cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brain Transcriptional Responses to High-Fat Diet in Acads-Deficient Mice Reveal Energy Sensing Pathways

Background How signals from fatty acid metabolism are translated into changes in food intake remains unclear. Previously we reported that mice with a genetic inactivation of Acads (acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase, short-chain), the enzyme responsible for mitochondrial beta-oxidation of C4–C6 short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), shift consumption away from fat and toward carbohydrate when offered a choice between diets. In the current study, we sought to indentify candidate genes and pathways underlying the effects of SCFA oxidation deficiency on food intake in Acads−/− mice. Methodology/Principal Findings We performed a transcriptional analysis of gene expression in brain tissue of Acads−/− and Acads+/+ mice fed either a high-fat (HF) or low-fat (LF) diet for 2 d. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed three top-scoring pathways significantly modified by genotype or diet: oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and CREB signaling in neurons. A comparison of statistically significant responses in HF Acads−/− vs. HF Acads+/+ (3917) and Acads+/+ HF vs. LF Acads+/+ (3879) revealed 2551 genes or approximately 65% in common between the two experimental comparisons. All but one of these genes were expressed in opposite direction with similar magnitude, demonstrating that HF-fed Acads-deficient mice display transcriptional responses that strongly resemble those of Acads+/+ mice fed LF diet. Intriguingly, genes involved in both AMP-kinase regulation and the neural control of food intake followed this pattern. Quantitative RT-PCR in hypothalamus confirmed the dysregulation of genes in these pathways. Western blotting showed an increase in hypothalamic AMP-kinase in Acads−/− mice and HF diet increased, a key protein in an energy-sensing cascade that responds to depletion of ATP. Conclusions Our results suggest that the decreased beta-oxidation of short-chain fatty acids in Acads-deficient mice fed HF diet produces a state of energy deficiency in the brain and that AMP-kinase may be the cellular energy-sensing mechanism linking fatty acid oxidation to feeding behavior in this model.
Food fortification with folic acid and twinning among California infants

This study sought to determine whether a change in twinning prevalence was associated with mandatory folic acid fortification. As of January 1998, it became mandatory in the United States that grain products be fortified with folic acid. The effectiveness of this fortification for neural tube defects has been explored, but other possible implications of fortification has not. We computed the prevalence of twinning among more than 2.5 million California births occurring from 1990 to 1999. The prevalence of twin births in California increased over the last decade with increases observed among most maternal race/ethnic, age, and parity groupings. Unadjusted prevalence measures did not reveal substantial increases in twinning prevalence among these groupings after the fortification period relative to the period immediately preceding it. Analyses that simultaneously adjusted for age, parity, race/ethnicity, sexes of twin pair (as a measure of zygosity), year of birth, and fortification period also did not reveal an association between fortification and twinning. Our results do not suggest a change in twinning prevalence associated with folic acid fortification of the US food supply among women delivering in California.
The Challenges of Intercultural Marriage: Strategies for Pastoral Care

In this article, the author describes the unique issues associated with intercultural marriage. A case illustration provides the springboard for presenting specific pastoral care and counseling strategies that may be helpful to intercultural couples. These strategies include assessing worldview and acculturation, creating spiritual and cultural genograms, reframing cultural challenges, collaborating with indigenous healers, inventing new rituals, and developing the advocacy role.
Race-Making and the Nation-State

Why was official racial domination enforced in South Africa and the United States, while nothing comparable to apartheid or Jim Crow was constructed in Brazil? Slavery and colonialism established the pattern of early discrimination in all three cases, and yet the postabolition racial orders diverged. Miscegenation influenced later outcomes, as did economic competition, but neither was decisive. Interpretations of these historical and economic factors were shaped by later developments. This article argues that postabolition racial orders were significantly shaped by the processes of nation-state building in each context. In South Africa and the United States ethnic or regional “intrawhite” conflict impeding nation-state consolidation was contained by racial domination. Whites were unified by excluding blacks, in an ongoing dynamic that took different forms. Continued competition and tensions between the American North and South or South Africa's English and Afrikaners were repeatedly resolved or diminished through further entrenchment of Jim Crow or apartheid. With no comparable conflict requiring reconciliation in Brazil, no official racial domination was constructed, although discrimination continued. The dynamics of nation-state building are then reviewed to explain variations in black mobilization and the end of apartheid and Jim Crow.
Indigenous and expatriate addicts in Laos: A Comparison

Opium addiction has been reported among virtually all large ethnic groups in Asia. Conspicuous by its absence has been any mention of addiction among the Lao, a people surrounded by poppy-growing tribal groups. A sample of Lao patient-addicts are here compared to expatriate Asian addicts in Laos.
Does the Quality of Prenatal Care Matter in Promoting Skilled Institutional Delivery? A Study in Rural Mexico

Objectives: To determine if the quality of prenatal care predicts skilled institutional delivery, a primary means of reducing maternal mortality. Methods: The probability of skilled institutional delivery is predicted among 4173 rural low-income women of reproductive age in seven Mexican states, as a function of maternal retrospective reports about prenatal care services received in 1997–2003. Results: Women who received most prenatal care procedures were more likely to have a skilled institutional delivery (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.18, 4.44). Women who received less than the 75th percentile of prenatal care procedures were not significantly different from those who received no prenatal care. Conclusions: Policies promoting increased access to prenatal services should be linked to the promotion of practice standards to impact health and behavioral outcomes.
Ligand displacement reactions of dimer and trimer pyridyl ligand/transition metal complexes

Abstract Ligand exchange reactions of pyridyl ligand/transition metal complexes are examined in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer to evaluate the ability of multidentate ligands to displace other pyridyl ligands in complexes where the charge is highly delocalized and there is a great degree of ligand repulsions. Partially or fully coordinated transition metal ions in dimer or trimer species involving small mono- or bidentate pyridyl ligands undergo ligand displacement reactions with larger bi- and tridentate pyridyl ligands. Larger ligands with greater chelation abilities, such as 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2′:6,2″-terpyridine, are often able to simultaneously displace two nonchelating ligands from a partially coordinated metal ion. However, the analogous reactions involving displacement of bidentate chelating ligands from more fully coordinated transition metal ion complexes are nearly quenched. In other cases, mixed-ligand dimer and trimer complexes are observed, indicating step-wise displacement of the initially complexed ligands.
Determinants and repeatability of the specific dynamic response of the corn snake, Pantherophis guttatus.

Abstract Ingesting, digesting, absorbing, and assimilating a meal are all energy consuming processes that accumulate to form the specific dynamic action (SDA) of the meal. Sensitive to digestive demand, SDA is theoretically fixed to a given meal size and type. In this study, we altered relative meal size to explore the effects of digestive demand on the postprandial metabolic profile and SDA of the corn snake, Pantherophis guttatus . We also examined the effects of body temperature on the SDA response while controlling for meal size and type and assessed whether these responses are highly repeatable under the same conditions. Additionally, the effects of body mass on SDA were investigated by feeding snakes the same relative and absolute meal size. With increases in digestive demand (meals from 5% to 45% of body mass), P. guttatus responded with incremental increases in the postprandial peak in oxygen consumption ( V ˙ O 2 ), the duration of the significantly elevated V ˙ O 2 , and SDA. Body temperature had an observable impact on the postprandial metabolic profile, decreasing the duration and increasing the peak V ˙ O 2 , however, body temperature did not significantly alter SDA. Regardless of temperature, and hence duration, snakes expended the same amount of energy in digesting a given meal. This was additionally borne out when testing the individual repeatability of the SDA response, individual P. guttatus exhibited nearly identical postprandial responses to the same meal. Over a 90-fold range in body mass, and fed meals equaling 25% of body mass, P. guttatus exhibited an isometric relationship between SDA and body mass. When fed a set 10-gram meal, snakes regardless of body size expended the same amount of energy on digestion and assimilation. Characteristically, P. guttatus experience a rapid postprandial increase in metabolic rate that peaks and gradually descends to prefeeding levels. The magnitude of that response (quantified as SDA) varies as a function of digestive demand (i.e., meal size); however, when demand is fixed, SDA is constant regardless of body temperature and body size.
Stimuli-responsive polymers and nanomaterials for gene delivery and imaging applications ☆

Multiple extra- and intracellular obstacles, including low stability in blood, poor cellular uptake, and inefficient endosomal escape and disassembly in the cytoplasm, have to be overcome in order to deliver nucleic acids for gene therapy. This review introduces the recent advances in tackling the key challenges in achieving efficient, targeted, and safe nonviral gene delivery using various nucleic acid-containing nanomaterials that are designed to respond to various extra- and intracellular biological stimuli (e.g., pH, redox potential, and enzyme) as well as external artificial triggers (e.g., light and ultrasound). Gene delivery in combination with molecular imaging and targeting enables diagnostic assessment, treatment monitoring and quantification of efficiency, and confirmation of cure, thus fulfilling the great promise of efficient and personalized medicine. Nanomaterials platform for combined imaging and gene therapy, nanotheragnostics, using stimuli-responsive materials is also highlighted in this review. It is clear that developing novel multifunctional nonviral vectors, which transform their physico-chemical properties in response to various stimuli in a timely and spatially controlled manner, is highly desired to translate the promise of gene therapy for the clinical success.
Optimal image acquisition by auto-defocusing

This paper presents an optimal image acquisition methodology by replacing the traditional birefringent filter with slight out-of-focus blur generated by the camera lens. Since many cameras already have adjustable lenses and auto-focus systems, our method can exploit existing hardware by simply changing the focusing strategy. During the image acquisition, the optimal defocus setting is automatically adapted to the power spectrum of the scene which is evaluated by a generic autocorrelation model. A criterion to estimate reconstruction errors without the baseband knowledge of the scene is developed in the paper. This metric helps the camera to choose the optimal focus settings. An optimal Wiener filter then recovers the captured scene and yields sharper images with reduced aliasing. The numerical and visual results show that our method is superior to current acquisition methods used by most digital cameras.
Thermodynamic consistency of potential evapotranspiration estimates in Florida

This study investigates the validity of fundamental assumptions regarding the partitioning of energy that are implicit in the Penman–Monteith (PM) and Priestly–Taylor (PT) models of potential evapotranspiration (PET). Both these models require energy conservation, but differ in the partitioning of sensible and latent heat fluxes as measured by the Bowen ratio. Application of these models at four research sites in Florida collectively show that these models can be calibrated to provide adequate PET prediction at all sites. The prediction of Bowen ratios using the calibrated PET models showed that the PT model is preferable for lakes and is acceptable for marsh and forest; the crop-coefficient application of the PM model is preferable for grass and is acceptable for marsh; and the standard PM model is acceptable for marsh. For the marsh and forest covers, the margins of preference between the three models are not very strong. This investigation was limited to climatic conditions in Florida and caution should be exercised in extending these results to other sites and climates. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
OA08.01. Cholecystokinin antagonizes opioid function during electroacupuncture inhibitory effect on pressor reflex in rats

Purpose Acupuncture or electroacupuncture (EA) is increasingly being accepted as a viable therapy in the United States and may serve as an alternative treatment to drug therapy in patients with mild to moderate hypertension. We have demonstrated that EA acts through an opioid mechanism in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (rVLM) to inhibit sympathoexcitatory reflexes induced by gastric distention. Cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8), a gastrointestinal peptide hormone, is present throughout the central nervous system and mediates pain and anxiety. CCK-8 interacts with CCK1 and CCK2 receptors. The present study investigated the hypothesis that CCK-8 in the rVLM limits the modulatory action of EA effect on sympathoexcitatory responses.
A representation for the Drazin inverse of block matrices with a singular generalized Schur complement

Abstract Consider a 2 × 2 block complex square matrix M = A B C D , where A and D are square matrices. Suppose that ( I - AA D ) B = O and C ( I - AA D ) = O , where A D is the Drazin inverse of A. The representations of the Drazin inverse M D have been studied in the case where the generalized Schur complement, S = A - CA D B , is either zero or nonsingular. In this paper, we develop a representation, under certain conditions, for M D when S is singular and group invertible. Moreover, this formula includes the case where S = O or nonsingular. A numerical example is given to illustrate the result.
On the role of the Kelvin wave in the westerly phase of the semiannual zonal wind oscillation

The role of the Kelvin wave, discovered by Hirota (1978), in producing the westerly accelerations of the semiannual zonal wind oscillation in the tropical upper stratosphere is examined quantitatively. It is shown that, for reasonable values of the wave parameters, this Kelvin wave could indeed give rise to the observed accelerations. For the thermal damping rates of Dickinson (1973), the most likely range of phase speeds for a wavenumber 1 disturbance is from 45 to 60 m/sec. For 'photochemically accelerated' damping rates (Blake and Lindzen, 1973), a phase speed in excess of 70 m/sec would be required. The possibility of a significant modulation of the semiannual westerlies by the quasi-biennial oscillation is also suggested.
Enhanced Afterimage Persistence in Waking and Hypnosis: High Hypnotizables Report More Enduring Afterimages

This study investigated the moderating influences of hypnotic susceptibility level (high/low) and visuospatial skill level (high/low) on afterimage persistence in waking and hypnosis. All Ss were administered the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A; [1]), the Group Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C; [2]), and the Mental Rotations Test (MRT; [3]). In counterbalanced sessions of waking and hypnosis, 80 Ss (20 high/high, 20 high/low, 20 low/high, 20 low/low) were dark adapted for twenty minutes each, after which a brief flash of light was presented. Visuospatial skills, as measured by the MRT, did not significantly influence first afterimage intervals or afterimage durations. High hypnotizables reported significantly longer first afterimage intervals and afterimage durations in hypnosis than did low hypnotizables. High hypnotizables reported significantly longer first afterimage intervals, but not afterimage durations, in waking than did low hypnotizables. Hig...
Speciation of chromium(III) and cobalt(III) (amino)carboxylate complexes using capillary electrophoresis.

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) can very efficiently resolve different dissolved metal ion species as long as rates of ligand exchange are slow relative to time scales required for electromigration. Here, we detail the separation of several CrIII and CoIII complexes with the multidentate chelating agents iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, trans-1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetracetic acid, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid, trimethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Successes in speciating some NiII and CoII complexes are also reported. For CrIII and CoIII, subtle differences in metal ion-chelating agent stereochemistry, chelating agent denticity, and number of bridging ligands are discernible due to the high resolving power of CE. New peaks and heightened baselines were encountered when a pH buffer with strong complexing properties (orthophosphate) was employed in the background electrolyte. For this reason, we recommend using pH buffers with very weak or negl...
Discrimination and growth: The distribution across skills matters

Abstract This paper examines the impact of differences in the degree of discrimination across skill levels in a model of endogenous growth. The impact of labor market discrimination on human capital formation and, hence, the rate of per capita growth depends on how wage differentials at low levels of skills compare to differentials at high levels of skills. From a policy perspective the analysis suggests that it is an eliminating discrimination at high skill levels relative to low skill levels that enhances the rate of growth.
FGF2 modulates cardiac remodeling in an isoform- and sex-specific manner.

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac fibrosis are remodeling events that result in mechanical stiffness and pathophysiological changes in the myocardium. Both humans and animal models display a sexual dimorphism where females are more protected from pathological remodeling. Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) mediates cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, and protection against cardiac injury, and is made in high molecular weight and low molecular weight isoforms (Hi FGF2 and Lo FGF2, respectively). Although some light has been shed on isoform‐specific functions in cardiac pathophysiology, their roles in pathologic cardiac remodeling have yet to be determined. We tested the hypothesis that Lo FGF2 and Hi FGF2 modulate pathological cardiac remodeling in an isoform‐specific manner. Young adult male and female mice between 8 and 12 weeks of age of mixed background that were deficient in either Hi FGF2 or Lo FGF2 (Hi KO or Lo KO, respectively) were subjected to daily injections of isoproterenol (Iso) for 4 days after which their hearts were compared to wild‐type cohorts. Post‐Iso treatment, female Lo KO hearts do not exhibit significant differences in their hypertrophic and fibrotic response, whereas female Hi KO hearts present with a blunted hypertrophic response. In male animals, Lo KO hearts present with an exacerbated fibrotic response and increased α ‐smooth muscle actin protein expression, whereas Hi KO hearts present with a blunted fibrotic response and increased atrial natriuretic factor protein expression Thus, in female hearts Hi FGF2 mediates cardiac hypertrophy, whereas in male hearts Lo FGF2 and Hi FGF2 display an antithetical role in cardiac fibrosis where Lo FGF2 is protective while Hi FGF2 is damaging. In conclusion, cardiac remodeling following catecholamine overactivation is modulated by FGF2 in isoform‐ and sex‐specific manners.
Induction of threat to self-esteem and the arousal and resolution of affect

Abstract The influence of threat to self-esteem on the arousal and resolution of affect was examined. Predictions associated with Aronson's (1960) expectancy-performance (dissonance) model, an hedonic model, an habituation model, and a defensiveness model ( Millimet, 1970 ) were tested by considering low and high self-esteem Ss under neutral, failure, and success conditions. A measure of affect was taken under neutral conditions, following the taking of an intelligence test but before evaluative feedback, and after evaluative feedback. Following the personal evaluation situation, Ss were given the opportunity to reduce negative affect by viewing their intellectual test score as a product of a variety of unfortunate and unavoidable situational determinants. The results demonstrated strong support for the defensiveness model, partial support for the hedonic and habituation models, and virtually no support for the dissonance model.
Case wall pressures in a multistage axial compressor with tip clearance variation

Large cyclical pressure excursions from stator-averaged values are observed on the suction side of a rotor blade at the case wall in a multistage compressor as the rotor moves relative to the stator. The pressure changes correlate well with stator relative position, occur in the passage away from the blade, and are only slightly modified by tip clearance changes. Close to the entry and exit of the tip gap, however, the pressures remain stable. The pressures near the gap are only slightly affected by stator proximity and primarily vary with tip gap height.
Observational Constraints on Methanol Production in Interstellar and Preplanetary Ices

Methanol (CH3OH) is thought to be an important link in the chain of chemical evolution that leads from simple diatomic interstellar molecules to complex organic species in protoplanetary disks that may be delivered to the surfaces of Earthlike planets. Previous research has shown that CH3OH forms in the interstellar medium predominantly on the surfaces of dust grains. To enhance our understanding of the conditions that lead to its efficient production, we assemble a homogenized catalog of published detections and limiting values in interstellar and preplanetary ices for both CH3OH and the other commonly observed C- and O-bearing species, H2O, CO, and CO2. We use this catalog to investigate the abundance of ice-phase CH3OH in environments ranging from dense molecular clouds to circumstellar envelopes around newly born stars of low and high mass. Results show that CH3OH production arises during the CO freezeout phase of ice-mantle growth in the clouds, after an ice layer rich in H2O and CO2 is already in place on the dust, in agreement with current astrochemical models. The abundance of solid-phase CH3OH in this environment is sufficient to account for observed gas-phase abundances when the ices are subsequently desorbed in the vicinity of embedded stars. CH3OH concentrations in the ices toward embedded stars show order-of-magnitude object-to-object variations, even in a sample restricted to stars of low mass associated with ices lacking evidence of thermal processing. We hypothesize that the efficiency of CH3OH production in dense cores and protostellar envelopes is mediated by the degree of prior CO depletion.
Insulin Enhances the Biogenesis of Nuclear Sterol Regulatory Element-binding Protein (SREBP)-1c by Posttranscriptional Down-regulation of Insig-2A and Its Dissociation from SREBP Cleavage-activating Protein (SCAP)·SREBP-1c Complex

The regulation of lipid homeostasis by insulin is mediated in part by the enhanced transcription of the gene encoding sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c). The nascent SREBP-1c is embedded in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and must be transported to the Golgi where two sequential cleavages generate its NH2-terminal fragment, nSREBP-1c. We have shown recently that in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes, insulin rapidly and selectively stimulates proteolytic processing of the nascent SREBP-1c by enhancing the affinity of the SREBP cleavage-activating protein (SCAP)·SREBP-1c complex for coatomer protein complex II (COPII) vesicles. The SCAP·SREBP complex is retained in the ER by Insig proteins. We report here that insulin persistently stimulates controlled proteolysis of the nascent SREBP-1c by selectively reducing the level of Insig-2a protein via accelerated degradation of its cognate mRNA. Insulin enhanced the rate of turnover of Insig-2a mRNA via its 3′-untranslated region. Insulin-induced depletion of Insig-2a promotes association of the SCAP·SREBP-1c complex with COPII vesicles and subsequent migration to the Golgi where site-1 and site-2 proteases process the nascent SREBP-1c. Consistent with this mechanism, experimental knockdown of Insig-2a expression with small interfering RNA mimicked insulin-induced proteolysis of the nascent SREBP-1c, whereas exogenous expression of Insig-2a in hepatocytes led to reduced intramembrane proteolysis of the newly synthesized SREBP-1c. The action of insulin on the processing of the nascent SREBP-1c via Insig-2a was highly selective, as proteolysis of the newly synthesized SREBP-2 remained unchanged under identical conditions. On the basis of these data, we propose that the stimulation of SREBP-1c processing by insulin is mediated by a selective depletion of Insig-2a protein by promoting decay of its cognate mRNA. Thus, insulin-induced reduction in Insig-2a protein leads to an enhanced export of the SCAP·SREBP-1c complex from ER to the Golgi.
Cross‐linking of CD26 by antibody induces tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase

CD26, a T-cell activation antigen that has dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity in its extracellular domain and has also been shown to play an important role in T-cell activation. The earliest biochemical events seen in stimulated T lymphocytes activated through the engagement of the T-cell receptor (TCR) is the tyrosine phosphorylation of a panel of cellular proteins. In this study we demonstrate that antibody-induced cross-linking of CD26-in CD26-transfected Jurkat cells induced tyrosine phosphorylation of several intracellular proteins with a similar pattern to that seen after TCR/CD3 stimulation. Herbimycin A, an inhibitor of the src family protein tyrosine kinases dramatically inhibited this CD26-mediated effect on tyrosine phosphorylation. Major tyrosine phosphorylated proteins were identified by immunoblotting, and included p56lck, p59fyn, zeta associated protein-tyrosine kinase of 70,000 MW (ZAP-70), mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, c-Cb1, and phospholipase C gamma. CD26-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of MAP kinase correlated with increased MAP kinase activity. In addition, CD26 was costimulatory to CD3 signal transduction since co-cross-linking of CD26 and CD3 antigens induced prolonged and increased tyrosine phosphorylation in comparison with CD3 activation alone. We therefore conclude that CD26 is a true costimulatory entity that can up-regulate the signal transducing properties of the TCR.
Grain size, density, and mechanical properties of alumina batch-processed in a single-mode microwave cavity

Abstract Four different microwave cavity modes, namely, TM111, TE112, TE113, and TM013, were used to sinter alumina powder compacts in a batch process using a cylindrical single-mode microwave cavity. The grain size, mass density, hardness, and fracture toughness of the final densified products were examined in terms of (i) the position of the specimen within the microwave casket and (ii) the Cavity mode.
The question of the possible asymmetric polymerization of aspartic acid on kaolinite.

We have been unable to confirm the recent report that kaolinite catalyzes the polymerization of aqueousd- andl-aspartic acid at different rates. In experiments wheredl-Asp was used, no induced optical rotation was found in the reaction solution. No evidence for polymer (or other product) formation was found whenl-Asp-2-14C was used, and products were searched by paper chromatography and X-ray film autoradiography. Asp is adsorbed by kaolinite, but no selectivity for one or the other enantiomer was observed.
Integral representation of Markov systems and the existence of adjoined functions for Haar spaces

Abstract Let A be a set of real numbers, and let Y n : = { y 0 ,…, y n } be a Cebysev system on A . Assume, moreover, that if inf A or sup A belongs to A , then it is a point of accumulation of A at which all y j are continuous. We find necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a function y n + 1 such that also { y 0 ,…, y n , y n + 1 } is a Cebysev system on A . This theorem generalizes earlier results of Zielke and of the author. The proof is based on an integral representation of Markov systems that slightly extends a previous result of Zielke.
International benchmarking and determinants of mathematics achievement in two Indian states

Evidence from cross‐country studies suggests that the sustainability of India’s rapid economic growth will be conditioned by the quality of its education. This paper analyzed a 2005 World Bank‐sponsored survey of Grade Nine students in the states of Rajasthan and Orissa. The survey used internationally comparable items from the 1999 Trends of Mathematics Study to provide the first international benchmark for education quality in India for three decades. The study finds that only 15% and 25% of students in Rajasthan and Orissa, respectively, have achieved the expected international average of these items. The study further shows that increasing students’ opportunity to learn through better pedagogical practices and enhanced schooling experience can increase performance, while mitigating between‐school inequality, and reducing the achievement gap between boys and girls, holding other factors constant.
Heat transfer to a biased wall of an electric arc chamber

A DC arc is operated in a rectangular arc chamber with currents of 50 to 150 amperes and at pressures of 100 to 760 mm Hg in an axially superimposed flow of argon. A segment of the chamber wall between cathode and anode is biased both positively and negatively relative to the cathode and the corresponding current-voltage measurements at the wall segment reveal two different types of characteristics depending on the particular arc parameters. One of the characteristics shows electron current saturation accompanied by a breakdown forming a secondary arc. The other type of characteristic shows neither electron current saturation nor breakdown. The heat transferred to the wall segment reflects the behavior or the current-voltage characteristics and suggests that variations in the potential distribution of the plasma in the immediate vicinity of the surface of the biased segment and/or changes of the electron flux are responsible for the observed effects.
Separate and Unequal: Judicial Culture, Employment Qualifications and Muslim Headscarf Debates

Few European lawmakers have analyzed the implications of Muslim headscarf bans for equal employment opportunity. EU anti-discrimination directives suggest that contradictory member-state approaches will eventually invoke a judicial Community response at national expense. Drawing on the bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) standard, this study compares the “judicial cultures” of the U.S. Supreme Court, the German Constitutional Court, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the European Court of Justice (ECJ). It argues that while the ECJ initially invoked Roman law precepts shared by a majority of its member-states through the 1980s, it has come to embrace Anglo-American norms stressing individual freedoms over state interests. Given their strong support for equal treatment and social inclusion, EU justices will be more likely than member-state or ECHR judges to overturn existing bans on hejab at the workplace, once such a case makes its way onto the ECJ docket.
Spears, Style, and Time among Maa-Speaking Pastoralists

Abstract Stylistic change in Maasai spears is examined in light of their use as symbolic instruments. Importation, selection, use, and abandonment of formal traits in spears are analyzed for pastoralists of Samburu District, Kenya. The ever-changing form of spears helps males to move through a sequence of age grades, where graduation to each new grade changes one's status and social networks. Ethnoarchaeological significance of the Maasai example lies in how and why material styles both aid and reflect interaction between males of varying social status and how change in material styles helps to reinforce relatively stable social roles. Archaeologically, these Maasai socioeconomic processes may serve as analogs for Paleolithic and Mesolithic social structures that exhibited aspects of both egalitarianism and ranking.
Flavor, Aroma, and Compositional Changes in Strawberry Juice Concentrate Stored at 20° C

Strawberry juice concentrate (68°Brix) was stored at 20°C for 0–6 days. Samples were analyzed for changes in taste, aroma and color degradation, and these changes were related to composition change. Astringent taste, musty/moldy and pungent aromas and brown color developed rapidly over 6 days. This decrease in quality was accompanied by CO2 production and a decrease in free amino acids, while reducing sugar and titratable acidity concentrations remained stable.
Investigations into the use of microgel photonic crystals for optical tagging

In this paper we present an update on our research into the use of microgel-based photonic crystals in an optical tagging application. The chemistry of microgel photonic crystals is well established in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Georgia Tech has recently extended the current visible-band microgel photonic crystal technology into the infrared spectral domain. We have produced infrared-responsive photonic materials from highly monodisperse pNIPAm hydrogels with 400nm (hydrodynamic radius) particles. Both reflection and transmission measurements have been performed on these samples. In addition, we have begun ageing studies and have examined possible ways of increasing the reflection response.
The quantitative problem of old evidence

The quantitative problem of old evidence is the problem of how to measure the degree to which e confirms h for agent A at time t when A regards e as justified at t. Existing attempts to solve this problem have applied the e-difference approach, which compares A's probability for h at t with what probability A would assign h if A did not regard as justified at t. The quantitative problem has been widely regarded as unsolvable primarily on the grounds that the e-difference approach suffers from intractable problems. Various philosophers have proposed that 'Bayesianism' should be rejected as a research strategy in confirmation theory in part because of the unsolvability of this problem. I develop a version of the e-difference approach which overcomes these problems and possesses various advantages (but also certain limitations). I develop an alternative 'theistic' approach which handles many cases that my development of the e-difference approach does not handle. I conclude with an assessment of the significance of the quantitative problem for Bayesianism and argue that this problem is misunderstood in so far as it is regarded as unsolvable, and in so far as it is regarded as a problem only for Bayesians. 1 Introduction 2 H-independent e-evidence: Einstein in 1915 3 Beyond the e-difference approach: a theistic solution to the quantitative problem 4 Conclusion.
Insertion site for intramedullary tibial nails, and its relationship to anterior knee pain

Abstract Recent work has suggested that a patella tendon splitting approach for insertion of intramedullary tibial nails is associated with an increased incidence of anterior knee pain. We looked at 47 patients with 48 tibial fractures stabilised with intramedullary nails. Four nails were unreamed, the rest reamed. Thirty-five fractures were closed, eight Gustillo type 1, three type 2 and two type 3. Information about insertion approach and knee pain was available for 38 patients. Fifty percent had anterior knee pain, 22 had a medial approach performed, 12 had pain, 16 had a patella tendon splitting approach, seven had pain (NS, χ 2 =0.43). Suitable X-rays were available to allow measurement of patella tendon shortening in 30 patients (patella included on X-ray view). This demonstrated patella tendon shortening of 2.8% in the pain group ( n =14); 3.4% in the no pain group ( n =16); 3.3% in the split group ( n =10); and 3.5% in the medial approach group ( n =17, information on surgical approach not available for three patients). The range of shortening for all patients did not exceed 10%. The literature suggests that patella tendon shortening can occur with excessive dissection required for a medial approach at this area of the knee. We agree with recent comments that a controlled trial is required to evaluate this problem further.
Effects of d- and l-amphetamine on local cerebral glucose utilization in the conscious rat.

Amphetamine, a potent sympathomimetic amine, has powerful stimulant actions in the central nervous system. These actions are believed to be related to the influence of amphetamine on release and uptake of catecholamine neurotransmitters. The [14C]deoxyglucose method makes it possible to study changes in cerebral metabolic rate in different areas of gray and white matter. Because of the close relationship between metabolic rate and functional activity, this method may be used to identify specific structures in the brain in which functional activity is altered. The [14C]deoxyglucose method was used to explore for changes in metabolic rate produced by d-and l-amphetamine (5 mg/kg) in forty gray and four white matter structures in normal conscious rats. d-Amphetamine produced increases in local cerebral glucose utilization in a number of components of the extrapyramidal motor system, as well as in some other structures known to contain dopamine-producing and/or dopaminoceptive cells. The largest increases after d-amphetamine administration occurred in the subthalamic nucleus and the zona reticulata of the substantia nigra. l-Amphetamine produced increases in some but not all of these same structures, and these were generally smaller than those observed with d-amphetamine. Decreases in local cerebral glucose utilization after either d- or l-amphetamine administration were found in the habenula and the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus. The effects in the suprachiasmatic nuclei may reflect their normal diurnal rhythm in metabolic rate. These results indicate that amphetamines may influence behavior through effects on specific regions of the brain. Only some of these regions have previously been studied as possible sites of action of amphetamine.
Frequency Modes of Monsoon Precipitation in Arizona and New Mexico

The interannual and intraseasonal variability of the North American monsoon is of great interest because a large proportion of the annual precipitation for Arizona and New Mexico arrives during the summer monsoon. Forty-one years of daily monsoon season precipitation data for Arizona and New Mexico were studied using wavelet analysis. This time-localized spectral analysis method reveals that periodicities of less than 8 days are positively correlated with mean daily precipitation during the 1 July–15 September monsoon period. Roughly 17% of the years indicate no significant periodicity during the monsoon period for either region and are associated with low monsoon precipitation. High- and low-frequency modes explain an equivalent percentage of the variance in monsoon precipitation in both Arizona and New Mexico, and in many years concurrent multiple periodicities occur. Wavelet analysis was effective in identifying the contribution of high-frequency modes that had not been discerned in previous studies. These results suggest that precipitation processes during the monsoon season are modulated by phenomena operating at synoptic (2–8 days) and longer (8 days) time scales and point to the need for further studies to better understand the associated atmospheric processes.
Towards stable software analysis patterns

Software analysis patterns are believed to play a major role in reducing the cost and condensing the time of software product lifecycles. However, there are several deficiencies with today's analysis patterns. These deficiencies make it difficult to use analysis patterns as efficient reusable artifacts. This poster discusses the status of today's analysis patterns. It also introduces the novel concept of Stable Analysis Patterns. In addition, it introduces eight essential properties to evaluate analysis pattern reusability.
Ethical Issues in Perinatal Mental Health

The principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice can guide clinicians in finding ethical approaches to the treatment of women who have psychiatric disorders during preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum. Table 1 summarizes some clinical dilemmas in perinatal mental health care, the ethical conundrums posed by these situations, and guiding principles or tools that can help clinicians resolve ethical conflicts. The concept of relational ethics helps resolve apparent mother-offspring ethical conflicts, and the practice of preventive ethics helps anticipate and reduce the risk of ethical dilemmas and adverse clinical outcomes. These central principles suggest the following guidelines in caring for perinatal women: In situations that seem to pit the needs of a pregnant or postpartum woman against the needs of her fetus or baby, reframe the problem to find a solution that most benefits the mother-baby dyad while posing the least risk to the dyad. In evaluating a pregnant woman's ability to make autonomous, informed decisions about medical care, assess her ability to decide on behalf of both herself and her fetus. When explaining the risks of treatments such as psychotropic medication during pregnancy, avoid errors of omission by also explaining the risks of withholding the treatments. Apply the principle of justice to ensure that women are not stigmatized by having psychiatric disorders or by being pregnant. When screening for maternal psychiatric symptoms, ensure that the benefits of screening outweigh the ethical costs by designing effective follow-up systems for helping women who have positive screens. When treating women of reproductive age for psychiatric disorders, proactively discuss family planning and, when appropriate, the anticipated risks of the illness and the treatment during future pregnancies. Offer preventive interventions to reduce these risks.
Application of optical interferometry to the investigation of Kerr magneto-optic effects

Abstract Interferometry is introduced for the first time to the study of Kerr magneto-optic effects. A polarized interferometer is used in direct measurement of the phase relationship between the two Kerr components from the head-on domains in a magnetic thin film.
The Tim54p–Tim22p Complex Mediates Insertion of Proteins into the Mitochondrial Inner Membrane

We have identified a new protein, Tim54p, located in the yeast mitochondrial inner membrane. Tim54p is an essential import component, required for the insertion of at least two polytopic proteins into the inner membrane, but not for the translocation of precursors into the matrix. Several observations suggest that Tim54p and Tim22p are part of a protein complex in the inner membrane distinct from the previously characterized Tim23p-Tim17p complex. First, multiple copies of the TIM22 gene, but not TIM23 or TIM17, suppress the growth defect of a tim54-1 temperature-sensitive mutant. Second, Tim22p can be coprecipitated with Tim54p from detergent-solubilized mitochondria, but Tim54p and Tim22p do not interact with either Tim23p or Tim17p. Finally, the tim54-1 mutation destabilizes the Tim22 protein, but not Tim23p or Tim17p. Our results support the idea that the mitochondrial inner membrane carries two independent import complexes: one required for the translocation of proteins across the inner membrane (Tim23p-Tim17p), and the other required for the insertion of proteins into the inner membrane (Tim54p-Tim22p).
Aggression in invertebrates

Invertebrates are outstanding model systems for the study of aggression. Recent advances and promising new research approaches are bringing investigators closer to the goal of integrating behavioral findings with those from other disciplines of the neurosciences. The presence of highly structured, easily evoked behavioral systems offer unique opportunities to quantify the aggressive state of individuals, to explore the mechanisms underlying the formation and maintenance of dominance relationships, to investigate the dynamic properties of hierarchy formation, and to explore the significance of neural, neurochemical and genetic mechanisms in these behavioral phenomena.
Effect of histamine on phasic and tonic contractions of isolated uterine tissue from pregnant women

Abstract Objective: To enhance our understanding of the uterotonic effect of histamine, we compared the effects of histamine on spontaneous phasic and tonic contractile activity of uterine strips from term pregnant nonlaboring women. Study Design: Longitudinal uterine strips were used from the lower uterine segment of term pregnant nonlaboring women undergoing elective cesarean section. The concentration-response relationship to histamine (10 –8 to 10 –4 mol/L) was determined in spontaneously contracting strips or in strips contracted tonically with a protein kinase C activator (–)–indolactam V in the presence of H 1 receptor antagonist (S[+]-chlorpheniramine maleate), H 2 receptor antagonist (cimetidine), or solvent. Results: Histamine increased spontaneous phasic myometrial contractions in a concentration-dependent manner. H 1 , but not H 2 , receptor antagonist significantly attenuated the response to histamine. Histamine significantly reduced tonic contractions of uterine strips induced by indolactam V. H 1 histamine receptor antagonist abolished relaxation, whereas H 2 histamine receptor antagonist had no effect. Conclusion: Histamine increases spontaneous, but inhibits tonic, contractions of uterine strips from term pregnant nonlaboring women. Both effects are mediated through activation of H 1 receptors. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:774-8.)