cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Latent community discovery through enterprise user search query modeling

Enterprise computer networks are filled with users performing a variety of tasks, ranging from business-critical tasks to personal interest browsing. Due to this multi-modal distribution of behaviors, it is non-trivial to automatically discern which behaviors are business-relevant and which are not. Additionally, it is difficult to infer communities of interest within the enterprise, even given an organizational mapping. In this work, we present a two-step framework for classifying user behavior within an enterprise in a data-driven way. As a first step, we use a latent topic model on active search queries to identify types of behaviors and topics of interest associated with a given user. We then leverage the information about user's assigned role within the organization to extract relevant topics which are most reflective of self-organizing communities of interest. We demonstrate that our framework is able to identify rich communities of interest that are better representations of how users interact and assemble in an enterprise setting.
Identification of suitable seed regeneration sites for photoperiod‐sensitive cowpea germplasm

To determine an appropriate location to regenerate photoperiod-sensitive cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.], seed production and virus contamination data were measured at Isabela, PR, St. Croix, VI, and Griffin, GA for six photoperiod-sensitive cowpea accessions, The results indicate that Isabela was best suited for seed regeneration of photoperiod-sensitive cowpea Seed production at Isabela was equal to or greater than that at either of the other two locations for these accessions. Virus infection of plants and of seeds was high at Griffin. However, little virus infection occurred at Isabela and at St. Croix. The systematic approach used in these tests can be used as a model for curators in the National Plant Germplasm System and others to determine the best environment in which to regenerate germplasm.
Statistical Frontiers in Survey Sampling

In her 1956 American Statistical Association Presidential Address titled “Statistical Frontiers,” Gertrude Cox outlined her view of what the future held for statisticians. Seven paragraphs of that address dealt with theoretical and practical challenges in survey sampling. This article revisits Cox's frontiers in “sample design territory” and discusses their relevance to current problems.
Place utility and migration.

The development of behavioral movement models has been hindered by definitional and operational problems. Notwithstanding this fact, almost all migration researchers acknowledge the importance of s...
A proper relaxation of shifted and delayed controls

Abstract We consider optimal control problems defined by functional-integral equations with variable shifts in the controls and with the shifted controls nonadditively coupled. As a special case we obtain differential equations with delays and/or advances in both the state and the control functions. We prove that if the original controls are measurable functions u with values in a compact metric space Ω then the (k + 1)- tuples u (·) = (u(·), u(h 1 (·)), …, u(h k (·))) of shifted controls have relaxed limits that form a compact and convex set. This enables us to prove an existence theorem, to approximate any relaxed solution with original solutions, and to derive necessary conditions generalizeing Pontryagin's maximum principle in integral form (even for nonsmooth problems). We also discuss the dependence on the shifts hj of the set of original controls u , of the set of their relaxed limits, and of the set of the corresponding solutions of the functional-integral equation. Our results include the proof that the D -model of Rosenblueth and Vinter is proper.
Use of digoxin for heart failure and atrial fibrillation in elderly patients

Abstract Background: Digoxin has been reported to improve symptoms and reduce hospitalization in patients with heart failure as well as to control rapid ventricular rate in patients with atrial fibrillation. Both of these are high-prevalence diseases in the elderly, and yet studies have indicated that digoxin may not be used appropriately in this population. Clinical trials evaluating digoxin use specifically in the elderly are scarce. Objective: This article discusses the evidence on the therapeutic use of digoxin in the elderly and the changes in the pharmacokinetics of digoxin with aging to provide recommendations about the appropriate use of this drug in this population. Methods: Peer-reviewed clinical trials, review articles, and relevant treatment guidelines limited to those evaluating patients aged >65 years were identified from MEDLINE and the Current Contents database (both from 1966 to May 1, 2010) using the search terms digoxin, pharmacokinetics, heart failure , and atrial fibrillation . Citations from available articles were also reviewed for additional references. Results: One pharmacokinetic study, 8 clinical trials, and 2 guidelines were identified as relevant to digoxin use specifically in the elderly. In an elderly population (aged ≥65 years; n = 7) compared with a younger population (aged 1/2 (mean [SD]: oral dosing, 69.6 [13.1] vs 36.8 [4.5] hours; N dosing, 68.8 [12.3] vs 38.2 [3.5] hours; both, P P P 18 years. In terms of atrial fibrillation, the ability of digoxin to control the ventricular rate is believed to be caused by its vagotonic effect on the atrioventricular node. Therefore, digoxin is recommended for ventricular rate control only in patients with heart failure or sedentary lifestyle (ie, low sympathetic tone), or in those who cannot tolerate other rate-control agents. Because the prevalence of heart failure is high among the elderly (15.2 per 1000 population at age 65–74 years, 31.7 per 1000 population at age 75–84 years, and 65.2 per 1000 population at age ≥85 years), many of whom have a relatively sedentary lifestyle, digoxin may be an appropriate agent for ventricular rate control in the elderly. Conclusions: The elderly population appears to gain comparable benefits as does a younger population from the use of digoxin for heart failure management in terms of symptom improvement and reduction of hospitalization. In atrial fibrillation, digoxin does not control the ventricular rate as efficaciously during exercise and in high adrenergic states as do R-blockers and calcium channel blockers. The elderly have reduced elimination of digoxin, so if digoxin is to be used, the dosing strategy must be conservative and therapeutic monitoring is needed. Further clinical studies are needed to confirm the pharmacokinetic parameters of digoxin in elderly patients with heart failure and/or atrial fibrillation.
The unequal effect of O 2 concentration on the velocity of oxidation in loci of different electric potential, and glutathione content

From the present and previous work it is believed that the mechanism for continuous production of electric energy by living cells is an integral part of the mechanism of cell oxidation. Since this continuous output of electrical energy by a cell is of necessity coupled with its polarity, it follows that the oriented process of cell oxidation which is associated with this electric polarity should be subject to control or modification by anappropriate application of an E. M. F. of external origin. The source of this external E. M. F. may be that from another adjacent cell or tissue or one from a battery. From this it would appear that the facts have opened a new approach to many fundamental problems of the living cell, such as morphogenetic processes and even “youth and old age” as expressed in the changing oxidative and electrical phenomena which accompany actively growing and differentiated tissues. The results also suggest an entirely new type of process by means of which the activities of cells in tissues and organs may be integrated into systems which exhibit the phenomena of correlation, in the absence of any known hormone or nervous mechanism. Many new facts which bear on this problem have been revealed by recent experiments on plants, especially theDouglas fir.
Automobile fuel-efficiency and government policy after 1985

Abstract In this paper, we analyze the short-term effects of 3 potential policies that will be discussed in the debate over post-1985 automobile fuel-efficiency: 1. (1) continuation of corporate average fuel-efficiency standards for the automobile manufacturers, 2. (2) continuation of the gas-guzzler tax on individual vehicles, and 3. (3) enactment of a gasoline tax. Each policy is examined under 1990 conditions characterized by high gasoline prices and high automobile fuel-efficiencies. The paper describes the purchase prices and fuel-efficiencies of 5 car classes that would be available in 1990 if the automobile manufacturers retool all car lines to the optimal level, and a market mix model is used to describe the likely consumer response to the 1990 offering. For purposes of policy analysis, we consider the situation when the companies are not inclined, or not able, to retool all car lines to the optimal level, and we calculate the amount of policy intervention needed to generate a small improvement in average fleet fuel-efficiency through a consumer shift to more fuel-efficient cars. The 3 policies are compared in terms of their impact on automobile company revenues and their effects on households with different automobile preferences. The important finding from the analysis is that all 3 policies can increase fleet average fuel-efficiency but only by causing a substantial redistribution of funds between the automobile manufacturers, the consumers, and the government.
Periodicity in liver glycogen of urodele larvae.

Abstract 1. 1. Liver glycogen levels in both maximally fed and starved Taricha tarosa urodele larvae indicate rhythmic, significant variations over the 24 hr day. 2. 2. The overall daily mean of glycogen level in starved animals is significantly lower than that maximally fed animals. 3. 3. Levels of nutrition, although affecting absolute values, do not abolish daily rhythms in liver glycogen. 4. 4. The continued rhythmicity, with high and low values, in extremely starved larvae may reflect an endogenous rhythmicity in neoglycogensis.
Development and validation of the Communication and Attitudinal Self-Efficacy scale for cancer (CASE-cancer)

We sought to develop a reliable and valid measure of patient self-efficacy within the context of productive communication and positive attitude for cancer patients. A set of 19 potential items for the Communication and Attitudinal Self-Efficacy scale for cancer (CASE-cancer) was pilot tested with 50 cancer patients. Based on the pilot test, item valence was made consistent (i.e., all items worded positively) and the response scale was simplified. The CASE-cancer was then administered to 127 persons receiving cancer treatment at general oncology clinics in Shreveport, Louisiana and Chicago, Illinois. Psychometric analyses revealed three 4-item factors: understanding and participating in care, maintaining a positive attitude, and seeking and obtaining information. The CASE-cancer proved to have high internal consistency and construct validity. Moreover, scale items performed similarly across literacy levels. The CASE-cancer is a psychometrically-sound tool that may provide new information on important mediating factors of cancer care. Our two-step approach to presenting response options may also provide a model for helping lower literate patients more accurately respond to survey items.
Planar 5-watt X-band avalanche oscillator

A peak pulse power of 5 watts was obtained at 9 GHz from an avalanche breakdown NIP planar diode mounted in waveguide. This result is believed to be the first report of appreciable power from a planar avalanching diode. The power impedance product is among the highest reported to date.
Research on psychoanalytic psychodynamic propositions

Abstract Mention is mode of a number of research programs that have been in existence for the past 20 years that have systematically explored psychoanalytic issues. One of these, that involves the “subliminal psychodynamic activation method,” is then detailed. At 4-millisecond exposures, verbal and/or pictorial stimuli are presented to subjects, some of which contain content related to unconscious wishes, fears and fantasies and others of which are (relatively) neutral. A variety of psychoanalytically based hypotheses have been tested on various clinical and nonclinical populations. Two major findings have emerged: (a) A number of clinical groups—for example, schizophrenics, depressives and stutterers—have shown intensifications of their symptoms after the subliminal exposure of stimuli designed to stir up particular unconscious conflicts: and (b) various clinical and nonclinical groups have manifested enhanced adaptive behavior after the subliminal exposure of the message MOMMY AND I ARE ONE, conceived as activating unconscious symbiotic fantasies. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Determining When Enhanced Pause (Penh) is Sensitive to Changes in Specific Airway Resistance

Penh is a dimensionless index normally used to evaluate changes in the shape of the airflow pattern entering and leaving a whole-body flow plethysmograph as an animal breathes. The index is sensitive to changes in the distribution of area under the waveform during exhalation and increases in a nonlinear fashion as the normalized area increases near the beginning of the curve. Enhanced pause (Penh) has been used to evaluate changes in pulmonary function and as a method to evaluate airway reactivity. However, the use of Penh to assess pulmonary function has been challenged (Bates et al., 2004; Lundblad et al., 2002; Mitzner et al., 2003; Mitzner & Tankersley, 1998; Petak et al., 2001; Sly et al., 2005). The objective of this study was to show how Penh of the thorax and plethysmograph flow patterns are related. That relationship is used to describe the conditions under which whole-body plethysmograph Penh measurements can be used to detect changes in sRaw.
Differentially encoded LDPC codes-part II: general case and code optimization

This two-part series of papers studies the theory and practice of differentially encoded low-density parity-check (DE-LDPC) codes, especially in the context of noncoherent detection. Part I showed that a special class of DE-LDPC codes, product accumulate codes, perform very well with both coherent and noncoherent detections. The analysis here reveals that a conventional LDPC code, however, is not fitful for differential coding and does not, in general, deliver a desirable performance when detected noncoherently. Through extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) analysis and a modified "convergence-constraint" density evolution (DE) method developed here, we provide a characterization of the type of LDPC degree profiles that work in harmony with differential detection (or a recursive inner code in general), and demonstrate how to optimize these LDPC codes. The convergence-constraint method provides a useful extension to the conventional "threshold-constraint" method, and can match an outer LDPC code to any given inner code with the imperfectness of the inner decoder taken into consideration.
Laser origami: a new technique for assembling 3D microstructures

The ability to manufacture and assemble complex three-dimensional (3D) systems via traditional photolithographic techniques has attracted increasing attention. However, most of the work to date still utilizes the traditional patterning and etching processes designed for the semiconductor industry where 2D structures are first fabricated, followed by some alternative technique for releasing these structures out-of-plane. Here we present a novel technique called Laser Origami, which has demonstrated the ability to generate 3D microstructures through the controlled out-of-plane folding of 2D patterns. This non-lithographic, and non silicon-based process is capable of microfabricating 3D structures of arbitrary shape and geometric complexity on a variety of substrates. The Laser Origami technique allows for the design and fabrication of arrays of 3D microstructures, where each microstructure can be made to fold independently of the others. Application of these folded micro-assemblies might make possible the development of highly complex and interconnected electrical, optical and mechanical 3D systems. This article will describe the unique advantages and capabilities of Laser Origami, discuss its applications and explore its role for the assembly and generation of 3D microstructures.
The status of savanna carnivores in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, northern Republic of Congo

The catchment of the Congo River basin contains an extensive forest–savanna mosaic, which once harbored significant populations of lions (Panthera leo), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). The mosaic’s northern part, stretching across the Republic of Congo and southern Gabon, is today geographically isolated. Uncontrolled hunting has led to a gradual decrease in its ungulate populations, and today African wild dogs are considered extinct within the Congo Basin. Lions and spotted hyenas suffered an extreme collapse of their respective former ranges, and in the Republic of Congo both species are believed to survive exclusively in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park (OKNP). We surveyed all extensive savanna areas within this park, to determine the current status of savanna carnivores. We conducted 460 km of track searches on foot, and operated 25 remote camera traps across the survey area over 424 trap-days. We detected no sign of lion presence in the park. Spotted hyena tracks were widespread, and our camera traps recorded 154 hyena photographs, representing 46 different individuals. We also recorded leopard (Panthera pardus), serval (Leptailurus serval), and African golden cat (Caracal aurata) within the survey area. Although lions are likely extinct in the Republic of Congo and neighboring Gabon, our results highlight the importance of OKNP for the regional conservation of spotted hyenas and smaller savanna carnivores.
Myocardial oxygen consumption and the left ventricular pressure-volume area in normal and hypertrophic canine hearts.

BACKGROUNDTo assess and compare the energy demands of normal and hypertrophic hearts, we defined the relation between myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2, an index of the energy consumed by contraction) and the left ventricular pressure-volume area (PVA, an index of the total mechanical energy generated by contraction) in eight normal and eight hypertrophic (aortic band model) dog hearts; MVO2 was also measured in the nonworking (empty beating) and basal (potassium arrest) states.METHODS AND RESULTSThe hearts were studied in an isolated, blood-perfused heart apparatus. The slope of the MVO2-PVA relation (the inverse of which reflects myofibrillar efficiency) was similar in normal and hypertrophic hearts (3.89 +/- 1.91 and 4.19 +/- 1.25 ml O2/mm Hg.ml.10(5), p = NS). The MVO2 in empty beating (0.038 +/- 0.006 and 0.041 +/- 0.015 ml/beat/100 g, p = NS) and potassium-arrested (1.95 +/- 0.06 and 1.98 +/- 0.20 ml/min/100 g, p = NS) hearts was likewise similar in the two groups.CONCLUSIONSBasal and nonworking e...
Non-permutation flowshop scheduling with dual resources

Abstract Typically, in order to process jobs in a flowshop both machines and labor are required. However, in traditional scheduling problems, labor is assumed to be plentiful and only machine is considered to be a constraint. This assumption could be due to the lower cost of labor compared to machines or the complexity of dual-resource constrained problems. In this paper a mathematical model is developed to minimize the work-in-process inventory while maximizing the service level in a flowshop with dual resources. The model focuses on optimizing a non-permutation flowshop. There are different skill levels considered for labor and the setup times on machines are sequence-dependent. Jobs are allowed to skip one or more stages in the flowshop. Job release and machine availability times are considered to be dynamic. The problem is solved in two layers. The outer layer is a search algorithm to find the schedule of jobs on the machine (traditional flowshop scheduling problem) and the inner layer is a three-step heuristic to find a schedule of jobs on labor in accordance to the machine schedule. Three different search algorithms are developed to solve the proposed NP-hard problem. First algorithm can solve a permutation flowshop while the other two are developed to solve a non-permutation flowshop. The comparison between the optimal solution and the search algorithms in small examples shows a good performance of the algorithms with an average deviation of only 2.00%. An experimental design analyzes the effectiveness and efficiency of the algorithms statistically. The results show that non-permutation algorithms perform better than the permutation algorithm, although the former are less efficient. The effectiveness and efficiency in all three algorithms have an inverse relation. To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive mathematical model for dual resource flowshop scheduling problem.
Mechanical strain, conductance fluctuations, and dynamics of single tunneling defects

We have applied mechanical strain to mesoscopic Bi wires, and report several new observations. The universal conductance fluctuations (UCF) are quite sensitive to strain: a strain of only 5×10−7 changes the conductance by ordere 2/h at T=45mK, suggesting a large shift with strain of either the Fermi energy or the positions of some scattering centers. The random telegraph signals associated with two-level systems (TLS) vary both in amplitude and switching rate with applied strain. The amplitude variation is random, consistent with UCF, while the slower transition rate varies monotonically with strain. The energy asymmetry of the TLS (deduced from the ratio of the transition rates) has a lincear coupling to strain, with a deformation potential of 2–3 eV.
Outbreaks of astrovirus gastroenteritis in day care centers

Objective:This study evaluated astrovirus as a cause of diarrhea outbreaks among infants and toddlers in day care centers. Design: Stool specimens were collected weekly during four periods (from January1986 through December 1991) from children 6 to 30 months of age who were enrolled in prospective studies of diarrhea in day care centers. All diarrheal stool specimens were tested for bacterial enteropathogens, rotavirus, enteric adenovirus, and Glardia lamblia. A total of 1365 stool specimens from 70 outbreaks in which no etiologic agent was identified and from another 11 outbreaks with a known cause were tested for astrovirus, by means of a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassay. Confirmatory testing was performed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction with primers designed to produce an 89 base-pair product. Results: Astrovirus was detected in 6 (7%) of the 81 outbreaks. Of 217 childrentested, 73 (34%) were infected with astrovirus; infections in 35 (48%) were symptomatic and in 38 (52%) asymptomatic. The six outbreaks lasted 11 to 44 days (median 22 days). Astrovirus excretion was detected for a duration of 2 to 30 days, with excretion occurring from 1 to 8 days (median 2 days) before diarrhea began to 1 to 20 days (median 2 days) after diarrhea ceased. Younger children (≤12 months) were at greater risk than older children (p=0.011) of becoming infected with astrovirus during an outbreak and were more likely (p=0.015) to have symptoms when infected. Of 24 specimens with astrovirus by enzyme immunoassay, 20 (83%) were confirmed to have the virus by reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction. Conclusion: Astrovirus was an important cause of outbreaks of diarrhea among children attending day care centers, more frequently infected younger children, and often produced asymptomatic infections.
The impact of FANCD2 deficiency on formaldehyde-induced toxicity in human lymphoblastoid cell lines

Formaldehyde (FA), a major industrial chemical and ubiquitous environmental pollutant, has recently been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human leukemogen. The major mode of action of FA is thought to be the formation of DNA–protein cross-links (DPCs). Repair of DPCs may be mediated by the Fanconi anemia pathway; however, data supporting the involvement of this pathway are limited, particularly in human hematopoietic cells. Therefore, we assessed the role of FANCD2, a critical component of the Fanconi anemia pathway, in FA-induced toxicity in human lymphoblast cell models of FANCD2 deficiency (PD20 cells) and FANCD2 sufficiency (PD20-D2 cells). After treatment of the cells with 0–150 μM FA for 24 h, DPCs were increased in a dose-dependent manner in both cell lines, with greater increases in FANCD2-deficient PD20 cells. FA also induced cytotoxicity, micronuclei, chromosome aberrations, and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in both cell lines, with greater increases in cytotoxicity and apoptosis in PD20 cells. Increased levels of γ-ATR and γ-H2AX in both cell lines suggested the recognition of FA-induced DNA damage; however, the induction of BRCA2 was compromised in FANCD2-deficient PD20 cells, potentially reducing the capacity to repair DPCs. Together, these findings suggest that FANCD2 protein and the Fanconi anemia pathway are essential to protect human lymphoblastoid cells against FA toxicity. Future studies are needed to delineate the role of this pathway in mitigating FA-induced toxicity, particularly in hematopoietic stem cells, the target cells in leukemia.
Modeling the effects of temperature, light, and nutrients on primary productivity: An empirical and a mechanistic approach compared

The prospect of reliably predicting production from environmental variables in heterogeneous estuarine environments offers clear logistic advantages a,ver measurement with the 14C technique, particularly if detailed coverage (in space and time) is desired. To that end, two different techniques for predicting phytoplankton production were tested and compared using data from Narragansett Bay, RI., and experimental estuarine ecosystems. Primary productivity was first estimated via an empirical technique (principal component regression), which incorporated temperature, light, and nutrients as independent variables. This approach was compared with a traditional mechanistic formulation which included the same environmental variables as the major limiting factors. Both models provided good fits to the data (explaining 77-82% of the total variance). The predictive ability of the mechanistic model was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than the principal component regression when tested on two independent data sets. Predictive ability between the two models was statistically compared by F-tests on the residual variability from each method.
En bloc transpubic urethrectomy in conjunction with radical cystectomy for bladder carcinoma in males

A technique for en bloc transpubic urethrectomy and radical cystectomy in the male is described and compared with commonly employed means of urethrectomy. Although this technique has been performed in a limited number of cases, this report is warranted because of the following advantages: en bloc resection is achieved at one operation without compromised positioning or need to reposition; the risk of transecting tumor in the urethra or leaving tumor behind in the urethra is avoided; the contamination inherent with a perineal incision and the resulting increase in morbidity are avoided, yet the mobilization of the urethra and prostate is comparable to that achieved transperineally; the exposure with this technique equals or excels that achieved by other approaches; although thirty minutes are required to perform pubectomy and urethrectomy, this is comparable to the time required to expose and close the perineum; and usually time is saved because of the improved exposure.
A small molecule microarray platform to select RNA internal loop-ligand interactions

Herein, we report the development of a microarray platform to select RNA motif−ligand interactions that allows simultaneous screening of both RNA and chemical space. We used this platform to identi...
Corruption and subsidiary profitability: US MNC subsidiaries in the Asia Pacific region

Would multinational corporation (MNC) subsidiaries be more profitable in host countries where corruption is less severe? Would MNC subsidiaries be more profitable in less corrupt countries if they focus on local sales? This paper examines the impact of the level of corruption on the profitability of US MNCs in the Asia Pacific region. Using foreign direct investment (FDI) data archived by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis and corruption data reported by the World Bank, we find that MNC subsidiaries located in countries with a lower level of corruption are more profitable. In addition, MNC subsidiaries with a greater focus on local sales are more profitable when the corruption level is low. This study contributes to the literature by showing that when local sales are important to MNC subsidiaries, a lower level of corruption by host countries positively affects the profitability of the MNC subsidiaries.
From partnerships to networks: new approaches for measuring U.S. National Heritage Area effectiveness.

National Heritage Areas (NHAs) are an alternative and increasingly popular form of protected area management in the United States. NHAs seek to integrate environmental objectives with community and...
EFFECTS OF INTRARENAL ADMINISTRATION OF DOPAMINE (DA) ON RENAL BLOOD FLOW (RBF) IN CONSCIOUS FETAL AND ADULT SHEEP IN VITRO DA RECEPTOR FINDINGS

Effects of intrarenal boluses of OA (0.125 to 16 ug/kg of body wt.) on RBF were studied in chronically catheterized fetal (F) lambs (129-137 days; term 145 days) and adult (A) sheep. Changes in RBF were continuously monitored by doppler flowmeter. Effects of DA alone and during α and β adrenergic blockade were studied. Blood pressure was unchanged during DA infusion. DA alone in F produced no change in RBF (%ΔRBF) at doses 2 ug/kg decreased RBF in a dose response relation (r=0.84). Decreased RBF in A was seen only at >8 ug/kg. F were less sensitive to DA than A when DA was corrected for RBF (ug/kg/ml RBF). Following adrenergic blockade (%ΔRBF-B), DA produced vasodilation in F and A; the DA dose required for vasodilation was 10 times greater in F than A. In vitro DA-receptor characterization was done using the opposite kidney removed at surgery. Similar DA receptor affinity between F (Kd 66.3±10.4 nM) and A (Kd 70.5±6.4 nM) as well as DA receptor density (1.08±0.13 and 0.90±0.22 pM/mg protein respectively) were found. Present results demonstrate that DA has less vasodilatory effect in F than A during adrenergic blockade but this effect is not secondary to a difference in receptor affinity or density, suggesting a post-receptor phenomenon.
Making Embedded Librarians a Part of an Online Community of Learners.

This paper will look at the services presently offered to distance students by libraries within the categories of professional staff, access to resources, reference assistance, and library user instruction. It will then offer the argument that these services could be improved by developing embedded librarians within online academic courses as a part of an online community of learners. This assertion is backed by educational theories discussing social constructivism and andragogy.
Robert Henryson and the Animal in the Mirror

Although critics have debated the political topicality of Robert Henryson’s Morall Fabillis for several decades, they have left the Fabillis’ relationship to political theory largely underexplored. This essay examines the Fabillis’ creative engagement with and critique of fifteenth-century Scottish political theory, particularly its underpinnings in natural law. The prominent political treatises of fifteenth-century Scotland use nature and natural imagery to affirm human dignity and set a high ethical standard for princely governance. In contrast, Henryson’s Fabillis convey that the world is not governed by a benevolent Nature or natural law, as the political works would have it, but rather by the relentless force of bestial appetite in humans and animals alike. This critique is enabled by both Henryson’s relatively humble social position and his experimental mixture of beast fable with Reynardian beast epic and neo-Augustinian theology.
A first assessment of the use of high spatial resolution hyperspectral imagery in discriminating among animal species, and between animals and their surroundings

This paper presents the results of a first evaluation of the feasibility of using data from a high spatial resolution hyperspectral sensor to discriminate among animal species, and between animals and their surroundings. The evaluation was performed by simulating 1000 pixels produced by a shortwave infrared (1051–1789 nm) hyperspectral sensor with a pixel size of either 2 or 4 m, and a spectral resolution of 11.5 nm. The simulated pixels consisted of five classes: pure vegetation, and mixtures of four animal species (cattle, horses, sheep, and pigs) with vegetation. The data were processed by converting from reflectance to absorption, taking the first difference of the data, and then using stepwise discriminant analysis to create discriminant functions based on 250 of the 1000 pixels. These discriminant functions were then used to assign the remaining 750 pixels to classes. The results indicate that the spectra of the four animal species are quite different from each other, and that these differences include variations in the presence and strength of absorptions in the shortwave infrared portion of the spectrum. Overall accuracies were 90% based on the 2 m data and 61% based on the 4 m data. User's and producer's accuracies for individual classes based on the 2 m data ranged from 72 to 100%, but were lower for the 4 m data (40–90%). These results suggest that further study of the use of high spatial resolution hyperspectral imagery in locating and identifying animals is merited.
Brain-stem auditory evoked potentials in the alligator. Effects of temperature and hypoxia.

Abstract Brain-stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) were recorded from young alligators (Alligator mississippiensis), and the effects of hypothermia, hyperthermia and hypoxia on the wave forms were determined. The wave form shape was similar to the human BAEP, although extra waves were routinely seen. The responses were highly repeatable and varied in a predictable manner as a function of stimulus frequency, polarity, intensity, and body temperature. Rarefaction clicks produced longer wave form latencies than condensation clicks. BAEPs were present over the entire temperature range studied (0–36 ° C). In contrast, mammalian BAEPs disappear over the temperature range of 20–27 ° C, and seizures occur at 20–21 ° C. At temperatures below 20 ° C, the alligator BAEP peak amplitudes decreased with decreased temperature, but latencies only decreased slightly. At temperatures above 20 ° C the peak amplitudes increased, and the latencies decreased with temperature. Peak I was largely unaffected by temperature change, while peaks IIIa and V increased 0.015 and 0.018 msec/ ° C, respectively, at temperatures above 24 ° C. Transient brain hypoxia, achieved by inverting the alligator, produced a progressive decrease in BAEP waves to an isoelectric amplitude without greatly altered latencies. The reverse sequence of changes was seen during recovery. Postural effects on blood flow were documented in two alligators with implanted flow probes. Carotid artery blood flow decreased 43% with body inversion, in both anesthetized and unanesthetized alligators, but no sequelae from the hypoxia could be detected. Metabolic differences between mammals and the alligator may account for the alligator's resistance to hypothermia, hyperthermia and hypoxia.
Influence of Shock Deformation on the Transverse Magnetoresistivity of Polycrystalline Iron

MAGNETORESISTIVITY in a metal has been found to be influenced by anisotropic defect distributions1,2. This effect can be obtained only from dislocation distributions which are anisotropic in a region of at most the size of the electronic orbits in the applied magnetic field. In the following work, we investigate the severe deformation region, where the high density of dislocations results in a distortion of crystal symmetry.
Creativity & Innovation: Imperatives for Global Business and Development

This special section contains extended versions of selected papers from the 10th International Conference for Global Business and Development: Creativity & Innovation: Imperatives for Global Business and Development, Kyoto, Japan, August 8-11, 2007. The set includes two articles with both theoretical and empirical content that were chosen articles because they cover a wide range of issues, promote cross-learning, and contribute to the present understanding and the existing body of knowledge in Information Systems in the Service Sector.
Electric charge quantization and vector-like fermions

In extended gauge models with gauge group G, electric charge quantization is not always an automatic consequence of the consistency of the theory. Exotic fermions which have SU(3) ⊗ SU(2)L ⊗ U(1) invariant mass terms can provide a simple method for preserving the charge quantization feature of the standard model. This procedure is applied to the segregated isospin model.This approach indicates that precision measurements of the τ-lepton life-time and rare flavor-changing neutral processes may provide the first indications of new physics beyond the standard model.
Flutamide-induced liver toxicity including fatal hepatic necrosis

Purpose : To describe hepatic injuries in three patients who received flutamide prior to and during radiation treatment to make radiation oncologists aware of the need for careful monitoring of liver function during use of this drug. Methods and Materials : The records of three patients who developed abnormal liver function tests while undergoing total androgen suppression (TAS), as well as the literature concerning flutamide toxicity were reviewed and summarized. Results : Three of 34 patients treated with a TAS regimen incorporating flutamide developed significant hepatic abnormalities : elevated transaminases [2] and fatal hepatic necrosis [1]. Following the discontinuation of flutamide, two patients recovered fully. Unfortunately, the third patient's hepatic function continued to deteriorate, which culminated in his death. Transient elevations in serum transaminases, which do not exceed four times the upper limits of normal, are common and apparently without clinical significance. Unfortunately, idiosyncratic serious and/or fatal liver damage can occur. Significant liver toxicity may be obviated by monitoring of liver function tests (LFT) early in the course of flutamide therapy. Conclusion : The incidence of hepatic toxicity associated with flutamide may be higher than previously suggested. To prevent the development of serious hepatic dysfunction, all patients receiving flutamide should be monitored clinically for signs and symptoms referable to hepatic injury and with serial LFT. We recommend baseline LFT followed by serial LFT at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8 from the start of treatment with flutamide. Flutamide should be stopped promptly if significant liver abnormalities are detected.
Modification of the virtual-crystal approximation for ternary III-V compounds

We discuss a modification of the virtual-crystal approximation for alloys in the semiempirical tight-binding method of band-structure calculations, which explicitly includes the interactions between unlike second neighbors. The results are applied to the quaternary ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{y}{\mathrm{In}}_{1\ensuremath{-}y}{\mathrm{As}}_{x}{\mathrm{P}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$ and its constituent ternary compounds.
DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE-INDUCED REVERSION OF SEVERAL FEATURES OF POLYOMA TRANSFORMED BABY HAMSTER KIDNEY CELLS (BHK-21) Alterations in Growth and Morphology

Cells of a polyoma virus transformed clonal line (Cl-I) of baby hamster kidney fibroblasts (BHK-21) were grown in medium containing 2 percent dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Unlike the untransformed BHK-21 cells, Cl-I cells adapted to replication in the presence of DMSO, and they exhibited a rapidly reversible phenotypic reversion of a number of properties characteristic of the transformed state. Restoration of density dependent growth inhibition with accumulation of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle occurred and was associated with restoration of contact dependent behavior and with reversion of histological and ultrastructural features towards those which characterize untransformed cells. Concomitantly, Cl-I cells grown in 2 percent DMSO lost the ability to form colonies in semisolid medium. The data presented suggest that DMSO alters the expression of cellular functions which were altered as a result of viral transformation and which may be involved in cell tumorigenicity.
Toward an Integrated Theory of Consumer Regulation

This article examines a wide body of research concerning the process and effects of consumer regulation. Contributions from Economics, Sociology, Law and other areas are examined and four major theoretical approaches to regulation are presented. It is our position that none of them deals effectively with the consumer's viewpoint. For example, in the capture theory, the producer's interest (or that of any other interest group) dominates. Public interest theory fails to develop a mechanism that links theory and practice. The social control theory of regulation explicitly assigns power to the government to control consumers. Consumer protection theory suggests that there could be considerable potential for government abuse of power when it assumes a paternalistic role.What is needed is a consumer model of regulation that incorporates a non-paternal approach. Maintaining that the present approach of consumer research is too micro-empirically oriented, we propose a holistic approach that incorporates the goals...
Maternal exposure to medical radiation and Wilms tumor in the offspring: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.

This study examined the association between pre-conception and in utero maternal medical radiation exposure and Wilms tumor, using data from a large population-based case–control study. Cases were identified from the National Wilms Tumor Study Group. Controls were identified by random digit dialing and frequency matched to child’s age and geographic area of residence in the United States and Canada. Interview data from 512 cases and 509 controls were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for Wilms tumor and exposure to: (1) maternal X-ray alone and; (2) all medical radiation types (X-ray, CT, RT, Nuclear scans, Fluoroscopy) combined, for the period from two years before conception until child birth were estimated after adjustment for age, geographic area, maternal education, and household income. We found no consistent association between the risk of Wilms tumor and either maternal X-ray exposure (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.7–1.3) or all medical radiation types combined (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.7–1.2). No meaningful associations were seen for analysis of gonadal or non-gonadal radiation exposure. Our study did not find any consistent pattern of association between Wilms tumor and maternal radiation exposure during pre-pregnancy or pregnancy period. In view of the negative findings from the largest case control study of this question to date, the reduced doses of biological radiation during pregnancy, and the requirements for an improved study design, we believe that future studies of this exposure may not be a priority for research on Wilms tumor.
“This is the Kind of Hard That Knows”: Past, Presence, and Pedagogy in Toni Morrison's Beloved

This article is derived from my practice as a teacher educator working with social studies teachers. In it, I write in tentative steps to think pedagogically about the ways that encountering a particular text, Toni Morrison's novel Beloved, can illustrate the ways in which knowledge is reformed or recognized in the pedagogical scene. Drawing from psychoanalytic inquiries within education research, I turn to how the Lacanian notion of “full speech” might bring a kind of focus to new, forward reaching ways of knowing in relation to the past for those involved in the work of pedagogy.
Study of a Novel Solvent System for CO2 Capture from Post-Combustion Flue Gas☆

Abstract CAER-S2 solvent system developed in the Center for Applied Energy Center at the University of Kentucky has the advantages of fast CO 2 removal rate, high thermal stability, low volatility, and commercial quantity available. Vapor liquid equilibrium measurement shows that the solvent has a lower partial pressure than that of MEA at scrubber temperatures. Such feature makes the solvent a promising candidate for carbon capture from natural gas-fired flue gas which has low CO 2 concentration. Mass transfer coefficients of CO 2 in the solvent system are tested using a wetted-wall column with simulated gases at the scrubber condition. Experimental results indicate that the mass transfer coefficient increases with the increasing of temperature over the studied range, which is different from the studies on MEA. Such results suggest that the solvent is preferable to be operated at elevated temperature in scrubber at which physical mass transfer limitation is minimized without sacrificing too much driving force.
Ethanol Oxidation by Hydroxyl Radicals: Role of Iron Chelates, Superoxide, and Hydrogen Peroxide

Oxygen-derived free radicals such as the hydroxyl radical (.OH) have been shown to mediate the oxidation of ethanol by a variety of oxy radical-generating systems. Among these are microsomal electron transport systems (both intact and purified, reconstituted systems), the coupled oxidation of hypoxanthine or xanthine by xanthine oxidase, and the model iron-ascorbate system. The sequence of reactions leading to the oxy radical-dependent oxidation of ethanol as well as other hydroxyl radical-scavenging agents by these various systems is believed to proceed through the formation of a common intermediate, namely, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), after dismutation of the superoxide anion radical (O2-.). The presence of iron, especially chelated iron, greatly enhances the production of .OH by serving as an oxidant for O2-. or a reductant for H2O2. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the role of iron, the chelating agent, O2-., and H2O2 in the oxidation of ethanol by a variety of in vitro systems (chemical, enzymatic, and intact membrane bound) that can produce oxy radicals via different mechanisms. The generation of .OH by all the systems studied was sensitive to catalase, which indicates that H2O2 is the precursor of .OH. Superoxide radical appears to be the reducing agent in the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system, indicating an iron-catalyzed Haber-Weiss reaction. In the ascorbate, reductase, and microsomal systems, superoxide radical does not appear to be the reducing agent. However, superoxide radical probably is the precursor of H2O2. While iron plays an important role in the production of .OH by the various systems, the effect of iron depends on the nature of the iron chelate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Vaping—Vaccine or Virus?

Smoking electronic (e-) cigarettes, or vaping, was originally marketed as a healthier substitute to smoking. With sales exceeding $2 billion in 2013 and touted as producing “harmless water-vapor,” e-cigarettes are used by as many as 50% of smokers trying to quit. The vapor actually consists of