cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fine-needle aspiration of basaloid squamous carcinoma: a case report with review of differential diagnostic considerations.

Basaloid squamous carcinoma is a distinct variant of squamous carcinoma with a particularly poor prognosis. To our knowledge, there are only two papers in the cytopathology literature which describe this entity. We report the fine-needle aspiration findings of an additional case of metastatic basaloid squamous carcinoma in a cervical lymph node and compare its cytomorphologic features to those observed on touch imprints of the subsequent surgical specimen. Smears of the aspirate showed a mixed lymphoid background with interspersed cohesive clusters of small cells roughly 3 times the size of small mature lymphocytes. Some cells were angulated and others exhibited irregular nuclear contours. The cells were generally hyperchromatic with evenly staining dense chromatin or irregularly distributed coarse chromatin. Focally there was evidence of nuclear molding. On Diff-Quik staining, irregular globules of magenta-stained extracellular dense material were noted within or adherent to the periphery of some clusters or as somewhat linear formations with small epithelial cells clinging to the edges. Abundant mitotic figures and clumps of necrotic tumor were more apparent on touch preps of the subsequent surgical specimen. The differential diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration includes adenoid cystic carcinoma, basal-cell adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and small-cell carcinoma. If a fine-needle aspirate of a cervical lymph node shows the features described above and the primary tumor is unknown, suggesting the possibility of metastatic basaloid squamous carcinoma may aid clinicians in the search for a primary site, as basaloid squamous carcinoma occurs most frequently at the base of the tongue, hypopharynx, and supraglottic larynx. Diagn. Cytopathol. 1998;19:210–215. Published 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.1
Does bridging to transplantation with a left ventricular assist device adversely affect posttransplantation survival? A comparative analysis of mechanical versus inotropic support

Discussion The MK stent graft is a flexible, custom-made, curved stent graft. It usually takes a week until we receive the stent graft after placing an order. In this case the MK stent graft fit tightly to the 3-dimensional curvy portion of the aorta and did not cause kinking or endoleak at all. Although total replacement of the aortic arch would be one of the best solutions for the aortic arch aneurysm, this procedure is surgically stressful, especially for patients with complications. Advantages of endovascular stent graft delivery with extra-anatomic arch vessel bypass by SCP are relief from cardiac arrest, relief from circulatory arrest, and relief from use of an oxygenator. The preoperative creatinine clearance value of this patient was 18 mL/min, and the postoperative renal function recovered to preoperative levels after transient use of dialysis. This suggested that the level of surgical stress of this procedure was acceptable for this patient. SCP alone requires lower levels of heparinization than cardiopulmonary bypass because of the lack of an oxygenator. It is a big advantage of this procedure to prevent bleeding in a patient with such potential for massive lung bleeding. To reduce the risk of brain complications, we closed the arch vessels before the use of the side-biting clamp. Endovascular delivery of the MK stent graft with extra-anatomic arch vessel bypass by using SCP could be a useful and minimally invasive therapeutic strategy for patients with aortic arch aneurysms who are considered at high surgical risk.
Bureaucratic politics and American foreign policy: A critique

Bureaucracies, we are told, have become central to the forging and wielding of American foreign policy, but with consequences adverse to the substance of that policy.* In the words of a past critic and present practitioner of American foreign policy: "The nightmare of the modern state is the hugeness of bureaucracy, and the problem is how to get coherence and design in it" [l]. That bureaucracies are crucial to our foreign policy and that they can make life difficult for Presidents are two propositions with which any analyst of American foreign policy could scarcely disagree. But what precisely do these propositions mean ? Do they mean that bureau, cracies largely determine our foreign policy through their ability to select the informa, tion presented to top political leaders and through the control they exert over the details of implementing policy ? Do they mean that Congress has little effect on foreign policy because Congress as an institution plays a small rote in tbrmulating policy and virtually none in implementing it ? Do they mean that the systemic perspective on international politics is of no use, or that Presidential assumptions, perspectives, and decisions are not the controling factors in our foreign policy? Do they mean that bureaucracies, if they are powerful, are equally powerful in all areas of foreign policy? Do these propositions mean that we must concentrate primarily on the mechanics of the foreign policy bureaucracy in order to understand or adduce the substance of policy ? Must we look to the nuts and bolts of bureaucracy to explain the thrust of policy ? Should we now adopt as the most fruitful method of analysis what is variously called "the governmental politics model," "the bureaucratic
Novel setup techniques for radiation treatment of severely obese patients with cervical cancer

The prevalence of overweight (body mass index [BMI] N 25 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI N30 kg/m2) in the United States currently exceeds two-thirds of the adult population. Obesity and severe obesity (BMI N 40 kg/m2) may impact the management of early-stage cervical cancer, where surgical resection is often the preferred treatment.1 Due to medical comorbidities and surgical risks, these patients are often not considered surgical candidates, and definitive radiation or chemoradiation may be the only curative option. Although most patients with inoperable cervical cancer are physically able to undergo a computed tomographic (CT) simulation and subsequent radiation treatment, patients with severe obesity and large abdominopelvic girth may present obstacles in simulation, treatment planning and dosimetry, and treatment delivery. Potential clinical problems include weight in excess of simulator or treatment table limits, girth in excess of CT bore or field of view,2 poor image quality secondary to tissue attenuation, creating an accurate body contour, achieving an acceptable dose distribution and heterogeneity index given the confines of beam arrangement and body thickness, gantry clearance issues, issues with patient setup and verification, and reliability of external fiducials. In this study, we report
Simulation of Doppler ultrasound signals for a laminar, pulsatile, nonuniform flow

A simulation for Doppler ultrasound quadrature signals from pulsatile, nonuniform flow is presented. It is an extension of an earlier simulation presented by Jones and Giddens (1990a) which was valid for laminar, uniform, steady flow and which included the stochastic characteristics introduced by scattering particles which enter and leave the sample volume at random times. Fourier transform and autoregressive spectral analysis techniques are used to compare the simulated signals to Doppler signals collected from an in vitro flow setup. Power spectra, Doppler frequency estimates and standard deviations of these estimates serve as standards of comparison. Results show that the simulation model generates realistic quadrature signals. The study improves the understanding of the physics of the Doppler process and shows that it can be modeled for complex flow conditions. The input parameters of the simulation are the Doppler instrument parameters and flow characteristics. This allows the simulation to be used for transducer design as well as in the study of the applicability of signal analysis techniques to Doppler ultrasound.
Visualizing mass transport in desorption electrospray ionization using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was used to determine the effect of ambient probe incidence angle on the amount and direction of analyte molecules transported from the sample surface for desorption electrospray ionization (DESI). Incidence angle was critical to both the lateral dispersion and vertical take-off angles of analyte molecules desorbed from the surface; as the incidence angle was increased from 30° to 45° to 60° (relative to the sample surface), the lateral dispersion angle decreased from 79° to 71° to 62°, respectively, while the vertical take-off angle decreased dramatically from 12° to 6° to 4°, respectively. As for the amount of material transported, the ToF-SIMS normalized secondary ion intensity of the molecular ion (peak counts per total spectrum counts) showed a significant decrease in the signal when the incidence angle was made steeper, decreasing from 8.1 × 10−3 to 4.2 × 10−3 to 7.5 × 10−4, respectively. The ambient mass spectrometer interfaced with DESI also showed a similar analyte response, where the intensity of the molecular ion decreased from 1.6 × 107 counts to 3.3 × 106 counts to 5.4 × 105 counts, respectively. Overall, a steeper incidence angle was characterized by smaller amount of material desorption and tighter dispersion in both lateral and vertical directions. The study showed how ToF-SIMS can be used as a unique tool for characterizing the transport of desorbed analyte molecules in ambient ionization mass spectrometry, potentially offering new interface designs for optimal analyte collection.
Hamiltonians, path integrals, and a new renormalization group.

New nonperturbative methods for dealing with Hamiltonian systems are introduced. The derivation of these methods requires identities for rewriting exponentials of sums of operators which are different from the usual Campbell-HausdorfF formula. These identities allow one to derive approximations to e −δH which are correct to higher order in 6 and which contain fewer terms than the Campbell-HausdorfF formula. This allows one to generate path-integral actions which are more accurate for finite-size steps in time and which can be exploited to improve the rate of convergence of Monte Carlo calculations. To show that these methods allow one to include effects which show up in the stationary-phase approximation to the path integral, e.g., instantons, solitons, etc., I not only derive the connection between the Hamiltonian and path-integral formalism but the relationship between a specific stationary-phase approximation and the corresponding Hamiltonian calculation
Uniform approximation of functions with discrete approximation functionals

Abstract Hoffman, Kouri, and collaborators have calculated nonrelativistic quantum scattering amplitudes by numerically evaluating Feynman path integrals. They observed that the errors introduced by their numerical scheme were uniform in coordinate space, implying that their scheme accurately reproduces both the shape and the phase of functions. Furthermore, they observed that the size and the uniform nature of the errors were preserved when the functions were allowed to evolve in time under the action of the kinetic energy operator. In this paper it is established that these observed properties of the errors are not numerical artifacts but follow from analytical properties of a general class of approximations that include those of Hoffman, Kouri, and collaborators as a special case.
African American women and violence: gender, race, and class in the news

This study uses discourse analysis to examine the representation of violence against African American women in local TV news coverage of Freaknik, an annual “spring break” ritual that drew African American college students from throughout the country to Atlanta, Georgia in the 1990s. It draws on Black feminist theory in its examination of the ways that gender, race, and class intersected to shape the representation of the victims, the perpetrators, and the violence. The results indicate that the convergence of gender, race, and class oppressions minimized the seriousness of the violence, portrayed most of its victims as stereotypic Jezebels whose lewd behavior provoked assault, and absolved the perpetrators of responsibility. Coverage also reinforced race and class stereotypes by representing locals as underclass troublemakers prone to crime while students were linked to law‐abiding, middle class values and norms. In demonstrating the utility of addressing the intersectionality of gender, race, and class,...
Radiolarian skeletal structures and biostratigraphy in the early Palaeozoic (Cambrian–Ordovician)

Radiolarians form an important part of the early Palaeozoic planktic realm, but the origin and evolutionary development of these organisms is still eluding our curiosity. Many records of Cambrian radiolarians have to be disregarded in the light of new information, and the earliest definite radiolarians are known from around the base of the Middle Cambrian Series 3. The earliest Archaeospicularia (Palaeospiculum, Archeoentactinia) possess a simple spicule, largely comparable to the hexactine spicule of sponges with whorled rays or additional connecting bars and apophyses. A second group is represented by non-spicular radiolarians of the genus Parechidnina, forming complex sphaerical bodies based on radial and tangential bars. Even though our understanding of the evolution of the Archaeospicularia is still very limited, the analysis of structural features of early Palaeozoic radiolarians provides us with some clues to the complex patterns of changes in radiolarians skeletons. Important changes in skeletal features include the polarization of the spicular skeletons, the evolution of a distinct microsphere, the development of sphaerical skeletons, the differentiation of the originally irregularly three-dimensional meshes into distinct spheres, and the spiral structure of the haplotaeniatids during the Early Ordovician (Tremadocian–Floian). The Cambrian radiolarian fauna can be differentiated into two intervals, based on the presence of characteristic elements, the Palaeospiculum–Archeoentactinia assemblage and the Echidnina assemblage. A total of seven radiolarian assemblages are differentiated in the Ordovician, but some intervals have not yet provided useful radiolarian faunas.
An Rho (D) Positive Patient Whose Serum Contains Anti‐Rh, (D) Antibodies*

Summary Another case is reported of a patient, who, although D positive, had anti-D in her serum. This anti-D failed to react with four family D positive bloods, but did react with all except one of 255 random D positive bloods tested. This patient's blood and the four family bloods contain a variant D gene which is an inherited characteristic. Brief reference is made to four similar cases and the significance of these observations is discussed. Resume Les auteurs rapportent un nouveau cas d'un patient de facteur Rhesus D positif dont le serum contient de l'anti-D. Cet anti-D ne reagit pas avec les sangs D positif de 4 membres de sa fade mais reagit avec 255 sangs D positif pris au hasard sauf un. Le sang de ce patient et les sangs des 4 familles contiennent une variante du gene D qui se revele etre une caracteristique hereditaire. Les auteurs se referent brievement a quatre cas similaires et discutent de la signification de ces observations. Case bloods with positive direct Coombs' tests were furnished by Patti Strickel, Houston, Texas, and Lois Anderson, Fort Worth, Texas. Zusammenfassung Es wird uber einen weiteren Fall einer D-positiven Patientin berichtet, in deren Serum ein Anti-D-Antikorper nachzuweisen war. Dieser Anti-D-Antikorper reagierte negativ mit vier D-positiven Blutproben von Angehorigen ihrer Familie. Er zeigte, mit einer Ausnahme, positive Reaktionen bei 255 D-positiven Blutproben. Das Blut der Patientin und dasjenige von vier D-positiven Angehorigen enthalt eine genetisch determinierte Variante des D-Antigens. Es wird auf vier ahnliche Falle verwiesen. Die Bedeutung dieser Befunde wird diskutiert.
IDEAS – a Monte Carlo simulation package for neutron-scattering instrumentation

Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are widely used in the design of neutron-scattering instruments. Several simulation packages have been developed in the past few years. We present here an analysis of the use of MC simulation techniques in neutron-scattering instrumentation. We also present IDEAS, an easy-to-use and easy-to-expand MC simulation package that has proven to be a versatile tool for the design of neutron-scattering instruments.
Transition from tube feedings to feedings by mouth in children: preventing eating dysfunction

Abstract Tube feeding provides a temporary means of improving nutritional status and growth until a child can be nourished by mouth. Children in transition from tube to oral feeding typically display oral-motor, sensory, and developmental feeding problems and behaviors that make weaning difficult. A smooth transition benefits the child's health immediately by ameliorating eating difficulties and prevents dysfunction later in life. The weaning process from tube to oral feeding is best thought of in developmental terms. A four-step process is suggested to ensure a smooth transition: promote a positive feeding relationship between caregiver and child; determine feeding readiness; normalize feeding, including oral stimulation, eating-related behaviors, environment, and regulation; and initiate a behavioral feeding plan. The awareness and anticipatory guidance of nutrition professionals before this transition maximizes oral-feeding success for the formerly tube-fed child. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96:277-281.
WE‐E‐L100J‐01: Simulation of Tomosynthesis Mammograms with Cone Beam CT Images of Mastectomy Breast Specimens

Purpose: To describe and discuss about a technique to simulate digital mammograms and tomosynthesisimages with cone beam CTimages of mastectomy breast specimens. Method and Materials: To allow x‐ray images to be simulated, cone beam breast CTimages of a mastectomy breast specimen were acquired at 80 kVp and used to generate a 3‐D map of linear attenuation coefficients for mammographic x‐rays. The map was then deformed to generate a new map for a compressed breast. A software re‐projector was developed and used to compute projection images for a stationary detector and a linearly shifted x‐ray source. A special re‐projector was developed to preserve the contrast of microcalcifications (MCs). The resulting images were then used to reconstructtomosynthesismammograms using various reconstruction algorithms. Results: We have successively used cone beam CTimages of mastectomy breast specimens to generate 3‐D maps of attenuation coefficients to model compressed breasts and to use them to simulate digital mammograms and tomosynthesisimages. It was found that MCs clearly visible in cone beam CTimages were not visible in regular mammograms but faintly visible in tomosynthesisimages. The MCs were clearly visible in both MC enhanced mammograms and the tomosynthesisimagesreconstructed from them. Conclusions: Cone beam CTimages may be used to model a compressed breast for simulating mammograms and tomosynthesisimages. Cone beam CTimages are superior to regular or tomosynthesismammograms in depicting MCs within their resolution limit. MC enhanced re‐projection, however, could be useful in displaying the cone beam CTimages with the more conventional appearances of regular and tomosynthesismammograms while maintaining the contrast and visibility of MCs in the CTimages. This work was supported in part by a research grant EB00117 from the NIH‐NIBIB and a research grant CA104759 from the NIH‐NCI.
TURBULENT MERCURY JET.

Free turbulent mercury jet mean velocity profiles measured in axial magnetic field, discussing eddy viscosity as function of inverse Reynolds number
Surface-tectonic coupling at the Namche Barwa – Gyala Peri massif and geologic hazards associated with a proposed dam on the Yarlung-Tsangpo river in SE Tibet

DOI = 10.3126/hjs.v5i7.1348 Himalayan Journal of Sciences Vol.5(7) (Special Issue) 2008 p.176
THE POLYMYOSITIS-SCLERODERMA AUTOANTIGEN INTERACTS WITH THE HELIX-LOOP-HELIX PROTEINS E12 AND E47

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors E12 and E47 regulate cellular differentiation and proliferation in diverse cell types. While looking for proteins that bind to E12 and E47 by the yeast interaction trap, we isolated the rat (r) homologue of the human (h) polymyositis-scleroderma autoantigen (PM-Scl), which has been localized to the granular layer of the nucleolus and to distinct nucleocytoplasmic foci. The rPM-Scl and hPM-Scl homologues are 96% similar and 91% identical. We found that rPM-Scl mRNA expression was regulated by growth factor stimulation in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells. rPM-Scl bound to E12 and E47 but not to Id3, Gax, Myb, OCT-1, or Max. The C terminus of rPM-Scl (amino acids 283–353) interacted specifically with a 54-amino acid domain in E12 that is distinct from the bHLH domain. Finally, cotransfection of rPM-Scl and E47 specifically increased the promoter activity of a luciferase reporter construct containing an E box and did not affect the basal activity of the reporter construct. rPM-Scl appears to be a novel non-HLH-interacting partner of E12/E47 that regulates E2A protein transcription.
Biological pacemakers as a therapy for cardiac arrhythmias.

Purpose of reviewCardiac rhythm disorders are caused by malfunctions of impulse generation or conduction. Malfunctions of impulse generation, that is, defects in pacemaking, are often life-threatening. Present therapies span a wide array of approaches, but remain largely palliative. Recent progress
Instrumenting scenarios in a model-driven development environment ☆

Abstract SpecExplorer is an integrated environment for model-driven development of .NET software. In this paper we discuss how scenarios can be described in SpecExplorer's modeling language, Spec#, and how the SpecExplorer tool can be used to validate those scenarios by various means.
ZZ domain of CBP: an unusual zinc finger fold in a protein interaction module

CREB-binding protein (CBP) is a large, multi-domain protein that provides a multitude of binding sites for transcriptional coactivators. The site of interaction of the tumor suppressor p53 and the oncoprotein E1A with CBP/p300 has been identified with the third cysteine-histidine-rich (CH3) domain, which incorporates two zinc-binding motifs, ZZ and TAZ2. We show that these two domains fold independently and do not interact in solution. Our experiments demonstrate conclusively that the interaction of p53 and E1A with the CH3 domain resides exclusively in the TAZ2 domain, with no contribution from the ZZ domain. We report also the three-dimensional solution structure of the ZZ domain of murine CBP. The 52 residue ZZ domain contains two twisted antiparallel β-sheets and a short α-helix, and binds two zinc ions. The identity of the zinc coordinating ligands was resolved unambiguously using NMR spectroscopy of the ZZ domain substituted with 113Cd. One zinc ion is coordinated tetrahedrally via two CXXC motifs to four cysteine side-chains, and the second zinc ion is coordinated tetrahedrally by a third CXXC motif, together with an unusual HXH motif coordinating via the Ne2 atom of His40 and the Nδ1 atom of His-42. The first zinc cluster of the ZZ domain is strictly conserved, whereas the second zinc cluster shows variability in the position of the two histidine residues, reflecting the wide variety of molecules that incorporate ZZ domains. The structure of the ZZ domain shows that it belongs to the family of cross-brace zinc finger motifs that include the PHD, RING, and FYVE domains; however, its biological function is unclear. Mapping of the positions of conserved residues onto the calculated structures reveals a face containing exposed aromatic and hydrophobic side-chains, while the opposite face contains a series of conserved charged or hydrophilic groups. These homologies suggest that the ZZ domain is involved in ligand binding or molecular scaffolding, with specificity provided by the variability of the sequence that contains the helix in the murine CPB ZZ domain structure.
Balancing Private and State Ownership in Emerging Markets' Telecommunications Infrastructure: Country, Industry, and Firm Influences

Bargaining between host states and investors over the terms of investment in sensitive sectors of the economy generates political and economic tensions. In this study, we investigate the factors that contribute to the outcomes of those negotiations as measured by the private (vs state-owned) share of newly consummated telecommunications infrastructure projects. We find that private ownership is positively associated with overall economic development and investment liberalization in the host country and with greenfield (vs divestiture) and joint venture (vs wholly owned) projects. Private ownership is negatively associated with existing telecommunications infrastructure, higher levels of state ownership of foreign investing firms, and the technological sophistication of the projects. Our analysis also shows a curvilinear (inverted U-shaped) relationship between investment policy hazards and private ownership. This finding supports the insight from transaction cost economics that potential gains from internalization are greatest at intermediate levels of uncertainty.
AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF HIGHWAY AERODYNAMIC INTERFERENCES

Abstract Energy and material considerations today point in the direction of smaller and lighter vehicles. With further reductions in the weight of vehicles, aerodynamic forces emerge as a major factor in energy and stability calculations. In the present study the aerodynamic interference forces between two vehicles (passenger cars and articulated trucks) have been investigated experimentally. Tests were conducted in the VPI towing tank and wind tunnels. The results are somewhat qualitative but indicate the order of magnitude of the expected forces and moments. The data match earlier test cases with reasonable accuracy. It is revealed that the critical area is in the neighborhood of the front of the truck cabin for both parallel passing and opposite crossing. Overshoots of the aerodynamic components by 50–100% are encountered in very short periods of time. The study indicates clearly the need to investigate these phenomena and the stability of lighter vehicles thoroughly before their construction and marketing is permitted.
Potential roles of STAT3 in control of differentiation of hematopoietic and neuronal progenitors

Potential roles of STAT3 in control of differentiation of hematopoietic and neuronal progenitors
Pushing the Auger limit: Kinetics of excitons in traps in Cu 2 O

We have measured the Auger recombination rate for excitons in ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ trapped in harmonic potential wells created by inhomogeneous stress. The rate is higher than assumed in most previous experiments, but consistent with the rate reported recently by O'Hara et al. [Phys. Rev. B (to be published)]. We find that even given this rate, the orthoexciton density immediately after creation in the well by a short laser pulse may be high enough for Bose condensation, and there is some evidence that this may occur.
Genetic structuring of boll weevil populations in the US based on RAPD markers

Abstract Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was performed to infer the magnitude and pattern of genetic differentiation among boll weevil populations from eighteen locations across eight US states and north-east Mexico. Sixty-seven reproducible bands from six random primers were analysed for genetic variation within and between weevil populations. Genetic and geographical distances among all populations were positively correlated, reflecting a pattern of isolation by distance within a larger metapopulation. Gene flow between south-central, western and eastern regions is limited, but migration between locations within regions appears to be relatively frequent up to distances of approximately 300-400 km. However, estimates of effective migration were much lower than those estimated from mtDNA-RFLP data reported previously.
Transcriptional regulation of the gene encoding apolipoprotein AI in chicken LMH cells.

Abstract Previous studies indicated that the differential expression of the chicken gene (ApoAI) encoding apolipoprotein AI (ApoAI) in the QMLA-29 and LMH cell lines may be the result of altered cis-elements and/or trans-acting factors. To examine the cis-elements, LMH DNA was used as a template and the 5'-upstream region of ApoAI was PCR amplified. The nucleotide sequence of the LMH ApoAI upstream region was identical to that obtained from young chicken liver DNA. Band shift analyses of the −87 to + 90 bp upstream DNA of ApoA1 showed differences in the shifting patterns when nuclear proteins from LMH and liver cells were used. Southwestern blots with the same DNA fragment and nuclear proteins from liver and LMH also showed differences. There was one common band of approx. 65 kDa. In addition, LMH had a trans-acting factor of approx. 26 kDa, while liver had an approx. 46-kDa protein. These data suggest that LMH has a different trans-acting factor which may downregulate ApoA1 expression.
Size effects and audit pricing: Evidence from Germany

Previous research into audit pricing has focused on the US and Australasian markets. This study aims to elaborate on the role played by various size effects on audit pricing using data from the German market.
An ultrastructural analysis of the development of foetal rat retina transplanted to the occipital cortex, a site lacking appropriate target neurons for optic fibres.

Foetal retina was removed from donor rats at 15 days of gestation and transplanted to the occipital cortex of neonatal host rats. The purpose of this procedure was to examine the development of retinal neurons and photoreceptors, and document synaptic patterns during maturation of the transplanted retina in an environment lacking a normal target for optic axons. Host animals were sacrificed at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 days and samples of cortex containing the transplant were subjected to a light and electron microscopic analysis. During early stages of development, (5 days) the retina assumes a radial orientation with the scleral (outer) surface located centrally and the vitreal (inner) surface occupying the periphery. Numerous mitotic figures are found at the centre of the transplant and columns of primitive neuroblasts appear to radiate out from this zone. By 10 to 15 days after transplantation the retinal tissue contains numerous small rosettes each of which displays a histotypic organization with recognizable layers of sensory cells and their centrally-projecting processes, an outer limiting membrane, made up of a network of zonulae adherentes, and a rudimentary outer and inner plexiform layer which delineate the cells of the inner nuclear layer. Ultrastructural analysis of such rosettes confirmed the presence of typical bipolar, amacrine, horizontal and ganglion cells, but revealed that while the plexiform layers were occupied by numerous processes from these neurons, few if any, of these exhibited synaptic vesicles.
Methods of Stabilizing a Reluctance- Synchronous Machine

In an earlier paper it was shown that machine instability might occur when a reluctance-synchronous machine is operated at low speeds (low frequencies). In this paper, several methods of stabilizing a reluctance-synchronous machine during operation at low speeds are presented. The basis of the stabilizing technique is established by employing the theory of small displacements to show that system damping can be introduced by altering the effective value of the applied voltages according to the change in rotor speed. A control system which continuously adjusts the amplitude of the source voltages as well as a control which employs controlled rectifiers to adjust the effective value of the applied voltages are presented. Results of an analog computer study are given to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of these control systems with sinusoidal and stepped voltages applied to the stator terminals of the machine.
Regulation of Cytochromes P450 During Inflammation and Infection

Hepatic P450 activities are profoundly affected by various infectious and inflammatory stimuli, and this has clinical and toxicological consequences. Whereas the expression of most P450s in the liver is suppressed, some are induced. Many of the effects observed in vivo can be mimicked by pro-inflammatory cytokines and IFNs, and P450s are differentially regulated by these agents. Therefore, different cytokine profiles and concentrations in the vicinity of the hepatocyte in different models of inflammation may result in qualitatively and quantitatively different effects on populations of P450s. In addition to cytokines, glucocorticoids may have an important role in P450 regulation in stress conditions, including that caused by inflammatory stimuli. Although in many cases the decreases in activity are due primarily to a down-regulation of P450 gene transcription, it is likely that modulation of RNA and protein turnover, as well as enzyme inhibition, contributes to some of the observed effects. The mechanisms whereby these effects are produced may also vary with both the P450 under study and the time course of the effect. The complexity of the P450 response to inflammation and infection means that all of the above factors must be considered when trying to predict the effect of a given infectious or inflammatory condition on the clinical or toxic response of humans or animals to an administered drug or toxin. The question of whether the down-regulation of the hepatic P450 system to inflammation or infection is a homeostatic or pathological response cannot be answered at present. It is difficult to discern the physiological benefit of reducing hepatic P450 activities, unless it is to prevent the generation of reactive oxygen species generated by uncoupled catalytic turnover of the enzymes. On the other hand, as we proposed some years ago [64], the suppression of P450 may be due to the liver's need to utilize its transcriptional machinery and energy for the synthesis of APPs involved in the inflammatory response. In that case, one could ask why the organism has gone to the trouble of employing differential mechanisms for suppression of P450. One answer could be that the response evolved after the divergence of many of the P450 genes, necessitating the evolution of multiple redundant mechanisms for P450 suppression. In contrast to the down-regulation of P450s in the liver, the induction of several forms in this and other tissues suggests a more specific homeostatic role of these effects, e.g., in generation or catabolism of bioactive metabolites.
Maternal Hepatic Growth Response to Pregnancy in the Mouse

Pregnancy is characterized by physiological adjustments in the maternal compartment. In this investigation, the influence of pregnancy on maternal liver was examined in CD-1 mice. Dramatic changes were observed in the size of the maternal liver during pregnancy. Livers doubled in weight from the non-pregnant state to day 18 of pregnancy. The pregnancy-induced hepatomegaly was a physiological event of liver growth confirmed by DNA content increase and detection of hepatocyte hyperplasia and hypertrophy. Growth of the liver was initiated following implantation and peaked at parturition. The expression and/or activities of key genes known to regulate liver regeneration, a phenomenon of liver growth compensatory to liver mass loss, were investigated. The results showed that pregnancy-dependent liver growth was associated with interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor α, c-Jun and IL-1β, but independent of hepatocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor 1, tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, constitutive androstane receptor and pregnane X receptor. Furthermore, maternal liver growth was associated with the activation of hepatic signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, β-catenin and epidermal growth factor receptor, but pregnancy did not activate hepatic c-Met. The findings suggest that the molecular mechanisms regulating pregnancy-induced liver growth and injury-induced liver regeneration exhibit overlapping features but are not identical. In summary, the liver of the mouse adapts to the demands of pregnancy via a dramatic growth response driven by hepatocyte proliferation and size increase.
Diarrhea and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea on a surgical service.

Objective: To identify the incidence, risk factors, and treatment of diarrhea and Clostridium difficile —associated diarrhea (CDAD) in surgery patients. Design: Prospective and historical retrospective analysis. Setting: Major urban tertiary care referral hospital. Patients: Consecutive patients (N=475) admitted to the vascular, trauma, and general surgical surgery services, prospectively evaluated during a 10-week period. A retrospective historical control of the same surgical services was used for comparison. Intervention: None. Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of diarrhea and CDAD, use of bowel preparations, surgical procedure, use of C difficile toxin assay, white blood cell count, symptoms, treatment, and delay in hospital discharge. Results: The incidence of diarrhea in surgery patients analyzed prospectively was 6.1%; the incidence of CDAD during the prospective and retrospective periods was 2%. Preoperative bowel preparations were associated with an increased risk of diarrhea (relative risk, 4.2; 95% confidence interval, 2.6-6.8; P 11±10 9 /L) was significantly higher in the CDAD group compared with the diarrhea group only on the day of diagnosis (P Conclusions: Patients undergoing preoperative bowel preparations are at increased risk of experiencing diarrhea and CDAD. Among patients with diarrhea, an elevated white blood cell count may help identify those with C difficile . Early treatment of diarrhea with oral metronidazole while awaiting the results of the stool toxin assay is recommended for treating diarrhea in surgery patients. Prophylactic treatment of surgery patients undergoing bowel preparations should be considered. Arch Surg. 1996;131:1333-1337
Diagnosing performance bottlenecks in emerging petascale applications

Cutting-edge science and engineering applications require petascale computing. It is, however, a significant challenge to use petascale computing platforms effectively. Consequently, there is a critical need for performance tools that enable scientists to understand impediments to performance on emerging petascale systems. In this paper, we describe HPCToolkit---a suite of multi-platform tools that supports sampling-based analysis of application performance on emerging petascale platforms. HPCToolkit uses sampling to pinpoint and quantify both scaling and node performance bottlenecks. We study several emerging petascale applications on the Cray XT and IBM BlueGene/P platforms and use HPCToolkit to identify specific source lines --- in their full calling context --- associated with performance bottlenecks in these codes. Such information is exactly what application developers need to know to improve their applications to take full advantage of the power of petascale systems.
Mate choice and sperm limitation in the spotted spiny lobster, Panulirus guttatus

Abstract Mate choice by females is influenced by male size, resource provisioning and other proxies for male quality. In decapod crustaceans, mating dynamics are complicated by size-dependent sperm limitation associated with unusually low sperm :egg ratios. We explored how mate size influences mating dynamics in the spotted spiny lobster (Panulirus guttatus), a philopatric species that dwells on shallow and often isolated coral reefs in the Caribbean where choice of mates can be limited. We varied the availability and size of male and female lobsters in a series of laboratory experiments and then quantified courtship behaviour, mate choice and fertilization success of each mating. We found that large males initiated most interactions with other males and won 99% of those encounters. Large males were also more successful in garnering mates, but males of all sizes attempted to mate with all sizes of females. Females nearly always (92% of trials) chose males larger than themselves. However, if large males we...
Speech recognition in normal hearing and sensorineural hearing loss as a function of the number of spectral channels

Speech recognition by normal-hearing listeners improves as a function of the number of spectral channels when tested with a noiseband vocoder simulating cochlear implant signal processing. Speech recognition by the best cochlear implant users, however, saturates around eight channels and does not improve when more electrodes are activated, presumably due to reduced frequency selectivity caused by channel interactions. Listeners with sensorineural hearing loss may also have reduced frequency selectivity due to cochlear damage and the resulting reduction in the nonlinear cochlear mechanisms. The present study investigates whether such a limitation in spectral information transmission would be observed with hearing-impaired listeners, similar to implant users. To test the hypothesis, hearing-impaired subjects were selected from a population of patients with moderate hearing loss of cochlear origin, where the frequency selectivity would be expected to be poorer compared to normal hearing. Hearing-impaired subjects were tested for vowel and consonant recognition in steady-state background noise of varying levels using a noiseband vocoder and as a function of the number of spectral channels. For comparison, normal-hearing subjects were tested with the same stimuli at different presentation levels. In quiet and low background noise, performance by normal-hearing and hearing-impaired subjects was similar. In higher background noise, performance by hearing-impaired subjects saturated around eight channels, while performance by normal-hearing subjects continued to increase up to 12–16 channels with vowels, and 10–12 channels with consonants. A similar trend was observed for most of the presentation levels at which the normal-hearing subjects were tested. Therefore, it is unlikely that the effects observed with hearing-impaired subjects were due to insufficient audibility or high presentation levels. Consequently, the results with hearing-impaired subjects were similar to previous results obtained with implant users, but only for background noise conditions.
The Impact of Residential and Nonresidential Drug Treatment on Recidivism Among Drug-Involved Probationers: A Survival Analysis

A variety of approaches for addressing drug use and drug-related crime among the nearly 5 million offenders on community supervision in the United States has been tried and evaluated, but questions remain about which policies or programs are most effective. The authors use a large data set to assess the impact of residential and nonresidential drug treatment on recidivism. Propensity score matching is used to establish equivalent treatment and comparison groups and to enable comparisons of treatment type. Survival analysis is used to determine the extent to which each treatment modality and numerous covariates were associated with time until recidivism. Compared to those receiving no treatment, those receiving nonresidential treatment took longer to fail or recidivate. However, those receiving residential treatment did not differ from those who received no treatment in time to failure. In the treatment-only model, nonresidential treatment participants took longer to fail than their matched residential tre...
Kilometre-scale folding in the Teslin zone, northern Canadian Cordillera, and its tectonic implications for the accretion of the Yukon–Tanana terrane to North America: Discussion

Despite the often divergent opinions regarding the evolution of the Teslin suture zone (TSZ), previous tectonic models broadly agree that the TSZ comprises a ductile shear zone that constitutes a fundamental crustal boundary (e.g., Tempelman-Kluit 1979; Erdmer 1985; Hansen 1989; Stevens and Erdmer 1996; Hansen and Dusel-Bacon 1998). In contrast, de Keijzer et al. (1999) offer a radical model in which the TSZ is a rootless polydeformed nappe obducted onto North America. According to their interpretation the TSZ does not represent a shear zone. Although the influx of new ideas in science is always commendable, the methodology by which de Keijzer et al. (1999) arrive at their interpretation is scientifically flawed; they ignore or arbitrarily dismiss published TSZ data, and they fail to present evidence in support of key elements of their model. Although their data may be valid, we question: (1) their interpretation of linear fabric elements, (2) the existence of kilometre-scale folding, and (3) evidence for North American rocks in the western TSZ. de Keijzer et al. (1999) discard the interpretation of the TSZ as a complex ductile shear zone and assert that, apart from the western TSZ, most lineations represent crenulations and bedding–cleavage intersections. They state that they did not observe stretching lineations or fabric asymmetries. In contrast, previous workers (Erdmer 1985; Hansen 1989, Hansen et al. 1989, 1991; Stevens and Erdmer 1996; Oliver 1996; Hansen and Dusel-Bacon 1998) describe numerous structural domains within the TSZ and correlative L–S tectonites in east-central Alaska, based on elongation lineation orientation and microstructural asymmetry, which they attribute to widespread ductile shear across the entire TSZ. Thus, knowledge of whether or not the TSZ represents a zone of ductile shear deformation is critical to models of TSZ evolution. The presence and nature of quartz …
Effect of Diameter Variation on Electrical Characteristics of Schottky Barrier Indium Arsenide Nanowire Field-Effect Transistors

The effect of diameter variation on electrical characteristics of long-channel InAs nanowire metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors is experimentally investigated. For a range of nanowire diameters, in which significant band gap changes are observed due to size quantization, the Schottky barrier heights between source/drain metal contacts and the semiconducting nanowire channel are extracted considering both thermionic emission and thermally assisted tunneling. Nanowires as small as 10 nm in diameter were used in device geometry in this context. Interestingly, while experimental and simulation data are consistent with a band gap increase for decreasing nanowire diameter, the experimentally determined Schottky barrier height is found to be around 110 meV irrespective of the nanowire diameter. These observations indicate that for nanowire devices the density of states at the direct conduction band minimum impacts the so-called branching point. Our findings are thus distinctly different from bulk...
Package-silicon co-design-experiment with an SOC design

In this paper, we describe a package-silicon co-design approach attempted for an RF integrated SOC design. Extensive simulations were carried out to determine the sensitivity of different package layout parameters on signal integrity and noise related issues. These experiments helped in influencing the package layout design and the custom I/O cell design. The I/O and core bump locations, and the package via locations were determined based on the reliability and noise considerations. Both the floorplanning and package layout were fine tuned to optimize the area and signal integrity issues. This was followed by extensive package simulations to determine the SSN and crosstalk numbers.