cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Apoptosis in human reproductive tissues: emerging concepts

In summary, apoptosis is an important concept in understanding many facets of human reproduction. Recent advances in the understanding of molecular mechanisms of apoptosis will allow us to understand this physiologically important process. How can the modulation of this process be applied to human reproduction? Studies to further understand the abnormalities of apoptosis, either too much or too little, may lead to a better understanding of the clinical problems in human reproduction.We summarize future directions towards further understanding the roles of apoptotic processes in human reproduction in Table 3. The diseases listed in Table 3 are problems which could be approached from the apoptosis point of view. With further study using this concept as the lens, new diagnostic tools or therapies may be developed for these problems.
Distribution of trace elements in coal from the Powhatan No. 6 mine, Ohio

Abstract Size and density separates of low-temperature-ashed coal from the Powhatan No. 6 mine, Ohio, have been used to determine the mode of occurrence of 28 minor and trace elements in coal. The size distribution of the major minerals has been determined, and correlations of trace elements with major minerals have been made. The role of minor minerals in the mode of occurrence of trace elements is also discussed. Instrumental-neutron-activation analysis was used to determine elemental concentrations, and X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used for mineral identification.
Towards scalable and robust distributed intrusion alert fusion with good load balancing

Traffic anomalies and distributed attacks are commonplace in today's networks. Single point detection is often insufficient to determine the causes, patterns and prevalence of such events. Most existing distributed intrusion detection systems (DIDS) rely on centralized fusion, or distributed fusion with unscalable communication mechanisms. In this paper, we propose to build a DIDS based on the emerging decentralized location and routing infrastructure: distributed hash table (DHT). We embed the intrusion symptoms into the DHT dimensions so that alarms related to the same intrusion (thus with similar symptoms) will be routed to the same sensor fusion center (SFC) while evenly distributing unrelated alarms to different SFCs. This is achieved through careful routing key design based on: 1) analysis of essential characteristics of four common types of intrusions: DoS attacks, port scanning, virus/worm infection and botnets; and 2) distribution and stability analysis of the popular port numbers and those of the popular source IP subnets in scans. We further propose several schemes to distribute the alarms more evenly across the SFCs, and improve the resiliency against the failures or attacks. Evaluation based on one month of DShield firewall logs (600 million scan records) collected from over 2200 worldwide providers show that the resulting system, termed Cyber Disease DHT (CDDHT), can effectively fuse related alarms while distributing unrelated ones evenly among the SFCs. It significantly outperforms the traditional hierarchical approach when facing large amounts of diverse intrusion alerts.
QUANTIZATION OF MULTISPINOR FIELDS.

The multispinor fields which describe massive fields with spin \ensuremath{\le}2 are constructed. These fields are quantized using Schwinger's action principle. Lorentz invariance and physical positive-definiteness requirements are verified. In particular, those fields with spins 0, 1, and \textonehalf{} are explored in detail. It is shown that the spin-\textonehalf{} system described by a third-rank multispinor is not equivalent to the Dirac field in the presence of electromagnetic interaction. It describes a spin-\textonehalf{} system without intrinsic magnetic moment. The Lorentz invariance of the interacting system is verified. This result will facilitate the physical explanation of the famous $\frac{2}{3}$ ratio of the nucleon magnetic moments.
The Measurement of Electrical Output of Large A-C. Turbo Generators During Water-Rate Tests

The water-rate of large a-c. turbo-generators is determined in place with the generator supplying power to the existing commercial load. Such procedure requires that the electrical output be accurately measured under conditions where the load is practically always varying slightly, and where it may be varying considerably. Portable test meters are frequently used for such measurement. The use of portable indicating wattmeters is absolutely feasible for such measurement even where the load variations are extreme, with the resultant accruing advantage that the superior operating characteristics of the portable indicating wattmeters, particularly as regards their permanency, are utilized. Either the two-wattmeter or three-wattmeter method for-measuring the power of a three-phase circuit may be employed. Great care should be used in selecting instruments, particular reference being made to their past history. Comparisons against secondary standards should be made under conditions simulating those of the test. Observations are made at frequent intervals depending upon the accuracy desired in the final result. The accuracy of the final values of water-rate obtainable in practise is such that the per cent average deviation from the mean will be within ± 0.25 per cent. This means that practically all individual test results will fall in a belt 1 per cent wide, while the probably true value of water-rate will be located within a belt which will vary in width from 0.5 per cent to 0.25 per cent depending upon the conditions.
A types-as-sets semantics for milner-style polymorphism

In this paper we present a semantics for Milner-style polymorphism in which types are sets. The basic picture is that our programs are actually terms in a typed l-calculus, in which the type information can be safely deleted from the concrete syntax. In order to allow for common programming constructs, we allow reflexive or infinite types, and we also allow opaque types, which have private representations.An adaptation of Hindley's Principal Typing Theorem then asserts that the type information can be reconstructed. Thus expressions are polymorphic, since they may have more than one correct typing, but values are not. Expressions that are not well-typed are syntactically ill-formed, as they are in conventional mathematics, rather than having the meaning “wrong”.The resulting semantics is simpler than that for fully polymorphic models [Leivant 83], and generalizes the standard constructions, such as retracts and ideals.
Stability induced by “no-quibbling”

We demonstrate the important consequence of one particular type of voter behavior: the “differentiation” (“no-quibbling”) constraint that alternatives too similar to the alternative which they might replace will not be considered. We find that imposition of a sufficient differentiation norm leads to stable outcomes of decision making in a spatial context. We also briefly consider the potential effects of other possible constraints on feasible choices, especially as these might synergistically interact with choices based on “no-quibbling.”
False-alarm characterization in hyperspectral gas-detection applications

Chemical cloud detection using long-wave infrared (LWIR) hyperspectral-imaging sensors has many civilian and military applications, including chemical warfare threat mitigation, environmental monitoring, and emergency response. Current capabilities are limited by variation in background clutter as opposed to the physics of photon detection, and this makes the statistical characterization of clutter and clutter-induced false alarms essential to the design of practical systems. In this exploratory work, we use hyperspectral data collected both on the ground and in the air to spectrally and spatially characterize false alarms. Focusing on two widely-used detectors, the matched filter (MF) and the adaptive cosine estimator (ACE), we compare empirical false-alarm rates to their theoretical counterparts - detector output under Gaussian, t and t-mixture distributed data - and show that these models often underestimate false-alarm rates. Next, we threshold real detection maps and show that true detections and false alarms often exhibit very different spatial behavior. To exploit this difference and understand how spatial processing affects performance, the spatial behavior of false alarms must be understood. We take a first step in this direction by showing that, although the behavior may `look' quite random, it is not well captured by the complete-spatial-randomness model. Finally, we describe how our findings impact the design of real detection systems.
Ready or Not: Transitioning from Institutional Care to Community Care

Federal legislation has moved toward the support and expansion of home- and community-based alternatives to nursing home placement. Despite the seemingly positive nature of these efforts, the question remains as to whether individuals, families, and communities are prepared for this shift in long-term care. Furthermore, there has been a lack of attention to the impact of nursing home transition programs on family caregivers, community resources, and the availability of appropriate housing alternatives. Although nursing home transition programs offer a promising alternative to institutional care, the authors suggest a closer examination of the policies and practicality of these transitions is needed.
Electron correlation in semiconductors and insulators: Band gaps and quasiparticle energies.

We present a first-principles theory of the quasiparticle energies in semiconductors and insulators described in terms of the electron self-energy operator. The full dielectric matrix is used to evaluate the self-energy operator in the GW approximation: the first term in an expansion of the self-energy operator in terms of the dynamically screened Coulomb interaction (W) and the dressed Green's function (G). Quasiparticle energies are calculated for the homopolar materials diamond, Si, and Ge as well as for the ionic compound LiCl. The results are in excellent agreement with available experimental data. In particular, the indirect band gap is calculated as 5.5, 1.29, and 0.75 eV as compared with experimental gaps of 5.48, 1.17, and 0.744 eV for diamond, Si, and Ge, respectively. The Ge results include relativistic effects. The calculated direct gap for LiCl is within 5% of experiment. Viewed as a correction to the density-functional eigenvalues calculated with the local-density approximation, the present results show a correction dominated by a large jump at the gap. It is found that because of the charge inhomogeneity, the full dielectric screening matrix must be included, i.e., local-field effects are essential. The dynamical effects are also found to be crucial. The required dielectric matrices are obtained within the density-functional approach for the static case and extended to finite frequency with use of a generalized plasmon-pole model based on sum rules. The model reproduces the \ensuremath{\omega} and ${\ensuremath{\omega}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ moments of the exact many-body response function. The qualitative features of the electron self-energy operator are discussed. Using the static Coulomb-hole--screened-exchange approximation for illustration, the role of local fields in the self-energy operator are explained. The role of dynamical renormalization is illustrated. The same qualitative features are observed in both the homopolar and ionic materials.
Topographic influences on soils and trees within single mapping units on a sandy outwash landscape

Topographic variation in soil properties and forest productivity within single mapping units as defined by both forest and soil type was investigated in mature northern pin oak stands (Quercus ellipsoidalis) on an outwash plain in Minnesota, USA. Tree growth, soil water, and soil and forest floor nitrogen (N) were measured as indicators of productivity at three slope positions and four aspects. Differences in soil water were highly significant among slope position (P < 0.001), in part influenced by the shallow water table at the lower slope positions. Organic matter and total N of the surface mineral horizon also differed among slope positions (P < 0.01). Organic matter and total N of the forest floor, and N released by anaerobic incubation from the surface mineral soil, differed among aspects (P < 0.1). Twenty-year radial growth rate of site-index trees was significantly different among both slope positions and aspects (P < 0.1), but total wood volume, basal area, and site index did not differ significantly with topography. Although the study sites had subdued topography and were located on single mapping units, they contained significant topographically related variation in soil properties. Stratified sampling for soil-related properties by topographic position, even in subdued terrain, would help reduce the apparent variation commonly found in these properties.
Constipation in parkinson's disease: Objective assessment and response to psyllium

We evaluated the reliability of patient history and the effect of psyllium on symptoms and colorectal function in 12 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and constipation. In all but two, constipation anteceded the development of parkinsonian symptoms. A comparison with prospectively obtained stool diaries confirmed the patients' reported constipation in 7 of the 12 patients. Those patients with confirmed constipation had lower stool weights and reported more straining at stool. Measures of colonic and anorectal function were similar in those who were truly constipated and those who were not. Among those PD subjects with confirmed constipation, psyllium increased stool frequency and weight but did not alter colonic transit or anorectal function. We conclude that prospectively obtained stool diaries should be employed to confirm constipation in PD and that psyllium produces both subjective and objective improvements in constipation related to PD.
Dose modification factors for 192Ir high-dose-rate irradiation using Monte Carlo simulation

A recently introduced brachytherapy system for partial breast irradiation, MammoSite, consists of a balloon applicator filled with contrast solution and a catheter for insertion of an 192Ir high-dose-rate source. In using this system, the treatment dose typically is prescribed to be delivered 1 cm from the balloon?s surface. Most treatment planning systems currently in use for brachytherapy procedures use water-based dosimetry with no correction for heterogeneity. Therefore, these systems assume that full scatter exists regardless of the amount of tissue beyond the prescription line. This assumption might not be a reasonable one, especially when the tissue beyond the prescription line is thin. In such a case, the resulting limited scatter could cause an underdose to be delivered along the prescription line. We used Monte Carlo simulations to investigate how the thickness of the tissue between the surface of the balloon and the skin or lung affected the treatment dose delivery. Calculations were based on a spherical water phantom with a diameter of 30 cm and balloons with diameters of 4, 5, and 6 cm. The dose modification factor is defined as the ratio of the dose rate at the typical prescription distance of 1 cm from the balloon?s surface with full scatter obtained using the water phantom to the dose rate with a finite tissue thickness (from 0 to 10 cm) beyond the prescription line. The dose modification factor was found to be dependent on the balloon diameter and was 1.098 for the 4-cm balloon and 1.132 for the 6-cm balloon with no tissue beyond the prescription distance at the breast/skin interface. The dose modification factor at the breast/lung interface was 1.067 for the 4-cm balloon and 1.096 for the 6-cm balloon. Even 5 cm of tissue beyond the prescription distance could not result in full scatter. Thus, we found that considering the effect of diminished scatter is important to accurate dosimetry. Not accounting for the dose modification factor may result in delivering a lower dose than is prescribed.
Nitrogen functionalized carbon black: A support for Pt nanoparticle catalysts with narrow size dispersion and high surface area

Amorphous carbon is widely used as a support for Pt nanoparticle catalysts. We show here that catalytic performance can be greatly improved by functionalizing the carbon support with a nitrogen-containing molecule, in conjunction with a new method for the in situ synthesis of nanocrystalline Pt. Vulcan® carbon black is covalently functionalized with 4-aminomethylpyridine (4AMP) via formation of an acid chloride on the surface followed by amidation. The resulting 4AMP-functionalized Vulcan® (4AMP-VC) was thoroughly characterized and shown to contain N at the surface of the Vulcan® carbon support. Pt nanoparticles grown on the 4AMP-VC have a smaller average size and much narrower size distribution than Pt nanoparticles grown on bare Vulcan® (VC). In addition, the Pt/4AMP-VC catalysts show higher catalytic activity and are more durable than their Pt/VC counterparts. We infer through careful analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectra that the Pt nanoparticles bind preferentially to the pyridinic nitrogen of the 4AMP.
Report calls for national commitment to protect oceans

A widely-anticipated report on the ecological health of ocean waters and coastal areas of the United States calls for extensive restoration and improved protection of these resources. The report of the independent, non-partisan Pew Oceans Commission, released on 4 June, specifically calls for wholesale reforms in ocean governance, in fisheries and coastal management, and in federal laws and regulations pertaining to ocean and coastal pollution. It also calls for a doubling of the amount of money that the federal government spends on ocean-related research. The result of 3 years of research on ocean and coastal resources issues, the report declares that “America's oceans are in a crisis” from pollution, unwise use and overuse of some resources, the pressures of human population on coastal areas, and other problems. lt identifies the root cause, however, as “a failure of both perspective and governance,” in which regulation and management are approached with an out-of-date and non-unified set of laws and programs that were made “on a crisis-by-crisis, sector-by-sector basis.”
The effect of acute hypoxemia and hypotension on adenosine-mediated depression of evoked hippocampal synaptic transmission

The present study was designed to investigate the relative contributions of arterial P(O(2)), local cerebral blood flow, and oxygen delivery to the adenosine A(1) receptor-mediated depression of evoked synaptic transmission recorded in the rat hippocampus. Urethane-anesthetized rats were given a unilateral common carotid artery occlusion and then placed in a stereotaxic apparatus for stimulation and recording of bilateral hippocampal field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs). Arterial blood gases, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), and bilateral hippocampal blood flow (HBF) were also measured. Arterial P(O(2)), HBF, and oxygen delivery were manipulated using normoxic hypotension, hypoxic hypotension, and hypoxic normotension. Both hypoxic hypotension and normoxic hypotension resulted in decreased HBF, decreased oxygen delivery, and a depression of the evoked fEPSP limited to the hippocampus ipsilateral to the occlusion. The enhanced HBF and oxygen delivery associated with increased MAP resulted in a restoration and maintenance of hippocampal fEPSPs despite sustained hypoxemia. The adenosine A(1) receptor-mediated depression of the fEPSP was more strongly correlated with changes in HBF and oxygen delivery than with arterial P(O(2)). We propose that adenosine plays an important role mediating the depression of neuronal activity associated with reduced oxygen delivery characteristically observed in ischemic brain tissue.
A 14,700 MW protein from the E3 region of adenovirus inhibits cytolysis by tumor necrosis factor

We find that cells infected with wild-type group C human adenoviruses are not killed by exposure to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), but cells infected with adenoviruses that delete the E3 transcription unit are highly sensitive to TNF lysis. Mock-infected cells are resistant to TNF. Thus, adenovirus infection induces cellular susceptibility to lysis by TNF, and a product of E3 protects against lysis by TNF. The E3-dependent resistance to TNF was investigated using virus mutants that delete different segments of E3. Resistance was found to depend on the presence of a 14,700 MW protein, which has only recently been identified and for which there was no known function. Our results support the hypothesis that one of the functions of TNF in vivo is to combat virus infections, and that the 14,700 MW protein evolved in adenovirus to counteract the antiviral effects of TNF.
Mucoid Inquilinus limosus in a young adult with cystic fibrosis.

Inquilinus limosus is a α-proteobacterium that has been recently isolate in the airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We report the isolation of a mucoid strain of I. limosus from the sputum of a 20-year-old male patient with CF over 1 year that was associated with the clinical, spirometric, and radiographic decline in a previously healthy patient. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2009; 44:619–621. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Surface topography and integrity effects on sliding wear

Abstract The effect of surface roughness and integrity on the sliding wear of metals was investigated experimentally. The results are consistent with the delamination theory of wear. The initial wear rate was influenced by the surface roughness and the applied load but the steady state wear rate was independent of the initial roughness. Under low applied loads delamination of smooth surfaces commences soon after sliding is initiated, whereas the delamination of rough surfaces is delayed until the original asperities are worn. Consequently, under low loads the initial wear rate of a smooth surface is higher than that of a rougher surface. The opposite is found under high loads since original asperities are removed immediately. It is also shown that machining damage to the surface or the subsurface (in the form of deformation, voids and cracks) accelerates the initial wear rate of the machined surface.
Business plan proposals for inner-city neighborhoods: A Strategic Management assignment for MBA students at Loyola University Chicago

Beginning in 1992, MBA students enrolled in a capstone Strategic Management course at Loyola University Chicago have, as their major course assignment, researched and prepared an original business plan proposal to provide a needed good or service, as well as employment opportunities, to residents in one of Chicago's underserved innercity neighborhoods. This paper describes the genesis of the project, how it works, and what the outcomes have been to date. The pedagogical model is arguably appropriate for MBA programs in or near any area that is economically underdeveloped, be it urban or rural.
Adoption of policies to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections in United States intensive care units.

Background: Little is known about whether recommended strategies to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) are being implemented in intensive care units (ICU) in the United States. Objectives: Our objectives were to describe the presence of and adherence to CAUTI prevention policies in ICUs, to identify variations in policies based on organizational characteristics, and to determine whether a relationship exists between prevention policies and CAUTI incidence rates. Methods: Four hundred forty-one hospitals that participate in the National Healthcare Safety Network were surveyed in spring 2008. Results: Two hundred fifty hospitals provided information for 415 ICUs (response rate, 57%). A small proportion of ICUs surveyed had policies supporting bladder ultrasound (26%, n ¼ 106), condom catheters (20%, n ¼ 82), catheter removal reminders (12%, n ¼ 51), or nurse-initiated catheter discontinuation (10%, n ¼ 39). ICUs in hospitals with � 500 beds were half as likely as those in smaller hospitals to have adopted at least 1 CAUTI prevention policy (odds ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval: 0.33-0.86), and ICUs in hospitals where the infection control director reported always having access to key decision makers for planning were more than twice as likely as those with less access to have adopted a policy (odds ratio, 2.41; 95% confidence interval: 1.56-3.72). Conclusion: Little attention is currently placed on CAUTI prevention in ICUs in the United States. Further research is needed to elucidate relationships between adherence to CAUTI prevention recommendations and CAUTI incidence rates.
Gender, sibling position and parental expectations: A study of Chinese college students

Differences in parental expectations related to cultural background, gender and sibling position were investigated among Chinese college students in Macau. Three-hundred and forty-four Chinese college students completed a questionnaire which included measures of parental expectations and psychological distress, as well as information about their gender, cultural background (Mainland China or Macau) and sibling position. Participants born in mainland China reported significantly higher perceived parental expectations (PPE) compared with students from Macau. Contrary to predictions, there was no evidence of a difference in PPE in relation to gender or being the first-born sibling. These findings are discussed in terms of changes in family values and parental attitudes within Chinese society over the past few decades.
Craniofacial development in marsupial mammals: Developmental origins of evolutionary change

Biologists have long studied the evolutionary consequences of the differences in reproductive and life history strategies of marsupial and eutherian mammals. Over the past few decades, the impact of these strategies on the development of the marsupial embryo and neonate has received attention. In this review, the differences in development in the craniofacial region in marsupial and eutherian mammals will be discussed. The review will highlight differences at the organogenic and cellular levels, and discuss hypotheses for shifts in the expression of important regulatory genes. The major difference in the organogenic period is a whole-scale shift in the relative timing of central nervous system structures, in particular those of the forebrain, which are delayed in marsupials, relative to the structures of the oral-facial apparatus. Correlated with the delay in development of nervous system structures, the ossification of the bones of the neurocranium are delayed, while those of the face are accelerated. This study will also review work showing that the neural crest, which provides much of the cellular material to the facial skeleton and may also carry important patterning information, is notably accelerated in its development in marsupials. Potential consequences of these observations for hypotheses on constraint, evolutionary integration, and the existence of developmental modules is discussed. Finally, the implications of these results for hypotheses on the genetic modulation of craniofacial patterning are presented.
Discussion of ‘Parametric versus nonparametrics: two alternative methodologies’

In his article, Lehmann deftly summarises the key issues which arise when choosing between a parametric test or a nonparametric test. Although the context is the two-sample shift model, the salient...
The effect of dried plum on serum levels of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand, osteoprotegerin and sclerostin in osteopenic postmenopausal women: a randomised controlled trial

Although several studies have confirmed the bone-protective properties of dried plum, its exact mechanisms of action remain unclear. Recent research has shown that osteocytes may control bone formation via the production of sclerostin and bone resorption via the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and its inhibitor osteoprotegerin (OPG). To investigate the mechanism of action of dried plum in reversing bone loss, we measured serum levels of RANKL, OPG and sclerostin in osteopenic postmenopausal women (n 160). Participants were randomly assigned to the treatment group of either 100 g dried plum/d or 75 g dried apple/d (comparative control) for 1 year. All participants received 500 mg Ca plus 400 IU (10 μg) vitamin D daily. Bone mineral densities (BMD) of the lumbar spine, forearm, hip and whole body were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 12 months to assess bone biomarkers. Dried plum significantly increased the BMD of the ulna and spine in comparison with the control group. In comparison with corresponding baseline values, dried plum increased the RANKL levels by only +1·99 v. +18·33% and increased the OPG levels by +4·87 v. - 2·15% in the control group. Serum sclerostin levels were reduced by - 1·12% in the dried plum group v. +3·78% in the control group. Although percentage changes did not reach statistical significance (P≤ 0·05), these preliminary data may indicate that the positive effects of dried plum on bone are in part due to the suppression of RANKL production, the promotion of OPG and the inhibition of sclerostin.
Racemization of amino acids in fossil bones and teeth from the Olduvai Gorge region, Tanzania, East Africa

Abstract Investigation of amino acid racemization in fossil bones and teeth from the Olduvai Gorge region, Tanzania, indicates that aspartic acid racemization can be used to date samples which are less than ∼80,000–100,000 years old in this area. In older samples, significant secondary aspartic acid is apparently present and thus these samples have lower than expectedD/L aspartic acid ratios. Isoleucine in older samples, however, is apparently syngenetic with the samples, so the epimerization of isoleucine to alloisoleucine can be used with certain limitations to date fossil bones and teeth from the older stratigraphic sections in the Olduvai region.
Adsorption site, adsorption energy and normal vibration frequency of H on Ni(100) via total-energy calculations.

Density-functional total-energy calculations of H/Ni(100) show that the equilibrium H position is in the center site, $0.6{a}_{0}$ above the plane of the surface Ni atoms (with a Ni-H bond length of 1.8 \AA{}). The bridge-site minimum lies only 0.1 eV higher than the center-site minimum, whereas the top-site minimum lies about 0.3 eV higher. This is consistent with a high hydrogen surface mobility.
Immunological signaling networks: Integrating the body's immune response,

The role of the immune system is to protect against infection and to eliminate disease from the host. Nonimmune cells can not only act as physical barriers, but also respond to microbial stimulation to release antimicrobial molecules, whereas immune cells are primarily responsible for eliminating pathogens or cancerous cells. In addition, immune cells regulate the immune response affecting the types of cells that are activated or suppressed. The following discussion is an overview of the immune system and its interconnection with the host. How nonimmune cells and innate and adaptive immune cells work separately and together to respond to a pathogenic challenge is discussed. In addition, how the immune system can be affected by factors such as nutrition and stress, and how the immune system can affect factors such as fertility demonstrates the integration of the immune system in processes other than elimination of pathogens.
An asymmetric synthesis of hamigeran B via a Pd asymmetric allylic alkylation for enantiodiscrimination.

A protocol for the asymmetric allylic alkylation of a five-membered ring ketone derivative that employs the lithium enolate in the presence of lithium alkoxides gave high yields and enantioselectivities. This product serves as a versatile intermediate as demonstrated in a convergent total synthesis of the antiviral agent hamigeran B. The sequence involves two unusual observations. In the intramolecular Heck reaction which establishes the complete ring sytem, the β-H elimination step occurs both endocyclic (as expected) and exocyclic, the latter most surprising since it creates an exocylic tetrasubstituted double bond. In the catalytic hydrogenation, use of Pd/C gives complete selectivity for net delivery of hydrogen to the most hindered face of the substrate, whereas use of Ir black gives complete selectivity for delivery of hydrogen to the least hindered face. Such unusual behavior speaks to the unusual chemical properties associated with hamigeran B which may be relevant to its biological activity.
Experience with Concurrent and Sequential Pascal

The nuclear physics group at the University of Illinois is in the process of developing a dataacquisition and analysis operating system for their Perkin-Elmer 3220 computer. All software beyond a modest-sized assembly language kernel is written in either Concurrent or Sequential Pascal. The implementation process and the current status of the project will be presented. Included in this discussion will be specific comments on the computer hardware and specific langugage features with respect to ease of implementation.
Maturation of neurites in mixed cultures of spinal cord neurons and muscle cells from Xenopus laevis embryos followed with antibodies to neurofilament proteins

Dissociated cell cultures of Xeopus laevis embryonic spinal cord have proved useful for studying the differentiation of neuronal ionic channel and membrane properties and for examining the dynamics of microtubules in developing neurons. To examine their usefulness for studying neurofilaments in developing neurites, we prepared similar cultures from stage 22 embryos. Between 3 and 55 h after plating, these cultures were fixed and immunostained with antibodies directed against various epitopes of neurofilament proteins from X. Laevis. These antibodies were specific for nonphosphorylated epitopes of the two low molecular weight Xenopus neurofilament proteins (Xenopus NF-L and the Xenopus neuronal intermediate filament protein, XNIF), both phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated epitopes of the Xenopus middle molecular weight neurofilament protein (NF-M), and a nonphosphorylated epitope of the Xenopus high molecular weight neurofilament protein (NF-H). The emergence of these neurofilament proteins in culture was compared to the time course previously reported for them in Xenopus spinal cord neurons in situ. To facilitate the comparison of times in culture to developmental stages, the age of cultured neurons was converted to an equivalent Nieuwkoop and Faber normal stage using data presented here on the effect of changing temperature on developmental rates of X. laevis. With the exception of the nonphosphorylated epitope of NF-H, which is indicative of the most mature axons found in situ. the emergence of the other neurofilament protein antibody epitopes closely paralleled that previously reported for these antibodies in situ. Thus, with respect to XNIF, NF-M, and NF-L, the neurities of cultured neurons were typical of young embryonic Xenopus laevis spinal cord axons. This system should prove useful for studying both the function of these neurofilament proteins during the early stages of axonal development and the dynamics of their transport. 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Animals & Society Courses: A Growing Trend in Post-Secondary Education

A survey of college courses addressing nonhuman animal ethics and welfare issues indicates that the presence of such courses has increased greatly since a prior survey was done in 1983. This paper provides titles and affiliations of 67 of 89 courses from the current survey. These courses represent 15 academic fields, and a majority are entirely devoted to animal issues. The fields of animal science and philosophy are proportionally well represented compared with biology and wildlife-related fields. An estimated 5000 or more North American students are now receiving instruction in these issues each year. While the availability of courses in animal issues is still sporadic, it is unprecedentedly high and seen as an important component of changing social values toward nonhuman animals.
Relationship of Father Absence to Masculinity and Popularity of Delinquent Boys

Absence of the true father from the home showed a significant relationship to peer rejection in a group of 34 delinquent boys. Neither the total group nor the father-absent subsample showed the exc...
Malware resistant networking using system diversity

In the biological world, species are known to ensure survival by introducing variations among individuals of the species, some of which may have superior survival characteristics in the event of certain environmental changes. While not precisely equivalent, networked computer systems also must 'survive' in a rapidly changing environment. In particular, as with its biological analog there are predators in the network world that must be thwarted.This paper shows that in the macro-, as well as in the micro- senses, system diversity is an important tool for network survivability. A malware attack on the Internet can have serious implications for many nodes but is unlikely to cross operating system or server application boundaries and thus to entirely disrupt the heterogeneous Internet.Individual networks that attach to the Internet can be developed using layers of servers, each with a different hardware and/or software basis, to isolate core servers from networked malefactors. Such a topology requires an attacker to employ a wide range of exploits, different ones tailored to each system at each protective layer of systems. This paper demonstrates how the layering technique protects networked systems.
Christian ‘Atheism’ and the Peace of the Roman Empire

Sometime between a.d. 176 and a.d. 180 Athenagoras, a Christian, an amateur philosopher and possibly an Athenian, wrote a Plea addressed to the emperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. This document is marked by a carefully controlled apologetic aim unmarred by crude efforts to convert and is remarkable for the positive attitude it shows toward the Roman emperors and the administration of justice throughout their realm. Athenagoras' apology was lost sight of in antiquity, in all likelihood, because it contributed so little to theology; precisely for the same reason it is valuable to us in our assessment of the political and social awareness of a segment of Christians shortly before the empire plunged into the troubles of the third century. Athenagoras was obviously well trained in rhetoric; he had dabbled in philosophy; and he clearly felt himself culturally superior to the “common men, artisans, and old women” whom he praises for their simple, if unreasoned, display of Christian virtue (11.4). He is representative of a growing elite in Christian circles which was seeking to explain the new religion to the Graeco-Roman world.
Safety and Efficacy of Intensive Insulin Therapy in Patients with Thermal Injury

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intensive insulin therapy (IIT) versus traditional corrective insulin management (CIM) for the treatment of hyperglycemia in adult patients with thermal injury who are under intensive care.Methods: Using a searchable pharmacy database, a retrospective, observational chart review was conducted of adult patients who were admitted to the surgical burn service intensive care unit (ICU) at the University of North Carolina Hospitals (UNCH) from January 2004 through December 2005 and who had received insulin therapy.Results: Seventy-one patients qualified for analysis. The average morning serum blood glucose value while patients were receiving IIT, defined as 80 to 110 mg/dL, was 107 mg/dL compared with 124 mg/dL while patients were receiving CIM (P < 0.001). Of morning serum blood glucose values taken, 49% were within the target range in patients receiving IIT compared with 34% in patients receiving CIM (P < 0.001). No significant differences were found between th...
Powder mixing effect on the compaction capabilities of ceramic powders

By mixing any two of four alumina powders, a variety of powder mixtures were produced. The relationships among relative density, stress and strain were compared for those powder mixtures in order to investigate the powder mixing effect on the compaction capability. The compaction capability was quantified by the initial relative densities. Due to the difference in the average particle size ratio between two powders as well as the compaction capability difference of the powders, the initial relative density as a function of powder proportion can be described by either a linear or parabolic curve. The essential initial powder characteristics that exhibit each curve were identified. Also, the boundaries for each initial relative density versus powder proportion curve were proposed.
PEEP-induced changes in epithelial permeability in inbred mouse strains.

Abstract Inbred mouse strains have demonstrated a range of susceptibilities to inhaled environmental irritants. C57Bl/6J mice are highly susceptible while C3H/HeJ mice are resistant to ozone exposures, as assessed by lavaged protein. However, lavaged protein reflects a loss of both the endothelial and epithelial barrier. To determine whether basal differences exist in the epithelial barrier, we measured soluble tracer (99mtechnetium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid, 99mTc-DTPA) clearance from the lung in spontaneously breathing, anesthetized mice and mice ventilated with increased lung volume with applied positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP; 1, 6, or 10 cmH2O). Both strains showed more rapid clearance during ventilation with 10 cmH2O PEEP compared with other ventilation pressures (p
Drag reducing polymers may decrease atherosclerosis by increasing shear in areas normally exposed to low shear stress

Purpose: Drag reducing polymers (DRPs) have been shown to decrease plaque formation. Their mechanism of action is unknown. Atherosclerosis tends to develop in areas of low shear stress. This study investigates whether DRPs increase shear stress in areas normally exposed to low shear stress. Methods: Six dogs underwent surgical plication of the left half of the aorta. A specially modified 20-MHz Doppler ultrasound probe mounted at a 45-degree angle on a micromanipulator was used to measure blood flow velocity at six 4-mm intervals along both lateral sides of the aorta starting at the aortic wall and then at subsequent 0.1-mm depths moving into the lumen before and after administering DRP. Shear rates were calculated using linear regression and then compared using the paired t test. The blood viscosity remained constant at 0.04 poise during infusions of this amount of DRP. Results: The maximum shear rate occurring during the cardiac cycle on the side of the aortic stenosis (plication) was 9.96 ± 1.52/sec before the administration of the DRP and 14.27 ± 2.01/sec after the administration of the DRP (P = .0240). The maximum shear rate on the side of the unstenosed aortic wall was 57.25 ± 7.93/sec before the administration of the DRP and 44.80 ± 6.23/sec after the administration of the DRP (P = .0081). Conclusion: One of the ways that DRPs inhibit the development of atherosclerosis appears to be by increasing shear stress in areas normally exposed to low shear stress. Understanding this mechanism may lead to the development of pharmaceutical agents that inhibit the development of atherosclerosis. (J Vasc Surg 1999;30:761-4.)
G-proteins in guinea pig airway smooth muscle: identification and functional involvement.

Abstract In airway smooth muscle, G-proteins have not been identified directly as yet. This study was an attempt to detect various types of conventional G i - and G s -proteins in purified membranes of guinea pig airway smooth muscle and to assess the involvement of the G-proteins in agonist-induced contractile response of the smooth muscle. Immunoblotting using AS/7 antibody which recognizes G i–1/2 demonstrated the presence of polypeptides of M r 34, 41 and 75kDa. Polypeptides of M r 43, 46 and 48kDa were identified with RM/1 antibody that detects G s -type G-proteins. The AG/1 antibody that recognizes α-subunits common to all G i - and G s -proteins detected two polypeptides of M r 41 and 75kDa. Heterotrimeric structure of the G-proteins was confirmed by the identification of a single dense β-subunit band at M r 39kDa with SW/1 antibody. Pertussis toxin (PT) ADP-ribosylated three G i α polypeptides of M r 41, 43, and 62kDa. On the other hand, cholera toxin (CT) catalysed the ADP-ribosylation of two G s α polypeptides of M r 46 and 62kDa. Both PT and CT attenuated the maximum contractile responses of the airway smooth muscle to the muscarinic agonist, methacholine. Pretreatment of the tissues with the sulphydryl alkylating G-protein inhibitor, N -ethylmaleimide, also inhibited the maximum contractions to methacholine. These data suggest that plasma membranes of guinea pig airway smooth muscle contain a variety of conventional, including G s and G i , and other types of G-proteins, and at least a portion of the proteins present may be involved in mediating the contractile responses of the smooth muscle to an agonist such as methacholine.
Rethinking Authorship in the Era of Collaborative Research

The size and complexity of research teams continues to grow, especially within the realms of science and engineering. This has intensified already existing concerns about relying on traditional authorship schemes as the way to allocate credit for a contribution to a research project. In this paper, we examine current authorship problems plaguing research communities and provide suggestions for how those problems could potentially be mitigated. We recommend that research communities, especially those involved in large scale collaborations, revisit the contributor model and embrace it as means for allocating credit more authentically and transparently.
Comparing Two Survival Time Distributions: An Investigation of Several Weight Functions for the Weighted Logrank Statistic

In survival analysis, it is often of interest to test whether or not two survival time distributions are equal, specifically in the presence of censored data. One very popular test statistic utilized in this testing procedure is the weighted logrank statistic. Much attention has been focused on finding flexible weight functions to use within the weighted logrank statistic, and we propose yet another. We demonstrate our weight function to be more stable than one of the most popular, which is given by Fleming and Harrington, by means of asymptotic normal tests, bootstrap tests and permutation tests performed on two datasets with a variety of characteristics.
Avian vocalizations and phylogenetic signal

The difficulty of separating genetic and ecological components of vocalizations has discouraged biologists from using vocal characters to reconstruct phylogenetic and ecological history. By considering the physics of vocalizations in terms of habitat structure, we predict which of five vocal characters of herons are most likely to be influenced by ecology and which by phylogeny, and test this prediction against a molecular-based phylogeny. The characters most subject to ecological convergence, and thus of least phylogenetic value, are first peak-energy frequency and frequency range, because sound penetration through vegetation depends largely on frequency. The most phylogenetically informative characters are number of syllables, syllable structure, and fundamental frequency, because these are more reflective of behavior and syringeal structure. Continued study of the physical principles that distinguish between potentially informative and convergent vocal characters and general patterns of homology in such characters should lead to wider use of vocalizations in the study of evolutionary history.