cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Marshall Lectures and Economy and Society

The publication of the Marshall Lectures is part of the current upswing of interest in what is happening at the boundaries between the economy and society as well as between economics and sociology. Parsons welcomed the opportunity to give the Marshall Lectures because he wanted to apply his system of action to other areas within the social sciences. Parsons’argument in the lectures, however, was too general and his interpretation of Keynes was incomplete. Economy and Sociey (Parsons and Smelser 1956) represents in these and a few other aspects a clear advance in Parsons’thinking.
Molecular Dynamics Studies of the Hydration of α,α-Trehalose

Molecular dynamics simulations have been used to model the aqueous solvation of the nonreducing sugar α,α-trehalose. The anisotropic structuring of water around the trehalose molecule was calculated in a Cartesian coordinate frame fixed with respect to the sugar molecule by averaging water positions over the trajectories and was plotted in two and three dimensions relative to the sugar. The hydrogen bonding of this sugar to solvent was calculated and compared to other sugar solutes. Hydration was required to produce the experimental conformation, through the exchange of an internal hydrogen bond for similar bonds to solvent. This equilibrium conformation was found to impose extensive structuring on the adjacent solvent, with structuring extending out to at least the third “solvation shell”, while pure liquid water exhibits such structure only in its nearest neighbors. The details of the structuring are determined by both the specific stereochemical topology of the molecule and its conformation, with consi...
Commercial Risk and Capital Formation in Early America: Virginia Merchants and the Rise of American Marine Insurance, 1750-1815

In the late eighteenth century, northern Virginia's grain-based slave economy prompted a thriving but risky overseas trade. The merchants who conducted this trade sought to manage their risks by purchasing marine insurance, initially from British and northern U.S. sources. After the American Revolution, however, the expense and inconvenience of obtaining insurance abroad prompted merchants to create local institutions modeled on northern practices. Most notably, in 1797 Alexandria merchants established the Alexandria Marine Insurance Company, an incorporated entity that helped manage the risks of overseas trade during the dangerous Napoleonic Wars, enlarged local sources of capital, and, in turn, played a significant role in stimulating regional economic development. The appearance of this marine insurance company (and others like it) reveals the significant role that financial intermediaries played in the development of the southern slave economies in the early republic.
The degree of ST-segment depression on symptom-limited exercise testing: relation to the myocardial ischemic burden as determined by thallium-201 scintigraphy.

This study sought to determine the relation between the magnitude of exercise-induced ST depression and the ischemic burden as determined by quantitative thallium-201 scintigraphy. One hundred forty-four consecutive patients were prospectively studied with symptom-limited exercise testing and thallium-201 scintigraphy. Of these patients, 37 had between 1.0 and or = 2.0 mm (group 2) of exercise-induced ST depression. There were no significant differences between groups 1 and 2 with respect to all exercise parameters including peak exercise heart rate (134 +/- 21 vs 144 +/- 26 beats/min), metabolic equivalents achieved (7.9 +/- 3.0 vs 8.6 +/- 3.3), and exercise time (7.4 +/- 2.7 minutes in both groups). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of thallium-201 redistribution defects in group 1 versus group 2 patients (17 of 37 [46%] vs 8 of 17 [47%]), and in the extent of ischemia as determined by the number of redistribution defects per patient (1.2 +/- 1.8 vs 1.2 +/- 1.5, respectively). Thus, in this consecutive group of patients with exercise-induced ST depression, those with > or = 2.0 mm of ST depression, relative to patients with a lesser degree of ST depression, had comparable exercise capacity and comparable ischemic burden by thallium-201 scintigraphic assessment. We conclude that the magnitude of ST depression on symptom-limited exercise testing does not correlate with the extent of ischemia as assessed by quantitative thallium-201 scintigraphy.
Effect of Phosphorylation on Structure of C-Terminal Segment of AMPA Receptor

The α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor is the primary contributor to fast excitatory transmission in neurons. The AMPA receptor can be divided into four domains. Extracellularly, there are the amino-terminal and ligand-binding domains. The transmembrane domain serves as the actual ion-channel pore and, of course, links the extracellular domains to the cytoplasmic domain. Of these four domains, the structure of the outermost three has been shown in detailed crystal structures of the tetramer. However, very little is known about the structure of the cytoplasmic domain. Although it is widely thought that this segment is highly disordered, it is unknown whether local order (higher levels of secondary and/or tertiary structure) exists in the cytoplasmic terminus, or whether structural changes may occur as conformational shifts in the terminal due to functional modifications. Previous studies have established phosphorylation sites at residues S818, S831, and T840 in the GluA1 subtype receptor. These studies examined a representative membrane-proximal section of the GluA1 c-terminus comprising residues 809-841 in order to consider structural changes brought about by these phosphorylation events. The peptide was examined using circular dichroism (CD) investigation, which showed a conversion to greater helix content in the phosphomimetic sample. CD studies of the peptide in a solution of small unilamellar vesicles were conducted and showed that the increase in helical content is also present in the context of close proximity to a lipid membrane. To confirm, single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) was used to examine the peptide in both the unphosphorylated state and in the PKCα-phosphorylated state, in order to gauge the distance between two native cysteines in the peptide. Phosphorylation yielded a reduced distance between these cysteines, indicative of a shift to more compressed secondary structure, that is, coil to helix.
Detection and characterization of 1B/1R translocations in hexaploid wheat

Total genomic DNA from rye was labelled with biotin and used as a probe for in situ hybridization to show the sizes and translocation points of the rye chromosome segments in five wheat varieties which carry a translocation between wheat chromosome IB and the short arm of rye chromosome IR (1B/1R). All the translocation breakpoints were at, or very near to, the centromere. Using genomic DNA to block some cross-hybridization, little signal from hybridization between the rye probe and wheat chromosomes was observed despite the 78 per cent sequence homology between the species. The translocation was identified in cells at all stages of the cell cycle. Total genomic rye DNA used as a probe was also able to distinguish rye, triticale and wheat varieties carrying the translocation, by Southern hybridization. The techniques using genomic probes are useful for detecting, characterizing and following alien chromosomes or chromosome segments through breeding programmes, by both in situ and Southern hybridization.
Consumer, physician, and payer perspectives on primary care medication management services with a shared resource pharmacists network

Abstract Background Health care reform initiatives are examining new care delivery models and payment reform alternatives such as medical homes, health homes, community-based care transitions teams, medical neighborhoods and accountable care organizations (ACOs). Of particular interest is the extent to which pharmacists are integrated in team-based health care reform initiatives and the related perspectives of consumers, physicians, and payers. Objectives To assess the current knowledge of consumers and physicians about pharmacist training/expertise and capacity to provide primary care medication management services in a shared resource network; determine factors that will facilitate/limit consumer interest in having pharmacists as a member of a community-based “health care team;” determine factors that will facilitate/limit physician utilization of pharmacists for medication management services; and determine factors that will facilitate/limit payer reimbursement models for medication management services using a shared resource pharmacist network model. Methods This project used qualitative research methods to assess the perceptions of consumers, primary care physicians, and payers on pharmacist-provided medication management services using a shared resource network of pharmacists. Focus groups were conducted with primary care physicians and consumers, while semi-structured discussions were conducted with a public and private payer. Results Most consumers viewed pharmacists in traditional dispensing roles and were unaware of the direct patient care responsibilities of pharmacists as part of community-based health teams. Physicians noted several chronic disease states where clinically-trained pharmacists could collaborate as health care team members yet had uncertainties about integrating pharmacists into their practice workflow and payment sources for pharmacist services. Payers were interested in having credentialed pharmacists provide medication management services if the services improved quality of patient care and/or prevented adverse drug events, and the services were cost neutral (at a minimum). Conclusions It was difficult for most consumers and physicians to envision pharmacists practicing in non-dispensing roles. The pharmacy profession must disseminate the existing body of evidence on pharmacists as care providers of medication management services and the related impact on clinical outcomes, patient safety, and cost savings to external audiences. Without such, new pharmacist practice models may have limited acceptance by consumers, primary care physicians, and payers.
A prospective study of septicaemia on a paediatric oncology unit: A three-year experience at The Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital, Alder Hey, UK

Septicaemia in neutropaenic patients is predominantly due to gut translocation [endogenous septicaemia] and contamination of the central venous catheter by microorganisms not carried by the patient [exogenous septicaemia]. To control both types of infection, a protocol was implemented based on pre 1990's parenteral and enteral antimicrobials together with strict hygiene. Surveillance cultures of throat/rectum were taken to distinguish exogenous from endogenous septicaemia and enteral non-absorbable antibiotics are administered as part of selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD). This protocol was evaluated in a 14-bedded paediatric oncology unit over a period of 3 years. 313 Septicaemia episodes were recorded in 131 children. 28.4% of the septicaemias were caused by microorganisms associated with the unit, equivalent to 0.82 episodes per 100 patient days. Low-level pathogens such as coagulase-negative staphylococci caused more than 70% of infections. Amongst the potential pathogens, Pseudomonas species (7.8%) and Staphylococcus aureus (5.5%) were predominant. Antibiotic resistance was rare with no superinfections or outbreaks. Four patients (3%) died, two due to Candida species and two due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We believe that the addition of enteral non-absorbable antibiotics to systemic antibiotics maintained a low level of resistance and mortality but a randomised controlled trial is indicated to confirm these observations.
Radiology workflow and patient volume: effect of picture archiving and communication systems on technologists and radiologists.

This study was performed to evaluate the changes in workflow and efficiency in various clinical settings in the radiology department after the introduction of a picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Time and motion data were collected when conventional image management was used, and again after the introduction of a PACS. Changes in the elapsed time from examination request until the image dispatch to the radiologist, and from dispatch until report dictation, were evaluated. The relationship between patient volume and throughput was evaluated. The time from examination request until dispatch was significantly longer after the introduction of PACS for examinations taken on patients from the emergency department (ED) (pre-PACS, 20 minutes; post-PACS, 25 minutes;P<.0001), and for examinations taken on patients in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) (pre-PACS, 34 minutes; post-PACS, 42 minutes;P<.0001). The interval from image dispatch until report dictation shortened significantly after the introduction of PACS in the ED (pre-PACS, 38 minutes; post-PACS, 23 minutes;P<.0001) and in the outpatient department (OPD) (pre-PACS, 38 minutes; post-PACS, 20 minutes;P<.0001). Simple least squares regression showed a significant relationship between daily patient volume and the daily median time until report dictation (F=43.42,P<.001). PACS slowed technologists by prolonging the quality-control procedure. Radiologist workflow was shortened or not affected. Efficiency is dependent on patient volume, and workflow improvements are due to a shift from batch to on-line reading that is enabled by the ability of PACS to route enough examinations to keep radiologists fully occupied.
A model for glycolytic oscillations based on skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase kinetics

Existing models for glycolytic oscillations are not based on detailed experimental kinetics of the glycolytic enzymes. Here, a model is constructed to fit the kinetics of skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase with respect to variations in AMP, ATP, fructose-6-P, and fructose 1,6-P2levels. A Monod-Wyman-Changeux model for a tetrameric enzyme is considered. However, it is found that the kinetic data fit considerably better with an assumption of identical, independent subunits. With parameters that fit these data and with a previous model for the rest of glycolysis, product activation of phosphofructokinase leads to oscillations of glycolytic intermediates and [ATP] resembling those observed experimentally in muscle extracts. The period is several minutes. The model can also produce oscillations at neutral pH and with [ATP] representative of an intact cell. Under both conditions the mean concentrations and oscillations vary with the rate of glucose phosphorylation in a plausible manner only if some amount of glucose-6-phosphatase or glucose-6-P dehydrogenase activity is assumed or if hexokinase is inhibited by glucose-6-P. Also, the model can be reduced to two variables for ease of analysis and the oscillation mechanism thereby illustrated.
Geological results of a wide angle reflection survey using sonobuoys in the southern Chukchi Sea

Abstract The results of six sonobuoy wide angle reflection profiles in the southern Chukchi Sea show that from 200 to 700 m of unconsolidated sediments with acoustic velocities less than 2 km/sec overlie 1–1.5 km of sandstones and shales with velocities in the range of 2.1–2.8 km/sec. A higher velocity formation of approximately 4 km/sec was found at two of the six stations. These results show that extensive deposition, as well as marine erosion, has played an important role in making the Chukchi Sea floor the flat feature that it is today.
Mass casualty in an isolated environment: medical response to a submarine collision.

ABSTRACT On January 8, 2005, the U.S.S. SAN FRANCISCO (SSN 711), a nuclear-powered submarine, collided with a seamount in a remote Pacific Ocean location. The high-speed impact resulted in injuries to 90% of the crew. Subsequent emergency medical response is described as well as the 3-month physical and psychological morbidity. Recommendations for medical training, equipment, and policy for workers in isolated environments are discussed.
Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction

Purpose: We quantified the burden of ureteropelvic junction obstruction in the United States by identifying trends in the use of health care resources and estimating the economic impact of the disease.Materials and Methods: The analytical methods used to generate these results were described previously.Results: Inpatient hospitalization rates were highest in children younger than 3 years. Most patients were male and hospitalizations occurred almost exclusively at urban centers. Patients with a primary diagnosis of ureteropelvic junction obstruction between 1994 and 2000 had an overall decrease in the age adjusted rate of inpatient hospitalization from 1.1/100,000 to 0.8/100,000. Physician office visits by Medicare beneficiaries with ureteropelvic junction obstruction as the primary diagnosis showed stable overall age adjusted rates during the reported years. Between 1999 and 2003 mean inpatient length of stay and cost per child hospitalized with the primary diagnosis of ureteropelvic junction obstruction ...
The sign of Leser-Trélat in a case of adenocarcinoma of the lung.

This is what we believe to be the first report of the sign of Leser-Trelat in association with occult adenocarcinoma of the lung. The sign of Leser-Trelat is proposed as a sign of possible occult malignancy, despite various suggestions to the contrary. Also, it is suggested that a tumor-produced humoral factor (eg, transforming growth factor-alpha [TGF-alpha]) could be responsible for both the acute eruption of the monomorphous seborrheic keratoses and the nearly concomitant development of acanthosis nigricans, which occurred in our case. The possible distinction between a hyperplastic and a neoplastic origin of various types of seborrheic keratosis is discussed in relation to this hypothetical humoral factor. In addition, we suggest a refinement of the definition of the sign of Leser-Trelat and discuss the use of "sign of Leser-Trelat" and "syndrome of Leser-Trelat" in relation to physical findings. All patients with the sign of Leser-Trelat should undergo a thorough evaluation for occult malignancy.
Nonlinear systems analysis of computer models of repetitive firing

Simulated white noise analysis experiments on a simple integrate-and-fire neuron model with adaptation yields Wiener kernels comparable to those found for a crayfish stretch receptor neuron, for low modulation depths (linear range). At high modulation depths (nonlinear range), this model corresponds well to the neuron only if the "membrane potential" variable is constrained to positive values. An alternative kind of neural model considered is one in which spike initiation processes are ignored, and instead a time-continuous spike frequency variable is used. Such an analytic differential equation model can be represented by a half-wave rectifier with low-pass feedback; simulated white noise analysis of this model shows good correspondence with the stretch receptor, except at the higher frequencies approaching the cell's carrier frequency. The analytic system model is amenable to mathematical analysis using linear and nonlinear systems theory, resulting in equations which relate features of Wiener kernels (peaks, undershoots, time constants, etc.) to previously described features of neurons (threshold, pacemaker sensitivity, adaptation or post-inhibitory rebound).
Genetic recombination between RNA components of a multipartite plant virus

Genetic recombination of DNA is one of the fundamental mechanisms underlying the evolution of DNA-based organisms and results in their diversity and adaptability. The importance of the role of recombination is far less evident for the RNA-based genomes that occur in most plant viruses and in many animal viruses. RNA recombination has been shown to promote the evolutionary variation of picornaviruses, it is involved in the creation of defective interfering (DI) RNAs of positive- and negative-strand viruses and is implicated in the synthesis of the messenger RNAs of influenza virus and coronavirus. However, RNA recombination has not been found to date in viruses that infect plants. In fact, the lack of DI RNAs and the inability to demonstrate recombination in mixedly infected plants has been regarded as evidence that plants do not support recombination of viral RNAs. Here we provide the first molecular evidence for recombination of plant viral RNA. For brome mosaic virus (BMV), a plus-stranded, tripartite-genome virus of monocots, we show that a deletion in the 3' end region of a single BMV RNA genomic component can be repaired during the development of infection by recombination with the homologous region of either of the two remaining wild-type BMV RNA components. This result clearly shows that plant viruses have available powerful recombinatory mechanisms that previously were thought to exist only in animal hosts, thus they are able to adapt and diversify in a manner comparable to animal viruses. Moreover, our observation suggests an increased versatility of viruses for use as vectors in introducing new genes into plants.
Quantitation of p- and m-methylstyrenes by liquid chromatography and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry

The molar ratio of p- and m-methylstyrene in mixtures is determined by liquid chromatography and 13C NMR spectrometry. In the former instance, separation and quantitations are achieved using an adamantyl-modified column with a mobile phase of ethanol/water (30 + 70, v/v) containing 0.01 M β-cyclodextrin. In the latter instance, a 1H-decoupled 13C NMR technique is described for the determination of the positional isomers. The results obtained by both methods are self-consistent, with a standard deviation for the molar ratio of the para and meta isomers of less than ±0.01.
ORBITAL CELLULITIS IN CHILDREN

Orbital cellulitis is an infection involving the orbit and adjacent periorbital tissue without involvement of other facial tissues. The bacterial etiology, in contrast to that of facial cellulitis, has not been clearly defined. To gain insight into this problem, bacteriological and clinical data on 86 children with orbital cellulitis were reviewed. Peak age incidence was 2-4 yrs. and in 84/86 cases the involvement was unilateral. Differences in clinical presentation enabled identification of two distinct groups. Group I consisted of 42 children with an adjacent soft tissue focus of infection and included 30 children with recent trauma to the area. Group II included 44 patients with no apparent focus of infection. Blood cultures obtained on 21 patients in Group I were positive in only one; the isolate was S. aureus. In Group II, 10/31 blood cultures were positive; 8 isolates were H. influenzae and 2 were S. aureus. The difference in incidence of bacteremia was significant (p< 0.02). S. aureus and/or Group A streptococcus were recovered from wound or conjunctival cultures in 74% of 39 cases in Group I and 24% of cases in Group II (p<0.001). Thus, the bacterial etiology of orbital cellulitis varies with clinical presentation. Patients with cellulitis and an adjacent soft tissue focus of infection or trauma are likely to have gram-positive pathogens. Patients lacking such a focus are similar to children with facial cellulitis in that bacteremia is encountered frequently and H. influenzae is the common etiological agent.
Static analysis of anomalies and security vulnerabilities in executable files

Software researchers have already developed static code security checkers to parse through and scan source code files, looking for security vulnerabilities [8, 9]. What about executable files? Can these files also be statically checked for security weaknesses such as buffer overflows? We have created a methodology that uses information located in the headers, sections, and tables of a Windows NT/XP executable file, along with information derived from the overall contents of the file, as a means to detect specific anomalies and software security vulnerabilities without having to disassemble the code. In addition, we have instantiated this methodology in a software utility program called findssv that automatically performs this static analysis.We tested findssv on six categories of files: executable installation files, software development files, Windows XP operating system files, Microsoft application files, security-centric applications files, and miscellaneous application files. Through the test results on over 2700 files, we show that findssv can detect 1) inconsistent table sizes, 2) large zero-filled regions of bytes, 3) unknown regions of bytes, 4) compressed files placed in a file, 5) sections that are both writable and executable, and 6) the use of functions susceptible to buffer overflow attacks. We also identify key vulnerability findings about the software in the six categories.
Formation of synaptic vesicles.

Abstract Synaptic vesicles (SVs) are specialized secretory organelles used for the fast and focal signaling between nerve cells. They are small and homogeneous in size (50 nm), and contain non-peptide neurotransmitters such as glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and acetylcholine. The exocytosis of SVs occurs at low rates in resting nerve terminals and is greatly stimulated by depolarization-induced Ca 2+ influx. Following exocytosis, SV membranes are rapidly retrieved, refilled locally with neurotransmitters and reused for the assembly of new SVs. Over the past few years, significant progress has been made in characterizing the molecular composition of SVs. From these studies, we know that SVs share a conserved set of membrane proteins with transport vesicles involved in other pathways. Furthermore, these findings have provided us with a new understanding about the evolutionary origin of SVs from recycling vesicles present in all cells.
Literally embedded processors

We propose a robust programming model for dense ensembles of ultra miniaturized computing nodes which are deployed in bulk fashion, e.g. embedded into building materials. We sketch a hardware reference model as an initial guide to the application domain, then we describe a programming model based on mobile code fragments which self assemble into larger structures. We outline a simple representative application that we have developed and tested on a system simulator.
Glycosylation regulates turnover of cyclooxygenase-2.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the prostanoid biosynthesis pathway, converting arachidonic acid into prostaglandin H2. COX-2 exists as 72 and 74 kDa glycoforms, the latter resulting from an additional oligosaccharide chain at residue Asn580. In this study, Asn580 was mutated to determine the biological significance of this variable glycosylation. COS-1 cells transfected with the mutant gene were unable to express the 74 kDa glycoform and were found to accumulate more COX-2 protein and have five times greater COX-2 activity than cells expressing both glycoforms. Thus, COX-2 turnover appears to depend upon glycosylation of the 72 kDa glycoform.
Digital Genotyping of Sorghum - A Diverse Plant Species With a Large Repeat-Rich Genome

Rapid acquisition of accurate genotyping information is essential for all genetic marker-based studies. For species with relatively small genomes, complete genome resequencing is a feasible approach for genotyping; however, for species with large and highly repetitive genomes, the acquisition of whole genome sequences for the purpose of genotyping is still relatively inefficient and too expensive to be carried out on a high-throughput basis. Sorghum bicolor is a C4 grass with a sequenced genome size of ~730 Mb, of which ~80% is highly repetitive. We have developed a restriction enzyme targeted genome resequencing method for genetic analysis, termed Digital Genotyping (DG), to be applied to sorghum and other grass species with large repeat-rich genomes. DG templates are generated using one of three methylation sensitive restriction enzymes that recognize a nested set of 4, 6 or 8 bp GC-rich sequences, enabling varying depth of analysis and integration of results among assays. Variation in sequencing efficiency among DG markers was correlated with template GC-content and length. The expected DG allele sequence was obtained 97.3% of the time with a ratio of expected to alternative allele sequence acquisition of >20:1. A genetic map aligned to the sorghum genome sequence with an average resolution of 1.47 cM was constructed using 1,772 DG markers from 137 recombinant inbred lines. The DG map enhanced the detection of QTL for variation in plant height and precisely aligned QTL such as Dw3 to underlying genes/alleles. Higher-resolution NgoMIV-based DG haplotypes were used to trace the origin of DNA on SBI-06, spanning Ma1 and Dw2 from progenitors to BTx623 and IS3620C. DG marker analysis identified the correct location of two miss-assembled regions and located seven super contigs in the sorghum reference genome sequence. DG technology provides a cost-effective approach to rapidly generate accurate genotyping data in sorghum. Currently, data derived from DG are used for many marker-based analyses, including marker-assisted breeding, pedigree and QTL analysis, genetic map construction, map-based gene cloning and association studies. DG in combination with whole genome resequencing is dramatically accelerating all aspects of genetic analysis of sorghum, an important genetic reference for C4 grass species.
Limitations and relative utility of screening assays to assess engineered nanoparticle toxicity in a human cell line

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), fullerenes (C(60)), carbon black (CB), nC(60), and quantum dots (QD) have been studied in vitro to determine their toxicity in a number of cell types. Here, we report that classical dye-based assays such as MTT and neutral red (NR) that determine cell viability produce invalid results with some NM (nanomaterials) due to NM/dye interactions and/or NM adsorption of the dye/dye products. In this study, human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK) were exposed in vitro to CB, SWCNT, C(60), nC(60), and QD to assess viability with calcein AM (CAM), Live/Dead (LD), NR, MTT, Celltiter 96 AQueous One (96 AQ), alamar Blue (aB), Celltiter-Blue (CTB), CytoTox Onetrade mark (CTO), and flow cytometry. In addition, trypan blue (TB) was quantitated by light microscopy. Assay linearity (R(2) value) was determined with HEK plated at concentrations from 0 to 25,000 cells per well in 96-well plates. HEK were treated with serial dilutions of each NM for 24 h and assessed with each of the viability assays. TB, CAM and LD assays, which depend on direct staining of living and/or dead cells, were difficult to interpret due to physical interference of the NM with cells. Results of the dye-based assays varied a great deal, depending on the interactions of the dye/dye product with the carbon nanomaterials (CNM). Results show the optimal high throughput assay for use with carbon and noncarbon NM was 96 AQ. This study shows that, unlike small molecules, CNM interact with assay markers to cause variable results with classical toxicology assays and may not be suitable for assessing nanoparticle cytotoxicity. Therefore, more than one assay may be required when determining nanoparticle toxicity for risk assessment.
A Promising Future for Every Student: Maine Invests in Secondary School Reform:

Maine's vision for a system of secondary learning challenges schools and communities to rethink how they assess, organize, and deliver learning opportunities for adolescents. It strongly asserts that the current meth ods of many schools encourage disengagement from learning and impede the development of learning skills among both students and educators.
Molecular responses in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in chronic phase treated with imatinib mesylate

Purpose: To determine the clinical significance of molecular response and relapse among patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) treated with imatinib. Experimental Design: We analyzed the results of quantitative PCR in 280 patients with CML in chronic phase who achieved complete cytogenetic remission with imatinib (117 after IFN-α failure and 163 previously untreated). Median follow-up was 31 months (range, 3-52 months). Results : Median BCR-ABL/ABL ratio before the start of therapy was 39.44 (range, 0.252-170.53). A major molecular response (BCR-ABL/ABL ratio P = 0.02) was associated with achievement of a major molecular response. Nine of 166 (5%) patients who achieved a major molecular response lost their cytogenetic remission, compared with 25 of 68 (37%) among those who did not achieve this response ( P 1-log reduction in transcript levels after 3 months of therapy predicted for an improved probability of achieving a major molecular response at 24 months. Increasing levels of BCR-ABL transcripts predicted for a loss of cytogenetic remission only among patients who did not achieve a major molecular response. Conclusions : Achieving a major molecular response, particularly within the first year of therapy, is predictive of a durable cytogenetic remission and may be the future goal of therapy in CML.
Ginger or Mary Ann? time to choose, professor.

Television is bad.1–78 Television is sinisterness wrapped in evil surrounded by bad.79–119 Nowadays one cannot even find the switch to turn such a device on without a flashlight and some tweezers. Unless of course you have the remote, but that is nowhere to be found and has an array of buttons that would intimidate all who are not familiar with such an array and some of those who push those same buttons on a daily basis. Television is the sole cause of obesity and bilious temper in children and all depravities in adults, leading to the notion that television should be cornered, beaten, and shot in a dark alley or maybe just corralled and put in a cage for circus or museum viewing. We, at the Hospital for Children Who Do Not Feel So Well, have decided to address this ubiquitous challenge to healthy living in a novel, unique, and wholly unprecedented manner. We have been thinking outside the box, aligning our objectives with our core competencies, going forward in a value-added way, going off the beaten path to pick some high-hanging fruit, and demonstrating ownership of this onerous axis-of-evil-in-itself, while not harming the business interests of our friends in the entertainment industry. It has become possible, through new technology developed by a joint venture of ourselves and Mysterious Incorporation X, a company in which we have an almost undetectable financial interest, and funding from numerous foundations of spotless repute and generous nature, to slow the spinning of the earth to lengthen each and every day, allowing time for a goodly amount of television viewing in addition to other more high-minded pursuits. We intend to show what effects television has on children once and for all. This article highlights our efforts and heaps more glory upon our Glorious …
A stochastic approach to small disturbance stability analysis

A systematic approach to the construction of stochastic models of electric power systems for small disturbance stability analysis is presented. In this study, the cumulative effects of small-magnitude random fluctuations of electrical loads are considered as sources of eventual loss of stability, and a security measure is derived to determine the small-disturbance stability limits of the stochastic system. The electric power system models were tested on a 30-bus power system and compared according to the relative effects of load fluctuations on the proposed security measure. >
Learning the Visual Interpretation of Sentences

Sentences that describe visual scenes contain a wide variety of information pertaining to the presence of objects, their attributes and their spatial relations. In this paper we learn the visual features that correspond to semantic phrases derived from sentences. Specifically, we extract predicate tuples that contain two nouns and a relation. The relation may take several forms, such as a verb, preposition, adjective or their combination. We model a scene using a Conditional Random Field (CRF) formulation where each node corresponds to an object, and the edges to their relations. We determine the potentials of the CRF using the tuples extracted from the sentences. We generate novel scenes depicting the sentences' visual meaning by sampling from the CRF. The CRF is also used to score a set of scenes for a text-based image retrieval task. Our results show we can generate (retrieve) scenes that convey the desired semantic meaning, even when scenes (queries) are described by multiple sentences. Significant improvement is found over several baseline approaches.
A Qualitative Study of International Organizational Buyer Behavior

The primary goal of this qualitative research was to gather information from practitioners about the buying process used by companies in the United States and Germany when purchasing customized software. Before using a popular organizational buyer behavior process model for an international study the author believed it was important to examine whether companies in the countries in the study actually used each step of the model. A multiple-case study design was chosen, since it allowed both for a better understanding of the actual software buying process used by companies and for a comparison of buying processes between companies. The author observed and interviewed individuals at four company’s corporate headquarters, two companies in the United States and two companies in Germany. The study found that both Americans and German companies do, to varying degrees, go through each stage of a widely used organizational buyer behavior model. It was also observed, however, that the amount of time and effort dedicated to different stages of the model varied by country. The study also identified differences between buyers in the United States and Germany in regard to the perceived importance of certain vendor selection criteria, which provides support for future empirical studies.
Evaluating airborne hyperspectral imagery for mapping saltcedar infestations in west Texas

The Rio Grande River of west Texas contains by far the largest infestation of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) in Texas. The objective of this study was to evaluate airborne hyperspectral imagery and different classification techniques for mapping saltcedar infestations. Hyperspectral imagery with 102 usable bands covering a spectral range of 475 to 845 nm was acquired from two sites along the Rio Grande in west Texas in December 2003 and 2004 when saltcedar was undergoing color change. The imagery was transformed using minimum noise fraction and then classified using six classifiers: minimum distance, Mahalanobis distance, maximum likelihood, spectral angle mapper, mixture tuned matched filtering, and support vector machine (SVM). Accuracy assessment showed that overall accuracy varied from 71% to 86% in 2003 and from 80% to 90% in 2004 for site 1 and from 60% to 76% in 2003 and from 77% to 91% in 2004 for site 2. The SVM classifier produced the highest overall accuracy, as well as the best user’s and producer’s accuracies for saltcedar among the six classifiers. The imagery taken in early December 2004 provided better classification results than that in mid-December 2003. Change detection analysis based on the classification maps quantified the class changes between the two years. These results indicate that airborne hyperspectral imagery incorporated with image transformation and classification techniques can be a useful tool for mapping saltcedar infestations.
Cognitive and neuroinflammatory consequences of mild repeated stress are exacerbated in aged mice

Peripheral immune stimulation as well as certain types of psychological stress increases brain levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha). We have demonstrated that aged mice show greater increases in central inflammatory cytokines, as well as greater cognitive deficits, compared to adults in response to peripheral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. Because aged mice are typically more sensitive to systemic stressors such as LPS, and certain psychological stressors induce physiological responses similar to those that follow LPS, we hypothesized that aged mice would be more sensitive to the physiological and cognitive effects of mild stress than adult mice. Here, adult (3-5 months) and aged (22-23 months) male BALB/c mice were trained in the Morris water maze for 5 days. Mice were then exposed to a mild restraint stress of 30 min before being tested in a working memory version of the water maze over a 3-day period. On day 4 mice were stressed and then killed for collection of blood and brain. In a separate group of animals, mice were killed immediately after one, two or three 30 min restraint sessions and blood was collected for peripheral corticosterone and cytokine protein measurement, and brains were dissected for central cytokine mRNA measurement. Stress disrupted spatial working memory in both adult and aged mice but to a much greater extent in the aged mice. In addition, aged mice showed an increase in stress-induced expression of hippocampal IL-1beta mRNA and MHC class II protein compared to non-stressed controls while expression in adult mice was unaffected by stress. These data show that aged mice are more sensitive to both the cognitive and inflammatory effects of mild stress than are adult mice and suggest a possible role for IL-1beta.
The small chemical vacuolin‐1 alters the morphology of lysosomes without inhibiting Ca2+‐regulated exocytosis

Ca2+-regulated exocytosis of lysosomes was previously shown to be required for the repair of plasma membrane wounds. The small chemical vacuolin-1 alters the morphology of lysosomes without affecting the ability of cells to reseal their plasma membrane after injury. On the basis of a failure to detect Ca2+-triggered lysosomal exocytosis in vacuolin-1-treated cells, a recent study proposed that lysosomes are dispensable for resealing. Here, we show that vacuolin-1, despite altering lysosome morphology, does not inhibit the exocytosis of lysosomes induced by exposure to a Ca2+ ionophore, or by plasma membrane wounding. Thus, lysosomes cannot be excluded as agents of membrane repair in vacuolin-1-treated cells.
Bypass for chronic ischemia of the upper extremity: results in 20 patients.

Objective Chronic ischemia of the upper extremity requiring surgical revascularization is an uncommon condition. We analyzed modes of presentation, methods of operative repair, and follow-up in all consecutive patients with chronic ischemia of the upper extremity requiring arterial bypass. Methods Data prospectively entered into a vascular registry was retrospectively analyzed for all patients undergoing upper extremity arterial bypass from January 1, 1990, to June 30, 2003. Simple thromboembolectomy procedures and bypasses to an outflow target more proximal than the brachial artery were excluded. Results We identified 20 patients. Their mean age was 57 years, and 11 (55%) were women. Eight (40%) had diabetes, and five (25%) had renal insufficiency. Indications included exercise intolerance in 11 patients (55%), tissue loss in six (30%), and rest pain in three (15%). The etiology of ischemia was atherosclerosis in seven patients (35%) and complications of iatrogenic or civilian trauma in 13 (65%). The brachial artery was used as the inflow in 13 patients (65%), the axillary in six (30%), and the ulnar in one (5%). Conduits used included the great saphenous vein in 11 patients (55%), arm vein in 7 (35%), and prosthetic in 2 (10%). Outflow targets included the brachial artery in 12 patients (55%), the radial in five (25%), and the ulnar in three (15%). There were no perioperative deaths. One graft (5%) occluded ≤30 days of surgery. Mean follow-up was 12 months. Mean survival after bypass was 62 months. Patency at 1 and 3 years was 85%. Two patients had associated minor amputations (a finger and a partial hand). Limb salvage rate was 100%. Conclusion Although upper extremity ischemia is rare, results for upper extremity bypass are excellent and superior to those reported for lower extremity ischemia. These results may reflect the indications, which differ considerably from those for lower extremity bypass, with the most being performed for complications of trauma.
Combining atlas and active contour for automatic 3D medical image segmentation

Atlas based methods and active contours are two families of techniques widely used for the task of 3D medical image segmentation. In this work we present a coupled framework where the two methods are combined together, in order to exploit each's advantage while avoid their respective drawbacks. Indeed, the atlas based methods lacks the flexibility in locally tuning the segmentation boundary; whereas the active contour has the drawback that the final result heavily depends on the initialization as well as the contour evolution energy functional. Therefore, in the proposed work, the atlas based segmentation provides a probability map, which not only supplies the initial contour position, but also defines the contour evolution energy in an on-line fashion. Afterward, the active contour further converges to the desired object boundary. Finally, the method is tested on various 3D medical images to demonstrate its robustness as well as accuracy.
Two body contribution to the effective radius operator

A well-known formula for the binding energies of nuclei, assuming jj coupling, which was obtained and used very successfully by the “Israeli group,” seems also to apply to nuclear charge radii. This suggests that the effective radius operator has not only a one body part but also a two body part.
Improving the aggregate performance of psychiatric diagnostic methods when not all subjects receive the standard test

Family studies of disease incidence often include some subjects who receive a diagnostic evaluation less accurate than that obtained with a standard method. This is particularly true of family studies of mental illness, where the standard is a consensus diagnosis based on both direct interview and corroborating family history from an informant in the family. Family members who are not interviewed have diagnoses based on history alone. Interviewed and uninterviewed relatives differ in several factors that influence the probability of disease, so that interview is not independent of disease. Thus, one cannot use the interview data to estimate the overall rate of illness. Family history-based illness rates may substantially underestimate true rates, so the observed rate in uninterviewed subjects is also a biased estimate. We discuss several models to reduce the bias in estimation of incidence rates. We propose explicit modelling and imputation as alternatives to the implicit assumptions that constitute the basis of the methods in current use. A clinical example involving 4806 relatives of probands with major affective illness illustrates the statistical issues.