cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Methodology of Probe Design with Better Resolution and Less Resistive Donut Probe to Achieve the Best Performance

Abstract Probes are the interface between microsystems and bio-cells. The ideal interface is one-to-one interface. Though various research groups have been able to establish some sort of interfaces after many years of research, they are very crude. Neurons are millions in numbers, whereas the prostheses successfully built so far have only a few hundred probes at best. Creating an effective interface is still far away. Though we have micro- and nano-technologies, we couldn't build a prosthesis with an effective resolution. Main reasons behind it are the type of probe being used and the poor design of the probe. To address this problem, we developed a methodology to design a probe and an array of probes with better resolution and less resistive donut probe. This methodology helps us to design a probe optimizing all the parameters. We presented our methodology through a design that is capable of 70 μm penetration inside the tissue. The tissue heating by our designed probe is only 0.411 UC. We also characterized the donut probe, which could be used by any research group to design a donut probe of their specific need.
DEVELOPMENTAL SHIFT HYPOTHESIS AND PREFERRED MEMORY ATTRIBUTES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Summary.-Developmental preferences for memory attributes were investigated through an analysis of errors on a word-recognition test for children in grades 2, 4, and 6. 20 male and 20 females participated at each grade level. It was predicted that developmental shifts would occur whereby second graders would demonstrate a preference for orthographic distractors, fourth graders would prefer acoustic disrractors, and sixth graders would evidence a preference for the associative-verbal distractors. Posttest comparisons showed that only second graders demonstrated the predicted preference. There were no other significantly preferred attributes according to grade level or sex. These findings offer limited support to the developmental shift hypothesis. Children, rather than shifting from one preferred attribute of memory to another in an orderly fashion as has been suggested, may progress through alternating stages where a number of attributes are prominant in recall to periods of development
The IPO and first seasoned equity sale: Issue proceeds, owner/managers' wealth, and the underpricing signal

Abstract Recent models of IPO underpricing suggest that high-quality firms underprice their IPOs to differentiate themselves from low-quality firms and, thus, receive a more favorable market response to subsequent equity offerings. We test this suggestion for 172 industrial firms that made an initial public offering during 1987–1991 and made a subsequent seasoned equity offering within three years of their IPO. We examine two measures of the impact of the hypothesized underpricing signal net of the cost of employing that signal. Inconsistent with the underpricing signal hypothesis, we find no evidence that firms recover the cost of an underpriced IPO in either higher issue proceeds or in greater wealth for the firm's initial owners.
Multilayer phantom for electical impedance testing of a fetal heartbeat

An irregular heartbeat is highly dangerous to an adult, and even more so to an unborn baby. Whether it is poor oxygenation or other more serious conditions, monitoring a fetus's heartbeat is necessary to determine any health issues. While current methodologies are well received from the general public, there is much room for improvement. A potential solution to the drawbacks of common measuring devices is to use Electrical Impedance (EI) to quantify the fetal heart rate (FHR). Thus, it becomes necessary to test such a theory in laboratory conditions. In this paper, we will summarize the design, fabrication and testing of an ambulatory phantom that mimics the properties of the womb and fetus. This model has a degree of fidelity that is sufficient for verifying the efficacy of an EI-based FHR monitoring device; it is a testing environment with a high perception of realism, high fidelity to the real maternal environment's effect on the signal, and durable performance for R&D efforts. In absence of human data, a computer simulation was created to provide a conceptual proof of the idea. The prototype under construction, if successful, holds a considerable significance in human womb tissue modeling for benchmark testing.
Heat treatment of spun-on acid-catalyzed sol-gel silica films

SiO2 films, formed by spin coating acid-catalyzed TEOS-based sol-gel on Si substrates, were annealed at 300–1000 °C and analyzed using ellipsometry, FTIR, and in situ stress measurements. Film porosity ranged from an average of 28% before annealing to 7% after annealing 3 h at 1000 °C. Below ≍800 °C, water and silanol removal caused a decrease in refractive index and increase in the in-plane tensile stress. Infrared spectra indicated compressive strain normal to the plane, however. Above ≍800 °C, further densification and structural relaxation occurred. Exposure to H2O also caused relaxation after annealing, as the most compressed Si–O–Si units reacted preferentially with moisture.
Residential History and Educational Status of Delinquents and Nondelinquents

The feasibility of the records matching approach is examined with data pertaining to the interrelations of residential mobility, educational status, and juvenile delinquency. Findings are reported by race and sex for comparisons of approximately 7,000 delinquent and 325,000 general population youth 14-17 years of age. Recent mobility was not systematically associated with delinquency; educational status was directly related to delinquency; and little interaction was observed between the mobility variables or between mobility and educational status.
Case Report: Pathogenesis and Pharmacologic Management of Pseudo-obstruction of the Bowel in Pheochromocytoma

Metastatic malignant pheochromocytoma can be a disease of long duration and though poorly responsive to both radiation therapy and chemotherapy, pharmacologic management of its myriad manifestations can be very effective. Hypertension is the most recognized feature of this disease, but gastrointestinal manifestations can, on rare occasions, be just as serious and life threatening. We present two patients with metastatic pheochromocytoma who developed pseudo-obstruction, and discuss the pathopharmacology and treatment of this syndrome.
Structure determination of glycoinositol phospholipid anchors by permethylation and tandem mass spectrometry

Glycoinositol phospholipid (GPI) glycans obtained by treatment of purified GPI anchors with 50% aqueous hydrofluoric acid can be permethylated to give a quaternary ammonium ion at the hexosamine, which results in a substantial increase in sensitivity for subsequent analysis by soft-ionization mass spectrometry. Tandem mass spectrometric analysis of these derivatives shows predictable fragmentation patterns that reveal the order of carbohydrate moieties and their branching patterns. Informative tandem mass spectra can be obtained from only 30 pmol of the derivatized glycan. The application of this method to the GPI glycan purified from the scrapie prion protein indicates the presence of structures that differ from other GPI anchors.
Designing Autism Research for Maximum Impact

In recent decades, rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have risen dramatically, and research into assistive technologies for this population has similarly escalated. For technology to be adopted, technologists need to communicate with practitioners across fields and match methodological and evaluation standards. We provide a set of recommendations for researchers to bridge the gap between fields and maximize the impact of their research, including instructions on how to identify and describe research participants and how to avoid research confounds and challenges specific to this population. We also advocate that researchers in ASD maintain a nimble, adaptable approach when performing experiments.
Nonuniversal critical spreading in two dimensions.

Continuous phase transitions are studied in a two dimensional nonequilibrium model with an infinite number of absorbing configurations. Spreading from a localized source is characterized by nonuniversal critical exponents, which vary continuously with the density \ensuremath{\varphi} in the surrounding region. The exponent \ensuremath{\delta} changes by more than an order of magnitude and \ensuremath{\eta} changes sign. The location of the critical point also depends on \ensuremath{\varphi}, which has important implications for scaling. As expected on the basis of universality, the static critical behavior belongs to the directed percolation class. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Glycation Products as Markers and Predictors of the Progression of Diabetic Complications

The structure of a growing number of glycation and advanced glycation end products has been elucidated. Measuring these products can be used to assess cumulative glycemic and glycoxidative damage in diabetes and other chronic conditions. The predictive power of a given glycation product can be tested in large prospective studies that evaluate the risk of developing diabetic micro- and macrovascular disease over years following the quantitative determination of that marker. This article provides a comprehensive review of the field, comparing the merits of each marker, whether in skin, serum, or other tissue. Several conclusions are drawn, one of which identifies skin glycation products as powerful predictors of the risk of developing diabetic complications.
Memory for emotionally arousing stimuli: a comparison of younger and older adults.

The authors compared emotional memory in younger (aged 18-32 years) and older (aged 59-84 years) adults. Previous researchers who investigated the emotion-memory relationship in younger adults consistently showed that emotional arousal enhances memory for central detail. The present authors' goal was to determine whether a similar effect could be found with older adults. Younger and older adults viewed a series of 12 slides, accompanied by a taped narrative, that showed emotionally arousing or neutral scenes in the middle phase (Slides 5-8). Participants then completed recognition tests that were scored for central detail, peripheral detail, and gist. The results indicated that, although younger adults showed higher performance than older adults did, both groups showed increased memory for central detail. In contrast, the authors found no such enhancement for peripheral detail or gist in either group. These results indicated that the arousal manipulation produced a similar effect on memory in younger and ...
Diffusion in stars: the case of gravity waves, rigid rotation and stable stratification

We study mixing in the tachocline in the presence of a source (gravity waves of power n) and two sinks (rigid rotation Ω and stable stratification of strength * a d - * > 0). The Reynolds stresses R i j are found to be proportional to πΩ - 1 r i j , where the dimensionless tensor r i j may increase, decrease or saturate with Ω depending on the component (ij). The heat fluxes are found to be proportional to πh i , where the dimensionless h r , θ first decrease with Ω and then saturate while he always decreases with Ω. Numerical values of the momentum and heat diffusivities are derived and discussed. Future studies will include differential rotation, the μ-barrier and meridional currents.
To Resist, Acquiesce, or Internalize: Departmental Responsiveness to Demands for Outcomes Assessment.

Over the last 30 years, higher education has received the assessment movement with a substantial amount of skepticism. The purpose of this study is to advance our understanding of political science's responsiveness to assessment reform pressures using neoinstitutional theory. The influence of public status, institutional type, and accreditation region on curricular planning and assessment responsiveness is tested. Using an index to measure the responsiveness of a stratified, random sample of program descriptions at 241 U.S. institutions, results show relatively low levels of curricular planning and assessment responsiveness by political science departments. Institutional type and accreditation region are correlated with level of responsiveness.
Analysis of the operation of the stripping zone of a catalytic cracking reactor

1. All the vapors displaced from the free volume between the catalyst particles and from their pores exceed by 10–15 times the weight loss of the catalyst due to desorption of hydrocarbons from the surface and to calcining of the coke. 2. The article proposes a device which increases the efficiency of the displacement of petroleum vapors from a stream of fluidized catalyst with a simultaneous decrease in the consumption of the displacing agent, i.e., water vapor.
Simple iterative method to exploit the signal space diversity

Signal space diversity is a power and bandwidth efficient diversity technique. To exploit the signal space diversity, joint maximum-likelihood (ML) detection at the receiver is usually needed, where the complexity grows expontentially with the dimension of a lattice. In this paper, we propose a serial concatenated scheme and two simple iterative methods to exploit the signal space diversity. The simple iterative methods are based on the idea of soft interference cancellation. The first iterative method is based on a scalar Gaussian approximation while the second one is a vector Gaussian approximation. The complexity of the first iterative method grows linearly with the dimension of the lattice, and the simulations show that when the dimension of the lattice N = 32, at BER = 10-5, the performance gap between the Rayleigh fading channel and the Gaussian channel is only 0.3 dB. The complexity of the second iterative method grows cubically with the dimension of the lattice and the simulations show that its performance approaches that of the optimal MAP detection method.
Classical planar impact theory and the tip impact of a slender rod

Abstract This paper covers the topic of the planar eccentric impact of a rigid body at a point. The tip impact of a slender rod against a massive surface or barrier is used as a means to illustrate the principles and solution techniques. Two issues are addressed; the first is how the planar impact problem should be, or at least can be, formulated and solved. The second is how close classical solutions match those obtained by methods used in the field of shock and vibration. In formulating the classical impact problem, three well-defined coefficients of restitution are available, the kinematic (defined as a ratio of velocities), kinetic (defined as a ratio of impulses) and energetic (defined as a ratio of energies). Their relationship, advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The best approach to treat tangential impulses in general has not yet reached agreement. For eccentric impacts with Coulomb friction, for example, various combinations of sliding and sticking including tangential velocity reversals can occur during contact. Several approaches have been proposed and all are related. A method using the impulse ratio as a basic parameter is covered and provides solutions for arbitrarily shaped lamina and arbitrary initial conditions. Solutions of the tip impact of a long slender rod using the classical approach are found for various combinations of coefficients of friction and restitution and initial velocities. The final velocities, impulses and energy losses from these solutions are compared with solutions obtained by integrating the differential equations of motion of a rigid rod striking a viscoelastic surface. The comparisons show excellent agreement for most of the cases considered.
Traditional gender role beliefs and individual outcomes: An exploratory analysis

The results of a survey administered to 806 undergraduate students serve as the basis for analyzing the relationships among traditional gender roles, same-sex intimacy, and homophobia. High levels of homophobia and low levels of intimacy were found among those who believe strongly in the traditional roles. Previous research has shown both homophobia and a lack of intimacy to be harmful to individuals and for society. The present findings may, therefore, constitute empirical evidence of the negative effects of gender roles. Sex differences found in the survey results also support this contention. A general model of the consequences of traditional gender role beliefs for those who hold these views is also speculated.
Near-surface silica dissolution in the upwelling region off northwest Africa

Abstract The rate of silica dissolution in the upper 25 to 60 m of the upwelling region off northwest Africa was determined by a stable isotope tracer technique capable of measuring dissolution in the presence of simultaneous silicic acid uptake. The dissolution rate increased with depth and surpassed the rate of silicic acid uptake between 5 and 30 m over the continental shelf. Silica dissolution in the upper 50 m was sufficient to supply all silicic acid taken up by the phytoplankton.
Eccentric planets and stellar evolution as a cause of polluted white dwarfs

A significant fraction of white dwarfs (WDs) are observed to be polluted with metals despite high surface gravities and short settling times. The current theoretical model for this pollution is accretion of rocky bodies delivered to the WD through perturbations by orbiting planets. Using N-body simulations, we examine the possibility of a single planet as the source of pollution. We determine the stability of test particles on circular orbits in systems with a single planet located at 4 au for a range of masses and eccentricities, comparing the fractions that are ejected and accreted. In particular, we compare the instabilities that develop before and after the star loses mass to form a WD, a process which causes orbiting bodies to migrate outward. We determine that a planet must be eccentric (e > 0.02) to deliver significant (> 0.5 per cent) amounts of material to the host and that the amount increases with the planetary eccentricity. This result is robust with respect to the initial eccentricities of the particles for planetary eccentricity above ~0.4 and for randomly-distributed particle long. of pericentre. We also find that the efficiency of pollution is enhanced as planetary mass is reduced. We demonstrate that a 0.03 M_Jup planet with substantial eccentricity (e > 0.4) can account for the observed levels of pollution for initial disc masses of order 1 M_Earth. Such discs are within the range estimated for initial planetesimals discs and below that estimated for the solar system. However, their survival to the WD stage is uncertain as estimates for the collisional evolution of planetesimal discs suggest they should be ground down below the required levels on Gyr timescales. Thus, planetary scattering by eccentric, sub-Jovian planets can explain the observed levels of WD pollution, but only if current estimates of the collisional erosion of planetesimal discs are in error.
Epidermal growth factor, like phorbol esters, induces plasminogen activator in HeLa cells.

STUDIES on the action of the tumour-promoting compound 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), and related plant diterpenes, in cell culture systems have revealed several unusual biological properties1–3. These include the induction of plasminogen activator production2 as well as several other phenotypic changes resembling those seen in cells transformed by chemical carcinogens or viruses1. Furthermore, these compounds are extremely potent inhibitors of several types of terminal differentiation1,4,5, all these effects being exerted by very low concentrations of the active compounds, in the range of 10−9M. In addition, the activities of a series of such compounds, with respect to their cell culture effects, in general parallel their activities as promoters in the mouse skin two-stage carcinogenesis system1,6. We have previously postulated that the highly pleiotropic effects of these compounds may be due to their ability to usurp the effector system of an endogenous growth regulatory hormone1,3,7,8. The polypeptide hormone epidermal growth factor (EOF) is a possible candidate for this putative substance as it shares several biological properties with the phorbol esters9–14. Consistent with this hypothesis are recent results from our laboratory indicating that TPA is a potent inhibitor of the binding of 125I-EGF to its cellular receptors3. We report here that EGF and TPA resemble each other in their ability to serve as potent inducers of plasminogen activator production in HeLa cell cultures. Our results further suggest that the mechanism of EGF induction ot this protease is also similar to that of induction produced by TPA and related tumour promoters.
Microstructural and mechanical characterization of chitosan scaffolds reinforced by calcium phosphates

Chitosan scaffolds reinforced by β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and calcium phosphate invert glass were constructed and their microstructures and mechanical performance were studied. The composite scaffolds were macroporous and maintained the regularly oriented pore structure even when β-TCP/chitosan weight ratio was equal to one. Both compressive modulus and yield strength of the scaffolds were greatly improved and reinforced microstructure was achieved. The salient difference in microstructures of chitosan scaffolds with and without glasses suggested that, not only physical incorporation occurred, but also the chemical complexation between chitosan and the fillers might be involved.
The situation with respect to the spacing of repetitions and memory

The revival of interest in the effectiveness of spaced practice, as compared with massed practice, in learning is attributed to the abandonment of the constraints of serial and paired-associate list learning and the discovery of stable benefits from spaced practice in continuous paired-associate learning, short-term memory for individual items, and single-trial free-recall learning. Comments are made about the preceding symposium papers by Underwood, Waugh, and Greeno, and some data on the differential effects of spacing of repetitions in free-recall learning are introduced in an effort to assess the current state of fact and theory.
Use of cyclopropanols as conformational constraints in RCM.

Sequential application of the Kulinkovich cyclopropanation of carboxylic esters and RCM of the resulting cis-dialkenyl-tethered cyclopropanols provides an expedient route to functionalized medium-sized carbocycles. Subsequent elaboration of the cyclopropanol functionality, such as one-carbon ring expansion, to afford synthetically useful α,β-enones is also worth noting.
Pull-out strength of suture anchors for rotator cuff and Bankart lesion repairs:

Surgical reconstructions of anterior-inferior shoulder instabilities and rotator cuff injuries require secure fixation of soft tissue to bone. Sutures are inserted directly through transosseous tunnels in current techniques, which are surgically complex and not always adequate for fixation strength. Using fresh-frozen cadaveric human specimens, our objectives were 1) to compare immediate pull-out strength of two versions of polyacetal suture anchors (wedge and rod) with conventional suture-only attachment techniques in Bankart lesion and rotator cuff repairs, and 2) to compare pull-out strength of the two polyacetal suture anchors with a metallic suture anchor. Our results indicate no significant differences in fixation strength of Bankart lesions or rotator cuff repairs using sutures only, or using wedge or rod polyacetal suture anchors (P = 0.70). Pull-out force did not differ significantly (P = 0.37) between the two polyacetal anchors. Polyacetal anchors exhibited higher pull-out forces than metallic anchors when inserted into metaphyseal regions of the tibia and significantly higher pull-out forces (P < 0.001) when inserted into metaphyseal regions with thicker cortical walls. Our results indicate that both polyacetal suture anchors provide adequate immediate fixation for soft tissue repairs in the human shoulder.
Numerical Study of Slope-Stabilizing Piles in Undrained Clayey Slopes with a Weak Thin Layer

AbstractThis paper presents a numerical study using three-dimensional (3D) finite-element (FE) analyses for slopes that contain a weak thin layer and are reinforced with piles. The presence of a thin weak layer usually has a negative effect on slope stability. In the FE analysis, a strength reduction technique is employed using FE software. In the numerical model, an elastic-perfectly plastic with Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion is used for the soils. The pile is assumed to be an elastic member, without considering failure. Some of the effective factors, such as the optimal pile location and pile length, were verified beforehand using two-dimensional (2D) FE analysis. The spacing effect of the pile, S/D=4.0 (S is on-center spacing; D is diameter), is found to be comparable for the 3D model in relation to the 2D model. The appropriate length of the pile used in the 3D analysis is based on the length of piles typically used in engineering practice. It is concluded that proper stabilization can be provided if...
Water-activated cellulose-based electrorheological fluids

The performance of electrorheological (ER) fluids containing cellulose particles dispersed in lubricating oil was investigated as a function of particle water content, DC electric field strength, particle concentration, and temperature. Over a range of applied electric fields (0–3 kV/mm), yield stress was observed to increase with increasing cellulose moisture content up to 8.5 wt% followed by a decrease. Water adsorbed by cellulose particles used in these systems was shown to be non-freezing bound water. The maximum ER response for a cellulose-based fluid at 25 °C was observed at a moisture content near the transition of less mobile ‘liquid-like’ (LM) water to more mobile ‘liquid-like’ (MM) non-freezing water. At a constant moisture level, yield stress increased linearly with increases in either electrical field strength or particle concentration, while the ER effect decreased with increasing temperature. The present study concludes that the performance of water-activated ER fluids based on cellulose particles is influenced strongly by the mobility of non-freezing bound water adsorbed onto cellulose.
Answering the question you wish they had asked: The impact of paraphrasing for Question Answering

State-of-the-art Question Answering (QA) systems are very sensitive to variations in the phrasing of an information need. Finding the preferred language for such a need is a valuable task. We investigate that claim by adopting a simple MT-based paraphrasing technique and evaluating QA system performance on paraphrased questions. We found a potential increase of 35% in MRR with respect to the original question.
New theories of wear and their implications for tool materials

Abstract The early development of cutting tool materials was accomplished in the absence of the complete understanding of wear mechanisms through ingenuity, empiricism and intuition. Now the wear mechanisms are better understood in fundamental terms. The important wear mechanisms are abrasion, delamination and chemical dissociation and dissolution. Depending on the specific material and the cutting conditions, one of these mechanisms dominates the wear process. Currently available tool materials are briefly evaluated in terms of the fundamental requirements (i.e. wear resistance, toughness and resistance to gross plastic deformation) of a cutting tool and the rate-controlling wear mechanisms, and the future prospects for better cutting tool materials are discussed.
Bringing Reformed Liturgy to Print at the New Monastery at Marienthal

The reformed liturgical texts created at the Council of Basel (1431–1449) were not printed at Mainz, the birthplace of the new technology, but across the river Rhine at a new monastery of the Brothers of the Common Life at Marienthal. Documentation of the establishment of that monastery is sketchy but includes the involvement of Archbishop Adolph II of Nassau (1462–1475) and vicar general of the Mainz diocese, Gabriel Biel (1410–1495), who would become a Brother at Marienthal. The 21 editions (1474–1484) that were issued by the monastery were almost all newly written books by local clerics: the reformed liturgical texts for the new German Bursfeld Congregation of Benedictines and diocesan breviaries; spiritual reading in the vernacular so typical of the books of the Brothers, including the first German translation by Biel of Jean Gerson's Opus tripartitum, a confessional by Johannes Lupi, and a life of St. Martin of Tours by Sulpitius Severus. Who cast the six types, who did the printing, and who paid for the printing shop remain subjects of conjecture?
Microbiology: Microbiome science needs a healthy dose of scepticism

To guard against hype, those interpreting research on the body's microscopic communities should ask five questions, says William P. Hanage.
2D-3D registration using gradient-based MI for image guided surgery systems

Registration of preoperative CT data to intra-operative video images is necessary not only to compare the outcome of the vocal fold after surgery with the preplanned shape but also to provide the image guidance for fusion of all imaging modalities. We propose a 2D-3D registration method using gradient-based mutual information. The 3D CT scan is aligned to 2D endoscopic images by finding the corresponding viewpoint between the real camera for endoscopic images and the virtual camera for CT scans. Even though mutual information has been successfully used to register different imaging modalities, it is difficult to robustly register the CT rendered image to the endoscopic image due to varying light patterns and shape of the vocal fold. The proposed method calculates the mutual information in the gradient images as well as original images, assigning more weight to the high gradient regions. The proposed method can emphasize the effect of vocal fold and allow a robust matching regardless of the surface illumination. To find the viewpoint with maximum mutual information, a downhill simplex method is applied in a conditional multi-resolution scheme which leads to a less-sensitive result to local maxima. To validate the registration accuracy, we evaluated the sensitivity to initial viewpoint of preoperative CT. Experimental results showed that gradient-based mutual information provided robust matching not only for two identical images with different viewpoints but also for different images acquired before and after surgery. The results also showed that conditional multi-resolution scheme led to a more accurate registration than single-resolution.
GENETIC AND BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS OF PHARMACOLOGICALLY INDUCED AROUSAL.

Previously reported studies have shown clear differences among strains of inbred mice in response to a variety of novel situations and to certain pharmacologic agents. The purpose of the present study was to test the tenability of the hypothesis that such behavioral differences between genetically distinct groups may be a function of arousal system differences. To achieve this objective while using a pharmacologic method, the investigators assumed: (1) that the state of arousal of the organism is isomorphic to the effects of certain depressant and excitatory drugs; and (2) that a direct relation exists between quantitative differences in overt behavior and the cumulative effects of the drug. Four drugs were selected which could produce measurable changes on an arousal continuum from sleep (pentobarbital), through quiescence (chlorpromazine) and alertness (amphetamine), to convulsions (pentylenetetrazol). Similarly, four strains of mice were selected which show related differences in normal activity: BALB/c, C3H/An, DBA/2, and C57BL/6. Although significant strain differences appeared in base-activity levels as well as in the responses to the standard doses of the drugs and of the placebo, only the responses to pentobarbital and amphetamine were entirely consistent with an arousal hypothesis. The duration of the effect of pentylenetetrazol was also consistent but the latency of that effect was not. At best, the effect of chlorpromazine was that of a mild stimulant, contrary to the justification for its inclusion in this study. Clearly the rigid adherence to any one theoretical orientation in the interpretation of strain-activity phenomena is premature.
The natural history of IgE-mediated cow's milk allergy

Background Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is the most common food allergy in infants and young children, affecting 2% to 3% of the general population. Most studies have shown the prognosis of developing tolerance to cow's milk to be good, with most outgrowing their allergy by age 3 years. Objective To define the natural course of CMA and identify the factors that best predict outcome in a large referral population of children with CMA. Methods Clinical history, test results, and final outcome were collected on 807 patients with IgE-mediated CMA. Patients were considered tolerant after they passed a challenge or experienced no reactions in the past 12 months and had a cow's milk IgE (cm-IgE) level Results Rates of resolution were 19% by age 4 years, 42% by age 8 years, 64% by age 12 years, and 79% by 16 years. Patients with persistent allergy had higher cm-IgE levels at all ages to age 16 years. The highest cm-IgE for each patient, defined as peak cm-IgE, was found to be highly predictive of outcome (P Conclusion The prognosis for CMA in this population is worse than previously reported. However, some patients developed tolerance during adolescence, indicating that follow-up and re-evaluation of CMA patients is important in their care. cm-IgE level is highly predictive of outcome. Clinical implications The increasing potential for persistence of CMA, along with cm-IgE level's effect on prognosis, should be considered when counseling families regarding expected clinical course.
Retail format choice in the US consumer electronics market

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a general understanding of retail format choice among consumer electronics shoppers in the US market.Design/methodology/approach – US consumer electronics shoppers (n=252) were surveyed via telephone. Linear regression was used to evaluate the data.Findings – Profiles shopper groups who frequent specific retail formats (department stores, specialty stores, discounters, category killers, internet‐only retailers, and catalogs) based on demographic characteristics (gender, age, education, income) and desired retail attributes (price competitiveness, customer service, product selection, presence of new products, hours of operation, ease of access to the retailer, store atmosphere).Research limitations/implications – Although general observations and predictions about the demographic variables and important retail attributes for shopper groups are possible, future studies could expand upon this exploratory work by initiating comparisons of specific retail forma...
CURRICULAR AND INSTRUCTIONAL FACTORS WHICH FACILITATE MATHEMATICAL LEARNING

The problem was to investigate basic curriculum factors apart from instructional factors and evaluate heir relative effects upon the learning of mathematics at various cognitive levels, in different mathematical reas and on different mathematical topics by sixth graders. Multivariate analysis of variance and covariance vere used to analyze the data. The findings suggest (a) curriculum characteristics of organization do differentially affect the mathematical learning of sixth graders at the knowledge and evaluation levels of cognition and vithin the area of number theory, and (b) the inductive mode of presentation better facilitates the learning of perations while a deductive mode better facilitates the learning of properties.
The effects of diabetes mellitus on the 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine production.

Abstract In patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, a markedly reduced fraction of thyroxine (T4) turnover is metabolized via the monodeiodinative pathways as compared to that of the normal subjects. The hypothesis that this lower deiodinating activity in the diabetic subjects is due to a lower tissue concentration of reduced glutathione was tested in rats treated with streptozotocin. The total and nonprotein sulfhydryls were measured in the liver, kidney, brain, heart and skeletal muscle. There was no difference between the tissue sulfhydryl concentrations of the normal animals and the animals made hyperglycemic for three and seven days. The net rate of 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3) production from added T4 was measured in liver homogenates prepared from normal and diabetic animals. Despite the addition of dithioerythritol to all liver prepatrations, the T3 production rate was lower (P 0.02) in the diabet animal groups as compared to the control group. These findings suggest that the tissue concentration of nonprotein sulfhydryls is not a major factor in the reduced T3 production from T4 in diabetes mellitus.
Systematic evaluation of nitrate and perchlorate bioreduction kinetics in groundwater using a hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor.

Abstract To evaluate the simultaneous reduction kinetics of the oxidized compounds, we treated nitrate-contaminated groundwater (∼9.4 mg-N/L) containing low concentrations of perchlorate (∼12.5 μg/L) and saturated with dissolved oxygen (∼8 mg/L) in a hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR). We systematically increased the hydrogen availability and simultaneously varied the surface loading of the oxidized compounds on the biofilm in order to provide a comprehensive, quantitative data set with which to evaluate the relationship between electron donor (H2) availability, surface loading of the electron acceptors (oxidized compounds), and simultaneous bioreduction of the electron acceptors. Increasing the H2 pressure delivered more H2 gas, and the total H2 flux increased linearly from ∼0.04 mg/cm2-d for 0.5 psig (0.034 atm) to 0.13 mg/cm2-d for 9.5 psig (0.65 atm). This increased rate of H2 delivery allowed for continued reduction of the acceptors as their surface loading increased. The electron acceptors had a clear hydrogen-utilization order when the availability of hydrogen was limited: oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, and then perchlorate. Spiking the influent with perchlorate or nitrate allowed us to identify the maximum surface loadings that still achieved more than 99.5% reduction of both oxidized contaminants: 0.21 mg NO3-N/cm2-d and 3.4 μg ClO4/cm2-d. Both maximum values appear to be controlled by factors other than hydrogen availability.
Complex RFID event processing

Advances of sensor and radio frequency identification (RFID) technology provide significant new power for humans to sense, understand and manage the world. RFID provides fast data collection with precise identification of objects with unique IDs without line of sight, thus it can be used for identifying, locating, tracking and monitoring physical objects. Despite these benefits, RFID poses many challenges for data processing and management: (i) RFID observations have implicit meanings, which have to be transformed and aggregated into semantic data represented in their data models; and (ii) RFID data are temporal, streaming, and in high volume, and have to be processed on the fly. Thus, a general RFID data processing framework is needed to automate the transformation of physical RFID observations into the virtual counterparts in the virtual world linked to business applications. In this paper, we take an event-oriented approach to process RFID data, by devising RFID application logic into complex events. We then formalize the specification and semantics of RFID events and rules. We discover that RFID events are highly temporal constrained, and include non-spontaneous events, and develop an RFID event detection engine that can effectively process complex RFID events. The declarative event-based approach greatly simplifies the work of RFID data processing, and can significantly reduce the cost of RFID data integration.
A NOTE ON THE PROGRESSIVE CONSUMPTION TAX

A SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE program in a readiness-economy' requires a neutralization of inflationary pressures arising from three sectors, namely, the government, the business sector, and the consumption sector. Since defense spending comprises a major portion of present government demand, the latter will remain fairly stable during the present "war" emergency. Since to remove inflationary pressure by cutting government expenditures is contradictory to the nature and purpose of a defense program, we have only two remaining sectors of the economy in which to seek possibilities of curbing inflation. However, since it is a defense objective to encourage the growth of capital so as to insure the long-run strength of the nation, it would defeat our purpose to close an inflationary gap at the expense of sound capital growth. Thus, left with no acceptable alternative, we must attempt to combat inflation in the consumption sector of the economy. A "progressive consumption tax"2 proposed by Professor Walter A. Morton holds promise of meeting this need. The purpose of this note is to demonstrate the operation of such a tax upon national economic aggregates.
Understanding the development and function of T follicular helper cells

A fundamental function of T helper (Th) cells is to regulate B-cell proliferation and immunoglobulin class switching, especially in the germinal centers. Th1 and Th2 lineages of CD4+ T cells have long been considered to play an essential role in helping B cells by promoting the production immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) and IgG1/IgE, respectively. Recently, it has become clear that a subset CD4+ T cells, named T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, is critical to B-cell response induction. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in our understanding of the regulation of Tfh cell differentiation, the relationship of Tfh cells to other CD4+ T-cell lineages, and the role of Tfh cells in health and disease.
Magnetohydrodynamic Rayleigh problem for magnetic prandtl number close to one

In this paper the solutions for indicial motion of an infinite flat plate are discussed. It is assumed that the fluid is incompressible and has constant viscosity and electric conductivity. It is also assumed that both the solid and fluid are semi-infinite or that the solid is thin with fluids on both sides. The conductivity of the wall is assumed in one case to be much greater than the conductivity of the fluid and in a second case to be much less than that of the fluid. In the limit the first case corresponds to a perfectly conducting wall; the second, to a perfectly insulated wall. The distributions of the velocity, magnetic field current, and vorticity are calculated. In the case where the magnetic diffusivity becomes larger than the viscous diffusivity, we show that there is a spreading of the layer in which the magnetic field changes and also a shrinking of the viscous layer. Both layers are very thick in comparison with the non-magneto-hydrodynamic case. This is due to diffusion of the Alfven wave carrying the vorticity and the current.
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) of cystic and solid renal lesions: a review

Incidentally detected renal lesions have traditionally undergone imaging characterization by contrast-enhanced computer tomography (CECT) or magnetic resonance imaging. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) of renal lesions is a relatively novel, but increasingly utilized, diagnostic modality. CEUS has advantages over CECT and MRI including unmatched temporal resolution due to continuous real-time imaging, lack of nephrotoxicity, and potential cost savings. CEUS has been most thoroughly evaluated in workup of complex cystic renal lesions, where it has been proposed as a replacement for CECT. Using CEUS to differentiate benign from malignant solid renal lesions has also been studied, but has proven difficult due to overlapping imaging features. Monitoring minimally invasive treatments of renal masses is an emerging application of CEUS. An additional promising area is quantitative analysis of renal masses using CEUS. This review discusses the scientific literature on renal CEUS, with an emphasis on imaging features differentiating various cystic and solid renal lesions.
The Effect of in Vitro and in Vivo Caffeine, Theophylline, and Hydrocortisone on the Phosphodiesterase Activity of the Pituitary, Median Eminence, Heart, and Cerebral Cortex of the Rat

SummaryThis study was undertaken to substantiate the thesis that the potentiation of the stress-induced secretion of ACTH by the methyl xanthines is due to their ability to inhibit the 3′5′-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. The effect of various drugs on the phosphodiesterase activity of the anterior pituitary, median eminence, brain cortex, and heart of rats was determined both in vitro and in vivo. Incubation of homogenates with caffeine and theophylline markedly reduced the phosphodiesterase activity in all tissues studied except heart, which showed a significant reduction only in the presence of theophylline. In contrast, pretreating the animals with a single dose of caffeine or theophylline reduced the enzyme activity of the anterior pituitary only, and caffeine was more effective than theophylline. Adrenalectomy, chronic or acute administration of hydrocortisone, or incubation of tissue homogenates with hydrocortisone or dexamethasone did not alter the phosphodiesterase activity of the tissues st...
Genetic determinants of basal cell carcinoma risk.

Basal cell carcinomas are can be induced by ionizing radiation, in particular in patients with the rare autosomal dominant basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS). These patients also are prone to medulloblastomas, and curative ionizing radiation therapy for the latter is followed soon by the development of sheets of basal cell carcinomas in the overlying skin. Positional cloning of the gene mutant is BCNS patients has identified the hedgehog signaling pathway as crucial to the development of all basal cell carcinomas and presumably to this susceptibility to post-ionizing radiation carcinogenesis. Thus this pathway is a candidate for susceptibility to second, post-therapy cancers in the broader population.
Paradoxical Clinical Effect of Estrogen on Breast Cancer Risk: A “New” Biology of Estrogen-induced Apoptosis

Administration of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) decreases the incidence of breast cancer, as shown in a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) in 10,739 postmenopausal women with a prior hysterectomy. Although paradoxical because estrogen is recognized to stimulate breast cancer growth, laboratory data support a mechanism of estrogen-induced apoptosis under the correct environmental circumstances. Long-term antiestrogen treatment or estrogen deprivation causes the eventual development and evolution of antihormone resistance. Cell populations emerge with a vulnerability, as estrogen is no longer a survival signal but is an apoptotic trigger. The antitumor effect of ERT in estrogen-deprived postmenopausal women is consistent with laboratory models.