cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple linear regression analysis of blood pressure, hypertrophy, calcium and cadmium in hypertensive and non-hypertensive states

High blood pressure causes heart disease and remains a major public health issue. This paper expands mathematically and mechanically on environmental heavy metal exposure and heart disease. In rabbits, mean blood pressure was measured by direct puncture of the middle ear artery. Measurements of calcium and cadmium levels were made by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry in tissue from hypertensive and non-hypertensive rabbits. Relationships between blood pressure, hypertrophy, calcium and cadmium were tested using multiple regression analysis. Multiple linear relationships occurred showing the dependence of high blood pressure on hypertrophy, calcium and cadmium: hypertrophy on calcium, cadmium and high blood pressure; and calcium on cadmium, high blood pressure and hypertrophy. These data provide insight into the mechanism of elevated blood pressure on heavy metal and calcium accumulation, and cardiac hypertrophy.
Identifying Donor Concerns to Increase Live Organ Donation

Increasing organ donation from live donors is a means to increase the pool of kidneys available for transplantation. To increase the number of live kidney donors, the major concerns of donors must be determined and addressed. This article describes the health and socioeconomic concerns of 61 live kidney donors from the Johns Hopkins Institutions between February 1, 1995 and December 1, 1997. Seventy-five percent of donors reported they had concerns, the most common ones being the effect of donation on their future health, how many work days they would miss, the ability to return to the same activities, and the pain they would experience. Other reported concerns consisted of fear of dying, the risks to a future pregnancy with one kidney, the fear that a son or daughter may need a kidney in the future, and the impact of donation on the family health insurance premium. Interventional strategies including the use of the laparoscopic donor nephrectomy procedure are offered to address these concerns.
Measurement of decay parameters and polarization in inclusive Ξ− production from K−p interactions

Abstract We present a measurement of the polarization and decay asymmetry parameters of the Ξ − inclusively produced in the forward direction in K − p interactions at 5 GeV/ c . The Ξ − decay parameters have been determined to be α Ξ = −0.405 ± 0.029 and Φ Ξ = 14.7° ± 16.0° from a sample of 20 865 events. A linear rise of the Ξ − polarization has been seen with respect to the transverse momentum of the Ξ − , reaching a maximum of 49 ± 4% at P ⊥ ∼ 0.50 GeV/ c . The value of α Ξ is consistent with the world average prior to 1975, but below the value measured by two recent experiments.
Epicardial microwave ablation on the beating heart for atrial fibrillation: the dependency of lesion depth on cardiac output.

Background Microwave energy is commonly used on the beating heart to create lesions for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. However, lesion transmurality is likely to depend on several factors including tissue thickness and blood flow. This study was designed to determine the effect of cavitary blood flow on transmurality of acute atrial lesions with the FLEX 10 (Guidant Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif) microwave device. Methods Six pigs underwent median sternotomy and were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass. Microwave lesions on the atrium were performed for 60 seconds at 65 Watts at 4 different levels of cardiac output by varying cardiopulmonary bypass flow rates. Cardiac output was measured with a pulmonary artery flow probe. Four additional lesions on 2 animals were done for 120 seconds at 65 Watts with 0.0 to 0.5 L/min cardiac output. The animals were sacrificed, and tissue was stained with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride and sectioned at 5-mm intervals. Lesion depth and width were determined from photomicrographs. Results Sixty-second lesions were transmural in 90%, 65%, 54%, and 46% of atrial sections at cardiac output of 0.0 to 0.5 L/min, 0.6 to 1.9 L/min, 2.0 to 3.9 L/min, and 4.0 L/min or greater, respectively (P Conclusions Acute microwave ablation lesion depth and width are strongly dependent on the magnitude of cardiac output. Transmural lesions can be reliably produced on the porcine heart only while on cardiopulmonary bypass.
The scattering operator and the adiabatic theorem

It is shown that the outgoing and incoming eigenfunctions which are used in scattering theory can be obtained by specifying a relationship between the initial or final states and the state at timet=0. Thus appeal to the adiabatic theorem is unnecessary.
Seasonal NH3 emission estimates for the eastern United States based on ammonium wet concentrations and an inverse modeling method

[1] Significant uncertainty exists in the magnitude and variability of ammonia (NH3) emissions. NH3 emissions are needed as input for air quality modeling of aerosols and deposition of nitrogen compounds. Approximately 85% of NH3 emissions are estimated to come from agricultural nonpoint sources, which are suspected to have a strong seasonal pattern. Because no seasonal information is available in current NH3 emission inventories for air quality modeling, the emissions are often distributed evenly over the year by default. Doing so can adversely affect air quality model-predicted concentrations of nitrogen-containing compounds, as shown here. We apply a Kalman filter inverse modeling technique to deduce monthly 1990 NH3 emissions for the eastern United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model and ammonium (NH4+) wet concentration data from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program network are used. The results illustrate the strong seasonal differences in NH3 emissions that were anticipated, where NH3 emissions are more than 75% lower during the colder seasons fall and winter as compared to peak emissions during summer. The results also suggest that the current USEPA 1990 National Emission Inventory for NH3 is too high by at least 20%. This is supported by a recent USEPA study of emission factors that proposes lower emission factors for cattle and swine, which are two of the largest sources of NH3 emissions in the inventory.
Plant biology: Signal advance for abscisic acid.

The hunt for the receptor for abscisic acid, initially marked by false starts and lingering doubts, has met with success. Converging studies now reveal the details of how this plant hormone transmits its message.
Rod cGMP-Phosphodiesterase γ-Subunit: Structure–Function Relationships

Cyclic GMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) is the effector enzyme of vertebrate photoreceptor cells that regulates the level of the second messenger, cyclic GMP. PDE consists of catalytic Pαβ subunits and two inhibitory Pγ subunits. The Pγ subunits keep the enzymes activity low in the dark. Upon light activation of photoreceptor cells, the GTP-bound α-subunit of the rod G protein transducin (αt*) interacts with Pγ(s) and activates PDE. Thus, Pγ is involved in a series of protein–protein interactions, and the dynamics of these interactions are critical for the control of phototransduction. We have extensively examined the role of various regions of Pγ, the amino-terminal, the central cationic, and the carboxyl-terminal regions, in their interactions with Pαβ and αt* . In this study we intend to demonstrate that use of Pγ peptides as probes, in combination with a variety of techniques such as cross-linking, fluorescence spectroscopy, and site-directed mutagenesis, is a powerful method for studying Pγ interactions.
Expression of a large, nontoxic fragment of botulinum neurotoxin serotype a and its use as an immunogen

Using the polymerase chain reaction, a large fragment of botulinum toxin was placed in two expression systems, one designed to produce a fusion protein product and another designed to produce only the toxin fragment. Expression of the fragment in the latter system was inconsistent. Expression of the fusion protein was easily measurable by ELISA. Mice were vaccinated with crude fusion protein, then challenged with native toxin. Mice receiving two immunizations were partially protected from up to 1200 LD50, suggesting that this toxin fragment may be a good vaccine candidate to replace the currently used toxoid.
A Study of the Mechanism of Pressure Wave Distortion by Arterial Walls Using an Electrical Analog

The large arteries may be expected to respond to a central pulse wave as a resonant system and the pressure pulse can be resolved into a series of pure sinusoidal waves. Therefore, a frequency filter network was designed which could duplicate the resonant frequency and damping coefficient of a segment of artery by proper adjustment of the circuit constants. Data are presented which support the concept that much of the distortion of a pressure wave in its transmission down an artery can be explained in terms of a resonant frequency and damping coefficient, and that these variables in turn arc dependent upon physical properties of the segment of artery transmitting the wave.
Activation of the Ubiquitin Proteasome System in Doxorubicin Cardiomyopathy

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a very potent anticancer agent, but its use is limited by its dose-dependent, irreversible cardiotoxicity. Despite intensive research efforts, the mechanism of Dox cardiotoxicity remains poorly understood, so very limited means are available for its prevention or effective management. Recent studies have revealed that a therapeutic dose of Dox can activate proteolysis in cardiomyocytes that is mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), and that the UPS-mediated degradation of a number of pivotal cardiac transcription factors and/or survival factors is enhanced by Dox treatment. These findings suggest that Dox-induced UPS activation may represent a new mechanism underlying Dox cardiotoxicity. Notably, recent experimental studies suggest that proteasome activation promotes cardiac remodeling during hypertension. This review surveys the current literature on the impact of Dox on the UPS and the potential mechanisms by which UPS activation may compromise the heart during Dox therapy.
Less is More: unveiling the functional core of hematopoietic stem cells through knockout mice

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) represent one of the first recognized somatic stem cell types. As such, nearly 200 genes have been examined for roles in HSC function in knockout mice. In this review, we compile the majority of these reports to provide a broad overview of the functional modules revealed by these genetic analyses and highlight some key regulatory pathways involved, including cell cycle control, Tgf-β signaling, Pten/Akt signaling, Wnt signaling, and cytokine signaling. Finally, we propose recommendations for characterization of HSC function in knockout mice to facilitate cross-study comparisons that would generate a more cohesive picture of HSC biology.
A Reinvestigation of the Purported Induction of Preferred Conformations of Achiral Rigid Rod Solutes in Cholesteric Media

Abstract Several achiral rigid rod solutes were dissolved in two different cholesteric liquid crystalline solvents, and pitch measurements were made by the Cano wedge, droplet and fingerprint methods. In the first two techniques, no effect of the achiral solutes on the pitch occursat low concentration. Although some regimes of the samples prepared by the fingerprint technique show pitch shortening in the presence of some of the achiral solutes, the overall conclusion is that, contrary to previous reports, there appears to be no convincing evidence for the induction of preferred conformations in achiral solutes.
Costimulation by extracellular matrix proteins determines the response to TCR ligation.

Although ligation of the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) is central to the responsiveness and antigen specificity of T-cells, it is insufficient to elicit a response. To determine whether the need for costimulation reflects inadequate strength of signal transduction through the TCR or an absolute block of signaling in the absence of a coligand, we studied T-cell activation under serum-free conditions eliminating costimulation by various extracellular matrix proteins which otherwise have an omnipresent and frequently overlooked effect. Engagement of the TCR leads to induction of Fas, but not to measurable IL-2 secretion or apoptosis. Those activation parameters are induced by costimulation through integrin alphaVbeta3. Furthermore, T-cell survival or elimination is determined by the type of ligand binding to this coreceptor with vitronectin, fibronectin, and fibrinogen efficiently inducing apoptosis and IL-2 production while osteopontin and entactin mediate IL-2 secretion comparably without causing programmed cell death. Consistent with the cytokine properties of these ligands, differential costimulation depends on their presentation in soluble rather than immobilized form. The determination of elimination versus survival of activated T-cells by coligation of beta3-integrins may have bearing on the fundamental postthymic mechanisms that shape the T-cell repertoire.
Lymphatic microvessel density as prognostic marker in colorectal cancer

Lymph node metastases is an important prognostic indicator for disease progression and crucial for therapeutic strategies in the work-up of colorectal carcinoma. In this study, we investigated tumor lymphangiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression as predictive markers for the risk of lymph node metastasis and their relation to other prognostic parameters in colorectal carcinoma. Resected colorectal carcinomas from 90 patients were examined, including 30 patients without lymph node metastases, 30 with only lymph node metastases, and 30 with liver metastases. Cases were immunostained for CD31, D2-40, and VEGF. Positivity stained microvessels were counted in densely vascular/lymphatic foci (hot spots) at x 400 field (=0.17 mm2). Intensity of staining for VEGF was scored on a two-tiered scale. D2-40 lymphatic microvessel density demonstrated significant correlation with CD31 counts (20+/-9 vs 18+/-6/0.17 mm2 field, P<0.05) and VEGF expression (P<0.01). VEGF was expressed in 61/90 (67%) cases. D2-40 identified lymphatic tumor invasion in 48/90 patients, which was greater than CD31 (37/90) and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) (31/90). There was a positive significant correlation of D2-40, CD31 counts, and VEGF expression with the presence of lymphovascular invasion and lymph node metastases (P<0.05). D2-40 lymphatic microvessel density correlated significantly with depth of invasion (pT), positive vascular pedicle lymph nodes and liver metastases (P<0.05). In conclusion, D2-40 lymphatic microvessel density showed prognostic significance with positive correlation with lymphovascular invasion, pT, and metastases to lymph nodes and liver. Immunostaining with D2-40 enhances the detection of lymphatic invasion relative to H&E staining and the endothelial marker, CD31.
Math proficiency: a key to success for computer science students

A computer science aptitude predictor was administered to students enrolled in a first technical course in computer science to determine potential for success. The study revealed significant differences in the scoring between students who withdrew from the course and those students who did not. The causes for the differences all related to the students' mathematical background: high school performance, previous computer science education, and the number of college mathematics courses taken.
Donor Positioning: Development Assistance from the U.S., Japan, France, Germany, and Britain:

In this study, I show that traditional models fail to account for a theoretically important, windfall profit that countries receive from their primary donors and that a consequence of neglecting this “bonus effect” is that models understate important (indirect) effects of donor interests on aid. Using a Heckman treatment model, I assess bilateral aid distributed to 101 countries, between 1970 and 1994, by the U.S., Japan, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, the OECD’s five largest bilateral aid donors. These five analyses assume that, for a prospective aid recipient, a donor makes two interrelated decisions: (1) how much aid to give that country and (2) how to position itself relative to other donors (i.e., whether or not to be the primary donor). The findings support realist and neo-liberal arguments about the sources of donor aid policy.
Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders among Foster Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: Past Research and Future Directions.

article i nfo At a time when there is increasing attention being given to systematically integrating the well-being of chil- dren with the goals of safety and permanence in child welfare, little is known about the psychosocial function- ing of foster youth transitioning to adulthood from substitute care. This article systematically reviews 16 peer-reviewed articles and/or research reports to identify lifetime and past year prevalence rates of mental health disorders and service utilization. At ages 17 or 18, foster youth are 2 to 4 times more likely to suffer from lifetime and/or past year mental health disorders compared to transition aged youth in the general pop- ulation. Findings show that mental health service use declines at ages when the prevalence rate of mental health disorders is peaking. The findings of this review suggest the need to focus future efforts in three main areas: 1) setting a common research agenda for the study of mental health and service use; 2) routine screening and empirically supported treatments; and 3) integration and planning between child and adult mental health service systems.
The appearance of academic biology in late nineteenth-century America.

In 1891 the German-Jewish physiologist Jacques Loeb wrote to Ernst Mach, describing his recent experiments at the Naples Zoological Station on forced movements and on removal of the otoliths in the shark. The experiments were successful, but Loeb was gloomy about his career prospects. While he could become a privatdocent under his old teacher Friedrich Goltz at the University of Strasbourg, he felt the future held only disappointments, largely because "my work is not in a direction recognized in physiology, and I have not kept up personal contacts with the physiologists in Germany." Newly married to an American, Loeb soon decided to look for an academic position in the United States. He discovered that the situation there was quite different from that in Germany; within four months he had a job at Bryn Mawr College and a year later was appointed assistant professor of physiology at the new University of Chicago. How could Loeb, a man on the periphery of the life sciences in Germany, move so quickly to one of the central positions in the American academic system? I Part of the answer to this question lies, of course, in the rapid expansion and relatively low standards of American universities of the time. But there were also positive aspects. In Germany the discipline of physiology took its shape from the university medical environment that had nurtured it; Loeb's career problems there derived from the perceived insignificance of his results for that basic medical science. His position at Chicago, on the other hand, was in a "division of biology." Loeb prospered because he could integrate his work into this new fundamental unit of American academic culture. My aim in this paper is to explore the process whereby biology acquired the status of a core discipline in America; that is, how it became an intellectual and organizational focus around which many
Metal-Matrix Composite Metamaterials With Smart Switches Embedded by Ultrasonic Consolidation

This research deals with the development of metal-matrix composite metamaterials with embedded electrical switches made of shape memory nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) for use in broad-band radio frequency (RF) antennas. We have created an experiment that illustrates how a Ni-Ti ribbon can form an electrical contact that opens and closes depending on the Ni-Ti phase being austenite or martensite. We have conducted finite element analyses that describe the thermal gradients in the ribbon required for effecting the phase change. Since part of the embedded Ni-Ti has to be electrically insulated from the aluminum matrix, we have investigated various insulation techniques and selected one that is both effective and straightforward to implement. In order to realize multiband/broadband metamaterials, it is necessary to seamlessly embed the Ni-Ti switches into the metamaterial for active reconfiguration of the electromagnetic response. To achieve this reconfiguration we utilize ultrasonic consolidation (UC), a new manufacturing technology that uses solid state ultrasonic metal welding (UMW) to create metal parts at relatively low temperatures. Consideration of the proposed RF switch for load-carrying antennas requires an aluminum matrix with structural-grade strength; we have conducted mechanical testing which quantifies the longitudinal tensile, transverse tensile, and shear strength of the UC matrix. Preliminary tests have been completed to evaluate the performance of an antenna device with integrated Ni-Ti switch.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
The synthesis of fused and bridged ring systems by free radical carbocyclization. A general route to masked 1,4-diketones.

Abstract A new method for the synthesis of fused and bridged ring systems based on intramolecular addition of a vinyl radical to α,β-unsaturated carbonyls is described. The method represents a general route to masked γ-diketones.
National Cholesterol Education Program's recommendations, and implications of "missing" high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in cardiac rehabilitation programs.

During the last decade, the lipid-coronary artery disease hypothesis has become established, and great national attention is currently directed at lipids for the primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.1,2 Although we feel that the efforts of the National Cholesterol Education Program should be applauded, and have increased public and physician awareness of lipid disorders, their assessment and treatment recommendations have emphasized total and lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterols, with little emphasis on the pivotal role of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol on coronary heart disease risk.3 Therefore, we assessed lipid data from 2 cardiac rehabilitation and exercise programs to determine the impact of the “missing” HDL cholesterol in the National Cholesterol Education Program's recommendations on coronary patients.
Nanostructures and deformation mechanisms in a cryogenically ball-milled Al-Mg alloy

An Al-7.6 at.% Mg alloy was ball milled in liquid N2 for 8 h and its microstructures were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. Electron diffraction confirmed that the resulting powder is a supersaturated Al-Mg solid solution with an fcc structure. Three typical nanostructures with different grain-size ranges and shapes were observed and the deformation mechanisms in these structures were found to be different. High densities of dislocations were found in large crystallites, implying that dislocation slip is the dominant deformation mechanism. The dislocations rearranged to form small-angle subboundaries upon further deformation, resulting in the formation of medium-sized crystallites with diameters of 10-30 nm. In very small crystallites with dimensions less than 10 nm, twinning becomes an important deformation mechanism. The reasons for the different deformation mechanisms were discussed. Some defects, such as twin boundaries, and small- and large-angle grain boundaries were investigated ...
Association of baseline neuropsychological function and progression of illness over 4 years in HIV-seropositive individuals.

The authors conducted a study to examine the association between neuropsychological markers of central nervous system impairment and systemic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression in a sample of 64 HIV-positive asymptomatic patients who were followed for a median of 45.6 months. Patients with poorer baseline scores on the Haistead-Reitan Trail-Making A neuropsychological test developed HIV-related systemic symptoms earlier over the study period than patients with the higher scores on the same test (P
Interdonor Incompatibility as a Cause of Reaction during Granulocyte Transfusion

. The first case of interdonor incompatibility associated with granulocyte transfusion is presented. The patient received Kell positive granulocyte transfusions containing about 30 ml of red cells 36 and 132 h prior to receiving a granulocyte transfusion containing anti-Kell 1/128. The chills, fever, vomiting and hypotension resulting from the red cell incompatibility, cleared with appropriate fluid theiapy. Antibody detection methods must be applied to each unit of granulocytes. The patients blood should be tested with reagent grade antibody to detect small numbers of antigen-containing cells if an antibody-containing granulocyte transfusion is to be given. Routine major and minor cross-matching is insufficient. Removal of the antibody containing plasma and resuspension of the granulocytes in plasma free of irregular antibodies may be the most effective way to prevent such incompatibility.
Welding, Glazing, and Heat Treating —A dimensional analysis of heat flow

Through a rigorous mathematic demonstration and the application of general enthalpy equations, the key dimensionless variables that characterize heat flow during welding, glazing, and heat treating of a workpiece were systematically presented. Both the 2-dimensional and the 3-dimensional heat flows due to a moving heat source were considered. The 2-dimensional heat flow during the welding of thin plates with a stationary, instantaneous heat source was also analyzed. While the primary dimensionless variables such as the dimensionless temperature, the Fourier number, and the dimensionless distances were sufficient to describe the heat flow during heat treating, additional primary dimensionless variables such as the dimensionless heat input, the Stephan number, the dimensionless thermal conductivity, and the dimensionless specific heat were found necessary to define the heat flow during welding and glazing. The validity of such a dimensional analysis was verified by existing analytical solutions. Due to the additional heat flow variables such as the size of the heat source, the size of the workpiece, the surface heat loss, and the freezing range of alloy systems, secondary dimensionless variables including the dimensionless size of the heat source, the dimensionless width and thickness of the workpiece, the Biot number, and the dimensionless liquidus temperature were presented and discussed. The results of heat flow calculations involving both the surface heat treating of a substrate with a square laser beam and the gas tungsten-arc full-penetration welding of 5052 and 2014 aluminum alloys were presented using the dimensionless variables introduced in the present study.
Clenbuterol-induced desensitization in murine adipocytes: relationship to in vivo effectiveness.

Abstract In vitro lipolytic response of isolated murine fat cells to epinephrine (EPI) or clenbuterol (CB) was used to evaluate the potential for the β 2 -adrenergic agonist, CB, to induce cellular resistance to further β-adrenergic stimulation. Feeding CB (20 mg/kg diet) to mice for 1, 3 or 6 wk decreased adipocyte sensitivity to EPI or CB by 35–45%, with no differences in magnitude of this desensitization across time. Basal and maximal rates of lipolysis were similar for control- and clenbuterol-fed mice. In agreement with the feeding studies, a 2 hr preincubation of control-fat tissue with either 10 μM EPI or 100 μM CB, followed by adipocyte isolation and restimulation with EPI, reduced adipocyte sensitivity by 50%. In addition, maximal rates of lipolysis were decreased 24% and 34% for EPI and CB treated tissue, respectively. The similar adaptive responses of the adipocytes to CB exposure in vivo or in vitro suggest that CB interacts directly with fat cells in vivo and can induce tolerance. Mice fed CB for 12 wk had 33% smaller epididymal fat pads compared to controls, but pad weight differences were only 10% if feeding of CB was discontinued 1 wk before the 12 wk analysis. The reversal in fat pad gain with a 1 wk removal of CB from the diet indicates at least partial effectiveness of CB through 12 wk. The modest β-adrenergic desensitization established by wk 1 was similar on wk 6 suggesting that CB-induced adipocyte resistance is of little consequence to the fat-reducing properties of CB administration.
Development of a sustainability assessment model for underground infrastructure projects

The concept of sustainable development is receiving much attention throughout the global community. The concept embraces the traditional paradigm of infrastructure development and is expanding to a...
The Effect of Epinephrine and Norepinephrine on Ventricular Vulnerability

The effectiveness of l-epinephrine and l-norepinephrine in enhancing ventricular vulnerability has been compared in twelve dogs by obtaining fibrillation thresholds for single test stimuli. Both agents produce similar increases in vulnerability immediately following injection, and similar decreases in vulnerability at longer intervals following drug administration. These changes in vulnerability occur simultaneously with alterations of the same direction in resting excitability, and are dose-related. It is concluded that these agents have qualitatively and quantitatively similar effects on ventricular vulnerability.
Umbellifers: Carrot, Celery, and Condiment Herbs

Carrot is the most important crop of this group. It has worldwide distribution. Carrots were first used for medical purposes and gradually used as food. Written records in Europe indicate that carrots were cultivated prior to the tenth century. The species D. carota is a native of western Asia (Afghanistan). Wild types of the genus are found in Southwest Asia, southern Europe, north Africa and North America. The crop was introduced into China about the thirteenth or fourteenth century and into Japan about the seventeenth century. The first settlers to Virginia brought seeds, and soon carrots were grown by the American Indians.
Multiple levels of metacognition and their elicitation through complex problem-solving tasks

Abstract Building on prior efforts, we re-conceptualize metacognition on multiple levels, looking at the sources that trigger metacognition at the individual level, the social level, and the environmental level. This helps resolve the paradox of metacognition : metacognition is personal, but it cannot be explained exclusively by individualistic conceptions. We develop a theoretical model of metacognition in collaborative problem solving based on models and modeling perspectives. The theoretical model addresses several challenges previously found in the research of metacognition. This paper illustrates how metacognition was elicited, at the environmental level, through problems requiring different problem-solving processes (definition building and operationalizing definitions), and how metacognition operated at both the individual level and the social level during complex problem solving. The re-conceptualization of metacognition has the potential to guide the development of metacognitive activities and effective instructional methods to integrate them into existing curricula that are necessary to engage students in active, higher-order learning.
Concentration and distribution of TRH and LRH in the human fetal brain.

ABSTRACT TRH and LRH were measured in methanolic extracts of brain tissue from human fetuses as early as 4.5 weeks after conception. The greatest concentration of both releasing hormones was in the hypothalamus, (TRH = 51 ± 19 pg/mg wet wt; LRH = 21 ± 7 pg/mg wet wt; mean and SE). Significant levels of TRH were measured in the cerebellum (8 ± 2 pg/mg wet wt), whereas LRH was frequently below the limit of detection in extrahypothalamic sites. The cerebellum of an anencephalic infant included in the study contained one of the higher concentrations of TRH as compared to the other samples of cerebellar tissue. These findings are compatible with the view that TRH may be a peptidergic neurotransmitter.
Index Semigroup and Indexing on von Neumann Algebras

In this paper, we study a semigroup induced by the index morphism on finite trees. This index morphism classify the set of all finite trees under certain equivalence relation, and this classification forms a semigroup. We define the indexing α by a map from this semigroup into the family of all von Neumann algebras. Then the images of α become new von Neumann algebras containing their natural diagonal W*-subalgebras. For naturally determined conditional expectations with affiliation, the Watatani’s extended Jones index of each image of α is preserved by the elements of the semigroup.
Interference aware channel allocation in a multichannel, multi-interface wireless network

In this article, we present an interference-aware channel allocation algorithm for a multichannel, multi-interface wireless network. The channel allocation algorithm minimizes the effect of adjacent and co-channel channel interference both within a node (due to multiple interfaces) and across nodes. Furthermore, our allocation makes use of all the available channels for improving spatial reuse in the network. We demonstrate our algorithm using a multichannel testbed, and bring out the performance benefit of our algorithm compared to another algorithm that utilizes only orthogonal channels.
Terahertz Wave Imaging System Based on Glow Discharge Detector

In the last several decades, glow discharge detectors (GDD) have been utilized to detect microwave radiation. Recently, these detectors were used to study higher frequencies within the terahertz (THz) band of the electromagnetic spectrum. Commercial neon lamps can act as GDDs, and their performance at 0.2 THz was investigated. A THz continuous-wave imaging system with the GDD was constructed and the images obtained by the GDD and a Schottky diode were compared. The experimental results indicate that an optimally designed GDD will be an efficient, fast, and inexpensive detector for THz imaging systems.
A randomized experimental study of censorship in China

This paper helps clarify the internal mechanisms of the Chinese censorship apparatus and show that local social media sites have far more flexibility than was previously understood in how (but not what) they censor. Abstract Chinese government censorship of social media constitutes the largest selective suppression of human communication in the history of the world. Although existing systematic research on the subject has revealed a great deal, it is based on passive, observational methods, with well known inferential limitations. We attempt to generate more robust causal and descriptive inferences through participation and experimentation. For causal inferences, we conduct a large scale randomized experimental study by creating accounts on numerous social media sites spread throughout the country, submitting different randomly assigned types of social media texts, and detecting from a network of computers all over the world which types are censored. Then, for descriptive inferences, we supplement the current approach of confidential interviews by setting up our own social media site in China, contracting with Chinese firms to install the same censoring technologies as existing sites, and reverse engineering how it all works. Our results offer unambiguous support for, and clarification of, the emerging view that criticism of the state, its leaders, and their policies are routinely published whereas posts with collective action potential are much more likely to be censored. We are also able to clarify the internal mechanisms of the Chinese censorship apparatus and show that local social media sites have far more flexibility than was previously understood in how (but not what) they censor.
Use of contiguous congenic strains in analyzing compound QTLs

Genetic analysis of polygenic traits in rats and mice has been very useful for finding the approximate chromosomal locations of the genes causing quantitative phenotypic variation, so-called quantitative trait loci (QTL). Further localization of the causative genes and their ultimate identification has, however, proven to be slow and frustrating. A major technique for gene identification in such models utilizes series of congenic strains with progressively smaller chromosomal segments introgressed from one inbred strain into another inbred strain. Under the assumption that a single causative locus underlies a QTL, nested series of congenic strains were earlier suggested as an appropriate configuration for the congenic strains. It is now known that most QTL are compound, that is, the QTL signal is caused by clusters of loci where alleles exert positive, negative, and interactive effects on the trait in a given strain comparison. It is argued that in this situation an initial series of nonoverlapping contiguous congenic strains over a relatively large chromosomal region will lead to a better appreciation of the underlying complexity of the QTL and therefore more rapid gene identification. Examples from the literature where this strategy would be helpful, as well as a case where it would be potentially counterproductive, are given.
Turnout and power sharing

We compare turnout under proportional power-sharing electoral systems and winner-take-all elections. The effect of such institutional differences on turnout depends on the distribution of voter preferences. If the two parties have relatively equal support, turnout is higher in a winner-take-all system; the result is reversed when there is a clear underdog. We report findings from a laboratory experiment that was designed and conducted to explore this theoretical hypothesis and several other secondary hypotheses that are also implied by the theoretical model. The results are broadly supportive of the theoretical predictions on comparative turnout, the partial underdog compensation effect and the competition effect.
Surgical treatment of perianal abscess and fistula-in-ano in childhood, with emphasis in children older than 2 years.

Abstract Background Anal sepsis in children ranges from perianal abscess to fistula-in-ano. It is mostly observed in boys younger than 2 years. Most are treated conservatively. In contrast, anal sepsis in older children presents significant similarities to that of adults and is predominantly treated surgically. We report our outcomes after surgical treatment of anal abscess and fistula-in-ano in children older than 2 years. Patients and Methods Ninety-eight (98) children were operated on for anal abscess (46 patients; 47%) and/or fistula-in-ano (52 patients; 53%). Incision and drainage of the abscess was performed as outpatients. In patients with fistulas, fistulotomy was the main treatment approach. All patients were healthy without risk factors for anal sepsis. Results In patients with anal abscess treated with incision and drainage, low recurrence (13%) or fistula formation rates were observed. Most anal fistulas were simple entities. Significant involvement of the anal sphincter was found in 3 (6%) of 52 patients. An abscess cavity between the anal canal and the perianal skin was found in 4 (8%) of 52 patients, and an enlarged cryptic gland was found in 5 (10%) of 52 cases. Fistulotomy was performed in all patients with additional seton placement in 3 (6%) of 52 and a cryptotomy in 5 (10%) of 52 patients. Conclusions Anal abscesses in children are easily treated by incision and drainage with low recurrence of perianal sepsis. Fistulas can be treated successfully in most patients with a fistulotomy, whereas complex fistulas are uncommon.
A test of whether rates of speciation were unusually high during the Cambrian radiation

The Cambrian radiation represents an interval when nearly 20 animal phyla appear in the fossil record in a short geological time span; however, whether this radiation also represents a period of extremely rapid speciation remains unclear. Here, a stochastic framework is used to test the null hypothesis that diversity changes in one of the dominant Early Cambrian groups, the olenelloid trilobites, could be produced by tempos of speciation known to have operated during later time periods. Two continuous-time models, the Yule model and the birth and death process model, and one discrete-time model, the Bienayme-Galton-Watson branching process model, were used. No statistical evidence for uniquely high rates of speciation during the radiation in these trilobites was found when the continuous-time models were used with low or moderate extinction rates, the rates typically associated with the Cambrian radiation, although the p values are fairly low or, in one case, significant when high extinction rates were used. However, rates of speciation were higher than the average Phanerozoic rates of speciation. The discrete-time model produced equivocal results: either rates were unusually high or the model is inapplicable during the Cambrian radiation. This suggests that there was nothing unique about evolutionary processes relating to the tempo of speciation during the Cambrian radiation.
Progress‐report on a three‐component seismometer and tiltmeter

A recently completed 3-component portable seismometer and tiltmeter of compact design was shown and discussed. This instrument is one of a number which are being constructed for the observation of ground-motions from artificial explosions. Testing of the first model is now in progress. The Instrument gives promise of being sufficiently sensitive and reliable for use at observatories, and for recording tilt-phenomena. In the design, special attention has been given to the matter of reducing thermal effects, and of maintaining stability of adjustment.
Progress Toward Development of a Hepatitis C Vaccine with Broad Shoulders

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in humans can cause progressive and end-stage liver disease. As such, preventive measures against HCV, including vaccine development, are a priority among researchers in the field. The report from Garrone et al. describes the development of a vaccine platform to generate HCV-neutralizing antibodies that are based on retrovirus-derived virus-like particles (VLPs) pseudotyped with heterologous viral envelope proteins. Immunization with these VLPs induced neutralizing antibodies in mouse and macaque models. These results, when considered in the context of an earlier clinical trial that used recombinant HCV E1/E2 purified protein as a subunit vaccine and additional findings from the VLP strategy, may lead to a new HCV vaccine that induces a neutralizing antibody response.
Helping Study-Abroad Students Design and Conduct a Psychological Study:

Psychology students who conduct research as part of a study-abroad program are likely to benefit in numerous ways, yet no published reports are available to help instructors who supervise such students. This article offers specific recommendations about how to assist students prior to departure, provide necessary resources while abroad, and ensure that students' projects are practical, ethical, and culturally sensitive.
Communication During Intraorganization Job Transfers

Although some aspects of the intraorganizational job transfer have been studied, the communication patterns have generally not been researched. This study proposes a threephase model to describe ch...
Repellency of garlic extract to European starlings

Garlic and garlic oil were recently exempted from pesticide registration requirements, increasing the attractiveness of these substances as candidate vertebrate repellents. Because anecdotal evidence suggests that garlic may repel birds, the present experiment was designed to evaluate the aversiveness of garlic to European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Samples of feed were mixed with garlic oil to produce concentrations ranging from 1.0-0.1% (vol./mass). All garlic concentrations reduced consumption relative to consumption of untreated feed in two-cup choice tests (P < 0.05). These results are consistent with the possibility that garlic oil may be used to repel these birds.
A framework for abstract 3D visualization

This paper describes a package, PLUM, we have developed for visualizing abstract data in three dimensions. We are particularly interested in visualizing information about programs, both static and dynamic, but the package should have a more general applicability. The package provides a framework to support a wide variety of different 3D visualization techniques, many of which have been implemented. The package also provides support for 3D graph layout using a variety of different layout heuristics. >
Retinoblastoma cell lines Y79, RB355 and WERI-Rb27 are genetically related

Genesis of the childhood ocular tumor retinoblastoma results from the mutational inactivation of a single gene, RB, located on chromosome 13. Cultured cells or cell lines derived from retinoblastomas have been extensively studied for insight into mutational mechanisms of RB inactivation, functional properties of wild-type RB alleles, and pathways of retinal differentiation. Three such cell lines (Y79, RB355 and WERI-Rb27) were previously shown to have similar, heterozygous rearrangements of their RB genes, suggesting a common mutational mechanism affecting a specific region of the gene. This proposal was based on the premise that all three mutations occurred independently. By using molecular analyses of human genetic polymorphisms, we now show that these three cell lines are in fact genetically related, despite their different origins, morphologies, growth characteristics, and karyotypes. Interpretation of these and other published data suggest that both RB355 and WERI-Rb27 are probably sublines of Y79.
Why most audit ethics courses don't work

Ethics training and education usually assume that people recognize when they encounter ethical situations—and that a better understanding of ethics results in better ethical decisions. But these assumptions are false! Instead, the authors suggest other approaches to improve ethical decision making by auditors. And although this article focuses on auditing, it also applies to other business and nonbusiness situations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Exclusion of cytoplasmic fragments in flow cytometric analysis of lymph node samples from dogs with lymphoma using membrane-permeable violet laser-excitable DNA-binding fluorescent dye (DyeCycle Violet)

Background: Cytoplasmic fragments derived from fragile neoplastic lymphocytes are common in samples of lymph nodes collected from dogs with lymphoma. These cytoplasmic fragments interfere with accurate gating of target cells and quantification protocols used for flow cytometry because of their variable size and expression of lymphoid cell surface antigens on their membranes. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a method to efficiently exclude cytoplasmic fragments from flow cytometric analysis of canine lymph nodes in which lymphoma was present. Methods: Single-cell suspensions of neoplastic cells were prepared from biopsy samples and fine-needle aspirates of lymph nodes from 23 dogs with lymphoma. Suspensions were stained using a violet laser-excitable (405 nm) membrane-permeable DNA-binding fluorescent dye (DyeCycle Violet [DCV]), incubated with antibodies against CD3, CD5, CD21, CD22, and CD45, and then stained with 7-amino-actinomycin D (7-AAD), an argon-excitable (488 nm) membrane-impermeable DNA-binding fluorescent dye. Multiparameter flow cytometry was used for analysis based on selective uptake and laser-activated fluorescence of these dyes. Results: Cytoplasmic fragments, which were DCV-negative and CD45-positive, and dead cells, which were positive for 7-AAD, were efficiently separated from neoplastic cells. Conclusion: Staining with DCV is a useful method to improve flow cytometric gating methods and quantitative analyses of lymph node samples from dogs with lymphoma.