cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Replicating a Free Market for Internal Transactions: An Alternative Approach to Transfer Pricing

Short-run maximization of firm profits provides the sole justification for transfers at marginal cost. This conclusion is based, however, on a theory of the firm that ignores precisely those information and agency costs that make transfer pricing necessary. An alternative approach is to replicate free market forces within the firm, allowing buying and selling divisions complete freedom to negotiate prices. We refer to this as "laissez-faire" transfer pricing. While short-run profits are suboptimized, this approach provides superior measures of divisional performance, reduces many of the agency costs associated with marginal cost pricing, and is more likely to lead to the maximization of long-run firm profits. In this paper, a neoclassical model of the firm is used to compare firm and divisional profits under both marginal-cost and laissez- faire transfer pricing. The differences in the level and allocation of these profits under the two systems quantifies the tradeoff between profit losses due to sub-optimization costs and improved performance measurement associated with deviating from the marginal cost rule. Our results indicate that transferring above marginal cost will significantly reduce total firm profits only when there are few outside customers for the transferred product. However, these results also indicate that when there are few outside customers, transfers at marginal cost will seriously distort divisional profit allocations. As a result, the firm faces a serious dilemma. It can maximize short-run profits, seriously distort divisional profit measurement and incentives, and, consequently, increase the probability that long-run profits will fall. Alternatively, it can sacrifice some short-term profits, obtain superior measures of divisional contributions to firm profits, and improve the chances of maximizing shareholder wealth in the long-term.
Nucleotide heterogeneity at the terminal ends of the genomes of two California Citrus tristeza virus strains and their complete genome sequence analysis

The non-translated regions at the genome ends of RNA viruses serve diverse functions and can exhibit various levels of nucleotide (nt) heterogeneity. However, the extent of nt heterogeneity at the extreme termini of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) genomes has not been comprehensively documented. This study aimed to characterize two widely prevalent CTV genotypes, T36-CA and T30-CA, from California that have not been sequenced or analyzed substantially. The information obtained will be used in our ongoing effort to construct the infectious complementary (c) DNA clones of these viruses. The terminal nts of the viral genomes were identified by sequencing cDNA clones of the plus- and/or minus-strand of the viral double-stranded (ds) RNAs generated using 5′ and 3′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Cloned cDNAs corresponding to the complete genome sequences of both viruses were generated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions, sequenced, and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Among the predominant terminal nts identified, some were identical to the consensus sequences in GenBank, while others were different or unique. Remarkably, one of the predominant 5′ nt variants of T36-CA contained the consensus nts “AATTTCAAA” in which a highly conserved cytidylate, seen in all other full-length T36 sequences, was absent. As expected, but never systematically verified before, unique variants with additional nt (s) incorporated upstream of the 5′ terminal consensus nts of T36-CA and T30-CA were also identified. In contrast to the extreme 5′ terminal nts, those at the extreme 3′ termini of T36-CA and T30-CA were more conserved compared to the reference sequences, although nt variants were also found. Notably, an additional thymidylate at the extreme 3′ end was identified in many T36-CA sequences. Finally, based on pairwise comparisons and phylogenetic analysis with multiple reference sequences, the complete sequences of both viruses were found to be highly conserved with those of the respective genotypes. The extreme terminal nts in the T36-CA and T30-CA genomes were identified, revealing new insights on the heterogeneity of these CTV genomic regions. T36-CA and T30-CA were the first and the second genotypes, respectively, of CTV originating from California to be completely sequenced and analyzed.
Beyond antihydrogen: testing CPT with the molecular antihydrogen ion

Measurements of Zeeman, Zeeman-hyperfine and ro-vibrational transitions in $\bar {H}_{2}^{-}(\bar {p}e^{+}\bar {p})$ compared to $H_{2}^{+}$ have the potential for more precise tests of CPT than can be obtained from antiprotons and antihydrogen. In particular, measurements of ro-vibrational transitions have a potential sensitivity to a difference between antiproton and proton mass three orders of magnitude higher than antihydrogen/hydrogen. Methods are outlined for precision measurements on a single $\bar {H}_{2}^{-}$ or ${H}_{2}^{+}$ ion in a cryogenic Penning trap, with non-destructive state identification using the continuous Stern-Gerlach effect or changes in mass. $\bar {H}_{2}^{-}$ can be produced using the $\bar {H}^{+}+\bar {p} \rightarrow \bar {H}_{2}^{-} + e^{+}$ reaction.
Penal Sanctions and Their Societal Setting: When Law Embraces Death

In June 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that, under the federal Constitution, government cannot sentence a person to die for committing a crime unless it does so pursuant to unequivocal law-specified criteria. The ruling prompted 22 states to pass legislation that mandated the death penalty for at least one type of crime, but in July 1976, the Court held such legislation to be unconstitutional. These Court actions create two groups of states—states that, after the June 1972 ruling and before the July 1976 ruling, adopted a compulsory capital-punishment statute, and states that did not. Using state-level variables measured as of 1970, the present chapter seeks to identify sociological agents that put states in the former group instead of the latter. The independent variables examined (and, in parentheses, their empirical indicators) were culture (geographic region), knowledge utilization (share of the population that had graduated from high school), incidence of murder (homicide rate), social divisiveness (percentage of the population that was Black), social uncertainty (unemployment rate), and degree of urbanization (share of the population that was classified as urban). Of the independent variables that had an effect, a higher homicide rate lowered the odds that a state would adopt legislation containing an automatic death sentence, while a higher share of the population that was Black raised the odds, as did, to a relatively small degree, a higher unemployment rate. Culture, too, was related to the odds that such legislation would be adopted: Compared to states in the South, states in the West had higher odds while states in the Northeast and the North Central region had lower odds.
Low-Temperature Air Plasma Modification of Electrospun Soft Materials and Bio-interfaces

For several decades, plasma processing has been employed in the areas of food processing, manufacturing, and agriculture. Plasma processing has also been recognized as greatly beneficial in the field of tissue engineering for the modification of biomaterials. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been employed as a vascular graft material but fails in small diameter applications. In this work, a multifaceted approach combining electrospinning to produce nano- and microscale fibers from PET blended with polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) added for flexibility and plasma modification for enhancing the surface chemistry is demonstrated to be an efficient approach to increase the biocompatibility as evidenced by enhanced fibroblast growth. The analysis of the surface chemistry shows an increase in oxygenated surface functionality, while the bulk analysis shows no significant changes. Thus, an efficient methodology for producing PET/PBT-based grafts that are easily modified with low-temperature plasma and show enhanced biocompatibility for vascular tissue engineering applications is reported.
Surgical correction of grade III medial patellar luxation in a pet rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

ABSTRACT A domestic rabbit was diagnosed with a grade III out of IV medial patellar luxation. A trochlear wedge recession and lateral imbrication were performed to replace and stabilize the patella in the trochlear groove. The rabbit recovered well from anesthesia and was held in strict confinement for 8 weeks after surgery to allow the surgical site to heal. At 8 weeks, the rabbit was deemed healed and released to normal activity. At four postoperative months, the patella was stable and maintained appropriate anatomical positioning. At 27 postoperative months, the joint had normal range of motion and the rabbit had normal activity level. This case report details a successful long-term surgical correction of a medially-luxated patella in a pet rabbit.
Integrative analysis of DNA methylation in discordant twins unveils distinct architectures of systemic sclerosis subsets

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune fibrosing disease with an incompletely understood genetic and non-genetic etiology. Defining its etiology is important to allow the development of effective predictive, preventative, and therapeutic strategies. We conducted this epigenomic study to investigate the contributions of DNA methylation to the etiology of SSc while minimizing confounding due to genetic heterogeneity. Genomic methylation in whole blood from 27 twin pairs discordant for SSc was assayed over 450 K CpG sites. In silico integration with reported differentially methylated cytosines, differentially expressed genes, and regulatory annotation was conducted to validate and interpret the results. A total of 153 unique cytosines in limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and 266 distinct sites in diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) showed suggestive differential methylation levels in affected twins. Integration with available data revealed 76 CpGs that were also differentially methylated in blood cells from lupus patients, suggesting their role as potential epigenetic blood biomarkers of autoimmunity. It also revealed 27 genes with concomitant differential expression in blood from SSc patients, including IFI44L and RSAD2. Regulatory annotation revealed that dcSSc-associated CpGs (but not lcSSc) are enriched at Encyclopedia of DNA Elements-, Roadmap-, and BLUEPRINT-derived regulatory regions, supporting their potential role in disease presentation. Notably, the predominant enrichment of regulatory regions in monocytes and macrophages is consistent with the role of these cells in fibrosis, suggesting that the observed cellular dysregulation might be, at least partly, due to altered epigenetic mechanisms of these cells in dcSSc. These data implicate epigenetic changes in the pathogenesis of SSc and suggest functional mechanisms in SSc etiology.
Loss of Flight Controls, United Flight 232

Flight control surfaces are essential to the safe operation of commercial aircraft. This chapter details the events of United Flight 232, a three-engine DC-10 aircraft flying between Denver and Philadelphia, with a planned stop in Chicago. However, before reaching Chicago, the tail-mounted engine suffered a catastrophic failure that resulted in the loss of all three hydraulic systems. The loss of hydraulic pressure resulted in the inability to operate any flight control surface. The plane attempted to land in Sioux City Iowa, but the difficulty in controlling the aircraft without any hydraulic pressure produced a significant landing accident.
Orthogonal Sensors for the Trace Detection of Explosives

There is a growing need for an electronic trace detection system that can continuously monitor explosives at trace levels in the vapor phase. Triacetone triperoxide (TATP) is a common explosive used by terrorists as the initiator or the energetic material in improvised explosive devices. TATP still goes largely undetected in many densely populated public venues. Currently, no detection system exists that is capable of continuously monitoring TATP, as well as nitrogen-based explosives such as 2,4-dinitrotoluene. We have demonstrated a thermodynamic sensor platform employing thin film microheaters and metal oxide catalysts that can detect TATP and 2,4-DNT at the parts per billion (ppb) level. The microheaters and catalysts were deposited onto ultrathin alumina ceramic substrates, which are responsible for extraordinary sensitivity. Recently, we have added a conductometric sensor platform to this thermodynamic platform to form an orthogonal sensor capable of interrogating the same catalyst using two different modalities. The orthogonal sensor probes the same catalyst using a thermodynamic protocol, as well as a conductometric protocol where electrical resistivity changes in the catalyst are measured as a function of analyte exposure. The advantages of this added orthogonality in terms of mitigating false-positives and negatives are described within.
Lessons learned through leadership.

1. Patience is a virtue because the pace of change in any organization is GLACIAL. 2. It’s never about you e it’s about the organization. The president (or whatever leadership role you hold) is the face of what the organization stands for: its vision and mission. You, as a leader, may help to guide the organization to these core purposes; you may help it adapt to changes in the practice environment. You might even initiate earthshaking changes for the organization’s consideration, but, even if you have a brilliant new plan for the organization that will fit within the vision and mission, it will be years until fruition (ie, glacial). 3. And don’t forget luck: You need to be in the right place at the right time, knowing and being with the “right” people. You do need some substance to go with the luck and it helps to have a decent personality. You can’t be a wimp, but you can’t be autocratic and obnoxious, either. You need to put in your time and do the work at the committee levels and then take advantage of the opportunity to move up, which may take some additional luck. Mentors who have been there and done that help.
FGFR Signaling Coordinates the Balance Between Glycolysis and Fatty Acid β-Oxidation in Lymphatic Endothelial Cells

Abstract The balance between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation is believed to be critical for maintaining cellular bioenergetics, yet the regulation of such balance in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) remains unclear. Here we found that chemical inhibition of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) activity or knockdown of FGFR1, which has been shown to suppress glycolysis and consequently ATP production, induces substantial upregulation of fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO), but not glucose oxidation or glutamine oxidation in LECs. Mechanistically, blockade of FGFR-AKT signaling promotes the expression of CPT1A, a rate-limiting enzyme of FAO, in a PPARα-dependent manner. Metabolic analysis further showed that CPT1A depletion impairs ATP generation in FGFR1-deficient rather than wild-type LECs. This result suggests that FAO, which makes a minor contribution to cellular energy under normal conditions, can compensate for energy deficiency caused by FGFR inhibition. Consequently, CPT1A silencing potentiates the effect of FGFR1 knockdown on impeding LEC proliferation and migration. Collectively, our study identified an FGFR-regulated metabolic balance that is important for LEC growth.
The Stability of Moralized Attitudes Over Time

When people perceive a moral basis for an attitude, that attitude tends to remain durable when directly challenged. But are moral concerns only influential in the moment or does moralization also s...
Basic principles of transdermal drug delivery

Abstract The first part of this chapter discusses the principles of transdermal drug delivery. When penetrating the skin via the transcellular route, a drug molecule partitions and diffuses through keratinocytes. There are 4–20 lipid lamellae present between adjoining keratinocytes. Transdermal transport of penetrants can change as a function of skin hydration levels as well as chemical properties, permeant sizes, hydrophilicities, and diffusivities. Percutaneous drug delivery projects typically entail the experimental determination of transcutaneous flux values. This can be done in vitro using human skin or animal skin models including guinea pig, rat, or pig skin. Excised human skin is desirable for most in vitro permeation studies but because of ethics, most researchers use nonhuman skin models for preliminary experiments. Porcine skin is commonly utilized for in vitro diffusion studies because the histologic, biochemical, and permeability properties are comparable to those of the human skin. The skin is usually placed between the diffusion cells (vertical or horizontal) and a solution of the drug is put in the donor chamber. At different intervals, the drug solution is taken from the receiver chamber and assayed with either enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, or any other suitable analytical technique. Once drug concentration is determined, the cumulative amount versus time curve is plotted and the slope of the linear portion of this curve is used to compute the flux value. For in vivo skin permeation experiments, drug delivery scientists typically use rodents such as hairless guinea pigs, hairless rats, or hairless mice due to their relatively low cost, availability, small size, and simple handling. The last portion of this chapter focuses on the physicochemical determinants of percutaneous penetration. The skin permeation of a compound depends on the molecular weight, hydrophobicity, and hydrogen bonding. Biological factors are also important as pediatric and geriatric patients require different considerations in the design, formulation, and administration of transdermal therapeutic systems.
Designing Sustainable Products Under Coproduction Technology

Problem definition: A manufacturer takes raw material with an exogenous quality distribution to make a traditional product and a coproduct using material of quality above and below a well-establish...
Long-term Exposure to PM2.5 and Mortality for the Older Population: Effect Modification by Residential Greenness.

Background Although many studies demonstrated reduced mortality risk with higher greenness, few studies examined the modifying effect of greenness on air pollution-health associations. We evaluated residential greenness as an effect modifier of the association between long-term exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and mortality. Methods We used data from all Medicare beneficiaries in North Carolina (NC) and Michigan (MI) (2001-2016). We estimated annual PM2.5 averages using ensemble prediction models. We estimated mortality risk per 1 µg/m3 increase using Cox proportional hazards modeling, controlling for demographics, Medicaid eligibility, and area-level covariates. We investigated health disparities by greenness using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) with measures of urbanicity and socioeconomic status. Results PM2.5 was positively associated with mortality risk. Hazard ratios (HRs) were 1.12 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12, 1.13) for NC and 1.01 (95% CI 1.00, 1.01 ) for MI. HRs were higher for rural than urban areas. Within each category of urbanicity, HRs were generally higher in less green areas. For combined disparities, HRs were higher in low greenness or low SES areas, regardless of the other factor. HRs were lowest in high-greenness and high-SES areas for both states. Conclusions In our study, those in low SES and high greenness areas had lower associations between PM2.5 and mortality than those in low SES and low greenness areas. Multiple aspects of disparity factors and their interactions may affect health disparities from air pollution exposures. Findings should be considered in light of uncertainties, such as our use of modeled PM2.5 data, and warrant further investigation.
Chemotherapy-based stem cell mobilization in multiple myeloma patients treated with novel agents: The Mayo Clinic experience.

e20000Background: In the novel agents’ era, refractoriness to induction in Multiple Myeloma (MM) is relatively rare. This population remain an unmet need and are often excluded from clinical trials...
Acute Stimulation of GLUT1 Cell Surface Localization in Blood-Brain Barrier Endothelial Cells

The human brain relies on constant uptake of glucose from the blood stream for its energy needs. However, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) prevents simple diffusion of glucose and other substrates from circulation into the brain interstitial fluid. Thus, glucose must be transported across the BBB endothelial cells (ECs) by the glucose transporter, GLUT1. Misregulation of BBB GLUT1 expression or function results in severe cognitive and developmental disorders. Until recently, BBB GLUT1 was believed to be predominantly at the cell surface, and that increased GLUT1-mediated glucose transport was simply achieved by incorporation of newly synthesized GLUT1 into the plasma membrane. However, recent data from our lab suggest that AMP kinase (AMPK) controls GLUT1 localization between intracellular and cell surface membranes. To understand how AMPK regulate GLUT1 trafficking in BBB ECs, we are using a reversible cell surface biotinylation technique to study GLUT1 kinetics in the presence or absence of AMPK activation...
Plasma membrane-dependent activation of the 72-kDa type IV collagenase is prevented by complex formation with TIMP-2.

Human 72-kDa type IV collagenase (72T4Cl) is secreted as a proenzyme that can form a specific stoichiometric complex with the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases TIMP-2 via interaction with the carboxyl-terminal domain of the enzyme. Both complexed and free enzymes can be activated by treatment with organomercurials. The mechanism of the 72T4Cl activation under physiological conditions is not known. Here we describe a "plasma membrane-dependent" activation of inhibitor-free 72T4Cl and identify the first conversion intermediate as a 64-kDa species resulting from cleavage of the Asn37-Leu peptide bond in the presence of plasma membranes from 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced HT1080 cells. This reaction is specific for 72T4Cl in that a closely related proenzyme (92-kDa type IV collagenase) is resistant to activation under the same conditions. Formation of the 72T4Cl.TIMP-2 complex inhibits activation at the level of the initial Asn37-Leu cleavage. Addition of TIMP-1 has no effect on this reaction, but blocks the autocatalytic conversion of the Leu38 intermediate into a 62-kDa active enzyme with an amino-terminal Tyr81. Membrane-dependent activation of 72T4Cl is competitively inhibited in the presence of a 26-kDa peptide derived from the carboxyl-terminal domain of the enzyme. The results suggest that interaction of the carboxyl-terminal domain of the enzyme with a membrane-associated component(s) causes initiation of enzyme activation through an autoproteolytic mechanism.
Evaluation of acidity of strong acid catalysts I. Derivation of an acidity function from carbon-13 NMR measurements

The limitations of the Hammett indicator method for acidity measurements of liquid acid catalysts of practical importance and the inapplicability in principle of the Hammett acidity concept to solid acid catalysts are discussed. Evaluation of acidities from the hydronation equilibrium of two simple alcohols, methanol and ethanol, and an {alpha},{beta}-unsaturated detone, 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one (mesityl oxide, I), by carbon-13 NMR is demonstrated for sulfuric acid-water mixtures. The latter compound is particularly useful because the signal for its carbon atom C-4 shifts downfield upon hydronation by almost 50 ppm, whereas the signal for C-3 moves upfield by 3 ppm. The comparison of the chemical shift difference {delta}(C-4)-{delta}(C-3) ({Delta}{delta}) for two different solutions allows a comparison of acidities of the two solutions from which other medium effects upon chemical shifts have been canceled out. The variation of {Delta}{delta} with concentration of I, or the ratio of base (I) to acid, is linear, at least between 1 and 0.5 M of I. Extrapolation of {Delta}{delta} of I to (B)/(AH) = 0 ({Delta}{delta}{sup 0}) allows the use of {sup 13}C NMR spectroscopy to establish a thermodynamically meaningful acidity scale, such as the traditional acidity function H{sub 0}. The slope of {Delta}{delta} vs (B)/(AH) plot changes withmore » acid strength; it is lowest (most negative) for the acidity at which I is half-protonated. The acidity required for half-protonation can thus be accurately determined from this slope. On the other hand, {Delta}{delta} can be also measured at the stoichiometric ratio of the indicator base to acid molecules or sites. The latter approach must be used for comparison of strength of solid acids.« less
TREATMENT OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS COMPLICATED BY NEPHRITIS IN CHILDREN

The clinical course of 41 patients who had systemic lupus erythematosus complicated by nephritis with symptoms beginning before they were 15 years old was reviewed. The retrospective analysis showed a definite trend toward prolonged survival among the patients receiving high doses of steroids, compared to those receiving no or low doses. We conclude that it is no longer justified to withhold high-dose steroid therapy from children with lupus nephritis, but it should be emphasized equally that this does not apply to children with discoid lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis with a positive LE clot test, or drug-induced lupus erythematosus. Our present plan of management is outlined.
Chemical gardens without silica: the formation of pure metal hydroxide tubes

Contrary to common belief, hollow precipitation tubes form in the absence of silicate if sodium hydroxide solution is injected into solutions of various metal ions. In many cases, the growth speed has a power law dependence on the flow rate. For vanadyl, we observe damped oscillations in the tube height.
On the genesis of sexual differentiation of the general nervous system: morphogenetic consequences of steroidal exposure and possible role of alpha-fetoprotein.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on cellular aspects in the ontogeny of sexual differentiation of the rodent central nervous system (CNS), although the nature or expression of these cellular responses of developing nervous tissue to the gonadal hormones is not peculiar to sexual differentiation. The characteristics of these responses represent yet another facet of the much broader question of the factors and cellular mechanisms contributing to neural plasticity in both the developing and adult CNS. Patterns of axonal growth, dendritic differentiation, dendritic spine density, and of synaptogenesis, for example, are cytological features that have not only been shown to be gonadal hormone-dependent and sexually dimorphic but also exhibit considerable pre- and postnatal plasticity. Although there is considerable variability in the types of neural functions, which may be sexually dimorphic, in the CNS regions involved, in the timing of the hormone sensitive periods and even in the very hormones responsible for the developmental effects, the underlying principles of hormonal action may well be valid across a considerable portion of the animal kingdom.
Serpentirhabdias dubielzigi n. sp. (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) from Captive-Bred Ball Pythons, Python regius (Serpentes: Pythonidae) in the United States

Serpentirhabdias dubielzigi n. sp. is described from Python regius from 2 separate locales in the United States. Many nematodes were observed in the eye, mouth, and subcutaneous tissues of 3 clinically affected, captive-bred, and captive-reared ball pythons. Although intact adult nematodes were not available for examination from the 2 Wisconsin, U.S.A., snakes, nematodes seen in histological sections from these cases and from the single Virginia, U.S.A., case were identical. The new species is described based on morphological characters of adult specimens obtained from formalin-fixed material from the Virginia case, and nematodes in histological sections from all cases. The designation is further supported by phylogenetic analysis of the nematodal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) obtained from an affected Wisconsin snake. The nematodes involved in these infections are distinct from currently described species of Serpentirhabdias in the family of the host parasitized, the sites of infection, the possession of double lateral alae and very long excretory glands on adult nematodes, the possession of single lateral alae on larvae in eggs, and a unique genetic sequence of the ITS1 region of rDNA as compared with currently reported sequences in GenBank.
Superior rectus recessions for dissociated vertical deviation.

Abstract Thirty-two eyes of 31 patients received superior rectus recessions for the treatment of dissociated vertical deviation (DVD). All patients were followed for a postoperative period of at least six months, and 50% were followed for a period of three years or more. The differential diagnosis of DVD and inferior oblique overaction was important, and the distinguishing features of each are mentioned. A distinction was made between occlusion hyperphoria, a latent deviation in the preferred fixating eye, and DVD, a manifest deviation in the nonpreferred eye. In the vast majority of cases, a unilateral superior rectus recession of graduated amounts was performed in the eye with a cosmetically unacceptable DVD. The surgical “hang loose” technique permitted avoiding technically difficult situations. After operation 82% of the eyes were aligned, within the good to excellent categories (0–9 prism diopters).
The Complex Role of Target Cells in the Effects of Soluble Substances Released by Monocyte—Macrophage Cell Populations

Supernatants of human peripheral blood monocytes (SMO) and the nondialysable fraction (NDF) and dialysable fraction (DF) thereof were tested for their effects on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells not depleted of adherent cells (TC) or progressively depleted of adherent cells (NAC) and on human thymocytes alone or supplemented with human monocytes (MO) obtained from peripheral blood. PHA, Con A and PPD were used as stimulants of the target cells. A standard SMO (from MO cultured at 2 × 105 cells/ml), which did not produce any detectable effect on TC, enhanced the responses of NAC that had been partially depleted of adherent cells and of thymocytes not supplemented with MO, and suppressed the response of NAC more completely depleted of adherent cells. The NDF increased the level of 3H-thymidine uptake by thymocytes or peripheral blood mononuclear cells when the cell populations were depleted of adherent cells and stimulated by PHA, Con A, or PPD; NDF suppressed 3H-thymidine uptake by populations of peripheral blood mononuclear cells not depleted of adherent cells and by populations of thymocytes supplemented with monocytes, under the same conditions of stimulation. The DF showed effects completely opposite to those of the NDF; i. e. cultures that were enhanced by NDF were suppressed by DF, and those enhanced by DF were suppressed by NDF. The suppressor effects of SMO and of its subfractions were more evident in PPD-stimulated cultures than in cultures stimulated by Con A or PHA, whereas the enhancing effect was most evident in Con A-stimulated cultures. In both cases the PHA-stimulated cultures were the least affected. Both the enhancing and suppressor effects were highly dependent on the dose of stimulant used.
Explaining Downstream Integration

We examine the downstream integration decision by businesses, deriving hypotheses from the transaction cost literature which are empirically tested for a sample of 1392 businesses operating in a wide spectrum of industries. Our results provide corroboration for each dimension of the transaction cost framework in explaining why firms might integrate their downstream business activities. Given the large cross-sectional sample, our results provide some evidence of the general validity of the transaction cost framework within the context of downstream integration.
The evolving electronic journal collection at Drexel University

SUMMARY In mid-1998 the Drexel University Library made the strategic decision to migrate from a print to an electronic onlyjournal collection as quickly as possible. The change process, which did not always proceed smoothly, was nearly complete in three years. All areas of the library were affected. Drexel's experience has been that the electronic paradigm requires fewer staff, but more skilled and, therefore, more highly paid staff. The previous 1,700 title print collection has been reduced to about 400 titles while the electronic collection now contains 12,000 unique titles. The electronic collection costs less per use than the print collection and has been well-received by the users.
Conference Report: ESF-COST High-Level Research Conference Natural Products Chemistry, Biology and Medicine III

Natural Products Chemistry, Biology and Medicine III was the third conference in a series of events sponsored by the European Science Foundation (ESF) and the European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST). Scientists came together from within and outside the EU to present cutting-edge developments in chemical synthesis. Research areas included the synthesis of natural products, methods development, isolation/structural elucidation and chemical biology. As our capacity to produce new chemotherapeutic agents relies on chemical synthesis, this year’s conference has never been so timely. This report highlights several of the scientific contributions presented during the meeting.
Perception of Egospeed from Absolute and Relative Motion

Perceiving the speed of self-motion or egospeed directly from the view out a window is important in some vehicular control tasks. Recent research found that visual perception of egospeed is primarily based on global optical flow rate, which is directly related to the magnitude of both absolute and relative motion. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the magnitude of relative motion affects egospeed estimates independently of the magnitude of absolute motion. Observers estimated their perceived egospeed during simulations of flight over three parallel planes. We manipulated the degree of relative motion by varying the interplane distance, the spacing between the two outer planes and the center plane. The results indicate that relative motion affects perception of egospeed independently of absolute motion. Hence, it is important to consider the magnitude of relative motion when designing head-up displays that present optical flow to augment speed information available through the winds...
Zero-Misalignment lithographic process using a photoresist with wavelength-selected tone

ABSTRACT A novel photoresist capable of dual -tone imaging, and a self - aligning two -level lithographic processwhich demonstrates its unique properties are described. This resist, composed of a positive and a negativephotosensitizer in a phenolic matrix resin, can be imaged in either tone depending on the wavelength ofexposure. In the self -aligned process, two distinct latent images, one in positive and one in negative tone, are generated simultaneously during a single exposure using a special mask. The latent images can be developed separately and independently. The alignment between these patterns is defined by the mask and is identical from wafer to wafer. The two patterns can be transferred to the substrate sequentially and with zero alignment error. INTRODUCTION Methods and materials which offer the ability to image a resist in either positive or negative tone depending on its processing have been explored in some depth. In the earliest published technique forproducing a negative image from a positive resist, the customary aqueous base developer is replaced byan organic solvent which selectively dissolves the unexposed areas.1 Mechanistic and lithographic studiesof diazoketone -novolac positive resists have shown that such materials will undergo crosslinking whenirradiated under anhydrous conditions, and that this behavior can be used to carry out imaging in negative
Parallel algorithms and architectures for subspace-based channel estimation for CDMA communication systems

This paper presents an overview and results from an ongoing research project to study parallel algorithms for the acquisition of Code Division Multiple Access communication signals. The goal of this research is to evaluate a class of related algorithms and architectures for the acquisition problem and map them onto parallel architectures containing DSPs. The algorithms used are generally termed subspace- based algorithms, since they involve computation of subspaces of the vector space spanned by certain observation vectors. This paper presents results from some preliminary implementations of such a subspace-based algorithm on the Texas Instruments TMS320C40 Parallel Processing Development System.
CAVE2: a hybrid reality environment for immersive simulation and information analysis

Hybrid Reality Environments represent a new kind of visualization spaces that blur the line between virtual environments and high resolution tiled display walls. This paper outlines the design and implementation of the CAVE2TM Hybrid Reality Environment. CAVE2 is the world’s first near-seamless flat-panel-based, surround-screen immersive system. Unique to CAVE2 is that it will enable users to simultaneously view both 2D and 3D information, providing more flexibility for mixed media applications. CAVE2 is a cylindrical system of 24 feet in diameter and 8 feet tall, and consists of 72 near-seamless, off-axisoptimized passive stereo LCD panels, creating an approximately 320 degree panoramic environment for displaying information at 37 Megapixels (in stereoscopic 3D) or 74 Megapixels in 2D and at a horizontal visual acuity of 20/20. Custom LCD panels with shifted polarizers were built so the images in the top and bottom rows of LCDs are optimized for vertical off-center viewing- allowing viewers to come closer to the displays while minimizing ghosting. CAVE2 is designed to support multiple operating modes. In the Fully Immersive mode, the entire room can be dedicated to one virtual simulation. In 2D model, the room can operate like a traditional tiled display wall enabling users to work with large numbers of documents at the same time. In the Hybrid mode, a mixture of both 2D and 3D applications can be simultaneously supported. The ability to treat immersive work spaces in this Hybrid way has never been achieved before, and leverages the special abilities of CAVE2 to enable researchers to seamlessly interact with large collections of 2D and 3D data. To realize this hybrid ability, we merged the Scalable Adaptive Graphics Environment (SAGE) - a system for supporting 2D tiled displays, with Omegalib - a virtual reality middleware supporting OpenGL, OpenSceneGraph and Vtk applications.
Reliability measures for dynamic multistate nonrepairable systems and their applications to system performance evaluation

The main focus of this paper is on the development of reliability measures for dynamic multistate systems which have M + 1 discrete states of working efficiency. In traditional reliability models for binary systems, one measure that is commonly used is the probability of success at some time t. For multistate systems, we can extend this definition and define the reliability of a multistate system to be the probability that the system still functions at some intermediate state k, 0 ≤ k ≤ M or higher at time t. To develop the reliability measures for multistate systems, we assume that the degradation of the multistate systems follows a Markov process and that the system can directly degrade into any lower state. The other focus of this paper is on the evaluation of multistate systems for system design. For traditional binary reliability evaluation, the better system at time t is the one that has a greater value of the area created by the integration over time of the expected value of the state of the system...
Androgens in health and disease: an overview.

This special issue of Hormones and Behavior, “Androgens in health and disease: new insights into roles and mechanisms of action,” is prompted by a number of relatively recent findings that androgens affect brain morphology and function in ways not previously or widely appreciated. Moreover, recent results also make it clear that androgens utilize a variety of signaling molecules to exert their effects on the brain, which may or may not depend on the classic nuclear androgen receptor (AR). The papers in this issue underscore these two points. This overview is not intended as a comprehensive review of androgen action on the nervous system, since the papers in this issue serve that purpose, but rather to frame the basic issues and themes that tie these papers together. The sum effect of the stories told in this issue encourages us to broaden and refocus our view of androgen action on brain and behavior—to recognize that androgens affect many aspects of brain structure and function throughout the lifespan, from shaping its sexual phenotype to influencing its propensity for disease and repair, and that at least some of these actions are exerted via non-classical modes of action that in many cases were first identified in non-neural tissue or cells.
Uncertainty about spatial frequency, spatial position, or contrast of visual patterns

Prevalent theories of pattern vision postulate mechanisms selectively sensitive to spatial frequency and position but not to contrast. Decreased performance in the detection of visual stimuli was found when the observer was uncertain about the spatial frequency or spatial position of a patch of sinusoidal grating but not when he was uncertain about contrast. The uncertainty effects were consistent with multiple-band models in which the observer is able to monitor perfectly all relevant mechanisms. Performance deteriorates when the observer must monitor more mechanisms, because these mechanisms are noisy and give rise to false alarms. This consistency is further evidence that the spatial-frequency and spatial-position mechanisms are noisy, a conclusion previously suggested by the "probability summation" demonstrated in the thresholds for compound stimuli. Somewhat paradoxically, the Quick pooling model, which quantitatively accounts for the amount of probability summation in pattern thresholds, predicts no effects of uncertainty. It cannot, therefore, be strictly correct.
Preparation and characterization of thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) hydrogels : Studies with electroactive probes

A new method of preparing thermoresponsive hydrogels consisting of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) and acrylic acid (AA), with a well-defined concentration of an electroactive probe, 1,1‘-ferrocenedimethanol (Fc(MeOH)2), is described, and a comparison of the physical and electrochemical properties of NIPA−AA gels with those of aqueous solutions is presented. The NIPA−AA gels undergo a discontinuous volume phase transition at 45 °C; this transition results in a release of approximately 40% of the solution mass from the gel phase. Characterization of hydrogels with electroactive probes is performed using electroanalytical techniques and FTIR and UV/vis spectroscopies. Steady-state voltammetry and chronoamperometry at platinum disk microelectrodes are used to measure the diffusion coefficient of Fc(MeOH)2 in gels under a wide range of experimental conditions. Similar diffusion coefficients for Fc(MeOH)2 in NIPA−AA gels are obtained by either electroanalytical technique at temperatures lower than 20 °C. The unce...
927-37 Is Coronary Revascularization Complete Therapy for Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Cardiac Arrest?

Coronary revascularization has been suggested assole therapy for secondary prevention of sudden cardiac arrest associated with ischemia. Among 412 consecutive patients receiving an implantable defibrillator (ICD), 23 (6%) were identified as: sudden cardiac arrest survivors, noninducible with programmed stimulation, unstable angina or ischemia on a functional study, and underwent successful coronary revascularization. In follow-up, 10 (43%) of the 23 patients received ICD shocks (8 ± 8 per patient, range: 1–22) shocks) and 9/10 had syncope/presyncope associated with at least one ICD discharge. Clinical Characteristics: ICD firings (n = 10) * No ICD firings (n = 13) * Follow-up (months) 39 ± 13 31 ± 21 Age (years) 63 ± 7 63 ± 12 Male gender 8 9 Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (%) 36 ± 10 40 ± 14 Previous history of a myocardial infarction 10 10 Presence of a left ventricular aneurysm 4 1 Q-wave infarction pattern on electrocardiogram 7 5 Sudden cardiac arrest presenting with exertion, angina, or CPK elevation 8 8 Mean number of vessels with coronary disease 2.2 ± 0.8 23 ± 0.9 Mean severity of coronary stenosis (%) 87 ± 18 88 ± 16 Coronary revascularization considered complete 7 10 β-blocker therapy 5 5 Antiarrhythmic therapy 8 12 * p value g 0.05 No clinical characteristic was statistically different between patients with and without ICD shocks. In conclusion, coronary revascularization alone may be inadequate therapy for survivors of sudden cardiac arrest associated with ischemia who are noninducible with programmed stimulation, and clinical variables cannot predict which patients are likely to experience recurrent malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Therefore, ICD therapy should be considered in these patients.
Ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and spermatozoa of four Oriopsis species (Sabellinae, Sabellidae, Polychaeta)

The ultrastructure of sperm from four species of Oriopsis is described. Males of Oriopsis bicoloris produce sperm with an elongate nucleus divided into four rods, connected proximally, and four long mitochondria lying along the nucleus. The axoneme runs in the middle of the nuclear and mitochondria1 rods. Oriopsis brevicollaris males have sperm with an elongate nucleus and long midpiece comprised of four mitochondria wrapped around the axoneme. Males of O. mobilis have sperm with an elongate nucleus and long midpiece similar to that of O. brevicollaris, although the midpiece is much longer. Oriopsis dentata males havc sperm with a flattened head, similar to those of mammals, though the midpiece is simple and the axoneme free. The variability of reproductive mechanisms within the Polychaeta is discussed with reference to the elucidation of the function of various sperm morphologies. The implications for the taxonomy and systematics of Oriopsis, and the Sabellidae as a whole, are also discussed. It is concluded that Oriopsis is not monophyletic and examination of reproductive structures in other small sabellids is required. Study on reproduction in the type species, O. armandi, is needed to establish the reproductive method of Oriopsis and so allow revision of this genus.
On eigen-structure of a nonlinear map in Rn

Abstract A nonlinear eigenvalue problem for a cubic perturbation of an irreducible Stieltjes matrix is considered. It is shown that for any fixed eigenvalue the number of eigenvectors is finite with the upper bound given by 3n. The lower bound on the number of eigenvectors depends on the position of the eigenvalue of the nonlinear equation relative to eigenvalues of the Stieltjes matrix. This study is partially motivated by the analysis of discretized Gross–Pitaevskii equations which play a role in modeling of the Bose–Einstein condensation of matter at near absolute zero temperatures. In addition to standard matrix techniques, results from Lusternik–Schnirelmann category theory, from Groebner basis theory, and from Degree Theory are used.