cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection and quantitation of phenotypically mixed viruses: mixing of ecotropic and xenotropic murine leukemia viruses.

Abstract Methods were devised for detection and titration of phenotypically mixed particles in harvests of mixed infections by ecotropic and xenotropic murine leukemia viruses. Such harvests contain, in addition to parental-type virions, particles which induce ecotropic virus infection of heterologous cells and particles which induce xenotropic virus infection of mouse cells. The phenotypically mixed particles show neutralization and interference specificities corresponding to the host range determinant. These findings, in conjunction with the relative proportions of infectious particles in mixed infection harvests, are compatible with the hypothesis that the restriction of mink cells for infection by ecotropic viruses is fully circumvented by phenotypic mixing, while the resistance of mouse cells to xenotropic virus infection is at two levels, one of which cannot be overcome by phenotypic mixing.
Bulk and thin film microstructures in untwinned martensites

Abstract The microstructure in alloys for which the martensite phase is either the 9R or 18R long-period stacking order structure is investigated. A choice of a new unit cell to describe the lattice of the product phase is made, and it is found to give an exact austenite–martensite interface. A comparison with experimental observations for several different material systems supports this choice of unit cell, and the predictions of the shape strain and habit plane normal vectors are the same as those given by a phenomenological calculation. The approach followed here de-emphasizes the role of the internal defects within the unit cell of the martensite lattice in providing the mechanism by which compatibility between the phases is achieved. It is this reason that the name untwinned martensites is proposed to replace the older name faulted martensites. In addition, microstructures in thin film specimens of the alloys exhibiting the untwinned martensite are studied. In particular, a tent microstructure is constructed in a specially oriented film, and such microstructures have potential applications in micro-devices to act as either a pump or an actuator.
Short-term evaluation of two integrated pest management programs for mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) control

In the Pacific Northwest, mountain beavers (Aplodontia rufa) are an impediment to reforestation efforts due to the damage they cause to seedlings. Trapping is currently the most effective method of reducing mountain beaver populations and seedling damage; however, mountain beavers can quickly reinvade harvested units, negating trapping efforts. Seedlings are most vulnerable to damage the first 3–4 months after planting, prior to emergence of forbs within timber harvest units. The integration of an additional tool to supplement trapping, such as baiting with a chlorophacinone rodenticide bait, may allow for additional seedling protection between trapping and forage green-up. Two integrated pest management (IPM) systems were tested in western Washington: treatment 1, baiting followed by trapping; and treatment 2, trapping followed by baiting. Using a cost effectiveness analysis we compared the costs of two different methods of mountain beaver management. In treatment 1, the units were baited and later trapped to remove remaining animals for a per acre cost of $42.47. In treatment 2, traps were placed in the units to remove mountain beaver, and then baits were placed in active areas for a per acre cost of $49.69. This indicates that the cost minimizing or efficient method of mountain beaver management was treatment 1. We found that seedling damage did not differ (P ¼ 0.61) between the treatments; however, overall activity based on fern monitoring demonstrated a greater overall reduction in activity on the treatment 2 plots. Retrapping efforts the year following planting demonstrated the ability of the species to reinvade units quickly. Treatment 1 units averaged 0.75–1.36 beavers/ha and treatment 2 units 0.36– 1.14 beavers/ha. Damage after 1 year remained similar between the treatments. Although higher in costs, fewer baits were placed on treatment 2 plots, since the population was reduced initially, than on treatment 1 plots. Treatment 2 may, therefore, be more socially acceptable because fewer baits are available in the environment with this treatment since the population is first reduced through trapping. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Fecal bile acid excretion and composition in response to changes in dietary wheat bran, fat and calcium in the rat

The effect and possible interactive influence of different dietary amounts of wheat bran, fat and calcium on the fecal excretion, concentration and composition of bile acids was studied in Fischer-344 rats. The fecal bile acids were analyzed using gas-liquid chromatography. Dietary wheat bran increased both total bile acid excretion and fecal weight without changes in fecal bile acid concentration. The proportion of fecal hyodeoxycholic acid decreased with increasing dietary fiber, whereas that of lithocholic and deoxycholic acids increased significantly with fiber intake. The percent content of fecal chenodeoxycholic acid did not change. Increasing dietary fat led to an increase in bile acid excretion without changes in either fecal weight or bile acid concentration. In contrast, the level of dietary calcium did not affect the total excretion of bile acids. However, since calcium increased the fecal weight, it consequently diluted bile acids and decreased their fecal concentration. Dietary fat and calcium had no influence on fecal bile acid composition. There were no interactive effects of wheat bran, fat and calcium on fecal bile acids. The finding in this study that dietary fiber, fat and calcium induce significant changes in fecal bile acids may be of relevance to the potential of bile acids to promote carcinogenesis.
Local liquid-solid mass transfer measurement in a trickle film flow model using an electrochemical technique

Abstract A two-dimensional trickle film flow model consisting of a vertical column of horizontal rods is used to provide the liquid-solid mass transfer characteristics of a gas-continuous and fully wetted film flow trickle bed reactor. Local and average liquid-solid mass transfer rates are determined with the limiting current technique. Local Sherwood number variation with angular position is measured for 400
Student athletes on facebook

Student athletes at U.S. universities are bound by rules affecting their participation in their sport and are highly visible to their fellow students and a larger public of fans. This difference makes them more likely than other students to be sensitive to issues of impression management and use of social network sites (SNSs). In this paper, we show how student athletes at a large university engage with the social network site Facebook compared with their fellow students, including differences in the size of their networks, reported uses of the site, and perceptions about their audience. This work shows that while student athletes have a higher anticipation of being watched, they have similar uses and concerns compared to other students.
The influence of stimulus bandwidth on localization of sound in space

The ability of listeners, deprived of prominent interaural time and intensity cues, to locate noise bands differing in width was investigated. To minimize binaural cues, we placed the sound source at various positions in the median sagittal plane. To eliminate binaural cues, we occluded one ear. The stimuli consisted of broadband noise and bands of noise centered at 8.0 kHz. The width of the latter ranged from 1.0 to 6.0 kHz. The results from seven listeners showed that localization proficiency for sounds in the median sagittal plane decreased with decreases in bandwidth for both binaural and monaural listening conditions. This function was less orderly for monaural localization of horizontally positioned sounds. Another consequence of a reduction in bandwidth was an increasing tendency of listeners to select certain loudspeakers over others as the source of the sound. A previous finding showing that localization of sound in the median sagittal plane is more accurate when listening binaurally rather than monaurally was confirmed.
Taxable Income and Firm Risk

We examine whether taxable income provides incremental information about firms’ operating risk. We develop taxable income-based measures that should be useful in assessing risk in a simple earnings predictability model. In our empirical tests these taxable income-based measures explain cross-sectional variation in the predictability and variability of future pre-tax financial performance. Further, these measures are associated with predictable variation in market-based measures of firm risk. Our findings shed light on how accounting information impacts investors’ assessment of firm risk as well as improving our understanding of the extent and nature of information contained in taxable income.
On Cover Graphs and Dependent Arcs in Acyclic Orientations

The present paper deals with two graph parameters related to cover graphs and acyclic orientations of graphs.The parameter $c(G)$ of a graph $G$, introduced by B. Bollobas, G. Brightwell and J. Nesetril [Order 3 245–255], is defined as the minimum number of edges one needs to delete from $G$ in order to obtain a cover graph. Extending their results, we prove that, for $\delta >0$, $(1-\delta) \frac{1}{l} \frac{n^2p}{2} \leq c({\mathcal G}_{n,p}) \leq (1+\delta) \frac{1}{l} \frac{n^2p}{2}$ asymptotically almost surely as long as $C n^{-1 + \frac{1}{l}} \leq p(n) \leq c n^{-1 + \frac{1}{ l-1} }$ for some positive constants $c$ and $C$. Here, as usual, ${\mathcal G}_{n,p}$ is the random graph.Given an acyclic orientation of a graph $G$, an arc is called dependent if its reversal creates an oriented cycle. Let $d_{\min}(G)$ be the minimum number of dependent arcs in any acyclic orientation of $G$. We determine the supremum, denoted by $r_{\chi,g}$, of $d_{\min}(G)/e(G)$ in the class of graphs $G$ with chromatic number $\chi$ and girth $g$. Namely, we show that $r_{\chi,g} = {(\scriptsize\begin{array}{@{}[email protected]{}}{\chi}-g+2\\ 2\end{array})} / {(\scriptsize\begin{array}{@{}[email protected]{}}{\chi}\\ 2\end{array})}$. This extends results of D. C. Fisher, K. Fraughnaugh, L. Langley and D. B. West [J. Combin. Theory Ser. B 71 73–78].
The Relationship between Cumulative Credits and Student Learning Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Information Literacy and Communication Skills.

This article relates the efforts of faculty at one community college to define standards for achievement of two SLOs (critical thinking and effective communication) and to gather and analyze evidence of how well students meet those standards. Faculty from 13 disciplines assessed writing samples from 265 students. We found that, in general, students with more credits outperformed those with fewer credits. However, many students at every level demonstrated poor information literacy skills, indicating an area for curriculum improvement.
Consistent relationships between sensory properties of savory snack foods and calories influence food intake in rats

Determine the influence of experience with consistent or inconsistent relationships between the sensory properties of snack foods and their caloric consequences on the control of food intake or body weight in rats. Rats received plain and BBQ flavored potato chips as a dietary supplement, along with ad lib rat chow. For some rats the potato chips were a consistent source of high fat and high calories (regular potato chips). For other rats, the chips provided high fat and high calories on some occasions (regular potato chips) and provided no digestible fat and fewer calories at other times (light potato chips manufactured with a fat substitute). Thus, animals in the first group were given experiences that the sensory properties of potato chips were strong predictors of high calories, while animals in the second group were given experiences that the sensory properties of potato chips were not predictors of high calories. Juvenile and adult male Sprague–Dawley rats. Following exposure to varying potato chip–calorie contingencies, intake of a novel, high-fat snack food and subsequent chow intake were assessed. Body weight gain and body composition as measured by DEXA were also measured. In juvenile animals, exposure to a consistent relationship between potato chips and calories resulted in reduced chow intake, both when no chips were provided and following consumption of a novel high-fat, high-calorie snack chip. Long-term experience with these contingencies did not affect body weight gain or body composition in juveniles. In adult rats, exposure to an inconsistent relationship between potato chips and calories resulted in increased consumption of a novel high-fat, high-calorie snack chip premeal along with impaired compensation for the calories contained in the premeal. Consumption of foods in which the sensory properties are poor predictors of caloric consequences may alter subsequent food intake.
Erosion and the Rejuvenation of Weathering-derived Nutrient Supply in an Old Tropical Landscape

Studies of long-term soil and ecosystem development on static geomorphic surfaces show that old soils become depleted in most rock-derived nutrients. As they are depleted, however, static surfaces also are dissected by fluvial erosion. This fluvial erosion leads to colluvial soil transport on the resulting slopes, which in turn can rejuvenate the supply of weathering-derived nutrients to plants. We evaluated the influence of erosion and consequent landscape evolution on nutrient availability along a slope on the Island of Kaua’i, near the oldest, most nutrient-depleted site on a substrate age gradient across the Hawaiian Islands. Noncrystalline minerals characteristic of younger Hawaiian soils increased from 3% of the soil on the static constructional surface at the top of the slope to 13% on the lower slope, and the fraction of soil phosphorus (P) that was occluded (and hence unavailable) decreased from 80% to 56% at midslope. Foliar nitrogen and P concentrations in Metrosideros polymorpha increased from 0.82% and 0.062% to 1.13% and 0.083% on the constructional surface and lower slope, respectively. The increase in foliar P over a horizontal difference of less than 250 m represents nearly half of the total variation in foliar P observed over 4.1 million years of soil and ecosystem development in Hawai’i. The fraction of foliar strontium (Sr) derived from weathering of Hawaiian basalt was determined using 87 Sr: 86 Sr; it increased from less than 6% on the constructional surface to 13% and 31% on lower slope and alluvial positions. Erosional processes increase both nutrient supply on this slope and the fine-scale biogeochemical diversity of this old tropical landscape; it could contribute to the relatively high level of species diversity observed on Kaua’i.
Pipelining techniques for IIR digital filters

Time-domain, z-domain, and frequency-sampling pipelining techniques are reviewed and compared. Particular emphasis is placed on introducing the concept of infinite impulse response (IIR) pipelining to those who are not aware of its uses and benefits. A fourth technique for pipelining IIR digital filters that does not suffer from the ills of pole-zero cancellation, as the previous techniques do, is introduced. This pipelining technique is based on designing the filter using constrained optimization such that the resulting filter is inherently pipelined. These filters demonstrate specific filter functions that can be realized in VLSI with a large reduction in hardware over the other pipelining techniques while performing equally well. >
International Competition Between Satellite and Fiber Optic Carriers: A Geographic Perspective*

International telecommunications traffic relies entirely on two modes of transmission, satellites and fiber optics, which exhibit considerable but not complete fungibility. This article explores the economic and geographic dimensions of these two industries in the context of the growing market in global data and telephony traffic. First, it summarizes the changing conditions that have accentuated competition between them, including deregulation, technological change, and globalization. Next, it examines the changing cost structures, transmission capacities, and traffic volumes for each technology in the critical transatlantic and transpacific markets. Throughout, it documents the steady encroachment by fiber optics firms that threatens the viability of commercial satellite operators, a challenge the latter hope to meet though the growth of the cellular telephone market.
Toll-like Receptor 4 Deficiency Promotes the Alternative Activation of Adipose Tissue Macrophages

Obesity is characterized by adipose tissue (AT) macrophage (ATM) accumulation, which promotes AT inflammation and dysfunction. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) deficiency attenuates AT inflammation in obesity but does not impede the accumulation of ATMs. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether TLR4 deficiency alters ATM polarization. TLR4−/− and wild-type mice were fed a low-fat, high-monounsaturated fat (HFMUFA), or a high-saturated fat (HFSFA) diet for 16 weeks. Further, we used a bone marrow transplant model to determine the influence of hematopoietic cell TLR4 signaling. The metabolic and inflammatory responses to high-fat feeding and ATM phenotype were assessed. Global and hematopoietic cell TLR4 deficiency, irrespective of recipient genotype, produced a shift in ATM phenotype toward an alternatively activated state, which was accompanied by reduced AT inflammation. Despite the observed shift in ATM phenotype, neither global nor hematopoietic cell TLR4 deficiency influenced systemic insulin sensitivity after high-fat feeding. Results of the current study suggest that TLR4 directly influences ATM polarization but question the relevance of TLR4 signaling to systemic glucose homeostasis in obesity.
Maintaining the Plexus SYNJ2BP as a Novel Regulator of Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis, a tightly regulated process of new blood vessel formation, is initiated when a select set of endothelial cells is stimulated to leave their quiescent state.1 These cells become hypermigratory and form sprouts that guide the direction of vascular network development.2 Formation of this ordered network depends on a regulated differentiation of the endothelial cells in which only specific endothelial cells can become sprouts. The consequence of dysregulation would be a failure to develop a cohesive vascular network. Examples of this can be seen in vascular diseases, such as CADASIL, and in tumor growth.3,4 Article, see p 1206 The vascular network forms when endothelial sprouts develop at the leading edge of the angiogenic front. These leading sprouts are known as the tip cells, characterized by filopodial expansions, which guide growth toward proangiogenic signals. Behind them are the stalk cells that provide a supporting network through proliferation and lumen formation. A critical component of angiogenesis is the maintenance of a proper balance between the number of tip and stalk cells. The endothelial tip–stalk gradient is established when vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is sensed by the endothelium.5 Higher expression levels of VEGFR2/3 are found in tip cells, making them more responsive to VEGF stimulation and triggering the upregulation of the Notch ligand, Delta-like 4 (DLL4). The DLL4 produced by the tip cell signals to Notch …
Error correction scheme for telephone line transmission of RELP vocoder

This paper presents a scheme for encoding the output bits of an 8500 bps residual excited linear predictive coder (RELPC), in which the quality of the synthesized speech is more sensitive to errors in certain bits. Fifty-two of the 272 bits in a 32 ms voice frame were identified as most critical and in need of protection. A Burst-trapping code, using a (21,14) Single Error Correcting Double Error Detecting shortened Cyclic Hamming code as the basic block code was constructed. The code was selected with due consideration to computational load, delay in decoding and total bit rate requirement of less than 9.6 kbs. The paper also describes a Markov model for the decoding process and then determines the improvement in quality resulting from the use of the above scheme. In particular a bit error rate of 5 × 103is reduced to 3 × 106and a burst error rate of 5 × 104is reduced to 6.8 × 105. Some of the effects of errors on auditory perception which appear counter intuitive are briefly discussed.
Getting back to the basics of survey research

Because surveys now can be implemented with relative ease and little cost, many researchers are overlooking the basic principles of survey research. This chapter discusses sources of error that researchers should consider when conducting a survey, and gives readers basic suggestions for reducing error.
Growth performance of Hubbard × Cobb 500 and Ross × Ross 708 male broilers fed diets varying in apparent metabolizable energy from 14 to 28 days of age

SUMMARY The cost of energy-contributing ingredients has increased over the last several years. Defining minimum dietary energy specifications for broilers is a strategy to mitigate high diet cost. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of diets with graded concentrations of AMEn fed to Hubbard × Cobb 500 (experiment 1) and Ross × Ross 708 (experiment 2) male broiler chicks from 14 to 28 d of age. Both experiments were identical in experimental procedures with the exception of genetic strain. Broilers were fed a common corn-soybean meal-based starter diet from 1 to 13 d of age. At 14 d of age, dietary treatments were provided with 1 of 6 concentrations of AMEn (3,000, 3,030, 3,060, 3,090, 3,120, and 3,150 kcal/kg). In experiment 1, BW gain, feed intake, and FCR of Hubbard × Cobb 500 broilers decreased linearly with increasing AMEn. Linear broken-line response of FCR was estimated at 3,062 kcal of AMEn/kg based on broken-line methodology. In experiment 2, Ross × Ross 708 broilers did not respond to graded concentrations of energy, as indicated by linear and quadratic regression of BW gain, feed intake, caloric conversion, and FCR data. Therefore, Hubbard × Cobb 500 male broilers respond to AMEn from 14 to 28 d of age and may be fed diets formulated at 3,062 kcal of AMEn/kg without loss of performance. Conversely, growth performance of Ross × Ross 708 male broilers was not affected by varying AMEn (3,000 to 3,150 kcal/kg) from 14 to 28 d of age. In addition, the response to AMEn may not be as pronounced with the modern broiler compared with broilers used in previous research.
A cross-sectional study on health and physical functioning in relation to coping strategies among community-dwelling, ethnically diverse older women

Although empirical evidence is available on the coping-health link in older age, research on this topic is needed with non-clinical samples of ethnically diverse older women. To contribute to filling such a research gap, we tested whether these women's general health and functional limitations were associated with specific coping strategies (selected for their particular relevance to health issues) and with known health-related demographics, i.e., age, ethnicity, income, and married status. In this cross-sectional study, respondents were recruited at community facilities including stores and senior centers. The sample consisted of 180 community-dwelling women (age 52-98) screened for dementia; 64% of them reported having an ethnic minority status. The assessment battery contained the Mini-Cog, a demographics list, the Brief COPE, and the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that older women who used behavioral disengagement and, to a smaller degree, self-distraction as a form of coping reported lower levels of general health. The opposite was the case for positive reframing and, to a lesser degree, substance use. Moreover, lower income was related to worse general health and (together with more advanced age) physical functioning. None of the coping strategies achieved significance in the physical functioning model. These cross-sectional findings need corroboration by longitudinal research prior to developing related clinical interventions. Based on the initial evidence provided herein, clinicians working with this population should consider establishing the therapeutic goal of increasing the use of positive reframing while diminishing behavioral disengagement.
Enhanced Smooth Muscle Cell Coverage of Microvessels Exposed to Increased Hemodynamic Stresses In Vivo

During vascular remodeling in adult organisms, new capillary growth is often coupled with the adaptation of arterioles and venules, a process that requires the recruitment and differentiation of precursor cells into smooth muscle. We studied the in vivo adaptation of microvessels in the presence of elevated pressure and circumferential wall stress using a ligation strategy for mesenteric microvascular networks. Acute pressure increases of 42.6±18% and 17.1±2.3% were respectively elicited in the 25- to 30-μm-diameter venules and arterioles supplying the networks. Wall shear rates were not significantly changed; however, diameters were increased in >10-μm-diameter venules and >20-μm-diameter arterioles. Smooth muscle cell contractile phenotype was determined in all microvessels by observing the expression of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SM-MHC; a marker of fully differentiated smooth muscle) and smooth muscle α-actin (a marker for all smooth muscle, including immature smooth muscle of fibroblast/pericy...
Stop Chug-a-Lug-a-Lugin 5 Miles an Hour on Your International Harvester: How Modern Economics Brings the FTC's Unfairness Analysis Up to Speed with Digital Platforms

In this Essay, the authors argue that in cases involving digital platforms, the Federal Trade Commission — when alleging unfair acts or practices in violation of section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act — must adopt the insights from platform economics and apply them within the legal framework of section 5(n), as informed by the Commission’s Policy Statement on Unfairness. After outlining the development and rise of digital platforms and discussing of the importance of digital platforms to consumers and the marketplace, this Essay sets forth a brief overview of the basic economics of multisided platform markets and points out the key differences between these markets and traditional markets as well as their corresponding implications for consumer welfare. The Essay then describes the evolution of the Commission’s unfairness authority in consumer protection cases — including the statutory requirement that the agency conduct cost-benefit analysis — and examines how the Commission has performed such cost-benefit analyses in recent cases. The Essay critiques the Commission’s decision in the recent Apple case as an example of the potential pitfalls for consumer protection in multisided markets when the Commission conducts a cost-benefit analysis without arming itself with the basic economic insights from platform economics. Untethered from the appropriate economic framework, the Commission’s logic allows it to condemn product design decisions whenever it can imagine an alternative design it believes survives a cost-benefit test. As the number of consumer protection cases involving digital platforms inevitably rise, the authors recommend that the Commission instead apply insights from platform economics within the well-established legal framework of section 5(n) and the FTC Policy Statement on Unfairness.
Localization of GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH) mRNA in the rat brain by in situ hybridization.

GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH) is the first and rate-limiting enzyme in the tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) biosynthetic pathway. BH4 is the essential cofactor for the pterin-dependent monooxygenases which include tyrosine and tryptophan hydroxylase, enzymes that are rate limiting in the biosynthesis of catecholamines and indolamines. BH4 is also required as a cofactor for the family of nitric oxide synthases1,2. We have obtained a clone for GTPCH based on the recently published full-length cDNA encoding GTPCH from rat liver3,4. The in situ hybridization technique was used to study the cellular localization and the relative levels of expression of GTPCH mRNA in the rat brain.
Thickness Dependence of Electroluminescence in a-Si:H P-I-N Devices

Electroluminescence studies in a-Si:H p-i-n devices have been made as a function of i-layer thickness (0.4–10 μm), temperature (80 −300 K) and applied electric field (2×l03 - 1×105 V/cm field across the i-layer). In particular, the spectral emission and lifetime distributions have been determined. With increasing temperature, there is a shift toward defect luminescence (0.9 eV) in all samples as found in photoluminescence. However, thicker samples (> 2.0 μm) show significantly more main band emission (1.2 eV) than thin samples. This trend is particularly true at higher applied voltages. Further, in thin samples, the lifetime distribution peaks at 10−6 sec in whole temperature range while in thick samples at lower temperature (< 250 K) the lifetime distribution is double peaked at 10−6 sec and at 10−3 sec.
Practical Approaches to the Diagnosis of Unexplained Chest Pain

Chest pain is a frequent medical problem causing concern for both patients and physicians. A multidisciplinary meeting recently developed algorithms for evaluating these patients in the two most common scenarios for the presentation of chest pain: (1) new onset of chest pain in the primary care setting, and (2) recurrent chest pain in the the referral setting. In both situations, the primary care physician, rather than specialists, should direct the evaluation and treatment of patients with chest pain and normal coronary angiograms.
Concentration of elongation factor 2 in rat skeletal muscle during protein depletion and re-feeding (Short Communication)

Rat skeletal-muscle elongation factor 2 was assayed by causing it to react with NAD+ by using fragment A of diphtheria toxin as the catalyst. Dietary protein restriction decreased the concentration of elongation factor 2 in homogenates of whole muscle. These decreases paralleled a decline in muscle RNA so that the number of molecules of elongation factor 2 per ribosome appeared to be independent of the diet. We conclude that elongation factor 2 is probably not the factor limiting the rate of muscle protein synthesis and is not responsible for the fall in the protein-synthetic rate in vivo observed in the muscles of animals whose dietary protein intake is inadequate.
Research and Application of Sweet Protein

Sweet protein as a natural sweetener has drawn increasing attention. The basic characteristics and research status of seven sweet proteins are summarized,and the application progresses of sweet protein in the country and abroad are also discussed.
Molecularly Targeted Therapies for Astrocytomas

Astrocytomas constitute the largest group of central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms during childhood, and incorporate tumors with diverse histological features and biological characteristics (Pollack 1994). Whereas patients with superficial low-grade gliomas are often cured with surgery alone, patients with deep-seated or malignant gliomas continue to have a suboptimal prognosis, despite recent improvements in surgery and adjuvant therapy. The prognosis remains particularly grim for patients with malignant gliomas, such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and anaplastic astrocytoma, which generally lead to death within several years after diagnosis (Finlay et al. 1995). The poor response of these tumors to conventional therapies reflects a resistance of malignant glioma cells to undergo apoptosis in response to DNA damage, which may result from mutations of tumor suppressor and cell cycle control genes and aberrant activation of growth and survival signaling pathways. Although molecular pathways leading to tumorigenesis have been clearly established for adult malignant gliomas (Louis 1997), the involvement of such pathways in pediatric glial neoplasia remains inferential. For example, because in adult gliomas, platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been observed to play important roles in tumor proliferation, and have therefore constituted logical targets for molecularly targeted therapies, such approaches have concurrently been explored in pediatric gliomas. This chapter reviews the molecular features of childhood gliomas associated with disease progression and prognosis, and discusses recent molecularly targeted therapeutic strategies.
Nonlinear Observer Design in the Siegel Domain Through Coordinate Changes 1

Abstract We extend the method of Kazantzis and Kravaris (Kazantzis and Kravaris, 1998) for the design of an observer to a larger class of nonlinear systems. The extended method is applicable to any real analytic observable nonlinear system. It is based on the solution of a first-order nonlinear PDE. This solution yields a change of state coordinates which linearizes the error dynamics. Under very general conditions, the existence and uniqueness of the solution is proved. Siegel's theorem is obtained as a corollary. The technique is constructive and yields a method for constructing approximate solutions.
A SNP-based association analysis for plant growth habit in worldwide cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) Germplasm

Cowpea is a legume widely grown in Africa, North, Central and South America, and Asia. The cowpea plant growth habits consist of erect, semi-prostrate, and prostrate types. Developing a cultivar while considering plant growth habit is essential within a breeding program since the need for a particular growth habit is region-specific, and significantly depends on the end user preference. Some cowpea growers might prefer erect types over semi-prostrate and prostrate types, while others would chose prostrate types, which provide more leaves for feed supplies to livestock. However, very little is known regarding the genetics of plant growth habit in cowpea to assist plant breeders in developing suitable cowpea cultivars having the desired growth habit plus the other required features. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to conduct an association mapping for cowpea growth habit, and to identify SNP markers associated with this trait. A total of 487 cowpea genotypes were evaluated for growth habit and a total of 1031 SNPs postulated from genotyping-by-sequencing to conduct association analysis study for cowpea growth habit. Our results showed that: (1) significant differences in cowpea growth habit were identified between countries, (2) the cowpea erect-type was prevalent, and (3) ten SNP markers, C35060651_729, C35061339_799, C35062457_1855, C35072764_1384, C35080248_2355, Scaffold2771_4351, Scaffold29522_3213, Scaffold35913_2678, Scaffold53560_188, and Scaffold58098_4297, were significantly associated with cowpea growth habit. These results could be used for enhancing marker-assisted selection (MAS) in breeding programs aimed at developing cowpea cultivars having a particular growth habit.
Immediate and complete restoration of peripheral nerve function after injury is attainable by a combination of surgical and chemical interventions.

Abstract Despite significant advances in almost every other aspect of medicine, physicians are still unable to restore function after nerve injury with any consistency or reliability. The current standard of care (which involves coaptation of the two ends via epineurial sutures) is largely unchanged from its first description over 400 years ago, and unfortunately leads to a recovery that is at best slow (taking months or years) and partial. Encouragingly, two new conceptual approaches are being developed that separately have been shown to improve outcomes. The first approach involves optimization of the mechanical aspects of nerve coaptation (with an emphasis on exceedingly “clean cuts” of the axon ends and moving any suture material far away from the coaptation site). The second approach involves manipulation of the chemical composition of the local environment at the cut ends of the nerve in order to promote re-establishment of membranous continuity. Though neither approach currently leads to results that reach those of uninjured controls, there is reason to believe that these two approaches can be used concurrently. Thus, we hypothesize that immediate and complete restoration of peripheral nerve function after injury is attainable by a combination of surgical and chemical interventions. The combination could be tested in rodents and non-human primates by assessing histology, electrical activity, intracellular diffusion, and functional status and could likely rapidly move to a clinical trial in humans. If the hypothesis is proven to be true, its impact would be profound, as it would positively affect not only recovery after traumatic nerve injury, but also functional status after allotransplantation, as well as introduce the prospects of advanced interfaces between human nerves and computer circuits.
Threshold scaling of near-zero power micromechanical photoswitches using bias voltage

This paper reports on the first experimental demonstration of threshold scaling of near-zero standby power micromechanical photoswitches with bias voltage. By leveraging electrostatic actuation, we show that the infrared (IR) power detection threshold of a plasmonically-enhanced micromechanical photoswitch (PMP) can be improved by over one order of magnitude (from ∼1.3 μW to ∼76 nW) while maintaining near-zero power consumption in standby. Such an improvement of threshold directly translates to an over 4 times increased detection range when the PMP is used for standoff detection of hot exhaust plume. Furthermore, the demonstrated technique also enables postfabrication trimming of the device contact gap for achieving desired threshold, which is particularly useful for adapting the device to detect changing IR radiation. The unprecedented combination of near-zero standby power consumption and ultralow threshold of our PMP technology paves the way for the development of unattended IR sensor nodes with dramatically extended lifetime and detection range.
Nonvolatile Lookup Table Design Based on Ferroelectric Field-Effect Transistors

As a nonvolatile (NV) device, ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs) have the potential to reduced power and area by integrating NV storage elements into logic. In this paper, we exploit FeFET nonvolatility to design lookup tables (LUTs), which have obvious utility in field-programmable gate arrays, etc. With nonvolatility, a single FeFET can be used as a storage cell in an LUT, which can help reduce both power and area. We design both static and dynamic logic style LUTs. Read and write schemes are also designed for the proposed LUTs. Evaluation results show that our LUTs outperform both conventional static random-access memory based LUTs as well as other NV LUTs in term of area-power-delay product.
Quality and Price Effects on Technology Adoption

We study the adoption patterns of two competing technologies as well as the effectiveness and optimality of viral pricing strategies. Our model considers two incompatible technologies of differing quality and a market in which valuations are heterogeneous and subject to externalities. We provide partial characterization results about the structure and robustness of equilibria and give conditions under which a technology purveyor can gains in market share. We show that myopic best-response dynamics are monotonic and convergent, and propose two pricing mechanisms using this insight to help a technology seller tip the market in its favor. In particular, we show that non-discriminatory pricing is less costly and just as effective as a discriminatory policy. Finally, we study endogenous pricing using simulations and now find, in contrast to our analytical results with exogenous prices, that a higher quality technology consistently holds a competitive advantage over the lower quality competitor, irrespective of its market share.
TIME-OUT PUNISHMENT OF LONG PAUSES ON FIXED-RATIO SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Although pre-ratio pausing is a characteristic feature of fixed ratio (FR) schedules of reinforcement, pausing reduces the rate at which reinforcement is earned. To determine whether FR pausing can be altered, 7 rats were studied with procedures in which long pauses were punished with time-out from reinforcement. A general finding was that pausing is modifiable. However, tendencies to pause were highly resistant to change, and for some animals under some conditions efforts to reduce pausing were unsuccessful. Moreover, despite the fact that reduced pausing was accompanied by increased reinforcement rates, long pauses resumed when the punishment contingency was removed. Two sets of factors were proposed as contributors to these mixed results: the relatively small gain in reinforcement rates that accompanied reduced pausing, and the possible status of pre-ratio pausing as a form of elicited, rather than operant, behavior. The pattern of responding on fixed-ratio (FR) schedules of reinforcement consists of two phases. The first phase, the pre-ratio pause (Griffiths & Thompson, 1973), is a period of nonresponding at the beginning of the ratio. The second phase, the response run, is a period of steady, rapid responding terminating with the delivery of the upcoming reinforcer. Although this pattern has been observed with a wide range of procedures and species (Mazur, 1998), the pause that precedes the response run is not only unnecessary, but actually reduces the rate at
Enhanced Flow Boiling of HFE 7000 by Chaotic Mixers in Microchannels

Improving mixing is an effective method to enhance flow boiling in microchannels. However, it is challenging to induce since the flow in microchannels is laminar under typical operating conditions. We report that flow boiling of 1-methoxyheptafluoropropane (HFE 7000) in a parallel microchannel array was significantly enhanced by chaotic mixers patterned on the bottom walls. The microchannel array consists of five parallel channels (height, width, length: 250 μm × 220 μm × 10 mm). The chaotic mixers consist of seven cycles with 12 staggered herringbone grooves (50 μm depth and width with 90° between two asymmetric arms) in each cycle. Its asymmetry is defined by the off center position of the apex of the herringbone groove. Compared with a smooth-wall microchannel array with identical channel dimensions, heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux of flow boiling on HFE 7000 were enhanced up to 45 % and 61 % using chaotic mixer pairs in microchannels. Mass fluxes range from 1000 to 2200 kg/m2-s and wall heat fluxes from 10 to 198 W/cm2.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Effects of insect body size on tracheal structure and function.

Fossilized insect specimens from the late Paleozoic Era (approximately 250 million years ago) were significantly larger than related extant species. Geologic estimates suggest that atmospheric oxygen in the late Paleozoic Era was 35%. These findings have led to a prominent hypothesis that insect body size may be limited by oxygen delivery. Empirical evidence from developing Schistocerca americana grasshopper experiments suggests that larger/older animals are not more sensitive. Larger/older S. americana grasshoppers have a greater tidal volume at rest in hypoxia as compared to smaller animals. During jumping, larger S. americana grasshoppers have increased fatigue rates but the jumping muscle also consumes significantly more oxygen than smaller animals, suggesting that the tracheal system does not limit oxygen delivery. Larger/older grasshoppers were also found to have more tracheoles in their jumping muscle to promote increased diffusive oxygen delivery. Using real time x-ray synchrotron phase-contrast analysis, we have found that larger/older grasshoppers also have a greater proportional volume of abdominal tracheae and air sacs per body mass than smaller/younger grasshoppers to enhance convective oxygen delivery. To better understand if internal PO2 changes may be related to the increase in tracheal structure of larger/older grasshoppers, we have begun to use electron paramagnetic resonance to measure internal PO2 in the femoral hemolymph at rest and recovery during jumping. We have demonstrated that the femoral oxygen stores are signifi- cantly depleted during the on-set of jumping in adult S. americana grasshoppers. If larger S. americana grasshoppers have proportionally more respiratory structures throughout their body to help maintain their internal PO2, the greater relative amount of body mass dedicated to respiratory structures may inhibit overall insect body size by reducing the amount of energy or space dedicated to other tissues. However, future interspecific studies are needed to better separate the effects of development and body size per se on the insect tracheal system.
APPLICATIONS OF LIKELIHOOD RATIO ORDER IN BAYESIAN INFERENCES

The present paper studies the likelihood ratio order of posterior distributions of parameter when the same order exists between the corresponding prior of the parameter, or when the observed values of the sufficient statistic for the parameter differ. The established likelihood order allows one to compare the Bayesian estimators associated with many common and general error loss functions analytically. It can also enable one to compare the Bayes factor in hypothesis testing without using numerical computation. Moreover, using the likelihood ratio (LR) order of the posterior distributions can yield the LR order between marginal predictive distributions, and posterior predictive distributions.
Assessment of executive function in bilingual adults with history of mild traumatic brain injury

Background and objective:Adults with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) often show deficits in executive function (EF), including the ability to inhibit, switch, and attend to task relevant information. Although performances differences between bilinguals and monolinguals have been observed in EF tasks, there is little research on the effect of TBI on EF in bilinguals. In this study, an ecologically valid standardized measure and experimental computerized tasks of EF were administered to Spanish-English bilingual adults with and without history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).Method:Twenty-two bilinguals with a history of mTBI [mean age=20.1 years, SD=3.7; education=13.4 years, SD=0.7] and 20 control bilinguals [mean age=20.8 years, SD=3.6; education=13.7 years, SD=1.1], matched for age and education, completed language proficiency questionnaires, the Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES), English and Spanish language assessments, and a Flanker task (a test of inhibition).Results:Performance was analyzed using analyses of covariance. The results revealed that bilinguals with a history of mTBI performed worse on both the standardized assessment (FAVRES) and inhibition task. Interestingly, self-reported EF deficits were consistent with performance on these measures.Conclusion:The findings of this study provide useful information regarding assessment of EF deficits in bilinguals with a history mTBI. Computerized experimental tasks of EF may also prove useful in the assessment of EF in individuals with mTBI.