cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of magnetic sector thermal ionization mass spectrometry to studies of erythrocyte iron incorporation in small children.

The optimal evaluation of iron metabolism requires the administration of two isotopes of iron. However, high-precision measurement of isotopic ratios from blood samples obtained after administration of two stable isotopes of iron to human subjects has not previously been reported. Using a cation-exchange system to isolate iron from blood samples, we found that high-precision (<0.2%) measurements of 58Fe/56Fe and 57Fe/56Fe could be performed using magnetic sector thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Clinical studies in four 1-year-old infants showed that this technique could be used to demonstrate a lower rate of iron absorption in small children given an iron supplement (57Fe) with milk compared to those given iron (58Fe and ferrous sulfate) with ascorbic acid. This technique will enable the evaluation of iron metabolism in populations in whom the use of radioactive iron tracers is not appropriate.
Results of a portable fiber optic weigh-in-motion system

Experimental results on a portable, low-speed fiber-optic weigh-in-motion system are described that demonstrate the applicability of fiber-optic-based sensors in transportation, defense, and law enforcement applications where accurate weight determination of moving vehicles is necessary. Results are given on the systems' dynamic range (0.1 - 30 metric tons), velocity range (up to 5 km/h), accuracy error (0.5 - 3.0%), and repeatability. Also included in the paper is a discussion of the sources of error associated with low speed weigh-in-motion systems and methods of minimizing these errors for practical deployment.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Leucine transport by rat liver mitochondria in vitro

Abstract Leucine accumulation by rat liver mitochondria in vitro has been studied. Uptake was stimulated by ATP and inorganic phosphate and was inhibited by N -ethylmaleimide. With ATP mitochondrial leucine concentration exceeed that of the medium 2–3 fold. Leucine uptake was consistent with saturation kinetics. Certain other amino acids (isoleucine, methionine, valine, and cycloleucine) both significantly inhibited leucine uptake and effected a rapid discharge of leucine from mitochondria pre-loaded with the amino acid. The evidence indicates that rat liver mitochondria contain a leucine transport mechanism, for which several other amino acids are competitive.
Effects of arginine vasopressin during resuscitation from hemorrhagic hypotension after traumatic brain injury.

Objective:Two series of experiments were designed to evaluate whether early arginine vasopressin improves acute outcome following resuscitation from traumatic brain injury and severe hemorrhagic hypotensionDesign:Prospective randomized, blinded animal study.Setting:University laboratory.Subjects:Thi
Memory distortion in eyewitnesses: a meta-analysis of the post-identification feedback effect

Feedback administered to eyewitnesses after they make a line-up identification dramatically distorts a wide range of retrospective judgements (e.g. G. L. Wells & A. L. Bradfield, 1998 Journal of Applied Psychology, 83(3), 360–376.). This paper presents a meta-analysis of extant research on post-identification feedback, including 20 experimental tests with over 2400 participant-witnesses. The effect of confirming feedback (i.e. ‘Good, you identified the suspect’) was robust. Large effect sizes were obtained for most dependent measures, including the key measures of retrospective certainty, view and attention. Smaller effect sizes were obtained for so-called objective measures (e.g. length of time the culprit was in view) and comparisons between disconfirming feedback and control conditions. This meta-analysis demonstrates the reliability and robustness of the post-identification feedback effect. It reinforces recommendations for double-blind testing, recording of eyewitness reports immediately after an identification is made, and reconsideration by court systems of variables currently recommended for consideration in eyewitness evaluations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improving Preservice Teacher Preparation through the Teacher Work Sample: Exploring Assessment and Analysis of Student Learning

Abstract This study focuses on the Renaissance Teacher Work Sample's critical sections Assessment Plan and Analysis of Student Learning. Preliminary review of scoring data based on the sample revealed that preservice teachers at a large comprehensive institution teacher program appeared to be most challenged with designing assessments and analyzing student learning, compared to other sections. Further analysis of multiple sources of data related to these skills—including deeper study of the student teacher performance on the sample, student-teaching evaluation proficiency rates, self-reported scores on teacher standards, and Praxis scores—indicated that all intersected with the same theme: Relatively low areas for this institution's preservice teachers in assessment and analysis. Based on these results, institutional efforts to improve student performance in this area are addressed.
Development of a North American proficiency testing program for soil and plant analysis

Abstract A proposal for developing a unified proficiency testing program for soil and plant analysis laboratories in the North American region is presented. The proposed North American Proficiency Testing Program (NAPT) will be based on the quarterly submission to participating laboratories of six soil and/or three plant materials for chemical analysis using reference methods of analysis described in the four Regional Soil Work Group publications of NEC‐67, NCR‐13, SERA‐6, and WCC‐103 and methods outlined in Methods Manual for Forest Soil and Plant Analysis, Forestry Canada. Participating laboratories would complete sample analyses for all or any of the specified analytes and provide results to the NAPT program coordinator for statistical evaluation. Upon completion of the quarterly analysis each laboratory will be provided an evaluation of their individual performance on each of the methods listed. Annually the program will provide a report to each participant of the performance of the individual laborat...
Querying trajectories using flexible patterns

The wide adaptation of GPS and cellular technologies has created many applications that collect and maintain large repositories of data in the form of trajectories. Previous work on querying/analyzing trajectorial data typically falls into methods that either address spatial range and NN queries, or, similarity based queries. Nevertheless, trajectories are complex objects whose behavior over time and space can be better captured as a sequence of interesting events. We thus facilitate the use of motion "pattern" queries which allow the user to select trajectories based on specific motion patterns. Such patterns are described as regular expressions over a spatial alphabet that can be implicitly or explicitly anchored to the time domain. Moreover, we are interested in "flexible" patterns that allow the user to include "variables" in the query pattern and thus greatly increase its expressive power. In this paper we introduce a framework for efficient processing of flexible pattern queries. The framework includes an underlying indexing structure and algorithms for query processing using different evaluation strategies. An extensive performance evaluation of this framework shows significant performance improvement when compared to existing solutions.
Trapping radial electric field optimization in compensated FTICR cells.

Herein, we present the theoretical and experimental study of the recently introduced FTICR cell designs. We developed an approach that determines the electric field inside the cell, based on the measurement of calibration coefficients as a function of post-excitation radius and other conditions. Using the radial electric field divided by radius (Er/r) as a criterion of the cell harmonization, we compare the compensated cell approach with alternative designs and discuss practical implications of the cell compensation.
Monitoring Space Segmentation in Deploying Sensor Arrays

This paper explores the segmentation of monitoring space that is generated by binary pyroelectric sensors and reference structure. Each segment in the monitoring space is identified by a state of a family of binary sensors, known as signature. The number and size of the segments are critical to the design and data analysis of a sensor system. Throughout this paper, we convey that the maximum number of signatures may be achieved. Then, we explore a series of bad sensor system deployments where the number of signatures are relatively small or the minimum. The significance of this paper is to provide a guidance to avoid such bad deployment. Finally, we will study the size of segments and present a sensor system deployment where we can control the size of segment, no matter how small it is.
Cryogenic laser induced U(VI) fluorescence studies of a U(VI) substituted natural calcite: implications to U(VI) speciation in contaminated Hanford sediments.

Time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) and imaging spectromicroscopy (TRLFISM) were used to examine the chemical speciation of uranyl in contaminated subsurface sediments from the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) Hanford Site, Washington. Spectroscopic measurements for contaminant U(VI) were compared to those from a natural, uranyl-bearing calcite (NUC) that had been found via X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to include uranyl in the same coordination environment as calcium. Spectral deconvolution of TRLFS measurements on the NUC revealed the unexpected presence of two distinct chemical environments consistent with published spectra of U(VI)-substituted synthetic calcite and aragonite. Apparently, some U(VI) substitution sites in calcite distorted to exhibit a local, more energetically favorable aragonite structure. TRLFS measurements of the Hanford sediments NP4−1 and NP1−6 were similar to the NUC in terms of peak positions and intensity, despite a small CaCO3 content (1.0 t...
Modification of continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration with single-pass albumin dialysate allows for removal of serum bilirubin

A 53-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with ischemic colitis and underwent a subtotal colectomy. She developed acute renal failure, severe hyperbilirubinemia, and intense pruritus resistant to medical treatment. Extracorporeal albumin dialysis using a Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS; Gambro Co, Lund, Sweden) has been used to treat liver failure and reduce total serum bilirubin (SB) levels. A trial of extracorporeal albumin dialysis with continuous renal replacement therapy (RRT) was instituted to achieve net removal of SB. A 25% albumin solution was mixed with conventional dialysate to yield a dialysate concentration of 1.85% or 5.0% albumin. The patient underwent 2 continuous RRT sessions using extracorporeal albumin dialysis (1.85% and 5.0% albumin dialysate). Pretreatment and posttreatment SB levels were determined, and total bilirubin concentration (TB) also was measured in each of the collection bags during conventional and albumin dialysis. Pretreatment and posttreatment SB levels were 50.4 mg/dL (862 μmol/L) and 39.0 mg/dL (667 μmol/L) with 1.85% albumin dialysate and 47.1 mg/dL (805 μmol/L) and 39.7 mg/dL (679 μmol/L) with 5.0% albumin dialysate, respectively. The collected dialysate TB level was 0.3 mg/dL (5 μmol/L) during nonalbumin RRT and increased to 1.37 ± 0.06 mg/dL (23 ± 1 μmol/L) with 1.85% albumin dialysis. The collected dialysate fluid TB level was 0.3 mg/dL (5 μmol/L) during the nonalbumin RRT and increased to 1.38 ± 0.15 mg/dL (24 ± 3 μmol/L) during 5.0% albumin RRT. Single-pass albumin dialysis with continuous RRT cleared SB better than standard continuous RRT. Single-pass albumin dialysis with continuous RRT is feasible and may be a viable alternative in centers that do not have access to MARS therapy. This modality merits additional evaluation for its efficacy in clearing albumin-bound serum toxins.
Method for Testing Toller ω Dependence in the Multi-Regge Model

Given data that are plausibly described by the multi-Regge model, it is shown that a distribution in a certain angle related to a triple subenergy (which in turn is related to $\ensuremath{\omega}$) is flat if (1) the amplitude is independent of that subenergy and (2) a certain selection of data is made. The test can be applied to up to four internal vertices, thus allowing a complete analysis of $\ensuremath{\omega}$ dependence in reactions with six, seven, or eight particles in the final state.
Evidence for Stable v = 0, j = 1 → 0 SiO Maser Emission from VY Canis Majoris

Observations of the SiO v = 0, J = 1 ? 0 spectra from VY CMa from 2003 through 2006 indicate an unusually long-lived, highly linearly polarized maser emission at a V lsr of approximately 18.5 km s?1. A time series cross-correlation analysis has been developed for calculating the characteristic lifetime of linearly polarized spectra. Applying the cross-correlation to these spectra indicates a characteristic lifetime of 5600 ? 400 days. These emission characteristics may be generated in a region of relatively stable outflow geometry and magnetic field rather than in the more ephemeral circumstellar environment.
The influence of strain on law enforcement legitimacy evaluations

Abstract Purpose While law enforcement officers have the state-sanctioned authority to use force as a way to ensure citizen obedience with the law, research has found that when private citizens evaluate the police as legitimate, they are more likely to comply with legal demands and cooperate with the police. Although procedural justice has shown to be a highly significant predictor of perceived police legitimacy, research has found other correlates of this outcome, including ethnic identity, low self-control and structural economic disadvantage. To date, no study has explored whether strain influences perceptions of the legitimacy of law enforcement. Methods A series of linear regression equations was estimated using survey data collected from a convenience sample of college students to determine the effect of strain on perceived police legitimacy. Results Even after controlling for procedural justice, strain exerted a negative and statistically significant influence on law enforcement legitimacy evaluations. Conclusions Police officers are encouraged to interact with citizens in procedurally just manners and to also consider people's strain levels when enforcing the law.
A Probabilistic Encryption Based MIN/MAX Computation in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have wide range of applications in military, health-monitoring, smart-home applications, and in other commercial environments. The computation of data aggregation functions like MIN/MAX is one of the commonly used tasks in many such WSN applications. However, due to privacy issues in some of these applications, the individual sensor readings should be kept secret from others. That is, the base station should be the only entity who should receive the output of MIN/MAX function and the individual sensor readings should not be revealed either to other sensor nodes or to the root node for confidentiality reasons. Existing Secure Data Aggregation (SDA) techniques for computing MIN/MAX are based on either order preserving or privacy homomorphic encryption schemes which are either inefficient or insecure. Along this direction, this paper proposes two novel solutions for securely computing MIN/MAX functions in WSNs using probabilistic encryption scheme. The first solution works for WSNs with no duplicate sensor readings whereas the second solution acts as a generic method and works even for duplicate readings but is less efficient compared to the first method. However, the second solution is much more secure compared to the existing protocols. The security of the proposed protocols is justified based on the well known quadratic residuosity assumption. We empirically analyze the efficiency of our schemes and demonstrate the advantages of the proposed protocols over existing approaches.
Fast numerical simulation of vortex shedding in tube arrays using a discrete vortex method

Abstract Vortex shedding may occur in tube arrays, resulting in strong excitation forces at discrete frequencies. In the past, the Strouhal numbers governing vortex shedding in these systems were determined primarily by experiment. This paper presents a computationally inexpensive method of numerical simulation for the unsteady flow through a rigid normal triangular tube array which determines both the frequency of vortex shedding and the instantaneous flow structure. The technique used is based on a discrete vortex method similar to the cloud-in-cell approach which has been applied to flow problems for small numbers of cylinders. However, in the current implementation, the flow velocity calculation is carried out on an unstructured grid using a finite element discretization. Thus, the complex geometry associated with a tube array can be easily accommodated. The method, referred to as the “Cloud-in-element” method, is validated for the standard case of flow over a single cylinder and then applied to flow through a normal triangular array with a pitch-to-diameter of 1.6. The Reynolds number is 2200. The Strouhal number obtained from the numerical simulation is 1.27, which is within 6% of the value available in the literature. Qualitatively, the vortex shedding pattern obtained is in agreement with published flow visualization.
Spatial statistical analysis of Chinese cancer mortality A comparison study of the D statistic

In this paper, we study a nonparametric spatial pattern test statistic, the D statistic. The D statistic is an effective test statistic for testing spatial patterns in regional health data. Comparison studies of the D statistic with fixed weights and random weights are illustrated on the atlas of the Chinese cancer mortality rates and on other cancer atlas. Some social, economic and environmental reasons for statistically significant spatial autocorrelations of the Chinese cancer mortality rates were given in the discussion section. The method for calculating the mean and the variance of the randomly weighted D statistic is given in the appendix.
Nonlinear cross-talk mitigation in polychromatic parametric sampling gate

New technique for cancellation of nonlinear cross-talk in polychromatic parametric sampling gate is described and quantified. The method relies on a newly derived look-up table method that achieves equalization and suppresses nonlinear response associated with parametric sampling operation. The new cancellation scheme is implemented in a framework of a specific parametric photonics assisted analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) copy-and-sample-all (CaSA) architecture. A 20 dB improvement in total harmonic distortion is demonstrated experimentally.
Generalized kinetic model for wet oxidation of organic compounds

A generalized kinetic model for wet oxidation (WO) of organic compounds was developed based on a simplified reaction scheme considering acetic acid as the rate-limiting intermediate. The selectivity of product vs. intermediate formations was quantified by the ratio of the two reaction rate constants. This point selectivity α may be used to characterize the “strength” of the feed stream to be treated. This global model was validated using WO kinetic data reported for temperatures ranging from 150°C to 550°C and pressures varying from 20 bar to 440 bar. Organic conversions predicted by this model, as compared to other models, more accurately reflect the actual performance of WO processes. The model has practical validity for a variety of organic compounds, wastewaters and sludges in both subcritical and supercritical water oxidation processes.
Quantitative Ultrasound Does Not Reflect Mechanically Induced Damage in Human Cancellous Bone

This study investigated the ability of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) to detect reductions in the elastic modulus of cancellous bone caused by mechanical damage. Ultrasonic velocity and attenuation were measured using an in-house parametric imaging system in 46 cancellous bone cores from the human calcaneus. Each core was subjected to a mechanical testing regime to (a) determine the predamage elastic modulus, (b) induce damage by applying specified strains in excess of the yield strain, and (c) measure the postdamage elastic modulus. The specimens were divided into four groups: a control group subjected to a nominally nondestructive 0.7% maximum strain (ϵm) and three damage groups subjected to increasing strain levels (ϵm = 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5%). QUS measurements before and after the mechanical testing showed no significant differences between the control group and damage groups, despite highly significant (p < 0.001) reductions in the elastic modulus of up to 72%. These results indicate that current QUS techniques do not intrinsically reflect the elastic properties of cancellous bone. This is consistent with ultrasonic properties being determined by other factors (apparent density and/or architecture), which normally are associated strongly with elastic properties, but only when bone is mechanically intact. Clinically, this implies that ultrasound cannot be expected to detect bone fragility in the absence of major changes in bone density and/or trabecular architecture.
Formation And Modification Of Surface Alloys By Excimer Laser Melting And Resolidification

The use of pulsed lasers operating in the ultra-violet for the formation and modification of metal alloys opens a range of processing techniques which offer the precision of ion beam techniques but at much higher processing rates. In addition, excimer laser surface processing offers the possibility of new surface modification technologies. Most metals have low reflectivities in the uv, so laser light is coupled strongly to the surface. The short pulse length of these lasers, along with a shallow absorption depth, results in a heated zone which is also quite shallow, of the order of 1 micrometer. Modest fluences, of the order of 1 J-cm{sup {minus}2} are sufficient to melt this surface zone. Typical quench rates from the melt are of the order of 10{sup 10} K-sec{sup {minus}1}; high enough to produce amorphous phases in some materials. Mixing by liquid phase diffusion between layers of vacuum evaporated materials and zone refinement can result from multiple melt resolidification events. These techniques make available a large range of alloy compositions on engineering materials. The surface morphology of the processed layers is quite smooth with a surface finish less than 100 nm. Further processing prior to use is therefore not required for mostmore » applications. We have studied laser mixing of metals into engineering materials, both metal alloys and ceramics, the formation of ceramic structures on metals, the modification of alloys by surface zone refinement, and the mixing of binary and ternary multilayer structures. 25 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.« less
Recent increased aridity in peninsular Florida

Abstract Precipitation and river-flow data from peninsular Florida show a trend toward increased aridity beginning about 1960. The trend follows by 10–20 yr the onset of Northern Hemispheric cooling and indicates a possible present-day link between this cooling and the recent decrease in precipitation in peninsular Florida. This phenomenon tends to support the hypothesis of a return to cooler and drier conditions, perhaps, similar to those prevailing during the Little Ice Age.
Clinicians' Perceptions of Children's Oral Personal Narratives

A diverse group of child clinicians (n — 39) rated paragraph-long transcriptions of two Euro-American, two African-American, and two Latino children's oral narratives. Clinicians were asked to rate the logic, cohesion, and comprehensibility of the stories using 6-point scales. They were also asked to give a rough estimate of the children's IQ, to comment on the existence of emotional/behavioral and/or learning/language problems, and to assign possible diagnoses. The results indicated clinicians' ratings of the Latino narratives were significantly different from ratings of the Euro-American and African-American narratives, as confirmed by Scheffe post hoc analysis. Diagnoses revealed a distribution by ethnicity of children. Euro-Americans received 21 diagnoses, African-Americans received 33 diagnoses, and Latinos received 53 diagnoses. Further, clinicians' ethnicity and gender did not account for any group differences. The implications of these findings are twofold. First, clinicians seem to be unaware of the differences in Latino children's narrative structure, and seem to be penalizing them for not conforming to the Euro-American structure. Second, it appears that clinicians training and practicing in the U.S. tend to adopt a Euro-American perspective which may desensitize them as to the narrative intricacies of their own culture.
Sunk costs and resource mobility: An empirical study

While the concept of sunk costs has become increasingly important in theoretical work, relatively few empirical studies have examined sunk costs. The present study focuses on the relationship between tangible sunk costs and entry. An estimate of industry specific capital, derived from engineering-statistical cost estimates, is employed as a proxy for tangible sunk costs. With this measure we can test directly the relationship between irreversible investments and entry in a sample consisting of 40 U.S. manufacturing industries. The primary finding is that tangible sunk costs have a deterrent effect on entry.
Formulation of Visible Light-Curable Glass-Ionomer Cements Containing N-Vinylpyrrolidone

Abstract The best graft ratio of the light-curable N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) modified terpolymers (LC NVPM TPs) with the molar ratio of 8:2:1 (acrylic acid:itaconic acid:NVP) and the optimal formulation for this light-curable glass-ionomer cement, based on the best graft ratio, were determined. Statistical models were utilized to predict the optimal formulations. The terpolymer was prepared using a free-radical polymerization reaction. The LC NVPM TPs were produced by grafting 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IEM) onto the terpolymer. Cements were formed by both light-curing and the reaction with glass particles. Compressive strength was used as the basic screening property to find the optimal formulation. Diametral tensile and flexural strengths were also used to evaluate the mechanical properties. The strength values were recorded on the specimens conditioned in distilled water at 37&C for 24 hours or 7 days. The best graft ratio for IEM in this system was 15% of the terpolymer by a molar ratio. The optim...
Measurement and Effects of Attention to Media News

Survey measures of attention, in addition to the usual measures of exposure to media use, are explored in detail. Using data from a two-year longitudinal study of adolescents and their parents, the reliability and validity of self-report questions about attention to newspaper and television news are examined. Attention measures proved to be highly stable across three waves of interviews; repeated items were summed to form reliable indices of attention to each medium's news, and to general news topics without specific mention of medium. Changes in knowledge about public affairs and politics were assessed to test the effects of both exposure and attention to media news. These tests showed significant increments of knowledge gain associated with media attention, even after exposure to the medium was controlled in hierarchical regression analysis. Addition of the attention measures was especially important in evaluating television news, which contributes much more to public knowledge than has been suggested by previous studies that use only measures of TV exposure.
Ethnic Majority/Minority Status: Children's Interactions and Affective Responses to Music.

This study is an examination of the effect of classroom ethnic majority/minority status on third-, fifth-, and seventh-grade children's (N = 118) interactions and affective responses while these ch...
Random and not so random thoughts on becoming and being a statistic: professional and personal musings.

This article contains personal and professional musings on becoming and being an old woman. Becoming and being an old woman (I had no choice) and being a “gerontologist” (I had a choice), results in experiencing at least two realities, that of subject and that of researcher (an interesting word in itself). We daily face the leap across the chasm between science and personal experiences; between swimming in the subject pool and being a life guard or researcher into the life of guarded subjects. How permeable are the boundaries between subject and objectivity? Do gerontological data inform our experiences of becoming old? Are they providing us with norms for aging? Dear Virginia, there are age and sex norms and Enforcers enforce them. And, dear Virginia, there is more to life than research.
Interference by Western Flower Thrips in rearing Asian citrus psyllid: Damage to host plants and facultative predation

An infestation of Western Flower Thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), recently developed on young citrus trees in a greenhouse devoted to rearing Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama. Large numbers of young flush leaves were killed which negatively impacted ACP, as ACP is dependent on flush for oviposition and nymph development. Further, WFT predated on immature ACP killing a large proportion of young nymphs. Two experiments were subsequently conducted to assess WFT damage to two ACP rearing host plants, orange jasmine [Murraya exotica (L.)] and sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck]. Direct comparisons of WFT damage to the two host plants were not made because the plants were not studied at the same time and the age of adults used in the experiments was not known. An infestation of ten adult WFT per flush shoot caused significant damage to orange jasmine: most (73%) flush shoots were killed, and shoots not killed were significantly growth retarded. Ten adult WFT per flush shoot caused little damage to sweet orange. A third experiment showed that five adult WFT per 90 ACP eggs predated on large numbers of eggs and 1st instar ACP − only 13% of the eggs hatched and developed beyond the 1st nymphal instar (WFT did not attack later instars). Predation on ACP immatures in this experiment included an evaluation of a minute pirate bug [Orius insidiosus (Say), regarded as effective against WFT] also at five adults per 90 ACP eggs. All ACP eggs were killed by this predator before eclosion. O. insidiosis might be useful for reducing infestations of WFT on citrus or other ACP host plants, but the predator would be incompatible with rearing ACP.
Short Chain Fatty Acids Inhibit Human (SW1116) Colon Cancer Cell Invasion by Reducing Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Activity and Stimulating TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 Activities, Rather Than via MMP Modulation

Abstract Background.Short chain fatty acids derived from dietary fiber may protect against invasive colon cancer by modulating degradative matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and protective tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Since invasion depends on the MMP/TIMP ratio, we hypothesized that short chain fatty acids inhibit colon cancer invasion by inhibiting MMPs and stimulating TIMPs. Materials and methods.SW1116 colon cancer cells were seeded onto Matrigel-coated Boyden chambers and treated with unsupplemented media or media containing 10 mM acetate, propionate, or butyrate. SW1116 invasion was quantitated by light microscopy and conditioned media were assayed by ELISA for MMP-1,2,3,9; TIMP-1,2; MMP/TIMP complex; and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA). All data are expressed as mean percentage of control ± SE (n> 6). Results.Although all three short chain fatty acids inhibited invasion, butyrate was more potent than either acetate or propionate, inhibiting SW1116 invasion by 35 ± 1% of control (n= 18,P Conclusions.These data suggest that dietary fiber may protect against invasive colon cancer through stimulation of TIMP and inhibition of uPA activities, rather than through short chain fatty acids effects on the activities of the MMPs studied.
Ventricular refractory periods in relation to rate and test-site VT intervals in anesthetized and conscious dogs: a canine model for conscious state measurements.

The functional relationship of ventricular effective refractory period (ERP) with basic cycle length (BCL) of stimulated ventricular depolarization and VT intervals of test-site unipolar ventricular eJectrograms were studied in five conscious and eight anesthetized (sodium pentobarbital, 30 mg/kg) open-chested dogs. The range of BCLs studied was 300 to 1000 ms, achieved through ventricular stimulation following chemically-induced complete A V block. In the conscious animal model developed for this study, two-to-four ventricular electrode Jeads were exteriorized and the ventricular rate was maintained by an implanted programmeble VVI pacemaker. In all animals studied, the BCL-ERP relation was closely represented by the empirical equation ERP = A-B.Exp(-k.BCL), and the VT-ERP relation over the same range of BCLs was linear: ERP = C+D. VT. The correlation coefficients were in the range of 0.991 to 0.999. The mean values of the parameters in the above equations determined by the appropriate non-linear or linear regression analysis showed significant differences between the two groups of animals studied. In three conscious animals a strong linear correlation between the test-site VT intervals and simultaneously measured QT intervals measured from the lead II surface electrogram was demonstrated (r = 0.993 to 0.998). For a fixed site of stimulation, the morphology of ventricular depolarization complexes as well as the corresponding T-waves remained essentially unaltered with BCL for both myocardial and surface eJectrograms. The possible applications of developed canine model and the results of the present study include: (1) the study of the rate-dependent effects of cardioactive drugs on ventricular electrophysiology and, (2) the improved design of electronic refractory periods of rate programmable pacemakers.
Modulation of Convective Activity by Large-scale Flow Patterns Observed in GATE

Abstract The primary goal of this study is to examine how rain events, basically of convective nature, observed during the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) were modulated by large-scale flow patterns. The low-level convergence associated with the confluence of northeast tradewind and the cross-equatorial flow prevailed inside the A/B array during the entire experiment. The easterly waves, which were most pronounced in Phase III, moved westward from Africa and interacted with the equatorial confluence zone. The low-level convergence associated with the large-scale circulation resulting from the superposition of the equatorial confluence air flow and the African waves controlled the convective outbreaks in GATE. The wave-related surface meridional wind in Phase I was much weaker than in Phase III. As a consequence, the position of the surface confluence line changed significantly in the north-south direction with the passage of an African wave in Phase III, whereas it did not vary with easterly wave...
Postglacial history of a cedar swamp in southeastern Connecticut

Stratigraphic and palynologic analyses of sediment cores from a large mire, combined with geologic and hydrologic studies of its watershed, provide a late Quaternary record of environmental change at Cedar Swamp in southeastern Connecticut. Since deglaciation of the area, the basin has evolved from an open lake characterized by the rapid accumulation of allochthonous inorganic sediments to an ombrotrophic mire with peat accumulation keeping pace with the gradual rise in the water table. Lithostratigraphic, pollen, and chronologic evidence suggest that the long-term trend of basin infilling and paludification was interrupted by two intervals (14 000–13 000 and 8000–4700 yr B.P.) when the water table elevation dropped at least 1 m.
Review of gene vaccines book.

The gene-based vaccine strategy first emerged on the horizon of applied immunology in the early 1990s. In fact, initial provocative reports on the use of this strategy were presented by several research groups at the 1992 Cold Spring Harbor Vaccines Meeting. Initially, the apparent “magical” ability of these agents to induce antigen specific immune responses met with some skepticism. However, after over 20 y, even though interest in this technology has waxed and waned, it continues to be evaluated for efficacy and utility in humans for both vaccination and therapeutic purposes. The volume “Gene Vaccines” published in 2012 by SpringerWein New York and edited by Josef Thalhamer, Richard Weiss, and Sandra Scheiblhofer presents a useful overview of the current status of genetic vaccines, particularly in terms of strategies for optimizing efficacy, which ultimately is critical for making this technology attractive for effective clinical use. This book provides a comprehensive summary of the status, to date, of gene- based vaccines. While only several of the chapters in this volume deal with some of the mechanistic aspects of gene vaccines, these nonetheless, present an excellent summary of the current thoughts and data on potential and established mechanisms. The remainder of the volume deals with an array of issues and topics relevant to the further development of this vaccination strategy. These include methods to enhance gene vaccine delivery and efficacy, such as the use of electroporation. As well, even though this volume stresses human applications of this technology, appropriately and importantly, a chapter on the utility of gene vaccines for veterinary use is included. In addition, a chapter discussing the use of RNA based nucleic acid vaccines is included. This volume, as well, includes, appropriately, an excellent mix of papers from researchers from academia as well as biotech companies. In sum, this volume is an excellent current summary of this field of vaccinology and provides further support for the potential clinical utility of gene based vaccine and strategies.
The Changing Environment and Population Obesity in the United States

JEFFERY, ROBERT W. AND JENNIFER UTTER. The changing environment and population obesity in the United States. Obes Res. 2003;11:12S-22S. The recent unexpected increases in the prevalence of obesity in the United States are widely agreed to be the result of changes in environmental conditions. This paper reviews the available data from diverse sources on environmental factors and obesity. Coverage includes descriptive data on temporal trends in the environment, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of the association between environmental exposures and body weight, and experimental trials that have related environmental factors thought to be potentially important in influencing energy intake and expenditure and body weight. Over the period covered by the “obesity epidemic,” a variety of environmental factors have changed dramatically. Some would seem to favor increased body weight (e.g., increased availability of convenience foods and increased use of automobiles and televised entertainment), and others would seem to favor decreased body weight (e.g., a lower-fat food supply and the increased availability of some forms of physical activity). Definitive conclusions about the relative contributions of energy intake and expenditure to increasing body weight or about the contribution of specific environmental exposures to increasing body weight are far from clear. Increased sophistication in methods for making valid inferences from existing environmental data would be helpful. Even more important, given the urgency of the problem, is experimental research on the question of what environmental changes would be necessary to reverse the obesity epidemic.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of ursodeoxycholic acid in primary biliary cirrhosis

One hundred fifty-one patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) grouped into four strata based on entry serum bilirubin ( or +2 (strata 3 and 4). Histology was favorably affected by ursodiol in patients in strata 1 and 2 but not in strata 3 and 4. Ursodiol enrichment in fasting bile obtained at the conclusion of the trail was approximately 40% and comparable in all strata. Thus, differences in ursodiol enrichment of the bile acid pool do not explain better responses of laboratory tests and histology found in patients with less advanced PBC. Patients treated will ursodiol tended to develop a treatment failure less frequently that those who received placebo, particularly in strata 1 and 2 (ursodiol 42%, placebo 60%, P = .078). Development of severe symptoms (fatigue/pruritus) and doubling of serum bilirubin were reduced significantly in ursodiol-treated patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Observer's Reporting of Shoplifting as a Function of Thief's Race and Sex

Summary This study investigated the reporting of a clearly observed theft as a function of the race and sex of the thief and the sex of the observer. Two hundred and forty white male and female shoppers were given the opportunity either spontaneously to report an act of shoplifting or to confirm the fact that the theft had occurred by responding affirmatively to a direct question. Thefts were perpetrated by a white male, white female, black male, or black female confederate. Blacks were reported/confirmed more often than whites. The results were discussed in terms of (a) behavioral manifestations of race prejudice and (b) prior research on victim characteristics and helping.
Validation of Finite-Element Analyses for Storm Shelters

The Federal Emergency Management Agency Publication 320, Taking shelter from the storm: Building a safe room inside your house, presents a number of prescriptive designs for residential tornado shelters and specifies building materials commonly found in residential construction in the United States. The design and structural analysis of the shelters was based on simplified and conservative analytical methods and on the results of numerous impact tests on shelter components at the Wind Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University. This paper compares predictions of structural displacements using a commercial finite-element analysis software package with experimental data taken from the full-scale testing of the aboveground concrete masonry unit CMU and timber-steel shelters. The reliability and usefulness of the finite-element analysis method in analyzing aboveground residential shelters under extreme wind loading is verified by these results. It is therefore suggested that finite-element analysis has the potential to be used in designing CMU and timber-steel shelters of different sizes and configurations without the need for physical testing to design loads.
Electromechanical reshaping of ex vivo porcine trachea.

Objectives The trachea is a composite cartilaginous structure particularly prone to various forms of convexities. Electromechanical reshaping (EMR) is an emerging technique used to reshape cartilaginous tissues by applying electric current in tandem with imposed mechanical deformation to achieve shape change. In this study, EMR was used to reshape tracheal cartilage rings to demonstrate the feasibility of this technology as a potentially minimally invasive procedure to alter tracheal structure. Study Design Controlled laboratory study using ex vivo porcine tracheae. Methods The natural concavity of each porcine tracheal ring was reversed around a cork mandrel. Two pairs of electrodes were inserted along the long axis of the tracheal ring and placed 1.5 millimeters from the midline. Current was applied over a range of voltages (3 volts [V], 4V, and 5V) for either 2 or 3 minutes. The degree of EMR-induced reshaping was quantified from photographs using digital techniques. Confocal imaging with fluorescent live and dead assays was conducted to determine viability of the tissue after EMR. Results Specimens that underwent EMR for 2 or 3 minutes at 4V or 5V were observed to have undergone significant (P < .05) reshaping relative to the control. Viability results demonstrated that EMR reshaping occurs at the expense of tissue injury, although the extent of injury is modest relative to conventional techniques. Conclusion EMR reshapes tracheal cartilage rings as a function of voltage and application time. It has potential as a minimally invasive and cost-efficient endoscopic technology to treat pathologic tracheal convexities. Given our findings, consideration of EMR for use in larger ex vivo tracheal segments and animal studies is now plausible. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 125:1628–1632, 2015
What information competencies matter in today’s workplace?

This is a qualitative study about the information competencies that employers seek in university graduates and the skills which graduates demonstrate when they enter the workplace. Included are findings from interviews with 23 US employers and focus groups with a total of 33 recent graduates from four US colleges and universities. Employers said they recruited graduates for their online searching skills but once graduates joined the workplace they rarely used the traditional, low-tech research competencies that their employers also needed. Graduates said that they used skills from university for evaluating and managing published content; yet most graduates still needed to develop adaptive strategies to save time and work more efficiently. A preliminary model compares information problems in the university with those of the workplace. Opportunities are identified for preparing students to succeed beyond the academy in the workplaces of today and tomorrow.
Lessons from children's television: The impact of the Children's Television Act on children's learning

The 1990 Children's Television Act (CTA) requires broadcasters to provide educational and informational television programs for children. A multimethod, multidisciplinary approach, utilizing both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, was used to investigate the degree to which the CTA has had an effect on children's viewing experiences and learning. Second- to sixth-grade children's preferences and comprehension of content from prosocial and academic programs broadcast by the four major commercial networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX) were compared to those for similar programs broadcast by PBS and Nickelodeon. Overall, girls and younger children liked educational and informational television programs more than boys and older children did. Girls and older children understood the programs best, particularly the prosocial ones. Over the course of 9 months, however, viewing educational and informational television programs declined, particularly for older boys. Nevertheless, lessons were reported more often after viewing favorite educational than favorite entertainment-driven programs. Results suggest beneficial effects of many commercial educational and informational children's television programs as well as the value of protections, such as requiring broadcasters to provide 3 h of educational and informational programs each week, to ensure that educational television programs survive in the competitive market place. Such policy decisions provide our children with access to quality television programs that can improve their social, emotional, and cognitive well-being.