cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response of the Pink Bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) to Long-Term Selection for the Inability to Diapause

Strains of the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), subjected to environmental parameters that normally induce diapause (low temperature and short photoperiod), were selected for either the inability to respond to those conditions or for increased response to those conditions. Selection was maintained 4-15 yr. Ability to diapause was measured by the failure of a larva to pupate within 28 d after egg collection. Response to selection was extremely variable both between strains and over generations of selection. None of the selected strains gave consistent values of percentage of pupation over generations, but strains selected for inability to diapause showed significantly higher mean pupation rates (65-78%) than a strain selected for increased diapause response (28%). Reproductive rates (number of progeny produced per generation) were also variable over generations and in some generations were low enough to cause high inbreeding among the selected individuals. Some selected strains were lost due to low reproduction. These long-term-selected strains could be useful in autocidal release programs if large numbers of insects bearing the conditional lethal trait (inability to diapause) are released toward the end of the reproductive season so that the polygenes controlling the trait are not diluted by recombination.
Toward a 3D body part detection video dataset and hand tracking benchmark

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we introduce our Microsoft Kinect--based video dataset of American Sign Language (ASL) signs designed for body part detection and tracking research. This dataset allows researchers to experiment with using more than 2-dimensional (2D) color video information in gesture recognition projects, as it gives them access to scene depth information. Not only can this make it easier to locate body parts like hands, but without this additional information, two completely different gestures that share a similar 2D trajectory projection can be difficult to distinguish from one another. Second, as an accurate hand locator is a critical element in any automated gesture or sign language recognition tool, this paper assesses the efficacy of one popular open source user skeleton tracker by examining its performance on random signs from the above dataset. We compare the hand positions as determined by the skeleton tracker to ground truth positions, which come from manual hand annotations of each video frame. The purpose of this study is to establish a benchmark for the assessment of more advanced detection and tracking methods that utilize scene depth data. For illustrative purposes, we compare the results of one of the methods previously developed in our lab for detecting a single hand to this benchmark.
Rapid radiochemical sample preparation for alpha spectrometry using polymer ligand films

Rapid radioanalytical methods are adversely affected by many different sample-matrix interferences, which make analyzing samples a difficult and time consuming process. A new method for preparing radioactive samples for analysis by alpha spectrometry has been demonstrated. In this technique, a selective extractive ligand is immobilized in a polymer film coated on a metal surface. This polymer ligand film is then used to extract plutonium and other radioactive analytes from solution over a short period of time. The prepared substrate is then counted directly by alpha spectroscopy in a small single detector alpha spectrometer. The method has been demonstrated for the analysis of americium and plutonium in liquid samples such as water and urine.
MAPPING ARBITRARY HETEROGENEOUS TASK GRAPHS ONTO ARBITRARY HETEROGENEOUS SYSTEM GRAPH

In this paper, a generic technique for mapping arbitrary heterogeneous task graphs onto arbitrary heterogeneous system graphs is presented. The heterogeneous task and system graphs studied in this paper have nonuniform computation and communication weights associated with the nodes and the edges. Two clustering algorithms have been proposed that can be used to obtain a multilayer clustered graph called a Spec graph from a given task graph and a multilayer clustered graph called a Rep graph from a given system graph. We present a mapping algorithm that produces a suboptimal matching of a given Spec graph containing M task modules onto a Rep graph of N processors, in O(M2) time, where N ≤ M. Our experimental results indicate that our mapping algorithm is the fastest one and generates results that are better than, or similar to, those of other leading techniques, some of which work only for restricted task or system graphs.
Was Kant a nonconceptualist

I criticize recent nonconceptualist readings of Kant’s account of perception on the grounds that the strategy of the Deduction requires that understanding be involved in the synthesis of imagination responsible for the intentionality of perceptual experience. I offer an interpretation of the role of understanding in perceptual experience as the consciousness of normativity in the association of one’s representations. This leads to a reading of Kant which is conceptualist, but in a way which accommodates considerations favoring nonconceptualism, in particular the primitive character of perceptual experience relative to thought and judgment.
A new era in reproductive technologies: the emotional stages of in vitro fertilization.

I Editorials in this journal do not necessarily reflect either the Editorial Board's or the publisher's opinion. z Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Dana Biomedical Research Laboratory, Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. 3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Beth Israel Hospital, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215. world perform IVF and approximately 100 centers are operable in the United States. It is believed that the potential pool of patients who might benefit from IVF exceeds 1 million, and this population is growing. To date there is only a handful of studies addressing the psychological impact of this procedure on the patients who receive it. Since IVF resuits in a baby for only one of six patients, five of six couples must again face failure. Yet most of the centers performing IVF do not provide psychological support for these emotionally charged infertile couples if they fail to conceive, and no centers routinely provide psychological support if patients are successful. Infertility is established as a stressful life crisis whether or not couples achieve pregnancy (1,2). In most young adults, fertility is an expectation that is taken for granted. In fact, how not to get pregnant is a more central theme as reproduction becomes a possibility. However, in the United States, one of every six adults who anticipate sexual activity and natural conception must face the reality o f seeking a physician and beginning a potentially long and involved process of resolving their infertility. For half of these couples, their efforts will be rewarded with the child of whom they dreamed. While adoption is a real alternative, it has become increasingly difficult in recent years, as population growth has slowed and social mores no longer condemn unwed parents. As a woman and her partner begin to realize that she may never bear a child, an emotional stage develops that can be called the "crisis of infertility" (1). While older studies suggest that infertility is caused by emotional: stress, more recently it has been realized that it is the infertility that places tremendous stress on the patients, either individually or as a couple (3). Infertility has been found to cause anxiety, depression, frustration, guilt, and isolation (4). These feelings, some rational and others irrational, evolve in a logical order (5). Surprise, denial, anger, isolation, guilt, and grief are sequentially confronted by most people attempting to work through their infertility crisis. In the last few years medical technology has pro-
Derivation of Smoluchowski equations with corrections for Fokker-Planck and BGK collision models

Abstract The time evolution of the phase space distribution function for a classical particle in contact with a heat bath and in an external force field can be described by a kinetic equation. From this starting point, for either Fokker-Planck or BGK (Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook) collision models, we derive, with a projection operator technique, Smoluchowski equations for the configuration space density with corrections in reciprocal powers of the friction constant. For the Fokker-Planck model our results in Laplace space agree with Brinkman, and in the time domain, with Wilemski and Titulaer. For the BGK model, we find that the leading term is the familiar Smoluchowski equation, but the first correction term differs from the Fokker-Planck case primarily by the inclusion of a fourth order space derivative or super Burnett term. Finally, from the corrected Smoluchowski equations for both collision models, in the spirit of Kramers, we calculate the escape rate over a barrier to fifth order in the reciprocal friction constant, for a particle initially in a potential well.
Transient Analysis of Flat Heat Pipes

A stable numerical procedure is developed to analyze the transient performance of flat heat pipes for large input heat fluxes and high wick conductivity. Computation of flow and heat transfer in a heat pipe is complicated by the strong coupling among the velocity, pressure and temperature fields with phase change at the interface between the vapor and wick. A structured collocated finite volume scheme is used in conjunction with the SIMPLE algorithm to solve the continuity, energy and momentum equations. In addition, system pressurization is computed using overall mass balance. The stability of the standard sequential procedure is improved by accounting for the coupling between the evaporator/condenser mass flow rate and the interface temperature and pressure as well as the system pressure. The improved numerical scheme is applied to a flat two-dimensional heat pipe and shown to perform well. Parametric studies are performed by varying the vapor core thickness of the heat pipe and the heat input at the evaporator. The model predictions are validated by comparing the heat pipe wall temperatures against experimental values.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Pediatric Resident Education About Medical Errors

Background.—National organizations have called for patient safety curricula to help reduce the incidence of errors. Little is known about what trainees are taught about medical errors. Objective.—1) To determine the amount and type of training that pediatric residents have about medical errors and 2) to assess pediatric chief resident knowledge about medical errors. Methods.—We surveyed chief residents from a national sample of 51 pediatric training programs by selecting every fourth program from the American Council on Graduate Medical Education list of accredited programs. The 21-item telephone survey was developed with patient safety specialists and piloted on several chief residents. It asked about patient-safety training sessions and awareness and knowledge about medical errors. Results.—The 51 chief residents helped teach 2176 residents, approximately one third of all pediatric residents. One third of programs had no lectures about medical errors and 23% did not have morbidity and mortality rounds. Sixty-one percent of respondents stated that outpatient medical errors were rarely discussed. Informal teaching was most often reported as the primary method for educating residents about medical errors. Although 58% of respondents did not know that a systemic change should be made in response to a medical error, 83% felt that residents are adequately trained to deal with a medical error. Discussion.—Pediatric resident education about medical errors varies widely. Attention by pediatric residency training programs to this important issue seems limited.
Identification and Molecular Cloning of a Chondroitin Synthase from Pasteurella multocida Type F

Pasteurella multocida Type F, the minor fowl cholera pathogen, produces an extracellular polysaccharide capsule that is a putative virulence factor. It was reported that the capsule was removed by treating microbes with chondroitin AC lyase. We found by acid hydrolysis that the polysaccharide contained galactosamine and glucuronic acid. We molecularly cloned a Type F polysaccharide synthase and characterized its enzymatic activity. The 965-residue enzyme, called P. multocida chondroitin synthase (pmCS), is 87% identical at the nucleotide and the amino acid level to the hyaluronan synthase, pmHAS, from P. multocidaType A. A recombinant Escherichia coli-derived truncated, soluble version of pmCS (residues 1–704) was shown to catalyze the repetitive addition of sugars from UDP-GalNAc and UDP-GlcUA to chondroitin oligosaccharide acceptors in vitro. Other structurally related sugar nucleotide precursors did not substitute in the elongation reaction. Polymer molecules composed of ∼103 sugar residues were produced, as measured by gel filtration chromatography. The polysaccharide synthesized in vitro was sensitive to the action of chondroitin AC lyase but resistant to the action of hyaluronan lyase. This is the first report identifying a glycosyltransferase that forms a polysaccharide composed of chondroitin disaccharide repeats, [β(1,4)GlcUA-β(1,3)GalNAc]n. In analogy to known hyaluronan synthases, a single polypeptide species, pmCS, possesses both transferase activities.
Arecibo radio antenna

Describes the special features, technology, applications and design of the Arecibo radio antenna.
Adsorption of proteins out of plasma and solutions in narrow spaces

Attention of those studying the adsorption of proteins has, rather suddenly, become focused on extreme detail. New techniques are generating information on conformation and modes of attachment of adsorbed proteins (16). Circular dichroism, frustrated total reflection, electron scattering, and the use ofmonoclonal antibodies are providing insight in orientation and essential submolecular events that occur when a protein species adheres. Our own interest in these events originated with the study of blood, and hence of blood plasma, requiring us to identify the proteins being adsorbed out of this mixture in the course of a few minutes. Under such conditions, the techniques listed above do not identify the proteins adsorbed out of mixtures. For our purpose, antisera containing a set of antibodies to a specific human protein appear more useful to identify the protein than any monoclonal antibody that would provide information on specific groups remaining or becoming exposed as a specific protein is adsorbed. The following plasma proteins appear subjected to interchange with others after having been adsorbed. Fibrinogen. By combining ellipsometry and antisera, we found that on materials that activate clotting markedly, such as glass and anodized metals, intact normal plasma first deposits fibrinogen and thenwwithin 30 s if the plasma was undiluted--removes it again (7).
An Analysis of the Abstracts Presented at the Annual Meetings of the Society for Neuroscience from 2001 to 2006

Annual meeting abstracts published by scientific societies often contain rich arrays of information that can be computationally mined and distilled to elucidate the state and dynamics of the subject field. We extracted and processed abstract data from the Society for Neuroscience (SFN) annual meeting abstracts during the period 2001-2006 in order to gain an objective view of contemporary neuroscience. An important first step in the process was the application of data cleaning and disambiguation methods to construct a unified database, since the data were too noisy to be of full utility in the raw form initially available. Using natural language processing, text mining, and other data analysis techniques, we then examined the demographics and structure of the scientific collaboration network, the dynamics of the field over time, major research trends, and the structure of the sources of research funding. Some interesting findings include a high geographical concentration of neuroscience research in the north eastern United States, a surprisingly large transient population (66% of the authors appear in only one out of the six studied years), the central role played by the study of neurodegenerative disorders in the neuroscience community, and an apparent growth of behavioral/systems neuroscience with a corresponding shrinkage of cellular/molecular neuroscience over the six year period. The results from this work will prove useful for scientists, policy makers, and funding agencies seeking to gain a complete and unbiased picture of the community structure and body of knowledge encapsulated by a specific scientific domain.
Role of major histocompatibility complex class I molecules in autoimmune myositis.

Purpose of reviewRecent work has continued to clarify the role of major histocompatibility complex class I in the pathogenesis of autoimmune myositis. In the past year, several new observations have been made in this area. This review describes these findings and discusses their relevance to the pat
Properties of Critical Points and Operators in Economics

'The study of the local characteristics of equilibrium positions generated bythe constrained maximization of some criterion functions (such as utility,profit, cost, etc.) goes back to Antonelli's paper [2] of 1886. Certain localproperties have proved to be particularly fruitful for economie theory sincethe early works of Slutsky, Hicks, and Samuelson [9]; they have been formulatedin terms of a matrix uf "compensated" terms and they concern the propertiesof partial derivatives of the demand function in some neighborhood of theequilibrium.
Recent advances in the treatment of opiate addiction

Abstract Advances in the modern treatment of opiate addiction are the result of an evolutionary process often attributed to the introduction of methadone maintenance in the 1960s. The underpinnings and the forces that shaped these advances, however, date back to the rise of the prohibition movement at the turn of the century, which culminated in passage of the Harrison Narcotic Act, signaling a major shift in US social attitudes towards heroin addicts and their addiction. Subsequent US social and political attitudes have shaped the course of treatment practices in parallel with scientific advances and pharmacological developments, from the establishment of methadone treatment in specialized narcotics treatment clinics to the introduction of buprenorphine and the concomitant legislative mandate that made it available to general physicians, reflecting again the current societal attitude. While pharmacological progress may appear to be related to scientific advancement, the major driving force behind the direction of treatment development and its implementation into the treatment community is deeply ingrained in the concurrent evolution of societal attitudes and political policies. Moreover, the undisputed US dominance in science and politics lends global impetus to these developments.
Habit persistence, impediments to production factor adjustments, and asset returns in general equilibrium models with self-fulfilling expectations

Abstract I examine asset returns in the context of real dynamic stochastic general equilibrium economies with multiple equilibria (indeterminacy) that allow for aggregate fluctuations due to non-fundamental belief shocks. The two models include habit formation in preferences. Model 1 combines restrictions on factor mobility and adjustment costs in a one-sector economy. Model 2 uses restrictions on factor mobility in a two-sector economy. Results demonstrate that Model 1 fails to match the stylized financial facts. Model 2 replicates the low risk-free rate and the standard deviation of the return on the risk-free asset, but underestimates the equity premium and standard deviation of the return on equity.
Impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on bioavailable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Gulf of Mexico coastal waters

An estimated 4.1 million barrels of oil and 2.1 million gallons of dispersants were released into the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. There is a continued need for information about the impacts and long-term effects of the disaster on the Gulf of Mexico. The objectives of this study were to assess bioavailable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the coastal waters of four Gulf Coast states that were impacted by the spill. For over a year, beginning in May 2010, passive sampling devices were used to monitor the bioavailable concentration of PAHs. Prior to shoreline oiling, baseline data were obtained at all the study sites, allowing for direct before and after comparisons of PAH contamination. Significant increases in bioavailable PAHs were seen following the oil spill, however, preoiling levels were observed at all sites by March 2011. A return to elevated PAH concentrations, accompanied by a chemical fingerprint similar to that observed while the site was being impacted by the spill, was observed in Alabama in summer 2011. Chemical forensic modeling demonstrated that elevated PAH concentrations are associated with distinctive chemical profiles.
Serotonin receptors in the caudal brainstem are necessary and sufficient for the anorectic effect of peripherally administered mCPP.

The role of caudal brainstem 5-HT receptors in mediating the anorectic effect of the direct 5-HT2C/1B agonist, mCPP [1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine dihydrochloride], was evaluated. We demonstrated, first, that systemic injections of mCPP yielded a dose-related suppression of intra-oral intake of 12.5% glucose in intact rats and in chronically maintained supracollicular decerebrate rats. The results of the decerebrate experiment suggest that 5-HT receptors in the caudal brainstem are sufficient for mediating the drug's intake effect. We also showed a dose-related intake suppression when mCPP was delivered to the fourth ventricle of intact rats, with potent suppression obtained at doses well below threshold for systemic administration. Whether and to what extent the 5-HT2C/2A antagonist, mesulergine reverses the intake suppression that follows systemic or 4th i.c.v. injection of mCPP was examined. Fourth i.c.v. co-administration of mesulergine (60 microg) and mCPP (40 microg) eliminated the approximately 50% intake suppression observed when mCPP was delivered alone, a result that affirms the receptor selectivity of the 4th i.c.v. agonist effect. We showed, further, that 4th i.c.v.mesulergine (60 microg) completely reversed the intake suppression produced by systemic mCPP (2 mg/kg). The latter result indicates that stimulation of 5-HT receptors in the caudal brainstem is necessary for the intake suppression produced by systemic administration of this 5-HT agonist in the intact rat.
Entry and cost reduction

Abstract There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that entry of new firms reduces not only prices but also costs. However, the causal mechanism for this phenomenon is far from clear. This paper investigates three models of how entry may cause cost reduction: managerial incentives, survival of the fittest, and imitation. The models have quite different implications for social welfare.
A hyperspace model to decipher the genetic architecture of developmental processes: allometry meets ontogeny.

To better utilize limited resources for their survival and reproduction, all organisms undergo developmental changes in both body size and shape during ontogeny. The genetic analysis of size change with increasing age, i.e., growth, has received considerable attention in quantitative developmental genetic studies, but the genetic architecture of ontogenetic changes in body shape and its associated allometry have been poorly understood partly due to the lack of analytical tools. In this article, we attempt to construct a multivariate statistical framework for studying the genetic regulation of ontogenetic growth and shape. We have integrated biologically meaningful mathematical functions of growth curves and developmental allometry into the estimation process of genetic mapping aimed at identifying individual quantitative trait loci (QTL) for phenotypic variation. This model defined with high dimensions can characterize the ontogenetic patterns of genetic effects of QTL over the lifetime of an organism and assess the interplay between genetic actions/interactions and phenotypic integration. The closed forms for the residual covariance matrix and its determinant and inverse were derived to overcome the computational complexity typical of our high-dimensional model. We used a worked example to validate the utility of this model. The implications of this model for genetic research of evo–devo are discussed.
Simple Cassegrain scanning system for infrared astronomy

A simple inexpensive and compact Cassegrain reimaging system for scanning IR images is described. Its performance is as good as or better than a conventional scanning secondary in all important respects.
Central-bank decapitalization in developing economies

Abstract Many developing economies' central banks have undergone significant decapitalization. Depending on the degree and the forms it takes, the erosion of a central bank's capital base can impair its policy effectiveness. Causes of central-bank decapitalization include central-bank interest obligations, subsidy payments, multiple exchange rate practices, guarantee schemes, and unfavorable changes in net asset valuations. Useful distinctions for measuring and analyzing central-bank losses include operating and non-operating losses; domestic and external sources of loss; accrual and cash bases for accounting; and, where inflation is significant, nominal and inflation-adjusted measurement bases. It is particularly important to distinguish a central bank's losses from its (own) borrowing requirement. Where the problem is serious, corrective policy reforms should be considered.
Late onset hemorrhage caused by ruptured uterine artery pseudoaneurysm after robotic-assisted total hysterectomy

Robotic surgery has been used increasingly for the management of benign or malignant gynecologic conditions. Vaginal hemorrhage after hysterectomy is fairly uncommon. Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare phenomenon causing late onset hemorrhage that could be potentially life-threatening. This case describes the management of vaginal bleeding due to ruptured uterine artery pseudoaneurysm after robotic-assisted total hysterectomy. This is the first known reported case of a ruptured uterine artery pseudoaneurysm after a robotic-assisted hysterectomy.
The quest of a universal fracture law governing the process of slow crack growth

A nonlinear finite element analysis, based on the incremental theory of plasticity with isotropic hardening rule, has been performed for the process of slow crack growth in center-cracked specimens made of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy. With experimental data relating the applied stress and the crack size taken as input, it is found that the plastic energy and the crack size are linearly related during the entire process of slow crack growth. The variations of various fracture parameters, such as crack opening displacement, crack tip opening angle, crack tip stresses and strains, elastic strain energy density and energy release rate, during the slow crack growth process are also presented. Moreover, the linear relation between the plastic energy and the crack size, replacing the experimental applied stress vs crack size curve, may also be taken as the input and generate a crack resistance curve which is in excellent agreement with the experimental result. This finding enables one to establish a fracture law which can be used to identify the onset of slow crack growth and the onset of fast fracture. A discussion has also been made on the general guiding principle in formulating a universal fracture law.
High-Resolution Measurement of Distance and Orientation in Myosin: EPR of a Bifunctional Spin Label

We present a method for obtaining high-resolution information on protein backbone structure and dynamics using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of a bifunctional spin label (BSL) and molecular modeling. Two complementary EPR techniques were employed to measure protein orientation (conventional EPR) and intra-protein distances (dipolar electron-electron resonance, DEER). BSL attaches at Cys positions i and i+4 on a helix, greatly reducing probe mobility relative to the peptide backbone, compared to monofunctional labels. Accurate modeling of BSL provides the coordinates required to directly relate spectroscopic data to backbone structure (both orientation and distance), and dynamics (rotational motion). In the current work, the motor protein Dictyostelium myosin II was used to demonstrate this approach. We measured nucleotide-dependent structural transitions of two key helices within the myosin catalytic domain (CD). Two double-Cys sites were engineered, with one Cys pair located on the relay helix, and the other on a stable helix in the upper 50kD domain. BSL on a construct with one of these pairs was used to measure myosin orientation relative to oriented actin. BSL on a construct with two pairs was used to measure interprobe distances. The effect of ADP binding on both orientation and distance was clearly detected with BSL, but not with a monofunctional label. The significance of this work is twofold: (1) A structural transition in the relay helix upon ADP binding was clearly defined with high resolution. (2) BSL spectra demonstrate superior resolution, compared to monofunctional spin labels, making it possible to directly translate spectroscopic data to protein structure and dynamics. This work was funded by grants from NIH (R01 AR32961, T32 AR07612, P30 AR0507220).
Mice Reared With Rats: an Interstrain Comparison of Mother and "Aunt" Effects

Some effects of the maternal environment upon several behaviour patterns of weanling and adult C57BL/10J mice and Purdue Swiss-Albino mice were studied by comparing: i) mice reared by rat mothers, 2) mice reared by their natural mouse mothers in the presence of a rat aunt, and 3) cross-fostered control mice. The rat-mother and rat-aunt preparations both were found to produce measurable, and similar, effects upon the behaviour of weanling and adult mice. Experiment I: C57BL/10J Mice Infantile mortality. A higher mortality was recorded for rat-reared mice and mice reared in the presence of a rat aunt than for mouse-reared mice. Body weight. At weaning, rat-reared mice were heavier than mouse-reared mice or mice reared in the presence of a rat aunt. However, at 63 days of age, rat-reared mice weighed less than mice in either of the other two groups. Open-field behaviour. On the first day of open-field testing, both at 21 days and at 63 days of age, mouse-reared mice were more active than rat-reared mice or mice reared with rat aunts. On Days 2-4 in adulthood control mice defecated less than experimental mice in either of the two groups. Passive avoidance learning. At 21 and 63 days of age, control mice reached criterion sooner than rat-reared mice or mice reared with a rat aunt. Fighting behaviour. More fighting was found among mouse-reared mice than among rat-reared mice or mice reared in the presence of a rat aunt. Experiment 2: Swiss-Albino Mice Infantile mortality. A higher mortality rate was recorded for rat-reared mice and mice reared in the company of a rat aunt than for mouse-reared mice. Body weight. At weaning, subjects in the three treatment groups did not differ significantly from one another in body weight. However, at 63 days of age, rat-reared mice were heavier than mice in either of the other two groups. Open-field behaviour. On the first day of open-field testing, both at 21 days and at 63 days of age, mouse-reared mice were more active than rat-reared mice or mice reared with rat aunts. Control mice were also more active than rat-tended mice on Days 2-4 of open-field testing at weaning. Rat-reared mice defecated more than mouse-reared mice and rat-aunt tended mice on all four days of open-field testing at 21 days of age. However, rat-reared mice defecated less than mice in the other two groups during the four days of adult open-field testing. On Days 2-4 in adulthood, rat-reared mice had a longer latency to leave the starting square than mouse-reared mice or rat-aunt tended mice. Passive avoidance learning. At 21 days and at 63 days of age, control mice reached criterion sooner and achieved a greater number of correct trials than rat-reared mice or mice reared with a rat aunt. Fighting behaviour. No differences in fighting behaviour were found between the three groups of animals used in the experiment.
Kierkegaard's concept of the self

Anti‐Climacus (Kierkegaard) maintains that the self is, not the human psycho‐physical synthesis of polarities, but the synthesis or relation ‘related to itself’, which is ‘freedom’. The author shows that this type of freedom or selfhood, though attained by free choice, is not itself freedom of choice. He contends that Anti‐Climacus’ statement about the self is too abstract and elliptical to be understood adequately from The Sickness Unto Death alone but is intelligible in terms of Judge William's doctrine of ‘choosing oneself’ ('Equilibrium...’, Either/Or, Vol. II), and that Anti‐Climacus in all likelihood intended it to be so interpreted. Arguing that for the synthesis to ‘relate to itself’ and become ‘freedom’ is identical with its ‘choosing itself’ through despair and repentance so as to become liberated from aesthetic bondage, the author explains William's and Anti‐Climacus’ use of ‘aesthetic’ and draws attention to their pervasive distinction between innocent and culpable aestheticism.
Shock tube study of NCO kinetics

Mixtures of cyanogen, oxygen and nitrous oxide diluted in argon were shock-heated to measure the rate constant of NCO+O→CO+NO. (3) The primary diagnostic was narrow-line absorption of NCO at 440.479 nm using a remotely located cw ring dye laser source. A detailed kinetic analysis of the experiments near 1450°K led to. k 3 =10 13.75 (−0.26.+0.20) cm 3 /mole/sec. Additional experiments, in mixtures of hydrogen cyanide, oxygen and nitrous oxide diluted in argon, enabled a determination of the ration k 4 /k 2 : C 2 N 2 +O→CN+NCO (2) HCN+O→NCO+H. (4) We found (at 1440° K): k 4 /k 2 =2.4 (−0.9, +2.4). Utilizing a recent determination of k 2 , we infer k 4 =10 11.70 (−0.35. +0.40) cm 3 /mole/sec.
Pitfalls in ultrasonic determination of total intrauterine volume.

Calculation of total intrauterine volume (TIUV) has become an important part of obstetric sonography in the evaluation of possible intrauterine growth retardation. However, a number of problems with the measurements and the calculation itself limit the reliability of this determination. More reliable measurements may be obtained through rigid standardization of technique. However, a certain amount of inaccuracy is inherent in the procedure and cannot be corrected.
Synthesis of photoreactive poly(ethylene glycol) and its application to the prevention of surface-induced platelet activation.

Photoreactive poly(ethy1ene glycol) (PEG) was synthesized by reacting 4-fluoro- 3-nitrophenyl azide (FNPA) with sodium salt of PEG. The synthesized 4-azido-2- nitrophenyl PEG (ANP-PEG) was charac- terized by 1H-NMR, IR, and UV spectro- scopy. ANP-PEG was grafted to dimethyldichlorosilane-coated glass (DDS-glass) by photolysis without any premodification of the surface. The effects of various grafting factors, such as the polymer adsorption time, concentration of ANP-PEG, and UV irradiation time, on the PEG grafting efficiency were examined. The PEG-grafted DDS-glass was characterized by measuring surface free energies, surface-induced platelet activation, and the relative amount of PEG grafted on the surface using electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). Platelet adhesion and activation was analyzed by measuring the number and spread area of adherent platelets. The results showed that ANP-PEG had to be adsorbed onto DDS-glass for at least 12 h before photolysis for the maximum grafting efficiency. No platelets could adhere to the PEG-grafted DDS-glass, if the bulk concentration of ANP-PEG in the adsorption solution was between 1 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL. Above 10 mg/mL, platelet activation gradually increased and reached the maximum at 30 mg/mL. Our data indicate that the grafting of ANP-PEG requires careful control of the grafting conditions and that the grafted PEG can prevent surface-induced platelet activation.
Impact of cone-beam computed tomography on orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning

Introduction In this study, we measured the impact of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) on orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Methods Participant orthodontists shown traditional orthodontic records for 6 patients were asked to provide a diagnostic problem list, a hypothetical treatment plan, and a clinical certainty. They then evaluated a CBCT scan for each patient and noted any changes, confirmations, or enhancements to their diagnosis and treatment plan. Results The number of diagnosis and treatment plan changes varied widely by patient characteristics. The most frequently reported diagnosis and treatment plan changes occurred in patients with unerupted teeth, severe root resorption, or severe skeletal discrepancies. We found no benefit in terms of changes in treatment plan for patients when the reason for obtaining a CBCT scan was to examine for abnormalities of the temporomandibular joint or airway, or crowding. Orthodontic participants who own CBCT machines or use CBCT scans frequently in practice reported significantly more diagnosis and treatment plan changes and greater confidence after viewing the CBCT scans during the study. Conclusions The results of this study support obtaining a CBCT scan before orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning when a patient has an unerupted tooth with delayed eruption or a questionable location, severe root resorption as diagnosed with a periapical or panoramic radiograph, or a severe skeletal discrepancy. We propose that CBCT scans should be ordered only when there is clear, specific, individual clinical justification.
The effects of CO2 on cytokine concentrations in endotoxin-stimulated human whole blood.

OBJECTIVES: Hypercapnia is known to modulate inflammation in lungs. However, the effect of hypocapnia and hypercapnia on blood cytokine production during sepsis is not well understood. We hypothesized that CO2 modulates ex vivo inflammatory cytokine production during endotoxin stimulation. To test this hypothesis, we measured the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in endotoxin-stimulated human whole blood cultures under hypercapnic, normocapnic, and hypocapnic conditions. DESIGN: Prospective randomized study. SETTING: Basic research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Ten male and 10 female volunteers. INTERVENTIONS: Venous blood samples, taken from volunteers were cultured at 37 degrees C, under hypocapnic (2% CO2), normocapnic (5% CO2), and hypercapnic (7% CO2) conditions, with and without endotoxin stimulation. After 24 hrs of incubation, each culture's supernatant was analyzed for tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, and interferon-gamma concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were analyzed using nonparametric repeated measures of analysis of variance followed by Dunn's multiple comparisons test. Analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction was used to compare gender differences in cytokine concentrations. The Pearson test was used to estimate correlation between hydrogen ion and individual cytokine concentrations. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta and of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 under hypercapnic condition were significantly decreased (p < 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001, respectively) for both genders when compared with either normocapnic or hypocapnic conditions. Concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta were significantly higher in men. In women, concentrations of interleukin-6 were significantly decreased under hypercapnic condition when compared with hypocapnic condition. An inverse relationship was found between hydrogen ion concentration and concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that CO2 can affect the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines after ex vivo stimulation with endotoxin.
Evaluation and comparison of the pattern-transfer-induced image placement distortions on e-beam projection lithography masks

Masks for electron projection lithography require the use of thin membrane structures due tot he short scattering range of electrons in solid materials. The two leading mask formats for electron projection lithography are the continuous membrane scatterer mask and the stencil mask. The reduced mechanical stability of the membranes used for electron projection masks relative to conventional optical masks leads to increased levels of process induced image placement distortions. This paper evaluates the image placement distortions due to the pattern transfer processes on the continuous membrane mask format. Image placement was measured from both a cross-mask and intramembrane perspective to evaluate the effects of different patterns, pattern densities and density gradients on the observed image placement and the experimental results obtained were then compared to those predicted by finite element modeling.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interactions within the turbulent boundary layer at high Reynolds number

Simultaneous streamwise velocity measurements across the vertical direction obtained in the atmospheric surface layer (Re_τ ≃ 5 × 10^5) under near thermally neutral conditions are used to outline and quantify interactions between the scales of turbulence, from the very-large-scale motions to the dissipative scales. Results from conditioned spectra, joint probability density functions and conditional averages show that the signature of very-large-scale oscillations can be found across the whole wall region and that these scales interact with the near-wall turbulence from the energy-containing eddies to the dissipative scales, most strongly in a layer close to the wall, z^+ ≲ 10^3. The scale separation achievable in the atmospheric surface layer appears to be a key difference from the low-Reynolds-number picture, in which structures attached to the wall are known to extend through the full wall-normal extent of the boundary layer. A phenomenological picture of very-large-scale motions coexisting and interacting with structures from the hairpin paradigm is provided here for the high-Reynolds-number case. In particular, it is inferred that the hairpin-packet conceptual model may not be exhaustively representative of the whole wall region, but only of a near-wall layer of z^+ = O(10^3), where scale interactions are mostly confined.
BRAF Drives Synovial Fibroblast Transformation in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Synovial fibroblasts destroy articular cartilage and bone in rheumatoid arthritis, but the mechanism of fibroblast transformation remains elusive. Because gain-of-function mutations of BRAF can transform fibroblasts, we examined BRAF in rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts. The strong gain-of-function mutation, V600R, of BRAF found in melanomas and other cancers was identified in first passage synovial fibroblasts from two of nine rheumatoid arthritis patients and confirmed by restriction site mapping. BRAF-specific siRNA inhibited proliferation of synovial fibroblasts with V600R mutations. A BRAF aberrant splice variant with an intact kinase domain and partial loss of the N-terminal autoinhibitory domain was identified in fibroblasts from an additional patient, and fibroblast proliferation was inhibited by BRAF-specific siRNA. Our finding is the first to establish mechanisms for fibroblast transformation responsible for destruction of articular cartilage and bone in rheumatoid arthritis and establishes a new target for therapeutic intervention.
The responsible role of a Chairman of the department of medicine in postgraduate training

In this discussion, I direct your attention to concerns expressed by many chairmen of departments of medicine regarding the increasing specialization in the discipline of internal medicine. My remarks should not be considered as an official statement of the Association of Professors of Medicine; rather, they are the views of a single chairman who, as a result of many deliberations with leaders of medicine and related fields, is alarmed by the effects that such overspecialization may have on the future of internal medicine. In my judgment the present trend has serious implications both for the delivery of health care and for academic medicine in general. Most unbiased observers will agree that there are today in this country too many specialists and an inadequate number of physicians delivering primary care. Theodore Cooper has already documented the validity of this statement. Exactly how many primary care physicians are needed is debatable, but there is no debate that the number needed is large. The sum of the internists, pediatricians, family practitioners and general practitioners equals about 35 to 40 percent of the total pool of practicing physicians of all kinds in this country. This figure is obviously an overestimate, for many physicians who call themselves internists or pediatricians do not provide primary care but rather limit themselves to a consultative and subspecialty role. It is estimated that an efficient health care system in this country will require at least 60 percent of its active practitioners to provide primary care; some observers think that the figure should be as high as 70 or 80 percent. Be that as it may, we are a long way from having the proper mix in the existing physician manpower pool. Current trends in training centers throughout the country are contributing to a further widening of the gap between the number of specialists and the number of primary care physicians. Only
Membership Change and Voting Change: An Analysis of the Rehnquist Court's 1986-1991 Terms

This study examines the collective voting behavior of the United States Supreme Court in civil rights and liberties decisions for the 1986-87 through the 1991-92 terms to determine if the Court has become signifi cantly more conservative and, if changes have occurred, to determine the reasons for these changes. Despite the efforts of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush to pack the Court with judicial conservatives, the Re hnquist Court during this period was more liberal in its voting behavior than the Burger Court was in its last decade. Membership change, changes in the voting behavior of continuing members of the Court, and issue change all appear to have influenced the collective voting of the Rehnquist Court, with the result that the Court has not been as conservative as liber als had feared and conservatives had anticipated.