cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mean Reversion in Equilibrium Asset Prices: Evidence from the Futures Term Structure

We use price data from an array of futures markets to test whether investors expect spot asset prices to revert, and we identify two sources of equilibrium mean reversion: negative covariation between prices and interest rates, and positive covariation between prices and benefits to holding the asset. We find evidence of mean reversion in every market we examine, although magnitudes and sources differ across markets. For agricultural commodities and crude oil, the mean reversion is strong and arises solely from positive co- movement between prices and benefits to holders of the spot asset. For metals, the mean reversion arises from both sources, but is weaker. For financial assets, mean reversion is weak and is attributable entirely to interest rate sensitivity.
Repair of Giant Anterior Skull Base Encephalocele Containing Intralesional Eloquent Brain: Technical Note

Background Encephaloceles are herniations of intracranial neural tissue and meninges through defects in the skull. Basal encephaloceles are rare anterior skull base defects incident in 1 in 35,000 live births. Sphenoethmoidal encephaloceles are even more uncommon, with an incidence of 1 in 700,000 live births. Anterior skull base encephaloceles may be life-threatening in infants, presenting as airway obstruction and respiratory compromise. They can also present with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea, purulent nasal drainage, or meningitis. Objective To report a novel technique for repairing a giant sphenoethmoidal encephalocele containing eloquent neural tissue. Methods A 16-mo-old girl presented with progressive airway obstruction from a giant sphenoethmoidal encephalocele that filled her oral cavity. She had multiple congenital anomalies including agenesis of the corpus callosum and cleft lip and palate. Computed tomography showed complete absence of the bony anterior cranial base, and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated the presence of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus in the hernia sac. Results We repaired the encephalocele using a combined microsurgical and endoscopic multidisciplinary approach working through transcranial, transnasal, and transpalatal corridors. The procedure was completed in a single stage, during which the midline cleft lip was also repaired. The child made an excellent neurological and aesthetic recovery with preservation of pituitary and hypothalamic function, without evidence of CSF fistula. Conclusion The authors describe a novel multidisciplinary technique for treating a giant sphenoethmoidal encephalocele containing eloquent brain. The cleft lip was also repaired at the same time. The ability to work through multiple corridors can enhance the safety and efficacy of an often-treacherous operative endeavor.
Dynamic autonomic nervous system patterns differentiate human emotions and manifest in resting physiology

Whether activity in the autonomic nervous system differs during distinct emotions remains controversial. We obtained continuous multichannel recordings of autonomic nervous system activity in healthy adults during a video-based emotional reactivity task. Dimensionality reduction revealed five principal components in the autonomic time series data, and these modes of covariation differentiated periods of baseline from those of video-viewing. Unsupervised clustering of the principal component time series data uncovered separable autonomic states that distinguished among the five emotion-inducing trials. These autonomic states were also detected in baseline physiology but were intermittent and of smaller magnitude. Our results suggest the autonomic nervous system assembles dynamic activity patterns during emotions that are similar across people and are present even during undirected moments of rest.
Cross-Sectional Associations of Multiple Tobacco Product Use with Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms among Young Adult E-Cigarette Users

Tobacco users with mental health conditions are a vulnerable population in tobacco research, yet few studies have evaluated the association of depressive and anxiety symptoms with multiple tobacco ...
Receipt of colorectal testing prior to colorectal carcinoma diagnosis

BACKGROUND Among patients with established colorectal carcinoma, the prior use of procedures for colorectal carcinoma screening is unknown. In addition, the association of disease stage at the time of diagnosis with previous procedure use has not been studied previously at a population level. METHODS The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results tumor registry files identified 5806 patients age ≥ 70 years with an initial colorectal carcinoma diagnosis in 1999. Medicare claims data from 1995 through diagnosis were extracted and identified receipt of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, and barium enema. Time intervals were divided into > 6 months prior to diagnosis and ≤ 6 months of diagnosis as probable screening versus diagnostic indications, respectively. RESULTS The most commonly performed procedure was colonoscopy (63%), but most colonoscopic examinations were within 6 months of diagnosis. Only 44% of patients received ≥ 1 procedures > 6 months before diagnosis, with FOBT the most frequent procedure (36%). Colonoscopy was performed in only 6% of patients prior to the 6-month peridiagnostic period. Compared with patients who underwent no procedures or who underwent procedures only within 6 months of diagnosis, those who underwent procedures > 6 months earlier presented with earlier stages of carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS The receipt of colorectal procedures in the interval > 6 months prior to a diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma was low, suggesting the under use of screening in this population. The association of procedure use with earlier stage at presentation as well as unmeasured benefits in reducing carcinoma incidence suggest beneficial effects of this testing. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
The Word and the Problem of Human Unconsciousness: An Analysis of Charles R. Lawrence's Meditation on Racism, Oppression, and Empowerment

Charles R. Lawrence's Word, a form of liberation theology, gives its practitioners an intrinsic tool for empowering and liberating those who have been silenced and marginalized by the dominant legal narrative and by racism and sexism. As victims, oppression is external to, independent of, and happening to minorities and women. Yet, relying on Abraham's teachings of the Law of Attraction (and other esoteric materials), a universal principle that governs us all, this author argues that the Word cannot empower or liberate us because racism, sexism, and oppression are co-created experiences that are dependent on human unconsciousness, which means that we identify with our egoistic minds, or our small self. We are all-powerful reality co-creators, and we are implicated in the problem of extant racism. To test this hypothesis, he applies the Word to the case of the Jena Six and argues that the Word does not alter issues faced by the Jena Six and their stakeholders and it doesn't prevent future arising of racialized events because the Word focuses not on all stakeholders but on whites and white racism. So-called victims are never required to understand that they are co-creators of their personal experiences and social realities like racism. To redress these issues, the author, relying on Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now, argues that we, all of us, must live in the now by surrendering our egoistic minds, the very source of fear, pain, or suffering-racism. Surrender places us at the center of our co-created experiences, and it allows us to reclaim our voices, true identity, and power. Without surrender, we will co-create continued suffering.
Insulin‐Regulated Aminopeptidase Marks an Antigen‐Stimulated Recycling Compartment in Mast Cells

Insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP) is a marker for insulin-sensitive recycling compartments of fat and muscle cells that contain the glucose transporter isoform GLUT4. Unlike GLUT4, IRAP is expressed in many other cell types. Thus, it is a potential marker for regulated recycling compartments that are analogous to GLUT4 vesicles. In bone marrow-derived mast cells, IRAP is highly expressed and localizes to an intracellular compartment different from secretory granules. Using cell-surface biotinylation, we determined that IRAP underwent rapid redistribution to the plasma membrane on antigen/immunoglobulin E (IgE) stimulation and was re-internalized within 30 min. When granule exocytosis was inhibited, by removing extracellular calcium, adding the protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide or the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin, IRAP redistribution was still detected in stimulated cells. However, the redistribution of IRAP required intracellular calcium. By immunofluorescence, IRAP significantly co-localized with the transferrin receptor (TfR), a marker for constitutively recycling endosomes. However, antigen/IgE stimulation did not increase TfR on the cell surface, indicating that IRAP and TfR may follow different pathways to the plasma membrane. In rat peritoneal mast cells, the distributions of IRAP and TfR overlapped to only a limited extent, indicating that overlap may decrease with cell differentiation. We propose that IRAP vesicles represent a second IgE-sensitive exocytotic compartment in mast cells, which is regulated differently from secretory granules, and that these vesicles may be similar to GLUT4 vesicles.
ClusterNet: An Object-Oriented Cluster Network

Parallel processing is based on utilizing a group of processors to efficiently solve large problems faster than is possible on a single processor. To accomplish this, the processors must communicate and coordinate with each other through some type of network. However, the only function that most networks support is message routing. Consequently, functions that involve data from a group of processors must be implemented on top of message routing. We propose treating the network switch as a function unit that can receive data from a group of processors, execute operations, and return the result(s) to the appropriate processors. This paper describes how each of the architectural resources that are typically found in a network switch can be better utilized as a centralized function unit. A proof-of-concept prototype called ClusterNet4EPP has been implemented to demonstrate feasibility of this concept.
When Can Forensic Psychologists Comment on the Credibility of Criminal Defendants

Forensic psychological examiners are often confronted with assessments in the guilt phase of criminal cases in which a Defendant denies his/her charged conduct, but the existing evidence clearly contradicts their account. This happens often in cases involving charges of violence, sex offending and or substance abuse ( Langton, Barbaree, Harkins, Arenovich, McNamee & Peacock, 2008 ). What is the proper role of the examiner in such instances?; granting the benefit of the doubt and accepting the Defendant’s account, using the one contained in the differing evidence, or making an independent judgment about which is more likely to be true? Does accepting any version mean the expert is offering an opinion on the Ultimate Issue in the case, and encroaching on the role of the Trier of Fact? The Federal Rules of Evidence (FREE) dictate that judgments about Ultimate Issues belong solely to the Trier of Fact, yet the DSM-5 Manual ( APA, 2013 ) instructs us to consider Malingering in every forensic situation; i.e. is the Defendant being honest about his mental state, and by implication, his/her credibility? Our recommendation is that examiners offer no opinions about which conflicting version in a criminal case is the more credible during the guilt phase, and instead, offer “if, then” assessments about a Defendant’s propensity for violence or sexual offending; i.e. if the charges are true, then s/he poses certain levels of risk going forward, for reasons detailed in the report. Such a stance avoids experts “taking sides” during the guilt phase of a case and allows them to fully inform the adversarial, legal process as it deliberates on possible Plea Bargains or Sentencing decisions. We argue that this impartial approach serves a useful function in legal proceedings while adhering to our Ethical Guidelines ( APA, 2010 ).
Reforma política en brasil: una historia sin fin

This article deals with the brazilian attempts to approve a political reform since 1946 stressing the draft bill 2679/2003 that is been debated by the Chamber of Deputies. Its approval in the Chamber of Deputies and later in the Senate until september 2005 would produce great changes in the brazilian electoral system, as the adoption of party list PR and the adoption of public financing of electoral campaigns.
Eigenvalues in infinite dimensions

We extend to infinite dimensions some classic results concerning the behavior of the eigenvalues under certain basic constructions, such as short exact sequences, tensor products and compositions. An endomorphism of a vector space is called finitary if, for every vector, the subspace generated by its orbit is finite-dimensional. The characteristic roots of a finitary endomorphism are defined to be the roots of all minimal polynomials associated to each vector. The eigenvalues are instead defined in general after tensoring the endomorphism with an algebraic closure of the base field. The following theorems extend to infinite dimensions classic results known in finite dimensions: Theorem 1If is a short exact sequence of endomorphisms, then ϕ is finitary if and only if so are ϕ′ and ϕDprime; Moreover . Theorem 2 If are finilary endomorphisms, then so is and moreover . Theorem 3 If are finitary commuting endomorphisms, then so is and moreover . We prove furthermore that the second part of Theorem 2 holds in g...
Evidence for a new ordered phase in a periodic array of ultrasmall Josephson junctions

The equilibrium properties of a periodic array of Josephson junctions are analyzed using a quantum Monte Carlo method. The model studied includes the effects of Josephson and charging energies in the presence of a constant, external transverse magnetic field. Results for the fully frustrated case are presented which imply the existence of a new coherent state with lower but finite superfluid density, separated from a higher-temperature coherent state by a strong first-order transition. Possible conditions under which our predictions can be tested experimentally are described.
Retrospective analysis of survival in muscle-invasive bladder cancer: impact of pT classification, node status, lymphovascular invasion, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy

A range of studies have analyzed prognostic factors in bladder cancer. However, prior cohorts have included heterogeneous pT classification at biopsy and others were derived from large, multi-institutional clinical trials over the span of many years. Our objective was to analyze prognostic factors in a recent radical cystectomy (RC) cohort at a single institution and evaluate outcomes based on current practice patterns. A retrospective analysis of overall survival (OS) was conducted on 180 RC patients with biopsy proven pT2 disease between 2007–2010. Increasing pT classification was a negative predictor of survival. pT was grouped into three categories with pT0/a/is/1/2a surviving longer than pT2b/3a/3b, and pT4 having the worst prognosis. Subclassifying pT2 and pT3 showed no statistically significant difference in survival. Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and node positivity correlated with decreased OS. Patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) had a higher incidence of pT0, yet pN1+ was more common and NAC was not associated with improved OS. This investigation provides reference OS values for patients with pathologically diagnosed muscle-invasive bladder cancer based on current medical guidelines outside the context of a clinical trial. pT4 was the strongest negative predictor of survival, followed by pN1+, the group pT2b/3a/3b, and presence of LVI. NAC patients were noted to have a higher frequency of low pT classification, yet more frequent node positivity, suggesting that pT classification in NAC patients may not accurately reflect remaining tumor burden.
A Study of Spalling Found in Porcelain Enamel After Repeated Freezing and Thawing in the Presence of Moisture

A study was made of the spalling defect found on porcelain enamel liners in cold-wall domestic refrigerators. A test machine was built to duplicate the environment of the enamel in the moist compartment of the cold-wall type box. The test machine held ten 1-ft.-sq. test panels. The panels were fastened to freezing coils in the same manner as in a commercial box. A trough kept at a constant level of water provided the moisture. The thawing of the plates was done by ten 250-watt heat lamps, each lamp focused on a test panel. The lamps were wired synchronously with the refrigeration circuit. It was found that enamels with a low bubble structure were superior in their spall resistance. Titanium enamel appeared better than other types, particularly when a clay of the kaolin type was used as the suspending agent.
The Relationship Between Culture, Geographic Region, and Gender on Body Image: A Comparison of College Students in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest Regions of the United States

Body image is a significant predictor of important psychological and physical outcomes. The current study sought to expand on previous research on cross-cultural differences in body image across countries by exploring differences in body image based on geographic region within the United States. A sample of 1,365 participants was recruited from universities in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States. Participants completed a survey that assessed their gender, geographic region, and body image. Women reported poorer body image than men, and young adults from the Southeast reported poorer body image than young adults from the Pacific Northwest. There were significant interaction effects for gender and geographic region with women from the Southeast reporting the poorest body image of any group. The authors suggest that sociocultural differences in standard of beauty in the Southeast as well as differences in dress related to climate may contribute to the findings.
Optimization of PCB via design considering its physical length parameters

This paper presents an investigation in the design of signal vias in multilayered printed circuit boards (PCB) technology, from a signal integrity point of view, for high-speed applications such as processors' validation platforms. Vias have been designed according with technological design capabilities. Different physical aspect ratios have been considered in the analysis, and then numerical results are compared with S-parameter. Also, time-domain reflectometry (TDR) simulations on representative test structures are analyzed in order to minimize the via discontinuity effect.
Successful excision of a left ventricular hamartoma. Report of a case.

A case of a 2-year-old child with a large hamartoma of the left ventricular wall is presented. The excision of the tumor is described, and a 2-year follow-up is given. Primary cardiac tumors should be suspected in patients with unexplained cardiac failure, unexplained cardiac arrhythmias, intracardiac calcifications, irregular shadows on x-ray, or symptoms and murmurs that change with position. Angiocardiography is suggested for diagnosis. Technical problems at operation involve the maintenance of satisfactory cardiac function and valve competence.
Canopy quantum yield in a mesocosm study

Due to past limitations in experimental technology, canopy function has generally been inferred from leaf properties through scaling and/or indirect measurements. The development of a facility (EcoCELLs) at the Desert Research Institute has now made it possible to directly measure canopy gas exchange. In this experiment, sunflowers ( Helianthus annus) were planted in the EcoCELLs and grown under ambient (399mmol mol 1 ) and elevated (746mmol mol 1 )C O 2 concentrations. We continuously measured carbon flux during canopy development from which canopy quantum yield (C) was estimated. The results indicated that the total daily carbon flux was similar between elevated and ambient CO 2 treatments in the early stage of canopy development. After the canopy closed, carbon flux under elevated CO 2 averaged 53% higher than that under ambient CO2. Assimilation/incident irradiance (A/I) curves of leaves at different canopy positions were used to estimate leaf quantum yields (L), and A/I curves of canopies at late development stages were used to estimate C. Elevated CO2 enhanced L by 24%. There was little difference in L at different canopy positions, averaging 0.0542 at ambient CO2 and 0.0671 at elevated CO2. Canopy quantum yield (C) was higher by 32% at elevated than ambient CO2. It increased with canopy development and was strongly correlated with leaf area index (LAI) by C D 0.0094 LAI/(0.0829 C 0.1137 LAI) at ambient CO2 and C D 0.01382 LAI/(0.1129 C 0.1224 LAI) at elevated CO2. In addition, the curvilinear relationship between radiation and canopy carbon fluxes suggests that canopy radiation use efficiency (CRUE) varied with radiation availability. The variability in C and CRUE with canopy development and light levels warrants further research on the notion drawn from earlier work that CRUE in non-stressed conditions is relatively constant. ©2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Synthesis and Reactivity of the 2,5-Bis(Trimethylstannyl) Derivatives of Thiophene and Furan

Abstract The synthesis of the 2,5-bis(trimethylstannyl) derivatives of thiophene and furan is reported. Conditions for monotransmetalation and electrophilic destannylation are described.
The effect of concanavalin A on egestion of food vacuoles in Tetrahymena

Abstract The ability of concanavalin A (conA) to disrupt food vacuole elimination at the cytoproct of Tetrahymena pyriformis, strain GL-C, was investigated using fluorescence microscopy and thin section electron microscopy. ConA was found to induce “tails” in Tetrahymena. These tails were specifically stained by fluorescent conA. Thin section observations of conA-treated cells revealed that these tails were the result of abnormal egestion of food vacuole contents at the cytoproct. Tail formation appears to result from an inhibition of endocytosis of food vacuole membrane during egestion. Instead, the food vacuole membrane appears to be cast out of the cell, along with the contents of the vacuole. The mechanism of this inhibition may be related to an apparent absence of microtubules or microfilamentous mat in the cytoproct region of conA-treated cells. Although conA is ingested into food vacuoles in large amounts, conA appears to affect endocytosis only from outside the cell; ingested conA does not appear to be effective. ConA may exert its influence by binding to the cytoproct region. The ability of conA to induce tail formation is inhibited by sugars specific to it. Numerous membranous vesicles are found in association with the oral cilia and cytoproct region of conA-treated cells. These vesicles may be the conA-binding material reported to be secreted by Tetrahymena.
What has become of grief counseling? An evaluation of the empirical foundations of the new pessimism.

A pessimistic view of grief counseling has emerged over the last 7 years, exemplified by R. A. Neimeyer's (2000) oft-cited claim that “such interventions are typically ineffective, and perhaps even deleterious, at least for persons experiencing a normal bereavement” (p. 541). This negative character
Electrooxidation of methanol on highly active and stable Pt-Sn-Ce/C catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells

Abstract Carbon supported Pt–Sn–Ce and Pt–Sn catalysts have been synthesized by a polyol reduction method and compared for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analyses reveal the beneficial effects of the Ce component in Pt–Sn–Ce/C for MOR, despite its low content. Electrochemical techniques such as COad stripping, linear scan, and derivative voltammetries along with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed to analyze MOR on Pt–Sn–Ce/C and Pt–Sn/C from a mechanistic point of view. Accelerated durability test (ADT) and single cell test of Pt–Sn–Ce/C in comparison to a commercial PtRu/C catalyst demonstrate the superior performance of Pt–Sn–Ce/C from stability and activity points of view.
Nanoscale Cavities for Nanoparticles in Perfluorinated Ionomer Membranes

The preparation and characterization of nanoscale silver sulfide and silver particles in Nafion and perfluorinated sulfonimide ionomer membranes are reported. The results show that the nanoparticles are hosted in the membrane structure in an isolated fashion, with no indication of channels-like domains as proposed in the ion cluster model for the ionomer membranes. These randomly dispersed nanoparticles are also significantly larger than the average size of the reverse micelle-like hydrophilic cavities estimated in the literature for Nafion membrane. The properties of the silver sulfide and silver nanoparticles are presented, and their implications to the understanding of membrane nanoscopic structural details are discussed.
The CAPM in thin experimental financial markets

We report on small-scale experiments of simple, repeated asset markets in two risky securities and one risk-free security. As in large-scale experiments, steady convergence towards the CAPM is discovered, but the process is slower and convergence halts before reaching the actual equilibrium. There is evidence that subjects gradually move up in mean-variance space, in accordance with the CAPM. Yet, adjustment stops, presumably because of subjects’ hesitance in the face of market thinness. This hesitance can be optimal because of the multidimensional nature of the desired trades. Because of market thinness, subjects have difficulty implementing bundles of trades in a set of parallel markets based on the MUDA trading mechanism.
Blastomycosis: The great pretender can also be an opportunist. Initial clinical diagnosis and underlying diseases in 123 patients.

Abstract Clinically, blastomycosis can be difficult to recognize even in the endemic areas where clinicians are aware of this problem. In only 18% of 123 patients from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (Jackson, MS) blastomycosis was correctly suspected at the initial patient evaluation. Pneumonia sensu latu (40%), malignant tumors (16%), and tuberculosis (14%) were the most common misdiagnoses. The false first impression frequently resulted in unnecessary surgeries or treatment delays, with patients receiving inefficient antibiotic therapy for months. The presence of cutaneous involvement by the disease makes its' recognition easier for the clinician, raising the percentage of correct initial diagnosis to 64%. To evaluate the association with immunodepression, the presence of other diseases was also searched among the 123 patients. An immunodepressive condition preceded the fungal disease in 25% of patients. Another associated disease commonly found in blastomycotic patients was diabetes mellitus (22%). Blastomycosis is correctly suspected at the first clinical evaluation in only a small percentage of patients; pneumonia, cancer, and tuberculosis are the most common clinical considerations. Cutaneous involvement leads the clinician to the correct diagnosis in the majority of cases. One fourth of the patients with blastomycosis had underlying immunodepressive conditions, and underlying diabetes mellitus is present in 22% of patients. Ann Diagn Pathol 6: 194-203, 2002.
Identification of a switch in neurotrophin signaling by selective tyrosine phosphorylation.

Neurotrophins, such as nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, activate Trk receptor tyrosine kinases through receptor dimerization at the cell surface followed by autophosphorylation and recruitment of intracellular signaling molecules. The intracellular pathways used by neurotrophins share many common protein substrates that are used by other receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK), such as Shc, Grb2, FRS2, and phospholipase C-γ. Here we describe a novel RTK mechanism that involves a 220-kilodalton membrane tetraspanning protein, ARMS/Kidins220, which is rapidly tyrosine phosphorylated in primary neurons after neurotrophin treatment. ARMS/Kidins220 undergoes multiple tyrosine phosphorylation events and also serine phosphorylation by protein kinase D. We have identified a single tyrosine (Tyr1096) phosphorylation event in ARMS/Kidins220 that plays a critical role in neurotrophin signaling. A reassembled complex of ARMS/Kidins220 and CrkL, an upstream component of the C3G-Rap1-MAP kinase cascade, is SH3-dependent. However, Tyr1096 phosphorylation enables ARMS/Kidins220 to recruit CrkL through its SH2 domain, thereby freeing the CrkL SH3 domain to engage C3G for MAP kinase activation in a neurotrophin dependent manner. Accordingly, mutation of Tyr1096 abolished CrkL interaction and sustained MAPK kinase activity, a response that is not normally observed in other RTKs. Therefore, Trk receptor signaling involves an inducible switch mechanism through an unconventional substrate that distinguishes neurotrophin action from other growth factor receptors.
New approaches to treatment in systemic vasculitis: biological therapies.

Abstract Although the effectiveness of biological agents in systemic vasculitis is unproven, their introduction heralds a new era of vasculitis treatment. These agents offer the promise of targeted immunotherapies; the possibility of greater efficacy (and fewer side-effects) than conventional vasculitis treatments; and the potential to provide novel insights into the pathophysiology of these diseases—insights that may be gained only by using these agents in humans. Challenges to the investigation of these therapies in the systemic vasculitides exist, but important basic and clinical investigations are already in progress. We review the major issues facing the investigation of biological agents in vasculitis; examine the rationale for believing that biological strategies in vasculitis will be efficacious; identify several candidate targets for biological approaches; and discuss the results to date of early studies. The potential biological targets discussed include cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor; interleukins-1, -6, and -12; interferon-gamma; the co-stimulatory molecules B7-1 and B7-2; and others.
Safety Issues in the Interaction of Conventional, Complementary, and Alternative Health Care:

This article reviews issues of safety in health care, applied particularly to the interface between conventional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine. These issues include errors in treatment and medical management, adverse effects of pharmaceuticals, and defining risk for patients. For complementary and alternative medicine, especially dietary supplements, problems of quality control, licensing, regulation, and misrepresentation are discussed. An important issue is the interface between conventional and complementary therapies, in terms of drug/herb interactions, laboratory diagnosis, and lack of communication between clinicians about patients. Improvements in safety and quality will come from a commitment to better education and understanding between both types of care.
Acoustic priming and kanamycin-induced cochlear damage

Abstract The cochleae from 3 lines of mice, selectively bred for differential susceptibility to priming-induced audiogenic seizures, were examined following acoustic priming and retest or kanamycin treatment, and the degree of cochlear damage was assessed. After 60 sec of acoustic priming, animals from the high and unselected lines which had subsequently developed audiogenic seizure susceptibility exhibited severe cochlear damage limited to the outer hair cells. Low line mice, which had been selected for resistance to acoustic priming-induced audiogenic seizures and were not seizure susceptible, exhibited no cochlear pathology following acoustic priming. Following kanamycin treatment, all 3 lines developed subsequent audiogenic seizure susceptibility. Histological examination of cochleae from mice so treated revealed a pattern of damage similar to that caused by acoustic priming, except that the cochleae of priming-induced audiogenic seizure resistant low line mice revealed a significant amount of outer hair cell damage. The results are discussed with respect to the physiological mechanism underlying a selectively bred behavioral phenotype in terms of a possible instance of damage/disuse-supersensitivity in the central nervous system.
The Effects of Reducing Conditions, Medium, pH, Temperature, and Time on in Vitro Excystation of Cryptosporidium

. Whereas excystation of sporozoites from oocysts of most coccidian species requires exposure to reducing conditions followed by pancreatic enzymes and bile salts, sporozoites of a bovine isolate of Cryptosporidium excysted without exposure to either reducing conditions or to pancreatic enzymes and bile salts. Without prior exposure to reducing conditions, a high percent excysted after incubation in a mixture of trypsin and bile salts in Ringer's solution; fewer excysted after incubation in tap water, even fewer after incubation in salt solutions, and none after incubation in saliva. Excystation, generally greater at pH 7.6 than at pH 6.0 and at 37°C than at 20°C, was observed as early as 1 h after incubation in water or the trypsin-bile mixture. These findings provide circumstantial evidence that oocysts of Cryptosporidium can excyst in extraintestinal sites and liberate sporozoites that can initiate autoinfection.
Induction of Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression by Peroxisome Proliferators and Non-tetradecanoylphorbol 12,13-Myristate-type Tumor Promoters in Immortalized Mouse Liver Cells

Increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the rate-limiting enzyme in prostaglandin synthesis, has been associated with growth regulation and carcinogenesis in several systems. COX-2 is known to be induced by cytokines and the skin tumor promoter 12-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-myristate (TPA). In the present study, we investigated the effects of several non-TPA-type tumor promoters on COX-2 expression in immortalized mouse liver cells. Specifically, we tested peroxisome proliferators (PPs), which are rodent liver tumor promoters that cause gross alterations in cellular lipid metabolism, the rodent liver tumor promoter phenobarbital, and the skin tumor promoters okadaic acid and thapsigargin. The PPs Wy-14643, mono-ethylhexyl phthalate, clofibrate, ciprofibrate ethyl ester, and eicosatetraynoic acid each caused large increases in COX-2 mRNA and protein, with maximal expression seen approximately 10 h after treatment of quiescent cells. COX-2 expression was also induced by thapsigargin, okadaic acid, and calcium ionophore A23187, but not by phenobarbital or the steroid PP dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Induction of COX-2 expression generally resulted in increased synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). However, the PPs caused little or no increase in PGE2 levels, and they inhibited serum-induced PGE2 synthesis. Unlike non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the PPs do not directly inhibit cyclooxygenase enzyme activity in vitro. Thus, PPs regulate prostaglandin metabolism via both positive (COX-2 induction) and inhibitory mechanisms. In summary, the strong induction of COX-2 expression by PPs, thapsigargin, and okadaic acid suggests a possible role for COX-2 in the growth regulatory activity of these non-TPA-type tumor promoters.
Characteristics of general education teachers perceived as effective by their peers: Implications for inclusion of children with learning and behavioral disorders

Abstract We studied 186 teachers from eight elementary schools who completed several survey instruments measuring their standards and tolerance for classroom behavior, sense of responsibility for behavior that goes beyond their tolerance, resistance to working with handicapped students, sense of self‐efficacy, and perceptions of colleagues' effectiveness in working with students who have academic or behavior problems. Discriminant function analyses yielded predicted membership in high, medium, and low perceived effectiveness groups based on measures of self‐efficacy, standards and expectations for students, responsibility for student behavior, and resistance to teaching handicapped pupils. Results suggest that teachers' sense of general teaching efficacy contributed most to prediction of group membership. For teachers classified as high, average, and low in perceived effectiveness with a behavior‐problem student, general teaching efficacy, personal teaching efficacy, and to a lesser degree demanding‐ness ...
Aerosol Particle Removal and Re-entrainment in Turbulent Channel Flows – A Direct Numerical Simulation Approach

Abstract Aerosol particle removal and re-entrainment in turbulent channel flows are studied. The instantaneous fluid velocity field is generated by the direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the Navier – Stokes equation via a pseudospectral method. Particle removal mechanisms in turbulent channel flows are examined and the effects of hydrodynamic forces, torques and the near-wall coherent vorticity are discussed. The particle resuspension rates are evaluated, and the results are compared with the model of Reeks. The particle equation of motion used includes the hydrodynamic, the Brownian, the shearinduced lift and the gravitational forces. An ensemble of 8192 particles is used for particle resuspension and the subsequent trajectory analyses. It is found that large-size particles move away roughly perpendicular to the wall due to the action of the lift force. Small particles, however, follow the upward flows formed by the near-wall eddies in the low-speed streak regions. Thus, turbulent near-wall vortical st...
Power supplies for primary electric propulsion missions

This paper reviews the status of and requirements on solar electric and nuclear electric power supplies for primary electric propulsion missions. The power supply requirements of power level, specific mass (kg/kWe), and lifetime are defined as a function of the mission and electric propulsion system characteristics for planetary missions. The technological status of silicon and gallium-arsenide solar arrays is discussed. Nuclear reactors and thermoelectric, thermionic, Brayton, and Rankine conversion technologies are reviewed, as well as recent nuclear power system design concepts and program activity. Technology projections for power supplies applicable to primary electric propulsion missions are included.
Flow cytometry-based purification of S. cerevisiae zygotes.

Zygotes are essential intermediates between haploid and diploid states in the life cycle of many organisms, including yeast (Figure 1) 1. S. cerevisiae zygotes result from the fusion of haploid cells of distinct mating type (MATa, MATalpha) and give rise to corresponding stable diploids that successively generate as many as 20 diploid progeny as a result of their strikingly asymmetric mitotic divisions 2. Zygote formation is orchestrated by a complex sequence of events: In this process, soluble mating factors bind to cognate receptors, triggering receptor-mediated signaling cascades that facilitate interruption of the cell cycle and culminate in cell-cell fusion. Zygotes may be considered a model for progenitor or stem cell function. Although much has been learned about the formation of zygotes and although zygotes have been used to investigate cell-molecular questions of general significance, almost all studies have made use of mating mixtures in which zygotes are intermixed with a majority population of haploid cells 3-8. Many aspects of the biochemistry of zygote formation and the continuing life of the zygote therefore remain uninvestigated. Reports of purification of yeast zygotes describe protocols based on their sedimentation properties 9; however, this sedimentation-based procedure did not yield nearly 90% purity in our hands. Moreover, it has the disadvantage that cells are exposed to hypertonic sorbitol. We therefore have developed a versatile purification procedure. For this purpose, pairs of haploid cells expressing red or green fluorescent proteins were co-incubated to allow zygote formation, harvested at various times, and the resulting zygotes were purified using a flow cytometry-based sorting protocol. This technique provides a convenient visual assessment of purity and maturation. The average purity of the fraction is approximately 90%. According to the timing of harvest, zygotes of varying degrees of maturity can be recovered. The purified samples provide a convenient point of departure for "-omic" studies, for recovery of initial progeny, and for systematic investigation of this progenitor cell.
Neutron-induced 10B fission as a major source of soft errors in high density SRAMs

Abstract The impact of cosmic neutron induced 10 B fission in production submicron SRAM devices is reported for the first time. Using a cold neutron beam to accelerate soft error rate events, we unambiguously demonstrate that neutron induced 10 B fission can be a significant source of soft errors in deep-submicron SRAMs fabricated with borophosphosilicate glass.
Gene delivery by surface immobilization of plasmid to tissue engineering scaffolds

Biomaterial scaffolds that serve as vehicles for gene delivery to promote expression of inductive factors have numerous regenerative medicine applications. In this report, we investigate plasmid delivery from biomaterial scaffolds using a surface immobilization strategy. Porous scaffolds were fabricated from poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG), and plasmids were immobilized by drying. In vitro plasmid release indicated that the majority (>70%) of adsorbed plasmids were released within 24 h and >98% within 3 days; however, in vivo implantation of the scaffolds at the subcutaneous site yielded transgene expression that persisted for at least 28 weeks and was localized to the site of implantation. Histological analysis of DNA-adsorbed scaffolds indicated that macrophages at the scaffold were transfected in the first 2 weeks after implantation, whereas muscle cells adjacent to the implant primarily expressed the transgene at 4 weeks. In addition to localized gene expression, a secreted protein (human factor IX) was retained at the implant site and not available systemically after 3 days, indicating minimal off-target effects. These findings show that surface immobilization of plasmid onto microporous PLG scaffolds can produce localized and long-term gene expression in vivo, which may be used to enhance the bioactivity of scaffolds used for regenerative medicine.
Determining the Nature of the SS 433 Binary from an X-Ray Spectrum during Eclipse

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (Contract Number NAS8- 38249)
Talking Trade: Literacy Researchers as Practicing Artists

V>/ver the past two decades, educational scholars have seen major shifts in how literacy is viewed. One of these shifts has been toward conceptualizing literacy as a set of social practices (Street, 1995) that people embody and value. To disrupt current definitions of literacy, the valued practices that keep those forms of literacy in place must change. We, the authors, have significantly changed our social practices to include personal, systematic, and continuous study of the arts, so much so that we identify both as literacy researchers and practicing artists. As such, our understanding of literacy has changed. This article presents our thinking as artists and literacy researchers about meaning making, including our reflections on how working in the arts has impacted our perspectives on why the arts are significant to literacy practices. We do not suggest that we abandon what we already know about good language arts programs, but our frame is now different. We now ask, How might we understand literacy, not only through a literacy lens but also through an arts lens? What insights might be gleaned about literacy from careful study of one's social practices around the arts? As literacy researchers who are also practicing artists, we are developing a language to see differently; we have learned to "talk trade," a way of talking and creating within disciplines, such as art. In so doing, we have embodied Greene's (2001) call to "break with the taken-for-granted...and look through the lenses of various ways of knowing, seeing, and feeling in a conscious endeavor to impose different orders upon experience" (p. 5). As artists who happen to be literacy researchers, we are brought together into a studied conversation about how the arts help us notice aspects of literacy that we had ignored previously.
Characteristic doping-dependent properties of HTS cuprate thin films prepared via MOCVD

Abstract Thin film samples of the Bi-2212 and Tl-2212 high- T c superconductors were prepared via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition with second generation precursors. The resulting epitaxial, c -axis oriented films were used for measurements of the in-plane resistivity versus temperature and room temperature thermoelectric power. The results for Bi-2212 thin films followed the established doping-dependent trends seen in other cuprate oxides and preliminary data for the Tl-2212 films show similar features as well. The results are compared to a generic normal state phase diagram for the cuprates.
Flory-Huggins approximation and beyond from the path integral

Abstract A new path integral method is proposed for treatment of the liquid-gas phase transition in polymer solutions. The Flory-Huggins polymer lattice gas approximation is obtained as a saddle point approximation to the constructed path integral. Study of the one loop corrections to the saddle point results indicates that, irrespective of the polymer length, the liquid-gas transition for polymers belongs to the Ising-model universality class characteristic for simple fluids. This conclusion is in excellent agreement with available experimental data.
An Opportunistic Approach to Process Planning within a Concurrent Engineering Environment

Summary Traditionally, design and manufacturing activities have been serially linked by the process planning function. One objective of concurrent engineering is to transform this sequential approach into a more interactive, parallel process. To support concurrent engineering, computer-aided process planning (CAPP) systems must be developed that supports an opportunistic style of process planning. This paper presents XTURN, a CAPP system implemented within the IDEEA environment that Supports a flexible and opportunistic style of process planning. XTURN enables engineers to explore alternative process plans in early design stages. The engineer controls process selection strategies, while XTURN determines the interactions between the various choices, flags those that arc inconsistent, and offers advice on resolving any inconsistencies. XTURN does not require that an inconsistency be immediately removed, rather it remembers the inconsisitency and allows the engineer to continue exploration. This paper describes he development and application of XTURN and IDEEA. Also, ongoing research that extends IDEEA into a fully distributed system integration workbench to support concurrent engineering is discussed.