cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlation between the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index and the MIB-1 and Ki-67 proliferating cell indices in cerebral gliomas

Background. Recently, it has been shown that heating paraffin embedded tumor sections in a microwave oven can reactivate an epitope of Ki-67 protein that is recognized by the monoclonal antibody MIB-1. With this technique, a close correlation was shown between the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index (BUdR LI) and the MIB-1 proliferating cell index (PCI) in corresponding regions of glioblastomas. Methods. The reliability of the MIB-1 PCI as a marker of proliferation was evaluated in 90 cerebral gliomas. The MIB-1 immunostaining of ethanol-fixed, paraffin embedded sections of 23 moderately anaplastic astrocytomas, 22 highly anaplastic astrocytomas, 30 glioblastomas, and 15 mixed malignant gliomas was compared with the BUdR LI and, in some cases, the Ki-67 PCI. Results. MIB-1 positive cells were detected easily in the majority of the cases, and the MIB-1 immunostaining was often superior to that of Ki-67 in individual tumors. The MIB-1 PCI was significantly higher than the Ki-67 PCI and the BUdR LI. Linear-regression analysis showed significant correlations among the three indices. The MIB-1 PCI was correlated with the BUdR LI in each group of the astrocytic tumors and mixed malignant gliomas; the MIB-1 PCI was approximately 2.4–2.8 times higher than the BUdR LI. Conclusions. The close correlation between the MIB-1 PCI and the in vivo BUdR LI in serial sections of glioma subtypes suggests that MIB-1 immunostaining is a useful technique for analyzing the proliferative potential of individual gliomas.
Forward rates as predictors of future spot rates

Abstract When adjusted for variation through time in expected premiums, the forward rates of interest that are implicit in Treasury Bill prices contain assessments of expected future spot rates of interest that are about as good as those that can be obtained from the information in past spot rates. Moreover, in setting bill prices and forward rates, the market reacts appropriately to the negative autocorrelation in monthly changes in the spot rate and to changes through time in the degree of this autocorrelation. This evidence is consistent with the market efficiency proposition that in setting bill prices, the market correctly uses the information in past spot rates.
Sherrington's concept of integrative action

In one of the most sustainedly productive careers in the annals of science, his writings covering a span of sixty-nine years, the English neurophysiologist Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (18591952) "almost singlehandedly crystallized the special field of neurophysiology."l Sherrington's classic investigations dealt primarily with reflex motor behavior in vertebrates, and with the nature of muscle management at the spinal level. The data, terms, and concepts which he introduced have become such a fundamental part of the neurosciences that it is perhaps not surprising their authorship is often forgotten. The neurophysiologist works daily with terms such as proprioceptive, nociceptive, recruitment, fractionation, occlusion, myotatic, neurone pool, motoneurone, and synapse, and with concepts such as the final common path, the motor unit, the neurone threshold, central excitatory and inhibitory states, proprioception, reciprocal innervation, and the integrative action of the nervous system. But seldom is he aware that these core contributions to his discipline were largely the work of one man, Charles Sherrington. The span of Sherrington's career and the scope of his empirical and conceptual contributions offer the historian a broad canvas for tracing the development of present-day knowledge about the physiology of the nervous system. The two major concerns of this study are, first, to analyze the development of the integrative action concept in Sherrington's work from 1884 to 1906 and, secondly, to consider the significance of the integrative action concept for the development of neurophysiology. These lines of inquiry have raised many of the types of questions to which biologists or historians of biology want answers. First, and perhaps most obviously, just what does the phrase "the integrative action of the nervous system" denote?
Retention and Graduation Rates: Insights from an Extended Longitudinal View.

This study examines a 118-year continuous record of retention and graduation rates at a public university for long-term trends not observable in shorter studies. While the first year retention rate...
Child Abuse in India: An Empirical Report on Perceptions.

A small but growing body of literature has begun to provide an understanding of child abuse in India. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence to support general observations. Because it is believed that child abuse in India has not received adequate attention primarily because of a general lack of sensitivity to the issue, this study sought to assess perceptions of child abuse by Indian nationals. Comparisons between social workers, other human service professionals, and those not involved in human services fields revealed that there was negligible variation in perceptions of the severity of different forms of abuse. Cross-cultural comparisons with a U.S. study indicated some differences in perceptions. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Acetato(1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione)silver(I) trihydrate.

In the structure of the title compound, [Ag(C2H3O2)(C12H6N2O2)]·3H2O, the AgI atom is coordinated by both 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione N atoms and one O atom from the acetate anion. The three water mol­ecules are involved in extensive hydrogen bonding to each other and to the acetate O and 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione O atoms. In addition, there are weak C—H⋯O inter­actions.
Controversies in labor: lumbar tattoo and labor analgesia

A 21-year-old healthy female at 39 weeks‘ gestation was in labor and requested labor analgesia. Pre-anesthetic physical examination of the patient revealed a set of four multicolor tattoos covering most of her mid-lumbar area (Fig. 1). An uneventful epidural block was performed in a standard manner at L2–L3 interspace, just above the tattoos. In recent years body tattooing in unconventional (more subtle) sites has gained increasing popularity among young women (including in pregnancy) in western cultures [1]. Interestingly, the current literature is silent on possible neurological complications of a hollow needle insertion through a tattoo for neuraxial blocks. Since hollow needles entrap tissue fragments in their bore as they pass to deeper structures, the possibility of pigment entrapment (and lumbar tissue irritation) exists. The pigmented tissue core can be injected into the epidural and/or subarachnoid space possibly leading to neurological complications.
Sorption of hydrophobic compounds by sediments, soils and suspended solids—II. Sorbent evaluation studies

Abstract Concepts underlying the sorption of hydrophobic compounds and models for representation of observed equilibrium relationships were presented in Part I of this series. The earlier paper also summarized and evaluated major factors which affect the sorption of pollutants in natural environmental systems. This second part of the series presents a detailed summary and evaluation of the sorption of a particular class of hydrophobic pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), on a variety of different types of sediments, soils, suspended solids, and microorganisms. Equilibrium models described in Part I are used here to describe and analyze the PCB sorption data.
Heat-Induced Volatile Compounds in Milk

Abstract Milk, preheated at 82C for 30min, was heated to 146C for four seconds and cooled to 5C in a tubular heat exchanger. Immediately after heat treatment, the milk was vacuum distilled at 30C in a semicontinuous, reduced pressure, glass apparatus. Raw milk was distilled in a similar manner for a control. Continuous liquid-liquid ethyl ether extractions were employed to recover the compounds from the aqueous distillates. Gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, infrared spectrophotometry, and odor confirmation were used to characterize the compounds in the ethereal concentrates. The following compounds were found to be heat induced: The C 3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,13 n -methyl ketones, the C 8,10,12 delta-lactones, benzaldehyde, furfural, phenylacetaldehyde, vanillin, oct-1-en-3-ol, n-heptanol, 2-butoxyethanol, maltol, acetophenone, benzonitrile, benzothiazole, and diacetyl. Other food products could yield these heat-induced compounds provided the basic materials from which they originate were present during the heat treatment. The following novel compounds were found in both heated and raw milk: A dichlorobenzene, a trichlorobenzene, methyl iodide, and diacetyl. Benzonitrile, dichlorobenzene, trichlorobenzene, and methyl iodide were present in the ethereal concentrates in trace amounts. The concentration of diacetyl in heated and raw milk was determined by a modified gas entrainment, on-column trapping GLC technique. The amount of diacetyl in raw milk was 5 ppb, while the amount in the heated milk was 38 ppb, which is above the average flavor threshold for diacetyl in milk. It is suggested that diacetyl contributes to the rich or heated note in the flavor of heated milk.
The FedLemur project: Federated search in the real world

Federated search and distributed information retrieval systems provide a single user interface for searching multiple full-text search engines. They have been an active area of research for more than a decade, but in spite of their success as a research topic, they are still rare in operational environments. This article discusses a prototype federated search system developed for the U.S. government's FedStats Web portal, and the issues addressed in adapting research solutions to this operational environment. A series of experiments explore how well prior research results, parameter settings, and heuristics apply in the FedStats environment. The article concludes with a set of lessons learned from this technology transfer effort, including observations about search engine quality in the “real world.” © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Does F.A. Hayek's Road to Serfdom Deserve to Make a Comeback?

As anger at President Barack Obama's social policies grows in some quarters, scholars and talk show hosts alike have said Friedrich von Hayek's 1944 best-seller The Road to Serfdom warrants another look. But does it? Hayek maintained that even the U. S. social welfare net would lead to totalitarian government. It has not. But that does not stop some from citing the book as a foundation for ominous warnings about the United States.
Teaching African Studies Bibliography–Information Literacy for 21st Century Scholars

SUMMARY Indiana University has a long tradition of teaching African studies bibliography. It began in 1964 with Alan Taylor and was taught successively by Jean Meeh Gosebrink, David Easterbrook, Nancy Schmidt, and, for the last four years, by this author. This article discusses developments of the class as they have been implemented over the last four years. In the past, bibliographic tools in African studies disciplines were scarce, and the goal of the class consequently was to introduce the students to those tools. Nowadays, with the proliferation of sources in the field, both in electronic and print formats, the focus of the class has shifted. While various elements of the class have been maintained, the course now has several new elements, primarily in the form of discussion sessions based on the reading of articles and other sources. The focus of the class is no longer on how to find scarce, hidden materials, but rather to develop strategies and techniques to find a wide variety of materials ranging ...
Endogenous screening, credit crunches, and competition in laxity

Abstract A simple model of lending with endogenous screening predicts that risk-neutral banks tend to adopt tighter lending standards under several conditions commonly seen in recessions: lower interest rates (or spreads), higher default rates, or a smaller fraction of good borrowers. Historical data support these predictions. In addition, better information about borrower types encourages tighter lending standards, and competition in laxity can arise with multiple banks. Within the class of symmetric screening decisions, endogenizing the interest rates disrupts the existence of equilibrium in pure strategies, just as when screening decisions are assumed to be exogenous.
Regional biochemical and morphological characteristics of rat knee meniscus

Abstract 1. 1. The biochemical and morphological characteristics of the anterior and posterior regions of the rat knee meniscus were studied. 2. 2. The anterior meniscal horn was thicker and contained a lower concentration of DNA, hydroxyproline, and uronic acid as compared to the posterior region. The calcium concentration in the anterior region, however, was significantly greater than the calcium concentration in the posterior horn. 3. 3. Presence of a significant concentration of calcium in the normal rat knee meniscus is unique to rats and uncommon in other mammalian species.
Aldehydes react with scribed silicon to form alkyl monolayers: Characterization by ToF-SIMS suggests an even–odd effect

Abstract Alkyl monolayers are formed when silicon is chemomechanically scribed in the presence of aldehydes (from butanal to nonanal). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), wetting, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) suggest increasingly thick and hydrophobic monolayers with increasing aldehyde chain length. Superimposed on the general trend of stronger ToF-SIMS signals for hydrocarbon fragments from longer aldehyde precursors is an even–odd effect. This effect is most pronounced for smaller (one- and two-carbon) hydrocarbon fragments and for monolayers prepared with shorter aldehyde precursors. This is the first time than an even–odd effect has been demonstrated for monolayers on scribed silicon.
Group testing for image compression using alternative transforms

This paper extends the group testing for wavelets (IEEE Trans. Image Process. 11 (2002) 901) algorithm to code coefficients from the wavelet packet transform, the discrete cosine transform, and various lapped transforms. Group testing offers a noticeable improvement over zerotree coding techniques on these transforms; is inherently flexible; and can be adapted to different transforms with relative ease. The new algorithms are competitive with many recent state-of-the-art image coders that use the same transforms.
EARLY DIALYSIS AND FRESH FROZEN PLASMA (FFP) IN THE THERAPY OF HEMOLYTIC UREMIC SYNDROME (HUS)

In a 10 week period, 5 children (ages 21 months to 6 years) were seen with characteristic findings of HUS. All 5 presented with bloody diarrhea (3-8 days duration), azotemia (BUN:65-225 and creatinine:4.0-15.1), severe microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (Hgb:4.9-7.4 g%), and thrombocytopenia (platelet count: 13-64,000). Two patients had seizures. Multiple cultures for viruses and bacteria were all negative. Three children were anuric (14, 16 and 21 days) while 2 were severly oliguric (6 and 8 days). All five were treated with peritoneal dialysis from the time of admission and given packed cell transfusions as needed. Administration of FFP was started within the first 30 hours. The time for the platelet count to normalize appeared to vary with the volume of FFP given (0 cc/kg, 8 days; 30 cc/kg, 7 days; 40 cc/kg, 6 days; 66 cc/kg, 72 hours; 78 cc/kg, 48 hours). Neither the amount of FFP given nor the normal platelet count, however, appeared to influence the renal failure or the subsequent recovery of satisfactory renal function. None of the 5 children now require dialysis but 4 of 5 have reduced creatinine clearances (100, 60, 50, 50, 25 cc/minute). The degree of residual renal insufficiency relates well to the length of time these patients were anuric or oliguric (6, 8, 14, 16, and 21 days respectively). These data suggest that vigorous therapy with FFP may ameliorate platelet consumption in HUS and, coupled with early dialysis, be important for a satisfactory outcome.
Desiring and expecting to work among high school girls: Some determinants and consequences

Abstract The effects of mother's and father's work status and of social-psychological intervening variables on high school girls' orientation to the labor force are examined. The dependent variables are separate indicators of whether the girls want and whether they expect to have an occupation. In these data from 1965, a log linear analysis shows that whether the mother worked was the major background influence on the dependent variables; father's occupation had no significant independent effect. In addition, two “ideological” variables, the girl's identification with the mother and beliefs in individual achievement, strongly influenced the dependent variables, in a way that did not merely mediate the background effects. Finally, some consequences of wanting and/or expecting to work are examined, and it is argued that the choice of career pattern (housewife versus paid employment) was a central one in girls' attitudinal structures.
Testing the niche variation hypothesis with a measure of body condition

Individual variation and fitness are cornerstones of evolution by natural selection. The niche variation hypothesis (NVH) posits that when interspecific competition is relaxed, intraspecific competition should drive niche expansion by selection favoring use of novel resources and that among-individual variation should confer a selective advantage. Population-level niche expansion could be achieved by all individuals using all available resources, or by each individual using a unique combination of resources, thereby increasing among-individual dietary niche variation. Although individual variation can lead to species-level evolutionary and ecological change, observed variation does not ensure a beneficial outcome. We used carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of claw keratin and a Bayesian stable isotope mixing model to estimate the summer (July–September) assimilated diet of individual female black Ursus americanus and brown U. arctos bears. We quantified variation in dietary niche in both populations, and assessed diet relative to percentage body fat. We hypothesized that if the NVH held, percentage body fat would be similar for individuals of the same species across much of the dietary range of observed proportional salmon contributions to individual bear diets. Although we found greater differences in dietary niches between than within species, we observed greater among-individual dietary variation in the brown bear population. Moreover, we found that within each species individual female bears achieved similar ranges of percentage body fat at various levels of salmon in the diet. Our results provide support for the NVH. Linking individual dietary niches to measures of physiological condition related to fitness can offer new insights into eco-evolutionary processes related to food resource use.
Elastic Indentation Response of Float Glass Surfaces

Instrumented Hertzian indentation was used to evaluate the reduced elastic modulus and cone-crack initiation forces for the as-received surfaces of commercial float glasses. Custom-built indentation equipment with the capability of acoustic emission detection was used to monitor continuously the load and depth of penetration at the microscopic scale for forces up to 1 kN. Equipment verification was performed using a reference material, GE 124. The air and tin surfaces of commercial soda-lime-silica and borosilicate float glasses were tested to determine any difference in indentation response for the elastic and fracture behavior of as-received surfaces. Information obtained from the analysis of the load-displacement curves and from the visual inspection of the indentation sites was used to determine the elastic modulus, and the conditions for the onset of cone cracking as a function of surface roughness. The reduced modulus results were verified using additional equipment that allowed the in situ observation of the contact area during loading and unloading. The results showed that there was no difference in the reduced modulus data for the air and tin surfaces for the range of surface displacements studied. The same conclusions were found for cone-cracking loads on as-received surfaces but tests on abraded surfaces showed that the tin surfaces had slightly more resistance to cone cracking than the air surfaces.
Validation of the Alco-Calculator

Summary.-The Alco-calculator was validated by comparing its blood alcohol estimates with actual breath samples (N = 48). The Alco-calculator overestimated the blood alcohol concentration by 20 mg % and showed an accuraq confidence interval of + 26 mg.% (p = 95) The utility of the calculator for training in discrimination of blood alcohol levels is discussed. Blood alcohol concentration has been a useful dependent variable in laboratory and field studies and has served as the basis for an operational definition of ambiguous terms, such as intoxication. The precision afforded by new measurement technology for blood alcohol has permitted the establishment of legal presumptive limits of intoxication. More importantly ir has made controlled drinking treatment objectives more plausible by training persons to recognize various blood alcohol levels and by permitting quantitative evaluation of treatment effectiveness. The measure is useful because it accounts for individual differences in weight, comumprion and elimination rates, unique body chemistry, and serves as a common denominator for the comparison of various consumptive patterns over time. It permits also a thorough evaluation of the relationship of setting events to the amount, rate, and duration of alcohol consumption. Breath analysis devices, e.g.. Intoxilyzer, Intoximeter, provide immediate, reliable, and valid test results, but are unable to forecast the slope or peak blood alcohol concentration. The Alco-calculator (1) is a cardbard slide rule, which is capable of estimating the blood alcohol concentration given, quantity of alcohol consumed (ounces of absolute alcohol), body weight (pounds), and hours of consumption. It is relatively inexpensive and is capable of forecasting peak blood alcohol levels. The Alco-calculator has been found to be an effective educational instrument in training persons to estimate their own blood alcohol concentrations (2); however, data on validity are not currently available. The sample was 48 adult drinkers (11 female, 37 male) who volunteered to consume alcoholic beverages on one occasion. Ages ranged from 22 to 50 yr. (M = 36.9, SD = 10.7), education and social class varied considerably, and Ss ranged from social to excessive drinkers. Blood alcohol measurements were made with an Intoximeter gas chromatograph (Mark 11) manufactured by Intoximerers, Inca A reading on the Intoximerer was taken each hour following a 15-min. non-drinking interval. Also, an Alcocalculator estimate of the blood alcohol level was made from the amount of absolute alcohol consumed. The Alc~calculator was validated by comparing the estimated blood alcohol level with that displayed on the Intoximeter. The I-. 2-, and 3-hr. comparisons were averaged with and without consideration to the direction of the error. The mean absolute error (without regard to sign) was 20 mg.% (SD = 20 mg.%). There were 26 Ss for whom the Alco
The anesthetic technique of choice for better outcomes in high-risk elderly patients undergoing endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms

To the Editor: We read with great interest the recent article by Asakura et al. [1] and wish to comment on their retrospective study of an anesthetic technique for patients undergoing endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms (EVAR), which has improved patient outcomes. Their review of 31 patients points out that ‘‘locoregional’’ anesthesia was well tolerated and has advantages over general anesthesia. We concur with their findings, as their retrospective analysis of patient’s corroborates with our results [2–4]. Based on our studies involving more than 500 patients with aortic abdominal and thoracic aneurysms, dissections, and transections [2–4], monitored anesthesia care (MAC) technique consisting of an opioid (fentanyl) and local anesthetic infiltration of the groin area with an adjunctive ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve block has positive outcomes in this high-risk population with multiple comorbidities. The advantages of this technique include shorter intensive care unit (ICU) stays and faster hospital discharges, thus significantly cutting cost. Patients experience better pain control leading to reduced use of perioperative opioids. Avoidance of airway instrumentation and inhalational agents provides smoother intraoperative hemodynamics, resulting in less cardiopulmonary complications [2–4]. In addition, an awake, responsive patient is readily treated in case of adverse reactions (namely, to contrast material) due to early detection of signs and symptoms than in a patient under general anesthesia [5]. Use of the ultrasound-guided nerve blocks by Asakura et al. [1] was the only remarkable difference from our approach. Although the authors’ references are recent and do not site information from years past, their study substantiates what we have stressed over the years in the anesthesia and surgical literature. In conclusion, the efficacy of local anesthesia with MAC plus the adjunctive use of groin nerve blocks is an excellent alternative to general anesthesia and has previously been established in larger prospective clinical trials.
The mutual separation of thorium, protoactinium, and uranium by tributyl phosphate extraction from hydrochloric acid☆

Abstract The distribution behaviour of U(VI) and Pa(V) in the system aqueous HCl-TBP (tributyl phosphate) without diluent has been investigated at 22 ± 2°C and the results compared with those reported for Th(IV) in the same system. From the comparison, it is postulated that protoactinium extracts respectively as oxygenated and nonoxygenated entities in the regions of low and high concentration of HCl, the transition range being 4–5 M HCl in the aqueous phase. Although the data indicate the feasibility of mutual separation of Th(IV), Pa(V), and U(VI) in the HCl—TBP system, the separation of Pa(V) from U(VI) is much more readily achieved in the (HCl, HF)—TBP system; since the complexing action of fluoride ion is much more pronounced for Pa(V) than for U(VI), under the conditions investigated. A protoactinium sample stored in the form of an (HCl, HF) aqueous solution in a polyethylene container for five years exhibited reversible behaviour, the protoactinium extracting into TBP following addition of boric acid to destroy the fluoride complex. There was no evidence of deposition of protoactinium on the walls of the container. Equilibrium was attained rapidly in all protoactinium extractions in which no “nonextractable” protoactinium was involved. The “nonextractable” form converts slowly to the “extractable” form in the presence of hydrochloric acid. The rate of this conversion increases with increasing acid concentration and with increasing temperature. The mutual separation of Th(IV), Pa(V), and U(VI) has been demonstrated for both synthetic and “natural” feeds.
Learned fusion operators based on matrix completion

The efficient and timely management of imagery captured in the battlefield requires methods capable of searching the voluminous databases and extracting highly symbolic concepts. When processing images, a semantic and definition gap exists between machine representations and the users language. Based on matrix completion techniques, we present a fusion operator that fuses imagery and expert knowledge provided by user inputs during post analysis. Specifically, an information matrix is formed from imagery and a class map as labeled by an expert. From this matrix an image operator is derived for the extraction/prediction of information from future imagery. We will present results using this technique on single mode data. Keywords: fusion, matrix completion, class map
Soil temperature effects on free carbohydrate concentrations in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seed.

Abstract Research has indicated that variation in the mean soil temperature of only a few degrees results in quality differences of peanut seed. The importance of the carbohydrate-amino acid interaction in the development of roasted peanut flavor and color is well documented. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of controlled field soil temperatures on free carbohydrates in commercially sized peanut seed. Florunner peanuts were grown in 5.48 × 12.19 m plots. Soil temperatures were modified from 28 days after planting to produce mean temperatures warmer (28.8 C) and cooler (21.7 C) than ambient (24.5 C) at the 5.0 cm depth in 1982 and 28.2, 22.5, and 25.8 C, respectively, in 1983. Carbohydrates were determined by gas chromatography. Sucrose concentrations decreased significantly as accumulated heat units and seed size increased. In general, fructose, glucose, and raffinose concentrations followed the same trends. The carbohydrate differences found in sized seed were similar to those f...
THE PORT OF BALTIMORE : OFF THE BEATEN TRACK?

The Port of Baltimore has recently experienced alarming traffic trends. Most measures of port vitality have been going the wrong way—tonnage, ship calls, market share, steamship service. rail service. Baltimore has been squeezed by external forces and circumstances. Dergulated rail and truck rates have not favoured Baltimore, nor have railroad mergers that have led to rail traffic concentrations at rival seaports. Federal approval of dredging projects has been delaed. Crises in the labour market have created a climate of uncertainty. Global trade patterns and intermodel itineraries have shifted, again, it seems, not to Baltimore'advantage. Baltimore needs new public port policy recommendations. This paper explains some of the problems and offers preliminary suggestions.
Vagueness and Partial Belief

To solve the philosophical problem of vagueness is to solve two subproblems: the sorites paradox and the problem of explicating the notion of a borderline case (or the problem of explicating vagueness, since vagueness just is the possibility of borderline cases). In this paper I introduce a new kind of partial belief, vaguenessrelated partial belief (VPB), which I distinguish from the familiar kind of partial belief, standard partial belief (SPB), and bring it to bear on the two problems of vagueness.1 Underlying both applications is the idea that vagueness is neither a semantic nor an epistemic notion but rather a psychological notion.
Trends in acute myocardial infarction management: use of the national registry of myocardial infarction in quality improvement

Cardiovascular disease, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI), is the leading cause of death in the United States and was the primary disease category among hospital discharges in 1996. Efforts to improve hospital care of patients with AMI should be measured and assessed routinely for appropriateness of care and improvement of medical staff performance. The National Registry of Myocardial Infarction (NRMI), an observational Phase IV study, has enrolled > 1 million AMI patients since 1990, and is now in its third phase. NRMI 3 collects patient data and facilitates the measurement of improvement in care and outcomes, while allowing participating institutions to benchmark their performance against national, state, and like-hospital data. Three measures from NRMI 3 are accepted for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' ORYX initiative: (1) aspirin use within 24 hours of AMI diagnosis; (2) door-to-drug time for fibrinolysis; and (3) no initial reperfusion strategy given to eligible patients.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Caveolin-1 in Membrane Bilayers

Caveolin which is found in caveolae is an integral membrane protein. Caveolin is thought to induce membrane curvature and is involved in many crucial cell functions such as endocytosis. Its membrane-embedded domain contains two helices (TM1 and TM2) connected by a three-residue linker, and both its N- and C-termini are exposed to the cytoplasm. Since there is no portion of caveolin that protrudes to the opposite side of the membrane, caveolin is postulated to adopt a horseshoe configuration. Despite considerable efforts, the structure of caveolin in a bilayer remains elusive. This work aims to characterize the structure and dynamics of caveolin-1 (D82 to S136; Cav182-136) in a DMPC bilayer using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In Cav182-136, TM1 and TM2 corresponds to A87−F107 and L111−A129, respectively. To explore a sufficiently large configurational space of Cav182-136, 50 independent initial models (10 for each of 45°, 55°, 65°, 75°, 86° TM1-TM2 angles) were built and each of them was placed in a DMPC bilayer with a 0.15M KCl solution using the CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder. The TM1-TM2 linker (G108, I109, and P110) in each of the systems was randomly placed in between Z = −5 to 5 A. A 50-ns production was performed for each system using CHARMM, and the results are presented and discussed in terms of (1) the orientation of Cav182-136 and its fluctuation [tilt angle of TM1-TM2 plane, TM1-TM2 angle, TM1 and TM2 tilt angle, insertion depth of the TM1-TM2 linker and four Trp residues: 85, 98, 115, 128], (2) TM1-TM2 contact residues, (3) Cav182-136−bilayer interactions, and (4) bilayer shapes.
Target-target similarity on the attentional blink: Task-relevance matters!

Studies of the attentional blink (AB) indicate that similarity modulates the magnitude of the impairment in reporting the second of two masked targets. The present experiments tested whether similarity-based modulations of the AB are determined by all object dimensions or by task-relevant dimensions only. Similarity between target faces was manipulated on two dimensions, only one of which was task relevant. The results indicated that similarity on the task-relevant dimension modulated the AB, whereas similarity on task-irrelevant dimension did not. These results suggest that selection during the AB can occur on the level of task-relevant dimensions.
Integrated photonic MEMS chemical sensors

We report micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) chemical sensors with improved on-chip optical interrogation method. A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MEMS resonator is coupled to a waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavity enabling high resolution displacement and mechanical resonance measurement. By coating the MEMS resonator with a chemo-selective polymer, exposure to chemical analytes results in beam bending (static mode) as well as mass loading and a mechanical resonant frequency shift (dynamic mode). Proof-of-concept relative humidity sensing is demonstrated. Integrated waveguide power splitters/combiners are investigated for interconnecting many sensors on a chip.
Nuclear Receptors and Their Selective Pharmacologic Modulators

Nuclear receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors and include the receptors for steroid hormones, lipophilic vitamins, sterols, and bile acids. These receptors serve as targets for development of myriad drugs that target a range of disorders. Classically defined ligands that bind to the ligand-binding domain of nuclear receptors, whether they are endogenous or synthetic, either activate receptor activity (agonists) or block activation (antagonists) and due to the ability to alter activity of the receptors are often termed receptor "modulators." The complex pharmacology of nuclear receptors has provided a class of ligands distinct from these simple modulators where ligands display agonist/partial agonist/antagonist function in a tissue or gene selective manner. This class of ligands is defined as selective modulators. Here, we review the development and pharmacology of a range of selective nuclear receptor modulators.
A control scheme of improved transient response for PWM AC/DC converter under generalized unbalanced operating conditions

This paper proposes a new control scheme of improved transient response for the PWM AC/DC converter under generalized unbalanced operating conditions. The overall bandwidth diminishing filter/functional block for extracting positive and negative sequence components have been avoided by employing dual current regulators in positive and negative rotating synchronous frames. The steady-state error due to 120 Hz AC signals has been reduced by employing a resonant gain path in the current regulator. This paper also proposes simplified current reference calculation scheme in the regulation of instantaneous active/reactive power. Compared to the previous works, the proposed control method has better transient response in compensation for generalized unbalanced operating conditions (unbalanced input supply and unbalanced input impedances) of wide range while still satisfying unity input power factor correction and ripple-free DC output voltage regulation without adding any external hardware. Simulation and experimental results confirm the proposed control method under severe unbalanced operating conditions.
Neuropeptides Responding to Leptin

Leptin, the circulating protein that inhibits food intake and energy expenditure, was thought to function through inhibition of the hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY), a stimulator of food intake. However, mouse mutants lacking NPY are normal, suggesting that alternative neuromodulators of food intake must exist. Recently, melanocortin, a neuropeptide acting on the hypothalamic receptor melanocortin4-R, was discovered in mice, controlling energy regulation. This receptor is antagonized by the “agouti” protein in the mutant obese agouti mouse.
Depressive symptoms are associated with visceral adiposity in a community-based sample of middle-aged women and men

Objective To examine the relation between measures of adiposity and depressive symptoms in a large well characterized community-based sample, we examined the relations of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) to depressive symptoms in 1,581 women (mean age 52.2 years) and 1,718 men (mean age 49.8 years) in the Framingham Heart Study. Design and Methods Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Regression models were created to examine the association between each fat depot (exposure) and depressive symptoms (outcome). Sex-specific models were adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, hypertension, total and HDL cholesterol, lipid lowering treatment, CVD, menopause, C-reactive protein, and physical activity. Results Mean CES-D scores were 6.8 and 5.6 in women and men. High levels of depressive symptoms were present in 22.5% of women and 12.3% of men. In women, one standard deviation increase in VAT was associated with a 1.3 point higher CES-D score after adjusting for age and BMI (P < 0.01) and remained significant in the fully adjusted model (P = 0.03). The odds ratio of depressive symptoms per 1 standard deviation increase in VAT in women was 1.33 (P = 0.015); results were attenuated in fully adjusted models (OR 1.29, P = 0.055). In men, the association between VAT and CES-D score and depressive symptoms was not significant. SAT was not associated with CES-D score or depressive symptoms. Conclusions This study supports an association between VAT and depressive symptoms in women. Further work is needed to uncover the complex biologic mechanisms mediating the association.
Columnar Self-Assembly of Colloidal Nanodisks

The self-assembly of sterically stabilized colloidal copper sulfide nanodisks, 14-20 nm in diameter and 5-7 nm thick, was studied. The nanodisks were observed by electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering to form columnar arrays when evaporated as thin films from concentrated dispersions. These superstructured nanomaterials might give rise to technologically useful properties, such as anisotropic electrical transport and electrorheological and optical properties.
Vibration Response of 3-D Space Accessible Sandwich Composite

A 3-D sandwich composite comprising of E-glass core piles which are woven to the facesheets is considered in this work. This arrangement creates interstitial spaces in the core which can be used for foam infusion for sound/vibration damping, fluid storage, or for routing wires or inserts, in addition to providing strength. The vibroacoustic response of such multi-functional materials has received little attention and is an important issue when the structure witnesses mechanical vibrations. This article presents the vibration related studies carried out on the 3-D sandwich composite, infused with SC-15 resin. The frequency response function (FRF) and the damping ratios are the parameters of interest for this study. In this study the experimental data is presented for the unfoamed (as received) core configuration and the core filled with the polyurethane (PUR) foam. The average damping ratio of the unfoamed sandwich panel was found to be 0.55%. An increase of 150% in the damping ratio was observed for the P...
Improving patient tolerability in immunoglobulin treatment: focus on stabilizer effects

Various types of excipients are added to immunoglobulin preparations to stabilize the product and prevent aggregation and dimer formation. These excipients, which are also called stabilizers or additives, are not inert chemicals and may have clinical implications. This is one reason why immunoglobulin products are not interchangeable. Herein, immunoglobulin preparation, excipient types and the differences among sugar stabilizers and the amino acids, glycine and proline as excipients, are presented. Preclinical studies that unravel the complexities of dimer reduction are summarized. Details of patient considerations with respect to excipient content are outlined focusing on patients with renal insufficiency, diabetes, corn allergy, hereditary fructose intolerance, inborn errors of proline metabolism, DiGeorge Syndrome and neuropsychiatric disorders associated with hyperprolinemia. Excipients are essential components of immunoglobulin preparations and their presence should be a consideration when matching patient needs to product characteristics.
Use of a potent and selective highly constrained peptide agonist to design de novo an equally potent and selective non-peptide mimetic for the δ-Opioid receptor

A major but elusive goal of peptidomimetic research is the translation of 3D pharmacophore information of a potent bioactive peptide to a small non-peptide molecule with the same agonist biological activities. Successfully bridging the design gap from peptide to non-peptide mimetic requires, clarification of the geometrical relationships of key pharmacophores. First we undertook a detailed development of a 3D peptide pharmacophore based on design, synthesis and comprehensive evaluation of conformational and topographical space. We have used a potent and highly opioid receptor-selective analogue to successfully design, de novo, a high affinity, highly selective receptor ligand.
The superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 induces CD40 ligand expression and modulates lgE isotype switching

Isotype switching to IgE requires two signals. The first signal is provided by the cytokines IL-4 or IL-13, and the second signal is delivered by the interaction between the B cell antigen CD40 and its ligand (CD40L) which is expressed on activated T cells. Since superantigens have been shown to activate T cells, we examined the effect of the superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) on CD40L expression on T cells. TSST-1 induced expression of CD40L in both freshly isolated T cells and in T cell lines expanded by re-stimulation with TSST-1. CD40L was preferentially expressed in the V beta 2 subset of T cells expanded by TSST-1. We next examined the effect of TSST-1 on IgE synthesis by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Addition of TSST-1 to PBMC inhibited IL-4-induced IgE synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibition was reversed partly by adding a neutralizing antibody to IFN-gamma. In contrast, TSST-1 induced high amounts of IgE synthesis in the presence of IL-4 at low T:B cell ratios (0.5:10 to 4:10), a condition which circumvents the inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma. TSST-1 induction of IgE synthesis was inhibited by a mAb to CD40L. These results indicate that superantigens induce CD40L expression in T cells and cause isotype switching in B cells which is mediated by CD40L-CD40 interaction.
Reflections on parenting: a multigenerational perspective.

This paper presents some of the underlying patterns of parenting that have emerged from six years of ethnographic field research into the role of the family in children's acquisition and use of reading and writing skills. The research has provided some insights into the many complex and interrelated ways that children's literate activities are mediated and affected by multigenerational family patterns and by their personal experience of everyday life both within and outside the family. Two central themes are discussed: the spirit of change, which breaks the patterns of the past and brings new interpretations into the present, and the spirit of conservation, which maintains the continuation of family patterns from one generation to the next. Also described are the important parental attitudes of social flexibility and resiliency that are frequently evident in these processes of conservation and change of multigenerational patterns. One specific family story provides the background for the theoretical issues that are explored. Language: en
Frequency and phase of hippocampal theta activity in the spontaneously behaving cat

Abstract 1. 1. The relationship between the activity of hippocampal system structures and behavior was investigated in twenty-two cats with chronically implanted electrodes. 2. 2. The general repetition rate of hippocampal theta rhythm was found to change with phase of behavioral orienting and with type of visual activity during adaptation to a new environment. Both frequency and amplitude were maximal during activated sleep. 3. 3. Simultaneous neocortical-hippocampal desynchronization occurred often during early phases of orienting and during fixed staring with any phase of orienting. On the other hand, in six cats regular theta waves continued during behavioral and EEG sleep in the dorsal hippocampus and/or hippocampal gyrus. 4. 4. Phase relationships between the theta rhythm in different hippocampal structures varied from wave to wave but tended to remain generally similar during all spontaneous activities. Marked phase shifts and occasionally phase reversals accompanied spontaneous changes in theta frequency. 5. 5. Results suggest that changes in theta frequency are a sub-threshold manifestation of the desynchronizing arousal response.