cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Successes and Challenges of Incompressible Flow Simulation

During the past thirty years, numerical methods and simulation tools for incompressible flows have been advanced as a subset of CFD discipline. Even though incompressible flows are encountered in many areas of engineering, simulation of compressible flow has been the major driver for developing computational algorithms and tools. This is probably due to rather stringent requirements for predicting aerodynamic performance characteristics of flight vehicles, while flow devices involving low speed or incompressible flow could be reasonably well designed without resorting to accurate numerical simulations. As flow devices are required to be more sophisticated and highly efficient, CFD tools become indispensable in fluid engineering for incompressible and low speed flow. This paper is intended to review some of the successes made possible by advances in computational technologies during the same period, and discuss some of the current challenges.
Prospects for supersymmetry at CERN LEP 2.

Working within the framework of the mininal supergravity (SUGRA) model with gauge coupling unification and radiative electroweak symmetry breaking we map out regions of parameter space explorable by experiments at CERN LEP 2, for center-of-mass energy options of \ensuremath{\surd}s =150, 175, 190, and 205 GeV. We compute signals from all accessible 2\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2 supersymmetry (SUSY) pair production processes using the isaget simulation program, and devise cuts that enhance the signal relative to standard model backgrounds, and which also serve to differentiate various supersymmetric processes from one another. We delineate regions of SUGRA parameter space where production of neutralino pairs, chargino pairs, slepton pairs, and the production of the light Higgs scalar of SUSY is detectable above standard model backgrounds and distinguishable from other SUSY processes. In addition, we find small regions of SUGRA parameter space where e\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{} e\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}, Z${\mathrm{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}}_{2}$Z${\mathrm{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}}_{2}$, and \ensuremath{\nu}${\mathrm{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}}_{\mathit{L}}$\ensuremath{\nu}${\mathrm{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}}_{\mathit{L}}$ production yields spectacular events with up to four isolated leptons. The combined regions of parameter space explorable by LEP 2 are compared with the reach of Fermilab Tevatron Main Injector era experiments. Finally, we comment on how the reach via the neutralino pair channel is altered when the radiative electroweak symmetry breaking constraint is relaxed.
Spatial network analysis of a terminal prehispanic and early colonial settlement in highland Peru

Abstract This study uses GIS-based spatial network analysis (SNA) to simulate patterns of foot traffic and analyze the manipulation of the built environment of a small Inka imperial outpost that became an early Franciscan doctrina (doctrinal settlement) in the Andean highlands of southern Peru. Excavations show evidence for growth and remodeling of the site's public and domestic spaces over its short use life as a doctrina, pointing to an increasingly orthodox regime of indoctrination. The results of SNA-based walking simulations show specifically how movement through the site was rerouted to isolate the old Inka ceremonial core, producing new rhythms of interaction and directing public processionals to the colonial plaza and chapel of the doctrina. The complementarity of SNA with other established forms of access analysis and its broader utility for archaeological research design, sampling strategies, hypothesis testing, and interpretation are discussed.
Influence of cycloheximide (Actidione) upon pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism and rna synthesis in cocklebur leaf discs.

Abstract Cycloheximide inhibited the absorption of labeled orotic acid, uridine and cytidine and the catabolism of these compounds to CO 2 in cocklebur ( Xanthium strumarium l .) leaf discs. It markedly inhibited the conversion of orotic acid and uridine to RNA cytidylic acid, but had less influence upon their conversions to RNA uridylic acid. However, when labeled cytidine was fed, the antibiotic had little influence upon its conversion to RNA cytidylic acid, but did block its conversion to uridylic acid. These results suggest that cycloheximide somehow interferes with the interconversion of UTP and CTP. Investigations of soluble nucleotides supported this interpretation. It is suggested that the present results and some described by others may arise from an inhibition of glutamine synthesis or of reactions in which glutamine participates. Cycloheximide also reduced by half or more the amount of 14 C in uracil after the leaf discs metabolized either labeled cytidine or uridine, but increased the amount of 14 C in UMP. The decreased uracil formation might account for the inhibited catabolism of orotic acid, uridine and cytidine.
Immobilization of lipase using hydrophilic polymers in the form of hydrogel beads.

The purpose of this study was to immobilize lipase (triacylglycerol ester hydrolase, E.C. 3.1.1.3) from Candida rugosa using various polymers in the form of beads, to evaluate enzyme loading, leaching, and activity; and to characterize the beads. Agarose, alginate, and chitosan were the polymers selected to immobilize lipase by entrapment. Agarose beads exhibited undesirable swelling in the leaching and activity medium and the polymer was not used further. Alginate or chitosan beads were prepared by ionic gelation using calcium chloride or sodium tripolyphosphate, respectively, as the cross-linking agent in the gelling solution. Some hatches of beads of each polymer were freeze dried. The results show that alginate beads leached substantially more enzyme than did chitosan beads. Entrapment efficiency, however, was the same for different chitosan levels as well as different alginate levels (43-50%). Activity in alginate was low at 240 +/- 33 and 220 +/- 26, compared to 1,110 +/- 51 and 1,150 +/- 11 units/ml in chitosan, for fresh and freeze-dried beads, respectively. The higher lipase activity in chitosan beads compared to that in alginate beads could be attributed to an alginate-enzyme interaction. It can be concluded that chitosan is a polymer worthy of pursuit to immobilize lipase.
Heparin-triggered release of camouflaged tissue plasminogen activator for targeted thrombolysis.

Abstract A targetable, heparin-triggered release system for tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) was designed to prevent the excessive ‘lytic’ state associated with the current tPA therapy for acute thrombotic conditions, such as myocardial infarction (MI). The strategy is, upon target accumulation, to trigger tPA release from a prodrug construct by a usual heparin dose. A relatively inactive form of tPA was constructed by conjugating tPA with low-molecular weight heparin followed by complexation with albumin-protamine conjugate, termed ‘camouflage’. The modified tPA was ~ 97% as active as native tPA. The prodrug construct of tPA significantly masked the enzymatic activity, which was fully recovered upon heparin addition. The camouflaged tPA was stable in human blood for at least 30 min and was able to trigger enzyme activation in vitro at heparin level of 0.4 U/mL. In vivo studies on jugular vein rat thrombosis model showed that the clot lysis of the heparin-triggered camouflaged tPA group was equivalent to the tPA + heparin group without prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) before and after the treatment. This proof-of-principle study suggests that the activity of the tPA prodrug construct can be triggered at the thrombus site at therapeutic heparin concentration conjunctively used for MI with reduced bleeding risk.
Synthesis and Characterization of Triazacyclononane-Ligated Iridium Dihydride Complexes

Unexpectedly stable [(tacn)Ir(H)2(coe)]+ and its tri-N-methyl analogue are prepared from [(coe)2IrCl]2 and the triamine ligand under hydrogen atmosphere.
Role of toll-like receptor–commensal interactions in intestinal inflammation

Abstract Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in host defense of infection. Recent studies demonstrate that in addition to their function in the immune system, TLRs have an important physiological role in the maintenance of the intestinal homeostasis.
Cross Immunity Between Plasmodium relictum and Plasmodium lophurae in Chickens

Abstract DATA from several experiments have suggested that host defenses, responding to the presence of parasites, may be implicated in host-specificity of avian malaria. Such defenses include the spleen which has been designated as the organ of importance in this protection (Taliaferro and Taliaferro, 1955; Moulder and Taliaferro, 1955; Taliaferro, 1956; and Longenecker et al., 1966). That antibodies are produced in response to malarial infections is well documented (Manwell and Goldstein, 1940; Taliaferro, 1940; Coggeshall and Kumm, 1938; Zuckerman, 1945; Ingram et al., 1961). Yet while there is much evidence for host specificity there is also evidence for cross immunity. Examination of the Plasmodium literature indicates that results of previous cross immunity studies have been variable. The complete lack of heterologous cross immunity has been frequently reported. Hartman (1927), used P. praecox (now P. elongatum) and the H strain of P. cathemerium and Manwell (1929), used the same parasites. Kikuth (1931),…
Testing for MH susceptibility

Two PROVOCATIVE papers by Ording et al. in this issue of Acta direct our thinking about MH testing in 3 ways. First, is the potential usefulness of added tests, e.g., 4-chloro-m-cresol. Second, is a reconsideration of the role of genetic testing in MH, at present and in the future. Third, is unanticipated evidence demonstrating the need for world-wide standardization of MH testing, thereby suggesting that differences in European (Eur) and North American (NA) testing protocols be resolved.
Analytical integrated functions for daily solar radiation on slopes

This paper presents a procedure for estimating daily global solar radiation for inclined surfaces having specified slope and aspect for application with surface energy balance models for determining evapotranspiration. Procedures are provided for developing clear sky solar curves and for translating measured solar radiation from a horizontal surface to slopes. The procedure assumes an extensive surface having uniform slope at each point of calculation, so effects of protruding surrounding terrain are not considered. This simplification of terrain aids the application of the procedure within image processing models used for surface energy balance and evapotranspiration calculations, allows the use of a purely analytical solution, which is useful for some types of software, and provides sufficiently accurate results for terrain having gradual to moderate changes in slope. Extraterrestrial solar radiation is computed using an analytical solution for 24-h periods. New developments reported here include a detailed procedure for determining integration limits for the analytical solution that applies to all combinations of slope, aspect and latitude, including steep polar facing slopes where the sun may appear twice per day. Use of clear sky transmissivity procedures from ASCE-EWRI that calculate direct beam and diffuse radiation components separately as a function of elevation, sun angle and precipitable water reduces or eliminates the need for local calibration. Other developments include an improved function describing the reduction in hemispherical diffuse radiation with slope and adjustment of mean daily beam transmissivity using a weighted mean daily solar elevation. Simulated clear sky solar radiation envelope curves and translated measured solar radiation compare well with measurements from two locations in the U.S. over a range of slope and aspect.
Chromatographic Determination of the Phosphate Anions in Crystalline and Glassy Na4NbP3Oz

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) measurements on crystalline and glassy Na[sub 4]NbP[sub 3]O[sub z] prove that the crystalline phase is a pyrophosphate and that the glassy material contains a distribution of phosphate anions with anions up to five PO[sub 4] tetrahedra in length. Powder X-ray diffraction data for a new trimetaphosphate crystalline phase with the composition Na[sub 3]NbP[sub 3]O[sub x] are also reported.
ON A NONLINEAR MAXWELL'S SYSTEM IN QUASI-STATIONARY ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

In this paper we study the motion of a magnetic field H in a conductive medium Ω⊂R3 under the influence of a system generator. By neglecting displacement currents, the magnetic field satisfies a nonlinear Maxwell's system: Ht+∇×[ρ(x,t)∇×H]=f(|H|)H, where f(|H|)H represents the magnetic currents depending upon the strength of H. We prove that under appropriate initial and boundary conditions, the system has a global solution and the solution is also unique. Moreover, we show that the solution H will blow up in finite time if f(s) satisfies certain growth conditions. Finally, we generalize the results to the problem associated with a nonlinear boundary condition.
Astroglial Gap Junction Communication Is Increased by Treatment with Either Glutamate or High K+ Concentration

Astroglia are extensively coupled by gap junctions and form a functional syncytium. Astroglial gap junctions are thought to be involved in the spatial buffering of K+ in vivo and in the Ca2+ waves seen on glutamate receptor activation. The conductivity of gap junctions is regulated by several second messengers, with up-regulation by cyclic AMP and down-regulation through activation of protein kinase C, decreases in intracellular pH, or increases in the free cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. The results presented here indicate that dye coupling of astroglia is significantly up-regulated by membrane depolarization, both by increases in the extracellular K+ concentration and directly by ionophores. Furthermore, glutamate, kainate, and quisqualate, which depolarize astroglial cells through activation of ionotropic receptors, also increase dye coupling in astroglia. The effect of kainate and quisqualate was reversed by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione, an inhibitor of the ionotropic glutamate receptor. A dose-dependent decrease in dye coupling was seen when the cells were injected with increasing concentrations of Ca2+. However, if the cells were simultaneously depolarized, the inhibitory effect of Ca2+ on gap junctional conductance was reversed. Significant increases over basal coupling was attained when the cells were injected with Ca2+ if they were treated with kainate or K+. These data suggest that ligands that depolarize astroglia enhance gap junction communication between astroglia and that this enhancement may be important in maintaining communication between astroglia in the face of elevated Ca2+ levels.
A dynamic stochastic frontier production model with time-varying efficiency: comment

Based on Desli et al. (2003), this comment defines a stochastic frontier production model in a panel data framework. The firms can learn from their past errors to improve technical efficiency. This is done by introducing the inefficiency error term as an AR(p) process. The ways to estimate the production function and technical inefficiency are provided.
On the Decarboxylation of Metal Trichloroacetates

The decarboxylation of trichloroacetate ion in basic solvents produces the intermediate trichlorocarbanion which may split into chloride and dichlorocarbene or combine with a proton to chloroform. Conditions under which protonation predominates were examined for possible use of the reaction for synthesizing metal compounds in non-aqueous solvents. Die Decarboxylierung des Trichloracetations in basischen Losungsmitteln ergibt als Zwischenstufe das Trichlorcarbanion, das in Chlorid und Dichlorcarben zerfallen oder sich mit einem Proton zu Chloroform vereinigen kann. Die Bedingungen, unter denen die Protonierung vorherrscht, wurden untersucht zwecks moglicher Anwendung der Reaktion fur die Synthese von Metallverbindungen in nichtwasrigen Losungsmitteln.
Conservation of antigenic determinants among different seed lectins

Abstract Immunochemical techniques were employed to examine seed lectins for structural similarities. Antisera raised against eight homogeneous lectins were used to test for cross-reacting material in crude seed extracts as well as highly purified lectins. The data provide immunochemical evidence that lectins isolated from different species may be structurally related proteins. As structurally related proteins, the cross-reacting lectins may also possess a similar function. In addition, antisera raised against Ulex agglutinin I or Bandeiraea agglutinin, appeared to recognize an identical set of determinants on those lectins showing cross-reactivity. This highly conserved region of the lectin molecule may be important for the proper functioning of these proteins.
Thermodynamics of dense molecular hydrogen-helium mixtures at high pressure

Effective intermolecular pair potentials derived from liquid hydrogen and helium shock wave experiments are presently used in Monte Carlo simulations of mixtures of hydrogen and helium, at densities of up to 1.2 g/cu cm. The model interaction Helmholtz free energy derived accurately reproduces both the Monte Carlo calculation results and the experimental data obtained for densities of up to about 0.6 g/cu cm. An equation of state is derived from the free energy expression that could be useful in interior models of such Jovian planets as Saturn.
Marketing the Colorado River: water allocations in the American Southwest

The Colorado River is the lifeline of the American Southwest and its waters have been litigated, divided, and fought over for more than a century. One of the recent facts water users must face is that there is not enough water to meet all the demands. A growing water market in the west is one current way western states seek to reallocate water and address shortages caused by drought and over-consumption. The debate over water marketing, however, illustrates a divided opinion about how water should be allocated. Those advocating water marketing argue that commoditizing water will inevitably result in appropriate usage and conservation. Others argue that unintended impacts on third parties to water transfers makes them unreasonable. Most agree that some kind of mitigation of third party impacts must be part of any permanent water market and several different methods are currently used to address this issue. It is unclear what the long-term affects of marketing Colorado River water will be or whether it will prove itself an equitable system. One certainty is that finding new ways to allocate and conserve water in the west is vital to the region’s present and future.
Influence of rotational instability on the polarization structure of SrTiO 3

The $k$-space polarization structure and its strain response in ${\text{SrTiO}}_{3}$ with rotational instability are studied using a combination of first-principles density-functional calculations, modern theory of polarization, and analytic Wannier-function formulation. (1) As one outcome of this paper, we rigorously prove---both numerically and analytically---that a folding effect exists in polarization structure. (2) After eliminating the folding effect, we find that the polarization structure for ${\text{SrTiO}}_{3}$ with rotational instability is still considerably different from that for nonrotational ${\text{SrTiO}}_{3}$, revealing that polarization structure is sensitive to structure distortion caused by oxygen-octahedra rotation and promises to be an effective tool for studying material properties. (3) Furthermore, from the polarization structure we determine the microscopic Wannier-function interactions in ${\text{SrTiO}}_{3}$. These interactions are found to vary significantly with and without oxygen-octahedra rotation.
Seawater strontium isotopic variations from 2.5 million years ago to the present.

Measurements of marine carbonate samples indicate that during the past 2.5 million years the 87Sr/86Sr ratio of seawater has increased by 14 x 10-5. The high average rate of increase of 87Sr/86Sr indicates that continental weathering rates were exceptionally high. Nonuniformity in the rate of increase suggests that weathering rates fluctuated by as much as ±30 percent of present-day values. Some of the observed shifts in weathering rates are contemporaneous with climatic changes inferred from records of oxygen isotopes and carbonate preservation in deep sea sediments.
Pesticides in the lower atmosphere of the Northern equatorial Atlantic Ocean

Abstract Trade wind aerosols in the giant particle size range were collected continuously at Barbados, West Indies, from 22 November to 4 December, 1968; the average air concentration of aerosol-borne pp'-DDT and pp'-DDE during this period was 212 × 10−15gm−3. There is no correlation between the air concentration of these pesticides and that of airborne dust which is believed to be derived from arid regions of West Africa; evidence suggests that the pesticides originated from the higher latitudes, either Europe or North America. The possible importance of the wind-transport of pesticides to remote marine environments is discussed.
Artificial insemination of Bobwhite quail.

Synopsis The purpose of this study was to determine whether fertilisation of Bobwhite quail could be secured by artificial insemination. After this proved to be feasible, the period between insemination and the onset of laying fertile eggs, the time during which fertile eggs were laid and levels of fertility and hatchability of eggs obtained from hens inseminated at weekly intervals over an extended period of time were determined. Semen was collected from Bobwhite quail males by simultaneously applying pressure to both the left and right sides of the vent without prior stimulation. Upon collection, the semen was diluted with 0.9 per cent saline solution to prevent dehydration. Semen volume measurements were made with a tuberculin syringe to which was attached a piece of graduated, fine‐bore plastic tubing. Females were artificially inseminated by placing the diluted semen in the posterior opening of the everted oviduct. Mean duration of fertility of the eggs from six trials, two of which utilised only a s...
Temporal PTEN Inactivation Causes Proliferation of Saphenous Vein Smooth Muscle Cells of Human CABG Conduits

Internal mammary artery (IMA) coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) are remarkably resistant to intimal hyperplasia (IH) as compared to saphenous vein (SV) grafts following aorto-coronary anastomosis. The reason behind this puzzling difference still remains an enigma. In this study, we examined the effects of IGF-1 stimulation on the PI3K-AKT/PKB pathway mediating proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of IMA and SV origin and the specific contribution of phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) in regulating the IGF-1-PI3K-AKT/PKB axis under these conditions. Mitogenic activation with IGF-1, time-dependently stimulated the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT/PKB in the SV SMCs to a much greater extent than the IMA. Conversely, PTEN was found to be significantly more active in IMA SMCs. Transient overexpression of PTEN in SMCs of SV and IMA inhibited AKT/PKB activity and upstream of AKT/PKB, caused a reduction of IGF-1 receptors. Downstream, PTEN overexpression in SV SMCs induced the transactivation of tumour suppressor protein p53 by down-regulating the expression of its inhibitor MDM2. However, PTEN overexpression had no significant effect on MDM2 and p53 expression in IMA SMCs. PTEN overexpression inhibited IGF-1-induced SMC proliferation in both SV and IMA. PTEN suppression, induced by siRNA transfection of IMA SMCs diminished the negative regulation of PI3K-PKB signalling leading to greater proliferative response induced by IGF-1 stimulation. Thus, we show for the first time that early inactivation of PTEN in SV SMCs leads to temporally increased activity of the pro-hyperplasia PI3K-AKT/PKB pathway leading to IH-induced vein graft occlusion. Therefore, modulation of the PI3K-AKT/PKB pathway via PTEN might be a novel and effective strategy in combating SV graft failure following CABG.
Religiosity, ethical ideology, and intentions to report a peer's wrongdoing

Peer reporting is a specific form of whistelblowing in which an individual discloses the wrongdoing of a peer. Previous studies have examined situational variables thought to influence a person's decision to report the wrongdoing of a peer. The present study looked at peer reporting from the individual level. Five hypotheses were developed concerning the relationships between (1) religiosity and ethical ideology, (2) ethical ideology and ethical judgments about peer reporting, and (3) ethical judgments and intentions to report peer wrongdoing. Subjects read a vignette concerning academic cheating, and were asked to respond to a question-naire concerning the vignette. Data were analyzed using structural equation methodology. Results indicated that religiosity was positively associated with an ethical ideology of non-relativism. Individuals whose ethical ideologies could be described as idealistic and non-relativistic were more likely to state that reporting a peer's cheating was ethical. In turn, individuals who believed reporting a peer's cheating was ethical were more likely to say that they would report a peer's cheating.
Transparency threshold in the insulating phase of layered copper oxides

Abstract The dielectric function of the insulating antiferromagnetic phase of high-Tc layered cuprates is calculated, as function of frequency, at different dopings and temperatures. It is shown that at frequencies below the energy gap the dielectric constant is real but can change its sign. This means that there exists a transparency threshold. The corresponding frequency is calculated, as function of temperature at different dopings. It vanishes in both limits: T→0, and T→TN, if the transition at TN is a second order transition. In case of a first order transition the threshold frequency remains finite at TN.
Surviving the years of infancy: longevity among small firms in Nigeria, 1971–1997

It is widely believed that a common pattern exists in the closure of small firms in Africa. Typically, these firms are reported to die in their first three years of life. Like any generalisation, this view fails to take into account probable variations across segments of the small business sector. A few recent reports on small firms in Nigeria and in southern Africa draw attention to this limitation. In this paper, we draw on the experience of privately incorporated firms in Nigeria to report a closure pattern that diverges significantly from that of the sector generally. Our finding that only a small fraction of the closures occurred in the infancy of the firms has implication for research and policy on small businesses. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spectral polynomials of systems with general interactions

General structures represented by graphs with unequal interactions (weighted edges) are considered and their characteristic polynomials (spectral polynomials) arc obtained. It is shown that the procedure based on pruning terminal vertices previously developed by one of the present authors (K. R., Ref. 1) can be generalized to more common graphs in which nonuniform interactions (unequal couplings) occur. Special cases of the present approach are Mobius graphs. signed graphs, directed graphs, multigraphs, and pseudographs (i.e., graphs with multiple connections and graphs with loops. respectively). Weighted graphs (with general weights) are applicable to a variety of chemical problems such as problems of chemical kinetics, analysis of NMR spectra, the study of simple molecular orbitals, and molecular vibrations.
Effect of Insoluble Surfactants on the Pressure-Driven Motion of a Drop in a Tube in the Limit of High Surface Coverage.

The effect of surfactants on the axisymmetric pressure-driven motion of a droplet in a tube is investigated under low Reynolds number conditions. In the presence of surface-active impurities, the motion of the drop results in constant redistribution of the adsorbed surfactant along the interface by convection and diffusion, leading to nonuniformities in interfacial tension (i.e., Marangoni stresses) which modify the viscous stress balance at the interface. These, in turn, affect the mobility of the drop and its steady or transient shape deformations. In this study, the steady-state behavior of such a drop is examined in the presence of nondilute concentrations of bulk-insoluble surfactants on the surface of the drop. The boundary integral method is used in conjunction with a finite-difference scheme to solve the unsteady surface convective-diffusion equation for surfactant transport. The Frumkin adsorption framework is used to explore the effects of monolayer saturation and nonideal surfactant interactions on the steady drop shape and speed in the limit of high surface coverage. It is found that for surfactants with strong cohesive interactions, the drop mobility increases with increasing surface coverage, attaining maximum mobility at about 50% initial coverage. Furthermore, surface-convection-dominated systems with strong cohesive interactions exhibit surface flow patterns corresponding to the formation of a stagnant cap at the trailing end of the drop. All other systems exhibit surface flow patterns corresponding to uniform retardation of interface mobility as a fully immobilized interface is approached with increasing surface convection.
Surgery: Remission after transsphenoidal surgery for Cushing disease.

In a recent study, Valassi et al. describe a subset of patients with Cushing disease with delayed remission after transsphenoidal adenomectomy. The investigators suggest that expectant management and close observation could eliminate unnecessary interventions in these patients. Could their findings change the clinical management of patients with hypercorticism after transsphenoidal adenomectomy?
Regional cleavages in Turkish politics: An electoral geography of the 1999 and 2002 national elections

Abstract The 1999 and 2002 national parliamentary elections in Turkey display similar patterns of regional political affiliation. Integrating theories of political cleavages with the techniques of electoral geography, this article examines the overlapping cultural and economic constitution of these patterns. Cleavage theories have lacked an explicitly spatial connection between the divisions investigated and the populations these divisions are supposed to represent. Adding this connection and a more significant consideration of the impacts of state administration on these divisions expands cleavage theory's usefulness for electoral geography. In the case of Turkey, cluster analyses of the provincial results from each election display a strong tri-partite regionalization within the electoral geography of the country. By comparing the levels of support for different parties in each region with their respective political platforms, it is found that four major divisions are shaping the electoral geography: religion, ethnicity, regional economic prosperity, and previous state association. This phenomenon is explained in part by the repressive surveillance of a military apparatus that is both secular and Turkish nationalist in orientation and the dependent position of Turkey as a non-core state within the global economic system.
The Making of a Black Liturgy: Pentecostal Worship and Spirituality from African Slave Narratives to American Cityscapes

AbstractDespite persistent claims that Pentecostalism is characterized by a Black, oral liturgy, little research has been done on its origin, character, or development. This article suggests that a Black liturgy is an adequate description for the contributions of Pentecostal communities to a uniquely American liturgy, one that is characterized both by its sensitivities to existing liturgical traditions and rejection of established ritual structures, as well as by its exposure to certain key events that have shaped the religious history of modern America. The argument expands on the hypothesis that from the plantation prayer grounds of African slaves and the camp meetings of the American South, an African American spirituality was carried to the urban centers of the American heartland. In this new location it was shaped by the social, cultural, and religious conditions of the new environment and emerged as a new liturgical form labeled "Pentecostal," which in its sensitivities was uniquely American. The cr...
EFFECTS OF SET ON THE SERIAL-POSITION CURVE FOR TYPOGRAPHICALLY-DIFFERENTIATED LISTS.

The problem was to determine whether typographic differentiation of a list was sufficient to facilitate learning and alter the shape of the serial-position curve, or whether an experimentally-induced set was also important. Three groups learned a list of 12 nonsense-syllables. For a control group this list was printed in black caps, but for two experimental groups the first and last halves of the list were typographically-differentiated. One experimental group (No Set) was simply instructed to learn the list. The other group (Set) was told to learn two lists simultaneously. No facilitation of learning was found for either experimental group. The Set group, however, did produce a distinct, double-bowed curve which reflected significantly fewer anticipatory failures at the middle serial positions. This establishes set as an important factor in the altered serial-position curve for differentiated lists.
Elevated blood pressure and decreased cognitive function among school-age children and adolescents in the United States.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the relationship between elevated blood pressure (BP) and cognitive test performance in a nationally representative sample of children. Study design The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III provides cross-sectional data for children 6 to 16 years, including BP and cognitive test scores. Elevated BP was defined as systolic or diastolic BP ≥90th percentile. Cognitive tests were compared for children with elevated and normal BP. Linear regression was used to evaluate the relation between elevated BP and decreased test scores. Results Among the 5077 children, 3.4% had systolic BP ≥90th percentile and 1.6% diastolic BP ≥90th percentile. Children with elevated systolic BP had lower average scores compared with normotensive children for digit span (7.9 vs 8.7, P = .01), block design (8.6 vs 9.5, P = .03), and mathematics (89.6 vs 93.8, P = .01). Elevated diastolic BP was associated with lower average scores on block design (9.5 vs 11, P = .01). Linear regression showed that elevated systolic BP was independently associated with lower digit span scores (P = .032). Conclusion Children with elevation of systolic BP are at risk for central nervous system end-organ damage, as manifested by decreased digit span test scores.
Acute inhalation toxicity of 3-methylfuran in the mouse: pathology, cell kinetics, and respiratory rate effects.

Abstract The acute inhalation toxicity of 3-methylfuran (3MF) was investigated in male BALB c mice by morphologic examination of animals killed at varying timepoints following a 1-hr exposure to an initial chamber concentration of 14 to 37 μmol/liter (343 to 906 ppm). In addition, respiratory rate measurements and cell kinetics were used to assess quantitatively pulmonary damage and repair. Necrosis of nonciliated bronchiolar epithelial (Clara) cells was seen 1 day following exposure and was followed by regeneration, which was virtually complete, within 21 days. Cell kinetic studies showed peak bronchiolar cell proliferation at 3 days with a labeling index (LI) of 5.0% compared to 0.4% in controls. An increase in parenchymal cell proliferation was also noted coincident with a mild interstitial pneumonitis. This parenchymal proliferation, peaking at 10 days with an LI of 1.4% compared to 0.2% in controls, consisted primarily of type II epithelial and endothelial cell proliferation indicating possible delayed damage and repair of type I epithelial and endothelial cells. The respiratory rate showed an initial transient increase followed by a more prolonged decrease with eventual return to control levels. 3MF toxicity was also evidenced by a necrotizing suppurative rhinitis, centrilobular hepatic necrosis, lymphocyte necrosis in the thymus and spleen, sialoadenitis, and otitis media.
Long‐term survival of mouse corpus callosum grafts in neonatal rat recipients, and the effect of host sensitization

Previous studies have suggested that the incidence of spontaneous rejection among immunogenetically mismatched neural transplants in neonatal recipients varies significantly depending on the cellular composition of the graft material. For example, neuron-rich grafts of embryonic mouse retina generally survive for extended periods without showing signs of rejection after implantation into neonatal rats, whereas cortical xenografts, which contain abundant glial and endothelial cells as well as neurons, typically undergo rejection 4-6 weeks after implantation. To determine whether the presence of donor glia is responsible for this high incidence of spontaneous rejection, we examined the fate of a non-neuronal graft material composed predominantly of xenogeneic glial cells (post-natal day 3, PD3, CD-1 mouse corpus callosum) implanted into the mesencephalon of PD1 Sprague-Dawley rats. The distribution and survival of donor astrocytes were assessed using a monoclonal antibody specific for a mouse astrocyte surface antigen, M2. Thirteen of 16 animals sacrificed within 2 months of implantation had detectable transplants. In these animals, M2-positive cells frequently migrated well away from body of the graft, clustering in large numbers in several characteristic regions of the host brain. Unlike cortical grafts of similar age, the vast majority (93%) of callosal transplants showed no histological signs of rejection or major histocompatibility complex antigen expression in and around the transplant-derived cells. As previously noted in the neonatal retinal transplant paradigm, however, well-integrated 1-month-old corpus callosum grafts could be induced to reject by appropriate sensitization of the host immune system, implying that the host was not immunologically tolerant to the foreign neural graft. With longer survival times in unsensitized hosts, a progressively smaller percentage of animals had detectable donor astrocytes (5 of 10 animals at 3 months postimplantation and 4 of 16 animals at 4 months); in those 9 animals with surviving grafts, only small numbers of M2-positive cells were seen within the graft bed and surrounding host brain. However, only 2 of the 26 "long-term" animals showed evidence of graft rejection. These results indicate that mouse astrocytes show characteristic patterns of migration into the host brain when implanted into neonatal rats; however, these xenogeneic cells have a limited duration of survival. The infrequency with which even subtle signs of spontaneous rejection were detected in animals that had received corpus callosum xenografts suggests that an immune-mediated process is unlikely to be responsible for the time-dependent elimination of the donor astrocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Identification of a Decay in Transcription Potential That Results in Elongation Factor Dependence of RNA Polymerase II

Abstract The rate of RNA elongation by RNA polymerase II (pol II) is affected by DNA sequences called intrinsic arrest sites. Efficient transcription through these sites requires elongation factor SII. In addition to the sequence-specific features of the DNA, we show that the acquisition of SII-dependence is a function of its “dwell-time” at an arrest site. This temperature-dependent decay in elongation potential appears irreversible, implying that factor-dependent and factor-independent elongation complexes are not mutually interconvertible at this position. TFIIF and NH4Cl are known to increase the elongation rate of pol II. Both agents preempt arrest, consistent with the idea that elongation dwell time influences the process. TFIIF and SII act upon different steps in a complementary way to prevent or resolve arrest, respectively. They are probably instrumental in facilitating the efficient transcription of large eukaryotic genes in vivo.
Querying and mining of time series data: experimental comparison of representations and distance measures

The last decade has witnessed a tremendous growths of interests in applications that deal with querying and mining of time series data. Numerous representation methods for dimensionality reduction and similarity measures geared towards time series have been introduced. Each individual work introducing a particular method has made specific claims and, aside from the occasional theoretical justifications, provided quantitative experimental observations. However, for the most part, the comparative aspects of these experiments were too narrowly focused on demonstrating the benefits of the proposed methods over some of the previously introduced ones. In order to provide a comprehensive validation, we conducted an extensive set of time series experiments re-implementing 8 different representation methods and 9 similarity measures and their variants, and testing their effectiveness on 38 time series data sets from a wide variety of application domains. In this paper, we give an overview of these different techniques and present our comparative experimental findings regarding their effectiveness. Our experiments have provided both a unified validation of some of the existing achievements, and in some cases, suggested that certain claims in the literature may be unduly optimistic.
Endogenous airway mucins carry glycans that bind Siglec-F and induce eosinophil apoptosis.

Background Sialic acid–binding, immunoglobulin-like lectin (Siglec) F is a glycan-binding protein selectively expressed on mouse eosinophils. Its engagement induces apoptosis, suggesting a pathway for ameliorating eosinophilia in the setting of asthma and other eosinophil-associated diseases. Siglec-F recognizes sialylated sulfated glycans in glycan-binding assays, but the identities of endogenous sialoside ligands and their glycoprotein carriers in vivo are unknown. Objectives To use mouse lung-derived materials to isolate, biochemically identify, and biologically characterize naturally occurring endogenous glycan ligands for Siglec-F. Methods Lungs from normal and mucin-deficient mice, as well as mouse tracheal epithelial cells, were investigated in vitro and in vivo for the expression of Siglec-F ligands. Western blotting and cytochemistry used Siglec-F-Fc as a probe for directed purification, followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry of recognized glycoproteins. Purified components were tested in mouse eosinophil-binding assays and flow cytometry–based cell death assays. Results We detected mouse lung glycoproteins that bound to Siglec-F; binding was sialic acid dependent. Proteomic analysis of Siglec-F binding material identified Muc5b and Muc4. Cross-affinity enrichment and histochemical analysis of lungs from mucin-deficient mice assigned and validated the identity of Muc5b as one glycoprotein ligand for Siglec-F. Purified mucin preparations carried sialylated and sulfated glycans, bound to eosinophils and induced their death in vitro . Mice conditionally deficient in Muc5b displayed exaggerated eosinophilic inflammation in response to intratracheal installation of IL-13. Conclusions These data identify a previously unrecognized endogenous anti-inflammatory property of airway mucins by which their glycans can control lung eosinophilia through engagement of Siglec-F.
Salinity Tolerance of Brown Shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus as it Relates to Postlarval and Juvenile Survival, Distribution, and Growth in Estuaries

The brown shrimp,Farfantepenaeus aztecus, is the major component of the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery, and it is critical that we understand its environmental requirements. Brown shrimp spend a large portion of their post-larval (PL) and juvenile life within estuaries distributed along salinity gradients and yet our understanding of the salinity tolerance of various age groups is limited. A series of 48-hr bioassays were conducted in which various ages ofF. aztecus (PL-10, PL-13, PL-15, PL-17, PL-20, and PL-23) were acclimated from a salinity of 26‰ to 1‰, 2‰, 4‰, 8‰, 12‰, and 26‰ in order to determine their tolerance to these salinities. Finally, PL-80.F. aztecus were transferred directly from 25‰ to 2‰, 4‰, and 8‰ waters to study the effects of rapid salinity reductions on juvenile survival. Survival of 10-and 13-day-old PLs was significantly, different from the control (26‰) for all salinities tested. Survival of PL-15 shrimp and older was significantly lower than survival of the controls at 1‰ and 2‰ but similar to the control at all other salinities tested. A 4-wk growth trial was conducted with juvenile shrimp at 2‰, 4‰, 8‰, and 12‰. There was no significant difference in survival among treatments, although shrimp maintained at 8‰ and 12‰ grew significantlymore than shrimp maintained at 2‰ and 4‰. There was no growth difference between shrimp at the two low salinities or between shrimp at the two high salinities. Survival of juveniles transferred directly from 25‰ to various salinities were 100% at 25‰, 94.2% at 8‰, 67.3% at 4‰, and 63.5% at 2‰. These results suggest that PL-13 and younger brown shrimp would have a better chance of survival by delaying entry into estuaries susceptible to rapid salinity declines. The brown shrimp juveniles would, be more densely distributed in areas with salinities greater than 4‰ than in salinities less than 4‰. Although food availability, and bottom type also affect shrimp distribution survival and growth, salinity may also greatly affect the shrimp and its fishery.
Combined premedical-medical programmes: programme structure and student outcomes at four universities

Summary. Many American universities now support combined premedical-medical programmes which shorten and integrate the education of doctors. This paper reviews combined baccalaureate-MD programmes at four institutions: Boston University, the City College of New York, The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In comparison to most US medical schools, the combined programmes have admitted and educated larger portions of women students. In addition, some have had large proportions of graduates choosing primary-care careers.