cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
4.7 – Hearing

The chapter begins with a description of the subjective experience of hearing: pitch, timbre, and loudness. Loudness is measured in decibels relative to a standard. The structure of the ear is reviewed: outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The impedance matching system of tympanic membrane, ossicles, oval window, and cochlear fluid is discussed. The structure of the cochlea and the organ of Corti is described. The multiple afferent innervation of the row of single inner hair cells is contrasted with the multiple efferent innervation of the row of triple outer hair cells. The tonotopic mapping of the cochlea and its preservation all along the pathway to the auditory cortex within the lateral fissure or Sylvian sulcus are discussed. The mechanism of sound transduction is also discussed, along with the peculiar high [K+] composition and positive potential of the endolymph and the tip links linking the kinocilium to the other stereocilia. The pathway leading from the spiral ganglion cells to the primary auditory cortex is drawn.
Dynamical Systems and Planar Autonomous Equations

Basic concepts for dynamical systems are introduced. The Poincare–Bendixson theorem is proved and used to study the existence and orbital stability of periodic solutions for planar equations. Invariant manifolds for n-dimensional nonlinear equations are investigated.
Sample-Path Analysis of Queues

In this paper we provide a survey of sample-path methods in queueing theory, particularly in connection with “distribution-free” analysis such as (i) relations between customer averages and time averages, such as L = λW (Little’s formula); (ii) relations between the stationary distribution of a process and an imbedded process; and (iii) the phenomenon of insensitivity.
Route finder: efficiently finding k shortest paths using constraint programming

In this paper, we describe a Constraint Programming (CP) route finding application for a container transportation company. Mathematically, this amounts to finding the k shortest paths in a directed graph. However the nature of the business constraints rule out known algorithms such as Dijkstra's. Indeed, one cannot unfold all constraints into a directed graph as the resulting graph would be too large. Given an origin and destination (two places), the problem is to decide which ships should be used (routes), and when and where the containers should be loaded from one ship to another (connections), while satisfying many business rules specified by the transportation company. The CP model described in this paper is quite simple, it doesn't use any specialized constraints, but it is surprisingly effective. Queries for the best route are answered in a matter of a second or fraction of a second, although the problem is very large: around 900 places, 2,300 routes, 22,000 connections and 4,200 business rules. The system gracefully handles 100,000 requests a day on a single server.
Dynamic fuzzy logic leads to more adequate 'and' and 'or' operations

In the traditional static fuzzy logic approach, we select an 'and'-operation t-norm and an 'or'-operation t-conorm. The result of applying these selected operations may be somewhat different from the actual expert's degrees of belief in the corresponding logical combinations A&B and A _ B of the original statements - since these degrees depend not only on the expert's degrees of belief in statements A and B, but also in the extent to which the statements A and B are dependent. We show that dynamic fuzzy logic enables us to automatically take this dependence into account - and thus, leads to more adequate 'and'-and 'or'-operations.
Validation of Fish Toxicity QSARs for Certain Non-Reactive Non-Electrolyte Organic Compounds

A comparison was made of the predicted fish LC50 values for five classes of non-reactive non-electrolyte herbicides with measured data. The predictions were based upon the log P parameter and the QSAR equation of Konemann. The required log P values were obtained from experimental measurements, or else, calculated directly from chemical structures using the CLOGP computer program. The analysis was performed on a total of 37 chemicals and 49 fish LC50 tests. Several herbicides were considerably less toxic to fish than predicted by the QSAR equation. These results were interpreted in terms of limiting water solubility, even in the presence of organic carrier solvents employed in the fish toxicity testing.
Secretin: An Old Hormone with a Burning Secret

Most theories of meal-induced thermogenesis involve a gut-brain-brown adipose tissue axis driving sympathetic nervous system-mediated thermogenesis. Li et al. demonstrate that secretin released by the gut after a meal binds to abundant receptors in brown adipose tissue to stimulate thermogenesis, inhibiting food intake and thereby suggesting a novel role for secretin regulating satiety.
Technology neutrality as a practice: A discussion of two UK interventions on broadband and associated outcomes

This paper discusses two market interventions in the United Kingdom (UK) to spur activity and growth in the UK fixed-line broadband markets – local loop unbundling (LLU) and the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) Superfast Broadband programme. With each of these interventions, the intervening agencies identified the outcomes in terms of specific end-user service objectives such as bandwidth, network coverage or availability rather than underlying technology i.e. both interventions were technology neutral. The paper explores the extent to which technology neutrality as a practice was relevant to the intended outcomes. It does so by combining desk research with the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the interventions. This discussion is informed by ideas related to the Osborne effect and identifies a mixed picture of outcomes that needs further investigation.
Combined modality therapy for poorly differentiated gliomas of the posterior fossa in children: a Children's Cancer Group report.

Purpose: To study the effectiveness of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy for children with high-grade astrocytomas of the posterior fossa.
Does the Gendered Approach of Bystander Programs Matter in the Prevention of Sexual Assault Among Adolescents and College Students? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sexual assault is a significant problem among adolescents and college students in the U.S. One promising strategy for preventing sexual assault is the implementation of bystander programs, which encourage young people to intervene when witnessing incidents or warning signs of sexual assault. The evidence base for the effectiveness of bystander programs appears to be promising, but we know little about which programs are most effective in preventing sexual assault. This is a significant oversight, as bystander programs vary in content, particularly in their gendered framing of sexual assault. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we synthesized high-quality research examining the effects of bystander programs on (1) bystander intervention and (2) self-reported perpetration of sexual assault. Paying special attention to a gendered approach as a moderator of program effects, we synthesized data from 14 independent studies (N = 7881). Twelve studies were randomized controlled trials and two used high-quality quasi-experimental designs. Findings indicated that bystander programs have a significant, desirable effect on bystander intervention, but no significant effect on sexual assault perpetration. Despite calls for sex-segregated implementation of sexual assault programs, we found no evidence that method of implementation (i.e., individual, single-sex group, mixed-sex group) moderated the effect of bystander programs on bystander intervention. Additionally, we found no evidence that gendered framing of sexual assault (i.e., portraying sexual assault as a gender-neutral problem or a gendered problem overwhelmingly affecting young women) moderated the effect of bystander programs.
Acute kidney injury and cardiac arrhythmia as the presenting features of widespread diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma, the most common adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is a proliferative neoplasm of enlarged B cells. Patients may be asymptomatic on presentation, but if present, symptoms often correlate with direct organ dysfunction resulting from the site of involvement. While the gastrointestinal system is the most common site of extranodal involvement, virtually any part of the body can be infiltrated by malignant lymphocytes. Here, we present an unusual case of cardiac and bilateral renal involvement by Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma in a 78-year-old male with a relatively unremarkable medical history. This combination of organ involvement and the resulting clinical symptoms are uncommonly described in the literature. The patient was treated for his symptoms prior to death, but the underlying cause that explained his presentation was not identified until performance of an autopsy. As such, this case demonstrates the utility of the medical autopsy, a gold standard in diagnostic medicine that can provide a variety of benefits in today's healthcare system.
Persistently-Secure Processors: Challenges and Opportunities for Securing Non-Volatile Memories

Emerging Non-Volatile Memories (NVMs) are getting close to their mass production stage. The persistence feature of NVMs enables many interesting applications and capabilities such as fast restoration, staging and direct access of persistent files. On the other hand, data persistence enlarges the attack surface due to data remanence. Additionally, since the memory data is expected to be restored, any accompanying security metadata must be recovered and restored correctly. While the main concepts of secure processors have been there for decades, designing persistently secure processors that are able to maintain security across system crashes/reboots is particularly challenging due to the trade-offs between write-endurance, resilience, performance and security. In this paper, we discuss the recent advances in this domain, challenges and future research opportunities.
Optimal pricing and environmental improvement for a hazardous waste disposal supply chain with emission penalties

Abstract Hazardous waste management has become a municipal problem, associated with industrial development and changing consumption patterns. We study the hazardous waste management system as a supply chain with a disposal facility and a contractor, which serves customers with demand sensitive to price and environment impact. The government intervenes with this supply chain by imposing emission penalties that make the waste disposal facility responsible for reducing disposal process emissions. The Stackelberg game and Nash equilibrium are used to model the decision-making sequence between the disposal facility and the contractor. We specify different scenarios to model the hazardous waste management supply chain. The goal of this research is to find the optimal disposal service price and level of environmental improvement to mitigate adverse impacts and maximize profits. The applicability of dual-channel service in the hazardous waste supply chain is also investigated. Our study shows that the supply chain obtains the highest profit if both the disposal facility and the contractor operate in a centralized model. Under some scenarios, profitability improves if the disposal facility becomes active in waste collection and transportation under a dual-channel supply-chain model. Demand sensitivity to price and environmental impacts can affect the adopted level of improvement by disposal facilities.
The Adolescent Peer System and Academic Engagement

Peers are central in shaping adolescents’ development across various domains. This research examined patterns of peer system resources and liabilities, and their association with academic adjustmen...
Interpreting pathogen genetic diversity during measles epidemics

Abstract While measles remains endemic in parts of the world, efforts to eliminate measles transmission continue, and viral sequence data may shed light on progress towards these goals. Genetic diversity has been used as a proxy for disease prevalence; however, seasonally-driven disease dynamics are typically characterized by deep population bottlenecks between epidemics, which severely disrupt the genetic signal. Here, we simulate measles metapopulation dynamics, and show that it is the population bottleneck, rather than epidemic size, which plays the largest role in observed pathogen diversity. While high levels of vaccination greatly reduces measles diversity, paradoxically, diversity increases with intermediate levels of vaccination, despite reducing incidence. We examined diversity and incidence using published data to compare our simulated outcomes with real observations, finding a significant relationship between harmonic mean incidence and genetic diversity. Our study demonstrates that caution should be taken when interpreting pathogen diversity, particularly for short-term, local dynamics.
Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy of amyloid-β deposits in vivo

Advances in high-resolution imaging have permitted microscopic observations within the brains of living animals. Applied to Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse models, multiphoton microscopy has opened a new window to study the real-time appearance and growth of amyloid plaques. Here, we report an alternative technology-optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM)-for in vivo imaging of amyloid plaques in a transgenic AD mouse model. In vivo validation using multiphoton microscopy shows that OR-PAM has sufficient sensitivity and spatial resolution to identify amyloid plaques in living brains. In addition, with dual-wavelength OR-PAM, the three-dimensional morphology of amyloid plaques and the surrounding microvasculature are imaged simultaneously through a cranial window. In vivo transcranial OR-PAM imaging of amyloid plaques is highly likely once the imaging parameters are optimized.
Optical computation for complex OCT

We describe an innovative optical computation technology that performs Fourier transform optically for complex optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. We demonstrated amplitude and phase imaging experimentally using OCT data generated by optical computation.
Threat model for securing internet of things (IoT) network at device-level

Abstract The Internet of Things (IoT) creates a theoretical bridge between end-users and the digital world. The IoT embodies a massive group of interconnected computing devices embedded with software, processors, and sensors capable of exchanging and transmitting data over a network infrastructure. IoT technology has become prevalent among central domains such as healthcare, commerce, and home. However, the IoT can often be thought of as a double-edged sword, in that it both assists with advancements in the respective fields and poses a potential risk. The rapid expansion of the IoT raises concern, in many cases, security tends to lag behind innovation in the global marketplace. Moreover, the United States government has not established stringent regulations that oversee IoT devices. Our research analyzes critical devices and the associated vulnerabilities and highlights the need for implementation of rigorous security controls. Furthermore, our research evaluates attack vectors for IoT devices that encompass three central domains, including healthcare, commerce, and home. A synopsis of our contributions include identification of vulnerabilities at the device-level; investigation of security threats created due to known vulnerabilities; application of appropriate security controls to closeout vulnerabilities and minimize the possibility of a threat occurring. Finally, specifically tailored case studies, designed to illustrate how our recommendations can be used to mitigate threats.
Genomics of Visceral Pain

Visceral pain is one of the most common pain conditions and among the top causes of disability worldwide. Visceral pain may be associated with a specific pathology such as gastroenteritis, inflammatory conditions; however, most chronic visceral pain does not have an identifiable pathophysiological origin that is known. The characterization of visceral pain in terms of location, intensity, and severity of symptoms for phenotyping and investigation of underlying mechanisms is of upmost important to better understand not only the underlying mechanisms but ultimately the treatment for this chronic debilitating painful symptom. The following chapter will review the state-of-the-science on the genomics of visceral pain and comorbid symptoms (stress and sleep disturbance) and review methods of phenotyping visceral pain and the multi-omic methods for measurement. Additional focus will include current challenges and areas of future discovery.
Speech motor behavior can be altered through reinforcement learning

Reinforcement learning, the ability to change motor behavior based on external reward, has been suggested to play a critical role in early stages of speech motor development and is widely used in clinical rehabilitation for speech motor disorders. However, no current evidence exists that demonstrates the capability of reinforcement to drive changes in human speech behavior. While the effects of reinforcement learning have been studied more extensively in upper limb control, speech provides a unique test of the universality of reinforcement learning across motor domains. Speech is a complex, high-dimensional motor task whose goals are unique in that they do not specify a task to be performed in the environment but ultimately must be self-generated by each speaker such that they are understood by those around them. Reinforcement learning may thus be more difficult for speech, given its high-dimensional and redundant motor system, while speech may also be particularly responsive to reinforcement given the ultimate goal is typically reliant on such feedback from our interlocutors. Across four experiments, we establish whether reinforcement learning alone is sufficient to drive changes in speech behavior and parametrically test two features known to affect reinforcement learning in reaching: how informative the reinforcement signal is as well as the availability of sensory feedback (here, auditory feedback) about the outcomes of one9s motor behavior. Our results show that reinforcement learning can indeed drive changes in speech behavior and that more informative reward signals lead to greater learning. However, contrary to results from upper limb control, masking feedback about movement outcomes has no effect on speech learning. Our results suggest reinforcement learning is active in speech but may operate differently than in other motor domains.
Abstract 372: Regional Cerebral Saturation in a Swine Model of Goal-directed Resuscitation of Prolonged Ventricular Fibrillation Cardiac Arrest

Introduction: The characteristics and limitations of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurement of regional cerebral saturation (rSO2) for reflecting key moment-to-moment physiological changes n...
Optimal Investment, Tobin's q, and Cash Flow: Does Unobserved Productivity Matter?

Abstract We study the classical relationship between a firm’s investment and Tobin’s q for which unobserved productivity is another factor of a firm’s decision. Besides the potential measurement problem of Tobin’s q, controlling unobserved productivity is a new challenge. We develop an econometric method that tackles both issues given timing and information set assumptions. Using 15,079 unique public firms in the U.S. for the period of 1975 to 2017, we find that cash flow remains a significant factor of investment even after controlling for the productivity and that investment becomes less sensitive to q and more sensitive to cash flow.
Constraints on burial depth and yield of the 25 May 2009 North Korean test from hydrodynamic simulations in a granite medium

[1] Yield : depth of burial (DoB) tradeoff curves (TOCs) based on seismic magnitudes of the 25 May 2009 North Korean test depend strongly on the choice of empirical cavity radius (Rc) scaling model. Ambiguities over Rc scaling, particularly at large scaled DoB (SDoB), translate into unacceptably large systematic errors on yield estimates for this test. Hydrodynamic calculations involving realistic material response models offer a viable alternative to characterize Rc scaling for a range of SDoB where limited data from past nuclear tests exist. Results of such calculations are presented for a granite medium with a material response validated by modeling four phenomenological criteria for past nuclear tests in granite (free field velocity, energy partitioning into the seismic wavefield, velocity attenuation, and measured Rc). These results unambiguously favor the Rc scaling model of Denny and Johnson (DJ91) and the TOC based on that model. Lower bounds on yield and DoB of the North Korean test are constrained by predictions of an SDoB threshold for free surface damage from 2-D simulations since no such reported damage was observed for this test. Constrained by the hydrodynamic simulations, the DJ91 model indicates the minimum yield and DoB for the 25 May 2009 North Korean test is 5.7 kilotons and 375 m.
Impact of physical parameterizations on idealized tropical cyclones in the Community Atmosphere Model

[1] This paper explores the impact of the physical parameterization suite on the evolution of an idealized tropical cyclone within the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s (NCAR) Community Atmosphere Model (CAM). The CAM versions 3.1 and 4 are used to study the development of an initially weak vortex in an idealized environment over a 10‐ day simulation period within an aqua ‐planet setup. The main distinction between CAM 3.1 and CAM 4 lies within the physical parameterization of deep convection. CAM 4 now includes a dilute plume Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) calculation and Convective Momentum Transport (CMT). The finite–volume dynamical core with 26 vertical levels in aqua‐planet mode is used at horizontal grid spacings of 1.0°, 0.5° and 0.25°. It is revealed that CAM 4 produces stronger and larger tropical cyclones by day 10 at all resolutions, with a much earlier onset of intensification when compared to CAM 3.1. At the highest resolution CAM 4 also accounts for changes in the storm’s vertical structure, such as an increased outward slope of the wind contours with height, when compared to CAM 3.1. An investigation concludes that the new dilute CAPE calculation in CAM 4 is largely responsible for the changes observed in the development, strength and structure ofthetropicalcyclone.Citation: Reed,K.A.,andC.Jablonowski (2011), Impact of physical parameterizations on idealized tropical cyclonesintheCommunityAtmosphereModel,Geophys.Res.Lett.,
Thermal decomposition of energetic materials: 20. A comparison of the structural properties and thermal reactivity of an acyclic and cyclic tetramethylenetetranitramine pair

Abstract The linear secondary nitramine, 1,7-dimethyl-1,3,5,7-tetranitrotrimethylenetetramine CH 3 [N(NO 2 )CH 2 ] 3 N(NO 2 )CH 3 (OHMX) and its cyclic analog, octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine, (CH 2 NNO 2 ) 4 (HMX) are compared. By IR spectroscopy and DTA, OHMX is found to exist in five polymorphs between 273 K and its melting point at 490 K. The IR spectra suggest that the structural differences involve mostly the NO 2 and CH 3 groups and changes in lattice symmetry without a significant alteration in the conformation of the backbone. The kinetic parameters for the OHMX(III → IV) phase transition are first order ( E a = 50.8 kcal mol −1 ) and are comparable to those of HMX. The nucleation process is probably being measured. The values of Δ H for the phase transitions of OHMX (0.8–2.1 kcal mol −1 ) are also similar to those of HMX. The molecular structure of OHMX(II) was determined: monoclinic, P 2 1 / c , a = 20.952(7), b = 9.477(2), c = 6.521(2) A, β = 96.29(3)°, Z = 4, D calc = 1.598 g cm −3 , R F = 3.84, R wF = 4.68%. It consists of a helical chain of CH 2 NNO 2 units staggered at approximately 120° intervals. A pseudo-C 2 axis is present. OHMX is slightly less thermally stable than HMX. High-rate thermolysis (d T /d t =110 K s −1 ) of OHMX liberates products that are the same, with a few exceptions, as for HMX. Competitive N-N and C-N bonds fission occurs as predicted by the IR data and molecular structure. The pressure dependence of the decomposition process indicates that the heterogeneous gas-condensed phase reactions occur to a greater extent as the pressure increases.
Gonadotropin Action in Isolated Ovarian Luteal Cells: The Intermediate Role of Adenosine 3′, 5′ Cyclic Monophosphate in Hormonal Stimulation of Progesterone Synthesis

Recent studies in several endocrine target cells have revealed moderate to marked dissociations between steroidogenesis and cAMP formation during hormone action (1–3). In the corpus luteum, low concentrations of LH or hCG have been found to evoke full steroidogenic responses with little or no detectable change in cAMP formation (4). However, a rise in protein kinase activity has been observed in corpus luteum slices incubated with gonadotropin concentrations which produce a dose-related stimulation of progesterone synthesis, albeit in the absence of a discernible rise in cAMP (5). Such findings suggest that an increase in cAMP synthesis or turnover is stimulated by even the lowest doses of hCG that evoke a steroid response, and that measurement of this change should be possible under. appropriate experimental conditions. A similar dissociation between steroidogenesis and cAMP during hormone action in the testis and adrenal has been recently resolved by optimization of incubation conditions and detailed analysis of cAMP levels in hormone-stimulated Leydig cells and and adrenal fasciculata cells (6,7). To evaluate the role of cAMP during hormone action in ovarian luteal tissue, we have analyzed the relationships between cAMP production and binding to protein kinase receptors, and stimulation of progesterone synthesis in isolated luteal cells.
The formation and evolution of double layers inside the auroral cavity

[1] The formation and dynamic evolution of double layers which form inside the auroral cavity are studied using one- and two-dimensional electrostatic particle-in-cell simulations. Both the one- and two-dimensional simulations are confined to processes that occur in the auroral cavity and include four plasma populations: hot electrons, H+ and O+ anti-earthward ion beams and a hot H+background population. We show that double layers inside the auroral cavity can evolve nonlinearly from ion phase space holes and are supported by the cold, anti-earthward traveling O+beam. We then present two-dimensional particle-in-cell results which show that double layers in the interior of the auroral cavity can form in higher dimensions. The electric field structure in 2-D is verified as a double layer through simultaneous analysis of the parallel electric field and H+ and O+ phase space.
Economic growth and inequality: The role of public investment ☆

The relationship between growth and inequality is complex. After discussing some general background issues, motivated by extensive empirical evidence this paper focuses on public investment as a key determinant of the relationship. Two alternative frameworks, each offering sharply contrasting perspectives, are presented. The first employs the “representative consumer theory of distribution” where agent heterogeneity originates with wealth endowments. It yields an equilibrium in which aggregate dynamics drives distributional dynamics. In the second, agent heterogeneity arises from idiosyncratic productivity shocks and generates an equilibrium in which distributional dynamics drive growth. The impact of government investment on growth and inequality are shown to contrast sharply in the two approaches, thus illustrating the complexity of the growth-inequality relationship.
Evaluation of a new dynamic viscometer for measuring the viscosity of whole blood and plasma

We evaluated a new type of dynamic viscometer, the Sonoclot Coagulation Analyzer, for use in measuring the viscosity of whole-blood and plasma. Such information can be useful in monitoring patients with hyperviscosity syndromes, e.g., from multiple myeloma. A vibrating Teflon or plastic probe continuously measures dynamic viscosity. The instrument can be calibrated to measure a range of viscosities from 0.69 to 23 cP (mN X s X m-2) or more. The coefficient of variation at 0.69 cP was 3-4% for measurements with the Teflon probe, 7-9% with the plastic probe. Viscosity measured at 37 degrees C for plasma and whole-blood samples from 20 normal patients was 1.22 (SD 0.05) cP and 3.63 (SD 0.52) cP, respectively. Dynamic viscosity measured in blood samples from a single source, with contrived hematocrits ranging from 0 to 89%, increased exponentially as a function of hematocrit, confirming previous studies. Overall, we found this instrument simple and quick to operate, producing accurate, precise viscosity measurements over at least a 40-fold range of viscosity.
Invariance algorithms for nondestructive evaluation

A new class of invariant pattern recognition algorithms is required for interpreting nondestructive evaluation signals that occur during in-line inspection of components with varying material properties. This paper presents the theoretical development of these invariance algorithms and provides experimental validation of these algorithms using applications in magnetic flux leakage NDE and ultrasound NDE.
Reduction of roasted peanut lipid oxidative rancidity by power ultrasound and edible coatings containing natural extracts.

The antioxidative potential of jujube extract, pomegranate extract and tocopherol mixed into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) solution then coated on roasted and roasted–sonicated peanuts was investigated. The concentration of jujube and pomegranate extracts added into the CMC solution was 1,000 ppm, while synthetic tocopherol was 250 ppm. Antioxidant effect was determined by the measurement of oxidative stability index. After 12 weeks of storage at 35C, the reduction in oxidation was 14.5 and 19.7% for samples roasted–coated with CMC added with extracts of jujube and pomegranate extract, respectively, as compared to uncoated sample (R as a control). Meanwhile, the oxidative stability of samples roasted–sonicated coated with CMC added with extracts of jujube and pomegranate was significantly (P < 0.05) improved by 24.8 and 31.8%, respectively, in relation to the control. However, it was observed that samples with tocopherol did not have any improvement in oxidative stability of the roasted peanuts. Sonication treatment beyond coating improved the storage stability of the samples mixed with jujube extract, pomegranate extract and tocopherol by 10.3, 12.1 and 3.2%, respectively. It is concluded that jujube and pomegranate extracts can control roasted peanut lipid oxidation during storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study showed that a combination of power ultrasound treatment and an edible coating of carboxymethyl cellulose mixed with natural plant extracts can be used for delaying the oxidation of roasted peanuts. The delaying development of oxidation compounds in roasted peanuts is very useful to the peanut industry. This process can be used for the preparation of shelf-stable peanut products for the purpose of reaching distant markets, to be used during extended storage period. Likewise, the peanuts can be packed without the need to modify the packaging atmosphere or use of expensive packages.
The amount and timing of precipitation control the magnitude, seasonality and sources ( 14 C) of ecosystem respiration in a polar semi-desert, northwestern Greenland

This study investigates how warming and changes in precipitation may affect the cycling of carbon (C) in tundra soils, and between high Arctic tundra and the atmosphere. We quantified ecosystem respiration (Reco) and soil pore space CO2 in a polar semi-desert in northwestern Greenland under current and future climate conditions simulated by long-term experimental warming (+2 °C, +4 °C), water addition (+50% summer precipitation), and a combination of both (+4 °C × +50% summer precipitation). We also measured the 14C content of Reco and soil CO2 to distinguish young C cycling rapidly between the atmosphere and the ecosystem from older C stored in the soil for centuries to millennia. We identified changes in the amount and timing of precipitation as a key control of the magnitude, seasonality and sources of Reco in a polar semi-desert. Throughout each summer, small ( 4 mm), more winter snow and experimental irrigation were associated with higher Reco fluxes and the release of recently fixed (young) C. Warmer summers and experimental warming also resulted in higher Reco fluxes (+2 °C > +4 °C), but coincided with losses of older C. We conclude that in high Arctic, dry tundra systems, future magnitudes and patterns of old C emissions will be controlled as much by the summer precipitation regime and winter snowpack as by warming. The release of older soil C is of concern, as it may lead to net C losses from the ecosystem. Therefore, reliable predictions of precipitation amounts, frequency, and timing are required to predict the changing C cycle in the high Arctic. © Author(s) 2014.
STAT signaling is active during early mammalian development

Cytokine activation of gene ex- pression can be mediated through signal trans- ducer and activator of transcription (STAT) sig- naling pathways resulting in expression of target genes. Because many cytokines have important regulatory roles during early development, we wanted to ascertain whether STAT signaling was also active at this time and could therefore have important roles in mediating developmental pro- cesses. We have found that Stat1 and Stat3 mRNAs are present in both maternal and extraembryonic tissues during early postimplantation stages of murine development. Furthermore, analyses of STAT activity in E4.5-E9.5 decidual swellings by electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that Stat3 protein was active during this early developmental period. The identification of acti- vated Stat3 demonstrates that STAT signaling functions during early postimplantation develop- ment in the mouse are likely to be important during early embryogenesis. Dev. Dyn. 208:190- 198, 1997. r 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Mean-Variance Approach for Describing Organic Matter Decomposition

Abstract Organic matter decomposition models based on a continuous distribution of reactive types can be modified to include both the mean ( k ) and the variance ( s 2 k ) of the distribution. This mean-variance approach to modeling is useful for describing how the parameters of a distribution affect the expected value of the decomposition rate. A gamma distribution of organic matter reactivities is a particularly useful model of the initial distribution g ( k , 0). It is characterized by two parameters, v and 1/ a , which describe the shape and scale of the distribution, respectively. Analysis of decomposition isopleths for combinations of mean and variance reveals that more reactive organic matter mixtures plot higher than less reactive ones within a [ k , s 2 k ] co-ordinate system, and the decomposition rate is constrained by a line drawn from the origin to a tangential point on its isopleth. The slope of this line is equal to 1/ a , the scale parameter of its gamma distribution. As decay proceeds, the rate constant of the total mixture decreases with the slope of its tangential line, and the variance tends toward zero more rapidly than the mean. This is due to the preferential removal of the more reactive organic matter components, causing the distribution to shift to the left. A mean-variance decomposition model may lead to more accurate estimates of the short-term decomposition rate but only for organic matter mixtures characterized by large values of v or 1/ a .
Embryofetal Effects of Neuroelectric Therapy (Net)

Neuroelectric therapy (NET) has been used for the treatment of symptoms of withdrawal from the use of substances for the past 22 years. The objective of the present study was to analyze possible effects of NET on rat pregnancy using parameters equivalent to those employed in human NET. The rats were divided into four equal groups, one a control group, and the other three given NET at the pulse frequencies used in treatment of the most commonly abused drugs. After impregnation, the rats were given NET transcranially for 1 h daily throughout the pregnancy. An NET pulse frequency-related increase in the incidence of early pregnancy loss and decrease in fetal body and brain weights were found. No external or internal congenital anomalies occurred in the control or in any of the treatment groups, either macroscopically or microscopically.
Lipophilic chelator inhibition of Escherichia coli membrane-bound ATPase activity and prevention of inhibition by uncouplers.

It has been well documented that the ATPase activity is associated with oxidative phosphorylation. Lately, it has become obvious that the enzyme is normally part of the biological membrane and is the terminal enzyme in the energy coupling reactions [l-3]. Evidence for the participation of non-heme iron proteins as functional components in the electron transport chain has been firmly established, but there is little evidence for the direct involvement of these proteins in energy coupling or phosphorylation. In electron transport systems from Mycobacterium-phlei and rat liver mitochondria Kurup et al. [4] and Palmer [ 51 respectively have shown that the uncoupling effect of metal chelating agents can be reversed by adding ferrous ion. From the study of beef heart submitochondrial particles, Vallin et al. [6,7] and Butdw and Racker [8] proposed models for respiratory control correlated to oxidative phosphorylation through non-heme iron proteins. Recently, Phelps et al. [9,10] have presented experimental evidence that metalproteins act as common functional intermediates for both electron transport and energy conserving reactions of beef heart mitochondria. Bathophenanthroline (4,7-diphenyl-I ,lO-phenanthroline), which is a lipophilic metal chelating agent also provides a useful tool for the study of the same phenomenon in a prokaryotic system. in this paper we show that bathophenanthroline inhibits E. coli membrane bound ATPase activity as completely as that of eukaryotic organelles and at similar concen-
Cognitive processing speed and the structure of white matter pathways: Convergent evidence from normal variation and lesion studies

We investigated the relation between cognitive processing speed and structural properties of white matter pathways via convergent imaging studies in healthy and brain-injured groups. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was applied to diffusion tensor imaging data from thirty-nine young healthy subjects in order to investigate the relation between processing speed, as assessed with the Digit-Symbol subtest from WAIS-III, and fractional anisotropy, an index of microstructural organization of white matter. Digit-Symbol performance was positively correlated with fractional anisotropy of white matter in the parietal and temporal lobes bilaterally and in the left middle frontal gyrus. Fiber tractography indicated that these regions are consistent with the trajectories of the superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi. In a second investigation, we assessed the effect of white matter damage on processing speed using voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) analysis of data from seventy-two patients with left-hemisphere strokes. Lesions in left parietal white matter, together with cortical lesions in supramarginal and angular gyri were associated with impaired performance. These findings suggest that cognitive processing speed, as assessed by the Digit-Symbol test, is closely related to the structural integrity of white matter tracts associated with parietal and temporal cortices and left middle frontal gyrus. Further, fiber tractography applied to VBM results and the patient findings suggest that the superior longitudinal fasciculus, a major tract subserving fronto-parietal integration, makes a prominent contribution to processing speed.
Enhanced liver DNA synthesis in partially hepatectomized rats pretreated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.

The effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on liver DNA synthesis was studied in rats after a 13 hepatectomy. The rats were maintained on a controlled feeding schedule and were treated with 5 μg/kg of TCDD or acetone/corn oil (control). Five days after treatment a 13 hepatectomy was performed and at designated times thereafter liver DNA synthesis was measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. The main finding was that liver DNA synthesis was increased 8- to 10-fold by TCDD over that which was observed in control rats. This increase occurred after a latency period that was appropriate for the regenerative liver DNA synthesis response. Other experiments showed that increased incorporation of thymidine in TCDD-treated rats could be blocked by hydroxyurea, an inhibitor of semiconservative DNA synthesis, and that the increased incorporation was secondary to increased DNA synthesis and not increased thymidine kinase activity. Thus, hepatocytes in TCDD-treated rats respond in a quantitatively different manner than control rats to the same proliferative signal, 13 hepatectomy. Liver DNA synthesis in nonhepatectomized TCDD-treated rats tended to be greater than control, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Phosphoglucomutase polymorphism in white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus.

Abstract 1. 1. Ten phenotypes of phosphoglucomutase (PGM), were detected in abdominal muscle extracts from white shrimp ( Penaeus setiferus ) by starch-gel electrophoresis. 2. 2. The assumption that these phenotypes were under the control of five allelic genes was supported by the observed distribution of the phenotypes. 3. 3. There were no significant differences in PGM phenotype distribution between sexes or among samples of shrimp collected from Matagorda and Galveston Bays, Texas; Rockefeller Refuge and Barataria Bay, Louisiana; and the north Edisto River, South Carolina. 4. 4. The five PGM alleles observed in white and brown shrimp appear to be the same in the two species. 5. 5. Comparisons of PGM phenotype distributions and allele frequencies of white and brown shrimp suggest that the two species are closely related.
Cytoskeletal Regulation of CD44 Membrane Organization and Interactions with E-selectin

Interactions of CD44 on neutrophils with E-selectin on activated endothelial cells mediate rolling under flow, a prerequisite for neutrophil arrest and migration into perivascular tissues. How CD44 functions as a rolling ligand despite its weak affinity for E-selectin is unknown. We examined the nanometer scale organization of CD44 on intact cells. CD44 on leukocytes and transfected K562 cells was cross-linked within a 1.14-nm spacer. Depolymerizing actin with latrunculin B reduced cross-linking. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) revealed tight co-clustering between CD44 fused to yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) and CD44 fused to cyan fluorescent protein on K562 cells. Latrunculin B reduced FRET-reported co-clustering. Number and brightness analysis confirmed actin-dependent CD44-YFP clusters on living cells. CD44 lacking binding sites for ankyrin and for ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) proteins on its cytoplasmic domain (ΔANKΔERM) did not cluster. Unexpectedly, CD44 lacking only the ankyrin-binding site (ΔANK) formed larger but looser clusters. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching demonstrated increased CD44 mobility by latrunculin B treatment or by deleting the cytoplasmic domain. ΔANKΔERM mobility increased only modestly, suggesting that the cytoplasmic domain engages the cytoskeleton by an additional mechanism. Ex vivo differentiated CD44-deficient neutrophils expressing exogenous CD44 rolled on E-selectin and activated Src kinases after binding anti-CD44 antibody. In contrast, differentiated neutrophils expressing ΔANK had impaired rolling and kinase activation. These data demonstrate that spectrin and actin networks regulate CD44 clustering and suggest that ankyrin enhances CD44-mediated neutrophil rolling and signaling.
Evaluation of a novel epicardial atrial fibrillation treatment system.

Purpose Surgical and catheter treatments for atrial fibrillation remain invasive or ineffective for most patients. A novel system developed to create epicardial ablation lesions during beating-heart surgical procedures was evaluated in an in vivo ovine model. Description This novel ablation device integrates radiofrequency, suction, and perfusion to create transmural lesions by remaining consistently in contact with the irregular and curved surface of the beating heart. Evaluation Two epicardial ablation patterns were generated in five adult sheep: left atrial appendage and left pulmonary vein isolation. The 2-cm and 5-cm coagulation devices generated linear and curved lesions and maintained intimate contact against the epicardium using suction. Significant increases in bipolar pacing thresholds demonstrated trans-lesion conduction block in all animals. Histopathologic examination verified transmurality and showed changes normally observed after coagulation procedures. All lesions demonstrated mural degeneration throughout the lesion. No charring, vaporization, thromboembolic events, nor other complications were observed. Conclusions This novel epicardial coagulation system successfully created continuous and transmural atrial lesions in a beating-heart ovine model.
Reggeization of the fermion-fermion scattering amplitude in non-Abelian gauge theories

The fermion-fermion scattering amplitude has been calculated for a non- Abelian gauge theory with SU(N) gauge symmetry in the limit of high energy with fixed momentum transfer through sixth order in the coupling constant. Only the leading logarithmic terms in each order of perturbation theory have been kept. In order to avoid the infrared problem, the Higgs mechanism is invoked to give masses to the vector bosons of the theory. It is found that the scattering amplitude exponentiates to a Regge form. This result is qualitatively different from an earlier published calculation. (AIP)
Structure-Activity Relationships Among a Group of 7-[α-(N, N′-Substituted-Amidinothio)-Acetamido] Cephalosporanic Acids

Structure-activity relationships were examined for a number of 7-[alpha-(N,N'-substituted-amidinothio)-acetamido] cephalosporanic acids, including several wherein the amidino group was cyclized into six, seven, and eight-membered rings and a series wherein alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, and alkynyl radicals were substituted on the nitrogens of the noncyclized amidino group. Derivatives containing an unsubstituted cyclized amidino group had comparable antibacterial activity in vitro and in general had a spectrum of activity broader than that of cephalothin, especially against cephalothin-resistant strains of Escherichia, Klebsiella, and Proteus. When administered parenterally, the cephalosporin with the six-membered cyclized amidino group was as effective as cephalothin in experimental infections of mice produced by cephalothin-sensitive gram-negative organisms and more efficacious in infections caused by cephalothin-resistant strains. Among the cephalosporins with noncyclized amidino groups, those with an ethyl substituent on one of the nitrogens and a C(2)-C(4) alkyl radical, particularly propyl on the other, were the most active. They not only had a better profile of activity in vitro than cephalothin and the cephalosporin derivatives having a cyclized amidino group, but were also more efficacious in infections of mice.