cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uveal Melanocytes, Ocular Pigment Epithelium, and Müller Cells in Culture: In Vitro Toxicology

Uveal melanocytes and the ocular pigment epithelium are located in the middle and inner layers of the eye. Muller cells (a type of glial cell) are located in the neural retina. Melanocytes, retinal...
Spin wave modes in inhomogeneous ferromagnetic film at arbitrary magnetic field direction

Abstract A generalization of the Portis model for the case of arbitrary direction of magnetization is presented, which gives the separation of linear positioned modes decreasing with θ as δ(H)(θ)/δH(0) = [ 1 2 (3 cos 2 θ − 1)] 1 2 till θ ≥ θc, at which all modes collapse into one single line or convert to modes following a quadratic law, and the intensities increase rapidly when θ approaches θc. We explain such behavior using spin wave modes in thin film with parabolic dependence of magnetization. A good agreement of this theory with the experiments on the reduced Ca-rich CaGe : YIG film has been obtained.
Variability of Oxalobacter Formigenes and Oxalate in Stool Samples

Purpose: The intestinal organism Oxalobacter formigenes is unique in using oxalate as its primary carbon and energy source. Intestinal colonization with O. formigenes may have clinical significance by decreasing intestinal oxalate and its absorption, thereby influencing the concentration of oxalate in plasma and urine, and the development of calcium oxalate stone disease. Because the oxalate content of the diet varies considerably, we hypothesized that the number of O. formigenes and amount of oxalate would vary in feces.Materials and Methods: To enumerate the number of O. formigenes in feces an accurate and reproducible real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was developed to quantify O. formigenes DNA. Stool samples were obtained from 10 colonized individuals to determine the levels of O. formigenes by this assay and the oxalate content by ion chromatography.Results: Concentrations of O. formigenes ranged from lower than the limit of detection of 5 × 103 to 1.04 × 109 cells per gm stool. The total oxa...
α-Thrombin Inhibits Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 Signaling by Interleukin-6, Leukemia Inhibitory Factor, and Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor in CCL39 Cells

Abstract We recently demonstrated that, in rat aortic smooth muscle cells, α-thrombin stimulated Stat3/SIF-A (signal transducers and activators of transcription 3/ sis -inducing factor-A) activity [G. J. Bhat et al. (1997) Hypertension 29(Pt. 2), 356–360]. In the present study, we observed that exposure of CCL39 cells (a Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line) to α-thrombin resulted in a time-dependent decrease in basal SIF-A activity. We hypothesized that the decrease in basal SIF-A was due to the initiation of an inhibitory pathway, following α-thrombin exposure. To test this hypothesis, we determined if α-thrombin would inhibit Stat3 and SIF-A activation by interleukin-6 (IL-6), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). In support of this hypothesis, α-thrombin inhibited the Stat3/SIF-A response induced by all the above cytokines. The inhibition by α-thrombin was concentration dependent, was sensitive to hirudin, and was mimicked by the thrombin receptor agonist peptide. The inhibition did not require the activation of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-sensitive isoforms of protein kinase C and was reversed by pretreatment with the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MAPKK1 or MEK1) inhibitor PD98059. Inhibitory cross talk between α-thrombin and IL-6 was also observed in MRC-5 cells, a fibroblast cell line derived from human lung tissue. Thus, we identify a novel α-thrombin inhibitory pathway which, acting through a MAPKK1-dependent mechanism, blocks IL-6-, LIF-, and CNTF-induced Stat3/SIF-A activation. This inhibitory cross talk may provide an important regulatory function to modulate gene transcription by these cytokines, during immune and inflammatory responses.
Remote Sensing of Algal Blooms: An Overview with Case Studies

Abstract High concentrations of nutrients from agricultural and urban runoff, or those produced by coastal upwelling, are causing algal blooms in many estuaries and coastal waters. Algal blooms induce eutrophic conditions, depleting oxygen levels needed by organic life, limiting aquatic plant growth by reducing water transparency, and producing toxins that can harm fish, benthic animals, and humans. The magnitude and frequency of phytoplankton blooms have increased globally in recent decades, as shown in data from ocean-color sensors on-board satellites. Satellite and airborne measurements of spectral reflectance (ocean color) represent an effective way for monitoring phytoplankton by its proxy, chlorophyll-a, the green pigment that is present in all algae. This article reviews the use of remote sensing techniques for detecting phytoplankton and mapping algal blooms. Two case studies are presented, illustrating the advantages and limitations of satellite and airborne remote sensing.
Effects of parameter variations on negative effective constitutive parameters of non-metallic metamaterials

Analytical expressions describing the variability of effective constitutive parameters of non-metallic metamaterials, as a function of the constituent geometric and material parameters and their variations, have been developed from the total differential of Clausius-Mossotti expressions (using Mie dipole polarizabilities) for the effective (bulk) constitutive parameters of the metamaterial. In practice, these expressions are important for estimating the performance of a metamaterial with particular variations in the parameters of its constituents that arise during the fabrication process, and can be used to guard against extinction of desired double negative (DNG) behavior. With the derived expressions, the effects of parameter variations on effective constitutive parameters of non-metallic metamaterials have been analyzed for three types of metamaterials: (i) cubic arrays of identical magnetodielectric spheres; (ii) cubic arrays of dielectric spheres with equal radius but two different permittivities; and (iii) cubic arrays of dielectric spheres with equal permittivity but two different radii. These effects are evaluated in terms of the calculated variations in values of the effective constitutive parameters of the metamaterial in the vicinity of the DNG or single negative (SNG) band for particular geometric and material parameters and their variations. Results show that variation in the following parameters impacts DNG bandwidth. Listed in order from greatest to least influence: (i) sphere radius; (ii) sphere permittivity and permeability; (iii) lattice constant of the array; and (iv) the constitutive parameters of the array medium, all impact the width of the achievable DNG band. For particular cases studied here, results also show that the DNG behavior may be extinguished if there are 0.78%, 0.016%, and 0.016% variations in all parameters of metamaterial types (i), (ii), and (iii), respectively, as defined above. For the design of non-metallic metamaterials with inclusions, having arbitrary material parameters, in either periodic or random arrangement, the presented results can give a qualitative guide on the level of fabrication tolerances that should be achieved in order to observe the predicted SNG or DNG behavior experimentally.
Adverse effects of liquid protein fast on the handling of magnesium, calcium and phosphorus.

Abstract We have studied the effect of a vitamin- and potassium-supplemented liquid protein fast on mineral metabolism of six obese subjects (five women, 1 man) for 40 days. Each patient was admitted to a metabolic ward and was given daily 300 Kcal, 75 mg of calcium, 406 mg of phosphorus, 7 mg of magnesium, 33 meq of potassium, and 11.5 g of nitrogen. Urinary calcium, phosphorus and magnesium levels were greatest during the first week, but decreased as the fast continued to 21, 31 and 300 percent, respectively, above intake. Cumulative urinary losses of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were 58, 75 and 500 percent greater, respectively, than the cumulative intake. Fecal losses for calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were less than urinary losses throughout the study. Cumulative fecal losses of magnesium were more than 30 percent greater than dietary intake. Mean daily balances were −104 mg (calcium), −48 mg (magnesium) and −363 mg (phosphorus). Serum phosphorus and magnesium levels did not change. However, serum calcium levels decreased (−0.5 mg/dl, p
Amenity Landownership, Land Use Change, and the Re-Creation of “Working Landscapes”

In recent years the “working landscape” concept has risen to prominence in popular, academic, and policy discourse surrounding conservation of both natural and cultural values in inhabited landscapes. Despite its implied reconciliation of commodity production and environmental protection, this concept remains contested terrain, masking tensions over land use practices and understandings of human–nature relations. Here we draw on a case study of landownership and land use change in remote, rural Wallowa County, Oregon to explore how working landscapes are envisioned and enacted by various actors. The arrival of landowning amenity migrants, many of whom actively endorsed a working landscape vision, resulted in subtle but significant transformations in land use practices and altered opportunities for local producers. The working landscape ideal, while replete with tensions and contradictions, nevertheless functioned as an important alternative vision to the rural gentrification characteristic of other scenic...
Hydrocarbon production forecast for Louisiana—Producing field module

Abstract Oil and gas from conventional producing fields in Louisiana are forecast using an algorithmic classification based on traditional decline curves and heuristic techniques. Fields are classified according to geographic area, product type, age, and production class. Production arising from the inventory of conventional oil and gas assets circa 2009 is estimated to be 343 MMbbl oil, 18 Tcf gas, and 510 MMbbl gas liquids. At $80/bbl oil and $4/Mcf gas, the present value of gross revenues is estimated to be $60.8 billion. The model framework and limitations of the analysis are described along with a discussion of the model results and sensitivity analysis.
Comparison of sequence diversity in several cytoplasmic polyhedrosis viruses.

Abstract Sequence homology among several different cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (CPV) types and the human reovirus (type 1) was examined by Northern blot analysis and S, nuclease analysis, using random-primed cDNA probes synthesized from total genomic RNA. The results show no homology among the CPV type 1, Bombyx mori CPV, type 5, Orgyia pseudotsugata CPV, type 8, Manduca sexta CPV and the human reovirus (type 1). However, there was significant homology among three type 5 CPVs, O. pseudotsugata CPV, Euxoa scandens CPV, and Heliothis armigera CPV. The O. pseudotsugata CPV and E. scandens CPV were 43–44% homologous while each was 6–13% homologous with the H. armigera CPVusing stringent conditions of hybridization.
Next century challenges: mobile networking for “Smart Dust”

Large-scale networks of wireless sensors are becoming an active topic of research. Advances in hardware technology and engineering design have led to dramatic reductions in size, power consumption and cost for digital circuitry, wireless communications and Micro ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS). This has enabled very compact, autonomous and mobile nodes, each containing one or more sensors, computation and communication capabilities, and a power supply. The missing ingredient is the networking and applications layers needed to harness this revolutionary capability into a complete system. We review the key elements of the emergent technology of “Smart Dust” and outline the research challenges they present to the mobile networking and systems community, which must provide coherent connectivity to large numbers of mobile network nodes co-located within a small volume.
Has Neo-Darwinism failed clinical medicine: Does systems biology have to?

In this essay I argue that Neo-Darwinism ultimately led to an oversimplified genotype equals phenotype view of human disease. This view has been called into question by the unexpected results of the Human Genome Project which has painted a far more complex picture of the genetic features of human disease than was anticipated. Cell centric Systems Biology is now attempting to reconcile this complexity. However, it too is limited because most common chronic diseases have systemic components not predicted by their intracellular responses alone. In this context, congestive heart failure is a classic example of this general problem and I discuss it as a systemic disease vs. one solely related to dysfunctional cardiomyocytes. I close by arguing that a physiological perspective is essential to reconcile reductionism with what is required to understand and treat disease.
Uptake of lysine and prolinevia separate α-neutral amino acid transport pathways inMytilus gill brush border membranes

Brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) were prepared from the gills of the marine mussel,Mytilus edulis. These membranes contained two distinct pathways for cotransport of Na+ and α-neutral amino acids. The major pathway in mussel gill BBMV was the alanine-lysine (AK) pathway, which had a high affinity for alanine and for the cationic amino acid, lysine. The AK pathway was inhibited by nonpolar α-neutral amino acids and cationic amino acids, but was not affected by β-neutral amino acids or imino acids. The kinetics of lysine transport were consistent with a single saturable process, with aJmax of 550 pmol/mg-min and aK t of 5 μm. The AK pathway did not have a strict requirement for Na+, and concentrative transport of lysine was seen in the presence of inwardly directed gradients of Li+ and K+, as well as Na+. Harmaline inhibited the transport of lysine in solutions containing either Na+ or K+. The alanine-proline (AP) pathway transported both alanine and proline in mussel gill BBMV. The AP pathway was strongly inhibited by nonpolar α-neutral amino acids, proline, and α-(methylamino)isobutyric acid (Me-AIB). The kinetics of proline transport were described by a single saturable process, with aJmax of 180 pmol/mg-min andK t of 4 μm. In contrast to the AK pathway, the AP pathway appeared to have a strict requirement for Na+. Na+-activation experiments with lysine and proline revealed sigmoid kinetics, indicating that multiple Na+ ions are involved in the transport of these substrates. The transport of both lysine and proline was affected by membrane potential in a manner consistent with electrogenic transport.
Equilibrium Bid-Ask Spreads in Markets with Multiple Assets

The paper models the specialist system as a monopolistically competitive market. The demand for the asset is found by solving the investor's portfolio problem with transactions costs. These demand equations are used as inputs in the specialist's price-setting problem. It is shown that equilibrium prices and hence equilibrium portfolio holdings depend upon the characteristics of the assets and the investors and the number of assets being traded. Conditions are given under which the bid and ask prices will converge to the competitive level as the number of assets increases. Predictive differences between a monopolistically competitive market and a market where specialists collude are also discussed. Financial markets are organized in a number of different fashions. One of the most common arrangements is the specialist system. In a specialist system each asset is assigned a dealer who makes a market in that particular security. The specialist sets two prices, an ask price at which he will sell and a bid price at which he will buy. A specialist potentially faces competition from "upstairs traders" who trade from locations off the exchange floor or "registered traders" who trade for their own account on the floor of the exchange. Ho and Macris (1984) argue that in markets such as the AMEX options market, institutional trading rules are such that specialists can maintain a monopolistic position despite the presence of these other traders. In this paper, it is assumed that the specialist has monopoly control over his assigned asset. Because each asset is different, the specialist assigned to that asset has some monopoly power in that he is offering something unique. That power is limited by the fact that assets are imperfect substitutes for one another. This market is inherently monopolistically competitive. The purpose of this paper is to explicitly derive the equilibrium asset prices and portfolio holdings in a specialist market as a monopolistically competitive equilibrium. Demand functions for the assets are found by solving investors' optimal portfolio problem. Equilibrium bid and ask prices are then computed. In addition, two benchmark market structures, perfect competition and monopoly, are also analyzed. Using this model, the following results are obtained. Conditions are derived under which the bid and ask prices under monopoly and under perfect competition are equal across assets, independent of the idiosyncratic risk of the asset and independent of the number of assets in the market. This implies that adding or removing an asset from a monopoly or a competitive market does not cause a change in the spreads of the other assets. It is shown that in both cases in equilibrium, investors hold mean-variance efficient portfolios. That is, portfolios which minimize the variance given a specified level of expected return. The level of prices is, of course, higher under the monopolist. The monopoly price distorts the amount of the risky portfolio purchased but not the composition of that portfolio.
The impact of phonetic dissimilarity on the perception of foreign accented speech

Non‐normative speech (i.e., synthetic speech, pathological speech, foreign accented speech) is more difficult to process for native listeners than is normative speech. Does perceptual dissimilarity affect only intelligibility, or are there other costs to processing? The current series of experiments investigates both the intelligibility and time course of foreign accented speech (FAS) perception. Native English listeners heard single English words spoken by both native English speakers and non‐native speakers (Mandarin or Russian). Words were chosen based on the similarity between the phonetic inventories of the respective languages. Three experimental designs were used: a cross‐modal matching task, a word repetition (shadowing) task, and two subjective ratings tasks which measured impressions of accentedness and effortfulness. The results replicate previous investigations that have found that FAS significantly lowers word intelligibility. Furthermore, in FAS as well as perceptual effort, in the word repe...
Doctors and Drug Companies — Scrutinizing Influential Relationships

On September 6, Senators Charles Grassley and Herb Kohl introduced the Physician Payments Sunshine Act. Eric Campbell discusses the implications of the bill, which would require manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and medical devices with annual revenues of more than $100 million to disclose the amount of money they give to physicians.
Local Yielding Attending Fatigue Crack Growth.

Fatigue crack growth rate measurements were performed at 100°C on an Fe-3Si steel in three thickness conditions and at different ΔK-levels. The test pieces were subsequently sectioned and etched to reveal the plastic deformation attending crack growth both on the surface and in the interior. Unlike preceding studies, the Fe-3Si steel displayed classical cyclic crack growth: well-defined fatigue striations with a spacing close to the per-cycle growth rate, and essentially the same growth rates that have been reported for low and medium strength steels. A highly strained region, approximately one-fifth the size of the monotonie plastic zone, is identified as the cyclic plastic zone. On this basis three regions with distinct cyclic strain histories that precede the crack are identified: a microstrain region wherein the material receives ∼103 to 104 strain cycles in the range 0 < Δe P ≲ 10-3; a cyclic plastic zone corresponding to ∼200 cycles in the range 10-3 < Δ∈ P ≲ 10-1, and a COD-affected zone that receives ∼10 strain cycles in the range 10-1 ≲ Δ∈ P ≲ 1. It is suggested that the damage associated with the instabilities in the fatigue substructure to overstrain contribute to the growth mechanism.
Purification and properties of the aromatic (arom synthetic enzyme aggregate of Neurospora crassa

Abstract 1. 1. Procedures are described for the purification of the wild type arom multienzyme complex encoded in the arom gene cluster of Neurospora crassa. 2. 2. The purified aggregate has all five activities present at high levels and there has been no indication that the five activites are separable during purification. 3. 3. The enzyme is readily inactivated by O2 even in the presence of thiols. 4. 4. The molecular weight of the purified aggregate is estimated to be approx. 231 000 on the basis of data from equilibrium sedimentation and amino acid analysis. 5. 5. Experiments on disruption of the purified aggregate (which leads to loss of enzymic activities) and on renaturation (which restores three of the five activities), together with independent studies of allelic complementation, suggest that the complex consists of two identical halves bound together by relatively weak non-peptide bonds. 6. 6. Preliminary evidence has also been obtained for the presence of still smaller components, possibly representing the five different polypeptide chains which are thought to be the basis of subunits of which the aggregate is composed.
Epidermal growth factor system is a physiological regulator of development of the mouse fetal submandibular gland and regulates expression of the α6‐integrin subunit

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) regulate branching morphogenesis of fetal mouse submandibular gland (SMG) rudiments in vitro. The EGF system (EGF, TGF-α, and their shared receptor, EGFR) also regulates expression of integrins and their ligands in the extracellular matrix. We show here that inhibition of EGFR tyrosine-kinase activity by a tyrphostin retards in vitro development of SMGs. Using total RNA isolated from pooled SMGs taken from intact mouse fetuses, mRNA transcripts for EGF, TGF-α, and EGFR were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and age-dependent variations in the levels of these mRNA were quantitatively determined by nuclease protection assays. These findings suggest that the EGF system is operative in the in vivo development of this gland. α6-Integrin subunit was localized by immunofluorescence at the basal surface of epithelial cells. Branching morphogenesis of cultured SMG rudiments was inhibited by anti-α6 antibodies. Synthesis of α6-subunit in cultured SMGs, detected by metabolic labeling and immunoprecipitation, was increased by EGF and drastically reduced by tyrphostin. RT-PCR revealed that mRNAs for α6- and β1- and β4-integrin subunits are expressed at all ages between embryonic day 13 and postnatal day 7. These findings suggest that 1) the EGF system is a physiologic regulator of development of fetal mouse SMG, and 2) one mechanism by which it acts may be by regulating expression of integrins, which in turn control interaction of epithelial cells with the extracellular matrix. Dev. Dyn. 208:149–161, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Computer simulations of small semiconductor and metal clusters

A brief survey is presented of recent simulations of small clusters, made with both ab-initio and classical approaches, with particular emphasis on the application of the Car-Parrinello method. The discussion mainly focusses on the structural properties of a variety of materials and on the effects of temperature.
Pacemaker follow-up and adquecy of Medicare guidelines

Abstract The time of occurrence of cardiac pacemaker problems after implantation was identified to assess the adequacy of published federal guidelines for clinic and transtelephonic follow-up. One hyndred eighty-nine pacemaker patients' charts were examined retrospectively to identify pacemaker problems: inadequate sensing, non-capture, battery fallure, myoinhibition, muscle stimulation, and inadequate threshold safety margin. Twenty-nine patients (15%) were identified as having pacemaker problems. A total of 41 problems were identified, of which 28 (68%) were corrected by reprogramming. Sixty-one percent of the problems were found during a clinic visit. Problems occurred more frequently during the first year in dual-chamber devices (62%) vs single-chamber devices (35%). During years 1 to 4, when few problems are expected, 30% of all problems of single-chamber devices occurred and 39% of all problems of dual-chamber devices occurred. This is a period of time that Medicare guidelines allow for one clinic visit per year for single- and two vists per year for dual-chamber devices. These data suggest: (1) Many pacemaker problems will be missed with transtelephonic follow-up alone. (2) The majority of problems involving dual-chamber devices occurred in the first year. (3) For both dual- and single-chamber devices, and unexpected significant percentage of problems occurred in 1 to 4 years. (4) Medicare guidelines may be inadequate for follow-up during this time period.
Compass Points for Victorian Poetry Studies: 2002–2004 and Beyond

Drawing upon four book-length studies published in 2002 and two forthcoming special issues devoted to the future of Victorian poetry scholarship, the present article charts three prospective directions for study. Neoformalism – renewed interest in form – addresses the cultural ideologies that are exposed, challenged, and performed by genre, meter, and other formal elements. Investigations of poetry in relation to (or as) a technology also continue to quicken. Reconfiguring Victorian poetry's body of work through alternate organizing principles, for example, transatlantic exchanges, is also ongoing, as are fresh approaches to human bodies (whether in sexual or environmental terms) that these poems represent.
Co-operative structuring of information: the representation of reasoning and debate

Interactive computer networks create new opportunities for the co-operative structuring of information which would be impossible to implement within a paper-based medium. Methods are described for co-operatively indexing, evaluating and synthesizing information through well-specified interactions by many users with a common database. These methods are based on the use of a structured representation for reasoning and debate, in which conclusions are explicitly justified or negated by individual items of evidence. Through debates on the accuracy of information and on aspects of the structures themselves, a large number of users can co-operatively rank all available items of information in terms of significance and relevance to each topic. Individual users can then choose the depth to which they wish to examine these structures for the purposes at hand. The function of this debate is not to arrive at specific conclusions, but rather to collect and order the best available evidence on each topic. By representing the basic structure of each field of knowledge, the system would function at one level as an information retrieval system in which documents are indexed, evaluated and ranked in the context of each topic of inquiry. At a deeper level, the system would encode knowledge in the argument structures themselves. This use of an interactive system for structuring information offers further opportunities for improving the accuracy, integration and accessibility of information.
Social mediation of sexually selected ornamentation and steroid hormone levels in male junglefowl

Abstract Honest signals in sexual selection may be maintained by a variety of mechanisms. Comb size in male red junglefowl, Gallus gallus , a well-known predictor of female mate choice, is mediated by health and condition. Social status has also been shown to mediate comb size. To determine whether hormones related to male dominance behaviour might be related to social status and comb size, we monitored changes in plasma levels of testosterone and corticosterone following manipulation of social status. We removed young adult male junglefowl from their all-male flocks and placed them either in individual cages or in smaller flocks. We measured comb size and other morphological variables, as well as testosterone and corticosterone levels, before and after the manipulation of social status. Males in small flocks showed reduced comb growth, increased corticosterone and decreased testosterone levels compared with individually housed males. Within flocks, comb size was positively related to dominance rank and to testosterone level, although not always significantly. However, dominance rank was unrelated to either corticosterone or testosterone levels. In isolated birds, testosterone level was not related to comb size. Corticosterone level was not related to comb size in either treatment group. Our results are consistent with social mediation of comb size and testosterone and corticosterone levels, but it is unclear whether these hormones contribute to the observed social limitation of comb length. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .
Compact superconducting synchrocyclotron systems for proton therapy

Abstract Conventional room temperature synchrocyclotrons are widely used as a source for medical proton beams. If the synchrocyclotron is changed to a superconducting design, weight is reduced more than tenfold and the resulting accelerator is beautifully compact and of moderate cost. Engineering studies indicate that the traditional reliability of the synchrocyclotron will not be impinged by the change to a much smaller structure. Design studies for 70 and 250 MeV systems have been made. The 70 MeV machine would be a stond-alone facility for eye treatment, whereas the 250 MeV unit is for general, anywhere-in-the-body proton therapy. The 250 MeV machine is small enough to permit the option of directly mounting the cyclotron on an isocentric gantry, thereby greatly reducing the complexity of the beam transport system.
Women & sisters: The antislavery feminists in American culture

The story of the abolitionist leaders who were also feminists, joined in a double crusade to liberate women and slaves. Yellin analyzes the texts and graphic images that carried the message of these feminist abolitionists successfully - until their icons were taken-over by the patriarchal elite.
SEC application of APB 29: Form over substance?

The authors contend that the SEC staff is misapplying APB 29, which covers spin-off sales of a subsidiary from one company to another. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Multi-Criteria Sensor Placement for Emergency Response

This paper describes an approach to locating a set of sensors to provide early warning of a dangerous chemical or biological agent release. The objective of the warning system is to minimize potential fatalities and any other health-related problems resulting from either an accidental release (such as a chemical spill) or from of a deliberate act of terrorism. The sensor placement solution is described as part of a broader simulation approach that considers the number of sensors available for deployment, the effect of weather conditions on the spread and concentration of the agent released, the speed at which appropriate emergency response actions can be taken to evacuate or shelter-in-place, and factors that make some release points more likely than others, such as the relative ease of site access or the presence of high priority or high impact targets within the at-risk area. Aerial photography and GIS also play important roles in the decision support environment described.
Chromosomal banding of cultured T and B lymphocytes.

Chromosomes of thymus-derived lymphocyte (T-cell) cell lines (CCRF-CEM, CCRF-H-SB-2, MOLT-3, MOLT-4, and RPMI 8402) and the corresponding lines (CCRF-SB and RPMI 8392) with thymus-independent lymphocyte (B-cell) characteristics, were examined with banding techniques. The pairs of cell lines CCRF-H-SB-2 and CCRF-SB, and RPMI 8402 and RPMI 8392, were confirmed to be of the same origin, respectively, inasmuch as their individual specific variant bands were identical. The MOLT-3 and MOLT-4 cells had common marker chromosomes, indicating that the chromosomal changes in these cells probably occurred in vivo. All of the T-cells had structurally abnormal marker chromosomes, whereas the B-cells were chromosomally normal. The structural changes of the chromosomes suggest that the malignant nature of the present T-cells may be essential for such T-cells to be established in vitro in a standard culture medium.
Learning Theory and Natural Language

Comparative grammar is the attempt to characterize the class of (biologically possible) natural languages through formal specification of their grammars; a theory of comparative grammar is such a specification of some definite collection of languages. Contemporary theories of comparative grammar begin with Chomsky (e.g., 1957, 1965), but there are several, different proposals currently under investigation.
Optimal fiscal zoning when the local government is a discriminating monopolist

Abstract Monopoly zoning by local governments has been studied extensively since the original article by White [1975, in: E. Mills and W. Oates, eds., Fiscal zoning and land use controls (Lexington Books, Lexington, MA)]. However, little or no attention has been paid to the possibility of monopolistic discrimination under such a regime. The question is: When will zoning multiple lot sizes be feasible given that buyers with different valuations of land cannot be coerced into purchasing particular lots? The literature on imperfect price discrimination by monopolists is brought to bear on this question. It is shown that the resulting zoning strategy may or may not involve multiple lot sizes. The factors determining the optimal strategy are studied in detail, with particular emphasis on the nature of the market for undeveloped land in the community.
One-Pot Shear Synthesis of Gallium, Indium, and Indium–Bismuth Nanofluids: An Experimental and Computational Study

Nanofluids are often proposed as advanced heat transfer fluids. In this work, using a one-step nanoemulsification method, we synthesize gallium, indium, and indium–bismuth nanofluids in poly-alpha-olefin (PAO). The size distributions of the resulting nanoparticles are analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the alloy nanoparticles indicates that their composition is the same as that of the bulk alloy. It was found that oleylamine stabilizes both gallium and indium particles in PAO, while oleic acid is effective for gallium particles only. The microscopic adsorption mechanism of surfactants on gallium and indium surfaces is investigated using density functional theory (DFT) to understand why oleylamine is effective for both metals while oleic acid is effective for gallium only.
Three-dimensional rigid-body collisions with multiple contact points

This article deals with three-dimensional collisions of rigid, kinematic chains with an external surface while in contact with other surfaces. We concentrate on a special class of kinematic chain problems where there are multiple contact points during the impact process. A differential formulation based algorithm is used to obtain solutions that utilize the kinematic, kinetic, and the energetic definitions of the coefficient of restitution. Planar and spatial collisions of three-link chain with two contact points are numerically studied to compare the outcomes predicted by each approach. Particular emphasis is placed on the relation between the post and pre-impact energies, slippage and rebounds at the contact points, and differences among planar and nearly planar three-dimensional solutions.
Generation patterns of immunocytochemically identified cholinergic neurons in rat brainstem.

Combined [3H]thymidine autoradiographic and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunocytochemical techniques were used to answer questions concerning the generation of specific classes and subclasses of cholinergic neurons in rat brainstem. First, the generation of rostrally and caudally located neurons of the same class (i.e. somatic efferent oculomotor and hypoglossal nuclei, respectively) were compared. Results indicated that, although embryonic day 11 (E11) was the peak birthday for both nuclei, hypoglossal neurons were generated significantly earlier than oculomotor neurons, indicating a caudorostral generation gradient for brainstem somatic motor nuclei. Second, the generation patterns of 3 different subclasses of motor neurons at the same brainstem level were compared; namely those of the somatic efferent hypoglossal nucleus (XII), the general visceral efferent dorsal nucleus of the vagus (X), and the predominantly special visceral efferent nucleus ambiguus. All 3 subclasses of cholinergic cells had the same peak day (E11) and overall period of generation (E11-12). However, statistical analyses indicated a precocious generation of nucleus ambiguus, but no developmental differences between N, XII and N. X. It is suggested that nucleus ambiguus is formed earlier than N. XII and N. X, due to its more ventral location within a ventrodorsal neurogenetic gradient. Third, the generation patterns of different classes of large cholinergic neurons were examined. Specifically, the birthdays of cholinergic non-motor projection neurons of the pedunculopontine-laterodorsal tegmental nuclei (PPT-LDT) were contrasted to those of the cholinergic brainstem motor neurons. The peak birthdays of both rostrally and caudally located motor neurons were two days earlier than those of the PPT-LDT neurons. Thus, large cholinergic cells projecting to peripheral targets are born significantly earlier than those projecting within the CNS, even though the former are located more rostrally on the caudorostral neurogenetic gradient. This represents an apparent exception to the emerging rule that cholinergic neurons obey the general gradients of neurogenesis manifest in the regions of the central nervous system where they reside.
Cooperative individualism in Swedish society

The notion that the individual and society articulate only tenuously, if not with tension, may be social scientific folklore. Human aptitudes involving creativity, independent thought, and agency generally, appear to be shaped and sometimes dictated by the socioculture. Social scientists have begun to unpack the issue of agency in order to better understand the relations among and between individuals and society. By exploring an empirical case involving a congregation of Svenska Missionsforbundet, one can establish that while the form of religious practice is individualistic, its content is strikingly communalistic. These practitioners, and other Swedes at large, often perceive a contradiction between the agendas of individual and of community, which conflict bears critical scrutiny.
The effect of cottrell locking on structural stability in strained-layer semiconductor alloy structures

Abstract Dislocations in substitutional alloys can be locked in place by differential segregation of the solute atoms which partially relieves the stress field of the dislocation. Various features of this effect, known as Cottrell locking, are evaluated for the case of strained layers composed of dilute semiconductor alloys in which the lattice parameter is a function of alloy composition. The locking stress is found to be comparable to the excess stress driving relaxation of the mismatch strain. In addition, formation of solute atmospheres by diffusion should occur under reasonable conditions, and thermally-activated unlocking, which dominates Cottrell locking in most metals, appears to be unimportant in semiconductors. As a result, the large locking stresses offer the possibility of growing coherent strained layers to very large (and perhaps arbitrary) thickness by adjusting the deposition conditions to optimize the effect of Cottrell locking.
Theoretical analysis of genetic algorithms in noisy environments based on a Markov Model

In this study, we take a first step towards theoretically analyzing genetic algorithms (GAs) in noisy environments using Markov chain theory. We explicitly construct a Markov chain that models GAs applied to fitness functions perturbed by either additive or multiplicative noise that takes on finitely many values, and we analyze the chain to investigate the transition and convergence properties of the GAs. For the additive case, our analysis shows that GAs eventually (i.e., as the number of iterations goes to infinity) find at least one globally optimal solution with probability 1. In contrast, GAs may eventually with probability 1 fail to do so in the multiplicative case, and we establish a condition that is both necessary and sufficient for eventually finding a globally optimal solution. In addition, our analysis shows that the chain has a stationary distribution that is also its steady-state distribution. Based on this property, we derive an upper bound for the number of iterations sufficient to ensure with certain probability that a GA has reached the set of globally optimal solutions and continues to include in each subsequent population at least one globally optimal solution whose observed fitness value is greater than that of any suboptimal solution.
Ribonucleic acid interference for neurological disorders: candidate diseases, potential targets, and current approaches.

OBJECTIVE: Ribonucleic acid (RNA) interference (RNAi) is a conserved evolutionary defense mechanism that is gaining utility for therapeutic application by modulating gene expression or silencing disease-causing genes. METHODS: This strategy has recently achieved success in mammalian cells via synthetic small interfering RNA or short hairpin RNA expressed in vectors for gene delivery. The vector-based RNAi strategy has particular potential because of the possibility of targeted gene delivery, long-term gene expression, and the potential means of penetrating the blood-brain barrier. RESULTS: RNAi-based approaches have been proposed for a variety of neurological disorders, including dominant genetic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, malignant brain tumors, pain, and viral-induced encephalopathies. CONCLUSION: This review summarizes the current approaches of the RNAi strategy for neurological disorders, focusing on potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISES FROM THE THIRD WORLD

Multinational enterprises, once the domain of industrialized nations, are emerging from developing countries. This article explores LDC investors' motivations and their unique approach, which are quite different from those of industrialized countries' MNCs for gaining the market dominance.
Agent-based modeling of knowledge dynamics

Knowledge is distributed unevenly through most enterprises. Hence, flows of knowledge (e.g., across time, people, locations, organizations) are critical to organizational efficacy and performance u...
Daily precipitation observations over Emilia-Romagna: mean values and extremes

Daily precipitation data from a dense observational network covering Emilia-Romagna, a region of Northern Italy, are described and analysed. Data are available for all stations for the period 1951–2004 and for a selected group of stations located over the Reno hydrological basin for the period 1925–2004. Indices describing seasonal values of mean precipitation and frequency of extreme events are computed starting from daily data and are used to describe the temporal and spatial variability of precipitation over the region. Data referring to the period 1951–2004 are used to describe trends of relevant precipitation indices over the same period in all seasons, and the relation between the variability of these indices and major Euro-Atlantic large-scale circulation indices over winter. Data referring to the period 1925–2004 are used to analyse the decadal and long-term variability over the Reno Basin and its relation with the winter daily discharge of the river. This analysis allows identifying the presence of a clear decadal periodicity in river discharge, strongly related with the decadal variability in both total precipitation and frequency of intense events. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Delays in immunization have potentially serious health consequences.

When children are not administered vaccinations according to the recommended schedule, they not only fail to receive timely protection from preventable diseases at a time when they are most vulnerable, but also increase their risk of never fully completing the vaccination course. Both outcomes compromise a successful childhood immunization program. Although current data suggest that vaccination rates are near 95% for school-aged children in the US, the rate of timely vaccination is much lower. A number of large studies have found that the majority of children are not currently vaccinated on schedule. Moreover, immunization levels for 2- to 3-year-old children have reached a plateau. It is essential to recognize that low overall rates of the targeted diseases mask the persistent threat they pose if adherence to vaccination schedules declines. A delay in one vaccine will produce a domino effect if catch-up adjustments in scheduled visits are not implemented aggressively. Published reports have demonstrated that failure to adhere to scheduled booster immunizations, not just the initial inoculation, results in resurgence of disease. Children fall off the vaccination schedule for a variety of reasons. Although many studies suggest that inadequate availability to healthcare is not a major determinant of delayed immunization, it still factors into parental decisions. Parents should be reminded of available healthcare options. From the clinician’s end, computerization of healthcare records should allow for the generation of reminders. It is vital for clinicians to be aware that there are few contraindications to vaccination. They should also be prepared to address parental concerns regarding the safety of vaccines and should not hesitate to use topical analgesics or distraction techniques to facilitate inoculation. With the anticipation of several novel vaccines being added to the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule in the future, pediatricians face new challenges to not only provide every vaccination, but to do so in a timely manner. A lack of willingness on the part of the parent, or, occasionally, on the part of the clinician, to have multiple vaccines administered to the child during a single visit has been shown to be a significant cause of delayed vaccination. Since combination vaccines reduce the number of shots that need to be administered, the use of combination vaccines may provide the best opportunity to simplify the immunization schedule, increasing adherence in the process. Improved adherence to established schedules may present a major opportunity to further protect children from disease.
Enzyme studies during lymphocyte stimulation with phytohemagglutinin in Down's syndrome

Abstract Lymphocytes obtained from the peripheral blood of patients with trisomic Down's syndrome and controls were stimulated with PHA. Acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and glucose-6-phophate dehydrogenase were found to be elevated when compared with controls. Despite the increased activity in Down's syndrome, the ratio of Down's to controls remained constant throughout the experiment. The lymphocytes of both groups responded in a similar fashion when the incorporation of tritiated thymidine was measured.