cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SEVEN does not mean NATURAL NUMBER, and children know more than you think

Rips et al.'s critique is misplaced when it faults the induction model for not explaining the acquisition of meta-numerical knowledge: This is something the model was never meant to explain. More importantly, the critique underestimates what children know, and what they have achieved, when they learn the cardinal meanings of the number words “one” through “nine.”
The Impact of Perceived Group Support on the Effectiveness of an HIV Prevention Intervention for African American Women

The enormous HIV/AIDS disparity among African American women and women in other ethnic groups dictates the need to implement the most effective HIV prevention interventions. This study examined the...
Plant Water Relations, Irrigation Management and Crop Yield

Responses of crop yield to water stress are classified on the basis of physiological considerations. Crop growth is sensitive to water stress, particularly because of the physiological effects of stress on the production and maintenance of photosynthetic tissue. Crop yield, depending on the nature of the harvested organ and the origin of its constituents, may be more or less sensitive to water stress than crop growth. In applying this information to irrigation management, there is a need for simple quantitative measures of plant water status. The problem of avoiding water stress during critical ontogenetic stages and, conversely, the possibility of using moderate water stress at certain times to improve yield and the efficiency of water usage, are discussed.
Adsorption of sulfur on Ag(100)

Abstract We have used scanning tunneling microscopy and density Functional theory to investigate the structures formed by sulfur on Ag(100). As indicated by previous low-energy electron diffraction studies, the main phases have unit cells of p(2 × 2) and (√17 × √17)R14°. We show that the latter is a reconstruction. The favored structural model is one in which 5 Ag atoms are missing from the (100) surface plane per unit cell. The ejected Ag atoms combine with sulfur to form islands of the reconstructed phase on the terraces. The (√17 × √17)R14° phase coexists with the p(2 × 2), at sulfur coverages slightly above 0.25 monolayers. In addition, chain-like structures are observed in STM, both at room temperature (where they are dynamic) and below (where they are not). These results are compared with relevant literature for copper surfaces.
Prevalence and incidence of human papillomavirus infection in women in the USA: a systematic review:

A systematic review of studies published in the last decade was conducted to summarize data on the epidemiology of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the USA. A structured protocol was used to screen studies for review. Studies had to meet the following criteria: (1) the study was conducted in the USA, (2) the study population was predominantly adolescent women, (3) the description of the study's methodological and statistical methods is provided, and (4) the prevalence and/or incidence of HPV were clearly stated. The prevalence of HPV reported in the assessed studies ranged from 14% to more than 90%. The highest prevalence of HPV was identified among women attending sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinics and college students, identifying them as target populations for prevention interventions. Conversely, the lowest HPV prevalence was among women in the general population. The review also revealed that HPV prevalence in African Americans is understudied, and the results of a few studies in this area are inconclusive.
Raman scattering study of the thermal conversion of bundled carbon nanotubes into graphitic nanoribbons

Abstract Raman scattering is used to study the temperature-driven structural transformations of bundled single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) observed in HiPCO and ARC synthesis by electron microscopy, i.e., tube–tube coalescence ∼1300–1400 °C, coalesced tubes to multi-walled tubes (MWCNT) at ∼1600–1800 °C and finally (only ARC tubes) MWCNT to graphitic nanoribbons (GNRs) at ∼1800 °C. All these transformations occurred in vacuum. Here, we present the details of these transformations as seen through the “eyes” of Raman scattering via changes in the radial (R) SWCNT band, the G-band (and its substructure) and the relative intensity of the disorder-induced D- and D′-band scattering. The Raman spectrum of GNRs is also discussed in detail. For 514.5 nm laser excitation, five relatively broad GNR Raman bands are observed: 1350, 1580, 1620, 2702 and 3250 cm−1. A Knight plot is used to estimate the GNR width and we find w ∼ 9 nm, which is in reasonable agreement with the estimate of 7.6 nm based on TEM and the model that a GNR is a collapsed MWCNT.
Long-run relationship between output, capital, labour and productivity in emerging market economies

Long-run relationship between the variables involved in the production function is an issue that is important particularly in developing countries, as the neoclassical production function is best suited for developed countries and its applicability to developing countries is questionable in various ways. This motivates us to do this based on time-series analysis, taking Indian textile industry as an example, which is currently at its crucial stage as a critical industry in an emerging economy, with the phasing out of Multi Fibre Arrangement in 2005. This study documents existence of cointegration between capital and output, negative impact of employment shocks on output changes, substitutability between changes in capital and labour, negative effect of shocks to changes in capital stock on productivity and negative effect of employment shocks on future productivity. These results are in line with the general perceptions about this industry and with the standard neoclassical propositions, as explained in t...
Synthetic biology of metabolism: using natural variation to reverse engineer systems

A goal of metabolic engineering is to take a plant and introduce new or modify existing pathways in a directed and predictable fashion. However, existing data does not provide the necessary level of information to allow for predictive models to be generated. One avenue to reverse engineer the necessary information is to study the genetic control of natural variation in plant primary and secondary metabolism. These studies are showing that any engineering model will have to incorporate information about 1000s of genes in both the nuclear and organellar genome to optimize the function of the introduced pathway. Further, these genes may interact in an unpredictable fashion complicating any engineering approach as it moves from the one or two gene manipulation to higher order stacking efforts. Finally, metabolic engineering may be influenced by a previously unrecognized potential for a plant to measure the metabolites within it. In combination, these observations from natural variation provide a beginning to help improve current efforts at metabolic engineering.
Cellulitis: A prospective study

We prospectively studied 20 children, ages 2 to 12 years, seen with cellulitis. Each child had a complete blood count, a blood culture, and a culture of an aspirate from the lesion. The age of the child, the fever, and the extent of cellulitis determined whether the child was hospitalized. Outpatient antibiotic therapy was penicillin or dicloxacillin. Four children (20%) had an infection on the upper extremity: 14 (70%), the leg; 1 (5%), the forehead; and one (5%), the periorbital area. Three children (15%) had a white blood cell (WBC) count ≥ 15,000 cu mm. Two were febrile. One child with a WBC count ≤ 15,000 cu mm was febrile. Two blood cultures (10%) were positive, both for Haemophilus influenzae . Twelve organisms were isolated from the aspirates: 8 Staphylococcus aureus (all penicillinase producing), 2 H influenzae , 1 Streptococcus pyogenes , and 1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Both children with H influenzae were febrile with WBC counts ≥ 15,000 cu mm. Of the 17 children (85%) treated as outpatients, all but one responded. We recommend admission and cultures of the blood and an aspirate of the lesion for all facial cellulitis and treatment with oxacillin and chloramphenicol. In a truncal or extremity cellulitis, initial therapy should be directed against S aureus . If the child is febrile or the WBC count ≥ 15,000 cu mm, H influenzae is a likely pathogen and thus intravenous chloramphenicol must be used after cultures are obtained.
The Rabbit in Drag: Camp and Gender Construction in the American Animated Cartoon

Cet article se penche sur le cote atypique du personnage de Bugs Bunny dans l'univers du dessin anime. Alors que la plupart des personnages de dessins animes se presentent en conformite avec les normes sociales, Bugs Bunny se montre souvent effemine. Malgre quelques incursions vite limitees dans la symbolique sexuelle freudienne (Betty Boop de Max Fleischer), la plupart des studios de dessins animes reproduisent la norme sexuelle dominante en ne mettent en scene que des personnages desexualises ou vehiculant des stereotypes (virilite, femme objet, sex-symbol) meme dans l'outrance (Tex Avery). En revanche, les studios Warner, plus specialement a travers les cartoons diriges par Chuck Jones, et principalement le personnage de Bugs Bunny, bien que presentant essentiellement des personnages masculins, remettent en cause cette division des roles sexuels
Nuclear Factor(s) Regulating the Developmental Changes in Mouse Brain Glucose Transporter (Glut 3) Expression † 472

Nuclear Factor(s) Regulating the Developmental Changes in Mouse Brain Glucose Transporter (Glut 3) Expression † 472
Placental-derived mitogenic factor for human fetal adrenocortical cell cultures.

The human fetal adrenal cortex is one of the largest fetal organs and synthesizes precursors for placental estrogen production as part of the feto-placental unit. The factors controlling the rapid growth of the human fetal adrenal cortex during the second and third trimesters are not known. Placental regulation of the growth of human fetal adrenocortical cell cultures from second trimester fetuses was studied. A placental-derived mitogenic factor (PDMF) was detected in tissue homogenates of 14 to 22 week human placentas and stimulated adrenocortical cell number and [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA 5–8 fold. PDMF has been partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and anion exchange chromatography. PDMF is a heat sensitive protein with disulfide bonds required for activity. The growth stimulation by PDMF was significantly greater than that for basic or acidic fibroblast growth factor by 25–50% and epidermal growth factor by 3–4 fold. The placental hormones, progesterone, estriol, estradiol, placental lactogen and chorionic gonadotropin, either alone or in combination did not stimulate fetal adrenocortical cell growth, except for a 41% cell number increase by progesterone. Platelet-derived growth factor and insulin-like growth factors I and II were not mitogenic for these cells. These results show that the placenta contains a potent growth factor for human fetal adrenocortical cell cultures. This implies a direct role for the placenta in control of this fetal organ’s growth, which would make the human feto-placental unit a bi-directional relationship.
Blood Pressure and the Prevention of Cognitive Impairment

Hypertension affects more than two-thirds of US adults 60 years or older,1 and control is considered by some to be the “crown jewel” of stroke prevention. Despitemounting epidemiologic and mechanistic evidence linking raised blood pressure (BP) to cognitive decline or dementia, uncertainty remainsabout thebenefit of loweringBP to prevent cognitive impairment.2,3 Recent estimates suggest, for example, that 8% of cases of Alzheimer disease (AD) may be attributable to midlife hypertension, and the relative risk for midlife hypertension in AD is 1.6. Furthermore, multiple potential mechanisms link hypertension to cognitive compromise asweage.4-6Mechanistic endothelial dysfunctionorvascular dysregulation, oxidative stress, and inflammation may interrupt vital homeostatic functions, resulting in structural brain and cognitive consequences.5,6 Of further interest, epidemiologic evidence suggests a declining prevalence of dementia7 thatmaybe explained at least inpart bybetter control of cardiovascular risk factors over time. However, in a recently reported study among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the Memory in Diabetes substudy of the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Trial (MIND ACCORD), intensive BP-lowering therapy (systolic BP [SBP], <120 mm Hg) plus fibrate therapy vs standard therapy (SBP, <140 mm Hg) in the presence of controlled low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels did not result in a measurable effect on cognitive decline after 40 months of follow-up.8 In this issue of JAMA Neurology, Gottesman and colleagues9 provide additional evidence to support the association between midlife hypertension and cognitive change. The study provides a unique opportunity to understand the role of raised BP on cognition during a 20-year period.
Free surface profiles and thermal convection in electrostatically levitated droplets

Abstract A numerical analysis is presented of free surface profiles, Marangoni convection and the temperature distribution in electrostatically levitated droplets. The analysis is based on the boundary element solution of electric potential outside the droplet, the weighted residuals formulation of the free surface balance equation involving electrostatic stresses, surface tension and gravity, and the finite element solution of the internal fluid flow and temperature distribution in the electrostatically deformed droplets. Numerical simulations are carried out for several different materials and various operating conditions. Results show that an applied electrostatic field generates a normal stress distribution along the droplet surface, which, combined with surface tension, causes the droplet to deform into an ellipsoidal shape in microgravity and into the shape of a blob with the lower side being flatter under terrestrial conditions. Laser heating induces a non-uniform temperature distribution in the droplet, which in turn produces recirculating convection in the droplet. For the cases studied, Marangoni convection is the predominant mode and buoyancy effects are negligible. It is found that there is a higher temperature gradient and hence stronger Marangoni convection in droplets with higher melting points which require more laser power. The internal recirculating flow may be reduced by more uniform laser heating. During undercooling of the droplet with heating turned off, both temperature and fluid flow fields evolve in time, such that the temperature gradient and the tangential velocities along the droplet surface subside in magnitude and reverse their directions.
Age effects on urethral striated muscle. II. Anatomic location of muscle loss.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to measure the thickness and cross-sectional area of urethral muscle layers to identify localized striated muscle loss. STUDY DESIGN: The urethra and surrounding tissues from 25 female cadavers (mean age, 52 ± 18 [SD] years; range, 15-80 years) were used for this study. Axial and median sagittal histologic sections were prepared. Median sagittal muscle layer thickness was measured every 10% of urethral length (each decile) in the dorsal wall (adjacent to the vagina) and ventral wall, beginning at the caudal margin of the detrusor muscle (0%) and ending at the caudal margin of the striated muscle (100%). In the midurethral cross-section, the thickness of each layer was measured along radial lines placed every 45 degrees with 0 degrees at the ventral midline and 180 degrees at the dorsal midline. RESULTS: In the median sagittal sections, striated muscle layers of urethras were thinner at the vesical neck in older women. In the ventral wall, it decreased by a mean of 18 to 23 μm (3.4%-4.3%; P P 2 (3.8%) per year short ( P P CONCLUSION: Striated muscle was lost at the bladder neck and along the dorsal wall of the urethra as women aged. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;186:356-60.)
Biochemical characterization of a novel dual-function arabinofuranosidase/xylosidase isolated from a compost starter mixture.

The gene encoding a glycoside hydrolase family 43 enzyme termed deAX was isolated and subcloned from a culture seeded with a compost starter mixed bacterium population, expressed with a C-terminal His6-tag, and purified to apparent homogeneity. deAX was monomeric in solution and had a broad pH maximum between pH 5.5 and pH 7. A twofold greater k cat/K m for the p-nitrophenyl derivative of α-l-arabinofuranose versus that for the isomeric substrate β-d-xylopyranose was due to an appreciably lower K m for the arabinofuranosyl substrate. Substrate inhibition was observed for both 4-methylumbelliferryl arabinofuranoside and the xylopyranoside cogener. While no loss of activity was observed over 4 h at 40°C, the observed t 1/2 value rapidly decreased from 630 min at 49°C to 47 min at 53°C. The enzyme exhibited end-product inhibition, with a K i for xylose of 145 mM, 18.5 mM for arabinose, and 750 mM for glucose. Regarding natural substrate specificity, deAX had arabinofuranosidase activity on sugar beet arabinan, 1,5-α-l-arabinobiose, and 1,5-α-l-arabinotriose, and wheat and rye arabinoxylan, while xylosidase activity was detected for the substrates xylobiose, xylotriose, xylotetraose, and arabinoxylan from beech and birch. Thus, deAX can be classified as a dual-function xylosidase/arabinofuranosidase with respect to both artificial and natural substrate specificity.
Isolation of acetylpeptide from the protein of cucumber virus 4.

From the peptic digest of the protein of cucumber virus 4, three ninhydrin-negative, acidic peptides, Ala[Tyr,AspNH2], [Ala,Tyr,Asp,Pro]Ileu.Thr and [Ala,Tyr,Asp]Pro. Ileu.Thr.Ser, were isolated by the aid of an ion exchange column. An additional acidic peptide was obtained from the chymotryptic digest of the protein and its amino acid sequence was determined as N-acetyl.Ala.Tyr. The structure of this acetyldipeptide was confirmed by comparison with synthetic material. Combining the structure of these four peptides it is possible to give the following structure for the longest, a heptapeptide: Acetyl.Ala.Tyr.AspNH2.Pro.Ileu.Thr.Ser. The acetylpeptides are probably derived from the N-terminal end of the polypeptide chain since no N-terminal group has ever been found in the cucumber virus 4 protein.
DEEP: Real Life with Spinal Cord Injury

Marcy Epstein & Travar Pettway (Eds)Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2006ISBN 0 472 03251 8 or ISBN 978 0 472 03251 8 (in January 2007)190 pp, US $18.95(For an audiotape version, contac...
The cat step cycle; responses of muscle spindles and tendon organs to passive stretch within the locomotor range

Abstract To assess the extent to which muscle afferent discharge might assist in the control of stepping we have recorded firing patterns of a representative number of spindle and tendon organ afferents from isolated soleus and gastrocnemius muscles in anesthetized cats while subjecting these muscles to ‘locomotor’ range stretches as established in a previous study 9,10 . Attention was directed to passive stretches with particular emphasis on simulation of the F component of the swing phase of stepping which stretch is presumable unaccompanied by fusimotor input to the spindles. The data reveal the value of using physiological range stretches for bringing out: (1) the acceleration (or ‘acceleration-like’) and displacement sensitivity of Ia afferents in addition to the generally accepted rate sensitivity; (2) the rate sensitivity of group II afferents in addition to the generally accepted displacement sensitivity; and (3) the passive stretch responsiveness of Ib afferents in addition to the now accepted much greater sensitivity to active contractile forces. The low passive stretch responsiveness of muscle spindles and tendon organs encountered by Severin et al. 33 during controlled walking of the high decerebrate cat is shown to be not attributable to an inadequate extent, range and rate of stretch during the F phase of the step. There is suggestion that feeble F phase firing could results from visco-elastic effects attributable to rhythmic alpha and gamma motoneuron discharge during the repetitive stretch-shorten cycles of locomotion and to the prior activity of each receptor type in the immediately preceding stance phase of the step. The data are also shown to have relevance for the active stretch of the E 2 component of the stance phase of stepping and emphasize the extent to which co-activation of Ia, group II and Ib afferents would occur during this lengthening contraction phase of the step.
Endocytic regulation of Notch signaling

Endocytosis and endosomal trafficking have emerged as important cell biological steps in the Notch developmental signaling pathway. Ligand endocytosis helps generate the physical forces needed to dissociate and activate the receptor, and activated receptors enter endosomes to signal productively. Endosomal trafficking is also responsible for downregulating Notch receptors that have not been activated by ligand. Recent studies have provided new insights into these Notch trafficking steps, and have uncovered additional endosomal mechanisms that contribute to asymmetric Notch activation and ligand-independent Notch signaling.
Avian cognition and social interaction: Fifty years of advances

The study of animal behavior, and particularly avian behavior, has advanced significantly in the past 50 years. In the early 1960s, both ethologists and psychologists were likely to see birds as simple automatons, incapable of complex cognitive processing. Indeed, the term “avian cognition” was considered an oxymoron. Avian social interaction was also seen as based on rigid, if sometimes complicated, patterns. The possible effect of social interaction on cognition, or vice versa, was therefore something almost never discussed. Two paradigm shifts—one concerning animal cognition and one concerning social interaction—began to change perceptions in, respectively, the early 1970s and 1980s, but only more recently have researchers actively investigated how these two areas intersect in the study of avian behavior. The fruits of such intersection can be seen in the various papers for this special issue. I provide some brief background material before addressing the striking findings of current projects. In some cases, researchers have adapted early classic methods and in other cases have devised new paradigms, but in all instances have demonstrated avian capacities that were once thought to be the exclusive domain of humans or at least nonhuman primates. Keywords: avian cognition; avian social learning; avian observational learning; avian communication
A Simulation Environment for Multimodeling

Large-scale systems are typically quite difficult to model. Hierarchical decomposition has proven to be one successful method in managing model complexity, by refining model components into models of the same type as the lumped model. Many systems, however, cannot be modeled using this approach since each abstraction level is best defined using a different modeling technique. We present amultimodel approach which overcomes this limitation, and we illustrate the technique using a fairly simple scenario: boiling water. State and phase trajectories are presented along with an implementation using theSimPack simulation toolkit. Multimodeling has provided us with a mechanism for building models that are capable of producing answers over a wide range of fidelity.
Knee Trembling During Freezing of Gait Represents Multiple Anticipatory Postural Adjustments

Freezing of gait (FoG) is an episodic, brief inability to step that delays gait initiation or interrupts ongoing gait. FoG is often associated with an alternating shaking of the knees, clinically referred to as knee trembling or trembling in place. The pathophysiology of FoG and of the concomitant trembling knees is unknown; impaired postural adjustment in preparation for stepping is one hypothesis. We examined anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) prior to protective steps induced by a forward loss of balance in 10 Parkinson's disease (PD) subjects with marked FoG and in 10 control subjects. The amplitude and timing of the APAs were determined from changes in the vertical ground-reaction forces recorded by a force plate under each foot and were confirmed by electromyographic recordings of bilateral medial gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior and tensor fascia latae muscles. Protective steps were accomplished with a single APA followed by a step for control subjects, whereas PD subjects frequently exhibited multiple, alternating APAs coexistent with the knee trembling commonly observed during FoG as well as delayed, inadequate or no stepping. These multiple APAs were not delayed in onset and were of similar or larger amplitude than the single APAs exhibited by the control subjects. These observations suggest that multiple APAs produce the knee trembling commonly associated with FoG and that FoG associated with a forward loss of balance is caused by an inability to couple a normal APA to the stepping motor pattern.
Kinetoplastid RNA editing ligases: complex association, characterization, and substrate requirements

RNA editing processes kinetoplastid mitochondrial transcripts post-transcriptionally by inserting and deleting uridylates (Us) to produce functional mRNAs. The activities of the RNA ligases in the multienzyme complex (the editosome) that catalyzes editing and of the recombinant proteins were characterized and found to be similar. Ligation of two RNA fragments was enhanced when bridged by a complementary RNA or DNA, which left no gaps or overhangs. An acceptor nucleotide preference of G>U>C>A was observed in the absence of exogenous ATP but U was preferred upon addition of ATP and ligase activity was increased. The substrate specificity and catalytic characteristics indicate that RNA ligase activity contributes to the accuracy of RNA editing.
A Structural Integrity Assessment Methodology for Pressurized Vessels

Pressurized vessels such as a steam drum in a typical power plant can often experience in-service cracking. Structural integrity assessment methodology can be a useful tool to determine the suitability of a vessel for service. This methodology may include fitness-for-service and remaining useful life analyses of a vessel based on the nondestructive examination (NDE) results and operating conditions. In this paper, the structural integrity assessment methodology applied to a steam drum case study is described. The analysis procedure, material property determination, stress analysis, limiting flaw size evaluation, and remaining useful life evaluation for the drum are discussed. A thermal shock design tool is briefly introduced. Recommendations for appropriate action are also presented. The assessment methodology employed in this paper can be applied to other similar pressurized vessels and structures in power plants.
Avicenna’s Theory of Supposition

Abstract Although he does not have an explicit theory of supposition as is found in the works of Latin medieval philosophers, Avicenna (Ibn Sīnā) has two doctrines giving something equivalent: the threefold distinction of quiddity (triplex status naturae), corresponding to a division of simple, personal and material supposition, and his analyses of truth conditions for categorical propositions, where sentential context determines in part the reference of their terms. While he does address which individuals are being referred to by the universal terms used there, Avicenna concentrates more on the varied temporal durations of the predications being made. In Western terms, he has incorporated ampliation and restriction into the theory of supposition itself.
Human Response to Whole-Body Vibration:

Research concerning several types of human response to whole-body vibration is reviewed and evaluated. Major emphasis is on two categories of behavioral research, subjective judgments of vibration intensity and the effects of vibration on human performance. Discussion of the biodynamic response of the human body to vibration provides background information to aid the reader in understanding and interpreting vibration parameters and results of behavioral studies. Also included are considerations of the mechanisms through which vibration affects behavioral response, and some problems and shortcomings in human vibration research.
Visionaries: The Spanish Republic and the Reign of Christ

Visionaries: The Spanish Republic and the Reign of Christ. WILLIAM A. CHRISTIAN JR. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. xxii + 544 pp., drawings, maps, photographs, appendix, notes, bibliography, indexes.
DNA damage and repair

The aesthetic appeal of the DNA double helix initially hindered notions of DNA mutation and repair, which would necessarily interfere with its pristine state. But it has since been recognized that DNA is subject to continuous damage and the cell has an arsenal of ways of responding to such injury. Although mutations or deficiencies in repair can have catastrophic consequences, causing a range of human diseases, mutations are nonetheless fundamental to life and evolution.
Alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors of the rat salivary gland. Elevation after chemical sympathectomy.

Abstract Binding of [ 3 H]dihydroergokryptine and [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol to membrane preparations from rat submaxillary gland was measured to characterize the α- and β-adrenergic receptors, respectively. Kinetic analysis of the data revealed a high affinity binding site for each radioligand. Inhibition of binding at each site was stereospecific for the active isomer of the catecholamine used. The greater ability of a β 1 and β 2 specific β-adrenergic antagonist to displace [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding indicated that this binding site was of teh β 1 type. Chemical sympathectomy with reserpine or 6-hydroxydopamine resulted in a significant increase in both [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol and [ 3 H]dihydroergokryptine binding in the rat submaxillary gland. Scatchard analysis of the data indicated that these increases in binding were due to a change in total number of binding sites for [ 3 H]dihydroergokryptine and [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol with little change in apparent affinities. This suggests that changes in α- and β-adrenergic receptor density may be important in the development of supersensitivity in salivary glands after reserpine and 6-hydroxydopamine treatment.
The urologist in the delivery room

Urologic injuries can and will occur during obstetric procedures. In my experience, a urologist should follow nine rules to ensure a successful outcome for the patient and a successful relationship with the obstetrician. These rules are outlined in Table 2.
Sediment microtopography and the small-scale spatial distribution of meiofauna

Abstract Direct comparisons between sediment microtopography and the distribution of chlorophyll- a (Chl- a ) and meiofauna were examined by contiguous coring (with a 10 by 10 array of small cores, 6.3 mm i.d.) and image analysis of photographs taken on a intertidal saltmarsh mudflat. We discovered a statistically significant correlation between microtopographic features (depressions that range from 0.5 to few cm in diameter) and the abundance of harpacticoid copepods. Harpacticoids were about twice as abundant inside depressions relative to non-depressions. No relationship was found for nematodes, nor were Chl-a and harpacticoids associated. Autocorrelation analysis further indicated that large and deep depressions also housed larger aggregations of the harpacticoid Scottolana canadensis (Willey). Photographs between consecutive low tides demonstrated that microtopography was dynamic. Most features disappeared within one tidal cycle (24 h), implying that aggregations of meiofauna were of a similar longevity. Thus, physical conditions associated with sediment microtopography appear to greatly influence the distribution of harpacticoids at our study site.
Historic and current habitat use by North Pacific right whales Eubalaena japonica in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska

To help define areas and ecological parameters critical to the survival and recovery of the remnant population of North Pacific right whales, habitat use was investigated by examining all available sighting and catch records in the south-eastern Bering Sea (SEBS) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) over the past two centuries. 2. Based on re-analyses of commercial whaling records, search effort, and resultant catches and sightings, waters of the: (i) SEBS slope and shelf, (ii) eastern Aleutian Islands and (iii) GOA slope and abyssal plain were important habitat for North Pacific right whales through the late 1960s. 3. Since 1980, the only area where right whales have been seen consistently is on the SEBS middle shelf. However, acoustic detections and single sightings have been reported in all other regions except the SEBS slope and oceanic GOA (areas where little, if any, acoustic and visual effort has occurred). 4. Sightings since 1979 were in waters 2000 m deep, indicating that their distribution is not restricted to shallow continental shelves. 5. North Pacific right whale sightings through the centuries have been associated with a variety of oceanic features, and there is little in common in the bathymetry of these regions. These whales appear to have a greater pelagic distribution than that observed in the North Atlantic, which may be related to the availability of larger copepods across the SEBS and GOA.
Complete Intracranial Arterial and Venous Blood Flow Evaluation with 4D Flow MR Imaging

Time-resolved, 3D velocity-encoded MR imaging (4D Flow) allows for the acquisition of dynamic, multidirectional data on blood flow and has recently been used for the evaluation of intracranial arterial flow. Using a 3T system with optimization of both temporal resolution and k-space subsampling with a combination of parallel imaging and cut-corner acquisition, we present the clinical assessment of a patient with an arteriovenous malformation by providing complete intracranial arterial and venous coverage in a reasonable scan time.
Who Is Happy

A flood of new studies explores people's subjective well-being (SWB) Frequent positive affect, infrequent negative affect, and a global sense of satisfaction with life define high SWB These studies reveal that happiness and life satisfaction are similarly available to the young and the old, women and men, blacks and whites, the rich and the working-class Better clues to well-being come from knowing about a person's traits, close relationships, work experiences, culture, and religiosity We present the elements of an appraisal-based theory of happiness that recognizes the importance of adaptation, cultural world-view, and personal goals
Evaluating ITS strategies for real-time freeway safety improvement

Traffic crashes on urban freeways account for thousands of lives lost and billions of dollars wasted every year in America. Previous research has shown that certain freeway conditions are more susceptible to crashes occurring than others. These conditions are said to have a high crash potential. The purpose of this research is to test the effects of intelligent transportation system (ITS) strategies on reducing the potential for crashes to occur on a major urban freeway. In this research, Interstate-4 in Orlando, Florida was simulated using the PARAMICS micro-simulation software package. The crash potential was then determined through models that were created in the previous research conducted by Abdel-Aty et al. (2005) using logistic regression to associate traffic characteristics with the risk of a crash occurring. Several mitigation strategies were used while simulating the freeway and the crash potential was determined for each technique. The before (pre-ITS) and after case were then compared to examine the effects of the crash mitigation methods. The results of this research show that variable speed limits (VSL) have a positive effect on lowering the crash potential during high-speed conditions. VSL does not affect the low-speed case but if ramp metering is instead implemented the potential for a significant reduction in the crash potential is realized. However, there are still more strategies that need to be tested including route diversion, lane change restrictions, and feedback controlled ramp metering
Generic and Brand Advertising in Markets with Product Differentiation

In this paper, we analyze how generic advertising affects brand advertising and firm profits in differentiated oligopoly markets. We show that in the Crespi (2007) model only the high quality firm will use brand advertising when differentiation is vertical. We also demonstrate that when differentiation is horizontal, the equilibrium is likely to be more symmetric in terms of firm profits, spending on brand advertising, and firm response to generic advertising. Finally, we point out that generic advertising will increase expenditures on brand advertising when firms play a supermodular game. The results confirm that there are many reasons why generic advertising may increase firm spending on brand advertising.
The responsive city: Engaging communities through data-smart governance, by Stephen Goldsmith and Susan Crawford: San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass, 2014

I have been waiting for a good, critical analysis of the opportunities and risks that the information revolution presents for local government practice. I am still waiting.The stated goal of this b...
Decomposition of Universal AC Ionic Conductivity Response into Two Ranges with Constant Exponents

Many disordered materials both crystalline and glasses show universal dynamic response [1], which is characterized by appropriate power-laws. The ac-conductivity as a function of frequency, is given by: σ(ω)=σ(0) + AωS, where σ(0) is the dc-conductivity and the exponent s (≤1) generally decreases with increasing temperature. In previous work on ionically conducting crystals and glasses, we have observed two ranges in which s = constant, independent of temperature: at high temperatures, s = s0 (a value between 0.5 and 0.6) and, at low temperatures, s = 1. Further for the s = s0 region, the parameter A is activated with activation energy related to that of σ(0), while for the s = 1 region, A varies only slowly with temperature. For the cases of borate and silicate glasses as well as for crystalline CaTiO3 doped with 30% Al3+, careful analysis was carried out over the region in which the effective s falls from 1.0 to s0. The results show that this region can be described by the relation: σ(ω) = σ(0) + A'ωs0 + A'ω1.0 with parameters A and A' consistent with those obtained from the high-land low- temperature regions, respectively. Thus, we conclude that two separate types of universal behavior are superimposed throughout the entire temperature region; each is described by a constant value of s, and is due to an independent mechanism of non-Debye relaxational behavior.
SU-FF-T-180: An Experimental Comparison of Whole-Body Photon Doses for IMRT and 3D-CRT

Purpose: IMRT is a viable form of radiation treatment. As a new technology, however, IMRT techniques present many new challenges. The change from 3D-CRT to IMRT, for example, may result in an increase in second malignancies due to more fields and longer exposure times. Although NCI and others have identified this potential problem, there has been limited guidance. The goal of this study is to establish a method for comparing in-phantom measurement of whole body doses resulting from typical 3D CRT and IMRT treatment plans. Method and Materials: The measurements involved a RANDO phantom and MOSFET dosimeters. Three different treatment plans, 4-field 3D-CRT, 6-field 3D-CRT and 7-field IMRT for the prostate, were used for this study. The steps to re-construct organ doses using a physical phantom and MOSFET dosimeters are summarized in the supporting material. Results: The dosimeter readings show that the doses decrease as the distances increase for all treatment plans. At 40 cm from the target, the doses are reduced nearly 100%. At this location, however, the IMRT plan resulted in a dose that is a factor of 3–5 higher than the two 3D-CRT plans. This is due to the increased scattered radiation from the extended exposure time for IMRT case. The total monitor unit (MU) is 2850 for the IMRT case, while 1308 and 1260 for 6-field and 4-field 3D-CRT cases, respectively. Conclusion: A method has been developed and tested to use MOSFET dosimeters to measure and compare whole-body doses resulting from IMRT and 3D CRT treatment plans. The case study for prostate shows that the IMRT indeed delivers higher photon doses to locations that are away from the prostate target. On-going studies will use a whole-body VIP-Man model containing 80 segmented organs and Monte Carlo method to simulate various treatment plans for photons and protons.
China's Rare Earth Trade: Health and the Environment

Rare earth elements (REE) captured a startled world's attention during the 2010 Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands crisis, when it appeared that China withheld access to them during its border dispute with Japan. China asserts that its sovereign right to environmental regulation and national production quotas is unassailable. However, China's trade measures appear to be inconsistent with WTO rules, as well as with environmental protection and conservation, since they incentivize illegal mining and smuggling practices. In an upcoming case (DS431), the United States, the European Union, Japan and 16 third parties will argue before the WTO that China's trade measures on rare earths, tungsten and molybdenum constitute discriminatory behaviour and are illegal. This raises the question of whether China is inappropriately using the environment as a defence against allegations that its rare earth trade policies are in violation of its WTO obligations.
Keyword dictionary compression using efficient trie implementation

Summary form only given. The author proposes a method to construct a compact and efficient tree structure which can be applied to both large- and small- scale keyword dictionaries. He uses four types of tree node representations eclectically depending on the number of children of the node, to minimize unused spaces and to provide fast access: array representation, bitmap director representation, list representation, and string representation. >
Ribonomic Approaches to Identify Protein–mRNA and microRNA–mRNA Interactions: Implications for Drug Design

Preclinical Research Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression is now recognized to play a large role in physiological and pathological processes. Through interactions with messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) can alter mRNA stability or translation. Aberrant function of these pathways may play a role in inflammatory diseases and cancer, making these attractive therapeutic targets. miRNAs and some RBPs, such as tristetraprolin (TTP), destabilize mRNA and may inhibit translation. Other RBPs, such as HuR, may increase mRNA stability to upregulate gene expression. Each RBP or a single miRNA has the potential to regulate multiple functionally related targets by binding to specific sequences or motifs on mRNA. Identification of these regulatory interactions has become a key step in understanding how gene expression is controlled and in designing drugs to target these interactions in disease. A number of ribonomic techniques have been developed to accurately identify RBP–mRNA and miRNA–mRNA binding interactions, including immunoprecipitation and affinity purification techniques combined with microarray technology and high-throughput deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing. Information gained from these approaches can be used to design agents that mimic or inhibit these regulatory interactions and thus represents a novel strategy for the treatment of disease.
Template atom transfer radical polymerization of a diaminopyrimidine-derivatized monomer in the presence of a uracil-containing polymer

Uracil-derivatized monomer 6-undecyl-1-(4-vinylbenzyl)uracil and diaminopyrimidine-derivatized monomer 2,6-dioctanoylamido-4-methacryloyloxypyrimidine (DMP) were synthesized and polymerized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). A well-defined, highly soluble, uracil-containing polymer, poly[6-undecyl-1-(4-vinylbenzyl)uracil] (PUVU), was prepared in dioxane at 90 °C with CuBr/1,1,4,7,10,10-hexamethyltriethylenetetramine as the catalyst and methyl α-bromophenylacetate as the initiator. PUVU was further used as a template for the ATRP of DMP. The enhanced apparent rate constant of the DMP polymerization in the presence of PUVU indicated that the ATRP of DMP occurred along the PUVU template. The template polymerization produced a stable and insoluble macromolecular complex, PUVU/poly(2,6-dioctanoylamido-4-methacryloyloxypyrimidine). An X-ray diffraction study confirmed that the complex had strandlike domains. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6607–6615, 2006
Technology transfer and absorption: an ‘R & D value-mapping’ approach to evaluation☆

Abstract Evaluating technology transfer outcomes from governmet supported research, development and demonstration (RD & D) projects is complicated by the variety of paths through which technology can move from producer(s) to user(s). Using a set of 31 cases studies of RD&D projects the processes of technology transfer and ‘technology absorption’ are examined. Technology transfer is the use by a party external to the project of the technology or technical information outputs. Technology absorption is defined as the use by contractors, sub-contractors or co-sponsors participating in the RD&D project. This is a rarely studied phenomenon but one especially important for technology policies. The case analysis confirmed the value of viewing transfer and absorption as separate processes with separate determinants. Absorption is a more robust process stimulated by a variety of factors. Transfer is more delicate, thwarted not only by market barriers, but also coordination problems, conflicts, and resource constrains among project members. Using models of the transfer and absorption processes a typology of transfer outcomes is created. ‘On-the-shelf’ projects (12 cases) were those in which no transfer or absorption impacts occurred. These projects involved large numbers of actors assisting a small private producer/contractor who was dependent upon outside resources for completing the project. While a surprising amount effort was made to transfer these outcomes the efforts failed. ‘Absorption’ projects (eight cases) were those in which technology was absorbed but not transferred. Absorption occurred both by design and by default. ‘Market-induced’ projects (four cases) were those were technology was transferred but not absorbed. These cases also involved small private producers but they experienced less project interdependence and were marketing to niches created
A local learning rule that enables information maximization for arbitrary input distributions

This note presents a local learning rule that enables a network to maximize the mutual information between input and output vectors. The network's output units may be nonlinear, and the distribution of input vectors is arbitrary. The local algorithm also serves to compute the inverse C-1 of an arbitrary square connection weight matrix.
Schizophrenia and Language

Patients with schizophrenia often show a broad range of abnormal communication behaviors. These impairments have been viewed traditionally as a reflection of thought disturbance and, consequently, as a formal thought disorder. This population's linguistic processing deficits have been identified at the level of discourse, semantics, syntax, and phonology. Advances in neuroimaging have provided insight into the neural underpinnings of language impairments in this population. Most notably, patients demonstrate a reversal of lateralized asymmetry in which the superior temporal gyrus on the right side of the brain tends to be larger and more active than that on the left.