cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short communication: Longitudinal study of quarter-level somatic cell responses after naturally occurring, nonsevere clinical mastitis diagnosed as culture negative, or caused by Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae, and randomly assigned to a no-treatment group or to receive intramammary ceftiofur

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to describe weekly quarter-level somatic cell count (QSCC) after occurrence of nonsevere clinical mastitis (CM) that was diagnosed as culture negative, or caused by Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae. All cases occurred in cows enrolled in negatively, controlled randomized clinical trials. We hypothesized that after occurrence of CM, QSCC patterns would vary among etiologies and this effect would not be mitigated by treatment using intramammary (IMM) ceftiofur. Data from two previously published randomized clinical trials performed on 3 Wisconsin dairy farms were used. Only cases confirmed as culture negative (NG) or E. coli or Kleb. pneumoniae (GRAMNEG) were used for analysis. In NG, cows were assigned to no antimicrobial treatment (negative control, n = 44) or 5 d of once daily IMM (n = 41) infusions with an approved product containing ceftiofur hydrochloride. In GRAMNEG, cows were assigned to IMM treatment with the same ceftiofur product for 2 different durations (2 d, n = 36; or 8 d, n = 38) or no antimicrobial treatment (negative control, n = 36). For quarters enrolled in NG, no significant differences were identified for weekly QSCC between quarters in the treated or negative control groups (5.4 log10SCC for both groups). For quarters enrolled in GRAMNEG, no significant differences were identified for QSCC between quarters that received the 2-d (6.2 log10SCC) or 8-d (6.3 log10SCC) IMM treatment or were in the negative control group (6.0 log10SCC). At the pathogen level, regardless of treatment, QSCC varied among pathogens and log10SCC were 5.4 (culture negative), 5.8 (E. coli), and 6.2 (Kleb. pneumoniae). Patterns of QSCC of CM diagnosed as culture negative and E. coli were similar in magnitude and time to resolution of the inflammatory response. In conclusion, as compared to CM diagnosed as culture negative or caused by E. coli, CM caused by Kleb. pneumoniae was associated with poorer outcomes. Regardless of IMM ceftiofur treatment, the immune response of the cow resulted in rapid reduction of SCC of quarters diagnosed as culture negative and quarters with CM caused by E. coli. In contrast, the SCC remained elevated for quarters with CM caused by Kleb. pneumoniae and a greater proportion of those cases remained chronically infected.
Effect of frailty syndrome on the outcomes of patients with carotid stenosis.

Abstract Background Frailty syndrome confers a greater risk of morbidity and mortality after operative interventions. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of frailty on the outcomes after carotid interventions, including both carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS). Methods We performed an 8-year (2005-2012) retrospective analysis of the National Surgery Quality and Improvement Program database, including patients who had undergone CEA or CAS for carotid artery stenosis. A modified frailty index score was calculated. Frail status was defined as a modified frailty index score of ≥0.27. The outcome measures were inpatient complications, mortality, failure to rescue (FTR), hospital length of stay, and 30-day readmissions. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to study the association between frailty and the perioperative outcomes. Results The data from 37,875 patients were included. Of the 37,875 patients, 95.7% had undergone CEA, and 27.3% of the patients were frail (27% of the CEA and 26% of the CAS groups had qualified as frail). Overall, 11.7% of the patients had experienced complications, 2.2% had died, and 6.7% had been readmitted after discharge. On regression analysis, after controlling for age, gender, albumin level, type of surgery, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class, frail status was an independent predictor of complications (23.5% vs 7.2%; P Conclusions Frailty syndrome was associated with morbidity and mortality among patients undergoing surgical interventions for carotid stenosis. In the present study, frailty was associated with significant mortality and morbidity for those who had undergone CEA but not for those who had undergone CAS. However, the present study was not designed to determine the optimal treatment of frail patients. Incorporating frailty status into the treatment algorithm (CEA vs CAS) might provide a more accurate risk assessment and improve patient outcomes.
Abstract A69: Elucidating the cell type-specific mechanisms of the Ron receptor in the prostate tumor microenvironment

The incidence of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) in American men has grown by 72% within the last decade, yet current treatments fail to effectively treat advanced disease. We study the Ron receptor tyrosine kinase as a novel target for PCa treatment. Ron is primarily expressed in macrophages and epithelial cells and is found overexpressed in PCa. Ron expression increases with disease severity in humans and mouse models, suggesting Ron drives progression to advanced PCa. Our laboratory has shown that loss of Ron signaling in prostate epithelial cells or in myeloid cells markedly reduces prostate tumor growth and modulates the tumor microenvironment, particularly the functions of macrophages and CD8+ T cells. Thus, we hypothesize that the Ron receptor utilizes cell type-specific mechanisms to suppress the antitumor immune response. However, our previous studies were limited because they were performed separately in different orthotopic models. Therefore, we employed the well-established Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of the Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) PCa mouse model to study loss of Ron signaling in either cell type in a single autochthonous model. We used Cre-Lox technology to generate TRAMP mice containing conditional deletion of Ron signaling in prostate epithelial cells or in myeloid cells. At 30 weeks of age, prostate tumors are harvested and analyzed by weight, immunohistochemical staining, quantitative PCR, Western blot, and flow cytometry. To assess the effects of Ron modulation in each cell type and interrogate the interaction between tumor cells and macrophages, we perform in vitro co-culture assays utilizing an established prostate cancer epithelial cell line derived from the TRAMP model and bone marrow-derived macrophages. We observe that Ron signaling in either cell type is critical for prostate tumor growth in TRAMP mice. Furthermore, loss of Ron in either cell type leads to increased macrophage and CD8+ T-cell tumor infiltration, and our in vitro data show that loss of Ron in either cell type suppresses antitumor M1 macrophage activation and promotes tumor-supporting M2 macrophage activation. Additionally, preliminary data suggest loss of Ron in either cell type leads to increased activation of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Overall, our data suggest the Ron receptor coordinates immunosuppressive mechanisms in both the malignant tumor cells and the host macrophages to dampen antitumor immunity and promote prostate cancer. These studies implicate Ron targeting as a powerful therapeutic tool with broad utility for understanding and refining therapeutic strategies to treat advanced PCa. Citation Format: Camille Sullivan, Nicholas E. Brown, Susan E. Waltz. Elucidating the cell type-specific mechanisms of the Ron receptor in the prostate tumor microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2018 Nov 27-30; Miami Beach, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(4 Suppl):Abstract nr A69.
Social avoidance behaviour modulates automatic avoidance actions to social reward-threat conflict.

Social avoidance behaviour (SAB) significantly interferes with social engagement and characterises various psychopathologies. Dual-process models propose that social behaviour is directed in part b...
A Novel Design of Temporary Bond Debond Adhesive Technology for Wafer-Level Assembly

Heterogeneous integration gained significant momentum in the semiconductor industry as it compliments lithographic scaling and offers alternative pathways to device improvement. Temporary bond debond technology (TBDB) with a glass carrier provides a manufacturing platform for this heterogeneous assembly on the wafer level. This paper describes the material development of a silicone-based temporary adhesive to enable robust bonding of the device wafer to glass carrier, as well as a thermoset polymer based laser release layer that enables stress-free glass debond upon receiving UV irradiation. We found that thermoset based temporary bond adhesive offers robust thermal stability, low outgassing, and excellent mechanical stability, making it suitable for wafer level assembly with a temporary glass carrier. An innovative, solvent-based cleaning solution was also identified to efficiently break down the crosslinked adhesive network, offering a robust wafer cleaning process, post laser debonding at room temperature. Some preliminary results of heterogeneous wafer level assembly using this novel temporary adhesive with laser debond will also be discussed.
Dynamics of Critical Fluctuations in Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

Abstract I review recent work on the dynamics of critical fluctuations in nucleus-nucleus collisions, and describe how this work can inform the ongoing search for the critical point.
The Effect of Strengthened Corporate Governance on Firm Performance in the United States

In response to the accounting scandals of the late 1990s, regulators adopted changes to corporate-governance rules in 2003 in an effort to restore investor confidence in the stock market. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the changes to board leadership structure imposed on U.S. companies affected firm performance as measured by operating return on assets. This study was conducted with a sample of 857 publicly traded companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange and 11,632 firm-year observations from the period 1997-2012. Using a difference-in-difference estimator and multivariate analysis, we found a positive and significant indication that changes to board leadership structure improved the long-run performance of firms that were previously insider controlled. Our study indicates that some firms were not ideally structured prior to 2003 when the changes in corporate-governance rules took effect for publicly traded companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Mathematical model of dynamic behaviour of a diesel engine in propulsion system

The subject of the analysis described in the paper is the method of determining the torque developed by the engine in simulation investigation of dynamic processes of the propulsion system. The analysis encompasses the identification of engine model structure and the initial identification of the values of model parameters, which have been determined basing on the obtained results of engine investigation on test stand. The measured and model curves of engine speed and torque versus time showed good comformity.
Potent Restriction of Sexual Zika Virus Infection by Extracellular Vesicles in Semen Rather than Factors in the Recipient's Mucosa

Sexual Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission from men to women occurs less frequently than the often-detected high viral loads in semen would suggest, but worries that this transmission route predisposes to fetal damage in pregnant women remain. To better understand sexual ZIKV pathogenesis, we studied the permissiveness of the human female genital tract to infection and the effect of semen on this process. ZIKV replicates in vaginal tissues and primary epithelial cells from the vagina, ectocervix and endocervix and induces an innate immune response, but also continues to replicate without cytopathic effect. Infection of genital cells and tissues is strongly inhibited by extracellular vesicles (EV) in semen at physiological vesicle-to-virus ratios. The EV’s lipid fraction, rather than their protein or RNA cargo, is responsible for this anti-viral effect. Thus, EVs in semen potently restrict ZIKV transmission, but the virus propagates well once infection in the recipient mucosa has been established.
Abstinence Control and Relapse Prevention

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses abstinence control and relapse prevention. Unless controlled gambling is the therapeutic goal, abstinence control is the primary focus in gambling treatment. Developing initial abstinence usually is a threefold process: (1) discovering the triggers or links in the chain leading to gambling, (2) containing the impulse by managing the environmental triggers or building a fence around the impulse, and (3) controlling the impulse by managing the urges, negative emotions, and cognitive expectations that lead to gambling. Finally, the chapter reviews the major aspects of stimulus control or ways for gamblers to manage their environments to reduce risk of gambling: (1) a functional analysis of thinking, feeling, and behaving that leads to gambling, (2) assessing the methods that the gambler used to obtain money to gamble or cover it up, (3) developing methods to restrict access to money through the help of support persons and thus, prevent impulsive gambling, and (4) developing strategies to cope with the physical situations that increase the probability of gambling.
An Adaptive Data-Reduction Protocol for the Future In-Vehicle Networks

The demand for drive-by-wire, pre-crash warnings, telematics and many new features will require very high bandwidth from future in-vehicle networks. One straightforward solution to satisfy the bandwidth requirements of future vehicle networks would be to use a higher bandwidth bus or to use multiple busses. However, the use of a higher bandwidth bus would increase the cost of the network. Similarly, the use of multiple busses would increase the cost and the complexity of the wiring. Another option would be the development of a higher layer protocol to reduce the amount of data to be transferred. This paper presents an adaptive data-reduction algorithm based on the CAN (Controller Area Network) protocol.
Anion Scavengers for Low-Level Radioactive Waste Repository Backfills

Minimization of 129/− and 99 TcO4 − transport to the biosphere is critical to the success of low level radioactive waste (LLRW) storage facilities. Here we experimentally identify and classify potential sorbent materials for inclusion in LLRW backfills. For low pH conditions (pH 4-5), Cu-sulfides and possibly imogolite-rich soils provide Kd's (distribution coefficients) of roughly 103 mL g−1 for /−, and 102 mL g−1 for TcO4 −. At near neutral pH, hydrotalcites, Cu-oxides, Cu-sulfides, and lignite coal possess Kd's on the order of 102 mL g−1 for both /− and TcO4 −. At high pH (pH>10), such as might occur in a cementitious LLRW facility, calcium monosulfate aluminate Kd's are calculated to be roughly 102 mL g−1 for both both /− and TcO4 −.
Moral Excess in the Criminal Law

Author(s): Kadish, Sanford H. | Abstract: This lecture offers some thoughts on the perils of unreflective moral enthusiasm, what I call moral excess. It proceeds by identifying three current instances of it, particularly in the criminal law, and offers reflections on features of morality that are obscured by it. The first instance concerns the moral obligations of lawyers, not only in criminal matters, but in all areas. Some today find moral fault with lawyers who represent morally disagreeable clients or causes on the premise that whatever is wrong for a private person to do is wrong for a lawyer to do. I argue that this is an overstatement which undervalues the moral force of the institutional professional role. The second instance consists of attempts to justify the occasional criminal law doctrine that deprives morally suspect defendants of legal defenses they would otherwise enjoy. I view this as itself morally suspect insofar as it invites subjective judicial moralizing antithetical to rule-of-law values. The third instance is the common criticism of the criminal law that it is morally defective to the extent that it fails to accord a legal excuse to defendants who are morally excusable because they are below standard in temperament, intellect or character. This position, I argue, is first, insensitive to the imperatives of an institutionalized system of punishment, and second, offers a concept of moral excuse so broad as to threaten the practice of moral blaming itself. I conclude with observations on the paradox that sometimes it can be "right" to do the wrong thing, and sometimes "wrong" to do the right thing.
Prospects and Perspectives on IgA Nephropathy from Animal Models

The focus of this chapter is a systematic and critical review of the insights that experimental models have contributed to our understanding of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). We consider the generation of IgA subject to glomerular deposition, the partitioning of IgA between the circulation and glomeruli, the clearance of IgA and complexes containing IgA from the circulation, the 'upstream' effectors of glomerular pathophysiology, the inflammatory mediators that connect intraglomerular stimuli to functional and morphologic effects, and the contribution of animal models to our current understanding of the role that glycosylation of IgA plays in the genesis of IgAN. In each of these subsections, the evidence in favor of each principle or hypothesis is weighed in consideration of other potentially contradictory evidence and relevant issues related to IgAN in patients. The key limitations of each model system are presented, and where possible, reconciliation of discrepant observations are proposed. Subsequently, a synopsis of spontaneous models that do not offer particular mechanistic insights, and a compilation of experimental therapeutic initiatives, are reviewed. In all respects, the discussion of observations in patients or cells in vitro is limited to points where these data impinge upon interpretation of the data derived from the animal models.
Introduction: Learning and Vision at CBCL

This special issue is dedicated to some of the recent work at the Center for Biological and Computational Learning at MIT in applying machine learning techniques to computer vision.
The 'evil child' in literature, film and popular culture

1. Evil Children in Film and Literature Karen Renner 2. My Baby Ate the Dingo: The Visual Construction of the Monstrous Infant in Horror Film Steffen Hantke 3. Monstrous Children as Harbingers of Mortality: A Psychological Analysis of Doris Lessing's The Fifth Child Daniel Sullivan and Jeff Greenberg 4. Spoil the Child: Unsettling Ethics and the Representation of Evil William Wandless 5. Private Lessons from Dumbledore's "Chamber of Secrets": The Riddle of the Evil Child in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Holly Blackford 6. Terrifying Tots and Hapless Homes: Undoing Modernity in Recent Bollywood Cinema Meheli Sen 7. "The Power of Christ Compels You": Holy Water, Hysteria, and the Oedipal Psychodrama in The Exorcist Sara Williams 8. How to See the Horror: The Hostile Fetus in Rosemary's Baby and Alien A. Robin Hoffman 9. Extreme Human Makeovers: Supernanny, the Unruly Child, and Adulthood in Crisis Catherine Fowler and Rebecca Kambuta
The Impact of State and Local Tax and Expenditure Limitations on State Economic Growth

Employing a unique index of Tax and Expenditure Limitation (TEL) restrictiveness, we estimate a family of economic growth models using a panel of the 50 U.S. states for the period 1969 to 2005. Our central goal is to assess the relationship between TEL restrictiveness and economic growth. Results suggest that stronger TELs imposed on state governments have a dampening effect on state economic growth and TELs imposed on local governments have a weak negative impact on growth. The results do not support the argument that legislatures can use tax and expenditure limits as a mechanism to promote economic growth.
Are You Ready to Retire

Establishing Your Nest Egg Everyone needs to prepare for retirement as soon as possible. Trust me, the amount you will receive from Social Security (if it is still around when you retire) and your organization’s retirement program are about 50% to 75% of what you will need. I started saving for my retirement at age 25 by putting as much as I could afford into my hospital’s “Tax Deferred Annuity.” I began with only $25 each pay day and built it to more money as time went on. Of course, you need other savings as well, but this is an excellent place to start. By starting early, you let that compounded interest take your small sum and make it grow to a decent amount through the years. Start saving something NOW toward your retirement so you can enjoy it. Join your organization’s retirement program and start saving in your tax-deductible program 401(k) is a common reference referring to the IRS designation) as well as outside of it (consider stocks, bonds, and IRAs). Remember the poor people of ENRON who lost everything that were company held? Don’t let that happen to you. Learn to diversify. We are a society of instant gratification. We like our nice houses, boats, motorcycles, and cruises—today. Unfortunately, some people live beyond their means, or, right at the very edge of it. We want to enjoy today with no regard for tomorrow. You may take a cruise every year and live in a beautiful house now, but are you going to have to scrape by when you retire? You need to talk to a reputable financial advisor to get a program started that meets your needs. Most companies that provide a retirement plan have such an advisor who normally does not charge. I went to my bank and used their services for a small fee.
Human activity encoding and recognition using low-level visual features

Automatic recognition of human activities is among the key capabilities of many intelligent systems with vision/perception. Most existing approaches to this problem require sophisticated feature extraction before classification can be performed. This paper presents a novel approach for human action recognition using only simple low-level visual features: motion captured from direct frame differencing. A codebook of key poses is first created from the training data through unsupervised clustering. Videos of actions are then coded as sequences of super-frames, defined as the key poses augmented with discriminative attributes. A weighted-sequence distance is proposed for comparing two super-frame sequences, which is further wrapped as a kernel embedded in a SVM classifier for the final classification. Compared with conventional methods, our approach provides a flexible non-parametric sequential structure with a corresponding distance measure for human action representation and classification without requiring complex feature extraction. The effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated with the widely-used KTH human activity dataset, for which the proposed method outperforms the existing state-of-the-art.
Baseline studies of surface gas exchange and soil-gas composition in preparation for CO2 sequestration research: Teapot Dome, Wyoming

A baseline determination of CO2 and CH4 fluxes and soil-gas concentrations of CO2 and CH4 was made over the Teapot Dome oil field in the Naval Petroleum Reserve 3 in Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. This was done in anticipation of the experimentation with CO2 sequestration in the Pennsylvanian Tensleep Sandstone underlying the field at a depth of 5500 ft (1680 m). The measurements were made in January 2004 to capture the system with minimum biological activity in the soils, resulting in a minimum CO2 flux and a maximum CH4 flux. The CO2 fluxes were measured in the field with an infrared spectroscopic method. The CH4 fluxes were determined from gas-chromatographic measurements on discrete samples from under the flux chambers. The CO2 and CH4 were determined at 30-, 60-, and 100-cm (11-, 23-, and 39-in.) depths in soil gas by gas chromatography. A total of 40 locations had triplicate flux measurements using 1.00-m2 (10.763-ft2) chambers, and soil gas was sampled at single points at each of the 40 locations. Carbon dioxide fluxes averaged 227.1 mg CO2 m2 day1, a standard deviation of 186.9 mg m2 day1, and a range of 281.7 to 732.9 mg m2 day1, not including one location with subsurface infrastructure contamination. Methane fluxes averaged 0.137 mg CH4 m2 day1, standard deviation of 0.326 mg m2 day1, and a range of 0.481 to 1.14 mg m2 day1, not including the same contaminated location. Soil-gas CO2 concentrations increased with depth, averaging 618, 645, and 1010 ppmv at 30, 60, and 100 cm (11, 23, and 39 in.), respectively. Soil-gas CH4 concentrations averaged 0.128, 0.114, and 0.093 ppmv at 30, 60, and 100 cm (11, 23, and 39 in.), respectively. The decrease in CH4 with depth reflects a slow rate of methanotrophic oxidation, even during winter conditions. The 13C of the soil gas CO2 was also determined in the soil-gas samples and in the atmosphere. These data demonstrated that the increased CO2 with depth was derived from the biological oxidation of soil organic matter.
What Difference Does Youth Group Make? A Longitudinal Analysis of Religious Youth Group Participation Outcomes

Though many congregations structure youth ministry programs to foster desired religious and social outcomes, questions remain regarding whether participation in religious-based youth programs is beneficial for the youth involved. Studies show that religion typically results in positive life outcomes for youth, but less is known about the causal mechanisms through which religion makes a difference in their lives. Data analyzed are from two waves of the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR). This article examines the effect of youth participation on adult support, church connections, and moral values. A multivariate analysis with lagged dependent variables indicates some effects of youth group participation as well as self-selection processes.
Microanalysis of Aqueous Samples for Phenols and Organic Acids

Abstract A method for determining carboxylic acids and phenols from aqueous solution is described. Trace concentrations in the parts per billion levels of these pollutants are determined. This is accomplished by a concentration step using macroreticular resins with pyridine elution, subsequent derivatization with Bis-trimethylsilyl acetamide (BSA), and analysis by gas chromatography. The method gives good recovery for several phenols and acids of environmental importance.
Friedel-Crafts crosslinking methods for polystyrene modification: 1. Preparation and kinetics

Abstract A two-step polymerization and grafting-crosslinking reaction was developed for modification of polystyrene. Styrene was first polymerized in dichloroethane at 25°C using SnCl 4 as catalyst. The cationically prepared polystyrene was then grafted with 1,4-dimethyl-2,5-dichloromethyl benzene in dichloroethane at 50°C in a Friedel-Crafts reaction system. The kinetics of the reaction were followed by titrating the evolved HCI from the reaction system. The maximum reaction rate was found to vary with both the initial concentration of 1,4-dimethyl-2,5-dichloromethyl benzene and the initial concentration of SnCl 4 . Determination of the concentration of junctions of the grafted polystyrene samples and analysis of their u.v. spectra were used to determine the progress of the reaction, and to propose a reaction mechanism.
Thermal decomposition of dichloroketene and its reaction with H atoms

Abstract The thermal unimolecular decomposition of dichloroketene CCl 2 CO → CCl 2 + CO (reaction 1) was studied experimentally and computationally. Dichloroketene was produced by the pulsed laser photolysis of hexachloroacetone, and the kinetics of its decay due to reaction 1 was monitored using photoionization mass spectrometry. Rate constants of reaction 1 were determined in direct time-resolved experiments as a function of temperature (740–870 K) and bath gas density ([He] = (3–25) × 10 16 atom cm −3 , [N 2 ] = 12 × 10 16 molecule cm −3 ). Reaction 1 is in the falloff region under these conditions. The potential energy surface (PES) of reaction 1 was studied using quantum chemical methods. The experimental k 1 ( T , P ) dependence was reproduced with an RRKM/master equation model based on quantum chemical calculations. Parameterized expressions for the rate constants of reaction 1 and the reverse reaction, that of CCl 2 with CO, were obtained over wide ranges of temperatures and pressures. The enthalpy of formation of CCl 2 CO was determined in quantum chemical calculations. The kinetics of the reaction of dichloroketene with hydrogen atoms (reaction 2), an important channel of destruction of CCl 2 CO in flames, was studied computationally. The PES of reaction 2 was studied using quantum chemical methods. Temperature and pressure dependences of the rate constants of the four dominant reaction channels were obtained in transition state theory and master equation calculations; the technique of isodesmic reactions for transition states was applied to the channel of Cl atom abstraction. Analysis of the experimental data and the computational models of reactions 1 and 2 demonstrates that thermal decomposition is a major pathway of destruction for dichloroketene in combustion systems.
On polynomial-time property for a class of randomized quadratures

We study a class of randomized methods that use a special importance sampling for approximating multivariate integrals over the unit cube [0,1]s. These methods have errors in the randomized setting significantly smaller that the errors of the classical Monte Carlo method for the spaces of functions considered in this paper. In particular, for periodic functions, to enjoy the polynomial-time and/or strongly polynomial-time properties, these methods require less restrictive assumptions on the spaces than the assumptions required by the classical Monte Carlo methods. Recall that polynomial-time property means, roughly, that the errors are bounded from above by a polynomial in s and in 1/n. Here n is the number of function values used. The strong polynomial-time property means that the error is bounded by a polynomial in 1/n independently of s.
Dispersion corrections to elastic electron scattering by 12C and 16O II. On the use of the closure approximation

Abstract Within the framework of the closure approximation dispersion corrections to elastic electron scattering from 12 C and 16 O have been calculated using the Harmonic Oscillator Shell Model and keeping only the Coulomb contributions to the dispersive part of the second-Born amplitude. Center-of-mass effects and recoil have been taken into account. By means of an expansion scheme, the first-order corrections to the closure approximation have also been calculated and under certain conditions, it is believed that the corrected expansion is a valid one. It is found that the effective excitation energy, defined by the expansion, is approximately one oscillator spacing. The relation between this calculation and a previous one by deForest [26] is discussed.
Plasma lipids and liver histochemistry of rats fed sea-lion or corn oil with or without cholesterol supplementation

Sea-lion oil (SO) is used as a dietary supplement in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The effects of SO on plasma lipid concentration and liver lipid histochemistry were compared with those of corn oil (CO). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing 15% (w/w) SO or CO with or without 1% cholesterol for 25 days. Compared with rats fed CO, SO-fed rats showed lower plasma cholesterol levels (P < 0.001), high-density lipoproteins (HDL) (P < 0.05), very-low-density lipoproteins (P < 0.05), triglycerides (P < 0.05) and total lipids (P < 0.05). Rats fed SO and cholesterol had lower plasma concentrations of cholesterol (P < 0.001) and HDL (P < 0.05) than those of animals fed CO. Alterations in liver cytology were observed in rats fed SO, including a differential accumulation of lipids in the canalicular regions of hepatocytes and a high density of lipid vesicles in hepatic lobule triads. The results indicated that, compared with CO, SO reduces plasma lipid levels and causes histochemical changes associated with an increased excretion of lipids from the liver.
Avrami analysis of melt crystallization behavior of Trogamid

A study has been conducted of the isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization of semicrystalline polymer Trogamid CX7323, a commercial polyamide with superior properties, which is used in high-end products to replace materials such as Nylon 6. Differential scanning calorimetry is employed to monitor the exothermic heat flow during the phase transition from the amorphous to crystalline state. During isothermal crystallization from 230 to 233 °C, the relative crystallinity development with time is described by the Avrami equation, with Avrami exponent n ranging from 2.00 to 2.22. In this temperature range, the value of the Avrami exponent n may indicate diffusion-related nucleation and crystal growth. For non-isothermal crystallization, Trogamid films are crystallized from the melt using cooling rates from 1 to 10 °C min−1. A modified Avrami equation is used to describe the crystallization kinetics, which shows the exponent n ranging from 3.00 to 3.52. Direct observation from real-time polarized optical microscopy (POM) provides evidence of growth of 3-D spherulitic crystal structure during both isothermal melt crystallization and non-isothermal cooling from the melt. The linear growth rate of Trogamid spherulites is found to be 1.6 μm min−1 for crystallization at 230 °C.
The effects of a psychological stressor on cigarette smoking and subsequent behavioral and physiological responses.

Stressful stimuli have been reported to trigger increased smoking. The present experiment involved induction of differing levels of performance anxiety in 10 male smokers. In the high anxiety condition, subjects performed mental arithmetic with competitive pressure; in the low anxiety control condition, no competitive pressure was applied. Both sessions included smoking and sham smoking trials. Scores on the Profile of Mood States showed significantly more anxiety on the day of the high anxiety session than on the day of the low anxiety session, confirming the effectiveness of anxiety-induction procedures. Nicotine intake as inferred from topographical measures was significantly greater under conditions of high anxiety. Greater post-smoking decreases in anxiety in the high-anxiety condition, as compared to the low-anxiety condition and the two sham-smoking conditions, were also observed. Both smoking and anxiety level significantly increased heart rate; lack of statistical interaction suggests additive rather than potentiating effects. Peripheral skin temperature rose in response to mental arithmetic, a trend counteracted by smoking. No significant smoking-related changes in performance were found.
An amplification of the phylogenetic species concept

Abstract— The goal of a phylogenetic species concept is to reveal the smallest units that are analysable by cladistic methods and interpretable as the result of phylogenctic history. We define species as the smallest aggregation of populations (sexual) or lineagcs (asexual) diagnosable by a unique combination of character states in comparable individuals (semaphoronts). A character state is an inherited attribute distributed among all comparable individuals (semaphoronts) of the same historical population, clade, or terminal lineage. This definition of species is character-based and pattern oriented. Evolutionary explanations of phylogenetic species are consistent with contemporary explanations of processes of speciation, but require only the assumption of nested hierarchical pattern. We discuss the compatibility of the phylogenetic species concept with various biological needs for species and justify its use at the exclusion of alternative species concepts.
A modification of the technic of transseptal left heart catheterization

Abstract A minor but important addition to the Ross-Braunwald technic of transseptal left heart catheterization is the passage of the initial large catheter over the puncturing needle directly into the left atrium. There appear to be no hazards and certain distinct advantages to this maneuver.
Establishment patterns of non-native fishes: Lessons from the Duluth–Superior harbor and lower St. Louis River, an invasion-prone Great Lakes coastal ecosystem

Abstract We conducted a 2-year, multi-gear survey in the lower St. Louis River, which includes the Duluth–Superior harbor, an international shipping port and non-native species invasion “hotspot.” Our objectives were to quantify the contribution of non-native species to the overall fish assemblage and assess their spatial distribution and abundance. We captured 10 non-native fishes; none, however, were first detections. Non-native fishes composed roughly one quarter of the total species richness, were found in 84% of samples, and composed 15% of the total abundance. The spatial distribution and abundance of non-native fishes was dependent on gear selection (and thereby habitat selection), sampling location, and abundance measure (individuals or biomass). We used a recently published non-native species establishment framework to integrate catch data from the different gears. Viewed in the context of this framework, we identified only two non-native fishes, Eurasian ruffe ( Gymnocephalus cernuus ) and round goby ( Neogobius melanostomus ), as both widespread and abundant, whereas we identified three as localized and rare. Moreover, the time since first detection of non-native fishes was not predictive of their frequency of occurrence across the study area, underscoring the importance of environmental and biological factors in controlling fish establishment success. Although non-native fishes constitute a considerable portion of the trawl catch in the river channel, from a multi-gear system-wide perspective, native fishes collectively make up the majority of the fish biomass and abundance in the lower St. Louis River.
An Alternative Pathway of Oleate β-Oxidation in Escherichia coli Involving the Hydrolysis of a Dead End Intermediate by a Thioesterase

The degradation of 2-trans,5-cis-tetradecadienoyl-CoA, a metabolite of oleic acid, by the purified complex of fatty acid oxidation from Escherichia coli was studied to determine how much of the metabolite is converted to 3,5-cis-tetradecadienoyl-CoA and thereby diverted from the classical, isomerase-dependent pathway of oleate beta-oxidation. Approximately 10% of the 2,5-intermediate was converted to the 3,5-isomer. When the latter compound was allowed to accumulate, it strongly inhibited the flux through the main pathway. Since Delta(3,5),Delta(2,4)-dienoyl-CoA isomerase was not detected in E. coli cells grown on oleate, the 3,5-intermediate cannot be metabolized via the reductase-dependent pathway. However, it was hydrolyzed by a thioesterase, which was most active with 3,5-cis-tetradecadienoyl-CoA as substrate and which was induced by growth of E. coli on oleate. An analysis of fatty acids present in the medium after growth of E. coli on oleate revealed the presence of 3,5-tetradecadienoate, which was not detected after cells were grown on palmitate or glucose. Altogether, these data prompt the conclusion that oleate is mostly degraded via the classical, isomerase-dependent pathway in E. coli but that a small amount of 2-trans,5-cis-tetradecadienoyl-CoA is diverted from the pathway via conversion to 3,5-cis-tetradecadienoyl-CoA by Delta(3),Delta(2)-enoyl-CoA isomerase. The 3,5-intermediate, which would strongly inhibit beta-oxidation if allowed to accumulate, is hydrolyzed, and the resultant 3,5-tetradecadienoate is excreted into the growth medium. This study provides evidence for the novel function of a thioesterase in beta-oxidation.
Confidentiality laws and secrecy in medical research: improving public access to data on drug safety.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers have long considered results collected from drugs’ clinical trials to be confidential information or trade secrets, even after submission to the Food and Drug Administr...
Technology, Industrial Restructuring, and Regional Development

This paper presents a contemporary survey and synthesis of research on the regional dimensions of technology and competitiveness and explores ways in which technological change has influenced industrial restructuring in U.S. regions. Neoclassical models of regional growth are judged to be seriously wanting in their treatment of technological change. Industrial organization theories such as product/profit cycles, best-practice firms, and flexible specialization have proven to be more illuminating. However, the task remains to integrate technology as a core element in a geography of production and regional economic change that includes both global strategic decision-making of companies and the viability of plants in particular regional settings. Although the federal government as sponsor and procurer of technology has contributed significantly to regional industrial restructuring, the prospects for state and local governments to facilitate technological change appear to be very limited.
The expression of two transcripts of the phosphodiesterase gene during the development of Dictyostelium discoideum.

One of the earliest events in the development of Dictyostelium discoideum is the induction of the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase gene. During vegetative growth a small amount of secreted phosphodiesterase is synthesized. The phosphodiesterase transcript which is responsible for the vegetative enzyme has a size of 1800 nucleotides. Soon after starvation begins a more abundant mRNA with a size of 2200 nucleotides is synthesized by the developing cells. The induction of the 2200-nucleotide mRNA is dependent on protein synthesis and takes place under all regimens of growth and starvation. When growth is in axenic medium and development is in phosphate buffer, the appearance of the larger transcript is very rapid, occurring within 30 min after the onset of starvation. The initial burst of phosphodiesterase mRNA synthesis is followed by a decline in mRNA abundance unless the cells are stimulated by cAMP. When cells are grown on bacteria and development takes place on filter paper, the larger transcript appears after 4 hr, reaches a peak at 10–12 hr of development, and then slowly disappears. When prestalk and prespore cells from migrating slugs are separated, a small amount of transcript can be found only in the prestalk cells. A series of mutants blocked early in development make very little phosphodiesterase transcript or are otherwise abnormal in expression of the phosphodiesterase mRNA. Together these mutants define five independent genetic loci which affect the accumulation of the phosphodiesterase mRNA. These are the pdsA, fgdA, fgdC, fgdD, and fgdE genes.
Coulometric titration of thallous ion with electrogenerated ferricyanide ion

Abstract Thallous ion can be coulometrically titrated to thallic oxide in strongly alkaline medium by means of ferricyanide ion generated by anodic oxidation of ferrocyanide ion at a platinum anode. The equivalence point may be detected either potentiometrically or amperometrically. With 8 to 20 mg of thallous ion in 125 ml the accuracy and precision are within ± 0.2%.
Adenoviral delivery of pan-caspase inhibitor p35 enhances bystander killing by P450 gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy using cyclophosphamide +

Cytochrome P450-based suicide gene therapy for cancer using prodrugs such as cyclophosphamide (CPA) increases anti-tumor activity, both directly and via a bystander killing mechanism. Bystander cell killing is essential for the clinical success of this treatment strategy, given the difficulty of achieving 100% efficient gene delivery in vivo using current technologies. Previous studies have shown that the pan-caspase inhibitor p35 significantly increases CPA-induced bystander killing by tumor cells that stably express P450 enzyme CYP2B6 (Schwartz et al, (2002) Cancer Res. 62: 6928-37). To further develop this approach, we constructed and characterized a replication-defective adenovirus, Adeno-2B6/p35, which expresses p35 in combination with CYP2B6 and its electron transfer partner, P450 reductase. The expression of p35 in Adeno-2B6/p35-infected tumor cells inhibited caspase activation, delaying the death of the CYP2B6 "factory" cells that produce active CPA metabolites, and increased bystander tumor cell killing compared to that achieved in the absence of p35. Tumor cells infected with Adeno-2B6/p35 were readily killed by cisplatin and doxorubicin, indicating that p35 expression is not associated with acquisition of general drug resistance. Finally, p35 did not inhibit viral release when the replication-competent adenovirus ONYX-017 was used as a helper virus to facilitate co-replication and spread of Adeno-2B6/p35 and further increase CPA-induced bystander cell killing. The introduction of p35 into gene therapeutic regimens constitutes an effective approach to increase bystander killing by cytochrome P450 gene therapy. This strategy may also be used to enhance other bystander cytotoxic therapies, including those involving the production of tumor cell toxic protein products.
Post-buckling of a pressurized elastic sheet on a rigid surface

Abstract An infinite elastic sheet, subject to axial forces, is pressurized on one side and constrained on the other side by a rigid flat surface. The post-buckling problem is solved by perturbation analysis and numerical integration. We find the buckling force of a perfect sheet is infinite. As displacement increases, the sheet undergoes three stages. In Stage I the sheet does not touch itself and is in unstable equilibrium for constant axial force. The sheet in Stage II has one point in contact with itself and is stable. Stage III is neutrally stable with one segment collapsed. A finite stability criterion is defined.
Review of three DNA analysis applications for use in the microbiology or genetics classroom.

Review of : three widely used DNA analysis programs. Two of these (Chromas and Finch TV) are simple viewing and editing applications. The third (MEGA) also allows for viewing and editing but “ups the ante” considerably in terms of power in DNA data analysis. In evaluating these applications, special consideration was given to how easily an imported DNA sequence could be viewed, edited and submitted to GenBank using BLAST.
Characterization of the receptor-binding domain of Ebola glycoprotein in viral entry

Ebola virus infection causes severe hemorrhagic fever in human and non-human primates with high mortality. Viral entry/infection is initiated by binding of glycoprotein GP protein on Ebola virion to host cells, followed by fusion of virus-cell membrane also mediated by GP. Using an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-based pseudotyping system, the roles of 41 Ebola GP1 residues in the receptor-binding domain in viral entry were studied by alanine scanning substitutions. We identified that four residues appear to be involved in protein folding/structure and four residues are important for viral entry. An improved entry interference assay was developed and used to study the role of these residues that are important for viral entry. It was found that R64 and K95 are involved in receptor binding. In contrast, some residues such as I170 are important for viral entry, but do not play a major role in receptor binding as indicated by entry interference assay and/or protein binding data, suggesting that these residues are involved in post-binding steps of viral entry. Furthermore, our results also suggested that Ebola and Marburg viruses share a common cellular molecule for entry.
Variational Principle for Two-Dimensional Incompressible Hydrodynamics and Quasigeostrophic Flows

A new variational principle is derived through the construction of the action in terms of a new set of canonical coordinates. The main advantage of this set of coordinates is that they contain exclusively information concerning the Eulerian description of the flow.