cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potassium citrate supplementation results in sustained improvement in calcium balance in older men and women

The dietary acid load created by the typical Western diet may adversely impact the skeleton by disrupting calcium metabolism. Whether neutralizing dietary acid with alkaline potassium salts results in sustained improvements in calcium balance remains controversial. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 52 men and women (mean age 65.2 ± 6.2 years) were randomly assigned to potassium citrate 60 mmol/d, 90 mmol/d, or placebo daily with measurements of bone turnover markers, net acid excretion, and calcium metabolism, including intestinal fractional calcium absorption and calcium balance, obtained at baseline and at 6 months. At 6 months, net acid excretion was significantly lower in both treatment groups compared to placebo and it was negative, meaning subjects' dietary acid was completely neutralized (-11.3 mmol/d on 60 mmol/d; -29.5 mmol/d on 90 mmol/d, p < 0.001 compared to placebo). At 6 months, 24-hour urine calcium was significantly reduced in persons taking potassium citrate 60 mmol/d (-46 ± 15.9 mg/d) and 90 mmol/d (-59 ± 31.6 mg/d) compared with placebo (p < 0.01). Fractional calcium absorption was not changed by potassium citrate supplementation. Net calcium balance was significantly improved in participants taking potassium citrate 90 mmol/d compared to placebo (142 ± 80 mg/d on 90 mmol/d versus -80 ± 54 mg/d on placebo; p = 0.02). Calcium balance was also improved on potassium citrate 60 mmol/d, but this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.18). Serum C-telopeptide decreased significantly in both potassium citrate groups compared to placebo (-34.6 ± 39.1 ng/L on 90 mmol/d, p = 0.05; -71.6 ± 40.7 ng/L on 60 mmol/d, p = 0.02) whereas bone-specific alkaline phosphatase did not change. Intact parathyroid hormone was significantly decreased in the 90 mmol/d group (p = 0.01). Readily available, safe, and easily administered in an oral form, potassium citrate has the potential to improve skeletal health. Longer-term trials with definitive outcomes such as bone density and fracture are needed.
Tetrahydropyrimidine derivatives display functional selectivity for M1 muscarinic receptors in brain

Selective muscarinic agonists might be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies identified several amidine derivatives as selective and efficacious m1 agonists, using muscarinic receptor subtypes expressed in cell lines. In the present studies, the functional selectivities, side effect profiles and memory-enhancing properties of these ligands were examined through a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments. CDD-0078, CDD-0097, and CDD-0102 behaved as partial agonists by stimulating PI turnover in rat cortical slices to roughly 100% above basal levels. Pirenzepine was more potent than either AF-DX 116 or p-F-hexahydrosiladifenidol (p-F-HHSiD) in blocking the PI responses of each ligand, suggesting that the responses were due to activation of M1 receptors. The time course of pharmacological responses was examined following i.p. injections of muscarinic agonists. Low does (0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg) of CDD-0078, CDD-0097, and CDD-0102 did not elicit signs of cholinergic activity during the 2-hr testing period. The highest dose tested (10 mg/kg) produced a modest degree of salivation and lacrimation during the first 30-min period. Core body temperature remained unaffected. Central nervous system (CNS) penetration was evaluated through ex vivo binding studies. CDD-0097 inhibited 1.0 nM [3H]pirenzepine binding in a dose-dependent manner 30 min following i.p. injections. In behavioral studies, CDD-0097 (1.0 mg/kg) completely reversed the memory deficits induced by hemicholinium-3 or by IgG-192 saporin in two types of memory tasks. It did not impair the performance of control animals in either task. In summary, CDD-0097 displayed a limited side-effect profile and the ability to penetrate into the central nervous system and stimulate M1 receptors. The amidine derivatives should be useful in further exploring the functional consequences of activating M1 muscarinic receptors in the CNS. The beneficial effects of CDD-0097 on memory function warrant further examination of the compound as a selective M1 agonist for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Drug Dev. Res. 40:171–184, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Determination of cadmium in biological materials by atomic absorption spectrophotometry

Abstract An atomic absorption method for the direct determination of cadmium in biological materials has been developed. Removal of organic matter prior to analysis is not necessary. The biological fluid is diluted with distilled water or dilute hydrochloric acid and then atomized into the flame. Long-path absorption cells markedly increase sensitivity. With a 91-cm Vycor cell, as little as 0.0002 μg/ml of cadmium can be detected. The limit of detection of cadmium is 100 to 1000 times lower than that of colorimetric or spectrographic methods now in general use. This analytical procedure conserves time and utilizes minute samples. Nonspecific absorption due to sodium chloride can be corrected readily. The accuracy of the method has been verified by analysis of certified standards from the National Bureau of Standards and analyses of urine, serum, and cadmium proteins demonstrate excellent precision.
Effects of microsomal enzyme inducers on outer-ring deiodinase activity toward thyroid hormones in various rat tissues.

Abstract Microsomal enzyme inducers, such as phenobarbital (PB), pregnenolone-16α-carbonitrile (PCN), 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC), and Aroclor 1254 (PCB) are more effective at reducing serum thyroxine (T 4 ) than serum triiodothyronine (T 3 ). It is possible that rats treated with PB and PCN maintain serum T 3 by increasing serum TSH, which stimulates the thyroid gland to synthesize more T 3 . However, it is unclear how serum T 3 is maintained in rats treated with 3MC or PCB, because serum TSH is not increased in these rats. We hypothesized that increased conversion of T 4 to T 3 , catalyzed by outer-ring deiodinases (ORD) type-I and -II, is the reason serum T 3 is maintained in rats treated with 3MC or PCB. Furthermore, 3MC and PCB do not increase serum TSH, whereas PB and PCN do, because type-II ORD activity in the pituitary of 3MC- and PCB-treated rats is increased greater than in rats treated with PB or PCN. To test these two hypotheses, male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed either a basal diet or a diet containing PB (300, 600, 1200, or 2400 ppm), PCN (200, 400, 800, or 1600 ppm), 3MC (50, 100, 200, or 400 ppm), or PCB (25, 50, 100, or 200 ppm) for 7 days. Type-I ORD activity was measured in thyroid, kidney, and liver, whereas type-II ORD activity was measured in brown adipose tissue, pituitary, and brain. Type-I ORD activity in thyroid was not affected by PB, 3MC, or PCB treatments, and was slightly increased by PCN. Type-I ORD activity in kidney was not affected by PB, PCN, or 3MC treatments, and was reduced by PCB treatment. Type-I ORD activity in liver was reduced by PB, PCN, 3MC, and PCB treatments. Type-II ORD activity in brown adipose tissue was unaffected by any of the four treatments. Type-II ORD activity in pituitary was unaffected by PB or 3MC treatments, and was increased by PCN or PCB treatments. Type-II ORD activity in brain was unaffected by PB treatment, and was increased by PCN, 3MC, and PCB treatments. Overall, total ORD activity, calculated by summation of ORD activities in thyroid, kidney, liver, brown adipose tissue, pituitary, and brain, was reduced rather than increased by the four microsomal enzyme inducers. In conclusion, increased conversion of T 4 to T 3 is not the reason serum T 3 concentration is maintained in 3MC- or PCB-treated rats. Furthermore, the reason serum TSH is not increased in 3MC- and PCB-treated rats is the result of mechanisms other than increased type-II ORD activity in pituitary.
Special issue on toxic metal pollution

Metals and metalloids are an integral part of the Earths crust. Some of these elements are of great concern due to their high toxicity and threat to humans, wildlife, and the ecosystem. For simplicity, the term toxic metals is adopted to represnt both toxic metals and metalloids in this special issue. Toxic metals include not only the ones that are toxic and have no biological role (e.g., lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As)), but also some dietary minerals, which are toxic at high concentrations (e.g., maganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), selenium (Se)). Mercury, Cd, chromium (Cr), Pb, As, zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), and Cu are the most worrisome toxic metals due to their high toxicity, pevalent existence and in some cases bioaccumulation through the food chain.
THE ROLE OF COMPARATIVE PRODUCTIVITY ACCOUNTING IN EXPORT DECISIONS

This paper explores the importance of comparative productivity accounting and productivity-based analysis in export decisions at the firm level. The structure of the relationships between productivity ratios, input prices, scale effects, demand patterns, and exchange rates is developed within the context of a simple microeconom model. This framework is extended to encompass comparative productivity and cost analysis across international markets, and to derive conditions for export profitability under different market structures. Subsequently, the role of relative productivities in relation to other market and monetary variables is explored in detail using retrospective case study illustrations. Finally, the managerial implications of a productivity-based approach to export decisions are discussed.
Honor, Status, And Aggression In Economic Exchange

The concept of honor links reputation and self-esteem with interaction in social groups and provides a promising way to approach questions about the release of aggression in economic exchange. Whil...
The influence of /s/ quality on ratings of men's sexual orientation: Explicit and implicit measures of the ‘gay lisp’ stereotype

Abstract Two experiments examined whether listeners associate frontally normal and misarticulated /s/ with gay-sounding voices, as is suggested by the popular culture stereotype that gay men “lisp”. The first experiment showed that talkers were rated as younger-sounding and gayer-sounding when their speech included tokens with non-canonical variants of /s/ (i.e., a frontally misarticulated token of /s/, a dentalized /s/, or an /s/ produced with an especially high-frequency, compact spectrum). The second experiment showed that listeners recognize voices more quickly when they contain canonical /s/ variants than when they contain non-canonical /s/. Critically, these patterns were robust across different priming conditions in which listeners were presented with either a gay- or a heterosexual-sounding talker prior to the voice-recognition task. Together, these findings confirm experimentally that listeners make the association between non-canonical /s/ variants and male sexual orientation when asked to do so explicitly. However, though gay-sounding voices elicit longer reaction times in a voice-recognition task, we found no evidence that stereotypes about sexual orientation and /s/ production affect implicit processing of talkers' voices.
Pro-proliferative function of the long isoform of PML-RARα involved in acute promyelocytic leukemia

The promyelocytic leukemia (PML) gene codes for a tumor suppressor protein that is associated with distinct subnuclear macromolecular structures called the PML bodies. The PML gene is frequently involved in the t(15;17) chromosomal translocation of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). The translocation results in a fusion gene product, PML-RARα, in which the PML gene fuses to the retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) gene. PML-RARα has been shown to promote transcriptional repression of genes involved in myeloid terminal differentiation and to disrupt the architecture of PML bodies, a phenotype reversed by treatment with all trans retinoic acid (ATRA). However, there are several alternatively spliced isoforms of PML-RARα. Here, we addressed the differences between the short and the long isoforms of PML-RARα (L and S) since both are associated with APL. We demonstrate that PML-RARαL, but not PML-RARαS, can directly promote cell growth by transcriptionally activating the pro-proliferative gene, c-fos, in response to mitogenic stimulation. The activity of the PML-RARαL is completely sensitive to ATRA. We further show that this activation is not via direct recruitment of the protein to the c-fos promoter but indirectly by altering the chromosomal environment of the c-fos gene, thereby rendering it more accessible to the signal induced transcriptional activators. Our results suggest that in addition to antagonizing the PML-tumor suppressor or the PML-pro-apoptotic activity, PML-RARα proteins can also directly promote cell growth by activating c-fos.
An integrable shallow water equation with peaked solitons

We derive a new completely integrable dispersive shallow water equation that is bi-Hamiltonian and thus possesses an infinite number of conservation laws in involution. The equation is obtained by using an asymptotic expansion directly in the Hamiltonian for Euler's equations in the shallow water regime. The soliton solution for this equation has a limiting form that has a discontinuity in the first derivative at its peak.
Carotenoid-rich mouth colors influence the conspicuousness of nestling birds

When allocating investment among offspring, parents might maximize their fitness by biasing investment toward offspring with the best direct fitness prospects. The observed preferences of avian parents for carotenoid-rich mouth colors that advertise good condition has been interpreted as support for this hypothesis. However, because these condition-dependent visual signals might also make offspring more visually conspicuous, active parental preferences for carotenoid-rich traits are difficult to distinguish from passive responses to differences in detectability among offspring. Here, we used a visual model to examine how mouth colors influence the visual conspicuousness of nestling house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to parents under a suite of realistic ambient light conditions. We found little evidence that mouths rich in carotenoids provided more conspicuous targets to parents than mouths poor in carotenoids. While other features of mouth color may have evolved to increase conspicuousness, our results suggest that carotenoid-based coloration is not a product of detectability pressures and rather may serve as a signal of nestling quality.
Estrogen metabolism in nonhuman primates. I. In vitro biosynthesis of estrogen glucosiduronates in rhesus monkey liver.

Abstract Estrone glucosiduronate, 17β-estradiol-3-glucoslduronate, 17β-estradiol-17-glucosiduronate and estriol-16α-glucoslduronate have been biosynthesized in substantial yield by incubation of radioactive estrone, 17β-estradiol, estriol and uridlne diphosphoglucosiduronic acid with rhesus monkey liver homogenates. The metabolites were characterized by chromatography on Celite and DEAE-Sephadex, enzyme hydrolysis, derivative formation and crystallization to constant specific activity. The percent conversion to 17β-estradiol-17-glucosiduronate from 17β-estradlol ranged between 56–71%; from estrone, the conversion was 49–54%. Other metabolites formed from estradiol were estrone glucosiduronate(12–21%) and 17β-estradiol-3-glucosiduronate(5–12%). The same metabolites derived from estrone accounted for 18–28% and 10–14% respectively. After estriol incubation, more than 90% of the steroid was converted to estriol-16α-glucosiduronate with no detectable estriol-3-glucosiduronate. This report represents the first time that 17β-estradiol-17-glucosiduronate has been reported as a metabolite in the rhesus monkey and this is the only known species which forms 17β-estradiol-17-glucosiduronate as the predominant metabolite of either estrone or estradiol in vitro . Rhesus monkey liver is similar to the human and baboon in that it metabolizes estriol exclusively to estriol-16-glucosiduronate.
Using a Curriculum-Based Measurement Graphic Organizer to Facilitate Collaboration in Reading

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a useful tool for both general and special educators to evaluate and improve student achievement. Although it is backed by more than 30 years of research and v...
Strip edge shape effects on conductor loss calculations using the Lewin/Vainshtein method

Trapezoidal strip conductor edge shapes, the result of undercutting during the fabrication process of microstrip and other planar lines, are shown to appreciably increase conductor loss, according to a perturbational loss calculation method developed by Lewin and Vainshtein and implemented here for microstrip.
The processing of informative feedback about multiple-choice test performance☆

Abstract From a cognitive perspective, informative feedback is assumed to be confirmatory or corrective. However, feedback is not always effective and errors persist. In cases where errors persist, an analysis of errors as well as correct responses is recommended in order to better understand the processing of informative feedback. A model of multiple-choice processing is introduced to provide the context for a consideration of the role of error analysis. Data from experiment 1 demonstrate the use of semantic retrieval cues in multiple-choice performance. While informative feedback improves post-test performance, it is difficult to demonstrate a differential effect for type of feedback. Experiment 2 suggests a threshold effect for informative feedback. Information beyond that which is necessary for the confirmation of a correct response and/or the correction of an error has a deleterious effect on post-test performance. Error analysis indicated a disproportionate number of perseverative errors when the use of a retrieval process was not required at post-test.
Benchmarks for the durations of ambulatory surgical procedures in otolaryngology.

Objectives:I undertook to determine benchmarks and variability for the surgical times associated with ambulatory otolaryngological procedures in the United States.Methods:I examined the 2006 release of the National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery and extracted all cases of otolaryngological surgery in which one, and only one, otolaryngological procedure was performed. The mean surgical times and operating room times were determined for each procedure that met reliability criteria for their estimates. A secondary analysis was computed for tonsillectomy and for tonsillectomy plus adenoidectomy according to a patient age of greater than 12 years.Results:An estimated 1.68 ± 0.23 million otolaryngological procedures were analyzed as solitary procedures, including 507,000 cases of myringotomy with ventilation tube placement, 136,000 cases of tonsillectomy, and 429,000 cases of tonsillectomy plus adenoidectomy. The mean (±SE) surgical times were 8.0 ± 0.5, 23.9 ± 1.8, and 20.3 ± 0.8 minutes, respectively. The total...
Polychlorinated biphenyls: hydroxylated urinary metabolites of 2,5,2',5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl identified in rabbits.

Summary Rabbits fed 2,5,2′,5′-tetrachlorobiphenyl excreted three hydroxylated tetrachlorobiphenyl metabolites in urine. Two were identified as 3-hydroxy-2,5,2′,5′-tetrachlorobiphenyl and 4-hydroxy-2,5,2′,5′-tetrachlorobiphenyl by chromatographic and spectrometric comparison with synthetically prepared compounds. The third was shown by infrared and mass spectra, and the infrared spectrum of its dehydration product, to be trans -3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxy-2,5,2′,5′-tetrachlorobiphenyl. Metabolism of 2,5,2′,5′-tetrachlorobiphenyl probably occurs via an arene oxide intermediate.
Primate testicular histone H1t genes are highly conserved and the human H1t gene is located on chromosome 6

The testis-specific histone H1t gene is known to be transcribed only in pachytene primary spermatocytes during spermatogenesis. Previous studies of the rat histone H1t gene revealed a unique promoter sequence element between the H1/GC box and the H1/CCAAT box. Proteins in crude nuclear extracts of rat testis bind specifically to this sequence element and a temporal correlation exists between the appearance of these DNA binding proteins and the onset of transcription. These discoveries led to a search for histone H1t genes in other mammalian species. The human and monkey histone H1t genes were amplified from genomic DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplified genes were cloned and the genomic derived inserts were sequenced using linear PCR. Both proximal promoters contained the highly conserved H1/AC box, H1/CCAAT box, and H1/TATA box found in nongerminal H1 genes. Both promoters also contained the H1/GC box and the H1t/CCTAGG sequence element between the H1/GC box and H1/CCAAT box previously seen only in the H1t promoter. Specific amplification of the human H1t gene using template DNA samples from a NIGMS human/rodent somatic cell hybrid mapping panel has shown that the human histone H1t gene is located on chromosome 6.
Catalysis of methaemoglobin reduction by erythrocyte cytochrome B5 and cytochrome B5 reductase.

THE reduction of methaemoglobin is one of the few oxidation-reduction reactions known to occur in the mature red blood cell. Approximately 3% of the circulating haemoglobin of an adult man is oxidized each day to methaemoglobin1 and so a methaemoglobin reduction system is needed in the cell to maintain a low concentration of methaemoglobin (normally less than 1% of the total haemoglobin2).
The effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on nucleoside transport in L-cells.

Abstract Low concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide were found to sharply inhibit the uptake of radioactive nucleosides into L-cells. The inhibition appeared to be at the level of nucleoside transport and the extent of inhibition varied widely with the nucleoside being transported; 5% dimethyl sulfoxide inhibited the uptake of cytidine and uridine by approximately 90% but had little effect on the uptake of adenosine or thymidine. The inhibition was reversible and was not caused by leakage of material from the cell.
A Spermatology Study of Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Abstract Forty m/ale channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) of two age groups and two stocks (domestic and wild) were compared in an experiment to study morphological and physiological characteristics of their testes and sperm cells from May through October. The gonosomatic index for 36 normal catfish examined averaged 0.25%. An average of 82.7% spermatozoa were alive with an average motility score of 2.96. These fish had an average gonadal sperm concentration of 7.1 X 109 spermatozoa per g wet testicular tissue. The testes were found to be composed of 2/3 spermatogenic and 1/3 glandular tissue. There were no morphological changes observed in the characteristics of the spermatogenic tissue during the period of study. The 3-year-old fish were consistently larger than the 2-year-olds, and the domestic fish were larger than the wild stock in each age group, which probably caused most of the differences in characteristics when comparisons were made.
Evaluation of classifiers for computer-aided detection in computed tomography colonography

Computer-aided detection (CAD) is an emerging technique which provides an optimal method for automated detection of colonic polyps in computed tomography colonography (CTC). Differentiating true-positives (TPs) from false-positives (FPs) is one of the main tasks of CAD. One major challenge for the differentiation task is how to classify the very unbalanced datasets. Many classifiers have been introduced to perform the differentiation task and some are proved to be useful. However, there has so far been no comparative study to evaluate the effectiveness of these classifiers. In this paper, we present a comparative study, which quantitatively assesses the most commonly used classifiers, e.g., support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), artificial neural network (ANN), logistic regression (LR), quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), and classification and regression tree (CART). The performances of these classifiers were evaluated based on 786 initially detected patches, including 64 true polyps. Our results show that SVM, RF and LDA perform the best for the detection task and also most robustly in dealing with datasets with different unbalanced level. It can be concluded that these three classifiers are strong, good classifiers. While ANN delivers less favorable result, it provides good complementary information and can be labeled as weak, good classifier. By this comparative study, we conjecture that the combination of these classifiers can be a stronger classifier and worth for further investigation, because they are complementary to each other. From this comparative study, we further conclude that integrating a strong classifier for texture analysis would be a logical choice for CAD in CTC.
Myocardial Ischemia During Weaning From Mechanical Ventilation

Coronary artery disease (CAD) affects more than 11 million Americans and is the leading cause of death in the United States. Both CAD and critical illness occur more frequently in older patients. However, the contri bution of myocardial ischemia to morbidity and mortal ity in critically ill patients has not been well studied. Weaning from mechanical ventilation is expected to be a period of significant cardiopulmonary stress during recovery from critical illness. However, few studies have examined the epidemiology of and clinical risk factors for weaning-related myocardial ischemia. In this review, the pathophysiology of myocardial ischemia during weaning is outlined, the studies examining this entity are analyzed, and a systematic approach to diagnosis and management is suggested.
An Overview of Recent Developments in Electric Propulsion for NASA Science Missions

The primary source of electric propulsion development throughout NASA is managed by the in-space propulsion technology project at the NASA Glenn Research Center for the Science Mission Directorate. The objective of the electric propulsion project area is to develop near-term electric propulsion technology to enhance or enable science mission while minimizing risk and cost to the end user. Major hardware tasks include developing NASA's evolutionary xenon thruster (NEXT), developing a long-life high voltage hall accelerator (HIVHAC), developing an advanced feed system, and developing cross-platform components. The objective of the NEXT task is to advance next generation ion propulsion technology readiness. The NEXT system consists of a high-performance, 7-kW ion thruster; a high-efficiency, 7-kW power processor unit (PPU); a highly flexible advanced xenon propellant management system (PMS); a lightweight engine gimbal; and key elements of a digital control interface unit (DCIU) including software algorithms. This design approach was selected to provide future NASA science missions with the greatest value in mission performance benefit at a low total development cost. The objective of the HIVHAC task is to advance the Hall thruster technology readiness for science mission applications. The task seeks to increase specific impulse, throttle-ability and lifetime to make Hall propulsion systems applicable to deep space science missions. The primary application focus for the resulting Hall propulsion system would be cost-capped missions, such as competitively- selected, Discovery-class missions. The objective of the advanced xenon feed system task is to demonstrate novel manufacturing techniques that will significantly reduce mass, volume, and footprint size of xenon feed systems over conventional feed systems. The task has focused on the development of a flow control module, which consists of a three-channel flow system based on a piezo-electrically actuated valve concept. Component standardization and simplification are being investigated through the standard architecture task to reduce first user costs for implementing electric propulsion systems. Progress on current hardware development, recent test activities and future plans are discussed.
Judging the Degree of Violence in Media Portrayals: A Cross-Genre Comparison

This study tests the relative importance of different factors of television narratives in how they influence people's judgments of how violent those narratives are. After watching 1 of 3 videotapes of a violent narrative, 99 college students answered a series of questions about their interpretations of the violence. It was found that participants' judgments about the degree of violence in the narratives were more strongly associated with their perceptions of the graphicness of the violent acts and the harm to the victims than with other factors such as the number of violent acts or the seriousness of those acts. Thus, people's judgments of the degree of violence in television programs differs from researchers' conceptualization. Implications of these differences are discussed.
Origin of the [C4H9O]+ ions in the mass spectrum of n‐butyl ethyl ether

The mechanisms of formation of m/z 73 ions in the mass spectrum of the ionized title compound were investigated by deuterium substitution and by examining the decompositions of metastable ions. Two routes to the [C4H9O]+ ions were found in the normal spectrum. The ethyl lost by the major pathway contains the α- and β-hydrogens and a γ-hydrogen from the butyl group. The minor route involves the loss of ethylene from the [MH]+ ion. There were metastable peaks for losses of ethyl, ethanol and methyl from the molecular ion. The ethyl contains the α- and β-methylenes and a γ-hydrogen, while the methyl is the δ-methyl of the butyl group. The labeling data rule out a previous mechanistic proposal for the loss of ethyl and support a mechanism involving stepwise isomerization to the sec-butyl ethyl ether molecular ion. However, the metastable ion chemistries of the molecular ions from the n- and sec-butyl ethyl ethers are highly dissimilar, perhaps due to decompositions from different electronic states. The n-pentyl methyl ether ions loses both ethyl and propyl, apparently following rearrangements to the 3-pentyl and 2-pentyl ether ions. Di n-butyl and n-butyl methyl ethers also give metastable peaks for loss of methyl, ethyl and the shorter chain alcohol.
MACBETH: Development of a Training Game for the Mitigation of Cognitive Bias

This paper describes the process of rapid iterative prototyping used by a research team developing a training video game for the Sirius program funded by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). Described are three stages of development, including a paper prototype, and builds for alpha and beta testing. Game development is documented, and the process of playtesting is reviewed with a focus on the challenges and lessons-learned. Advances made in the development of the game through the playtesting process are discussed along with implications of the rapid iterative prototyping approach.
On the minimum size of representative volume element: An experimental investigation

In this paper, the minimum size of the representative volume element (RVE) of a heterogeneous material is determined experimentally using the digital image correlation technique. Experiments of uniaxial compression and thermal expansion were conducted on PBS 9501, a high explosive simulant material. The minimum size of the RVE of the PBS 9501 heterogeneous material, where the average crystal diameter of the material is of the order of 100 μm, was determined to be approximately 1.5 mm. This result is consistent with numerical calculations on polycrystalline materials and some other composites.
Integrating fluorescence and interactance measurements to improve apple maturity assessment

Fluorescence and reflectance (or interactance) are promising techniques for measuring fruit quality and condition. Our previous research showed that a hyperspectral imaging technique integrating fluorescence and reflectance could improve predictions of selected quality parameters compared to single sensing techniques. The objective of this research was to use a low cost spectrometer for rapid acquisition of fluorescence and interactance spectra from apples and develop an algorithm integrating the two types of data for predicting skin and flesh color, fruit firmness, starch index, soluble solids content, and titratable acid. Experiments were performed to measure UV light induced transient fluorescence and interactance spectra from 'Golden Delicious' apples that were harvested over a period of four weeks during the 2005 harvest season. Standard destructive tests were performed to measure maturity parameters from the apples. Principal component (PC) analysis was applied to the interactance and fluorescence data. A back-propagation feedforward neural network with the inputs of PC data was used to predict individual maturity parameters. Interactance mode was consistently better than fluorescence mode in predicting the maturity parameters. Integrating interactance and fluorescence improved predictions of all parameters except flesh chroma; values of the correlation coefficient for firmness, soluble solids content, starch index, and skin and flesh hue were 0.77, 0.77, 0.89, 0.99, and 0.96 respectively, with the corresponding standard errors of 6.93 N, 0.90%, 0.97 g/L, 0.013 rad, and 0.013 rad. These results represented 4.1% to 23.5% improvements in terms of standard error, in comparison with the better results from the two single sensing methods. Integrating interactance and fluorescence can better assess apple maturity and quality.
Hypergammaglobulinemia in cystic fibrosis. Role of Pseudomonas endobronchial infection.

Hypergammaglobulinemia, chronic endobronchial infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), and the resulting systemic humoral immune response to PA are each associated with worsened clinical status and prognosis in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Major serum immunoglobulin isotype levels (IgG, IgA, IgM, and IgG1-4 subclasses) were measured in 31 CF patients and ten control subjects. Immunoglobulin levels were related to airway infection with PA and the resulting IgG antibody response against PA lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Hyperimmunoglobulinemia C was present with elevated IgG1 and IgG2 in 48 percent, IgG3 in 52 percent, and IgG4 in 42 percent of CF patients. The PA infection was associated with striking increases in IgG2. IgG2 levels correlated well with IgG2 antibodies to PA LPS (r = +0.70, p
An epigenetic induction of a right-shift in hippocampal asymmetry: selectivity for short- and long-term potentiation but not post-tetanic potentiation

In humans, it is well established that major psychological functions are asymmetrically represented between the left and right cerebral cortices. The developmental origin of such functional lateralization remains unknown. Using the rat as a model system, we examined whether exposing neonates briefly to a novel environment can differentially affect synaptic plasticity in the left and right hippocampi during adulthood. During the first 3 weeks of life, one half of the pups from a litter spent 3 min daily away from their familiar home environment (Novel) while their littermates remained in that familiar environment (Home). At adulthood (7-months old), post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) of excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs), a very short-lasting form of plasticity, was greater among the Novel than the Home rats in both left and right hippocampi. In contrast, the novelty-induced increases in short- and long-term potentiation (STP, LTP), two relatively longer-lasting forms of plasticity, were found only in the right hippocampus. These findings demonstrate that a phase-selective asymmetry in hippocampal synaptic plasticity can be induced epigenetically by seemingly small systematic differences in early life environment. The selectivity of this asymmetry for the longer-lasting forms of synaptic plasticity suggests that the observed asymmetry in plasticity may contribute specifically to an asymmetric learning process which, in turn, may contribute to a functional asymmetry in the neocortex.
The Social Context of Criminal Justice: A Review Essay on Allen's The Decline of the Rehabilitative Ideal

Behind the continuous, voluminous alterations of specific laws, there may well be a pattern or set of unspoken ideals in society about the appropriate objectives legal policy should pursue. In The Decline of the Rehabilitative Ideal,' Frank Allen discusses some of the trends that he believes are apparent in the ideals of contemporary penal policy in the United States. The core theme is a transition: the decline in the role of the rehabilitative ideal. From the 1830s until about the past decade, the attempt to alter the behavior of offenders was primary in laws and policies. But rehabilitation is now being replaced by ideals that stress deterrence, due process, and "just deserts" for offenses. This transition has profound implications for policy; it affects the suggestions scholars make about law, it influences sentencing policies, and it may even lead to a decrease in the level of humane treatment in prisons. Allen uses the examination of the decline of the role of rehabilitation to discuss a range of issues in public policy. Because he believes that the decline is caused by changes in cultural values in the United States, the broader cultural context is discussed at some length. The discussion of the rehabilitative ideal is also used as a springboard for considering the utility of various ideals that might be used in setting penal policy. Finally, Allen claims that the discussion of law illustrates the changing nature of the society it reflects. Originally presented as the 1979 Storrs Lectures on Jurisprudence at Yale Law School, the text of The Decline of the Rehabilitative Ideal retains many of the characteristics of lectures. It takes for granted a general background in the history of penal reforms and other public policies, and
Semisimple Lie Algebras

This chapter is devoted entirely to the classical representation theory of semisimple Lie algebras. Our principal goal is the basic result that, if L is a finite-dimensional semisimple Lie algebra over a field of characteristic 0, then the continuous dual U(L)’ of the universal enveloping algebra is finitely generated as an algebra. This will be used in the final chapter for constructing the “simply connected” affine algebraic group with Lie algebra L. The required finite generation of U(L)’ is obtained from the classification of the finite-dimensional L-modules by the theory of weights.
Analyzing stability issues in a cascaded converter system comprised of two voltage-mode controlled dc-dc converters

This work analyzes the stability of a cascaded converter system comprised of two dc-dc converters operating with voltage-mode controllers. First it develops a single converter small-signal model and derives the mathematical representation of the converter from it. Next, it derives the required closed-loop transfer functions and input and output impedances from the model. Then, it develops the cascaded converter model based on the derived closed-loop impedances and the single converter model. Finally, it derives the cascaded converter system transfer function which addresses the stability of the system and analyzes the stability based on this transfer function.
A refinement of Porter's strategies

Michael Porter has formulated a set of generic strategies and addressed them to academicians in the fields of economics and strategic management and to top managers of businesses. This article suggests several refinements to his ideas which may further enhance their value to academicians and practitioners.
Mode and timing of reproduction in some common hermatypic corals of Hawaii and Enewetak

Common Hawaiian and Enewetak corals were examined to determine the method and mining of reproduction. Of the 7 Hawaiian species examined for the release of planulae, only 2 have planulated in captivity, Pocillopora damicornis and Cyphastrea ocellina. Both planulate year-round and both are characteristic of reef flats. Four of the 5 species which did not planulate were found to contain eggs, but not planulate, when polyps were examined microscopically. These 5 species do not usually occur on reef flats. Seven of the 12 Enewetak species examined in June, July, August and January planulated; 4 of these were pocilloporids, all of which are common in shallow water. Only 3 of the 8 species of Acropora planulated, and these 3 occur solely in shallow water. A greater proportion of the Pocillopora spp. colonies than Acropora spp. colonies planulated and they released more planulae per head. In previous studies and in this one, coral species which have released planulae are characteristic of shallow-water environments such as reef flats. Most of the 10 species reported on here which failed to planulate in captivity are not commonly found on reef flats. The failure to detect planulation in so many species, particularly those of deeper water, suggests that common hermatypic corals may not all reproduce in the same way, and that mode of reproduction may be related to habitat.
Lesions in Bovine Progressive Degenerative Myeloencephalopathy (“Weaver”) of Brown Swiss Cattle:

Gross changes and other necropsy findings in 36 purebred Brown Swiss cattle affected with bovine progressive degenerative myeloencephalopathy were nonspecific. Primary microscopic lesions were confined to the central nervous system, specifically the white matter of the spinal cord, axons in some brainstem nuclei, and Purkinje cells of the cerebellar cortex. Spinal cord lesions involved only the white matter and consisted of axonal degeneration, loss of axons and myelin, and status spongiosus. Axonal degeneration was characterized by swelling and fragmentation of the axoplasm or formation of large, discontinuous swellings referred to as spheroids. Lesions were qualitatively similar at all levels, but quantitatively dissimilar in the same funiculi at different levels. Both ascending and descending fibers were involved but correlation to specific fasciculi was not evident. Lesions always were most severe in thoracic spinal cord segments. Little or no astroglial response, no inflammatory response, and no involvement of gray matter were observed in the spinal cord. Cerebellar lesions were limited to selective degeneration and loss of Purkinje cells and occasional swelling of Purkinje cell axons (torpedos) in the granular layer of the cerebellar cortex. Brainstem lesions were inconsistent and limited to occasional axonal swelling in brainstem nuclei. The pathogenesis of bovine progressive degenerative myeloencephalopathy is unknown and possible mechanisms were discussed. The disease exhibits a familial pattern in Brown Swiss cattle and may be hereditary. Extraneural lesions were considered secondary to central nervous system lesions.
Asymptotic stability, ergodicity and other asymptotic properties of the nonlinear filter

Abstract In this work we study connections between various asymptotic properties of the nonlinear filter. It is assumed that the signal has a unique invariant probability measure. The key property of interest is expressed in terms of a relationship between the observation σ field and the tail σ field of the signal, in the stationary filtering problem. This property can be viewed as the permissibility of the interchange of the order of the operations of maximum and countable intersection for certain σ-fields. Under suitable conditions, it is shown that the above property is equivalent to various desirable properties of the filter such as (a) uniqueness of invariant measure for the signal, (b) uniqueness of invariant measure for the pair (signal, filter), (c) a finite memory property of the filter, (d) a property of finite time dependence between the signal and observation σ fields and (e) asymptotic stability of the filter. Previous works on the asymptotic stability of the filter for a variety of filtering models then identify a rich class of filtering problems for which the above equivalent properties hold.
The Effects of Ambiguous Information on Initial and Subsequent IPO Returns

Newly public companies must disclose significant risk factors in the offering prospectus. These disclosures are examples of “soft” or ambiguous information. Ambiguity models predict that investors will alter their portfolio weights and react to subsequent signals about such information. We test for these effects in a sample of 1,398 initial public offerings (IPOs) using word count ratios between soft and hard information as measures of ambiguity. We find a significant relationship between the soft information on risk and both initial and ex post measures of returns. These results support the view that soft information embeds ambiguity and that it influences investors’ portfolio choices.
Dichloro(pyridine‐2‐carboxylato)‐gold(III)

[88215-41-2] C6H4AuCl2NO2 (MW 389.97) InChI = 1S/C6H5NO2.Au.2ClH/c8-6(9)5-3-1-2-4-7-5;;;/h1-4H,(H,8,9);;2*1H/q;+3;;/p-3 InChIKey = PKAWSKSRAJXTIH-UHFFFAOYSA-K (reagent used for activation of alkynes/allenes toword nucleophilic attack) Physical Data: mp 166 °C.1 Solubility: soluble in most polar organic solvents including CH2Cl2, THF, and EtOAc, but not in hexanes, diethyl ether, and water. Form Supplied in: pale yellow crystalline solid, not commercially available. Preparative Methods: an aqueous solution of pyridine-2-carboxylic acid was slowly added to an aqueous solution of KAuCl4 (1 equiv) at room temperature, and the initial solid precipitate was filtered off. The second crop of pale yellow solid precipitates after cooling in a refrigerator overnight was obtained as product after filtration.1 Better yield can be obtained when excess pyridine-2-carboxylic acid is used.2 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: shelf-stable, not hygroscopic.
Effects of ageing on associative memory for related and unrelated pictures

Associative memory deficits are pervasive with age. Memory for complex pictures, however, also seems to require the association of several scene elements into one representation, but picture memory is often age-invariant. We speculated that the natural relationships contained in pictures may explain this distinction and that memory for scenes with unusual novel relationships would be affected with ageing. In three experiments, we found that, counter to our predictions, the relatedness of scene elements exerted little influence on picture memory and did not differentially affect older compared to younger adults. These data suggest that the semantically rich associations contained in pictures need not rely on prior knowledge and experiences in order to support age-invariant picture memory. Our results indicate that associative memory for complex pictures may differ from memory for interitem associations, which may be more affected by ageing.
The boundary value problem in spatial statistical analysis.

The primary objective of this paper is to investigate procedures for detecting and handling existing border biasing in spatial statistical analysis. Six conventional solutions to the boundary value problem are criticized and three alternate statistical solutions are proposed. (EXCERPT)