cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effet of parenteral magnesium sulfate therapy on blood loss at delivery

M A G N E s I u M sulfate is commonly used in obstetrics because it so effectively prevents the convulsions of eclampsia when administered in doses that rarely, if ever, produce any grossly deleterious effect on the mother or fetus. Hall and co-workers,1 however, have demonstrated that the magnesium ion in vitro inhibits the contractions of isolated strips of human gravid myometrium. Furthermore, they noted that in patients who received magnesium sulfate in large amounts by intravenous infusion, the duration of labor was longer than in those who did not. They concluded that the magnesium ion may also have a depressant action on uterine motility in vivo. While carrying out extensive hematological studies upon patients with eclampsia, we were impressed that not infrequently rather large volumes of red blood cells disappeared from the maternal circulation during parturition and the early puerperium. Moreover, it was often the impression that the observed external blood loss, during and soon after delivery, was excessive. Could it be that therapy with magnesium sulfate in these patients impaired myometrial contractility after the separation of the placenta, and as a
Modeling and throughput analysis for SMAC with a finite queue capacity

SMAC is a popular duty-cycled MAC protocol, designed for wireless sensor networks to save energy and prolong the network lifetime. However, existing work evaluates the performance of SMAC solely through simulations or field measurements. To the best of our knowledge, there are no analytical models for evaluating the performance of SMAC. In this paper, we propose a Markov model to describe the behavior of SMAC with a finite queue capacity. This model enables us to find the expected throughput of SMAC under variable number of nodes, queue capacities, contention window sizes, and data arrival rates. We validate the model through extensive simulations, which provide throughput values within 5% of the throughput values obtained through our model. Our proposed Markov model can be used to estimate the throughput of SMAC under many different network and node conditions, and more importantly, it provides us with a better understanding of the way that different parameters affect the performance of SMAC.
Ice aspect ratio influences on mixed-phase clouds: Impacts on phase partitioning in parcel models

[1] The influences of evolving ice habit on the maintenance and glaciation of stratiform mixed-phase clouds are examined theoretically. Unlike most current modeling methods where a single axis length is predicted, the primary habits, or two axis lengths, are computed explicitly. The method produces a positive non-linear feedback between mass growth and crystal aspect ratio evolution. Furthermore, ice particle growth has a distinct initial-size dependence with smaller initial ice particles evolving into more extreme crystal shapes with greater overall mass. This feedback cannot be captured with simpler growth methods, leading to underestimates of ice growth and mixed-phase glaciation. Aspect ratio prediction is most critical for mixed-phase maintenance at temperatures where pronounced habits exist (dendritic growth, T = −15°C and needle growth, −6°C) and at ice concentrations between 1 L−1 and 100 L−1. At these temperatures and concentrations, rates of glaciation can be under-predicted by as much as an order of magnitude by equivalent density spheres. Habit prediction is less important for the maintenance of liquid at lower ice concentrations ( 100 L−1) the time-scale for liquid depletion is shorter (minutes), thus predicting crystal habit has only a small impact on liquid lifetime. Updraft strength also affects mixed-phase cloud maintenance primarily at ice concentrations between 1 L−1 and 100 L−1. It is theoretically possible for vertical oscillating motions to maintain stratiform mixed-phase clouds indefinitely when temperatures are relatively high (> −10°C) and ice concentrations are relatively low (<0.1 L−1).
Site-specific human histone H3 methylation stability:fast K4me3 turnover

We employ stable-isotope labeling and quantitative mass spectrometry to track histone methylation stability. We show that H3 trimethyl K9 and K27 are slow to be established on new histones and slow to disappear from old histones, with half-lives of multiple cell divisions. By contrast, the transcription-associated marks K4me3 and K36me3 turn over far more rapidly, with half-lives of 6.8 h and 57 h, respectively. Inhibition of demethylases increases K9 and K36 methylation, with K9 showing the largest and most robust increase. We interpret different turnover rates in light of genome-wide localization data and transcription-dependent nucleosome rearrangements proximal to the transcription start site.
FORAGING BEHAVIOR OF BOMBUS (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE) IN RELATION TO AQUILEGIA POLLINATION

Observations on native and cultivated plants indicated that the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris L.) and at least four species of Bombus are probably effective pollinators of Aquilegia canadensis L. in southeastern Wisconsin. Bombus affinis Cresson perforated more than 90% of 2173 nectar spurs of flowers at full anthesis on wild plants. Cinematographic and stereophotographic records of insects revealed a general behavioral pattern of mandibular perforation following exploration by antennae, maxillae, and tongue. Pollen-foraging behavior on 19 cultivated Aquilegia species and varieties was uniform, but nectar-foraging behavior varied with flower form and position and not with color variation within one flower form. Observations on marked insects showed that workers tended to forage in one maniier on one plant variety, while queens foraging in one or more ways visited up to five different flower forms on one flight. Initial observations on neonate workers from a cultivated B. affinis colony suggested that a probably innate mandibular perforation behavior is not instinctively directed toward nectar-bearing floral arts .nd that foraninv behavior is canable of ranid estahlishment nand considerable.versatilit-v SPRENGEL'S (1793) early record of large bumblebees gathering pollen, perforating nectar spur apices, and securing nectar through perforations without entering the spurs accompanied his description of anthesis in the protandrous flowers of Aquilegia vuliaris L. The relation of insect behavior to flower pollinatioii was later studied by lVMiller (1873), who described in detail the nectarforaging and cross-pollinating behavior of bumblebees and suggested a correlatioln between insect behavior and proboscis length in Bombus hortorum L., B. agrorumn F'abr. (==B. muscorum L.), and B. terrestris L. Muller regarded Aquilegia bud perforation as forestalling all "legitimate" visitors. Both Sprengel and IMiiller attributed corolla perforation to Apis mellifera L. Darwin (1876) suggested that corolla perforation by
Primary mediastinal germ cell tumors

Thirty patients with germ cell tumors originating in the mediastinum are reviewed and analyzed (20 embryonal carcinomas and 10 seminomas). Local control of the disease was successful by resection and/or external radiation in patients with seminoma; 50% were alive and well at 10 years. Patients with embryonal carcinoma were poorly controlled with surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. However, early aggressive chemotherapy did seem to improve survival in embryonal carcinoma. Death by local recurrence was characteristic of embryonal carcinoma, whereas distant spread of disease, usually to bone and lymph nodes, was the cause of death in seminoma.
Total Dose Failure Levels of Some Vlsics

Two types of devices representative of very-largescale-integration, 64k dynamic RAMs and 68000 microprocessors, have been studied in a total dose ionizing radiation environment. Both types of parts show an improved hardness compared to earlier test results for large-scale-integrated dynamic RAMs and microprocessors. This indicates that the previously developed downward trend of radiation hardness versus circuit complexity may not continue to prevail.
The role of reinforcement and nonreinforcement in an operant frustration effect

Male albino rats were run in a discrete-trial two-bar operant analog of the double alley. Completion of a FR 4 response chain on the first bar was rewarded 50% of the time for the 12 experimental Ss, but was never rewarded for the 12 control Ss. Both groups received consistent reward at the end of a FR 4 chain on the second bar. Eighty-four trials were given at a rate of four trials per day. A significantly faster rate of responding on the second bar was found following nonrewarded first-bar ratios than following rewarded first-bar ratios. This frustration effect was not attributable to response depression, since the nonrewarded performance of the experimental group exceeded that of the control group.
P1.10A fully human anti-oxMIF antibody penetrates colorectal cancer metastases and accumulates in cancer tissue

ABSTRACT Background: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine known to exacerbate tumor growth. MIF expression correlates with tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential. We discovered a novel, conformational isoform of MIF, which we designated “oxMIF” because it can be mimicked in vitro by mild oxidation of recombinant MIF. We found oxMIF expressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissue (stage I, II and III disease), as well as in tissue from colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and lung cancer. OxMIF was, in general, not detected in healthy control tissue. A new class of fully human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specifically targeting oxMIF demonstrated efficacy in vivo and inhibited tumor signaling pathways associated with tumor proliferation and progression in vitro. Material and Methods: We developed immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods that allow the detection of oxMIF in human and animal-derived tissue. Results: In a murine genetic model of PDAC, intravenously injected I131-labelled anti-oxMIF mAbs accumulated in the pancreas (primary tumor site), as well as in liver and lung (sites of metastasis). Subsequently, we investigated the biodistribution of anti-oxMIF mAbs in more detail using a syngeneic mouse model of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (eµ-myc CLL model): IHC analysis of lymph nodes from mAb-treated mice confirmed co-localization of oxMIF and anti-oxMIF mAbs in cancerous tissue. Finally, we applied our IHC methods to assess tissue penetration of anti-oxMIF mAb in liver metastases from patients with late-stage colorectal cancer participating in a phase 1 clinical study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01765790). We demonstrated that the antibody was able (i) to penetrate metastases, (ii) to co-localize with oxMIF in tumor cells and in stromal tissue and (iii) to accumulate during the course of treatment. While accumulating in tumor tissue, the antibody was cleared from the plasma with a half-life (half plasma steady-state concentration) of approximately 7 days. Conclusion: Treatment with fully human anti-oxMIF mAbs enables targeting of oxMIF in metastases of patients with CRC. We suggest that oxMIF reflects a compelling new therapeutic target in solid tumors and a tissue biomarker with diagnostic and prognostic value.
WE-C-BRB-06: Clinical Impact of Uncertainties in the Mean Excitation Energy of Human Tissues during Proton Therapy

Purpose: Uncertainties in the estimated mean excitation energies (I‐value) needed forcalculating protonstopping power can be in the order of 10–15%, which introduces afundamental limitation in the accuracy of proton range determination. Previous efforts havequantified shifts in proton depth dose distributions due to I‐value uncertainties in homogenoustissue phantoms. This study is the first to quantify the clinical impact of I‐value uncertainties onproton dose distributions within patient geometries. Methods: A previously developed Geant4 based Monte Carlo code was used to simulate aproton treatment plan for prostate cancer with varying tissue I‐values. A total of five cases weresimulated using nominal I‐values as well as I‐values modified by ±5% and ±10% of the nominalvalues. Dose volume histograms were generated for the GTV, CTV, PTV and relevant organs‐at‐risk (OARs). Results: Modification of tissue I‐values impacted both the proton range and SOBP width. D90range shifts up to 4 mm from the nominal range were recorded whereas D80 range shiftsreached up to 2 mm. For an increase in I‐value of 10% of the nominal value, the increase inrange and SOBP width resulted in a 1.4% decrease in the CTV mean dose. Inversely, decreasing the I‐value by 10% increased the CTV mean dose by 0.8%. The difference in themean dose to the OARs was relatively small except for the rectum that differedby up to 5%. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the impact of I‐value uncertainties on patient dosedistributions. Clearly, sub‐millimeter precision in proton therapy would necessitate reduction in I‐value uncertainties to ensure an efficacious clinical outcome.
Characteristic mean and dispersion in surface orientations for a zone

Abstract Descriptive statistics for mean and dispersion measures of surface orientations are important in characterizing a zone of such diversity that more than one observation is required to represent it adequately. The derivation of such statistics related to aspect is problematic because of the circular scale used to measure aspect and the hemispherical scale for both slope and aspect. Two techniques are presented for computing the mean and dispersion measures of aspect and a bi-directional surface orientation. The relevant directional statistics are briefly presented with appropriate examples.
Normative support for corporal punishment: Attitudes, correlates, and implications

Corporal punishment enjoys strong normative support in American society, even in the face of growing evidence suggesting that it may be potentially harmful. This article examines Americans' attitudes toward the physical punishment of children. Support for spanking varies along such social categories as race, education, religion, and region. The article concludes bu discussing the implications of corporal punishment attitudes for scholars, professionals, and families.
Observations on obesity: subjective impressions of 108 consecutive patients as to the causes of their obesity.

One hundred and eight consecutive obese patients were asked why they thought they were overweight. Fifty percent of this group readily admitted that the reason for their obesity was dietary excesses. An additional 15%, although blaming their obesity primarily on other factors, admitted overeating. Popularly held reasons for obesity such as pregnancies, the menopause, heredity and glandular disturbances accounted for only 18% of the answers.
The reliability of electrical pulp test after concussion injury

Traumatic injuries to teeth present a difficult diagnostic problem with respect to determining the vitality of the affected teeth. Conventionally, a latency period of 4 to 6 weeks is proposed as the amount of time required for the return of a positive electric pulp test (EPT) response; however, this has been based on empirical data. The purpose of this study was to 1) determine a time frame during which a return of a reliable response to EPT may be measured, and 2) correlate this time frame with pulpal vascular changes that occur after traumatic injuries. Four canines from each of nine ferrets were used for this experiment (18 traumatized and 18 control teeth). A reproducible concussion injury was devised by releasing a known weight at a constant height above the facial surface of the experimental teeth. The EPT response was confirmed by the use of an EMG muscle recorder. Animals were killed at 24, 48 and 72 h and 6, 12 and 28 days after the injury and the teeth analyzed histologically. The histological sections showed an absence of inflammatory cells in both groups; however, according to the NIH image system, an increase in the number of vessels was detected in the experimental group when compared to the controls. In a majority of the cases, a positive response to the EPT returned within 12 days post concussion injury and as early as 10 days. In addition, a significant vascular change was accompanied with the loss of the EPT response. This study provided a reliable method by which concussion injuries may be studied using an animal model.
Detection and tracking of low-observable targets through dynamic programming

A dynamic programming (DP) technique has been developed for the detection of subpixel-sized, low-SNR targets observed by mosaic imaging sensors. The primary advantages of DP are its sensitivity to weak targets along with its robustness to target maneuvers and sensor instabilities. Such enhancements are achieved by performing target data association and detection in a single optimization procedure. To the extent that the target motion and noise behavior can be accurately modeled, the DP algorithm is shown to be optimal for this task. A prototype IR tracking system based on the DP approach was developed and tested for a step-staring IR camera application. Performance analysis indicates a sensitivity improvement of several dB over conventional sequential detection tracking approaches.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Variability in daily, zonal mean lower-stratospheric temperatures

Abstract Satellite data from the microwave sounding unit (MSU) channel 4, when carefully merged, provide daily zonal anomalies of lower-stratosphere temperature with a level of precision between 0.01° and 0.08°C per 2.5° latitude band. Global averages of these daily zonal anomalies reveal the prominent warming events due to volcanic aerosol in 1982 (El Chichon) and 1991 (Mt. Pinatubo), which are on the order of 1°C. The quasibiennial oscillation (QBO) may be extracted from these zonal data by applying a spatial filter between 15°N and 15°S latitude, which resembles the meridional curvature. Previously published relationships between the QBO and the north polar stratospheric temperatures during northern winter are examined but were not found to be reproduced in the MSU4 data. Sudden stratospheric warmings in the north polar region are represented in the MSU4 data for latitudes poleward of 70°N. In the Southern Hemisphere, there appears to be a moderate relationship between total ozone concentration and MSU...
Stee-rike four! What's wrong with the business of baseball? edited by Daniel R. Marburger praeger press, 1997, 218 pp.

This is a review of a 14-article volume edited by Daniel R. Marburger. These articles examine such topics as collective bargaining, player salaries, antitrust issues, and the problems of and future prospects for baseball. Major league baseball is an unregulated monopolist whose plant (stadium) is government-subsidized and whose unionized workers (players) share the monopoly profit with management. This sharing has led to considerable labor strife including strikes and lockouts. The major issues discussed in the book include the competitive imbalance as a result of large differences in team revenues, the player salary cap, and revenue sharing. The principal conclusions of the book include the marginal economic impact and benefits of a team on a city and the need to permit low-revenue teams to migrate.
Multilateral Sanctions and Foreign Policy Success: Can Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth?

In this article, we consider the puzzle of whether unilateral or multilateral sanctions are more likely to be successful in changing a targeted state's behavior. Policymakers maintain that multilateral sanctioning efforts will be more likely to succeed, while the majority of empirical academic research suggests otherwise. We present an argument, based on multidimensional spatial models, to explain why multilateral sanctions may not be more effective than unilateral sanctions. We present the basic model and show that they can explain why, in general, multilateral sanctions fail more often than do unilateral sanctions. We also show that the model leads to additional, testable hypotheses. We conduct a simple empirical test of the major hypothesis produced by the spatial application and show that it is consistent with the historical record.
Novel mechanistic insights into viral modulation of immune receptor signaling.

To successfully infect, replicate, and persist in the host, viruses have evolved numerous strategies to take control of multiple cellular processes, including those that target transmembrane (TM) signal transduction mediated by immune receptors. Despite tremendous advancement in recent years, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying these critical points in viral pathogenesis remain unknown. In this Opinion, based on a novel model of immune signaling, the Signaling Chain HOmoOLigomerization (SCHOOL) model, I suggest specific mechanisms used by different viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), herpesvirus saimiri (HVS), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), etc., to modulate the host immune response mediated by members of the family of multichain immune recognition receptors (MIRRs). I also demonstrate how the SCHOOL model, together with the lessons learned from viral pathogenesis, can be used practically for rational drug design and the development of new therapies for immune disorders.
Impact on Composite Plates in Contact with Water

Abstract In marine applications, composite structures in contact with water are subjected to impacts by projectiles large and small. While the presence of water is known to affect the dynamics of immersed structures, its effects on the impact dynamics is unclear. This study shows that the contact force history is not affected if the mass of the projectile is large. The opposite is true if the mass of the projectile is small compared to that of the target
Surface chemistry of methyl groups adsorbed on Pt(111)

The surface chemistry of adsorbed methyl groups on Pt(111), generated from the gas-phase pyrolysis of azomethane, has been studied using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) in conjunction with reflection–absorption IR spectroscopy (RAIRS). Using this method of direct adsorption from the gas phase, the surface chemistry of adsorbed methyl groups has been explored at higher coverages and lower temperatures than can be accessed using methyl iodide as a methyl group precursor. The surface chemistry of adsorbed methyl groups is characterized by a competition between hydrogenation, to produce methane, and dehydrogenation which ultimately leads to the production of surface carbon. The reactive partitioning between these two pathways is found to be sensitive to the initial coverage of both hydrogen and methyl with larger coverages favouring hydrogenation. Isotopic-labelling experiments also reveal that the kinetics of methyl group hydrogenation exhibit a non-linear dependence upon the intial hydrogen pre-coverage, with the appearance of a new, previously unreported methane desorption state below 200 K. Limited hydrogen exchange between the hydrocarbon species produced as the result of methyl group dehydrogenation and surface hydrogen is observed. Experiments carried out using both protonated and deuteriated methyl groups indicate that, consistent with previous studies, almost no kinetic isotope effect exists in the hydrogenation or dehydrogenation of adsorbed methyl groups.
Pain in the obese: impact on health-related quality-of-life.

Obesity is a major public health problem associated with increased health risks, chronic pain, and decrements in functional health status and subjective well-being. To examine the impact of pain on Health-Related Quality-of-Life (HRQL), 312 consecutive persons seeking medically-supervised weight loss treatment completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and underwent a series of clinical evaluations. Forty-eight percent of the patients when asked to rate “How much pain have you had in the last four weeks?” reported at least moderate pain in the four weeks prior to treatment. In analyses adjusted for sociodemographic factors, body-mass index (BMI) (kg/m2), and depression, obese patients reporting pain scored significantly lower on all SF-36 domains than those not reporting pain. Findings indicate that the pain itself is independently associated with impaired HRQL in nearly half of obese persons seeking treatment. These data demonstrate that pain is a strong covariate of obesity and, therefore, may need to be considered in the design and development of obesity treatments.
Rate constant for the reaction BrO + NO → Br + NO2

Abstract The rate constant for the reaction BrO + NO → Br + NO 2 has been determined over the temperature range 230 K to 425 K in a discharge flow system using a mass spectrometer as a detector. Results, expressed in the Arrhenius form k 1 = (7.11 ± 0.23) × 10 −12 exp[(296 ± 10)/ T ] cm 3 s −1 , are compared with previous measurements.
Artists by the Numbers: Moving From Descriptive Statistics to Impact Analyses

For nearly 40 years, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has studied a cohort of 11 artist occupations, resulting in periodic research findings about artists’ employment and earnings, their demographics and geographic distribution, and how artists differ from other segments of the workforce. These reports have provided cultural researchers, practitioners, and policy makers with reliable descriptive statistics. In recent years, however, the NEA has expanded such research to capture the impact of artists on the nation’s creative and economic output and to account for a broader range of arts workers. This article reviews progress and makes recommendations for future study.
Thermoelectricity in Molecular Junctions

By trapping molecules between two gold electrodes with a temperature difference across them, the junction Seebeck coefficients of 1,4-benzenedithiol (BDT), 4,4'-dibenzenedithiol, and 4,4''-tribenzenedithiol in contact with gold were measured at room temperature to be +8.7 +/- 2.1 microvolts per kelvin (muV/K), +12.9 +/- 2.2 muV/K, and +14.2 +/- 3.2 muV/K, respectively (where the error is the full width half maximum of the statistical distributions). The positive sign unambiguously indicates p-type (hole) conduction in these heterojunctions, whereas the Au Fermi level position for Au-BDT-Au junctions was identified to be 1.2 eV above the highest occupied molecular orbital level of BDT. The ability to study thermoelectricity in molecular junctions provides the opportunity to address these fundamental unanswered questions about their electronic structure and to begin exploring molecular thermoelectric energy conversion.
An Uncommon Perspective on a Common Congenital Anomaly

A 59-YEAR-OLD MAN with severe aortic stenosis presented for valve replacement surgery. After uncomplicated induction of anesthesia, an introducer was placed into the left internal jugular vein, through which a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) was easily directed into the pulmonary artery on the first attempt. The intraoperative course was uneventful. On postoperative day 1 in the intensive care unit, the following chest x-ray was obtained (Fig 1). What is the diagnosis?
Gender parity and educational development in Nigeria: an analysis of recent trends

Education is a vehicle for social change and has been linked to development. One of the goals in Education for All is the elimination of gender disparities in education by 2015. In light of EFA Goal 3, several questions were raised with regards to education in Nigeria including: 1) whether there are gender disparities in primary school enrolment; 2) whether there are gender disparities in enrolment in secondary education; 3) whether there are gender differences in terms of student performance at the end of secondary education. The primary source of data was the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics. It was found that although there was progress during the years in the study, gender disparity in favour of male students still remained. Some suggestions were made on strategies to improve the situation.
A study of the effects of truncation in bivariate normal distribution

The moments of bivariate normal distribution, which is truncated with respect to both the random variables, are obtained by using the orthogonal expansion of the distribution and the properties of HERMITE polynomials. In particular the correlation coefficient of the truncated distribution is derived in terms of the actual correlation coefficient. In order to study the effect of truncation tables have been prepared of this correlation coefficient for certain given values of the actual correlation coefficient and for a few selected values of the points of truncation. A listing of the computer program for this purpose is also given.
Enzymatic Methylation of DNA in Cultured Human Cells Studied by Stable Isotope Incorporation and Mass Spectrometry

Enzymatic methylation of cytosine residues in DNA, in conjunction with covalent histone modifications, establishes an epigenetic code essential for the proper control of gene expression in higher organisms. Once established during cellular differentiation, the epigenetic code must be faithfully transmitted to progeny cells. However, epigenetic perturbations can be found in most if not all cancer cells, and the mechanisms leading to these changes are not well understood. In this paper, we describe a series of experiments aimed at understanding the dynamic process of DNA methylation that follows DNA replication. Cells in culture can be propagated in the presence of 15N-enriched uridine, which labels the pyrimidine precursor pool as well as newly replicated DNA. Simultaneous culture in the presence of 2H-enriched methionine results in labeling of newly methylated cytosine residues. An ensemble of 5-methylcytosine residues differing in the degree of isotopic enrichment is generated, which can be examined by m...
Dynamic load balancing with adaptive factoring methods in scientific applications

To improve the performance of scientific applications with parallel loops, dynamic loop scheduling methods have been proposed. Such methods address performance degradations due to load imbalance caused by predictable phenomena like nonuniform data distribution or algorithmic variance, and unpredictable phenomena such as data access latency or operating system interference. In particular, methods such as factoring, weighted factoring, adaptive weighted factoring, and adaptive factoring have been developed based on a probabilistic analysis of parallel loop iterates with variable running times. These methods have been successfully implemented in a number of applications such as: N-Body and Monte Carlo simulations, computational fluid dynamics, and radar signal processing. The focus of this paper is on adaptive weighted factoring (AWF), a method that was designed for scheduling parallel loops in time-stepping scientific applications. The main contribution of the paper is to relax the time-stepping requirement, a modification that allows the AWF to be used in any application with a parallel loop. The modification further allows the AWF to adapt to load imbalance that may occur during loop execution. Results of experiments to compare the performance of the modified AWF with the performance of the other loop scheduling methods in the context of three nontrivial applications reveal that the performance of the modified method is comparable to, and in some cases, superior to the performance of the most recently introduced adaptive factoring method.
Design rules to achieve high-TC ferromagnetism in (Ga, Mn)As alloys

The Curie temperature T(C) of ferromagnetic semiconductor alloys depends not only on the alloy composition, but also on the spatial configuration of the magnetic impurities. Here we use a set of first-principle-calculated Curie temperatures to uncover-via a statistical, 'data mining' approach-the rules that govern the dependence of T(C) on the configuration of Mn substitutional impurities in GaAs. We find that T(C) is lowered (raised) when the average number of first (third and fourth) nearest-neighbour Mn pairs increases, suggesting simple atom-by-atom strategies to achieve high T(C) in (Ga, Mn)As alloys.
Cyclic voltammetry of semiconductor photoelectrodes III: A comparison of experiment and theory for n-Si and p-Si electrodes

Cyclic voltammograms have been obtained under a variety of conditions using a semiconducting photoelectrode or a circuit containing a diode in series with a metallic electrode. Simulations of the voltammetry of both types of systems were performed using a model circuit in which electrode nonideality, double-layer capacitance, and parallel resistance effects were accounted for quantitatively. The simulated voltammograms were in excellent agreement with the experimental data for a diode/electrode circuit, yielding a reliable description of the shapes of the voltammograms as well as of the voltage dropped across the diode element as a function of the total potential dropped across the circuit. The digital simulations were in good agreement with the voltammetry of p-Si/CH3OH−CoCp2+/0 contacts at high light intensities, but could not quantitatively describe the shapes of the voltammograms at low light intensities.
Ex Vivo Human Placental Transfer of Trovafloxacin

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the ex vivo human placental transfer of trovafloxacin from the maternal circulation to the fetal circulation. METHODS: Six placentas from uncomplicated, term, vaginal or cesarean deliveries were studied using the ex vivo isolated cotyledon perfusion chamber; 14C-antipyrine was used as a reference compound to determine the clearance index (CI) of trovafloxacin. RESULTS: The CI of trovafloxacin was 0.19 +/- 0.13 at a mean trough concentration of 1.38 +/- 0.22 microg/ml and 0.16 +/- 0.10 at a mean peak concentration of 7.48 +/- 2.3 microg/ml as determined by our newly developed high-pressure liquid chromatographic assay. Tissue concentration did not exceed maternal concentration, and there was little or no accumulation when the perfusion system was closed for 1 hr. CONCLUSIONS: Trovafloxacin crosses the placenta by simple diffusion and does not accumulate in the media to any extent, nor does it bind to tissue or accumulate in the placenta.
Tryptophan depletion and risk of depression relapse: a prospective study of tryptophan depletion as a potential predictor of depressive episodes.

Abstract Background: This study investigated the relationship between depressive symptom response during tryptophan depletion and future depressive episodes. Methods: Twelve subjects with prior major depressive episodes in remission and medication-free for ≥3 months (patients), and 12 matched healthy (control) subjects received two tryptophan depletion tests 1 week apart. During follow-up the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was administered weekly for 1 month, monthly for 3 months, and once at 6 and 12 months. Results: With results from both tests, tryptophan depletion has a sensitivity of 78%, specificity of 80%, positive predictive value of 70%, and negative predictive value of 86% to identify future depressive episodes. Survival analysis shows that mood response to tryptophan depletion reliably predicts major depressive episodes during the follow-up year ( r = .2725, p = .014). Conclusions: Tryptophan depletion may be clinically useful in identifying individuals at risk for future major depressive episodes.
Acoustoelectric amplification in InSb

It was demonstrated by Kikuchi that two modes of acoustoelectric domain oscillation occuirn InSb in a transverse magnetic field. Using lithium niohate transducers on an acoustic amplifier, we have measured linear acoustic gain as a function of electric and magnetic field and frequency. At high magnetic fields (B ≥ 3000 gauss) the results arein good agreement with White's theory. However, at low magnetic fields, the wavelength of the sound waves is lesst han the mean free path of the electrons, and the macroscopic theories break down. We have extended a microscopic theory of magnetacoustic interactions, duet o Spector, to include electron drift. We find excellent agreement between theory and experiment over the whole range of magnetic field. Moreover, the results account very clearly for the two modes of acoustic domain formation.
Anti-inflammatory effect of a selective IκB kinase-beta inhibitor in rat lung in response to LPS and cigarette smoke

Abstract Rationale IκB kinase (IKK) activates NF-κB which plays a pivotal role in pro-inflammatory response in the lung. NF-κB has been shown to be activated in alveolar macrophages and peripheral lungs of smokers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of a highly selective and novel IKKβ/IKK2 inhibitor, PHA-408 [8-(5-chloro-2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)isonicotinamido)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-benzo[γ]indazole-3-carboxamide], in lungs of rat in vivo . Methods Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were administered orally with PHA-408 (15 and 45 mg/kg) daily for 3 days and exposed to LPS aerosol (once on day 3, 2 h post-last PHA-408 administration) or cigarette smoke (CS; 2 h after PHA-408 administration for 3 days). Animals were sacrificed at 1, 4 and 24 h after the last exposure, and lung inflammatory response and NF-κB activation were measured. Results Oral administration of IKKβ/IKK2 inhibitor PHA-408 significantly inhibited LPS- and CS-mediated neutrophil influx in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of rats. The levels of pro-inflammatory mediators in BAL fluid (CINC-1) and lungs (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β and GM-CSF) were also reduced by PHA-408 administration in response to LPS or CS exposures. The reduced pro-inflammatory response in PHA-408-administered rats was associated with decreased nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity of NF-κB in response to LPS or CS. Conclusion These results suggest that IKKβ/IKK2 inhibitor PHA-408 is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent against LPS- and CS-mediated lung inflammation.
Idiopathic linear pustular acantholytic dermatosis in a young Brittany Spaniel dog

A unilateral, linear, papular-pustular dermatosis is described in a young Brittany Spaniel dog. The dermatosis appeared to follow Blaschko's lines and extended from the left inguinal region to the medial aspect of the left metatarsal area. The predominant histological finding was an eosinophilic and neutrophilic pustular mural folliculitis with prominent acantholysis of infundibular epithelium. There was a rapid and long-lasting (> 15 months) resolution after oral administration of methylprednisolone (1.6 mg kg(-1)).
TH‐C‐210A‐01: Perfusion‐CT of the Brain: Stroke, TBI and Beyond

Perfusion computed tomography (PCT) is an imaging technique that allows rapid, noninvasive, quantitative evaluation of cerebral perfusion by generating maps of cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and mean transit time (MTT). The concepts behind this imaging technique were developed in the 80s, but its widespread clinical use was allowed by the recent introduction of rapid, large‐coverage multidetector‐raw CT scanners. Key clinical applications for PCT include the diagnosis of cerebral ischemia and infarction, and evaluation of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. PCT measurements of cerebrovascular reserve after acetazolamide challenges in patients with vascular stenoses permit evaluation of candidacy for bypass surgery and endovascular treatment. PCT has also been used to assess cerebral perfusion after head trauma and microvascular permeability in the setting of intracranial neoplasm. Some controversy exists regarding this technique, including questions regarding correct selection of an input vessel, the accuracy of quantitative results, and the reproducibility of results. This presentation will provide an overview of PCT, including details of technique, major clinical applications, and limitations.
1H NMR studies of heme pocket conformation in zinc-substituted leghemoglobin, a diamagnetic analog of deoxyleghemoglobin.

Abstract Reconstitution of apoleghemoglobin with zinc protoporphyrin IX is reported, NMR spectra show that the reconstitution is orientation specific and that there is no detectable heme isomerism or conformational heterogeneity. Resonances of heme substituents and distal and proximal amino acid protons have been assigned. Only minor differences in porphyrin-protein packing occur between zinc leghemoglobin and the CO complex of ferrous leghemoglobin. The zinc is five-coordinate and is ligated by the proximal histidine. Comparisons with diamagnetic six-coordinate complexes show that the distal His-61 and Leu-65 side chains move away from the binding site upon coordination of exogenous ligands. Conformational changes are minimal when the ligand is O 2 .
America Y2K: The Obsolescence of Educational Reforms

The passing of the deadline for fulfillment of the national education goals in the United States (the beginning of 2000) reflects the frequently hyperbolic statements of objectives and the manic pace of school reform efforts over the past two decades. The domination by schools of child and family life has combined with a longstanding reliance on schools to solve social problems to make school reform a politically opportune as well as visible issue. Thus, even if the phrasing of national education goals in the U.S. changes to reflect the passing of the nominal deadline, those pressures will remain.
The development of a youth mentoring program in the south of India

This article illustrates the challenges and opportunities involved as a US-based research team assists in the development of a culturally-informed youth mentoring program in rural India. Based on data from youth and adult stakeholders, a mentoring curriculum was developed and piloted. Lessons learned illuminate how context influences youth development programs and conceptualization of mentoring relationships. Implications for similar international initiatives are discussed.
Probability of a tie election

We ask our voter for his best estimate of the outcome of the election, and for his estimate of the uncertainty on that estimate. (For convenience, assume the voter can describe his feeling in terms of an expected outcome and a standard deviation on that outcome.) We should not suppose that the distribution of the voter's expectations about the election will necessarily be normally distributed. But it is convenient and reasonablt to assume a normal distribution in making some illustrative calculations. These will let us see something about how the probability scales as a function of the number of voters, and as a function of the individual voter's expectation and uncertainty about the outcome. Under that assumption, computmg an estimate for P (the probability of a tie) is straightforward and quite simple. Let N = total number of voters; f= the voter's best estimate of the fraction of the vote that will be received by the winner; a = the voter's estimate of the standard deviation on f; and ~ = the normal probability density function. Let x = (f-.5) /1. We then have:
Noninvasive in vivo measurement of retinal physiology with high-speed ultrahigh resolution OCT

Non-invasive in vivo functional optical imaging is emonstrated using high-speed, ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT). A high-speed, UHR-OCT system using spectral/Fourier domain detection was developed for functional imaging experiments in the rodent retina. Using a spectrally multiplexed superluminescent diode light source, imaging was performed with 2.8 μm resolution at a rate of 24,000 axial scans per second. OCT measurement protocols were designed to minimize noise sources that cause undesired fluctuations in the measured OCT signal. A white light stimulus was applied to the retina and the average reflectivity from each intraretinal layer was monitored over time using OCT. A white light stimulus induces a response consisting of an increase in the reflectance of the photoreceptor outer segments. To our knowledge, this is the first in vivo demonstration of functional imaging using OCT in the retina. Further systematic investigation will be required to fully characterize the observed optical changes. Eventually, this may prove to be an objective method for measuring photoreceptor function in the human retina.
How the jews of eastern europe read the bible: The tsene-rene and purim plays

This article addresses some of the ways that Eastern European Jews in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries accessed the Bible. It argues that reading the Hebrew Scripture itself was just one of many ways that common Jews became acquainted with biblical stories, and suggests that historians place greater scholarly attention on the extra-canonical sources Jews commonly used to access biblical narratives. Jewish audiences also heard biblical stories through interpretations, popular retellings, and dramatic performances. The article discusses the most popular Yiddish interpretive retelling, the sixteenth-century Tsene-rene, and demonstrates how some of its variances from the canonical text may have influenced Jewish notions of time and redemption. The article concludes with a discussion of some Purimshpils (plays performed during the holiday of Purim) and how they reinforced the ideas of the Tsene-rene.
Rapamycin reverses insulin resistance (IR) in high-glucose medium without causing IR in normoglycemic medium.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is involved in insulin resistance (IR) and diabetic retinopathy. In retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, insulin activates the mTOR pathway, inducing hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and HIF-dependent transcription in serum-free minimum essential medium Eagle (MEM). Serendipitously, we found that insulin failed to induce the HIF-1α-dependent response, when RPE cells were cultured in Dulbecco’s modification of Eagle’s medium (DMEM). Whereas concentration of glucose in MEM corresponds to normal glucose levels in blood (5.5 mM), its concentration in DMEM corresponds to severe diabetic hyperglycemia (25 mM). Addition of glucose to MEM also caused IR. Glucose-mediated IR was characterized by basal activation of mTORC1 and its poor inducibility by insulin. Basal levels of phosphorylated S6 kinase (S6K), S6 and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) S635/639 were high, whereas their inducibilities were decreased. Insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation was decreased and restored by rapamycin and an inhibitor of S6K. IR was associated with de-phosphorylation of IRS1 at S1011, which was reversed by rapamycin. Both short (16–40 h) and chronic (2 weeks) treatment with rapamycin reversed IR. Furthermore, rapamycin did not impair Akt activation in RPE cells cultured in normoglycemic media. In contrast, Torin 1 blocked Akt activation by insulin. We conclude that by activating mTOR/S6K glucose causes feedback IR, preventable by rapamycin. Rapamycin does not cause IR in RPE cells regardless of the duration of treatment. We confirmed that rapamycin also did not impair phosphorylation of Akt at T308 and S473 in normal myoblast C2C12 cells. Our work provides insights in glucose-induced IR and suggests therapeutic approaches to treat patients with IR and severe hyperglycemia and to prevent diabetic complications such as retinopathy. Also our results prompt to reconsider physiological relevance of numerous data and paradigms on IR given that most cell lines are cultured with grossly super-physiological levels of glucose.
Optical properties and mass concentration of carbonaceous smokes

Absorption or extinction measurements at wavelengths of 0.5145 and 10.6 μm lead to determination of the mass concentration of carbonaceous smokes with an accuracy of ~20%. The results do not depend on the details of the particle size distribution or on particulate to void ratio.