a similar memory benefit. In the current study, we examined the effects of sleep, quiet rest, and active wakefulness on the consolidation of declarative and procedural memory. We hypothesized that sleep and eyes-closed quiet rest would both benefit memory compared with a period of active wakefulness. After completing a declarative and a procedural memory task, participants began a 30-min retention period with PSG (polysomnographic) monitoring, in which they either slept (n = 24), quietly rested with their eyes closed (n = 22), or completed a distractor task (n = 29). Following the retention period, participants were again tested on their memory for the two learning tasks. As hypothesized, sleep and quiet rest both led to better performance on the declarative and procedural memory tasks than did the distractor task. Moreover, the performance advantages conferred by rest were indistinguishable from those of sleep. These data suggest that neurobiology specific to sleep might not be necessary to induce the consolidation of memory, at least across very short retention intervals. Instead, offline memory consolidation may function opportunistically, occurring during either sleep or stimulus-free rest, provided a favorable neurobiological milieu and sufficient reduction of new encoding.
Gully morphology, hillslope erosion, and precipitation characteristics in the Appalachian Valley and Ridge province, southeastern USA

This study investigates gully erosion on an east Tennessee hillslope in a humid subtropical climate. The study area is deeply gullied in Ultisols (Acrisol, according to the World Reference Base for Soil), with thirty years of undisturbed erosional history with no efforts to correct or halt the erosion. The objectives are (1) to examine how different gully morphologies (channel, sidewall, and interfluve) behave in response to precipitation-driven erosion, and (2) to identify an appropriate temporal scale at which precipitation-driven erosion can be measured to improve soil loss prediction. Precipitation parameters (total accumulation, duration, average intensity, maximum intensity) extracted from data collected at an on-site weather station were statistically correlated with erosion data. Erosion data were collected from erosion pins installed in four gully systems at 78 locations spanning three different morphological settings: interfluves, channels, and sidewalls. Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric tests and Mann–Whitney U-tests indicated that different morphological settings within the gully system responded differently to precipitation (p < 0.00). For channels and sidewalls, regression models relating erosion and precipitation parameters retained antecedent precipitation and precipitation accumulation or duration (R2 = 0.50, p < 0.00 for channels, R2 = 0.28, p < 0.00 for sidewalls) but precipitation intensity variables were not retained in the models. For interfluves, less than 20% of variability in erosion data could be explained by precipitation parameters. Precipitation duration and accumulation (including antecedent precipitation accumulation) were more important than precipitation intensity in initiating and propagating erosion in this geomorphic and climatic setting, but other factors including mass wasting and eolian erosion are likely contributors to erosion. High correlation coefficients between aggregate precipitation parameters and erosion indicate that a suitable temporal scale to relate precipitation to soil erosion is the synoptic time-scale. This scale captures natural precipitation cycles and corresponding measurable soil erosion.
Inclusion in Extracurricular Sport: A How-To Guide for Implementation Strategies

Physical activity and extracurricular activity has become a topic of importance in the United States. The nation's government officials have brought to light the need for increased awareness, advocacy, and support of the participation of youth with disabilities in recreation and leisure activities (e.g., extracurricular and school-sanctioned sport). The Government Office of Accountability recently released a â€œDear Colleague Letterâ€ bringing awareness to the need to improve acceptance and accountability in including students with disabilities in extracurricular physical activities. The purpose of this article was to provide implementation strategies for inclusion of students with disabilities into physical education opportunities and extracurricular athletics.
The Third Factor in Phonology

This article attempts to investigate how much of phonology can be explained by properties of general cognition and the Sensorimotor system — in other words, third-factor principles, in support of the evolutionary scenario posed by Hauser et al. (2002a). It argues against Pinker & Jackendoff’s (2005: 212) claim that “major characteristics of phonology are specific to language (or to language & music), [and] uniquely human,” and their conclusion that “phonology represents a major counterexample to the recursion-only hypothesis.” Contrary to the statements by Anderson (2004) and Yip (2006a, 2006b) to the effect that phonology has not been tested in animals, it is shown that virtually all the abilities that underlie phonological competence have been shown in other species.
Preferential Activation of an IL-2 Regulatory Sequence Transgene in TCRγδ and NKT Cells: Subset-Specific Differences in IL-2 Regulation

A transgene with 8.4-kb of regulatory sequence from the murine IL-2 gene drives consistent expression of a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene in all cell types that normally express IL-2. However, quantitative analysis of this expression shows that different T cell subsets within the same mouse show divergent abilities to express the transgene as compared with endogenous IL-2 genes. TCRγδ cells, as well as αβTCR-NKT cells, exhibit higher in vivo transgene expression levels than TCRαβ cells. This deviates from patterns of normal IL-2 expression and from expression of an IL-2-GFP knock-in. Peripheral TCRγδ cells accumulate GFP RNA faster than endogenous IL-2 RNA upon stimulation, whereas TCRαβ cells express more IL-2 than GFP RNA. In TCRγδ cells, IL-2-producing cells are a subset of the GFP-expressing cells, whereas in TCRαβ cells, endogenous IL-2 is more likely to be expressed without GFP. These results are seen in multiple independent transgenic lines and thus reflect functional properties of the transgene sequences, rather than copy number or integration site effects. The high ratio of GFP: endogenous IL-2 gene expression in transgenic TCRγδ cells may be explained by subset-specific IL-2 gene regulatory elements mapping outside of the 8.4-kb transgene regulatory sequence, as well as accelerated kinetics of endogenous IL-2 RNA degradation in TCRγδ cells. The high levels and percentages of transgene expression in thymic and splenic TCRγδ and NKT cells, as well as skin TCRγδ-dendritic epidermal T cells, indicate that the IL-2-GFP-transgenic mice may provide valuable tracers for detecting developmental and activation events in these lineages.
Reference absolute and indexed values for left and right ventricular volume, function and mass from cardiac computed tomography.

Introduction: Left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) volumetric and functional parameters are important biomarkers for morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure. Purpose: To retrospectively determine reference mean values of LV and RV volume, function and mass normalised by age, gender and body surface area (BSA) from retrospectively electrocardiographically gated 64-slice cardiac computed tomography (CCT) by using automated analysis software in healthy adults. Materials and Methods: The study was approved by the institutional review board with a waiver of informed consent. Seventy-four healthy subjects (49% female, mean age 49.6 ± 11) free of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia with a normal CCT formed the study population. Analyses of LV and RV volume (end-diastolic, end-systolic and stroke volumes), function (ejection fraction), LV mass and inter-rater reproducibility were performed with commercially available analysis software capable of automated contour detection. General linear model analysis was performed to assess statistical significance by age group after adjustment for gender and BSA. Bland–Altman analysis assessed the inter-rater agreement. Results: The reference range for LV and RV volume, function, and LV mass was normalised to age, gender and BSA. Statistically significant differences were noted between genders in both LV mass and RV volume (P-value < 0.0001). Age, in concert with gender, was associated with significant differences in RV end-diastolic volume and LV ejection fraction (P-values 0.027 and 0.03). Bland–Altman analysis showed acceptable limits of agreement (±1.5% for ejection fraction) without systematic error. Conclusion: LV and RV volume, function and mass normalised to age, gender and BSA can be reported from CCT datasets, providing additional information important for patient management.
Vertical structuring of gigantic jets

[1] Gigantic Jets (GJs) are initiated deep inside the thundercloud as intracloud discharges whose upward-directed leaders manage to escape through the thundercloud top and propagate up to the ionosphere. The speed at which leaders propagate is limited by the air heating of every newly formed leader section, rate of which is slower at upper altitudes in the Earth's atmosphere. Despite the expected deceleration of an upward-directed leader, GJs are observed to accelerate as they approach the ionosphere. In this letter, we discuss the dependence of the leader speed on current density in the leader stem, and we propose a simple time-dynamic model for GJ propagation that includes the effects of the expansion of the streamer zone adjacent to the leader head. We propose that the GJ acceleration is a consequence of its vertical structuring and, therefore, can be used to trace the transition altitude between the leader and streamer zone sections of GJs.
Surgical Ventricular Septal Myectomy for Patients With Noonan Syndrome and Symptomatic Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction.

Approximately 20% to 30% of patients with Noonan syndrome (NS) have asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and LV outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO). The role of surgical myectomy in such patients is unknown. We sought to compare clinical features and outcomes of patients with NS and LVOTO with age- and gender-matched patients with nonsyndromic, obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) after myectomy. Two cohorts were selected and retrospectively analyzed using Mayo Clinic databases from 1996 to 2014. Subjects included patients with NS with LVH and LVOTO and nonsyndromic controls with obstructive HC. Twenty-three patients with NS and LVH were identified, of whom 12 (8 males) underwent myectomy (10 septal and 2 combined septal/apical) for severe LVOTO (10 pediatric and 2 adults; 13 ± 10 year old [range 1 to 39]). Similar echocardiographic improvements were noted in both groups. There were no perioperative deaths. Residual gradients were slightly higher in patients with NS. No improvement was noted in left atrial volume after myectomy in patients with NS. At early follow-up, the majority showed improvement in the New York Heart Association class (88% in NS vs 82% in HC, median of 6 and 2 months, respectively). At late follow-up (median of 7 years), the survival rate was 92% in NS and 100% in HC. In patients with NS with LVH and symptomatic LVOTO, myectomy reduces both gradient and the New York Heart Association class, similar to patients with nonsyndromic obstructive HC. Residual gradients were slightly higher, and left atrial dilation persisted in patients with NS. In conclusion, myectomy should be considered in patients older than 1 year with NS and symptomatic LVOTO.
A high-pressure inductively coupled plasma torch

An inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch utilizing an extended coolant tube that tapers down to a small exit orifice designed to increase the pressure within the ICP torch is described. This torch design makes use of the advantages associated with higher torch operating pressures (including improved detection limits, increased sensitivity, and better plasma stability), without requiring major modifications to existing commercially available ICP torch box and matching networks. Detection limits obtained with the use of the new torch design are compared with those obtained from several commonly used torch designs using a commercially available torch box and spectrometer. A two- to sevenfold improvement in detection limits is observed through increasing torch operating pressure from 101.325 KPa (760 Torr, or atmospheric pressure) to 120 KPa (900 Torr).
Estrogenic residues in the edible tissues of stilbestrol-fattened chickens.

Abstract THE use of synthetic estrogens for the hormonal fattening of poultry, and studies designed to demonstrate whether or not estrogenic residues remain in the edible tissues of the treated poultry have recently been reviewed by Lorenz (1954) and by Merker et al. (1955). Commercial use of the estrogens has been limited to the implantation or injection of stilbestrol and to the oral feeding of dienestrol diacetate. The usual practice is to treat the birds at 7 to 9 weeks of age and to slaughter the birds 4 to 6 week later. With the development of a sensitive assay method (Umberger, Gass and Curtis, 1958) based on the work of Stob, Andrews and Zarrow (1954), an examination has been made of the edible tissues from chickens treated with various commercial preparations of stilbestrol. The results of these assays are the subject of this report. A subsequent report will detail the studies …
Effect of Removal or Stimulation of the Olfactory Bulbs on the Estrous Cycle of the Guinea Pig

The effect of removal of the olfactory bulbs on the estrous cycle of the guinea pig was followed by daily examination of vaginal smears. Sham-operated and normal animals were also studied. The estrous cycle was not altered by this operation but anosmic females mated less readily than controls. Daily electrical stimulation of the olfactory bulbs throughout one or more estrous cycles failed to disturb the rhythm and it is concluded that the sense of smell is of little importance in the control of gonadal activity in the female guinea pig. However, olfactory stimuli may be of significance in the manifestation of estrous behavior. (Endocrinology 77: 213, 1965)
Acetolactate Synthase Activity in Developing Maize (Zea mays L.) Kernels

Acetolactate synthase (EC 4.1.3.18) activity was examined in maize (Zea mays L.) endosperm and embryos as a function of kernel development. When assayed using unpurified homogenates, embryo acetolactate synthase activity appeared less sensitive to inhibition by leucine + valine and by the imidazolinone herbicide imazapyr than endosperm acetolactate synthase activity. Evidence is presented to show that pyruvate decarboxylase contributes to apparent acetolactate synthase activity in crude embryo extracts and a modification of the acetolactate synthase assay is proposed to correct for the presence of pyruvate decarboxylase in unpurified plant homogenates. Endosperm acetolactate synthase activity increased rapidly during early kernel development, reaching a maximum of 3 micromoles acetoin per hour per endosperm at 25 days after pollination. In contrast, embryo activity was low in young kernels and steadily increased throughout development to a maximum activity of 0.24 micromole per hour per embryo by 45 days after pollination. The sensitivity of both endosperm and embryo acetolactate synthase activities to feedback inhibition by leucine + valine did not change during kernel development. The results are compared to those found for other enzymes of nitrogen metabolism and discussed with respect to the potential roles of the embryo and endosperm in providing amino acids for storage protein synthesis.
Use of national forests by Salish-Kootenai Tribal members: traditional recreation and a legacy of cultural values.

Abstract This study focused on the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flat‐head Reservation in Montana. Its purpose was three‐fold: (a) to understand the outdoor recreation activities of the Salish‐Kootenai Tribal members in surrounding national forests, (b) to clarify the significance of these outdoor activities to Salish‐Kootenai Tribal members, and (c) to make recommendations to managers regarding how changes occurring on national forests may impact Tribal members’ use of these lands. The study highlights the historical and contemporary challenges American Indians face regarding their use of lands near their reservations. Interviews were conducted with 60 Salish‐Kootenai Tribal members. Results indicate that Tribal members participate in a number of outdoor activities in national forests, including hunting, fishing, berry and mushroom picking, camping, hiking, and collecting medicinal plants. Their participation in these activities is often negatively impacted by two factors: (a) management...
Active vs. passive methods of recruiting ethnic minority women to a health promotion program

Ethnic minority women have been underrepresented in health promotion research. There is a need to develop effective methods of recruiting ethnic minority women to health promotion programs and research studies. This article evaluates several methods for recruiting ethnic minority women to a study of a telephone and mail intervention encouraging participation in a home-based walking program. One hundred twenty-six sedentary ethnic minority women between the ages of 25 and 55 were recruited using two types of approaches. Number of participants screened, number enrolled, and recruitment efficiency (ratio of number recruited/ number screened) were assessed. “Active” recruitment, contacting targeted individuals in person, by phone, or by mail, yielded 236 screened and 29 recruited with a recruitment efficiency of 11%. “Passive” recruitment, informing the community through public notices and waiting for volunteers to call, yielded 151 screened and 97 recruited with a recruitment efficiency of 64%. Those recruited by active or passive methods did not differ by demographic characteristics, baseline psychosocial variables, or dropout rates. Passive recruits walked significantly more at five-month follow-up than active recruits. Passive recruitment may be more economical at the cost of potentially biased samples.
The Forcing of the Meridional Circulation of the Isentropic Zonally Averaged Circumpolar Vortex

Abstract For the axisymmetric general circulation, Eliassen (1951) showed that stable meridional circulations are controlled by large-scale diabatic heating and friction torque. Because the real atmosphere is longitudinally disturbed, a direct meridional response to large-scale diabatic heating is not readily found by conventional zonal averaging in isobaric coordinates. By introducing, the concept of a zonally averaged general circulation in isentropic coordinates, a direct meridional response to diabatic heating is isolated. Using an approach analogous to Eliassen's, this study has extended the concept of diabatically forced isentropic meridional circulations to include the role of angular momentum torques within the circumpolar vortex. The absolute angular momentum torques comprise three terms: divergence of eddy relative momentum transport, friction and zonal pressure torques. The heating is composed of hemispheric-scale diabatic processes. For a hydrodynamically and statically stable atmosphere, a co...
Effect of preexposure to kepone on hepatic mixed-function oxidases in the female rat.

Abstract The effects of preexposure of female rats to Kepone on hepatic drugmetabolizing enzymes and several other parameters of the multifunction oxidase system were investigated. Animals were exposed to 0, 50, 100, and 150 ppm Kepone in the daily ration for 16 days. There was a dose-related decline in body weight gained to 72, 55, and 22% of the controls for 50, 100, and 150 ppm Kepone, respectively. Liver weight was unaltered at all three levels of dietary Kepone. While hydroxylation of aniline, pentobarbital, and hexobarbital were all enhanced, the increase in metabolism of the latter two substrates was consistently higher than that of controls. Enhanced metabolism of pentobarbital was also evident from the dose-related decrease in the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time. Aminopyrine and ethylmorphine demethylase activities were increased three- to fourfold over the controls. Cytochrome P-450, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and aniline binding were all increased, suggesting that there were general increases in the intermediate steps in the electron-transfer system within the multifunction oxidase complex. Cytochrome b5 was unaltered by Kepone and only a 100-ppm dose elicited a discernible increase in NADPH dehydrogenase activity. These effects in the female rats, along with previously published effects in the male rat, are suggestive of the potential of Kepone to modify hepatic drug-metabolizing function in animals of both sexes.
QCDSP machines: design, performance and cost

The Quantum Chromodynamics on Digital Signal Processors ( QCDSP) machines in operation at Columbia University and nearly complete at the RIKEN Brookhaven Research Center are MIMD machines with processing nodes based on the Texas Instruments TMS320C31-50 digital signal processor (DSP), interconnected as a four-dimensional torus. The Columbia machine contains 8,192 nodes and has a peak speed of 0.4T flops. The RIKEN/BNL machine has 12,288 nodes, a peak speed of 0.6 Tflops and a total cost of $1.85M. In order to establish a cost/performance figure for this architecture, we have run two standard lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) programs on portions of this hardware. The first program stochastically estimates the trace of the inverse of the Wilson Dirac operator, computed on a series of lattice configurations. Running for 49 minutes on 1/6 of the Brookhaven machine, this code performs floating point operations for a cost/performance of $13.2/Mflops. We also present the performance of a second production program which generates a Markov chain of lattice configurations distributed according to the statistical weight describing two species of light Wilson quarks interacting with the gauge degrees of freedom of QCD. Running for 1334 minutes on a single cabinet at Columbia (equivalent to 1/12th of the Brookhaven machine), this program executes floating point operations for a cost performance of $13.6/Mflops. Further information about these machines can be found at http://www.phys.columbia.edu/~cqft.
THE GENERALIZED MATCHING LAW AS A DESCRIPTION OF MULTIPLE-SCHEDULE RESPONDING

The literature was examined to determine how well the generalized matching law (Baum, 1974) describes multiple-schedule responding. In general, it describes the data well, accounting for a median of 91% of the variance. The median size of the undermatching parameter was 0.46; the median bias parameter was 1.00. The size of the undermatching parameter, and the proportion of the variance accounted for by the equation, varied inversely with the number of schedules conducted, with the number of sessions conducted per schedule, and with the time within a component. The undermatching parameter also varied with the operanda used to produce reinforcers and with the reinforcer used. The undermatching parameter did not vary consistently with component duration or with several other variables. Bias was greater when fewer rather than more schedules were conducted, when two rather than one operanda were used, and when White Carneaux rather than homing pigeons served as subjects. These results imply that the generalized matching law may describe both concurrent and multiple-schedule responding, but that the same variables do not always influence the bias and undermatching parameters in the same way for the two types of schedules.
Regional wall-motion abnormalities on post-stress electrocardiographic-gated technetium-99m sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography imaging predict cardiac events.

Background The global left-ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) is a powerful predictor of cardiac death (CD). There are limited data on the prognostic value of regional LV function. We examined the role of visually assessed regional wall motion in risk stratification for future cardiac events. Methods and Results A prospectively gathered database of 10,336 patients who underwent technetium (Tc)-99m sestamibi-gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was analyzed. The summed stress score (SSS) and summed wall-motion score (SWMS) were calculated using a standard 17-segment model. The post-stress EF was generated using QGS software. The follow-up was 90.2% complete over 28.6±16 months. Patients with early (≤60 days) revascularization were censored, leaving 8,767 for analysis. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that abnormal wall motion (SWMS ≥5) was an independent predictor of cardiac death (odds ratio=1.78, 95% confidence interval =1.11 to 2.85, P=.016). Among patients with an EF≥45%, abnormal wall motion was the only gated SPECT variable that independently predicted cardiac death (odds ratio=1.69, 95% confidence interval=1.06 to 2.7, P=.028). In patients with an EF≥45% and reversible perfusion defects, abnormal wall motion predicted an intermediate (2.2%/year) risk for CD, and a high (4.2%/year) risk for the combined endpoint of cardiac death and nonfatal MI. Conclusion Regional LV function data from gated SPECT provide important prognostic information, and may identify a subgroup of patients with preserved EF and ischemia who are at significant risk for future cardiac events.
Physical activity, smoking, and exercise-induced fatigue.

This study determined whether persons with coronary risk factors have increased fatigue during or after exercise. Ratings of perceived exertion were first shown to be a valid measure of fatigue; i.e., ratings of perceived exertion correlated with heart rate both during and after exercise and at each of three exercise tests (all within-subjects r>0.88). Physical inactivity and smoking were associated with increased fatigue. Inactive men and smokers had higher levels of fatigue during both exercise and recovery conditions and at each of three exercise tests. The increased fatigue of men who were inactive and smoked was not entirely due to their lower level of fitness. The risk factors of age, Type A behavior pattern, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, serum high-density lipoprotein, and obesity were not associated with increased fatigue. The increased fatigue experienced by inactive persons and smokers may account for their decreased compliance to exercise programs.
Laser-induced emission from Te2, TeSe, TeS, and SeS in argon matrices

Abstract Laser-induced fluorescence spectra are reported for Te 2 , TeSe, TeS, and SeS in argon matrices with both natural and isotopically enriched samples. From the total of nine band systems, two new electronic states are believed to have been identified for Te 2 and one each for TeSe and TeS.
Manipulability of β-Adrenergic Responsiveness in Adult Guniea-Pig Cardiomyocyte Cultures

β-adrenergic stimulation of cardiomyocytes induces vital upregulation of both chronotropy (heart rate) and ionotropy (contractility). Progressive attenuation of this regulation constitutes critical pathogenic and therapeutic dimensions of heart failure (Gene Ther19:686). Yet, key features of this pathway and its dysfunction in disease remain unclear. Highly valuable would be a long-term cultured myocyte system that emulates the strong-to-weak progression of β-adrenergic responsiveness between normal and diseased states, while permitting ready manipulation and measurement of underlying molecular events. Here, we used improved culture protocols to produce functional monolayers of adult guinea-pig ventricular myocytes (aGPVMs) that can be maintained for several weeks. At baseline, these monolayers support propagated electrical activity and exhibit monophasic restitution of action-potential duration and conduction velocity. Intriguingly, β-adrenergic stimulation (0.5 μM isoproterenol, iso) upregulates chronotropy without change in inotropy (a, Ca2+ transients), indicating selective regression of adrenergic signaling. By contrast, after several-day electrical stimulation of cultures, β-adrenergic stimulation not only augments chronotropy, but robustly enhances inotropy (b). Thus we have generated a cultured myocyte system whose β-adrenergic responsiveness can be easily manipulated, offering a valuable platform for clarifying long elusive features of adrenergic signaling and its plasticity in disease.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Gamma-Irradiated and Nonirradiated Eimeria tenella Sporozoites Exhibit Differential Uracil Uptake and Expression of a 7- to 10-kDa Metabolic Antigen

Abstract Eimeria tenella sporozoites were exposed in the oocyst form to either an optimum (15 kRad) or a high (25 kRad) dose of gamma irradiation and used to infect cultured chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF). The sporozoite-infected CEF monolayer was pulsed at time of infection or 24 hr postinfection with [3H]uracil and harvested 24 hr later to measure sporozoite metabolic activity. Sporozoites exposed to either 0 or 15 kRad gamma irradiation incorporated similar (P > 0.05) amounts of [3H]uracil during the first and second 24-hr periods after infection. However, there was a significant decrease (P
Scale Theory, Serial Theory and Voice Leading

Efficient voice leading, in which melodic lines move by short distances from chord to chord, is a hallmark of many different Western musical styles. Although musicians can often find maximally efficient voice leadings with relative ease, theorists have not adequately described general principles or procedures for doing so. This article formalises the notion of voice leading, shows how to classify voice leadings according to transpositional and inversional equivalence and supplies algorithms for identifying maximally efficient voice leadings between arbitrarily chosen chords. The article also includes analytical and theoretical discussions of neo-Riemannian theory, the ‘tritone substitution’ in contemporary jazz, the music of Wagner and Debussy, the relation between harmony and counterpoint and the connections between scale theory and serial theory.
Recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Abstract Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), also known as “canker sores,” is one of the most common diseases of the oral mucosa. It is characterized by the recurrent development of one to several discrete, painful ulcers in the mouth, often leading to difficulty in eating, drinking, and talking. RAS is world-wide in distribution and afflicts approximately 20% of the population. This disorder generally begins during adolescence, increases into adulthood, and then decreases with advancing age. Most patients are otherwise healthy. Although self-limited in nature, some individuals experience frequent and severe episodes, so that RAS may be associated with significant morbidity. Two disorders that are potentially related to RAS are “complex aphthosis” (CA) and Behcet's Disease (BD). In CA, recurrent oral and genital ulcers, or almost continuous oral ulcers (more than three), are seen. BD was originally described as the triad of oral ulcers, genital ulcers, and uveitis. However, it is now appreciated that BD is a complex multisystem disease. In both CA and BD, the mucosal ulcers are clinically and histologically indistinguishable from those that occur in RAS. For this reason, it has been suggested that these three processes present a continuum along the same disease spectrum, ranging from RAS, to CA, to BD. RAS has been divided into two forms, minor aphthous ulcers (MiAU), and major aphthous ulcers (MjAU). MiAU and MJAU, as the names imply, differ in the severity and frequency of active episodes. In both cases the clinical presentation of the oral ulcers typically progresses through four stages: premonitory, preulcerative, ulcerative, and healing. Histologic findings in RAS depend on the stage at which the biopsy was performed. Necrosis of individual epithelial cells evolves to more generalized destruction of the epithelial surface. A predominantly mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate is present, but vasculitis is not seen. Results of direct immunofluorescence studies have been variable and are generally considered nonspecific. The pathogenesis of RAS is unknown, despite multiple investigative studies. Possible etiologies that have been considered include genetic, nutritional, hormonal, allergic, psychological, traumatic, infectious, and autoimmune. An infectious agent and/or alteration in host immune function are considered most likely. Other disorders that may be associated with oral ulceration, and must be differentiated from RAS, include various infections (herpes simplex virus, coxsackie virus, yeast), mucocutaneous syndromes (erythema multiforme, cicatricial pemphigoid, pemphigus vulgaris, lichen planus), and certain systemic diseases (lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, hematologic disorders). Some systemic, as well as topical, medications may also result in the development of RAS-like lesions. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for RAS and no uniformly effective treatment. However, multiple therapeutic regimens exist that may provide significant symptomatic relief to the individuals with frequently recurrent or severe disease.
Unipolar mania revisited

In a more sophisticated replication of an earlier study (Abrams and Taylor 1974), we examined 77 manic patients, of whom 29 had never suffered a depressive illness, and had two or more manic attacks. These unipolar manics were similar to the 48 bipolar manics for a wide variety of clinical, phenomenological, historical, laboratory and demographic variables, generally supporting our earlier findings. However, the present sample showed a striking excess of males among the unipolar manics, as well as an increased morbid risk for unipolar depression in first-degree relatives. Although not readily explainable, these differences suggest that it is premature to equate unipolar mania with classical bipolar illness. Further studies of unipolar mania are in progress.
Abnormal Orientations: A Revision of Nomenclature

Suggestions are made for revising psychiatric terminology in line with current criticisms of the medical model. “Orientation” is substituted, where possible, for terms such as “disorder,” “illness,” “disturbance,” “reaction,” and “behavior.” Other psychological terms are suggested as substitutions for psychiatric terms in cases where “orientation” seems inappropriate.
Research on the Ship Motion Simulation Platform for Three Degrees Based on Seasickness Test and Kinematics Analysis

A new structure of ship motion simulation platform and its hydraulic control system were designed. Matlab/Simulink was used for the analyses of hydraulic control system. Virtual prototype of the ship motion simulation platform was built up by ADAMS under the seasickness test condition, and the kinematics analysis was also carried on. The results show the effectiveness on the model of platform.
Improving Healthcare Systems’ Disclosures of Large-Scale Adverse Events: A Department of Veterans Affairs Leadership, Policymaker, Research and Stakeholder Partnership

BACKGROUND The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mandates disclosure of large-scale adverse events to patients, even if risk of harm is not clearly present. Concerns about past disclosures warranted further examination of the impact of this policy.
Occupational differences between recent male and female college graduates

Abstract Occupational difference by gender is a key feature of the labor market. While this is less true of college graduates than other groups, even among them men and women are concentrated in different occupations. While differences in occupations for college graduates are often attributed to college major, few tests of this hypothesis have been conducted. Using the National Center for Education Statistics Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study 1993/94, this paper explores the role of gender differences in college major in accounting for occupational differences in first-jobs among recent college graduates. Key results show that gender differences in college major and selected job choice variables explain a significant portion of gender differences in engineering/computer, medical, teaching, and service occupations. Gender differences in the returns to these factors account for much of gender differences in clerical, management, labor, and service occupations. If women had the same returns to factors as men, occupational differences would be diminished by half.
Pharmacology for the gastrointestinal tract.

Drugs used to modulate the gastrointestinal tract of neonates are some of the more commonly used drugs in the neonatal nursery. This article provides a brief overview of the developmental changes that occur in the gastrointestinal tract of the neonate that may influence drug disposition, followed by a discussion of the known pharmacology of drugs used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in neonates. Recent studies have characterized the pharmacokinetics of some of the commonly used prokinetic agents and H2 receptor antagonists, but pharmacokinetic data for preterm infants for many drugs are still needed. As is true for many drugs used in the perinatal period, controlled trials to assess the efficacy of various drugs used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in infants are lacking. A final discussion of drug-related adverse events affecting the gastrointestinal tract is also provided.
Heuristic methods for dynamic load balancing in a message-passing supercomputer

In this paper, a new adaptive scheme is presented for dynamic load balancing on a message-passing multicomputer. The scheme is based on using easy-to-implement heuristics and variable threshold in migrating processes among the multicomputer nodes. It uses a distributed control over all processor nodes as coordinated by a host processor. Four heuristic methods for process migration are presented, which are distinguished by choosing different policies for process migration and threshold update. A parallel simulator with distributed load balancers is developed on an iPSC/2 hypercube system. The load balancing scheme is evaluated on the effects of system utilization, load imbalance, communication and migration overhead, and multicomputer size. Relative merits of the four methods are revealed under various multicomputer conditions.
Ecology of bacterial communities in the schistosomiasis vector snailBiomphalaria glabrata

The internal colony-forming bacterial flora of the schistosome intermediate host snailBiomphalaria glabrata (Say) has been characterized in ca. 500 individual snails from Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, and St. Lucia, and from laboratory aquaria. Freshly captured wild snails harbor 2–40×106 CFU·g−1, and healthy aquarium snails harbor 4–16×107 CFU·g−1, whereas moribund individuals have 4–10 times as many bacteria as healthy individuals from the same habitats.Pseudomonas spp. are the most common predominant bacteria in normal snails, whereasAcinetobacter, Aeromonas, andMoraxella spp. predominate in moribund snails. External bacterial populations in water appear to have little effect on the composition and size of the flora in any snail. In addition to normal (healthy) and moribund snails, a third group of snails has been distinguished on the basis of internal bacterial density and predominating genera. These “high-density” snails may have undergone stresses and may harbor opportunistic pathogens. The microfloras of wild and laboratory-reared snails can be altered and stimulated to increase in density by crowding the snails or treating them with antibiotics.