cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental conditions in GMR chronic inhalation studies of diesel exhaust

A chronic inhalation exposure study was initiated to study the potential health effects of diesel exhaust on laboratory animals. Test atmospheres of clean air (control) or freshly diluted diesel exhaust at nominal particulate concentrations of 250, 750 and 1500 micrograms m-3 were supplied to four large volume inhalation chambers in which individually housed Fischer 344 albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) and Hartley guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) were exposed for 20 h per day, 51/2 days per week. The diesel aerosol concentration, chamber temperature and relative humidity were continually monitored and controlled to maintain the exposure dose levels and an environment of 22 +/- 2 degrees C and 50 +/- 20% relative humidity. Animals were randomly sampled from the chambers for physiological, biochemical and pathological studies throughout the exposure period. The study was continued without interruption for 24 months with the mean diesel particle mass concentrations within 6% of the target values. The standard deviation of the mass concentration measurements was approximately 30% of the mean.
Methods for Characterizing Variability and Uncertainty : Comparison of Bootstrap Simulation and Likelihood-Based Approaches

Variability arises due to differences in the value of a quantity among different members of a population. Uncertainty arises due to lack of knowledge regarding the true value of a quantity for a given member of a population. We describe and evaluate two methods for quantifying both variability and uncertainty. These methods, bootstrap simulation and a likelihood-based method, are applied to three datasets. The datasets include a synthetic sample of 19 values from a Lognormal distribution, a sample of nine values obtained from measurements of the PCB concentration in leafy produce, and a sample of five values for the partitioning of chromium in the flue gas desulfurization system of coal-fired power plants. For each of these datasets, we employ the two methods to characterize uncertainty in the arithmetic mean and standard deviation, cumulative distribution functions based upon fitted parametric distributions, the 95th percentile of variability, and the 63rd percentile of uncertainty for the 81st percentile of variability. The latter is intended to show that it is possible to describe any point within the uncertain frequency distribution by specifying an uncertainty percentile and a variability percentile. Using the bootstrap method, we compare results based upon use of the method of matching moments and the method of maximum likelihood for fitting distributions to data. Our results indicate that with only 5–19 data points as in the datasets we have evaluated, there is substantial uncertainty based upon random sampling error. Both the boostrap and likelihood-based approaches yield comparable uncertainty estimates in most cases.
The real-time display of forward-looking 3D ultrasound data

The display of ultrasound images in 3D format enhances the diagnostic usefulness of image data by allowing spatial relationships to be more easily comprehended. Forward-looking intravascular ultrasonic 3D imaging is a modality that may allow intraluminal ultrasonic guidance of intravascular interventional devices. A system that performs the display of this volume data is described.
Effective Polarity of Frozen Solvent Glasses in the Vicinity of Dipolar Solutes

The polarity of frozen organic solvent glasses is found to be substantially larger than that of liquid solvents at room temperature. The extent of this increase depends on the dipolar character of both the solvent and solute as observed in differences in the shifts of the absorption spectra of two different classes of solvent polarity indicator dyes in a number of different frozen solvents. These findings cannot be explained solely by contributions from the contraction of the solvent at lower temperatures. Instead, the data are consistent with a model in which the local solvent organization around the solute increases as the temperature is lowered and depends on the dipolar properties of the solvent and solute. This ordering is preserved when the solvent freezes and leads to a much larger effectiVe polarity in the vicinity of the solute that is not reflected in measurements of bulk solvent properties. Because this effectiVe solvent polarity can affect electronic properties as well as reactivity of the solute, these results may have significant implications for the design of complex molecular systems in solid solution and models for protein function.
Self-Ownership, Autonomy, and Property Rights

Writers of very different persuasions have relied on arguments about self-ownership; in recent years, it is libertarians who have rested their political theory on self-ownership, but Grotian authoritarianism rested on similar foundations, and, even though it matters a good deal that Hegel did not adopt a full-blown theory of self-ownership, so did Hegel's liberal-conservatism. Whether the high tide of the idea has passed it is hard to say. One testimony to its popularity was the fact that G. A. Cohen for a time thought that the doctrine of self-ownership was so powerful that an egalitarian like himself had to come to terms with it; but he has since changed his mind. I have tackled the topic of self-ownership glancingly elsewhere, but have not hitherto tried to pull together the observations I have made in passing on those occasions. The view I have taken for granted and here defend is that self-ownership is not an illuminating notion—except in contexts that are unattractive to anyone of libertarian tastes.
Optimized retrieval algorithms for personalized content aggregation

Personalized content aggregation methods, such as for news aggregation, are an emerging technology. The growth of mobile devices has only increased demand for timely updates on online information. To reduce traffic or bandwidth, efficient retrieval scheduling strategies have been developed to monitor new postings. Most of these methods, however, do not take user access patterns into consideration. For example, the strategy for a user who checks news once a day should be different from the strategy for a user who checks news ten times a day. In this paper, we propose a personalized content aggregation model in which delay time depends not only on the retrieval time and posting time, but also on user access patterns. With total expected delay as the objective, we derive a resource allocation strategy and retrieval scheduling strategy that is optimal when postings are Poisson. To our knowledge, this is the first personalized aggregation model on multiple data sources.
Empirical Study of Gap-Acceptance Behavior of Right-Turn-on-Red Drivers on Dual Right-Turn Lanes

Operational performance of right-turn-on-red (RTOR) at signalized intersections is a function of drivers’ gap-acceptance behavior. The objective of this study is to characterize gap-acceptance behavioral patterns of individual RTOR drivers turning from dual right-turn lanes. On the basis of direct field observation, binary logit models were developed, calibrated, and validated, and the attributes that have significant effects on gap-acceptance decisions were identified. The proposed model showed an improved capability of predicting gap-acceptance decisions as opposed to conventional, deterministic methods that may overrepresent aggressive drivers, whereas the deterministic method represents a reasonable trade-off between accuracy and ease of use for dual right-turn lanes. For RTOR drivers turning from a curb right-turn lane, the critical headway decreases on average as they are waiting for an acceptable gap. RTOR drivers turning from an inside right-turn lane did not demonstrate statistically significant evidence of increased impatience while waiting.
RNA interference is an antiviral defence mechanism in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an ideal model for the study of many aspects of cell biology, including the hot topic of RNA interference (RNAi). But there was a problem in using the worm to study antiviral RNAi responses: C. elegans seemed not to support viral replication. But now the insect pathogen Flock house virus and the mammalian pathogen vesicular stomatitis virus are both shown to infect the worm, and to provoke a strong RNAi-based antiviral defence. So this important genetic model is now available for the study of host–virus interactions, and the antiviral effect of RNAi. RNA interference (RNAi) is an evolutionarily conserved sequence-specific post-transcriptional gene silencing mechanism that is well defined genetically in Caenorhabditis elegans1,2,3,4. RNAi has been postulated to function as an adaptive antiviral immune mechanism in the worm, but there is no experimental evidence for this. Part of the limitation is that there are no known natural viral pathogens of C. elegans. Here we describe an infection model in C. elegans using the mammalian pathogen vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) to study the role of RNAi in antiviral immunity. VSV infection is potentiated in cells derived from RNAi-defective worm mutants (rde-1; rde-4), leading to the production of infectious progeny virus, and is inhibited in mutants with an enhanced RNAi response (rrf-3; eri-1). Because the RNAi response occurs in the absence of exogenously added VSV small interfering RNAs, these results show that RNAi is activated during VSV infection and that RNAi is a genuine antiviral immune defence mechanism in the worm.
Localism in faculty governance and participation in the reward system

Faculty at a Midwestern university were classified as either locals or nonlocals on the basis of the institution that awarded their degrees. Nonlocals had earned all of their degrees from universities outside the state; locals received at least one of their degrees at an in-state university. Locals participated most often in the governance system and received significantly higher salaries despite slightly lower research-creativity productivity than nonlocals. Women faculty reversed this pattern for governance with nonlocals participating most often.
Quantitative theory of adsorptive separation for the electronic sorting of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Recently, several important advances in techniques for the separation of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by chiral index have been developed. These new methods allow for the separation of SWNTs through selective adsorption and desorption of different (n,m) chiral indices to and from a specific hydrogel. Our group has previously developed a kinetic model for the chiral elution order of separation; however, the underlying mechanism that allows for this separation remains unknown. In this work, we develop a quantitative theory that provides the first mechanistic insights for the separation order and binding kinetics of each SWNT chirality (n,m) based on the surfactant-induced, linear charge density, which we find ranges from 0.41 e–/nm for (7,3) SWNTs in 17 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to 3.32 e–/nm for (6,5) SWNTs in 105 mM SDS. Adsorption onto the hydrogel support is balanced by short-distance hard-surface and long-distance electrostatic repulsive SWNT/substrate forces, the latter of which we pos...
Histology of adventitious shoot and root formation on leaf-petiole cuttings of Begonia x hiemalis Fotsch ‘Aphrodite Peach’

Abstract Epidermal and subepidermal cells formed a callus at the basal portion of the petiole of Rieger Begonia cv. ‘Aphrodite Peach’ leaf-petiole cuttings. Roots arose from cells of the internal portion of the callus and also from parenchymal cells of the petiole. Shoots formed from cells on the surface of the enlarging callus. Inasmuch as many cells had divided in the callus before an organized shoot appeared, it was virtually impossible to determine from histological observations whether the cells of the new shoot were derived from a single epidermal cell of the petiole or from multiple epidermal cells. These histological observations on adventitious shoot formation are discussed relative to mutation breeding employing leaf-petiole cuttings of B. x hiemalis Fotsch.
Electron g Factor in Hydrogenic Atoms

The electron $g$ factor is calculated to a high degree of accuracy for the ground state of hydrogenic atoms. In addition to binding corrections of order ${(Z\ensuremath{\alpha})}^{2}$, ${(Z\ensuremath{\alpha})}^{2}\frac{m}{M}$, and ${(Z\ensuremath{\alpha})}^{2}{(\frac{m}{M})}^{2}$, radiative level shifts of order $\ensuremath{\alpha}{(Z\ensuremath{\alpha})}^{2}$ and $\ensuremath{\alpha}{(Z\ensuremath{\alpha})}^{2}\frac{m}{M}$ are obtained. These level shifts differ from those previously given in the literature. The origin of the discrepancies is discussed in some detail.
Paleontology and correlation of the Eocene Tepee Trail and Wiggins formations in the North Fork of Owl Creek Area, Southeastern Absaroka Range, Hot Springs County, Wyoming

ABSTRACT Faunas recovered from the middle Eocene Tepee Trail Formation in the North Fork of Owl Creek area include the following: The lower part of the Tepee Trail Formation (“Holy City beds”) produced a fauna containing taxa that until now have only been reported from the Bridgerian (Sciuravus nitidus, Viverravus sp. cf. V. sicarius, HelalestesT), as well as taxa reported only from the Uintan (Epihippus and Forstercooperia) and is considered a possible equivalent of the earliest Uintan. The fauna from the middle and upper Tepee Trail is equivalent to Uinta “A” or “B” faunas based on the presence of Epihippus, Forstercooperia, Amynodon, Hylomeryx and Achaenodon. The first known fauna from the Uintan part of the Wiggins Formation is approximately equivalent to those of the Uinta “B” based on the presence of relatively primitive primates (Microsyops and cf. Hemiacodon), exclusively paramyid rodents, and the absence of eomyids, canids and camelids. The stratigraphically highest beds in the Wiggins Formation ...
Supporting Learning in Evolving Dynamic Environments

In dynamic decision environments such as direct sales, customer support, and electronically mediated bargaining, decision makers execute sequences of interdependent decisions under time pressure. Past decision support systems have focused on substituting for decision makers' cognitive deficits by relieving them of the need to explicitly account for sequential dependencies. However, these systems themselves are fragile to change and, further, do not enhance decision makers' own adaptive capacities. This study presents an alternative strategy that defines information systems requirements in terms of enhancing decision makers' adaptation. In so doing, the study introduces a simulation model of how decision makers learn patterns of sequential dependency. When a system was used to manage workflows in a way predicted by the model to enhance learning, decision makers in a bargaining experiment learned underlying patterns of sequential dependency that helped them adapt to new situations. This result is rare if not unique in the study of dynamic decision environments. It indicates that a shift, away from substituting for short-term deficits and toward enhancing pattern learning, can substantially improve the effectiveness of decision support in dynamic environments. Based on the specific findings in this study, this shift has important implications for designing information system workflows and potential future applications in interface design.
Engineering Features of Boulder Dam and Power Plant

The combination flood control, water conservation, and power development now being constructed on the Colorado River by the federal government represents one of the outstanding engineering achievements of recent years. The dam, which is 726 feet high and 1,180 feet long at the crest, and which contains 3,250,000 cubic yards of concrete, will create a reservoir having a capacity of 30,500,000 acre-feet, a length of 115 miles, and a maximum width about 8 miles. The power plant is designed for an ultimate installation of 15 82,500 kva units and 2 40,000 kva units, making a total ultimate capacity of 1,317,500 kva; 4,330,000,000 kilowatt-hours of firm energy and an average of 1,500,000,000 kilowatt-hours of secondary energy per year will be made available. The principal engineering features of the dam and power plant and appurtenant structures and equipment are described in this paper.
Phospholipid methylation and the transmission of biological signals through membranes

Enzymatic methylation of phosphotidylethanolamine (PE) to form phosphatidylcholine (PC) is associated with translocation of the lipid from the inner cell membrane (PE) to the outer membrane (PC), a concomitant decrease in membrane viscosity, and in some cases, activation of phospholipase A and release of arachidonic acid. Changes in phospholipid methylation are induced by a variety of ligands upon interaction with their specific receptors. In each case stimulation of phospholipid methylation appears to contribute to the propagation of the particular physiological response (e.g., activation of adenylate cyclase in rat reticulocytes; release of histamine by mast cells; chemotactic movement of neutrophils; mitogenesis of lymphocytes). Thus, receptor-mediated changes in phospholipid methylation and membrane fluidity may represent a general mechanism leading to a specific cellular response.
Regulation of Escherichia coli adenylate cyclase by phosphorylationdephosphorylation

The mechanism of catabolite repression involves a sugar-dependent regulation of adenylate cyclase via phosphorylation-dephosphorylation. This is accomplished by an interaction of adenylate cyclase with the sugar transport system.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone induces oscillatory membrane currents in rat gonadotropes.

Electrophysiological studies were performed to characterize membrane currents of rat gonadotropes under basal conditions and after exposure to secretagogues. Gonadotropes were identified in primary cultures of rat anterior pituitaries by a reverse hemolytic plaque assay. Giga-seal patch clamp recording with the cell-attached configuration was used to monitor membrane currents in these cells. Spontaneous spikes in basal current were seen. These were blocked by methoxyverapamil and probably reflect Ca2+ -dependent action potentials. Brief GnRH stimulation induced slow oscillatory changes in membrane current that evolved into a series of large amplitude inward pulses after about 8 min. Treatment with TRH had no effect, and depolarization with K+ led to delayed inward currents without any oscillatory behavior. Under conditions of Ca2+ channel blockade, GnRH stimulation did not induce pulses of inward current, but did lead to oscillatory activation of a small conductance ion channel apparently selective for K+...
Spherical harmonics analysis of Fermi gamma-ray data and the Galactic dark matter halo

We argue that the decomposition of gamma-ray maps in spherical harmonics is a sensitive tool to study dark matter (DM) annihilation or decay in the main Galactic halo of the Milky Way. Using the spherical harmonic decomposition in a window excluding the Galactic plane, we show for 1 yr of Fermi data that adding a spherical template (such as a line-of-sight DM annihilation profile) to an astrophysical background significantly reduces ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{2}$ of the fit to the data. In some energy bins the significance of this DM fraction is above three sigma. This can be viewed as a hint of a DM annihilation signal, although astrophysical sources cannot be ruled out at this moment. We use the derived DM fraction as a conservative upper limit on the DM annihilation signal. In the case of $b\overline{b}$ annihilation channel the limits are about a factor of 2 less constraining than the limits from dwarf galaxies. The uncertainty of our method is dominated by systematics related to modeling the astrophysical background. We show that with 1 yr of Fermi data the statistical sensitivity would be sufficient to detect DM annihilation with thermal freeze-out cross section for masses below 100 GeV.
Relic neutralino densities and detection rates with nonuniversal gaugino masses

We extend previous analyses of the interplay between nonuniversalities in the gaugino mass sector and the thermal relic densities of LSP neutralinos, in particular to the case of moderate to large $\mathrm{tan}\ensuremath{\beta}.$ We introduce a set of parameters that generalizes the standard unified scenario to cover the complete allowed parameter space in the gaugino mass sector. We discuss the physical significance of the cosmologically preferred degree of degeneracy between charginos and the LSP and study the effect this degree of degeneracy has on the prospects for direct detection of relic neutralinos in the next round of dark matter detection experiments. Last, we compare the fine-tuning required to achieve a satisfactory relic density with the case of universal gaugino masses, as in minimal supergravity, and find it to be of a similar magnitude. The sensitivity of quantifiable measures of fine-tuning on such factors as the gluino mass and top and bottom masses is also examined.
Evolution vs the number of gene copies per primitive cell.

Computer simulations are presented of the rate at which an advantageous mutant would displace the prototype in a replicating system without an accurate segregation mechanism. If the number of gene copies in the system is indefinitely large, Darwinian evolution is essentially stopped because there is no coupling of phenotype with genotype, i.e., there is no growth advantage to the advantageous gene relative to the prototype and therefore no “survival of the fittest.” The inhibition of evolution due to a number of gene copies<100 would have been not insurmountable. Although the presence of multiple copies would have allowed replacement by an advantageous mutant, it provided a way for the primitive cell to conserve less immediately useful genes that could evolve into different or more effective genes. This possibility was lost as accurate segregation mechanisms evolved and cells with few copies of each gene, such as modern procaryotes, arose.
The National Ignition Facility

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a stadium-sized facility that, when completed in 2008, will contain a 192-beam, 1.8-megajoule, 500-terawatt, ultraviolet laser system together with a 10-m-diam target chamber and room for 100 diagnostics. NIF is the world's largest and most energetic laser ex- perimental system and will provide a scientific center to study inertial confinement fusion and matter at extreme energy densities and pres- sures. NIF's energetic laser beams will compress fusion targets to con- ditions required for thermonuclear burn, liberating more energy than re- quired to initiate the fusion reactions. Other NIF experiments will study physical processes at temperatures approaching 10 8 K and 10 11 bar, conditions that exist naturally only in the interior of stars and planets. NIF has completed the first phases of its laser commissioning program. The first four beams of NIF have generated 106 kJ in 23-ns pulses of infrared light and over 16 kJ in 3.5-ns pulses at the third harmonic (351 nm). NIF's target experimental systems are being commissioned and experi- ments have begun. This work provides a detailed look at the NIF laser systems, laser and optical performance, and results from recent laser commissioning shots. We follow this with a discussion of NIF's high- energy-density and inertial fusion experimental capabilities, the first ex- periments on NIF, and plans for future capabilities of this unique facility. © 2004 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (DOI: 10.1117/1.1814767) Subject terms: high-energy-density physics; inertial confinement fusion; labora- tory astrophysics; solid-state lasers.
Measuring the inconvenience of operating an alternative fuel vehicle

Abstract The work measures individual-level inconvenience of operating an alternative fuel vehicle. We develop simulations of vehicle usage patterns reported in the California Statewide Household Travel Survey. A key assumption is that people do not change the activities associated with their current conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, but may change their travel to perform these activities. More specifically, scenarios involving completion of respondents’ stated activities based on behavioral assumptions associated with refueling and recharging are tested. Assuming a value of time of $30/h is applied to the travel-related components of a previously calibrated utility function, we find that with limited initial-stage fuel infrastructure, operating a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle imposes an average “inconvenience” time cost of $22–$39 for the day refueling is needed. For cumulative daily trips over 60 miles, operating a battery electric vehicle imposes an average additional time cost of $47–$50 with AC Level 1 charging infrastructure, and $6–$10 with AC Level 2 infrastructure.
Heat transfer from magneto-rheological fluid dampers

This paper presents a theoretical study of heat transfer from magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) dampers. A lumped system model is developed which is capable of predicting the temperature rise for any size MRF damper. As a case study example, finned and unfinned dampers are compared for automotive-size MRF dampers. The results demonstrate that heat transfer from these devices can be enhanced considerably with the use of fins.
Barriers to and opportunities for effective cumulative impact assessment within state-level environmental review frameworks in the United States

In the US, relatively little research has been done in recent years to inform the development and implementation of cumulative impact assessment (CIA) policy. Past studies have primarily focused on the requirements and practices of the National Environmental Policy Act, but little is known about the challenges and opportunities relating to CIA practices at the state level. By analysing data from a national survey of state environmental review programme administrators, this study identified the inability of state programmes to facilitate CIA practices as a major barrier to effective implementation, particularly reflected by the perceived lack of explicit procedures and data for conducting CIA. Important strategies for improvement included adopting detailed guidelines specifying what to include in an assessment and developing institutional mechanisms to encourage state agency co-ordination. Some differences in perception were observed across programmes due to the different types of state-level environmental...
Fluorescent discharge-tube circuits and operating problems

The design of circuits for fluorescent discharge tubes is considered in general from the point of view of economy in equipment. Various types of switch- and instant-start circuits on a.c. and d.c. supplies, and operating problems in connection with them, are considered in detail. A few general operating problems, such as the neutral current on 3-phase supplies and operation at low temperatures, are also dealt with.
Exercise Stress and Endogenous Opiates

The use of exercise to reveal physiological responses and adaptations has a long history. Exercise can be quantified and repeated exertion markedly alters body functions. Well established exercise procedures such as the use of an individual’s aerobic capacity have allowed exercise stress to be used as an experimental model to investigate the endogenous opiate system. A vast literature had accumulated prior to 1975 concerning the physiological effects of morphine. When the endogenous opiates were discovered’, researchers already had insights into probable functions of the endogenous opiates. Therefore, it is not surprising that many possible roles for endorphins/enkephalins have been studied using the exercise model.
On-line bariatric surgery information session as effective as in-person information session.

Abstract Background All patients at our academic medical center complete a mandatory bariatric surgery information session before scheduling their first clinic visit. The patients could attend an in-person information session or view a prerecorded information session through our Web site. The study aimed to compare the information retention after both delivery methods using an institutional review board-approved test in an academic medical center in the United States. Methods From February 2010 through March 2011, 338 tests were voluntarily completed by new preoperative bariatric patients at their clinic visit. The patients provided basic demographic information, co-morbid medical conditions, and identified which bariatric procedures they were interested in. The test assessed the retention of information delivered during the information session, including knowledge of the risks and benefits of bariatric surgery, the surgical options available at our center, and the steps commonly required for insurance approval. The patients and surgeons were kept unaware of the results. Results Of the patients, 54% attended the on-line information session; 80% of these participants were women, and their mean body mass index was 48.09 kg/m 2 . The remaining 46% attended the in-person information session, and 83% of these participants were women and their mean body mass index was 49.08 kg/m 2 . The average test score was 85.69% for the on-line group and 80.32% for the in-person group. The difference in test scores for the on-line and in-person groups was statistically significant ( P = .003). Conclusion Internet-based training is rapidly becoming a key educational tool. Our results suggest that on-line training has the potential to be as effective as traditional in-person training in educating patients about bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery centers might consider incorporating on-line training into their educational programs as a convenient and potentially effective way to educate patients.
Clinical outcomes of four patients with microdeletion in the long arm of chromosome 2

We present clinical outcome, through several years of follow-up, of 4 mentally retarded patients, each with a small interstitial deletion in the long arm of chromosome 2, within a region on which clinical reports are infrequent. Our patient 1 was found to have del(2)(q22.3q23.3); patients 2 and 3, del(2)(q23.3q24.2); and patient 4, del(2) (q24.2q31). By comparison of our cases with each other and with those previously published with comparable interstitial deletion, we attempted to identify characteristic clinical findings. Short neck with excessive cervical skin was seen with monosomy of chromosome 2 bands q22.3-q23.3, while hypertrichosis and a peculiar high pitched cry were seen with monosomy of chromosome 2 bands q23.3-q24.2. As suggested by Moller et al. [1984: Hum Genet 68:77-86], a cleft between the first and second toes was seen with monosomy of chromosome 2 bands q24.2-q31. In addition, seizure disorder was present in patients 1 and 4 (with the more proximal and distal deletions, respectively).
Selection, trans-species polymorphism, and locus identification of major histocompatibility complex class IIβ alleles of New World ranid frogs.

Genes encoded by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play key roles in the vertebrate immune system. However, our understanding of the evolutionary processes and underlying genetic mechanisms shaping these genes is limited in many taxa, including amphibians, a group currently impacted by emerging infectious diseases. To further elucidate the evolution of the MHC in frogs (anurans) and develop tools for population genetics, we surveyed allelic diversity of the MHC class II β1 domain in both genomic and complementary DNA of seven New World species in the genus Rana (Lithobates). To assign locus affiliation to our alleles, we used a “gene walking” technique to obtain intron 2 sequences that flanked MHC class IIβ exon 2. Two distinct intron sequences were recovered, suggesting the presence of at least two class IIβ loci in Rana. We designed a primer pair that successfully amplified an orthologous locus from all seven Rana species. In total, we recovered 13 alleles and documented trans-species polymorphism for four of the alleles. We also found quantitative evidence of selection acting on amino acid residues that are putatively involved in peptide binding and structural stability of the β1 domain of anurans. Our results indicated that primer mismatch can result in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) bias, which influences the number of alleles that are recovered. Using a single locus may minimize PCR bias caused by primer mismatch, and the gene walking technique was an effective approach for generating single-copy orthologous markers necessary for future studies of MHC allelic variation in natural amphibian populations.
Peer-to-peer video on demand: Challenges and solutions

The challenges and solutions required for peer-to-peer videoon- demand (P2P VoD) provided by a fixed provider such as a cable company are fundamentally different from those seen in traditional P2P networks or client-server VoD solutions. Unlike traditional P2P networks, the end nodes (set top boxes with DVR capabilities) are largely under control of the system provider. Consequently, issues like churn and free-loading are less substantial. Unlike client-server solutions, there is always a readily-available resource of peer nodes able to contribute even if they are not using the VoD service! This paper explores requirements for efficient preloading of VoD movie data onto numerous customer set-top boxes. This research is currently exploring mathematical programming algorithms that minimize uplink traffic, given a popularity model for various pieces of content and information about storage and bandwidth capacity constraints at the customer nodes. Given the complex non-linear nature of P2P interactions, these mathematical programs require non-linear optimization approaches or heuristic solutions. However, even heuristic solutions would likely provide substantial advantages over simple dynamic allocation.
Impact of Mandatory Price Reporting on Hog Market Integration

This research examines whether mandatory price reporting (MPR) impacted price relationships among U.S. hog markets. Markets are cointegrated before and after MPR enactment, but not fully integrated in either period. Terminal markets adjust to shocks in the Iowa-Southern Minnesota market more quickly and Iowa-Southern Minnesota prices adjust to shocks in terminal markets more slowly following MPR enactment. Granger causality tests indicate a causal flow from terminal markets to Iowa-Southern Minnesota prices before MPR and a causal reversal after MPR enactment. These results likely reflect decreases in volume of negotiated sales, particularly in terminal markets, and greater reliance on mandatorily reported prices for market information.
The Costs of Climate Impacts

The surest prospect for future world climate patterns is that they will differ from present ones. What is uncertain is how much, and exactly in what way in different geographical regions. The anthropogenic CO2 increase will probably exceed the unknown forcing functions of “natural” climate change within 30 to 60 years. It is not unlikely that by AD 2040 the world’s climate, driven by the CO2 increase, will enter a domain warmer than any within the past few million years.
Synthesis and Characterization of Ferroelectric Thin Films by KrF Excimer Laser Ablation for Memory Applications

Pb(Zr x Ti 1-x )O 3 (lead zirconate titanate or PZT) ferroelectric thin film capacitors are of considerable interest for the realization of memory devices such as nonvolatile random access memories (NVRAMs). The PZT capacitors were prepared on platinized silicon Pt/(100)Si using conducting oxide La x Sr 1-x CoO 3 (lanthanum strontium cobalt oxide or LSCO) as electrodes. The PZT and LSCO thin films were deposited by the KrF excimer laser ablation technique. The optimum preparation conditions such as oxygen pressure, laser energy influence and substrate temperature were investigated. The PZT and LSCO films grown on Pt/(100)Si are polycrystalline. The crystallographic properties of the films were determined using X-ray diffractometer (XRD) method. The electrical characterizations of the films including hysteresis loop, fatigue, and retention properties were determined by the RT66A Standardized Ferroelectric Test System.
What Drives the January Effect

The January anomaly has attracted much academic interest and has been explained in different ways. However, the multitude of explanations has created confusion about the validity and relative importance of those explanations. In some cases, the hypotheses are examined individually though the evidence may be consistent with more than one hypothesis. Furthermore, prior work has not adequately controlled for the bid-ask bounce. Therefore, the results leave the reader somewhat confused regarding the January effect: is it caused by tax-loss selling, window-dressing, information, bid-ask bounce, or a combination of these causes? In this paper, we try to disentangle different explanations of the January effect and identify its primary cause. We find that past losers are more likely to be sold in December than in January to realize the tax advantage of capital losses. Past winners are more likely to be sold in January than in December to postpone payment of taxes. The selling is accompanied by changes in volume around turn of the year consistent with the tax-related selling hypotheses. The results are not materially affected when we use the midpoint of quotes instead of actual prices: the bid-ask bounce accounts for about 20-25% of the observed returns. To verify the window-dressing hypothesis, we examine stock returns around June-July, the period of semi-annual reporting by institutional managers that is not contaminated by tax-related trading. We do not find an economically meaningful difference between the 5-day return at the end of June and the 5-day return at the beginning of July, which is not consistent with window dressing. If the January effect occurs due to release of new information in January that affects the information-poor firms more than the information-rich firms then the returns in January should be related to availability of information (for example, with the number of analysts as a proxy). We do not find a correlation consistent with the information hypothesis. There is no information-related effect in June-July. The evidence here supports the tax-related selling hypotheses as the drivers of January effect.
Dimensions of Marital Quality and Retirement

This study examines whether the meaning of marital conflict and marital solidarity are affected by the transition to retirement, whether the retirement transition alters stability and variability of, and cross-spouse influences on, marital quality, and whether retirement influences latent means of marital quality. Data from both waves of the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) addressed these questions (N= 407 couples for wives’ retirement, and N= 550 couples for husbands’ retirement). Results suggest that the structure of marital conflict is unaffected by husbands’and wives’transition to retirement, but that wives’ continued employment may be associated with greater conflict longitudinally. Husbands’ and wives’ constructs of marital solidarity differ from one another; they were unaffected by wives’ retirement but converged with husbands’ retirement through changes for each partner in the importance of joint time together and potential for divorce. Effects of the retirement transition are fa...
Relationships among dispositional coping strategies, suicidal ideation, and protective factors against suicide in older adults

Older adults have a disproportionally high rate of completed suicide as compared to the general population. Whereas a large literature has focused on risk factors related to elder suicide, limited research exists on relationships between coping strategies with protective factors against suicide and suicidal ideation in this population. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 108, mean age = 71.5 years, age range = 60-95 years) completed the Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced scale, Reasons for Living inventory, and Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS). Problem- and emotion-focused coping were associated positively with reasons for living and negatively with suicide ideation. Dysfunctional coping was associated positively with suicide ideation, but results did not support the hypothesized negative relationship with reasons for living. Thus, problem- and emotion-focused coping appear to be adaptive, whereas dysfunctional coping appears to be somewhat less related to resilience to suicidal ideation among community-dwelling older adults. Implications of the study are that some coping strategies may serve as protective factors against suicide and that coping strategies should be evaluated as part of a thorough assessment of suicidal risk among older adults. The results also provide some evidence of convergent validity for the recently developed GSIS.
Disagreement between Formal and Medical Record Criteria for the Diagnosis of Acute Coronary Syndrome

OBJECTIVES To measure agreement between formal and medical record criteria for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) among patients undergoing an emergency department evaluation for potential acute coronary symptoms. METHODS Cases of ACS were determined by both formal (World Health Organization 1984 criteria for acute myocardial infarction [AMI], Braunwald criteria for unstable angina pectoris [UAP]) and medical record criteria. In the latter, a diagnosis was made if providers indicated AMI or UAP anywhere in the medical record. All information included in formal criteria was available to clinicians establishing the medical record diagnosis. The two criteria for diagnosis were compared, and a kappa value was recorded. Two blinded observers adjudicated discordant cases, with a kappa value recorded. Disagreements between these two coinvestigators were resolved by a Delphi technique. RESULTS A total of 375 eligible subjects were enrolled, of whom 65 (17%; 45 AMI, 20 UAP) had ACS by both sets of criteria. Formal and medical record criteria disagreed in 32 subjects. This represented 9% (95% confidence interval = 6% to 12%) of the overall study population but 33% (95% confidence interval = 23% to 43%) of subjects with possible ACS. Coinvestigators acting as judges and blinded to each other's determinations agreed that 25 of these subjects had ACS and three did not; they disagreed on four subjects (kappa = 0.54). Among these four subjects, a Delphi consensus technique determined that two subjects had AMI and two had no ACS. CONCLUSIONS In a single-site study, among subjects who have possible ACS as determined by either or both formal and medical record criteria, these two sets of criteria disagree in almost one third of cases. Among discordant cases, even two expert judges frequently disagreed on the final diagnosis. A modified Delphi technique to address these disagreements is described.
Stabilization against Hyperthermal Denaturation through Increased CG Content Can Explain the Discrepancy between Whole Genome and 16S rRNA Analyses

Based largely upon analysis of ribosomal RNA, a third domain of life, called archaea, had been proposed in addition to bacteria and eukaryotes. However, quantitative analysis of 73 whole genomes shows only a two-domain division of life: into eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Thousands of orthologous genes in archaea and bacteria show an essentially unimodal distribution of sequence identities. Thus, whole genome analyses indicate that archaea are a phylum of bacteria rather than a separate domain of life. In contrast, archaeal rRNA and that of hyperthermophilic bacteria differ from the rRNA of mesophilic bacteria. Thus, there is a bimodal distribution of rRNA sequence identities which differ by 12%. This discrepancy in rRNA and gene content based analyses of whole genomes is likely due to a 15% elevated C:G content of the rRNA of archaea and hyperthermophilic bacteria. The elevated C:G content is consistent with stabilization against thermal denaturation caused by additional hydrogen bonding (3 bonds) in C:G pairs compared to A:U pairs (2 bonds). Based upon this premise, there is no reliable way to correct rRNA for such differences in base composition and it is not possible to quantitatively compare hyperthermophiles with mesophiles by the rRNA method. Furthermore, quantitative study of whole genomes shows that the extent of change in both bacterial and archaeal genes, including rRNA, has reached a limit. Thus, direct sequence comparisons work with closely related genomes, but it is not possible to differentiate the most divergent prokaryotic species, which are currently designated as separate phyla. We believe that the differences in characteristics of archaeal species is based primarily upon selection of genes and pathways compatible with the extreme environmental lifestyle, i.e., hyperthermophily.
Corrective Nasal Surgery in the Younger Patient

ImportanceTo describe clinical parameters for the management of the pediatric patient with nasal anatomical deformity or functional impairment. ObjectivesTo review the authors’ experience with corr...
Anemia in patients with cancer: incidence, causes, impact, management, and use of treatment guidelines and protocols

Purpose. The incidence, etiology, impact, and considerations in developing guidelines for treating anemia in patients with cancer are described. Summary. Anemia is common in patients with cancer. The incidence and severity of anemia depend on the type and extent of the malignancy; the type, schedule, and intensity of cancer therapy; and patient age, gender, and comorbid conditions. Anemia may be the result of the malignancy itself, cancer treatment, blood losses, nutritional deficiencies, hemolysis, endocrine disorders, or inflammatory cytokines associated with chronic disease. Anemia can have a profound impact on physical and psychosocial function and quality of life. Guidelines and protocols for treating anemia should be evidence-based and take into consideration patient age, the type and extent of malignancy, comorbid conditions, and the etiology and impact of anemia. Patient-specific issues that guidelines should address include strategies for identifying patients with anemia, treating anemia, evaluating the response to treatment, and modifying treatment based on response. Erythropoietic agents are preferred over blood transfusions for patients whose anemia is chronic, although transfusions are indicated for acute, severe blood losses. Iron supplementation often is required in patients receiving erythropoietic therapy or with iron deficiency due to hemorrhage. Conclusion. The use of evidence-based guidelines and protocols that take into consideration the heterogeneity of patients with cancer can optimize anemia treatment.
Detection of Permethrin Resistance and Fipronil Tolerance in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the United States

Permethrin is a commonly used acaricide for tick control on domestic animals and in residential environments, while fipronil use is restricted to on-animal treatment. Following widespread reports of permethrin and fipronil application failures to control indoor infestations of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille), the brown dog tick, 31 tick populations were obtained from Florida and Texas for acaricide resistance screening. These field-collected ticks from kennels and residential facilities were challenged with technical grade permethrin and fipronil to create dose response curves that were compared with an acaricide-susceptible strain. Permethrin resistance was successfully screened in nine populations, all of which were resistant or highly resistant. Tick susceptibility to fipronil was conducted on four populations, which were found to be tolerant, with resistance ratios below 10. This is the first documentation of R. sanguineus permethrin resistance and fipronil tolerance in the United States. Potential causes of resistance development and recommendations on future brown dog tick control management plans are discussed.