cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Species-specificity of estradiol regulated growth factors in breast cancer

Abstract Recent evidence indicates that autocrine/paracrine mechanisms may mediate the mitogenic effect of estradiol (E 2 ) both in human and experimental breast cancer. However, the species-specificity of E 2 -regulated growth factors with regard to their biologic action has not been evaluated. To test this issue, we examined, in the soft agar clonogenic assay, the colony-stimulating activity in human breast cancers of conditioned media obtained from rat mammary carcinomas exposed to E 2 (rat E 2 -CM). Of 22 primary human breast cancers plated in soft agar in the absence of serum, 18 ( 82% ) successfully grew with a mean colony number of 62.4 ± 9.8 (S.E.M.) (range 14–193 ). Rat E 2 -CM significantly stimulated colony formation in 1018 ( 56% ) human breast cancers to 155 ± 11% (S.E.M.) of control. E 2 administration ( 10 −9 M ) in these tumors had a virtually identical overall effect ( 154 ± 13% of control colony number). In the remaining eight tumors ( 44% ), neither rat E 2 -CM nor E 2 had, in general, a significant colony-stimulating effect. The growth-promoting action of rat E 2 -CM and E 2 was not influenced by the hormone receptor status of the tumor. These results suggest that E 2 -regulated growth factors may not be species-specific, at least with regard to their colony-stimulating effects in soft agar.
Sexual dimorphism in the human corpus callosum

Preliminary observations suggest a sex difference in the shape and surface area of the human corpus callosum. The sexual dimorphism is striking in the splenium, the caudal or posterior portion of the corpus callosum. The female splenium is both more bulbous and larger than the male counterpart. Since peristriate, parietal, and superior temporal fibers course through the splenium, this finding could be related to possible gender differences in the degree of lateralization for visuospatial functions.
Agricultural policies, food and public health.

A historical view on how our agricultural systems evolved and how they are contributing to obesity and disease.
Terminological mapping for high throughput comparative biology of phenotypes.

Comparative biological studies have led to remarkable biomedical discoveries. While genomic science and technologies are advancing rapidly, our ability to precisely specify a phenotype and compare it to related phenotypes of other organisms remains challenging. This study has examined the systematic use of terminology and knowledge based technologies to enable high throughput comparative phenomics. More specifically, we measured the accuracy of a multistrategy automated classification method to bridge the phenotype gap between a phenotypic terminology (MGD: Phenoslim) and a broad-coverage clinical terminology (SNOMED CT). Furthermore, we qualitatively evaluate the additional emerging properties of the combined terminological network for comparative biology and discovery science. According to the gold standard (n=100), the accuracies (precision | recall) of the composite automated methods were 67% | 97% (mapping for identical concepts) and 85% | 98% (classification). Quantitatively, only 2% of the phenotypic concepts were missing from the clinical terminology, however, qualitatively the gap was larger: conceptual scope, granularity and subtle, yet significant, homonymy problems were observed. These results suggest that, as observed in other domains, additional strategies are required for combining terminologies.
Hispanic ethnicity is associated with increased costs after carotid endarterectomy and carotid stenting in the United States

Abstract Objective We have previously demonstrated an adverse impact of black race and Hispanic ethnicity on the outcomes of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS). The current study was undertaken to examine the influence of race and ethnicity on the cost of CEA and CAS. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2005–2009) was queried using ICD-9 codes for CEA and CAS in patients with carotid artery stenosis. The primary outcome was total hospital charges. Multivariate analysis was performed using a generalized linear model adjusting for age, sex, race, comorbidities (Charlson index), high-risk status, procedure type, symptomatic status, year, insurance type, and surgeon and hospital operative volumes and characteristics. Results Hispanic and black patients were more likely to have a symptomatic presentation, and were more likely to undergo either CEA or CAS by low-volume surgeons at low-volume hospitals ( P P versus $46,713 ± $409, P P P P P Conclusion Hispanic ethnicity was independently associated with increased hospital charges after both CEA and CAS. The increased charges seen in black patients were explained, in part, by decreased surgeon operative volume and increased postoperative complications. Further efforts are warranted to contain costs in minorities undergoing carotid revascularization.
Corporate Responsibility and The Institutional Engagement Of Multinational Corporations

Recent research at the intersection between corporate responsibility and international business has conceived of multinational corporations (MNCs) as actors that contribute to shaping the instituti...
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-immunoreactive neurons in rat visual cortex

An antibody to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) was used to examine the forms of VIP-positive neurons and the synapses made by VIP-positive axon terminals. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-positive cells are most common in layers II and III and the majority of them are typical bipolar neurons, with two primary dendrites which emanate from the upper and lower poles of the cell body. Their somata, which have only a few symmetric and asymmetric synapses, generally have a fusiform or "tear-drop" shape and contain nuclei with a vertically oriented cleft. The dendritic trees are arranged vertically and often extend through five cortical layers. The axons are thin and extend either from the soma or from one of the primary dendrites. The axons also follow a vertical trajectory. Other VIP-positive neurons are modified bipolar cells and a few of them are multipolar cells. The synapses formed by the VIP-positive axon terminals in the neuropil are symmetric in form, and although the synaptic clefts are narrow, the junctions are usually long and continuous, rather like those described for asymmetric synapses. Most of the VIP-positive axon terminals synpase with small dendritic shafts, but a few synapse with neuronal cell bodies. Since the majority of the VIP-positive neurons are bipolar cells it is concluded that these are the source of most of the VIP-positive axon terminals. If this is so, then the VIP-positive bipolar cells form symmetric synapses. This is in contrast to the observations of Peters and Kimerer (1981. J. Neurocytol. 10, 921-946) for the bipolar cells they examined in a Golgi-electron microscopic study had axon terminals forming asymmetric synapses. It is suggested that this disparity can be reconciled if it is assumed that the bipolar cell population consists of subgroups which have different biochemical characteristics and different synaptic relationships.
Advances in PHD Polyol Technology for Automotive Molded Flexible Foam

The application of high resilient (HR) polyurethane foam in automotive seating provides benefits for both the consumer and the manufacturer. The foam manufacturer benefits from the ease of production, cost effectiveness and design freedom. The major advantage for the consumer is the ability of HR polyurethane foam to give an initial soft «latex-like» feel at low deformations yet provide good support at higher deformations [1,2]. However, if only an unmodified polyol is used, this support is usually not sufficient for most TDI-based seat cushion applications at reasonable densities
How much and where? Private versus public universities' publication patterns in the information systems discipline

In most disciplines of scholarly endeavor, there are many efforts at ranking research journals. There are two common methods for such efforts. One of these is based on tabulations of opinions offered by persons having some kind of relationship with the discipline. The other is based on analyses of the extent to which a journal's articles have been cited by papers appearing in some selected set of publications. In either case, construction of a journal ranking for a discipline makes no effort to distinguish between private and public universities. That is, data are aggregated from both private and public faculty researchers. It is thus assumed that the resultant ranking is applicable for both kinds of institutions. But, is this assumption reasonable? The answer is very important because these rankings are applied in the evaluation of promotion, tenure, and merit cases of faculty members working in a discipline. Here, we examine this widespread bibliometric assumption through the use of a ranking methodology that is based on the actual publishing behaviors of tenured researchers in a discipline. The method is used to study the behaviors of researchers at leading private universities versus those at leading public universities. Illustrating this approach within the information systems discipline, we find that there are indeed different publication patterns for the private versus public institutions. This finding suggests that journal-ranking exercises should not ignore private–public distinctions and that care should be taken to avoid evaluation standards that confound private and public rankings of journals. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Inbreeding depression in androdioecious populations of Datisca glomerata (Datiscaceae)

Several workers have suggested that the rarity of androdioecy (the presence of males and hermaphrodites in a breeding population) in nature is due to the large fitness gain required by male plants in order to be maintained by selection. As part of an ongoing investigation of this hypothesis, we tested the effects of selfing on fitness in functionally androdioecious populations of Datisca glomerata. We compared progeny from self-fertilizations, cross-fertilizations with pollen from male plants only, cross-fertilizations with pollen from hermaphrodite plants only, and open-pollinated flowers for several measures of progeny fitness including seed weight, germination rate, and seedling weight. Significant inbreeding depression was observed for androdioecious populations of D. glomerata for both seed and seedling weights. However, no significant differences were observed across treatments for seed germination percentages. The observation of significant levels of inbreeding depression in this study, combined with prior evidence of threefold greater pollen production by males, may at least partially account for the large fitness increase required by males to be maintained by selection. Androdioecy (the presence of males and hermaphrodites in a breeding population) is a rare reproductive system in plants. In fact, Charlesworth (1984) questions whether androdioecy actually exists in nature and notes that most putative androdioecious species are functionally dioecious or subdioecious (e.g., Anderson, Overal, and Henderson, 1988). In other cases, monoecy or andromonoecy has been mistaken for androdioecy (see Charles
He was furious

Is it a teacher's business to try to develop a student's sense of responsibility as well as to get across the materials of the course?
Flow over a membrane-covered, fluid-filled cavity

The flow-induced response of a membrane covering a fluid-filled cavity located in a section of a rigid-walled channel was explored using finite element analysis. The membrane was initially aligned with the channel wall and separated the channel fluid from the cavity fluid. As fluid flowed over the membrane-covered cavity, a streamwise-dependent transmural pressure gradient caused membrane deformation. This model has application to synthetic models of the vocal fold cover layer used in voice production research. In this paper, the model is introduced and responses of the channel flow, the membrane, and the cavity flow are summarized for a range of flow and membrane parameters. It is shown that for high values of cavity fluid viscosity, the intracavity pressure and the beam deflection both reached steady values. For combinations of low cavity viscosity and sufficiently large upstream pressures, large-amplitude membrane vibrations resulted. Asymmetric conditions were introduced by creating cavities on opposing sides of the channel and assigning different stiffness values to the two membranes. The asymmetry resulted in reduction in or cessation of vibration amplitude, depending on the degree of asymmetry, and in significant skewing of the downstream flow field.
Relative yields of 58gCo, 58mCo, and 56Co produced by low-energy tritons

Abstract The relative yields of the 56Fe(t,n) 58m,58gCo and 54Fe(t,n)56Co reactions were studied using 2·73 MeV tritons. This study was made in an effort to determine the effect of intrinsic spin differences between target and product nuclides in a reaction induced by a low-energy charged particle. The spin changes necessary to produce 58mCo and 58gCo from 56Fe are 5 and 2 respectively. A spin change of 4 is necessary to go from 54Fe to 56Co. The result showed that production of the nuclide with the lowest spin was favored. The relative yields were: σ(58gCo)/σ58mCo) = 3·3 ± 0·1, and σ(58gCo)/σ(56Co) = 4·8±0·2.
Noncognitive predictors of achievement in introductory college chemistry

The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive relationship between initial student attitudes, admissions test scores, years of high school math taken, and subsequent achievement in introductory college chemistry. Included in this study was a sample of 179 students who began as new freshmen during the same fall semester and took an introductory chemistry course during their first year of college. The results of this study indicated that noncognitive variables were significant predictors of student performance. These findings also indicated that, for some types of academic outcomes, noncognitive variables may be better predictors of achievement than traditional measures such as admissions test scores.
New Kind of Surface State in Nearly-Free-Electron Metals

We show that for a (2, 0, 0) surface of a bcc crystal there exist not only the Goodwin surface states in the (1, 0, 0) energy gap but also a new kind of surface state in the (\textonehalf{}, \textonehalf{}, 0) energy gap. Although the Goodwin state exists only when ${V}_{200}$ is negative, these new surface states exist for either sign of ${V}_{110}$.
An integrative model of caregiver discipline

A model of caregiver discipline is presented that attempts to integrate the three most popular approaches—referred to as “affective,” “behavioral” and “cognitive.” The integration is accomplished by demonstrating how each of the three approaches has a separate action principle that serves as a mediating link between three dimensions of discipline (“control,” “tolerance” and “warmth”) and three desired outcomes of discipline (the child personality traits of “niceness,” “boldness” and “happiness”). Each of the nine action principles resulting from this three by three matrix is discussed. The purpose of this simplified yet comprehensive framework is to help caregivers and child care educators to better understand how, in spite of apparent differences, advocates of different discipline approaches are helping caregivers to achieve the same competencies and pursue the same objectives. In addition, the resulting integration may itself provide a more adequate framework for educating caregivers about discipline, in that none of the three approaches covers so many aspects of the discipline process.
Isozymic gene linkage map of the tomato: Applications in genetics and breeding.

New linkage data are presented for the situation of five previously unlocated isozymic loci of the tomato and closely related species with homosequential chromosomes.Prx-1 lies on chromosome 1, where it is also linked withSkdh-1; Aps-2 is linked withGot-4 on chromosome 8;Tpi-2 has been allocated to chromosome 4; and a linkage has been detected betweenPgi-1 andEst-4, whose respective chromosome has not yet been determined. These and previously published data have been summarized in the form of an isozyme linkage map. Twenty-two loci have thus been mapped on nine of the twelve tomato chromosomes. We discuss some new applications of mapped isozymic genes. In certain types of segregations, isozymic genes are far more efficient than morphological markers in providing linkage information. They greatly expedite the cytogenetic investigation of species hybrids and can be utilized to facilitate backcross transfers of genes from wild to cultivated taxa.
Scattering of Phonons by a Square-Well Potential and the Effect of Colloids on the Thermal Conductivity. I. Experimental

The thermal conductivity of sodium-chloride crystals containing silver colloids has been measured between 0.2 and 2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The effect of a transition from Rayleigh scattering to geometrical scattering is readily apparent in the results. Good agreement is obtained between the experimental values and thermal conductivities which were calculated assuming the colloids to be monodisperse spheres and using the bulk elastic constants for silver.
Resection of glioma in an fMRI-defined "split" Broca's area.

Gross total resection of gliomas can be limited by the involvement of tumor in eloquent areas. Moreover, lesions can impart cortical reorganization and make the precise determination of hemispheric dominance and localization of language function even more difficult. Preoperative mapping with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), intraoperative imaging modalities, and intraoperative direct cortical stimulation enable surgeons to map the functional topography of the brain in relation to the tumor and perform a safe maximal resection. In this report, we present a patient with left frontal glioma of complex morphology, wherein the tumor was enveloped by Broca’s area on fMRI. Intraoperative mapping and intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) allowed gross total resection of the tumor with preservation of language function and illustrate the utility of multiple contemporary modalities in the surgical management of low-grade gliomas located in eloquent cortices.
A mathematical model of fluid exchange from an array of capillaries

Abstract A model of the coupled fluid flow in the capillaries and tissue of the microcirculation is presented for the case of long narrow capillaries embedded in a uniform tissue space. The capillary flow is assumed to be that of an incompressible Navier-Stokes fluid wherein colloids are represented as dilute solute; the flow in the tissue is according to Darcy's law. The exchange between the intra- and extraluminal flows at the semipermeable wall of the capillary is determined by a relationship based upon Starling's hypothesis involving the local hydrostatic and colloidal osmotic pressures in both the capillary and the tissue. With this model we investigate the relationship among transport properties, hydrostatic pressures, and flow exchange for a single capillary and describe the fluid transport in the tissue space produced by an array of such capillaries.
On Wavelet Sets

It is proved that associated with every wavelet set is a closely related “regularized” wavelet set which has very nice properties. Then it is shown that for many (and perhaps all) pairs E, F, of wavelet sets, the corresponding MSF wavelets can be connected by a continuous path in L2(ℝ) of MSF wavelets for which the Fourier transform has support contained in E ∪ F. Our technique applies, in particular, to the Shannon and Journe wavelet sets.
Microdissection approaches in tuberculosis research

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a globally significant pathogen, results in active or latent tuberculosis. The granuloma is the characteristic lesion that offers insight into host-pathogen interactions in these distinct states. Microdissection provides a way to isolate and consequently investigate specific tissue sections. We review various techniques available and in use.
Viscoelastic behavior of partly decrosslinked polymer networks. I. Acrylic acid anhydride‐crosslinked poly(ethyl acrylate)

Acrylic acid anhydride (AAA) and tetreathylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDM) were employed as labile and permanent crosslinking monomers for poly(ethyl acrylate), respectively. Upon partial or total hydrolysis of the AAA crosslinks, various states of viscoelastic creep and stress relaxation were brought about. The use of chemically active monomers for crosslinking permits new polymer structures to be synthesized. In this case, decrosslinking converts a thermoset polymer into its thermoplastic counterpart. The relationship between the present decrosslinking study and a new nomenclature theory of grafted and crosslinked polymers is explored.
Globalization, spectral aesthetics and the global soul Tracking some 'uncanny' paths to trans-Pacific globalization

AbstractThe intensification of neo-liberal globalization under US hegemony has all the more activated uncanny forces and spectral forms in various trans-Pacific sites. This article contrasts Korean and US films and travelogues to elaborate uncanny paths to globalization and articulate modes of spectral critique. The seamlessness of globalization across the Pacific is thus threatened by uncanny anxieties, disrupted space–time coordinates, and everyday fears that challenge the end-of-history triumph in marketization.
Higher-order change of the Hamiltonian between saddle approaches by phase plane matching

Autonomous Hamiltonian systems with a homoclinic orbit connecting a saddle point to itself are analyzed under small symmetric perturbations, which correspond to dissipative perturbations for conservative systems. Since the differential equations are autonomous, phase plane variables are used. The usual asymptotic expansion of a nearly homoclinic orbit is shown to fail as the surrounding saddle regions are approached. A non-linear analysis of the surrounding saddle regions is derived. By matching (to sufficiently high order) the asymptotic expansion of the nearly homoclinic orbit to the solution in the surrounding saddle regions, we obtain the change in the Hamiltonian from one saddle approach to the next. In this way, we derive a new higher-order logarithmic correction to the well-known Melnikov integral for the leading order change of the Hamiltonian.
The p and hp finite element method for problems on thin domains

Abstract The p and hp versions of the finite element method allow the user to change the polynomial degree to increase accuracy. We survey these methods and show how this flexibility can be exploited to counter four difficulties that occur in the approximation of problems over thin domains, such as plates, beams and shells. These difficulties are: (1) control of modeling error, (2) approximation of corner singularities, (3) resolution of boundary layers, and (4) control of locking. Our guidelines enable the efficient resolution of these difficulties when a p / hp code is available.
From Frankfurt's Goethehaus to Dresden's Frauenkirche: Architecture, German Identity, and Historical Memory after 1945

(2005). From Frankfurt's Goethehaus to Dresden's Frauenkirche: Architecture, German Identity, and Historical Memory after 1945. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 80, No. 2, pp. 143-163.
Enrichment of Druggable Conformations from Apo Protein Structures Using Cosolvent-Accelerated Molecular Dynamics

Here we describe the development of an improved workflow for utilizing experimental and simulated protein conformations in the structure-based design of inhibitors for anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. Traditional structure-based approaches on similar targets are often constrained by the sparsity of available structures and difficulties in finding lead compounds that dock against flat, flexible protein-protein interaction surfaces. By employing computational docking of known small molecule inhibitors, we have demonstrated that structural ensembles derived from either accelerated MD (aMD) or MD in the presence of an organic cosolvent generally give better scores than those assessed from analogous conventional MD. Furthermore, conformations obtained from combined cosolvent aMD simulations started with the apo-Bcl-xL structure yielded better average and minimum docking scores for known binders than an ensemble of 72 experimental apo- and ligand-bound Bcl-xL structures. A detailed analysis of the simulated conformations indicates that the aMD effectively enhanced conformational sampling of the flexible helices flanking the main Bcl-xL binding groove, permitting the cosolvent acting as small ligands to penetrate more deeply into the binding pocket and shape ligand-bound conformations not evident in conventional simulations. We believe this approach could be useful for identifying inhibitors against other protein-protein interaction systems involving highly flexible binding sites, particularly for targets with less accumulated structural data.
EFFECT OF PHOSPHATE AND PECTIN ON QUALITY AND SHELF‐LIFE OF MARINATED CHICKEN BREAST

Fresh split chicken breasts were injected with 5% sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), 5% sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), 2.5% Genu pectin (GENU), or the combination of 5% SAPP with 2.5% GENU and 5% STPP with 2.5% GENU. Calcium lactate (0.1 M) solution was sprayed on the surface of chicken marinated in pectin. Marinated samples were stored at 4C for 7 days to evaluate changes in the psychrotrophic bacterial count and quality. STPP injected chicken breast had highest (α=0.05) marinade pickup, net weight increase, cook yield and moisture content. SAPP injected chicken had intermediate marinade pickup, but lowest retention in the muscle among all treatments. Marinades with pectin or pectin combined with phosphate had lower pickup but higher marinade retention compared with SAPP injected breasts. The water holding capacity (WHC) of STPP and GENU injected cooked chicken breast was higher than SAPP injected samples or control. All marinated chicken breasts had significantly lower shear force than noninjected control. Neither phosphate nor pectin had a significant influence on microbial activity of marinated chicken.
Distribution of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms in sediments from Prince William Sound, Alaska, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Abstract Biodegradation by naturally occurring populations of microorganisms is a major mechanism for the removal of petroleum from the environment. Therefore, measurements of microbial populations are an important component of contaminated site assessment studies. Over a 3 year period following the T V Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska, we counted numbers of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms in intertidal and subtidal sediments affected by the spill. We found significantly higher numbers of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms at sites within the path of the oil slick than at reference sites, indicating rapid acclimation of the resident microbial populations. In offshore surface sediments, we saw a temporal increase in numbers of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms. Our data suggest that microbial measurements are good indicators of exposure of sediments in Prince William Sound to hydrocarbons and of mobilization of oil to surface sediments offshore over time.
The mechanical properties of iron single crystals containing less than 5 × 10−3 ppm carbon☆

Abstract A method has been developed to reduce carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen to low levels in iron. Using a radioactive tracer technique to analyze for carbon in iron, it is shown that carbon can be reduced to less than 0.005 p.p.m. with this purification method. It was found that the temperature dependence of the yield stress of iron containing less than 0.005 p.p.m. carbon was much less than for irons of usual purity. This result provides evidence that it is the carbon in solution and not the Peierls-Nabarro stress that is responsible for the temperature dependence of the yield stress in iron. Earlier work on 3 % silicon-iron has shown that impurity locking is not important in determining the dependence of the yield stress on temperature; therefore, it is concluded that the temperature dependence of the yield strength in α-iron of usual purity is due primarily to the interaction of mobile dislocations with interstitial impurities in solid solution.
DEMENTIA : ANIMAL MODELS OF THE COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS FOLLOWING DAMAGE TO THE BASAL FOREBRAIN CHOLINERGIC SYSTEM

Abstract The finding that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have significant degeneration of neurons in the basal forebrain choiinergic system (BFCS) stimulated a great deal of research to determine the cognitive impairments resulting from selective damage to this area. The experiments reviewed here indicate that lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) and of the medial septal area (MSA) reproduce the behavioral symptoms following lesions of their respective target sites, the frontal cortex (FC) and the hippocampus (HIP). Impairments of recent memory are one of the most striking symptoms in AD patients at the beginning of their disease, and lesions of the BFCS induce similar impairments. Comparisons of the effects of the lesions produced by different neurotoxins, ibotenic (IBO) acid and quisqualic (QUIS) acid, have raised questions about the role of cholinergic and noncholinergic neurotransmitter systems in the basal forebrain. The implications of these data for the cholinergic hypothesis of mnemonic functions are discussed.
Nollywood, Globalization, and Regional Media Corporations in Africa

This article makes three arguments with respect to the interface between contemporary African and global media. The first is that regional media corporations represent a greater threat to local media production than global media corporations. Second, the threat often consists in seeking to co-opt rather than to suppress local media production, since these regional corporations do not actually stand to benefit from suppressing local production. Third, the likelihood of being co-opted, accompanied by a gradual loss of autonomy, is greatest where local media have achieved a high level of success at attracting relatively large audiences, independently of both regional and global media networks. This discussion is based on analysis of the interaction between Nollywood and regional media corporations active in Africa.
Infectious complications of erythrodermic psoriasis

Severe morbidity and mortality may be associated with erythrodermic psoriasis, especially when complicated by septicemia. We describe five patients with erythrodermic psoriasis complicated by staphylococcal septicemia. In two, concurrent infection with HIV increased vulnerability to bacteremia.
Source Code Revision History Visualization Tools: Do They Work and What Would it Take to Put Them to Work?

Source code revision history visualization tools have been around for over two decades. Yet, they have not become a mainstream tool in a typical programmer’s toolbox and are not typically available in intergraded development environments. So, do they really work? And if they do, what would it take to put them to work? This paper seeks to answer these two questions through experiments, surveys, and interviews. A source code history visualization tool named TeamWATCH was implemented to visualize subversion code repositories. Two comparative controlled experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of TeamWATCH. The experimental results showed that the subjects using TeamWATCH spent less time than subjects using the command-line subversion client and TortoiseSVN in answering the same set of questions regarding source code revision history. In addition, surveys and interviews were conducted to identify obstacles in adopting source code history visualization tools. Collectively, the results show that source code history visualization tools do bring value to programmers. Key obstacles to wider adoption in practice include nontrivial overhead in using the tools and perceived complexity in visualization.
No evidence for histamine-mediated morphine analgesia

Abstract A role for brain histamine in the acute action of morphine was studied in mice. In contrast to earlier reports, whole brain histamine levels were not changed 30 min after morphine (1–56 mg/kg). Levels of the brain histamine metabolite, tele -methylhistamine, were also unchanged. Marphine (1.8–10 mg/kg) caused a dose-dependent antinociceptive response that was unaffected by histamine H1-antagonists (i.p.), H2-antagonists (i.p. or i.vent.), or metoprine (i.p.), an inhibitor of histamine metabolism. α-Fluoromethylhistidine, the inhibitor of brain histamine synthesis, unexpectedly potentiated the response to low doses of morphine. These results find no evidence for a role of brain histamine in opiate analgesia.
Determination of the Electron Escape Depth for NEXAFS Spectroscopy

A novel method was developed to determine carbon atom density as a function of depth by analyzing the postedge signal in near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra. We show that the common assumption in the analysis of NEXAFS data from polymer films, namely, that the carbon atom density is constant as a function of depth, is not valid. This analysis method is then used to calculate the electron escape depth (EED) for NEXAFS in a model bilayer system that contains a perfluorinated polyether (PFPE) on top of a highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) sample. Because the carbon atom densitites of both layers are known, in addition to the PFPE surface layer thickness, the EED is determined to be 1.95 nm. This EED is then used to measure the thickness of the perfluorinated surface layer of poly(4-(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl)oxymethylstyrene) (PFPS).
Surface resistance measurements at 337 GHz

A high Q quasioptical hemispherical resonator, capable of making measurements on samples as small as 5 mm in diameter, was used to make surface resistance measurements at 337 GHz on samples of Al, Au, Mo, and Cu. Results for A1 agree with the low frequency approximation, the other metals are some what higher.
Campaign Finance Reform as Institutional Choice: Party Difference in the Vote to Ban Soft Money

If the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002 banned the use of soft money—the only source of funds in which Democrats approached parity with Republicans—why did the Republican congressional leadership revile the bill and the Democratic congressional leadership embrace it? We address this puzzle by modeling competing electoral, partisan, and policy motives that guided members’ decision making on the vote for final passage of this bill. Our solution lies in the fact that members believed that BCRA would reduce the role of the national parties in congressional elections. Although the parties may behave similarly under a fixed electoral regime, we find that the BCRA vote is consistent with two parties that prefer different sets of electoral rules. Specifically, Democrats appear more sympathetic to changes that enhance the role of candidates and outside groups, whereas Republicans appear to prefer stronger national parties.
Genome scan identifies a locus affecting gamma-globin level in human beta-cluster YAC transgenic mice.

Genetic factors affecting postnatal γ-globin expression—a major modifier of the severity of both β-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia—have been difficult to study. This is especially so in mice, an organism lacking a globin gene with an expression pattern equivalent to that of human γ-globin. To model the human β-cluster in mice, with the goal of screening for loci affecting human γ-globin expression in vivo, we introduced a human β-globin cluster YAC transgene into the genome of FVB/N mice. The β-cluster contained a Greek hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) γ allele, resulting in postnatal expression of human γ-globin in transgenic mice. The level of human γ-globin for various F1 hybrids derived from crosses between the FVB/N transgenics and other inbred mouse strains was assessed. The γ-globin level of the (C3HeB/FeJ × FVB/N)F1 transgenic mice was noted to be significantly elevated. To map genes affecting postnatal γ-globin expression, we performed a 20-centiMorgan (cM) genome scan of a (C3HeB/FeJ × FVB/N)F1 transgenics × FVB/N backcross, followed by high-resolution marker analysis of promising loci. From this analysis we mapped a locus within an 18-cM interval of mouse Chromosome (Chr) 1 (LOD = 4.3) that contributes 10.9% of variation in γ-globin level. Combining transgenic modeling of the human β-globin gene cluster with quantitative trait analysis, we have identified and mapped a murine locus that impacts on human γ-globin level in vivo.
An introduction to x-coefficients and a tabulation of their values*

X -coefficients, as defined here, can be used to simplify the calculation of particle polarizations (vector polarizations as well as higher-order, so called, tensor polarizations) and spin correlations. If not more than two particles have nonzero spin in the reaction under study, then all polarizations and correlations can be expressed as linear combinations of X -coefficients, and only the numbers multiplying them depend on the form factors (invariant amplitudes). If three or four particles have nonzero spin, then bilinear combinations of X -coefficients appear, etc. The X -coefficients do not depend on the dynamics of the reaction and can be tabulated once and for all. They do depend on the spins of the participating particles and are given in this table for those spin values which are the most important ones from a practical point of view.
Ganglionic and arterial release of neuropeptide Y by bullfrog sympathetic neurons.

Abstract Sympathetic C neurons in lumbar paravertebral ganglia of the bullfrog have previously been shown to be vasomotor in function and to express neuropeptide Y (NPY). In the present experiments, a sensitive radioimmunoassay was used to measure the NPY content of ganglia and the descending abdominal aorta and to measure the overflow of NPY evoked by depolarizing concentrations of K+. Paravertebral ganglia 9 and 10 contain 3.1 pg NPY/μg protein and the aorta contains 0.18 pg NPY/μg protein. During 20-min depolarizations in high K+ (58 mM) Ringer, the ganglia released ∼ 5% of their NPY content and the aorta released ∼ 2% of its NPY content. Pretreatment of the tissues with Ringer containing 0.18 mM Ca2+, 8 mM Mg2+, and 1 mM Co2+ blocked the NPY release elicited by high K+. These findings provide further evidence that NPY is a postganglionic co-transmitter in sympathetic C neurons of the bullfrog.
Covariate-adjusted generalized linear models

We propose covariate adjustment methodology for a situation where one wishes to study the dependence of a generalized response on predictors while both predictors and response are distorted by an observable covariate. The distorting covariate is thought of as a size measurement that affects predictors in a multiplicative fashion. The generalized response is modelled by means of a random threshold, where the subject-specific thresholds are affected by a multiplicative factor that is a function of the distorting covariate. While the various factors are modelled as smooth unknown functions of the distorting covariate, the underlying relationship between response and covariates is assumed to be governed by a generalized linear model with a known link function. This model provides an extension of a covariate-adjusted regression approach to the case of a generalized linear model. We demonstrate that this contamination model leads to a semiparametric varying-coefficient model. Numerical implementation is straightforward by combining binning, quasilikelihood, and smoothing steps. The asymptotic distribution of the proposed estimators for the regression coefficients of the latent generalized linear model is derived by means of a martingale central limit theorem. Combining this result with consistent estimators for the asymptotic variance makes it then possible to obtain asymptotic inference for the targeted parameters. Both real and simulated data are used in illustrating the proposed methodology.
CHINESE CHILDREN'S READING ACQUISITION: THEORETICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL ISSUES

CHINESE CHILDREN'S READING ACQUISITION: THEORETICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL ISSUES. Wenling Li, Janet S. Gaffney, and Jerome L. Packard (Eds.). Dordrecht: Kluwer, 2002. Pp. xi + 266. $135.00 cloth.This collaborative exploration by researchers in China and the United States spans theoretical, experimental, pedagogical, and ethnographic perspectives. The book thus offers learning opportunities to a range of audiences—reading researchers who want a better understanding of the structure of Chinese writing and the cognitive processes it appears to shape, students who wish to study how one-fifth of the world population reads, educators interested in comparative education, and all those with interdisciplinary curiosity about this nonalphabetic script, evolved from ancient times.
An Interaction between the Nucleocapsid Protein and a Component of the Replicase-Transcriptase Complex Is Crucial for the Infectivity of Coronavirus Genomic RNA

The coronavirus nucleocapsid (N) protein plays an essential role in virion assembly via interactions with the large, positive-strand RNA viral genome and the carboxy-terminal endodomain of the membrane protein (M). To learn about the functions of N protein domains in the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), we replaced the MHV N gene with its counterpart from the closely related bovine coronavirus (BCoV). The resulting viral mutant was severely defective, even though individual domains of the N protein responsible for N-RNA, N-M, or N-N interactions were completely interchangeable between BCoV and MHV. The lesion in the BCoV N substitution mutant could be compensated for by reverting mutations in the central, serine- and arginine-rich (SR) domain of the N protein. Surprisingly, a second class of reverting mutations were mapped to the amino terminus of a replicase subunit, nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3). A similarly defective MHV N mutant bearing an insertion of the SR region from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus N protein was rescued by the same two classes of reverting mutations. Our genetic results were corroborated by the demonstration that the expressed amino-terminal segment of nsp3 bound selectively to N protein from infected cells, and this interaction was RNA independent. Moreover, we found a direct correlation between the N-nsp3 interaction and the ability of N protein to stimulate the infectivity of transfected MHV genomic RNA (gRNA). Our results suggest a role for this previously unknown N-nsp3 interaction in the localization of genomic RNA to the replicase complex at an early stage of infection.
Oral Exposure to Butter, but Not Fat Replacers Elevates Postprandial Triacylglycerol Concentration in Humans

Oral exposure to dietary fat augments the postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration. We investigated the TAG response after oral exposure to butter and selected fat replacers. At 2200 h, 17 healthy adults consumed 80 g of almonds and fasted until 0700 h. Safflower oil (50 g in 1-g capsules) was then consumed. Oral stimulation was provided periodically for 2 h as potatoes, potatoes containing butter or one of three fat replacers or no oral stimulation in random order at weekly intervals. Blood was collected at stipulated intervals for 8 h. Oral exposure to butter led to a significantly longer postprandial TAG elevation than the other treatments. The results could not be explained by differential stimulus ingestion, palatability or perceived fat content. There was no significant treatment effect on concentrations of serum oleic acid, apolipoprotein (apo)B-48 or apoB-100, suggesting any oral exposure influence on release of dietary lipid stored in the lacteals or chylomicron and VLDL particle number contributed little to the postprandial TAG rise. In summary, oral exposure to butter elicited a greater postprandial TAG elevation than the tested fat replacers, possibly due to reduced TAG clearance.
RFX3 Modulation of FOXJ1 regulation of cilia genes in the human airway epithelium

Ciliated cells play a central role in cleansing the airways of inhaled contaminants. They are derived from basal cells that include the airway stem/progenitor cells. In animal models, the transcription factor FOXJ1 has been shown to induce differentiation to the ciliated cell lineage, and the RFX transcription factor-family has been shown to be necessary for, but not sufficient to induce, correct cilia development. To test the hypothesis that FOXJ1 and RFX3 cooperatively induce expression of ciliated genes in the differentiation process of basal progenitor cells toward a ciliated cell linage in the human airway epithelium, primary human airway basal cells were assessed under conditions of in vitro differentiation induced by plasmid-mediated gene transfer of FOXJ1 and/or RFX3. TaqMan PCR was used to quantify mRNA levels of basal, secretory, and cilia-associated genes. Basal cells, when cultured in air-liquid interface, differentiated into a ciliated epithelium, expressing FOXJ1 and RFX3. Transfection of FOXJ1 into resting basal cells activated promoters and induced expression of ciliated cell genes as well as both FOXJ1 and RFX3, but not basal cell genes. Transfection of RFX3 induced expression of RFX3 but not FOXJ1, nor the expression of cilia-related genes. The combination of FOXJ1 + RFX3 enhanced ciliated gene promoter activity and mRNA expression beyond that due to FOXJ1 alone. Corroborating immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated an interaction between FOXJ1 and RFX3. FOXJ1 is an important regulator of cilia gene expression during ciliated cell differentiation, with RFX3 as a transcriptional co-activator to FOXJ1, helping to induce the expression of cilia genes in the process of ciliated cell differentiation of basal/progenitor cells.
Erythrocytic Glutathione in Cystic Fibrosis : A Possible Marker of Pulmonary Dysfunction

To evaluate the role of red blood cell (RBC) antioxidants as clinical markers of oxidative exposure, we measured RBC glutathione (GSH) concentrations in 32 adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and 8 healthy age-matched control subjects. We chose patients with CF because this disease is characterized by severe bronchial inflammation and marked oxidant-antioxidant imbalance. Although the GSH concentration of the two study groups was not significantly different, the RBC GSH concentration of patients with CF had a greater variability (p=0.01) and was also inversely and significantly correlated to tests of pulmonary function (p
Knowledge based weather image processing and classification

Satellite imagery of weather patterns and meteorological information are used to develop a knowledge based weather image processing and classification system (KB/WIS). Wavelet and fractal methods are used to extract features from weather images. The features extracted are used to represent various weather patterns. The system is statistically trained to characterize and interpret weather patterns. The system is a composite of four components: image acquisition, image preprocessing and enhancement, feature extraction and selection, and weather inference engine. Complete architecture of the KB/WIS system including its applications is described.