cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on soluble proteins of vitreous in experimental animals.

To elucidate the relation between vitreous proteins and serum proteins, including a possible vitreous-blood barrier for proteins, soluble proteins of vitreous were studied in response to aging and hyperoxygenation. Based on electrofocusing patterns, the soluble proteins of vitreous and aqueous resembled their respective serum proteins of pI 6·0 were not found in vitreous and aqueous. Although in dogs, with ages ranging from 1 day to adult, aging and oxygen treatment resulted in an influx of soluble proteins amounting to 161 and 36% gains in protein content, respectively, those two factors had no effect on the electrofocusing patterns of vitreous soluble proteins. In bovines, although there was a change in electrofocusing patterns in serum when the fetus became an adult, there was also a corresponding change in these patterns in vitreous. These findings appear to suggest that soluble proteins of the vitreous may originate from the circulation plasma. Protein concentrations in vitreous of newborn dogs, fetal calves, and mature eyes were found to be 10–12, 3–4 and 1–2% of that in serum, respectively. In mature eyes, despite a substantial increase in total protein content in vitreous with increased volume, protein concentration was maintained at a fairly constant level. The possibility of the existence of a vitreous-blood barrier permeable to acidic proteins was suggested to account for this finding.
Behavioral responses to intracerebroventricularly administered neurohypophyseal peptides in mice

Lysine vasopressin (LVP), arginine vasopressin, oxytocin, and arginine vasotocin administered intraventricularly (icv) to mice all provoked a dose-dependent behavioral response in the range 0.1 – 1.0 μg. This response included a pronounced hyperactivity, extensive foraging, increased grooming, and at higher doses, stereotyped scratching, squeaking, and occasional barrel rolling. The four hormones were all approximately equipotent. Desglycinamide lysine vasopressin and [desaminocys1, D-Arg8] vasopressin produced some of the characteristic behaviors, but were much less potent. While pretreatment of the animals with reserpine (5 mg/kg ip), haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg ip), or physostigmine (0.5 mg/kg ip) sedated the animals and attenuated the locomotion and grooming, these drugs did not substantially alter the characteristic behavioral responses to LVP. Pretreatment with α-methyl-p-tyrosine (400 mg/kg ip), p-chlorophenylalanine (320 mg/kg ip), 6-hydroxydopamine (100 μg icv), ergotamine (0.5 μg icv), ethoxolamide (52 ng icv), diphenhydramine (20 μg icv), prostaglondin F2α (2 μg icv), or naloxone (1 mg/kg ip) did not alter the LVP-induced behaviors. None of these drugs or d-amphetamine (0.5 to 20 mg/kg ip) or nicotine (0.1 or 1 μg icv) mimicked the behavioral effects of the hormones.
PRECIPITIN REACTIONS OF HIGHLY PURIFIED INFLUENZA VIRUSES AND RELATED MATERIALS.

Antisera to purified PR8 virus, to purified protein from normal allantoic fluid, and to purified normal mouse lung particles were obtained from hyper-immunized rabbits and used in quantitative precipitin tests employing various purified preparations of influenza virus and related materials as antigens. The results of those tests indicated that the most highly purified preparations of PR8 or of Lee influenza virus obtained from infectious allantoic fluid contain an antigen characteristic of normal allantoic fluid and likewise that highly purified mouse lung PR8 virus contains an antigen characteristic of normal mouse lungs. Since the infectivity of virus preparations which were ultracentrifugally and electrochemically homogeneous was precipitated by the appropriate antisera to normal antigens, it was concluded that the normal antigens constitute a part of the 100 mµ particles with which influenza virus activity is at present deemed to be associated. It was estimated from quantitative precipitin data that the most highly purified preparations of PR8 and of Lee influenza viruses obtained from infectious allantoic fluid contain at least about 20 and 30 per cent, respectively, of an antigenic structure characteristic of the sedimentable protein of normal allantoic fluid.
Ultrafast measurements of carrier transport optical nonlinearities in a GaAs/AlGaAs MQW SEED device

We have measured carrier sweep-out times as a function of electric field applied perpendicular to GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells at different pump power levels in picosecond pump- probe experiments. Resonant tunneling was observed at 5V at low pump pulse energies. At higher excitation levels, the effects of space charge build-up were found to significantly alter the transient nonlinear optical response due to changes in the time constants associated with vertical carrier transport in the screened field.
Reversible thiol-dependent activation of ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channel by etoposide (VP-16) phenoxyl radical.

ABSTRACT Many phenolic compounds can act as antioxidants by donating a proton to peroxyl radicals and quenching lipid peroxidation. Phenoxyl radicals produced this way or from metabolism by peroxidases, tyrosinase, or mixed-function oxidases, however, may react with sulfhydryl groups of proteins and other endogenous thiols. In this regard, phenolic compounds may have cytotoxic potential instead of antioxidant effects. We employed the anticancer drug, etoposide (VP-16), as a model phenolic compound to study the sensitivity of ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ channel (RyR) to VP-16 phenoxyl radicals. The combination of VP-16 and tyrosinase, used to generate the etoposide phenoxyl radical, produced marked Ca2+ release from Ca2+-loaded RyR-rich vesicles prepared from terminal cisternae fraction of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). This effect was reversed by the SH-reagent, dithiothreitol (DTT), suggesting that cysteines within the RyR-protein complex were targets for modification by VP-16 phenoxyl radicals. VP-16/tyrosin...
Cells in Auditory Cortex that Project to the Cochlear Nucleus in Guinea Pigs

Fluorescent retrograde tracers were used to identify the cells in auditory cortex that project directly to the cochlear nucleus (CN). Following injection of a tracer into the CN, cells were labeled bilaterally in primary auditory cortex and the dorsocaudal auditory field as well as several surrounding fields. On both sides, the cells were limited to layer V. The size of labeled cell bodies varied considerably, suggesting that different cell types may project to the CN. Cells ranging from small to medium in size were present bilaterally, whereas the largest cells were labeled only ipsilaterally. In optimal cases, the extent of dendritic labeling was sufficient to identify the morphologic class. Many cells had an apical dendrite that could be traced to a terminal tuft in layer I. Such “tufted” pyramidal cells were identified both ipsilateral and contralateral to the injected CN. The results suggest that the direct pathway from auditory cortex to the cochlear nucleus is substantial and is likely to play a role in modulating the way the cochlear nucleus processes acoustic stimuli.
Optical recognition of handwritten Chinese characters: Advances since 1980

Abstract The work on the optical recognition of handwritten Chinese characters which has been reported since 1980 is reviewed. The various methods used are classified according to the feature and comparison methods employed. Particular attention is paid to models developed under the recently introduced connectionist paradigm. As an area with sufficient challenge, considerable application potential, and extensive test data, handwritten Chinese character recognition is a good testbed for new recognition algorithms. It therefore enables connectionist models to be compared with more traditional recognition methods.
Adoption and maltreatment of foster infants by rhesus macaque abusive mothers

In this study we investigated whether infant characteristics play a causal role in the occurrence of maternal abuse of offspring in rhesus macaques )Macaca mulatta) and whether abusive mothers differ from controls in their tendency to adopt alien infants in a cross-fostering procedure. To this end, 13 infants born to mothers with a previous history of infant abuse were cross-fostered shortly after birth with infants born to nonabusive mothers and subsequently observed for 12 weeks. Abusive mothers were significantly more likely to reject foster infants than control mothers were. When adoption was successful, all of the abusive mothers maltreated their foster infants whereas none of the control mothers exhibited infant abuse. These findings suggest that infant characteristics do not play an important causal role in the occurrence of infant abuse and that abusive mothers may differ from nonabusive ones in maternal motivation or reactivity to stressful procedures.
Subcellular distribution and kinetic parameters of HS mouse liver aldehyde dehydrogenase

Abstract 1. Aldehyde dehydrogenase subcellular distribution studies were performed in a heterogeneous stock (HS) of male and female mice ( Mus musculus ) with propionaldehyde (5 mM and 50 μM) and formaldehyde (1 mM) and NAD + or NADP + . 2. The relative percents of distribution were: cytosolic 55–68%, mitochondrial 12–20%, microsomal 9–18% and lysosomal 3–15% for both propionaldehyde concentrations and NAD + . 3. Kinetic experiments using propionaldehyde and acetaldehyde with NAD + revealed two separate enzymes, Enzyme I (low K m ) and Enzyme II (high K m ) in the cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions. 4. The kinetic data also indicated a spectrum of cytosolic low K m values that exhibited a bimodal distribution with one −40 μ M and one −5 μ M. 5. It was concluded that there was no significant difference in aldehyde-metabolizing capability between male and female HS mice, compared on a per gram of liver basis. The cytosolic low K m enzyme plays a major role in aldehyde oxidation at moderate to low aldehyde concentrations.
Purification and characterization of a xylobiose- and xylose-producing endo-xylanase from Aspergillus niger

Abstract A xylanase from a commercial Aspergillus niger pentoglycanase was purified to homogeneity by column chromatography on Ultrogel AcA 54, SP-Sephadex, Sephadex G-50, and SP-Sephadex. The enzyme hydrolyzed xylotriose slowly to xylose and xylobiose, and xylotetraose and higher xylo-oligosaccharides rapidly to mixtures of smaller xylo-oligosaccharides, with xylobiose and xylose being the preponderant final products. The anomeric configuration of the products was inverted, in contrast to the behavior of most other carbohydrases that initially produce mixtures of oligosaccharides. This enzyme is a glycoprotein having an amino acid composition high in acidic residues. Its molecular weight is 20,800 and its isoelectric point is at pH 6.7. Optimal pH values for activity and stability are between 4 and 6 and, in a 20-min assay, maximal activity is attained at 55°.
Performance Characteristics of Indirect-Fired Gas Turbine/Cogeneration Cycles

The thermal efficiencies of the gas turbine and optimum cycle pressure ratios were determined by equation for thermodynamic performance. Design guidelines are given for optimal parameters. Comparisons are made with performances of steam turbines for cogeneration system. The results indicate the efficiency advantage of the closed cycle gas turbine/cogeneration system over others. 5 refs.
Almost Free: A Story about Family and Race in Antebellum Virginia

Almost Free: A Story about Family and Race in Antebellum Virginia EVA SHEPPARD WOLF Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2012 Pp. 192, $19.95 (pbk), $59.95 (hbk), ISBNs 978 0 8203 3230 7, 978 0 820...
Use of a New Delayed Release Pancrelipase Formulation to Clear Obstructed Feeding Tubes

Obstructed feeding tubes remain a challenge for health care providers. Loss of feeding access can be detrimental to the patient's health and quality of life while increasing health care expenditures. Pancrelipase, which consists of various quantities and strengths of the digestive enzymes amylase, lipase, and protease, has long been used as an effective means for clearing feeding tubes. However, due to regulations from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), several formulations of pancrelipase including an immediate release crushable formulation (Viokase, Axcan Pharma, Birmingham, Alabama) have been removed from the market, leaving only delayed release formulations available that have not been tested for this purpose. Until an immediate release pancrelipase formulation is FDA approved and can be made available, clinicians have limited options and little guidance on how to clear obstructed feeding tubes. This case series highlights the clinical dilemma created by the FDA-mandated withdrawal of Viokase ...
Pyrazolo-N-hydroxyuracils from the modified lossen rearrangement of vicinal pyrazoledicarbohydroxamates

The reaction of 1-phenyl-3,4- and 4,5-pyrazoledicarbohydroxamates, II and VIII, with benzene- and methanesulfonyl chlorides is reported. Each hydroxamate yielded two isomeric N-phenyl-N-hydroxypyrimidinediones whose structures were established. The NMR spectra of a number of isomeric pyrazole derivatives are discussed.
Enumerators for protograph ensembles of LDPC codes

This paper considers the problem of finding average enumerators for the class of protograph ensembles, which are related in a certain way to quasi-cyclic codes. Our methods, which are necessarily different from those used to compute enumerators for classical irregular ensembles, can be applied to both codeword and stopping set weight enumerators. The method divides codewords into types based on their partial weight enumerator. For each type, an exponent can be computed for the average number of codewords of that type. Maximizing over types of fixed average weight gives the average enumerator which we seek. Although this maximization step is in general difficult because of non-unique local maxima, we can compute it for simple cases. We show that certain ensembles exist which have a linearly growing minimum distance with high probability, while others have at most sublinearly growing minimum distance with high probability
Independence of Protein Kinase C-δ Activity from Activation Loop Phosphorylation STRUCTURAL BASIS AND ALTERED FUNCTIONS IN CELLS

Activation loop phosphorylation plays critical regulatory roles for many kinases. Unlike other protein kinase Cs (PKC), PKC-δ does not require phosphorylation of its activation loop (Thr-507) for in vitro activity. We investigated the structural basis for this unusual capacity and its relevance to PKC-δ function in intact cells. Mutational analysis demonstrated that activity without Thr-507 phosphorylation depends on 20 residues N-terminal to the kinase domain and a pair of phenylalanines (Phe-500/Phe-527) unique to PKC-δ in/near the activation loop. Molecular modeling demonstrated that these elements stabilize the activation loop by forming a hydrophobic chain of interactions from the C-lobe to activation loop to N-terminal (helical) extension. In cells PKC-δ mediates both apoptosis and transcription regulation. We found that the T507A mutant of the PKC-δ kinase domain resembled the corresponding wild type in mediating apoptosis in transfected HEK293T cells. But the T507A mutant was completely defective in AP-1 and NF-κB reporter assays. A novel assay in which the kinase domain of PKC-δ and its substrate (a fusion protein of PKC substrate peptide with green fluorescent protein) were co-targeted to lipid rafts revealed a major substrate-selective defect of the T507A mutant in phosphorylating the substrate in cells. In vitro analysis showed strong product inhibition on the T507A mutant with particular substrates whose characteristics suggest it contributes to the substrate selective defect of the PKC-δ T507A mutant in cells. Thus, activation loop phosphorylation of PKC-δ may regulate its function in cells in a novel way.
Optimization and parallelization of a commodity trade model for the IBM SP1/2, using parallel programming tools

We compare two different approaches to parallelization of Fortran programs. The first approach is to optimize the serial code so that it runs as fast as possible on a single processor, and then optimize the parallel version. In this paper a variety of parallel programming tools is used to obtain an optimal, parallel version of an economic policy modelling application for the IBM SP1. We apply a new technique called Data Access Normalization; we use an extended ParaScope as our parallel programming environment; we use FORGE 90 as our parallelizer; and we use KAP as our optimizer. We make a number of observations about the effectiveness of these tools. Both strategies obtain a working, parallel program, but use different tools to get there. On this occasion, both KAP and Data Access Normalization lead to the same critical transformation of inverting four of the twelve loop nests in the original program. The next most important optimization is parallel I/O, one of the few transformations that had to be done by hand. Speedups are obtained on the SP1 (using MPLp communication over the High Speed Switch). Keywords: multiprocessors, program transformations, parallel programming tools, data access normalization, ParaScope, Lambda Toolkit, Fortran, HPF, FORGE, SP1, SPMD, KAP, parallel I/O, PED LAMBDA, data parallel, loop distribution, loop fusion, trace analyzers
Adsorption and kinetics at platinum electrodes in the presence of oxygen at zero net current

The rest potentials at Pt electrodes were determined in 1 N2SO4. Solutions saturated at 0°, 20u°, 50° And 80° with various partial pressures of oxygen ranging from 0.005 to 1 atm. Oxygen adsorption isotherms were obtained by cathodic reduction transient technique. The nature of the rest potentials is analyzed. The behavior of the Pt-O2-H2O system under open circuit conditions, appears to be best interpreted in terms of the following model. Oxide-free Pt electrodes immersed in an aqueous solution of H2SO4 acquire a mixed potential due to cathodic reduction of oxygen and oxidation of impurities as the anodic component. The value of this potential is simply dependent upon the oxygen pressure. The potential in turn determines the coverage of oxygen atoms, which arises from an equilibrium of the water discharge reaction with the Pt surface. According to this model, this reaction, and not the dissociative adsorption of oxygen, is the origin of oxygen coverage at the surface. The lack of reversibility of the O2 electrode would therefore result from the presence of impurities. Further analysis of the Behavior of noble metal electrodes In O2-saturated solutions is in progress.
Fyn Modulation of Dab1 Effects on Amyloid Precursor Protein and ApoE Receptor 2 Processing

Dab1 is an intracellular adaptor protein that interacts with amyloid precursor protein (APP) and apoE receptor 2 (apoEr2), increases their levels on the cell surface, and increases their cleavage by alpha-secretases. To investigate the mechanism underlying these alterations in processing and trafficking of APP and apoEr2, we examined the effect of Fyn, an Src family-tyrosine kinase known to interact with and phosphorylate Dab1. Co-immunoprecipitation, co-immunostaining, and fluorescence lifetime imaging demonstrated an association between Fyn and APP. Fyn induced phosphorylation of APP at Tyr-757 of the (757)YENPTY(762) motif and increased cell surface expression of APP. Overexpression of Fyn alone did not alter levels of sAPPalpha or cytoplasmic C-terminal fragments, although it significantly decreased production of Abeta. However, in the presence of Dab1, Fyn significantly increased sAPPalpha and C-terminal fragments. Fyn-induced APP phosphorylation and cell surface levels of APP were potentiated in the presence of Dab1. Fyn also induced phosphorylation of apoEr2 and increased its cell surface levels and, in the presence of Dab1, affected processing of its C-terminal fragment. In vivo studies showed that sAPPalpha was decreased in the Fyn knock-out, supporting a role for Fyn in APP processing. These data demonstrate that Fyn, due in part to its effects on Dab1, regulates the phosphorylation, trafficking, and processing of APP and apoEr2.
Chromosome differences in Peromyscus maniculatus populations at different altitudes in Colorado

Mice of the genus Peromyscus all have 48 chromosomes. Yet the appearance of the 48 chromosomes is highly variable from species to species (Hsu & Arrighi, 1966, 1968, 1971; Pathak et al., 1973) and even in different populations of the same species (Sparkes & Arakaki, 1966; Ohno et al., 1966; Hsu & Arrighi, 1968; Arakaki et al. 1970; Te & Dawson, 1971; Bradshaw & Hsu, 1972; Murray & Kitchin, 1976). The evolutionary significance of this variation and the mechanisms for its initiation and maintenance have been of interest for quite a few years. However, it was not until the sophisticated chromosome banding techniques became available that mammalian cytogeneticists were able to begin to study the chromosome variation of Peromyscus in some detail. The use of C-banding led Hsu & Arrighi (1971) to the finding that the short arms of chromosomes in three different species of Peromyscus contained constitutive heterochromatin. These results suggested that the variations in the number of acrocentric chromosomes in Peromyscus might be a result of different amounts of heterochromatin. Later studies (Duffey, 1972; Waterbury, 1972; and Pathak et al., 1973) were also consistent with this hypothesis. However, it was soon discovered that not all chromosomal differences among Peromyscus populations are due to heterochromatin changes. Studies by Arighi et al. (1976) and Murray & Kitchin (1976) showed that some chromosomal differences between species and subspecies of Peromyscus are due to pericentric inversions. Thus, it appears that both inversions and the addition of heterochromatin are involved in the evolution of the karyotype of Peromyscus. The purpose of our study was to investigate the chromosomes of Peromyscus maniculatus in different populations in Colorado (U.S.A.) and to test for relationships involving an altitudinal gradient. In the first part of this study, orcein stained chromosomes from three subspecies of mice sampled at nine different altitudes were examined for karyotype variability. In the second part of the study, karyotypes of two subspecies (P. m. rufinus and P. m. luteus), representing high and low altitude populations were examined with Q banding to determine the mechanisms responsible for chromosomal differences.
4D Electron Diffraction Reveals Correlated Unidirectional Behavior in Zinc Oxide Nanowires

The confined electronic structure of nanoscale materials has increasingly been shown to induce behavior quite distinct from that of bulk analogs. Direct atomic- scale visualization of nanowires of zinc oxide was achieved through their unique pancake- type diffraction by using four- dimensional (4D) ultrafast electron crystallography. After electronic excitation of this wide- gap photonic material, the wires were found to exhibit colossal expansions, two orders of magnitude higher than that expected at thermal equilibrium; the expansion is highly anisotropic, a quasi- one- dimensional behavior, and is facilitated by the induced antibonding character. By reducing the density of nanowires, the expansions reach even larger values and occur at shorter times, suggesting a decrease of the structural constraint in transient atomic motions. This unanticipated ultrafast carrier- driven expansion highlights the optoelectronic consequences of nanoscale morphologies.
Identification of pathways for bipolar disorder: a meta-analysis

Importance: Genome-wide investigations provide systematic information regarding the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders. Objective: To identify biological pathways that contribute to risk for bipolar disorder (BP) using genes with consistent evidence for association in multiple genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Data Sources: Four independent data sets with individual genome-wide data available in July 2011 along with all data sets contributed to the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Bipolar Group by May 2012. A prior meta-analysis was used as a source for brain gene expression data. Study Selection: The 4 published GWAS were included in the initial sample. All independent BP data sets providing genome-wide data in the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium were included as a replication sample. Data Extraction and Synthesis: We identified 966 genes that contained 2 or more variants associated with BP at P < .05 in 3 of 4 GWAS data sets (n = 12 127 [5253 cases, 6874 controls]). Simulations using 10 000 replicates of these data sets corrected for gene size and allowed the calculation of an empirical P value for each gene; empirically significant genes were entered into a pathway analysis. Each of these pathways was then tested in the replication sample (n = 8396 [3507 cases, 4889 controls]) using gene set enrichment analysis for single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The 226 genes were also compared with results from a meta-analysis of gene expression in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Main Outcomes and Measures: Empirically significant genes and biological pathways. Results: Among 966 genes, 226 were empirically significant (P < .05). Seventeen pathways were overrepresented in analyses of the initial data set. Six of the 17 pathways were associated with BP in both the initial and replication samples: corticotropin-releasing hormone signaling, cardiac β-adrenergic signaling, phospholipase C signaling, glutamate receptor signaling, endothelin 1 signaling, and cardiac hypertrophy signaling. Among the 226 genes, 9 differed in expression in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in patients with BP: CACNA1C, DTNA, FOXP1, GNG2, ITPR2, LSAMP, NPAS3, NCOA2, and NTRK3. Conclusions and Relevance: Pathways involved in the genetic predisposition to BP include hormonal regulation, calcium channels, second messenger systems, and glutamate signaling. Gene expression studies implicate neuronal development pathways as well. These results tend to reinforce specific hypotheses regarding BP neurobiology and may provide clues for new approaches to treatment and prevention.
Two‐Way Bridge: The Cross cultural Colloquy at Virginia Seminary

Six years of the Cross-cultural Colloquy at Virginia Theological Seminary, located in metropolitan Washington, D.C., have alerted the two participating American teachers to some peculiarities of their own American culture, some peculiarities of the home cultures of foreign students, and the importance of the work which foreign Christian leaders must do to select and translate from their new learnings when they begin to turn their minds towards resuming responsibilities at home. We observe that this Colloquy also meets characteristic needs of non-Americans studying theology in the USA: it offers them conceptual tools and an oral forum for explaining to themselves odd aspects of American culture, emotional support during that time of adjustment, and inducements to begin formulating ways to take both curricular and extracurricular learnings and begin to apply them in the settings to which they will be returning. We commend this model for consideration by schools where foreign or minority-culture students' place in the curriculum and in the community of teachers and learners is ill-defined or remains less than satisfactory.
Aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in women: a cost-utility analysis.

Background The cost-effectiveness of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular events in women is unclear. We sought to perform a cost-utility analysis to address this issue. Methods We developed a Markov model, based on published literature, to compare aspirin prevention with no therapy. We used the perspective of a third-party payer and a lifetime time horizon. Our main outcome measure was cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. Our base case analysis considered 65-year-old women with a 7.5% 10-year risk of coronary heart disease events and a 2.8% risk of stroke. Results Aspirin use cost $13 300 per additional QALY gained in the base case. Results were sensitive to age, cardiovascular disease risk, relative risk reductions with aspirin for ischemic strokes and myocardial infarction, excess risk of hemorrhagic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding, and the disutility of taking medication. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis for 65-year-old women at moderate cardiovascular disease risk found a 27% chance that aspirin produces fewer QALYs than no treatment, a 35% chance that the cost-utility ratio was less than $50 000 per QALY gained, and a 37% probability that it was greater than $50 000 per QALY gained. Conclusions Aspirin use appears to have a favorable cost-utility ratio for older women with moderate cardiovascular risk, but firm conclusions about its effects are limited by the imprecision of available evidence, which comes mainly from 1 trial. Aspirin is indicated for women at higher risk for stroke but should not be prescribed for low-risk women, including most younger women.
Advanced Tether Experiment Deployment Failure

TheAdvancedTether Experimentwas launched into orbit aboard the NationalReconnaissanceOf ce sponsored Space Technology Experiment spacecraft on 3 October 1998. The tether experiment payload was intended to demonstrate deployment and survivability of a novel tether design as well as controlled libration maneuvers. On 16 January 1999 after deployment of only 22 m of tether, the advanced tether experiment was jettisoned from the spacecraft due to an out-of-limits condition sent by the experiment’s tether angle sensor. The essential system design is reviewed, the available  ight data are presented, and likely causes of the failure are suggested.
Stream Characteristics Associated with Site Occupancy by the Eastern Hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis, in Southern West Virginia

Abstract Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis (Eastern Hellbender) is an environmentally sensitive species that has experienced range-wide population declines. Diurnal rock-turning surveys were conducted in southern WV during the summer and fall of 2006 to assess the species' population status in this area and to examine the relationship between stream physico-chemical characteristics and site occupancy. Survey results suggest that Eastern Hellbender populations are rare in southern WV, with Eastern Hellbender present at only ≈15% of all sites surveyed and only ≈20% of sites where they have been documented historically. Logistic regression models showed that presence of increased gravel substrate and specific conductivity reduced the probability of site occupancy by Eastern Hellbenders. It is not clear why a higher proportion of gravel substrate negatively affected site occupancy, because gravel should benefit Eastern Hellbender populations by providing larval habitat and habitat for prey species. T...
The autocrine derivation of the opioid growth factor, [Met5]-enkephalin, in ocular surface epithelium.

Abstract Endogenous opioid peptides serve as growth factors in developing, renewing, healing, and neoplastic cells and tissues. A native opioid peptide, [Met5]-enkephalin, termed opioid growth factor (OGF), has been discovered to regulate DNA synthesis in the epithelium of the ocular surface. OGF and its receptor ζ have been localized in both the basal and suprabasal cells of the epithelium. This study examined the hypothesis that OGF is an autocrine growth factor. Using probe for preproenkephalin (PPE) mRNA that encodes OGF, and in situ hybridization techniques, silver grains related to PPE mRNA were detected in both basal and suprabasal cells of the central and peripheral cornea, limbus, and conjunctiva. No distinct regional differences in the presence or location of message, as reflected by the density and distribution of PPE mRNA signal, were noted. These results demonstrate that a growth factor known to serve as a tonic, inhibitory, and receptor-mediated influence on the epithelium of the ocular surface is derived in an autocrine manner, thereby permitting local control of homeostatic cellular replication.
Mangrove Forest Distributions and Dynamics in Madagascar (1975–2005)

Mangrove forests of Madagascar are declining, albeit at a much slower rate than the global average. The forests are declining due to conversion to other land uses and forest degradation. However, accurate and reliable information on their present distribution and their rates, causes, and consequences of change have not been available. Earlier studies used remotely sensed data to map and, in some cases, to monitor mangrove forests at a local scale. Nonetheless, a comprehensive national assessment and synthesis was lacking. We interpreted time-series satellite data of 1975, 1990, 2000, and 2005 using a hybrid supervised and unsupervised classification approach. Landsat data were geometrically corrected to an accuracy of ± one-half pixel, an accuracy necessary for change analysis. We used a postclassification change detection approach. Our results showed that Madagascar lost 7% of mangrove forests from 1975 to 2005, to a present extent of ~2,797 km2. Deforestation rates and causes varied both spatially and temporally. The forests increased by 5.6% (212 km2) from 1975 to 1990, decreased by 14.3% (455 km2) from 1990 to 2000, and decreased by 2.6% (73 km2) from 2000 to 2005. Similarly, major changes occurred in Bombekota Bay, Mahajamba Bay, the coast of Ambanja, the Tsiribihina River, and Cap St Vincent. The main factors responsible for mangrove deforestation include conversion to agriculture (35%), logging (16%), conversion to aquaculture (3%), and urban development (1%).
Concept maps: a tool to assess student knowledge

Students are often expected to make connections among the concepts taught in a course, and among topics taught across the courses in the curriculum. Teachers are sometimes disappointed when students have not made the connections for themselves. Concept maps are tools that can help students make and understand connections among concepts. A concept map is a node and are diagram that represents a person's understanding of the relationships among concepts. Here, the author presents a concept map that a student may construct to represent how the courses they take as a freshman can help them become an effective engineer. Such concept maps can also be used as an effective tool to elicit a student's understanding of a topic both before and after instruction.
Viewing Preschool Disruptive Behavior Disorders and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Through a Developmental Lens: What We Know and What We Need to Know

Empirical investigation into disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in early childhood has expanded considerably during the past decade. Although there have been considerable gains in the understanding of the presentation and course of these psychiatric disorders in early childhood, the lack of a developmental framework to guide nosologic issues likely impedes progress in this area. The authors propose that enhanced developmental sensitivity in defining symptoms of DBDs and ADHD may shed light on outstanding issues in the field. In particular, developmental specification may enhance specificity, sensitivity, and stability of DBDs and ADHD symptoms as well as inform our understanding of which type of treatment works best for whom. This article provides an overview of these critical issues.
Mallomonas weei (Synurophyceae), a new species from North Carolina, U.S.A.

A new species of Mallomonas, M.weei, is described from North Carolina, U.S.A. Fine structure of scales and bristles has been studied using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The new species is placed in the section Mallomonas, series Intermediae.
An efficient partial differential equation technique for solving the problem of scattering by objects of arbitrary shape

The solution of an open region scattering problem using partial differential equation techniques usually requires enclosing the scatterer by a circular outer boundary and applying an absorbing boundary condition at this boundary. For a long slender scatterer, a circular outer boundary necessitates a very large mesh region which results in a large matrix. In this paper, we introduce a generalized boundary condition that is appropriate for an arbitrary outer boundary that conforms to the shape of the scatterer. In order 10 demonstrate the potentiality of the method, two different scatterer shapes are studied The solutions are found to agree well with those derived via the method of moments.
The effect of nonnutritive sucking on heart rate in preterm infants

A laboratory and a field experiment used within-subject designs to test the hypothesis that nonnutritive sucking (NNS) reduces heart rate (HR) in preterm infants. Infants in Experiment A were provided a standard pacifier nipple for 30 min under strictly controlled conditions. In the field Experiment B, nursing staff provided infants with a standard pacifier during alternate intervals in a sequence of four interfeed intervals spanning 12 hr. NNS significantly reduced average HR in each experiment. Given the strongly positive relationship between HR and energy expenditure, these results suggest that NNS reduces energy expenditure in preterm infants. Such an effect, in turn, could help to explain how the opportunity to engage in NNS enhances growth in preterms.
Charge-exchange born He+ ions in the solar wind

The effect of charge transfer between solar wind alpha-particles and hydrogen atoms of interstellar origin is revisited. Singly-charged helium ions born in the charge transfer carry important information on processes in the solar wind and the heliosphere. The velocity distribution of such He(+) ions is substantially different from that of He(+) pick-up ions due to ionization of the interstellar helium atoms. Estimates of the expected abundances of the charge-exchange born He(+) in the solar wind are presented, and the possibility of measuring this plasma component on deep space missions is discussed.
Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Austin: Enhanced oddball memory through differentiation, not isolation

What makes a person, event, or object memorable? Enhanced memory for oddball items is long established, but the basis for these effects is not well understood. The present work clarifies the roles of isolation and differentiation in establishing new memories. According to the isolation account, items that are highly dissimilar to other items are better remembered. In contrast, recent category learning studies suggest that oddball items are better remembered because they must be differentiated from similar items. The present work pits the differentiation and isolation accounts against each other. The results suggest that differentiation, not isolation, leads to more accurate memory for deviant items. In contrast, gains for isolated items are attributable to reduced confusion with other items, as opposed to preferential storage.
Variable Effects of Habitat Enhancement Structures across Species and Habitats in Michigan Reservoirs

Abstract The addition of habitat enhancement structures to aquatic systems is a common practice by fisheries managers hoping to increase production, spawning success, and angler catch rates of important sport fishes. However, quantitative evaluations of these efforts are few and typically do not include the extent to which natural habitat mediates the effects of habitat enhancement structures. We evaluated the effects of two types of habitat enhancement structure on four fish groups in four reservoirs of the Au Sable River, Michigan. Using a combination of sampling methods, we compared several response variables (including relative abundance, nesting, and angler catch rates) between areas with and without structures, as well as before and after structure placement, across a gradient of natural habitat conditions. The effects of half-log habitat enhancement structures were significant in some cases, but no significant effects were detected for AquaCrib structures. Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu respo...
Calcium requirements for cardiac myofibrillar activation.

The amounts of calcium required to achieve various levels of myofibrillar activation in the dog heart were determined by measuring the dependence of myofibrillar calcium binding, myofibrillar adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase), and isometric tension on free calcium concentration. Myofibrillar ATPase was half-maximal at 2.4 x 10-6M free calcium, and tension development was half-maximal at 2.0 x 10-6M free calcium. No simple relation between calcium binding and activation was found. For example, between 10-8M and 10-6M free calcium, an appreciable amount of calcium was bound to the myofibrils, but there was little activation of isometric tension. On the other hand, myofibrillar calcium binding was not saturated at levels of free calcium at which both tension and ATPase were maximal; therefore, it appears that only a portion of the total myofibrillar calcium binding sites control ATPase and tension. Using the information derived from the binding and activation studies together with our determination of the myofibrillar content of the dog heart, 47.5 mg myofibrillar protein/g wet heart, we calculated the calcium required to achieve various levels of myofibrillar activation in the intact ventricle. By this calculation method, development of half-maximal tension required 22.4 µmoles calcium/kg wet heart, and development of maximal isometric tension required 92.8 µmoles/kg wet heart.
Numerical Simulations of Pillar Structured Solid State Thermal Neutron Detector: Efficiency and Gamma Discrimination

This paper reports numerical simulations of a three-dimensionally integrated, Boron-10 (10B) and Silicon p+, intrinsic, n+ (PIN) diode micropillar array for thermal neutron detection. The inter-digitated device structure has a high probability of interaction between the Si PIN pillars and the charged particles (alpha and 7Li) created from the neutron-10B reaction. In this paper, the effect of both the 3-D geometry (including pillar width, separation and height) and energy loss mechanisms are investigated via simulations to predict the neutron detection efficiency and gamma discrimination of this structure. The simulation results are demonstrated to compare well with the experimental data available at this time, for 7- and 12-mum tall micropillar arrays. This indicates that upon scaling the pillar height, a high efficiency thermal neutron detector is possible.
Estimation of the ratio of sensor degradation between NOAA AVHRR channels 1 and 2 from monthly NDVI composites

Vegetation monitoring, based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) calculated from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) channels 1 and 2 data, requires continuous updates of calibration coefficients to correct for the sensor degradation in these channels. A method was developed to estimate calibration coefficients with monthly composited NDVI data from desert targets without recourse to the component channels 1 and 2 data. The method was tested on NDVI data from the AVHRR onboard the NOAA-7, -9, and -11 satellites for the period from 1982 until 1993. The results of the method outlined in this paper correlated high r, between 0.94 and 0.95, with the results from other studies that estimated sensor degradation for the individual AVHRR bands.
Roles for Laminin in Embryogenesis: Exencephaly, Syndactyly, and Placentopathy in Mice Lacking the Laminin α5 Chain

Laminins are the major noncollagenous glycoproteins of all basal laminae (BLs). They are α/β/γ heterotrimers assembled from 10 known chains, and they subserve both structural and signaling roles. Previously described mutations in laminin chain genes result in diverse disorders that are manifested postnatally and therefore provide little insight into laminin's roles in embryonic development. Here, we show that the laminin α5 chain is required during embryogenesis. The α5 chain is present in virtually all BLs of early somite stage embryos and then becomes restricted to specific BLs as development proceeds, including those of the surface ectoderm and placental vasculature. BLs that lose α5 retain or acquire other α chains. Embryos lacking laminin α5 die late in embryogenesis. They exhibit multiple developmental defects, including failure of anterior neural tube closure (exencephaly), failure of digit septation (syndactyly), and dysmorphogenesis of the placental labyrinth. These defects are all attributable to defects in BLs that are α5 positive in controls and that appear ultrastructurally abnormal in its absence. Other laminin α chains accumulate in these BLs, but this compensation is apparently functionally inadequate. Our results identify new roles for laminins and BLs in diverse developmental processes.
Millennial Climate Variability: Is There a Tidal Connection?

Abstract Orbital forcing has long been the subject of two quite separate communities: the tide community is concerned with the relatively rapid gravitational forces (periods up to 18.6 yr) and the climate community with the long-period Milankovitch insolation terms (exceeding 20 000 yr). The wide gap notwithstanding, the two subjects have much in common. Keeling and Whorf have proposed that the millennial climate variability is associated with high-frequency tidal forcing extending into the 10-octave gap by some nonlinear process. Here, the authors distinguish between two quite distinct processes for generating low frequencies: (i) the “traditional” analogy with eclipse cycles associated with near coincidence of the appropriate orbital alignment of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth, and (ii) sum and differences of tidal frequencies and their harmonics producing low beat frequencies. The first process is associated with long time intervals between extreme tides, but the events are of short duration and only mar...
The Metamorphosis And Bifurcation Of Guanxi In Virtual Third Spaces: The Role Of BBS In Changing Social Relationships In China

This research is a the second installation of a planned series of articles exploring the dynamic interaction between the forces of modernization as represented by technology, specifically virtual forms of communication, and traditional culture in China. The focus of the research of this article is the phenomenon of the ubiquity and popularity of BBS (electronic bulletin board systems) in China, long considered “old school” and eclipsed by newer forms of virtual interaction in the West. The research explores the possibility that BBS’s are developing into virtual third space in which we find traditional social constructs in China being challenged and modified in important ways. Specifically the research underlying this paper proposes to explore that hypothesis that an analysis of the interaction, operations and structure within these social spaces (BBS) might lead one to consider whether or not Guanxi, the relational glue which adheres Chinese society together, as well as other related cultural values and behaviors, are not being updated and modified in critical ways within these virtual third spaces. Additionally, the research proposes that Guanxi may be bifurcating within the virtual societies of the BBS, where the shared collective experiences of “social networking” of Guanxi has split from the “utilitarian reciprocal obligation” of “houmen” or guanxi practice. The results of the research tentatively confirm this proposition and identifies how the unique structure of BBSs and rules of interaction create a new virtual third space, or public sphere, which, while maintaining some aspects of traditional Confucian social order and Guanxi, are leading to their metamorphosis within these virtual communities.
#MasculinitySoFragile: culture, structure, and networked misogyny

In September 2015, the hashtag #MasculinitySoFragile was trending on Twitter. The ostensible purpose of the hashtag was to illustrate the precariousness of “toxic masculinity,” a (heterosexual) mas...