cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Merkle Puzzles are Optimal — an O(n)-query attack on key exchange from a random oracle

We prove that every key exchange protocol in the random oracle model in which the honest users make at most n queries to the oracle can be broken by an adversary making O(n) queries to the oracle. This improves on the previous Ω(n) query attack given by Impagliazzo and Rudich (STOC ’89), and answers an open question posed by them. Our bound is optimal up to a constant factor since Merkle (CACM ’78) gave a key exchange protocol that can easily be implemented in this model with n queries and cannot be broken by an adversary making o(n) queries.
Can a Clean Catch Urine Sample Be Used to Diagnose Chlamydia and Gonorrhea in Adolescent Females

Abstract Purpose Clean catch urine samples may be an alternative specimen to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea infections. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of clean urine for chlamydia and gonorrhea in women. Methods This was a noninferiority prospective cohort study of women aged 14–22 years requiring chlamydia and gonorrhea testing. Patients provided a vaginal swab (gold standard), clean urine (test sample), and dirty urine (usual care). All samples were analyzed using Hologic's Aptima Combo2 Assay, a second-generation nucleic acid amplification test. The sensitivity and specificity of the clean and dirty urine were calculated and compared. Results Three hundred and twenty-three females were included, mean age 17.0 ± 1.6 years. For chlamydia, 59 participants were positive by vaginal swab. The sensitivity of clean urine to diagnose chlamydia was 86.2% (95% CI: 74.8%–93.1%) and specificity was 98.8% (95% CI: 96.5%–99.8%). The sensitivity of dirty urine to diagnose chlamydia was 89.8% (95% CI: 79.2%–95.6%), and the specificity was 99.6% (95% CI 97.6%–100%). For gonorrhea, 18 participants were positive by vaginal swab. The sensitivity of clean urine to diagnose gonorrhea was 94.4% (95% CI: 72.4%–100%) and specificity was 99.7% (95% CI: 98.0%–100.0%). The sensitivity of dirty urine to diagnose gonorrhea was 100% (95% CI: 79.3%–100%) and specificity was 99.7% (95% CI: 98.0%–100%). Specificity of clean urine was noninferior compared with dirty urine for diagnosing chlamydia (p = .0004) and gonorrhea (p Conclusions Clean urine samples may be an alternative option to diagnose chlamydia and gonorrhea in women.
Core Cardiology Training Symposium (COCATS) Standards and Board Certifications: Implications for Fellows-in-Training Seeking Employment.

The Core Cardiology Training Symposium (COCATS) standards are recommendations endorsed by the American College of Cardiology to assist cardiology fellowship program training directors in curricular...
Ecological niche evolution, speciation, and feedback loops: Investigating factors promoting niche evolution in Ordovician brachiopods of eastern Laurentia

Abstract Quantifying the relative stability of ecological niches of taxa during intervals of environmental change including determining the environmental controls of niche expansion, stability, and contraction is important for understanding of how taxa and communities change through time. In this study, we used ecological niche modeling to quantify trends in niche dynamics and the stability of eastern Laurentian brachiopod genera during the Sandbian through Katian Stages of the Late Ordovician Epoch. Niche dynamics were quantified using ordination methods to assess niche stability, expansion, and unfilling between time slices, and D and I statistics were calculated to assess niche similarity and equivalency between time slices. Brachiopod genera exhibited substantial niche expansion and limited niche stability between their reconstructed Sandbian and early Katian niches. Conversely, comparisons between early Katian and late Katian niches indicated high levels of niche stability, similarity, and equivalency but limited niche expansion or unfilling. No singular abiotic or biotic causal driver is consistent with the observed patterns. Patterns of niche dynamics and stability are best explained by a feedback loop linking tectonics, sea level, and climate with geographic connection and disconnection of depositional basins, speciation, and dispersal processes. During the Sandbian to early Katian interval, intermittent dispersal events between basins alternated with basin isolation; this cycle fostered increased diversification, which manifests as niche expansion at the genus level. During the late Katian, basin connectivity increased facilitating widespread regional dispersal events. The lack of isolation and spread of invasive taxa hindered speciation. This diminished niche expansion, and genera exhibited niche conservation as the primary niche response. These results indicate that generic niche analysis can be a useful proxy for underlying diversity dynamics and emphasize the importance of incorporating dispersal and isolation when considering evolutionary patterns and processes. Investigations of niche response over long intervals should consider both broader ecological and geographic context that incorporates the influence of diversity and dispersal.
A Case of Fatal Catatonia in a COVID-19 Patient

COVID-19 has been associated with numerous complications, primarily pulmonary in origin. However, there have been several neurological sequelae of COVID-19 as well, one of the rarer complications is catatonia. In this already vulnerable population, it is imperative for the early diagnosis of catatonia and starting treatment. Delay in treatment of catatonia can be fatal from secondary complications as seen here. We discuss a case of a 62-year-old female that presented with mild COVID pneumonia, subsequently developed catatonia precipitated by COVID-19 encephalitis, which ultimately led to her death from complications.
Approach to Oligometastatic Cancer in the Elderly Patient.

Patients with advanced cancer who have “oligometastatic” disease (OMD) have a limited burden of metastatic sites such that they may benefit from definitive therapies with limited toxicities. The incidence of cancers diagnosed in the elderly is increasing and treatment choices for them are often made because of their vulnerability to side effects. The present review discusses treatment of the elderly with OMD considering cancer outcomes and treatment toxicity. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is emerging as a standard in the management of OMD because of its excellent local control and minimal toxicity. Phase II trials suggest that SBRT added to palliative therapy may improve overall survival and may delay the initiation of systemic therapy in OMD patients. Elderly patients are well represented in OMD studies SBRT will contribute significantly to the management of OMD in the elderly patient population by optimizing cancer control and limiting side effects.
Comparing Genetic and Socioenvironmental Contributions to Ethnic Differences in C-Reactive Protein

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a routinely measured blood biomarker for inflammation. Elevated levels of circulating CRP are associated with response to infection, risk for a number of complex common diseases, and psychosocial stress. The objective of this study was to compare the contributions of genetic ancestry, socioenvironmental factors, and inflammation-related health conditions to ethnic differences in C-reactive protein levels. We used multivariable regression to compare CRP blood serum levels between Black and White ethnic groups from the United Kingdom Biobank (UKBB) prospective cohort study. CRP serum levels are significantly associated with ethnicity in an age and sex adjusted model. Study participants who identify as Black have higher average CRP than those who identify as White, CRP increases with age, and females have higher average CRP than males. Ethnicity and sex show a significant interaction effect on CRP. Black females have higher average CRP levels than White females, whereas White males have higher average CRP than Black males. Significant associations between CRP, ethnicity, and genetic ancestry are almost completely attenuated in a fully adjusted model that includes socioenvironmental factors and inflammation-related health conditions. BMI, smoking, and socioeconomic deprivation all have high relative effects on CRP. These results indicate that socioenvironmental factors contribute more to CRP ethnic differences than genetics. Differences in CRP are associated with ethnic disparities for a number of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, essential hypertension, sarcoidosis, and lupus erythematosus. Our results indicate that ethnic differences in CRP are linked to both socioenvironmental factors and numerous ethnic health disparities.
BWR Radiation Control Through Operational Practices

The rate of radiation buildup on out-of-core Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) primary system surfaces can be reduced by reasonably straight forward changes in plant operating practices. The operational practices considered most relevent include: optimized operation of condensate and reactor water demineralizer systems; control of dissolved oxygen in the feedwater system to minimize corrosion product input into the primary system; and changes in shutdown/ lay-up/ and startup practices. This presentation includes a discussion of the current radiation levels and isotopics observed on out-of-core surfaces of operating BWRs. Evidence for successful implementation of these radiation control practices is presented along with the current status of our modeling development. Finally, the General Electric (GE) program for radiation control through operational practices is introduced.
Cooperative Knowledge Creation: The Case of Buyer-Supplier Co-Development in the Semiconductor Industry

This research contributes to the literature on innovation and alliance formation by modeling the role of learning during cooperative innovation. Learning, modeled as knowledge accumulation as a consequence of an alliance, influences the parameters that will govern the alliance. Specifically, this paper focuses on the interplay between semiconductor companies and the suppliers of their production equipment during equipment modification projects. A multi-period model presents the tradeoffs encountered during co-development, including whether a buyer should insist on customized modifications or modifications that are more generally applicable across the industry. Three case studies provide a context for the assumptions and findings of the model.
Carnassial microwear and dietary behaviour in large carnivorans

This paper presents the first analysis of dental microwear textures of carnivorans. Carnassial microwear is examined for three large carnivorans, the cheetah Acinonyx jubatus, African lion Panthera leo and spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta using dental microwear texture analysis, which combines confocal microscopy with the study of scale-sensitive fractal geometry. Results indicate significant differences in the microscopic wear textures of these carnivores consistent with dissimilarities in their reported feeding behaviours. Acinonyx jubatus carnassial shearing facets are characterized by low surface texture complexity and high anisotropy, while P. leo and C. crocuta evince less wear texture anisotropy and more complexity. Panthera leo and C. crocuta have more heavily pitted surfaces, a wider size range of wear features and scratches that vary in their orientations relative to the long axis of the carnassial blade. Further, C. crocuta is most variable in overall surface complexity and also has the highest average complexity values. These results are consistent with differences in bone consumption rates among the three species, wherein cheetahs typically avoid bone, lions triturate it on occasion and spotted hyaenas comminute it more often. Incidences of bone consumption in carnivores reflect degree and/or type of carcass utilization and can be used as a general guide for niche partitioning. Thus, the application of microwear analyses to carnivores can be used to interpret competition and niche position within a guild of fossil carnivores across space and through time.
Modeling an organizational view of the SoS towards managing its evolution

Managing the evolution of independent or loosely coupled systems of systems (SoS) is difficult. Much of the difficulty resides in the ways that elements are combined to make up the SoS and how those elements interface. The Systems Engineering Research Center has been studying how new governance mechanisms drawn from agile, lean and other adaptive approaches could be applied to systems of systems engineering. One of the current tasks is developing a broad, general purpose simulation platform designed to investigate how various combinations of organizational structure, work flow, and governance mechanisms affect the visibility, flow, and overall value produced in developing and evolving SoSs.
Updating Logical Databases Containing Null Values

We show that it is natural to extend the concept of database updates to encompass databases with incomplete information in the form of null values, or tuple attribute values that are known to exist but whose exact value is not known. Our approach embeds the incomplete database and the updates in the language of mathematical logic, which we believe has strong advantages over relational tables and traditional data manipulation languages in the incomplete information situation. We present semantics for our update operators, and provide an algorithm to perform the operations. The computational complexity of the algorithm is examined, and a lazy evaluation scheme coupled with simple user-supplied cost limits is recommended to avoid undesirable expense during execution. This paper extends results presented in [Winslett 86a].
Design and validation of a communication and control system for a 20MVA hardware-in-the-loop renewable energy test facility

As the electric grid evolves into the smart grid, the ability to adequately model and test components going on the grid becomes more critical. As such, the role of large scale testbeds capable of testing utility-scale equipment will play an ever increasing role in the development of smart grid technologies. A flexible and robust communication and control system is of paramount importance in the successful operation of such testbeds. This paper describes one approach to control of a large-scale hardware-in-the-loop power system testbed. Clemson University's Duke Energy eGRID is a multi-megawatt electric power laboratory combining real time grid simulation capabilities with a highly configurable, medium voltage three phase experimental grid. Control of this laboratory is achieved through the use of real-time hardware, a custom serial communication protocol, and FPGA-based data acquisition.
Carbon-14 Fat Oxidation Test: A New Method of Measuring Fat Utilization in the Human

A relationship between abnormal lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis is generally suspected and, in the past, elaborate laboratory methods have been employed in an attempt to demonstrate this correlation. A relatively new approach to this problem has been the determination of blood levels following the absorption of I131-labeled fat—a test first used in the study of various diseases associated with malabsorption [1].
Vocational Trainings National and International Perspectives - The American Experience

The doctor shortage during the previous four decades caused a phenomenal growth in residency training programs in Family Practice in the USA. The author reviews its history, its current status and explains some of the specific issues which these programs currently face.
The role of hindrance stressors in the job demand–control–support model of occupational stress: A proposed theory revision

Summary Previous research on the job demand–control–support (JDCS) model of occupational stress has generally been inconsistent at best regarding a key issue: the interaction of demands, control, and support in predicting employee health and well-being. However, the model continues to be tested in a variety of studies and academic journals owing to its intuitive appeal. By incorporating conservation of resources theory with knowledge from the challenge–hindrance stressor framework, we proposed that hindrance stressors, not the challenge stressors commonly assessed when testing JDCS theory, will provide validation for the model. A two-wave panel study of 228 employees in a variety of occupations provided support for three-way interactions between hindrance demands, control, and support predicting job-related anxiety and physical symptoms. Three-way interactions using a challenge demand (forms of workload) were not significant, consistent with our propositions. In summary, this study supports the buffering effect of control and support on the relationship between job demands and strain only when job demands reflect hindrance stressors, thereby proposing to alter the JDCS model by specifying that it applies primarily to hindrance stressors in a job hindrance–control–support model. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correlates of Incident Cognitive Impairment in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study

Objective: To identify approximately 500 cases of incident cognitive impairment (ICI) in a large, national sample adapting an existing cognitive test-based case definition and to examine relationships of vascular risk factors with ICI. Method: Participants were from the REGARDS study, a national sample of 30,239 African-American and White Americans. Participants included in this analysis had normal cognitive screening and no history of stroke at baseline, and at least one follow-up cognitive assessment with a three-test battery (TTB). Regression-based norms were applied to TTB scores to identify cases of ICI. Logistic regression was used to model associations with baseline vascular risk factors. Results: We identified 495 participants with ICI of 17,630 eligible participants. In multivariable modeling, income (OR 1.83 CI 1.27,2.62), stroke belt residence (OR 1.45 CI 1.18,1.78), history of transient ischemic attack (OR 1.90 CI 1.29,2.81), coronary artery disease(OR 1.32 CI 1.02,1.70), diabetes (OR 1.48 CI ...
Heat-resisting TCO films for PV cells

Abstract We developed new heat-resisting transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films with resistivity of 1.4×10−4 Ω cm, an optical transmittance of above 80% (at 550 nm) and heat-resisting temperature at above 600 °C. The TCO films consists of fluorine-doped tin oxide films coated on indium–tin oxide films. They were prepared by a spray pyrolysis deposition method on glass substrates. The 100×100 mm2 dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) were prepared with the TCO films. An energy conversion efficiency of the DSC was improved drastically in comparison to the case with conventional TCO films.
The liberal in liberal democracy

This article argues that much of the work on democratization and democratic consolidation is obscured by a conceptual fog, when at the very least some of this confusion could be ameliorated by parsing out components that are obviously liberal in nature. An admission of the importance of liberalization and liberal consolidation as distinctly different in form and measurement from democratization and democratic consolidation are the first steps to better research on the varieties of causation that constitute and propel the dissolution of more authoritarian regimes towards more liberal democratic regimes. Acknowledging that the liberal in liberal democracy is unpopular for some, and that liberal democracy does not necessarily mean American liberal democracy, go a long way to freeing these terms from ethnocentric misconceptions, as well as cementing analytical clarification. Though all modern democracies have both liberal and democratic components, democratic consolidation does not guarantee liberal consolida...
Oligoclonal Expansion of Intrarenal T Cells in a Pair of Siblings With SLE Nephritis • 1983

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) nephritis, the prototypic systemic autoimmune disease, is characterized by the influx of mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrates within the glomeruli and renal interstitium. In order to evaluate the possibility that intrarenal T cells result from the expansion of lymphocytes utilizing limited TCR genes, we analyzed the TCR Vβ gene expression among infiltrating lymphocytes in renal tissue as compared to simultaneous peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with SLE nephritis. Intrarenal TCR Vβ gene expression was determined by polymerase chain reaction employing 25 Vβ oligonucleotide 5' primers paired with a single 3' Cβ primer. Amplified Vβ gene products were identified by hybridization using an internal TCR Cβ probe and quantified using a phosphor-imager. Sequence analysis and CDR3 size spectratyping were employed to confirm oligoclonal expansion of intrarenal lymphocytes. Previous work in our laboratory has shown that Vβ gene usage by infiltrating lymphocytes in the kidney is restricted in children with new onset SLE nephritis. We now report on siblings (11 yo male, 23 yo female) who developed within a year of one another an aggressive diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis resulting in end-stage-renal-disease. The peripheral TCR Vβ repertoire in these two patients were unique when compared to normal controls and other SLE patients in that they did not show the expected diverse and heterogeneous Vβ gene expression. Longitudinally acquired renal specimens from the brother showed evolution from an intrarenal Vβ 2,3, and 6 predominance to one more reflective of a later restricted peripheral repertoire with a Vβ 18 predominance. Similarly, the sister's initial biopsy showed intrarenal expansion of Vβ 2, 16 and 18 families. These findings would suggest the possibility that the local accumulation of T cells involves specific homing or expansion of a limited number of T cell clones. In addition, the phenotypic similarity in the progression of renal disease in these two siblings implicates that genetic predisposition is a key element in susceptibility.
Discovering Chemical Aromaticity Using Fragrant Plants.

Introductory organic chemistry is often perceived as inaccessible by students. This article describes a method used to link organic chemistry to everyday experience, asking students to explore whether fragrant molecules are also aromatic in the chemical sense. Students were engaged in this activity, excited about their results, and performed well on subsequent assignments that required their understanding of the concept of chemical aromaticity. It was clear that this approach promoted interest, not just in deciphering chemical aromaticity, but also more generally in molecules that exist in nature, making the study of organic chemistry more real for the class
Mesophase/isotropic phase interfacial energy: Determination from coalescence kinetics of mesophase pitch

Abstract According to the theory of Frenkel, surface energy, viscosity and droplet size are the factors which determine the coalescence kinetics of two identical spherical droplets (spherules) which are in contact. From the Frenkel relationship and observations of mesophase spherule coalescence kinetics, we have evaluated the mesophase/isotropic interfacial energy for a mesophase-containing pitch. The interfacial energy is quite small (
New metallodendrimers containing an octakis(diphenylphosphino)-functionalized silsesquioxane core and ruthenium(II)-based chromophores.

A new class of surface-modified dendrimers has been prepared by reactions of 8 equiv of the terpyridine-functionalized polyether monodendrons with a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) core. Subsequent reactions of these spherically shaped organic dendrimers with Ru(II)-based precursors afford photo- and redox-active metallodendrimers. These new dendrimers have been characterized using a combination of mass spectral analysis (MALDI-TOF/MS, ESI/MS, and FAB/MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (1H, 13C, 29Si, and 31P{1H} NMR), photophysical analyses (electronic absorption, emission, excited-state lifetime, and quantum yield) and electrochemical measurement (cyclic voltammetry). Specifically, 31P{1H} NMR is used to monitor the completion of reactions and the purity of dendrimers and metallodendrimers. These new metallodendrimers exhibit large extinction coefficients that coincide with the number of peripheral Ru(II)-based chromophores. With the use of (-CH2-Ph-tpy)RuII(bpy)2 type of chromophores, all meta...
A communication reduction approach to iteratively solve large sparse linear systems on a GPGPU cluster

Finite Element Methods (FEM) are widely used in academia and industry, especially in the fields of mechanical engineering, civil engineering, aerospace, and electrical engineering. These methods usually convert partial difference equations into large sparse linear systems. For complex problems, solving these large sparse linear systems is a time consuming process. This paper presents a parallelized iterative solver for large sparse linear systems implemented on a GPGPU cluster. Traditionally, these problems do not scale well on GPGPU clusters. This paper presents an approach to reduce the communications between cluster compute nodes for these solvers. Additionally, computation and communication are overlapped to reduce the impact of data exchange. The parallelized system achieved a speedup of up to 15.3 times on 16 NVIDIA Tesla GPUs, compared to a single GPU. An analytical evaluation of the algorithm is conducted in this paper, and the analytical equations for predicting the performance are presented and validated.
Mercury modulation of GABA-activated chloride channels and non-specific cation channels in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons

Abstract The effects of mercuric chloride and methylmercury chloride on the rat dorsal root ganglion neurons in primary culture were studied by the whole-cell patch clamp technique. γ-Aminobutyric acid-induced chloride currents were augmented by mercuric chloride in a potent and efficacious manner; at concentrations of 1 and 10 μM, the current amplitude was increased to 130% and 200% of the control. Methylmercury even at 100 μM did not augment but rather decreased the GABA-induced chloride current. Both mercuric chloride and methylmercury generated slow inward currents by themselves. These currents are not mediated by the GABA-activated chloride channels or by voltage-activated sodium, potassium or calcium channels, and are likely to be due to non-specific cation channels.
Avian Disease Virus and Nutrition Relationships 1. Effect of Vitamin a on Growth, Symptoms, Mortality and Vitamin A Reserves of White Leghorn Chicks Infected with Newcastle Disease Virus

Abstract COMPARATIVELY little is known of the utilization of nutrients in fowl during the stress of virus diseases. In studies on thiamine supplementation of chicks infected with avian encephalomyelitis, Cooperman et al. (1946) demonstrated that the degree of protection afforded depended upon the age of the chick and state of nutrition prior to and at the time of inoculation. Squibb et al. (1955) found that naturally occurring infections of Newcastle disease significantly depressed serum total proteins, vitamin A and carotenoids, and elevated serum ascorbic acid levels in New Hampshire chickens. The present paper concerns the effect of vitamin A supplementation on susceptible, immature White Leghorn cockerels inoculated with Newcastle disease virus. Data on growth, feed efficiency, water intake, clinical symptoms, body vitamin A reserves and mortality were observed in a series of four experiments. METHODS AND RESULTS Prior to the trials reported here, extensive preliminary studies were conducted for the purpose …
Fed and fasted gastric pH and gastric residence time in conscious beagle dogs

The gastric pH values are controversial in the literature. Some suggest the dog gastric pH is higher than human and dog gastric pH after fed with particular diet is uncertain. Gastric pH in 16 male beagle dogs was measured using Bravo pH telemetry system. For the fed study, the dogs received 10 or 200 g of dog dry food (5L18) 15 min before dosing the Bravo pH capsule, followed by a 50 mL of water to aid in swallowing. It was surprising to find a small, but statistically significantly lower pH in the fed compared to the fasted stomach. The average gastric pH in fasted dogs was 2.05 and 1.08 and 1.26 for 10 and 200 g fed dogs. The average gastric emptying time of the capsule was 1.4, 9.4 and 20 h for fasted, 10 g fed and 200 g fed dogs, respectively. The inter-individual variability was higher in fasted dogs than in fed dogs. The results showed the gastric pH in each colony of dogs can be different from reported values in the literature. It emphasizes that the importance of measuring the pH in each colony when dogs are used to evaluate pharmacokinetics of pH sensitive drugs or formulations.
Recent changes in drug poisoning mortality in the United States by urban-rural status and by drug type.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine how the recently reported increase in drug poisoning mortality rates in the United States varied by degree of urbanization. Although drug poisoning is traditionally seen as an urban problem, evidence suggested that at least one component of the recent increase, deaths involving opioid analgesics, was increasing more rapidly in rural areas. METHODS: The study compared age-adjusted unintentional and undetermined drug poisoning mortality rates between 1999 and 2004 from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) in each of six urban-rural categories. RESULTS: Unintentional and undetermined drug poisoning mortality rates rose 62% from 1999 to 2004. Metropolitan county rates rose 51%, an increase of 2.66/100 000, while nonmetropolitan county rates rose 159%, an increase of 4.81/100 000. By 2004, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan drug poisoning rates had roughly equalized. In the narcotic drug category, which included heroin, cocaine, and opioid analgesics, the most urban ("large central metro") counties increased only 16% while the most rural ("noncore, nonmetropolitan") counties increased 248%. Heroin rates did not increase significantly for any urban-rural category. Cocaine rate increases were largest in nonmetropolitan counties. Opioid analgesic rate increases ranged from a low of 52% in large central metro counties to an increase of 371% in nonmetropolitan, noncore counties. CONCLUSIONS: Prescription drugs have replaced heroin and cocaine as the leading drugs involved in fatal drug overdoses in all urban-rural categories. Fatal drug overdoses are no longer a predominantly urban phenomenon. National prevention efforts will have to shift to address nontraditional populations using nontraditional drugs. Language: en
The Responsibilities Program of the FBI, 1951–1955

(1996). The Responsibilities Program of the FBI, 1951–1955. The Historian: Vol. 59, No. 2, pp. 347-370.
Basic FGF, EGF, and PDGF modify TGFβ-induction of smooth muscle cell phenotype in human prostatic stromal cells

BACKGROUND We investigated the ability of a variety of growth factors to regulate the differentiation of prostatic fibroblasts into smooth muscle cells. METHODS Smooth muscle actin levels were monitored by immunoblot analysis and immunocytochemistry. Proliferation was measured in clonal growth assays and by cell counts. RESULTS We determined that TGFβ inhibited proliferation and induced smooth muscle differentiation of stromal cells derived from prostatic adenocarcinomas, as we previously reported for cells derived from the normal peripheral zone. Basic FGF, EGF, TGFα, and PDGF, but not IGF, retinoic acid, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, or androgen, attenuated induction of differentiation by TGFβ, by a mechanism apparently unrelated to proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Regulation of growth and differentiation occurs equivalently in prostatic stromal cells derived from adenocarcinomas and normal peripheral zone. TGFβ is a potent inducer of the smooth muscle phenotype. Basic FGF, EGF and/or TGFα, and PDGF attenuate TGFβ's activity, and promote a fibroblastic phenotype. Our studies provide an in vitro model system in which fibroblastic or smooth muscle cells can be promoted, maintained, and investigated in a defined manner. The results suggest that the ratio of fibroblasts to smooth muscle cells in the stroma reflects the relative levels of growth factors, which may be altered in diseased states. Prostate 35:125–134, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Radionuclide Detection of Diffuse Interstitial Pulmonary Calcification

Two patients who had hypercalcemia, one from multiple myeloma and the other from metastatic carcinoma, showed striking concentrations of bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals in the lungs on routine bone scans. Neither patient had roentgenographic evidence of intrapulmonary calcification. Histologic examination in one patient showed extensive interstitial pulmonary calcification. These cases dramatically illustrate the capability of radionuclides to detect interstitial pulmonary calcification when radiographic demonstration is lacking. The early detection of extraskeletal calcification by bone-seeking radionuclides provides a unique opportunity, not previously available, to study metastatic calcification and the effects of treatment. (JAMA230:992-995, 1974)
The Application of Circular Arrays to Spacecraft Antenna Problems

This paper is concerned with the problem of obtaining nearly omnidirectional patterns in one plane of large conducting bodies having circular cross sections. To define the problem in terms of discrete sources, calculations were made for typical element patterns F(?') = 1, F(?') = 1 + cos ?', and F(?') = 1 + 1/2 cos ?'. Array circumferences Z? from 20? to 40? were considered for the number of sources S from S = Z/? to S = 1.5Z/?. Several prototype antennas were studied which partially overcome the practical problems of feeding large numbers of discrete sources.
Chlorophylls in marine phytoplankton: Correlation with carbon uptake

Abstract Correlation coefficients between C14 uptake and light absorbance at 665 mμ of pigment extracts of natural marine phytoplankton populations were as high as between C14 uptake and chlorophyll a content from trichromatic determination, and higher than between C14 uptake and total chlorophyll content. In marine productivity studies, determination of chlorophyll a among the plant pigments may often be adequate.
The Small Group and Democratic Social Engineering, 1900–1950

Democratic social engineering was a method of social control utilizing the small group, discussion, leadership, and participation of the objects of control. Grounded in late 19th-century progressive education, pragmatic philosophy, and the social sciences, the technique was especially prominent between 1917 and 1945. Case studies of the foremen's clubs, the Golden Age clubs, pediatrician Benjamin Spock, and Kurt Lewin describe and analyze the practice of democratic social engineering. They serve as a backdrop for a concluding discussion of alternatives.
Team Teaching Introductory Psychology as Pedagogy and for Faculty Development.

If you plan to try team teaching, perhaps this experience will provide some helpful hints on values and problems.
DNA-Based Polymers as Chiral Templates for Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Materials

The unique symmetry properties of chiral systems allow the emergence of coherent second harmonic generation in polymeric materials lacking polar order. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) treated with the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium (CTMA) was drop-cast to spontaneously form films that are active for coherent second harmonic generation (SHG). SHG images acquired as a function of incident and exigent polarization are in good agreement with theoretical predictions assuming nonpolar D(infinity) symmetry for the double-stranded DNA chains. Doping the DNA films with crystal violet substantially increases the efficiency of SHG, but does not significantly alter the polarization-dependence, suggesting that the SHG generated upon doping arises from the same chiral-specific origin, presumably templated by the DNA. These results raise the possibility of new design strategies for organic nonlinear optical materials based on soft chiral polymers that do not require polar order.
Dependence of refractory period measurements on conduction distance: A computer simulation analysis☆

Resume Des stimulations programmees ont ete utilisees pour etudier la recuperation de la vitesse de conduction dans les domaines temporel et spatial au cours de la periode refractaire relative. Les auteurs montrent qu'au cours de la periode refractaire relative l'impulsion a une duree accrue et une amplitude reduite et que la vitesse de conduction est egalement reduite. Les modifications de la vitesse de condcution s'expriment par une deviation de la linearite des plots de variation de latence versus intervalle interstimulus et de l'intervalle-entre-impulsions versus intervalle interstimulus. L'augmentation des latences pour la deuxieme impulsion est ilee de facon monotone a l'intervalle interstimulus, et est maximale au commencement de la periode refractaire relative. L'ampleur de l'augmentation de la latence est egalement liee de facon monotone, mais pas de maniere lineaire, a la distance de conduction. La d'ependance-de-distance de la variation de latences au cours de la periode refractaire relative est d'autant plus marquee que l'on est pres du lieu de l'initiation de l'impulsion. Ces donnees peuvent etre adaptees aux mesures de periodes refractaires relatives en neurophysiologie clinique.
Effect of monochromatic UV radiation on DNA synthesis with in vivo and in vitro autoradiography.

Ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation of mammalian cells results in changes in DNA synthesis. In this study the effect of monochromatic UV at 250, 280 and 300nm radiation (3 MED's) on DNA synthesis in rabbit epidermis was compared by autoradiography using in vitro and in vivo methods of administering tritiated thymidine. Skin biopsies were taken from unirradiated control sites at 3, 12, 24, and 48 hours after irradiation. The in vivo and in vitro methods of labeling epidermal nuclei (undergoing DNA synthesis) showed similar results in control and irradiated sites. Heavy labeling of nuclei seen in the basal or epibasal layer representing the DNA synthesis phase of cell cycle appeared to be decreased at 3 hours but significantly increased at 24 and 48 hours. Irradiation with 300nm consistently produced maximal labeling at 48 hours with more than threefold increase above the controls. Maximal labeling at 250 and 280nm sites occurred either at 24 or 48 hours but more frequently at 24 hours and may be related to the fact that sunburn erythema observed at 24 hours is less noticable at these wavelengths compared to the 300nm range. The mean of the sum of all three wavelengths indicated maximum labeling at 48 hours in both in vivo and in vitro methods. Uniform sparse labeling of nuclei in the malpighian and basal layer, probably representing unscheduled or repair DNA synthesis, was seen at the 3 hour post irradiation sites.
The ocular pathology of Terson's syndrome

Purpose To improve understanding of vision loss and clinical findings, we studied gross and microscopic pathology of retinas and optic nerves of individuals with Terson's syndrome. Design Retrospective case series with clinicopathologic correlation. Participants We included 109 deceased individuals with Terson's syndrome. Methods Histologic sections and gross photographs from 109 cases of Terson's Syndrome, accessed from 1955 to 1992 at the Wm R. Green Laboratory of Ocular Pathology, were studied and photographed; a representative case is described in detail. Main Outcome Measures Abnormalities in retina and optic nerve. Results Hemorrhages occur in vitreous, subhyaloid, sub-internal limiting membrane (ILM), intraretinal, and subretinal spaces, in association with macular holes, retinal detachments, and optic neuropathy. Subhyaloid hemorrhages have diffuse morphology, whereas sub-ILM are well-demarcated. Continuous and noncontinuous blood occurs along optic nerves, within nerve sheaths, and in the subdural and subarachnoid spaces. Conclusions Blood occurring in various layers and locations of the retina, particularly the macula, causes various complications that influence clinical management and visual outcome. Morphology differentiates subhyaloid from sub-ILM hemorrhage. Patterns of hemorrhages of optic nerve contribute to understanding mechanisms of Terson's syndrome. Financial Disclosure(s) The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any of the materials discussed in this article.
Attitudes toward the Equal Rights Amendment: Influence of Class and Status

This research applies functionalist, Marxist, and feminist conceptualizations of class and status to an explanation of support of the Equal Rights Amendment. Multivariate analysis of a 1977 nationa...
Tyramine and octopamine have opposite effects on the locomotion of Drosophila larvae

Biogenic amines are believed to play important roles in producing behaviors. Although some biogenic amines have been extensively studied in both vertebrates and invertebrates, little is known about the effects of trace amines like tyramine and octopamine. We investigated how trace amines affect behaviors using quantitative morphometric methods on Drosophila Tbetah(nM18) and iav(N) mutants that have altered levels of tyramine and octopamine. Locomotion of wild-type and mutant third instar larvae was analyzed using Dynamic Image Analysis System (DIAS) software. We found that Tbetah(nM18) mutants, with elevated tyramine levels and reduced octopamine levels, had a severe locomotion phenotype. Mutant larvae spent much more time in pausing episodes than wild-type larvae and displayed a reduction in speed and linear translocation. The locomotion phenotype was partially rescued by feeding Tbetah(nM18) larvae octopamine, an effect that could be nullified with simultaneous feeding of tyramine. Feeding Tbetah(nM18) larvae yohimbine, an agent that inhibits the activity of Drosophila tyramine receptors, also improved some locomotion parameters. Feeding both octopamine and yohimbine further improved rescue efficiency. Simultaneously reducing the octopamine and tyramine levels as in iav(N) larvae, in contrast, led to a less severe behavioral phenotype than that of Tbetah(nM18) mutants. Feeding iav(N) larvae either tyramine or octopamine exerted only a minor improvement in locomotion. These results suggest that tyramine and octopamine have opposite effects on Drosophila larval locomotion regulation and that a balance between the two is important in producing normal behavior.
Intelligent negotiation agent in plastic market

With development of Internet and technology, the traditional market has become an electronic market, and the value of trading has become more than a traditional market. The B2B e-commerce has been grown rapidly, and more businesses have used the e-commerce for selling and buying goods or services. Consequently, most of the plastic e-marketplaces only allow the buyer to search the product and then contact the seller by email or phone. The e-marketplace needs an automated or intelligent agent in order to conduct automated negotiations between the buyer and the seller. The negotiation agents allow traders to negotiate by exchanging electronic messages in a multiagent system. In addition, most of the e-marketplace does not support the reserved price range for the buyer in decision making and does not filter the search list based on the buyer's conditions. This paper implements an automated negotiation with the estimated reserved price range in the negotiation for the buyer and seller after the search list filters the product information based on the buyer's conditions in plastic market. Also, the efficiency of the simulated system in the plastic market is demonstrated by a series of simulations in which the result is negotiation and non-negotiation trading.
Mid-infrared (2.5 ≤ λ ≤ 12.5 μm) optical absorption enhancement of textured silicon surfaces coated with an antireflective thin film

Abstract High-performance solar cells and optical detection devices frequently incorporate microscopic surface texturing and antireflective (AR) thin films to reduce the reflection of incident radiation and, thus, enhance optical absorption. Using conventional electrochemical and single-crystal silicon micromachining techniques, porous silicon (PS) and textured surfaces composed of randomly spaced and sized pyramids (RSSPs) were fabricated and optically characterized over the mid-infrared (2.5 ≤ λ ≤ 12.5 μm) portion of the optical spectrum. The utility of a 1.53 ± 0.03 μm thick yttrium oxide (Y2O3) AR thin film was also investigated in an attempt to enhance optical absorption. The optical measurements were accomplished using a 21 ° incident illumination angle (measured with respect to the sample's normal) and a Bomem® total integrating sphere to quantify the total (specular and diffuse) reflectance (R). A highly-polished, uncoated, single-crystal silicon wafer was used as a reference surface (Rave = 0.436 with Rσ = 0.033). The performance of the uncoated PS samples revealed Rave = 0.205 with Rσ = 0.078, and the RSSP samples manifested Rave = 0.090 with Rσ = 0.003. The AR coating significantly improved the performance of the reference and the RSSP textured surfaces: reference sample, (Rave = 0.251 with Rσ = 0.040; RSSP samples, (Rave = 0.024 with Rσ = 0.017). The AR coating did not improve the mid-infrared optical performance of the PS samples; however, the R characteristics for the 0.5 ≤ λ ≤ 2.5 μm portion of the optical spectrum were reduced by more than 50%.
Oral tactile experience.

Abstract Relative tactile sensitivities were determined with Semmes-Weinstein aesthesiometers at several oral sites and on the hand. The upper lip was demonstrated to be more sensitive to tactile stimulation than all other sites tested; and the tongue and lower lip were more sensitive than the incisive papilla. The finger and palm were less sensitive to tactile stimuli than all oral sites studied. Tactile threshold determinations were performed at three intraoral sites with an electric low-range force transducer. The mean threshold was 7.6 mg for the vermilion border, 25.6 mg for the mucocutaneous junction and 77.4 mg for the incisive papilla.
Processes and forms of an unstable alluvial system with resistant, cohesive streambeds

As a response to channelization projects undertaken near the turn of the 20th century and in the late 1960s, upstream reaches and tributaries of the Yalobusha River, Mississippi, USA, have been rejuvenated by upstream-migrating knickpoints. Sediment and woody vegetation delivered to the channels by mass failure of streambanks has been transported downstream to form a large sediment/debris plug where the downstream end of the channelized reach joins an unmodified sinuous reach. Classification within a model of channel evolution and analysis of thalweg elevations and channel slopes indicates that downstream reaches have equilibrated but that upstream reaches are actively degrading. The beds of degrading reaches are characterized by firm, cohesive clays of two formations of Palaeocene age. The erodibility of these clay beds was determined with a jet-test device and related to critical shear stresses and erosion rates. Repeated surveys indicated that knickpoint migration rates in these clays varied from 0·7 to 12 m a−1, and that these rates and migration processes are highly dependent upon the bed substrate. Resistant clay beds of the Porters Creek Clay formation have restricted advancement of knickpoints in certain reaches and have caused a shift in channel adjustment processes towards bank failures and channel widening. Channel bank material accounts for at least 85 per cent of the material derived from the channel boundaries of the Yalobusha River system. Strategies to reduce downstream flooding problems while preventing upstream erosion and land loss are being contemplated by action agencies. One such proposal involves removal of the sediment/debris plug. Bank stability analyses that account for pore-water and confining pressures have been conducted for a range of hydrologic conditions to aid in predicting future channel response. If the sediment/debris plug is removed to improve downstream drainage, care should be taken to provide sufficient time for drainage of groundwater from the channel banks so as not to induce accelerated bank failures. Published in 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.