cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alcohol sensitivity in female mice: Effect of ovariectomy

This study tested the hypothesis that decreased estrogen levels accomplished by removing the ovaries affect the response to acutely administered alcohol in female mice. Sensitivity to alcohol was measured in ovariectomized, sham-operated, and non-surgical control C3H/HEN mice. Each animal received an IP injection of alcohol (3.0 or 4.0 g/kg). Core temperature, fall time, sleep time, and waking blood alcohol levels were the dependent variables. For each of these measures, alcohol sensitivity was found to be a function of the dose of alcohol administered, but not the surgical condition. Additionally, the stage of estrus in control animals was not found to be related to alcohol sensitivity.
Hindcasting Changes in Upper-Ocean Thermal Structure on Short Timescales with Data from MILE and Ocean Weath1er Station Papa

Abstract The skill of mixed-layer hindcasts of short (12–120 h) duration was investigated using data from Ocean Weather Station Papa for the years 1960–68, and from the Mixed Layer Experiment (MILE), which was conducted about 4O km southwest of Papa in late summer of 1977. The hindcasts were initialized and validated with observed temperature profiles and forced with surface wind stresses and heat fluxes calculated from meteorological observations. Mean and rms hindcast errors for sea surface temperature (SST) and mixed-layer depth (MLD) were compared with errors for persistence and climatology. Hindcast skill was calculated as the percent improvement of the hindcast rms error over the persistence rms error. The hindcast skill was significantly higher for the MILE data than for the Papa data. Hindcast skill with the Papa data was generally higher in spring and summer than in fall and winter. The range of hindcast skill for hindcasts of 12–36-h duration was 39%–48% for SST and 28%–37% for MLD for the MILE ...
Detecting Thrombophilia, Hypofibrinolysis and Reduced Nitric Oxide Production in Osteonecrosis

Gene mutations leading to thrombophilia, hypofibrinolysis, and reduced nitric oxide production are risk factors for osteonecrosis. The importance of the diagnosis of thrombophilia–hypofibrinolysis in idiopathic osteonecrosis lies in the potential to stop the progression of osteonecrosis when enoxaparin is started at Ficat stages I or II before irreversible segmental collapse of the head of the femur.
Gender Matters: An Integrated Model for Understanding Men's and Women's Health

Health research has failed to adequately explore the combination of social and biological sources of differences in men's and women's health. Consequently, scientific explanations often proceed from reductionist assumptions that differences are either purely biological or purely social. Such assumptions and the models that are built on them have consequences for research, health care and policy. Although biological factors such as genetics, prenatal hormone exposure and natural hormonal exposure as adults may contribute to differences in men's and women's health, a wide range of social processes can create, maintain or exacerbate underlying biological health differences. Researchers, clinicians and policy makers would understand and address both sex-specific and non-sex-specific health problems differently if the social as well as biological sources of differences in men's and women's health were better understood.
Skinfold measures as the criterion of change in weight control studies

Skinfold thickness measures provide a practical and objective index of obesity and are readily transformable to percentage body fat. These measures, taken particulally at the triceps muscle site, avoid the many criticisms of the usual height-weight tables to determine overweight. Skinfold calipers can be used to yield reliable data following a brief course of training. The available norms and measurement issues are discussed. A standard criterion will permit meaningful comparisons of the many experiments and case reports now appearing on the treatment of obesity.
Origin of Junctional Rhythm During Radiofrequency Ablation of Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia in Patients Without Structural Heart Disease

Junctional rhythm is commonly observed during radiofrequency catheter ablation of the fast or slow pathways of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). However, the origin of these beats remains unclear. We analyzed the retrograde atrial activation sequence of 16 patients (mean +/- SD: 41.2 +/- 18.9 years old) undergoing catheter ablation for typical AVNRT with detailed catheter mapping of the triangle of Koch. The earliest atrial activations were concordant during tachycardia and junctional rhythm in only 5 of 16 patients. The findings suggest that junctional rhythm is unlikely to represent direct stimulation of the atrioventricular (AV) node via a discrete slow pathway but rather results from enhanced automaticity from > or =1 sites in the AV nodal transitional zone. The ensuing atrial activation pattern results from anisotropic spread from these sites. In addition, these data imply that the original concept of the AV node comprising 2 anatomically defined pathways may not be valid, and that a functionally defined pathway model may be a more accurate representation.
Integration of amino acid biosynthesis into the cell cycle of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract Yeast cells derepress their biosynthetic enzymes for arginine, histidine, lysine and tryptophan upon starvation for any one of these amino acids. This concerted derepression appears to be a manifestation of a general control over amino acid biosynthesis. Two classes of mutation that destroy this control are described in detail. Both classes are recessive to the wild-type allele. One class, aas, is unable to derepress the enzymes of arginine, histidine, lysine or tryptophan biosynthesis. The other class, tra, is fully derepressed for the enzymes of all these pathways of amino acid biosynthesis. This latter class is temperature-sensitive for growth. Analysis of the temperature-sensitive lesion indicates that tra3 mutants, when grown at 36 °C, are defective in the cell cycle early in the G1 phase. Strains carrying the tra3 mutation arrest as single, unbudded cells at the non-permissive temperature regardless of their position in the cell cycle at the time of the shift to the restrictive temperature. The position of the tra3 step in the cell cycle has been determined with respect to other cell-cycle events, and has been found to act at the same point in the cycle as the α factor-sensitive step. The dual role of the TRA3 gene product in general regulation and in cell division suggests that information on the state of amino acid biosynthesis is part of the signal for “start” in the cell cycle.
Gender and Racial Differences in the Acceptance of Rape Myths Within a College Population

Four hundred forty nine students completed a questionnaire that sought to measure degree of acceptance/rejection of nine statements that reflected prejudical, stereotyped, or false beliefs about rape, rape victims, or rapists. These statements, termed rape myths, are seen as reflecting and perpetuating sexual and racial stereotypes as well as serving to demean the victim and hinder the functioning of the criminal justice system. The data indicate that at least a substantial minority of respondents do accept rape myths as valid. Further analysis revealed significant differences by racial and sexual groupings. Results were interpreted through use of the concept of defensive attribution.
Neurogenetic and experiential processes underlying major personality traits: Implications for modelling personality disorders

AbstractThe association of personality traits to personality disorders (PDs) is assumed by many to fit a dimensional model, where PDs emerge at the extremes of personality dimensions. Nevertheless, attempts to demonstrate such an association have been empirically disappointing and conceptually unilluminating. In this article we attempt to extend such models by outlining the neurobehavioural systems that underlie major personality traits, and highlight the evidence that they are subject to experience-dependent modification that can be enduring through effects on genetic expression, mainly through processes known as epigenetics. It is through such processes that risk for personality disorder may be modified by experience at any point in development, but perhaps especially during early critical periods of development. We conclude by presenting a novel multidimensional model of PDs that relies on the concepts developed earlier in the article. Our goal is to provide a guide for research on the psychobiological...
Optimizing multi-resolution segmentation scale using empirical methods: Exploring the sensitivity of the supervised discrepancy measure Euclidean distance 2 (ED2)

Abstract Multiresolution segmentation (MRS) has proven to be one of the most successful image segmentation algorithms in the geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) framework. This algorithm is relatively complex and user-dependent; scale, shape, and compactness are the main parameters available to users for controlling the algorithm. Plurality of segmentation results is common because each parameter may take a range of values within its parameter space or different combinations of values among parameters. Finding optimal parameter values through a trial-and-error process is commonly practiced at the expense of time and labor, thus, several alternative supervised and unsupervised methods for supervised automatic parameter setting have been proposed and tested. In the case of supervised empirical assessments, discrepancy measures are employed for computing measures of dissimilarity between a reference polygon and an image object candidate. Evidently the reliability of the optimal-parameter prediction heavily relies on the sensitivity of the segmentation quality metric. The idea behind pursuing optimal parameter setting is that, for instance, a given scale setting provides image object candidates different from the other scale setting; thus, by design the supervised quality metric should capture this difference. In this exploratory study, we selected the Euclidean distance 2 (ED2) metric, a recently proposed supervised metric, whose main design goal is to optimize the geometrical discrepancy (potential segmentation error (PSE)) and arithmetic discrepancy between image objects and reference polygons (number-of segmentation ratio (NSR)) in two dimensional Euclidean space, as a candidate to investigate the validity and efficacy of empirical discrepancy measures for finding the optimal scale parameter setting of the MRS algorithm. We chose test image scenes from four different space-borne sensors with varying spatial resolutions and scene contents and systematically segmented them using the MRS algorithm at a series of parameter settings. The discriminative capacity of the ED2 metric across different scales groups was tested using non-parametric statistical methods. Our results showed that the ED2 metric significantly discriminates the quality of image object candidates at smaller scale values but it loses the sensitivity at larger scale values. This questions the meaningfulness of the ED2 metric in the MRS algorithm’s parameter optimization. Our contention is that the ED2 metric provides some notion of the optimal scale parameter at the expense of time. In this respect, especially in operational-level image processing, it is worth to re-think the trade-off between execution time of the processor-intensive MRS algorithm at series of parameter settings targeting a less-sensitive quality metric and an expert-lead trial-and-error approach.
Identification of novel alternatively-spliced mRNA isoforms of metabotropic glutamate receptor 6 gene in rat and human retina

Novel splice variants of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 6 (mGlu6 receptor) were identified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification and sequence analysis of rat and human retina cDNAs. The new rat mGlu6 receptor mRNA isoform is characterized by an additional exon of 88 nucleotides containing an in frame stop codon, thus predicting the expression of a truncated protein of 508 amino acids. The human retina was found to express two different mGlu6 receptor mRNA variants: one lacking 97 nucleotides from exon 6, the other including five nucleotides of intron 5. These mRNAs would encode truncated receptors of 425 and 405 amino acids, respectively. Both in rats and in humans, the truncated mGlu6 receptor proteins would comprise the extracellular domain but lack the transmembrane and intracellular portion of the receptor, thus possibly acting as retinal soluble receptors for glutamate. Though generated by different patterns of alternative splicing, the inter-species conservation of truncated mGlu receptor molecules strongly suggest their relevance in the regulatory network of glutamatergic neurotransmission.
Should the Social Security Trust Fund hold Equities? An Intergenerational Welfare Analysis

Abstract In a stochastic economy with overlapping generations, fiscal policy affects the allocation of aggregate risks. The paper shows how to compute the welfare effects of marginal policy changes that shift risk across cohorts, in general and for an application to social security equity investments. I estimate the relevant correlations between macroeconomic shocks and equity returns from 1874–1996 U.S. data, calibrate the model, and find positive welfare effects for equity investments. Since stock returns are positively correlated with social security's wage-indexed benefit obligations, equity investments would also help to stabilize the payroll tax rate. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: E62, H55.
Flash hydrolysis of microalgae (Scenedesmus sp.) for protein extraction and production of biofuels intermediates

Abstract The present study on flash hydrolysis under subcritical water medium capitalizes on the difference in reaction kinetics of algae polymeric components and fractionates proteins in liquid phase in seconds of residence time. All the experiments were conducted using flocculated Scenedesmus sp . cultivated in the laboratory using photobioreactors. The effect of temperature and residence time on protein hydrolysis to water-soluble fractions (algal hydrolyzate) and yield of lipid-rich solids (biofuels intermediate) was studied using a lab-scale continuous flow reactor. More than 60 wt% of the total nitrogen content (dry basis) in Scenedesmus sp. was extracted within 10 s of residence time above 240 °C. The ion chromatography and NMR spectra of the algal hydrolyzate showed that the extracted proteins were present both as free amino acids and peptides. The carbon content of biofuels intermediate increased up to 66 wt% making it lipid- and energy-dense feedstock suitable for biofuels production. The scanning electron microscope image of biofuels intermediate indicated that the solids were globular and smaller in size as compared to the untreated microalgae.
Developing a microcomputer laboratory at a small liberal arts college

This paper summarizes the development and initial implementation of a network of micro- computers for use by undergraduate psychology students at a small liberal arts college. We describe the hardware and the software, the general development plan, and some problems that should be considered by others who may plan to develop a similar laboratory.
Cooperative bimetallic reactivity: hydrogen activation in two-electron mixed-valence compounds.

Reversible dihydrogen uptake by a two-electron mixed-valence di-iridium complex is examined with nonlocal density-functional calculations. Optimized metrics compare favorably with crystal structures of isolated species, and the calculated activation enthalpy of acetonitrile exchange is accurate within experimental error. Dihydrogen attacks the Ir2 core at IrII; the Ir0 center is electronically saturated and of incorrect orbital parity to interact with H2. Isomeric η2-H2 complexes have been located, and harmonic frequency calculations confirm these to be potential energy minima. A transition state links one such complex with the final dihydride; calculated atomic charges suggest a heterolytic H2 bond scission within the di-iridium coordination sphere. This investigation also establishes a ligand-design criterion for attaining cooperative bimetallic reactivity, namely, that the supporting ligand framework has sufficient mechanical flexibility so that the target complex can accommodate the nuclear reorganiza...
Histoire naturelle de la marche et de la posture humaine : colonne vertébrale et pelvis

Resume Les fossiles humains sont parmi les plus complets des fossiles de mammiferes. Une espece ancestrale de base, l'Australopithecus afarensis, presente un squelette postcrânien bien preserve qui permet la reconstitution des evenements importants de l'evolution de notre squelette locomoteur. Lorsqu'on la compare aux grands singes actuels et aux Hommes modernes, cette espece donne de nombreuses informations sur l'origine et la structure du squelette humain moderne ainsi que sur les evenements selectifs qui ont guide l'evolution de ce dernier au cours des trois derniers millions d'annees. Les aspects evolutifs de la colonne vertebrale et du pelvis humain sont passes en revue, ainsi que leur impact sur plusieurs caracteres de la marche et de la posture importants en clinique.
Diffusion of hydrogen in different charge states in realistic models of a-Si:H

In order to determine the mechanism or mechanisms for hydrogen transport in a-Si:H one must identify the reactions that bring deeply bonded H (on dangling bonds) to the transport band which is some form of interstitial hydrogen. Further, one must have reliable values of the energy difference between these deep states and transport states, as well as the barrier energies between neighboring transport sites. Since experiments clearly show a dependence of hydrogen diffusion activation energy on the charge of the mobile hydrogen and on the Fermi level, different charge states for the hydrogen must be included. In this paper we consider all of these ingredients in order to obtain an explanation of how hydrogen migrates in a-Si:H.
Resistance switching in electrodeposited polycrystalline Fe3O4 films

Abstract Resistance random access memory (RRAM) is an emerging nonvolatile memory that offers advantages of scalability, fast switching, and low voltages. Magnetite, Fe 3 O 4 , has been shown to exhibit resistance switching in nanoscale architectures such as superlattices. Here, we show that electrodeposited polycrystalline films of Fe 3 O 4 exhibit multistate resistance switching. Experiments suggest that the insulator-to-metal transition may be facilitated by the presence of a thin nano-crystalline layer which is critical for resistance switching to occur at lower bias. We also show that the switching behavior can be tuned through the applied deposition potential. The multiple resistance states accessible in these simple architectures open up new possibilities for multi-bit data storage and retrieval.
Penetration through concrete of neutrons and photons from a few-hundred-MeV electron beam☆☆☆

Abstract Dose measurements of neutrons and photons have been carried out outside shielding concrete from a 269 (and 325) MeV electron beam hitting a thick iron target, and the results are presented. For neutrons, the present experiment gives a dose value about 1 3 of that derived from the calculational result based on a work by Alsmiller and Barish at a depth of 300 gcm−2 and about 1 2 at 400 gcm−2. For photons, the present depth-dose curve is in reasonable agreement with the result of Jenkins, but with a stronger angular dependence.
A historical overview of iterative methods

Abstract The object of this paper is to present a historical overview of the development of iterative methods for the solution of large sparse systems of linear equations. The emphasis is on methods which are applicable to linear systems arising in the numerical solution of partial differential equations. Aspects to be covered including the methods of L.F. Richardson and of Liebmann as well as relaxation methods used by Southwell and others; the SOR method and extensions such as block SOR methods, and p-cyclic matrices; Chebyshev polynomial methods; alternating direction implicit methods; the SSOR method; approximate matrix factorization methods including the strongly implicit method (SIP) and the incomplete Cholesky method (ICC); fast direct methods; conjugate gradient methods; adaptive methods for the automatic determination of iteration parameters; multigrid methods; methods for nonsymmetric systems; and iterative software. Future developments will be discussed with emphasis on the use of vector and parallel processors.
Chronic hypoxia augments depolarization-induced Ca2+ sensitization in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle through superoxide-dependent stimulation of RhoA.

Rho kinase (ROCK)-dependent vasoconstriction has been implicated as a major factor in chronic hypoxia (CH)-induced pulmonary hypertension. This component of pulmonary hypertension is associated wit...
Heterogenized polymetallic catalysts Part II. Oxidation of 3,5-di-t-butylphenol by Cu(II), Fe(III) and Pd(II) complexed to a polyphenylene polymer containing ß-di- and triketone surface ligands; an improved catalyst system

Abstract Polyphenylene polymer preparation involves the cyclic trimerization polymerization of acetylated methyl benzoate with diacetyl benzene. Since the methyl benzoate groups do not take part in the polymerization they are present in high concentration. The s-diketone ligands were placed on the surface by reaction of the methylbenzoate group with base and a methyl ketone and the triketone by reaction with base to give the s-triketone. The s-triketones can bind two metal ions in a known geometry that is suitable for bimetallic catalysis of the rapid polyelectron oxidation of catechols. The final catalytic surfaces were prepared by treating the chemically modified polymer with copper(II), iron(II) and palladium(II) acetonitrile complexes with non-coordinating BF4− as the anion. Since the metal ions contain no strongly coordinating ligand, they are very reactive species. These surfaces catalyzed the rapid air oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (DTBC). The diketone surfaces gave only 3,5-di-tert-butyl-o-quinone (DTBQ) while the triketone surfaces gave ring-cleaved products, confirming the special catalytic effect of the triketone surface. Also, only the triketone catalysts showed any activity for ring cleavage oxidation of DTBQ. These catalysts were much more reactive than previous ones using the same polyphenylene polymer but without the methyl benzoate groups. With these polymers the di- and triketone groups were placed on the surface by chemical modification of the unpolymerized acetyl groups.
Über die Wirkung von symmetrischen 1,2‐Dialkylhydrazinen auf Carbonylverbindungen und Amin‐oxydasen. 16. Mitteilung über Amin‐oxydasen

1 The pI50-values of 1,2-dimethyl-, 1,2-diethyl- and 1,2-dipropyl-hydrazine are of the order 4,7 for monoamine oxidase (MO) and about 5,8 for diamine oxidase (DO). For both enzymes the pI50-values of 1,2-diisopropylhydrazine are much smaller30). 2 Under conditions similar to those of the enzyme determinations, acetaldehyde reacts non-enzymically with the first three 1,2-dialkyl derivatives mentioned above, whilst 1,2-diisopropylhydrazine remains inert during the spectrophotometric analysis. 3 In similar systems, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine reacts slowly with benzaldehyde. 4 From these observations, and from data obtained in the literature concerning transannular bond formation, it is concluded that 1,2-dialkylhydrazines react on MO and DO by virtue of their nucleophilic nature. The electrophilic counterpart of the active surface of the enzyme seems to be an aldehyde group in DO and a non-aldehyde and non-ketone carbonyl residue in MO and DO.
Molecular Mechanisms of Holoprosencephaly

Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common developmental defect of the forebrain in humans. Several distinct human genes for holoprosencephaly have now been identified. They include Sonic hedgehog (SHH), ZIC2, and SIX3. Many additional genes involved in forebrain development are rapidly being cloned and characterized in model vertebrate organisms. These include Patched (Ptc), Smoothened (Smo), cubitus interuptus (ci)/Gli, wingless (wg/Wnt, decapentaplegic (dpp)/BMP, Hedgehog interacting protein (Hip), nodal, Smads, One-eyed pinhead (Oep), and TG-Interacting Factor (TGIF). However, further analysis is needed before their roles in HPE can be established. Here we present an overview of the presently known genes causing human holoprosencephaly and describe candidate genes involved in forebrain development identified in other systems. A model is discussed for how these genes may interact within and between several different signaling pathways to direct the formation of the forebrain.
Über die Vertikalverteilung von Windgeschwindigkeit und Schwerestabilität in Freistrahlbewegungen der oberen Troposphäre

Aerologische Beobachtungen aus Nordamerika zeigen, das die Luftstromung in der oberen Troposphare ofters aus mehreren Stromfaden besteht, die der Windrichtung parallel und durch Gurtel schwacherer Luftbewegung voneinander getrennt sind und sich langsam in der Stromrichtung verschieben. Besonders in der warmeren Jahreszeit scheint diese faserige Struktur der horizontalen Windverteilung nicht selten von einer auffallendenvertikalen Verstarkung der Bewegungsgrose in einer verhaltnismasig dunnen Schicht im Niveau von 200 mb bis 300 mb begleitet zu sein, wahrend unterhalb 400 bis 500 mb und oberhalb 150 mb schwache Winde vorherrschen.
A Multi-institutional Experience of Repeat Regional Chemotherapy for Recurrent Melanoma of Extremities

Background Hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion (HILP) or isolated limb infusion (ILI) are well-accepted regional chemotherapy techniques for in-transit melanoma of extremity. The role and efficacy of repeat regional chemotherapy for recurrence and which salvage procedure is better remains debatable. We aimed to compare toxicities and clinical outcomes by procedure types and the sequence.
An Application of a Modified Experiential Learning Model for a Higher Education Course: Evidence of Increased Outcomes

This case study applied a modified Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) model in an undergraduate outdoor recreation management course. The Kolb (1984) ELT model was modified to accommodate the higher education learning processes suggested by L. B. Sharp (1943), Sugarman (1985) and Greenaway (1995). Results indicate evidence of increased student learning. Quantitative results from a retrospective pre/posttest evaluation of change score means in learning outcomes supported the study hypotheses that 1) the application of a modified ELT model affects the outcomes of planning, knowledge/ skills, and potential for transfer of learning and 2) previous trip experience affects these outcomes. A secondary analysis of qualitative data supports the notion that the experiential learning process inherently increased student personal development. Implications for instructors and research are discussed.
Equilibrium response of riparian vegetation to flow regulation in the Platte river, Nebraska

The Platte River in central Nebraska responded to water development by rapid channel narrowing and expansion of native riparian woodland. Woodland expanded most rapidly in the 1930s and 1950s; open channel and woodland area stabilized in the 1960s and have remained stable for most reaches into the mid-1990s, despite relatively low flows and infrequent peak flows in the past decade. Open channel area may have been maintained or increased under recent lower flows because of increased erodibility of the floodplain as it has aggraded, developed vertical banks and as its woodland vegetation has become older, sparser and less protective of banks. One section of the Platte River, near Grand Island, has disequilibrated in the past decade by undergoing a 10% loss of channel area. The reach occurs below an area where vegetation has been removed to increase open channel area for migrating whooping and sandhill cranes and other water birds. Vegetation clearing may have liberated excess sediment, locally aggraded the channel and stimulated tree and shrub recruitment. This management practice needs to be examined before it is used more widely in the Platte River. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thankfulness for Grief and Grieving: Exploring Paradoxes

This article explores the legitimacy of linking thankfulness and grieving. Without minimizing the pain and suffering losses can engender, the case is made for attention to thankfulness in the midst...
BOUNDARY MAKING AND EQUAL CONCERN

Abstract: Liberal nationalism is a boundary-making project, and a feature of this boundary-making enterprise is the belief that the compatriots have a certain priority over strangers. For this reason it is often thought that liberal nationalism cannot be compatible with the demands of global egalitarianism. In this essay, I examine the sense in which liberal nationalism privileges compatriots, and I argue that, properly understood, the idea of partiality for compatriots in the context of liberal nationalism is not at odds with global equal concern for all persons. In particular, I argue that the three central goals and aspirations of liberal nationalism—promoting individual autonomy and cultural identity, the realization of deliberative democracy, and the aspiration for social justice within the state—do not entail or require a form of compatriot partiality that is inconsistent with the demands of global egalitarian justice.
3′-Vinyl-2,2′:5′,2′'-terthiophene: synthesis, polymerization and copolymerization with styrene

Abstract A simple two-step synthesis of the previously unknown 3′-vinyl-2,2′:5′,2″-terthiophene from 2,3,5-tribromothiophene is described. The availability of 3′-bromo-2,2′:5′,2″-terthiophene described in this work should be useful for the synthesis of many other 3′-substituted polythiophenes. The preparation and some properties of poly(3′-vinyl-2,2′:5′,2″-terthiophene) and of a copolymer of 3′-vinyl-2,2′:5′,2″-terthiophene with styrene are reported.
A New Way of Thinking About Complications of Prematurity

The morbidity and mortality of preterm infants are impacted by their ability to maintain physiologic homeostasis using metabolic, endocrine, and immunologic mechanisms independent of the mother's placenta. Exploring McEwen's allostatic load model in preterm infants provides a new way to understand the altered physiologic processes associated with frequently occurring complications of prematurity such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, and retinopathy of prematurity. The purpose of this article is to present a new model to enhance understanding of the altered physiologic processes associated with complications of prematurity. The model of allostatic load and complications of prematurity was derived to explore the relationship between general stress of prematurity and complications of prematurity. The proposed model uses the concepts of general stress of prematurity, allostasis, physiologic response patterns (adaptive-maladaptive), allostatic load, and complications of prematurity. These concepts are defined and theoretical relationships in the proposed model are interpreted using the four maladaptive response patterns of repeated hits, lack of adaptation, prolonged response, and inadequate response. Empirical evidence for cortisol, inflammation, and oxidative stress responses are used to support the theoretical relationships. The proposed model provides a new way of thinking about physiologic dysregulation in preterm infants. The ability to describe and understand complex physiologic mechanisms involved in complications of prematurity is essential for research. Advancing the knowledge of complications of prematurity will advance clinical practice and research and lead to testing of interventions to reduce negative outcomes in preterm infants.
Neuregulin as a Heart Failure Therapy and Mediator of Reverse Remodeling

The beta isoform of Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1β), along with its receptors (ErbB2–4), is required for cardiac development. NRG-1β, as well as the ErbB2 and ErbB4 receptors, is also essential for maintenance of adult heart function. These observations have led to its evaluation as a therapeutic for heart failure. Animal studies and ongoing clinical trials have demonstrated beneficial effects of two forms of recombinant NRG-1β on cardiac function. In addition to the possible role for recombinant NRG-1βs as heart failure therapies, endogenous NRG-1β/ErbB signaling appears to play a role in restoring cardiac function after injury. The potential mechanisms by which NRG-1β may act as both a therapy and a mediator of reverse remodeling remain incompletely understood. In addition to direct effects on cardiac myocytes NRG-1β acts on the vasculature, interstitium, cardiac fibroblasts, and hematopoietic and immune cells, which, collectively, may contribute to NRG-1β’s role in maintaining cardiac structure and function, as well as mediating reverse remodeling.
VIBRATION SPECTRA OF FINITELY RAMIFIED, SYMMETRIC FRACTALS

We show how to calculate the spectrum of the Laplacian operator on fully symmetric, finitely ramified fractals. We consider well-known examples, such as the unit interval and the Sierpinski gasket, and much more complicated ones, such as the hexagasket and a non-post critically finite self-similar fractal. We emphasize the low computational demands of our method. As a conclusion, we give exact formulas for the limiting distribution of eigenvalues (the integrated density of states), which is a purely atomic measure (except in the classical case of the interval), with atoms accumulating to the Julia set of a rational function. This paper is the continuation of the work published by the same authors in Ref. 1.
Mating System Variation in Woodhouse's Toad (Bufo woodhousii)

Sexual selection and mating-system variation was studied in two disjunct populations of Woodhouse's toad (Bufo woodhousii) with dissimilar breeding-period durations. In spite of the differences in breeding-period duration, nightly operational sex ratios were roughly equivalent and strongly male biased in both populations, ranging from 0 to 0.5 in the population with a prolonged breeding period, and from 0 to 0.2 in the explosively breeding form. Although operational sex ratios were similar, some males mated with up to three females in the population with an extended breeding period, whereas none of the males mated polygynously in the population with a short breeding season. Two alternative reproductive tactics, satellite and active-searching behavior, were only exhibited by males under high densities in the population with a short breeding period. In the population with an extended breeding period, male mating success was positively related to call rate, but independent of size or number of nights of participation in chorus activity. Although operational sex ratios were equally low, mating was random by size, number of nights of participation in chorus activity, and call rate for males in the explosively breeding population.
A coherence theory of truth in ethics

Quine argues, in “On the Nature of Moral Values” that a coherence theory of truth is the “lot of ethics”. In this paper, I do a bit of work from within Quinean theory. Specifically, I explore precisely what a coherence theory of truth in ethics might look like and what it might imply for the study of normative value theory generally. The first section of the paper is dedicated to the exposition of a formally correct coherence truth predicate, the possibility of which has been the subject of some skepticism. In the final two sections of the paper, I claim that a coherence theory in ethics does not reduce the practice of moral inquiry to absurdity, in practice as well as in principle.
Neurobiology. Dopamine receptors get a boost.

A protein that controls the growth and survival of neurons is now shown to have another task: boosting the expression of a molecule that allows neurons to respond to the neurotransmitter dopamine.
A statistic for base rate comparisons of time-dependent behavior

Abstract A method of statistically assessing the effects of treatment on time-dependent responses (such as stuttering) in ABA designs is described.
Observation of near-surface damage by phonon scattering

We have investigated the feasibility of phonon-reflection techniques as nondestructive means to probe surface and/or near-surface damage in otherwise highly perfect crystals. An UHV liquid-helium stage, suitable for phonon-reflection measurements, was installed on a beam line of a tandem van de Graaff accelerator which was used to implant MeV ions into the substrate in order to modify the surface region in situ. Here, we report our investigation on the effects of 1-MeV Ar+ implantation in Al2O3 single crystals by monitoring the reflection of terahertz (THz) phonons (50-A wavelength) from the implanted region. The results are compared to other surface techniques. Using a 15-kV ion gun on the same beam line, we have also bombarded Al2O3 crystals coated with thin films of gold. The effects of a 7.5-keV Ar+ beam on this Au-Al2O3 system are also discussed in this paper.
Dynamics and structure of unsteady, strained, laminar premixed flames

The influence of unsteadiness on the structure and dynamics of counterflowing, strained, premixedmethane/air flames was investigated by conducting a detailed numerical study. The unsteady conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy, and species were solved along the stagnation streamline of the counterflow, in an opposed-jet, finite-domain configuration, by using detailed description of chemistry and transport. The unsteadiness was introduced by imposing sinusoidal variations of the reactant velocity at the exit of the nozzles. Results demonstrate that the flame response is quasi-steady at low frequencies, while at high frequencies it fails to respond to the imposed velocity oscillations. The flame frequency response was physically explained by analyzing the instantaneous flame structure and realizing that the velocity oscillations in the hydrodynamic zone cause reactant concentration oscillations in the diffusion zone. The diffusion processes attenuate these oscillations in a manner analogous to the Stokes' second problem, and the angular frequency at which substantial attenuation commences was found to be of the order of [2( S u o ) 2 /a ], where S u o is the laminar flame speed and a an average heat diffusivity of the mixture. The validity of the analogy was confirmed by examining flames at a wide range of unsteadiness. The effect of unsteadiness on extinction was also assessed, and the phenomena of partial extinction, reignition, and extinction delay were identified. These phenomena were found to be controlled by the relative magnitudes of the time scales of the imposed oscillations and the time required for permanent extinction.
Small-volume extrusion apparatus for preparation of large, unilamellar vesicles

The design and performance of a filter holder which enables convenient preparation of volumes of up to a milliliter of large, unilamellar vesicles formed by extrusion (LUVETs) from multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) are described. The filter holder provides for back-and-forth passage of the sample between two syringes, a design that minimizes filter blockage, eliminates the need to change filters during LUVET preparation and reduces preparation time to a few minutes. Replicas of slam-frozen LUVETs in the electron microscope are unilamellar and reasonably homogeneous with an average diameter close to the pore size of the filters used to extrude them. Extrusion per se does not destabilize the vesicles, which trapped a fluorescent dye only when they were disrupted on freeze-thawing and during the first extrusion when most of the MLVs were apparently converted to LUVETs.
Normal Mammary Cells in Long Term Culture. I. Development of Hormone-Dependent Functional Monolayer Cultures and Assay of α-Lactalbumin Production*

Mammary cells from normal tissue of virginal, pregnant, and lactating rats have been adapted to long term monolayer culture in plastic culture dishes with retention of hormone-responsive functional activity. The addition of PRL, insulin, and corticosterone resulted in an increase in the proportion of epithelial cells, the development of intracellular lipid droplets, and the ordered aggregations of these cells. In the presence of these hormones, the milk protein, a-lactalbumin (a-LA), was secreted into the growth medium at rates of 20–100 ng/mg cellular protein-24 h. A double antibody RIA for a-LA capable of measuring 0.1 ng a-LA/100 μl growth medium was developed in our laboratory for these studies. Both intracellular and extracellular a-LA fell below detectability within 2-3 weeks after hormone withdrawal. Intracellular a-LA accounted for less than 3% of the total a-LA accumulated in each culture in 24 h. The production rate of cells continuously given hormones increased 4- to 7-fold over a period of sev...
Urinary incontinence and prevalence of high depressive symptoms in older black versus white women

Previous studies report higher prevalence of depression among women with urgency (UUI) or mixed (MUI) urinary incontinence than those with stress UI (SUI). UUI is the dominant type among black women, whereas SUI is the predominant type among white women. Thus, UI-related mental health issues could be a key consideration among black women. We hypothesized that the association between UI and depression might be stronger in black versus white women. These cross-sectional analyses assessed 934 black and 71,161 white women aged 58–83 in the Nurses’ Health Study, which was established among women living in the USA. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the ten-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). Multivariate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for high depressive symptoms (CESD-10 score ≥ 10) according to self-reported UI frequency, severity, and type were calculated using logistic regression models. Although point estimates for associations of UI frequency, severity, and type with high depressive symptoms were higher in black women, differences in ORs between black versus white women were not statistically significant. For example, the OR for at least weekly UI compared with no UI was 2.29 (95 % CI 1.30–4.01) in black women and 1.58 (95 % CI 1.49–1.68) in white women (p interaction = 0.4). We found no statistically significant differences in UI frequency, severity, and type with high depressive symptoms in black versus white women. However, the small number of black women in this study with high depressive symptoms limited statistical power to detect significant interactions. Thus, these results should be interpreted with caution.
A survey of the outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and their satellites

A survey of current knowledge about Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and their satellites is presented. The best available numerical values are given for physical parameters, including orbital and body properties, atmospheric composition and structure, and photometric parameters. The more acceptable current theories of these bodies are outlined with thorough referencing offering access to the details. The survey attempts to cover the literature through May 1, 1972.
Identification of multiple structural species in silicate glasses by 29Si NMR

Knowledge of the structure of silicate glasses is one key to understanding their chemical and physical properties, as well as those of the high-temperature liquids from which they form. Because first-neighbour ordering into SiO4 tetrahedra is well known, much of the recent discussion about glass structure has concerned intermediate-range order. One of the most fundamental questions that can be posed is the distribution of silicate tetrahedra with n bridging oxygens (shared between two tetrahedra), labelled as 'Qn' (0≤ n≤4). This distribution is probably important in determining the properties of melts and glasses, but considerable controversy exists concerning the identification and quantification of such species. Here I present new evidence from 29Si NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) Spectroscopy that clearly resolves one significant part of this dispute: at least in sodium silicate glasses, a variety of species is present that is greater than that required by composition alone.
How the maximum step size in Monte Carlo simulations should be adjusted

Abstract Since the work by Miller, Amon, and Reinhardt, which correctly warned against the indiscriminate adjustment of the maximum step size during Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, some researchers have believed that adjusting the maximum step size always leads to systematic errors. In this paper, I demonstrate that when periodic adjustments are done properly, they can improve the overall accuracy of simulations without introducing errors.
Spectrum of pericardial disease: part II.

Pericardial disease is a common disorder seen in varying clinical settings and may be the first manifestation of an underlying systemic disease. It may be due to multiple causes. Epidemiologic studies are lacking, and the exact incidence and prevalence are unknown. New diagnostic techniques have improved diagnosis, allowing early diagnosis and management. There are few randomized data to guide physicians in the management of pericardial diseases. Part I of our review focuses on the current state of knowledge and management of the more common pericardial diseases: acute pericarditis, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, chronic pericarditis and relapsing pericarditis.
Characterizing Experiments for Finite-Memory Binary Automata

The characteristics of a discrete automaton with a finite memory can be determined by an experiment of a finite length. This paper discusses the properties of such experiments, and presents methods for their optimal construction. Specific results are given for binary-input automata with the memory ranges 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Retinopathy of prematurity: perspective for the nineties.

. In any discussion of the eye problems of the premature retinopathy of prematurity is today the major problem. Four areas where progress is needed suggest themselves. Further work needs to be done on the International Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ICROP), particularly with regard to Zone 2 disease where 75% of the disease is concentrated. Treatment of Zone 1 disease is the next important area in terms of its outcome and the critical question of whether to use cryotherapy or laser. The third area which needs open discussion is the problem of screening prematures in excess of 1250 g birth weight and 32 weeks gestational age. In the United States, this constitutes hundreds of thousands of infants and is well beyond the capabilities of the ophthalmic community interested and knowledgeable in the techniques of examining these premature eyes. Finally, the other important area is the striking difference between the infant of today and the infant of the previous ‘epidemic’ of the forties and fifties.