cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temporal Effects of Threecornered Alfalfa Hopper (Homoptera: Membracidae) Girdling on Translocation in Soybean

The temporal effects of 1-, 7-, and 14-d old Spissistilus festinus (Say) petiole girdles on trans location in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) were investigated using the systemic herbicide glyphosate as a tracer. Leaves of S. festinus-girdled , steam-girdled, and ungirdled petioles were treated with glyphosate. Diffusive resistances, leaf temperatures, and stem growth rates of treated plants were compared with those of untreated plants to detect trans location of the herbicide. S. festinus girdles initially blocked trans location. Blockage was followed by recovery of phloem function in <7 d. Resumption of trans location was not due to apoplastic transport.
Psychosocial effects of adjustment in Antarctica - Lessons for long-duration spaceflight

This paper examines the utility of remote, isolated Antarctic research stations as analogs for long-duration spaceflights from the perspective of psychosocial processes of adaptation and adjustment. Certain features of the physical and man-made environments found in Antarctica are similar to those that will be encountered in outer space. In both settings, men and women are likely to experience a number of physiological and psychological changes in response to the extreme environmental conditions and the prolonged' isolation and confinement. Biomedical research in Antarctica provides an opportunity to study the causes of these changes and to develop strategies for reducing the risks to health and well-being before they pose a serious threat to crew safety and mission success. A number of lessons for long-duration spaceflight are examined, including screening and selection of personnel; training programs designed to facilitate individual adjustment and group adaptation and minimize group conflict; identification of optimal leadership characteristics for small, isolated groups; an understanding of social dynamics and group "microcultures" necessary for the organization and management of small but heterogeneous groups; organization of work activities; facility design; and support infrastructure.
The inpatient economic and mortality impact of hepatocellular carcinoma from 2005 to 2009: analysis of the US nationwide inpatient sample.

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important complication of cirrhosis. Our aim was to assess the inpatient economic and mortality of HCC in the USA Methods Five cycles of Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) conducted from 2005 to 2009 were used. Demographics, inpatient mortality, severity of illness, payer type, length of stay (LoS) and charges were available. Changes and associated factors related to inpatient HCC were assessed using simple linear regression. Odds ratios and 95% CIs for hospital mortality were analysed using log-linked regression model. To estimate the sampling variances for complex survey data, we used Taylor series approach. SAS® v.9.3 was used for statistical analysis. Results From 2005 to 2009, 32,697,993 inpatient cases were reported to NIS. During these 5 years, primary diagnosis of HCC increased from 4401 (2005), 4170 (2006), 5065 (2007), 6540 (2008) to 6364 (2009). HCC as any diagnosis increased from 68 per 100 000 discharges (2005) to 99 per 100 000 (2009). However, inpatient mortality associated with HCC decreased from 12% (2005) to 10% (2009) (P < 0.046) and LoS remained stable. However, median inflation-adjusted charges at the time of discharge increased from $29,466 per case (2005) to $31,656 per case (2009). Total national HCC charges rose from $1.0 billion (2005) to $2.0 billion (2009). In multivariate analysis, hospital characteristic was independently associated with decreasing in-hospital mortality (all P < 0.05). Liver transplantation for HCC was the main contributor to high inpatient charges. Longer LoS and other procedures also contributed to higher inpatient charges. Conclusions There is an increase in the number of inpatient cases of HCC. Although inpatient mortality is decreasing and the LoS is stable, the inpatient charges associated with HCC continue to increase.
Connective Tissue Growth Factor Regulates Retinal Neovascularization through p53 Protein-dependent Transactivation of the Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 Gene

Pathological angiogenesis in the retina is driven by dysregulation of hypoxia-driven stimuli that coordinate physiological vessel growth. How the various components of the neovascularization signaling network are integrated to yield pathological changes has not been defined. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) is an inducible matricellular protein that plays a major role in fibroproliferative disorders. Here, we show that CTGF/CCN2 was dynamically expressed in the developing murine retinal vasculature and was abnormally increased and localized within neovascular tufts in the mouse eye with oxygen-induced retinopathy. Consistent with its propitious vascular localization, ectopic expression of the CTGF/CCN2 gene further accelerated neovascularization, whereas lentivirus-mediated loss-of-function or -expression of CTGF/CCN2 harnessed ischemia-induced neovessel outgrowth in oxygen-induced retinopathy mice. The neovascular effects of CTGF/CCN2 were mediated, at least in part, through increased expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, which drives vascular remodeling through degradation of matrix and non matrix proteins, migration and invasion of endothelial cells, and formation of new vascular patterns. In cultured cells, CTGF/CCN2 activated the MMP-2 promoter through increased expression and tethering of the p53 transcription factor to a highly conserved p53-binding sequence within the MMP-2 promoter. Concordantly, the neovascular effects of CTGF/CCN2 were suppressed by p53 inhibition that culminated in reduced enrichment of the MMP-2 promoter with p53 and decreased MMP-2 gene expression. Our data identified new gene targets and downstream effectors of CTGF/CCN2 and provided the rational basis for targeting the p53 pathway to curtail the effects of CTGF/CCN2 on neovessel formation associated with ischemic retinopathy.
Acute Toxicity and Tissue Distributions of Malathion in Ambystoma tigrinum

The kinetics of the bioaccumulation of malathion (O,O-dimethyl phosphorodithioate of diethyl mercaptosuccinate) and the biological impact of exposure for tiger salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum, were assessed through exposure to soil surface contaminated with 50 microg/cm(2) or 100 microg/cm(2 )malathion and ingestion of an earthworm exposed to soil contaminated with 200 microg/cm(2) malathion. Malathion and malaoxon burdens in salamanders sampled at different times after exposure(s) were measured by gas chromatography in four tissue/organ subgroups: liver, epaxial muscle, pooled viscera (except the liver and brain), and pooled avisceral carcass (muscle, skin, and bone). The total tiger salamander xenobiotic burdens were calculated from these data. The malathion/malaoxon burden 1 day after exposure was greatest in the avisceral carcass and 2 days after exposure was greatest in the viscera. Bioconcentration and bioaccumulation factors remained less than unity throughout the experiment and did not support the hypothesis of bioaccumulation of malathion in the tiger salamander. Biological impact was assessed with a colorimetric brain cholinesterase microassay. Brain cholinesterase activities in salamanders exposed to malathion-contaminated soil (50 microg/cm(2) or 100 microg/cm(2 )malathion) were suppressed approximately 50-65% and 90%, respectively, compared to unexposed controls. The exposed animals did not exhibit overt clinical signs of malathion toxicosis.
The correlation between inducer/suppressor ratios, generation of concanavalin A-activated suppressor cells, and mitogen-stimulated proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with alopecia areata and normal controls☆

Suppressor T-cell function activated by preincubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with concanavalin A (Con A) is mediated by the human lymphocyte subset which reacts with monoclonal antibody OKT58 (E. L. Reinherz, P. C. Kung, G. Goldsteing, and S. F. Schlossman, J. Immunol.124, 1243, 1980; E. L. Reinherz and S. F. Schlossman, Cell19, 821, 1980). Proliferative responses stimulated by mitogenic lectins involve T cells of both the OKT4 and OKT8 phenotypes (E. L. Reinherz and S. F. Schlossman, N. Engl. J. Med.303, 370, 1980). As part of a study of immunologic parameters in patients with alopecia areata and concurrent normal controls we analyzed the results of functional responses of the subjects' T cells (mitogen proliferation and ability to generate Con A-activated suppression) according to the proportions of OKT4 (helper/inducer) and OKT8 (suppressor/cytotoxic) cells quantitated at the time of study (OKT4OKT8 ratios ranging from 0.53 to 3.55). Absolute total T-cell counts and lectin-stimulated proliferative responses (phytohemagglutinin, Con A) were similar for patient and control groups. Patients with alopecia areata, and particularly those who demonstrated regrowth of hair at the time that immunologic studies were performed, generated increased Con A-activated suppression in conjugation with an increase in the proportions of peripheral OKT8 cells. For all subjects studied, OKT4OKT8 ≤ 1.5 correlated with Con A-activated suppression > 50% (P = 0.0006), and relatively decreased PHA and Con A proliferative responses (P < 0.01, P = 0.01, respectively). These findings suggest that functional responses of peripheral lymphocytes reflect the proportional distribution of peripheral immunoregulatory subsets among healthy individuals as well as patients with alopecia areata.
Constitutive activity of membrane-inserted protein kinase C.

Summary Incubation of purified protein kinase C (PKC) with phospholipid vesicles produced two populations of membrane-bound PKC: one population was dissociated by calcium chelation and the other was not. The second population appeared to be inserted into the membrane. The activity of membrane-inserted PKC was Ca 2+ -independent and was only modestly sensitive to phorbol esters. Insertion was caused by high calcium concentrations or by phorbol esters plus low calcium. These conditions correlated with those needed to activate PKC; insertion into the membrane may be a primary mechanism of PKC activation. PKC may be a long-term cell regulator which becomes inserted into the membrane upon appearance of the second messengers, calcium and diacylglycerol, and remains in an active membrane-bound state when the second messengers have been removed.
In-situ health monitoring on steel bridges with dual mode piezoelectric sensors

Current routine inspection practices for bridge health monitoring are not sufficient for timely identification of areas of concern or are incapable of providing enough information to bridge owners to make valuable informed decisions for maintenance prioritization. Continuous monitoring is needed for long-term evaluation from an integrated sensing system that would act as a monitoring and early warning alarm system that is able to effectively communicate the information from the bridge directly to the bridge owners for potential and immediate response. Due to the variety of deterioration sources and locations, currently there is no single NDE method that can detect and address the potential sources globally. To address the need of this urgent highway bridge health monitoring, a joint venture research has been initiated under the NIST Technology Innovation Program by incorporating a novel and promising sensing approach based on piezoelectricity together with energy harvesting to reduce the dramatic uncertainty inherent into any inspection and maintenance plan. One approach to damage detection and classification has been focused on the use of piezoelectric sensors (PES) at both active (ultrasonic NDE) mode and passive (acoustic emission) mode on steel bridge. The acoustic emission (AE) method has been shown the best potential for global bridge health monitoring while active sensing will provide additional quantification process. Two types of the PES have been studied to provide fundamental principles for their applications to steel bridges. Extensive laboratory investigation was performed supported by a theoretical modeling analysis.
Decision analysis in obstetrics and gynecology.

UNLABELLED Decision analysis is a type of study design that can help to explicitly compare different medical choices and provide additional perspective to information provided by observational and interventional studies. This review will detail the circumstances under which decision analysis is most appropriate to use and the conceptual approach to the development of a decision model. TARGET AUDIENCE Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians. LEARNING OBJECTIVES After completion of this article, the reader should be able to summarize that decision analysis will: help to compare different medical choices; supply additional perspectives to information provided by observational and interventional studies; and allow comparison of medical strategies that involve health outcomes, cost, or combined cost-effectiveness measures.
Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics: Principle, Workflow, Challenges and Perspectives

Mass Spectrometry (MS) is a method that can analyze a variety of chemical and biological compounds, from products of chemical synthesis or degradation to biological building blocks and their products, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and glycans. Within the MS field, different specialized fields have emerged. They have been named based on the chemical or biological entities that are analyzed, including: proteomics, lipidomics, glycomics and others. Proteomics analyzes proteins, peptides, aglycans, protein interactions, or posttranslational modifications (PTMs).
Patterns of normal transvalvular regurgitation in mechanical valve prostheses

The magnitude and spatial distribution of normal leakage through mechanical prosthetic valves were studied in an in vitro model of mitral regurgitation. The effective regurgitant orifice was calculated from regurgitant rate at different transvalvular pressure differences and flow velocities. This effective orifice area was 0.6 to 2 mm2 for three tilting disc prostheses (Medtronic-Hall sizes 21, 25 and 29) and 0.2 to 1.1 mm2 for three bileaflet valves (St. Jude Medical sizes 21, 25 and 33). In the single disc valves, Doppler color flow examination disclosed a prominent central regurgitant jet around the central hole for the strut, accompanied by minor leakage along the rim of the disc (central to peripheral jet area ratio 3.3 +/- 1.2). The bileaflet prostheses showed a peculiar complex pattern: in planes parallel to the two disc axes, convergent peripherally arising jets were visualized, whereas in orthogonal planes several diverging jets were seen. Mounting the disc and bileaflet valves on a water-filled tube allowed reproduction and interpretation of this pattern: for the bileaflet valve, the jets originated predominantly from valve ring protrusions that contained the axis hinge points and created a converging V pattern in planes parallel to the leaflets and a diverging V pattern in orthogonal planes. Similar patterns were observed during transesophageal echocardiography in 20 patients with a normally functioning St. Jude prosthesis. In 10 patients with a Medtronic-Hall valve, a dominant central jet was observed with one or more smaller peripheral jets. The median central to peripheral jet area ratio was 5 to 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Phagocytosis of particulate nickel compounds by rat peritoneal macrophages in vitro

Phagocytic indices of 17 nickel compounds were measured in vitro in monolayer cultures of rat peritoneal macrophages. The macrophages were exposed for 1 h at 37 degrees C to particles (1.5 micrometer median diameter) of the nickel compounds, at concentrations of 10 microgram/ml of medium (2 microgram/cm2 of monolayer). Phagocytic induces (i.e., the percentages of macrophages with one or more engulfed particles) ranged from 69% (NiO) to 3% (amorphous NiS). In order to decreasing phagocytic indices, the 17 nickel compounds were ranked as follows: NiO greater than Ni4FeS4 greater than NiTiO3 greater than NiSe greater than alpha Ni3S2 greater than Ni greater than Ni5As2 greater than NiS2 greater than NiFe alloy greater than NiSb greater than Ni11As8 greater Ni3-Se2 greater than beta NiS greater than NiTe greater than NiAs greater than NiAsS greater than amorphous NiS. Rank-correlation (P less than 0.03) was observed between the phagocytic indices of the nickel compounds and their dissolution half-times in rat serum. Nickel subsulfide, alpha Ni3S2, was a notable exception to the general concordance between phagocytic indices and dissolution half-times: alpha Ni3S2 was avidly phagocytized by macrophages, yet it had one or the shortest dissolution half-times. Preliminary results of carcinogenesis tests of 14 of the nickel compounds do not indicate significant rank-correlation between the phagocytic indices of the nickel compounds and the sarcoma incidences at 1 yr after i.m. administration of the compounds to rats.
Anthropometric Design Criteria: Correction Variables for Military Aircraft

Summary.-Significant errors in the application of dimensional anthropometric design criteria for tactical military aircraft cockpits have been identified. These errors result from insufficient consideration of previously undefined variables relative to posture, restraint system items, and aviators' personal protection equipment as discussed by McConville and Laubach in 1978. For years, specific standards of anthropometric criteria have been applied in the design of aircrew stations in the research, development, and acquisition of military aircraft (McConville & Laubach, 1978). Three major problems in the application of such criteria are addressed in the present paper, namely, (a) the optimum design eye position in a cockpit, (b) design features that influence the reachabhty of cockpit controls, and (c) effects of aviators' equipment on the design of cockpit geometry. Current research quantifies differences among (a) human dimensions obtained by standard anthropometric techniques (Kroemer, 1978), (b) postural displacement caused by personal equipment (McCormick & Sanders, 1982, p. 324), and (c) the postures actuaIly assumed by individuals attired for fIight when in the aircraft seat and restraint system (Gregoire, 1975; McCormick & Sanders, 1982, p. 322). Given the advances in technology, the identification of an optimum design eye position in cockpits is becoming more important. Visual information previously displayed at various places throughout the cockpit is increasingly being displayed on Heads Up Displays (HUDs) (Walter & Hoover, 1976). Although HUDs and other state-of-the-art electro-optical devices increase the capability for outside surveillance, they require a more accurate definition of optimum design eye position. Reach constraints will also become more critical in cockpit design due to the higher performance capabilities of future combat aircraft (Chambers, 1963). Higher "g" environments will demand a significantly smalIer margin of error in control placement than before. METHOD
Cloning, expression and characterization of biologically active feline tumour necrosis factor-α

We report the cloning, expression and characterization of biologically active feline tumour necrosis factor-alpha (fTNF-alpha). Messenger RNA was extracted from feline peritoneal macrophage cultures and used to synthesize cDNA for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. The PCR products were cloned into the plasmid vector pCRII and sequenced, showing 99.3% homology with a published fTNF-alpha gene sequence. Subcloning into the vector pGEX-2T and subsequent expression resulted in a 43 kDa fusion protein of fTNF-alpha and glutathione S-transferase (GST). Thrombin cleavage of the fusion protein yielded a 17 kDa protein. This protein cross-reacted with a monoclonal anti-human TNF-alpha antibody in Western blotting, but not with a polyclonal anti-murine TNF-alpha serum. Recombinant fTNF-alpha (rfTNF-alpha) and rfTNF-alpha-GST had a CD50 of 15 ng ml-1 and 230 ng ml-1, respectively, in the L929 cytotoxicity assay. Cats given rfTNF-alpha-GST intravenously manifested the typical biological effects of TNF-alpha, including fever, depression, and piloerection. The rfTNF-alpha-GST upregulated IL-2 receptor and MHC-II antigen expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated in vitro, but had no effect on TNF-alpha receptor and MHC-I antigen expression.
An adaptive wireless local area network protocol that improves throughput via adaptive control of direct sequence spread spectrum parameters

We develop and analyze an elegant, opportunistic medium access control (MAC) protocol based on the proposed MAC standard for wireless local area networks (WLAN)---IEEE 802.11. Our adaptation of 802.11 is called CATER (Code Adapts To Enhance Reliability) and allows communicating stations to reconfigure their transceivers to use a longer pseudo-noise (PN) code when retransmissions are unsuccessful over a degraded channel. Results show that our protocol continues to function, permitting up to 14 percent normalized aggregate throughput, at times when IEEE 802.11 fails. In addition, throughput experiences only a small decrease due to protocol overhead during periods when stations experience a good channel with few bit errors.
A New Technique Using Infrared Satellite Measurements to Improve the Accuracy of the CALIPSO Cloud-Aerosol Discrimination Method

In this paper, we develop a new technique called the brightness temperature difference cloud and aerosol discrimination algorithm (BTD CAD) that uses thermal infrared satellite measurements to improve the accuracy of the cloud-aerosol lidar and infrared pathfinder satellite observations (CALIPSO) CAD algorithm. It has been shown that the CALIPSO CAD algorithm can misclassify dense dust as cloud because the CALIPSO two-wavelength backscatter lidar operates at 532 and 1064 nm where very similar scattering properties are known to exist between dense dust and cloud. Therefore, we use the 11 and 12 μm thermal infrared channels from both the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the spinning enhanced visible and infrared imager (SEVIRI), which are very sensitive to dust concentration, in order to reduce the frequency of the dust misclassifications encountered by the CALIPSO CAD algorithm. For the two Saharan dust events presented in this paper, both the MODIS and SEVIRI BTD CAD techniques performed well but the MODIS BTD CAD correctly reclassified more CALIPSO CAD misclassifications as dust. After applying both techniques to all the daytime CALIPSO transects over North Africa during June 2007, the MODIS and SEVIRI BTD CAD increased the total number of detected aerosol layers by approximately 10% and 4%, respectively. Even though the Version 3 (V3) CAD algorithm is significantly more accurate in deciphering between dense dust and clouds than the Version 2 algorithm, the V3 still showed some dust misclassifications among the case studies. Thus, the BTD CAD technique can help reduce the frequency of dust misclassifications encountered by the V3 CAD algorithm.
Milton in America: The case of Jackson County, Florida

I shall be Milton among the Americans! And you shall write it down. Peter Ackroyd, Milton in America John Milton was elected Governor of Florida in November 1860. Given the state's more recent elec...
Maternal Concerns During the Early Postpartum

The trend toward shortened, postpartum hospitalization has greatly reduced the time available to teach child care and parenting techniques to new mothers. This study surveyed 120, low-risk mothers during the early postpartum period to identify their concerns and learning needs. During home interviews, a card-sort tool and questionnaire were used to gather information. Frequencies for family, mother, and infant items are listed. Participants were worried about family finances, meeting the needs of everyone at home, and being a good mother. They were also interested in learning more about their infant.
Temporal selectivity in the central auditory system of the leopard frog

Amplitude modulation is a predominant temporal feature in many vocal signals. The leopard frog, Rana pipiens, has a class of neurons in the central auditory system that respond selectively to particular rates of amplitude modulation; these neurons can be characterized by a temporal tuning curve. Such selectivity is absent in the peripheral auditory system. This type of transformation may be fundamental in processing temporal information in the vertebrate sensory nervous system.
Conservation and Distribution of the Benzalkonium Chloride Resistance Cassette bcrABC in Listeria monocytogenes

Analysis of a panel of 116 Listeria monocytogenes strains of diverse serotypes and sources (clinical, environment of food processing plants, and food) revealed that all but one of the 71 benzalkonium chloride-resistant (BCr) isolates harbored bcrABC, previously identified on a large plasmid (pLM80) of the 1998-1999 hot dog outbreak strain H7858. In contrast, bcrABC was not detected among BC-susceptible (BCs) isolates. The bcrABC sequences were highly conserved among strains of different serotypes, but variability was noted in sequences flanking bcrABC. The majority of the BCr isolates had either the pLM80-type of organization of the bcrABC region or appeared to harbor bcrABC on the chromosome, adjacent to novel sequences. Transcription of bcrABC was induced by BC (10 μg/ml) in strains of different serotypes and diverse bcrABC region organization. These findings reveal widespread dissemination of bcrABC across BCr L. monocytogenes strains regardless of serotype and source, while also suggesting possible mechanisms of bcrABC dissemination across L. monocytogenes genomes.
Tropical Storm Formation from Easterly Waves: A Criterion for Development.

Abstract A triggering mechanism is presented for the transformation of a wave in the easterlies to an intensifying tropical depression. Thermodynamic processes appear to be of secondary importance at this early stage of tropical storm formation. A development criterion is presented that measures the importance of nonlinear vorticity advection for the dynamics of the wave disturbance. If the contributions of the nonlinearities become significant then formation of an intensifying depression is hypothesized. The hypothesis allows one to predict the tune and place of tropical.storm development. Both climatology and the 1975 hurricane season are analyzed in order to test the theory for Atlantic easterly waves. The development criterion is found to have predictive ability in anticipating tropical storms during August and September 1975, several days prior to development.
International library exchanges

Abstract A rich resource exists in foreign countries to enhance American library collections. Overseas libraries, however, are hard pressed by foreign exchange problems in their acquisition of American materials. These two facts are considered together with the advantage to American foreign policy interests of making American literary materials available on an exchange basis. A new organization, the International Library Exchange Center (ILEC) is described as a vehicle for bringing these elements together.
Atomic Hydrogen Effects on the Optical and Electrical Properties of Transparent Conducting Oxides For a-Si:H TFT-LCDs

The effects of the atomic hydrogen treatment (H-treatment) of indium-tin oxide (ITO) and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films have been investigated. The atomic hydrogen was generated by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HW-CVD) technique. Experimental results have shown that AZO films are chemically very stable under the H-treatment; almost no variation in the optical transmittance and electrical resistivity was observed. On the contrary, ITO films, either prepared by sputtering with ex-situ or in-situ thermal-annealing, have shown severe optical and electrical degradation and surface whitening after the H-treatment. SEM studies of the H-treated ITO surfaces have revealed that the surface whitening was due to the increase in surface roughness and the formation of granule-like metallic balls. Auger electron spectroscopy has indicated that the balls were mainly composed of indium atoms and the areas between balls were rich in oxygen atoms. These results were confirmed by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements done on ITO before and after the H-treatment. Finally, we have demonstrated that a-SiO, deposited by PECVD will completely suppress the chemical reaction between ITO surfaces and atomic hydrogen generated by HW-CVD technique.
Psychological Abuse among College Women in Dating Relationships

A questionnaire designed to measure psychological abuse and kindness was responded to by 90 college women involved in dating relationships. Analysis indicated that, while many relationships were low abuse/high kindness, a substantial number were characterized by high abuse/low kindness, high abuse/high kindness and low abuse/low kindness. An analysis of these different categories of dating relationships as well as explanations as to why young women should be in such negative relationships are included. The study also indicated significant differences between women's reports of feelings and behaviors. Finally, a comparison of past versus present relationships showed proportionately few significant differences in behaviors but many significant differences in feelings. The major finding, that some college women are in dating relationships characterized by psychological abuse, was explored, and comparisons to the literature on wife abuse and courtship violence were also included.
The status of irreversibility in statistical mechanics

Abstract It is shown that the Prigogine-Balescu theory contains a crucial probabilistic element, and that the irreversibility obtained in the theory is a property of Liouville's equation for arbitrary N .
Hand-assisted laparoscopy for wandering spleen

A wandering spleen is a rare condition with an unknown incidence. The lack of short gastric vessels and suspensory ligaments is thought to result from a fusion anomaly of the dorsal mesogastrium of the spleen. The major risk in performing a splenectomy for patients with a wandering spleen is overwhelming postsplenectomy infection (OPSI). The incidence of OPSI is 0.13% to 8.1%, with a mortality rate of 30% to 60%. Laparoscopic splenopexy provides the benefits of minimally invasive surgery while avoiding the complications of splenectomy. The reported case presents a patient with a wandering spleen. The patient, an 18-year-old woman, experienced a malarial infection at the age of 5 years and had a computed tomography (CT) scan documenting her spleen in the normal anatomic position. When she was 18 years old, a CT scan showed her spleen located in the right lower quadrant (RLQ). At laparoscopy, the presence of the spleen in the RLQ was confirmed. The spleen could not be easily manipulated with laparoscopic instruments, so a hand port was used to mobilize the spleen to the left upper quadrant (LUQ). No evidence of attenuated suspensory ligaments was seen. The spleen was secured in the left subdiaphragmatic location by the use of a Vicryl mesh bag. An omental sling was used to support the spleen further. A 1-year follow up CT confirmed that the spleen still was located in the correct anatomic position. This is a unique case in that the patient was known to have a normally located spleen at a young age and then found to have a wandering spleen later in life. This could have resulted from a congenital fusion anomaly or attenuation of the patient’s suspensory ligaments caused by her previous malarial infection and splenomegaly.
The Intersection of Gender and Culture in Chinese International Student Couples

A grounded-theory qualitative study based on feminist theory was conducted to investigate three areas of inquiry regarding the marital relationships of Chinese international graduate students. The three areas of inquiry were gender socialization, cultural influence, and structural aspects of the relationship. Ten Chinese couples, of which at least one spouse was a graduate student, participated in the research. Thirty open-ended qualitative interviews were conducted, one with each couple, one with each husband, and one with each wife. Qualitative analysis revealed several dominant themes including traditional versus flexible gender ideology, the sacrificial wife, relationship expectations, the influences of Western culture and communism, problem-solving communication, and spousal support.
Tropomyosin in brain and growing neurones.

CONTRACTILE proteins have been found in a variety of non-muscle tissues. Actin and myosin have been isolated from brain1,2 platelets3,4 and fibroblasts6,6. Recently proteins very similar to tropomyosin, an alpha-helical protein involved in the regulation of muscle contraction, have been isolated and characterized from human platelets7 and from the electric organs of Torpedo and electric eel8. We report here the isolation of a protein from chicken embryo brain which resembles muscle tropomyosin in many physical, chemical and functional properties, but which has a smaller molecular weight than any muscle tropomyosin. A protein with a very similar molecular weight and peptide map is also present in growing neurones.
A SET THEORY APPROACH TO IMMUNOTAXONOMY: ANALYSIS OF SPECIES COMPARISONS IN MODIFIED OUCHTERLONY PLATES.

The precipitin spurs formed in Ochterlony comparisons of corresponding antigens in different species can be defined using the notation of set theory. A computer program based on this set theory definition can then be applied to Ouchterlony data so as to list the various species employed in the comparisons in order of increasing divergence, from an homologous species. Such a computer program concisely captured conclusions, previously drawn in a more discursive manner, from data obtained with chicken and rabbit antisera to purified human serum proteins and produced results highly correlated with those of the more quantitative method of micro-complement fixation.
Scale-free functional connectivity of the brain is maintained in anesthetized healthy participants but not in patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome

Loss of consciousness in anesthetized healthy participants and in patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) is associated with substantial alterations of functional connectivity across large-scale brain networks. Yet, a prominent distinction between the two cases is that after anesthesia, brain connectivity and consciousness are spontaneously restored, whereas in patients with UWS this restoration fails to occur, but why? A possible explanation is that the self-organizing capability of the brain is compromised in patients with UWS but not in healthy participants undergoing anesthesia. According to the theory of self-organized criticality, many natural complex systems, including the brain, evolve spontaneously to a critical state wherein system behaviors display spatial and/or temporal scale-invariant characteristics. Here we tested the hypothesis that the scale-free property of brain network organization is in fact fundamentally different between anesthetized healthy participants and UWS patients. We introduced a novel, computationally efficient approach to determine anatomical-functional parcellation of the whole-brain network at increasingly finer spatial scales. We found that in healthy participants, scale-free distributions of node size and node degree were present across wakefulness, propofol sedation, and recovery, despite significant propofol-induced functional connectivity changes. In patients with UWS, the scale-free distribution of node degree was absent, reflecting a fundamental difference between the two groups in adaptive reconfiguration of functional interaction between network components. The maintenance of scale-invariance across propofol sedation in healthy participants suggests the presence of persistent, on-going self-organizing processes to a critical state – a capacity that is compromised in patients with UWS.
On diffusive-advective interfacial mass transfer

Abstract A critical discussion of the formal description of diffusive mass transfer in crystal growth is given. In particular some “discrepancies” between predicted and measured growth rates of crystals grown from solutions are shown to be quantitatively due to a widespread misunderstanding of diffusion. This misunderstanding is discussed as it relates to the limited analogy between heat and mass transfer and the Nernst-Brunner unstirred film model.
Recent Studies on the Structure and Function of Multisubstrate Flavin-Containing Monooxygenases

Interest in the oxidation of xenobiotics catalyzed by flavin-containing monooxygenases has expanded dramatically over the past decade. Studies on their exceptional substrate range, wide tissue distribution, and the existence of multiple forms are perhaps the major developments that have stimulated recent work on these enzymes. In addition, the reports by Smith and his associates on the polymorphism of the N-oxygenation of trimethylamine (1) and nicotine (2) in humans apparently due to a genetic defect in one or more of the flavin-containing monooxygenases has fueled further interest in the role of these enzymes in the metabolism of xenobiotics. This review focuses primarily on recent work on the number of isoforms (based largely on differences in primary structures deduced from cDNAs) present in major organs of entry, possible methods for estimating substrate specificity and activity of different isoforms in crude tissue preparations, and methods for manipUlating hepatic concentration (activity) of flavin-containing monooxygenases with dietary xenobiotics. The latter work, while still in very early stages, will undoubtedly have a significant impact on this area of drug metabolism by providing a convenient model for assessing the effect of changes in the concentration of these enzymes on the metabolism of a specific
Polymer-inorganic nanocomposite membranes for gas separation

Abstract Polymer–inorganic nanocomposite membranes present an interesting approach to improve the separation properties of polymer membranes because they possess properties of both organic and inorganic membranes such as good permeability, selectivity, mechanical strength, and thermal and chemical stability. The preparations and structures of polymer–inorganic nanocomposite membranes, their applicability to gas separation and separation mechanism are reviewed.
Plasma properties in the far-field plume of a radiofrequency plasma thruster

Summary form only given. A radiofrequency plasma source was previously developed at the University of Michigan to study the behavior of ions downstream of a diverging magnetic field.1,2 A follow-up experiment investigates the performance of the plasma source operating as a thruster. During this experiment, simultaneous thruster performance and far-field plume measurements of the rf plasma source are taken in the Large Vacuum Test Facility (LVTF) at the University of Michigan. Thruster performance is measured using an inverted-pendulum thrust stand, and plume properties are investigated using a nude Faraday probe, a retarding potential analyzer, and a commercial rf-compensated Langmuir probe. The pressure in the LVTF is held below 5.5×10−6 torr during operation of the thruster in order to reduce facility effects on probe measurements. The work presented here focuses on the results of the probe analysis.
Universal simulation distributions

In this paper, we present a new class of importance sampling simulation distributions, the universal distributions. We show that these distributions are universally efficient in the sense that they depend only on a single scalar parameter regardless of the dimensionality of the underlying system or of the error sets to be simulated.
Are minimal representations still representations

I examine the following question: Do actions require representations that are intrinsic to the action itself? Recent work by Mark Rowlands, Michael Wheeler, and Andy Clark suggests that actions may require a minimal form of representation. I argue that the various concepts of minimal representation on offer do not apply to action per se and that a non-representationalist account that focuses on dynamic systems of self-organizing continuous reciprocal causation at the sub-personal level is superior. I further recommend a scientific pragmatism regarding the concept of representation.
Statistics of radar sea spikes at moderate angles of incidence

The distribution functions for radar backscatter from the sea are important for various detection problems. Sea spikes affect these distributions, and the distributions of the spikes themselves are important. The authors studied distributions from Ka-band radar signals measured in the SAXON experiment. Distributions are bilinear on Weibull paper when modulation due to underlying waves is present, but also when the modulation is removed. The low-energy part of the CDF for power is exponential, but the tail extends to higher signal levels than for exponential. The fact that both modulation and sea spikes extend the distribution makes separation of the effects difficult. >
Evolution of salamander life cycles : A major-effect quantitative trait locus contributes to discrete and continuous variation for metamorphic timing

The evolution of alternate modes of development may occur through genetic changes in metamorphic timing. This hypothesis was examined by crossing salamanders that express alternate developmental modes: metamorphosis vs. paedomorphosis. Three strains were used in the crossing design: Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum (Att; metamorph), wild-caught A. mexicanum (Am; paedomorph), and laboratory Am (paedomorph). Att/Am hybrids were created for each Am strain and then backcrossed to their respective Am line. Previous studies have shown that a dominant allele from Att (metAtt) and a recessive allele from lab Am (metlab) results in metamorphosis in Att/Am hybrids, and metAtt/metlab and metlab/metlab backcross genotypes are strongly associated with metamorphosis and paedomorphosis, respectively. We typed a molecular marker (contig325) linked to met and found that metAtt/metlab and metAtt/metwild were associated with metamorphosis in 99% of the cases examined. However, the frequency of paedomorphosis was 4.5 times higher for metlab/metlab than for metwild/metwild. We also found that metAtt/metwild and metwild/metwild genotypes discriminated distributions of early and late metamorphosing individuals. Two forms of phenotypic variation are contributed by met: continuous variation of metamorphic age and expression of discrete, alternate morphs. We suggest that the evolution of paedomorphosis is associated with genetic changes that delay metamorphic timing in biphasic life cycles.
Multimethod Strategy for Assessing Program Fidelity: The National Evaluation of the Revised G.R.E.A.T. Program

This study reports the results of the process evaluation component of the Process and Outcome Evaluation of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program. The process evaluation consisted of multiple methods to assess program fidelity: (a) observations of G.R.E.A.T. Officer Trainings (G.O.T); (b) surveys and interviews of G.R.E.A.T.-trained officers and supervisors; (c) surveys of school personnel; and (d) ‘‘on-site,’’ direct observations of officers delivering the G.R.E.A.T. program in the study sites. Results illustrate a high level of program fidelity, providing greater confidence in any subsequent outcome results.
Control of Surface Acoustic Waves with Distributed Varactors

A distributed Schottky barrier varactor junction is described, capable of varying the electrical boundary conditions seen by a surface wave propagating on a piezoelectric medium. Control of the acoustic wave is evidenced by almost 180/spl deg/ of phase shift in 1.75 mm of interaction length at 54 MHz.
Mark and His Readers: The Son of God among Greeks and Romans

In his influential work, Kyrios Christos, Wilhelm Bousset confessed that he had vacillated and was still vacillating on the question of whether the creation of the title υἱoς θɛo⋯ (“Son of God”) as an epithet for Jesus ought to be attributed to the earliest community of his followers in Palestine. He tentatively took the position that the oldest community of followers of Jesus described him as the παῖς θɛo⋯ (“Servant of God”) in a messianic interpretation of the servant-poems of Second Isaiah. This epithet, he thought, was in considerable tension with the notion of Jesus as the Son of God, making it unlikely that both epithets originated in the same context. He argued that the statement of the divine voice in the scenes of baptism and transfiguration, “You are my Son,” is a tradition that circulated in the earliest community but that this address is a far cry from the title “Son of God.” He was thus inclined to conclude that this title originated “on Greek ground, in the Greek language.” He argued that the confession of Jesus as the Son of God by the Gentile centurion in Mark 15:39 cannot be understood as a recognition of Jesus as the Jewish messiah. Rather, “Son of God” was the formula chosen by the evangelist to express the identity of Jesus Christ for the faith of the Gentile Christian community.
Connecting Cues: Overlapping Regularities Support Cue Discovery in Infancy

The present work examined the discovery of linguistic cues during a word segmentation task. Whereas previous studies have focused on sensitivity to individual cues, this study addresses how individual cues may be used to discover additional, correlated cues. Twenty-four 9-month-old infants were familiarized with a speech stream in which syllable-level transitional probabilities and an overlapping novel cue served as cues to word boundaries. Infants’ behavior at test indicated that they were able to discover the novel cue. Additional experiments showed that infants did not have a preexisting preference for specific test items and that transitional probability information was necessary to acquire the novel cue. Results suggest one way learners can discover relevant linguistic structure amid the multiple overlapping properties of natural language.
Comparison of two alignment techniques within a single complex data set: POY versus Clustal

Sensitivity analyses can be performed with respect to different methodologies, differential analytical parameters or models within a single methodology, or alignment parameters. The latter investigations are particularly relevant when divergence and/or the size of molecular data sets make alignment of sequences difficult. Sensitivity analyses are often performed for analyses incorporating Direct Optimization (via POY), either to select optimal alignment parameters or to investigate the stability of topology across parameter sets. Such investigations are rarely, if ever, performed for Clustal alignments as some manual adjustments are nearly always incorporated in the final alignment. Exploration of the performance of both POY and Clustal for a large insect data set incorporating three genes (18S, 28S, H3) and morphology reveals that the performance of POY, as measured by and ILD metric, is predictable across the landscape topology with minimal incongruence when all parameters are treated equally. In contrast, Clustal alignment followed by parsimony analysis yields a landscape with less overall variance, but less predictable behaviour across the parameter topology. © The Willi Hennig Society 2005.