cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Desmosterol in human milk.

Milk samples were collected from mothers at 2,6, 12 and 16 weeks postpartum. Desmosterol was found to be present in all the milk samples. Identification of desmosterol was based on retention times with two gas liquid chromatography (GLC) columns and verified by GC-m ass spectrometry. The concentration of desmosterol in breast milk increased significantly (P<0.5) from 0.6 mg/100 ml at 2 weeks to 1.3 mg/100 ml at 16 weeks postpartum. Desmosterol was not significantly correlated with total lipid, total cholesterol or free cholesterol in the milk.
Contextual Influences on Distress Intolerance: Priming Effects on Behavioral Persistence

Distress intolerance (DI), the inability to tolerate stressful experiences, has been linked to multiple psychiatric conditions and maladaptive coping patterns. Although DI is often considered a trait-like variable, evidence indicates that self-report and behavioral indices of DI can be manipulated by contextual factors. Understanding such contextual influences is important given evidence of unexpected variability in these presumed trait-like measures over brief intervals. The current study examined the influence of context (manipulated by priming concepts of “Interminability” and “Brevity”) in predicting behavioral persistence, in relation to self-reported DI. Results indicated that priming Brevity was associated with terminating a cold-pressor task more quickly. Self-reported DI was linked to earlier termination, but there was no interaction between self-reported DI and priming condition. Results indicate that contextual cues modulate performance on behavioral measures of DI. Hence, models of DI should consider both trait-like and contextual factors in understanding variability in DI measures.
Nitrone Inhibition of Age-Associated Oxidative Damage

The mechanistic basis of the neuroprotective activity of the nitrone-based free radical trap PBN (alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butyl nitrone) has been investigated extensively. Key observations exclude its simple mass action spin trapping of free radicals activity as the key mechanism of action. These include: A) the fact that it protects in experimental stroke even if administered several hours after the event and B) the fact that its chronic low-level administration to old experimental animals reverses their age-enhanced susceptibility to stroke even several days after the last dosage. PBN was found to inhibit gene induction in several models including stroke and an LPS-mediated septic shock model. Stoke causes inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) to be expressed. High levels of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite (formed from nitric oxide), produced by iNOS, is particularly neurotoxic. PBN inhibits iNOS induction. Therefore, it seems that prevention of the formation of neurotoxic products is a rational mechanism of action of PBN in the stroke model. There is strong rationale to consider that there is an enhanced propensity for a "smoldering" neuro-inflammatory state in the old brain. Reversal of this state by PBN may explain its action in preventing age-enhanced stroke susceptibility in old experimental animals. Significant new findings underscore the importance of neuro-inflammatory processes in neuronal death or dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. Neuro-inflammatory processes implicate enhanced signal transduction processes. Strong evidence for this is the enhanced p38 kinase activation in neurons near plaques and tangles of the Alzheimer's brain in contrast to normal aged-matched control brain which did not show p38 activation. In rat primary astrocytes p38 activation by the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1 beta, as well as by H2O2, was significantly suppressed by PBN. Mechanistically it was shown that PBN suppresses the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in mitochondrial respiration. Much evidence indicates that ROS are signaling molecules and that they also are involved to maintaining brain phosphatases in an inactive state. We argue that finding a specific high affinity site mechanism for the neuroprotective action of PBN is unlikely based on the complexity of the system reflecting ROS generation and signal transduction processes that have apparently evolved to maintain adaptive responses. The promising pharmacological activity of molecules like PBN is not diminished by this however, for only excessive amounts of ROS is considered detrimental. The action of PBN in suppressing signal transduction processes, most likely by suppressing ROS production in mitochondrial respiration, effectively controls excessive oxidative damage and prevents induction of genes that form neurotoxic products.
A comprehensive numerical model of steady state saltation (COMSALT)

[1] The blowing of sand by wind, known as saltation, ejects dust aerosols into the atmosphere, creates sand dunes, and erodes geological features. We present a comprehensive numerical model of steady state saltation (COMSALT) that, in contrast to most previous studies, can reproduce a wide range of measurements and can simulate saltation over mixed soils. COMSALT calculates the motion of saltating particles due to gravity, fluid drag, particle spin, fluid shear, and turbulence and explicitly accounts for the retardation of the wind due to drag from saltating particles. Furthermore, we included a novel physically based parameterization of the ejection of surface particles by impacting saltating particles which matches experimental results. COMSALT is the first numerical saltation model to reproduce measurements of the wind shear velocity at the impact threshold (i.e., the lowest shear velocity for which saltation is possible) and of the aerodynamic roughness length in saltation. It also reproduces a range of other saltation processes, including profiles of the wind speed and particle mass flux, and the size distribution of saltating particles. As such, COMSALT is the first physically based numerical model to reproduce such a wide range of experimental data. Since we use a minimum of empirical relations, COMSALT can be easily adapted to study saltation under a variety of physical conditions, such as saltation on other planets, saltation under water, and saltating snow.
Liquid chromatographic profiles of major carotenoid esters in commercially processed California Navel and Valencia orange juice concentrates.

Abstract A procedure for establishing profiles of major carotenoid esters in commercially processed Valencia and Navel orange juice concentrates by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) using Sudan 1 as internal standards is described. The procedure involved conversion of 5,6-epoxides in heat concentrated citrus juices to more stable 5,8-epoxides by treatment of extracted carotenoids with hydrochloric acid followed by dual wavelength analyses at 400 and 465 nm using LC. The esters of 5,8-furanoids (auroxanthin and mutatoxanthin) were approximately quantitated at 400 nm without interference from other carotenoids. Cryptoxanthin esters and free cryptoxanthin, lutein esters, citraurin esters and carotenes were approximately quantitated at 465 nm withou interference from auoxanthin esters. The furanoid esters varied from 60 to 75% of the total carotenoids in the concentrates. The cryptoxanthin esters varied from 60 to 75% of the total carotenoids in the concentrates. The cryptoxanthin esters varied from 5 to 10% of the total carotenoids in Valencia orange juice concentrates and from 10 to 15% of the total carotenoids in Navel orange juice concentrates. Citraurin esters were present only in Navel orange juice concentrates and β-carotene content was less than 5% of the total carotenoids in both concentrates. The total carotenoids and individual carotenoids increased with the advance in season in Navel orange juice concentrates which had less than halfthe amount of total carotenoids of Valencia orange juice concentrates.
Publication performance of fifty top economics departments: a per capita analysis

Abstract Assessments of scholarly productivity have typically relied on a narrow set of journals. Relying on a broader data set ( JEL abstracts) and evaluating productivity on a per capita basis, this survey confirms the standing of some highly regarded departments but finds several whose records do not match their reputations and identifies a few small departments whose records merit more respect
African American's Self-Report Patterns Using the National Cancer Institute Colorectal Cancer Screening Questionnaire

Studies that examine colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) behaviors and correlates rely on self-reports of screening status. Self-reports of CRCS may be more biased than other self-reported cancer screening because of multiple screening options, tests may be offered in combination, and screening schedules differ for each test. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored the development of a core set of questions to measure self-reported CRCS that are consistent with current guidelines, the NCI Colorectal Cancer Screening questionnaire (NCI CRCS). Several studies support the validity and reliability of this measure; however, none of the existing studies have described African American (AA) responses to items that might be important to clinical decision making and research related to screening adherence. This paper addresses the limited descriptions of AA response patterns to items that comprise the NCI CRCS. The NCI CRCS was administered to 439 AAs 50 to 75 years, participating in the baseline survey of a Center for Excellence in Cancer Communication CRC study. The survey measured self-reported CRCS, factors associated with screening, and response patterns to items that might affect estimates of screening and screening adherence. AA participants reported on CRCS, the test used, and time interval since last screening. Except for queries related to month and year of screening, few participants reported uncertainty in response to items. Two thirds of participants reported receiving CRCS; however, less than half of participants were adherent to guidelines. Less than half reported healthcare provider recommendations to screen. AA participants responded to items on the NCI CRCS as developed. Until new strategies or items are available, interval since last screening appears to be the most appropriate item to estimate AA self-reported CRCS adherence. Strategies are needed to increase physician recommendation to screen.
Current strategies for designing antidotes against botulinum neurotoxins.

Introduction: Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are proteins responsible for the deadly paralytic disease botulism. Extreme toxicity, ease of production and lack of antidotes against BoNT makes it a category A biothreat agent, according to the United States Center of Disease Control and Prevention. The only available therapy for BoNT is an equine antitoxin antibody or/and a protracted respiratory support system. Even then, antibody treatment can only prevent further exposure of the toxin and cannot rescue already intoxicated neurons. Areas covered: In this article, the authors provide a summary of the current status of inhibitors and antitoxins used against BoNTs. In particular, the authors focus on new strategies used in the development of novel therapeutics. They also outline the major steps involved in BoNT's mechanism of action and identify specific inhibitors for each step. Expert opinion: Several previous efforts have resulted in less than satisfactory results that are due, in part, to a lack of sustain...
Attentional Focus Effects in Balance Acrobats

Performing and learning motor skills has been shown to be enhanced if the performer adopts an external relative to internal focus (or no focus) of attention (Wulf, 2007). The present study examined the generalizability of this effect to top-level performers (balance acrobats). Participants performed a balance task (standing on an inflated rubber disk) under each of three attentional focus conditions: (a) external focus (i.e., minimize movements of the disk), (b) internal focus (i.e., minimize movements of the feet), and (c) control conditions (no focus instructions). While there were no differences between conditions in the amount of postural sway, the frequency of movement adjustments was higher in the control condition, relative to both external and internal focus conditions. This suggests that movement automaticity and postural stability were greatest when the balance experts were free to adopt their “normal” focus of attention. The finding implies that there may be a limit to the performance-enhancing...
Diagnostic simulation of stuck-at faults in sequential circuits using compact lists

This article describes a diagnostic fault simulator for stuck-at faults in sequential circuits that is both time and space efficient. The simulator represents indistinguishable classes of faults as memory efficient lists. The use of lists reduces the number of output response comparisons between faults and hence speeds up the simulation process. The lists also make it easy to drop faults when they are fully distinguished from other faults. Experimental results on the ISCAS89 circuits show that the simulator runs significantly faster than an earlier work based on distinguishability matrices, and for large circuits is faster and more memory efficient than a recent method based on lists of indistinguishable faults. The paper provides the first reports on pessimistic and optimistic diagnostic measures for all faults of the large ISCAS circuits with known deterministic tests. The diagnostic fault simulator has also been modified to diagnose defects, given the output responses of failing devices. Results on simulated bridging defects show that the diagnosis time is comparable to the time for fault simulation with fault dropping.
Pathways of triglyceride synthesis by bovine jejunum during lipid absorption.

Abstract Pathways of triglyceride synthesis were investigated in bovine intestine by incubating three different micellar substrates, each containing 1-monoolein and oleic acid with mid-jejunal sections, and by incubating jejunal microsomes with substrate mixtures containing either monoolein or α -glycerophosphate. Cattle in the experiment received either a milk or a hay-grain diet. Both dietary groups had the capacity to resynthesize triglycerides by either the monoglyceride or the α -glycerophosphate pathway. Diet had no effect on the percentage of triglyceride synthesized by the monoglyceride pathway despite the fact that cattle receiving a hay-grain diet had little or no monoglyceride passing into the small intestine. Jejunal tissue from cattle receiving hay-grain synthesized more triglyceride than did jejunal tissue from animals receiving milk, but tiglyceride synthesis by isolated microsomes was not different between groups. With jejunal sections, apparent participation of monoglyceride pathway in triglyceride synthesis was approximately 80% when the substrate contained no α -glycerophosphate precursors, 50% when the substrate contained glucose, and 30% when both glucose and glycerol were present. With microsomes, triglyceride was synthesized at approximately equal rates for both pathways. Thus, milk-fed calves possess monoglyceride pathway activity, and enzymes for this pathway are retained in older cattle fed hay and grain.
A Characterization for the Spherical Scoring Rule

Strictly proper scoring rules have been studied widely in statistical decision theory and recently in experimental economics because of their ability to encourage assessors to honestly provide their true subjective probabilities. In this article, we study the spherical scoring rule by analytically examining some of its properties and providing some new geometric interpretations for this rule. Moreover, we state a theorem which provides an axiomatic characterization for the spherical scoring rule. The objective of this analysis is to provide a better understanding of one of the most commonly available scoring rules, which could aid decision makers in the selection of an appropriate tool for evaluating and assessing probabilistic forecasts.
Amantadine: evaluation of reinforcing properties and effect on cocaine self-injection in baboons.

Abstract The ability of amantadine to maintain self-injection behavior and to alter self-administration of cocaine was examined in baboons using a standard intravenous cocaine self-injection procedure. Responding was maintained under a FR 80- or 160-response schedule of intravenous cocaine delivery (0.32 mg/kg per injection). Each drug injection was followed by a 3-h timeout allowing a maximum of 8 injections/day. Vehicle or amantadine doses were substituted for cocaine for a period of 15 or more days. Evaluation of a wide range of amantadine doses (0.32–32 mg/kg per injection) showed that this compound did not maintain self-administration behavior above vehicle control levels. In another experiment using the cocaine self-injection baseline, amantadine (10 or 32 mg/kg per day) was administered via a chronic intravenous infusion. Cocaine self-injection behavior was maintained and re-initiated during chronic amantadine exposure, suggesting that the reinforcing efficacy of cocaine was not modified by chronic amantadine administration.
Selenium:mercury molar ratio in eared grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) as a possible biomarker of exposure

Abstract Mercury and selenium have adverse effects on health, and in the past their individual levels in tissues have been used as biomarkers of environmental contamination. These selenium:mercury molar ratios has been proposed as an alternative way to anticipate possible health risks to organisms. We examine selenium and mercury levels, their molar ratios, and variability in the ratios in the brain, liver, muscle, and feathers of a common waterbird, the eared grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), at several locations and phases of their annual cycle. We found: (1) Mean total mercury, for any site or tissue, ranged from 0.15 ppm in the brain to 29.2 ppm in breast feathers; (2) In any tissue, mean mercury levels varied by as much as 10-fold while selenium varied by 3-fold; (3) Mercury and selenium levels were correlated only in liver; (4) Selenium:mercury molar ratios varied significantly in regular patterns among tissues (less than 1 in feathers, up to 23 in brain), sites, and stages of annual cycle; (5) Molar ratios were affected by body weight (but not age), and the heaviest birds had the lowest ratios; and (6) Molar ratios varied more for brain than in other tissues. Low molar ratios are generally considered harmful, although no threshold ratio has been identified. Despite wide variation of molar ratios, field studies of eared grebes have not detected overt adverse effects. Before being adopted as a biomarkers, we suggest that selenium:mercury molar ratios be used in conjunction with studies of individual metal levels, and in accordance with detailed studies of selected species, to provide a baseline of variation in different organisms and tissues.
The Role of Contracts and Networks in Public Governance: The Importance of the "Social Epistemology" of Decision Making

This article addresses the role of public contracts and of public-private networks in relation to the new cognitive infrastructure of postmodern societies and the rise of an experimental rationality. The use of contracts in public law has evolved: it is no longer just a new version of the administrative decision; it is now used as a means in a broad process of breaking up the permeability of public administration. New modes of contracting are a response to increasing fragmentation of interests in industry and in society as a whole. This evolution has also given rise to the concept of the "network society." Certain normative challenges have to be met in postmodern administration. The administrative act is always limited by the effect of the framing of the observations and the rules that make up the social epistemology and the cognitive infrastructure of society, which are applied and not reflected in the administrative processes. The search for the role of the contract in public administration is not productive; it is more important to have a better understanding of its embedding in the relationships between public and private actors on the one hand and the social epistemology that dominates both the private and the public use of common knowledge in society on the other.
Four-port reflectometer design and implementation

The concept of six-port reflectometer theory was first introduced by Hoer and Engen (G. F. Engen and C.A. Hoer, IEEE Trans., Inst. and Meas., vol-21, no. 4, pp.470–474, 1972) and then became an attractive method for measurement of voltage, current, impedance, phase and power. Five port reflectometers have also been investigated for complex reflection coefficient measurement. Although sixport and five port reflectometers are attractive and low cost alternatives to network analyzers, it is not convenient to use them in practice since commercially available devices are mainly four port directional couplers.
Glycolate and glyoxylate metabolism by isolated peroxisomes or chloroplasts.

Chloroplasts, mitochondria, and peroxisomes from leaves were separated by isopycnic sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The peroxisomes converted glycolate-(14)C or glyoxylate-(14)C to glycine, and contained a glutamate: glyoxylate aminotransferase as indicated by an investigation of substrate specificity. The pH optimum for the aminotransferase was between 7.0 and 7.5, and the Km for l-glutamate was 3.6 mm and for glyoxylate, 4.4 mm. The reaction of glutamate plus glyoxylate was not reversible. The isolated peroxisomes did not convert glycine to glyoxylate nor glycine to serine.Peroxisomes did not oxidize glycolate or glyoxylate to CO(2). Chloroplasts could very slowly oxidize glyoxylate, but not glycolate, to CO(2). Chloroplast oxidation of glyoxylate was heat labile and widely distributed among plants. Oxidation was stimulated by light and oxygen. but was not inhibited by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU).A scheme for the distribution of enzymes associated with glycolate metabolism and photorespiration is presented. Glycolate biosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts. In the peroxisomes, glycolate is oxidized with O(2) uptake to glyoxylate by glycolate oxidase, and the glyoxylate is converted to glycine by glutamate:glyoxylate aminotransferase. Further metabolism of glycine does not occur in the peroxisomes. It is possible that excess glyoxylate from the peroxisomes could return to the chloroplasts to be reduced to glycolate or oxidized to account for part of the CO(2) loss during photorespiration.
Rock physics analysis and time-lapse rock imaging of geochemical effects due to the injection of CO2 into reservoir rocks

The fundamental concept of time-lapse seismic monitoring is that changes in physical parameters—such as saturation, pore fluid pressure, temperature, and stress—affect rock and fluid properties, which in turn alter the seismic velocity and density. Increasingly, however, time-lapse seismic monitoring is called upon to quantify subsurface changes due in part to chemical reactions between injected fluids and the host rocks. This study springs from a series of laboratory experiments and high-resolution images assessing the changes in microstructure, transport, and seismic properties of fluid-saturated sandstones and carbonates injected with CO2. Results show that injecting CO2 into a brine-rock system induces chemo-mechanical mechanisms that permanently change the rock frame. Injecting CO2 into brine-saturated-sandstones induces salt precipitation primarily at grain contacts and within small pore throats. In rocks with porosity lower than 10%, salt precipitation reduces permeability and increases P- and S-wa...
Molecular identification of some Hoplolaimus species from the USA based on duplex PCR, multiplex PCR and PCR-RFLP analysis

Two different molecular approaches, a multiplex PCR and PCR-RFLP of ITS-rDNA, were developed for the identification of Hoplolaimus species. DNA sequences of H. columbus, H. galeatus, H. concaudajuvencus, H. magnistylus, H. seinhorsti and three undescribed Hoplolaimus species were used to design species-specific primers. Three reverse species-specific PCR primers for H. columbus, H. galeatus and H. magnistylus were developed using the ITS1 region exhibiting interspecific variation. Three species-specific PCR primers in combination with the forward primer, Hoc-1f, produced distinct amplicons of 580 bp for H. columbus, 120 bp for H. galeatus and 340 bp for H. magnistylus. We successfully identified each of three species by multiplex PCR when all three were mixed in a single PCR reaction. Restriction enzyme digests of the PCR amplicon using HaeIII and RsaI permitted discrimination of H. columbus, H. galeatus, H. magnistylus, H. concaudajuvencus, H. sp. 1, H. sp. 2 and H. sp. 3 from each other. These results suggest that these molecular techniques allow for rapid, easy and reliable identification of Hoplolaimus species.
Cyclins, cyclin‐dependent kinases and differentiation

Cyclin-dependent kinases and their regulatory subunits, the cyclins, are known to regulate progression through the cell cycle. Yet these same proteins are often expressed in non-cycling, differentiated cells. This review surveys the available information about cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases in differentiated cells and explores the possibility that these proteins may have important functions that are independent of cell cycle regulation.
Geostatistical History Matching Under Training-Image Based Geological Model Constraints

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the authors(s).
Long‐term sediment mobilization at a sandy inner shelf site, LEO‐15

[1] Nearly 2 years of wave and current observations are used to drive a calibrated bottom boundary layer model to examine sediment transport at the Long-term Ecosystem Observatory (LEO-15) located off of the southern coast of New Jersey. The multiyear record is of sufficient resolution to categorize sediment mobilization characteristics such as storm duration, frequency of occurrence, seasonal trends, and modes of transport at this shallow water sandy site. A total of 51 sediment transport events are identified within the 2 year timeframe. Thirty-two are categorized as winter events, and wintertime sediment transport constitutes 63% of the total for the 2 year period. In nearly all cases, bed load transport dominates the suspended load. The majority of the bed load transport is onshore due to wave asymmetries that lead to higher orbital velocities during the forward half of the wave cycle. For the remainder of events a bimodal wave spectrum is suspected to reverse the orbital velocity skewness leading to offshore transport. Suspended sediment transport is primarily directed alongshore toward the southwest, consistent with current patterns during northeasters. By including bed load transport, the net sediment transport for the 2 year period is directed primarily onshore and slightly alongshore toward the southwest.
Enhancement of Glioma Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Response With Targeted Antibody Therapy Against Death Receptor 5

Purpose TRA-8 is an agonistic mouse monoclonal antibody that binds to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) death receptor 5, which induces apoptosis in cancer cells through a caspase-8-dependent mechanism. We investigated the ability of TRA-8 to augment the radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy response of human glioma cells in vitro and in vivo . Methods and Materials The in vitro cytotoxicity of TRA-8 and temozolomide (Tmz) or RT was examined using adenosine triphosphate-dependent viability and clonogenic survival assays with five glioma cell lines. Death receptor 5 expression was determined by flow cytometry. In vivo studies included subcutaneous and intracranial xenograft models testing various combination treatments, including RT, Tmz, and TRA-8. Results TRA-8, combined with Tmz or RT, produced enhanced cytotoxicity against five glioma cell lines compared with the use of the individual agents alone. Death receptor 5 upregulation occurred in response to RT. Complete tumor regression in the subcutaneous experiments was the most common in animals that received combination therapy with TRA-8/Tmz/RT. TRA-8 enhanced tumor growth delay in combination with RT or Tmz. TRA-8 alone had limited activity against intracranial tumors. In contrast, the median survival of mice treated with TRA-8/Tmz/RT was significantly greater than the control or TRA-8-alone–treated mice. The median survival of the mice treated with TRA-8/Tmz/RT or chemoradiotherapy only was significantly greater than the control or TRA-8–treated mice. A trend toward improved survival was observed between TRA-8/Tmz/RT-treated and Tmz/RT-treated mice. Conclusions These preliminary findings support the hypothesis that TRA-8 will augment the RT and chemotherapy response in gliomas. A humanized version of TRA-8 is being evaluated in a Phase II clinical trial.
Consolidated Colors: Racial Passing and Figurations of the Chinese in Walter White's Flight and Darryl Zanuck's Old San Francisco

Narratives of racial passing frequently investigate how the boundaries of race can be reimagined. In these texts, the dominant black-white binary construction is often under scrutiny for its failure to accommodate the identifications of people who do not fit easily in either category. Throughout US literary history, many passing narratives have also challenged the logic of the “one-drop” rule, codified into law in the 1896 Supreme Court deci sion Plessy v. Ferguson. Gayle Wald explains how the “one-drop” principle shapes racial categorization in US culture: By representing “whiteness” as the absence of the racial sign, [“one-drop”] has perpetuated the myth of white purity (a chimera that colors contemporary liberal language of the “mixed-race” offspring of “interracial” marriages). In a complementary fashion it has rendered the political and cultural presence of Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans invisible (or merely selectively and marginally visible), thereby enabling the hyper-visibility of African Americans as that national “minority” group most often seen as “having” race. (13-14) This construction presents whiteness as raceless, while the burden of racialized identity is shifted to African Americans. With this belief in white purity comes the expectation that racial impurity is something that visibly marks the black body. The passing subject, however, often challenges the expected hyper-visibility of the African American by subverting the cultural assumption that racial identity is visible. Though “one drop” is legally significant for a mulatta/o subject, the act of passing can resist the confines of legislated racial categorization by crossing the racial barriers meant to deny the full rights of citizenship to nonwhite peoples. Just as the “invisible” passing subject often threatens the purity of white identity, so, too, does the existence of those other “invisible” peoples Wald describes. Because Native Americans, Latina/os, and Asian Americans do not fit into the black-or-white construction of race
Generalized Sobolev's phi function for the resolvent of a Milne-type integral equation with a degenerate kernel

Abstract It is well known in the field of radiative transfer that Sobolev was the first to introduce the resolvent into Milne's integral equation with a displacement kernel. Thereafter it was shown that the resolvent plays an important role in the theory of formation of spectral lines. In the theory of line-transfer problems, the kernel representation in Milne's integral equation has been used to provide an approximate solution in a manner similar to that given by the discrete ordinales method. In this paper, by means of invariant imbedding we show how to determine an exact solution of a Milne-type integral equation with a degenerate kernel, whose form is more general than the Pincherle-Gourast kernel. A Cauchy system for the resolvent is expressed in terms of generalized Sobolev's Φ- and Ψ-functions, which are computed by solving a system of differential equations for auxiliary functions. Furthermore, these functions are expressed in terms of components of the kernel representation.
Comparison of the essential arginine residue in Escherichia coli ornithine and aspartate transcarbamylases

Abstract The reaction of phenylglyoxal with Escherichia coli ornithine transcarbamylase (carbamoylphosphate: l -ornithine carbamoyltransferase, EC 2.1.3.3) leads to complete loss of enzymatic activity. The behavior of this reagent towards ornithine transcarbamylase is remarkably similar to that observed with E. coli aspartate transcarbamylase (carbamoylphosphate: l -aspartate carbamoyltransferase, EC 2.1.3.2) and its catalytic subunit (Kantrowitz, E.R. and Lipscomb, W.N. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 2688–2695). The rate of phenylglyoxal inactivation increases in the order ornithine transcarbamylase, catalytic subunit of aspartate transcarbamylase and aspartate transcarbamylase. For ornithine transcarbamylase, the substrate carbamyl phosphate alone or in combination with the substrate analog norvaline protect the enzyme from phenylglyoxal inactivation. Under similar conditions, carbamyl phosphate or carbamyl phosphate plus succinate will protect the catalytic subunit of aspartate transcarbamylase in an almost identical manner. Using [ 14 C]phenylglyoxal, the number of arginine residues involved in loss of activity was determined to be approx. three per ornithine transcarbamylase molecule or one arginine per active site. The data suggest that the arginine necessary for activity is involved in the binding of carbamyl phosphate to the enzyme. The similarity in phenylglyoxal reactivities combined with genetic and structural data suggest very strongly that there is an evolutionary relationship between ornithine transcarbamylase and the catalytic subunit of aspartate transcarbamylase.
A technique for expressing eukaryotic genes in bacteria

Methods are described that allow efficient expression in Escherichia coli of cloned eukaryotic genes. The methods require that the coding sequence of the gene in question be available in a form uninterrupted by intervening sequences (for example, as a complementary DNA clone). The gene products are synthesized unfused to other amino acid sequences. The genetic manipulations are simple, and require the plasmids described and commercially available enzymes.
Serving Two Masters: Redistricting and Voting in the U.S. House of Representatives:

This article explores the consequences for representation after a redistricting by reexamining the finding that members of Congress will alter their voting behavior to fit their new district. Speci...
The risk of hepatitis B transmission from staff to patients in hemodialysis units–-an overrated problem?

The staff and patients in hemodialysis units have the greatest hospital risk of acquiring hepatitis B (HB) infection. We followed the patients of two dialysis nurses in two different dialysis units. One nurse dialyzed 19 patients a total of 50 times during the prodrome of acute HB. The second nurse was a known, asymptomatic carrier of HBsAg who was also HBeAg(+) and anti-HBc(+). Over a 2-year period, she dialyzed 30 patients a total of 742 times. Neither group of patients showed evidence of having acquired HB, suggesting that the risk of HB transmission from staff to patient is low even in the high-risk setting of a dialysis unit and a presumably highly infectious HBeAg(+) chronic carrier. In our study, the risk in this latter setting was less than 0.0040 (binomial probability p less than 0.05). The data do not support restricting care of patients by health workers who are chronic carriers of the virus.
Biology and control of nausea and vomiting: outcomes of the 2013 University of Pittsburgh conference.

Scientists interested in the biology of nausea and vomiting, as well as physicians who treat patients whose lives are negatively affected by these conditions, work in many different academic and clinical departments. Consequently, they attend a variety of professional conferences and publish their research in diverse discipline-specific journals, which has constrained communication in the field. this lack of communication has limited progress in understanding the biological mechanisms that produce nausea and vomiting, and finding treatments for these medical problems. For this reason, we organized a conference that included scientists and clinicians from a variety of specialties with an interest in the biology and treatment of nausea and vomiting. the conference was held on October 3–4, 2013, on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Over 100 individuals attended the conference and traveled from as far away as australia (Fig. 1; http://internationalvomitingconference.org). this meeting was supported in part by grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). a major success of the event was travel support provided to 11 early career investigators to present their research findings, which was possible because of NIH funding and an award from the Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome association. this issue of Experimental Brain Research contains 23 manuscripts related to presentations at the conference, including 9 reviews and 14 presentations of original data. among the topics considered are the efficacy of different mechanisms in eliciting nausea and vomiting, assessing the severity of nausea, integration of neural signals by brain regions that coordinate nausea and vomiting, and treatment options for patients suffering from nausea and vomiting. a variety of triggers can elicit nausea and vomiting, including ingested toxins, particular drugs such as anesthetics and cancer therapeutics, pregnancy, radiation, and motion that produces unexpected sensory inputs (Stern et al. 2011). Some individuals also suffer from cyclic vomiting syndrome, an under-recognized and often misdiagnosed condition that results in recurring attacks of nausea and vomiting without any apparent triggering mechanism (lee et al. 2012). It is believed that common neural mechanisms mediate nausea and vomiting, despite the etiology, but there is considerable lack of insight into these mechanisms.
Solvent effects upon the picosecond dynamics of proton transfer in 2‐(N‐methylanilino)acetophenone

Picosccond pump-probe spectroscopy is used to examine the dynamics of singlet excited state proton transfer in 2-(N-methylanilino)acetophenone in a series of solvent mixtures of benzene and acetonitrile. A factors and energies of activation are derived from temperature-dependent studies. The rate constants show a moderate solvent dependence, but Arrhenius parameters differ considerably between polar and unpolar solvents. It is concluded that proton transfer occurs via nonadiabatic tunneling into different vibrational channels of the product state.
A survey of preventive maintenance models for stochastically deteriorating single-unit systems

A survey of the research done on preventive maintenance is presented. The scope of the present survey is on the research published after the 1976 paper by Pierskalla and Voelker [98]. This article includes optimization models for repair, replacement, and inspection of systems subject to stochastic deterioration. A classification scheme is used that categorizes recent research into inspection models, minimal repair models, shock models, or miscellaneous replacement models.
Planar graphs are 1-relaxed, 4-choosable

We show that every planar graph G=(V,E) is 1-relaxed, 4-choosable. This means that, for every list assignment L that assigns a set of at least four colors to each vertex, there exists a coloring f such that f(v)@?L(v) for every vertex v@?V and each color class f^-^1(@a) of f induces a subgraph with maximum degree at most 1.
Hemodynamics of in-tandem stenosis of the internal carotid artery: when is carotid endarterectomy indicated?

BACKGROUND Recent publications have pointed out the importance of evaluating patients with in-tandem stenosis and in particular the association of moderate stenosis of the extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) with moderate or severe stenosis of the intracranial internal carotid artery. Such evaluations are needed in symptomatic patients before planning carotid endarterectomies because observations have shown that in some cases the removal of an extracranial lesion does not necessarily improve these symptoms. This paper examines the hemodynamic effects of in-tandem stenosis in the internal carotid artery. METHODS Equations describing flow in arteries are modified to accommodate two regions of stenosis in tandem. An equivalent value of stenosis is derived such that two stenoses in tandem behave as a single stenosis with similar hemodynamic properties. The solution to this problem is solved mathematically and this was used to analyze the observations made in five studies published on in-tandem stenosis of the internal carotid artery. RESULTS Equivalent stenoses for various values of extracranial and intracranial stenoses are presented. It was found that two stenotic lesions in tandem are not equivalent to a simple summation of both values. A graphical solution is presented to show the hemodynamic effects of both stenoses. CONCLUSIONS The most critical determinant of hemodynamic compromise when two lesions are in tandem is the larger one. Hence removal of a more proximal lesion may have little effect on a larger distal lesion if the symptoms are due to hypoperfusion. It is important that one distinguish between hypoperfusion and thromboembolic causes of the symptoms. No conclusions about the risk of thromboembolic events after a carotid endarterectomy in the setting of a distal stenosis can be made from this study.
Effects of the northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini and Fanzago), on fertility and hatchability of eggs from artificially inseminated White Leghorn hens.

Abstract Egg production of White Leghorn hens infested with the northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini and Fanzago), was as much as 15% lower than egg production of control hens. However, when these hens were artificially inseminated with semen from mite infested roosters, neither fertility nor hatchability was affected by the mite infestation.
Impact of obesity on hospitalized patients

Obesity is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide and is a risk factor for cardiac disease, diabetes, and stroke. This provides a challenge for the physicians caring for this patient population in the hospital. Skin integrity, medication dosing, testing, and nutrition are all altered by obesity. We summarize some of the current data on caring for the obese inpatient. Unfortunately, few data on this unique inpatient population exist. Mt Sinai J Med 75:454–459, 2008. © 2008 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
5,11-Conjugation-extended low-bandgap anthradithiophene-containing polymer exhibiting enhanced thin-film order and field-effect mobility.

Anthradithiophene was incorporated in a polymer structure by extending its conjugation from the 5,11-positions, through in situ desilylation followed by acetylenic coupling with a dibromo-monomer. The resulting polymer showed largely redshifted order in a thin film as well as order in thin film, forming lamellar structures out of the substrate plane. As a result, it exhibits field-effect hole mobilities, on the order of 0.1 cm2 V−1 s−1, a ten to hundred-fold improvement as compared to previous acene-containing polymers.
Relay channel with structured interference known at the source

We consider a relay channel in the presence of interference which is non-causally available only at the source. The interference signal may have structure, for example it could come from another source communicating with its own destination. However, the external interferer is not willing to adjust its communication strategy to minimize the interference and is considered to be fixed. Two approaches are possible to mitigate the interference: exploiting the structure or treating the interference as unstructured. Using these approaches, we establish bounds for the Gaussian relay channel with orthogonal components and discuss to the importance of exploiting the interference structure in multi-terminal scenarios.
The concept of underinsurance: a general typology.

In a 2002 speech, Mark McClellan, a member of the Council of Economic Advisors at the White House, said that “[I]n the president's vision, all Americans should have access to high-quality and affordable healthcare.” However, many healthcare researchers believe that a growing number of Americans are underinsured. Because any characterization of underinsurance will refer to the value judgments of people about what counts as “adequate” and “inadequate” healthcare, the goal of characterizing and measuring the underinsured is difficult to achieve. In this article, I examine the various dimensions of underinsurance, and propose a typology incorporating those dimensions.
Rock deformation models and fluid leak-off in hydraulic fracturing

SUMMARY Fluid loss into reservoir rocks during hydraulic fracturing is modelled via a poro-elastoplastic pressure diffusion equation in which the total compressibility is a sum of fluid, rock and pore space compressibilities. Inclusion of pore compressibility and porosity-dependent permeability in the model leads to a strong pressure dependence of leak-off (i.e. drainage rate). Dilation of the matrix due to fluid invasion causes higher rates of fluid leak-off. The present model is appropriate for naturally fractured and tight gas reservoirs as well as for soft and poorly consolidated formations whose mechanical behaviour departs from simple elastic laws. Enhancement of the leak-off coefficient by dilation, predicted by the new model, may help explain the low percentage recovery of fracturing fluid (usually between 5 and 50 per cent) in shale gas stimulation by hydraulic fracturing.
Path-reversed substrate- guided-wave optical interconnects for wavelength-division demultiplexing.

A path-reversed substrate-guided-wave holographic interconnection scheme is investigated for a wavelength-division demultiplexing application. Using a beveled edge of a waveguiding plate allows optical signals to be coupled into the waveguiding plate and then to be coupled out of the plate by a waveguide hologram. Theoretical analyses are given for dispersion, bandwidth, and recording parameters of various guided-wave holographic gratings. A device is fabricated with a 45° incident angle and a 45° diffraction angle by use of a 20-µm photopolymer film. The 3-dB bandwidth of the device is measured to be 20 nm. Four-channel wavelength demultiplexing is demonstrated at 796, 798, 800, and 802 nm with no cross talk observed. A one-to-five cascaded four-channel wavelength-division demultiplexer with ±5% energy uniformity under s polarization is also demonstrated to increase the user-sharing capacity. Twenty fan-out channels (5 × 4) are achieved experimentally.
Nuclear Pores: David and Goliath in nuclear transport

Abstract The small GTP-binding protein Ran has been implicated in protein import into, and mRNA export from, the nucleus. A recently identified ‘giant' nuclear pore complex protein, Nup358, binds GTP–Ran.
Vocabulary Learning in Collaborative Tasks: A Comparison of Pair and Small Group Work.

This study examined the opportunities that pair and small group interaction offer for collaborative dialogue and second language (L2) vocabulary learning. It compared the performance of the same collaborative writing task by learners working in groups of four (n = 60) and in pairs (n = 50), focusing on the occurrence of lexical language-related episodes (LREs). Findings indicate that groups produced more lexical LREs than pairs and were able to solve correctly a higher percentage of these LREs. Although opportunities for individual learners to contribute to the conversation were more limited in small groups, the number of participants did not have a negative impact on learners’ rate of retention of the lexical knowledge co-constructed in interaction. The pretests and posttests showed that learners benefited from the LREs they initiated or resolved, as well as from observing their peers’ collaborative problem-solving activities. As a result, small group interaction resulted in significantly more instances ...