cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis block the induction of staphylococcal enterotoxin B-activated T-suppressor cells☆

Abstract A variety of arachidonic acid metabolites possess the ability to modulate immune cell function. Various inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism were compared with regard to their effects on T-suppressor (Ts) cell function. Using Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) to activate Lyt-2 + Ts cells, it was shown that indomethacin and 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) inhibit the induction phase, but not the expression phase, of suppressor cell activity. Agents which inhibit thromboxane synthetase or lipoxygenase activities (imidazole, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, and pyrogallol) were not found to affect Ts cell induction. Since inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis are thought to induce lower levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, an attempt to overcome the indomethacin inhibition of Ts cell induction by modulating cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels was made. It was found that theophylline and isoproterenol are not able to overcome the inhibition by indomethacin of Ts cell activity. These results strongly suggest that induction of Ts cells by SEB is dependent on the synthesis of products of the prostaglandin synthetase pathway.
Second-order functionals for spectral synthesis with discontinuous trial functions

Abstract As an extension of earlier work, the most general second-order variational functional for the two-region multigroup neutron diffusion problem has been derived from the Generalized Roussopoulos Principle. Several special cases of this general functional have been identified with second-order functionals previously proposed in the literature. A theorem on the equivalence of the first- and second-order synthesis has been proved under certain assumptions. This theorem provides a criterion for discriminating between the pure first-order and pure second-order cases. It is evident that the second-order synthesis is advantageous over the first-order, because one has to choose fewer trial functions. Some numerical results, based on the pure first- and pure second-order synthesis, for a prototype two-region two-group reactor model have been given. For the purpose of illustration, two special cases, viz. Galerkin weighting and unity weighting, for the choice of adjoint trial functions for the second-order synthesis have been considered.
Physiologic assessment of lung function in patients undergoing laser photoresection of tracheobronchial tumors

We performed YAG laser photoresection in 11 patients with tracheal or mainstem bronchial obstruction due to malignant or benign disorders. We used maximal inspiratory-expiratory flow-volume loops and expiratory volume-time plots to assess air flow limitation. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and iso-volume maximal flows at 50 percent of forced inspiratory and expiratory volume were calculated. Spirograms and flow-volume loops were repeated within 12 to 72 hours of laser resection. All patients had flattened expiratory limbs on their flow-volume loops. All spirometric parameters increased significantly following laser photoresection. In particular, peak flow improved in all patients, and FEV1 improved in nine of 11 patients, even though four patients had moderate to severe obstructive ventilatory defects which persisted after resection and were probably due to longstanding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We conclude that flow-volume loops and spirometry are helpful in assessing the site and nature of malignant large airway obstructive processes and, moreover, provide reliable information for evaluating the efficacy of laser photoresection. Serial physiologic studies indicate changes in the caliber of the upper airways and can be used as a simple means of following these patients.
TWIST gene mutation in a patient with radial aplasia and craniosynostosis: Further evidence for heterogeneity of Baller‐Gerold syndrome

The term Baller-Gerold syndrome was coined by Cohen [1979: Birth Defects 15(5B): 13-63] to designate the phenotype of craniosynostosis and radial aplasia. It is thought to be a rare autosomal recessive condition, which, in some patients, presents with additional abnormalities, such as polymicrogyria, mental retardation or anal atresia. A phenotypic overlap of Baller-Gerold and Roberts-SC phocomelia syndrome was noted when a patient with bicoronal synostosis and bilateral radial hypoplasia was found to have premature centromere separation, a finding characteristic of Roberts syndrome [Huson et al.,1990: J Med Genet 27:371-375]. Other cases of presumed Baller-Gerold syndrome were rediagnosed as Fanconi pancytopenia, Rothmund-Thomson syndrome or VACTERL association. These reports led to a narrowed redefinition of Baller-Gerold syndrome based on the exclusion of cytogenetic and hematopoetic abnormalities and the absence of additional malformations in patients with craniosynostosis and preaxial upper limb abnormalities. Here we report on a patient with unilateral radial aplasia and bicoronal synostosis without additional malformations and without chromosome breakage, who fits this narrow definition of Baller-Gerold syndrome. We identified a novel TWIST gene mutation in this patient, a Glu181Stop mutation predicting a premature termination of the protein carboxy-terminal to the helix 2 domain. This report provides further evidence that Baller-Gerold is of heterogeneous cause, and a thorough evaluation is indicated to identify a possibly more specific diagnosis, including Saethre-Chotzen syndrome. This differential diagnosis is of particular importance, as it is an autosomal dominant trait. Therefore, the recurrence risk for parents of an affected child can be 50% if one parent carries the mutation, as opposed to the 25% recurrence risk for autosomal recessive inheritance. Offspring of the affected patient also have a 50% risk to inherit the mutation, while the risk to bear an affected offspring for an autosomal recessive trait is very low.
Relationship between regional distribution of imipramine and its effect on learned helplessness in the rat

Abstract The regional distribution of imipramine and its major metabolite, desipramine, was determined in relation to drug effects in a “learned helplessness” paradigm. This model for depression has been shown to parallel the antidepressant action of imipramine in humans. Although 4 days of drug administration were required for a significant number of animals to show drug effects, some animals were responsive to a single dose of imipramine. Beginning with the first day. the desipramine levels in the hippocampi of animals in which imipramine prevented learned helplessness were significantly higher than in those animals which did not respond to imipramine. No such relationship was found for the other regions studied. The data suggest that the delay in onset of the effects of imipramine is related to the rate of hippocampal transport of its demethylatecl metabolite.
An instability mechanism for the sliding motion of finite depth of bulk granular materials

Field observations and experimental records indicate that the primary mode of motion of many large landslides is that ofsliding rather thanflowing. Most of shear during sliding is concentrated at the base of slides, with little or no mixing taking place away from the base. This sliding motion may generate strong pressure waves at the interface between the quasi-static deforming granular mass and the grain-inertia dominated rapid granular flow, thus inducing a Kelvin-Helmholtz type instability mechanism for large landslides. The existence of a transitional zone in granular flow is essential for the generation of this type of instability waves. A model using a finite depth of elastic sliding bulk granular materials riding on a basal granular shear flow layer is estabilished to represent the sliding motion of these large volume of bulk granular materials. The balance and the stability of this sliding system are investigated under the perturbation of internal pressure waves. The generated instability waves will force favorable phase shifts between the overburden pressure and the sliding velocity, leading to a net reduction in the total power loss due to friction. The depth of sliding mass will affect the generation of this type of instability waves. Both analytical and numerical results show that smaller depth slides can induce stronger instability waves than larger depth slides do.
Broad screening test for sphingolipid-storage diseases

Summary Background Lipid-storage diseases are collectively important because they cause substantial morbidity and mortality, and because they may present as dementia, major psychiatric illness, developmental delay, or cerebral palsy. At present, no single assay can be used as an initial general screen for lipid-storage diseases. Methods We used a fluorescent analogue of lactosylceramide, called N-{5-(5,7-dimethylborondipynomethenedifluoride)-l-pentanoyl}-D-lactosylsphingosine (BODIPY-LacCer), the emission of which changes from green to red wavelengths with increasing concentrations in membranes, to examine the intracellular distribution of the lipid within living cells. Findings During a brief pulse-chase experiment, the fluorescent lipid accumulated in the lysosomes of fibroblasts from patients with Fabry's disease, GM 1 gangliosidosis, GM 2 gangliosidosis (Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff forms), metachromatic leucodystrophy, mucolipidosis type IV, Niemann-Pick disease (types A, B, and C), and sphingolipid-activator-protein-precursor (prosaposin) deficiency. In control cells, the lipid was mainly confined to the Golgi complex. In a masked study, replicate samples of 25 of 26 unique cell lines representing ten different lipid-storage diseases, and 18 of 20 unique cell lines representing controls were correctly identified; the sensitivity was 96·2% (95% CI 80·4–99·9) and the specificity 90·0% (68·3–98·8). Interpretation This method may be useful as an initial general screen for lipid-storage diseases, and, with modification, could be used for large-scale automated screening of drugs to abrogate lysosomal storage in various lipidoses. The unexpected accumulation of BODIPY-LacCer in several biochemically distinct diseases raises important questions about common mechanisms of cellular dysfunction in these disorders.
Affinity Capture Mass Spectrometry of Biomarker Proteins Using Peptide Ligands from Biopanning

Affinity capture mass spectrometry was used to isolate and ionize protein A from Staphylococcus aureus from both a commercial source and cell culture lysate using matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. Two surfaces are compared: gold surfaces with immunoglobulin G covalently immobilized and silica surfaces with a covalently bound small peptide discovered via biopanning. A detection limit of 2.22 bacterial cells/mL of culture fluid was determined for the immobilized peptide surfaces. This study emphasizes the ability to use peptide ligands to effectively capture a biomarker protein out of a complex mixture. This demonstrates the potential to use biopanning to generate capture ligands for a large variety of target proteins and subsequently detect the captured protein using MALDI mass spectrometry.
In vivo real‐time imaging of nuclear‐cytoplasmic dynamics of dormancy, proliferation and death of cancer cells

The in vivo visualization of dormancy, proliferation, as well as cell death is of great importance in understanding the cellular pathology of cancer. We describe here the use of fluorescent proteins to differentially label cells in the nucleus and cytoplasm, and high-powered imaging technology to visualize the nuclear-cytoplasmic dynamics of these phenomena of cancer in vivo. The implications of this technology for discovery of new visible targets at the cellular level for treatment of cancer are discussed.
Solid-State Light-Emitting Devices Based on the Tris-Chelated Ruthenium(II) Complex: 3. High Efficiency Devices via a Layer-by-Layer Molecular-Level Blending Approach

High efficiency, solid-state light-emitting devices have been fabricated from a water soluble, polymeric ruthenium (II) complex, Ru(bpy)32+ polyester, via the use of a layer-by-layer processing scheme. Spin-coated devices of this material were found to produce maximum luminance levels of 250−300 cd/m2 with an external quantum efficiency of 0.2% photons/electron. Devices based on sequentially adsorbed layers of the Ru(bpy)32+ polyester and poly(acrylic acid), on the other hand, exhibit external quantum efficiencies in the 1−3% range with a maximum light output of 40−50 cd/m2. These high device efficiencies were obtained by optimizing the relative amounts of Ru(bpy)32+ polyester and poly(acrylic acid) incorporated into the film via a layer-by-layer molecular-level blending approach. Through this type of control, it was also possible to create compositionally graded heterostructures and to produce devices that emit light only in the forward or reverse bias or that were completely symmetrical (similar light o...
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of oral acyclovir for the prevention of cytomegalovirus disease in recipients of renal allografts

Cytomegalovirus is a major viral pathogen in patients who undergo renal transplantation, and cytomegalovirus disease is difficult to treat. We therefore conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of acyclovir for the prevention of cytomegalovirus disease in recipients of renal allografts from cadavers. Acyclovir was given orally in doses of 800 to 3200 mg per day, according to the patients' estimated level of renal function. Patients took the first dose of either acyclovir or placebo six hours before transplantation and continued to take the assigned medication for 12 weeks. Of 118 patients enrolled in the study, 104 completed at least 30 days on the study medication and were included in our analysis of the results. During the first year after transplantation, 4 of 53 patients (7.5 percent) in the acyclovir group had symptomatic cytomegalovirus disease, as compared with 15 of 51 (29 percent) in the placebo group (P = 0.002). There was a single case of cytomegalovirus pneumonia in the acyclovir group, as compared with nine in the placebo group. The greatest prophylactic benefit of acyclovir was observed among seronegative patients who had received a kidney from a seropositive donor; only one of six such patients in the acyclovir group had cytomegalovirus disease, as compared with all seven in the placebo group. Acyclovir decreased the incidence of documented cytomegalovirus infection (with or without symptomatic disease) to 36 percent from 61 percent among the patients who received the placebo (P = 0.011). Among the patients who received acyclovir, the rates of recovery of virus from the blood and urine were significantly reduced, but the rate of viral shedding from the pharynx was not significantly different from that in the placebo group. There were no differences between the groups in the frequency of adverse events or in the rate of survival of either grafts or patients. We conclude that the oral administration of acyclovir, beginning before the transplantation of a renal allograft from a cadaver, reduces the rate of cytomegalovirus infection and disease without affecting the survival rate of either grafts or patients.
Tradition and Tourism at Canyon De Chelly

I was living over in del Muerto side back then, that's where I was born, when word started coming down that the government was going to put a fence around the whole canyon… (Lifelong resident of Canyon de Chelly, commenting recently on its 1931 designation as a National Monument.)
Opening up our windows to the world

The Board of the Netherlands Association for Medical Education (NVMO) is extremely proud to welcome the readers of this first issue of Perspectives on Medical Education to take part in one of the Association’s most important channels of communication. Since its inception 40 years ago, in 1972, NVMO has avidly promoted the two major causes and targets of its existence and mission: development and research of medical education. After about 10 years, an independent Netherlands Journal of Medical Education (TMO) was launched, and after about 20 years the first national conference was held, two major platforms for communication with and for the medical education community at large. As is reflected in its membership of 1,200 and rising, the Association has flourished nationally and in recent years has embarked on international activities. Since 2008, many NVMO Special Interest Groups have contributed to an NVMO guest series in our esteemed sister-journal Medical Teacher, and numerous NVMO members have published in international journals in the past decades. We are now ready for the next step. On this occasion we wish to compliment the Editor and Editorial Board of our Journal on their vision, planning and execution of the transition of TMO to PME. We have already witnessed enthusiasm in the past year in a small international group of expert colleagues who were informed about this initiative, and we trust that PME will meet with similar enthusiasm among international readers and authors in the years to come. NVMO is more than happy to share and exchange ideas and research in the broad field of medical education. Not only does NVMO include all health professions education in its mission, ‘Netherlands’ has long included our Dutch speaking Flemish neighbours. We are now ready to officially welcome the international community.
Spectrally Filtered Cathodoluminescence Of CdTe

Spectrally filtered cathodoluminescence of CdTeL.O. Bubulac, J. Bajaj, W.E. Tennant and P.R. NewmanRockwell International Science Center, 1049 Camino Dos Rios, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360AbstractThe imaging cathodoluminescence capability of a scanning electron microscope has beencomplemented by a spectral filtering technique to study the spatial origin of photolumi-nescence from CdTe at 77K. The intent of this work is to resolve the spatial origin ofdifferent luminescence spectral components in different regions of the crystal (e.g., mid -grain, near -grain boundary, etc.). The results indicate different spatial locations forthe exciton and the defect photoluminescence lines, and the association of bound excitonlines with clustered dislocations. Furthermore, the exciton line appears to originatefrom two different regions of the sample, which may imply bound excitons from twodifferent binding sites.We infer from the present study that the criterion generally adopted, that a highbound exciton band intensity and a relatively low defect band intensity implies goodcrystal quality, may be ambiguous.IntroductionCdTe is a very important II -VI semiconductor for infrared detection. This material isgenerally used as a substrate for epitaxial growth of HgCdTe. It has been demonstratedthat the properties of HgCdTe strongly depend on the quality of CdTe substrates. There-fore, there is a need to develop techniques to characterize CdTe. Several techniques suchas photoluminescence (PL)1'2 and cathodoluminescence (CL)3
Effect of unilateral bite splint on mastication in the miniature pig

Unilateral premature occlusal contacts are known to alter masticatory activity levels during clenching, but whether natural chewing is similarly affected is not known. The purpose of this study was to analyse the effects of a unilateral bite splint on mastication. Eleven experiments were carried out using three miniature pigs. Electromyography of the masticatory muscles and movements of the jaw were recorded during natural chewing before and after inserting a bite splint on the second and third deciduous premolars. In contrast to human clenching, the integrated activities of the jaw-closing muscles increased, especially on the contralateral side. The increases were mainly due to the prolongation of the burst durations. Jaw opening activity was increased as well. The frequency of mastication fell slightly and the animal preferred to chew food on the bite splint side. These results demonstrate the importance within the particular experimental conditions of the occlusal condition in regulating chewing behaviour.
A case report of hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer

A 27-year-old woman, gravida 0, presented with uterine and cutaneous leiomyomata. Genetic testing confirmed hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome, an autosomal dominant disorder caused by germline mutations in the fumarate hydratase gene. Specific screening guidelines do not exist and are often individual and treatment center dependent.
Echocardiographic assessment of regional ventricular function after device-based change of left ventricular shape

Abstract We assessed the effects of implantation of Myosplint (Myocor, Maple Grove, Minn), a device that changes left ventricular (LV) cross-sectional shape from circular to bilobar, on regional LV function. A total of 10 open-chest dogs with tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy were studied before and after Myosplint implantation. LV cross-sectional epicardial echocardiography at the papillary muscle level was performed along with acquisition of hemodynamic data. LV normalized thickening, fractional thickening, end-diastolic thickness, and end-diastolic curvatures were calculated for 10 LV segments. Myosplint implantation did not affect LV hemodynamics, but decreased average end-diastolic curvature ( P P P = .05). In contrast, segmental heterogeneity of both normalized and fractional thickening increased ( P = .02 and P = .01, respectively). Structural modeling confirmed that Myosplint implantation increases regional stress heterogeneity and curvature heterogeneity. LV cross-sectional shape markedly affects regional LV performance.
Paul Gilroy and the cultural politics of decline

Paul Gilroy has been an influential cultural theorist and scholar, but he has also been important to wider debates concerning decline and identity in contemporary Britain, Gilroy's contention that contemporary Britain suffered from postcolonial melancholia built on some of his earliest published work. Gilroy has been a trenchant critic of the early British cultural-studies tradition, but his simultaneous attention to structure and agency, focus on modes of dominance and resistance, privileging of historicity and counterhistory, and exploration of the politics of representation, suggests connections with that tradition as well. In stretching and reconceiving the cultural Marxist tradition, Gilroy has simultaneously demonstrated its continued legacy for historical theory and practice.
Surgical and Nonpsychiatric Medical Treatment of Patients With Body Dysmorphic Disorder

It appears that many individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) receive nonpsychiatric medical treatment and surgery; however, this topic has had little systematic investigation. This study assessed the nonpsychiatric treatment sought and received by 289 individuals (250 adults and 39 children/adolescents) with DSM-IV BDD. Such treatment was sought by 76.4% and received by 66.0% of adults. Dermatologic treatment was most often received (by 45.2% of adults), followed by surgery (by 23.2%). These treatments rarely improved BDD symptoms. Results were similar in children/adolescents. These findings indicate that a majority of patients with BDD receive nonpsychiatric treatment but tend to respond poorly.
The Place of Description in Understanding and Transforming Classroom Relationships

In this article, the author illustrates how the Descriptive Process can assist teachers in shifting relationships with students because it requires both associative and reflective processes. Drawing on discussions from a teacher study group, she illustrates how associative processes can lead to a strengthening of connection with self. Similarly, she demonstrates how the process of reflection, which requires a synthesizing of the external world with the coming to know of self, can trigger a shift in thinking and a change in action. These intertwined processes, embedded in an interpretive community, and a keen attention focused on a student, can activate a deepening of relationship.
Scarcity and Environmental Stress in Public Organizations: A Conjectural Essay.

Some observers, including many "doomsday" futurists, have contended that a pre dominant characteristic of future society will be extreme scarcity. Viewing this as sumption of extreme scarcity as pl...
Studies on the mechanism of reduction of UV-inducible sulAp expression by recF overexpression in Escherichia coli K-12.

UV-inducible sulAp expression, an indicator of the SOS response, is reduced by recF+ overexpression in vivo. Different DNA-damaging agents and amounts of RecO and RecR were tested for their effects on this phenotype. It was found that recF+ overexpression reduced sulAp expression after DNA damage by mitomycin C or nalidixic acid. recO+ and recR+ overexpression partially suppressed the reduction of UV-induced sulAp expression caused by recF+ overexpression. The requirement for ATP binding to RecF to produce the phenotype was tested by genetically altering the putative phosphate binding cleft of recF in a way that should prevent the mutant recF protein from binding ATP that should prevent the mutant recF protein from binding ATP. It was found that a change of lysine to glutamine at codon 36 results in a mutant recF protein (RecF4115) that is unable to reduce UV-inducible sulAp expression when overproduced. It is inferred from these results that recF overexpression may reduce UV-inducible sulAp expression by a mechanism that is sensitive to the ability of RecF to bind ATP and to the levels of RecO and RecR (RecOR) in the cell, but not to the type of DNA damage per se. Models are explored that can explain how recF+ overexpression reduces UV induction of sulAp and how RecOR overproduction might suppress this phenotype.
A Dual Bicarbonate-Reversible Formate Effect in Chlamydomonas Cells

Summary It is shown here that a dual bicarbonate-reversible formate inhibition of electron flow exists in the intact cells of a green eukaryotic alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. There are two suggested sites of inhibition, one after and the other before QA, where QA is the bound plastoquinone electron acceptor of Photosystem II (PS II). A long term (hours) formate treatment slows the rate of oxidation of QA-, measured by variable chlorophyll a fluorescence decay after an actinic flash. Concomitant with a 2-fold increase in amplitude of the slow component, the amplitude of the fast component decreases at both pH 6.5 and 7.5. The half-times of faster decay increase from 285 µs to 560 µs (pH 6.5) and from 256 µs to 490 µs (pH 7.5), and the slower decay from 37 to 60 ms (pH 6.5) and from 24 to 80 ms (pH 7.5). Addition of 2.5 mM HCO3 — to the formate-treated samples fully reverses all these effects. The anion effects on the electron flow from QA — to QB (where QB is the second plastoquinone acceptor) were accompanied by effects on the dimethylquinone/ferricyanide Hill reaction: a 4-fold stimulation was observed upon addition of 20 mM HCO3 — (pH adjusted, 6.5) to formate-treated samples. Since this stimulation was observed in the presence of 2,5-dibromo-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone, which inhibits intersystem electron flow, it is unrelated to CO2 fixation in intact systems. A short term (minutes) formate treatment reversibly diminishes chlorophyll a fluorescence. This effect is present even in mild heat-treated (45 °C, 3 min) and 10 mM hydroxylamine-treated (pH 7.3) cells. Thus, it is suggested that it is between the hydroxylamine donation site (electron donor Z or D) and QA.
Reunite Revenue and Expenditure Decisions

Decisions about government expenditures are increasingly made without regard to decisions about their financing. This disconnect has a negative impact on equity, efficiency, and transparency. Restoring the link between revenue and expenditure decisions would provide a more complete accounting of the costs and benefits of government services.
Integrin alpha2beta1 (α2β1) promotes prostate cancer skeletal metastasis

Men who die of prostate cancer (PCa) do so because of systemic metastases, the most frequent of which are within the skeleton. Recent data suggest that the colonization of the skeleton is mediated in part by collagen type I, the most abundant protein within the bone. We have shown that enhanced collagen I binding through increased expression of integrin α2β1 stimulated in vitro invasion and promoted the growth of PCa cells within the bone. Accordingly, we sought to determine whether α2β1 integrin is a potential mediator of skeletal metastasis. To examine whether α2β1 integrin mediates PCa metastasis, α2 integrin was over-expressed in low-tumorigenic LNCaP PCa cells or selectively knocked-down in highly metastatic LNCaPcol PCa cells. We document that the over-expression of α2 cDNA stimulated whereas α2 shRNA inhibited the ability of transduced cells to bind to or migrate towards collagen in vitro. Correspondingly, α2 integrin knock-down reduced the tumor burden of intra-osseous tumors compared to control-transduced cells. To investigate the clinical significance of α2β1 expression in PCa, α2β1 protein was measured in prostatic tissues and in soft tissue and bone metastases. The data demonstrate that α2β1 protein was elevated in PCa skeletal metastases compared to either PCa primary lesions or soft tissue metastases suggesting that α2β1 contributes to the selective metastasis to the bone. Taken together, these data support that α2β1 integrin is needed for the efficient metastasis of PCa cells to the skeleton.
Distribution of Off-Label Information by Pharmaceutical Manufacturers?*

The 1999 Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) decision slated that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was in violation of the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry’s right to commercial free speech by unduly limiting its ability to distribute truthful, nonmisleading information about off-label uses of its products. The objective of this survey was to assess pharmaceutical companies’ current practices for distributing peer-reviewed journal article reprints relating to off-label uses for their medications in response to the 1999 district court’s judgment in favor of the WLF. Respondents were employees in the medical information departments of 27 pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies, 5 of which were unable to provide information. Seventy-three percent (16/22) of the companies that participated in the survey were either distributing articles at the time of the survey or were planning to distribute articles under the WLF ruling. The sales force carried the responsibility for distribution at 94% (15/16) of the companies surveyed. Seventy-five percent (12/16) of the companies surveyed affixed disclaimers to the articles that highlight the off-label nature of the described disorder and/or disclose the company’s interest in the product.
The Detection by ERTS-1 of Wind-Induced Ocean Surface Features in the Lee of the Antilles Islands

Photographic data received from the ERTS-1 satellite over the Lesser Antilles Islands show distinct ocean features on the leeward side of each island. Attempts to relate these features to ocean eddy formations with the aid of ground truth data proved unsuccessful. However, surface and upper air wind data indicate a good correlation with the size, shape, and downwind extent of the ocean features. Studies to date indicate strongly that these features result from horizontal differences in a sea surface roughness due to the wind-shadow effect of the islands. The results suggest that horizontal variations in the reflectance of the sea surface will make remote sensing of the ocean mixed layer more difficult than previously anticipated. The surface reflection seems to be large enough to mask the smaller variations in backscattered energy from the mixed layer. Efforts to limit the effect of surface reflectance by photographic differencing of two multi-spectral scanner bands were unsuccessful.
The Sales of Crown Lands and the Spirit of the Revolution

R Ian Gentles's article on 'The Sales of Crown Lands during the English Revolution'2 raises a number of questions about the policies of the Rump Parliament in the summer of I 649. Gentles argues that in its inspiration and operation the Rump's land-settlement scheme was indistinguishable from any other administrative decision generated by the Long Parliament's need for solvency. In its inevitable consequences the land settlement is seen as a thinly disguised rape of the soldiery by their own officers in the dark alley provided by the Crown Lands Act. This interpretation is an indictment of the official policies of the Rump and the conduct of the officer corps of the Army. As such it deserves the closest scrutiny. Briefly summarized these are the main points of the argument: the sale of crown lands was a parliamentary expedient. The Rump attempted to find the least expensive course for settlement of military arrears and struck upon the sale of the recently acquired crown lands. The value of these lands was then deliberately inflated and, as a further hedge, soldiers who had left the Army prior to i648 were excluded from claiming debentures for their arrears. To solve the administrative problems, the lands were sold only in large parcels. In consequence, only the officers were able to benefit from the Act and the Close Rolls contain numerous examples of regimental lands enrolled to individual officers. The regimental purchases were a legal fiction and no examples of regiments holding land exist. Throughout this argument there exists a confusion between assumption and conclusion. The assumption that the interests of the soldiery were inimical to the Act for the Sale of Crown Lands leads to the inevitable conclusion that the soldiers did not benefit from the Act. This theme is apparent beginning with the initial explanation of the Act. Two choices were open to the Rump. The first was to sell the lands on the open market and pay arrears in cash: "The first method would benefit the common soldier who was in no position to invest in land and wanted nothing other than cash."3 The second choice was to price the lands and exchange them for arrears debentures: "The second method ... would also benefit those officers who had enough ready money to be able to buy up their men's shares in the lands. It is no surprise that Parliament decided to grant the lands directly to the Army."4 This juxtaposition seems unconscious. Gentles is explaining that the second
Zweig rule in two-dimensional QCD

Abstract We show that in two spacetime dimensions QCD exhibits a strong quark-mass dependence of the amplitudes for the Zweig-rule forbidden processes. For the general Zweig-rule violating process ( Q Q ) → ( q q ) several approximate formulae are derived. As an illustration of the results, we show that for two-dimensional analogues ofψ and ϒ decays (i) the branching ratio of non-strange versus strange decay modes is ms/mu, (ii) the ratio of non-strange decay modes of ψ and ϒ is (m b /m c ) 5 3 which leads to the conjecture that ϒ might have similar width to ψ, (iii) the ratio of non-strange versus strange versus charm decay modes of ϒ is 1 : mu/ms : mug2N/πmc3. Also, a formula is derived for the ratio of non-strange decay modes of ψ versus o.
Effects of hypoxia on acid-base balance, blood gases, catecholamines, and cutaneous ion exchange in the larval tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)

The effects of hypoxia on acid-base balance and blood gases were examined in larval Ambystoma tigrinum. Environmental hypoxia (P = 24 mm Hg) resulted in a severe metabolic acidosis. During approximately 4 hr of hypoxia, arterial P fell from 23 to 8 mm Hg while P did not change; plasma lactate concentrations rose from 1.7 to 11 mM; pH fell from 7.9 to 7.3 and [HCO3−] decreased by 8.2 mM. After restoration of normoxia, P rose to 40 mm Hg within 1 hr. All variables returned to control levels between 4 and 24 hr. Circulating levels of norepinephrine were significantly increased and highly correlated with pH after 4 hr of hypoxia. Net and unidirectional Na+ and Cl− flux rates were measured before, during, and after hypoxia to determine if cutaneous ion exchange is associated with the acid-base disturbance. Neither Na+ nor Cl− flux rates changed significantly during hypoxic exposure or recovery.
The absence of black supervillains in mainstream comics

Both the DC and Marvel universes feature a litany of supervillains who wield great power and great intellect and who pose a true threat to the superheroes in these respective universes. However, relatively few of these supervillains are black. As this essay shall suggest, a number of narratological constraints and tendencies that historically have been replete in mainstream comics are largely the cause of this absence. Following a delimiting of the terms black and supervillain, this essay – through an overview of some of the more prominent black villains in DC and Marvel comics – shall evidence why these villains have yet to achieve the same powerful status as their white counterparts. The essay shall conclude by providing a rationale for the creation of more black supervillains.
Evolutionary artificial intelligence

Several challenges confront the organizer of an introductory course in artificial intelligence (AI). First, one has to decide what subject matter to include. The union of everything in all of the popular AI textbooks is much too large, and the intersection undoubtedly won't include enough of what the organizer thinks important. The second challenge is how to blend the selected topics into a coherent whole. The third involves matters such as problem sets, programming exercises, laboratory work, case studies, and collateral readings. Finally, one must decide on the main purpose of the course: is it to teach AI techniques and skills, or is it to study AI's intellectual content, perhaps presenting related topics in psychology and philosophy? In this note we concentrate on the first and second of these topics---how to present a coherent view of the core subject matter of AI.
Enhancement of anti-influenza cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity in senescent mice by vaccination early in life.

Abstract The elderly suffer significantly from influenza and respond poorly to influenza vaccines. This may be due to the fact that cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity is responsible for recovery from viral infections and is decreased in the elderly. We hypothesized that vaccination early in life might increase activity in senescence. To test this, groups of BALB/c mice were infected with influenza virus and/or vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine. CTL activity was measured by 51 Cr release from H1N1-infected P815 cells. We found that aged mice have low CTL activity when initially vaccinated at 22 months (4 ± 4% vs . 23 ± 6% for vaccinated young mice). However, CTL activity was significantly increased when animals were initially vaccinated when young and then re-vaccinated when old (28 ± 10% vs . 13 ± 17% for mice vaccinated twice in old age). We next measured CTL activity in response to infection. We found a very high level of activity (57 ± 11%) in animals vaccinated at 1.5 months and then infected at 23 months. This was indistinguishable from young controls (56 ± 7%). These data suggest that primary inoculation at an early age induces a relatively larger number of precursor CTLs than does inoculation in senescence.
Denervation accelerates the reappearance of neostriatal D-2 receptors after irreversible receptor blockade.

Abstract The effect of denervation on the turnover of striatal dopaminergic D-2 receptors was examined by determining the rate of receptor reappearance in vivo after administration of the irreversible receptor antagonist, N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ) to rats that received prior unilateral intracerebral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Initial experiments confirmed that EEDQ (10 mg/kg i.p.) induces a severe, prolonged blockade of D-2 receptors. Recovery of [ 3 H]spiroperidol binding occurred at a rate of approximately 9% of control binding per day. 6-OHDA injection into the ascending dopaminergic projection 3 or 5 days prior to EEDQ administration revealed that denervation had no effect on the rate of D-2 receptor recovery during the first post-operative week. By 4–5 weeks postoperatively, however, denervation enhanced the rate of recovery of [ 3 H]spiroperidol binding. These results are consistent with our finding that, when homogenized tissue preparations are used, steady-state receptor density does not change within the first postoperative week but increases by 3–4 weeks after the injury. Saturation analysis determined that both EEDQ and denervation altered the density of binding sites, whereas neither treatment significantly affected the affinity of the receptor for [ 3 H]spiroperidol. By 4–5 weeks postoperatively, the receptor degradation rate constant in the denervated striatum (0.0054/h) was equal to that in the intact striatum (0.0052/h). Thus, only the receptor reappearance rate was elevated in the denervated striatum (3.8 fmol/mg protein/h) relative to the intact striatum (2.8 fmol/mg protein/h).
Feedback seeking in university human resource development education in the US, UK, and Singapore

This survey-based study centered on feedback seeking behaviors by students in twelve human resource development university courses in the US, UK, and Singapore. Based on previous research, the study differentiated among sources of feedback, and student and instructor behaviors and characteristics. The results of this study suggest that students sought feedback about attainment of learning goals quite frequently and from a variety of sources. Instructors tended to underestimate their own role and overestimate the contributions of course activities and materials in this process. Individual-level and instructor-related variables emerged as important predictors of feedback seeking behaviors. The implications of these findings for further research and the practice of human resource development education and training are discussed.
Effects of hatching age on development and hatchling morphology in the red-eyed tree frog, Agalychnis callidryas

The red-eyed treefrog, Agalychnis callidryas, lays eggs on leaves overhanging ponds. Tadpoles hatch and enter the water at different ages, and late-hatched tadpoles survive aquatic predators better than do early-hatched tadpoles. Here I assess developmental consequences of hatching age through: (1) a morphological study of embryos and tadpoles through the plastic hatching period; (2) a behavioural assay for an effect of hatching age on feeding; and (3) a field experiment testing the effect of hatching age on growth to metamorphosis. Substantial development of feeding, digestive, respiratory and locomotor structures occurs in embryos over the plastic hatching period. Hatchling morphology thus varies with age, with consequences for behaviour and predation risk. Hatched tadpoles develop faster than embryos, and early-hatched tadpoles feed before late-hatched tadpoles. After all tadpoles have hatched, the effect of hatching age on size decreases. I found no evidence for an effect of hatching age on size at metamorphosis and only weak evidence for an effect on larval period. Hatching age affects the sequence of developmental change: early-hatched tadpoles lose external gills while otherwise more developed embryos maintain them. Plasticity in external gill resorption may be adaptive given differences in the respiratory environments of embryos and tadpoles. Early-hatched tadpoles also diverge from embryos in shape, growing relatively smaller tails. The study of functional morphology and developmental plasticity will contribute to understanding hatching as an ontogenetic niche shift.
Field performance aids for IBM GSD systems

A series of field performance aids have been developed to assist IBM Systems Engineers evaluate the performance of System/3, System/34, and System/38 configurations. Use of those aids is appropriate at proposal time, for preinstallation design, for tuning, and for upgrade studies. This paper overviews some of the key features of these aids as they pertain to the user interface, workload characterization, and performance models.
A MODEL OF HETEROGENEOUS EXPECTATIONS AS A DETERMINANT OF SHORT SALES

This study examines the role of heterogeneous expectations as a determinant of short selling of common stock. A theoretical model demonstrates that the degree of heterogeneity of opinion and the number of investors in a market both positively influence short selling. This theory is substantiated empirically using ex-ante data. Short selling is related directly to merger activity and the presence of options.
Larvae of the genus Eleodes (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae): matrix-based descriptions, cladistic analysis, and key to late instars

Darkling beetle larvae (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) are collectively referred to as false wireworms. Larvae from several species in the genus Eleodes are considered to be agricultural pests, though relatively little work has been done to associate larvae with adults of the same species and only a handful of species have been characterized in their larval state. Morphological characters from late instar larvae were examined and coded to produce a matrix in the server-based content management system mx. The resulting morphology matrix was used to produce larval species descriptions, reconstruct a phylogeny, and build a key to the species included in the matrix. Larvae are described for the first time for the following 12 species: Eleodes anthracinus Blaisdell, Eleodes carbonarius (Say), Eleodes caudiferus LeConte, Eleodes extricatus (Say), Eleodes goryi Solier, Eleodes hispilabris (Say), Eleodes nigropilosus LeConte, Eleodes pilosus Horn, Eleodes subnitens LeConte, Eleodes tenuipes Casey, Eleodes tribulus Thomas, and Eleodes wheeleri Aalbu, Smith & Triplehorn. The larval stage of Eleodes armatus LeConte is redescribed with additional characters to differentiate it from the newly described congeneric larvae.
The simulation creation toolkit: an initial exploration into making programming accessible while preserving computational thinking

Computational thinking aims to outline fundamental skills from computer science that everyone should learn. These skills include problem formulation, logically organizing data, automating solutions through algorithmic thinking, and representing data through abstraction. One aim of the NSF is to integrate these and other computational thinking concepts into the classroom. This paper introduces a tool called the Simulation Creation Toolkit wherein users apply high-level agent interactions called Computational Thinking Patterns (CTPs) to create simulations. Programming at the Computational Thinking Pattern level allows users to directly create agent interactions in a simulation by employing generic icons acting out a scientific phenomenon they are trying to represent. The Simulation Creation Toolkit aims to preserve the computational thinking benefits of simulation creation while enabling higher-level implementation of agent behaviors. Initial study data collected from sixth grade students with no prior programming experience indicates that students can work the mechanics necessary to create simulations in the classroom environment using the Simulation Creation Toolkit.
A Conceptual Model of Strategy Formation

A theoretical model is developed in which it is hypothesized that the contingent nature of strategy rests on the relative level of organizational slack present. It is suggested that organizational slack dictates necessary goodness of fit between structure and the interactive effects of contextual factors which, in turn, determine the nature of the relationship between strategy and structure.