cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Limiting properties of large system of random linear equations

Abstract : S. Geman and Chi R. Hwang proposed a kind of algebraic systems of equations and proved the law of large numbers for its solution. In this paper, the conditions to ensure these results are significantly weakened for the law of large numbers. Also, the central limit theorem is shown. For both the law of large numbers and the limit theorem, the only needed assumption is that the random variables have finite second moment. Keywords: Multivariate analysis; Matrices(Mathematics). (Author)
ENHANCED IMMUNE SENSITIVITY TO STRESS FOLLOWING CHRONIC MORPHINE EXPOSURE

Chronic administration of escalating doses ofmorphine leads to neuroadaptive changes precipitating development of tolerance to many of the acute effects of morphine, such as analgesia, activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and suppression of immune cell activities. Interestingly, morphine tolerance has also been shown to be accompanied by heightened immunosuppressive effects of restraint stress using a rodent model. These observations have led to the hypothesis that the altered neuronal state accompanying opioid tolerance may contribute to this enhanced immune sensitivity to stress. To further test this hypothesis using different stressors, Sprague–Dawley rats were treated chronically with morphine for at least 8 days and then challenged with either psychological (water stress) or systemic stressors [morphine withdrawal, lipopolysaccharide (10 μg/kg i.p. challenge)]. It was found that, independent of the type of stress employed, morphine-tolerant animals displayed significantly lower mitogen-stimulated blood lymphocyte responses when compared to the responses of similarly treated saline controls. To determine whether direct activation of central stress pathways may also lead to enhanced immune sensitivity, morphine-tolerant animals were centrally injected with IL-1β (1 ng/μl i.c.v.), a cytokine that activates the HPA axis by central mechanisms. Similar to the other types of stress, this direct central challenge was also found to be more immunosuppressive in morphine-tolerant animals compared to controls. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that morphine-tolerant animals have an enhanced susceptibility to the debilitating effects of a variety of stressors on immune cell function, an effect that is likely due to the neuroadaptive changes that develop during chronic morphine exposure.
Using fuzzy sets to analyze putative correlates between age, blood type, gender and/or race with bacterial infection

Previous studies have suggested that the demographic variables of age and blood type may serve as ''risk factors'' for infection by specific bacterial species. Since both demographic variables and bacterial species are defined using generally accepted parameters, they constitute highly suitable variables for the generation of a fuzzy logic program. A prospective study was therefore undertaken to examine the influence of age, blood type, gender and race on bacterial infection rates using a real database generated from 187 bacteremic patients admitted to Albert Einstein Medical Center. A fuzzy logic program was created using 155 randomly selected patients' data with four input (demographic variables) and four output classes (infections with ''staphylococci'', ''streptococci'', ''Escherichia coli'' or ''non-E. coli gram negative rods (non-E.coli GNR)''). To see whether bacterial infection could be predicted based on demographic data alone, the program was tested using the remaining 32 patients' data. The program was able to correctly determine the bacterial output group of 27 of 32 randomly selected patients, giving an overall correlation of 84.38%. This study suggests that the direct correlation of demographic variables with a predisposition to bacterial infection allow the design of an intelligent medical system, which shows great future potential as a powerful diagnostic tool for all physicians.
Listeria monocytogenes: comparative interpretation of mouse virulence assay

Being an opportunistic bacterial pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes demonstrates significant strain variations in virulence and pathogenicity. The availability of laboratory procedures to ascertain the pathogenic potential of L. monocytogenes bacteria would greatly enhance the control and prevention of listerial infections. As a method that measures all virulent determinants, mouse virulence assay has been frequently used for assessing L. monocytogenes virulence. The pathogenic potential of a given L. monocytogenes strain as determined by mouse virulence assay is often calculated from mouse mortality data in combination with colony forming units (CFUs) derived from plate counts, and expressed by medium lethal dose (LD50). In this report, we describe an alternative method [i.e., relative virulence (%)] that does not involve CFU estimation, and is comparable to LD50 for interpretation of mouse virulence assay for L. monocytogenes. The relative virulence (%) is obtained by dividing the number of dead mice with the total number of mice tested for a particular strain using a known virulent strain (e.g., L. monocytogenes EGD) as reference. Besides providing a more direct interpretation in comparison with LD50 values for mouse virulence assay, this method requires fewer dosage groups per L. monocytogenes strain, and eliminates CFU estimation that is step subject to variations between runs and also between laboratories.
A NEUTRON DIFFRACTION STUDY OF THE EXTENT OF DISORDER IN THE LOW TEMPERATURE (20 K) STRUCTURE OF β-(BEDT-TTF)2I2Br

Abstract The structure of β-(BEDT-TTF) 2 I 2 Br at 20 K has been determined from single crystal time-of-flight neutron diffraction data. The (I-I-Br) − anion remains disordered and the BEDT-TTF, or “ET”, molecules (including the terminal ethylene groups) remain ordered at low temperature. This indicates that disorder in the anion alone appears sufficient to suppress superconductivity as observed in electrical properties measurements.
Simian immunodeficiency virus infection induces severe loss of intestinal central memory T cells which impairs CD4+ T-cell restoration during antiretroviral therapy.

Background Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection leads to severe loss of intestinal CD4+ T cells and, as compared to peripheral blood, restoration of these cells is slow during antiretroviral therapy (ART). Mechanisms for this delay have not been examined in context of which specific CD4+ memory subsets or lost and fail to regenerate during ART. Methods Fifteen rhesus macaques were infected with SIV, five of which received ART (FTC/PMPA) for 30 weeks. Viral loads were measured by real-time PCR. Flow cytometric analysis determined changes in T-cell subsets and their proliferative state. Results Changes in proliferative CD4+ memory subsets during infection accelerated their depletion. This reduced the central memory CD4+ T-cell pool and contributed to slow CD4+ T-cell restoration during ART. Conclusion There was a lack of restoration of the CD4+ central memory and effector memory T-cell subsets in gut-associated lymphoid tissue during ART, which may contribute to the altered intestinal T-cell homeostasis in SIV infection.
Rat kappa-chain J-segment genes: Two recent gene duplications separate rat and mouse

Abstract We have cloned DNA segments containing the J κ genes from LOUVAIN rat liver, and have determined their nucleotide sequence. Seven readily identifiable J κ -coding regions (six expressible) are evident in the rat, compared with five in the mouse (four expressible). The two additional J segments in the rat appear to be the result of two sequential gene duplications occurring since the divergence of rats and mice. The first involved a homologous but unequal crossing-over in a 14 bp region spanning the 3′ end of the coding region of J1 and J2. The second involved a crossing-over following unequal pairing of the two newly duplicated regions. We propose that the probability of a second duplication was greatly increased following the first as a result of the increased target for unequal pairing (370 bp of good homology versus 27 bp in the original pairing). Comparisons of rat and mouse J genes show a surprisingly high degree of sequence conservation, both inside and outside the coding regions, similar to the pattern we reported previously for the kappa constant-region gene. This provides additional evidence that constraints exist on the nucleotide sequences of these genes independent of the function of the encoded proteins.
MicroRNAs Differentially Regulated by Akt Isoforms Control EMT and Stem Cell Renewal in Cancer Cells

Although Akt is known to play a role in human cancer, the relative contribution of its three isoforms to oncogenesis remains to be determined. We expressed each isoform individually in an Akt1(-/-)/Akt2(-/-)/Akt3(-/-) cell line. MicroRNA profiling of growth factor-stimulated cells revealed unique microRNA signatures for cells with each isoform. Among the differentially regulated microRNAs, the abundance of the miR-200 family was decreased in cells bearing Akt2. Knockdown of Akt1 in transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta)-treated MCF10A cells also decreased the abundance of miR-200; however, knockdown of Akt2, or of both Akt1 and Akt2, did not. Furthermore, Akt1 knockdown in MCF10A cells promoted TGFbeta-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and a stem cell-like phenotype. Carcinomas developing in MMTV-cErbB2/Akt1(-/-) mice showed increased invasiveness because of miR-200 down-regulation. Finally, the ratio of Akt1 to Akt2 and the abundance of miR-200 and of the messenger RNA encoding E-cadherin in a set of primary and metastatic human breast cancers were consistent with the hypothesis that in many cases breast cancer metastasis may be under the control of the Akt-miR-200-E-cadherin axis. We conclude that induction of EMT is controlled by microRNAs whose abundance depends on the balance between Akt1 and Akt2 rather than on the overall activity of Akt.
Prenatal Diagnosis and Management of Congenital Left Ventricular Aneurysm

A pregnant woman was referred for fetal echocardiographic examination for cardiac dys-rhythmia. During serial examinations, congen-ital left ventricular aneurysm was diagnosed in the fetus. The case is discussed, and a review of the literature on this rare entity and its rela-tionship to cardiac dysrhythmias is presented. The management dilemmas practitioners must address when facing this unusual lesion are also discussed.
Virtual Firewall Performance as a Waypoint on a Software Defined Overlay Network

Cloud computing environments face many unique security challenges. Location-based firewalls with static policies require long provisioning times relative to other cloud data center components, and are not well suited to dynamic, virtualized workloads. In this paper, we discuss the use of virtual firewalls facilitated by software defined network overlays with forwarding graphs. Experimental results and performance measurements will be presented using a variety of workloads running over a virtual firewall deployment with an industry standard virtual overlay network.
The upper semilattice of degrees ≤ 0 ′ is complemented

Let denote the set of degrees ≤ 0 ′. A degree a ≤ 0 ′ is said to be complemented in if there exists a degree b ≤ 0 ′ such that b ∪ a = 0 ′ and b ∩ a = 0 . R.W. Robinson (cf. [11]) showed that every degree a ≤ 0 ′ satisfying a ″ = 0 ″ is complemented in and the author [8] showed that every degree a ≤ 0 ′ satisfying a ′ = 0 ″ is complemented in . Also, in [2], R. L. Epstein showed that every r.e. degree is complemented in . In this paper we will show that in fact every degree ≤ 0 ′ is complemented in . We will further show that the same is true in the upper semilattice of degrees ≤ c , where c is any complete degree. This is in contrast to the situation in the upper semilattice of r.e. degrees in which, as Lachlan [6] has shown, no degree other than 0 and 0 ′ is complemented.
Implications of Sharp Trace Regularity Results on Boundary Stabilization of the System of Linear Elasticity

Abstract Uniform exponential decay of solution is established for the elastodynamic system of elasticity using boundary feedback control. Energy dissipation is introduced via linear velocity feedbacks acting through a portion of the boundary as traction forces. Two primary goals are achieved: First, these results are proven without the imposition of strong geometric assumptions on the controlled portion of the boundary, thus extending earlier work which required that the domain be “star shaped.” Second, the feedback is only a function of velocity, as opposed to also containing the tangential derivative of the displacement, resulting in a physically viable feedback. Proof is based on the multiplier method and relies critically on sharp trace estimates for the tangential derivative of the displacement on the boundary as well as on unique continuation results for the corresponding static system.
Geochemical constraints on the origin of Marinoan cap dolostones from Nuccaleena Formation, South Australia

The geochemistry (including Sr isotope and trace element ratios) of “Snowball Earth” terminal deglacial cap-dolostone from the Nuccaleena Formation, South Australia, is studied. An incremental leaching approach was applied in order to extract the nearest-to-primary chemical composition. Based on the relationship between ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr and Rb/Sr ratios of the leachates, the samples can be categorized into two groups: 1) Group-I dolostones are located 9 cm below to 1.1 m above, and again 4–6 m above a lithologic contact within Nuccaleena Formation marking the end of diamictite (dominantly siliciclastic sediments) and the onset of solid dolostone deposition (“meters above solid dolostones”, MASD). In each of these intervals, ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr and Rb/Sr ratios of leachates mostly define a binary mixing relationship and the leaching-sequence-minimum, Rb-corrected ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratio is ~ 0.7077 on average (± 0.0003, 1σ, with a minimum value of 0.7073 among all samples); 2) Group-II dolostones define an interval between 1.7 and 4.0 MASD, in which the leaching-sequence-minimum, Rb-corrected ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratio is ~ 0.7092 on average (± 0.0004, 1σ). We interpret these minimum ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios in Group-I dolostones to represent Sr isotope compositions of penecontemporaneous seawater, similar to values previously reported for high-Sr limestones under- and over-lying “Marinoan” cap dolostones around the world and permitting an interpretation of no significant long-term seawater ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr variation during Marinoan deglaciation. In contrast, elevated ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios of Group-II cap dolostones indicate later alteration events or formation of samples in a non-marine environment (e.g., the ‘glacial lake Harland’, Hoffman, 2011). Negative correlation between ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios and δ^(18)O values can be explained by fluid–rock interaction, either with brine/saline groundwater, ice melt seeps, or hydrothermal fluids as possible alteration fluids, leading to the elevated ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios. Alternatively, the elevated ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios may record the values of ‘glacial lake Harland’.
Poorer Prognosis of African-American Patients With Mycosis Fungoides: An Analysis of the SEER Dataset, 1988 to 2008

Abstract Background The aims of this study were: (1) to determine whether AA patients with MF have a worse prognosis despite accounting for varying clinical factors at presentation, and (2) to assess whether a racial disparity exists regarding utilization of radiation therapy (RT) as an initial treatment modality. Materials and Methods The SEER 1988-2008 public use database was investigated. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to assess for factors significantly associated with disease-specific survival (DSS), overall survival (OS), and RT utilization survival. Results A total of 4892 patients with MF were identified with a median follow-up of 58 months. On multivariate analysis including tumor registry, age, sex, marital status, and tumor stage, AA race was significantly correlated with a worse OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.58; P P P P P = .03) was associated with a lower likelihood of receiving RT. AA race was not significantly associated with RT utilization ( P = .58). Conclusion AA race was associated with poorer survival despite accounting for demographic factors and tumor stage. Differences in RT utilization according to AA race were not found, however RT was less utilized for female patients. The etiology of this poorer prognosis is unclear and might be related to access to medical care, socioeconomic factors, or undetermined biological differences.
Abstract 3227: JNK2 oligomerization regulates its activation through non-canonical pathways

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA C-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) regulate various cellular functions. Their activation is mediated cooperatively by both MKK4 and MKK7. The c-Jun N-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) isoform is constitutively activated in glial tumor cell lines and human glioblastoma models. We investigated the regulation of JNK2 self-activation in vitro in both cell-free and cell-based experiments. Light scattering analysis suggested that unphosphorylated recombinant JNK2α2 exists in solution as a mixture of monomers, dimers and tetramers. JNK2α2 self-phosphorylates more rapidly in vitro when assayed at low concentration leading to its activation. However, at a slightly higher concentration, the formation of a tetramer is favored, whose ability to self-phosphorylate is suppressed. HEK293T cells that were transfected with varying amounts of pcDNA-JNK2α2 showed that an increased concentration of JNK2α2 (54 kDa) could suppress the appearance of activated JNK2α2 in mammalian cells. A mutant of JNK2 (F170R) thought to stabilize the DFG-out conformation appears to stabilize the formation of a JNK2 tetramer. Taken together our data suggest that oligomerization may regulate non-canonical (self-activation) activation of JNK2. Citation Format: Tamer S. Kaoud, Austin F. Riggs, Kevin N. Dalby. JNK2 oligomerization regulates its activation through non-canonical pathways. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3227. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3227
Statistical mechanics of the quantum K -satisfiability problem.

We study the quantum version of the random $K$-satisfiability problem in the presence of an external magnetic field $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ applied in the transverse direction. We derive the replica-symmetric free-energy functional within the static approximation and the saddle-point equation for the order parameter: the distribution $P[h(m)]$ of functions of magnetizations. The order parameter is interpreted as the histogram of probability distributions of individual magnetizations. In the limit of zero temperature and small transverse fields, to leading order in $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ magnetizations $m\ensuremath{\approx}0$ become relevant in addition to purely classical values of $m\ensuremath{\approx}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$. Self-consistency equations for the order parameter are solved numerically using a quasi\char21{}Monte Carlo method for $K=3$. It is shown that for an arbitrarily small $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ quantum fluctuations destroy the phase transition present in the classical limit $\ensuremath{\Gamma}=0$, replacing it with a smooth crossover transition. The implications of this result with respect to the expected performance of quantum optimization algorithms via adiabatic evolution are discussed. The replica-symmetric solution of the classical random $K$-satisfiability problem is briefly reexamined. It is shown that the phase transition at $T=0$ predicted by the replica-symmetric theory is of continuous type with atypical critical exponents.
Specialization and competition in healthcare delivery networks.

Hospital networks, which offer multiple services at multiple locations, are investigating strategies to fight the growing competition from specialty hospitals. Specialty hospitals focus on a selective range of profitable services, have better control over costs, and deliver higher (perceived) quality. A hospital network too can create specialized facilities; however, this may lead to the loss of sales from services that it no longer offers. Using a spatial model, we study when it is profitable for the network to specialize, and how to determine which facilities provide the greatest value through specialization. We find that a hospital network, when facing specialized competitors, can often improve its overall profitability by specializing some of its facilities; and that among its different facilities, the network’s best choice for specialization is the facility that is closest to the competitor, and thus most directly affected. Interestingly, we find that the value of specialization is contingent upon the competitive pressure that the specialized competitor exerts on the network. Specializing one facility yields the greatest benefits for the network when the competitor is located at the fringe of the market, thus presenting a reduced threat to the hospital network. On the other hand, if the specialized competitor is located at the core of the network’s customer base, we find that the attractiveness of specializing one facility is much smaller and that the hospital network might fare better with a strategy based on diversification, i.e., offering a full-menu of services at every facility.
The fibroblast-populated collagen matrix as a model of wound healing: a review of the evidence

The fibroblast-populated collagen matrix (FPCM) has been utilized as an in vitro model of wound healing for more than 2 decades. It offers a reasonable approximation of the healing wound during the phases of established granulation tissue and early scar. The gross and microscopic morphology of the FPCM and the healing wound are similar at analogous phases. The processes of proliferation, survival/apoptosis, protein synthesis, and contraction act in similar directions in these two models, and the response to exogenous agents also is consistent between them. If its limitations are respected, then the FPCM can be used as a model of the healing wound.
Ruthenium(0) Nanoparticle-Catalyzed Isotope Exchange between 10B and 11B Nuclei in Decaborane(14)

Well dispersed ruthenium(0) nanoparticles, stabilized in the ionic liquid agent, trihexyltetradecylphosphonium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, have been successfully prepared via a reduction reaction of the precursor [CpRuCp*RuCp*]PF6 (Cp* = C5Me5). The ruthenium(0) nanoparticles were shown to catalyze the isotope exchange reaction between 10B enriched diborane and natural abundant B10H14 to produce highly 10B enriched (∼90%) decaborane(14) products. The ruthenium(0) nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, XRD, and XPS. The 10B enriched decaborane(14) has been analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, NMR, and high-resolution MS.
Restoration of non-carious cervical lesions with ceramic inlays: A possible model for clinical testing of adhesive cements

Introduction: There are many luting cements coming to market which claim to be adhesive, but there is no clinical protocol currently for testing these claims. There is a standardized protocol for testing direct restorations bonded to dentin and it is used extensively. Case Report: We describe a clinical procedure for restoring a non-carious cervical lesion (NCCL) with a ceramic inlay using Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology and an adhesive resin cement.The procedure was straightforward and the result was good at one month. Discussion: NCCL's can be restored with CAD-CAM technology in one appointment. This technique can be used to clinically test adhesion of luting cements to dentin, similarly to the current standard for direct restorations.
Expression of estrogen receptor GPR30 in the rat spinal cord and in autonomic and sensory ganglia

The G protein-coupled receptor GPR30 has recently been identified as a nonnuclear estrogen receptor. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction revealed expression of GPR30 mRNA in varying quantities in the rat spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, nodose ganglia, trigeminal ganglia, hippocampus, brain stem, and hypothalamus. Immunohistochemical studies that used a rabbit polyclonal antiserum against the human GPR30 C-terminus revealed a fine network of GPR30-immunoreactive (irGPR30) cell processes in the superficial layers of the spinal cord; some of which extended into deeper laminae. A population of neurons in the dorsal horn and ventral horn were irGPR30. Dorsal root, nodose, and trigeminal ganglionic neurons displayed varying intensities of irGPR30. Positively labeled neurons were detected in the major pelvic ganglion, but not in the superior cervical ganglion. A population of chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla was irGPR30, so were cells of the zona glomerulosa. Double-labeling the adrenal medulla with GPR30 antiserum and tyrosine hydroxylase antibody or phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase antiserum revealed that irGPR30 is expressed in the majority of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive chromaffin cells. Last, some of the myenteric ganglion cells were irGPR30. Tissues processed with preimmune serum resulted in no staining. Voltage-sensitive dye imaging studies showed that the selective GPR30 agonist G-1 (1, 10, and 100 nM) depolarized cultured spinal neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. Collectively, our result provides the first evidence that GPR30 is expressed in neurons of the dorsal and ventral horn as well as in sensory and autonomic neurons, and activation of GPR30 by the selective agonist G-1 depolarizes cultured spinal neurons.
Spectroscopic Identification of Tri-n-octylphosphine Oxide (TOPO) Impurities and Elucidation of Their Roles in Cadmium Selenide Quantum-Wire Growth

Tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) is the most commonly used solvent for the synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals. Here we show that the use of different batches of commercially obtained TOPO solvent introduces significant variability into the outcomes of CdSe quantum-wire syntheses. This irreproducibility is attributed to varying amounts of phosphorus-containing impurities in the different TOPO batches. We employ 31P NMR to identify 10 of the common TOPO impurities. Their beneficial, harmful, or negligible effects on quantum-wire growth are determined. The impurity di-n-octylphosphinic acid (DOPA) is found to be the important beneficial TOPO impurity for the reproducible growth of high-quality CdSe quantum wires. DOPA is shown to beneficially modify precursor reactivity through ligand substitution. The other significant TOPO impurities are ranked according to their abilities to similarly influence precursor reactivity. The results are likely of general relevance to most nanocrystal syntheses conducted in TOPO.
Rheological analysis of anion-induced matrix transformations in thermally induced whey protein isolate gels

Abstract The formation of thermally induced whey protein isolate (WPI) gels exhibiting fine-stranded, mixed and particulate matrices was investigated. Various concentrations of stabilizing salts (sodium sulfate and sodium phosphate) or a chaotropic salt (sodium thiocyanate) were used to form the different types of thermally induced gel matrices. Gelation under all conditions showed similar trends in small-strain viscoelastic properties. Storage modulus (G′) increased during heating to and hold at 80°C followed by an additional increase in cooling to 25°C. Mixed matrix gels had proportionately more hydrophobic interactions (large ΔG′heat/ΔG′cool) and had greater initial gelation rates than fine-stranded and particulate matrix gels. The proportion of hydrophobic interactions in the gels correlated with the anions' influences on the hydrophobic effect as indicated by their positions in the Hofmeister series.
Lymphoid lesions of the parotid.

Lymphoid lesions of the parotid gland are much less common than their epithelial counterparts, and thus cytologic experience on fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is limited. FNA of lymphoid lesions with ancillary aids (flow cytometry and immunophenotypic studies) can make a definitive diagnosis. All FNAs of the parotid gland performed at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in an 8-yr span (1990–1998) were reviewed retrospectively. In all, 391 cases were done, of which 76 cases of lymphoid lesions were identified. The relevant cytology, histology, and flow cytometry were analyzed. Of the 76 lymphoid lesions, results included reactive lesions (n = 35), lymphoepithelial cysts (n = 27), malignant lymphomas (n = 12), an atypical lymphoid population (n = 1), and Sjogren's disease (n = 1). We conclude that both reactive and malignant lymphoid lesions of the parotid can be diagnosed on FNA with adjunctive tests such as flow cytometry and immunophenotyping, obviating the need for surgery. Diagn. Cytopathol. 1999;21:170–173. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
THE IMPACT OF THE PRODUCT/PRODUCTION PROCESS INTERACTION ON THE EVOLUTION OF STRATEGIC RESPONSE

This article synthesizes previous research on the interaction between product and production process, and the impact of that interaction on the evolution of strategic response. This interaction has major implications for the competitiveness and productivity of the firm. The authors identify characteristics of the interaction that allow a more complete analysis of its relation to firm strategic response, productivity and competitiveness.
Edge-Detector Resolution Improvement by Image Interpolation

Most step-edge detectors are designed to detect locally straight edge-segments which can be isolated within the operator kernel. While it can easily be demonstrated that a cross-sectional support of at least 4 pixels is required for the unambiguous detection of a stepedge, edges which cannot be isolated within windows having this width can nevertheless be resolved. This is achieved by preceding the stepedge detection process by image-intensity interpolation. Although resolution can be improved in this fashion, the step-edge position and intensity estimates thus determined may be subject to systematic biases. Also, the higher resolution performance is accompanied by lower robustness to noise.
A Pro23His Mutation Alters Prenatal Rod Photoreceptor Morphology in a Transgenic Swine Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa

Purpose Functional studies have detected deficits in retinal signaling in asymptomatic children from families with inherited autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Whether retinal abnormalities are present earlier during gestation or shortly after birth in a subset of children with autosomal dominant RP is unknown and no appropriate animal RP model possessing visual function at birth has been available to examine this possibility. In a recently developed transgenic P23H (TgP23H) rhodopsin swine model of RP, we tracked changes in pre- and early postnatal retinal morphology, as well as early postnatal retinal function. Methods Domestic swine inseminated with semen from a TgP23H miniswine founder produced TgP23H hybrid and wild type (Wt) littermates. Outer retinal morphology was assessed at light and electron microscopic levels between embryonic (E) and postnatal (P) day E85 to P3. Retinal function was evaluated using the full field electroretinogram at P3. Results Embryonic TgP23H rod photoreceptors are malformed and their rhodopsin expression pattern is abnormal. Consistent with morphological abnormalities, rod-driven function is absent at P3. In contrast, TgP23H and Wt cone photoreceptor morphology (E85-P3) and cone-driven retinal function (P3) are similar. Conclusions Prenatal expression of mutant rhodopsin alters the normal morphological and functional development of rod photoreceptors in TgP23H swine embryos. Despite this significant change, cone photoreceptors are unaffected. Human infants with similarly aggressive RP might never have rod vision, although cone vision would be unaffected. Such aggressive forms of RP in preverbal children would require early intervention to delay or prevent functional blindness.
Conserved Residues Ser16 and His20 and Their Relative Positioning Are Essential for TonB Activity, Cross-linking of TonB with ExbB, and the Ability of TonB to Respond to Proton Motive Force

The cytoplasmic membrane protein TonB couples the proton electrochemical potential of the cytoplasmic membrane to transport events at the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The amino-terminal signal anchor of TonB and its interaction with the cytoplasmic membrane protein ExbB are essential to this process. The TonB signal anchor is predicted to form an alpha-helix, with a conserved face comprised of residues Ser(16), His(20), Leu(27), and Ser(31). Deletion of either Ser(16) or His(20) or of individual intervening but not flanking residues rendered TonB inactive and unable to assume a proton motive force-dependent conformation. In vivo formaldehyde cross-linking experiments revealed that the ability of this subset of mutants to form a characteristic heterodimer with ExbB was greatly diminished. Replacement of residues 17-19 by three consecutive alanines produced a wild type TonB allele, indicating that the intervening residues (Val, Cys, and Ile) contributed only to spacing. These data indicated that the spatial relationship of Ser(16) to His(20) was essential to function and suggested that the motif HXXXS defines the minimal requirement for the coupling of TonB to the cytoplasmic membrane electrochemical gradient. Deletion of Trp(11) resulted in a TonB that remained active yet was unable to cross-link with ExbB. Because Trp(11) was demonstrably not involved in the actual cross-linking, these results suggest that the TonB/ExbB interaction detected by cross-linking occurred at a step in the energy transduction cycle distinct from the coupling of TonB to the electrochemical gradient.
Values of Non-homogeneous Indefinite Quadratic Forms

Abstract A conjecture of G. L. Watson asserts that the two-sided infimum of the values of a non-homogeneous real indefinite quadratic form in n variables, obtained when the variables range over all integral values, is an invariant under the signature modulo 8. There is an analogous conjecture by Bambah, Dumir, and Hans- Gill concerning the one-sided infimum. It is shown how both conjectures follow from the result of Margulis on forms not commensurable with a rational form combined with results of G. L. Watson on rational forms.
Multilevel volumetric optical storage

Present optical storage devices use two-dimensional recording media which do not take advantage of the ability to focus light to a small spot at a large working distance throughout the volume of a storage media. In this report we propose an approach to volumetric optical storage where the optical had reads from and writes to distinct levels of a multilevel disk structure. This approach has been successfully applied to multilevel ROM and WORM optical disk memories. We detail the physical principles behind this technology, present detailed experimental data on two-level write-once media and briefly describe four-level recording. In companion papers we describe in detail results from four-level recording and readback and multilevel ROM based media and drives.
Morpho-Physiological Aspects of Productivity and Quality in Squash and Pumpkins (Cucurbita spp.)

Squash and pumpkins are important horticultural crops worldwide, but there has been relatively little research to systematically describe yield components and improve productivity in this species. This review outlines some of the basic growth-analysis techniques for describing different aspects of productivity and attempts to summarize investigations on physiological, morphological, and ecological aspects of productivity and the relationship of these factors to eating quality in the three most important domesticated species of Cucurbita—C. pepo, C. maxima, and C. moschata. The emphasis of this review is on components of yield that can be modified either by selective breeding or through use of cultural techniques. Increasing economic crop yield while also balancing the needs to maintain and improve culinary qualities of the edible product will also be discussed. The bush phenotype is being increasingly exploited in new cultivar development. Advantages and disadvantages of using bush genotypes in cultivar d...
It Is Time for Routine Neonatal Screening by Pulse Oximetry

Most pediatric cardiologists believe that pulse oximetry helps to diagnose critical congenital heart disease in neonates who might otherwise be discharged from the newborn nursery undiagnosed. Some of these patients develop catastrophic cardiac and multi-system failure after the ductus closes and die or suffer severe morbidity. Nevertheless, pulse oximetry is not universally used in the newborn nursery. Some pediatricians believe that they can always detect these patients from physical findings, many believe that oximeters are unreliable, and others are concerned about costs of investigating false positive tests. Recent studies, however, show that even cardiologists miss critical congenital heart defects, modern oximeters are stable and reliable, and that the false positive rate is very low, lower than the false positive rate based on physical examination. The benefits probably exceed the cost, and evidence is provided to confirm this. There is no reason not to use pulse oximetry routinely in the newborn nursery.
Nonlinear stability of Taylor's vortex array

It is proved that the two‐dimensional Taylor vortex array, which is an exact unsteady solution of the Navier–Stokes equation, is globally and asymptotically stable in the mean with respect to three‐dimensional periodic disturbances. A time‐dependent bound on the decay rate of the kinetic energy of disturbances is obtained.
Effects of atmosphere of incubation on recovery of bacteria and yeasts from blood cultures in tryptic soy broth

A comparison was made of the results of blood cultures between 1974 and 1981 in unvented and transiently vented bottles of Tryptic soy broth under vacuum with CO2. A total of 14,646 isolates were available for statistical analysis. Significantly more isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus, Escherichia, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Serratia, Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, Neisseria, and Candida were recovered from the vented bottle. Significantly more isolates of Corynebacterium, Haemophilus, Flavobacterium, Moraxella, Bacteroidaceae, and Peptostreptococcus were recovered from the unvented bottle.
Human deoxycytidine kinase purification and characterization of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial isozymes derived from blast cells of acute myelocytic leukemia patients

A procedure for purifying human cytoplasmic and mitochondrial deoxycytidine kinase (NTP:deoxycytidine 5′-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.74) was developed. Both purified isozymes have a similar molecular weight, activation energy and catalyze the reaction by a sequential mechanism. These two isozymes differ with respect to their substrate specificities. With cytoplasmic deoxycytidine kinase, ATP, GTP and TTP have the highest reaction velocity. Pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphates have higher affinity but lower V than purine nucleoside triphosphates. Cytidine and arabinosylcytidine can serve as substrates. With mitochondrial isozyme only ATP gives the highest reaction velocity. ATP and dATP have the same Km but different V values. Besides deoxycytidine, also deoxythymidine but not cytidine or arabinosylcytidine can serve as substrates. There are also differences between these two isozymes with respect to their sensitivity to inhibition. For cytoplasmic enzyme, Br5dCyd and Iodo 5dCyd are not inhibitory. Both dCTP and UTP are competitive inhibitors (Ki 0.25 and 0.5 μM, respectively) with respect to ATP. For mitochondrial isozyme both Br5dCyd and Iodo 5dCyd are inhibitory and dCTP and TTP are competitive inhibitors (Ki 2 and 10 μM, respectively) with respect to ATP.
The 1999 Neuroendocrine Workshop on Food Intake, Energy Metabolism and Obesity, San Diego, CA, USA, 9–11 June 1999

The recent American Endocrine Society Annual Workshop was attended by over 125 students, senior investigators and Fellows. The workshop focused on the latest developments in central nervous system (CNS) mechanisms (mainly peptidergic) that influence food intake and energy expenditure, and the biological consequences of altered energy states on reproduction.
Subcutaneous mycotic infection of a white-tailed deer.

Microscopic examination of scales from lesions on the ear of a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) revealed the presence of fungal structures, gross appearance of which was consistent with the morphology of a dematiaceous mold. Nutrient agar cultures inoculated with such scales yielded Alternaria alternata. No other fungus was seen or isolated. Hyphalike elements were also noted in thin sections of the connective tissue of the ear. These data indicate a subcutaneous infection initiated by Alternaria.
Mutual information reveals variation in temperature-dependent sex determination in response to environmental fluctuation, lifespan and selection.

Quantifying the degree to which sex determination depends on the environment can yield insight into the evolution, ecological dynamics, and functional aspects of sex determination. In temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), theory often predicts a complete dependence of sex on temperature, with a switch-like reaction norm. However, empirical data suggest more shallow relationships between sex and temperature. Here, we demonstrate the usefulness of an index, mutual information (MI), to reflect the degree of temperature dependence in sex. MI depends on both the shape of a reaction norm and the natural temperature variation, thus providing a measure of TSD that is ecologically dependent. We demonstrate that increased lifespan and decreased environmental fluctuation predict reaction norms with high MI (switch-like). However, mutation and weaker selection on sex-specific performance reduce average MI in a population, suggesting that mutation–selection balance can resolve some of the conflict between theoretical predictions of individual-based optimality and population-based empirical results. The MI index allows clear comparison of TSD across life histories and habitats and reveals functional similarities between reaction norms that may appear different. The model provides testable predictions for TSD across populations, namely that MI should increase with lifespan and decrease with historical environmental fluctuations.
Image spectroscopy and stable isotopes elucidate functional dissimilarity between native and nonnative plant species in the aquatic environment.

Summary •Nonnative species may change ecosystem functionality at the expense of native species. Here, we examine the similarity of functional traits of native and nonnative submersed aquatic plants (SAP) in an aquatic ecosystem. •We used field and airborne imaging spectroscopy and isotope ratios of SAP species in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California (USA) to assess species identification, chlorophyll (Chl) concentration, and differences in photosynthetic efficiency. •Spectral separability between species occurs primarily in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions, which is associated with morphological and physiological differences. Nonnatives had significantly higher Chl, carotene, and anthocyanin concentrations than natives and had significantly higher photochemical reflectance index (PRI) and δ13C values. •Results show nonnative SAPs are functionally dissimilar to native SAPs, having wider leaf blades and greater leaf area, dense and evenly distributed vertical canopies, and higher pigment concentrations. Results suggest that nonnatives also use a facultative C4-like photosynthetic pathway, allowing efficient photosynthesis in high-light and low-light environments. Differences in plant functionality indicate that nonnative SAPs have a competitive advantage over native SAPs as a result of growth form and greater light-use efficiency that promotes growth under different light conditions, traits affecting system-wide species distributions and community composition.
Path analysis using data derived from genetically randomized inbred mouse strains reveals biological controls affecting bone growth and adult fragility

bone development in children. However, quantifying this relationship in observational studies is often hindered by the measurement error inherent in the commonly used PA measurement method of subjective self-report. In this crosssectional analysis, using an objective and a subjective measure of PA, we examined associations between PA and bone mineral content (BMC) in 449 children (mean age 11.2 years, range 10.5 to 12.4 years). Design: PA was measured using 5-day accelerometry readings (Actigraph 7164) and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C) (from the Saskatchewan Pediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Study). Total body and lumbar spine bone mineral content (BMC) were measured using a Hologic 4500 dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Body mass (kg), height (cm), and biological age (pre-or post-peak height velocity) were considered as co-variates in partial correlation analyses and multiple linear regression models. Significance was set at (pb0.05). Results: Accelerometry-determined moderate to vigorous (MVPA) and PAQ-C scores were higher in boys when compared to girls. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient between MVPA and PAQ-Cwas 0.38 for boys and 0.25 for girls (pb0.05). MVPA was significantly associated with total body BMC (r=0.33) and spine BMC (r=0.19) in boys (partial Spearman rank correlation coefficients controlling for weight, height, and maturity). When PAQ-C was substituted for MVPA, the partial correlations were 0.22 for total body BMC and 0.19 for spine BMC. These associations were also statistically significant. When MVPA and PAQ-C were considered together in multiple linear regression models for total body BMC and spine BMC, both entered, although MVPA explained slightly more of the variability in each model. In girls, MVPA was significantly associated with total body BMC (r=0.17, partial Spearman rank correlation coefficients controlling for weight, height, and maturity). MVPA was not associated with spine BMC. PAQ-C was not significantly associated with spine nor total body BMC. Conclusions: Findings indicate that statistically significant and, perhaps important, associations between PA and BMC during late childhood are more likely to be detected with an objective PA measurement method. Self-report PA may be a more sensitive measure of PA for boys than for girls.
Hemiplegia due to posterior cerebral artery occlusion.

Hemiplegia is a rare manifestation of posterior cerebral artery occlusion. The acute clinical picture may be difficult to differentiate from occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. A mechanism for the hemiplegia has not been conclusively determined.We describe a patient with hemiplegia secondary to posterior cerebral artery occlusion by an embolized fragment of a prosthetic valve. Computed tomographic scan showed the foreign body just distal to the origin of the posterior cerebral artery with infarction of its vascular territory. These findings were later confirmed at autopsy. There was no radiological or autopsy evidence of involvement of the other cerebral arteries or their territories.The patient provides further evidence that occlusion of the posterior cerebral artery just distal to its junction with the posterior communicating artery may produce contralateral hemiplegia without oculomotor nerve nucleus involvement.