cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Challenges to effective medical school leadership: perspectives of 22 current and former deans

A persistent decline in the average tenure of medical school deans and a concern about the implications for medical school leadership led the Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges to commission the 1996-1997 study reported here. The author conducted open-ended interviews with a broad spectrum of 22 current and former deans, selected to achieve an appropriate distribution with regard to key characteristics of their schools and to assure the relevance of the findings to a broad range of settings. His in-depth analysis of the transcribed interviews, using standard qualitative techniques, was designed to illuminate the challenges confronting deans and suggest strategies to address them. The respondents consistently identified two forces in the health care environment that had had profound impacts on their role as deans and that frequently posed conflicts between the clinical and educational enterprises: a decline in the resources available to medical schools following an era of abundance, and unprecedented competition in the clinical arena. Analysis of their accounts of the problems they encountered in managing in this changed environment revealed several underlying sources: imbalance between the breadth of their responsibilities and their authority to manage; lack of clarity in the dean's mandate; inadequate institutional support for pursuing the missions of the school; insufficient attention to identifying requisite expertise and abilities for effective performance on the job as dean; and an anachronistic search process. The respondents offered numerous recommendations for addressing these problems, reflecting optimism about the prospects for purposeful change. While medical schools have unique features among educational institutions, the author concludes that the challenges that deans face and the strategies proposed for addressing them promise to have substantial relevance for academic leadership in other settings.
Requirements for Stereospecificity in Hydrolysis by Chymotrypsin: Diethyl β-Acetamidoglutarate

AS part of our study of the relation of structure of substrate to stereospecificity in enzyme reactions1, we wish to report asymmetric hydrolysis of diethyl β-acetamidoglutarate by α-chymotrypsin. This compound was prepared by acetylation of diethyl β-aminoglutarate2, b.p. 142–144°/2 mm.; anal. calc. for C11H19NO5: C, 53.88; H, 7.81; N, 5.71. Found: C, 54.33; H, 7.84; N, 5.50. (Chymotrypsin was from Worthington, salt free.) A solution of 0.544 gm. of the ester and 0.524 gm. of the enzyme in 52.4 ml. of 0.02 M phosphate buffer was allowed to react at 27° in a pH-stat at pH 7.8, one ester group being 80–85 per cent hydrolysed in 5 hr. The reaction showed reproducible first-order kinetics, k 1 = 0.0057 min.−1, indicating extremely weak catalytic activity. However, the reaction was stereospecific. Neutralization of the alkali which had been added, evaporation to dryness and extraction with acetone led to optically active monoethyl-β-acetamidoglutarate, 0.318 gm., 78 per cent yield, m.p. 93–94 per cent. [α]250 D + 5.9° (5 per cent acetone)3. Anal. calc. for C9H15NO5: C, 49.73; H, 6.96; N, 6.45. Found: C, 49.80; H, 6.92 ; N, 6.51. The half-ester was prepared in the racemic form by hydrolysis of the di-ester to the di-acid, β-acetamidoglutaric acid, m.p. 185–186° dec., anal. calc. for C7H11NO5: N, 7.41; found: N, 7.38; conversion of the di-acid to β-acetamidoglutaric anhydride, m.p. 140–141°; anal. calc. for C7H9NO4: C, 49.11; H, 5.30; N, 8.18; found: C, 49.05; H, 5.26; N, 8.16; and conversion of the anhydride to racemic monoethyl β-acetamidoglutarate, m.p. 77.78°. Anal. found: C, 49.71; H, 6.92; N, 6.42. The racemic and (+) monoesters had identical infra-red spectra in chloroform.
Quasi-molecular resonances in muonic charge-exchange reactions

We present the first thorough theoretical discussion of non-monotonic structure in the temporal behavior of X-ray fluorescence intensity spectra of muon charge-exchange reactions of the type pμ + Z→p + μZ. Our discussion is based on semiclassical methods; our results are almost entirely analytical. We find that the reported experimental maxima of muon charge-exchange rates are very close to the theoretical limits. We identify a new quantum mechanism, quantum impedance matching, which explains observed inelastic transitions close to the Unitarity Limit. We investigate the specific example of the reaction pμO 8 + in detail using two-center Coulomb adiabatic potential terms. We find that quantum impedance matched higher-order partial-wave resonances yielding muon-transfer rates close to the Unitarity Limit are responsible for the remarkable non-monotonic structure in the X-ray fluorescence spectra.
Successful left ventricular opacification following peripheral venous injection of sonicated contrast agent: An experimental evaluation

A new agent for use in contrast echocardiography that is capable of passing through the pulmonary circulation and opacifying the left ventricular cavity after intravenous injection was evaluated in a canine model. Air-filled albumin microbubbles were produced by sonication. A Coulter counter was used to size and count the resultant microbubbles in vitro. The microbubbles had diameters sufficiently small (less than 9 micron) to permit transpulmonary passage. A total of 72 injections were made into the forepaw vein of five closed-chest dogs. Simultaneous two-dimensional echocardiographic images of the right ventricle and the left ventricle were recorded and digitized on an off-line computer. Of the 72 injections, 59 (82%) were suitable for digitization. Forty of the 59 digitized injections (68%) demonstrated left ventricular contrast enhancement. Indicator-dilution curves were generated from plots of intraventricular gray level VS time, and the curve widths and areas under the curves were determined. The ratio of total indicator curve area for left to right ventricular cavity was 0.39 for the 40 successful injections, indicating transpulmonary transmission of 39% of the contrast effect. Injection of bubbles with mean size less than 6 microns resulted in a larger median left ventricular curve area than those with bubbles averaging from 6 to 9 microns. Injections demonstrating successful left ventricular contrast opacification had larger right ventricular curve areas than those that were not successful. Blood pressure, heart rate, and arterial blood gases were not significantly altered by repeated intravascular contrast injections. Postmortem examination of hearts, lungs, livers, and kidneys revealed no histologic changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A closed-form solution of the transverse effective thermal conductivity of woven fabric composites

This paper examines the transverse effective thermal conductivity of plain weave fabric composites. A three-dimensional thermal resistance network model is proposed. Based upon this model, a closed...
Effects of Pulsed Electric Fields on the Activities of Microorganisms and Pectin Methyl Esterase in Orange Juice

: Orange juice was treated with pulsed electric fields (PEF) in a pilot-plant system to optimize PEF-processing conditions for maximum microbial inactivation and to investigate the effects of PEF on pectin methyl esterase (PME) activity. Electric-field strengths of 20,25,30, and 35 kV/cm and total treatment times of 39, 49, and 59 μs were used. Higher electric-field strengths and longer total treatment times were more effective to inactivate microorganisms and PME (p < 0.05). PEF treatment of orange juice at 35 kV/cm for 59 μs caused 7–log reductions in total aerobic plate count and yeast and mold counts. About 90% of PME activity was inactivated by PEF treatment at 35 kV/cm for 59 μs. PEF-treated orange juice at 35 kV/cm for 59 ms did not allow growth of microorganisms and recovery of PME at 4, 22, and 37 °C for 112 d.
Breast milk and lipid intake distributions for assessing cumulative exposure and risk.

Breast milk consumption is the primary route of infant exposure to certain lipophilic toxicants that have accumulated over decades in maternal adipose tissue, as well as to less persistent toxicants from maternal exposure during lactation. Such infant exposures occur at a time of rapid growth and development when susceptibility to certain toxicants can be greatest. Breast milk and lipid intake rates are presented for the 0–6 and 0–12 month age periods for infants fed according to the American Academy of Pediatrics' current recommendations (exclusive breast-feeding for 0–6 months and continued breast-feeding to 12 months). Intake rates are normalized to infant bodyweight to account for the covariance of consumption and bodyweight. Frequency distributions describe the population variability in intake. For age 0–12 months, daily average milk intake is 100.7±22.7 g/kg day (mean±SD), with a 95th percentile of 153.5 g/kg day. Breast milk intake distributions are also developed for infants exclusively breast-fed (no significant calories from non-breast milk sources) over their first year, and for the entire (nursing and non-nursing) infant population. For short-term exposures, intake can be derived from the regression equation presented here. Lipid intake estimated assuming a 4% lipid content (current risk assessment practice) is compared and found comparable to that derived from measured lipid content. The national trend of increased breast-feeding found in surveys further supports including the breast milk pathway in risk assessment.
Environmental and biotic controls over methane flux from Arctic tundra

Abstract On the arctic slope of the Brooks Range, Alaska, we conducted a series of field experiments and observations to determine the major environmental and biotic controls over methane flux. Methane flux was more strongly influenced by long-term gradients in soil moisture and vegetation than by plant biomass, species composition, or nutrient availability. Soil temperature and moisture explained 75% of the variance in flux across the vegetation gradient. In wet-meadow tundra, where fluxes were high, plants provided the dominant transport pathway for methane, independent of light levels or photosynthesis, and allowed methane transport past the zone of surface oxidation in these saturated soils. In moist tussock tundra, where fluxes were low, soil-methane profiles indicated soil consumption of atmospheric methane, and the presence of plants had negligible influence on methane flux. The low methane fluxes that we and others have recently measured in moist tussock tundra are 10- to 30-fold lower than published values, leading to a 20 Tg yr−1 discrepancy in estimates of global methane sources, equivalent to 17% of net methane flux attributed to global wetlands. These site differences in methane flux emphasize the need for a more comprehensive data base on methane fluxes from natural ecosystems if we are to better understand the current methane budget.
Transient cardiogenic shock during a crisis of pheochromocytoma triggered by high-dose exogenous corticosteroids

We report a case of a 39-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department (ED) with symptoms of pharyngitis and fever. Diagnosed with streptococcal pharyngitis, she received antibiotics and dexamethasone, and was discharged. Within 24 h she returned to the ED with signs and symptoms of an acute coronary syndrome; she was thus given β-blockers. Her coronary angiogram was normal. She developed cardiogenic shock with an ejection fraction (EF) of 10% and apical ballooning on echocardiography. Her condition improved with optimal medical therapy. Subsequent testing weeks later confirmed the presence of a pheochromocytoma. Following prazosin and an adrenalectomy, all her antihypertensive medications were weaned and her EF normalised. We believe the high-dose exogenous corticosteroids triggered a pheochromocytoma crisis. The concomitant use of β-blockers without preceding α blockade resulted in cardiovascular collapse. Pheochromocytoma crisis must be included in the differential diagnosis of any dramatic haemodynamic collapse after administration of exogenous corticosteroid or β-blockers.
Irreversible enzyme inhibitors 100 Inhibitors of thymidine phosphorylase 8. 6-(p-bromoacetamido-benzyl)uracil, an active-site-directed irreversible inhibitor

Four candidate active-site-directed irreversible inhibitors for thymidine phos-phorylase have been synthesized from 6-benzyluracil (I). Of these four, only 6-(p-bromoacetamidobenzyl)uracil (III) inactivated the enzyme; since neither iodoacet-amide nor the m-isomer (VI) of III inactivated the enzyme under the conditions used for III, the inactivation by III most probably proceeds by a neighboring group reaction within the enzyme–inhibitor complex—the so-called active-site-directed mechanism.
A neural network-based replacement strategy for high performance computer architectures

Abstract We propose a new scheme for the replacement of cache lines in high performance computer systems. Preliminary research, to date, indicates that neural networks (NNs) have great potential in the area of statistical predictions [1]. This attribute of neural networks is used in our work to develop a neural network-based replacement policy which can effectively eliminate dead lines from the cache memory by predicting the sequence of memory addresses referenced by the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system. The proposed strategy may, therefore, provide better cache performance as compared to the conventional schemes, such as: LRU (Least Recently Used), FIFO (First In First Out), and MRU (Most Recently Used) algorithms. In fact, we observed from the simulation experiments that a carefully designed neural network-based replacement scheme does provide excellent performance as compared to the LRU scheme. The new approach can be applied to the page replacement and prefetching algorithms in virtual memory systems.
5-HT neurons of the area postrema become c-Fos-activated after increases in plasma sodium levels and transmit interoceptive information to the nucleus accumbens

Serotonergic (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) neurons of the area postrema (AP) represent one neuronal phenotype implicated in the regulation of salt appetite. Tryptophan hydroxylase (Tryp-OH, synthetic enzyme-producing 5-HT) immunoreactive neurons in the AP of rats become c-Fos-activated following conditions in which plasma sodium levels are elevated; these include intraperitoneal injections of hypertonic saline and sodium repletion. Non-Tryp-OH neurons also became c-Fos-activated. Sodium depletion, which induced an increase in plasma osmolality but caused no significant change in the plasma sodium concentration, had no effect on the c-Fos activity in the AP. Epithelial sodium channels are expressed in the Tryp-OH-immunoreactive AP neurons, possibly functioning in the detection of changes in plasma sodium levels. Since little is known about the neural circuitry of these neurons, we tested whether the AP contributes to a central pathway that innervates the reward center of the brain. Stereotaxic injections of pseudorabies virus were made in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), and after 4 days, this viral tracer produced retrograde transneuronal labeling in the Tryp-OH and non-Tryp-OH AP neurons. Both sets of neurons innervate the NAc via a multisynaptic pathway. Besides sensory information regarding plasma sodium levels, the AP→NAc pathway may also transmit other types of chemosensory information, such as those related to metabolic functions, food intake, and immune system to the subcortical structures of the reward system. Because these subcortical regions ultimately project to the medial prefrontal cortex, different types of chemical signals from visceral systems may influence affective functions.
CD177 expression on neutrophils: in search of a clonal assay for myeloid neoplasia by flow cytometry.

Objectives: To determine whether the fraction of CD177+ neutrophils might be altered in clonal myeloid disorders, similar to the skewed κ/λ ratio for B-cell lymphomas, and could be used to identify myeloid neoplasms. Methods: Blood and bone marrow samples were evaluated for the fraction of CD177+ neutrophils by flow cytometry. Results: Skewed high neutrophil CD177(%) was not associated with neoplasia, but skewed low neutrophil CD177(%) was highly correlated with clonal myeloid disorders at values less than 40%. Specificity of low neutrophil CD177(%) for clonal myeloid disorders was 87% with a 40% cutoff and 95% with a 30% cutoff. Findings were most pronounced for myelodysplasia, with 52% (11/21) containing fewer than 40% CD177+ neutrophils. Specificity was also suggested by normalization of neutrophil CD177(%) in four patients who reached morphologic remission after therapy for myelodysplasia or acute leukemia. Conclusions: Skewed low neutrophil CD177(%) is highly associated with clonal myeloid disorders, particularly myelodysplasia, and may be useful for detecting clonal myeloid disorders.
Health related quality of life in parents of six to eight year old children with Down syndrome

Raising a child with Down syndrome (DS) has been found to be associated with lowered health related quality of life (HRQoL) in the domains cognitive functioning, social functioning, daily activities and vitality. We aimed to explore which socio-demographics, child functioning and psychosocial variables were related to these HRQoL domains in parents of children with DS. Parents of 98 children with DS completed the TNO-AZL adult quality of life questionnaire (TAAQOL) and a questionnaire assessing socio-demographic, child functioning and psychosocial predictors. Using multiple linear regression analyses for each category of predictors, we selected relevant predictors for the final models. The final multiple linear regression models revealed that cognitive functioning was best predicted by the sleep of the child (β = .29, p < .01) and by the parent having given up a hobby (β = −.29, p < .01), social functioning by the quality of the partner relation (β = .34, p < .001), daily activities by the parent having to care for an ill friend or family member (β = −.31, p < .01), and vitality by the parent having enough personal time (β = .32, p < .01). Overall, psychosocial variables rather than socio-demographics or child functioning showed most consistent and powerful relations to the HRQoL domains of cognitive functioning, social functioning, daily activities and vitality. These psychosocial variables mainly related to social support and time pressure. Systematic screening of parents to detect problems timely, and interventions targeting the supportive network and the demands in time are recommended.
Comments on the generalization of receiver operating characteristic analysis to detection and localization tasks.

The note by Herath and Sharp (see ibid., vol.21, p.442, 1976), in which they use receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to evaluate the effect of matched filter smoothing on simulated radioisotope scintigraphs is discussed. The authors' reply is included.
Neurobiology: All change at the synapse.

Two groups, using different approaches, have provided the first quantitative evidence that neurotransmitter release in the brain often occurs by a long-sought 'kiss-and-run' process.
Corelease of Dopamine and Serotonin from Striatal Dopamine Terminals

The striatum receives rich dopaminergic and more moderate serotonergic innervation. After vesicular release, dopamine and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) signaling is controlled by transporter-mediated reuptake. Dopamine is taken up by dopamine transporters (DATs), which are expressed at the highest density in the striatum. Although DATs also display a low affinity for 5-HT, that neurotransmitter is normally efficiently taken up by the 5-HT transporters. We found that when extracellular 5-HT is elevated by exogenous application or by using antidepressants (e.g., fluoxetine) to inhibit the 5-HT transporters, the extremely dense striatal DATs uptake 5-HT into dopamine terminals. Immunohistochemical results and measurements using fast cyclic voltammetry showed that elevated 5-HT is taken up by DATs into striatal dopamine terminals that subsequently release 5-HT and dopamine together. These results suggest that antidepressants that block serotonin transporters or other factors that elevate extracellular 5-HT alter the temporal and spatial relationship between dopamine and 5-HT signaling in the striatum.
The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in thymocyte apoptosis: caspase-dependent processing of the deubiquitinating enzyme USP7 (HAUSP).

Abstract Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is crucial for thymocyte development. We analyzed the role of the ubiquitin (Ub)–proteasome pathway in dexamethasone-triggered and TCR-mediated apoptosis in fetal thymic organ culture (FTOC). Proteasome activity was increased in apoptotic thymocytes, as visualized by active-site labeling of proteasomal β subunits. The activity of deubiquitinating enzymes in murine apoptotic thymocytes was likewise examined by active-site labeling. We show that the deubiquitinating enzyme USP7 (HAUSP) is proteolytically processed upon dexamethasone-, γ-irradiation-, and antigen-induced cell death. Such processing of HAUSP does not occur in caspase 3 −/− thymocytes, or upon pretreatment of wild type thymocytes with the general caspase inhibitor ZVAD-fmk. Thus, our results suggest that thymocyte apoptosis leads to modification of deubiquitinating enzymes by caspase activity and may provide an additional link between the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway and the caspase cascade during programmed cell death.
Preserving Imperfection: Assessing the Incidence of Digital Imaging Error in HathiTrust

Large-scale digitization efforts by third-party firms are the subject of no small amount of controversy and criticism, as is especially the case with Google Books. This article reports some of the findings and important implications of a rigorous multi-year quantitative and qualitative assessment of the images representing a sizable proportion of the digital surrogates created by Google and deposited in the HathiTrust, which is one of the most important large-scale preservation initiatives to emerge in higher education in the past fifty years. The population of study described here consists of English- language books and serials published before 1923 that were scanned and processed by Google between 2004 and 2010. At the time the data for the study were gathered (2011), this population consisted of approximately 1.25 million volumes or roughly 12 percent of the HathiTrust corpus. The findings suggest that the imperfection of digital surrogates is an obvious and nearly ubiquitous feature of Google Books and that such imperfection has become and will remain firmly ensconced in collaborative preservation repositories.
An Improved Method of Obtaining Blood from the Chicken Heart

Abstract The increased interest in the bacteriology, biochemistry and physiology of chicken blood during the past decade has done much to increase our knowledge of the composition of avian blood, but little attention has been given to the improvement of methods of collecting the blood. Venous blood is easily obtained from the wing vein but there are theoretical and practical disadvantages to blood from this source for certain types of study. Sloan and Wilgus (1930) described a technique for heart probe in the chicken which has been widely and successfully used. The method which is to be presented in this report is essentially an improvement of the Sloan, Wilgus technic. Sloan and Wilgus recommended that in mature birds a sharp 1½ to 2 inch 20 gauge needle be attached to a syringe and the needle then be inserted into the body cavity between the fifth and sixth ribs just dorsal to . . .
Asymmetries and errors in perception of depth from disparity suggest a multicomponent model of disparity processing

In three experiments, asymmetries between the processing of crossed and uncrossed disparities were investigated. The target was a luminance-defined circle concentric to a fixation mark, viewed stereoscopically on a computer monitor for 105 msec. Fifteen disparities were presented according to the method of constant stimuli. Observers indicated the apparent direction of target depth relative to fixation. All experiments measured both the accuracy and latency of this response. Experiment 1 showed fewer errors and shorter reaction times for identifying crossed disparities. Experiments 2 and 3 replicated Experiment 1 and also showed that observers may often perceive a target in the direction opposite that prescribed by the disparity information. We propose that the asymmetries and reversals result from differences in computation of sign, not of magnitude. This notion is consistent with a scheme of continuous disparity tuning and accounts for such asymmetries and errors without positing disparity pooling mechanisms.
Wound image analysis system for diabetics

Diabetic foot ulcers represent a significant health issue, and daily wound care is necessary for wound healing to occur. The goal of this research is to create a smart phone based wound image analysis system for people with diabetes to track the healing process of chronic ulcers and wounds. This system has been implemented on an Android smart phone in collaboration with a PC (or embedded PC). The wound image is captured by the smart phone camera and transmitted to the PC via Wi-Fi for image processing. The PC converts the JPEG image to bitmap format, then performs boundary segmentation on the wound in the image. The segmentation is done with a particular implementation of the level set algorithm, the distance regularized level set evolution (DRLSE) method, which eliminates the need for re-initialization of level set function. Next, an assessment of the wound healing is performed with color segmentation within the boundaries of the wound image, by applying the K-Mean color clustering algorithm based on the red-yellow-black (RYB) evaluation model. Finally, the results are re-formatted to JPEG, transmitted back to the smart phone and displayed. To accelerate the wound image segmentation, we have implemented the DRLSE method on the GPU and CPU cooperative hardware platform in data-parallel mode, which has greatly improved the computational efficiency. Processing wound images acquired from UMASS Medical Center has demonstrated that the wound image analysis system provides accurate wounds area determination and color segmentation. For all wound images of size around 640 x 480, with complicated wound boundaries, the wound analysis consumed max 3s, which is 5 times faster than the same algorithm running on the CPU alone.
A comparison of robot and human performances for simple assembly tasks

Abstract The main objective of this study was to compare human and robot performances for a simple assembly operation by conducting a time study. Furthermore, a cost analysis of implementing a robotic work station was carried out. The task performed consisted of assembling two cubes connected in the center by a metal rod. The cubes were continously fed by two gravitational chutes and placed in a finished part bin after being assembled. Two work stations, one robotic (consisting of two robots) and one human, were built in order to achieve the objective of this study. Ten male volunteers participated in the experiment. Each person completed 100 work cycles. An equal number of work cycles was completed by the two robots. The results confirmed that while robots have no on-the-job learning, humans do. It was also observed that robots may be slower than humans and installing and operating a robotic work station may not be as profitable as people think. From the safety viewpoint, however, one may be able to justify the use of robots.
Neurotransmitter-induced changes in arachidonate incorporation into rat brain phospholipids: pharmacological manipulations of receptors, presynaptic uptake, mao activity and deacylation-reacylation processes

Abstract The incorporation of [ 3 H]arachidonic acid ([ 3 H]AA) into phospholipids (PL) of rat brain, was studied in cerebral cortex slices in the presence and absence of norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and carbamylcholine (CCH). Both NE and 5-HT produced a concentration-dependent effect of stimulating [ 3 H]AA incorporation into phosphatidylinositol (PI) while attenuating incorporation into other PL. Addition of CCH had no apparent effect. The β-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol, had an effect similar to that seen with equimolar concentrations of NE, whereas the α 1 agonist, phenylephrine, or the α 2 agonist, clonidine, did not produce significant changes. However, application of the NE-receptor blockers, propranolol or prazosin, in the presence of NE, did not modify the NE-induced effects. Similarly, the 5-HT-receptor blockers, methysergide or ketanserine, failed to modify the 5-HT-induced effects, indicating that the neurotransmitter-produced changes may not be receptor mediated. Manipulations of the NE or 5-HT reuptake systems by imipramine (IMI) or desipramine (DMI) had a small additive effect on the neurotransmitter-produced changes in [ 3 H]AA incorporation, suggesting that a functional presynaptic reuptake system is not required for the NE or 5-HT-produced effects. The possibility that the NE or 5-HT effects involve the oxidative metabolism of the monoamines by MAO was also investigated. The MAO inhibitors tranylcypromine and pargyline had no appreciable effect on the neurotransmitter-induced changes in [ 3 H]AA incorporation whereas clorgyline clearly reduced the increase in [ 3 H]AA incorporation into PI seen in the presence of NE or 5-HT, but this clorgyline effect may not be related to its activity as MAO inhibitor. The phospholipase A 2 inhibitor mepacrine had no significant effect on the NE-produced increase in [ 3 H]AA incorporation into PI, but it antagonized the NE-produced decrease in [ 3 H]AA incorporation into PC. Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, which acts as acyltransferase inhibitor, antagonized the NE-produced increase in [ 3 H]AA incorporation into PI without appreciably influencing the NE-produced decrease in [ 3 H]AA incorporation into PC. These findings suggest that the neurotransmitter-produced increase in [ 3 H]AA incorporation into PI is mediated by stimulation of a specific lyso-PI arachidonyl transferase. The neurotransmitter effects on arachidonate incorporation may have physiological significance in view of the importance of processes of deacylation and reacylation of membrane PL in regulating the function of neuronal membranes.
Telecommunications infrastructure competition: The costs of delay☆

Abstract This paper examines the experience of the USA, the UK and other OECD countries that introduced infrastructure competition, principally for long-distance telephone service, during the 1980s. The results show that competition has generally brought lower prices, greater variety of service, faster innovation, higher usage and productivity gains, and increased output both in telecommunications and in other sectors of the economy. The evidence is now convincing that the economic benefits from competition outweigh the highly visible costs and disruptions to established organizations and relations. Other countries can learn from the pioneers' experience to reduce the uncertainties and costs resulting from the transition to competition.
Spinal cord organization of micturition reflex afferents.

Abstract A coordinated micturition reflex capable of total evacuation of intravesical content has previously been demonstrated in the cat by cystometry to be dependent upon a complex arrangement of pelvic visceral and somatic afferent input to brain stem and spinal cord. By electrical stimulation of detrusor muscle afferents and the portion of pudendal nerve supplying the external urinary sphincter and recording of pelvic detrusor motor nerve responses the routing of these impulses was documented in the decerebrate and spinal cat. Pelvic detrusor muscle afferents evoked long-latency, long-duration responses in pelvic motor nerves in the decerebrate cat. These responses have been suggested by Shimamura as relaying via spino-bulbo-spinal pathways. Somatic afferents in the pudendal nerve relayed to pelvic detrusor motor nerve efferents by both propiospinal and spino-bulbo-spinal pathways. There was extensive contralateral crossing of both visceral and somatic afferent inputs. Crossing of visceral afferents was demonstrable in the decerebrate cat, whereas, somatic afferent crossing was demonstrable in the decerebrate and spinal animal. The evidence was consistent with proposal that micturition is a brain-stem reflex with final common pathway in caudal brain stem. Depression of the micturition reflex was displayed by antidromic stimulation of the pelvic detrusor motor nerve fibers and was evident contralaterally and ipsilaterally. This response may contribute to the development of local sign in organization of afferent input.
Bank Privatization in Poland: The Case of Bank Śla̧ski

Abstract The privatization of Bank Ślaski, one of nine regional commercial banks in Poland, illustrates the benefits of attracting a strategic foreign investor. Internationale Nederlanden Group has contributed substantially to the upgrading of Bank Ślaski's credit lending practices, information systems, product and service offerings, and brokerage house operations. However, the prolonged ownership of a core-investor stake by the Polish Treasury slowed progress toward improving performance and created complications for governance. Furthermore, the Polish government's reaction to this privatization and its subsequent preoccupation with precluding a strong presence of foreign banks retarded the development of a dynamic and efficient banking sector in Poland. J. Comp. Econom., August 1997, 25 (1), pp. 31–61. University of Michigan Business School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 and The William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Business School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109; and Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut 06459 and The William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Business School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109.
Auditors' Consideration of Corporate Governance and Management Control Philosophy in Preplanning and Planning Judgments

The professional literature (e.g., COSO 1992, POB 1993), recent auditing standards (e.g., SAS Nos. 78 and 82), and prior research (e.g., Beasley 1996; Beasley et al. 1999; Dechow et al. 1996) highlight the importance of corporate governance and management control philosophy in ensuring the integrity of the financial‐reporting process. We examine the link between these two macro‐level factors and both preplanning (e.g., client acceptance, business risk judgments) and planning judgments (e.g., extent and timing of testing). Ninety‐six auditors evaluated a hypothetical client with corporate governance and management control philosophy characteristics that were either strong or weak. More experienced auditors performed preplanning (client acceptance) judgments, while the remaining auditors performed planning judgments related to the extent and timing of substantive testing. As predicted, management control philosophy and the governance structure did affect the preplanning and planning judgments, with a strong...
Application of vortex embedding to aircraft flows

A combined Eulerian/Lagrangian 'vortex embedding' method was applied to two cases. The first case involved compressible flow over a realistic fighter aircraft (X-29 fighter) at low angle of attack, for both subsonic and transonic speeds, with shock. Good agreement was obtained for computed wing surface pressures when compared to flight test data. The second case involved incompressible flow over a delta wing with round leading edges at moderate angles of attack. Strong, concentrated vortices were shown to be shed from the leading edge. The vortex embedding method appears to be an efficient solution procedure for cases where well-defined vortex sheets are shed from surfaces.
Comparison of Agility Metrics to Beck Agility Metrics Using Linear Error Theory

Fighter agility metrics determined from measured or calculated data can be sensitive to the coordinate system used. Although simple and intuitive, agility metrics expressed in Cartesian coordinates are not always robust to variations in initial conditions and uncertainties in physical characteristics. This paper seeks to establish the relationship between form of agility equations and the measured non-poststall agility ofhigh performanceaircraft. Cartesian-coordinate-based agility metrics consisting of the timeto roll through bank angle metric, time-averaged integral of pitch rate metric, and power onset/loss parameter metrics are compared to the Beck metrics, which are based in the Frenet coordinate system. Each metric is evaluated with initial condition errors and parametric uncertainties, and linear error theory is used to determine how linearly the errors propagate. Results presented demonstrate that accuracy of measured agility metrics is directly ine uenced by choice of coordinate system, and recommendations on which coordinate system to use with each agility metric are provided.
Regulation of osteocalcin secretion by human primary bone cells and by the human osteosarcoma cell line MG-63.

We present evidence that the regulation of osteocalcin secretion by PTH and PGE2 in normal human bone cells can be produced in the human osteoblast-like cell line MG-63. Both cell cultures showed time-and dose-dependent stimulation of osteocalcin secretion in response to 1,25(OH)2D3. Bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH) amino acid fragment 1–34 (40 nM) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2, 5 nM) significantly inhibited 1,25(OH)2D3-induced osteocalcin secretion by these cells. The inhibition reached 20 and 36%, respectively. In contrast, PTH 3–34 had no effect on osteocalcin secretion. Both cell cultures produced cAMP in response to PTH. Dexamethasone (Dex) (100 nM) potentiated PTH-induced (40 nM) cAMP synthesis in subconfluent MG-63 cells (1.5-fold increase, P < 0.05). This treatment with Dex resulted in a greater inhibition of 1,25(OH)2D3-induced osteocalcin secretion (−30%, P < 0.005) by PTH in MG-63 cells as compared to cells exposed to PTH and 1,25(OH)2D3 alone. Pretreatment of subconfluent MG-63 cells with Dex (100 nM) for 48 h also increased 1,25(OH)2D3-induced osteocalcin secretion by 40% (P < 0.025). In contrast, treatments of confluent MG-63 cells with Dex inhibited osteocalcin secretion regardless of the 1,25(OH)2D3 doses used. Forskolin (10−7–10−5 M) and dibutyryl cAMP (10−6–10−3 M) both reproduced the effects observed with PTH and PGE2 in the two cell cultures. Forskolin's action was time-dependent: addition of forskolin (10−6 M) 12 h after 1,25(OH)2D3 (50 nM) resulted in a progressively weaker inhibition of osteocalcin secretion. Increasing the extracellular calcium concentration of the incubation media resulted in a dose-dependent increase in osteocalcin secretion (P < 0.01). These results indicate that PTH and PGE2 inhibit osteocalcin secretion by a mechanism involving cAMP production. In contrast, an increase in extracellular calcium stimulated osteocalcin release. Thus the human osteosarcoma cell line MG-63 is a useful osteoblast-like cell model to study the regulation of osteocalcin secretion. Furthermore, a factor (or factors) between hormone-receptor coupling and gene induction can regulate the expression of the osteocalcin gene or affect pre- or posttranslational mechanisms implicated in osteocalcin synthesis and secretion.
Hospitality technology: a review and reflection

Purpose – Technology is a combination of tools and crafts, a balance of hardware and software. Hospitality technology has advanced through innovation in the application of both machines and tools, and systems and organizations. The purpose of this paper is to offer perspective on past technological advancements and some predictions for those just on the horizon in the hospitality field.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the definition of technology and the changes that have occurred in the hospitality industry in relation to the technology used. It then goes on to make some forecasts about the use of technology for the future through past studies and an insight into the technology of today.Findings – Technology is heading in a direction that will produce more dramatic change than at any time over the past 100 years. Expected changes are to turn the hospitality industry from the age of labor to the age of wireless – as equipment becomes more efficient, less labor will be required. As the consu...
Case studies of factors interfering with nurse home visitors' promotion of positive care‐giving methods in high risk families

A comprehensive program of prenatal and postpartum nurse home visitation for high‐risk families is examined. The overriding objective of the program was to improve child health and development by improving maternal prenatal health habits, qualities of caregiving, and informal and formal community social support. The homevisiting program was evaluated in the form of a field experiment, with comparison groups assigned essentially at random. In this report, three cases are examined in which the nurses were relatively unsuccessful in improving qualities of maternal caregiving. Particular emphasis is given to understanding psychological and social factors in the family that interfered with the nurses' efforts to promote positive caregiving. A comparison of the caregiving methods of the nurse‐visited and control‐group families at greatest risk indicated that even though the nurses were frustrated in their work with certain high‐risk families, without the nurses' help, the proportion of families using positive m...
Centimeter-Level Positioning of Seafloor Acoustic Transponders from a Deeply-Towed Interrogator

An array of three seafloor transponders was acoustically surveyed to centimeter precision with a deeply-towed interrogator. Measurements of two-way acoustic travel time and hydrostatic pressure made as the interrogator was towed above the array were combined in a least-squares adjustment to estimate the interrogator and transponder positions in two surveys spanning two years. No transponder displacements were expected at this site in the interior of the Juan de Fuca Plate (48ˆ11′ N, 127ˆ12′ W) due to the lack of active faults. This was confirmed to a precision of ±2 cm by least-squares adjustment. Marginally detectable blunders in the observations were shown to affect the transponder position estimates by no more than 3 mm, demonstrating the geometric strength of the data set. The accumulation of many hundreds of observations resulted in a significant computational burden on the least-squares inversion procedure. The sparseness of the normal matrix was exploited to reduce by a factor of 1000 the number of...
Temperature effects on the carbon-13 NMR shifts of selected compounds

Abstract The effects of temperature on the 13 C NMR shifts of benzene, cyclohexane, pyridine, cyclohexene, neopentane, hexane, and heptane have been determined from +10 to +70°C. In addition, the temperature shift of 2 D in D 2 O was found to be +10.4 × 10 −3 ppm/°C. All shifts appear to be linear functions of temperature within experimental error.
Trends in Employment and Earnings of Allowed and Rejected Applicants to the Social Security Disability Insurance Program.

Since the early 1980s, changes in the economic environment and in the process for determining eligibility for the Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) program have had significant effects on the program. First, the economic situation and labor force opportunities for lower-skilled people continued to decline, leading to lower rates of participation in the labor force for less-educated men. Second, changes in the eligibility process made it easier to obtain DI benefits based on conditions difficult to clearly identify on medical terms alone, such as back pain or depression. 1 Those two factors have likely contributed to a substantial increase in the number of individuals receiving DI, as well as a significant change in the characteristics of applicants and new beneficiaries over the same period. Both applicants and new beneficiaries have become younger, longer-lived, more likely to apply because of nonterminal conditions such as back pain or mental health, and more likely to be female. 2 As a result, recent work projects a rapid increase in program costs as greater numbers of beneficiaries stay on the program for more years (e.g., David H. Autor and Duggan 2006). The concurrent developments in the economy and eligibility rules have also fueled the concern that the generosity of DI increasingly induces low-income workers to apply for and sometimes receive benefits, and that some of those beneficiaries would be able to work in the absence of the program. Indeed, a growing body of research suggests that some workers in difficult economic conditions exit the labor force to
Cheddar Cheese Yields in New York

Abstract Cheese yields and yield efficiency were monitored in four large Cheddar cheese plants in New York state. The yearly average theoretical Cheddar cheese yield for all four plants was 9.88 kg/100kg of milk while the actual moisture and salt adjusted yield was 9.42 kg/100kg. Major cheese yield losses were due to low fat recovery. Average milk fat recoveries in the cheese for the four cheese plants were 87.2, 86.3, 85.2, and 82.8%. Fat recoveries were well below the 93% fat recovery predicted by the Van Slyke formula. Primary factors related to poor cheese yields were low casein content of the milk, low ratio of casein to fat, and excessive mechanical breakage of cheese curd in the vats. A practical approach for estimating fat loss during cheese manufacture is described.
The heterogeneity of ventral tegmental area neurons: Projection functions in a mood-related context.

Abstract The ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the brain’s reward circuitry is composed of a heterogeneous population of dopamine, GABA, and glutamate neurons that play important roles in mediating mood-related functions including depression. These neurons project to different brain regions, including the nucleus accumbens (NAc), the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and the amygdala. The functional understanding of these projection pathways has been improved since the extensive use of advanced techniques such as viral-mediated gene transfer, cell-type-specific neurophysiology and circuit-probing optogenetics. In this article, we will discuss the recent progress in understanding these VTA projection-specific functions, focusing on mood-related disorders.
Nervous system distribution of the serotonin 5-HT3 receptor mRNA.

Abstract The serotonin 5-HT3 receptor subtype has been implicated in many brain functions. Antagonists of this receptor have anxiolytic and antiemetic effects in humans and in animal models. To determine with cellular resolution the distribution of 5-HT3 receptor mRNA, in situ hybridization was performed in sections of mouse brain and dorsal root ganglia. Scattered labeled cells were observed throughout cortical regions, with highest densities in the piriform, cingulate, and entorhinal areas. Strong hybridization signals were seen in the hippocampal formation, where expression appeared primarily in interneurons. Labeled cells were most abundant in the posteroventral hippocampal region, particularly in the lacunosum moleculare layer of CA1. This distribution suggests that 5-HT3 receptors may mediate the known serotonergic inhibition of pyramidal cell populations via excitation of inhibitory interneurons. Labeled cells were also observed in the major subdivisions of the amygdaloid complex, the olfactory bulb, the trochlear nerve nucleus, the dorsal tegmental region, the facial nerve nucleus, the nucleus of the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve, and the spinal cord dorsal horn. In the periphery, intense hybridization signals were seen in a subpopulation of cells in dorsal root ganglia. The data correlate generally with physiological, behavioral, and receptor autoradiographic studies, provide cellular resolution, and reveal regions of receptor expression not previously observed. The distribution of 5-HT3 receptor mRNA is consistent with roles for the receptor in cognition and affect and in the modulation of sensory input.