cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ADAPTIVE ESTIMATORS OF A MEAN MATRIX: TOTAL LEAST SQUARES VERSUS TOTAL SHRINKAGE

An unknown constant matrix M is observed with additive random error. The basic problem considered is to devise an estimator of M that trades off bias against variance so as to achieve relatively low quadratic risk. This paper develops an adaptive total least squares estimator and an adaptive total shrinkage estimator of M that minimize estimated risk over certain large classes of linear estimators. It is shown that the asymptotic risk of the adaptive total least squares estimator is the smallest attainable among reduced rank total least squares fits to the data matrix. The asymptotic risk of the adaptive total shrinkage estimator is shown to be smaller still. A close link is established between total shrinkage and the Efron-Morris estimator of M. In the asymptotics, the row dimension of M tends to infinity, and the column dimension stays fixed. The risks converge uniformly when the signal to-noise ratio and the measurement error variance are both bounded. A second problem treated is estimation of M under the assumption that a linear relation holds among its columns. In this formulation of the errors-in-variables linear regres sion model, rank constrained adaptive total least squares asymptotically domi nates the usual total least squares estimator of M, and rank constrained adaptive total shrinkage is better still.
A new human gene complex encoding the killer cell inhibitory receptors and related monocyte/macrophage receptors

Abstract Activation of various immune cell types can be prevented by negative signaling receptors. Natural killer (NK) cells, which can lyse tumor or virus-infected cells, express inhibitory receptors that recognise distinct ‘self' class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex [1]. Recognition of self class I molecules results in a negative signal to prevent NK-mediated killing of healthy cells [2]. Human and mouse NK cells express both immunoglobulin-like type I inhibitory receptors – such as the human killer cell inhibitory receptor (KIR) and the mouse gp49B glycoprotein – and lectin-like type II inhibitory receptors – such as the human CD94/NKG2 heterodimer and the mouse Ly-49 receptor family [1]. These receptors use tyrosine phosphorylation motifs in their cytoplasmic tails to deliver a dominant-negative signal by recruiting the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 [3–5]. We have identified a new family of monocyte/macrophage immunoglobulin-like receptors (MIRs) related to KIR. Two cDNA clones with sequence similarity to each other and to the gp49B gene were isolated from human lymphocytes; both encode proteins containing four immunoglobulin domains and the conserved cytoplasmic inhibitory motifs, and transcription of both was detected primarily in monocytes/macrophages, rather than T, NK, or mast cells. The MIR genes are closely linked to the KIR gene family and the gene for Fc α R on chromosome 19, at cytogenetic band q13.4. A mouse sequence related to MIR was mapped to a region on mouse chromosome 7 syntenic with human 19q13.4. Our findings should facilitate studies of the evolution and function of the MIR and KIR families.
What's driving the downward trend in employer-sponsored health insurance?

Objective We investigate the factors driving the downward trend in employer sponsored health insurance (ESI) coverage between 1999 and 2002 for low- and middle-income workers, and assess their insurance options in the absence of ESI coverage.
Social Control and the Process of Schooling: A Study of Socialization of Kindergarten Children in Two Settings.

"Open" and "traditional" classrooms have differential impact on student communicative patterns.
On the possibility of the reemergence of a dysgenic trend with respect to intelligence in American fertility differentials

This paper examines the relationship between IQ and fertility in a sample of men and women aged 25–34 as of the late 1970s. This sample is of unusual interest for two reasons: (1) it is a national probability sample, representative of the non-institutional civilian population of the U.S. as a whole, and (2) it is for a post-World War II cohort. Most previous studies of the IQ/fertility relationship have employed nationally unrepresentative samples of cohorts born in the pre-war period, 1910–1940. The bias, in both time and place, of the samples used in these studies has not been adequately grasped by those who cite them as evidence of a eugenic trend with respect to intelligence. The major finding of these previous studies was that the IQ/fertility relationship is slightly positive, contrary to expectations though confirmatory of the so-called Eugenic Hypothesis. My working hypothesis is that this finding is special to the cohort chosen for study, i.e., one whose child-bearing took place during a period of rising birth rates (cohorts born between 1910 and 1940 were largely responsible for the baby boom after World War II). That is, in periods of rising birth rates, persons with higher intelligence tend to have fertility equal to, if not exceeding, that of the population as a whole. In periods of falling birth rates, the opposite is the case, according to my thesis. This thesis is generally supported by the data set described above. Fertility differentials to date within the post-World War II cohort, which entered its reproductive years during a period of falling birth rates, show a negative relationship between intelligence and fertility. The relationship is less negative for white men than for white women and for white women than for black women (black men are omitted from this study due to deficiencies in the data). The stated intentions of this cohort with respect to future fertility, if realized, will moderate the degree of this relationship, particularly for whites, but not change its sign.
Physics of greenhouse effect and convection in warm Oceans

Sea surface temperature (SST) in roughly 50% of the tropical Pacific Ocean is warm enough (SST greater than 300 K) to permit deep convection. This paper examines the effects of deep convection on the climatological mean vertical distributions of water vapor and its greenhouse effect over such warm oceans. The study, which uses a combination of satellite radiation budget observations, atmospheric soundings deployed from ships, and radiation model calculations, also examines the link between SST, vertical distribution of water vapor, and its greenhouse effect in the tropical oceans. Since the focus of the study is on the radiative effects of water vapor, the radiation model calculations do not include the effects of clouds. The data are grouped into nonconvective and convective categories using SST as an index for convective activity. On average, convective regions are more humid, trap significantly more longwave radiation, and emit more radiation to the sea surface. The greenhouse effect in regions of convection operates as per classical ideas, that is, as the SST increases, the atmosphere traps the excess longwave energy emitted by the surface and reradiates it locally back to the ocean surface. The important departure from the classical picture is that the net (up minus down) fluxes at the surface and at the top of the atmosphere decrease with an increase in SST; that is, the surface and the surface-troposphere column lose the ability to radiate the excess energy to space. The cause of this super greenhouse effect at the surface is the rapid increase in the lower-troposphere humidity with SST; that of the column is due to a combination of increase in humidity in the entire column and increase in the lapse rate within the lower troposphere. The increase in the vertical distribution of humidity far exceeds that which can be attributed to the temperature dependence of saturation vapor pressure; that is, the tropospheric relative humidity is larger in convective regions. The positive coupling between SST and the radiative warming of the surface by the water vapor greenhouse effect is also shown to exist on interannual time scales.
The in vivo rate of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in sea urchin eggs determined with a photolabile caged substrate.

Some of the earliest metabolic changes after fertilization of sea urchin eggs center around the activity of the pentose phosphate shunt. We here report on the in vivo activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), the first enzyme of this shunt, as assayed with a photolabile (caged) analog of the substrate, glucose-6-phosphate (G6P). Caged G6P was synthesized from radiolabeled (5-3H or 1-14C) glucose and loaded into unfertilized sea urchin eggs by transient electroporation. Irradiation of these eggs (either before or after fertilization) photolyses the caged G6P, thereby pulsing the cell with 3H- and 14C-labeled G6P. The fluxes of G6P into glycolysis and the pentose shunt are calculated from the rates of oxidation of labeled G6P to 3H2O and 14CO2; since the turnover of the 6-phosphogluconate pool by 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase is nearly instantaneous (Swezey, R.R., and Epel, D. (1992) Exp. Cell Res. 201:366-372), the rate of 14CO2 production by the pentose shunt is equal to the flux of G6P through G6PDH. The data indicate that G6PDH activity is very low in unfertilized eggs, increases 184- to 427-fold by 2 min after fertilization, and then decreases to a value that is 74 to 209 times the unfertilized level (maximally 0.005 x 10(-8) units per egg in unfertilized eggs, 2.14 x 10(-8) units per egg by 2 min after fertilization, and 1.05 x 10(-8) units per egg by 20 min after fertilization). In spite of this substantial activation, the enzyme activity is considerably repressed; compared with activity in broken cell extracts, G6PDH at these developmental times operates in vivo at 0-0.003%, 0.52-1.21%, and 0.21-0.59%, respectively, of its potential activity. These results are discussed in terms of various hypotheses regarding the modulation of G6PDH activity by fertilization. These activity measurements relate well to other indices of in vivo activity. The major use of the NADPH shortly after fertilization is to produce H2O2, which is used as a substrate for fertilization membrane hardening; our data indicate that the NADPH that is produced by the pentose shunt activity is 30-70% of that required for this postfertilization generation of H2O2.
Calpain expression varies among different rat and bovine central nervous system regions

Calcium-activated neutral proteinase (calpain) is a ubiquitous, cytosolic endopeptidase which is believed to play a role in many neural functions. In the present study, we examined the transcriptional and translational expression of microcalpain (microcalpain) and millicalpain (mcalpain) isoforms and the endogenous inhibitor calpastatin in rat and bovine spinal cord, brain stem, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex tissues using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. In rat central nervous system (CNS) samples, the microcalpain and mcalpain transcriptional expression was highest in white matter-enriched areas. Calpastatin mRNA expression demonstrated no significant differences among the CNS areas. Calpain and calpastatin translational expression levels were greatest in the spinal cord. In bovine CNS, microcalpain transcriptional expression was greatest in the spinal cord, while other CNS regions showed no significant differences. Bovine mcalpain transcriptional expression was similar among various CNS regions but marginally greater in the cortex. Translational expression of bovine calpain was greatest in the brain stem, while that of calpastatin was highest in the cerebral cortex. These results indicate that calpain expression varies among different CNS regions and is often highest in white matter-enriched areas.
Headache and the eye.

Because of the inextricable link between the eyes and headaches, ophthalmologists are often the first physicians to evaluate patients with headaches, eye pain, and headache-associated visual disturbances. Although ophthalmic causes are sometimes diagnosed, eye pain and visual disturbances are often neurologic in origin. Many primary headache disorders have ophthalmic features, and secondary causes of headache frequently involve the visual system. Both afferent and efferent symptoms and signs are associated with headache disorders. Moreover, the frontal or retro-orbital pain of some primary ophthalmic conditions may be mistaken for a headache disorder, particularly if the ophthalmologic examination is normal. This article reviews common ocular conditions that are associated with head pain, and some secondary causes of headache with neuro-ophthalmic neuro-ophthalmic manifestations.
A reversible valence equilibrium in a heavier main group compound

The addition of LiPh to Ar*SnCl (Ar* = C6H3-2,6-Trip2; Trip = C6H2-2,4,6-iPr3) at low temperature afforded the Sn(1)-Sn(III) species Ar*SnSnPh2Ar*, which exists in equilibrium with the Sn(II) compound Ar*SnPh. It is the first example of a room-temperature equilibrium of compounds involving main group elements in different oxidation states.
Comparison of alkylacylglycerol vs. diacylglycerol as activators of mitogen-activated protein kinase and cytosolic phospholipase A2 in human neutrophil priming

In human neutrophils, the choline-containing phosphoglycerides contain almost equal amounts of alkylacyl- and diacyl-linked subclasses. In contrast to phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis which yields diacylglycerol, hydrolysis of choline-containing phosphoglycerides by phospholipase D coupled with phosphohydrolase yields both alkylacyl- and diacylglycerol. While diacylglycerol activates protein kinase C, alkylacylglycerol does not, and its role is unclear. Yet previous studies have shown that exogenous alkylacyl- and diacylglycerols can prime for the release of radiolabeled arachidonic acid (AA) in intact neutrophils stimulated by formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. We have now examined the effects of both diacylglycerol (1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol; OAG) and alkylacylglycerol (1-O-hexadecyl-2-acetylglycerol; EAG) on the activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and the 85-kDa cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in human neutrophils. We observed that while OAG could effectively activate p42 and p44 MAP kinases along with cPLA2 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, EAG could not. A novel p40 MAP kinase isoform is also present and activated in response to OAG treatment; the behavior of this MAP kinase isoform is discussed. The activation of cPLA2 and MAP kinase by 20 μM OAG could be inhibited by pretreatment with 1 μM GF-109203X, a selective inhibitor of protein kinase C. Although only OAG activated cPLA2, both OAG and EAG primed for the release of AA mass as determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The priming of AA release by OAG may be explained by the phosphorylation of cPLA2 through the activation of protein kinase C linked to MAP kinase. However, priming by EAG appears to involve a separate mechanism that is dependent on a different PLA2. Our results support a role for phospholipase D-derived products modulating the activation of cPLA2, further supporting the idea of cross-talk among various phospholipases.
Community photosynthesis and respiration in experimental streams

Changes in relative contribution to total stream photosynthetic and respiratory rates by various community components of an open channel stream were estimated. Rates of photosynthetic production of plankton, benthos and macrophytes (with associated epiphytes) were followed through the growing season and compared with total estimates from a diurnal oxygen technique. Photosynthetic production by macrophytes was extremely high early in the growing season; but later declined and heterotrophic processes became predominant. In contrast, benthos production was initially low but became the primary source of photosynthesis later in the season. Plankton contributed little to stream photosynthesis and respiration.
Results of Computerized Tomography Guided Percutaneous Ablation of Renal Masses With Nondiagnostic Pre-Ablation Pathological Findings

Purpose: Ablative therapy for renal masses has been criticized because the entire tumor cannot be evaluated pathologically after the procedure. Diagnosis depends on imaging findings and the results of percutaneous needle biopsies, which may be nondiagnostic in up to 21% of cases. We determined outcomes in patients undergoing ablation who had nondiagnostic biopsies at the time of the procedure.Materials and Methods: A total of 79 patients (88 renal masses) underwent percutaneous computerized tomography guided biopsy and ablation of a renal mass under conscious sedation. Patients with nondiagnostic biopsies were identified and the medical records were reviewed retrospectively. All patients had an enhancing renal mass on preoperative computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and all underwent postoperative contrast imaging to evaluate persistent viable tumor.Results: A total of 19 patients (20 tumors) with nondiagnostic percutaneous biopsy (22.7% or 20 of 88) were included in the study. No seriou...
An axiom system for orthomodular quantum logic

Logical matrices for orthomodular logic are introduced. The underlying algebraic structures are orthomodular lattices, where the conditional connective is the Sasaki arrow. An axiomatic calculusOMC is proposed for the orthomodular-valid formulas.OMC is based on two primitive connectives — the conditional, and the falsity constant. Of the five axiom schemata and two rules, only one pertains to the falsity constant. Soundness is routine. Completeness is demonstrated using standard algebraic techniques. The Lindenbaum-Tarski algebra ofOMC is constructed, and it is shown to be an orthomodular lattice whose unit element is the equivalence class of theses ofOMC.
Ultrastructural characteristics of estrogen receptor-containing neurons of the ventrolateral nucleus of the Guinea-pig hypothalamus.

Abstract The ventrolateral nucleus of the hypothalamus (VL) of the guinea-pig is a key cell group in the neural circuitry underlying the estrogen-dependent lordosis reflex. The extent to which neurons in the VL are responsive to estrogen or to synaptic inputs depends in part on the presence of specific estrogen and neurotransmitter receptors within the target cells. It also depends on the number, type and location of synaptic inputs. In addition, both sensitivity to circulating hormones and transmitter responsiveness show estrogen-inducible alterations in the VL. To understand more about the cell types that are directly modulated by estrogens via the nuclear steroid binding protein and the synaptic connectivity of these neurons, we have carried out an ultrastructural study of estrogen receptor-containing cells in the VL of the female guinea-pig. Estrogen receptor was localized for both light and electron microscopy using a specific monoclonal antibody, H-222, directed against the human estrogen receptor. Numerous immunoreactive neurons were found in the VL. These cells had simple, relatively smooth dendritic processes that were generally unbranched. Reaction product was most intense in the nucleus; lighter deposits were seen in some but not all somata and proximal dendrites. No cell was observed with only cytoplasmic staining. At the ultrastructural level, this distribution of reaction product within cells was confirmed. Gold deposits were associated with euchromatin and excluded from the nucleolus, nucleolar-associated heterochromatin and Barr body. In the cytoplasm, the small aggregates of gold particles were randomly distributed. Two types of cytologically distinct immunoreactive neurons were characterized. The most numerous category was of large cells with extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum, frequently organized as whorls or ribbons, several stacks of Golgi cisterna, numerous mitochondria and multivesicular bodies. A smaller population, representing approximately 5% of the total, was of much smaller cells which had only a thin rim of cytoplasm around the nucleus, scattered elements of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and a single small Golgi saccule. Based on size, we suggest that the larger neurons are projection neurons and that the smaller ones form local circuits. The larger cells received a dense axo-somatic and axo-dendritic innervation. Most of the presynaptic terminals contained small, clear round vesicles; synaptic densities on either pre- or postsyn- aptic side were absent though a well defined synaptic cleft was evident. Very few synapses were found on the small cells even when serial sections were examined. It is clear that the larger, estrogen receptor-containing neurons are in a position to integrate both hormonal and neuronal signals and to transmit this information to other regions of the central nervous system involved in the outflow of reproductive behaviors.
Trust and concern in consumers' perceptions of marketing information management practices

Abstract This research examines two constructs, consumers’ trust and concern, in information management practices. The authors present empirical evidence from a national consumer survey that suggests improving trust and reducing concerns are two distinct approaches to managing consumer information. Contrary to existing self-regulation efforts, the authors argue that when managing consumer information, the improvement of trust is more effective than efforts to reduce concern.
When Robots Lie: A Comparison of Auto-Defamation Law

Communicating false information that harms the reputation of an individual or entity creates legal liability for the injuries incurred. Defamation is handled very differently, however, in America than overseas, particularly when the offending communication is networked. As a robotic future becomes increasingly present, the way in which legal systems will respond when robots lie presents a pressing social question. This article provides a background of the subject, compares various defamation laws, and lays forth a set of important questions that will need answers and hinge on the design and capability of robotic systems.
Reduced Relative Lymphocyte Count in African-Americans With Decompensated Heart Failure

Abstract Background A reduction in relative lymphocyte count (%L) has been reported in whites with heart failure that inversely correlated with jugular venous pressure thereby implicating systemic venous hypertension with splanchnic congestion. Objectives To study whether a reduced %L ( Methods In 131 AA (90 men; 53 ± 12 years): 113 were hospitalized, 50 with decompensated biventricular failure (DecompHF), 24 with acute left heart failure, and 39 with heart disease, but no heart failure (HDNHF); and 18 were outpatients with compensated heart failure. At the time of admission or outpatient visit, we monitored: white blood cell count and %L; and serum albumin, 25(OH)D, and parathyroid hormone (PTH). Results White blood cell count did not differ among the groups, whereas %L was reduced only in those with DecompHF (15 ± 1%; P P 65 pg/mL) was found only in those with DecompHF (123 ± 22 pg/mL). Conclusions A relative lymphocytopenia, together with hypoalbuminemia and elevated PTH, were found only in hospitalized AA with DecompHF. These findings implicate splanchnic congestion and the enteric loss of lymphocytes and albumin with an associated secondary hyperparathyroidism.
Role of Liver in Depression of Plasma Potassium Level by Epinephrine

SummaryDuring infusion of 1:75,000 epinephrine for as long as 45 minutes at the rate of 1 ml per minute the potassium content of the blood entering the liver, although actually below the resting concentration still exceeds that of blood leaving the liver. This strongly suggests that the cell source from which potassium is mobilized by epinephrine takes part, at least, in removing the excess from the circulation.
Volume holographic storage in photorefractive media (Invited Paper)

We consider some fundamental limits to the volume holographic storage in photorefractive media, including the storage capacity and the dynamic range. We also discuss the photorefractive noise gratings formed during a multiple exposure schedule. These fundamental issues in photorefractive storage are important in understanding the potentials and limitations of optical memory systems.
Multicriteria order acceptance decision support in over-demanded job shops: A neural network approach

Order acceptance is an important issue in job shop production systems where demand exceeds capacity. In this paper, a neural network approach is developed for order acceptance decision support in job shops with machine and manpower capacity constraints. First, the order acceptance decision problem is formulated as a sequential multiple criteria decision problem. Then a neural network based preference model for order prioritization is described. The neural network based preference model is trained using preferential data derived from pairwise comparisons of a number of representative orders. An order acceptance decision rule based on the preference model is proposed. Finally, a numerical example is discussed to illustrate the use of the proposed neural network approach. The proposed neural network approach is shown to be a viable method for multicriteria order acceptance decision support in over-demanded job shops.
Sigma commutator and features of (8,8) symmetry breaking

Abstract The Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner model of SU(3) × SU(3) breaking provides a pion sigma commutator σ jk which has no isospin T = 2 component. Because of this and especially in view of recent evidence that this model is not experimentally confirmed in meson-baryon scattering, another model employing (8,8) breaking is considered. A hamiltonian of the Barnes-Isham form is adopted and the operators are developed for use in an analysis of the pion-to-pion matrix element of σ jk . Estimates are made of the parameters of this model, and the T = 0 and 2 form factors of the matrix element are examined by means of a hard pion formalism adapted to analytic function methods. The T = 0 and 2 s-wave ππ phase shifts are extracted. It is shown that the (8,8) model, analyzed in this way, provides an unsatisfactory description of the existing data on these phase shifts. The data identify the reason for this failure to be that the T = 2 component of σ jk is too large in the (8,8) model. The outlook for other alternatives is discussed.
Enhanced killing of penicillin-treated S. aureus by host defences: Effects of amoxycillin, cloxacillin and nafcillin in vitro and in experimental mastitis

Abstract The effects of pretreatment of Staphylococcus aureus with subMIC or 10 × MIC amoxycillin, cloxacillin and nafcillin on subsequent killing by bovine neutrophils or sensitivity to lysostaphin were examined in vitro, using penicillinase positive and negative strains. All penicillins increased the susceptibility of S. aureus to bovine neutrophils; with amoxycillin this was most marked with the penicillinase negative strain. Cloxacillin pretreatment was significantly more effective than nafcillin or amoxycillin in some tests and equally effective in others. The sensitivity of S. aureus to lysostaphin was increased following cloxacillin or nafcillin exposure. In a mouse model of mastitis, more cloxacillin and nafcillin-treated S. aureus (at 1 4 MIC) were killed than untreated bacteria 1 hr after infection but by 4 hr no differences were found. No differences were seen after intramammary infection with 10 × MIC penicillin-treated S. aureus. In glands with established chronic mastitis both cloxacillin and nafcillin at high doses failed to kill staphylococci. These findings indicate that prior exposure to penicillins increases staphylococcal susceptibility to killing by neutrophils but following phagocytosis, intracellular bacteria are protected from the lethal action of penicillins.
From Interview to Story: Writing Abbie's Life

This article highlights the processes, challenges, and difficulties of writing about lived, emotional experiences. This article explores the emotional issues confronted and the practical steps taken to write "Abbie's Life"—an evocative narrative about one woman's struggle with bulimia and obesity. This article tacks back and forth between Abbie's story and the author's as the author attempts to reflexively connect their experiences. She shows how she makes use of Abbie's story to deepen her understanding of her own life and how the author calls on her own experience to heighten her comprehension of Abbey's.
Adaptive reference frame selection for generalized video signal coding

In this paper, we present a new algorithm that adaptively selects the best possible reference frame for the predictive coding of generalized, or multi-view, video signals, based on estimated prediction similarity with the desired frame. We define similarity between two frames as the absence of occlusion, and we estimate this quantity from the variance of composite displacement vector maps. The composite maps are obtained without requiring the computationally intensive process of motion estimation for each candidate reference frame. We provide prediction and compression performance results for generalized video signals using both this scheme and schemes where the reference frames were heuristically pre- selected. When the predicted frames were used in a modified MPEG encoder simulation, the signal compressed using the adaptively selected reference frames required, on average, more than 10% fewer bits to encode than the non-adaptive techniques; for individual frames, the reduction in bits was sometimes more than 80%. These gains were obtained with an acceptable computational increase and an inconsequential bit-count overhead.
GENETICS OF SELF-INCOMPATIBILITY IN PHYSALIS IXOCARPA BROT.—A NEW SYSTEM

SOLANACEAE WAS the first family in which the genetics of self-incompatibility was properly understood. The oppositional or personate system of self-incompatibility was first described, with substantiating data, by East and Mangelsdorf (1925) for Nicotiana species. Later, work on different species of Petunia (Harland and Atteck, 1933) and Solanuim (Pal and Pushkarnath, 1942) also revealed the same oppositional system of self-incompatibility. Similarily in the families in which more than one genus was investigated, the same system was found operating in the different genera of the same family (e. g.; in the genera Antirrhinum, Nemesia and Veronica of the Scrophulariaceae). From these observations in one or a few genera of each family, various authors concluded that only one system of self-incompatibility was prevalent in one family. The discovery of a new system of selfincompatibility in three genera of Compositae (Parthenium-Gerstel 1950; Crepis-Houghes and Babcock 1950, and Cosmos-Crowe 1954a) and Cruciferae (Iberis, Brassica and Raphanus-Bateman 1955) strengthened this belief. The recent findings of another system of self-incompatibility in the 3 genera investigated (Secale cereale-Lundquist 1954; Festuca pratensis-Lundquist 1955; Phalaris coerulescens-Hayman 1956) in the family Gramineae also seems to confirm this. However, the latest discovery in Trifolium uniflorum (Pandey 1957a) of a new S locus which is non-allelic to the S genes found in other Trifolium species suggests that there may be important deviations from the system in the same family. Menzel (1951), working with a number of Physalis species (Solanaceae), found no evidence of self-incompatibility. However, she reported that J-,gged flowers of P. ixocarpa Brot. (= P. aeguata Ja.q. and P. capscicifolia Rydb.) and P. viscosa did not set fruit, whereas a number of other species set abundant fruits with normal or near normal number of seeds under the same conditions. Preliminarv selfing experiments with a few plants of P. ixocarpa grown in the greenhouse in the summer of 1955 revealed that this species is highly self-incompatible. A study of the genetics of self-
Review: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in childhood

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an often undiagnosed entity of chronic liver disease with an uncertain prognosis. Recently NAFLD has probably become the most frequent cause of chronic liver disease in children. The term NAFLD covers a spectrum of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease from benign static disease to more aggressive forms that can progress to cirrhosis within childhood. The term non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is nowadays reserved to describe these progressive forms of NAFLD. Insulin resistance is a significant aetiological factor and hence a majority of patients with diabetes, obesity and the metabolic syndrome have the disease. Histological confirmation of NAFLD requires 5% steatosis to support the diagnosis and distinguishes an adult (NASH type 1) and a paediatric form (NASH type 2). Current treatment options focus on lifestyle changes to improve underlying obesity and glucose intolerance. This article provides an overview of currently existing data regarding diagnosis and ma...
THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF GALLS ON THE RED ALGA GRACILARIA EPIHIPPISORA1

A strain of Gracilaria epihippisora Hoyle produces gall-like cell proliferations in culture. These growths can be excised and grown separately, where they retain an undifferentiated morphology and reach 5mm in diameter. The gall tissue consists of a single morphological cell type without any differentiation between surface and internal cells as is characteristic of normal thallus tissue. Gall cells are typically 20–40 μm in diameter and contain the usual complement of organelles and a prominent vacuole, although there are several distinct features. The large multilobed plastids have an extensive proliferation of thylakoid membranes, which form an arrangement of loops and spirals. The thallus outer cell wall layer is highly reduced. The gall growths contain intracellular virus-like particles (ca. 80 nm in diameter) that occur in discrete groups.
Characterization of Ground State Neutral and Ion Transport During Laser Ablation of 1:2:3 Superconductors by Transient Optical Absorption Spectroscopy

Optical absorption in the plume produced by excimer laser ablation of Y1Ba2Cu3O7-x under film growth conditions has been observed for the first time and used to characterize the transport of ground state Y, Ba, and Cu neutrals as well as Y+ and Ba+ ions. Spatially and temporally resolved absorption measurements (0.6 mm, 20 ns resolution) indicate significant ground state number densities at times following the laser pulse that are up to an order of magnitude longer than the duration of fluorescence from excited states. Time-of-flight absorbance profiles result in velocity distributions that are broadened significantly toward lower velocities and reveal a low velocity component ( 1016 cm-3 in the white plasma close to the pellet have been estimated using spectrally broadened emission lines. The effects of oxygen ambient pressures and the detection of YO, BaO, and CuO also are reported. This technique is applicable as an situ monitor of the kinetic energy of ablated species during low temperature deposition of epitaxial 1:2:3 superconducting thin films.
EFFECTS OF EXTRADURAL BLOCK: COMPARISON OF THE PROPERTIES, CIRCULATORY EFFECTS AND PHARMACOKINETICS OF ETIDOCAINE AND BUPIVACAINE

Five healthy, unmedicated male volunteers, aged 19-25 yr, participated in a double-blind, crossover study. Each subject received, on separate occasions and via a catheter placed at L2, 1.5% etiodocaine HCl20 ml with adrenaline 5 mug/ml, or 0.75% bupivacaine HCl 20 ml with adrenaline 5 mug/ml for extradural analgesia. In addition, in order to calculate the absorption rate of the local anaesthetic agent, each subject received on two further occasions etidocaine HCl 75 mg and bupivacaine HCl 75 mg respectively by i.v. infusion, over a period of 10 min. Spread of sensory analgesia to four segments above and below the site of injection was faster with etidocaine (13 +/- 3 min) (mean +/- SD) than with bupivacaine (22 +/- 8 min). Two-segment regression occurred later for bupivacaine (260 +/- 57 min) than for etidocaine (180 +/- 96 min). Caudal spread of analgesia was more extensive with etidocaine than with bupivacaine. The onset of motor blockade tended to be faster with etidocaine (5.8 +/- 3.0 min), than with bupivacaine (10.0 +/- 3.5 min); regression of motor blockade by one unit was longer with etidocaine (306 +/- 103 min) than bupivacaine (238 +/- 75 min). Sudomotor block occurred earlier with etidocaine (4.0 +/- 2.1 min) than bupivacaine (13.7 +/- 4.8 min). Significant changes in cardiac stroke work and stroke volume occurred. For etidocaine these measurements remained below control values for 120-210 min after injection. The mean maximum arterial plasma concentration of etidocaine was 1.52 +/- 0.64 mug/ml, at 14 +/- 2 min and of bupivacaine was 1.35 +/- 0.63 mug/ml, achieved at 20 +/- 4 min. The systemic absorption of both drugs occurred in a biphasic pattern with a fast and slow half-life of 0.3 and approximately 8 h respectively.
Unconventional superconductivity in heavy-fermion compounds

Abstract Over the past 35 years, research on unconventional superconductivity in heavy-fermion systems has evolved from the surprising observations of unprecedented superconducting properties in compounds that convention dictated should not superconduct at all to performing explorations of rich phase spaces in which the delicate interplay between competing ground states appears to support emergent superconducting states. In this article, we review the current understanding of superconductivity in heavy-fermion compounds and identify a set of characteristics that is common to their unconventional superconducting states. These core properties are compared with those of other classes of unconventional superconductors such as the cuprates and iron-based superconductors. We conclude by speculating on the prospects for future research in this field and how new advances might contribute towards resolving the long-standing mystery of how unconventional superconductivity works.
Dissolution of well and poorly ordered kaolinites by an aerobic bacterium

Abstract Previous research by our group (e.g., [Chem. Geol. 132 (1996) 25; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 64 (2000) 1363]) has shown that an aerobic Pseudomonas mendocina bacterium enhances Fe(hydr)oxide dissolution in order to obtain Fe under Fe-limited conditions. The P. mendocina is incapable of utilizing Fe as a terminal electron acceptor and requires several orders of magnitude lower Fe concentrations than do dissimilatory Fe reducing bacteria. The research reported here compared the effects of the P. mendocina on dissolution of well and poorly ordered Clay Minerals Society Source Clay kaolinites KGa-1b and KGa-2, respectively, under Fe-limited conditions. KGa-1b and KGa-2 contain 0.04 and 0.94 bulk wt.% Fe, respectively, and their surface Fe/Si atomic ratios=0.008 and 0.012. Following strong cleaning of the kaolinites in 5.8 M HCl at 85 °C, the surface Fe/Si atomic ratios decreased to 0.004 and 0.008, respectively. Both kaolinites also developed a Si-enriched surface precipitate upon strong cleaning. Because the P. mendocina take up Fe, we could not measure Fe release from the kaolinite directly, but rather had to monitor it indirectly by comparing microbial populations sizes under Fe-limited growth conditions. We found that microbial growth on uncleaned, weakly cleaned, and strongly cleaned kaolinites increased with the amount of Fe readily available to organic ligands as estimated by dissolution in 0.001 M oxalate (pH 3). This suggests that it is the amount of readily accessible Fe that controls Fe acquisition and hence microbial growth. The trend is based on only a relatively small range of kaolinite Fe contents, and the research thus needs to be expanded to include kaolinites with a broader range of bulk and surface Fe concentrations. Significant enhancement of Al release was observed in the presence of the bacteria, along with generally some enhancement of Si release. This enhancement of kaolinite dissolution could be related to an observed pH increase from ∼7–8 to ∼9 in the presence of the bacteria and/or to production of Al chelating agents. The P. mendocina produce a variety of organic exudates, including siderophores [Chem. Geol. 132 (1996) 25; Geomicrobiology (2001b)], and further studies into the effects of the siderophores on Al complexation and on kaolinite dissolution are ongoing.
Literacy and Cognitive Functioning in Bilingual and Nonbilingual Children at or Not at Risk for Reading Disabilities

The authors determined whether the cognitive processes that underlie second-language acquisition difficulties are the same as those that underlie reading difficulties. First-grade (N = 101) bilingual and nonbilingual children were administered a battery of measures in Spanish and English. English word identification and vocabulary were predicted by a language-general working-memory (WM) factor, whereas English pseudoword reading was predicted by Spanish pseudoword reading and WM. The results also showed that (a) children proficient in language were better able to access resources from WM and (b) children with reading disabilities (RD) performed poorly on Spanish measures of short-term memory. In general, second-language difficulties are related to accessing a language-independent WM system, whereas language-specific phonological memory deficits underlie RD.
Myocardial fibrosis and pathologic hypertrophy in the rat with renovascular hypertension

An abnormal elevation in collagen concentration or myocardial fibrosis occurs in the hypertrophied left ventricle of the rat with renovascular hypertension (RHT). The structural nature and functional consequences of this fibrosis and the mechanisms involved in its appearance were reviewed for various phases of hypertrophy. Within days after the onset of renal ischemia, type I collagen messenger ribonucleic acid is expressed. An interstitial fibrosis follows, characterized by an increased dimension of existing perimysial fibers and the appearance of fibrillar collagen in spaces previously devoid of collagen, together with a perivascular fibrosis of intramyocardial coronary arteries. These expressions of myocardial fibrosis are associated with an increase in diastolic and systolic myocardial stiffness. Endomyocardial fibrosis serves to further increase diastolic stiffness while myocytes encircled by fibrillar collagen become atrophic. Each of these consequences of myocardial fibrosis reduce myocyte length-dependent force generation. At 32 weeks of RHT there is an obvious diastolic and systolic dysfunction of the ventricle together with heart failure that includes ventricular dilatation, wall thinning and reduced ejection fraction. The mechanisms involved in mediating fibrosis in RHT appear to be multiple. Myocyte necrosis and fibroblast proliferation have been associated with elevated circulating angiotensin II. Necrosis in RHT was not seen with captopril pretreatment or in the hypertension and hypertrophy that accompanied infrarenal aorta banding. An alteration in coronary artery permeability may be responsible for the perivascular fibrosis that is not seen with captopril pretreatment. Thus in RHT, the hemodynamic status of the ventricle determines myocyte hypertrophy while the elevation in circulating angiotensin II is responsible for the remodeling of nonmyocyte compartments, including the appearance of myocardial fibrosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Metabolic mapping of neural pathways involved in gastrosecretory response to insulin hypoglycaemia in the rat.

1. The central nervous structures involved in the gastrosecretory effect of insulin hypoglycaemia were investigated in twenty urethane-anaesthetized rats, previously provided with a chronic gastric fistula, by means of the 2-deoxy- D-[14C]glucose autoradiographic technique. 2. Gastric secretion increased in animals in which plasma glucose concentration was reduced to a range of 84-133 mg/100 ml. (mean ± S.E. of mean, 94 ± 3) as compared to a range of 125-215 mg/100 ml. (mean ± S.E. of mean, 162 ± 8) in animals with normal gastric secretion. 3. In fourteen of nineteen structures examined the rate of glucose utilization remained constant over the range of plasma glucose concentrations of 84-215 mg/100 ml. These structures included the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, the mamillary nuclei, the medial geniculate nuclei, globus pallidus, zona incerta, nucleus ambiguus, supraoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, medial nucleus of the solitary tract, dorsal tegmental nucleus, red nucleus, inferior olivary nucleus, hippocampus and amygdaloid complex. 4. A significant inverse correlation between plasma glucose concentration and the rate of glucose consumption was found in the lateral nucleus of the solitary tract, dorsal nucleus of the vagus, perifornical area where fibres of the medial forebrain bundle course, the superior olivary nucleus and the interstitial nucleus of the stria terminalis. 5. Except for the superior olivary nucleus and the interstitial nucleus of the stria terminalis, all the structures affected by low plasma glucose concentration have previously been shown to participate in the gastrosecretory response to blockade of glucose utilization by pharmacological doses of 2-deoxy- D-glucose, indicating that these same nuclei are also activated by hypoglycaemia.
Academics and Institutional Differentiation in Australian Higher Education.

Similarities and differences are explored between academic staff in four different types of Australian universities. Despite an overall high degree of homogeneity amongst academics, those in pre-1987 universities, especially Go8 universities, are better qualified, have appreciably better publication records, spend more time on research and writing, and show more interest in research than academics in post-1987 universities. Pre-1987 universities are more likely than others to have academic organisational units headed by professors and associate professors. Academics in pre-1987 universities have distinctively different views with regard to research funding and the place of research, as well as about academic standards and recent expansion in student enrolments. While post-1987 universities have pockets of research strength, these are small and relatively small proportions of academics produce the bulk of research output. The views of academics generally coincide with those of their institutions on key differentiation issues.
Social support and mental health in middle-aged men and women: a multidimensional approach.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the association between various aspects of social support and depressive symptoms separately among men and women. Method: Using a sample of 6,767 middle-aged adults from one wave of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (1992-1993), the authors performed a series of ANCOVAs predicting depressive symptoms and controlling for background variables. Results: The authors found that the receipt of emotional support was associated with mental health in women only, whereas the provision of emotional and instrumental support was associated with mental health among men and women, but with varying patterns. For example, men who provided instrumental support to nonkin only had the highest levels of depressive symptoms, whereas women who provided instrumental support to kin only had the highest levels of symptoms. Discussion: This study helps to clarify if and what types of social support are related to mental health in men and women.
Heating the sun's lower transition region with fine-scale electric currents

Analytical and observational data are presented to show that the lower transition zone, a 100 km thick region at 10,000-200,000 K between the solar chromosphere and corona, is heated by local electric currents. The study was spurred by correlations between the enhanced atmospheric heating and magnetospheric flux in the chromospheric network and active regions. Field aligned current heated flux loops are asserted to mainly reside in and make up most of the transition region. It is shown that thermal conduction from the sides of hot gas columns generated by the current dissipation is the source of the observed temperature distribution in the transition regions.