cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Interactions of Amplitude and Phonetic Quality in Esophageal Speech

Levels of isolated vowels and the influence of consonant environment on vowel level were determined for three esophageal speakers and three normal speakers. Twenty lists of isolated vowels and diph...
Applicability of Multiple Matrix Sampling to Estimating Effectiveness of Educational Programs.

Abstract When evaluating the effectiveness of an educational program, a sampling strategy known as “multiple matrix sampling” is particularly effective and efficient when the goal of the evaluation is estimating group (as opposed to individual) performance. Although this technique involves sampling both program participants and items and, subsequently, different participants being assessed over different sets of items, the results may be used to estimate those which would have been obtained had all participants been administered all items. The technique is here described in some detail, with advantages and disadvantages discussed, and examples of its application are given.
An axiomatic characterization of the Theil measure of income inequality

Abstract This paper provides a characterization of a frequently used measure of income inequality. It has been known for some time that the Theil measure of income inequality (1) is consistent with the Lorenz criterion, when it applies, and (2) exhibits a simple and empricically useful decomposition by population subgroup into within-group and between-group terms. The major theorem establishes the converse: the decomposability property defines the Theil measure uniquely (up to a positive multiple) among all Lorenz-consistent measures.
Statistical estimation of railroad congestion delay

Abstract This research identifies factors that are the major contributors to freight rail congestion using statistical analysis. Total train running time is predicted based on free running time predictors (horsepower per ton, track topography and slow orders) and congestion-related factors (meets, passes, overtakes, prior time periods’ train counts, total train hours, train spacing variability, and train departure headway). Primary congestion predictive factors (meets, passes, overtakes) are consistently found to have the largest effect on congestion delay. The predictive equations are used to forecast average monthly train running time with a 4.6% mean absolute percent error.
The effect of the cryoprotectants, dimethylsulfoxide and glycerol on water transport in the human red blood cell.

Abstract The response of human red blood cells to the cryoprotective agents, DMSO and glycerol, has been investigated using a pulsed NMR method. The experimentally determined parameters are: (1) the intracellular transverse relaxation time, T 2a ; (2) the mean residence time of intracellular water, τ a , which is effectively a reciprocal measure of the rate of water transport across the red blood cell membrane; and (3) the activation energy for this process. The quantitative data indicate that the observed effects are colligative rather than species-specific in origin.
Posterior disc displacement in the temporomandibular joint.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the imaging characteristics of posterior disc displacement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Materials and Methods: The study was based on 35 joints with posterior disc displacement and a control material of bilateral TMJ images of 62 healthy volunteers. The images were analyzed, and criteria for posterior disc displacement were developed. Results: Posterior disc displacement was characterized by the disc or a major part of the disc being located posterior to the superior prominence of the condyle. Three subcategories of posterior disc displacement could be identified: a thin flat disc, a grossly posteriorly displaced disc, and a perforated disc with a portion of the disc displaced posteriorly. Posterior disc displacement was not seen in any of the asymptomatic volunteers. Conclusion: Posterior disc displacement of the TMJ is rare but has probably been overlooked in the past because of a lack of well-defined imaging characteristics.
Improved Flash X-Ray Simulation Using the Grad-B Interaction

A new concept for improving the simulation capabilities of flash x-ray sources has been analyzed. The method makes use of adiabatic, single-particle drift in externally applied azimuthal magnetic fields in order to focus, reflex, and stagnate a relativistic electron beam at a converter foil. It yields higher extraction efficiencies and softer spectra than those obtained from more conventional schemes. Power deposition in standard dosimetry is enhanced by factors of 2 to 3. Additional enhancement of time-dependent effects may be achieved through bunching.
Economic Nationalism, The Left and the World Economy

This paper argues that the adoption of ad hoc protectionist politics by the trade union leadership fails to address effectively the issues of job loss and managerial control of production. Instead, protectionist policies actually weaken trade union power in both the short term and long term.The essay proposes an alternative strategy. It is possible for labor to demand protection against the anarchy of accumulation while avoiding demobilizing alliances with the corporate world. If full employment policies require trade and capital controls, then protectionism should be supported, but only in the context of the actual implementation of those proworker macroeconomic policies.
Goat and sheep milk products in the United States (USA)

Goat and sheep milk represent only about 0.08% of the total annual milk production in the USA. Currently about 24% of the goat milk is used for fluid consumption. Approximately 75% of goat milk and 95% of the sheep milk produced is used in the production of cheeses. Predictive cheese yield formulas have been developed for both goat and sheep milk. To avoid competition from imported goat and sheep milk cheeses, U.S. processors are concentrating on production of specialty and artisanal cheeses. With a continued emphasis on the special qualities of goat and sheep milk, the market for goat and sheep milk products in the USA should continue to grow.
Random walks, cointegration, and the transmission of shocks across global real estate and equity markets

This article presents tests of the random walk hypothesis for the U.S. and world commercial real estate markets along with the world stock market through utilizing appropriate market indices. The augmented Dickey-Fuller and Phillips-Perron unit root tests and Cochrane variance ratio test find each of these markets to exhibit random walk behavior. In addition, Johansen-Juselius cointegration tests reveal that the three markets are not cointegrated. The vector autoregressive model shows little or no predictive power in explaining the variation in monthly returns. The generalized impulse response functions suggest that shocks stemming from one market are quickly disseminated to the other markets within two months. (JEL G14, G15)
Peer review and secrecy in the “Information Age”

The subject of peer review has come under increased scrutiny partially due to high profile cases of fraud and other misinformation appearing in academic journals. At the same time, new publishing technologies have made it possible to experiment with new forms of peer review, while the “Open Archives Initiative” has the potential to allow authors to bypass the traditional peer review process entirely. In this paper, I examine some rationales given for the need for secrecy in peer review, especially as it relates to the perceived need for anonymity on the part of reviewers and sometimes even authors. I will propose a basic framework for secrecy and transparency as it relates to the peer review process of academic journals.
Palliative or Hospice Care? Understanding the Similarities and Differences

With advances in health care and medical technology, the focus of medical care has been on curing. As people live longer, the possibility of experiencing chronic and life-limiting disease not only increases but also spurs the ethical question "Is length of life or quality of life most important?" Palliative care may be confused with hospice care, as both focus on symptom management and improved quality of life for those with chronic life-limiting disease. A better understanding of each healthcare option is needed for appropriate and timely patient referral. The purpose of this article is to identify the similarities and differences between these two options, clarify when referral is appropriate for hospice or palliative care services, and discuss the nurse's role in caring for patients with chronic disease.
Nonsolvent water in liposomes

In liposomes of dimyristoyl lecithin at 40°C, a quantity of water equal to about 11.5 moles water per mole lecithin, or about one-third of the enclosed liposome water or one-fifth of the total pellet water, behaves as if it is unavailable for dissolving sucrose. This phenomenon represents permanent exclusion of sucrose, not simply a space that equilibrates slowly due to the low permeability of sucrose. The amount of nonsolvent water increases with temperature, and is similar to the amount of water bound to the phosphorylcholine groups as estimated by other methods. Nonsolvent water arises from a combination of the forces responsible for “salting-out” of nonelectrolytes from aqueous solutions by ions, and of steric effects adjacent to a surface. Measured liposome: water partition coeffecients must be corrected for the effect of nonsolvent water.
Chartocerus sp. (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae) and Pachyneuron crassiculme (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) are Obligate Hyperparasitoids of Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Possibly Tamarixia radiata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Abstract Two species of suspected hyperparasitoids, Chartocerus sp. and Pachyneuron crassiculme, emerged from parasitized Diaphorina citri nymphs collected in Punjab Pakistan over 15-22 Apr 2013. Exposure tests conducted in quarantine on D. citri nymphs parasitized by Tamarixia radiata and Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis, as well as unparasitized D. citri nymphs, confirmed that Chartocerus sp. and P. crassiculme are hyperparasitoids. Both Chartocerus sp. and P. crassiculme successfully reproduced on D. aligarhensis, with one instance of P. crassiculme reproducing on T. radiata. There was no emergence from unparasitized D. citri.
Validity of the linear mixing rule for strongly coupled ionic fluids

Monte Carlo simulations have given a precise equation of state for the classical One Component Plasma (OCP) for point charges Z in a uniform background for both the strongly coupled fluid and crystalline phases. The corresponding MC simulations of binary ionic mixtures in a uniform background, Z 1 and 2 2 at densities n 1 and n 2 have indicated that the equation of state of the mixture is given to remarkable accuracy by the linear mixing rule. We have performed a long series of MC studies on mixtures of Z 1 = 1, Z 2 = 2, 3, and 5 to obtain the very small deviations from linear mixing. The results allow us to obtain an equation of state for mixtures of accuracy comparable to that of the OCP, and to confirm the validity of the spindle shaped phase diagram.
A prospective evaluation of computerized tomographic (CT) scanning as a screening modality for esophageal varices.

Patients with cirrhosis require endoscopic screening for large esophageal varices. The aims of this study were to determine the cost-effectiveness and patient preferences of a strategy employing abdominal computerized tomography (CT) as the initial screening test for identifying large esophageal varices. In a prospective evaluation,102 patients underwent both CT and endoscopic screening for gastroesophageal varices. Two radiologists read each CT independently; standard upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was the reference standard. Agreement between radiologists, and between endoscopists regarding size of varices was determined using kappa statistic. Cost-effectiveness analysis was performed to determine the optimal screening strategy for varices. Patient preference was assessed by questionnaire. CT was found to have approximately 90% sensitivity in the identification of esophageal varices determined to be large on endoscopy, but only about 50% specificity. The sensitivity of CT in detecting gastric varices was 87%. In addition, a significant number of gastric varices, peri-esophageal varices, and extraluminal pathology were identified by CT that were not identified by endoscopy. Patients overwhelmingly preferred CT over endoscopy. Agreement between radiologists was good regarding the size of varices (Kappa = 0.56), and exceeded agreement between endoscopists (Kappa = 0.36). Use of CT as the initial screening modality for the detection of varices was significantly more cost-effective compared to endoscopy irrespective of the prevalence of large varices. Conclusion: Abdominal CT as the initial screening test for varices could be cost-effective. CT also permits evaluation of extra-luminal pathology that impacts management. (HEPATOLOGY 2008.)
The retrograde intraaxonal transport of horseradish peroxidase in the chick visual system: a light and electron microscopic study.

Retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) from the region of retinal genglion cell axon terminals back to the cell bodies has been studied by light and electron microscopy. After injection of HRP into the chick optic tectum, it was taken up by axon terminals and unmyelinated axons as well as by other processes and cell bodies of the outer tectal layers. Subsequently the HRP was obseved in vesicles, multivesicular bodies, cup-shaped organelles and small tubules within axons in the stratum opticum, optic tract, optic nerve and optic fiber layer of the retina with accumulation in the retinal ganglion cell bodies. Pinocytosis of extracellular HRP along the axon shaft was rare. After a short postinjection interval, HRP was found in organelles within the axons of the optic nerve but not in the extracellular spaces. After larger injections or longer postinjection intervals, extracellular HRP diffused from the injection site to the back of the eye, but none was found in the extracellular spaces of the retina; ganglion cells were the only cells of the retina which contained HRP product. HRP disappeared from the cell bodies 3–4 days after transport. These findings suport the concept of intraaxonal retrograde movement of HRP. Within axons the vesicles carrying HRP frequently were partially or completely surrounded by a regualr array of microtubules. Doses of colchicine greater than 5–10 µ/eye administered 4 days before tectal injection of HRP interfered with the uptake and/or transport of HRP. HRP also moved in an anterograde direction in membrane-bound vesicles within the ganglion cell axons, although apparently more slowly and in smaller quantities than in the retrograde direction. The localization of HRP in neurons of the isthmo-optic nucleus following intravitreal injections has also been studied. The marker enzyme was found in neuronal cell bodies 4 hours after injection, indicating a rate of retrograde transport of at least 84 mm/day in these neurons.
A hierarchical two-tier one-way hash chain protocol for secure internet transactions

One-way hash chains are a popular cryptographic technique used in many security applications. In this paper, we present a two-tier one-way hash chain (TTOHC) protocol to secure cookie-based Internet transactions. The use of cookies as a cheaper alternative to secure Internet sessions is extremely dangerous since session cookies can be easily sniffed out resulting in session hijacking. By utilizing different cryptographic hash functions arranged in two tiers, our hierarchical TTOHC protocol gives significant performance improvement over previously proposed solutions for securing Internet cookies. A detailed Java testbed has been used to evaluate alternative configurations for the hierarchical scheme and investigate the optimal set up of the two tiers. Detailed performance results obtained from this testbed are presented and analyzed.
The Arabidopsis immutans Mutation Affects Plastid Differentiation and the Morphogenesis of White and Green Sectors in Variegated Plants

The immutans (im) variegation mutant of Arabidopsis has green and white leaf sectors due to the action of a nuclear recessive gene, IMMUTANS (IM). This gene encodes the IM protein, which is a chloroplast homolog of the mitochondrial alternative oxidase. Because the white sectors of im accumulate the noncolored carotenoid, phytoene, IM likely serves as a redox component in phytoene desaturation. In this paper, we show that IM has a global impact on plant growth and development and is required for the differentiation of multiple plastid types, including chloroplasts, amyloplasts, and etioplasts. IM promoter activity and IM mRNAs are also expressed ubiquitously in Arabidopsis. IM transcript levels correlate with carotenoid accumulation in some, but not all, tissues. This suggests that IM function is not limited to carotenogenesis. Leaf anatomy is radically altered in the green and white sectors of im: Mesophyll cell sizes are dramatically enlarged in the green sectors and palisade cells fail to expand in the white sectors. The green im sectors also have significantly higher than normal rates of O(2) evolution and elevated chlorophyll a/b ratios, typical of those found in "sun" leaves. We conclude that the changes in structure and photosynthetic function of the green leaf sectors are part of an adaptive mechanism that attempts to compensate for a lack of photosynthesis in the white leaf sectors, while maximizing the ability of the plant to avoid photodamage.
The Genetics of the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Receptor: History and Relevance

Background: The thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) is the key regulator of thyrocyte function. The gene for the TSHR on chromosome 14q31 has been implicated as coding for the major autoant...
Teacher candidates’ views of a multi‐user virtual environment (MUVE)

Multi‐user virtual environments (MUVEs) are new to formal educational settings as teaching and learning tools but are growing in popularity. MUVEs simulate real‐world problems. They have an ability...
Ground-based camera experience with NICMOS arrays

Several cameras employing NICMOS2 (128 X 128) and NICMOS3 (256 X 256) arrays have been used in diverse applications on ground-based telescopes. Such use of arrays provides many insights to their performance that are not usually obtained in laboratory tests, and provides a baseline of performance over repeated thermal cycles. Astronomical use of these arrays also involves extracting accurate photometric information and detection of sources in spite of high background levels. The NICMOS arrays have proven very capable as astronomical imagers.
Room-Temperature Conversion of Soybean Oil and Poultry Fat to Biodiesel Catalyzed by Nanocrystalline Calcium Oxides

A promising route for the production of biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters, FAMES) via transesterification of soybean oil (SBO) and poultry fat with methanol in quantitative conversions at room temperature has been developed using nanocrystalline calcium oxides as catalysts. Under the same conditions, laboratory-grade CaO gave only 2% conversion in the case of SBO, and there was no observable reaction with poultry fat. The soybean oil/methanol ratio in our protocol is 1:27. With our most active catalyst, deactivation was observed after eight cycles with SBO and after three cycles with poultry fat. Deactivation may be associated with one or more of the following factors: the presence of organic impurities or adventitious moisture and enolate formation by the deprotonation of the carbon alpha to the carboxy group in the triglyceride or FAMES. The biodiesel from our protocol meets the ASTM D-874 standard for sulfated ash for both substrates.
DASI: a Degree Angular Scale Interferometer for imaging anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background

The Degree Angular Scale Interferometer (DASI) is a compact cm-wave interferometer designed to image anisotropy in the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and to measure its angular power spectrum. The power spectrum will be densely sampled over the l range 160 to 710, corresponding to angular scales of 0.25 to 1.15 degrees. DASI consists of 13 elements. Each element consists of a 20-cm diameter lensed corrugated horn followed by a cooled low-noise HEMT amplifier operating from 26 - 36 GHz. All elements are mounted on a single alt-az mount, which fixes the projected baselines and obviates an IF tracking delay. The mount also includes rotation of the aperture plane along the line of sight to improve the u, v coverage and the control of instrumental systematics. The 10 GHz IF bandwidth will be correlated in 1 GHz bands to provide spectral index information. The instrument is scheduled to be completed in Summer 1998. After extensive testing it will be deployed at the South Pole for year-round operation starting in November 1999.
Synthesis and antimicrotubule activity of combretatropone derivatives

Abstract Combretatropone is a hybrid of combretastatin and colchicine in which the o -methoxyphenol of dihydrocombretastatin A-4 is replaced by an α-methoxytropone. Derivatives of combretatropone have been synthesized and evaluated for antimicrotubule activity. All combretatropones were less active than the corresponding colchicine derivatives, supporting the idea that loss of ligand conformational entropy upon tubulin binding results in decreased potency for colchicinoid ligands. The structure–activity relationship of the combretatropone series was different than that of the colchicine series. These data indicate that conformationally mobile and conformationally rigid colchicinoids do not interact with the receptor site in the same manner.
Respiratory function after cervical cordotomy.

The effect of percutaneous cervical cordotomy on respiratory function was evaluated in 143 patients after unilateral cordotomy and in 37 patients after a bilateral procedure. Cervical cordotomy resulted in a reduction of FVC, MBC, minute ventilation and tidal volume, breathing both air and 5 percent CO2, an increase in respiratory rate and a more irregular breathing pattern. These changes were greater following bilateral cordotomy than after a unilateral procedure, and were greater in patients who obtained a high level of analgesia. The impairment of motor function, indicated by the reduction of FVC and MBC, has been previously ascribed to section of efferent pathways to the phrenic nerve nuclei. The disturbance of respiratory control mechanisms indicated by hypoventilation, diminished CO2 response and irregular breathing could not be explained by the reduction of motor function. On the other hand, the similarity of these changes to those seen with lesions of the lateral reticular formation, suggests that the disordered control mechanism following cordotomy is probably due to ablation of reticular formation tracts. Although it remains to be shown whether these are afferent or efferent pathways, the effect of cordotomy is consistent with deafferentation of the reticular formation.
A hybrid wavelet-Kalman filter method for load forecasting

Abstract This paper presents a wavelet transform method for load forecasting. The stochastic nature of the wavelet coefficients for the daily load variation is studied by the decomposition scheme of multiresolution analysis (MRA). The study indicates that the stochastic process of the wavelet coefficients can be modeled as a random walk process. Therefore, the wavelet coefficients are modeled as the state variables of Kalman filters. The best estimation of the wavelet coefficients is obtained by the recursive Kalman filter algorithm. The predicted daily load is the inverse of the predicted wavelet coefficients. Based on the above procedure, two models (weather insensitive and sensitive models) are presented in this paper. Results from an actual system are also presented.
Activated Human Plasma Carboxypeptidase B Is Retained in the Blood by Binding to α2-Macroglobulin and Pregnancy Zone Protein

Abstract A 66-kDa glycosylated carboxypeptidase, plasma pro-carboxypeptidase B (pro-plasma CPB), has recently been identified in human blood (Eaton, D. L., Malloy, B. E., Tsai, S. P., Henzel, W., and Drayna, D. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 21833-21838). The pro-enzyme binds to plasminogen and the active enzyme is specific for COOH-terminal Lys or Arg residues. These properties implicate a role in the fibrinolytic or coagulation system. However, we show that the molecular mass of the active plasma CPB is approximately 36 kDa, which is below the glomerular filtration limit. Since activated plasma CPB no longer binds plasminogen, the active enzyme may not be retained in the circulation. To investigate this, we performed plasma elimination studies in mice which showed that 125I-plasma CPB remains in the circulation despite its small size. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of blood samples removed from the mice revealed that plasma CPB migrated as a high molecular weight band. Similar bands were observed in vitro when 125I-plasma CPB was added to plasma from humans and other species. The plasma CPB-binding proteins were purified from human plasma and identified as α2-macroglobulin (α2M) and pregnancy zone protein. Only the active enzyme bound to the two α-macroglobulins, and the interaction was specific for α2M in its native conformation, but not its receptor recognized forms. The complex between human α2M and plasma CPB dissociated during SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transverse urea gel electrophoresis suggesting that the interaction was noncovalent and depended on the tertiary structure of the native α2M molecule. The catalytic activity of plasma CPB was not significantly affected by its binding to α2M. The specific binding of plasma CPB to α-macroglobulins suggest that these proteins may function as a “shuttle” in vivo to modulate the clearance of plasma CPB from the circulatory system.
Altered Strand Transfer Activity of a Multiple-Drug-Resistant Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase Mutant with a Dipeptide Fingers Domain Insertion

Abstract Prolonged highly active anti-retroviral therapy with multiple nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors for the treatment of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can induce the development of an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) harboring a dipeptide insertion at the RT fingers domain with a background thymidine analog mutation. This mutation renders viral resistance to multiple nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. We investigated the effect of the dipeptide fingers domain insertion mutation on strand transfer activity using two clinical RT variants isolated during the pre-treatment and post-treatment of an infected patient, termed pre-drug RT without dipeptide insertion and post-drug RT with Ser-Gly insertion, respectively. First, the post-drug RT displayed elevated strand transfer activity compared to the pre-drug RT, with two different RNA templates. Second, the post-drug RT exhibited less RNA template degradation than the pre-drug RT but higher polymerization-dependent RNase H activity. Third, the post-drug RT had a faster association rate (kon) for template binding and a lower equilibrium binding constant Kd for the template, leading to a template binding affinity tighter than that of the pre-drug RT. The koff values for the pre-drug RT and the post-drug RT were similar. Finally, the removal of the dipeptide insertion from the post-drug RT abolished the elevated strand transfer activity and RNase H activity, in addition to the loss of azidothymidine resistance. These biochemical data suggest that the dipeptide insertion elevates strand transfer activity by increasing the interaction of the RT with the RNA donor template, promoting cleavage that generates more invasion sites for the acceptor template during DNA synthesis.
CHROMIZING-ALUMINIZING AND CHROMIZING-SILICONIZING COATING OF A FERRITIC STEEL

Simultaneous deposition of Cr-Al and Cr-Si as diffusion coatings for ferritic steel (Fe-12Cr) substrate have been carried out using the pack cementation method. A computer-assisted thermodynamic study of the equilibrium vapor pressures of volatile halide species formed by the pack components was performed. The simultaneous codeposition of Cr with Al is thermodynamically possible for chloride-activated packs when the activity of Al is about three orders of magnitude lower than the chromium activity ; for Si-Cr codeposition, the activity of Si must be approximately one order of magnitude lower than that for Cr. The experimental tests of the theory agree reasonably with the predictions, and the resulting coatings promise an improvement in resistance to oxidation and corrosion. The simultaneous addition of Ti as an active element to improve oxide-scale adhesion is demonstrated for a Ti-doped Cr-Al coating.
An application of dynamic linear models for predicting warranty claims

Abstract Extended warranty claims on consumer products can amount to 10–30% of product costs. The need for accurate forecasts of warranty claims over the term of the warranty is apparent. Current models for forecasting warranty claims utilize time-in-service, or actual product usage figures as the predictor in a linear regression model. At the beginning of the model year, this approach can lead to significant forecast error, as early trends are extrapolated out into the future. Prior model year data is much more mature, and as such, its incorporation into the forecast model can be very useful if there have not been significant changes in the manufacturing process or warranty policy. In particular, “autoregressive” approaches, wherein the regressor which is employed is prior model year failure data, can be very effective for predicting trends which are observed in the current model year. In this paper, both forecast approaches are incorporated into a unifying, linear statistical model. It is shown that the estimators based upon this model are equivalent to Kalman-filter smoothed estimates. Furthermore, it is shown that the Kalman-filter model estimates are a composite of the two regression model approaches. Several techniques are introduced which can be used to estimate the variance structure of the random error terms. In one approach, weighting factors, Kt, are used, whose value is determined based upon the input of expert opinion, to adjust the weights given to the treatment of prior model year data.
Markets, Technology, and the Structure of Enterprise in the Development of the Eleventh-Century Chinese Iron and Steel Industry

From about 750 to 1100, China experienced a series of economic changes roughly comparable to the subsequent patterns of European growth from the Crusades to the eve of the French Revolution. The spread in the use of money, development of new credit and fiscal institutions, increase in interregional and international trade, and colonization of hitherto marginal land which took place in the Occident during the half millennium preceding the Reformation was paralleled by an earlier era of progress in East Asia during the two-hundred-fifty years from the rebellion of An Lu-shan (755) to the treaty of Shan-yuan 1004). And the achievements of late sixteenthand early seventeenth-century England, which John Nef terms an “early industrial revolution,” were in many respects even exceeded by the impressive expansion of mining and manufacturing in eleventh-century China.
Identification of human telomeric repeat motifs at the genome termini of human herpesvirus 7: structural analysis and heterogeneity.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and HHV-7 are closely related T-lymphotropic betaherpesviruses which share a common genomic organization and are composed of a single unique component (U) that is bounded by direct repeats (DRL and DRR). In HHV-6, a sequences have been identified at each end of the DR motifs, resulting in the arrangement aDRLa-U-aDRRa. In order to determine whether determine whether HHV-7 contains similar a sequences, we have sequenced the DRL-U and U-DRR junctions of HHV-7 strain JI, together with the DRR.DRL junction from the head-to-tail concatamer that is generated during productive virus infection. In addition, we have sequenced the genomic termini of an independent isolate of HHV-7. As in HHV-6, a (GGGTTA)n motif identical to the human telomeric repeat sequence (TRS) was identified adjacent to, but not at, the genome termini of HHV-7. The left genome terminus and the U-DRR junction contained a homolog of the consensus herpesvirus packaging signal, pac-1, followed by short tandem arrays of TRSs separated by single copies of a second 6-bp repeat. This organization is similar to the arrangement found at U-DRR in HHV-6 but differs from it in that the TRS arrays are considerably shorter in HHV-7. The right genome terminus and the DRL-U junction contained a homolog of the consensus herpesvirus packaging signal, pac-2, followed by longer tandem arrays of TRSs separated by single copies of either a 6-bp or a 14-bp repeat. This arrangement is considerably more complex than the simple tandem array of TRSs that is present at the corresponding genomic location in HHV-6 and corresponds to a site of both inter- and intrastrain heterogeneity in HHV-7. The presence of TRSs in lymphotropic herpesviruses from humans (HHV-6 and HHV-7), horse (equine herpesvirus 2), and birds (Marek9s disease virus) is striking and suggests that these sequences may have functional or structural significance.
Hand assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena caval thrombus

Purpose: To our knowledge we present the initial clinical report of hand assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus extending into the inferior vena cava.Materials and Methods: A 76-year-old man was referred to our medical center with a 12.5 × 10 cm. stage T3b right renal tumor extending into the inferior vena cava. The caval thrombus was limited and completely below the level of the hepatic veins. After preoperative renal embolization via the hand assisted transperitoneal approach the right kidney was completely dissected with the renal hilum. Proximal and distal control of the inferior vena cava was obtained with vessel loops and a single lumbar vein was divided between clips. An endoscopic Satinsky vascular clamp was placed on the inferior vena cava just beyond its juncture with the right renal vein, thereby, encompassing the caval thrombus. The inferior vena cava was opened above the Satinsky clamp and a cuff of the inferior vena cava was removed contiguous ...
Trans-10, cis-12 CLA Dose-Dependently Inhibits Milk Fat Synthesis without Disruption of Lactation in C57BL/6J Mice

Background Trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (10,12 CLA) is a potent inhibitor of milk fat synthesis in mammals. In the cow, 10 g/d of 10,12 CLA specifically and reversibly inhibits mammary lipogenesis, whereas substantially higher doses are not specific and cause a generalized inhibition of milk synthesis. Objective The objective of this study was to validate a lactating mouse model by establishing the dose response, specificity, and reversibility of the inhibition of milk fat synthesis by 10,12 CLA. Methods Lactating mice (C57BL/6J) received daily doses of 0 (control), 7, 20, or 60 mg of 10,12 CLA for 5 d during established lactation. A second group of lactating mice was treated with 20 mg/d of 10,12 CLA for 4 d and followed post-treatment to evaluate reversibility. Results CLA decreased pup growth with a 49% decrease occurring with 60 mg/d of CLA. Milk fat percentage was decreased 11% and 20% with the 7 and 20 mg/d dose, respectively, and all CLA treatments had a decreased concentration of de novo synthesized fatty acids (FAs) in milk fat. In agreement, 20 mg/d of 10,12 CLA decreased the lipogenic capacity of mammary tissue by 30% and mammary expression of FA synthase (Fasn), sterol response element binding protein 1 (Srebf1), and thyroid hormone responsive spot 14 (Thrsp) by 30-60%, whereas milk protein percentage and mammary expression of α-lactalbumin (Lalba) were unaltered. This dose of CLA reduced pup growth by nearly 20% and milk de novo synthesized FAs by >35%, and these effects were completely reversed 5 d after 10,12 CLA treatment was terminated. Conclusion Inhibition of mammary lipogenesis by 10,12 CLA is dose-dependent in the mouse, with a specific and reversible reduction in milk fat synthesis at the 20 mg/d dose and additional nonspecific effects on milk synthesis at higher CLA doses.
tRNA selection and kinetic proofreading in translation.

Using single-molecule methods we observed the stepwise movement of aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) into the ribosome during selection and kinetic proofreading using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET). Intermediate states in the pathway of tRNA delivery were observed using antibiotics and nonhydrolyzable GTP analogs. We identified three unambiguous FRET states corresponding to initial codon recognition, GTPase-activated and fully accommodated states. The antibiotic tetracycline blocks progression of aa-tRNA from the initial codon recognition state, whereas cleavage of the sarcin-ricin loop impedes progression from the GTPase-activated state. Our data support a model in which ribosomal recognition of correct codon-anticodon pairs drives rotational movement of the incoming complex of EF-Tu–GTP–aa-tRNA toward peptidyl-tRNA during selection on the ribosome. We propose a mechanistic model of initial selection and proofreading.
Psychosexual outcome in women affected by congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

Purpose: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency results in increased adrenal androgen secretion. When the deficiency is severe, the result is the salt losing (SL) form, and when the deficiency is partial, the result is the simple virilizing (SV) form of CAH. We documented long-term satisfaction with gender, cosmetic appearance and function of the genitalia, and surgical management practices in a group of women with CAH due to 21hydroxylase deficiency. Materials and Methods: Psychosexual and surgical outcome were assessed in 41 women with CAH using an interview, a written questionnaire and a physical examination. When appropriate, outcome measures were compared to those in unaffected control women. Results: Women in the SL group were more likely to question their female gender and report sexual concerns, and less likely to have sexual relations with a partner than those with the SV form or control women. Overall women with CAH were moderately satisfied with the cosmetic appearance of the genitalia but the SL group reported worse genital function than the SV group. Physician rated appearance of the genitalia was better than ratings provided by patients and women with the SL form were judged to have a worse cosmetic outcome of genital reconstruction than women with the SV form. The most common response concerning the optimal timing for genital reconstruction was during infancy and early childhood, although a number of women favored waiting until later for these procedures or did not respond to this question. Conclusions: Women with the SV form reported greater satisfaction and fewer concerns regarding their psychosexual and surgical outcome than women with the SL form. The appropriateness and efficacy of genital surgical treatment in girls and women affected by congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) resulting from 21-hydroxylase (21-OH) deficiency is currently under review.1–3 A recent CAH consensus statement reported that the goals of surgical management of girls and women affected by CAH due to 21-OH deficiency included genital appearance compatible with female sex of rearing; unobstructed urinary emptying without incontinence or infections; and good adult sexual and reproductive function.4 Recent outcome studies of genital surgery in females with CAH have focused primarily on adolescent girls and young women. Problems identified by these studies include removal and atrophy of the clitoris, intravaginal stenosis,5, 6 poor cosmetic outcome of the external genitalia and a need for repeated surgical procedures.5, 7
Exploring Novel Parallelization Technologies for 3-D Imaging Applications

Multi-dimensional imaging techniques involve the processing of high resolution images commonly used in medical, civil and remote-sensing applications. A barrier commonly encountered in this class of applications is the time required to carry out repetitive operations on large matrices. Partitioning these large datasets can help improve performance, and lends the data to more efficient parallel execution. In this paper we describe our experience exploring two novel parallelization technologies: 1) a graphical processor unit (GPU)-based approach which utilizes 128 cores on a single GPU accelerator card, and 2) a middleware approach for semi-automatic parallelization on a cluster of multiple multi-core processors. We investigate these two platforms and describe their strengths and limitations. In addition, we provide some guidance to the programmer on which platform to use when porting multi-dimensional imaging applications. Using a 3-D application taken from a clinical image reconstruction algorithm, we demonstrate the degree of speedup we can obtain from these two approaches.
Regulation of endoderm formation and left-right asymmetry by mir-92 during early zebrafish development

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of 21-23 nucleotide endogenous non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression in a sequence-specific manner. Typically, miRNAs downregulate target genes by recognizing and recruiting protein complexes to 3′UTRs, followed by translation repression or mRNA degradation. miR-92 is a well-studied oncogene in mammalian systems. Here, using zebrafish as a model system, we uncovered a novel tissue-inductive role for miR-92 during early vertebrate development. Overexpression resulted in reduced endoderm formation during gastrulation with consequent cardia and viscera bifida. By contrast, depletion of miR-92 increased endoderm formation, which led to abnormal Kupffer's vesicle development and left-right patterning defects. Using target prediction algorithms and reporter constructs, we show that gata5 is a target of miR-92. Alteration of gata5 levels reciprocally mirrored the effects of gain and loss of function of miR-92. Moreover, genetic epistasis experiments showed that miR-92-mediated defects could be substantially suppressed by modulating gata5 levels. We propose that miR-92 is a critical regulator of endoderm formation and left-right asymmetry during early zebrafish development and provide the first evidence for a regulatory function for gata5 in the formation of Kupffer's vesicle and left-right patterning.
The Possibilities and Pitfalls of Doing a Secondary Analysis of a Qualitative Data Set

The purpose of this article is to identify the general methodologic and data set-specific challenges that must be overcome when attempting a secondary analysis of qualitative data. Two separate examples of secondary analyses of qualitative data sets are also described, including one unsuccessful beginning.
The dual commitments of contingent workers: an examination of contingents' commitment to the agency and the organization

A model based on social exchange theory was developed to examine antecedents and consequences of contingent workers' commitment to their agencies and their client companies. In terms of antecedents, it was hypothesized that organization (client) procedural justice would be positively related to perceived organizational support (client), which in turn would be positively related to commitment to the client organization. Similarly, we proposed that agency procedural justice would be positively related to perceived agency support, which in turn would be positively related to commitment to the agency. Regarding the consequences, client organization commitment was hypothesized to be positively related to managerial ratings of contingents' altruistic organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) and managers' perceptions of contingents' commitment to the client company. Finally, whether agency commitment ‘spills over’ to influence managers' perceptions of contingents' commitment to the client organization was examined. Using a sample of 98 contingent workers with matched data from their managers at the client organization and structural equation modeling analyses, we found support for all of the hypothesized relationships. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SPIHT image compression on FPGAs

In this paper, we present an implementation of the image compression routine set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) in reconfigurable logic. A discussion on why adaptive logic is required, as opposed to an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), is provided along with background material on the image compression algorithm. We analyzed several discrete wavelet transform (DWT) architectures and selected the folded DWT design. In addition we provide a study on what storage elements are required for each wavelet coefficient. A modification to the original SPIHT algorithm is implemented to parallelize the computation. The architecture of our SPIHT engine is based upon fixed-order SPIHT, developed specifically for use within adaptive hardware. For an N/spl times/N image fixed-order SPIHT may be calculated in N/sup 2//4 cycles. Square images which are powers of 2 up to 1024/spl times/1024 are supported by the architecture. Our system was developed on an Annapolis Microsystems WildStar board populated with Xilinx Virtex-E parts. The system achieves a 450/spl times/ speedup versus a microprocessor solution, with less than a 0.2-db loss in peak signal-to-noise ratio over traditional SPIHT.