cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anisotropy of the Mechanical Properties of Degraded 15Kh1М1F Steel After Its Operation in Steam Pipelines of Thermal Power Plants

We have investigated the mechanical properties of 15Kh1M1F heat-resistant steel after long-term operation in steam pipelines of steam power plants. The anisotropy of its strength and plasticity characteristics as a result of degradation has been determined. We have established that the number of shutdowns of the process in operation of the steel, orientation of specimens (axial, tangential, and radial), and their location in sections of pipe walls (near their external surface, internal surface, and at the center of the section) influence these parameters. The obtained results enable us to justify the choice of the orientation of specimens and their location in sections of pipes to provide the highest sensitivity of characteristics to a change in the technical state of the steel in operation.
Methylation and expression of the Myo D1 determination gene.

Mouse embryo cells induced to differentiate with the demethylating agent 5- azacytidine represent an excellent model system to investigate the molecular control of development. Clonal derivatives of 10T1/2 cells that have become determined to the myogenic or adipogenic lineages can be isolated from the multipotential parental line after drug treatment. These determined derivatives can be cultured indefinitely and will differentiate into end-stage phenotypes on appropriate stimulation. A gene called Myo D1, recently isolated from such a myoblast line, will confer myogenesis when expressed in 10T1/2 or other cell types (Davis et al. 1987). The cDNA for Myo D1 contains a large number of CpG sequences and the gene is relatively methylated in 10T1/2 cells and an adipocyte derivative, but is demethylated in myogenic derivatives. Myo D1 may therefore be subject to methylation control in vitro . On the other hand, preliminary observations suggest that Myo D1 is not methylated at CCGG sites in vivo so that a de novo methylation event may have occurred in vitro . These observations may have significance in the establishment of immortal cell lines and tumours.
Nietzsche and the critique of oppositional thinking

(1989). Nietzsche and the critique of oppositional thinking. History of European Ideas: Vol. 11, No. 1-6, pp. 783-790.
Research opportunities to improve the production of homegardens

The management of home gardens on a widescale basis is reviewed and examples of specific systems are presented. Opportunities for improvement are presented and recommendations for research are given. Because of the contribution to supply food and goods to millions of people, the home gardens should play a more important role in development programs and more organized and directed research should be provided. This should contribute greatly to the yield from these land use systems.
Do Campaigns Drive Partisan Turnout

Although campaign strategy often, and perhaps increasingly, emphasizes the mobilization of core supporters, we know little about whether campaigns affect the partisan complexion of the electorate. We examine whether the balance of Democratic and Republican voters depends on the balance of campaign activity, the popularity of the incumbent president, and the state of the economy. Drawing on time-series cross-sectional data from state exit polls, we demonstrate that the partisan composition of voters depends on campaign activity more than on the political and economic fundamentals.
The old Santa Fe trail

'What is distinctive in Vestal's account is the admirable reconstruction of the facts and feelings of the life of the trail. To read his book is to realize that life as vividly as if you had seen it in a movie...Obviously, he loves the Trail and knows it as well as one knows one's own sidewalk. His enthusiasm makes his knowledge infectious' - "New York Times". 'Anecdotal history at its best, history come to life...This is the way people lived along the trail' - "Christian Science Monitor".The Santa Fe Trail was one of the two great overland highways originating in Missouri in the nineteenth century. Several decades before settlers streamed over the Oregon Trail, traders were heading southwest. The caravans carried the wares of Yankee commerce; they returned loaded with buffalo robes and beaver pelts and the rich metals of Mexican mines. The thousand-mile journey 'was a perilous cruise across a boundless sea of grass, over forbidding mountains, among wild beasts and wilder men, ending in an exotic city offering quick riches, friendly foreign women, and a moral holiday', writes Stanley Vestal.Vestal begins where the trail does. He describes outfitting for the trip, the society formed for survival, the hunt for meat, landmarks, and the dangers. He evokes the history and legends surrounding the trail at every point, including figures like Kit Carson, Jedediah Smith, the Bent brothers, and Uncle Dick Wooton. Stanley Vestal's fame rests on such reliable and entertaining books as "Jim Bridger: Mountain Man" and "Joe Meek: The Merry Mountain Man", available as Bison Books. Marc Simmons is an authority on the Santa Fe Trail and the author of numerous books including "Witchcraft in the Southwest: Spanish and Indian Supernaturalism on the Rio Grande", also available as a Bison Book.
Determination of Ungrafted Rubber in Abs Polymers

A method has been developed for determining the amount of ungrafted rubber in ABS polymers. First the styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resin is removed by extraction with ethyl acetate. The composition of the SAN resin was determined by NMR analysis. The ethyl acetate insoluble material which consists of graft polymer and ungrafted rubber is then extracted with a mixture of hexachlorobutadiene and ethyl acetate The ungrafted rubber dissolves in the extraction solvent mixture while the graft polymer remains insoluble Filtration, concentration of the filtrate by vacuum distillation and NMR analysis of the concentrated filtrate using an internal standard technique provided the amount and composition of the ungrafted rubber. The data also permitted the amount and composition of the graft polymer to be calculated.
Interrelationships of quality testing methods and relative effectiveness of surfactants on potato flake quality

Correlation was found between several methods which were used to evaluate the relative effectiveness of surfactants in potato flakes. Notably, Amylograph rate of retrogradation and Amylograph temperature at peak viscosity correlated very well with the level of free starch (Blue Value Index). Overall, calcium and sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate did not perform well in complexing free starch to improve rheological properties unless accompanied by low alpha monoglycerides or distilled monoglycerides.
Calcium and cardioplegic protection of the ischemic immature heart: Impact of hypoxemia from birth

Because many infants who require cardiac operation have cyanotic heart disease, we determined whether the existing calcium content of St. Thomas' II solution (1.2 mmol/L) is optimal to protect the immature rabbit heart hypoxemic from birth during subsequent ischemia. Modified hypothermic St. Thomas' II solutions (calcium content, 0 to 2.4 mmol/L) were compared with hypothermic Krebs bicarbonate buffer in protecting chronically hypoxemic (PaO2 = 34 +/- 11 mmHg, SaO2 = 63% +/- 3%) versus normoxemic (PaO2 = 76 +/- 11 mmHg, SaO2 = 92% +/- 3%) immature hearts (7 to 12 days old) during ischemia. Hearts (n = 6 per group) underwent aerobic 'working' perfusion with Krebs bicarbonate buffer and cardiac function was measured. The hearts were then arrested with a 3 minute infusion of either cold (14 degrees C) Krebs buffer (1.8 mmol calcium/L) as hypothermia alone or modified St. Thomas' II solution before 6 hours of hypothermic (14 degrees C) global ischemia. Hearts were reperfused and postischemic enzyme leakage and recovery of function were measured. A bell-shaped dose-response profile was observed for recovery of postischemic aortic flow but not for postischemic creatine kinase leakage, with improved protection occurring at lower calcium concentrations. Optimal myocardial protection occurred at a calcium content of 0.4 mmol/L, which was significantly better than with hypothermia alone or standard St. Thomas' II solution. We conclude that the existing calcium concentration of St. Thomas' II solution is responsible, in part, for its inadequate protection of immature myocardium hypoxemic from birth during ischemia.
Synaptic inputs and electrical coupling among magnocellular neuroendocrine cells

This paper first briefly reviews the evidence for synaptic and nonsynaptic plasticity among the neurons and glia of the magnocellular hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system. Emphasis is placed upon the importance of the roles played by astrocytes in the remodeling of the magnocellular nuclei under various conditions of increased hormone demand. Evidence is then reviewed from more recent studies showing that there is electrical coupling among magnocellular neurons, and that this coupling shows plasticity similar to that shown for other characteristics of the system (e.g., chemical synapses, dendritic bundling etc.). Further, evidence is presented that extent of electrical coupling can be modified not only by manipulating the physiological state of the animal (such as lactation), but also by electrical stimulation of newly described olfactory afferent inputs to the cells of the supraoptic nucleus. The possible functional significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the behavior of nursing rats.
Analysis of Fault-Location Behavior in Electronic Equipment

Two analyses of maintenance technicians' intermediate behavior in trouble-shooting electronic equipment are reported. In the first, 422 records of this behavior were analyzed to describe the characteristics of the process. It was found that technicians frequently accumulated sufficient symptom information from test points to isolate a malfunctioning stage or to identify a faulty component, before they recognized this fact. Typically, either they continued to make redundant or irrelevant checks before entering the correct stage or replacing the correct part, or they never did use the information and thus failed to solve the problem. Also, 71 per cent of the first replacements of components were incorrect. Evidently, searching for symptom information and interpretation of that information occur on two different behavioral levels, which are not necessarily closely coordinated.
Deforming the lie superalgebra D(2, 1; α) inside the superconformal algebra K′(4)

We describe nontrivial deformations of the embedding of the Lie superalgebra D(2, 1; α) into the centrally extended derived contact superconformal algebra $$ \hat {K}'(4) $$ obtained in [16], and realize them as (4 × 4)-matrices over the Weyl algebra.
IDENTIFYING THE MINIMAL DEMOGRAPHIC UNIT FOR MONITORING POND-BREEDING AMPHIBIANS

Amphibians are declining globally, and efforts are underway to establish long-term programs to monitor population trends. Because researchers are constrained to sampling a small subset of populations that occur across a landscape, monitoring units should be selected that maximize the statistical independence of population responses to environmental stressors. Breeding sites of pond-breeding amphibians are often clustered locally, and habitat switching between neighboring ponds could significantly compromise both demographic and statistical independence. This raises a fundamental issue of whether the basic monitoring unit for trend analysis should be an individual pond or a cluster of local ponds. To help resolve the degree of demographic independence within a cluster of local ponds, we conducted a spatial-scale analysis of breeding-population synchrony of the wood frog (Rana sylvatica) and spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) in four national parks in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee, USA. We u...
Physiologic Predictors of Lumbar Spine Bone Mass in Neonates

Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the lumbar spine (LS) was measured in 201 singleton infants with birth weights from 1152 to 3970 g and gestational ages from 27 to 42 wk. All infants were well and studied at a mean (±SD) of 2.1 (±1.6) days after birth. There were 75 Caucasian (46 males, 29 females) and 126 African American infants (58 males, 68 females). Scan acquisition of the first to fourth lumbar vertebrae was performed with a single beam whole body scanner (Hologic QDR 1000/W densitometer, Hologic Inc, Waltham, MA, U.S.A.) using the infant spine mode. Scan analysis was performed with software version 4.57Q and consistent region of interest. The SD of difference for duplicate LS scans is <1.4% at a mean bone mineral content (BMC) of 2.14 g. Results show that LS BMC, area, bone mineral density (BMD) increased by approximately 550%, 280% and 180%, respectively, between 27 and 42 wk gestational age. Body mass accounted for about 70% and 55% of the variance in BMC and BMD respectively. In contrast, the infant's length appears to be the best determinant of LS area and accounts for about 75% of the variance in LS area. Race, gender or season has little or no effect on LS bone mass. There was progressive increase in BMC and area from first to fourth lumbar vertebra but BMD was significantly higher only at the fourth lumbar vertebra. We conclude that DXA LS can be performed even in small preterm infants. Its excellent precision, low radiation exposure and rapid scan acquisition offers promise as a useful tool for widespread use in pediatrics. Our data may be used as a basis for further studies in physiologic and pathologic situations that may affect bone mineralization in infants.
Study of supersonic intersection flowfield at modified wing-body junctions

The problem of supersonic flow control using fillets and sweep for a wing-body junction has been investigated numerically using a three-dimensional Navier-Stokes code, which employs the MacCormack's time-split finite volume technique. An elliptic grid generation technique with direct control over spacing has been developed for constructing the grid at a filleted wing-body junction. The computed results for pressure distribution, particle paths, and limiting streamlines on the flat plate and fin surface for a swept fin show a decrease in the peak pressure on the fin leading edge and in the extent of the separated flow region. Moreover, the results for filleted juncture clearly show that the flow streamline patterns lose much of their vortical character with proper filleting. It has been demonstrated that fillets with a radius of three-and-one-half times the fin leading-edge diameter are required to weaken the vorticity in the horseshoe vortex by a factor of three for the Mach number and Reynolds number considered in the present study.
Spatial Orientation and Wayfinding in Large-Scale Virtual Spaces: An Introduction

‘‘I have coasted this lake, in search of skins, afore the war, and have been here already; not at this very spot, for we landed yonder, where you may see the oak that stands above the cluster of hemlocks.’’ ‘‘How, Pathfinder, can you remember all these trifles so accurately?’’ ‘‘These are our streets and houses—our churches and palaces. Remember them, indeed! . . .’’ The Pathfinder, James Fenimore Cooper (1840)
Inspection techniques based on neutron interrogation

Nuclear based techniques, and among them the neutron based ones, provide two essential ingredients for effective substance detection, ability to detect and recognize as many signatures of the relevant chemical elements as possible (i.e., high specificity) and to do it on as small as possible volume of the interrogated object (i.e., imaging capabilities). Various techniques and their imaging capabilities, implementation and proper applications are reviewed. Active techniques based on thermal neutron capture (TNA) and fast neutron (mostly) inelastic scattering in various temporal regimes: steady state, slow (microsecond) and fast (nanosecond) pulsing is reviewed. Neutron resonance attenuation (NRA) based techniques also are discussed and evaluated within the envelope of existing and future applications.
Transfer of toxin susceptibility to plant protoplasts via the Helminthosporoside binding protein of sugarcane

Abstract The eyespot disease of sugarcane is caused by Helminthosporium sacchari . Helminthosporoside, a host-specific toxin produced by H. sacchari , is essential for the pathogenicity of this fungus. The presence of the helminthosporoside-binding protein in sugarcane likewise appears to be essential for susceptibility to the toxin. The results of this report show that leaf cell protoplasts of tobacco and toxin resistant sugarcane effectively adsorbed the toxin-binding protein derived from membranes of susceptible sugarcane. These protoplasts then became susceptible to the helminthosporoside. They also functioned to takeup raffinose, a trisaccharide structurally related to the toxin. Tobacco protoplasts were treated with [ 14 C] - binding protein, ruptured, and fractionated on a sucrose density gradient column. A peak of radioactivity was associated with the enriched plasma membrane fraction. The results support the hypothesis that the binding protein is the primary recognition site governing susceptibility of sugarcane to helminthosporoside.
Observation of X-rays from spark discharges in a spark chamber

Abstract The production of X-rays from the spark discharges in a thin walled, helium filled spark chamber has been observed. The X-ray flux is sufficiently large with helium at atmospheric pressure to destroy the ability of a neighouring thin plate chamber to support charged particle tracks.
Calcium and barium-dependent extracellular alkaline shifts evoked by electrical activity in rat hippocampal slices

Abstract Synaptic activation of central neurons has been associated with rapid extracellular alkalinization. In this report, we directly activated CA1 pyramidal cells by antidromic invasion, or by field stimulation. Antidromic activation produced no pH change, despite a robust population spike in five of 11 slices. In six slices, antidromic stimulation at 10 Hz evoked a small alkalinization in stratum pyramidale (0.04±0.01 unit pH) which grew to 0.10–0.20 unit pH at 50–100 Hz, and was blocked in 0 Ca 2+ media. Simultaneous, pH recordings revealed no alkalinizations in stratum radiatum, despite robust alkaline shifts in stratum pyramidale. When synaptic transmission was blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione, dl -2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate and picrotoxin, the Schaffer collateral-induced alkaline shift in stratum radiatum was abolished. With adequate stimulus strength and orientation, however, alkaline shifts in stratum radiatium could still be elicited, presumably by direct activation of the CA1 population. The non-synaptic alkaline shifts ranged from 0.10–0.20 unit pH, were amplified by benzolamide, and blocked by tetrodotoxin, 0 Ca 2+ saline, and 300–400 μM Cd 2+ . Although directly-activated alkaline shifts were never observed in 0 Ca 2+ saline, large stimulus evoked responses could be elicited upon addition of 5–10 mM Ba 2+ . The Ba 2+ -dependent responses were also amplified by benzolamide and blocked by tetrodotoxin, Cd 2+ or high Mg 2+ . These data demonstrate that stratum pyramidale can undergo an extracellular alkaline shift independent of stratum radiatum. The ionic dependence and pharmacologic sensitivity of the alkaline shifts suggest that voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels are instrumental in triggering the alkalinizing mechanism. However, the ability of Ba 2+ to support the alkaline shifts indicates that Ca 2+ entry is not an absolute requirement. Implications for the mechanism of these pH changes are discussed.
Social Disclosure and the Individual Investor

The demand for social information by individual investors is supported by the survey reported in this study. Based on the results of the 1991 survey on the usefulness of annual reports to corporate shareholders, there appears to be a strong demand for information about product safety and quality, and about the company′s environmental activities. Furthermore, a majority of the shareholders surveyed also want the company to report on corporate ethics, employee relations and community involvement. Since there appears to be a strong demand for social information by shareholders, serious consideration should be given to requiring certain social disclosures in annual reports. Furthermore, a large minority of those surveyed would like these disclosures to be audited. It may be in the interest of the auditing profession actively to support those areas of social disclosure that it feels comfortable auditing and to develop the skills to provide such audits. If not, the profession may find itself in the position of ...
K+ Currents in Isolated Vestibular Afferent Calyx Terminals

Vestibular hair cells transduce mechanical displacements of their hair bundles into an electrical receptor potential which modulates transmitter release and subsequent action potential firing in afferent neurons. To probe ionic mechanisms underlying sensory coding in vestibular calyces, we used the whole-cell patch-clamp technique to record action potentials and K+ currents from afferent calyx terminals isolated from the semicircular canals of Mongolian gerbils. Calyx terminals showed minimal current at the mean zero-current potential (−60 mV), but two types of outward K+ currents were identified at potentials above −50 mV. The first current was a rapidly activating and inactivating K+ current that was blocked by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 2.5 mM) and BDS-I (up to 250 nM). The time constant for activation of this current decreased with membrane depolarization to a minimum value of ∼1 ms. The 4-AP-sensitive current showed steady-state inactivation with a half-inactivation of approximately −70 mV. A second, more slowly activating current (activation time constant was 8.5 ± 0.7 ms at −8 mV) was sensitive to TEA (30 mM). The TEA-sensitive current also showed steady-state inactivation with a half-inactivation of −95.4 ± 1.4 mV, following 500-ms duration conditioning pulses. A combination of 4-AP and TEA blocked ∼90% of the total outward current. In current clamp, single Na+-dependent action potentials were evoked following hyperpolarization to potentials more negative than the resting potential. 4-AP application increased action potential width, whereas TEA both increased the width and greatly reduced repolarization of the action potential.
NNS Performance on Writing Proficiency Exams: Focus on Students Who Failed.

Abstract An increasing number of U.S. universities require students to pass a writing proficiency examination before receiving undergraduate degrees. It is often assumed that these exams present special problems for nonnative speakers of English (NNSs). Johns (1991) reported on a case study of one student's difficulties with a writing proficiency exam. The student performed well in other courses but failed the required writing exam twice—and had not passed it prior to publication of the study. In our study, academic records of 191 NNSs who took a writing examination in 1991 were analyzed to assess their performance on the writing examination at Georgia State University (GSU). In addition, profiles of the students who failed were compiled, in part to determine how common the type of student profiled by Johns is at GSU. Of the original 191 NNSs, 16 were shown in the Registrar's record keeping system as still not having passed the writing exam by December 1994. The analysis shows that only 3 of these 16 students closely match the Johns profile. Of the remaining 13, 4 have C averages and 9 have failing grade point averages (GPAs). For these nine, failing the writing exam is part of an overall pattern of academic difficulty. Questions remain about the relationship between English proficiency and academic preparation and about responsibilities for academically weak students.
The effect of light intensity on development and hatching success of lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus (Girard), eggs

The influence of incubation light intensity on development and hatching success of the lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus Girard) was studied by determining time to hatch, per cent hatch (total and viable) and per cent of deformities for embryos incubated at three different light intensities: ∼0, 1, and 563 lux. Photoperiod for the last two treatments was 16 h dark: 8 h light. Chemical parameters throughout incubation remained within acceptable ranges. Hatching in all treatments began 43 days post fertilization (353 °C days) and was complete on day 46 (377 °C days), with peak hatch for all treatments on day 44 (361 °C days). Per cent viable hatch for eggs incubated in the 1 lux treatment (88.6 ± 2.1%; mean ± SEM) was significantly greater than eggs incubated in the ∼0 lux (59.6 ± 11.3%) and 563 lux (61.4 ± 9.2%) treatments. A significantly greater per cent of deformed embryos with curled bodies occurred at 563 lux (9.5 ± 2.6%) compared with the 1-lux treatment (2.5 ± 0.6%). No significant differences for the other categories of deformities (ball, short, distended gut) were detected among treatments. Total deformities (all categories combined) for ∼0 lux (16.0 ± 4.2%) and 563 lux (17.2 ± 3.3%) were significantly greater than total deformities for 1 lux (5.0 ± 1.4%).
Secretory Phospholipase A2-Mediated Depletion of Phosphatidylglycerol in Early Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Abstract Introduction Secretory phospholipases A 2 (sPLA 2 ) hydrolyze phospholipids in cell membranes and extracellular structures such as pulmonary surfactant. This study tests the hypothesis that sPLA 2 are elevated in human lungs during acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and that sPLA 2 levels are associated with surfactant injury by hydrolysis of surfactant phospholipids. Methods Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was obtained from 18 patients with early ARDS ( 2 levels were measured (enzyme activity and enzyme immunoassay) in conjunction with ARDS subjects' surfactant abnormalities including surfactant phospholipid composition, large and small aggregates distribution and surface tension function. Results BAL sPLA 2 enzyme activity was markedly elevated in ARDS samples relative to healthy subjects when measured by ex vivo hydrolysis of both phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). Enzyme immunoassay identified increased PLA2G2A protein in the ARDS BAL fluid, which was strongly correlated with the sPLA 2 enzyme activity against PG. Of particular interest, the authors demonstrated an average depletion of 69% of the PG in the ARDS sample large aggregates relative to the normal controls. Furthermore, the sPLA 2 enzyme activity against PG and PC ex vivo correlated with the BAL recovery of in vivo PG and PC, respectively, and also correlated with the altered distribution of the large and small surfactant aggregates. Conclusions These results support the hypothesis that sPLA 2 -mediated hydrolysis of surfactant phospholipid, especially PG by PLA2G2A, contributes to surfactant injury during early ARDS.
Hybrid photonic-plasmonic silk protein as refractive index sensor

Hybrid plasmonic-photonic crystal (HPPC) composed of biopolymer-silk and silver film offers label free refractive index sensing. Detectability of the sensor is enhanced by surface plasmon. The sensor shows a sensitivity of 281 nm/RIU.
Management of Apical Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse is a prevalent condition, with up to 12 % of women requiring surgery in their lifetime. This manuscript reviews the treatment options for apical prolapse, specifically. Both conservative and surgical management options are acceptable and should be based on patient preferences. Pessaries are the most commonly used conservative management options. Guided pelvic floor muscle training is more beneficial than self-taught Kegel exercises, though may not be effective for high stage or apical prolapse. Surgical treatment options include abdominal and vaginal approaches, the latter of which can be performed open, laparoscopically, and robotically. A systematic review has demonstrated that sacrocolpopexy has better long-term success for treatment of apical prolapse than vaginal techniques, but vaginal surgery can be considered an acceptable alternative. Recent data has demonstrated equal efficacy between uterosacral ligament suspension and sacrospinous ligament suspension at 1 year. To date, two randomized controlled trials have demonstrated equal efficacy between robotic and laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. Though abdominal approaches may have increased long-term durability, when counseling their patients, surgeons should consider longer operating times and increased pain and cost with these procedures compared to vaginal surgery. • Pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) with a physical therapist is the best approach to conservative management of apical prolapse [10]. • Pessaries should be managed with regular follow-up care to minimize complications [14•]. • Minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy appears as effective as the gold standard abdominal sacrocolpopexy (ASC) [42•]. • Robotic assisted sacrocolpopexy (RASC) and laparoscopic assisted sacrocolpopexy (LASC) are equally effective and should be utilized by pelvic floor surgeons based on their skill level and expertise in laparoscopy [44, 45•]. • Uterosacral ligament suspension (USLS) and sacrospinous ligament suspension (SSLS) are considered equally effective procedures and can be combined with a vaginal hysterectomy. • Obliterative procedures are effective but are considered definitive surgery [24••]. • The use of transvaginal mesh has been shown in some studies to be superior to native tissue repairs with regard to anatomic outcomes, but complication rates are higher. Transvaginal mesh should be reserved for surgeons with adequate training so that complications are minimized.
What is the best way to impede a central bank

Abstract Recent work has found several ways of restricting central bank behavior to achieve much of the gain of commitment over discretion. This paper compares three such impediments: A quadratic penalty on interest rate changes, a fixed penalty on any rate change, and forced infrequency of rate change. All three achieve significant improvement over discretion, and often come close to interest rate rule commitment. The fixed penalty is frequently the best performing restriction, although the quadratic penalty does best in certain alternative parameterizations. Combinations are found to provide no improvement over the individual impediments alone.
Structure of the ulster strain newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase reveals auto-inhibitory interactions associated with low virulence.

Paramyxovirus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) plays roles in viral entry and maturation, including binding to sialic acid receptors, activation of the F protein to drive membrane fusion, and enabling virion release during virus budding. HN can thereby directly influence virulence and in a subset of avirulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains, such as NDV Ulster, HN must be proteolytically activated to remove a C-terminal extension not found in other NDV HN proteins. Ulster HN is 616 amino acids long and the 45 amino acid C-terminal extension present in its precursor (HN0) form has to be cleaved to render HN biologically active. Here we show that Ulster HN contains an inter-subunit disulfide bond within the C-terminal extension at residue 596, which regulates HN activities and neuraminidase (NA) domain dimerization. We determined the crystal structure of the dimerized NA domain containing the C-terminal extension, which extends along the outside of the sialidase β-propeller domain and inserts C-terminal residues into the NA domain active site. The C-terminal extension also engages a secondary sialic acid binding site present in NDV HN proteins, which is located at the NA domain dimer interface, that most likely blocks its attachment function. These results clarify how the Ulster HN C-terminal residues lead to an auto-inhibited state of HN, the requirement for proteolytic activation of HN0 and associated reduced virulence.
Malignant colojejunal fistula: case report and review of malignant coloenteric fistula.

A patient with a malignant colojejunal fistula with associated severe weight loss and diarrhea is described. To the authors' knowledge, this paper represents the second reported case of this type of malignant fistula. A discussion of the pathogenesis and treatment of this rather unique fistula and a review of malignant coloenteric fistulas in general are presented.
SQL/NF: a query language for ¬ 1NF relational databases

Abstract There is growing interest in abandoning the first-normal-form assumption on which the relational database model is based. This interest has developed from a desire to extend the applicability of the relational model beyond traditional data-processing application. In this paper, we extend one of the most widely used relational query languages, SQL, to operate on non-first-normal-form relations. In this framework, well allow attributes to be relation-valued as well as atomic-valued (e.g. integer or character). A relation which occurs as the value of an attribute in a tuple of another relation is said to be nested. Our extended language, called SQL/NF, includes all of the power of standard SQL as well as the ability to define nested relations in the data definition language and query these relations directly in the extended data manipulation language. A variety of improvements are made to SQL; the syntax is simplified and useless constructs and arbitrary restrictions are removed.
Study of the isomerization of n-butenes on alumina impregnated with Na2CO3 using gas chromatographic technique

Abstract Isomerization of n -butenes has been studied on Al 2 O 3 impregnated with 5 wt % Na 2 CO 3 using the gas chromatographic technique. The adsorption equilibrium constants, the rates and the activation energies of the isomerization reactions have been determined simultaneously. The isomerization reactions are of first order in the reactant olefins. Their mechanism is discussed in the light of the obtained results.
Assessing the impact of BitTorrent on DOCSIS networks

BitTorrent is a widely deployed peer-to-peer protocol that provides scalable file sharing capabilities. While BitTorrent applications contribute to the demand for high speed broadband access, they also contribute to the undesirable 80/20 effect wherein 80% of the bandwidth is consumed by 20% of the users. In this study we explore the impact that BitTorrent users can have on a DOCSIS cable network. We began the study by capturing packet traces of BitTorrent applications operating on two commercial DOCSIS cable networks. Next we developed for the ns-2 simulation tool a configurable mix of BitTorrent, Web browsing, and VoIP workloads and verified that the behavior of the simulated BitTorrent workloads to be consistent with the behavior observed on the commercial network. In this simulated environment, we show that as few as 15 BitTorrent users can significantly reduce the service quality experienced by other subscribers.
The Role of Incubators in the Entrepreneurial Process

We outline a model that improves our understanding of the role of incubators in the entrepreneurial process. Specifically, we focus on the impact of the services offered, namely infrastructure, coaching and networks, on the graduation rates of the respective incubators' tenants. The model is tested among three different types of incubators, for-profit, non-profit, university-based incubators. Based on our qualitative findings, we conclude that our initial model is ineffective, in the sense that it cannot fully explain the role of the incubators in facilitating entrepreneurship. Interviews with directors of incubator centers were also carried out simultaneously. Further analysis of the results along with interview responses from incubator directors, led us to propose a more comprehensive model to explain how incubators affect the entrepreneurial process.
Stemming inequality? Employment and pay of female and minority scientists and engineers

Abstract When white men overwhelmingly dominated the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) work force, the high pay in STEM occupations was a major source of gender and race inequality in the U.S. economy. As women, Blacks, and Latinos increasingly study STEM fields, new possibilities for achieving pay equality are opening. We test whether the reality matches the promise using two large data sets. Analysis of a five percent Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) of the 2000 Census and the 2001–06 American Community Surveys shows that women and minorities earn more, relative to comparable white men, in STEM than in non-STEM fields. This general pattern persists in analysis of a 1% sample of federal personnel records, which include better measures of work experience and education. Thus, federal efforts to increase the representativeness of the STEM workforce should increase pay equality in the economy by moving women and minorities into traditionally high-paying fields.
Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in full-term infants

A retrospective analysis was undertaken in a consecutive series of 33 full-term infants (birth weight >2500 g and a minimum of 37 weeks gestational age) with symptomatic intracranial hemorhage (ICH) admitted to a regional neonatal intensive care unit from January 1986 to December 1992. Eleven infants were born in our institution; 17 were male. The estimated local incidence of symptomatic ICH for the inborn population was 4.9/10 000 live births, with a regional incidence of 2.7/10 000 live births. Twenty-four (72.3%) infants presented with seizures, apnea, or respiratory distress. Five (15.1%) children developed ICH associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ventriculoperitoneal shunting, and cardiac surgery. There were two deaths (6.1%) associated with a grade IV periventricular hemorrhage (PVH) and cardiac surgery. Nine infants (27.3%) showed PVH, while an additional nine children developed multifocal cortical hemorrhages. Eight infants (24.%) showed extraxial ICH, four children (12.1%) sustained lobar hemorrhages, and three children (9.1%) showed ICH associated with prenatal CNS abnormalities. Excluding five children with iatrogenic ICH, coagulopathies occurred in 9 of 28 infants (32.1%) and constituted a major determinant of the development of ICH. Neurosurgical intervention was limited to one infant with massive ICH and one child with hydrocephalus as a late sequela of ICH. Developmental follow-up was complete in 32 children with a mean and median duration of 3.4 years. Full-term infants with ICH associated with risk factors for hypoxic-ischemic injury showed a significantly greater risk of developmental delay compared to infants with uncomplicated ICH.
Dielectric waveguide resonator with a superconductive boundary layer

Dielectric waveguide resonators have been shown to exhibit high Q's, limited by the dielectric loss. High-resonator Q is desirable in measuring the microwave attenuation of superconducting materials. The properties of a dielectric waveguide resonator with a superconductive boundary layer have been investigated. The microwave properties of YBaCuO and NbN thin films have been investigated by employing them as boundary layers on the dielectric waveguide. Transmission and reflection measure measurements on the dielectric waveguide resonator were performed from 20-40 GHz using a vector network analyzer. The temperature dependence of the loaded Q of the resonator was measured under weak coupling. The loaded Q-factors of the DWG resonator were measured to be as high as 12000 with a YBaCuO boundary and 20000 with an NbN boundary layer. The measured Q-factors were instrumentation limited in the superconducting state and represent a lower bound on the Q of the resonators. The results were found to be in agreement with the predictions of the Drude model for T>or=T/sub c/ and the Mattis-Bardeen theory for T<or=T/sub c/.
Evidence for granulocyte-mediated macrophage activation after C. parvum immunization☆

Abstract It has been previously demonstrated that at the peak of the peritoneal response to Corynebacterium parvum (Day 4), cytolytic macrophages can be characterized by the presence of intracellular bacteria. In the present study, the role of neutrophils in the activation of peritoneal macrophages by C. parvum was investigated. Inflammatory neutrophils isolated 5 hr after ip administration of C. parvum were transferred to normal, syngeneic mice and the peritoneal macrophages of recipients harvested 4 days later were tested for cytoxicity against HeLa cells. Neutrophils isolated from mice 5 hr after C. parvum immunization were effective in inducing cytolytic macrophages. Less than 100-fold as much bacteria was needed to induce comparable levels of cytotoxic activity when introduced inside granulocytes. Neutrophils obtained from mice 48 hr after C. parvum injection or mononuclear cells were not good macrophage activators. Viable neutrophils were not required as freeze-thawed cells were able to activate macrophages in recipient mice. The intracellular distribution of C. parvum changed dramatically with time. Intitially almost all bacteria were found within neutrophils. By 24 hr, many macrophages contained either bacteria or granulocytes which had ingested C. parvum. Pyridine extracts of C. parvum , which do not activate peritoneal macrophages when injected directly into mice, did not induce neutrophils capable of activating macrophages. The residue of pyridine-extracted C. parvum did induce neutrophils that could activate macrophages when transferred. The results suggest that processing of the bacteria by inflammatory granulocytes may be an obligatory step in macrophage activation by this agent. The peak response occurred earlier than T-cell immunity is usually observed and it is suggested that direct activation of macrophages via ingestion of neutrophils may represent the earliest stage of macrophage activation by C. parvum .
THERMOSTIMULATED CURRENTS AND THERMOELECTRIC POWER IN IRRADIATED MgO.

Abstract Thermostimulated Current (TSC) and Thermoelectric Power (TEP) techniques have been used to study the decay of V 1 centers produced in MgO crystals which were γ-irradiated at ∼ 35°C. The TSC data yields an activation energy of 1.10 eV for the V , decay while the TEP results demonstrate that holes are the mobile charge carriers. These experiments also indicate retrapping plays a major role in the decay processes.
Pro-inflammatory and pro-Apoptotic Properties of Human Defensin 5

Defensins are cationic antimicrobial peptides that play an important role in innate immunity by primarily acting against microbes. Their antimicrobial properties have been widely studied and are well understood. Defensins contribute to regulation of host immunity also. Their effects on cells of the host however are less well understood. Here, we report on the pro-inflammatory and apoptotic properties of Human Defensin 5, the major antimicrobial peptide of ileal Paneth cells. We find that HD-5 up-regulates expression of genes involved in cell survival and inflammation in a NF-kB-dependent fashion in epithelial cells. Further, we find that HD-5 has pro-apoptotic effects on intestinal epithelial cells as well as primary CD4+ T cells.
Nicotine-Mediated Activation of Dopaminergic Neurons in Distinct Regions of the Ventral Tegmental Area

Nicotine activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) within the dopaminergic (DAergic) neuron-rich ventral tegmental area (VTA) is necessary and sufficient for nicotine reinforcement. In this study, we show that rewarding doses of nicotine activated VTA DAergic neurons in a region-selective manner, preferentially activating neurons in the posterior VTA (pVTA) but not in the anterior VTA (aVTA) or in the tail VTA (tVTA). Nicotine (1 μM) directly activated pVTA DAergic neurons in adult mouse midbrain slices, but had little effect on DAergic neurons within the aVTA. Quantification of nAChR subunit gene expression revealed that pVTA DAergic neurons expressed higher levels of α4, α6, and β3 transcripts than did aVTA DAergic neurons. Activation of nAChRs containing the α4 subunit (α4* nAChRs) was necessary and sufficient for activation of pVTA DAergic neurons: nicotine failed to activate pVTA DAergic neurons in α4 knockout animals; in contrast, pVTA α4* nAChRs were selectively activated by nicotine in mutant mice expressing agonist-hypersensitive α4* nAChRs (Leu9′Ala mice). In addition, whole-cell currents induced by nicotine in DAergic neurons were mediated by α4* nAChRs and were significantly larger in pVTA neurons than in aVTA neurons. Infusion of an α6* nAChR antagonist into the VTA blocked activation of pVTA DAergic neurons in WT mice and in Leu9′Ala mice at nicotine doses, which only activate the mutant receptor indicating that α4 and α6 subunits coassemble to form functional receptors in these neurons. Thus, nicotine selectively activates DAergic neurons within the pVTA through α4α6* nAChRs. These receptors represent novel targets for smoking-cessation therapies.
The Miner Sentence Completion Scale: A Reappraisal

An attempt is made to correct certain conceptual and methodological errors contained in a previous article on the Miner Sentence Completion Scale (MSCS). New data bearing on scorer reliability, con...
Simple karyotype and bcl-6 expression predict a diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma and better survival in IG-MYC rearranged high-grade B-cell lymphomas

Rearrangement of MYC with immunoglobulin genes is a hallmark of Burkitt lymphoma. However, this rearrangement is not entirely specific and is often accompanied by varying numbers of additional cytogenetic abnormalities. This study aimed to assess the impact of karyotypic complexity, in correlation with comprehensive immunophenotypic analyses on the diagnosis and clinical outcomes of 34 cases of MYC-IG rearranged lymphomas that included Burkitt lymphoma (twenty-two cases), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (three cases), unclassifiable B-cell lymphoma with features intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma (six cases), and plasmablastic lymphoma (three cases). Additional cytogenetic abnormalities were observed in 26 of 34 cases (76%), including four cases (12%) that harbored dual translocations involving BCL-2 or BCl-6. Burkitt lymphoma cases had a significantly lower number of additional abnormalities (mean of 1.7), compared with unclassified B-cell lymphoma (3.3), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (21.7), and plasmablastic lymphoma (6.7). Cases with simple karyotype ( 2 additional abnormalities, P<0.01) and express bcl-6 (95 versus 47%, P<0.01). In addition, Burkitt lymphoma, bcl-6 expression, and simple karyotype were individual predictors of better overall survival. However, in multivariate analyses, only bcl-6 expression remained an independent predictor, although survival could be further stratified by karyotypic complexity in bcl-6(+) patients. We conclude that simple karyotype and bcl-6 expression suggest a diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma and may portend better overall survival. These results may be very useful in the diagnosis and stratification of MYC-IG rearranged high-grade B-cell lymphomas.