cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamics of thyroid hormone suppression of serum thyrotropin: an invited commentary

The insensitivity of the early TSH radioimmunoassays limited investigations of thyroid hormone action on pituitary TSH secretion to studies of hypothyroid rats and humans (1, 2). Now that more sensitive TSH immunometric assays are able to measure serum TSH concentrations in the subnormal range (3). it is possible to study thyroid hormone inhibition of pituitary TSH secretion in euthyroid human subjects. In the well­ designed study of Sydow et al. (4), groups of euthyroid male volunteers were given different oral doses of thyroxine (25-150 Itgq.i.d.) for 10 days, during which time the relationships between the thyroxine dose and the resultant suppression of serum TSH and thyroglo­ bulin (TG) concentrations were studied. The data showed that both serum TSH and Tg concentrations fell over time with single monoexpontential suppression patterns. Further, the rates of decline for both serum TSH and serum Tg were proportional to the thyroxine dose administered. It should be emphasized that this study was conducted under non-steady-state conditions whereby neither serum TSH nor TG concentrations reached their nadirs during the 10-day observation period. The Sydow study (4) emphasizes three important concepts concerning the negative feedback of thyroid hormones on pituitary TSH secretion. Firstly, some suppression of serum TSH was detected even at a low T ... dose (25 ftg) that did not produce a measurable change in serum free T4 (FT ... ) concentrations. The exquisite sensitivity of the pituitary to minor excur­ sions in the FT 4 concentration shows that the logj linear serum TSHjFT ... relationship found at a steady state (5) is also seen during periods of disequilibrium. Secondly, serum TSH suppression was seen without an elevation in the serum FT3I concentration. In fact, a detectable rise in the serum FT 31 was only seen on the 10th day following the administration of the largest T ... dose (150 ftg). This emphasizes the work of Larsen and others (6) showing that it is local T 3' generated from T 4 within the pituitary by the 5'­ deiodinase enzyme system(s), that mediates thyrox­ ine's negative feedback on pituitary TSH secretion. Thirdly, the failure of serum FT 31 concentrations to rise in parallel with the rise in FT4I is in accord with the concept that the 5' -deiodinase enzyme systems are autoregulated, such that a normal circulating T 3
Target molecule imaging on tissue specimens by fluorescent metal nanoprobes

In this paper, fluorescence metal nanoshells (FMNs) were synthesized for target molecule detection on tissue specimens by fluorescence imaging method. FMNs were made with 40 nm silica spherical cores and 10 nm silver shells. Ru(bpy)3 2 + complexes were encapsulated in the silica cores for fluorescence properties. Avidin molecules were covalently bound on FMNs and formed avidin-Ag complexes could be site-specially conjugated on bone tissue specimens. Fluorescence intensity and lifetime images were recorded on a time-resolved confocal microscope. Imaging measurements showed that the emissions by avidin-FMN complexes could be distinctly isolated as individuals from the cellular backgrounds on lifetime images even when the tissues were stained with additional organic dyes. This observation demonstrates that the metal nanoprobes can be used for single target molecule detection on tissues during fluorescence imaging measurements. C 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation
Mammals from 'down under': a multi-gene species-level phylogeny of marsupial mammals (Mammalia, Metatheria).

Marsupials or metatherians are a group of mammals that are distinct in giving birth to young at early stages of development and in having a prolonged investment in lactation. The group consists of nearly 350 extant species, including kangaroos, koala, possums, and their relatives. Marsupials are an old lineage thought to have diverged from early therian mammals some 160 million years ago in the Jurassic, and have a remarkable evolutionary and biogeographical history, with extant species restricted to the Americas, mostly South America, and to Australasia. Although the group has been the subject of decades of phylogenetic research, the marsupial tree of life remains controversial, with most studies focusing on only a fraction of the species diversity within the infraclass. Here we present the first Methaterian species-level phylogeny to include 80% of the extant marsupial species and five nuclear and five mitochondrial markers obtained from Genbank and a recently published retroposon matrix. Our primary goal is to provide a summary phylogeny that will serve as a tool for comparative research. We evaluate the extent to which the phylogeny recovers current phylogenetic knowledge based on the recovery of “benchmark clades” from prior studies—unambiguously supported key clades and undisputed traditional taxonomic groups. The Bayesian phylogenetic analyses recovered nearly all benchmark clades but failed to find support for the suborder Phalagiformes. The most significant difference with previous published topologies is the support for Australidelphia as a group containing Microbiotheriidae, nested within American marsupials. However, a likelihood ratio test shows that alternative topologies with monophyletic Australidelphia and Ameridelphia are not significantly different than the preferred tree. Although further data are needed to solidify understanding of Methateria phylogeny, the new phylogenetic hypothesis provided here offers a well resolved and detailed tool for comparative analyses, covering the majority of the known species richness of the group.
Vasopressin and disruption of calcium signalling in polycystic kidney disease

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common monogenic kidney disease and is responsible for 5-10% of cases of end-stage renal disease worldwide. ADPKD is characterized by the relentless development and growth of cysts, which cause progressive kidney enlargement associated with hypertension, pain, reduced quality of life and eventual kidney failure. Mutations in the PKD1 or PKD2 genes, which encode polycystin-1 (PC1) and polycystin-2 (PC2), respectively, cause ADPKD. However, neither the functions of these proteins nor the molecular mechanisms of ADPKD pathogenesis are well understood. Here, we review the literature that examines how reduced levels of functional PC1 or PC2 at the primary cilia and/or the endoplasmic reticulum directly disrupts intracellular calcium signalling and indirectly disrupts calcium-regulated cAMP and purinergic signalling. We propose a hypothetical model in which dysregulated metabolism of cAMP and purinergic signalling increases the sensitivity of principal cells in collecting ducts and of tubular epithelial cells in the distal nephron to the constant tonic action of vasopressin. The resulting magnified response to vasopressin further enhances the disruption of calcium signalling that is initiated by mutations in PC1 or PC2, and activates downstream signalling pathways that cause impaired tubulogenesis, increased cell proliferation, increased fluid secretion and interstitial inflammation.
Toward an understanding of the genetics of murine cardiac pacemaking and conduction system development.

We distinguish the cardiac pacemaking and conduction system (CPCS) from neighboring working cardiomyocytes by its function to generate and deliver electrical impulses within the heart. Yet the CPCS is a series of integrated but distinct components. The components must act in a coordinated fashion, but they are also functionally, molecularly, and electrophysiologically unique. Understanding the differentiation and function of this elegant and complex system is an exciting challenge. Knowledge of genes and signaling pathways that direct CPCS development is at present minimal, but the use of transgenic mice represents an enormous opportunity for elucidating the unknown. Transgenic marker lines have enabled us to image and manipulate the CPCS in new ways. These tools are now being used to examine the CPCS in mutants where its formation and function is altered, generating new information and directions for study of the genetics of CPCS development. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Biogeochemical cycling in an organic-rich coastal marine basin—3. Dissolved gas transport in methane-saturated sediments

Abstract The transport of dissolved gases in the anoxic sediments of Cape Lookout Bight, North Carolina, is controlled by diffusion and bubble ebullition and exhibits a distinct seasonal cycle. Detailed seasonal profiles of CH 4 , N 2 and 222 Rn and direct gas flux measurements indicate that ebullition dominates the flux of all dissolved gases across the sediment-water interface during summer months, and is of major importance on an annual basis. Transport within the upper 6–8 cm of sediment appears to be controlled by molecular diffusion of gases. Transport at greater depths is controlled by diffusion in winter and ebullition in summer. Rn-222 profiles were used to estimate the rate of stripping of dissolved gases within the CH 4 production zone (10–30 cm); rates averaged 3–5 percent per day and agreed with estimates derived from N 2 profiles. As a result of summer ebullition, the sediments of the bight are never at saturation with respect to the major gases present in seawater. Evidence from other sites suggests that ebullition may be an important transport process in many coastal sediments, and may provide mechanism for the transport of volatile reduced compounds between anoxic sediments and the atmosphere. 222 Rn is a useful tracer for quantifying this transport.
Soil Erosion by Rainfall and Runoff—State of the Art

Abstract The processes of soil detachment and sediment transport by rainfall and overland flow and resulting sediment transport are described. The results of past research on the role of raindrop impact in detaching soil, experimental studies of erosion, and erosion modelling are presented. Studies of soil loss from experimental field plots led to the development of the Universal Soil Loss Equation and to its subsequent modification for use in quantifying erosion by individual storms. Systems to produce rainfall for erosion studies in the laboratory are described. A system which is currently being calibrated and used for erosion control system testing at Drexel University's Geosynthetic Research Institute (GRI) is described. Preliminary spatial rainfall distributions and runoff measurements are presented. Experimental results obtained by others on the performance of natural and geosynthetic erosion control systems are discussed along with a proposed experimental program for the GRI system.
On Fisher's Method of Combining p‐Values

The problem of combining p-values from independent experiments is discussed. It is shown that Fisher's solution to the problem can be derived from a “weight-free” method that has been suggested for the purpose of ranking vector observations (Biometrics 19: 85–97, 1963). The method implies that the value p = 0.37 is a critical one: p-values below 0.37 suggest that the null hypothesis is more likely to be false, whereas p-values above 0.37 suggest that it is more likely to be true.
A Physiologic Approach to Diagnosis of the Cushing Syndrome

An understanding of the physiologic characteristics of the hypothalamicpituitaryadrenal axis is essential in formulating strategies to confirm the diagnosis of the Cushing syndrome and establish it...
Privacy-preserving linear programming

With the rapid increase in computing, storage and networking resources, data is not only collected and stored, but also analyzed. This creates a serious privacy problem which often inhibits the use of this data. In this paper, we focus on the problem of linear programming, which is the most important sub-class of optimization problems. We consider the case where the objective function and the constraints are partitioned between two parties with one party holding the objective while the other holds the constraints. We propose a very efficient and secure transformation based solution that has the significant added benefit of being independent of the specific linear programming algorithm used.
More on analyzing the reflection of a laser beam by a deformed highly reflective volume Bragg grating using iteration of the beam propagation method

A further extension of the iteration method for beam propagation calculation is presented that can be applied for volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) with extremely large grating strength. A reformulation of the beam propagation formulation is presented for analyzing the reflection of a laser beam by a deformed VBG. These methods will be shown to be very accurate and efficient. A VBG with generic z-dependent distortion has been analyzed using these methods.
Synthesis and NMR characterization of the trypanosomatid metabolite, N1,N8-bis(glutathionyl)spermidine disulphide (trypanothione disulphide)

An optimized chemical synthesis of the novel trypanosomatid metabolite,N1,N8-bis(glutathionyl)-spermidine(trypanothione disulphide) is described, and its solution structure has been investigated by NMR spectroscopy. The 1H, 13C, and 15N chemical shifts, as well as proton NOE data are compatible with two similar extended peptide segments connected by a flexible spermidine chain. The data do not support a predominant β sheet structure but indicate considerable flexibility in aqueous solution.
Feedback interventions for college alcohol misuse: What, why and for whom?

In response to the persistent problem of college drinking, universities have instituted a range of alcohol intervention programs for students. Motivational feedback is one intervention that has garnered support in the literature and been adopted on college campuses. This article reviews published outcome studies that have utilized feedback as a major component of an alcohol intervention for college students. Overall, 11 of the 13 reviewed studies (77%) found a significant reduction in drinking as compared to a control or comparison group. While the studies varied widely in terms of population, follow-up period, and feedback content, it appears that feedback can be effective whether delivered by mail, the Internet, or via a face-to-face motivational interview. Feedback seems to change normative perceptions of drinking and may be more effective among students who drink for social reasons. The addition of a group or individual counseling session does not appear to increase the short-term impact of the feedback.
Diameter control of electrospun polyacrylonitrile/iron acetylacetonate ultrafine nanofibers

Electrospinning is the process of producing ultrafine fibers by overcoming the surface tension of a polymer solution using high voltage. In this work, the effects of both solution properties (viscosity, conductivity, and surface tension) and operational conditions (voltage, feed rate, and spinneret-collector distance), on the structure of electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers, were systematically investigated. Iron acetylacetonate was added to the electrospinning solution to control fiber diameter by selectively adjusting solution properties. It was found that, with increased salt concentration, the fiber diameter increases and then passes through a maximum due to changes in solution viscosity, conductivity, and surface tension. In addition, the fiber diameter increases with increase in voltage, feed rate, and spinneret-collector distance. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1611–1618, 2008
A comparison of certain aspects of nitrogen metabolism in non-diapausing and diapausing boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis

Abstract Both DNA and RNA were lower in males and females of a diapausing strain of boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis 10 to 15 days after emergence than in newly-emerged insects of the same strain. Protein content remained relatively constant in the strain of diapausing weevils, but increased substantially in the 10 to 15-day boll weevils of a non-diapausing strain; the relationship of lipoprotein to protein generally remained about the same in both strains for weevils of different ages of the same strain. Since the RNA-DNA ratios differed materially only in the 10 to 15-day diapausing males (2.2), it might be used as a corroborative indicator of diapause. The hypothesis that the boll weevil stores nitrogen as uric acid during diapause was disproven; rather the amount of stored uric acid diminished at the onset of diapause.
Metamaterial band theory: fundamentals & applications

Remarkable progress has been made over the past decade in controlling light propagation and absorption in compact devices using nanophotonic structures and metamaterials. From sensing and modulation, to on-chip communication and light trapping for solar cells, new device applications and opportunities motivate the need for a rigorous understanding of the modal properties of metamaterials over a broad range of frequencies. In this review, we provide an overview of a metamaterial band theory we have developed that rigorously models the behavior of metamaterials made of dispersive materials such as metals. The theory extends traditional photonic band theory for periodic dielectric structures by coupling the mechanical motion of electrons in the metal directly to Maxwell’s equations. The solution for the band structures of metamaterials is then reduced to a standard matrix eigenvalue problem that nevertheless fully takes into account the dispersive properties of the constituent materials. As an application of the metamaterial band theory, we show that one can develop a perturbation formalism based on this theory to physically explain and predict the effect of dielectric refractive index modulation or metallic plasma frequency variation in metamaterials. Furthermore, the metamaterial band theory also provides an intuitive physical picture of the source of modal material loss, as well as a rigorous upper bound on the modal material loss rate of any plasmonic, metamaterial structure. This in turn places fundamental limits on the broadband operation of such devices for applications such as photodetection and absorption.
The link between daycare experience and attitudes toward daycare and maternal employment

Participants (n = 308; mean age = 20 years) completed questionnaires about their history, attitudes, and expectations regarding childcare, maternal employment and future parenting. Participants who experienced non‐parental care as children had more favorable attitudes toward such care and toward maternal employment than did home‐reared participants. A dose–response effect was identified, as increased time in care predicted more favorable attitudes toward it. Females in particular had significantly more positive attitudes than males toward non‐parental daycare and maternal employment, as well as higher expectations regarding the rewards of parenting. Among several demographic variables considered in this study (including age, sex, year in college, employment status, parents’ marital status, family size, and birth order), early child care history was the strongest predictor of attitudes toward childcare and maternal employment.
Deducing planning variables from experimental arm trajectories: Pitfalls and possibilities

This paper investigates whether endpoint Cartesian variables or joint variables better describe the planning of human arm movements. For each of the two sets of planning variables, a coordination strategy of linear interpolation is chosen to generate possible trajectories, which are to be compared against experimental trajectories for best match. Joint interpolation generates curved endpoint trajectories calledN-leaved roses. Endpoint Cartesian interpolation generates curved joint trajectories, which however can be qualitatively characterized by joint reversal points. Though these two sets of planning variables ordinarily lead to distinct predictions under linear interpolation, three situations are pointed out where the two strategies may be confused. One is a straight line through the shoulder, where the joint trajectories are also straight. Another is any trajectory approaching the outer boundary of reach, where the joint rate ratio always appears to be approaching a constant. A third is a generalization to staggered joint interpolation, where endpoint trajectories virtually identical to straight lines can sometimes be produced. In examining two different sets of experiments, it is proposed that staggered joint interpolation is the underlying planning strategy.
Perceiving the pattern of organization in a family system

Physicist and writer Fritjof Capra states that the crisis of our times is a crisis of perception. I would suggest the crisis stems from our inability to perceive systemic connections. We are conditioned by the seventeenth-century worldview of Newton and the tool of analysis devised by Descartes to perceive objects and events as separate and non-related. The only relationship we acknowledge is linear cause and effect. Newton's worldview and Descartes' analysis are insufficient to perceive and comprehend the complex systems problems that plague our daily existence. The systems sciences offer a very different worldview that begins not with separate parts but with a whole that differentiates into parts. The parts are therefore connected through the relationships and interactions that organize the system. To effectively deal with systems you must be able to perceive the systemic connections and recognize their pattern of organization. Pattern recognition at this level requires skills in observation, abstraction and imaging. Families are systems that too often are perceived through the lens of reductionism as aggregates of individuals. Family therapists recognize that the family is a system but they are still hampered in their efforts to comprehend the systemic connections by the cognitive tool of analysis. Analysis breaks the system into its component parts and ignores the relationships and interactions that organize the system. My presentation will offer the theory and techniques of pattern recognition. This tool together with an understanding of systems principles and dynamics provides the framework needed to deal with the complex problems that emerge within family and other complex systems. Changing a system is not simply a matter of changing the individuals within the system. The characteristics of a system do not come from the characteristics of its components but from their organization. Changing systems requires changing their pattern of organization, that is, the pattern of relationships and networks of interaction that organize the system. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modelling relationships between NDVI and precipitation during vegetative growth cycles

Abstract This paper describes how NOVI responds to daily precipitation for vegetation under water-limited growth conditions (e.g., in arid or semi-arid environments). An analytical model was developed to address timing to peak NOVI response and total duration of NOVI response to a rainfall event with the passage of time. The model also describes how effectively the vegetation uses precipitated water. A case study in the Sandhills area of Nebraska, with NOVI calculated from Landsat-MSS images, showed that the model can accurately portray NOVI time series, and then can be used to derive some useful information about relations of NOVI and precipitation. For the vegetation in the test area, we found that the peak vegetative response to a precipitation event shifts from about 14 days after the rainfall event at the beginning of a growing season to 25 days at the late stage of the season, and then shifts back to 12 days at the end of the season. The duration of response, similar to the peak response in behavior...
Isospin-violating dark matter in the Sun

Abstract We consider the prospects for studying spin-independent isospin-violating dark matter–nucleon interactions with neutrinos from dark matter annihilation in the Sun, with a focus on IceCube/DeepCore (IC/DC). If dark matter–nucleon interactions are isospin-violating, IC/DCʼs reach in the spin-independent cross section may be competitive with current direct detection experiments for a wide range of dark matter masses. We also compare IC/DCʼs sensitivity to that of next generation argon, germanium, neon and xenon based detectors.
An investigation of variable speed operation of diesel generators in hybrid energy systems

Abstract This paper provides a preliminary assessment of the performance and economic potential of a hybrid energy system (wind/diesel) power system which includes a variable speed diesel generator. Recent development in power electronics would be utilized to allow asynchronous operation of the diesel generator, while simultaneously delivering constant frequency electric power to the local electrical grid. In addition to the variable speed diesel, the system can include wind and/or solar electric sources. A hybrid energy system model recently developed at the University of Massachusetts is used to simulate this system configuration and other more conventional wind/diesel hybrid energy systems. Experimental data from a series of variable speed diesel generator tests were used to generate a series of fuel consumption curves used in the analytical model. In addition to performance (fuel savings) comparisons for fixed and variable speed systems, economic cost of energy calculations for the various system designs are presented. It is shown that the proposed system could offer both performance and economic advantages.
MONETARY FACTORS IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION

This paper examines the role of monetary policy in the early stages of the Great Depression and considers the mechanism whereby this policy may have affected real activity. I conclude that the depression was preceded by a dramatic shift towards a highly contractionary monetary policy. The economic impact of this policy seems unlikely to have come through the conventional Keynesian channels of a shortage of liquidity and high ex ante real interest rates, but instead may have operated through unanticipated deflation, and, after 1930, through the disruption of financial intermediation as a consequence of the banking panics.
An implantable Fabry-Pérot pressure sensor fabricated on left ventricular assist device for heart failure.

Continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are commonly used as bridge-to-transplantation or destination therapy for heart failure patients. However, non-optimal pumping speeds can reduce the efficacy of circulatory support or cause dangerous ventricular arrhythmias. Optimal flow control for continuous flow LVADs has not been defined and calls for an implantable pressure sensor integrated with the LVAD for real-time feedback control of pump speed based on ventricular pressure. A MEMS pressure sensor prototype is designed, fabricated and seamlessly integrated with LVAD to enable real-time control, optimize its performance and reduce its risks. The pressure sensing mechanism is based on Fabry-Perot interferometer principle. A biocompatible parylene diaphragm with a silicon mirror at the center is fabricated directly on the inlet shell of the LVAD to sense pressure changes. The sensitivity, range and response time of the pressure sensor are measured and validated to meet the requirements of LVAD pressure sensing.
Phosphatase and tensin analog gene overexpression engenders cellular death in human malignant mesothelioma cells via inhibition of AKT phosphorylation.

Background Abnormal phosphatase and tensin analog (PTEN) gene expression has been noted in neoplasms. The PTEN protein cleaves phosphate groups from cellular growth kinases inhibiting tumor propagation. A downstream target ofPTEN is AKT, a serine-threonine kinase that when activated inhibits apoptosis. We sought to determine whether PTEN overexpression in mesotheliooma cells would engender hypophosphorylation of AKT and apoptosis.
Van Hove singularity and high-Tc superconductivity VI: Interlayer coupling

Abstract The role of interlayer coupling in smearing out the density of states peak associated with the van Hove singularity is explored. It is found that the logarithmic singularities persist under arbitrarily large intracell interlayer coupling. Furthermore, the effects of intercell coupling are generally much weaker than a naive estimate would suppose, and in many cases of interest, the logarithmic singularities persist in the presence of large intercell coupling as well. Finally, it is found that interlayer coupling does not reduce the transition temperature unless the interlayer hopping energy is greater than Tc.
Dichotic listening performance in elementary and college students

Abstract Upper-middle-class children in kindergarten through fifth grade and college students listened to a three-pair dichotic words tape. Analysis of results showed a significant right ear advantage which did not change with age, although there was developmental increase in overall accuracy through third grade. The distribution of degree of ear advantage in this right-handed population suggests that lateralization for speech may be distributed between the hemispheres, or that dichotic tasks so far developed are not sufficiently sensitive to tap the underlying laterality in all subjects.
Remote sensing models using Landsat satellite data to monitor algal blooms in Lake Champlain.

Lake Champlain is significantly impaired by excess phosphorus loading, requiring frequent lake-wide monitoring for eutrophic conditions and algal blooms. Satellite remote sensing provides regular, synoptic coverage of algal production over large areas with better spatial and temporal resolution compared with in situ monitoring. This study developed two algal production models using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) satellite imagery: a single band model and a band ratio model. The models predicted chlorophyll a concentrations to estimate algal cell densities throughout Lake Champlain. Each model was calibrated with in situ data compiled from summer 2006 (July 24 to September 10), and then validated with data for individual days in August 2007 and 2008. Validation results for the final single band and band ratio models produced Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) coefficients of 0.65 and 0.66, respectively, confirming satisfactory model performance for both models. Because these models have been validated over multiple days and years, they can be applied for continuous monitoring of the lake.
How privatization threatens the private

Across countries, governments are urging civil society, in particular charitable and non-profit associations, to take up a part of the social burden, and to produce and provide critical human services and social goods, either independently or on governments' behalf. This type of privatization, or public–private partnership, is encouraged by many on grounds of pluralism and liberty, as empowering individuals and their associations. In this paper, I aim to provide a liberty-based normative argument against privatization. A common view, supported by both conservatives and classical liberals, is that the more social responsibility is left or delegated to civil society, the more civil society will flourish. I contend, by contrast, that when political societies rely on civil society to provide critical goods and services, individuals' freedom of association is threatened. The consequence of privatization is a multiple loss, in terms of individual freedom, value pluralism and the expressive character of civil so...
Social Competence and Peer Status: Recent Advances and Future Directions.

ASHER, STEVEN R. Social Competence and Peer Status: Recent Advances and Future Directions. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1983, 54, 1427-1434. The commentary highlights the many conceptual and methodological advances contained in the Coie and Kupersmidt, Dodge, and Putallaz papers. It also focuses on the important intervention implications of the research. Compared with earlier work on the behavioral correlates of status, these papers break with tradition by studying social interactions over time, using fine-grained coding systems, employing multiple measures, and videotaping behavior in carefully designed analogue settings. Together, the papers establish a causal link between social behavior and sociometric status. It is suggested that further attention be given to three dimensions of social competence emerging from these papers: relevance, responsiveness, and an appreciation that relationships evolve over time. There is also a need to examine processes such as the goals children pursue in social situations, children's confidence in goal attainment, and children's ability to monitor social interaction. Finally, there is a need for research on social competence at the dyadic, situational, and developmental levels of analysis.
A Thomistic account of anti-love biotechnology.

Earp and colleagues (2013) provide an overview and ethical discussion of anti-love biotechnology. Though they are working from a much different tradition, I want to show that the Thomistic traditio...
Synthesis, cytotoxicity, hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory activities of amine-boranes and esters of boron analogues of choline and thiocholine.

Abstract Boron analogues of carbamoylcholine and thiocholine and esters of these analogues were prepared. These compounds were fairly stable toward hydrolysis and demonstrated moderate anti‐inflammatory and hypolipidemic activities in mice. The hypolipidemic activity of the compounds at a dose of 8 mg/kg/day was equivalent in reducing lipid levels in serum to those of clofibrate at 150 mg/kg/day and lovastatin at 8 mg/kg/day. The compounds demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity against the growth of murine and human tumor cells; all were active against the growth of human HeLa‐S 3 uterine suspended cells, and some were active against murine L 1210 lymphoid leukemia, human Tmolt 3 leukemia cells, colorectal adenocarcinoma, KB nasopharynx, osteosarcoma, and glioma. These studies demonstrated that antimetabolite analogues of acetylcholine exhibit the same types of pharmacological activity as other boron‐substituted betaine and amino acids. Furthermore, a strong positive correlation exists between hypolipidemic activity and cytotoxicity for these new choline derivatives, as has previously been demonstrated for other boron‐containing amino acids, amides, esters, and peptides.
Study of Heat Transfer in Microscale Systems

Progress in micromachining technology enabled fabrication of micron-sized mechanical devices, which have had a major impact on many disciplines. These devices have not only led to development of miniature transducers for sensing and actuation, but also a chip-based chemical laboratory (μChemLab) and other microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Applications of these microscale systems frequently demand heat removal and temperature control. This paper presents preliminary results of a study of heat transfer in microscale systems. Computational modeling is based on Thermal Analysis System (TAS), which facilitates multiscale modeling/simulation, and measurements are made using infrared (IR) microscopy. Representative applications describe multiscale modeling and measurement results obtained for a microhotplate of a μChemLab and a high-power GaAs FET amplifier. Comparison of the preliminary experimental/measurement and computational/modeling results shows good correlation.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Application of Chimera grid to modelling cell motion and aggregation in a narrow tube

A computational scheme using the Chimera grid method is presented for simulation of three-dimensional motion and aggregation of two red blood cells (RBCs) in a narrow tube. The cells are modelled as rigid ellipsoidal particles; the computational scheme is applicable to deformable fluid-filled particles. Attractive energy between two RBCs is modelled by a depletion interaction theory and used for simulating aggregation of two cells. Through the simulation, we show that the Chimera grid method is applicable to the simulation of three-dimensional motion and aggregation of multiple RBCs in a microvessel and microvascular network.
Destabilization of Zn2+ coordination in ADP-ribose transferase (polymerizing) by 6-nitroso-1,2-benzopyrone coincidental with inactivation of the polymerase but not the DNA binding function.

6-Nitroso- 1,2-benzopyrone, an oxidation product of 6-amino- 1,2-benzopyrone, binds to the DNA-recognizing domain of the ADP-ribose transferase protein and preferentially destabilizes Zn2+ from one of the two zinc finger polypeptide complexes present in the intact enzyme, as determined by the loss of 50% of 65Zn2+ from the 65Zn2+-isolated protein molecule, coincidental with the loss of 99% of enzymatic activity. The 50% zinc-deficient enzyme still binds to a DNA template. consisting of a 17-mer DNA primer annealed to M 13 positive strand, resulting in the blocking of DNA synthesis by the Klenow fragment of Pol I, Auto-poly-ADP-ribosylated ADP-ribose transferase, which is the probable physiological state of this protein in intact cells, does not bind to primer-template DNA and does not block DNA synthesis by the Klenow fragment. On the basis of this in vitro model it is proposed that molecules which inhibit or inactivate ADP-ribose transferase in intact cells can induce significant alteration in DNA structure and replication.
An inorganic composite membrane as the separator of Li-ion batteries

Abstract We studied an inorganic composite membrane as the separator for Li-ion batteries. Being made of mainly CaCO 3 powder and a small amount of polymer binder, the composite membrane has excellent wettability with liquid electrolytes due to its high porosity and good capillarity. Ionic conductivity of the membrane can be easily achieved by absorbing a liquid electrolyte. Additional benefit of such a membrane is that the alkali CaCO 3 can scavenge acidic HF, which is inevitably present in the LiPF 6 -based electrolytes used currently in the Li-ion batteries. In this work, we typically evaluated a membrane with the composition of 92:8 (wt.) CaCO 3 /Telfon by using a 1.0 m LiPF 6 dissolved in a 3:7 (wt.) mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and ethylmethyl carbonate (EMC) as the liquid electrolyte. Ionic conductivity of the electrolyte-wetted membrane was measured to be 2.4 mS cm −1 at 20 °C versus 8.0 mS cm −1 of the liquid electrolyte. With the said membrane as a separator, both Li/graphite and Li/cathode half-cells exhibited good capacity retention. We also found that the Li-ion cell fabricated in this manner not only had stable capacity retention, but also showed good high-rate performance.
Investigation of Ion implantation induced electrically active defects in p-type silicon

We investigated ion implantation induced electrically active defects in p-type silicon using Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) and photoconductivity spectroscopy at cryogenic temperatures. Implantation related deep traps in H 2 , B11, and P31 implanted p-type Si and their recovery under isothermal annealing are described. We observed distinct deep trap levels located in the energy range between 0.25 eV up to 0.53 eV away from the valence band edge, which was either suppressed or eliminated upon thermal annealing below 600 °C. Supporting the DLTS results, photoconductivity shows strong recovery of a broad absorption band present near the conduction band edge upon thermal annealing. In this paper, we discuss the origin of the broad photoconductivity absorptions and DLTS emission in Si and their relation to the ion implantation induced damage to the lattice structure.
Estimate eddy diffusion coefficients from gravity wave vertical momentum and heat fluxes

[1] A method was presented to estimate the eddy momentum and thermal diffusion coefficients from the gravity wave momentum and heat fluxes based on linear saturation theory. This method was applied using the fluxes between 85―100 km altitude measured by a Na wind/ temperature lidar at Starfire Optical Range, NM (35N, 106.5W). The seasonal and altitude variations of the diffusion coefficients and Prandtl number were estimated. It is found that both diffusion coefficients are small in spring and fall and large in winter and summer. The annual mean momentum diffusion coefficient is about 400 m 2 /s between 85―100 km; the thermal diffusion coefficient decreases from 400 m 2 /s at 85 km to 100 m 2 /s at 100 km, resulting in a Prandtl number that increases with altitude from 1 to over 3.
FURTHER STUDY ON THE ENDOCRINE RELATIONS OF CAPILLARY RESISTANCE

PREVIOUS studies have shown (1, 2, 3) that cortisone is able to restore to normal the characteristically low capillary resistance of the adrenalectomized rat, and that this effect can be antagonized by the somatotropic hormone (STH) of the anterior pituitary. Under certain experimental conditions STH was also found capable of decreasing the capillary resistance of the normal (non-adrenalectomized) rat. Subsequent observations of Wilhelmj and associates (4) corroborated this finding on the dog. STH was found to decrease capillary resistance of the normal dog and to antagonize the capillary resistance-increasing action of cortisone in the same species. Whereas in these experiments the cortisone-STH antagonism was investigated by the administration of these hormones, in the present study the same antagonism was explored from a different approach, i.e., by the surgical removal of the endocrine gland sources of the same hormones.
Role of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide in screening for hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus in preterm neonates.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a hormone secreted by the ventricles under hemodynamic stress and congestive failure. The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether BNP can be used as a valid screening test for the presence of a hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) in the preterm neonate. This was a prospective blinded study involving preterm neonates with birth weights ≤1500 g and gestational age ≤34 weeks. Each enrolled neonate underwent the initial echocardiogram for a clinical suspicion of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and BNP assay within 3 hours of each other. Those neonates who did not have a PDA or who were not treated underwent a repeat echo and BNP measurement 48 to 72 hours after the first echo. In patients who received treatment for a PDA, an echo and BNP were repeated 48 to 72 hours after completion of treatment. A total of 29 newborns with a median birth weight of 870 g (560 to 1325 g) and a median gestation of 26 weeks (24 to 31 weeks) were enrolled at a median age of 7 days (2 to 28 days). BNP levels were significantly higher in neonates with hsPDA (n=14) compared to those without (n=15) (508.5±618.2 vs 59.5±69.9 pg/ml, p<0.005). At a cutoff value of 70 pg/ml, BNP had a sensitivity of 92.9%, specificity of 73.3%, positive likelihood ratio of 3.5 and negative likelihood ratio of 0.09 for detection of hsPDA. BNP levels dropped significantly after medical or surgical closure of hsPDA (n=12), (404.9±159.2 to 25.1±4.1 pg/ml, p=0.03). Elevation of plasma BNP accurately detects the presence of hsPDA in premature infants. Successful closure is reflected by a corresponding decrease in BNP. At a cutoff of 70 pg/ml, BNP is a useful screening tool for diagnosis and for monitoring efficacy of treatment of hsPDA.
Orthogonal spectral reflectance model

In this paper, we will discuss about what is the most different spectral reflectance in comparison with a reference spectral reflectance under various illuminants. A measure is defined based on an information criterion whose probability is derived using metameric mismatch volume. The solution of the orthogonal spectral reflectance is derived as an optimization problem maximizing the information criterion. Maximizing the information criterion implies that the two information of spectral reflectances are the most different from the view point of information theory. Experimental results of the optimization derive physical shape of the orthogonal spectral reflectance for a given spectral reflectance.
Numerical calculations of multidimensional and unsteady flows by the method of characteristics

Abstract The analytic and numerical procedures necessary to write a general method of characteristics computer code are presented. The theory of characteristics is applied to the partial differential equations of an inviscid fluid, the geometry of the characteristics is determined, a procedure for finite-differencing the compatibility equations is developed and the stability of the procedure is analyzed. The details of the finite-difference network and of a successful organization of the network to calculate complete flow fields are presented. The flow between a detached shock wave and the surface of a two-dimensional body in unsteady motion has been calculated. The results of several calculations of specific body motions are presented. From the results it is concluded that practical calculations of multidimensional unsteady flows can be accomplished with an extensive coding effort and a reasonable amount of computer time.
Long-Term Treatment With Nω-Nitro-l-Arginine Methyl Ester Causes Arteriosclerotic Coronary Lesions in Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase-Deficient Mice

Background— Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) is widely used to inhibit endothelial synthesis of NO in vivo. However, it is controversial whether the long-term vascular effects of l-NAME are mediated primarily by inhibition of endothelial NO synthesis. We addressed this point in mice that are deficient in the endothelial NO synthase gene (eNOS-KO mice). Methods and Results— Wild-type and eNOS-KO mice received l-NAME in drinking water for 8 weeks. In wild-type mice, long-term treatment with l-NAME caused significant medial thickening and perivascular fibrosis in coronary microvessels but not in large coronary arteries. Importantly, in eNOS-KO mice, treatment with l-NAME also caused an extent of medial thickening and perivascular fibrosis in coronary microvessels that was comparable to that in wild-type mice and that was not prevented by supplementation of L-arginine. Vascular NO and cGMP levels were not significantly reduced by l-NAME treatment, and no expression of inducible or neuronal NO synthas...
Effect of ball milling on graphene reinforced Al6061 composite fabricated by semi-solid sintering

Abstract A 1.0 wt.% graphene reinforced aluminum 6061 (Al6061) composite was synthesized to investigate the effects of graphene dispersion by ball milling technique. The Al6061 powder and graphene were ball milled at different milling times. The composites were then synthesized by hot compaction in the semi-solid regime of the Al6061. A three point bending test was performed to characterize the mechanical properties of the composite. The ball milled powder and the fracture surfaces of the composites were analyzed using the scanning electron microscopy. A maximum enhancement of 47% in flexural strength was observed when compared with the reference Al6061 processed at the same condition.
Salamander diversity at C.F. Phelps Wildlife Management Area, Fauquier and Culpeper Counties, Virginia.

Abstract Salamander guilds are important components of ecosystems and may be declining in Virginia. Consequently, information on salamander diversity and abundance is needed. Our objective was to assess salamander diversity at one site in the Rappahannock River watershed: the C.F. Phelps Wildlife Management Area. We randomly selected stream and upland terrestrial sites to run 50-m transects, for both quadrat and natural cover searches. We assessed diversity using a Shannon-Weiner index on all captures (larval and adults) and assessed diversity in on-site catchments. We found 11 of 13 expected species, with Ĥ′ = 1.33 ± 0.05 SD, Ĵ′ = 0.55 for all captures, and Ĥ′ = 1.18 ± 0.08 SD, Ĵ′ = 0.49 for non-larval diversity. A single catchment (Fishing Run) was considered more diverse than other catchments on site. We conclude that C.F. Phelps Wildlife Management Area supports a relatively diverse salamander community. Management efforts should focus on maintaining stream structural diversity and monitoring the effe...