cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal Shock damage and Residual Strength Behavior of a Functionally Graded Plate with Surface Cracks of Alternating Lengths

Multiple surface cracking greatly influences the thermal shock behavior of ceramics and ceramic composites. This work aims to investigate the effects of surface crack morphology coupled with material gradation on the thermal shock damage and residual strength behavior of functionally graded ceramics. We consider a functionally graded plate with an array of periodically spaced surface cracks of alternating lengths subjected to thermal shocks. The coupled strongly singular integral equations for the opening displacements along the long and short cracks are derived using the Fourier transform and a superposition technique. Thermal shock damages (arrested lengths of the long and short cracks) in the specimen and the residual strength are determined using the stress intensity factor criterion. Numerical results for an Al2O3/Si3N4 graded material are presented to examine the effects of initial crack length ratio, crack spacing, and material gradation on the thermal shock damage and residual strength behavior. I...
131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine uptake in the isolated rat lung: a potential marker of endothelial cell function.

The pulmonary vascular endothelial cell plays an important role in the uptake of circulating biogenic amines. In cultured adrenomedullary cells, metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) and norepinephrine (NE) are taken up by the same sodium-dependent active transport system. To examine whether a similar process occurs in the lung, the mechanism of single pass 131I-MIBG accumulation was studied in rat lungs perfused with a Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer containing 4.5% bovine albumin. MIBG lung accumulation was measured as the percent extraction per g of lung tissue. In control experiments the extraction was 19.7±2.3%/g (n=38) using a perfusate containing 0.01 μM MIBG. MIBG accumulation was significantly depressed (% decrease from control) by: cold media at 4° C (84%), 0.5 mM ouabain (67%), 10 μM imipramine (70%), 0.7 μM serotonin (22%) and 40 mM K+ (48%). Pulmonary uptake of MIBG was characterized by Michaelis-Menten kinetics (K m=0.92×10-6 M and V max=2.09×10-9 moles/g per min). The addition of NE (0.5 μM) also altered MIBG uptake such that the K m and V max became 0.52×10-6 M and 0.93×10-9 moles/g per min, respectively. The results indicate that MIBG accumulation in the lung involves sodium-dependent, energy-requiring, active transport mechanisms similar to those known to exist for norepinephrine, and suggest that MIBG may be useful as a marker of pulmonary endothelial cell function.
Environmental innovation and environmental performance

Abstract By estimating a simultaneous panel data model of environmental innovation and toxic air pollution, this paper identifies bi-directional causal links between the two. We study a panel of 127 manufacturing industries over the period 1989–2004. Pollutant emissions are an implicit measure of policy stringency and environmental patent counts are used to measure environmental innovation. After accounting for the joint endogeneity, we find that environmental innovation is an important driver of reductions in US toxic emissions. Conversely, we find that tightened pollution targets induce environmental innovation. However, our estimates indicate that the “environmental policy multiplier” – the proportionate contribution of induced innovation to long-run emission reduction – is small.
Two-year-olds with autism orient to non-social contingencies rather than biological motion

Typically developing human infants preferentially attend to biological motion within the first days of life 1 . This ability is highly conserved across species 2,3 and is believed to be critical for filial attachment and for detection of predators 4 . The neural underpinnings of biological motion perception are overlapping with brain regions involved in perception of basic social signals such as facial expression and gaze direction 5 , and preferential attention to biological motion is seen as a precursor to the capacity for attributing intentions to others 6 . However, in a serendipitous observation 7 , we recently found that an infant with autism failed to recognize point-light displays of biological motion, but was instead highly sensitive to the presence of a non-social, physical contingency that occurred within the stimuli by chance. This observation raised the possibility that perception of biological motion may be altered in children with autism from a very early age,withcascading consequencesforbothsocialdevelopment and the lifelong impairments in social interaction that are a hallmark of autism spectrum disorders 8 . Here we show that two-year-olds withautismfailtoorienttowardspoint-lightdisplaysofbiological motion, and their viewing behaviour when watching these pointlight displays can be explained instead as a response to non-social, physicalcontingencies—physicalcontingenciesthataredisregarded by control children. This observation has far-reaching implications for understanding the altered neurodevelopmental trajectory of brain specialization in autism 9 . Preferentialattentiontobiologicalmotionisafundamentalmechanism facilitating adaptive interaction with other living beings. It is present throughout a wide range of species, from humans 10,11 to monkeys 12 to birds 13 . Developmentally, it can be found in newly hatched chicks 14 and in human infants as young as 2days old 1 . Recognitionofbiologicalmotionremainsintactinavarietyofforms, from degraded presentations, through varying states of occlusion, and in cases when information-bearing components are reduced to
Hierarchical cross-training in work-in-process-constrained systems

We study Work-In-Process (WIP)-constrained flowlines staffed by partially cross-trained workers with hierarchical skill sets. We characterize the optimal worker-to-task assignment policy for CONWIP systems with two workers and general stochastic processing times. This leads us to the “fixed-before-shared” principle, which states that a flexible worker should process a task he/she is uniquely qualified for before helping other workers with shared tasks. To provide insights on the performance opportunity of hierarchical cross-training in systems with limited WIP, we provide a complete characterization of the optimal policy and closed-form expressions of the resulting throughput for the case of exponential processing times. We extend our results to the more general case of floater workers, and illustrate their applicability to various real-world systems. Our analysis shows that hierarchical cross-training can provide significant benefits, but should be implemented with care in WIP-constrained environments su...
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AND COURSE PERFORMANCE

Summary. The relationship of several individual difference variables to achievement in college courses was investigated, using a sample of 500 freshmen and sophomores taking introductory psychology. Previous grades, degree of concordance between student preference and actual course conditions, and facilitating anxiety were found to explain 82 per cent of the variance in test performance. The importance of assessing student preferences in academic planning is discussed.
Dynamic lightpath protection in WDM mesh networks under wavelength-continuity and risk-disjoint constraints

Path protection requires finding a working path and a protection path that are link disjoint. In this paper, we consider two fundamental problems on dynamic lightpath protection in WDM mesh networks. In the first problem, we consider a network without wavelength converters; thus both the working lightpath and protection lightpath are subject to the wavelength continuity constraint. Existing polynomial time algorithms can be applied to find a pair of link-disjoint lightpaths on a single wavelength; however, such algorithms fail if the working and protection lightpaths are on two different wavelengths. In the second problem, we consider a network with full wavelength conversion; thus the wavelength continuity constraint does not apply. Yet a single factor can cause multiple fiber links to fail simultaneously. The problem becomes finding link-disjoint lightpaths that are also risk disjoint. We prove that both of the two problems are NP-complete. We develop ILP formulations and heuristic algorithms for the two NP-complete problems. Practical constraints such as service level agreement (SLA) and priority are also considered. Computer simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance of the heuristic algorithms.
Use of microcosm and fish toxicity data to select mesocosm treatment concentrations

Data from Mixed Flask Culture (MFC) microcosms and fish single species toxicity tests were used to select treatment concentrations for littoral enclosure studies. Selected concentrations were evaluated by comparing the predicted responses to those observed in littoral enclosure studies with a pyrethroid pesticide, esfenvalerate (Lozano et al. 1989) and an organophosphate pesticide, azinphos-methyl (Knuth et al. 1992). Comparisons of the effects predicted by these laboratory studies and effects that occurred in the two littoral enclosure trials provided useful information on the accuracy associated with each prediction. Although the approach did not always predict the exact magnitude or breadth of response found in the littoral enclosures, response levels for each of the selected treatment concentrations were adequate to describe the dose-response relationship of the littoral ecosystem for the two pesticides. The evaluation suggests that selection of treatment concentrations for the two littoral enclosure studies could have been improved by using this approach.
Failure of disposable domes to prevent septicemia acquired from contaminated pressure transducers.

Between January and June 1976, eight cases of primary bacteremia due to Enterobacter cloacae occurred in patients after open-heart surgery in a hospital in Connecticut. Epidemiologic studies implicated radial arterial catheters as the route of acquisition of E cloacae , and bacteriologic studies confirmed arterial pressure transducers as the sources of bacteria. Prospective studies indicated that the disposable domes from the pressure transducers did not prevent the spread of bacteria from contaminated transducers to the arterial catheters. This is the first report of transducer-acquired bacteremic infections occurring with the use of disposable domes. Although disposable domes may decrease the chances of cross-contamination of circuits for monitoring pressure, they do not, as previously thought, eliminate the risk of bacteremia from this source.
Behavioral assessment of head and neck cancer pain

Behavioral evaluations of pain were carried out on a sample of 30 head and neck cancer patients before, at the midpoint, and at the end of their treatment. Observations of patients' behavior as they carried out functional activities revealed that patients tended to display their pain primarily through facial expression and to a lesser extent through guarded movement. During the period of treatment there were significant increases in the number of simple daily activities that increased pain, in the time spent sitting each day, and in the number of patients using narcotics. There was also a strong tendency for patients to lose weight and to use a greater number of pain relieving methods. A behavioral dysfunction index based on scores on each of the behavioral measures was clearly related to pain ratings. Measures of pain taken before treatment were highly predictive of behavioral dysfunction index scores recorded at the completion of cancer treatments.
A Computer Design for Introducting Hardware and Software Concepts

This paper describes a simple computer design and an associated full screen PC-based simulator used to teach basic hardware and software concepts in Introduction to Computer Engineering, a sophomore level course at Kansas State University. The culmination of the course is the presentation of a complete CPU which could be built from the SSI and MSI circuits studied in the course. The CPU design is simple enough to enable equations for a hardwired control unit to be displayed during simulation, yet powerful enough to introduce Assembly language programming using the same architecture.
Dorello's Canal for Laymen: A Lego-Like Presentation

Objective Dorello's canal was first described by Gruber in 1859, and later by Dorello. Vail also described the anatomy of Dorello's canal. In the preceding century, Dorello's canal was clinically important, in understanding sixth nerve palsy and nowadays it is mostly important for skull base surgery. The understanding of the three dimensional anatomy, of this canal is very difficult to understand, and there is no simple explanation for its anatomy and its relationship with adjacent structures. We present a simple, Lego-like, presentation of Dorello's canal, in a stepwise manner. Materials and Methods Dorello's canal was dissected in five formalin-fixed cadaver specimens (10 sides). The craniotomy was performed, while preserving the neural and vascular structures associated with the canal. A 3D model was created, to explain the canal's anatomy. Results Using the petrous pyramid, the sixth nerve, the cavernous sinus, the trigeminal ganglion, the petorclival ligament and the posterior clinoid, the three-dimensional structure of Dorello's canal was defined. This simple representation aids in understanding the three dimensional relationship of Dorello's canal to its neighboring structures. Conclusion Dorello's canal with its three dimensional structure and relationship to its neighboring anatomical structures could be reconstructed using a few anatomical building blocks. This method simplifies the understanding of this complex anatomical structure, and could be used for teaching purposes for aspiring neurosurgeons, and anatomy students.
Recent Change in the Pattern of Tree Growth in Northern Arizona

A significant change in growth pattern among the ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) of the Flagstaff region, northern Arizona, occurred in 1947-1948. This is the first such change since 1904-1905. Evidence appears to verify the existence of a tension zone which fluctuates in altitude as a result of changes in the distribution and quantity of the rainfall as recorded through soil moisture.
THE RESPONSE OF PLANTS TO CHEMICAL FRACTIONS OF BACTERIUM TUMEFACIENS

IN THE present report further results are given of the effects on plants of the application of chemical agents which are related to the tumor-producing mechanism in plants. The application of carcinogenic agents (Levine, 1934) such as coal tar, 1, 2, 5, 6-dibenzanthracene, and Sharlach red to the growing regions of sunflower stems results in bending of the growing region of the stem to a horizontal position. Subsequent growth of these treated stems shows dwarfing of the internodal spaces. When injury of localized areasof the apical portion of the stem is followed by painting with these agents, swelling of the area results. Small overgrowths which have a tendency to fuse occur about the points of injury. It was shown that the effects were not different if single paintings, instead of repeated applications of the carcinogenic agents, were made, a practice which is most frequently used in the production of animal tumors. In a later report (Levine, 1936b) histological studies of these rudimentary tumors or overgrowths were described. It was definitely shown that the carcinogenic agents produced hyperplasias, while the controls showed callus hypertrophies. The hyperplastic tissue consists of a type of embryonic cell, parenchymatous in nature, which becomes differentiated earlier than crown gall tissue. This early maturity and differentiation of the cells is responsible, in a large measure, for the limited size of the overgrowths. It was suggested that the tumors produced by the carcinogenic agents were more advanced than the control reactions induced by injuries by virtue of the type of proliferation and early differentiation. It was further shown that chemical compounds bearing the sulfhydryl group were no more effective in producing tumors than compounds without the -SH group. In both cases, however, distinct reactions were observed which had characteristics similar to those produced by many of the agents used in previous studies. The results in these experiments showed consistently that painting with glutathione and glutamic acid brought about greater reactions in the sunflower stems than did any of the other chemicals used. While the present studies were in progress, Brown and Gardner (1936) published a note in which they contended that a single painting of heteroauxin, indole acetic acid in lanolin, applied to injured stems of Phaseolus vulgaris (kidney bean) produced larger tumors than those called forth by the introduction of the living organism, Bacterium tumefaciens. Extracts of the organisms were also effective in producing tumors. The nature of the chemical substance cxtracted is not reported.
Therapy for Vasculitic Neuropathies

The term vasculitis refers to a pathologic condition defined by inflammatory cell infiltration and destruction of blood vessels. Systemic vasculitis is classified as primary (eg, polyarteritis nodosa, Churg-Strauss syndrome) or secondary, the latter associated with connective tissue disorders, infections, medications, and rarely, as a paraneoplastic phenomenon. Neuropathy is a common complication of systemic vasculitis and is related to ischemic nerve fiber damage with axon loss. Peripheral neuropathy may be the sole manifestation of vasculitis, a condition termed nonsystemic vasculitic neuropathy (NSVN). Treatment of vasculitic neuropathy requires long-term immunosuppressive therapies with potential side effects. The diagnosis of vasculitis should be established by tissue (preferably nerve) biopsy. High-dose prednisone is the standard platform therapy for patients with systemic and NSVN; for those with systemic vasculitis, at least 3 to 12 months of treatment with cyclophosphamide (monthly intravenous pulse or daily oral therapy) is also necessary to sustain remission and allow successful prednisone tapering. The use of cyclophosphamide in patients with NSVN is controversial, but recent retrospective data suggest that those treated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide from the outset fare better than those initially treated only with prednisone. If prednisone is administered as monotherapy, cyclophosphamide should be added after several months if there is no improvement or relapse occurs with tapering of prednisone. Intravenous pulse and daily oral cyclophosphamide probably offer similar efficacy, although the risk of complications is greater with oral therapy. Azathioprine can be safely substituted for cyclophosphamide after 3 months without an increased relapse rate. Azathioprine, methotrexate, intravenous immune globulin, mycophenolate mofetil, plasma exchange, and rituximab can be offered to patients who are intolerant or have a contraindication to cyclophosphamide. However, efficacy is unproven for any of these therapies. Interferon-α, sometimes combined with plasma exchange, is used to treat vasculitis associated with hepatitis B infection. Some patients also may improve with corticosteroids. The classification of diabetic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathy as a vasculitic disorder remains controversial. However, there is compelling pathological evidence that this condition represents a T-cell-mediated microvasculitis. Some patients treated with intravenous corticosteroids may have greater recovery and improved pain control.
Design and Construction of a Gas Turbine Engine to Test Validity of Hybrid Combustion Systems for Use in High Altitude Aircraft Propulsion

The purpose of designing and constructing this engine is to investigate the application of hybrid and alternative combustion systems as applied to gas turbine engines used for aircraft propulsion. The interest in this type of system comes from undesirable performance of gas turbine engines at extreme altitudes. The engine is a high-bypass, two-spooled turbofan with the inner spool and combustion system located on the outside of the fan bypass duct. This unusual arrangement is to allow greater flexibility in combustion system modifications as well as to better facilitate maintenance and modification work without disturbing the fan spool. The hope is to evaluate the feasibility of a hypothetical gas turbine jet engine specifically designed for use at extreme altitude. (Figure 1)Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Quality and Sensory Properties of Fresh Egg Noodles Formulated with Either Total or Partial Replacement of Egg Substitutes

The quality and sensory properties of fresh egg noodles formulated with total or partial replacement of egg substitute were investigated. Cooking quality parameters, texture, and color were measured at d 0, 15, and 30. Whole-egg noodles (control) had less cooking loss, firmer texture, and larger L* and b* values among days compared with noodles prepared with 100% soy flour or Pasta Power. Noodles prepared with Bipro exhibited the least cooking loss and water uptake, firmer texture, and larger L* and b* values among egg substitutes at 50% replacement. Firmness was greater and L* and b* values were larger for noodles from soy flour and Pasta Power egg substitutes when they replaced 50% of egg, rather than 100%. Sensory analysis revealed the roughness and flavor of cooked noodles, which were not significantly affected by the type of egg substitute. Noodles containing Pasta Power exhibited greater stickiness, whereas those containing soy flour were less firm. Including whole eggs in the formulations reduced stickiness. None of the egg substitutes studied could totally replace whole egg in the egg noodles without resulting in some loss of quality. But partial replacement of eggs resulted in noodles with similar physical and sensory properties.
On the status of highly entropic objects

It has been proposed that the entropy of any object must satisfy fundamental (holographic or Bekenstein) bounds set by the object's size and perhaps its energy. However, most discussions of these bounds have ignored the possibility that objects violating the putative bounds could themselves become important components of Hawking radiation. We show that this possibility cannot a priori be neglected in existing derivations of the bounds. Thus this effect could potentially invalidate these derivations; but it might also lead to observational evidence for the bounds themselves.
Mode of stimulation versus response: Validation of a protocol for induction of ventricular tachycardia

Abstract Electrophysiologic studies were prospectively performed in 91 consecutive patients referred for evaluation of sustained ventricular tachycardia or sudden cardiac death. Fifty-two patients had a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia and 39 patients had a history of sudden cardiac death. The identical stimulation protocol was used in all patients. The stepwise protocol involved atrial pacing, burst ventricular pacing, single, double, and triple extrastimuli during ventricular pacing. Stimulation was performed at the right ventricular apex at two and five times diastolic threshold. Using this protocol, ventricular tachycardia was inducible in 48 (92%) of the 52 patients with a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia and in 28 (72%) of 39 patients with a history of sudden cardiac death ( p p
Differential involvement of reactive oxygen species in apoptosis induced by two classes of selenium compounds in human prostate cancer cells

Selenium is a promising chemopreventive agent for prostate cancer, possibly via an induction of apoptosis. Earlier studies have shown that selenite induces DNA single strand breaks (SSBs), reactive oxygen species (ROS), p53 Ser-15 phosphorylation and caspase-dependent and -independent apoptosis, whereas a methylselenol precursor methylseleninic acid (MSeA) induces caspase-mediated apoptosis regardless of p53 status. Here we address three main questions: What types of ROS are induced by selenite vs. MSeA in LNCaP (p53 wild type, androgen-responsive) and DU145 (mutant p53, androgen-independent) prostate cancer cells? Does ROS generation depend on androgen signaling? What are the relationships among ROS, DNA SSBs, p53 and caspases? We show that selenite (5 microM) induced superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in LNCaP cells much more than in DU145 cells and the ROS generation was not affected by physiological androgen stimulation. MSeA (10 microM) induced apoptosis without either type of ROS in both cell lines. In LNCaP cells, we established superoxide as a primary mediator for selenite-induced DNA SSBs, p53 activation and caspase-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore a p53-dominant negative mutant attenuated selenite-induced ROS, leading to a proportionate protection against apoptosis. The results support the p53-mitochondria axis in a feedback loop for sustaining superoxide production to lead to efficient caspase-mediated apoptosis by selenite. In contrast, caspase-mediated apoptosis induced by MSeA does not involve ROS induction. Since p53 is frequently mutated or deleted in prostate cancer and many other cancers, our results suggest that genotoxic vs. nongenotoxic classes of selenium may exert differential apoptosis efficacy depending on the p53 status of the cancer cells.
Effect of nozzle orifice geometry on spray, combustion, and emission characteristics under diesel engine conditions

Diesel engine performance and emissions are strongly coupled with fuel atomization and spray processes, which in turn are strongly influenced by injector flow dynamics. Modern engines employ micro-orifices with different orifice designs. It is critical to characterize the effects of various designs on engine performance and emissions. In this study, a recently developed primary breakup model (KH-ACT), which accounts for the effects of cavitation and turbulence generated inside the injector nozzle is incorporated into a CFD software CONVERGE for comprehensive engine simulations. The effects of orifice geometry on inner nozzle flow, spray, and combustion processes are examined by coupling the injector flow and spray simulations. Results indicate that conicity and hydrogrinding reduce cavitation and turbulence inside the nozzle orifice, which slows down primary breakup, increasing spray penetration, and reducing dispersion. Consequently, with conical and hydroground nozzles, the vaporization rate and fuel air mixing are reduced, and ignition occurs further downstream. The flame lift-off lengths are the highest and lowest for the hydroground and conical nozzles, respectively. This can be related to the rate of fuel injection, which is higher for the hydroground nozzle, leading to richer mixtures and lower flame base speeds. A modified flame index is employed to resolve the flame structure, which indicates a dual combustion mode. For the conical nozzle, the relative role of rich premixed combustion is enhanced and that of diffusion combustion reduced compared to the other two nozzles. In contrast, for the hydroground nozzle, the role of rich premixed combustion is reduced and that of non-premixed combustion is enhanced. Consequently, the amount of soot produced is the highest for the conical nozzle, while the amount of NOx produced is the highest for the hydroground nozzle, indicating the classical tradeoff between them.
Finite Element Modeling of Burr Formation Process in Drilling 304 Stainless Steel

A 3D finite element model was developed for the simulation of drilling burr formation processes of 304L stainless steel. The nonlinear thermo-elastic-plastic model simultaneously accounts for dynamic effects of mass and inertia, strain hardening, strain rate, automatic mesh contact with friction capability, material ductile failure and temperature-mechanical coupling. Material ductile failure criteria were proposed to simulate drilling burr formation. Based on a series of stress contours and the progressive deformation of the workpiece edge obtained from simulation, a drilling burr formation mechanism was proposed and divided into four stages: initiation, development, pivoting point, and formation stages with cap formation. The burr thickness is largely determined by the distance between the pre-defined machined surface and the pivoting point, while the burr height is determined by the positions of the pivoting point and the cap formation. The FEM simulation demonstrates the dominant roles of negative shearing and bending mechanisms in the drilling burr formation process. The simulation results coincide with phenomenological observations of burr geometry from drilling 304 stainless steel and plasticine work materials.
METABOLISM AND HISTOCHEMISTRY OF SKELETAL MUSCLE FROM STRESS‐SUSCEPTIBLE PIGS

The metabolism and histochemical characteristics of muscle from stress-susceptible and stress-resistant animals were studied. ATP values were. higher and lactic acid values lower in muscle of stress-resistant animals than stress-susceptible animals at the time of exsanguination. Results from oxygen uptake studies revealed that muscle from stress-susceptible animals had a lower ability for aerobic metabolism or alternatively was more labile to damage during the isolation procedure. Our oxygen uptake values for pig muscle were lower than those reported for muscle from other species. The muscle from stress-susceptible animals, when incubated under anoxic conditions, produced more lactic acid than did muscle from stress-resistant pigs under conditions where the muscle from both types of animals had similar CP and ATP levels. Samples for histochemical analysis were examined from restrained and unrestrained muscle strips. There was a trend for the restrained samples to have somewhat smaller fibers. The muscle fiber size from Poland China animals was greater than that from Chester White animals. A large number of intermediate-type fibers, on the basis of DPNH-TR and phosphorylase staining, were found in the muscle of stress-susceptible animals.
The Icing of an Unheated, Nonrotating Cylinder. Part II. Icing Wind Tunnel Experiments

Abstract An experimental investigation of icing on non-rotating cylinders, under both wet and dry conditions was undertaken. Airspeeds of 30, 61 and 122 m s−1 appropriate to aircraft icing, liquid water contents of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 g m−3 and temperatures of − 15, − 8 and − 5°C, were explored. Dry accretions were lenticular or “spearhead” shapes, while wet accretions tended to develop “horns” and stagnation line depressions as the result of the runback of unfrozen water away from the stagnation line and its subsequent freezing further around the perimeter of the cylinder. Comparisons were made between the experimental accretion shapes and those predicted by the model described in Part I. The model performed best under dry growth conditions. Under wet conditions, the model behavior, while qualitatively correct, was unable to exactly duplicate the details of the accretion profiles. Nevertheless, under both dry and wet conditions, the model predictions of the accretion cross-sectional areas, were quite accurate.
An analysis of meiotic pairing in trisomy 21 oocytes using fluorescent in situ hybridization

Abstract. We report the use of chromosome 21-specific painting probes to analyze early stages of oogenesis in nine trisomy 21 fetuses. The proportion of cells in zygotene and pachytene in
On post-IPO stock price performance: A comparative analysis of RLBOs and IPOs

This is the first study to examine the post-IPO stock price performance by differentiating between IPOs and three types of RLBOs (i.e. public-to-private (or re-IPOs), division-to-private, and private-to-private deals). We document that public-to-private RLBOs outperform their industry rivals, IPOs, mature firms in comparable industries, and a propensity-score matched control group for up to five years post-offering. Further, we document that, within RLBOs, public-to-private RLBOs, outperform private-to-private and division-to-private RLBOs. We also find support for the underwriter signaling effect for public-to-private RLBOs. Our analysis identifies for the first time what private period restructuring activities contribute to superior post-re-IPO stock price performance. Further, the beneficial effects of private period restructurings are enhanced for deals associated with prestigious underwriters. Our findings suggest that first IPOs and re-IPOs differ substantially in term of post-offer performance, the impact of prestigious underwriters on performance, and performance over time.
Experimental study of instability in random lasers

We have experimentally studied the pulse-to-pulse instability in Nd:Sc3(BO3)4 random laser. The increase of the instability at the threshold and its reduction at further increase of pumping is in line with the theoretical predictions.
Effect of Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics on in Vitro Synthesis of DNA in the Rabbit Colon

Rabbit colonic mucosa was cultured in vitro in the presence of broad-spectrum antibiotics. DNA synthesis, as determined by [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, was inhibited by clindamycin (32%) and tetracycline (28%). Penicillin G, ampicillin, and metronidazole had no effect. When bile acids were added to the incubation at a concentration of 10 mM, the more lipophilic drug, lincomycin, inhibited DNA synthesis by 38% (cholic acid) and by 23% (chenic acid). Bile acids alone did not alter thymidine incorporation. Inhibition by clindamycin demonstrated a gradual dose-response curve, with inhibition first noted at about 20 microgram of antibiotic/ml and maximal inhibition at 1,000 microgram/ml. The more biologically active metabolite of clindamycin, N-demethylclindamycin, inhibited DNA synthesis at concentrations of as low as 10 microgram/ml. The inhibition was reversible, and the drugs did not affect thymidine uptake, thymidine pool concentrations, or protein or mucopolysaccharide synthesis at concentrations of up to 300 microgram/ml. These data demonstrate a direct but reversible toxic action on mammalian colonic mucosa by certain antibiotics implicated in the production of pseudomembranous colitis and are consistent with the hypothesis that such a toxic action may be one factor in the pathogenesis of antibiotic-associated colitis.
CogNet: an architectural foundation for experimental cognitive radio networks within the future internet

This paper describes a framework for research on architectural tradeoffs and protocol designs for cognitive radio networks at both the local network and the global internetwork levels. Several key architectural issues for cognitive radio networks are discussed, including control and management protocols, support for collaborative PHY, dynamic spectrum coordination, flexible MAC layer protocols, ad hoc group formation and cross-layer adaptation. The overall goal of this work is the design and validation of the control/management and data interfaces between cognitive radio nodes in a local network, and also between cognitive radio networks and the global Internet. Protocol design and implementation based on this framework will result in the CogNet architecture, a prototype open-source cognitive radio protocol stack. Experimental evaluations on emerging cognitive radio platforms are planned for future work, first in a wireless local-area radio network scenario using wireless testbeds such as ORBIT, and later as part of several end-to-end experiments using a wide-area network testbed such as PlanetLab (and GENI in the future).
Attention to repeated images on the World-Wide Web: another look at scanpath theory.

The scanpath theory of visual perception was tested using Web pages as visual stimuli.Scanpaths are repetitive sequences of fixations and saccades that occur upon reexposure to a visual stimulus. Since Internet users are exposed to repeated visual displays, the Web provides ideal stimuli to test this theory. Eye movement data were recorded for subjects’repeated viewings of three Web pages over three sessions. Resemblance of eye path sequences was measured with a string-edit method; multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis were used to group sequences. Support was found for the scanpath theory; some clusters included pairs of sequences from the same subject. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealeda statistically significant main effect for stimulus type, with a text-intensive news story page generating more similar sequences than a graphic-intensive advertising page. There was a statistically significant main effect for cross-viewing comparisons, reflecting a linear trend in which eye paths for the same subject became more alike over time.
Legal Reasoning Anatomized: On Steiner's Moral Argument and Social Vision in the Courts

Moral Argument and Social Vision in the Courts is an unusual book. Its ultimate subject matter is the structure and underpinnings of common law legal reasoning and the mechanisms whereby legal change and innovation occur, insofar as these are expressed in judicial opinions. The vehicle immediately employed for the investigation is accident law. Since the 1950s, and particularly over the past 15 years or so, there has been a striking increase in the scope of tort liability for accidents; indeed some have seen in this something of a crisis, supposing that the fear of liability can both distort social behavior and inhibit certain beneficial activities entirely. Professor Steiner's interest is in the processes of legal reasoning that have accompanied this development. I say "accompanied," vague though the expression is, because he has not attempted to say why this movement has occurred or offered any sort of causal explanation of the phenomenon. Nor does he seem concerned to inquire into whether it has all been A Good Thing, or A Good Thing for Some. Instead his attention is directed to the analysis of the language used by judges, principally in appellate courts, in justifying the extension of tort liability. Unlike the Realists he is interested in what courts have said, rather than what they have done, and this means that his book is really an essay in textual study. As such it conforms to a prevalent movement in modern legal writing. It is limited in two further ways. The extension of tort liability has involved a number of different developments, including changes of a pro-
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies and associated diseases: a review.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) are specific for constituents of neutrophil primary granules and monocyte lysosomes. There are different types of ANCA with different specificities. By indirect immunofluorescence microscopy using alcohol-fixed neutrophils as substrate, two major categories of ANCA can be recognized, one with cytoplasmic staining (C-ANCA) and the other with artifactual perinuclear staining (P-ANCA). Some C-ANCA have specificity for proteinase 3 (PR3-ANCA) and some P-ANCA have specificity for myeloperoxidase (MPO-ANCA), but there are additional C-ANCA and P-ANCA specificities. ANCA are found in the blood of patients with necrotizing systemic vasculitis, such as Wegener's granulomatosis and polyarteritis nodosa, and patients with idiopathic crescentic glomerulonephritis. The glomerular lesion in patients with systemic and renal-limited ANCA-associated diseases is the same, ie, a pauci-immune necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis. No matter where the vascular lesions of ANCA-associated disease are (eg, kidney, lung, gut, muscle, skin), they are characterized by necrotizing inflammation and a paucity of immune deposits. The distribution of disease correlates to a degree with the ANCA specificity, although there is substantial overlap. For example, patients with Wegener's granulomatosis most often have C-ANCA and patients with renal-limited disease most often have PANCA. In patients with P-ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis, approximately 90% of the P-ANCA have specificity for MPO. The clinical manifestations of ANCA-associated diseases often begin following a flu-like illness. The onset is most often in the winter and least often in the summer. The renal disease usually presents as rapidly progressive renal failure with nephritis. One of the most life-threatening components of the systemic involvement is pulmonary hemorrhage caused by a necrotizing alveolar capillaritis. Intravenous cyclophosphamide plus steroids is as effective as oral cyclophosphamide plus steroids for controlling ANCA-associated diseases. Using lifetable analysis, the 2-year patient and renal survival rate in both patients with renal-limited and systemic disease is greater than 70%. There is evidence that in addition to being a useful serologic marker, ANCA are directly involved in the pathogenesis of the vascular injury in patients with ANCA-associated diseases. Although ANCA antigens are normally in the cytoplasm of neutrophils and monocytes, priming of these cells, as occurs following exposure to certain cytokines, results in the release of small amounts of ANCA antigens at the cell surface. In vitro, ANCA-IgG causes cytokine-primed neutrophils to undergo a respiratory burst and degranulation. The former releases toxic oxygen radicals, and the latter, lytic enzymes that are capable of causing vascular necrosis in vivo. We postulate that in patients with ANCA, a synergistic infection or other inflammatory process primes neutrophils and monocytes, which then are activated by ANCA to cause vascular injury.
β1-Adrenoceptor Activation is Required for Ethanol Enhancement of Lateral Paracapsular GABAergic Synapses in the Rat Basolateral Amygdala

Ethanol (EtOH) potentiation of GABAergic neurotransmission in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) may contribute to the acute anxiolytic effects of this drug. Previous studies have shown that BLA pyramidal neurons receive GABAergic input from two distinct sources: local interneurons and a cluster of GABAergic cells termed lateral paracapsular (LPCS) interneurons. It is noteworthy that whereas EtOH enhances local GABAergic synapses via a presynaptic increase in GABA release, EtOH potentiation of LPCS inhibition is mediated via a distinct mechanism that requires adrenoceptor (AR) activation. Here, we sought to further characterize the interaction between the AR system and EtOH enhancement of LPCS GABAergic synapses by using in vitro electrophysiology techniques in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Exogenous norepinephrine (NE) enhanced LPCS-evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (eIPSCs) via the activation of β-ARs, because this effect was blocked by propranolol. EtOH potentiation of LPCS eIPSCs was also blocked by propranolol and significantly reduced by NE pretreatment, suggesting that NE and EtOH may enhance LPCS inhibition via a common mechanism. EtOH enhancement of LPCS eIPSCs was significantly reduced by a selective β1-, but not β2- or β3-, AR antagonist, and both EtOH and NE potentiation of LPCS IPSCs was blocked by postsynaptic disruption of cAMP signaling. These data suggest that EtOH enhances LPCS synapses via a postsynaptic β1-AR, cAMP-dependent cascade. Because enhancement of LPCS inhibition can reduce anxiety-like behaviors, these findings shed light on a novel mechanism that may play a role in some of the anxiolytic effects of EtOH that are thought to contribute to the development and progression of alcoholism.
StreetSeen Visual Survey Tool for Determining Factors That Make a Street Attractive for Bicycling

In one of the first visual preference surveys to use Google Street View, adult students viewed a series of paired images of city streets and were asked to choose which image they preferred for riding a bicycle. Subsequent analyses showed differences by continent in respondents' preferences. Discrete choice models were used to demonstrate the extent to which certain segment-level factors, such as presence of trees along the street, width of the street, presence of sidewalks, and other features, were preferred. The models revealed that increasing the vehicle traffic, number of lanes, tree density of the streetscape, or number of parking lots decreased the probability of image choice. The presence of sidewalks, pedestrians, trees set back from the street, and traffic-calming devices were positively associated with respondents' preferences. The tree-related results may relate to perceived safety; for example, dense trees close to a street may limit visibility along a roadway. The models also revealed signific...
Is the Arbitrage Pricing Theory Dead

Is the Arbitrage Pricing Theory dead? This paper addresses this question by deriving a multibeta representation theorem, which can price assets using arbitrary reference variables that are not the true factors. Under this theorem, the upper bound on pricing deviations depends upon the correlations not only between the reference variables and the factors but also between the reference variables and the residual risks. A new concept of a well-diversified variable is introduced, which though free of residual risk, may be less than perfectly correlated with the true factors. Well-diversified variables correlated with the factors play a key role in the pricing of assets, since these variables can replace the factors without any loss in pricing accuracy under all linear asset pricing theories. A set of corollaries to the multibeta representation theorem are derived, which are fatal for both the APT as well as the equilibrium APT. Both these theories lead to pricing of arbitrary reference variables, which allows rejection of these theories based on casual empiricism. Since Merton's ICAPM does not suffer from such arbitrary pricing, it represents a viable theoretical framework for the empirical multifactor asset pricing models, such as the 3-factor Fama and French model.
The Role of Counties in Local Economic Development

This article focuses on the role of county governments in local economic development. It examines whether counties are fulfilling their potential as regional coordinating bodies in economic development and explicitly tests the hypothesis that counties are more likely to engage in demand-side economic development incentives because of this role. Using the International City/County Management Association Economic Development data set, the author compared economic development practices in cities and counties. The findings are somewhat mixed but indicate that counties are, at least to some extent, fulfilling a coordinating role and are more likely to practice certain types of demand-side incentives than cities.
Transplant Glomerulopathy May Occur in the Absence of Donor-Specific Antibody and C4d Staining

Background and objectives: Transplant glomerulopathy (TGP) has been proposed to be a component of chronic antibodymediated rejection (AMR). We have studied 36 patients with TGP and 51 patients with chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) but without TGP for C4d staining and donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) to investigate the alloantibody-mediated mechanisms. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: Allograft biopsies were stained with C4d staining and DSAs were studied by Luminex Flow Beads. Allograft biopsies were done at a mean of 5.3 5.0 and 5.6 4.6 yr after transplantation in patients with CAN and TGP, respectively. Results: The mean creatinine level at the time of the biopsy was 2.7 1.2 mg/dl in each group. Proteinuria of >1.0 g/d was more common in patients with TGP (61 versus 25%; P 0.002). Whereas three patients with TGP had a history of acute AMR, none of the patients with CAN had. Mean chronicity score of the biopsies were 1.7 0.7 in patients with CAN and 1.9 0.8 in patients with TGP. Biopsies from only two (4%) patients with CAN and four (11%) patients with TGP had diffuse C4d positivity. DSA were found in 36% of TGP and 33% of CAN patients. Conclusions: These results suggest that a substantial number of patients with TGP did not have positive C4d staining or DSA, indicating that a non-alloantibody-mediated process may be involved in the development of TGP in some patients. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2: 1261–1267, 2007. doi: 10.2215/CJN.02420607