cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discontinued SEC required disclosures: The value of repairs and maintenance expenses

On December 13, 1994, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) eliminated certain schedules including repairs and maintenance (R&M) disclosures previously required in annual reports and registration statements. This SEC decision provides us a research setting where disclosure has been decreased. The purpose of this study is to determine if market participants used R&M information prior to its elimination. The findings indicate that R&M disclosures did provide value-relevant information. Further, the year following the elimination of mandatory R&M disclosures, only 4% of the firms in the sample voluntarily disclosed R&M information. Hence, it appears that decreased disclosures deprived the market participants, not only in principle but also in practice, of value-relevant R&M expenses information. The results also suggest that if R&M disclosures are not required firms will not voluntarily provide the information.
Case 92: Gorham syndrome.

A 31-year-old woman had a 2-month history of exertional dyspnea, wheezing, dry cough, and a feeling of chest heaviness. She had no chest pain, history of trauma, or symptoms of upper respiratory infection, such as fever, chills, sweats, head congestion, nasal drainage, or sinus pain. Her vital signs were normal, and physical examination revealed dear lungs and no lymphadenopathy. The presumptive diagnosis was asthma. Chest radiography was performed and was followed by computed tomographic (CT) examination of the chest. Thoraeentesis revealeda chylous pleural effusion, and a right pleural drainage catheter was placed. An echocardiogram showed a large pericardial effusion with signs of tamponade physiology, and a pericardial drain was placed. Lymphangiography was performed, and chest CT was performed after lymphangiography.
Disc-associated wobbler syndrome in the Doberman pinscher.

Disc-associated wobbler syndrome is a subset of canine wobbler complex in large-breed dogs, particularly Doberman Pinschers. Hypertrophy of the dorsal annulus produces chronic progressive caudal cervical spinal cord compression. Treatment may be palliative, using corticosteroids and rest, or definitive, using surgical therapy. Medical therapy often results in continuation or relapses of neurologic disease. Surgical treatment is technically demanding, with significant associated morbidity and mortality. Despite course of therapy, prognosis is guarded.
Measurement of ligand binding with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

A method is described for measuring with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy the binding of ligands to particulate components of cells. This method is sensitive to intermediate-strength binding, which is difficult to measure with standard radiotracer binding assays, and is insensitive to 'tight' binding. Nonspecific binding and entrapment can be distinguished from specific binding even when a pharmacological agent is not available for competitive binding assays. Thus, the experimental approach presented provides a means of studying the possible physiological roles in neural tissue of metabolites that have not been implicated by neuropharmacological and neurophysiological experiments. The utility of this technique is discussed in terms of the information it has provided about the binding of enkephalin, epinephrine, acetylcholine and carnosine. This technique, although it uses technology new to most neuroscience laboratories, should be relatively easy to apply to existing research topics. The NMR spectrometer required for the binding assay is the type already found on most academic campuses, and the ligand need not have any special isotopic label. The particulate fraction can be prepared in the same way as for the radiotracer binding assays, which means that both tight and intermediate-strength ligand binding can be measured with the same preparation.
National Pesticide Monitoring Program: Residues of organochlorine chemicals in freshwater fish, 1980–81

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service analyzed residues of organochlorine chemicals in 315 composite samples of whole fish collected in 1980–81 from 107 stations nationwide as part of the National Pesticide Monitoring Program (NPMP). The mean concentrations of total DDT and allp,p′-ho-mologs exceptp,p′-DDT showed significant but small declines relative to mean concentrations before 1978–79. The mean concentration ofp,p′-DDT did not change. The most persistent DDT homolog (p,p′-DDE) continued to constitute about 70% of total DDT residues, as it did in 1974–79. DDT contamination attributable to former DDT manufacturing facilities remained evident at sites in Alabama and Arkansas, and high concentrations at one site in Hawaii suggested that input to the environment was continuing. Conversely, the data do not support the contention of others that DDT was still being used in the Southwest. Residues of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) remained widespread, but a significant downward trend in total PCBs was evident, especially in areas that the NPMP has previously shown to be the most heavily contaminated. Mean concentrations of dieldrin had not changed since 1978–79, and levels remained highest in Hawaii and in the Great Lakes. Toxaphene concentrations plateaued after a period of steady increase through the 1970's, but the incidence of toxaphene continued to increase; residues were present at 88% of the stations sampled in 1980–81, including one in Alaska (most likely as a consequence of atmospheric transport). Mean chlordane concentrations were slightly lower than in 1978–79, and residues were detected at fewer stations in 1980–81 than in 1978–79. Residues of other organochlorines [e.g., mirex, pentachloroanisole (PCA), benzene hexachloride (BHC) isomers, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Dacthal® (DCPA)2, and methoxychlor] were either found at relatively few (<25%) of the stations sampled in 1980–81 or were characterized by relatively low concentrations.
Monaural conductive hearing loss alters the expression of the GluA3 AMPA and glycine receptor α1 subunits in bushy and fusiform cells of the cochlear nucleus.

Abstract The impact of conductive hearing loss (CHL), the second most common form of hearing loss, on neuronal plasticity in the central auditory pathway is unknown. After short-term (1 day) monaural earplugging, the GluA3 subunits of the AMPA receptor (AMPAR) are upregulated at auditory nerve synapses on the projection neurons of the cochlear nucleus; glycine receptor α1 (GlyRα1) subunits are downregulated at inhibitory synapses in the same neuronal population. These data suggest that CHL affects receptor trafficking at synapses. We examined the impact of 7 days of CHL on the general expression of excitatory and inhibitory receptors by quantitative biochemistry and immunohistochemistry, using specific antibodies to detect AMPAR subunits (GluA1, GluA2, GluA2/3, and GluA4), GlyRα1, and the GABA A receptor subunits β2/3. Following monaural earplugging and an elevation of the hearing threshold by approximately 35 dB, the immunolabeling of the antibody for the GluA2/3 subunits but not the GluA2 subunit increased on bushy cells (BCs) and fusiform cells (FCs) of the ipsilateral ventral and dorsal cochlear nuclei. These same cell types showed a downregulation of the GlyRα1 subunit. Similar results were observed in the contralateral nuclei. The expression levels of GABA A β2/3 were unchanged. These findings suggest that, following longer periods of monaural conductive hearing loss, the synthesis and subsequent composition of specific glutamate and glycine receptors in projection neurons and their synapses are altered; these changes may contribute to abnormal auditory processing.
A Further Assessment of Momentary Time-Sampling Across Extended Interval Lengths

The current study compared the estimation of momentary time-sampling (MTS) to actual safety performance of three ergonomic responses: back, shoulder, and feet. Actual safety performance was established for the five participants by measuring the target responses with a continuous procedure. MTS 90, 105, 120, 135, 150, 165, 180, 195, 210, 240, and 300 s interval lengths were used to estimate safety performance. Two analyses were conducted. The first analysis found that MTS both under- and overestimates safety performance for all responses when compared with actual safety performance. The second analysis showed the MTS mean error of estimation when compared to actual safety performance across low, medium, and high levels of safety. The overall results suggest the use of MTS with longer intervals shows considerable accuracy (minimal error of estimation).
Reconstruction of the contused cat spinal cord by the delayed nerve graft technique and cultured peripheral non-neuronal cells.

Previously, surgical reconstruction of the transected dog spinal cord by the delayed nerve graft technique has been shown to result in reinnervation of the nerve graft by axons. In the present study, we compared the results of surgical reconstruction of the severely contused cat spinal cord by the delayed nerve graft technique alone to those after reconstruction with a similar nerve graft plus cultured peripheral nonneuronal cells implanted between the grafted nerve and the spinal cord stumps. The spinal cord-nerve graft junction was examined by light and electron microscopy. The cultured cells were prelabelled with tritiated thymidine and their location after implantation determined by autoradiography. By 3 days after spinal cord reconstruction, the pelabelled cells were present at the junction and had migrated into the nerve graft and also into the spinal cord stumps where they were observed near axons. By 7 days, physical connections were observed bridging the junction between the spinal cord and nerve graft and axons ensheathed by Schwann cells had already penetrated at least 1 mm into the nerve graft. Wound healing took at least a week longer in animals repaired with a nerve graft alone. At one year or later after reconstructive surgery, in both groups of animals, the grafted nerve was reinnervated with myelinated and unmyelinated axons. Thus, the severely contused cat spinal cord could be reconstructed with the delayed nerve graft technique alone but the use of the cultured cells appeared to enhance wound healing and decrease the time required for axon elongation into the nerve graft.
Comparison of three methods for assessing attitudes

Conducting survey research involves making choices concerning the methods of gathering attitude data. Several methods are available, each with its advantages and disadvantages. Three methods were c...
Pediatric critical care transport: Is a physician always needed on the team?

We conducted a retrospective study of the interventions performed by physicians in 191 transfers by our pediatric critical care transport team. Currently, the team always includes a pediatrician or pediatric resident, a pediatric emergency department nurse, and a pediatric respiratory therapist. Procedures performed during transport were divided into those done only by physicians in our institution and those also performed by nurses or respiratory therapists. Physician procedures were performed in 9% of transports. Medications given during transport were divided into three categories. Category 1 included drugs used only in our ICU and therefore with a physician present. Category 2 drugs were usually given in the ICU but were occasionally administered on the floor with close physician involvement. Category 3 included drugs routinely given on the floor with rare physician involvement. Category 1 drugs were required on 19% of transports, category 2 was the highest level used on 15%, and category 3 drugs alone were used on 20%. No medications were administered on 46% of transports. At the completion of each trip, the transport physician was asked if he believed the transport would have been successful without a physician but with an experienced pediatric ED nurse and respiratory therapist. The answer was "yes" in 46% of the cases (n = 166), "no" in 43%, and "unsure" in 11%. In 91% of the transports, no procedures were performed that required a physician. In 66%, no medications were used that required physician presence. In at least 46%, the physician believed his expertise was not required for the transport's success.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Trypanosoma cruzi: inhibition by spirogermanium hydrochloride.

Abstract Spirogermanium is an antineoplastic agent that has been shown to be useful for the treatment of a variety of solid tumors and Plasmodium falciparum infection. We found that this agent, at concentrations of 1–10 μg/ml, markedly inhibited the growth of epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi . This inhibition of growth was seen in liver infusion tryptose cultures as well as on agar where colonial growth was inhibited markedly. Ultrastructural studies demonstrated that affected organisms were round and swollen and contained vacuoles, lamellar structures, and multivesicular bodies. Spirogermanium also significantly decreased the growth of intracellular amastigotes in myotubes. Pretreatment of myotubes with the agent protected them from infection with trypomastigotes but tachyzoites of Toxoplasma sp. readily infected pretreated cells. These data suggest that spirogermanium may be useful as a chemotherapeutic agent against T. cruzi .
The impact of financial barriers on access to care, quality of care and vascular morbidity among patients with diabetes and coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND The prevalence and consequences of financial barriers to health care among patients with multiple chronic diseases are poorly understood.
Depth map calibration by stereo and wireless sensor network fusion

A novel approach to depth map calibration by fusing localization data from wireless sensor networks with depth maps obtained through stereopsis is presented. In experiments, "smart" MICA2 wireless sensors from Crossbow Inc., and a Canon PowerShot SD100 digital camera are used. Sensor locations are determined via an acoustic time-of-flight ranging technique, and the uncalibrated depth map is computed using a binocular stereopsis technique. The fusion is performed (a) by fitting a 3-D surface to a set of a priori known co-planar sensor locations, and (b) by computing the depth map calibration model parameters through minimizing the squared distance between the sensor-defined plane and the corresponding depth map measurements. Algorithms for stereopsis, sensor localization, and depth map and sensor location fusion are presented. Calibration results along with error analysis follows. A summary of challenges with respect to automation, computational requirements, and obtained accuracy of depth estimation conclude the paper.
Laboratory preparation of highly pure As2Se3 glass

Abstract Arsenic selenide glass samples have been prepared using a combination of heat treatment and distillation techniques to remove impurities. Transmission spectra of the samples in the infrared region (2.5–20 μm) were measured. The spectra indicate that the majority of absorbing oxide species can be removed by a simple heat treatment. Chemical analysis shows that distilled samples contain less silicon impurity, indicating that Si is most likely incorporated during tube sealing procedures. Increased transmission for the purified samples in the 10–11 μm range shows the necessity of purification to obtain glasses with good transparency for CO 2 laser applications. The highest transmission values at 10.6 μm are greater than those suggested by simple theoretical relations. The high refractive index at this wavelength results in additional contributions to the transmitted intensity, most probably due to sample lensing effects arising from non-parallel sample faces or misalignment of the sample in the spectrophotometer beam.
The free local semilattice on a set

Following McAlister [3] we call a semigroup S focalfy inverse if S is regular and eSe is an inverse subsemigroup of S for each idempotent e of S. Such semigroups were introduced and studied by Nambooripad [lo] who called them ‘pseudoinverse’ semigroups. Relative to the ‘basic products’, the set of idempotents of a regular semigroup forms a partial binary algebra which has been axiomatically characterized as a ‘biordered set’ by Nambooripad [9]. The biordered set of idempotents of a locally inverse semigroup is called a local semilattice in this paper. Local semilattices were called ‘partially associative pseudo-semilattices’ by Nambooripad [lo] and ‘pseudo-semilattices’ by some subsequent authors [ 11, [5], [6], [7]. The present author used the terminology ‘local semilattice’ in [4]. A local semilattice may be viewed in several equivalent ways: (i) as a biordered set E in which iS(e,f)\ = 1 for all e, f E E (see Nambooripad [91v [lOI); (ii) as a biordered set E in which o(e) is a semilattice for each e E E; (iii) as a set E, together with two quasi-orders o’ and CU’ which satisfy conditions (PAl) and (PA2) of [lo] and their duals; (iv) as a binary algebra (E, A) in which A satisfies the following identities and their duals: (a) xAx=x, (b) (xAy)A(XAz) = (xAY)Az; (c) (xA_Y)A((xAz)A(xAu)) = ((~AY)A(xAz))A(xI-w). We refer the reader to the papers of Nambooripad [9], [lo] and Meakin and Pastijn [6], [7] for a discussion of the equivalence between these methods of viewing local semilattices and for all relevant notation and terminology. In particular, we regard the 0’ and o’ relations in a local semilattice (E, A) as being defined in such a way that the binary operation A extends the basic products. With this convention we have, for e, f e E,
Development and evaluation of an inventory to assess adult stutterers' communication attitudes

Abstract The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a procedure to assess adult stutterers' communication attitudes. To this end, the investigation was divided into two phases. In Phase I, an assessment inventory based on a tripartite attitudinal model was developed and administered to 107 adult stutterers. Reliability and validity of these procedures were examined, and the inventory was refined. In Phase II, reliability and validity of the attitude assessment procedures were reassessed, and the attitudes of 26 stutterers and 56 nonstutterers were examined. Assessment procedures involved a self-report inventory, which obtained ratings of items in 13 situational subscales representing different speaking situations. These situations were rated using four response scales reflecting behavioral, affective, and cognitive aspects of attitude. Situational responding, response scale scores, and response scale interrelationships are examined. Findings are discussed in terms of the potential value of the inventory and future investigations.
The anionic polyelectrolyte, polyethylene sulphonate, as a new anti-neoplastic agent.

HEPARIN and related sulphomucopolysaccharides have been recognized as mitotic inhibitors for many years. Although heparin has been shown to inhibit cell division in many biological systems, including animal tumours1,2, its anticoagulant activity diminishes the likelihood of its producing anti-neoplastic activity in man at safe dose-levels.
Performance Monitoring and Measurement Techniques for Coherent Optical Systems

Modern spectrally efficient optical communication systems utilize polarization-multiplexed coherent transmission in complex modulation format. Coherent receivers used in these systems measure the amplitude and phase of the optical signals for both orthogonally polarized components carrying information. Knowledge of the amplitude and phase of the optical field, in combination with digital signal processing, gives the receiver an inherent metrology and performance monitoring capability. As the optical signal propagates from the transmitter over optical fiber to the receiver, a signal transformation and degradation is expected. The receiver observes the properties of the transmitted optical signal as degraded by the impairments of the transmission medium. The details of monitoring optical signal parameters and link impairments are the focus of this paper. The optical signal parameters include polarization state and residual carrier phase; optical link impairments include chromatic dispersion and polarization mode dispersion. Two distinct techniques are presented: one based on Stokes space analysis, and the other on Kalman filtering. The Stokes space techniques are modulation-format independent and do not require demodulation. The Kalman filtering provides optimal estimation of the physical quantities that describe the optical signal and the optical medium.
Island-cap interface misfit modulated carrier mechanisms in p-i-n epitaxial quantum dot photovoltaic devices

The lattice misfit at the island-cap interface in two In0.15Ga0.85As p-i-n devices, with 5 layers of InAs quantum dots (QDs), was modified by depositing 2.1 and 3.2 ML of InAs while maintaining near identical capping layers. The device with 35 ± 3 nm island size distribution exhibited photoluminescence activity in the near infra-red range from 975 to 1150 nm while the device with 42 ± 12 nm size islands recorded lower PL intensity over a narrower range of 1000-1100 nm suggesting (a) increased island-cap interface misfit, (b) truncation of the islands, and (c) generation of structural defects.
Branched-chain amino acid supplementation: impact on signaling and relevance to critical illness

The changes that occur in mammalian systems following trauma and sepsis, termed systemic inflammatory response syndrome, elicit major changes in carbohydrate, protein, and energy metabolism. When these events persist for too long they result in a severe depletion of lean body mass, multiple organ dysfunction, and eventually death. Nutritional supplementation has been investigated to offset the severe loss of protein, and recent evidence suggests that diets enriched in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) may be especially beneficial. BCAAs are metabolized in two major steps that are differentially expressed in muscle and liver. In muscle, BCAAs are reversibly transaminated to the corresponding α-keto acids. For the complete degradation of BCAAs, the α-keto acids must travel to the liver to undergo oxidation. The liver, in contrast to muscle, does not significantly express the branched-chain aminotransferase. Thus, BCAA degradation is under the joint control of both liver and muscle. Recent evidence suggests that in liver, BCAAs may perform signaling functions, more specifically via activation of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling pathway, influencing a wide variety of metabolic and synthetic functions, including protein translation, insulin signaling, and oxidative stress following severe injury and infection. However, understanding of the system-wide effects of BCAAs that integrate both metabolic and signaling aspects is currently lacking. Further investigation in this respect will help rationalize the design and optimization of nutritional supplements containing BCAAs for critically ill patients.
Mechanism of Secondary Expansion of High‐Alumina Refractories Containing Calcined Bauxite

The use of some calcined bauxites in high-alumina refractories is limited by unusual and excessive secondary expansion. One such calcined bauxite was compared with pure alpha alumina to determine the crystalline changes responsible for the expansion, to determine the mechanism of the expansion, and to suggest means for control of the expansion. X-ray diffraction and petrographic techniques were used. The expansion was found to result from crystallization of secondary mullite by the action of impurities in aiding the diffusion of alumina and silica. Secondary mullitization and growth began at 1400°C. and caused as much as 23% expansion at 1600°C. The expansion was caused primarily by the mullite growth rather than by the true density changes associated with mullitization. Small sodium fluoride additions proved to be effective for controlling expansion.
Synthesis of fractional gaussian noise using linear approximation for generating self-similar network traffic

The present paper focuses on self-similar network traffic generation. Network traffic modeling studies the generation of synthetic sequences. The generated sequences must have similar features to the measured traffic. Exact methods for generating self-similar sequences are not appropriate for long traces. Our main objective in the present paper is to improve the efficiency of Paxson's method for synthesizing self-similar network traffic. Paxson's method uses a fast, approximate synthesis for the power spectrum of the FGN and uses the inverse Fourier transform to obtain the time-domain sequences. We demonstrate that a linear approximation can be used to determine the power spectrum of the FGN. This linear approximation reduces the complexity of the computation without compromising the accuracy in synthesizing the power spectrum of the FGN. Our results show that long traces can be generated in much less time. To compare our method with existing ones, we will measure the running time in generating long and short sample paths from the FGN. We will also conduct experiments to show that our method can generate self-similar traffic for specified Hurst parameters with high accuracy.
CEO incentives, innovation, and performance in technology‐intensive firms: a reconciliation of outcome and behavior‐based incentive schemes

Building on the agency view of corporate governance, we propose that technology-intensive firms use both outcome and behavior-based performance criteria for rewarding CEOs. Using a sample of 206 firms from 12 U.S. manufacturing industries, we find that as technological intensity increases CEO bonuses are more closely linked to financial results and that total CEO incentives are associated with two indicators of desirable innovation behaviors: invention resonance and science harvesting. Invention resonance refers to the impact a firm's inventions have on other firms' inventions, while science harvesting reflects a firm's commitment to scientific research. As technological intensity increases, aligning bonus with financial results, total incentives with invention resonance, and total incentives with science harvesting predict firm market performance. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Tribute to Frank Anscombe and Random Central Limit Theorem from 1952

Abstract We pay tribute to the remarkable work of Frank Anscombe published in 1952, who invented the random central limit theorem (random CLT). This path-breaking contribution subsequently influenced practically the whole spectrum of sequential analysis very heavily. It is a humble attempt on our part to briefly sketch the breadth of its impact by connecting Anscombe's work with some of the major developments in sequential analysis that came afterwards.
A synthesis of subdisciplines: predator–prey interactions, and biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

The last 15 years has seen parallel surges of interest in two research areas that have rarely intersected: biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF), and multispecies predator– prey interactions (PPI). Research addressing role of biodiversity in ecosystem functioning has focused primarily on single trophic-level systems, emphasizing additive effects of diversity that manifest through resource partitioning and the sampling effect. Conversely, research addressing predator–prey interactions has focused on two trophiclevel systems, emphasizing indirect and non-additive interactions among species. Here, we use a suite of consumer-resource models to organize and synthesize the ways in which consumer species diversity affects the densities of both resources and consumer species. Specifically, we consider sampling effects, resource partitioning, indirect effects caused by intraguild interactions and non-additive effects. We show that the relationship between consumer diversity and the density of resources and consumer species are broadly similar for systems with one vs. two trophic levels, and that indirect and nonadditive interactions generally do little more than modify the impacts of diversity established by the sampling effect and resource partitioning. The broad similarities between systems with one vs. two trophic levels argue for greater communication between researchers studying BEF, and researchers studying multispecies PPI.
From autonomy to creativity: A multilevel investigation of the mediating role of harmonious passion.

Building on self-determination theory, we theorized about and demonstrated, through 2 multilevel field studies, the pivotal role of harmonious passion in translating organizational autonomy support and individual autonomy orientation into job creativity. Results based on 3-level data from 856 members in 111 teams within 23 work units of a porous metal company (Study 1) and from 525 employees in 98 teams of 18 branches of a large commercial bank (Study 2) revealed 2 major findings. First, organizational autonomy support from a higher organizational level (unit or branch) compensated for the effect of autonomy support from a lower organizational level (team) or individual autonomy orientation on employees' harmonious passion. Second, harmonious passion mediated the interactive effects of unit (branch) autonomy support and team member autonomy orientation, of team autonomy support and team member autonomy orientation, and of unit (branch) autonomy support and team autonomy support on individual creativity. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings in the organizational context.
Multiple model adaptive control with mixing: A pedagogical example

We apply the adaptive mixing control approach to a simple example, presenting concepts of the design and analysis of these schemes in a pedagogical manner. Unique to deterministic multiple model adaptive control schemes, adaptive mixing control does not switch discontinuously among candidate controllers. Continuous ?mixing? is possible because the multicontroller is constructed by controller interpolation methods and the supervisor generates the mixing signal by monitoring an online estimate of the unknown parameters. This paper also presents stability and robustness results that can be extended to the general case with out difficulty.
Research in electrocardiography and magnetocardiography

The mathematical, physical, and engineering aspects of electrocardiography and magnetocardiography are reviewed. A brief summary of relevant physiological and clinical information is also given. The aim of the article is to provide a general perspective for engineers new to the area who want to do research. A detailed discussion of difficulties encountered in determining the heart vector and the nondipolar properties of the heart's field is included. Stress is placed on the need for development of practical ECG and MCG systems for use in the clinic. A number of research problems of current interest are pointed out.
Role of ceruloplasmin in nitric oxide metabolism in plasma of humans and sheep: a comparison of adults and fetuses

Nitric oxide (NO) is metabolized in plasma, in part by the ferroxidase ceruloplasmin (Cp), to form nitrite and nitrosothiols (SNOs), which are proposed to mediate protective responses to hypoxia an...
FIRE: A File Reunion Based Data Replication Strategy for Data Grids

Data grids provide large-scale geographically distributed data resources for data intensive applications such as high energy physics and bioinformatics. Optimizing the use of data resources to maximize the performance is critical for data grids. In this paper, we propose a novel dynamic data replication strategy called FIRE (file reunion), which is motivated by the observations that a group of jobs in a site tend to demand a common set of files distributed in a data grid. The basic idea of FIRE is to reunite the file set through data replication so that it resides with the job group on the same site. Extensive experiments using a well-known data grid simulator OptorSim and synthetic benchmarks demonstrate that compared with two existing schemes, LRU (Least Recently Used) and LFU (Least Frequently Used), FIRE performs obviously better in most scenarios.
Retentive complete dentures for patients with perforated palates

Abstract A simple, yet effective, method of securing complete denture retention in the presence of one or more openings through the hard palate into the nasal or sinus cavities has been described. Normal retention of the denture can be obtained even though the defect may be of considerable size.
Implementing the minimum-misclassification-error energy function for target recognition

The authors demonstrate through an example that the minimum-misclassification-error (MME) classifier can dramatically outperform the sigmoid-least-mean-squares ( sigma -LMS) classifier. Three energy functions that are useful for classification goals other than simply minimizing the misclassification rate are proposed. First is a minimum-cost function, which allows different costs for misclassifications from different classes. Second is a Neyman-Pearson function, which minimizes the number of misclassifications for one class given a fixed misclassification rate for the other class. Last is a minimax function, which minimizes the maximum number of misclassifications when the a priori probabilities of each class are unknown. Unlike their classical classifier counterparts, these energy functions operate directly on a training set, and do not require that class probability distributions be known. >
Subsidized Island Biogeography Hypothesis: another new twist on an old theory

We present a new hypothesis for predicting and describing patterns of species diversity on small islands and habitat fragments. We have modified the traditional island biogeography equilibrium theory to incorporate the influence of spatial subsidies from the surrounding matrix, which vary among islands and habitat fragments, on species diversities. The modification indicates three possible directions for the effects of spatial subsidies on diversity, which depend on where the focal community falls on the hypothesized unimodal curve of the productivity–diversity relationship. The idea is novel because no recent syntheses of productivity–diversity–area relationships examine the role of allochthonous resources on recipient communities’ diversity patterns.
Glucose Tolerance, Nutrition, and Diabetes in Uruguay, Venezuela, Malaya, and East Pakistan

In each of four countries (Uruguay, Venezuela, Malaya and East Pakistan) where diets and other environmental factors differ greatly, the prevalence of diabetes as determined by impaired glucose tolerance was crudely estimated. Since all subjects received glucose loads, rates of prevalence are much higher than those obtainable by certain less sensitive standard methods. In the tested subjects over thirty years of age the prevalence of “diabetes” (two-hour venous blood glucose levels greater than 149 mg. per 100 ml.) was 6.9 per cent in Uruguay (6.8 per cent for males and 6.9 per cent for females). The prevalence of impaired tolerance in this age group in Venezuela was 7.3 per cent (4.5 per cent in males and 9.4 per cent in females), while in Malaya the rate was only 3.5 per cent (4.5 per cent in males and 2.1 per cent in females). In East Pakistan impaired tolerance was present in only 1.5 per cent of this age group (1.2 per cent of males and 2.8 per cent of females). Comparable data are not available in the United States but with use of the technics employed abroad it was found that 17.2 per cent of volunteers in this age group in a Pennsylvania community had impaired tolerance. In East Pakistan, 83 per cent of calories were derived from carbohydrate. Comparable figures were 77 per cent for Malaya, 62 per cent for Venezuela and 53 per cent for Uruguay. In East Pakistan, only 7 per cent of the dietary calories were derived from fat; in Malaya, fat accounted for 21 per cent of dietary calories, in Venezuela, 24 per cent, and in Uruguay, 33 per cent. In East Pakistan only 29 per cent of dietary fat was animal fat. In Malaya, Venezuela, and Uruguay, comparable figures were 30, 35 and 62 per cent, respectively. In Uruguay, 34.4 per cent of the subjects were “obese” (30 per cent or more over “standard” weight), and in Venezuela 14.8 per cent were obese. In contrast none of the subjects from Malaya (566 persons), or East Pakistan (519 persons), was obese by these criteria. In Venezuela and Uruguay there was an association between the prevalence of diabetes and both parity and a history of large babies.
Thermal, magnetic and electrical characteristics of PrNI5

Abstract Results of measurements of the heat capacity, magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity of PrNi5 are presented for temperatures ranging from 2 to 300°K. Magnetization of PrNi5 goes through a maximum at about 16°K. Heat capacity measurements fail to show a λ-type thermal anomaly peaking at 16°K, indicating that this is not a Neel point. The difference between the heat capacity of PrNi5 and non-magnetic LaNi5 is Schottky-type with two maxima, at 16° and 58°K. The maxima in Cp and magnetization are consequences of the crystal field interaction, which leads to Van Vleck paramagnetism in this material at low temperatures. A reasonably successful analysis of the heat capacity and susceptibility results was made using the Hamiltonian, ℋ = g μ B J ⋅ H + W 246 { ( 1 − | y | ) O 2 F 2 + y [ x O 4 F 4 + ( 1 − | x | ) O 6 F 6 ] } . Resistivity measurements on NdNi5 show a sharp drop at its Curie point, which is ascribed to the loss of its spin-disorder resistivity. No such effect is observed for PrNi5. The analysis indicates that the decline in resistivity for the latter material is so small and so gradual as to be experimentally imperceptible, this being a consequence of the development of Van Vleck paramagnetism rather than magnetic ordering in PrNi5 at reduced temperatures. The observed magnetic entropy of PrNi5 is consistent with other observations which indicate that the ground state for Pr+3 in PrNi5 is a singlet.
The complex landscape of pancreatic cancer metabolism

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDA) are extremely aggressive cancers and currently available therapies are only minimally effective in treating this disease. Tackling this devastating cancer has been a major challenge to the scientific and medical communities, in part due to its intense therapeutic resistance. One of the aspects of this tumor that contributes to its aggressive behavior is its altered cellular metabolism. Indeed, PDA cells seem to possess the ability to adapt their metabolism to the particular environment to which they are exposed, including utilizing diverse fuel sources depending on their availability. Moreover, PDA tumors are efficient at recycling various metabolic substrates through activation of different salvage pathways such as autophagy and macropinocytosis. Together, these diverse metabolic adaptations allow PDA cells to survive and thrive in harsh environments that may lack nutrients and oxygen. Not surprisingly, given its central role in the pathogenesis of this tumor, oncogenic Kras plays a critical role in much of the metabolic reprogramming seen in PDA. In this review, we discuss the metabolic landscape of PDA tumors, including the molecular underpinnings of the key regulatory nodes, and describe how such pathways can be exploited for future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches
A NOTE ON THE TRANSCENDENCE OF ZEROS OF A CERTAIN FAMILY OF WEAKLY HOLOMORPHIC FORMS

Recently, Duke and Jenkins have studied a certain family of modular forms fk,m, which form a natural basis of the space of weakly holomorphic modular forms of weight k on SL2(ℤ). In particular, they prove that for all but at most values of m, the zeros of these functions all lie on the unit circle. Using a method of Kohnen, we observe that other than i, ρ, these zeros are transcendental. In addition we observe that in the remaining cases there are at most finitely many algebraic zeros and examine the values of these algebraic zeros in a special case.
Building an archives : Appraisal theory for architectural records

The appraisal of architectural records is complicated by the many existing interpretations of the purpose and function of architecture: which buildings, which architects, what other social, economic, and governmental influences, and which interpretations of the architecture are to be documented? In dealing with these questions--and with the massive growth rate of current records--the traditional approach to appraisal based on present and future research value is of little use. Documentation strategy is a relatively new approach to appraisal, and stresses a macro-appraisal and selection of the functions, activities, and record creators that need to be documented for posterity. The understanding of records in their overall context provided by macro-appraisal will ensure a more complete documentary record, but will require archivists to become actively involved in determining which records survive, not passively waiting to appraise and select those records which find the way to archival repositories on their...
Voiding trial outcome following pelvic floor repair without incontinence procedures

Introduction and hypothesis Our aim was to identify predictors of postoperative voiding trial failure among patients who had a pelvic floor repair without a concurrent incontinence procedure in order to identify low-risk patients in whom postoperative voiding trials may be modified.
A top-down multi-scale modeling for actuation response of polymeric artificial muscles

Abstract A class of innovative artificial muscles made of high-strength polymeric fibers such as fishing lines or sewing threads have been discovered recently. These muscles are fabricated by a simple “twist-insertion” procedure, which have attracted increasing attention due to their low cost and readily availability, giant tensile stroke, record energy density, and easy controllability. In the present paper, we established a multi-scale modeling framework for the thermomechanical actuation responses by a top-down strategy, spanning from macro-scale helical spring analysis down to molecular level chain interaction study. Comparison between modeling results and experimental results exhibited excellent agreement. The effect of the micro-, meso- and macro-scale parameters on the actuation responses of the artificial muscle was further discussed through a parametric study per the validated model. This work helps understand the physical origin behind the remarkable tensile actuation behavior of the twisted-then-coiled polymeric artificial muscles and also provides inspirations for optimal design of advanced artificial muscles made by twist-insertion procedure.
Beyond Curvature - Volumetric Estimates of Reflector Rotation And Convergence

convergent divergent Summary Geometric attributes such as coherence and curvature are commonly used to map structural deformation and (coupled with principals of geomorphology) depositional environment. Coherence often illuminates faults, collapse features, and channel edges, while curvature images folds and flexures, subseismic antithetic faults that appear as drag or folds adjacent to faults, diagenetically altered fractures, karst, and differential compaction over channels. In spite of these advantages, neither of these two attribute families provide much value in visualizing components of classic seismic stratigraphy analysis which was based primarily on stratigraphic terminations. Curvature computations assume that any local region of a reflector in the earth can be approximated by a quadratic surface. Obviously, the earth contains many non-quadratic surfaces, such as those that are cut by faults or truncated by erosion. In this work, we propose a suite of attributes build on the rotation of the vector dip volume to represent reflector convergence (onlap, offlap, and erosional unconformities) and rotation about the reflector normal (wrench faults and asymmetric syntectonic deposition).
Reexamination of the exoskeletal and muscular anatomy of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, and a polarized light microscopy technique for morphological studies

A new and improved polarized light microscopy technique is described and applied to a reexamination of the muscular and exoskeletal anatomy of the honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Differences in the description and interpretation from earlier authors were found in: the muscles of the labial palpi, prothoracic tergo-pleural muscles, the pleuroalar muscle, and the tendon to the pleural muscle inserting on the mesothoracic basalare. Also, two muscles, one in the second abdominal segment and one in the sting, previously recognized in an unpublished thesis, are confirmed. This technique provides a magnificent view of the muscular and exoskeletal system of an arthropod.
THE INFLUENCE OF ROLLERS ON LONGSHORE CURRENTS

A computational model is developed for depth-averaged cross-shore and longshore currents which includes the effects of the surface roller generated by wave breaking. The creation and evolution of the roller itself is modeled explicitly (Dally and Brown, 1995), and convective acceleration terms are included in both the crossshore and longshore momentum equations. Lateral mixing is parameterized in terms of the local cross-shore current and a turbulent eddy viscosity, as proposed by Svendsen and Putrevu (1994); however, a new model for eddy viscosity is proposed which contains contributions from both the roller-induced and bed-induced turbulence. The laboratory measurements of quasi-uniform longshore currents reported by Visser (1991) are used to calibrate and verify the model. For driving the model, it is shown that using stream function wave theory produces significantly better results than linear wave theory. Also, comparisons of longshore current distributions with and without the roller terms included show that the roller plays an essential role in faithfully modeling the longshore current. The calibrated model also produces accurate results for the set-up/set-down using stream function theory, for the limited data available from Visser (1991).
Production of Carcinoma of the Uterus in Mice

Spayed and normal young adult female mice were treated twice a week with a .3% solution of 1:2:5:6 dibenzanthracene and a 0.1% solution of estrone∗ painted on the nape of the neck. Benzene was the solvent for both substances. Treatment with estrone was begun 9 weeks after the treatment with 1:2:5:6 dibenzanthracene because of its more rapid action. Twelve weeks after the treatment with estrone was begun the dose was cut in half because of the development of pyometria. The original dose was estimated to be 125 R.U. Treatment was continued throughout the life of the animals. Six months after the 1:2:5:6 dibenzanthracene treatment was begun there were 27 mice in the group when a mouse died with a large epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix. In the tenth month of the experiment 2 other cases of epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix occurred. These were in the last mouse surviving in the spayed and in the normal group. Both of these mice built nests persistently in the last weeks. All of the animals developed marked...