cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-reward and self-monitoring techniques for weight control

Obese adult volunteers ( N =49) were randomly assigned to one of fourconditions: (1) Self-Reward for Weight Loss, (2) Self-Reward for Habit Improvement, (3) Self-Monitoring, and (4) Delayed Treatment Control. Individuals in the first three groups were given information on basic stimulus control techniques for weight loss and self-monitored their weight and eating habits for a 2-wk baseline. Thereafter, Self-Monitoring subjects continued their recording and received standardized weight loss and habit change goals at individual weekly weight-ins. In addition to the above self-monitoring procedures, Self-Reward subjects awarded themselves portions of their own deposit for attainment of either their weight loss (SR-Weight) or their habit improvement (SR-Habit) goals. Control subjects received no treatment during the first 8 wk but thereafter participated in a program which combined the procedures of the previous Self-Reward groups. Weight reduction analyses revealed brief and variable losses during the self-monitored baseline. However, even after the addition of goal-setting, these reductions did not prove to be either enduring or significant. When self-reward was added to self-recording, substantial weight loss improvements were observed. These improvements were more pronounced when subjects rewarded themselves for habit change rather than weight loss. A significant relationship was found between successful weight reduction and degree of eating improvement. Clinical implications and contemporary research issues are briefly discussed.
Feedback control of ER-fluid-based structures for vibration suppression

The authors present a control strategy to suppress structural vibrations by online variation of the system damping and stiffness. The feasibility of using electro-rheological-fluid-based structures for such purposes is illustrated through a laboratory experiment. Analysis on a beam example is carried out to examine the theoretical predictions in terms of performance of the control law.
A Chromatin Switch

Cellular and molecular biological approaches that study eukaryotic gene regulation have led to separate models which describe structure and mechanism with differing precision. Using principles of combinatorial and cooperative interactions inherent in both models, we have extended concepts derived from a "genetic switch" for prokaryotes to a chromatin switch for eukaryotes composed of DNA, transactivators, nucleosomes and the nuclear matrix. We present a consensus model for gene regulation that uses a simple Monte Carlo method for simulating condensation and extension of chromatin. Such a chromatin switch can be modulated by known biochemical and molecular modifications, and the transactivator binding sites or enhancers within DNA domains can be organized into a hierarchy to control cell cycling and differentiation.
Stimulation of milk yield and feed intake by bovine placental lactogen in the dairy cow

A 6 x 6 Latin square design was used to test the effects of recombinant bovine placental lactogen on milk yield, milk composition, feed intake, and blood hormone and metabolite levels in nonpregnant lactating cows. The six treatments (5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/d of placental lactogen, water as negative control, and 20 mg/d of bST as positive control) were administered by subcutaneous injection twice daily for 9 d. Blood samples were taken during the last 5 d of the treatment period. The three highest doses of placental lactogen increased milk yield, and there was a linear dose effect, although placental lactogen was less potent than bST. Milk concentrations of lactose, protein, and fat were not altered by any of the treatments. Dry matter intake was increased by two of the doses of placental lactogen, but not by bST. Blood urea N concentration was decreased in a dose-dependent manner by placental lactogen and was also decreased by bST. Similarly, serum insulin-like growth factor-I was increased in a dose-dependent manner by placental lactogen and was also increased by bST. Plasma concentrations of NEFA and glucose were increased by bST, but placental lactogen had little or no effect on either of these parameters. Thus, placental lactogen appears to act, in part, as a weak somatotropin agonist; however, it also appears to have specific activities, e.g., stimulating feed intake.
Self-recognition and the biased mature repertoire in TCR β transgenic mice: the exception that supports the rule

Abstract Detailed sequence analysis of the companion α chains in several T-cell receptor (TCR) β chain transgenic mice have shown that the mature α chain repertoires of CD4 + T cells are biased toward the parental TCR α chain sequences. These studies further indicate that it is self-peptide–self-MHC recognition during positive intrathymic selection that biases the structure of the mature TCR α chain repertoire. To further establish the causative relationship, it is important to examine whether such a bias can be abolished when positive selection is absent. The human collagen IV-I-A s complex-specific KB TCR cannot be positively selected on the self-peptide–self-MHC complexes present in the I-A s strain. Therefore, the KB TCR β chain transgenic mice offer a unique opportunity for addressing this issue.
KINETICS OF PHASE TRANSITIONS IN WEAKLY SEGREGATED BLOCK COPOLYMERS : PSEUDOSTABLE AND TRANSIENT STATES

We study the kinetics of order-disorder and order-order transitions in weakly segregated diblock copolymers using a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) approach. In particular, we investigate the microstructural change as well as the order-parameter evolution after a sudden temperature jump from one phase to another. Direct numerical simulation of the TDGL equations shows that depending on the extent of the temperature jump, these transitions often occur in several stages and can involve nontrivial intermediate states. For example, we find that transition from the lamellar phase to the hexagonal cylinder phase goes through a perforated lamellar state within a certain temperature range. The numerical results are elucidated by a multimode analysis under the single-wave-number approximation. The analysis reveals that the geometric characteristics of the free energy surface, particularly saddle points and ridgelike features, are responsible for the nontrivial intermediate states on the kinetic pathways. On the basis of this analysis, a generalized kinetic ``phase diagram'' is constructed, which is able to account for all the different scenarios observed in the numerical simulation. Our results are discussed in connection with available experimental observations. In particular, we suggest the possibility that the perforated-modulated lamellar structures obtained by Bates and co-workers [I. W. Hamley, K. A. Koppi, J. H. Rosedale, F. S. Bates, K. Almdal, and K. Mortensen, Macromolecules 26, 5959 (1993); S. Forster, A. K. Khandpur, J. Zhao, F. S. Bates, I. W. Hamley, A. J. Ryan, and W. Bras, Macromolecules 27, 6922 (1994)] may be kinetic, intermediate states rather than new equilibrium phases.
Psychotic Depression—Beyond the Antidepressant/Antipsychotic Combination

Psychotic depression is an identified subtype of major depression that has many features of a distinct psychiatric disorder. Recent studies support previous findings that psychotic depression is associated with a less favorable course of illness. Moreover, the presence of a single psychotic symptom appears to predict decreased responsiveness to antidepressant monotherapy. Recent studies also support biological differences between psychotic and non-psychotic depression. Previous findings of greater HPA axis dysregulation are supported by evidence of diminished cortisol suppression with the mineralocorticoid antagonist fludrocortisone in psychotic depression. Moreover, a functional neuroimaging study demonstrated greater activation in parahippocampal and tempoparietal regions in psychotic depression during a memory task. In support of several previous treatment studies, a recent meta-analysis of studies that compared an antidepressant-antipsychotic combination to antidepressants or antipsychotics alone found a therapeutic advantage with the combined treatment over monotherapy. A recent clinical trial suggests that mifepristone, a glucocorticoid antagonist, may be an effective adjunctive treatment for psychotic depression.
Attentional Limitations in Doing Two Tasks at Once The Search for Exceptions

People generally have difficulty doing two tasks at once. To explain this fact, theorists have proposed that central processing—the thought-like stages following perceptual encoding and preceding response processing—takes place for only one task at a time. Because this bottleneck imposes severe limits on human cognitive processes, research has attempted to find exceptions. There is now solid evidence that, at least in the laboratory, the entire bottleneck can be completely bypassed under favorable combinations of circumstances. While these findings provide a ray of hope for enabling parallel multitasking in real-world scenarios, it will not be easy to take advantage of the combination of conditions that appear to be necessary.
Implications for the cis-requirements for Ds transposition based on the sequence of the wxB4 Ds element.

The nucleotide sequence of the 1494 by wxB4 Ds element is presented. A comparison with previously characterized Ds elements reveals several novel features. This element has less Ac terminal sequence than other Ac-like Ds elements. The left terminus contains 398 by of Ac sequence interrupted by a transposon-like DNA insertion, leaving only 317 by of contiguous Ac sequence. The right terminus has 259 by of Ac terminal sequence. The interior of the element contains sequences not found in other cloned members of the Ac/Ds family. We suggest that the role of this non-Ac DNA is to separate the Ac termini by a minimum distance and may be a cis requirement for Ds transposition in maize.
A summary of NSIC activities 1963–1968

Abstract The Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC) serves as a focal point for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information related to safety problems encountered in the design, analysis, and operation of nuclear facilities. NSIC issues state-of-the-art reports, operates a Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) program, publishes indexed bibliographies, prepares retrospective bibliographies, answers technical inquiries, and offers counsil and guidance on safety problems. Its reference files are stored in a central computer that is accessible by means of a telecommunications station. This article describes the services offered by the Center, the manner in which it operates, and discusses some of the problems encountered in its first 5 1 2 years of operation through 31 December 1968. NSIC's productivity and the demand for its services have increased significantly since its formation in 1963. Technical questions are answered at a rate of 609 per year. The biweekly SDI abstract service is now reaching 1500 participants. Reports and indexed bibliographies are issued routinely to a distribution of over 700. Visits to the Center for consultation and/or use of its files occur at the rate of around 150 per year.
Effect of the transpalatal arch during extraction treatment

Introduction: The transpalatal arch (TPA) can be used as an adjunct during orthodontic treatment to help control the movement of the maxillary first molars in 3 dimensions, including producing molar rotation and uprighting, maintaining transverse dimensions posteriorly during treatment, and maintaining leeway spaces during the transition of the dentition. The purpose of this retrospective cephalometric study was to test an additional function of the TPA: its ability to enhance orthodontic anchorage during extraction treatment. Methods: Records consisting of pretreatment and posttreatment cephalograms were gathered from several orthodontic practices that used an .018 × .025-in preangulated appliance. All patients were white and had 4 first premolars extracted as part of their treatment protocol. Patients were treated either with or without a TPA of the soldered Goshgarian design. Patients were excluded if headgear or any other auxiliary anchorage device beside the TPA was used during treatment. Matched samples of 30 patients were identified based on sex, age at the start of treatment, treatment duration, and cervical vertebral maturation stage. Statistical comparisons were made with nonparametric statistical tests. Results: Analysis of the changes from pretreatment to posttreatment for the TPA and the no-TPA groups showed no statistically significant differences in any of the variables examined. The net difference for both vertical and mesial movement of the maxillary first molar in relation to the maxilla between the 2 groups was 0.4 mm, with the no-TPA group in a more downward and forward position. Conclusions: Although the usefulness of the TPA for the abovementioned functions is not negated, it does not provide a significant effect on either the anteroposterior or the vertical position of the maxillary first molars during extraction treatment.
Longifolicin, longicoricin, and gigantetroneninone, three novel bioactive mono-tetrahydrofuran annonaceous acetogenins from Asimina longifolia (annonaceae)

Longifolicin (1), longicoricin (2) and (2,4-cis and trans)-gigantetroneninone (3), three novel bioactive mono-tetrahydrofuran (THF) γ-lactone acetogenins, were isolated from the leaves and twigs of Asimina longifolia (Annonaceae) by directing the fractionation with the brine shrimp lethality test (BST). The structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic and chemical methods. Compounds 1–3 showed selective and potent cytotoxicities to certain human tumor cell lines.
Response of resistant ventricular tachycardia to bretylium. Relation to site of ectopic focus and location of myocardial disease.

Ventricular tachycardias were determined to be of either right-or left-sided origin in 25 patients whose arrhythmias were life-threatening and resistant to lidocaine and other antiarrhythmic drugs. All five patients with right ventricular tachycardia responded well to bretylium and survived. Eleven of 20 patients with left ventricular tachycardia did not do well. Four did not respond to bretylium but survived, five had no response and died, and two responded but died when hypotension prevented continued treatment. Eight of these 11 had acute anterior myocardial infarction or ischemia. Of nine patients with left ventricular tachycardia who responded well to bretylium and survived, only two had anterior infarction, and none had anterior ischemia. Because bretylium was efficacious in all patients with right ventricular tachycardia or inferior myocardial infarction in this study, it seems warranted to investigate further the relationship between drug responsiveness and the site of ectopic impulse formation and the location of myocardial disease.
Signaling Pathways in Interleukin‐1β‐Mediated Middle Ear Mucin Secretion

Objectives The objectives of this study were to investigate the role of the phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC), protein kinase C (PKC), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) pathways during upregulation of mucin secretion by middle ear epithelium after exposure to interleukin-1beta and to examine the ability of a specific interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1betara) to block this increased secretion. Materials and methods Primary chinchilla middle ear epithelial cultures were established and exposed to IL-1beta. Specific inhibitors of calmodulin, PC-PLC, PKC, and NOS pathways were used to investigate the potential role of these pathways leading to increased epithelial mucin secretion after exposure to IL-1beta. Mucin secretion was characterized by exclusion chromatography and liquid scintillation. Results Epithelial cultures exposed to IL-1beta demonstrate an increase in mucin secretion that is blocked by specific inhibitors of PC-PLC, PKC, and NOS, but not by inhibitors of calmodulin. In addition, mucin secretion stimulated by IL-1beta was reversible with use of a specific IL-1betara. Conclusions IL-1beta stimulates mucin secretion from middle ear epithelium and its effects can be reversed by IL-1betara. PC-PLC, PKC, and NOS pathways play a role in the increased secretion of mucin in middle ear epithelial cells after exposure to IL-1beta.
The Relationship Between Emergency Department Use and Cost-Related Medication Nonadherence Among Medicare Beneficiaries

Study objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between self-reported cost-related nonadherence to prescription medications and emergency department (ED) utilization among Medicare beneficiaries. We hypothesized that persons who report cost-related medication nonadherence would have subsequent higher ED use. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of continuously enrolled Medicare beneficiaries in 2006 and 2007. We used multivariate logistic regression to evaluate the relationship between ED use and cost-related medication nonadherence. Our principal dependent variable was any ED visit within a 364-day period after an interview assessing cost-related medication nonadherence. Our principal independent variables both denoted cost-related medication nonadherence: mild cost-related medication nonadherence, defined as a reduction in dose or a delay in filling medications because of cost; and severe cost-related medication nonadherence, defined as not filling a medication at all because of cost. Results Our sample consisted of 7,177 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey respondents. Approximately 7.5% of respondents reported mild cost-related medication nonadherence only (n=541) and another 8.2% reported severe cost-related medication nonadherence (n=581). Disabled Medicare beneficiaries with severe cost-related medication nonadherence were more likely to have at least 1 ED visit (1.53; 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 2.26) compared with both disabled Medicare beneficiaries without cost-related medication nonadherence and elderly Medicare beneficiaries in all cost-related medication nonadherence categories. Conclusion Our results show an association between severe cost-related medication nonadherence and ED use. Disabled beneficiaries younger than 65 years who report severe cost-related medication nonadherence were more likely to have at least 1 ED visit, even when adjusting for other factors that affect utilization.
Botulism in Alaska, 1947 Through 1974: Early Detection of Cases and Investigation of Outbreaks as a Means of Reducing Mortality

Since 1947, there have been 21 outbreaks of botulism in Alaska, involving 46 people with 13 deaths (28% fatality). In the last six months of 1974, there were four outbreaks. With one exception to date, type E toxin was involved in all outbreaks for which laboratory confirmation has been obtained, and in all instances, Eskimo and Indian foods were the source. Clinical signs and symptoms of nausea and vomiting, dysphagia, diplopia, dilated pupils, and dry throat occurred with great frequency, forming a diagnostic pentad. We recommend that treatment include close medical supervision, supportive care, and the use of antitoxin, cathartics, and, possibly, penicillin. The source of an outbreak must be determined to prevent further cases. Only prompt recognition, therapy, and epidemiologic investigation can reduce the death toll from botulism. (JAMA235:35-38, 1976)
Pantomime in the Foreign Language Classroom

Through pantomime, language learners can be encouraged to participate orally in classroom activities without feeling the pressure of having to perform. The teacher, in acting out simple situations before the class, assumes the role of the performer. The students work together to interpret the gestures, losing their sense of individuality in their intense concentration on the action. The immediacy of the pantomime experience guarantees spontaneous utterances of authentic communicative value.
Alliance Network Structure and Inter-firm Knowledge Flows: Evidence from R&D Alliances

Prior research suggests alliances promote knowledge transfer in alliance related areas (intended knowledge transfers) while also leading to spillovers of knowledge in alliance unrelated areas (unintended knowledge transfers). Drawing on the social network perspective and using micro level patent data, we study the effect of network centrality of the partners on these types of knowledge flows. We argue that centrality facilitates cooperation and thus increases the intended knowledge transfer. On the other side, centrality acts as a predictor of opportunistic behavior reducing the transfer of unintended knowledge in alliances.
AS160 Associates with the Na+,K+-ATPase and Mediates the Adenosine Monophosphate-stimulated Protein Kinase-dependent Regulation of Sodium Pump Surface Expression

The Na+,K+-ATPase is the major active transport protein found in the plasma membranes of most epithelial cell types. The regulation of Na+,K+-ATPase activity involves a variety of mechanisms, including regulated endocytosis and recycling. Our efforts to identify novel Na+,K+-ATPase binding partners revealed a direct association between the Na+,K+-ATPase and AS160, a Rab-GTPase-activating protein. In COS cells, coexpression of AS160 and Na+,K+-ATPase led to the intracellular retention of the sodium pump. We find that AS160 interacts with the large cytoplasmic NP domain of the α-subunit of the Na+,K+-ATPase. Inhibition of the activity of the adenosine monophosphate-stimulated protein kinase (AMPK) in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells through treatment with Compound C induces Na+,K+-ATPase endocytosis. This effect of Compound C is prevented through the short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of AS160, demonstrating that AMPK and AS160 participate in a common pathway to modulate the cell surface expression of the Na+,K+-ATPase.
Predicting complex biology with simple chemistry

One of the most important activities in science is the development of models, i.e., simpler representations, often by mathematical equations, of more complex systems, which capture key aspects of those systems. A model, of course, cannot be identical to its target system and must discard at least some of the features of the full system while focusing on those characteristics that the modeler considers essential. A successful model not only reproduces the desired behavior(s) but also provides insight into the workings of the system and, ideally, generates testable predictions about the system. In this issue of PNAS, Kastrup et al. (1) design a set of chemical reactions coupled to a microfluidic system to model the initiation of blood clotting in the complex network of hemostasis. This tour de force significantly extends the scope of chemical reactions as a source of fruitful models for complex biological processes.
Map based indoor robot navigation and localization using laser range finder

This paper presents a map based robot navigation and localization algorithm using laser range finder for indoor environments. A navigation path is given by the sequence of grids and global map information is represented by the list of vertexes. The grid based navigation facilities path planning as well as complements localization with priori information of the grid sequence. The pattern of vertexes is represented by distance, adjacency, and slant among them for the comparison between map information and range data. A mobile robot is globally localized by finding the matched pattern between the set of vertexes from the map and the set of vertexes from the range data. The proposed method is verified with actual range data from laser range finder.
Relapse of extinguished fear after exposure to a dangerous context is mitigated by testing in a safe context.

Aversive events can trigger relapse of extinguished fear memories, presenting a major challenge to the long-term efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Here, we examined factors regulating the relapse of extinguished fear after exposure of rats to a dangerous context. Rats received unsignaled shock in a distinct context ("dangerous" context) 24 h prior to auditory fear conditioning in another context. Fear to the auditory conditioned stimulus (CS) was subsequently extinguished either in the conditioning context ("ambiguous" context) or in a third novel context ("safe" context). Exposure to the dangerous context 30 min before a CS retention test caused relapse to the CS in the ambiguous and safe test contexts relative to nonextinguished controls. When rats were tested 24 h later (with or without short-term testing), rats tested in the ambiguous context continued to exhibit relapse, whereas rats tested in the safe context did not. Additionally, exposure of rats to the conditioning context-in place of the unsignaled shock context-did not result in relapse of fear to the CS in the safe testing context. Our work highlights the vulnerabilities of extinction recall to interference, and demonstrates the importance of context associations in the relapse of fear after extinction. Language: en
Levels of Benzodiazepine Receptor Subtypes and GABAA Receptor α-Subunit mRNA Do Not Correlate During Development

Developmental changes in the pharmacological properties of the GABAA receptor have been suggested to result from changes in the subunit composition of the receptor complex. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is structurally related to the GABAA receptor and undergoes a developmental subunit switch at the neuromuscular synapse. To examine the mechanistic similarities between these systems we sought to find whether the changes in GABAA receptor subunits are controlled by changes in messenger RNA levels, as they are for the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. We found a 10-fold increase in the level of alpha 1-subunit mRNA, and a small increase in levels of GABAA/benzodiazepine receptors from day 1 to day 24 of rat cerebellar development. We also found that the levels of alpha 1-subunit mRNA were higher than the levels of mRNA encoding other alpha subunits at all developmental time points. The low levels of messenger RNA for alpha 2, alpha 3, and alpha 5 subunits are inconsistent with the high levels of type II benzodiazepine binding in the rat cerebellum at birth because these alpha subunits have been shown to form GABAA receptors with type II benzodiazepine binding. These findings are inconsistent with simple models that would explain the developmental differences in GABAA receptor pharmacology simply as a result of changes in alpha-subunit gene expression.
Energy-Constrained Dynamic Resource Allocation in a Heterogeneous Computing Environment

Energy-efficient resource allocation within clusters and data centers is important because of the growing cost of energy. We study the problem of energy-constrained dynamic allocation of tasks to a heterogeneous cluster computing environment. Our goal is to complete as many tasks by their individual deadlines and within the system energy constraint as possible given that task execution times are uncertain and the system is oversubscribed at times. We use Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) to balance the energy consumption and execution time of each task. We design and evaluate (via simulation) a set of heuristics and filtering mechanisms for making allocations in our system. We show that the appropriate choice of filtering mechanisms improves performance more than the choice of heuristics (among the heuristics we tested).
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) Mitigates the Damaging Effects of Intracellular Ice Formation in Adult Stem Cells

The objective of this work was to assess the effect of 10% (w/v) polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on the pattern of intracellular ice formation (IIF) in human adipose tissue derived adult stem cells (ASCs) in the absence of serum and other cryoprotective agents (CPAs). The freezing experiments were carried out using a fluorescence microscope equipped with a Linkam™ cooling stage using two cooling protocols. Both the cooling protocols had a common cooling ramp: cells were cooled from 20 °C to −8 °C at 20 °C/min and then further cooled to −13 °C at 1 °C/min. At this point we employed either cooling protocol 1: the cells were cooled from −13 °C to −40 °C at a pre-determined cooling rate of 1, 5, 10, 20, or 40 °C/min and then thawed back to 20 °C at 20 °C/min; or cooling protocol 2: the cells were re-warmed from −13 °C to −5 °C at 20 °C/min and then re-cooled at a pre-determined rate of 1, 5, 10, 20, or 40 °C/min to −40 °C. Almost all (>95%) of the ASCs frozen in 1× PBS and protocol 1 exhibited IIF. However, almost none ( 95%) of the ASCs frozen in 10% PVP in PBS and protocol 1 exhibited IIF. However, ~0, ~40, ~47, ~67, and ~100% of the ASCs exhibited IIF when frozen in 10% PVP in PBS and utilizing protocol 2 at a cooling rate of 1, 5, 10, 20, or 40 °C/min, respectively.
Cataclysmic Binary Components

The galaxy or, in any event, the stellar population in the vicinity of the sun is still young enough that initial stellar masses around 1 M␀ or less cannot have evolved far, except a few immigrant objects from the realm of old populations. What is observed as the usual state near the end of a star’s life, the white dwarf, exists in singles, close and wide double and multiple star components. It is the remnant of higher masses, reached by different ways of mass loss.
Robust stability for decentralized singularly perturbed unified system

Decentralized singularly perturbed systems by a unified approach using delta (/spl delta/) operator (Middleton and Goodwin, 1986) is presented for investigating new stability bound under system uncertainties. New unified stability bounds are developed based on the unified Lyapunov matrix equation and singular value analysis. It is shown that the system maintains its stability when new unified bounds are applied. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the proposed analysis.
Crop Insurance Reconsidered

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was much debate over how to fix what were perceived as the “failures” of the Federal crop insurance program. The Federal Crop Insurance Improvement Act of 1980 made crop insurance the primary form of disaster protection for agricultural producers, replacing a standing disaster assistance program with subsidized crop insurance. To encourage sales, private companies were enlisted to deliver the product and significantly share in the underwriting risks. Almost overnight, the crop insurance program was converted from a pilot program offering limited coverage to a limited number of crops nationwide, to a nationwide program covering most major field crops in most major growing regions.1 The perceived failures of crop insurance were many. At the time of passage of the 1980 Act, Congress envisioned a participation rate approaching 50% of eligible acres by the end of the decade. Despite premium subsidies and expanded coverage, crop insurance participation grew very slowly. When a major drought struck the Midwest in 1988, only 25% of eligible acreage was enrolled in the program nationwide and participation was even less in states such as Illinois and Indiana (Chite). Widespread crop losses and poor participation in the insurance program prompted Congress to pass supplemental disaster legislation throughout the decade including almost $5 billion in disaster assistance to cover crop losses in 1988 and 1989 alone (Glauber and Collins). In addition to its failure to replace disaster assistance, the actuarial performance of the
Blank Response at Glassy Carbon Electrodes in A Flow Injection System

The blank response at glassy carbon electrodes in a flow injection system consists of a transient component and a steady state (residual current) component. The transient response is attributed to nonfaradaic current and faradaic current from the oxidation-reduction of electroactive surface functional groups on glassy carbon. The magnitude of the transient response was dependent on the potential applied to the electrode, temperature, ionic strength and pH of the injected sample solution, and independent of the flow rate. A linear relationship exists between the transient response and the difference in concentration of ionic species or pH between injected sample and the carrier. A differnce of 0.01 M ionic concentration or 0.04 pH unit between carrier and injected sample could change the transient charge by ca. 0.038 μC/cm2. The shape of the transient response due to pH difference at high positive potential indicates that some changes occur on glassy carbon surface in this potential region.
Current and Future Trends in Electronic Cigarette Use

The controversy regarding the use of electronic cigarettes as a possible modality for smoking cessation has grown in recent years. Epidemiologic surveys indicate that usage rates in both adults and adolescents have increased substantially as the popularity of these devices continues to rise. At present, there is a small but growing body of evidence studying the possible role that these “e-cigarettes” may have as a nicotine replacement tool. Much of the existing data are from observational studies and surveys which track the epidemiologic and demographic trends of e-cigarette users. More recentlypublished articles have begun to utilize randomized, experimental designs to directly compare the efficacy of e-cigarettes to active and passive controls in outcome measures such as conventional cigarette quit rates and time to relapse. Barriers to widespread adoption of e-cigarette use as a smoking cessation modality include a lack of long-term safety and toxicology data, a lack of standardization of devices, and a debate regarding whether devices can be marketed for both social nicotine use, as well as nicotine replacement. A possible role of e-cigarettes that has not yet been explored is in the primary prevention of conventional cigarette use among young adults that are smoking-naive. (Int’l. J. Psychiatry in Medicine 2014;48:325-332)
Field Response of Alfalfa Looper and Cabbage Looper Moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, Plusiinae) to Single and Binary Blends of Floral Odorants

In field tests of floral chemicals dispensed singly, alfalfa looper moths, Autographa californica (Speyer), were captured in traps baited with phenylacetaldehyde, β-myrcene, or benzyl acetate. Cabbage looper moths, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) were also captured in traps baited with phenylacetaldehyde, methyl salicylate, or methyl-2-methoxy benzoate. In evaluations of binary blends of those same compounds, generally more alfalfa looper moths were trapped when β-myrcene was presented with phenylacetaldehyde or with benzyl acetate compared with phenylacetaldehyde alone or benzyl acetate alone. Similarly, more cabbage looper moths were trapped with β-myrcene with phenylacetaldehyde compared with phenylacetaldehyde alone. These findings provide new chemical blends for luring and trapping both sexes of alfalfa looper and cabbage looper moths and suggest differences in preferences of these two moth species for floral odorants.
Bringing Human Rights Home? The Promises and Pitfalls of Rights Strategies in Social Justice Advocacy

In social justice advocacy in the United States today, activists often use international human rights rhetoric, methods, standards, and institutions. What are the scope, purposes, and effects of this strategy? Is this something new? If so, how and when did this trend begin? This paper discusses conceptual issues related to these questions, with the assumption that many injustices exist but that the resources to fight them are limited. The paper differentiates legal from political usages of international rights strategies and then distinguishes internal versus external political effects of such strategies. Next, it proposes two hypotheses explaining the use of rights strategies: that this stems from deep-felt belief in their efficacy by victims of abuse; or that it stems from the availability of external funding to adopt such strategies. Finally, the paper questions activist assumptions that such strategies will be effective and discusses potential costs: overuse of rights language (rights fatigue); backlash by domestic audiences worried that international standards will trump domestic democratic processes; and possible use of international standards to limit various American rights (spillover effects).
Analytical characterization of the role of phospholipids in platelet adhesion and secretion.

The cellular phospholipid membrane plays an important role in cell function and cell–cell communication, but its biocomplexity and dynamic nature presents a challenge for examining cellular uptake of phospholipids and the resultant effects on cell function. Platelets, small anuclear circulating cell bodies that influence a wide variety of physiological functions through their dynamic secretory and adhesion behavior, present an ideal platform for exploring the effects of exogenous phospholipids on membrane phospholipid content and cell function. In this work, a broad range of platelet functions are quantitatively assessed by leveraging a variety of analytical chemistry techniques, including ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS), vasculature-mimicking microfluidic analysis, and single cell carbon-fiber microelectrode amperometry (CFMA). The relative enrichments of phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were characterized with ...
Sexing Black Hills Beetles, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins

Stridulation by male Black Hills beetles, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopk., is a secondary sex characteristic that enables rapid, accurate, and harmless sexing of living specimens.
A meeting with ‘I-Thou’: Exploring the intersection between mental health recovery and art making through a co-operative inquiry:

Recovery as a social justice framework addresses how people who experience mental illness can increase being active agents to assist in improving their quality of life. Similarly, co-operative inqu...
Microbial Production of Long-chain Dicarboxylic Acids from n-Alkanes Part II

Strain M-1 which was derived from Candida cloacae 310 as a mutant unable to assimilate dicarboxylic acid (DC) produced large amount of DCs from n-alkanes, as expected. It produced DCs with the same number of carbon atoms as those of n-alkanes used (9 to 18 carbon atoms). Among DCs produced, n-tetradecane ω, ω'-dicarboxylic acid (DC-16) from n-hexadecane (n-C16) was most abundantly accumulated and the highest level of DC-16, i.e., 29.3g/liter was obtained by resting cells. On the other hand, since the growth rate of strain M-1 on n-alkane markedly decreased in comparison with that of the parent strain, other carbon source which supported the growth of strain M-1 was necessary for the production of DC from n-alkane by growing cells. When acetic acid was used as carbon source for the growth in DC-16 production from n-C16, the highest level of DC-16, i.e., 21.8g/liter was obtained ofter 3 days' cultivation.
Research on Optimization of Logistics System

Based on the characteristics of logistics system,the paper analyzes the optimization of logistics system,studies the system optimized model in the real operation and gives out concrete solution.
Adjustment of American Southeast Asian Policy after "9·11" and Its Impact on China

U.S. began to adjust its Southeast Asian policy and worked together with Southeast Asian countries against terrorism after "9·11" attack. This article mainly briefs the background and content of this adjustment and its impact on China.
Reweighted atomic densities to represent ensembles of NMR structures

A reweighted atomic probability density is introduced as a means of representing ensembles of NMR structures in a simple, concise and informative manner. This density is shown to give a better visual representation of molecular structure information than an unweighted density, and should provide a useful interactive graphics tool during the course of iterative NMR structure refinement. The approach is illustrated using several examples.
Functional Connectivity Is Altered in Concussed Adolescent Athletes Despite Medical Clearance to Return to Play: A Preliminary Report.

Recovery following sports related concussion (SRC) is slower and often more complicated in young adolescent athletes than in collegiate players. Further, the clinical decision to return to play is currently based on symptoms and cognitive performance without direct knowledge of brain function. We tested the hypothesis that brain functional connectivity would be aberrant in recently concussed, asymptomatic athletes who had been cleared to return to play. A seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis measured the FC of the default mode network (DMN) (seeds = anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, right lateral parietal cortex, and left lateral parietal cortex) 30 days after SRC in asymptomatic high school athletes cleared to return to play (n=13) and was compared to the FC of high school athletes with orthopedic injury (OI) (n=13). The SRC group demonstrated greater FC than the OI group between the posterior cingulate cortex and the ventral lateral prefrontal cortex, as well as between the right lateral parietal cortex and lateral temporal cortex (with regions both outside of and within the DMN). Additionally, the OI group demonstrated greater FC than the SRC group between right lateral parietal cortex and supramarginal gyrus. When relating the FC results to verbal memory performance approximately one week and one month after injury, significantly different between-group relations were found for the posterior cingulate and right lateral parietal cortex seeds. However, the groups did not differ in verbal memory at one month. We suggest that changes in FC are apparent one month post-SRC despite resolution of post-concussion symptoms and recovery of cognitive performance in adolescent athletes cleared to return to play.
Design of a tapered slot-line antenna for wideband SAR imaging

In this paper we introduce a tapered slot-line antenna designed specifically for microwave imaging applications. This antenna may be arranged in an array and integrated into a grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW)-based microwave circuit forming a compact and field-portable linear imaging array fabricated on one printed circuit board. The designed antenna operates over the frequency range of ∼22–27 GHz for producing high-resolution 3D synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-based images. This antenna also provides for an easy incorporation of (Schottkey diode) mixers at its aperture for generating SAR images, as demonstrated with the simulations for imaging a point target.
Effects of Age and Time of Day of Injection on Amphetamine-Induced Adipsia in Albino Rats

12 24-hour water-deprived albino rats of 2 ages (65 and 126 days) were tested under 4 dosages of amphetamine sulfate racemic (0, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0 mg/kg) 3 times of day (0800 hours, 1600 hours, 2400 hours). Rate of water-spout licking was electronically recorded for 3 hours after injection. Analysis of variance indicated that Age, Time of Day, Drug Dosage, and Hours After Injection had significant effects on water intake. Drug Dosage interacted significantly with Time of Day and the 3 hourly measures.
Soluble ST2 predicts outcome and hemorrhagic transformation after acute stroke.

Objective ST2 is a member of the toll-like receptor superfamily that can alter inflammatory signaling of helper T-cells. We investigated whether soluble ST2 (sST2) could independently predict outcome and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in the setting of stroke. Methods We measured sST2 in patients enrolled in the Specialized Program of Translational Research in Acute Stroke (SPOTRIAS) network biomarker study. 646 patients had plasma samples collected at the time of hospital admission and 210 patients had a second sample collected 48 h after stroke onset. Functional outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), with good and poor outcomes defined as mRS 0-2 and 3-6, respectively. HT was classified using ECASS criteria. The relationships between sST2, outcome, and HT were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves. Results 646 patients were included in the analysis (mean age 69 years; 44% women), with a median NIHSS of 5 [IQR: 2–12]. The median sST2 level on hospital admission was 35.0 ng/mL [IQR: 25.7–49.8 ng/mL] and at 48 h it was 37.4 ng/mL [IQR 27.9–55.6 ng/mL]. sST2 was independently associated with poor outcome (OR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.54–5.06; P = 0.003) and mortality (OR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.58–8.38, P = 0.001) after multivariable adjustment. Plasma sST2 was also associated with hemorrhagic transformation after adjustment for traditional risk factors (OR: 5.58, 95% CI: 1.40–37.44, P = 0.039). Interpretation Soluble ST2 may serve as a prognostic biomarker for outcome and hemorrhagic transformation in patients with acute stroke. ST2 may link neuroinflammation and secondary injury after stroke.
On the Relation of Physical Science to History in Late Nineteenth-Century Germany

With these words Goethe asserted the priority of an historical mode of knowing over an abstract, analytical mode. That is, one could know nature only directly, by experiencing it as a participant. No radical disjunction between the knowing subject and the object of his knowledge would be fruitful, for one could only know the object through concepts, concepts which were themselves contingent and historical. To be true to nature, therefore, the concepts would have to stand in direct relation to it. Goethe’s sweeping polemic in the Farbenlehre against Newton’s mechanical reduction of whole white light to supposedly more fundamental discrete colors has stood as a reference mark for the two-cultures debate since the beginning of the nineteenth century. In Germany that debate was traditionally one between the Geisteswissenschaften, or historical and moral sciences, and the Naturwissenschaften, or natural sciences. Within the debate one can trace a long series of popular lectures that evaluate Goethe’s status as a scientist, a genre that continues to the present (2).
Examining the Online Processing of Satirical Newspaper Headlines

Previous investigations of satire posit that satire comprehension is influenced by prior knowledge, satirical strategies, and other demographic features, such as age. However, these claims have not...
Modeling Unobserved Heterogeneity in Social Networks with the Frailty Exponential Random Graph Model

In the study of social processes, the presence of unobserved heterogeneity is a regular concern. It should be particularly worrisome for the statistical analysis of networks, given the complex dependencies that shape network formation combined with the restrictive assumptions of related models. In this paper, we demonstrate the importance of explicitly accounting for unobserved heterogeneity in exponential random graph models (ERGM) with a Monte Carlo analysis and two applications that have played an important role in the networks literature. Overall, these analyses show that failing to account for unobserved heterogeneity can have a significant impact on inferences about network formation. The proposed frailty extension to the ERGM (FERGM) generally outperforms the ERGM in these cases, and does so by relatively large margins. Moreover, our novel multilevel estimation strategy has the advantage of avoiding the problem of degeneration that plagues the standard MCMC-MLE approach.
New urbanism and race: An analysis of neighborhood racial change in suburban Atlanta

Since 2000, local governments, planning agencies, and private development firms have sought to revitalize aging spaces in Atlanta’s suburbs by experimenting with new urbanist (re)development projec...