cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vemurafenib-induced bilateral facial palsy

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Vemurafenib in August 2011, for treatment of melanoma with BRAF V600 mutation. It has shown improvement in the median overall survival of melanoma patients. The most common adverse effects of vermurafenib are arthralgia, rash, alopecia, photosensitivity and fatigue. Other infrequent and severe adverse reactions reported in patients include keratocanthomas, hypersensitivity, Stevens Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, uveitis, QT prolongation, and hepatotoxicity. We hereby present a case of bilateral facial palsy as an adverse effect of vemurafenib therapy, seen after six weeks of commencement of the drug. Complete resolution of the symptoms was seen when the patient was taken off vemurafenib.
Current-mode fuzzy memory element

Recent research in fuzzy logic indicates a growing interest in practical and commercial applications. An improved fuzzy processor would embody both fuzzy (multilevel) and classical (binary) information processing in the same machine. One of the basic building blocks for the fuzzy processor is the fuzzy memory element. Such a circuit is proposed in the Letter.
Androgen Exposure and Reproductive Behavior of an Induced Ovulator, the Pine Vole (Microtus pinetorum)

The actions of steroid hormones on brain and behavior are classically divided into organizational effects that are permanent and occur early in development and activational effects that are temporary and occur throughout life. Here, we test the hypothesis that in an induced ovulator, testosterone defeminizes only those neural tissues that rely on synergistic interactions of estrogen and progesterone for normal function in adulthood. Female voles, Microtus pinetorum, injected with testosterone (T) or oil neonatally were paired with males for an 8-week period. During the pairing, androgenized and oil-treated females spent a similar amount of time investigating the caudal and rostral regions of the males. Males spent significantly less time investigating the caudal and rostral regions of androgenized females. Androgenized females mounted males, did not exhibit lordosis, and were less likely to be mounted by males. Moreover, none of the 10 androgenized females gave birth, whereas 8 of 9 control females gave birth. Androgenized females were also not capable of being stimulated into reproductive condition by males. Injection of 0.5 microg of estradiol benzoate for 4 consecutive days resulted in reduced uterine hypertrophy in androgenized females. These results support the original organizational-activational hypothesis by showing that neonatal androgenization defeminizes and masculinizes female pine voles.
Neural network modelling.

The author reviews recent developments in neural networks that are of general interest to physicists engaged in biological and biomedical research. Examples are examined of models streamlined for collective computation (McCulloch-Pitts, Little, Hopfield and Cowan-Hopfield models), Neural networks in theoretical neurobiology and synthetic neural networks are also detailed.
The effect of deuteration on the geometry of the α-helix

Experiments were carried out to determine the effect of complete deuteration on the screw parameters of the α-helix. Poly-γ-benzyl- L -glutamate and poly-β-benzyl- L -aspartate were drawn into fibers in both normal and deuterated forms, and an X-ray diffraction study was carried out on the change in the meridional 1·5 A reflexion, which is a measure of the rise per residue along the helix. Deuteration increased this spacing by 0·007 A and 0·008 A respectively. Accompanying this was an increase in the helical pitch spacing of the 5·4 A layer line which indicated that the deuterated α-helix was being extended, without a change in the rotation per residue. The hydrogen bond lengths of 2·83 A are increased by 0·025 A and 0·029 A upon deuteration. This increase is in agreement with changes which have been observed in hydrogen bond length in other substances upon deuteration. The internal contacts of the α-helix are discussed, together with the effect of deuteration upon the overall stability of the structure. Infrared data are presented which confirm the helical form of the polymers in both normal and deuterated forms.
New features in RNA recognition: a Tat-TAR complex

The structure of a peptide from the BIV Tat protein bound to its cognate TAR RNA has been solved. This structure reveals a beta-hairpin motif for the protein, bound at a widened bulge site in the major groove of the RNA.
Gestational cocaine and ethanol exposure alter spontaneous and cocaine-induced behavior in weanling rats

Abstract The developmental and behavioral effects of prenatal exposure to cocaine and/or ethanol were examined in rats. Pregnant rats received ethanol (E; 2 g/kg b.i.d.) orally, cocaine (C; 6 mg/kg/day, IV), or both ( C E ) on gestational days 8–20. Controls consisted of pair-fed (PF) and untreated (UNT) groups. Offspring were weighed and examined for developmental markers beginning postnatal day one (PD1). On PD21 pups were individually observed in an open-field following either an injection of cocaine (10 mg/kg, IP), an injection of saline, or no treatment. Drug-treated and PF dams ate less food and gained less weight than the UNT dams. C and E litters had slightly increased mortality rates. Pups from both the C and E groups appeared less sensitive to the locomotor stimulant effect of cocaine. Pups from the E group engaged in significantly less spontaneous Stereotypic locomotion than UNT and PF pups, while male pups from the C group exhibited a decrease in spontaneous exploratory behavior. Thus, prenatal exposure to C or E altered spontaneous and/or cocaine-induced behavior in weanlingaged rats, while the C E combination did not augment either effect.
Chain-complete posets and directed sets with applications

Let a poset P be called chain-complete when every chain, including the empty chain, has a sup in P. Many authors have investigated properties of posets satisfying some sort of chain-completeness condition (see [,11, [-31, [6], I-71, [17], [,181, ['191, [,211, [,221), and used them in a variety of applications. In this paper we study the notion of chain-completeness and demonstrate its usefulness for various applications. Chain-complete posets behave in many respects like complete lattices; in fact, a chaincomplete lattice is a complete lattice. But in many cases it is the existence of sup's of chains, and not the existence of arbitrary sup's, that is crucial. More generally, let P be called chain s-complete when every chain of cardinality not greater than ~ has a sup. We first show that if a poset P is chain s-complete, then every directed subset of P with cardinality not exceeding ct has a sup in P. This sharpens the known result ([,8], [,181) that in any chain-complete poset, every directed set has a sup. Often a property holds for every directed set i f and only if it holds for every chain. We show that direct (inverse) limits exist in a category if and only if 'chain colimits' ('chain limits') exist. Since every chain has a well-ordered cofinal subset [11, p. 681, one need only work with well-ordered collections of objects in a category to establish or disprove the existence of direct and inverse limits. Similarly, a topological space is compact if and only if every 'chain of points' has a cluster point. A 'chain of points' is a generalization of a sequence. Chain-complete posers, like complete lattices, arise from closure operators in a fairly direct manner. Using closure operators we show how to form the chaincompletion P of any poset P. The chain-completion/~ of a poset P is a chain-complete poset with the property that any chain-continuous map from a poser P into a chain-complete poset Q extends uniquely to a chain-continuous map from the completion/~ into Q, where by a chaincontinuous map we mean one that preserves sup's of chains. If P is already chaincomplete, then/~ is naturally isomorphic to P. This completion is not the MacNeille
Solar wind Halo electrons from 1–4 AU

Observations from the Ulysses solar wind electron spectrometer are used to make a first examination of the evolution of the solar wind suprathermal or halo electron population as a function of heliocentric distance beyond 1 AU. As the core population cools with increasing heliocentric distance, no gap is formed between the core and halo populations. Rather, the halo electrons extend to increasingly lower energies. As predicted previously on theoretical grounds, the ratio of the core electron temperature to the low energy cutoff of the halo population appears to be roughly constant with a value of about 7.5. The total integrated heat flux drops rapidly with increasing heliocentric distance; a best fit power law of R exp -2.36 is found. In addition, it is found that the ratio of the halo to core densities is roughly constant over heliocentric distance with the halo representing 4 percent of the total electron distribution. These results suggest that the halo population may not consist of truly noninteractive test particles over the heliocentric range of 1-4 AU.
Effects of applied magnetic fields on cooperative Jahn-Teller transition temperatures of DyAsO4 and DyVO4

Abstract We have measured the effects of applied magnetic fields on the cooperative Jahn-Teller transition temperatures of DyAsO4 and DyVO4. We find that even relatively weak fields produce a very pronounced increase in the transition temperature of DyAsO4.
A kinetic Monte Carlo analysis for the production of singularly tethered carbon nanotubes

Nanoparticles that possess a single covalent tether to either another particle or a surface play an increasingly important role in nanotechnology, serving as a foundation for aggregation-based plasmonic sensors, chemically assembled framework structures, and scanning probe tips. Using a theoretical approach, we explore the reaction conditions necessary to maximize singular tethering for several cases of homogeneously dispersed nanoparticles, with a particular focus on single-walled carbon nanotubes. In the limit of particles of monodisperse size and equal site reactivity, the number of tethers versus the reaction conversion is statistically described by the well-known binomial distribution, with a variance that is minimal for the single tether case. However, solutions of nanoparticles often deviate from this ideal, and reaction events can introduce steric hindrance to neighboring sites or alter particle electronic properties, both of which can influence local reactivity. In order to study these cases we use the electron transfer reactions of single-walled carbon nanotubes. We find that the distribution in the number of monofunctional tubes, as a function of conversion, is largely dependent on the distribution of nanotube rate constants, and therefore tube chiralities, in the initial solution. As a contemporary example, we examine the implications of this result on the metallic-semiconductor separation of carbon nanotubes using electron transfer chemistry.
Development of an amphotropic, high-titer retrovirus vector expressing the dihydrofolate reductase gene and conferring methotrexate resistance.

Abstract Altered mouse dihydrofolate reductase gene ( DHFR R ) was expressed in murine cells using Abelson murine leukemia provirus genome as a prototype vector. A cDNA clone of DHFR R was inserted into a plasmid structure containing retroviral transcriptional as well as packaging signals. The recombinant plasmid was transfected into ψ-2 ecotropic cells and the transient virus was used to infect amphotropic PA-12 cells. Recombinant virus ( ABL-DHFR R ) was detected in the culture medium of transfected PA-12 cells and was free of helper virus. The ABL-DHFR R was capable of conferring methotrexate (MTX) resistance to a variety of cells in culture. The titer of ABL-DHFR R virus was at least tenfold higher than other DHFR retroviruses. The ABL-DHFR R virus titer was increased by selection at increasing concentrations of MTX. The presence of the DHFR R in the virus-infected cells was confirmed by assays which showed reduced inhibition of enzyme activity by MTX. A helper-virus-free, amphotropic, high-titer retrovirus containing the altered DHFR was obtained which may be of use as a dominant selectable marker in infecting hematopoietic progenitor cells.
Solid tumors associated with multiple endocrine neoplasias

We present an update on molecular and clinical genetics of solid tumors associated with the various multiple endocrine neoplasias (MEN) syndromes. MEN type 1 (MEN1) describes the association of pituitary, parathyroid, and pancreatic islet cell tumors with a variety of many other lesions. MEN type 2 (MEN2) conditions represent at least four different syndromes that associate pheochromocytoma with medullary thyroid carcinoma, hyperparathyroidism, and a number of other manifestations. Other pheochromocytoma-associated syndromes include von Hippel-Lindau disease; neurofibromatosis 1; the recently defined paraganglioma syndromes type 1, 3, and 4; Carney-Stratakis syndrome; and the Carney triad. Carney-Stratakis syndrome is characterized by the association of paragangliomas and familial gastrointestinal stromal tumors. In the Carney triad, patients can manifest gastrointestinal stromal tumors, lung chondroma, paraganglioma, adrenal adenoma and pheochromocytoma, esophageal leiomyoma, and other conditions. The Carney complex is yet another form of MEN that is characterized by skin tumors and pigmented lesions, myxomas, schwannomas, and various endocrine neoplasias.
Overcoming finite-sampling errors in fast-switching free-energy estimates: extrapolative analysis of a molecular system

Abstract We perform a block-averaging and extrapolation analysis of fast-switching free-energy difference ( ΔF ) estimates for a computer-modeled, fully solvated ethane↔methanol transformation. The results suggest that the analysis can greatly reduce the `finite-sampling error' in ΔF estimated from a small number of very fast switches. This error, which can be many times k B T , is the difference between an estimate based on a finite amount of data and that from an infinite data set; it is inherent in the ΔF calculations. Our blocking/extrapolation procedure appears to be particularly useful for broad, non-Gaussian distributions of data which typically produce large finite-sampling errors.
Social impact disclosure and corporate annual reports

Abstract Corporate Social Responsibility may be clarified by utilizing the economic concept of externalities. The line-by-line prose in annual reports throws some light on the intensity and nature of these activities. Two independent tests support the concept that annual reports may for some purposes be considered a reasonable surrogate for real activity. Annual reports from eighty-two food-processing corporations are used as a data base to illuminate corporate social responsibility activities, as well as the nature of current disclosure patterns.
What Controls the Phase Diagram and Superconductivity in Ru-Substituted BaFe2As2?

We use high resolution angle-resolved photoemission to study the electronic structure of the iron based high-temperature superconductors Ba(Fe(1-x)Ru(x))(2)As(2) as a function of Ru concentration. We find that substitution of Ru for Fe is isoelectronic, i.e., it does not change the value of the chemical potential. More interestingly, there are no measured, significant changes in the shape of the Fermi surface or in the Fermi velocity over a wide range of substitution levels (0<x<0.55). Given that the suppression of the antiferromagnetic and structural phase is associated with the emergence of the superconducting state, Ru substitution must achieve this via a mechanism that does not involve changes of the Fermi surface. We speculate that this mechanism relies on magnetic dilution which leads to the reduction of the effective Stoner enhancement.
Concept discovery, process explanation, and theory deepening in e-marketing research: The case of online auctions

By reviewing recent consumer research on online auctions, the commentary distinguishes between three forms of e-marketing research: (1) concept discovery, leveraging advances in technology to identify and describe new concepts or phenomena of significance to marketers; (2) process explanation, seeking to provide insights into the psychological, social, and economic mechanisms underlying the discovered concepts or phenomena through asking and answering ‘when’ and ‘why’ questions; and (3) theory deepening, using the online environment as the setting or context to develop, elaborate on, and test general marketing and consumer behavior theories. It is argued that while there is substantial value in each of these research forms for advancing marketing knowledge, theory deepening has perhaps been the least popular form of research conducted in online environments thus far, but it may yet turn out to be the most significant and enduring form in the long run.
Co-administration of the D2 antagonist pimozide inhibits up-regulation of dopamine release and uptake induced by repeated cocaine.

To investigate the hypothesis that the D2 dopamine (DA) receptor regulates DA uptake, as well as release, in the nucleus accumbens (N ACC), rats were pretreated for 10 days with either the selective D2 antagonist pimozide (1.0 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle, followed 3 h later by either cocaine (20 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline. On day 11, a microdialysis method was performed in which various DA concentrations (0, 10, and 20 nM DA) were perfused through the dialysis probe to characterize the diffusion of DA through tissue to and from the microdialysis probe (recovery). This diffusion of DA has been shown to be sensitive to changes in release and uptake. Pimozide pretreatment was shown to attenuate significantly a cocaine-induced increase in the in vivo recovery of DA (p < 0.01). The in vivo recovery for the vehicle/cocaine group was 47 +/- 4%, whereas the in vivo recovery for the pimozide/cocaine group was 31 +/- 3%. There was no difference between the pimozide/cocaine and control groups (pimozide/saline, 26 +/- 2%; vehicle/saline, 26 +/- 3%). In vitro probe calibrations indicated no significant difference in probe efficiencies between groups. These data suggest that the D2 receptor is capable of modulating uptake as well as release of DA in the N ACC of the rat.
A Generative Programming Framework for Context-Aware CSCW Applications

We present a programming framework based on the paradigm of generative application development for building context-aware collaborative applications. In this approach, context-aware applications are implemented using a domain-specific design model, and their execution environment is generated and maintained by the middleware. The key features of this design model include support for context-based service discovery and binding, context-based access control, context-based multiuser coordination, and context-triggered automated task executions. The middleware uses the technique of policy-based specialization for generating application-specific middleware components from the generic middleware components. Through a case-study example, we demonstrate this approach and present the evaluations of the design model and the middleware.
Charge emission and precursor accumulation in the multiple-pulse damage regime of silicon

To contribute to further understanding of damage mechanisms in silicon induced by picosecond Nd:YAG 1.06-μm laser pulses, the damage at laser intensities below the one-shot damage threshold has been studied. By using a biased charge-collection wire or electron-multiplier tube, one can detect the charge emitted during small pit formation, which may be considered as the initial damage morphology. The investigation of the incubation period has been conducted by observing the first charge emission, which indicates its termination. This incubation time is analogous to the lifetime of the solids subject to a repeated mechanical load and is characterized by processes that are irreversible for at least 3 sec. This suggests that the damage precursors are long-lived excitations or an accumulation of permanent states. The heterogeneous nature of the nucleation of damage suggests that these precursor states act as nucleation seeds to the laser-induced damage. Charge emission after the incubation period was also studied. Positive and negative particles are emitted equally after damage initiation, probably because of thermal evaporation of silicon from small regions. The charge emission follows the Arrhenius relation. Experimentally, this result was independent of pulse-repetition period up to at least 10 sec. Damage morphology was compared to charge emission and suggests that charges are emitted mainly from pits, grooves, and holes within the damaged area.
Diagrams, Maps and Markets: The Technological Matrix of Geographical Information Systems

Introduction: Pr ofiling Governm entality Welfare claimants in Massachusetts who were 'hits' in a computer match for fraud had to fight for reinstatement on the basis of information ignored by the state. The Privacy Act is not deemed to cover such instances because they can be construed by matchers as 'routine use'. People who are computer match hits are denied the due process of law, which would give them the chance to confront their accusers with contrary evidence before steps are taken to apprehend wrongdoers (Lyon 1994: 50 51).
Magnetic-film-controlled invertor and isolator

The paper describes the principle of operation of an arrangement of conductors that is closely coupled to a magnetic film and can act as a signal invertor, modulator or isolator. The transmission characteristic is determined by the currents flowing in control conductors, which alter the film permeability. The net coupling between sections of the input and output conductors can be either positive, negative or zero, depending on the film permeability. The characteristics of the device in practice make it suitable for use as an integral part of film logic circuits.
Regulation of smooth muscle specific gene expression by PKG and mechanisms regulating PKG expression in smooth muscle cells

Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase I (PKG) is highly expressed in smooth muscle cells (SMC) and mediates the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on smooth muscle relaxation and SMC-specific gene expression. To understand the mechanisms by which PKG stimulates SMC-specific gene expression, we examined the effects of PKG over-expression in passaged rat aortic SMC that express low levels of PKG and SMC-specific genes. PKG enhances serumresponse factor (SRF) and myocardin (MY)induced reporter gene expression in SMC. These effects were not dependent on induction of either SRF or MY. The Ternary Complex Element transcription factor, Elk-1, is known to inhibit SRF-MY induced SMC gene expression when phosphorylated in response to platelet derived growth factor (PDGF). PKG inhibited Elk-1 repression of SRF-MY gene transcription by stimulating post-translational modification of phospho-Elk-1 via the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO). The mechanism of PKG-induced sumoylation of Elk-1 may be dependent on the phosphorylation of SENP-1 (sumo-specific protease 1) at ser-125. These results suggest that PKG regulates SRF-MY gene expression through de-repression of Elk-1 on SMC-specific promoters.
Split protocol client/server architecture

Protocol splitting has been used to enable protocols to be split at a server level without client involvement. We describe a novel split protocol client/server architecture that completely separates connections and data transfers within a typical session. In this approach, a client becomes aware of its multiple server sources and communicates with them using their IP addresses. Specifically, a client makes a single TCP connection to a connection server and subsequently communicates with one or more data servers to obtain its data and close the connection. We also conduct experiments and measure performance to demonstrate the feasibility of this architecture. Our results indicate that scalable server cluster configurations can be built using this approach. The proposed architecture simplifies server implementations, avoids traditional load balancing techniques, and isolates clients from data servers. It also results in a scalable and distributable approach to client/server computing that provides an alternative to the current paradigm.
The Making of a Modern Female Body: beauty, health and fitness in interwar Britain

In interwar Britain female athleticism, keep-fit classes and physical culture were celebrated as emblems of modernity, and women who cultivated their bodies in the pursuit of beauty, health and fitness represented civic virtue. This article argues that a modern, actively managed female body was part of women's liberation during this period. A modern female body required sex reform and birth control. Fitness culture was circumscribed by traditional notions of femininity. Women's competitive sport remained controversial and slimming in pursuit of fashion was widely condemned. Women from across the social spectrum embraced sport and joined fitness organizations. The rise of a modern female body contributed towards greater equality between the sexes. However, the gender order did not change fundamentally and the ideal woman of the interwar years was represented as a modern, emancipated race mother.
Potential utility of sentinel node biopsy in the original surgical assessment of Hürthle cell tumors of the thyroid: 23‐year institutional review of Hürthle cell neoplasms

Background and Objectives Great difficulty still exists in determining the potential malignancy of Hurthle cell tumors of the thyroid gland. Indications for the extent of resection vary greatly in the reported literature. Sentinel node biopsy has shown its usefulness as a prognostic indicator in both melanoma and breast cancer. The feasibility of using it as an integral part of Hurthle cell tumor surgery was investigated and is discussed. Methods Eleven patients diagnosed with Hurthle cell tumors between the years of 1975 and 1998 were reviewed. The last three patients had sentinel node biopsy with isosulfan blue dye as an integral part of their procedure. Results Sentinel node biopsy was accomplished without difficulty or complication in our last three patients. Two patients were considered to be benign by frozen section and final pathology. Their sentinel nodes were benign. One patient was considered malignant on both frozen and final pathology. His sentinel nodes as well as central node dissection revealed no lymphatic spread. Conclusions Malignancy of Hurthle cell tumors of the thyroid is difficult to determine even on final pathological examination. The addition of nodal sampling may add valuable prognostic information. Sentinel node biopsy with isosulfan blue dye, although not previously reported for these tumors, appears to be a logical next step in the evolution of surgical management. J. Surg. Oncol. 1999;70:100–102. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Organizational and Environmental Determinants of Hospital EMR Adoption: A National Study

The recent focus on health care quality improvement and cost containment has led some policymakers and practitioners to advocate the adoption of health information technology. One such technology is the Electronic Medical Record (EMR), which is predicted to change and improve health care in the USA. Little is known about factors that influence hospital adoption of this relatively new technology. The purpose of this paper is to determine the national prevalence of EMR adoption in acute care hospitals while examining the organizational and environmental correlates using a Resource Dependence Theoretical Perspective. Significant predictors of hospital EMR use may indicate barriers to use for some hospitals and can be used to guide policy. This study uses a non-experimental cross sectional design to examine hospital EMR use in 2004. A logistic regression approach is used to determine the correlations between hospital EMR use and organizational and environmental characteristics. Hospital EMR use was identified using the HIMSS Analytics data. Organizational and environmental variables were measured using data from the AHA, CMS (financial and case mix) and ARF. Hospital EMR adoption is significantly associated with environmental uncertainty, type of system affiliation, size, and urban-ness. The effects of competition, munificence, ownership, teaching status, public payer mix, and operating margin were not statistically significant. Significant predictors of hospital EMR adoption represent barriers that may prevent certain hospitals from obtaining and using EMRs. These hospitals include those that are smaller, more rural, non-system affiliated, and in areas of low environmental uncertainty. Since EMR adoption may be an organizational survival strategy for hospitals to improve quality and efficiency, hospitals that are at risk of missing the wave of implementation should be offered services and incentives to enable them to implement and maintain EMR systems.
Fracture characterization of deep tight gas sands using azimuthal velocity and AVO seismic data in Saudi Arabia

Complex spatial distribution of fractures in a reservoir greatly affects the flow of fluids, including hydrocarbons, and can significantly increase reservoir porosity and permeability. This reservoir quality enhancement is especially important for tight reservoirs, where low primary matrix porosity and/or permeability would deem the play noncommercial. Therefore, fracture characterization is an important part of reservoir development and management, in particular for the type of deep and tight gas reservoirs west of the Ghawar Field in Saudi Arabia.
Effect of adrenal and sex hormones on opioid analgesia and opioid receptor regulation

The role of endocrine factors on opioid analgesia (antinociception) and opioid receptors was studied in male and female Swiss-Webster mice. Morphine was more potent in male than in female mice, although this difference appears to be due to greater availability of morphine to the brain in males. Saturation binding studies indicated that the density and affinity of brain mu- and delta-opioid binding sites were equivalent in males and females. Males and females were implanted SC with naltrexone (NTX) or placebo pellets for 8 days, and then the pellets were removed. This treatment increased the density of mu and delta binding sites in brain and increased the potency of morphine for both sexes, although the increase in antinociceptive effects for males was greater than for females. Adrenalectomy (ADX) in male mice increased the potency of morphine and methadone but did not alter the brain levels of either drug. ADX did not alter brain opioid binding of either mu or delta ligands. When male ADX and control mice were treated with NTX, the potency of morphine and brain opioid binding sites were increased equivalently in both groups. Gonadectomy (GDX) in male mice tended to decrease morphine potency, although this was not found to be a very reliable effect. When male GDX and control mice were implanted with NTX, brain opioid binding was increased similarly in both groups, although morphine potency was increased less in GDX mice. Overall, these studies show that sex differences and hormones of the adrenals and gonads in male mice do not alter brain opioid receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Melanoma Update Second Primary Melanoma

BACKGROUND. Second primary melanoma is not a rare phenomenon. It occurs in at least 3 to 6% of melanoma patients and up to a third of individuals from melanoma-prone families. OBJECTIVE. To review the clinical and histologic features of multiple primary melanoma. A schema for follow-up of these patients is presented. CONCLUSIONS. As the incidence of melanoma continues to rise, we will be faced with an ever increasing number of patients who have survived their tumor. These patients are at risk for subsequent melanomas. This article reviews the literature regarding multiple primary melanoma, and discusses patient management.
A model of the behaviour of magnetorheological materials

Magnetorheological materials are a class of smart materials whose rheological properties may be rapidly varied by application of a magnetic field. These materials typically consist of micron-sized ferrous particles dispersed in a fluid or an elastomer. A quasi-static, one-dimensional model is developed that examines the mechanical and magnetic properties of magnetorheological materials. This model attempts to account for magnetic non-linearities and saturation by establishing a mechanism by which magnetic flux density is distributed within the composite material. Experimental evidence of the viscoelastic behaviour and magnetic properties of magnetorheological fluids and elastomers suggests that the assumptions made in the model development are reasonable. It is shown that the model is semi-empirical in that it must be fit to the experimental data by adjusting a parameter that accounts for unmodelled magnetic interactions.
Extreme extended multi-wavelength propagation due to hot and dry air flowing over the Persian Gulf

Shallow surface radio frequency (RF) trapping layers or ducts form in stable internal boundary layers (SIBL) when warm dry air flows offshore over colder and more humid sea surfaces. Depending on wind speed and land sea temperature difference, these surface ducts can exist for hundreds of kilometers offshore and trap radar energy in layers below 100m above sea level. This paper describes the performance of notional shore based S, C and X band radars during a SIBL event. The three dimensional (3D) verified refractivity field is modeled by the Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS®). The radar performance is modeled by the Advanced Refractive Effects Prediction System (AREPS).
Tumor Response Ratio Predicts Overall Survival in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is commonly used to treat locally advanced breast cancer. Pathologic complete response (pCR) predicts improved overall survival (OS); however, prognosis of patients with partial response remains unclear. We evaluated whether tumor response ratio (TRR) is a better predictor of OS than current staging methods. Using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Breast Cancer Outcomes Database, we identified patients with stage I–III breast cancer who had NAC and pretreatment imaging at City of Hope (1997–2010). Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and OS were analyzed. TRR was calculated as residual in-breast disease divided by size on pre-NAC imaging. Four TRR groups were stratified; TRR 0 (pCR), TRR > 0–0.4 (strong partial response, SPR), TRR > 0.4–1.0 (weak partial response, WPR), or TRR > 1.0 (tumor growth, TG). OS was estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method and tested by the log-rank test. Cox regression was performed to evaluate associations between OS and TRR in a multivariable analysis while controlling for potential confounders. There were 218 eligible patients identified; 59 (27 %) had pCR, 61 (28 %) SPR, 72 (33 %) WPR, and 26 (12 %) TG. Five-year OS decreased continuously with increasing TRR:pCR (90 %), SPR (79 %), WPR (66 %), and TG (60 %). TRR was the only measure that significantly predicted OS (p = 0.0035); pathologic stage (p = 0.23) and pre-NAC clinical tumor stage (cT) (p = 0.87) were not significant. TRR continued to be statistically significant by multivariable analysis (p = 0.016). TRR takes into account both pretreatment and residual disease and more accurately predicts OS than pathologic stage and pre-NAC cT. TRR may be useful to more accurately assess prognosis and OS in breast cancer patients undergoing NAC.
Water-holding properties of thermally preconditioned chicken breast and leg meat

A study was conducted to examine the effects of thermal preconditioning on the water-holding properties of chicken breast and leg meat. An initial experiment was performed by heat shocking (40 to 41 C for 1 h) and euthanatizing broilers at 3 to 6 wk of age. As seen commercially, heat caused higher drip loss, and the majority of this loss for breast (75 to 80%) and leg (90 to 100%) meat occurred within 3 d post-mortem. A second study with 6-wk-old broilers tested the following treatments: control (25 C), heat shock (40 to 41 C for 1 h), preconditioned control (3 consecutive d of exposure to 35 C for 3 h followed by a 21-h recovery between each exposure), and preconditioned (same as preconditioned control with an added heat shock on the final day). Thermal preconditioning did not circumvent the water-holding problems associated with heat shock. Meat from chickens exposed to heat lost significant amounts of drip during the crucial processing period--the first 6 h after death. In general, leg meat had lower drip loss and higher held water than breast, but cooked leg meat had lower held water. Treatment and meat type were significant (P < .05) in determining drip and cook loss. Preconditioned and heat shock breast meat appeared pale, soft, and exudative, similar to a condition found in pork. Thermal preconditioning does not prevent the loss in water-holding properties associated with heat.
On line measurement of crystallinity of nylon 6 nanocomposites by laser Raman spectroscopy and neural networks

A neural network is trained to estimate the unknown crystallinity and temperature of Nylon 6 and its nanocomposites while the material is undergoing cooling at a fixed rate. The innovation of the work is that the full spectrum captured by the laser Raman spectroscope is used to train a neural network for estimation of crystallinity and temperature. The small-angle light scattering (SALS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) data were used to provide the training examples for the neural network. Results indicate that the neural network can provide reliable estimates of the crystallinity and temperature provided that there is a sufficient number of training data available. Neural network methodology is also efficient in establishing the crystallization–temperature relationship as a function of cooling rate and demonstrates the heterogeneous nucleation effect of nanoclay in the nylon 6 matrix. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 474–483, 2004
Radiologists' expectations of changes in radiology fellowship training programs.

Purpose In 2010, the ABR began the implementation of a new certification process in diagnostic radiology in which prospective diplomates take a comprehensive examination at the end of 3 years of residency and a final certifying examination 15 months after the completion of the 4-year residency. The majority of newly trained radiologists spend 1 year after residency in fellowship training. The aim of this study was to determine whether radiologists expect changes in radiology fellowship training programs in response to the new ABR certifying process. Methods An online survey was conducted between October and December 2009, in which active members of 3 radiology societies were invited to respond. Questions were asked regarding expectations of changes in radiology fellowship programs: changes during the current academic year (2009-2010), expectations of changes in the next 3 years, and expectations of changes resulting from the change in the ABR certification process. Results There were 342 responses to the invitation, for a response rate of ≥22.9%. Most radiology fellowship program directors and radiologists affiliated with fellowship programs saw few changes in their programs in the recent past and expected no significant changes over the next 3 years. Substantial minorities of both groups, however, expected increases in salary and workload. Regarding expected changes in radiology fellowships as a result of changes in the ABR certification process, the 3 groups (directors and affiliated and nonaffiliated radiologists), except recent fellows (29 of 342), expected no significant changes. Most of the recent fellows expected to see some increases in the numbers of applicants, positions filled internally, and positions filled by senior residents and the importance of doing fellowships. Conclusions Radiologists saw few changes in their fellowship programs in the recent past and expected no significant changes over the next 3 years and no significant changes as a result of the new ABR certification process.
Learning from experience in international alliances: antecedents and firm performance implications

Abstract In this study of cross-border alliances, we argue that learning from past experiences is an efficient way to alleviate coordination challenges and, therefore, is a key factor that enhances the alliance performance of the firm. We also argue that learning from past experiences is an important factor creating superior performance for the firm through facilitating interfirm know-how transfer. At least two cultural aspects influence learning from experience: organizational commitment to the alliance relationship and learning orientation. We also explore the performance implications of learning from experience.
The effect of equine metabolic syndrome on the ovarian follicular environment.

Obesity in many species is associated with reduced fertility and increased risk of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular dysfunction in offspring. Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is associated with obesity and characterized by insulin resistance, decreased adiponectin, and elevated insulin, leptin, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. These alterations can potentially disrupt follicular development and impair fertility. We hypothesized that mares with EMS have an altered follicular environment when compared to their normal counterparts, affecting gene regulation for follicle and oocyte maturation. Samples were collected from light-horse mares (11 to 27 yr) in a clinical assisted reproductive program. Mares were screened based on phenotype. Insulin sensitivity was determined by using two proxies, the reciprocal of the square root of insulin (RISQI) and the modified insulin-to-glucose ratio (MIRG). Insulin resistant mares (RISQI 5.50) were allocated to the EMS group (n = 8), and the remaining mares were considered normal controls (CON, n = 12). Follicular fluid (FF) and granulosa cells (GC) from preovulatory follicles were aspirated 24 ± 2 h after administration of a GnRH analog (SucroMate, 0.9 to 1.4 mg, i.m.) and hCG (Chorion, 1500 to 2000 IU, i.v.). After an overnight fast, blood was collected on the morning of follicle aspiration to evaluate serum concentrations of insulin, leptin, adiponectin, and inflammatory cytokines. Expression of 32 genes related to metabolism, follicle maturation, and oocyte maturation were assessed in GC. Concentrations of insulin, leptin, adiponectin, and cytokines were highly correlated between serum and FF (P < 0.001). Insulin was lower (P < 0.001) in serum and FF of CON compared to EMS, but leptin and IL1β tended (P = 0.07 and P = 0.10, respectively) to be lower in FF of CON than EMS. Tumor necrosis factor-α in serum and FF was lower (P < 0.07 and P < 0.05, respectively) in CON than EMS. Conversely, adiponectin was higher (P < 0.05) in serum and FF in CON versus EMS. In GC from CON when compared to EMS, gene expression for epiregulin was elevated (P < 0.05) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 tended to be lower (P = 0.09). Our findings demonstrate that the intrafollicular environment in the mare is influenced by metabolic disease, consistent with findings in other species. Influences on follicular development, oocyte maturation, and subsequent offspring by perturbations due to metabolic disease need further study.
Efficient interprocedural analysis for program parallelization and restructuring

An approach to efficient interprocedural analysis for program parallelization and restructuring is presented. Such analysis is needed for parallelizing loops which contain procedure calls. Our approach captures call effect on data dependencies by propagating the precise information of array subscripts from the called procedure. This allows the optimizing compiler to choose an efficient yet precise data dependence test scheme depending on the complexity of array reference patterns. The other existing methods do not provide such flexibility, hence may suffer from either imprecision or inefficiency. The paper also discusses usage of classical summary information in several important transformations for program parallelization. Experimental results are reported.
Direct Care Workers' Attitudes Toward Use of Physical Force with Children

Nolan Rindfleisch used role-playing techniques in a survey to examine factors influencing the use of force with children in institutions. The study describes several factors associated with the willingness to use force, among them the amount of resentment toward children, the management of routines in the organization, the amount of staff participation in decison making in the facility, the size of the community in which the direct care giver was reared, and the age of the care giver. The writers suggest some methods for preventing and managing use of force and some implications for future research.
Quality of Life in Children With Asthma: A Developmental Perspective

Pediatric asthma is a major public health concern that affects both children and their caregivers. Reports estimate that one in five children with asthma are treated in the emergency department (ED) for asthma-related care (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012) and approximately 50% of children with asthma miss at least 1 day of school yearly owing to asthma (CDC, 2012). Quality of life (QOL) is often used as an outcome measure in pediatric asthma to describe how a child’s asthma is impacting his or her daily life (Juniper, 1997). Assessments of asthma-related QOL measure a different component of health status than clinical measures (e.g., spirometry readings); for instance, correlations between QOL measures and objective measures of lung health are often inconsistent (Juniper et al., 2004; van Gent et al., 2008). Children experiencing lower levels of QOL may be distressed by limited activities or frustrated by symptoms during the school day (Juniper, 1997). Treatment decisions may also be made or medications adjusted based on a child’s current level of QOL.
The origin of abyssal peridotites: a reinterpretation of constraints based on primary bulk compositions

We calculated primary bulk compositions for a global suite of abyssal peridotites using primary mineral modes and either analyzed or calculated phase compositions. The latter were obtained through correlations between reported mineral compositions and modal olivine contents. Both the modal data and the mineral compositions were averaged by dredge site, drill hole, or fracture zone (FZ) depending on the amount of available data. Our calculated abyssal peridotite compositions yield major-element oxide-MgO trends that are generally in good agreement with those based on compilations of ultramafic nodules and peridotite massifs. In particular, we find no statistically significant correlation between FeO* (total Fe as FeO) and MgO and, therefore, no evidence for significant olivine accumulation. Previous reports of a positive correlation reflect an artifact of the regressions used to calculate missing phase compositions and result in a relationship between the Mg# of olivine and modal olivine abundance that is inconsistent with observed variations in abyssal peridotites. There is a slight positive correlation between bulk FeO* and MgO if individual thin sections are used to derive the mineral composition versus modal olivine regressions, but the large grain sizes and heterogeneous distributions of phases within abyssal peridotities make it unlikely that individual thin section modes accurately reflect phase proportions in meter-sized dredge-haul samples. The variability of Na and Ti contents in pyroxenes from plagioclase-free abyssal peridotites suggests to us, as it has to other workers, that a majority of these samples interacted to varying degrees with small amounts of melt. On the other hand, lower bounds on Na and Ti contents in the pyroxenes at a given dredge site as a function of modal olivine content are broadly consistent with calculated partial melting residues. Thus, abyssal peridotites may retain information both on the original partial melting process and on concurrent or later interactions with partial melts from other sources.