cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Saccade vigor as an implicit measure of subjective economic value

Abstract Decisions are made based on the subjective value that the brain assigns to options. However, subjective value is a mathematical construct that cannot be measured directly, but only inferred from choices. Is there another aspect of behavior that directly reflects subjective valuation of an option? Recent results have demonstrated that movement vigor is modulated by reward, raising the possibility that there is a link between how the brain evaluates an option, and how it controls movements toward that option. Alternatively, vigor may reflect salience and not value of the stimulus, growing larger for both stimuli that promise gain as well as stimuli that foretell loss. To dissociate between these possibilities, we asked people to choose among risky options represented by abstract stimuli, some associated with gain, others with loss. From their choices we estimated the subjective value that they assigned to each stimulus. In probe trials, they viewed only one stimulus at a time, and we measured their saccade vigor. We found that vigor was lowest for stimuli that promised loss, highest for stimuli that promised gain. This implied that vigor corresponded to value not salience. Naturally, a given stimulus was valued more by some participants. Remarkably, those who valued a given stimulus more tended to move with greater vigor in response to that stimulus. Thus, subjective value of a stimulus monotonically modulated the vigor with which the eyes moved to acquire a stimulus, suggesting that subjective valuation may be inferred from movement vigor. Significance statement Does vigor of movements in response to an option reflect the subjective value that the brain has assigned to that option? If this were the case, vigor may provide an objective assay of subjective value, obviating the need to infer this variable from measurements of choice. Here, we show that saccade vigor varies monotonically with subjective value: smallest for stimuli that predict economic loss, and highest for stimuli that predict economic gain. Notably, between-subject differences in valuation may be gleaned from the between-subject differences in their patterns of vigor. “A true theory of economy can only be attained by going back to the great springs of human action --- the feelings of pleasure and pain.” William Jevons (1866)
Ca2+ oscillations in rat carotid body type 1 cells in normoxia and hypoxia.

We studied the mechanisms by which carotid body glomus (type 1) cells produce spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations in normoxia and hypoxia. In cells perfused with normoxic solution at 37°C, we observed re...
Focusing on the Practice of Distributed Leadership: The International Evidence From the 2013 TALIS:

Purpose: This study is primarily interested in the operational evidence of distributed leadership using large-scale and multicountry data. Specifically, this study investigates (a) how three positi...
Satellite-measured water properties in high altitude Lake Tahoe.

Abstract It has been difficult in satellite remote sensing to derive accurate water optical, biological, and biogeochemical products over high-altitude inland waters due to issues in satellite data processing (i.e., atmospheric correction). In this study, we demonstrate that accurate normalized water-leaving radiance spectra nLw(λ) can be derived for a high-altitude lake, Lake Tahoe, using improved Rayleigh radiance computations (Wang, M., Opt. Express, 24, 12414–12429, 2016) which accurately account for water surface altitude effects in the Multi-Sensor Level-1 to Level-2 (MSL12) ocean color data processing system. Satellite observations from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) between 2012 and 2018 are used to evaluate and validate satellite-derived nLw(λ) spectra, and to quantitatively characterize water properties in the lake. Results show that VIIRS-derived nLw(λ) spectra are quite comparable with those from the in situ measurements. Subsequent retrievals of water biological and biogeochemical products show that chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration and Secchi depth (SD) are reasonably well-estimated, and captured normal seasonal variations in the lake, e.g., the annual highest Chl-a and SD normally occur in the winter while the lowest occur in the summer, which is consistent with in situ measurements. Interannual variability of these water quality parameters is also observed. In particular, Lake Tahoe experienced a significant environmental anomaly associated with an extreme weather condition event in 2017, showing considerably decreased nLw(λ) at the spectral bands of 410, 443, and 486 nm, and significantly reduced SD values in the entire lake. The low SD measurements from VIIRS are consistent with in situ observations. Following the event in the 2017–2018 winter, Lake Tahoe recovered and returned to its typical conditions in spring 2018.
2020: COVID-19 & International Higher Education

In this study, international students are portrayed as they present themselves now and as they have been affected and effected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Universities and colleges are featured as they react and explain their reactions, dicta, and information concerning the status of international students at their institutions. Critical to the study is that it tells the story of international students studying abroad both directly from their impressions and according to the university and college policy provided to them. Of particular interest to both reactors is the focus on offering online courses to students, which generally has received acceptance but with negative reactions. Of concern is the impact of using technologies when poor countries may not even have broadband or are mired in political decisions about technology use. No permanent solutions to the introduced issues are offered as the pandemic is a continuing with little agreed upon understanding about its permanence.
Effect of Graft Size on Air-bone Gap Closure in Cartilage Button Tympanoplasty.

OBJECTIVE To study the effect of graft size on postoperative air-bone gap in children undergoing butterfly inlay cartilage tympanoplasty using circular punch grafts. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case review. SETTING Tertiary, academic children's hospital. PATIENTS Children less than 16 years old undergoing circular butterfly inlay tympanoplasty using 4, 5, or 6 mm round grafts. INTERVENTION Butterfly inlay tympanoplasty using circular punch graft harvest technique. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Postoperative pure-tone average and air-bone gap. RESULTS Fifty-two children were included in the analysis: 18 in the 4 mm group, 28 in the 5 mm group, and 6 in the 6 mm group. There was no significant difference in either postoperative pure-tone average or air-bone gap among the three groups. Closure rates for the 4, 5, and 6 mm graft groups were 94, 96, and 67%, respectively, for an overall rate of 92%. CONCLUSIONS Cartilage button butterfly inlay tympanoplasty with punch graft is an effective method for tympanic membrane repair with similar hearing results among various graft diameters but may have diminished success with perforations requiring grafts larger than 5 mm. Larger case series are necessary to determine if larger defects are best managed with other repair techniques.
Relaxometry: Applications in the Body

Abstract MRI relaxometry, or the measurement of the intrinsic magnetic resonance relaxation properties of tissue (e.g., T2, T 2 * , T1, and T1ρ), is increasingly used to discriminate normal from abnormal tissue in the human body as well as to quantify and follow disease processes. Relaxometry involves the repeated acquisition of MR imaging data; each acquisition being identical except for the value of a specific acquisition parameter (e.g., echo time for T2 or spin-lock time for T1ρ relaxometry) that is successively incremented over a predefined range. Quantitative parametric maps and regions-of-interest can be used to measure the relaxation parameter of interest. In this chapter, we will review the use of MRI relaxometry in the body, presenting both clinical and preclinical applications.
Influence of Business Models on PV-Battery Dispatch Decisions and Market Value

Author(s): Seel, Joachim; Warner, Cody; Mills, Andrew D | Abstract: PV-battery hybrid projects dominate interconnection queues in some regions in the United States, but few projects have been operational long enough to assess how the hybrid capabilities may be used in practice. We interview plant operators and analyze empirical dispatch data for eleven large-scale PV-battery hybrids in three organized wholesale markets in the United States. We use the dispatch data and wholesale market prices to estimate the market value of our sample hybrids in 2020. The empirical increase in market value of a PV-battery hybrid relative to a standalone PV plant varies by project and ranges from $1 to $48/MWhsolar. The premium is driven by market, location, technical characteristics of the PV and battery asset, and battery dispatch strategies. In contrast to the widespread assumptions in the PV-battery hybrid modeling literature, only three of the eleven project operators optimize battery usage for wholesale market revenue as merchant plants. Instead, the majority of operators in the sample have alternate objectives. For example, load-serving entities target peak load reductions, incentive program participants focus on compliance with program requirements, and large energy consumers prioritize resiliency and utility bill minimization. Understanding prevalent dispatch signals and the degree of alignment with system-wide grid needs can increase the market value of PV-battery hybrids.
Defense Against Explanation Manipulation.

Explainable machine learning attracts increasing attention as it improves transparency of models, which is helpful for machine learning to be trusted in real applications. However, explanation methods have recently been demonstrated to be vulnerable to manipulation, where we can easily change a model's explanation while keeping its prediction constant. To tackle this problem, some efforts have been paid to use more stable explanation methods or to change model configurations. In this work, we tackle the problem from the training perspective, and propose a new training scheme called Adversarial Training on EXplanations (ATEX) to improve the internal explanation stability of a model regardless of the specific explanation method being applied. Instead of directly specifying explanation values over data instances, ATEX only puts requirement on model predictions which avoids involving second-order derivatives in optimization. As a further discussion, we also find that explanation stability is closely related to another property of the model, i.e., the risk of being exposed to adversarial attack. Through experiments, besides showing that ATEX improves model robustness against manipulation targeting explanation, it also brings additional benefits including smoothing explanations and improving the efficacy of adversarial training if applied to the model.
Initial Asian experience in hysteroscopic sterilisation using the Essure permanent birth control device

Objective To present our initial experience in the use of the Essure permanent birth control device in a predominately Asian population. Design A retrospective study. Setting Minimally Invasive Surgery Unit, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. Population Eighty women seeking permanent birth control. Methods From 22 June 2001, women who sought sterilisation were counselled with regards to the various options of permanent birth control. Informed consent for hysteroscopic sterilisation was obtained only after the woman met the criteria for Essure permanent birth control. The sterilisation procedure was carried out without the need for general anaesthesia in a day surgery centre using the Essure permanent birth control device. The surgical details and post procedure follow up were analysed. Main outcome measures Feasibility and safety of the Essure permanent birth control device in Asians and its non-placement rate. Results No serious adverse events or complications were encountered in using the Essure device. No pregnancies have been reported in our series to date. A significant reduction in the Essure device non-placement rate (20.0%vs 4.0%, P= 0.021) and mean operation time (27.3 vs 19.6 minutes, P= 0.006) were seen when patients were pre-medicated with spasmolytic agent and analgesia. Conclusions The Essure permanent birth control device is safe and suitable for Asians. Its non-placement rate may be improved with pre-medication of spasmolytic agent and analgesia.
Structure and breakup of flocs subjected to fluid stresses: I. Shear experiments

The structure and properties of flocculated suspensions were investigated experimentally using small-angle light scattering. Experiments monitoring the breakup resulting from uniform shear of flocculated 0.14 μm diameter polystyrene latices minimized kinetic effects, isolating the instantaneous breakup modeled in existing theories. The average number of particles per floc, 〈N〉, and mean radius of gyration cubed, 〈Rg2〉3/2, varied as γx, with x = −0.878 and −1.06, respectively. This shear dependence is weaker than predicted by the existing models. Comparison of the two relationships yields 〈N〉 ∝ 〈Rg2〉D/2, where the observed fractal dimensionality D = 2.48 indicates a nonuniform structure in conflict with the uniform porosity assumed in the models. Other methods for determining the fractal dimensionality yielded D = 1.6, 2.2, and 2.5, depending on the shear history of the samples. The effect of increasing electrolyte concentration was a slight weakening of the flocs for [NaCl] < 0.04 M followed by a significant strengthening above 0.04 M; DLVO theory successfully correlated this trend.
Defect Detection in Correlated Noise

We present methods for detecting NDE defect signals in correlated noise having unknown covariance. The proposed detectors are derived using the statistical theory of generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) tests and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). We consider both real and complex data models. To allow accurate estimation of the noise covariance, we incorporate secondary data containing only noise into detector design. Probability distributions of the GLR test statistics are derived under the null hypothesis, i.e. assuming that the signal is absent, and used for detector design. We apply the proposed methods to simulated and experimental data and demonstrate their superior performance compared with the detectors that neglect noise correlation.
Unusual structure of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 trans-activation response element.

The trans-activation response element (TAR) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is a structured RNA consisting of the first 60 nucleotides of all human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNAs. Computer analyses and limited structural analyses indicated that TAR consists of a stem-bulge-loop structure. Mutational analyses showed that sequences in the bulge are required for Tat binding, whereas sequences in both the bulge and the loop are required for trans activation. In this study, we probed the structures of TAR and various mutants of TAR with chemical probes and RNases and used these methods to footprint a Tat peptide on TAR. Our data show that the structure of wild-type TAR is different from previously published models. The bulge, a Tat-binding site, consists of four nucleotides. The loop is structured, rather than simply single stranded, in a fashion reminiscent of the structures of the tetraloop 5'-UUCG-3' and the GNRA loop (C. Cheong, G. Varani, and I. Tinoco, Jr., Nature [London] 346:680-682, 1990; H.A. Heus and A. Pardi, Science 253:191-193, 1991). RNA footprint data indicate that three bases in the bulge are protected and suggest that a conformational change occurs upon Tat binding.
A learning method for improving quality of service infrastructure management in new technical support groups

Service infrastructure management requires the matching of tasks to technicians with a variety of expert knowledge in different areas. Most Service Delivery organizations do not have a consistent view of the evolution of the technician skills because in a dynamic environment the creation and maintenance of a skill model is a difficult task, especially in light of privacy regulations, changing service catalogs and worker turnover. In addition, as services expand, new technical support groups for the same type of services are created and also new technicians may be added, either into a new group or into existing groups. To tackle this problem we evolve a method for ranking technicians on their expected performance according to their suitability for receiving the assignment of a service request. This method makes use of similarities between the technicians and previous tasks performed by them. We propose a strategy for incorporating new technicians and delivery team reorganizations into the method and we present experimental results demonstrating the efficacy of the strategy. Applying this strategy to new teams yields on average acceptable accuracy within 4 hours, though with a wide variation across teams for the first 12 hours. Accuracy and its variability approach the quality of accuracy on older teams over 24 hours.
Performance Measurement with Market and Volatility Timing and Selectivity

To measure the investment performance of a portfolio manager who may engage in market timing, it is necessary to consider both market level and volatility timing behavior as well as security selection ability. We develop and implement measures that accommodate all three components. A well specified measure of performance is the sum of the three components of ability. Estimating the measures on active US mutual funds, we find that allowing for market level and volatility timing, there is no evidence of investment ability at the level of broad groups of mutual funds, or when funds are sorted by expense ratio, return gap, active share or turnover. However, sorting by factor model R-squares confirms results in Amihud and Goyenko (2011), where the low R-square funds have better performance.
Bayesian input in Stein estimation and a new minimax empirical Bayes estimator

Abstract The relationship between Stein estimation of a multivariate normal mean and Bayesian analysis is considered. The necessity to involve prior information is discussed, and the various methods of so doing are reviewed. These include direct Bayesian analyses, ad hoc utilization of prior information, restricted class Bayesian andΓ-minimax analyses, and Type II maximum likelihood (empirical Bayes) methods. A new empirical Bayes Stein-type estimator is developed, via the latter method, for an interesting e-contamination class of priors, and is shown to be minimax under reasonable conditions. The minimax proof contains some novel theoretical features.
Dehydrin expression in soybean

Soybean (Glycine max) is a relatively cold intolerant plant. In most stress tolerant plants the responsive expression of dehydrin proteins in vegetative tissues can be a significant contributor to protection against environmental stresses. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of dehydrins in various organs and the cold-responses of dehydrin genes in vegetative tissues of soybean. Examination of the soybean genome indicated the presence of genes encoding ten distinct dehydrins. Levels of dehydrin proteins were probed with several antibodies specific to dehydrins or to the signature K-sequence. A single vegetatively expressed dehydrin protein was detected and the levels were insignificantly altered in response to cold, drought, or salt stress, nor was the transcript responsive to ABA. This SK2-type, acidic dehydrin family member (GmERD14) was purified, identified by mass spectroscopy, and shown to be in vivo phosphorylated; indicating characteristics similar to other known acidic dehydrins. The lack of cold stress-regulated acidic dehydrin expression may contribute to the inability of soybean to cold acclimate. While transcripts for all ten dehydrins could be detected in various tissues, only three accumulated to significant levels in vegetative tissues (two of the KS type and one of SK2 type). One of these transcripts, a KS dehydrin, was accumulated following cold treatments. The accumulation of the KS dehydrin was also responsive to exogenous ABA.
Cost-effectiveness of proton pump inhibitor cotherapy in patients taking long-term, low-dose aspirin for secondary cardiovascular prevention.

Background Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) require long-term therapy with low-dose aspirin (ASA). Although these patients are at increased risk for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) cotherapy may reduce such risk, it is not known whether lifelong PPI cotherapy is cost-effective. Methods A Markov model was developed to compare lifelong therapy with ASA alone vs therapy with ASA plus PPI in patients with CHD who are at least 50 years old. Base-case assumptions were (1) starting age, 65 years (range, 50-80 years); (2) UGIB risk category, average risk (range, average to 8-fold increased risk); (3) PPI effectiveness (66% (range, 25%-75%); and (4) annual PPI cost, $250 (range, $250-$1400). Results In the base-case analysis, ASA plus PPI resulted in fewer lifetime UGIB events (3.1% vs 9.5%) and UGIB-related deaths (0.4% vs 1.4%). At over-the-counter (OTC) PPI cost, ASA plus PPI was cost-effective, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $40 090 per life-year saved (LYS). Varying PPI effectiveness from 75% to 25% resulted in ICERs of $35 315 to $94 578 per LYS. Varying the starting age of the cohort from 80 to 50 years resulted in ICERs of $16 887 to $79 955 per LYS. At prescription PPI cost, the ICER for average-risk patients was over $100 000 per LYS across all modeled age groups and assumptions of PPI effectiveness, but the ICER for high-risk patients was $10 433 to $51 505 per LYS. Conclusions At OTC cost, PPI cotherapy is cost-effective in average-risk patients taking low-dose ASA for secondary prevention. At prescription cost, cotherapy is cost-effective for high-risk patients only.
Stimuli-responsive polymer films

Stimuli-responsive polymer films undergo interesting structural and property changes upon external stimuli. Their applications have extended from smart coatings to controlled drug release, smart windows, self-repair and other fields. This tutorial review summarizes non-covalent bonding, reversible reactions and responsive molecules that have played important roles in creating stimuli-responsive systems, and presents the recent development of three types of responsive polymer systems: layer-by-layer polymer multilayer films, polymer brushes, and self-repairing polymer films, with a discussion of their response mechanism. Future research efforts include comprehensive understanding of the response mechanism, producing polymer systems with controlled response properties regarding single or multiple external signals, combining polymer film fabrication with nanotechnology, improving the stability of polymer films on substrates, and evaluating the toxicity of the degradation products.
Effects of Soil Moisture and Temperature on Reproduction and Development of Twospotted Spider Mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Strawberries

Abstract The effects of soil moisture and temperature on the reproduction of twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), were examined in laboratory and field tests in strawberries, Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne, in Florida. Different soil moisture levels (low, moderate, and high) were compared to determine how soil moisture affects the reproduction and development of twospotted spider mite. In addition to soil moisture, different irrigation techniques (drip versus drip/overhead) were compared to determine their effects on twospotted spider mite reproduction as well as the incidence of angular leaf spot, Xanthomonas fragaria Kennedy & King disease. Similar studies were conducted to determine how different temperatures (18, 27, and 35°C) affect the reproduction and development of twospotted spider mites. In the laboratory, low soil moisture as well as temperatures >27°C promoted twospotted spider mite development. A similar trend was observed in a field study with low soil moist...
A case of port-site recurrence and locoregional metastasis after laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.

In this Case Study, Masterson and Russo report on a patient with a small renal mass who underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy and was subsequently found to have substantial locoregional and port-site recurrence. The authors highlight the importance of adherence to oncologic principles when using minimally invasive techniques to treat renal tumors. Background A 63-year-old man underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for a 4.5 cm right renal mass, pathologically confirmed as type 2 papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Two years later he was referred to a specialist oncology center after routine follow-up raised suspicion for metastatic disease. Investigations Physical examination, CT, PET, laboratory analysis of blood and stool samples, fine needle aspiration of the hand-assist site, and colonoscopy with biopsy. Diagnosis Locoregional metastatic papillary RCC with port-site metastasis. Management The patient underwent excision of his port-site and intra-abdominal recurrences, right hemicolectomy and cholecystectomy. Pathologic examination revealed metastatic papillary RCC at all sites. After a disease-free interval of 12 months, the patient was found to have radiographic evidence of recurrent disease in the liver and peritoneum.
Networks in transition : How industry events (re)shape interfirm relationships

Interfirm relationship networks are strategic resources that can potentially be shaped by managerial action. As a first step towards understanding how managers can shape networks, we develop a framework which explains how industry networks evolve over time and in response to specific events. Our main thesis is that industry events may be either structure-reinforcing or structure-loosening, and that their potential structural impact may be predicted in advance. We validate our hypotheses with longitudinal data on the strategic alliance network in the global steel industry.
Barriers to same-day discharge of patients undergoing total and completion thyroidectomy.

ObjectiveDescribe barriers to same-day surgery for patients undergoing total and completion thyroidectomy.Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingAcademic health sciences center.Subjects a...
The cerebral regulation of cardiovascular and respiratory functions

Respiratory and cardiovascular control systems require the integrity of brain structures at many levels of the neuraxis, extending from neocortical sites to the spinal cord. The widespread distribution of neural sites reflects the multiple roles served by respiratory musculature and the close integration of breathing and cardiovascular reflexes. Descending influences to brainstem regions controlling respiration include projections from limbic and other structures that mediate affective and other nonmetabolic drives, as well as activity of classic motor systems. Disturbances in breathing and cardiac control, particularly disorders associated with sleep or emotional behavior, may result from dysfunction of either nonmetabolic pathways or traditional respiratory structures.
Influence of crystal size on the rate of contact nucleation in stirred‐tank crystallizers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of seed crystal size on the rate of nucleation in batch stirred-tank crystallizers. Experimental results confirm the existence of such an effect. Nucleation rate data are correlated with a second-order polynomial in seed crystal size; coefficients of the correlation are functions of the solute-solvent system, crystallizer geometry, and mixing conditions. The empirical correlation is incorporated into a population balance model for determining the nucleation rate in multi-seed crystallizers. The observed results are explained in terms of variations in impact energy, circulation frequency, and target efficiency.
Cyclical passive stretch influences the mechanical properties of the inactive cat soleus

The effects of cyclical, passive manipulation (PM, 30 min day(-1), 5 days week(-1) for 6 months) mimicking the length excursions observed during stepping on the mechanical and associated biochemical properties of the inactive cat soleus muscle were determined in five cats. Inactivity was produced via spinal cord isolation (SI), i.e. complete spinal cord transections at low thoracic and high sacral levels and bilateral dorsal rhizotomy between the transection sites. Passive manipulation was administered to one leg of each SI cat. Compared with normal controls, SI resulted in approximately 70% decrease in weight, an 80% decrease in maximum tetanic tension (Po) and an approximately 100% increase in maximum rate of shortening (Vmax) and myosin adenosine triphosphatase (mATPase) activity of the soleus. The passive manipulation regime partially ameliorated these effects. When compared with the control SI soleus, the SI-PM soleus weight and maximum tetanic tension were 12 and 21% higher, respectively, and the Vmax and mATPase activity 21 and 12% (p > 0.05) lower, respectively. Thus, inactivity resulted in a smaller and faster muscle, whereas passive manipulation for only 30 min a day tended to maintain these properties closer to normal control values. The results suggest a potential therapeutic effect of short bouts of cyclical, passive manipulation on otherwise inactive skeletal muscles.
Characterization of specific subcellular 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid(15-HETE) binding sites on rat basophilic leukemia cells

Abstract 15-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid [15-(S)-HETE], a major arachidonic acid metabolite produced from the 15-lipoxygenase pathway, has been characterized as an antiinflammatory cellular mediator since it can inhibit the in vivo and in vitro formation of the proinflammatory leukotrienes via the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in various cells. 15-HETE has been confirmed to inhibit the 5-lipoxygenase in rat basophilic leukemia cell (RBL-1) homogenates with an I50 = 7.7 μM. The I50 of the 12-HETE isomer was 6 μM whereas prostaglandin F2α was ineffective. In order to examine the mechanistic basis underlying the inhibitory action of 15-HETE, association assays of [3H]-15-HETE with RBL-1 subcellular fractions were carried out. The presence of the zwitterionic detergent CHAPS enhanced specific [3H]-15-HETE binding in the membrane fractions three-fold and specific 15-HETE binding was distributed among the nuclear (32%)-, granule (19%)-, plasma membrane (35%)-, and cytosol (14%)-enriched fractions. Studies using combined granule and plasma membrane enriched-, CHAPS treated-fractions showed that [3H]-15-HETE binding was time-dependent, specific and reversible, sensitive to pertussis toxin treatment, and indicated a single class of binding sites with a Kd = 460 ± 160 nM and Bmax = 5.0 ± 1.1 nM. Competition experiments showed that the order of 15-HETE or analogs in inhibiting the binding of [3H]-15-HETE was: 15-(S)-HETE ≥ 12-(S)-HETE = 5-(S)-HETE > 15-(R)-HETE > arachidonic acid. Prostaglandin F2α and lipoxin B4 were ineffective as competitors. The similar profiles of the binding assays and inhibition of the 5-lipoxygenase suggest that 15-HETE binding sites may mediate this inhibitory action of 15-HETE.
A Multivariate Method of Classif in Bod Form Variation for Sizing Women's Apparel

The purpose of this study was to develop a multivariate method for structuring a sizing system for women's apparel. The I 977 suvey of U.S. Army women was the data base. The sample was limited to 1217 subjects who were White or Black and 17-3 5 years old. The methodology underlying PS 42-70, the current U.S. sizing standard, was studied relative to recent changes in body form classification, apparel production, and merchandising which support development of multivariate methodology. Examination of PS 42-70 as a classification system for the sample showed inadequate proportioning of overall body dimensions, particularlyshoulder breadth and body segment lengths. The experimental method used components 1 and 2 to summarize body form variation as the relationship between body thickness and length. A Principal Component Sizing System (PCSS) was constructed by partitioning the distribution of principal components 1 by 2 into 26 sizes. A per subject comparison of "goodness of fit" of PS 42-70 and PCSS showed PCS...
Flux flow resistivity in single crystal YBa2Cu3O7

Abstract AC magnetoresistance measurements were performed on a single crystal of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ in order to study the effect of dissipative flux flow motion due to Lorentz force. We find the shape of the superconducting resistive transition curve in field to vary with the Lorentz force but the zero resistance temperature to be independent of flux motion.
X-ray absorption spectroscopic studies of the FeZn derivative of uteroferrin.

The FeZn derivative of purple acid phosphatase from porcine uterus (FeZnUf) and its phosphate complex (FeZnUf·PO4) have been characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy at both the iron and zinc...
Quantum Dot Solar Cells. Tuning Photoresponse through Size and Shape Control of CdSe−TiO2 Architecture

Different-sized CdSe quantum dots have been assembled on TiO2 films composed of particle and nanotube morphologies using a bifunctional linker molecule. Upon band-gap excitation, CdSe quantum dots inject electrons into TiO2 nanoparticles and nanotubes, thus enabling the generation of photocurrent in a photoelectrochemical solar cell. The results presented in this study highlight two major findings: (i) ability to tune the photoelectrochemical response and photoconversion efficiency via size control of CdSe quantum dots and (ii) improvement in the photoconversion efficiency by facilitating the charge transport through TiO2 nanotube architecture. The maximum IPCE (photon-to-charge carrier generation efficiency) obtained with 3 nm diameter CdSe nanoparticles was 35% for particulate TiO2 and 45% for tubular TiO2 morphology. The maximum IPCE observed at the excitonic band increases with decreasing particle size, whereas the shift in the conduction band to more negative potentials increases the driving force and favors fast electron injection. The maximum power-conversion efficiency </=1% obtained with CdSe-TiO2 nanotube film highlights the usefulness of tubular morphology in facilitating charge transport in nanostructure-based solar cells. Ways to further improve power-conversion efficiency and maximize light-harvesting capability through the construction of a rainbow solar cell are discussed.
A thermomechanical model for chemically decomposing composites—I. Theory

In this work, a thermostructural model for chemically decomposing composites with moisture is obtained based on the mixture theory by Green and Naghdi. Balance laws of mass, linear momentum, and energy in the mixture theory are expressed in terms of physically measurable quantities. The formulation includes moisture vaporization, thermochemical decomposition, thermomechanical deformation, gas flow, and heat transfer. It is shown that the usual form of equilibrium equation and Darcy's equation, widely used in literature, need modification when the phase change occurs. Moisture vaporization is incorporated in mass and energy balance, and vaporization rate at each point of a continuum can be theoretically predicted.
Separation and partial characterization of multiple forms of rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase

Rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase was purified and four isoenzyme forms, demonstrated by starch gel electrophoresis, were separated by O-(carboxymethyl)-cellulose chromatography. Each of the isoenzymes had a distinct isoelectric point. All isoenzymes were active with both ethanol (or acetaldehyde) and steroid substrates, and had similar Michaelis-Menten constants for each of the substrates and coenzymes studied. The three isoenzymes with the lowest migration toward the cathode exhibited the same pH optimum of 10.7 for ethanol oxidation, a greater activity with 5 beta-androstan-3 beta-ol-17-one than with ethanol as a substrate, and an unchanged electrophoretic mobility following storage in the presence of 100 microM dithiothreitol. By contrast the isoenzyme with the highest mobility toward the cathode exhibited a pH optimum of 9.5 for ethanol oxidation, a low steroid/ethanol ratio of activity, and converted to the migrating pattern of the two isoenzymes with intermediate mobility when stored. The similarities between the isoenzymes of rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase differ considerably from differences in substrate specificity exhibited by isoenzymes of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase.
Membrane properties of area postrema neurons.

Abstract Intrinsic membrane properties, voltage-dependent sodium and voltage-dependent potassium currents of area postrema neurons in culture have been characterized with respect to their voltage dependence, time dependence and sensitivity to specific blocking agents. The area postrema is a hindbrain circumventricular organ which is known to have an important role in the central regulation of cardiovascular function. This study is the first to describe the biophysical properties of ion channels present in rat area postrema neurons. Recordings in current-clamp mode revealed a mean resting membrane potential of -55.0 ± 1.6 (n = 24) mV and an input resistance of 213.6 ± 23 M Ω. For the 24 neurons tested, the evoked action potential had a mean threshold of 38.8 ± 2 mV and a mean amplitude of 107.3 ± 15 mV. Our results show that the area postrema possesses only one principle sodium current which is completely abolished by 5 μM tetrodotoxin (TTX) (n = 28). This current activated near −50 mV and reached peak amplitude at −30 mV. The area postrema does not possess a TTX insensitive sodium current. The area postrema has at least two types of potassium currents. All area postrema neurons studied with tetraethylamonium (TEA) (n = 40) showed the presence of a slowly activating outward current which was present at voltages greater than −40 mV and was blocked by 10 mM TEA. In addition, 75% of the neurons studied (n = 30/40) also showed a rapidly inactivating, 4-AP sensitive IA type current which activated near −30 mV. Angiotensin II attenuated both the peak and the steady-state potassium currents, suggesting that angiotensin 11 may modulate area postrema activity by inhibiting voltage-gated potassium channels.
UFMulti: A new parallel processing software system for HEP

Abstract UFMulti is a multiprocessing software package designed for general purpose high energy physics applications, including physics and detector simulation, data reduction and DST physics analysis. The system is particularly well suited for installations where several workstation or computers are connected through a local area network (LAN). The initial configuration of the software is currently running on VAX/VMS machines with a planned extension to ULTRIX, using the new RISC CPUs from Digital, in the near future.
Brown-headed cowbirds exploit a host’s compensatory behavioral response to fecundity reduction

Host manipulation by parasites is generally regarded as a classic example of the extended phenotype, where selection favors parasite genes that adaptively alter their host’s phenotype. However, selection would simultaneously favor both hosts that recoup some fitness lost to infection (i.e., compensation) and the parasites that enhance transmission by exploiting the host’s compensatory responses. Using a long-term study (19 years) of an avian brood parasite system, we demonstrate that female prothonotary warblers Protonotaria citrea compensate for partial fecundity reduction during their first brood by initiating a second breeding attempt (i.e., double-brooding). Similarly, in successful nests with naturally reduced fecundity as a result of brood parasitism, we show that being parasitized also stimulates a compensatory double-brooding response, where female warblers raising at least 1 brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater offspring are more likely to initiate a second brood when compared with successful nonparasitized first broods. In support of the "exploitation of compensatory responses" hypothesis, parasitized females are often parasitized again in their second brood, thereby providing additional fitness benefits to cowbirds while enabling parasitized warblers that double-brood to recoup some fitness lost in the first brood. Experimentally parasitized female warblers exhibited a similar increase in double-brooding behavior, and the double-brooding frequency of parasitized female warblers was not attributable to reduced post-fledgling survival of cowbirds, thereby supplying further support for the role of parasite-induced fecundity reduction in the compensatory double-brooding behavior of a host.
End-of-Life Treatment Decision Making American Indians’ Perspective

This study explored American Indians' end-of-life experiences in treatment decision making. Scarce knowledge about this population's perspective regarding end-of-life treatments has resulted in health care providers (HCPs) functioning at less than optimum levels. Using a community-based participatory research approach, open-ended interview data were collected and analyzed using a grounded theory method. Patient and family participants generally stated that the physicians made the treatment decisions for them, while HCPs believed that patients participated in informed autonomous treatment decision making. Both parties (HCPs and patients and families) were not aware of American Indian's psychological aspect that interfered with the exercise of the right of informed consent. This additional understanding would benefit them in order to result in ethically and legally sound practice of patient's autonomous treatment decision making.
Minimal Transition State Charge Stabilization of the Oxyanion during Peptide Bond Formation by the Ribosome

Peptide bond formation during ribosomal protein synthesis involves an aminolysis reaction between the aminoacyl α-amino group and the carbonyl ester of the growing peptide via a transition state with a developing negative charge, the oxyanion. Structural and molecular dynamic studies have suggested that the ribosome may stabilize the oxyanion in the transition state of peptide bond formation via a highly ordered water molecule. To biochemically investigate this mechanistic hypothesis, we estimated the energetic contribution to catalytic charge stabilization of the oxyanion using a series of transition state mimics that contain different charge distributions and hydrogen bond potential on the functional group mimicking the oxyanion. Inhibitors containing an oxyanion mimic that carried a neutral charge and a mimic that preserved the negative charge but could not form hydrogen bonds had less than a 3-fold effect on inhibitor binding affinity. These observations argue that the ribosome provides minimal transi...
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: the systemic clumping "plague".

In thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a multimeric form of von Willebrand factor (vWf) that is larger than ordinarily found in the plasma causes systemic platelet aggregation under the high-shear conditions of the microcirculation. A divalent cation-activated, vWf-cleaving metalloprotease that metabolizes large vWf multimers to smaller forms in normal plasma is severely reduced or absent in most patients with TTP. The vWf-cleaving metalloprotease either is not produced or is defective in children with chronic relapsing TTP. When the enzyme is provided by the infusion of normal plasma, these patients remain free of TTP symptoms for about three weeks. An IgG autoantibody to the vWf-cleaving metalloprotease is found transiently in many adult patients with acute idiopathic, recurrent, and ticlopidine/clopidogrel-associated TTP. These patients require plasma exchange, i.e., concurrent replacement of the inhibited vWf-cleaving metalloprotease by plasma infusion and plasmapheresis. The vWf-cleaving metalloprotease is present in fresh-frozen plasma, in cryoprecipitate-depleted plasma (cryosupernatant), and in plasma that has been treated with solvent and detergent. The pathophysiology of platelet aggregation in bone marrow transplantation/chemotherapy-associated thrombotic microangiopathy, and in the hemolytic-uremic syndrome, is not established. In neither condition is there a severe decrease in plasma vWf-cleaving metalloprotease activity.
The abundant 19-kilodalton protein associated with human sperm nuclei that is related to seminal plasma α-inhibins

A basic protein with a relative molecular mass of 19 kDa has been identified and isolated to purity from sonication-resistant, partially demembranized human sperm nuclei. Several criteria prove that this is the unique sperm-specific protein, which was previously thought to be a sperm/testis histone. Partial primary structure sequencing demonstrates homologies with human seminal α-inhibins and semenogelin. From the sequence and Western-blotting data with antibodies against basic seminal inhibin-like peptide, we propose that this 19-kD protein is a product of 52-kDa semenogelin processing. The 19-kDa protein was not found among seminal plasma proteins and may be protected from further cleavage into inhibin-like peptides by its association with the sperm head Immunofluorescence data indicate its localization in the nuclear periphery, with preferential concentration at the acrosome calyx boundary. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
TEM transmission line coil with double nuclear capability.

MR imaging and spectroscopy requires RF fields of high homogeneity. Quadrature volume coils meeting this requirement include the birdcage coil and the TEM resonator. We describe here a quadrature volume coil designed around a modified coaxial transmission line in which multiple inner conductors are arrayed on a circular perimeter and surrounded by a common shield. Current antinodes are established at appropriate points on the inner conductors by series transmission line stubs, either open circuit or short circuit, which terminate the line. Quadrature phasing is generated by a novel circuit constructed from a pair of high-performance current baluns and a commercial quadrature hybrid. The coil is a “pure” TEM coil as it is simply a resonant transmission line. There is no mode structure to consider. The construction of a prototype quadrature four-element coil is described and preliminary test results from this coil in a 4.7T horizontal bore magnet are reported. A related double nuclear coil design for 3He and 1H in which two linear transmission line coils are arrayed on a circular perimeter and simultaneously tuned and matched to their respective frequencies is also described. Preliminary tests from this coil in a 1.5T clinical scanner are reported. Magn Reson Med 58:800–807, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.