cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Berge equilibrium: some recent results from fixed-point theorems

The notion of Berge equilibrium is a generalization of Nash equilibrium, which has its theoretical basis in fixed point theorems. We point out parallel but novel results for the Berge theory and also show many illustrative examples. Some relation to the prisoners' dilemma is shown as well. The results here generalize those of Radjef and the authors.
Understanding Metabolic Homeostasis and Imbalance: What Is the Role of the Endocannabinoid System?

Endogenous endocannabinoids (ECs) (anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol) are part of the leptin-regulated neural circuitry involved in appetite regulation. One of the sites of the orexigenic action of ECs involves activation of cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptors in the lateral hypothalamus, from which neurons involved in mediating food reward project into the limbic system. In animal models of obesity, pharmacologic blockade or genetic ablation of CB1 receptors causes a transient reduction in food intake accompanied by sustained weight loss, reduced adiposity, and reversal of hormonal/metabolic changes, such as elevated levels of plasma leptin, insulin, glucose, and triglyceride, and reduced levels of plasma adiponectin (Acrp30). However, the beneficial effects of CB1 blockade on weight and metabolism cannot be explained by appetite suppression alone. Animal studies suggest that CB1 blockade exerts a direct peripheral as well as a central effect on fat metabolism. CB1 receptor blockade with rimonabant has been shown to not only reduce weight and adiposity but also to directly modulate fat metabolism at peripheral sites in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and the liver. Preclinical animal studies suggest that CB1 blockade acts on adipocytes to increase Acrp30 expression, on hepatocytes to decrease de novo lipogenesis and increase fatty acid oxidation, and on skeletal muscle to reduce blood glucose and insulin levels. Extrapolating from animal studies to the clinic, CB1 receptor blockade offers a promising strategy not only for reducing weight and abdominal adiposity but also for preventing and reversing its metabolic consequences.
Efficient implementation of quadrilaterals with high coarse-mesh accuracy

Abstract Quadrilateral elements for plane stress and strain are formulated so as to achieve high coarse-mesh accuracy, particularly for bending problems and incompressible materials. The Hu-Washizu variational principle is used in conjunction with an orthogonal projection so that the resulting element stiffness requires no matrix inversions. Results are given for several problems, including distorted meshes, and the elements exhibit excellent performance for coarse meshes.
Four new species of Sapindaceae from the Guianas

Four new species of Sapindaceae from the Guianas, South America, are described, illustrated and contrasted with their putative, relatives: Matayba ayangannensis Acev.-Rodr. a small shrub from Mt. Ayanganna, Guyana; and Paullinia degranvillei Acev.-Rodr., Paullinia oldemanii Acev.-Rodr., and Paullinia prevostiana Acev.-Rodr., three species of lianas from French Guiana.
Energy storage in a motor: Combined high temperature superconductor and flywheel energy storage

Energy storage is needed to fill the gap when variable power energy production systems are offline. This project is to study an energy storage device using high temperature superconducting (HTS) windings. The design will store energy as mechanical and as electrical energy. Mechanical energy will be stored as inertia in the mass of the spinning rotor. This inertial energy storage is very similar to a flywheel. Magnetic energy will be stored in the motor's rotor windings and possibly in the field windings. Energy stored in these windings will create a magnetic field to store energy proportional to the current and number of turns in the coils and will also spin the flywheel / rotor. This design study is to determine the amount of energy that can be stored in the device and estimate the losses resulting from the spinning mass of the rotor and the peripheral devices needed for operation.
Catalytic synthesis of 2,6-dimethylphenol from methanol and KA-oil over magnesium oxide catalysts

Abstract Catalytic synthesis of 2,6-dimethylphenol from methanol and KA-oil (mixture of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone) was achieved by using magnesium oxide-supported chromium oxide catalysts in one step. The activity of Cr/MgO catalysts depended on the concentration of chromium. At high conversion (>90%), dimethylphenol was formed in high yield (>60%) with minor amounts of methylated cyclohexanol and/or cyclohexanone, which may further be reacted to form the desired product.
Thermal inactivation of bacterial viruses.

Abstract The temperature inactivation of T-1, T-2, T-3, and T-7 bacteriophage follows simple logarithmic relation. Values of heat change, free-energy change, and entropy change to reach the activated state have been deduced. The entropy change differs from phage to phage very markedly at pH 6.8. The entropy change is close to zero for dry phages. The free energy is not the same as when wet and this accounts for the unstability of some dry phages at room temperature. All dry phages are effectively stable at low temperatures. A possible relation between entropy change and serological properties is indicated.
SU‐FF‐J‐32: Breathing Characteristics of Patients Undergoing Long Treatment Sessions

Purpose: To quantify the constancy of patient respiratory motion over the long treatment times required for high dose stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT) and to assess feasibility of the use of respiratory gating for SBRTMethod and Materials: The respiratory motion of 26 patients undergoing SBRT to spinal sites was tracked for periods between one and two hours. A stereoscopic infra‐red camera tracked reflectors attached to the patient's abdomen, chest and bony areas such as over clavicles, sternum or hips in three dimensions. Variations in the amplitude, period, the mean position of each reflector averaged over several breathing cycles, and phase differences between chest and abdominal reflectors, were examined to monitor for departures from regular diaphragmatic breathing. The fraction of time patients were breathing irregularly between the first and second half of treatment was compared to assess patient tolerance of long treatment times. Results: In general, patients showed similar variability in both amplitude and period. Averaged over patients, the percent standard deviations were 30.6% and 29.4% respectively. Changes in relative amplitudes between the abdominal and chest markers, an indicator of a change from diaphragmatic to chest breathing, were infrequent. No increase in the frequency of chest breathing was observed with time. The standard deviation of the amplitudes and periods in the first half of the data was not significantly different from those in the second half, indicating no overall changes in breathing patterns. Conclusion: In spite of the long treatment times, no significant changes in respiratory patterns, nor increases in irregular breathing, were observed. This indicates that the long treatment time is not a factor in deciding whether or not gating can be used for patients treated to sites affected by respiratory motion.
Structural plasticity and dynamic selectivity of acid-sensing ion channel–spider toxin complexes

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are voltage-independent, amiloride-sensitive channels involved in diverse physiological processes ranging from nociception to taste. Despite the importance of ASICs in physiology, we know little about the mechanism of channel activation. Here we show that psalmotoxin activates non-selective and Na+-selective currents in chicken ASIC1a at pH 7.25 and 5.5, respectively. Crystal structures of ASIC1a–psalmotoxin complexes map the toxin binding site to the extracellular domain and show how toxin binding triggers an expansion of the extracellular vestibule and stabilization of the open channel pore. At pH 7.25 the pore is approximately 10 A in diameter, whereas at pH 5.5 the pore is largely hydrophobic and elliptical in cross-section with dimensions of approximately 5 by 7 A, consistent with a barrier mechanism for ion selectivity. These studies define mechanisms for activation of ASICs, illuminate the basis for dynamic ion selectivity and provide the blueprints for new therapeutic agents. Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are voltage-independent ion channels that participate in a broad range of biological processes, including nociception and mechanosensation; here X-ray crystal structures of the complexes of chicken ASIC1a with psalmotoxin, a peptide toxin from tarantula, indicate that toxin binding triggers an expansion of the extracellular vestibule and stabilization of the open channel pore. Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are members of the epithelial sodium channel/degenerin (ENaC/DEG) superfamily of voltage-independent ion channels. ENaCs, including ASICs, participate in a broad range of biological processes, such as nociception, mechanosensation and regulation of sodium-ion homeostasis. Here, Isabelle Baconguis and Eric Gouaux show that psalmotoxin, a peptide toxin from the tarantula, activates nonselective and sodium-selective currents in chicken ASIC1a. X-ray crystal structures of the chicken ASIC1a–psalmotoxin complexes indicate that toxin binding triggers an expansion of the extracellular vestibule and stabilization of the open channel pore. This view of an important type of ion channel in an open conformation is of relevance to the design of open-channel blockers that might have therapeutic promise for the treatment of pain.
Two-Phase Velocity Distributions and Overall Performance of a Centrifugal Slurry Pump

Back-scattering LDV has been used to investigate particulate two-phase flow in a centrifugal slurry pump. The measurements reported here have been made with a dilute suspension of 0.8 mm glass beads at the impeller-casing flow interface. This interface is of practical importance because the corresponding velocity and concentration results can be used to determine the pump head and flowrate. The present study evaluates the connection between the liquid and solids velocity distribution measured around the impeller and the pump performance determined from measurements at the pump inlet and outlet. The analysis of the velocity triangles for both phases shows the effect of the pump flowrate and inlet recirculation on the pump head at the impeller outlet, as well as the effect of particle slip on pump energy efficiency. A separate group of characteristic curves is proposed to represent the periodical fluctuations of the pump flowrate, head, and loss of efficiency due to particle slip, as a function of the impeller position.
A simple proof for the Chernoff-Savage theorem

Abstract A proof for the Chernoff-Savage theorem is given based on differentiable statistical functionals. It employs no second order differentiability condition.
Increased expression of axogenesis-related genes and mossy fibre length in dentate granule cells from adult HuD overexpressor mice

The neuronal RNA-binding protein HuD plays a critical role in the post-transcriptional regulation of short-lived mRNAs during the initial establishment and remodelling of neural connections. We have generated transgenic mice overexpressing this protein (HuD-Tg) in adult DGCs (dentate granule cells) and shown that their mossy fibres contain high levels of GAP-43 (growth-associated protein 43) and exhibit distinct morphological and electrophysiological properties. To investigate the basis for these changes and identify other molecular targets of HuD, DGCs from HuD-Tg and control mice were collected by LCM (laser capture microscopy) and RNAs analysed using DNA microarrays. Results show that 216 known mRNAs transcripts and 63 ESTs (expressed sequence tags) are significantly up-regulated in DGCs from these transgenic mice. Analyses of the 3'-UTRs (3'-untranslated regions) of these transcripts revealed an increased number of HuD-binding sites and the presence of several known instability-conferring sequences. Among these, the mRNA for TTR (transthyretin) shows the highest level of up-regulation, as confirmed by qRT-PCR (quantitative reverse transcription-PCR) and ISH (in situ hybridization). GO (gene ontology) analyses of up-regulated transcripts revealed a large over-representation of genes associated with neural development and axogenesis. In correlation with these gene expression changes, we found an increased length of the infrapyramidal mossy fibre bundle in HuD-Tg mice. These results support the notion that HuD stabilizes a number of developmentally regulated mRNAs in DGCs, resulting in increased axonal elongation.
Moving from Introverted to Extraverted Embedded Librarian Services: An Example of a Proactive Model

Librarians at Wayne State College have developed an extraverted online embedded librarian model whereby librarians proactively push out content to students at time-appropriate moments. This article outlines why extraverted approaches are more effective than introverted approaches. It also details how to develop an extraverted program. First, librarians must lay the groundwork for their program. Then, after matching librarians to courses, each librarian should utilize course syllabi to create content that is both course and assignment specific before delivering tips to students at just the right moments. Included is discussion on how to develop both text-based and video-based tips. Finally, this article discusses how to maintain your tips for future use. The intent of the model is to reverse the trend of students using only convenient and previously established resources that may not be best suited for their research goals while also emphasizing the value of librarians as resources.
Thermal Neutron Capture Cross Section of Carbon-13

The thermal neutron capture cross section of ${\mathrm{C}}^{13}$ has been determined from the amount of ${\mathrm{C}}^{14}$ formed in pile-irradiated samples of graphite, barium carbonate, and carbon dioxide. Because of the impurity reaction, ${\mathrm{N}}^{14}(n, p){\mathrm{C}}^{14}$, of comparatively high cross section, the results were consistent only when samples were used which were enriched in ${\mathrm{C}}^{13}$.The average isotopic cross section determined for the enriched samples was 1.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 millibarns. The final value of the cross section in these samples corrected for the estimated residual nitrogen impurity is 0.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 millibarn.
Juggling Inputs, Outputs, and Outcomes in the Search for Policy Competence: Recent Experience in Australia

During the mid- to late 1980s, the Labor government in Australia under Prime Minister Bob Hawke distinguished itself by achieving a balance in its budgeting and management approaches. This allowed for focusing on inputs, outputs, and outcomes in tandem. The approach differed considerably from that pursued in New Zealand. There, an overemphasis on outputs introduced serious distortions to the relations between ministers and officials, which reformers in Wellington have subsequently taken strides toward correcting. As often happens with reform movements, the Australian process reached a plateau by the early to mid-1990s. Broadly, officials welcomed a change of government in 1996 with the expectation that the coalition under Prime Minister John Howard would give new impetus to innovative public management. Ironically, this coalition addressed the issues surrounding budgeting and management reform through an unreconstructed 1980s lens, highlighting outputs at the expense of balanced emphasis of inputs and outcomes as well. As suggested by the Labor government's success in the 1980s and the adjustments attempted by New Zealand governments in the 1990s, collective dynamics among and between members of cabinet and officials, respectively, are key to a balanced approach. These dynamics foster a sense of trusteeship whereby participants see that inputs, outputs, and outcomes form part of a seamless web centered on public interest. The analysis of the Coalition's performance so far suggests thhat its efforts at reform have proven retrogressive when evaluated by this standard.
The Impact of Central-Place Theory on Wal-Mart

This study applies central-place theory to the Wal-Martization process. Central-place theory posits that there are laws determining the number, size, and distribution of cities. One of the theory's major premises is its emphasis on the size and spacing of towns that specialize in selling goods and services. The Wal-Mart blueprint has adopted the central-place model in that it follows an ordered region with snowflake-like proportion. For example, the geographic expansion of Wal-Mart stores has been one of diffusing up the urban or metropolitan hierarchy over the years. Overall, the authors of this study conclude that the effectiveness of such spatial/organizational communication has contributed to Wal-Mart's successful expansion worldwide.
A Fuzzy Logic Approach to Assessing Materiality

Auditors may encounter misstatements during the course of an audit, each of which requires a binary materiality assessment. We propose a fuzzy expert system approach that assesses materiality as a continuous characteristic by allowing a misstatement to possess a degree of materiality between 0 and 1. This potentially allows the auditor more flexibility and precision in materiality assessment, and greater insight regarding subsequent testing and investigation. We demonstrate that a fuzzy expert system can help the auditor incorporate qualitative factors into the materiality assessment of each misstatement and identify which misstatements are most worthy of further investigation. The auditor may compare the materiality assessments of all misstatements to plan an audit strategy. By providing a formal model structure, the fuzzy expert system formalizes and documents the materiality assessment process. This may facilitate better communication within the audit team and with the client, and enhances process cons...
Everyone Has to Do It: A joint action approach to managing social inattention

In an always-connected world, managing social inattention - that is, explaining the inability to interact at a particular time - can be as important as coordinating mutual availability. Inattention, particularly if repeated, can have significant relational consequences as it may be considered rude and can lead to painful social outcomes. Prior research has examined the butler lie, one strategy commonly used to manage social inattention while preserving relationships. This paper builds on that via an interview study of 47 participants that qualitatively examines perceptions of butler lies from both the senders' and receivers' perspectives. Participants see butler lies as a common and useful inattention management strategy, but these messages can have a negative effect receivers do not perceive the senders' intentions to be positive. Factors affecting the perception of intent include relationship strength and history, the stakes of the situation, and past behavior. The paper argues that inattention management should be considered a joint coordination problem characterized by a willingness to accept the pragmatic relational meaning of messages, which may differ from their literal semantic meaning. This hints at a collaborative view of deception, in which some interlocutors are aware they are being deceived and willing to accept deception.
Multiple target tracking across reliable multicast wireless networks

This paper presents a novel approach to high-performance video processing that avoids the use of special purpose hardware and achieves parallelism via a distributed system of high- performance workstations. An efficient network protocol allows mobile computers or mobile robots to remotely access the distributed video processing system over low-bandwidth wireless links. Despite the lack of special purpose hardware and expensive computing equipment, the system provides exceptional performance processing data at speeds that approach real-time. The novel contribution of our approach is the ability to process video in compressed format and efficiently distribute video data to a distributed system of workstations for processing. We describe the algorithms employed to achieve these features and demonstrate our approach by showing how it can be applied to two problem domains: multiple target tracking and video archive searching. We present experimental results that show that video data can be efficiently disseminated to a network or workstations with only a small (7%) increase in transfer time. We also show that processing can be performed efficiently (20 fps) directly on the compressed video without social purpose hardware.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Characterization and Comparison of Lidocaine-Tetracaine and Lidocaine-Camphor Eutectic Mixtures Based on Their Crystallization and Hydrogen-Bonding Abilities

Eutectic mixtures formed between active pharmaceutical ingredients and/or excipients provide vast scope for pharmaceutical applications. This study aimed at the exploration of the crystallization abilities of two eutectic mixtures (EM) i.e., lidocaine-tetracaine and lidocaine-camphor (1:1 w/w). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for degradation behavior whereas modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry (MTDSC) set in first heating, cooling, and second heating cycles, was used to qualitatively analyze the complex exothermic and endothermic thermal transitions. Raman microspectroscopy characterized vibrational information specific to chemical bonds. Prepared EMs were left at room temperature for 24 h to visually examine their crystallization potentials. The degradation of lidocaine, tetracaine, camphor, lidocaine-tetracaine EM, and lidocaine-camphor EM began at 196.56, 163.82, 76.86, 146.01, and 42.72°C, respectively, which indicated that eutectic mixtures are less thermostable compared to their individual components. The MTDSC showed crystallization peaks for lidocaine, tetracaine, and camphor at 31.86, 29.36, and 174.02°C, respectively (n = 3). When studying the eutectic mixture, no crystallization peak was observed in the lidocaine-tetracaine EM, but a lidocaine-camphor EM crystallization peak was present at 18.81°C. Crystallization occurred in lidocaine-camphor EM after being kept at room temperature for 24 h, but not in lidocaine-tetracaine EM. Certain peak shifts were observed in Raman spectra which indicated possible interactions of eutectic mixture components, when a eutectic mixture was formed. We found that if the components forming a eutectic mixture have crystallization peaks close to each other and have sufficient hydrogen-bonding capability, then their eutectic mixture is least likely to crystallize out (as seen in lidocaine-tetracaine EM) or vice versa (lidocaine-camphor EM).
The discriminative stimulus effects of naloxone and naltrexone in morphine-treated rhesus monkeys: comparison of oral and subcutaneous administration.

Rationale: Opioid antagonists are used to reverse the toxic effects of opioids, to diagnose opioid dependence and to treat opioid and other (alcohol) drug abuse. Objectives: This study compared the discriminative stimulus effects of two opioid antagonists (naloxone and naltrexone), after parenteral and oral administration. Methods: The discriminative stimulus effects of naloxone and naltrexone were evaluated every 15 min over a 2-h period in four morphine-treated (3.2 mg/kg per day) rhesus monkeys discriminating between subcutaneous (SC) injections of naltrexone (0.01 or 0.032 mg/kg) and saline, while responding under a fixed-ratio 5 schedule of stimulus shock termination. Results: Within 15 min of SC administration, naloxone and naltrexone produced greater than 90% drug-appropriate responding at doses of 0.032 and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. The largest dose of naloxone (3.2 mg/kg) administered orally produced 82% drug-appropriate responding within 90 min; the same dose of naltrexone administered orally produced greater than 90% drug-appropriate responding within 30 min. Although both drugs were at least 100-fold more potent when administered SC, as compared to orally, there was little difference (3-fold) between the potency of naloxone and naltrexone by either route. Conclusions: These results fail to support the view that naloxone has reduced bioavailability after oral administration, as compared to naltrexone, or that its pharmacokinetic profile is particularly advantageous for some therapeutic settings (e.g. Talwin Nx).
A Technique for Rapid Gas Chromatography Analysis Applied to Ambient Organic Aerosol Measurements from the Thermal Desorption Aerosol Gas Chromatograph (TAG)

While automated techniques exist for the integration of individual gas chromatograph peaks, manual inspection of integration quality and peak choice is still required due to drifting retention times and changing peak shapes near detection limits. The feasibility of a simplified method to obtain multiple bulk species classes from complex gas chromatography data is investigated here with data from the thermal desorption aerosol gas chromatograph (TAG). Chromatograms were divided into many “chromatography bins” containing total eluting mass spectra (both from resolved species and unresolved complex mixture [UCM]), instead of only integrating resolved peaks as is performed in the traditional chromatography analysis method. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was applied to the mass spectra of the chromatography bins to determine major factors contributing to the observed chemical composition. PMF factors are not highly sensitive to the specific PMF error estimation method applied. Increasing the number of chr...
Selective loss of RPGRIP1-dependent ciliary targeting of NPHP4, RPGR and SDCCAG8 underlies the degeneration of photoreceptor neurons

The retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) and nephrocystin-4 (NPHP4) comprise two key partners of the assembly complex of the RPGR-interacting protein 1 (RPGRIP1). Mutations in RPGR and NPHP4 are linked to severe multisystemic diseases with strong retinal involvement of photoreceptor neurons, whereas those in RPGRIP1 cause the fulminant photoreceptor dystrophy, Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). Further, mutations in Rpgrip1 and Nphp4 suppress the elaboration of the outer segment compartment of photoreceptor neurons by elusive mechanisms, the understanding of which has critical implications in uncovering the pathogenesis of syndromic retinal dystrophies. Here we show RPGRIP1 localizes to the photoreceptor connecting cilium (CC) distally to the centriole/basal body marker, centrin-2 and the ciliary marker, acetylated-α-tubulin. NPHP4 abuts proximally RPGRIP1, RPGR and the serologically defined colon cancer antigen-8 (SDCCAG8), a protein thought to partake in the RPGRIP1 interactome and implicated also in retinal-renal ciliopathies. Ultrastructurally, RPGRIP1 localizes exclusively throughout the photoreceptor CC and Rpgrip1(nmf247) photoreceptors present shorter cilia with a ruffled membrane. Strikingly, Rpgrip1(nmf247) mice without RPGRIP1 expression lack NPHP4 and RPGR in photoreceptor cilia, whereas the SDCCAG8 and acetylated-α-tubulin ciliary localizations are strongly decreased, even though the NPHP4 and SDCCAG8 expression levels are unaffected and those of acetylated-α-tubulin and γ-tubulin are upregulated. Further, RPGRIP1 loss in photoreceptors shifts the subcellular partitioning of SDCCAG8 and NPHP4 to the membrane fraction associated to the endoplasmic reticulum. Conversely, the ciliary localization of these proteins is unaffected in glomeruli or tubular kidney cells of Rpgrip1(nmf247), but NPHP4 is downregulated developmentally and selectively in kidney cortex. Hence, RPGRIP1 presents cell type-dependent pathological effects crucial to the ciliary targeting and subcellular partitioning of NPHP4, RPGR and SDCCAG8, and acetylation of ciliary α-tubulin or its ciliary targeting, selectively in photoreceptors, but not kidney cells, and these pathological effects underlie photoreceptor degeneration and LCA.
Acute antinociceptive tolerance and partial cross-tolerance to endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 given intrathecally in the mouse.

Abstract The effect of pretreatment with endomorphin-1 (EM-1) or endomorphin-2 (EM-2) given intrathecally (i.t.) on the tail-flick inhibition induced by subsequent i.t. injection of EM-1 or EM-2 was studied in CD-1 mice. Pretreatment with EM-1 (32.7 nmol) for 1–3 h, but not 4 h, attenuated the tail-flick inhibition induced by i.t. EM-1 (16.3 nmol), while pretreatment with EM-2 (70 nmol) for 0.5–1.5 h, but not 2 h, attenuated tail-flick inhibition induced by i.t. EM-2 (35 nmol). EM-1 (32.7 nmol) pretreatment for 1.5 h produced 5.3- and only 2.4-folds shift to the right of the dose-response curves for EM-1- and EM-2-induced tail-flick inhibition, respectively, while EM-2 (70 nmol) pretreatment for 1 h caused 4.3- and 4.5-folds shift to the right for EM-2- and EM-1-induced tail-flick inhibition, respectively. Thus, mice made antinociceptive tolerant to EM-1 were partially cross-tolerant to EM-2 and mice made antinociceptive tolerant to EM-2 were completely cross-tolerant to EM-1. It is proposed that EM-1- and EM-2-induced antinociception are mediated by the stimulation of two different subtypes of μ-opioid receptors in mouse spinal cord; one subtype is stimulated by both EM-1 and EM-2, and another subtype is stimulated by EM-2.
Slush hydrogen transfer studies at the NASA K-Site Test Facility

An experimental study was performed as part of the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) effort to determine slush hydrogen production and transfer characteristics. Flow rate and pressure drop characteristics were determined for slush hydrogen flow through a vacuum-jacketed transfer system. These characteristics were compared to similar tests using normal boiling point and triple point hydrogen. In addition, experimental flow characteristic data was compared with predictions from the FLUSH analytical model. Slush hydrogen density loss during the transfer process was also examined.
Liver transplant for the septuagenarians: importance of patient selection

With the increasing success of liver transplantation (OLT), more patients above 70 years of age are being considered for OLT. There is not enough data about the predictors for survival in this patient population. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 33 patients at least 70 years of age who received 34 OLT from July 1995 to July 2002. There were 16 women and 17 men of mean age 73.7 years. Etiologies of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) were: HCV (17/33, 52%), cryptogenic cirrhosis (8/33, 24%), PBC (3/33, 9%), Laennec's cirrhosis (2/33, 6%), and others (3/33, 9%). According to the UNOS classification, 15/34 (44%) were status 3, 16/34 (47%) status 2, and 3/34 (9%) status 1. Among 13/33 patients who died (39%), 1-year and 3-year survival rates were 78.79% and 71.43%, respectively. Based on UNOS criteria, 4/15 (26%) were status 3; 6/16 (37%), status 2; and 3/3 (100%), status 1 (P value = .04 for status 1 patients). There was no statistical differences between the scores using the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) among those who died (MELD (19) versus MELD (17.35) respectively (P = .50). There was a statistically significant difference in cold ischemia time (CIT) and warm ischemia time (WIT) between those who died (P = .024 and .010, respectively). These results suggest that in this group of patients UNOS status classification, CIT and WIT correlate with survival. The sample size was too small to derive a conclusion about the association with the MELD score.
Raw surface reimplantation of ureter in bladder and colon conduit

Abstract Ureters implanted on raw areas denuded of mucosa become overlaid by regenerating mucosa which grows over the ureter. The anatomic and functional results are similar to those obtained from tunnelization techniques of ureteral implantation. The raw surface reimplantation of ureters was used in dogs, and reflux could not be demonstrated in over 90 per cent of reimplanted ureters. Clinically, the method may be advantageous in cases in which creation of a submucosal tunnel in the bladder or colon proves difficult because of mucosal friability or scarring.
Conceptions of Evidence Use in School Districts: Mapping the Terrain

Current policies place unprecedented demands on districts to use evidence to guide their educational improvement efforts. How districts respond is likely to be influenced by how individuals in the district conceptualize what it means to use evidence in their ongoing work. This study draws on sensemaking and institutional theory to investigate how individuals in one urban school district conceive of evidence‐based practice. The study develops grounded typologies that describe the ways that individuals conceptualize high‐quality evidence, appropriate evidence use, and high‐quality research. It then explains variation in conceptions, pointing to the ways organizational responsibilities and reform history shape how individuals come to understand evidence‐based practice. The article closes by suggesting implications for district response to federal policy demands for evidence‐based practice.
Identification of a specific chaperone for SptP, a substrate of the centisome 63 type III secretion system of Salmonella typhimurium.

Salmonella typhimurium uses of a type III protein secretion system encoded at centisome 63 of its chromosome to deliver effector molecules into the host cell. These proteins stimulate host cell responses such as reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and activation of transcription factors. One of these effector proteins is SptP, a tyrosine phosphatase that causes disruption of the host cell actin cytoskeleton. A characteristic feature of many substrates of type III secretion systems is their association with specific cytoplasmic chaperones which appears to be required for secretion and/or translocation of these proteins into the host cell. We report here the identification of SicP, a 13-kDa acidic polypeptide that is encoded immediately upstream of sptP. A loss-of-function mutation in sicP resulted in drastically reduced levels of SptP but did not affect sptP expression, indicating that SicP exerts its effect posttranscriptionally. Pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that the loss of SicP leads to increased degradation of SptP. In addition, we show that SicP binds to SptP directly and that the binding site is located between residues 15 and 100 of the tyrosine phosphatase. Taken together, these results indicate that SicP acts as a specific chaperone for SptP.
Medical and Nutrition Management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Children

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), esophageal inflammation that occurs in the absence of acidification, is characterized by mucosal eosinophilia and epithelial proliferative changes. Depending on the patient's age, EoE may present as a feeding disorder, vomiting, abdominal pain, dysphagia, or food impaction. In the absence of a well-delineated natural history, case reports suggest that in some individuals with EoE, the disease progresses to esophageal fibrosis and then presumably irreversible esophageal dysfunction. Successful management of EoE in children requires (1) identifying the causative agents for a given patient, (2) implementing effective medical and/or nutrition therapies, and (3) establishing a continuum of long-term care that delivers the child to adulthood without esophageal dysfunction.
Characterizing Drug Non-Users as Distinctive in Prevention Messages: Implications of Optimal Distinctiveness Theory

Optimal distinctiveness theory (ODT) posits that highly valued groups are those that can simultaneously satisfy needs to belong and to be different. The success of drug-prevention messages with a social-identity theme should therefore depend on the extent to which the group is portrayed as capable of meeting these needs. Specifically, messages that portray non-users as a large and undifferentiated majority may not be as successful as messages that emphasize uniqueness of non-users. This prediction was examined using marijuana prevention messages that depicted non-users as a distinctive or a majority group. Distinctiveness characterization lowered behavioral willingness to use marijuana among non-users (Experiment 1) and served as a source of identity threat (contingent on gender) among users (Experiment 2).
Fundamentals of testability-a tutorial

A review is presented of electrical testing, failure mechanisms, fault models, fault simulation, testability analysis, and test-generation methods for CMOS VLSI circuits. The relationships between the most commonly used fault models are explored. Various fault simulation methods are contrasted. The basic mechanisms used in test-vector generation are illustrated by examples. The importance of testability analysis as a guide to design and test generation is discussed. Algorithms for automatic test-pattern generation are summarized. >
A novel adaptive hybrid ARQ scheme for wireless ATM networks

This paper describes the design and performance of a novel adaptive hybrid ARQ scheme using concatenated FEC codes for error control over wireless ATM networks. The wireless links are characterized by higher, timedvarying error rates and burstier error patterns in comparison with the fiberdbased links for which ATM was designed. The purpose of the hybrid ARQ scheme is to provide a capability to dynamically support reliable ATMdbased transport over wireless channels by using a combination of our ARQ scheme lcalled SDLPr and the concatenated FEC scheme. The key ideas in the proposed hybrid ARQ scheme are to adapt the code rate to the channel conditions using incremental redundancy and to increase the starting code rate as much as possible with the concatenated FEC, maximizing the throughput efficiency. The numerical results show that our proposed scheme outperforms other ARQ schemes for all SNR values.
Synthesizing the Effects of Service Quality, Value, and Customer Satisfaction on Behavioral Intentions in the Motel Industry An Empirical Analysis

There is a conceptual gap in the marketing literature, as to date there has been no published empirical research on service quality, value, customer satisfaction, or behavioral intentions that has ...
Contributions of aromatic pairs to the folding and stability of long‐lived human γD‐crystallin

Human γD-crystallin (HγD-Crys) is a highly stable protein that remains folded in the eye lens for the majority of an individual's lifetime. HγD-Crys exhibits two homologous crystallin domains, each containing two Greek key motifs with eight β-strands. Six aromatic pairs (four Tyr/Tyr, one Tyr/Phe and one Phe/Phe) are present in the β-hairpin sequences of the Greek keys. Ultraviolet damage to the aromatic residues in lens crystallins may contribute to the genesis of cataract. Mutant proteins with these aromatic residues substituted with alanines were constructed and expressed in E. coli. All mutant proteins except F115A and F117A had lower thermal stability than the WT protein. In equilibrium experiments in guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl), all mutant proteins had lower thermodynamic stability than the WT protein. N-terminal domain (N-td) substitutions shifted the N-td transition to lower GuHCl concentration, but the C-terminal domain (C-td) transition remained unaffected. C-td substitutions led to a more cooperative unfolding/refolding process, with both the N-td and C-td transitions shifted to lower GuHCl concentration. The aromatic pairs conserved for each Greek key motif (Greek key pairs) had larger contributions to both thermal stability and thermodynamic stability than the other pairs. Aromatic-aromatic interaction was estimated as 1.5-2.0 kcal/mol. In kinetic experiments, N-td substitutions accelerated the early phase of unfolding, while C-td substitutions accelerated the late phase, suggesting independent domain unfolding. Only substitutions of the second Greek key pair of each crystallin domain slowed refolding. The second Greek keys may provide nucleation sites during the folding of the double-Greek-key crystallin domains.
Modern Mass Spectroscopy

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the general theory, apparatus, and uses of the modern mass spectroscopy. Mass spectrographs and mass spectrometers are electronic instruments, which analyze substances according to the mass of the constituent elements and molecules present. The mass spectrograph is employed for determining what masses are present or to determine mass defects, while the mass spectrometer is used to measure the relative abundances of the different components in the mass spectrum. A number of physical arrangements have been used by the different workers in the field of mass spectroscopy to solve different problems. Direction focusing magnetic analyzers are the simplest mass analyzers used in modern mass spectroscopy. It is the ion detector which determines whether any particular analyzer is a mass spectrometer or a mass spectrograph. The first problem to which the mass spectrograph was applied was that of identifying the isotopic composition of the elements. The second major application of the mass spectroscope was the problem of determining the isotopic composition of the elements. The third important task to which the mass spectrograph was put was that of determining the exact masses of the isotopes.
Customer And Market Orientation Within AACSB Member Business Schools: Comparative Views From Three Levels Of Administrators

This paper is part of a stream of research dealing with customer and market orientation within higher education, specifically within business schools holding membership in AACSB-International. A market orientation strategy leading to a customer and market-oriented organizational culture is based upon the acceptance and adoption of the marketing concept. The market-oriented organization recognizes the importance of coordinating the activities of all departments, functions, and individuals in the organization to satisfy customers by delivering superior value. The market-oriented organization continually monitors customer information, competitor information, and marketplace information to design and provide superior value to its customers. Theory and empirical research suggest that higher levels of customer and market orientation result in a greater ability of the organization to reach its objectives, in other words, higher levels of organizational performance. This paper extends the current research on the use of the market orientation strategy by reporting and analyzing customer and market orientation levels (scores) toward two customer groups within AACSB member business schools. The two customer groups studied were students and employers of students. Data input from three separate administrative levels having responsibilities associated with the business school were collected and analyzed. The administrators participating in the study were academic vice-presidents, business school deans and marketing department chairs. A critical underlying question in the research is whether students and employers of students are viewed as customers by higher education administrators. Comparisons of the various reported scores are made against a benchmark established in the marketing literature and then are compared by administrative group against one another. The university academic vice-presidents, business school deans, and marketing department chairs were surveyed by way of a national mail survey. All administrators were from colleges or universities holding membership in AACSB-International. 102 Vice-Presidents, 141 Business School Deans, and 94 Marketing Department Chairs responded. The paper presents details of the research process, findings, statistical inferences, and discusses the implications of the research for schools of business and academic marketing departments.
Host‐finding behavior, host acceptance, and host suitability of the parasite Xanthopimpla stemmator

Xanthopimpla stemmator (Thunberg)(Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a solitary endoparasite of pupae of Old World lepidopteran stalkborers, was recently imported into Texas as a candidate for biological control of New World stalkborers. Information on host acceptability, host suitability and cues responsible for host finding were necessary to gain an insight into parasite/host interactions, because of the absence of a coevolutionary history. Xanthopimpla stemmator females were exposed to laboratory-reared one-to six-day-old Diatraea saccharalis (F.) pupae. An average of 62% of host pupae were accepted and all ages of pupae were equally acceptable. Host suitability decreased with host age. One-to five-day-old host pupae averaged 31–37% suitability, whereas only 19% of 6-day-old pupae were suitable. Successful parasitization, defined as the product of the proportion accepted and the proportion suitable, decreased from 22–23% for 1-, 2- and 3-day-old pupae to 13% for 6-day-old pupae. Sex ratio (female:male) of the parasite progeny increased with host age. Females comprised 47% of total parasite progeny of 1-day-old and 84% of 6-day-old pupae. The increase in percent females was a result of a similar number of females in all age classes, coupled with a decrease in the number of males from older hosts. Xanthopimpla stemmator superparasitized 61% of accepted D. saccharalis pupae in the laboratory. On dissection, 73% of host pupae with multiple probe wounds were found to contain parasite eggs or larvae; these hosts contained up to 10 eggs or 7 first-instar larvae. Increased numbers of probes by the parasites were associated with an increase in successful parasitization. Host seeking activity in X. stemmator was stimulated by the presence of larval frass, host odor and movement of host pupae. Results suggest that X. stemmator is a good candidate for biological control of D. saccharalis and possibly other factitious stalkborer hosts.
Pre-positioning Assets to Increase Execution Efficiency

In many robotic domains, efficiency is an important component of task execution. One way to improve task efficiency is to lessen the overhead of beginning a task by making sure the necessary agents are near the task site when execution begins, minimizing travel time delays - in other words, pre-positioning agents for their future tasks. In static, certain domains, this can easily be done in advance and incorporated into the initial plan. In dynamic domains such as search and rescue, however, there is not enough certainty about task execution to plan for this ahead of time. To address this, we present here a planner that adds pre-positioning to a plan during execution. The planner strategically positions groups of idle robots whose future task assignments are uncertain in order to minimize travel time by the group as a whole once its members are allocated tasks. Because this planner must run in real time, we present five versions of the planning algorithm, addressing the trade-off of computation time and solution quality that results. We then show that by adding in this type of planning, the overhead of beginning a task can be reduced by up to 90%.