cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature dependence of superluminal and subluminal propagation

When a dielectric medium has a finite temperature, the atoms that constitute the medium are in a state of incessant motion. Propagation of a light pulse through such a medium is discussed theoretically in this paper in the classical domain. When the pulse is in resonance with the medium, it is found that the medium becomes dispersiveless when its temperature reaches a critical value, and that as the medium's temperature increases from below to above the critical value, the pulse's propagation changes from superluminal (subluminal) to subluminal (superluminal).
Rapid 3-D delineation of cell nuclei for high-content screening platforms

High-resolution three-dimensional (3-D) microscopy combined with multiplexing of fluorescent labels allows high-content analysis of large numbers of cell nuclei. The full automation of 3-D screening platforms necessitates image processing algorithms that can accurately and robustly delineate nuclei in images with little to no human intervention. Imaging-based high-content screening was originally developed as a powerful tool for drug discovery. However, cell confluency, complexity of nuclear staining as well as poor contrast between nuclei and background result in slow and unreliable 3-D image processing and therefore negatively affect the performance of studying a drug response.Here, we propose a new method, 3D-RSD, to delineate nuclei by means of 3-D radial symmetries and test it on high-resolution image data of human cancer cells treated by drugs. The nuclei detection performance was evaluated by means of manually generated ground truth from 2351 nuclei (27 confocal stacks). When compared to three other nuclei segmentation methods, 3D-RSD possessed a better true positive rate of 83.3% and F-score of 0.895?0.045 (p-value=0.047). Altogether, 3D-RSD is a method with a very good overall segmentation performance. Furthermore, implementation of radial symmetries offers good processing speed, and makes 3D-RSD less sensitive to staining patterns. In particular, the 3D-RSD method performs well in cell lines, which are often used in imaging-based HCS platforms and are afflicted by nuclear crowding and overlaps that hinder feature extraction. We developed a 3D-RSD algorithm to detect nuclei in 3-D image space.3D-RSD can effectively deal with highly confluent specimens.3D-RSD is fast and more accurate than three other reference methods, and can be used in high-content screening tasks to evaluate drug efficacy in human cancer cell lines.
Physician Perceptions on Colonoscopy Quality: Results of a National Survey of Gastroenterologists

Background. Quality indicators for colonoscopy have been developed, but the uptake of these metrics into practice is uncertain. Our aims were to assess physician perceptions regarding colonoscopy quality measurement and to quantify the perceived impact of quality measurement on clinical practice. Methods. We conducted in-person interviews with 15 gastroenterologists about their perceptions regarding colonoscopy quality. Results from these interviews informed the development of a 34-question web-based survey that was emailed to 1,500 randomlyselected members of the American College of Gastroenterology. Results. 160 invitations were undeliverable, and 167 out of 1340 invited physicians (12.5%) participated in the survey. Respondents and nonrespondents did not differ in age, sex, practice setting, or years since training. 38.8% of respondents receive feedback on their colonoscopy quality. The majority of respondents agreed with the use of completion rate (90%) and adenoma detection rate (83%) as quality indicators but there was less enthusiasm for withdrawal time (61%). 24% of respondents reported usually or always removing diminutive polyps solely to increase their adenoma detection rate, and 20% reported prolonging their procedure time to meet withdrawal time standards. Conclusions. A minority of respondents receives feedback on the quality of their colonoscopy. Interventions to increase continuous quality improvement in colonoscopy screening are needed.
Mixed-level Saito–Kurokawa liftings

In this article we construct Saito–Kurokawa lifts of mixed level. These are constructed via representation theoretic arguments originally used by Schmidt to construct congruence level and paramodular Saito–Kurokawa lifts.
Low-dose cardiotonic steroids increase sodium-potassium ATPase activity that protects hippocampal slice cultures from experimental ischemia.

Abstract The sodium–potassium ATPase (Na/K ATPase) is a major ionic transporter in the brain and is responsible for the maintenance of the Na + and K + gradients across the cell membrane. Cardiotonic steroids such as ouabain, digoxin and marinobufagenin are well-characterized inhibitors of the Na/K ATPase. Recently, cardiotonic steroids have been shown to have additional effects at concentrations below their IC 50 for pumping. The cardiotonic steroids ouabain, digoxin, and marinobufagenin all show an inverted U-shaped dose–response curve with inhibition of pumping at concentrations near their IC 50 , while increasing Na/K ATPase activity at doses below their IC 50 . This stimulatory effect of cardiotonic steroids was observed in vitro in hippocampal slice cultures as well as in the hippocampus in vivo . Increased Na/K ATPase activity has been shown to protect slice culture neurons from hypoxia–hypoglycemia. Ouabain protected slice culture neurons from experimental ischemia at concentrations that increased Na/K ATPase. This protective effect was observed when ouabain was dosed 30 min before, or 2 h following experimental ischemia. Ouabain no longer protected against experimental ischemia if the increase of Na/K ATPase was blocked. These data suggest that the protective effect of ouabain was due to increased Na/K ATPase activity. The demonstration of a neuroprotective effect of cardiotonic steroids could potentially assist in the treatment of stroke since digoxin, one of the cardiotonic steroids examined in this study, has approval by the Food and Drug Administration and can be safely administered at the concentrations that increase Na/K ATPase activity.
Effects of thiol protease inhibitors on myoblast fusion and myofibril assembly in vitro.

To investigate the roles of thiol proteases such as cathepsins and calpains in muscle differentiation, we have treated primary cultures of pectoralis muscle with a variety of protease inhibitors and examined the effects these agents have on myoblast fusion and myofibrillogenesis. We have found that a membrane-permeable inhibitor, E64D, has dramatic effects on both events of muscle differentiation. Cells treated with this inhibitor display gross morphological changes, severe delays in myofibril assembly, and reduced ability to fuse in culture. These morphological changes are correlated with a build up of β1-integrin throughout the cytoplasm. These effects could also be produced using NH4Cl, a lysosomotrophic agent. In addition, we show that two nonpermeable inhibitors (leupeptin and E64) slightly decrease myoblast fusion, but have no effects on the ability of the cells to form mature myofibrils. These results are discussed in terms of their relevance to the inheritable disease of muscular dystrophy and I-cell disease (mucolipodosis II). Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 40:354–367, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ureteral ectopia presenting as epididymitis and infertility

A thirty-two-year-old man presented with a history of infertility, recurrent epididymitis, and a fluctuant pelvic mass on rectal examination. Preoperative evaluation disclosed a nonvisualized right kidney and a multiloculated cystic lesion in the pelvis. The intravenous pyelogram suggested a ureterocele on the right side. A cystic pelvic mass was noted on ultrasound and computed tomography. A dysplastic right kidney with an ectopic ureter inserting into a cystic seminal vesicle was found at surgical exploration.
A novel in situ gel for sustained drug delivery and targeting.

Abstract The objective of this study was to develop a novel chitosan-glyceryl monooleate (GMO) in situ gel system for sustained drug delivery and targeting. The delivery system consisted of 3% (w/v) chitosan and 3% (w/v) GMO in 0.33 M citric acid. In situ gel was formed at a biological pH. In vitro release studies were conducted in Sorensen’s phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and drugs were analyzed either by HPLC or spectrophotometry. Characterization of the gel included the effect of cross-linker, determination of diffusion coefficient and water uptake by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Mucoadhesive property of the gel was evaluated in vitro using an EZ-Tester. Incorporation of a cross-linker (glutaraldehyde) retarded the rate and extent of drug release. The in vitro release can further be sustained by replacing the free drug with drug-encapsulated microspheres. Drug release from the gel followed a matrix diffusion controlled mechanism. Inclusion of GMO enhanced the mucoadhesive property of chitosan by three- to sevenfold. This novel in situ gel system can be useful in the sustained delivery of drugs via oral as well as parenteral routes.
Performance appraisals and the strategic development of the professional intellect within non-profits

A performance review is a method in which the performance of an employee is evaluated. This evaluation can cover business topics such as cost, time, quantity and quality. Performance reviews have been created in order to measure the results of every employee's work actions within an organisation. Performance reviews, if used wisely, should allow management to help align their organisational infrastructure whenever possible around the development of the professional intellect. In this paper, a discussion of different performance reviews in two large non-profit organisations associated with the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, both in terms of its delivery system and how management evaluates them for rewarding the growth of the professional intellect is discussed. Advantages and disadvantages of using a performance review systems in non-profit organisations are outlined and recommendations made.
Long-term vaginal antibody delivery: delivery systems and biodistribution.

Topical delivery systems can provide prolonged delivery of antibodies to the vaginal mucosal surface for long-term protection against infectious diseases. We examined the biodistribution of antibodies during 30 days of vaginal antibody delivery in mice. Different antibody preparations (including monoclonal IgG and IgM, as well as several different 125I-labeled IgGs) were administered by polymer vaginal rings, which were designed to provide continuous antibody delivery. Antibody concentrations remained high in the vaginal secretions for up to 30 days after disk insertion; radiolabeled antibody was also found, at ∼100 times lower concentration, in the blood and other tissues. The measured concentrations agreed reasonably well with a simple pharmacokinetic model, which was used to calculate mucosal and systemic concentrations as a function of antibody delivery and elimination rates. Results from the model were consistent with previously reported antibody pharmacokinetic measurements: the half-life for antibody elimination for the vagina was ∼3 h; the half-life for IgG1 clearance from the blood was >1 day; and the overall permeability constant for vaginal uptake of IgG was ∼0.01 to 0.03 h−1. These results provide important information for the design of controlled antibody delivery devices for vaginal use, and suggest that high-dose, long-term vaginal administration of antibodies may be a reasonable approach for achieving sustained mucosal and systemic antibody levels. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 67: 253–264, 2000.
Psychophysical Evaluation Of The Spatial And Contrast Resolution Necessary For A Picture Archiving And Communication System: Works In Progress

The Radiology Department of the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center is involved in a five year project to develop a prototype for a Totally Digital Radiology Department (TDRD). One prerequisite for such a department is that the system must allow the radiologist to perform at the same level as with the existing film-based system. The amount of spatial and contrast resolution required to equal the diagnostic information in films will impact directly on the capabilities of the equipment needed to image, transmit, display, and store such images. This is a crucial question that must be addressed because of its diagnostic import and due to its engineering implications.
About the “normal growth” approximation in the dynamical theory of phase transitions

Nonequilibrium phase transitions can often be modeled by a surface of discontinuity propagating into a metastable region. The physical hypothesis of “normal growth” presumes a linear relation between the velocity of the phase boundary and the degree of metastability. The phenomenological coefficient, which measures the “mobility” of the phase boundary, can either be taken from experiment or obtained from an appropriate physical model. This linear approximation is equivalent to assuming the surface entropy production (caused by the kinetic dissipation in a transition layer) to be quadratic in a mass flux. In this paper we investigate the possibility of deducing the “normal growth” approximation from the viscosity-capillarity model which incorporates both strain rates and strain gradients into constitutive functions. Since this model is capable of describing fine structure of a “thick” advancing phase boundary, one can derive, rather than postulate, a kinetic relation governing the mobility of the phase boundary and check the validity of the “normal growth” approximation. We show that this approximation is always justified for sufficiently slow phase boundaries and calculate explicitly the mobility coefficient. By using two exact solutions of the structure problem we obtained unrestricted kinetic equations for the cases of piecewise linear and cubic stress-strain relations. As we show, the domain of applicability of the “normal growth” approximation can be infinitely small when the effective viscosity is close to zero or the internal capillary length scale tends to infinity. This singular behavior is related to the existence of two regimes for the propagation of the phase boundary — dissipation dominated and inertia dominated.
Regulation and regeneration in the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi.

Lobate ctenophores (tentaculates) generally exhibit a remarkable ability to regenerate missing structures as adults. On the other hand, their embryos exhibit a highly mosaic behavior when cut into halves or when specific cells are ablated. These deficient embryos do not exhibit embryonic regulation, and generate incomplete adult body plans. Under certain conditions, however, these deficient animals are subsequently able to replace the missing structures during the adult phase in a process referred to as "post-regeneration." We have determined that successful post-regeneration can be predicted on the basis of a modified polar coordinate model, and the rules of intercalary regeneration, as defined by French et al. (V. French, P. J. Bryant, and S. V. Bryant, 1976, Science 193, 969-981.) The model makes certain assumptions about the organization of the ctenophore body plan that fit well with what we have determined on the basis of cell lineage fates maps, and their twofold rotational ("biradial") symmetry. The results suggest that cells composing the ctenophore adult body plan possess positional information, which is utilized to reconstruct the adult body plan. More specifically, we have found that the progeny of three specific cell lineages are required to support post-regeneration of the comb rows (the e(1), e(2), and m(1) micromeres). Furthermore, post-regeneration of the comb rows involves a suite of cell-cell inductive interactions, which are similar to those that take place during their embryonic formation. The significance of these findings is discussed in terms of the organization of the ctenophore body plan, and the mechanisms involved in cell fate specification. This situation is also contrasted with that of the atentaculate ctenophores, which are unable to undergo post-regeneration.
Beyond corporate codes of conduct: Work organization and labour standards at Nike's suppliers

: What role can corporate codes of conduct play in monitoring compliance with international labour standards and improving working conditions in global supply chains? Addressing this question, the authors first summarize the results of research on factory audits of working conditions in 800 of Nike's suppliers in 51 countries and two intensive case studies. They then discuss how the codes fit into the broader array of institutions, policies and practices aimed at regulating and improving working conditions, suggesting an evolutionary and complementary approach to regulating working conditions in global supply chains. They outline additional research and institutional innovations needed to test these ideas.
Devolution, Deconcentration and the Non-profit Sector: Rental Housing Subsidies in the Greater Boston Area

In an effort to promote deconcentration and flexibility, the non-profit sector has been called to play a greater role in the production and management of federally subsidised rental housing in the United States. This paper explores the interjurisdictional distribution of subsidised units in the Greater Boston area and investigates how it is shaped by housing non-profits, controlling for demographic, fiscal, economic and regulatory characteristics. Findings suggest that housing non-profits contribute positively to the proportion of subsidised units in a given municipality. Yet, the geographical concentration of such agencies in poorer and heavily subsidised jurisdictions, due in part to restrictive zoning regulations, prevents them from promoting geographical mobility among assisted households.
Estimation of inter-binding-site distances in sarcoplasmic reticulum (Ca2++Mg2+)-ATPase using Eu(III) luminescence energy transfer

We have used several trivalent lanthanides as probes for the high-affinity Ca(II)-binding site of the Ca(II)+Mg(II)-ATPase of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. The luminescent probes Eu(III) and Tb(III) were excited directly with pulsed laser light and the energy transfer efficiencies to several lanthanide acceptors were measured, under conditions in which most donor-acceptor pair occupied high-affinity Ca(II) sites. We obtain an inter-ionic site distance of about 0.8–0.9 nm. Energy transfer measurements were also done with Eu(III) in at least one Ca(II) site and bidentate Cr-ATP comlex at the ATP hydrolytic site. Quenching of Eu(III) luminescence by Cr-ATP was total under these conditions. We calculate an upper limit of 1.0 nm for the distance from the Ca(II) site(s) to the complexed Cr(III) ion at the hydrolytic site.
A Dynamic General Equilibrium Analysis of Corporate Tax Integration

Abstract The objective of this article is to study the intersectoral and intertemporal efficiency effects as well as the distribution effects of integrating corporate and personal income taxes. This article presents a dynamic general equilibrium model of the U.S. economy. The model accomodates optimal intertemporal investment decisions and optimal allocation of investment across sectors, intertemporal household consumption/savings and labor/leisure decisions, and government deficits and financial crowding-out. Simulation results suggest that the elimination of the corporate income tax and its replacement by increased personal income tax rates would yield long-run benefits that are at best 17 percent of the present value of future consumption and leisure. Also, the average long-run gains are more than three times as large as the average short-run gains: it takes time for the efficiency gains of integration to emerge. Finally, integration is shown not to be a Pareto improvement in that low-income households are worse off after integration.
The Relative Activity of Selected Drugs Used as Coccidiostats

Abstract DRUGS fed continuously at low levels are widely used for the prevention of cecal coccidiosis of chickens. A comparison of selected drugs, indicated as coccidiostats, form the basis of this experiment. Drugs tested were: (1) 2-2′-methylenebis (4-chlorophenol) 1 , (2) 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde semicarbazone, 2 (3) micronized sulphur, (4) 2-sulfanilamidoquinoxaline (sulfaquinoxaline), (5) M, M′-dinitrodiphenyl disulphide, 3 (6) 2-sulfanilamide-4, 6 dimethyl pyrimidine (sulfamethazine), and (7) a mixture of 2-sulfanilamidoquinoxaline (5%), micronized sulphur (92.5%) and inert ingredients (2.5%). Herrick and Holmes (1936) held that flowers of sulphur had much promise for the prevention of coccidiosis. Carpenter (1939) showed that sulphur flour was more effective than flowers of sulphur because of the smaller particle size of the sulphur flower. Goff and Upp (1940), in a study of four grades of commercially obtainable sulphur, concluded that the finer the particle size, the greater the protection. Of the four grades tested, micronized sulphur was more effective. Delaplane, Batchelder and Higgins (1947) …
Outcomes associated with transdermal nicotine replacement therapy in a neurosurgery intensive care unit

Purpose The outcomes associated with transdermal nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in a neurosurgery intensive care unit (ICU) were studied. Methods Data from pharmacy records, neurosurgery ICU admission logs, and computerized patient charts at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago from January 2001 through August 2008 were reviewed for patients older than 18 years who were admitted to the neurosurgery ICU for neurologic insults. Patients were categorized into three groups: smokers who received transdermal NRT ( n = 114), smokers who did not receive transdermal NRT ( n = 113), and nonsmokers ( n = 113). The primary outcome of this study was unfavorable disposition at discharge from the hospital. Secondary outcomes measured included overall mortality; lengths of hospital and neurosurgery ICU stays; and rates of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) rebleeding, angiographic vasospasm, intracerebral hemorrhage rebleeding, and ischemic stroke. Results Overall, there was no difference in unfavorable discharge disposition among the three groups ( p = 0.17). However, the group who received NRT had higher admission rates of SAH, smoked more cigarettes for a longer period of time, and had longer stays in the neurosurgery ICU and hospital compared with the other groups. All patients who received NRT had prolonged hospital ( p = 0.014) and neurosurgery ICU (p = 0.006) stays compared with those who did not receive NRT. There were no differences in other secondary outcomes among the groups. Conclusion There was no significant difference in unfavorable discharge disposition among neurosurgery ICU patients who were smokers treated with NRT, smokers not treated with NRT, and nonsmokers not treated with NRT.
Trisomy chromosome 5 is a recurrent cytogenetic lesion in mammary tumors from parous MMTV-erbB-2 transgenic mice

erbB-2 is amplified or overexpressed in approximately 30% of human breast cancers, and has been associated with poor prognosis and therapeutic resistance. Previous studies have suggested that erbB-2 overexpression in transgenic mice induces genomic instability; however, the patterns of genetic lesions vary with individual model systems. The development of mammary tumors in multiparous murine mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-erbB-2 transgenic mice is accelerated due to hormonal interactions which induce the overexpression of MMTV-mediated erbB-2. However, whether or not accelerated tumor development is associated with modified cytogenetic patterns remains to be determined. In this study, chromosomal changes were characterized in mammary tumor cells derived from multiparous MMTV-erbB-2 transgenic mice, and compared with tumor cells derived from control virgin mice. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were used to detect erbB-2 overexpression in mammary tissues. Each of the five tumors from the multiparous MMTV-erbB-2 transgenic mice was found to exhibit a marked chromosomal imbalance, compared with only one tumor with aberrant chromosomes among the five tumors from the control virgin mice. In particular, trisomy 5 and loss of the X chromosome were recurrent cytogenetic lesions in tumors from the parous mice, which is a novel pattern compared with previous studies. The elevated number of genetic lesions in tumors from parous mice, which were characterized by enhanced erbB-2 overexpression and increased receptor tyrosine kinase activation in the mammary glands, suggest a causal role for erbB-2 in the genomic instability present in these tumors. These data advance our understanding of erbB-2-mediated pathogenesis and underscore the role of cytogenetic alteration in this process.
What Has Marketing Learned from Richard Johnson

Abstract Richard Johnson has had a remarkable career in an era that integrated the use of computers and mathematical models into marketing research. This article summarizes his contributions in terms of theoretical advances, practical solutions, and the development of a culture that links the academic and practitioner worlds. The author speculates on the personality traits that made Johnson so successful and ways that his critical roles can be fulfilled by others in the future.
Rapid decay of vacancy islands at step edges on Ag(111): step orientation dependence.

Previous work has established that vacancy islands or pits fill much more quickly when they are in contact with a step edge, such that the common boundary is a double step. The present work focuses on the effect of the orientation of that step, with two possibilities existing for a face centered cubic (111) surface: A- and B-type steps. We find that the following features can depend on the orientation: (1) the shapes of islands while they shrink; (2) whether the island remains attached to the step edge; and (3) the rate of filling. The first two effects can be explained by the different rates of adatom diffusion along the A- and B-steps that define the pit, enhanced by the different filling rates. The third observation—the difference in the filling rate itself—is explained within the context of the concerted exchange mechanism at the double step. This process is facile at all regular sites along B-steps, but only at kink sites along A-steps, which explains the different rates. We also observe that oxygen can greatly accelerate the decay process, although it has no apparent effect on an isolated vacancy island (i.e. an island that is not in contact with a step).
A virtual screening study of the acetylcholine binding protein using a relaxed-complex approach

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a member of the ligand-gated ion channel family and is implicated in many neurological events. Yet, the receptor is difficult to target without high-resolution structures. In contrast, the structure of the acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP) has been solved to high resolution, and it serves as a surrogate structure of the extra-cellular domain in nAChR. Here we conduct a virtual screening study of the AChBP using the relaxed-complex method, which involves a combination of molecular dynamics simulations (to achieve receptor structures) and ligand docking. The library screened through comes from the National Cancer Institute, and its ligands show great potential for binding AChBP in various manners. These ligands mimic the known binders of AChBP; a significant subset docks well against all species of the protein and some distinguish between the various structures. These novel ligands could serve as potential pharmaceuticals in the AChBP/nAChR systems.
Perceptions of Palliative Care Among Hematologic Malignancy Specialists: A Mixed-Methods Study

Most hematologic oncologists view palliative care as end-of-life care, whereas solid tumor oncologists more often view palliative care as a subspecialty for comanaging patients with complex cases.
Process networks with decentralized inventory and flow control

Abstract A modeling framework is proposed for complex chemical process networks. The state is represented by energy, volume and mass inventories. The dynamic behavior of the process system is constrained so that all trajectories satisfy the first and second laws of thermodynamics. The concavity of the entropy function is used to define a storage function for passivity design. The proposed storage function is closely related to the Gibbs tangent plane condition. A multi-component version of Tellegen’s theorem from circuit theory is used to develop sufficient conditions for stability of process networks. The sufficient conditions can be interpreted as dissipation conditions for production and flow. These results can be used to design decentralized inventory and flow control systems for process networks of arbitrary complexity. Flow and inventory control are introduced for various process units, including a stirred tank reactor and a flash unit. We develop a plant wide control system for a recycle problem with a reactor and a distillation column.
Immunosuppression after injury in aged mice is associated with a TH1-TH2 shift, which can be restored by estrogen treatment

Aged mice are less likely to survive following traumatic injury and are more immunosuppressed than young mice who sustain comparable injuries. Immunosuppression in severely injured patients is associated with a TH 1-TH2 shift. Young mice had robust delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses after receiving scald or sham injury, whereas the response was diminished in aged sham-injured mice (P < 0.05), and completely absent in aged burn-injured mice (P < 0.01). Production of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) did not differ between splenocytes from sham-injured young and aged mice. Splenocytes from burn-injured young and aged mice yielded similar (63-68%) decreases in IFN-γ, relative to sham-injured mice (P < 0.05). In the absence of injury, cells from aged mice produced 2-fold more interleukin-4 (IL-4) than cells from young (P < 0.01). Interestingly, after burn, less IL-4 was produced by cell from young and aged mice, when compared to age-matched sham-injured animals (P < 0.05). Further studies revealed that estrogen replacement in aged mice restored the post-injury DTH responses (P < 0.05). Interestingly, this restoration paralleled a recovery in IFN-γ production by splenocytes, but not IL-4 production. Additional studies will be required to determine if age-specific therapies are needed for the treatment of all trauma patients.
Some comments on the “Cognates of personal control”

Since the appearance of the monograph on internal versus external control of reinforcement (Rotter, 1966), which detailed the theory of "locus of control" and numerous empirical studies going back to 1957, a wide interest in this variable has been expressed in the social sciences. As is often the case, the concept has spawned a series of overlapping, more specific, and related terms. The monograph reviewed the history of this concept and introduced a definition that could be easily operationalized. The concept was applied to learning theory (chance vs. skill learning situation), and, perhaps of greater significance to many, data reported in the monograph strongly suggested that relatively stable individual differences in locus of control could be measured and used predictively. Previous literature, much of it sociological, had focused primarily on situational or group differences. In the literally thousands of studies using this measure of individual differences, misinterpretations of the concept and the measure were common. The most common misinterpretation involved the issue of generality-specificity. In social learning theory, all broad personality characteristics develop at least partially as a result of a process of generalization; but there is a gradient of generalization encompassing specificity as well as generality. Just as there may be a broad need for achievement, there is also specificity, in that the need for academic achievement for a person will differ in strength from the need for athletic achievement. I have attempted to clarify these and other issues in regard to locus of control (Rotter, 1975). As a generalized expectancy that reinforcements occur as a result of one's own behavior or characteristics, locus of control operates most strongly in situations that are relatively novel or ambiguous. Situations in which skill is dearly recognized by the culture as the major determinant and in which the individual has had considerable
Expression and function of phospholipase A2 in brain

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) appears to play a fundamental role in cell injury in the central nervous system. We have investigated PLA2 expression in the astrocytoma cell line 1231N1, and found that GIVA, GIVB, GIVC and GVI PLA2 messages are expressed. PLA2 activity is increased by inflammatory/injury stimuli such as interleukin-1β and lipopolysaccharide in these cells but with very different time courses. The arachidonic acid liberated is converted to prostaglandin E2, possibly by cyclooxygenase-2, which is induced by inflammatory stimuli. This cell system emerges as a model to study injury/inflammation-related activation of the new PLA2 forms GIVB and GIVC.
Asymmetric synthesis of (2R, 3S) and (2S, 3R) precursors of β-methyl-histidine, -phenylalanine and -tyrosine

Abstract A systematic series of (2S, 3R) and (2R, 3S) precursors to β-methyl-histidine, -phenylalanine and -tyrosine, which are of significant importance in the design of peptide and protein ligands, have been synthesized in high optically purity and yield.
Communication---On Analyzing Survey Data for Journal Design

Cattin [Cattin, P. Comment on designing scientific journals. Management Sci.25 3 295--296.] makes an interesting point in that the unstandardized comparisons made in King, Kilmann and Sochats [King, W. R., Kilmann, R. H., Sochats, K. 1978. Designing scientific journals: issues and survey results. Management Sci.24 7, March 774--784.] do not account for possible response bias or for the fact, as pointed out in the original paper, that the three respondent groups were asked somewhat different questions. We have performed the standardized data analysis that he suggests.
Isozyme studies on adult, regenerating, precancerous and developing liver in relation to findings in hepatomas.

Studies on pyruvate kinase, hexokinase and aldolase isozymes were carried out over the first 4 months of feeding the carcinogen 3′-methyl-4-dimethyl-aminoazobenzene to rats. The observed changes in precancerous liver have been compared to the patterns observed in fetal, neonatal and regenerating liver and in hepatomas. Ingestion of the carcinogen over a period of time caused a marked loss of glucokinase and type-I pyruvate kinase and an increase in the isozymes characteristic of the fetal state. The largest increase in the fetal-type isozymes occurred during the period of rapid hyperplasia associated with the formation of hyperplastic nodules in the liver between the 2nd and 3rd months of carcinogen feeding. Primary large hepatomas induced by this diet were found to be characterized by high levels of the fetal-type isozymes. Studies on the changes in these isozymes during fetal and early neonatal development revealed that changes in the population of hemopoietic cells within the liver affect the isozyme patterns. The type-II pyruvate kinase and aldolase A appear to be located in the hemopoietic cells whilst type-III pyruvate kinase and aldolase B are located in the hepatocytes. The enzymes characteristic of the adult tissue, glucokinase and the type-I pyruvate kinase, are absent and present in low amounts, respectively, in neonatal rat liver. Changes in these isozymes following partial hepatectomy of adult rats suggest that when adult hepatocytes need to undergo cell division they cease to produce some of the isozymes characteristic of the fully differentiated state and revert to the production of isozymes characteristic of the fetal stage of liver ontogeny. Thus the appearance of fetal isozymes in precancerous liver is more probably due to increased hyperplasia rather than to the onset of malignancy. However, following controlled hyperplasia and differentiation after partial hepatectomy complete liver function is restored, whereas in the precancerous liver there is a loss of control of growth and differentiation in some cells resulting in hepatoma formation. The results have been discussed in terms of the concept of “Oncogeny as blocked Ontogeny” which offers a rational explanation of the diverse phenotypes observed in the transplantable Morris liver hepatomas. Particular attention has been focused on the significance of the appearance of the hyperplastic liver nodules in the process of carcinogenesis.
Relational Violence in Women's Prison: How Women Describe Interpersonal Violence and Gender

Using data from interviews with former female inmates, I focus on how women describe aggression and violence in prison. Interviewees outline the connection between prison violence, gender, and interpersonal relationships. Similar to in previous studies on adolescent girls, women describe ostracism and rumors as a form of aggression. Furthermore, they detail how some inmates fight over correctional officers as the only men in their lives. I define this form of aggression as relational violence, which is commonly described as adolescent behavior. This article broadens the current work on gender and inmate conflict by focusing on violence used by adult female offenders. Moreover, it extends understanding of inmate culture by allowing interviewees to verbally construct the social reality of prison violence from their perspective to evaluate how they connect violence to gender roles.
Conditioned aversion is promoted by memory of CS

Five experiments tested the effects of experience with a white compartment not paired with footshock (CS−) on conditioning of an aversion to a black compartment paired with footshock. As previously found with odors as CSs, a single pairing of the CS+ with footshock yielded significant conditioning only if the animal was also exposed to CS−, with greater conditioning when the CS− exposure preceded the CS+ than when the CS+ preceded the CS−. If, however, the CS− preceded CS+ by a 24-h interval, it was ineffective and no CS+ conditioning occurred. For adult rats, the effectiveness of the CS−/CS+ “integration” progressively decreased with increasing length of the interval separating their occurrence, although it was still significant (i.e., some CS+ conditioning occurred) with a 12-h CS− to CS+ delay. For preweanlings (16 days postnatal), no conditioning to CS+ occurred if the interval between CS− and CS+ was 1 h or longer, although significant conditioning to CS+ did occur with a CS− to CS+ interval as long as 40 min. It was as if active memory for the CS− at the time of CS+ exposure was necessary for CS+ conditioning, and forgetting of the CS− memory proceeded more rapidly for preweanling than for adult rats. Collectively, these experiments extend results previously indicating that (1) the CS+ contiguous to the US may or may not be “selected” for conditioning, depending on the rat’s exposure to, or memory for, a CS−, and (2) this stimulus selection might differ for immature and mature rats.
Changing Property, Spatializing Difference: The Sea Scallop Fishery in New Bedford, Massachusetts

While the historical character of US fisheries has been dominated by the idea of open access, the last several decades have seen sometimes quite radical changes to this basic way of thinking. Government regulation has increasingly taken the form of limited access to fisheries by various means. The Atlantic Sea Scallop fishery in the Northeast US provides a unique insight into the meanings, practices, and implications of these changes in the character of property relations. While the fishery has seen rebounding success in the past few years, the scallop fishery also encapsulates a number of the changes and controversies confronting fisheries worldwide. At the same time, the regulatory regime has seen a shift towards area-based management, which underscores spatial heterogeneity of the resources while using a culturally constructed view of fishermen. New area-based management measures have forced into view a fundamental difference in access between a more property-oriented industrial style of fishing and an...
Nonrigid Matching of Undersampled Shapes via Medial Diffusion

We introduce medial diffusion for the matching of undersampled shapes undergoing a nonrigid deformation. We construct a diffusion process with respect to the medial axis of a shape, and use the quantity of heat diffusion as a measure which is both tolerant of missing data and approximately invariant to nonrigid deformations. A notable aspect of our approach is that we do not define the diffusion on the shape's medial axis, or similar medial representation. Instead, we construct the diffusion process directly on the shape. This permits the diffusion process to better capture surface features, such as varying spherical and cylindrical parts, as well as combine with other surface-based diffusion processes. We show how to use medial diffusion to detect intrinsic symmetries, and for computing correspondences between pairs of shapes, wherein shapes contain substantial missing data. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Immunodeficient mice as models of human hematopoietic stem cell engraftment

The past year has brought forth some exciting developments in the use of murine xenotransplantation systems to study the biology and transduction of human hematopoietic stem cells. The effects of cytokines have been studied by injection into the mice or by treatment of the cell inoculum prior to injection. The importance of the cell cycle and integrin expression has been evaluated. New methods of gene therapy have been tested in xenograft models - including cell cycle manipulation and a promising new lentiviral vector system, based on HIV.
Hardy-type nonlocality proof for two maximally entangled particles

We present a variation on a gedanken experiment of Hardy [Phys. Rev. Lett. 68 (1992) 2981] that allows a Hardy-type nonlocality proof for two maximally entangled particles in a four-dimensional Hilbert space.
Greater Activation of the “Default” Brain Regions Predicts Stop Signal Errors

Previous studies have provided evidence for a role of the medial cortical brain regions in error processing and post-error behavioral adjustment. However, little is known about the neural processes that precede errors. Here in an fMRI study we employ a stop signal task to elicit errors approximately half of the time despite constant behavioral adjustment of the observers (n = 40). By comparing go trials preceding a stop error and those preceding a stop success, we showed that (at p < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons) the activation of midline brain regions including bilateral precuneus and posterior cingulate cortices, perigenual anterior cingulate cortices and transverse frontopolar gyri precedes errors during the stop signal task. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis based on the signal detection theory showed that the activity in these three regions predicts errors with an accuracy between 0.81 and 0.85 (area under the ROC curve). Broadly supporting the hypothesis that deactivation of the default mode circuitry is associated with mental effort in a cognitive task, the current results further indicate that greater activity of these brain regions can precede performance errors.
Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade after traumatic nerve injury.

Abstract Recent data have shown that preservation of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) after traumatic nerve injury helps to improve functional recovery with surgical repair via matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3) blockade. As such, we sought to explore additional pathways that may augment this response. Wnt3a has been shown to inhibit acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering via β-catenin-dependent signaling in the development of the NMJ. Therefore, we hypothesized that Wnt3a and β-catenin are associated with NMJ destabilization following traumatic denervation. A critical size nerve defect was created by excising a 10-mm segment of the sciatic nerve in mice. Denervated muscles were then harvested at multiple time points for immunofluorescence staining, quantitative real-time PCR, and western blot analysis for Wnt3a and β-catenin levels. Moreover, a novel Wnt/β-catenin transgenic reporter mouse line was utilized to support our hypothesis of Wnt activation after traumatic nerve injury. The expression of Wnt3a mRNA was significantly increased by 2 weeks post-injury and remained upregulated for 2 months. Additionally, β-catenin was activated at 2 months post-injury relative to controls. Correspondingly, immunohistochemical analysis of denervated transgenic mouse line TCF/Lef:H2B-GFP muscles demonstrated that the number of GFP-positive cells was increased at the motor endplate band. These collective data support that post-synaptic AChRs destabilize after denervation by a process that involves the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. As such, this pathway serves as a potential therapeutic target to prevent the motor endplate degeneration that occurs following traumatic nerve injury.
CS4Impact: measuring computational thinking concepts present in CS4HS participant lesson plans

In this paper, we aim to directly measure a CS4HS workshop's participating teachers' ability to synthesize CSTA computational thinking core concepts into actionable lesson plans for courses in their current teaching repertoire. Participants were expected to present a lesson plan on the final day of the workshop, highlighting the integration of their classroom curriculum with computing and computational thinking skills. We present our evaluation rubric, used to rate the teachers effective use of the computational thinking core concepts in their lesson plans, and describe how our method of evaluation may more accurately gauge the overall impact that CS4HS workshops have on their participants.
Cautionary notes for the automated analysis of soil pore-space images

Abstract The commercial development of relatively low-cost, software-based image-analyzing systems has made automated analysis of two-dimensional images of soil pore space attractive to a number of soil science laboratories. Such analyses are not necessarily straightforward, however, because the available measurement programs were not designed to be used with images as complex as those of many soils. Each laboratory must address a number of relevant problems before meaningful analyses and comparisons can begin. The problems include: (1) establishing adequate contrast between pores and soil matrix on the image; (2) determining the appropriate number of samples and images per sample to analyze; (3) choosing images representative of pore space at the scale (magnification) of interest; (4) developing and standardizing image-segmentation protocols; (5) standardizing indexes of pore shape; (6) determining when measurements of pore individuals are inappropriate; (7) identifying relevant statistical tests to compare pore-space patterns; and (8) relating the data generated by image analysis to soil behavior. By controlling as many variables as possible during image preparation and by applying fundamental stereological and statistical principles, researchers can use image analysis as an important tool to study soil pore space.