cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Volume-to-surface reduction of vorticoacoustic stability integrals

It is generally accepted that incorporation of unsteady rotational sources and sinks into the acoustic energy balance equation leads to a more precise assessment of acoustic instability in rocket chambers. The process involves the calculation of 10 acoustic growth rate terms that arise in the context of an oscillating flow in an idealized rocket chamber; the chamber is modelled as an injection-driven enclosure with coupling along its porous walls between acoustical and vortical waves. In this study, we convert the 10 stability integrals from volume to surface form. The surface integrals are then verified using numerical comparisons for three baseline cases that span a practical range of solid rocket motors. The surface integrals are further reduced and presented in a strictly acoustical form that is directly amenable to implementation in the standard stability prediction program. This code devotes itself to the assessment of acoustic energy in rocket motors. The reduction to surface form facilitates the evaluation of individual stability growth rates as each becomes a function of quantities that are distributed along the chamber's boundaries. By obviating the need to compute the rotational field (which is the most difficult to capture, especially in complex geometry), the evaluation of acoustic stability integrals is simplified for motors with variable grain configuration.
Stretch-activated single K+ channels account for whole-cell currents elicited by swelling

Functionally significant stretch-activated ion channels have been clearly identified in excitable cells. Although single-channel studies suggest their expression in other cell types, their activity in the whole-cell configuration has not been shown. This discrepancy makes their physiological significance doubtful and suggests that their mechanical activation is artifactual. Possible roles for these molecules in nonexcitable cells are acute cell-volume regulation and, in epithelial cells, the complex adjustment of ion fluxes across individual cell membranes when the rate of transepithelial transport changes. We report the results of experiments on isolated epithelial cells expressing in the basolateral membrane stretch-activated K+ channels demonstrable by the cell-attached patch-clamp technique. In these cells, reversible whole-cell currents were elicited by both isosmotic and hyposmotic cell swelling. Cation selectivity and block by inorganic agents were the same for single-channel and whole-cell currents, indicating that the same entity underlies single-channel and whole-cell currents and that the single-channel events are not artifactual. In these cells, when the rate of apical-membrane NaCl entry increases, the cell Na+ content and volume also increase, stimulating the Na+,K+-ATPase at the basolateral membrane, i.e., both Na+ extrusion and K+ uptake increase. We speculate that, under these conditions, the parallel activation of basolateral K+ channels (by the swelling) elevates conductive K+ loss, tending to maintain the cell K+ content constant (“pump-leak parallelism”). This study describes a physiologically relevant stretch-activated channel, at both the single-channel and whole-cell levels, in a nonneural cell type.
Cell-mediated or humoral immunity in Graves' ophthalmopathy? Profiles of T-cell cytokines amplified by polymerase chain reaction from orbital tissue

Whether Graves' ophthalmopathy is the results of a cell-mediated or humoral autoimmune response is controversial. T-Lymphocytes that regulate these two mechanisms, Th1 and Th2, respectively, are characterized by the profile of cytokines that they secrete. We, therefore, investigated the spectrum of T-lymphocyte cytokines expressed in Graves' orbital tissue by means of the polymerase chain reaction using reverse transcribed mRNA as template. From three Graves' thyroid tissues (positive controls), we obtained DNA products of the predicted size for the Th1 cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) as well as for Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-5. A signal for IL-10 (Th1 and Th2) was also detected. No cytokine signals were observed in peripheral blood (negative control). Despite the presence of T-cells (CD3 delta marker) in the orbital connective tissue/fat of all five patients studied as well as in orbital muscle from one of these patients, IFN gamma reverse transcribed mRNA was notably absen...
Simulation of critical fluid Rayleigh linewidth behavior by a normal fluid system

Abstract The dynamic droplet model of a critical fluid provides a simple physical model of a critical fluid. We use this to model an emulsion which mimics the Rayleigh linewidth behavior of a critical fluid in the nonhydrodynamic regime.
The late Wisconsinan Savanna Terrace in tributaries to the upper Mississippi River

The Savanna Terrace, composed of alternating red and gray clayey sediments of late Wisconsinan age, can be found in five states along the upper Mississippi valley from Pepin County, Wisconsin, to Jackson County, Illinois. The terrace is the highest glaciofluvial-lacustrine deposit without a loess cover in the upper Mississippi valley. Chemical, physical, and mineralogical data show that two different sources provided sediment. The red clay is believed to have come from Lake Superior sources, while the gray clay is believed to have come from sources farther west. Large-scale flood events from glacial Lakes Agassiz, Grantsburg, and Superior were probably the main contributors of the sediments. The red clay in the terrace is similar in composition to red glaciolacustrine sediment found in eastern and northern Wisconsin. It also is mineralogically similar to the Hinckley Sandstone and the Fond du Lac Formation, which occur under and around Lake Superior. Radiocarbon dates obtained from the lower Illinois valley indicate that the terrace sediments were deposited sometime between about 13,100 and 9500 yr ago. Soils developed on the terrace are variable in their physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties, which reflect the composition of the clayey sediments.
Response of a Mouse Hybridoma Cell Line to Heat Shock, Agitation, and Sparging

A mouse hybridoma cell line is used as a model system for studying the effect of environmental stress on attachment-independent mammalian cells. The full time course of recovery for a mouse hybridoma cell line from both a mild and intermediate heat shock is examined. The pattern of intracellular synthesis is compared for actively growing, log phase cells and nondividing, stationary phase cells.
Covering Factor of Optically Coated Silicon Solar Cells

For protection purposes, coverslips, such as glass, plastic or fused silica, usually are applied to optically coated cells. The short-circuit current of the coated cells with covers is reported to decrease, compared with the short-circuit current for coated cells without covers. The loss in short-circuit current is generally attributed to the fact that the optical matching between the coating and the cover is not optimized. However, recent work on silicon solar cells with optical coatings (SiO, Si3N4) and plastic covers (FEP Teflon) at NASA-LEWIS shows no decrease in short-circuit current under air mass zero simulated sunlight conditions; in fact, short-circuit current shows an increase in Si3N4 coated cells with plastic covers. The measured covering factor, defined as the ratio of short-circuit current of FEP covered cells to the bare coated cells, is consistent with the calculated covering factor based on single-layer coating theory.
From suntan to skin cancers: molecular pathways and prevention strategies

The incidence of skin cancer is rising, and significantly linked to carcinogenic effects of ultraviolet radiation. While clashes in lifestyle and cancer risk have undoubtedly contributed to this health crisis, it is equally clear that certain human populations have a notably lower risk of skin cancer. This apparent natural protection, typically afforded by darker skin pigmentation or an easy ability to tan, has begun to reveal mechanistic insights of great relevance to skin cancer risk. An understanding of the genes that participate in pigmentation and the sun-tanning response has permitted greater understanding of the intracellular and intercellular signaling events that culminate in human skin pigmentation. Moreover the same observations have also suggested novel targeted approaches to mimic the pigmentary response using agents that spare the cell from carcinogenic effects of ultraviolet radiation. The application of such strategies is not yet at hand, but potentially promises to provide a complementary approach to prevention of cutaneous cancer.
Differential impact of nicotine on cellular proliferation and cytokine production by LPS-stimulated murine splenocytes.

Abstract The immunoregulatory effects of nicotine have not been fully clarified and the reported data are often conflicting. The present study investigated the role of nicotine as an immunomodulator of murine splenocytes stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the endotoxin component of gram-negative bacteria. BALB/c female mice of two different ages, young (2–3 months) and old (18–22 months), were used. The cells were incubated with nicotine at two different time points, 3 h pre-incubation and concurrent incubation relevant to LPS stimulation, before further incubation for 48 or 72 h. Treatment of murine splenocytes with nicotine showed an impact on cellular proliferation as well as on the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α ) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The results indicated that nicotine significantly inhibited cellular proliferation of murine splenocytes in a concentration-related manner (32, 64 and 128 μg/ml). Timing of nicotine exposure prior to LPS stimulation was critical in terms of immunological impact on cytokine production. TNF- α and IL-6 production were significantly enhanced by 1 μg/ml of nicotine when cells were pre-incubated with nicotine for 3 h compared to concurrent incubation relative to LPS stimulation. The alteration in cytokine production varied with the age of the mouse. TNF- α production was significantly inhibited by nicotine in young mice, while IL-6 production was significantly inhibited by nicotine in old mice. Since any immunomodulation that alters the profile of these cytokines may cause an imbalance in the immune system impinging on health status, these findings may be important when dealing with the concept of nicotine as a therapeutic agent.
A new receptor model : a direct trilinear decomposition followed by a matrix reconstruction

In many cases, monitoring data for ambient airborne particles can be organized in the form of a three-way data table with one way for chemical species, one for sampling periods and one for sites. A direct trilinear decomposition followed by a matrix reconstruction (DTDMR) is developed to analyze such a data table as a whole. The three-way data set is composed into three two-way matrices by a direct trilinear decomposition (DTD). The column vectors of each of the matrices are called ‘source profiles’, ‘emission patterns’ and ‘site coefficients’ respectively. Particulate sources are identified by examining both their source profiles and emission patterns. After the sources have been identified, emission patterns and site coefficients are used to produce a three-way matrix that gives estimates of mass contributions of sources to the samples collected at every site in every period. By simulation study, not only has the method been verified, but a good indicator has been found that shows the number of factors (i.e. sources) in the system. Unlike other receptor models, DTDMR does not require source profile data and does not involve trial-and-error procedures. Since DTDMR identifies sources based on variations in two dimensions, it has a higher potential to distinguish two sources that have similar chemical compositions. The DTDMR model has provided excellent results with simulated data and has been applied in a real world three-way data set.
Enhancing decisions with criteria for quality

Purpose – This paper is intended to offer a practical perspective on how to achieve high quality of decisions.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses an inductive approach by looking at all the issues that deserve consideration in one or more of the steps in the decision‐making process to ensure that none are overlooked that are relevant to the respective decision. It suggests eight guidelines for decision‐makers for this purpose. The guidelines apply primarily to the non‐technical (soft) aspects of decisions.Findings – Eight guidelines are described. When considered in every significant decision they will bring considerable assurance that the outcome of the decision will be as close as possible to the desired one. The primary conclusion is that development of the habit to use guidelines, either those provided by the paper, or similarly comprehensive ones, help to ensure high quality decisions because they help the decision maker ensure that few if any relevant issues are ignored.Practical implicatio...
Preprocessing Uncertain Photovoltaic Data

This letter suggests a method to manage the uncertainty of photovoltaic (PV) data by removing the periodic effect of the annual position of the sun in the sky. The least squares method is applied to determine the low-frequency (annual) periodic component which is predictable in the system operation. This method can be applied to estimate the probabilistic characteristics of PV generation at various locations on the earth with differing insolation due to changing solar position.
Identifying, evaluating and recommending digital collections: A social community approach

We are developing a community based digital collection repository. The goal of the system is to increase the visibility and use of digital collections by forming a publicly accessible online social community where everyone can share their knowledge and experience of using different collections. In this poster, we present our design of a digital collection system that will respond to the challenges of identification and organization of digital collections as well as incorporate a process for reviewing, ranking and recommending digital collections through the creation of an online digital collection community.
Children's judgments of numerical quantity: A new view of early quantification☆

Abstract Three experiments investigated the role of length, density, and number dimensions in children's numerosity judgments of linear arrays of beads. The number dimension is physically defined by a length × density rule. Judgments based, even in part, on the number dimension would show signs of a length × density rule. Experiment 1 examined numerosity judgments of large arrays. Results showed that judgments by 3- and 4-year-olds obeyed a length + density rule, providing cogent evidence for a general adding strategy in young children's judgments of quantity. The physical length × density rule emerged gradually with increasing age. Experiment 2 showed that numerosity judgments of small arrays by 3- and 4-year-olds obeyed a length × density rule, indicating response to the number dimension. This result was expected and thereby validated the linearity of the response scale at the youngest ages. Experiment 3 verified the integration rules for individual 3- and 4-year-olds. The integration rules were interpreted in terms of Piaget's stages of the development of quantification. No evidence for Piaget's initial stage was found. This leads to a new view of early quantification which grants young children the ability to integrate stimulus dimensions.
Inequality, Democratization, and De-Democratization:

Reversions from democratic to undemocratic regimes have often occurred historically and continue to occur frequently. Both increases in categorical inequality across a regime's subject population and declines in the insulation of public politics from categorical inequality tend to de-democratize regimes. A general account of democratization and de-democratization yields a series of conjectures concerning the processes by which changes in categorical inequality threaten democracy.
Defective monocyte chemotactic response in genitourinary carcinoma

The monocyte possesses both nonspecific and specific cytotoxicity for tumor cells and is responsible for execution of the immunologic attack. An assay which allows quantitation of monocyte function, namely, chemotaxis, has been used to study the activity of these cells in patients with neoplasms of the urinary tract. Twenty-four patients with various stages of renal carcinoma exhibited a mean chemotactic defect of 52.6 per cent (P<0.005) compared to normal controls and patients hospitalized with non-neoplastic disease. Twelve patients with transitional-cell carcinoma had a 29.8 per cent (P<0.01) mean chemotactic defect compared to the controls. There was no correlation between tumor stage and degree of chemotactic defect. Defective macrophage chemotaxis may reflect the inability of the host to mobilize these cells at the tumor focus, thereby weakening the defense system. This assay may also provide a quantitative index to measure changes in the immune system following adjunctive immunostimulation.
Evidence that superoxide dismutase plays a role in protecting red blood cells against peroxidative hemolysis

Abstract We have carried out kinetic studies of the dialuric acid induced hemolysis of vitamin E deficient rat erythrocytes, and have shown that with a careful choice of conditions and in the presence of catalase a very substantial protective effect of externally added superoxide dismutase can be observed.
Lipase-catalyzed solvent-free kinetic resolution of substituted racemic ε-caprolactones

The kinetic resolution of racemic seven-membered lactones is reported, for the first time in bulk (solvent-free) conditions, by lipase-catalysed butanolysis. The lactones studied were substituted at either the 4- or the 6-position. With these lactones, Novozym-435 lipase (from Candida antarctica) induced (S)-selective butanololysis, and (R)-lactones were recovered unreacted with >97% enantiomeric excess (e.e.). The reactions were studied at different reaction temperatures, viz. 0, 23, 40 and 60°C. A comparative study of the effect of temperature on the kinetic resolution is presented.
Preliminary evaluation of cocarboxylase on myocardial protection of the rat heart.

Abstract The presence of cocarboxylase (CC) is essential for the oxidation of pyruvate to acetylcoenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) and its subsequent degradation by means of the Krebs cycle. We compared the effects of various concentrations of CC in a cardioplegic solution on the survival and hemodynamic and metabolic recovery of 23 isolated, working rat hearts subjected to 60 minutes of hypothermic (23°C) ischemic arrest. Group 1 (N = 6) consisted of hearts infused with the basic cardioplegic solution (Tyers' solution with glucose), to which no CC was added. In group 2 (N = 6) CC was added at 0.1 ml/L to the cardioplegic solution. In group 3 (N = 5) CC was added at 1 ml/L, and in group 4 (N = 6) CC was added at 10 ml/L. The cardioplegic infusions were performed at a pressure of 40 mm Hg for 2 minutes just before arrest; 30 minutes later they were performed again for 1 minute. Only two hearts (33.3%) recovered in group 1 whereas five recovered in group 2, five (100%) in group 3, and five (83.3%) in group 4. The recovery of hemodynamic performance as a percentage of pre-ischemic control values showed marked improvement in the CC groups, especially group 3, when compared with group 1. The metabolic variables in the CC groups were also markedly improved, with significantly ( p
Making the decision to move to retirement housing

Factors such as retirement and declining health may trigger older Americans to move into retirement housing. Most mature consumers make this decision in consultation with their family. Understanding the timing and decision‐making process is necessary to properly position and promote retirement housing. A national survey of retirement housing residents found that most moves were prompted by financial considerations, retirement, and health problems. Although most seniors made the final decision to move themselves, children and physicians were influencers. Thus, retirement housing must be promoted to family members and health care workers as well as potential residents.
Oxytricha as a modern analog of ancient genome evolution.

Several independent lines of evidence suggest that the modern genetic system was preceded by the ‘RNA world’ in which RNA genes encoded RNA catalysts. Current gaps in our conceptual framework of early genetic systems make it difficult to imagine how a stable RNA genome may have functioned and how the transition to a DNA genome could have taken place. Here we use the single-celled ciliate, Oxytricha, as an analog to some of the genetic and genomic traits that may have been present in organisms before and during the establishment of a DNA genome. Oxytricha and its close relatives have a unique genome architecture involving two differentiated nuclei, one of which encodes the genome on small, linear nanochromosomes. While its unique genomic characteristics are relatively modern, some physiological processes related to the genomes and nuclei of Oxytricha may exemplify primitive states of the developing genetic system.
Thymectomy for myasthenia gravis in children

Abstract Thymectomy was performed on 14 children under 20 years of age with myasthenia gravis during the past 12-years. Objective pre- and postoperative evaluation was accomplished by determining blub ergograph responses, oropharyngeal and general muscle strength and vital capacity. The decision for prophylactic or concomitant tracheostomy was also based on this information. Significant objective improvement following thymectomy occurred in all but one of the patients (Groups A and B). The average age of the patient at the time of thymectomy was 13.3 years and the average duration of symptoms prior to thymectomy was 2.5 years. One child underwent thymectomy at the age of 2.5 years and has experienced substantial improvement (Group B) subsequently. Two patients, each 19 years of age, had a benign thymoma. One of these patients died two years after thymectomy, the only death in the series. The severity of symptoms prior to thymectomy did not influence the clinical response obtained from operation. Postoperative respiratory complications are common and fastidious care is imperative. Thymectomy appears to provide a good opportunity for improvement in symptoms of selected children with myasthenia gravis and may be attended with a low risk of mortality.
Successful Transitions to Graduate School: Using Orientations to Improve Student Experiences in Criminology and Criminal Justice Programs

The initial transition to graduate school provides a critical opportunity for promoting a positive educational experience among incoming students. This study discusses the importance of this transition and then describes a novel student-led orientation approach to facilitating successful entry of new students into criminology and criminal justice graduate degree programs. Results from an evaluation of this approach are presented. Analyses of focus group and student survey data indicate that graduate students matriculating into a criminology and criminal justice program in a southern state felt welcomed and found the information, guidance, and social networks that they developed to be helpful. At the same time, students identified ways the orientation could be improved for future cohorts. A student-led orientation, along with evaluation of it, provides a promising strategy for criminology and criminal justice graduate programs to create positive educational and professionalization experiences for their stu...
TESTIS RISK AND PROGNOSTIC FACTORS: The Pathologist's Perspective

The assessment of risk in testicular cancer can be applied to different situations—the risk for the development of a testicular neoplasm, the risk for metastasis in patients with an established tumor, and the risk for recurrence following treatment. Pathologic assessment provides some insight into the levels of these various risks in all of these contexts.
INTIMIDATION, COERCION AND RESISTANCE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF THE SOUTH ASIAN SMALLPOX ERADICATION CAMPAIGN, 1973-1975

This paper reviews episodes during 1973-1975 when American physician-epidemiologists in South Asia, working under the auspices of the World Health Organization, intimidated local health officials and resorted to coercive methods in the final stages of the Smallpox Eradication Programme. While intimidation and coercion were successful in the short-run in ensuring disease containment, they evoked health-professional and popular resentments, and the long-term effect may have been to foster negative attitudes toward subsequent vaccination campaigns. At the very least these episodes suggest a need for paying attention to actual and perceived abuses when global health measures are introduced from 'above' into regional settings.
Microcontroller-based implementation of adaptive structural control

An adaptive filtering technique is developed for the control of structures with lightly damped modes. The technique is based on a feedback control strategy that uses tuned second- order filters to add damping to structural resonances. A single-mode system is analyzed to determine the effect of the filter parameters on the closed-loop structural damping. The analysis demonstrates that the closed-loop damping is linearly related to the filter damping for gain margins greater than two and that the closed-loop damping is highly sensitive to changes in the filter frequency. The sensitivity of the closed-damping to errors in the filter frequency motivates the use of a phase-lock loop to identify the structural frequency during transient vibration. The feedback compensator is implemented on a digitally- programmable analog filter whose parameters are set by a microcontroller. The adaptive algorithm is demonstrated on a flexible composite beam with a variable tip mass. Adding or subtracting mass to the tip of the beam varies the first structural mode from 24 Hz to 11 Hz. Control experiments demonstrate that the closed-loop damping is reduced from 21% to 4% critical when the filter parameters are not adapted to the structural frequency. In contrast, the adaptive filter is able to maintain between 14% and 21% critical damping in the structural mode as the frequency varies from 24 Hz to 11 Hz.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Prairie dog model for antimicrobial agent-induced Clostridium difficile diarrhea

We have noted that prairie dogs given cefoxitin develop diarrhea and lose weight yet survive for periods of up to 4 weeks. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that cefoxitin causes Clostridium difficile cecitis in prairie dogs. Six prairie dogs were given a single intramuscular dose of 100 mg of cefoxitin per kg of body weight, and six control animals received saline; both groups were sacrificed 1 week later. Controls had no diarrhea and lost 2% of their body weight, whereas cefoxitin-treated animals had diarrhea (P less than 0.001) and lost 16% of their body weight (P less than 0.001); one animals died 6 days after cefoxitin challenge. None of the controls yielded C. difficile or had cecal cytotoxin or pseudomembranes detected. Cecal contents from all cefoxitin-treated animals, however, yielded C. difficile (P less than 0.01) and had cecal cytotoxin present (P less than 0.01). Four of five surviving animals also had cecal pseudomembranes present (P less than 0.01). These results demonstrate that in prairie dogs cefoxitin induces C. difficile cecitis. We conclude that the prairie dog is another model for the study of antibiotic-induced diarrhea. The disease in prairie dogs may have a more chronic course than in other animal models of C. difficile-induced diarrhea and may be useful as a model for studying certain aspects of C. difficile-induced diarrhea. Images
Multinanometer wavelength conversion of 2.5 and 10 Gb/s optical channels in an injection-locked semiconductor laser

We have demonstrated multinanometer wavelength conversion of amplitude-shift-keyed 1.5 /spl mu/m-optical signals, using cavity-enhanced four-wave mixing in an injection-locked semiconductor laser. 2.5-Gb/s operation was possible with injected signal powers as low as -29.3 dBm, due to the resonant gain of the mixing laser. We have also reported 10-Gb/s operation, the highest data rate at which this method has been demonstrated. >
Old Age, Disease, and the Discourse on Risk: Geriatric Assessment in U.S. Health Care

This article explores one way in which medical practice confronts old age, disease, and conceptions of risk through an examination of geriatric assessment, a recently created health care modality in the United States. The process of geriatric assessment is shown to extend medicine's gaze to all aspects of bodily, mental, and social existence, thereby contributing to widespread cultural confusion about the equation of old age with disease. Geriatric medicine's representation of old age and disease is embedded in a risk discourse permeating contemporary society. An analysis of geriatric assessment conferences suggests that the old become the field on which the imperative to reduce risk by behavior modification and supervision competes with the deeply held value of autonomy. Medicine is assumed to be the appropriate institution for managing both the risks associated with aging and disease and the conflict between surveillance and care on the one hand, and freedom and neglect on the other.
How Important Are Gender Differences in Pharmacokinetics

Gender-related differences in pharmacokinetics have frequently been considered as potentially important determinants for the clinical effectiveness of drug therapy. The mechanistic processes underlying gender-specific pharmacokinetics can be divided into molecular and physiological factors. Major molecular factors involved in drug disposition include drug transporters and drug-metabolising enzymes. Men seem to have a higher activity relative to women for the cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes CYP1A2 and potentially CYP2E1, for the drug efflux transporter P-glycoprotein, and for some isoforms of glucuronosyltransferases and sulfotransferases. Women were suggested to have a higher CYP2D6 activity. No major gender-specific differences seem to exist for CYP2C19 and CYP3A. The often-described higher hepatic clearance in women compared with men for substrates of CYP3A and P-glycoprotein, such as erythromycin and verapamil, may be explained by increased intrahepatocellular substrate availability due to lower hepatic P-glycoprotein activity in women relative to men. Physiological factors resulting in gender-related pharmacokinetic differences include the generally lower bodyweight and organ size, higher percentage of body fat, lower glomerular filtration rate and different gastric motility in women compared with men. Although gender disparity in pharmacokinetics has been identified for numerous drugs, differences are generally only subtle. For a few drugs, e.g. verapamil, beta-blockers and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, gender-related differences in pharmacokinetics have been shown to result in different pharmacological responses, but their clinical relevance remains unproven. In contrast, gender differences of clinical importance have clearly been identified for pharmacodynamic processes such as QTc prolongation, and intensive future research efforts are needed to assess the full scope and impact of pharmacodynamic gender disparity on applied pharmacotherapy.
Privacy and security in databank systems: measures of effectiveness, costs, and protector-intruder interactions

The nearly seven years of concern with data privacy and security in computerized information systems have produced a variety of hardware and software techniques for protecting sensitive information against unauthorized access or modification. However, systematic procedures for cost-effective implementation of these safeguards are still lacking.
REFLECTIONS ON THE HISTORY AND HISTORIOGRAPHY OF THE NOMAD EMPIRES OF CENTRAL EURASIA

The first part of this essay deals with the difficulties created by the rarity of indigenous, written sources and the multiplicity of languages used in external sources. The ethnonyms and administrative terms these contain cannot be relied upon to determine the language spoken by a given people. Archaeological data are seldom convertible into historical terms. The second part examines the characteristic features of Central Eurasia as a historical entity. Emphasis is given to pastoral nomadism and its application to warfare. The third part deals with the question of long-distance, quasi transcontinental migrations, a much abused, unjustified cliche.
Fitness consequences of body-size-dependent host species selection in a generalist ectoparasitoid

In insect parasitoids, offspring fitness is strongly influenced by the adult female’s choice of host, particularly in ectoparasitoids that attack non-growing host stages. We quantified the fitness consequences of size-dependent host species selection in Dirhinus giffardii, a solitary ectoparasitoid of tephritid fruit fly pupae. We first showed a positive correlation between the size of emerged D. giffardii wasps and the size of their host fruit fly species (in order of decreasing size): Bactrocera latifrons, B. cucurbitae, B. dorsalis or Ceratitis capitata. We then manipulated individual wasps to show that the parasitoid preferred to attack the largest (B. latifrons) to the smallest (C. capitata) host species when provided with a choice, and laid a greater proportion of female eggs in B. latifrons than in C. capitata. There were no differences in developmental time or offspring survival between individuals reared from these two host species. Finally, we compared the foraging efficiency of large versus small wasps (reared from B. latifrons vs C. capitata) under two different laboratory conditions: high versus low host habitat quality, given that realized fecundity in parasitoids may be influenced by either egg-limited or time-limited factors. Under both conditions, large wasps parasitized more hosts than did small ones as a consequence of high searching efficiency in the host-poor habitat, and high capacity for adjusting egg maturation in response to host availability in the host-rich habitat. Considering the flexibility of body growth, the apparent lack of cost of achieving large body size in either development or survival, and the strong dependence of realized reproductive success on a female’s size, we argue that body size may be a key to understanding evolution of host species selection in ectoparasitoids. We also discuss constraints upon the evolution of size-dependent host species selection in parasitoids.
The poetics of stance: Text-metricality, epistemicity, interaction

This article examines the text-metrical (“poetic”) organization of epistemic stance-taking in discourse, focusing on epistemic stance in a form of argumentation, Tibetan Buddhist ‘debate’ (rtsod pa) at Sera Monastery in India. Emergent text-metrical structures in discourse are shown to reflexively map utterance-level propositional stance into larger-scale, fractionally congruent models of interactional stance. In charting the movement from epistemic stance to interactional stance by way of poetic structure, the article argues for and clarifies the place of poetics in the study of stance.
Fourier domain common-path fiber OCT with tunable reference: analysis and optimization

We have built a Fourier domain, fiber-optic, common-path OCT system with a tunable reference. We report our initial investigation of the performance of the system and analyze the results.
Atomic layer deposition coating of carbon nanotubes with aluminum oxide alters pro-fibrogenic cytokine expression by human mononuclear phagocytes in vitro and reduces lung fibrosis in mice in vivo.

Background Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) pose a possible human health risk for lung disease as a result of inhalation exposure. Mice exposed to MWCNTs develop pulmonary fibrosis. Lung macrophages engulf MWCNTs and produce pro-fibrogenic cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and osteopontin (OPN). Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a novel process used to enhance functional properties of MWCNTs, yet the consequence of ALD-modified MWCNTs on macrophage biology and fibrosis is unknown. Methods The purpose of this study was to determine whether ALD coating with aluminum oxide (Al2O3) would alter the fibrogenic response to MWCNTs and whether cytokine expression in human macrophage/monocytes exposed to MWCNTs in vitro would predict the severity of lung fibrosis in mice. Uncoated (U)-MWCNTs or ALD-coated (A)-MWCNTs were incubated with THP-1 macrophages or human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and cell supernatants assayed for cytokines by ELISA. C57BL6 mice were exposed to a single dose of A- or U-MWCNTs by oropharyngeal aspiration (4 mg/kg) followed by evaluation of histopathology, lung inflammatory cell counts, and cytokine levels at day 1 and 28 post-exposure. Results ALD coating of MWCNTs with Al2O3 enhanced IL-1β secretion by THP-1 and PBMC in vitro, yet reduced protein levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and OPN production by THP-1 cells. Moreover, Al2O3 nanoparticles, but not carbon black NPs, increased IL-1β but decreased OPN and IL-6 in THP-1 and PBMC. Mice exposed to U-MWCNT had increased levels of all four cytokines assayed and developed pulmonary fibrosis by 28 days, whereas ALD-coating significantly reduced fibrosis and cytokine levels at the mRNA or protein level. Conclusion These findings indicate that ALD thin film coating of MWCNTs with Al2O3 reduces fibrosis in mice and that in vitro phagocyte expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and OPN, but not IL-1β, predict MWCNT-induced fibrosis in the lungs of mice in vivo.
Book Review: International Entrepreneurship in Family Businesses by J.C. Casillas, F.J. Acedo and A.M. Moreno

International Entrepreneurship in Family Businesses, by J.C. Casillas, F.J. Acedo and A.M. Moreno. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2007. 338pp. ISBN: 978 1 845428792
Factoring Polynomials and the Knapsack Problem

Abstract For several decades the standard algorithm for factoring polynomials f with rational coefficients has been the Berlekamp–Zassenhaus algorithm. The complexity of this algorithm depends exponentially on n, where n is the number of modular factors of f. This exponential time complexity is due to a combinatorial problem: the problem of choosing the right subsets of these n factors. In this paper, this combinatorial problem is reduced to a type of Knapsack problem that can be solved with lattice reduction algorithms. The result is a practical algorithm that can factor polynomials that are far out of reach for previous algorithms. The presented solution to the combinatorial problem is different from previous lattice-based factorizers; these algorithms avoided the combinatorial problem by solving the entire factorization problem with lattice reduction. This led to lattices of large dimension and coefficients, and thus poor performance. This is why lattice-based algorithms, despite their polynomial time complexity, did not replace Berlekamp–Zassenhaus as the standard method. That is now changing; new versions of computer algebra systems such as Maple, Magma, NTL and Pari have already switched to the algorithm presented here.
Winning the Bid: Analyzing the International Olympic Committee's Host City Selections

Previous scholarship has relied on case study analysis and anecdotal evidence to explain the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Olympic host city selection process. This has resulted in several ...
Balancing Competing Values in the Sale and Redevelopment of Publicly-Owned Real Estate: A Case Study of the Charlotte Coliseum Disposition

This case study describes the circumstances surrounding the Charlotte Coliseum disposition to introduce students to the competing values involved in the sale and redevelopment of publicly-owned real estate. Local governments are rarely able to focus exclusively on profit maximization when making real estate asset management decisions. Other values such as accountability, transparency, equity, and political responsiveness must also be considered. These conflicting interests differentiate real estate transactions in the public sector from those completed in the private sector. The theoretical concepts presented in this case study are intended to provide students with a framework to analyze and manage these conflicting interests in order to help real estate developers and local governments work together to achieve mutually beneficial goals.
Ultrashort Laser Pulses Tomography in Semi-Opaque Media

Spatial distribution of hidden foreign objects in a semi-opaque environment has been investigated using ultrashort laser pulse time resolved techniques with spatial resolution down to less than 1 mm. Using femtosecond streak camera ranging, 1-dimensional distance has been measured. Time sequences of 2-dimensional images have been obtained using picosecond-Kerr gate.
Effects of Three Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Sweetgum Seedlings from Nine Mother Trees

Soil in microplots was infested with three vesicular-arbuscular (VA) symbionts then sown with seed of half-sib progeny from nine sweetgum mother trees. The VA treatments were Glomus fasciculatus, Glomus spp. (a mixture containing both Glomus mosseae and Glomus etunicatus), or a VA mixture of several fungi from the genera Glomus and Gigaspora. Before the seed was sown, all plots had calcium standardized and received an application of commercial fertilizer. During the growing season, NH4N03 was applied to all plots in equal portions. My­ corrhizal seedlings with G. fasciculatus were slightly but not significantly larger in both height and root-collar diameter than were seedlings with the Glomus spp. or the VA mixture. Seedlings from all VA treatments were approximately 32 em tall with root-collar diameters of approximately 0.70 em. Nonmycorrhizal seedlings averaged 4.5 em in height and 0.19 em in root-collar diameter. Progeny from four of the mother trees were consistently larger than those from the other five, but progeny from three of these five were consistently smaller regardless of the VA mycorrhizal treatment. From a given mother tree, no significant difference in progeny ranking was observed among treatments. Significant differences in percentage of roots infected and in intensity of infection within root segments were found among the three treatments, but these differences were not correlated with seedling growth. There were some differences in mineral analyses of tissue from seedlings among the different mycorrhizal treatments and the control but no consistent trends were observed in any of the parameters in the tests. FoREST Sci. 27:327-335. RECENT RESEARCH indicates that vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal fungi play a significant role in quality seedling production of sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) in nursery beds (Bryan and Kormanik 1977, Kormanik and others 1977b, South 1977). From eight mother trees Kormanik and others (1977a) re­ ported large differences in growth among half-sib progeny which were either mycorrhizal or nonmycorrhizal with a VA mixture of Glomus mosseae (Nicol. and Gerd.) Gerdemann and Trappe and Glomus etunicatus Becker and Gerde­ mann. In the latter study, Kormanik and others (1977a) detected no significant fertilizer responses among any of the half-sib progeny at fertilizer levels of 140, 280, 560, and 1 , 120 kg/ha of a commercial 10-10-10 fertilizer. Their data suggested
Influence of patient and provider characteristics on quality of care for the myelodysplastic syndromes

Summary Little is known about quality of care for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), or patient and provider factors that influence quality. We identified Medicare enrollees diagnosed with MDS between 2006 and 2011, and analysed linked claims for performance on two widely-accepted quality measures: diagnostic bone marrow cytogenetic testing (diagnostic quality) and pre-treatment iron assessment for patients receiving an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA; treatment quality). A total of 4575 patients met the criteria for diagnostic quality measurement, and 3379 for treatment quality measurement. In the diagnostic cohort, 74% had a claim for marrow cytogenetic testing 3 months before to 3 months after diagnosis. In multivariate models, younger age (P < 0·001), treatment at a higher-volume MDS centre (P < 0·001), and claims for pancytopenia (P < 0·001) were all associated with higher levels of testing. A borderline result was observed for diagnostic year, with improvement over time (P = 0·06). In the treatment cohort, 56% had evidence of pre-ESA iron assessment, with higher rates for later years of diagnosis (P < 0·001), higher household income (P = 0·03), and those treated at higher-volume centres (P = 0·01). In this large cohort of patients with MDS, quality of care was suboptimal overall, but worse in several specific subgroups. These data suggest that targeted educational and/or process-focused interventions are warranted.
Representation and efficiency in a production system for speech understanding

The research question studied is whether it is practical to use a production system (PS) architecture for a version of the Hearsay-II (IISII) speech understanding system. The study focuses on adequacy of representation, space efficiency and time efficiency A running PS architecture called HSP was designed and implemented and twelve HSH Knowledge sources were translated to HSP productions, with two of the twelve actually run under MSP. Detailed comparisons of HSH and HSP produced the following results: (1) HSP is adequate to represent the HSII speech Knowledge, even though HSP is a comparatively simple PS architecture; (2) HSP suffers a moderate space penalty for representing declarative HSII Knowledge, which is serious since HSII contains a high proportion of such Knowledge; (3) representation of HSII declarative Knowledge as HSP productions causes problems with multiple use of that Knowledge; (4) lack of a local worKing memory in the HSP architecture has serious consequences both for space and time efficiency; and (5) HSP has a time efficiency handicap of two to three-and-a-half orders of magnitude, in spite of efficiency mechanisms which make HSP comparable in time efficiency to other PSs. The paper ends with a set of questions that remain to be answered for a thorough evaluation of a PS version of HSII.
Community Engagement from the Ground Up: An Interdisciplinary Service-Learning After-School Garden Program

Through the vehicle of community engagement, and with a commitment to ecological sustainability, the University of Georgia has made a series of efforts to support a growing local food movement through education, research, and service. This paper focuses on the development of a comprehensive after-school garden program with direct links to the university via interdisciplinary service-learning mechanisms. The university is located in a county with one of the highest poverty rates in the nation. With a commitment to creating innovative, community-empowered approaches to addressing poverty and related food insecurity, an interdisciplinary group of university faculty, in collaboration with community partners, came together to develop a sustainable after-school garden program. Students from three disciplines (foods and nutrition, horticulture, and social work) are placed in after-school sites to work with elementary school students to establish, support, and grow food gardens. This paper discusses the development process of the program. Anecdotal successes, challenges, and opportunities between, within, and across various systems are explored.
Thermodynamic, structural and transport properties of tetramethyl ammonium fluoride: first principles molecular dynamics simulations of an unusual ionic liquid.

First principle molecular dynamics (FPMD) simulations in the isobaric−isothermal ensemble were carried out to investigate the liquid phase of pure tetramethyl ammonium fluoride (TMAF), its equimola...