cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A theory of a generally acceptable medium of exchange and barter

Abstract This paper develops a model that accounts both for the existence of money, defined as a generally acceptable medium of exchange, and for the survival of some barter exchange in economies in which money exists. In contrast to Jones' (1976) seminal article in which individuals are restricted to fix trading strategies before entering the market, the present model assumes that individuals have conditional trading strategies that allow them to effect exchange according to the types of trades they encounter in the market. The analysis shows how decentralized market forces generate money and lead to a unique level of monetization.
An event-related brain potential study of sentence comprehension in preschoolers: semantic and morphosyntactic processing

The goal of this study was to investigate the distinctiveness and the relative time course of the event-related brain potentials (ERP) elicited by syntactically and semantically anomalous words within sentences in 36- and 48-month-old children. ERPs were recorded while children listened to semantically anomalous (i.e., My uncle will blow the movie*), syntactically anomalous (i.e., My uncle will watching the movie*) and control sentences (i.e., My uncle will watch the movie). Semantic violations elicited a negative slow wave with different peaks at 400, 600 and 800 ms in both age groups, whereas the morphosyntactic violations elicited two positive shifts: the first starting at 200 ms with a frontal distribution over the scalp and the second starting at 600 ms and peaking around 800 ms with a broad distribution across the scalp in 36-month-olds and anteriorly distributed for 48-month-olds. These results show that preschoolers display different ERP patterns to syntactic and to semantic violations within sentences. It is possible that the ERP effects here reported are analogous to those elicited in adults by the same type of stimuli, although differences in topography are evident.
Interactions between rotavirus and gastrointestinal cells

Rotaviruses are the leading cause of life-threatening diarrheal disease in infants and in young animals worldwide. The outcome of rotavirus infection of intestinal epithelial cells is more complex and involves induction of more diverse cellular responses than initially appreciated. Similar to bacteria, the pathogenesis of rotavirus-induced disease involves an enterotoxin, activation of the enteric nervous system and malabsorption, suggesting that common mechanisms of pathogenesis may exist between viral and bacterial pathogens.
Feedback placement of eigenvalues for a Hilbert space oscillator

Consider the effect of a compact linear feedback control on the eigenvalues of a Hilbert space oscillator. It is shown that the kth eigenvalue can be perturbed a distance of only if a sequence is summable. Conditions are also derived under which a sequence of complex numbers can be obtained as eigenvalues using such a feedback control. The analysis gives an explicit form for the control in terms of the desired eigenvalues. A simple application to the stabilization problem for water waves in a finite tank is given.
On the Effects of Elastic Nonlinearity in Metals

The variation in Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio of metals during uniaxial deformation is examined. Predictions are made on the basis of a nonlinear description of the constitutive relation between stress and strain involving both second- and third-order elastic constants. A comparison of measured and predicted variations shows good agreement, with the relative change in Young’s modulus being on the order of 10 times the elastic strain for most metals. The material nonlinearity is then examined as a possible cause for changes in the natural frequency of a beam subject to an axial residual stress. An upper bound for the frequency change involving the maximum stress, initial Young’s modulus and a nonlinearity parameter is derived.
Human endometrial carcinoma cells release factors which inhibit the growth of normal epithelial cells in culture.

Autocrine and paracrine interactions between cells are important homeostatic mediators in normal tissues. Alterations to growth factor signalling pathways are likely to play a role in multistep carcinogenesis. In this study normal human endometrial epithelial cells (NHEC) after 3 days in culture were treated with serum-free medium conditioned for 24 h by log phase or confluent cultures of established RL95-2, HEC1A, or AN3CA endometrial carcinoma (EC) cell lines. By day 4, NHEC treated with either log phase or confluent conditioned medium (CM) showed a significant decrease (≈50–90% of control) in [3H]thymidine ([3H]TdR) incorporation. DNA synthesis was inhibited more by confluent than by log phase CM. By day 7, NHEC treated with CM exhibited fewer colonies per culture, fewer cells per colony, and an increased percentage of single cells. Several growth-regulatory gene products found in the nucleus or at the cell membrane have been shown to be expressed differently in normal and transformed cells. We selected the p53 and c-Ha-ras p21 proteins to further investigate the mechanism of alteration of proliferation in cells treated with carcinoma CM. Thus, by day 7, the percentage of NHEC with nuclear localization of wild type p53 (wt p53) was elevated by treatment with CM. In contrast, CM-treated EC cells continued to proliferate, and showed a decrease in the percentage of cells expressing nuclear wt p53 and an increase in the cytoplasmic expression of c-Ha-ras p21. Our studies show that EC cell lines release factors which inhibit the proliferation of NHEC, thus favoring the proliferation of EC cells.
Chemical and immunochemical studies on pregnant mare serum gonadotropin.

Abstract Highly purified pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) can be prepared from crude commercial preparations of PMSG by chromatography on sulfoethyl-Sephadex C-50 and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The preparation was examined by disc electrophoresis and gel filtration and found to be of high purity. Amino acid analysis shows similarities to pituitary gonadotropins. The PMSG contains a high content of proline and cystine and low amounts of the aromatic amino acids. Phenylalanine is the major amino terminal amino acid. The carbohydrate content totals 45% of which 10% is the content of sialic acid. The PMSG is relatively stable in 8 M urea or 4 M guanidine, but inactivated by performic acid oxidation or treatment with neuraminidase. Antiserum to PMSG was characterized by agar diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, and quantitative precipitin reactions; it was specific for PMSG and did not cross react with human or ovine interstitial cell-stimulating hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone.
Field evaluation of air-blocking shelf for dust control on blasthole drills

In previous studies, an air-blocking shelf has been shown to be successful in reducing respirable dust leakage from the drill shroud in a laboratory setting. Dust reductions of up to 81% were achieved with the shelf under operating conditions consisting of a 1.9:1 collector-to-bailing airflow ratio and a 5.1-cm gap between the shroud and ground. Recent research focused on evaluating the shelf on two actual operating blasthole drills, in much more severe environments. In the field, the shelf reduced dust levels in the areas surrounding one operating blasthole drill by 70%. Dust reductions measured in the immediate vicinity of the shroud were reduced by 66% at one mine and 81% at the other mine. These field tests confirm that the air-blocking shelf is useful for reducing respirable dust generation from blasthole drills.
Cerium-based conversion coatings as alternatives to hex chrome

Summary Rare-earth compounds are corrosion inhibitors for aluminum alloys that show promise as replacements for hexavalent chromate compounds. Cerium-based conversion coatings can be applied with spontaneous spray or immersion processes as well as an electrolytic process. The coatings can meet military standards by providing corrosion protection for up to 14 days in ASTM B117 salt spray. As with any surface finishing operation, the performance is a function of the parameters used in the deposition, but the process is reproducible and robust. Development efforts are continuing to optimize the deposition process, to enhance the long-term corrosion resistance of chromate-free systems, and to integrate CeCCs into non-chromate coating systems that include primers, topcoats, or multifunctional UV-curable coatings in addition to CeCCs.
Solutions of a 3-D fracture dynamic problem for an elastic solid having an internal rectangular crack

Abstract In this paper we consider a 3-D elastic solid containing a rectangular crack. Under uniformly distributed pressure on the face of the crack, unstable rupture occurs. Nonlinear Rayleigh damping exists during the rupture process. It causes excitation when the rupture velocity is low. Attenuation stops the rupture when the rupture velocity rises to a certain high value. For this nonlinear 3-D elastic fracture dynamic problem we apply the generalized Fourier series with moving coordinates as its variables to get the asymptotic solutions. Finally, we discuss whether it is indispensable to have a singular factor 1/√r in each expression of the stress component.
End-plate cholinesterase in dystrophic muscle.

THE cholinesterase activity at the motor end-plate of dystrophic muscle was investigated histochemically by the thiolacetic acid method of Barrnett1, a modification of that of Crevier and Belanger2, which results in deposition of lead sulphide at the reactive site. A relatively quantitative method was developed to study this reaction by utilizing varying concentrations of physostigmine salicylate, a competitive inhibitor of cholinesterase.
Mechanism of reflex bradycardia which follows sudden closure of an arteriovenous fistula.

Conclusions1. The receptors for the reflex bradycardia which follows sudden closure of an arteriovenous fistula, are the pressoreceptors of the arterial side of the circulation, the carotid sinuses and aortic arch. 2. In some animals the carotid sinuses are the predominant arterial pressoreceptors, and in others the aortic arch is predominant.
Stepper Lens Characterization Using A Field Emission SEM

A method of stepper lens evaluation has been developed which utilizes a simple resolution test pattern of the type usually supplied with the stepper. Measurements are made using an automated field emission SEM equipped to perform whole wafer non-destructive critical dimension analysis. Measurement data on focus and sizing is then analyzed by a computer program easily run on a small personal computer. Information on reticle sizing errors and wafer flatness may also be included in the analysis to minimize errors.
The measurement of infrared spectra of aqueous solutions using Fourier transform spectroscopy

Abstract Infrared spectra of aqueous solutions of electrolytes and nonelectrolytes were recorded using a Fourier transform spectrometer. Most of the work involved internal reflection spectroscopy. It was possible to detect the bands below 1600 cm −1 of various solutes at concentrations near 0.01 M. Also, C-H and N-H bands could be observed in the vicinity of the intense water stretching band. The presence of solutes affects the absorption of water, so that spectra of aqueous solutions show distortions of the background in the vicinity of the water stretching and deformation bands.
Wetting kinetics of a hypo-eutectic Al–Si system

Abstract This study is devoted to investigation of spreading of a hypo-eutectic Al 8Si system over a flat Al surface. Wetting kinetics was studied using a real time in situ monitoring of the triple line movement facilitated by a hot-stage microscopy system under controlled atmosphere. Analysis of the validity of the classic Tanner's law correlation developed for inert wetting systems is performed. A good agreement of the power relationship between the triple line location and time was established. The dispersion of the n -power exponent magnitude is between 9 and 13, with an average value of 11.
The Seven Deadly Myths of "Autonomous Systems"

As designers conceive and implement what are commonly (but mistakenly) called autonomous systems, they adhere to certain myths of autonomy that are not only damaging in their own right, but also by their continued propagation. This article busts such myths and gives reasons why each of these myths should be called out and cast aside.
Twinning and mechanical behavior of titanium aluminides and other intermetallics

Abstract Based on the recent studies of deformation twinning in ordered intermetallics, the general background on slip-twinning-microcracking relationships is established. Specific roles of deformation twinning in the generalized plasticity of polycrystals and the crack-tip microplasticity are discussed in terms of the local strain compatibility by invoking both ‘tension’ and ‘compression’ twins. Special examples are given for γ-TiAl, other L1 0 alloys, and Ti 3 Al of the D0 19 structure. Effects of composition, microstructure and temperature on defect properties that are relevant to the propensity of deformation twinning are discussed.
Cells of the J774 macrophage cell line are primed for antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity following exposure to γ-irradiation☆

Abstract Activation of macrophages (Mφ) for host defense against tumor cells follows a sequence of priming events followed by an initiating stimulus that results in production and release of cytotoxic molecules that mediate target cell killing. We have developed a model to study specific macrophage cytotoxicity in vitro utilizing a cultured murine Mφ cell line, J774. Specific cytotoxicity of cultured human gastrointestinal tumor cells is achieved in the presence of murine IgG2a monoclonal antibody (mAb) 17-1-A. The ability of these cells to mediate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) is greatly enhanced following γ-irradiation. ADCC can be demonstrated at mAb 17-1-A concentrations ⩾ 1 μg/ml and effector/target cell ratios ⩾2. Exposure to doses ⩾ 10 Gy of γ-irradiation increases ADCC threefold. Varying the duration form J774 Mφ exposure to γ-irradiation until addition of antibody-coated target cells showed that the primed state for ADCC is stable for at least 8 days but approximately 24 hr is required for complete development of the primed state. mAb-dependent target cell death begins 8 hr after addition of mAb and labeled target cells to primed effector cells and is complete by 24 hr. Incubation of unirradiated J774 Mφ effector cells with recombinant murine interferon-γ (rmIFN-γ) also results in enhanced ADCC, but the extent of target cell killing achieved is less than that following priming by γ-irradiation. Concomitant priming of γ-irradiated J774 Mφ with rmIFN-γ increases the extent of ADCC. Further study of irradiated J774 cells may elucidate the molecular pathways utilized by Mφ for achieving and maintaining the primed state for ADCC. Irradiated J774 cells will also provide a homogenous, stably primed cell type in which to examine the mechanism(s) of cytotoxicity employed by tumoricidal Mφ.
On the form and universality of the contempt expression: A challenge to Ekman and Friesen's claim of discovery

The claim of Ekman and Friesen (1986, “A New Pan- Cultural Facial Expression of Emotion,”Motivation and Emotion, 10, 159–168) that they have found the first empirical support for the existence of a pancultural expression of contempt is challenged on three grounds. First, the claim that no one else had ever attempted to describe an expression unique to contempt in any culture neglects a tradition of research dating back to Darwin. Second, the data presented by Ekman and Friesen were derived using stimuli that are ambiguous representations of their intended expressions. Finally, there are earlier data for the universality of contempt expressions. Ekman and Friesen's contempt expression may best be viewed as a learned modification of a prototypical expression evolved from the infrahuman snarl.
Trust determinants and outcomes in global B2B services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to specify and test factors surrounding trusting relationships between buyers and suppliers in a global, business‐to‐business services context. In so doing, the paper aims to help to extend relationship marketing theories to this under‐researched domain.Design/methodology/approach – A literature review and results of qualitative interviews in the paper provide a conceptual framework for the trust formation process and relational outcomes of trust. The research then tests a model of hypothesized relationships using structural equation modeling.Findings – The paper confirms the influence of trust building behaviors (social interaction, open communications, customer orientation) and service outcomes (technical, functional and economic quality) on trust formation. Trust is shown to have a positive influence on key relational outcomes, loyalty commitment and share of purchases.Research limitations/implications – The sample consists of buyers of aviation component repair s...
All code coverage is not created equal: a case study in prioritized code coverage

The increasing size and complexity of software systems has led to increased challenges in evaluating code coverage. In parallel, development projects for large complex software are increasingly limited in schedule and resources. Common code coverage analysis provides a complete measurement of testing breadth, but does not give guidance for coverage in a project setting. We propose a prioritized coverage approach that is indigenous to the development organization and provides capabilities for evaluating code coverage and setting priorities for testing. This paper presents an approach to code coverage analysis for large software that considers modern project constraints.
A decentralized immune based automatic generation control design in compliance with NERC's standards

In this paper, a decentralized automatic generation control design based on an artificial immune system algorithm is proposed. Using the concept of immune cell-pathogen interactions the power system is assimilated to a human body which strives to fight and eliminate damages and anomalies. The immune based controller takes smart actions that (1) assure compliance with NERC's control performance standards, CPS1 and CPS2, and (2) also reduces wear and tear of generating units' equipment. A two-area power system is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of this novel approach.
Expressive autonomous cinematography for interactive virtual environments

We have created an automatic cinematography system for interactive virtual environments. This system controls a virtual camera and fights in a three-dimensional virtual world inhabited by a group of autonomous and user-controlled characters. By dynamically changing the camera and the fights, our system facilitates the interaction of human participants with this world and displays the emotional content of the digital scene. Building on the tradition of cinema, modern video games and autonomous behavior systems, we have constructed this cinematography system with an ethologically-inspired structure of sensors, emotions, motivations, and action-selection mechanisms. Our system breaks shots into elements, such as which actors the camera should focus on or the angle it should use to watch them. Hierarchically arranged cross-exclusion groups mediate between the various options, arriving at the best shot at each moment in time. Our cinematography system uses the same approach that we use for our virtual actors. This eases the crossover of information between them, and ultimately leads to a richer and more unified installation. As digital visualizations grow more complex, cinematography must keep pace with the new breeds of characters and scenarios. A behavior-based autonomous cinematography system is an effective tool in the creation of interesting virtual worlds. Our work takes first steps toward a future of interactive, emotional cinematography.
Boundary integral equation and conjugate gradient methods for optimal boundary heating of solids

Abstract A simple model problem in optimal boundary heating of solids is analyzed by numerical methods. The physical objective of the present “steady-state optimal control” problem is to achieve a desired temperature profile along a segment of the solid boundary with a minimum amount of a boundary heat flux which acts as the controlling function. The boundary integral equation methods are effectively used in the space discretizations of the necessary conditions for optimality of a performance index, which characterizes the physical goal mathematically. For minimization of the performance index the conjugate gradient method of optimization is utilized. Numerical results are presented for various values of the problem parameters which consist of a Biot number and a weighting parameter in the performance index. It is argued that the weighting parameter behaves like a free “design” parameter which controls the degree of achievement of the desired temperature profile versus the amount of power consumed through the boundary heating. It is also pointed out that the suggested numerical solution algorithms for the boundary control problem constitutes a new and efficient solution procedure which has distinct advantages over other available methods.
Insights into the regulation of TNF-a production in human mononuclear cells: the effects of non-specific phosphodiesterase inhibition

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of nonspecific phosphodiesterase inhibition on transcription factor activation and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human mononuclear cells. INTRODUCTION: The production of TNF-a following LPS stimulation is one of the key steps in bacterial sepsis and inflammation. The mechanism by which phosphodiesterase inhibition alters TNF-a production in the presence of LPS remains unclear. METHODS: Human mononuclear cells were stimulated with LPS (1 µg/mL), in the presence and absence of Pentoxifylline (PTX; 20 mM), a nonspecific phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Western blotting of phosphorylated cytoplasmic I-kBa, nuclear factor-kB p65 (NF-kB), and nuclear cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) was performed. DNA binding of NF-kB and CREB was verified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. TNF-a levels were determined in the supernatant of stimulated cells in the presence and absence Protein kinase A inhibition by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: PTX was demonstrated to significantly reduce cytoplasmic I-kBa phosphorylation, nuclear p65 phosphorylation, and the DNA binding activity of NF-kB. In contrast, PTX markedly enhanced the phosphorylation and DNA binding activity of CREB. Cells concomitantly treated with PTX and LPS secreted similar levels of TNF-a in the presence and absence Protein kinase A inhibition. DISCUSSION: The increased level of cAMP that results from phosphodiesterase inhibition affects cytoplasmic and nuclear events, resulting in the attenuation of NF-kB and the activation of CREB transcriptional DNA binding through pathways that are partially Protein kinase A-independent. CONCLUSION: PTX-mediated phosphodiesterase inhibition occurs partially through a Protein kinase A-independent pathway and may serve as a useful tool in the attenuation of LPS-induced inflammation.
Thrombolytic Therapy: A Review of Its Use in Acute Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVE:To review the literature on the use of thrombolytic agents in the pharmacotherapeutic management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).DATA SOURCE:English-language clinical trials, reviews, and editorials derived from MEDLINE (January 1966–September 1997) and/or cross-referencing of selected articles.STUDY SELECTION:Articles that were selected best represent the clinical trials researching the role for thrombolytics in the therapy of AMI to improve morbidity and mortality.DATA SYNTHESIS:AMI is one of the leading causes of mortality in the US. Following supportive data that the most common cause of an AMI is an intracoronary thrombus, clinical investigation has demonstrated that intravenous thrombolytic agents improve survival rates in patients who experience an AMI. Several clinical trials have been conducted to determine whether one thrombolytic agent is superior to others with respect to improving mortality. At present, only the first Global Use of Streptokinase and Tissue Plasminogen Activator...
Executive Compensation and Corporate Acquisition Decisions

By examining how executive compensation structure determines corporate acquisition decisions, we document a strong positive relation between acquiring managers’ equity-based compensation ~EBC! and stock price performance around and following acquisition announcements. This relation is highly robust when we control for acquisition mode ~mergers!, means of payment, managerial ownership, and previous option grants. Compared to low EBC managers, high EBC managers pay lower acquisition premiums, acquire targets with higher growth opportunities, and make acquisitions engendering larger increases in firm risk. EBC significantly explains postacquisition stock price performance even after controlling for acquisition mode, means of payment, and “glamour” versus “value” acquirers. CORPORATE INVESTMENT DECISIONS ARE IMPORTANT to the creation of shareholder wealth. Whereas most investments are small relative to the size of the firm, mergers and acquisitions are major, externally observable, and discretionary long-term investments. 1 These transactions also present managers with opportunities that can exacerbate the potential for conf licts of interest between managers and shareholders. Thus, corporate acquisitions present an ideal setting to explore the relation between managerial incentives and the efficiency of managerial investment decisions. Executive compensation contracts can be used to effectively align managerial interests with those of shareholders, and financial economists have recognized the potential inf luence of managerial compensation on corporate takeover decisions. In a discussion of important unresolved research issues, Jensen and Ruback ~1983! specifically inquire how the compensation of acquiring managers relates to the stock price effects of acquisition outcomes. Shleifer and Vishny ~1988, p. 19! conjecture that equity-based executive compensation “should have the effect of reducing the non-value-maximizing behavior of @acquiring# managers.”
TLS (FUS) binds RNA in vivo and engages in nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling

TLS, the product of a gene commonly translocated in liposarcomas (TLS), is prototypical of a newly identified class of nuclear proteins that contain a C-terminal domain with a distinct RNA recognition motif (RRM) surrounded by Arg-Gly-Gly (RGG) repeats. Its unique N terminus serves as an essential transforming domain for a number of fusion oncoproteins in human sarcomas and leukemias. In this study we use an in vivo UV crosslinking procedure to probe the interactions of TLS with RNA. TLS is found to bind RNA in vivo and the association of TLS with RNA is rapidly diminished by treating cells with transcriptional inhibitors. This suggests that the species bound by TLS turns over rapidly. Surprisingly, the RRM was found to be dispensable for RNA binding by TLS in vivo, suggesting that at any one time most of the interactions between TLS and RNA in the cell are not sequence specific. Analysis of inter specific heterokaryons formed between human and mouse or Xenopus cells revealed that TLS engages in rapid nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, a finding confirmed by the ability of anti-TLS antibodies to trap TLS when injected into the cytoplasm of HeLa cells. Cellular fractionation experiments suggest that TLS binds to RNA in both the nucleus and cytoplasm and support the hypothesis that TLS functions as a heterogeneous ribonuclear protein (hnRNP)-like chaperone of RNA. These findings are discussed in the context of the role altered forms of TLS play in cellular transformation.
Early strabismus surgery for thyroid ophthalmopathy

Abstract Objective To determine whether strabismus surgery during active thyroid ophthalmopathy is beneficial for selected patients. Design Case series. Participants Eight patients with severe restrictive strabismus due to thyroid ophthalmopathy underwent early strabismus surgery and were followed for a minimum of 16 months after their initial surgery. Intervention All eight patients underwent strabismus surgery while their thyroid ophthalmopathy was evolving. Main outcome measures Success was determined by the ability to fuse in the primary position at distance and near without an abnormal head position, and the absence of vision-threatening complications related to strabismus surgery. Results All eight patients achieved successful long-term alignment. Four patients (50%) required more than one operation. Conclusions Strabismus surgery during active thyroid ophthalmopathy can result in long-term stable alignment and may be a useful alternative in selected patients with marked disability due to thyroid ophthalmopathy.
Opportunities and Expectations The Gendered Organization of Legislative Committees in Germany, Sweden, and the United States

As men and women increasingly share access to state power, there has been a question of whether women’s rising descriptive representation leads to substantive change, and a sizable body of literature suggests it does. As a mechanism for this effect, I theorize legislatures as gendered organizations that build gender into their institutional operation, as enmeshed in legislative committee systems. Using case studies of Germany, Sweden, and the United States, I examine 40 years of data collected on legislative committees and memberships. This study reveals some similarities, where all committee systems emphasize gender-typed roles, particularly female legislators’ greater segregation into social issue committees. Yet, gender is constructed differentially across these organizations, and the nations vary in the gender structure of their committee systems, degree of gender segregation and typing, and gendered relations of power and prestige. Implications for integrating theories of gender as an institution, ge...
Azithromycin and survival in Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia: a retrospective study.

Objective: Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) represents a major pathogen in pneumonia. The impact of azithromycin on mortality in SP pneumonia remains unclear. Recent safety concerns regarding azithromycin have raised alarm about this agent’ sr ole with pneumonia. We sought to clarify the relationship between survival and azithromycin use in SP pneumonia. Design: Retrospective cohort. Setting: Urban academic hospital. Participants: Adults with a diagnosis of SP pneumonia (January–December 2010). The diagnosis of pneumonia required a compatible clinical syndrome and radiographic evidence of an infiltrate. Intervention: None. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Hospital mortality served as the primary endpoint, and we compared patients given azithromycin with those not treated with this. Covariates of interest included demographics, severity of illness, comorbidities and infection-related characteristics (eg, appropriateness of initial treatment, bacteraemia). We employed logistic regression to assess the independent impact of azithromycin on hospital mortality. Results: The cohort included 187 patients (mean age: 67.0±8.2 years, 50.3% men, 5.9% admitted to the intensive care unit). The most frequently utilised nonmacrolide antibiotics included: ceftriaxone (n=111), cefepime (n=31) and moxifloxacin (n=22). Approximately two-thirds of the cohort received azithromycin. Crude mortality was lower in persons given azithromycin (5.6% vs 23.6%, p<0.01). The final survival model included four variables: age, need for mechanical ventilation, initial appropriate therapy and azithromycin use. The adjusted OR for mortality associated with azithromycin equalled 0.26 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.80, p=0.018). Conclusions: SP pneumonia generally remains associated with substantial mortality while azithromycin treatment is associated with significantly higher survival rates. The impact of azithromycin is independent of multiple potential confounders.
Radiotherapy for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Purpose Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNTs) are rare malignant neoplasms considered to be resistant to radiotherapy (RT), although data on efficacy are scarce. We reviewed our institutional experience to further delineate the role of RT for patients with PNTs. Methods and Materials Between 1986 and 2006, 36 patients with PNTs were treated with RT to 49 sites. Of these 36 patients, 23 had radiographic follow-up data, which were used to determine the tumor response rate and freedom from local progression. Long-term toxicity was graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Results The overall response rate to RT was 39% (13% complete response, 26% partial response, 56% stable disease, and 4% progressive disease). A significant difference in the freedom from local progression between the groups receiving either greater than or less than the median 2 Gy/fraction biologically equivalent dose of 49.6 Gy was found, with all radiographic progression occurring in patients who had received ≤32 Gy. The actuarial 3-year local freedom from progression rate was 49%. Palliation was achieved in 90% of patients, with either improvement or resolution of symptoms after RT. Of 35 patients, 33 had metastatic disease at their referral for RT, and the median overall survival for this patient population was 2 years. Three long-term Grade 3 or greater toxicities were recorded. Conclusion RT is an effective modality for achieving local control in patients with PNTs. RT produces high rates of symptomatic palliation and freedom from local progression. Prospective trials of radiotherapy for PNTs are warranted.
WIND STUDY AND GPS DROPSONDE APPLICABILITY TO AIRDROP TESTING

Wind measurement accuracy has been demonstrated to be a significant factor in airdrop accuracy. The U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) has undertaken a study to better understand the behavior of winds both over a wide geographic area and over time. In addition, multiple systems for measuring and modeling winds have been evaluated. This paper addresses the following three areas: (1) documentation of the data collection and processing methods currently being used at YPG, (2) comparison of the performance of the wind estimation systems in use at YPG, and (3) assessment of the effectiveness of the Global Positioning System (GPS) Dropsonde techniques for wind estimation and post-processing of airdrop data in support of airdrop testing. Specifically, the paper assesses the ability of the GPS dropsonde techniques to sufficiently estimate true wind velocity for airdrop testing. The evaluation of the applicability of GPS-based dropsondes has involved addressing the following issues: (1) impact of the descent rate of the GPS dropsonde system on the wind estimate, (2) errors involved with using the GPS ground track velocities as the wind, estimate directly, (3) difference of accuracy of the two systems and the degree of accuracy required for this technique, and (4) the usefulness of the GPS dropsonde ground track datain post-processing when attempting to derive the actual trajectory of the payload.
Marriage Matters But How Much? Marital Centrality Among Young Adults

Marriage, once a gateway to adulthood, is no longer as widely considered a requirement for achieving adult status. With declining marriage rates and delayed marital transitions, some have wondered whether current young adults have rejected the traditional notion of marriage. Utilizing a sample of 571 young adults, the present study explored how marital centrality (the expected importance to be placed on the marital role relative to other adult roles) functioned as a unique and previously unexplored marital belief among young adults. Results suggested that marriage remains an important role for many young adults. On average, young adults expected that marriage would be more important to their life than parenting, careers, or leisure activities. Marital centrality profiles were found to significantly differ based on both gender and religiosity. Marital centrality was also associated with various outcomes including binge-drinking and sexual activity. Specifically, the more central marriage was expected to be, the less young adults engaged in risk-taking or sexual behaviors.
Fast physically based musculoskeletal simulation

Line based models (e.g., SIMM [Delp and Loan 1995]) account for the action of muscles by a line of force (conceptually, a linear spring) between the origin and insertion of a muscle. They are very efficient to simulate and seem conceptually well matched to the fiber-like contractile machinery within muscle; this has made them popular in biomechanics. However, a major limitation of these models is that they do not account for the 3D shape and the curved paths of muscles, and the contact between muscles and bones.
Associations Between Religious Orientation and Varieties of Sexual Experience

This study examined associations between religious orientation, newly discovered sexual dimensions of personality, and other sexual desires. All participants (n = 161) completed measures of religious orientation, sociosexuality, seven sexual personality dimensions, short-term and long-term mating desires, and mate-poaching behavior. Participants also completed scales assessing social desirability and the Big Five personality factors. Intrinsic religious orientation was positively associated with more restricted sexuality and desire (i.e., decreased sociosexuality, less desire for a large number of sex partners across time). Extrinsic religious orientation was positively associated with more unrestricted sexuality description and desire (i.e., increased sociosexuality and mate poaching; decreased sexual restraint and relationship exclusivity). Both religious orientations accounted for unique variation in sexual dimensions of the self when gender, socially desirable responding, and the Big Five personality factors were statistically controlled. As such, multidimensional measures of religiosity could be theoretically important to include in future scientific research on sexuality and personal relationships. The primary purpose of this study was to determine how intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation correlate with recently identified sexual dimensions of personality (Schmitt and Buss 2000), short-term and long-term sexual desires (Buss and Schmitt 1993), and experiences of mate poaching—attracting a person who is already in a relationship (Schmitt and Buss 2001). We also investigated whether intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation account for unique variation in these sexuality dimensions when controlling for gender (cf. Oliver and Hyde 1993), the “Big Five” personality traits (McCrae and John 1992), and social desirability (Paulhus 1988). DIMENSIONS OF RELIGIOSITY AND THEIR RELATION TO SEXUALITY
Gravity-driven creeping flow of two adjacent layers through a channel and down a plane wall

We study the stability of the interface between (a) two adjacent viscous layers flowing due to gravity through an inclined or vertical channel that is confined between two parallel plane walls, and (b) two superimposed liquid films flowing down an inclined or vertical plane wall, in the limit of Stokes flow. In the case of channel flow, linear stability analysis predicts that, when the fluids are stably stratified, the flow is neutrally stable when the surface tension vanishes and the channel is vertical, and stable otherwise. This behaviour contrasts with that of the gravity-driven flow of two superimposed films flowing down an inclined plane, where an instability has been identified when the viscosity of the fluid next to the plane is less than that of the top fluid, even in the absence of fluid inertia. We investigate the nonlinear stages of the motion subject to finite-amplitude two-dimensional perturbations by numerical simulations based on boundary-integral methods. In both cases of channel and film flow, the mathematical formulation results in integral equations for the unknown interface and free-surface velocity. The properties of the integral equation for multi-film flow are investigated with reference to the feasibility of computing a solution by the method of successive substitutions, and a deflation strategy that allows an iterative procedure is developed. In the case of channel flow, the numerical simulations show that disturbances of sufficiently large amplitude may cause permanent deformation in which the interface folds or develops elongated fingers. The ratio of the viscosities and densities of the two fluids plays an important role in determining the morphology of the emerging interfacial patterns. Comparing the numerical results with the predictions of a model based on the lubrication approximation shows that the simplified approach can only describe a limited range of motions. In the case of film flow down an inclined plane, we develop a method for extracting the properties of the normal modes, including the ratio of the amplitudes of the free-surface and interfacial waves and their relative phase lag, from the results of a numerical simulation for small deformations. The numerical procedure employs an adaptation of Prony's method for fitting a signal described by a time series to a sum of complex exponentials; in the present case, the signal is identified with the cosine or sine Fourier coefficients of the interface and free-surface waves. Numerical simulations of the nonlinear motion confirm that the deformability of the free surface is necessary for the growth of small-amplitude perturbations, and show that the morphology of the interfacial patterns developing subject to finite-amplitude perturbations is qualitatively similar to that for channel flow.
Afferent Axon Systems: Fine Structure of Collaterals of Climbing Fibers and Mossy Fibers Ending in the Dentate Nucleus

The present series of studies aims at an analysis of synaptic organization in the extracerebellar axonal inputs to the dentate nucleus. Afferent axons to the cerebellum have been the subject of considerable and continued interest to neuroanatomists and physiologists alike, and it is the area of investigation in which they complement each other most intimately. A signal reason for this long-standing interest must be the fact that neurons in numerous locations in brainstem, spinal cord, and cerebral cortex send direct and indirect inputs to the cerebellum. The cerebellum in turn reciprocates in its output projections. The monosynaptic sources of afferent inputs to the dentate nucleus have been mapped by tracing of labeled neurons after small precisely localized injections of horseradish peroxidase (Chap. IX) into that nucleus of rats and rhesus monkeys.
Theriac Found? Nitric Oxide-Aspirin and the Search for the Universal Cure*

In the second century of this era, a consul of Rome introduced his doctor, Claudius Galenus of Pergamum, to emperor Marcus Aurelius. They got along famously, and Galen became the court physician. Renowned for his public vivisections, which allowed startling advances in the fields of anatomy and
Naturally occurring immunogenicity of NY-ESO-1 in cancer patients

There is ample evidence that the immune system recognizes and shapes the antigenic profile of tumor cells. However, as seen with AIDS, immune responses appear to fail to rid patients of disease. A comparison with successful antiviral or antibacterial vaccines emphasizes the requirement for defining immunogenic targets as the first step towards learning how to modulate immunity. Germ cell antigen NY-ESO-1 was discovered as a consequence of its capacity to elicit spontaneous antibody responses in cancer patients (1). In a survey of sera from patients with various cancers, it was found that antibody responses to NY-ESO-1 were elicited only in patients with NY-ESO-1 tumor expression (2). Generally, NY-ESO-1 expression tends to be more frequent in advanced disease, and this is also seen with the humoral response to NY-ESO-1. NY-ESO-1 antibody titers drop following surgical resection of tumors, indicating that humoral responses are antigen driven (3). NY-ESO-1 elicits CD8+ T-cell responses, as measured by mixed lymphocyte-tumor cultures (4), elispot (5) and tetramer (6) assays, or by a general method developed for assessing NY-ESO-1 responses in patients with any HLA haplotype (7). With only rare exceptions, CD8+ T-cell responses always occur in patients with NY-ESO-1 tumor expression and seropositive for NY-ESO-1 (5). Defining the CD4+ T-cell responses to NY-ESO-1 is currently of much interest (8, 9, 10). Recently, a new technological development has allowed the analysis of CD4+ T-cell responses in single-cell based assays (11). As with CD8+ T-cell responses, CD4+ T-cell responses to NY-ESO-1 also correlate with antibody presence in the serum (12). In conclusion, a subset of patients with NY-ESO-1 positive cancers develop strong spontaneous integrated multi-epitopic CD8+, CD4+, and antibody responses to NY-ESO-1. The challenges ahead involve correlating existing immunity to NY-ESO-1 with cancer progression and prognosis, and learning if patients with no NY-ESO-1 immune responses benefit from surrogate intervention by vaccination. This abstract was published in Cancer Immunity, a Cancer Research Institute journal that ceased publication in 2013 and is now provided online in association with Cancer Immunology Research.
The Initial Management and Endoscopic Outcomes of Dyspepsia in a Low-Risk Patient Population

Dyspepsia is frequently encountered by primary care providers (PCP) and gastroenterologists (GI). While esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) may be useful, current guidelines suggest a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) trial and H. pylori (HP) test-and-treat before EGD for low-risk patients. This study aimed to evaluate pre-EGD management and endoscopic outcomes in this population. This was a retrospective cohort study of low-risk dyspepsia patients (age ≤55, no alarm features) undergoing EGD at an ambulatory endoscopy center from January 2011 to March 2012. Adherences to initial management guidelines (PPI trial and HP test-and-treat strategy before EGD) were compared between PCP and GI. Endoscopic and pathologic outcomes were assessed for all patients. Statistical analyses were performed using Chi-squared test (categorical variables) and Student’s t test (continuous variables). This study received IRB approval (2011P001715). A total of 309 low-risk patients underwent EGD for dyspepsia. Only 202 (65.4 %) had HP testing, and 220 (71.2 %) were trialed on any dose/length PPI pre-EGD, with no differences between PCP and GI. PPI exposure was similar between groups for all dose/duration except for trials ≥8 weeks of any dose (46.9 % GI vs 34.3 % PCP, p = 0.03) and high dose (32 % GI vs 18.7 % PCP, p = 0.01). Overall, only 178 (57.6 %) patients had both HP testing and any PPI exposure pre-EGD (56.6 % GI vs 59 % PCP, p = 0.73). Significant pathology was rare, with gastritis (46.6 %) and HP (17.2 %) being most common. No malignancy was found. A significant proportion of low-risk dyspepsia patients did not receive any PPI trial or HP testing before EGD. Within this population, significant finding on EGD was rare, supporting the current noninvasive initial management guidelines for dyspepsia.