cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B064: Chemical biology studies of anti-inflammatory lipids

A number of endogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including lipoxins, resolvins and protectins can help resolve inflammation and prevent various diseases. The beneficial effects in human health of these anti-inflammatory lipids have long been recognized, but their mechanism(s) of action and precise protein targets have remained unclear. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) which is a ligand activated transcription factor and has been proposed to sense unsaturated and oxidized fatty acids may serve as a candidate target of these anti-inflammatory lipids. To address these questions, I have completed the total synthesis of anti-inflammatory lipid protectin D1 (PD1) by utilizing a convergent strategy. PPARγ-transactivation assay indicates that our synthetic PD1 potently activates PPARγ. I also evaluated the biochemical interactions of PD1 with PPARγ in cells using competitive photoaffinity labeling with a bifunctional fatty acid reporter (x-alk-16). Notably, over-expressed PPARγ can be crosslinked by x-alk-16 in a UV- and dose-dependent manner both in vitro and in mammalian cells. To further expand its application for endogenous PPARγ, I evaluated A549 cells and HT-29 cells, which also showed excellent x-alk-16 crosslinking of endogenous PPARγ both in vitro and in mammalian cells. These findings indicate that x-alk-16 can serve as a suitable photoaffinity fatty acid reporter to study PPARγ. By utilizing this chemical tool, the interaction of any bioactive small molecules with PPARγ can be evaluated. Several PPARγ synthetic ligands, including nTZDpa and rosiglitazone are chosen as a showcase for this study because they show very high affinity to PPARγ. These PPARγ synthetic ligands can compete the interaction between x-alk-16 and PPARγ. When applying PD1 as competitor, obvious competition effect can be observed, which suggests that PPARγ is one of the major protein targets of PD1. By performing unbiased chemical proteomic analysis, several unpredicted protein targets of PD1 were also identified and are currently being evaluated. Our findings should improve the current understanding of anti-inflammatory lipids targets and help elucidate the key pathways to improve the resolution of inflammation. Citation Format: Qiang Li, Howard Hang. Chemical biology studies of anti-inflammatory lipids [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fourth CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; Sept 30-Oct 3, 2018; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2019;7(2 Suppl):Abstract nr B064.
ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURIES IN HIGH SCHOOL FEMALE AND MALE SOCCER ATHLETES: ARE MATCH ACL RATES BEING UNDERESTIMATED?:

Background:The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in Missouri high school female and male soccer players during the 2011-2013 season...
Equivalent Peri-Operative Outcomes for Laparoscopic Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Patients Discharged on Post-Operative Day One

Previous studies have evaluated the safety of post-operative day one (POD #1) discharge after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) surgery. Few studies, however, have evaluated the impact of a standardized POD #1 discharge pathway on peri-operative outcomes. This study aims to evaluate peri-operative outcomes after implementation of an enhanced recovery pathway for RYGB patients. Data from a prospectively maintained database identified 2,049 patients (pre-implementation n = 904; post-implementation n = 1,144) who underwent LRYGB between 2008 and 2016. The POD1 discharge pathway was implemented in July 2011. Patient demographics and outcomes before and after implementation of the POD1 pathway were compared using univariate analysis and propensity matching. A propensity-matched group of all patients (n = 714) and POD #1 candidates (n = 490) pre- and post-pathway implementation were analyzed. Successful POD #1 discharges were significantly increased after introduction of the pathway (54.3 vs 17.8%, p < 0.0001). The post-implementation groups demonstrated no differences in mortality, Emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, reoperations, and major or minor complications. Early discharge after bariatric surgery has a significant impact on the cost effectiveness of surgery, patient comfort, potential reduction of medical errors, and exposure to hospital-acquired infections. Our results demonstrate that a standardized POD #1 discharge pathway can be safely implemented and in turn, reduce hospital LOS without negatively affecting peri-operative morbidity, mortality, ED visit, readmission, or reoperation rates.
A narrative exploration of an adapted physical activity space and its impact on persons with physical impairments

The Lakeshore Foundation is a community-based rehabilitation facility that claims to be fully adapted to support persons with physical impairments in exercise endeavors. The dominant narratives of ...
Assembly by solvent evaporation: equilibrium structures and relaxation times.

We present a study describing the dynamics and equilibrium of the assembly of nanostructures by solvent evaporation. We first consider N nanocrystals stabilized by capping ligands in a spherical droplet of liquid solvent coexisting with its gas and show that, as the liquid solvent evaporates slowly, NCs crystallize into clusters of high symmetry based on tetrahedral and octahedral units: tetrahedron (N = 4), octahedron (N = 6), icosahedron (N = 13), Archimedean truncated tetrahedron (N = 16) and Z20 (N = 21). We derive explicit formulas for the process and rigorously compute relaxation times, which drastically increase when the packing parameter reaches the hard-sphere liquid–solid transition ηfHS = 0.49. This result shows that contrary to what occurs in an evaporation of a single component system, the relaxation times are not determined by the diffusion constant of the vapor, but rather, are dominated by the residence time of solvent molecules trapped within the capping ligands. Our theory provides a number of predictions that enable the design of new structures while improving the control and quality of their assembly.
Critical Appraisal of Quality Improvement Publications in the Urological Literature

AbstractIntroduction:Quality improvement efforts enable rapid improvement in health care by measuring, analyzing and controlling the delivery of patient care. However, publications on quality impro...
Academic Librarians’ Teaching Identities and Work Experiences: Exploring Relationships to Support Perspective Transformation in Information Literacy Instruction

Academic library leaders have a vested interest in quality library instruction, but strategies to ensure this happens can vary across environments. In this study, the author analyzed data collected...
Observation and theory of reorientation-induced spectral diffusion in polarization-selective 2D IR spectroscopy

In nearly all applications of ultrafast multidimensional infrared spectroscopy, the spectral degrees of freedom (e.g., transition frequency) and the orientation of the transition dipole are assumed to be decoupled. We present experimental results which confirm that frequency fluctuations can be caused by rotational motion and observed under appropriate conditions. A theory of the frequency-frequency correlation function (FFCF) observable under various polarization conditions is introduced, and model calculations are found to reproduce the qualitative trends in FFCF rates. The FFCF determined with polarization-selective two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy is a direct reporter of the frequency-rotational coupling. For the solute methanol in a room temperature ionic liquid, the FFCF of the hydroxyl (O–D) stretch decays due to spectraldiffusion with different rates depending on the polarization of the excitation pulses. The 2D IR vibrational echo pulse sequence consists of three excitation pulses that generate the vibrational echo, a fourth pulse. A faster FFCF decay is observed when the first two excitation pulses are polarized perpendicular to the third pulse and the echo, 〈XXY Y〉, than in the standard all parallel configuration, 〈XXXX〉, in which all four pulses have the same polarization. The 2D IR experiment with polarizations 〈XY XY〉 (“polarization grating” configuration) gives a FFCF that decays even more slowly than in the 〈XXXX〉 configuration. Polarization-selective 2D IR spectra of bulk water do not exhibit polarization-dependent FFCF decays; spectraldiffusion is effectively decoupled from reorientation in the water system.
Digoxin utilization following the Norwood procedure in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome: A multicenter database analysis

Abstract The use of Digoxin has been associated with improved interstage survival following stage 1 palliation of single ventricle heart disease. The objective of our study is to report changes in Digoxin use over time and variation across centers among neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who have undergone stage 1 palliation. This retrospective study utilized data from the Pediatric Health Information System administrative database. All neonates with a diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome who underwent stage 1 palliation from 1/1/2010–12/31/2019 and survived to hospital discharge were included. Digoxin use during the interstage period was assessed using billing data on the day of or the day preceding discharge. Factors associated with Digoxin use include African American race, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use during the stage 1 hospitalization, arrhythmias, and a higher median household income. Digoxin use increased significantly over time (19.3% 2010–2015 vs. 53% 2015–2019, p
TOWARD QUEER POTENTIALITIES IN CHILD AND YOUTH CARE

Arguably, from the invention of adolescence at the beginning of the 20th century, developmental theory has served as the foundation of disciplinary study and professional practice with children and youth across the global West. Despite their founders’ assertions that development is culturally constructed, in educational and youth work practice contexts stage-based trajectories of normative human growth are largely erroneously accepted as ahistorical, apolitical, naturally occurring, and universally applicable. This paper presents critiques of developmentalism from historical, reconceptualist, and queer perspectives, calling into question the underlying principles of normalcy and abnormality that run through the developmental project. We pay particular attention to the potential of queer theory as an analytic to deconstruct developmentalism in the context of child and youth care, opening new possibilities for critical engagement with children and youth outside the context of development.
Fabrics in Aviation: The Characteristics and Methods of Testing of Various Textile Materials Examined and Explained

TO attain the maximum in design and performance of a fabricated article requires familiarity with the characteristics and properties of the materials employed. That there is a keen appreciation of these facts is evidenced by the use of new and improved materials and processes throughout the industry. The development of textiles has kept pace with general progress, yet the designer in aeronautics is relatively uninformed as to the characteristics and limitations of textile materials, as compared with his information on metals, heat treatments, protective coatings, and the like. So long as textile materials are used as stressed members, as in the case of wing coverings, semi‐and non‐rigid balloon envelopes, and parachute canopies, they must necessarily be subject to the same careful scrutiny as other structural materials with reference to the design and performance of the fabricated article. Specifications for textile materials are widely known and thoroughly appreciated, thanks to the excellent work of engineering, technical and commercial organisation, and Governmental agencies. The interpretation of these specifications and an appreciation of the limitations of the material specified, however, are apt to be faulty, and it is with the hope of being of assistance in this connection that the following discussion is offered.
Big Fields on Small Stars

Magnetic fields from cool stars have been difficult to study. Now, Doppler imaging methods reveal unexpected details of stellar magnetism and the internal mechanisms of stars such as the Sun.
LARVAL BEETLES FORM A DEFENSE FROM RECYCLED HOST-PLANT CHEMICALS DISCHARGED AS FECAL WASTES

Larvae of the leaf-feeding beetles Neolema sexpunctata and Lema trilinea carry feces on their backs that form shields. We used the generalist predatory ant, Formica subsericea, in a bioassay to determine whether shields were a physical barrier or functioned as a chemical defense. Fecal shields protected both species against ant attack. Larvae of both species reared on lettuce produced fecal shields that failed to deter ants. Commelina communis, N. sexpunctata's host, lacks noxious secondary compounds but is rich in phytol and fatty acids, metabolites of which become incorporated into the fecal defense. In contrast, the host plant of L. trilinea, Solanum dulcamara, contains steroidal glycoalkaloids and saponins, whose partially deglycosylated metabolites, together with fatty acids, appear in Lema feces. Both beetle species make modifications to host-derived precursors before incorporating the metabolites into shields. Synthetic chemicals identified as shield metabolites were deterrent when applied to baits. This study provides experimental evidence that herbivorous beetles form a chemical defense by the elimination of both primary and secondary host-derived compounds. The use of host-derived compounds in waste-based defenses may be a more widely employed strategy than was hitherto recognized, especially in instances where host plants lack elaborate secondary compounds.
A summary of national reports of foodborne outbreaks of Salmonella Heidelberg infections in the United States: clues for disease prevention.

We analyzed national foodborne outbreak data from 1973 through 2001 to determine the proportion of Salmonella Heidelberg outbreaks caused by specific foods. Among 6,633 outbreaks with known etiology, 184 (3%) were caused by Salmonella Heidelberg. A vehicle was identified in 101 outbreaks; at least 53 were poultry or egg-related. Three outbreaks were attributed to egg consumption, 17 to consumption of egg-containing foods, 25 to poultry, and 8 to foods containing poultry and eggs. Efforts to reduce illness due to Salmonella Heidelberg should ensure that poultry and eggs are handled appropriately to minimize contamination and cross contamination.
β‐Diketones from Methyl Alkyl Ketones: 3‐n‐Butyl‐2,4‐Pentanedione

β-Diketones from methyl alkyl ketones: 3-n-butyl-2,4-pentanedione reactant: 28.6 g. (0.251 mole) of 2-heptanone reactant: 51.0 g. (0.500 mole) of acetic anhydride solvent: 100-ml. portions of petroleum ether product: 3-n-butyl-2,4-pentanedione product: 3-methyl-2,4-pentanedione product: 3-ethyl-2,4-pentanedione product: 3-phenyl-2,4-pentanedione product: 3,3-dimethyl-2,4-pentanedione product: 2-acetylcyclohexanone product: 2-acetylcyclopentanone product: 3-methyl-2,4-hexanedione product: 1,3-diphenyl-2,4-pentanedione product: benzoylacetone Keywords: acylation; boron trifluoride-acetic acid complex, 1:1, preparation
Conformai Invariance, Universality, and the Dimension of the Brownian Frontier

This paper describes joint work with Oded Schramm and Wendelin Werner establishing the values of the planar Brownian intersection exponents from which one derives the Hausdorff dimension of certain exceptional sets of pla­ nar Brownian motion. In particular, we proof a conjecture of Mandelbrot that the dimension of the frontier is 4/3. The proof uses a universality principle for conformally invariant measures and a new process, the stochastic Loewner evolution (SLE), introduced by Schramm. These ideas can be used to study other planar lattice models from statistical physics at criticality. I discuss ap­ plications to critical percolation on the triangular lattice, loop-erased random walk, and self-avoiding walk.
In Vitro Protein Synthesis and Aging in Rhizoctonia solani

A study was made of the ability of cell-free protein synthesis systems from vegetative cells of different age of the fungus Rhizoctonia solani to produce polyphenylalanine. Polyuridylic acid-directed phenylalanine incorporation into peptides decreased linearly with cell age. The 105,000 × g supernatant fluid and ribosomal fractions were equally responsible for the total loss of synthetic activity of the older cells. Initial rates of phenylalanyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase activity decreased with increasing cell age, which accounted for the defect of the supernatant fraction. An accelerated degradation of soluble phenylalanyl-RNA was associated with the ribosomes of the older cells. In vitro systems from cells of different age transferred phenylalanine from phenylalanyl-tRNA to polyphenylalanine at similar rates. Of the 15 specific aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases assayed, 5 increased and 5 decreased in specific activity with increased age; 3 others did not change during aging and 2 were below acceptable detectable levels.
Taking People at Face Value: Evidence for the Kernel of Truth Hypothesis

Two studies examined the validity of impressions based on static facial appearance. In Study 1, the content of previously unacquainted classmates' impressions of one another was assessed during the 1st, 5th, and 9th weeks of the semester. These impressions were compared with ratings of facial photographs of the participants that were provided by a separate group of unacquainted judges. Impressions based on facial appearance alone predicted impressions provided by classmates after up to 9 weeks of acquaintance. Study 2 revealed correspondences between self ratings provided by stimulus persons, and ratings of their faces provided by unacquainted judges. Mechanisms by which these links may develop are discussed. Now fully revealed by the fire and candlelight, I was amazed more than ever to behold the transformation of Heathcliff. His countenance was much older in expression and decision of feature than Mr. Linton's; it looked intelligent and retained no marks of former degradation. A half civilized ferocity ...
Selected topics related to occupational exposures Part VII. Air pollution: Overview of sources and health effects

In this era of increasing interest about environmental contributors to illness, primary care providers may be asked by patients for guidance about air pollution. Some components of outdoor air pollution have improved in the past 30 years, but locally hazardous conditions continue to occur, especially for vulnerable subpopulations. Such groups include people with chronic cardiac and respiratory conditions, the elderly, pregnant women, and newborns. This overview discusses the sources and health effects of the primary pollutant groups--ozone, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide (CO), particulates, and other air toxics. A number of Web links are provided to help clinicians and patients get up-to-date information about pollution in the areas where they live. This section concludes with a discussion of treatment and of behavioral and societal approaches to air pollution.
Radiation injury from x-ray exposure during brachytherapy localization.

Two patients developed skin ulcers secondary to high doses of diagnostic-energy x rays received during localization procedures as part of brachytherapytreatments. Both were morbidly obese and diabetic. The obesity led to the delivery of estimated skindoses of 83 Gy in one case and 29 Gy in the other in attempts to produce readable images on localization radiographs. This report discusses the factors leading to the injuries, the progression of the injuries over time, and the variables involved in the localization procedures with the aim of preventing future mishaps. The greatest contribution to the large skindose was the need, with the equipment available, to use multiple exposures to produce a single film, because of the effect of the resultant reciprocity failure.
Postoperative Bleeding in an Elderly Patient From Acquired Factor V Inhibitor: Rapid Response to Immunosuppressive Therapy

Acquired factor V inhibitor is a rare but potentially life-threatening hemorrhagic disorder caused by the development of autoantibodies directed against coagulation factor V. The management of acute bleeding and inhibitor eradication is the mainstay of the treatment. The authors report a case of a 79-year-old man who underwent right hip arthroplasty and postoperatively, when on Coumadin for deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis, developed bleeding from the surgical site with a hematoma and abnormal coagulation parameters. Further workup revealed an acquired factor V inhibitor. The approach to treat this rare and challenging disorder is discussed. The patient responded rapidly with disappearance of factor V inhibitor titers after initiation of treatment with rituximab, prednisone and cyclophosphamide.
Reduced Insecticide Rates and Strip-Harvesting Effects on Alfalfa Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Larval Populations and Prevalence of Zoophthora phytonomi (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae)

In 1994 and 1995, the effects of reduced insecticide rates and harvesting on Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) larval populations and prevalence of the fungal entomopathogen Zoophthora phytonomi Arthur were evaluated in alfalfa strips. Insecticide and harvest treatments were timed with predicted 1st occurrence of Z. Photonomi to maximize combined mortality. In Chariton, IA (1995), Lorsban 4 E (chlorpyrofos) applied at 0.140, 0.280, 0.560, and 1.120 kg (AI)/ha and Pounce 3.2 EC (permethrin) applied at 0.112 and 0.224 kg (AI)/ha reduced peak H. postica densities by >41% compared with control plots during an epizootic (>50% infection) of Z. phytonomi . Combined H. postica mortality was additive (insecticide and Z. pliytonomi ) in plots treated with Lorsban and Pounce and was 7.5-25.3% higher than in control plots. In Ames, IA (1994 and 1995), Lorsban, Pounce, and harvesting (1994) reduced H. postica densities during an enzootic (<50% infection) of Z. phytonomi ; however, because of low levels of Z. phytonomi , combined mortality with treatments was negligible. This study demonstrated effective integrated management of H. postica by combining predictable mortality from Z. phytonomi and reduced rates of insecticides. The critical components of this integration were predictable levels of H. postica mortality by Z. phytonomi , and predictable mortality of weevil populations from reduced insecticide rates and strip-harvesting.
Oligomeric structure of a renal cystine transporter: implications in cystinuria

Homologous proteins (NBAT) which mediate sodium-independent transport of neutral as well as basic amino acids and cystine when expressed in Xenopus oocytes were recently cloned from mammalian kidneys. Mutations in human NBAT have been implicated in cystinuria. Here, we show that rat kidney and jejunal brush border membrane NBAT (85 kDa) is found in association with a 50 kDa protein. The association involves one or more interprotein disulfide bonds. Rabbit kidney brush border membranes and membranes of NBAT cRNA-injected Xenopus oocytes also contain such heterodimers. Our data suggest that the heterodimer is the minimal functional unit of NBAT-mediated amino acid transport and that the NBAT-associated 50 kDa protein could play a role in cystinuria.
Pacific Roots and American Wings

At the turn of the 21st century, I embarked on a new journey in my life being equipped with a PhD in social work and entering a tenure-track assistant professor position. The academy became a centr...
Voyager spacecraft images of Jupiter and Saturn

The images of Jupiter and Saturn and their satellites taken by the Voyager spacecraft TV cameras are shown and described. The scientific findings of the Voyager mission instruments and experiments are summarized.
Phylogenetic analyses of marine sponges within the order Verongida: a comparison of morphological and molecular data

Abstract. Because the taxonomy of marine sponges is based primarily on morphological characters that can display a high degree of phenotypic plasticity, current classifications may not always reflect evolutionary relationships. To assess phylogenetic relationships among sponges in the order Verongida, we examined 11 verongid species, representing six genera and four families. We compared the utility of morphological and molecular data in verongid sponge systematics by comparing a phylogeny constructed from a morphological character matrix with a phylogeny based on nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences. The morphological phylogeny was not well resolved below the ordinal level, likely hindered by the paucity of characters available for analysis, and the potential plasticity of these characters. The molecular phylogeny was well resolved and robust from the ordinal to the species level. We also examined the morphology of spongin fibers to assess their reliability in verongid sponge taxonomy. Fiber diameter and pith content were highly variable within and among species. Despite this variability, spongin fiber comparisons were useful at lower taxonomic levels (i.e., among congeneric species); however, these characters are potentially homoplasic at higher taxonomic levels (i.e., between families). Our molecular data provide good support for the current classification of verongid sponges, but suggest a re-examination and potential reclassification of the genera Aiolochroia and Pseudoceratina. The placements of these genera highlight two current issues in morphology-based sponge taxonomy: intermediate character states and undetermined character polarity.
Campaign Finance and Voter Welfare with Entrenched Incumbents

Two candidates compete for elective office. Each candidate has information she would like to reveal to the voters, but this requires costly advertising. The candidates can solicit contributions from interest groups to finance such advertising. These contributions are secured by promises to perform favors for the contributors, should the candidate win the election. Voters understand this and elect the candidate they like best, taking into account their expectations about promises to special interests. There is an incumbency advantage in fundraising, which is sometimes so great that the incumbent faces no serious opposition at all. Introducing partial public financing through matching funds improves voter welfare in districts that have advertising under the decentralized system, while it can reduce welfare in other districts. The optimal policy must strike a balance between these two effects.
Hyaluronan in Limb Morphogenesis

Hyaluronan (HA) is a large glycosaminoglycan that is not only a structural component of extracellular matrices, but also interacts with cell surface receptors to promote cell proliferation, migration, and intracellular signaling. HA is a major component of the extracellular matrix of the distal subapical mesenchymal cells of the developing limb bud that are undergoing proliferation, directed migration, and patterning in response to the apical ectodermal ridge (AER), and has the functional potential to be involved in these processes. Here we show that the HA synthase Has2 is abundantly expressed by the distal subridge mesodermal cells of the chick limb bud and also by the AER itself. Has2 expression and HA production are downregulated in the proximal central core of the limb bud during the formation of the precartilage condensations of the skeletal elements, suggesting that downregulation of HA may be necessary for the close juxtaposition of cells and the resulting cell-cell interactions that trigger cartilage differentiation during condensation. Overexpression of Has2 in the mesoderm of the chick limb bud in vivo results in the formation of shortened and severely malformed limbs that lack one or more skeletal elements. Skeletal elements that do form in limbs overexpressing Has2 are reduced in length, exhibit abnormal morphology, and are positioned inappropriately. We also demonstrate that sustained HA production in micromass cultures of limb mesenchymal cells inhibits formation of precartilage condensations and subsequent chondrogenesis, indicating that downregulation of HA is indeed necessary for formation of the precartilage condensations that trigger cartilage differentiation. Taken together these results suggest involvement of HA in various aspects of limb morphogenesis.
Asymptotic Form for the Cross Section for the Coulomb Interacting Rearrangement Collisions

It is shown that in a rearrangement collision leading to the formation of the highly excited hydrogenlike states the cross section in all orders of the Born approximation behaves as 1/n sq, with n the principal quantum number, thus invalidating the Brinkman-Kramers approximation for large n. Similarly, in high energy inelastic electron-hydrogenlike atom collisions the exchange cross section for sufficiently large n dominates the direct excitation cross section.
Inflorescence Sampling Improves Effective Population Size of Grasses

Variation in seed production per plant leads to reductions in effective population size (N e ), which is a major factor promoting genetic drift of heterogenetic populations during seed collection and regeneration. The objectives of this study were (i) to compare N e to the census population size (N c ) among different seed harvest methods; (ii) use inflorescence sampling to determine N e /N c for numerous heterogenetic grass species, and (iii) to predict the optimum number of inflorescences per plant to most efficiently increase N e . Estimates of N e /N c from rubbing whole plants, cutting whole plants, and from sampling a constant two inflorescences per plant were made on Festuca pratensis Huds., Lolium perenne L., and Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) A. Love accessions. Inflorescence sampling was also completed on four accessions of Bromus inermis Leyss., Dactylis glomerata L., F. arundinacea Schreb., L. perenne, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Phalaris aquatica L. The mean N e /N c for the inflorescence method was 0.78, significantly higher then the 0.64 average for the cut or rub methods. For all species and entries, the slope of the curves describing N e /N c to inflorescence number was initially steep from 1 to 3 inflorescences and then leveled off asymptotically. Thus, most of the benefit occurs after sampling only a few inflorescences. The results show that sampling a constant number of inflorescences per plant promotes N e and reduces the potential for genetic drift associated with collection and regeneration of heterogenetic grass populations.
GaAs/GaSb-AlAs/AlSb optical Bragg reflectors

Semiconductor Bragg mirrors on InP substrates that use GaAs/GaSb and AlAs/AlSb superlattices for the optically reflecting layers are described. The use of superlattices circumvents difficulties with growth of the GaAsSb and AlAsSb alloys, and they are transparent for wavelengths as short as 1050 nm. The mirrors can be combined with conventional InGaAsP active layers that can also be grown on InP.
A structural multi-mechanism constitutive equation for cerebral arterial tissue

Abstract A structural multi-mechanism constitutive equation is developed to describe the nonlinear, anisotropic, inelastic mechanical behavior of cerebral arterial tissue. Elastin and collagen fibers are treated as separate components (mechanisms) of the artery. Elastin is responsible for load bearing at low strain levels while the collagen mechanism is recruited for load bearing at higher strain levels. This work builds on an earlier model in which both the elastin and collagen mechanisms are represented by isotropic response functions [Wulandana, R., Robertson, A.M., 2005. An inelastic multi-mechanism constitutive equation for cerebral arterial tissue. Biomech. Model. Mechan. 4 (4), 235–248]. Here, the anisotropic material response of the wall is introduced through the collagen mechanism which is composed of helically distributed families of fibers. The orientation of these families is described using either a finite number of fiber orientations or a fiber distribution function. The fiber orientation or dispersion function can be prescribed directly from arterial histology data, or, taking a phenomenological approach, based on data fitting from bi-axial measurements. The activation of the collagen mechanism is specified using a new fiber strain based activation criterion. The multi-mechanism constitutive equation is applied to the simple case of cylindrical inflation and material constants are determined based on available inelastic experimental data for cerebral arteries. While the proposed model captures all features of this inelastic data, there is a pressing need for further experiments to refine the model.
National security and national innovation systems

The “national systems of innovation” (NSI) framework for analyzing innovative performance and policy has been an important and influential area of scholarship for nearly 20 years, since the first articulation of the concept in Freeman (Technology policy and economic performance: lessons from Japan, 1987). Surprisingly, however, the large literature on national systems of innovation has devoted little attention to the role of defense-related R&D investment and innovation. This paper surveys the role of national defense within national innovation systems, focusing in particular on the United States during and after the Cold War, including a brief description of post-9/11 trends in defense-related and national security investments in R&D. I also summarize some of the abundant literature on the role of defense-related R&D and procurement within specific sectors of U.S. industry, including aircraft, machine tools, and information technology.
The Thai parliamentary elections of 1992

Abstract The Thai general elections of 22 March and 13 September 1992 hold special significance because of three features: military leaders co-opted political parties into supporting their bid for greater involvement in politics, the Prime Minister created an independent election monitoring body, and the politicians laid a seemingly clear choice before the electorate on both occasions of pro-military or pro-democracy parties. However, these three developments do not represent a basic change in Thai electoral politics but simply make 1992 an atypical year. From the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932 until 1978, Thailand had a series of military governments and short-term democratic experiments that were followed by over ten years of mostly stable civilian government (1978–1991). During that ten year period, democratization progressed as four parliamentary elections were held, Parliament was revitalized, the press reported more freely, and the first elected civilian prime minister in over twelve years was appointed in 1988. The 1991 coup , however, placed the future of democratization in doubt. Nevertheless, the two parliamentary elections held in 1992 signify the formal and substantive return of power to elected politicians and a resumption of the process of democratisation.
Potential for contamination of transesophageal echocardiographic scopes by radionuclides from patients undergoing nuclear imaging studies

The many uses of transesophageal echocardiography and its safety in several clinical circumstances have been described. 1-5 The performance of transesophageal echocardiography in a patient who has received a radiopharmaceutical product poses several potential problems. There is a predictable distribution and secretion of intravenously administered radionuclides to the upper gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, in theory, radionuclide contamination of the transesophageal scope may occur by performing studies in patients undergoing nuclear imaging studies. Use of a contaminated transesophageal scope would unnecessarily result in internal radioactivity exposure to subsequent patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography. We are unaware of any studies reporting the potential for contamination of transesophageal scopes by radionuclides in patients undergoing standard nuclear imaging studies. It is important to note that in today's climate of cost containment, many patients undergo multiple test in a single day to decrease the duration of hospitalization. Knowledge as to whether radionuclide contamination occurs and whether its magnitude potentially precludes further use of the transesophageal scope until radioactivity returns to control levels is of importance. If transesophageal scopes are significantly contaminated by radionuclides from patients undergoing nuclear imaging studies and cannot be effectively and quickly decontaminated, the subsequent use of the contaminated transesophageal scope will be delayed as dictated by the physical half-life of the contaminating radionuclide. We describe our experience in two patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography after intravenous administration of radiopharmaceutical products. Case 1. A 60-year-old man underwent a clinically indicated transesophageal echocardiographic study with a biplane transesophageal scope to search for a possible cardiac source of embolism. Twenty millicuries of technetium 99m exametazime (Ceretec) was injected intravenously for a cerebral perfusion scan 30 minutes before insertion of the biplane transesophageal scope. The insertion
Subsistence Economies and the Origins of Andean Complex Societies

Recent arguments stating that marine resources were relatively unimportant in cultural developments on the coast of Peru during the Preceramic Period are incorrect on several counts. It is shown that the economics and technology of maritime subsistence of coastal Peru are more complex than previously thought, that the nutritional values of terrestrial versus maritime foods are debatable, that the dynamics of El Nino events are complex, and that maritime resources must still be seen as important for Preceramic Period economies. [Central Andes, coastal adaptations, ecological anthropology, origins of complex societies]
Online versus hardcopy textbooks.

Seven years (2000–2006) of analysis of 1751 introductory lab science students in 10 separate semesters at Arizona State University reveals no statistically significant differences in class performance between online (81.2 ± 11.0) and hardcopy (80.8 ± 10.8) textbook users. In a required physical geography lab science class, students were given the option of using either an online ( n = 760) or a hardcopy ( n = 991) text to reinforce learning such topics as Wien's law, invading species, dissolution of minerals, Chezy-Manning equation, and glacial processes. By any measure, the hardcopy texts were more sophisticated than the online alternative, even though the basic information remained similar. Yet, even after disaggregating data into different semesters, texts, disciplines, class, GPA, age, ethnicity, and whether the student is a first-generation college student, no statistically significant differences emerged. Given the importance of required lab courses in shaping opinions of college-educated citizens about the importance of science, and given the growing resentment expressed by students over increasingly high-priced textbooks, similar studies in other general education lab science disciplines would seem justified.
Stability of standing waves for monostable reaction–convection equations in a large bounded domain with boundary conditions

Abstract It is well known that the standing wave u 0 for the KPP type convection–diffusion equation is stable if the perturbations of the initial data are in the weighted function spaces proposed by Sattinger. We study boundary conditions so that in a large finite domain, there is a stable standing wave u ˜ near u 0 . The standing wave u ˜ may not be monotone, and the stability is proved by pseudo exponential dichotomies that are weighted both in the spatial variable ξ and in the dual variable s to the time t .
MODELING AND DESIGN OPTIMIZATION OF A RESONANT OPTOTHERMOACOUSTIC TRACE GAS SENSOR

Trace gas sensors that are compact and portable are being deployed for use in a variety of applications including disease diagnosis via breath analysis, monitoring of atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, control of industrial processes, and for early warning of terrorist threats. One such sensor is based on optothermal detection and uses a modulated laser source and a quartz tuning fork resonator to detect trace gases. In this paper we introduce the first mathematical model of such a resonant optothermoacoustic sensor. The model is solved via the finite element method and couples heat transfer and thermoelastic deformation to determine the strength of the generated signal. Numerical simulations validate the experimental observation that the source location that produces the maximum signal is near the junction of the tines of the tuning fork. Determining an optimally designed sensor requires maximizing the signal as a function of the geometry of the quartz tuning fork (length and width of the tines, etc). To avoid difficulties from numerical differentiation we chose to solve the optimization problem using the derivative-free mesh adaptive direct search algorithm. An optimal tuning fork constrained to resonate at a frequency close to the 32.8 kHz resonance frequency of many commercially available tuning forks produces a signal that is three times larger than the one obtained with the current experimental design. Moreover, the optimal tuning fork found without imposing any constraint on the resonance frequency produces a signal that is 24 times greater than that obtained with the current sensor.
Two b cytochromes of pigeon heart mitochondria.

A direct role of cytochrome b in mitochondrial electron transport and energy conservation has been postulated by Chance and coworkers [ 1,2] and by Slater and coworkers [3]. These postulates have been based on the anomalous kinetic [4,5] and spectroscopic [2-61 behavior of the b cytochrome in submitochondrial particles, in intact mitochondria, and in the presence of cations [see 71. Recently Wilson and Dutton [8] have used potentiometric measurement of the oxidation-reduction midpoint potentials of the cytochromes to demonstrate the existence of two chemically distinct species of b cytochrome in rat liver [8] and pigeon heart [9] mitochondria, one of which has an energy dependent oxidation-reduction midpoint potential. Kinetic evidence has also been obtained by Chance et al. [9, IO] for the existence of two species of b cytochromes in pigeon heart mitochondria. It is the purpose of this communication to present the spectral properties of two b cytochromes of pigeon heart mitochondria. One of these cytochromes has a single symmetric alpha band and the other one has a double alpha band. The properties of these two b cytochromes may resolve the complex behavior of b cytochrome in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, which was observed by Chance and coworkers [2, 6,7] and Slater and coworkers [ 11, 121.
Spectral variations in HSI signatures of thin fabrics for detecting and tracking of pedestrians

Several hyperspectral imaging (HSI) systems have been developed with the intent of utilizing spectral diversity in a scene to characterize the background and identify targets of interest. With the increased spectral information, targets much smaller than the spatial extent of a pixel (e.g., pedestrians) can be detected and identified. However, several challenges arise when employing HSI systems for use in the detecting and tracking of pedestrians. Most notably, the signature for the target of interest may or may not be immediately available to the system. The successful detection of sub-pixel targets with any degree of accuracy relies on a priori knowledge of the spectral signature for the targets of interest. Previous work has shown that even if a spectral signature for a pedestrian was acquired at the time of detection, as the pedestrian moved through a cluttered environment its spectral signature changes. This work extends the understanding of the induced spectral variation in human spectral signatures in cluttered environments. The goal of this work was to isolate the spectral reflectivity of highly transmissive targets independent of the background. Using a doubling method, the effects of reflective backing materials on the signature of a thin fabric is presented. Also, an issue with tracking a pedestrian from full illumination into the shadow is considered. Reflectance factor signatures were measured using target reflectivity measured both in the lab and in the field to assess spectral variability and detectability.
On improved stochastic averaging procedure

Abstract When parametric random excitations are present in a dynamic system, and are associated with the second highest derivatives in the governing differential equation, they give rise to correction terms, known as the Wong-Zakai corrections. In general, these correction terms may contribute to both stiffness and damping of the system. It is shown that the modified stiffness should be used in the stochastic averaging procedure. Application of the improved procedure is illustrated in an example.
Struvite Penile Urethrolithiasis in a Pygmy Sperm Whale (Kogia breviceps)

Massive urolithiasis of the penile urethra was observed in an adult pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) stranded on Topsail Island, North Carolina, USA. Calculi occupied the urethra from just distal to the sigmoid flexure to the tip of the penis for a length of 43 cm. A urethral diverticulum was present proximal to the calculi. The major portion of the multinodular urolith weighed 208 g and was 16 cm long × 3.7 cm diameter at the widest point. The urolith was composed of 100% struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) and on culture yielded Klebsiella oxytoca, a ureasepositive bacterium occasionally associated with struvite urolith formation in domestic animals. Reaction to the calculi was characterized histologically by moderate multifocal to coalescing plasmacytic balanitis and penile urethritis. Role of the urethrolithiasis in the whale's stranding is speculative but could have involved pain or metabolic perturbations such as uremia or hyperammonemia.
STIMULATION OF MELANOPHORES AND GUANOPHORES BY MELANOPHORE-STIMULATING HORMONE PEPTIDES.

Abstract Both melanophores and guanophores are under the control of hypophysial chromatotropic hormone (CTH, MSH, MDH, intermedin, etc.). This principle induces melanophore expansion and guanophore contraction. In order to compare the structural requirements of CTH for both melanophore and guanophore responses, the efficacy of various MSH peptides on each of these reactions was tested in hypophysioprivic larvae of Rana pipiens and Rana sylvatica. Peptides tested included two pentapeptides, a hexapeptide, a heptapeptide, an octapeptide, two decapeptides, bovine α-MSH, bovine β-MSH, and a substituted synthetic α-MSH. Both melanophores and guanophores responded to all the peptides tested. Responses to the shorter peptides were far weaker than those induced by the complete molecule; however, in all cases melanophore and guanophore reactions paralleled one another. The same proportional degree of response holds for peptides which have been “potentiated” by alkali treatment. These observations imply that common features of the MSH molecule are involved in the stimulation of both types of chromatophores.