cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CA125 level as a predictor of progression-free survival and overall survival in ovarian cancer patients with surgically defined disease status prior to the initiation of intraperitoneal consolidation therapy

Abstract Objectives Recent data suggest that differences in CA125 levels within the normal range may predict progression-free survival (PFS), but limited information is available regarding the value of these differences in predicting overall survival (OS) in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. The objective of this study was to determine whether CA125 is an independent predictor of OS in patients with surgically defined disease status at the end of primary therapy prior to intraperitoneal (IP) consolidation chemotherapy. A secondary objective was to assess the relationship of CA125 level to PFS. Methods Using data from a retrospective cohort of 433 patients who received intraperitoneal (IP) therapy following primary treatment for ovarian cancer between 1984 and 1998, we identified 241 patients with a complete clinical response and CA125 data at the time of second-look surgery prior to IP chemotherapy. Patient demographics and updated follow-up status were abstracted from medical records. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were compared using the log-rank test, and Cox regression models were used for multivariate analysis. Results The majority of patients had advanced stage III or IV disease (n = 201, 83%) and high-grade histology (n = 163, 68%). Taxane was used as part of primary platinum-based therapy in 56% (n = 134) of patients, and subsequent IP chemotherapy was platinum-based in 85% (n = 206). When considered as a continuous variable, CA125 was a predictor of OS (P = 0.029). Using the median CA125 level in our study group as a cut-off, OS was increased in patients with CA125 ≤ 12 U/ml (median 5.8 years) compared with > 12 (3.7 years) (P = 0.0027). CA125 level was an independent predictor of OS (HR: 1.410; 95% CI, 1.044, 1.904, P = 0.0248) in a multivariate model that included stage (P = 0.0166), grade (P = 0.0001), and findings at second-look surgery (P = 0.0003). CA125 level was also a predictor of clinical PFS (radiographic or CA125 elevation criteria alone) in a subset of 161 patients as a continuous variable (P = 0.0036), and when divided at the median (≤ or > 12; median 2.8 years vs. 1.7 years; P = 0.0017). Conclusions In our study population, CA125 level at the end of primary therapy was a predictor of OS and PFS when considered as a continuous variable, or when divided at the median (≤ or > 12 U/ml). Further prospective study is required to optimize clinically significant cut-off values within the normal range of CA125 levels for both OS and PFS endpoints.
Analyses of synovial tissues from arthritic and protected congenic rat strains reveal a new core set of genes associated with disease severity

Little is known about the genes regulating disease severity and joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study we analyzed the gene expression characteristics of synovial tissues from four different strains congenic for non-MHC loci that develop mild and nonerosive arthritis compared with severe and erosive DA rats. DA.F344(Cia3d), DA.F344(Cia5a), DA.ACI(Cia10), and DA.ACI(Cia25) rats developed mild arthritis compared with DA. We found 685 genes with significantly different expression between congenics and DA, independent of the specific congenic interval, suggesting that these genes represent a new nongenetic core group of mediators of arthritis severity. This core group includes genes not previously implicated or with unclear role in arthritis severity, such as Tnn, Clec4m, and Spond1 among others, increased in DA. The core genes also included Scd1, Selenbp1, and Slc7a10, increased in congenics. Genes implicated in nuclear receptor activity, xenobiotic and lipid metabolism were also increased in the congenics, correlating with protection. Several disease mediators were among the core genes reduced in congenics, including IL-6, IL-17, and Ccl2. Analyses of upstream regulators (genes, pathways, or chemicals) suggested reduced activation of Stat3 and TLR-related genes and chemicals in congenics. Additionally, cigarette smoking was among the upstream regulators activated in DA, while p53 was an upstream regulator activated in congenics. We observed congenic-specific differential expression and detection in each individual strain. In conclusion, this new nongenetically regulated core genes of disease severity or protection in arthritis should provide new insight into critical pathways and potential new environmental risk factor for arthritis.
Changes in pennate muscle architecture after gradual tibial lengthening in goats

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the changes in unipennate muscle architecture after distraction osteogenesis. Nine adult goats underwent 20% tibial lengthening in one of the hind limbs. Immediately after distraction, lengthened and contralateral (untreated) tibialis caudalis (TC) muscles were harvested. Lengths of the muscle belly, muscle fiber (FL), sarcomere (SL), tendon (TL), and superficial aponeurosis, as well as muscle mass, pennation angle (PA), and physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA), were compared between the treated and contralateral sides. Lengthened TC muscle demonstrated 20.8% increase in belly length, 4.39% increase in TL, and 36.7% increase in FL, while PA decreased by 37.2% (P = 008). Muscle length increase was mainly due to lengthening of muscle belly, which resulted both from FL increase and 15.3% length increase in the aponeurosis component of muscle belly, without significant effect of the PA decrease. The FL increase was due to SL increase, not to sarcomere neogenesis, while mass and PCSA did not change. We concluded that although muscle architecture can be adversely affected by distraction because of deficient sarcomere neogenesis, PCSA can remain unchanged, giving false impression of preserved function. Change in PA plays only minimal role in muscle adaptation to distraction.
The measurement of involvement: A comparison of two techniques

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of using two variables, topic importance and non‐commitment latitude, in operational definitions of enduring involvement. Results indicated that topic importance was an acceptable variable to consider in such a definition, but that the latitude of non‐commitment was constant across topics. Rather than serving to identify levels of enduring involvement, the size of respondents' latitude of non‐commitment appeared to be a personal characteristic of the respondents.
Conformity in Preschool Disadvantaged Children as Related to Field-Dependence, Sex, and Verbal Reinforcement:

The study attempted to determine whether there was an interaction between Crutchfield-type conformity procedures and rod-and-frame performance or sex. These procedures were designed to produce conformity of an individual to a simulated group and to reduce conformity through verbal reinforcement. 96 Head Start Ss were administered the rod-and-frame task; conformity while working on a visual discrimination task was recorded. Experimental manipulation of conformity was partially demonstrated; reinforcement reduced conformity of girls but not boys. Predicted interactions with field-dependence were not observed.
Why complex absorbing potentials work : a discrete-variable-representation perspective.

The use of a complex absorbing potential (CAP) of the form $\ensuremath{-}i\ensuremath{\eta}W$ to calculate the Siegert energy of a resonance state rests on a solid mathematical foundation [U. V. Riss and H.-D. Meyer, J. Phys. B 26, 4503 (1993)]. In this paper, in order to facilitate a better understanding of the basic principles underlying the CAP method, a radial one-particle Hamiltonian with a model potential supporting resonances is analyzed. Using a purely quadratic CAP $[W(r)={r}^{2}]$, the eigenstates of $H=\ensuremath{-}(1∕2){d}^{2}∕d{r}^{2}\ensuremath{-}i\ensuremath{\eta}W(r)$ are employed to construct a discrete variable representation. The introduction of this grid method makes it transparent how using a CAP is related to the method of complex scaling, and why, in the limit of an infinite basis set, the exact Siegert energy may emerge in the spectrum as $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{0}^{+}$.
The nature of aphasic responses.

Abstract The errors of patients with aphasia and other related disorders were studied. quantitatively. Some errors were related to the sample by relevant aspects of the stimuli, either physical parameters or language parameters. Some errors were related to the sample by irrelevant aspects of the stimuli; these responses often appeared as perseveration. Some perseverated errors were repetitions of a response that had been correct and reinforced on a previous trial. The mechanisms that sometimes produced perseveration also produced responses that were not perseverative. The consequences for the patient of his perseverated responses may be an important factor in some types of perseveration.
Magna-field irradiation and autologous marrow rescue in the treatment of pediatric solid tumors

Marrow ablative therapy has been given to pediatric patients with a variety of disseminated tumors. Eight patients with advanced neuroblastoma received autologous marrow reinfusion after intensive therapy. Three of eight are in continuous complete remission from 7 to 60 months. An additional four patients received allogeneic marrow transplantation and two remain in continuous complete response at 21 and 39 months. Intensive therapy and autologous marrow reinfusion have been applied to Ewing's sarcoma, but only preliminary results are available. Six patients with disseminated rhabdomyosarcoma and extra-osseous Ewing's sarcoma received conventional chemotherapy followed by sequential hemi-body irradiation. Four of six patients received autologous marrow rescue. Their median disease-free survival is 17 months. This preliminary experience demonstrates the feasibility of using marrow ablative therapy with autologous marrow transplantation in the treatment of pediatric solid tumors. Continuing Phase II studies are required to substantiate its efficacy.
Does Suffering Serve Valuable Ends

The concept of God which I shall be discussing in this book is the Anselmian concept of a maximally great being, i.e., a being than which no greater being is logically possible. This is, I think, the concept of God which is held by at least most orthodox members of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Now a maximally great being would be maximally good, knowledgeable and powerful, i.e., so good, knowledgeable and powerful that it is logically impossible that he be exceeded in those respects. And atheists have typically argued that since a being of that sort would not, if he existed, allow the instances of intense and prolonged suffering which we find in the world, it must be false that such a being exists.
Celecoxib is associated with fewer gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): implications for ulcer complications

Celecoxib is associated with fewer gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): implications for ulcer complications
Models of non-abelian orbifolds

Abstract Several models of non-abelian orbifolds have been constructed. There are models with three or four families of quarks and leptons, and gauge symmetry SU(3) × SU(2) × SU(2) × U(1) 2 × SU(3)′ × SO(10)′ × U(1)′ or SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1) 3 × SU(4)′ × SO(8)′ × U(1)′.
Psychosocial Mediators of the Impact of Acculturation on Substance Abuse Among Hispanic Youth: Findings From the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey

ABSTRACT The objective of the study was to identify and evaluate factors that are associated with differences in substance abuse between non-acculturated and acculturated Hispanic youth. We employed t-test and logistic regression to analyze self-reported survey data from 8,200 self-described Hispanic students. The outcome variable was past 30-day use of marijuana and the key independent variable was language used at home (English/Spanish). The covariates were 32 psychosocial risk and protective factors for drug use. All the risk factor scores that were significantly different for the two groups had higher means, indicating greater risk, for English-speakers, while all the seven protective factors that were significantly different had higher mean scores, indicating greater protection, for the Spanish speakers. In multivariate analysis, the odds ratios for language used at home range from 1.60 (p < 0.00) for the basic model to 1.05 (p = 0.62) for models that incorporated the psychosocial factors. Findings c...
THE AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES: A PORTRAIT OF THEIR SOCIETY: Second Edition KENNETH MADDOCK

Ringwood, Victoria: Penguin Books. 1982. Pp. x+ 197. Map, figures, notes, bibliography. index. Price: $A7.95.
Cervical collateral arteries in pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect.

Patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect (VSD) depend upon systemic collateral arteries for pulmonary blood flow. The collaterals may be of several types: (1) true bronchial arteries; (2) direct aorto-pulmonary collaterals from the thoracic aorta; and (3) indirect collaterals arising from branches of the aorta.1 Indirect aortopulmonary collaterals are the most anatomically variable and usually arise from the subclavian or innominate arteries, and less commonly from intercostal, internal mammary and coronary arteries.1–6 We describe 2 patients in whom large, indirect systemic collaterals originated high in the neck from major cephalic arteries.
Oxidative stress and toxicity induced by the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)--2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC): relevance to HIV-dementia.

Human immunodeficiency virus dementia (HIVD) is the most common form of dementia occurring among young adults. In HIVD, neuronal cell loss occurs in the absence of neuronal infection. With the advent of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), the incidence of HIVD has drastically reduced, though prevalence of milder forms of HIVD continues to rise. Though these agents have been used successfully in suppressing viral production, they have also been associated with a number of side effects. Here we examine the possible role of NRTIs, in particular 2′, 3′-dideoxycytidine (ddC), in the neuropathology of HIVD. Synaptosomes and isolated mitochondria treated and incubated for 6 h with CSF-achievable concentrations of ddC, i.e., 6–11ng/ml, were found to show a significant increase in oxidative stress with 40 nM ddC as measured by protein carbonyls and 3-nitrotyrosine (3NT), effects that were not observed in the more tolerable NRTI; 3TC. Protection against protein oxidation induced by ddC was observed when brain mitochondria were isolated from gerbils 1 h after injection i.p with the brain accessible antioxidant and glutathione mimetic, tricyclodecan-9-yl-xanthogenate (D609). In addition, there is a significant reduction in the levels of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and a significant increase in cytochrome-c release and also a significant increase in the expression of pro-apoptotic protein caspase-3 after mitochondria were treated with 40 nM ddC. The results reported here show that ddC at 40 nM can induce oxidative stress, cause the release of cytochrome c, and in addition, reduce the levels of anti-apoptotic proteins, increase the levels of pro-apoptotic proteins, thereby increasing the possibility for induction of apoptosis. These findings are consistent with the notion of a possible role of the NRTIs, and in particular, ddC, in the mechanisms involved in HIVD.
Effect of Dietary Lecithin in Combination with Casein or Crab Protein on Cholesterol Uptake and Transport in the Lobster Homarus americanus

Purified diets, formulated with and without lecithin and containing either casein or a protein isolated from whole crab, were fed to juvenile lobsters. In order to examine the role of these dietary factors on cholesterol uptake and transport, levels of cholesterol were determined in serum, lipo-protein fractions, tissues, and feces of juvenile lobsters fed the experimental diets. Lobsters fed diets supplemented with lecithin had significantly higher levels of serum and lipoprotein cholesterol than lobsters fed diets without supplemental lecithin regardless of the proteins used. Levels of fecal total cholesterol also were generally greater for lobsters fed lecithin-supplemented diets. Tissue, serum, and fecal levels of intubated radiolabeled cholesterol, however, were not significantly different among diet groups, and apoprotein electrophoretic mobility was not affected by the choice of dietary protein.
A Semi-Analytical Method for the Calculation of the Elastic Micro-Fields in Plain Weave Fabric Composites Subjected to In-Plane Loading

In this paper, a computationally efficient semi-analytical method is developed for the calculation of the elastic micro-fields dominating plain weave composites under remote in-plane loading. The framework needed to obtain analytical displacement estimates is derived using the Rayleigh-Ritz method for a composite plate with spatially varying laminate stiffnesses. The method is developed with the aid of a symmetric woven unit-cell geometry. Three separate boundary value problems, corresponding to remotely applied biaxial and uniaxial displacement, and simple shear boundary conditions are formulated. Unit-cell geometry and material characteristics for both polymer and ceramic matrix composites are incorporated in the formulation of the above boundary value problems.Extensive solution convergence studies are presented. As expected, convergence is shown to depend on the number of terms used in the Ritz series solution and the number of integration stations used to integrate the spatially laminate stiffnesses ...
Coordinated expression of desmoglein 1 and desmocollin 1 regulates intercellular adhesion.

Desmoglein 1 (Dsg1) is a component of desmosomes present in the upper epidermis and can be targeted by autoimmune antibodies or bacterial toxins, resulting in skin blistering diseases. These defects in tissue integrity are believed to result from compromised desmosomal adhesion; yet, previous attempts to directly test the adhesive roles of desmosomal cadherins using normally non-adherent L cells have yielded mixed results. Here, two complementary approaches were used to better resolve the molecular determinants for Dsg1-mediated adhesion: (1) a tetracycline-inducible system was used to modulate the levels of Dsg1 expressed in L cell lines containing desmocollin 1 (Dsc1) and plakoglobin (PG) and (2) a retroviral gene delivery system was used to introduce Dsg1 into normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK). By increasing Dsg1 expression relative to Dsc1 and PG, we were able to demonstrate that the ratio of Dsg1:Dsc1 is a critical determinant of desmosomal adhesion in fibroblasts. The distribution of Dsg1 was organized at areas of cell–cell contact in the multicellular aggregates that formed in these suspension cultures. Similarly, the introduction of Dsg1 into NHEKs was capable of increasing the aggregation of single cell suspensions and further enhanced the adhesive strength of intact epithelial sheets. Endogenous Dsc1 levels were also increased in NHEKs containing Dsg1, providing further support for the coordination of these two desmosomal cadherins in regulating adhesive structures. These Dsg1-mediated effects on intercellular adhesion were directly related to the presence of an intact extracellular domain as ETA, a toxin that specifically cleaves this desmosomal cadherin, inhibited adhesion in both fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Collectively, these observations demonstrate that Dsg1 promotes the formation of intercellular adhesion complexes and suggest that the relative level of Dsg and Dsc expressed at the cell surface regulates this adhesive process.
Genetic improvement in winter wheat yields in the Great Plains of North America, 1959-2008.

Data from USDA-coordinated winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) regional performance nurseries collected over the time period 1959 to 2008 were used to estimate genetic gain (loss) in grain yield, grain volume weight, days to heading, and plant height in winter wheats adapted to the Great Plains of North America. In both the Southern Regional (SRPN) and Northern Regional Performance Nurseries (NRPN), linear regression revealed significant positive relationships between relative grain yields of advanced breeding lines and calendar year of the nursery trial. The estimated genetic gain in grain yield potential since 1959 was approximately 1.1% (of the control cultivar Kharkof) yr -1 for all entries in the SRPN, and 1.3% yr -1 if only the most productive entry was considered. For the NRPN, the estimates of genetic gain in grain yield were 0.79% yr -1 for all entries, and also 0.79% yr -1 for the most productive entry. Linear regressions of relative grain yields vs. year over the time period 1984 to 2008, however, showed no statistically significant trend in the SRPN. For the same time period in the NRPN, a statistically significant positive slope of 0.83 was observed, though the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) was only 0.28. Relative grain yields of Great Plains hard winter wheats may have peaked in the early to mid-1990s, and further improvement in the genetic potential for grain yield awaits some new technological or biological advance.
Conditions on the Formation of Middles in Russian

This paper presents a VP account of the adverbial modification required, in some way, by the middle construction in Russian and the related construction in English: Kartoska pocistilas' legko 'The potato peeled easily.' The account develops a syntax and semantics for the adverbial middle (Type I: Ackema and Schoorlemmer 2006) that is free of various requirements often supposed for it, notably an "implicit agent" and a generic interpretation. The main condition on adverbial middle formation is access to an embedded state predicate of the object in the logical structure of the head.
A longitudinal investigation of maternal touching across the first 6 months of life: age and context effects.

The types of touch used by 12 mothers with their 1-, 3- and 5.5-month-old infants were examined longitudinally during two different interaction contexts lasting 5 min each. Changes in maternal touching as a function of infants’ age and interaction context were revealed.
Phylogenetic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Chemosensory Receptors in a Pair of Divergent Ant Species Reveals Sex-Specific Signatures of Odor Coding

Ants are a highly successful family of insects that thrive in a variety of habitats across the world. Perhaps their best-known features are complex social organization and strict division of labor, separating reproduction from the day-to-day maintenance and care of the colony, as well as strict discrimination against foreign individuals. Since these social characteristics in ants are thought to be mediated by semiochemicals, a thorough analysis of these signals, and the receptors that detect them, is critical in revealing mechanisms that lead to stereotypic behaviors. To address these questions, we have defined and characterized the major chemoreceptor families in a pair of behaviorally and evolutionarily distinct ant species, Camponotus floridanus and Harpegnathos saltator. Through comprehensive re-annotation, we show that these ant species harbor some of the largest yet known repertoires of odorant receptors (Ors) among insects, as well as a more modest number of gustatory receptors (Grs) and variant ionotropic glutamate receptors (Irs). Our phylogenetic analyses further demonstrate remarkably rapid gains and losses of ant Ors, while Grs and Irs have also experienced birth-and-death evolution to different degrees. In addition, comparisons of antennal transcriptomes between sexes identify many chemoreceptors that are differentially expressed between males and females and between species. We have also revealed an agonist for a worker-enriched OR from C. floridanus, representing the first case of a heterologously characterized ant tuning Or. Collectively, our analysis reveals a large number of ant chemoreceptors exhibiting patterns of differential expression and evolution consistent with sex/species-specific functions. These differentially expressed genes are likely associated with sex-based differences, as well as the radically different social lifestyles observed between C. floridanus and H. saltator, and thus are targets for further functional characterization. Our findings represent an important advance toward understanding the molecular basis of social interactions and the differential chemical ecologies among ant species.
Adults With Autism Speak Out: Perceptions of Their Life Experiences

Three high-functioning adults With autism participated in a qualitative research study over a 9-month period. The purpose Was to investigate and describe their perceptions of their life experiences...
System theoretic limits on the cybernetic paradigm

The cornerstone of modern cybernetic theory is still the first-order, negative feedback scheme as when it began. Though there have been attempts to move toward a n-order formulation (Forrester 1968) and some attempts to define the possibilities of positive feedpack systems (Maruyama 1963), the original formulation is still the most widely referenced and employed. It is so widely employed that its effects are felt in fields as diverse as automata theory, computer engineering, organization theory, and behaviorist psychology, and, of course, it has become the axis of much work in the management sciences, particularly that associated with system control. Indeed, the cybernetic scheme has now attained the status of a proper paradigm, which means that its first premises are often simply accepted rather than investigated. Indeed, some enthusiasts feel the cybernetic paradigm largely exhausts the substance of system theory. However, when we analyze the fundamental attributes of the cybernetic paradigm from a system theoretic perspective, we find some limits on both its scientific and operational utility, limits which have received only the most casual attention. It is these limits which this paper will explore.
The influence of fipronil on Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) feeding beyond treated plots

A small-plot field trial was conducted to examine the area of influence of fipronil at incremental distances away from treated plots on the Harrison Experimental Forest near Saucier, MS. Small treated (water and fipronil) plots were surrounded by untreated wooden boards in an eight-point radial pattern, and examined for evidence of termite feeding every 60 d for 1 yr after treatment. Circular areas of 0, 0.28, 1.13, 2.55, 4.52, 7.07, and 10.18 m2 around the treated plots were installed to evaluate feeding damage by termites on the boards. The relationship between feeding damage to boards and area for each time interval was examined by using an exponential increase model. For both treatments and controls in nearly all periods examined, feeding was suppressed in the boards nearest to the treated plots, but increased exponentially as the area increased. Beginning 4 mo after treatment, treatment plots had lower proportions of boards with termite feeding evidence than control plots. Reduction in feeding was the only influence of fipronil observed beyond the treated plots.
Minimization of Region-Scalable Fitting Energy for Image Segmentation

Intensity inhomogeneities often occur in real-world images and may cause considerable difficulties in image segmentation. In order to overcome the difficulties caused by intensity inhomogeneities, we propose a region-based active contour model that draws upon intensity information in local regions at a controllable scale. A data fitting energy is defined in terms of a contour and two fitting functions that locally approximate the image intensities on the two sides of the contour. This energy is then incorporated into a variational level set formulation with a level set regularization term, from which a curve evolution equation is derived for energy minimization. Due to a kernel function in the data fitting term, intensity information in local regions is extracted to guide the motion of the contour, which thereby enables our model to cope with intensity inhomogeneity. In addition, the regularity of the level set function is intrinsically preserved by the level set regularization term to ensure accurate computation and avoids expensive reinitialization of the evolving level set function. Experimental results for synthetic and real images show desirable performances of our method.
Nitric oxide synthase expression and effects of nitric oxide modulation on contractility of rat extraocular muscle

Extraocular muscles (EOMs) are specialized skeletal muscles that are constantly active, generate low levels of force for cross sectional area, have rapid contractile speeds, and are highly fatigue resistant. The neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is concentrated at the sarcolemma of fast-twitch muscles fibers, and nitric oxide (NO) modulates contractility. This study evaluated nNOS expression in EOM and the effect of NO modulation on lateral rectus muscle’s contractility. nNOS activity was highest in EOM compared with diaphragm, extensor digitorum longus, and soleus. Neuronal NOS was concentrated to the sarcolemma of orbital and global singly innervated fibers, but not evident in the multi-innervated fibers. The NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME, a NOS inhibitor), increased submaximal tetanic and peak twitch forces. The NO donors S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine (SNAC) and spermineNONOate reduced submaximal tetanic and peak twitch forces. The effect of NO on the contractile force of lateral...
Some mathematical problems in the theory of the stability of parallel flows

By applying the method of initial values to the theory of stability of shear flows, Case has recently found certain results which are in apparent conflict with those obtained by the theory of normal modes. It is shown how these differences may be reconciled. Some new features in the theory of normal modes are also brought out. The relative merits of the two theories are compared.
Techniques for optical demultiplexing in high bit rate communication systems

Five standard configurations for optical demultiplexing of optical time domain multiplexed signals are compared. In terms of component usage and strobe signal requirements they are surprisingly equivalent. Both fiber loop and Mach-Zehnder configurations are studied. Fiber rings yield good stability, while configurations based on fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometers, in return, offer the possibility of add/drop demultiplexing. A new Mach-Zehnder configuration is proposed, which requires less optical components, only one strobe signal and has no optical losses (except from excess losses in couplers and splices). The sensitivity to power levels, fiber attenuation, signal and strobe wavelengths, etc., are analyzed and a preliminary design for a 100 to 5/spl times/20 Gb/s demultiplexer is suggested. >
Legitimacy and Growth in the Balance: The Role of the State in Environmental Remediation

This paper is based on data drawn primarily from original field research con ducted at six environmental contamination sites, in the U.S. and Canada. The data includes interviews with members of affected communities, gov ernment and social movement organization documents, and articles from local newspapers (Gould, 1991a; 1993b). This comparative analysis exam ines the ways in which federal and state/provincial government environmen tal agencies/ministries have responded to the identification of site-specific environmental problems within their jurisdictions. The data indicate that, due to the dual responsibilities of government to both promote economic growth and to protect political legitimacy, the environmental arms of govern ment seek to achieve the minimum socially acceptable level of remediation at the least economic cost, and with the least disruption of the industrial "treadmill of production" (Schnaiberg 1980, Schnaiberg and Gould 1994). Conflicting pressures on the state to provide the public wit...
DsbA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Is Essential for Multiple Virulence Factors

DsbA is a periplasmic thiol:disulfide oxidoreductase which contributes to the process of protein folding by catalyzing the formation of disulfide bonds. In this study, we demonstrate that the dsbA gene is required for the expression of the type III secretion system under low-calcium inducing conditions, intracellular survival of P. aeruginosa upon infection of HeLa cells, and twitching motility. The diverse phenotypes of the dsbA mutant are likely due to its defect in the folding of proteins that are involved in various biological processes, such as signal sensing, protein secretion, and defense against host clearing. In light of its effect on various virulence factors, DsbA could be an important target for the control of P. aeruginosa infections.
Increased temperature alters feeding behavior of a generalist herbivore

Temperature can regulate a number of important biological processes and species interactions. For example, environmental temperature can alter insect herbivore consumption, growth and survivorship, suggesting that temperature-driven impacts on herbivory could influence plant community composition or nutrient cycling. However, few studies to date have examined whether rising temperature influences herbivore preference and performance among multiple plant species, which often dictates their impact at the community level. Here, we assessed the effects of temperature on the performance and preference of the generalist herbivore Popillia japonica among nine plant species. We show that, on average, consumption rates and herbivore performance increased at higher temperatures. However, there was considerable variation among plant species with consumption and performance increasing on some plant species at higher temperatures but decreasing on others. Plant nutritional quality appeared to influence these patterns as beetles increased feeding on high-nitrogen plants with increasing temperature, suggesting stronger nitrogen limitation. In addition to changes in feeding rates, feeding preferences of P. japonica shifted among temperatures, a pattern that was largely explained by differential deterrence of plant chemical extracts at different temperatures. In fact, temperature-induced changes in the efficacy of plant chemical extracts led P. japonica to reduce its diet breadth at higher temperatures. Our results indicate that rising temperatures will influence herbivore feeding behavior by altering the importance of plant nutritional and chemical traits, suggesting that climate change will alter the strength and sign of plant–insect interactions.
Oscillatory dependence of current driven domain wall motion on current pulse length

The aim of the paper is to report on domain wall (DW) motion driven by nanosecond-long current pulses in L-shaped permalloy nanowire fabricated by electron-beam lithography. The nanowires are 40 nm thick, with widths between 100 and 300 nm. In this experiments, a single DW is first nucleated in the bend of the L-shaped wire using a sequence of magnetic fields. The presence of the DW between contacts at either end of the bend is probed by resistance measurements. Owing to the anisotropic magnetoresistance of permalloy, the introduction of a DW is associated with a small decrease of the nanowire's resistance (about 0.2 Ohm). After the DW has been nucleated, a current pulse with variable amplitude and length. By comparing the resistance of the nanowire before and after the current pulse it can be determined whether the DW has moved out of the bend.
Parenting Processes: A Descriptive Exploratory Study Using Peplau’s Theory

A descriptive exploratory study using Peplau’s theory was conducted to investigate the experiences of parenting among those who have been identified as having positive parenting processes. Using guide questions developed from the objectives of the study, the researcher interviewed 16 parents who had at least one child who had completed high school. Transcribed interviews were examined for themes following the analysis-synthesis procedure. The findings illustrated parents’ beliefs that their children’s contentment, connectedness, and independence were indications of positive outcomes and that parents’communication of expectations, active strategies, and responses to challenges were critical in facilitating their children’s growth. Recommendations for practice, research, and education are suggested.
Wind and Thermodynamic Retrieval from Single-Doppler Measurements of a Gust Front Observed during Phoenix II

Abstract The adjoint method to retrieve the three-dimensional wind and thermodynamic fields is applied to single-Doppler observations of a gust front measured during the Phoenix II experiment. This method uses a fluid dynamics model and its adjoint, and combines the retrieval with data assimilation into the prediction model. The wind and thermodynamic variables are determined by minimizing the difference between the model solution and the observations. Experiments are conducted first with radial velocity alone and then with both radial velocity and reflectivity to examine the quality of the retrieval with respect to radar location, boundary conditions, length of assimilation, data filtering, smoothing enforced by penalty functions, and model accuracy. Verification of these experiments is provided by a dual-Doppler analysis. Test results show that the adjoint method is able to retrieve the wind and thermodynamic fields of the gust front. The retrieved horizontal wind agrees very well with the dual-Doppler ...
Anatomical exclusion for renal denervation: are we putting the cart before the horse?

The race is underway to develop a safe and widely applicable endovascular solution for renal sympathetic denervation (RDN). Important limitations of first-generation RDN devices have spurred innovative new solutions in the form of unique endovascular technologies, including many that are currently
Modeling of Plastic Deformation and Failure Near Spot Welds in Lap-Shear Specimens

The failure mechanism of resistance spot welds in dual-phase steel lap-shear specimens is first investigated based on experimental observations. Optical micrographs of the cross sections of spot welds in lap-shear specimens of a dual-phase steel before and after failure are examined to understand the failure mechanism. The experimental results suggest that under lap-shear loading conditions, the necking failure is initiated in the sheet near the middle part of the nugget circumference under tension and then the failure propagates in the sheet along the nugget circumference to final fracture. Based on a two-dimensional elasticity theory, an analytic solution for an infinite plate containing a rigid circular inclusion subjected to a resultant shear force is used to investigate the stress and strain distributions near the nugget in lap-shear specimens. The elastic analytic solutions and the results of a two-dimensional elastic finite element analysis indicate that the initial yielding starts near the two sides of the nugget in the sheet. As the applied load increases, the locations of the maximum equivalent plastic strain along the inclusion circumference shift from the locations near the two sides of the inclusion to the locations near the middle part of the inclusion. According to the forming limit diagram (FLD), the location of the initial necking failure should occur in the sheet near the middle part of the nugget circumference as observed in experiments.
Isobaric Analogue States in Heavy Nuclei. II. Resonances in Ga 69

Resonances in proton elastic scattering and ($p, n$) reactions on targets of ${\mathrm{Zn}}^{68}$ are interpreted as isobaric analogues of the excited states of ${\mathrm{Ga}}^{69}$. Twelve resonances are identified and classified with respect to ${l}_{p}$. The resolution of a previously unresolved energy-level doubtlet is demonstrated. The Coulomb displacement energy for the isobaric-analogue system ${\mathrm{Zn}}^{69}$-${\mathrm{Ga}}^{69}$ is found to be 9.60 MeV, in agreement with other work.
Auxins in Honeydew of Toxoptera graminum, Therioaphis maculata, and Macrosiphum pisi, and Their Relation to Degree of Tolerance in Host Plants

Using paper chromatography in conjunction with a modified Avena coleoptile bioassay method, auxins were detected in honeydews in significant amounts and identified by Rf values, as follows: (1) from greenbugs, T. graminum (Rond.), on susceptible Reno barley, 3-indoleacetic acid, indolepyruvic acid, ethyl 1-3-indoleacetate, plus two unknown growth substances; (2) from greenbugs on tolerant Dicktoo barley, no known auxins in significant amounts, but general growth inhibition was observed in the plants; (3) from greenbugs on susceptible Pawnee wheat, 3-indoleacetic acid, indolebutyric acid, and 3-indoleacetonitrile; (4) from greenbugs on tolerant Dickinson wheat, indolebutyric acid; (5) from spotted alfalfa aphids, T. maculata (Buck.) and pea apliids, M. pisi (Harr.), on susceptible alfalfa clone (50-1266), 3-indoleacetic acid and indolebutyric acid; (6) from pea aphids on susceptible broad bean, 3-indoleacetic acid. A striking relationship found between auxins present in the honeydews and auxins in the various host plants suggested that aphids were effective in removing auxins from the plant sap and concentrating them in the honeydew; their presence in the honeydew may explain why certain aphids stunt plant growth so quickly. Intraconversion probably accounted for variation in auxins noted between honeydews and host plants. Fewer auxins were found in aphids feeding on tolerant plants than in the same aphid species feeding on susceptible plants of the same species. The results here confirmed the correlation between tolerance and auxin levels in host plants that the authors are reporting elsewhere.
Daily positive spillover and crossover from mothers' work to youth health

Prior research shows that employees' work experiences can "spill over" into their family lives and "cross over" to affect family members. Expanding on studies that emphasize negative implications of work for family life, this study examined positive work-to-family spillover and positive and negative crossover between mothers and their children. Participants were 174 mothers in the extended care (nursing home) industry and their children (ages 9-17), both of whom completed daily diaries on the same 8 consecutive evenings. On each workday, mothers reported whether they had a positive experience at work, youth reported on their mothers' positive and negative mood after work, and youth rated their own mental (positive and negative affect) and physical health (physical health symptoms, sleep quality, sleep duration). Results of 2-level models showed that mothers' positive mood after work, on average, was directly related to youth reports of more positive affect, better sleep quality, and longer sleep duration. In addition, mothers with more positive work experiences, on average, displayed less negative mood after work, and in turn, adolescents reported less negative affect and fewer physical health symptoms. Results are discussed in terms of daily family system dynamics.
Effect of Electrolytes on the Selectivity and Stability of n-type WO3 Photoelectrodes for Use in Solar Water Oxidation

High surface area porous n-type WO3 electrodes were prepared electrochemically and used as a photoanode in a water-splitting photoelectrochemical cell. Various electrolytes containing different anions (acetate, chloride, phosphate, perchlorate, and sulfate) and cations (Li+, Na+, and K+) were prepared at pH 1, 3, and 5 to investigate how these anions and cations affect the efficiency of the photo-oxidation reaction of water on the WO3 surface. To quantitatively compare their effects on O2 evolution, photocurrent to oxygen conversion efficiency was obtained for each electrolyte by simultaneously measuring photocurrent and O2 produced in a sealed divided cell. The type of competing reactions present in each electrolyte and their effects on water oxidation to O2 or to hydrogen peroxide, which is known to accumulate on the WO3 surface and cause photocorrosion, were investigated. The results reported in this study will be useful in formulating optimum electrolyte compositions to enhance desired photo-oxidation...
The Reliability Policy for Data Transmission in Wireless Mesh Networks

The wireless Mesh is a newly developed wireless network. Its most important character is that all wireless components work not only as Access Points (AP) but also as routers. In the network, every node can send and receive the information and communicate with one or several other peer nodes. But in this process of multi-hop communications, the reliability of data transmission must be considered. Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) and Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) used in Third Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) system are suggested as solutions for reliable transmission of data in multi-hop links. For HARQ, hop-by-hop and edge-to-edge methods are used; for ARQ, besides edge-to-edge and hop-by-hop, the last hop guarantee mechanism is also applied. According to the protocol structure design, there are three solutions namely, layered mechanism, Relay ARQ mechanism and multi-hop ARQ mechanism.
Should dentists become 'oral physicians'? No, dentistry must remain dentistry

Dentistry is not an allied health profession. It is not a paramedical profession. It is time that dentistry be recognized as the profession that offers patients some of the most complex surgery performed on the human body--namely, restorative dentistry and rehabilitation of the masticatory system. Dentistry is the only anatomically focused health care profession that is university-based and for which primary care responsibility is maintained by the profession. An inferiority complex about what it means to be a dentist has served only to confuse the public and bring us further from our goal of improving the health of all our patients. This inferiority complex is driven by the public and the medical profession, neither of which understands how dentistry fits into overall health care. It is essential that every academic health center have oral health education as an integrated part of health care education for dentists, physicians, nurses, allied dental personel, physical therapists, psychologists and all who receive university-based health care education. In this way, all the health professions and the public will see dentistry and oral health as essential to patients' overall health. The idea of emulating those who do not have the strength of basic-science education, practice complexity, surgical skills or community status by seizing a new title will not elevate the profession for the future. The public knows what a dentist is. It is our task to inform the public about the capabilities of dentists and the value of oral health and our profession. We can accomplish this best by assuring that our profession's name, "dentistry," is understood to represent one of the world's most accomplished surgical endeavors, one that is thoroughly integrated into the fabric of health care. Thus, good oral health will be thoroughly integrated into what it means to be healthy.
Using Decision Analysis To Communicate the Importance of Quality Assurance Studies

Decision analysis, which structures the information used by physicians in making medical decisions, has the potential for being a valuable quality assurance (QA) tool. Probability trees derived from decision analysis studies can be used to make quantitative, graphic connections between QA data and adverse medical outcomes. This article provides four hypothetical examples of how decision analysis studies can help providers understand the relationship between QA data and patient welfare.