cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of CAPE-V Sentences on Cepstral/Spectral Acoustic Measures in Dysphonic Speakers.

Objective: To investigate the effect of connected speech stimuli from the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) on cepstral/spectral acoustic measurements. Patients and Methods: Recordings from 20 participants seeking treatment for dysphonia were analyzed in this study. The participants read the 6 sentence stimuli from the CAPE-V at a comfortable pitch and loudness. Acoustic measures of cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and its standard deviation, the low-to-high spectral ratio and its standard deviation (LH and LHsd) and the multiparametric measure Cepstral Spectral Index of Dysphonia were acquired from each sentence recording and applied to analyses. Results: A significant main effect for sentence type was present on the measurements of CPP, LH and LHsd. Post hoc pairwise comparisons revealed the most robust effect on CPP from the all-voiced sentence ‘We were away a year ago'. For the measures of LH and LHsd, sentence effects were significant for the majority of comparisons. Conclusion: The connected speech stimuli from the CAPE-V affected cepstral/spectral acoustic measurements differentially. These findings support the rationale for using the various CAPE-V stimuli during clinical assessment, and indicate the need for further investigations to inform clinical practice.
Protein Microarrays for the Detection of Biothreats

Although protein microarrays have proven to be an important tool in proteomics research, the technology is emerging as useful for public health and defense applications. Recent progress in the measurement and characterization of biothreat agents is reviewed in this chapter. Details concerning validation of various protein microarray formats, from contact-printed sandwich assays to supported lipid bilayers, are presented. The reviewed technologies have important implications for in vitro characterization of toxin–ligand interactions, serotyping of bacteria, screening of potential biothreat inhibitors, and as core components of biosensors, among others, research and engineering applications.
A field study of the nesting ecology of the thatching ant, Fomica obscuripes Forel, at high altitude in Colorado

A field study of the thatching ant, Formica obscuripes Forel, at 2560 m elevation in Colorado provided information on mound density, composition, dimensions, and temperatures; worker longevity; and mite parasitization. Density was 115 mounds/ha. Mounds had 1-52 entrances and Peromyscus fecal pellets in the thatch. Mounds conserved heat and exhibited thermal stratification. Excavations of 4 nests revealed depths of 0.3 m to almost 1 m, novel myrmecophiles, and 0-198 wingless queens per nest. Marking experiments demonstrated that some workers overwinter and live more than a year.
Positive and Negative Symptoms as Risk Factors for Later Suicidal Activity in Schizophrenics Versus Depressives

Seventy schizophrenia patients and 97 depressives were studied prospectively while in the hospital and at periodic follow-ups. Positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and post-hospital functioning were assessed at the 2-year follow-up; and suicidal activity, at the 7.5-year follow-up. The results support an interactive model of suicide risk. Psychotic symptoms (i.e., hallucinations, delusions) predict later suicidal activity only for the schizophrenia patients. Deficit symptoms (psychomotor retardation, concreteness) predict later suicidal activity only for the depressive group. Adequacy of overall functioning predicts later suicidal activity for both diagnostic groups and appears to mediate the effects of psychosis in the schizophrenia group.
A PCR fingerprinting technique to distinguish isolates of Lactococcus lactis

A fingerprinting technique similar to repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR was developed to identify strains of Lactococcus lactis. The method distinguishes closely related strains and discriminates among some with identical ldh sequences. The fingerprinting primer LL-Rep1 complements a moderately repeated sequence found in low G+C Gram-positive bacteria and may therefore prove useful for discriminating among strains of other low G+C Gram-positive species.
An X-Ray Diffraction Study of the Substructure-Superstructure Transformation in α-Bis(1,2-Benzoquinonedioximato)palladium(II), α-Pd(bqd)2

Abstract X-Ray diffraction studies of the structure of the α-form of bis(1,2-benzoquinonedioximato)palladium(II), α-Pd(bqd)2, at four different temperatures are reported. At 108K a mainly second-order phase transformation from a centrosymmetric subcell structure (space group Ibam, with cell vectors a, b, and c) to a polar, commensurate supercell structure (Pcc2, with a = a, [bacute] = 4b, c = c) takes place. The superstructure results from both translation and rotation of the molecules. It can be described in terms of a transverse modulation wave extending perpendicular to the stacking direction resulting in an undulation of the stacks with a maximum displacement of 0.84A at 19.5K. There is no evidence of dimerization within the stacks.
Characterization of a lanthanide complex encapsulated with MRI contrast agents into liposomes for biosensor imaging of redundant deviation in shifts (BIRDS)

Purposely designed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probes encapsulated in liposomes, which alter contrast by their paramagnetic effect on longitudinal (T₁) and transverse (T₂) relaxation times of tissue water, hold promise for molecular imaging. However, a challenge with liposomal MRI probes that are solely dependent on enhancement of water relaxation is lack of specific molecular readouts, especially in strong paramagnetic environments, thereby reducing the potential for monitoring disease treatment (e.g., cancer) beyond the generated MRI contrast. Previously, it has been shown that molecular imaging with magnetic resonance is also possible by detecting the signal of non-exchangeable protons emanating from paramagnetic lanthanide complexes themselves [e.g., TmDOTP⁵⁻, which is a Tm³⁺ -containing biosensor based on a macrocyclic chelate 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetrakis(methylene phosphonate), DOTP⁵⁻] with a method called biosensor imaging of redundant deviation in shifts (BIRDS). Here, we show that BIRDS is useful for molecular imaging with probes like TmDOTP⁵⁻ even when they are encapsulated inside liposomes with ultrastrong T₁and T₂contrast agents (e.g., Magnevist and Molday ION, respectively). We demonstrate that molecular readouts such as pH and temperature determined from probes like TmDOTP⁵⁻ are resilient, because the sensitivity of the chemical shifts to the probe's environment is not compromised by the presence of other paramagnetic agents contained within the same nanocarrier milieu. Because high liposomal encapsulation efficiency allows for robust MRI contrast and signal amplification for BIRDS, nanoengineered liposomal probes containing both monomers, TmDOTP⁵⁻ and paramagnetic contrast agents, could allow high spatial resolution imaging of disease diagnosis (with MRI) and status monitoring (with BIRDS).
Polysiloxanes in Catalysis and Catalyst Preparation: Opportunities for Control of Catalytic Processes

Because of the relative ease to modify, functionalize, and synthesize polysiloxanes, these compounds offer interesting possibilities to greatly influence the properties of a catalytic system. These potentials are illustrated with three catalytic systems. In the first system, siloxane nanocages are shown to exhibit confinement effects by strongly modifying the protonation affinity of internal amine groups and by changing the activity and product selectivity in a reaction catalyzed by these groups. In the second example, the length of the siloxane backbone of a bis(pyridyl)siloxane ligand is shown to be critical both in stabilizing a Pd acetate complex catalyst in selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol, and in determining the dependence of the reaction rate on the pyridyl concentration in the reaction mixture. In the third example, polysiloxanes are shown to be useful in the preparation of a supported Pd catalyst in which the metal loading and particle size can be independently controlled.
Gynecologic Biopsy for Molecular Profiling: A Review for the Interventional Radiologist

The interventional radiologist is often asked to obtain multiple biopsies of gynecological malignancies for genetic profiling. This article reviews the current indications for gynecological biopsy as well as how the information gained contributes to a personalized medicine plan for the individual patient. The specific focus of this review is the current knowledge and practice of molecular profiling for gynecological malignancies.
A one-dimensional photochemical model of the troposphere with planetary boundary-layer parameterization

The results from a one-dimensional photochemical model of the troposphere representative of summertime conditions at Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes are presented. A parameterization of mixing processes within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) has been incorporated into the model for both the daytime convective PBL and the formation of the nocturnal PBL. One result of the parameterized PBL is that the concentrations of some trace species in the free troposphere are 20–30% higher than when mixing processes are described by a vertical eddy diffusion coefficient which is held constant with respect to height and time. The calculations indicate that the lifetime of the oxides of nitrogen (NO x =NO+NO2) against photochemical conversion to nitric acid (HNO3) during summertime conditions is on the order of 6 h. This lifetime is short enough to deplete most of the NO x in the PBL, resulting in the finding that other reactive nitrogen species (HNO3 and peroxyacetyl nitrate) are more abundant than NO x throughout the free troposphere, even though NO x is the most abundant reactive nitrogen species at the surface. The effects of the inclusion of anthropogenic nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC) chemistry are also discussed. The inclusion of NMHC chemistry has a pronounced effect on the photochemistry of tropospheric oxone and increases thein situ column production by more than 30%.
THE RESIDENCE TIME DISTRIBUTION FOR LAMINAR FLOW OF NON-NEWTONIAN LIQUIDS THROUGH HELICAL TUBES

Abstract The residence time distribution in a helically coiled tubular reactor is computed for laminar flow of inelastic non-Newtonian liquid at small Dean number. Effect of pseudoplasticity on the residence time distribution is explored. It was found that pseudoplaslicity of the liquid makes the residence time distribution narrower. The effect of dialalant fluid behavior is opposite but very small in magnitude. The results of numerical integrations are correlated with power law index, allowing predictions over a wide range of the index. The results could be used to predict conversion of reactions in a coiled reactor, such as continuous polymerization or fermentation reactors, where the reaction mixtures are likely to be non-Newtonian in nature. Results will be also useful in characterization of coiled chromatographic columns.
The tribe Tryphonini in India with descriptions of new species* (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Abstract The Ichneumonid tribe Tryphonini is a predominantly Holarctic group. Very few specimens have been collected in India from higher elevations in the Himalaya, representing 5 genera and 7 species. The new taxa are: Polyblastus kashmiricus, Ctenochira himachala, Dyspetes orientalis uttara, Cosmoconus indicus, and Tryphon himalayensis. Polyblastus, Cosmoconus and Tryphon are reported from India for the first time.
Redox titration of the primary electron acceptor of Photosystem I in spinach chloroplasts

Abstract The midpoint potential of the primary electron acceptor of Photosystem I in spinach chloroplasts was titrated using the photooxidation of P 700 at −196 °C as an index of the amount of primary acceptor present in the oxidized state. The redox potential of the chloroplast suspension was established by the reducing power of hydrogen gas (mediated by clostridial hydrogenase and 1,1′-trimethylene-2,2′-dipyridylium dibromide) at specific pH values at 25 °C. Samples were frozen to −196 °C and the extent of the photooxidation of P 700 was determined from light-minus-dark difference spectra. This titration indicated a midpoint potential of −0.53 V for the primary electron acceptor of Photosystem I.
Examination of the validity of the Flory–Huggins solution theory in terms of miscibility in dextran systems

The validity of the original Flory-Huggins theory was examined in terms of predicting molecular miscibility in carbohydrate polymers using dextrans as model system. The solubility parameter of the monomeric unit of dextran was calculated from two different group contribution methods using the molecular structure. A predictive methodology to calculate the solubility parameters of dextrans with different molecular weights as a function of their glass transition temperatures was presented, with an inverse relationship between molecular weight and solubility parameter. The calculated solubility parameters were then used to predict the free energy of mixing two dextrans with molecular weights of 1000 and 2,000,000. The Flory-Huggins theory was demonstrated to be unsatisfactory for predicting miscibility in carbohydrate systems since it underestimates the presence of strong specific intermolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, which may enhance the actual miscibility in such systems and which should be handled by more advanced thermodynamic models.
Nitric oxide, a protective molecule in the cardiovascular system

Nitric oxide (NO) is an intra- and inter-signaling molecule that regulates vessel dilatation, neuronal transmission, cardiac contraction, immunomodulation, and stem cell differentiation and proliferation. NO plays an important protective role in the cardiovascular system. NO inhibits smooth muscle cells proliferation and migration; enhances proliferation and migration of endothelial cell and inhibits apoptosis; suppresses platelet aggregation; and prevents platelet, leukocyte and monocyte adhesion to endothelium. NO exerts an inhibitory effect on the development of intimal hyperplasia in mechanically or immunologically injured vessel. New therapeutic approaches aimed at enhancing NO bioavailability or assisting delivery of NO locally may help patients with cardiovascular disease.
Resonance transmission in electron emission from surfaces with adsorbed atoms

Abstract Recent work on the effects of resonance tunneling through virtual bound states of adsorbed atoms on metal surfaces in field emission is extended to treat possible resonance transmission effects over adsorbed atoms in thermionic, auger, and photoelectron emission. The resonance effects are illustrated through exact calculations on model potentials for the metal and adsorbed atom. Shortcomings of the pseudopotential formulation of wave interference phenomenon are indicated. The transmission and transmission enhancement functions are calculated for an electron coming from within the metal which then crosses the combined potential of the metal surface and the adsorbed atom. Resonances in the transmission, similar to Ramsauer peaks, are predicted for suitable choices of model potential parameters which may be reasonable approximations to the parameters describing alkali atoms adsorbed on metal surfaces.
Increased efficacy of CDDP in a xenograft model of hepatoblastoma using the apoptosis sensitizer ABT-737

The response of standard-risk hepatoblastoma (HB) to neoadjuvant cisplatin (CDDP) chemotherapy is excellent; however, in high-risk HB, drug resistance remains a major challenge. Alternative therapeutic strategies may consider combining cytotoxic drugs with apoptosis sensitizers as this has shown additive effects in various types of malignancies. Analysis of published expression databases have revealed an anti-apoptosis state in HB samples. Herein, we evaluated the synergistic effects of ABT-737 as a modulator of apoptosis in combination with CDDP in HB. To this end, clonogenic assays were performed with HepT1 and HUH6 HB cells to evaluate the synergistic effects of CDDP and ABT-737. Combination treatment with CDDP and ABT-737 reduced the clonogenicity of HB cells more than 5-fold compared to treatment with CDDP alone. Furthermore, the HUH6 mixed-type HB cells showed higher sensitivity to CDDP and combination treatment compared to the HepT1 embryonal-type cells. Subcutaneous HUH6 tumors in NOD/LtSz-scid IL2Rγnull mice were treated with CDDP (1.25 and 3 mg/kg body weight, n=6), ABT-737 (100 mg/kg, n=5) and the combination of both agents (n=5). Combined treatment led to a significantly reduced tumor growth compared to CDDP treatment alone (p<0.02). When using higher doses of CDDP (3 mg/kg) alone or in combination with ABT-737, dose-dependent toxicity was observed in this mouse strain. In conclusion, our results demonstrated the enhancement of chemotherapy efficacy by using modulators of apoptosis together with cytotoxic agents. Additive effects of ABT-737 may allow reduction in CDDP dosages with maintenance of antitumor activity. Sensitizing HB to apoptosis may also render resistant HB susceptible to established chemotherapy regimens.
Radiosensitivity of jejunal mucosa after whole abdomen irradiation and CDDP pretreatment

Pretreatment of mice with a single radiation dose of 11.5 Gy or with fractionated irradiation (2 x 6.5 or 7.5 Gy, with an interval time of 12 hr) led to a relative decrease in the radiosensitivity of jejunal crypt cells when a second single dose of radiation was delivered 2 months later. When the same irradiation pretreatment was combined with CDDP (6 mg/kg, i.p.) injected 12 hr after single radiation or between two equal doses of radiation, similar crypt cells resistance was obtained. The combination of CDDP with irradiation did not modify the radiosensitivity of jejunal crypts in comparison with irradiation alone, even when the total radiation dose was delivered in 2 split doses. This induced radioresistance was demonstrated to be a reflection of late injury on intestinal tissue, presumably due to hypoxia resulting from vascular damage. It seems that the administration of CDDP did not change the possible hypoxia suspected in crypt cells of mice pretreated with single radiation dose. However, mouse lethality increased significantly when CDDP was combined with irradiation.
Efficacy of systematic lymphadenectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy in node-positive endometrial cancer patients.

Abstract Objective. To assess the efficacy of systematic lymphadenectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy in minimizing pelvic sidewall and para-aortic failures. Methods. Between January 1984 and December 2001, a total of 146 patients with stage III and IV endometrial cancer and lymph node metastases were treated at our institution. Adequate pelvic lymphadenectomy was defined as the removal of more than 10 pelvic lymph nodes, and adequate para-aortic lymphadenectomy was defined as removal of 5 or more para-aortic lymph nodes. The 24 patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy were excluded. We assessed the ability of adequate pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy, together with radiotherapy, to prevent pelvic and para-aortic recurrences. Results. Of the 122 patients studied, 94 (77%) had adequate pelvic lymphadenectomy and 47 (39%) had adequate para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Pelvic radiotherapy was administered to 78% and para-aortic radiotherapy to 29% of patients. Median follow-up of censored patients was 56 months. Twenty-five percent of patients had pelvic sidewall failure at 5 years. Pelvic sidewall failures at 5 years occurred in 57% of patients who had inadequate node dissection and/or no radiotherapy, compared with 10% for those having both adequate lymphadenectomy and radiotherapy ( P P = 0.03). The performance of definitive pelvic lymphadenectomy may have increased treatment-related morbidity in the subgroup of patients who had postoperative radiotherapy. For the 41 patients with positive para-aortic lymph nodes, the 5-year para-aortic failure rate was 34% after adequate lymphadenectomy but without adjuvant para-aortic radiotherapy. Likewise, 69% failed in the para-aortic area when adjuvant para-aortic radiotherapy was administered to patients not having adequate para-aortic lymphadenectomy; however, none of the 11 patients failed in the para-aortic area after adequate lymphadenectomy and para-aortic radiotherapy ( P = 0.08). Conclusions. Adequate (pelvic and para-aortic) lymphadenectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy appear complementary in reducing failures in both the pelvis and para-aortic areas in patients with node-positive endometrial cancer.
The effects of high frequency, low intensity ultrasound therapy on parotid flow rates.

Objectives Saliva plays a critical role in maintaining oral health and comfort. Development of a single device capable of simulating salivary flow with no taste or adverse side effects is desirable. Study design This clinical investigation on 23 healthy volunteers with no dry mouth complaints evaluated the effectiveness of ultrasonic therapy in mechanical stimulation of the parotid gland to increase saliva flow. Stimulated and unstimulated parotid saliva was collected. Differences in mean salivary flow rates and affects of age and ethnicity were measured. Results The mean difference between stimulated and unstimulated saliva flow rates was 0.009 mL/min ± SD = 0.042, t (df = 22) = 1.27 with P = .31. There were no significant differences of age (P = .26), gender (P = .38), or race/ethnicity (P = .58) for the difference of stimulated and unstimulated conditions. Conclusions Results indicate that high-frequency low-intensity ultrasound therapy is not effective in stimulating salivary flow rates.
Photocount statistics of second harmonic light

Abstract This paper discusses the results of some statistical measurements performed on the second harmonic light of a HeNe laser and the effects of irradiance fluctuations in the fundamental beam.
Clinical Research: Whose Agenda Is It?

I would like to begin by expressing my deep appreciation to the Clinical Council for honoring me this year with the annual James B. Herrick Award. As a longstanding maverick cardiovascular investigator, I recognize the unfortunate fate of many mavericks who more often face sanction than accolades, and I am therefore particularly grateful that the Council has seen fit to honor me for a lifetime of effort that has often challenged traditional thinking. My maverick attitudes surfaced early in my training, when I began a cardiovascular research fellowship at Georgetown University after completing a tour of duty in the public health service. Having initiated my research career in clinical and animal hemodynamic studies under the tutelage of Dr Edward Freis, I became focused on physiological mechanisms. During clinical rounds with Dr Proctor Harvey, a group of us young fellows surrounded the bed of a man with heart failure and watched as Dr Harvey carefully palpated the radial pulse and announced the presence of pulsus alternans. Each fellow in turn took the patient’s wrist and nodded agreement with the finding. I frankly was unable to detect an alteration in the strength of the pulsation, and my protestation was met by the comment that I needed to educate my fingers. Unwilling to accept this simple explanation for my perceived deficiency, I went to my laboratory, brought a transducer and recorder to the bedside, and proceeded to puncture the radial artery to record the arterial pressure. The long recording revealed no alteration in systolic or pulse pressure but only the usual respiratory pressure variation. I excitedly brought the tracing to Dr Harvey, who calmly announced to me that his fingers were more sensitive than my transducer. That early experience convinced me that there was much to learn about clinical pathophysiology that might be …
Impact of a hormone-releasing intrauterine system on the vaginal microbiome: a prospective baboon model.

Background Use of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) in humans may alter vaginal microbial populations and susceptibility to pathogens. This study evaluated the time-dependent effects of an LNG-IUS on the vaginal microbiome of the baboon, a useful animal model for reproductive studies. Methods Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine systems were inserted into three reproductively mature, female baboons. The animals were evaluated for 6 months by physical examination and Gram-stained cytology. The vaginal microbiota was characterized at each timepoint by culture-independent analysis of the 16S rRNA-encoding gene. Results Each baboon harbored a diverse vaginal microbiome. Interindividual variation exceeded intra-individual variation. Diversity declined over time in one baboon and showed mild fluctuations in the other two. There were no significant community differences from early to late post-LNG-IUS placement. Conclusions The baboon vaginal microbiome is unique to each individual and is polymicrobial. In this pilot study, the vaginal microbiome remained stable from early to late post-LNG-IUS placement.
Evaluation of community coalitions ability to create safe, effective exercise classes for older adults

Abstract This paper describes the evaluation of the Active Aging Community Task Force (AACTF) project that fostered the development of 25 community coalitions charged with creating safe and effective exercise classes for older adults. Periodic progress reports, site visits, personal interviews, and standardized questionnaires formulated the process evaluation. Functional fitness assessments were conducted on exercise class participants to document changes in fitness over time. Over 5 years, 36 workshops to train exercise class instructors were conducted, 153 new exercise classes were created, and over 7000 older adults participated in these classes. After 12–24 weeks of exercise class participation, consistent gains were observed in low back/hip range of motion, agility/dynamic balance, leg strength, and upper arm strength. AACTF members generally agreed/strongly agreed with statements regarding their coalition leader's competence, performance, support, and control, and they also gave high ratings for their coalition's progress toward meeting its objectives. No adverse events were reported for any AACTF exercise class participant. The adaptation of evaluation processes previously used to assess community coalition's prevention efforts proved successful and the information provided via these processes was of tremendous benefit in identifying areas of needed modification. The data also indicated that the AACTFs were effective in establishing safe and effective exercise classes for older adults.
Selection and Characterization of a Daucus carota L. Cell Line Resistant to Four Amino Acid Analogues

Carrot suspension cultures resistant to growth inhibition by p-fluorophenylalanine, ethionine, aminoethylcysteine, and 5-methyltryptophan were obtained by sequential selection for resistance to each amino acid analogue. Resistance was increased at least 100-fold for each analogue and the resistance was retained after growth away from the inhibitors for 40 cell doublings. After each selection, the corresponding free natural amino acid was increased and the line resistant to all four analogues showed levels of phenylalanine, methionine, lysine, and tryptophan which were 7, 6, 5, and 32 times that of the parental wild type line, respectively. The total free amino acid level was doubled in this line. Only after selection for 5-methyltryptophan resistance did the anthranilate
Industry viewpoint: relational interdependency and punctuated equilibrium

A better understanding of relational interdependency can help a buyer manage an effective level of commitment with a supplier and, consequently, increase successful exchange outcomes. The buyer which successfully manages relational commitment, encourages the supplier to make transaction‐specific investments for the buyer‐supplier working partnership. However, as the supplier makes these non‐redeployable investments, it also increases dependence on the buyer. The caveat is that a supplier which perceives a decline in buyer commitment will likely act to decrease this dependency on the buyer.
Spatial resolution dependence of DTI tractography in human occipito-callosal region

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and fiber tracking have been used to measure the fiber structural connectivity in humans in a non-invasive manner. However, low sensitivity is a principal limitation of these methods, causing a large number of possibly missing fiber tracts (FTs). Here we studied how the spatial resolution affects the sensitivity of the fiber tracing by rescaling data to different resolutions. Our data suggest that the spatial resolution can change the degree of the asymmetric cross-callosal connections in the lower visual field (loVF) compared to the upper visual field (upVF). Among connections from loVF, a larger voxel size resulted in a smaller number of FTs that was not commensurate to the number of seed points, while the number of connections from upVF was not significantly affected by variation in seeding point numbers. We conclude from our study that the spatial resolution of the acquired data will have to be taken into consideration in interpreting DTI fiber tracking data. Our results further suggest that the acquisition resolution of around 2 mm iso-voxel in the conventional DTI scheme can reconstruct the asymmetric upper and lower white matter structure in occipito-callosal region.
Long-run investment decisions, operating performance, and shareholder value creation of firms adopting compensation plans based on economic profits

For firms that adopted economic profit plans between 1983 and 1996, we document changes in investment behavior that lead to improvements in operating performance and growth opportunities relative to these firms' past performance. The improvements, however, are similar to those realized by a set of non-adopting control firms that are selected on the basis of a logistic regression model of adoption choice. We then consider the possibility that some firms are better candidates for economic profit plans than others and classify adopters according to whether they make anticipated or surprising choices based on the adoption choice model. We find that anticipated adopters make changes in investment behavior that reduce invested capital and allow them to become more profitable than a sample of control firms that were expected to adopt but chose to continue using a traditional plan. A similar analysis of surprise adopters does not reveal significant performance differences relative to a sample of anticipated non-adopters. The classification analysis suggests that economic profit plans work best for firms that are expected to adopt such plans based on pre-adoption operating, organizational, financial, and compensation characteristics.
Characterization of two genes, p11 and p5, on the Borrelia burgdorferi 49-kilo base linear plasmid.

A putative operon encoding two Borrelia burgdorferi N40 genes, p11 and p5 was cloned and localized to the 49 kilobase linear plasmid. p11 encodes an 11 kDa protein and p5 encodes a 5 kDa protein. The first 88 nucleotides of p11 have 81 % identity with orf5 on a circular plasmid from Borrelia afzelii strain Ip21, suggesting that homologues of these genes may be present in different regions of the B. burgdorferi genome.
Loss of glypican-3 function causes growth factor-dependent defects in cardiac and coronary vascular development

Glypican-3 (Gpc3) is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) expressed widely during vertebrate development. Loss-of-function mutations cause Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome (SGBS), a rare and complex congenital overgrowth syndrome with a number of associated developmental abnormalities including congenital heart disease. We found that Gpc3-deficient mice display a high incidence of congenital cardiac malformations like ventricular septal defects, common atrioventricular canal and double outlet right ventricle. In addition we observed coronary artery fistulas, which have not been previously reported in SGBS. Coronary artery fistulas are noteworthy because little is known about the molecular basis of this abnormality. Formation of the coronary vascular plexus in Gpc3-deficient embryos was delayed compared to wild-type, and consistent with GPC3 functioning as a co-receptor for fibroblast growth factor-9 (FGF9), we found a reduction in Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) mRNA expression and signaling in embryonic mutant hearts. Interestingly, we found an asymmetric reduction in SHH signaling in cardiac myocytes, as compared with perivascular cells, resulting in excessive coronary artery formation in the Gpc3-deficient animals. We hypothesize that the excessive development of coronary arteries over veins enables the formation of coronary artery fistulas. This work has broad significance to understanding the genetic basis of coronary development and potentially to molecular mechanisms relevant to revascularization following ischemic injury to the heart.
Variation of direct-process contribution with collision energy in reactive scattering

Using the Muckermann-V potential surface for FH/sub 2/, the contribution of the single-step direct-process portion to state--to--all-states reactive scattering is examined as a function of collision energy. The use of the orbital angular momentum space distribution is found to explain favorably the structures of angular distributions. Not only sideways: but also backward-peaked state-to-state (and thus state--to--all-states) angular distributions are shown to occur due dominantly to impact-parameter collisions other than head-on (L = 0) collisions. It is found that the structures of state--to--all-states angular distributions contributed by the (single-step) direct reaction remain consistently backward peaked (at 180/sup 0/) at all collision energies studied. The increase of collision energy is seen to cause only the broadening of the angular distribution. This differs from the observation that shows sideways-peaked scattering at a certain collision energy, thus indicating that the observed sideways scattering may have been caused by other than the single-step direct-reaction process, if the potential surface which we used is reliable.
Carnap and Logical Truth

Kant’s question ‘How are synthetic judgments a priori possible?’ precipitated the Critique of Pure Reason. Question and answer notwithstanding, Mill and others persisted in doubting that such judgments were possible at all. At length some of Kant’s own clearest purported instances, drawn from arithmetic, were sweepingly disqualified (or so it seemed; but see § II) by Frege’s reduction of arithmetic to logic. Attention was thus forced upon the less tendentious and indeed logically prior question, ‘How is logical certainty possible?’ It was largely this latter question that precipitated the form of empiricism which we associate with between-war Vienna — a movement which began with Wittgenstein’s Tractatus and reached its maturity in the work of Carnap.
Late results with concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting and ICD implantation

Background: To determine the influence of left ventricular function on the long-term survival of patients with coronary artery disease and lethal ventricular arrhythmias, who undergo concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and implantable cardiovertor defibrillator (ICD) implantation, we studied survival in 54 consecutive patients who underwent CABG and ICD implantation. Methods: Group I consisted of 35 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ± 35% (mean 25.3 ± 5.6) and Group II consisted of 19 patients with LVEF > 35% (mean 47.5 ± 6.6). The two groups were similar with regards to age, gender, clinical presentation, induced arrhythmias, and the number of grafts placed at the time of surgery. Results: Two in-hospital deaths (3.7%) occurred, both in Group I. During follow-up (42.5 ± 21.8 months), there were 10 deaths in Group I (1 noncardiac, 1 sudden, and 8 heart failure), and 1 death in Group II (heart failure) (p < 0.04). Conclusions: Concomitant CABG and ICD implantation can be performed with an acceptable in-hospital mortality, even in patients with poor left ventricular function. Although freedom from sudden cardiac death remains excellent, overall long-term survival is limited by refractory heart failure, especially in those patients with left ventricular dysfunction at the time of surgery.
Design and Discovery of 6-[(3S,4S)-4-Methyl-1-(pyrimidin-2-ylmethyl)pyrrolidin-3-yl]-1-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl)-1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one (PF-04447943), a Selective Brain Penetrant PDE9A Inhibitor for the Treatment of Cognitive Disorders

6-[(3S,4S)-4-Methyl-1-(pyrimidin-2-ylmethyl)pyrrolidin-3-yl]-1-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl)-1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one (PF-04447943) is a novel PDE9A inhibitor identified using parallel synthetic chemistry and structure-based drug design (SBDD) and has advanced into clinical trials. Selectivity for PDE9A over other PDE family members was achieved by targeting key residue differences between the PDE9A and PDE1C catalytic site. The physicochemical properties of the series were optimized to provide excellent in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics properties in multiple species including humans. It has been reported to elevate central cGMP levels in the brain and CSF of rodents. In addition, it exhibits procognitive activity in several rodent models and synaptic stabilization in an amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mouse model. Recent disclosures from clinical trials confirm that it is well tolerated in humans and elevates cGMP in cerebral spinal fluid of healthy volunteers, confirmin...
Gold, silver, and palladium nanoparticle/nano-agglomerate generation, collection, and characterization

Generation, collection, and characterization of gold, silver, and palladium nanoparticles and nano-agglomerates (collectively “nanoparticles”) have been explored. The nanoparticles were generated with a spark aerosol generator (Palas GFG-1000). They were collected using a deposition cell under diffusion and thermophoresis. The shapes and sizes of the deposited particles were measured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM images showed that the particles were in the range of 8–100 nm in diameter, and their shapes varied from nearly spherical to highly non-spherical. Thermophoresis enhanced the deposition of nanoparticles (over the diffusive or the isothermal deposition) in all cases. Further, the size distributions of the nanoparticles generated in the gas phase (aerosol) were measured using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS 3080, TSI) spectrometer. The SMPS results show that an increase in the spark frequency of the generator shifted the size distributions of the nanoparticles to larger diameters, and the total particle mass production rate increased linearly with increase in the spark frequency. The computational fluid dynamics code Fluent (Ansys) was used to model the flow in the deposition cell, and the computed results conform to the observations.
Bloch oscillations and quench dynamics of interacting bosons in an optical lattice

We study the dynamics of interacting superfluid bosons in a one-dimensional vertical optical lattice after a sudden increase of the lattice potential depth. We show that this system can be exploited to investigate the effects of strong interactions on Bloch oscillations. We perform theoretical modeling of this system, identify experimental challenges, and explore a regime of Bloch oscillations characterized by interaction-induced matter-wave collapse and revivals which modify the Bloch oscillations dynamics. In addition, we study three dephasing mechanisms: finite value of tunneling, effective three-body interactions, and a background harmonic potential. We also find that the center-of-mass motion in the presence of finite tunneling goes through collapse and revivals, giving an example of quantum transport where interaction-induced revivals are important. We quantify the effects of residual harmonic trapping on the momentum distribution dynamics and show the occurrence of an interaction-modified temporal Talbot effect. Finally, we analyze the prospects and challenges of exploiting Bloch oscillations of cold atoms in the strongly interacting regime for precision measurement of the gravitational acceleration $g$.
The Relationship Between Entrepreneurship Education and Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Meta-Analytic Review

The research on entrepreneurship education�entrepreneurial intentions has yielded mixed results. We meta-analyzed 73 studies with a total sample size of 37,285 individuals and found a significant but a small correlation between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions (inline image). This correlation is also greater than that of business education and entrepreneurial intentions. However, after controlling for pre-education entrepreneurial intentions, the relationship between entrepreneurship education and post-education entrepreneurial intentions was not significant. We also analyzed moderators, such as the attributes of entrepreneurship education, students' differences, and cultural values. Our results have implications for entrepreneurship education scholars, program evaluators, and policy makers.
The Historical Roots of the Empowerment Dilemma in Vocational Rehabilitation

As a paradigm for human services, the concept of empowerment is coming of age. This article examines the history and philosophy of vocational rehabilitation (VR) in the public sector as a way of understanding VR's capacity to implement empowering services for people with disabilities.
The effect of oxides on mechanical properties of aluminium-lithium alloys

The rapidly solidified products suffered from the drawbacks associated with oxide contamination. The large surface areas associated with rapidly quenched particulates, in combination with the high reactivity of aluminium made it extremely difficult to eliminate oxides from PM processed products. Instead, it was a matter of the amount of oxide one could tolerate
Subarachnoid cyst with hydrocephalus–a complication of mid‐trimester amniocentesis

We report a child with a subarachnoid cyst with hydrocephalus following a mid-trimester amniocentesis. Although fetal trauma is a rare complication, it is important to stress the need to perform amniocentesis under ultrasound control. Children with neurological disease or convulsions of unknown origin in early infancy who are born to mothers who have had mid-trimester amniocentesis should have a CT scan as part of the investigations to exclude this rare but nevertheless important complication.
Comparative Dynamics of an Equilibrium Intertemporal Asset Pricing Model

This paper uses recursive competitive theory to develop a general equilibrium asset pricing model. In this framework all prices and rates of return are endogenously determined, thus enabling us to analyze the effects of changes in preferences, technological uncertainty, and expectations on the structure of security prices. In particular we focus on how the market risk premium varies with changes in the underlying economic environment, an issue which other asset pricing models have chosen not to address.
Identification of two types of oxidized palladium on γ-alumina by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Abstract It was demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) that oxidized palladium supported on γ-alumina can exist in two chemically different entities, distinguishable by their observed electron binding energies and by selective reduction. Larger oxidized particles are characterized by a binding energy attributed to PdO. This oxide is reduced to metallic palladium at room temperature in hydrogen, as would be expected for bulk PdO. On the other hand, at low palladium loadings of 0.5 wt.-% and less, the majority of the palladium is present at a binding energy shifted approximately 1.6 eV higher than that observed for PdO. The shift appears to be associated with a metal-support interaction at concentrations where the palladium is highly dispersed. Contrary to that observed at loadings greater than 0.5 wt.-%, this palladium remains mostly oxidized when exposed to hydrogen at room temperature. The results are compared with literature data reported for platinum/γ-alumina.
Baryon recoil and the fragmentation regions in ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions

The maximum baryon and energy densities reached in the fragmentation regions of nuclear collisions are estimated with a new hydrodynamical model. Unlike previous models where recoil is included as a source term for the baryon current, in our model the baryon current is strictly conserved. The parameters of the model are furthermore adjusted to take into account the large baryon rapidity shifts observed recently in p + A → p + X. The implications for the production of high baryon density quark-gluon plasmas are discussed.
Pulmonary epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 5 cases

Pulmonary epithelial-myoepithelial carcinomas are rare low-grade malignant neoplasms with histologic features similar to their salivary gland counterparts. We report a series of 5 cases and describe their clinical, morphological, and immunohistochemical features. The patients included 3 men and 2 women whose ages ranged from 38 to 56 years. All patients had obstructing endobronchial lesions that ranged from 2.5 to 5.0 cm in greatest dimension. The tumors were completely resected by simple lobectomy or pneumonectomy. In one patient, the tumor infiltrated perinodal soft tissue of a peribronchial lymph node with intranodal extension and metastasis within the same lymph node. The follow-up in these patients ranged from 4 to 12 months. The histologic appearance of these tumors varied, but all shared the common feature of a biphasic proliferation of epithelial (strong cytokeratin-positive; actin and S-100-negative) and myoepithelial (strong actin and S-100 and focal weak cytokeratin-positive) cells with formation of bilayered ductlike structures. The focal resemblance to other salivary gland-type tumors may cause diagnostic difficulties, particularly in small endobronchial biopsies. Although little is known about their biologic potential due to limited follow-up data, these tumors when in the lung clearly have the capacity to infiltrate and metastasize and therefore should be designated as epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma. At present, it appears that treatment by complete surgical resection with negative margins alone is appropriate and adequate.
Kinetic mechanism of the p38-alpha MAP kinase: phosphoryl transfer to synthetic peptides.

p38 is a member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. Activation (phosphorylation) of p38 acts as a switch for the transcriptional and translational regulation of a number of protei...