cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A generalized HSPICE macro-model for spin-valve GMR memory bits

This work presents the first generalized circuit macro-model for a Giant-Magneto-Resistance (GMR) memory bit. It is applicable for spin-valve structures and can be easily extended to pseudo-spin-valve structures. The macro-model is realized as a four terminal sub-circuit which emulates GMR bit behavior over a wide range of sense and word line currents. The non-volatile and nonlinear nature of GMR memory bits are accurately represented by this model and simulations of non-volatile GMR latch structures with HSPICE show expected outcomes. The model is flexible and relatively simple: ranges of the write/read currents and bit resistance values are incorporated as parameterized variables and no semiconductor devices are used within the model.
The Vasculature of the Diaphragma Sellae

The postmortem injection study demonstrated that the main blood supply to each quadrant of the competent diaphragma sellae appears to come from the following vessels: posterior quadrant, inferior hypophyseal arteries; right and left marginal quadrant, tributaries of the intracavernous portion of the carotid artery; anterior marginal quadrant, anterior capsular arteries. When the diaphragm is incomplete or absent the inferior hypophyseal arteries are the main source of blood supply. Microscopic analysis of the vascular bed in the diaphragma sellae reveals that there are fine arterial filaments mostly in the superior layer, while venules are situated in the inferior part of the diaphragm.
Composite semi-infinite optimization

We consider a semi-infinite optimization problem in Banach spaces, where both the objective functional and the con- straint operator are compositions of convex nonsmooth mappings and differentiable mappings. We derive necessary optimality con- ditions for these problems. Finally, we apply these results to non- convex stochastic optimization problems with stochastic dominance constraints, generalizing earlier results.
Women, Ethics, and MBAs

We argue that the declining female enrollment in graduate business schools is a manifestation of gender bias in business education. The extant conceptual foundation of business education is one which views business activity in terms of a game with fixed and wholly material objectives. This concept betrays an underlying value system that reflects a male orientation. Business education is not merely amoral, therefore, but is gender biased. We suggest that business educators adopt a broadened behavioral rubric. Virtue-ethics theory provides such a rubric.
Re‐examining Cultural Contradictions: Mothering Ideology and the Intersections of Class, Gender, and Race

Hays argues the dominant ideology of mothering in the United States is intensive mothering. Women embracing this ideology are completely devoted to their children and cultural contradictions of motherhood make it difficult to juggle work and family. Rothman argues further that ideologies of patriarchy, technology, and capitalism shape our notions of mothering. I explore these ideologies in this paper, paying careful attention to the labor performed by mothers ‐ paid, childcare, and reproductive. Finally, using surrogacy as an example of how these ideologies interact, I argue that Rothman’s identifications of ideologies helps explain how the cultural contradictions of motherhood vary among mothers based on race and class.
Making the Case for Palliative Care in Critical Care

The United States has a changing populace with an increasing number of vulnerable, diverse, and older adults. Of people aged 65 and older, nearly two-thirds suffer from serious comorbidities. Costs associated with chronic illness increase with age and number of conditions. More than 25% of older adults do not have advanced care planning. The current model of health care cannot meet these needs. The initiation of palliative care in the ICU will capture many patients who meet the criteria for palliative care and improve their QOL by management their end-of-life symptoms and reduce unnecessary utilization of health care resources.
Consistency of emergent leadership in groups with changing tasks and members

Social psychologists generally have rejected the notion that leadership can be explained by divine inspiration, inherited characteristics, or by a fortuitous combination of personal traits. Some modern theorists have proposed instead a situational theory of leadership, arguing that persons who emerge as leaders do so because their special talents are essential to the group at the moment. The same person, therefore, is unlikely to persist in a position of leadership from one group setting to another unless the conditions are similar. This study reports an attempt to measure the degree of consistency in leadership status of twenty‐five subjects who were randomly assigned to groups solving problems of a motor, artistic, mathematical, literary, social, and spatial character. At the conclusion of each stage of the experiment, nominations for group leaders were made for a second round of a similar activity. Status scores, based on perceived leadership adequacy, were then compared for the various group tasks, an...
Surface polariton reflection and transmission at a barrier

Abstract The reflection and transmission coefficients for surface polaritons on a surface active dielectric medium encountering a vertical dielectric or metallic barrier, or a gap in its propagation path, are calculated as functions of the width of the barrier and its dielectric constant and of the width of the gap.
Median eminence-afferent vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) neurons in the hypothalamus: Localization by simultaneous tract tracing and immunocytochemistry

Retrograde tract tracing and immunocytochemistry were used to investigate the CNS source of the VIP that is present in high concentrations in the hypophysial portal blood and has been shown to have a stimulatory effect on pituitary prolactin secretion. Fluoro-gold (FG), which enters the CNS through areas devoid of the blood-brain barrier, such as median eminence, was injected peripherally. Brain sections from FG-treated animals were immunostained for VIP. A small population of VIP-containing cell bodies in the parvocellular and periventricular parts of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) was also labeled with FG. Vasoactive intestinal peptide-immunoreactive perikarya not labeled with FG were also observed in the PVN, as well as FG-labeled cells that did not contain VIP. The results suggest that some VIP-producing neurons in the PVN project to the median eminence and are, therefore, functionally related to pituitary regulation; the function of other VIP neurons in the PVN is unknown.
Neurodevelopmental effect of aluminum in mice: fostering studies.

Abstract In order to determine sensitive periods for induction of neurodevelopmental effects of aluminum (Al), mice were fed either 25 (control) or 1000 (high Al) μg Al/g diet (as Al lactate) from conception through lactation and litters were fostered either within or between groups at birth. Birth parameters were not influenced by Al intake. Food intake and body weight were 10%–12% lower during lactation in dams fed the high Al diets. Both gestation and lactation high Al exposure led to growth retardation in offspring beginning on day 10 postnatal; combined gestation and lactation exposure led to the biggest weight differential at weaning (23%). For neurobehavioral measures obtained at weaning, forelimb grasp strength was influenced by gestation high Al exposure, whereas negative geotaxis was influenced by lactation exposure, and hindlimb grasp and temperature sensitivity were influenced by both gestation and lactation exposure. Pup liver and brain manganese (Mn) and liver iron (Fe) concentrations at weaning were lower after high Al lactation exposure than in controls. Pup brain and liver Al concentrations were similar among the groups. These data show that mice are susceptible to neurodevelopmental effects of high maternal dietary Al intake during both gestation and lactation, and that high maternal intake can result in altered essential trace element metabolism in the offspring.
Kinematic wave theory

In the kinematic theory of wave propagation (e. g. geometrical optics) a quantity J is needed in the calculation of wave intensity either through transport equations or the principle of conservation of wave action. This quantity is a spatial Jacobian with respect to a parameter space and represents a volume element convected with the rays. To avoid its direct computationas a Jacobian, derived ray equations are obtained whose solutions lead to alternative ways of calculating J . This approach is specialized to cases involving Snell’s law (with cylindrical and spherical as well as planar symmetry) and non-dispersive propagation. The behaviour of the theory under Lorentz transformations is shown.
Present and future uses of hemoperfusion with sorbents.

International interest in the clinical uses of hemoperfusion has increasingly grown in the last ten years and, as a result, sorbent hemoperfusion has emerged as first-line management in several areas. This center and many others have shown that there is a clear role for hemoperfusion in severe self-poisoning. Plasma extraction ratios for most drugs are significantly higher for hemoperfusion over both resin (0.8) and activated charcoal (0.5; CHP) than for hemodialysis (0.27), under similar conditions of blood flow, plasma drug concentrations, etc. Using appropriate pharmacokinetic models in the analysis of plasma drug profiles, it has been shown that CHP can increase drug elimination rate constants and whole body clearance rates in experimentally intoxicated animals. Enhancement of drug elimination broadens the scope of sorbent hemoperfusion to other areas of application, such as the removal of anticancer drugs (e.g., methotrexate, adriamycin) after cancer chemotherapy. Evaluation of the role of hemoperfusion in hepatic encephalopathy or uremia is limited by the lack of knowledge regarding specific toxic molecules in these syndromes. Nevertheless, in the authors' series of ten patients with fulminant hepatic failure, four survived, in contradistinction to an 80–90% mortality for untreated patients, and virtually all awoke from deep coma. Accompanying reversal of coma, there were significant changes in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid amino acids and in cerebrospinal fluid cyclic AMP concentrations. This suggests that hemoperfusion over charcoal in hepatic encephalopathy may be a useful technique. In this series of uremic patients, although hemoperfusion with charcoal has been shown capable of adsorbing putative uremic toxins including middle molecules up to the present, hemoperfusion alone is only marginally superior to standard hemodialysis. Fouremia, it is likely that multiple specific sorbents will be required, and several compounds for urea and creatinine sorption are presently under investigation.
Optimizing query execution for variable-aligned length compression of bitmap indices

Indexing is a fundamental mechanism for efficient data access. Recently, we proposed the Variable-Aligned Length (VAL) bitmap index encoding framework, which generalizes the commonly used word-aligned compression techniques. VAL presented a variable-aligned compression framework, which allows columns of a bitmap to be compressed using different encoding lengths. This flexibility creates a tunable compression that balances the trade-off between space and query processing time. The variable format of VAL presents several unique opportunities for query optimization. In this paper we explore multiple algorithms to optimize both point queries and range queries in VAL. In particular, we propose a dynamic encoding-length translation heuristic to process point queries. For range queries, we propose several column orderings based on the bitmap's metadata: largest segment length first (lsf), column size (size), and weighted size (ws). In our empirical study over both real and synthetic data sets, we show that our dynamic translation selection scheme produces query execution times only 3.5% below the optimal. We also found that the weighted size column ordering significantly and consistently out-performs other ordering techniques. Finally, we show that algorithms scale to data sets that are row-ordered.
Combining Clinical Neuroimaging and Real-World Impact Data to Investigate Motor Vehicle Crash-Related Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year, with motor vehicle crash (MVC) representing the leading cause for hospitalization. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is the most common AIS 3+ injury resulting from MVC-related trauma. Little is known, however, about the relationship between specific crash parameters and resulting intracranial trauma. Yoganandan et al performed a study of 132 occupants with severe-to-fatal head injuries, showing that direct contact loading of the head results in a high percentage of occupants with brain injury with the most frequent contact being the pillars[1]. A study by Morris et al showed almost one-quarter of severe head injuries occur due to contact with an interior vehicle structure. Additionally, injuries that are more diffuse in nature occur with an interior contact within the vehicle[2]. In this study, SAH volume in addition to total injured volume of the brain was analyzed in order to better understand occupant injury, with the hypothesis that these traumatic neuroimaging findings would correlate with specific crash parameters.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Remembrance project: origins of RIA.

How did RIA begin? It was a serendipitous discovery in that it was a fallout from our investigations into what might be considered an unrelated study. Prompted by the suggestion of Dr. I. Arthur Mirsky that maturityonset diabetes might not be due to an absolute deficiency of insulin secretion but rather to its abnormally rapid degradation by an enzyme which Mirsky called insulinase (1), Dr. Solomon A. Berson and I attempted to study the metabolism of 131I-insulin after iv administration to diabetic and nondiabetic subjects (2). We observed a slower rate of disappearance of the 131I-insulin from the plasma of subjects who had been treated with insulin whether or not they were diabetic. We postulated that the slower disappearance was a consequence of the binding of labeled insulin to antibodies that had developed in response to administration of foreign proteinsi. i.e. animal insulins. We used a variety of physicochemical systems, including, among others, paper electrophoresis, ultracentrifugal analysis, an...
Exercise-induced hyperventilation: a pseudoasthma syndrome.

Background Exercise-induced asthma is common and generally responds well to an inhaled β 2 agonist. Objective We examined the physiologic changes in airflow and gas exchange that occurred during standardized treadmill exercise in patients previously diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma whose histories appeared atypical or where conventional treatment, including an inhaled β 2 agonist, was ineffective. Methods During a 1-year period 32 patients, aged 8 to 18, met these criteria. All had been previously diagnosed as having exercise-induced asthma. Exercise consisted of treadmill running at a time when the patients had received no inhaled β 2 agonist, cromolyn, or nedocromil for at least 4 hours. Spirometry was done before and at 2, 5, 10, and 15 minutes after exercise; oxygen saturation was monitored by pulse oximetry; and end-tidal CO 2 was monitored with nasal cannula. Results Despite their previous diagnoses of exercise-induced asthma, 11 patients who described chest tightness during exercise had decreases in FEV 1 less than 15% with all but one of those less than 10% (mean decrease 5.6%) but demonstrated decreases in end-tidal CO 2 greater than in all of the other 21 patients (mean 23.2 versus 9.8%, P 1 from 18 to 22%. Seventeen patients had neither their symptoms reproduced nor physiologic abnormalities. Conclusions These data show that chest discomfort perceived as dyspnea during vigorous exercise may be associated with hypocapnia from hyperventilation without bronchospasm in children and adolescents previously misdiagnosed and treated as having exercise-induced asthma.
Mephedrone alters basal ganglia and limbic neurotensin systems

Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) is a synthetic cathinone designer drug that alters pre-synaptic dopamine (DA) activity like many psychostimulants. However, little is known about the post-synaptic dopaminergic impacts of mephedrone. The neuropeptide neurotensin (NT) provides inhibitory feedback for basal ganglia and limbic DA pathways, and post-synaptic D1 -like and D2 -like receptor activity affects NT tissue levels. This study evaluated how mephedrone alters basal ganglia and limbic system NT content and the role of NT receptor activation in drug consumption behavior. Four 25 mg/kg injections of mephedrone increased NT content in basal ganglia (striatum, substantia nigra and globus pallidus) and the limbic regions (nucleus accumbens core), while a lower dosage (5 mg/kg/injection) only increased striatal NT content. Mephedrone-induced increases in basal ganglia NT levels were mediated by D1 -like receptors in the striatum and the substantia nigra by both D1 -like and D2 -like receptors in the globus pallidus. Mephedrone increased substance P content, another neuropeptide, in the globus pallidus, but not in the dorsal striatum or substantia nigra. Finally, the NT receptor agonist PD149163 blocked mephedrone self-administration, suggesting reduced NT release, as indicated by increased tissue levels, likely contributing to patterns of mephedrone consumption.
An efficient Nash-implementation mechanism for network resource allocation

Abstract We propose a mechanism for auctioning bundles of multiple divisible goods in a network where buyers want the same amount of bandwidth on each link in their route. Buyers can specify multiple routes (corresponding to a source–destination pair). The total flow can then be split among these multiple routes. We first propose a one-sided VCG-type mechanism. Players do not report a full valuation function but only a two-dimensional bid signal: the maximum quantity that they want and the per-unit price they are willing to pay. The proposed mechanism is a weak Nash implementation, i.e., it has a non-unique Nash equilibrium that implements the social-welfare maximizing allocation. We show the existence of an efficient Nash equilibrium in the corresponding auction game, though there may exist other Nash equilibria that are not efficient. We then generalize this to arbitrary bundles of various goods. Each buyer submits a bid separately for each good but their utility function is a general function of allocations of bundles of various divisible goods. We then present a double-sided auction mechanism for multiple divisible goods. We show that there exists a Nash equilibrium of this auction game which yields the efficient allocation with strong budget balance.
AORTIC REGURGITATION: A CHALLENGING POST-PROCEDURE DIAGNOSIS IN AORTIC VALVE INTERVENTION

Severe aortic regurgitation (AR) is a potentially fatal complication of balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV). A 68-year-old man presented for further management of severe aortic stenosis. He was deemed inoperable due to multiple comorbidities, and underwent evaluation for transcatheter aortic valve
Plutonium Oxide Polishing for MOX Fuel Production

Abstract Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has been tasked to produce 120 kg of plutonium as highly purified PuO2 for the European Mixed Oxide (MOX) Lead Test Assembly managed by Duke, COGEMA, Stone & Webster (DCS). To meet stringent and challenging technical requirements for PuO2 production, the LANL aqueous polishing team recently established consistency in generating quality material from weapons‐grade PuO2. Polishing was required to remove undesirable quantities of trace‐metal impurities, particularly gallium, and to produce a material with appropriate powder characteristics, such as particle size and surface area. The process flow sheet for PuO2 polishing was based on aqueous purification and included the unit operations of dissolution, ion exchange, oxalate precipitation, and calcination. This article is not subject to U.S. copyright law. Funding was provided by the LANL Fissile Materials Disposition Program (NN60). Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California under...
Predicted shortage of Vascular Surgeons in the United States: Population and workload analysis

Objective To estimate the size of the future workforce in vascular surgery (VS) and the added cost associated with addressing the projected shortage in the United States. Methods The net supply (number of Vascular Surgeons [VSN] currently practicing, new graduates entering the workforce, and those retiring) for each decade was calculated. The projected population for each decade was determined by U.S. Census Bureau figures. Some assumptions of this model included: (1) In 2008, the population was 300,000,000; (2) There were 2783 board certified VSN in 2008; (3) VSN will practice 30 years from board certification to retirement; (4) There will be 105 board certifications and 93 retirements per year; (5) Vascular operations will remain at 284 per 100,000 population; (6) Salaries of trainees will be $50,000 with benefits of 30% and $15,000 of additional direct medical education costs. Results Population and workload analysis suggests that there will be a shortage of 330 surgeons (9.8%) and 399 surgeons (11.6%) by 2030, respectively. The cost of training enough VSN (in a six-year program) by 2030 will be between $1,166,400,000 and $1,199,520,000. Conclusions A conservative estimate by both population and workload analysis, disregarding aging of the population, lifestyle choices of future VSN, and increasing demand for services, indicates a shortage of VSN in the future. Unless the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 is revised by Congress, the cost to train the additional VS workforce remains a significant barrier.
Synthesis and characterization of photochromic organic films for holographic recording.

Polymer films doped with 2-(5, 5-dimethyl-3-styryl-cyclohex-2-enylidene)-malononitrile chromophore and various sensitizers have been prepared and characterized. The material exhibits high sensitivity in the red region (S=0.26 cm(2)/J at lambda=633 nm), a large dynamic range (Dn=-0.05) , and large transient two-beam coupling gain (G=110 cm(-1)) . Self-diffraction effects, such as energy and phase coupling, and photoinduced scattering are studied.
Irradiation temperature dependence of void formation in type-304 stainless steel

Abstract Type-304 stainless steel specimens irradiated in EBR-II were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The neutron fluences ranged from 0.7 to 5.4×10 22 neutrons/cm 2 ( E >0.1 MeV ) and the temperatures from 400 to 690 °C. Void sizes, size distributions, number densities, and volume fractions were determined and correlated with the irradiation history. Average, minimum and maximum void diameters increased, and void number density decreased with increasing irradiation temperature to 650 °C. Extremely large voids (>2000 A diameter) were found in specimens irradiated above 500 °C. The curve of void volume fraction versus temperature had a plateau that extended from approximately 450 to 600 °C and suddenly dropped to zero at about 650 °C; above that temperature no voids were found. The results are discussed in terms of void nucleation and growth.
Localized stimulation and recording in the spinal cord with microelectrode arrays

The use of microelectrodes for both recording and stimulation of cortical tissue is a well-established technique in neuroscience. We demonstrate that the use of existing microelectrode arrays and instrumentation can be extended to studying the spinal cord. We show that microelectrode arrays can be used to perform stimulation and recording in the corticospinal tract of an animal model commonly used in spinal cord injury (SCI) research. This technique could not only provide fundamental insights into the structure and function of the spinal cord, but also ultimately serve as the basis of a therapeutic treatment for severe spinal cord injuries.
Delayed hemorrhage with free rupture complicating the nonsurgical management of blunt hepatic trauma : a case report and review of the literature

The nonsurgical approach for the management of blunt hepatic injuries is appropriate for a select subset of patients. An acceptable number of complications of the biliary tract and intraparenchymal hematomas have been reported. Delayed hepatic hemorrhage has been described, however, scant data are available in the literature to dictate management once this complication has developed. A review of the recent literature indicates that nonsurgical management of this complication remains a safe alternative.
Testing nuclear theory using the 0.5 ms pulsar

It is argued that a uniformly rotating neutron star with period of 0.5 ms or less may be unable to spin down to become a slowly rotating neutron star if any of the currently proposed equations of state are correct. Asssuming that the neutron star in SN1987A is 'typical' and does not collapse to a black hole as it spins down to a rotational period much larger than 0.5 ms, then its existence may actually invalidate all previously viable nuclear equations of state. An approximate but analytical test that can be used to identify untenable equations of state in the future is proposed.
A power series method for solving initial value problems utilizing computer algebra systems

This paper introduces an iterative method for generating the Taylor polynomial of the solution to an analytic initial value problem and is based upon the utilisation of a symbolic manipulation language. As developed here, the mth iterate of this procedure is precisely the mth degree Taylor polynomial of the solution. Error estimates are provided which are readily calculated with a computer algebra system. Examples are presented which illustrate the method and its ease of application.
Impaired developmental switch of short-term plasticity in pyramidal cells of dysplastic cortex.

Summary: Purposes: Human cortical dysplasia (CD) has a strong clinical association with intractable epilepsy. It is believed that neuronal networks of CD are hyperexcitable, which may initiate seizures. The underlying mechanisms are, however, still poorly understood. We have studied the alterations of synaptic properties in a rat model of CD, in utero irradiation. Methods: Pregnant rats on E17 were exposed to 225 cGy of external γ -irradiation and offspring were used for experiments. Coronal somatosensory brain slices were obtained from 13‐60day-old rats. Visualized whole-cell recordings were performed on pyramidal neurons in layer V of control neocortex and the middle region of dysplastic cortex. Short-term plasticity (STP) of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) was induced by 5-pulse (20 Hz or 50 Hz) train stimulations. Results: STP of EPSCs in pyramidal cells of the normal cortex induced by 5-pulse train stimulation (20 Hz or 50 Hz) switched from depression at P13‐15 to facilitation at P28‐35 and P55‐60. However, STP in CD at P28‐35 and P 55‐60 still showed depression. The failure rate of synaptic responses to the first pulse of the stimulation tested at P 28‐35 was significantly lower in CD than in controls. The depression of STP in CD at P28‐35 was altered neither by blocking the desensitization of glutamate receptors nor by blocking postsynaptic Ca 2+ rise. It was also not affected by an antagonist of mGluR2/3, LY341495. Conclusions: Our results indicate that, compared to control cortex, the presynaptic release probability of excitatory synapses in CD pyramidal cells at P28‐35 and P55‐60 remains abnormally high and reduced tonic activity of presynaptic mGluR2/3 may contribute to this elevated release probability.
Headspace gas composition and chitin content as measures of Rhizopus stolonifer growth

Relationship was determined between CO2 and O2 headspace concentrations and growth of Rhizopus stolonifer on potato dextrose agar in sealed jars. Changes in gas composition were typical of microbial growth curves. A 2-day lag period was followed by a 3.5-day rapidly changing period (exponential growth) and leveling off. No further change was observed when O2 was reduced to about 2%. A linear relationship was found between chitin (as glucosamine) formation and O2 (r2 = 0.96) and CO2 (r2 = 0.90) concentrations in headspace. Gas analysis (as measured by coefficient of variation) was more precise than chitin analysis. In air-tight pure cultures, headspace gas analysis was an acceptable measure of mold growth with advantages of being nondestructive, simple, accurate, and rapid.
Containing denial-of-service attacks in broadcast authentication in sensor networks

Broadcast authentication is an important application in sensor networks. Public Key Cryptography (PKC) is desirable for this application, but due to the resource constraints on sensor nodes, these operations are expensive, which means sensor networks using PKC are susceptible to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks: attackers keep broadcasting bogus messages, which will incur extra costs, thus exhaust the energy of the honest nodes. In addition, the long time to verify each message using PKC increases the response time of the nodes; it is impractical for the nodes to validate each incoming message before forwarding i.In this paper we discuss this type of DoS attacks, in which the goal of the adversary is to exhaust the energy of the sensor nodes and to increase their response time to broadcast messages. We then present a dynamic window scheme, where sensor nodes determine whether first to verify a message or first to forward the message by themselves. This is made possible with the information such as how far this node is away from the malicious attacker, and how many hops the incoming message has passed. We compare the performance of the proposed scheme with other schemes, and show that it can contain the damage of DoS attacks to only a small portion of the sensor nodes.
Base mutations in the terminal noncoding regions of the genome of vesicular stomatitis virus isolated from persistent infections of L cells.

The 3′-terminal regions of the genomes of vesicular stomatitis virus obtained from two long-term, independently initiated persistent infections of L cells were found to contain several sequence mutations. In contrast to the hypermutability displayed in the 5′-terminal regions of the genomes of viruses obtained from persistent infections of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells (P. J. O'Hara, F. M. Horodyski, S. T. Nichol, and J. J. Holland, J. Virol. 49, 793–798, 1984), no 5′ mutations were detected in viruses from L-cell carrier lines. The absence of detectable defective interfering (DI) particles in the L-cell carrier cultures may account for this difference. Plus-strand leader RNA made by the viruses from persistently infected L cells failed to accumulate from 5 to 8 hr postinfection unlike the accumulation noted for the leader RNA generated by wild-type VSV. Minus-strand leader RNA, on the other hand, accumulated at a similar or increased rate compared to wild type. The relationship of these observations to the processes of host shutoff, viral transcription, and replication are discussed.
Control of gas permeation via electrohydrodynamic convection in a liquid crystal membrane

Abstract We demonstrate a sandwich-like membrane configuration, termed an electroconvective liquid crystal membrane (ECLCM), in which the electric field induced convection of a liquid crystal layer facilitates the transport of gases through the membrane. The permeation rate of CH4 and N2 through a N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-butylaniline (MBBA) liquid crystal membrane was increased by a factor of 7 when an alternating electric field of 100 V/mm was applied to the liquid crystal. The permeability of the liquid crystal layer increased by a factor of 50 under the same conditions. The gas permeation rate increase was limited by the porous electrodes confining the liquid crystal. The CH4/N2 selectivity of the membrane, about 3, was determined by the solubility of these gases in the liquid crystal and by the electrode permeability.
Assessment of Models to Measure Pedestrian Activity at Signalized Intersections

The allocation of resources to build facilities amicable to pedestrians is governed by pedestrian activity at the location of interest. Collecting real-world data such as pedestrian counts at each point of interest is an expensive and time-consuming process. However, unlike trip generation models to estimate vehicle trips, the literature documents limited research to model and measure activity pertaining to pedestrian counts. The development and an assessment of models to measure pedestrian activity at signalized intersections are presented. Data collected at 176 signalized intersections in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, are used to develop models to measure pedestrian activity by the time of day at signalized intersections. Pedestrian counts collected at the 176 intersections are used as a dependent variable. Factors such as demographic characteristics (population, household units), socioeconomic characteristics (income level, employment), land use characteristics (residential, commercial, indust...
Student-Faculty and Student-Peer Relationships as Mediators of the Structural Effects of Undergraduate Residence Arrangement.

AbstractA quasi-experimental design was employed to investigate the influence of undergraduate residence setting on freshman year educational outcomes such as academic achievement, institutional persistence, and measures of intellectual and personal growth. With the influence of fifteen pre-enrollment characteristics held constant, residence in an experimental living center was found to be positively and significantly associated with freshman year persistence, measures of intellectual and personal growth and sense of intellectual community. The results further suggest, however, that the structural and organizational influence of residence arrangement is accounted for, or mediated by, the quality of interpersonal interactions with important agents of socialization (faculty and peers).
Communication of gender from human axillary odors: relationship to perceived intensity and hedonicity.

In an in vitro test situation, human observers estimated the relative intensity and pleasantness of human axillary odors using the method of magnitude estimation. In addition, the likely gender of the donor of each odor was also estimated. Under these test conditions, only a small proportion of the observers predicted the sex of the odor donor above chance levels. The results support the following conclusions: (1) male and female responses to axillary odors are generally similar in both magnitude and direction (regardless of the sex from which the odors are sampled); (2) the assignment of a gender referent is closely related to the perceived intensity and pleasantness of axillary odors, with the stronger and less pleasant odors being more frequently assigned to a male gender category; and (3) the intensity and pleasantness of axillary odors, on the average, are inversely related.
Noncommutative Multivariable Operator Theory

In this paper, we study noncommutative domains $${\mathbb{D}_f^\varphi(\mathcal{H}) \subset B(\mathcal{H})^n}$$ generated by positive regular free holomorphic functions f and certain classes of n-tuples $${\varphi = (\varphi_1, \ldots, \varphi_n)}$$ of formal power series in noncommutative indeterminates Z 1, . . . , Z n . Noncommutative Poisson transforms are employed to show that each abstract domain $${\mathbb{D}_f^\varphi}$$ has a universal model consisting of multiplication operators (M Z1, . . . , M Z n ) acting on a Hilbert space of formal power series. We provide a Beurling type characterization of all joint invariant subspaces under M Z1, . . . , M Z n and show that all pure n-tuples of operators in $${\mathbb{D}_f^\varphi(\mathcal{H})}$$ are compressions of $${M_{Z_1} \otimes I, \ldots, M_{Z_n} \otimes I}$$ to their coinvariant subspaces. We show that the eigenvectors of $${M_{Z_1}^*, \ldots, M_{Z_n}^*}$$ are precisely the noncommutative Poisson kernels $${\Gamma_\lambda}$$ associated with the elements $${\lambda}$$ of the scalar domain $${\mathbb{D}_{f,<}^\varphi(\mathbb{C}) \subset \mathbb{C}^n}$$ . These are used to solve the Nevanlinna-Pick interpolation problem for the noncommutative Hardy algebra $${H^\infty(\mathbb{D}_f^\varphi)}$$ . We introduce the characteristic function of an n-tuple $${T=(T_1, \ldots , T_n) \in \mathbb{D}_f^\varphi(\mathcal{H})}$$ , present a model for pure n-tuples of operators in the noncommutative domain $${\mathbb{D}_f^\varphi(\mathcal{H})}$$ in terms of characteristic functions, and show that the characteristic function is a complete unitary invariant for pure n-tuples of operators in $${\mathbb{D}_f^\varphi(\mathcal{H})}$$ .
Hayek, Samuelson, and the logic of the mixed economy?

Abstract In 1980 Friedrich Hayek wrote to Paul Samuelson complaining about the role that Economics had played in discrediting the thesis of Hayek's The Road to Serfdom. In the 11th edition of Economics, Samuelson had written that “each step away from the market system and towards the social reform of the welfare state is inevitably a journey that must end in a totalitarian state.” Given the apparent prevalence of this reading of Hayek's thesis, we assess the dispute over Hayek's ‘inevitability thesis’ and whether Hayek's complaints were justified.
Molecular markers in Paget disease of the breast

Background and Objectives Molecular markers are increasingly being analyzed in tumor specimens because of their relevance to both prognosis and choice of therapy. Paget disease of the breast is an uncommon form of breast cancer, in which molecular markers have not been well characterized. The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of c-erbB-2, p53, Ki-67, Cyclin D1, Bcl-2, estrogen receptors (ER), and progesterone receptors (PR) in mammary Paget disease. Methods Archival tumor tissues from 14 patients diagnosed between 1990 and 1999 with Paget disease of the breast were analyzed for these molecular markers by using an automated immunohistochemical assay. Both the intraepidermal Paget cells and the underlying carcinoma were assessed for these markers. Results The majority of Paget cells were positive for c-erbB-2 (92.9%), Cyclin D1 (100%), and Ki-67 (85.7%), but very few were positive for Bcl-2 (14.3%). p53 was overexpressed in 42.9% of the cases, and only 28.6% were positive for ER and PR. The rate of expression of these biologic markers was similar in both the Paget cells and the underlying intraductal and/or ductal carcinoma cells. Conclusions Tumors from patients with Paget disease of the breast were positive for c-erbB-2, Cyclin D1, and Ki-67, molecular markers commonly associated with more aggressive tumor behavior and poorer survival in breast cancer patients. Few of these tumors expressed Bcl-2 or ER and PR, which are generally associated with a better prognosis. Similar expression of these markers in both Paget cells and the underlying carcinoma supports the theory that these cells are the result of an intraepidermal spread of ductal carcinoma. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001;77:171–178. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Angiotensin type 2 receptor in pancreatic islets of adult rats: a novel insulinotropic mediator

In the present study, we evaluated the relative abundance of angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) protein in various tissues of adult rats. We found that pancreatic islets expressed the highest AT2R ...
Conducting Drug Abuse Investigations in Natural Environments: Potential Directions for Medical Toxicology Research

Physician–scientists, in the eyes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are crucial to the biomedical research enterprise since the development of evidence-based practice based on cutting-edge research. At the same time, NIH has heightened the importance of research mentorship by permitting investigators to revise an application a single time. The current NIH approach, therefore, narrows the margin of error allowable in a proposal and requires that investigators fully develop research protocols for initial submission. The purpose of this manuscript, therefore, is to provide medical toxicologists with a proven research methodology that can be applied to substance abuse investigations. A secondary aim is to provide successful grant language that can be used in subsequent applications for research funding.
The racial disparity in outcomes in endometrial cancer: Could this be explained on a molecular level?

Abstract Objective. The racial disparities among patients with endometrial carcinoma have been previously reported. The objective of this study is to analyze and compare the molecular profiles in endometrial cancer in Caucasian and African American patients using a number of known molecular markers. Materials and methods. 147 patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer between 1995 and 2001 were included in the study. Patients' demographics, clinical and pathological data were reviewed. Immunohistochemical staining for p53, VEGF, Ki-67 and HIF-1α was performed on tissue micro array sections. Tumors' expression of p53, VEGF, Ki-67, and HIF-1α was compared based on ethnicity and tumor type (Type I = endometrioid carcinomas and Type II = non-endometrioid carcinomas). Spearman's correlation and Fisher's Exact Tests were used for statistical analysis and Kaplan–Meier, log-rank and Cox regression were used for survival analysis. Results. 97 patients were Caucasian and 50 patients were African American. The mean age was 62 (33–91) years for Caucasian patients and 63.5 (24–89) years for the African American patients. African American patients had more Type II carcinoma than Caucasian patients ( P = 0.055). High p53 expression was statistically significant among the African American patients (49% vs. 30%, P = 0.035) versus Caucasian patients. There was no significant difference demonstrated when comparing the VEGF, Ki-67, and HIF-1α expression between the racial groups. Survival analysis showed a trend toward a shorter survival in the African American patients compared to the Caucasian patients; median survival 62 versus 77 months ( P = 0.061). On the other hand, we did not find a significant difference in survival by ethnicity when we adjusted for tumor histology. Conclusion. While African American patients with endometrial cancer seem to show a trend toward a shorter survival, this seems to be mainly due to the fact that they have a higher proportion of Type II tumors. The molecular profiles for p53, Ki-67, VEGF and HIF-1α expression of histologically matched tumors were similar between the two ethnic groups.
Sexual Selection and Immune Function in Drosophila Melanogaster

The evolution of immune function depends not only on variation in genes contributing directly to the immune response, but also on genetic variation in other traits indirectly affecting immunocompetence. In particular, sexual selection is predicted to trade-off with immunocompetence because the extra investment of resources needed to increase sexual competitiveness reduces investment in immune function. Additional possible immunological consequences of intensifying sexual selection include an exaggeration of immunological sexual dimorphism, and the reduction of condition-dependent immunological costs due to selection of ‘good genes’ (the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis, ICHH). We tested for these evolutionary possibilities by increasing sexual selection in laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster for 58 generations by reestablishing a male-biased sex ratio at the start of each generation. Sexually selected flies were larger, took longer to develop, and the males were more sexually competitive than males from control (equal sex ratio) lines. We found support for the trade-off hypothesis: sexually selected males were found to have reduced immune function compared to control males. However, we found no evidence that sexual selection promoted immunological sexual dimorphism because females showed a similar reduction in immune function. We found no evidence of evolutionary changes in the condition-dependent expression of immunocompetence contrary to the expectations of the ICHH. Lastly, we compared males from the unselected base population that were either successful (IS) or unsuccessful (IU) in a competitive mating experiment. IS males showed reduced immune function relative to IU males, suggesting that patterns of phenotypic correlation largely mirror patterns of genetic correlation revealed by the selection experiment. Our results suggest increased disease susceptibility could be an important cost limiting increases in sexual competitiveness in populations experiencing intense sexual selection. Such costs may be particularly important given the high intersex correlation, because this represents an apparent genetic conflict, preventing males from reaching their sexually selected optimum.
Performance of Hens Laying Eggs with Heavy or Light Shell Weight when Fed Diets with Different Calcium and Phosphorus Levels

Abstract Hy-Line W36® hens, 56-wk-old, were used to study the response to changing dietary Ca and P levels of hens laying eggs with heavy (HSW) or light shell weight (LSW). Three diets were fed: control diet [3.9% Ca and .55% total P (Pt)], low-Ca diet (2.2% Ca and .55% Pt), and high-P diet (3.9% Ca and .90% Pt). In Experiment 2, one half of hens previously fed the low-Ca diet were changed to a Ca-deficient diet (1.7% Ca and .55% Pt), and the others continued to receive the diet previously fed. Also, one half of the hens fed the high-P diet were changed to a high-Ca, high-P diet (4.4% Ca and .90% Pt), and the others continued to receive the high-P diet. The control hens continued to receive the control diet. Shell weight was determined, and feed intake and egg production (EP) were recorded. Calcium and P intake, and Ca utilization were calculated. Plasma Ca and P, tibia breaking strength, and bone ash were determined. In both experiments egg production and shell weight were significantly lower for hens consuming both low-Ca and Ca-deficient diets than hens fed the control diet. The adverse effect was greater for HSW hens than for LSW hens. Many of HSW hens ceased production when fed the Ca-deficient diet. Calcium utilization was greater for HSW than for LSW hens. Increasing P in the diet from .55 to .90% Pt had no significant effect on SW or EP. Increasing Ca in the diet from 3.9 to 4.4% and P from .55 to .90% Pt had no significant effect on either EP, SW, or feed intake. Bone breaking strength and bone ash were not affected by dietary treatments. Plasma Ca and P concentrations were higher in the LSW than HSW hens.
Cell yields and fermentation responses of a Salmonella Typhimurium poultry isolate at different dilution rates in an anaerobic steady state continuous culture

The objectives of these studies were to determine cell yield and fermentation responses of a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium poultry isolate using various dilution rates in steady state continuous culture incubations. S. enterica Typhimurium cells were propagated in continuous cultures with a total volume of 0.50 l of Luria Bertani medium containing 0.1% glucose. Dilution rates from 0.0125 to 1.44/h were used. Cell protein concentration generally increased linearly with increased dilution rate up to a rate of 0.54/h and declined at the higher dilution rates. Glucose consumption gave a similar pattern to cell protein concentration by declining at the three highest dilution rates. Short chain fatty acid production was inconsistently influenced by dilution rate. Acetate, the most predominant fatty acid produced, declined at the higher dilution rates, as did propionate. Ammonia production remained stable at the lowest dilution rates, but increased significantly at a dilution rates above 0.27/h.