cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maple Sugaring by Red Squirrels

Red squirrels, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus , were observed systematically harvesting sugar and syrup from sugar maple trees ( Acer saccharum ) in a mixed stand of young hardwood trees in Western Maine. Each tap consisted of a single pair of chisel-like grooves of an apparent single bite that punctured the tree to the sap-bearing xylem. The dripping dilute sap was not harvested. Instead, the squirrels came back later and selectively visited the trees that had been punctured after most of the water from the sap had evaporated. The characteristic tooth marks left by sugaring red squirrels were observed at 22 other sites in Maine and Vermont.
Z − 1 -expansion calculation of two-particle correlations in atoms

A calculation of the expectation value of the mass-polarization operator $〈{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{p}}}_{1}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{p}}}_{2}〉$ for the two-electron atom is made using the ${Z}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ perturbation expansion in order to determine the usefulness of this approach in calculating two-particle correlations in atoms. Evaluation of the first-order contribution to $〈{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{p}}}_{1}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{p}}}_{2}〉$ yields a value in good agreement both with an earlier value determined by another method and with the value which may be deduced from calculations using very accurate wave functions. An interesting feature of the calculation is the finding that the summations are dominated by contributions from matrix elements which involve continuum states, with more than 85% of the total coming from these contributions. The second-order contribution is then obtained by demonstrating that both first- and second-order contributions are included in the first-order formula if accurate uncorrelated wave functions for the ground state are used in the matrix elements, rather than the bare hydrogenic orbitals. After observing that most of the greater accuracy of such wave functions arises from inclusion of electronic screening, the first-order calculation is repeated using simple screened hydrogenic orbitals in the matrix elements. The values of $〈{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{p}}}_{1}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{p}}}_{2}〉$ obtained by means of this simple calculation for various $Z$ values agree quite well with those calculated by Hart and Herzberg using accurate 20-term wave functions. The conclusion which is drawn from this calculation is that this method appears to be relatively simple and quite promising for calculating certain types of correlation effects, such as those resulting from double excitation or ionization of valence or inner-shell electrons. As examples of this, qualitative estimates are made of the behavior of the double photoionization cross sections of the remainder of the He isoelectronic sequence ($Z\ensuremath{\ge}3$) and of other closed-shell atoms.
An Informatics Approach to Flavonoid Database Development

The association between consumption of fruits and vegetables and reduced chronic disease risk may be due in part to their flavonoid content. A food flavonoid database describes six flavonoid classes (anthocyanins, flavans, flavanones, flavones, flavonols, and isoflavonoids) in fruits, vegetables and beverages. Developing a flavonoid database requires the use of informatics and involves nine steps. The steps include identifying all foods likely to contain flavonoids, collecting and organizing sources of existing analytical data, and evaluating the quality of each value for each compound from the various sources. The methodology for evaluating each set of analytic data uses five criteria established by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Composition and Nutrient Data Laboratories: (1) analytical method, (2) analytical quality control, (3) number of samples, (4) sample handling, and (5) sampling plan. Data ratings of acceptable quality for each component and food are aggregated. Quality indices for each food value are further reviewed. Means and other statistics are calculated. The data are harmonized and standardized by assigning appropriate USDA food codes, botanical names, chemical names, etc., and the new database is finalized. Finally, the data are used to set priorities for new analyses, methods, and applications in intake and health outcome studies. The provisional flavonoid database will highlight gaps in flavonoid food analyses and needs for additional analytical work.
Ethics of a 6-month delay.

I am shocked and appalled at the 6-month delay the paediatric patient experienced while his doctors were “consulting widely” as to how to treat him (Feb 2, p 445). During this 6-month delay, the doctors kept the patient at their facility “before starting further treatment”, and the patient developed metastases and a “grave” prognosis. If it was clear that the facility of origin could not help the patient, there was an ethical duty to transfer him to another facility that could. It should not take 6 months for the medical team to recognise the limits of their skill set.
`String theory': equilibrium configurations of a helicoseir

An exact theoretical analysis and experimental confirmation is given of the dynamics of a rotating cord subject to uniform gravity and centripetal force. This system, known as a helicoseir, represents a materially simple, commonly encountered physical system with a surprisingly complicated nonlinear equation of motion whose equilibrium modes minimize the virtual work done by tension and whose frequency spectrum is deducible approximately from the zeros of the Bessel function .
Regulation of bone mass by mechanical strain magnitude

The in vivo remodeling behavior within a bone protected from natural loading was modified over an 8-week period by daily application of 100 consecutive 1 Hz load cycles engendering strains within the bone tissue of physiological rate and magnitude. This load regime resulted in a graded dose:response relationship between the peak strain magnitude and change in the mass of bone tissue present. Peak longitudinal strains below 0.001 were associated with bone loss which was achieved by increased remodeling activity, endosteal resorption, and increased intra-cortical porosis. Peak strains above 0.001 were associated with little change in intra-cortical remodeling activity but substantial periosteal and endosteal new bone formation.
Direct calculation of the scattering amplitude without partial-wave analysis. II. Inclusion of exchange

The development of a practical method of accurately calculating the full scattering amplitude, without making a partial-wave decomposition is continued. The method is developed in the context of electron-hydrogen scattering, and here exchange is dealt with by considering $e\penalty1000-\hskip0pt\mathrm{H}$ scattering in the static exchange approximation. The Schr\"odinger equation in this approximation can be simplified to a set of coupled integro-differential equations. The equations are solved numerically for the full scattering wave function. The scattering amplitude can most accurately be calculated from an integral expression for the amplitude; that integral can be formally simplified, and then evaluated using the numerically determined wave function. The results are essentially identical to converged partial-wave results.
Experimental chronic left ventricular akinesis. Hemodynamic effects of atrial pacing.

Experimental myocardial infarction resulting in chronic left ventricular akinesis was created in eight mongrel dogs using a two-stage ligation and agar injection of branches of the left coronary artery. Eight weeks after infarction, all had akinetic regions involving 20 to 35% of the left ventricular wall and were in congestive heart failure at rest as evidenced by resting tachycardia, 120 ± 13 beats/min; reduced ejection fraction, 0.46 ± 0.03; and elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), 40 ± 3 mm Hg. Atrial pacing resulted in substantial reduction in LVEDP (40 ± 3 to 14 ± 3 mm Hg; P < 0.001) while cardiac output remained unchanged (3.2 ± 0.4 liters/min). Pacing caused significant reductions in end-diastolic volume (63 ± 8 to 52 ± 7 ml; P < 0.001) and ejection fraction (0.44 ± 0.02 to 0.32 ± 0.01; P < 0.001), but end-systolic volume was unchanged (36 ± 6 ml) suggesting that improvements in left ventricular performance were not related to increased contractility. This study characterizes the hemodynamic alterations in experimental left ventricular akinesis and suggests that atrial pacing at high rates may improve cardiac performance without a demonstrable increase in intrinsic myocardial contractility.
The Discreet Pleasures of the Courtly Hunt Abū Nuwās and the ‘Abbāsid Tardiyyah

In the hands of the early ‘Abbāsid poet, Abū Nuwās (d. 199 or 200/814 or 815), the free-standing tardiyyah (hunt poem) no longer features the pathos-laden wretched hunter of the pre-Islamic rahīl nor the chivalrous heroic hunter of the fakhr of the pre-Islamic qasīdah, but rather a hunter who is courtly and discreet and, as a persona, almost invisible. In the extensive corpus of hunt-poems attributed to Abū Nuwās, two basic types are identifiable. The first exhibits a subjective perspective in which the poet is the agent of the hunt. This type typically opens with the Imru' al-Qays-derived wa-qad aghtadī (“I would set out early in the morning”) formula and can be characterized as wasf (subjectively-involved description). Typologically and terminologically distinct from this is the second type, the hunt-poem of objectively distanced description (na‘t), which characteristically opens with the formula an‘atu (“I shall describe”). Through selected examples, the study analyzes the thematic and stylistic differences between these two types as well as their overlap in intermediate subjective-objective hunt-poems.
Surgery in the Elderly: Observations on the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Cholelithiasis

Biliary tract disease is particularly prevalent in older persons, and is the leading indication for acute abdominal surgery in the elderly. The complications of biliary stone disease are more insidious in the elderly, and the recognition of "symptomatic" disease is often delayed. The unreliable manifestations of biliary tract pathology result in a higher morbidity and mortality of the disease, and a large number of emergency operations. Recent studies suggest that the pathophysiology of cholelithiasis is specifically altered in the elderly. Pigmented gallstones, which are more common in the elderly, are thought to result from the action of bacterial enzymes that deconjugate bilirubin and form insoluble bile salts; bacterial contamination of the extrahepatic biliary system is more frequent in elderly patients. Gallbladder stasis may be due to age-related changes in the response of gallbladder musculature to the kinetic action of cholecystokin (CCK), possibly through a decrease in CCK receptor affinity or availability. Other hormonal factors which inhibit choleresis, such as pancreatic polypeptide, are increased with aging as well. Current efforts are being directed toward closer surveillance and discovery of cholelithiasis, and improved outcomes of therapy have been aided by the development of "minimally invasive" approaches to the treatment of cholelithiasis in the elderly.
Fascin1-Dependent Filopodia are Required for Directional Migration of a Subset of Neural Crest Cells

Directional migration of neural crest (NC) cells is essential for patterning the vertebrate embryo, including the craniofacial skeleton. Extensive filopodial protrusions in NC cells are thought to sense chemo-attractive/repulsive signals that provide directionality. To test this hypothesis, we generated null mutations in zebrafish fascin1a (fscn1a), which encodes an actin-bundling protein required for filopodia formation. Homozygous fscn1a zygotic null mutants have normal NC filopodia due to unexpected stability of maternal Fscn1a protein throughout NC development and into juvenile stages. In contrast, maternal/zygotic fscn1a null mutant embryos (fscn1a MZ) have severe loss of NC filopodia. However, only a subset of NC streams display migration defects, associated with selective loss of craniofacial elements and peripheral neurons. We also show that fscn1a-dependent NC migration functions through cxcr4a/cxcl12b chemokine signaling to ensure the fidelity of directional cell migration. These data show that fscn1a-dependent filopodia are required in a subset of NC cells to promote cell migration and NC derivative formation, and that perdurance of long-lived maternal proteins can mask essential zygotic gene functions during NC development.
Acute calcific tendinitis of the hip : Case report with magnetic resonance imaging findings

The clinical presentation of acute calcific tendinitis can be quite dramatic. This report describes a patient with this entity who had calcification in an unusual area, accompanied by abnormalities seen on radiography and magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical aspects of acute calcific tendinitis are also reviewed. With recognition of this entity, treatment can be initiated promptly, with dramatic resolution.
ACTIVATION OF THE HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-GONADAL (HPG) AXIS IN PRETERM FEMALES

Precocious puberty was observed in a preterm ( 27 wks post-conceptional age - PCA) female. At 41 wks PCA, estradiol (E2) levels were elevated (282 pg/ml). By 13 months PCA, E2 decreased spontaneously (18 pg/ml) and pubertal changes regressed. However, pelvic ultrasonography revealed the development of ovarian cysts. In order to interpret these findings and determine their significance, we studied 6 normal preterm female infants (PCA ≤34 wks) during the first month of postnatal life. We measured: a) E2 - max > 30,000 pg/ml on day of birth (DOB), b) LH - max 196 mIu/ml on DOB, c) FSH - max 125.2 mIu/ml 3 wks after birth, d) 17-hydroxyprogesterone - max 4320 ng/dl on DOB, and e) DHEA-S - max 429 μg/dl on DOB. As in full term infants, E2 was highest on the DOB and decreased to prepubertal values within 1 month. In contrast, gonadotropin levels were variable but remained elevated throughout this period. Conclusions: Although in most preterm females elevated gonadotropin levels persist for at least 1 month, the same is not true for E2. These data suggest that the HPG axis is activated in premature female infants prior to their would be term delivery. The index case differed in that elevated E2 levels persisted and ovarian cysts developed.
Robust design of spatially distributed friction for reduced wrinkling and thinning failure in sheet drawing

This paper investigates optimal design of spatially varying frictional constraints in reducing the risk of failure due to wrinkling and thinning. First, this problem is formulated deterministically as a multi-objective optimization with spatially distributed frictional constraints, and pre-determined BHF. An FEM-based genetic algorithm approach (NSGA-II) is used to determine the deterministic Pareto front for multiple design alternatives, and a tradeoff strategy is used to identify an optimal design. Further, using a first order mean-value approach, a probabilistic formulation is proposed. The deterministic and probabilistic designs are compared to the conventional spatially uniform friction case. The results show that in the drawing of a Hishida oil pan part, an overall improvement of 33% in strain distribution can be obtained and a further 12% improvement can be obtained with probabilistic design. A covariance based approach is used to explore a reliable design that is robust to process uncertainties.
Parental Monitoring, Parental Warmth, and Minority Youths’ Academic Outcomes: Exploring the Integrative Model of Parenting

Guided by the integrative model of parenting, the present study investigated the relationship between parental monitoring and racial/ethnic minority adolescents’ school engagement and academic motivation as a function of parental warmth, and explored whether these associations varied for boys and girls. Participants (60 % female) were 208 sixth through eighth grade students (63 % African American, 19 % Latino, 18 % Multiracial) from an urban middle school in the Midwestern United States. Youth completed an in-school survey with items on parenting (parental monitoring, mothers’/fathers’ warmth), cognitive engagement (school self-esteem), behavioral engagement (school trouble), and academic motivation (intrinsic motivation). As hypothesized, mothers’ warmth enhanced the association between parental monitoring and youths’ engagement and motivation. No gender differences in these associations emerged. Fathers’ warmth strengthened the negative association between parental monitoring and school trouble, and this association was stronger for boys. Implications regarding the importance of sustaining a high level of monitoring within the context of warm parent–adolescent relationships to best support academic outcomes among minority youth are discussed.
Oestrogen receptor β ligand: a novel treatment to enhance endogenous functional remyelination

Demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, are characterized by inflammatory demyelination and neurodegeneration of the central nervous system. Therapeutic strategies that induce effective neuroprotection and enhance intrinsic repair mechanisms are central goals for future therapy of multiple sclerosis. Oestrogens and oestrogen receptor ligands are promising treatments to prevent multiple sclerosis-induced neurodegeneration. In the present study we investigated the capacity of oestrogen receptor β ligand treatment to affect callosal axon demyelination and stimulate endogenous myelination in chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis using electrophysiology, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and tract-tracing methods. Oestrogen receptor β ligand treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice prevented both histopathological and functional abnormalities of callosal axons despite the presence of inflammation. Specifically, there were fewer demyelinated, damaged axons and more myelinated axons with intact nodes of Ranvier in oestrogen receptor β ligand-treated mice. In addition, oestrogen receptor β ligand treatment caused an increase in mature oligodendrocyte numbers, a significant increase in myelin sheath thickness and axon transport. Functional analysis of callosal axon conduction showed a significant improvement in compound action potential amplitudes, latency and in axon refractoriness. These findings show a direct neuroprotective effect of oestrogen receptor β ligand treatment on oligodendrocyte differentiation, myelination and axon conduction during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
Theoretical Analysis of a Dripping Faucet

While previous studies of continuous emission of drops from a faucet have shown the richness of the system's nonlinear response, a theory of dripping has heretofore been lacking. Long-time behavior of dripping is simulated computationally by tracking the formation of up to several hundred drops in a sequence, rather than the usual single drop, at a given flow rate Q and verified by experiments. As Q increases, the system evolves from a period-1 system through a number of period doubling (halving) bifurcations as dripping ultimately gives way to jetting. That hysteresis can occur is also demonstrated.
An emergency situation simulator for examining time-pressured decision making

Between deliberate planning efforts and reactionary decision making lies a realm of time-pressured decision making. A number of real-world occupations deal with this realm on a regular basis, including air traffic controllers and emergency service dispatchers. To study this type of decision making, an emergency situation simulator has been developed, which recreates the stressful environment of the emergency service dispatcher by generating realistic hypothetical emergency situations.
Identification of the Transmembrane Metal Binding Site in Cu+-transporting PIB-type ATPases *

P(IB)-type ATPases have an essential role maintaining copper homeostasis. Metal transport by these membrane proteins requires the presence of a transmembrane metal occlusion/binding site. Previous studies showed that Cys residues in the H6 transmembrane segment are required for metal transport. In this study, the participation in metal binding of conserved residues located in transmembrane segments H7 and H8 was tested using CopA, a model Cu(+)-ATPase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus. Four invariant amino acids in the central portion of H7 (Tyr(682) and Asn(683)) and H8 (Met(711) and Ser(715)) were identified as required for Cu(+) binding. Replacement of these residues abolished enzyme activity. These proteins did not undergo Cu(+)-dependent phosphorylation by ATP but were phosphorylated by P(i) in the absence of Cu(+). Moreover, the presence of Cu(+) could not prevent the enzyme phosphorylation by P(i). Other conserved residues in the H7-H8 region were not required for metal binding. Mutation of two invariant Pro residues had little effect on enzyme function. Replacement of residues located close to the cytoplasmic end of H7-H8 led to inactive enzymes. However, these were able to interact with Cu(+) and undergo phosphorylation. This suggests that the integrity of this region is necessary for conformational transitions but not for ligand binding. These data support the presence of a unique transmembrane Cu(+) binding/translocation site constituted by Tyr-Asn in H7, Met and Ser in H8, and two Cys in H6 of Cu(+)-ATPases. The likely Cu(+) coordination during transport appears distinct from that observed in Cu(+) chaperone proteins or catalytic/redox metal binding sites.
Corticotropin releasing factor receptor type 1: molecular cloning and investigation of alternative splicing in the hamster skin.

The coding region of the hamster corticotropin releasing factor receptor type 1 was sequenced. Hamster gene appeared to be similar to mouse, rat, and human sequences with 95%, 94%, and 91% homology, respectively. Protein substitutions were generally found in the corticotropin releasing factor-binding domain. Thus, this domain can be more prone to mutations leading to changes in amino acid sequence. Hamster pituitary, eye, spleen, heart, skin, and four melanoma lines differentially expressed nine corticotropin releasing factor-R1 isoforms. These included the corticotropin releasing factor-R1α and corticotropin releasing factor-R1d homologs of human isoforms as well as e, f, h, j, k, m, and n isoforms. Corticotropin releasing factor-R1e mRNA had deletion of exons 3 and 4, CRF-R1j of exon 5, CRF-R1f of exon 11, CRF-R1k of exon 10, CRF-R1m of exons 11 and 12, and CRF-R1n of exons 10, 11, and 12. Corticotropin releasing factor-R1h had an insertion of a cryptic exon between exons 4 and 5. Reading frames of isoforms e, f, j, k, m, and h contained frameshifts, expected to produce truncated proteins. Corticotropin releasing factor-R1n isoform preserved the reading frame, but the transmembrane domains 6, 7, and one-third of the fifth were deleted. The AbC1 hamster melanoma cell line changed the pattern of alternative splicing after irradiation with ultraviolet light or induction of melanogenesis; this suggests that corticotropin releasing factor receptor alternative splicing may be regulated by common stressors, through modifications of activity and/or availability of splicing factors.
Analysis of a Secure Software Upload Technique in Advanced Vehicles using Wireless Links

Software modules of an advanced vehicle can be updated using remote software upload (RSU) techniques. The RSU employs infrastructure-based wireless communication technique where the software supplier sends the software to the targeted vehicle via a roadside base station (BS). However, security is critically important in RSU to avoid any disasters due to malfunctions of the vehicle or to protect the proprietary algorithms from hackers, competitors or people with malicious intent. In this paper, we present a mechanism of secure software upload in an advanced vehicle. In order to increase the security level, we propose the vehicle to receive two copies of the software along with the message digest (MD) in each copy. The vehicle will install the new software only when it receives two identical copies of the software. To validate our proposition we find analytical expressions of average number of packet transmissions for successful software update. We investigate different cases depending on the vehicle's buffer size and verification methods. Our analytical and simulation results show that it is sufficient to send two copies of software to the vehicle to thwart any security attack while uploading the software.
Mixed-Scanning Revisited

An article on mixed-scanning as a “third” approach to decision-making, published in the Public Administration Review (December, 1967) which was awarded the William Mosher Award, generated a steady stream of discussion, criticisms, and applications but very little empirical research. The approach was developed in contrast to rationalist models of decision-making and to incrementalism. Rationalist approaches were held to be Utopian because actors cannot command the resources and capabilities rationalist decision making requires. Incrementalism was shown to overlook opportunities for significant innovations and to ignore the empirical fact that incremental decisions are often, in effect, made within the context of fundamental decisions. For example, once the U.S. embraced the Truman Doctrine after World War II, and decided to contain the USSR (rather than either allow it to expand or for the U.S. to attempt to free countries within the Soviet Bloc), numerous incremental decisions were made in Greece, Turkey, and Iran. However, these were implemented and guided by the fundamental context-setting decision, and cannot be properly understood without taking into account the basic decision.
Alkaline phosphatase activity after cardiothoracic surgery in infants and correlation with post-operative support and inflammation: a prospective cohort study

Limited evidence suggests that serum alkaline phosphatase activity may decrease after cardiac surgery in adults and children. The importance of this finding is not known. Recent studies, however, have identified a potential role for alkaline phosphatase as modulator of inflammation in multiple settings, including during adult cardiopulmonary bypass. We sought to describe the change in alkaline phosphatase activity after cardiothoracic surgery in infants and to assess for a correlation with intensity and duration of post-operative support, markers of inflammation, and short-term clinical outcomes. Sub-analysis of a prospective observational study on the kinetics of procalcitonin in 70 infants (≤90 days old) undergoing cardiothoracic surgery. Subjects were grouped based on the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and delayed sternal closure. Alkaline phosphatase, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were obtained pre-operation and on post-operative day 1. Mean change in alkaline phosphatase activity was determined in each surgical group. Generalized linear modeling and logistic regression were employed to assess for associations between post-operative alkaline phosphatase activity and post-operative support, inflammation, and short term outcomes. Primary endpoints were vasoactive-inotropic score at 24 hours and length of intubation. Secondary endpoints included procalcitonin/CRP levels on post-operative day 1, length of hospital stay, and cardiac arrest or death. Mean decrease in alkaline phosphatase was 30 U/L (p = 0.01) in the non-bypass group, 114 U/L (p<0.0001) in the bypass group, and 94 U/L (p<0.0001) in the delayed sternal closure group. On multivariate analysis, each 10 U/L decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity on post-operative day 1 was independently associated with an increase in vasoactive-inotropic score by 0.7 (p<0.0001), intubation time by 6% (p<0.05), hospital stay by 5% (p<0.05), and procalcitonin by 14% (P<0.01), with a trend towards increased odds of cardiac arrest or death (OR 1.3; p = 0.06). Post-operative alkaline phosphatase activity was not associated with CRP (p = 0.7). Alkaline phosphatase activity decreases after cardiothoracic surgery in infants. Low post-operative alkaline phosphatase activity is independently associated with increased procalcitonin, increased vasoactive/inotropic support, prolonged intubation time, and prolonged hospital stay. Alkaline phosphatase may serve as a biomarker and potential modulator of post-operative support and inflammation following cardiothoracic surgery in infants.
Analysis of the fate of platelet-bound thrombin☆

The thrombin-platelet interaction was investigated by analysis of the changes in the nature of platelet-associated thrombin during incubations for as long as 30 min. Washed human platelets were incubated with 125I-labeled human alpha-thrombin at either 22 or 37 degrees C. The saturably bound thrombin (total bound minus that bound in the presence of hirudin) was measured after collection of the platelets by centrifugation through a nonaqueous fluid. The rate of dissociation of bound thrombin was measured by addition of hirudin at intervals before centrifugation of the thrombin-platelet mixtures. Four states of thrombin-platelet complexes were identified: an initial rapidly equilibrating state; a more slowly dissociating state that formed within 5 min; and a nondissociable state and a large sodium dodecyl sulfate-stable complex that formed within 30 min. Transition from the rapidly equilibrating to the slowly dissociable state required a period of occupancy of activated platelets, but it did not require catalytically active thrombin. The nondissociable state represented 50-80% of the total saturably bound thrombin after a 30-min incubation at 37 degrees C. It formed only slightly at 22 degrees C or with inhibited thrombin. Formation of the sodium dodecyl sulfate-stable complex represented about 50% of platelet-associated thrombin after 30 min at 37 degrees C; only slight amounts were detected after incubation at 22 degrees C or with inhibited thrombin. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-stable complex was also found in the supernatant solution, with only about 20% of the total complex bound to platelets. Immunoprecipitation revealed that the complex included the platelet alpha-granule protein glycoprotein G (thrombin-sensitive protein, thrombospondin). It was concluded that only the initial rapidly equilibrating thrombin-platelet association could include binding necessary for platelet activation; transition to the other states requires platelet activation. By better describing the changes that occur in the nature of the binding of thrombin to platelets, this study explains most of the large discrepancies among published descriptions of the binding of thrombin to platelets.
Gambler’s Ruin with Catastrophes and Windfalls

Abstract We compute ruin probabilities, in both infinite-time and finite-time, for a Gambler's Ruin problem with both catastrophes and windfalls in addition to the customary win/loss probabilities. For constant transition probabilities, the infinite-time ruin probabilities are derived using difference equations. Finite-time ruin probabilities of a system having constant win/loss probabilities and variable catastrophe/windfall probabilities are determined using lattice path combinatorics. Formulae for expected time till ruin and the expected duration of gambling are also developed. The ruin probabilities (in infinite-time) for a system having variable win/loss/catastrophe probabilities but no windfall probability are found. Finally, the infinite-time ruin probabilities of a system with variable win/loss/catastrophe/windfall probabilities are determined.
Reference node r model

The Roytman and Swamy method of circuit diagnosis is one of many available results found within the reference node r model suggested in this paper. This model provides a focal point upon which concepts including the node-pair functions, the driving point, and transfer relationships can be evaluated.
Mathematical model for encapsulation by interfacial polymerization

Abstract A general model for encapsulation by diffusion- and reaction-controlled interfacial polymerization under nonsteady-state boundary conditions has been developed. Special models for either diffusion-controlled or reaction-controlled interfacial polymerization under both steady- and nonsteady-state boundary conditions can be obtained by simplifying the general model. These special models agree with the similar models in the literature. The general model developed is consistent with the experimental data reported in the literature. This work significantly extends existing theories for the encapsulation by interfacial polymerization and provides an important guideline for the effective control of the thickness and porosity of the capsule wall prepared by interfacial polymerization.
Visualization of plasma bubble accelerators using Frequency-Domain Shadowgraphy

Abstract We report on generation of relativistic electron beams in the wake of a relativistically intense laser pulse traversing a 1.7 mm long atmospheric density helium gas jet. The plasma wake structure is recovered using a Frequency-Domain Holography (FDH) and Frequency-Domain Shadowgraphy (FDS). As the gas density changes, the accelerated electron beams show variations in cross-section area, divergence, total charge, and peak energy. FDH phase reconstruction shows discontinuities and large phase jumps due to plasma electrons blown out by the pump pulse, probe pulse refraction, and nonlinear propagation in plasma. However, FDS amplitude reconstruction shows bright spots that yield information about bubble formation and evolution.
Changes in body composition and morphology of young-of-the-year gulf menhaden, Brevoortia patronus Goode, in Fourleague Bay, Louisiana

Body composition (lipid, water, protein, energy content) and metamorphosis of young-of-the-year gulf menhaden, Brevoortia patronus Goode, were examined over a yearly cycle in Fourleague Bay, Louisiana. Metamorphosis from larvae to juveniles, as indicated by the body depth to length ratio, was completed by 30 mm S.L. Analysis of the length/weight relationship indicated separate equations for larvae/postlarvae (< 30 mm S.L.) and juvenile/subadults (30–100 mm S.L.). Major body composition changes from larvae to subadult included an increase in lipid content, a corresponding increase in energy content, and a decrease in nitrogen content. Young-of-the-year gulf menhaden did not exhibit the seasonal pattern of condition factors typical of adult clupeids. There may be a shift in energy allocation away from protein growth to lipid storage associated with attainment of a larger size. Initiation of emigration may be related to lipid storage and temperature change, with higher lipid content fish migrating first. End-of-year variations in fish size and lipid storage may be related to environmental conditions, such as water temperature and salinity.
Platelet serotonin transporter in depressed Children and adolescents : 3H-paroxetine platelet binding before and after sertraline

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate serotonin transporter protein (5HTPR) binding in platelets from children and adolescents with major depression (MDD) compared to normal controls using the selective ligand 3 H-paroxetine. Method Children and adolescents with MDD ( n = 24) defined by DSM-III-R criteria and normal controls ( n = 22) were compared by platelet 5HTPR kinetic analysis with the hypothesis that 5HTPR is reduced in MDD. A subset of MDD subjects ( n = 18) continued to participate in a fixed-dose, open-label sertraline trial for 6 weeks followed by drug-free washout and repeated 5HTPR analysis. Results Sex, prepubertal status, and age had no effect on 5HTPR. Medication-free MDD subjects differed from controls in reduced binding capacity (B max ) ( p p max elevation from baseline was associated with nonresponse and suicide attempt history. Conclusion Earlier literature in this population is replicated with regard to reduced platelet 5HTPR B max in MDD. Findings support a continuum of 5HTPR involvement in MDD across the developmental spectrum. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry. 1998, 37(7):777–784.
Remembering change: The critical role of recursive remindings in proactive effects of memory

In three experiments, we examined the role of the detection and recollection of change in proactive effects of memory in a classic A–B, A–D paradigm. Participants studied two lists of word pairs that included pairs repeated across lists (A–B, A–B), pairs with the same cue but a changed response (A–B, A–D) in the second list, and control pairs (A–B, C–D). The results revealed that performance on A–B, A–D pairs reflected a mixture of facilitation and interference effects. Proactive facilitation occurred when changes in responses were detected and recollected, whereas proactive interference occurred when change was not detected or when it was not recollected. We describe detecting change as involving recursive remindings that result in memory for the List 1 response being embedded in the representation of memory for the List 2 response. These embedded representations preserve the temporal order of the responses. Our findings highlight the importance of detection and recollection of change for proactive effects of memory.
Pathways and predictors of antisocial behaviors in African American adolescents from poor neighborhoods

Antisocial behavior among youth remains a serious personal and social problem in the United States. The purposes of this study were to (1) identify the shape and number of developmental trajectories of antisocial behavior in a sample of poor, inner-city African American youth, and (2) test predictors of group membership and the developmental course of antisocial behaviors. Using growth mixture modeling, we examined predictors of antisocial behavior pathways and the likelihood of arrest in a sample of 566 poor, urban African American adolescents (ages 11 to 16). Three distinct trajectory classes of antisocial behavior were identified over a period of six years: one low-risk group (low steady) and two high-risk groups (incremental and high starter). The conditional probabilities for being arrested during ages 14–16 were 0.18 for the low steady class, 0.68 for the incremental class, and 0.31 for the high starter class. Prevention strategies for adolescents at high risk are discussed.
Bullous pemphigoid antigens

The bullous pemphigoid (BP) antigen(s) is a normal component of the base-ment membrane zone (BMZ) of skin and other stratified squamous epithelia and is defined by its interaction with autoantibodies present in the sera of patients with BP, as demonstrated by immunofluorescent (IF) techniques. The precise physiological function and the biochemical characterization of the BP antigen remain unclear. BP autoantibodies have been recently shown to be pathogenic in vitro and in vivo. They promote neutrophil recruitment to the BMZ by com-plement activation and reproduce subepithelial vesiculation, the hallmark of the human disease. As a consequence of these findings, the characterization of the BP antigen(s) is crucial in studies dealing with pathogenetic mechanisms operating in the disease.The localization of the BP antigen has been studied previously, using both immunofluorescence (W) and immunoelectron microscopic techniques (immuno-EM). Using standard indirect IF, employing sera from patients with BP, it is established that BP antibodies bind the BMZ, producing a linear pattern of fluo-rescence on vertical sections of squamous epithelium. Direct and indirect im-muno-EM using immunoperoxidase techniques have shown that BP autoanti-bodies in vitro are deposited within the lamina lucida of the BMZ, in close apposition to the basal cell plasma membrane. This would imply that the BP antigen is located there as well.We have made a series of experimental observations performed both on intact epidermis and on basal cell suspensions, which show that, contrary to previous assumptions, the majority of the BP antigen is intracellular, closely associated with the basal cell hemidesmosome and only a small portion of it is extracellular in the lamina lucida. In view of these results we must reconsider our concepts of the in situ localization of the BP antigen(s).Previous immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation studies identified only one antigen (a doublet with an estimated MW of 220 kD to 240 kD). In a recent study we report that a group of 28 BP sera recognize up to 5 different poly-peptide chains in epidermal extracts by immunoblotting procedures, with individual sera recognizing different sets of these polypeptide chains. Therefore, different BP patients may have various sets of autoantibodies that are defined by the antigens with which they react. It will now be essential to determine the relationship of the 5 proteins reactive with BP sera by immunoblotting in epidermal extracts with the structural components of the basal cell hemides-mosome.
Geometric structure of the α-Fe2O3(001) surface: A LEED and XPS study

Abstract The surface composition and geometric structure of single-crystal α-Fe 2 O 3 (001) has been studied for a variety of surface preparations. Sputter-etching produces a disordered, oxygen deficient surface exhibiting several Fe valence states. Annealing in vacuum results in ordered surfaces having stoichiometries approaching that of the bulk. Two distinct surface structural phases are observed upon annealing; a p(2 × 2) structure is produced by heating to 700°C, and an incommensurate overlayer forms upon heating to 820°C. The results are discussed in terms of plausible models of surface composition and cation configuration.
Structure of 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate-8-phosphate synthase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of opportunistic infection and is resistant to most antibiotics. As part of efforts to generate much-needed new antibiotics, structural studies of enzymes that are critical for the virulence of P. aeruginosa but are absent in mammals have been initiated. 2-Keto-3-deoxy-d-­manno-octulosonate-8-phosphate synthase (KDO8Ps), also known as 2-­dehydro-3-deoxyphosphooctonate aldolase, is vital for the survival and virulence of P. aeruginosa. This enzyme catalyzes a key step in the synthesis of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of most Gram-negative bacteria: the condensation reaction between phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and arabinose 5-­phosphate to produce 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonate-8-phosphate (KDO8P). This step is vital for the proper synthesis and assembly of LPS and the survival of P. aeruginosa. Here, the recombinant expression, purification and crystal structure of KDO8Ps from P. aeruginosa are presented. Orthorhombic crystals were obtained by vapor diffusion in sitting drops in the presence of 1 mM phosphoenlpyruvate. The structure reveals the prototypical α/β TIM-barrel structure expected from this family of enzymes and contains a tetramer in the asymmetric unit.
Characterization of non-thermal atmospheric pressure helium plasma jet for biomedical applications

In this work, an atmospheric pressure plasma jet generated in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) configuration with He and He/O2 mixture has been characterized using electrical and optical emission spectroscopy (OES) diagnostics. A visible plasma plume length of approx. 33 mm was generated using a 60 kHz AC power supply. The discharge characteristics in the active and afterglow region of the plasma jet that are critical for biomedical applications have been investigated. Atomic and molecular lines of selected reactive plasma species that are considered to be u seful to induce biochemical reactions in biomedical applications such as OH transition at 308 nm and OH transition at 287 nm, O I transition 3p5P→3s5S0 at 777.41 nm, O I transition 3p3P→3s3S0 at 844.6 nm, N2(C-B) second positive system (SPS) with electronic transition in the range of 300-450 nm and N2+(B-X) first negative system (FNS) with electronic transition at 391.4 nm have been studied. The OH rotational temperatures that are equal to gas temperatures was measured based on the fitting of experimental spectra on to simulated spectra of the plasma jet. Our results show that, in the entire active plasma region, the gas temperature remains at 380 K and it increases to 400 K in the afterglow region of the plasma jet. In conclusion, the plasma jet produces significant reactive species while gas temperature remains cold and therefore it can be applied to a range of biomedical applications12.
An implicit marching procedure for the treatment of supersonic flow fields using the conservative full potential equation

A new aerodynamic prediction technique based on the conservative full potential equation is developed for the treatment of supersonic flow fields. This new technique bridges the gap between simplistic linear theory methods and complex Euler solvers. A novel local density linearization concept and a second order accurate retarded density scheme, both producing the correct artificial viscosity, are introduced in developing an implicit marching scheme for solving the scalar phi. The method produces results that compare well with Euler solvers and requires an order of magnitude less computer time and significantly less computer memory over existing nonlinear codes. The scalar phi formulation can be extended to handle subsonic pockets in the marching direction and also is suitable for developing inverse procedures where the shape corresponding to a prescribed loading is sought.
At a Crossroad: Filipino American History and the Old-Timers' Generation

(1986). At a Crossroad: Filipino American History and the Old-Timers' Generation. Amerasia Journal: Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 85-97.
Modeling profitability for the smallest marine endotherms: auklets foraging within pelagic prey patches

Auklets (Alcidae) can be very abundant in north-temperate to arctic seas. Their numbers and trophic impacts in a given area depend on their ability to forage profitably as a function of the dis- persion, depth, and density of prey patches. Thus, modeling these relationships is important when pre- dicting the auklets' response to environmental change. This paper presents a simulation model of the foraging costs and intake rates of Cassin's auklets Ptychoramphus aleuticus (~170 g) and least auklets Aethia pusilla (~80 g) once they have located a patch of zooplankton prey. In the model, water temper- ature and dive depth (max. 20 m) have important effects on dive costs, mainly by affecting the duration and magnitude of costs during passive ascent. Within a prey patch, modeled intake rates are limited at relatively low prey densities by pursuit and handling time after a prey item is detected. Because intake rate is limited by capture time and not prey visibility, the model indicates that changes in light condi- tions over these depths have little direct effect on intake rates of zooplankton prey. However, vertical migration of prey in response to diel light cycles can strongly affect profitability (energy gain minus cost) by altering the depth of dives to prey patches. Because pursuit and handling time limit modeled intake rate, profitability cannot be increased further by finding patches of higher density, but rather by extending time in patches by swimming farther or slower. The model suggests that auklet dispersion should be insensitive to variations in patch density above a threshold that is relatively low compared to the very high densities that can occur. However, auklets may be attracted to higher-density patches because the patches themselves are more visible or predictable, or because other predators—from seabirds to whales—may gather in such patches and increase their visibility.