cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are brain structural abnormalities useful as endophenotypes in schizophrenia

Endophenotypes, which represent intermediate phenotypes on the causal pathway from the genotype to the phenotype, can help unravel the molecular etiopathology of complex psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Several candidate endophenotypic markers have been proposed in schizophrenia, including neurocognitive and neurophysiological impairments. Over the past three decades, there has been an impressive body of literature in support of brain structural alterations in schizophrenia, but few studies have critically examined whether these abnormalities can be considered useful endophenotypic markers. We critically reviewed the extant literature on the neuroanatomy of schizophrenia in this paper to evaluate their candidacy as endophenotypes. Structural brain changes are robustly associated with schizophrenia, are state independent and may cut across the diagnostic boundaries of major psychotic illnesses. Brain morphometric measures are heritable, co-segregate with the broadly defined neurocognitive and b...
Evoked efflux of [3H]GABA from goldfish retina in the dark.

Abstract H1 horizontal cells of goldfish retina probably are GABAergic and receive synaptic excitation from red cone photoreceptors in the dark. This study was designed to detect efflux of [3H]GABA from H1 cells by a physiological stimulus in order to obtain information regarding the identity of the red cone transmitter and obtain information on the role of dopaminergic interplexiform cells (DA-IPCs), the other synaptic input to H1 cells. Efflux of [3H]GABA was studied by biochemical analysis of perfused isolated retinas. Retinas were incubated in dim red light for 15 min in 0.72 μM [3H]GABA, rinsed for 30 min in red light and subjected to darkness under a variety of conditions. Radioactivity in the perfusate was determined by liquid scintillation spectroscopy. The findings are: 1. both l -glutamate and l -aspartate cause a dose-dependent efflux of [3H]GABA from H1 cells, 2. inclusion of 3.2 mM d -aspartate in the perfusion medium potentiates l -glutamate and totally inhibits l -aspartate, 3. retinas perfused in the standard Ringer do not show increased [3H]GABA efflux when placed in the dark, 4. when 3.2 mM d -aspartate is in the perfusion medium, there is significant dark-induced [3H]GABA efflux which is reduced with light onset, 5. 100 μM dopamine inhibits the dark-induced efflux of [3H]GABA. These results show that efflux of [3H]GABA from H1 cells can be detected under physiological conditions strongly suggesting that the H1 cell is GABAergic and, in addition, is subjected to antagonistic inputs from red cones and DA-IPCs. Furthermore, since d -aspartate potentiates l -glutamate and inhibits l -aspartate, and is required for the detection of dark-induced efflux of [3H]GABA, it is unlikely that the transmitter for red cones is l -aspartate but more likely is l -glutamate.
The optical measurement of 1,2-propanediol for the determination of lung capillary permeability surface area

A technique that allows for the optical measurement of the concentration-time relationship for a diffusion-limited material in indicator dilution studies is discussed. The material, 1-2 propanediol, is used as a probe of the permeability of capillaries in the lung. Comparisons between standard radioisotope measurements and the optical measurements are provided and show excellent agreement. The optical method represents an improvement over the standard radioisotope method in that it provides the same data at lower cost, lower risk, and without the delay required by the radiographic methods. >
Tube Bending Under Axial Force and Internal Pressure

Tube bending is a widely used manufacturing process in the aerospace, automotive, and various other industries. During tube bending, considerable in-plane distortion and thickness variation occurs. Additional loadings such as axial force and internal pressure can be used to achieve better shape control. Based on plasticity theories, analytical models are developed to predict cross-sectional distortion and thickness change of tubes under various loading conditions. The model predictions are in good agreement with finite element simulations and published experimental results. The models can be used to evaluate tooling and process design in tube bending.
In vivo and in vitro effects of substance P and neurotensin on gonadotropin and prolactin release.

Conscious ovariectomized rats bearing a cannula implanted in the third ventricle were injected with 2 μl 0.9% NaCl containing varying doses of substance P (SP) or neurotensin (NT), and plasma gonadotropins and PRL were measured by RIA of jugular blood samples drawn through an indwelling silastic catheter. Control injections of saline iv or into the thirdventricle did not modify plasma hormone levels. Intraventricular injection of NT at doses of either 0.5 or 2 μg lowered plasma LHconcentrations within 5 min and they remained low for 60 min. These doses of NT also lowered plasma PRL with a similar time course. An intermediate dose of 1 μg NT iv had no effect on plasma LH but elevated plasma PRL. Incubation of hemipituitaries from OVX rats with varying doses of NT did not alter gonadotropin release into the medium, but PRL release was enhanced with doses of 50 or more ng/ml medium. It is suggested that NT acts centrally to inhibit LHRH release and to bring about an inhibition of PRL release and that it can ...
Impact of caloric intake on parenteral nutrition-associated intestinal morphology and mucosal barrier function.

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) is known to induce villus atrophy, epithelial cell (EC) apoptosis, and increase mucosal permeability. The study hypothesized that increasing amounts of energy delivery to mice would result in the best outcome, with the least effects on the mucosa. Methods: Mice were randomized to enteral controls (saline infusion with ad libitum enteral food) or to 1 of 3 PN groups (with no enteral nutrition): full (100% of daily average energy intake for the mouse), reduced (75% of energy intake) or very low (50% of energy intake). Mice received PN for 7 days. Mucosal morphology, EC apoptosis, and bacterial translocation were assessed. Results: Villus height decreased significantly with decreasing levels of caloric intake and was significantly lower in all PN groups compared with controls. Body weight loss was significantly greater in PN groups vs controls and was greatest in mice with the lowest caloric delivery. A consistent trend toward a higher EC apoptotic index with decreasing ...
Empirical methods for estimating the linear coefficient of expansion of oxide glasses from their composition

Abstract Empirical methods for estimating the linear coefficient of expansion (α) of oxide glasses have been derived. New parameters ( β i ) are define for the glass modifiers. The β i are calculated from the ionic radius R , charge Z , and the electronegativity EN of the modifiers. β i parameters and their normalized values ( γ i ) with respect to a standard modifier, classify the modifiers according to their contribution to the thermal expansion. Two semi-emperical relations were derived for the calculation of α. Calculated expansion coefficient for over 500 glass compositions are within ± 15% of the measured values. The application of the methods to ternary, quaternary and multicomponent industrial glasses is treated.
Computational modeling of plastic deformation and shear banding in bulk metallic glasses

Abstract The study of plastic deformation of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) reveals two modes. At low temperatures and high stresses plastic deformation is inhomogeneous, in which case the failure of BMGs is mostly due to the formation of a very thin shear band. Inside this band, the evolving strain is highly localized. At high temperatures and low stresses, plastic deformation is homogeneous and the BMGs exhibit a Newtonian viscosity. It is generally acknowledged that the shear-induced free volume evolution plays an important role in the failure of BMGs under both modes of deformation. In this paper, a free volume-based constitutive model is proposed, which accounts for the transition of inhomogeneous to homogeneous deformation and non-Newtonian to Newtonian viscosity. A time integration algorithm is presented in this paper with a description of its implementation in the commercial code ABAQUS through the user-defined material window UMAT. 2 and 3-Dimensional finite element simulations are performed and the model is validated with results of uniaxial compression and micro-indentation experiments for a wide range of temperatures and strain rates. The simulation results exhibit hydrostatic pressure dependence, and suggest that a mixed-power-strain-rate-dependent free volume creation mode is more effective than the commonly used strain-rate-dependent free volume creation law, when considering large temperature ranges.
The Biconditional Doctrine: Contra Kölbel on a “Dogma” of Davidsonian Semantics

Should a theory of meaning state what sentences mean, and can a Davidsonian theory of meaning in particular do so? Max Kolbel answers both questions affirmatively. I argue, however, that the phenomena of non-homophony, non-truth-conditional aspects of meaning, semantic mood, and context-sensitivity provide prima facie obstacles for extending Davidsonian truth-theories to yield meaning-stating theorems. Assessing some natural moves in reply requires a more fully developed conception of the task of such theories than Kolbel provides. A more developed conception is also required to defend his positive answer to the first question above. I argue that, however Kolbel might elaborate his position, it can’t be by embracing the sort of cognitivist account of Davidsonian semantics to which he sometimes alludes.
Field electron emission changes by face specific adsorption of aluminum oxide and corresponding decomposition products on tungsten {110} and {100} planes

After deposition of aluminum oxide on a tungsten field emission microscope (FEM) tip and stepwise heating, three stages of emission changes were observed on {100}. Stages I and II cause work function decreases of 0.28 and 0.07 eV, respectively. Stage III is characterized by a large increase (Δϕ≃+3 eV). The changes are discussed in terms of interaction of decomposition products (oxygen and aluminum) and adsorption of aluminum oxide. On {110} only a single aluminum oxide layer growth, which results in a work function decrease to ϕ=4.69 eV, is observed. The field electron emission from this layer was measured between 1400°K and room temperature. The experimental values were compared with those determined from Christov's unified theory of field and thermionic emission. The {110} layer values coincide with those obtained earlier from an aluminum oxide covered tungsten {112}.
cAMP-induced morphological changes in an immortalized Schwann cell line: a prelude to differentiation?

Schwann cells (SC), the myelinating cells of the peripheral nervous system, show a remarkable capacity to switch from a differentiated state to a proliferative state both during development and peripheral nerve regeneration. In order to better understand the regulatory mechanisms involved with this change we are studying a Schwann cell line transfected with the SV-40 large T gene (TSC). Serum-free medium combined with elevating intra-cellular cAMP levels produced a slower proliferating TSC whose morphology changed from pleiomorphic to process bearing, reminiscent of primary SC in culture. This change was abrogated by colcemid but was unaltered by cytochalasin D, indicating a major role for microtubules. Ultrastructural studies demonstrated numerous microtubules in the cellular extensions which correlated with strong immunocytochemical staining for tubulin in the processes. Analysis of cytoskeletal fractions from the treated cells revealed a greater proportion of tubulin in the polymerized state compared with untreated cells which closely resembled the distribution in primary SC. The cytoskeletal changes observed in the TSC as a result of elevating the intra-cellular cAMP levels may reflect the earliest cellular changes in the induction of myelination. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
KIV: overview and VerifyThis competition

Members of our research group participated in the VerifyThis competition at FM 2012 in Paris using the interactive specification and verification system KIV. In this article we describe the KIV verification system and its latest additions. We discuss our solutions to the three VerifyThis problems and which features of KIV were used in solving them. We also report on our findings from performing the proofs.
On Some Stochastic Problems in Epidemiology under the Binomial Damage Model

The present paper discusses some probability problems in epidemiology in which a community is divided into two parts by means of the binomial damage model. The community size N is an integer-valued random variable and p denotes the incidence rate of a certain disease such that conditional on N=n, the number B of infected individuals in the community follows a binomial distribution with parameters n and p. Let C denote the number of the susceptibles, where B + C = N. Probabilities are found of the events, such as, only half the community is hit by the disease, or there are n more susceptibles than are infected for n=0, 1, 2,…, or the susceptibles exceed the infected, or the susceptibles exceed (m-1) times the number of infected individuals for m = 2, 3,…, etc. These probabilities play an useful role when a public health official wishes to ascertain that only a given proportion 1/m of the community is infected with the disease. Only the cases when the community size N follows the geometric, negative binomial or FISHER'S logarithmic series distributions are considered with the mathematics being manageable.
Diploid and tetraploid Solanum chacoense genotypes that synthesize leptine glycoalkaloids and deter feeding by Colorado potato beetle

A selection (8380-1) fromSolatium chacoense Bitter (2n=2x=24) accession PI 458310 that synthesizes the leptine glycoalkaloids was compared in growth chambers with tetraploid (2n=4x=48) genotypes derived from tissue culture of 8380-1 leaf expiants for plant growth habit, leaf glycoalkaloid content, and effect on the development of Colorado potato beetle [Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)] larvae. The plants of the 4x regenerant genotypes were more vigorous with larger, more oval shaped leaflets than 8380-1 plants. The leaf concentrations of leptines and total glycoalkaloids were significantly lower (about 34%) in the 4x genotypes than in 8380-1. The proportion of leptines in the total glycoalkaloid content was nearly the same (about 80%) in both ploidy groups. In leaf-disk feeding tests, the development of Colorado potato beetle neonate larvae was not significantly different for the 2x and 4x genotypes. Both groups significantly slowed development compared with development on cv. Kennebec leaf disks. The 8380-1 selection and a group of 4x 8380-1 regenerant genotypes are maintained in the Vegetable Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD 20705 and are available for distribution.
Grasping in Children with and without Cerebral Palsy: A Kinematic Analysis

This study investigates how children with and without cerebral palsy (CP) adapt their hand grasp to changes in the size of the object involved in a prehension task. Specific questions include: does the maximum hand aperture (MHA) change synchronously with the size of the object to be grasped? Does the shape of the hand aperture form during the transportation phase to the object? In what way do children with CP differ from typically developing children? Thirteen children with spastic CP and 13 children with typical development participated in this study. Participants were engaged in a game that involved reaching to grasp wooden spheres of two sizes. Grasping movements were measured kinematically using a three-dimensional movement analysis system, Optotrak. Children in both groups exhibited larger hand apertures when grasping large objects than when grasping smaller objects. Furthermore, children in both groups reached their MHA earlier during the transport phase when grasping the smaller object than when g...
Compound fractures of the elbow joint in adults

T HE increasing frequency of automobiIe accidents has produced a great number of bad compound comminuted fractures of the eIbow joint. A large percentage of these are of the Ieft elbow, due to the custom of driving with the elbow protruding from the car window. As the bodies of the cars are wider, when an accident occurs the arm is exposed to terrific vioIence. A discussion of compound fractures of the eIbow must be opened primariIy with a ful1 discussion of a method of treatment of compound fractures that has proved satisfactory, not onIy in the eIbow, but in other regions. This method we have used successfuIIy with 91 per cent cIean cases, irrespective of the muItiplicity of the injuries or the extent of the compounding. Where there is no great destruction of tissue or lacerated or incised wounds, we have nearly IOO per cent cIean wounds. The method is as folfows: I. Cover the wound with steriIe gauze. 2. CIeanse surrounding area and shave any hair present. 3. Wash and cleanse wound and edges of wound with soap, water and norma salt soIution. 4. Debride aI avascuIar tissues. Cut away dirty edges of wound with scissors or knife. If separate spicuIes of bone are dirty and detached they must be removed. If dirt is ground Into one of the bone fragments the dirt may be removed from this bone: fragment with a chise1 or a rongeur. Irrigate freely with norma saIt soIution. 5. The wounds are sutured IooseIy, the sutures being stitches from I ” to I! 4” apart. Clry dressings are applied and changed every six hours during the first two days in order to obtain the maximum capillary drainage and to prevent any fermentat ion. When the marked extravasation of scum decreases, the dressings may be left in pIace unti1 the remova of the stitches. This method, in our hands, has been far more satisfactory than the use of Dakin’s cr any other group of antiseptics. The reasons why wounds treated in this manner rc:main cIean are: I. The skin edges are Ioosely coapted and this permits the subsequent oozing of blood to carry away froeign bodies that have escaped the observation of the surgeon. 2. The serum that is thrown out later by every wound tends to dissoIve and force out any excess bIood cIot, nourish the injured tissues, and carry away foreign bodies, as we11 as destroy dead tissues. 3. The dry dressings afford a maximum capiharit:,, so that al1 serum and blood that has been extruded may be rapidIS absorbed; and the six-hour change of these dressings is sufhcient to prevent fermentation or growth of bacteria in the extruded secretions.
A novel serotonin antagonist 2,2'-bis[3-(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl)indolyl]sulfide (BDIS)

A novel serotonin antagonist, 2,2′-bis[3-(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl)indolyl]sulfide (BDIS) was synthesized in one step from the reaction of N,N-dimethyltryptamine with thionyl chloride.
Hooking Mortality of Trophy-Sized Wild Brook Trout Caught on Artificial Lures

Abstract The average hooking mortality per capture event for 630 trophy-sized wild brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis (mean total length, 33.9 cm) caught on five hardware lures was 4.3% during the first 48 h after capture, Mortality was 8.3% for brook trout caught on Mepps spinners and Cleo spoons equipped with a treble-pointed hook, whereas mortality was significantly lower (2.4% per hooking event; P < 0.05) for fish caught on the same lures with a single-pointed hook. The 10.9% mortality caused by treble-hook Mepps spinners was significantly higher than mortality caused by single-hook Cleo spoons (1.6%). Mortality for brook trout caught on single-hook Cleo spoons and single-hook Mepps spinners combined (2.4%) was also significantly lower (P < 0.05) than mortality offish caught on Mepps spinners with treble hooks. There was no mortality among 126 brook trout caught with Rapala lures rigged with two treble hooks. We believe that the differences in mortality of brook trout caught with different lures are pr...
NACP-REP1 polymorphism is not involved in Parkinson's disease: a case-control study in a population sample from southern Italy.

Abstract Contradictory evidence has been reported on the role of the polymorphic mixed dinucleotide repeat (NACP-REP1) of the α-synuclein gene as a risk factor for sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). In the present study we genotyped the NACP-REP1 polymorphism in 189 PD patients from southern Italy and 182 healthy control subjects. We failed to demonstrate an association of any NACP-REP1 allele with PD.
A case of indometacin-induced acute hepatitis developing into chronic autoimmune hepatitis.

This Case Study describes a 47-year-old woman who was treated with indomethacin for osteoarthritis-related hip pain. Soon after beginning treatment she developed nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine and jaundice. Despite discontinuing all medications, her symptoms worsened. Treatment with prednisone 40 mg/day was initially successful, but after tapering (over 18 months) and then discontinuing prednisone her liver chemistry test results worsened and a liver biopsy showed evidence of chronic hepatitis. Background A 47-year-old woman who presented with hip pain as a result of osteoarthritis was treated with indometacin. Ten days after beginning treatment she developed jaundice and ascites. All medications were discontinued, but her symptoms continued to worsen. Investigations Physical examination, laboratory tests and radiologic examinations, including liver chemistry tests, viral serologies, serum iron studies, ceruloplasmin and alpha-fetoprotein analyses, autoimmune serologies, ascites studies, abdominal CT, liver ultrasound and liver biopsy. Diagnosis Severe biopsy-proven hepatitis that progressed to chronic autoimmune hepatitis. Management Treatment with prednisone 40 mg/day was initially successful. The dose of the therapy was tapered over 18 months and then discontinued, after which time the patient's liver chemistry test results worsened. Repeat liver biopsy samples showed evidence of chronic hepatitis, and her liver chemistry test results improved when prednisone was restarted. The patient was maintained on 750 mg twice-daily mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone was decreased to 5 mg every other day.
Nanoparticle-Based Metamaterials as Multiband Plasmonic Resonator Antennas

Plasmonic metamaterials based on metal-dielectric nanostructures exhibit unique optical properties such as high near-field enhancement, negative refractive indexing, and optical cloaking. In this paper, we present a plasmonic multiband metamaterial based on UT shaped nanoparticles. In order to understand the multispectral response, we analyze the near-field distributions at the corresponding resonance frequencies. In addition, we both numerically and experimentally, show the dependence of the spectral response on the geometrical parameters of the structure. By embedding the system in a dielectric cladding medium, we show strong sensitivities of the resonant behavior to the refractive index and thickness of the dielectric load. Due to its tunable multiband spectral characteristics, the proposed metamaterial antenna can be used for wide range of applications, such as wavelength-tunable active filters, optical modulators, ultrafast switching devices, and biosensing.
Intracellular calcium release resulting from mGluR1 receptor activation modulates GABAA currents in wide‐field retinal amacrine cells: a study with caffeine

The modulatory action of calcium (Ca2+) released from intracellular stores on GABAA receptor-mediated current was investigated in wide-field amacrine cells isolated from the teleost, Morone chrysops, retina. Caffeine, ryanodine or inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) markedly inhibited the GABAA current by elevating [Ca2+]i. The inhibition resulted from the activation of a Ca2+--> Ca2+/calmodulin --> calcineurin cascade. Long (>12 s) exposure to glutamate mimicked the caffeine effect, i.e. it inhibited the GABAA current by elevating [Ca2+]i through mGluR1 receptor activation and consequent IP3 generation. This pathway provides a 'timed' disinhibitory mechanism to potentiate excitatory postsynaptic potentials in wide-field amacrine cells. It occurs as a result of the suppression of GABA-mediated conductances as a function of the duration of presynaptic excitatory input activity. This is much like some forms of long-term potentiation in the central nervous system. In a local retinal circuit this will selectively accentuate particular excitatory inputs to the wide-field amacrine cell. Similar to other neural systems, we suggest that activity-dependent postsynaptic disinhibition is an important feature of the signal processing in the inner retina.
Molecular tagging thermometry for transient temperature mapping within a water droplet

We present the progress made in developing a molecular tagging thermometry (MTT) technique for achieving spatially and temporally resolved temperature measurements within a small water droplet over a solid surface. For MTT measurement, a pulsed laser is used to tag phosphorescent 1-BrNp⋅Mβ-CD⋅ROH molecules premixed with water. Long-lived laser-induced phosphorescence is imaged at two successive times after the same laser excitation pulse. The temperature measurement is achieved by taking advantage of the temperature dependence of the phosphorescence lifetime, which is estimated from the intensity ratio of the acquired phosphorescence image pair. The measured transient temperature distributions can be used to quantify the unsteady heat transfer process inside convectively cooled water droplets over smooth or rough surfaces.
HER2 as a Therapeutic Target in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The majority of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) present with advanced-stage disease. Current standard of care is surgery followed by adjuvant radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy or chemoradiation alone. The addition of cetuximab for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or recurrent/metastatic HNSCC has improved overall survival and locoregional control; however, responses are often modest, and treatment resistance is common. A variety of therapeutic strategies are being explored to overcome cetuximab resistance by blocking candidate proteins implicated in resistance mechanisms such as HER2. Several HER2 inhibitors are in clinical development for HNSCC, and HER2-targeted therapy has been approved for several cancers. This review focuses on the biology of HER2, its role in cancer development, and the rationale for clinical investigation of HER2 targeting in HNSCC.
A fun Approach to Enhancing Oral Communication Skills

One key element for employers is a new hire's ability to communicate. It has become an important component of accreditation as well. This paper discusses how oral communication has been integrated within the computer science curriculum at Roger Williams University. It focuses on a method for building confidence in speaking. Using an impromptu approach in a non-graded exercise, students have fun while developing good speaking habits. The exercise is a game that continuously receives favorable comments from students indicating it has helped them improve their communication skills. The skill improvement extends beyond one course as students have commented it has helped in other courses as well. This exercise has been in use for three years.
Single-Case Experimental Methods: Suggestions for Reporting

This editorial describes important issues in the reporting of studies using single case experimental methods. The intent is to provide authors with a short description of information that should be...
Diagnosis Method Study of Transformer Windings Deformation Basing on Sweep Frequency of Short-Circuit Impedance

Combing the advantages of frequency response method with the advantages of short-circuit impedance method, put forward the sweep frequency short-circuit impedance method. Analyse the windings deformation basing on the mutual difference of short-circuit impedance at different frequencies. The validity of this method is preliminary verified at last.
A microfabricated wedge-shaped adhesive array displaying gecko-like dynamic adhesion, directionality and long lifetime

Gecko adhesion has become a paradigmatic example of bio-inspired engineering, yet among the many gecko-like synthetic adhesives (GSAs), truly gecko-like performance remains elusive. Many GSAs have previously demonstrated one or two features of the gecko adhesive. We present a new wedge-shaped GSA that exhibits several gecko-like properties simultaneously: directional features; zero force at detachment; high ratio of detachment force to preload force; non-adhesive default state; and the ability to maintain performance while sliding, even after thousands of cycles. Individual wedges independently detach and reattach during sliding, resulting in high levels of shear and normal adhesion during drag. This behaviour provides a non-catastrophic failure mechanism that is desirable for applications such as climbing robots where sudden contact failure would result in serious falls. The effects of scaling patch sizes up to tens of square centimetres are also presented and discussed. Patches of 1 cm 2 had an adhesive pressure of 5.1 kPa while simultaneously supporting 17.0 kPa of shear. After 30 000 attachment/detachment cycles, a patch retained 67 per cent of its initial adhesion and 76 per cent of its initial shear without cleaning. Square-based wedges of 20 m ma nd 50mm are manufactured in a moulding process where moulds are fabricated using a dual-side, dual-angle lithography process on quartz wafers with SU-8 photoresist as the mould material and polydimethylsiloxane as the cast material.
Bank-Specific Default Risk in the Pricing of Bank Note Discounts

Bank notes were the largest component of the antebellum money supply despite losses as high as 5 percent in some years. Using a comprehensive bank-level panel of note discounts in New York City and Philadelphia, I explain this contradiction by showing that the secondary market reduced losses by accurately discounting notes based on their individual risk of default. Note discounts were almost exclusively sensitive to those factors which increased a bank's probability of default: specie suspensions, falling bond prices, and undiversified portfolios. Thus, by accounting for a bank's composition and environment, the market protected noteholders and allowed notes to circulate throughout the economy.
What Can We Learn with Statistical Truth Serum?Design and Analysis of the List Experiment

Due to the inherent sensitivity of many survey questions, a number of researchers have adopted an indirect questioning technique known as the list experiment (or the item count technique) in order to minimize bias due to dishonest or evasive responses. However, standard practice with the list experiment requires a large sample size, is not readily adaptable to regression or multivariate modeling, and provides only limited diagnostics. This paper addresses all three of these issues. First, the paper presents design principles for the standard list experiment (and the double list experiment) to minimize bias and reduce variance as well as providing sample size formulas for the planning of studies. Additionally, this paper investigates the properties of a number of estimators and introduces an easy-to-use piecewise estimator that reduces necessary sample sizes in many cases. Second, this paper proves that standard-procedure list experiment data can be used to estimate the probability that an individual holds the socially undesirable opinion/behavior. This allows multivariate modeling. Third, this paper demonstrates that some violations of the behavioral assumptions implicit in the technique can be diagnosed with the list experiment data. The techniques in this paper are illustrated with examples from American politics.
The surgical treatment of Ebstein's malformation

THE MOST APPROPRIATE SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR Ebstein's malformation and, indeed, the very nature of the lesion itself, remain contentious issues. The long experience of the group from Hopital Broussais has proved invaluable in directing surgeons towards the best techniques for conservative repair and in pointing anatomists towards the most appropriate description of the deranged valvar structure. This is exemplified by the advances made in the understanding of the left atrioventricular valve in hearts with deficient atrioventricular septation ("atrioventricular canal malformations") . It was the beautifully explicit diagrams of Carpentier which, for me at least, first focused attention on the unequivocal trifoliate arrangement of this left atrioventricular valve, although the information required was also provided by Van Mierop and his colleagues in their earlier studies.' The impact of all these excellent investigations, however, was dissipated by continued use of the adjective "mitral" to describe the trifoliate valve, together with arguments which continued concerning the optimal surgical treatment of the zone of apposition between the edges of the two leaflets of the trifoliate valve which bridge the ventricular septum (the "commissure" or "cleft"). It is now becoming appreciated that it is better to avoid nominative terms for this structure and simply describe the zone of apposition between the leaflets. In the accompanying paper, Chauvaud and his colleagues describe the continuing evaluation of their surgical management of Ebstein's malformation. At the same time, (for me, at any rate) they continue to clarify the morphology of this fascinating lesion. I had thought that I understood well the anomaly, having published several accounts of its structure which, over time, illustrated my own increasing appreciation of its morphology." When preparing a chapter from a presentation for a meeting also attended by both Chauvaud and Carpentier, however, elements of my continuing ignorance were highlighted by the comments of these skilled surgeons. Much of the impetus for my own chapter had itself been provided by an editorial comment by Becker
Regulation of Cortical Proteins in Euplotes

SYNOPSIS. A method of isolating cortical organelles from single specimens of Euplotes eurystomus, involving lysis in an induced electric current, is described. The isolation technic was coupled with radioautography to study the patterns of incorporation and conservation of labeled proteins in the membranellar band (MB). Isolated single cells of known age were followed thru one or more divisions. A method of distinguishing between daughter cells (proters and opisthes) at division was utilized in some experiments. The old MB, which is apparently morphostatic, incorporates significant amounts of labeled proteins. The pattern of incorporation in total cell proteins at the 1st and 2nd divisions after pulse-chase indicates that the levels of incorporation among daughter cells is equivalent. However, at the 1st division after pulse-chase, the new (opisthe) MB is generally more heavily labeled than the old (proter) MB, and at the 2nd and 3rd divisions new MBs incorporate less label as their development is farther removed in time from the beginning of the chase. The higher level of incorporation in the MB of the 1st division opisthe is maintained thru subsequent divisions, indicating that in Euplotes proteins of the MB are relatively stable.
Hard-limit induced chaos in a fundamental power system model

Abstract The paper investigates complex nonlinear phenomena in a fundamental power system model represented in a single-machine infinite-bus formulation. The generator electro-magnetics, electromechanics and its excitation control are modelled together by fourth-order differential equations. It is shown that when excitation control gains are set high (as in common industry. practice) and when the excitation hard-limits are taken into account, this representative power system model undergoes global bifurcations including period-doubling cascades which lead to sustained chaotic behaviour. Specifically sustained complex oscillations result from the interaction of hard-limits and the system transients over a large range of realistic parameter values. The emergence of strange attractors is demonstrated in the paper by detailed numerical simulations and preliminary analysis.
Testing for No Effect When Estimating a Smooth Function by Nonparametric Regression: A Randomization Approach

Abstract When a linear regression function is estimated by ordinary least squares, the null hypothesis of no relationship between the response and the design variable can be tested by the normal theory F test. This article describes a new test for use in the case in which a smooth regression function is estimated by a nonparametric procedure such as kernel estimation or local regression. The test is constructed as an approximation to an exact permutation test. The test statistic is the ratio of sums of squares that are defined by analogy to the analysis of variance. The null permutation distribution of the test statistic is approximated by matching its exact mean and variance to the moments of a gamma distribution. A simulation study shows that the approximation is excellent for several regression procedures and for normal, heavy-tailed, and skewed error distributions. Simulation results are also used to investigate the power of the test as a function of the smoothing parameter. The test is applied to dat...
Streamlined ellipsometry procedure for characterizing physical aging rates of thin polymer films

Existing studies in the research literature showing conflicting changes in physical aging rates with decreasing film thickness in nanoconfined polymer films highlight the need for a single experimental technique to efficiently characterize physical aging rates in thin polymer films of varying chemical structure. To that end, we have developed a streamlined ellipsometry procedure to measure the structural relaxation of thin glassy polymer films. We evaluate different methods of calculating a physical aging rate β from the measured thickness h(t) and index of refraction n(t) data. We present extensive measurements of β as a function of aging temperature and aging time for polystyrene (PS) films supported on silicon, and determine that the physical aging rate β can be easily and reliably determined from β = -1/h 0 dh/ d(log t), where h 0 is the initial measure of the film thickness at an aging time of 10 min. We have also carried out oxygen permeation studies on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films from 800 μm down to 190 nm in thickness, and find no change in the permeability with film thickness or physical aging at room temperature for up to 65 days, which suggests that gas permeation may be insensitive to physical aging in such low free volume polymers.
Relational Identity and the Division of Household Labor

Data collected from an area probability sample of 90 unmarried and 148 married couples were used to determine whether the degree to which individuals viewed themselves in relational terms (relational identity) was associated with the types of household responsibilities they reported performing. For both males and females, relational identity was found to be a significant predictor of the performance of those tasks typically carried out by women. However, for those tasks typically carried out by men, relational identity significantly pre-dicted non-performance for women only. Additionally, more hours worked outside the home led to lower levels of relationship satisfaction for women high in relational identity compared with women low in relational identity. The performance of household tasks is discussed in terms of their relevance to proper maintenance and care of the relationship.
Temporal Release, Paracrine and Endocrine Actions of Ovine Conceptus-Derived Interferon-Tau During Early Pregnancy

The antiviral activity of interferon (IFN) increases in uterine vein serum (UVS) during early pregnancy in sheep. This antiviral activity in UVS collected on Day 15 of pregnancy is blocked by anti-IFN-tau (anti-IFNT) antibodies. Conceptus-derived IFNT was hypothesized to induce IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression in endometrium and extrauterine tissues during pregnancy. To test this hypothesis, blood was collected from ewes on Days 12-16 of the estrous cycle or pregnancy. Serum progesterone was >1.7 ng/ml in pregnant (P) and nonpregnant (NP) ewes until Day 13, then declined to <0.6 ng/ml by Day 15 in NP ewes. A validated IFNT radioimmunoassay detected IFNT in uterine flushings (UFs) on Days 13-16 and in UVS on Days 15-16 of pregnancy. IFNT detection in UF correlated with paracrine induction of ISGs in the endometrium and occurred prior to the inhibition of estrogen receptor 1 and oxytocin receptor expression in uterine epithelia on Day 14 of pregnancy. Induction of ISG mRNAs in corpus luteum (CL) and liver tissue occurred by Day 14 and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by Day 15 in P ewes. Expression of mRNAs for IFN signal transducers and ISGs were greater in the CL of P than that of NP ewes on Day 14. It is concluded that: 1) paracrine actions of IFNT coincide with detection of IFNT in UF; 2) endocrine action of IFNT ensues through induction of ISGs in peripheral tissues; and 3) IFNT can be detected in UVS, but not until Days 15-16 of pregnancy, which may be limited by the sensitivity of the IFNT radioimmunoassay.
Parental Care and Reproduction in Two Species of Mantidactylus (Anura: Mantellidae)

The rain-forest frogs Mantidactylus bicalcaratus and Mantidactylus punctatus have only been collected from Pandanus and other water-holding plants in Madagascar. In both species, eggs are laid on the surface of Pandanus leaves above water-filled leaf axils, where tadpoles develop. Although some egg masses (26%) were not attended, adults were often found straddling or directly adjacent to egg masses for up to eight days after oviposition. In both species, eggs were attended by either the male or the female parent but not both. This amphisexual egg attendance is known from only three other anurans and an antipredator function for it is hypothesized.
Contrasting sapling bark allocation of five southeastern USA hardwood tree species in a fire prone ecosystem

Fire affects numerous aspects of plant growth and anatomy, particularly in those species adapted to persist in fire-prone environments. A key aspect of tree survival is rapid accumulation of protective bark within fire return intervals. We compared bark accumulation in five co-occurring hardwood species within a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem in the mountains of northeastern Alabama, USA. Sampled species included blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica), sand hickory (Carya pallida), common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), rock chestnut oak (Quercus montana), and red maple (Acer rubrum). Using bark thickness and inside bark diameter measurements taken at 20-cm intervals along the main stem of saplings (average age 4–5 years) we found that, while average wood diameter did not differ across species, significant differences occurred in the ratio of bark to wood. Bark comprised over half (bark:wood = 0.55) of the basal diameter of blackjack oak, which was 3×, 4×, and 6× greater than the bark:wood ratio...
Genetic control of disease resistance and immunoresponsiveness.

Ample evidence points to substantial genetic control over aspects of the immune response. In essence, all immune systems are not created equally. Single genes with large effects on clinical disease have been documented, yet a great majority of disease resistance traits are likely to be influenced by the aggregate of many genes, each with a relatively small effect. Heritability estimates of immunoresponsiveness traits such as antibody response and neutrophil function have typically ranged from 0.10 to 0.30. Animal improvement programs aimed at enhanced disease resistance in North America will likely use immunoresponsiveness traits as indirect markers for clinical disease resistance.
Trauma, Recovery, and Growth: Positive Psychological Perspectives on Posttraumatic Stress

Stephen Joseph & P. Alex Linley. (Eds.). (2008). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. (372 pp., $70.00, hardcover, ISBN# 978‐0‐470075029) Trauma, Recovery, and Growth: Positive Psychological Perspective...
Artificial Rearing of the Carpenterworm, Prionoxystus robiniae (Lepidoptera: Cossidae), and Observations of Its Development

A diet of oak sawdust, agar, water, and nutrients was developed for rearing the carpenterworm, Prionoxystus robiniae (Peck). The larvae were reared in petri dishes and given fresh food as needed. Adults began emerging in 9 months and continued through the 23rd month. There were 2 peaks of emergence, 1 during the 11th month and a second during the 19th. Of the larvae, 59% pupated, and 88% of the pupae produced adults.
Effects of Feeding by Monelliopsis nigropunctata, Monellia caryella, and Melanocallis caryaefoliae on Growth of Pecan Seedlings in the Greenhouse

The foliar-feeding aphids, Monelliopsis nigropunctata (Granovsky), Monellia caryella (Fitch), and Melanocallis caryaefoliae (Davis) seriously affected the main stem and root growth of potted pecan seedlings in the greenhouse. All three species reduced the dry weight of roots and main stems and the chlorophyll content of the foliage. M. nigropunctata had the greatest effect on seedling growth and, in addition, reduced the size of the foliage. M. nigropunctata and M. caryaefoliae exhibited the greatest reduction in chlorophyll content. Starch content of the roots was reduce, but there was no difference among the three species. Starch and total carbohydrate content of the stems also was reduced by the three species, although it was not as severely reduced as in the roots. Honeydew produced by each of the three species was composed of fructose, glucose, inositol, and sucrose.
Liver transplantation: Current status and challenges

Great progress has been made in the field of liver transplantation over the past two decades. This progress, however, also brings up the next set of challenges: First, organ shortage remains a major limitation, and accounts for a large proportion of wait list mortality. While living donation has successfully increased the total number of liver transplants done in Asian countries, the total number of such transplants has been stagnant in the western hemisphere. As such, there has been a significant effort over the past decade to increase the existing deceased donor pool. This effort has resulted in a greater use of liver allografts following donation after cardiac death (DCD) along with marginal and extended criteria donors. Improved understanding of the pathophysiology of liver allografts procured after circulatory arrest has not only resulted in better selection and management of DCD donors, but has also helped in the development of mechanical perfusion strategies. Early outcomes demonstrating the clinical applicability of both hypothermic and normothermic perfusion and its potential to impact patient survival and allograft function have generated much interest. Second, long-term outcomes of liver transplant recipients have not improved significantly, as recipients continue to succumb to complications of long-term immunosuppression, such as infection, malignancy and renal failure. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that chronic immune-mediated injury to the liver may also impact graft function.