cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purification and properties of the glucose-6-phosphate-dependent form of human placental glycogen synthase.

Glycogen synthase in the glucose-6-phosphate (glucose-6-P)-dependent form was purified over 10,000-fold from an extract of term human placenta. The purified enzyme shows a single protein band on polyacry1amide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The enzyme activity in the presence of glucose-6-P is increased by the single addition of Mg2+, Ca2+, or Mn2+ and is reduced by the addition of either sulfate or phosphate. Addition of either Mg2+, Ca2+, or Mn2+ relieves the inhibition by sulfate or phosphate. The enzyme activity in the absence of glucose 6-P is greatly increased by the addition of MnSO4, CoSO4, and NiSO4 and is increased to a lesser extent by MgSO4, CaSO4, and FeSO4. The activation of the glucose-6-P-dependent form of the enzyme by these metal sulfates in the absence of glucose-6-P has never been reported. MnSO4, which shows homotropic cooperativity, is the best activator among the various metal sulfates tested. The human placental glucose-6-P-dependent form of glycogen synthase (D form) can be converted to the glucose-6-P-independent form (I form) of the enzyme by incubating the partially purified glycogen synthase, which is copurified with synthase phosphatase, with Mn2+. This conversion can be reversed by the addition of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. The synthase D to synthase I converting system from human placenta is unique in its stringent requirement for Mn2+.
Comparison of the cohesive and delamination fatigue properties of atomic-layer-deposited alumina and titania ultrathin protective coatings deposited at 200 °C.

The fatigue properties of ultrathin protective coatings on silicon thin films were investigated. The cohesive and delamination fatigue properties of 22 nm-thick atomic-layered-deposited (ALD) titania were characterized and compared to that of 25 nm-thick alumina. Both coatings were deposited at 200 °C. The fatigue rates are comparable at 30 °C, 50% relative humidity (RH) while they are one order of magnitude larger for alumina compared to titania at 80 °C, 90% RH. The improved fatigue performance is believed to be related to the improved stability of the ALD titania coating with water compared to ALD alumina, which may in part be related to the fact that ALD titania is crystalline, while ALD alumina is amorphous. Static fatigue crack nucleation and propagation was not observed. The underlying fatigue mechanism is different from previously documented mechanisms, such as stress corrosion cracking, and appears to result from the presence of compressive stresses and a rough coating–substrate interface.
The Use of Neural Nets for Matching Fixed or Variable Geometry Compressors With Diesel Engines

A technique which uses trained neural nets to model the compressor in the context of a turbocharged diesel engine simulation is introduced. This technique replaces the usual interpolation of compressor maps with the evaluation of a smooth mathematical function. Following presentation of the methodology, the proposed neural net technique is validated against data from a truck type, 6-cylinder 14-liter diesel engine. Furthermore, with the introduction of an additional parameter, the proposed neural net can be trained to simulate an entire family of compressors. As a demonstration, a family of compressors of different sizes is represented with a single neural net model which is subsequently used for matching calculations with intercooled and nonintercooled engine configurations at different speeds. This novel approach readily allows for evaluation of various options within a wide range of possible compressor configurations prior to prototype production. It can also be used to represent the variable geometry machine regardless of the method used to vary compressor characteristics. Hence, it is a powerful design tool for selection of the best compressor for a given diesel engine system and for broader system optimization studies.
Improved definition image expansion

A method for nonlinear image expansion is introduced. The method preserves the discontinuities of the original image, therefore producing an expanded image with improved definition. The maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation technique that is proposed results in the constrained optimization of a convex functional. The expanded image produced from this method will be shown to be aesthetically and quantitatively superior to images expanded by the standard methods of replication, linear interpolation, and cubic B-spline expansion. >
Trajectory of intimate partner violence and healthcare seeking over the life course: study of Japanese women in the Tokyo metropolitan area, Japan

Abstract Objectives To describe the trajectory of, and examine factors affecting, intimate partner violence (IPV) and IPV-specific healthcare seeking among Japanese women over the life course. Study design Life course study. Method One hundred and one women, aged 24–80 years, who had a lifetime history of IPV were interviewed in the Tokyo metropolitan area, Japan in 2005 and 2006. Life course data were collected according to the life history calendar method. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to examine IPV-specific healthcare seeking over the life course. Results Injury, formal or informal help seeking, public assistance, worse self-rated health status and smoking significantly increased the likelihood of IPV-specific healthcare seeking over the life course. There are significant cohort effects on healthcare seeking. The results suggest that women who experience IPV may seek healthcare services not only immediately after the first occurrence of IPV, but also later in life. Conclusions IPV is not always associated with immediate healthcare seeking. In particular, sexual IPV is not significantly associated with healthcare seeking. Pursuing formal and informal help is associated with healthcare seeking.
Potential Occupational Risks Associated with Pulmonary Toxicity of Carbon Nanotubes.

Given their remarkable properties, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have made their way through various industrial and medicinal applications and the overall production of CNTs is expected to grow rapidly in the next few years, thus requiring an additional recruitment of workers. However, their unique applications and desirable properties are fraught with concerns regarding occupational exposure. The concern about worker exposure to CNTs arises from the results of recent animal studies. Short-term and sub-chronic exposure studies in rodents have shown consistent adverse health effects such as pulmonary inflammation, granulomas, fibrosis, genotoxicity and mesothelioma after inhalation or instillation of several types of CNTs. Furthermore, physicochemical properties of CNTs such as dispersion, functionalization and particle size can significantly affect their pulmonary toxicity. Risk estimates from animal studies necessitate implementation of protective measures to limit worker exposure to CNTs. Information on workplace exposure is very limited, however, studies have reported that CNTs can be aerosolized and attain respirable airborne levels during synthesis and processing activities in the workplace. Quantitative risk assessments from sub-chronic animal studies recommend the health-based need to reduce exposures below the recommended exposure limit of 1 μg/m3. Practice of prevention measures including the use of engineering controls, personal protective equipment, health surveillance program, safe handling and use, as well as worker training can significantly minimize worker exposure and improve worker health and safety.
Performance Evaluation of Contention-Based Access in IEEE 802.16 Networks with Subchannelization

IEEE 802.16 wireless networks, known as WiMAX, employ a mechanism for guaranteed time allocation to mobile stations in order to meet the different quality of service requirements for service flows. The base station allocates contention-based time slots for the stations to transmit their requests for additional bandwidth. Each contention time slot can accommodate a single transmission if there is no subchannelization or multiple concurrent transmissions if the base station enables subchannelization during the contention period. For transmission during this period, each station employs a contention-resolution mechanism. In this paper, we develop an analytical model for the bandwidth request and resolution mechanism during this contention period when subchannelization is employed. The model is shown to accurately model the contention period when subchannelization is enabled. Performance metrics, such as throughput and capacity, show that adding more subchannels to the contention time slots increases both the throughput and the capacity of the contention period carrying more successful bandwidth requests. Simulations with different parameter sets are carried out to validate the proposed model.
Ancient Greek Hydromyths About the Submarine Transport of Terrestrial Fresh Water Through Seabeds Offshore of Karstic Regions

This study examined the relationship between ancient Greek texts and the physical possibility of focused, distal flow of terrestrial fresh water through the seabed, particularly offshore of karstic coasts. The four ancient texts which were analyzed describe powerful discharges from submarine springs in the eastern Black Sea; the local transport of groundwater through the bed of Turkey’s Bay of Miletus; alleged subterranean–submarine connections between coastal western Turkey and the Greek northeast Peloponnese; and alleged connections between the coastal western Peloponnese and southeastern coastal Sicily. The plausibility or implausibility of these legends was assessed in the context of modern reports indicating that seabed pathways can transport continental fresh water up to 60 km offshore. Other reports identify fresh water in the seabed as far as 160 km offshore, presumably due to marine-induced forces. These documented cases validated ancient claims of nearshore groundwater transport and legitimized transoceanic claims as mythologized extrapolations of local karstic hydrogeology. As submarine fresh groundwater becomes increasingly important in understanding material transport and in identifying potentially exploitable coastal water supplies, ancient stories from past civilizations may give clues to offshore sites meriting further exploration.
Knowing Where Things Are in the Second Year of Life: Implications for Hippocampal Development

Prior data have revealed striking contrasts between 18- and 24-month-old children in place learning, an ability known to depend on the hippocampus (Newcombe, Huttenlocher, Drummey, & Wiley, 1998). The current research examined the development of three other basic abilities of mature spatial competence: the representation of multiple locations, the learning of relations among objects, and the recall of a single location after a substantial filled delay. Results indicated a transition from 18 to 24 months in all three abilities. This evidence supports a general transition in spatial representation that occurs towards the end of infancy. Existing neurobehavioral data suggest that a corresponding change in hippocampal functioning underlies this development.
A comparison of Cartesian genetic programming and linear genetic programming

Two prominent genetic programming approaches are the graph-based Cartesian Genetic Programming (CGP) and Linear Genetic Programming (LGP). Recently, a formal algorithm for constructing a directed acyclic graph (DAG) from a classical LGP instruction sequence has been established. Given graph-based LGP and traditional CGP, this paper investigates the similarities and differences between the two implementations, and establishes that the significant difference between them is each algorithm's means of restricting interconnectivity of nodes. The work then goes on to compare the performance of two representations each (with varied connectivity) of LGP and CGP to a directed cyclic graph (DCG) GP with no connectivity restrictions on a medical classification and regression benchmark.
Editorial Commentary: Pseudomonas aeruginosa Eradication: How Do We Measure Success?

(See the Major Article by Mayer-Hamblett et al on pages 707–15.) Lung disease remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality for people living with cystic fibrosis (CF) [1]. Dysfunctional chloride conductance in the airways results in impaired mucus clearance, which drives a vicious cycle of infection, inflammation, and airway destruction. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is a bacterial pathogen largely feared by the CF community as its chronic presence is associated with lung damage, a more rapid decline in lung function, and earlier mortality [2–6]. Unfortunately, Pa in airway secretions will be cultured in 80% of people with CF by age 18 years.
Acute effects of hemodialysis on echographic-determined cardiac performance: Improved contractility resulting from serum increased calcium with reduced potassium despite hypovolemic-reduced cardiac output

The hemodialysis session leads to reduction in circulating blood volume (TBV) and arterial pressure (BP) plus correction of electrolyte imbalance. The effect of these alterations on cardiac performance was evaluated in 18 patients with end-stage renal disease. Hemodialysis for 5 hours led to significant reduction (p less than 0.001) in weight TBV, and BP. Neither ejection fraction nor percentage fiber shortening was altered, whereas mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (mean VCF) and mean systolic ejection rate (MSER) were both significantly increased (1.17 +/- 0.20 to 1.38 +/- 0.28 circ/sec and 2.38 +/- 0.27 to 2.80 +/- 0.40 EDV/sec, respectively; p less than 0.001 for each). Since both venous return and systolic BP were decreased, increase in velocity of ventricular contraction implies enhancement of cardiac performance beyond what would be expected from alterations in ventricular filling and resistance to ejection. This enhancement is possibly related to concomitant reduction in serum potassium (p less than 0.001) and increase in serum calcium (p less than 0.005) achieved by hemodialysis.
CLINICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF CUSHING'S SYNDROME

Over the past decade, several advances have been made in our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas, and novel diagnostic tests for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome have been developed. Although established in the late 1970s, measurement of UFC has emerged as the most sensitive and specific test to screen for and confirm the presence of Cushing's syndrome. The combined CRH/DST is potentially a useful adjunct in patients with probable pseudo-Cushing's syndrome and borderline elevated urinary cortisol levels. Improved assays for circulating ACTH levels are now used as the first test in differentiating ACTH-dependent from ACTH-independent sources. HDDST with the revised reference ranges for UFC currently remains the primary test for differentiating pituitary from ectopic ACTH secretion. However, the CRH test may replace the HDDST in the foreseeable future because of its lower rate of false-positive and false-negative results. IPSS has been established as an integral part of the evaluation of patients with suspected Cushing's disease and no conclusive (> 0.8 to 1 cm) pituitary adenoma. Advances in the radiolabeling of small peptides, such as somatostatin analogs, may facilitate the search for occult ectopic sources.
Re-Envisioning the City: Lefebvre, HOPE VI, and the Neoliberalization of Urban Space

This study draws upon the urban theory of Henri Lefebvre to examine HOPE VI, a public housing demolition and redevelopment program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Hailed as a new approach to urban policy, the HOPE VI program embodies many of the key tenets of neoliberal urbanization, including an emphasis on entrepreneurial forms of urban regeneration and a focus on individual responsibility. To provide a lens for understanding this neoliberalization of space, we first detail Lefebvre's theorization of abstract space and transparency, highlighting in particular its nondialectical and depoliticized character. We then turn to examine the HOPE VI model and its implementation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Lefebvre's analysis, we argue, provides a useful entry point for interpreting the re-envisioning of urban space that underlies HOPE VI-style redevelopment, and therefore can potentially inform contemporary struggles against neoliberal urban policy.
If only to be heard: Value-Freedom and Ethics in Alfred Schutz’s Economic and Political Writings

Alfred Schutz’s critique of Ludwig von Mises, while not sacrificing value-freedom within economic science, opened up possibilities for a politico-ethical critique of the economic sphere. Schutz’s account of rationality, however, lacked resources for developing the theoretical bases of this critique. Although his political writings proceeded formally and descriptively, observing the constraints of value-freedom, there are potentialities in some published and unpublished works for developing an ethical theory, albeit a rather formal one. This paper articulates the lineaments of that theory, based on a concept of “participative agency” that emerges from the ethical commitments underpinning the Austrian economic tradition.
Changes in renal haemodynamics and kidney weight during pregnancy in the unanaesthetized rat

1. Glomerular filtration rate ([(3)H]inulin clearance) and renal plasma flow (PAH clearance) were measured in unanaesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats early in pregnancy (8-10 days) and near term (18-20 days); the results were compared with studies in virgin litter-mates. Evidence of kidney growth was sought by analysing renal dry weights as well as [(14)C]choline incorporation into membrane phospholipids of renal cortical slices.2. Inulin clearances were similar early in pregnancy (pregnant 2.36 +/- 0.12 (S.E. of mean) vs. non-pregnant 2.33 +/- 0.10 ml./min) but near term values were significantly increased (pregnant 2.80 +/- 0.05 vs. non-pregnant 2.39 +/- 0.05 ml./min, P < 0.001). PAH clearances were similar in pregnant and litter-mate control animals at each stage of the study.3. Total renal weight increased significantly both early and late in pregnancy, but renal dry weights as well as [(14)C]choline incorporation were similar in pregnant and non-pregnant animals both at 8-10 days gestation and near term.4. Data confirm our previous findings on renal haemodynamics in anaesthetized rats. Observations that renal dry weight and [(14)C]choline incorporation into phospholipids are similar in litter-mate pregnant and control animals suggests that renal enlargement in this species is due to increments in water content and not to accelerated growth.
DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF HANFORD UNIRRADIATED FUEL PACKAGE SUBJECTED TO SEQUENTIAL LATERAL LOADS IN HYPOTHETICAL ACCIDENT CONDITIONS

Large fuel casks present challenges when evaluating their performance in the Hypothetical Accident Conditions (HAC) specified in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 10 part 71 (10CFR71). Testing is often limited by cost, difficulty in preparing test units and the limited availability of facilities which can carry out such tests. In the past, many casks were evaluated without testing by using simplified analytical methods. This paper presents a numerical technique for evaluating the dynamic responses of large fuel casks subjected to sequential HAC loading. A nonlinear dynamic analysis was performed for a Hanford Unirradiated Fuel Package (HUFP) [1] to evaluate the cumulative damage after the hypothetical accident Conditions of a 30-foot lateral drop followed by a 40-inch lateral puncture as specified in 10CFR71. The structural integrity of the containment vessel is justified based on the analytical results in comparison with the stress criteria, specified in the ASME Code, Section III, Appendix F [2], for Level D service loads. The analyzed cumulative damages caused by the sequential loading of a 30-foot lateral drop and a 40-inch lateral puncture are compared with the package test data. The analytical results are in good agreement with the test results.
Pressure and Temperature Dependence of the Elastic Moduli of Polycrystalline MgF2

The pressure and temperature derivatives of the bulk (Ks) and shear (μ) moduli of two polycrystalline MgF2 specimens measured to 5 kbars and 200°C, using the ultrasonic pulse-echo-overlap method are, for specimens A and B, respectively: dKs/dP 5.06 and 5.10;dμ/dP 0.72 and 0.73;dKs/dT -0.160 and-0.155 kbar/deg.; dμ/dT -0.092 and -0.088 kbar/deg. The ambient elastic modulus results are in agreement with the iso-tropic values calculated from the previous single-crystal experimental data and theoretically derived values based on the rigid-ion model. The measured dKs/dP and dμ/dP are significantly higher than the corresponding theoretical values based on the rigid-ion model calculations (the rigid-ion model predicts negative dμ/dP). However, the measmed dKs/dT and dμ/dT are in fairly good agreement with the calculated values based on the previous single-crystal and recent polycrystalline data of other investigators. The present results for MgF2 are discussed in light of velocity-density systematics for the rutile-structured difluorides and oxides.
17β-Nitro-5α-androstan-3α-ol and its 3β-methyl derivative: Neurosteroid analogs with potent anticonvulsant and anxiolytic activities

Many 17-substituted androstan-3alpha-ol analogs act as positive allosteric modulators of GABA(A) receptors and exert anticonvulsant and anxiolytic-like activity actions in animal models. The endogenous neurosteroid allopregnanolone (17beta-acetyl; 1) is among the most potent of these. Here we demonstrate that 3alpha-hydroxy-17beta-nitro-5alpha-androstane (2b) and its 3beta-methyl analog (3alpha-hydroxy-3beta-methyl-17beta-nitro-5alpha-androstane; 2c) modulate GABA(A) receptors as assessed by [(35)S]t-butylbicyclo-phosphorothionate and [(3)H]flunitrazepam binding with potencies equivalent to or greater than 1. These compounds also had potencies equivalent to or greater than 1 in the pentylenetetrazol and 6Hz seizure models in the mouse. Furthermore, 2b exhibited anxiolytic-like activity in the elevated zero maze. The 3beta-hydroxy, 3alpha-desmethyl analog (2a) was devoid of activity on GABA(A) receptors in vitro but had moderate activity in the seizure models, possibly as a result of epimerization in vivo at the 3-position. This conclusion was supported by the lack of in vivo activity of the 3beta-hydroxy, 3alpha-methyl analog (2d), which is not expected to undergo epimerization. We conclude that nitro can serve as a bioisostere for acetyl at the 17beta-position of 5alpha-androstan-3alpha-ol, such that the nitro analog fully retains the bioactivity of the endogenous neurosteroid at GABA(A) receptors.
High-dose paclitaxel plus G-CSF for malignant mesothelioma: CALGB phase II study 9234

Summary Background: New agents with activity in mesothelioma are sorely needed. The Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) therefore performed a phase II study of high-dose paclitaxel in patients with malignant mesothelioma who had no prior chemotherapy. Patients and methods: Thirty-five patients accrued to this multi-institutional phase II study of paclitaxel given as a 24hour infusion at 250 mg/m 2 every three weeks plus filgrastim (G-CSF) 300 meg subcutaneously days 3-18. Results: There were three (9%) regressions of evaluable disease. The median survival was five months (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.9-9.6 months), the one-year survival rate was 14% and the two-year survival rate was 6%. Toxicity was tolerable with one death from pneumonia (without neutropenia) on day 18 and a 23% rate of grade 4 granulocytopenia. Conclusions: The level of activity seen with paclitaxel is similar to that seen in other CALGB trials of the single agents carboplatin, trimetrexate and 5-azacytidine. Future studies of of paclitaxel (at lower doses) in combination with synergistic agents could be considered.
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS™) for treatment-resistant depression: Efficacy, side effects, and predictors of outcome

This open pilot study of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS™) in 60 patients with treatment-resistant major depressive episodes (MDEs) aimed to: 1) define the response rate; 2) determine the profile of side effects; and, most importantly; 3) establish predictors of clinical outcome. Participants were outpatients with nonatypical, nonpsychotic, major depressive or bipolar disorder who had not responded to at least two medication trials from different antidepressant classes in the current MDE. While on stable medication regimens, the patients completed a baseline period followed by device implantation. A 2-week, single blind, recovery period (no stimulation) was followed by 10 weeks of VNS. Of 59 completers (one patient improved during the recovery period), the response rate was 30.5% for the primary HRSD28 measure, 34.0% for the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRAS), and 37.3% for the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Score (CGI-I of 1 or 2). The most common side effect was voice alteration or hoarseness, 55.0% (33/60), which was generally mild and related to output current intensity. History of treatment resistance was predictive of VNS outcome. Patients who had never received ECT (lifetime) were 3.9 times more likely to respond. Of the 13 patients who had not responded to more than seven adequate antidepressant trials in the current MDE, none responded, compared to 39.1% of the remaining 46 patients (p = .0057). Thus, VNS appears to be most effective in patients with low to moderate, but not extreme, antidepressant resistance. Evidence concerning VNS' long-term therapeutic benefits and tolerability will be critical in determining its role in treatment-resistant depression.
EVALUATION OF PARTIALLY OVERLAPPING 3D POINT CLOUD'S REGISTRATION BY USING ICP VARIANT AND CLOUDCOMPARE

Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS) are used to get dense point samples of large object’s surface. TLS is new and efficient method to digitize large object or scene. The collected point samples come into different formats and coordinates. Different scans are required to scan large object such as heritage site. Point cloud registration is considered as important task to bring different scans into whole 3D model in one coordinate system. Point clouds can be registered by using one of the three ways or combination of them, Target based, feature extraction, point cloud based. For the present study we have gone through Point Cloud Based registration approach. We have collected partially overlapped 3D Point Cloud data of Department of Computer Science & IT (DCSIT) building located in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad. To get the complete point cloud information of the building we have taken 12 scans, 4 scans for exterior and 8 scans for interior facade data collection. There are various algorithms available in literature, but Iterative Closest Point (ICP) is most dominant algorithms. The various researchers have developed variants of ICP for better registration process. The ICP point cloud registration algorithm is based on the search of pairs of nearest points in a two adjacent scans and calculates the transformation parameters between them, it provides advantage that no artificial target is required for registration process. We studied and implemented three variants Brute Force, KDTree, Partial Matching of ICP algorithm in MATLAB. The result shows that the implemented version of ICP algorithm with its variants gives better result with speed and accuracy of registration as compared with CloudCompare Open Source software.
2 Pezizomycotina: Pezizomycetes, Orbiliomycetes

The classes Orbiliomycetes and Pezizomycetes are early diverging lineages in the Pezizomycotina. The Orbiliomycetes, with a single order and single family, produce small ascomata, small unitunicate asci that open without an operculum, and minute ascospores. They are saprobic or predaceous on invertebrates. The order exhibits a range of conidial states, all of which develop holoblastically. Some of the anamorphs are found routinely in aquatic habitats. The Pezizomycetes are organized under a single order with 13 families. Families are distinguished based on characters of the asci, ascospores, and general morphology of the ascomata. Many members are mycorrhizal. Saprobes occur on plant material and dung. There are a few plant parasitic species. Of note in the class is the multiple origin of hypogeous taxa, nearly all of which occur within clades that are known to be mycorrhizal. Mitosporic states developing holoblastically are known in most families.
Social network perspective on franchising firm's performance

This paper examines franchising from the social networks perspective. The franchising network makes it possible for organizations to interconnect with others through social and economic relationships which result in a social network. Participants of a network typically profit from sharing financial, institutional, knowledge and informational resources. Expansion through franchising allows companies to evaluate potentially valuable partnering opportunities and expand its network. The benefits obtained from being a part of the network are expected to contribute to better firm performance. On the other hand, heavy reliance on franchising may result in a loss of product quality and diminishing brand value. The inverted U curvilinear relationship between the firm’s proportion of franchising and performance is tested within a contingency framework with size and com petitive intensity within an industry as moderators. Based on the data from 56 franchising firms representing 10 industries, the findings support not inverted curvilinear relationship.
Peer Pressure in Voluntary Environmental Programs: a Case of the Bag Rewards Program

This paper studies stores that voluntarily reward consumers for changing their convenience-oriented, waste-increasing consumption behaviors. We focus on shopping bag rewards programs which encourage consumers to substitute reusable bags for plastic bags. Instead of assuming that consumers have environmental consciousness, we consider the peer pressure of participating in rewards programs among consumers as the driving force increasing the number of consumers behaving in environmentally friendly ways. The results show that rewards programs can be effective in reducing plastic bag users in the long term and can increase profits for the stores implementing them. Unlike former studies suggesting a plastic bag ban or levy to reduce plastic bag use, these findings suggest that the policymakers should support these long-term-effective bag rewards programs by educating consumers about the value of using reusable bags and offering subsidies for stores that implement bag rewards programs.
A rapid radioimmunoassay for insulin.

A rapid and simple method for the radioimmunoassay of insulin is described. It is possible to assay 100 samples in less than 12 hours. In the assay a polystyrene test tube is coated with insulin antibody which will quantitatively bind insulin. The tube provides a reaction vessel and also a method of separating bound from free insulin, as the latter is removed by aspirating the solution after incubation. When both labelled and unlabelled insulin are added to the tube, the binding of radioactive insulin is inversely related to the concentration of unlabelled insulin.
A MULTICENTER STUDY OF THE ETIOLOGY AND OUTCOME OF CARDIAC TAMPONADE IN THE CONTEMPORARY ERA

Malignancy has been traditionally the predominant etiology of cardiac tamponade (CT) occurring in 32-65% of patients. With the rise of percutaneous cardiovascular procedures, we sought to reexamine the etiology and outcomes of CT in the contemporary era. Unselected patients with CT were identified
Superconducting Behavior of YBa2Cu3O6.8/Bi2Sr2CanCun+1Ox Multilayers

Composite YBCO/BSCCO films on MgO(lOO) substrates were fabricated by using laser deposition. The structures and transport properties of these composite films were studied. The model of 3D percolating network in YBCO thin films will be discussed.
Idiopathic Giant-Cell Myocarditis — Natural History and Treatment

Background Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis is a rare and frequently fatal disorder. We used a multicenter data base to define the natural history of giant-cell myocarditis and the effect of treatment. Methods We identified 63 patients with idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis through journal announcements and direct mailings to cardiovascular centers worldwide. Results The patients consisted of 33 men and 30 women with an average age of 42.6 years; 88 percent were white, 5 percent were black, 5 percent were Southeast Asian or Indian, and 2 percent were Middle Eastern. Most presented with congestive heart failure (47 patients, or 75 percent), ventricular arrhythmia (9 patients, or 14 percent), or heart block (3 patients, or 5 percent), although in some cases the initial symptoms resembled those of acute myocardial infarction (4 patients). Nineteen percent had associated autoimmune disorders. The rate of survival was worse than among 111 patients with lymphocytic myocarditis in the Myocarditis Treatment Tria...
Proposed Rules for the incorporation of nomina of higher-ranked zoological taxa in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature . 1. Some general questions, concepts and terms of biological nomenclature

Les noms scientifiques (nomina) des taxons de rangs superieurs (au-dessus de la super-famille) d'animaux ne sont pas regis par le Code international de nomenclature zoologique, mais par un « consensus » entre chercheurs. Cependant, lorsqu'il n'existe pas de vrai consensus, une situation frequente, des criteres doivent etre employes pour etablir quel nomen doit etre considere valide pour un taxon donne. Avec la multiplication des taxons qui resulte du developpement des analyses cladistiques, la mise en vigueur de regles va devenir de plus en plus necessaire et importante. Pour etre acceptables par tous les zoologistes du monde, de nos jours et dans l'avenir, de telles regles devraient etre independantes de la philosophie de la taxinomie adoptee, mais devraient permettre une attribution non-ambigue, automatique et universelle d'un seul nomen a chaque taxon superieur, dans le cadre de toute taxinomie, qu'elle soit « phylogenetique » ou non. Ce premier article est consacre a la discussion detaillee de divers problemes theoriques et terminologiques relatifs a cette question. L'idee est defendue ici qu'il est trompeur et dangereux de tenter de rendre la nomenclature artificiellement « simple ». Les problemes poses par la nomination de millions de sortes d'organismes, lies entre eux par l'evolution et qui ont ete etudies depuis deux siecles et demi selon differentes approches, sont indeniablement complexes: cette complexite doit etre reconnue et assumee et la discipline chargee de cette etude doit etre reconnue comme un domaine technique specifique, avec ses propres methodes, concepts et termes. Parmi diverses propositions avancees dans cet article, il est suggere d'abandonner definitivement le terme mensonger de « type » en taxinomie et en nomenclature, des categories objectives d'« usage » des nomina sont definies pour la premiere fois et une distinction est faite entre « categories » taxinomiques et « rangs » nomenclaturaux.
Motivations of Fur Trappers in Interior Alaska

ABSTRACTUnderstanding how and why trapping effort varies among fur trappers is necessary to accurately interpret trends in fur harvest for wildlife management. We mailed questionnaires to 1,760 fur trappers in interior Alaska to characterize motivations for trapping and primary factors affecting trapping effort. A cluster analysis revealed four groups with distinct motivations for trapping: wildlife management (17% of trappers), recreation (39%), subsistence (18%), and solitude (26%) trappers. Perceived furbearer abundance had the greatest effect on trapping effort, while access to land and human conflicts were the most important social issues to trappers. Economic gain was the least important motivation for trapping among respondents. Because trapping effort mirrored furbearer abundance, harvest-based abundance indices may amplify true changes in population sizes. Our findings also suggested that managers seeking to maintain or increase satisfaction among trappers should focus on reducing human conflicts...
Prüfung der exokrinen Pankreasfunktion bei Patienten mit Pankreatitis, juvenilem Diabetes mellitus, „Pankreopathie“ (Sekretin-Pankreozymin-Test mit Volumenverlustkorrektur) und BII-Magenresektion (Lundh-Test mit Volumenverlustkorrektur)

Zur Diagnostik von Pankreaserkrankungen ist eine Prufung der hydrokinetischen und ekbolen Pankreasfunktion neben endoskopisch radiologischer Pancreaticographie [1] und laborchemischen Untersuchungen [2, 3] erforderlich. Der empfindlichste Pankreasfunktionstest ist der Sekretin-Pankreozymin-Test mit Volumenverlustkorrektur, weil Bikarbonat- und Enzymoutputs zur Beurteilung der exokrinen Pankreasfunktion herangezogen werden. Jedoch gelingt eine eigentliche Diagnostik der Pankreaserkrankungen mit dem Sekretin-Pankreozymin-Test keineswegs grundsatzlich, denn eine verminderte exokrine Pankreasfunktion wird bestimmt durch die Lokalisation, Grad und Ausdehnung des entzundlichen oder neoplastischen Prozesses. So ist dieser Test zur Diagnostik von Pankreatitis und der haufig gestellten Verdachtsdiagnose „Pankreopathie“ geeignet, wahrend er zur Erkennung des Pankreaskarzinoms nur bedingt brauchbar ist.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) in colorectal cancer chemoprevention

Colorectal carcinoma is an important, feasible and attractive target for chemoprevention because a) it is a major cause of mortality in the United States and in other developed countries worldwide, b) there is a high mortality associated with advanced disease, c) there is a well described molecular carcinogenesis pathway and d) recent advances in molecular genetics will improve the ability to identify high-risk subjects. Epidemiological data, colonoscopic screening and advances in molecular genetics has made possible the identification and selection of subjects at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Due to this new information it may be possible to impede malignant cellular transformation with drugs. Such intervention with relatively simple maneuvers, such as a low daily dose of aspirin, can potentially reduce mortality from colorectal cancer. Prospective trials need to confirm experimental and epidemiological data supporting the efficacy of aspirin and other NSAID as chemopreventive agents before they can be used in the general population at risk. To use cancer chemopreventives effectively and safely in an asymptomatic population, the risks should be minimized and the benefits maximized by determination of optimal dose, schedule and chemopreventive mechanism of the NSAID. By linking the putative mechanism of drug action to effect endpoints, we expect to know whether the chemopreventive intervention is likely to be effective in a given individual.
Comparative mass spectrometry-based metabolomics strategies for the investigation of microbial secondary metabolites.

Covering: 2000 to 2016 The labor-intensive process of microbial natural product discovery is contingent upon identifying discrete secondary metabolites of interest within complex biological extracts, which contain inventories of all extractable small molecules produced by an organism or consortium. Historically, compound isolation prioritization has been driven by observed biological activity and/or relative metabolite abundance and followed by dereplication via accurate mass analysis. Decades of discovery using variants of these methods has generated the natural pharmacopeia but also contributes to recent high rediscovery rates. However, genomic sequencing reveals substantial untapped potential in previously mined organisms, and can provide useful prescience of potentially new secondary metabolites that ultimately enables isolation. Recently, advances in comparative metabolomics analyses have been coupled to secondary metabolic predictions to accelerate bioactivity and abundance-independent discovery work flows. In this review we will discuss the various analytical and computational techniques that enable MS-based metabolomic applications to natural product discovery and discuss the future prospects for comparative metabolomics in natural product discovery.
ABI4 represses the expression of type-A ARRs to inhibit seed germination in Arabidopsis

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in regulating seed germination and post-germination growth. ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE4 (ABI4), an APETALA2 (AP2)-type transcription factor, is required for the ABA-mediated inhibition of seed germination. Cytokinins promote seed germination and seedling growth by antagonizing ABA signaling. However, the interaction between ABA and cytokinin signaling during seed germination remains unclear. Here, we report that ABA signaling downregulates Arabidopsis response regulators (ARRs), a class of cytokinin-inducible genes, during seed germination and cotyledon greening. We found that the application of exogenous ABA repressed the expression of type-A ARRs in Arabidopsis seeds and seedlings. Among the type-A ARR family members, the expression of ARR6, ARR7 and ARR15 was upregulated in ABA-deficient mutants, indicating that the transcriptional inhibition of type-A ARRs requires the ABA signaling pathway. Single and multiple mutations of these ARRs resulted in increased ABA sensitivity during germination and cotyledon greening; overexpression of ARR7 or ARR15 led to an ABA-insensitive phenotype. These observations suggest that type-A ARRs inhibit the ABA response during seed germination and cotyledon greening. Further analysis showed that ABI4 negatively regulated the transcription of ARR6, ARR7 and ARR15 by directly binding to their promoters. Genetic analysis showed that loss-of-function mutations of ARR7 and ARR15 partially rescued the ABA insensitivity of abi4-1. Thus, this study revealed that ABI4 plays a key role in ABA and cytokinin signaling by inhibiting the transcription of type-A ARRs to inhibit seed germination and cotyledon greening.
Efficacy and tolerability of oral versus injectable disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis in clinical practice.

BackgroundThe advent of oral disease-modifying therapies fundamentally changed the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Nevertheless, impressions of their relative efficacy and tolerability are primari...
Harold E. Lebovitz, MD: Legendary Diabetologist

Harold (Hal) Lebovitz turned 85 years old in October 2016. You wouldn’t know it from his travel schedule. He seems to go to India, or somewhere equally far, at least once a month. Despite long travels, he always shows up looking very perky and full of energy. In Harold’s case, some people will drive as much as 500 miles to attend his presentations, and as one physician commented, “Oh, yes, Harold Lebovitz is the greatest. I would go any distance to hear him speak.” And, in speaking, he has always adjusted his presentation to fit exactly to the time allocated without apparently looking at his watch. His array of topics spans all of diabetes and is always quite up to date. Harold Emil Lebovitz was born in Pittsburgh, PA, on 13 October 1931 to David (Dave) and Frieda Pachman Lebovitz. Harold’s father, Dave, had wanted to be a physician, but his parents told Dave he could never support a family as a physician, so he became a pharmacist. Dave opened Lawrenceville Drugs in Pittsburgh. The family lived above the store and Harold and his older brother, Al, as teenagers and while in college, worked there as soda jerks and helped fill prescriptions. All three of the brothers became physicians: Al, now deceased, was a psychiatrist; Harold is an endocrinologist; and Philip, the youngest, is a cardiologist. Dave continued to work actively as a pharmacist, even after selling his store and moving to Florida, only retiring at age 86. Harold Lebovitz at college graduation Harold as a young faculty member Harold received his undergraduate and medical degrees, in 1952 and 1956, respectively, from the University of Pittsburgh. During his senior year of medical school, he was a Lederle Research Student Fellow in Pathology. He also served as president of Alpha Omega …
Biostratigraphic Potential of the Cryptodont Bivalve Buchiola Retrostriata From Upper Devonian Shale, Southwestern Virginia

Buchiola retrostriata (von Buch), a former inhabitant of muddy deep-sea substrata, can be used to identify lower Upper Devonian shale (about middle Finger Lakes to basal Cohocton) in Virginia. This distinctive and fairly abundant cryptodont clam has potential as a zonal guide fossil for rocks characterized by what has been traditionally termed the "Naples fauna" in the Appalachian Basin.
European Communities Progress towards Electromagnetic Fields Exposure Standards in the Workplace

The regulatory activity of the European Community (EC) on protecting humans from non-ionizing radiation dates back to 1970. That year the Commission’s Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Education was given the responsibility for protecting human health. A Working Group of experts was established and a technical document containing the basic restrictions for health protection from microwaves was prepared. This document was converted into a proposal for a directive to be submitted to the Council for approval. This proposal, aimed to protect workers and the general public from microwave radiation hazards, was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities in 1980. In 1981 the European Parliament and the Economic Social Committee made a positive evaluation, but, in spite of that, the proposed Directive has never been approved by the Council of Ministers. From 1983 to 1984 the proposal on microwaves was modeled and aligned according to the framework of other Council Directives on the protection of workers from hazards due to exposure to other chemical, biological and physical agents. The introduction of basic limits defined in terms of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) was the peculiar improvement of workers protection philosophy adopted by the EC at that time. The basic restriction for SAR was defined at the value of 0.4 W/kg averaged over any period of six minutes and over the whole body mass and at the value of 4 W/kg for one gram of tissue. However, no agreement was reached on the derived limits expressed in terms of electric and magnetic field intensity or power density.
The influences of melting degree of TiC reinforcements on microstructure and mechanical properties of laser direct deposited Ti6Al4V-TiC composites

Abstract This study is concerned with the influences of melting degree of embedded TiC reinforcements on microstructure and mechanical properties of laser direct deposited Ti6Al4V-TiC composites and a functionally graded material. The melting degree of embedded TiC was controlled by the input laser energy density and the added TiC content. The formation of detrimental primary dendritic TiC grains was successfully avoided by properly adjusting the deposition conditions and the particle size range of TiC reinforcements. The resultant compression test revealed the ultimate strength increasing from 1381 ± 19 MPa to 1636 ± 23 MPa as the premixed TiC content increased from 0 to 15 vol% while a true strain of 0.141 ± 0.002 was still retained for 15 vol% TiC. The primary strengthening mechanism for composites with the most melting control of TiC is the solid solution strengthening induced by carbon, while that for the least melting control is dominated by the unmelted TiC particulates and the refined microstructure resulting from the resolidified carbides. The defect-free functionally graded Ti6Al4V-TiC with 0 to 40 vol% TiC achieved an increased hardness from HRC ~ 39 to HRC ~ 65.