cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the pharmacological antagonism of M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors expressed in isolation and in combination

We compared the binding properties of selective muscarinic antagonists with their potencies for antagonizing muscarinic responses in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing M(2) and M(3) muscarinic receptors in combination and in isolation. When measured by the competitive displacement of [3H]N-methylscopolamine binding to CHO cells expressing both M(2) and M(3) muscarinic receptors (CHO M(2)+M(3) cells), the competition curves of the subtype-selective muscarinic antagonists were consistent with a two-site model. One site exhibited binding properties identical to those of CHO M(2) cells, whereas the other site exhibited properties like those of CHO M(3) cells. Oxotremorine-M, a muscarinic agonist, elicited a robust, pertussis toxin-insensitive stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis in both CHO M(3) and CHO M(2)+M(3) cells, but not in CHO M(2) cells. The pharmacological antagonism of the phosphoinositide response exhibited similar properties in both CHO M(3) and CHO M(2)+M(3) cells. Oxotremorine-M elicited a pertussis toxin-sensitive, robust inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation in both CHO M(2) and CHO M(2)+M(3) cells and a less robust inhibition in CHO M(3) cells. At higher concentrations, oxotremorine-M elicited an increase in cAMP accumulation over the maximal inhibition noted at lower concentrations in both CHO M(3) and CHO M(2)+M(3) cells. Following pertussis toxin treatment, only the stimulatory phase of the cAMP response to oxotremorine-M was observed in CHO M(2), CHO M(3), and CHO M(2)+M(3) cells. The pharmacological antagonism of the cAMP response in CHO M(2)+M(3) cells resembled that expected for a response mediated independently by both M(2) and M(3) receptors.
Influence of adenosine on the stimulatory effect of isoprenaline and insulin on myocardial contractility in vivo.

Study objective – In vitro investigations have indicated that adenosine can inhibit β adrenergic stimulated increases in cardiac contractility. The present study was designed to determine the ability of adenosine to inhibit isoprenaline induced increases in contractility in vivo. Adenosine has been reported to exert its inhibitory effects on contractility by inhibiting adenylate cyclase. Thus, adenosine should have no effect on positive inotropic agents that act independently of adenylate cyclase. We therefore assessed the ability of this nucleoside to inhibit the positive inotropic effect of insulin, a hormone that exerts a positive inotropic effect independently of alterations in cyclic AMP. Design – Saline or adenosine (10 μmol·mT−1) was infused into the circumflex artery at 1 ml·min−1 as a background. Isoprenaline (20 or 200 pmol·min−1) was infused into the artery during saline or adenosine infusion. The response to insulin was determined during hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp. Subjects – 16 adult mongrel dogs were anaesthetised with pentobarbitone. Five dogs were used in isoprenaline studies, and 11 dogs in insulin studies. Measurements and main results – Dogs were instrumented to obtain measurements of mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, circumflex artery blood flow (Q), instantaneous left ventricular pressure, and posterior left ventricular wall thickness. We used the slope of the end systolic pressure-dimension relationship (Ees) as an index of myocar-dal contractility, previously shown to reflect changes in myocardial inotropic state independent of influence from afterload and preload. Left ventricular dP/dtmax was derived from left ventricular pressure with respect to time, and Ees was determined from left ventricular pressure and wall thickness. Neither adenosine, isoprenaline, nor insulin alone caused any significant changes in mean arterial pressure or heart rate. Adenosine caused a significant increase in Q. Both left ventricular dP/dtmax and Ees were significantly increased by either insulin or both doses of isoprenaline. Adenosine inhibited the increases in these indices caused by isoprenaline, but not those caused by insulin. Conclusions – Adenosine is capable of inhibiting the positive inotropic effect of isoprenaline in vivo. The results suggest that adenosine does not inhibit positive inotropic reponses that act independently of the stimulation of adenylate cyclase.
A sex-associated protein in liver tissue of the rat and its response to endocrine manipulation.

A Sex-Associated Protein in Liver Tissue of the Rat and its Response to Endocrine Manipulation
Stability of wood fast pyrolysis oil

Abstract This study evaluates the effects of storage conditions on physical and chemical properties of biomass fast pyrolysis oils exposed to elevated temperatures over extended periods of time. It was performed on oak pyrolysis oil generated in the NREL vortex reactor. Oil samples were stored at three temperatures: 37, 60 and 90°C in glass vessels. Properties of the oils were measured after hours of storage at 90°C, and after days or weeks at lower temperatures. Chemical changes in the oils were measured using GPC (molecular weight distribution) and FTIR spectroscopy. The oil remained a single phase throughout the studied conditions. Its pH was not affected by storage. The water content, viscosity and molecular weight of the oil increased with the time and temperature of storage. First-order reaction kinetics were successfully used to predict changes in molecular weight of the stored oil. FTIR provided evidence that etherification or esterification are mechanisms for condensation of the oil during storage.
Review article: intragastric and oesophageal pH monitoring in patients with gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease

Treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease with acid suppressive therapy is based on the principle that effective control of intragastric pH (a marker of acid control) leads to healing of erosive oesophagitis and relief of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-associated symptoms. Most patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease can be managed successfully with current antisecretory therapy. In difficult-to-treat patients, oesophageal pH monitoring is a useful technique to assess pH control and to investigate the association of reflux with refractory symptoms. Intragastric pH monitoring allows direct assessment of acid suppression achieved with an agent, and is the most useful for head-to-head comparisons of antisecretory therapies, evaluating variability in individual gastric pH response, assessing dose timing and food effect, and determining alternate dosing strategies; as such, it is useful in the research laboratory, and may be useful clinically to guide clinicians in dose titration and in evaluating the effect of switching agents. This article reviews these and other uses of these tests in an effort to explore the question of how to optimally use oesophageal pH monitoring and gastric pH monitoring in patient management.
Intermolecular contributions to the chemical shielding anisotropy in crystalline benzene

Abstract Intermolecular contributions to the chemical shielding in crystalline benzene are investigated through a comparison of solid-state and liquid-crystal measurements of the shielding anisotropy of benzene. A semiclassical ring current calculation applied to the benzene crystal lattice predicts a neighbor contribution to the anisotropy that brings the solid-state and liquid-crystal measurements into accord. Possible intermolecular effects in liquid-crystal methods are also experimentally tested.
Putting the organization back into computational organization theory: a complex Perrowian model of organizational action

At best, computational models that study organizations incorporate only one perspective of how organizations are known to act within their environments. Such single-perspective models are limited in their generalizability and applicability to the real world and allow for researcher bias. This work develops a multi-agent simulation using eight different well-known organizational perspectives: Strategic choice, contingency theory, behavioral decision theory, enactment, resource dependence, institutional theory, population ecology, and transaction cost economics. A literature review of each field is applied to the construction of algorithms which, when combined with techniques derived from a literature review of computational modeling of organizations, was applied to the construction of a series of algorithms describing a multi-perspective computational model. Computer code was written based on the algorithms and run across different types of environments. Results were statistically analyzed to both validate the model and to generate contingency-oriented hypotheses. Conclusions were made with regard to the expected behavior of organizations and the model's applicability toward further research.
Self-regulation of hemispheric asymmetry

This study was performed to determine if individuals could demonstrate self-regulation of average EEG power of one hemisphere in comparison to the other. Temporal EEG was recorded from 8 males and 6 females. After a practice session, the subjects were instructed to increase or decrease the practice session, the subjects were instructed to increase or decrease the ratio of left to right temporal EEG. The subjects were given on-line feedback in the form of a graph presented via a computer display screen. The study demonstrated a significant ability of the subjects to change differentially the hemispheric power ratios upon instruction.
4-Dibenzocyclooctynol (DIBO) as an initiator for poly(ε-caprolactone): copper-free clickable polymer and nanofiber-based scaffolds

Utilization of 4-dibenzocyclooctynol (DIBO) as an initiator for the ring-opening polymerization of [varepsilon]-caprolactone yields well-defined, high molecular weight poly([varepsilon]-caprolacton ...
Multistage Capital Budgeting with Delayed Consumption of Slack

Capital budgeting frequently involves multiple stages at which firms can continue or abandon ongoing projects. In this paper, we study a project requiring two stages of investment. Failure to fund Stage 1 of the investment precludes investment in Stage 2, whereas failure to fund Stage 2 results in early termination. In contrast to the existing literature, we assume that the firm can limit the manager's informational rents with the early termination of the project. In this setting, we find that the firm optimally commits to a capital allocation scheme whereby it forgoes positive net present value NPV projects at Stage 1 capital rationing, whereas at Stage 2, depending on the manager's previous report, it sometimes implements projects with a negative continuation NPV but in other situations forgoes implementing projects with positive continuation NPVs. This paper was accepted by Mary Barth, accounting.
Applications of Delayed Fluorescence from Photosystem II

While photosystem II (PSII) of plants utilizes light for photosynthesis, part of the absorbed energy may be reverted back and dissipated as long-term fluorescence (delayed fluorescence or DF). Because the generation of DF is coupled with the processes of forward photosynthetic activities, DF contains the information about plant physiological states and plant-environment interactions. This makes DF a potentially powerful biosensing mechanism to measure plant photosynthetic activities and environmental conditions. While DF has attracted the interest of many researchers, some aspects of it are still unknown because of the complexity of photosynthetic system. In order to provide a holistic picture about the usefulness of DF, it is meaningful to summarize the research on DF applications. In this short review, available literature on applications of DF from PSII is summarized.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use in the prevention and treatment of squamous cell carcinoma.

Background. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely reported to inhibit carcinogenesis. Objective. The objective was to review the literature on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the prevention and treatment of cancer as it pertains to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Methods. We searched MEDLINE and performed a review of all published data on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cutaneous oncogenesis. Results. In vitro and animal data strongly suggest a role for cyclooxygenase-2 in the formation of actinic keratoses and squamous cell carcinomas. Further observational studies and clinical trials are needed to assess their putative role in chemoprevention. Conclusions. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have activity against squamous cell carcinomas in vitro and in animal models, as well as in precursor lesions of squamous cell carcinomas. Human trials using selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors are currently in progress and should offer exciting information regarding the chemopreventative function of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Using the Exterior Matrix Method to find eigenfrequencies when the governing equations are systems of first-order equations

Abstract In this paper, we will apply the Exterior Matrix Method to the case where the governing equations for one piece of the structure is a system of 4 first-order equations. This generalizes a result when the governing equation was a single fourth-order equation. Ironically, the governing equations do not have to be solved in order to find the corresponding exterior matrix, and the exterior matrices can be used to find the eigenfrequencies of the system, even if there are dissipative joints added to the system. We will first look at the well-understood example of Euler–Bernoulli beams to illustrate the concept, and then move on to the more difficult inclined cable problem.
Thermomechanical treatment for improved neutron irradiation resistance of austenitic alloy (Fe–21Cr–32Ni)

Abstract An optimized thermomechanical treatment (TMT) applied to austenitic alloy 800H (Fe–21Cr–32Ni) had shown significant improvements in corrosion resistance and basic mechanical properties. This study examined its effect on radiation resistance by irradiating both the solution-annealed (SA) and TMT samples at 500 °C for 3 dpa. Microstructural characterization using transmission electron microscopy revealed that the radiation-induced Frank loops, voids, and γ′-Ni3(Ti,Al) precipitates had similar sizes between the SA and TMT samples. The amounts of radiation-induced defects and more significantly γ′ precipitates, however, were reduced in the TMT samples. These reductions would approximately reduce by 40.9% the radiation hardening compared to the SA samples. This study indicates that optimized-TMT is an economical approach for effective overall property improvements.
The Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome Associated with Miliary Tuberculosis

Miliary tuberculosis is an unusual cause of acute, catastrophic pulmonary failure. In this report, we describe three patients with miliary tuberculosis who developed the adult respiratory distress syndrome. The diagnosis of tuberculosis was suspected early, appropriate therapy was initiated, and two patients survived. The experience with these cases serves to reemphasize the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for treatable precipitating disorders in patients with acute respiratory failure.
On a Problem of MacLane Concerning Arc Tracts

G. R. MacLane posed the question of whether a locally univalent function in the MacLane class A can have an arc tract. We show that the behaviour of any such example must be extremely irregular. We also indicate one possible approach to constructing an example of such a function, which relates MacLane’s question to the ‘type problem’ for certain Riemann surfaces.
Threshold Constraints on Symmetric Key Extraction from Rician Fading Estimates

Symmetric key establishment using reciprocal quantization of channel estimates in wireless Rician fading environments is considered. The quantization bits from channel-phase and channel-amplitude are treated as the output of a random number generator. We determine threshold constraints on the required minimal distance of the legitimate communicating parties from a passive eavesdropper, and determine threshold constraints on maximal key establishing rates. The analysis makes use of widely accepted statistical test suites applied to the generated bit streams along with a lemma we define and prove. For distance analysis, the minimal required distance from the eavesdropper to maintain perfect secrecy during key establishment is derived. For key establishing rates, the maximal rates are derived while ensuring the generated bits streams pass the statistical test suites. The work results in generic and clear threshold requirements on distance and rates as function of the Rician factor and quantization bit for any transmission frequency. Clear thresholds are useful for systems operating in a-priori known or estimated propagation environments. In addition, we address the effect of imperfect channel reciprocity on key agreement. Results show practical systems can operate under reciprocal and secure conditions, and that channel-phase estimates perform better than channel-amplitude estimates.
Dissociation of nitric oxide generation and kainate-mediated neuronal degeneration in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule cells.

Abstract In the presence of physiological concentrations of Mg 2+ and in glycine-free buffer, the relationship between KA-mediated generation of NO and neurotoxicity in cultures of cerebellar granule cells of the rat was examined. The neuronal damage elicited by KA was not dependent on the presence of l -arginine, a precursor of NO, since neither the potency nor magnitude of KA-mediated cell death was altered in either the absence or presence of exogenously applied l -arginine. Similarly, with the exception of 4-hydroxy-azobenzene-4'-sulfonic acid, disodium salt dihydrate (HBS), the salt associated with N G -monomethyl- l -arginine (di-( p -hydroxyazobenzene- p ′-sulfonate) (MA(HBS)), treatment with several different competitive NO synthetase inhibitors did not provide protection against the toxicity of KA. However, the ability of KA to induce neuronal damage was significantly decreased in cerebellar granule cells treated with either HBS or α-tocopherol (VE). On the basis of these results, it is concluded that the generation of free radicals may be involved in the process of KA-elicited neuronal death in cultures of cerebellar granule cells but that this is unrelated to the synthesis of NO. This conclusion agrees with both in vivo and in vitro studies, implicating the involvement of free radicals in non-NMDA mediated neuronal damage.
A Novel SAR Fast-Locking Digital PLL: SPICE Modeling and Simulations

A novel fast-locking DPLL based on the Successive-Approximation Register (SAR) is presented and modeled using SPICE. The DPLL has two distinct stages of operation: 1) A coarse-tuning stage which employs frequency tracking to bring the VCO and reference frequencies close to each other and 2) a fine tuning stage which uses conventional phase tracking to achieve a complete lock. The coarse-tuning stage consists of a frequency comparator, a SAR, and a D/A converter (DAC). The architecture of the SAR DPLL has been designed and simulated in 250nm SPICE. The fast-locking DPLL was found to be 1.5 to 3 times faster than the conventional DPLL.
The effects of cognitive complexity on a social sequencing task in schizophrenia

Abstract Information processing research has suggested that the schizophrenia patient's performance on cognitive tasks is significantly diminished by the complexity of that task. The effects of cognitive complexity on a social cognitive task — sequencing actions that describe a social situation — were examined in this study. A task comprising short and long temporal sequences was administered to 26 subjects with DSM III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia. Differences in discriminating power across the short and long sequences in this task were diminished using standardization and cross-validation samples of normal control subjects. Results showed that schizophrenia patients earned significantly lower scores on the longer sequences. Additional analyses showed that the differential deficit was significantly associated with negative symptoms of social withdrawal and retardation but not with thinking disturbances associated with positive symptoms. Understanding deficits in processing situational schemata may lead to better models of the cognitive underpinnings of social functioning in schizophrenia.
Transesterification of soybean oil with zeolite and metal catalysts

Abstract Transesterification of soybean oil with methanol was carried out at 60, 120, and 150 °C in the presence of a series NaX faujasite zeolite, ETS-10 zeolite, and metal catalysts. The stock zeolites were exchanged with potassium and cesium; NaX containing occluded sodium oxide (NaO x /NaX) and occluded sodium azide (NaO x /NaX * ). The catalysts were calcined at 500 °C prior to use in order to increase activity. The ETS-10 catalysts provided higher conversions than the Zeolite-X type catalysts. The increased conversions were attributed to the higher basicity of ETS-10 zeolites and larger pore structures that improved intra-particle diffusion. Methyl ester yield increased with an increase in temperature from 60 to 150 °C. The metal catalysts increased conversion by one to over two orders of magnitude over the homogeneous reaction with several of the zeolite catalysts performing better than the metal catalysts. The catalyst was reused without observed loss of activity. A preliminary design assessment shows that these catalysts are sufficiently active to be commercially viable contingent upon the costs of the catalysts achieving conversions in excess of 90% at temperatures below 125 °C.
Mesial temporal sclerosis: Pathogenesis and significance

Mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) is a common pathologic finding in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Rarely MTS can be detected in children during the first decade of life, but is not commonly found until adolescence. Although the etiology of MTS remains controversial, there is now a considerable amount of evidence demonstrating that MTS is both a result and a cause of seizures. Clinical studies suggest that prolonged seizures or complicated febrile seizures may result in MTS. A variety of epileptogenic agents administered to adult animals have resulted in MTS and spontaneous recurrent seizures. The mechanism of the lesions is due to excessive excitability secondary to release of excitatory amino acids, primarily glutamate. Glutamate, acting at a number of subreceptors on the postsynaptic membrane, leads to prolonged depolarization of neurons and results in the entry of cytotoxic amounts of calcium. Interestingly, the same agents that produce MTS in adult animals do not produce MTS in immature animals. Clinical and experimental evidence suggests that although prolonged seizures or complicated febrile seizures can place a child at risk for MTS, a period of time is required for the lesions to develop fully.
Effect of adsorbed phosphorus oxychloride on the oxidation behavior of graphite

Abstract The effect of adsorbed POCl3 on the topography and rate of oxidation of natural graphite crystals was investigated. The adsorbate increases the activation energy for the oxidation reaction and inhibits etch pit formation on the basal plane surfaces of the crystals. Adsorption of POCl3 at peripheral sites and prismatic surfaces of the crystals is less strong than at dislocation cores in the basal planes, where residual adsorbate remains on the surface even at temperatures as high as 900°C. Small amounts of adsorbed POCl3 significantly raise the oxidation temperature of graphite and inhibits the catalytic effects of metallic impurities such as copper. The adsorption and inhibiting effect of POCl3 is enhanced by pretreatment of the graphite with mild aqueous oxidizing solutions.
Spectral hole-burning of Nd3+-doped heavy metal fluoride glasses

Abstract The first observation is reported of persistent spectral hole-burning in fluoride glasses. Measurements were made on the 4 I 9 2 → 4 F 3 2 transition of Nd3+_ in ZBLAN and BIGaZYT glasses, with neodymium concentrations from 0.05 to 2 wt%. The spectral holes were observed either in absorption, or in fluorescence excitation with detection at 1.05 μm. The holes were typically a few percent in depth and their amplitude decayed non-exponentially, reaching 50% in 1 h. At 1.4 K, the holes in both fluoride glasses had a width of 150 MHz, measured in a regime where the width was independent of burning power and fluence. This broadening is much larger than observed in crystalline systems and is ascribed to dephasing by thermally activated tunneling systems. The temperature dependence of the holewidth was almost linear from 1.4 to 8 K, and differs from that reported recently in a neodymium-doped silica fiber.
Perception Of High-Pass Filtered Images

Many visual illusions and Gestalt grouping phenomena may be explained by low-pass filtering of these images by the visual system. However, the perceptions of these images are maintained even if such images are high-pass filtered before display, removing the low-frequency information. Many such high-pass filtered images can be treated as a form of two-dimensional amplitude modulation (2-D AM) signals. The low-frequency figure information is coded in the modulation envelope, which disappears with the carrier if low-pass filtered. The envelope may be retrieved (demodulated), using one of many non-linear operations followed by a low-pass filter. Theory and image-processing simulations show that the compressive non-linearity of the visual system suffices to demodulate these images. This model accounts for various perceptual phenomena associated with filtered images and band-limited psychophysical stimuli.
Moments inequalities of aging families of distributions with hypotheses testing applications

Abstract Nonparametric families of aging distributions have been the subject of investigation for more than three decades. Both probabilistic and statistical properties of these distributions were studied for such families as “increasing failure rate”, “new better than used”, “new better than used in expectation”, and “harmonic new better than used in expectation”. In the present work, moments inequalities are derived for the above-mentioned four families that demonstrate that if the mean life is finite for any of them then all higher-order moments exist. Next, based on these inequalities, new testing procedures for exponentiality against any one of the above classes are introduced and studied showing that they are simpler than most earlier ones and hold high relative efficiency for some commonly used alternatives.
A Cost Analysis Framework for Multi-core Systems with Spares

It becomes increasingly difficult to achieve a high manufacturing yield for multi-core chips due to larger chip sizes, higher device densities, and greater failure rates. By adding a limited number of spare cores to replace defective cores either before shipment or in the field, the effective yield of the chip and its overall cost can be significantly improved. In this paper, we propose a yield and cost analysis framework to better understand the dependency of a multi-core chip's cost on key parameters such as the number of cores and spares, core yield, and defect coverage of manufacturing and in-field testing. Our analysis shows that we can eliminate the burn-in process when we have some spare cores for in-field recovery. We demonstrate that a high defect coverage for in-field testing, a necessity for supporting in-field recovery, is essential for overall cost reduction. We also illustrate that, with in-field recovery capability, the reliance on high quality manufacturing testing is significantly reduced.
The Role of Empathy in Teaching Culturally Diverse Students: A Qualitative Study of Teachers’ Beliefs

This study provides a description of 34 practicing teachers’ beliefs regarding the role of empathy as an attribute in their effectiveness with culturally diverse students. Empathy involves cognitive, affective, and behavioral components that teachers believed were manifested in their practice. All of these teachers had participated in a multicultural professional development program geared to fostering culturally responsive practice. Through a content analysis of more than 125 documents, three themes in teachers’practices emerged: more positive interactions with culturally diverse students, more supportive classroom climates, and more student-centered practices. In addition, teachers discussed their most valuable learning experiences in the professional development course. These included a cross-cultural simulation, cultural immersion trips, and their own experiences as minorities. The results from this study underscore the importance of creating contexts in teacher education and professional development ...
Gaze awareness and interaction support in presentations

Modern digital presentation systems use rich media to bring highly sophisticated information visualization and highly effective storytelling capabilities to classrooms and corporate boardrooms. In this paper we address a number of issues that arise when the ubiquitous computer-projector setup is used in large venues like the cavernous auditoriums and hotel ballrooms often used in large scale academic meetings and industrial conferences. First, when the presenter is addressing a large audience the slide display needs to be very large and placed high enough so that it is clearly visible from all corners of the room. This makes it impossible for a presenter to walk up to the display and interact with the display with gestures, gaze, and other forms of paralanguage. Second, it is hard for the audience to know which part of the slide the presenter is looking at when he/she has to look the opposite way from the audience while interacting with the slide material. It is also hard for the presenter to see the audience in these cases. Even though there may be video captures of the presenter, slides, and even the audience, the above factors add up to make it very difficult for a user viewing either a live feed or a recording to grasp the interaction between all the components and participants of a presentation. We address these problems with a novel presentation system which creates a live video view that seamlessly combines the presenter and the presented material, capturing all graphical, verbal, and nonverbal channels of communication. The system also allows the local and remote audiences to have highly interactive exchanges with the presenter while creating a comprehensive view for recording or remote streaming.
The West in Flames: The Intergovernmental Politics of Wildfire Suppression and Prevention

This research examines changes in the intergovernmental policy arrangements governing the control of wildfires in the western United States. For much of the twentieth century, the policymaking structure resembled Deil S. Wright's inclusive authority model whereby fire policy was dominated by the U.S. Forest Service with the states playing a supporting role. More recently, the states have become increasingly important in the decision-making process because of changes in residential patterns and land-use preferences that require greater intergovernmental coordination in presuppression and suppression activities within urban/wildland intermix areas, the rise in the number of large wildfires within nationalforests, and the willingness of Congress to approve institutional arrangements that give more weight to local community interests. Thus, the current approach increasingly resembles the overlapping authority model where multiple governmental jurisdictions share decision-making responsibility on wildfire control policies.
Complexity for modules over finite Chevalley groups and classical Lie algebras

1.1. Let G be a connected reductive algebraic group defined over a finite (prime) field Fp of p elements. For a given rational G-module M one can consider the restrictions of M to the restricted Lie algebra Lie(G) and to the finite group G(Fp) of Fp-rational points. Even though there is no direct functorial connection between the categories of restricted Lie(G)-modules and G(Fp)-modules, the ambient algebraic group G can serve as a bridge linking these two important module categories. Early results of Curtis in the 1960s provided a one-to-one correspondence between the simple restricted modules (over k = Fp) of Lie(G) and those of G(Fp). This correspondence is given by simply restricting certain classes of simple G-modules. More importantly, these results, along with work of Steinberg, allow one to easily transfer the questions pertaining to the computation of irreducible characters among these three categories. For over thirty years, this approach has been one of the main ideas used to relate the representation and cohomology theory of algebraic groups, Lie algebras, and finite groups of Lie type (in the defining characteristic) (see, e.g., [CPSvan], [Jan2], [Hum3], and [Jan1]). Given the previous results in this area, a natural course of investigation should be to find relationships between canonical modules, like projective modules, for Lie(G) and G(Fp). More precisely,
Determination of helium and hydrogen yield from measurements on pure metals and alloys irradiated by mixed high energy proton and spallation neutron spectra in LANSCE

The confident design of accelerator-driven spallation neutron devices will require good estimates of the cross-sections for generation of helium and hydrogen in the mixed spectra of high energy protons and neutrons that will be experienced by the structural materials. Improved estimates of these cross-sections were derived from a series of irradiations that were conducted at relatively low temperatures (<100°C) in the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) as part of the test program supporting the Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) Program. In this irradiation campaign, a variety of candidate structural alloys and pure metal dosimeter foils were irradiated in various particle spectra, ranging from 800 MeV protons, to mixed energy distributions of both protons and spallation neutrons, and finally to distributions consisting primarily of high energy neutrons. At proton energies on the order of hundreds of MeV, exceptionally high levels of gas atoms are generated in all elemental constituents of typical iron-based and nickel-based structural alloys, with helium typically on the order of ∼150 appm per dpa and hydrogen at approximately a factor of 3–5 higher. Most of the gas production is due to proton and helium recoils from the proton beam interactions with the specimens, although gas and especially damage production from lower-energy spallation neutrons becomes increasingly significant at locations farther from the beam center. The results show that helium production rate per dpa by protons in elements typically found in structural alloys is relatively insensitive to elemental composition. The measured helium concentrations and the derived cross-sections are larger by about a factor of two, however, than those calculated using the LAHET code which was optimized for prediction of neutron/proton ratios in the target tungsten source rods of the APT test. Unlike helium, the retained hydrogen levels are somewhat sensitive to composition, reflecting primarily different levels of diffusional loss, but hydrogen is still retained at rather high concentrations, allowing a lower bound estimate of the hydrogen generation rates.
Epikeratophakia for control of pediatric bullous keratopathy

A child who had had a congenital cataract phacoemulsified at age four months became contact lens intolerant, and at age two years had an implantation of a Worst metal-looped iris-clip intraocular lens. He developed painful pseudophakic bullous keratopathy three years later. Since the child remained with dense deprivation amblyopia and contact lens intolerance, when the IOL was removed an epikeratophakia graft was applied. The bullous keratopathy resolved and the patient has remained asymptomatic for 22 postoperative months. The proposed mechanism for relief of the bullous keratopathy is to increase tissue thickness and resistance, thus reducing fluid volume transferred to the subepithelial space.
Utility of platelet transfusion in adult patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage and preinjury antiplatelet use: A systematic review

Background Preinjury use of antiplatelet agents (e.g., clopidogrel and aspirin) is a risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality for patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH). Some investigators have recommended platelet transfusion to reverse the antiplatelet effects in tICH. This evidence-based medicine review examines the evidence regarding the impact of platelet transfusion on emergency department (ED) patients with preinjury antiplatelet use and tICH on patient-oriented outcomes. Methods The MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and other databases were searched. Studies were selected for inclusion if they compared platelet transfusion with no-platelet transfusion in the treatment of adult ED patients with preinjury antiplatelet use and tICH and reported rates of mortality, neurocognitive function, or adverse effects. We assessed the quality of the included studies using standard criteria. Results Five retrospective, registry-based studies were identified, which enrolled 635 patients cumulatively. Based on standard criteria, three studies were of low-quality evidence, and two studies were of very low-quality evidence. One study reported higher in-hospital mortality for patients with platelet transfusion (relative risk, 2.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-4.9); another showed a lower mortality rate for patients receiving platelet transfusion (relative risk, 0.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.95). Three studies did not show any statistical difference in comparing mortality rates between the groups. No studies reported intermediate or long-term neurocognitive outcomes or adverse events. Conclusion Five retrospective registry studies with suboptimal methodologies provide inadequate evidence to support the routine use of platelet transfusion in adult ED patients with preinjury antiplatelet use and tICH. Level of evidence Systematic review, level III.
A Stochastic Constitutive Model and Multi-Field Approach for Modeling the Dynamic Response of Cellular Materials

A multi-field approach is developed for simulating the dynamic response of cellular materials. A stochastic constitutive model is incorporated for representing the stress-strain behavior of cellular solids, however, a description of the coupled response of the permeating fluids also is included. This new approach is used to study the influence of various permeating fluids and the effects of aperture size and loading rate on the continuum-scale response of such systems. Results demonstrate that the permeating fluid can play a significant role in the response of cellular materials, contributing to the load-carrying capacity and affecting rate dependence and signal propagation speeds. Furthermore, the results point to the usefulness of the multi-field formulation and provide evidence to suggest that any modeling approach developed for cellular materials provide a proper accounting of the pressure evolution and flow behavior of the fluids present in these material systems.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Rate of Loss of Infectivity of Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus by Schizaphis graminum Rondani After Different Acquisition Access Periods

The rate of loss of infectivity for greenbugs, Schizaphis graminum Rondani, carrying maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) was similar for adult apterae and alates regardless of the acquisition access period (AAP) given. The rate was rapid during the first 2 h post-acquisition and then decreased. Weighted least squares linear regression of log % transmission were plotted against retention-time intervals to obtain regression slopes for each of the AAP groups tested (1, 3, 17, and 30 min). There were no significant differences among the regression slopes using F-test comparisons. In serial transmission trials, transmission frequencies among aphids allowed 1-min or 30-min timed acquisition probes followed by 30-see or 1-min timed inoculation probes were not significantly different when statistical tests that quantify categorical data were applied. This suggests little difference in the amount of virus obtained by these groups of aphids. Transmission and retention data are discussed in relation to the two principal theories of the mechanism of non-persistent virus transmission by aphids. Transmission of MDMV by the greenbug by a two mechanism process (stylet-borne and ingestion-egestion) is not confirmed.
Patterns of cocaine use and HIV infection among injection drug users in a methadone clinic.

To investigate patterns of cocaine use, a total of 440 injection drug users (IDUs) in two consecutive cohorts were recruited from a methadone maintenance program in New York City. IDUs who had injected cocaine more frequently during the prior year were more likely to be found HIV positive than IDUs who had injected cocaine less frequently, even after controlling for age, gender, and ethnicity. The study investigated noninjecting cocaine use among IDUs, such as snorting and smoking cocaine, which is often overlooked in epidemiological research investigating the relationship between HIV infection rate and drug use behaviors among IDUs. This study revealed that older IDUs were more likely to use IV cocaine and speedball, whereas younger IDUs were more likely to use crack or snort cocaine. In the 1987 cohort, after statistically controlling for age, analyses revealed that Hispanic IDUs snorted cocaine more frequently than other groups, and that black female IDUs used crack more frequently than other groups. Future research should investigate whether these crack and cocaine users, particularly black and Hispanic female IDUs, have changed their drug behaviors because of an awareness of the high risk of IV drug use for HIV infection, or whether they have started using these drugs as stepping stones for future IV cocaine and speedball use.
What affects fetal pulmonary maturation during diabetic pregnancy

Abstract Previous studies differ as to whether the fetus of the woman with diabetes mellitus has altered formation c lung surfactant. The factors responsible for these differences remain unclear. In this study, measures of blood glucose control, including birth weight percentile and the presence of factors potentially influencing fetal pulmonary maturation, such as diabetic class, maternal chronic hypertension, and preeclampsia, were compared with the amniotic fluid lecithin /sphingomyelin ratio, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylinosit( within a group of 90 diabetic pregnancies. The factors were evlauated in combination with the techniques of canonical correlation and multiple regression analysis. Gestational age had the strongest effect in determining levels of amniotic fluid phospholipids, and hypertension was found to significantly accelerate the appearance of phosphatidylgycerol (p
Long-term follow-up of endoscopic stenting in patients with chronic pancreatitis secondary to pancreas divisum

Background Pancreas divisum is the most common anatomic variant of pancreatic development and may lead to pancreatitis. This study evaluated the efficacy of endoscopic stenting in patients with chronic pancreatitis due to pancreas divisum.
Histopathologic assessment of water-dominated photothermal effects produced with laser irradiation

As the temperature of heated tissues approach 100 degree(s)C the pathological results of laser irradiation become dominated by the effects of phase changes in tissue water. The tissue effects include tissue desication and, as the temperature passes 100 degree(s)C, steam vacuole formation with expansion and rupture of the vacuoles producing tissue defects without loss of dry tissue mass, the so-called 'popcorn effect'. More rapid rates of steam formation result in explosive rupture of the vacuoles with expulsion of tissue fragments producing ablation, a loss of dry tissue mass. Water-dominated photothermal tissue effects are dependent on (1) diffusion of water vapor in tissues at temperatures below 100 degree(s)C, (2) rate of steam formation over 100 degree(s)C, (3) the mechanical properties of the heated tissues over time and (4) the anatomy of the 'native' target tissue.
Multimodality Imaging of Pericardial Disease

The emergence of multimodality imaging of pericardial diseases has improved diagnosis and management. In acute pericarditis, echocardiography is the first-line test, but cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) may be beneficial in patients who fail to respond to therapy. An increased T2 short-tau inversion recovery time (STIR) suggests pericardial edema, and increased late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) suggests organizing pericarditis. Computed tomography (CT) can be helpful in procedural planning, either to guide percutaneous drainage of an effusion or to assess calcification and the location of vascular structures before pericardiectomy. On echocardiography, a respiratory septal shift in combination with either a preserved medial e' velocity or prominent expiratory diastolic hepatic vein flow reversal performs well in diagnosing constrictive pericarditis. These patients also have decreased regional longitudinal strain in the anterolateral and right ventricular free walls, presumably related to pericardial to myocardial tethering. Finally, prominent LGE may identify patients with constrictive pericarditis who improve with anti-inflammatory therapy.
Optical-potential model for electron-atom scattering.

It is proposed that the addition of a matrix optical potential to a close-coupling calculation should lead to improved results in studies of electron-atom scattering. This procedure is described with use of a pseudostate expansion to evaluate the optical potential. The integro-differential equations are solved by a linear-algebraic method. As a test case, applications are made to electron-hydrogen scattering, and the results are compared with those obtained by other calculational procedures, and with experiment.
Models representing type I and type II human endometrial cancers: Ishikawa H and Hec50co cells.

Abstract Objective Endometrial cancer models are critical to the advancement of investigation, and Ishikawa H and Hec50co cells have been used as research tools. The purpose of these studies is to verify the degree to which these commonly used cell models share the molecular characteristics of the two major in vivo endometrial cancer subtypes, I and II. Methods The studies reported include an analysis of pathologic features, tumor suppressor mutations, detailed karyotyping, and cell cycle regulation. Results Ishikawa H cells are hormone responsive and have lost PTEN expression. In addition they have lost RB1 expression due to a deletion in exon 9. Hec50co cells have lost p53 expression due to a deletion at the junction of exon 6 and intron 6–7. Compared to Ishikawa H cells, Hec50co cells harbor many more chromosomal rearrangements (29 versus seven), and the doubling time is more rapid. The percent of cells in each phase of the cell cycle is reported and linked to cell cycle regulators. Conclusion We present extensive data indicating that Ishikawa H cells are excellent models for type I endometrial cancers, and Hec50co cells faithfully replicate the molecular characteristics of type II endometrial cancers. These studies allow testing of new therapeutic regimens using appropriate cell models.
Does scopolamine directly impair memory

Enhanced cued recall, a procedure which circumvents inattention and induces semantic processing, was used to determine if scopolamine produces direct impairment of specific memory mechanisms or indirect impairment of memory secondary to impairment of other cognitive processes. In two studies, cognitively normal young adults given moderate or high doses of scopolamine maintained maximum cued recall in spite of a dose-dependent decrement in free recall. This finding suggests that cholinergic blockade may impair memory indirectly through effects on other cognitive processes.