cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taxol Neuropathy: Electrodiagnostic and Sural Nerve Biopsy Findings

Taxol has recently been approved for the treatment of ovarian cancer that has failed to respond to other chemotherapeutic agents. A predominantly sensory neuropathy has been reported in patients receiving taxol, but corresponding nerve changes have not been described. The patient described herein received taxol at a dose of 275 mg/m 2 every 21 days. The sural nerve biopsy performed after 17 courses of taxol (cumulative dose, 6603 mg) showed severe nerve fiber loss, axonal atrophy, and secondary demyelination. Axonal regeneration was absent. The findings are compatible with a cell body disease or a length-dependent, distal neuropathy with failure of axonal regeneration. The findings observed in taxol-induced neuropathy are important to document for comparison with other neoplastic and paraneoplastic neuropathies affecting patients with cancer.
A randomization method for efficiently and accurately processing fine roots, and separating them from debris, in the laboratory

Background and Aims We developed a method for processing roots from soil cores and monoliths in the laboratory to reduce the time and cost devoted to separating roots from debris and improve the accuracy of root variable estimates. The method was tested on soil cores from a California oak savanna, with roots from trees, Quercus douglasii, and annual grasses.
An Improved Bound for Approximate Equilibria

We give an improved bound, independent of preferences, on excess demand in an exchange economy.
A model of ISDN (integrated services digital network) adoption in U.S. corporations

Abstract Although ISDN technology has often been touted as the networking technique of the future, its adoption rate has not seen as high as expected. This study develops and tests a model that determines the significant ISDN and organizational characteristics that influence the adoption decision. Business Week 1,000 corporations were surveyed to determine their views on ISDN. The results indicate that this technology is most likely to be adopted by open, dynamic organizations that are conducive to change. However, most of these organizations still fail to utilize ISDN effectively.
New model for the avian magnetic compass.

It is proposed that the avian magnetic compass depends on the angle between the horizontal component Bh of the geomagnetic field (GMF) and Er, the radial electric field distribution generated by γ-oscillations within the optic tectum (TeO). We hypothesize that the orientation of the brain relative to Bh is perceived as a set of electric field ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) frequencies that are distributed in spatially recognizeable regions within the TeO. For typical GMF intensities, the expected ICR frequencies fall within the 20–50 Hz range of γ-oscillation frequencies observed during visual stimulation. The model builds on the fact that the superficial lamina of the TeO receive signals from the retina that spatially map the visual field. The ICR frequencies are recruited from the local wide-band γ-oscillations and are superposed on the tectum for interpretation along with other sensory data. As a first approximation, our analysis is restricted to the medial horizontal plane of the TeO. For the bird to fly in a preferred, previously mapped direction relative to Bh, it hunts for that orientation that positions the frequency maxima at appropriate locations on the TeO. This condition can be maintained even as Bh varies with geomagnetic latitude during the course of long-distance flights. The magnetovisual coordinate system (ϕ, ω) overlaying the two halves of the tectal surface in a nonsymmetric way may imply an additional orienting function for the TeO over and above that of a simple compass (e.g., homing navigation as distinct from migrational navigation). Bioelectromagnetics 21:555–565, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effect of Aluminum Hydroxide Gels on Experimental Hypercholesterolemia and Atheromatosis in Chicks.

Summary1. As long as the diet was ingested the addition of 3% aluminum hydroxide gel did not prevent hypercholesterolemia or atheromatosis in cholesterol-fed chicks. Neither did such a diet result in inanition or paralysis. 2. Normal cholesterol values, inanition, and paralysis developed with rejection of the diet. The stress of inanition did not produce hypercholesterolemia in chicks. 3. Neither cortisone acetate nor boric acid influenced the development of arterial lesions, although the latter had some effect on lipid deposition.
Social networks and information: Non-“utilitarian” mobility among hunter-gatherers

Abstract Hunter-gatherer mobility is not always related to the positioning of people for optimal exploitation of subsistence resources. Another essential reason for forager mobility is the establishment and maintenance of a network of social relations which provides a flow of information among widely scattered social groups and functions as a “safety net” in situations of local resource scarcity. It is proposed that the frequency and spatial scale of such movement can be related to temporal and spatial patterns of variation in resource availability. Then, a general, heuristic model of the spatial organization of band-level foraging groups is developed within which to situate this kind of non-“utilitarian” movement. This model ties “informational” and “network” mobility to minimal and maximal foraging bands and provides quantitative estimates of the spatial scales involved. The usefulness of the approach developed is illustrated with an evaluation of the archaeological data for the transport of “exotic” materials in the late Upper Paleolithic and Early Mesolithic periods in southwestern Germany. Significant differences in the frequencies of transport of different kinds of “exotics” have been observed between these periods. These differences can be explained within the framework of information on changing patterns of temporal and spatial resource availability and the models developed here.
Evaluation of Thermal Processing of Retortable Pouches Filled with Conduction Heated Foods Considering their Actual Shapes

A computer model was developed to evaluate thermal processing of a retortable pouch containing a conduction heated food. In this model, a transient 2-dimensional heat conduction equation was solved using a modified finite difference technique for a food-filled retortable pouch considering its actual shape. The model was used to determine process time, mass average sterilizing value and nutrient retention to achieve a prefixed level of lethality in the pouched product for a given temperature profile of the heating medium. Temperature distributions and sterilizing values predicted by the developed model were compared with similar values obtained by applying a finite element technique with the aid of a package program (ANSYS). Close agreements were found between the developed model and the finite element technique.
Modeling of laser keyhole welding: Part I. mathematical modeling, numerical methodology, role of recoil pressure, multiple reflections, and free surface evolution

A three-dimensional laser-keyhole welding model is developed, featuring the self-consistent evolution of the liquid/vapor (L/V) interface together with full simulation of fluid flow and heat transfer. Important interfacial phenomena, such as free surface evolution, evaporation, kinetic Knudsen layer, homogeneous boiling, and multiple reflections, are considered and applied to the model. The level set approach is adopted to incorporate the L/V interface boundary conditions in the Navier-Stokes equation and energy equation. Both thermocapillary force and recoil pressure, which are the major driving forces for the melt flow, are incorporated in the formulation. For melting and solidification processes at the solid/liquid (S/L) interface, the mixture continuum model has been employed. The article consists of two parts. This article (Part I) presents the model formulation and discusses the effects of evaporation, free surface evolution, and multiple reflections on a steady molten pool to demonstrate the relevance of these interfacial phenomena. The results of the full keyhole simulation and the experimental verification will be provided in the companion article (Part II).
ADSORPTION OF CO ON THE TIO2(110) SURFACE : A THEORETICAL STUDY

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) and the pseudopotential method have been used to study the adsorption of CO molecules on the in-plane Ti cation sites of the r...
Preparative techniques for the determination of reverse osmosis membrane structure by electron microscopy

Abstract Much of the work reported in the literature on the morphology of cellulose acetate reverse osmosis membranes has been hampered by a lack of specimen contrast or the presence of artifacts introduced during sample preparation. In this study the morphology of cellulose acetate reverse osmosis membranes is observed using thirteen sample preparation techniques. The results from these techniques are compared and the relative advantages of each discussed.
Anti-herpes viruses agents

Antiviral agents with demonstrated efficacy are currently available for the management of infections in children caused by the herpes viruses including herpes simples type 1 (HSV1) and type 2 (HSV2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Recently, progress has been made in the development of newer agents with enhanced activity against these viruses including resistant strains. This review focuses on the activity, clinical pharmacology, and clinical indications of antiviral agents used in the treatment of infections caused by the different herpes viruses in children.
Temperature Dependence of Electron Attachment in I 2 Vapor

The temperature dependence of electron attachment in ${\mathrm{I}}_{2}$ vapor has been measured over the temperature range from 253 to 467\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The attachment coefficient was found to increase with temperature over the range studied, varying from 0.9 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ to 4.2 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$/sec. Studies involving selective heating of the electrons indicate that for a gas temperature of 298\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K the attachment coefficient increases from 1.8 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ to ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$/sec as the electron thermal energy was increased from 0.04 to about 0.27 eV.
Complete bundle branch block as an independent predictor of all-cause mortality: report of 7,073 patients referred for nuclear exercise testing.

Abstract PURPOSE: Complete left bundle branch block is a well-established independent risk factor for mortality, but the prognostic importance of right bundle branch block is unclear. We determined whether left and right bundle branch block was associated with all-cause mortality risk after adjustment for potential confounders, including clinical, exercise, and nuclear scintigraphic variables. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied 7,073 adults who were referred for symptom-limited nuclear exercise testing. Patients with heart failure or pacemakers were excluded. The presence or absence of bundle branch block was determined from resting electrocardiograms. The main outcome measure was all-cause mortality during a mean of 6.7 years of follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred ninety patients (3%) had complete right bundle branch block, and 150 (2%) had complete left bundle branch block. There were 825 deaths (12%). Mortality was greater in patients with complete right bundle branch block (24% [46 of 190]) or left bundle branch block (24% [36 of 150]) than in those without these findings (11% [779 of 6,883 and 789 of 6,923, respectively]; both P P = 0.007) as left bundle branch block (HR 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0 to 2.0; P = 0.017). Incomplete right bundle branch block was not associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Complete right and left bundle branch block are independent predictors of all-cause mortality risk even after adjustment for exercise capacity, nuclear perfusion defects, and other risk factors.
Surgical utility of a new carbon dioxide laser fiber: functional and histological study.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The objective was to investigate the functional and histological properties of surgical procedures using a new carbon dioxide (CO2) laser fiber. STUDY DESIGN In vitro and in vivo animal models. METHODS In vitro experiments using porcine true vocal cord and arytenoid cartilage were designed to study the histological effects of using a photonic band-gap fiber assembly for CO2 laser energy delivery. Continuous and pulsed-wave settings at different wattages were tested. In vivo endoscopic surgery on canine larynges and buccal mucosa were performed to examine functional and short-term healing when performing photonic band-gap fiber assembly-assisted laser surgery. RESULTS In vitro experiments showed consistent cutting with the photonic band-gap fiber assembly using either straight or 90 degrees bent-tip fibers. The surrounding tissue in these experiments showed little collateral thermal damage with the average range of thermal width from 14.1 to 18.8 microm in vocal cords and from 5.2 to 10.5 microm in cartilage. Similarly, thermal depth ranged from 28.0 to 350.0 microm in vocal cords and from 269.7 to 739.6 microm in cartilage. In vivo experiments demonstrated ease in maneuvering and flexibility for cutting. There was minimal blood loss, smoke plume, or carbonaceous debris. There were no postprocedural complications. Normal oral intake was noted on postprocedural day 1. There was no evidence of stridor or respiratory distress. Seven days after the procedure, re-epithelialization was complete in the buccal incisions and nearly completed in the laryngeal incisions. CONCLUSION The photonic band-gap fiber assembly produced reliable results in cutting with functional characteristics representing an improvement over current technology. The device shows promise as an effective tool for minimally invasive procedures that are amenable to use of the CO2 laser.
Screening Newborns for Congenital Heart Disease with Pulse Oximetry: Survey of Pediatric Cardiologists

Background Controversies exist regarding the use of pulse oximetry for routine screening of newborns. This study aimed to evaluate current practices and opinions of pediatric cardiologists in relation to newborn screening for congenital heart disease (CHD) using pulse oximetry.
Biotechnology and the precautionary principle

This paper examines the relationships between science and the precautionary principle and their policy and institutional implications for biotechnology. It acknowledges the divergent approaches adopted by different regions of the world in managing the risks associated with biotechnology. The paper notes that the divergent views about the application of the precautionary principle to risk assessment and management are partly a reflection of how different regions of the world perceive the benefits and risks associated with modern biotechnology. It is this broader context, including economic considerations, in which the role of science in risk assessment and management needs to be framed. Explaining the differences will benefit from further clarification of the key concepts and definitions. But resolving them will most likely be a result of political acts that are beyond the realm of scientific analysis.
Comparative pyrogenic potency of endogenous prostanoids and of prostanoid-mimetics injected into the anterior hypothalamic/preoptic region of the cat

Abstract In both pyrogen-induced fever and fever subsequent to acute hypothalamic trauma, pyrexia is believed to be mediated by cyclooxygenase products acting within the anterior hypothalamic/preoptic (AH/PO) region of the brain. The goal of the present study was to assess, through a potency analysis, the likely contributions of various prostranoids to pyrexia production. Prostranoids and prostranoidmimetics were injected bilaterally into the AH/PO region of conscious, indomethacin pretreated cats, and partial dose-response curves for pyrexic activity were obtained. ED 1° doses (doses producinng 1°C fever) for PGE 2 , PGE 1 and 6-keto-PGE 1 (a metabolite of PGI 2 and/or of the PGI 2 hydrolysis product, 6-keto-PGF 1α ) ranged between 2 and 15 pmol. PGF 2α and the stable PGI 2 -mimetics, iloprost and 6-β-PGI 1 , required doses of 900–1100 pmol. PGD 2 and 6-keto-PGF 1α had ED 1° doses of 2200–2400 pmol. PGI 2 , thromboxane (TX) B 2 and the TXA 2 /PGH 2 -mimetics, SQ26655, 9, 11-azo-PGH 2 and U46619, were incapable of producing a 1°C rise at the maximum dose of 30,000 pmol. The results offer no support for an involvement in fever of PGF 2α , PGD 2 , TXA 2 , TXB 2 , PGH 2 , PGI 2 or 6-keto-PGF 1α . Only the 3 E-series prostaglandins were sufficiently potent to merit serious consideration as mediators of pyrexia. Of these, only PGE 2 is known to be produced in abundance by cat brain; no information is available regarding PGE 1 production, and our results with PGI 2 and 6-keto-PGF 1α indicate that cat brain may not synthesize 6-keto-PGE 1 . The results thus suggest an important role for PGE 2 in fever production in the cat and are compatible with an involvement of PGE 1 .
Managing risk in global operations

Companies doing business abroad face two tough questions: How can we assess our risks? And what are the best strategies to minimize those risks? The authors explain how to develop a risk control strategy and how to lessen your risk using financial mechanisms. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Battery-Aware Embedded GPS Receiver Node

This paper discusses the design and implementation of an ultra low power embedded GPS receiver node for use in remote monitoring situations where battery life is of the utmost importance. The power consumed by a GPS radio is high when compared to other typical components of sensor networks. We offer several hardware and software solutions to prolong the battery life while preserving a required GPS tracking precision. A standard SiRF trickle mode, available on some of the latest chipsets switches between the full power and a single fixed duty cycle. If the fixed duty cycle is set too low, trickle mode causes too many signal drops; if set too high, consumes too much energy. Adding a low-power microcontroller allows us to dynamically change the operation mode by setting the duty cycle in relatively small steps, based on a set of less stringent and application dependant set of rules. In addition, an accelerometer is used as an energy efficient way of detecting that the object or person carrying the GPS is not moving. This allows the GPS-equipped node to switch to the lowest possible power consumption mode that still allows for fast restarts. Several hardware and software design aspects are explored and several measurements comparing system performance to commercially available products are shown to illustrate the effectiveness of the system.
F18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the context of other imaging techniques and prognostic factors in multiple myeloma

F18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is a powerful tool to investigate the role of tumor metabolic activity and its suppression by therapy for cancer survival. As part of Total Therapy 3 for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, metastatic bone survey, magnetic resonance imaging, and FDG-PET scanning were evaluated in 239 untreated patients. All 3 imaging techniques showed correlations with prognostically relevant baseline parameters: the number of focal lesions (FLs), especially when FDG-avid by PET-computed tomography, was positively linked to high levels of β-2-microglobulin, C-reactive protein, and lactate dehydrogenase; among gene expression profiling parameters, high-risk and proliferation-related parameters were positively and low-bone-disease molecular subtype inversely correlated with FL. The presence of more than 3 FDG-avid FLs, related to fundamental features of myeloma biology and genomics, was the leading independent parameter associated with inferior overall and event-free survival. Complete FDG suppression in FL before first transplantation conferred significantly better outcomes and was only opposed by gene expression profiling-defined high-risk status, which together accounted for approximately 50% of survival variability (R2 test). Our results provide a rationale for testing the hypothesis that myeloma survival can be improved by altering treatment in patients in whom FDG suppression cannot be achieved after induction therapy.
Stress causes a further decrease in immunity to herpes simplex virus-1 in immunocompromised hosts

Physical or psychological stress can modulate immune responses in normal subjects. The effects of stress on immunity in immunocompromised hosts, however, have not been extensively investigated. Here we assess relationships among footshock stress (FS), infection with herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), and immunosuppression by cyclophosphamide (CY) during the active immune response to virus in BALB/c mice. Without FS, CY significantly decreased survival and body weight gain, splenic leukocyte numbers, in vivo serum cytokine level and in vitro splenocyte cytokine production during HSV-1 infection. FS alone also significantly inhibited cell mediated anti-viral responses to HSV-1. However, FS in combination with certain CY doses led to a further significant decrease in host responses compared to either CY or FS treatment alone, including decreased survival rate, increased weight loss, lowered leukocyte numbers, reduced cytokine production in vivo and in vitro, and decreased numbers of cytokine-producing cells (IL-12 and IFNgamma). In contrast, CY, but not FS, significantly reduced in vivo anti-HSV-1 antibody secretion. These data support the hypothesis that stress can further reduce host immune responses in immunocompromised individuals. Thus, stress levels of patients should be taken into consideration prior to clinical treatment with immunosuppressants.
Microbial Conversion of Synthesis Gas Components to Useful Fuels and Chemicals

Enriched culture techniques have been used to isolate microbial cultures exhibiting growth on synthesis gas components. Three rod-shaped, gram-positive cultures have been isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil, a cow manure-soil mixture, and sheep rumen fluid. Each culture exhibits growth on carbon monoxide as its primary carbon source, producing alcohols and acids in the fermentation medium. Quantities of up to 7.5, 0.58, and 0.25 g/L of acetate, ethanol, and methanol, respectively, have been produced in batch culture with lesser amounts of acetone, butyric, and propionic acid detected.
Effects of optimism on psychological and physical well-being: Theoretical overview and empirical update

The primary purpose of this paper is to review recent research examining the beneficial effects of optimism on psychological and physical well-being. The review focuses on research that is longitudinal or prospective in design. Potential mechanisms are also identified whereby the beneficial effects of optimism are produced, focusing in particular on how optimism may lead a person to cope more adaptively with stress. The paper closes with a brief consideration of the similarities and differences between our own theoretical approach and several related approaches that have been taken by others.
Area-minimizing subsurfaces of Scherk's singly periodic surface and the catenoid

An unbounded portion of the catenoid and a class of subsurfaces of Scherk's singly periodic surface defined over nonconvex domains are shown to be area-minimizing.
Quantization of Molecules, Inter- and Intramolecular Forces

In diatomic molecules (e.g., ${\mathrm{P}}_{2}$) the distinction is made between the quantization of the electrons of the atomic cores (${\mathrm{P}}^{5+}$), which is assumed to be the same (${1}^{2}$${2}^{8}$) as in the free atom (P), and of the valence electrons ${3}^{2,2}$(${\mathrm{P}}^{5+}$)${\mathrm{II}}^{2}$(${\mathrm{P}}^{5+}$)${3}^{2,2}$. The latter can be quantized with respect to the field of both cores ("shared" ${\mathrm{II}}^{2}$ electrons) and to the field of single cores ("unshared" ${3}^{2,2}$ electrons). The Pauli principle is applied separately to the quantization of the "shared" electrons and to the others. On this basis it is possible to interrelate the great difference in the strength of the external field (intermolecular forces) of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{P}}_{2}$ with the size of the atomic cores ${\mathrm{N}}^{5+}$ and ${\mathrm{P}}^{5+}$. The comparison of the intramolecular binding strength in ($\mathrm{AB}$) with that in ${(\mathrm{AB})}^{+}$ supports the conclusions: in ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ all ten (not merely six) valence electrons, in HCl all eight (not two) participate in the binding of the cores ${\mathrm{N}}^{5+}$ and ${\mathrm{N}}^{5+}$, ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{Cl}}^{7+}$; the molecules of monohydrides of positively di- and trivalent elements, like those of positively monovalent elements, contain hydrogen as a more of less strongly deformed ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$.
Extending a DWDM Optical Network Test System to 12 Gbps x4 Channels

A "Development Platform" for prototyping new multi-GHz ATE has recently been introduced (Keezer et al. 2009). The first application was a multi-channel test system for characterizing an optical network switch operating at 2.5 Gbps per channel (Keezer et al. 2009, 2010). Nine transmitter channels (TX) and nine receivers (RX) were used to test the Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) switching network. This present paper incorporates elements from the prototype designs into full-feature test modules targeting applications between 2.5 Gbps and 24.0 Gbps per channel. Specifically, the optical test system is extended for burst-mode 12 Gbps DWDM packets (more than 4-times the rate of the original system). Using 8 TX channels, an aggregate data rate of 96 Gbps is achieved. Alternatively, some modules can be configured to double the channel-count (up to 18) while operating at the lower 2.5 Gbps rate (45 Gbps aggregate rate). Lower rates permit use of lower-cost optical components. Two new modules are described with testability features such as: (1) support for "loopback" testing of DUT output-to-inputs, (2) DC electrical tests, (3) 2-to-1 multiplexing up to 24 Gbps, (4) ATE self-test/calibration loopback paths. Recently multiple Development Platforms have been constructed that can operate either independently or synchronized using very low-jitter (~1 ps RMS) clock distribution paths.
Stability of plasmas confined by magnetic fields

Abstract In this paper, we examine the question of the stability of plasmas confined by magnetic fields. Whereas previous studies of this problem have started from the magnetohydrodynamic equations, we pay closer attention to the motions of individual particles. Our results are similar to, but more general than, those which follow from the magnetohydrodynamic equations.
Back-channel hot-electron effect on the front-channel characteristics in thin-film SOI MOSFETs

The front-channel I-V characteristics in thin-film SOI MOSFETs have been studied before and after back-channel hot-electron stress. As a result of electron trapping in the buried oxide near the drain junction, this stress causes the following changes: (1) a reduction of the channel current for a given gate voltage; (2) the appearance of the kink effect when measured in the reverse mode (with source and drain interchanged); and (3) an increased breakdown voltage when measured in the reverse mode. Both the kink effect and the change in the breakdown behavior can be attributed to the increased barrier height of the drain-body junction resulting from the localized electron trapping in the buried oxide. >
Knowledge hierarchies in the labor market

Abstract Many workers produce intangible, knowledge-intensive inputs, rather than participating directly in the production process. We develop a model where the labor market organizes itself in a knowledge hierarchy. Skills are segmented into successive clusters. Each cluster buys knowledge from the next one and sells knowledge as a production input to the preceding one. The model is useful to study the impact of improvements in the technology of knowledge transmission on inequality. It is shown that inequality goes up at the top of the income distribution, but not at the bottom.
Water Hammer Induced by a Line Break

A sudden break of a pressurized and dead-ended water main induces water hammer and possibly column separation at the dead end. Since a line break is an energy venting and depressurizing event, one may not anticipate overpressures as a result of the break. The purpose of this paper is to show that a line break can generate excessive overpressures severe enough to cause damage. Through analysis and laboratory tests, we demonstrate that: (1) if column separation does not occur at the dead end of the main line, the transient pressure in the main does not exceed the initial pressure in the main prior to the break, (2) if column separation occurs, the transient pressure in the main can exceed the initial pressure, (3) damaging overpressure in the connected service lines may occur whether column separation occurs in the main or not.
Cell body locations and axonal pathways of neurons innervating muscles of mastication in the rat

In the rat the size distributions of cell bodies in the trigeminal motor nucleus and of myelinated fibers in the portio minor were bimodal. The size distribution of mesencephalic nuclear somata was unimodal. The number of fibers in the portio minor was approximated by the number of somata in the motor and mesencephalic nuclei. Within the motor nucleus large and small cells were chromatolytic after destruction of the portio minor. Injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) into the masseter and temporalis muscles labeled both the large and small neurons in the dorsolateral part of the nucleus. Similar injections into the anterior belly of the digastric and mylohyoid muscles labeled neurons in the ventrolateral part of the nucleus, but these neurons were not among the smallest in the nucleus. Within the mesencephalic nucleus chromatolytic somata occurred only ipsilaterally after unilateral lesions of the portio minor, and in lesser numbers after destroying the portio major. Unilateral injections of HRP into the masseter and temporalis muscles labeled cells in the ipsilateral mesencephalic nucleus and trigeminal ganglion. Labeling of mesencephalic neurons was abolished by lesions of the portio minor. Similar injections into the anterior belly of the digastric and mylohoid muscles labeled cells in the ipsilateral trigeminal ganglion, but not in the mesencephalic nucleus. These results are discussed in light of previous work on the trigeminal system.
Novel Surface Emitting Laser using High-Contrast Subwavelength Grating

We present a new class of surface emitting lasers utilizing a single-layer high-index-contrast subwavelength grating, instead of conventional DBR. Single polarization mode emission with low threshold current and 1 mW output power was obtained at 850 nm wavelength
Tracking the mechanisms of deep brain stimulation for neuropsychiatric disorders

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has recently emerged as a potential treatment for medically intractable neuropsychiatric disorders. Pilot clinical studies with encouraging results have been performed with DBS of the ventral anterior internal capsule (VAIC) and subgenual cingulate white matter (Cg25WM) for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression. However, little is known about the underlying response of individual neurons, or the networks they are connected to, when DBS is applied to the VAIC or Cg25WM. This review summarizes current understanding of the response of axons to DBS, and discusses the general brain network architectures thought to underlie neuropsychiatric disorders. We also employ diffusion tensor imaging tractography to better understand the axonal trajectories surrounding DBS electrodes implanted in the VAIC or Cg25WM. Finally, we attempt to reconcile various data sets by presenting generalized hypotheses on potential therapeutic mechanisms of DBS for neuropsychiatric disease.
ENTRY DETERRENCE BY NON‐HORIZONTAL MERGER*

We study when and how pure non-horizontal mergers, whether cross-product or vertical, can deter new entry. Organizational mergers implicitly commit firms to more aggressive price competition. Because heightened competition deters entry, mergers can occur in equilibrium even when, absent entry considerations, they do not. We show that, in order to prevent a flood of entrants, mergers arise even when a marginal merger costs incumbent firms more than does a marginal entrant.
A novel line detection method using magnetic sensor for the optical inspection of electrical short defects on TFT LCD

A novel detection method is suggested using magnetic sensor to detect the short-defect line on LCD-TFT panel. With the voltage applied to the TFT panel, current flows along the short-defect line generating magnetic field around it. By scanning the magnetic sensor across the TFT panel, the defect line can be detected. Vision inspection is performed along the detected line to find out the defect point. Three main types of short-defects on TFT panel are tested and their locations are successfully detected by the suggested method.
Initial empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics has no impact on mortality outcome but is associated with increased acquisition of multi-drug resistant bacteria amongst Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients

Background. Broad spectrum antibiotics are widely used as initial empiric treatment in ICUs because of the high mortality of sepsis in critically ill patients.. We evaluated the impact of choice of empiric antimicrobial regimens on the emergence of bacterial resistance, length of stay and mortality in our ICU patients. Methods. A prospective observational study of choice of initial empiric antibiotics (classified into first, second and third line based on breadth of spectrum) was conducted on ICU patients at our 900bed institution. Outcomes were pre-defined as inpatient mortality, length of stay and infection or colonization with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Results. From April 2007 to May 2008, 527 ICU patients were analyzed. 56.4% of patients received second-line antibiotics empirically (17 % amoxicillin-clavulanate, 15 % ceftriaxone). All 3 groups had similar APACHE II scores. However, the group which received 3-line antibiotics had the highest mortality (52.3%, p< 0.0001) and highest rates of acquisition of antibiotic resistant organisms (42.9%, p1⁄4 0.033). Conclusion. Initial broad-spectrum antibiotics did not increase survival in our ICU patients but was associated with increase in antibiotic-resistance and mortality. In the setting of very high rates of multi-drug resistant bacteria, recommendations for initiation of broad spectrum antibiotics should be reconsidered. There is an urgent need for rapid diagnostic tests that can be used in critically ill patients to target appropriate antimicrobial interventions to ensure clinical success without the collateral damage of increasing antibiotic resistance.
Maternal immunity enhances Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccination induced cell-mediated immune responses in piglets

Passively acquired maternal derived immunity (MDI) is a double-edged sword. Maternal derived antibody-mediated immunity (AMI) and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) are critical immediate defenses for the neonate; however, MDI may interfere with the induction of active immunity in the neonate, i.e. passive interference. The effect of antigen-specific MDI on vaccine-induced AMI and CMI responses to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) was assessed in neonatal piglets. To determine whether CMI and AMI responses could be induced in piglets with MDI, piglets with high and low levels of maternal M. hyopneumoniae-specific immunity were vaccinated against M. hyopneumoniae at 7 d of age. Piglet M. hyopneumoniae-specific antibody, lymphoproliferation, and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses were measured 7 d and 14 d post vaccination. Piglets with M. hyopneumoniae-specific MDI failed to show vaccine-induced AMI responses; there was no rise in M. hyopneumoniae antibody levels following vaccination of piglets in the presence of M. hyopneumoniae-specific MDI. However, piglets with M. hyopneumoniae-specific MDI had primary (antigen-specific lymphoproliferation) and secondary (DTH) M. hyopneumoniae-specific CMI responses following vaccination. In this study neonatal M. hyopneumoniae-specific CMI was not subject to passive interference by MDI. Further, it appears that both maternal derived and endogenous CMI contribute to M. hyopneumoniae-specific CMI responses in piglets vaccinated in the face of MDI.
The Mathematics of Society: Variation and Error in Quetelet's Statistics

"LET us apply to the political and moral sciences the method founded upon observation and upon calculus, the method which has served us so well in the natural sciences."' The social sciences have known no truer follower of Laplace's dictum than Adolphe Quetelet. His mecanique sociale, later physique sociale, was conceived as the social analogue to Laplace's mecanique celeste, and embodied the results of an unswerving commitment not only to the presumed method of celestial physics, but even to its concepts and vocabulary. It is too weak to say that Quetelet's goal was the transmission of the achievements of celestial physics into the social sphere. He aspired to nothing less than imitation. Quetelet's social physics won no important converts, and it has never been seen as a viable approach to the human sciences. Like so many other admirers of astronomy and physics among students of the social disciplines, Quetelet was unable to lay hold of that essential element of scientific method that would enable him to extend the domain of scientific certainty into the social sphere. Historians of the mathematicization of the social sciences have been able to make little more of Quetelet as social physicist than a precursor, and the failure even of enthusiastic admirers to take up his program requires no deeper explanation than the observation that Quetelet himself never carried it beyond the programmatic, or even indicated how that could be done. Yet the story of Quetelet's social physics is not one of failure, but of irony. His determined attempt to bring together mathematics and social science brought little direct benefit to social science, but much to applied mathematics, for the formulas that Quetelet sought to carry over from the domain of physics to that of society invariably took on new meanings when
Acute Care Nurse Practitioners: Creating and Implementing a Model of Care for an Inpatient General Medical Service

Changes in medical education and healthcare reimbursement are recent threats to most academic medical centers' dual mission of patient care and education. Financial pressures stem from reduced insurance reimbursement, capitation, and changes in public funding for medical residency education. Pressures for innovation result from increasing numbers of patients, higher acuity of patients, an aging population of patients with complex problems, and restrictions on residency workloads. A framework for addressing the need for innovation in the medical service at a large academic medical center is presented. The framework enables acute care nurse practitioners to provide inpatient medical management in collaboration with a hospitalist. The model's development, acceptance, successes, pitfalls, and evaluation are described. The literature describing the use of nurse practitioners in acute care settings is reviewed.
Looking for Audience Costs in all the Wrong Places: Electoral Institutions, Media Access, and Democratic Constraint

For leaders to generate credibility through audience costs, there must be mechanisms in place that enable citizens to learn about foreign policy failures. However, scholars have paid relatively little attention to variations among democracies in the extent to which the public is able to obtain this sort of information. We argue here that electoral institutions play this role by influencing the number of major political parties in a country and, with it, the extent and depth of opposition to the executive. Opposition leads to whistle-blowing, which makes it more likely that that the public will actually hear about a leader’s foreign policy blunders. The effectiveness of this whistle-blowing, however, is conditional on the public’s access to the primary conduit for communication between leaders and citizens: the mass media. We test these expectations statistically, demonstrating that leaders in systems with these attributes fare better with respect to their threats and the reciprocation of conflicts that th...
Journalism in the Service of Communication

This article discusses the role of journalism in the disciplinary growth of the study of communication. It traces the initial role that journalism played in communication studies' development, considers how it has taken shape differently in some of the discipline's sub-fields of inquiry, and charts how it has developed in different geographic regions. Addressing journalism's contemporary positioning around the world, the article argues that the study of communication could profit by acknowledging more fully journalism's centrality in helping keep communication studies a singular and vibrant field of academic inquiry.
Graphic-enhanced information improves perceived risks of cigar smoking

The Internet is a major source of health information and several notable health web sites contain information on the risks associated with cigar smoking. Previous research indicates that Internet pages containing health information on cigars have high reading levels and are restricted to text material, which can decrease understanding. We examined the effects of existing text-only (from the United States National Cancer Institute website) versus novel graphic-enhanced information on smokers' perceptions of health risks associated with cigar smoking. The study was a laboratory-based single session of current cigarette smokers (n=102) who viewed cigar smoking risk information on a computer monitor then completed cigar risk questionnaire items. Participants were randomized to view either text-only or graphic-enhanced cigar information. The graphic version contained additional risk information about cigarillos and little cigars. Text-only participants were more likely to underestimate perceived health risks associated with cigar smoking compared to graphic-enhanced participants (47.1% versus 17.7%, p=.001); and, graphic-enhanced participants were more likely to report that they would share the cigar health risk information with friends compared to those viewing text-only, 47.0% versus 27.4%, p=.005. Employing graphics to convey health risks associated with cigar smoking increases understanding and likeliness to share information. Integrating information about little cigar and cigarillo risk in conjunction with large cigar risk information is an effective public health strategy to provide more comprehensive risk information. Utilizing graphics on health information internet pages can increase knowledge and perceived risks of cigar smoking.
γ‐Glutamyltranspeptidase knockout mice as a model for understanding the consequences of diminished glutathione on T cell‐dependent immune responses

Gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) catalyzes the first step in the extracellular hydrolysis of glutathione (GSH) and plays a critical role in GSH recycling; however, little is known about the impact of diminished GGT activity on immune function. We report here that GGT knockout (GGT(-/-)) mice have a 30 % decrease in splenic GSH and a 50 % reduction in thymus and spleen cellularity. The decreased cellularity was not selective for one population of cells, as each population was equivalently reduced. Following antigen challenge, GSH levels were reduced by 20-40 % in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from GGT(-/-) mice when compared to T cells from wild-type mice. To test whether decreased GSH impairs immunity, we examined immune responsiveness following in vivo challenge with four different T cell-dependent stimuli. While there was no alteration in the antibody response to ovalbumin and sheep erythrocytes, cytotoxic T lymphocyte and alloantibody activity against P815 cells were decreased by 30 % and 65 %, respectively. Compared to wild-type littermates, anti-CD3-induced IL-2 and IL-6 production were also diminished in GGT(-/-) mice. These results demonstrate differential effects of decreased GSH on in vivo immune responsiveness to distinct stimuli, and suggest an important immunoregulatory role for GSH.
Everybody's welcome: the big tent approach to epigenetic drug discovery

The rapid expansion of epigenetics research is fueled by the increasing understanding that epigenetic processes are critical to regulating cellular development and dysfunction of epigenetic programs is responsible for a diverse set of human pathologies, including cancer, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. The expansive set of components contributing to epigenetic disease mechanisms and the often reversible nature of epigenetic lesions provide prime opportunities for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Here, we provide an overview of epigenetics and its relationship to disease, discuss current epigenetics-based therapies and suggest new avenues for the identification of therapies targeting deregulated epigenetic programs in disease.
Biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine by enzyme preparations from spinach leaves

The enzymic incorporation of choline-1,2-(14)C from CDP-choline-1,2-(14)C into phosphatidylcholine by spinach leaf preparations was characterized. The enzyme catalyzing the incorporation, choline phosphotransferase, had a pH optimum of about 8.0 and required either Mn(2+) or Mg(2+) as cofactor. The saturation concentration of Mn(2+) was 0.3 mm and that for Mg(2+) was 13 mm. The K(m) for CDP-choline was 10 micro m. The choline phosphotransferase was inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents. The enzyme was inactivated at 30 degrees C, but this inactivation could be prevented by dithiothreitol and Mn(2+). Preincubation of the enzyme with Mn(2+) prevented inhibition by sulfhydryl reagents. The incorporation of diglyceride-U-(14)C into phosphatidylcholine was also studied. The enzyme did not show any diglyceride specificity when exogenous diglyceride was added, indicating that fatty acid distribution in phosphatidylcholine of spinach is not controlled by choline phosphotransferase.
Experimental studies in magnetically induced transverse force-frequency effect in thin quartz microresonators

In this work, the transverse force-frequency sensitivity of magnetostrictive Metglas® (Fe85B5Si10) thin film coated AT-cut thickness shear mode quartz thin plate microresonator (500 μm × 500 μm × 19 μm) is experimentally measured and modeled in Lagrangian formulation by coupling magnetostrictive deformation equations with the basic plate equations from the theory of small deformation. The quartz plate resonator is fabricated by micromachining techniques and released into fixed-free structure using focused ion beam milling. Application of a magnetic field results in the out-of-plane bending of the structure due to elastic coupling between the magnetostrictive Metglas® and quartz resonator layers. As a result of the transverse loading and out-of-plane bending, the admittance characteristics of the resonator shifts, and these shifts are recorded in real time utilizing a network analyzer. The sensitivity is experimentally measured to be 162.3 mdeg/Oe for phase, corresponding to a frequency sensitivity of Δf/H = 11 Hz/Oe. The equivalent force-frequency sensitivity can then be calculated as 2.36 μN/Hz using the developed model. The coupled domain analysis fits well with the experimental data. Further reduction of quartz thickness and optimization of the thickness ratio of the magnetostrictive to quartz layers offers the possibility of exploiting the stress sensitivity of plate microresonators as sensitive magnetic field sensors capable of low nanoTesla to picoTesla level magnetic flux densities.