cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenomics of efavirenz and lopinavir/ritonavir in HIV-infected persons requiring hemodialysis

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenomics of efavirenz (EFV) and lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/RTV) in HIV-infected persons requiring hemodialysis. DESIGN Prospective, observational study of HIV-infected hemodialysis patients receiving one 600 mg tablet daily of EFV (N = 13) or three 133.3/33.3 mg capsules twice daily of LPV/RTV (N = 13). METHODS Twenty-four-hour EFV and 12-h LPV/RTV pharmacokinetics were assessed. Geometric mean ratios were calculated using historical controls with normal renal function. The effects of several candidate gene polymorphisms were also explored. RESULTS The geometric mean [95% confidence interval (CI); percentage of coefficient of variation (% CV)] Cmin, Cmax, and area under the curve (AUC) for the EFV group were 1.81 microg/ml (0.93, 3.53; 103%), 5.04 microg/ml (3.48, 7.29; 72%), and 71.5 microg h/ml (43.2, 118.3; 93%), respectively. These parameters were 2.76 microg/ml (1.86, 4.11; 53%), 8.45 microg/ml (6.41, 11.15; 52%), and 69.6 microg h/ml (55.6, 87.2; 37%) for LPV and 0.08 microg/ml (0.05, 0.14; 63%), 0.58 microg/ml (0.44, 0.76; 41%), and 3.74 microg h/ml (2.91, 4.80; 37%) for RTV. The AUC geometric mean ratios (90% CI) for EFV, LPV, and RTV were 132% (89, 197), 81% (67, 97), and 92% (76, 111), respectively. LPV Cmin was lower than expected in the hemodialysis group. Higher EFV concentrations were associated with the CYP2B6 516G>T polymorphism. CONCLUSION The pharmacokinetics of EFV and LPV/RTV in hemodialysis suggests that no dosing adjustments are necessary in treatment-naive patients. As HIV-infected hemodialysis patients are disproportionately black, the increased frequency of the CYP2B6 516G>T polymorphism may lead to higher EFV levels. The potentially lower LPV trough levels in this population suggest that LPV/RTV should be used with caution in protease-inhibitor-experienced patients.
'Exchange spring' behavior in nanocomposite hard magnetic materials

Abstract The magnetic properties of nanocrystalline melt-spun single-phase (Nd 2 Fe 14 B-type) and composite (Nd 2 Fe 14 B + α-Fe or Nd 2 Fe 14 B + Fe 3 B + α-Fe) magnets have been studied systematically in an attempt to understand better their ‘exchange spring’ behavior. The reversibility of the recoil demagnetization curves has been found to increase with increasing content of the soft phase giving rise to the characteristic exchange spring behavior only in nanocomposite samples. δ M plots indicate positive interactions of the exchange type for small fields; for fields higher than the remanence coercivity, magnetostatic interactions become dominant. The relative strength of the magnetostatic interactions is increased in samples with higher soft phase contents.
Comparison of divalent transition metal ion paraCEST MRI contrast agents.

Transition-metal-ion-based paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (paraCEST) agents are a promising new class of compounds for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast. Members in this class of compounds include paramagnetic complexes of FeII, CoII, and NiII. The development of the coordination chemistry for these paraCEST agents is presented with an emphasis on the choice of the azamacrocycle backbone and pendent groups with the goals of controlling the oxidation state, spin state, and stability of the complexes. Chemical exchange saturation transfer spectra and images are compared for different macrocyclic complexes containing amide or heterocyclic pendent groups. The potential of paraCEST agents that function as pH- and redox-activated MRI probes is discussed.
The impact of induction therapy on morbidity and operative mortality after resection of primary lung cancer.

Objective Use and operative results of neoadjuvant therapy before major elective resection for primary lung cancer were examined in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgical Database. Methods Lobectomy and pneumonectomy for primary lung cancer were identified in 12,201 patients between January 2002 and June 2008. After excluding procedures for missing clinical staging or end points; institutions with more than 10% missing data for clinical stage, discharge mortality, or length of stay; and patients treated with chemotherapy or radiation for unrelated disease, there remained 5376 resections. Study end points were discharge mortality, length of stay more than 14 days, and major morbidity. Multivariate analysis using propensity scores stratified into quintiles measured the effect of induction therapy. Results In 525 of 5376 procedures (9.8%), chemotherapy (n = 153), radiotherapy (23), or chemoradiotherapy (349) preceded resection. Compared with resection only, patients receiving induction therapy were younger and had fewer comorbidities, more reoperative surgery, and higher rates of pneumonectomy. Clinical IIIA-N2 disease was treated with induction therapy in only 203 of 397 patients (51.1%). Propensity-adjusted rates detected no difference in discharge mortality, prolonged length of stay, or a composite of major morbidity for patients receiving induction therapy. Similar results were obtained in a logistic regression model (discharge mortality P = .9883; prolonged hospital stay P = .9710; major morbidity P = .9678). Conclusion Less than 10% of all major lung resections for primary carcinoma and just more than half of all resections for clinical stage IIIA-N2 disease are preceded by neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation. This study does not support concerns over excessive operative risk of induction therapy.
Decreased Binding Affinity of Olanzapine and Clozapine for Human Muscarinic Receptors in Intact Clonal Cells in Physiological Medium

The binding affinity of olanzapine, clozapine and atropine for muscarinic receptor subtypes in clonal Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines was compared in intact cells in physiological media to disrupted cells in hypotonic buffer. The affinity of olanzapine and clozapine, but not atropine, for muscarinic receptor subtypes (M(1)-M(5)) was significantly reduced in intact cells in physiological medium compared to disrupted cells in hypotonic buffer. The affinity of olanzapine for muscarinic M(1) receptors was most affected with a reduction of K(i) value from 2.5 to 73 nM in intact cells. These data suggest that the affinity of olanzapine and clozapine for muscarinic receptors have been significantly overestimated.
Effects of site-selective NMDA receptor antagonists in an elevated plus-maze model of anxiety in mice.

NMDA receptor antagonists have been shown to be anxiolytic in animal models of anxiety, although they have not been tested extensively. These compounds bind to several specific sites within the NMDA-receptor complex, including the NMDA site itself, the phencyclidine site, and the strychnine-insensitive glycine site. The purpose of the present study was to examine potential anxiolytic effects of site-selective NMDA receptor antagonists in the elevated plus-maze. Drug-naive albino mice were placed in the center of an elevated maze shaped like a plus sign. Two opposing arms were enclosed by high walls; the crossing arms were open. Following injection with drug or vehicle, the number of entries and time spent in each type of arm were measured during 5-min tests. Analysis of results showed that the benzodiazepine, diazepam, and the competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, NPC 17742 (2R,4R,5S 2-amino-4,5-(1,2-cyclohexyl)-7-phosphono-heptanoic acid), increased number of open arm entries and open arm time.N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor which may interfere with the transduction of NMDA receptor activation, also increased open arm entries and time; however, the magnitude of these increases was small. The phencyclidine-site NMDA receptor antagonist, phencyclidine, increased open arm entries, but failed to significantly increase open arm time. ACEA 1021 (5-nitro-6,7-dichloro-1,4-dihydro-2,3-quinoxalinedione), a putative glycine-site antagonist, had significant effects only on open arm entries at the highest dose tested. These results suggest that NMDA receptor antagonists show promise as potential anxiolytic agents, but that differences among antagonists acting at different cellular sites may be expected.
Optimal Design of the Online Auction Channel: Analytical, Empirical, and Computational Insights*

The focus of this study is on business-to-consumer (B2C) online auctions made possible by the advent of electronic commerce over an open-source, ubiquitous Internet Protocol (IP) computer network. This work presents an analytical model that characterizes the revenue generation process for a popular B2C online auction, namely, Yankee auctions. Such auctions sell multiple identical units of a good to multiple buyers using an ascending and open auction mechanism. The methodologies used to validate the analytical model range from empirical analysis to simulation. A key contribution of this study is the design of a partitioning scheme of the discrete valuation space of the bidders such that equilibrium points with higher revenue structures become identifiable and feasible. Our analysis indicates that the auctioneers are, most of the time, far away from the optimal choice of key control factors such as the bid increment, resulting in substantial losses in a market with already tight margins. With this in mind, we put forward a portfolio of tools, varying in their level of abstraction and information intensity requirements, which help auctioneers maximize their revenues.
Endogenous protein synthesis of the cell-free wheat germ system☆

Abstract The cell-free amino acid incorporation system derived from wheat germ is sensitive and efficient, and is broadly tolerant to heterologous messenger RNA. The usual control incubation, done with solvent alone, gives a very low incorporation. The mere presence of RNA, however, even when it does not contribute significant template activity, stimulates endogenous protein synthesis of the system by as much as fourfold. Therefore, if the input RNA is heterogeneous in respect to template activity, or is otherwise very low in such activity, the resulting products of translation may be in part or in toto those of the wheat germ extract itself.
Response Character Styles in Adolescents: A Replication of Convergent Validity Between the MMPI–A and the Rorschach

This study explored the extent to which similar or discordant response character styles (RCS) affected convergence between MMPI–A and Rorschach findings in a sample of 673 adolescents from a psychiatric inpatient setting. Meyer's (Meyer, 1997; Meyer, Riethmiller, Brooks, Benoit, & Handler, 2000) findings for adult samples were generally replicated in that adolescents showing similar RCS across both measures showed moderate to strong relationships between Rorschach and MMPI–A indicants of affective distress, psychosis, and interpersonal wariness, whereas those showing discordant RCS demonstrated negligible or negative correlations between these indicants. This pattern was evident for conceptually similar, but not conceptually unrelated variable pairs. Similarity and discordance of RCS was also found to have an impact on relationships with external criterion variables, including therapist ratings and discharge diagnoses. Moderated regression analysis supports the hypothesis that RCS moderates the strength o...
Vitiligo and psoriasis

The concurrence of vitiligo and psoriasis in a single patient has previously been considered unusual, The clustering of seven such patients at our institution over the past 3 years prompted a literature review. Only eighteen well-documented cases could be found, although the incidence of psoriasis in larger series of vitiligo patients seems greater than the isolated case reports would indicate. The occasional tendency of psoriasis to start in, or remain confined to, areas of vitiligo, as well as a purported resistance of dark skin to psoriasis, has tempted some to conclude that depigmented skin may be predisposed to psoriasis. This tendency, however, was not observed in our seven cases or in the majority of previously reported cases. Immunologic phenomena abound in both vitiligo and psoriasis, and the incidence of immunologic phenomena may be increased in patients with both diseases. These phenomena, however, are too dissimilar to draw any conclusions regarding pathogenetic links between vitiligo and psoriasis. The workup of our seven cases, including complete blood cell count and differential, platelet count, VDRL, SMA 18, antinuclear antibodies, thyroid function studies, antithyroid antibodies, urinalysis, eye examination, and skin biopsies, did not further elucidate any possible relationship between vitiligo and psoriasis.
Nicotine fading as a nonaversive alternatative in a broad-spectrum treatment for eliminating smoking☆

Abstract The present investigation assessed the effectiveness of nicotine fading as nonaversive alternative to oversmoking. Subjects (66 women and 64 men) were randomly assigned to oversmoking, nicotine fading, nicotine fading/smokeholding, and nonmaitenance control. Results failed to indicate the expected superiority of nicotine fading/maintenance over the control condition. Instead, the addition of smoke holding appeared to produce a significant incremental effect over nicotine fading alone. Unfortunately, 12-month follow-up revealed considerable relapse across conditions and no significant treatment effects. Even so, absolute outcome for nicotine fading/smokeholding was encouraging. This procedure is both safe and apparently very acceptable to subjects. If the current results can be replicated, a clinically effective technique will have been established with applicability in both clinic and self-help settings.
Pathogenicity of live, attenuated SIV after mucosal infection of neonatal macaques

Adult macaques do not develop disease after infection with a nef deletion mutant of the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and are protected against challenge with pathogenic virus. This finding led to the proposal to use nef-deleted viruses as live, attenuated vaccines to prevent human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In contrast, neonatal macaques developed persistently high levels of viremia after oral exposure to and SIV nef, vpr, and negative regulatory element (NRE) deletion mutant. Severe hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and CD4+ T cell depletion were observed, indicating that neither nef nor vpr determine pathogenicity in neonates. Because such constructs have retained their pathogenic potential, they should not be used as candidate live, attenuated virus vaccines against human AIDS.
Annihilation of Positrons in Superconducting Lead

A search was made for changes in the two-quantum annihilation rate when positrons are annihilated in superconducting lead compared to normal lead. The change of state was brought about either by turning off or on a magnetic field or by varying the temperature of the sample. The ratio of the two-photon coincidence rate in normal lead to that in superconducting lead was found to be 1.0011\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0016 in the magnetic field experiment and 1.0003\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0011 in the temperature-varying experiment.
Introduction to QCD thermodynamics and the quark-gluon plasma

Abstract These lectures review recent theoretical work suggesting that hadronic matter may dissolve into a weakly interacting quark-gluon plasma phase at energy densities only one order of magnitude above the ground state energy density of nuclei. Basic techniques of field theory used for calculating thermodynamic properties of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) are introduced. Functional methods are applied to develop QCD perturbation theory at finite temperatures and chemical potentials. The relevance of asymptotic freedom at high T, μ is motivated. We then confront the main skeleton in the QCD closet, namely, the nonperturbative color magnetic sector. Techniques of lattice gauge theories to get beyond the limitations of perturbation theory are then discussed. Recent numerical results are critically assessed.
Mechanism of Bonding in Aqueous Nickelous Nitrate–Magnesium Oxide Cements

THE low temperature cementation effects in the nickelous nitrate–water–magnesium oxide system have only recently been reported1. When aqueous solutions of nickelous nitrate are added to magnesium oxide powder, a basic salt with the idealized formula of Ni2(OH)3NO3 forms and bonds the magnesium oxide aggregate together. A mechanism for the formation of the basic salt and its subsequent bonding to the magnesium oxide grain surfaces is suggested.
Comparative Studies of Antimitochondrial Autoantibodies in Sera and Bile in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is an autoimmune liver disease characterized by destruction of intrahepatic bile ducts. Although the pathogenesis of this disease is still unknown, high titers of antimitochondrial autoantibodies (AMA) have long been recognized in patient sera. However, little is known about the presence of AMA in bile. In this study, we investigated bile and sera from patients with PBC and healthy controls for the presence of AMA and mitochondrial autoantigens. AMA were detected in the bile of 17 of 19 patients (89.4%) with PBC; they were specifically directed against the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC-E2) in 15 of 19 patients (78.9%), to the branched-chain 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase complex E2 (BCOADC-E2) in 6 of 19 patients (31.6%), and to the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex E2 (OGDC-E2) in 1 of 19 patients (5.3%). In a comparative study of sera from the same patients, anti-PDC-E2 antibodies were found in 19 of 19 patients (100%), anti-BCOADC in 9 of 19 patients (47.3%), and anti-OGDC-E2 in 4 of 19 patients (21.1%) patients. AMA in bile were always found together with antibodies of corresponding specificities in the serum from the same patient. Immunoglobulin (Ig)A AMA were found in the bile of 9 of 19 patients (47.7%) with PBC; they were specifically directed against PDC-E2 in 8 of 19 patients (42.1%) and to BCOADC in 2 of 19 patients (10.5%). Epitope mapping of IgA anti-PDC-E2 antibodies indicated that, like serum autoantibodies, the immunodominant epitope is directed against the inner lipoyl domain of PDC-E2. The prevalence and antigen reactivity of IgA AMA in sera correlated completely with IgA AMA in bile. Autoantibodies against nuclear envelope pore proteins (gp210) were found in 1 of 8 (12.5%) sera of patients with PBC, but not in bile. Furthermore, and of particular interest, we detected the autoantigens, PDC-E2, OGDC-E2, and BCOADC-E2, in the bile of 12 of 19 patients (63.2%), 9 of 19 patients (47.4%), and 9 of 19 patients (47.4%), respectively; PDC-E2 was found in only 1 of 17 (5.9%) disease controls. Although the presence of AMA in bile may merely reflect the presence of these antibodies in sera, the simultaneous detection of mitochondrial autoantigens in bile suggests an increase of mitochondrial autoantigens at inflammatory sites. Such autoantigens, coupled with AMA, may augment the local immune response and disease progression.
Effects of incubation temperature and salt concentration on plasminogen activators in cheese curd

Abstract Plasmin (PL) can play a major role in the proteolysis of dairy products, especially during cheese ripening. The effects of cook temperature and salt concentration on PL in cheese systems have been studied; however, the effects of cheese making conditions on plasminogen activators (PAs) have not. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of curd cook temperature and salt concentration on PL, plasminogen (PG), and PAs. PL, PG, and urokinase-type PA activities extracted from cheese curds cooked at 21 °C were significantly ( P ⩽ 0.05 ) lower than those extracted from cheese curds cooked at 37 or 55 °C. Activity assays showed that PG was the only component in the PL enzyme system that was significantly affected by salt concentration, with higher PG-derived activity at 0% NaCl than 5% NaCl. Specialized electrophoresis confirmed that PL and PA activities increased with increasing cook temperature, and, unlike the activity assays, indicated that increase in salt concentration (to a certain extent) could increase PL and tissue-type PA activities.
Hemodynamic findings in severe tricuspid regurgitation

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) most commonly occurs in response to right ventricular (RV) dilation with structural abnormalities in the tricuspid valve being rarer. In addition to RV size and valvular integrity, the amount of TR is influenced by RV preload and afterload, the respiratory cycle, left heart function and atrial fibrillation. Hemodynamic changes in right atrial (RA) pressures in severe TR include elevated mean pressures, a large systolic wave called an "s" wave, a prominent 'Y' descent and a blunted 'X' descent. In addition, RV end diastolic pressure is elevated and cardiac output is reduced, especially with exercise. "Ventricularization" of the RA pressure tracing, in which the contour of the RA pressure is similar to, but of lower amplitude than, the contour of the RV pressure is the most specific finding but is found in a minority of patients with severe TR. In summary, alterations in the RA pressure tracing are common in patients with severe TR but specific hemodynamic findings lack sensitivity, which may in part be due to the large effects of RV preload, RV afterload and RA compliance on the amount of TR.
Regulation of cytochrome P-450c in differentiated and dedifferentiated rat hepatoma cells: role of the Ah receptor.

The induction of cytochrome P 450c mRNA and associated aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity is mediated by the Ahreceptor in rodent liver and hepatic cells in vitro. In the present study we have investigated the underlying mechanisms responsible for the regulation of AHH activity in differentiated and dedifferentiated variants of the rat hepatoma cell line H4IIEC3. All of the dedifferentiated variants expressed inducible cytochrome P-450c mRNA and AHH activity following treatment with poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or the compound 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Most of the differentiated derivatives, however, were not inducible for either of these functions. Somatic cell hybridization studies revealed that the differentiated cells were AHH negative due to a defect that corresponded to the Ahreceptor D gene product. 5-Azacytidine and sodium butyrate, but not mutagens, reactivated a functional Ahreceptor in the differentiated line Fao, indicating that a requisite gene had been silenced by an epigenetic mechanism in this strain. Since many of the 5-azacytidine-induced revenant clones resembled dedifferentiated derivatives with respect to morphology and/or diminished expression of hepatic traits, our results support a correlation between coexpression of the dedifferentiated phenotype and AHH inducibility in these hepatoma cells.
Accurate surface temperature measurements at liquid helium conditions in space environment facilities

Liquid helium cooled space environment facilities wall temperatures measuring equipment consisting of Ge resistance thermometer, lead wire heat sink and thermal conducting epoxy fastening
Molecular beam mass spectrometric and modeling studies of neat and NH3-doped low-pressure H2/N2O/Ar flames: Formation and consumption of NO

An experimental and chemical modeling study of neat and NH3-doped H2/N2O/Ar flames (Θ∼1.1) is conducted to understand the fundamental mechanism for NO formation and destruction and to predict the efficacy of NH3 on the rate of conversion of NO to N2. Species concentration and temperature profiles are measured with a molecular beam mass spectrometer and thin-wire thermocouple, respectively. Species profiled include H2, N2O, NH3, N2, NO, and Ar. The experimental mole fractions are compared to both equilibrium and premixed laminar flame code calculations. The flame code employs a chemical mechanism consisting of 87 reactions and 20 species with rate constants obtained from a critical literature review. Equilibrium calculations are in very good agreement with both experimental and flame code calculations for N2O, N2, and H2O in the postflame region of both neat and doped flames. However, they underpredict the H2 and NO mole fraction in both flames, proving that NO is not in equilibrium and prevents full energy release. The flame code profiles of the majority of the species agree well with experiment for the neat flame and reasonably well for the doped flame. A 55% reduction in the NO mole fraction for 4% dopant is predicted in the postflame region, in good agreement with that observed experimentally. The flame calculations overpredict the NH3 mole fractions in the postflame region, however, suggesting that refinements in the model are necessary. Rate and sensitivity analyses reveal that the decrease in NO mole fraction results from less NO formation by the reactions N2O+H=NO+NH and N+OH=NO+H and more of its consumption to N2 by reactions NO+NH2=N2+H2O and NO+NH2=NNH+OH.
Analysis of ballistic transport in nanoscale devices by using an accelerated finite element contact block reduction approach

An accelerated Finite Element Contact Block Reduction (FECBR) approach is presented for computational analysis of ballistic transport in nanoscale electronic devices with arbitrary geometry and unstructured mesh. Finite element formulation is developed for the theoretical CBR/Poisson model. The FECBR approach is accelerated through eigen-pair reduction, lead mode space projection, and component mode synthesis techniques. The accelerated FECBR is applied to perform quantum mechanical ballistic transport analysis of a DG-MOSFET with taper-shaped extensions and a DG-MOSFET with Si/SiO2 interface roughness. The computed electrical transport properties of the devices obtained from the accelerated FECBR approach and associated computational cost as a function of system degrees of freedom are compared with those obtained from the original CBR and direct inversion methods. The performance of the accelerated FECBR in both its accuracy and efficiency is demonstrated.
Flicker-photometric spectral sensitivity in the presence of chromatic surrounds.

Flicker-photometric spectral sensitivity is measured in the presence and absence of superimposed monochromatic surrounds. Although color appearance depends on surround wavelength, the shape of the flicker-spectral-sensitivity functions are unaffected. These findings indicate both a lack of cone–cone inhibition within the achromatic channel and independence of the achromatic and chromatic channels.
Observer Effects on Neuropsychological Performance: A Case Report

Abstract A woman with medically intractable epileptic seizures, mesial temporal sclerosis, developmental cognitive deficits, and dependent personality traits received the Portland Digit Recognition Test (PDRT) as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Portions of the PDRT were administered with her mother alternately present and absent in an A-B-A-B design. The patient performed significantly worse with her mother present than with her mother absent. The results suggest that situational variables sometimes have a potent effect on neuropsychological performance. The general practice of excluding significant others from the examining room during testing should be continued. The medicolegal implication of these data is that attorneys also should be excluded from the examination.
Onsager's Principle from Large Deviation Point of View

If we interpret the macroscopic time derivatives as the time average of microscopic time derivatives, there is a natural large deviation theoretical framework associated with this average. It turns out that the accompanying rate function is the Onsager-Machlup Lagrangian (after introducing Gaussian approximation). Thus Onsager's principle has a large deviation theoretical interpretation, and seems to be an example of an apparently general principle that the rate function of microscopic dynamics governs the phenomenological time evolution of macroscopic quantities
The provision of public goods in a growing urban economy

Abstract The growth path of a mixed open urban economy is considered. In the private sector profit maximizing firms produce an all-purpose output with labor, capital and public infrastructure. Workers move between the urban area and the rest of the nation so as to increase their real income which is the sum of wages and income derived from the use of the urban infrastructure. The public sector determines infrastructure investments so as to maximize the current value of future per capita felicity. Infrastructure has public good characteristics and is used jointly by firms and workers. The urban growth path is derived and public sector policies are analyzed.
Preschool and School Readiness of Children of Immigrants

Objective. In this article, we use data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey—Kindergarten Cohort to analyze the links between preschool attendance and the school readiness of children of immigrants. Methods. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey—Kindergarten Cohort, we estimate multivariate regression models for the effects of preschool on school readiness for children of immigrants and children of natives. Results. We find that children whose mothers were born outside the United States are less likely to be enrolled in school or center-based preschool programs than other children. We find that preschool attendance raises reading and math scores as much for children of immigrants as it does for other children. Attending preschool also raises the English-language proficiency of children of immigrants. Although not the main focus of our study, we examined the effects of Head Start, and found that this program improves children's English proficiency, with especially large effects for children of immigrants whose mothers have less than a high school education; in this latter group, Head Start also improved math scores. Conclusions. Given that preschool benefits children of immigrants as much as it does children of natives and given that children of immigrants are less likely to be enrolled, our findings strongly suggest that enrolling more children of immigrants in preschool would help reduce inequality in skills at school entry.
Management of Lone Star Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Recreational Areas with Acaricide Applications, Vegetative Management, and Exclusion of White-Tailed Deer

A project on management of lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L.), at Land Between the Lakes, a Tennessee Valley Authority recreational area in Kentucky-Tennessee, during 1984-1988, demonstrated the effectiveness and economics of three control technologies. Acaricide applications (chlorpyrifos at 0.28 kg [AI]/ha), vegetative management (mowing and removal of 40% overstory and 90-100% of midstory, understory, and leaf litter), and host management (white-tailed deer exclusion from a 71-ha campground with a single-line fence) provided 75, 70, and 64% mean controls of all life stages of the lone star tick, respectively. Combinations of acaricide applications + vegetative management, acaricide applications + host management, and acaricide applications + vegetative management + host management produced 94, 89, and 96% mean control of all life stages, respectively. The costs of acaricide applications (two per year), vegetative management (two mowings per year), and white-tailed deer exclusion (single-line fence) were $45, $150, and $30/ha/yr, respectively. Results of this project are used to design management strategies that could be considered for use against lone star ticks in recreational areas.
A “penalty” discount rate, bank behavior, and price and output stability

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide an evaluation of the implications of the adoption of a penalty rate discount window policy for bank behavior and for price and output stability. A basic model of the banking firm is used to show that adoption of a penalty rate policy alters the sensitivity of bank portfolio demands to changes in the open market rate, to which the penalty discount rate is deterministically related. In the context of a macroeconomic model that takes into account this interaction of discount window policy and bank behavior, it is demonstrated that adoption of a penalty rate policy generally would have ambiguous implications for the variability of real output and the price level.
Identification of two new collagen α-chains in extracts of lathyritic chick embryo tendons

Abstract Two new collagen polypeptide chains have been identified in extracts of lathyritic embryonic chick tendons. The electrophoretic migration of these polypeptides in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels indicates that they have about 20% greater apparent molecular weights than α 1 and α 2 chains of Type I collagen. These chains are not held by disulfide bonds since reduction does not affect their electrophoretic behavior. Further, they do not represent incompletely cleaved procollagen since their apparent molecular size remains greater than that of Type I collagen polypeptides after limited proteolytic digestion. Because the ratio of these polypeptides in the purified extracts is not 2:1 it appears that they are components of two separate tropocollagen molecules.
Relapse of Catheter-Related Flavobacterium meningosepticum Bacteremia Demonstrated by DNA Macrorestriction Analysis

A 6-year-old boy with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presented because of recurrent episodes (on 13 September 1993 and 12 January 1994) of possibly catheter-related bacteremia. The strains isolated during both episodes and seven epidemiologically unrelated control strains were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of chromosomal DNA. The similarity of the PFGE patterns of the two isolates suggests that both episodes of bacteremia were caused by the same strain. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the nine strains was tested against 32 antimicrobial agents. The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the two isolates from the referred case were identical and differed from those of other clinical isolates. The best in vitro activity (associated with 100% susceptibility) was demonstrated by ofloxacin, clinafloxacin, minocycline, and rifampin.
Day care and family dynamics

Twenty-one dual-earner families whose preschool-aged children entered day care before 6 months of age and 19 dual-earner families whose preschool-aged children entered day care during the second year of life filled out questionnaires on the nature of their children's caregiving environment; their perceptions of the effects of day care on parent-child interaction and children's development; their overall job satisfaction; social support networks; and personal well-being, marital stress, and companionship. Mothers and fathers reported high levels of satisfaction with the caregiving environment and the effects of day care. Parental perceptions of the effects of day care on parent-child interaction and children's development did not differ as a function of time of entry into day care. Parental perceptions of selected parent-child variables were associated with job satisfaction, social support, and the marital measures. Parental perceptions of parent-child interaction were related to their perceptions of the effects of day care on children's social and cognitive skills. Mothers and fathers differed in these perceptions. There was some support for a conceptual link between marital variables and children's functioning in day care.
NEU protein overexpression in benign, borderline, and malignant ovarian neoplasms☆

Abstract In situ hybridization (ISH) analysis of 24 benign, borderline, and malignant ovarian tumor specimens revealed NEU transcript expression by epithelial elements in approximately two-thirds of the samples and high-level expression in 3 grade 3 adenocarcinomas. Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) of a total of 86 specimens (including 17 of those studied by ISH) localized NEU antigen expression to epithelial cells in 36 of 86 samples with strong membrane staining observed in 12, including 1 benign, 1 borderline serous carcinoma, 3 clear cell/endometrioid carcinomas, and 7 predominantly papillary serous carcinomas with areas of clear cell/endometrioid histology. Clinical correlation of the IHC results for the 72 Stage I–IV invasively malignant neoplasms revealed no statistically significant association of the intensity of NEU IHC staining with either relapse-free or overall survival. However, more of the patients whose tumors showed strong membrane staining for NEU antigen suffered relapses of disease by 3 and 4 years than did patients whose tumors showed weak or no membrane staining. These results suggest a role for the NEU gene product in the physiology of benign ovarian surface epithelium and the neoplastic epithelium of preinvasive borderline and some invasively malignant adenocarcinomas.
Subcloning, Characterization, and Affinity Labeling of Escherichia coli Glycinamide Ribonucleotide Transformylase

Glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GAR TFase; EC 2.1.2.2) has been purified 70-fold to apparent homogeneity from Escherichia coli harboring an expression vector encoding the purN gene product, GAR TFase. The protein is a monomer of Mr 23,241 and catalyzes a single reaction. Steady-state kinetic parameters for the enzyme have been obtained. The structural requirements for cofactor utilization have been investigated and found to parallel those of the multifunctional avian enzyme. The enzyme was inactivated with the affinity label N10-(bromoacetyl)-5,8-dideazafolate in a stoichiometric and active-site-specific manner. The ionization state of the cofactor analogue in the enzyme-cofactor complex appears to require the dissociation of the proton at N3 of the pyrimidine within the complex.
Adding transverse normal stresses to layered shell finite elements for the analysis of composite structures

Abstract This work presents a formulation developed to add capabilities for representing the through thickness distribution of the transverse normal stresses, σ z , in first and higher order shear deformable shell elements within a finite element (FE) scheme. The formulation is developed within a displacement based shear deformation shell theory. Using the differential equilibrium equations for two-dimensional elasticity and the interlayer stress and strain continuity requirements, special treatment is developed for the transverse normal stresses, which are thus represented by a continuous piecewise cubic function. The implementation of this formulation requires only C 0 continuity of the displacement functions regardless of whether it is added to a first or a higher order shell element. This makes the transverse normal stress treatment applicable to the most popular bilinear isoparametric 4-noded quadrilateral shell elements. To assess the performance of the present approach it is included in the formulation of a recently developed third order shear deformable shell finite element. The element is added to the element library of the general nonlinear explicit dynamic FE code DYNA3D. Some illustrative problems are solved and results are presented and compared to other theoretical and numerical results.
Gulf of Mexico hypoxia: alternate states and a legacy

A 20+ year data set of the size of the hypoxic zone off the Louisiana-Texas coast is analyzed to reveal insights about what causes variation in the size of the hypoxic zone in summer, the accumulation of carbon storage in sediments, and pelagic and sediment oxygen demand. The results of models support the conclusion that some of this variation can be explained by a higher sedimentary oxygen demand, which may be larger than water column respiration rates in summer. Proxies for organic loading to sediments reveal that carbon losses continue after accumulation, and results from other studies indicate that sediment oxygen demand is directly related to surface water phytoplankton production, which has increased because of higher nutrient loading from the Mississippi River watershed. The potential size of the hypoxic zone for a given nitrogen load has increased as a result and has doubled from 1980 to 2000. The development of widespread hypoxia after the early 1980s and its consequences could, therefore, be considered a shift to an alternate ecosystem state. The Action Plan for Reducing, Mitigating, and Controlling Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico goal of reducing the size of the hypoxic zone to an average of 5000 km2 by 2015 becomes more difficult to achieve for every year there is no significant reduction in nutrient loading. The decisions made to reduce the size of the hypoxic zone must incorporate these nonlinear responses and, we think, err on the side of caution in assuming that existing management efforts are sufficient to restore water quality on this shelf. The legacy of a higher sediment respiratory demand following eutrophication should apply to other coastal systems.
Multivariable adaptive pole placement

In this paper we present a method for directly estimating the control parameters necessary for assigning all the poles of an m-input, p-output linear time invariant multivariable system. Estimation can be performed using linear parameter estimation procedures. By implementing this procedure in real time, one can construct a multivariable adaptive controller. The main advantage of this parameterization over earlier direct multivariable adaptive control structures, is that it does not require a priori knowledge of the interactor matrix. Rather, one needs to know the controllabilities indeces associated with each input.
Arcuate AgRP neurons mediate orexigenic and glucoregulatory actions of ghrelin

The hormone ghrelin stimulates eating and helps maintain blood glucose upon caloric restriction. While previous studies have demonstrated that hypothalamic arcuate AgRP neurons are targets of ghrelin, the overall relevance of ghrelin signaling within intact AgRP neurons is unclear. Here, we tested the functional significance of ghrelin action on AgRP neurons using a new, tamoxifen-inducible AgRP-CreERT2 transgenic mouse model that allows spatiotemporally-controlled re-expression of physiological levels of ghrelin receptors (GHSRs) specifically in AgRP neurons of adult GHSR-null mice that otherwise lack GHSR expression. AgRP neuron-selective GHSR re-expression partially restored the orexigenic response to administered ghrelin and fully restored the lowered blood glucose levels observed upon caloric restriction. The normalizing glucoregulatory effect of AgRP neuron-selective GHSR expression was linked to glucagon rises and hepatic gluconeogenesis induction. Thus, our data indicate that GHSR-containing AgRP neurons are not solely responsible for ghrelin's orexigenic effects but are sufficient to mediate ghrelin's effects on glycemia.
Roles of hilC and hilD in Regulation of hilA Expression in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium

Sequences between -332 and -39 upstream of the hilA promoter are required for repression of hilA. An unidentified repressor is thought to bind these upstream repressing sequences (URS) to inhibit hilA expression. Two AraC-like transcriptional regulators encoded on Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 (SPI1), HilC and HilD, bind to the URS to counteract the repression of hilA. The URS is required for regulation of hilA by osmolarity, oxygen, PhoP/PhoQ, and SirA/BarA. Here, we show that FadD, FliZ, PhoB, and EnvZ/OmpR also require the URS to regulate hilA. These environmental and regulatory factors may affect hilA expression by altering the expression or activity of HilC, HilD, or the unknown repressor. To begin investigating these possibilities, we tested the effects of environmental and regulatory factors on hilC and hilD expression. We also examined hilA regulation when hilC or hilD was disrupted or expressed to a high level. Although hilC is regulated by all environmental conditions and regulatory factors that modulate hilA expression, hilC is not required for the regulation of hilA by any conditions or factors except EnvZ/OmpR. In contrast, hilD is absolutely required for hilA expression, but environmental conditions and regulatory factors have little or no effect on hilD expression. We speculate that EnvZ/OmpR regulates hilA by altering the expression and/or activity of hilC, while all other regulatory conditions and mutations regulate hilA by modulating hilD posttranscriptionally. We also discuss models in which the regulation of hilA expression is mediated by modulation of the expression or activity of one or more repressors.
New Frontiers in the Study of Dispersal and Spatial Analysis of Epidemics Caused by Species in the Genus Phytophthora

Diseases caused by species in the genus Phytophthora are responsible for significant economic losses on a wide range of host plants. Spatial pattern is one of the most characteristic ecological properties of a species, and reflects environmental and genetic heterogeneity and reproductive population growth acting on the processes of reproduction, dispersal, and mortality. Species of Phytophthora can be dispersed either in soil, via surface water movement down rows, from rain splash dispersal, by air, or via movement by humans or invertebrate activity. Dispersal results in patchiness in patterns of disease or inoculum in soil. In this chapter we discuss the mechanisms of dispersal of members of this important genus and describe several methods that can be used to statistically analyze data for which spatial coordinates are known. The methods include testing spatial autocorrelation for binary data or continuous data, semivariograms, and regression models for spatial data. The goal of spatial pattern analysis is to gain an understanding of the mechanisms of dispersal of propagules and to sort out the physical and biological factors that are important for spread of plant pathogens and ultimately, for disease management.
Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself: Fear of Fear, Fear of Greed and Gender Effects in Two-Person Asymmetric Social Dilemmas

This article extends Simpson's (2003) research on sex differences in social dilemmas. To test the hypotheses that men defect in response to greed and women to fear, Simpson created Fear and Greed Dilemmas, but experiments using these games supported the greed hypothesis only. In this article I focus on why the fear hypothesis failed and suggest that fear was actually absent in the Fear Dilemma. To retest Simpson's hypotheses, I propose a new asymmetric game, the Fear-of-Greed Dilemma. The asymmetry is important for two reasons. First, it creates the risk of exploitation that Simpson's Fear Dilemma lacked. Second, it exposes a critical limitation in Rapoport's (1964) K-index and suggests a re-specification. Laboratory studies supported the fear hypothesis and found mediating effects of expectations about partners on sex differences in cooperation.
MR Imaging of the Lumbosacral Plexus: A Review of Techniques and Pathologies

The lumbosacral plexus is a complex anatomic area that serves as the conduit of innervation and sensory information to and from the lower extremities. It is formed by the ventral rami of the lumbar and sacral spine which then combine into larger nerves serving the pelvis and lower extremities. It can be a source of severe disability and morbidity for patients when afflicted with pathology. Patients may experience motor weakness, sensory loss, and/or debilitating pain. Primary neurologic processes can affect the lumbosacral plexus in both genetic and acquired conditions and typically affect the plexus and nerves symmetrically. Additionally, its unique relationship to the pelvic musculature and viscera render it vulnerable to trauma, infection, and malignancy. Such conditions are typically proceeded by a known history of trauma or established pelvic malignancy or infection. Magnetic resonance imaging is an invaluable tool for evaluation of the lumbosacral plexus due to its anatomic detail and sensitivity to pathologic changes. It can identify the cause for disability, indicate prognosis for improvement, and be a tool for delivery of interventions. Knowledge of proper MR protocols and imaging features is key for appropriate and timely diagnosis. Here we discuss the relevant anatomy of the lumbosacral plexus, appropriate imaging techniques for its evaluation, and discuss the variety of pathologies that may afflict it.