cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A model for H-Absorption by metals

An analytical technique has been developed for studying hydrogen (H) absorption in cathodically charged metals. The technique combines computer modeling of H-motion with simple total H-content measurements, and yields the precise H-concentration profiles produced by galvanostatic charging. Although the technique was developed for one particular nickel-base superalloy, it is quite general and can be applied to a wide range of alloy systems. The technique was used to study H-absorption by HASTELLOY Alloy C-276, a single phase alloy whose hydrogen embrittlement (HE) tendency depends on thermomechanical state. The study indicated that H-absorption also depends on thermomechanical state. However, no clear cut relationship was obtained between H-absorption and embrittlement behavior of Alloy C-276.
Open Accounts: Harriet Martineau and the Problem of Privacy in Early-Victorian Culture

In this essay I examine Harriet Martineau9s domestic novel Deerbrook (1839), in which the author, famous for her works in the public discourse of political economy, experimented with the genre most associated with the private. I suggest that the novel be read as a struggle to reconcile the claims of privacy with Martineau9s intellectual, social, and political commitments to free circulation. I link the tensions in Martineau9s efforts to imagine a domestic sphere organized around the free circulation of information to an ambivalence about privacy in discussions of contemporary economic challenges and argue that this ambivalence lingered even where privacy has been understood to be most at ease——in business, in the novel, and in the home. I trace Deerbrook9s uneven treatment of love, desire, and women to the difficulty assimilating them to the ethic of free circulation of information. The taint of suspicion that lingers around the private sphere in the novel suggests that we reconsider what is sometimes presumed: the Victorian faith in the private as the guarantor of morality and ethical identity under capitalist social relations.
Physician Trainees’ Interactions with the Pharmaceutical Industry

The Authors’ Reply—The differences Ramachandran et al. note between our results1 and two other recent publications2,3 may be explained by both the analytic approaches used in our different studies and the outcomes we examined. In their important papers, both King et al. and Epstein et al. analyzed prescribing patterns for psychoactive drugs, using difference-in-differences models that dichotomized medical schools or residency training programs based on their conflict of interest policies alone, and found that those policies were important predictors of subsequent actual drug prescribing decisions. By contrast, we examined the relationship between students’ self-reported receipt of gifts and two characteristics of their medical schools—conflict of interest policies represented by the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) PharmFree Scorecard score and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. We found that students’ receipt of gifts correlates strongly with lower levels of NIH funding at their schools, but less so with the schools’ AMSA score after controlling for NIH funding level, suggesting that a higher AMSA score is closely correlated with a school’s receiving above-average NIH funding. As a result, the score may add little further power to account for this behavior beyond the research intensity of the institution. Our findings should not be interpreted to reduce the importance of institutional policies to control conflict of interest issues for trainees. This is still a young area of investigation, and more studies such as these are needed to clarify the best way to implement conflict of interest policies, and the effect of doing so on improving clinical decision-making. These policies emerged in the King et al. and Epstein et al. studies as valid predictors of subsequent rational prescribing behavior on the part of trainees. Despite these salutary downstream effects, our findings also suggest that the reported policies may not completely reflect the day-to-day reality of the medical learning environment that shape trainees. We agree with Ramachandran et al. that meaningful enforcement of conflict of interest policies is essential. Further research can identify better ways to measure implementation of these policies to ensure that resources are optimally directed to interventions that will change trainees’ attitudes and behaviors to benefit patients. Finally, we would like to direct readers’ attention to the revised Figure 1 in an accompanying Erratum. The original Figure contained clerical errors in the regression models.
IRIM: An Imaging Magnetograph for High-Resoultion Solar Observations in the Near-Infrared

The InfraRed Imaging Magnetograph (IRIM) is an innovative magnetograph system for near-infrared (NIR)observations of the Sun. IRIM will provide high spatial resolution (0.2" per pixel image scale), high temporal resolution (1-2 minutes), moderate spectral resolution (14.0 pm), and high magnetic sensitivity covering a substantial field-of-view (FOV: 170" circular). The bandpass of the instrument is reduced in three steps while still providing high transmission: (1) a 4 nm interference filter, (2) a 0.25 nm Lyot-filter, and (3) a 14.0 pm tunable Fabry-Perot etalon. The innovative NIR Lyot-filter was developed at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and is currently being assembled at Cambridge Research Instruments. It is the first of its kind and provides a large angle of acceptance, thus solving many problems encountered with dual Fabry-Perot systems. The two-dimensional line profiles will be recorded by a 1024 × 1024 pixel, 12-bit Complex Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) focal plane array (FPA) manufactured by Rockwell Scientific Imaging, which can obtain images at a rate of 50 fps. IRIM will utilize the remodelled Coude-feed of the 65 cm vacuum telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) and will benefit from an image stabilization and correction system of independently operating Correlation Tracking (CT) and Adaptive Optics (AO) systems.
The Use of Bismarck Brown Y in some new Stain Schedules

The staining quality of Bismarck brown Y may be improved and sterility maintained by adding 5% phenol to a 1% aqueous solution. Use the phenolic Bismarck brown in combination with iron alum hematoxylin except for stripped epidermis in the following procedures:Stem and Root Schedule: Mordant sections from water in 4% iron alum for 10 minutes. Rinse in distilled water and stain in 0.5% aqueous hematoxylin for 1 minute or until darkly stained. Rinse in distilled water and destain in 2% iron alum until a gray color appears. Rinse thoroly in distilled water and intensify hematoxylin by transferring sections to 0.5% aqueous lithium carbonate until the desired black color appears. Rinse thoroly in distilled water and stain for 1–5 minutes in phenolic Bismarck brown. Rinse in distilled water, dehydrate successively in 30, 50, 70, 95 and 100% alcohol. Clear in methyl salicylate for 5 minutes, then to xylene for 3–5 minutes, and mount in balsam.Middle Lamellae in Wood: Destain more thoroly in 2% iron alum than for ...
AN EARLY START: Skill Grouping and Unequal Reading Gains in the Elementary Years

Separating elementary school students into skill-based reading groups within classrooms affects a vast majority of young children in the United States. The impact of this institutional process on students' learning has important implications for sociological perspectives on education and stratification, yet a lack of studies comparing similar grouped and nongrouped students has prevented scholars from drawing conclusions as to the salience of this type of curriculum differentiation. Drawing on data from the first- and third-grade waves of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, I use propensity score matching techniques to estimate the impact of low, middle, and high group placement on reading gains relative to nongrouped instruction. Findings suggest that high-grouped students learn more, and low-grouped students learn less, than comparable nongrouped students. These analyses, which significantly lessen the extent to which selection into groups may bias results, add strong evidence to the view that within-classroom skill grouping in the early elementary years promotes unequal reading gains compared to nongrouped instruction. I conclude by discussing the theoretical and policy implications of these findings.
Changes in Catholic identity at Mayo Clinic Rochester: isolated event or sign of the times?

In this issue of HEC Forum, a history of the Catholic Identity of Saint Marys Hospital of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota is outlined (Swetz et al. 2013). In this article, a multidisciplinary team of employees from Mayo Clinic—Saint Marys Hospital discuss the history of the founding of Saint Marys Hospital, as well as the evolution of sponsorship over time. In 1986, Saint Marys Hospital changed from a sponsorship by governance to a model of sponsorship by influence, in response to changing Medicare regulations and funding sources and care provisions. In today’s health care environment, having two licensed hospitals and two distinct legal entities operating as ‘‘a single integrated hospital practice’’ has become increasing problematic in terms of reporting, quality, and certification purposes. Due to the concerns regarding an incomplete or inaccurate perception of the integrated practice, the Mayo Clinic Board of Directors approached the Academy of Our Lady of Lourdes Board in late 2012 to discuss these ongoing challenges. The decision was made that the ongoing relationship with Saint Marys Hospital, the Mayo Clinic, and the Academy of Our Lady of Lourdes would not be sustainable as it has been. It was with this in mind that a joint announcement was made on March 25, 2013 that the Rochester Methodist Hospital and Saint Marys Hospital would merge into one single hospital, Mayo Clinic Hospital—Rochester, effective January 1, 2014. The hope is that this ‘‘will ensure that regulatory
Time-dependent effects of peer separation on lymphocyte proliferation responses in juvenile squirrel monkeys.

This study evaluated the immunological, hormonal, and behavioral responses of juvenile squirrel monkeys to repeated social separations of varying length. Following a 3-hr separation, lymphocyte responses to stimulation with the mitogen concanavalin A (Con A) declined significantly, and these alterations were sustained after a 24-hr separation period. The responses to Con A and to a second mitogen, phytohemagglutinin (PHA), were suppressed after 2 days. At the end of a 7-day separation period, immune responses were not significantly different from basal values. Plasma cortisol levels were elevated above basal levels in all animals after the 3-hr, 24-hr, and 2-day separations, but were not elevated after the 7-day separation. While we observed no statistivally significant changes in locomotor activity or calling behavior during any of the separations, the monkeys tended to be most active and to call most immediately following separation. Our findings concur with earlier reports indicating that social strressors can influence lymphocyte proliferation in nonhuman primates and that certain cell types might be differentially sensitive to stress, but also indicate that these influences are transient.
Poland's syndrome

The main purpose of surgical correction in Poland's syndrome is to improve chest wall symmetry and correct breast hypoplasia. Creation of an anterior axillary fold and smoothing out the infraclavicular defect greatly improves the final result. Cardiorespiratory function may be impaired, but serious conditions requiring early operative correction are rare. When present, unilateral costochondral agenesis involves one to three segments in the mid-anterior chest and sternal depression to that side. Operative planning in such cases includes a multi-layered approach to provide a solid base for soft tissue reconstruction of the more superficial layers.
Life History Theory in Psychopathology: More Than an Elegant Heuristic?

The application of life history theory (LHT) to the social, behavioral, and psychological sciences has become increasingly popular and provides unique perspectives on human development and behavior...
Role of protein-induced bending in the specificity of DNA recognition: crystal structure of EcoRV endonuclease complexed with d(AAAGAT) + d(ATCTT).

Abstract The crystal structure of Eco RV endonuclease has been determined at 2.1 A resolution complexed to two five-base-pair DNA duplexes each containing the cognate recognition half-site. The highly localized 50° bend into the major groove seen at the center TA-step of the continuous GATATC site is preserved in this discontinuous DNA complex lacking the scissile phosphates. Thus, this crystal structure provides evidence that covalent constraints associated with a continuous target site are not essential to enzyme-induced DNA bending, even when these constraints are removed directly at the locus of the bend. The scissile phosphates are also absent in the crystal structure of Eco RV bound to the non-specific site TCGCGA, which shows a straight B -like conformation. We conclude that DNA bending by Eco RV is governed only by the sequence and is not influenced by the continuity of the phosphodiester backbone. Together with other data showing that cleavable non-cognate sites are bent, these results indicate that Eco RV bends non-cognate sites differing by one or two base-pairs from GATATC, but does not bend non-specific sites that are less similar. Structural and thermodynamic considerations suggest that the sequence-dependent energy cost of DNA bending is likely to play an important role in determining the specificity of Eco RV. This differential cost is manifested at the binding step for bent non-cognate sequences and at the catalytic step for unbent non-specific sequences.
Active control of asymmetric conical flow using spinning and rotatory oscillations

The effectiveness of active control on asymmetric flows around circular cones is investigated computationally using cone spinning and rotatory oscillation around its axis. The investigation uses the time-accurate solution of the unsteady, compressible, full Navier-Stokes equations with the implicit, upwind, flux-difference splitting, finite-volume scheme. The present solutions are obtained under the locally-conical-flow assumption in order to understand the flow physics using very fine grids for reasonable flow resolution at low computational cost. For all the computational solutions, a grid of 241 x 81 x 2 points in the wrap-around, normal and axial directions, respectively, is used. The grid is spinning or oscillating rigidly with the cone according to its motion and the kinematical and dynamical boundary conditions are modified accordingly. The computational applications include the effects of uniform spinning rates and periodic rotatory oscillations at different amplitudes and frequencies on the flow asymmetry.
Vapor-liquid equilibrium measurements for dilute nitric acid solutions☆

Abstract Equilibrium partial pressures of H2O and HNO3 were measured for dilute HNO3 solutions between 0.3 and 6.8 m at 25°C. The new measurements extend the literature HNO3 partial pressure data by two orders of magnitude down to 2 × 10−8 a'tm. A critical evaluation of all data leads to a liquid-vapor equilibrium constant of 3.76 × 10−7 for the HNO3-H2O system. This equilibrium constant, in conjunction with a complete set of activity coefficients also derived in this work, may be used to predict the equilibrium HNO3 partial pressures at any HNO3 concentrations. The results of a temperature study between 15 and 35°C are also reported.
Inexpensive, efficient optical fiber end-face mirror

Abstract The rapid fabrication of inexpensive, efficient optical fiber end-face mirrors by dipping the fiber into a small-volume drop of a molten, low-melting-point metal alloy is described. The technique uses a small (a couple hundred micrometers thick, about 1 mm wide) drop of molten metal to achieve reliable, repeatable adhesion of the metal to the fiber that is not possible with larger volumes. The resulting mirrors have an average reflectance of 65–75% for wavelengths in the telecommunications range of 1300–1600 nm. The efficient and robust nature of the resulting mirrors is demonstrated with a novel end-of-fiber mirrored long-period fiber grating.
Test-Taking Strategy Instruction for Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders:

Many secondary students with EBD are mainstreamed in regular classes and are required to take tests in those classes to demonstrate their competence with regard to their mastery of the content. Unfortunately, these students often do not use strategies that would help them meet this critical classroom demand. The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive test-taking strategy that includes many of the test-wiseness strategies cited in the literature and to validate an instructional methodology for teaching this strategy to secondary students with EBD. Through the use of a multiple-probe across-students design, the instruction was shown to be effective in helping students to master the use of the steps of the comprehensive test-taking strategy and to apply them in a generative way to a series of novel tests. Preliminary evidence collected in targeted mainstream classes indicated that the students were applying the strategy to their regular class tests and that their scores on these tests improved....
IFNγ deficient C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice develop collagen induced arthritis with predominant usage of T cell receptor Vβ6 and Vβ8 in arthritic joints

Background: Transgenic deficiency in interferon γ (IFNγ) or IFNγ receptor makes resistant strains of mice bearing H-2b or H-2d susceptible to collagen induced arthritis (CIA). Objective: To determine whether the escape from regulation of disease susceptibility at the major histocompatibility complex level involves a new use of autoimmune T cells expressing T cell receptor (TCR) Vs that vary from the cell populations previously identified within arthritic joints. Methods: Arthritis was induced by a standard protocol with type II bovine collagen (CII) in complete Freund's adjuvant. Clinical features, histopathology, immunological responses, and TCR profile in arthritic joints in IFNγ knockout C57BL/6 (B6.IFNγ KO) mice (H-2b) were compared directly with those in DBA/1 mice (H-2q). Results: 60–80% of B6.IFNγ KO mice developed a progressive arthritis with a similar clinical course to classical CIA in DBA/1 mice. The affected joints in B6.IFNγ KO mice had an erosive form of arthritis with similar features to joint disease in DBA/1 mice. B6.IFNγ KO mice produced significantly higher levels of IgG2b and IgG1 autoantibodies to murine CII and showed increased proliferative response to CII compared with B6 mice. Comparable levels of interleukin 1s and tumour necrosis factor α expression were detected in arthritic joints from s6.IFNγ KO and DBA/1 mice. B6.IFNγKO mice used predominantly TCR Vs6 and Vs8 in arthritic joints. This TCR Vs profile is similar to that found in DBA/1 mice with CIA. Conclusions: C57BL/6 mice deficient in IFNγ production can develop arthritis that resembles classical CIA. These data suggest that IFNγ is a key factor mediating susceptibility to CIA.
Barycentric coordinates and the orientation of the classical mixture surface

The signs of the barycentric coordinates of a point exterior to a nondegeneratek-simplex in IR P contain useful information about how that point is positioned relative to the vertices of that simplex. This relationship is certainly not newly observed, with some of the first ideas dating back to Mobius in 1827. However, this article presents some new geometrical results which further quantify the relationship and focuses on applying these new results to help solve the problem of finding the point on a simplex that is closest to a given exterior point. In particular, it is shown that the signs of the barycentrics can be used to immediately identify a potentially large set of facets that could not contain this closest point. Such results have immediate applications to the poblem of identifying the components in a chemical linear mixture. Real PCB mixtures are employed to illustrate the new ideas.
Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma: Therapeutic Approaches

Thymomas and thymic carcinomas, which are rare epithelial tumors arising from the thymus gland, are the most common tumors of the anterior mediastinum. Thymomas are generally encapsulated, slow-growing tumors that have a "bland" histologic appearance. Thymic carcinomas possess more overtly malignant histologic features than thymomas and are more likely to present as invasive or disseminated disease. Surgery is the treatment of choice for localized thymic tumors, with complete resection being the most important prognostic factor. Complete resection also improves survival in locally invasive thymic tumors. Adjuvant postoperative radiation therapy may improve the outcome in patients with invasive disease, although the data are conflicting. Multimodal regimens, including neoadjuvant combination chemotherapy, surgery, and/or postoperative radiation therapy, are recommended for patients with advanced thymomas and thymic carcinomas. Use of octreotide plus prednisone has produced responses in thymomas, but the dosing and schedule have not been clearly defined. Prospective studies have been limited, and, as such, enrollment in clinical trials is encouraged.
Small worlds inside big brains

Neuroscientists face the challenge of explaining how functional brain states emerge from the interactions of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of brain regions, each containing millions of neurons. Much evidence supports the view that highly evolved nervous systems are capable of rapid, real-time integration of information across segregated sensory channels and brain regions. This integration happens without the need for a central controller or executive: It is the functional outcome of dynamic interactions within and between the complex structural networks of the brain. In this issue of PNAS, the study by Bassett et al. (1) reveals the existence of large-scale functional networks in magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings with attributes that are preserved across multiple frequency bands and that flexibly adapt to task demands. These networks exhibit “small-world” structure, i.e., high levels of clustering and short path lengths. The authors' analysis reveals that the small-world topology of brain functional networks is largely preserved across multiple frequency bands and behavioral tasks.
Sleep patterns in an urban-dwelling minority pediatric population

The current study examines the sleeping patterns of healthy, urban-dwelling, ethnic-minority children from lower socioeconomic standing using a validated screening measure, the abbreviated Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Parents of 52 children from well-care clinics of an inner-city children's hospital completed the abbreviated 33-item CSHQ, Hollingshead Index of Social Status, and a child health history. Mean child age was 6.71 years; range 4–10 years. Forty-four children were African American, and eight were Hispanic. Symptoms associated with sleep-disordered breathing, bedtime resistance, night waking and daytime sleepiness occurred more frequently in the current sample than the original validation sample. Parents of children in the current sample reported more concerns with sleep duration than the validation sample despite similar total sleep times. There were no group differences for sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety or parasomnias. Results suggest that healthy, ethnic-minority children livin...
High frequency dielectric measurements of dipolar freezing and low temperature excitations in (KBr)1−x(KCN)x

Abstract We report UHF (0.9 GHz) complex dielectric measurements on (KBr)1−x(KCN)x systems with x=0.001, 0.01, 0.10 and 0.50 in the temperature range from 80 mK to 100 K. Higher temperature peaks in the dielectric constant of both real and imaginary parts, characteristic of dipolar freezing, were observed for x⩾0.01. A log-log plot of x versus the freezing temperature suggests a power law dependence (∼x 2 3 ) of the freezing temperature on the dipole concentration. A strong resonant absorption enhancement at low temperatures, indicating an existence of two level systems, was observed for x=0.01 sample. The dielectric constant for x=0.001 sample follows a Curie-Weiss law.
Administrative Practices in American Unions: A Longitudinal Study

Using data collected from surveys conducted in 1990 and 2000, we examine changes in the administrative practices of US-based national and international unions. We examine the hiring, human resource, financial, strategic planning, and organizational practices and how they have changed over time. We find that unions are changing their staff hiring practices in ways that contribute to workforce professionalization and that unions are moving toward more formal human resource policies and more systematic financial and strategic planning practices. These developments appear to be a reaction to the unions’ changing operating environment and reflect the pressure on union leaders to make effective use of their declining resources.
Induced micronutrient toxicity in Petunia hybrida

Abstract Plant micronutnent toxicity symptoms of petunia (Petunia hybrida) cv. Ultra Crimson Star were experimentally induced and characterized. Starting at the 3–4 true leaf stage, plants grown in peat‐lite mix in 11 cm pots were constantly fed for 5 weeks with fertilizer solutions containing 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 mM plus the control concentration of boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc at pH 6.5. The control solution had 20 μM B, 0.5 μM Cu, 10 μM Fe, 10 μM Mn, 0.5 μM Mo, and 4 μM Zn. Foliar toxicity symptoms were produced when the nutrient solutions contained 0.5 mM (5.4 ppm) B, 0.5 mM (32 ppm) Cu, 0.5 mM (28 ppm) Mn, 0.25 mM (24 ppm) Mo, and 0.25 mM (16 ppm) Zn. Iron in the range of concentrations tested did not cause foliar toxicity. Reduction in dry matter yield was evident when 2 mM (22 ppm) B, 1 mM (64 ppm) Cu, 6 mM (335 ppm) Fe, 0.5 mM (28 ppm) Mn, 0.25 mM (24 ppm) Mo, and 0.5 mM (33 ppm) Zn were used in the fertilizer solution. Leaf chlorophyll contents decreased as Cu an...
Heterolytic fragmentation of deltaline, a norditerpenoid alkaloid

Abstract The rearrangement product obtained by treatment of the norditerpenoid alkaloid deltaline ( 1 ) with SOCl 2 in moist benzene has been assigned structure 5 . This compound was also obtained by treatment of 10-chloro-10-deoxydeltaline ( 4 ) with aqueous MeOH. However, when ( 4 ) was treated with methanolic KOH, a novel rearranged pyrrolidine ( 8 ) was obtained. Structures 5 and 8 for these heterolytic fragmentation products were established by nmr spectroscopic data and an X-ray crystal structure determination of 8 .
Competitive Storage, Rational Expectations, and Short-Run Food Price Determination

This paper demonstrates that lags between retail and wholesale food prices can be explained by inventory behavior of retailers. Theoretical considerations indicate that the markup model should be modified to include a Jorgenson-type user cost variable, which depends on expected future wholesale price. The rational expectations hypothesis is used to derive price expectations. The retail price specification, therefore, depends on the stochastic process generating expected wholesale price. The econometric methodology, employing both causality testing and nonlinear estimation, is illustrated by estimating monthly price relationships for beef. The results are consistent with the theory and indicate rejection of the markup model.
Effects of personal values on auditors’ ethical decisions

This study investigates the effects of personal values on auditors’ ethical decision making. Previous accounting research has investigated the value profiles of practicing CPAs and accounting students, and the effects of values on accounting students’ ethical decisions. However, the current study is the first to empirically address the role of values in the ethical decision processes of professional auditors. We surveyed a random sample of AICPA members to assess their value preferences and reactions to an ethical dilemma involving client pressure for aggressive financial reporting. Contrary to our hypothesis, personal value preferences did not influence auditors’ perceptions of the moral intensity of the ethical dilemma. As hypothesized, perceptions of moral intensity influenced both ethical judgments and behavioral intentions.
Flicker-induced changes in retinal blood flow assessed by Doppler optical coherence tomography

We used Doppler Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) to investigate flicker-induced changes of total retinal blood flow. Total retinal blood flow was measured by summing flows in veins imaged in double-circular scans around the optic disc. In 3 healthy volunteers, total retinal blood flow was measured before and 10-15 seconds after 30 seconds of flicker stimulation. The average blood flow increased 22.2% (p = 0.002). The total venous and arterial vessel cross-sectional area increased 11.3% (p < 0.001) and +2.7% (p = 0.28) respectively. The average venous and arterial flow velocity were calculated indirectly by dividing total retinal blood flow by total venous and arterial cross-sectional areas. They also increased by 8.8% (p = 0.046) and 18.3% (p = 0.004), respectively. These results show that human retinal blood flow increases after visible flicker stimulation, and this could be measured with OCT.
The flatness problem and the pulsating universe

The flatness problem posed by Dicke is studied within the framework of the pulsating model. In contrast with the simple solution proposed by the inflationary models of Guth and others,i.e. Ω = 1 always, it is found that Ω is a U-shaped function of the epoch: Ω = ∞ at the bounce as well as at the recollapse point, and has a minimum, which may be close to but exceeding unity, that occursafter the expansion rate a has reached a maximum. The values of Ω, the deceleration parameter, the Hubble constant, and the look-back time for several key values of the expansion epoch are given in closed form. Importantly, in contrast with the standard model, forq = 1/2, one has Ω > 1. It is proposed that the reason why the Universe is apparently near the Ω-minimum at an epoch at which terrestrial science has developed to a point it can make such a determination is because there are relations between the parameters governing the cosmological-expansion and terrestrial-evolution rates, which generate this synchronism. There are two appendices: the first shows in detail that there is no particle horizon problem for the pulsating Universe, and the second presents a space-time imbedding argument which clarifies how the expansion rate a can exceed the numerical speed of light because it is analogous to a Minkowski proper velocity.
Chemokines of the α, β-subclass inhibit human basophils' responsiveness to monocyte chemotactic and activating factor/monocyte chemoattractant protein-1

Monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF) is the most potent cytokine that activates basophils to release histamine. The response of human basophils to either simultaneous or sequential addition of the chemokines RANTES, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, platelet factor (PF)4, connective tissue activating peptide III (CTAP-III), interleukin (IL)-8, and inflammatory protein (IP)-10 on MCAF-induced histamine release was studied. Simultaneous addition of MCAF and any of the chemokines studied evoked an augmented response as measured by histamine release, whereas preincubation of leukocytes or purified basophils (80%) with these chemokines decreased MCAF-induced histamine release in a dose-dependent manner. Histamine release by anti-IgE remained unchanged. When tested at 5 x 10(-9) mol/L, the decrease in histamine release by RANTES was 69.2% +/- 3.5%, by MIP-1 alpha 48.8% +/- 3.1%, by MIP-1 beta 42.9% +/- 3.1%, by PF4 56.5% +/- 2.9%, by IL-8 41.2% +/- 2.2, by CTAP III 27% +/- 4.4%, and by IP-10 15.3% +/- 2.6%. The peak inhibition of histamine release by the chemokines was reached within 10 minutes of preincubation with basophils and remained unchanged thereafter. Washing basophils after preincubation with chemokines abolished the inhibition, with the exception of desensitization by low concentrations of MCAF. With the exclusion of MCAF and RANTES, none of the chemokines (at the concentration range of 5 x 10(-8) to 5 x 10(-11)) induced significant (> 10% above spontaneous) histamine release from basophils. Preincubation of basophils with C5a (5 x 10(-10) mol/L) did not affect histamine release, whereas preincubation with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (10 ng/ml) or IL-5 (10 ng/ml) enhanced MCAF-induced histamine release by 121.8% +/- 10.1% and 108% +/- 10.8%, respectively. We have therefore characterized RANTES, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, CTAP III, PF4, IL-8, and IP-10 as inhibitors of MCAF-induced histamine release. Although the results are consistent with receptor blockade, the alpha and beta chemokines appear to interact with separate receptors linked to G proteins; thus, a mechanism of receptor class desensitization is proposed. Interaction of this group of cytokines at the site of allergic inflammation may modulate a function of basophils to initiate, augment, or inhibit histamine release.
Immunologic Effects of Cocaine in Prenatally Exposed Rats and Mice.

Abstract The immunotoxicity of prenatal cocaine exposure was investigated using Sprague-Dawley rats and C57B1/6 mice. Pregnant animals were injected twice a day with cocaine or saline from gestation day 5 until the day before parturition. The immune system of the rat offspring was evaluated at 8 weeks of age by measuring the antibody response to SRBC (plaque assay and serum IgM), delayed-type hypersensitivity response to KLH, and lymphocyte subpopulations in this spleen and thymus using flow cytometry. The immune system of the mice offspring was evaluated at 4 weeks of age by measuring spleen cell proliferation in response to KLH, LPS, and αCD3 and IgG production to KLH. From the differences observed between cocaine exposed animals and controls, we conclude that prenatal cocaine exposure does not cause lasting detrimental effects on the immune system, but instead, may enhance B-cell responsiveness.
Chaotic Price Dynamics, Increasing Returns and the Phillips Curve

Chaotic behavior of prices can emerge as a robust result from a very simple and standard price adjustment process. Consider the dynamics of prices adjusting according to supply and demand in economies with increasing returns to scale. Increasing returns in production implies the existence of a globally attracting set of prices, containing a stable disequilibrium price, within which the motion of the system is chaotic. This property holds for any step size in the price adjustment process when consumption and leisure are complementary. We prove that long-run statistical properties of the system's behavior in this set are described by an ergodic measure. Price dynamics drive the system into the globally attracting region, and then chaotic motion takes over. On average according to this measure there is excess supply. We suggest possible empirical implications of our analysis, particularly with respect to the relationship between wages changes and the demand for labor. the "Phillips curve".
Laser-Based Double-Beam Thermal Lens Detector for Microcolumn Liquid Chromatography:

A double-beam laser absorption detection system for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using the thermal lens effect has been developed. An electronic circuit is used to reduce the background noise level. The circuit is based on direct subtraction of reference and signal photocurrents under feedback control. A practical intensity signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 5 × 10−6 for normal absorption and 1 × 10−5 for thermal lens absorption measurements is achieved. The thermal-lens enhancement per unit laser power is 0.62 mW−1. For a 34-mW beam power at the sample cell, the absorption signal is 22 times higher in comparison to normal absorption. The system is shown to have a noise level of 2 × 10−7 AU. Amounts as low as 1 × 10−10 M 2'-Cl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene at the flow cell or 1.5 fmol injected can be detected (S/N = 3). This corresponds to a 10-fold improvement in comparison to normal absorption measurements with the same electronic canceller and 100-fold improvement in comparison to those for commercial absorption detectors.
Anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery: Embryology over genetics.

From the Division of Cardiology, University of California, Irvine, Orange, Calif; Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Miller Children’s Hospital/Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Long Beach, Calif; and Department of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Miller Children’s Hospital/Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Long Beach, Calif. Funded by the Helen E. Hoag Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery. Disclosures: Authors have nothing to disclose with regard to commercial support. Received for publication Nov 14, 2014; revisions received Dec 12, 2014; accepted for publication Dec 23, 2014; available ahead of print Jan 25, 2015. Address for reprints: Shaun P. Setty, MD, Department of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Miller Children’s Hospital/Long Beach Memorial Hospital, 2801 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90806 (E-mail: SSetty@memorialcare.org). J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2015;149:e65-6 0022-5223/$36.00 Copyright 2015 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2014.12.055
A comparison of dietary fish oil and corn oil in experimental colorectal carcinogenesis

Rats fed either fish oil (n = 16) or corn oil (n = 16) in calorically and nutritionally balanced diets were injected with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine, which is a colorectal specific carcinogen; differential colorectal tumor induction was then measured. In addition, plasma peroxide concentrations were measured in rats in each dietary group as well as in a group receiving a low-fat diet, either with or without prior carcinogen treatment (n = 3 for each of the 6 groups). Tumor incidence did not differ between groups fed corn oil and fish oil. Tumor yield in the left colon was significantly lower in rats fed fish oil (p = 0.0499). Total colorectal tumors induced were also fewer in the rats fed fish oil (p = 0.065). Plasma peroxide concentrations were difficult to interpret because of the wide variation within groups. The data on tumor yield in the left colon support the hypothesis that a diet rich in n-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, may be less supportive of colorectal tumor development than a diet rich in n-6 fatty acids, which is found in corn oil. However, the mechanism by which fish oil decreases tumor induction is still unknown.
Cross-Cultural Examination of Relationship Quality

ABSTRACT This study of relationship quality contributes to the field of global industrial services marketing by examining relational and economic determinants and an outcome of relationship quality in a cross-cultural setting. The sample includes 202 buyers of industrial services from 42 countries. A conceptual model is proposed and tested using structural equation modeling. The study concludes that a buyer's expectation of continuity with a service provider is influenced more by relationship quality than by perceived economic value. Relationship quality, in turn, is impacted by perceived economic value, relationship bonds, and relationship investments. Results partially confirm the interpersonal predispositions of collectivist cultures. For example, buyers from collectivist cultures place significantly more emphasis on relationship investments than do buyers from individualist cultures. These findings have important implications for marketing theory and practice.
Relationships Between Eosinophilic Inflammation, Tissue Remodeling, and Fibrosis in Eosinophilic Esophagitis

The clinical and pathologic features of eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) include extensive tissue remodeling. Increasing evidence supports a key role for the eosinophil in multiple aspects of the esophageal remodeling and fibrosis seen in this allergic disease. This article reviews the clinical implications of esophageal remodeling and fibrosis in EE and discusses the possible pathogenic mechanisms inducing and regulating these responses. The focus is specifically on eosinophil and cytokine interactions with the esophageal epithelium, vascular endothelium, resident fibroblasts, and smooth muscle. Current and potential therapeutic interventions are discussed that may impact the development or resolution of chronic esophageal remodeling and fibrosis in EE.
Success Case Studies Contribute to Evaluation of Complex Research Infrastructure

The success case studies approach examines in depth what works well in a program by describing cases and examining factors leading to successful outcomes. In this article, we describe the use of success case studies as part of an evaluation of the transformation of a health sciences research support infrastructure. Using project-specific descriptions and the researchers' perceptions of the impact of improved research infrastructure, we added depth of understanding to the quantitative data required by funding agencies. Each case study included an interview with the lead researcher, along with review of documents about the research, the investigator, and their collaborators. Our analyses elucidated themes regarding contributions of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards program of the National Institutes of Health to scientific achievements and career advancement of investigators in one academic institution.
462: Dysregulation of the peripheral circadian regulator Npas2 leads to altered fetal metabolic pathways in a knockout model

regulator Npas2 leads to altered fetal metabolic pathways in a knockout model Derek O’Neil, Hector Mendez-Figueroa, Toni-Ann Mistretta, Chunliu Su, Robert Lane, Kjersti Aagaard Baylor College of Medicine, Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Houston, TX, Baylor College of Medicine, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Houston, TX, Texas Children’s Hospital, Pathology, Houston, TX, University of Utah, Pediatrics, Salt Lake City, UT OBJECTIVE: In our non-human primate model of maternal high fat diet exposure, we previously identified the peripheral circadian domain gene Npas2 as a mediator of fetal metabolism which is epigenetically reprogrammed. As circadian activity and metabolic reprogramming is not well understood, we aimed to employ a murine gene knockout model to understand the role of Npas2 in regulating hepatic function throughout the lifespan of mice. STUDY DESIGN: Npas2 KO mice ( / ), Npas2 HET mice ( / ) and Npas2 WT mice ( / ) livers were harvested at day 2 (newborn) and at 25 weeks (adult) of life. Total RNA was extracted from hepatic tissue and converted to cDNA. Labeled cDNA was loaded onto the GeneChip® Mouse Exon 1.0 ST array (n 3/cohort). First pass analysis was performed using the Partek Genomics Suite software and GeneSpring GX 11. Genes meeting statistical and expression thresholds after controlling for multiple comparisons were then processed through Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, GSEA, and GeneSpring pathway analysis software. QPCR was performed on cDNA from newborn and adult Npas2 KO and wt mice to determine gene expression levels of genes pertaining to affected metabolic pathways. RESULTS: We identified 2891 genes that were dysregulated in KO mice compared to wt (F .05, fold-change 1.5 or -1.5). The primary dysregulated pathway in the Npas2 KO was the lipid and fatty acid metabolism pathway. Gene expression of Adra2a, Lpin1, Scd1, Sds, and Upp2 demonstrate significant (p .05) neonatal alterations that do not persist into adult life and revert to wt levels. Fgf1, Gpd1, Grb14, Gulo, and Hmgcs1 demonstrated significant (p .05) alterations in neonatal life that reversed expression levels in adult life. CONCLUSION: Npas2 primarily regulates the lipid and fatty acid metabolism pathway during early murine development. However, compensatory pathways are enacted in adult life, indicating a crucial role of Npas2 during fetal/neonatal development which had previously not been definitively described.
Factors affecting the spatial distribution of natural populations of Octopus joubini robson

Observations were made on the density and distribution of Octopus joubini in its natural environment. The average density of octopuses was 1/33 m2 but their distribution was clumped. This distribution correlated significantly with the distribution of molluscan shells in which they hid. In addition, octopuses were attracted to sites that had been enriched with extra empty gastropod shells. Since site stability was not observed and they were not repelled from one another when placed at a high density, octopuses were probably not spaced by social pressure. Small crab species, the normal prey of O. joubini, were at a very high density of 30/m2, and food abundance probably did not limit octopus number. The main factor affecting distribution of this population of octopuses may be predator pressure acting through the availability of places to hide.
Adsorption-electrochemical theory of the corrosion fatigue of metals

We show the role of H. V. Karpenko in studying the corrosion-fatigue fracture of metals and analyze the main differences between such fracture and the fatigue of metals in air. We also describe some results of our investigations of the corrosion fatigue of stainless steels and propose new approaches to determination of the corrosion fatigue limit of corrosion-resistant steels and alloys on the basis of their electrochemical studies under loading.
COMPARISON OF BLEEDING DEFINITIONS, BARC, GUSTO, TIMI AND VARC IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING BALLOON AORTIC VALVULOPLASTY: RESULTS FROM A TWO-CENTER REGISTRY

Bleeding is an important safety outcome, and has been defined historically in cardiovascular trials using multiple, heterogeneous definitions. The Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) standardized bleeding definition was developed to address this. However, a formal comparison of these
Fixed point algebras

Algebra rarely has anything deep to say about logic. Most applications of algebra to logic are fairly shallow, the exceptions being applications of representation theory, where one is really using the non-algebraic properties of the representations. Nonetheless, algebra does offer another perspective and a convenient language or framework in which to work. The purpose of the present chapter is the presentation of such an algebraic framework-language in which to place the results already discussed, in which goals like those of the last chapter can be expressly delineated, and in which we can state and prove a theorem that delimits, not very convincingly, the boundaries for such successful generalisations of Solovay’s Completeness Theorems as were obtained in the last chapter and explains, again not convincingly, the necessarily close relation between these results and Solovay’s results for PRL.
Overlay improvement on 0.15-μm production with ASML IOSc (improved overlay scanner) package

The alignment accuracy has become a big challenge in sub- micro technology, especially below 0.15um technology. Scanner induced alignment error like RICO effect or WICO effect are big problems for foundry fab overlay control. For improving scanner overlay performance, ASML has provided an overlay improving package, IOSc to solve these issues. IOSc package includes four major parts of hardware improvement. (1) Phase 3 reticle chuck proposes to improve image distortion and overlay. (2) Phase modulators for TTL and Athena propose to reduce RICO effect and WICO effect. (3) Continuous clamping wafer table proposes to minimize wafer distortion. (4) Wafer stage air shower proposes to improve the stage travel stability.
Does Jeffrey's prior alleviate the incidental parameter problem?

Abstract It may be hoped that Jeffrey's prior applied to panel models with fixed effects yields posterior inference free from the incidental parameter problem. This paper shows that it is not the case.