cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Central versus peripheral opioid regulation of ingestive behavior in the domestic fowl.

Abstract 1. Three experiments were conducted to determine whether opioid regulation of ingestive behavior in the domestic fowl is mediated at sites within the central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral tissues. 2. Food and water intake were significantly decreased by the intramuscular (im) injection of naloxone hydrochloride (NHCl) and naloxone methobromide, which have a high and low ability, respectively, to cross the blood-brain barrier. 3. Water, but not food, intake was significantly decreased by the intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of NHC1. However, water intake was not affected by the im injection of doses which were effective when given ICV. 4. These results suggest that in the domestic fowl there is a peripheral component to opioid regulation of food intake, while opioid regulation of water intake seems to be mediated at peripheral sites and within the CNS.
Effects of blending a heavy alcohol (C20H40O with diesel in a heavy-duty compression-ignition engine

Abstract There is an extensive worldwide search for alternate fuels that can displace fossil-based resources, yet still fit within existing infrastructure. At Argonne National Laboratory, strains of fuel have been designed that are generated by photosynthetic bacteria, eventually producing a heavy alcohol called phytol (C 20 H 40 O). Phytol’s physical and chemical properties (cetane number, heat of combustion, heat of vaporization, density, surface tension, etc.) correspond in magnitude to those of diesel fuel, suggesting that phytol might be a good blending agent in compression ignition (CI) engine applications. The main objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using phytol as a blending agent with diesel. Three phytol–diesel blends were chosen for evaluation: P5, P10, and P20 (5%, 10%, and 20% phytol by volume). The fuel blends were extensively analyzed to determine their chemical and physical properties, with mostly comparable values, excepting viscosity and vapor pressure. In order to understand the effects of higher viscosity phytol in the fuel injector, three-dimensional simulations of transient, turbulent nozzle flow compared the injection and cavitation characteristics of the various blends. Specifically, area and discharge coefficients and mass flow rates of diesel and phytol blends were compared under corresponding engine operating conditions. Experimental research was performed using a single-cylinder engine under conventional operating conditions to gather comparative performance and emissions characteristics of the various blends of phytol and diesel. The influence of the fuel’s chemical composition on performance and emission characteristics was captured by executing an injection timing sweep. Combustion characteristics such as the in-cylinder pressure trace were comparable for the diesel and all the blends with phytol at each of the injection timings. The diesel/phytol blends show similar emissions characteristics as the diesel. The combustion event was depicted by performing high-speed, natural luminosity endoscopic imaging. The conclusion is that phytol may be a suitable blending agent with diesel fuel for CI applications.
Electromyographic monitoring and its anatomical implications in minimally invasive spine surgery.

Study design Literature review. Objective The objective of this article is to examine current intraoperative electromyography (EMG) neurophysiologic monitoring methods and their application in minimally invasive techniques. We will also discuss the recent application of EMG and its anatomic implications to the minimally invasive lateral transpsoas approach to the spine. Summary of background data Minimally invasive techniques require that the same goals of surgery be achieved, with the hope of decreased morbidity to the patient. Unlike standard open procedures, direct visualization of the anatomy is decreased. To increase the safety of minimally invasive spine surgery, neurophysiological monitoring techniques have been developed. Methods Review of the literature was performed using the National Center for Biotechnology Information databases using PUBMED/MEDLINE. All articles in the English language discussing the use of intraoperative EMG monitoring and minimally invasive spine surgery were reviewed. The role of EMG monitoring in special reference to the minimally invasive lateral transpsoas approach is also described. Results In total, 76 articles were identified that discussed the role of neuromonitoring in spine surgery. The majority of articles on EMG and spine surgery discuss the use of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IOM) for safe and accurate pedicle screw placement. In general, there is a paucity of literature that pertains to intraoperative EMG neuromonitoring and minimally invasive spine surgery. Recently, EMG has been used during minimally invasive lateral transpsoas approach to the lumbar spine for interbody fusion. The addition of EMG to the lateral approach has contributed to decrease the complication rate from 30% to less than 1%. Conclusion In minimally invasive approaches to the spine, the use of EMG IOM might provide additional safety, such as percutaneous pedicle screw placement, where visualization is limited compared with conventional open procedures. In addition to knowledge of the anatomy and image guidance, directional EMG IOM is crucial for safe passage through the psoas muscle during the minimally invasive lateral retroperitoneal approach.
The study of foam flooding in high water cut stage using computer numerical simulation

This paper presents the method of computer numerical simulation of foam flooding in reservoir high water cut period. According to feature of foam flooding, foam impacting on the gas mobility is taken into consideration, the mathematical model of foam flooding has been established and a numerical simulation software has been developed. Taking the La8-182 well block of Lamadian oilfield for example, injection mode and injection parameters are optimized. The development effects have been predicted and the residual oil distribution has been given. Taken the geologic characters of pilot site and economic aspect into consideration, foam and water alternating injection has been chosen, and the injection parameters are that daily gas injection rate is 3000m3/d, foam agent concentration is 1000mg/L and alternating injection semiperiod is 20d. According to the results of prediction, by the end of 2018, the degree of reserve recovery of foam flooding is 23.59% and enhances recovery 15.01% contrasting to water flooding.
Optimum Resource Allocation in Distributed MIMO Systems

Distributed multi-input multi-output (MIMO) system is a promising architecture to provide reliable communications over spatially separated relaying nodes. In this paper, we will investigate the optimum resource allocation techniques in distributed MIMO systems, employing differential (de)modulation and various relaying protocols. Instead of limiting to energy optimization, we solve this problem via a two-dimensional energy and location optimization. The benefits of our resource optimization approaches are illustrated through extensive analysis and simulations. Both the comparisons between different optimization techniques and systems with different protocols are included. Based on our previous work, we provide an upper bound of the symbol error rate (SER) for decode-and-forward (DF) systems and an approximated SER for amplify-and-forward (AF) systems. We proved that the system SER is a convex function in both the transmit energy and the relay location, and then carried out the two-dimensional energy and location optimization through numerical search. As we know, system energy is a limited resource, especially for mobile terminals, and the coverage area is a critical factor to judge the system performance. Therefore, we evaluate the benefits of our optimization techniques in terms of the system energy saving and the coverage distance extension. The simulations reveal several interesting results. For both the DF and the AF protocols, the optimized systems always outperform the unoptimized systems with either less energy consumption or longer transmission range. It is also noticed that the benefits of both energy and location optimizations vary a lot for different protocols, and with different system configurations. Uniform energy allocation and midpoint relay location are normally chosen as an initial system setup. For such a configuration with the DF protocol, location optimization is more critical than energy optimization, and the unoptimized system receives prominent benefits from both optimizations, and tremendous system resources savings. For the AF protocol, however, the location and energy optimizations are equally important for the unoptimized system. It turns out that the uniform energy allocation and the midpoint relay location result in fairly good system performance, since it is reasonably close to the global optimum. For other initial system setups, the optimization benefits are also distinct in the AF and the DF systems. In DF systems, more optimization benefits can be achieved when the relays are either close to the destination or have more transmit energy allocated to the relay(s). On the contrary, in the AF systems, remarkable optimization benefits will be achieved when the relays are far from the midpoint, or when the relays are only able to transmit at low energy levels.
Occupational Injuries among U.S. Correctional Officers, 1999–2008☆

Objective This study describes fatal and nonfatal occupational injuries among U.S. correctional officers.
A Transition Temperature in Wool Fibers Under Stress in Relation to Structure

The temperature dependence of the mechanical properties of wool fibers was investi gated in relation to sulfhydryl concentration and disulfide bond decrease. It was shown that only the highest level of modification (200 μ mole SH/g) influences the properties in the Hookean and yield regions. This effect could be assigned partly to the increase in SH content and partly to the decrease in disulfide content. In the post-yield region. the influence of chemical modification was much more pronounced and became evident even at the lower levels of fiber modification. The "turn-over point" between the yield and post-yield regions underwent a transi tion at 72° C for the untreated fibers. The transition temperature was found to be strongly dependent upon the SH content, decreasing with increasing sulfhydryl concen tration. In the absence of SH groups, the transition temperature was increased to approximately 85° C and was independent of the disulfide content. This transition is discussed in terms of the stability of the disulfide bond, which is closely connected with the probability of an interchange between disulfide bonds and SH groups. It is suggested that the transition indicates the onset of a chemical flow region in the matrix rather than a glass transition as proposed by other workers.
TH‐E‐M100A‐04: Tomotherapy/Linac with Cone Beam CT

Pre‐treatment cone beam CTimage guidance combined with linear accelerator based intensity‐modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) is compared to and contrasted with tomotherapy an alternative commercially available IMRT planning and delivery system. The underlying rationale of the two different IMRT approaches are discussed and their methods pre‐treatment image guidance and modes of treatment delivery are described. Differences between dose‐distributions delivered using tomotherapy and conventional linear accelerators are outlined. Because conventional linear accelerator design has been refined over many decades, innovative design enhancement of one aspect of system performance often limits another facet of system capability. Consequently the two IGRT/IMRT delivery systems may prove optimal for different types of treatment, proving advantageous for certain disease sites while being of almost equal utility in others. Educational Objectives: 1. Understand the differences and similarities in pre‐treatment image guidance for the two systems discussed. 2. Understand the differences and similarities in treatment delivery for the two systems discussed.
Microscopic description of the elusive Hoyle state

Within a symmetry-guided shell-model framework and using a fraction of the model space extended beyond current no-core shell-model limits along with a schematic effective many-nucleon interaction, we gain new insights into the many-body dynamics that give rise to the ground state and low-lying 0+ states of 12C and 16O. In particular, we gain further understanding of the alpha-clustering nature of the challenging Hoyle state and its first 2+ excitation in 12C, as well as the corresponding states in 16O. This provides guidance for ab initio shell models by informing key features of the underlying nuclear structure and interaction.
Collaborative Public Management: Assessing What We Know and How We Know It

Collaborative public management research is flourishing. A great deal of attention is being paid to the process and impact of collaboration in the public sector, and the results are promising. This article reviews the literature on collaborative public management by synthesizing what we know from recent research and what we’ve known for quite some time. It addresses the prevalence of collaboration (both recently and historically), the components of emerging collaborative structures, the types of skills that are unique to collaborative management, and the effects of collaboration. Collaborative public management research offers a set of findings that contribute to an emerging knowledge base that supplements established public management theory.
Is There a Viable Market for Area-Based Crop Insurance?

The performance of area yield insurance and farm-level multiple peril crop insurance is analyzed for cotton and soybean production in Georgia and South Carolina. The analysis improves on many previous studies by utilizing actual farm-level yield data and by comparing the two types of insurance products not only for actuarially fair premium rates but also for actual unsubsidized and subsidized premium rates. Results suggest that, even in heterogeneous production regions, area yield insurance may be a viable alternative to farm-level insurance when premium rates for farm-level insurance contain large positive wedges.
Relationships of Organ Weight to Body Weight

Abstract INTRODUCTION ORGAN WEIGHT and organ growth rate are parameters of primary importance in experimental biology, yet their interpretation is not always simple. Perhaps the most common complication is the need to establish the relationship of organ growth to that of the whole body. When the weight response of an organ to an experimental treatment is to be measured this complication becomes a part of the need to separate treatment response from adventitious variability, some of which may be associated with body weight. An efficient separation becomes of paramount importance when the treatments lead to organ-weight responses that differ but little, and attempts to remove the effects of body weight are usual in such experiments. They are sometimes also naive. Expressing organ weight as its ratio to body weight, and adjusting dose to body weight, are often used despite the nature of the particular organ-weight variability, of its relation to body …
Vibration of Symmetrically Laminated Clamped-Free Beam with a Mass At the Free End

Abstract Natural frequencies of a symmetrically laminated composite beam with a mass at the free end are determined. The equations of motion for the laminated beam are derived accounting for the Poisson effect, rotary inertia and transverse shear deformation. Exact solutions are presented to demonstrate the influence of beam geometry, tip mass and material properties on the frequencies of symmetric laminated composite beams.
SIMULATION OF INFORMATION CHOICE

Beginning with the information economics framework and a multi-period decision model [15], this paper considers the use of computer simulation methods within an information system choice environment. Actual decision behavior is replaced by optimal decision rules, and simulation is used to evaluate the effects of parameter changes in the environmental model. Simulation is shown to be functional (1) in estimating the value of alternative information structures within a fifteen period decision model and (2) in providing sensitivity and statistical data which would be useful both for different decision maker utility functions and for a variety of information system design questions.
Challenges in Diagnosing Type 1 Diabetes in Different Populations

Diabetes affects today an estimated 366 million people world-wide, including 20 million to 40 million of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). While T1D accounts for 5% to 20% of those with diabetes, it is associated with higher morbidity, mortality and health care cost than the more prevalent type 2 diabetes. Patients with T1D require exogenous insulin for survival and should be identified as soon as possible after diagnosis to avoid high morbidity due to a delay in insulin treatment. It is also important to present to the patient correct prognosis that differs by the type of diabetes. From the research point of view, correct classification should help to identify the etiologies and to develop specific prevention for T1D. This review summarizes evidence that may be helpful in diagnosing T1D in various ethnic groups. Challenges in interpretation of results commonly used to determine the type of diabetes are highlighted.
Tree-ring width and δ13C records of industrial stress and recovery in Pennsylvania and New Jersey forests: Implications for CO2 uptake by temperate forests

Abstract We present dendrochronological records of tree-ring width and δ13C values for representative living trees (ages of 70 to 230 years) in Pennsylvania and New Jersey to investigate the ecological responses to industrial pollution and recent management and their effects on carbon storage in the temperate forests. Chestnut oak, red oak and cedar trees consistently show elevated δ13C levels (1.3 to 4.1‰ higher than unpolluted normal values) during the period of intense pollution from ∼ 1900 to ∼ 1970, indicating significant industrially induced physiological stress on the trees. Since ∼ 1970, oak and cedar trees have shown remarkable increase in growth rates and rapid decrease of 0.6 to 2.5‰ in δ13C values, indicating the recovery of trees corresponding to the implementation of the Clean Air Act in the early 1970s. The growth enhancement since 1970 has resulted in an increase in biomass of ∼ 26% in cedar trees and ∼ 66% in oak trees, suggesting that air-cleaning efforts have made a significant contribution to CO2 uptake by the temperate forests, at least in the northeastern USA.
Environmental aspects of laser-based and conventional tool and die manufacturing

Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) technologies such as Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) have made it possible to eliminate environmentally polluting supply chain activities in the tooling industry and to repair and remanufacture valuable tools and dies. In this article, we investigate three case studies to reveal the extent to which DMD-based manufacturing of molds and dies can currently achieve reduced environmental emissions and energy consumption relative to conventional manufacturing pathways. It is shown that DMD’s greatest opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of tool and die manufacturing will come from its ability to enable remanufacturing. Laser-based remanufacturing of tooling is shown to reduce cost and environmental impact simultaneously, especially as the scale of the tool increases. 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A comparison of the performance of threshold criteria for binary classification in terms of predicted prevalence and Kappa

Abstract Modelling techniques used in binary classification problems often result in a predicted probability surface, which is then translated into a presence–absence classification map. However, this translation requires a (possibly subjective) choice of threshold above which the variable of interest is predicted to be present. The selection of this threshold value can have dramatic effects on model accuracy as well as the predicted prevalence for the variable (the overall proportion of locations where the variable is predicted to be present). The traditional default is to simply use a threshold of 0.5 as the cut-off, but this does not necessarily preserve the observed prevalence or result in the highest prediction accuracy, especially for data sets with very high or very low observed prevalence. Alternatively, the thresholds can be chosen to optimize map accuracy, as judged by various criteria. Here we examine the effect of 11 of these potential criteria on predicted prevalence, prediction accuracy, and the resulting map output. Comparisons are made using output from presence–absence models developed for 13 tree species in the northern mountains of Utah. We found that species with poor model quality or low prevalence were most sensitive to the choice of threshold. For these species, a 0.5 cut-off was unreliable, sometimes resulting in substantially lower kappa and underestimated prevalence, with possible detrimental effects on a management decision. If a management objective requires a map to portray unbiased estimates of species prevalence, then the best results were obtained from thresholds deliberately chosen so that the predicted prevalence equaled the observed prevalence, followed closely by thresholds chosen to maximize kappa. These were also the two criteria with the highest mean kappa from our independent test data. For particular management applications the special cases of user specified required accuracy may be most appropriate. Ultimately, maps will typically have multiple and somewhat conflicting management applications. Therefore, providing users with a continuous probability surface may be the most versatile and powerful method, allowing threshold choice to be matched with each maps intended use.
Autonomous zinc-finger nuclease pairs for targeted chromosomal deletion

Zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) have been successfully used for rational genome engineering in a variety of cell types and organisms. ZFNs consist of a non-specific FokI endonuclease domain and a specific zinc-finger DNA-binding domain. Because the catalytic domain must dimerize to become active, two ZFN subunits are typically assembled at the cleavage site. The generation of obligate heterodimeric ZFNs was shown to significantly reduce ZFN-associated cytotoxicity in single-site genome editing strategies. To further expand the application range of ZFNs, we employed a combination ofin silico protein modeling, in vitro cleavage assays, and in vivo recombination assays to identify autonomous ZFN pairs that lack cross-reactivity between each other. In the context of ZFNs designed to recognize two adjacent sites in the human HOXB13 locus, we demonstrate that two autonomous ZFN pairs can be directed simultaneously to two different sites to induce a chromosomal deletion in � 10% of alleles. Notably, the autonomous ZFN pair induced a targeted chromosomal deletion with the same efficacy as previously published obligate heterodimeric ZFNs but with significantly less toxicity. These results demonstrate that autonomous ZFNs will prove useful in targeted genome engineering approaches wherever an application requires the expression of two distinct ZFN pairs.
Generational Cohorts, Age at Arrival, and Access to Health Services among Asian and Latino Immigrant Adults

Recent immigrant assimilation literature has highlighted the tremendous heterogeneity that exists within foreign-born and U.S.-born second generation populations—and thus, the importance of a broader generational cohort framework that encompasses nativity, immigrant generation, age at arrival, and parental nativity. Using data from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey, this paper examines generational cohort differences in access to health services among Asian and Latino immigrant adults. Results showed that immigrants arriving in the U.S. as children had better access to services, one exception being middle-aged and older Asians. Individuals arriving in the U.S. as adults were significantly less likely than the third-and-later generation to have a usual source of care, and also had fewer physician visits. Across all cohorts, Latinos fared worse than both Asians and Whites. This study highlights the value of a generational cohort framework—specifically, the importance of age at arrival—in examining health access among immigrants.
Electron microscopic visualization of insulin translocation into the cytoplasm and nuclei of intact H35 hepatoma cells using covalently linked Nanogold-insulin

Insulin affects numerous metabolic processes as well as nuclear events such as gene transcription. Our previous ultrastructural and biochemical studies demonstrated insulin accumulation in nuclei of cultured and rapidly proliferating cells, and biochemical evidence suggested that insulin entered the cell cytoplasm before accumulating in the nucleus. The present study was undertaken to develop a covalently linked electron-dense insulin complex that could be used to visualize the intracellular translocation of insulin and confirm that insulin enters the cytoplasm of cells. Insulin was cross-linked to 1.4-nm diameter Nanogold particles. The complex binds to the plasma membrane insulin receptor, is biologically active, and is degraded by cellular insulin-degradative enzymes. Ultrastructural analysis after silver intensification of the gold particles confirmed that insulin internalization culminates in the translocation of some internalized insulin to the cytoplasm and nuclei. When cytoplasmic insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) activity was inhibited with 1,10-phenanthroline, an increase in the number of cytoplasmic and nuclear Nanogold-insulin particles was observed. The results of this and previous studies suggest that 1) the translocation of insulin to the cytoplasm, 2) the regulation of insulin degradation in the cytoplasm by IDE, 3) the possible interaction of insulin with cytoplasmic proteins other than IDE, and 4) the subsequent accumulation of intact insulin or insulin complexed with cytoplasmic proteins in nuclei may play a role in insulin's regulation of gene transcription and cell proliferation.
Concurrent analysis of structures on shared memory machines

A practical solution to the structural analysis problem in a parallel processing environment is investigated through the use of the notion of cheap concurrency and the concept of thread. Portions of a structural analysis code implemented in C are parallelized using the encore parallel threads on an encore multimax multiprocessor computer. The issues of racing condition, synchronization, and mapping are considered and discussed. Results are reported on the effect of amount and frequency of shared memory access on the speedup. A discussion of the overhead time required for creating threads and a comparison of the overall computational time performance using two examples are presented. >
Interdoublet sliding in bovine spermatozoa: its relationship to flagellar motility and the action of inhibitory agents.

Interdoublet sliding rates were assessed in bull sperm, utilizing a freeze‐thaw procedure to allow axonemal disintegration. The sliding rate at 23°C increased with increasing MgATP concentrations up to 1 mM ATP, to plateau at 8 mm/sec. The analyzed interdoublet shear in both live and demembranated (Triton X-100-extracted) bull sperm reactivated with 1 mM ATP established maximal microtubule sliding rates at 6 mm/sec during flagellar beating. Therefore, in vitro sliding rates were sufficient to account for the beat in intact flagella. The effect of inhibitors of flagellar motility on in vitro sliding rates was evaluated. While 8 mM vanadate minimally reduced the sliding rate (to ≈ 4 mm/sec), only 0.5 mM vanadate was sufficient to terminate reactivated bull sperm motility. Nickel ion (0.66 mM) terminated all spontaneous motility, while only reducing microtubule sliding rates to ≈ 5.0 mm/ sec. Exposing intact bull sperm to theophylline (1 mM), and incubating the subsequently demembranated sperm in cAMP (3 mM), improved flagellar motility, but had little impact on microtubule sliding rates as determined by axonemal disintegration. Furthermore, deactivating live sperm with 2 mM KCN and 4 mM 2-deoxy-D-glucose renders the subsequently reactivated sperm immotile (as long as exogenous cAMP is absent). Yet, this treatment only reduced the sliding rate by 38%. Paradoxically, 4 mM MgADP reduced the sliding rates most dramatically (86%), whereas demembranated sperm models retain a strong, coordinated beating pattern in the presence of MgADP. These results demonstrate that there is no direct relationship between interdoublet sliding rates and the capacity for coordinated flagellar beating. © 1996 Academic Press, Inc.
The Human Microbiome and Its Potential Importance to Pediatrics

The human body is home to more than 1 trillion microbes, with the gastrointestinal tract alone harboring a diverse array of commensal microbes that are believed to contribute to host nutrition, developmental regulation of intestinal angiogenesis, protection from pathogens, and development of the immune response. Recent advances in genome sequencing technologies and metagenomic analysis are providing a broader understanding of these resident microbes and highlighting differences between healthy and disease states. The aim of this review is to provide a detailed summary of current pediatric microbiome studies in the literature, in addition to highlighting recent findings and advancements in studies of the adult microbiome. This review also seeks to elucidate the development of, and factors that could lead to changes in, the composition and function of the human microbiome.
Single Diophantine equation solution of the discrete-time polynomial H/sub 2/ and H/sub /spl infin// control problems with a classical feedback structure

The linear discrete-time polynomial optimal feedback control laws are typically obtained via simultaneous solution of two Diophantine equations. In this work, a number-theory based technique is introduced that permits reduction of the polynomial controller synthesis procedures for the single-input-single-output (SISO) H/sub 2/ and H/sub /spl infin// regulation and tracking control problems with a classical feedback structure and plants with arbitrary stability properties to solving a single Diophantine equation. The technique proposed is also used to reduce the solution of the multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) generalized H/sub /spl infin// control problem.
Increased Trinucleotide Repeat Instability with Advanced Maternal Age

Nucleotide repeat instability is associated with an increasing number of cancers and neurological disorders. The mechanisms that govern repeat instability in these biological disorders are not well understood. To examine genetic aspects of repeat instability we have introduced an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat into transgenic mice. We have detected intergenerational CAG repeat instability in transgenic mice only when the transgene was maternally transmitted. These intergenerational instabilities increased in frequency and magnitude as the transgenic mother aged. Furthermore, triplet repeat variations were detected in unfertilized oocytes and were comparable with those in the offspring. These data show that maternal repeat instability in the transgenic mice occurs after meiotic DNA replication and prior to oocyte fertilization. Thus, these findings demonstrate that advanced maternal age is an important factor for instability of nucleotide repeats in mammalian DNA.
Effects of various ingredients on the manufacture of poured feed block containing a distillery by-product

Abstract Liquid condensed solubles and soya-bean meal were used as base material and protein source, respectively, in poured feed block formulations of this investigation. Such blocks contained magnesium oxide and ferrous sulfate as the solidifying agents. Magnesium oxide had the most critical effect ( P 2 O 3 , CaCl 2 , CaO, CaSO 4 , CaSO 4 · 2H 2 O, MgCl 2 , MgSO 4 and ZnSO 4 · 7H 2 O were tested. Among these, calcium oxide produced the most hardness ( P P > 0.05). It was postulated that water binding or hydration of the critical ingredients contributed to the blocking process, which was supported by the fact that harder blocks tended to have lower moisture contents.
On Optimal Information Storage in Synapses

Among the functions of the brain is information storage, which is physically implemented through changes in the strengths of synapses. Experimental investigations have revealed that synapses possess interesting and, in some cases, unexpected properties. Adopting the optimization approach to biology, we describe an information theoretic framework that accounts for several of these properties: typical central synapses are noisy, the distribution of synaptic weights among central synapses is wide, and synaptic connectivity between neurons is sparse. Our approach is based on maximizing channel capacity of neural tissue under resource constraints. We cast volume as a limited resource and utilize the empirical relationship between volume and synaptic strength. We find that capacity-achieving input distributions not only explain existing experimental measurements but also make non-trivial predictions about the physical structure of the mammalian brain. We also comment on the robustness of our optimization principles to uncertainties that are inherent in science.
Bandwidths of micro twisted-pair cables and fusion spliced SIMM-GRIN fiber and radiation hardness of PIN/VCSEL arrays

We study the feasibility of fabricating an optical link for the SLHC ATLAS silicon tracker based on the current pixel optical link architecture. The electrical signals between the current pixel modules and the optical modules are transmitted via micro-twisted cables. The optical signals between the optical modules and the data acquisition system are transmitted via rad-hard SIMM fibers spliced to rad-tolerant GRIN fibers. The link has several nice features. We have measured the bandwidths of the transmission lines and the results indicate that the micro twisted-pair cables can transmit signals up to ∼ 1 Gb/s and the fusion spliced fiber ribbon can transmit signals up to ∼ 2 Gb/s . We have irradiated PIN and VCSEL arrays with 24 GeV protons and find at least one candidate PIN and one VCSEL array that can survive to the SLHC dosage.
CtIP activates its own and cyclin D1 promoters via the E2F/RB pathway during G1/S progression.

Cell cycle progression from G1 to S phase is mainly controlled by E2F transcription factors and RB family proteins. Previously we showed that the presence of CtIP is essential for G1/S transition in primary mouse blastocysts, as well as in NIH 3T3 cells. However, how CtIP executes this function remains to be elucidated. Here we show that in NIH 3T3 cells the expression of CtIP is regulated by the E2F/RB pathway during late G1 and S phases. The presence of wild-type CtIP, but not the E157K mutant form, which failed to interact with RB, enhanced its own promoter activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis indicated that the recruitment of CtIP to its promoter occurs concomitantly with TFIIB, a component of the RNA polymerase II complex, and with dissociation of RB from the promoter during late G1 and G1/S transition. Similar positive regulation of cyclin D1 expression by CtIP was also observed. Consistently, cells expressing the CtIP(E157K) protein alone exhibited growth retardation, an increase in the G1 population, and a decrease in the S-phase population. Taken together, these results suggest that, contrary to the postulated universal corepressor role, CtIP activates a subset of E2F-responsive promoters by releasing RB-imposed repression and therefore promotes G1/S progression.
State space exploration using feedback constraint generation and Monte-Carlo sampling

The systematic exploration of the space of all the behaviours of a software system forms the basis of numerous approaches to verification. However, existing approaches face many challenges with scalability and precision. We propose a framework for validating programs based on statistical sampling of inputs guided by statically generated constraints, that steer the simulations towards more "desirable" traces.Our approach works iteratively: each iteration first simulates the system on some inputs sampled from a restricted space, while recording facts about the simulated traces. Subsequent iterations of the process attempt to steer the future simulations away from what has already been seen in the past iterations. This is achieved by two separate means: (a) we perform symbolic executions in order to guide the choice of inputs, and (b) we sample from the input space using a probability distribution specified by means of previously observed test data using a Markov Chain Monte-Carlo (MCMC) technique. As a result, the sampled inputs generate traces that are likely to be significantly different from the observations in the previous iterations in some user specified ways. We demonstrate that our approach is effective. It can rapidly isolate rare behaviours of systems that reveal more bugs.
Genetic Evidence for a Structural Interaction between the Carboxy Termini of the Membrane and Nucleocapsid Proteins of Mouse Hepatitis Virus

The coronavirus membrane (M) protein is the most abundant virion protein and the key component in viral assembly and morphogenesis. The M protein of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) is an integral membrane protein with a short ectodomain, three transmembrane segments, and a large carboxy-terminal endodomain facing the interior of the viral envelope. The carboxy terminus of MHV M has previously been shown to be extremely sensitive to mutation, both in a virus-like particle expression system and in the intact virion. We have constructed a mutant, MΔ2, containing a two-amino-acid truncation of the M protein that was previously thought to be lethal. This mutant was isolated by means of targeted RNA recombination with a powerful host range-based selection allowed by the interspecies chimeric virus fMHV (MHV containing the ectodomain of the feline infectious peritonitis virus S protein). Analysis of multiple second-site revertants of the MΔ2 mutant has revealed changes in regions of both the M protein and the nucleocapsid (N) protein that can compensate for the loss of the last two residues of the M protein. Our data thus provide the first genetic evidence for a structural interaction between the carboxy termini of the M and N proteins of MHV. In addition, this work demonstrates the efficacy of targeted recombination with fMHV for the systematic genetic analysis of coronavirus structural protein interactions.
Pollen-based summer temperature reconstructions for the eastern Canadian boreal forest, subarctic, and Arctic

Pollen-based paleoclimate reconstructions using response surface and modern analog methods reveal an 8000-year record of July temperature fluctuations for 25 eastern Canadian lake sites located from the forest–tundra to the high Canadian Arctic. Postglacial conditions, characterized by warmer than present summer temperatures, prevailed in Baffin Island and NE Labrador beginning about 7500 and 7000 14C yr BP, respectively, resulting in warmer than present conditions throughout the region by 6000 14C yr BP (+0.5°C to 1°C). Further south, in Quebec and W Labrador, July temperatures were 1–2°C colder than present until after 6000 14C yr BP, and only reached modern values after all residual Laurentide ice had melted. Increased summertime insolation and the final disappearance of Laurentide Ice during the middle Holocene probably caused July temperatures throughout eastern Canada to peak between approximately 5000 and 3500 14C yr BP. Mid-Holocene warming relative to today was more pronounced in Baffin Island and NE Labrador (+1°C to 2°C) compared to the boreal and subarctic regions of Quebec and W Labrador (<+1°C). Over the past 4000 years, decreasing summertime insolation and colder sea surface temperatures in the Davis Strait and Labrador Sea contributed to a decline in July temperatures of 1–2°C throughout Baffin Island, and the tundra regions of N Quebec and Labrador. The absence of similar cooling in the records from the boreal forest may support the notion that the mean position of the summertime polar front blocked the colder Arctic air during the late Holocene.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Down Syndrome: Mothers' Reflections on Supports Needed From Diagnosis to Birth

A qualitative study involving 10 mothers who received a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome and chose to continue their pregnancy was presented. The time frame considered was diagnosis to delivery. We looked at how the diagnosis was presented, the decision to continue the pregnancy, and the mothers' experience with professionals from diagnosis to delivery. Mothers' suggestions to others facing the same challenges and to their health care providers were discussed as were the types of support given these mothers and what was or would have been most helpful to them. The importance of professionals reviewing their procedures and protocols for working with families facing similar circumstances was stressed.
Effect of small sample size on text categorization with support vector machines

Datasets that answer difficult clinical questions are expensive in part due to the need for medical expertise and patient informed consent. We investigate the effect of small sample size on the performance of a text categorization algorithm. We show how to determine whether the dataset is large enough to train support vector machines. Since it is not possible to cover all aspects of sample size calculation in one manuscript, we focus on how certain types of data relate to certain properties of support vector machines. We show that normal vectors of decision hyperplanes can be used for assessing reliability and internal cross-validation can be used for assessing stability of small sample data.
Low‐income and Middle‐class Mothers Gendered Work and Family Schemas

Conflict between the demands of paid work and motherhood has been studied primarily from the experience of middle-class and professional mothers in dual-earner families. Recently, with the reform of welfare, a number of studies have focused on the problems of poor mothers in meeting the demands of paid employment and caring for children. This article explores the moral discourse of judgments about paid work and motherhood and how this differs for low-income and married middle-class women. It reviews research that considers why poor single mothers are seen as irresponsible when they leave work due to family demands when professional and middle-class married mothers are seen as acting selflessly. It examines how gendered schema differentially influences the work and family choices of married middle-class and professional mothers compared to poor and low-income mothers.
Positive Education Federalism

This Article examines the nature of the federal role in public education following the recent passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act in December 2015 (“ESSA”). Public education was largely unregulated for much of our Nation’s history, with the federal government deferring to states’ traditional “police powers” despite the de jure entrenchment of racial and class-based inequalities. A nascent policy of education federalism finally took root following the Brown v. Board decision and the enactment of the Elementary and Secondary School Act (“ESEA”) with the explicit purpose of eradicating such educational inequality.This timely Article argues that current federal education policy, as embodied by ESSA, has displaced the federalism values of Brown v. Board and the ESEA in favor of classic market principles of deregulation, competition, consumer choice and accountability. This Article thus critiques the current manifestation of education federalism as abdicating the federal government’s constitutional responsibility to intervene in public education when necessary to decrease race and class based education disparities. In so doing, this Article develops a positive conception of education federalism and provides policy recommendations for future congressional reauthorizations of the ESEA.
The Dynamics of Clathrin and the Coated Vesicle Pathway

Eukaryotic cells display specialized regions of the plasma membrane which are involved in the endocytosis of macromolecules. These so-called “coated pits” were initially described in oocytes as 140 nm surface membrane diameter depressions exhibiting a 20 nm bristle-like coat on the convex cytoplasmic side [1]. Invagination of the coated pits gave rise to distinct subcellular organelles referred to as coated vesicles. Although coated vesicles have been implicated in a variety of cellular processes such as membrane transfer, membrane recycling, and intracellular shuttling of macromolecules, their major impact has been in the area of receptor-mediated endocytosis [2, 3]. Internalization of receptor-bound molecules at the surface membrane is achieved by clustering of complexes into coated pit regions which ultimately invaginate and pinch off to form coated vesicles. In most cell types, coated pits comprise about 2% of the surface area, turn over approximately every 3 minutes and number between 1000–2000. Under conditions of random diffusion, it has been determined that certain receptors encounter coated pits as frequently as every 3–4 seconds. The mechanism by which receptor-ligand complexes cluster in coated pits is, however, unknown [4, 5].
Individual-Oriented and Neighborhood Protecting Health Actions: The Critical Role of Environmental Education Seeking Behavior

A relationship between individual health-oriented actions and neighborhood civic activities is proposed, as is a relationship between these behaviors and a personality that seeks information from multiple sources. The proposed relationship was tested with a sample of 367 residents of New Jersey, USA. Respondents who had their eyes examined and screening tests for chronic diseases, and engaged in other individually oriented health-protecting behaviors were also more likely to have engaged in neighborhood civic activities, such as calling on elected officials and participating in neighborhood functions. As expected, specific personality attributes were associated with both sets of health-protecting activities, including outreach to multiple sources for information and help, a strong sense of efficacy, and trust of authority and neighbors. The relationship between personality and health-protecting behaviors was confounded by age and formal education. However, the relationship with personality measures persisted after controlling for age and education. The shortcomings of the research are reviewed, and implications of these observations for building a broader theory that links environmental education to civic engagement and individual health-protecting behaviors are discussed.
Get thee to a laboratory

von Hippel & Trivers's central assertion that people self-deceive to better deceive others carries so many implications that it must be taken to the laboratory to be tested, rather than promoted by more indirect argument. Although plausible, many psychological findings oppose it. There is also an evolutionary alternative: People better deceive not through self-deception, but rather by not caring about the truth.
Rhinitis in the Elderly

By 2050, the US aging population will nearly double. It will be increasingly important for health care providers to diagnose and manage rhinitis. Nasal symptoms of rhinorrhea, congestion, sneezing, nasal/ocular pruritus, and postnasal drainage affect up to 32% of older adults, and can impact quality of life. Several underlying factors associated with aging may contribute to the pathogenesis of rhinitis in older adults. Although treatment options for rhinitis exist, special considerations need to be made because comorbidities, limited income, memory loss, and side effects of medications are common in older adults and may impact outcomes.