cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ergot drugs suppress plasma prolactin and lactation but not aggression in parturient mice

Abstract The daily administration of pituitary prolactin (PRL) inhibitors (ergocornine hydrogen maleate and 2-bromo-α-ergocryptine) to parturient Rockland-Swiss Albino mice suppressed circulating levels of PRL and lactation but failed to alter maternal aggression toward adult male intruders. The results suggest that, contrary to popular speculation, PRL may not be necessary for postpartum aggression in the mouse.
Serotonin transmembrane transporter is down-regulated in late-stage canine degenerative mitral valve disease.

Abstract Objective To compare expression of the serotonin transmembrane transporter (SERT) in normal, early-stage degenerative, and late-stage degenerative canine mitral valve disease. Animals 24 post-mortem canine mitral valves. Methods SERT expression was determined in canine normal ( n = 8), early-stage degenerative ( n = 8), and late-stage degenerative ( n = 8) mitral valves by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunoblot (IB) analyses. Results SERT was expressed in valve interstitial cells of all layers of normal and early-stage degenerative mitral valves based on IHC. SERT was markedly down-regulated in valve interstitial cells, but not valve endothelial cells, of late-stage degenerative mitral valves. SERT expression was significantly decreased in late-stage compared to normal and early-stage degenerative mitral valves based on IB analysis ( P Conclusions Down-regulation of SERT expression occurs in valve interstitial cells of late-stage, but not early-stage, canine degenerative mitral valves. Down-regulation of SERT could enhance the recently speculated role of serotonin in canine DMVD by decreasing serotonin metabolism and increasing interaction with its receptor. Down-regulation of SERT likely does not play an initiating role in canine DMVD since it does not occur in early-stage disease.
Development of a recursive zero annihilator periodic (ZAP) controller with specific applications in flexible space structures

When continuous-time systems are discretized in the digital controller design process, it is often the case that unstable discrete-time zeros (i.e., zeros outside the unit circle in the Z- plane) result regardless of whether or not there are unstable zeros in the original continuous- time plant. Such a system is recognized as being nonminimum phase. Unfortunately, many design techniques in adaptive control are dependent upon pole-zero cancellations and stable plant invertibility and, therefore, cannot be utilized when the plant is nonminimum phase. In this research, a matrix parameter recursive least squares adaptation law is developed for the zero annihilator periodic (ZAP) controller first introduced by Bayard and later extended by Jakubowski. This direct adaptive control scheme allows for the construction of an optimal set of matrix controller gains that place the transmission zeros of the system at the origin, alleviating the nonminimum phase condition, and force the system output to track a desired reference signal. Simulations are presented that demonstrate the performance of the adaptive ZAP controller on a 12-state, 2-input, 2-output partial model of one of the Astrex struts, where the model of the particular strut exhibits nonminimum phase characteristics.
Prevention of Ocular Toxicity of Carmustine (BCNU) with Supraophthalmic Intracarotid Infusion

Intracarotid administration of carmustine (BCNU) is an increasingly accepted therapeutic modality for primary brain tumors. Its beneficial effect on prolonging survival, however, is countered by its frequent delayed complication of retinal toxicity and severe visual loss, which reportedly occurs in approximately 70% of the patients. Since this complication probably results from increased flow of the drug into the ophthalmic artery, the authors have attempted to infuse BCNU via a small intracarotid catheter advanced beyond the origin of the ophthalmic artery. In a series of nine patients (average follow-ups, 10.7 months), the authors were successful in treating six patients with exclusively supraophthalmic infusions. None of these patients developed any ocular toxicity. From the remaining three patients, two patients received one infraophthalmic infusion with no retinal toxicity. The third patient, however, who received three infraophthalmic infusions, developed ipsilateral retinopathy. These results suggest that retinopathic complications of intracarotid BCNU can be avoided if the infusion catheter is advanced beyond the origin of the ophthalmic artery.
Correlates of social worker decisions to seek treatment-oriented out-of-home care

Abstract This paper reports the results of a study of decisions by child welfare workers regarding the ideal placement type for 348 children placed in out-of-home care in California. The study examines factors associated with the preference to place a child in treatment foster care or group care as opposed to foster family or kinship care. Child age, behavior problems, and placement history were found to be strong predictors of social worker placement preferences.
Potassium activity in rabbit cortex.

Measurements of extracellular potassium concentration ([K+]0) were made in rabbit cortex using potassium-sensitive microelectrodes with a rapid response time. Resting levels of [K+]0 averaged about 3 mM and transient increases occurred following direct stimulation of normal cortex, during spreading depression (SD), and during interictal epileptiform discharges. Interictal discharges were associated with increases in [K+]0 to maximum levels of 9–10 mM. These changes in [K+]0 had a laminar distribution through the cortex being maximal in deeper layers. During ictal episodes [K+]0 peaked at 9–10 mM and appeared ‘clamped’ at this level. Neither seizure onset nor termination appeared to occur at particular threshold levels of [K+]0. SDs were associated with increases in [K+]0 to about 40 mM. During SDs, ictal activity might be generated even though local [K+]0 was 25–30 mM. DC shifts in EEG activity recorded adjacent to the K+ electrode usually preceded the [K+]0 changes and returned more quickly to baseline levels, but the envelope of DC changes closely mirrored the alterations in [K+]0.
Optical System For Azimuth Referencing By Photography

In the use of optics a method is presented for photographic determination of azimuth orientation in which human measurement errors are eliminated. Additionally, atmospheric turbulence effects are minimized and a short-term history of slab motion is obtained.© (1966) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Theme centered group psychotherapy with psychiatrically hospitalized preadolescent boys

This paper describes how a particular content can be ascribed to verbal group work with psychiatrically hospitalized children. This focus can then provide the basis for psychotherapeutic intervention in which resistance and transference are interpreted while underlying conflicts are uncovered and worked on. The theme of the group, health issues and sexuality, was derived from the children's expressed needs on the unit. The use of psychotherapy as a basis for subsequent education about these health issues is discussed. Also described is the way in which the verbal medium was used in conjunction with other unit procedures.
Storytime Using Ipods: Using Technology to Reach All Learners.

Many educators would agree that one way to enhance reading fluency is by being read to by fluent readers. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of providing students with audio books via an iPod Shuffle during silent reading time at school. For six weeks, Kindergarten participants spent time either silent reading or listening to a recorded story on an iPod Shuffle during daily dedicated silent reading time. Results show that there was no impact of using the iPod Shuffle on reading fluency; however, students exhibited greater motivation to read, greater engagement in the process, and sustained interest in stories “read.” The benefits to student self-esteem and study skills warrant the use of this strategy for students who may not have opportunities to be read to by a fluent reader on a consistent basis.
Adaptive Eulerian Modeling for Air Traffic Flow Management

A method for deriving an Eulerian traffic flow model in real time without depending on online integration of aircraft trajectories is introduced. In this method, online model derivation starts with a baseline Eulerian airspace model, which is derived offline using historical track data. In real time, parameters of this baseline model are adapted depending on the differences in flight plans and control volume aircraft counts between the baseline model and the real world. The baseline model derivation method is based on bookkeeping of control volume aircraft counts and, hence, the model produces control decisions in terms of whole number aircraft counts, unlike the fractional counts produced by Eulerian models based on average aircraft speeds. The bookkeeping-based model indirectly retains trajectory information and aircraft identities. Hence, it serves as an excellent tradeoff between Eulerian and trajectory-based modeling approaches. Most importantly, as an improvement over previous approaches, we take into consideration the control-dependent nature of the Eulerian model while computing optimal flow-control decisions. A key feature of this model is the use of interstream jump (y) parameters. These parameters make the model easily amenable to emulate a wide variety of control actions like rerouting. As a proof of concept, we derive a baseline model for the Fort Worth center from recorded track data for a period of 1 h on 13 March 2005 and adapt it it to predict sector counts for another time period. An application of the adaptive model to optimal rerouting is also presented.
Adherence to stimulants in adult ADHD

Although stimulant medication can reduce symptoms and lessen the degree of functional impairment associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the adherence rate in adults diagnosed with ADHD is reportedly <12 %. The article explores the contexts that influence stimulant medication adherence in adults diagnosed with ADHD. Using a mixed-method design, data on ADHD-related quality of life and stimulant adherence were collected from 67 adults with ADHD. Next, 18 of those adults, based on adherence/quality of life, completed semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic narrative inquiry, based on the Health Belief Model. Findings revealed no direct relation between stimulant adherence and quality of life. Instead, the doctor/patient relationship was a strong predictor of a person’s quality of life. Physicians treating adults with ADHD must be aware of individual variation in stimulant response, seek to understand the functional limitations of their patients and strive to communicate effectively.
The 18th British HCI Group annual conference

The 18th British HCI Group Annual ConferenceSeptember 6-10, 2004Leeds Metropolitan University, UK
Kinetic assay for HIV proteinase subunit dissociation

The kinetics and thermodynamics of the monomer--dimer equilibrium for HIV-1 proteinase are investigated in a concentration jump experiment, at a concentration of the substrate that is substantially lower than the Michaelis constant. Under these conditions the substrate-induced stabilization of the active dimer is suppressed, and the integral rate equation can be obtained in a closed form. Both the monomer--dimer bimolecular association rate constant and the corresponding equilibrium dissociation constant are obtained directly by nonlinear regression analysis of the reaction time-course. In buffers of low ionic strength and in the absence of external ligands (substrates and inhibitors), the equilibrium dissociation constant at 37 degrees C is 440 +/- 52 nM, a value significantly higher than previous estimates obtained at a comparatively high concentration of substrates.
Disequilibrium theory, waiting costs, and saving behavior in centrally planned economies: A queueing-theoretic approach☆

Abstract An expected-utility maximizer, obliged to make a single purchase from two alternatives, finds that a queue forms for the good that would have been selected had both goods been available. An M/M/ 1 queue is posited and for each period of delay the maximum additional payment b ∗ that the consumer would incur to join the queue is determined. This has implications for saving. Not only the availability of the good, but also the delay in obtaining it, the alteration in its arrival rate, and the “stampede effect” determine saving behavior.
Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres as carriers for peptide vaccines

Peptides carrying an immunodominant T-helper cell epitope delineated from the rabies virus nucleoprotein either alone or in combination with a linear B-cell epitope from the same protein were incorporated into three different formulations of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) which were distinct in their composition, and consequently in their peptide release rates. In vitro peptides incorporated into any of the PLG formulations stimulated a peptide-specific T-cell line. Upon subcutaneous immunization of mice, the PLG formulation that showed the fastest peptide release rate induced the best immune response. This immune response was in magnitude comparable or even superior to that induced by peptide emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant.
The origins, evolution, and current politics of the North Korean nuclear program

(1995). The origins, evolution, and current politics of the North Korean nuclear program. The Nonproliferation Review: Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 25-38.
Chromatographic separation and photoelectrochemical detection of sodium nitroprusside and its degradative and metabolic products.

Abstract Ion-pair chromatography has been used for the separation of nitroprusside ion and its photochemical hydrolytic and metabolic products. Organic modifier and pH were adjusted for maximum separation of the ions. Methanol was selected as the organic modifier in a pH range 5–8 and tetrabutylammonium perchlorate was used as the ion-pairing reagent. Ions were detected with a photoelectrochemical detector as described by Krull. A modification of this procedure was used to detect nitroprusside ion in spiked serum samples.
Earthquakes related to active salt doming near Kulyab, Tadjikistan, USSR

In the region near Kulyab, Tadjikistan, hundreds of shallow earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 2½ have been reported in Soviet yearly catalogs since 1964. This area appears as a well-defined cluster of activity, distant from the line of epicenters that defines the Gissar-Kokshal seismic zone, to the north of the Pamir ranges. The geology of this region is dominated by the presence of numerous salt domes, surrounded by Neogene and Quaternary continental deposits. The spatial relationship between these earthquakes and the salt domes suggests that the two phenomena may be related. Moderate earthquakes (M > 5) occurred in 1972 and 1973, and intensities of surface shaking greater than MM=6 were reported from earthquakes in 1937, 1952, 1969, 1972, 1973 and 1978. The earthquake on 2 April 1973 and its aftershocks were located in a region where no salt domes have been mapped at the surface. However, a buried salt diapir has been mapped at depth by geophysical means. These earthquakes may result from active salt diapirism at depth. The mechanism for producing this seismicity could be either the active fracturing of the cap rock by the rising diapir, or the concentration of tectonic stresses in the thinned section above and adjacent to the diapir. The salt-related earthquakes may produce lower frequency radiation than other events of the same size.
Deep earth: Post-perovskite at ten

In 2004, a phase transition was discovered in the most abundant lower-mantle mineral. A decade of focused experiments, computations and seismic imaging stimulated by this discovery has revealed previously unknown complexities in Earth's deep mantle.
Karyological Affinities of the Species Groups of Silky Pocket Mice (Rodentia, Heteromyidae)

Data on mitotic chromosomes of the 12 species of silky pocket mice ( Perognathus , subgenus Perognathus ) are evaluated in phyletic terms. Five karyotypic groups are recognized. The fasciatus group is composed of P. fasciatus, P. apache , and P. flavescens (2N = 44, FN = 48–50). Members of the flavus group ( P. flavus and P. merriami ; 2N = 50, FN = 86) are most closely related to the longimembris group ( P. longimembris, P. amplus , and P. inornatus ; 2n = 50 and 56, FN = 82–94). The parvus group ( P. alticola, P. parvus , and P. xanthonotus ) has 2N = 54, and FN = 70–104. These four species groups are allied on both karyological and morphological bases. Overall, the parvus group is considered to be the most primitive, but is closer in chromosome structure to the flavus-longimembris phyletic line than to the fasciatus line. The fasciatus group is divergent karyologically, with few apparent similarities to the other members of the subgenus. P. formosus ( formosus group; 2N = 36, FN = 52) appears not to be closely allied with the species of either the subgenera Chaetodipus or Perognathus .
Landscapes of Inequality: Spatial Segregation, Economic Isolation, and Contingent Residential Locations

Cities contain clusters of jobs and people. These clusters or groups lead to the formation of districts. In the case of firms, transactions costs and networks facilitate spatial concentration; in the case of people, chain migration and social networks reinforce group propinquity. Together, these clusters come to form the socioeconomic fabric of metropolitan areas. The end result is a city made up of labor markets and residential enclaves. This simplistic representation of urban form is at the heart of many efforts to model the residential or place-of-work location decision. Reflective of this verbal schematic of a city, the articles in this issue ask, each in their own way, two questions: do industrial and social groups overlap; and what factors, market and nonmarket, structure residential location options and therefore either facilitate or retard access to jobs by social groups? In these articles, immigrants and underrepresented minorities are the objects of investigation, and the metropolitan region, captured in multiple spatial scales, is the geographic unit of observation. The literature on immigrants’ propensity for employment suggests that the demand for low-wage labor, on the one hand, and ethnic networks, on the other hand, together help to explain the spatial location of ethnic employment concentrations. Similarly, a prominent explanation of the underemployment of underrepresented minorities emphasizes the discrepancy between residential location and the suburban location of work. At work are markets for housing and labor. At the scale of the city, this description of cause and effect is attractive and even compelling. But it ignores preexisting spatial segregation and residential discrimination that fix in space and reinforce patterns of spatial inequality that shape and reshape the location of residents and their access to work. At work is the unfolding process of uneven development, a persistent quality of capitalism that plays out across multiple spatial scales and effects differences in levels and rates of economic development across time among places, people, and broader economic activity. The articles in this issue consider, in different and novel ways, the residentiallocation decision of social groups and the corresponding links between the site of residence and the site of work, overlaid on longabiding problems of social and economic inequality that are defined by race, income, and uneven development (Fox Gotham 2002; Orfield and Lee 2005; Watson 2006). These location decisions are encumbered geographically by a segregated landscape that, once acknowledged, stands as a testaEditorial Landscapes of Inequality: Spatial Segregation, Economic Isolation, and Contingent Residential Locations
Symmetry, Superconvergence, and Sum Rules for Spectral Functions

We discuss the convergence and the superconvergence properties of the invariant amplitudes which occur in suitable combinations of the propagator functions of the vector and the axial-vector currents, based on the use of symmetry arguments for the asymptotic behavior. The sum rules so obtained for the spectral functions are in good agreement with experiment.
Stellar x-ray polarimeter: polarizer development and calibration at the LEA/LLNL

A large area thin graphite crystal and a lithium scattering block are used as the polarization sensitive elements of the Stellar X-Ray Polarimeter. We discuss the construction, selection and characterization of these two polarizing elements. In addition, we describe the plans for calibration of the completed instrument and the facility where it will be conducted.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A spectral approach to polyhedral dimension

Thespectrum spec( ) of a convex polytope is defined as the ordered (non-increasing) list of squared singular values of [A|1], where the rows ofA are the extreme points of . The number of non-zeros in spec( ) exceeds the dimension of by one. Hence, the dimension of a polytope can be established by determining its spectrum. Indeed, this provides a new method for establishing the dimension of a polytope, as the spectrum of a polytope can be established without appealing to a direct proof of its dimension. The spectrum is determined for the four families of polytopes defined as the convex hulls of: In the cases of (ii) and (iii), the associated dimension results are well-known. The dimension results for (i) and (iv) do not seem to be well-known. General principles are discussed for ‘balanced polytopes’ arising from complete structures.
The association of wall mechanics and morphology: a case study of abdominal aortic aneurysm growth.

A localized dilatation of the abdominal aorta is termed an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The rupture of AAAs continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, especially in patients older than 65 years of age. If an AAA ruptures, 50% of the patients will die prior to reaching the hospital. Of those patients that reach the operating room, only 50% will successfully have the aneurysm repaired [1]. In an effort to prevent rupture, patients with known AAA undergo periodic abdominal ultrasound or CT scan surveillance. When the aneurysm grows to a diameter of 5.0–5.5 cm or is shown to expand at a rate greater than 1 cm/yr, elective operative repair is undertaken. While this strategy certainly prevents a number of potentially catastrophic ruptures, AAA rupture can occur at sizes less than 5 cm. From a biomechanical standpoint, aneurysm rupture occurs when wall stress exceeds wall strength. By using noninvasive techniques, such as finite element analysis (FEA), wall stress can be estimated for patient specific AAA models, which can perhaps more carefully predict the rupture potential of a given aneurysm, regardless of size. FEA is a computational method that can be used to evaluate complicated structures such as aneurysms. To this end, it was reported earlier that AAA peak wall stress provides a better assessment of rupture risk than the commonly used maximum diameter criterion [2]. What has yet to be examined; however, is the relationship between wall stress and AAA geometry during aneurysm growth. Such a finding has the potential for providing individualized predictions of AAA rupture potential during patient surveillance. The purpose of this investigation is to estimate peak wall stress for a case study of one AAA under surveillance and evaluate its potential correlation with geometric features characteristic of the aneurysm's morphology.
Development of a radiopaque denture base material.

Radiopaque glass-resin composites were made for evaluation as denture base materials. The addition of silane-treated, radiopaque, powdered glass to clear poly(methyl methacrylate) resulted in composites that had greater optical translucency than commercially available pink denture base resins. These formulations could be pigmented and opacified to produce materials that simulated oral soft tissues in color and translucency. Other composites were made using various monomer, polymer and glass combinations. Those made from mixes of BIS–GMA, methyl methacrylate, poly(methyl methacrylate), and radiopaque glass had excellent translucency but handling characteristics were less than ideal. Removal of very small glass particles (less than a few μm) appeared to improve optical translucency. A radiographic survey of 12 specimens that contained from 29 to 57% of the radiopaque glass, indicated that all had sufficient radiopacity to aid in localization of swallowed or aspirated dentures made from such materials. Finishing procedures on composite specimens were more difficult and timeconsuming and did not produce surfaces as smooth as those obtained on poly(methyl methacrylate). The finished surfaces felt smooth to the tongue but might stain more easily in the mouth.
Synthesis and biological activity of antagonists of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH)

Three analogs of LH-RH were synthesized by the solid phase method and were tested for agonist and antagonist activity in vitro . Des-His 2 -[3-(2-naphthyl)-Ala 3 ]-LH-RH(I) and des-His 2 - [3-(2-naphthyl)-Ala 3 , D-Ala 6 ]-LH-RH(II) have no agonist activity and inhibit the release of LH and FSH by LH-RH. Des-His 2 -[δ-N-Isopropylorn 8 ]-LH-RH has slight agonist activity and also significant antagonist activity at the doses tested.
Effects of castration on plasminogen activator activities and plasminogen activator inhibitor type I in the rat ventral prostate

The involution of the prostate gland after castration is an active process which requires the induction of new proteins. The plasminogen activator urokinase has been proposed to be a gene repressed by androgen which is activated upon castration and thus participating in the atrophy of the gland. However, urokinase is secreted by the ventral lobe of the rat prostate and this should be positively affected by androgens. The purpose of this study was to examine further the effects of castration upon plasminogen activator (PA) activities in the rat prostate and to determine possible explanations to this apparent dilemma. Castration of young sexually mature adult rats resulted in a substantial increase in PA activities at 4 days after castration in the ventral prostate, but then the activities returned to within the range of untreated animals with a longer duration of castration. Urokinase was the predominant molecular form of PA in the normal ventral prostate and it was the molecular form increased after castration; based upon its sensitivity to amiloride and its molecular size determined in zymograms. In contrast to the effect of castration, there was no increase in PA activities in the ventral prostate with treatment of rats with the antiandrogen flutamide, but rather a decrease when specific activity was expressed per unit DNA. In addition, the effect of castration was specific for the ventral lobe for there was no change in the PA activity in the dorsolateral prostate after androgen ablation. The diminished PA activities in the ventral prostates of rats castrated for 7 days or longer appeared to be due at least in part to an increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1). Immunoreactive PAI-1 was found predominantly in high molecular weight forms which indicates that the inhibitor was complexed with PA. Daily treatment of rats upon castration with agents known to retard the rate of regression of the involuting prostate gave dichotomous results. Hydrocortisone prevented the increase in PA activity, whereas treatment with actinomycin D, an inhibitor of RNA synthesis, not only did not prevent an increase in PA activity, but actually produced a superinduction in PA activity at 4 days orchiectomy. These data may be interpreted to mean that hydrocortisone stimulated PAI activity and that actinomycin D treatment blocked its induction. However, the actinomycin D data may also indicate that an increase in urokinase protein and mRNA after castration may result from some mechanism to conserve these molecules suggesting that this inhibitor of RNA synthesis prevented the transcription of messages for proteins involved in the degradation of urokinase message.
Erythroleukemia and other hematologic complications of intensive therapy in long‐term survivors of small cell lung cancer

Eight patients with small cell bronchogenic carcinoma treated with intensive combination chemotherapy, with and without radiotherapy, have been followed for a minimum of two and a half years without relapse. One patient, after a prodrome of macrocytic sideroblastic anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, experienced erythroleukemia 34 months after starting chemotherapy, and cytogenetic studies revealed extensive chromosomal abnormalities. Another patient had persistent macrocytic anemia and pancytopenia two years after cessation of therapy. The remaining six patients have normal peripheral blood smears and cell counts. A significant incidence of preleukemic syndromes and acute leukemia appearing as late complications in intensively treated small cell lung cancer patients requires confirmation in larger series of long-term survivors. Prospective determination of marrow karyotype abnormalities may help to identify patients at greatest risk for developing secondary leukemia.
Public-Private Competition A Public Employee Alternative to Privatization

Privatization, or the transfer of functions from the public sector to the private sector (Salamon, 1989, Poole & Fixler, 1987), also necessarily entails the transfer of jobs from the public sector ...
Non-invasive hemostatic closure devices: "patches and pads".

Initial device technologies developed to obtain hemostasis of percutaneous arteriotomy sites have used sutures or hemostatic plugs. Recently, a new class of noninvasive products have been introduced that promote rapid hemostasis in the form of a patch or pad. The purpose of this article is to review recent innovations using simple, but effective, hemostatic aids.
Use of cold plasma treatment of gastroenterological desease in vivo –a pilot study in mice

Non-thermal plasmas found its use medical sterilization, wound healing, skin diseases and tissue regeneration; it can be used with a biological interface as it has bactericidal effect, induces apoptosis, enhances coagulation and increases cell proliferation. Here we present first results of in vivo studies of cold spark discharge (CSD) plasma treatment of animal colon in normal and disease conditions.
Interdependence of Retail Businesses

Previous studies employing the trade area analysis procedure of pull factors assume retail sectors are independent. However, interdependencies exist between and among retail sectors. Employing a multivariate Tobit procedure, the agglomerative aspects of retail trade can be captured. Results indictate that interdependencies exist between retail sectors and if these retail interdependencies are ignored, extension and outreach retail sector programs may prove to be ineffective.
Overwrite and adjacent track erasure in perpendicular recording

In this paper, we present a micromagnetic modeling study of the relationship between overwrite and adjacent track erasure for perpendicular recording using a granular perpendicular recording medium with soft underlayer and a pole head. The study focuses on the overwrite mechanism in granular perpendicular media and explores its implication to adjacent track erasure.
Survival and Winter Diet of Sylvilagus obscurus (Appalachian Cottontail) at Dolly Sods, West Virginia

Abstract The distribution of Sylvilagus obscurus (Appalachian Cottontail) is disjunct and restricted to high-elevation refuges in the central and southern Appalachian Mountains. The purpose of this study was to determine survival and winter diet of this rabbit at its type locality, the Dolly Sods area of the Monongahela National Forest, WV. To estimate survival, 44 Appalachian Cottontail individuals were radio-tracked until death or loss of transmitter signal between October 1997 and June 2000. The Kaplan-Meier estimate was used to generate finite survival rates. To assess winter diet, stems browsed within a 1-m radius of winter radiolocations of 15 individuals in 1998–1999 and 1999–2000 were identified and counted. Species and groups of species browsed were compared to availability, determined by counting the number of woody stems within a 1-m radius of the same radiolocations. Overall daily survival rate was 0.9934, finite monthly (28-day) survival rate was 0.8309, and finite yearly survival rate was 0....
Satellite-borne measurements of middle-atmosphere composition

A number of satellite experiments have been launched in recent years with the goal of providing fundamental data needed for analysis of photochemistry, radiation, dynamics, and transport processes. Collectively, these experiments have accumulated information on the vertical and horizontal distributions of a host of minor constituents in the middle atmosphere. The combined satellite data set includes new global measurements of O$\_{3}$, NO$\_{2}$, N$\_{2}$O, HNO$\_{3}$, CH$\_{4}$, H$\_{2}$O, and aerosols, and more-limited data on CO, N$\_{2}$O$\_{5}$, ClONO$\_{2}$, HNO$\_{4}$, COF$\_{2}$, and CH$\_{3}$Cl. These data have provided descriptions of (1) the geographic extent and year-to-year change in the recently discovered Antarctic ozone hole; (2) interannual variability in N$\_{2}$O and CH$\_{4}$; (3) the winter high latitude NO$\_{2}$ `cliff'; (4) exchange of NO$\_{2}$ from the mesosphere to the stratosphere during polar night; (5) a lower limit total odd nitrogen distribution that displays a maximum that exceeds model calculated values; (6) variations in the newly discovered polar stratospheric clouds (PSCS) seen in the north and south polar regions; and (7) details of latitudinal and temporal aerosol variability. The existing satellite data set is deficient in certain key measurements including OH, HO$\_{2}$, H$\_{2}$O$\_{2}$, polar night N$\_{2}$O$_{5}$, radiatively important aerosol properties, and simultaneous measurements of aerosols and gases involved in heterogeneous processes.
Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Cancer

Immune evasion is an emerging hallmark of cancer. Many cancers evade the immune system through the overproduction of a wide array of immunosuppressive cells and cytokines, which not only inhibit the host’s antitumor immune response, but also hinder the clinical efficacy of immune-based therapies. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) represent a heterogeneous collection of immature myeloid cells that play an important role in cancer immune evasion. Their presence has been extensively investigated in preclinical models. MDSCs arise from myeloid progenitor cells that have failed to terminally differentiate into mature granulocytes and macrophages and are recruited from the marrow to the tumor microenvironment through production of various cytokines. One of the major obstacles in developing clinical strategies targeting MDSCs in cancer patients has been their heterogeneity in humans, which thus far has prevented determination of an unambiguous phenotype, shared between mice and humans, that has clinical relevance and correlates with their suppressive function. In this chapter we review the current clinical literature on MDSCs in cancer patients, showing that there appear to be two major subsets of MDSCs which are present under different situations. We also discuss the potential use of MDSC as prognostic and predictive markers in cancer patients. Finally, we examine current strategies designed to modulate MDSCs in cancer patients, which represents an innovative and promising approach to enhance the effectiveness of immune-based therapies.
Economic Outcome of Employment for Older Participants in Rehabilitation Services Funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration

The purpose of this study was to determine if persons who were age 65 or older and who participated in vocational rehabilitation programs funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) experienced an increase in earnings from paid employment at the conclusion of services. Preservice and postservice earnings for 9,787 consumers of RSA services who were age 65 or older, had a disability, and had cases closed as rehabilitated (Status 26) or as not rehabilitated (Status 28) in the year 2002 were examined. The authors found that 33.4% of participants had cases closed as not rehabilitated, 34% had cases closed as rehabilitated to unpaid work, and 32.6% had cases closed as rehabilitated to paid employment. Participants who achieved employment at the time of case closure had an average earnings increase from paid work of $4,990 a year.
Stereoisomeric Configuration of Arabinitol in Serum, Urine, and Tissues in Invasive Candidiasis

with and without incubation with 5.0 x 106 blastospores of Candida tropicalis strain CT 12 at 37 C for 24 hr. The yeast consumed at least 95% of the D-arabinitol and none of the L-arabinitol added to normal serum and urine. D-Arabinitol as a fraction of D, Larabinitol was 0.43 1 0.15 (mean 1 SD) in the urine of 10 normal humans, 0.82 1 0.12 in the serum or urine of five patients with cancer and invasive candidiasis (P < .001), and 1.0 in the kidneys of rats with candidiasis. Because most or all of the excess arabinitol in body fluids or tissues in candidiasis was the D isomer, which is produced by fungal metabolism, stereospecific quantitation of arabinitol should improve the sensitivity of this approach to diagnosis of candidiasis.
Transgenic overexpression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 promotes the development of polycystic ovarian changes in female mice

Reproductive age women (5-10%) are affected by the polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a diagnosis which confers lifelong cardiovascular and reproductive health implications. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), the main physiological inhibitor of plasminogen activation, is consistently elevated in women with PCOS, regardless of metabolic status. Interestingly, the plasminogen system has long been implicated in proteolytic processes within the dynamic ovary. A non-physiologic elevation in PAI-1 may thus contribute systemically to endothelial dysfunction and locally to abnormal ovarian phenotype and function. We herein characterize the phenotypic alterations in ovaries from transgenic mice, which constitutively express a stable form of human PAI-1 and determine the plasma testosterone level in these mice as opposed to their unaffected counterparts. Over half of the ovaries from transgenic mice were found to contain large cystic structures, in contrast to wild-type controls of the same genetic background (53% (N = 17) vs 5% (N = 22); P = 0.001). Plasma testosterone was nearly twofold elevated in transgenic female mice versus wild-type females (0.312 ng/ml +/- 0.154 (N = 10) vs 0.181 ng/ml +/- 0.083 (N = 8); P = 0.014). An elevation in PAI-1 therefore appears to predispose mice to the development of this abnormal architecture, which in turn is associated with an increase in plasma testosterone. Therefore, we propose that an inappropriate elevation in PAI-1 contributes to the development of polycystic structures; these findings may thus reorient the efforts aimed at the development of therapeutic agents for the treatment of this increasingly common syndrome.
Behaviour Genetics in Chickens: A Review

Behaviour genetics of the fowl is discussed from several vantage points: the process of domestication, qualitative inheritance, the genetic basis of behaviours, behaviour effect on selection and in...
Genetics of Aging in Caenorhabditis elegans

A dissection of longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans reveals that animal life span is influenced by genes, environment, and stochastic factors. From molecules to physiology, a remarkable degree of evolutionary conservation is seen.
The clinical significance of large cells in bone marrow in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

BACKGROUND Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that transforms to Richter syndrome (RS) frequently show atypical lymphocytes in bone marrow; however, a diagnosis of RS requires confirmation of the presence of sheets of large cells in bone marrow or lymph nodes. METHODS In this study, the authors evaluated the clinical significance of scattered large cells in bone marrow. They assessed the possibility of predicting transformation to RS in bone marrow smears by counting the percentages of prolymphocytes and large cells in 78 patients with CLL and 29 patients with lymph node biopsy-confirmed RS. RESULTS The percentage of large cells was found to be correlated with decreasing survival in a continuous fashion (P = 0.006). It is interesting to note that patients who had > 7% large cells in the bone marrow and elevated β2-microglobulin (β2-M) levels (> 5 mg/L) had a survival duration identical to that of patients with RS, and these factors together were a strong predictor of RS (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Patients with CLL who had bone marrow that contained > 7% large cells and who had β2-M levels > 5 mg/L had a disease that was similar to RS, and the combination of large cells and β2-M can be used as a surrogate marker for RS. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Plasmon point spread functions: How do we model plasmon-mediated emission processes?

A major challenge with studying plasmon-mediated emission events is the small size of plasmonic nanoparticles relative to the wavelength of light. Objects smaller than roughly half the wavelength of light will appear as diffraction-limited spots in far-field optical images, presenting a significant experimental challenge for studying plasmonic processes on the nanoscale. Super-resolution imaging has recently been applied to plasmonic nanosystems and allows plasmon-mediated emission to be resolved on the order of ∼5 nm. In super-resolution imaging, a diffraction-limited spot is fit to some model function in order to calculate the position of the emission centroid, which represents the location of the emitter. However, the accuracy of the centroid position strongly depends on how well the fitting function describes the data. This Perspective discusses the commonly used two-dimensional Gaussian fitting function applied to super-resolution imaging of plasmon-mediated emission, then introduces an alternative model based on dipole point spread functions. The two fitting models are compared and contrasted for super-resolution imaging of nanoparticle scattering/luminescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and surface-enhanced fluorescence.
Specifying process-oriented hypertext for organizational computing

Organizations deploy intranets to provide access to documents for those who use them. But the web of computing comprises more than just documents: people, tools, and processes are critical to organizational function. In particular, people may need guidance on how to perform tasks, as well as access to information necessary to carry out those tasks.In this paper, we present a language for describing process-oriented hypertexts. A process-oriented hypertext links information, tools, and activities into a seamless organizational web. Using such a hypertext, the process performer can enact a process by browsing, and receive guidance on how to perform the process activities, where to find relevant information, and what tools to use.We have developed a process scripting language called PML that provides a way for process engineers to specify process models in terms of activities, and the sequence in which they should be performed. The specification can be elaborated with descriptions of resources and tools required and provided by activities, and the skills necessary to carry out an activity. The resulting models are then translated into one or more process-oriented hypertexts that represent instances of the process currently being performed.PML includes features that allow the modeler to specify how the process activities should be dynamically linked to information and resource nodes at the time the process is performed. This enables processes to be described as abstract models that can be instantiated as process-oriented hypertexts in different organizational settings.We used PML to model processes in a case study of the grants management process at the US Office of Naval Research. We describe some of our experiences applying PML to this study, and conclude with lessons learned and directions for future study.
Are Race Differences in Mental Test Scores an Artifact of Psychometric Methods? a Test of Harrington's Experimental Model

This study examines Harrington's hypothesis that blacks obtain lower mean scores on mental tests as a result of their small representation in the test development population. Two new intelligence test forms—a black form and a white form—were constructed using maximally unequal numbers of blacks and whites. Results indicated that blacks did not perform significantly better on the test form developed solely on their own item statistics. Bias in predictive validity was also investigated and noted to occur on the intercepts of some of the regression lines. These findings indicate that using equal or unequal numbers of blacks and whites in test development samples results in the same findings of little or no differential construct and predictive validity of intelligence tests across racial groups as reported in studies with tests developed using population proportionate sampling procedures. Differences in special education placement rates of black children, though related to black-white differences in mean IQs...
aph(3')-IIb, a Gene Encoding an Aminoglycoside-Modifying Enzyme, Is under the Positive Control of Surrogate Regulator HpaA

Pseudomonas aeruginosa harbors a chromosomal aminoglycoside phosphotransferase gene, aph(3')-IIb, which confers P. aeruginosa resistance to several important aminoglycoside antibiotics, including kanamycin A and B, neomycin B and C, butirosin, and seldomycin F5. The aph(3')-IIb gene has been found to be regulated by an AraC-type transcriptional regulator (HpaA) encoded by a gene located upstream of the aph(3')-IIb gene. In the presence of 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (4-HPA), HpaA activates the expression of aph(3')-IIb as well as that of the hpa regulon which encodes metabolic enzymes for the utilization of 4-HPA. hpaA and aph(3')-IIb form an operon, and in response to the presence of 4-HPA, the wild-type P. aeruginosa strain PAK (but not its hpaA mutant strain) displays increased resistance to neomycin. A survey of 39 clinical and 19 environmental isolates of P. aeruginosa demonstrated in all of them the presence of an hpaA-aph gene cluster, while 56 out of the 58 isolates are able to utilize the 4-HPA as a sole carbon source, suggesting a feature common to P. aeruginosa strains. Interestingly, a larger portion of clinical isolates than environmental isolates showed 4-HPA-induced resistance to neomycin. The aph(3')-IIb gene product is likely to function as a metabolic enzyme which has a cross-reactivity with aminoglycosides. These findings provide new insight into the possible mechanism of P. aeruginosa antibiotic resistance.