cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal expansion of blood vessels and muscle specimens permeated with DMSO, DP6, and VS55 at cryogenic temperatures.

As part of an ongoing effort to characterize the continuum mechanics during cryopreservation via vitrification (vitreous in Latin means glass), the current study focuses on measuring the thermal expansion of cryoprotective agents in the presence and absence of biological samples of bovine muscle and goat arteries. The cryoprotectants under investigation are 7.05M DMSO, DP6, and VS55, with permeation time of up to 48 h. This study focuses on the upper part of the cryogenic temperature range, where the cryoprotectant behaves like a liquid in all practical applications. The specific lower boundary of this range is unique to the cryoprotectant composition and to the applied cooling rate. The measurement device used in the current study is a modification of a prototype presented recently, in which modifications are made to accommodate biological samples. Based on thermal strain observations, it is concluded that the presence of tissue samples promotes crystallization (the tissue samples serve as potential nucleation sites). It is shown in this study that the thermal strain of tissue samples permeated with 7.05M DMSO and DP6 is no greater than the thermal expansion of the same cryoprotectants in the absence of tissue samples, and in some cases it is significantly less. For a given cryoprotectant in comparable thermal conditions, experiments on bovine muscle samples show significantly higher scattered data than experiments on artery samples.
A computer based culturing system for measuring the photosynthetic response of phytoplankton to a fluctuating environment

Abstract A microcomputer-controlled culturing system developed to simulate temperature and salinity fluctuations in an estuary is described. The system consists of a microcomputer, interfacing hardware, a continuous culture apparatus, and system software. The system can regulate the temperature and salinity of a continuous phytoplankton culture based on user-defined models of the physical environment and particle transport in a natural environment. The microcomputer also provides efficient data acquisition and data storage. The system was designed to facilitate expansion and modification and can easily be adapted to accomodate various studies of phytoplankton production. Details of a simulation and representative data are presented.
Interaction of Naturally Occurring Aflatoxins in Poultry Feed and Immunization Against Fowl Cholera

Abstract A total of 1,175 poultry feed samples originating from different farms were analyzed for aflatoxin. Poor growth rate and reduced egg production were the main complaints. The rate of contamination with aflatoxin ranged from 10 to 54% of all samples. Of samples examined 30.7% proved positive for aflatoxin with a concentration ranging from 1 to 2,000 ppb. Outbreaks of fowl cholera were diagnosed on two farms where aflatoxin was detected in the rations used. The impact of aflatoxin in the feed on the efficacy of immunization against fowl cholera was monitored by a hemagglutination test and the titers of the involved farms were compared with experimental groups fed on aflatoxin-free rations and vaccinated with the same polyvalent fowl cholera bacterin. The antibody titers of the experimental groups were 4 to 15 times higher than those of the involved farms.
Mackey Functors with Chain Conditions

Abstract LetAbe a Green functor for a finite groupGand letMbe a leftA-module.Mis callednoetherian (artinian)if the lattice of all submodules ofMsatisfies ACC (respectively DCC).Mis calledtotally noetherian (totally artinian)ifMXis noetherian (respectively artinian) for every finiteG-setX. In this paper it is shown that the totally noetherian (totally artinian) leftA-modules behave in the same way as the classical noetherian (artinian) modules. The left noetherian (left artinian) Green functors are less well behaved but some properties from classical algebra still hold. It is shown that Cohen's theorem holds in this setting. Our main result shows that if a commutative Green functorAis artinian, then the ringsA(H)/Jac(A(H)) are semisimple artinian for all subgroupsHofG.
Lenalidomide in solid tumors.

Background Lenalidomide is a thalidomide analogue with immunomodulatory and anti-angiogenic properties that include altering cytokine production, activating T cells, and augmenting natural killer cell function. Lenalidomide is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for single-agent treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes associated with a 5q deletion and as a combination therapy with dexamethasone for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
A test of the hypothesis that T3 is the "seasonality" thyroid hormone in American tree sparrows (Spizella arborea): intracerebroventricular infusion of iopanoic acid, an inhibitor of T3 synthesis and degradation.

This study tested the hypothesis that L-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3) is the bioactive "seasonality" thyroid hormone in American tree sparrows (Spizella arborea). The experimental approach coupled thyroid hormone replacement therapy after radiothyroidectomy with photostimulation and intracerebroventricular infusion of iopanoic acid, an inhibitor of L-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine synthesis and degradation. Endpoints were testis length, molt score, and hypothalamic content of chicken gonadotropin-releasing hormone I. The hypothesis predicts that thyroidectomized male tree sparrows moved to long days and given thyroxine in combination with iopanoic acid will lack L-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine and so will not express thyroid hormone-dependent photoperiodic testicular growth (a vernal component of seasonality) and photorefractoriness or postnuptial molt (autumnal components of seasonality). It further predicts that iopanoic acid will enhance the efficacy of L-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine and so will facilitate the expression of seasonality in thyroidectomized males given L-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine replacement therapy. Iopanoic acid had no significant effect on any component of seasonality in thyroid-intact males given vehicle, or in thyroidectomized males given thyroxine or L-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine. Thyroid-intact males, as well as thyroidectomized males infused with thyroxine alone, commonly expressed all components of seasonality. Thyroidectomized males given L-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine alone exhibited photoperiodic testicular growth, but did not become photorefractory or initiate molt. While these results confirm that thyroid hormone acts centrally to program American tree sparrows for seasonality, they do not support the hypothesis that L-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine is the bioactive "seasonality" thyroid hormone, and they challenge the view that thyroxine is merely a prohormone.
The production of colony stimulating activity by monocyte enriched fractions from murine continuous bone marrow culture adherent layers.

Summary. The production of colony stimulating activity (GM-CSA) within murine continuous bone marrow cultures was investigated by subjecting either the nonadherent or the adherent layer cells to separation by velocity sedimentation. The presence of GM-CSA in conditioned medium was defined by the support of granulocyte/macrophage colony formation in soft agar culture. Cell free conditioned medium from weekly feedings of intact continuous marrow cultures and medium conditioned by each fraction of velocity sedimentation separated, nonadherent cells did not contain assayable GM-CSA. However, medium conditioned by fractions of adherent layer cells with a modal sedimentation velocity of 8·8 mm/h (range 6·2–10·6 mm/h) contained GM-CSA. Cytochemical studies with Wright's–Giemsa and non-specific esterase stains in addition to immunofluorescent studies with anti-collagen III, anti-collagen IV and monoclonal anti-Mac I antibodies to define fibroblasts, endothelial cells and monocytes, respectively, demonstrated that the cells within the GM-CSA producing fractions were enriched with monocytes/macrophages. Fibroblasts and a small proportion of endothelial cells were also present. GM-CSA is produced within the microenvironment (adherent layer) of murine continuous marrow cultures. Either adherent layer monocytes and/or a monocyte–endothelial cell interaction account for the GM-CSA production.
Contamination of the common carrier concept in telecommunications

Abstract This article will examine telecommunications common carriage with an eye toward determining whether and how the concept can continue to provide a basis for law and regulation. The article identifies instances where courts and regulatory agencies have so finetuned the concept of common carriage that the traditional model can no longer apply even when deemed desirable, eg for video programming transport. The article also examines instances where results-oriented decision making has refined or eliminated basic elements of common carriage: allowing telephone companies to refuse carriage of certain types of traffic based on ‘business judgement’ and maximizing spectrum auction revenues by summarily reclassifying some mobile radio private carriers as commercial mobile radio common carriers. The article concludes that structural and semantic efforts to foster competition and accommodate technological innovations has contaminated the common carrier model, rendering it unworkable.
The size heterogeneity of human lysyl oxidase mRNA is due to alternate polyadenylation site and not alternate exon usage.

We have isolated the entire gene coding for human lysyl oxidase. Coding and untranslated domains of human lysyl oxidase mRNA were found in 7 exons, distributed throughout approximately 14kb of human genomic DNA. The appearance of exon sequences in lysyl oxidase mRNA in several human tissues was determined using a reverse transcriptase-PCR assay. In contrast to a previous report, this analysis has unambiguously shown that the size heterogeneity of lysyl oxidase mRNA was not due to alternate usage of any of the exons of the lysyl oxidase gene. Moreover, DNA sequence analysis of the entire 3.8 kb 3′-untranslated region (UTR) within exon 7 revealed multiple poly-adenylation sites which were shown to be differentially expressed in human skin fibroblasts. This differential usage of polyadenylation sites within the 3′-UTR explains the appearance of multiple lysyl oxidase mRNAs of different sizes.
Geometric programming based robot control design

Abstract The optimal control of robot is obtained by geometric programming technique. The condesation approach of geometric program and Perseval's theorem are the basis of mathematical modeling. The relationships of sampling time versus the optimum proportional gain ( K p ), the optimum integral gain ( K i ), and the optimum derivative gain ( K v ) are studied. The overall conclusion is that as the sampling time increases so the K p , K i and K v values decrease before becoming flat. The optimum control is dependent on the choice of constraints. The approach is illustrated through an example.
Form and Process: Fluvial Geomorphology and Flood-Flow Interaction, Grant River, Wisconsin

Abstract Interactions between valley floor morphology and flood discharges are investigated in the 690 km2 Grant River watershed, southwestern Wisconsin. In this watershed, the conversion from natural vegetation to agriculture resulted in the development of incised meander belts along streams draining between 10 and 200 km2. These belts consist of alluvial terraces that confine flood flows to a relatively narrow portion of the valley. The present study examines interaction of this landform and the process of flooding over a range of flood magnitudes. A computer model simulates flood flows in two morphological systems: one based on the morphology measured in the field and the other representing a similar system without terraces (roughly analogous to pre-European settlement morphology). Peak discharges in the case with out terraces range from 70 to 98 percent of those in the field case. The difference between these two cases varies with the total volume of runoff. Flood discharges are rapidly transported th...
Measuring search efficiency in complex visual search tasks: Global and local clutter

Set size and crowding affect search efficiency by limiting attention for recognition and attention against competition; however, these factors can be difficult to quantify in complex search tasks. The current experiments use a quantitative measure of the amount and variability of visual information (i.e., clutter) in highly complex stimuli (i.e., digital aeronautical charts) to examine limits of attention in visual search. Undergraduates at a large southern university searched for a target among 4, 8, or 16 distractors in charts with high, medium, or low global clutter. The target was in a high or low local-clutter region of the chart. In Experiment 1, reaction time increased as global clutter increased, particularly when the target was in a high local-clutter region. However, there was no effect of distractor set size, supporting the notion that global clutter is a better measure of attention against competition in complex visual search tasks. As a control, Experiment 2 demonstrated that increasing the number of distractors leads to a typical set size effect when there is no additional clutter (i.e., no chart). In Experiment 3, the effects of global and local clutter were minimized when the target was highly salient. When the target was nonsalient, more fixations were observed in high global clutter charts, indicating that the number of elements competing with the target for attention was also high. The results suggest design techniques that could improve pilots' search performance in aeronautical charts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Changes in CSF and plasma HIV-1 RNA and cognition after starting potent antiretroviral therapy

The authors assessed CSF and plasma HIV-1 RNA and neuropsychological test performance (composite neuropsychological test Z score [NPZ-4]) in 25 HIV-1-infected subjects 4 and 8 weeks after beginning potent antiretroviral therapy that included a protease inhibitor. In the 14 subjects who entered the study on no antiretroviral treatment, NPZ-4 improvement was associated with decline in CSF HIV-1 RNA at both visits (p = 0.001 and p = 0.02), and those treated with zidovudine or indinavir had greater improvement in NPZ-4 at both visits compared to those treated with other drugs (p = 0.003 and p = 0.01).
Scalar Field Therapy and Mitigation of Seizure Disorder: A Case Report

This case report describes the use of scalar field therapy in the mitigation of seizures in an autistic child. The patient is a 4-yr-10-mo-old girl with a 3 year history of seizure disorder and autism. She presents with a long history of a series of 6 to 8 tonic-clonic seizures on a daily basis, each lasting approximately 10 to 20 seconds long. After a series of treatments in the scalar field, her seizures were reduced to 4 to 5 partial seizures of just 1 to 2 seconds in duration. The reduction in number and duration of seizures in this case suggests that the use of scalar field therapy in the treatment of seizure disorder should be further explored. Of great importance is the potential for controlling seizures while minimizing the use of pharmaceuticals that are often debilitating and have numerous negative side effects. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/jnr134w
Product manager in perspective

Abstract While many articles have been written on a diversity of topics relating to the product management system, practically nothing has been reported on the backgrounds of product (or brand) managers. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide some current information and insight into this area. Specifically investigated are the backgrounds of current product managers, their career paths, their current profiles, and finally, where they go after leaving product management. Also studied were the opinions of the current product managers on what background is necessary for success in the field, as well as their opinions on some contemporary issues and future prospects for the product management system.
Acromegaly diagnosed in a young woman presenting with headache and arthritis

Background A 38-year-old woman presented with severe headaches to her primary-care physician. The patient had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and had begun having headache 4 years previously. An MRI scan revealed an 11–12 mm pituitary tumor. Her physical examination was unremarkable for the classic acral or facial changes characteristic of acromegaly, and she was referred for neuroendocrine consultation for a presumed nonfunctioning adenoma. Investigations MRI of the pituitary, and laboratory investigations that included measurement of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and prolactin levels. Diagnosis In view of the elevated level of IGF1 and presence of a pituitary adenoma, the patient was diagnosed with acromegaly caused by a pituitary adenoma that secretes growth hormone. Management The patient underwent trans-sphenoidal surgery, which resulted in resolution of joint pain and headache, eradication of the tumor mass, normal IGF1 levels, and appropriate suppression of growth hormone (confirmed by oral glucose tolerance test postoperatively).
Characterization and fractionation of tobacco leaf transfer RNA.

Abstract Transfer RNA isolated from the leaves of Nicotiana tabacum var. Turkish was analyzed for purity, intactness, and biological activity. Leucyl-tRNA from total leaf tissue was resolved into six isoaccepting species, tRNALeu1-tRNALeu6, by reverse-phase chromatography. Two species, tRNALeu5 and tRNALeu6, are found in the chloroplasts and are aminoacylated exclusively by the synthetases found in the chloroplasts. Species tRNALeu3 and tRNALeu4 are found in the mitochondria. However, the synthetases found in the mitochondria are not organelle specific since they aminoacylate not only mitochondrial leucine tRNA but also tRNALeu and tRNALeu2 which appear to be exclusively cytoplasmic species.
A Study of Hepatic Low Km Iodothyronine 5' -Monodeiodinase

To document the presence of a low Km rT3 and T4-5' -monodeiodinase (5'MDL; Km in nanomolar concentrations) in the liver and to study its characteristics in comparison with the high Km 5'MD (5'MDH; Km in micromolar concentrations), we incubated rat liver microsomal protein (20 μg for rT3 substrate and 200 μg for T4 substrate) with 125I-labeled rT3 or T4 and dithiothreitol (DTT; up to 20 mM) for 5 min (for rT3) or 30-120 min (for T4) and determined the amount of 125I liberated during incubation. Pilot studies had shown that the activity of rT3 5'MDH is markedly (≥85%) inhibited in the presence of 2 M NaCl, while the rT3 5'MDL is essentially unaffected, and both low and high Km T4 5'MD are minimally (∼20%) inhibited. The representative kinetics of various substrates studied were: Km, 13 nM for rT3 5'MDL, 640 for rT3 5'MDH, 26 for T4 5'MDL, and 3620 for T4 5'MDH; maximum velocity, 0.28 nmol/hmg protein for rT3 5'MDL, 46 for rT3 5'MDH, 0.002 for T4 5'MDL, and 0.46 for T4 5'MDH. Propylthiouracil and iopanoate i...
Centrally mediated pressor response to metiamide as a result of GABA-receptor antagonism.

Abstract M. J. Antonaccio, M. Asaad and J. Boccagno, Centrally mediated pressor response to metiamide as a result of GABA-receptor antagonism, European J. Pharmacol. 72 (1981) 369-372. The mechanism of the pressor response to metiamide was examined in anesthetized cats. Intravenous administration of metiamide had no effect on blood pressure. Infusion into the lateral ventricle (10 mg/kg/min for 10 min), caused a marked pressor response which was due to an increase in sympathetic outflow since pretreatment of cats with guanethidine completely prevented it. In a rat brain synaptosome preparation, both metiamide and cimetidine displaced [ 3 H]GABA. These data strongly suggest that metiamide increases blood pressure in the cat through a central mechanism involving GABA-receptor antagonism.
Charged pion photoproduction from light nuclei

Abstract The photoproduction of 0–150-MeV charged pions from light nuclei is studied from a distorted wave impulse approximation (DWIA) approach. The final nuclear states are restricted to a finite set of isospin analogs of excited states of the target nucleus. The final state interactions of the pion with the residual nucleus are incorporated via optical potentials. The elementary photoproduction operator used is that of Blomqvist and Laget which is derived in a general reference frame. To gain insight into the predictive power of this DWIA approach, total and differential cross sections for π ± production from 6 Li, 7 Li, 10 B, 12 C, and 14 N are calculated and compared with available data. It is found that, with a few exceptions, reasonable agreement is obtained between theory and experiment as long as the nuclear wave functions are constrained to fit other electromagnetic and weak processes and the optical potentials are constrained to fit pion-nucleus elastic scattering data. We conclude that, at this stage, using the Blomqvist-Laget operator in a DWIA calculation adequately describes the dynamics of charged pion photoproduction from complex nuclei. We illustrate how this reaction can be used to obtain information on the short range nature of the pion wave function and on nuclear wave functions. Shortcomings of and improvements on this calculation are also suggested.
Existence of irreducible representations for knot complements with nonconstant equivariant signature

Mathematics Subject Classiﬁcation (1991): 57M25, 57M05, 58G03, 57R571 IntroductionThe purpose of this paper is to establish the existence of irreducible SU(2) repre-sentations of knot complement fundamental groups near abelian representationswhere the equivariant knot signature changes. For knots in S
Hydrogen peroxide levels in Los Angeles: A screening-level evaluation

Abstract The major factors affecting the diurnal variation of gaseous hydrogen peroxide were studied using a one-dimensional vertical gas-phase chemistry/transport screening model. The model which included diurnal variations of the inversion layer, surface emissions, dry deposition of air pollutants, and meteorological conditions such as solar radiation, temperature, relative humidity and wind speed, was used to evaluate the influence of the ratio of NMHC/NOx, the emission rates of NOx and NMHC, the deposition velocity of H2O2, and the height of inversion layer on the ground level gaseous H2O2 concentrations. The model was found to yield reasonable agreement with field data from the Carbonaceous Species Methods Comparison Study at Glendora, California, in 11–21 August 1986. Specifically, model predictions and field results all indicated that during clear skies, ambient H2O2 concentration was highest at about early afternoon when O3 concentration was highest and NOx was lowest. It was concluded that the predicted gaseous H2O2 concentration is most sensitive to the emission rate of NOx and the ratio of NHMC/NOx, but it is less sensitive to the deposition velocity, height of inversion layer, and the emission rate of NMHC.
Rat liver serine dehydratase. Bacterial expression and two folding domains as revealed by limited proteolysis.

Abstract A pCW vector harboring rat liver serine dehydratase cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli. The expressed level was about 5-fold higher in E. coli BL21 than in JM109 cell extract; the former lacked two kinds of proteases. Immunoblot analysis revealed the occurrence of a derivative other than serine dehydratase in the JM109 cell extract. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity. Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease and trypsin cleaved the enzyme at Glu-206 and Lys-220, respectively, with a concomitant loss of enzyme activity. Spectrophotometrically, the nicked enzyme showed a ∼50% reduced capacity for binding of the coenzyme pyridoxal phosphate and no spectral change of circular dichroism in the region at 300–480 nm, whereas circular dichroism spectra of both enzymes in the far-UV region were similar, suggesting that proteolysis impairs the coenzyme binding without an accompanying gross change of the secondary structure. Whereas the nicked enzyme behaved like the intact enzyme on Sephadex G-75 column chromatography, it was dissociated into two fragments on the column containing 6 m urea. Upon the removal of urea, both fragments spontaneously refolded. These results suggest that serine dehydratase consists of two folding domains connected by a region that is very susceptible to proteases.
Case report--zomepirac suicide

A suicidal death is described involving zomepirac sodium. The postmortem blood concentration of zomeplrac was 152 mg/L. An antemortem specimen obtained nine hours prior to death had a zomapirac concentration of 286 mg/L. An ultraviolet spectrophotometer was utilized for qusntitation of the drug. Confirmation of the zomepirsc was made by gas chromatography.
Stability Robustness Measures for Stochastic Parameter Control Systems

This work is an investigation of the effects on closed loop system stability of modelling errors resulting from over- or under-estimating the statistical characteristics of linear discrete time stochastic parameter systems. Both infinite and moving horizon controllers designed using erroneous parameter characteristics which can preserve the mean square and almost sure asymptotic stability of the closed loop system are considered. Quantitative measures of robustness are incorporated.
SERUM DECREASES THE SIZE OF METAFECTENE- AND GENEJAMMER-DNA COMPLEXES BUT DOES NOT AFFECT SIGNIFICANTLY THEIR TRANSFECTION ACTIVITY IN SCCVII MURINE SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA CELLS

Cationic liposome-DNA (lipoplexes) or polymer-DNA (polyplexes) complexes have been used to deliver therapeutic genes, both in vitro and in vivo. However, gene transfer by these non-viral vectors is usually inhibited by biological milieu. A relatively high efficiency of transfection could be achieved in human oral cancer cells transfected with the polycationic liposome, Metafectene, and the polyamine reagent, GeneJammer, in the presence of 60% fetal bovine serum (FBS) (Konopka et al., Cell. Mol. Biol. Lett. 10 (2005) 455–470). Here, we examined the efficacy of these vectors to deliver β-galactosidase (β-gal), luciferase and Herpes Simplex Virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) genes to SCCVII murine squamous cell carcinoma cells, which are used to generate an orthotopic murine model of oral cancer. We also evaluated the hydrodynamic size and zeta potential of the vectors and the effect of FBS and mouse serum (up to 60%) on the size of Metafectene and GeneJammer complexes with the pCMV.Luc plasmid. Our results indicate that Metafectene and GeneJammer are highly effective in transfecting SCCVII cells. Approximately 60–70% of SCCVII cells transfected with pCMV.lacZ were positive for β-gal staining. The expression of β-galactosidase was essentially not affected by serum. Mouse serum (20–60%) reduced both Metafectene-and GeneJammer-mediated luciferase expression by ∼30–45%, while FBS did not affect transfection efficiency. The delivery of the HSV-tk gene by Metafectene or GeneJammer in the presence of 0% or 60% FBS, followed by GCV treatment for 6 days, resulted in over 90% cytotoxicity. The mean diameters of the DNA complexes of Metafectene and GeneJammer decreased significantly as a function of the serum concentration. The reduction in the size of the lipoplexes and polyplexes by serum was essentially not inhibitory to transfection of SCCVII cells. This is in contrast to previous hypotheses that serum-induced decrease in the size of lipoplexes is the primary cause of serum inhibition of transfection.
Relationship of Right- to Left-Sided Ventricular Filling Pressures in Advanced Heart Failure Insights From the ESCAPE Trial

Background—Although right atrial pressure (RAP) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) are correlated in heart failure, in a sizeable minority of patients, the RAP and PCWP are not tightly coupled. The basis of this variability in the RAP/PCWP ratio, and whether it conveys prognostic value, is not known. Methods and Results—We analyzed the Evaluation Study of Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Artery Catheterization Effectiveness (ESCAPE) trial database. Baseline characteristics, including echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular (RV) structure and function, and invasively measured hemodynamic parameters, were compared among tertiles of the RAP/PCWP ratio. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models assessed the association of RAP/PCWP ratio with the primary ESCAPE outcome (6-month death or hospitalization [days]) adjusting for systolic blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen, 6-minute walk distance, and PCWP. The RAP/PCWP tertiles were 0.27 to 0.4 (tertile 1); 0.41 to 0.615 (tertile 2), ...
Hidden Surface Effects: Radiant Temperature as an Urban and Architectural Comfort Culprit

The movement of heat throughout our built environment by transmission of radiation between surfaces is often overlooked in the operation, performance, and comfort of buildings. The temperature of a surface determines the amount of blackbody radiation it will emit, and thus controls the radiant exchange of heat in the environment. The heat exchange by radiation is important for systems and can dramatically influence the energy efficiency and the perceived comfort of a building. We discuss the physical mechanisms for measuring and understanding the heat transfer by radiation in buildings as well as the important connections to system performance and operation. The historical perspective on comfort, operation, and radiation is discussed. Finally, some novel concepts that take advantage of an understanding of radiant heat transfer potential are explored.
A Rigid-Body-Based Multiple Time Scale Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Nanophase Materials

Nanophase technology achieves superior material properties by assembling nanometer-size clusters. Structures on multiple-length scales and a hierarchy of time scales are essential for the design and control of nanophase materials. However, coexistence of a wide range of length and time scales hinders atomistic simulations of these materials. A new algorithm is developed for large-scale, longtime molecular dynamics simulations by combining (1) quaternion-based, rigid-body dynamics for global cluster motions; (2) implicit integration of Newton's equations for the coalescence of clusters; and (3) normal-mode analysis of fast atomic oscillations. The new scheme, using a time step Dt of 10-12 seconds, speeds up a conventional explicit integration scheme (Dt=2 × 10-15 seconds) by a factor of 28. A parallel implementation of the scheme achieves an efficiency of 0.94 for a 1.28-million-atom nanocrystalline silicon nitride solid on 64 nodes of an IBM SP computer.
Parts Outweigh the Whole (Word) in Unconscious Analysis of Meaning

In unconscious semantic priming, an unidentifiable visually masked word (the prime) facilitates semantic classification of a following visible related word (the target). Three experiments reported here provide evidence that masked primes are analyzed mainly at the level of word parts, not whole-word meaning. In Experiment 1, masked nonword primes composed of subword fragments of earlier-viewed targets functioned as effective evaluative primes. (For example, after repeated classification of the targets angel and warm, the nonword anrm acted as an evaluatively positive masked prime.) Experiment 2 showed that this part-word processing was potent enough to oppose analysis at the whole-word level. Thus, smile functioned as an evaluatively negative (!) masked prime after repeated classification of smut and bile. Experiment 3 found no priming when masked word primes contained no parts of earlier targets. These results suggest that robust unconscious priming (a) is driven by analysis of part-word information and ...
Increased ethanol excitation of dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area after chronic ethanol treatment

Background The mesolimbic dopamine pathway, which originates in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), is important for the rewarding effects of ethanol. Acute administration of ethanol has been shown to excite dopaminergic neurons of the VTA. Chronic ethanol treatment has been reported to alter the in vitro response of dopaminergic neurons to NMDA and dopamine. The present electrophysiological study tested the hypothesis that the effect of ethanol, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and NMDA on individual dopaminergic VTA (DA-VTA) neurons from C57BL/6J mice would be changed by chronic treatment with ethanol. Methods C57BL/6J mice were injected intraperitoneally twice daily with either saline or ethanol in saline (3.5 g/kg) for at least 21 days. Extracellular single unit recordings of spontaneous action potentials were made from DA-VTA neurons in brain slices from these mice. Ethanol (20–120 mM), GABA (50–500 μM), or NMDA (2–20 μM) was administered in the superfusate, and the resulting change in firing rate was measured. Results There was no significant difference in mean basal spontaneous firing rate of DA-VTA neurons between saline-treated and ethanol-treated mice. The DA-VTA neurons from ethanol-treated mice were excited by ethanol more potently than those from saline-treated mice. Dopaminergic VTA neurons from ethanol-treated mice were inhibited less potently by GABA than those from saline-treated mice. There was no difference in the potency of NMDA to excite DA-VTA neurons from saline-treated and ethanol-treated mice. Conclusions Chronic treatment of C57BL/6J mice with ethanol injections sensitizes DA-VTA neurons to ethanol excitation and also decreases the inhibitory potency of GABA. The increase in sensitivity to ethanol excitation of dopaminergic VTA neurons after chronic ethanol treatment may increase the reward value of ethanol. This sensitization to ethanol activation may be an important change in reward area neurons and may contribute to the development of alcoholism.
MOTIVATIONAL INFLUENCES ON ELDERLY TEST PERFORMANCE

An important reaction to individuals involved in problem solving is that of knowing the accuracy of their responses. Prior research has established that young adults are accurate in estimating correctness to responses on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). The present study extended these findings to the elderly and also considered whether ability‐extraneous variables (e.g., fatigue) influence either accuracy in judging correctness or IQ score. The WAIS was administered to 44 community‐dwelling elderly citizens in a counterbalanced manner to control for motivational influences. The examinee's IQs and estimations of correctness were measured. Materials included standard WAIS protocols and forms on which the examinees wrote a plus (+) or minus (—) after each response, indicating feelings of correctness as +, or of an incorrect answer as —. Results show that older examinees are highly accurate in their feelings of correctness. Analyses of variance and covariance indicated order of presentation sign...
Bootstrapping wikis: developing critical mass in a fledgling community by seeding content

Online communities depend on content contributed by their members. However, new communities have not yet achieved critical mass and are vulnerable to inadequate contribution. To encourage contribution, many fledgling communities seed the site with data from 3rd parties. We study the effectiveness of such seeding by looking at how people react to different types of seeded content. We found that people make larger contributions when there is no seeded content. But when there is seeded content, users learn from that content and contribute similar types of content. Therefore, if websites prefer specific types of contributions, seeding that type of contribution can be a valuable way to elicit appropriate contributions.
Development of Hourly Meteorological Values From Daily Data and Significance to Hydrological Modeling at H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest

Hydrologic modeling depends on having quality meteorological input available at the simulation time step. Often two needs arise: disaggregation from daily to subdaily and extend an available subdaily record. Simple techniques were tested for generating hourly air temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, relative humidity, and wind speed from limited daily data at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon. Skill of the daily to hourly methods ranged from poor to very good. The best method for each variable had mean error ,4% and first-degree efficiency.0.5, with the exception of wind speed, which had a bias problem related to change in measurement height. Significance of the disaggregation assumptions for simulated hydrology was evaluated by driving the Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM) with alternative meteorological inputs. The largest differences in streamflow simulation efficiency were related to differences in precipitation phase, which followed from the air temperature method used. The largest differences in annual water balance were related to the humidity model used; the common fallback assumption that daily dewpoint temperature equals minimum air temperature led to sharply higher evapotranspiration. Hourly streamflow and annual water balance were less sensitive to the method of distributing precipitation throughout the day and parameterization of solar radiation.
Mechanisms for just-in-time allocation of resources to adaptive parallel programs

Adaptive parallel computations-computations that can adapt to changes in resource availability and requirement-can effectively use networked machines because they dynamically expand as machines become available and dynamically acquire machines as needed. While most parallel programming systems provide the means to develop adaptive programs, they do not provide any functional interface to external resource management systems. Thus no existing resource management system has the capability to manage resources on commodity system software, arbitrating the demands of multiple adaptive computations written using diverse programming environments. This paper presents a set of novel mechanisms that facilitate dynamic allocation of resources to adaptive parallel computations. The mechanisms are built on low-level features common to many programming systems, and unique in their ability to transparently manage multiple adaptive parallel programs that were not developed to have their resources managed by external systems. We also describe the design and the implementation of the initial prototype of ResourceBroker, a resource management system built to validate these mechanisms.
Polymer design for high temperature shape memory: Low crosslink density polyimides

Abstract Shape memory in polymers is a process whereby mechanical energy is microscopically stored, and reversibly recovered within the polymer. Consideration of the viscoelastic and glassy dynamics necessary for each step of the process reveals key molecular characteristics that may improve performance, including a rigid polymer backbone with narrow molecular weight distribution between a low fraction of crosslinks. With this insight to guide high temperature polymer design, aromatic CP2 polyimide and associated single wall carbon nanotube (SWNTs) nanocomposites are shown to have excellent shape memory performance at 220 °C with rapid recovery ( 98%), good cyclability and outstanding creep resistance. A narrow glass transition temperature regime (
Franchising and Entrepreneurship: High Reward or High Risk?

According to the Department of Commerce, start-up, small, and family businesses are among the fastest growing areas of employment. Even under the best economic environment, starting a business is risky. To reduce the risks and to establish their own businesses, an increasing number of entrepreneurs and corporate converts are buying franchises. Franchising has enjoyed a major increase in popularity during the early 1990s, fueled largely by the growing pool of available candidates made possible by significant corporate and government downsizing. According to the Department of Commerce, franchising accounts for nearly one-third of all U.S. retail sales and employs over 7 million people. If an individual has the motivation, skills, capital, leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and risk-taking attributes required to start and manage a business, franchising provides a structured alternative to accomplish this objective. Franchising encompasses both high risks and high rewards. While it is not for everyone, franchising represents a method to start and/or transition into your own business. This refereed article describes the why, what, and how of franchising. It discusses the driving forces for franchising from both the franchiser's and franchisee's perspective, what it takes to be a franchisee, how to become an educated businessperson, what to do once you have selected a franchise, the do's and don'ts, the risks and rewards, and how to sell a franchise.
It's time to bring the best and brightest back to gastroenterology!☆

Abstract Following is an edited reprint of the Presidential Address delivered by Phillip P. Toskes, M.D., during the AGA Plenary Session at Digestive Disease Week 1998. GASTROENTEROLOGY 1998;115:1002-1005
Modification of γ-Aminobutyric AcidA Receptor Binding and Function by N-Ethoxycarbonyl-2-Ethoxy-1,2-Dihydroquinoline In Vitro and In Vivo: Effects of Aging

: The irreversible protein-modifying reagent N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ) was used to investigate binding site characteristics on the γ-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor complex. In vitro, preincubation with EEDQ led to a concentration-dependent decrease in receptor number for benzodiazepine, t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS), and GABA binding sites in cerebral cortex. The effect was maximal at the highest concentration of EEDQ used (10−4M) and was greatest for the benzodiazepine site. Pretreatment of membranes with the benzodiazepine antagonist Ro 15-1788, 1 or 10 μM, or the agonist lorazepam, 10 μM, largely prevented the effects of EEDQ. Scatchard analysis indicated no effect of EEDQ, 10−4M, on apparent affinity, but a decrease in receptor density for each site. Administration of EEDQ to mice, 12.5 mg/kg i.p., led to a substantial (55-65%) decrease in number of benzodiazepine binding sites in cortex after 4 h. Slightly smaller changes were observed for TBPS and GABA binding. No changes were observed in apparent affinity at any site. Prior administration of Ro 15-1788, 5 mg/kg, prevented the effect of EEDQ on benzodiazepine binding. Density of benzodiazepine binding sites gradually recovered over time, and receptor density returned to control values by 96 h after EEDQ injection. Number of binding sites in cortex for TBPS and GABA also increased over time after EEDQ. Benzodiazepine sites in cerebellum were decreased proportionally to cortex after EEDQ, and increased over a similar time course. Function of the GABAA receptor in chloride uptake in cortex was markedly reduced (65%) by EEDQ. Administration of EEDQ to senescent mice (20 months) led to a similar decrease in benzodiazepine sites compared to young mice, but receptor density returned more slowly to control levels (calculated receptor t1/2: young, 25.3 h; senescent, 75.1 h). EEDQ modifies all three major sites on the GABAA receptor, with the greatest effect at the benzodiazepine site. This compound may be useful in assessing benzodiazepine receptor half-life in vivo.
Response of piezoresistive MEMS accelerometers and pressure transducers to high gamma dose

Several piezoresistive microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensors are operated in a gamma ray environment to doses of 800 kGy. The pressure transducers and accelerometers are micromachined silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and bulk silicon devices, respectively. Both sensor types experienced similar performance degradation: a drift in offset voltage with a slight increase in sensitivity. We explain the drift in offset voltage for all sensors tested by correlating the change in resistance of the silicon piezoresistors to the formation of oxide and interface trapped hole charges. We demonstrate how these charges effectively reduce the volume for current flow through the piezoresistors due to the creation of a depletion region surrounding the periphery of the gage resistors. Differences in the magnitude of the output voltage drift of the two sensor types are determined to be related to the unique construction of each sensor.
Effect of DNA target sequence on triplex formation by oligo‐2′‐deoxy‐ and 2′‐O‐methylribonucleotides

The interactions of pyrimidine deoxyribo- or 2'-O-methylribo-psoralen-conjugated, triplex-forming oligonucleotides, psTFOs, with a 17-bp env-DNA whose purine tract is 5'-AGAGAGAAAAAAGAG-3', or an 18-bp gag-DNA whose purine tract is 5'-AGG GGGAAAGAAAAAA-3', were studied over the pH range 6.0-7.5. The stability of the triplex formed by a deoxy-env-psTFO containing 5-methylcytosines and thymines decreased with increasing pH (T(m) = 56 degrees C at pH 6.0; 27 degrees C at pH 7.5). Replacement of 5-methylcytosines with 8-oxo-adenines reduced the pH dependence, but lowered triplex stability. A 2'-O-methyl-env-psTFO containing uracil and cytosine did not form a triplex at pH 7.5. Surprisingly, replacement of the cytosines in this oligomer with 5-methylcytosines dramatically increased triplex stability (T(m) = 25 degrees C at pH 7.5), and even greater stability was achieved by selective replacement of uracils with thymines (T(m) = 37 degrees C at pH 7.5). Substitution of the contiguous 5-methylcytosines of the deoxy-gag-psTFO with 8-oxo-adenines significantly reduced pH dependence and increased triplex stability. In contrast to the behavior of env-specific TFOs, triplexes formed by 2'-O-methyl-gag-psTFOs did not show enhanced stability. Replacement of the 3'-terminal phosphodiester of the TFO with a methylphosphonate group significantly increased the resistance of both deoxy- and 2'-O-methyl-TFOs to degradation by 3'-exonucleases, while maintaining triplex stability.
Outcomes of child abuse.

The limited research available regarding the outcome of inflicted TBI suggests that this type of injury may be especially deleterious to infants and young children. It is likely that mechanisms of injury, age at injury, and circumstances of injury (i.e., child abuse and maltreatment) all contribute to these findings. Until recently, the investigations of TBI and child abuse and maltreatment have occurred on two separate tracks. The review of these two literatures indicates that the TBI outcome literature is strongly grounded in neuropsychologic methodology, whereas the child abuse and maltreatment literature depends most heavily on less brain-specific measures of general intellectual ability and academic achievement. The evidence reviewed here suggests that it is time for these areas of research to converge. Children with inflicted head injury should be evaluated not only to assess outcome related to TBI but to disconfirm the presence of PTSD, a developmental disorder that may also result in CNS changes. In this vulnerable population, longitudinal assessment well past the period of initial insult is imperative to assess the rate of development of skills, to identify deficient areas, and to plan appropriate interventions. Language: en
Political Socialization's Primacy Principle: A Biosocial Critique:

The primacy principle of political socialization claims that those political orientations that are learned early persist and shape later political learning. A survey of literature produces little empirical support for the principle. Furthermore, both the Piagetian cognitive development framework and Kagan's developmental perspective raise questions about the theoretical underpinnings of the primacy principle.