cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The velocity‐current formulation of magnetohydrodynamics

The traditional formulation of the MHD equations employs the magnetic field as the primary electromagnetic variable. Unless the flow region is electromagnetically shielded from the surrounding space, boundary conditions are needed for the magnetic field; these can rarely be derived from physical principles. Using the current density as the primary electromagnetic variable, it is possible to avoid artificial boundary conditions and fully account for the electromagnetic interaction between flow region and surrounding space. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Concepts of Relative Importance in Recent Scientific Literature

Abstract How is the ambiguous concept of relative importance for independent variables handled in the scientific literature? We sampled from a population of recent papers with relative importance (or the equivalent) in their titles. We found widespread apparent desire to make relative-importance statements, but little self-conscious interest in interpretation or in looking at more than one specification of the concept. We were unhappy to find that a substantial fraction (one-fifth) of the papers used statistical significance to measure relative importance.
A signal peptide missense mutation associated with nicotine dependence alters α2*-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor function

Abstract A cytosine to thymidine (C → T) missense mutation in the signal peptide (SP) sequence (rs2472553) of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α2 subunit produces a threonine-to-isoleucine substitution (T22I) often associated with nicotine dependence (ND). We assessed effects on function of α2*-nAChR (‘*’indicates presence of additional subunits) of this mutation, which could alter SP cleavage, RNA/protein secondary structure, and/or efficiency of transcription, translation, subunit assembly, receptor trafficking or cell surface expression. Two-electrode voltage clamp analyses indicate peak current responses to ACh or nicotine are decreased 2.8–5.8-fold for putative low sensitivity (LS; 10:1 ratio of α:β subunit cRNAs injected) α2β2- or α2β4-nAChR and increased for putative high sensitivity (HS; 1:10 α:β subunit ratio) α2β2- (5.7–15-fold) or α2β4- (1.9–2.2-fold) nAChR as a result of the mutation. Agonist potencies are decreased 1.6–4-fold for putative LS or HS α2(T22I)β2-nAChR or for either α2*-nAChR subtype formed in the presence of equal amounts of subunit cRNA, slightly decreased for LS α2(T22I)β4-nAChR, but increased 1.4–2.4-fold for HS α2(T22I)β4-nAChR relative to receptors containing wild-type α2 subunits. These effects suggest that the α2 subunit SP mutation generally favors formation of LS receptor isoforms. We hypothesize that lower sensitivity of human α2*-nAChR to nicotine could contribute to increased susceptibility to ND. To our knowledge this is the first report of a SP mutation having a functional effect in a member of cys-loop family of ligand-gated ion channels.
An analysis of the safety of performing dobutamine stress echocardiography in an ambulatory setting

Dobutamine echocardiograpy has become widely used in the pastdecade in the evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery disease who are unable to undergo exercise treadmill or bicycle testing. The safety of this procedure has been studied in a hospital-based setting. However, no studies thus far have evaluated the safety of this procedure in an office-based setting, remote from a hospital. We performed dobutamine echocardiography on 127 patients in an office-based setting, remote from a hospital. Throughout the course of this study there wre no deaths, myocardial infarctions, sustained episodes of ventricular tachycardia, or syncopal episoders associated with dobutamine infusion. The frequency of noncardiac side effects was 29%, the majority of which were nausea, vomiting, and paresthesia. Three patients had nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, none of whom had symptoms. We conclude that dobutamine echocardiography is safe, well tolerated, and useful in a office-based setting.
Pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (pyroglutamic acid) in normal plasma.

Wir isolierten und identifizierten Pyrrolidoncarbonsaure als einen Bestandteil des normalen Plasmas. Im menschlichen und Meerschweinchenplasma war die Konzentration 0,22 bezw. 0,33 μmole/ml.
Thymidine kinase activity and thymidine salvage in adult Brugia pahangi and Dirofilaria immitis.

Cytosolic thymidine kinase (EC 2.7.1.75), the initial enzyme in the thymidine salvage pathway, was detected in crude homogenates of adult female Brugia pahangi and Dirofilaria immitis, with respective specific activities of 100 and 460 nmol/h/mg protein. Partially purified filarial thymidine kinases were found to have molecular weights of approximately 180 000, to be most active in the presence of Mg2+ and ATP, to have a sharp pH optimum (pH 7.0) and to be heat-labile in the absence of added thymidine. For both, the respective Km values for thymidine and ATP were 60 μM and 1.6 mM, and 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine was as good a substrate as thymidine. A distinguishing property was the 3-fold higher sensitivity of the B. pahangi enzyme to feedback inhibition by thymidine 5′-triphosphate. Adult female B. pahangi took up and incorporated [methyl-3H] thymidine into DNA when they were exposed to this radiolabeled deoxynucleoside in vivo, but the thymidine salvage pathway in these worms was essentially nonfunctional in vitro.
Attenuation of brain stimulation self-starvation: Adaptation effects

Abstract Rats first trained for 10–15 days to bar-press for lateral hypothalamic brain stimulation while feeding ad lib and then for 17–18 days to maintain weight by eating in a Skinner box under a 22.75-hr food deprivation schedule demonstrate a preference for brain stimulation when food and brain stimulation are simultaneously available. This maladaptive behavior has been called “self-starvation.” If the experimental procedure is modified so that in addition to the training in self-stimulation and feeding the animals are given daily a 1.25-hr self-stimulation session and immediately before or after the self-stimulation session a 1.25-hr feeding period for eight days prior to brain stimulation food competition, animals do not meet self-starvation criteria. Moreover when self-starvation has been demonstrated it can be attenuated in a second brain stimulaion food competition preceded by the eight-day alternate feeding and self-stimulation phase of the modified procedure. The attenuating effect of this manipulation of procedure is discussed in terms of adaptation to stress.
Removing response-style effects in attribute-determinance ratings to identify market segments

Cluster-analysis solutions based upon raw and individually standardized attribute- determinance ratings were generated and compared for a major energy-consuming household durable. The standardized data solution resulted in clearer and more meaningful market segments and was more strongly and significantly related to a number of purchase-related variables as well as anticipated purchase intent to hypothetical conjoint-analysis alternatives. Examination of the raw data solution suggested that response-style effects were not only strongly present, but carried over to other types of rating scales. It is recommended that researchers remove response-style effects, but also attempt to capture product-class importance when using attribute-determinance ratings as inputs to cluster analysis to identify market segments. Researchers in marketing and psychology have long regarded response-style effects as introducing measurement error to rating-scale scores. Alpert [l] explicitly rec- ognized response-style effects as a contaminant of attribute importance and de- terminance measures, particularly when such measurements were used as inputs to cluster analyses for identifying market segments. Others have recognized this issue implicitly [5, 91. The basic underlying issue is whether or not researchers should adjust for or remove response-style effects, and how to do this without also removing other legitimate information that may underly an individual’s attitude structure or influence the decision-making process. This paper attempts to empir- ically ascertain whether or not it is better to adjust raw attribute-determinance ratings to remove response style effects, prior to applying cluster analysis to identify market segments. Application of cluster analysis on attribute importance and determinance ratings to identify benefit segments has become a widely accepted and common practice [l, 2, 7, 9, 121. The basic rationale for applying cluster analysis to attribute deter-
National Security, the State, and the Politics of U.S.-Cuba Educational Exchange

In the context of the global war on terror, the political logic of U.S. Cuba policy seems oddly constant. Despite the renovation of the national security state and U.S. global strategy, and the expanded constellation of domestic interests at play in the Clinton-era policy of people-to-people exchange, long-lived hostility toward Castro and intractable reliance on economic sanctions and threats seem to characterize the post-9/11 Cuba policy of the Bush administration. Yet striking changes have in fact occurred, among them the radical restriction of travel and remittances to Cuba by Cuban-Americans and the limiting of academic exchange between Cuba and the United States. An exploration of Bush’s Cuba policy and its implementation in the homeland security state reveals the tensions between antiterrorism and anti-Castroism.
Gas—solid chromatography and virial analysis of chlorofluorocarbon adsorption on a microporous carbon

Abstract Gas-solid chromatography was used to determine the second gas-solid virial coefficients in the temperature range 373–512 K for ethane, propane, chloromethane, dichloromethane, fluoromethane, chlorodifluoromethane (Freon 22), and dichlorodifluoromethane (Freon 12), with Super Sorb, a microporous carbon adsorbent. The temperature dependence of the second gas-solid virial coefficients of these adsorbates was used in conjunction with a Lennard-Jones and Devonshire cell model to determine the effective structural parameters of cavity radius and number of cavities per gram of adsorbent, as well as gas-cavity interaction energies. The interaction energies were correlated with adsorbate boiling points and energetic additivity rules based on molecular structure including the number of atoms of different types in the molecule and the dipole moment of the molecule.
Teratogen metabolism: Activation of thalidomide and thalidomide analogues to products that inhibit the attachment of cells to concanavalin a coated plastic surfaces

Thalidomide metabolites inhibited the attachment of tumor cells to concanavalin A coated polyethylene surfaces. Thalidomide, itself, was non-inhibitory. Thalidomide activation to inhibitory products required hepatic microsomes, an NADPH-generating system, and molecular oxygen. Production of inhibitory metabolites was unaffected by either epoxide hydrolase or 1,2-epoxy-3,3,3-trichloropropane (TCPO), an inhibitor of epoxide hydrolase endogenous to hepatic S9 fraction. Therefore, the attachment inhibitor was probably not an arene oxide. Inhibition was not accompanied by cytotoxicity, as judged by trypan blue exclusion. Although uninduced hepatic microsomes from mice, rats and dogs had similar abilities to activate thalidomide, microsomes from Aroclor 1254 induced rats were relatively inactive in the system. Inhibitory metabolites were generated from the thalidomide analogues EM8 , EM12 , EM16 , EM87 , EM136 , EM255 , E350 , phthalimide, phthalimido-phthalimide, indan, 1- indanone and 1,3- indandione . Glutarimide , glutamic acid and phthalic acid did not activate to inhibitory products.
A Generalization of Divided Domains and Its Connection to Weak Baer Going-Down Rings

Many results on going-down domains and divided domains are generalized to the context of rings with von Neumann regular total quotient rings. A (commutative unital) ring R is called regular divided if each P ∈ Spec(R)∖(Max(R) ∩ Min(R)) is comparable with each principal regular ideal of R. Among rings having von Neumann regular total quotient rings, the regular divided rings are the pullbacks K× K/P D where K is von Neumann regular, P ∈ Spec(K) and D is a divided domain. Any regular divided ring (for instance, regular comparable ring) with a von Neumann regular total quotient ring is a weak Baer going-down ring. If R is a weak Baer going-down ring and T is an extension ring with a von Neumann regular total quotient ring such that no regular element of R becomes a zero-divisor in T, then R ⊆ T satisfies going-down. If R is a weak Baer ring and P ∈ Spec(R), then R + PR (P) is a going-down ring if and only if R/P and R P are going-down rings. The weak Baer going-down rings R such that Spec(R)∖Min(R) has a uni...
They Will Use It, If You Buy It!: Results of an Expanded Survey on the Use of Classification Web

This article presents the results of a survey examining the extent to which working catalogers use Classification Web, the Library of Congress’ online resource for subject heading and classification documentation. An earlier survey analyzed Class Web's usefulness on an institutional level. This broader survey expands on that analysis and provides information on such questions as: What types of institutions subscribe to Class Web? What are the reasons for using Class Web when performing original or copy cataloging? and What other resources do catalogers use for classification/subject heading analysis?
What happens once you categorize files into folders

This study examined a post phase of personal information organization in an attempt to investigate the dynamics of personal information organization. To collect data, eleven participants were asked to record diary entries for a week whenever they saved or organized their information in digital forms. Then, a first interview was conducted to ask how they organized the information files. About 2-4 weeks after the first interview, a second interview was conducted to examine what happened after files were categorized into folders. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed by using a grounded theory approach to find out what decisions were made after files were categorized into folders, and why participants made such decisions. The initial analysis of the results showed that once information files are organized into folders, people keep them in the folder, move them to other personal devices, re-categorize them either by organizing them into different folders or splitting the existing category, or delete them. By focusing on the post phase of personal information organization which has been rarely investigated, this study deepens our understanding about personal information organization. In addition, the results of this study have practical implication for human computer interaction (HCI) studies in designing tools, devices and interfaces that are more effective in supporting individuals' personal information management (PIM).
PCP effector proteins inturned and fuzzy play nonredundant roles in the patterning but not convergent extension of mammalian neural tube

PCP effector proteins Inturned (Intu) and Fuzzy (Fuz) play important roles in mammalian neural development and ciliogenesis, but the developmental defects in Intu and Fuz mutants are not the same as those with the complete loss of cilia. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether mouse Intu and Fuz play a role in convergent extension, a process regulated by PCP signaling. In the current study, we show that the functions of both Intu and Fuz in neural tube patterning are dependent on the presence of cilia. We further show that neither gene exhibits obvious genetic interaction with the core PCP regulator Vangl2 in convergent extension or patterning of the neural tube. Finally, we show in Intu; Fuz double mutants that the lack of convergent extension and more severe patterning defects in Intu and Fuz mutants does not result from a functional redundancy between these two proteins. Developmental Dynamics 240:1938–1948, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ethanol Consumption Suppresses the IL2-Induced Proliferation of NK Cells

Ethanol (20% w/v) given to female, C57BL/6 mice in their drinking water suppresses natural killer (NK) and lymphokine activated killer cell cytolytic activity in mixed splenocytes and in splenocytes highly enriched for NK cells. The present study examined the effects of ethanol consumption on rIL2-induced proliferation of enriched NK cells. Mice were given 20% w/v ethanol in the drinking water for 2 weeks. Splenic NK cells were harvested and enriched up to 88% based on surface expression of NK1.1. The enriched NK cells were cultured in the presence of 1000 IU/ml (20 pg/ml) murine recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL2). There were fewer cells (p< 0.02) from ethanol-consuming mice compared to cells from water-drinking control mice after incubation with IL2 at 2, 4, and 6 days of culture. Ethanol consumption was associated with significantly lower [3H]thymidine uptake (p< 0.05). Ethanol consumption did not affect apoptosis or intracellular levels of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, or granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor in NK cells. Ethanol consumption did not affect the expression of c-mycmRNA in NK cells that were cultured for 10 min or 4, 8, and 18 hr in rIL2. Suppression of IL2-induced NK cell proliferation is associated with ethanol consumption, and suppression is not due to altered IL2 receptor expression, increased apoptosis, intracellular cytokine levels, or c-mycexpression.
PHYSICS AT THE PLANCK LENGTH

Results of the conference, “String Quantum Gravity and Physics at the Planck Energy Scale,” organized by Dr. Norma Sanchez, in Erice, Sicily, June 21–28, 1992 will appear in Proceedings of the International Workshop of Theoretical Physics, 6th Session, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., Singapore, 1993. The conference has given new occasion to ask what linkage, if any, ties together particle physics and the quantum theory of gravitation, where this fantastically short distance first displayed its relevance.
Somatic Symptoms in Anxious-Depressed School Refusers

ABSTRACT Objective To identify the most common physical complaints in a sample of adolescent school refusers with comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders. Whether somatic symptoms are more likely to be associated with high levels of anxiety or high levels of depression was also explored. Method Forty-four adolescents in a treatment study were evaluated at baseline with structured psychiatric interviews and measures of anxiety, depression, and somatization. Results The most common somatic complaints were in the autonomic and gastrointestinal categories. In simple regression analyses, anxiety level as measured with the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale and depression level as measured with the Beck Depression Inventory each significantly predicted the severity of somatic symptoms. The correlation between percentage of days absent from school and severity of somatic symptoms approached significance ( r = .27, p = .074). Conclusions Knowledge that somatic complaints are commonly an expression of underlying anxiety and depression may facilitate more rapid referral for psychiatric assessment and treatment and thereby help avoid unnecessary medical workups and sequelae from school refusal. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1997, 36(5):661–668.
RNA Interference Analysis of Legionella in Drosophila Cells: Exploitation of Early Secretory Apparatus Dynamics

Legionella pneumophila translocates multiple bacterial effector proteins into host cells to direct formation of a replication vacuole for the bacterium. The emerging consensus is that formation of this compartment involves recruitment of membrane material that traffics between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi. To investigate this model, a targeted approach was used to knock down expression of proteins involved in membrane trafficking, using RNA interference in Drosophila cells. Surprisingly, few single knockdowns of ER–Golgi transport proteins decreased L. pneumophila replication. By analyzing double-stranded RNAs in pairs, combinations were identified that together caused defects in intracellular replication, consistent with the model that membrane traffic funnels into the replication vacuole from multiple sources. In particular, simultaneous depletion of the intermediate compartment and Golgi-tethering factor transport protein particle together with the ER SNARE protein Sec22 reduced replication efficiency, indicating that introduction of lesions at distinct sites in the secretory system reduces replication efficiency. In contrast to knockdowns in secretory traffic, which required multiple simultaneous hits, knockdown of single cytosolic components of ER-associated degradation, including Cdc48/p97 and associated cofactors, was sufficient to inhibit intracellular replication. The requirement for the Cdc48/p97 complex was conserved in mammalian cells, in which replication vacuoles showed intense recruitment of ubiquitinated proteins, the preferred substrates of Cdc48/p97. This complex promoted dislocation of both ubiquitinated proteins and bacterial effectors from the replication vacuole, consistent with the model that maintenance of high-level replication requires surveillance of the vacuole surface. This work demonstrates that L. pneumophila has the ability to gain access to multiple sites in the secretory system and provides the first evidence for a role of the Cdc48/p97 complex in promoting intracellular replication of pathogens and maintenance of replication vacuoles.
Order and disorder in anti‐abortion rhetoric: A logological view

This essay employs Kenneth Burke's cycle of terms for Order in a “logological” analysis of anti‐abortion rhetoric. It argues that this discourse is informed by a descent‐ascent metaphor which derives its persuasive power from Christian theology and deontological ethics, each of which is a symbolic analogue of the dramatistic descent from Guilt, through Victimage, to the ascent of Redemption. Anti‐abortion rhetoric manifests two forms of Guilt, victimizes women, and makes childbearing and anti‐abortion legislation the twin paths to Redemption. The essay concludes speculatively, suggesting that this rhetoric appeals by enabling one to recapture lost innocence.
High-affinity cholecystokinin type A receptor/cytosolic phospholipase A2 pathways mediate Ca2+ oscillations via a positive feedback regulation by calmodulin kinase in pancreatic acini.

Abstract In rat pancreatic acini, we previously demonstrated that depending on the agonist used, activation of cholecystokinin type A (CCK A ) receptor (CCK-AR) results in the differential involvement of the cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ), phospholipase C s1 (PLC s1 ) and Src/protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) pathways. The high-affinity CCK-AR appears to be coupled to the Gs/cPLA 2 /arachidonic acid (AA) cascade in mediating Ca 2+ oscillations. The low-affinity CCK-AR is coupled to both the Gaqα q/11 /PLC s1 /inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP 3 ) to evoke intracellular Ca 2+ release and the Src/PTK pathway to mediate extracellular Ca 2+ influx. The objectives of this study were to provide evidence that cPLA 2 is present in pancreatic acini and to evaluate the possibility that its activation results in Ca 2+ oscillations and amylase secretion. Furthermore, we investigated the mechanism of Ca 2+ oscillations mediated by the high-affinity CCK-AR. In rat pancreatic acini, immunoprecipitation studies using an anti-cPLA 2 monoclonal antibody, demonstrated a cPLA 2 band at the location of 110 kDa. A selective inhibitor of cPLA 2 , AACOCF 3 (100 μM), inhibited production of AA metabolites, Ca 2+ oscillations and amylase secretion elicited by the high-affinity CCK-AR agonist, CCKOPE (10-1000 nM). In addition, through the repetitive release of intracellular Ca 2+ , CCK-OPE enhanced phosphotransferase activities of Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type IV (CaMK IV), which were inhibited by AACOCF 3 . The CaMK inhibitor, K252-a (1-3 μM), also abolished basal and CCK-OPE-stimulated CaMK IV activities. The CaM inhibitor, W-7 (100 μM), and K252-a inhibited Ca 2+ oscillations and amylase secretion evoked by CCK-OPE without affecting the AA formation. Therefore, it appears that Ca 2+ oscillations elicited by the high-affinity CCK-AR/Gs/ cPLA 2 /AA pathway activate CaMK IV. Activated CaMK, in turn, regulates Ca 2+ oscillations through a positive feedback mechanism to mediate pancreatic exocytosis.
Evidence that predator satiation may restrict the spatial spread of a tussock moth (Orgyia vetusta) outbreak

Western tussock moths (Orgyia vetusta Bdv., Lymantriidae) infest one stand of bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus Sims, Fabaceae) heavily and several other stands very lightly at the Bodega Marine Reserve (Sonoma Co., Calif., USA). We found that the disappearance rates of experimentally placed larvae and pupae were consistently lower in the outbreak area than in non-outbreak areas. For pupae but not larvae, this difference was removed by using tanglefoot to repel nonflying predators. However, the major nonflying predator of pupae, the ant Formica lasioides, was no more abundant in non-outbreak areas than in the outbreak area. We found inverse density-dependence in the rate of attack by F. lasioides on experimental pupae, suggesting this generalist predator is “satiated” within the outbreak area, but preys more heavily on the moth where the moth is sparse.
A Messianic Deliverance for Post-Dynastic China: The Launch of the True Jesus Church in the Early Twentieth Century

This article explores the rise of the True Jesus Church (TJC) as part of an emerging indigenous Chinese Christianity. Begun in 1917 under the influence of American Pentecostalism, the TJC developed...
Papers in metaphysics and epistemology

Introduction 1. New Work for a theory of universals 2. Putnam's paradox 3. Against structural universals 4. A comment on Armstrong and Forrest 5. Extrinsic properties 6. Defining 'intrinsic' (with Rae Langton) 7. Finkish dispositions 8. Noneism or Allism? 9. Many, but almost one 10. Casati and Varzi on holes (with Stephanie Lewis) 11. Rearrangement of particles: reply to Lowe 12. Armstrong on combinatorial possibility 13. A world of truthmakers? 14. Maudlin and modal mystery 15. Humean supervenience debugged 16. Psychophysical and theoretical identifications 17. What experience teaches 18. Reduction of mind 19. Should a materialist believe in Qualia? 20. Naming the colours 21. Percepts and color mosaics in visual experience 22. Individuation by acquaintance and by stipulation 23. Why conditionalize? 24. What puzzling Pierre does not believe 25. Elusive knowledge Index.
Pneumothorax Treated by Small-Bore Chest Tube

Pneumothorax is the most common significant complication associated with percutaneous chest biopsy. It is mandatory for any physician performing a lung biopsy to be adept at treating this complication.
Allele sharing and allelic association I: Sib pair tests with increased power

Affected sib pair data contain information about allele sharing and allelic association. Either of these features can point to the presence of a risk-related gene. This study introduces the elliptical sib pair test, a generalization of traditional sib pair tests. The proposed test can be implemented using any of three strategies, the choice of which depends on the anticipated combination of sharing and association. The elliptical sib pair test can achieve substantial gains in power relative to traditional tests for likely alternative hypotheses at little or no cost for other alternatives. The proposed test is valid under most models of genetic risk, disease etiology, and genotype-haplotype distributions. This study also provides new insight into the trade-off between tests of allelic association and tests of allele sharing.
Potential energy curves for Li2

Abstract A model potential method is used to calculate the potential curves of a large number of states of the lithium molecule and comparisons are made with other theoretical and experimental data. Agreement is generally satisfactory. Several bound states are predicted that have not been identified experimental including a 3 Σ − g state that dissociates into two excited atoms.
Critique of q-entropy for thermal statistics.

During the past 12 years there have been numerous papers on a relation between entropy and probability which is nonadditive and has a parameter q that depends on the nature of the thermodynamic system under consideration. For $q=1$ this relation corresponds to the Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy, but for other values of q it is claimed that it leads to a formalism that is consistent with the laws of thermodynamics. However, it is shown here that the joint entropy for systems having different values of q is not defined in this formalism, and consequently fundamental thermodynamic concepts such as temperature and heat exchange cannot be considered for such systems. Moreover, for $q\ensuremath{\ne}1$ the probability distribution for weakly interacting systems does not factor into the product of the probability distribution for the separate systems, leading to spurious correlations and other unphysical consequences, e.g., nonextensive energy, that have been ignored in various applications given in the literature.
An improved method for comparing variances when distributions have non-identical shapes

Abstract Literally dozens of procedures have been proposed for comparing the variances of two or more independent groups. Some of these procedures are robust to nonnormality when distributions have identical shapes, but otherwise they are not robust. The only exception is a Box-Scheffe procedure with equal sample sizes per group; with unequal sample sizes, however, even the Box-Scheffe procedure has been found to be unsatisfactory in certain practical situations. Thus, any confidence interval derived from these tests might be unsatisfactory. This paper examines several new procedures. One of these procedure is found to control Type I error probabilities about as well as the Box-Scheffe method, but the new procedure can have substantially more power when the sample sizes are small. Several related procedures are also considered in an attempt to get even more power, but they were found to be unsatisfactory.
Triclocarban mediates induction of xenobiotic metabolism through activation of the constitutive androstane receptor and the estrogen receptor alpha.

Triclocarban (3,4,4′-trichlorocarbanilide, TCC) is used as a broad-based antimicrobial agent that is commonly added to personal hygiene products. Because of its extensive use in the health care industry and resistance to degradation in sewage treatment processes, TCC has become a significant waste product that is found in numerous environmental compartments where humans and wildlife can be exposed. While TCC has been linked to a range of health and environmental effects, few studies have been conducted linking exposure to TCC and induction of xenobiotic metabolism through regulation by environmental sensors such as the nuclear xenobiotic receptors (XenoRs). To identify the ability of TCC to activate xenobiotic sensors, we monitored XenoR activities in response to TCC treatment using luciferase-based reporter assays. Among the XenoRs in the reporter screening assay, TCC promotes both constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) activities. TCC treatment to hUGT1 mice resulted in induction of the UGT1A genes in liver. This induction was dependent upon the constitutive active/androstane receptor (CAR) because no induction occurred in hUGT1Car−/− mice. Induction of the UGT1A genes by TCC corresponded with induction of Cyp2b10, another CAR target gene. TCC was demonstrated to be a phenobarbital-like activator of CAR in receptor-based assays. While it has been suggested that TCC be classified as an endocrine disruptor, it activates ERα leading to induction of Cyp1b1 in female ovaries as well as in promoter activity. Activation of ERα by TCC in receptor-based assays also promotes induction of human CYP2B6. These observations demonstrate that TCC activates nuclear xenobiotic receptors CAR and ERα both in vivo and in vitro and might have the potential to alter normal physiological homeostasis. Activation of these xenobiotic-sensing receptors amplifies gene expression profiles that might represent a mechanistic base for potential human health effects from exposure to TCC.
Calcium binding, quantum yield, and emitting molecule in aequorin bioluminescence.

THE protein aequorin, from the jellyfish Aequorea, emits bluish light in aqueous solution on addition specifically of calcium or strontium; the necessary energy of more than 60 kcalories/mole at the peak wavelength is evidently provided by an intramolecular reaction which is accompanied by a change in absorption spectrum and yields a blue fluorescent reaction product1,2. The extreme sensitivity to Ca2+, much more than to Sr2+, provides a basis for quick microdetermination of Ca2+ in biological fluids3 and has been used in detecting the relation of Ca2+ to contraction of single muscle fibres4,5 and to activity of mitochondria6. The chief properties of aequorin, including the molecular weight (m.w.) of 30,000 by sedimentation, diffusion or 32,000 by amino-acid composition, have been reported7. The kinetics of the light-emitting reaction have also been studied8.
Neural networks-based adaptive bidding with the contract net protocol in multi-robot systems

This paper investigates the effectiveness of using the Contract Net Protocol, an auction type system, for controlling task allocation among a group of robots, and presents and evaluates a strategy of using Artificial Neural Networks to formulate adaptive bids within the framework of the Contract Net Protocol. The robots were used in a foraging environment and showed that excellent communication among robots leads to a need for a social control mechanism for managing the robots, such as the Contract Net Protocol. The experiments also confirmed that a moderate benefit can be gained by using adaptive bidding within the framework of the Contract Net Protocol.
Performance optimization of bundled fiber optic displacement sensors

Bundled intensity-modulated fiber optic displacement sensors offer high-speed (kHz-MHz) performance with micrometer-level accuracy over a broad range of axial displacements, and they are particularly well-suited for applications where minimally invasive, non-contacting sensing is desired. Furthermore, differential versions of these sensors have the potential to contribute robustness to fluctuating environmental conditions. The performance limitations of these sensors are governed by the relationship between axial displacement and measured power at the locations of receiving fibers within a bundled probe. Since the propagating transmission's power level is spatially non-uniform, the relative locations of receiving fibers within a bundled probe are related to the sensor's output, and in this way fiber location is related to sensor performance. In this paper, measured power levels are simulated using a validated optical transmission model, and a genetic algorithm is employed for searching the intensity-modulated bundled displacement sensor's design space for bundle configurations that offer high-overall combinations of desired performance metrics (e.g., linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, axial displacement range, etc...). The genetic algorithm determines arrangements of fibers within the bundled probe that optimize a performance-based cost function and have the potential to offer high-performance operation. Multiple converged results of the genetic algorithm generated using different cost function structures are compared. Two optimized configurations are prototyped, and experimental sensor performance is related to simulated performance levels. The prototypes' linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, axial displacement range, and sensor robustness are described, and sensor bandwidth limitations are discussed. This paper has been approved by Los Alamos National Laboratory for unlimited public distribution (LA-UR 12-00642).
Morphological dynamics of mitochondria--a special emphasis on cardiac muscle cells.

Mitochondria play a critical role in cellular energy metabolism, Ca2+ homeostasis, reactive oxygen species generation, apoptosis, aging, and development. Many recent publications have shown that a continuous balance of fusion and fission of these organelles is important in maintaining their proper function. Therefore, there is a steep correlation between the form and function of mitochondria. Many major proteins involved in mitochondrial fusion and fission have been identified in different cell types, including heart. However, the functional role of mitochondrial dynamics in the heart remains, for the most part, unexplored. In this review we will cover the recent field of mitochondrial dynamics and its physiological and pathological implications, with a particular emphasis on the experimental and theoretical basis of mitochondrial dynamics in the heart.
The nervous control of blood flow to the pineal body.

Abstract The minimum nutritional flow of blood to the pineal body was measured in intact rats and in those in which the superior cervical ganglia have been bilaterally removed or decentralized. In addition, blood flow was determined during infusions of high physiologic doses of epinephrine, norepinephrine or vasopressin. Either surgical procedure reduced the flow to the pineal by one-third without a loss in organ weight. In addition, the ability of the pineal to make a compensatory vasomotor response to pressor quantities of norepinephrine or vasopressin was lost. There was no evidence of denervation sensitization for vasomotor responses. The high flow of blood to the denervated pineal body suggests a continued high level of metabolic activity.
Between Adolescents and Aging Grandparents: Midlife Concerns of Adults in the "Sandwich Generation"

This study examined whether the midlife transition of men and women in the “sandwich generation” was related to their 15- to 19-year-old adolescent's psychosocial development and their relationships with their own aging parents (i.e., the grandparents). One hundred eighty-six (186) respondents representing adolescents, mothers, and fathers from 62 families completed questionnaires that assessed adolescents' psychological autonomy and involvement in adult-type roles, adults' midlife transition and marital quality, and adults' relationships with their aging parents. Analyses conducted by domain revealed that women reported greater concerns with midlife issues when their adolescents demonstrated fewer signs of psychological autonomy and involvement in adult-type roles whereas men reported more intense midlife concerns when they experienced more strain in their relations with their own parents. When adolescent, grandparent, and marital factors were considered conjointly, the results indicated that women's level of midlife concerns was still related to their adolescents' development, but men's level of concerns was most strongly related to their satisfaction with the quality of their marriages. The discussion focuses on adult women's and men's experience of the midlife transition in relation to adolescents' development, parents' relationships with aging grandparents, and marital quality.
Treatment of gastric leaks after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a paradigm shift

Abstract Background During the past decade, nonoperative treatment of leaks after bariatric surgery has been deemed acceptable in selected patients. The setting of our study was 2 university affiliated hospitals. Methods We reviewed gastric leaks in 1069 consecutive bariatric operations that were performed by 1 surgeon during the past 8 years, including 836 primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), 114 primary open RYGBs, and 119 revisional procedures. Drains were used routinely in the laparoscopic and revision groups and selectively in the open group. Perforations and jejunojejunostomy leaks were excluded. Results There were no leaks after open RYGB, 8 leaks (.95%) after laparoscopic RYGB, and 5 leaks (4.2%) after the revisional procedures. Of the 13 leaks, 7 occurred at the gastrojejunostomy, 6 at the staple line of the upper pouch, and none in the excluded stomach. Of the 8 postlaparoscopic RYGB leaks, 3 required reoperation versus 2 of 5 postrevision leaks. There were no perioperative deaths. All but 2 patients in the nonoperative group were treated with endoscopic injection of fibrin sealant (EIFS). Of the 4 leaks in the laparoscopic RYGB group, 2 treated by EIFS closed after 1 treatment; however, all leaks in the revision group required >1 EIFS treatment. The mean length of stay was 36 ± 34 days in the operative group and 33 ± 7 days in the EIFS patients. Operation for failure of EIFS was not required in any patient. Conclusion EIFS provides safe and successful treatment of patients who develop gastric leaks after bariatric operations. We recommend EIFS for all patients with endoscopically accessible leaks who can safely be treated nonoperatively.
Allergy practice in the academic otolaryngology setting: results of a comprehensive survey.

Objective To survey academic otolaryngology centers and obtain information regarding their practice of otolaryngic allergy. Study design A 12-item multiple-choice survey was sent to all academic otolaryngology department chairmen and program directors, as well as all academic liaisons known to the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy. Results Representatives of 71 of 102 (69.6%) accredited otolaryngology programs responded; 52 of 84 respondents reported an active otolaryngic allergy practice at their institution. The testing method most widely employed by those surveyed is intradermal dilutional testing (IDT). The majority of respondents (74.5%) felt that the addition of allergy increased referrals to their department, and a similar majority (72%) were operating at a profit. The most common reasons cited for adding allergy services were to meet educational and residency requirements. Conclusions The majority of academic otolaryngology programs in the United States currently offer otolaryngic allergy services. The primary reason cited for adding these services is for educational purposes, but there appear to be potential financial benefits as well. EBM rating: C-4
Enhanced elastic-plastic line-spring finite element

Abstract The elastic-plastic line-spring finite element of Parks and White (1982), as implemented in the ABAQUS finite element code (1988b), is modified in several ways for a better evaluation of crack-tip deformation parameters such as K 1 , J , crack-tip opening displacement and crack-tip stress triaxiality, the last of which is inferred or measured by the so-called T -stress and Q -stress parameters. An effective crack length formulation is introduced to capture the nonlinearity due to contained plane strain crack-tip plastic deformation, the size and orientation of which are known to be sensitive to the sign and magnitude (relative to yield strength) of the T -stress. More accurate yield surfaces, obtained from finite element limit analyses of plane strain single-edge cracked specimens, are employed to more sharply define the behavior of the line-spring model in the fully plastic region. More accurate relationships between incremental plastic crack-tip opening displacement and incremental load point displacement/rotation are also incorporated into the model for shallow crack configurations under fully plastic loading. The modified line-spring model is then applied to surface cracked plate problems having a wide range of crack-tip constraints, and the feasibility of implementing J-T (Q) based two-parameter characterizations of elastic-plastic crack front fields via simplified line-spring elements is examined.
Fast nonlinear model predictive control: Formulation and industrial process applications

Abstract With the widespread availability of model predictive control (MPC), nonlinear MPC provides a natural extension to include nonlinear models for trajectory tracking and dynamic optimization. NMPC can include first principle models developed for off-line dynamic studies as well as nonlinear data-driven models, but requires the application of efficient large-scale optimization strategies to avoid computational delays and to ensure stability, robustness and superior performance. This study presents the application of the recently developed advanced step NMPC (asNMPC) strategy. This approach solves the detailed optimization problem in background and applies a sensitivity-based update on-line. Two large-scale process case studies are considered: detailed distillation control and multi-stage operation for steam generation in a power plant. In both cases, efficient and robust controller performance is achieved with nonlinear dynamic optimization.
A use for the stapler in pancreatic surgery.

Abstract A simple technique utilizing a surgical stapler for the division of the uncinate process of the pancreas from its vascular-areolar attachments is described. This method is applicable during radical pancreaticoduodenectomy, 95 percent distal pancreatectomy and total pancreatectomy. Application of this technique in 10 patients expedited resection and provided a secure, hemostatic division of the uncinate process from the surrounding vasculature.
Life's complexity

How the Leopard Changed Its Spots: The Evolution of Complexity. By Brian Good-win. Weidenfeld and Nicolson/Scribners: 1994. Pp. 233. £18.99, $23. To be published in the US in October.
Epigenetic regulation of CD1d-mediated antigen presentation in B cell lymphoma

Tumors frequently alter antigen processing and presentation by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins in order to evade recognition by the immune system. CD1d, a non-polymorphic MHC class I-like molecule, presents lipid antigens to Natural killer T (NKT) cells, which have potent anti-tumor effector functions. NKT cells are able to directly lyse malignant cells and induce anti-tumor responses by modulating other immune cells. Many hematologic malignancies express CD1d and the co-stimulatory proteins needed to induce anti-tumor responses by NKT cells, yet most tumors are poorly immunogenic. Here we sought to test the hypothesis that B cell lymphomas use epigenetic mechanisms to dysregulate CD1d-mediated antigen processing and presentation leading to a functional impairment in the ability of NKT cells to recognize tumors. To assess the functional outcomes of epigenetic modulation, murine and human B cell lymphomas were pretreated with HDAC inhibitors and then we assessed their ability to process and present antigen. Pretreatment with Trichostatin A (TSA) resulted in a dose-dependent increase in CD1d-mediated NKT cell activation by lymphoma cells without altering CD1d or co-stimulatory molecule cell surface expression. Similarly, pretreatment with TSA enhanced MHC class II mediated antigen presentation to CD4+ T cells. In contrast, treatment with the more selective HDACi, MC1568, resulted in an increase in CD1d-mediated NKT cell activation, but did not enhance antigen presentation by HLA-DR4. These data indicate that HDACi differentially modulate CD1d and MHC class II-mediated antigen presentation and suggests a role for multiple HDACs in regulating antigen processing and presentation. Overall, our studies demonstrate the efficacy of HDACi in restoring NKT cell mediated anti-tumor responses and may provide the basis for an NKT cell-based immunotherapeutic strategy that not only enhances the immune response, but also increases the immunogenicity of the tumor itself.