cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A pilot study of botulinum toxin A for male chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Abstract Objective. Male chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) has been the subject of numerous clinical trials, but so far, no uniformly effective treatment has been identified. A commonly reported tender spot in men with CPPS is the bulbospongiosus muscle. A randomized placebo controlled pilot trial of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection into the perineal skeletal musculature for the treatment CPPS was conducted. Material and methods. Twenty-nine men with CPPS were identified from a urology clinic. Symptom evaluation was performed using a Global Response Assessment (GRA) and the Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (CPSI). All subjects were randomized to receive either BTX-A 100 U or normal saline injected into the perineal body and bulbospongiosus muscle. Results. BTX-A injection was administered in 13 men. At the 1 month follow-up there was a 30% response rate for BTX-A treatment compared with 13% for placebo (p = 0.0002), based on GRA results. Total CPSI score did not reach significance in the BTX-A-treat...
The ghrelin O-acyltransferase-ghrelin system: a novel regulator of glucose metabolism.

Purpose of reviewGhrelin, an orexigenic hormone secreted from the stomach, exists in the circulation in two isoforms: des-acyl and acyl ghrelin. Acylation by the enzyme ghrelin O-acyl-transferase (GOAT) enables ghrelin to activate the ghrelin receptor. This review discusses recent findings illustrat
A hybrid particle-continuum method applied to shock waves

A hybrid numerical scheme designed for hypersonic non-equilibrium flows is presented which solves the Navier-Stokes equations in regions of near-equilibrium and uses the direct simulation Monte Carlo method where the flow is in non-equilibrium. Detailed analysis of each stage of the hybrid cycle illustrates the difficulty in defining physically correct DSMC boundary conditions in regards to both macroscopic state and velocity distribution. However, results also show that DSMC boundary conditions have little effect on a previously initialized interior particle domain. A sub-relaxation technique capable of determining macroscopic, hydrodynamic properties in a DSMC simulation is used to determine low-scatter boundary conditions for the NS domain. Particle and continuum domains adapt during the hybrid simulation through application of a continuum breakdown parameter based on the gradient-length Knudsen number. The hybrid code reproduces experimental results and full DSMC simulations in half the time for a large range of 1D shock waves in argon and diatomic nitrogen gas.
The effect of phosphorus fertilization on the chemical quality of Katahdin potatoes.

The influence of phosphorus fertilization on the content of ascorbic acid, lipids, total nitrogen, protein, and non-protein nitrogen of Katahdin potatoes was investigated. Phosphorus in the form of mono ammonium phosphate was applied at rates of 0, 56, 112, and 168 Kg/ha (0, 50, 100, and 150 lb/acre). Ascorbic acid, total nitrogen, protein and non-protein nitrogen content were significantly increased (p<.01) and the phospholipid content was significantly reduced (p<.01) by phosphorus application.
Independent electronic and magnetic doping in (Ga,Mn)As based digital ferromagnetic heterostructures

Ferromagnetic semiconductors promise the extension of metal-based spintronics into a material system that combines widely tunable electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. Here, we take steps towards realizing that promise by achieving independent control of electronic doping in the ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As. Samples are comprised of superlattices of 0.5 monolayer (ML) MnAs alternating with 20 ML GaAs and are grown by low temperature (230 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C) atomic layer epitaxy. This allows for the reduction of excess As incorporation and hence the number of charge-compensating As-related defects. We grow a series of samples with either Be or Si doping in the GaAs spacers (p- and n-type dopants, respectively), and verify their structural quality by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction and ex situ x-ray diffraction. Magnetization measurements reveal ferromagnetic behavior over the entire doping range, and show no sign of MnAs precipitates. Finally, magnetotransport shows the giant planar Hall effect and strong (\ensuremath{\sim}20%) resistance fluctuations that may be related to domain wall motion.
Large and moderate deviations for intersection local times

We study the large and moderate deviations for intersection local times generated by, respectively, independent Brownian local times and independent local times of symmetric random walks. Our result in the Brownian case generalizes the large deviation principle achieved in Mansmann (1991) for the L 2-norm of Brownian local times, and coincides with the large deviation obtained by Csorgo, Shi and Yor (1991) for self intersection local times of Brownian bridges. Our approach relies on a Feynman-Kac type large deviation for Brownian occupation time, certain localization techniques from Donsker-Varadhan (1975) and Mansmann (1991), and some general methods developed along the line of probability in Banach space. Our treatment in the case of random walks also involves rescaling, spectral representation and invariance principle. The law of the iterated logarithm for intersection local times is given as an application of our deviation results.
Maintenance of Small Bowel Mucosa with Glutamine-Enriched Parenteral Nutrition

Glutamine is an important fuel utilized by the intestinal mucosa that is not present in standard amino acid nutrition solutions. In order to determine the effects of glutamine on the intestine, glutamine enriched nutrition was administered intravenously to male Wistar rats. A standard amino acid solution was enriched with 1 and 2 g/100 ml of glutamine or glycine and used as part of a parenteral nutrition regime for 7 days. Intestinal samples were taken for measurements of jejunal weight, DNA, protein, mucosal thickness and villus height. Animals receiving 2 g glutamine/100 ml in the nutrition solution had increased intestinal weight, DNA, and villus height when compared to animals receiving 2 g/100 ml of glycine. No increase in the intestinal parameters was noted when 1 g/100 ml of glutamine was used. To investigate the dose-response effects of glutamine, further studies were performed using isonitrogenous and isocaloric solutions containing 0, 2, and 3 g of glutamine/100 ml. Animals receiving glutamine had a significant increase in mucosal weight, DNA, protein and villus height when compared to animals receiving no glutamine in the parenteral solutions. There was a dose-response relationship between the increase in jejunal DNA and the increased intake of glutamine (r = 0.93, p less than 0.01) but no correlation with the nitrogen content of the solutions (r = 0.18, p = 0.8). Total body nitrogen retention was greater in animals receiving 2 g/100 ml of glutamine (166 +/- 12 mg, days 6/7) when compared to those receiving 0 and 3 g of glutamine/100 ml (126 +/- 14 mg and 138 +/- 16 mg, respectively, p less than 0.05). These studies demonstrate that glutamine enriched nutrition protects against atrophy of the intestinal mucosa and when given at 2 g/100 ml improves nitrogen retention during intravenous feeding.
Almost-sure asymptotic stability of a general four-dimensional system driven by real noise

In the first part of this paper, we construct an asymptotic expansion for the maximal Lyapunov exponent, the exponential growth rate of solutions to a linear stochastic system, and the rotation numbers for a general four-dimensional dynamical system driven by a small-intensity real noise process. Stability boundaries are obtained provided the natural frequencies are noncommensurable and the infinitesimal generator associated with the noise process has an isolated simple zero eigenvalue. This work is an extension of the work of Sri Namachchivaya and Van Roessel and is general in the sense that general stochastic perturbations of nonautonomous systems with two noncommensurable natural frequencies are considered.
Implementing a bubble memory hierarchy system

This paper reports on implementation of a magnetic bubble memory in a two-level hierarchial system. The hierarchy used a major-minor loop device and RAM under microprocessor control. Dynamic memory addressing, dual bus primary memory, and hardware data modification detection are incorporated in the system to minimize access time. It is the objective of the system to incorporate the advantages of bipolar memory with that of bubble domain memory to provide a smart, optimal memory system which is easy to interface and independent of user's system.
Managing Sjögren’s Syndrome and non-Sjögren Syndrome dry eye with anti-inflammatory therapy

Dry eye from Sjogren’s syndrome is a multifactorial disease that results in dysfunction of the lacrimal functional unit. Studies have shown changes in tear composition, including inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and metalloproteinase. T-lymphocytes have been shown to increase in the conjunctiva and lacrimal glands in patient and animal models. This inflammation is in part responsible for the pathogenesis of the disease, which results in symptoms of eye irritation, ocular surface epithelial disease, and loss of corneal barrier function. There are a number of anti-inflammatory approaches for treating this disease. The current study reviews details of immune response and anti–inflammatory therapies used to control this disease.
Use of a Sheets' Glide as a Pseudoposterior Capsule in Phacoemulsification Complicated by Posterior Capsule Rupture

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and efficacy of using a Sheets' glide as a pseudo-posterior capsule to facilitate completion of phacoemulsification of the lens' nucleus following posterior capsule rupture during phaco. STUDY DESIGN: Intra- and postoperative review of Sheets' glide surgical technique used on five adult patients undergoing phacoemulsification who developed a posterior capsule rupture while the nucleus was still in the bag. SETTING: Norwood Clinic, outpatient ophthalmic department, Birmingham, Alabama, USA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Efficacy of Sheets' glide PC technique in management of this surgical complication. RESULTS: Each patient was successfully treated by manoeuvring the Sheets' glide to occlude the PC posteriorly, thus permitting completion of the removal of residual nucleus by phaco through a 5 to 6 mm scleral incision with an open posterior capsule. CONCLUSION: Although emulsification of the nucleus after PC rupture generally poses significant risk of loss of nuclear debris into the vitreous cavity, insertion of a Sheets' glide between the torn capsule and the nucleus may be safely and effectively used to act as a pseudo-posterior capsule to facilitate completion of the case using phacoemulsification.
27Al NMR relaxation studies of molten salts containing ethylaluminum dichloride

Abstract The microdynamics of room temperature molten salts containing EtAlCl2 are examined by 27Al NMR relaxation methods as a function of melt composition and temperature. The melts examined include neat EtAlCl2 and mixtures of EtAlCl2, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (MEICl) and AlCl3. Information obtained from this study indicates interactions between EtAlCl2 containing species (EtAlCl3− and EtAlCl2 dimers) and MEICl or AlCl3. Quadrupole coupling constants obtained for 27Al using the extreme narrowing condition compare favorably with those obtained previously by the dual spin probe (DSP) method.
Countersystem Analysis and the Construction of Alternative Futures

This essay explicates the role of countersystem analysis as an essential mode of social inquiry. In the process, particular attention is given to the place of negation and the future. One underlying theme is the asymmetry between the negative and the positive features of social activities, the negative being more readily identifiable empirically than the positive. A corollary theme, building on the observations of George Herbert Mead, is: one engages the present through experience; one engages the future through ideas. Furthermore, as Anthony Giddens, Ulrich Beck, and Niklas Luhmann suggest, we in late modernity seem to be facing a future that is more contingent than it was in early modernity. After articulating the foundations of the mode of inquiry we term “countersystem analysis,” we employ Karl Mannheim as a point of departure for critically surveying a constellation of scholars—conservatives as well as reformers—who have relied upon some version of countersystem analysis in addressing the future. Suc...
Inter-animal variability in the effects of C-type allatostatin on the cardiac neuromuscular system in the lobster Homarus americanus

SUMMARY Although the global effects of many modulators on pattern generators are relatively consistent among preparations, modulators can induce different alterations in different preparations. We examined the mechanisms that underlie such variability in the modulatory effects of the peptide C-type allatostatin (C-AST; pQIRYHQCYFNPISCF) on the cardiac neuromuscular system of the lobster Homarus americanus . Perfusion of C-AST through the semi-intact heart consistently decreased the frequency of ongoing contractions. However, the effect of C-AST on contraction amplitude varied between preparations, decreasing in some preparations and increasing in others. To investigate this variable effect, we examined the effects of C-AST both peripherally and centrally. When contractions of the myocardium were elicited by controlled stimuli, C-AST did not alter heart contraction at the periphery (myocardium or neuromuscular junction) in any hearts. However, when applied either to the semi-intact heart or to the cardiac ganglion (CG) isolated from hearts that responded to C-AST with increased contraction force, C-AST increased both motor neuron burst duration and the number of spikes per burst by about 25%. In contrast, CG output was increased only marginally in hearts that responded to C-AST with a decrease in contraction amplitude, suggesting that the decrease in amplitude in those preparations resulted from decreased peripheral facilitation. Our data suggest that the differential effects of a single peptide on the cardiac neuromuscular system are due solely to differential effects of the peptide on the pattern generator; the extent to which the peptide induces increased burst duration is crucial in determining its overall effect on the system.
An RNA Virus in Autographa californica Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus Preparations: Gross Pathology and Infectivity

Abstract The pathology and infectivity of an RNA virus infectious to Trichoplusia ni larvae was investigated. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and weight depression were used as criteria for virus concentration in larval homogenates and live larvae, respectively. Infected larvae were severely stunted, weighing as little as 13 times less than uninfected individuals of the same age, yet appeared normal morphologically. The virus was found to cause only slight mortality at high concentrations. Infected larvae displayed the pathological stunting response down to a dose of 0.1 ng of virus. Larvae infected with doses 100 times lower did not show the weight response but such inapparent infections were detectable by ELISA. Because of these subtle gross pathological symptoms, particularly at low levels of infection, infected individuals could easily remain unde-tected in a group-reared colony.
Interactive specification of regions of interest on brain surfaces.

We describe Surface Editor—a tool for interactive specification of regions of interest (ROIs) on brain surfaces. The tool allows users to define subsurfaces by tracing around areas within a triangle-mesh brain surface. The input to the program is a triangle-mesh representation of a brain volume and a set of user-defined input points on the mesh. The program connects each pair of successive input points with a polyline that results from the intersection of the mesh with a plane that is approximately normal to the mesh. The polyline comprises coplanar line segments. The boundary of an ROI is a connected set of polylines that intersects triangle edges to form a continuous path. To validate Surface Editor we demonstrated that the program could be used to interactively delineate gyri on brain surfaces, and we showed that paths that the program generated were comparable to paths that a user generated and to shortest paths.
On people's understanding of the diagnostic implications of probabilistic data

Two lines of prior research into the conditions under which people seek information are examined in light of two statistical definitions of diagnosticity. Five experiments are reported. In two, subjects selected information in order to test a hypothesis. In the remaining three, they selected information in order to convince someone else of the truth of a known hypothesis. A total of 567 university students served as subjects. The two primary conclusions were as follows: (1) When the task is highly structured by the environment, subjects select information diagnostically, and (2) when the task is less structured, so that subjects must seek relevant information not manifest, they select information pseudodiagnostically. Possible relations to other laboratory inference tasks and to clinical judgment are discussed.
Optimization of spread-spectrum MSK sequences and passive, multi-resonant bandpass rectifiers for wireless power transfer with low electromagnetic interference

This paper addresses the concern for both electromagnetic interference (EMI) and human RF exposure in wireless power transfer (WPT). In many applications like medical, portable, and wearable devices, RF exposure is a greater concern, and the unrestricted ISM bands are often not optimal. Outside of the ISM bands, the restrictions on transmitter power are onerous. The computer-aided design of appropriate spread spectrum sequences to drive WPT and the associated bandpass rectifiers is presented. The sequences are optimized for a new four-quadrant inverse class D amplifier using a genetic algorithm. The wireless power is captured by a high order bandpass rectifier that is optimized using a surrogate model to alleviate the computation cost of performing time domain simulations.
Green Life Through Time

An expansion and update of Taylor and Taylor's classic 1993 book, this lavishly illustrated volume offers a comprehensive survey of fossil plants and fungi.
Implications of Private Salmon Aquaculture on Prices, Production, and Management of Salmon Resources

The emergence of large‐scale salmon ranching in the Pacific Northwest has led to significant controversy over the potential impact of salmon ranching on market structure, salmon prices, ocean and aquacultural production, and salmon fishing regulation. This paper models the behavior of a dominant salmon rancher facing a competitive open‐access fishery using a dynamic nonlinear programming model. Primary attention is given to production and regulation‐influencing strategies of an optimally managed salmon ranch under selected institutional and biological constraints. The effect of such behavior is evaluated with regard to salmon prices, natural salmon stocks, ocean fishing effort, and ocean fishery productivity.
The in vitro transcription units of bacteriophage φX174: I. Characterization of synthetic parameters and measurement of transcript molecular weights

In vitro transcription of bacteriophage replicative φX174 form I DNA by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase holoenzyme is studied under a variety of ionic conditions. Uniformly ^(32)P-labeled product RNA is fractionated by electrophoresis on 2% acrylamide, 0.5% agarose or 7.5 mm-CH_3HgOH-containing, 1.5% agarose slab gels. A large fraction (65 to 70%) of the RNA made during 30 minutes synthesis at 37 °C is present as a heterodisperse population of molecules with a mean molecular weight of 2 to 3 × 10^6. From 30 to 35% of the product RNA is present in several discretely sized bands of molecular weights 1.55, 1.95, 2.35, 3.70, 4.0, 4.15 and approximately 5 × 10^6. All components except the first arise from more than one circumtranscription of φX replicative form I template. Thus specific termination is detected under the conditions studied, but apparently is not totally efficient. A method allowing (α-^(32)P)-labeling of a short (10 to 80 nucleotides) 5′ proximal region of φX174 in vitro RNA is described. Fractionation of 5′ proximally labeled in vitro φX RNA resolves all of the discrete components detected by the uniform labeling technique and, in addition, several smaller components. Approximately 50% of the molecules synthesized are both initiated and terminated specifically; the remaining 50% of the molecules synthesized are present as heterodisperse material presumably arising from either non-specific initiation or termination (or both).
18F-Labeled BBN-RGD Heterodimer for Prostate Cancer Imaging

Both bombesin (BBN) analogs and cyclic RGD peptides have been suitably radiolabeled for prostate cancer imaging. However, the limited expression of gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) and integrin αvβ3 as well as unfavorable in vivo kinetics limited further applications of these imaging agents. We hypothesize that a peptide ligand recognizing both GRPR and integrin will be advantageous because of its dual-receptor–targeting ability. Methods: A BBN-RGD heterodimer was synthesized from bombesin(7–14) and c(RGDyK) through a glutamate linker and then labeled with 18F via the N-succinimidyl-4-18F-fluorobenzoate (18F-SFB) prosthetic group. The receptor-binding characteristics and tumor-targeting efficacy of 18F-FB-BBN-RGD were tested in vitro and in vivo. Results: FB-BBN-RGD had comparable integrin αvβ3-binding affinity with c(RGDyK) and comparable GRPR-binding affinity with BBN(7–14). 18F-FB-BBN-RGD had significantly higher tumor uptake compared with monomeric RGD and monomeric BBN peptide tracer analogs at all time points examined. The PC-3 tumor uptake of 18F-FB-BBN-RGD was inhibited only partially in the presence of an excess amount of unlabeled BBN(7–14) or c(RGDyK) but was blocked completely in the presence of both BBN(7–14) and c(RGDyK). Compared with 18F-FB-BBN and 18F-FB-RGD, 18F-FB-BBN-RGD also had improved pharmacokinetics, resulting in a significantly higher imaging quality. Conclusion: Dual integrin αvβ3 and GRPR recognition showed significantly improved tumor-targeting efficacy and pharmacokinetics compared with 18F-labeled RGD and BBN analogs. The same heterodimeric ligand design may also be applicable to other receptor system combinations and other imaging modalities.
Semi-empirical model for radar backscatter from snow at 35 and 95 GHz

Radar backscatter experiments were conducted at 35 and 95 GHz to measure the response of snow-covered ground to snow depth, liquid water content, and ice crystal size. The measurements included observations over a wide angular range extending between normal incidence and 60/spl deg/ for all linear polarization combinations. A numerical radiative transfer model was developed and adapted to fit the experimental observations. Next, the radiative transfer model was exercised over a wide range of conditions and the generated data were used to develop relatively simple semi-empirical expressions that relate the backscattering coefficient (for each linear polarization) to incidence angle, snow depth, crystal size, and liquid water content.
Ask pete, software planning and estimation through project characterization

Ask Pete, was developed by NASA to provide a tool for integrating the estimation and planning activities for a software development effort. It incorporates COCOMO II estimating with NASA's software development practices and IV&V criteria to characterize a project. This characterization is then used to generate estimates and tailored planning documents.
Comparison of multiple steam treatment durations for control of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.).

Background The factors contributing to the current resurgence of bed bug Cimex lectularius L. populations across the United States and elsewhere include, among others, the development of resistance to chemical insecticides and population management practices. This has led to the development and attempted refinement of many non-chemical control methods that contribute to an IPM approach to solving the current bed bug population density increase in urban dwellings. One such approach is the use of heat in the form of steam to provide an effective mechanism for controlling localized infestations of bed bugs. Results The work reported herein was designed to refine our understanding of the duration of bed bug/steam contact necessary to affect mortality of bed bugs in laboratory trials. Beg bug eggs, nymphs and adults were exposed to three steam treatment exposure periods in these trials. Mean percentage mortality of bed bug eggs was 100% (regardless of duration of exposure), and that of nymphs and adults ranged from 88.0 to 94.0%. Survivorship of nymphs and adults in the trials was the result of experimental protocol restrictions that would not usually be associated with actual pest management efforts. Conclusions The treatment equipment used in these trials is portable and relatively inexpensive and represents a non-chemical means of killing all life stages of bed bugs. While this method would likely be seen as an inefficient means of remediating a mature bed bug infestation within a structure, it does represent a practical component of integrated management of this pest insect. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Differences between Sires in Rate of Maturity of their Daughters

Abstract The within-sire regression of actual production on age at calving in first lactation measured rate of maturity. Only cows calving between 23 and 35 months of age and sires with more than 44 daughters were used. Regressions of production on age differed significantly among 28 sires and ranged from −9 to +258 lb of milk per month of age and from −4 to +11 lb of milk fat per month of age. There were also large differences between herds and years for this measure of rate of maturity. The effect of herds on rate of maturity was estimated to be from two to three times as important as the effect of sires.
High-rate sputtering of Nb-Al-Ge and Nb-Al superconductors

High quality Nb-Al-Ge and Nb-Al superconductor deposits, up to 1 mm thick, were made at a rate of 1 μm/min using high-rate sputtering techniques. High-rate sputtering eliminates most of the fabrication problems generally encountered with these materials. Reasonable quantities of high-field superconductors can be made at acceptable cost for practical applications by high-rate sputtering. Highly reflective metallic mirror surfaces on these deposits indicate a high quality, even in thicknesses up to 1 mm. The deposits were completely free of voids and they did not seem to be overly brittle either before or after heat treatment. Crystal structures for deposits made at 20°C were not clearly defined, but probably were body-centered-cubic (bcc). Heat treatment between 550°C and 850°C completely transformed the bcc deposits to extremely small (350 A) grains of the A-15 crystal structure. The A-15 phase formed by heat treatment for 1 hr to 5 days at 750°C was metastable and supersaturated with Al and Ge. Deposition and heat conditions for decomposition of the metastable A-15 phase were identified. The highest critical temperatures (18°K) were observed only in those deposits containing undecomposed metastable A-15 phase. To assess practical use of the sputtered superconductors, 1- to 2-m lengths of ribbon and filamentary Nb-Al-Ge superconductor were produced on ribbon and wire substrates. It also was found that an excellent superconductor-stabilizer bond can be formed by high-rate sputter deposition of copper stabilizer onto heat-treated Nb-Al-Ge and Nb-Al superconductors.
Gravity wave momentum flux in the lower stratosphere over convection

This work describes a method for estimating vertical fluxes of horizontal momentum carried by short horizontal scale gravity waves (lambda(sub x) = 10-100 km) using aircraft measured winds in the lower stratosphere. We utilize in situ wind vector and pressure altitude measurements provided by the Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) on board the ER-2 aircraft to compute the momentum flux vectors at the flight level above deep convection during the tropical experiment of the Stratosphere Troposphere Exchange Project (STEP-Tropical). Data from Flight 9 are presented here for illustration. The vertical flux of horizontal momentum these observations points in opposite directions on either side of the location of a strong convective updraft in the cloud shield. This property of internal gravity waves propagating from a central source compares favorably with previously described model results.
Tumor Promoter Arsenite Activates Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase through a Signaling Pathway Mediated by Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Shc

Although arsenite is an established carcinogen, the mechanisms underlying its tumor-promoting properties are poorly understood. Previously, we reported that arsenite treatment leads to the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in rat PC12 cells through a Ras-dependent pathway. To identify potential mediators of the upstream signaling cascade, we examined the tyrosine phosphorylation profile in cells exposed to arsenite. Arsenite treatment rapidly stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins in a Ras-independent manner, with a pattern similar to that seen in response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment. Among these phosphorylated proteins were three isoforms of the proto-oncoprotein Shc as well as the EGF receptor (EGFR). Tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc allowed for enhanced interactions between Shc and Grb2 as identified by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. The arsenite-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc, enhancement of Shc and Grb2 interactions, and activation of ERK were all drastically reduced by treatment of cells with either the general growth factor receptor poison suramin or the EGFR-selective inhibitor tyrphostin AG1478. Down-regulation of EGFR expression through pretreatment of cells with EGF also attenuated ERK activation and Shc tyrosine phosphorylation in response to arsenite treatment. These results demonstrate that the EGFR and Shc are critical mediators in the activation of the Ras/ERK signaling cascade by arsenite and suggest that arsenite acts as a tumor promoter largely by usurping this growth factor signaling pathway.
The electrodiagnostic examination with peripheral nerve injuries

The EDX examination can be of considerable use to the clinician in the evaluation of focal peripheral nerve injuries. It can confirm the presence ofsuch lesions and help determine their location, severity, and prognosis. The major reason why it is capable of doing so is because it discloses the pathophysiology of focal neuropathies, at least in regard to large myelinated nerve fiber damage.
Connective tissue activation: I. The nature, specificity, measurement and distribution of connective tissue activating peptide.

A polypeptide which induces hypermetabolism in normal synovial fibroblasts in tissue culture is described. The metabolic changes induced included a marked increase in hyaluronate formation, lactate formation and glucose uptake; formation of soluble and fibrous collagen was depressed. An assay method is presented which permits quantitative comparisons of samples for connective tissue activating peptide (CTAP) activity. The CTAP appeared to be widely distributed in human tissues, the amount of activity being a function of cell density. A role for CTAP in rheumatoid inflammation is proposed.
Language model estimation for optimizing end-to-end performance of a natural language call routing system

Conventional methods for training statistical models for automatic speech recognition, such as acoustic and language models, have focused on criteria such as maximum likelihood and sentence or word error rate (WER). However, unlike dictation systems, the goal for spoken dialogue systems is to understand the meaning of what a person says, not to get every word correctly transcribed. For such systems, we propose to optimize the statistical models under end-to-end system performance criteria. We illustrate this principle by focusing on the estimation of the language model (LM) component of a natural language call routing system. This estimation, carried out under a conditional maximum likelihood objective, aims at optimizing the call routing (classification) accuracy, which is often the criterion of interest in these systems. LM updates are derived using the extended Baum-Welch procedure (Gopalakrishnan et al. (1991)). In our experiments, we find that our estimation procedure leads to a small but promising gain in classification accuracy. Interestingly, the estimated language models also lead to an increase in the word error rate while improving the classification accuracy, showing that the system with the best classification accuracy is not necessarily the one with the lowest WER. Significantly, our LM estimation procedure does not require the correct transcription of the training data, and can therefore be applied to unsupervised learning from untranscribed speech data.
Phonetic Distance Based Confidence Measure

This letter presents a novel confidence measure for the purpose of improving user performance in Spoken Document Retrieval (SDR). The proposed confidence measure is based on the phonetic distance between subword models, employing an anti-model which is determined to be discriminative to a target model using offline training data. As an advancement from our previous work, the proposed method employs separate phonetic similarity knowledge for vowels and consonants, resulting in more reliable performance over diverse SDR recorded speech conditions. A transcript reliability estimator is also presented, with evaluation as an application of the proposed confidence measure. Analysis on a variety of corpora including background noise, frequency band-restrictions, and a range of real-life conditions, shows that the proposed confidence measure is more reliable in detecting corrupted speech due to acoustic conditions or an unarticulated speaking style, providing a higher correlation to word error rate (WER). The proposed confidence measure is effective in increasing transcript reliability estimation performance with a 16.21% relative improvement.
Feedback-directed barrier optimization in a strongly isolated STM

Speed improvements in today's processors have largely been delivered in the form of multiple cores, increasing the importance of abstractions that ease parallel programming. Software transactional memory (STM) addresses many of the complications of concurrency by providing a simple and composable model for safe access to shared data structures. Software transactions extend a language with an atomic primitive that declares that the effects of a block of code should not be interleaved with actions executing concurrently on other threads. Adding barriers to shared memory accesses provides atomicity, consistency and isolation.Strongly isolated STMs preserve the safety properties of transactions for all memory operations in a program, not just those inside an atomic block. Isolation barriers are added to non-transactional loads and stores in such a system to prevent those accesses from observing or corrupting a partially completed transaction. Strong isolation is especially important when integrating transactions into an existing language and memory model. Isolation barriers have a prohibitive performance overhead, however, so most STM proposals have chosen not to provide strong isolation.In this paper we reduce the costs of strong isolation by customizing isolation barriers for their observed usage. The customized barriers provide accelerated execution by blocking threads whose accesses do not follow the expected pattern. We use hot swap to tighten or loosen the hypothesized pattern, while preserving strong isolation. We introduce a family of optimization hypotheses that balance verification cost against generality.We demonstrate the feasibility of dynamic barrier optimization by implementing it in a bytecode-rewriting Java STM. Feedback-directed customization reduces the overhead of strong isolation from 505% to 38% across 11 non-transactional benchmarks; persistent feedback data further reduces the overhead to 16%. Dynamic optimization accelerates a multi-threaded transactional benchmark by 31% for weakly-isolated execution and 34% for strongly-isolated execution.
Solution of Reynolds Equation With Slip-Flow Effects by a Hierarchical Finite Element Formulation

Steady-state compressible isothermal lubrication problems with slip-flow conditions are formulated by the p-version hierarchical finite element method (p-FEM) together with the Newton-Raphson iterative procedure. Numerical solutions for gas lubricated bearings of finite and infinite width are presented. Even for high bearing number situations and coarse meshes, the current formulation yields stable, accurate and rapidly convergent results.
Selecting and developing suppliers for mass merchandisers

This paper intends to examine various product and management characteristics of small manufacturing enterprises (SME) to determine critical factors that award qualified suppliers of mass merchandising companies. About 1700 small manufacturers participated in a program that determined their readiness to enter the mass merchandising market. The assessment instrument collected 34 questions for a firm assessment rating (FAR) of their management practices, 41 items for product evaluation rating (PER), and two items for the overall quality of the firm and its product. The model was very successful in predicting if the product would be recommended to the mass retailers. It was also able to identify nine critical factors that determine the selection of the SME's product and help to develop desirable suppliers for mass merchandisers.
The geographical and climatic distribution of trypanosome infection rates in G. morsitans group of tsetse-flies (Glossinawied., diptera)

1. 1) Estimates of trypanosome infection rates in Glossina morsitans and G. pallidipes in the Zambezi Valley are compared with similar data obtained elsewhere in the G. morsitans group of tsetse flies. 2. 2) It is demonstrated that a positive correlation exists between infection rates and distance from the median (7°S) of the Glossina belt in Africa. Infection rates in G. pallidipes in Zululand do not fit this pattern. 3. 3) Experimental evidence exists to show that temperature exerts a marked control over the ability of a tsetse fly to acquire an infection. It is demonstrated that the positive correlation with latitude is associated with increasing mean annual temperature. At higher altitudes or, as in Zululand, a situation approaching the temperate zone, low infections occur as a response to cooler climates. 4. 4) The regression of proboscis-type infections on mean annual temperature is much more marked than that of gut and/or gut and proboscis-type infections. 5. 5) It is suggested that the mean temperature at which the wild tsetse exists, possibly associated with the range of temperature experienced between seasons, may account for the general level of the infection rate, but that within the same neighbourhood variations may be produced as a result of differences in local fauna providing the trypanosome reservoirs.
Family Environment as a Predictor of the Quality of College Students' Friendships

Family environment appears to be an important determinant of friendship quality. Despite this apparent link, few studies have explored how family environment relates to friendship, especially among college students. The present study examined the relationship between family environment and best friendships, by administering the Family Environment Scale (FES) and the Acquaintance Description Form—Revised (ADF-F2) to 408 college students. Family environment was a better predictor of friendship quality for female college students than for male college students. For the women, a total of 13% of the FES and ADF-F2 correlations were significant at the p < .01 level. The best predictors of friendship quality for the women were the FES active recreational and intellectual—cultural dimensions. Gender differences were also evident in students' perceptions of their families' environments and their views of the quality of their best friendships. Implications of the present study for college adjustment and retention a...
Hartree-Fock Model Calculation for Atoms and Crystals Plus Corrections to the Hartree-Fock Excitation Energies

One is interested in being able to describe many body systems of electrons and nuclei and their response to external perturbations. The systems are of course atoms, molecules, solids and gases and liquids. In doing so, one generally divides this problem into three parts: the description of the electronic system; the description of the nuclear motion; and the interaction of the two systems. The non-relativistic Hamiltonian of the total system is $$H=\sum\limits_{b}{\frac{{{P}_{b}}^{2}}{2{{M}_{b}}}}+{{e}^{2}}\sum\limits_{b<c}{\frac{{{Z}_{b}}{{Z}_{c}}}{\left| {{\overset{\to }{\mathop{R}}\,}_{b}}-{{\overset{\to }{\mathop{R}}\,}_{c}} \right|}}+\sum\limits_{i}{\frac{{{P}_{i}}^{2}}{2m}}+{{e}^{2}}\sum\limits_{i<j}{\frac{1}{\left| {{\overset{\to }{\mathop{r}}\,}_{i}}-\overset{\to }{\mathop{{{r}_{j}}}}\, \right|}}-{{e}^{2}}\sum\limits_{b,i}{\frac{{{Z}_{b}}}{\left| {{\overset{\to }{\mathop{r}}\,}_{i}}-{{\overset{\to }{\mathop{R}}\,}_{b}} \right|}}$$ (1.1) .
Stroke, Major Bleeding, and Mortality Outcomes in Warfarin Users With Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Kidney Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Background The use of warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be problematic because of increased bleeding risk. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies that evaluated the use of warfarin in patients with AF and CKD to evaluate the risks of ischemic stroke/thromboembolism, major bleeding, and mortality. Methods PUBMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Google Scholar databases were electronically searched through January 12, 2015. Additionally, a manual search was performed for relevant references. Random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI. CKD was divided into non-end-stage CKD and end-stage CKD (on renal replacement therapy) and separate analyses were performed. Results Thirteen publications from 11 cohorts (six retrospective and five prospective) including >48,500 total patients with >11,600 warfarin users were included in the meta-analysis. In patients with AF and non-end-stage CKD, warfarin resulted in a lower risk of ischemic stroke/thromboembolism (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.54-0.89; P = .004) and mortality (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.59-0.72; P P = .31). In patients with AF and end-stage CKD, warfarin had no effect on the risks of stroke (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.69-1.82; P = .65) and mortality (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.81-1.13; P = .60), but increased the risks of major bleeding (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.08-1.56; P = .005). Conclusions Based on this meta-analysis, the use of warfarin for AF may have an unfavorable risk/benefit ratio in patients with end-stage CKD but not in those with non-end-stage CKD.
Legal Historians and Social Change

Despite their dowdy clothing, diffident manners and general obscurity, legal historians have been heroes of social change, without whom the United States would not have won its independence, the Civil War might not have been fought, and civil rights would never have reached the heirs of oppressed freedmen in the old Confederacy. Legal history gives lawyers and politicians the courage and imagination to upset conventional wisdom and to challenge entrenched legal hierarchies. Without history (in general) and legal history (in particular) dramatic social change would be much more difficult to achieve.
Marketing Analytics and Health Care: Untapped Opportunities for Organizational Learning and Business Success

This study provides recommendations on how health care organizations can enhance organizational learning with marketing analytics to improve their business performance. There is widespread recognition of the importance of organizational learning to organizational performance and innovation. Recent research suggests that the use of analytics can play a critical role in enhancing organizational learning. However, the relationship between marketing analytics and organizational learning has not yet been thoroughly explored. More specifically, research is needed to understand how analytics, marketing analytics in particular, facilitate organizational learning. This phenomenon is studied here in the context of the health care industry. Case study research examines how learning involving intuiting, interpreting, integrating, and institutionalizing can be facilitated by marketing analytics.
The spawning dynamics of California market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens) as revealed by laboratory observations

California market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens) are fast-growing, semelparous and short-lived, making them the archetypal live-fast, die-young species. They form spawning aggregations that are targeted by a wide variety of predators and the largest commercial fishery in California. Despite their ecological and economic importance, relatively little is known about the life history of spawning D. opalescens. To gain insight into this life stage we performed controlled observational experiments on groups of mature D. opalescens collected from the spawning grounds. In all trials we observed extreme synchrony in eggdeposition and subsequent mortality. Importantly, we observed a prespawning period in which mature D. opalescens congregate on the spawning grounds for up to 2 weeks prior to spawning. During this period they are susceptible to predation and harvesting. We also present the first empirical estimates of postspawning mortality and egg-deposition rates. Taken together, our results suggest that the first day of spawning is critical to the viability of this species.
MYCELIAL PHOSPHORUS CONTENT OF SCHIZOPHYLLUM COMMUNE

The phosphorus content of homokaryotic colonies of Schizophyllum commune was found to vary from 0.5 to 2% of dry weight depending upon age. Colonies grown on minimal medium (9.12 mM P;) showed decreasing mycelial phosphorus as they aged. Colonies grown on phosphate-deficient medium (10 iim Pf) had significantly less mycelial phosphorus than those grown on minimal medium; however, the phosphorus content increased with the age of the colonies. These results correlated well with the low phosphate derepression of acid phosphatase specific activity and isozyme complement previously described for S. commune. Schizophyllum commune Fr. is a wood-rotting basidiomycete used extensively as a model system for studying fungal development and physiology. One of its principal advantages as an experimental organism is that it may be maintained on a minimal medium in which concentration of each ofthe constituents is known. Thus, it is possible to alter the medium rather precisely for nutrition-related investigations. We have observed that when S. commune is maintained on a minimal me? dium, inorganic phosphate is a limiting factor of radial growth of mycelia. Pre? viously, I have shown (Lilly, 1979) that phosphate deprivation also leads to an increase in the specific activity of the enzyme acid phosphatase extracted from the mycelium. There is concomitant production of a new isozyme of acid phos? phatase when the colonies are grown on phosphate concentrations of less than 500 mm. We hypothesized that the decreased availability of inorganic phosphate might lead to lower mycelial phosphorus. Furthermore, we suspected that the phos? phorus content ofthe organism might be reflected in the level of acid phosphatase in the mycelia and the presence of the derepressed isozyme. The data we present here suggest that a direct relationship exists between media phosphate concen? tration, mycelial phosphorus content, and acid phosphatase activity.