cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inertially confined ablation of biological tissue

An experimental study to determine the role of laser-induced pressure and the mechanical properties of biological tissue should yield important information concerning the fundamental mechanisms of short pulsed (less than a microsecond) laser ablation. An understanding of these mechanisms could have important implications in clinical ablation procedures. The surface movement of tissue immediately after irradiation with a short pulse of laser light is intimately related to the distribution of absorbed energy, the instantaneous pressure generated by this energy, and the mechanical properties of the tissue. Measuring the surface movement for fluences both below and near the threshold can thus reveal information on these important aspects initiating the ablation process. We have developed a physical model to describe this movement and an experimental technique to measure it. The model is based on the equation of state and the coupled differential equations for the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy in a continuous medium. The results from this model impose stringent requirements on the temporal and spatial resolution of the experimental technique used to determine the surface displacement. An interferometric surface monitoring tool, with the ability to measure nanometer movements on a nanosecond time scale, has been developed to satisfy these requirements [Albagli et al., 1993]. Using this tool, the laser-induced surface displacement of several samples has been measured. Results are presented for bovine shank bone, acrylite, human meniscus and an aqueous dye solution for incident fluences several times below ablation threshold. >
Current work locations and reasons for job choice of graduates of Memorial University school of pharmacy

Background: We surveyed Memorial pharmacy graduates to determine attrition rate. And proportions of graduates working in pharmacy in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) and wanting to leave NL or return to NL. - Methods: We surveyed pharmacists graduating between 1990 and 2007 from Memorial University School of Pharmacy and collected demographic and job characteristics, importance of factors for current job choice, and consideration of relocation to NL or out of NL. -- Results: Of the 466 surveys mailed, 300 were returned, for a response rate of 64.4%. Of the 300 respondents, 96. 7% were working in pharmacy. Over two-thirds (70.3 %) were in NL and most of those working outside NL were in Canada. Pharmacy graduates originally from NL (OR= 32.84; 95%CI: 10.63-101.53) and with lower incomes (OR=7.06; 95%CI 2.40-20.77) were more likely to work in NL than graduates who worked elsewhere. Among graduates in NL, 11.8% were considering leaving NL while 20.9% of graduates working outside NL considered returning. For both groups, level of remuneration was the most frequently reported important factor for leaving or returning to NL. -- Interpretation: Over two thirds of Memorial pharmacy graduates worked in NL in 2008. Increasing the number of seats for local students and improving remuneration for pharmacists may increase provincial retention of locally trained pharmacists.
Efficiently monitoring data-flow test coverage

Structural testing of software requires monitoring the software's execution to determine which program entities are executed by a test suite. Such monitoring can add considerable overhead to the execution of the program, adversely affecting the cost of running a test suite. Thus, minimizing the necessary monitoring activity lets testers reduce testing time or execute more test cases. A basic testing strategy is to cover all statements or branches but a more effective strategy is to cover all definition-use associations (DUAs). In this paper, we present a novel technique to efficiently monitor DUAs, based on branch monitoring. We show how to infer from branch coverage the coverage of many DUAs, while remaining DUAs are predicted with high accuracy by the same information. Based on this analysis, testers can choose branch monitoring to approximate DUA coverage or instrument directly for DUA monitoring, which is precise but more expensive. In this paper, we also present a tool, called DUA-Forensics, that we implemented for this technique along with a set of empirical studies that we performed using the tool
Quark-gluon plasma oscillations in transport theory

Abstract The recently formulated kinetic theory of the quark-gluon plasma in the semiclassical limit is presented and discussed with particular attention to gluon sector of the theory. The transport equations are linearized around the global equilibrium and the chromoelectric permeability tensor is found. The dispersion relations of the plasma oscillations are discussed.
Fatty acid composition of milk from Holstein cows fed oleamide or canola oil.

Abstract Based on previous in vitro results that showed reduced biohydrogenation of oleamide by ruminal microbes, this study was conducted to determine whether the addition of oleamide to the diets of dairy cows would enhance the C 18:1 concentration in milk. Nine first lactation Holstein cows were fed three diets in a 3 × 3 Latin square replicated three times. Each period lasted 3 wk. The total mixed diets consisted of 42% corn silage and 58% concentrate (dry matter basis) with either no added fat (control), 3.5% high oleic canola oil, or 3.5% oleamide. Dry matter intake was reduced when oleamide was added to the diet but not when canola oil was added. Milk yields were the same for cows fed all three diets. Canola oil reduced fat-corrected milk yield and milk fat concentration, but these were not affected by oleamide. Milk protein concentration was lower for cows fed oleamide than for cows fed canola oil. Milk C 18:1 averaged 23.16% of total fatty acids for cows fed the control diet and increased to 35.13% when canola oil was fed. Oleamide further increased C 18:1 to 48.16% of total fatty acids in milk. All fatty acids with ≥16 carbon chain length were reduced by oleamide. Oleamide was more effective than was canola oil in this study at increasing the oleic acid content of bovine milk. Oleamide reduced dietary intake when added at 3.5% of the dietary dry matter but still had no effect on milk yield or milk composition.
National Inventory of Alkylphenol Ethoxylate Compounds in U.S. Sewage Sludges and Chemical Fate in Outdoor Soil Mesocosms

Abstract We determined the first nationwide inventories of alkylphenol surfactants in U.S. sewage sludges (SS) using samples from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2001 national SS survey. Additionally, analysis of archived 3-year outdoor mesocosm samples served to determine chemical fates in SS-amended soil. Nonylphenol (NP) was the most abundant analyte (534 ± 192 mg/kg) in SS composites, followed by its mono- and di-ethoxylates (62.1 ± 28 and 59.5 ± 52 mg/kg, respectively). The mean annual load of NP and its ethoxylates in SS was estimated at 2408–7149 metric tonnes, of which 1204–4289 is applied on U.S. land. NP compounds showed observable loss from SS/soil mixtures (1:2), with mean half-lives ranging from 301 to 495 days. Surfactant levels in U.S. SS ten-times in excess of European regulations, substantial releases to U.S. soils, and prolonged half-lives found under field conditions, all argue for the U.S. to follow Europe's move from 20 years ago to regulate these chemicals.
The KCNQ1-KCNE2 K+ channel is required for adequate thyroid I− uptake

The KCNQ1 α subunit and the KCNE2 β subunit form a potassium channel in thyroid epithelial cells. Genetic disruption of KCNQ1-KCNE2 causes hypothyroidism in mice, resulting in cardiac hypertrophy, dwarfism, alopecia, and prenatal mortality. Here, we investigated the mechanistic requirement for KCNQ1-KCNE2 in thyroid hormone biosynthesis, utilizing whole-animal dynamic positron emission tomography. The KCNQ1-specific antagonist (-)-[3R,4S]-chromanol 293B (C293B) significantly impaired thyroid cell I(-) uptake, which is mediated by the Na(+)/I(-) symporter (NIS), in vivo (dSUV/dt: vehicle, 0.028 ± 0.004 min(-1); 10 mg/kg C293B, 0.009 ± 0.006 min(-1)) and in vitro (EC(50): 99 ± 10 μM C293B). Na(+)-dependent nicotinate uptake by SMCT, however, was unaffected. Kcne2 deletion did not alter the balance of free vs. thyroglobulin-bound I(-) in the thyroid (distinguished using ClO(4)(-), a competitive inhibitor of NIS), indicating that KCNQ1-KCNE2 is not required for Duox/TPO-mediated I(-) organification. However, Kcne2 deletion doubled the rate of free I(-) efflux from the thyroid following ClO(4)(-) injection, a NIS-independent process. Thus, KCNQ1-KCNE2 is necessary for adequate thyroid cell I(-) uptake, the most likely explanation being that it is prerequisite for adequate NIS activity.
A fast approximation technique for power grid analysis

In this paper, we present a fast approximation algorithm for computing IR drops in a VLSI power grid. Assuming that the grid does not have pathological defects, the algorithm can estimate IR drops to within 5% average error, with a run time of less than one second per million nodes. Incremental recomputations with new current source values are even faster. The IR drop profiles have excellent correlation with simulated values, making this approach a viable platform for building automatic grid optimization algorithms.
Die Fischer-Tropsch-Synthese: Molekulargewichtsverteilung der Primärprodukte und Reaktionsmechanismus

Eine Auswertung von Literaturangaben uber die Bildung von Kohlenwasserstoffen und Alkoholen nach dem Fischer-Tropsch-Verfahren zeigt, das die Molekulargewichtsverteilung der Primarprodukte durch die Schulz-Flory-Gleichung beschrieben werden kann („normale” oder „wahrscheinlichste” Verteilung). Daraus folgt, das der gunstigstenfalls erzielbare Anteil an Produkten eines gegebenen Polymerisationsgrades vorausberechnet werden kann. Auserdem wird ein Reaktionsmechanismus vorgeschlagen.
Response of Obstructive Sleep Apnea to Fluoxetine and Protriptyline

Protriptyline is the pharmacologic agent most commonly used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); however, its anticholinergic side effects make it intolerable to many patients. Because serotonin may be a central respiratory stimulant and because the serotonin-uptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, is usually well tolerated, we wanted to try fluoxetine in the treatment of OSA. Therefore, we compared the effect of fluoxetine to that of protriptyline in 12 patients with OSA. Both drugs significantly decreased the proportion of REM sleep time and decreased the number of apneas or hypopneas in NREM sleep. The response to fluoxetine was equivalent to that of protriptyline; however, for the group as a whole, there was no significant improvement in the number of arterial oxygen desaturation events, the level of arterial oxygen desaturation, or the number of arousals with either agent. Although there was wide variability in the response to each medication, six of the 12 patients had good responses, including improvement in oxygenation, to either fluoxetine or protriptyline. Three patients could not complete the trial of protriptyline. We conclude that fluoxetine is beneficial to some, but not all, patients with OSA. Fluoxetine was better tolerated than protriptyline. (Chest 1991; 100:416-21)
The role of cell death in the growth of preneoplastic lesions: a Monte Carlo simulation model.

A variety of experimental and clinical examples of preneoplasia demon­ strate that regression of early lesions is common. This paper examines the hypothesis that early lesions operate under the identical growth kinetics of 'late' lesions (neo­ plasms), but that kinetic features favouring continuous growth in established lesions tend to favour extinction of lesions composed of small numbers of cells. Growth sim­ ulations of early lesions were produced using the Monte Carlo method, a technique demanding intensive computations. With the advent of powerful personal computers, this technique is now widely available to biologists. Simulating growth under condi­ tions of cell loss similar to those observed in established turn ours, the model predicts that the great majority of initiated cell clusters are expected to reach extinction within a few cell doubling times, and most early (promoted) lesions would not likely progress to the size of a clinically detectable lesion within the life span of the host organism. These Monte Carlo simulations provide a model of initiated cell growth consistent with the recently demonstrated role of early lesion cell death in the development of human lymphomas and in transgenic mice expressing the bcl-2 oncogene. The model demonstrates that small increments in the intrinsic cell loss probability in even the earliest progenitors of malignancy can strongly influence the subsequent development of neoplasia from initiated foci.
Thematic review series: Adipocyte Biology Adipocyte stress: the endoplasmic reticulum and metabolic disease

In the context of obesity and its related maladies, the adipocyte plays a central role in the balance, or imbalance, of metabolic homeostasis. An obese, hypertrophic adipocyte is challenged by many insults, including surplus energy, inflammation, insulin resistance, and considerable stress to various organelles. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is one such vital organelle that demonstrates significant signs of stress and dysfunction in obesity and insulin resistance. Under normal conditions, the ER must function in the unique and trying environment of the adipocyte, adapting to meet the demands of increased protein synthesis and secretion, energy storage in the form of triglyceride droplet formation, and nutrient sensing that are particular to the differentiated fat cell. When nutrients are in pathological excess, the ER is overwhelmed and the unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated. Remarkably, the consequences of UPR activation have been causally linked to the development of insulin resistance through a multitude of possible mechanisms, including c-jun N-terminal kinase activation, inflammation, and oxidative stress. This review will focus on the function of the ER under normal conditions in the adipocyte and the pathological effects of a stressed ER contributing to adipocyte dysfunction and a thwarted metabolic homeostasis.
Multilinear Dynamical Systems for Tensor Time Series

Data in the sciences frequently occur as sequences of multidimensional arrays called tensors. How can hidden, evolving trends in such data be extracted while preserving the tensor structure? The model that is traditionally used is the linear dynamical system (LDS) with Gaussian noise, which treats the latent state and observation at each time slice as a vector. We present the multilinear dynamical system (MLDS) for modeling tensor time series and an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm to estimate the parameters. The MLDS models each tensor observation in the time series as the multilinear projection of the corresponding member of a sequence of latent tensors. The latent tensors are again evolving with respect to a multilinear projection. Compared to the LDS with an equal number of parameters, the MLDS achieves higher prediction accuracy and marginal likelihood for both artificial and real datasets.
Single trial detection of human movement intentions from SAM-filtered MEG signals for a high performance two-dimensional BCI

The objective of this research is to explore whether a two-dimensional BCI can be achieved by reliably decoding single-trial magneto-encephalography (MEG) signal associated with sustaining or ceasing right and left hand movements. Seven naive subjects participated in the study. Signals were recorded from 275-channel MEG and synthetic aperture magnetometry (SAM) was employed. The multi-class classification for four-directional control was evaluated offline from 10-fold cross-validation using direct-decision tree classifier and genetic algorithm based Mahalanobis linear distance. Beta band (15–30Hz) event-related desynchronization and event related synchronization were observed in right and left hand movement related motor areas for physical movements as well as motor imagery. The cross-validation accuracy for the proposed four-direction classification from SAM- filtered MEG signal was as high as 95–97% for physical movements and 86–87% for motor imagery. The high classification accuracy suggests that a reliable high performance two-dimensional BCI can be achieved from single trial detection of human natural movement intentions from SAM-filtered MEG signals, where user may not need extensive training.
Spirituality and Strategic Leadership: The Influence of Spiritual Beliefs on Strategic Decision Making

This work extends the consideration of spirituality and leadership to the field of strategic leadership. Future development in the field of spirituality and leadership will depend on greater clarity concerning the level of analysis, and will require a distinction between personal and collective spirituality. Toward that end, a framework is proposed that describes how the personal spiritual beliefs of a top level leader operate in strategic decision making like a schema to filter and frame information. This function is mediated by the leader’s constructive development and meta-belief and moderated by the organizational context and leadership style. This framework provides a starting point for considering the many expressions of spirituality in organizations and serves as a foundation for a multi-level theory of spirituality and leadership.
Bone morphogenetic protein-6 is a marker of serous acinar cell differentiation in normal and neoplastic human salivary gland

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-6, also known as vegetal-pale-gene-related and decaplentaplegic-vegetal-related) is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily of multifunctional signaling molecules. BMP-6 appears to play various biological roles in developing tissues, including regulation of epithelial differentiation. To study the possible involvement of BMP-6 in normal and neoplastic human salivary glands, we compared its mRNA and protein expression in 4 fetal and 15 adult salivary glands and in 22 benign and 32 malignant salivary gland tumors. In situ hybridization and Northern blot analysis indicated that BMP-6 transcripts are expressed at low levels in acinar cells of adult submandibular glands but not in ductal or stromal cells. BMP-6 was immunolocated specifically in serous acini of parotid and submandibular glands. None was found in primitive fetal acini or any other types of cell in adult salivary glands, including mucous acini and epithelial cells of intercalated, striated, and excretory ducts. All 16 cases of acinic cell carcinoma consistently exhibited cytoplasmic BMP-6 staining in the acinar tumor cells. Other cell types in these tumors, including intercalated duct-like cells, clear, vacuolated cells, and nonspecific glandular cells, exhibited no cytoplasmic BMP-6 staining. Other benign and malignant salivary gland tumors lacked BMP-6 immunoreactivity, except in areas of squamous differentiation. The results indicate that in salivary glands, BMP-6 expression is uniquely associated with acinar cell differentiation and suggest that BMP-6 may play a role in salivary gland function. More importantly, our experience of differential diagnostic problems related to salivary gland tumors suggests that the demonstration of consistent and specific BMP-6 immunoreactivity in acinic cell carcinoma is likely to be of clinical value.
Knockout of the 15 kDa Selenoprotein Protects against Chemically-Induced Aberrant Crypt Formation in Mice

Evidence suggests that selenium has cancer preventive properties that are largely mediated through selenoproteins. Our previous observations demonstrated that targeted down-regulation of the 15 kDa selenoprotein (Sep15) in murine colon cancer cells resulted in the reversal of the cancer phenotype. The present study investigated the effect of Sep15 knockout in mice using a chemically-induced colon cancer model. Homozygous Sep15 knockout mice, and wild type littermate controls were given four weekly subcutaneous injections of azoxymethane (10 mg/kg). Sep15 knockout mice developed significantly (p,0.001) fewer aberrant crypt foci than controls demonstrating that loss of Sep15 protects against aberrant crypt foci formation. Dietary selenium above adequate levels did not significantly affect aberrant crypt foci formation in Sep15 knockout mice. To investigate molecular targets affected by loss of Sep15, gene expression patterns in colonic mucosal cells of knockout and wild type mice were examined using microarray analysis. Subsequent analyses verified that guanylate binding protein-1 (GBP-1) mRNA and protein expression were strongly upregulated in Sep15 knockout mice. GBP-1, which is expressed in response to interferon-c, is considered to be an activation marker during inflammatory diseases, and upregulation of GBP-1 in humans has been associated with a highly significant, increased five-year survival rate in colorectal cancer patients. In agreement with these studies, we observed a higher level of interferon-c in plasma of Sep15 knockout mice. Overall, our results demonstrate for the first time, that Sep15 knockout mice are protected against chemically-induced aberrant crypt foci formation and that Sep15 appears to have oncogenic properties in colon carcinogenesis in vivo.
Transport of quasi-two-dimensional electrons in heterojunction field effect transistors

Abstract High and low field transport properties of electrons confined to quasi-two-dimensional sheets in semiconductor heterostructures are discussed within the context of their importance in the operation of field effect transistors. Modulation-doped heterostructures, in which the two-dimensional electron gas is in undoped material, have extremely large mobilities; these mobilities are larger than what can actually be fully used by the transistor. Doped-channel quantum well structures have lower mobilities and velocities, but field effect transistors fabricated from such structures operate very well in part because of the larger electron concentration which is possible.
Curcumin enhances the apoptosis-inducing potential of TRAIL in prostate cancer cells: molecular mechanisms of apoptosis, migration and angiogenesis

We have recently shown that curcumin (a diferuloylmethane) inhibits growth and induces apoptosis, and also demonstrated that TRAIL induces apoptosis by binding to specific cell surface death receptors in prostate cancer cells. The objectives of this paper were to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which curcumin enhanced the apoptosis-inducing potential of TRAIL in prostate cancer cells. Curcumin enhanced the apoptosis-inducing potential of TRAIL in androgen-unresponsive PC-3 cells and sensitized androgen-responsive TRAIL-resistant LNCaP cells. Curcumin inhibited the expressions of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, survivin and XIAP, and induced the expressions Bax, Bak, PUMA, Bim, and Noxa and death receptors (TRAIL-R1/DR4 and TRAIL-R2/DR5) in both cell lines. Overexpression of dominant negative FADD inhibited the interactive effects of curcumin and TRAIL on apoptosis. Treatment of these cells with curcumin resulted in activation of caspase-3, and caspase-9, and drop in mitochondrial membrane potential, and these events were further enhanced when combined with TRAIL. Curcumin inhibited capillary tube formation and migration of HUVEC cells and these effects were further enhanced in the presence of MEK1/2 inhibitor PD98059. The ability of curcumin to inhibit capillary tube formation and cell migration, and enhance the therapeutic potential of TRAIL suggests that curcumin alone or in combination with TRAIL can be used for prostate cancer prevention and/or therapy.
Communication and cooperation in a distributed automatic guided vehicle system

A distributed artificial intelligence (DAI) approach to controlling and scheduling automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) is presented. Each vehicle uses an intelligent agent to handle task scheduling, guidance, fault-recovery, and resource contention. The agents communicate with one another in an attempt to efficiently solve the overall problem. Each agent is a member of a contract net. The agents examine the plans of other agents in the network and determine the best path between two pickup and delivery stations. These plans minimize the probability of delay due to two or more vehicles waiting for a congested area on the shop-floor to clear. The system, composed of a network of these agents and pick-up and delivery stations, demonstrates the added efficiency and reliability of a DAI approach. >
Scheduling with alternative operations

The incorporation of alternative operations in a scheduling system increases the utilization rate of resources and reduces the makespan of manufacturing products. A heuristic algorithm is developed for a scheduling problem with and without alternative operations. The effect of alternative operations on the performance of schedules generated are studied with five dispatching rules. The testing effort involves 240 scheduling problems obtained for randomly generated data. The computational results show that the most dissimilar resources (MDR) dispatching rule for the case with alternative operations performs best among the dispatching rules tested. The quality of schedules (makespan, utilization rate of resources) generated with any dispatching rule improves when alternative operations are used. >
Polymerase stalling during replication, transcription and translation

Replication, transcription, and translation stress all lead to stalling of their respective polymerases (DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase, and the ribosome), and the cell must respond to these events in order to preserve macromolecular integrity. In response to replication stress such as DNA damage, the cell activates a checkpoint and promotes repair or bypass at the lesion. Transcriptional stress leading to stalling of RNA polymerase can also be caused by DNA damage, and recognizing stalled RNA polymerase can lead to transcription-coupled repair or, in response to prolonged stalling, degradation of the polymerase. Translational stress generated by problems either with the mRNA template or the ribosome itself also leads to stalling of the ribosome, and the cell responds by degrading both the message and the nascent polypeptide. In this review, we will discuss the stresses that lead to stalling of each of the polymerases and how the cell recognizes and responds to the stalled enzymes.
Interpreting Sexual Dating Encounters: Social Information Processing Differences in Men and Women

Research has shown that college women are at considerable risk for sexual assault by dating partners, and studies have shown early detection of threat risk cues is an important factor in rape avoidance. This study examined how men and women process sexual encounters in a date rape situation and how they differ in interpretation of cues and response decision-making using Crick and Dodge’s (1994) model of social information processing (SIP). Participants listened to an audio vignette depicting a female resisting sexual contact as the male continues to make sexual advances. The vignette was paused at a point in which there is ambiguity concerning the sexual intentions of the actors, and multiple choice/forced answer questions reflecting five stages in social information processing (causal and intent interpretation, goal clarification, response decision, response efficacy, and response evaluation) were administered. Analyses revealed males and females significantly differed in all SIP stages, and emotional reaction was a significant predictor of response decision. Implications of the findings were discussed.
Enhancing Creativity in Curriculum

This chapter provides insight on the role of effective instructional strategies in enhancing creativity among gifted students. Creative characteristics vary among people and across disciplines, and no one person possesses all of the characteristics nor displays them all the time. Definitions of creativity, creative characteristics, trait and process views, and developmental perspectives are provided as a foundation to understanding the construct and its evolution in research. Findings on highly creative and eminent individuals are discussed in relation to the impact of intrinsic motivation, insight, and adversity on creative outputs. The important role of teacher understanding of creativity and the related cognitive, emotional, and environmental components necessary for creative work are tied to the use of specific instructional models for enhancing creativity including creative problem solving, problembased learning, and higher level thinking processes; the role of mentors and work ethic are also explored. Options for school-based applications to enhance creativity in students are delineated as well as a discussion of issues in teaching and assessing creativity.
The Myth of Merit

In discussing the Constitutional choices between electing judges or having them appointed by the executive, most studies focus on the different schemes used in the context of state supreme courts which began using judicial election systems in the mid 1800s, while federal judges are selected by an appointment and confirmation process. Although many of the empirical arguments about the effects of either system generally focus on the state level, Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) are part of a merit system that more closely reflects some of the more exotic systems (normally referred to as the Missouri Plan) used in states where a slate of nominees are determined by a process involving the state bar. The ALJ system is used to explain and analyze how merit systems contain an inherent tendency toward regulatory capture, and data collected regarding Social Security Disability decisions by ALJs shows the presence of regulatory capture in the ALJ system. The paper then concludes with the differences between the ALJ system and state judicial merit systems, with the conclusion that the wider jurisdiction of state judges makes the regulatory capture much more problematic.
Electron microscopic study of human cholestasis.

SummaryIn both extrahepatic biliary obstruction and intrahepatic cholestasis, alteration of the bile canalicular wall of liver cells and distortion of normally present microvilli can be demonstrated by electron microscopy. The functional defect is localized into membrane of liver cells, the more so since cytoplasm of liver cells does not necessarily show significant alterations. It is assumed that the lesion in extrahepatic biliary obstruction results from increased hydrostatic pressure while it cannot be decided whether in intrahepatic cholestasis it is primary or also secondary to increased pressure. Microvillous changes are not found in chronic idiopathic jaundice and only focally in viral hepatitis with liver cell injury possibly as the result of intrahepatic cholestatic component. In both types of cholestasis, communication between dilated bile canaliculi and perisinusoidal tissue spaces may account by regurgitation for at least part of the jaundice.
The Blood Vessels and “Ground Color” of Irises of Pigment-Free Single Comb White Leghorns

Abstract IRIS color of chickens, particularly of the bay-eyed breeds, has received considerable attention from poultrymen and pathologists in recent years. This interest has resulted primarily from the widespread occurrence of ocular lymphomatosis. In typical advanced cases of ocular lymphomatosis the iris loses its bright reddish bay color and becomes a dull pearly gray color. The pupil becomes irregular, overdilated or constricted and the iris loses its reflex response to changes in light intensity. The symptoms of the advanced stage of ocular lymphomatosis are striking and readily diagnosed. Recognition of the early stages of the disease is more difficult. Nelson and Thorp (1943) in a study of this condition, have described an inflammation of the iridic blood vessels which resulted in the increased redness of the iris. This hyperemia was followed by a gradual loss of yellow carotenoid pigments. The authors state however, that color changes are insufficient evidence for a . . .
VARIANCE COMPONENTS IN THE ILLINOIS TEST OF PSYCHOLINGUISTIC ABILITIES

The Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, o r ITPA (McCarthy & Kirk, 1963) is based on a theoretical model which includes channels of communication (auditory-vocal and visual-motor), levels of organization (representational and automatic-sequential), and processes (encoding, association, and decoding). The authors of the test defined a psycholinguistic ability as a unique combination of one process, one level, and one channel, and proceeded to construct subtests for 9 of the 12 abilities so defined. They then conducted a series of factor analyses of the standard~zation data to evaluate their success in constructing "single ability" measures, and all nlne abilities for which subtescs had been designed appeared as factors, though with varylng frequency and weight. The present study was intended ro examine further the structure of the ITPA, using a somewhat different approach. Method.-The test manual presents intercorrelation matrices for the 14 age groups which comprised the standardization sample: 50 children (25 boys and 25 girls) at each level beginning at 2-6 and progressing by half-year intervals to 9-0. Subsequent analysis of age differences by the authors of the test led to the combination of the 7-6 group with the 8-0 group and the 8-6 group with the 9-0 group; for the present swdy, the writer combined the corresponding intercorrelation matrices by simple averaging. The treatment of the data followed the linear model generally adopted for factor analysis (Harman, 1960) . According to this model, the total variance of a variable may be expressed as the sum of its communality ( h 2 ) , specificity ( b ' ) , and error ( 2 ) , with its reliability given by the sum of h2 and b2. In the present study, the communality of each subtest was obtained by factorial methods and, using the internal consistency reliabilities provided by the authors of the test, the specificicy and error were obtained by subtraction.' Results and discussion.-Each of the 1 2 intercorrelation mauices, with squared multiple correlations in the diagonal, was analyzed by the principal-factor method. From four to six factors (depending on the number of positive eigenvalues) were extracted for each age group, but on the average, the first factor accounted for 65% of the communality. Thus a single common factor, which may be designated as General Linguistic Ability, appears to have been of overriding importance. There was a tendency for the communality of the subtests to decrease with age, and a corresponding tendency for their error to increase, but neither of these was marked. The average variance components of the nine subtests are shown in Table 1. Auditory Decoding, Visual-Motor Associacion, and Auditory-Vocal Sequencing had the highest average specificity and the lowest average communality, with Auditory-Vocal Associacion
Elongation factor-1 alpha is a selective regulator of growth factor withdrawal and ER stress-induced apoptosis

To identify genes that contribute to apoptotic resistance, IL-3 dependent hematopoietic cells were transfected with a cDNA expression library and subjected to growth factor withdrawal. Transfected cells were enriched for survivors over two successive rounds of IL-3 withdrawal and reconstitution, resulting in the identification of a full-length elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1alpha) cDNA. Ectopic EF-1alpha expression conferred protection from growth factor withdrawal and agents that induce endoplasmic reticulum stress, but not from nuclear damage or death receptor signaling. Overexpression of EF-1alpha did not lead to growth factor independent cell proliferation or global alterations in protein levels or rates of synthesis. These findings suggest that overexpression of EF-1alpha results in selective resistance to apoptosis induced by growth factor withdrawal and ER stress.
SHRIMP Zircon U-Pb of Mesoproterozoic Chuanlinggou Formation from Kuancheng County in Hebei Province and its Geological Implications

Zircons collected from volcanic tuff rock samples from the upper part of the Chuanlinggou Formation in Kuancheng County, Hebei Province, were dated using the SHRIMPII at Beijing SHRIMP Center. The zircon U-Pb age obtained is 1621±12 Ma (MSWD=0.56) of 206Pb/238U age. Combined with numerous SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages in other publications, chronological column of this area was determined. This provides new evidence for the Geological Time Scale of the Changcheng System (Ch, 1.8~1.6 Ga), which has been reconfirmed by the Commission of Stratigraphy of China.
Suicidal ideation in a United States jail: Demographic and psychiatric correlates.

Suicidal behavior is a significant problem in United States jails. Suicidal ideation (SI) is an established precursor to suicidal behavior in incarcerated populations. No studies to date have exami...
The Sun Belt Myth

It is generally accepted that states in the sun belt are growing much faster than other states and that this in itself makes the sun belt a particularly significant market. The purpose of this paper is to examine 1980 census data in relation to earlier censuses to see just where the significant markets are located in 1980.
Static and Dynamic Loop Scheduling

Loops are the largest potential source of program parallelism and the problem of using several processors for the fast execution of complex parallel loops has attracted considerable attention in the last few years [PoKu87], [PoKP86], [TaPe86], [KrWe85], [PaKL80], [Cytr84]. A key problem in designing and using large parallel processor systems is determining how to schedule independent processors to execute a parallel program as fast as possible. In this chapter we present a practical method that can be used to obtain very efficient schedules of parallel loops on shared memory parallel machines. The problem of mapping or assigning different tasks of the same program to different processors (otherwise known as “scheduling”) has become more pressing than ever before with the recent introduction of many parallel machines in the market.
Improving matching under hard distributional constraints: Improving matching under constraints

Distributional constraints are important in many market design settings. Prominent examples include the minimum manning requirements at each Army branch in military cadet matching and diversity considerations in school choice, whereby school districts impose constraints on the demographic distribution of students at each school. Standard assignment mechanisms implemented in practice are unable to accommodate these constraints. This leads policymakers to resort to ad hoc solutions that eliminate blocks of seats ex ante (before agents submit their preferences) to ensure that all constraints are satisfied ex post (after the mechanism is run). We show that these current solutions ignore important information contained in the submitted preferences, resulting in avoidable inefficiency. We then introduce new dynamic quotas mechanisms that result in Pareto superior allocations while at the same time respecting all distributional constraints and satisfying important fairness and incentive properties. We expect the use of our mechanisms to improve the performance of matching markets with distributional constraints in the field.
Sitka spruce in the 21st century: Establishment and nutrition.

Historically, new plantations of Sitka spruce were established on a wide range of soil types in the British Isles by providing a raised or otherwise weed-free planting position, using manual or mechanical techniques. Some of the benefits of mechanical ground preparation can be achieved using herbicides. The application to second rotation sites of the results of research and development of mechanical ground preparation methods for afforestation is speculative. Inputs of phosphatic and nitrogenous fertilisers have been necessary on most upland sites. Strategies are available to reduce N fertiliser requirements. Productivity may decline with successive rotations on some sites due to site degradation, but is likely to be increased on others due to improved establishment methods.
Supporting Socio-emotional Competence and Psychological Well-Being of School Psychologists Through Mindfulness Practice

The development of effective emotional regulation is critical to the success of educational professionals in a variety of settings. These skills are particularly important for school psychologists who must learn to interact successfully with diverse students, teachers, and parents on a daily basis. Research now suggests that mindfulness practice contributes to the socio-emotional competence and psychological well-being of teachers. Through a literature review, this article examines the potential benefits of mindfulness practice to school psychologists. Mindfulness practice is suggested to help school psychologists behave more responsively towards teachers, parents, and children. The ability to sustain attention on the present moment may allow them to listen more attentively and better understand children’s behavior from their perspectives. This article concludes that school psychologists who develop the social and emotional skills that arise from mindfulness practice may be better prepared to manage their interactions with teachers, parents, and children and, as a result, build positive relations with them. Additionally, mindfulness practice may enable school psychologists to develop compassion towards the self and prevent stress and burnout.
Proton Therapy for Skull Base Chordomas and Chondrosarcomas

Abstract Chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the base of the skull and cervical spine are vexing therapeutic problems because of their location and proximity to several critical structures. Recurrence after surgery alone is common; postoperative irradiation is an acknowledged part of the overall therapy plan. Tumor control rates improve with higher total doses, but these carry an increased risk of irreversible damage to the surrounding structures. Protons, because of their positive charge, which allows for more controllability than conventional X-rays, enable delivery of high total doses while sparing the nearby critical structures. This ability to deliver doses greater than 70 Gy has resulted in higher rates of disease control without increasing the toxicity. Control is improved if proton irradiation is given as adjuvant treatment, when the volume of tumor is smallest, rather than at recurrence. Our experience suggests that fractionated protons given following maximum surgical resection provide good local control with minimal toxicity.
“No other proof”: Svetlana Aleksievich in the tradition of Soviet war writing

Svetlana Aleksievich’s work has traditionally been analyzed through the lenses of history, ethnography, and memory studies. However, this article suggests that there is another, equally important, ...
A Novel Waveform Optimization Scheme for Piezoelectric Sensors Wire-Free Charging in the Tightly Insulated Environment

Sustainable powering of wire-free sensors (WFSs) is a critical challenge in structure health monitoring for failure prevention applications, where battery replacement is practically difficult. Hence, it is of interest to develop means for remotely charging WFS devices using external power sources. In this paper, a novel stress wave-based optimization method is proposed for piezoelectric sensors wire-free charging. This method includes a novel waveform optimization scheme, a novel multiactuator, and a multichannel wire-free charging strategy to maximize energy transmission efficiency. Based on the measured channel characteristics of a tightly insulated environment, four different waveform design algorithms are implemented successfully to generate the optimized charging waveforms in accordance with the novel waveform optimization scheme. To testify the effectiveness of this novel optimized wire-free charging method, the piezoelectric sensor-based wire-free charging process is simulated. In the simulation process, a predefined waveform is applied in the piezoelectric actuator to generate a stress wave which is subsequently utilized to wire-free transfer energy to the piezoelectric sensors. Numerical results demonstrate the advantages of multichannel wire-free charging in significantly reducing input power loss and enhancing energy transmission efficiency.
Breaking! A Typology of Security and Privacy News and How It's Shared

News coverage of security and privacy (S&P) events is pervasive and may affect the salience of S&P threats to the public. To better understand this coverage and its effects, we asked: What types of S&P news come into people's awareness? How do people hear about and share this news? Over two years, we recruited 1999 participants to fill out a survey on emergent S&P news events. We identified four types of S&P news: financial data breaches, corporate personal data breaches, high sensitivity systems breaches, and politicized / activist cybersecurity. These event types strongly correlated with how people shared S&P news-e.g., financial data breaches were shared most (42%), while politicized / activist cybersecurity events were shared least (21%). Furthermore, participants' age, gender and security behavioral intention strongly correlated with how they heard about and shared S&P news-e.g., males more often felt a personal responsibility to share, and older people were less likely to hear about S&P news through conversation.
Reproductive success of a keystone herbivore is more variable and responsive to climate in habitats with lower resource diversity.

The effects of climate on wild populations are often channelled through species interactions. Population responses to climate variation can therefore differ across habitats, owing to variation in the biotic community. Theory predicts that consumer demography should be less variable and less responsive to climate in habitats with greater resource diversity. We tested these predictions using a long-term study of breeding lesser snow geese along the western coast of Hudson Bay, Manitoba, Canada. Reproductive success was measured in 22 years from 114 locations, in either coastal or inland habitat types. We used Bayesian analysis to estimate the response of reproductive success to climate in each habitat type, along with residual variation not explained by climate. We then quantified gosling diet composition in each habitat type to test the prediction that reproductive success would be less variable and more responsive to climate in habitats with lower resource diversity. Reproductive success responded positively to seasonal warmness, but this response was much stronger in inland habitats than in coastal habitats. Site- and year-level random effects were also three to five times more variable in inland habitats. Simultaneously, land cover diversity and gosling diet diversity were lower in inland habitats. Our study illustrates that spatial variation in resource diversity (and thus, species interactions) can have important effects on consumer responses to climate. In this system, climate change is expected to disproportionately increase the reproductive success of snow geese in vast inland habitats, potentially counteracting management efforts to reduce the abundance of this keystone herbivore.