cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Wool Economy in Southern Peru

The wool economy in the southern highlands directly involves more individuals than the other Peruvian export economies, in both production and marketing; a number of different kinds of wool are raised. Although the bulk of the wool is exported, a number of local consumers use a certain portion of it. This chapter discusses several aspects of this rather complex economy: the uses to which wool is put and the organization of production and distribution. It describes more technical aspects of wool production such as the physical properties of wool and the physiology and behavior of the wool-bearing animals. The varied wool output is used for a number of different purposes. The institutional structure of the wool economy in southern Peru is quite complex. To a greater extent than in other export commodities, production is divided among a large number of units, often quite small, and the commercial network channeling the product from its producer to the final buyer is elaborate. There is also considerable regional variation in the organization of wool production and distribution.
Überraschende Bedeutung der Plattentektonik

Versetzen wir uns einmal in ein Raumschiff, das uns in kurzer Zeit zu jedem Planeten innerhalb des Sonnensystems bringen kann. Auf dieser Reise wollen wir feststellen, welche Eigenschaften der Erde fur das Leben unentbehrlich sind. Wir suchen Anhaltspunkte dafur, warum die hoher entwickelten Organismen auf der Erde seit nahezu 1 Mrd. Jahren uberleben konnten. Welche Umstande haben die Vielfalt des Lebens auf der Erde gefordert?
Contraceptive challenges and the transgender individual

In recent years public awareness of healthcare disparities experienced by transgender individuals throughout the world have garnered increasing attention within the media and from health advocates. Despite this increasing awareness, a paucity of research data and clinical protocols of care for clinicians continues to exist, especially in regard to the transgender individual’s family planning needs. Clinicians should be on the forefront of promoting strategies that forge a meaningful and collaborative relationship with the transgender man, including as he transitions through to the menopause and his sexual and reproductive healthcare needs. Unfortunately, despite best efforts to address the health concerns of transgender men in midlife, including their contraceptive needs and pregnancy desires, there is currently a paucity of research. Although hormonal contraceptives are not an option for this group of individuals, especially those on masculinizing hormones, IUD’s, both copper containing and progestin containing, should be considered for those with intact pelvic organs. For this group of transgender men with potential for pregnancy who have either completed their family or choose not to give birth, sterilization can be offered. Regardless of where they identify along the gender spectrum, these midlife individuals with potential reproductive potential should have equitable access to and up to date counseling on their contraceptive options. This commentary addresses the contraceptive challenges of the midlife transgender man. (Note: Pronouns used in this article are he/him for cis and transgender men and she/her for cis and transgender women).
A prospective study of obesity and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) among Black women.

Abstract Background Obesity may influence systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) pathogenesis via stimulation of systemic inflammation, but the relationship between obesity and SLE risk is unclear. Past studies have predominantly assessed White women, while Black women have higher prevalence of both obesity and SLE. Methods We prospectively assessed the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m2) and incident SLE within the Black Women's Health Study (median age 38 at entry in 1995). Height and weight at age 18 and during follow-up were self-reported. We confirmed incident SLE cases by updated American College of Rheumatology criteria and collected covariates prospectively. Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for categories of updated BMI and risk of SLE, relative to BMI 20–24.9 (“normal” BMI). Secondary analyses investigated BMI at age 18, BMI in 1995 at cohort entry, cumulative updated BMI and “lagged” BMI (≥4 years prior to outcome window to address possible reverse causation). Results Adult obesity was not related to SLE risk: HR for BMI ≥30 (“obesity”) relative to normal BMI at ≥4 years prior to SLE diagnosis was 0.90 (95% CI 0.53–1.54). However, obesity at age 18 was associated with increased risk: HR 2.38 (95% CI 1.26–4.51) for ≥30 vs. normal BMI. Conclusions Among these Black women, obesity as a teenager was associated with increased SLE risk in adulthood. Further studies are necessary to understand the biologic mechanisms and windows of exposure for the relationship of obesity to SLE pathogenesis.
LSST Target of Opportunity proposal for locating a core collapse supernova in our galaxy triggered by a neutrino supernova alert

A few times a century, a core collapse supernova (CCSN) occurs in our galaxy. When such galactic CCSNe happen, over 99\% of its gravitational binding energy is released in the form of neutrinos. Over a period of tens of seconds, a powerful neutrino flux is emitted from the collapsing star. When the exploding shock wave finally reaches the surface of the star, optical photons escaping the expanding stellar envelope leave the star and eventually arrive at Earth as a visible brightening. Crucially, although the neutrino signal is prompt, the time to the shock wave breakout can be minutes to many hours later. This means that the neutrino signal will serve as an alert, warning the optical astronomy community the light from the explosion is coming. Quickly identifying the location of the supernova on the sky and disseminating it to the all available ground and spaced-based instruments will be critical to learn as much as possible about the event. Some neutrino experiments can report pointing information for these galactic CCSNe. In particular, the Super-Kamiokande experiment can point to a few degrees for CCSNe near the center of our galaxy. A CCSN located 10 kpc from Earth is expected to result in a pointing resolution on the order of 3 degrees. LSST's field of view (FOV) is well matched to this initial search box. LSSTs depth is also uniquely suited for identifying CCSNe even if they fail or are obscured by the dust of the galactic plane. This is a proposal to, upon receipt of such an alert, prioritize the use of LSST for a full day of observing to continuously monitor a pre-identified region of sky and, by using difference imaging, identify and announce the location of the supernova.
Quantum-Mechanical Investigation of the Structures and Energetics of Uranium and Plutonium Incorporated into the Magnetite (Fe3O4) Lattice

Understanding the behavior of radionuclides is key to designing and implementing effective waste storage and remediation schemes. Incorporation into minerals is one process that may reduce the mobility of these contaminants. This study uses quantum-mechanical modeling to evaluate the incorporation of U and Pu into magnetite (Fe3O4), a common mineral and steel corrosion product. The incorporation from solid and aqueous sources (e.g., PuO2(s) and UO22+(aq)) with various oxidation states (Pu +3; U and Pu +4, +5, +6) is explored. Charge balancing is achieved via Fe lattice vacancies. The incorporation energies (ΔEinc) depend strongly on the stability of different actinide oxide phases and the hydration energies of aqueous species (e.g., ΔEinc of 1.38 and 2.88 eV for U5+ from δ-U2O5(s) and UO2+(aq), respectively). The calculated bonding environment of incorporated U (U–Oax = 2.16–2.24 A, CN = 2; U–Oeq = 2.30–2.34 A, CN = 4) aligns with the range of experimental results. Analysis of incorporation energies as we...
Management of Acute Gastric Volvulus

Acute gastric volvulus is a relatively rare, but serious, surgical emergency defined as rotation of the stomach greater than 180 °. This leads to foregut luminal obstruction and compromised blood flow to the stomach with ischemia and potentially necrosis. Treatment is initiated with gastric decompression via a nasogastric tube or endoscopic decompression. Definitive surgical management includes reduction of the volvulized stomach, resection of gastric necrosis if present, and gastropexy. A high index of suspicion is necessary to ensure a prompt work-up and intervention. If diagnosis and treatment are significantly delayed, morbidity and mortality rates can be high. This is related to the fact that the cohort of patients likely to be affected by this phenomenon is typically the elderly and often frail with decreased physiologic reserve to tolerate such an insult.
Electrochemical nanoimprinting of silicon.

Scalable nanomanufacturing enables the commercialization of nanotechnology, particularly in applications such as nanophotonics, silicon photonics, photovoltaics, and biosensing. Nanoimprinting lithography (NIL) was the first scalable process to introduce 3D nanopatterning of polymeric films. Despite efforts to extend NIL’s library of patternable media, imprinting of inorganic semiconductors has been plagued by concomitant generation of crystallography defects during imprinting. Here, we use an electrochemical nanoimprinting process—called Mac-Imprint—for directly patterning electronic-grade silicon with 3D microscale features. It is shown that stamps made of mesoporous metal catalysts allow for imprinting electronic-grade silicon without the concomitant generation of porous silicon damage while introducing mesoscale roughness. Unlike most NIL processes, Mac-Imprint does not rely on plastic deformation, and thus, it allows for replicating hard and brittle materials, such as silicon, from a reusable polymeric mold, which can be manufactured by almost any existing microfabrication technique.
How Much Neurosis Should We Bear

In his monograph, Herbert Marcuse Alasdair MacIntyre has remarked that, while ‘with Freud’s own writings it is continually necessary for the reader to turn back from the theorizing to the case histories, from the inflated conceptual schemes to the revealing clinical detail,’ Marcuse ‘all too characteristically’ has been primarily interested in Freud’s metapsychology rather than in his method of therapy ([14], pp. 43–44). Although I endorse this judgment of MacIntyre’s, the paper I am about to present is almost entirely metapsychological; that is, it is about certain concepts of mental disease and illness, and not about what those concepts have been (rightly or wrongly) applied to. However, my purpose has been clinical. I have concerned myself with the implications of certain metapsychological doctrines for psychiatrists’attitudes to their patients; and, indeed, for anybody’s attitudes to himself or to anybody else.
Time-series implications of the permanent income hypothesis on durable goods consumption

Mankiw's rational expectations-permanent income hypothesis (RE-PIH) model on consumer durable expenditures predicts that the change in durable expenditures should follow an MA (1) process. Empirical tests of this joint hypothesis, however, have been rejected using the postwar U.S. data. This thesis presents a time-series representation of the RE-PIH model that is capable of explaining the quarterly aggregated durable goods expenditure series. A novel feature of the analysis is that the observed infrequent purchases of durable goods by the consumers are incorporated into the model and that the time aggregation problem is explicitly addressed to investigate the aggregate dynamics of the durable expenditures. The time-series implication of the base model is that the change in durable expenditures is a function of the durable goods purchase interval. Mankiw's MA (1) model is shown to be a special case where the purchase interval is one quarter. Estimation results show that the RE-PIH model is capable of explaining the quarterly aggregate dynamics of the consumer durable goods expenditures once the infrequent microeconomic action is incorporated into the model and the time aggregation problem is explicitly taken into account.
Effect of water chemistry on the composition of oxides formed on stainless steel surfaces in light water reactors

Abstract Results of first-principles calculations have been combined with thermochemical data to evaluate the free energies of formation and the equilibrium composition of Cr-containing nickel ferrite spinel in contact with aqueous solution. Under conditions of solid-liquid equilibrium, with temperature, pH, and concentration of aqueous cations (Ni2+, Fe2+/3+, Cr3+) that are characteristic to operating light water reactors (LWRs), Cr is incorporated at the octahedral site of the spinel up to 12–14 at. %. The effects of temperature, pH, and concentration of aqueous species on the spinel composition are discussed.
The association between macular pigment optical density and visual function outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on data related to macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and visual function in adults with healthy eyes. MEDLINE®, Cochrane, and Commonwealth of Agriculture Bureau abstracts databases were searched for English-language publications between 1946 and August 2018. Included studies examined correlation of MPOD and visual function in adults with healthy eyes at all timepoints and all designs, except for case–control, case reports, and reviews. Visual function outcomes of interest included photostress recovery, contrast sensitivity, visual acuity, glare sensitivity/disability, and dark adaptation. Random effects model meta-analyses combined study-level correlation (r). Twenty-two publications were included. In meta-analysis MPOD was found to be significantly correlated with contrast sensitivity at 30′ (two studies, summary r: 0.37; 95% CI 0.15, 0.56), and at 1° eccentricity with a spatial frequency of 7, 11, and 21 cpd (three studies, summary r: 0.31; 95% CI 0.06, 0.52), with photostress recovery at a 1° eccentricity with a moderate background, 10 cpd, and 16% contrast (two studies, summary r: −0.17; 95% CI −0.31, −0.02), and at 30′ (four studies, summary r: −0.57; 95% CI −0.78, −0.24), and with glare disability at 30′ eccentricity with a log scale at 460 nm (three studies, summary r = 0.47; 95% CI 0.32; 0.59). There were insufficient data for meta-analysis for other visual functions. Our review identifies a link between MPOD and visual function with significant correlations with photostress recovery, glare disability, and contrast sensitivity.
Mysticism and the Fine Structure Constant

The mysticism relating to the fine structure constant, including the surprising connection between the number 137 and Kabbalah by means of gematria (first noted by Gershom Scholem in the 1950s), and the connection between Wolfgang Pauli’s World Clock dream and formulas for the fine structure constant, is explored and expanded. A formula that relates the number 137 to the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence is explored in the context of Platonic and Pythagorean mysticism and various religious and esoteric traditions. Keywords: fine structure constant; pi; quantization; archetypes; Kabbalah; polygons; Pythagoras; Plato; Carl Jung; mysticism; golden ratio; Fibonacci numbers; gematria
Teledentistry: Increasing utilisation of oral-health services for children in rural areas:

IntroductionThe objective of this study was to evaluate factors influencing utilisation of follow-up oral-health services in general dentistry clinics among children subsequent to a teledentistry c...
New Religions and the Mediation of Non-Monogamy: Polyamory, Polygamy, and Reality Television

New Religions and the Mediation of Non-Monogamy examines the relationship between alternative American religions and the media representation of non-monogamies on reality-TV shows like Sister Wives, Seeking Sister Wife, and Polyamory: Married & Dating. The book is the first full-length study informed by fieldwork with Mormon polygamists and fieldwork with LGBTQ Neo-Pagan/Neo-Tantric polyamorists. The book tracks community members’ responses to the new media about them, their engagement with television and other media, and the likeness of representations to actual populations through fieldwork and interviews. The book highlights differences in socioeconomic privileges that shape Mormon polygamists’ lives and LGBTQ polyamorists’ lives, respectively. The polyamory movement receives support from liberal media. As reality TV has shifted the image of Mormon polygamy to one of liberal American middle-class culture, Mormon polygamists have gained in public favor. The media landscape of non-monogamy is mediated by, in addition to these alternative religious populations, the norms and practices of the reality-TV industry and by sociocultural and economic realities, including race and class. This book adds to the fields of media studies, critical race and gender studies, new religious movements, and queer studies.
"I'd Go from a Mountain Top and Tell My Story": Perspectives of Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence on Storytelling for Social Change.

Storytelling has well-documented therapeutic benefits for survivors of trauma. However, little is known about intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors’ perspectives on sharing their stories. This ...
The Obama Administration's Use of Executive Agreements: Business As Usual or Presidential Unilateralism?

Obama has completed far fewer treaties than his predecessors. The use of executive agreements, the alternative to treaties, has continued apace. The change is partly a result of polarization in the Senate, which increases the president’s reliance upon unilateral authority. Despite this marked change in the implementation of US diplomacy, we have little understanding of the nature of these agreements and how they compare to treaties. Does the departure from the treaty signal a change in how presidents complete agreements? Does Obama’s shift away from treaties mean that executive agreements will be used with greater frequency in dealing with significant matters, in which the norm has been to use treaties? Answering these questions requires an extensive analysis of the hundreds of agreements completed in recent years. To begin answering these questions, I catalog and code executive agreements signed during Obama’s first term (2009 to 2012). The executive agreements are coded on a variety of variables: topic, agreement partner, agency, etc., and coding continues. Various data challenges exist in accurately cataloging executive agreements and the results presented in this paper are largely preliminary.
Can European Companies Escape U.S. Listings

European companies would like to deregister from the SEC system in light of Sarbanes Oxley. However, this takes at least 18 months for a foreign company listed on a US market, and is virtually impossible for a foreign company that has made a public offering in the US. Therefore, the SEC should adopt a geographic going private rule allowing a foreign issuer to opt out of the SEC system if the foreign issuer makes an offer to buy all shares of its US holders at a fair price as determined by an independent appraiser.
Familial recurrence of pulmonary sequestration.

Background: Pulmonary sequestration is not believed to be familial. We report two male infants with this anomaly who were born to the same parents. Cases: The prenatal diagnosis of pulmonary sequestration was made in a woman's two consecutive pregnancies by demonstrating systemic arterial supply to an echogenic mass located in the left lower lung of each fetus. Postnatal radiographic evaluation confirmed the prenatal diagnoses. Conclusion: Recurrent pulmonary sequestration in two male offspring from the same parents raises the possibility of a genetic predisposition for this condition.
Isolated analdosteronism. II. The nature of the adrenal cortical enzymatic defect, and the influence of diet and various agents on electrolyte balance

Abstract The effects of changes in the dietary content of sodium and potassium in a patient with isolated aldosterone deficiency are described. Poor renal sodium conservation on a low salt intake is demonstrated, as well as an inability to correct the persistent elevation in serum potassium by dietary potassium restriction. Markedly negative sodium and chloride balance occurred with dietary salt restriction, and was associated with hyponatremia and a further increase in serum potassium, as well as more frequent paralytic episodes. Correction of the biochemical and clinical abnormalities was achieved by the administration of ACTH, desoxycorticosterone, 9α-fluorohydrocortisone, and d-aldosterone. Administration of the salt-retaining steroids, however, resulted in sustained systemic arterial hypertension. Chlorothiazide, while able to lower the serum potassium concentration, also enhanced the excretion of sodium and chloride. Paper chromatographic separation of the individual urinary hydroxycorticoids disclosed an excess of tetrahydrocorticosterone, which increased after the administration of ACTH, while aldosterone remained absent in the urine. This strongly suggests the presence of a defect in the 18-aldolase enzyme system. A slight elevation in tetrahydro-S excretion raises the possibility of an associated mild defect in the 11β-hydroxylating system, although confirmatory evidence is lacking, since hydrocortisone metabolites in the urine were present in normal amounts and desoxycorticosterone metabolites were absent. The appearance of aldosterone in two consecutive 24-hour urine specimens toward the end of the study period could not be clearly related to the administration of any exogenous compound, and apparently represented at least a temporary restoration of 18-aldolase activity to normal or, perhaps, the activation of a different biosynthetic pathway for aldosterone formation.
Interdisciplinary Irrigated Precision Farming Research

The USDA-Agricultural Research Service and Colorado State University are conducting an interdisciplinary study that focuses on developing a clearer scientific understanding of the causes of yield variability. Two years of data have been collected from two commercial center pivot irrigated fields (72 and 52 ha). Cooperating farmers manage all farming operations for crop production and provide yield maps of the maize grown on the fields. The farmers apply sufficient inputs to minimize risk of yield loss. The important variables for crop production have been sampled at a grid spacing of 76 m for two seasons. A spatial auto-regressive model was fitted to the data to determine the critical factors affecting yield variability. Thirty one layers of data were included in the analysis, and a total of over 140,000 models were examined. Up to five predictors were used in each model. Variability in water application, nitrate nitrogen, organic matter, phosphorus, topology, percent silt and soil electrical conductivity were significant in explaining the yield variability for Field 1. Variability in water application, ammonium, nematodes, percent clay, insects, potassium, soil electrical conductivity, and topology were significant in explaining the yield variability for Field 2. The tentative conclusion is that the potential economic benefit of site specific management is small where the farmer's management tolerance for risk is low. The potential of site specific management is in reducing the cost of inputs and environmental impact, but could increase risk.
Student Success and the Family: Using the Comer Model for Home-School Connections

I f American public school systems are to fulfill their purpose of educating all students, they will need to be guided by a people-centered approach, one that includes the parents. Effective home-school collaboration occurs when parents and educators share common goals, see each other as equals, and support the students' education wholeheartedly. A program to expand the parent-school connection must address all aspects of parental participation. However, schools that want to involve parents more thoroughly face a myriad of disjointed approaches for connecting with parents. Pick up any educational journal, and you are likely to find at least one article that addresses parental involvement, offering, perhaps, tips on effective communication at conference time, suggestions on how parents can help their children study, or information on how to enlist parents as volunteer classroom tutors.
Leucine Affects the Metabolism of Valine by Isolated Perfused Rat Hearts: Relation to Branched-Chain Amino Acid Antagonism

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different concentrations of leucine on the transport, transamination and oxidation of valine and on incorporation of valine into heart proteins in the isolated perfused rat heart. Valine metabolism was studied in rat hearts perfused with medium containing glucose and graded levels of L-leucine. In transport studies L-phenylalanine was also tested. Uptake of L-[1-14C]valine (0.2 mmol/L) was significantly reduced (-50%) by inclusion of 0.2 mmol/L phenylalanine or leucine, and by -70% by inclusion of 1.0 mmol/L phenylalanine or leucine in the perfusate. Transamination of valine decreased by 37 and 48%, and oxidation of valine by 53 and 71%, respectively, when 0.2 or 1.0 mmol/L leucine was included in the perfusate. Tissue concentrations of valine decreased by 43, 48 and 62% in the presence of 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 mmol/L leucine, respectively; tissue concentrations of leucine, glutamate and alanine increased approximately 11-fold, 1.2-fold and 0.5-fold, respectively, when 1.0 mmol/L leucine was present in the perfusate. Addition of 0.2-1.0 mmol/L leucine did not affect incorporation of valine into heart proteins. We conclude that 1) competition among large neutral amino acids for transport into heart occurs at physiological concentrations of these amino acids in plasma; 2) inhibition of valine uptake by leucine can limit the rate of valine catabolism in heart; and 3) depletion of tissue valine concentration by an excess of leucine did not affect the rate of protein synthesis.
DOING BUSINESS IN A CONNECTED SOCIETY: THE GSK BRIBERY SCANDAL IN CHINA

Personal connections have always mattered greatly both in so- cieties and businesses throughout the world. What a connection is and how that connection is used, however, is subject to interpretation as well as abuse. This Article examines Chinese reforms to combat "connection-based bribery" in multinational corporations through a series of recent scandals involving the global healthcare giant, Glax- oSmithKline LLC ("GSK"). In 2012, GSK plead guilty and paid the largest combined federal and state healthcare fraud recovery in a sin- gle case in the history of the United Sates to resolve criminal and civil liabilities related to bribery. Only a year later GSK was involved in another large-scale bribery scandal in China that resulted in the larg- est corporate fine ever imposed in the country as well as multiple con- victions of GSK managers. The GSK China scandal created a ripple effect that led to bribery investigations of GSK operations in the Mid- dle East and Europe, a joint investigation of the Chinese operations of French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, and possible charges from the U.S. Department of Justice and Britain's Serious Fraud Office. In light of these scandals, this Article analyzes the complicated harms triggered by the alleged corrupt practices of GSK and other multinational corporations in the context of Chinese culture in order
Effects of ethanol on mitogen-activated protein kinase and stress-activated protein kinase cascades in normal and regenerating liver

To understand the mechanisms by which ethanol inhibits hepatocyte proliferation, we studied the effects of ethanol on p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in normal and regenerating rat liver. Treatment of rat hepatocytes with 100 mM ethanol in vitro for 16 h prolonged the activation of p42/44 MAPK and p38 MAPK induced by various agonists. Such treatment also increased basal JNK activity, but did not potentiate or prolong agonist-induced JNK activation. Ethanol potentiation of the activation of p42/44 MAPK was abolished by pertussis toxin. In contrast, chronic ethanol consumption in vivo inhibited the activation of p42/44 MAPK, p38 MAPK and JNK induced either by partial hepatectomy or by various agonists. However, both acute and chronic ethanol inhibited hepatocyte proliferation induced by insulin and epidermal growth factor. A selective inhibitor of p42/44 MAPK partially prevented the inhibition of hepatocyte proliferation caused by acute, but not by chronic, ethanol exposure, whereas a selective inhibitor of p38 MAPK further inhibited hepatocyte proliferation under both conditions. These data suggest that acute and chronic ethanol inhibit hepatocyte proliferation by different mechanisms. The effect of acute ethanol may be related to the prolongation of p42/44 MAPK activation, whereas inhibition of hepatocyte proliferation by chronic ethanol may be due to inhibition of p38 MAPK activation.
A class of coordinate descent methods for multiuser detection

A class of coordinate descent methods is proposed for the joint detection of binary symbols of K users in a synchronous correlated waveform multiple-access (CWMA) channel with Gaussian noise. We consider the detection problem as one of optimizing a quadratic objective function with binary constraints on decision variables. The proposed coordinate descent methods, while still maintaining a low computational complexity, are shown to provide as much as two orders of magnitude improvement in the probability of error, especially in situations where the existing methods do not perform well. The paper concludes with a discussion of how the proposed methods can be further improved.
Spectroscopic Characterization of Spin-Labeled Magnetically Oriented Phospholipid Bilayers by EPR Spectroscopy

This paper reports the EPR spectroscopic characterization of a recently developed magnetically oriented spin-labeled model membrane system. The oriented membrane system is composed of a mixture of a bilayer forming phospholipid and a short chain phospholipid that breaks up the extended bilayers into bilayered micelles or bicelles that are highly hydrated (approximately 75% aqueous). Paramagnetic lanthanide ions (Tm3+) were added to align the bicelles such that the bilayer normal is collinear with the direction of the static magnetic field. Optimal bicelle alignment was obtained when the temperature was increased slowly (approximately 15 min) from 298 K (gel phase) to 318 K (Lα phase) at 0.64 T. The nitroxide spin probe 3β-doxyl-5α-cholestane (cholestane) was used to demonstrate the effects of macroscopic bilayer alignment through the measurement of orientational dependent hyperfine splittings that were close to Ayy. The EPR signals of cholestane inserted into oriented and randomly dispersed DMPC-rich bila...
Sunlight readable avionics displays

The theme of the Cockpit Displays V Conference of 'Custom versus Consumer -- Grade Displays in Defense Applications' reflects the Raytheon Systems Company field emission display (FED) development effort. Raytheon chose to license commercial FED technology and subsequently participate in a commercial industry 'FED Alliance' to insert this technology into commercial and avionics defense applications. The unaffordability of custom military displays makes them an unfeasible choice to build a business upon. The major differences between consumer FEDs and those adapted for military/avionics installations are: (1) high brightness for sunlight visibility; (2) extended environmental range; (3) high resolution; (4) wider dimming range for sunlight to NVIS operation; (5) extended gray scales; (6) lifetime product support well beyond two year consumer market life. The transition to defense applications is further being accomplished via industry/government partnerships as the DARPA Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP) and BAA 97-31. FEDs combine cathode ray tube (CRT) and matrix addressed flat panel display technology, parts, manufacturing, and test equipment, plus open systems interfaces into a new display.
Increased excretion of bile acids by genetically hyperlipoproteinemic Zucker rat

Abstract Fecal excretion of neutral sterols and bile acids was measured in age-matched hyperlipoproteinemic Zucker obese rats and their lean litter mates. The bile acid excretion (mg/day ± SEM) in Zucker rats was significantly higher (p
Characterization of a Novel Subtype of Human G Protein-coupled Receptor for Lysophosphatidic Acid

Abstract The recent identification of the Vzg-1/Edg2 protein as a functional G protein-coupled receptor for lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) has allowed a sequence-based search for new genes that may encode novel subtypes of LPA receptors. A human cDNA encoding a G protein-coupled receptor, designated Edg4, was identified by searching the GenBank™ for homologs of the human Edg2 LPA receptor. The Edg4 protein is 46% identical and 72% similar in amino acid sequence to human Edg2. When overexpressed in Jurkat T cells, the Edg4 protein mediated LPA-induced activation of a serum response element reporter gene with LPA concentration dependence (EC50 of 10 nm) and specificity. This LPA-induced reporter gene activation could be partially inhibited by pretreatment with pertussis toxin or C3 exoenzyme, suggesting requirements for both a Gi protein and Rho GTPase. Overexpression of Edg4 in Jurkat cells also led to increases in specific binding sites for [3H]LPA. Northern blots revealed that twoedg4 mRNA transcripts of 1.8 and 8 kilobases are distributed very differently from edg2 mRNAs in adult human tissues and several cancer cell lines. The existence and distinctive tissue expression of structurally different subtypes of LPA receptors may provide one basis for tissue-specific functions and permit independent regulation of each subtype of LPA receptor.
Orbital motions in 3He-A

Orbital motions in /sup 3/He-A in very low magnetic field and driven by heat flow are studied using crossed detecting zero-sound fields. A precessional type of motion of the l field is frequently observed, though a rich variety of phenomena are also observed. There is no evidence for phase slip due to motion of nonsingular vortices along the surface. Motion of the l field following sudden parallel magnetic field turn-off is also observed above a threshold field change which is related to coherent dipolar energy. The time scale for these l-field changes is, however, a factor of about 10/sup 2/ larger than expected for the formation of composite solitons.
Differential effects of prostaglandin E2 and cyclic AMP on release of arachidonic acid metabolites from resting and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages

Abstract The present study investigated the effect of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on arachidonic acid metabolism in rat peritoneal macrophages. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (db-cyclic AMP) caused differential effects on the synthesis of PGE2 and thromboxane. Although db cyclic AMP enhanced the release of PGE2, it inhibited the release of thromboxane. This suggests that cyclic AMP may regulate cellular functions via induction of a shift in the proportion of arachidonic acid metabolites. PGE2, at low concentrations, markedly inhibited thromboxane release in nontreated macrophages, but it had virtually no effect on thromboxane release in cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). By contrast, db-cyclic AMP inhibited thromboxane release also in LPS-stimulated cells. The interrelationships between PGE2, thromboxane and cyclic AMP, and possible interference of LPS in these interactions are discussed.
Starter Dietary Lysine Level and Strain Cross Effects on Performance and Carcass Traits of Broiler Females

Dietary lysine has been shown to impact the performance of broilers, particularly with aspect of breast meat accretion and yield. There have been studies that suggest that early dietary lysine has an effect on breast meat yield in male broilers. A study was designed to evaluate starter dietary lysine (1.20 vs 1.35% of diet as achieved by the addition of Llysine at the expense of a filler) effect on performance of female broilers from three different genetic strain crosses, and monitor subsequent effects at 41 and 56 d of age. Body weight and feed consumption were higher for birds consuming the high lysine starter diet, but feed conversions were similar when compared to the low lysine diet. Body weight and feed conversion were similar among strains. Mortality was unaffected by lysine level and strain cross. Carcass and breast meat weight, but not yields, were higher in birds fed the high lysine diet. At 56 d differences in carcass yield, abdominal fat, and breast meat yield were seen among strains, such that the strain with highest yield had the least amount of abdominal fat in terms of absolute weight and percentage. No effect on processing yields by dietary lysine was observed at any time regardless of the growing characteristics of the broilers. However, for early slaughter ages, feeding high levels of dietary lysine during the starter phase could prove to be convenient when maximum live performance or breast meat absolute values are desiredin order to maintain the commercial quality of final products.
Improving Shelf Life of Roasted and Salted Inshell Peanuts Using High Oleic Fatty Acid Chemistry

Abstract Major markets for the large-seeded virginia-type peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) include roasted inshell and salted inshell products with short shelf life being a common consumer complaint. U...
Magnocellular and parvocellular influences on reflexive attention

Previous studies have provided conflicting evidence regarding whether the magnocellular (M) or parvocellular (P) visual pathway is primarily responsible for triggering involuntary orienting. Here, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to provide new evidence that both the M and P pathways can trigger attentional capture and bias visual processing at multiple levels. Specifically, cued-location targets elicited enhanced activity, relative to uncued-location targets, at both early sensory processing levels (indexed by the P1 component) and later higher-order processing stages (as indexed by the P300 component). Furthermore, the present results show these effects of attentional capture were not contingent on the feature congruency between the cue and expected target, providing evidence that this biasing of visual processing was not dependant on top-down expectations or within-pathway priming.
Tiny Bubbles: A fault-tolerant distributed overlay for networks with block-churn

Military networks can be divided into two main areas. The strategic network, usually made up of fixed locations, is typically the main collection point for information and subsequent analysis. The other primary network, the tactical network, is the dynamic environment that our front line warfighters use in the changing battlefront. There is critical need for information to pass between any given sets of nodes across these networks efficiently. Unfortunately, these networks are often a hodge-podge of sub-networks patched together to perform critical tasks. This paper introduces a middle-ware protocol that can be used for locating distributed information in both the strategic and tactical military environments. We narrow our focus on developing a new peer-to-peer overlay that will allow implementation over a heterogeneous environment that consists of various off-the-shelf and proprietary hardware. Along with the effort to provide a method for seamlessly connecting all networked components, we propose that the solution be fault tolerant and adjustable given the highly mobile environments found throughout the strategic and tactical fronts.
Immunization of transgenic mice for production of MoAbs directed at polymorphic blood group antigens

Background Antibodies of human origin for blood typing are increasingly difficult to obtain, and, despite aggressive efforts, MoAbs with specificities to several blood group polymorphisms have eluded production. As an approach for the generation of MoAbs with defined specificities, the feasibility of immunizing mice that are transgenic for the target polymorphism, Fy(a)/Fy(b) of the Duffy blood group system, was tested with a source of the antithetical antigen. Study design and methods Nontransgenic mice were immunized with recombinant Fy(b), and transgenic mice expressing human Fy(b) were immunized with recombinant Fy(a). Results Immunization of the nontransgenic mice resulted in the production of MoAbs to the Duffy protein, but not to the Fy(a)/Fy(b) blood group polymorphism. However, immunization of the transgenic mice resulted in production of the first example of murine Fy(a) MoAb (MIMA-19). This antibody is being used to screen for Fy(a-) blood donors and has been evaluated by many laboratories in an international workshop. Conclusion This approach provides an effective method for producing MoAbs with specificities to polymorphic epitopes. These MoAbs are needed in transfusion medicine to identify antigen-negative donors and to alleviate the critical shortage of blood bank typing reagents, which currently are available only from human-derived sources.
Ascending stairway modeling: A first step toward autonomous multi-floor exploration

Many robotics platforms are capable of ascending stairways, but all existing approaches for autonomous stair climbing use stairway detection as a trigger for immediate traversal. In the broader context of autonomous exploration, the ability to travel between floors of a building should be compatible with path planning, such that the robot can traverse a stairway at a time that is appropriate to its navigation goals. No system yet presented is capable of both localizing stairways on a map and estimating their properties, functions that in combination would enable stairways to be considered as traversable terrain in a path planning algorithm. We propose a method for modeling stairways as objects and localizing them on a map, such that they can be subsequently traversed if they are of dimensions that the robotic platform is capable of climbing. Our system consists of two parts: a computationally efficient detector that leverages geometric cues from depth imagery to detect sets of ascending stairs, and a stairway modeler that uses multiple detections to infer the location and parameters of a stairway that is discovered during exploration. This video demonstrates the performance of the system in a number of real-world situations, modeling and localizing a variety of stairway types in both indoor and outdoor environments.
Hemoglobins of mice: sequence and possible ambiguity at one position of the alpha chain.

Abstract The sequences of amino acids in the α chains of hemoglobins from C57BL, BALB/c, and NB mice were studied. C57BL is a common strain of laboratory mice; therefore, it is used as the standard for comparison with others. The α chain of each has 141 amino acids and is homologous to that of man and other vertebrates. When these α chains were compared with that of normal adult human hemoglobin, amino acid exchanges were found at 16 positions. C57BL α chain differs from that of BALB/c at position 68 only, where C57BL consistently has asparagine while BALB/c apparently has two forms, differing only in whether there is serine or threonine inserted in the chain. The insertions of serine or threonine at position 68 occur at relatively equal frequencies. Several explanations for the production of two forms of α chains in BALB/c mice are presented. The α chain of NB hemoglobin shows three amino acid replacements when compared with that of C57BL: NB has valine rather than glycine at position 26, isoleucine rather than valine at position 62, and serine rather than asparagine at position 68.
The startle test revisited.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to the compare fetal heart reaction to external physical stimulation with the nonstress test (NST). STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study evaluates documentation of fetal heart rate accelerations by two methods. The standard NST was performed prior to the ultrasound evaluation. The NST results were unavailable to the ultrasonographer. M-mode ultrasound was used initially to detect a stable heart rate. Then the ultrasound transducer was used to stimulate fetal movement by indenting the uterus over the fetal small parts. A second fetal heart rate was determined within 15 seconds after stimulation. RESULTS: A total of 194 patients underwent 235 studies. The patient population included four sets of twins. When the NST was reactive, 151/216 had an ultrasound startle response of ≥15 beats per minute; however, all nonreactive NSTs were associated with an ultrasound response of 14 beats per minute or less (p<0.001). A receiver-operating characteristic curve comparing the ultrasound fetal response to the startle with the NST identified the area under the curve to be 0.948, consistent with high specificity and sensitivity. CONCLUSION: The fetal heart rate response to external stimulation identifies 67% of patients with a reactive NST.
On the Application of the Statistical Strength Model of Fiber-Reinforced Composites

Further research was done on the previously reported unidirectional fiber- reinforced composite tensile strength model so as to overcome the mathematical difficul ties in its application. A computer program was developed to calculate the composite strength based on the composite strength model. With this computer program, the com posite tensile strength can be directly calculated once certain basic fiber and matrix prop erties are known. Comparisons with several other composite strength models showed that this model has the best agreement with experimental data and is relatively easy to use. Ap plications of this model to the composite strength design were also discussed.
Long-term hemodynamic and clinical efficacy of captopril therapy in ambulatory management of severe chronic congestive heart failure

The 6-month extended vasodilator efficacy of the oral angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, captopril (CPT), was evaluated by sequential cardiac catheterization, nuclear scintigraphy, echocardiography, treadmill exercise, and symptomatology in nine patients with severe chronic left ventricular (LV) failure (CHF). CPT lowered LV filling pressure (from 23 to 14 mm Hg acutely (p less than 0.001) and to 14 mm Hg (p less than 0.01) with continuous 6-month therapy; concomitantly CPT raised cardiac index from 2.03 to 2.46 L/min/m2 initially (p less than 0.02) and to 2.33 L/min/m2 (p less than 0.02) at 6 months. Simultaneously CPT raised LV ejection fraction from 0.21 to 0.25 acutely (p less than 0.01) and to 0.30 (p less than 0.001) and to 60 mm (p less than 0.001) at 6 months. These beneficial actions of CPT on LV pump function raised treadmill exercise duration (from 339 to 426 seconds initially (p less than 0.05) and to 499 seconds (p less than 0.05) at 6 months, while considerably reducing CHF symptomatology (p less than 0.001). Thus ACE inhibition by CPT provides markedly beneficial sustained hemodynamic and clinical improvement in advanced LV failure without fluid accumulation or late vasodilator drug tolerance.
Modeling A Household’s Choice among Food Store Types

A household's choice among the different types of food stores to patronize depends on characteristics of both the stores and the household. Store characteristics include prices and promotional deals. Two types of household characteristics are important: the household's specific purchase history and demographics. This study proposes a new multinomial logit model to account for these choice determinants. In an empirical application to fluid milk, we find that store characteristics and both household demographics and purchase history are significant determinants of a household's store‐type choices and must all be included in a choice model.