cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theory of the nonequilibrium phase transition for nematic liquid crystals under shear flow

We consider the impact of shear flow on the isotropic-nematic transition in crystalline liquids by generalizing Leslie-Ericksen dynamics of nematic systems to include amplitude and biaxial degrees of freedom. Neglecting fluctuations, we find steady-state solutions to the equations of motion for the nematic order parameter and fluid velocity and interpret them in terms of nonequilibrium steady states. We predict a transition temperature increasing with shear rate up to a nonequilibrium critical point, and discuss the singular behavior of the order parameter and external stress near this point.
Interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy

Interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy provides high-resolution three-dimensional optical images of semitransparent samples with large depth of field without scanning the focal plane. ISAM theory and experiments will be discussed.
Use of Stent Grafts in Lower Extremity Trauma

Background Permanent endovascular stenting is gradually becoming recognized as a safe and efficacious method for treating a variety of arterial diseases. The literature on its application in trauma care is sparse, although indications for usage continue to evolve. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all penetrating extremity trauma treated with endovascular therapy at our medical center between 2005 and 2008. Results We present three patients with three different arterial lesions in the superficial femoral artery (SFA) which were caused by penetrating injury. The arterial lesions include a mid-thigh SFA pseudoaneurysm, an intimal disruption of the distal SFA, and an arteriovenous fistula involving the SFA and superficial femoral vein. All were treated with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents and showed excellent short-term results. A percutaneous approach to this problem may reduce blood loss, decrease length of stay, involve fewer iatrogenic nerve injuries, and facilitate shorter recovery time, as compared with open approaches. Conclusions Endovascular-covered stent placement for traumatic arterial extremity injury was used with excellent results and no morbidity in this small series of patients. Endovascular solutions for arterial extremity injuries warrant further investigation for short- and long-term results.
Comparison of the corrosion behavior of a bulk amorphous metal, Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5, with its crystallized form

Amorphous metals have generated much interest, both in basic research and for structural applications, because of their near-theoretical strength to stiffness ratio and extremely low damping characteristics. In addition, a number of amorphous metals exhibit excellent corrosion resistance, which has been explained in terms of their structural homogeneity. Since amorphous metals are in principle structurally and chemically homogeneous and thus lack any microstructure, such as grain boundaries, which could act as local electrochemically-active sites, many researchers attribute good corrosion resistance to the entire class of amorphous metals. It is this point, whether the amorphous condition itself confers improved corrosion resistance, that the authors examine in the present note.
Hematology of Striped Bass in Fresh Water

Abstract Eight hematological characteristics were measured on a total of 40 adult striped bass (Morone saxatilis) taken during four collections from three freshwater reservoirs. The range of mena hematological values from the four samples was as follows: hematocrit 31-38%, hemoglobin 7-11 g/100 mL, plasmaosmolality 321-381 mOs, plasma chloride 129-156 meq/L, plasma glucose 77-118 mg/100 mL, plasma cortisol 0.77 -6.33 µg/100 mL, total plasma protein 4.3 -4.9 g/100 mL, and total plasma cholesterol 322-499 mg/100 mL. These means generally fell within the range of means reported for apparently healthy striped bass from salt water. The variability within our samples was comparable to the variability associated with same measurements or fish held under controlled laboratory conditions. We attribute this to the rapid collection and preparation technique we employed in the field. No consistent pattern in the differences between collections was discerned and they may be attributed to normal variations due to seaso...
Changes in dissolved organic material determine exposure of stream benthic communities to UV-B radiation and heavy metals: Implications for climate change

Changes in regional climate in the Rocky Mountains over the next 100 years are expected to have significant effects on biogeochemical cycles and hydrological processes. In particular, decreased discharge and lower stream depth during summer when ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is the highest combined with greater photo-oxidation of dissolved organic materials (DOM) will significantly increase exposure of benthic communities to UVR. Communities in many Rocky Mountain streams are simultaneously exposed to elevated metals from abandoned mines, the toxicity and bioavailability of which are also determined by DOM. We integrated field surveys of 19 streams (21 sites) along a gradient of metal contamination with microcosm and field experiments conducted in Colorado, USA, and New Zealand to investigate the influence of DOM on bioavailability of heavy metals and exposure of benthic communities to UVR. Spatial and seasonal variation in DOM were closely related to stream discharge and significantly influenced heavy metal uptake in benthic organisms. Qualitative and quantitative changes in DOM resulting from exposure to sunlight increased UV-B (290‐320nm) penetration and toxicity of heavy metals. Results of microcosm experiments showed that benthic communities from a metal-polluted stream were tolerant of metals, but were more sensitive to UV-B than communities from a reference stream. We speculate that the greater sensitivity of these communities to UV-B resulted from costs associated with metal tolerance. Exclusion of UVR from 12 separate Colorado streams and from outdoor stream microcosms in New Zealand increased the abundance of benthic organisms (mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies) by 18% and 54%, respectively. Our findings demonstrate the importance of considering changes in regional climate and UV-B exposure when assessing the effects of local anthropogenic stressors.
Polycarbonates from 1,1‐dichloro‐2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)ethylene and bisphenol A: A highly flame‐resistant family of engineering thermoplastics

Although the preparation of polycarbonates based on bisphenol A and 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene was disclosed in 1964 by Porejko et al., little has been reported on their physical and flammability properties. To define the properties of this system these materials were prepared and evaluated. The results indicate that the copolymers and blends of the homopolycarbonates of the two different bisphenols result in transparent thermoplastics that have almost the same attractive physical properties as the homopolycarbonate from bisphenol A. In addition, many of these formulations possess flame-resistant properties that exceed those of other transparent thermoplastics; for example, highest OI and lowest smoke and lowest ratings in the ASTM E84 tunnel and E162 radiant panel tests. Preliminary bioassay results with rats of the products from 500°C air pyrolysis gave an ALC50 value greater than that of other common thermoplastics.
Environmental Pseudointeraction: The Effects of Ignoring the Scale of Environmental Heterogeneity in Competition Studies☆

Abstract Spatially explicit models of competition such as neighborhood and area-of-influence models are useful approaches for gaining insight into interactions between individual organisms. The environments in which these models are parameterized may be spatially heterogeneous. We demonstrate that, even in the absence of interaction between individuals, nonzero estimates of competitive or facilitative coefficients can result from environmental heterogeneity when densities are not experimentally imposed. We show this using a model of individual position and size in a simple environment composed of two patch types. Suppose two noninteracting species are intermixed in the study area and species 1 becomes established more readily in the patch type in which species 2 grows larger and has higher fecundity. Analyses that ignore environmental heterogeneity may indicate that species 1 facilitates species 2 because larger individuals of species 2 will tend to be associated with greater numbers of species 1. Similarly, environmental pseudocompetition can result if species 2 is more frequent among small individuals of species 1. The strength of the environmental pseudointeraction depends on (a) the magnitude of the size and fecundity differences between patch types, (b) the magnitude of the establishment differences between patch types, and (c) the size, relative to the environmental grain, of the neighborhood or quadrat used for sampling the number of competitor individuals.
Fermion Induced Spin of Solitons: Vacuum and Collective Aspects

Abstract We study quantization of collective rotational motions of a soliton in the presence of vacuum fluctuations of fermions coupled to the soliton's background field. Under certain consistency conditions, we express the canonically conjugate momentum (“spin”) of the soliton in terms of spectral properties of the Dirac hamiltonian describing the fermion-soliton interaction. In particular, if fermions belong to a double-valued representation of the considered rotation group, a soliton of a unit fermion number has a half-odd-integer spin.
Development of a phospholipidosis database and predictive quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models.

ABSTRACTDrug-induced phospholipidosis (PL) is a condition characterized by the accumulation of phospholipids and drug in lysosomes, and is found in a variety of tissue types. PL is frequently manifested in preclinical studies and may delay or prevent the development of pharmaceuticals. This report describes the construction of a database of PL findings in a variety of animal species and its use as a training data set for computational toxicology software. PL data and chemical structures were compiled from the published literature, existing pharmaceutical databases, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) internal reports yielding a total of 583 compounds suitable for modeling. The database contained 190 (33%) positive drugs and 393 (77%) negative drugs, of which 39 were electron microscopy–confirmed negative compounds and 354 were classified as negatives due to the absence of positive reported data. Of the 190 positive findings, 76 were electron microscopy confirmed and 114 were considered positive based o...
Is monopole core polarization important in the inelastic excitation of low lying 0+ states?☆

Abstract The monopole transition density between the ground and first excited 0 + states in 28 Si and 46 Ti is discussed. Both electron scattering and inelastic 3 He and α scattering support models of the state which use multiparticle-multihole configurations and disagree with macroscopic or 1 p 1 h models. Thus we conclude that the giant monopole admixture in the low lying 0 + states is small.
Precursor amino acid concentrations in normal weight bulimics and normal controls

Abstract 1. 1. CNS serotonergic neurotransmission has been implicated in the control of appetitive behavior. The ratio of plasma tryptophan (TRP) to other large neutral amino acids (LNAA) is believed to regulate CNS serotonin (5-HT) synthesis. 2. 2. After an overnight fast, plasma TRP ratios were determined in 23 normal weight bulimics and 7 normal controls. 3. 3. All subjects were assessed for mood disorder using a SADS interview and Beck Depression ratings. 4. 4. There was no significant difference in TRP ratios between bulimics and normal controls. TRP ratios in depressed bulimics were not significantly different from those of nondepressed bulimics. 5. 5. Potential abnormalities in CNS serotonergic function in bulimics are not reflected in decreased baseline TRP ratios. Further investigation of the dynamic serotonergic system may prove fruitful. 6. 6. Reduced availability of tryptophan for conversion to serotonin is not likely to be the postulated biological abnormality common to both depression and bulimia.
Friction between different wire-bracketconfigurations and materials

Friction opposes tooth motion whenever sliding mechanics is employed.Understanding what friction is and how to manage it is of paramount importance to the successful practitioner. In this article, the coefficients of friction are summarized between different arch wire-bracket couples as a function of material, geometric, and external parameters. From this vantage point, friction can then be evaluated within the context of other factors that affect sliding-binding and notching.
Feynman Path-Integral Calculation of the Polaron Effective Mass

In the expansion of the ground-state energy of a polaron in a weak magnetic field, the zeroth-order term is the polaron self-energy, while the first-order term is inversely proportional to the polaron effective mass. The effective mass so obtained is exactly equivalent to the freepolaron effective mass as defined by Fr\"ohlich. This equivalence principle is used to approximate the polaron effective mass by employing an approximate expression for the ground-state energy of a polaron in a weak magnetic field obtained by applying Feynman's path-integral variational method. The resultant polaron effective mass is found to be higher than Feynman's result by less than 1%.
Strategic Planning Openness: The Role of Top Team Demography

The effect of top management team demography on the strategic planning dimension of planning openness was examined in a sample of retail banks. The following demographic characteristics were analyzed: mean tenure, age, and education level, and heterogeneity on educational major and functional background. After controlling for firm size and performance volatility, low tenure mean, low education mean, and functional heterogeneity were found to have an influence on planning openness.
Bid-price control with origin–destination demand: A stochastic programming approach

A bid-price policy is a revenue management scheme in which the marginal value of an asset (eg, a seat on a plane) is used to determine when arriving customers should be permitted to purchase the asset. In essence, when the price that the customer offers exceeds the bid price, a sale takes place. In this paper, we consider a stochastic programming-based approach to bid-price computations. We develop our model based on uncertain demand between origin–destination (O–D) pairs, and explicitly recognise that multiple routes are available for each O–D pair. A simulation-based demonstration of our approach suggests that our proposed methodology performs well when compared to deterministically based bid price computations.
Decreased collagen mRNA and regression of cardiac fibrosis in the ventricular myocardium of the tight skin mouse following thyroid hormone treatment.

Objective: The aim was to study the effect of thyroid hormone on collagen gene expression in the myocardium of the tight skin mouse (TSK), a genetic model of myocardial fibrosis. Methods: Heterozygous male (TSK/+) (n=20) and normal (+/+) homozygous mice (n=20), 1.5-2 months old of the C57 BL/6 strain were studied. Ventricular hypertrophy following thyroid hormone treatment (L-thyroxine, 10 μg·100 g−1 body weight daily intraperitoneally) was examined by measurement of the heart weight/body weight ratios and histological changes. Expression of fibrillar collagen types I and III in the ventricular myocardium was examined by measurement of the abundance of their respective mRNAs. Collagen synthesis was examined by measurement of hydroxyproline. Deposition of collagen types was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. Expression of non-collagenous proteins, sarcomeric and cytoskeletal actin, was measured at the mRNA level. Results: After 12 days of treatment ventricular hypertrophy was induced in the heart of the TSK mice. The results of northern hybridisation analyses showed that in the hearts of TSK mice 24 h after thyroxine treatment the abundance of mRNA for pro α2 (I) collagen was decreased by 32% (p<0.05), pro α1 (III) collagen by 47% (p<0.002), cytoskeletal actin by 50% (p<0.005), and sarcomeric actin mRNA by 34% (p<0.01) compared to the untreated TSK mice. The abundance of mRNA for pro α2 (I) and pro α1 (III) collagens in the thyroxine treated TSK mice were nearly comparable to that in normal homozygous mice. In TSK mice which were treated for 12 d, collagen content of the ventricular myocardium, as determined by hydroxyproline measurements, was decreased by 22.5% (p<0.01) compared to that in the heart of normal homozygous mice. Conclusions: Effects of thyroid hormone on ventricular gene expression in TSK mice result in a diminished collagen mRNA and collagen content and the disappearance of cardiac fibrosis. Thyroid hormone may selectively prevent the induction of cardiac fibrosis and play an important role in regression of cardiac fibrosis via endocrine pathways.
Ultrasound monitoring of stress relaxation during laser cartilage reshaping: preliminary investigations

We used 5.0 MHz ultrasonic pulses to monitor stress relaxation in Nd:YAG (λ = 1.32 μm) laser irradiated porcine nasal septal cartilage. Cartilage is irradiated in both uniaxial compression and curved deformation. A thin beam load cell and IR thermocouple measure strain (Vpp) and temperature (°C), respectively. We show that the propagation speed of the ultrasonic pulse is indicative of permanent stress relaxation in porcine nasal septal cartilage.
Unique benefits of physician leadership – an American perspective

Purpose – This paper aims to present the argument that effective physician leadership is needed to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery in the USA and around the world. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on an in-depth literature review, interviews with physician leaders and a study of the competencies required for physicians to successfully lead healthcare organizations. Findings – The paper finds that a clear need exists for training to improve specific leadership competencies among physicians, regardless of their career stage or career path. Research limitations/implications – Limited research has been conducted on the value of physician leadership and its impact on quality outcomes and patient safety. Practical implications – This paper establishes the need for physician leadership in healthcare organizations. Social implications – This paper will influence public attitudes within the healthcare sphere on the value that physician leaders can bring to healthcare. Ori...
Diffusion of lithium-6 isotopes in lithium aluminate ceramics using neutron depth profiling

Abstract Lithium Ceramics offer tremendous potential as a source for the production of tritium ( 3 H) for fusion power reactors. Their successful application will depend to a great extent upon the diffusion properties of the 6 Li within the matrix. Consequently knowledge od 6 Li concentration gradients in the ceramic matrices is an important requirement in the continued development of the technology. In this investigation, the neutron depth profile (NDP) technique has been applied to the study of concentration profiles of 6 Li in lithium aluminate ceramics, doped with 1.8%, 50% and 95% 6 Li isotopic concentrations. Specimen for analysis were prepared at Battelle (PNL) as pellet discs. Samples for diffusion studies were arranged as diffusion couples in the following manner: 1.8% 6 Li discs/85% 6 Li powder. Experiments were performed at the Texas A&M Nuclear Science Center Reactor Building, utilizing 1 MW equivalent thermal neutron fluxes 3 × 10 11 n / m 2 s . The depth probed by the technique is approximately 15 μ.m. Diffusion coefficients are in the range of 2.1 × 10 −12 to 7.0 × 10 −11 m 2 s −1 for 1.8% 6 Li-doped ceramics annealed at 1200 and 1400° C, for 4 to 48-h anneal times.
Report on the Eighth Goettingen International Film Festival, 2006

The eighth Goettingen International Film Festival was held in May 2006 in Goettingen, Germany. Fifty-five films (of 275 submissions) were screened. Many of the films dealt with culture change. Most of the more purely documentary films were of considerable ethnographic interest, and the more explicitly ethnographic films were notable for the innovative ways that they explored reflexivity.
Respecting Embedded Disability

In certain ways, many disabilities seem to occupy a middle ground between illnesses like cancer and identity-traits like race: like illnesses, they can present a wide variety of obstacles in a range of social and natural environments and, insofar as they do, they are something we should prevent potential people from having for their own sake; at the same time, those same types of disabilities can be, like race, a valuable part of the identity of the persons who already have them. I consider this seemingly dual nature of a significant class of disabilities to attempt to understand the proper relation of those disabilities to persons and how we should value or respect them. I argue for a distinction between embedded disabilities (e.g. John's blindness) and general disabilities (e.g. blindness-in-general); importantly not everyone with a disability will turn out to have an embedded disability. I then show that expressing negative value judgments about general disabilities does not typically express disrespect for people with disabilities — thereby addressing a long-standing charge made by many in the disabilities community. Finally, I show that unlike with disabilities, expressing negative judgments about the general form of identity-traits like race does typically express disrespect for people with those identity-traits.
High-Speed Operation of Interband Cascade Lasers

High-speed interband cascade lasers have been fabricated and the first experimental evidence that these devices can be directly modulated at a frequency of 3.2 GHz and above is reported.
A polynomial approach to image processing and quadtrees

A polynomial-based method for processing binary images (both colored and monochrome) is developed. A hierarchical data structure in the form of a quadtree is presented to store and retrieve the binary images represented by polynomials in two variables. An algebraic operator is obtained to realize the contour of an image. >
Motivation and Creativity: Effects of Motivational Orientation on Creative Writers

This study directly tested the hypothesis that intrinsic motivation is conducive to creativity and extrinsic motivation is detrimental. Chosen because they identified themselves as actively involved in creative writing, 72 young adults participated in individual laboratory sessions where they were asked to write 2 brief poems. Before writing the second poem, subjects in an intrinsic orientation condition completed a questionnaire that focused on intrinsic reasons for being involved in writing. Subjects in an extrinsic orientation condition completed a questionnaire that focused on extrinsic reasons. Those in a control condition were not given a questionnaire on reasons for writing. Although there were no initial differences between conditions on prior involvement in writing or on creativity of the first poems written, there were significant differences in the creativity of the poems written after the experimental manipulations. Poems written under an extrinsic orientation were significantly less creative than those written in the other two conditions. Implications for social-psychological and individual-difference conceptions of creativity are discussed.
Travel Time Sensitivity Kernels

We derive, following the standard first Born approximation approach used in the geophysics literature, an expression for the travel time perturbation caused by a perturbation to sound speed. In our simple model we employ a point source at one point and calculate the time taken for a wave packet created at the source to move to a second point. In the first Born approximation the travel time delay caused by a perturbation to the background model can be expressed as the integral over the whole sun of some function, called the travel time sensitivity kernel, multiplied by the perturbation. The sensitivity kernels are zero along the geometrical ray connecting the two points and have maximum weight in a tube around the ray; they are the solar equivalent of ‘the banana-doughnut’ kernels discussed in the geophysics literature. Calculating sensitivity kernels that are more accurate than those derived from ray theory is important for the future of inversions done with time-distance helioseismology data as they will allow greater confidence in the results as well as increased resolution.
How many scientific papers should be retracted

Published scholarly articles commonly contain imperfections: punctuation errors, imprecise wording and occasionally more substantial flaws in scientific methodology, such as mistakes in experimental design, execution errors and even misconduct (Martinson et al , 2005). These imperfections are similar to manufacturing defects in man‐made machines: most are not dangerous but a small minority have the potential to cause a disaster (Wohn & Normile, 2006; Stewart & Feder, 1987). Retracting a published scientific article is the academic counterpart of recalling a flawed industrial product (Budd et al , 1998). However, not all articles that should be retracted are retracted. This is because the quality of a scientific article depends, among other things, on the effort and time invested in quality control. Mechanical micro‐fractures in turbojet components are detected more readily than those in sculptures, as airplane parts are typically subjected to much more rigorous testing for mechanical integrity. Similarly, articles published in more prominent scientific journals receive increased attention and a concomitant increase in the level of scrutiny. This therefore raises the question of how many articles would have to be retracted if the highest standards of screening were universally applied to all journals. PubMed provides us with …
Ellipsoidal InAs Quantum Dots.

Uses of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been explored for attractive applications such as quantum information processing, lasers and solar cells to name a few. However, their ability to become integrated with existing technologies depends on shape, composition and size, all of which play a role in modifying both the optical and electrical properties of the QDs. However, an in-depth understanding of the structure-property relationship of QDs is still lacking. In an effort to expand the understanding of this relationship, scientists from the Radboud University Nijmegen (The Netherlands), Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands) and the Ruhr-Universitat in Bochum (Germany) have employed the use of crosssectional scanning tunneling microscopy (X-STM), a technique perfected by Paul Koenraad’s group at the COBRA Inter-University Research Institute in Eindhoven, to investigate and determine the structural composition of InAs QDs. The results of the work entitled, ‘‘Ellipsoidal InAs quantum dots observed by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy’’ was published in Applied Physics Letters. ‘‘We were surprised to find that the shape and composition deviate strongly from those which are usually used’’, says Janneke Blokland, PhD student at the Nijmegen High Field Magnet Laboratory (HFML) and first author of the paper. ‘‘The dots have an ellipsoidal shape and turned out to be much taller and with a stronger indium gradient than expected’’. The report was very interesting since both the optical and electrical properties of the ellipsoidal QDs were earlier determined and reported in a Physical Review B paper ‘‘Hole levels in InAs self-assembled quantum dots’’. ‘‘This is the first time that structural and spectroscopic properties of quantum dots are experimentally combined’’, says Peter Christianen, associate professor at the HFML Nijmegen. According to Christianen, spectroscopic data was only recently explained by theoretical models with the use of the QD dimension and composition as fitting parameters. ‘‘These simple models resulted in dot parameters that are really different than the ones we have found now’’ explains Christianen to Nanospotlight. ‘‘With our unique combination of spectroscopy and X-STM experiments on the same QDs, we make it possible to really test advanced theoretical models to understand the underlying physics at the nanoscale and use this knowledge to improve the performance of future devices’’.
Heat shock element architecture is an important determinant in the temperature and transactivation domain requirements for heat shock transcription factor.

The baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae possesses a single gene encoding heat shock transcription factor (HSF), which is required for the activation of genes that participate in stress protection as well as normal growth and viability. Yeast HSF (yHSF) contains two distinct transcriptional activation regions located at the amino and carboxyl termini. Activation of the yeast metallothionein gene, CUP1, depends on a nonconsensus heat shock element (HSE), occurs at higher temperatures than other heat shock-responsive genes, and is highly dependent on the carboxyl-terminal transactivation domain (CTA) of yHSF. The results described here show that the noncanonical (or gapped) spacing of GAA units in the CUP1 HSE (HSE1) functions to limit the magnitude of CUP1 transcriptional activation in response to heat and oxidative stress. The spacing in HSE1 modulates the dependence for transcriptional activation by both stresses on the yHSF CTA. Furthermore, a previously uncharacterized HSE in the CUP1 promoter, HSE2, modulates the magnitude of the transcriptional activation of CUP1, via HSE1, in response to stress. In vitro DNase I footprinting experiments suggest that the occupation of HSE2 by yHSF strongly influences the manner in which yHSF occupies HSE1. Limited proteolysis assays show that HSF adopts a distinct protease-sensitive conformation when bound to the CUP1 HSE1, providing evidence that the HSE influences DNA-bound HSF conformation. Together, these results suggest that CUP1 regulation is distinct from that of other classic heat shock genes through the interaction of yHSF with two nonconsensus HSEs. Consistent with this view, we have identified other gene targets of yHSF containing HSEs with sequence and spacing features similar to those of CUP1 HSE1 and show a correlation between the spacing of the GAA units and the relative dependence on the yHSF CTA.
The effect of high fat diet on the behavioral patterns of male rats.

Abstract Male albino rats were made obese by a high fat diet (40% by weight) initiated either after weaning or at adulthood. The behavioral characteristics of these obese male rats on those tasks which differentiate the VMH lesioned rats from control rats were compared to those of normal rats. It was found that dietary obese male rats were not finicky to quinine adulteration or sugar solution; they did not overreact to shock stimulation by performing better in the shuttle box, and did not drink more “shocked” water. The behavior of dietary obese male rats did not differ from normals in activity level and in food motivated operant behavior. No behavioral differences between early and late onset obese groups were found. The discrepancy in results between the present experiment and those previously reported and the possible physiological background are discussed.
Reasoning with simplifying assumptions: a methodology and example

Simplifying assumptions are a powerful technique for dealing with complexity, which is used in all branches of science and engineering. This work develops a formal account of this technique in the context of heuristic search and automated reasoning. We also present a methodology for choosing appropriate simplifying assumptions in specific domains, and demonstrate the use of this methodology with an example of reasoning about typed partial functions in an automated programming assistant.
Precepts, paragans, and practice: the effects of various methods of nutrition instruction on attitudes, knowledge, and behavior.

Summary A field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of adding specific behavioral instructions to a persuasive manipulation. Fifty-seven South American mothers of malnourished children served as Ss in a repeated measures design. Both attitudes and general nutritional information increased significantly more following any type of classroom instruction than after no treatment. Groups receiving specific instructions on how to perform the target behaviors made significantly greater gains in task specific knowledge than Ss receiving no treatment. Task specification tended to effect greater behavior change than control conditions. The need for directly assessing the behavioral outcome of persuasive manipulations, rather than depending upon unvalidated verbal measures is stressed, and the role of task specification in effecting behavioral, as well as attitudinal, change discussed.
Mini x-ray imaging based on safely shielded pure beta radioisotopes

This paper reports preliminary experimental results confirming the feasibility of a miniaturized x-ray imaging system utilizing safely shielded pure beta radioisotopes with a volume of only 3.77cm3. The traditional power hungry and complex electron accelerator setup is replaced with an initially high-energy (709keV) electron emitting radioisotope source, and this paper presents the first x-ray imaging results with a <;200μm resolution (limited by test setup) from micro-packaged radioisotopes. Geometry and materials of the shielding structure is proposed based on Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulator software. The same simulator is also utilized to look into future tunability of such a system by swapping different metals as a planar target.
Sublethal effects of malathion on boll weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) fecundity when maintained on cotton squares or artificial diet

Mated 3-day-old female boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman, reared from field-infested cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) squares were topically treated with an estimated LD50 of malathion (2 μg) to assess its effects on fecundity, oviposition, and body fat condition. Two different food sources, cotton squares and artificial diet, were assessed in malathion-treated and nontreated (control) weevils. The LD50 caused ∼50% mortality in the square-fed malathion treatment, but the artificial diet-fed malathion-treated weevils were less susceptible. LD50 survivors fed on the squares produced ≥ 9 times more chorionated eggs in the ovaries and oviposited ≥ 19-fold more than survivors fed artificial diet, regardless of the malathion treatment. Boll weevils that survived a 2 μg LD50 malathion and also fed squares were ∼4.5-fold leaner than diet-fed weevils. Our findings demonstrate that non-resistant boll weevils surviving a sublethal dose of malathion will reproduce without any delay or significant loss in fecundity, and the food source for which boll weevils are maintained when conducting these assays will directly affect the results. The significance of these findings and how they are related to the final stages of eradicating the boll weevil from the US are discussed.
Genome-wide gene expression profiling in children with non-obese obstructive sleep apnea.

Abstract Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a multi-factorial and highly prevalent disorder in which both genetic and environmental factors may be involved. If left untreated, OSA may lead to significant cardiovascular and neurocognitive and behavioral morbidities. We hypothesized that pediatric OSA would lead to altered gene expression in circulating leukocytes. Methods and results Oligonucleotide-based microarray technology was used to identify mRNAs that may be differentially regulated in non-obese children with polysomnographically-established OSA compared to matched control children. Total morning blood RNA from 40 children (20 OSA and 20 controls) was extracted, labeled, and hybridized onto independent oligonucleotide-based microarrays. Of the 44,000 transcripts, 1217 transcripts were differentially expressed in OSA ( p -value Conclusions RNA derived from peripheral leukocytes confirms the presence of altered expression of functionally relevant gene clusters in pediatric OSA. Large-scale genomic approaches may provide further insights into adaptive and end-organ injury related mechanisms in the context of OSA in children.
Modeling the impacts of no-till practice on soil erosion and sediment yield with RUSLE, SEDD, and ArcView GIS

The revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE), the sediment delivery distributed (SEDD) model, and ArcView GIS were used to estimate the impacts of no-till practice on soil erosion and sediment yield in Pataha Creek Watershed, a typical dryland agricultural watershed in southeastern Washington. The results showed that the average cell soil loss decreased from 11.09 to 3.10 t/ha yr for the whole watershed and from 17.67 to 3.89 t/ha yr for the croplands under the no-till scenario. Likewise, the average cell sediment yield decreased from 4.71 to 1.49 t/ha yr for the entire watershed and from 7.11 to 1.55 t/ha yr for the croplands under no-till practices. The major reason why no-till practice can significantly reduce the soil erosion and sediment yield is that it prevents rill generation which through rill erosion ultimately contributes up to 90% of the soil erosion in the Inland Pacific Northwest region.
Market Inequality and Redistribution in Latin America and the Caribbean

This article analyzes how politics influences Latin American and Caribbean income inequality. Most studies view the distributional process in two phases with inequality shaped first by markets and then by state redistribution. Typically, cross-national analyses of inequality limit the influence of politics to the redistributive phase. But we argue that a full understanding of how government affects inequality must also consider how politics shapes the market. While redistribution is undoubtedly an important mechanism employed by government to influence distributional outcomes, we find that inequality produced by the market is more responsive to politics than is redistribution. Left partisan power and public investment in human capital significantly reduce inequality in the market phase. In addition, social spending on human capital conditions the effect of economic growth. As human capital investment increases, growth becomes more equality enhancing, providing further evidence of the market conditioning e...
The GLI-Kruppel Family of Human Genes

Previous characterization of GLI, a gene found to be amplified and expressed in a subset of human brain tumors, revealed the presence of five tandem zinc fingers related to those of Kruppel (Kr), a Drosophila segmentation gene of the gap class. We have used the GLI cDNA as a molecular probe to isolate related sequences from the human genome. Partial characterization of six related loci, including sequence determination, expression studies, and chromosome localization, revealed that each locus could encode a separate finger protein. The predicted proteins all had similar H-C links, i.e., a conserved stretch of 9 amino acids connecting the C-terminal histidine of one finger to the N-terminal cysteine of the next. On the basis of amino acid sequence and intron-exon organization, the genes could be placed into one of two subgroups: the GLI subgroup (with the consensus finger amino acid sequence [Y/F]XCX3GCX3[F/Y]X5LX2HX3-4H[T/S]GEKP) or the Kr subgroup (with the consensus finger amino acid sequence [Y/F]XCX2CX3FX5LX2HXRXHTGEKP). Unlike GLI or Kr, most of the newly isolated genes were expressed in many adult tissues. The predicted proteins probably control the expression of other genes and, by analogy with Kr and GLI, may be important in human development, tissue-specific differentiation, or neoplasia.
Race, Language, and Schooling in Italy’s Immigrant Policies, Public Discourses, and Pedagogies

0 In this article, we use the framework of critical race theory (CRT) to show how race, language, and schooling have played out in the historical project of the Italian nation-state. We then demonstrate how this historic racialized identity construction is currently excluding immigrants from Italian national identity. Finally, we argue that CRT can be a valuable alternative to intercultural education in that it both addresses the educational needs of immigrant and minority students in Italian schools and challenges racist and anti-immigrant discourses circulating in the broader society. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
Marine Hard Mineral Resources - Progress and Problems

Since 1966, the scientific study of ferromanganese nodules has firmly established their economic grade, their metals content, and their geographic distribution for priority mining efforts. Although not known in 1966, the recent discovery of polymetallic sulfides at spreading centers promises to overshadow manganese nodules, and such sulfides may, indeed, be the first deep sea deposits to be mined. Marine placers have continued to be important economic targets, mainly for noble metals, but they have been confined in both exploration and exploitation, to coastal state waters. With new R & D that will solve problems in how to locate specific placer commodities, we anticipate exploration to soon extend to the OCS. Phosphorite deposits may prove economical to develop by the end of this decade, but, for metalliferous muds, it is doubtful they will be found in US EEZ waters. Considering that some ten commodity minerals and metals are found in deep sea deposits, but that some twenty metals are found in inshore and shelf deposits, and that the cost to initiate shelf mining is modest, it is suggested that this nation pursue a vigorous program in shelf mining as a first priority. In regard to seafloor mineral resources as an alternative source of strategic minerals, the most promising potential is for placers (platinum group, titanium, zirconium, rare earths, niobium and tin), followed by shallow-shelf lodes (barite and copper), and, finally, deep sea rift deposits (transition metals, rare earths and platinum group). This nation should assess the potential for these strategic metals, in this decade. In considering marine placers in the global generation of new wealth, particular attention should be given to training the nationals of the smaller and emerging nations. To overcome the technological constraints on marine mining, we must devise new in-situ metal sensing systems, new fine-particle recovery systems, new machines for mining under ice and in deep rift valleys beneath the sea, and we need to devise new exploration approaches, including technology transfer from other sources. Not least, to ensure a supply of trained personnel, we recommend the establishment of an academic center of excellence that would work cooperatively with government and industry in training students. In looking ahead to the year 2000, the most promising sites for U.S. marine mining developments are the rift spreading centers of the Pacific, the Bering Sea inshore, the slopes of insular possessions in the Pacific, the Common wealth of the Northern Marianas, and at specific sites off Maine, the S.E. Atlantic Coast, Texas, California, Oregon-Washington, and throughout theTrust Territory. Lastly, government must support marine mining with helpful legislation, wise regulation, elimination of unnecessary red tape, and the sharing of expertise, assistance, and commitment.
Transient increase in alcohol self-administration following a period of chronic exposure to corticosterone.

Stressful life events and chronic stressors have been associated with escalations in alcohol drinking. Stress exposure leads to the secretion of glucocorticoids (cortisol in the human; corticosterone (CORT) in the rodent). To model a period of heightened elevations in CORT, the present work assessed the effects of chronic exposure to the stress hormone CORT on alcohol self-administration. Male Long Evans rats were trained to self-administer a sweetened alcohol solution (2% sucrose/15% alcohol) resulting in moderate levels of daily alcohol intake (0.5–0.7 g/kg). Following stable baseline operant self-administration, rats received CORT in the drinking water for 7 days. A transient increase in alcohol self-administration was observed on the first self-administration session following CORT exposure, and behavior returned to control levels by the second session. Control experiments determined that this increase in alcohol self-administration was specific to alcohol, unrelated to general motor activation, and functionally dissociated from decreased CORT levels at the time of testing. These results indicate that repeated exposure to heightened levels of stress hormone (e.g., as may be experienced during stressful episodes) has the potential to lead to exacerbated alcohol intake in low to moderate drinkers. Given that maladaptive drinking patterns, such as escalated alcohol drinking following stressful episodes, have the potential to put an individual at risk for future drinking disorders, utilization of this model will be important for examination of neuroadaptations that occur as a consequence of CORT exposure in order to better understand escalated drinking following stressful episodes in nondependent individuals.
Stability Study of EBC/TBC Hybrid System on Si-based Ceramics in Gas Turbines

Currently, ceramics are being used under increasingly demanding environments. These materials have to exhibit phase stability and resist chemical attack during service. This research involves the study of the high-temperature stability of ceramic materials in gas turbines. SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are being increasingly used in the hot-sections of gas turbines, especially for aerospace applications. These CMCs are prone to recession of their surface if exposed to a flow of high-velocity water vapor, and to hot-corrosion when exposed to molten alkali salts. The objective of this investigation was the development of a hybrid system containing an environmental barrier coating (EBC) for protection of the CMC from chemical attack and a thermal barrier coating (TBC) that allows a steep temperature gradient across it to lower the temperature of the CMC for increased lifetimes. The EBC used was a functionally graded mullite (3Al2O3∙2SiO2) coating deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), while the TBC layer was yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) deposited by air plasma spray (APS). The stability of this system was investigated, via adhesion between the two coating layers and the substrate, the physical and chemical stability of each layer at high temperature, and the performance under severe thermal shock and exposure to hot corrosion.