cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization and performance of membranes designed for macroencapsulation/implantation of pancreatic islet cells.

Amphiphilic polymer membranes were synthesized for macroencapsulation of cells and characterized by select chemical and biological techniques. The membranes were prepared by crosslinking hydrophilic poly(N,N-dimethyl acrylamide) (PDMAAm) main chains with hydrophobic di-, tri-, and octa-methacrylate telechelic polyisobutylene (PIB) stars. The hydrophilic/hydrophobic composition and the molecular weights between crosslink sites (both Mc,hydrophilic and Mc,hydrophobic) were controlled by synthesis conditions. Small tubular membranes were made by in situ rotational copolymerization/crosslinking and filled with pancreatic rat islets. The water-swelling behavior, mechanical properties, and oxygen and insulin diffusion were studied. Macroencapsulatory performance of these membranes was investigated in vitro by macroencapsulation of pancreatic rat islets within tubular membranes for up to 1.5 months, and studying the insulin secreting ability of encapsulated islets in culture. The membranes are robust and maintain their integrity for the period of encapsulation. They allow oxygen and insulin diffusion. Macroencapsulated islets maintained their viability and insulin secretion over an extended period (i.e., 45 days).
Novel CAG/CTG repeat expansion mutations do not contribute to the genetic risk for most cases of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia†

The possible presence of anticipation in bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia has led to the hypothesis that repeat expansion mutations could contribute to the genetic etiology of these diseases. Using the repeat expansion detection (RED) assay, we have systematically examined genomic DNA from 100 unrelated probands with schizophrenia and 68 unrelated probands with bipolar affective disorder for the presence of CAG/CTG repeat expansions. Our results show that 28% of the probands with schizophrenia and 30% of probands with bipolar disorder have a CAG/CTG repeat in the expanded range, but that each expansion could be explained by one of three nonpathogenic repeat expansions known to exist in the general population. We conclude that novel CAG/CTG repeat expansions are not a common genetic risk factor for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
Solubility of Magnesia in Polycrystalline Alumina at High Temperatures

High-purity Al 2 O 3 compacts were doped with 0-350 ppm (by weight) of MgO using a liquid immersion technique and equilibrated at temperatures between 1700° and 2000°C under hydrogen. The solubility limits of MgO in Al 2 O 3 at temperatures of 1720° and 1880°C were very low, ∼75 and 175 ppm, respectively. Variation of MgO solubility with temperature could be represented by the equation, In Mg/Al = 3.80 - 2.63 x 10 4 /T. The small MgO solubilities were understood by the high enthalpy (326 kJ/mol) of solution. The results of this study suggested that previous investigations on sintering and grain-growth mechanisms in MgO-doped Al 2 O 3 were probably not done in single-phase Al 2 O 3 solid solutions. However, the conclusions on sintering and grain-growth mechanisms in prior research work in MgO-doped A 2 O 3 may be correct. The effects of SiO 2 impurity and grain size on MgO solubility are discussed. Previous grain-growth experiments in MgO-doped Al 2 O 3 are described that demonstrate the clearest evidence for grain-boundary mobility controlled by a solid-solution mechanism.
Synthesis of tailored Au@TiO2 core–shell nanoparticles for photocatalytic reforming of ethanol

Abstract A controlled sol–gel process has been developed to coat gold nanoparticles with a thin layer of titanium dioxide to produce Au@TiO 2 core–shell catalyst particles, which can be rendered crystalline via calcination at high temperatures. The Au weight percent can be controlled by repeating the coating process while decreasing the water content and core concentration, making it possible to systematically tune the shell thickness over a large range without the need for an excessive number of coating steps. The encapsulating TiO 2 shells protect the Au cores from sintering during processing, which makes it possible to investigate the effect of varying the processing conditions for the catalyst without altering the Au particle size. Catalysts with varying Au weight percents and corresponding shell thicknesses, as well as various calcination temperatures, were tested for their efficacy in the UV-driven reforming of ethanol to produce hydrogen. It was found that an Au weight percent of 0.731% was optimal, along with a calcination temperature of 600 °C, as these conditions produced a sufficiently low Au loading percent while still enabling diffusion of the solution to the core.
Cow milk feeding in infancy: gastrointestinal blood loss and iron nutritional status.

Eighty-one normal infants were studied between 112 and 196 days of age. Thirty-nine infants were fed pasteurized cow milk and the remainder were fed either Enfamil or heat-treated cow milk. During the age interval of 112 to 140 days, the proportion of infants with guaiac-positive stools was significantly ( P P
Similarities and Differences in Role Conflict, Role Commitment, and Job Satisfaction for Female and Male High School Principals:

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of gender, role conflict, role commitment, and job satisfaction on the high school principal. Data were collected from high school principals in three midwestern states. The results indicated that there are differences between female and male high school principals in their personal and professional attributes as well as in role conflict. There were similarities between female and male high school principals in terms of role commitment and job satisfaction.
Learning relaying strategies in cellular D2D networks with token-based incentives

We consider a cellular network where intelligent cellular devices owned by selfish users are incentivized to cooperate with each other by using tokens, which they exchange electronically to “buy” and “sell” downlink relay services, thereby increasing the network's capacity. We endow each device with the ability to learn its optimal cooperation strategy online in order to maximize its long-term utility in the dynamic network environment. We investigate the impact of the token exchange system on the overall downlink network performance and the performance of individual devices in various deployment scenarios involving mixtures of high and low mobility users. Our results suggest that devices have the greatest incentive to cooperate when the network contains many highly mobile users (e.g., users in motor vehicles). Moreover, within the token system, devices can effectively learn to cooperate online, and achieve over 20% higher throughput on average than with direct transmission alone, all while selfishly maximizing their own utility.
The mammalian toxicity of ethylidenenorbornene (5-ethylidenebicyclo(2,2,1)hept-2-ene).

Abstract Ethylidenenorbornene is slightly toxic by the dermal route and moderately toxic by the peroral route in single dose studies. The LC50 values for single 4-hr inhalation periods varied from 732 ppm of the vapor for female mice to 3100 ppm for male rabbits. Human sensory response studies showed that the vapor has very good warning properties. The response of rats and dogs to repeated 7-hr exposures of ethylidenenorbornene vapor for 88 and 89 days, respectively, suggests that human beings should not be allowed to inhale more than 5 ppm of the vapor during an 8-hr working day, 5 days per wk. It should be emphasized that this “hygienic standard” is an estimate based on experimental data and, therefore, is subject to modification as data are gathered from human experience.
Optical emission in magnetically confined laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Magnetically confined laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy was investigated by studying the optical emission from laser-induced plasma plumes expanding across an external transverse magnetic field. KrF excimer laser pulses with a pulse duration of 23ns and a wavelength of 248nm were used to produce plasmas from Al, Cu, and Co targets. Various optical emission lines obtained from Al and Cu targets show an obvious enhancement in the intensity of optical emission when a magnetic field of ∼0.8T is applied, while the optical emission lines from Co targets show a decrease in the optical emission intensity. The enhancement factors of optical emission lines were measured to be around 2 for the Al and Mn (impurity) lines from Al targets, and 6–8 for Cu lines from Cu targets. Temporal evolution of the optical emission lines from the Al samples shows a maximum enhancement in emission intensity at time delays of 8–20μs after the incident laser pulse, while from the Cu targets it shows a continuous enhancement at time...
Basic considerations in simulated treatment planning for the Stanford Medical Pion Generator (SMPG)

Recent interest in charged heavy particle irradiation is based upon expected improved local tumor control rates because of the greater precision in dose localization and the increased biological effectiveness of the high linear energy transfer ionization of particle beams in their stopping regions (Bragg peaks). A novel 60 beam cylindrical geometry pion spectrometer designed for a hospital-based pion therapy facility has been constructed at Stanford. In conjunction with the development and testing of the SMPG a program of simulated treatment planning is being conducted. This paper presents basic considerations in treatment planning for pions and other charged heavy particles. It also presents the status of simulated treatment planning calculations for the SMPG including a discussion of the principle of irradiation of hypothetical tumor volumes illustrated by examples of simplified treatment plans incorporating tissue density inhomogeneity corrections. Also presented are considerations for realistic simulated treatment planning calculations using computerized tomographic scan cross sections of actual patients and a conceptual plan for an integrated treatment planning and patient treatment system for the SMPG.
Arterial Pressure Monitoring During Cardiopulmonary Bypass Using Axillary Arterial Cannulation

W g EMORAL ARTERIAL cannulation had been used as the alternate source of arterial inflow for cardiopulmonary ypass (CPB) when the ascending aorta or arch was unsuitable or various reasons. Right, or rarely left, axillary arterial canulations have become more common, especially when the emoral arteries are not available for arterial cannulation due to evere iliofemoral arterial disease1 or in patients who have evere atherosclerotic disease of the descending thoracic aorta ith floating debris that precludes safe retrograde arterial perusion.2 Right axillary artery cannulation may be the arterial nflow of choice in patients with aortic dissections and aortic neurysms3,4 when selective cerebral perfusion may be necesary during deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA).5 The uthors report a case in which monitoring of the ipsilateral adial arterial pressure in a patient on CPB using axillary annulation resulted in falsely elevated arterial blood pressures hat led to inappropriate hemodynamic management and hyoxic cerebral injury.
The effects of gormone manipulations on aggressive target-biting in mice

Aggressive biting of an inanimate target by mice was studied. Males attacked the bite-target more frequently than females, but this difference disappeared after castration when the response rate of the males approached that of the females. Ovariectomizing the females had little effect on their bite-attack frequencies. Subsequent androgen injections restored the biting-attack frequency of the castrated males to preoperative levels but had little effect on the intact males. Estrogen had little effect on the response frequency of the females, whereas androgen produced a slight increase in their bite-attack frequency. Results indicate that androgen is critical for the maintenance of this aggressive response and that the single subject paradigm utilized in this study was a sensitive measure of aggressive tendencies in mice.
Hybrid Electric Vehicle Powertrain Controller Development Using Hardware in the Loop Simulation

It is a time and cost consuming way to physically develop Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) supervisor controller due to the increasing complexity of powertrain system. This study aims to investigate the HEV supervisor controller development process using dSPACE midsize Hardware in the Loop simulation system (HIL) for HEV powertrain control. The prototyping controller was developed on basis of MircoAutoBox II, and an HIL test bench was built on midsize HIL machine for the purpose of verification. The feasibility and capability of HIL were attested by the prototyping control strategy and fault modes simulation. The proposed approach was demonstrated its effectiveness and applicability to HEV supervisor controller development.
Quantitative capillary gas chromatographic analysis

The attainment of precise quatitative analytical data using open-tubular (capillary) columns in standard, commercially available gas chromatographic instrumentation is demonstrated. Key elements in the design and proper utilization of the instrumentation are discussed. The function of the various sample introduction systems is elaborated and their quantitative performance demonstrated. The extra-column contribution to band-spreading is determined and the resultant data is used assessing the suitability of commercial instrumentation for highspeed capillary gas chromatography. The quantitative analysis of a sample containing some eleven components in less than thirty seconds is shown.
Vertical restraints and horizontal control

This article considers vertical restraints in a setting in which duopoly retailers each sell more than one manufactured good. Vertical restraints by a dominant manufacturer enable the firm to acquire horizontal control over a competitively supplied retail good. The equilibrium contracts produce symptoms that are consistent with a variety of observed retail practices, including slotting fees paid to retailers by competitive suppliers, loss leadership, and predatory accommodation with below-cost manufacturer pricing for the dominant brand(s). Applications are developed for supermarket retailing, where the manufacturer of a national brand seeks to control the retail pricing of a supermarket’s private label, and for convenience stores, where a gasoline provider seeks to control the retail pricing of an in-store composite consumption good.
Immunological implications of a structural analysis of two different porcine IL1β proteins expressed in macrophages and embryos

IL1β is an important protein in vertebrates. It is a member of the cytokine protein family and is involved in generating an inflammatory response to infections. Researchers have found that there are two porcine IL1β proteins expressed - one in embryos and the other in macrophage and endometrial tissues. These two proteins have about 86% sequence identity. In this paper, we attempt to describe how these two proteins might differ structurally and functionally. We find that 1) A predicted binding site appears to have different side chain arrangements that might lead to different binding efficiencies for the same protein or even to different partners. 2) The Caspase 1 cleavage site in the precursor proteins differs in a way that has previously been experimentally determined to reduce the cleavage activity by one order of magnitude for the embryonic IL1β, conferring a significant advantage to the protein (embryonic IL1β).
THEORY AND MEASUREMENT OF VISUAL MECHANISMS : VIII. THE FORM OF THE FLICKER CONTOUR.

Flicker response curves (man) obtained with images formed entirely within the fovea are like those secured with lower animals having only one general class of retinal receptors. They are normal probability integrals (F vs. log I(m)), and the properties of their parameters agree with those for visually simplex animals and for the "cone" portions of contours exhibiting visual duplexity. By several different procedures, involving experimental modifications of the "cone" curve, the "rod" part of the typical human duplex curve can be obtained free from overlapping by the extrapolated "cone" curve. It then has the probability integral form which the lower segment does not directly exhibit when combined with "cone" effects. These results are discussed with reference to the statistical nature of the fundamental form of the flicker contour and to the interpretation of duplex curves produced by the neural integration of two independently modifiable groups of sensory effects.
European Reactions to the 2008 Georgian–Russian War: Assessing the Impact of Gas Dependence

Western observers and policymakers have voiced anxiety about Europe’s increasing dependence on Russian natural gas fueling Russian imperial ambitions. In 2008, speculation appeared to become reality, as war broke out between Russia and its post-Soviet, but Western-leaning neighbor, Georgia. But did a country’s dependence on Russian natural gas influence its politicians’ responses to the Georgian–Russian war? An analysis of the voting behavior in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe provides insight into conventional claims that a reliance on Russian energy dampens the willingness of European states to publicly criticize Russia.
Niacin Requirement of Turkey Poults Fed a Corn-Soybean Meal Diet from 1 to 21 Days of Age

Nicholas Large White turkey poults were used in three experiments to reevaluate the niacin requirement between 1 and 21 days of age. In Experiment 1, 384 turkey poults were assigned to six dietary treatments, 0, 5.5, 11.0, 22.0, 44.0, and 88 mg of supplemental niacin/kg basal diet. Eight replicates of eight birds/pen (equal numbers of male and female poults) were used per diet. In Experiment 2, 320 birds were assigned to the same dietary treatment as in the first experiment except for the 44.0-mg niacin treatment. In Experiment 3, 288 turkey poults were assigned to six dietary treatments, 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 mg of supplemental niacin/kg of feed. The basal diet with no added niacin was a corn-soybean meal diet calculated to contain 28.5% crude protein. The analyses of tryptophan were .35, .35, and .34%, and of niacin were 26, 26, and 23 mg/kg in the basal diets of Experiments 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Using the broken-line technique to determine the minimum niacin requirement for maximum body growth at 21 days of age, and taking into consideration the dietary supplemental niacin needed to prevent leg abnormalities, it was estimated that the minimum dietary niacin requirement for turkey poults from Day 1 to 21 days of age was 44 mg/kg of feed. Feed intake was maximized, and feed conversion was improved in a parallel fashion to growth. The incidence of leg disorders decreased in number and severity as supplemental niacin was increased in the diet.
A Semiempirical Method for Calculating Detector Efficiency as a Function of Distance

The assumption that the efficiency of a detector varies as the inverse square of the distance is valid only for a point source and a point detector in vacuum. To account for the finite size of the detector, we use the idea of an effective interaction center for that detector. The detector efficiency can then be described as varying with the inverse square of the distance between the source and the energy-dependent location of the effective interaction center. We present two simple expressions, one for the location of the effective interaction center and one for a normalization parameter. The expressions were obtained by a two-stage fitting procedure and are valid for gamma-ray energies between 60 keV and 2.615 MeV at distances of 10 cm or greater. The efficiencies so obtained agree with measurements to about 5%.
Distribution of alien plant species in relation to human disturbance on the Georgia Sea Islands

This study investigates the effects of human disturbance and environmental factors on the distribution of alien plant species on the Georgia Sea Islands (GSI), USA. We sampled the absolute cover of native and alien plant species on two tourist islands (St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island) and on two protected National Wildlife Refuge Islands (Blackbeard Island and Wassaw Island). On each island, vegetation composition and environmental variables (soil properties and salt spray) were measured in two habitats that differed substantially in their degree of environ- mental stress, the more exposed primary dune and the more sheltered and inland maritime forest. Sites were further stratified within each habitat into areas that had different levels of human dis- turbance. Many alien species were present on all islands and the absolute cover of alien species was not significantly different among islands even though they varied substantially in their degree of accessibility and overall land use. Alien plant cover was appreciably greater in severely disturbed sites than in less disturbed sites on all islands and within both habitats. However, the difference between disturbance categories was much less pronounced in the primary dunes where human disturbance agents do not mitigate the harsh environmental conditions of this habitat (salt spray and saline soils). Alien plant abundance on the GSI is evidently more dependent upon the availability of disturbed ground than the degree of accessibility or overall island development. It appears that human disturbance increases alien cover in general, but in environments where the stress levels are not mitigated, human disturbance does little to foster alien invasions.
Tuning fuzzy logic controllers using response envelope method

A fuzzy logic controller (FLC) is designed based on a human expert's knowledge of the process. The performance of this initial design attempt will, in general, not be satisfactory in terms of certain design criteria such as steady-state error, the oscillatory behavior of the system, etc. This is due to the fact that no standard method exists for transforming human knowledge or experience into the rule base of the FLC. In this paper, a method to tune the rule base of an initial FLC design attempt is presented. Results of four experiments are reported and discussed.
Polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor alpha and heat shock protein HSP70-2 genes and preterm premature rupture of the membranes in multifetal gestations

28 29 POLYMORPHISMS IN THE TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR ALPHA AND HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN HSP70-2 GENES AND PRETERM PREMATURE RUPTURE OF THE MEMBRANES IN MULTIFETAL GESTATIONS ROBIN B. KALISH, SANTOSH VARDHANA, SRIRAM C. PERNI, MERUKA GUPTA, STEVEN S. WITKIN, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York, NY OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) and polymorphisms in genes involved in pro-inflammatory immunity (TNF) and cell viability under conditions of stress (hsp70) in multifetal gestations. STUDY DESIGN: Buccal swabs from 101mother-neonate pairs ofmultifetal pregnancies were tested for nucleotide polymorphisms at position 308 of the TNF gene and position 1267 of the hsp70-2 gene. Pregnancy outcome data were subsequently obtained. RESULTS:Carriage of allele 2 of the TNF gene (TNF*2) by the firstborn was associated with PPROM. Fetus A carried TNF*2 in 37.0% of cases with PPROMas opposed to 9.0% without PPROM (P = .002; OR = 5.98, 95% CI = 1.7-22.1). Conversely, the first fetus was TNF*1-homozygous in 91.0% of cases without PPROM as opposed to 63.0% with PPROM (P = .002; OR = .17, 95%CI = .1-.6). Homozygous carriage of hsp70 allele 2 (HSP70*2) by the firstborn was also associated with PPROM. Fetus A was HSP70*2 homozygous in 23.1% of PPROM cases as opposed to 6.3% without PPROM (P = .06; OR = 4.43, 95% CI = .9721.3). There was no relation between TNF*2 or HSP70*2 carriage by the second fetus or the mother and PPROM. In pregnancies with PPROM, the firstborn was positive for both TNF*2 and HSP70*2 homozygosity in 15.4% as opposed to 0% of cases without PPROM (P = .006; OR = 24.32, 95% CI = 1.3-469.6). CONCLUSION: The rate of PPROM in multifetal pregnancies is related to carriage of the TNF*2 allele and/or HSP70*2 homozygosity in the firstborn. TNF*2 is associated with increased TNF production as compared to TNF*1. HSP70*2 homozygosity is associated with decreased messenger RNA levels compared to HSP70*1 homozygotes and heterozygotes. Hyper-TNF production by the fetus nearest the chorioamnion in response to stressful stimuli, coupled with a decreased level of protection against cell death due to reduced hsp70 production, may increase susceptibility to PPROM. Supported by NIH grant HD41676. Volume 189, Number 6 Am J Obstet Gynecol SMFM Abstracts S67
Transient Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Limonene Ozonolysis in Indoor Environments: Impacts of Air Exchange Rates and Initial Concentration Ratios

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) results from the oxidation of reactive organic gases (ROGs) and is an indoor particle source. The aerosol mass fraction (AMF), a.k.a. SOA yield, quantifies the SOA forming potential of ROGs and is the ratio of generated SOA to oxidized ROG. The AMF depends on the organic aerosol concentration, as well as the prevalence of later generation reactions. AMFs have been measured in unventilated chambers or steady-state flow through chambers. However, indoor settings have outdoor air exchange, and indoor SOA formation often occurs when ROGs are transiently emitted, for instance from emissions of cleaning products. Herein, we quantify "transient AMFs" from ozonolysis of pulse-emitted limonene in a ventilated chamber, for 18 experiments at low (0.28 h(-1)), moderate (0.53 h(-1)), and high (0.96 h(-1)) air exchange rates (AER) with varying initial ozone-limonene ratios. Transient AMFs increased with the amount of ROG reacted; AMFs also increased with decreasing AERs and increasing initial ozone-limonene ratios, which together likely promoted more ozone reactions with the remaining exocyclic bond of oxidized limonene products in the SOA phase. Knowing the AER and initial ozone-limonene ratio is crucial to predict indoor transient SOA behavior accurately.
POTENTIAL IMPORTANCE OF BENTHIC CYSTS OF GONYAULAX TAMARENSIS AND G. EXCAVATA IN INITIATING TOXIC DINOFLAGELLATE BLOOMS1,2,3

Thick-walled, nonmotile cysts (termed hypnocysts) of two dinoflagellates were isolated from estuarine sediments in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and germinated to produce their respective motile, thecate stages. Hypnocysts from Orleans district were identified as Gonyaulax excuvata (Braarud) Balech sensu Loeblich & Loeblich. Visually identical hypnocysts from Falmouth district were provisionally identified as Gonyaulax tamarensis Lebour. Both species were toxic. A geographic survey in September detected hypnocysts in only the sediments of locations where toxic blooms developed the preceding and following Spring. Laboratory incubation (16 C) of hypnocysts from sediment samples stored in the dark (5 C) for 6 mo initiated excystment by the temperature increase, with no appreciable effect from light regime, nutrient, or chelator concentrations. Motility of excysted germlings was optimum in highly chelated medium and in the presence of light. We conclude that hypnocysts of both tasa are important in seeding recurrent annual blooms, synchronizing early bloom development with vernal warning of seawater and increasing the geographic range of the species. We suggest that many red tides in New England and eastern Canadian waters are initiated through the displacement of motile estuarine populations into nearshore area by tidal advection and surface runoff, although the potential existence and importance of offshore cyst reservoirs cannot be discounted. Evidence is presented that hypnocysts are probable sexual zygotes whereas the thin-walled cysts readily formed in laboratory cultures (pellicle cyst) are asexual. Pellicle cysts are of limited durability, do not overwinter in nature, and therefore do not play a significant role in initiating toxic blooms.
Global stability and the restricted 3-body problem.

Global stability regions are found for class i orbits of the circular restricted three-body problem for primary masses equal and Jacobi constant K greater than 15.5. It is found that, this constant decreases, the stability region shrinks extremely rapidly.
Polyglot: automatic extraction of protocol message format using dynamic binary analysis

Protocol reverse engineering, the process of extracting the application-level protocol used by an implementation, without access to the protocol specification, is important for many network security applications. Recent work [17] has proposed protocol reverse engineering by using clustering on network traces. That kind of approach is limited by the lack of semantic information on network traces. In this paper we propose a new approach using program binaries. Our approach, shadowing, uses dynamic analysis and is based on a unique intuition - the way that an implementation of the protocol processes the received application data reveals a wealth of information about the protocol message format. We have implemented our approach in a system called Polyglot and evaluated it extensively using real-world implementations of five different protocols: DNS, HTTP, IRC, Samba and ICQ. We compare our results with the manually crafted message format, included in Wireshark, one of the state-of-the-art protocol analyzers. The differences we find are small and usually due to different implementations handling fields in different ways. Finding such differences between implementations is an added benefit, as they are important for problems such as fingerprint generation, fuzzing, and error detection.
Stimulation of positively and negatively reinforcing sites in the avian brain.

Abstract Self-stimulation of forebrain and midbrain sites has been demonstrated in pigeons. Depending on the location in the brain, scores may or may not be influenced by food deprivation. Other sites stimulated were neutral or negative in regard to motivation. Stimulation of one self-stimulation locus at a moderate intensity evoked attack by an otherwise passive pigeon on a dominant one.
Isolation and identification of a 23,000-dalton heparin binding fragment from the amino terminus of bovine thrombospondin.

Abstract Bovine freeze-thaw lysed platelets were fractionated by dextran sulfate affinity chromatography and a purified protein of 23,000 Da was subsequently obtained by G-75 gel filtration of the 0.5 m NaCl fraction. This protein had an amino terminal sequence of AsnArgIleProGluSerGlyGlyAspAsnSerValPhe AspIlePheGluLeuThrGlyAlaAlaTrpLys, a sequence identical to that reported for human thrombospondin. Thrombin-released platelets, fractionated in an identical manner, yielded a protein of 30,000 Da. Immunoblotting of purified bovine platelet thrombospondin and the 150,000- and 30,000-Da plasmin-generated thrombospondin fragments indicated that polyclonal antisera raised against the 23,000-Da protein cross-reacted with intact thrombospondin and the 30,000-Da fragment but not the 150,000-Da fragment. The 23,000-Da protein possessed weak heparin neutralization activity.
Piezoelectric cell growth sensor

We have developed a reusable piezoelectric sensor that enables rapid characterization of cell viability and response to cell-affecting agents. This is accomplished via a novel polymer transduction principle that involves reaction of a pH-sensitive amphoteric polymer with metabolically generated acid. Subsequent adhesion of the protonated polymer to the transducer surface causes a decrease in the sensor resonant frequency corresponding to the cell metabolic rate. This disclosure provides the first example of a piezoelectric sensor capable of detecting metabolic responses of viable cells. The sensor provides real-time measurement of cell metabolism and division rates, and antibiotic sensitivity. This technology provides the basis for an advanced piezoelectric sensor that does not require immobilized biological receptors and can be miniaturized without compromising signal-to-noise factors.
Keynote address: Making campuses safer communities for students

As a chief spokesperson for a national movement to prevent violence and a frequent speaker in national media and public forums, Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith is a nationally recognized public health leader. In 1987, she was appointed the first woman Commissioner of Public Health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In that role, she established the first Office of Violence Prevention in a state department of public health, expanded prevention programs for HIV/AIDS, and increased drug treatment and rehabilitation programs. Dr. Prothrow-Stith currently serves as Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Professor of Public Health Practice at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and founding director of the Division of Public Health Practice. Dr. Prothrow-Stith supports the application of rigorous scientific methods to strengthen violence prevention programs. She developed and wrote The Violence Prevention Curriculum for Adolescents, a forerunner of violence prevention curriculum for schools and commun...
Phytochemicals: nutraceuticals and human health.

Phytochemicals, as plant components with discrete bio-activities towards animal biochemistry and metabolism are being widely examined for their ability to provide health benefits. It is important to establish the scientific rationale to defend their use in foods, as potential nutritionally active ingredients. Phytochemicals could provide health benefits as: (1) substrates for biochemical reactions; (2) cofactors of enzymatic reactions; (3) inhibitors of enzymatic reactions; (4) absorbents/sequestrants that bind to and eliminate undesirable constituents in the intestine; (5) ligands that agonize or antagonize cell surface or intracellular receptors; (6) scavengers of reactive or toxic chemicals; (7) compounds that enhance the absorption and or stability of essential nutrients; (8) selective growth factors for beneficial gastrointestinal bacteria; (9) fermentation substrates for beneficial oral, gastric or intestinal bacteria; and (10) selective inhibitors of deleterious intestinal bacteria. Such phytochemicals include terpenoids, phenolics, alkaloids and fiber. Research supporting beneficial roles for phytochemicals against cancers, coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, microbial, viral and parasitic infections, psychotic diseases, spasmodic conditions, ulcers, etc is based on chemical mechanisms using in vitro and cell culture systems, various disease states in animals and epidemiology of humans. However, it must be emphasized that a distinction needs to be drawn between the types of information that can be obtained from studies in vitro, in animals and in humans. Mechanisms of action must certainly be established in vitro; however, the efficacy of these same ingredients with their mechanisms of action, must also be demonstrated in vivo. The rapid growth in the use of phytochemicals in nutraceutical and functional foods requires that the food and pharmaceutical industries face new challenges: in addressing worldwide public concern over the efficacy and safety of supplements and foods claimed to be health-promoting; in government regulations related to safety, labeling and health claims for products that contain phytochemicals; in the manufacturing of foods with different qualities and stabilities; and in marketing issues, particularly as they relate to consumers' recognizing added value. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry
Evidence that biphasic effects of basic fibroblast growth factor on 5-ene-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase activity in cultured immature Leydig cells are mediated by binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans

Abstract The present studies examined the effects of heparin, heparinases, insulin or insulin-like growth factor-I on basic fibroblast growth factor actions on 5-ene-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase activity of cultured immature rat Leydig cells. Treatment with basic fibroblast growth factor alone (0.025–20 ng/ml) for 2 days had a biphasic effect on enzyme activity, with lower concentrations (0.025–1 ng/ml) progressively inhibiting activity to ∼ 20% of control, while higher concentrations (2.5–20 ng/ml) partially reversed the inhibitive effects. The inclusion of 10μg/ml heparin, a concentration reported to inhibit growth factor binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans, blocked the increase in enzyme activity elicited by higher growth factor concentrations, but had no effect on the progressive decline in activity due to lower concentrations. Concomitant treatment with heparinase I and III, which specifically hydrolyze heparan sulfate proteoglycans, had a similar effect. In addition, both insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I partially reversed the inhibition of enzyme activity due to treatment with 1 ng/ml basic fibroblast growth factor. These studies suggest that some basic fibroblast growth factor actions on cultured immature Leydig cells are mediated by binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans, and that both insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I can reverse the inhibitive effects on 5-ene-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-isomerase activity.
Acute respiratory failure due to pneumocystis pneumonia in patients without human immunodeficiency virus infection: outcome and associated features.

Objective To examine outcome and associated factors of acute respiratory failure (ARF) in non–HIV-related Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in patients admitted to a medical ICU between 1995 and 2002 Design A retrospective review of medical records and an APACHE (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) III database Setting Academic tertiary medical center Results We identified 30 patients with non–HIV-related PCP and ARF. In-hospital, 6-month, and 1-year mortality rates were 67%, 77%, and 80%, respectively. Median age was 63.5 years. Median APACHE III score on day 1 was 65.5. Median ICU and hospital lengths of stay were 13 days and 21 days, respectively. All seven patients having a pneumothorax died. All but one patient had an elevated lactate dehydrogenase level (median, 563 U/L). The diagnosis was made using BAL in 28 patients and by transbronchial biopsy in the remaining 2 patients. All patients were immunosuppressed (eight were receiving corticosteroids, seven were receiving chemotherapy, and the remainder received both). Median immunosuppressive prednisone-equivalent dose was 40 mg (median length of treatment, 4.5 months). Not a single patient received PCP prophylaxis. All but one patient required intubation and invasive positive pressure ventilation (PPV). Hospital mortality was associated with high APACHE III scores on day 1 (p = 0.05), intubation delay (p = 0.03), length of PPV (p = 0.003), and development of pneumothorax (p = 0.033). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that association of intubation delay with hospital mortality persisted after adjusting for severity of illness (p = 0.03) Conclusions Among patients with ARF secondary to non–HIV-related PCP, poor prognostic factors include high APACHE III scores, intubation delay, longer duration of PPV, and development of pneumothorax. None of the patients in this series received PCP prophylaxis prior to the development of pneumonia
Light Rail Cost Functions and Technical Inefficiency

Light rail operating costs vary with a system's scale of operations, traffic density, vehicle and passenger outputs, and input prices. Previous attempts at estimating these cost relationships have been hampered by inadequate data and methodologies that restrict their functional forms, limit their output measures, omit factor prices, and fail to account for technical inefficiencies. With more data now available from an increased number of systems operating during longer time periods, new cost specifications that improve the precision and reduce the bias of cost estimates can be estimated. Here, light rail cost functions are estimated with 1994 to 2005 data for 21 U.S. light rail systems. The cost functions relate operating and maintenance costs to passenger and vehicle outputs, input prices, route densities, vehicle capacities, and latent cost inefficiencies. Four estimation methods are used: (a) iterative seemingly unrelated regression, (b) least-squares dummy variable, (c) maximum likelihood stochastic f...
Temporal variations of natural soil salinity in an arid environment using satellite images

Abstract In many remote arid areas the scarce amount of conventional soil salinity data precludes detailed analyses of salinity variations for the purpose of predicting its impact on agricultural production. A tool that is an appropriate surrogate for on-ground testing in determining temporal variations of soil salinity is Landsat satellite data. In this study six Landsat scenes over El Cuervo, a closed basin adjacent to the middle Rio Conchos basin in northern Mexico, were used to show temporal variation of natural salts from 1986 to 2005. Natural salts were inferred from ground reference data and spectral responses. Transformations used were Tasseled Cap, Principal Components and several (band) ratios. Classification of each scene was performed from the development of Regions Of Interest derived from geochemical data collected by SGM, spectral responses derived from ENVI software, and a small amount of field data collected by the authors. The resultant land cover classes showed a relationship between climatic drought and areal coverage of natural salts. When little precipitation occurred three months prior to the capture of the Landsat scene, approximately 15%–20% of the area was classified as salt. This is compared to practically no classified salt in the wetter years of 1992 and 2005 Landsat scenes.
Homologated aza analogs of arabinose as antimycobacterial agents

A series of hydrolytically-stable aza analogs of arabinofuranose was prepared and evaluated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. avium. The compounds were designed to mimic the putative arabinose donor involved in biogenesis of the essential cell wall polysaccharide, arabinogalactan. Though most compounds displayed little activity in cell culture, one compound showed significant activity in infected macrophage models.
The acute-phase response protects mice from D-galactosamine sensitization to endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor-α

D-Galactosamine is an hepatocyte-specific inhibitor of RNA synthesis. It has been used to sensitize animals both to the lethal effects of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) and to a principal lipopolysaccharide-induced mediator of shock, tumor necrosis factor-alpha. The mechanism by which this sensitization occurs is unknown. Because lipopolysaccharide, acting through a network of cytokines, provokes the transcription of a number of hepatic acute-phase proteins, we postulated that the lipopolysaccharide-sensitizing effect of D-galactosamine could be caused by its inhibition of acute-phase product transcription. We confirmed that the acute-phase response to lipopolysaccharide was attenuated by simultaneous administration of D-galactosamine. However, when the acute-phase response was induced by subcutaneous turpentine 24 hr before D-galactosamine administration, the effect of D-galactosamine on circulating acute-phase reactants was negligible. Furthermore, induction of an a priori acute-phase response protected mice from both D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide and D-galactosamine/tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced death. The turpentine-induced acute-phase response did not decrease endogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha production after lipopolysaccharide, nor did it affect the clearance of larger doses of injected tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Thus we suggest that the acute-phase response protects against death in D-galactosamine-sensitized mice through an interaction with mediators of shock subsequent to tumor necrosis factor-alpha release.
Graduating High School in a Recession: Work, Education, and Home Production

This paper explores how high school graduate men and women vary in their behavioral responses to beginning labor market entry during a recession. In contrast with previous related literature that found a substantial negative wage impact but minimal employment impact in samples of highly educated men, the empirical evidence presented here suggests a different outcome for the less well educated, and between the sexes. Women, but not men, who graduate high school in an adverse labor market are less likely to be in the workforce for the next four years, but longer-term effects are minimal. Further, while men increase their enrollment as a short-run response to weak labor demand, women do not; instead, they appear to temporarily substitute into home production. Women’s wages are less affected then men’s, and both groups’ wages are less affected than the college graduates previously studied.
In vitro inhibition of cholesterol uptake in human and animal arteries by 7-ketocholesterol.

Abstract Human and pig coronary arteries and rabbit aortas were perfused with pulsatile pressure in a modified Lindbergh apparatus with blood plasma obtained from the same species. Uptake of cholesterol by the arterial wall was measured using [3H]-cholesterol as tracer. Percent distribution of synthesized lipid fractions was determined by thin-layer chromatography and liquid scintillation counting. Inhibition of cholesterol uptake by the arterial wall was studied by the addition of 7-ketocholesterol (concentrations of from 0.05 to 1 μmoles/ml in the perfusate). The addition of 7-ketocholesterol to the perfusate reduced cholesterol uptake by the vessel by an average of 90%. At concentrations of from 0.1 to 1 μmoles/ml of perfusate, 7-ketocholesterol inhibition remained unchanged. Inhibition was reduced at concentrations of ketocholesterol of 0.05 μmoles/ml. Inhibition was present in all species, and was not due to oxidation of cholesterol to 7-ketocholesterol in the perfusate. The results suggest inhibition of cholesterol uptake in the arterial wall by a competitive process.
Methacryloyl and/or Hydroxyl End-Functional Star Polymers Synthesized by ATRP Using the Arm-First Method

Star polymers with methacryloyl groups at the chain ends were synthesized by esterification of hydroxyl end-functional star polymers. First, the linear hetero-telechelic macroinitiator (MI) was prepared by ATRP using a functional initiator. The obtained MI was chain-extended and cross-linked with DVB and then esterified into methacryloyl chain-end functionality. The degree of esterification was controlled by changing the initial molar ratios of methacryloyl chloride to hydroxyl groups. The methacryloyl-containing star polymers were cross-linked either intermolecularly or intramolecularly under heating or UV irradiations, depending on the concentrations of star polymers during the cross-linking reactions.