cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Partial Least Squares Regression Analysis to Predict Physiological Glucose Concentrations in vitro

Partial least squares regression is used to predict glucose concentrations in vitro throughout the physiological range using mid-infrared transmission spectra of glucose in water or serum. Concentrations as low as 30 mg/dL are predicted to clinical accuracy.
The use of vignette analysis of dangerous driving situations involving alcohol to differentiate adolescent DWI offenders and high school drivers.

Adolescent drivers are commonly involved in a variety of dangerous driving situations involving alcohol and drug use. Both situational and personality factors contribute to the adolescent DWI phenomenon. Little is known about young drivers' ability to analyze common potentially dangerous alcohol-involved driving situations, or in what respects differing patterns of analysis differentiate adolescent drivers at risk for DWI. Three groups of adolescent drivers (N = 153) completed an analysis of vignettes questionnaire to assess their decision-making skills and attitudes with respect to drinking and driving. The three comparison groups consisted of high school drivers, young DWI offenders, and juvenile offenders without DWI citations. Subjects were demographically similar except for academic performance, employment, family intactness, car ownership, and drug and alcohol use, with DWI offenders and non-DWI offenders showing significant differences in these measures (p less than .001). Situation analysis showed that adolescent DWI offenders more often than controls drink prior to driving (p less than .001), associate alcohol with many social events and dating (p less than .001), become angry when questioned about driving ability (p less than .001), play drinking games (p = .1), drive fast to resolve stress (p = .001), are less likely to recruit parents when faced with driving intoxicated (p less than .001), and a number of other situational characteristics indicating differential risk between groups for DWI. In many cases, other juvenile offenders matched responses of DWI offenders. Important aspects of these findings are discussed in the context of intervention strategies and the use of vignette analysis as one tool to identify high-risk adolescent drivers for DWI.
Soybean development as influenced by illuminance during extended daylengths

Abstract Daylength is critical in influencing ontogenetic events in soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.). However, the light levels that evoke the daylength response have been researched only to a limited extent. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of light level during an extended photoperiod on the ontogenetic development of several soybean genotypes grown under field conditions. Plants were grown under a gradient of illuminance ranging up to 300 lux (13 W m −2 for the lamps used) which extended the photoperiod to 15 h. For the period from emergence to flowering, three types of responses were observed. At illuminances below about 35 lux the date of flowering was unaffected. Between about 35 and 130 lux, flowering date was delayed in proportion to the logarithm of illuminance. Above about 130 lux no further delays in flowering were observed. The response for the period between flowering and seed growth was considerably different in comparison to the duration of the vegetative period. The duration of the early reproductive period was extended for many genotypes in proportion to a linear increase in illuminance up to about 120 lux. However, some genotypes showed small or negative responses of lengthened duration of early reproductive development to illuminance.
Law and the “Other”: Karl N. Llewellyn, Cultural Anthropology, and the Legacy of The Cheyenne Way

In the summer of 1935, a well-known legal academic and a young anthropologist ventured together to the Tongue River Reservation in Lame Deer, Montana, to study the legal culture of the Cheyenne. Through the recollections of the elder members of the tribe, the two scholars came to understand how the Cheyenne resolved their social disputes and how they "cleaned up the messes" of homicide, theft, adultery, and the like. The lawyer and anthropologist, having analyzed over 50 "trouble-cases," were astonished by the "juristic beauty" and "legal genius" of Cheyenne dispute resolution. Studying the legal processes of the non-Western "other" exemplified for them the role of law in channeling human behavior and maintaining social cohesion. The Cheyenne had-or so it appeared to the two observers-the unique, problem-solving ability to reconcile general notions of law with the particular dictates of individual justice. The legal academic in charge of the study was Karl N. Llewellyn, the Betts professor of jurisprudence at Columbia University Law School; his anthropologist assistant was E. Adamson Hoebel, a junior faculty member at New York University and a former Llewellyn student. The culmination of their work, which included
Distal ligand reactivity and quaternary structure studies of proximally detached hemoglobins.

The linkage between the proximal histidines and the proximal polypeptide in normal adult human hemoglobin (Hb A) has been proposed to play a major role in transmitting allosteric effects between oxygen binding sites [Perutz, M. F. (1970) Nature 228, 726−734]. Here we present circular dichroism (CD), 1H NMR, analytical ultracentrifugation, and stopped-flow kinetic data to better define the quaternary structure of hemoglobins in which the linkage between the proximal histidines and the polypeptide backbone has been broken [Barrick et al. Nat. Struct. Biol. 4, 78−83 (1997)] and to characterize the distal ligand binding properties of these proximally detached Hbs. CD spectroscopy indicates that rHb (αH87G) and rHb (αH87G/βH92G) retain at least partial T-quaternary structure with distal ligand bound, whereas rHb (βH92G) does not, consistent with 1H NMR spectra. Analytical ultracentrifugation reveals significant tetramer dissociation in rHb (βH92G) to be the likely cause of loss of T-state markers. These quater...
Linkage mapping with paralogs exposes regions of residual tetrasomic inheritance in chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)

Gene sequence similarity due to shared ancestry after a duplication event, that is paralogy, complicates the assessment of genetic variation, as sequences originating from paralogs can be difficult to distinguish. These confounded sequences are often removed prior to further analyses, leaving the underlying loci uncharacterized. Salmonids have only partially rediploidized subsequent to a whole-genome duplication; residual tetrasomic inheritance has been observed in males. We present a maximum-likelihood-based method to resolve confounded paralogous loci by observing the segregation of alleles in gynogenetic haploid offspring and demonstrate its effectiveness by constructing two linkage maps for chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), with and without these newly resolved loci. We find that the resolved paralogous loci are not randomly distributed across the genome. A majority are clustered in expanded subtelomeric regions of 14 linkage groups, suggesting a significant fraction of the chum salmon genome may be missed by the exclusion of paralogous loci. Transposable elements have been proposed as drivers of genome evolution and, in salmonids, may have an important role in the rediploidization process by driving differentiation between homeologous chromosomes. Consistent with that hypothesis, we find a reduced fraction of transposable element annotations among paralogous loci, and these loci predominately occur in the genomic regions that lag in the rediploidization process.
Seasonal and Interannual Variability in Gulf of Maine Hydrodynamics: 2002-2011.

Abstract In situ observations including long-term moored meteorological and oceanographic measurements and multi-year gulf-wide ship survey data are used to quantify interannual variability of surface wind, river runoff, and hydrographic conditions in the Gulf of Maine during summers 2002–2011. The cumulative upwelling index shows that upwelling (downwelling)-favorable wind conditions were most persistent in 2010 (2005) over the 10-year study period. River discharge was highest in 2005; peak runoff occurred in early April in 2010 as opposed to late April to middle May in other years. Moored time series show that coastal water temperature was 0.5–2 °C warmer than average in summer 2010, and about 2 °C colder than average in 2004. Coastal salinity in April 2010 was the lowest in the 10-year study period. Both moored Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) current measurements and dynamic height/geostrophic velocity calculations based on gulf-wide ship survey data show May–June 2010 had one of the weakest alongshore transports in the western Gulf of Maine during the 10-year study period, likely associated with intrusions of warm slope water and fresher-than-usual Scotian Shelf water. Comparisons of coastal currents to the Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) closure maps resulting from Alexandrium fundyense blooms suggest a linkage between alongshore transport and the downstream extent of toxicity.
Effect of nitrosoureas on calmodulin activity in vitro and in mouse intestine in vivo.

The effects of BCNU, CCNU, methyl-CCNU, streptozotocin, and chlorozotocin on calmodulin activity were studied in vitro and in vivo. Preincubation of BCNU, CCNU, and methyl-CCNU with calmodulin produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of in vitro calmodulin activity expressed as stimulation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. Cyclohexylisocyanate produced a similar inhibition. Streptozotocin and chlorozotocin had no effect. Calmodulin inhibition by methyl-CCNU was dependent on the concentration of calcium in the preincubation mixture. Administration of methyl-CCNU or chlorozotocin IP to CF1 mice produced a dose-dependent inhibition of calmodulin activity in the small intestine. Methyl-CCNU produced a significant decrease in intestinal calmodulin activity as early as 1 h after treatment, an effect that persisted up to 52 h. Morphologic changes in the intestinal crypt eptihelial cells were evident between 27 h and 5 days after treatment, but not earlier than 27 h. Renal and testicular calmodulin activity and morphology were unaffected. Although it was not possible to correlate the extent of calmodulin inhibition with severity of the intestinal lesions, the data suggested a relationship between reduced activity of calmodulin in a tissue and the ultimate appearance of lesions. This apparent interaction between an antitumor drug and calmodulin in vivo could have multiple implications for cancer chemotherapy.
Management of Symptomatic Spontaneous Isolated Visceral Artery Dissection: Is Emergent Intervention Mandatory?

Spontaneous dissection of a visceral artery without associated aortic dissection is rare, although more cases have recently been reported because of the advancement of diagnostic techniques. The risk factors, causes, and natural history of spontaneous isolated visceral artery dissection are unclear. Treatment with open surgery, endovascular stenting, or anticoagulation therapy has been proposed; however, there is no consensus on the optimal management. We present three cases of spontaneous and isolated dissection of visceral arteries. Dissection involved the superior mesenteric artery in one and the celiac artery in two. All three patients presented with acute abdominal pain but lacked any peritoneal irritation. The patients were treated nonoperatively with anticoagulants or antiplatelets. No surgical or endovascular intervention was performed. Follow-up imaging studies demonstrated improvement of the dissection in two patients and no change in one patient. All patients were symptom-free over a mean follow-up of 17 months. Nonoperative treatment with close observation is an acceptable strategy in the management of spontaneous isolated dissection of visceral arteries. Emergent intervention is not mandatory in symptomatic patients without evidence of acute bowel ischemia or hemorrhage.
Rhythm of suprachiasmatic nucleus 2-deoxyglucose uptake in vitro

Using a hypothalamic slice preparation containing the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and measurement of 2-deoxyl[14C]glucose (2-DG) uptake by autoradiography, we have demonstrated that, after 1 h in vitro, 2-DG uptake into the SCN is proportional to the rate of glucose utilization present in vivo at the corresponding subjective time of day and that, during an 8-h incubation in vitro, the SCN is capable of spontaneously changing its metabolic rate.
HABITAT PATTERNS IN TROPICAL RAIN FORESTS: A COMPARISON OF 105 PLOTS IN NORTHWEST BORNEO

Understanding the maintenance of high tropical tree species diversity requires disentangling the effects of habitat vs. geographic distance. Using floristic, topographic, and soil nutrient data from 105 0.6-ha plots in mixed dipterocarp forest throughout Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, we explore the degree to which floristic patterns are habitat-driven from local to landscape scales. We assess how the floristic influence of geographic distance vs. abiotic factors varies from local to regional scales. We employ several multivariate analytical techniques and perform a hierarchical clustering of the research plots using the Steinhaus index of floristic dissimilarity, as well as Mantel analyses on matrices of floristic, habitat, and geographic distance. These analyses indicate that floristic variation is more strongly correlated with habitat than with geographic distance on the regional scale. On the local- landscape to community scale, we find evidence of a resource threshold above which habitat effects weaken; that is, below the resource threshold floristic similarity between sites is dominated by habitat effects, while above the threshold floristic similarity between sites is dominated by geographic-distance effects. We also find evidence that topography and soil nutrients correlate in part independently with floristics. These results, together with previous studies in the Neotropics, emphasize that tree species distribution and community com- position are variously influenced by the interplay of both habitat and dispersal-driven effects.
Attachment and metamorphosis of the cheilo-ctenostome bryozoan bugula neritina (linné).

The structure, attachment and subsequent metamorphosis of larvae of the marine bryozoan Bugula neritina were studied by light and electron microscopy. Two points of larval anatomy are of special significance to proper interpretation of the metamorphosis: 1 Two cytologically similar blastemal tissues, each laden with free ribosomes, occur as parts of the apical organ complex. The upper blastema directly contacts the larval surface, forming the non-ciliated rows of the apical organ. The lower blastema is internal and is oral to and contiguous with the upper blastema. 2 The epidermal tissues of the larva are joined in the following sequence, beginning at the aboral pole: a. apical organ complex; b. apical-connecting cell; c. infolded pallial sinus epithelium; d. vesicular-connecting cell; e. aboral vesicular epithelium; f. corona; g. oral vesicular epithelium; and i., j., and k. internal sac neck, wall and roof regions. The initial stages of metamorphosis involve a complex sequence of morphogenetic movements, including: 1 eversion of the internal sac, permanently attaching the larva to the substrate; 2 inrolling of the aboral vesicular epithelium, corona, oral vesicular and ciliated epithelia, and neck region of the internal sac into the larval interior; concomitantly the pallial sinus epithelium evaginates; 3 loss of connection between the invaginated tissues and the surface; 4 fusion of the pallial sinus epithelium with the wall region of the internal sac, maintaining the integrity of the body surface; 5 retraction of the apical organ complex and invagination of the pallial sinus epithelium with the simultaneous elevation of the internal sac wall region to the aboral pole. At the conclusion of these events the preancestrular surface is covered by the wall and roof regions of the internal sac. Cells of the wall region form the epidermis of the body wall except for the attachment disc and secrete a cuticular exoskeleton that is secondarily calcified; the attachment disc is formed by the roof region of the internal sac. Internally, the ectodermal upper blastema differentiates into the lophophore and digestive tract of the ancestrular polypide, while the lower blastema forms the lining of the lophophoral coelom and the splanchnic (but not the somatic) lining of the visceral coelom. The visceral somatic peritoneum is formed from cells that may originate from the mesodermally derived pigmented cells of the larva to which they are similar in pigmentation and cytology. Such a composite derivation of a coelomic lining has not been described previously.
Global optimization in LEED structure determination using genetic algorithms

Abstract By application of search algorithms, low energy electron diffraction (LEED) structure determination is now capable of solving relatively complicated systems. However, since LEED is a diffraction technique, the danger remains in identifying an incorrect structure because a local rather than a global minimum in the R -factor hypersurface was found. Recently it has been suggested that simulated annealing could be employed to circumvent this potential problem. In this Letter, using the Ir(110)-(1 × 2) missing row structure as an example, we demonstrate that genetic algorithms can also be used for a full structural analysis. Our results indicate that a rough global search using a genetic algorithm, followed by structural refinement using conventional steepest descent methods, should yield the correct structure within a typically tractable timescale.
Promoting Consumer Adoption of High-Technology Products: Is More Information Always Better?

An important challenge for firms commercializing technology-based new products is to reduce consumers' perceptions of performance uncertainty. We build on prior research in consumer decision making and acceptance of high-technology products and focus on the role of information in influencing perceptions of performance uncertainty of new product interfaces. In contrast to prior literature, we show here that more information is not always better in reducing performance uncertainty. We argue that the effects of more (vs. less) information on the performance uncertainty of a new interface and consumer adoption intentions of the new product are moderated by the degree of newness of the particular functionality (i.e., set of potential benefits) that is delivered by the new product. We report two experiments that investigate this problem and show that more information helps to reduce performance uncertainty only when the product provides a preexisting functionality. However, high levels of information about the new interface actually intensify performance uncertainty when the product delivers a new functionality. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings.
Methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase is a high-affinity catecholamine-binding protein.

Abstract Recombinant mouse 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFS) was expressed in Escherichia coli and shown to co-purify with a chromophore that had a λ max at 320 nm. The chromophore remained bound to MTHFS during extensive dialysis, but dissociated from MTHFS when its substrate, 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, was bound. The chromophore was identified as an oxidized catecholamine by mass spectrometry and absorption spectroscopy. Purified recombinant mouse MTHFS and rabbit liver MTHFS proteins were shown to bind oxidized N -acetyldopamine (NADA) tightly. The addition of NADA to cell culture medium accelerated markedly folate turnover and decreased both folate accumulation and total cellular folate concentrations in MCF-7 cells. Expression of the MTHFS cDNA in MCF-7 cells increased the concentration of NADA required to deplete cellular folate. The results of this study are the first to identify a link between catecholamines and one-carbon metabolism and demonstrate that NADA accelerates folate turnover and impairs cellular folate accumulation in MCF-7 cells.
Ultra-sensitive Compact Fiber Sensor Based on Nanoparticle Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering

The demand for sensors for detecting chemical and biological agents is greater than ever before, including medical, environmental, food safety, military, and security applications. At present, most detection or sensing techniques tend to be either non-molecule specific, bulky, expensive, relatively inaccurate, or unable to provide real time data. Clearly, alternative sensing technologies are urgently needed. In this paper, we present a novel sensor with a nanoparticle surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate coated on D-shaped or end-polished fibers for chemical, biological, and environmental detection. The sensor will be highly sensitive, molecular specific, reliable, label-free, non-invasive, inexpensive, easy to produce commercially using existing technologies, compatible with existing lasers and detectors, and applicable to a large number of molecules of interest. This is made possible by the unique sensor architecture based on a combination of optical fiber technology and novel SERS substrates, where SERS provides the high sensitivity (106-1015 enhancement factor), molecular specificity, and applicability to a wide range of compounds, while the novel fiber configurations provide the flexibility, compactness, reliability, low cost, and ease of production.
(ii) Percutaneous wiring—principles, techniques, and applications

Abstract Results following percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation of unstable closed simple (one fracture line) and bicondylar hand fractures are the ‘gold standard' by which all other treatment methods are compared. Kirschner wires may be inserted into undisplaced fractures of either stable (transverse or nearly transverse) or unstable (oblique or bicondylar) configuration that may be anticipated to displace either spontaneously or with unresisted exercises and into similar displaced fractures following closed reduction. Kirschner wire insertion causes little additional soft tissue trauma adjacent to the fracture, thus minimising the risk of stiffness due to surgery. Good to excellent results are reliably achieved in the vast majority of cases in terms of healing, alignment, stability, digital motion, and residual pain.
Photodecomposition of Methylmercury in an Arctic Alaskan Lake

Sunlight-induced decomposition of monomethylmercury (MMHg) reduces its availability for accumulation in aquatic food webs. We examined MMHg degradation in epilimnetic waters of Toolik Lake (68° 38‘ N, 149° 36‘ W) in arctic Alaska, a region illuminated by sunlight almost continuously during the summer. MMHg decomposition in surface water of Toolik Lake is exclusively abiotic and mediated by sunlight; comparable rates of MMHg decomposition were observed in filter-sterilized and unfiltered surface waters incubated under in situ sunlight and temperature conditions, and no MMHg was degraded in unfiltered aliquots incubated in the dark. Rates of photodecomposition are first order with respect to both MMHg concentration and the intensity of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), except at the lake surface where rates of photochemical degradation are enhanced relative to PAR intensity and may be attributed to an additional influence of ultraviolet light. The estimated annual loss of MMHg to photodecomposition...
Passive avoidance in forebrain ablated teleost fish, Carassius auratus

Abstract This experiment was undertaken to extend our understanding of the relationship between the fish forebrain and learning. To this end, normal and forebrain ablated goldfish were first trained in an appetitive instrumental response. After both groups were performing asymptotically and equivalently, shock punishment was introduced such that the groups were faced with a passive avoidance task. The ablated fish were inferior in coping with the passive avoidance task. This finding supports and extends observations that forebrainless fish are inferior to normals in an active avoidance task and suggests that the deficits in both classes of avoidance learning may be related to loss of inhibitory functions.
Temporal appearance of satellite cells during myogenesis

Abstract In this study, differences between fetal and adult myoblasts in clonal and high density culture have been used to determine when adult myoblasts can first be detected during avian development. The results indicate that avian adult myoblasts are apparent as a distinct population of myoblasts during the midfetal stage of development. Three different criteria were used to differentiate fetal and adult myoblasts and demonstrate when adult myoblasts become a major proportion of the myoblast population: (1) differences in slow myosin heavy chain 1 (MHC1) isoform expression, (2) initiation of DNA synthetic activity, and (3) average myoblast length. Fetal chicken (ED10–12) pectoralis muscle (PM) myoblasts form myotubes that express slow MHC1 after prolonged culture, while adult chicken PM myoblasts do not. Fetal avian myoblasts were active in DNA synthesis and large when first isolated, reaching peak rates of synthesis by 24 hr in culture, while adult myoblasts were inactive in DNA synthesis and small when first isolated, only reaching peak rates of DNA synthesis and size at 3 days of incubation. A dramatic decrease in the percentage of muscle colonies with fibers that expressed slow MHC1 was observed between the midfetal stage and hatching in the chicken, along with a corresponding decrease in myoblast DNA synthetic activity and average length during this same period in both the chicken and the quail. Myoblast activity and average length increased again 3–4 days posthatch and a small transient increase in the number of slow MHC1-expressing clones was also associated with the massive growth of muscle that occurs in the neonatal bird. We conclude that adult myoblasts are present as a distinct population of myoblasts at least as early as the midfetal stages of avian development.
A 2000-yr reconstruction of air temperature in the Great Basin of the United States with specific reference to the Medieval Climatic Anomaly

Abstract A sediment core representing the past two millennia was recovered from Stella Lake in the Snake Range of the central Great Basin in Nevada. The core was analyzed for sub-fossil chironomids and sediment organic content. A quantitative reconstruction of mean July air temperature (MJAT) was developed using a regional training set and a chironomid-based WA-PLS inference model (r 2 jack = 0.55, RMSEP = 0.9°C). The chironomid-based MJAT reconstruction suggests that the interval between AD 900 and AD 1300, corresponding to the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA), was characterized by MJAT elevated 1.0°C above the subsequent Little Ice Age (LIA), but likely not as warm as recent conditions. Comparison of the Stella Lake temperature reconstruction to previously published paleoclimate records from this region indicates that the temperature fluctuations inferred to have occurred at Stella Lake between AD 900 and AD 1300 correspond to regional records documenting hydroclimate variability during the MCA interval. The Stella Lake record provides evidence that elevated summer temperature contributed to the increased aridity that characterized the western United States during the MCA.
Creep-Fatigue Resistance of a Nickel-Aluminide

A modified fatigue test matrix that provided both creep (high mean stress) and fatigue (alternating stress) damage was used to evaluate the creep-fatigue behavior of D.S. Ni3 Al(B,Hf). The three generic regimes of below, at, and above peak yield strength temperature were investigated. It was found that the creep-fatigue resistance of this intermetallic remains high through the three temperature regimes, allowing it to be further considered as a monolith or as the matrix of high-temperature fiber reinforced composite.
Measuring correlations between atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide mole fractions: A preliminary study in urban air

On 25 and 26 October 1986 the air in Cambridge, Massachusetts was monitored for O2 and CO2 mole fraction. O2 concentrations were detected from changes in the relative refractivity of dried air between two lines of 198Hg at 2537.269 and 4359.562 A using dual-wavelength interferometry. Changes in oxygen mole fraction were resolved with two-minute time resolution to a precision of ±2.0 ppm. Changes in O2 were shown to be strongly anticorrelated with changes in CO2 as expected for combustion processes. The demonstrated instrumental capabilities are appropriate for measuring changes in O2 mole fraction in background air which could be of importance to a broad range of biogeochemical studies.
Imaging the patient with right upper quadrant pain

A variety of high-resolution imaging techniques are currently available for the evaluation of patients with RUQ pain. In these patients, an imaging approach that is based on identifying the presence of certain clinical signs and symptoms can aid in choosing the appropriate imaging modality and establishing the diagnosis. For patients presenting with a positive Murphy sign, sonography and biliary scintigraphy are the most useful initial imaging techniques. In patients with fever and a negative Murphy sign, a combination of sonography and contrast-enhanced CT can establish the diagnosis in most cases. And finally, in patients without fever or a positive Murphy sign, CT and MR are appropriate first-line imaging techniques.
Helicobacter pylori-related immunoglobulins in sarcoidosis.

Background/Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine serum antibody titers against a common bacterial antigen, Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ), in subjects with sarcoidosis, comparing those titers to those present in a healthy population. Subjects and Methods With the approval of the Institutional Review Board of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, patients with sarcoidosis (pulmonary and extrapulmonary) who visited the Truman Medical Center-Hospital Hill pulmonary clinic were recruited to enter the study. A serum sample was frozen at −70°C for later testing ( n = 20). Specific information collected on subjects included corticosteroid use, use of histamine 2 blockers and antacids, date of first diagnosis, and stage of sarcoidosis. Normal controls and demographically matched individuals who lacked pulmonary diseases, including sarcoidosis, were also recruited. Serum samples were processed as above. Antibody capture enzyme immunoassay was completed for H. pylori and urease anti-gens by serum dilution assay for each subject, from which titers for antigen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgA were calculated. Nonspecific serum IgE was also measured. Results An increased incidence of high-titer IgG antibody directed against H. pylori antigens was found in subjects with sarcoidosis compared with controls. The sarcoidosis and control groups were significantly different with respect to IgG and IgA against H. pylori, both at p = .001. IgG directed against urease was also significantly different between sarcoidosis and control patients ( p = .001), but IgA directed against urease was very low in all subjects and did not yield significant differences between groups. Conclusions Specific H. pylori and urease IgG antibodies exceeded those expected in the population studied. The data suggest that in pulmonary sarcoidosis, the relationship of H. pylori and its products to sarcoid granuloma formation warrants further investigation.
The ecology of territoriality in small mammals

Recent research on space use and social behavior of small mammals has revealed pronounced differences in the degree of territoriality between species and between sexes within species. Hypotheses to explain these differences have been based on optimality approaches. Leading hypotheses are that the spatial distribution, abundance and renewal rates of food resources determine whether females defend territories, and that the spatial and temporal pattern of availability of females determines whether males are territorial. Other hypotheses invoke resources other than food, or maintain that territoriality in females deters infanticide. This review briefly summarizes these hypotheses and evaluates recently collected evidence from comparative and experimental studies.
Cross-listing pursuit of unseasoned foreign firms after going public in the U.S. ☆ ☆☆

Abstract We examine a company's cross-listing decision with a unique sample of unseasoned foreign firms that went public in the U.S. and later cross-listed abroad. We find that these firms are motivated by their pursuit of global growth opportunities in both the capital and product markets. They strategically bond with the U.S. market through their U.S. IPOs to signal their commitment to increased shareholder protection, which facilitates their future capital raising efforts. Their higher quality is evidenced with characteristics of larger firm size, larger issue size, being prominent in their home countries, underwritten by prestigious underwriters, with lower issue costs and greater analysts' coverage than their non-cross-listing peers. Further analysis shows a positive valuation effect and increased liquidity for their U.S. shares around the cross-listing event. Additional findings suggest that foreign issuers seek cultural or geographical proximity when they further cross-list abroad.
POTENTIATION OF HEPATOCYTE SENSITIVITY TO MITOGENS BY GLUTAMIC ACID IN PRIMARY CULTURE

Adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture responded to epidermal growth factor (EGF) by increased DNA synthesis. When hepatocytes were cultured in Leibovitz L-15 medium, hepatocyte response to EGF was low compared with those cultured in Williams'medium E or Koga's medium L. Furthermore, in L-15 medium, female rat hepatocytes showed almost no response to the mitogenic action of EGF compared with male rat hepatocytes. Addition of glutamic acid (1 to 20 mM) to EGF-containing L-15 medium not only enhanced DNA synthesis over 10-fold in both male and female hepatocytes, but eliminated the sex differences in DNA synthesis. Glutamic acid by itself did not stimulate DNA synthesis at any concentrations tested
Positive solutions to a multi-point higher order boundary value problem

The authors consider a higher order multi-point boundary value problem. Some existence and nonexistence results for positive solutions of the problem are obtained by using Krasnosel'skii's fixed point theorem. Examples are included to illustrate the results.
Effects of anticonvulsants on cholinergic and GABAergic properties in the neuronal cell clone NG108-15

The effects of anticonvulsant drugs on growth, cholinergic, and GABAergic properties were examined in the neuronal cell clone NG108-15. Cells were exposed for 4 days to valproic acid, phenobarbital, phenytoin, or carbamazepine in concentrations equivalent to therapeutic free levels in human serum. Experiments were also performed with varying concentrations of a recently proposed antiepileptic, gamma-vinyl GABA. Of these five anticonvulsants, cell growth (total protein and cell counts) was decreased with valproic acid and phenytoin but only valproic acid and gamma-vinyl GABA altered neurotransmitter markers. Therapeutic concentrations of valproic acid increased choline acetyltransferase activity to 142% of control but had no effect on either the activity of glutamate decarboxylase or the level of GABA. The effects of a higher (toxic) concentration of valproic acid (200 μg/ml) were similar to those induced by the differentiating agent dibutyryl cyclic AMP: both decreased cell growth, enhanced the activity of choline acetyltransferase and reduced the activity of glutamate decarboxylase. Gamma-vinyl GABA had no effect on cholinergic markers but, at 1300 μg/ml, increased GABA levels to 135% of control despite the reduction of glutamate decarboxylase to 68% of control. In the NG108-15 cell clone, anticonvulsants have varying effects on cell growth, differentiation, and neurotransmitter systems. Our findings do not support the proposal that the mechanism of action for valproic acid, phenobarbital, phenytoin, and carbamazepine is via alteration of GABA levels.
Image Treatment of a 2D Vapor-Liquid Compound Droplet in a Linearized Steady Viscous Flow

The classical method of images is used to construct closed form exact solutions for the two-dimensional (2D) perturbed flow fields in the presence of a 2D vapor-liquid compound droplet in the limit of low-Reynolds number. The geometry of the multiphase droplet is composed of two overlapping infinitely long cylinders C a and C b of radii a and b, respectively, intersecting at a vertex angle π/2. The composite inclusion has the shape resembling a 2D snowman type of object with a vapor cylinder C a partly protruded into the cylinder C b filled with another fluid whose viscosity is different from that of the host fluid. The mathematical problem with this inclusion in the Stokes flow environment is formulated in terms of Stokes stream function with mixed boundary conditions at the boundary of the hybrid droplet. General expressions for the perturbed stream functions in the two phases are obtained in a straightforward fashion using Kelvin's inversion together with shift and reflection properties of biharmonic functions. Application of our method to other related problems in creeping flow and possible further generalizations are also discussed. The general results are then exploited to derive singularity solutions for the hybrid droplet embedded in (i) a centered shear flow, (ii) a quadratic potential flow, and (iii) an extensional flow past the 2D vapor-liquid compound droplet. The image singularities in each case depend on the two radii of the cylinders, the center-to-center distance, and the viscosity ratio. The exact solutions are utilized to plot the flow streamlines and they show some interesting patterns. While the flow fields exterior to the droplet exhibit symmetrical topological structures, the interior flow fields show existence of free eddies―enclosed in a figure-eight separatrix―and stagnation points (hyperbolic points). The flow characteristics are influenced by the viscosity and radii ratios. Furthermore, the asymptotic analysis leads to a rather surprising conclusion that there is a (subdominant) uniform flow far away from the droplet in all cases. The existence of an origin, the natural center of the drop of the composite geometry, which neutralizes the uniform flow for a particular choice of the physical parameters, is illustrated. This reveals the sensitivity of the geometry in 2D Stokes flow. The present results may be of some interest in models involving a combination of stick and slip boundaries. Moreover, the method discussed here can be useful both as a teaching tool and as a building block for further calculations.
MR imaging evaluation of endoscopic cranial base reconstruction with pedicled nasoseptal flap following endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery.

Abstract Introduction Postoperative CSF leak is the most common complication of endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) to skull base lesions. Endoscopic multilayer closure of skull base defect using pedicled nasoseptal flaps (NSF) based off the sphenopalatine artery reduces CSF leaks. EEA robustly expands in surgical arena, yet postoperative imaging evaluation remains poorly studied. This work illustrates normal MR imaging appearance of skull base reconstruction utilizing NSFs during immediate postoperative period. Methods We retrospectively identified patients who had skull base reconstructions utilizing NSFs following EEAs and immediate postoperative-enhanced brain MRI. NSFs and free grafts were evaluated for signal intensity, thickness, configuration, enhancement, vascular pedicle of NSF, relationship in multilayer reconstruction, and defect coverage. Imaging findings were correlated with surgical technique and CSF leaks. Results Twenty-eight patients had 26 multilayer reconstructions and 34 NSFs. Twenty-nine NSFs showed enhancing C-shaped arc at the skull base. Of those, 26 flaps (90%) were confidently identified by visualization of their vascular pedicles, 3 were not distinguishable from adjacent mucosa and pedicles were not identified. Five NSFs showed no enhancement (1 CSF leak). Twenty-seven enhancing NSFs approximated defects with close abutment to free grafts. One flap was displaced; one incompletely covered the defect (2 CSF leaks). Fisher exact test demonstrated an association between incomplete defect coverage and displacement of NSFs with CSF leak ( P = 0.05). Conclusion Endoscopic skull base reconstruction utilizing NSF has characteristic MR imaging appearance. Non-enhancing mucosal gap or displacement of NSF may indicate incomplete defect coverage, identifying patients at risk for CSF leak.
Measurement of immunoreactive angiotensin II levels in microdissected brain nuclei from developing spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats.

Abstract Levels of immunoreactive angiotensin II (ANG II) were measured in specific microdissected nuclei from the brains of newborn (NB; less than 1 week of age), 4-, 8-, and 12-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their age-matched normotensive controls, Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, using a sensitive radioimmunoassay. The structures investigated included the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH), the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMN of X), the locus coeruleus (LC), and the A1 region of the medulla. A section of cerebellar cortex was used as a control. Although ANG II was detected in each of the nuclei examined, there were no differences in the ANG II contents of any of these structures between young (NB and 4 week old) SH and WKY rats. However, by 8 weeks of age, the SHR had significantly higher ANG II levels in the PVH, NTS, and DMN of X than its normotensive control, and at 12 weeks of age, significantly higher ANG II levels were observed in the PVH, NTS, DMN of X, and LC of the SHR compared to those in the WKY. During the developmental period under investigation, both strains revealed increases in the ANG II content of all nuclei except for the LC, where the ANG II levels decreased with age. No detectable ANG II was found in the cerebellar cortex of either strain at any age. Since the brain and brain stem nuclei examined in this investigation have been implicated in the neural control of cardiovascular function, we conclude that the differences in ANG II levels between SH and WKY rats during development support the postulated role for ANG II in the pathogenesis of hypertension in the SH rat model.
Phonon coupling associated with free-to-bound and bound-to-bound transitions in GaAs layers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy.

The longitudinal-optical-- and transverse-optical--phonon modes were observed to couple to selective-pair-luminescence transitions in GaAs samples. Very little phonon broadening is seen in the phonon-replica transitions. This is due to the relatively flat phonon-dispersion curves at the \ensuremath{\Gamma} point in k space, where the phonon coupling occurs. Phonon replicas were also observed when the donor-acceptor pairs were resonantly excited at specific pair separations with the pair impurities being in their ground states. In this excitation, not only was the LO and TO mode coupling to the pump-energy transition observed, but also phonon coupling to the free-to-bound transition. The phonon-coupling energy to the free-to-bound transition was determined to be 47.9 meV. The observed phonon-coupling energy is close to the calculated and measured energy of the local vibrational mode of $^{28}\mathrm{Si}_{\mathrm{Ga}}$ in GaAs.
Host preference of the plum curculio

We assessed host preference of adult plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), based on the total number of mark-released and wild adults recovered and the total distance moved by mark-released adults in an orchard whose layout was designed to specifically allow foraging plum curculios to choose among host tree species. Host trees included apple, Malus domestica Borkh.; pear, Pyrus communis (L.); peach, Prunus persica (L.) Batsch; apricot, Prunus armeniaca L.; tart cherry, Prunus cerasus L.; sweet cherry, Prunus avium (L.); European plum, Prunus domestica L.; and Japanese plum, Prunus salicina Lindl. (all Rosaceae). We released 2900 marked adults and recovered 17.7%. We used screen traps to provide a measure of the number of adults that arrived at and climbed up particular host trees and found that significantly greater numbers of marked adults and the greatest number of wild adults were recovered from screen traps attached to Japanese plum. We sampled host tree canopies by tapping limbs to provide a measure of the number of adults within a tree canopy at a particular moment. Again, significantly greater numbers of marked and wild adults were recovered from plum species, with no difference between Japanese and European plum cultivars for marked individuals, but with significantly greater numbers of wild individuals recovered from Japanese plum. The preference index (PI) for Japanese plum based on total distances moved by all marked adults recovered on Japanese plum divided by the total distance moved by marked adults recovered on other host trees indicated that Japanese plum was the most highly preferred host, followed by European plum, peach, sweet cherry, tart cherry, apricot, apple, and pear, respectively.
Negative Input Shaping: Eliminating Overcurrenting and Maximizing the Command Space

Input shaping is a filtering method used for reducing oscillation in flexible systems. A class of these filters, called negative input shapers, has been developed to improve system rise-time beyond what is achievable using conventional input-shaping filters. However, negative input shapers can cause overcurrenting and subsequent system oscillation, when used with certain reference commands. This class of reference commands is examined in the context of the command space. The command space represents the space of all possible signals that may be issued to a system. It provides insight into how overcurrenting occurs, how overcurrenting can be mitigated, and the influence that mitigation strategies have on system performance. Two overcurrenting mitigation strategies are presented. The operational effects of overcurrenting and overcurrenting mitigation are evaluated using a three-dimensional simulation of a bridge crane, and experimental results from a 10 ton industrial bridge crane.
Sharing learner profile through an ontology and Web services

We propose a Web services based solution to exchange learner's information among different e-learning systems described following Web ontology. The Web services technology was used because it allows the easy communication between Web applications through the HTTS protocol. Our goal is to make different e-learning systems to cooperate with each other in order to reach a set of learner information richer than that currently found in standard e-learning systems. The present work is part of a current project intended to present an adaptive content associated to a particular student profile, the AdaptWeb/spl reg/ Project.
A mass spectrometric solution to the address problem of combinatorial libraries

The molecular weights of femtomole quantities of small peptides attached to polystyrene beads have been determined with imaging time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. The analysis is made possible by the selective clipping of the bond linking the peptide to a bead with trifluoroacetic acid vapor before the secondary ion mass spectrometry assay. The approach can be applied to large numbers of 30- to 60-micrometer polystyrene beads for the direct characterization of massive combinatorial libraries.