cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photoperiodic regulation of plasma melatonin levels in the laying chicken (Gallus domesticus)

Plasma melatonin profiles were determined in laying chickens maintained on either a 16L:8D or a 20L:4D light-dark cycle (LDC). The range of plasma melatonin concentrations was low during the light period (40–100 pg/ml) and higher during the dark period (150–390 pg/ml). Compared to the light period, plasma concentrations of melatonin were 4- to 5-fold higher (P < 0.05) during the dark period. The amplitude of melatonin concentrations was greater when hens were held under a short dark period (4.6-fold, 20L:4D) than when hens were exposed to a 16L:8D LDC (3.8-fold). In the laying chicken, a broad peak in concentration of plasma melatonin was found in the dark period. It was different from that previously reported in the chick. Since the time of oviposition in the hen occurs in a limited period after the onset of darkness in a LDC, a modified physiological function of melatonin for birds of different ages may account for the diffeence in the nocturnal pattern of plasma melatonin. The elevated level of plasma melatonin in the dark period of a LDC is considered to be essential for regulating the time of oviposition in the laying chicken under a particular LDC.
Variation in threshold and pattern of electroshock-induced seizures in rats depending on site of stimulation

Although most laboratories employ transcorneal stimulation as a means of producing electroshock seizures, transauricular stimulation is also used by many investigators. The present study shows that seizures produced with transcorneal electroshock differ from those produced by transauricular electroshock in several ways: transauricular stimulation is more effective at eliciting tonic convulsions; the threshold for clonus is lower when transcorneal electrodes are used; and the face and forelimb clonus produced by transcorneal stimulation cannot be produced with transauricular stimulation at any current. The present findings are consistent with the hypothesis that tonic seizures are more easily triggered with transauricular stimulation because they originate in the brainstem and because this brain region is preferentially activated when ear-clip electrodes are used.
Infections Due to Gram-Negative Bacteria: An Overview

Infections caused by gram-negative bacteria have continued to be a major problem for hospitalized patients. Malignant necrotizing otitis due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been encountered with increasing frequency as the number of older diabetic patients has increased. Nosocomial sinusitis and bacteremia due to Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter species, or P. aeruginosa develop in hospitalized patients. Bacteremia due to E. coli, K. pneumoniae, or P. aeruginosa often follows instrumentation of the urinary, respiratory, or gastrointestinal tracts in the hospitalized patient. Mortality still is excessively high. Infections of skin structure, particularly decubitus ulcers in debilitated, bedridden patients, are due to a mixed gram-negative and anaerobic flora; frequently, P. aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae resistant to many older agents are the major pathogens. Similarly, osteomyelitis in patients who have undergone previous surgical procedures is caused by various multiply resistant Enterobacteriaceae and P. aeruginosa. In all of these situations, therapy has usually included an aminoglycoside. The availability of drugs such as aztreonam, which has activity directed at aerobic gram-negative bacilli, provides an alternative approach that has proved successful and can be evaluated in more detail in the coming years.
Laser flash photolysis of UF6: The 17 μm infrared spectrum of the transient UF5 molecule

Abstract UF 5 molecules were produced from laser photolysis of very low pressure samples of UF 6 in a long path cell. The partial infrared absorption spectrum of the initially formed UF 5 molecule was recorded in the 17 μm region. The extent of internal vibrational excitation of the formed molecule and its lifetime are discussed from analysis of the absorption decay curve and the measured spectral contour.
The Impact of Need Frequency on Service Marketing Strategy

Strategic marketing decisions for services are complicated by factors that distinguish services from goods. Because services are intangible, variable, and the production and consumption experiences are inseparable, trial of the identical service to be purchased cannot be offered. Services cannot be inventoried, so potential customers are lost if they are unaware of a particular service or it is unavailable during their time of need. Partially due to the difficulty of matching service supply to demand, service marketers typically assume that it is best to work toward retaining current clients, rather than focusing too much on attracting new customers. If there is an ongoing or frequent periodic need for the service, it may indeed be less expensive to maintain an existing customer relationship than to build a new one; however, for services that customers require infrequently, the marketer must find ways to build awareness and attract new customers. Just as marketing strategies for manufactured goods depend ...
APOE ɛ4 and Low Cholesterol as Risks for Depression in a Biracial Elderly Community Sample

OBJECTIVE The ɛ4 allele of apolipoprotein (APOE) is known to be associated with a number of adverse health outcomes, yet the association of the allele with depression has not been conclusively determined. The authors explored the hypothesis that the ɛ4 allele is a risk factor for depression among older persons with a low cholesterol level (a known risk factor for depression). METHODS A biracial community sample of 2,550 older African Americans and Whites in North Carolina was genotyped for APOE, tested for cholesterol, and evaluated for depression at both baseline and 4-year follow-up. RESULTS No relationship was found between the ɛ4 allele and depression or low cholesterol and depression in either cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses. The interaction of the ɛ4 allele and cholesterol was also not associated with depression in controlled analyses. Female gender, less education, being unmarried, and cognitive impairment were associated with depression in cross-sectional controlled analyses; only cognitive impairment was associated with depression in longitudinal analyses. CONCLUSION Despite the association of the ɛ4 allele with a number of adverse health outcomes, as well as the association between depression and cholesterol in previous studies, no association was found between ɛ4 and low cholesterol or depression in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. The interaction of ɛ4 and cholesterol was not associated with depression.
Tuned and wildly asynchronous stencil kernels for hybrid CPU/GPU systems

We describe heterogeneous multi-CPU and multi-GPU implementations of Jacobi's iterative method for the 2-D Poisson equation on a structured grid, in both single- and double-precision. Properly tuned, our best implementation achieves 98% of the empirical streaming GPU bandwidth (66% of peak) on a NVIDIA C1060, and 78% on a C870. Motivated to find a still faster implementation, we further consider "wildly asynchronous" implementations that can reduce or even eliminate the synchronization bottleneck between iterations. In these versions, which are based on chaotic relaxation (Chazan and Miranker, 1969), we simply remove or delay synchronization between iterations. By doing so, we trade-off more flops, via more iterations to converge, for a higher degree of asynchronous parallelism. Our wild implementations on a GPU can be 1.2-2.5x faster than our best synchronized GPU implementation while achieving the same accuracy. Looking forward, this result suggests research on similarly "fast-and-loose" algorithms in the coming era of increasingly massive concurrency and relatively high synchronization or communication costs.
Elevated Levels of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Binding Protein-2 in the Serum of Prostate Cancer Patients*

We have previously documented the presence of specific insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein (IGFBPs) in seminal plasma and prostate epithelial cell-conditioned medium IGFBP-2 is the prevalent IGFBP in both fluids. To assess whether patients with prostate carcinoma have alterations in serum IGFP levels related to the production of IGFBPs by their tumors, we performed Western ligand blots (WLB) and IGFBP-2 RIA on serum samples from 32 patients with prostate carcinoma of various degrees of clinical severity and compared them to results in 16 healthy age-matched controls. We have also measured serum IGF-I and -II by RIA. The mean level of IGFBP-2 in the prostate cancer patients was 170% of control levels by WLB analysis and 195% of control levels by RIA (P < 0.01). The degree of elevation of IGFBP-2 was related to the stage of the tumor and the levels of the serum tumor marker, prostate-specific antigen. Serum IGFBP-3 levels determined by WLB and serum IGF-I and IGF-II levels measured by RIA after...
Transmigrated neutrophils in the intestinal lumen engage ICAM-1 to regulate the epithelial barrier and neutrophil recruitment

Neutrophil (PMN) transepithelial migration (TEM) and accumulation in luminal spaces is a hallmark of mucosal inflammation. TEM has been extensively modeled; however, the functional consequences and molecular basis of PMN interactions with luminal epithelial ligands are not clear. Here we report that cytokine-induced expression of a PMN ligand, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), exclusively on the luminal (apical) membrane of the intestinal epithelium results in accumulation and enhanced motility of transmigrated PMN on the apical epithelial surface. Using complementary in-vitro and in-vivo approaches, we demonstrate that ligation of epithelial ICAM-1 by PMN or with specific antibodies results in myosin light-chain kinase-dependent increases in epithelial permeability that are associated with enhanced PMN TEM. Effects of ICAM-1 ligation on epithelial permeability and PMN migration in vivo were blocked after intraluminal addition of peptides derived from the cytoplasmic domain of ICAM-1. These findings provide new evidence for functional interactions between PMN and epithelial cells after migration into the intestinal lumen. Although such interactions may aid in clearance of invading microorganisms by promoting PMN recruitment, engagement of ICAM-1 under pathologic conditions would increase accumulation of epithelial-associated PMN, thus contributing to mucosal injury as observed in conditions, including ulcerative colitis.
Is computer-assisted, long-term warfarin therapy safe and efficacious for patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation?

Is computer-assisted, long-term warfarin therapy safe and efficacious for patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation?
Remanence coercivity of recording media in the high speed regime

New measurements of the switching characteristics in short pulse fields of CrO/sub 2/ particulate tape and CoNi metal evaporated tape are reported which complete a survey of materials used in flexible media. An unambiguous measure of the results is the remanence coercivity H/sub CR/ which increases as pulse width /spl tau/ decreases. Three mechanisms which could contribute to the increase are thermally assisted switching, damping limited switching and changes in the reversal process. In samples with high viscosity, the results are in excellent agreement over 12 decades with the simple thermal model proposed by Sharrock within the applicable range of /spl tau/>1/f/sub 0/, where f/sub 0/ is the attempt frequency equal to 10/sup 9/ Hz. For /spl tau/ 1/f/sub 0/ in some materials confirms that other mechanisms are dominant in these materials.
PAX3 expression in primary melanomas and nevi.

Melanoma is responsible for an estimated 62 000 new American cancer diagnoses and is projected to cause nearly 8000 deaths in 2008 alone. Although the histogenesis of the tumor is not well understood, it is thought to originate from a rare melanocyte stem cell that resides in the skin. The transcription factor PAX3 has a well-established role in the development of melanocytes during embryogenesis, and has recently been characterized as a molecular switch in the mature melanocyte. Based on this function, PAX3 promotes a melanocytic phenotype but blocks terminal differentiation. This mechanism may also contribute to the uncontrolled cell growth and loss of terminal differentiation in melanomas. Here, we find PAX3 expression in 8/8 melanoma cell lines. We also find that PAX3 is commonly expressed in primary melanoma samples (21/58) but significantly less frequently in benign pigmented lesions (9/75). Further analysis of our melanoma set revealed that PAX3 expression is strongly correlated with younger patients with low or no evidence of sun damage. Our data suggest that PAX3-expressing melanomas may be less environmentally dependent and more genetically linked.
MicroRNA expression patterns in indeterminate inflammatory bowel disease

A diagnosis of idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease requires synthesis of clinical, radiographic, endoscopic, surgical, and histologic data. While most cases of inflammatory bowel disease can be specifically classified as either ulcerative colitis or Crohns disease, 5-10% of patients have equivocal features placing them into the indeterminate colitis category. This study examines whether microRNA biomarkers assist in the classification of classically diagnosed indeterminate inflammatory bowel disease. Fresh frozen colonic mucosa from the distal-most part of the colectomy from 53 patients was used (16 indeterminate colitis, 14 Crohns disease, 12 ulcerative colitis, and 11 diverticular disease controls). Total RNA extraction and quantitative reverse-transcription-PCR was performed using five pairs of microRNA primers (miR-19b, miR-23b, miR-106a, miR-191, and miR-629). Analysis of variance was performed assessing differences among the groups. A significant difference in expressions of miR-19b, miR-106a, and miR-629 was detected between ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease groups (P<0.05). The average expression level of all five microRNAs was statistically different between indeterminate colitis and Crohns disease groups (P<0.05); no significant difference was present between indeterminate and ulcerative colitis groups. Among the 16 indeterminate colitis patients, 15 showed ulcerative colitis-like and one Crohns disease-like microRNA pattern. MicroRNA expression patterns in indeterminate colitis are far more similar to those of ulcerative colitis than Crohns disease. MicroRNA expression patterns of indeterminate colitis provide molecular evidence indicating that most cases are probably ulcerative colitis-similar to the data from long-term clinical follow-up studies. Validation of microRNA results by additional long-term outcome data is needed, but the data presented show promise for improved classification of indeterminate inflammatory bowel disease.
Incremental tourism planning in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

(1998). Incremental Tourism Planning in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Tourism Recreation Research: Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 72-74.
SU-E-T-297: Proton-Therapy System for Treatment of Macular Degeneration and Ocular Malignancies.

Purpose: To commission a proton‐therapy system for the treatment of uveal melanoma and age‐related macular degeneration. Methods:Proton therapy system is the proto‐type of a commercial product developed by Ion Beam Applications. Proton beam is brought into the treatment room at 105 MeV through a fixed beam line. A single‐scattering system with absorber/scattering foils spreads the beam into a Gaussian profile. A library of 10 range‐modulator wheels and 16 range‐modulator blocks generate spread‐out Bragg peaks of various range and modulation width. Source‐to‐axis distance of the system is 169 cm. Two orthogonal digital x‐ray panels are used for alignment. EyePlan software is used both for both treatment planning and in‐room alignment. Results: Range can be varied continuously between 0.5 and 3.4 g/cm2. Range accuracy is measured to be better than 0.05 g/cm2. Modulation width can be varied in steps of =0.3 g/cm2 with an accuracy of 0.05 g/cm2 or 2%. Maximum aperture diameter is 2.5 cm and maximum dose rate >32 Gy/min. Strong dependence of output on range (7%/mm) and dose rate (0.2%/(Gy/min)) is found. Distal and lateral fall‐off (80%‐20%) are =0.23 and =0.18 g/cm2 and do not depend much on range or depth. When reducing the aperture diameter to 6 mm no significant change is observed in shape of depth‐dose curve or absolute dose (<2.5%). Measurements show a significant portion of the dose at shallow depth (=0.7 g/cm2) is delivered by protons scattering off of snout elements. Simple collimation could reduce this effect. Conclusion: The dosimetric and positioning properties of the IBA ocular proton system are adequate to treat ocular lesions with acceptable clinical margins. Suggested improvements include limiting the output‐dependence on range and reducing snout scatter.
First Report of Ascochyta Blight Caused by QoI-Resistant Isolates of Ascochyta rabiei in Chickpea Fields of Nebraska and South Dakota.

Ascochyta blight, caused by Ascochyta rabiei, is a serious disease of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and fungicide applications are used to manage the disease in the North Central plains (4). During the 2010 growing season, a commercial field near Stanley, SD was treated with pyraclostrobin (Headline, BASF, NC) and called a management failure by the grower. Similarly, limited efficacy of pyraclostrobin was observed in an ascochyta research trial near Scott's Bluff, NE. In both locations, symptoms and signs consistent with A. rabiei infection existed on leaves, stems, and pods; namely, circular brown lesions with concentric rings of dark brown pycnidia. Symptomatic samples were collected, disinfected with 95% ethanol for 1 min, rinsed with sterile water, placed in 0.5% NaOCl for 1 min, and rinsed again with sterile water for 1 min (4). Samples were air dried, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates for 3 to 7 days, and colonies with morphological characteristics typical of A. rabiei were single-spored and ...
Ultrastructural differentiation of the endodermal cells of the yolk sac of the bat, Tadarida brasiliensis cynocephala.

In Tadarida, the endodermal cells that form the yolk sac originally delaminate from the inner cell mass and proliferate to form a complete lining of the trophoblastic vesicle, creating a bilaminar omphalopleure. These cells remain squamous until the splanchnic mesoderm migrates in between the two layers of the omphalopleure, at which time they begin to hypertrophy. The current study is an analysis of the cytological changes that accompany this hypertrophy as well as additional changes that occur throughout the remainder of the gestation period. Among the early changes are: (1) the formation of numerous microvilli along the apical surface of the cells, (2) the appearance of coated vesicles, also along the apical plasma membrane, (3) the establishment of a system of absorption tubules in the apical cytoplasm, (4) an increase in mitochondria, and (5) the appearance of glycogen within the channels of the membranous organelle. A wave of hematopoietic activity follows the migration of splanchnic mesoderm around the trophoblastic vesicle, and at this time the erythroblasts and embryonic erythrocytes can be seen in a close relationship with the endodermal cells. Subsequent changes include the enlargement of the membranous organelle and the appearance of a paracrystalline membranous structure. In addition, the endodermal cells store large quantities of lipid and glycogen that are substantially depleted just before birth.
Polyphosphate kinase genes from full-scale activated sludge plants

The performance of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) wastewater treatment processes depends on the presence of bacteria that accumulate large quantities of polyphosphate. One such group of bacteria has been identified and named Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis. Accumulibacter-like bacteria are abundant in many EBPR plants, but not much is known about their community or population ecology. In this study, we used the polyphosphate kinase gene (ppk1) as a high-resolution genetic marker to study population structure in activated sludge. Ppk1 genes were amplified from samples collected from full-scale wastewater treatment plants of different configurations. Clone libraries were constructed using primers targeting highly conserved regions of ppk1, to retrieve these genes from activated sludge plants that did, and did not, perform EBPR. Comparative sequence analysis revealed that ppk1 fragments were retrieved from organisms affiliated with the Accumulibacter cluster from EBPR plants but not from a plant that did not perform EBPR. A new set of more specific primers was designed and validated to amplify a 1,100 bp ppk1 fragment from Accumulibacter-like bacteria. Our results suggest that the Accumulibacter cluster has finer-scale architecture than previously revealed by 16S ribosomal RNA-based analyses.
SU-FF-T-131: Assessing the Dosimetric Impact of Intra-Fraction Prostate Motion On Step-And-Shoot IMRT Plans

Purpose: To assess the dosimetric impact of intra‐fraction prostate motion for step‐and‐shoot IMRT plans. Method and Materials: For step‐and‐shoot IMRT plans, fluence maps for each segment are exported from the Pinnacle treatment planning system. Each fluence map segment is modified to simulate the effect of prostate motion observed during the simulated delivery. Modified fluence maps are re‐imported into Pinnacle for dose calculations. Calculated dose distributions are compared with unmodified fluence maps dose distributions to assess the impact of intrafraction motion on the dose delivery. Measured Calypso motion tracks for 16 patients (515 tracks) are used. Changes in prostate (4–6 mm margin) and PTV (zero‐margin) D95% are scored for each fraction and for the cumulative simulated delivery. Results: Average D95% changes (± 1SD) in the PTV and prostate are −0.5±1.1% and −0.2±0.5%. Maximum per‐fraction D95% changes are −12.7% and −6.4%. 12% and 4% of all fractions suffered a PTV and prostate D95% change in excess of 1 percent. Only 2% and 0.2% of all fractions suffered respective changes in excess of 3%. The patient specific cumulative D95% changes in the PTV and prostate average −0.15±0.2% and 0.07±0.15%. The maximum cumulative D95% variations for a single patient are −0.6% and 0.5%. After the delivery of 5 fractions the cumulative D95% variations for a single patient are −1% and 0.4% for the PTV and prostate. Conclusion: Inter‐fraction prostate motion has little effect on the dosimetric target coverage for step‐and‐shoot prostate plans. Very few fractions (2 and 0.2% for the PTV and prostate) suffered D95% changes in excess of 3%. After the delivery of all fractions the effect on the both the PTV and prostate was negligible. (Supported, in part, by by NIH P01CA116602 and T32CA113277)
Multi-Level and Interleaved Poisson-Boltzmann (MLIPB) Method for Parallel Computing of the Electrostatics and its Application in Delphi

Electrostatic potential and energies originating from the charge distribution within biomolecules have great impact on intra- and inter-molecular interactions. Due to the enormous importance of electrostatics in molecular biology, calculating the electrostatic potential and corresponding energies has become a standard computational approach to study biomolecules and nano-objects immersed in water and salt phase or other media. However, the electrostatics of large macromolecules and macromolecular complexes may not be obtainable via explicit methods and even the standard continuum electrostatics methods may not be applicable due to high computational and memory requirements. Here we will present a new multi-level (parallelization is achieved at different levels of the algorithm) and interleaved (parallelization is implemented by interleaving the computational tasks) method, the MLIPB method, to parallelize standard methods for computing electrostatics potential and energies in the framework of Poisson-Boltzmann equation (PBE). The MLIPB method is implemented in the popular software DelPhi, resulting in speedup of several folds without compromising accuracy or imposing additional assumptions. As a demonstration of efficiency and capability of this methodology, electrostatic potential and energies are calculated to illustrate the pathway of electron transfer between the component complexes and cytochrome c binding in the bovine mitochondrial supercomplex. This work is supported by NIH grant R01GM093937.
Treatment of subsyndromal depressive symptoms in middle-age and older patients with schizophrenia: effect of age on response.

Objective The authors hypothesized that age would moderate the response of patients with schizophrenia and subsyndromal depression (SSD) treated citalopram with depressive symptoms and other outcomes. Also, older patients would exhibit more side effects with citalopram. Methods Participants of 40 years or older had schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder with SSD. Patients randomly received flexible dosing of citalopram or placebo augmentation of their antipsychotic medication. Linear regression determined whether age had any moderating effect on depressive symptoms, global psychopathology, negative symptoms, mental functioning, and quality of life. Age-related side effects were examined. Results There were no significant drug group by age interaction in depressive or psychotic symptoms, mental Short Form-12, or quality of life scores. Similarly, there were few age-related side effect differences. Conclusion Symptoms in younger and older patients with schizophrenia and SSD treated with citalopram seem to respond similarly. Adverse events do not seem to differ with age.
Does primary sclerosing cholangitis impact quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background: Impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important concern in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; ulcerative colitis [UC], Crohn's disease [CD]). Between 2%–10% of patients with IBD have primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). There has been limited examination of the disease-specific HRQoL in this population compared to non-PSC IBD controls. Methods: This was a retrospective, case–control study performed at a tertiary referral center. Cases comprised 26 patients with a known diagnosis of PSC and IBD (17 UC, 9 CD). Three random controls were selected for each case after matching for IBD type, gender, age, and duration of disease. Disease-specific HRQoL was measured using the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ). Disease activity for CD was measured using the Harvey–Bradshaw index (HB) and using the UC activity index for UC. Independent predictors of HRQoL were identified. Results: There was no significant difference in the age, gender distribution, or disease duration between PSC-IBD and controls. There was no difference in use of immunomodulators or biologics between the 2 groups. Mean SIBDQ score was comparable between PSC-IBD patients (54.5) and controls (54.1), both for UC and CD. Likewise, the disease activity scores were also similar (2.8 versus 3.1, P = 0.35). On multivariate analysis, higher disease activity score (−1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 95% CI −1.85 to −0.82) and shorter disease duration were predictive of lower HRQoL. Coexisting PSC did not influence IBD-related HRQoL. There was a higher proportion of permanent work disability in PSC-IBD (7.7%) compared to controls (0%). Conclusions: PSC does not seem to influence disease-specific HRQoL in our patients with IBD but is associated with a higher rate of work disability. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2010)
Unusual cause of severe toxic methemoglobinemia in an infant: a case report

Toxic methemoglobinemia is an uncommon blood disorder induced by exposure to certain oxidizing agents and drugs. In severe cases, this condition may rapidly lead to major cardiopulmonary compromise and constitutes an emergency requiring prompt recognition and early management. We report an unusual case of severe toxic methemoglobinemia following wide cutaneous application of a pomade containing benzocaine, resorcin, and oxyquinoline (Nestosyl®) in an infant.
George Jerome Magovern, MD, November 17, 1923–November 4, 2013

George Jerome Magovern, the 20th president of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (1984–1985) and emeritus member of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (1984–1991), died surrounded by his family on November 4, 2013. He leaves behind him a lasting commitment to the advancement of patient care, education, and research.
Comparison of initial oxidation of single- and polycrystalline FeSi alloys, and the effects of annealing and crystal faces on the oxidation behavior

Abstract The initial oxidation of Fe-6.85 at % Si (110) and (111) single crystal surfaces, and (110) oriented pure Fe surfaces were investigated by AES (including Ar+ depth profiling) and LEED at 300 K under very low oxygen pressure. The best annealing condition for each crystal was determined to provide the cleanest surface for the following initial oxidation experiments. The initial oxidation results were compared with those of the previously studied polycrystal alloy to show a general resemblance in the various initial oxidation features. Gradual changes of “Fe oxide” in the Fe-silicate layer from its highest oxidation state at the top to the lowest at the bottom were also observed as in the polycrystalline case, and the predominance of “FeO” was determined. The retardation in Fe oxidation rate with respect to that of the corresponding pure Fe surface is, however, enhanced by ∼ 33% on (110) compared to the polycrystal case. Comparison between (110) and (111) planes reveals only a minor crystallographic dependence of the initial oxidation of single-crystalline Fe-6.85at%Si. A general increase in the degree of retardation of the Fe oxidation in FeSi (110) was observed as the initial surface Si concentration goes up by segregation to a certain critical value, > 13 at% Si.
Carbohydrate and fat preferences in the “Tasteless” P2X knockout mouse.

Taste cells communicate with gustatory nerves using ATP and purinergic (P2X) receptors. This is indicated by the findings that P2X knockout (KO) mice show no neural response to prototypical taste stimuli and are behaviorally indifferent to most tastants (Finger et al., 2005). The present study examined preferences for atypical taste stimuli (Polycose, soybean oil) and experiential effects on nutrient preferences in P2X KO mice. Initial tests revealed that, unlike wild-type (WT) mice, P2X KO mice were indifferent to dilute soybean oil emulsions and Polycose solutions. After experience with concentrated soybean oil, P2X KO mice displayed strong preferences for oil at low to high concentrations (0.039–20%). Similarly, with experience P2X KO mice developed robust preferences for Polycose (0.125–32%). The Polycose-experienced P2X KO mice also preferred sucrose (0.5–32%) to water. This was not due to the sugar's sweet taste because the mice were indifferent to saccharin and failed to prefer sucrose presented in an odorized gum solution. These data suggest that P2X KO mice are deficient in their taste response to Polycose and soybean oil as well as to sugar but with experience develop strong preferences for nutritive solutions. This is presumably due to learned associations between the non-taste properties (texture, odor) of the nutritive solutions and their post-oral nutrient reinforcing effects. Supported by DK031135.
L'analyse économique de la variété de produits: une revue de la littérature

La demande de variete peut naitre d'un gout de la diversite dans la consommation individuelle et/ou de la diversite des gouts meme si chaque consommateur ne choisit qu'une seule variante de produit. Le degre total de demande de variete potentielle ne sera en general pas satisfait en raison des imperatifs imposes par les economies d'echelles (meme faibles) qui signifient qu'il faut mettre en balance les gains financiers et de bien-etre resultant d'une variete plus grande avec des faibles couts de production associes a une variete restreinte. l'etude des aspects economiques de la variete de produits consiste essentiellement a analyser les effets de cet equilibre dans differentes situations, et a comparer entre eux et avec l'optimum les degres de variete de produits pour differentes structures de marche. Cette etude commence par presenter les travaux sur les structures de marche composees de firmes ne produisant qu'un produit (concurrence monopolistique generalisee) en soulignant les developpements modernes ...
Gravitation and Electromagnetism

Einstein's theory of gravitation is compared with Maxwell's theory of the electromagnetic field, and some common features of the two theories are pointed out. It is also shown that the well-known peculiarities of Einstein's theory are a necessary consequence of the fact that Einstein's field corresponds to particles of spin 2.
New zirconium chloride cluster phases with the stoichiometries Zr6Cl12Z and Zr6Cl14Z that are stabilized by interstitial atoms (Z = H, Be, B, C)

Abstract The syntheses of the following compounds from Zr, Zr X 4 , the interstitial Z = H, Be, B, or C, and M ′Cl (where appropriate) are reported together with their respective lattice constants: Zr 6 X 12 H ( X = Cl or Br), Zr 6 Cl 12 Be, Zr 6 Br 12 B, Cs 2 ZrCl 6 · Zr 6 Cl 12 Z ( Z = H or Be), Zr 6 X 14 C ( X = Cl or Br), Zr 6 Cl 14 B, M Zr 6 Cl 14 B ( M = LiCs or Tl), and CsZr 6 Br 14 C. A number of attempted syntheses of M Zr 6 Cl 14 Z phases in which other Z elements could not be encapsulated are also listed. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction data for Zr 6 Cl 14 C and Zr 6 Cl 14 B were also collected and refined ( Cmca , Z = 4, Nb 6 Cl 14 structure, a = 14.091 (8), 14.243 (1)A, b = 12.595 (5), 12.640 (2)A, c = 11.506 (5), 11.546 (1)A, R = 4.5, 6.1%, respectively). Both the oversized cavity available for the hydride interstitial and the consequences of a matrix effect on dimensions and stability of Zr 6 X 14 C structures when X is changed from chlorine to iodine are discussed.
The Influence of Implicit Bias on Treatment Recommendations for 4 Common Pediatric Conditions: Pain, Urinary Tract Infection, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Asthma

Objectives. We examined the association between pediatricians’ attitudes about race and treatment recommendations by patients’ race.Methods. We conducted an online survey of academic pediatricians (n = 86). We used 3 Implicit Association Tests to measure implicit attitudes and stereotypes about race. Dependent variables were recommendations for pain management, urinary tract infections, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and asthma, measured by case vignettes. We used correlational analysis to assess associations among measures and hierarchical multiple regression to measure the interactive effect of the attitude measures and patients’ race on treatment recommendations.Results. Pediatricians’ implicit (unconscious) attitudes and stereotypes were associated with treatment recommendations. The association between unconscious bias and patient’s race was statistically significant for prescribing a narcotic medication for pain following surgery. As pediatricians’ implicit pro-White bias increased, presc...
The Crucial ‘Where’ of Graffiti: A Geographical Analysis of Reactions to Graffiti in New York

This paper is an examination of the reactions to graffiti in New York during the early 1970s. It is argued that the reactions of the media and government present a discourse of disorder, a discours...
Intensity of plasmon replicas in the x-ray spectra of metals

Abstract Theoretical intensities of plasmon replicas in the soft X-ray absorption spectra of metallic crystals are presented.
Fast spin-lattice relaxation in cerium ethylsulfate☆

Abstract The high-frequency paramagnetic susceptibility χ' (ω, H, T) of cerium ethyl-sulfate was measured at frequencies from 10 MHz to 55 MHz and at temperatures from 1.2 K to 4.2 K. A relaxation rate for the Ce3+ ions is found which is identified with the Orbach spin-lattice rate within the lowest Ce3+ doublet due to direct spin-phonon transitions to the first excited Ce3+ doublet. This rate is enhanced by three orders of magnitude compared with the Orbach spin-lattice rate of Ce3+ diluted into the other rare-earth ethylsulfates. The susceptibility results also show that the Orbach spin-lattice rate is greater than any spin-spin relaxation rate for the lowest Ce3+ doublet. This is the opposite of the usual case in concentrated paramagnetic salts.
Acute abdomen caused by placenta percreta in the second trimester

A woman with a history of "in utero" diethylstilbestrol exposure but no prior uterine surgery presented with an acute abdomen at 21 weeks' gestation. She had hemoperitoneum associated with placenta percreta.
Needs and Preferences for Receiving Mental Health Information in an African American Focus Group Sample

The purpose of this study is to better understand the mental health/illness information and service delivery preferences among African American residents of Baltimore. We conducted four focus groups (n = 42) among African American adults currently unconnected with the mental health system. Participants expressed fear of stigma and perceptions of racism as major barriers to seeking information and/or services and discussed some normalizing strategies to address these barriers. African Americans harbor cultural and traditional beliefs regarding mental illness which could also act as barriers. Findings have implications for imparting acceptable and culturally sensitive mental health education and service delivery programs in community settings.
Fate of sperm components during assisted reproduction: implications for infertility.

Studies in non-human primates highlight their suitability as preclinical models for investigating assisted reproduction techniques. The cytoskeletal events of fertilization in non-human primates are similar to those in humans in that they require a paternally derived centrosome. The centrosome, introduced by the sperm at fertilization, organizes a microtubule array that is responsible for bringing the parental genomes together at first mitosis. Incomplete functioning of the sperm centrosome during fertilization has been identified as a novel form of infertility that would not necessarily benefit from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The global use of ICSI to overcome male infertility has been very successful, although concerns remain regarding the long-term effects on children born after ICSI. The cytoskeletal events that occur during ICSI are quite different from the events of in vitro fertilization: a sperm selected for ICSI does not undergo typical oocyte interactions, and abnormal remodelling ...
Isolates of Didymella bryoniae from South Carolina Remain Sensitive to DMI Fungicides Despite Multiyear Exposure

Triazole fungicides, which are sterol demethylation inhibitors, have become the primary systemic fungicides applied to cucurbits to control gummy stem blight caused by Didymella bryoniae. Isolates of D. bryoniae from South Carolina that were never exposed to tebuconazole or exposed for several years were tested for sensitivity to tebuconazole and difenoconazole. Colony diameters, percentage germination of ascospores and conidia, and germ tube lengths were measured when isolates were grown on agar amended with 0.10–10.0 mg/l tebuconazole and 0.01–1.0 mg/l difenoconazole. All 147 isolates tested were sensitive to tebuconazole and difenoconazole with mean EC50 values of 0.41 and 0.054 mg/l, respectively. Ascospore germination was greater than conidia germination on fungicide-amended agar. Although the length of germ tubes arising from both spore types was reduced by both fungicides, the reduction was greater for ascospore germ tubes than for conidia germ tubes. Because many watermelon growers rotate crops among fields every two years, local populations of D. bryoniae have not been exposed repeatedly to tebuconazole. In addition, growers often apply a rotation of systemic and contact fungicides. Thus, despite exposure to tebuconazole for up to nine years, isolates of D. bryoniae from South Carolina remain sensitive to triazole fungicides.
Electrostatic wave excitation in planetary magnetospheres: Application to Neptune

Voyager 2 observations of electrostatic electron and ion harmonic waves in Neptune's magnetosphere are addressed. A model of electron Bernstein modes generated by a loss cone distribution of superthermal electrons is scaled to Neptune parameters and a comparison of theory with the observed electron flux shows good agreement. A model of proton Bernstein modes generated by a ring distribution of Tritonogenic nitrogen ions is also investigated and satisfactory agreement with the data are obtained compatible with known properties of the magnetosphere. The success of the model in accounting for electrostatic emission observed by Voyager over a wide range of sampled parameters recommends its general applicability to planetary magnetospheres.
A pasture production model for use in a whole farm simulator

Abstract Modular simulation models of crop and animal enterprises can be used in concert to simulate a particular whole farm operation and thus provide management information for individual farmers and farm advisers. This paper reports the development of a pasture module for such a whole farm simulator designed to study irrigation management in New Zealand. The model (CANPAS) describes the production of perennial ryegrass/white clover pastures under either dryland or irrigated conditions. Seasonal growth studies and the principles of ecological physiology form the theoretical base of CANPAS. Whenever possible, parts of other models were also used. With time steps of one day, CANPAS predicts the net above-ground yield of live and dead herbage, herbage digestibility, leaf area index and soil water supply. Harvested yields are also predicted for simulated grazing or cutting managements, assuming part of the above-ground yield of live and dead herbage is left as stubble. Field measurements of harvested pasture yields from the Canterbury Plains of New Zealand were used to validate the model. Validation procedure included the use of a simple set of statistical tests. The final version (CANPAS III) gave an overall r2 of 0·83, but poorer performance was found under some test managements. Discussion covers the general aspects of this kind of modelling as well as the specific details of the pasture module.
An Analytic Approach to a General Class of G/G/s Queueing Systems

We solve the queueing system Ck/Cm/s, where Ck is the class of Coxian probability density functions pdfs of order k, which is a subset of the pdfs that have a rational Laplace transform. We formulate the model as a continuous-time, infinite-space Markov chain by generalizing the method of stages. By using a generating function technique, we solve an infinite system of partial difference equations and find closed-form expressions for the system-size, general-time, prearrival, post-departure probability distributions and the usual performance measures. In particular, we prove that the probability of n customers being in the system, when it is saturated is a linear combination of geometric terms. The closed-form expressions involve a solution of a system of nonlinear equations that involves only the Laplace transforms of the interarrival and service time distributions. We conjecture that this result holds for a more general model. Following these theoretical results we propose an exact algorithm for finding the system-size distribution and the system's performance measures. We examine special cases and apply this method for numerically solving the C2/C2/s and Ek/C2/s queueing systems.
Association between glutathione S-transferase p1 polymorphisms and lung cancer risk in Caucasians: a case-control study.

Abstract Glutathione transferases (GSTs), a multiple gene family of phase II enzymes, catalyze detoxifying endogenous reactions with glutathione and protect cellular macromolecules from damage caused by cytotoxic and carcinogenic agents. Glutathione S -transferase p1 (GSTP1), the most abundant GST isoform in the lung, metabolizes numerous carcinogenic compounds including benzo[ a ]pyrene, a tobacco carcinogen. Previous studies suggest that genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1 exon 5 (Ile105Val) and exon 6 (Ala114Val) have functional effects on the GST gene product resulting in reduced enzyme activity. Individuals with reduced GST enzymatic activity may be at a greater risk for cancer due to decreased detoxification of carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds. Utilizing a hospital-based case-control study, we investigated the association between GSTP1 polymorphisms at exons 5 and 6 with lung cancer risk. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay was used to successfully genotype the GSTP1 exons 5 and 6 polymorphism in 582 Caucasian lung cancer cases and 600 frequency matched Caucasian controls. There was no association between the exon 5 variant genotypes (A/G+G/G) and overall lung cancer risk (OR=1.09; 95% CI 0.82–1.45) nor when stratified by age, gender, and smoking status. However, the exon 6 variant genotypes (C/T+T/T) were associated with a statistically significant elevated lung cancer risk (OR=1.40; 95% CI 1.06–1.92). Additionally, there was an increase in lung cancer risk for the exon 6 variant genotypes in younger individuals ( GSTP1 exon 6 polymorphism, but not the exon 5 polymorphism, is associated with lung cancer risk that is especially evident in men, younger individuals, and ever smokers.
Cooperative multi-residence demand response scheduling

This paper is concerned with scheduling of demand response among different residences and a utility company. The utility company has a cost function representing the cost of providing energy to end-users, and this cost can be varying across the scheduling horizon. Each end-user has a “must-run” load, and two types of adjustable loads. The first type must consume a specified total amount of energy over the scheduling horizon, but the consumption can be adjusted across different slots. The second type of load has adjustable power consumption without a total energy requirement, but operation of the load at reduced power results in dissatisfaction of the end-user. The problem amounts to minimizing the total cost electricity plus the total user dissatisfaction (social welfare), subject to the individual load consumption constraints. The problem is convex and can be solved by a distributed subgradient method. The utility company and the end-users exchange Lagrange multipliers—interpreted as pricing signals—and hourly consumption data through the Advanced Metering Infrastructure, in order to converge to the optimal amount of electricity production and the optimal power consumption schedule.