cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Das Frieren des Magens zur Behandlung des peptischen Geschwürs; eine therapeutische Möglichkeit?

Auf Grund eigener tierexperimenteller Untersuchungen wird zumFrieren des Magens als neuer Methode zurBehandlung des peptischen Geschwurs Stellung genommen. Temperaturmessungen an der Magenwand des Hundes lassen es zweifelhaft erscheinen, das die Methode in ihrer gegenwartigen klinischen Anwendungsform den Magen bis zur Eiskristallbildung im Gewebe friert. Im Tierexperiment hat Frieren des Magens fur nur wenige Minuten unausweichlich Nekrosen zur Folge. Lokale Gewebsschaden stellen auch beim Menschen die wesentlichsten Komplikationen dar. Sie mussen als Ausdruck lokaler Erfrierungen aufgefast werden. Die beschriebenen therapeutischen Erfolge mit Schmerzlinderung und initialer Sauredepression sind wahrscheinlich Folgeerscheinungen einer temporaren thermischen Vagotonie und einer Kalteanalgesie wie sie auch bei Erfrierungen der Extremitaten anzutreffen ist. Beide Effekte treten offensichtlich schon bei Temperaturen uber 0° C auf und sind nurvon kurzer Dauer. Einige pathophysiologische Besonderheiten der Kalteschadigung des saureproduzierenden Anteils der Magenschleimhaut, die sich im Tierexperiment ergaben, werden erortert. Sie fuhren zu der Schlusfolgerung, das der belegzellenenthaltende Anteil der Magenschleimhaut Erfrierungen gegenuber besonders anfallig ist. Die Anwendung des Verfahrens mit dem Ziel zu frieren, sollte unterlassen werden.
A comparison of analysis units for associating Lyme disease with forest-edge habitat

The rational definition of spatial analysis units is critical to modeling and understanding large-scale ecological processes. This study assessed the relationship between forest-edge habitat pattern and Lyme disease incidence rate when modeled under three designs for spatial data aggregation. Incidence rates were calculated from passive surveillance data reported for 12 counties in the U.S. State of Maryland during 1996–2000. A design using road-bounded polygons that varied in size from 0.002 km 2 to 368 km 2 ( n = 415) was compared with designs that used grid cells of 10 km 2 ( n = 823) and 36 km 2 ( n = 230). Major roads were chosen to approximate bounded populations of deer and humans engaged in outdoor activity around the home (peridomestic activity). While cell boundaries were arbitrary, cell sizes were chosen to eliminate outliers observed in small polygons, and to standardize the presumed zone of exposure. The single variable that explained the most variation in incidence rate across all study desi...
Human dermal microvascular endothelial cells in vitro: Effect of cyclic AMP on cellular morphology and proliferation rate

Macrovascular endothelial cells isolated from the human umbilical vein and microvessel endothelium from the newborn foreskin dermis differ in their requirements for optimal growth in vitor. In the presence of 5 x 10−4 M dibutyryl cyclic AMP (Bt2cAMP), human dermal microvessel endothelial cell proliferation rate increased to give a cell number of 203% of control values by day 10 in culture. The cells retained their characteristic endothelial cell morphology, reached confluence, and could be serially passaged. Cells grown in the absence of Bt2cAMP did not proliferate readily and grew in a disorganized pattern. The effect of Bt2cAMP on microvascular endothelial cell proliferation rate and morphology could be duplicated by cholera toxin (CT) used together with isobutyl methyl-xanthine (IMX). These agents were found to elevate intracellular levels of cyclic AMP in microvascular endothelium over 40-fold. Human umbilical vein cells in culture failed to respond to either Bt2cAMP or CT together with IMX. The growth-promoting effect of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (Bt2cAMP) on human foreskin dermal microvascular endothelium in vitro is in marked contrast to the lack of response of human umbilical vein cells. These results provide further evidence of differences in the mechanisms that regulate macro and microvessel endothelial cell proliferation in vitro.
Relationship of Tibial Plateau Slope to Limb Function in Dogs Treated with a Lateral Suture Technique for Stabilization of Cranial Cruciate Ligament Deficient Stifles

Objective— To evaluate the effect of a lateral suture technique (LST) on tibial plateau angle (TPA) measurement and to compare TPA with functional outcome in dogs treated for cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) rupture with LST. Study Design— Prospective clinical study. Sample Population— Dogs (n=34) with unilateral CrCL instability. Methods— All dogs had lameness examination, survey stifle radiographs, and force plate analysis before and at 6, 12, 24, and 48 weeks after surgery. Radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) scores and lameness scores were assigned using previously reported methods. Preoperative radiographs were performed in all dogs, and postoperative serial radiographs were performed in 6 dogs for measurement of TPA. Differences in TPA measurements were evaluated with a random effects repeated measures model. The significance of LST on TPA measurement was established in 6 dogs and the effect of TPA on vertical impulse, peak vertical force, progression of radiographic scores, and lameness score were analyzed by general linear models in all dogs. Differences were considered significant if P<.05. Results— Significant differences were not noted between pre- and serial postoperative measurements of TPA. A significant correlation was not established between TPA and postoperative vertical impulse, peak vertical force, lameness score, or radiographic OA scores. Conclusions— TPA values were unchanged after LST and TPA does not affect outcome measures in dogs treated with LST. Clinical Relevance— TPA has no predictive value on clinical outcome in dogs treated with LST for stabilization of CrCL deficient stifles.
Molecular and morphological influences on the open circuit voltages of organic photovoltaic devices.

We explore the dependence of the dark current of C60-based organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells on molecular composition and the degree of intermolecular interaction of several molecular donor materials. The saturation dark current density, JS, is an important factor in determining the open circuit voltage, Voc. The Voc values of OPVs show a strong inverse correlation with JS. Donor materials that show evidence for aggregation in their thin-film absorption spectra and polycrystallinity in thin film X-ray diffraction result in a high dark current, and thus a low Voc. In contrast, donor materials with structures that hinder intermolecular π-interaction give amorphous thin films and reduced values of JS, relative to donors with strong intermolecular π-interactions, leading to a high Voc. This work provides guidance for the design of materials and device architectures that maximize OPV cell power conversion efficiency.
Reaction of a chiral cyclopropyl halide with alkali metals in alcohol solvents. The surface nature of the reaction.

Abstract An alcohol solution (methanol, isopropanol or t -butanol) of (S)-(+)-1-bromo-1-methyl-2,2-diphenylcyclopropane (1) was treated with an alkali metal (lithium, sodium, or potassium). The resultant hydrocarbon. (R)-(−)-1-methyl-2,2-diphenylcyclopropane (2), was shown to be optically active and with retained configuration. As in Grignard reagent formation, the reactions are viewed as occurring largely on the surface of metal.
A proposed primate animal model of autism

Based on the fact that thalidomide, at a certain point in human pregnancy, produces autism, we propose administering thalidomide to pregnant monkeys at an appropriate point after conception. The infant monkeys born after thalidomide treatment of the pregnant mothers should manifest aberrations in social vocalization and in socialization behavior. Histological analysis of their brains should reveal areas whose damage will lead to autism. This can then be produced stereotaxically in infant monkeys to allow the better determination of the relation of degree of damage in these areas to the severity of autism.
Lymphoma in Dogs: Chemotherapy

This article reviews important findings regarding chemotherapeutic management of previously untreated lymphoma in dogs. It emphasizes publications in the past few years and discusses the possible use of short-term, rather than long-term, protocols for this disease.
Activation of hepatic stellate cells in liver tissue of patients with fulminant liver failure after treatment with bioartificial liver.

Abstract We studied the explanted livers from 12 patients with fulminant hepatic failure who were treated with a bioartificial liver and subsequently underwent orthotopic liver transplantation and from 18 patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation without previous treatment. Ten normal livers were used as controls. In addition to morphologic evaluation, an immunohistochemical analysis was performed with the monoclonal antibodies for α-smooth muscle actin and proliferation marker Ki-67. The expression of these markers was graded semiquantitatively from 0 to 3+ in a blinded fashion. The zonal distribution of activated hepatic stellate cells was also evaluated. In all cases, the hepatic stellate cells were activated and expressed α-smooth muscle actin. In all patients with submassive or massive liver cell necrosis, the distribution of activated hepatic stellate cells was predominantly in zone 1 of the acinus (periportal area). In contrast, in cases with early nodular regeneration and no significant fibrosis, the activated hepatic stellate cells were distributed throughout the liver parenchyma, involving zones 2 and 3 of the acinus. Expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67 was graded 3+ in all patients treated with the bioartificial liver who had orthotopic liver transplantation and 2+ in patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation only. HUM PATHOL 32:1371-1375. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Restrictive Endothelial Barrier Function during Normal Angiogenesis in Vivo: Partial Dependence on Tyrosine Dephosphorylation of β-Catenin

Differentiation of a restrictive endothelial barrier in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) occurs between Day 4.5 and Day 5.0 of the normal 21-day gestation. Whether molecular changes in the endothelial cell-cell junctional protein complex contribute to the ontogeny of barrier function represents the principal focus of this study. VE-cadherin has been shown to contribute to the regulation of endothelial cell monolayer permeability in vitro. Accordingly, VE-cadherin is complexed to the cytosolic catenins, and changes in monolayer permeability have been linked to alterations of the cadherin/catenin complex. Currently, a CAM endothelial VE-cadherin/β-catenin complex was identified, and phosphotyrosine labeling of β-catenin was decreased concurrently with the abrupt increase in CAM endothelial selectivity between Day 4.5 and Day 5.0. Further, inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases impeded regular tyrosine dephosphorylation of β-catenin at Day 5.0 and this served to partially restore macromolecular extravasation to elevated levels normally present at Day 4.5. Thus, differentiation of selective barrier function in the angiogenic CAM endothelium in vivo is dependent, in part, on tyrosine dephosphorylation of β-catenin.
The amino acid and sugar composition of diatom cell-walls

The cell walls of diatoms consist of a silica frustule encased in an organic coating. Biochemical characterization of this coating should allow insight into: (1) the mechanism of silicification; (2) taxonomy and evolution of diatoms; (3) preservation of fossil frustules. The amino acid and sugar composition of cell walls from 6 diatom species have been elucidated. When compared to cellular protein, cell-wall protein is enriched in serine plus threonine and glycine, and depleted in acidic, sulfur-containing and aromatic amino acids. The sugars of the cell-wall carbohydrates are quite variable and fucose tends to replace glucose in estuarine species. Condensation of silicic acid, in epitaxial order, on a protein template enriched in serine and threonine, is suggested as the Si-depositing mechanism in diatoms. The nature of this template and the polysaccharides in the cell wall may determine the solubility of diatom frustules in various environments. There is sufficient variability in cell-wall amino acids to warrant further investigation of their taxonomic utility. The sugars appear to be related to environmental factors, but they may also serve in biosystematic studies.
Nitrogen Recovery and Transformation from a Surface or Sub-Surface Application of Controlled-Release Fertilizer on a Sandy Soil

ABSTRACT Controlled-release fertilizers (CRF) are used to reduce leaching of nutrients, especially nitrate-nitrogen (NO3 −-N) to groundwater, caused mainly by application of soluble N fertilizers to sandy soils in Florida. A leaching column study was conducted to evaluate N release and transformation from a CRF (CitriBlen) over a 16-week period when it was applied on the soil surface or incorporated into the soil. When one pore volume of water was applied to column weekly or biweekly, the CRF released urea-N slowly over time with three peaks of release on 3–4, 8, and 12 week after application. Both ammonium-nitrogen (NH4 +-N) and NO3 −-N were leached in large amounts on week 2, likely from soluble forms of N. Cumulatively, the most leached N at the end of study was in the NH4 + form, followed by the NO3 − form. The sum of all N forms leached and volatilized accounted for 53–69% of total N applied. Total N recovery was 70% and 93% of total N applied for surface and sub-surface application of the fertilizer...
GS3: A Knowledge Management Architecture for Collaborative Geologic Sequestration Modeling

Modern scientific enterprises are inherently knowledge-intensive. In general, scientific studies in domains such as geoscience, chemistry, physics and biology require the acquisition and manipulation of large amounts of experimental and field data in order to create inputs for large-scale computational simulations. The results of these simulations must then be analyzed, leading to refinements of inputs and models and further simulations. In this paper we describe our efforts in creating a knowledge management platform to support collaborative, wide-scale studies in the area of geologic sequestration modeling. The platform, known as GS3 (Geologic Sequestration Software Suite), exploits and integrates off-the-shelf software components including semantic wikis, content management systems and open source middleware to create the core architecture. We then extend the wiki environment to support the capture of provenance, the ability to incorporate various analysis tools, and the ability to launch simulations on supercomputers. The paper describes the key components of GS3 and demonstrates its use through illustrative examples. We conclude by assessing the suitability of our approach for geologic sequestration modeling and generalization to other scientific problem domains.
DNA sequence analysis, expression, distribution, and physiological role of the Xaa-prolyldipeptidyl aminopeptidase gene from Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32.

Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32 possesses and Xaa-prolyldipeptidyl aminopeptidase (PepX), which releases amino-terminal dipeptides from peptides containing proline residues in the penultimate position. The PepX gene, designatedpepX, fromLb. helveticus CNRZ32 was sequenced. Analysis of the sequence identified a putative 2379-bppepX open-reading frame, which encodes a polypeptide of 793 amino acid residues with a deduced molecular mass of 88 111 Da, The gene shows significant sequence identity with sequencedpepX genes from lactic acid bacteria. The product of the gene contains a motif that is almost identical with the active-site motif of the serine-dependent PepX from lactococci. The introduction ofpepX intoLactococcus lactis LM0230 on either pGK12 (a low-copy-number plasmid vector) did not result in a significant increase in PepX activity, while the introduction ofpepX into CNRZ32 on pGK12 resulted in a four-fold increase in PepX activity. Southern hybridization experiments revealed that thepepX gene from CNRZ32 is well conserved in lactobacilli, pediococci and streptococci. The physiological role of PepX during growth in lactobacillus MRS (a rich medium containing protein hydrolysates along with other ingredients) and milk was examined by comparing growth of CNRZ32 and a CNRZ32 PepX-negative derivative in MRS. However, the CRNZ32 PepX-negative derivative grew in milk at a reduced specific growth rate when compared to wild-type CNRZ32. Introduction of the cloned PepX determinant into the CNRZ32 PepX-negative derivative resulted in a construct with a specific growth rate similar to that of wild-type CNRZ32.
The curvature of Wadati-Benioff zones and the torsional rigidity of subducting plates

It is an axiom of plate tectonics that lithospheric plates are to a good approximation torsionally rigid, that is, inextensible in the ‘plane’ of the plate1–3. Although few scientists would question this assumption when it is applied to oceanic lithosphere at the Earth's surface, there is no consensus as to whether or not oceanic lithosphere maintains its mechanical integrity during subduction (com-pare refs 4–7 with refs 8–11). I show here that the shapes of many Wadati-Bemoff zones are inconsistent with the notion that they manifest subducted portions of oceanic plates subject only to very small (≲1%) membrane strains.
The Variability of Single Event Upset Rates in the Natural Environment

The natural radiation environment varies drastically with solar activity, geomagnetic shielding and material shielding. This variability is reflected in the single event upset rates to be expected on various spacecraft.
Vibration Fatigue Test of Surface Mount Electronic Components

The objectives of the present studies are to design and test representative commercial off-the-shelf plastic encapsulated microcircuits, including various types of ball grid array (BGA) components, chip scale package, flip chip, lead flat pack, and leadless capacitor, over military random vibration levels. The approach is to demonstrate the solder joint reliability performance of these components through the design of an electrical daisy-chain pattern printed wiring board (PWB) assembly test vehicle (TV), in which the design and manufacturing variables are included. The three variables, including BGA underfilled materials, solder pad sizes on PWB, and BGA rework, with each having either two or three levels of variation are used to address test criteria and to construct 14 different types of TV configurations. All TV configurations are then subjected to random vibration tests while continuously monitoring solder joint integrity. Based on the measured results, a destructive physical analysis is then conducted to further isolate the failure locations and determine the failure mechanisms of the solder joints. Test results indicate that the 352-pin tape BGA and 600-pin super BGA are more susceptible to failure than plastic BGAs under the same conditions, and that the use of underfilled materials appears to improve the life expectancy of all the components. The stiffer packages of tape BGA and super BGA, which have copper heat spreaders, may account for higher BGA solder joint stress/strain during random vibration tests. Test data also shows that only a limited number of electrical opening are observed. This indicates that the test modules are robust enough to survive the random vibration inputs. One possible reason is that the test modules are very stiff, whose 1st mode of natural frequency is about 550 Hz. Therefore, the curvature changes of the test modules are minimal, which resulted in smaller relative motion between the package and the PWB, and less solder joint stresses. All these test results are recommended to be used for calibrating BGA solder joint vibration fatigue life prediction models, which will be presented in other publications.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
The Use of Contingency Management and Motivational/Skills-Building Therapy to Treat Young Adults with Marijuana Dependence.

Marijuana-dependent young adults (N = 136), all referred by the criminal justice system, were randomized to 1 of 4 treatment conditions: a motivational/skills-building intervention (motivational enhancement therapy/cognitive-behavioral therapy; MET/CBT) plus incentives contingent on session attendance or submission of marijuana-free urine specimens (contingency management; CM), MET/CBT without CM, individual drug counseling (DC) plus CM, and DC without CM. There was a significant main effect of CM on treatment retention and marijuana-free urine specimens. Moreover, the combination of MET/CBT plus CM was significantly more effective than MET/CBT without CM or DC plus CM, which were in turn more effective than DC without CM for treatment attendance and percentage of marijuana-free urine specimens. Participants assigned to MET/CBT continued to reduce the frequency of their marijuana use through a 6-month follow-up.
Direct Observation of Parallel Folding Pathways Revealed Using a Symmetric Repeat Protein System

Although progress has been made to determine the native fold of a polypeptide from its primary structure, the diversity of pathways that connect the unfolded and folded states has not been adequately explored. Theoretical and computational studies predict that proteins fold through parallel pathways on funneled energy landscapes, although experimental detection of pathway diversity has been challenging. Here, we exploit the high translational symmetry and the direct length variation afforded by linear repeat proteins to directly detect folding through parallel pathways. By comparing folding rates of consensus ankyrin repeat proteins (CARPs), we find a clear increase in folding rates with increasing size and repeat number, although the size of the transition states (estimated from denaturant sensitivity) remains unchanged. The increase in folding rate with chain length, as opposed to a decrease expected from typical models for globular proteins, is a clear demonstration of parallel pathways. This conclusion is not dependent on extensive curve-fitting or structural perturbation of protein structure. By globally fitting a simple parallel-Ising pathway model, we have directly measured nucleation and propagation rates in protein folding, and have quantified the fluxes along each path, providing a detailed energy landscape for folding. This finding of parallel pathways differs from results from kinetic studies of repeat-proteins composed of sequence-variable repeats, where modest repeat-to-repeat energy variation coalesces folding into a single, dominant channel. Thus, for globular proteins, which have much higher variation in local structure and topology, parallel pathways are expected to be the exception rather than the rule.
Efficient emulations of interconnection networks

We describe a graph-theoretic framework for comparing the communication powers of competing interconection networks. The framework attempts to determine how efficiently each of the networks can emulate the other on general computations (including pipelining). After briefly surveying a number of studies in the literature that use the described framework, we present a case study that illustrates the strengths of the framework. The study comprises three surprisingly efficient emulations by shuffle-oriented networks (such as the shuffle-exchange and deBruijn networks) of butterfly-oriented networks (such as the butterfly and cube-connected cycles networks). Each emulation is efficient in its own way: The first emulates a butterfly network on a like-sized deBruijn network, incurring a slowdown that is exponentially faster than previous emulations. (We concentrate on the butterfly and deBruijn networks in order to minimize constant factors.) The second emulates a large butterfly network on a small deBruijnnetwork, in a way that is work-preserving, in that the slowdown × processor-count product is preserved. The third emulates a small butterfly network on a large deBruijn network, incurring optimally small slowdown.
Gender Differences Among Low Income Women in Their Intent to Vaccinate Their Sons and Daughters Against Human Papillomavirus Infection

Study Objective The HPV vaccine was approved for use in males in 2009. The purpose of our study was to examine current intentions to vaccinate sons and daughters among low income women.
There Are No Peripheries to Humanity: Northern Alaska Nuclear Dumping and the Iñupiat's Search for Redress

Arctic nations are beginning to band together to prevent their sparsely inhabited lands from being used as a rubbish dump for pollutants (see Schneider 1996), and for what metropolitan countries are most scared of and most want to dump elsewhere —nuclear waste. But in the moral climate of the earth, no human community is expendable. One may not touch even arctic lands. A young university student does not have to die because a government chooses to kill her, as happened when the Atomic Energy Commission dumped experimental nuclear material near her village. She was innocent. "Center" and "periphery" are no more: not only has economic globalization reached us, but the value system of the globe also.
A Standing Complaint: Inability to Sit: An Unusual Presentation of Medial Hamstring Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Background: Hamstring muscle injuries are among the most common lower extremity injuries in athletes. Pain in the posterior thigh and leg weakness are usual presenting symptoms. Less dramatic onset in nonathletes, without pain in the posterior thigh, is more often thought of as an ischial bursitis or as pain from the sacroiliac joint or the gluteal or piriformis muscles. Pain localized over the ischial tuberosity resulting in disabling discomfort when sitting as the only symptom of medial hamstring muscle trigger points [TrPs] has not been reported before. Six cases of hamstring muscle myofascial pain syndrome are reported with this unusual presentation.Findings: Two cases were only single muscle syndromes, and in four cases other regional muscles also had TrPs that were symptomatic at some time. Only the ischiocondylar head of the adductor magnus [a false hamstring muscle] contributed to the inability to sit and it was not a consistent factor whereas the medial hamstring TrP was always present. The diagn...
Evidence-based Practice Journal Club: How We Do It

Our evidence-based practice (EBP) journey started in 2006, when we were approached by the associate residency director, and asked to participate in a journal club. Inspired by our experience of gaining knowledge of the principlesandapplicationofevidence-basedmedicine(EBM),we decided to run an EBP journal club with the radiology residents at the University of Michigan. We were delighted to accept this new challenge. We had both attended a part-time MastersinClinicalResearchDesignandStatisticalAnalysisat the University of Michigan School of Public Health, which gave us sufficient methodological and statistical background andstimulatedourappetiteforevidence-basedmedicineand critical appraisal. 1 We had also attended the course for teachers in evidence-based medicine at the Centre for EvidenceBased Medicine in Oxford, UK. 2 The Centre for Evidencebased Medicine in Oxford workshop is not intended to serve as an introduction to evidence-based medicine itself but is aimed at physicians and other health care professionals, who already have some knowledge of critical appraisal and experience in the practice of evidence-based health care and who want to explore issues around teaching evidence-based medicine. This workshop is aimed at those who are committed to patient-centered learning, believe in the process of smallgroup learning, and take an active role in small group learning. Armed with this knowledge, we set about applying these methods to the journal club. In addition the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has identified 6 core competencies in the curriculum for resident development (patient care, medical knowledge, interpretation and communication, professionalism, practice-based learning and improvement, and systems-based practice). 3 Knowledge of the principles and application of EBM is explicitly included under the competencies of “medical knowledge” and “practice-based learning and improvement.” The Evidence-based Medicine Journal Club has been a great success and is now in its second year, and we would encourage anybody interested in doing this to start an EBP journal club at their own institution.
GAP-43 augments G protein-coupled receptor transduction in Xenopus laevis oocytes

Abstract The neuronal protein GAP-43 is thought to play a role in determining growth-cone motility, perhaps as an intracellular regulator of signal transduction, but its molecular mechanism of action has remained unclear. We find that GAP-43, when microinjected into Xenopus laevis oocytes, increases the oocyte response to G protein-coupled receptor agonists by 10- to 100-fold. Higher levels of GAP-43 cause a transient current flow, even without receptor stimulation. The GAP-43-induced current, like receptor-stimulated currents, is mediated by a calcium-activated chloride channel and can be desensitized by injection of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. This suggests that neuronal GAP-43 may serve as an intracellular signal to greatly enhance the sensitivity of G protein-coupled receptor transduction.
Liquidus Diagram of the Ba-Y-Cu-O System in the Vicinity of the Ba2YCu3O6+x Phase Field.

This paper describes the melting equilibria in the vicinity of the high T{sub c} phase Ba{sub 2}YCu{sub 3}O{sub 6+x}, including evidence for two Ba-Y-Cu-O immiscible liquids. Melting equilibria have been investigated in purified air using a combination of differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), MgO wick entrapment of liquid for analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDS), and hydrogen reduction for determination of copper oxidation state. For relatively barium-rich compositions, it was necessary to prepare the starting materials under controlled atmosphere conditions using BaO. A liquidus diagram was derived from quantitative data for the melts involved in various melting reactions. In general the 1/2 (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) contents of the melts participating in these equilibria were low (mole fraction <4%). The primary phase field of Ba{sub 2}YCu{sub 3}O{sub 6+x} occurs at a mole fraction of <2.0% 1/2 Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} and lies very close along the BaO-CuO{sub x} edge, extending from a mole fraction of {approx}43% CuO to a mole fraction of {approx}76% CuO. It is divided by a liquid miscibility gap and extends on either side about this gap. The topological sequence of melting reactions associated with the liquidusmore » is presented as a function of temperature. Implications of the growth of Ba{sub 2}YCu{sub 3}O{sub 6+x} crystals are discussed.« less
Sedation and analgesia for critically ill children

Abstract Effective sedation and analgesia in the critically ill child ensures physical comfort and minimises psychological distress. In the UK the most commonly used sedative and analgesic agents for critically ill children are midazolam and either morphine or fentanyl. Consensus clinical practice guidelines for the provision of sedation and analgesia in critically ill children were published in 2006 by the UK Paediatric Intensive Care Society, but considerable variation in practice persists. It is important to treat pain, and in addition to the obvious immediate effects of untreated pain there is increasing evidence that pain experienced early in life may result in long-term changes in neurosensory function. There are however also concerns that sedative and analgesic agents may themselves be associated with developmental neurotoxicity, particularly amongst neonates, and adverse psychological outcomes in survivors of critical care. Withdrawal syndrome and delirium remain poorly understood, although we have emerging tools such as the Sophia Observation withdrawal Symptoms-scale (SOS) and the paediatric Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (pCAM-ICU). The most important single factor in reducing avoidable psychological morbidity in survivors of PICU is to minimise the administered doses of sedative and analgesic agents.
Oil and the political economy of energy

Abstract The key issues concerning oil exploitation are still open for discussion: there is no agreement about where we presently stand in the world oil extraction curve, what is its exact shape, and how far can oil price grow before it changes irreversibly the world economy and consumer behavior. The paper proposes an alternative scenario to the Hubbert's bell-shaped model of oil exploitation, based on more realistic assumptions regarding political agendas in oil-exporting countries and consumer behavior dynamics in oil-importing countries. Under this scenario, the joint impact of markets and public policy in oil importing countries together with “resource pragmatism” policy in oil-exporting countries allows for a less steep oil supply curve with a much fatter tail compared to the Hubbert's model.
Attitudes and perceptions of patients towards methods of establishing a DNA biobank

Background This study aimed to assess patient attitudes as part of the planning process for a large-scale effort to collect genetic samples for research from excess clinical blood specimens (‘DNA Databank’ project). Method A pre-tested, 38-item questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 5,000 inpatients, outpatients, and emergency department patients. Results Approximately 20% of patients responded (n = 1003). Most were comfortable with anonymized genetic information being used for research (89.3%) and supported the potential benefits (98.7%). A binary logistic regression on the level of comfort with the DNA program shows that the variability in respondents’ feelings about the program can best be explained by beliefs, age, and health status. Respondents were attitudinally segmented into 5 distinct categories. Conclusions These data indicate general acceptance among respondents, but a subset of the population would be opposed to the program. This reinforces the need to broadly and continuously communicate with patients about the program and the ability to exclude a given sample. The effects of prior beliefs would benefit from further exploration.
Photoaffinity labeling of rat liver microsomal steroid 5α-reductase by 2-azido-NADP

Abstract Preincubation of female rat liver microsomal preparations with [2′- 32 P]2N 3 -NADP + followed by photolysis with UV lighjt (254 nm) and analysis by SDS-PAGE/autoradiography showed incorporation of 32 P into at least 3 major protein bands in the molecular weight range of 14–197 Kd. Labeling of a 26 Kd band, the apparent molecular weight of 5α-reductase in liver microsomes, was accompanied by a loss of enzyme activity, consistent with its covalent modification. The inclusion of 20-fold excess NADP + (100μM) completely inhibited the incorporation of [2′- 32 P]2N 3 -NADP + and preserved the enzyme activity, whereas excess NAD + (100μM) failed to protect 5α-reductase (5αR) activity. Similar results were obtained with the detergent-solubilized form of 5αR. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) fractionation of detergent-solubilized with the detergent-solubilized preparations of 5αR showed that all the 5αR activity could be recovered in the 6.5%, pellet with a 3—4-fold increase in the specific activity. Photolysis of this fraction with [2′- 32 P]2N 3 -NADP + resulted in ∼ 2-fold increase in 32 P labeling of the 5αR band. Increasing photolysis time and concentration of the [2′- 32 P]2N 3 -NADP + indicated that the half-life for photoincorporation and the apparent K d were 1.0 min and 2 μM, respectively. Theser results suggest that 2N 3 -NADP + is an effective probe of the NADP(H) binding site of 5αR, and is a useful marker during purification of the enzyme.
Activation energies for crystallite growth and ordering in graphistising carbons. I. Crystallite growth

The activation energy for crystallite growth in a variety of graphitising carbons has been investigated using X-ray diffraction techniques. The values Ea and Ec for crystallite growth in the a-direction and c-direction respectively are essentially single values (∽300 and ∽210 kcal mole-1 respectively) and are the same for all the materials examined, and are independent of the extent of the transformation of carbon towards the graphite structure. These values imply that in the absence of other restraints, crystallite growth is potentially easiest in the c-direction. In the temperature range 2000–3000°C the activation energy for crystallite growth, especially in the a-direction, is different from that for the “ordering of the stacking sequence”, i.e. crystallite growth is essentially independent of three-dimensional ordering. The results are discussed in terms of a mosaic model of graphitisation and it is suggested that the processes of crystallite growth are controlled by interstitial migration mechanisms.
Flow Cytometry-Based Assay for Titrating Dengue Virus

Plaque assays for titrating dengue virus (DENV) are time-consuming and not suitable for strains that do not plaque. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) has been used to detect DENV-infected cells. Here we describe a FACS-based assay for titrating DENV. We determined that at 24 h postinfection, the number of infected cells detected by FACS represented the first round of infection and therefore could be used as a readout of the number of infectious particles in the inoculum. When the titers of different laboratory and clinical strains of DENV were compared using FACS, plaque, and endpoint dilution assays, for most strains the FACS titers were comparable to titers obtained by plaque or endpoint dilution assays. The FACS assay is an improvement over the plaque assay because the infection period is reduced from 5 to 7 days to 24 h and the assay can be used to titrate clinical isolates that frequently do not form clear plaques on cell monolayers. The novel FACS-based methods described here will facilitate laboratory studies of dengue.
Vascular Diseases of the Spinal Cord

Vascular disease affecting the spinal can cause substantial neurologic morbidity. Several vascular spinal cord ailments present as neurologic emergencies, and should thus be recognizable to the practicing neurologist. We review the epidemiology, presentation, management strategies, and prognosis of various pathologies, including infarction, dural arteriovenous fistula, arteriovenous malformation, cavernous malformation, compressive epidural hematoma, vasculitis, and genetic abnormalities.
the emergence of modern ‘sikh theology’: reassessing the passage of ideas from trumpp to bha¯i¯ vi¯r singh

steering between opposing explanations of religion as either sui generis or sociological construction, this paper argues for an alternative way of conceptualizing the phenomenon called ‘sikh theology’. normally attributed to the interior religious experience of the founder of sikhism, ‘sikh theology’, it will be argued, can more usefully be envisaged as the product of a discursive regime, a regime of colonial translation, which effectively demarcated the conceptual framework of modern sikhism. this regime of translation contains an ideology about religion that made translators such as ernest trumpp imagine the work of translation as providing a remedy for a scripture perceived as lacking conceptual coherence, or in the case of trumpp's non-sikh protagonist m.a. macauliffe, as based on a ‘dialogical interaction’ with sikh native informants. the paper's main focus is to show how key theological concepts passed from trumpp to macauliffe, and were inadvertently imbibed by writers of the exegetical commentaries on scripture such as bha¯i¯ vi¯r singh, even as they were contesting trumpp's odium theologicum.
Stochastic optimal control via forward and backward stochastic differential equations and importance sampling

Abstract The aim of this work is to present a novel sampling-based numerical scheme designed to solve a certain class of stochastic optimal control problems, utilizing forward and backward stochastic differential equations (FBSDEs). By means of a nonlinear version of the Feynman–Kac lemma, we obtain a probabilistic representation of the solution to the nonlinear Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation, expressed in the form of a system of decoupled FBSDEs. This system of FBSDEs can be solved by employing linear regression techniques. The proposed framework relaxes some of the restrictive conditions present in recent sampling based methods within the Linearly Solvable Optimal Control framework, and furthermore addresses problems in which the time horizon is not prespecified. To enhance the efficiency of the proposed scheme when treating more complex nonlinear systems, we then derive an iterative algorithm based on Girsanov’s theorem on the change of measure, which features importance sampling. This scheme is shown to be capable of learning the optimal control without requiring an initial guess.
Analytical Modeling of Ramp Meter Systems

Ramp meters are used to regulate the flow of traffic entering freeways. This paper develops a queuing model to analyze a ramp meter system with pre-timed control and adaptive control. With Poisson arrivals, the steady state probabilities can be achieved analytically. These results are compared with simulation-based results and, indeed, the analytical models predict well the simulation results
The Joint Replenishment Problem with General Joint Cost Structures

We consider inventory systems with several distinct items. Demands occur at constant, item specific rates. The items are interdependent because of jointly incurred fixed procurement costs: The joint cost structure reflects general economies of scale, merely assuming a monotonicity and concavity submodularity property. Under a power-of-two policy each item is replenished with constant reorder intervals which are power-of-two multiples of some fixed or variable base planning period. Our main results include a proof that, depending upon whether the base planning period is fixed or variable, the best among all power-of-two policies has an average cost which comes within either 6% or 2% of an easily computable lower bound for the minimum cost value. We also derive two efficient algorithms to compute an optimal power-of-two policy. The proposed algorithms generate as a by-product, a specific cost allocation of the joint cost structure to the individual items. With this specific allocation, the problem with separable costs is in fact equivalent to the original problem with nonseparable joint costs in the sense that the two problems share the same sets of optimal power-of-two policies with identical associated long-run average costs.
LightKit: a lighting system for effective visualization

LightKit is a system for lighting three-dimensional synthetic scenes. LightKit simplifies the task of producing visually pleasing, easily interpretable images for visualization while making it harder to produce results where the scene illumination distracts from the visualization process. LightKit is based on lighting designs developed by artists and photographers and shown in previous studies to enhance shape perception. A key light provides natural overhead illumination of the scene, augmented by fill, head, and back lights. By default, lights are attached to a normalized, subject-centric, camera-relative coordinate frame to ensure consistent lighting independent of camera location or orientation. This system allows all lights to be positioned by specifying just six parameters. The intensity of each light is specified as a ratio to the key light intensity, allowing the scene's brightness to be adjusted using a single parameter. The color of each light is specified by a single normalized color parameter called warmth that is based on color temperature of natural sources. LightKit's default values for light position, intensity, and color are chosen to produce good results for a variety of scenes. LightKit is designed to work with both hardware graphics systems and, potentially, higher quality off-line rendering systems. We provide examples of images created using a LightKit implementation within the VTK visualization toolkit software framework.
Review of Uncivil Rights: Teacher, Unions, and Race in the Battle for School Equity

The purpose of this paper was to review the book Uncivil Rights: Teacher, Unions, and Race in the Battle For School Equity, by Jonna Perrillo. The book was selected for review by the editors for a special edition.
SETD1A modulates cell cycle progression through a miRNA network that regulates p53 target genes

Expression of the p53-inducible antiproliferative gene BTG2 is suppressed in many cancers in the absence of inactivating gene mutations, suggesting alternative mechanisms of silencing. Using a shRNA screen targeting 43 histone lysine methyltransferases (KMTs), we show that SETD1A suppresses BTG2 expression through its induction of several BTG2-targeting miRNAs. This indirect but highly specific mechanism, by which a chromatin regulator that mediates transcriptional activating marks can lead to the downregulation of a critical effector gene, is shared with multiple genes in the p53 pathway. Through such miRNA-dependent effects, SETD1A regulates cell cycle progression in vitro and modulates tumorigenesis in mouse xenograft models. Together, these observations help explain the remarkably specific genetic consequences associated with alterations in generic chromatin modulators in cancer.
The Value of Public and Private Information in Firms: An Agency View

Both private and public information are valuable and affect the cost of capital (Easley and O'Hara, 2004). We endogenize the production of these types of information within the firm. In a simple agency problem in the presence of adverse selection, both private and public information are valuable because they lead to more efficient contracting. We solve for the optimal linear contract and obtain simple expressions of how the value of the firm depends on its information environment. Assuming that the manager has access to technologies that produce both public and private information, we solve for the equilibrium at the information acquisition stage.
A Theorem of Larmor and Its Importance for Electrons in Magnetic Fields

The importance of a well-known theorem, originally due to Larmor, is emphasized. It enables a definition of "momentum" and "moment of momentum" for electrons in a magnetic field, hence the possibility of writing the conservation of these quantities when the geometry of the structure is convenient. As typical examples of the method, two special cases are discussed: a plane electron beam and a cylindrical electron beam with longitudinal magnetic field. In both cases it is found that the space-charge density of the beam is entirely controlled by the magnetic field and that the maximum current is obtained for a suitable optimum magnetic field.
Market Conditions, Underwriter Reputation and IPO Underpricing

This study develops a model that examines the relationship between the industry over/under-valuation and IPO underpricing. In this model top-tier underwriters have reputational concerns regarding the long run performance of the issue and therefore adjust the initial offer price to the “historical” pricing. The model shows that IPO underpricing is partially due to the relative industry valuation. There is strong support that valuation effect differentially impacts issues by top and lower tier underwriters. This further supports the hypothesis that reputational concerns are only important to top-tier underwriters. Lower-tier underwriters price issues to maximize cash flow.