cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effective use of marketing research consultants

Abstract Relatively little has been written about effectively managing the buyer-seller relationship for marketing research services. To provide insights into effectively managing this relationship, a survey of both buyers and sellers of marketing research services was conducted. Major findings were that proper problem definition, a familiarity with research methods by the research buyer, and continuous communication between buyer and seller were critical determinants of a successful consultant relationship. For best results the market research buyer-seller relationship should be treated as a mutually beneficial one, not one of conflict or acrimony.
Phonon splitting and anomalous enhancement of infrared-active modes in BaFe2As2

We present a comprehensive infrared spectroscopic study of lattice dynamics in the pnictide parent compound BaFe${}_{2}$As${}_{2}$. In the tetragonal structural phase, we observe the two degenerate symmetry-allowed in-plane infrared-active phonon modes. Following the structural transition from the tetragonal to the orthorhombic phase, we observe a splitting into four nondegenerate phonon modes and a significant phonon strength enhancement. These detailed data allow us to provide a physical explanation for the anomalous phonon strength enhancement as being the result of anisotropic conductivity due to Hund's coupling.
Efficient implementation of the OSI transport protocol checksum algorithm using 8/16-bit arithmetic

The checksum algorithm recommended in the OSI transport-protocol specfications is an arithemetic checksum algorithm which makes heavy use of base-255 addition. In this technical note, an efficient implementation of the recommended checksum algorithm is derived, using 8-bit unsigned addition as the base for an inexpensive modulo-255 addition.
511 ABDOMINAL DISTENTION FOLLOWING FEEDING OF HIGH DENSITY CALORIC FORMULA IN THE LOW BIRTH WEIGHT (LBW) INFANT

Fifth-four LBW infants who received Similac 24 LBW formula within the first 6 mos. of its introduction at I.M.M.C. were studied. Abdominal distention (AD) was noted in 27 infants. Regurgitation (3/27), significant gastric residuals (5/27), and occult blood in the stools (8/27) were noted as accompanying signs. Infants who developed AD (29.6 ± 3.1 wks) were 2.2 wks more premature (p<0.01) than those who did not (31.8 ± 3.0 wks). Those who developed AD (1271 ± 415 g) were smaller (p<.05) than those who did not (1524 ± 532 g). Abdominal roentgenograms of infants who developed AD failed to demonstrate lactobezoar. The table shows feeding mode (FM) and incidence of AD. AD seems to be related to FM (p<0.05). However, to say that FM causes a difference in the incidence of AD requires random assignment of patients to FM which is difficult for ethical and medical reasons. The preferred initial FM of non-distressed LBW infants at I.M.M.C. is CF. When CF is tolerated at 80-100 ml/kg/day, the FM is changed to GF, then, depending on the infant's coordination of sucking and swallowing, BF is introduced.
Classification of mass and normal breast tissue on digital mammograms: Multiresolution texture analysis

We investigated the feasibility of using multiresolution texture analysis for differentiation of masses from normal breast tissue on mammograms. The wavelet transform was used to decompose regions of interest (ROIs) on digitized mammograms into several scales. Multiresolution texture features were calculated from the spatial gray level dependence matrices of (1) the original images at variable distances between the pixel pairs, (2) the wavelet coefficients at different scales, and (3) the wavelet coefficients up to certain scale and then at variable distances between the pixel pairs. In this study, 168 ROIs containing biopsy-proven masses and 504 ROIs containing normal parenchyma were used as the data set. The mass ROIs were randomly and equally divided into training and test groups along with corresponding normal ROIs from the same film. Stepwise linear discriminant analysis was used to select optimal features from the multiresolution texture feature space to maximize the separation of mass and normal tissue for all ROIs. We found that texture features at large pixel distances are important for the classification task. The wavelet transform can effectively condense the image information into its coefficients. With texture features based on the wavelet coefficients and variable distances, the area Az under the receiver operating characteristic curve reached 0.89 and 0.86 for the training and test groups, respectively. The results demonstrate that a linear discriminant classifier using the multiresolution texture features can effectively classify masses from normal tissue on mammograms.
A Comment on 'Far Ultraviolet Photometry of Orion Stars' by G. R. Carruthers

It is shown that the ultraviolet flux-deficiency, recently discovered by Carruthers, in early-type supergiants compared to dwarfs of the same spectral type can be explained in terms of the effects of differences in surface-gravity and effective temperature between stars of these two luminosity classes. It thus appears that this deficiency does not represent a serious discrepancy between theory and observation.
Correlation of Near Field Pressure With Coherent Structures in an Excited Mach 1.3 Jet

Large Eddy Simulations (LES) were performed of a Mach 1.3 cold jet excited by plasma actuators arranged on the periphery of a round nozzle exit to understand the effect of excitation on the near field sound and shear layer structures. The flow is excited with the axisymmetric (m = 0) mode at 0.525% duty cycle. The time period between pulses was varied from a very low value, where the response is expected to be similar to that due to an impulse, to a value near the preferred column mode value where the response is highly non-linear. Simulation data was collected at points on three arrays radiating 8.6° to the horizontal, originating at radial distances of 1.126D, 2.126D and 5.76D respectively. Detailed auto and two-point correlations of measurements on these rakes have been examined. In the first set of observations, different points were considered on Array 1. The auto-correlations clearly show the existence and growth of structures with excitation. At the lowest frequency, the effect of individual pulses is distinct, confirming that at this value, the response is similar to that of an impulse. At the highest frequency, the interaction between structures yields an almost sinusoidal value. In the second set of observations, two point correlations of each point on the innermost array were obtained with the downstream point of the outer-most array where the signal is purely acoustic. The analysis indicate that the highest correlation occurs with the region immediately downstream of the potential core collapse as well as with the point immediately beneath (sideline). The features observed in the statistical analysis are connected to the phase averaged flow structure which includes a series of rollers and ribs and associated dilatational field.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Effect of Microwave and Conventional Cooking on the Nutritive Value of Colossus Peas (Vigna uniguiculata)

The effect of microwave and conventional cooking methods, designed to simulate those used in home meal preparation, upon nutrient retention in Colossus Peas (Vigna uniguiculata) was studied. Neither method resulted in significant changes in the fat, protein, β-carotene and ascorbic acid content of the peas. Microwave cooking resulted in significantly greater losses of several ammo acids, but resulted in significantly greater retention of thiamin and riboflavin than the conventional treatment. Although each of the mineral components exhibited different magnitudes of loss by the two cooking methods, different due to method of cooking were not significant. Both Fe and Cu were completely retained in the peas cooked by both methods. Both cooking methods (15-60 min cooking) resulted in 92-97% loss of trypsin inhibitor.
Transient and Rate-Dependent Performance of Conventional Electric Storage Water Heating Systems

Electric resistance water heaters are relatively simple and are therefore one of the most common water heating configurations. Due to constraints on the allowable instantaneous electrical power draw, most electric water heating systems incorporate a sizable thermal storage component. The inherently unsteady storage component therefore has an overwhelming impact on the system behavior. In this investigation, a residential-scale electric storage water heater was tested across a range of flow rates for both powered and nonpowered discharge processes as well as for charge processes with no throughflow. The flow dynamics internal to the storage volume is shown to be strongly multidimensional and transient, especially when the internal heating elements are energized. Comparison of the measured data to the performance limits of a system with a fully mixed or a perfectly stratified storage element reveals that the conventional system operates relatively near to the fully mixed limit. As a result, there appears to be significant potential for improvements in system performance through reductions in the level of thermal mixing internal to the storage volume.
Ophthalmic applications of ultrafast lasers

Photodisruptive lasers working at non absorbing wavelengths can be delivered through the ocular medium and focused to a surgical target to produce optical breakdown. When multiple pulses are used, non-invasive surgical procedures, such as posterior capsulotomy, can be performed. The clinical use of photodisruptive lasers is limited however, due to the large volumes of tissue affected by pulses from commercially available Nd:YAG lasers, which operate in the nanosecond pulse duration range. Photodisruptive lasers with pulse durations in the sub-picosecond or femtosecond range have much lower energy thresholds and secondary shock waves, leading to more localized surgical effects. Due to their limited collateral tissue damage, ultrafast lasers can be used to perform high precision noninvasive intraocular applications, such as corneal and glaucoma surgery.
Riftia pachyptila Jones: Observations on the Vestimentiferan Worm from the Galapagos Rift.

The obturacular plume, composed of numerous tentacles, is suggested as a site for the uptake of molecular "food" by Riftia pachyptila (Pogonophora) from the Galapagos Rift; symbiotic bacteria are another possible source of nutrition. Differing organizations of the linings of the five major body cavities of Riftia demonstrate the inadequacy of "coelom" as a descriptive term.
The Promise and Obstacle of p53 as a Cancer Therapeutic Agent

p53 is a tumor suppressor gene that is mutated in greater than 50% of human cancers. The action of p53 as a tumor suppressor involves inhibition of cell proliferation through cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis. Loss of p53 function therefore allows the uncontrolled proliferation associated with cancerous cells. While design of most anti-cancer agents has focused on targeting and inactivating cancer promoting targets, such as oncogenes, recent attention has been given to restoring the lost activity of tumor suppressor genes. Because the loss of p53 function is so prevalent in human cancer, this protein is an ideal candidate for such therapy. Several gene therapeutic strategies have been employed in the attempt to restore p53 function to cancerous cells. These approaches include introduction of wild-type p53 into cells with mutant p53; the use of small molecules to stabilize mutant p53 in a wild-type, active conformation; and the introduction of agents to prevent degradation of p53 by proteins that normally target it. In addition, because mutant p53 has oncogenic gain of function activity, several approaches have been investigated to selectively target and kill cells harboring mutant p53. These include the introduction of mutant viruses that cause cell death only in cells with mutant p53 and the introduction of a gene that, in the absence of functional p53, produces a toxic product. Many obstacles remain to optimize these strategies for use in humans, but, despite these, restoration of p53 function is a promising anti-cancer therapeutic approach.
Abstract 2802: Selective inhibition of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 overexpressing endometrial cancer cells, using HO-3867, a novel STAT3 inhibitor

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL OBJECTIVE: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) proteins have important roles in cancer cell survival and proliferation. Recent studies show constitutive activation of STAT3 is associated with tumor growth and oncogenic transformation in several human cancers; however, little is known about STAT3 expression in endometrial cancer. The objectives of this study were to examine the expression of the STAT family of proteins in endometrial cancer cell lines and to evaluate the efficacy of HO-3867, a novel STAT3 inhibitor. METHODS: Expression of STAT family proteins, cell cycle and apoptotic proteins were evaluated via western blot on Ishikawa, AN3-CA, RL95-2, HEC1B, HEC-1A, and SK-UT1B human endometrial cancer cell lines. Cell viability and proliferation of these cell lines were analyzed with MTT and nucleo counter assay after treatment with increasing concentrations of HO-3867. Cell cycle analysis and apoptosis were performed using flow cytometry and annexin V staining. An ubiquitination assay was used to examine the inhibition of CDK5 degradation. Finally, STAT3 over-expression or suppression experiments were performed using wild-type STAT3 cDNA and STAT3 siRNA. RESULTS: Expression of activated STAT1, 2, 5, and 6 was inconsistent among cell lines tested, while pSTAT3 Ser727 had consistently high expression. HO-3867 decreased cell viability through induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis within 24h of treatment. HO-3867 inhibited pSTAT3 Ser727 with no change in total STAT3. This was associated with an increase in expression of cell cycle related proteins p53 and p21, a decrease in anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl2 and Bcl-XL, as well as increased cleavage of caspases. After 24h of treatment with HO-3867, 55-88% of cells were apoptotic. The downregulation of Ser727 was, at least in part, due to an accelerated inhibition of ubiquitin-dependent CDK5 degradation, as a positive regulator of STAT3 Ser727. Suppression of STAT3 expression with siRNA significantly reduced cell survival. In addition, we confirmed that over-expression of STAT3 cDNA provides resistance to HO-3867. CONCLUSION: Endometrial cancer cells express high levels of pSTAT3 Ser727. HO-3867 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by targeting pSTAT3 Ser727. Our findings suggest a specific role of serine-phosphorylated STAT3 that is independent of tyrosine phosphorylation. HO-3867 may be a potential adjunct to chemotherapy and radiation in the treatment of endometrial cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2802. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2802
Hepatocyte growth factor-induced enhancement of dendritic branching is blocked by inhibitors of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and calcium/ calmodulin-dependent kinases

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, Met, are clustered at excitatory synapses and can enhance N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor current and promote formation of neurites and dendrites. In this study, we examine the effects of HGF on dendritic arborization in mature cultures of dissociated hippocampal neurons. Exogenous HGF treatment caused a dose-dependent increase in total dendritic branch tip number, total dendritic branch length, and dendritic complexity in these neurons. NMDA receptor activity has been linked to changes in dendritic structure, so we tested the effects of HGF on the dendritic arbor in the presence of DL-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (APV), an NMDA receptor inhibitor. APV blocked the HGF-induced enhancement of the dendritic arbor in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, pretreatment of neurons with KN62, an inhibitor of calcium-dependent kinases, suppressed changes in dendritic branching induced by HGF. These results suggest that HGF initiates Ca2+-dependent processes, so we examined the effect of HGF on intracellular calcium levels and autophosphorylation of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). HGF caused a persistent increase in fluorescence in clusters along dendrites of neurons preloaded with the Ca2+ indicator Fluo-4. HGF treatment also enhanced autophosphorylation of CaMKII. The increases in Fluo-4 fluorescence and autophosphorylation of CaMKII were blocked by pretreatment of neurons with APV. These results indicate that HGF stimulates Ca2+ influx into dendrites through the NMDA receptor and that this effect is necessary for the changes in dendritic morphology induced by HGF.
Rethinking Latino/a and Latin American studies

Reflections on the Latino/a experience with regard to both US hegemonic and Latin American cultures engage in theoretical considerations of great relevance to the study of inter-American relations. These books approach the subject from two different perspectives. Critical Latin American and Latino Studies, an essay collection edited by Juan Poblete, analyzes the current situation of Latino and Latin American studies in the US and the overall significance of the growing connections between the two fields. Debra Castillo’s monograph, Redreaming America: Toward a Bilingual American Culture, examines literary works written in Spanish, English, and Spanglish, by authors situated between Latin America and the United States, who write about the conflicts created by contact between the two cultures. Both books reflect on the meaning of assuming a transnational perspective when definitions of national paradigms are such an important part of the discussion. While Poblete’s collection provides an overview of the debates in this area, with essays by well-known scholars, Castillo’s book studies narratives and stereotypes, in order to address the exchange of languages, behaviors, traditions and peoples that takes place in the United States with regard to Latin America. In his introduction to Critical Latin American and Latino Studies, Poblete discusses the separation between Latino and Latin American Comparative American Studies
On the perils of merging boolean and weighted retrieval systems

Attempts have been made to rank the output of a Boolean search in terms of the overlap of index terms in the request and document. As attractive as the merger of two approaches may seem, a closer examination reveals disturbing ambiguities, with equivalent Boolean expressions yielding different weights for the retrieval documents. An alternative approach is suggested.
First observation of magnetically trapped neutral atoms.

We report the first observation of electromagnetically trapped neutral atoms. Laser cooled and stopped sodium atoms are confined in a magnetic quadrupole trap formed by two opposed, separated, coaxial current loops. The decay time constant for atoms in the trap is 0.83(7) s and is limited mainly by collisions with background gas atoms.
Octree-Based 3D Animation Compression with Motion Vector Sharing

Geometry compression is the coding of 3D geometric data in a form that requires less space to store and less bandwidth to transmit. Animated geometry compression is the compression of temporal sequences of geometric data. An octree-based motion representation method in which a small set of motion vectors are generated for each frame by analyzing the motion between consecutive frames was proposed in a previous research. The recursive dividing of regions by the algorithm may put vertices with the similar motions into multiple disjoint regions of various depths and sizes. This paper proposes a method that enables the sharing of motion vectors in different regions. The cost of storing the reference to another motion vector is much lower than the cost of storing the whole motion vector. We implemented the motion vector sharing algorithm and compared the performance of this method to the original method on four animation sequences: dance, chef, chicken and cow. The improvement in compression ratio of P-frames ranges from 11% to 52%
The Master of an Evil Name: Hillel Ba[ayin ]al Shem and His Sefer ha-[Hdotu ]eshek

Back in 1993, as senior librarian at the Vernadsky Library in Kiev, Ukraine, in charge of cataloguing a newly uncovered Judaica collection, I came across an enigmatic manuscript entitled Sefer ha-ḥeshek. It did not match the bulk of the Judaica holdings. Nor did it fit in Abraham Harkavy's collection of medieval manuscripts. It was too Ashkenazic for Abraham Firkovich's Karaite papers, and too early for most of S. Ansky's nineteenth-century folkloric materials. The manuscript had a wooden cover, separate from the text, with a copper monogram Sefer ha-ḥeshek in Hebrew (hereafter—SH). SH's title appears randomly as a running head; the author occasionally refers to the title of the manuscript. Primarily because of its size—411 folios, 23 of them blank, some 760 filled pages altogether—and due to its magical contents, I discarded any attempts to identify the manuscript as a version of the well-known Sefer ha-ḥeshek, a twenty-or-so-page kabbalistic treatise on the names of the archangel Metatron attributed to Isaac Luria. Also, since the manuscript is not a commentary on the book of Isaiah or Proverbs, it could neither be Solomon Duran's nor Solomon ha-Levi's Ḥ eshek shelomoh.
The catalytic synthesis of hydrocarbons from H2CO mixtures over the group VIII metals: IV. The kinetic behavior of CO hydrogenation over Ni catalysts

Abstract The catalytic behavior of unsupported nickel and nickel dispersed on a variety of supports has been studied in the CO H 2 synthesis reaction. The catalysts were characterized by chemisorption and X-ray diffraction measurements. Specific activities and product distributions were determined and kinetic parameters for the methanation reaction were obtained. The specific activity is sensitive to the support material but the variation in activity is less than an order of magnitude. There is also evidence that maximum activity may occur over a certain nickel particle size range. The kinetic parameters are relatively insensitive to the support; however, dispersing nickel on any of the supports studied enhanced the formation of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons compared to unsupported nickel. These differences in catalytic behavior are attributed to changes in the adsorbed state of CO on nickel surfaces which are a result of metal-support interactions or variations in nickel crystallite size.
Diverse Gene Expression and DNA Methylation Profiles Correlate with Differential Adaptation of Breast Cancer Cells to the Antiestrogens Tamoxifen and Fulvestrant

The development of targeted therapies for antiestrogen-resistant breast cancer requires a detailed understanding of its molecular characteristics. To further elucidate the molecular events underlying acquired resistance to the antiestrogens tamoxifen and fulvestrant, we established drug-resistant sublines from a single colony of hormone-dependent breast cancer MCF7 cells. These model systems allowed us to examine the cellular and molecular changes induced by antiestrogens in the context of a uniform clonal background. Global changes in both basal and estrogen-induced gene expression profiles were determined in hormone-sensitive and hormonal-resistant sublines using Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 Arrays. Changes in DNA methylation were assessed by differential methylation hybridization, a high-throughput promoter CpG island microarray analysis. By comparative studies, we found distinct gene expression and promoter DNA methylation profiles associated with acquired resistance to fulvestrant versus tamoxifen. Fulvestrant resistance was characterized by pronounced up-regulation of multiple growth-stimulatory pathways, resulting in estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha)-independent, autocrine-regulated proliferation. Conversely, acquired resistance to tamoxifen correlated with maintenance of the ERalpha-positive phenotype, although receptor-mediated gene regulation was altered. Activation of growth-promoting genes, due to promoter hypomethylation, was more frequently observed in antiestrogen-resistant cells compared with gene inactivation by promoter hypermethylation, revealing an unexpected insight into the molecular changes associated with endocrine resistance. In summary, this study provides an in-depth understanding of the molecular changes specific to acquired resistance to clinically important antiestrogens. Such knowledge of resistance-associated mechanisms could allow for identification of therapy targets and strategies for resensitization to these well-established antihormonal agents.
Lower Boundaries of Motoneuron Desynchronization via Renshaw Interneurons

Using a quasi-realistic model of the feedback inhibition ofmotoneurons (MNs) by Renshaw cells, we show that weak inhibition is sufficient to maximally desynchronize MNs, with negligible effects on total MN activity. MN synchrony can produce a 20 - 30 Hz peak in the force power spectrum, which may cause instability in feedback loops.
Control of bioactive corticotropin release from the neuro-intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary in vitro.

The purpose of this study was to identify agents capable of regulating the release of biologically active ACTH from the isolated neuro-intermediate lobe of the rat pituitary. Agents found to be potent secretagogues included acetylcholine (100 µg/ml), hypothalamic stalk-median eminence extract (0.33 eq), arginine antidiuretic hormone (100 mU/ml) and serotonin (100 µg/ml). Lower doses of arginine antidiuretic hormone (5.5 mU/ml) and serotonin (2 µg/ml) were ineffective. Dopamine (2 and 5 µg/ml) inhibited the release of biologically active ACTH whereas norepinephrine (5 µg/ml) did not. Dexamethasone (0.25 µg/ml) did not alter the basal or stimulated release of ACTH from the isolated neuro-intermediate lobe in contrast to its effect on ACTH release from the isolated anterior pituitary. Similarly, the tripeptide, prolylleucyl-glycinamide, which has been reported by some to inhibit MSH release, had no effect on either the basal or stimulated release of ACTH. The data suggest that regulation of ACTH release from...
Utilizing simulation software in a transform analysis course

While many of the courses in the ECET (Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology) program at New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA, have a laboratory component, there is one course that is strictly lecture. This course, EET 300, is similar to a second term circuit analysis course, and covers topics such as graphical differentiation and integration, Laplace transform, Fourier analysis and Bode plots. To incorporate a laboratory experience in this course, a demonstration version of PSpice (version 8.0) was used, in conjunction with a laboratory manual written by the author. This demonstration version of PSpice (MicroSim Corporation, Irvine, California, was a fully functional package that was sent free of charge. The limitations of this demonstration version were not a factor in applying the software to the course. In this paper, the author describes a variety of experiments that can be performed with PSpice to reinforce concepts that are taught in this course. It also discusses the students assessment of this material.
A GA Retransmission Model for Energy-Efficient Reliable Delivery in Wireless Sensor Networks

How to satisfy the requirement of high reliability and actualize energy-efficient data transmission in wireless sensor networks is an important problem. After analyzing traditional reliable transfer model of MAC layer, a new group-based acknowledgement model, which is efficiency centric, is brought forward to guarantee reliable transfer. Theory analysis shows that this model can reduce redundant information in the data transfer effectively and improve the utilization efficiency of the whole network, which will save lots of energy. And the performance of group-based acknowledgement model has been tested through experiment on Micaz platform, which proves that the new model is more suitable for the application of resource limited sensor networks.
Testicular inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase expression in tuberoinfundibular and nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons.

We have investigated, in young and aged rats, tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) and nigrostriatal neurons of the brain, and the role of the testes and anterior pituitary (AP) on 1) the in situ activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), 2) translation of TH mRNA, as reflected by the mass of TH, and 3) transcription of the TH gene, as revealed by the mass of TH mRNA. The median eminence (ME) and corpus striatum (CS) were used as the sources of proximal neurites of the TIDA neurons and nigrostriatal neurons, respectively. The arcuate-periventricular nuclei of the ventral hypothalamus were used as the source of perikarya of the TIDA neurons, and substantia nigra (SN) nuclei of the midbrain were used as the source of perikarya of nigrostriatal neurons. The in situ activity of TH was calculated using the rate of accumulation of dihydroxyphenylalanine after pharmacological inhibition of dihydroxyphenylalanine decarboxylase activity. TH mass and TH mRNA were measured using an immunoblot assay and an S1 nuclease ...
Frequency and Preventability of Adverse Drug Reactions in Paediatric Patients

Purpose: To evaluate the frequency, severity and preventability of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in paediatric patients during the 6-year period from 1 January 1994 to 31 December 1999.
Democratizing the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank: Governance and Accountability

Much has been said about the failing policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In this essay, I attempt to explain why the IMF has pursued policies that in many cases not only failed to promote the stated objectives of enhancing growth and stability, but were probably counterproductive and even flew in the face of a considerable body of theoretical and empirical work that suggested these poilcies would be counterproductive. I argue that the root of the problem lies in the IMF’s system of governance. Thereafter, I discuss how the World Bank managed to reform its agenda in order to fulfill its goals of poverty reduction more successfully, and what lessons this reform holds for the IMF. I conclude by proposing needed reforms for the IMF that might mitigate some of the problems it has encountered in the past. 1 Economists typically begin an analysis of the behavior of an organization or an individual by looking at the incentives they face—what is the nature and magnitude of their rewards and punishments, and who metes them out? Political discussions more commonly begin with a discussion of accountability. Before I discuss the specific problems of the IMF and the World Bank, it will be fruitful to first lay out what I mean by “accountability,” relate this notion to incentives, and identify the key problems in designing accountability systems for international financial organizations.
TheRate: Program for Ab Initio Direct Dynamics Calculations of Thermal and Vibrational-State-Selected Rate Constants

We introduce TheRate THEoretical RATEs , a complete . application program with a graphical user interface GUI for calculating rate constants from first principles. It is based on canonical variational transition-state . theory CVT augmented by multidimensional semiclassical zero and small . curvature tunneling approximations. Conventional transition-state theory TST with one-dimensional Wigner or Eckart tunneling corrections is also available. Potential energy information needed for the rate calculations are obtained from ab initio molecular orbital andror density functional electronic structure theory. Vibrational-state-selected rate constants may be calculated using a diabetic model. TheRate also introduces several technical advancements, namely the focusing technique and energy interpolation procedure. The focusing technique minimizes the number of Hessian calculations required by distributing more Hessian grid points in regions that are critical to the CVT and tunneling calculations and fewer Hessian grid points elsewhere. The energy interpolation procedure allows the use of a computationally less demanding electronic structure theory such as DFT to calculate the Hessians and geometries, while the energetics can be improved by performing a small number of single-point energy calculations along the MEP at a more accurate level of theory. The CH q H l CH q H reaction is used as a model to demonstrate usage of the 43 2 program, and the convergence of the rate constants with respect to the number of electronic structure calculations. Q 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 1039)1052, 1998
Ergonomic design for perspective flight-path displays

The design and evaluation for a display of a four-dimensional perspective flight-path predictor (X, Y, Z, and time) are described. Five basic principles of human performance are used to guide the choice of display configuration: (1) working memory limitations; (2) object integrality; (3) compatibility; (4) consistency; and (5) visual momentum. Each principle is discussed along with the corresponding display and experimental design. Twenty-four pilots flew simulated approaches to North American airports, using one of three displays: (1) a display with four-dimensional preview and predictor information, which was configured with inside-out perspective; (2) the same display configured with outside-in perspective; or (3) an inside-out flight director with neither preview nor predictor. The results revealed an advantage for predictor/preview information, which was greatest with the inside-out perspective. The display aids did not appear to be helpful. >
Characteristics of clinical molecular-genetic testing laboratories in the United States.

Molecular-genetic tests have recently become a regular part of clinical practice. They are performed by a heterogeneous group of institutions, including academic centers, nonprofit organizations, and commercial laboratories. Concerns have been raised about the proliferation of commercial clinical genetics laboratories and their impact on academic-based genetic laboratory services (1)(2)(3)(4). Regulatory agencies and peer groups have questioned the adequacy of training of laboratory directors and have recommended minimum guidelines for the delivery of clinical genetics services (5)(6). Accreditation bodies such as the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the New York State Department of Health (NYDOH) have recently developed specific standards for laboratories providing genetic testing to help ensure its quality. In the near future, further changes in the regulatory landscape for genetic testing are anticipated (7). Despite these concerns, few quantitative data are available about the institutional, demographic, and economic characteristics of clinical genetic testing laboratories and their acceptance of proposed quality standards (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). Such data are needed to assess the quality of testing, strategies for regulatory oversight, and availability of case material for research and training programs. To evaluate the current laboratory environment for genetic testing, we sought to determine key features of clinical molecular-genetic laboratories and their directors in the US. Data were obtained via an anonymous mail survey of laboratory directors. The methods used for the survey were described previously (8). In brief, all genetic testing laboratories in the US that in January 1998 offered clinical genetic testing for one or more of six common genetic diseases were identified from the Helix directory (http://healthlinks.washington.edu/helix/). Care was taken to include most of the highest-volume genetic tests performed in the US. An anonymous questionnaire and subsequent reminder letter were mailed …
QoS Support for Media Broadcast in a Services Oriented Architecture

Service-oriented architectures allow content providers to enable easy and transparent access to multimedia content for their clients as well as outsource non-strategic streaming services to third-party providers. We design a QoS framework and associated algorithms that can provide prioritized and fair media streaming based on service level agreements. We formulate the QoS support as a multiple choice multiple knapsack optimization and design several low-complexity algorithms to provide approximate solutions. We bound the performance of these algorithms, and evaluate them in terms of the number of clients supported and QoS provided over realistic simulation scenarios
Bridging circuits and electromagnetics in a curriculum aimed at microelectronic analog and microwave simulation and design

Higher operating frequencies and increased integration have led to electromagnetic effects being ubiquitous in microelectronics for digital, analog, and RF applications at the board, package, and chip levels. Classical curricula have tended to teach circuits and electromagnetics as two distinct areas. This paper presents courses at the University of Washington that aim to bridge the circuit-electromagnetic gap by teaching electromagnetics top-down "on demand" i.e. at the level of complexity required for a given application rather than the bottom-up approach of classical electromagnetics that did not necessarily mesh well with circuits curricula.
Adjacent channel interference between 800 MHz trunked FM and multiple site reuse systems

The interference implications of introducing multisite mobile communication systems into the 800-MHz FM trunked spectrum are examined. Emphasis is on talk-in interference into an FM system caused by multisite systems, as this is the worst of four possible interference scenarios. A Monte Carlo simulation which determines the range reduction when the adjacent channel has multiple interferers is described. The method for calculating each interferer's power at the FM base is explained and includes a means of accounting for log-normal fades and frequency drifts. Results are presented for a modulation just fitting the US FCC data mask, Part 90.209(g), and an actual modulation which fits the passband of the US FCC data mask but has 15-dB more protection in the stopband. Two different FM receivers are modeled to show the importance of receiver selectivity. Power control is evaluated for its ability to reduce interference. >
Energy function-based approaches to graph coloring

We describe an approach to optimization based on a multiple-restart quasi-Hopfield network where the only problem-specific knowledge is embedded in the energy function that the algorithm tries to minimize. We apply this method to three different variants of the graph coloring problem: the minimum coloring problem, the spanning subgraph k-coloring problem, and the induced subgraph k-coloring problem. Though Hopfield networks have been applied in the past to the minimum coloring problem, our encoding is more natural and compact than almost all previous ones. In particular, we use k-state neurons while almost all previous approaches use binary neurons. This reduces the number of connections in the network from (Nk)/sup 2/ to N/sup 2/ asymptotically and also circumvents a problem in earlier approaches, that of multiple colors being assigned to a single vertex. Experimental results show that our approach compares favorably with other algorithms, even nonneural ones specifically developed for the graph coloring problem.
The future of pharmacoeconomics: a commentary

Abstract In a recent issue of Clinical Therapeutics ® , Dr. Michael F. Drummond argued that the future of pharmacoeconomics "lies in developing both trial-based and modeling studies, and in meeting the needs of decision makers." The purpose of this commentary is to present an alternative scenario. The future of pharmacoeconomics lies in meeting the needs of decision makers; if these needs are to be met, the modeling of new drug impacts becomes the principal task of the pharmacoeconomist. Clinical trials, while important in meeting the safety and efficacy requirements of regulatory bodies such as the US Food and Drug Administration, are, by their very nature, only an input to the modeling of the impact of new therapies on the costs and outcomes of treating patients within health care systems. While this may be seen—particularly from a clinical paradigm—to be an heretical view, it is the one that I believe will prevail if pharmacoeconomics is to survive as a viable and meaningful discipline
Dietary patterns are associated with lower incidence of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged women: the Shanghai Women’s Health Study

Background Data linking risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and dietary patterns in Chinese populations are scarce. Methods A population-based prospective study of 64 191 middle-aged women in urban Shanghai, China, who were free of T2D and other chronic diseases at study recruitment, was conducted. Dietary intake, physical activity and anthropometric measurements were assessed through in-person interviews. Dietary patterns were assessed by using K-means cluster analysis. Cox regression model was used to evaluate the association of dietary patterns with the risk of T2D. Results We identified three dietary clusters in this population. Cluster 1 (56.3%; N = 36 159) had the highest intake of staples, cluster 2 (40.4%: N = 25 948) had the highest intake of dairy milk, and cluster 3 (2.9%; N = 1843) had the highest energy intake. Participants in cluster 2 had lower prevalence of obesity, central obesity and hypertension at baseline. Using cluster 1 as the reference, participants in cluster 2 had a lower incidence of T2D after 6.9 years of follow-up [relative risk (RR) 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–0.86]. The RR for the incidence of T2D for cluster 3 compared with cluster 1 was 1.05 (95% CI 0.81–1.35). The association was not modified by age category, body mass index category, waist-to-hip ratio category or exercise participation. Conclusions We identified and characterized dietary patterns in middle-aged Chinese women by using cluster analysis. We identified a dietary pattern low in staple foods and high in dairy milk, which was associated with lower risk of T2D. Study of dietary patterns will help elucidate links between diet and disease, and contribute to the development of healthy eating guidelines for health promotion.
Extinction Coefficient Determination of Polymeric Materials and Their Use in the Optical Characterization of Infrared Microscopes: A Preliminary Investigation into Quantitative Infrared Microspectroscopy

A comparison of infrared spectra collected in both a macro sample configuration and on a microscope accessory was conducted. The results of this comparison demonstrated that as the microscope aperture was reduced, absorbance values increased for a given polymer film by as much as 33% as compared to the same data collected in the corresponding macro experiment. A detailed evaluation of the optical pathlength for both the micro and macro configurations was conducted. Results of this evaluation and that of detector nonlinearity showed that the latter effect was most problematic. During the course of the investigation the average angle of light traversing through the objective was determined for several infrared microscopes. Further analysis indicated that changing the aperture size of the microscope can have significant influence on the absorbance values obtained. In addition, extinction coefficients of poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, poly(vinyl acetate), polycarbonate, and poly(ethylene terephthalate) were determined using macro FT-IR spectroscopy.
Polyhedral object recognition using view densities

A method of representing the features of a polyhedral object based on probability density functions defined on observed features is presented. The measured lengths of the edges of a polyhedral object depend on the observation angle. The measured lengths of a combination of adjacent edges in an image have characteristic relationships and associated probabilities of observation. These facts are used to develop a decision scheme for identifying polyhedral objects. Results of experiments are also presented. >
Vortex Analogue of Molecules

Kelvin’s theory of vortex atoms, in which Kelvin considered knotted strings as atoms, has been debunked and considered to be a failure. A theory of atoms as vortices is incapable of explaining stability and vibrational properties of atoms. With electrons representing ethereal vortices, the vortex atom theory tries to explain the relation between magnetic field and electrical current. In recent years, this simple Kelvin model has been shown to bear resemblance to the superstring theory. Although the vortex atom theory is considered to be scientifically incorrect (in the sense of its being unable to explain atomic properties), it may still be valid in a dynamical sense as for an example considered in this paper. With atomic potentials of logarithmic type, a dynamically stable vortex buckyball is ‘grown’ here. If stability is considered only from point of view of Huckel theory and eigenvalues of adjacency matrix, it may not be a sufficient test. It will be shown that such a vortex molecule is stable when Floquet theory of periodic orbits is used as a test of stability.
The National Violent Death Reporting System: overview and future directions

Objective To describe the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). This is a surveillance system for monitoring the occurrence of homicides, suicides, unintentional firearm deaths, deaths of undetermined intent, and deaths from legal intervention (excluding legal executions) in the US. Design This report provides information about the history, scope, data variables, processes, utility, limitations, and future directions of the NVDRS. Results The NVDRS currently operates in 32 states, with the goal of future expansion to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories. The system uses existing primary data sources (death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports, and law enforcement reports), and links them together to provide a comprehensive picture of the circumstances surrounding violent deaths. Conclusions This report provides an overview of the NVDRS including a description of the system, discussion of its expanded capability, the use of new technologies as the system has evolved, how the data are being used for violence prevention efforts, and future directions.