cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vertical nanowire light-emitting diode

We report room-temperature, white-color electroluminescence in vertically oriented ZnO nanowires. Excitonic luminescence around 380 nm is observed as a shoulder on a broader defect-related band covering all of the visible range and centered at 620 nm. The ZnO nanowires are grown in a low-temperature process on SnO2-coated glass substrates, employing a technique that is suitable for large-area applications. The nanowires are robustly encapsulated in a thin polystyrene film deposited from high-molecular-weight solutions. Electron injection occurs through the transparent SnO2 layer, while hole injection is mediated by a p-doped polymer and an evaporated Au contact. Stable device operation is observed at ambient conditions on the time scale of 1 h.
Computational analysis of a flexible assembly system design problem

Abstract Global competitive priorities are undergoing a marked shift from productivity and quality to flexibility and agility. This has resulted in a growing number of manufacturing companies realizing the importance of building customization capabilities into their production systems. Flexible assembly systems (FASs), consisting of a variety of processors such as assembly, inspection, packaging, and interactive operator consoles, provide a significant opportunity for improving product flexibility and, thereby, gaining sustainable competitive advantage. This paper formulates a decision problem for designing FASs and proves it to be NP-complete. A heuristic, called the pick and rule (PAR) heuristic, is presented to minimize the total number of processors, while determining the number of processors of each type, the sequence of the processors, and the operations to be performed at each processor. A lower bound for the minimum number of processor is derived, and used to assess the effectiveness of the PAR heuristic. An algorithm to compute this bound is also presented. An exact branch and bound algorithm is formulated to find optimal solutions and to provide guidance on the source of the gap between the PAR heuristic and the lower bound results. Computational results with the PAR heuristic, the lower bound algorithm, and the branch and bound algorithm are reported.
Advances in Prenatal Screening: Nuchal Translucency Ultrasonography in the First Trimester

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Define the association between nuchal translucency and Down syndrome. 2. Describe the role of nuchal translucency-based ultrasonography in prenatal screening for Down syndrome in singleton and multiple gestations. 3. Characterize the criteria for good nuchal translucency ultrasonographic technique. 4. Identify the limitations of implementing first trimester screening in the general obstetric population. Prenatal screening for Down syndrome and other aneuploidies has advanced significantly since its advent in the 1980s. Antenatal screening for Down syndrome began by selecting women older than age 35 years as candidates for amniocentesis. Maternal serum screening for Down syndrome in the second trimester started in the mid-1980s, with low levels of the analyte alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) associated with an increased risk of fetal Down syndrome. The panel of serum analytes has expanded considerably and generally includes four markers, known as the “quad test,” comprised of AFP, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), unconjugated estriol, and most recently, inhibin-A. Second-trimester multiple-marker screening and maternal age remain the standard-of-care in prenatal screening for Down syndrome throughout the United States today, although they can detect only 55% (the double screen) to 76% (the quad test) of Down syndrome cases, with a 5% false-positive rate (FPR). Much emphasis in Down syndrome screening research has been placed on finding protocols that increase the detection rate and make screening available at an earlier time in pregnancy. The most significant advance in this front came in the early 1990s, with the ultrasonography marker nuchal translucency (NT) at 10 to 14 weeks’ gestation, in combination with maternal serum markers of free beta-hCG and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A). This review focuses on ultrasonographic screening for Down syndrome in the first trimester. Fetal NT refers to the normal subcutaneous fluid-filled space between the back of the neck and the overlying skin (Fig. …
Sex differences in evaluation and outcome after stress testing.

Objective To examine sex differences in evaluation and outcome after stress testing for coronary artery disease (CAD) in a geographically defined cohort. Subjects and Methods Subjects were residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, who underwent an initial stress test between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 1990. End points included referral for coronary angiography, death, and cardiac events, defined as cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or congestive heart failure. Results A total of 2276 men and 1270 women underwent stress tests. Women were older and had more risk factors and comorbidities ( P P P =.008). After adjusting for the predicted probability of CAD, this association was no longer detected (adjusted OR for male sex, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.26-1.73; P =.41). Among persons with documented CAD, no sex difference was noted. After a mean ± SD follow-up of 7.6±2.7 years and among persons without documented CAD, male sex was associated with a higher adjusted risk of death (relative risk for male sex, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.05-1.86; P =.02) and cardiac events (relative risk for male sex, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.24-2.26; P CONCLUSION This population-based study of evaluation and outcome after an initial stress test indicates that, when the diagnosis of CAD was not established, there was a greater use of angiography among men with positive stress test results. This finding could be reasonably attributed to the increased probability of CAD in men. In the absence of documented CAD, men fared worse than women, with a greater adjusted risk of death and cardiac events. Among persons with documented CAD, no sex difference in use of angiography and outcome was noted.
The Case for Institutional Economics

This paper begins with a personal comment, which admittedly is unprofessional. But there is no escape. I declare myself to be an institutional economist, though with occasional backward glances and some residue of earlier mainstream indoctrination. The conversion from mainstream to institutional economics was not sudden, like St. Paul's conversion to Christianity or George Bush's conversion to voodoo economics. It occurred slowly over several decades. It was the result of two influences.
Direct carbon-carbon bond formation via soft enolization: a facile and efficient synthesis of 1,3-diketones.

Ketones undergo soft enolate formation and acylation on treatment with MgBr2·OEt2, i-Pr2NEt, and various acylating agents to give 1,3-diketones. The process is particularly efficient for N-acylbenzotriazoles and O-Pfp esters, and, in these cases, is conducted with untreated, reagent-grade CH2Cl2 open to the air, thus providing an exceptionally simple approach to the synthesis of this important class of compounds.
Supply Dynamics: The Case of U.S. Broilers and Turkeys

Supply dynamics have received considerable attention in agricultural economics (Nerlove 1979; Askari and Cummings). Many econometric models incorporate adjustment mechanisms that allow desired and actual states to be different. Usually, the adjustment process is specified as a distributed lag model (Griliches). A common expectation formula is the Nerlove adaptive model, which assumes that at each period the expected price is changed by an amount proportional to the most recently observed forecast error, implying a geometrically declining distributed lag (Nerlove 1958). This model has become popular in econometric modeling partly because it ties in well with statistical theory in optimal prediction. Another hypothesis leading to the same reduced form (except for the error term structure) is the partial adjustment model (Griliches, Fromm). It states that only some fixed fraction of the "desired" adjustment is accomplished within any particular time period. It assumes the existence of some adjustment costs to explain the observed response inertia. More complex expectation formulations or partial adjustment mechanisms lead to more complicated lag structures. Unfortunately, economic theory provides little guidance to model builders on their adjustment processes. The particular forms are normally selected arbitrarily by each investigator. Some "flexible" lag distributions have been applied (e.g., Almon, Shiller). However, there are statistical difficulties in distinguishing among various plausible lag models from the data alone. Griliches writes
Determination of conformation and orientation of immobilized peptides and proteins at buried interfaces

Abstract Surface immobilized peptides/proteins have important applications such as antimicrobial coating and biosensing. We report a study of such peptides/proteins using sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy and ATR-FTIR. Immobilization on surfaces via physical adsorption and chemical coupling revealed that structures of chemically immobilized peptides are determined by immobilization sites, chemical environments, and substrate surfaces. In addition, controlling enzyme orientation by engineering the surface immobilization site demonstrated that structures can be well-correlated to measured chemical activity. This research facilitates the development of immobilized peptides/proteins with improved activities by optimizing their surface orientation and structure.
Viscoelastic properties of alkoxy silane-epoxy interpenetrating networks

Abstract A model epoxy-silane interpenetrating network (IPN) was synthesized to simulate the molecular structure found at the fiber-matrix interphase. The Young's modulus ( E ) of the epoxy-silane IPN was determined through micromechanical analysis both quasi-statically and in the frequency domain. The epoxy-silane IPN was synthesized by diffusion of uncured diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin and bis (p-aminocyclohexyl) methane (PACM) curing agent into spherical particles of condensed and crosslinked 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPS). This IPN composition was chosen to simulate the typical properties of a silane modified interphase found in glass reinforced composites. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that the glass transition temperature ( T g ) of the initial crosslinked siloxane network increases upon cure of the DGEBA and PACM, but was still significantly lower than that of the neat epoxy matrix. Additionally, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used in conjunction with the micromechanical C-Combining Rule to show that the Young's modulus of the epoxy-silane IPN spherical inclusions ( E i ) is decreased in comparison to the Young's modulus of the matrix epoxy ( E m ) at all temperatures. The time-temperature superposition (tTsp) principle was successfully applied to the epoxy-silane IPN to determine viscoelastic properties at high frequencies. The viscoelastic properties of the epoxy-silane IPN may have implications with respect to the ballistic impact resistance of composite structures used for Army applications.
Acceleration theory for 5-40 keV ions at interplanetary shocks

Power-law spectra f(E)∝E−2.7 of < 40 keV suprathermal ions within ∼107 km of propagating interplanetary shocks are explained by diffusive scattering near a plane shock. The theory fits the 25 November 1977 event with a mean free path perpendicular to the shock with is 0.01 AU in front of the shock and less than .0003 AU behind it, for 1 keV ions. The theory predicts a steepening spectrum at higher energies, of the form f(v)∝v−4exp(−ƒλdv/ur) where u = (ΔV)2/2VW depends on the plasma velocity jump ΔV and the plasma speed VW and mean free path λ in front of the shock
Development, reactivity and GFA immunofluorescence of astroglia-containing monolayer cultures from rat cerebrum.

This report describes detailed protocols for the dissociation, seeding and growthin vitro of monolayer cultures derived from neonatal rat cerebrum. Primary cultures derived by using different seeding densities andin vitro ages were examined qualitatively and quantitatively for morphological composition in terms of two major cell classes (flat cells and process-bearing cells) and for the presence within these classes of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA) as detected by immunofluorescence histochemistry. Also examined was the reaction of the cells to serum withdrawal plus the administration of dibutyryl cyclic AMP in terms of the conversion of flat cells into process-bearing cells. Conditions are defined for the generation ofin vitro cell populations, more than 90% of which are GFA-containing flat cells which can all be experimentally converted into cells with processes. These well-defined culture preparations will serve as useful models for future studies of astroglial behaviour.
Parton-transverse-momentum effects and the quantum-chromodynamic description of high- p T processes

Previous calculations have shown that quantum chromodynamics can successfully describe the behavior of high-p/sub T/ single-particle inclusive processes in the region ..sqrt..d > or approx. = 50 GeV and p/sub T/ > or approx. = 5 GeV/c. Here it is shown that this region can be enlarged significantly by including effects due to parton transverse momenta.
The Effect of Subacute Marijuana Smoke Inhalation on Experimentally Induced Dermonecrosis by S. Aureus Infection

Dermonecrosis was induced in ICR mice by subcutaneous implantation of Staphylococcus aureus absorbed onto sterile cotton pellets. This model was used to assess the effects of marijuana smoke, marijuana placebo smoke and delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC) on the local immune response to bacterial infection. Mice were exposed to 40 or 80 "puffs" of marijuana smoke, marijuana placebo smoke or air daily for 4 consecutive days. The estimated dose of delta 9THC per day generated from 40 or 80 puffs of marijuana smoke was 3.2 and 6.4 mg/kg, respectively. A group of sentinel (Shelf) control mice were included in each experiment. The necrotic index (NI) of mice exposed to 40 or 80 puffs of marijuana smoke were 67% and 44% of control, respectively. Air exposed mice showed a necrotic index comparable to the shelf control group. In chronically (60 days) exposed mice (80 puffs per day) the necrotic index was about 12% of control, while air-exposed mice were about 40% of control. Placebo marijuana smoke exposed mice had a NI comparable to that of marijuana smoke exposed mice which suggested that the reduction in NI was unrelated to the pychomimetic component delta 9THC. To further explore which of the constituents of marijuana were responsible for the decreased NI, the ethanol extract from marijuana leaves was partioned between water (cannabinoid free) and chloroform (cannabinoid rich). Injection of the cannabinoid free fraction produced comparable decrease in the NI as observed with whole marijuana smoke, while the cannabinoid rich fraction produced no effect. delta 9THC at a dose of 10 mg/kg per day did not alter the NI.
Sex-based differences in the inflammatory profile of peripheral artery disease and the association with primary patency of lower extremity vein bypass grafts.

Objective This study was conducted to determine if there are sex-based differences in the inflammatory phenotype of patients undergoing lower extremity bypass (LEB) and if they correlate with clinical outcomes. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort of 225 patients (161 men and 64 women) who underwent autogenous vein LEB between February 2004 and May 2008. Fasting baseline blood samples were obtained before LEB, and the inflammatory biomarkers high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen were assessed. All patients underwent ultrasound graft surveillance. CRP levels were dichotomized at 5 mg/L and fibrinogen levels at 600 mg/dL. Results There were no significant differences in age, race, history of hypertension or diabetes mellitus, body mass index, or coronary artery disease between men and women. Men were more likely to be current smokers (P = .02), have a history of hypercholesterolemia (P = .02), and be taking statins (P = .02). Women were more likely to present with critical limb ischemia (P = .03) and had higher median baseline CRP levels (5.15 mg/L; interquartile range [IQR], 1.51-18.62 mg/L) than men (2.70; IQR, 1.24-6.98 mg/L; P = .02). Median follow-up was 893 days (IQR, 539-1315 days). A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model for primary vein graft patency showed a significant interaction between sex and CRP (P = .03) and fibrinogen (P = .02). After adjustment for key covariates, primary vein graft patency was significantly less in women with CRP >5 mg/L compared with women with CRP 600 mg/dL vs women with fibrinogen Conclusions Women undergoing LEB for advanced peripheral artery disease have a different inflammatory phenotype than men. Elevated baseline levels of CRP and fibrinogen are associated with inferior vein graft patency in women but not in men. These findings indicate an important interaction between sex and inflammation in the healing response of vein grafts for LEB. Women with elevated preoperative CRP and fibrinogen levels may benefit from more intensive postoperative graft surveillance protocols.
The thermodynamics of water-protein interactions

Abstract Information about the effects of water on protein structure and function can be obtained from studies on freeze dried protein powders of varying water content. Sorption isotherms of water on proteins can be used to obtain thermodynamic quantities for water-protein interactions. Since such isotherms show hysteresis, there is doubt in regard to their interpretation. General expressions for the thermodynamic quantities of sorption are derived. If isotherms represent data at equilibrium, it is possible to calculate these thermodynamic quantities. There are two types of hysteresis, non-equilibrium hysteresis and equilibrium hysteresis. Absorption and desorption isotherms can show equilibrium hysteresis if different protein conformations, which are only slowly interconvertible, can be present. In this case valid thermodynamic quantities can be obtained. Experimental tests for equilibrium hysteresis are presented. More experiments are needed before definite conclusions can be drawn in regard to isotherms in the literature. If the protein conformation in a protein powder is similar to the protein conformation in aqueous solution, equilibrium data obtained from sorption isotherms can be used to approximate thermodynamic quantities for the interaction of water with proteins in aqueous solution. Examination of what experimental evidence is available indicates that the protein in powders prepared by desorption of water should have a conformation similar to that in solution. Further study of such samples will help to clarify the thermodynamics of water-protein interactions in aqueous solution.
Nothing but gloom: Women and academia in the new Germany

The real losers in restructuring the former East German university system are women scholars. Women are not only the first to lose their positions in the process of Abwicklung they are also the last to be considered in the new stage of rebuilding the university system. Thus the politics of Abwicklung, has to be understood as a microcosm of the gendered nature of German unification as a whole. Unification has provided German conservatives the opportunity to roll back not only the social policies of the east, but also the feminist achievements in the west. While this process may, because of the specificity of unification, be restricted to the German situation, nevertheless many studies show that even without the process of unification, women in virtually all former eastern European countries are experiencing their ‘forced’ return to the private sphere.
The effect of distributive goals on the time inconsistency of optimal taxes

Abstract In the context of a two-period, N-consumer model of optimal wage and interest taxation, this paper asks whether the government's distributive goals can inhibit its incentives to renege on its announced policies. Inconsistent interest tax increases may be moderated by distributed goals if they create an unacceptable utility distribution in the economy. This result is developed for a general case. Its implications for welfare and savings are illustrated with numerical examples.
Sears’ repair of its auto service image: Image restoration discourse in the corporate sector

Jim Conran of the California Department of Consumer Affairs accused Sears’ auto repair centers of overcharging their customers. This accusation raised serious questions about whether Sears’ customers could really “Count On Sears” as its advertisements had assured us for years. I analyze this persuasive attack and apply the theory of image restoration discourse to Sears’ attempt to restore its tarnished reputation. I argue that the accusations were persuasive, while Sears’ response—especially its initial response—was weak.
Neoclassical Practice and the Collapse of Industry in Zimbabwe: The Cases of Textiles, Clothing, and Footwear*

05401-4170 Abstract: The World Bank predicted that export-oriented, labor-intensive manu- facturing industries, such as textiles, clothing, and footwear, would expand rapidly once Zimbabwe liberalized its economy under structural adjustment. In sharp con- trast to these predictions, however, these subsectors have all but collapsed. A large part of the reason for this disjuncture between neoclassical theory and reality relates to a misunderstanding of the way in which markets, particularly those of trade and finance, interact with production in particular contexts. More appro- priate alternative approaches to economic development in Africa must take account of how economic and political actions are embedded in a geographic and politico- economic context.
Direct and sensitizing effects of serotonin agonists and antagonists on vascular smooth muscle.

SummarySerotonin has several effects on vascular smooth muscle. In most vascular beds it causes vasoconstriction, but under the proper conditions it can cause vasodilatation. The constrictor response is a result of activation of specific receptors on the vascular smooth muscle, whereas the vasodilat
Iron uptake from transferrin by isolated hepatocytes: Effect of ethanol

Freshly isolated rat hepatocytes incubated with highly purified 59Fe-labelled diferric 125I-rat transferrin for 90 minutes in the presence of 10 mM ethanol took up significantly less 59Fe than did cells incubated without ethanol, while producing a significantly greater reduction of the pH of the incubation medium. Total transferrin binding was equivalent in both groups, but the molecular ratio of iron:transferrin on cell membranes isolated after 90 minutes was markedly reduced in the presence of ethanol, suggesting increased retention of apotransferrin. These data are compatible with the hypothesis that iron uptake from transferrin by hepatocytes is mediated by a pH dependent transferrin receptor mechanism similar to that in reticulocytes.
Magnetic Resonance and Microfluidics

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a well-established clinical tool that is routinely used to locate cartilage or ligament damage, cancerous lesions, and blood vessel occlusions; when combined with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), it can even map brain function. The image contrast in MRI instruments comes from the change in orientation of the rotational axis (precession) of atomic nuclei in a magnetic field, and can be adjusted to selectively image tissues on the basis of oxygen content, diffusivity, flow velocity, and other properties. Microfluidic “lab-on-a-chip” (LOC) devices represent an emerging technology with potential applications in medical diagnostics. These devices flow samples (which often consist of suspensions of cells) and reagents through miniaturized chemical reactors, and are typically fabricated via lithographic methods similar to those used in microelectronics. Although in principle, MRI should be the ideal tool for monitoring reactions on LOC devices, in practice this turns out to be notoriously difficult because of limitations in sensitivity and resolution. On page 1078 of this issue, Bajaj et al. ( 1 ) present an ingenious method that allows sensitive MRI measurements on an LOC device by recording magnetic resonance signals from the spent fluid that exits the device.
Effect of Pressure on the Spontaneous and Stimulated Emission from GaAs

The spontaneous and stimulated emission from diodes of GaAs has been studied at room and liquid-nitrogen temperatures as a function of hydrostatic pressure up to 8 kbar. The displacement with pressure of the spontaneous emission peak is +1.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ eV/bar which agrees with the pressure coefficient of the energy gap in GaAs and of analogous energy gaps in group 3-5 compounds. The constancy of the linewidth with pressure suggests that an electron distribution in the conduction band is not responsible for the linewidth. Changes with pressure in the energy and intensity of lower energy emission lines provide information on the nature of the electronic transitions involved. Mode spikes of stimulated emission change energy with pressure as the crystal dimensions and the refractive index decrease, and these changes have been correlated with subsidiary measurements of the pressure coefficient of the index found from interference fringes. Suggestions for further informative measurements on other materials are made.
Solution Structure of the KIX Domain of CBP Bound to the Transactivation Domain of c-Myb

The hematopoietic transcription factor c-Myb activates transcription of target genes through direct interactions with the KIX domain of the co-activator CBP. The solution structure of the KIX domain in complex with the activation domain of c-Myb reveals a helical structure very similar to that adopted by KIX in complex with the phosphorylated kinase inducible domain (pKID) of CREB. While pKID contains two helices, alphaA and alphaB, which interact with KIX, the structure of bound c-Myb reveals a single bent amphipathic helix that binds in the same hydrophobic groove as the alphaB helix of pKID. The affinity of c-Myb for KIX is lower than that of pKID, and relies more heavily on optimal interactions of the single helix of c-Myb with residues in the hydrophobic groove. In particular, a deep hydrophobic pocket in KIX accounts for more than half the interactions with c-Myb observed by NMR. A bend in the alpha-helix of c-Myb enables a critical leucine side-chain to penetrate into this pocket more deeply than the equivalent leucine residue of pKID. The components that mediate the higher affinity of pKID for KIX, i.e. the phosphate group and the alphaA helix, are absent from c-Myb. Results from isothermal titration calorimetry, together with the structural data, point to a key difference between the two complexes in optimal pH for binding, as a result of differential pH-dependent interactions with histidine residues of KIX. These results explain the structural and thermodynamic basis for the observed constitutive versus inducible activation properties of c-Myb and CREB.
An Archaeological Perspective on Shoshonean Bands1

The prehistoric archaeology of the Reese River Valley in the central Great Basin strongly indicates that a Shoshonean-like settlement pattern has existed for approximately 4500 years in this vicinity. A comparison of the prehistoric demography and ecology with similar patterns among modem primitive groups suggests that the post-marital residence pattern of the prehistoric Shoshoneans was most probably bilateral and rather flexible, as originally suggested by Julian Steward. If this interpretation is correct, then it contradicts Elman Service's 1962 hypothesis of patrilocal bands among the preconlact Shoshoneans. No attempt is made to confront the ideological models of the prehistoric Shoshoneans, for modern scientific archaeology can presently consider only etic phenomena. If archeologists and ethnologists are to overcome the limitations of their observational fields and contribute to the general field of anthropology, they must develop methods which will allow explanatory propositions regarding the operation of cultural systems to be tested by both archeological and ethnographic data. [L. R. Binford 1968a:269]
Research on Information Processing with Dynamic Adaptive Job Scheduling Algorithm Based on Hadoop Platform

Job scheduling and resource allocation problems relate to the overall performance and resource utilization of Hadoop platform. This paper proposes a dynamic adaptive job scheduling algorithm based on Hadoop platform. This algorithm monitors the change of each computing resource nodes in real time. And through the feedback mechanism pass this information to the control node. It implements the purpose of assign the optimal resource for each of tasks.
Gamow-teller strength functions with the Lanczos algorithm

Abstract A review of calculations of GT (Gamow-Teller) strength functions using the Lanczos algorithm is presented for the nuclei 26 Mg, 54 Fe, 56 Fe, 58 Ni, 60 Ni, and 90 Zr. A comparison with experimental results is made in each case using the PMM (all cases) and Chung-Wildenthal ( 26 Mg only) Hamiltonians. The finding is that in general the agreement between the experimental and theoretical shapes ranges from good to excellent but the theoretical total strengths are too large by a factor of .45 to .55, the so-called GT quenching factor. The introduction of a limited set of 2p/2h parent-state correlations for Zr did not materially change this finding. However only a central force was used in all calculations presented here (except for 26 Mg) and it is possible that (for example) a tensor force in combination with more extended 2p/2h parent state correlations would lead to a highly dispersed GT strength for excitations in the region 15 Mev to 60 Mev or even higher, in consonance with the predictions of Arima and Bertstch and Hamamoto. An important caveat issuing from the present work is the need to ensure the consistency of the parent and daughter shell model bases as otherwise an unphysical dispersal of the Fermi strength as well as an equally unphysical enhancement and displacement of GT strength to high excitation energies (E x > 20 MeV) can occur.
The city manager as a leader of policy

Should the city manager be a leader in the formulation of policy? Is it proper that he should be “in politics”? Or must he remain merely an executive responsible for routine operation only?
The role of managed care and financing in medical practices: how does psychiatry differ from other medical fields?

Background: The organization and financing of medical practice has experienced substantial changes during the past decade. Today the majority of individuals with private insurance are enrolled in managed care plans and traditional indemnity insurance is only predominant among Medicare enrollees. At the same time that managed care was growing in general, there was also substantial growth in the number of managed care companies specializing in behavioral health care and separating them out ("carved-out") from other medical care.While it is clear that these changes in managed care penetration and financing arrangements have affected physicians and the way they practice medicine, it is less clear whether there has been a differential effect across physician types. Method: Data are from the Community Tracking Study (CTS) physician survey, a national survey of active physicians in the United States fielded between August 1998 and November 1999. To be eligible, physicians had to have completed their medical training (which excludes residents, interns, or fellows), be practicing in the contiguous United States, and be providing direct patient care for at least 20h per week. The total number of completed interviews was 12,304, including 566 psychiatrists, 7,217 primary care physicians, and 4,521 other medical or surgical specialists. Consistent with the previous literature, our analysis is primarily descriptive presenting weighted means and odds ratios from multivariate models. Results: Psychiatrists are significantly less likely than primary care physicians or other specialists to agree with the statements that clinical decisions in the interest of their patients do not reduce income. Further, in comparison to primary care physicians, psychiatrists are less likely to agree that it is possible to maintain continuing relationships with patients over time that promote the delivery of high quality care and that they have the freedom to make clinical decisions that meet their patients’ needs. In contrast to the perceived impacts on practice, psychiatrists tend to work in practices with a lower dependence on managed care than either other specialists or primary care physicians. Regarding individual physician compensation among non-owners, psychiatrists are less likely than other physicians to have their income adjusted based on individual productivity. Conclusions: Psychiatrists are more concerned that managed care has a negative impact on patient-provider relationships than other physicians; however, based on the available measures of financing and organization, psychiatrists are less dependent on managed care. This may suggest that other aspects of managed care, such as pre-authorization and gatekeeping, that disproportionately affect specialists are driving psychiatrists’ perceptions of the patient-provider relationship.
Area integral estimates for solutions and normalized adjoint solutions to nondivergence form elliptic equations

We show that theLp norms, 0<p<∞, of the nontangenital maximal function and area integral of solutions and normalized adjoint solutions to second order nondivergence form elliptic equations, are comparable when integrated on the boundary of a Lipschitz domain with respect to measures, which are respectivelyA∞ with respect to the corresponding harmonic measure or normalized harmonic measure.
Anthropogenic inventories and historical and present accumulation rates of copper in Great Lakes sediments

Abstract Sediment cores were collected from depositional basins in lakes Michigan, Ontario and Superior to assess spatial and temporal variations in Cu accumulation rates and inventories. Sediment chronologies were determined via 210 Pb dating, and 210 Pb inventories were used to correct for the effects of sediment focusing. Among the lakes studied, Cu loading histories generally decrease to the present, signifying a regional reduction in the anthropogenic release of Cu to the environment. Focusing-corrected Cu accumulation rates in surficial sediments vary significantly within lakes Michigan and Ontario, suggesting that recent inputs of Cu to these 2 lakes may have been dominated by localized sources. Variations in Cu accumulation rates within Lake Superior are interpreted to be insignificant, suggesting either that Lake Superior is well-mixed with respect to copper inputs or that the lake is dominated by a single source for Cu. Recent measurements of atmospheric fluxes of Cu within the Great Lakes region generally indicate that the atmosphere accounts for less than 50% of the Cu accumulating in surficial sediments. Historical Cu accumulation rates from Lake Superior are poorly correlated with Cu production associated with local smelters, but favorably agree with national production rates. Trends in historical Cu accumulation rates within all 3 lakes may indicate that recent declines in Cu loading can be attributed to the enactment of stricter environmental regulations as well as changes in the use of Cu. Focusing-corrected Cu inventories in lakes Michigan, Ontario, and Superior are generally invariant within a given lake, indicating that, historically, these lakes have been dominated either by a single source or were well-mixed with respect to Cu inputs. The disparity between the results from recent accumulation rates and historical inventories may reflect differences in how the Great Lakes respond to contaminant loading on short (e.g. years) versus long (e.g. decades) timescales.
Evaluation of Yucca Saponin on Broiler Performance and Ammonia Suppression

Abstract DSS40 yucca saponin was fed at 63 ppm (approximately .9 ppm active steroid saponin) in an experiment using 768 commercial male broilers to evaluate its effects on broiler performance and suppression of ammonia release from poultry manure. Broilers receiving yucca saponin were significantly heavier than controls at 28 and 51 days of age. There were no significant differences in feed efficiency, mortality, shank pigmentation, or ammonia levels.
Tumor infiltrating Foxp3+ regulatory T‐cells are associated with recurrence in pathologic stage I NSCLC patients

BACKGROUND. Early stage lung cancer has a variable prognosis, and there are currently no markers that predict which patients will recur. This study examined the relation between tumor-regulatory T (Treg) cells and total tumor-infiltrating T-cell lymphocytes (TIL) to determine whether they correlated with recurrence. METHODS. The authors reviewed all patients in our tissue databank from 1996 to 2001 and identified 64 consecutive pathologic stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who had surgical resection and at least a 2.5 years disease-free follow-up or documented recurrence within 2 years. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed on paraffin-embedded lung cancer tissue and the relation between Treg cells, TIL, and disease-specific survival was determined. A risk index was devised deductively for various possible combinations of Treg cells and TIL. RESULTS. Treg cells and TIL were detected in 33 of 64 (51%) and 53 of 64 (83%) patients, respectively. When data were analyzed by using a Treg/TIL Combination Risk Index, patients with high-risk and intermediate-risk indices had hazard ratios of 8.2 (P = .007) and 3.3 (P = .109), respectively. CONCLUSIONS. Patients with stage I NSCLC who have a higher proportion of tumor Treg cells relative to TIL had a significantly higher risk of recurrence. These data may be useful, particularly if combined with a panel of tumor markers, to suggest at the time of diagnosis which patients with seemingly early-stage NSCLC will relapse. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Static and transition magnetic moments of charmed baryons in the quark model

We obtain expressions for the static and transition magnetic moments of charmed baryons in the quark model. Our results reduce to those of previous calculations as special cases.
Guarding the gateway to cortex with attention in visual thalamus

The massive visual input from the eye to the brain requires selective processing of some visual information at the expense of other information, a process referred to as visual attention. Increases in the responses of visual neurons with attention have been extensively studied along the visual processing streams in monkey cerebral cortex, from primary visual areas to parietal and frontal cortex. Here we show, by recording neurons in attending macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta), that attention modulates visual signals before they even reach cortex by increasing responses of both magnocellular and parvocellular neurons in the first relay between retina and cortex, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). At the same time, attention decreases neuronal responses in the adjacent thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). Crick argued for such modulation of the LGN by observing that it is inhibited by the TRN, and suggested that "if the thalamus is the gateway to the cortex, the reticular complex might be described as the guardian of the gateway", a reciprocal relationship we now show to be more than just hypothesis. The reciprocal modulation in LGN and TRN appears only during the initial visual response, but the modulation of LGN reappears later in the response, suggesting separate early and late sources of attentional modulation in LGN.
Are we getting closer to the treatment of rabies

Rabies is a top-ten infectious killer and is newly re-emergent worldwide. Focusing on the unique aspects of the pathophysiology and immunology of rabies, we improvised a strategy that led to the first survivor of rabies without rabies prophylaxis. Our data support the long-standing speculation that rabies is a disorder of neurotransmission. Improvements in human survival have better delineated the immune and metabolic responses to rabies. We anticipate a new generation of rabies biologicals in the very near future, as well as the more remote possibility of rescue monoclonal antibodies engineered from several recent survivors of human rabies. The general approach to rabies treatment serves as a model for a more complex, physiological approach to treating infectious neurological disorders.
The Multidimensional Nature of Antiviral Innate Immunity

Viruses possess elaborate defensive mechanisms to evade host innate immune responses. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Stavrou et al. (2015) reveal how the murine leukemia virus uses a sugar-protein shield to protect from inevitable destruction by cellular innate immune factors including the APOBEC3 DNA mutating enzyme.
Acute oxalate nephropathy associated with Clostridium difficile colitis.

We report the case of a 69-year-old man who presented with acute kidney injury in the setting of community-acquired Clostridium difficile– associated diarrhea and biopsy-proven acute oxalate nephropathy. We discuss potential mechanisms, including increased colonic permeability to oxalate. We conclude that C difficile– associated diarrhea is a potential cause of acute oxalate nephropathy.
“On A Nutrition Mission”: A Nutrition Musical for Children

Abstract Ninety-five percent of the young clients who are referred to the community dietitian at this regional medical center exceed the 100th percentile weight-for-height. Obesity and other poor nutritional habits contribute to the six leading causes of death and disability in our state as reported by our state dietetic association. Early prevention strategies will not only save our state and our nation millions of dollars in health care costs but more importantly will improve quality of life for generations to come. With this in mind, a 40-minute live nutrition musical entitled "On a Nutrition Mission" (OANM) was created for children ages six to twelve. The idea for this unique project was developed by the community dietitian who wanted to increase nutrition awareness in school-aged children. The musical was written by a local, well-respected professor/playwright who collaborated with the community dietitian. The USDA's Food Guide Pyramid and the US Dietary Guidelines were used as the basis for the content. Entertainment was chosen as the educational medium because it is an effective teaching tool as evidenced by the popularity of shows such as "Barney and Friends" and "Sesame Street" and supported by Dr. Howard Gardener's "Project Zero" ( Cogitare vol. IV, number 1, Fall 1989). OANM is entertaining, appeals to many types of learners and helps supplement textbook learning. OANM is taken to each elementary school and performed in the school's gymnasium. A professionally recorded background soundtrack is provided during the songs with actors providing the vocals. The audience is asked to participate at several points during the show to help reinforce the information provided. By the end of the show, the elementary school students have been led through basic nutrition information in an entertaining and informative way. Approximately 12,000 elementary school children will be reached when all 20 elementary schools have been visited with the live performance. To date, 2,000 children have viewed OANM. Five hundred of these students have been given both a pre- and post-test to evaluate the musical's effect on nutrition knowledge. There was a significant improvement in knowledge between the pre- and post-test (p
Distinct Roles of β-Arrestin 1 and β-Arrestin 2 in ORG27569-induced Biased Signaling and Internalization of the Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CB1)

The cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) is a G protein-coupled receptor primarily expressed in brain tissue that has been implicated in several disease states. CB1 allosteric compounds, such as ORG27569, offer enormous potential as drugs over orthosteric ligands, but their mechanistic, structural, and downstream effects upon receptor binding have not been established. Previously, we showed that ORG27569 enhances agonist binding affinity to CB1 but inhibits G protein-dependent agonist signaling efficacy in HEK293 cells and rat brain expressing the CB1 receptor (Ahn, K. H., Mahmoud, M. M., and Kendall, D. A. (2012) J. Biol. Chem. 287, 12070–12082). Here, we identify the mediators of CB1 receptor internalization and ORG27569-induced G protein-independent signaling. Using siRNA technology, we elucidate an ORG27569-induced signaling mechanism for CB1 wherein β-arrestin 1 mediates short term signaling to ERK1/2 with a peak at 5 min and other upstream kinase components including MEK1/2 and c-Src. Consistent with these findings, we demonstrate co-localization of CB1-GFP with red fluorescent protein-β-arrestin 1 upon ORG27569 treatment using confocal microscopy. In contrast, we show the critical role of β-arrestin 2 in CB1 receptor internalization upon treatment with CP55940 (agonist) or treatment with ORG27569. These results demonstrate for the first time the involvement of β-arrestin in CB1-biased signaling by a CB1 allosteric modulator and also define the differential role of the two β-arrestin isoforms in CB1 signaling and internalization.