cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonpharmacologic therapy for coronary artery atherosclerosis: Results of primary and secondary prevention trials

The association between abnormal serum lipoprotein levels and coronary atherosclerosis has been established by extensive clinical, experimental, and epidemiologic evidence. Recent angiographic trials in patients with coronary artery disease have demonstrated that improvement in serum lipids and other risk factors has a favorable effect on coronary lesions and reduces coronary events and interventions. Most trials of coronary disease prevention have used intensive pharmacologic therapy, but several have involved only nonpharmacologic intervention. The latter investigations include both primary and secondary prevention studies. Three controlled, nonpharmacologic primary prevention trials with long-term follow-up used dietary management aimed at lowering serum cholesterol levels; one trial also included smoking cessation, and one used a comprehensive approach to risk-factor modification. Serum cholesterol levels and other risk factors were significantly decreased in the intervention groups but were unaltered in the control populations. After periods of 5 to 10 years, reductions of 20% to 45% in coronary events were observed in the intervention groups compared with controls. Four secondary intervention trials examined the effect of nonpharmacologic therapy alone on coronary artery disease regression; three of these trials included control groups. All of the trials focused on reduction of elevated serum cholesterol levels with a low-fat diet, and several included interventions for other risk factors. Serum cholesterol levels fell by 14% to 24% in treated patients compared with 4% to 9% in controls. Although these trials were of relatively short duration (1 to 3 years) and included small numbers of patients (36 to 90), each demonstrated favorable effects on coronary lesions and three revealed clinical benefits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Prediction of Animal-Related Failures in Overhead Distribution Systems Using Neural Network and Wavelet Transform Techniques

Occurrences of faults in overhead distribution systems are a significant factor in distribution system reliability. Prediction of animal-related failures has a practical value since animals cause large number of faults in overhead distribution systems. This paper presents a method to predict weekly animal-related failures in overhead distribution system using neural network and wavelet transform techniques. Discrete wavelet transform is applied to decompose the time series of weekly animal-related failures. Six different neural networks are constructed for each decomposed coefficient series. Finally, the output series of six neural networks are combined according to wavelet reconstruction techniques to get final output for the weekly animal-related failure prediction. Simulation results indicate that this combined method displays good performance.
Competitive interactions among sessile organisms in Tomioka Bay, south Japan: importance of light conditions on the panel surface

Interspecific competitive interactions among sessile epibenthos were studied by suspending PVC panels at Tomioka Bay, south Japan, for a maximum period of 16 mo. Interactions were monitored from photographs of a fixed area of the panels. Four panels were suspended during two different months in autumn 1991, and the development of the community was followed until December 1992. Altogether, 6511 interspecific overgrowth interactions were recorded, of which 37 resulted in standoffs and the rest in overgrowths. The competitive relationship observed in this sessile assemblage followed the pattern of a hierarchy with numerous backloops. Among the 36 species, belonging to the seven taxonomic groups encountered during the study, the colonial ascidian Didemnum moseleyi was recorded as the dominant species (with respect to competitive ability) while the barnacle Balanus trigonus was the weakest species. The month of panel exposure and whether or not the panel surface was shaded had a significant influence on the competitive ability of the sessile organisms. The order of hierarchy of the most dominant species changed with the month of panel submersion and its light conditions. Among the several abundant species tested, longer residence times were recorded for serpulid worms than for the colonial species. A significant, positive relationship was obtained between the areal cover of competitively dominant sessile organisms and the number of their interspecific interactions. From the short residence time of sessile organisms and the significant relationship between their areal cover and number of interspecific interactions, it is concluded that the interspecific interactions played important role in the species succession.
Clinical Significance of Minimal Sentinel Node Involvement and Management Options

Since its introduction in the mid-1990s, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has revolutionized the management of breast cancer patients, allowing for a minimally invasive method to accurately stage the axilla without the need for axillary lymph node dissection and its concomitant morbidity in node-negative patients. The ability to identify the lymph nodes most likely to harbor metastases has allowed for increased scrutiny of these lymph nodes, often finding minimal disease in the SLNs. The relevance of such minute disease has been controversial, and there has been considerable debate as to how best to manage such patients.
Viral nucleocapsid melting to measure protein: RNA interactions

Abstract Thermal denaturation of nucleocapsids of wild type (WT) vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), containing only the nucleocapsid protein (N) and viral RNA, caused a “melting” that resulted in an A260nm absorbance increase of 140%. The nucleocapsids of two temperature-sensitive ( ts ) VSV mutants, ts G31BP and ts G22, both underwent larger absorbance increases of 251% and 177% respectively, suggesting these nucleocapsids are complexed by weaker N protein: RNA interactions than the WT-VSV. Two other mutants, ts G31 and ts G41 underwent A260nm increases either similar to, or smaller than, that measured with WT-VSV nucleocapsids. RNA synthesis by ts G31BP in infected cells was also found to be decreased at elevated temperatures. This temperature sensitive defect in viral RNA metabolism in ts G31BP may be the result of weaker protein:RNA interactions associated with the nucleocapsid.
Differences in regional brain metabolic responses between single and repeated doses of methylphenidate

Studies investigating the acute effects of drugs of abuse on human brain metabolism have measured single doses whereas these drugs are mostly taken repeatedly. Here we compared the brain metabolic response to intravenous methylphenidate when given after a single dose to that when given after two sequential doses. Methylphenidate-induced changes in metabolism differed; whereas single doses tended to decrease metabolism, repeated doses tended to increase it, and these differences were significant in frontal, parietal and occipital cortices and hippocampus. This indicates that methylphenidate's metabolic effects vary with acute previous exposure and highlights the importance of studying drugs after single and repeated administration.
The schizotypal personality on an alcohol treatment unit

D SM-III restricts the diagnosis of schizophrenia to those patients demonstrating overt evidence of a thought disorder or hallucination. The study describes seven patients on an inpatient alcohol treatment unit who met the criteria for schizotypal personality. Their age, mental status exam, family history, and response to medication were compatible with a schizophrenic spectrum concept of the schizotypal personality. The prompt diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric symptoms in alcoholic schizotypal personalities would aid in their rehabilitation. DSM-III has narrowed the diagnosis of schizophrenia by developing criteria that require explicit evidence of overt thought disorder or hallucination before the diagnosis can be made.’ Those individuals who may be preschizophrenic or mildly schizophrenic continue to exist in a diagnostic limbo which in the past was characterized by such terms as latent, pseudoneurotic, or ambulatory schizophrenia.* The Danish adoption studies of Kety et al., have introduced the concept of the “schizophrenic spectrum” in which milder forms of schizophrenia are manifested and which seem to show a genetic relationship to schizophrenic illness.3 DSM-III has divided the “borderline syndrome” into two diagnostic entities-the schizotypal personality drawn from the schizophrenic spectrum concept and the borderline personality developed from analytic concepts elaborated by Kernberg and associated with pathological ego states and acting-out character disorder (Table 1).4 Spitzer et al. found that these two diagnoses were capable of differentiating patients with the “borderline syndrome” into two distinct groups but that there was a significant degree of overlap.5 Recently, Kendler et al. have reanalyzed the original Danish data involving the relatives of schizophrenic children who were placed for adoption and have found a significantly higher incidence of schizotypal personality disorder in the biologic relatives of probands as compared to the biologic relations of controls.6 The diagnostic difficulties outlined above are only further complicated on an alcohol treatment unit. The acute effects of alcohol and subsequent withdrawal can mimic the entire spectrum of psychiatric symptomatology. The diagnosis of alcoholism is also not in any way exclusive, and once the acute effects of alcohol on the behavior and thinking of patients abates, a heterogenous group of personality and psychiatric diagnoses remain, including other axis I or axis II
Episcleritis and symblepharon associated with Lyme keratitis.

superior corneal thinning in a 2-mm zone approximately 2 mm from the corneoscleral limbus. Inferior, peripheral corneal thinning typical of pellucid marginal degeneration was also apparent in both eyes. On profile examination, both eyes showed superior protrusion of the cornea. Keratoscopic photographs (Fig. 2) showed central, irregular, against-the-rule astigmatism with inferior corneal steepening and marked superior corneal steepening. With spectacles of R.E.: -6.00 -3.00 x 85 and L.E.: -4.50 -6.00 x 75, the patient's visual acuity was 20/40 in each eye. In a study of 61 patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis and corneal ectasia, Cameron, Al-Rajhi, and Badr' noted that many patients had combinations of superior, central, inferior, or diffuse thinning of the cornea. Our patient showed the unusual combination of superior corneal thinning in association with pellucid marginal degeneration. There was no lipid infiltration suggestive of Terrien's peripheral corneal degeneration. Micropannus related to previous trachoma was apparent superiorly; however, the corneal thinning occurred in areas without vessels. There was no other associated ocular or systemic disease.
Leakage-Aware Scheduling for Real-Time Systems with (m,k)-Constraints

In this paper, we study the problem of reducing both the dynamic and leakage energy consumption for real-time systems with (m;k)-constraints, which require that at least m out of any k consecutive jobs of a task meet their deadlines. Two energy efficient scheduling approaches incorporating both dynamic voltage scheduling (DVS) and dynamic power down (DPD) are proposed in this paper. The first one statically determines the mandatory jobs that need to meet their deadlines in order to satisfy the (m;k)-constraints, and the second one does so dynamically. The simulation results demonstrate that, with more accurate workload estimation, our proposed techniques outperformed previous research in both overall and idle energy reduction while providing the (m;k)-guarantee.
The “Galloping Glacier” trots: decadal-scale speed oscillations within the quiescent phase

A 28 year record of annual surface speeds has revealed oscillations with a period of roughly 12 years during the quiescent phase of Black Rapids Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A., the original “Galloping Glacier”. These oscillations are hypothesized to be the manifestation of slowly propagating waves of till failure and till healing, with at least the second cycle being initiated by the anomalous advance of a tributary glacier. Observations support the idea that such dynamics may have occurred, but are not conclusive. In the conceptual model describing the mechanisms of till failure and healing, temporal variations in longitudinal stress gradients are proposed to be more important in causing till failure than temporal variations in effective pressure.
Better late than early: The influence of timing on apology effectiveness ☆

Abstract Two studies examined whether the timing of an apology influences its effectiveness. We hypothesized that victims who received apologies later in a conflict would feel more satisfied with the resolution of the conflict, primarily because they would have more opportunity for self-expression and would feel better understood. Undergraduates provided retrospective interpersonal conflict narratives (Study 1) and responded to a hypothetical scenario (Study 2) in which they were wronged. The results showed that later apologies were more effective than earlier ones, and that this effect was mediated by feeling heard and understood. The ramifications for creating a “ripeness” or readiness for conflict resolution are discussed.
Prospective Evaluation of the Utility of Laboratory Testing for Detecting Intra-abdominal Injuries in Children with Blunt Trauma • 379

Prospective Evaluation of the Utility of Laboratory Testing for Detecting Intra-abdominal Injuries in Children with Blunt Trauma • 379
Symptomatology Subscales for the Measurement of Acute Mountain Sickness

Additional information regarding the development of symptomatology subscales for the measurement of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is presented. High item intercorrelations and strong factor loadings of items comprising symptom clusters (i.e., Arousal Level, Somatic Discomfort, Tired, and Mood) support the previously reported breakdown of the General High Altitude Questionnaire (GHAQ) into subscales. Rapid transition from low to high altitude resulted in an increase of these symptomatology subscale scores. Several subscale differences were also noted between Phenformin and Placebo Ss at low altitude. Such subscale measures could provide improved estimates of symptomatology, useful in assessing the effectiveness of various treatments intended to ameliorate AMS.
Overseas R&D, knowledge sourcing, and patenting: an empirical study of Japanese R&D investment in the US

Abstract This paper purports to study the contribution of R&D at home and abroad to the firm’s inventive activity, using a sample of 137 Japanese multinationals. The empirical analysis relates the number of inventions in Japan and that in the US, as measured by the number of patents issued by the USPTO, to the parent’s R&D, the US subsidiaries’ R&D, the presence of R&D in Europe, the firm’s experience in the US, entry mode, and industry dummies. In addition, to study the subsidiary’s role in sourcing local technological knowledge, we construct indices of local technological strength of the state in which the subsidiary is located. The results, most importantly, indicate that these indices positively contribute to inventions at home and in the US among Type R firms, whose R&D subsidiaries mainly aim to research, suggesting that knowledge sourcing is an important function of these subsidiaries and locational choice is important for this purpose. These results do not hold among Type S firms, whose R&D subsidiaries mainly aim to support local manufacturing and sales activities.
Parametric links for binary choice models: A Fisherian–Bayesian colloquy

Abstract The familiar logit and probit models provide convenient settings for many binary response applications, but a larger class of link functions may be occasionally desirable. Two parametric families of link functions are investigated: the Gosset link based on the Student t latent variable model with the degrees of freedom parameter controlling the tail behavior, and the Pregibon link based on the (generalized) Tukey λ family, with two shape parameters controlling skewness and tail behavior. Both Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods for estimation and inference are explored, compared and contrasted. In applications, like the propensity score matching problem discussed below, where it is critical to have accurate estimates of the conditional probabilities, we find that misspecification of the link function can create serious bias. Bayesian point estimation via MCMC performs quite competitively with MLE methods; however nominal coverage of Bayes credible regions is somewhat more problematic.
Antigenic variants of influenza viruses: marked differences in the frequencies of variants selected with different monoclonal antibodies.

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies against the hemagglutinin of two influenza A viruses and one influenza B virus were used to analyze the frequencies of antigenic variant subpopulations in cloned virus seeds. Antigenic variants selected with monoclonal antibodies specific for different antigenic determinants were obtained over a wide range of frequencies. With one monoclonal antibody directed to the hemagglutinin of A/PR/8/34 virus antigenic variants were isolated at a frequency of 10- 4.4 , whereas another monoclonal antibody, specific for the hemagglutinin of X-31 virus, completely neutralized all infectious virus in the X-31 virus seeds examined, indicating a frequency of antigenic variation, for one seed at least, of less than 10 −8.1 .
Accreditation of Fisheries and Wildlife Programs

Abstract Program accreditation has been debated for many years by fisheries and wildlife professionals as a way of improving educational quality, conferring professional recognition, facilitating employment decisions regarding hiring and promotion, and providing numerous other possible benefits. We discuss the potential benefits and disadvantages of program accreditation and give examples of current accreditation or similar systems for professional evaluation and recognition. We believe the potential benefits of an accreditation program would not be sufficient to counteract its many significant disadvantages, and such a program would be redundant with the current certification programs of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) and The Wildlife Society (TWS) and other program review methods. Because of the difficulty of reaching agreement within the fisheries and wildlife professions and the resistance of colleges and universities to accept new accreditation programs, we believe there is little likelihood of...
Freeze-fracture of the generative cell of Phoenix dactylifera (Arecaceae)

Mature pollen of Phoenix dactylifera was freeze-fractured in germination medium. The surface of the generative cell was highly convoluted. Microtubules were not in close contact with the indentations. The vegetative cell membrane was appressed to the generative cell. Ordered ridges appeared in both fracture faces of the vegetative cell inner plasma membrane at the indentations. No ordered ridges were observed in the fracture faces of the generative cell. The nuclear envelopes of the vegetative and generative cells differed, with the generative cell having fewer and larger nuclear pores irregularly dispersed among porefree areas. These differences in plasma membrane and in nuclear envelope correlate with the subsequent differentiation of the two cells.
Statistical Study of Variables Associated with Particulate Matter Exposure Levels at Bus Shelters

This study expands on previous work that examined differences in exposure to particulate matter in and around bus stop shelters for passengers waiting along a busy urban corridor in Portland, Oregon. An extensive body of literature has demonstrated the negative health effects of exposure to particulate matter. Although concentrations of particulate matter were known to be greater near busy roadways, little research has been conducted on exposure in and around bus stop shelters. Two sizes of particulate matter were examined in this study: fine particulate matter of less than 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) and ultrafine particles. Pearson association tests were run between particulate concentrations and three categories of independent variables: location, traffic, and weather. Significant correlations were observed primarily between particulates and weather (temperature and relative humidity). With 1-min data intervals, a series of log-linear regression models with and without lagged variables ...
A kinetic study of enargite dissolution in ammoniacal solutions

Abstract The kinetics of dissolution of natural enargite in ammoniacal solution has been investigated. Unlike other copper sulfide minerals, the dissolution of copper from enargite is very slow and only 60% of the copper is extracted after 24 hours. The rate of dissolution is favored by high temperatures and high oxygen pressures. The experimental data seem to fit an electrochemical mechanism.
Conservative approach in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome: Single-balloon enteroscopy and small bowel polypectomy.

AIM: To assess the usefulness of the balloon assisted enteroscopy in preventing surgical intervention in patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) having a small bowel large polyps. METHODS: Seven consecutive asymptomatic pts (age 15-38 years) with PJS have been collected; six underwent polypectomy using single balloon enteroscopy (Olympus SIF Q180) with antegrade approach using push and pull technique. SBE system consists of the SIF-Q180 enteroscope, an overtube balloon control unit (OBCU Olympus Balloon Control Unit) and a disposable silicone splinting tube with balloon (ST-SB1). All procedures were performed under general anesthesia. Previously all pts received wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE). Prophylactic polypectomy was reserved mainly in pts who had polyps > 15 mm in diameter. The balloon is inflated and deflated by a balloon control unit with a safety pressure setting range from -6.0 kPa to +5.4 kPa. Informed consent has been obtained from pts or parents for each procedure. RESULTS: Six pts underwent polypectomy of small bowel polyps; in 5 pts a large polyp > 15 mm (range 20-50 mm in diameter) was resected; in 1 patient with WCE negative, SBE was performed for previous surgical resection of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. In 2 pts endoscopic clips were placed due to a polypectomy. No surgical complication have been reported. SBE with resection of small bowel large polyps in PJS pts was useful to avoid gastrointestinal bleeding and emergency laparotomy due to intestinal intussusceptions. No gastrointestinal tumors were found in subsequent enteroscopic surveillance in all seven pts. In order surveillance, all pts received WCE, upper endoscopy, ileocolonoscopy every 2 years. No pts had extraintestinal malignant lesions. SBE was performed when WCE was positive for significant polyps (> 15 mm). CONCLUSION: The effective of prophylactic polypectomy of small bowel large polyps (> 15 mm) could be the first line treatment for conservative approach in management of PJS patients.
Formation, Spectroscopy, Photochemistry, and Quantum Chemistry of the (S2)(O2) Complex in Solid Argon

Samples formed by codepositing S2 from a superheater source with Ar/O2 on a 10 K substrate exhibit very strong 1403.0-cm-1 and weaker 725.5-cm-1 infrared absorptions. Photolysis decreases these bands slightly and produces SO2 and S2O. The infrared bands show 18O2 and 34S2 shifts appropriate for O−O and S−S fundamental vibrations, and triplet absorptions in mixed isotopic experiments suggesting two equivalent O and two equivalent S atoms in the product complex. Similar results were obtained for Se2 and O2; new absorptions appeared at 1404.5 and 391 cm-1. Ab initio calculations at the SCF, CISD, and CCSD levels of theory failed to find a complex with the observed spectroscopic properties. However, calculations with the BP density functional characterized a singlet (S2)(O2) parallelogram structure bound by 15.6 kJ/mol relative to triplet S2 and O2 with the O−O stretching frequency red-shifted 187 cm-1 and the S−S fundamental blue-shifted 20 cm-1. This weakly bound (S2)(O2) complex is chemically intermediate ...
Characterization of a chemically amplified photoresist for simulation using a modified poor man's DRM methodology

As we enter the DUV lithography generation, the developmental phase of the photolithography process is becoming crucial due to the high costs associated with the lithography equipment. Improvements in the modeling of chemically amplified resists are necessary to extract the maximum possible information from the minimum amount of experimentation. The poor man's dissolution rate monitor (drm) method has been used successfully to extract the post exposure bake (PEB) and develop rate parameters for conventional I-line photoresists and some DUV chemically amplified photoresists (CARs). However, the original method suffers from some drawbacks such as locally optimized results due to the highly non-linear nature of the Mack development model and the need for visual inspection to detect convergence of the rate data. This paper used a simulated annealing optimization engine for global optimization and uses the deprotection induced thickness loss phenomenon for the conversion of dose to m. Post-exposure bake and develop rate parameters have been extracted for Shipley's UV-5 DUV photoresist.
Nutritional Requirements for Growth of Vicia hajastana Cells and Protoplasts at a Very Low Population Density in Liquid Media

When Vicia hajastana Grossh. cells or protoplasts were cultured at a high population density (ca. 5000 cells or protoplasts/ml), they were able to grow in a mineral-salt solution supplemented with sucrose (or glucose), a few vitamins, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. They were not able to survive when cultured at a low population density unless the medium was supplemented with zeatin, naphthalene-1-acetic acid, nucleic-acid bases, amino acids, other sugars, sugar alcohols, and organic acids. Vicia cells were able to grow at an initial population density of 25-50 cells/ml in this defined medium. The population density could be lowered to 1-2 cells/ml with good growth when the mineral-salt medium was enriched with organic acids, sugars, sugar alcohols, coconut water, and casamino acids. The protoplasts also grew best in a medium enriched with these supplements. Three individual protoplasts were isolated and each one was cultured in a separate dish containing 4 ml of this medium. Within 30-40 days, each one had grown indefinitely and formed a mass of cells (ca. 10(7)).
Evaluation of the Injured Runner

The evaluation of the injured runner emphasizes the identification of intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors in addition to establishing injury-specific diagnosis. The history emphasizes identification of contributory changes in training regimen or technique. The physical examination includes a biomechanical and functional screening to identify related imbalances in posture, alignment, strength, flexibility, and lower quarter stability. Each runner is also observed walking and running because running is a dynamic activity, and subtle abnormalities not evident during static or open chain examination may become evident upon functional and dynamic evaluation. This comprehensive, running-specific approach to diagnosis assists the clinician in developing optimum rehabilitation programs.
Tracking and coordinating an international curation effort for the CCDS Project

The Consensus Coding Sequence (CCDS) collaboration involves curators at multiple centers with a goal of producing a conservative set of high quality, protein-coding region annotations for the human and mouse reference genome assemblies. The CCDS data set reflects a ‘gold standard’ definition of best supported protein annotations, and corresponding genes, which pass a standard series of quality assurance checks and are supported by manual curation. This data set supports use of genome annotation information by human and mouse researchers for effective experimental design, analysis and interpretation. The CCDS project consists of analysis of automated whole-genome annotation builds to identify identical CDS annotations, quality assurance testing and manual curation support. Identical CDS annotations are tracked with a CCDS identifier (ID) and any future change to the annotated CDS structure must be agreed upon by the collaborating members. CCDS curation guidelines were developed to address some aspects of curation in order to improve initial annotation consistency and to reduce time spent in discussing proposed annotation updates. Here, we present the current status of the CCDS database and details on our procedures to track and coordinate our efforts. We also present the relevant background and reasoning behind the curation standards that we have developed for CCDS database treatment of transcripts that are nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) candidates, for transcripts containing upstream open reading frames, for identifying the most likely translation start codons and for the annotation of readthrough transcripts. Examples are provided to illustrate the application of these guidelines. Database URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CCDS/CcdsBrowse.cgi
Inhibin expression in ovarian-type stroma in mucinous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas

Mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) of the pancreas are typically found in middle-aged to elderly women and contain ovarian-type stroma in the cyst wall. Whether the resemblance of this stroma to ovarian stroma is only morphologic or has more functional similarity is still unclear. Estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) have been shown to be expressed in a wide variety of tissues and tumors, including the ovarian-type stroma of MCN. Inhibin, on the other hand, has been shown to have a more restricted expression, limited to ovarian sex cord-stromal components and placental cells, and has recently been shown to be expressed in pancreatic MCNs. However, it is still unclear whether this expression is limited to MCNs of the pancreas and whether it has any diagnostic role. Seven cases of MCN (4 mucinous cystadenoma, 2 borderline MCN, and 1 mucinous cystadenocarcinoma with microinvasion), 6 cases of intraductal papillary mucinous tumor, 1 of mucinous cystic tumor of uncertain classification, 2 of mucinous noncystic adenocarcinoma, 4 of serous cystadenoma, and 4 solid pseudopapillary neoplasms were selected for this study. Five cases with normal pancreatic tissue were included as controls. Immunohistochemical stains for alpha-inhibin, ER, and PR were performed on a representative section from each case on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections using a standard indirect immunoperoxidase method. All cases of MCN were in female patients with an average age of 55.3 years, showing ovarian-type stroma and clusters of alpha-inhibin-positive luteinized theca-like cells. In all these cases, moderate to strong PR positivity was also noted in the ovarian-type stroma, including many of the alpha-inhibin-positive luteinized theca-like cells. ER was expressed in 2 cases. The epithelial cells of MCNs were all negative for ER, PR, and alpha-inhibin staining. Of the other tumors, 4 solid pseudopapillary neoplasms showed positivity for only PR in the tumor cells. The remaining tumors were negative for all markers. In conclusion, the finding of alpha-inhibin positivity in MCN with ovarian-type stroma further supports its similarity to true ovarian stromal tissue and may suggest a role of complex hormonal interaction in the pathogenesis. In addition, its limited expression in MCNs of the pancreas may be diagnostically useful in difficult cases.
Improving the accuracy and performance of memory communication through renaming

As processors continue to exploit more instruction-level parallelism, a greater demand is placed on reducing the effects of memory access latency. In this paper, we introduce a novel modification of the processor pipeline called memory renaming. Memory renaming applies register access techniques to load instructions, reducing the effect of delays caused by the need to calculate effective addresses for the load and all preceding stores before the data can be fetched. Memory renaming allows the processor to speculatively fetch values when the producer of the data can be reliably determined without the need for an effective address. This work extends previous studies of data value and dependence speculation. When memory renaming is added to the processor pipeline, renaming can be applied to 30% to 50% of all memory references, translating to an overall improvement in execution time of up to 41%. Furthermore, this improvement is seen across all memory segments-including the heap segment, which has often been difficult to manage efficiently.
Accuracy of Self-Estimated Abilities and the Relationship Between Self-Estimated Abilities and Realism for Women

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the study asked if women were significantly more likely to underestimate rather than overestimate their abilities. Second, the study asked if the accur...
WdChs2p, a Class I Chitin Synthase, Together with WdChs3p (Class III) Contributes to Virulence in Wangiella(Exophiala) dermatitidis

The chitin synthase structural gene WdCHS2 was isolated by screening a subgenomic DNA library of Wangiella dermatitidis by using a 0.6-kb PCR product of the gene as a probe. The nucleotide sequence revealed a 2,784-bp open reading frame, which encoded 928 amino acids, with a 59-bp intron near its 5' end. Derived protein sequences showed highest amino acid identities with those derived from the CiCHS1 gene of Coccidioides immitis and the AnCHSC gene of Aspergillus nidulans. The derived sequence also indicated that WdChs2p is an orthologous enzyme of Chs1p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which defines the class I chitin synthases. Disruptions of WdCHS2 produced strains that showed no obvious morphological defects in yeast vegetative growth or in ability to carry out polymorphic transitions from yeast cells to hyphae or to isotropic forms. However, assays showed that membranes of wdchs2Delta mutants were drastically reduced in chitin synthase activity. Other assays of membranes from a wdchs1Deltawdchs3Deltawdchs4Delta triple mutant showed that their residual chitin synthase activity was extremely sensitive to trypsin activation and was responsible for the majority of zymogenic activity. Although no loss of virulence was detected when wdchs2Delta strains were tested in a mouse model of acute infection, wdchs2Deltawdchs3Delta disruptants were considerably less virulent in the same model, even though wdchs3Delta strains also had previously shown no loss of virulence. This virulence attenuation in the wdchs2Deltawdchs3Delta mutants was similarly documented in a limited fashion in more-sensitive cyclophosphamide-induced immunocompromised mice. The importance of WdChs2p and WdChs3p to the virulence of W. dermatitidis was then confirmed by reconstituting virulence in the double mutant by the reintroduction of either WdCHS2 or WdCHS3 into the wdchs2Deltawdchs3Delta mutant background.
Blood oxygenation level-dependent contrast response functions identify mechanisms of covert attention in early visual areas.

Covert attention can lead to improved performance in perceptual tasks. The neural and functional mechanisms of covert attention are still under investigation. Using both rapid event-related and mixed designs, we measured the blood oxygenation level-dependent functional MRI contrast response functions over the full range of contrast (0–100%) in the retinotopically defined early visual areas (V1, V2, V3, V3A, and V4) in humans. Covert attention increased both the baseline activities and contrast gains in the five cortical areas. The effect on baseline can be decomposed into a transient trial-by-trial component and a component across an entire attention block. On average, increase in contrast gain accounted for ≈88.0%, 28.5%, 12.7%, 35.9%, and 25.2% of the trial-by-trial effects of attention in the five areas, respectively, and 22.2%, 12.8%, 7.4%, 19.7%, and 17.3% of the total effects of attention in those areas, consistent with single-unit findings in V4 and MT. The results provide strong evidence for a stimulus enhancement mechanism of attention as demonstrated in various behavioral studies.
VLSI implementation of a low-error-floor and capacity-approaching low-density parity-check code decoder with multi-rate capacity

With the superior error correction capability, low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes have initiated wide scale interests in wireless communication and storage fields. In the past, various structures of single code-rate LDPC decoders have been reported. However, to cover a wide range of service requirements and diverse interference conditions in wireless applications, LDPC decoders that can operate at both high and low code rates are desirable. In this paper, a 9k code length multi-rate LDPC decoder architecture is presented and implemented on a Xilinx FPGA device. Using pin selection, three operating modes, namely, the irregular 1/2 code, the regular 5/8 code and the regular 7/8 code, are supported. Furthermore, to suppress the error floor level, a characterization on the conditions for short cycles in a LDPC code matrix expanded from a small base matrix is presented, and a cycle elimination algorithm is developed to detect and break such short cycles. The effectiveness of the cycle elimination algorithm has been verified by both simulation and hardware measurements, which show that the error floor is suppressed to a much lower level without incurring any performance penalty. The implemented decoder is tested in an experimental LDPC-OFDM system and achieves the superior measured performance of block error rate below 10/sup -7/ at SNR 1.8 dB.
AQUEOUS TOXICITY AND FOOD CHAIN TRANSFER OF QUANTUM DOTS™ IN FRESHWATER ALGAE AND CERIODAPHNIA DUBIA

Innovative research and diagnostic techniques for biological testing have advanced during recent years because of the development of semiconductor nanocrystals. Although these commercially available, fluorescent nanocrystals have a protective organic coating, the inner core contains cadmium and selenium. Because these metals have the potential for detrimental environmental effects, concerns have been raised over our lack of understanding about the environmental fate of these products. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency test protocol and fluorescence microscopy were used to determine the fate and effect of quantum dots (QDs; Qdot® 545 ITK™ Carboxyl Quantum Dots [Fisher Scientific, Fisher part Q21391MP; Invitrogen Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR, USA]) using standard aquatic test organisms. No lethality was measured following 48-h exposure of Ceriodaphnia dubia to QD suspensions as high as 110 ppb, but the 96-h median lethal concentration to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was measured at 37.1 ppb. Transfer of QDs from dosed algae to C. dubia was verified with fluorescence microscopy. These results indicate that coatings present on nanocrystals provide protection from metal toxicity during laboratory exposures but that the transfer of core metals from intact nanocrystals may occur at levels well above toxic threshold values, indicating the potential exposure of higher trophic levels. Studies regarding the fate and effects of nanoparticles can be incorporated into models for predictive toxicology of these emerging contaminants.
Transnational Corporations, Imperfect States, and the Responsibility for Human Rights

Responsibility for Human Rights: Transnational Corporations in Imperfect States. By David Jason Karp. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014. 198 pp., $90 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-1-107-03788-5). Corporate responsibility, typically defined as business attention to social and environmental issues beyond legal compliance, has gained much public and academic attention over the past decades. To what extent, if any, are corporations responsible for the wider social consequences of their practices? Questions such as these have generated much theorizing and empirical research. One crucial empirical element, however, has complicated the question of corporate responsibility: globalization. With transnational corporations operating in multiple countries, multiplying cross-national supply chains, and the involvement of a plurality of organizational actors, who is responsible for the externalities created by corporate behavior? Who can be responsible? David Jason Karp's ambitious and generally excellent book, Responsibility for Human Rights , attempts the answers with an original argument that combines insights from ethics, political theory, and international relations. Karp's broad argument is that organizational actors—transnational corporations, in this case—can be considered responsible for human rights outcomes to the extent that they perform the role of public agents who provide empirical collective goods and who make politically authoritative decisions. The political contexts in which Karp presents this “publicness” approach to human rights responsibility are precisely the imperfect states where the conventionally relevant authorities, governments, have either been unwilling or unable to fulfill their public role. If a transnational petroleum company, for example, has major operations …
Colonization and production of macroinvertebrates on artificial substrata : upstream-downstream responses to a leaf litter exclusion manipulation

1. Macroinvertebrate colonization dynamics were examined on artificial substrata in a stream with terrestrial litter inputs excluded, downstream of the litter-exclusion treatment, and in a reference stream. 2. Short-term examination of the rates of organic matter accrual and invertebrate colonization demonstrated significantly lower accumulation of leaf detritus and invertebrates in the litter-excluded reach and a short distance downstream of that reach. 3. All major fractions of organic matter and invertebrates declined on artificial substrata during the 3-year litter exclusion. Further, secondary production on artificial substrata in the litter-excluded reach decreased from 6.2 to 1.5 g AFDM m - 2 year-1 from pretreatment to the third year of litter exclusion, respectively. 4. Downstream, fine particulate organic matter on artificial substrata decreased during litter exclusion, and there was a significant reduction in colonization of collector-filterers. Total secondary production downstream of the litter exclusion declined >70%, demonstrating that downstream colonization dynamics are linked to upstream detritus inputs and processing by stream invertebrates.
On Mixed Inferences and Pluralism about Truth Predicates

A familiar view concerning sentences about the ethical or comical is that they are not truth-apt – not capable of being true or false. Against this view Peter Geach famously noted that such sentences may figure in true (or false) conditionals and so must thereby be truth-apt. In response to Geach's argument, Crispin Wright proposed a pluralism about truth predicates, a pluralism which sees Geach's conditional clauses as being true in a sense that avoids realism about the entities involved. I defend Wright's proposal against an interesting recent attack by Christine Tappolet, and show that, pace Tappolet, Wright's proposed pluralism is compatible with the Tarskian idea that validity is necessary truth-preservation.
Illegitimate Killers: The Symbolic Ecology and Cultural Politics of Coyote-Hunting Tournaments in Addison County, Vermont

SUMMARY Although I have conducted ethnographic research on hunting in central Vermont since 1996, one important issue has remained conspicuously absent from my field notes: organized hunting protest. That all changed one cold February day in 2005 as protesters from a home-grown animal rights group stood along a country road in Whiting, Vermont, to voice their opposition to the first annual Howlin' Hills Coyote Hunt. This coyote-hunting tournament was characterized by a broad assortment of local residents—including hunters—as a morally corrupt departure from traditional hunting ethics and from that day forward Addison County has been caught up in a social drama that may forever change the face of hunting in Vermont. As deep philosophical differences were revealed between not only hunters and antihunters, but between hunters themselves, a small window opened for a more general moral critique of hunting. Drawing on testimony from hunters, animal rights activists, Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel, and my own experiences at coyote tournaments, I explain the perspectives of the various actors in this drama as they struggle to define the meaning and ethical place of hunting in the 21st century. [Keywords: human–animal relations, symbolic ecology, hunting, rural America, coyotes]
Measurement of Raman Scattering Cross Sections for Use in Calculating Stimulated Raman Scattering Effects

The magnitude of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) of the Raman laser effect depends upon the peak values of ordinary Raman scattering cross sections just as ordinary laser gain depends upon the peak value of an absorption cross section. We give here the results of the measurements of peak Raman scattering cross section for three Raman lines in nitrobenzene, benzene, and toluene for which SRS has been studied and for two other lines in benzene and toluene from which no observable SRS could be produced. The intensity of SRS calculated from these cross sections agrees with SRS measurements for these substances. A ruby laser was used as the light source. A 2-m grating spectrograph was used as the dispersing element for photometric detection. The scattering was observed at 90° from the incident laser beam and was measured for different polarizations of the incident and scattered light. The peak cross sections were measured by scanning the wavelength in steps.
Preparation and properties of monodispersed spherical colloidal particles of cadmium sulfide

Abstract A method for the preparation of cadmium sulfide sols consisting of uniform spherical particles is described. Cadmium sulfate “seeds” were first precipitated by aging a solution consisting of cadmium nitrate, nitric acid, and thioacetamide. Varying amounts of thioacetamide were added to the “seed” crystals which were then allowed to grow. Particle characteristics, such as the size distribution, specific surface area, and electrokinetic mobility of these sols were determined and the particle growth mechanism analyzed in terms of Nielsen's chronomals.
Small-signal modeling of the single-phase boost high power factor converter with constant frequency control

A simple and accurate small-signal model for the high-power-factor converter with constant switching frequency is developed and verified. The model is applicable to all frequencies below half the switching frequency. The model is useful in the design and analysis of the voltage and current loops, and of the input and the output impedances of the converter. The use of the model is demonstrated in the analysis and design of a power factor boost converter with average current control. >