cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geometric shifting of the porta hepatis during posthepatectomy radiotherapy for biliary tract cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate geometric shifting of the porta hepatis induced by liver regeneration during radiotherapy (RT) after partial hepatectomy for biliary tract cancer. Methods and Materials: Between August 2004 and August 2005, the study enrolled 10 biliary tract cancer patients who underwent hemihepatectomy or more extensive surgery and were scheduled to receive postoperative RT. All patients received 4500 cGy RT in 25 fractions with concurrent 5-fluorouracil. Before RT and in the third and fifth weeks during RT, the liver volume was determined using CT, and geometric location of the porta hepatis was determined using a conventional simulator. Results: The liver volume increase during RT was 246.6 ± 118.2 cm 3 . The overall actual shifting length of the porta hepatis was 9.8 ± 2.5 mm, with right and left hepatectomy causing a 10.1 ± 1.7 mm shift to the right or 9.2 ± 4.3 mm shift to the left, respectively. The actual shifting length of the porta hepatis was proportional to the increase in liver volume during RT ( r = 0.742, p = 0.014). Conclusion: The results of this study have demonstrated that the porta hepatis can be shifted by liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. We recommend an additional RT margin or adaptive RT (repeat planning at several intervals during the treatment course) to avoid exclusion of the porta hepatis from the RT target volume after partial hepatectomy for biliary tract cancer.
Large-scale quantum mechanical simulations of high-Z metals

High-Z metals constitute a particular challenge for large-scale ab initio electronic-structure calculations, as they require high resolution due to the presence of strongly localized states and require many eigenstates to be computed due to the large number of electrons and need to accurately resolve the Fermi surface. Here, we report recent findings on high-Z metals, using an efficient massively parallel planewave implementation on some of the largest computational architectures currently available. We discuss the particular architectures employed and methodological advances required to harness them effectively. We present a pair-correlation function for U, calculated using quantum molecular dynamics, and discuss relaxations of Pu atoms in the vicinity of defects in aged and alloyed Pu. We find that the self-irradiation associated with aging has a negligible effect on the compressibility of Pu relative to other factors such as alloying.
Estimation Of Heart Wall Velocity Using The Wigner Distribution

The Wigner distribution (WD) has been suggested as an alternative to the Fourier transform as a spatiotemporal-frequency method for measuring optical flow. The WD has the advantage of pixel-by-pixel estimation of the local velocity field in an image set; however, the performance of the WD in estimating apparent local velocity in an nonhomogeneous optical flow field is uncertain. This paper substantiates the high spatial resolution of the WD in estimating the optical flow in an image with a highly nonhomogeneous velocity field. A simple method using linear regression is presented for estimating from the WD the velocity components at a pixel. One of the characteristics of the WD, the lack of a superposition property, gives rise to a cross term in the WD of the sum of 2 image sets that can lead to serious errors in the estimation of optical flow when a simple constant background is added to the image set. These properties are demonstrated with simulated data, and with data from a scintigraphic imaging study of the human heart. The results show that the value of the estimated velocity vector is influenced by the location of the point of inspection. Sketches of the local correlation function for a 1-D moving waveform lend insight into the relationship between the placement of the point of inspection and the estimated velocity.
Neutrino mass hierarchy, vacuum oscillations, and vanishing |U e3 |

Is the relatively isolated member of the neutrino mass spectrum heavier or lighter than the two closely-spaced members? This question---the character of the neutrino mass hierarchy---is of great theoretical interest. All previously identified experiments for addressing it via neutrino oscillations require that the currently unknown size of the ${U}_{e3}$ element of the leptonic mixing matrix (parameterized by the unknown ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ mixing angle) be sufficiently large, and will utterly fail in the limit ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. For this reason, we explore alternative oscillation approaches that would still succeed even if ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ vanishes. We identify several alternatives that require neither a nonzero $|{U}_{e3}|$ nor the presence of significant matter effects (even if the latter are unavoidable in the case of long-baseline, Earth-based experiments). All include multiple percent-level neutrino oscillation measurements, usually involving muon-neutrino (or antineutrino) disappearance and very long baselines. We comment on the degree of promise that these alternative approaches show.
Cystic lymphangioma of the pancreas: CT and pathologic findings

A case of pancreatic cystic lymphangioma is presented with CT and pathologic findings. CT demonstrated a large septated cystic mass in the left abdomen in an otherwise healthy young female. A diagnosis of lymphangioma was made after excision and pathologic examination.
Programmed Student Achievement: A Test of the Avoidance Hypothesis.

(1974). Programmed Student Achievement. The Journal of Experimental Education: Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 57-61.
Predictors of novel inflection learning by preschool-aged boys.

This study addressed the extent to which performance on selected verbal and nonverbal measures contributes to the prediction of inflection learning. Twenty normal boys between the ages of 4:4 (year...
Selective high metabolic lability of uridine, guanosine and cytosine triphosphates in response to glucose deprivation and refeeding of untransformed and polyoma virus-transformed hamster fibroblasts.

Sugar deprivation of hamster fibroblasts (NIL1 ) affected the steady state levels (pool sizes) of cellular acid soluble nucleotides in the following fashion; the pools of UTP, GTP and CTP decreased to a much greater extent than the cellular ATP pools, with the UTP pools undergoing the most dramatic reduction. Sugar deprivation of polyoma-transformed NIL cells (PyNIL) yielded even sharper decreases in the nucleoside triphosphate pools with relative changes similar to those of the untransformed cells. Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide, initiated at the onset of (and continued during) sugar deprivation, prevented the reduction in pool sizes and yielded values slightly higher than those observed for pool sizes in cells cultured in sugar-supplemented medium. Refeeding glucose to sugar-depleted hamster fibroblasts led to rapid increases (within 1 hour) in the UTP and CTP pools to levels well above the pool sizes observed in cells which were continuously cultured (16 hours) in sugar supplemented medium. Feeding NIL or PyNIL cells with fructose instead of glucose as the only hexose source did not appreciably affect any of the ribonucleoside triphosphate pool sizes. Measurements of hexose uptake by NIL and PyNIL cells under a variety of conditions suggest that hexose transport is not regulated by the total cellular pools of ATP or any of the other ribonucleoside triphosphates.
Fluorescence interferometry: From mesoscopic to nanoscopic biomedical imaging

The use of low-level light radiation, such as fluorescence, is central for tackling measurement problems in biology and medicine with high sensitivity and at high, multidimensional optical resolution. Typically, the intensity of low-level light waves is utilized and simply measured by ultra-sensitive detection systems. Nevertheless, the phase of a these optical waves contains subtle, but no less important, information about the observed medium; yet, it has been largely unexplored. Here, we introduce the concept of fluorescent light interferometry to open up new possibilities for measuring fluorescence phase information through biological matter with nanometer-to-mesoscopic level resolution.
Freeze-fracture properties of central myelin in the bullfrog.

Abstract The freeze-fractured membrane of the central myelin sheath has three classes of particulate components: (i) Particles inherent to the compact myelin lamellae. These are distributed at random and cleave predominantly with the P (protoplasmic) face. (ii) Particles which comprise the intramyelinic tight junctions. These are arranged in strands and are located at the inner and outer mesaxon, the paranodal loops, the cytoplasmic incisures, and occasionally within the compact regions of the myelin sheath, (iii) Particles localized exclusively at the portion of the paranodal loop membrane involved in the septate-like junction with the axolemma. These are regularly spaced and are organized in parallel rows. In the central myelin sheaths of bullfrogs fixed by perfusion with aldehydes and cryoprotected in 30% glycerol, the randomly distributed particles differ in size and shape from those of the axolemma. They possess a reasonably well defined bimodal distribution with respect to particle shape—most can be described either as globules or as ellipsoids. The globular particles range in diameter from 60 to 150A. The ellipsoidal particles are 100–200Along and 15–50Awide. The total number of particles per square micron on the P face is approximately 1500. About half of these are of the globular type and half of the ellipsoidal type. In poorly fixed specimens, loss of interlamellar adhesion and loss of randomly distributed particles seem to coincide. Evidence is presented against the hypothesis that the tight junctions between compact myelin lamellae represent the radial component of the myelin. The possible relation between the types of particulate components seen in freeze-fracture and the classes of protein isolated from central myelin fractions is briefly discussed.
Childhood obesity prevention in rural settings: background, rationale, and study design of ‘4-Health,’ a parent-only intervention

Childhood obesity in rural communities is a serious but understudied problem. The current experiment aims to assess a wide range of obesity risk factors among rural youth and to offer an 8-month intervention program for parents to reduce obesity risk in their preteen child. A two-group, repeated measures design is used to assess the effectiveness of the 4-Health intervention program. Assessments include anthropometric measures, child self-evaluations, parent self-evaluations, and parent evaluations of child. County Extension agents from 21 rural Montana counties recruit approximately 150 parent–child dyads and counties are semi-randomly assigned to the active intervention group (4-Health Educational Program) or a “best-practices” (Healthy Living Information) control group. This study will shed light on the effectiveness of this parent-only intervention strategy in reducing obesity risk factors among rural preteens. The 4-Health program is designed to provide information and skills development for busy rural parents that will increase healthy lifestyles of their preteen children and improve the parents’ ability to intervene effectively in the lives of their families during this critical developmental period. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01510587
The geometry of real sine-Gordon wavetrains

The characterization ofreal, N phase, quasiperiodic solutions of the sine-Gordon equation has been an open problem. In this paper we achieve this result, employing techniques of classical algebraic geometry which have not previously been exploited in the soliton literature. A significant by-product of this approach is a naturalalgebraic representation of the full complex isospectral manifolds, and an understanding of how the real isospectral manifolds are embedded. By placing the problem in this general context, these methods apply directly to all soliton equations whose multiphase solutions are related to hyperelliptic functions.
Design for a ward politician

A little picture of politics in the rough – and of its elements of human interest which reform tends to disregard.
Crafting questionnaire-style data: An SAS implementation

An SAS program permits instructors to provide students with simulated questionnaire-style data for use in courses in statistics and experimental design. The program produces data that approximate the distributions of nominal or categorical variables, rating scale data, and normally distributed scores. The data sets provide a simulated research experience that can be used to incorporate the development of research items as well as their statistical analysis and interpretation.
Determination of pKa at the air/water interface by second harmonic generation

Abstract We have used second harmonic generation to directly observe chemical changes in a lipid monolayer. We observed that p K a of p -hexadecyl aniline at the air/water interface is 3.6 ± 0.2 versus 5.3 ± 0.1 in the bulk. This fiftyfold increase in acidity is due to the higher free energy of a charged species at the air/water interface, which favors a shift in the equilibrium towards the neutral form.
Long-term clinical events following creatine kinase–myocardial band isoenzyme elevation after successful coronary stenting

OBJECTIVE We sought to evaluate the impact of intermediate creatine kinase-myocardial band isoenzyme (CK-MB) elevation on late clinical outcomes in patients undergoing successful stent implantation in native coronary arteries. BACKGROUND Elevations of CK-MB after percutaneous coronary interventions are frequent. An association between high level of CK-MB elevation (>5 times normal) and late mortality after balloon and new device angioplasty has been reported previously. However, significant controversy remains on the long-term clinical importance of lower CK-MB elevations (one to five times normal) after percutaneous coronary revascularization. Moreover, the incidence and prognostic importance of cardiac enzyme elevation after coronary stenting have not been well established. METHODS Prospectively collected data from 900 consecutive patients (1,213 lesions) undergoing successful stenting in native vessels were analyzed. Based on the CK-MB levels after coronary stenting, patients were classified into three groups: normal group 1 (n = 585), elevation of >1 to 5 times normal group 2 (n = 238) and elevation of >5 times normal group 3 (n = 77). RESULTS Patients in group 3 had more in-hospital recurrent ischemia (p = 0.001) and pulmonary edema (p = 0.01) than patients in groups 1 and 2. Long-term clinical end points were similar between groups 1 and 2. However, patients in group 3 had an increased incidence of late mortality compared with patients in groups 2 and 1 (6.9%, 1.2% and 1.7%, respectively, p = 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that patients with CK-MB >5 times normal after coronary stenting had an increased risk of major adverse clinical events (relative risk: 1.70, p 5 times normal had higher late mortality and more unfavorable event-free survival than those patients with normal or lower CK-MB rise after coronary stenting. While intermediate CK-MB elevation (>1 to 5 times normal) is frequent after coronary stenting (26%), this was not associated with an increased risk of late mortality or major adverse clinical events.
NMR spectral studies: XIII—titanium tetrachloride‐induced and lanthanide‐induced shifts in the proton NMR spectra of β‐lactams

2-Azetidinones which carry a proton each on C-3 and C-4 often pose a problem in the correct assignment of the resonances due to these protons; titanium tetrachloride has been shown to be an effective and reliable n.m.r. shift reagent to differentiate between these two protons on the basis of their different sensitivities to this reagent. A few compounds were also studied with Eu(fod)3 and Pr(fod)3 for the sake of confirmation.
A 3D optical flow technique based on mass conservation for deformable motion estimation from 4-D CT images of the lung

The accuracy of optical flow estimation algorithms has been improving steadily by refining the objective function which should be optimized. A novel energy function for computing optical flow from volumetric X-ray CT images is presented. One advantage of the optical flow framework is the possibility to enforce physical constraints on the numerical solutions. The physical constraints which have been included here are: brightness constancy, gradient constancy, continuity equation based on mass conservation, and discontinuity-preserving spatio-temporal smoothness. The method has been evaluated on POPI-model and the evaluation demonstrates that the method results in significantly better accuracy than previous optical flow techniques for estimation of deformable lung motion.
5. Mixed Automorphic Forms on Semisimple Lie Groups

5.1 Mixed Automorphic Forms on Symmetric Domains 5.2 Mixed Automorphic Forms on Semisimple Lie Groups 5.3 Eisenstein Series 5.4 Whittaker Vectors 5.5 Fourier Coefficients of Eisenstein Series
Characteristics of Voltage Controlled Oscillators Implemented With Tunable Ferroelectric High-k Capacitors

Ferroelectric capacitors made from Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 (BST) are applied as varactors in tunable, high frequency circuit applications. In this context, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) based on Colpitts architecture has been designed and implemented using discrete RF BJTs and tunable ferroelectric capacitor. The tunable ferroelectric capacitor has been fabricated on quartz substrate with BST deposited by RF magnetron sputtering and platinum electrodes. At 1 MHz, the ferroelectric capacitor shows a tunability of about 30% for applied DC bias voltage of plusmn5 V and quality factor 'Q' of 160. The fabricated VCO on RF prototype board can be tuned from frequency 577 MHz to 602 MHz with a control voltage of plusmn3 V and a gain of 8.3 MHz/V and a tunability of 4%.
Fabrication, characterization and optical theory of aluminum nanometal/nanoporous membrane thin film composites

We have fabricated two kinds of aluminum nanometallporous thin film membrane composites: those with cylindrical, possibly tubular, aluminum nanowires embedded in facketch polyester host 10 μm thick, ∼ 14% porosity and with pore radius of 100 nm; and spherical aluminum nanoparticles of ∼31 nm radius in aluminum oxide host 30 μm thick with average pore radius of 60 run and ∼30% porosity. The nanoparticles were plated from a solution consisting of 2.0M AlBr3 and 0.7M KBr in dry toluene with 2% (v/v) trimethylchlorosilane. Plating potentials ranged from −0.6V to −3.OV with respect to an aluminum pseudo-reference electrode. We employed Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory and the dynamical size-dependent version to explain spectral results. Preliminary optical characterization shows promise in describing metal plasmon absorption maxima for the alumiman nanostructures No samples exhibited visible region transparency due to large particle sizes (> 5 nm radius).
Teaching an Intercultural Approach to Spiritual Care

In its most current evolution, my approach to teaching and practicing intercultural spiritual care involves a two part parallel process. Teaching and spiritual care begins with a relationship of trust that grows when those in teaching, supervisory, helping, or researcher roles respect the unique particularities of their students, interns, clients, or co-researchers. I use the language of Emmanuel Levinas in order to understand how trust grows when we respect the alterity. Once trust is established through respect for alterity, then a co-constructive and collaborative relationship becomes possible between teachers and students, counselors and clients, chaplains and patients, and even researchers and co-researchers. They gain awareness about their lived theology−the values and beliefs embedded and enacted in their practices. They deliberate over this theology: whether it is still relevant, meaningful, and life giving, or whether it has become irrelevant and perhaps life-limiting. They begin to co-construct meanings and spiritual practices that reflect the particularities of who they are as persons, as well as the particularities of the relationship they have formed together.
β-Adrenoceptors modulate noradrenaline release from axonal sprouts in cultured rat superior cervical ganglia

Abstract Superior cervical ganglia of rats grown in organ culture were used to study the effect of β-receptor stimulants and antagonists on 3H-noradrenaline release in response to stimulation by KCl (75 mM). (−)-Isoprenaline 1 × 10−9 −1×10−7 M) increased by 20–25% the release of 3H-noradrenaline from cultured ganglia exposed to KCl. Isoprenaline did not modify either the spontaneous (non-calcium dependent) release of 3H-noradrenaline from cultured ganglia, or the KCl-stimulated release from fresh ganglia. The effect of (−)-isoprenaline was blocked by (−)-propranolol 5 × 10 −9 − 1 sx 10 −8 M and by butoxamine 10−6 M, but not by (+)-propranolol (1–5 × 10−8 M), practolol (1 × 10−8 − 1 × 10−6 M), or sotalol (1 × 10−7 − 1 × 10−6 M). Isoprenaline induced augmentation of 3H-noradrenaline release and its antagonism by (−)-propranolol still occurred in the presence of DMI. It is suggested that presynaptic β-receptors in sympathetic nerve terminals may be involved in a positive feedback of noradrenaline release.
An evaluative economic development typology for sustainable rural economic development

This research develops a management typology that focuses on the importance of project typology and selection as part of sustainable rural economic development. The typology includes quality of life elements, the overall community resource base, and the capacity to generate projects. It considers various implications on the social, economic, and environmental factors at a very early stage in the project life cycle. The typology also develops selection criteria for rural economic projects that include a strong risk assessment phase. Data collected from two rural economic projects are used to examine strategic planning and project selection processes. Results may be used to develop effective strategies to stimulate rural economies.
Dynamics of juvenile hormone-mediated gonadotropism in the Lepidoptera

Reproduction in moths and butterflies is a dynamic process that is influenced by various endogenous physiological processes and exogenous factors. The Lepidoptera may be divided into four distinct groups based on their gonadotropic hormones and other reproductive and biological characteristics, regardless of phylogenetic relationships. Some species have integrated their reproduction tightly with the endocrine events of metamorphosis, the waxing or waning ecdysteroid levels. Other species rely instead on juvenile hormone (JH), in part or solely. Species of Lepidoptera that rely on JH as the gonadotropic signal also exhibit polyandry. Several mechanisms have been suggested for the occurrence of polyandry, including availability of male-transferred nutrients (gonadotrophic effect), need for additional sperm, and increased genetic variability. We propose an additional reason for polyandry observed in some lepidopterans. If a female remains a virgin, her endogenous gonadotropic signal diminishes, and eggs that have been produced already may be resorbed to increase longevity. During copulation, the male may trigger a neural/humoral response in the female, thus stimulating release of her endogenous gonadotropic signal, JH, and/or inhibiting degradation of the same, whence she matures new eggs. The mating effect appears to act humorally on the cephalic structures in several species. Whether this change in JH titer is due to an effect on synthesis and release by corpora allata only or occurs in conjunction with inhibition of JH degradation is unknown. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 35:539–558, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Outpatient treatment of pyelonephritis in pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of outpatient and inpatient treatment of pyelonephritis in pregnancy. Methods: We performed a randomized controlled trial of pregnant women with pyelonephritis before 24 weeks' estimated gestational age, comparing inpatient and outpatient treatment. Sixty inpatients received cefazolin intravenously until afebrile for 48 hours, and 60 outpatients received two injections of ceftriaxone intramuscularly. All patients completed a 10-day course of oral cephalexin. We performed a urine culture 5–14 days after completion of therapy. Results: The two groups were similar with respect to age, parity, temperature, estimated gestational age, initial white blood cell count, and incidence of bacteremia. Escherichia coli was the major uropathogen isolated (86% of cultures, 95 of 111). Twelve percent (13 of 111) of bacteria were resistant to cefazolin. Eleven outpatients and 12 inpatients had positive urine cultures after therapy (relative risk 0.9, 95% confidence interval 0.4–1.9). Three patients in each group had recurrent pyelonephritis. We switched six inpatients to gentamicin because of a worsening clinical picture (two) or a prolonged febrile course (four); no outpatients required a change in antibiotic (Fisher exact test, P = .03). One preterm delivery occurred in an inpatient with recurrent pyelonephritis. Conclusion: Outpatient antibiotic therapy is effective and safe in selected pregnant women with pyelonephritis.
Inactivation of calcium channels in rat pituitary intermediate lobe cells

The voltage-dependent inactivation of Ca currents was explored in dissociated intermediate lobe (IL) cells from the rat pituitary. On the basis of current-voltage relations two main inward currents could be identified in this cell, a transient current, (I-t), and a sustained current, (I-s). Inactivation was explored either by changing the holding potential and testing the change in the inward currents during a brief test pulse, or, by depolarizing the membrane and following the decay of the evoked inward current. Three current decay rates were identified, each with a characteristic dependence on membrane potential. The fastest decay rate (tau 1), was attributed to the inactivation of the I-t current and had a value of 57 ms at -40 mV, decreasing to 10 ms at -10 mV (extrapolated value of 6 ms at 0 mV). The other two decay rates, tau 2 and tau 3, decreased monotonically with depolarization of the membrane potential and reflected the inactivation of the I-s current with values of 1.8 and 20 s at 0 mV. I-s inactivation and reactivation was found to occur even in the normal resting potential range of this cell. These properties of the calcium channels can explain the voltage-dependent inactivation of secretion that has been observed previously in this and other secretory cells. In addition, they suggest that calcium currents, and hence secretion, may be modulated by external factors that cause small, but sustained, changes in the resting potential of the IL cell.
Cardiac CT in Valvular Heart Disease: Current State-of-the-Art

With recent advances in image acquisition, technique, and radiation dose reduction, multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) is emerging as a viable adjunct to echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance in cardiac valvular imaging. We discuss the various potential roles of MDCT in the assessment of patients with valvular heart disease in this article. MDCT assessment of cardiac valvular function and pathology, specifically in the setting of minimally invasive/percutaneous valvular procedures, is invaluable as a preoperative planning tool. With the rapid growth and widespread use of minimally invasive/percutaneous valvular procedures, the role of tomographic imaging, especially MDCT is likely to grow exponentially.
Methods of Computing the Time Constant and Impedance of Magnets

For regulation and ripple studies of dc magnets, the essential parameters which must be known as a function of dc magnetization and/or frequency are the unit step time constant and impedance. An exact value for the unit steptime constant of a laminated or solid core magnet can only be obtained by measurement. It can, however, be estimated from the dc time constant which is easily computed from the magnet geometry, number of coil turns, and the coil resistance. Measured unit step time constants and computed dc time constants are given for a number of magnets. Formulas to compute the impedance of laminated core magnets are developed. An empirical formula for calculating the impedance of solid core magnets is deduced from test data.
Induction of an immune response in athymic nude mice to thymus-dependent antigens by Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A.

Abstract Exposure of spleen cells from athymic nude mice to Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A induces these cells to respond to the thymus-dependent (TD) antigen sheep erythrocytes (SRBC). The response induced by toxin is dose dependent, antigen specific, and not due to polyclonal B-cell activation. Enhancement of the anti-SRBC response can be observed when toxin addition precedes antigen stimulation by 24–48 hr, which decreases when toxin administration follows antigen stimulation. A significant response is also observed when toxin and antigen are added simultaneously. A significant anti-SRBC response can be observed out to Day 10 postantigen and toxin stimulation after attaining a peak response at Day 5. Cultures exposed to toxin in the presence or absence of antigen exhibited a higher cell number and relative number of B cells as compared to control cultures. Exposure of T-cell depleted B cells from euthymic +/nu mice to toxin plus antigen does not result in an anti-SRBC response indicating that exotoxin A alone is not sufficient to induce B-cell responsiveness to T-dependent antigens and that other cells and/ or factors are involved in the toxin-induced responsiveness of nude mice to T-dependent antigens.
Cooperative Communications in Multi-hop Wireless Networks: Joint Flow Routing and Relay Node Assignment

It has been shown that cooperative communications (CC) have the potential to significantly increase the capacity of wireless networks. However, most of the existing results are limited to single-hop wireless networks. To illustrate the benefits of CC in multi-hop wireless networks, we solve a joint optimization problem of relay node assignment and flow routing for concurrent sessions. We study this problem via mathematical modeling and solve it using a solution procedure based on the branch-and-cut framework. We design several novel components to speed-up the computation time of branch-and-cut. Via numerical results, we show the significant rate gains that can be achieved by incorporating CC in multi-hop networks.
An evaluation of a hierarchical method of describing the pattern of dental caries attack.

A number of procedures have been developed to reduce the time needed to examine and record dental caries in epidemiologic studies. One such method is described in a 1967 draft of a WHO Manual. The present report is an evaluation of that method, and is based on analysis of data from 2,123 individuals 6 to 17 years old examined in three previous studies. The method is based on assigning individuals to one of five zones of increasing severity, assuming that once an individual is classified into a given zone, he automatically belongs to all zones of lesser severity (except zero). The analysis carried out in this study shows that Zones 2 and 3 as well as Zones 4 and 5 have to be combined in order for the above mentioned assumption to be fullfilled. Furthermore, it is shown that there is good agreement between information on severity of dental caries attack obtained by this method and measurements of dental caries prevalence obtained by conventional methods (DMF). Finally, it is demonstrated that the modified method is sensitive enough to be able to detect the caries preventive effect of fluoridation of school water supplies.
Positive symptoms and chronicity of illness in schizophrenia.

I have proposed recently that the positive symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations and delusions reflect a compensatory mechanism to overcome the dopaminergic deficiency which underlies the core pathology of the disease, namely the negative syndrome. In such case it is possible, in analogy with Parkinson's disease, that these compensatory mechanisms will diminish with progression of the disease. Thus, one would expect the severity of positive symptoms in schizophrenia to decline with progression of the disease. To test this hypothesis, I studied in 20 chronic schizophrenic patients the association between positive symptoms (hallucinations and delusions) with chronicity of illness. I found a significant inverse correlation between chronicity of illness and severity of delusions (r = -.51, p < .05) and hallucinations (r = -.47, p < 0.05). In contrast, chronicity of illness was unrelated to negative symptoms (blunted affect and emotional withdrawal). These data support the prediction that the compensatory ability of the brain to increase dopamine functions may diminish with progression of the disease and are in accord with the clinical impression that with time schizophrenic patients tend to display a more negative syndrome profile and become "burnt out schizophrenics."
Vitellogenin synthesis and secretion in ovariectomized crickets

Abstract 1. 1. Rabbit antiserum against egg vitellin was used to measure in vivo vitellogenin (Vg) concentrations, synthesis and secretion in adult Acheta domesticus ovariectomized prior to adult ecdysis. 2. 2. Hemolymph and fat body Vg concentrations were higher in 10-day-old ovariectomized adults than in sham-operated animals of the same age. 3. 3. Ovariectomy resulted in an increased rate of incorporation of 14 C-leucine into fat body Vg. 4. 4. Ovariectomy resulted in a selective decrease in the rate of secretion of newly synthesized Vg. 5. 5. The insect fat body may provide a model for regulation of protein secretion in eukaryotic cells.
Reconstitution of iron-sulfur center B of Photosystem I damaged by mercuric chloride

Incubation of thylakoid membranes from spinach with low concentrations of mercuric chloride induces the loss of one of the iron-sulfur centers, FB, in Photosystem I (PS I) and inhibits the electron transfer from PS I to the soluble electron carrier, ferredoxin. Reconstitution of this damaged iron-sulfur center has been carried out by incubating treated thylakoid membranes with exogenous FeCl3 and Na2S in the presence ofβ-mercaptoethanol under anaerobic conditions. Low temperature EPR measurements indicate that center FB is largely restored. Kinetic experiments show that the restored FB can be photoreduced from P700. However, these reconstituted thylakoid membranes are still incompetent in the photoreduction of ferredoxin and NADP+, even though ferredoxin binding to the modified membranes was not impaired, indicating additional changes in the structure of the PS I complex must have occurred.
Effects of cooperation and competition on responsibility attribution after success and failure

Pairs of Ss cooperated (Experiment I) or competed (Experiment II) in a response-matching task whose outcome either exceeded (Success condition), met (Neutral condition), or did not reach (Failure condition) a prior-established expected outcome level. Afterwards, Ss attributed responsibility for their outcomes. It was found under both cooperation and competition that neutral outcomes tended to produce situational attribution, and success produced self-attribution. However, failure produced partner attribution under cooperation but situational attribution under competition. The results were discussed from the standpoint of two general theories of responsibility attribution, the first emphasizing problem solving based on cues, and the second emphasizing motivational biases.
Fundamental solutions of Mindlin plates with variable thickness for stochastic boundary elements

Abstract A procedure to develop the fundamental solutions for the boundary element method with small system stochasticity is presented herein. Analytical as well as numerical results are furnished for circilar Mindlin plates with stochastic thicknesses. A concentrated transverse point load and concentrated bending moments are considered with an arbitrary set of plate boundary conditions. The perturbation technique employed herein is correct only for the first order stochastic effects originating from the spatial variability of thickness.
Effect of surface electronic structure on the deexcitation of He 21S metastable atoms

Abstract Experimental results are given showing that the competition between two metastable atom deexcitation processes (Resonance Ionization + Auger Neutralization or Penning Ionization) on adsorbed layers depends strongly upon the extent of projection of adsorbate valence electron density from the surface.
Spinning up mass spectrometry for whole protein complexes

Researchers adapt a popular Orbitrap-based mass spectrometer to detect and analyze large, intact protein complexes, accelerating a new frontier in structural biology.
A device for presenting attack opportunity as a reinforcer for operant behavior

A device is described which automatically measures barpresses reinforced by short opportunities to attack male mice. Data on barpress rates indicate rapid and reliable acquisition of preferences for reinforcer bars and rapid abolition of this preference when the reinforcement contingency is subsequently eliminated. The data are less reliable for reversal learning.
Teaching the nonverbal components of assertive training

Abstract Assertive training has customarily focused on modifying explicit verbal messages. Nonverbal variables have been neglected. A method of teaching the nonverbal components of assertive training is presented, based on a subclassification of six nonverbal variables. The value of videotape feedback in this teaching is emphasized.
Reductions in insulin concentrations and β-cell mass precede growth restriction in sheep fetuses with placental insufficiency

In pregnancy complicated by placental insufficiency (PI) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), the fetus near term has reduced basal and glucose-stimulated insulin concentrations and reduced ...
Functional relationship between the pars intermedia and ACTH secretion in the rat.

In order to identify the cell type responsible for ACTH production in the rat adenohypophysis, the incorporation of thymidine- 3H into the various cell types of the adenohypophysis has been studied using autoradiography. Sections were examined 1 month following adrenalectomy, when ACTH secretion is greatly increased, and 1 month following the daily administration of cortisol, when ACTH secretion is suppressed. Only 1 cell type, restricted to the pars intermedia, responded to altered levels of ACTH secretion with both an increase in label index following adrenalectomy and a decrease in label index following cortisol administration. Histological changes were restricted to the pars intermedia, where numerous dark cells were observed only after adrenalectomy. Following adrenalectomy, increases in weight were restricted to the colloid and the pars intermedia. Since no changes in plasma or hypophysial MSH content were found, the histological and autoradiographic changes do not simply reflect alterations in MSH ...
Evaluation of pulse-shape discrimination capabilities of NE228A+ relative to NE213+☆☆☆

Abstract The pulse-shape discrimination capability of NE228A relative to that of NE213 was measured using standard zero cross over techniques. Neutron-gamma separation was evaluated both in terms of peak-to-valley and in terms of figure-of-merit at nine energy points between 80 and 800 keV electron energy. At all energies, the NE213 was found to exhibit significantly better pulse-shape discrimination than the NE228A.
A systematic review of behavioural interventions to reduce preoperative alcohol use.

Issues Preoperative alcohol use is associated with an increase in postoperative morbidity and mortality. Short-term abstinence prior to elective surgery has been shown to reduce postoperative risks. Therefore, behavioural intervention (BI) targeting risky drinking may have significant utility in preventing surgical complications. Approach The literature was systematically reviewed to identify the scope and outcomes of BIs aiming to reduce alcohol use in risky drinkers before they underwent surgery. Five databases were searched using PRISMA criteria. Of 1243 studies identified, four met pre-established inclusion criteria: (i) implementation of a BI prior to an elective surgery; (ii) the BI-targeted alcohol use among risky drinkers; and (iii) printed in English. Key Findings Two studies indicated significant reductions in alcohol use at follow ups, and one study demonstrated reductions in postoperative risks. These findings are encouraging, but in light of methodological limitations, the efficacy of preoperative BIs for risky drinking could not be determined. Implications Future efforts to screen and implement BIs addressing alcohol use in preoperative patients should carefully define risky drinking, allow ample time for recruitment prior to surgery, implement empirically supported interventions, examine the impact of relevant covariates, and consider the statistical power needed to detect change in postoperative complications. Conclusion Given the strong link between preoperative alcohol use and postoperative risks, additional research on preoperative BIs is critically needed. Existing research suggests several promising directions for research that may enhance future intervention efforts with this high-risk population. [Fernandez AC, Claborn KR, Borsari B. A systematic review of behavioural interventions to reduce preoperative alcohol use. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015;34:508–20]
Estimating the relative yields of Novaya Zemlya tests by waveform intercorrelation

Summary. The relative size of 15 underground nuclear explosions at the Novaya Zemlya test site is determined by applying a relative waveform analysis called intercorrelation to 566 teleseismic short-period P-waves. The waveforms are corrected for the effects of pP interference and yield scaling of the explosion source functions so that signals from different events recorded at the same station can be analytically compared. For events within a single test site, this procedure accounts for common path and receiver effects. Relative explosion source strengths in the 0.5 -2.0 Hz frequency band determined by intercorrelation are consistent with the results of conventional mb analysis. Absolute yield estimates from both intercorrelation and mb analyses have much greater uncertainty due to unknown baselines. The yield estimates for the 15 events range from 36 to 3886 kt, assuming that tE=0.5 s and that yield scaling relations for the Amchitka test site are appropriate for Novaya Zemlya. The pP delay times obtained from intercorrelation of Novaya Zemlya events are similar to the delay times for Amchitka events with equivalent yields, consistent with both being hardrock sites. The analytical waveform comparisons also provide criteria for identifying anomalous events. The Novaya Zemlya test site has two subsites separated by about 300 km. One of the 11 events in the Northern subsite and one of the four events in the Southern sub-site have anomalous waveforms. A waveform modelling study indicates that the anomalous Southern event was a double explosion. Northern and Southern Novaya Zemlya have different waveform and amplitude patterns, apparently caused by different focusing and defocusing of seismic energy by laterally varying structure near the sources.
Effects of quantum fields on singularities and particle horizons in the early universe

The back-reaction problem for conformally invariant free quantum fields in homogeneous and isotropic spacetimes containing classical radiation is solved for spacetimes with nonzero spatial curvatures and/or nonzero cosmological constants. The solutions depend upon two regularization parameters which we call ..cap alpha.. and ..beta... Only solutions which at late times approach the appropriate solution to the field equations of general relativity are considered. The results are much the same as those found previously for spatially flat spacetimes with zero cosmological constants. Thus, if ..beta..>3..cap alpha..>0, there is always one solution which undergoes a ''time-symmetric bounce'' and which contains no singularities, if ..cap alpha..,..beta..>0 there is a family of solutions with particle horizons and no singularities, and if ..cap alpha..>0 there is always at least one solution with an initial singularity but no particle horizons. The differences caused by the spatial curvature and cosmological constant include the initial behavior of the time-symmetric bounce solution and, if the spatial curvature is nonzero, the initial behavior of many solutions for the cases ..beta.. = 3..cap alpha..>0 and ..beta..roughly-equal3..cap alpha..<0.
The Colors of Leonardo's Shadows

The author examines Leonardo da Vinci’s lifelong interest in the depiction of blurred, colored shadows from the point of view of painting technique and optics. She analyzes Leonardo’s refinement of the oil technique to capture the instability of colored shadows from the early Annunciation of 1472–1473 and examines the artist’s theoretical writings on shadows from the 1490s onward. The author shows how Leonardo analyzed the blurred edges of colored shadows with the geometric rigor that earlier authors afforded only to the clear-cut edges of astronomical shadows. She argues that the very kind of shadows that captured Leonardo’s attention indicates his underlying pictorial concerns, despite the fact that his instructions often seemed directed toward teaching a way of seeing rather than a way of painting.
FIRE IN FLOODPLAIN FORESTS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN USA: INSIGHTS FROM DISTURBANCE ECOLOGY OF NATIVE BAMBOO

Floodplain forests in the southeastern USA have recently been the focus of intensive restoration efforts after centuries of human-caused decline. Many of these restored forests appear to suffer from systemic problems arising from the altered disturbance regime in modern southeastern floodplains. Increasing evidence suggests that fire may be an occasional but important ecosystem component missing from these forests. Most relevant literature mentions fire only in passing, if at all; the literature that does discuss fire is typically either speculative or draws heavily from other ecosystems. This article develops the hypothesis that fire has been an important and recurrent disturbance in southeastern alluvial floodplains for millennia. It first synthesizes research indicating that the expansive monodominant bamboo stands (called canebrakes) once common throughout these floodplain forests were likely fire-obligate and might therefore be used as indicators of recurrent fires. It then examines pre-historic, historic, and recent evidence of fire in bottomland forests from both natural and human sources. Finally, it places these findings into ecological context, proposes an integrated study by which future research might clarify the ecological role of fire in southeastern floodplain forests, and addresses some implications for management.
Post-silicon diagnosis of segments of failing speedpaths due to manufacturing variations

We study diagnosis of segments on speedpaths that fail the timing constraint at the post-silicon stage due to manufacturing variations. We propose a formal procedure that is applied after isolating the failing speedpaths which also incorporates post-silicon path-delay measurements for more accurate analysis. Our goal is to identify segments of the failing speedpaths that have a post-silicon delay larger than their estimated delays at the pre-silicon stage. We refer to such segments as "failing segments" and we rank them according to their degree of failure. Diagnosis of failing segments alleviates the problem of lack of observability inside a path. Moreover, root-cause analysis, and post-silicon tuning or repair, can be done more effectively by focusing on the failing segments. We propose an Integer Linear Programming formulation to breakdown a path into a set of non-failing segments, leaving the remaining to be likely-failing ones. Our algorithm yields a very high "diagnosis resolution" in identifying failing segments, and in ranking them.