cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CT Pattern of Cerebral Infarct in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (PD7.005)

OBJECTIVE: To determine the CT pattern of Cerebral Infarct (CI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and its impact on outcome. BACKGROUND: The CT pattern of CI after SAH and its impact on outcome and mortality is not well establish. DESIGN/METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive nontraumatic SAH patients hospitalized at our institution between August 2006 and March 2011. Data was collected on medical history, clinical grade, symptomatic vasospasm (defined as cerebral vasospasm requiring intra-arterial treatment), CT findings, length of stay (LOS), and good discharge disposition (categorized as home or acute rehabilitation facility). CI (defined as new hypodensity identified on CT brain) was categorized by pattern as Single cortical (SC), Single deep (SD), Multiple cortical (MC), Multiple deep (MD), and Multiple cortical and deep (MCD). RESULTS: Among 400 SAH patients, the mean age was 56.9 years (range, 21 to 96) and 80 patients (20%) died. Cerebral infarct was identified in 101 patients (25.2%). Compared to patients without CI, patients with CI more likely to have symptomatic vasospasm (41.5% vs 12.4%, p CONCLUSIONS: CI after SAH is associated with significantly increased LOS and worse discharge disposition, but does not impact in-hospital mortality in SAH. Disclosure: Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ouyang has nothing to disclose. Dr. John has nothing to disclose. Dr. Garg has received research support from the AHA. Dr. Conners has nothing to disclose. Dr. Temes has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bleck has nothing to disclose. Dr. Prabhakaran has nothing to disclose.
Donor mesenchymal stem cells home to maternal wounds after transamniotic stem cell therapy (TRASCET) in a rodent model

Abstract Purpose Transamniotic stem cell therapy (TRASCET) with amniotic fluid-derived MSCs (afMSCs) has emerged experimentally as a practical treatment strategy for congenital anomalies. In this study, we sought to determine whether afMSCs migrate to the mother following TRASCET. Methods Pregnant rat dams were divided into three groups. Two groups received volume-matched injections into all amniotic cavities of either a suspension of afMSCs labeled with a luciferase reporter gene or the luciferase protein alone. In a third group, a suspension of labeled cells was aliquoted onto the serosal surface of the uterus. Maternal samples from the laparotomy scar (fascia and skin separately), bone marrow, and peripheral blood were procured, along with placenta and umbilical cord. Specimens were screened for luminescence via microplate luminometry. Results Luminescence was detected in 60% (9/15) of the fascial scars from the group receiving intraamniotic injection of afMSCs, but in none of the other groups (P Conclusions Amniotic mesenchymal stem cells migrate to maternal sites of injury after intraamniotic injection. Maternal homing of donor cells must be considered in the setting of transamniotic stem cell therapy. Level of evidence N/A (animal and laboratory study).
On Using the Shapley Value to Approximate the Choquet Integral in Cases of Uncertain Arguments

In multicriteria decision making, the Choquet integral provides a commonly used method for the aggregation of the individual criteria satisfaction. Information about the criteria importance is expressed via a fuzzy measure on the set of criteria. One requirement in using the Choquet integral is to provide an ordering over the individual criteria satisfactions. When there exists some uncertainty regarding the criteria satisfactions, there typically exists some difficulty in providing this ordering. In an attempt to circumvent this difficulty, we suggest an approximation to the Choquet integral criteria aggregation that does not require an ordering. In this approximation, the criteria satisfactions are aggregated using as weights the Shapley index of the criteria. We provide an assessment of the merit of the approximation using the cardinality indices of the importance measure.
Beyond data models for automated user interface generation

Researchers in the area of automated design of user interfaces have shown that the layout of an interface can, in many cases, be generated from the application’s data model using an intelligent program that applies design rules. The specification of interface behavior, however, has not been automated in the same manner, and is mostly a programmatic task. Mecano is a model-based user-interface development environment that extends the notion of automating interface design from data models. Mecano uses a domain model—a high-level knowledge representation that augments significantly the expressiveness of a data model—to generate automatically both the static layout and the dynamic behavior of an interface. Mecano has been applied successfully to completely generate the layout and the dynamic behavior of relatively large and complex, domain-specific, formand graph-based interfaces for medical applications and several other domains.
Audit-based efficient accountability for node misbehavior in wireless sensor network

Wireless sensor network operate on the basic underlying assumption that all participating nodes fully collaborate in self-organizing functions. However, performing network functions consumes energy and other resources. Therefore, some network nodes may decide against cooperating with others. Node misbehavior due to selfish or malicious reasons or faulty nodes can significantly degrade the performance of mobile ad-hoc networks. To cope with misbehavior in such self-organized networks, nodes need to be able to automatically adapt their strategy to changing levels of cooperation. The problem of identifying and isolating misbehaving nodes that refuses to forward packets in multi-hop ad hoc networks. a comprehensive system called Audit-based Misbehavior Detection (AMD) that effectively and efficiently isolates both continuous and selective packet droppers. The AMD system integrates reputation management, trustworthy route discovery, and identification of misbehaving nodes based on behavioral audits. AMD evaluates node behavior on a per-packet basis, without employing energy-expensive overhearing techniques or intensive acknowledgment schemes. AMD can detect selective dropping attacks even if end-to-end traffic is encrypted and can be applied to multi-channel networks.
Genetic Tools for Investigating Mucorales Fungal Pathogenesis

Mucormycosis is an emerging opportunistic fungal infection whose causative agents are found within the Mucorales family. A recent increase in immunocompromised cohorts with solid organ transplants, diabetes mellitus, and other medical conditions have resulted in increased fungal infections including mucormycosis. Our current knowledge about Mucoralean fungi is in its infancy compared to other fungal pathogens, which may be due to lack of robust genetic tools for Mucorales. In this review, we summarize recent advances in genetic tools to study the two most prevalent and genetically amenable Mucoralean fungi, Mucor circinelloides and Rhizopus delemar. There have been advances made in the study of Mucorales family genetics. These findings include the construction of recyclable markers to manipulate the genome, as well as silencing vectors, and the adaptation of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system. We present how these genetic methods have been applied to understand basic biology, morphogenesis, pathogenesis, and host-pathogen interactions in the two Mucoralean fungi, M. circinelloides and R. delemar. With these advances in Mucorales, the opportunity to further understand the pathogenesis of these organisms is opened.
Efficient Distributed Search for Multicast Session Keywords.

mDNS is a proposed DNS-aware, hierarchical, and scalable multicast session directory architecture that enables multicast session registration and makes them discoverable in real time. It supports domain-specific as well as global searches for candidate sessions. This paper improves mDNS global search algorithm and addresses various security and scalability concerns that remained in mDNS. We propose distributing the overall keyword space among designated MSD servers using hash values. In contrast to other P2P keyword search approaches, we propose IP style prefix routing on the keyword hashes to locate the appropriate MSD server in order to register or retrieve any globally-scoped multicast session. This supports efficient and fast distributed keyword search.
Entomopathogenic nematode performance against Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in school athletic turf: Effects of traffic and soil properties

Abstract Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) have potential as an alternate means of controlling soil-dwelling pests in settings such as school athletic fields, where use of chemical pesticides is often restricted or prohibited. Athletic fields are also unique among turfgrass systems, as their distinct pattern of foot traffic can result in compaction and other soil properties varying across different areas of the field, potentially causing variability in EPN performance even within a single field, as many abiotic and biotic soil properties are known to influence EPN efficacy. We tested the efficacy of the EPNs Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora against third-instar grubs of the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica in high-traffic and low-traffic areas of two soccer fields in New York State, one grown atop loam soil and the other atop loamy sand. Efficacy was low in the loam soil but modest for both species in the loamy sand, though the only significant increase over controls occurred in S. feltiae-inoculated plots within low traffic areas in 2016. Non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed positive associations between efficacy of both EPN species and soil sand content, suggesting that sandy soils are most optimal for curative applications against turfgrass pests. Soil biotic factors, such as microarthropod abundance, were not found to have an effect on EPNs. These results will aid turfgrass managers by improving knowledge of the conditions required for effective use of EPNs.
Evidence of naturally-occurring vanadyl porphyrins containing multiple S and O atoms

Abstract A host of vanadyl petroporphyrins containing multiple sulfur and oxygen atoms and their combinations (CcH2c+ZN4VOoSs, s = 0–3, o = 1–4, Z = −28 to −70) in a vacuum residue were observed by a combination of extensive enrichment of petroporphyrins and detailed analysis using ultra-high resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). Many of the petroporphyrin species are being observed for the very first time. The patterns of the porphyrin type distribution revealed dramatic differences in the sulfur and oxygen atom incorporations and their impact on Z number. For each sulfur atom addition, the average Z-number was reduced by ∼4–7, implying that sulfur may be incorporated by the additions of thiophene or cyclic thiophene moieties. In contrast, oxygen addition had little to no impact on the average Z number, implying that oxygen may be incorporated as carbonyl or hydroxyl groups. The porphyrin-based structures were found to contain as many as 8 aromatic rings in addition to the porphyrin macrocycle. Petroporphyrins in longer wavelength absorption fractions were found to contain more heteroatoms and more condensed aromatic rings.
Corticosteroids for Septic Shock: Another Chapter in the Saga.

The use of corticosteroids in the management of septic shock has been a highly debated topic for quite some time. Corticosteroids have the ability to combat hyperinflammatory and exaggerated vasodi...
Developing and employing a ‘responsive manualization’ in the ‘Acupuncture Approaches to Decrease Disparities in Outcomes of Pain Treatment’ comparative effectiveness study:

Objective:The aim of this article is to describe the process used to develop an acupuncture therapy manual for a large effectiveness trial comparing individual care against group care for chronic p...
The fMRI Data of Thompson et al. (2006) Do Not Constrain How the Human Midbrain Represents Interaural Time Delay

This commentary provides an alternate interpretation of the fMRI data that were presented in a communication to the journal Nature Neuroscience (Thompson et al., Nat. Neurosci. 9: 1096-1098, 2006 ). The authors argued that their observations demonstrated that traditional models of binaural hearing which incorporate "internal delays," such as the coincidence-counting mechanism proposed by Jeffress and quantified by Colburn, are invalid, and that a new model for human interaural time delay processing must be developed. We argue that the fMRI data presented do not strongly favor either the refutation or the retention of the traditional models, although they may be useful in constraining the physiological sites of various processing stages. The conclusions of Thompson et al. are based on the locations of maximal activity in the midbrain in response to selected binaural signals. These locations are inconsistent with well-known perceptual attributes of the stimuli under consideration, as is noted by the authors, which suggests that further processing is involved in forming the percept of subjective lateral position.
Neutrophil GM-CSF signaling in inflammatory bowel disease patients is influenced by non-coding genetic variants.

Neutrophil dysfunction and GM-CSF auto-antibodies are observed in pediatric and adult patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). We associated damaging coding variants with low GM-CSF induced STAT5 stimulation index (GMSI) in pediatric CD patients and implicated variation of neutrophil GM-CSF signaling in cell function and disease complications. Because many CD patients with low GMSI do not carry damaging coding mutations, we sought to test the hypothesis that non-coding variants contribute to this phenotype. We enrolled, performed whole genome sequencing, and measured the GMSI in 77 CD and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients (24 low and 53 normal GMSI). We identified 4 non-coding variants (rs3808851, rs10974787, rs10974788 and rs10974789) in RCL1 significantly associated with variation of GMSI level (p < 0.011). They were validated in two independent cohorts with: RNAseq data (n = 50) and blood eQTL dataset (n = 31,684). These variants are in LD and affect expression of JAK2 (p 0.005 to 0.013), RCL1 (p 8.17E-13 to 2.98E-11) and AK3 (p 2.00E-68 to 3.03E-55) genes. Additionally, they influence proteins involved in differentiation of gut epithelium, inflammation, and immune system regulation. In summary, our study outlines the contribution of non-coding variants in neutrophil GM-CSF signaling and the potential importance of RCL1 and AK3 in CD pathogenesis.
A systematic optimization of 19F MR image acquisition to detect macrophage invasion into an ECM hydrogel implanted in the stroke-damaged brain.

Abstract 19F-MR imaging of perfluorocarbon (PFC)-labeled macrophages can provide a unique insight into their participation and spatio-temporal dynamics of inflammatory events, such as the biodegradation of an extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogel implanted into a stroke cavity. To determine the most efficient acquisition strategy for 19F-MR imaging, five commonly used sequences were optimized using a design of experiment (DoE) approach and compared based on their signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) sequence produced the most efficient detection of a 19F signal followed by the rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) sequence. The multi-slice multi-echo (MSME), fast low angle shot (FLASH), and zero echo time (ZTE) sequences were significantly less efficient. Imaging parameters (matrix/voxel size; slice thickness, number of averages) determined the accuracy (i.e. trueness and precision) of object identification by reducing partial volume effects, as determined by analysis of the point spread function (PSF). A 96 × 96 matrix size (0.35 mm3) produced the lowest limit of detection (LOD) for RARE (2.85 mM PFPE; 119 mM 19F) and FISP (0.43 mM PFPE; 18.1 mM 19F), with an SNR of 2 as the detection threshold. Imaging of a brain phantom with PFC-labeled macrophages invading an ECM hydrogel further illustrated the impact of these parameter changes. The systematic optimization of sequence and imaging parameters provides the framework for an accurate visualization of 19F-labeled macrophage distribution and density in the brain. This will enhance our understanding of the contribution of periphery-derived macrophages in bioscaffold degradation and its role in brain tissue regeneration.
Una teología gótica sureña: Flannery O’Connor y su concepción religiosa de la novela

Mary Flannery O’Connor, often considered one of the greatest North American writers of the twentieth century, seems to have endorsed the existence of them “Catholic novel” as a special genre. This article explores O’Connor’s characterization of such a genre while also demonstrating its vagueness and limitations. Notwithstanding what I will argue is the impossibility of defining such a term, this article also suggests that O’Connor’s thought transcends the field of literature and demonstrates a distinctive and sophisticated “Southern Gothic” vision of the Christian faith and its theology. O’Connor’s worldview begins with a realism that calls into question the modern Cartesian self; a sacramental sensibility that impregnates imminent reality; and a vision of the grotesque that interacts with the divine mystery. She points out that Christian beliefs rely on narratives, not on abstract concepts, and she grounds her own narrative in the particular cultural historical context of the Southern United States, which waits with mysterious hope for the violent arrival of divine grace.
Elevated blood pressure after craniotomy: A prospective observational study.

Abstract Purpose Close hemodynamic monitoring after craniotomy is routine given risk for post-operative hypertension, systemic and neurological complications. Patient and peri-operative variables associated with increased risk of post-craniotomy hypertension and complications are not well understood. Our analysis aims to estimate the incidence and prevalence of post-craniotomy hypertension, its time course, contributing factors, and post-craniotomy complications. Material and methods This is a prospective study of patients admitted to the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit after an elective craniotomy. Variables associated with pre-surgical risk, demographics, and post-operative care were analyzed. Results A total of 282 patients were included in the final analysis, 44% had pre-existing hypertension. Post-craniotomy hypertension was seen in 21%, with a higher incidence in patients with pre-existing hypertension (p Conclusions Development of hypertension after craniotomy is multi-factorial. In this prospective study, a prior history of hypertension was the only associated independent risk factor.
Homography Estimation with Convolutional Neural Networks Under Conditions of Variance.

Planar homography estimation is foundational to many computer vision problems, such as Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) and Augmented Reality (AR). However, conditions of high variance confound even the state-of-the-art algorithms. In this report, we analyze the performance of two recently published methods using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) that are meant to replace the more traditional feature-matching based approaches to the estimation of homography. Our evaluation of the CNN based methods focuses particularly on measuring the performance under conditions of significant noise, illumination shift, and occlusion. We also measure the benefits of training CNNs to varying degrees of noise. Additionally, we compare the effect of using color images instead of grayscale images for inputs to CNNs. Finally, we compare the results against baseline feature-matching based homography estimation methods using SIFT, SURF, and ORB. We find that CNNs can be trained to be more robust against noise, but at a small cost to accuracy in the noiseless case. Additionally, CNNs perform significantly better in conditions of extreme variance than their feature-matching based counterparts. With regard to color inputs, we conclude that with no change in the CNN architecture to take advantage of the additional information in the color planes, the difference in performance using color inputs or grayscale inputs is negligible. About the CNNs trained with noise-corrupted inputs, we show that training a CNN to a specific magnitude of noise leads to a "Goldilocks Zone" with regard to the noise levels where that CNN performs best.
Designing Publicly Engaged First-Year Research Projects: Protest Art and Social Change

This research assignment invites students in a first-year writing preparation course to explore topics of social justice through protest art. The course is taught at a small, private liberal arts college in a course for â€œemerging writers.â€ I have taught this assignment at a predominantly White institution (PWI), in a course where the majority of students are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Students choose a work of protest art from the campus library special collections, frame the social justice issue it addresses in a local context using local sources, and then write an essay that puts that research in conversation with their own story. Finally, linking public history to civic engagement, students create their own protest art as a community call to action. The multimodal, local, and personal nature of this writing assignment creates opportunities for students to see the connections between their emerging identities as writers and civic actors. This assignment can create space for students to use their multilingual identities to speak back to the structural inequality within our institution, developing confidence in their own voices to call for meaningful change.
Is shift-work associated with increased risk of esophageal cancer for males? A meta-analysis.

190Background: Globally, more than 570,000 people are diagnosed of esophageal cancer each year. Shift-work involving circadian disruption was designated as a probable cause of cancer by The Interna...
Tracking the dynamic motion of held objects using pulsed harmonic Doppler radar

Tracking the motion of held objects is becoming increasingly important in smart home applications. MicroDoppler radar has proven beneficial for tracking the motion of people, as various parts of the body, such as the arms and legs, move with different velocities as a function of time, thereby generating different Doppler frequency sidebands in the received response. The time-frequency signature of these responses can be used to classify activities. Since natural objects are generally linear, the back-scattered signals are collected at the same frequency as the transmitted signals, thus the micro-Doppler frequency sidebands are observed around the transmitted center frequency. In home settings, clutter can thus become a challenge in the detection of small movements. In this work, we demonstrate an approach for tracking held objects in high-clutter environments using harmonic Doppler and harmonic tags to detect the micro-motion signatures of held objects. While previous works have investigated harmonic radar for target tracking, this work uniquely focuses on detection of the timevarying Doppler responses from micro-motion signatures of held objects. By placing a passive harmonic tag on various parts of the human body, the motion of individual body parts and/or individual held objects can be discerned. In this work we characterize the harmonic micro-Doppler signatures of tags held on different parts of the body. We present expected results and compare them to measurements conducted using a 2.51 GHz/5.02 GHz harmonic Doppler radar
Effect of time-step size on flow around generic car models

Abstract The current paper analyzes the effect of time-step size on the predictive capability and computational cost of two unsteady methods (Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes [URANS] and Delayed Detached-Eddy Simulations [DDES]). Two generic vehicle models (SAE notchback and DrivAer fastback) were tested using time-step sizes ranging over two orders-of-magnitude 1 χ – 100 χ , with 1 χ corresponding to the smallest time-step case with an average cell convective Courant number of around one. Of the two methods, URANS was less sensitive to time-step size than DDES in the time-averaged flow field predictions. For both unsteady methods, the drag buildup and mean flow-field predictions at a time-step size as high as 50 χ was found to correlate closely with the temporally resolved case of 1 χ . This was especially true around the rotating wheels of the DrivAer model, where even at the largest time-step size of 100 χ , both unsteady methods predicted a flow much closer to the temporally well resolved case than steady RANS. Additionally, the added cost of the unsteady methods was found to be nearly inversely proportional to the time-step size when using a fixed number of inner iterations. At a time-step of 50 χ , the total cost was only ∼ 3–7 times that of RANS.
Development Aspects of a Trans-Pacific Partnership

Given the current state of multilateral trade negotiations, it appears that preferential trade agreements (PTAs) will serve as the main vehicle for increased liberalization in the short term. The question arises, whether the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) should and could include provisions for special treatment for developing countries, and what other aspects of the TPP have special effects on the growth of developing countries. An important range of issues relates to the preservation of policy space for developing countries to take measures to promote their development. PTAs do not normally have significant arrangements for so-called “special and differential treatment,” which at the WTO includes expanded market access for developing countries in developed country markets, and abstention by developed countries from demands for reciprocal market opening of developing countries. Since the TPP is hoped to have an expanding membership, and is heralded as a “21st Century” trade agreement, it is worthwhile to consider what types of special provisions would be appropriate to be included relating to developing countries.
"the Government Beguiled Me": The Entrapment Defense and the Problem of Private Entrapment

Defendants who are being tried for accepting a temptation issued by the government sometimes employ the entrapment defense. Acquittal of some of them is thought to be justified either on the grounds that culpability was undermined by the temptation (the “subjective” approach) or on the grounds that the government acted objectionably in issuing the temptation (the “objective” approach). Advocates of the objective approach often criticize those who employ the subjective by citing what is here called “the problem of private entrapment”: we don’t grant a defense to those who accept temptations issued by private parties, and so it can’t be, it is claimed, that temptation undermines culpability. This paper argues that there is a difference in culpability between a defendant who accepts a government-issued temptation and a defendant who accepts a temptation issued by a private party. This claim is supported by identifying a necessary condition for desert of legal punishment and arguing that the privately entrapped satisfy that condition while the governmentally entrapped do not. The difference, it is argued, is rooted in the fact that the government aims to cause the defendant to act illegally, while private parties, except in extraordinary cases, aim only to cause the defendant to act in a way that happens to be illegal. The paper also argues that, despite appearances to the contrary, advocates of the objective approach also encounter the problem of private entrapment.
Epitaxially-stacked multiple-active-region 1.55 /spl mu/m lasers for increased efficiency

Summary form only given. Semiconductor lasers with optical efficiencies >1 have been created by monolithically connecting several active regions in series within a single optical waveguide. This is accomplished by epitaxially stacking a multiple of pin-MQW active regions with intermediate n/sup ++/-p/sup ++/ back-diodes which enable the entire terminal current to flow through each active region in series.
Oral pregneninolone in the treatment of spontaneous abortion

Abstract The purpose of this communication is to present the results of the treatment of a series of 50 consecutive cases of threatened and habitual abortion treated with oral pregneninolone. All patients enrolled for obstetric care were given a supply of 5 mg. tablets of pranone ∗ ∗Pranone (anhydro-hydroxy-progesterone) supplied by the Schering Corporation. to have on hand. Those patients presenting a history of habitual abortion were instructed to take 10 mg. twice weekly until quickening occurred. In special cases, where a history of miscarriage in the later months of pregnancy was obtained, therapy was continued for a longer period. These patients were advised to record on a calendar the days that menstruation would occur if they were not pregnant. At this time their activity was restricted, and 10 mg. were given daily. Patients with threatened abortion received a minimum of 10 mg. twice daily until all symptoms subsided, and then continued to take 10 mg. twice weekly for several months. Bed rest and occasionally barbiturates were the only other therapeutic measures. Morphine and its derivatives were not used because of the danger of stimulating uterine contractions. 1
Chapter 10 Price discrimination

4. Summary As we indicated at the beginning of this chapter, price discrimination is a ubiquitous phenomenon. Nearly all firms with market power attempt to engage in some type of price discrimination. Thus, the analysis of the forms that price discrimination can take and the effects of price discrimination on economic welfare are a very important aspect of the study of industrial organization. In this survey we have seen some of the insights offered by the economic theory of price discrimination. However, much work remains to be done. For example, the study of marketing behavior at the retail level is still in its infancy. Retail firms use a variety of marketing devices — sales, coupons, matching offers, price promotions, and so on — that apparently enhance sales. The marketing literature has examined individual firm choices of such promotional tools. But what is the ultimate effect of such promotions on the structure and performance of market equilibrium? What kinds of marketing devices serve to enhance economic welfare and what kinds represent deadweight loss? One particularly interesting set of questions in this area that has received little attention concerns the computational costs involved in using complex forms of price discrimination. In the post-deregulation airline industry of the United States, airlines have taken to using very involved pricing schemes. Finding the most inexpensive feasible fight may involve a considerable expenditure of time and effort. What are the welfare consequences of this sort of price discrimination? Do firms appropriately take into account the computational externality imposed on their customers? Even in more prosaic case of public utilities, pricing schedules have become so complex that households often make the “wrong” choice of telephone service or electricity use. Questions of simplicity and ease-of-use have not hitherto played a role in the positive and normative analysis of price discrimination. Perhaps this will serve as a fruitful area of investigation in future studies of price discrimination.
Activity-dependent reduction in voltage-dependent calcium current in a crayfish motoneuron

The effect of increased impulse activity upon voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents was studied in the cell body of a crayfish phasic motoneuron using two-electrode voltage-clamp technique. Increased electrical activity in this relatively inactive motoneuron produces a short-term and long-term reduction in the voltage-dependent Ca2+ current. Both forms of activity-dependent reduction in Ca2+ current are Ca2+ dependent. The short-term reduction in Ca2+ current appears to involve the Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation of Ca2+ channels, previously described in a variety of neurons. The long-term reduction in Ca2+ current is produced by prolonged Ca2+ influx and persists for days: in vivo stimulation of the phasic motor axon at 5 Hz for 1 hr results in a 30% reduction in Ca2+ current density, which persists for at least 3 d. Both the short-term and long-term reductions in Ca2+ current appear to result from changes in a single type of high-voltage-activated (HVA) Ca2+ channel. Inhibition of protein synthesis attenuates the long-term reduction in Ca2+ current and has no effect upon the short-term Ca2+ current reduction. During the long-term reduction in Ca2+ current, it appears that Ca2+ channels located distant to the site of Ca2+ influx are affected. The relationship of these results to a previously described Ca(2+)-dependent reduction in transmitter release is discussed.
Identifying branched metabolic pathways by merging linear metabolic pathways

This paper presents a graph-based algorithm for identifying complex metabolic pathways in multi-genome scale metabolic data. These complex pathways are called branched pathways because they can arrive at a target compound through combinations of pathways that split compounds into smaller ones, work in parallel with many compounds, and join compounds into larger ones. While most previous work has focused on identifying linear metabolic pathways, branched metabolic pathways predominate in metabolic networks. Automatic identification of branched pathways has a number of important applications in areas that require deeper understanding of metabolism, such as metabolic engineering and drug target identification. Our algorithm utilizes explicit atom tracking to identify linear metabolic pathways and then merges them together into branched metabolic pathways. We provide results on two well-characterized metabolic pathways that demonstrate that this new merging approach can efficiently find biologically relevant branched metabolic pathways with complex structures.
The Gerhard Wagner Collection—Tourmalines & Fine Minerals Part 1 by James Walker, Mary Fong/Walker, Craig Kissick, and Jenny Milani with photographs by Mark Mauthner. Fine Minerals Auction Catalog for 7 June 2015. Heritage Auctions, Dallas, TX; www.HA.com. 294 pages; 2015; $50 (plus postage and handling) (softbound).

Rocks & Minerals does not often review media directly related to commercial mineral sales, but in this case, an exceptional book documenting the initial auction of an important mineral collection h...
Temperature-sensitive nonsense mutations in essential genes of Escherichia coli.

Abstract Cells containing nonsense mutations in essential genes have been isolated in a strain of Escherichia coli that carried the su4ts gene which specifies a temperature-sensitive tyrosine transfer ribonucleic acid. Such cells are unable to form colonies at temperatures which inactivate this suppressor transfer ribonucleic acid. A screening procedure for the identification of mutants that carry temperature-sensitive nonsense mutations in essential genes is described, and certain properties of two such mutants are reported.
Interdot excitation transfer and spectral diffusion: consequences of wetting layer potential fluctuations in self-assembled quantum dots

Abstract A thin quantum well called the wetting layer is created whenever self-assembled quantum dots are fabricated. The wetting layer is highly non-uniform, thereby producing potential fluctuations that influence the physics of the quantum dots. Here, we report several effects that are caused by such fluctuations. In particular, light-induced spectral diffusion on a very long time scale and interdot excitation transfer are observed in a sample of InAlAs quantum dots. We show that the existence of both these phenomena is due to the wetting layer fluctuations.
Interactions of Sulfonylureas with Plasma Proteins

The binding of sulfonylureas to plasma proteins was studied by a fluorescence method, using 9-(4′-carboxyanilino)-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine (III) and 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (IV) as fluorescence probes. Chlorpropamide, acetohexamide, and tolbutamide competed with IV but not with III in binding to bovine serum albumin. In the cases of glipizide (I) and glyburide (glibenclamide) (II), however, competitive binding between these drugs and III was observed. In contrast to the decrease in intensity, fluorescence enhancement of IV by I and by II was found in human serum albumin and in both human and bovine serum albumins, respectively. The fluorescence of warfarin in bovine serum albumin solution was increased by the addition of I. This may indicate the formation of ternary complexes between these drugs and the probe-protein complex; as a result, these drugs may enhance the protein binding of the probe or drugs that compete with the probe for the same binding sites. In comparison with other sulfonylureas, I and II bind to different but closely located sites on the protein with greater affinities.
Waiting-Time Distribution of a Multi-Server, Priority Queuing System

An explicit formula is given for the waiting-time distribution of any number of parallel, negative-exponential servers subject to Poisson demands from any number of priority classes. The demand rates may be different for the priority classes, but the service rate is the same for all classes. The queue discipline is first-come-within-priority class sequence.
Extensions of the Hadamard determinant theorem

Denote byHn the set ofn byn, positive definite hermitian matrices. Hadamard proved thath(A)≧det(A) for allA∈Hn, whereh(A) is the product of the main diagonal elements ofA. Subsequently, M. Marcus showed that per(A)≧h(A) for allA∈Hn. This article contains a result for all generalized matrix functions from which it follows thath(A)≧(per(A1/n))n,A∈Hn.
Mapping and isolation of large peptide fragments from bovine neurophysins and biosynthetic neurophysin-containing species by high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract A peptide mapping procedure suitable for rapid analysis and peptide recovery was devised for the neurophysins. Tryptic fragments of performic acid-oxidized bovine neurophysins I and II were fractionated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using γ-cyanopropyl-bonded columns. Elutions were achieved using a gradient from triethylammonium phosphate buffer to mixtures of this buffer with increasing proportions of acetonitrile. All tryptic fragments, except for dipeptides, were separated. Assignments of eluted peaks to particular authentic neurophysin peptides were achieved by collection of peaks and determination of their amino acid compositions. The use of this peptide mapping procedure to detect subpicomole amounts of neurophysin peptides in cell-free biosynthetic products was demonstrated.
Reversible C−H Bond Activation in Coordinatively Unsaturated Molybdenum Aryloxy Complexes, Mo(PMe3)4(OAr)H: Comparison with Their Tungsten Analogs

Mo(PMe3)6 reacts with ArOH (Ar = C6H2Me3, C6H3Pri2) to give aryloxy−hydride derivatives Mo(PMe3)4(OAr)H in contrast to the cyclometalated derivatives that are obtained for the corresponding tungsten system. Deuterium labeling and magnetization transfer studies, however, demonstrate that the coordinatively unsaturated molybdenum complexes Mo(PMe3)4(OAr)H are in fact kinetically capable of intramolecular oxidative addition of a C−H bond to yield cyclometalated derivatives but that the products so obtained are thermodynamically unstable with respect to the aryloxy−hydride derivatives.
No Harm, No Foul? Organizational Intervention in Workplace Spirituality*

Abstract Both academic and popular literature report that employees wish for soul-enriching fulfillment at work, and that employers have at least recognized, and in some cases embraced, this wish. The increasing incidence of spirituality and religion at work (SRW), however, creates an interesting balance for organizational administrators to strike: how should SRW needs be accommodated when crafting policy, given the legal reality of Title VII and the tradition of American workplace secularism? We discuss this tension and suggest that relying on legal compliance or historical organizational secularism is insufficient. Recent evidence offers insight into a “non-interventionist” approach that may assist policy makers in going forward with SRW opportunities.
Synaptic termination of afferents from the ventrolateral nucleus of the thalamus in the cat motor cortex. A light and electron microscope study

The synaptic termination in the cat motor cortex of afferents from the ventrolateral nucleus of the thalamus (VL) has been studied with experimental light and electron microscopic methods. The distribution of normal synapses on motor cortex pyramidal, stellate, and Betz cells was also examined. Synapses in the motor cortex can be classified into two general types. The first and most prominent type contains flat vesicles, lacks a compact postsynaptic density, and corresponds to Colonnier's ('68) symmetrical synapse. Stellate neurons receive synapses of both types on their cell bodies and proximal dendritic shafts, while pyramidal cells have only symmetrical synapses at these sites. The dendritic spines of both stellate and pyramidal cells are contacted by predominantly asymmetrical synapses. Betz cells, like smaller pyramidal neurons, receive only symmetrical synapses on their cell bodies. The proximal portions of the Betz cells apical dendrites, however, receive both asymmetrical and symmetrical synapses. Following VL lesions, degenerating synapses were mainly found in three cortical layers: the upper third of layer I (18%), layer III (66%), and layer VI (13%). Degenerating synapses were not seen in the lower two-thirds of layer I or in layer II, and were only rarely seen in layer V (3%). Ninety-one percent of the VL synapses were found on spines and 8% on stellate-type dendritic shafts. Stellate cell bodies rarely received VL synapses (1%) and none occurred on pyramidal or Betz cell bodies and their proximal dendrites. A VL synapse within layer III was found on two dendritic spines of a Betz cell apical dendrite. Thus, part of the VL input to layer III synapses on the processes of both motor cortex output neurons (Betz cells in layer V) and cortical interneurons (stellate cells in layer III).
Orbital inflammatory disease: Unusual presentation of enthesitis in an HLA-B27 spondyloarthropathy

Background: Orbital inflammatory disease can complicate many systemic inflammatory disorders, including sarcoidosis, vasculitis, Crohn’s disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis and scleroderma, but has not been reported with spondyloarthropathies.Observations: The authors describe a 29-year-old woman who developed orbital myositis, in addition to anterior uveitis, sacroiliitis and peripheral arthritis, as a complication of an underlying HLA-B27 related spondyloarthropathy, which responded temporarily to corticosteroid therapy and more completely to adalimumab.Conclusions: The patient reported herein presents with orbital inflammation as an extra-articular manifestation of HLA-B27 associated undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy. We propose that enthesitis is the likely mechanism of orbital inflammation in this patient.
Physical activity, adiposity, and risk of endometrial cancer.

Objective We examined the associations of leisure-time physical activity and adiposity with endometrial cancer risk.
A Diffusion-Compensation Relation for Normal Grain Growth and Grain-Boundary Diffusion of Oxygen in Oxides

Values of D0/δ and Q for grain-boundary diffusion, derived from published studies of normal grain growth in Al2O3, BeO, CaO, MgO, SiO2, and CaSiO3, are fit by the linear compensation equation log D0/δ=0.03170Q -7.6792 (r2=0.9384). Comparison of grain-boundary diffusion coefficients derived from grain growth in oxides with those obtained by direct experimental measurement suggests that the kinetics of normal grain growth are controlled by grain-boundary diffusion of oxygen.
Interdisciplinary Assessment of Children With Hearing Loss and Multiple Disabilities

Meeting the complex needs of children with hearing loss and multiple disabilities requires the expertise of several professional disciplines. This article describes an interdisciplinary Hearing and...
Cellular therapeutics delivery to the spinal cord: technical considerations for clinical application

Current literature demonstrates the efficacy of cell-based therapeutics in small animal models of varied spinal cord diseases. However, logistic challenges remain towards development of an optimized delivery approach to the human spinal cord. Clinical trials utilize a variety of methods to achieve this aim. In this article, the authors review currently employed delivery methods, compare the merits of alternate delivery paradigms, introduce their implementation in completed and ongoing clinical trials, and discuss promising near-term advances in image-guided delivery and in vivo graft tracking.
THE CONTINGENCY OF CUTENESS: A REPLY TO SANDERS

L'A. precise le concept de cuteness, i.e. ensemble de traits physiques distinctifs des bebes qui provoque le comportement protectionniste de la part des adultes et joue le role de facteur de survie des jeunes enfants.
Study of Congenitally Missing Second Premolars and Space Factors in the Arches

The theory that human dentition is passing through a transitional stage leading to a decrease in the number of teeth is supported by most odontologists. Recently, Dahlberg (2) discussed this tendency and referred to the general trend toward a reduction in size, form, and number of teeth in human beings. The causal factors associated with this deficiency in the dental arches is difficult to identify. Several theories which have been presented, such as those by Montagu (3), Schultz (5), and others, seem to fit special cases but do not account for the congenital absence of teeth located in the premolar region of the arches. Mere chance alone does not explain the failure of some types of teeth to develop. In an earlier publication (1), the authors called attention to a definite pattern or regularity with which certain teeth failed to develop in 184 persons. They reported that the teeth most frequently congenitally missing were the upper second incisors, second premolars, and third molars. Any other tooth may on occasion be congenitally absent, but except for the lower first incisors the frequency is very low. Since that report, 232 new cases of congenitally missing teeth have been collected and studied. In tabulating the new data we find that the pattern of the congenital absence of teeth remains the same. The upper second incisors, second premolars, and third molars which are most often absent have also been found to be the most variable in pattern and size (6). It seems justifiable, therefore, to assume that some factor or factors control the variation in the development of these tooth buds. The authors of this report have suggested in a previous publication (1) that arch size and congenital absence of teeth seem to be separate entities. This contention is also borne out by our study of missing second premolars which is reported in the present paper. All interpretations are based upon examinations of the patients with a study of dental models made from impressions of the arches and complete oral radiographs of those persons.