cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Four-year study of controlled timed breeding of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

As part of the timed breeding colony at Tulane National Primate Research Center, exogenous progesterone administration (5 mg/day for 10 days) has been used to select conception dates by inducing artificial luteal phases in female rhesus monkeys. A retrospective analysis of data obtained during four breeding seasons (1998-2001) revealed that conceptions occurred an average of 18 days after the last administration of progesterone. The age of the female to be bred, previous pregnancy history, and timing of breeding during the breeding season were determined to be critical factors in the success of the procedure. The benefit of this method of timed breeding is that it does not require tracking of menstrual cycles, which can be labor-intensive and requires that animals be monitored several months in advance of breeding to determine each female's individual cycle length. It also provided an efficient use of breeding-age males.
Laser Plasma Production Of Amorphic Diamond Films

ABSTRACT Reported here is the use of a unique laser plasma source able to deposit thin films of amorphic diamond at practical rates of growth. The beam from apulsed Nd:Yag Laser is focused at very high power densities of 1012 W /cm2 ontographite feedstock in an ultrahigh vacuum environment. The resulting plasma ejects carbon ions able to migrate to the plane of deposition. In this way diamond -like coatings have been applied to silicon, gold, germanium, glass, copper, InAs, and plastic. On these substrates electrical resistivity is highand the materials seem to fall into the same class of "dehydrogenated" materialsas are traditionally produced by the ion beam methods. However, growth rates are much higher with this laser plasma source, routinely reaching 0.5 pm/hr. No seeding or heating of the substrate is needed and substrate temperatures seem toremain at ambient room values during processing. 1. INTRODUCTIONGeneral interest in diamond -like carbon (DLC) films is motivated by theirunique combinations of physical hardness, electrical strength, high thermalconductivity and optical transparency. In the U.S., studies have been recentlyaccelerated by prospects of commercial application for optics and semiconductors.Films have been demonstrated which can display most of the properties of diamond,but they inevitably develop as composites containing polycrystalline diamond in aplastic matrix of hydrocarbon material known as diamond -like carbon (DLC).Usually prepared by one of several variants of the technology for chemicalvapor deposition (CVD), the careful tuning of the process variables generallysucceeds in reducing the residue of plastic to a few percent when expressed as anaverage fraction of hydrogen in the finished film. Unfortunately, this highlydetrimental component
What to do with acute atrial fibrillation

Acute atrial fibrillation is a commonly encountered medical problem for cardiovascular practitioners. Increasing information has been aggregated in recent years on the incidence of the problem (common), its associated comorbid conditions (many and serious), and its outcomes.The risk of death, stroke, and heart failure are substantially elevated in general in patients with atrial fibrillation, although the risk of each negative outcome depends highly on other patient characteristics. The October 1998 issue of the Journal (1998;136:63242) contained an interesting study concerning an important new therapeutic opportunity for this problem.1 Ibutilide is a type III antiarrhythmic agent developed as an acute pharmacologic approach to terminating atrial fibrillation and flutter. It is touted to be different from other class III agents because of its agonism of slow inward sodium channel currents. This study, reported by Abi-Mansour et al,1 included patients with atrial fibrillation or flutter sustained for more than 3 hours but less than 90 days and preferentially enrolled women to achieve a 40% representation. Patients with prolonged QTc interval; hemodynamic instability; myocardial infarction within 30 days; or significant endocrine, metabolic, or psychiatric problems were excluded.Two hundred sixty-two patients were entered into the study; 12 were excluded for administrative reasons. Of the remaining 250, approximately 20% were randomly assigned to placebo and the rest were treated with ibutilide.The abnormal rhythm terminated during the infusion in 34.9% of ibutilide-treated patients with a doubling of response rate in atrial flutter compared with atrial fibrillation.The price paid for this benefit was 16 serious medical events in the ibutilide group compared with none in the placebo group.Among these events were 9 episodes of ventricular arrhythmia— including 6 episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia—2 strokes, 1 cardiac arrest, and 1 episode of pulmonary edema.
Menhaden Utilization in Relation to the Conservation of Food and Game Fishes of the Texas Gulf Coast

Abstract Purse seining for menhaden off the Texas Gulf coast is unlawful because it is believed that such seining would take large numbers of game and food fish and reduce the forage-fish population. Out of 2,500,000 menhaden taken in 17 purse-seine hauls in Louisiana waters over a 2-month period, 208 game and food fish comprising 12 species were caught. Stomach analyses were made on 5,946 fish of 34 species caught June 7 to August 31, 1948. They represented all the important game and food fish on the Texas coast. Menhaden were found in 165 stomachs with a frequency of 2.8 percent. Only 11 of the 34 species had eaten menhaden and in these the frequency of occurrence never exceeded 10.0 percent. The frequency of food items in the diet of these fishes was shrimp 61.8 percent, fishes exclusive of the menhaden 34.2 percent, crabs 12.0 percent, squids 4.0 percent, and miscellaneous invertebrates 4.4 percent. Menhaden and mullets appear to be the most used species of forage fish, but since these fishes are iden...
Transformation of Highly Purified Avian Progesterone Receptor

Transformation of the avian progesterone receptor to the nuclear form was studied using highly purified receptor preparations. The progesterone receptor was purified to near homogeneity in the presence of 10 tnM sodium molybdate by affinity chromatography on deoxycorticosterone-Sepharose followed by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. This latter step resolved the receptor into two 8S forms, I and II. Receptor transformation was measured by the binding of receptor to the polyanion resins (DNA-cellulose, phosphocellulose, or ATPSepharose) and to isolated nuclei and by the change in sedimentation coefficient from 8S to 4S. Molybdate was removed from the purified receptor preparations by agarose gel filtration. This step resulted in transformation of a major portion of receptor, as indicated by the above criteria. The extent of transformation was enhanced slightly by further incubation of the receptor in 0.2 M KC1. Control samples, which contained 10 mM molybdate, remained nontransformed, as tested by sedimentatio...
SUN WORSHIPPING IN PENNSYLVANIA.

THE PENNSYLVANIA State Department of Health for the past five years has been engaged in an unusual experiment in human conservation. Situated respectively on the tops of the Blue Ridge and the Alleghenies are two state sanatoria for the treatment of tuberculosis. While these have actively functioned for many years, being the largest institutions of their kind in the United States, it has only been within the last half decade that the modern application of heliotherapy to hundreds of children has been accomplished. Inspired by the remarkable results of Rollier, in Leysin, Switzerland, Dr. William G. Turnbull, now Deputy Secretary of Health, but in 1919 Medical Director of the Cresson Sanatorium, at that time first introduced the sun-bath treatment. Ever since, Pennsylvania has been unostentatiously proceeding with this therapy. In all, approximately two thousand children have been its direct beneficiaries. While the climatic conditions (so unlike those of the High Alps) do not admit of an all-year application of the direct sun-bath, the method, however, is con-
Measurement of biodegradability parameters for single unsubstituted and methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in liquid bacterial suspensions.

Substrate depletion experiments were conducted to characterize aerobic biodegradation of 20 single polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by induced Sphingomonas paucimobilis strain EPA505 in liquid suspensions. PAHs consisted of low molecular weight, unsubstituted, and methyl-substituted homologs. A material balance equation containing the Andrews kinetic model, an extension of the Monod model accounting for substrate inhibition, was numerically fitted to batch depletion data to estimate extant kinetic parameters including the maximal specific uptake rates, qmax, the affinity coefficients, KS, and the substrate inhibition coefficients, KI. Strain EPA505 degraded all PAHs tested. Applied kinetic models adequately simulated experimental data. A cell proliferation assay involving reduction of the tetrazolium dye WST-1 was used to evaluate the ability of strain EPA505 to utilize individual PAHs as sole energy and carbon sources. Of the 22 PAHs tested, 9 supported bacterial growth. Evaluation of the biokinetic data showed that qmax correlated highly with transmembrane flux as theoretically estimated by a diffusion model, pointing to transmembrane transport as a potential rate-determining process. The biodegradability data generated in this study is essential for the development of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) for biodegradability and for modeling biodegradation of simple PAH mixtures. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;97: 922–932. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Experimental and modeled results describing the adsorption of acetone and benzene onto activated carbon fibers

Activated carbon fibers (ACF) were used to adsorb ppmv concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from laboratory generated gas streams. VOCs considered were benzene and acetone because the VOCs are commonly found in indoor air and have potential to increase health risks to humans. ACF were used as the adsorbent because they typically exhibit higher adsorption capacities and faster adsorption kinetics than commercially available granular activated carbons (GAC) and show potential as an adsorbent to effectively remove VOCs from indoor air. Adsorption models by Dubinin and coworkers (Dubinin, 1975), based on the theory of volume filling of micropores, and an empirical model by Freudlich were used to fit the measured adsorption isotherms. Agreement between the modeled and experimental results for acetone and benzene using the Dubinin-Radushkevich equation generally improved with increasing BET surface area and produced reasonable fits of the adsorption isotherms for both acetone and benzene. The Freundlich equation produced values for correlation coefficients (R) between modeled and experimental data from -.980 to 0.997, indicating the validity of using the Freundlich equation to model the adsorption isotherms over the concentration range of interest. These results indicate that ACF show potential as an adsorbent for removing low concentrations of VOCsmore » from indoor air. 14 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs.« less
Critical Temperature for the Onset of Spacecraft Charging, The Full Story

Abstract : The onset of spacecraft charging at geosynchronous altitudes occurs at a critical value of the space plasma electron temperature for a given spacecraft surface. Observations on LANL satellites show that the onset of charging occurs at a critical temperature in almost every charging event, no matter which satellite, which year and which month. The critical temperature values remain the same no matter in eclipse or sunlight. The satellite observations have confirmed the existence of critical temperature and the order of magnitude of the temperature values. Surface properties in space and in the laboratory are uncertain.
Laser REMPI Triggering of an Air Spark Gap with Nanosecond Jitter

A laser-triggering scheme for air spark gap switches was conceived and investigated for its potential to reduce shot-to-short time jitter. The scheme utilizes a pulsed ultraviolet laser of relatively low energy to generate resonant enhanced multi-photon ionization (REMPI) within the atmospheric air medium of the spark gap switch. With an applied voltage below the self-breakdown level, the laser-induced pre-ionization initiated avalanche breakdown within the gap and the subsequent triggering of the switch. This laser induced pre-ionization process relied solely on gas phase ionization and not surface effects, since the laser does not strike either electrode. This triggering scheme produced sub-nanosecond jitter with low enough laser power that it could be transmitted through fiber optics, which would be advantageous for multi-switch triggering of a high current pulse. The laser pre-ionization effects of space charge, electric field distribution, and active species within the gap were analyzed for their role in driving electron multiplication leading to avalanche breakdown below the self-breakdown voltage. Experimental results will be presented, including arc timing and statistical jitter measurements, as well as optical images and spectral analysis of the arc emission.
Process Evaluation of Practice-based Diabetes Prevention Programs What Are the Implementation Challenges?

PurposeThe purpose of this report is to describe lessons learned about the feasibility of recruitment and implementation of low-income adults with prediabetes in primary care clinics into diabetes prevention programs.MethodsMixed methods process evaluation of a pragmatic 2-group pilot comparative effectiveness study of a community-developed Healthy Living Program (HLP) and a Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) with 58 adults.ResultsOf the total (n = 1215) assessed for eligibility, 7% (n = 92) were randomized, 58 completed the baseline assessment, and 31 completed the intervention. The process evaluation identified difficulty in systematically screening potentially eligible patients. There were several logistic and staffing challenges with program planning and initial start-up.ConclusionsAddressing challenges to feasibility is required for successful translation of evidence-based programs to clinical settings.
Development and Implementation of a Curriculum Infusion Plan for Alcohol Abuse Education in a College Population.

BackgroundCollege binge drinking continues to be a pervasive issue across campuses nationwide. Though curriculum infusion (CI) has been shown to be an effective strategy to reduce students' negative consequences related to alcohol, information about the process is limited.PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the content and process of CI and to identify elements necessary for successful implementation of CI to strengthen interventions.MethodsThe development of CI in this study occurred in multiple stages: recruitment of faculty, discussions about the process and how the instructor wished to use CI in their course, development of the curriculum and materials, faculty review of curriculum, expert panel review of curriculum, observation of implemented curriculum, and interviews with participating instructors (n = 4).ResultsA thematic qualitative data analysis revealed the following themes: student response to CI, courses suitable for using CI to address alcohol abuse, people involved in CI initiati...
Power quality assessment of distributed generator grounding method

The objective of this project was to assess the specific transformer grounding and connection methods that are used at the subject utility for distributed generators (DGs) and provide a risk assessment in terms of potential impact, ways to minimize the impact, and site specific screening criteria for additional protection that may be required for DG interconnection. The utility has standardized on a grounded wye-grounded wye transformer connection for customers connected to their distribution system. When a backup generator exists in the customer's facility that could be paralleled with the utility system, a contactor is installed on the neutral to ground connection on the generator. This contactor is opened at any time that the generator is paralleled. The utility is considering remotely dispatching these distributed generation assets in times of peak load in the future. This will require the generators to run paralleled for extended periods of time. Grounding practices for auxiliary generators were evaluated, and simulations of both steady-state and fault conditions were conducted. The most critical factors were found to be assuring that the generator ground switch was closed during islanding and that the overvoltage protection operates correctly to isolate the generator during fault conditions. Recommendations for overvoltage protection and testing were developed based upon the results.
Cell cycle dependence of epidermal growth factor induced radiosensitization

Abstract The effect of epidermal growth factor on the radiation response of two human squamous carcinoma cell lines, A431 (from vulva) and SlHa (from cervix), was examined. In both lines, cells in S phase were more radioresistant than cells in other cell cycle phases. Epidermal growth factor present after irradiation enhanced the radiation response of A431 cells in different cell cycle phases, whereas no effect was seen for SiHa cells. The enhancement was maximum with 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor and was associated mainly with a reduction in the shoulder region of the cell survival curve. The ratio between the n values of the control and epidermal growth factor treated total cell population, G 1 , S, and G 2 M cells is 2.2, 4.1, 1.7, and 2.2, respectively. Epidermal growth factor reduced plating efficiency by about 50% for A431 cells in different cell cycle phases whereas a slight increase in plating efficiency was seen for SiHa cells. The present results indicate that epidermal growth factor related radiosensitization is dependent on both cell line and cell cycle.
Asexual Sporulation in Aspergillus nidulans

The formation of mitotically derived spores, called conidia, is a common reproductive mode in filamentous fungi, particularly among the large fungal class Ascomycetes. Asexual sporulation strategies are nearly as varied as fungal species; however, the formation of conidiophores, specialized multicellular reproductive structures, by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans has emerged as the leading model for understanding the mechanisms that control fungal sporulation. Initiation of A. nidulans conidipohore formation can occur either as a programmed event in the life cycle in response to intrinsic signals or to environmental stresses such as nutrient deprivation. In either case, a development-specific set of transcription factors is activated and these control the expression of each other as well as genes required for conidiophore morphogenesis. Recent progress has identified many of the earliest-acting genes needed for initiating conidiophore development and shown that there are at least two antagonistic signaling pathways that control this process. One pathway is modulated by a heterotrimeric G protein that when activated stimulates growth and represses both asexual and sexual sporulation as well as production of the toxic secondary metabolite, sterigmatocystin. The second pathway apparently requires an extracellular signal to induce sporulation-specific events and to direct the inactivation of the first pathway, removing developmental repression. A working model is presented in which the regulatory interactions between these two pathways during the fungal life cycle determine whether cells grow or develop.
Genetic control of weight loss during pneumonic Burkholderia pseudomallei infection

Burkholderia pseudomallei ( Bp ) is the causal agent of a high morbidity/mortality disease syndrome known as melioidosis. This syndrome can range from acute fulminate disease to chronic, local, and disseminated infections that are often difficult to treat because Bp exhibits resistance to many antibiotics. Bp is a prime candidate for use in biologic warfare/terrorism and is classified as a Tier 1 select agent by HHS and APHIS. It is known that inbred mouse strains display a range of susceptibility to Bp and that the murine infection model is ideal for studying acute melioidosis. Here, we exploit a powerful mouse genetics resource that consists of a large family of BXD type recombinant inbred strains, to perform genome wide linkage analysis of the weight loss phenotype following pneumonic infection with Bp . We infected parental mice and 32 BXD strains with 50–100 CFU of Bp (strain 1026b) and monitored weight retention each day over an eleven day time course. Using the computational tools in GeneNetwork, we performed genome wide linkage analysis to identify an interval on chromosome 12 that appears to control the weight retention trait. We then analyzed and ranked positional candidate genes in this interval, several of which have intriguing connections with innate immunity, calcium homeostasis, lipid transport, host cell growth and development, and autophagy.
A Semi-supervised Approach to Visualizing and Manipulating Overlapping Communities

When evaluating a network topology, occasionally data structures cannot be segmented into absolute, heterogeneous groups. There may be a spectrum to the dataset that does not allow for this hard clustering approach and may need to segment using fuzzy/overlapping communities or cliques. Even to this degree, when group members can belong to multiple cliques, there leaves an ever present layer of doubt, noise, and outliers caused by the overlapping clustering algorithms. These imperfections can either be corrected by an expert user to enhance the clustering algorithm or to preserve their own mental models of the communities. Presented is a visualization that models overlapping community membership and provides an interactive interface to facilitate a quick and efficient means of both sorting through large network topologies and preserving the user's mental model of the structure.
Ductile-regime machining model for diamond turning of brittle materials

Abstract A new machining model has been developed for single point diamond turning of brittle materials. Experiments using the interrupted cutting method allow model parameters to be determined that provide a quantitative method for determining the machinability of a material with respect to the rake angle, tool nose radius and machining environment. The model uses two parameters, the critical depth of cut and the subsurface damage depth, to characterize the ductile-regime material removal process. Also included in the model is a parameter used to set a process limit defined as the maximum feed rate. Machining experiments have verified the model, and allow for determination of optimum machining conditions.
A physical layer implementation on reconfigurable underwater acoustic modem

Underwater acoustic (UWA) multi-user network algorithms can only be fully tested through experimental studies where communication signals are transmitted through a real underwater channel. Reconfigurable UWA modem provides a flexible environment for the testing of different communication algorithms including networking protocols. In this paper we present design, implementation, and testing of a physical layer algorithm on reconfigurable acoustic modem. This physical layer is very flexible; therefore it can easily be modified in order to be employed for the testing of different UWA networking algorithms.
The Cauchy Problem for Darboux Integrable Systems and Non-Linear d'Alembert Formulas

To every Darboux integrable system there is an associated Lie group G which is a fundamental invariant of the system and which we call the Vessiot group. This article shows that solving the Cauchy problem for a Darboux integrable partial differential equation can be reduced to solving an equation of Lie type for the Vessiot group G. If the Vessiot group G is solvable then the Cauchy problem can be solved by quadratures. This allows us to give explicit integral formulas, similar to the well known d'Alembert's formula for the wave equation, to the initial value problem with generic non-characteristic initial data.
Taxing Soft Drinks And Restricting Access To Vending Machines To Curb Child Obesity

One of the largest drivers of the current obesity epidemic is thought to be excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Some have proposed vending machine restrictions and taxing soft drinks to curb children's consumption of soft drinks; to a large extent, these policies have not been evaluated empirically. We examine these policies using two nationally representative data sets and find no evidence that, as currently practiced, either is effective at reducing children's weight. We conclude by outlining changes that may increase their effectiveness, such as implementing comprehensive restrictions on access to soft drinks in schools and imposing higher tax rates than are currently in place in many jurisdictions.
Reproductive Isolation, Behavioral Genetics, and Functions of Sexual Behavior in Rodents

This chapter consists of several interrelated parts. First, Mayr’s classification scheme for reproductive isolating mechanisms is reviewed. For several of these mechanisms, behavior is known to play an important role, while for others the importance of behavioral differences has not been demonstrated. Much of the remainder of the chapter is concerned with the possibility that behavior, specifically the copula-tory act itself, might function in these latter kinds of reproductive isolation. Since the examples offered deal with rodent sexual behavior, the second section of the chapter examines some species differences in sexual responses within that order.
Epilepsy comorbidities: how can animal models help?

An epilepsy comorbidity is a condition or disorder that occurs at a frequency greater than chance in a person with epilepsy. Examples of common epilepsy comorbidities are depression, anxiety, and intellectual disability. Epilepsy comorbidities can be quite disabling, sometimes affecting a patient’s quality of life to a greater extent than seizures. Animal models offer the opportunity to explore shared pathophysiological mechanisms, therapeutic options, and consequences of both the epilepsy syndrome and a given comorbidity. In this chapter, depression is used as an example of how animal models can inform translational questions about epilepsy comorbidities.
Proposed Staging System for Patients With HPV-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer Based on Nasopharyngeal Cancer N Categories

PurposePatients with human papillomavirus (HPV)–related oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) generally present with more advanced disease but have better survival than patients with HPV-unrelated OPC. The current American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC)/Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) TNM staging system for OPC was developed for HPV-unrelated OPC. A new staging system is needed to adequately predict outcomes of patients with HPV-related OPC.Patients and MethodsPatients with newly diagnosed HPV-positive OPC (by p16 immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization) treated at our institution from January 2003 through December 2012 were included. By using recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), we developed new stage groupings with both traditional OPC regional lymph node (N) categories and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) N categories. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the relationship between stage and survival was examined by using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.ResultsA...
The analog of superradiant emission in quantum emitters leads to the well-known superradiant

The superradiant spontaneous emission is caused by the collective interaction of quantum emitters. Such collective interaction also exists in nanoscale resonant thermal emitters, resulting in the analog of superradiance in thermal emission.
The Effect of Oxide Trenches on Defect Formation and Evolution in Ion-Implanted Silicon

Pattern induced defects during advanced CMOS processing can lead to lower quality devices with high leakage currents. Within this study, the effects of oxide trenches on implant related defect formation and evolution in silicon patterned wafers is examined. Oxide filled trenches approximately 4000A deep were patterned into 300 mm silicon wafers. Patterning was followed by ion implantation of Si+ at energies ranging from 10 to 80 keV. Samples were amorphized with doses of 1×1015 atoms/cm2, 5×1015 atoms/cm2, and 1×1016 atoms/cm2. Two independent repeating structures were studied. The first structure is comprised of silicon oxide filled trench lines, 3.7μm wide spaced 12.5μm apart, while the second structure contains silicon squares, 0.6μm on a side, surrounded by a silicon oxide filled trench. Cross- sectional and planar view transmission electron microscopy (TEM) samples were used to examine the defect morphology after annealing at temperatures ranging from 700°C to 950°C and at times between 1 second and 1 minute. Following complete regrowth, an array of defects was observed to form near the surface at the silicon/silicon oxide interface. These trench edge defects appeared to nucleate at the amorphous-crystalline interface for all energies and doses studied. Upon a spike anneal at 700°C, it was observed that regrowth of the amorphous layer had completed except in the region near the trench edge. Thus, it is believed that this defect results from the pinning of the amorphous-crystalline interface along the trench edge during solid phase epitaxial regrowth (SPER).
Fine-structural localization of adenosine triphosphatase in the rectum of Calliphora.

Adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity in the rectal papillae of Calliphora has been studied by biochemical and histochemical techniques. The microsomal fraction contained a Mg 2+ -activated ATPase with a pH optimum of 8.0. The enzyme was not stimulated by the addition of Na + plus K + and was insensitive to ouabain. Histochemical studies using modifications of the Wachstein-Meisel method showed that at pH 7.2 this Mg 2+ -activated ATPase was specifically localized on the intracellular surface of the lateral plasma membranes. A similar though less intense reaction was obtained with adenosine diphosphate and inosine triphosphate, but not with guanosine triphosphate, uridine triphosphate or β-glycerophosphate as substrates. At an acid pH (6.6-6.8), very little reaction occurred on the lateral plasma membrane but some reaction product was present in mitochondria and nuclei. Very little enzyme activity was found in the flattened rectal epithelium. These results are discussed in relation to the available data on transport ATPases and on the structural basis of fluid transport by rectal papillae. It is proposed that the ATPase localized on the stacks of lateral plasma membrane may be involved with ion secretion into the intercellular spaces to create the osmotic gradient necessary to extract water from the lumen.
Where Light and Nutrients Collide: The Global Distribution and Activity of Subsurface Chlorophyll Maximum Layers

A satellite view of the world’s oceans presents a mosaic of high chlorophyll (Chla) regions adjacent vast Chla deserts. However, such a view is limited because it reflects conditions of near surface waters only, and misses the vast and sometimes permanent regions of elevated Chla that can exist in subsurface waters. Subsurface chlorophyll maximum layers (SCMLs) are widespread features of the global ocean and are composed of phytoplankton communities that are chromatically and nutritionally adapted to these environments. In this chapter, we first outline the drivers that structure the formation and persistence of SCMLs in marine systems. We develop a simple model that predicts the global distribution and seasonal persistence of SCMLs and find that during any given season, between 59 and 73 % of the ocean may support an SCML. Using a well established global net primary production model, we further predict that approximately 47 % of ocean primary production occurs within SCMLs, a surprisingly large fraction, given the degree of light limitation at these depths. For context, we synthesize key works that have investigated primary production, phytoplankton biomass, and/or nutrient turnover within SCMLs across a range of ocean biomes. These recent studies support previous hypotheses that SCMLs are important sites for new production, and indicate that this new production largely occurs during times when SCMLs are moving deeper into nutriclines or when they are supplied with nutrients through other mechanisms (e.g., tides). In a final section, we draw upon our formative studies in limnology to make linkages between marine and lacustrine systems in terms of the structure and function of SCMLs. Because of large gradients in size, optical properties, and nutritional status across lakes, these systems may present ideal environments to test hypotheses related to the regulation and consequences of SCML productivity.
From Anti-Judaism to Anti-Semitism: Ancient and Medieval Christian Constructions of Jewish History

From its earliest days, Christianity has viewed Judaism and Jews ambiguously. Given its roots within the Jewish community of first-century Palestine, there was much in Judaism that demanded Church admiration and praise; however, as Jews continued to resist Christian truth, there was also much that had to be condemned. Major Christian thinkers of antiquity - while disparaging their Jewish contemporaries for rejecting Christian truth - depicted the Jewish past and future in balanced terms, identifying both positives and negatives. Beginning at the end of the first millennium, an increasingly large Jewish community started to coalesce across rapidly developing northern Europe, becoming the object of intense popular animosity and radically negative popular imagery. The portrayals of the broad trajectory of Jewish history offered by major medieval European intellectual leaders became increasingly negative as well. The popular animosity and the negative intellectual formulations were bequeathed to the modern West, which had tragic consequences in the twentieth century. In this book, Robert Chazan traces the path that began as anti-Judaism, evolved into heightened medieval hatred and fear of Jews, and culminated in modern anti-Semitism.
Youth Disclosure About Friendships Across the Transition to Middle School

This longitudinal qualitative investigation considered youth disclosure to parents about friends as well as parents’ responses to such disclosure across the transition to middle school. African American and European American youth participated in qualitative interviews regarding their disclosure to parents about friendships in three consecutive years spanning the transition to middle school. Coding was completed in a two-step process that started with identifying themes regarding disclosure about friends as they reflected the experiences of all youth. Second, global categorizations of disclosure patterns during each year were used to categorize participants into four groups: stable complete disclosers, stable partial disclosures, increasing disclosers, and decreasing disclosers. We then identified themes regarding disclosure about friends as they distinguished these disclosure groups. Findings indicated that adolescent disclosure to parents about friends is embedded within the nature of adolescents’ relat...
Capturing and Deciphering the Molecular Signatures of Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancer, while relatively uncommon in the United States remains a prevalent condition throughout the world and potentially has substantial quality of life issues for these patients. As a disease classification, head and neck cancer, represents a diverse population of cancers which are linked anatomically, extending from the clavicles to the skull base. There are many histologic types of cancer within this grouping, although the vast majority are squamous cell carcinomas. The most significant disease sites are the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx and hypopharynx, while other sites, such as the sinuses, are much less common and more heterogeneous. Treatment for head and neck cancer consists of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, alone or in combination. The decision to use a particular therapeutic regimen has been related to TNM stage, primary site, and comorbidity of the patient. More recently, molecular studies of head and neck cancer, such as global gene expression, methylation status, microRNA and proteomic changes, continue to identify important alterations in the genetic and molecular make-up of these tumors, all of which will be expanded upon in this chapter.
Revisiting the Single-Visit Protocol for Determining the Electromyographic Fatigue Threshold.

The electromyographic fatigue threshold (EMGFT) has been shown to demarcate between nonfatiguing and fatiguing exercise workloads. One potential limitation of incorporating the single EMGFT test in a clinical setting is the 2-minute stage increment inherit to the protocol. In most rehabilitation clinics, time with the client is limited, and any testing procedure needs to consider this factor. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to determine whether or not the estimation of the EMGFT is influenced by reducing the incremental stage to 1-minute intervals. We hypothesized that the 1-minute incremental protocol would provide similar estimates of the EMGFT as the traditional 2-minute incremental protocol. Nine college-aged men performed the single-leg knee-extensor ergometry at 1-minute (3 W) and 2-minute (6 W) stages in random order separated by 7 days. The exercise indices and the EMGFT were determined from the 2 protocols and analyzed using a paired samples t test. The EMG amplitude was assessed from the rectus femoris muscle. The results indicated significant differences between protocols for maximal power output (1 minute: 31.7 ± 2.2 W vs. 2 minutes: 38.0 ± 3.3 W, p = 0.016) and heart rate at end exercise (1 minute: 137 ± 5 b·min–1 vs. 2 minutes: 148 ± 5 b·min–1, p = 0.024). There were, however, no significant mean differences for the EMGFT (1 minute: 19.8 ± 1.8 vs. 2 minutes: 20.3 ± 1.9 W, p = 0.63) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) for the exercised leg (1 minute: 9 ± 0 vs. 2 minutes: 9 ± 1, p = 0.68). These results indicate that reducing the exercise protocol by 50% did not change the estimated EMGFT. The practical application of this finding resides in the potential use in sports or rehabilitative settings in which there is limited time with the client and no objective measures to determine neuromuscular fatigue for aerobic exercise.
Why Nuclear Energy Programs Rarely Lead to Proliferation

The conventional wisdom suggests that states with nuclear energy programs are more likely to seek or acquire nuclear weapons. Yet there is a dearth of systematic empirical work that directly assesses this proposition. A systematic analysis of the historical evidence suggests that the link between nuclear energy programs and proliferation is overstated. Although such programs increase the technical capacity of a state to build nuclear weapons, they have important countervailing political effects that limit the odds of proliferation. Specifically, nuclear energy programs increase the likelihood that parallel nuclear weapons programs will be detected and face counterproliferation pressures; they also increase the costliness of nonproliferation sanctions. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, states with nuclear energy programs historically have not been significantly more likely to seek or acquire nuclear weapons. A combination of qualitative and quantitative evidence supports the plausibility of the counterv...
Context-Aware Configuration and Management of WiFi Direct Groups for Real Opportunistic Networks

Wi-Fi Direct is a promising technology for the support of device-to-device communications (D2D) on commercial mobile devices. However, the standard as-it-is is not sufficient to support the real deployment of networking solutions entirely based on D2D such as opportunistic networks. In fact,WiFi Direct presents some characteristics that could limit the autonomous creation of D2D connections among users&#x2019; personal devices. Specifically, the standard explicitly requires the user&#x2019;s authorization to establish a connection between two or more devices, and it provides a limited support for inter-group communication. In some cases, this might lead to the creation of isolated groups of nodes which cannot communicate among each other. In this paper, we propose a novel middleware-layer protocol for the efficient configuration and management of WiFi Direct groups (WiFi Direct Group Manager, WFD-GM) to enable autonomous connections and inter-group communication. This enables opportunistic networks in real conditions (e.g., variable mobility and network size). WFD-GM defines a context function that takes into account heterogeneous parameters for the creation of the best group configuration in a specific time window, including an index of nodes&#x2019; stability and power levels. We evaluate the protocol performances by simulating three reference scenarios including different mobility models, geographical areas and number of nodes. Simulations are also supported by experimental results related to the evaluation in a real testbed of the involved context parameters. We compare WFD-GM with the state-of-the-art solutions and we show that it performs significantly better than a Baseline approach in scenarios with medium/low mobility, and it is comparable with it in case of high mobility, without introducing additional overhead.
Perceived neighborhood characteristics predict severity and emotional response to daily stressors

Abstract Rationale Neighborhood characteristics may influence health and well-being outcomes through stressors in daily life. Objectives This study tested whether a varied set of perceived characteristics of neighborhood (i.e., social cohesion, safety, aesthetic quality, violence) predicted stressor frequency and severity as well as negative emotional responses to stressors. We predicted greater reported cohesion and safety and less violence would be associated with less frequent stressor exposure and severity and less intense negative affect following stressors; we conducted subsequent tests of neighborhood aesthetic quality as a predictor. Methods Participants (n = 233, age 25–65 years) were residents in a socio-economically, racially, and ethnically diverse zip code in Bronx, New York, most who participated in the Effects of Stress on Cognitive Aging, Physiology and Emotion study between 2012 and 2013. They provided demographic information and neighborhood ratings, then participated in the EMA protocol in which they completed brief smartphone surveys of current negative affect and stressor exposure, severity, and recency, five times daily for 14 days. Results No coded neighborhood characteristic was related to the frequency of stressors. Individuals who reported greater neighborhood violence, however, rated their stressors as more severe. Individuals rating their neighborhood lower in safety or aesthetic quality, or higher in violence, had greater negative affect following stressors. Conclusion Even among people living within the same zip code, individual differences in perceptions of neighborhood predict how stressful they appraised stressors in daily life to be and how much negative affect they reported following stressors.
Arterial Thickness and Stiffness Are Independently Associated with Left Ventricular Strain.

Background The aim of this study was to examine the association between myocardial strain and arterial thickness and stiffness in young adults. Increased common carotid artery intima media thickness and peripheral arterial stiffness are known to precede coronary artery disease and cardiovascular (CV) events such as myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure. However, subclinical cardiac dysfunction can be detected in high-risk adults by myocardial strain echocardiography. The authors hypothesized that increased carotid artery intima media thickness would be associated with abnormal myocardial strain in young subjects who had obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods CV risk factors were collected in 338 young adults participating in a prospective, cross-sectional study. The CV parameters collected included intima-media thickness, peripheral arterial stiffness by brachial distensibility, and myocardial strain and strain rate. General linear models were constructed to determine if vascular structure and function measures were independently associated with myocardial strain and strain rate. Results A linear relationship was found between global longitudinal strain obtained from the four-chamber view and global strain rate in systole and carotid intima-media thickness (four-chamber global longitudinal strain: β = 3.0, CV risk factor–adjusted R 2 = 0.34; global strain rate in systole: β = 0.0053, R 2 = 0.21; P ≤ .0001) and between four-chamber global longitudinal strain and lower brachial distensibility (β = −0.42, R 2 = 0.22; P Conclusions Adverse changes in vascular structure and function are simultaneously present with reduced myocardial systolic function.
Structural modification of the tripeptide KPV by reductive "glycoalkylation" of the lysine residue.

Peptides that exhibit enzymatic or hormonal activities are regulatory factors and desirable therapeutic drugs because of their high target specificity and minimal side effects. Unfortunately, these drugs are susceptible to enzymatic degradation, leading to their rapid elimination and thereby demanding frequent dosage. Structurally modified forms of some peptide drugs have shown enhanced pharmacokinetics, improving their oral bioavailability. Here, we discuss a novel glycomimetic approach to modify lysine residues in peptides. In a model system, the e-amine of Ts-Lys-OMe was reductively alkylated with a glucose derivative to afford a dihydroxylated piperidine in place of the amine. A similar modification was applied to H-KPV-NH2, a tripeptide derived from the α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) reported to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Antimicrobial assays, under a variety of conditions, showed no activity for Ac-KPV-NH2 or the α- or e-glycoalkylated analogs. Glycoalkylated peptides did, however, show stability toward proteolytic enzymes.
Michael Zock: A Life of Interdisciplinary Research and International Engagement

Language scientist, translator, German radio journalist, free-lance photographic reporter, and scientific ambassador are just some of the titles held by the multitalented Michael Zock. This opening chapter chronicles the professional milestones of this boundary spanning, cross cultural, psycholinguistic pioneer, while exposing his politeness, modesty and warmth. Following a brief introduction of Michael’s origins, this chapter accounts, in part through the words of his colleagues, Michael’s life-long interest in computational modelling and simulation of the natural cognitive process of language production and his quest to create practical systems for language learning. The chapter summarizes his contributions to the literature, his scientific leadership, and transdisciplinary engagements across Europe, America and Asia. Cultured, creative, and communicative, Michael’s cross domain insights spanning theory and practice and his passion for language and cognition continue to inspire students and colleagues alike.
Nonlinear optical polymer films

Orientationally ordered polymer films combine the attractive properties of organic nonlinear optical materials (large molecular susceptibilities, tailoring properties by molecular engineering) with attractive properties of glassy polymers (high optical quality, low dielectric constant and dielectric loss, processability, fabrication flexibility). Using the thermodynamic model, improvements in the pertinent parameters are realized. Such improvements, along with the linear optical properties and fabrication flexibility inherent to glassy polymers, makes this material class a promising one for use in integrated optics.