cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A quantitative genetic analysis of change in open-field behavior of mice.

Daily open-field activity and defecation scores were obtained on each of 2,641 mice, including members of two inbred parental strains (BALB/cJ and C57BL/6J) and their derived Fl, backcross, F2, and F3 generations. Change in activity and change in defecation from Day 1 to Day 2 were calculated for each individual, and resulting scores were subjected to genetic analysis. Strain comparisons and estimates of heritability revealed proportionately less genetic variance for change in activity than for either daily or total activity. In contrast, change in defecation was found to be as heritable as the other defecation measures. These results suggest that change in activity in novel situations may be of evolutionary significance.
Differences in insulin secretion and sensitivity of Caucasian and African American prepubertal children

Abstract Objective: To investigate whether differences in body composition of African American children (AA) and Caucasian children (C) explain differences in insulin sensitivity and secretion. Study design: Prepubertal nondiabetic children (31 AA and 54 C) were studied; 84% were overweight. Participants underwent a 2-hour hyperglycemic clamp, to estimate insulin sensitivity (SI clamp ) and secretion, and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, to assess body composition. Results: AA had greater total body fat mass ( P =.01), fasting, 1st phase, 2nd phase, and steady state insulin levels ( P clamp ( P P P clamp remained different in AA and C after adjustment for body fat or lean mass differences. Analyses restricted to only overweight AA and C showed similar trends. Conclusion: Prepubertal African American children have higher baseline and glucose-stimulated insulin and C-peptide levels, as well as reduced insulin sensitivity that is not entirely explained by differences in adiposity. The lower C-peptide/insulin molar ratio in AA suggests that they probably have lower hepatic insulin clearance than Caucasian children. (J Pediatr 2002;140:673-80)
A general-purpose Green's function-based interpolator

A useful approach to data interpolation is to determine the Green's function for the interpolation operator and construct the interpolation from the super-positioning of suitably scaled Green's functions located at the data constraints. Such Green's functions have been determined for Cartesian splines in 1-, 2-, and 3-D, including regularized splines and splines in tension. Furthermore, these techniques have also been extended to spherical surfaces. I present a new command-line tool, greenspline, which acts as a general-purpose interpolator for both Cartesian and spherical surface data. The program runs on all platforms and is compatible with the Generic Mapping Tools.
Layer 4C in monkey V1 may linearize the output of the LGN

In primates, most LGN fibers terminate in cortical layer 4C, an anatomically prominent structure of unexplained function. We hypothesize that the enormous number of cells in layer 4C of monkey primate visual cortex functions as a neural network "hidden layer" that inverts distortions introduced by transmitting visual signals through the LGN. This hypothesis helps explain how simple cells respond (quasi-) linearly to visual inputs in spite of nonlinearities present in LGN responses. Linearization averts prematurely discarding visual information, in keeping with the role of primary visual cortex as the source of raw visual information to the rest of the brain.
Engagement of the S1, S1′ and S2′ subsites drives efficient catalysis of peptide bond hydrolysis by the M1-family aminopeptidase from Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract The M1-family aminopeptidase PfA-M1 catalyzes the last step in the catabolism of human hemoglobin to amino acids in the Plasmodium falciparum food vacuole. In this study, the structural features of the substrate that promote efficient PfA-M1-catalyzed peptide bond hydrolysis were analyzed. X-Ala and Ala-X dipeptide substrates were employed to characterize the specificities of the enzyme's S1 and S1′ subsites. Both subsites exhibited a preference for basic and hydrophobic sidechains over polar and acidic sidechains. The relative specificity of the S1 subsite was similar over the pH range 5.5–7.5. Substrate P1 and P1′ residues affected both K m and k cat , revealing that sidechain–subsite interactions not only drive the formation of the Michaelis complex but also influence the rates of ensuing chemical steps. Only a small fraction of the available binding energy was exploited in interactions between substrate sidechains and the S1 and S1′ subsites, which indicates a modest level of complementarity. There was no correlation between S1 and S1′ specificities and amino acid abundance in hemoglobin. Interactions between PfA-M1 and the backbone atoms of the P1′ and P2′ residues as well as the P2′ sidechain further contributed to the catalytic efficiency of substrate hydrolysis. By demonstrating the engagement of multiple, broad-specificity subsites in PfA-M1, these studies provide insight into how this enzyme is able to efficiently generate amino acids from highly sequence-diverse di- and oligopeptides in the food vacuole.
Crossing the quality chasm: building a safe nutrition system.

Recent reports to Congress and the public from the Institute of Medicine underscore concern about the quality of healthcare in America. The nutrition community has focused most of its attention on the report titled The Role of Nutrition in Maintaining Health in the Nation's Elderly, which evaluated nutrition services coverage for the Medicare population. Of equal importance was the recent publication of two reports from the Committee on Quality of Health Care in America: To Err is Human--Building a Safer Health System and Crossing the Quality Chasm--A New Health System for the 21st Century. IV nutrition support was a breakthrough in medical care that has become a standard tool in treating patients who cannot eat for prolonged periods of time. It is also a medical treatment that can result in harm to patients. As problems with patient safety associated with the use of IV nutrition were documented, safer methods to deliver this life-saving form of treatment were developed and evaluated. Although an interdisciplinary team approach has been shown to be the safest way to administer IV nutrition, this system is costly and not universally used. Alternatives to the interdisciplinary team approach should be evaluated to assure that patients receive optimum nutrition care. The tools that can be used to improve patient safety include self-assessment of practitioners who routinely use nutrition support in their practice, curricular-based continuing education programs, board certification in nutrition support practice, and the use of clinical guidelines to assist in making clinical decisions. By developing and promoting these tools, A.S.P.E.N. is committed to building a safe nutrition system so every patient receives optimal nutrition care.
A comment on Alderson's intellectual legacy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain how Wroe Alderson's concepts have been cited and used in the last two decades as well as the gap that still exists for researchers to answer about the grand theory of marketing.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a comment on Alderson's intellectual legacy.Findings – The practical implication is that Alderson's 150 falsifiable, functionalistic propositions have not been empirically verified.Originality/value – The paper explains why Alderson's work is still important.
The role of parathyroïd hormone in mineral homeostasis and bone modeling in suckling rat pups

Abstract Parathyroidectomy of newborn rat pups results in hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and normomagnesemia. By contrast, the mineral content of bone ash of parathyroidectomized pups is unchanged with regard to calcium and phosphorus, but is significantly (p We conclude that parathyroid hormone plays a major role in regulating serum calcium and phosphorus levels and the mineral content of bone in nursing rat pups, but that before weaning, skeletal development and modeling proceed normally in the absence of the parathyroid glands.
Effect of ammonium chloride on the bicarbonate buffer system in heat-stressed broilers.

Abstract 1. The effects of ammonium chloride (NH4C1) on the bicarbonate buffer system and plasma lactate in heat‐stressed broilers were investigated. 2. The infusion of a 10 g/1 solution of NH4C1 into the crop during a 90 min thermoneutral period produced a metabolic acidosis resulting from a reduction in blood bicarbonate concentration. Blood bicarbonate continued to decrease in NH4Cl‐treated birds and reached values which were 30% of controls by the end of a 90 min heat stress period. 3. By the end of heat stress, plasma lactate concentrations were lower in NH4Cl‐infused birds than in controls.
Tungsten and hafnium distribution in calcium-aluminum inclusions (CAIs) from Allende and Efremovka

Abstract Recent 182Hf–182W age determinations on Allende Ca-, Al-rich refractory inclusions (CAIs) and on iron meteorites indicate that CAIs have initial e182W (−3.47 ± 0.20, 2σ) identical to that of magmatic iron meteorites after correction of cosmogenic 182W burn-out (−3.47 ± 0.35, 2σ). Either the Allende CAIs were isotopically disturbed or the differentiation of magmatic irons (groups IIAB, IID, IIIAB, and IVB) all occurred 103, which is lowered by the ubiquitous presence of metal inclusions to 180Hf/184W > 10 in bulk fassaite. Metal alloy (Ni ∼ 50%) is the sole host of W (∼500 ppm) in Ef2, while opaque assemblages (OAs) and secondary veins are the hosts of W in Golfball. A large metal alloy grain from Ef2, EM2, has 180Hf/184W 100 ppm W with no detectable Pt or S. This vein provides evidence for transport of oxidized W in the CAI. Because of the ubiquitous distribution of OAs, interpretations of the 182Hf–182W isochron reported for Allende CAIs include: (i) all W in the OAs was derived by alteration of CAI metal, or (ii) at least some of the W in OAs may have been equilibrated with radiogenic W during metamorphism of Allende. Since (ii) cannot be ruled out, new 182Hf–182W determinations on CAIs from reduced CV3 chondrites are needed to firmly establish the initial W isotopic composition of the solar system.
Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation in the fetus: Natural history and predictors of outcome

Cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) is a rare lesion that often is diagnosed by prenatal ultrasonography. Outcome varies from hydrops and fetal death to resolution before birth. The authors reviewed their 7-year experience with 17 fetuses diagnosed with CCAM by prenatal ultrasonography to determine the natural history of the lesion and to identify factors that might predict outcome. Of the 17 fetuses, five died during intrauterine life (3 terminations, 2 fetal deaths); four of them had hydrops. Twelve fetuses were carried to term. Only one had prenatal intervention: a thoracoamniotic shunt at 24 weeks. All 12 infants survived and underwent resection. Only four required neonatal support (1 extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, 2 ventilator, 1 oxygen). The initial CCAM:chest ratio, degree of mediastinal shift at time of diagnosis, location of CCAM, and age at time of diagnosis did not correlate with outcome. Sonographically predicted pathological type did not correlate with pathological diagnosis after surgery, or with outcome. The only accurate predictors of outcome were presence of hydrops (all died) and decrease in size of CCAM during gestation (all survived). The outcome for fetuses with CCAM may be better than previously recognized. Many of the lesions decrease in size, despite significant mediastinal shift and lung compression at the time of diagnosis. Fetal intervention should be considered only for fetuses with hydrops. Others should be monitored with serial ultrasonography. Parental counseling, especially regarding pregnancy termination, should reflect the positive outcome noted in most cases.
"Laboratory" description of field excitations in a hyperbolically expanding cavity.

Scalar fields in a hyperbolically expanding «cavity» provide a flat-spacetime model for particle dynamics in de Sitter space. A timelike, spherically symmetric Rindler-coordinate hypersurface having de Sitter geometry describes the evolution of the expanding cavity. The field theory in the cavity corresponds to the reduction of the embedding-space theory to this coordinate hypersurface. The de Sitter particle-number eigenstates of the cavity theory are unsuitable for the embedding-space or «laboratory» description, as they yield infinite excitation energies. States for the «laboratory» description are constructed by localizing excitations in the embedding space about the world tube of the cavity. Adjusted states approximate a free-particle spectrum with additive excitation energies for a wide range of parameters
Getting on the Same Page: Expanding Student Support Services to Increase Candidate Success and Educator Accountability

Today’s teacher candidates frequently exhibit confusion and express discouragement while navigating the expectations of their educational journeys and career goals. Characteristically, many candidates tend to be first-generation college students limited in universal knowledge, global travels, diverse experiences, and multiple perspectives. Contemporary candidates continue to live at or near home, work full- or part-time, and intend to seek teaching positions in their local communities. Overall, they appear restricted in individual ingenuity and academic acumen contributing to personal, professional, and pedagogical competence and confidence. Thus, faculty specializing in middle and secondary education customized a College of Education student support system to assist their candidates. This article describes the department services, candidate interactions, faculty growth, and program benefits through narrative enquiry addressing thematic, structural, dialogic, and visual aspects of their student support se...
Effect of tread polymer structure on tyre performance

Abstract A history of the development of tread rubbers is summarized with emphasis on the importance of macrostructure and the glass transition temperature of the polymer for the best balance of properties. Fundamental differences in structure and properties between emulsion and solution SBR are then presented. Finally, the effect of micro- and macrostructure of solution rubbers on the performance characteristics of tread materials is discussed based on tyre performance data.
An MNDO molecular orbital study of the reactions of protonated oxirane with simple nucleophiles

The gas-phase bimolecular hydroxyethylation of simple nucleophiles by protonated oxirane has been studied using MNDO semiempirical molecular orbital (MO) theory with complete geometry optimization of all stationary points. The calculated reaction paths involved passage across low-lying transition states between the reactant clusters and the gauche ⇌ antiproduct manifolds. The transition-state geometries were calculated to be characteristically “early”, and corresponded to concerted processes with activation energies somewhat lower than the 14.5 kcal mol-1 for the unimolecular ring opening. The lowest barrier was calculated for 3-alkylation of imidazole which parallels the known tendency of simple epoxides to predominantly modify the analogous 7-position of guanine in nucleic acids. Variations in the calculated transition-state geometries, which differ qualitatively from those expected in more typical SN2 reactions, are explained.
Effect of Building Nonlinearity on Seismic Response of Nonstructural Components: A Parametric Study

An extensive parametric study is conducted with eight code-designed steel moment-resisting frames and a series of linear and nonlinear single-degree-of-freedom nonstructural components to investigate to what degree, how often, and under what conditions the nonlinear behavior of a building may amplify the seismic response of a nonstructural component attached to it. The study comprises the time-history analysis of each of the considered frames with one of the considered nonstructural components connected to it. In each case, an ensemble of 25 recorded earthquake ground motions is used, alternatively scaling them to three different intensity levels. The study also comprises a comparison between the nonstructural component responses obtained when the supporting structure is modeled alternatively as a nonlinear and a linear system. The influence of the nonstructural component location, nonlinearity, and damping ratio and the relative values of the building and component masses and natural frequencies is investigated. It is found that, in general, the nonlinear behavior of the supporting structures reduces the seismic response of the nonstructural components in comparison with the linear counterparts. In a few cases, however, the nonstructural component response is amplified by a factor that can be as large as 5.2. These cases correspond to components located on the lower building floors, with a natural period equal to the second or third natural period of the building, and subjected to a narrow-band excitation with a dominant period close to the building's fundamental natural period.
Consequences of Climate and Crop Yield Limits on the Distribution of Corn Yields

Previous econometric studies have established a relationship between weather and the degree of skewness in the distribution of crop yields. An important factor in determining the shape of the distribution is the existence of a constraining maximum yield level. Here, farm-level yields and simulation results from a mechanistic crop model provide insights into the implications of weather variations and an upper limit on corn yields. The results indicate that moments of the distribution of corn yields are sensitive to changes in temperature and precipitation. A warmer, drier climate is associated with lower yields and a flatter, more symmetric distribution.
Characterization of a membrane permeation system for controlled drug delivery studies

Hydrodynamic characteristics of an in vitro membrane permeation system for controlled drug delivery studies were investigated by measuring dissolution rates of benzoic acid in various aqueous solutions of polyethylene glycol 400. The mass transfer coefficient was well correlated in terms of three dimensionless numbers: Sherwood, Schmidt, and Reynolds numbers. By using the correlation equation, the intrinsic permeation rate of testosterone through silicone membranes was precisely extracted from the experimental data obtained under various nonideal flow conditions.
Online Counseling New Entity, New Challenges

Mallen, Vogel, and colleagues explore the developing field of online counseling from the unique perspective of counseling psychology. They examine the body of available research and relevant clinical, ethical, legal, and practical issues and make recommendations for counseling psychologists who desire to participate in online counseling. This article provides a critique of their contributions, finds support for much of what they present, offers additional suggestions for counseling psychologists, and makes recommendations for counseling psychology to resolve challenges that at present, limit online counseling’s value, effectiveness, and impact. The author makes recommendations for practical research that studies the actual online-counseling process, establishing additional standards, more effectively disseminating information, enhancing training, expanding access through innovative programs, and increasing advocacy efforts.
Electron tomography imaging of surface glycoproteins on human parainfluenza virus 3: association of receptor binding and fusion proteins before receptor engagement.

ABSTRACT In order to deliver their genetic material to host cells during infection, enveloped viruses use specialized proteins on their surfaces that bind cellular receptors and induce fusion of the viral and host membranes. In paramyxoviruses, a diverse family of single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses, including several important respiratory pathogens, such as parainfluenza viruses, the attachment and fusion machinery is composed of two separate proteins: a receptor binding protein (hemagglutinin-neuraminidase [HN]) and a fusion (F) protein that interact to effect membrane fusion. Here we used negative-stain and cryo-electron tomography to image the 3-dimensional ultrastructure of human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV3) virions in the absence of receptor engagement. We observed that HN exists in at least two organizations. The first were arrays of tetrameric HN that lacked closely associated F proteins: in these purely HN arrays, HN adopted a “heads-down” configuration. In addition, we observed regions of complex surface density that contained HN in an apparently extended “heads-up” form, colocalized with prefusion F trimers. This colocalization with prefusion F prior to receptor engagement supports a model for fusion in which HN in its heads-up state and F may interact prior to receptor engagement without activating F, and that interaction with HN in this configuration is not sufficient to activate F. Only upon receptor engagement by HN’s globular head does HN transmit its activating signal to F. IMPORTANCE Human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV3) is an enveloped, ssRNA virus that can cause serious respiratory illness, especially in children. HPIV3, like most other paramyxoviruses, uses two specialized proteins to mediate cell entry: the fusion protein (F) and the receptor binding protein, hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN). F becomes activated to mediate fusion during entry when it is triggered by a signal from HN. Here we used electron tomography to reconstruct the 3-dimensional ultrastructure of HPIV3. From these structures, we could discern the distribution and, in some cases, conformation of HN and F proteins, which provided an understanding of their interrelationship on virions. HN is found in arrays alone in one conformation and interspersed with prefusion F trimers in another. The data support a model of paramyxovirus membrane fusion in which HN associates with F before receptor engagement, and receptor engagement by the globular head of HN switches the HN-F interaction into one of fusion activation.
Theoretical analysis of the crystalline colloidal array filter

The major parameters of a crystalline colloidal array optical filter have been investigated theoretically, and the results compared to published experimental data. This filter consists of an aqueous suspension of polystyrene spheres in a lattice which produces Bragg diffraction of incident light. The development of expressions for the filter bandwidth and attenuation utilized both dynamical x-ray diffraction theory and light scattering theory. The theoretical attenuation function indicates that extremely high absorbance values are achievable with relatively thin filters.
Phytochrome Control of Longitudinal Growth and Phytochrome Synthesis in Maize Seedlings

The active, far-red light absorbing, form of phytochrome was found to inhibit growth and phytochrome levels in the mesocotyl and coleoptile of 4- to 5.5-day-old seedlings of Zea mays L. Short, low-irradiance red or far-red light treatments were used to produce different proportions of active phytochrome at the end of highdirradiance white-light periods, which left different levels of total phytochrome in the plants. After light treatments which left relatively high levels of spectrophotometrically assayable phytochrome in the seedlings, apparent phytochrome synthesis in the subsequent dark period was low regardless of the proportions of each form of the pigment present at the beginning of the dark period. In light treatments producing relatively low levels of assayable phytochrome, levels of apparent phytochrome synthesis in both red and far-red treatments and differences between apparent synthesis in red and far-red treatments were maximal. No simple correlation was found between growth and apparent phytochrome synthesis. However, growth and total phytochrome levels were positively correlated in both organs. Using a subtractive method of correlation, in which only phytochrome effects were plotted, strong linear relationships between phytochrome levels or longitudinal growth and Pfr levels were found in those light treatments leaving greater than 8% of dark control levels of phytochrome in the tissues. Using this technique non-linear, inverse relationships between Pfr and apparent phytochrome synthesis was found, indicating that modes of phytochrome control over phytochrome synthesis and growth differ. Our results are consistent with the view that in vivo assays of “bulk’ phytochrome reflect levels and states of the physiologically active phytochrome fraction under our experimental conditions in maize.
Male Sub-metropolitan Black-White Wage Gaps: New Evidence for the 1980s

This study analyses trends in US male black-white earnings gaps by sub-metropolitan residence. Large suburban earnings gaps existed in 1979; however, central city gaps exhibited the largest increases during the 1980s. The increases are decomposed into changes in measurable characteristics, changes in the prices of measurable characteristics, changes in discrimination and/or unobservable skills, and changes in white earnings inequality. Changes in measured characteristics and their prices, and changes in inequality account for little of the increases in central city gaps. Either labour market discrimination worsened or racial differences in unobservable skills widened. A review of the literature suggests that this paper's evidence is more consistent with a worsening in discrimination.
A novel 3-dimensional culture system as an in vitro model for studying oral cancer cell invasion

Tissue microenvironment plays a critical role in tumour growth and invasion. This study established a novel 3-dimensional (3-D) cell invasion model for direct microscopic observation of oral cancer cell invasion into the underlying basement membrane and connective tissue stroma. A multilayer cell construct was developed using the OptiCell chamber, consisting of a lower layer of oral mucosa fibroblasts embedded in collagen gel and an overlaying upper layer of oral cancer cells. The two layers are separated by a basement membrane composed of reconstituted extracellular matrix. To verify the applicability of the cell invasion model, multilayer cell constructs of oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral mucosal fibroblasts were exposed to extrinsic urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) or plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), which are known effectors of cell migration. In addition, the constructs were exposed to both normoxic and hypoxic culture conditions. Microscopic study showed that the presence of uPA enhanced cell invasion, while PAI-1 inhibited cell migration. Western blot and zymographic analysis demonstrated that hypoxia up-regulated uPA and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression and activity; conversely, PAI-1 level was down-regulated in response to hypoxic challenge as compared to normoxic condition. Our results indicated that the novel 3-D invasion model could serve as an excellent in vitro model to study cancer cell invasion and to test conditions or mediators of cellular migration.
The Solvability of the Decision Problem for Classes of Proper Formulas and Related Results

In connection with the development of an actual question-answering system, the Relational Data File of The Rand Corporation, a class of formulas of the predicate calculus, the definite formulas of Kuhns, was proposed as the class of symbolic representations of the “reasonable” questions to put to this retrieval system. Roughly speaking, the definite formulas are those formulas F such that the set of true substitution instances of F in a finite interpretation I are preserved on passage to a certain special extension I′ of I. The proper formulas are those definite formulas which are supposedly especially suitable for machine processing. It has previously been shown by the author that the decision problem for the class of definite formulas is recursively unsolvable. In this paper, however, it is shown that the decision problem for various classes of proper formulas is solvable. Thus, for each of these classes there is a mechanical procedure to decide of an arbitrary formula whether it is a member of the class. It follows that for each of these classes there is no effective transformation
Making Difference in Medieval and Early Modern Iberia – By Jean Dangler

In some respects, historians should approach this book with an open eye. One is not venturing into the familiar world of historical references (e.g., law codes, institutional documents, personal di...
Directional and Spectral Reflectance of the Kuwait Oil-Fire Smoke

Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland The angular reflectance pattern of the Kuwait oil-fire smoke was measured from an aircraft at 13 discrete wavelengths between 0.5 and 2.3 pm. Measurements at 0.75 and 1.64 pm showed that the reflectance of the smoke layer was about 12% in the nadir direction with considerable limb brightening toward the horizon. Furthermore, these observations revealed a backscattering maximum in the antisolar direction and an enhanced scattering near the rainbow direction. These characteristics suggest that the smoke layer 90 km downwind of the Kuwait oil fires was composed of a significant number of oil drizzle droplets that scatter solar radiation as a layer composed of spherical particles.
2-phenyl-4-thiazolidone derivatives as local anesthetics.

Laboratory tests with some 2-phenyl-4-thiazolidone derivatives recently synthesized by Surrey (1) have disclosed significant local anesthetic activity. On the basis of these preliminary results, more compounds were synthesized and tested. Toxicity and local tissue irritation were determined for the most active compounds in the series. The various results obtained are described in this paper.
Epsilon solutions to estimation in the presence of M plane wave noise sources

We estimate a plane wave signal in the presence of M plane wave noise sources, using N samplers along a line. For almost all sets of noise wavenumbers, N ≥ 2 and e > 0, there exist sampler locations such that the estimation error is less than e.
Conditioning-Related Single Unit Activity in the Frontal Cortex of Urethane Anesthetized Rats

Responses of frontal cortex single units to a tone preceding medial forebrain bundle (MFB) stimulation were recorded in urethane anesthetized rats. The animals were implanted with mono-polar electrodes for MFB stimulation and, following recovery, stimulation parameters which supported self-stimulation were determined for each rat. Prior to the unit recording experiment, the animals were trained to associate a 2-sec tone with MFB stimulation. Trials were presented at variable intervals. Under urethane anesthesia, single units were isolated and the responses of units to paired and unpaired tones were determined. The results indicate that conditioning-related responses of frontal cortex single units can be recorded in urethane anesthetized rats.
An efficiency approach to choice set formation: theory and application to recreational destination choice

An unresolved debate in behavioural choice research surrounds specifying individual choice sets. To overcome the limitations of deterministic and probabilistic approaches in a framework consistent with individual optimizing behaviour, this study develops an efficient frontiers approach to the choice set problem in the context of revealed preference destination choice. Stochastic frontier models relating costly inputs to utility generating outputs are estimated to measure the efficiency of sites; choice sets are then formed by retaining sites that exceed alternative efficiency thresholds. Choice set composition, site choice efficiency and probability of selection and consumer surplus are evaluated in the case of fishery site choice in Maine.
Immigration and African American Wages and Employment: Critically Appraising the Empirical Evidence

This paper critically assesses the empirical evidence on the relationship between immigration and African American employment. Studies using various methodologies and data are reviewed: natural experiments, time series, and cross-sectional studies of local labor markets and intertemporal changes in the national labor market. We find that for African Americans as a whole, immigration may have little effect on mean wages and probability of employment. However, there is some evidence that immigration may have had an adverse impact on the labor market outcomes of African Americans belonging to low education-experience groups. However, even this modest conclusion must be qualified: the literature has many unresolved econometric issues that might easily undermine the received wisdom.
Revisiting the Importance of the Direct Effects of School Leadership on Student Achievement: The Implications for School Improvement Policy

Much is left to be known regarding the impact of school principals on student achievement. This is because much of the research on school leadership focuses not on actual student outcomes but rather on other peripheral results of principal practices. In the research that has been done in this area, significant relationships have been identified between selected school leadership practices and student learning, indicating that evidence existed for certain principal behaviors to produce a direct relationship with student achievement. Further, although these relationships typically account for a small proportion of the total student achievement variability, they are of sufficient magnitude to be of interest and additional investigation. Actions taken to better understand and improve the impact of principals on the achievement of students in their schools have the potential for widespread benefit, as individual improvements in principal practice can impact thousands of students. It is in this light that poten...
Gelation of whey protein and xanthan mixture: Effect of heating rate on rheological properties

Abstract The effects of heating rate and xanthan addition on the gelation of a 15% w/w whey protein solution at pH 7 and in 0.1 M phosphate buffer were studied using small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) rheological measurements and uniaxial compression tests. WPI solutions were heated from 25 to 90 °C at five heating rates (0.1, 1, 5, 10 and 20 °C/min). Gelation temperature of WPI decreased with decreasing of heating rates and with xanthan addition. Under uniaxial compression, the WPI gels prepared with no more than 0.2% w/w xanthan exhibited distinct fracture point and were tougher (i.e. higher fracture stress and fracture strain) than the gels prepared with no less than 0.5% w/w xanthan. In general, the fracture strain of WPI gels increased with heating rate, though not significantly, at all xanthan contents investigated. However, the fracture stress of WPI gels, generally, decreased with heating rate when xanthan content was 0–0.2% and increased with heating rate when xanthan content was 0.5 and 1%.
Quantification of Rifapentine, a Potent Antituberculosis Drug, from Dried Blood Spot Samples Using Liquid Chromatographic-Tandem Mass Spectrometric Analysis

The quantification of antituberculosis drug concentrations in multinational trials currently requires the collection of modest blood volumes, centrifugation, aliquoting of plasma, freezing, and keeping samples frozen during shipping. We prospectively enrolled healthy individuals into the Tuberculosis Trials Consortium Study 29B, a phase I dose escalation study of rifapentine, a rifamycin under evaluation in tuberculosis treatment trials. We developed a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for quantifying rifapentine in whole blood on dried blood spots (DBS) to facilitate pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analyses in clinical trials. Paired plasma and whole-blood samples were collected by venipuncture, and whole blood was spotted on Whatman protein saver 903 cards. The methods were optimized for plasma and then validated for DBS. The analytical measuring range for quantification of rifapentine and its metabolite was 50 to 80,000 ng/ml in whole-blood DBS. The analyte was stable on the cards for 11 weeks with a desiccant at room temperature and protected from light. The method concordance for paired plasma and whole-blood DBS samples was determined after correcting for participant hematocrit or population-based estimates of bias from Bland-Altman plots. The application of either correction factor resulted in acceptable correlation between plasma and whole-blood DBS (Passing-Bablok regression corrected for hematocrit; y = 0.98x + 356). Concentrations of rifapentine may be determined from whole-blood DBS collected via venipuncture after normalization in order to account for the dilutional effects of red blood cells. Additional studies are focused on the application of this methodology to capillary blood collected by finger stick. The simplicity of processing, storage, shipping, and low blood volume makes whole-blood DBS attractive for rifapentine pharmacokinetic evaluations, especially in international and pediatric trials.
Selenization of copper indium gallium disulfide nanocrystal films for thin film solar cells

Recently, numerous non-vacuum methods have been demonstrated for the fabrication of Cu(InxGa 1−x )Se 2 (CIGSe) thin films and solar cells via selenization of various precursor materials. However, composition control and uniformity at all scales remains a challenge. Here we present a promising alternative approach using Cu(In 1−x Ga x )S 2 (CIGS) nanocrystal inks for low cost fabrication of CIGSSe absorber films. By using nanocrystal inks of CIGS as the precursor for selenization, the composition can be controlled at all scales. Nanocrystals with varying Ga concentration can also be used to form graded band gap CIGSSe absorber film. Initial devices fabricated using a graded CIGSSe absorber layer showed a photon to electricity conversion efficiency of 6.23% corresponding to an active area efficiency of 7.10% under AM1.5 illumination.
Mitochondrial dysfunction leads to telomere attrition and genomic instability

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress have been implicated in cellular senescence, apoptosis, aging and aging-associated pathologies. Telomere shortening and genomic instability have also been associated with replicative senescence, aging and cancer. Here we show that mitochondrial dysfunction leads to telomere attrition, telomere loss, and chromosome fusion and breakage, accompanied by apoptosis. An antioxidant prevented telomere loss and genomic instability in cells with dysfunctional mitochondria, suggesting that reactive oxygen species are mediators linking mitochondrial dysfunction and genomic instability. Further, nuclear transfer protected genomes from telomere dysfunction and promoted cell survival by reconstitution with functional mitochondria. This work links mitochondrial dysfunction and genomic instability and may provide new therapeutic strategies to combat certain mitochondrial and aging-associated pathologies.
Decreased adenylyl cyclase protein and function in airway smooth muscle by chronic carbachol pretreatment.

Cellular levels of cAMP are an important determinant of airway smooth muscle tone. We have previously shown that chronic (18 h) but not acute (30 min or 2 h) pretreatment with the muscarinic recept...
Individualized Surgical Approach Planning for Petroclival Tumors Using a 3D Printer.

Objectives To determine the utility of three-dimensional (3D) printed models in individualized petroclival tumor resection planning by measuring the fidelity of printed anatomical structures and comparing tumor exposure afforded by different approaches. Design Case series and review of the literature. Setting Tertiary care center. Participants Three patients with petroclival lesions. Main Outcome Measures Subjective opinion of access by neuro-otologists and neurosurgeons as well as surface area of tumor exposure. Results Surgeons found the 3D models of each patient's skull and tumor useful for preoperative planning. Limitations of individual surgical approaches not identified through preoperative imaging were apparent after 3D models were evaluated. Significant variability in exposure was noted between models for similar or identical approaches. A notable drawback is that our printing process did not replicate mastoid air cells. Conclusions We found that 3D modeling is useful for individualized preoperative planning for approaching petroclival tumors. Our printing techniques did produce authentic replicas of the tumors in relation to bony structures.
Dominant Design

The article is discussing architecture of software-intensive systems and its application in road traffic management.
Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Injuries

As young athletes participate in organized sports with increasing frequency and at a younger age, injuries to the oral and maxillofacial region are common. Dental injuries are one of the most common injuries in sports and span a spectrum of minor tooth fractures and loss of teeth to facial bone fractures and trauma to the temporomandibular joints. The prognosis of many dental injuries is dependent upon the appropriate evaluation and prompt treatment, which can minimize the negative long-term sequela of such injuries. The prevention of dental and facial injuries has become a priority with the recommendation of mouthguard use by many professional organized sports and medical associations.
Response of Males to the Female Sex Pheromone of the Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): a Laboratory Evaluation

Virgin female moths of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), produce a pheromone within the last abdominal segment that excites males sexually. The biologically active material was purified by thin-layer chromatography. The response elicited by a fixed dose of pheromone was greater in older males. Males responded to as little as 0.02×;10−4 female moth equivalent. The pheromone was not present in very young females, but increased rapidly 18 hours after eclosion, at which time the males become receptive to the stimulus.
Predictors of transition to opioid dependence among illicit pharmaceutical opioid users

that it increased well-being/life satisfaction (94, 94%) than those in the CE group (31% for spiritually significant; 76% for well-being). Conclusions: The phenomenology of psilocybin experiences in the LS group was more similar to that in the ME group than the CE group, suggesting that laboratory procedures are effective at minimizing negative experiences andmaximizing positive experiences. Financial support: NIH grants T32DA007209 and R01DA003889, the Heffter Research Institute and the Council on Spiritual Practices.
The Multi-level Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation for Threat Assessment in Battlefield

The battlefield threat assessment is very important in operation.Here AHP and fuzzy synthetic evaluation are combined to handle the multi-level evaluating problem.First,AHP has been proposed to synthesis the evaluation of experts on multi-levels.Then,fuzzy comprehensive evaluation theory has been used to analysis the weight sets of the fuzzy threat assessment threat.An application example in submarine navigation is also illustrated at the end of this paper and its results show the method effective and believable.
Stability of patulin at pH 6.0-8.0 and 25 °C

Patulin was tested for stability at pH values of 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, and 8.0, using Sbrensen's phosphate buffer at 25 °C. Patulin was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. When the percentage of patulin remaining was plotted versus reaction time, apparent first-order reaction plots were obtained. Reaction rate constants for disappearance of patulin ranged from 1.1 x 10−2 h at pH 8.0-5.3 x 10−4 h at pH 6.0. Values for half-life were calculated and ranged from 64 h at pH 8.0 to 1310 h at pH 6.0.
Coaxial Rotor Flow Phenomena in Forward Flight

Coaxial rotors are nding use in advanced rotorcraft concepts. Combined with lift offset rotor technology, they offer a solution to the problems of dynamic stall and re-verse ow that often limit single rotor edgewise forward ight speeds. Lower tip speed means reduced high-speed impulsive noise. The need for an anti-torque tail rotor is eliminated, a major boon during operation in conned areas. However, the operation of two counter-rotating ro-tors in close proximity generates many possibilities for aerodynamic interactions between rotor blades, blades and vortices, and between vortices. The parameter de-sign space is very large, and requires efcient computations as well as basic experiments to explore important physics to determine performance, loads, and acoustics. Computations are done on the classic HarringtonDingeldein rotor test case from the 1950s using the ROTUNS Navier Stokes code. Two regimes are explored: very low advance ratio as a perturbation from hover, and high advance ratio. Flow eld properties from RotUNS are used with 2-D OVERFLOW computations to capture blade crossing effects including those of higher subsonic Mach numbers. Bladeblade and bladevortex intersection events are captured using a MatLab-based predictor.
Rescuing Lost History: Using Big Data to Recover Black Women's Lived Experiences

This study employs Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) algorithms and comparative text mining to search 800,000 periodicals in JSTOR (Journal Storage) and HathiTrust from 1746 to 2014 to identify the types of conversations that emerge about Black women's shared experience over time and the resulting knowledge that developed called standpoint We used MALLET to interrogate various genres of text (poetry, science, psychology, sociology, African American Studies, policy, etc.). We also used comparative text mining (CTM) to explore latent themes across collections written in different time periods by analyzing the common and expert models. We used data visualization techniques, such as tree maps, to identify spikes in certain topics during various historical contexts such as slavery, reconstruction, Jim Crow, etc. We identified a subset of our corpus (20,000) comprised of articles about or by or Black women and compared patterns of words in the subset against the larger 800,000 corpus. Preliminary findings indicate that when we pulled 300,000 volumes, about 800,000 (~27%) do not have subject metadata. This appears to suggest that if a researcher searched for volumes about Black women, they may not have access to a significant amount of data on the topic. When volumes are not tagged properly, researchers would have to know that these texts exists when they do their searches. The recovery nature of this project involves identifying these untagged volumes and making the corpus publicly available to librarians and others with copyright considerations.