cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in the incidence, mortality, and survival rates of oral and pharyngeal cancer in a high-risk area in Michigan, USA.

Objective: The aim of this analysis was to analyze the incidence, mortality and survival rates for the city of Detroit and Wayne County, Michigan. In Detroit, about four out of the five residents are African-Americans. Methods: Rates and standard errors on oral cancer incidence, survival, and mortality by county of residence, race, gender, stage of diagnosis were provided by the Michigan Cancer Surveillance Program, which is maintained by the Michigan Department of Community Health. Rates were expressed per 100 000 individuals and age adjusted to reflect the distribution of the USA population in 2000. Analysis for trends was conducted by the authors using the National Cancer Institutes’ joinpoint regression program (version 3.0). Results: In 1993–2002, the incidence rate of oral cancer in Michigan (one of the 50 states in the USA) was 11.3 per 100 000, and in the city of Detroit, it was 16.6. In African-American males in Michigan the incidence rate was 24.3 per 100 000, one of the highest among all American males. The city of Detroit, with 9% of the total state population, had 13.1% of all new cases. Between 1993 and 2002, there was a drop in incidence rates in Michigan and Detroit. However, there was an increase in mortality rates in Michigan and Detroit between 2000 and 2002. In Detroit, the incidence and mortality rates of ‘white’ and African-American males were not different and the highest incidence rates were found in adults between the ages of 50 and 74 years. In the state, the peak incidence rates were found in adults 75 years or older. In 2000–2002, residents of Detroit had the lowest percentage (28.3%) of cases detected at early cancerous stage (in situ or localized) compared with rates in Michigan. African-Americans in Michigan had a 5-year survival rate of 34.9% compared with the state average of 54.6%. Conclusions: African-American males in Detroit accounted for a larger proportion of the oral cancer cases relative to their population size. There was surprising similarity between the incidence and mortality rates of African and ‘white’ Americans in Detroit. While the incidence rates have declined in Michigan and Detroit, mortality rates have increased between 2000 and 2002. This finding is contrary to national trends. In order to target programs to prevent oral cancer, oral cancer statistics for in small areas or high-risk populations should be evaluated separately.
Building functionalized peptidomimetics: new electroauxiliaries and the use of a chemical oxidant for introducing N-acyliminium ions into peptides.

The removal of electroauxiliaries from peptide substrates with chemical oxidants has been examined as a method for inserting N-acyliminium ions into the peptides. To this end, it was found that bot...
UVN2-negative chemically amplified resist optimization for x-ray mask fabrication

A resist process has been defined, characterized and optimized using Shipley UVN2 (r) chemically amplified negative resist for the fabrication of x-ray membrane masks (1X) using electron-beam lithography. Advanced masks require precise control of 150nm critical dimensions with test features of 100 and 125nm. UVN2, a chemically amplified negative resist designed for DUV processes, also functions as an electron-beam resist with sensitivities of 10 to 20μC/cm 2 depending upon the bake parameters. This paper discusses the process and demonstrates the capability of the resist on membrane masks. Post-apply bake (PAB) and post-expose bake (PEB) affect the resist sensitivity and process latitude of UVN2. The resist process was defined by using a statistically designed experiment to optimize the PAB and PEB conditions. The figures of merit included resist sensitivity, dose latitude, resist thinning and resolution. Once the patterning process was defined, the etch processes were optimized. Features as small as 100nm have been successfully transferred from the UVN2 resist into the tantalum-silicon (TaSi) membrane with critical-dimension uniformity of less than 15nm 3a within a mask (approximately 30mm x 17mm pattern). The process latitude, resolution, and excellent CD uniformity results obtained for UVN2 resist are consistent with the manufacturing requirements for the fabrication of x-ray membrane masks.
Characterization of bioactive recombinant woodchuck interleukin-2 amplified by RLM-RACE and produced in eukaryotic expression system.

Woodchucks (Marmota monax) infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) represent a highly valuable laboratory model of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, in which molecular, immunological and pathological events occurring in infected humans are adequately reflected. To advance studies on T cell immune responses and propagation of hepadnavirus in T lymphocytes in this animal model, we determined the complete sequence of woodchuck interleukin-2 (wIL-2) cDNA by utilizing RNA ligase-mediated rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-RACE) reaction. The wIL-2 sequence revealed a single open reading frame encoding for the predicted precursor protein comprised of a signal peptide and a 134 amino acid-long mature protein. The mature wIL-2 protein produced in the Escherichia coli expression system, designated as ec-rwIL-2, was found to be immunogenic but not biologically active. In contrast, precursor wIL-2 protein cloned into baculovirus transfer vector and expressed in Sf9 cells, designated as bac-rwIL-2, demonstrated functional competence. Further, bac-rwIL-2 was able to stimulate proliferation and to induce multiple daughter cell generations in woodchuck T cells, as well as facilitated the survival of standard IL-2-dependent mouse CTLL-2 cells in culture. Western blot analysis of bac-rwIL-2 using antibodies generated against ec-rwIL-2 revealed a single protein band of 15.5 kDa. The availability of biologically active recombinant wIL-2 should facilitate ex vivo studies on functional competence of woodchuck T lymphocytes derived from different stages of hepadnaviral hepatitis and assist in recognizing their contribution to the pathogenesis of liver injury in the woodchuck model of hepatitis B.
Motivation, Working Memory, and Decision Making: A Cognitive-Motivational Theory of Personality Vulnerability to Alcoholism

This article presents a cognitive-motivational theory (CMT) of the mechanisms associated with three basic dimensions of personality vulnerability to alcoholism, impulsivity/novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and excitement seeking. CMT describes the interrelationships between activity in basic motivational systems and attentional, decision-making and working memory processes as the mechanisms associated with variation in each personality trait. Impulsivity/novelty seeking reflects activity in both appetitive and inhibitory motivational systems, greater attention to reward cues, and increased emotional reactivity to reward and frustration. Harm avoidance reflects individual differences in fearfulness and activity in specific inhibitory systems. Excitement seeking reflects the need to engage in appetitive behaviors in less predictable environments to experience positive affect. CMT also describes the impact of working memory and the specific motivational processes underlying each trait dimension on the dynamics of decision making from the perspective of decision field theory.
Neutron production by 450-MeV protons☆

Measurements on neutron production in U, Pb, Al, and D/sub 2/O targets inside an hydrogenous moderator have been made with a beam extracted from the University of Chicago cyclotron. With targets 10 cm in diameter and 15 cm thick, U gave 5.7 plus or minus 1.4 neutrons per proton and a maximum flux in the moderator of about 0.012 plus or minus 0.002 neutrons cm/sup -2/ proton/sup -1/ ; Pb gave about one-half as much and Al and D/sub 2/O much less. (auth)
Vacuum‐Ultraviolet Excitation Cross Sections by Electron Impact on NO

Absolute excitation functions were measured for the NO(+) A l super Pi-Chi 1 super Sigma (+) molecular band system, the nitrogen 1200-, 1243-, and 1493-A multiplets, and oxygen 1304-A multiplet. Excitation was by electron impact on NO from threshold to approximately 250 eV. Results are plotted and tabulated.
Prevalence of temperature-dependent heat capacity changes in protein-DNA interactions.

A large, negative ΔCp of DNA binding is a thermodynamic property of the majority of sequence-specific DNA-protein interactions, and a common, but not universal property of non-sequence-specific DNA binding. In a recent study of the binding of Taq polymerase to DNA, we showed that both the full-length polymerase and its “Klentaq” large fragment bind to primed-template DNA with significant negative heat capacities. Herein, we have extended this analysis by analyzing this data for temperature-variable heat capacity effects (ΔΔCp), and have similarly analyzed an additional 47 protein-DNA binding pairs from the scientific literature. Over half of the systems examined can be easily fit to a function that includes a ΔΔCp parameter. Of these, 90% display negative ΔΔCp values, with the result that the ΔCp of DNA binding will become more negative with rising temperature. The results of this collective analysis have potentially significant consequences for current quantitative theories relating ΔCp values to changes in accessible surface area, which rely on the assumption of temperature invariance of the ΔCp of binding. Solution structural data for Klentaq polymerase demonstrate that the observed heat capacity effects are not the result of a coupled folding event.
The temperature dependence of saturated amine fluorescence

Abstract The temperature dependence of fluorescence intensity of several saturated amines was studied. For “flexible” amines such as triethylamine (TEA), dimethylethylamine (DMEA), triethylemine, tri- n -octylamine (TOA), and N-methylpiperidine (NMP), it was found that I f increased as the temperature was increased. For example, in DMEA, I f increases by a factor of ca. 77 between −100 and 100°C. These results are interpreted in terms of an activated configurational change from the initially-formed (nonfluorescent) state to a relaxed (fluorescent) state in these compounds. Activation energies for these conversions range from about 1.8 kcal/mole for TOA to about 4.3 kcal/mole for TEA. Rigid, bicyclic amines having bridgehead N-atoms such as 1-azabicyclo [2.2.2] octane (ABCO) and its [3.3.3] analog were found to have temperature independent fluorescence intensities. These results were assumed to reflect the difference in energetics between the initially-formed and relaxed states relative to the “flexible” amines.
How Much Do We Gain by Reducing Time to Reperfusion Therapy

Abstract Emphasis continues to be placed on the need to minimize the time elapsed between the onset of symptoms of myocardial infarction and the initiation of thrombolytic therapy. Numerous large-scale trials have revealed an inverse relation between time-to-treatment and the degree of reduction in the risk of adverse clinical outcomes. Still to be resolved is the question of whether additional benefit can be gained by treating within the first hour. Many factors that influence delays to presentation are also associated with a higher risk of mortality, and these factors vary with patient characteristics. These same factors are also associated with longer treatment delay and greater mortality risk. Although the greatest opportunity for reducing time-to-treatment lies in reducing presentation time, public education efforts have been largely unsuccessful. Despite the fact that treatment delay generally accounts for a smaller proportion of total delay time than does presentation delay, it may be more amenable to shortening through measures such as transmission of electrocardiograms from the field; emergency department protocols for the rapid triage, assessment, and treatment of patients with chest pain; training emergency department physicians to administer thrombolytic therapy without a cardiology consult; and storing thrombolytic agents in the emergency department. © 1996 by Excerpta Medica, Inc. Am J Cardiol 1996;78(suppl 12A):8–15
DHTML accessibility: solving the JavaScript accessibility problem

This project demonstrates fully keyboard accessible components on a web page working with a screen reader. By adding the appropriate semantic data to web components and having user agents translate this to the platform accessibility application programming interfaces, the user interface of a web site can be made fully accessible to keyboard only and vision impaired users. In addition, the web component interface will operate in the same manner as client application components.
Psychoanalytically oriented short-term dynamic or anxiety-provoking psychotherapy for mild obsessional neuroses.

Patients who, unable to overcome emotional crises,9 became anxious and developed mild obsessive-compulsive neuroses of sudden onset were treated by psychoanalytic psychotherapy of short duration. In this paper, criteria for selection of such patients from a psychiatric clinic population are listed. The technique of short-term dynamic psychotherapy or anxiety-provoking treatment, is described. Special emphasis is placed on the utilization of the positive transference, the avoidance of a transference neurosis, and early termination of treatment. Brief case reports are presented. In the follow-up interviews, although no basic characterological changes have been achieved, there is evidence of new learning and over-all improvement.
Peptide repair of oxidative DNA damage.

Guanyl radical species are produced in DNA by electron removal caused by ionizing radiation, photoionization, oxidation, or photosensitization. DNA guanyl radicals can be reduced by electron donation from mild reducing agents. Important biologically relevant examples are the redox active amino acids cysteine, cystine, methionine, tryptophan, and tyrosine. We have quantified the reactivity of derivatives of these amino acids with guanyl radicals located in plasmid DNA. The radicals were produced by electron removal using the single electron oxidizing agent (SCN)2•-. Disulfides (cystine) are unreactive. Thioethers (methionine), thiols (cysteine), and phenols (tyrosine) react with rate constants in the range 104−106, 105−106, and 105−106 dm3 mol-1 s-1, respectively. Indoles (tryptophan) are the most reactive with rate constants of 107−108 dm3 mol-1 s-1. Selenium analogues of amino acids are over an order of magnitude more reactive than their sulfur equivalents. Increasing positive charge is associated with a...
Classification of Forested Wetland Degradation Using Ordination of Multitemporal Reflectance

Remote sensing classifications of wetland ecosystems can be difficult because of temporal variability of plant cover and hydrological conditions. We developed a multitemporal classification scheme to control for these factors in forested wetlands by classifying pixels within a principal-components ordination of multitemporal reflectance, using data from three Landsat bands from each of seven scenes across a 3-year period in each of two phenological conditions. The principal components of reflectance that defined the classification were statistically related to vegetative conditions of the Louisiana field sites in interpretable ways, so the resulting classification represents the desired ecological gradients more robustly than single-image classifications.
Estimating leaf area index in Southeast Alaska: a comparison of two techniques.

The relationship between canopy structure and light transmission to the forest floor is of particular interest for studying the effects of succession, timber harvest, and silviculture prescriptions on understory plants and trees. Indirect measurements of leaf area index (LAI) estimated using gap fraction analysis with linear and hemispheric sensors have been commonly used to assess radiation interception by the canopy, although the two methods often yield inconsistent results. We compared simultaneously obtained measurements of LAI from a linear ceptometer and digital hemispheric photography in 21 forest stands on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. We assessed the relationship between these estimates and allometric LAI based on tree diameter at breast height (LAIDBH). LAI values measured at 79 stations in thinned, un-thinned controls, old-growth and clearcut stands were highly correlated between the linear sensor (AccuPAR) and hemispheric photography, but the latter was more negatively biased compared to LAIDBH. In contrast, AccuPAR values were more similar to LAIDBH in all stands with basal area less than 30 m2ha−1. Values produced by integrating hemispheric photographs over the zenith angles 0–75° (Ring 5) were highly correlated with those integrated over the zenith angles 0–60° (Ring 4), although the discrepancies between the two measures were significant. On average, the AccuPAR estimates were 53% higher than those derived from Ring 5, with most of the differences in closed canopy stands (unthinned controls and old-growth) and less so in clearcuts. Following typical patterns of canopy closure, AccuPAR LAI values were higher in dense control stands than in old-growth, whereas the opposite was derived from Ring 5 analyses. Based on our results we advocate the preferential use of linear sensors where canopy openness is low, canopies are tall, and leaf distributions are clumped and angles are variable, as is common in the conifer forests of coastal Alaska.
Layoffs and unemployment insurance

Abstract This paper presents econometric evidence of a causal relationship between the frequency of layoffs and the structure of the unemployment insurance system. The data are pooled time-series and cross-sectional observations on layoffs, UI benefits, UI taxes and wages. Annual dummy variables and industry mix variables are included to adjust for pooling. Weighted two-stage least squares is used to adjust for aggregation and for reverse casuality. The empirical results confirm the expectations of the theoretical models and indicate that UI has a substantial effect on layoff rates.
Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia after platinum-based therapy for non-small cell lung cancer: case report and review of the literature.

Summary Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) is a preleukaemic condition with myeloproliferative features, and classified as a part of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Other than alkylating agents and topoisomerase II inhibitors, there is less evidence that chemotherapeutic drugs are associated with therapy-related CMML, acute leukaemia or MDS. We present a patient who developed CMML within 2 years of platinum-based chemotherapy for a metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. He received a cumulative dose of 240 mg/m2 of cisplatin, and 1123 mg/m2 of carboplatin before developing CMML. The cytogenetic study revealed trisomy 8. This is the first reported case that links platinum-based therapy with development of CMML with trisomy 8. Although the relationship between platinum therapy and the development of CMML is difficult to assess due to combinational nature of therapy in most cases, physicians should consider the possibility of CMML in patients with symptoms or signs suggestive of haematologic malignancy after platinum therapy.
Vapor–liquid equilibria for binary and ternary mixtures of ethanol, 2-butanone, and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane at 101.3 kPa

Abstract Vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) at 101.3 kPa have been determined for the ternary system ethanol + 2-butanone + 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (isooctane) and its constituent binary systems: ethanol + 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, ethanol + 2-butanone, and 2-butanone + 2,2,4-trimethylpentane. Minimum boiling azeotropes were observed for all these binary systems. No azeotropic behavior was found for the ternary system. Thermodynamic consistency tests were performed for all VLE data. The activity coefficients of the binary mixtures were satisfactorily correlated with the Wilson, NRTL, and UNIQUAC models. The models with their best-fitted binary parameters were used to predict the ternary vapor–liquid equilibrium.
Genetic Variation for Morphology and Maturity Among the Half-Sib Progeny of Nine Orchardgrass Germplasm Populations

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) acreage has declined compared to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). With the intent of developing new sources of orchardgrass germplasm, 162 half-sib families from six orchardgrass germplasm populations and three orchardgrass cultivars were evaluated during 2008 for maturity and plant morphology at locations in Idaho and Utah. Genetic similarity of the populations was also characterized using simple sequence repeat markers. Genetic variation between families differed from zero for seven of the nine traits evaluated, with broad-sense heritability estimates ranging from 0.26 (flag leaf width) to 0.74 (maturity). For each trait that exhibited genetic variation, half-sib families were identified that possessed trait values similar to or more extreme than the values corresponding to the included commercial orchardgrass cultivars. Through principle component analysis, potential groupings of half-sib families with similar phenotypic characteristics were identified; for example, taller plants with earlier maturity. Therefore, germplasm could be targeted for development of improved orchardgrass with maturity and morphology suitable to specific management practices, such as short stature, narrow leaves, and late maturity for mixture with legumes.
Statistics of partially coherent beams propagating through scattering media – a numerical approach

The characteristics of beams with adjustable spatial coherence properties propagating through highly scattering media are studied using Monte Carlo simulations. The statistics of the intensity distribution obtained after propagation through diffusive media is correctly reproduced.
The status of Kumzari and its speakers: A local language of the Musandam Peninsula of Oman

The Kumzari language, with approximately 3,000 speakers in the Musandam Governorate of Oman, is an Iranian language spoken in the Arabian Peninsula. Although Kumzari speakers have lived along the Persian Gulf for hundreds of years, little research has been conducted on this language community. Issues related to constructing a systematic approach for analyzing language minority groups are considered in the context of the Kumzari language and community. In addition, factors and degrees of endangerment suggested in the 2003 UNESCO document entitled “Language Vitality and Endangerment” as well as classifications proposed by other researchers are addressed. Finally, the future status of this endangered language community is discussed.
IgG binding enhances DNAase I sensitivity of N-acetoxy-N-2-acetylaminofluorene-modified ΦX-174 RF DNA

DNA restriction fragments of фX-174 RF were modified with the carcinogen, N-acetoxy-N-2-acetylaminofluorene (N-Aco-AAF). Immune complexes of 5′-32P-labeled AAF-modified DNA and rabbit immunoglobulin (IgG) against AAF-guanosine were specifically bound by surface membranes of Cowan I strain micrococci whose protein A binds the Fc portion of IgG. DNAase I sensitivity of the bound DNA was 20-fold greater than in solution, but the normal pattern of hydrolysis was not altered, as determined in sequencing gels. Nonadducted DNA ligated to AAF-modified DNA acquired the enhanced sensitivity to DNAase I hydrolysis when the ligation hybrid was immunobound.
An ab initio study of the f–f spectroscopy of americium +3

The levels associated with the lowest 7F and 5D terms of Am+3 have been calculated using ab initio spin–orbit configuration interaction techniques. A series of configuration interaction calculations were carried out that include significant amounts of single and double excitations and with two different pseudopotentials available in the literature. Double and single excitations from the 6s, 6p, and 5f subshells are all important in the determination of the level energies. A comparison of the two examined pseudopotentials with increasing amounts of electron correlation indicates that both yield results in qualitative agreement with experiment. More importantly, though, it is estimated that both are in significant quantitative error relative to experimental results, even for very large configuration interaction calculations. The calculations were performed using the new parallel spin–orbit configuration interaction component to the COLUMBUS Program System.
The interdisciplinary structure of research on intercultural relations: a co-citation network analysis study

This study aims to map the content and structure of the knowledge base of research on intercultural relations as revealed in co-citation networks of 30 years of scholarly publications. Source records for extracting co-citation information are retrieved from Web of Science (1980---2010) through comprehensive keyword search and filtered by manual semantic coding. Exploratory network and content analysis is conducted (1) to discover the development of major research themes and the relations between them over time; (2) to locate representative core publications (the stars) that are highly co-cited with others and those (the bridges) connecting more between rather than within subfields or disciplines. Structural analysis of the co-citation networks identifies a core cluster that contains foundational knowledge of this domain. It is well connected to almost all the other clusters and covers a wide range of subject categories. The evolutionary path of research themes shows trends moving towards (e.g. psychology and business and economics) and away from (e.g. language education and communication) the core cluster over time. Based on the results, a structural framework of the knowledge domain of intercultural relations research is proposed to represent thematic relatedness between topical groups and their relations.
The use of palmtop computers in the treatment of bulimia nervosa

Palmtop computers may provide an innovative and effective extension of psychotherapeutic treatment for eating disorders. Palmtop applications have been used historically in studies utilizing ecological momentary assessment methodology, and in this capacity their portability and immediacy have been advantageous. In this paper, a new treatment for bulimia nervosa will be described which includes palmtop modules as therapy extension devices. The format of the therapy will be reviewed along with the specific content of the modules. Advantages of such microcomputer applications will be discussed, as well as methodological challenges. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
The relationship of proximal normative beliefs and global subjective norms to college students' alcohol consumption.

Abstract Objective : Heavy drinking among college students is a major concern across the country. Several studies have shown that students tend to overestimate the alcohol consumption of students, in general (global social norms), and of their close friends (proximal normative beliefs). Research has also shown that beliefs about others' alcohol consumption is strongly related to alcohol use. We hypothesized that normative beliefs about important referent individuals would mediate the relationship between campus social norms and alcohol consumption. Method : A survey of alcohol use and related variables was completed by 433 university students. Multiple regression was used to examine the mediational role of normative beliefs on social norms and alcohol consumption. Results : These analyses indicate that normative beliefs are a significant mediator of the relationship between social norms and alcohol consumption. Normative beliefs accounted for 52–62% of the proportion of variance mediated. Conclusions : Normative beliefs are an important construct in understanding the relationship between social norms and alcohol use among college students and may be an important area for future interventions.
Restrictions on the inverse Laplace transform for fractional-order systems

The inverse bilateral Laplace transforms of some prototype fractional-order transfer functions are studied. For each prototype transfer function, the inverse transform is attempted for different positions of the branch cut and various regions of convergence. It is seen that certain choices of the branch cut are required in order for the Bromwich integral for the inverse transform to be evaluated. As a result, the variety of inverse transforms that can be found for these fractional-order transfer functions is restricted by comparison with those that can be found for rational transfer functions. Specifically, it is seen that each of the prototype fractional-order transfer functions is excluded from representing either a causal or an anticausal system. It is postulated that such a restriction will apply to any fractional-order transfer function.
Symbol generation and feature selection for reinforcement learning agents using affordances and U-Trees

One of the challenges for artificial agents is managing the complexity of their environment and task domain as they learn increasingly difficult tasks. This is especially true of agents that are grounded in the physical world, which contains a vast number of features and potentially very complex dynamics. A scalable solution to this problem in terms of forming, managing, and re-using compact, grounded representations in order to address the state explosion problem is thus a prerequisite of physically grounded, agent-based systems that can apply their past experience to new tasks and communicate that experience with other agents. To achieve this, it is essential that agents can form conceptual features that are relevant for and re-usable in their task domain without outside intervention and that these agents can effectively focus their attention on only the relevant features and concepts for the task at hand. This paper presents a framework for managing state complexity by automatically constructing abstract, symbolic features which encode important, task and domain-relevant properties and partition the raw feature space such that the agent need only consider a compressed view of the environment when learning new tasks. To exploit this, the framework during learning of new tasks uses U-Trees to construct minimal feature sets and thus compact state representations for these new tasks, allowing for potentially significant improvements in learning times.
A facultative mutualism between aphids and an invasive ant increases plant reproduction

1. The consequences to plants of ant–aphid mutualisms, particularly those involving invasive ants, are poorly studied. Ant–aphid mutualisms may increase or decrease plant fitness depending on the relative cost of herbivory by ant-tended aphids versus the relative benefit of increased ant suppression of other (non-aphid) herbivores. 2. We conducted field and greenhouse experiments in which we manipulated the presence and absence of cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii) on cotton plants to test the hypothesis that a mutualism between cotton aphids and an invasive ant, the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), benefits cotton plants by increasing fire ant suppression of caterpillars. We also manipulated caterpillar abundance to test whether the benefit of the mutualism varied with caterpillar density. 3. We found that more fire ants foraged on plants with cotton aphids than on plants without cotton aphids, which resulted in a significant reduction in caterpillar survival and caterpillar herbivory of leaves, flower buds, and bolls on plants with aphids. Consequently, cotton aphids indirectly increased cotton reproduction: plants with cotton aphids produced 16% more bolls, 25% more seeds, and 10% greater seedcotton mass than plants without aphids. The indirect benefit of cotton aphids, however, varied with caterpillar density: the number of bolls per plant at harvest was 32% greater on plants with aphids than on plants without aphids at high caterpillar density, versus just 3% greater at low caterpillar density. 4. Our results highlight the potential benefit to plants that host ant–hemipteran mutualisms and provide the first experimental evidence that the consequences to plants of an ant–aphid mutualism vary at different densities of non-aphid herbivores.
Tea and atherosclerosis.

MANY people have pointed out a relationship between atherosclerosis and serum lipids1–4. Little et al.5 showed that the concentration of serum lipids is positively correlated with coffee drinking, but slightly negatively correlated with tea drinking. Paul6 reported that people who developed coronaries drank more cups of coffee than those without coronaries. Snapper7 stated in his book that there was little atherosclerosis in the Chinese, who drink tea almost exclusively.
Variations in explicitly unpaired training are differentially effective in producing conditioned inhibition

Abstract To evaluate a contingency interpretation of conditioned inhibition (CI), rats were given “explicity unpaired” training in which the locus and duration of a CS within the inter-US (shock) interval were systematically manipulated for different groups. Summation and retardation tests in Experiment 1 indicated that stronger CI resulted from both a backward and a trace CS than from a midlocus CS of equal or greater duration. Complementing these findings, the same tests in Experiment 2 showed that, by comparison with novel-stimulus controls, CI developed to a trace CS but not to a mid-locus CS, nor to a trace CS that was accompanied by an immediate signal for the US. These findings argue against a contingency interpretation of CI and favor a contiguity interpretation stressing the short-term rehearsal of stimulus events. Such rehearsal of the US allows a backward CS, but not a mid-locus CS with an extended US-CS interval, to be discriminated as a signal for nonreinforcement, and thus to develop as a conditioned inhibitor. Similarly, excitatory conditioning to the memory trace of a CS allows the nominal trace CS to develop as a signal for nonreinforcement, and thus as a conditioned inhibitor, but not when its memory trace is overshadowed by another CS that immediately precedes the US. In short, the development of CI is facilitated when excitation is mediated by the memorial processing of either the US or a discrete CS for the US rather than by contextual cues.
Ultrastructure of otic capsule sclerosis in Palmerston North autoimmune mice

Abstract Purpose: Numerous temporal bone studies have reported a correlation between systemic autoimmune disease and osteogenic lesions within the inner ear. However, little is known of the cellular mechanisms that relate these two disease processes. The Palmerston North (PN) autoimmune strain mouse exhibits both spontaneous systemic autoimmune disease and otic capsule sclerotic lesions that are similar in many ways to those reported in humans. This suggests the PN mouse is a potential model in which to study the cellular events responsible for immune-related otic capsule lesions. Therefore, an evaluation of the fine structure of the PN modiolus was conducted to better understand these matrix changes of the inner ear. Materlals and Methods: Inner ears were collected from 15 PN mice at ages from 17 to 24 months and prepared for electron microscopy. The ears were ultrastructurally evaluated to characterize the lesions and their associated cytoarchitecture. Results: The sclerotic lesions consisted of an electron-dense mass that appeared lobulated or layered, usually adjacent to the modiolar bone and blood vessels. Immediately surrounding the lesions were activated fibroblasts and fine fibrillar material in the extracellular space between them. The sclerotic foci often were apposed to normal modiolar bone that never appeared degraded. Conclusions: The similarities between these bony lesions and known human otic capsule diseases suggests parallel processes are involved. Thus, further study of the PN inner ear may provide insight into the cellular events that underlie otic capsule and other temporal bone alterations in systemic autoimmune diseases.
Fucosylation Events during Mammalian Spermatogenesis ab

It will be necessary to conduct further studies to establish more precisely the localization of FT on mouse male germ cells. Antibodies to FTs are not yet available, so an immunocytochemical approach is not currently feasible. Additional cell fractionation protocols can be designed to compare plasma membrane fractions with enriched fractions of Golgi apparatus and to compare directly the activities of multiple glycosyltransferase enzymes and Golgi-specific markers in these preparations. Schachter et al. and Nyquist and colleagues have already provided experimental techniques for the isolation of Golgi fractions of good purity from rodent pachytene spermatocytes and spermatids. Ample opportunity exists, then, for a detailed analysis of the number, specificity, and localization of FT enzymes during mammalian spermatogenesis. All available data imply that these enzymes will prove to be vital components in the differentiation of cells within the seminiferous epithelium.
Frequency-Weighted Variable-Length Controllers Using Anytime Control Strategies

This paper considers an anytime strategy to implement controllers that react to changing computational resources. The anytime controllers developed in this paper are suitable for cases when the time scale of switching is in the order of the task execution time, that is, on the time scale found commonly with sporadically missed deadlines. This paper extends the prior work by developing frequency-weighted anytime controllers. The selection of the weighting function is driven by the expectation of the situations that would require anytime operation. For example, if the anytime operation is due to occasional and isolated missed deadlines, then the weighting on high frequencies should be larger than that for low frequencies. Low frequency components will have a smaller change over one sample time, so failing to update these components for one sample period will have less effect than with the high frequency components. An example will be included that applies the anytime control strategy to a model of a DC motor with deadzone and saturation nonlinearities.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Existence and uniqueness results for a nonlinear integrodifferential initial-value problem arising in transport theory

On introduit une bonne notion de solution pour cette equation integrodifferentielle. On donne des resultats d'existence locale et d'unicite. On presente des theoremes sur l'extension possible locale pour un intervalle sur lequel la solution est bornee
Program directors’ views of the importance and prevalence of mentoring in internal medicine residencies

Program directors establish priorities for residency programs. Their views of mentoring likely influence the tone about and availability of mentoring programs. This survey to all internal medicine program directors assessed attitudes toward mentoring, existence of formal mentoring programs, and features of the mentoring programs. The response was 60%. The majority (>60%) favored mentoring. Forty-nine percent of the residencies had structured mentoring programs. Programs differed in frequency of meetings, use of evaluations, and presence of curriculum. Overall, although program directors’ attitudes are favorable and at least half have formal mentoring programs, the programs are largely unstructured, loosely monitored, and underevaluated.
Welfare reform 1973: the social services dimension.

The model outlined above is an advance over other proposals in the following respects. 1) The objectives of the public social services are related to the realities of at-risk target populations, but in a moderate and attainable fashion, borrowing from the approach already advanced by HEW. 2) It has proposed a composite target population, which permits the dimensions of the public social service program to be outlined and then reorganized by central function, rather than by coordination among conceptually unrelated units. 3) The laundry listing of service programs has been regrouped into a limited number of service functions, each of which has a relatively well-defined function and permits measurement. 4) The aims, service typologies, and populations at risk have all been developed in some coherent and consistent relationship with each other so that progress in the development of a service and the achievement of the aims in relation to manageable populations can be achieved over time. 5) These steps are consistent with preliminary actions already taken by HEW and by some state superagencies. This interrelationship among aims, service conception, and populations at risk seems to be an essential characteristic of any welfare reform if the public social services are to have a capacity for synergism—that is, a capacity to use experience, to develop greater overall power for the achievement of desired ends than is now attainable by individual, unconnected segments. This pattern of interrelationships permits a testing of various service components in relation to populations and in relation to objectives, with an ultimate substitution of more successful approaches over time, and with the consequent emergence of a science of human services.
A non-linear investigation of critical levels for internal atmospheric gravity waves

Thesis (Sc. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1970.
The effects of provera on chemotherapy of uterine cancer cell lines

Abstract Even though progestin is commonly added to many chemotherapy regimens in the treatment of uterine cancers, its role is still unproven. Since progestin is antiproliferative, its tendency to arrest cells in G1 phase may interfere with cytotoxic mechanisms. The ATP chemosensitivity assay and flow cytometry were used to study the effects of a progestational compound such as Provera on three single agents and four drug combinations. Uterine cancer cell lines included progesterone-receptor (PR)-positive AE7 and ECC1 and PR-negative HEC1A, HEC1B, AN3, and SKUT1B. Provera selectively affected only PR-positive cell lines. It imposed an antiproliferative effect on drug-induced cell-cycle perturbations by reducing G2 and S blocks and minimizing G1 depletion. When using IC50s (concentrations required for 50% growth inhibition) of 0.5 as a cutoff for drug sensitivity and resistance, Provera significantly improved the IC50s of the drug-resistant subgroup from 1.95 ± 0.36 to 0.71 ± 0.19 ( P = 0.009) but not those of the drug-sensitive subgroup ( P = 0.13). In summary, Provera appeared to work independently from cytotoxic mechanisms. Its improvement of cytotoxicity was most pronounced in resistant cell lines bearing progesterone receptors.
Residents’ perceptions of professionalism in training and practice: Barriers, promoters, and duty hour requirements

BACKGROUND: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty hour requirements may affect residents’ understanding and practice of professionalism.
Bondarenko method for obtaining group cross sections in a multi-region collision probability model

Abstract Correct multigroup cross sections are essential to modeling the physics of nuclear reactors. In particular, the presence of resonances leads to the well-known self-shielding effect that complicates any procedure for obtaining group cross sections. The Bondarenko method for producing self-shielded group cross sections is widely used. For heterogeneous systems, the approach requires the use of an escape cross section that captures the probability that a neutron will leave a cell without interaction, and simple approximations are typically used for this purpose. Here we provide a concise derivation for how to determine group cross sections using the Bondarenko method with an extension to multi-region collision probability models. The accuracy of the method is demonstrated by comparing group cross sections derived this way with those produced by Monte Carlo simulations of thermal and fast spectrum reactors.
Mother-child relationships of children with ADHD: the role of maternal depressive symptoms and depression-related distortions.

We investigated the Depression→Distortion hypothesis by examining the effects of maternal depressive symptoms on cross-informant discrepancies in reports of child behavior problems and several measures of parent–child relationship. The sample included ninety-six 6 to 10-year-old children diagnosed with ADHD-Combined Type, and their mothers, who provided baseline data before participating in a randomized clinical trial. Measures incorporated child characteristics, self-reports of maternal depressive symptoms, parenting practices, and laboratory mother–child interactions. Elevations in maternal depressive symptoms were associated with maternal reports of negative parenting style but not with observed laboratory interactions. Mothers' levels of depressive symptoms predicted negative biases in their reports of their child's ADHD symptoms, general behavior problems, and their own negative parenting style. Whereas levels of depressive symptoms did not predict observed parenting behaviors, maternal distortions did predict problematic parent–child interactions. Exploratory analyses showed a marginally significant mediation effect of the relationship between maternal depressive symptomatology and reports of negative parenting by depressive distortions. We discuss implications of linkages between depressive symptoms in mothers, depression-related distortions, and mother–child relationships for research and intervention in developmental psychopathology.
An Introduction to the Strategy of Statecraft

The term “statecraft” is used here in a sense which is stronger than that of “diplomacy” as used, for example, by Harold Nicolson. In its present meaning it includes the construction of strategies for securing the national interest in the international arena, as well as the execution of these strategies by diplomats. In a day when the world is being divided between two great power blocs, when neutrality is becoming increasingly more difficult to maintain, when statecraft is invading the economic and cultural aspects of social existence, as well as the political and military, when most great problems of domestic life must be reconsidered with regard to their bearing on the international situation, few, if any, can doubt its importance. The successful or unsuccessful conduct of statecraft may settle the fate of our way of life; and, given the possibilities of modern war, it may, in a deeper sense, settle the question of whether any type of civilized life, ours or the Soviets', can survive.