cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for a cholelithiasis patient with an aberrant biliary duct of B5: a case report

An aberrant biliary duct of segment 5 (B5) is a rare anomaly of the biliary tract. All anatomical anomalies of the biliary tract are risk factors for bile duct injury during surgery. We report a case of cholelithiasis with an aberrant B5 that was detected during a detailed preoperative imaging examination and treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A 69-year-old woman was admitted to the emergency room of our hospital with abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with cholelithiasis, and an aberrant B5 branching off the hepatic duct was suggested during preoperative imaging. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed at our surgical department. There were no intra- or postoperative complications, and the patient was discharged on the fourth day after surgery. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be safely performed without intra- or postoperative complications in patients with cholelithiasis and an aberrant B5 if it is accurately diagnosed preoperatively.
The Pediatric Endotracheal Aspirate Culture Survey (PETACS): Examining Practice Variation Across Pediatric Microbiology Laboratories in the United States

ABSTRACT In the absence of evidence-based laboratory guidelines, the workup and interpretation of tracheal aspirate (TA) cultures remains controversial and confusing within the fields of clinical microbiology, infectious diseases, and critical care. Between 22 January and 24 February 2020, we conducted a national, web-based survey of microbiology laboratory personnel in free-standing pediatric hospitals and adult hospitals containing pediatric facilities regarding the laboratory practices used for TA specimens. We hypothesized there would be substantial center-level variability in laboratory processing of TA cultures. The response rate for the survey was 48% (73/153). There was a high level of variability in the criteria used for all processes, including specimen receipt, Gram staining, and culture reporting. Most respondents (77%) reported they do not reject TA specimens based on Gram stain criteria, and 44% of labs do not require that a minimum number of Gram stain fields be reviewed prior to reporting results. Overall, nonacademic hospital laboratories and pediatric-only laboratories are more likely to identify, report, and perform susceptibility testing on organisms from TA cultures, regardless of organism quantity or predominance. There is a substantial amount of process variability among pediatric microbiology laboratories that affects TA culture reporting, and which guides treatment decisions. This variation within and among labs makes clinical outcome studies related to TA cultures difficult to interpret. This study serves as a pragmatic step in informing the development of robust clinical guidelines. Clinical outcome and implementation studies are necessary to determine the effectiveness of guidelines for TA cultures.
Comparing Non-GAAP Earnings and ASC 280’s Segment Earnings

We compare non-GAAP earnings and segment earnings determined by ASC 280’s Management Approach, both of which afford managers flexibility in defining performance. This comparison is relevant because (1) standard setters are considering expanding the use of internally viewed information in external reporting, and (2) segment earnings’ flexibility makes it more suitable than GAAP net income for assessing the usefulness of non-GAAP earnings. Using a sample of firms’ non-GAAP earnings and segment earnings from 2003-2018, we examine the items included in and excluded from these measures and assess whether, and why, they are differentially useful for investors. Both earnings measures are more decision-useful than GAAP net income; however, non-GAAP earnings is more useful than segment earnings. Additional analyses, including an experiment, indicate that the internal purpose of the Management Approach yields earnings measures focused on controllability, rather than persistence, which impairs the usefulness of segment earnings for investors.
Race-ing Fargo: Refugees, Citizenship, and the Transformation of Small Cities

In this wide-ranging ethnography, anthropologist Jennifer Erickson provides a compelling account of how the everyday spaces and experiences of refugee resettlement in Fargo, North Dakota, intersect...
Partial Differential Equations: Methods, Applications And Theories

First and Second Order Linear Equations - Preparation Heat Equation Wave Equation Laplace Equation First Order Equations Revisited Fourier Series and Eigenvalue Problems Separation of Variables in Higher Dimensions More Separation of Variables Fourier Transform Laplace Transform Higher Dimensional Problems - Other Approaches Green's Functions.
Artificial Boundaries vs. HI Shells and Supershells

At a meeting that concerns itself with the amalgamation of northern and southern hemisphere data, I think it is appropriate to emphasize the effects that artificial boundaries such as this can have on the interpretation of astronomical data. HI shells and supershells are large-scale features, so that they often cross boundaries of any kind; their study is particularly susceptible to the existence of artificial boundaries.
Congenital Bleeding Disorders

Deficiencies of coagulation factors VIII and IX and von Willebrand factor constitute the majority of inherited bleeding disorders, while deficiencies of fibrinogen; prothrombin; factors V, VII, X, XI, and XIII; and PAI-1 constitute rare bleeding disorders (RBDs). Inherited deficiencies of inhibitors of fibrinolysis are extremely rare bleeding disorders and are included under the “miscellaneous” category. The clinical spectrum of bleeding symptoms in these disorders ranges from mucocutaneous bleeding to musculoskeletal bleeding. Rarely, these disorders are asymptomatic and present only after hemostatic challenge such as surgical procedures or trauma. Availability of clotting factor concentrates and adjuvant therapies, such as desmopressin (DDAVP) and antifibrinolytics, as well as comprehensive care within specialized hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs), has transformed patient outcomes and quality of life. Modifications to the recombinant factor proteins have prolonged the half-life of these factors, hence reducing the number of doses and increasing the residual trough levels in patients on prophylaxis. Newer therapies for patients with hemophilia A and B include alternative substitution and hemostatic rebalancing therapies and gene therapy. This chapter provides an overview of the clinical presentation, diagnostic testing, and principles of management for patients with inherited bleeding disorders.
Space-efficient Mapping of 2D-DCT onto Dynamically Configurable Coarse-Grained Architectures

This paper shows an efficient design for 2D-DCT on dynamically configurable coarse-grained architectures. Such coarse-grained architectures can provide improved performance for computationally demanding applications as compared to fine-grained FPGAs. We have developed a novel technique for deriving computation structures for two dimensional homogeneous computations. In this technique, the speed of the data channels is dynamically controlled to perform the desired computation as the data flows along the array. This results in a space efficient design for 2D-DCT that fully utilizes the available computational resources. Compared with the state-of-the-art designs, the amount of local memory required is reduced by 33% while achieving the same high throughput.
Object Database Support for Digital Libraries

In this paper, we discuss some aspects of database support for digital libraries. From a DL perspective, database systems, and in particular, object database systems provide a nice basis for future DL systems. More generally, database research provides solutions to many DL issues even if these are partial or fragmented. When possible, work should not be duplicated and good software and ideas should be reused. From a DB perspective, we want to stress that digital libraries propose beautiful applications and challenges to DBMS technology. They suggest a number of improvements to DBMSs that could be beneficial beyond DL applications
The Estate Planning Implications of Goodridge v. Department of Public Health for Massachusetts Same-Sex Couples

In November 2003, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts (the "SJC") held in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health that the Massachusetts Constitution protects the right of same-sex partners to marry. In Goodridge, the SJC noted several "protections, benefits, and obligations" married couples enjoy that are not available to committed, unmarried partners. This paper explores the effect of the Goodridge decision on the estate planning activities of same-sex couples who choose to marry. Part I reviews the elements of comprehensive estate planning for unmarried partners. Part II explores the areas of estate planning Goodridge most affects. Finally, Part III explores the areas of estate planning that Goodridge and the Federal Defense of Marriage Act leave relatively intact.
DEMOGRAPHY, POLLINATION, AND BAKER'S LAW

Baker's Law states that selfing should commonly be selected during dispersal because bottlenecks during colonization limit the availability of mates. Although this truism has broad intuitive appeal, a recent body of theory (Cheptou and Massol 2009; Massol and Cheptou 2011) casts doubt on whether adaptation favors both selfing and dispersal when both parameters are free to evolve. In these models, the joint evolution of dispersal and the selfing rate are considered in a metapopulation, with a spatially and temporally variable pollination environment. Under these conditions, adaptation favors one of two strategies: the “dispersal/outcrosser” syndrome and the “no dispersal/selfing” syndrome. These results appear to contradict the prediction of Baker's Law. These models clarify how variation in the pollination environment per se cannot generate an association between selfing and dispersal. That being said, demographic factors during dispersal episodes are likely to be important in generating patterns consistent with Baker's law. Determining whether Baker's law maintains its predictive utility requires determining whether seed banks, the perennial habit, multiple introductions, or the simultaneous arrival of many founders weaken selection for selfing during the bottleneck associated with a dispersal event. These issues highlight the many assumptions that are necessary for Baker's law to hold.
The Study of Wγ production at D0: Anomalous Coupling Limits and the Radiation Amplitude Zero

W{gamma} production is analyzed in the electron and muon decay channels with approximately 1 fb{sup -1} of data from p{bar p} collisions that were produced at a center-of-mass energy of {radical}s = 1.96 TeV and that were collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The inclusive p{bar p} {yields} {ell}{nu}{gamma} cross section is measured in both channels and is found to be consistent with the Standard Model expectation of 2.08 {+-} 0.05{sub PDF} pb for events with a photon E{sub T} > 11 GeV, {Delta}R{sub {ell}{sub {gamma}}} > 0.7, and {ell}{nu}{gamma} transverse mass greater than 90 GeV . The observed cross section is measured to be 2.05 {+-} 0.18{sub stat} {+-} 0.10{sub sys} {+-} 0.13{sub lumi} pb and a.72 {+-} 0.19{sub stat} {+-} 0.15{sub sys} {+-} 0.10{sub lumi} pb for the electron and muon channels respectively. The photon E{sub T} spectrum is examined for indications of anomalous WW{gamma} couplings. No evidence is found, and the following one-dimensional limits are set at a 95% confidence level: -0.18 < {lambda} < 0.18 and 0.16 < {kappa} < 1.84. The observed charge-signed photon-lepton rapidity difference is consistent with the Standard Model prediction and is indicative of the theoretically expected radiationmore » amplitude zero. The distribution exhibits a bimodal structure which is expected from the destructive interference, with the unimodal hypothesis being ruled out at the 94% confidence level.« less
Suppression of Tumor Metastasis by Blockade of Transforming Growth Factor β Signaling in Bone Marrow Cells through a Retroviral-mediated Gene Therapy in Mice

Transforming growth factor B (TGF-beta) is a potent immunosuppressive cytokine that is frequently associated with mechanisms of tumor escape from immunosurveillance. We report that transplantation of murine bone marrow (BM) expressing a dominant-negative TGF-beta type II receptor (TbetaRIIDN) leads to the generation of mature leukocytes capable of a potent antitumor response in vivo. Hematopoietic precursors in murine BM from donor mice were rendered insensitive to TGF-beta via retroviral expression of the TbetaRIIDN construct and were transplanted in C57BL/6 mice before tumor challenge. After i.v. administration of 5 x 10(5) B16-F10 murine melanoma cells into TbetaRIIDN-BM transplanted recipients, survival of challenged mice at 45 days was 70% (7 of 10) versus 0% (0 of 10) for vector-control treated mice, and surviving TbetaRIIDN-BM mice showed a virtual absence of metastatic lesions in the lung. We also investigated the utility of the TGF-beta-targeted approach in a mouse metastatic model of prostate cancer, TRAMP-C2. Treatment of male C57BL/6 mice with TbetaRIIDN-BM resulted in the survival of 80% (4 of 5) of recipients versus 0% (0 of 5) in green fluorescent protein-BM recipients or wild-type controls. Cytolytic T-cell assays indicate that a specific T-cell response against B16-F10 cells was generated in the TbetaRIIDN-BM-treated mice, suggesting that a gene therapy approach to inducing TGF-beta insensitivity in transplanted BM cells may be a potent anticancer therapy.
A celebration of mechanics: from nano to macro. The J. Michael T. Thompson Festschrift issue

This Theme Issue is dedicated to the topic ‘Mechanics: from nano to macro’ and marks the 75th birthday of Dr J. Michael T. Thompson, Fellow of the Royal Society, whose current affiliations are as follows: (i) Honorary Fellow, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge; (ii) Emeritus Professor of Nonlinear Dynamics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London; and (iii) Professor of Theoretical and Applied Dynamics (Distinguished Sixth Century Chair, part-time), University of Aberdeen. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors at ES-Consult (consulting engineers) in Copenhagen, Denmark. The pertinent question that arises from the very start is: should we first salute Michael and then describe the Theme Issue, or vice versa? Indeed, according to Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), the last thing one discovers in composing a work is what to put first. I would like to take the liberty of deviating from the tradition of the Philosophical Transactions and start with the tribute to Michael; after all he is the prime cause of this Theme Issue.
Analysis and algorithms for the computation of the excited states of helium

In this paper, we study a dimensionally scaled helium atom model for excited states of helium. The mathematical analysis of the corresponding effective energy potential is presented. Two simple numerical algorithms are developed for the computation of the excited states of helium. Comparison between our numerical results and those in the existing literature is given to indicate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithms.
Synthesis of mixed sequence borane phosphonate DNA.

A novel solid-phase phosphoramidite-based method has been developed for the synthesis of borane phosphonate DNA. Keys to this new approach are replacement of the common 5‘-dimethoxytrityl blocking group with a 5‘-silyl ether and the use of new protecting groups on the bases (adenine, N6-dimethoxytrityl; cytosine, N4-trimethoxytrityl; guanine, N2-[9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl]; thymine, N3-anisoyl). Because of these developments, it is now possible for the first time to synthesize oligodeoxynucleotides having any combination of the four 2‘-deoxynucleosides and both phosphate and borane phosphonate internucleotide linkages (including oligomers having exclusively borane phosphonate linkages).
Average Run Length and the OC Curve of Sampling Plans

ABSTRACT This paper amplifies the distinction between Type A and Type B sampling plans for individual lots and processes, respectively. It introduces the f-binomial distribution as a Poisson type finite analog to the hypergeometric distribution for use in constructing appropriate Type A OC curves for defects. The use of average run length in characterizing Type B sampling plans is also presented as a missing measure in the evaluation of such plans.
Improved Analysis for Determining Diffusion Coefficients from Short Single-Molecule Trajectories with Photoblinking

Two maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) methods were developed for optimizing the analysis of single-molecule trajectories that include phenomena such as experimental noise, photoblinking, photobleaching, and translation or rotation out of the collection plane. In particular, short, single-molecule trajectories with photoblinking were studied, and our method was compared to existing analytical techniques applied to simulated data. The optimal method for various experimental cases was established, and the optimized MLE method was applied to a real experimental system: single-molecule diffusion of fluorescent molecular machines known as nanocars.
V- and W-band low-noise InAlAs/InGaAs/InP HEMTs and amplifiers

Extremely low-noise O.15jim gate-length V- and W-band InGaAs I InAlAs I InP lattice-matched and pseudomorphic HEMTs have been successfully fabricated. A maximum extrinsic transconductance of 1,500mS/mm and a gate breakdown voltage of more than 1OV have been obtained for the devices. Minimum noise figures of 0.3, 0.9 and and 1.4dB have been measured for the devices at 18, 60 and 94GHz, respectively. We have also measured a maximum available gain of 13.6dB at 95GHz, corresponding to a maximum frequency of oscillation, m' of 455GHz (-6dB/octave extrapolation) with the device. Based on these high performance O.l5Rm devices, a 3-stage hybrid amplifier with a minimum noise figure of 3.3dB and gain of 17.3±0.5dB from 88 to 96GHz has been built. We have also successfully demonstrated for the first time a two-stage InP-based HEMT monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) with 3.0dB noise figure and 21.0dB gain at 58GHz. These are the best device and amplifier results ever reported. The results are far superior to those obtained from the GaAs-based MESFET and HEMT technology, and clearly demonstrate the potential of the InP-based HEMT technology for very low-noise applications well into the millimeter-wave regime.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Efficient Vessel Feature Detection for Endoscopic Image Analysis

Distinctive feature detection is an essential task in computer-assisted minimally invasive surgery (MIS). For special conditions in an MIS imaging environment, such as specular reflections and texture homogeneous areas, the feature points extracted by general feature point detectors are less distinctive and repeatable in MIS images. We observe that abundant blood vessels are available on tissue surfaces and can be extracted as a new set of image features. In this paper, two types of blood vessel features are proposed for endoscopic images: branching points and branching segments. Two novel methods, ridgeness-based circle test and ridgeness-based branching segment detection are presented to extract branching points and branching segments, respectively. Extensive in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed methods and compare them with the state-of-the-art methods. The numerical results verify that, in MIS images, the blood vessel features can produce a large number of points. More importantly, those points are more robust and repeatable than the other types of feature points. In addition, due to the difference in feature types, vessel features can be combined with other general features, which makes them new tools for MIS image analysis. These proposed methods are efficient and the code and datasets are made available to the public.
Achieving Buyer‐Seller Satisfaction through Carrier Service

An integral part of customer service revolves around distribution. With markets broadening geographically, technology advancing, economic conditions and interest rates more volatile, and deregulation of transportation a reality, the carrier is becoming more critical for corporate success. As a consequence, carrier services are essential to strategies designed to generate profit as well as provide for marketing system effectiveness. Although such services previously were optional, they are now required.
Pilot study using PET/CT as a novel, noninvasive assessment of disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: A pilot study was performed investigating the possibility that positron emission tomography (PET) activity using 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) with nearly simultaneous computerized tomography (CT) for anatomic accuracy would identify regions of active inflammation in both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Methods: Prospective clinical data was collected in 12 patients experiencing an exacerbation of their inflammatory bowel disease; 7 with CD and 5 with UC. A PET/CT scan (GE Discovery LS PET/CT scanner) was performed in all patients. Twenty patients undergoing PET/CT because of solitary pulmonary nodules served as controls. We graded the small bowel and 4 colon regions (ascending, transverse, descending, and rectosigmoid) with PET activity scores assigned to each region based on the amount of FDG uptake using the liver as the reference organ. Results: In UC patients, PET activity was seen in 13 of 24 (52%) regions. There was high (23 of 24; 95.8%) correlation between PET activity and disease activity as determined by colonoscopy, disease activity indices, and radiology. In patients with CD, PET activity was seen in 19 of 32 (59.4%) regions. Again, there was a high (26 of 32; 81.3%) correlation between PET activity and clinical disease activity. Of the 20 controls, significant PET activity (Grades 2 and 3) was seen in only 2 of 100 regions (2%). Conclusions: We found that PET activity correlated well with active inflammation in both UC and CD, suggesting that this may be a noninvasive method of identifying disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007)
Controlled Assembly of Poly(3‐hexylthiophene): Managing the Disorder to Order Transition on the Nano‐ through Meso‐Scales

Self-assembly of conjugated organic semiconductors into ordered, larger scale entities is a critical process to achieve efficient charge transport at the nano- through macro-scales, and various methodologies aimed at enhancing molecular ordering have been introduced. However, mechanistic understanding is limited. Here, a mechanistic elucidation of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) molecular self-assembly is proposed based on experimental demonstration of controlled, solution-based P3HT self-assembly into rod-like polycrystalline nanostructures. The synergistic combination of nonsolvent addition and ultrasonication facilitates rod-like P3HT nanostructure formation in solution. Importantly, through sequential application of both treatments, nanostructure length can be easily modulated, and the assembly process is shown to follow a simple 2-step crystallization model, which depends upon nucleation followed by growth. Through arrays of experimental results, the validity of 2-step crystallization is confirmed and is proposed as a comprehensive platform to understand self-assembly processes of conjugated polymers into larger, ordered mesoscale entities.
Academic vocabulary and middle school English learners: an intervention study

The goal of this experimental intervention study was to determine if evidence-based instructional strategies for general vocabulary words are effective with middle school English learner (EL) students and academic vocabulary words. Participants showed significantly more growth in their knowledge of academic vocabulary during the treatment condition than during the control condition. A secondary goal of this study was to examine the predictive utility of students’ English language proficiency, and students’ general vocabulary knowledge in English was a positive predictor for their academic vocabulary growth during the intervention. However, participants’ growth during the control period had the greatest predictive utility for their growth during the intervention. Furthermore, this relationship was negative, suggesting that the intervention had the greatest benefits for students who made the least progress in English vocabulary in the absence of the intervention. Implications for instruction, policy, and future research are presented.
Can We Write the History of the Russian Revolution? A Belated Response to Eric Hobsbawm

Ten years ago, Eric Hobsbawm presented his Deutscher Lecture on 'Can We Write the History of the Russian Revolution?' This essay argues that Hobsbawm articulated a perspective on the Russian Revolution that was shared by a much wider audience on the Left after the fall of the Soviet Union and that many of these arguments continue to resonate today. Placing the contours of the historiographical discussion of the Russian Revolution within a broader political context, I argue that Hobsbawm has underestimated the extent to which the standard academic accounts intentionally have marginalised Marxist interpretations. Hobsbawm's own ambivalence toward the October Revolution and his lack of clarity on the origins of Stalinism are not supported by the latest empirical research and concede much ground to strident anti-Marxists. Rather than refuting the Marxist classics, new evidence from the archives of the former Soviet Union actually offers substantial support. The renewed academic attacks on the Russian Revolution, including the deliberate omission of evidence that support the Marxist interpretation, should be challenged rather than embraced by socialists.
Innovation paths: how the intra-firm evolution of technological innovations affects innovation search and innovation impact

We explore how the evolution of a firm’s technological innovations affects subsequent innovation search and innovation impact. We define the construct of an innovation path – a series of innovations that share fundamental knowledge and inventors. We suggest that the firm’s technological innovations can coalesce along innovation paths, and that firms vary in their technological evolution on the two dimensions of innovation path persistence and pervasiveness. We hypothesise that innovation paths highly developed along these two dimensions cause the firm to emphasise search depth over search breadth and negatively affect the impact of a firm’s subsequent portfolio of innovations. Empirical results using patent data from a sample of 455 US firms corroborate our theory.
Computational capacity of the universe.

All physical systems register and process information. The laws of physics determine the amount of information that a physical system can register (number of bits) and the number of elementary logic operations that a system can perform (number of ops). The Universe is a physical system. The amount of information that the Universe can register and the number of elementary operations that it can have performed over its history are calculated. The Universe can have performed ${10}^{120}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{ops}$ on ${10}^{90}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{bits}$ ( ${10}^{120}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{bits}$ including gravitational degrees of freedom).
Personality traits and eating habits: The assessment of food preferences in a large community sample.

The 48 dietary items from three popular eating surveys (the Kristal Food Habits Questionnaire, Block Fiber Screener, and Block Fat Screener) were administered concurrently to a large community sample. To provide evidence of the hierarchical structure of these eating practices, both orthogonal and oblique factor rotations of from one to five factors are compared. Also provided are the relations between dietary factors and gender, age, and education, as well as a broad set of personality attributes. Although self-reported eating practices were not associated with educational level, intelligence, nor various indices of psychopathology, they were related to the demographic variables of gender and age: older participants reported eating more fiber in their diets than did younger ones, and women reported more avoidance of fats from meats than did men. When these demographic associations were statistically controlled, we found an intriguing pattern of association with measures of other health-related practices, vocational interests, and such personality attributes as Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness.
Note on the interpretation of standard cost variances

Abstract The interpretation of variances in a standard cost system is troublesome for many students. For those students who are not quantitatively oriented a graphical analysis seems to be a logical way of clearly demonstrating the source of variances and their interpretation. The most commonly used graph for standard cost variance analysis is a one-quadrant area graph. If applied to the unfavorable variance case the one-quadrant area graph is an adequate vehicle for demonstrating relationships between costs and variances. However, when variances are favorable the one-quadrant graph becomes difficult to interpret. In this case the joint variance appears to be included in the quantity variance rather than the joint variance. The difficulty is caused by the sign change of the joint variance which cannot be shown in the one-quadrant area graph. A four-quadrant area graph is presented as an alternative pedagogical tool. Variances in quadrants I and III are unfavorable and variances in quadrants II and IV are favorable. The four-quandrant area graph is consistent with the underlying algebra and aids the student in developing an intuitive understanding and ability to interpret standard cost variances.
Instability of transposase activity: Evidence from bacteriophage Mu DNA replication

Transposition of genetic elements involves coupled replication and integration events catalyzed in part by a class of proteins called transposases. We have asked whether the transposase activity of bacteriophage Mu (the Mu A protein) is stable and capable of catalyzing multiple rounds of coupled replication/integration, or whether its continued synthesis is required to maintain Mu DNA replication. Inhibition of protein synthesis during the lytic cycle with chloramphenicol inhibited Mu DNA synthesis with a half-life of approximately 3 min, demonstrating a need for continued protein synthesis to maintain Mu DNA replication. Synthesis of specific Mu-encoded proteins was inhibited by infecting a host carrying a temperature-sensitive suppressor, at permissive temperature, with Mu amber phages, then shifting to nonpermissive temperature. When Aam phages were used, Mu DNA replication was inhibited with kinetics essentially identical to those with chloramphenicol addition; hence, it is likely that continued synthesis of the Mu A protein is required to maintain Mu DNA replication. The data suggest that the activity of the Mu A protein is unstable, and raise the possibility that the Mu A protein and other transposases may be used stoichiometrically rather than catalytically.
The Influence of Ground Moisture Conditions in North America on Summer Climate as Modeled in the GISS GCM

A new general circulation model, developed to run on a coarse grid (8 x 10 deg resolution) at the Goddard institute for Space Studies is employed to investigate the potential use of ground moisture anomalies for seasonal climate prediction. For three different summertime simulations, the ground moisture on 1 June over the United States is reduced to 1/4 of its value in the control run. The results show that the subsequent surface air temperature is significantly higher throughout most of the summer, while the precipitation decreases, especially in June and July. Knowledge of late spring ground moisture anomalies should thus be an aid in predicting summertime climate.
Parapubic hernia: case report and review of the literature

Parapubic hernia is considered rare, with 18 hernias described in five articles published since 1971. The hernia results from iatrogenically or traumatically detached rectus abdominis muscles at the pubic bone and presents a therapeutic challenge because there is no strong aponeurotic anchoring structure in the defect's caudal aspect. We describe a patient with a large parapubic hernia repaired by a combined preperitoneal and onlay prosthetic method. This report adds another dimension to the prosthetic repair options in parapubic hernias and illustrates the effectiveness of the tension-free repair principle in their definitive management.
Abnormal Bone Histology in Idiopathic Hypercalciuria

Bone histology was evaluated in iliac creast biopsies of 15 patients with idiopathic hypercalciuria of the hyperabsorptive type and recurrent calcium oxalate stone formation. The biopsies were studied using quantitative histomorphometric analysis of undecalcified sections and fluorescent microscopy after double tetracycline labeling. Uring calcium and cAMP excretion were measured under basal conditions and after oral administration of calcium phosphate. Absorptive hypercalciuria was defined as a urinary excretion of calcium of more than 15 meq/24 h and/or a urinary ratio of Ca to Cr of more than 0.2, with a fall in the Ca to Cr ratio of more than 40% after the administration of oral cellulose phosphate. Osteoclastic bone resorption was normal or low in all patients and did not show any recognizable correlation with urinary calcium or urinary cAMP. All but one of the patients showed an increase in the fraction of inactive osteoid. Total osteoid was increased in 60% of the patients. Osteoblastic activity was significantly lower in the patient than in the control subjects. The fraction of mineralizing osteoid seams (i.e. seams with a tetracycline double labeling pattern), was diminished in all patients and the mean rate of apposition of bone matrix was decreased. These findings point to a diminished amount of bone matrix produced by individual osteoblasts and to a delay or cessation of terminal (secondary) mineralization of osteoid seams.
Protein Phosphorylation Regulates Relative Utilization of Processing Pathways for Alzheimer β/A4 Amyloid Precursor Proteina

The Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a phosphoprotein, and the phosphorylation state of APP at Ser655 can be regulated by protein kinase C, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, and okadaic acid-sensitive protein phosphatases. Other enzymes may also play a role at Ser655 of APP and, perhaps, at other residues. Signal transduction via protein phosphorylation regulates APP metabolism. In particular, APP processing via the nonamyloidogenic secretory cleavage pathway is increased following the activation of protein kinase C or the inactivation of okadaic acid-sensitive protein phosphatases. The mechanism(s) by which protein phosphorylation regulates APP secretory cleavage include (among others): substrate activation, substrate redistribution, protease activation and/or protease redistribution. Current experimental evidence will be discussed, addressing the relative importance of each of these possibilities and the implications for these events in the modulation of beta/A4-amyloidogenesis.
Effect of somatotropin treatment on lipogenesis, lipolysis, and related cellular mechanisms in adipose tissue of lactating cows.

Abstract The effect of bST on the metabolism of lipid in adipose tissue was studied using tissue biopsies from lactating cows treated with bST for 8 d. Cows responded to treatment by increasing daily milk yield by 10.9kg, although net energy intake was not changed. Thus, net energy balance was changed from highly positive to slightly negative (+7.7 to –1.1 Mcal/d). Consistent with these changes in net energy balance, lipogenesis rates were dramatically reduced (97%) in adipose tissue from bST-treated cows. Activities of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (initial and total) and fatty acid synthase were also dramatically decreased. Therefore, for cows in positive energy balance, reduced lipid synthesis in adipose tissue represents a major mechanism whereby bST alters nutrient partitioning to support greater milk synthesis. Treatment with bST had no effect on β -adrenergic-stimulated lipolysis in adipose tissue explants incubated in vitro with adenosine deaminase. However, bST treatment reduced the ability of adenosine to inhibit lipolysis in adipose tissue, which involved changes in both sensitivity and responsiveness to adenosine. Therefore, the enhanced lipolytic response to catecholamine in vitro with bST treatment relates to relief in the adenosine inhibitory signaling cascade rather than to a direct effect on the stimulatory signaling pathway.
Geometrical enhancement of HgCdTe photoconductive detectors

Abstract Ohmic contacts pose a severe lifetime degradation problem for photoconductive detectors whose length is comparable to a minority carrier diffusion length. A photoconductive device is described which greatly reduces the effect of ohmic contacts on effective photoconductive lifetime. The theory of operation is presented together with experimental data indicating significant enhancement in photoconductive responsivity, effective minority carrier lifetime, and l/f noise performance in n -type HgCdTe photoconductors.
Scalar effects in the visual discrimination of numerosity by pigeons

Pigeons trained in a conditional discrimination procedure to respond to a visual array made a left or right choice, depending on which of two numbers of elements (i.e., anchor numerosities) the array contained. They were then tested with novel arrays at these anchor numerosities, as well as at interpolated and extrapolated numerosities. Various control conditions showed that the birds’ discrimination performance was primarily based on stimulus numerosity, and not on other factors, such as brightness or area. Results from a series of tests, spanning a wide range of numerosities, conformed to scalar principles. Psychometric functions showed superposition, indicating that Weber’s law applies to numerosity discrimination. The subjective midpoint between anchor values was at the geometric mean. Variability about this bisection point increased in proportion to the numerical value of the mean.
Calcium and ER stress mediate hepatic apoptosis after burn injury.

A hallmark of the disease state following severe burn injury is decreased liver function, which results in gross metabolic derangements that compromise patient survival. The underlying mechanisms leading to hepatocyte dysfunction after burn are essentially unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine the underlying mechanisms leading to hepatocyte dysfunction and apoptosis after burn. Rats were randomized to either control (no burn) or burn (60% total body surface area burn) and sacrificed at various time-points. Liver was either perfused to isolate primary rat hepatocytes, which were used for in vitro calcium imaging, or liver was harvested and processed for immunohistology, transmission electron microscopy, mitochondrial isolation, mass spectroscopy or Western blotting to determine the hepatic response to burn injury in vivo. We found that thermal injury leads to severely depleted endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium stores and consequent elevated cytosolic calcium concentrations in primary hepatocytes in vitro. Burn-induced ER calcium depletion caused depressed hepatocyte responsiveness to signalling molecules that regulate hepatic homeostasis, such as vasopressin and the purinergic agonist ATP. In vivo, thermal injury resulted in activation of the ER stress response and major alterations in mitochondrial structure and function – effects which may be mediated by increased calcium release by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors. Our results reveal that thermal injury leads to dramatic hepatic disturbances in calcium homeostasis and resultant ER stress leading to mitochondrial abnormalities contributing to hepatic dysfunction and apoptosis after burn injury.
Neural crest motility on fibronectin is regulated by integrin activation.

Cell migration is essential for proper development of numerous structures derived from embryonic neural crest cells (NCCs). Although recent work has shown that receptor recycling plays an important role in NCC motility on laminin, the molecular mechanisms regulating NCC motility on fibronectin remain unclear. One mechanism by which cells regulate motility is by modulating the affinity of integrin receptors. Here, we provide evidence that cranial and trunk NCCs rely on functional regulation of integrins to migrate efficiently on fibronectin (FN) in vitro. For NCCs cultured on fibronectin, velocity decreases after Mn2+ application (a treatment that activates all surface integrins) while velocity on laminin (LM) is not affected. The distribution of activated integrin β1 receptors on the surface of NCCs is also substratum-dependent. Integrin activation affects cranial and trunk NCCs differently when cultured on different concentrations of FN substrata; only cranial NCCs slow in a FN concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, Mn2+ treatment alters the distribution and number of activated integrin β1 receptors on the surface of cranial and trunk NCCs in different ways. We provide a hypothesis whereby a combination of activated surface integrin levels and the degree to which those receptors are clustered determines NCC motility on fibronectin.
The Politics of Urban Violence: Critiques and Proposals.

Various theories have been offered to explain the violence that took place in and around hundreds of black ghettos woven throughout the fabric of urban America during the decade of the 1960s. Most of the theories put forth do not adhere to the narrow thesis of empiricism as a mark of social science research. Many are also devoid of a historical perspective as a guide to meaningful and fruitful concepts. Few, if any, meet the criteria normally used by social scientists in discussing theory or theory construction. Although such pseudotheories may sensitize us to some aspect of social reality, they usually lack empirical referents necessary for verification. However, they cannot be summarily dismissed, for their acceptance is so widespread (especially in public policy) and they often contain an element of truth. Nevertheless, most are "scapegoat" hypotheses often blaming the victim. Most fall in the category of "pop" social science, often politically motivated. As H. L. Nieburg (1969: 19) points out, "some of the least satisfactory are the most widely embraced; the fervor and frequency with which they are reiterated accent the fact that they are spurious and unconvincing." Peter A. Lupsha (1969) has provided an excellent categorization of the theoretical and popular notions
Some specially formulated axiomizations for IΣ0 manage to evade the Herbrandized version of the Second Incompleteness Theorem

In 1981, Paris and Wilkie indicated it was an open question whether [email protected]"0 would satisfy the Second Incompleteness Theorem for Herbrand deduction. We will show that some specially formulated axiomizations for [email protected]"0 can evade the Herbrandized version of the Second Incompleteness Theorem.
Computer-assisted DNA length measurements from electron micrographs with special reference to partial denaturation mapping

Abstract A convenient semi-automatic procedure is described for the measurement, manipulation and display of electron microscopic partial denaturation data. Preliminary work on a completely automatic system is also discussed.
Methylation of the E-cadherin gene promoter correlates with progression of prostate cancer.

Purpose: We studied the methylation status of E-cadherin gene promoter in prostate cancer and its relationship with E-cadherin inactivation in prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: Seven human prostate cell lines and 35 microdissected prostate cancer specimens were analyzed for E-cadherin promoter methylation using the bisulfite genome sequencing technique. E-cadherin messenger (m)RNA expression and protein expression were also studied in prostate cell lines by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and in prostate cancer specimens by immunostaining, respectively.Results: The overall methylation of E-cadherin promoter was evident in 14 of 20 grades III to V (70%) and in 5 of 15 grades I to II (33%) prostate cancer samples. It correlated with absent or reduced E-cadherin immunostaining. Methylation in low grade tumors was present mainly in the exon region, whereas in high grade tumors methylation was also present in the promoter region. Methylation was noted in 2 of 6 prostate cancer cell lines (...
Analysis of hMLH1 and hMSH2 Gene Dosage Alterations in Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Patients by Novel Methods

A significant fraction of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer cases with defective mismatch repair (ie, Lynch syndrome) have large genomic deletions or duplications in the mismatch repair genes, hMLH1 and hMSH2, which can be challenging to detect by traditional methods. For this study, we developed and validated a novel Southern blot analysis method that allows for ascertainment of the extent of the dosage alterations on an exon-by-exon basis and compared this method to a second novel technique, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). From a total of 254 patients referred for Lynch syndrome testing, 20 of the 118 MLH1 cases and 42 of the 136 MSH2 cases had large genomic alterations, as detected by Southern blot. MLPA and Southern blot results were concordant with the exception of three major discrepancies: one because of a lack of MLPA probes for the region altered, another because of a point mutation near the MLPA probe ligation site, and another that was unexplained. Compared to Southern blot, MLPA has a shorter turn-around time, the analysis is less costly, less time-consuming, and less labor-intensive, and results are generally clear and unambiguous. However, concerns with MLPA include the presence of false-negatives and -positives because of positioning of probes and DNA variants near the probe ligation site. Overall, both Southern blot and MLPA provide important tools for the complete evaluation of patients with Lynch syndrome.
Immunodepression in Young Chickens by High Environmental Temperature

Abstract INTRODUCTION EXPOSURE to high environmental temperature before a primary antigenic challenge causes inhibition of the development of the primary immune response in young chickens (Thaxton et al., 1968). Although adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosteroids depress the normal immune response in mammals (Elliott and Sinclair, 1968) and birds (Glick, 1967), indicators of the stress response, such as adrenal cholesterol depletion or changes in circulating leucocytes, were not observed in the heated birds (Thaxton et al., 1968). The present objective was to determine whether already established primary antibody titers could be reduced by high environmental temperatures. METHODS Immunizations of Athens Randombred males were conducted according to the schedule given in Table 1. Circulating antibody titers were measured using the plate hemagglutination technique, the qualitative precipitation technique, and the standard tube agglutination test, respectively, for the three antigen systems which were: 1) sheep-red blood cells (SRBC), 2) bovine serum albumin (BSA), and 3) Salmonella…