cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disruption of overlearned discriminative behavior in monkeys (Cebus paella) by delay of reward

Previous work has shown that when a delay of reward (DOR) is introduced into a well-learned discrimination, even gradually, discriminative performance deteriorates and, with moderately long DORs, does not recover with practice. The present experiment assessed whether the decrement in performance was due to an associative loss or to a decline in the incentive value of the reward object caused by the DOR. Cebus monkeys were trained on a simple visual discrimination and tested with either a DOR or an identical delay period which preceded the appearance of S+ and S− (“predelay” trials); reinforcement on predelay trials was immediate. On half of the daily trials, the animals were given the option of choosing either the DOR or the predelay trial. The duration of the delay was increased gradually until terminal delays of 32 to 128 sec were reached. All four animals maintained almost errorless performance on predelay trials; in contrast, their error rate reached 36% on DOR trials. Surprisingly, none of the animals learned to choose predelay over DOR trials. Both results were interpreted in terms of the incentive loss hypothesis.
Characterization of atomic motion governing grain boundary migration

Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to study atomic motion within stationary and migrating asymmetric tilt grain boundaries. We employ several measures of the ``complexity'' of the atomic trajectories, including the van Hove correlation function, the non-Gaussian parameter, and dynamic entropy. There are two key types of dynamical events within the grain boundaries (i) a stringlike cooperative motions parallel to the tilt axis and occurring on a characteristic time scale of $\ensuremath{\approx}25\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ps}$ and (ii) atomic motion across the grain boundary plane occurring on a characteristic time scale of $\ensuremath{\approx}150\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ps}$. The characteristic times associated with each type of event decreases with increasing driving force for boundary migration. We present evidence as to how the driving force biases these types of events, leading to boundary migration. While the stringlike atomic motion is an intrinsic feature of grain boundary dynamics and is important for grain boundary migration, it is the second type of event that controls grain boundary migration rates.
The Nuclear Magnetic Moment of Caesium from the Polarization of Resonance Radiation

Measurements on the polarization of resonance radiation in a magnetic field have been used to obtain the hyperfine separation constants of the $6^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ and $7^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ levels of caesium I. For a nuclear spin of $\frac{7}{2}$ the hyperfine separation constant is 1.42\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ for the $6^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ level and 4.86\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ for the $7^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ level. From these values the nuclear magnetic moment is calculated as $\frac{2.40}{1840}$ and $\frac{2.41}{1840}$ Bohr magnetons, respectively. These agree well with the value $\frac{2.52}{1840}$ obtained from the splitting of the lower $6^{2}S_{\frac{1}{2}}$ level. The theoretical and experimental curves for the polarization as a function of the magnetic field agree within experimental error when the shape of the exciting line in the source is taken into account.
Symmetry Breaking and the Molecular Structure of NO3

The equilibrium structure and vibrational frequencies of the nitrate cation, NO3+, have been investigated with an extensive set of ab initio calculations. Two stationary points were identified on t...
Both subunits of rat liver ferritin are regulated at a translational level by iron induction

Abstract A few hours after administering iron to rats, liver ferritin synthesis increases several fold. However, Northern blot analysis with cDNA probes for ferritin light (L) and heavy (H) subunit mRNAs failed to show an increase in total population of either messenger. Cytoplasmic distribution of ferritin messages was therefore investigated in control and iron administered rats killed at 3.5 hours. The liver post-mitochondrial supernatant was fractionated on a sucrose gradient to separate polyribosomes, monosomes, ribosomal subunits and cell sap. RNA extracted from each fraction and analyzed using Northern blotting showed that 65% of the total mRNA population for each subunit was present in the cell sap of control rats, presumably as mRNP particles since ribosomal RNA was absent from this fraction. After iron administration, these reserves of free mRNA were recruited onto the polysomes, reducing the free mRNA pool to 15% of the total. We interpret this to be due to activation of blocked ferritin messages on entry of iron into the cell.
Outpatient interval appendectomy after perforated appendicitis.

Abstract Background Interval appendectomy may be advisable after successful nonoperative treatment of perforated appendicitis. To reduce the perceived morbidity of interval appendectomy, we sought to determine if the operation could be done on an outpatient basis. This study is focused on patient comfort and safety after laparoscopic interval appendectomy (LIA). Methods This is a retrospective review of the clinical course and length of stay of 24 children who had LIA during a 4-year period. Results Of the 24 patients, 12 were discharged on the evening of surgery without incident. Nine additional patients were observed for the first postoperative night—2 for short episodes of temperature elevation, 3 for pain treated within the first 4 hours of recovery and requiring no further treatment, and 4 because the idea of outpatient appendectomy had yet to become popular. None of these patients was febrile overnight, none required narcotic or parenteral analgesics after leaving the recovery room, and all accepted feedings without nausea or vomiting. It is likely that all 9 of these patients could have been discharged on the day of operation. Three other patients stayed in the hospital for treatment of pain, low-grade fever, or slow resumption of feeding. Conclusion Of 24 patients, 21(88%) were or could have been discharged on the day of operation. When interval appendectomy is indicated, LIA can be performed safely as an outpatient surgical procedure in most children.
Apollonius’ Planetary Theory

Ptolemy’s “Almagest”, written about 140 A.D. and itself a work of great mathematical skill, has preserved interesting references to investigations of Apollonius, three centuries earlier, on the cinematics of eccentric and epicyclic motion. After Eudoxus, about 360 B.C., had succeeded in giving a qualitative explanation of the apparent planetary orbits by means of concentric spheres, rotating about inclined axes1, Apollonius seems to have been the first geometer to utilize plain circular motion. What we know, through Ptolemy, about his theory seems to indicate that the theory was not far enough developed to account, e.g., for the dependence of the arcs of retrogradation on the longitude. Indeed, the complexity of the empirical data is so great that Hipparchus (about 150 B.C.) refrained from formulating a consistent planetary theory, a task finally accomplished by Ptolemy. To us the relative merit of Apollonius’ or Ptolemy’s theories for the representation of empirical data is no longer of great interest. Apollonius’ discussion, however, of the appearance of stationary points in the planetary motion seems to me worthy of being remembered for its intrinsic mathematical elegance.
Grasslands as movement barriers for a forest-associated salamander: Migration behavior of adult and juvenile salamanders at a distinct habitat edge

Abstract The persistence of amphibian populations in fragmented landscapes requires dispersal and recolonization of habitat patches after local extinction. These processes entail individuals crossing habitat edges. Edge permeability integrates the behavior of individuals with the vegetative structure of the habitat edge and may influence the dispersal rates between habitat patches. We used drift fences, radio telemetry, and an experimental displacement to examine the movement behavior of juvenile and adult spotted salamanders ( Ambystoma maculatum ) at a pond located in continuous forest and a pond located on a distinct forest–grassland edge. At the pond on the habitat edge, adult salamanders migrated to and from the forested side of the pond. Resident adults with transmitters migrated to forested habitat without approaching the habitat edge. Displaced adults with transmitters halted emigration movements when they approached the habitat edge. None of the radio-tagged adults were observed more than a few meters into the grassland. Recently metamorphosed juveniles exiting the grassland side of the pond changed their direction of movement and migrated into the forested habitat. We conclude that salamanders oriented movements with respect to features in the terrestrial habitat, detected the habitat edge, and behaviorally avoided the grassland. Exploring the permeability of habitat edges will improve our understanding of dispersal within fragmented landscapes and enhance efforts to conserve regional populations of amphibians.
Validation of deuterium labeled fatty acids for the measurement of dietary fat oxidation: a method for measuring fat-oxidation in free-living subjects.

BACKGROUND: Fatty acid oxidation has frequently been measured using 13C or 14C labeled fatty acids. While providing valuable data, the breath test method is hindered by the need for a controlled environment to measure VCO2 and collect frequent breath samples. Additionally, the CO2 breath tests require the use of 13C- or 14C-acetate to correct for isotope exchange in the TCA cycle. We validated d31-palmitic acid for measuring dietary fat oxidation. When oxidized, the deuterium appears as water and mixes with the body water pool providing a cumulative record of fat oxidation. METHODS: The recovery of deuterium from d31-palmitic acid at 10 h post-dose was compared to that of 13CO2 from [1-13C]-palmitic acid in nine subjects (body mass index (BMI) = 23.6±2.8; percentage body fat (%BF) = 22.6±5.3; mean±s.d.). Subjects were studied at rest. [1-13C]-acetate (2 mg/kg) was dosed in a liquid breakfast. On a second day, [1-13C]-palmitic acid (10 mg/kg) and d31-palmitic acid (15 mg/kg) were dosed with the same liquid breakfast. RESULTS: Recovery of 13CO2 from [1-13C]-acetate at 10 h post-dose was 53.7±10.4%. Recovery of d31-palmitic acid was 13.2±7.7% (mean±s.d.) and [1-13C]-palmitic acid recovery was 6.4±3.6%. When the 13C data was corrected for [1-13C]-acetate (Na salt) recovery, the mean difference in percentage recovery between the two tracers was 0.5±2.8% and cumulative recoveries through 10 h post-dose were highly correlated (y = 1.045x−0.47; r2 = 0.88, P<0.0002). Our data shows both labels to be equivalent in their ability to measure dietary fat oxidation in resting subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The use of deuterium labeled palmitic acid eliminates the need for rigid control over the subjects' environment. Frequent sampling and measurement of VCO2 are not needed for accurate calculation of percentage recovery of the deuterium label. In addition, the deuterium label has a decreased potential for isotopic exchange compared to 13C or 14C, so a recovery correction factor is probably not required.
Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Health-Related Goods and Services

Schenker and colleagues (2014) argue for a fiduciary responsibility of health care institutions to patients as an extension of the fiduciary responsibility of the physician. They suggest that direc...
Pinin modulates expression of an intestinal homeobox gene, Cdx2, and plays an essential role for small intestinal morphogenesis

Abstract Pinin (Pnn), a nuclear speckle-associated protein, has been shown to function in maintenance of epithelial integrity through altering expression of several key adhesion molecules. Here we demonstrate that Pnn plays a crucial role in small intestinal development by influencing expression of an intestinal homeobox gene, Cdx2. Conditional inactivation of Pnn within intestinal epithelia resulted in significant downregulation of a caudal type homeobox gene, Cdx2, leading to obvious villus dysmorphogenesis and severely disrupted epithelial differentiation. Additionally, in Pnn-deficient small intestine, we observed upregulated Tcf/Lef reporter activity, as well as misregulated expression/distribution of β-catenin and Tcf4. Since regulation of Cdx gene expression has been closely linked to Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity, we explored the possibility of Pnn's interaction with β-catenin, a major effector of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. Co-immunoprecipitation assays revealed that Pnn, together with its interaction partner CtBP2, a transcriptional co-repressor, was in a complex with β-catenin. Moreover, both of these proteins were found to be recruited to the proximal promoter area of Cdx2. Taken together, our results suggest that Pnn is essential for tight regulation of Wnt signaling and Cdx2 expression during small intestinal development.
The Human Ecology of Cattle Raising in the Peruvian Amazon: The View from the Farm

This paper, based on two years of fieldwork in the Peruvian Amazon, analyzes cattle raising as one component of farmers' adaptive strategies in the social and ecological contexts of that region. The paper examines why cattle raising is a widespread production activity on small-to-medium farms in the region, and discusses its ecological impacts at the farm level. The ecological impacts include a tendency to retard biomass accumulation after moderate-to-heavy grazing, thereby prolonging the fallow period necessary for site recovery. The paper analyzes the implications of this ecological change on the viability of small-to-medium farms in this environment.
Hydrology 1979–1982

The quadrennium 1979–1982 produced notable advances in surface water and groundwater hydrology, as well as important trends towards a more scientific basis for engineering hydrology. Examples of these developments will be given below, as well as an assessment of current trends. One of the most significant areas to emerge during the last quadrennium is stochastic groundwater analysis. The basis for the conceptualization of groundwater flow and transport as a stochastic process is two-fold: 1) the realization that hydrologeological environments are extremely heterogeneous, regardless of the scale of modeling or data collection and 2) the use of groundwater flow and transport modeling results within broader water resources or hazardous waste management studies where risk analysis requires and incorporates groundwater uncertainty.
Laser-scanning particle image velocimetry applied to a delta wing in transient maneuver

A laser scanning technique, which utilizes a galvanometer scanner to produce particle-image photographs, is employed to investigate the flow over a delta wing undergoing pitching maneuvers at a high angle of attack. Use of a unique forcing system and a large-scale prism arrangement allow characterization of the instantaneous velocity field over the entire crossflow plane at a desired angle of attack.
Syndecan proteoglycans and cell adhesion

Abstract It is now becoming clear that a family of transmembrane proteoglycans, the syndecans, have important roles in cell adhesion. They participate through binding of matrix ligand to their glycosaminoglycan chains, clustering, and the induction of signaling cascades to modify the internal microfilament organization. Syndecans can modulate the adhesive responses induced by other matrix ligand-receptor interactions, such as those involving the integrins, and so contribute to the control of cell morphology, adhesion and migration.
Damping of Composite Tubes With Embedded Viscoelastic Layers

In this paper, the results of analytical investigation into the effects of cocuring fiber composite tubes with commercially available damping materials are presented. A comprehensive theory has been developed for studying the vibration of a composite tube with multiple viscoelastic damping layers. The effects of transverse shear deformation, transverse normal stress and strain, rotary inertia, and higher-order stiffness terms are included in the modeling along with shear correction factors. Resonance frequency and loss factor results as a function of various geometric and physical parameters are presented for composite tubes with single and double damping layers. It is demonstrated through a parametric study that in all these systems, careful selection of damping and pre-preg material is needed to optimize the damping benefits desirable and the stiffness reductions that can be tolerated.
Channeling light into quantum-scale gaps

We develop a discrete plasmonic mode-matching technique to investigate the ultimate limits to plasmonic light concentration down to the length scales required for observation of quantum-mechanical phenomena, including plasmon-assisted electron tunneling. Our mode-matching calculations, verified by direct numerical solution of Maxwell's equations, indicate achievable coupling efficiencies of $g20%$ into symmetric bound gap plasmon modes in sub-10-nm gaps. For a given operating wavelength and a choice of material parameters, we demonstrate the existence of a specific width that maximizes enhancement of the electromagnetic field coupled into the gap. More generally, our calculations establish an intuitive and a computationally efficient framework for determining coupling efficiencies in and out of quantum-scale waveguides.
The effect of hydrocortisone on the membranes of primary human amnion cells in vitro.

Summary Prolonged hydrocortisone treatment of primary human amnion culture increased the resistance of cell to cell and cell to glass bonds to trypsin and versene. Hydrocortisone treated amnion cells were also more resistant to solubilization by lauryl sulfate than the untreated control. These experiments indicate that hydrocortisone alters certain characteristics of the cell membrane.
Evaluation of a porous fiber coating in SiC–Si 3 N 4 minicomposite

A porous and discontinuous Si3N4-based fiber coating was evaluated in SiC/Si3N4 minicomposites by fiber push-out and fractography for debond capabilities following high temperature exposures. The exposures consisted of 500 h annealing at 1350 °C, and 25–100 h oxidation in wafer form at 1200–1400 °C. In spite of considerable microstructural coarsening and/or oxidation of the coating, fiber debond and sliding were achieved in all cases, and at stress levels comparable to those reported for tough, as-fabricated SiC/Si3N4 composites with a carbon or boron nitride interphase. Therefore, the porous coating is expected to perform better than C or BN in applications where oxidation is inevitable. The role of porosity in accommodating and mitigating the effects of oxidation is thought to be important.
Pulsed high-voltage breakdown of thin film Parylene-C

Measurements of polymer dielectric high-voltage (HV) strength at thicknesses in the 1 to 10 μm range have always been difficult to validate and repeat. We report results of experiments done using Parylene-C films of 2-, 4-, and 6-μm thickness in a series of configurations intended to determine the high-voltage breakdown (HVB) of the material itself with a minimum of externally undefined parameters. The experiments used an alumina substrate coated with a conductive gold film with Parylene-C film deposited on top of the lower gold film. One edge of the lower gold film was exposed to provide electrical connection, and a triangular or circular gold electrode was deposited on the surface of the Parylene-C. The intent was to test the dielectric breakdown strength of bare Parylene-C as well as to evaluate the effects of field enhancements produced by the two electrode shapes.
In Bitter Tempest: The Biography of Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher

Think of World War II naval commanders in the Pacific and certain names come to mind: Chester Nimitz, Raymond Spruance, William "Bull" Halsey. Their accomplishments have been well documented by historians and filmmakers. Yet there is another, more controversial commander among their ranks who has been largely overlooked - until now. In Bitter Tempest tells the story of Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, who led U.S. forces at Wake, Coral Sea, Guadalcanal, and the Eastern Solomons. It is the first book to be written specifically to give Fletcher's perspective, using previously unreviewed personal papers along with numerous naval documents and records, some of which were formerly classified material. Fletcher's time at sea during World War II is set forth in vivid detail, from exciting victories to communications foul-ups to the tragic sinking of his command vessel, the U.S.S. Yorktown. Did Fletcher make errors in judgment, as some of his critics have claimed, or was he primarily a victim of internal politics within the military? This volume helps clarify the issue. The biography chronicles Fletcher's life as a loyal career naval officer, starting with his childhood as scion of a locally prominent family in Marshalltown, Iowa, and including his attendance at the U.S. Naval Academy, where Nimitz, Spruance, and Halsey were among his classmates; his exemplary service at Vera Cruz and in World War I; and his assignments in Asia and in Washington, D.C., throughout the 1920s and 1930s, which allowed him to see firsthand the rise of Japan that brought the nation into World War II. The author also offers insights into the wartime U.S.-Russia Lend-Lease program in which Fletcher played unheralded butimportant roles as diplomat and supervisor. As Commander of North Pacific Forces, Fletcher efficiently ran army, navy, and army-airforce operations against the Japanese, while training Russian forces to take over U.S. ships. Japanese forces in the northern islands of Japan surrende
Self-timed neural model implementation: an example using CMAC

The author argues that a self-timed approach to digital neural hardware design is highly practical because it profits from the many benefits that self-timed methods bring to circuit design in general: scalability, robustness, average as opposed to worst-case performance, and freedom from global clock synchronization problems. The concepts discussed are demonstrated with a fully self-timed implementation of the cerebellar model articulation controller (CMAC) neural architecture suitable for VLSI. The author describes the CMAC model, presents a sample function for it to learn, documents its learning behaviour, and then shows how to implement a simplified CMAC. >
Examining the Needs of Culturally Diverse Rural Caregivers who Have Adults with Severe Developmental Disabilities Living with Them

This article presents the results of a study of rural caregivers who have adults with severe developmental delays living at home with them. It examines their demographic characteristics, their perceived levels of stress, and the coping skills they use to deal with that stress. This article provides information on the availability and utilization of social services for the adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities (MR/DD) and their families. In addition, the service needs, stresses experienced, and coping skills of these families are examined according to majority and minority racial status. This type of information should be valuable to policy makers, agency administrators, and program planners to improve the development, targeting, and accessibility of rural programs and services. For the purpose of this study, the term “developmental disability” refers to both mental and physical delays and is sometimes represented as MR/DD, which is consistent with the literature on this population.
Selection and the categorial status of infinitival complements

This paper is a contribution to the attempt to eliminate c-selection as an autonomous mechanism of grammar. We provide evidence against c-selection for different types of infinitival clauses and give an analysis of infinitival complementation based on the Case-theoretic account of the distribution of PRO, which we argue is superior to the standard binding-theoretic account. We argue that, like ECM infinitivals, control infinitivals can be of category IP. More precisely, we argue that as long as the CP status is not required by lexical properties independent of c-selection, control infinitivals not introduced by an overt complementizer are IPs. The IP status is forced on such infinitivals by the Principle of Economy of Representation.
Locus Coeruleus α-Adrenergic–Mediated Activation of Cortical Astrocytes In Vivo

The locus coeruleus (LC) provides the sole source of norepinephrine (NE) to the cortex for modulation of cortical synaptic activity in response to salient sensory information. NE has been shown to improve signal-to-noise ratios, sharpen receptive fields and function in learning, memory, and cognitive performance. Although LC-mediated effects on neurons have been addressed, involvement of astrocytes has thus far not been demonstrated in these neuromodulatory functions. Here we show for the 1st time in live mice, that astrocytes exhibit rapid Ca2+ increases in response to electrical stimulation of the LC. Additionally, robust peripheral stimulation known to result in phasic LC activity leads to Ca2+ responses in astrocytes throughout sensory cortex that are independent of sensory-driven glutamate-dependent pathways. Furthermore, the astrocytic Ca2+ transients are competitively modulated by α2-specific agonist/antagonist combinations known to impact LC output, are sensitive to the LC-specific neurotoxin N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine, and are inhibited locally by an α-adrenergic antagonist. Future investigations of LC function must therefore consider the possibility that LC neuromodulatory effects are in part derived from activation of astrocytes.
Inflammatory cytokine response following acute tibial plateau fracture.

Background: The objective of the present study was to evaluate human synovial fluid for inflammatory cytokine concentrations following acute tibial plateau fracture. Our hypothesis was that there would be an elevated inflammatory response following intra-articular fracture, and that the inflammatory response would be greater after high-energy compared with low-energy injuries. Methods: Between December 2011 and June 2013, we prospectively enrolled forty-five patients with an acute tibial plateau fracture. Synovial fluid aspirations were performed on the injured and uninjured knees. Twenty patients who required an external fixator followed by delayed fixation underwent aspiration at both surgical procedures. The concentrations of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12(p70), IL-13, IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1β) were quantified with use of multiplex assays. Results: The forty-five patients had an average age of forty-two years (range, twenty to sixty years). There were twenty-four low-energy and twenty-one high-energy tibial plateau injuries. There was a significant difference between injured and uninjured knees (p < 0.001) with regard to concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1RA, and MCP-1. There was not a detectable difference in synovial fluid cytokine concentrations between high and low-energy injuries. The concentrations of IL-10 (p < 0.001), IL-1RA (p = 0.002), IL-6 (p < 0.001), IL-8 (p < 0.001), and MCP-1 (p = 0.002) were significantly greater in the injured knee than in the uninjured knee at the second aspiration, at a mean of 9.5 days (range, three to twenty-one days) after the initial injury. Conclusions: There was a significant local inflammatory response following acute tibial plateau fracture. There was not a detectable difference in inflammatory cytokine concentration between high and low-energy injuries. Synovial fluid concentrations of IL-10, IL-8, IL-6, IL-1RA, and MCP-1 remained elevated at the second aspiration. Clinical Relevance: The articular surface is exposed to acute and sustained concentrations of multiple inflammatory cytokines following intra-articular fracture. Inflammatory cytokines have been associated with the development of primary and inflammatory arthritis, and this research indicates that these factors could also play a role in the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis.
Predicting Study Abroad Intentions Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior

The emphasis on study abroad programs is growing in the academic context as U.S. based universities seek to incorporate a global perspective in education. Using a model that has underpinnings in the theory of planned behavior (TPB), we predict students’ intention to participate in short-term study abroad program. We use TPB to identify behavioral, normative, and control beliefs pertinent to the study abroad context. Our research model hypothesizes that intention is predicted by affordability, willingness to pay, and desire. Moreover, willingness to pay is explained by future job prospects, family expectations, and administrative support. We believe that the elements of TBP are reflective of categories of factors that have been demonstrated as important in the context of short-term study abroad decisions, but that have not been included in previous studies applying TPB to a study abroad context. We test our research model through a survey of 254 undergraduate business students at a southern U.S. university, and find support for all our hypotheses. Results from our study aid in the understanding of students’ decision-making process to participate in a short-term study abroad program and have implications for education and learning in the study abroad context. We also contribute to the extant research in TPB by applying it to the context of studying abroad programs and by identifying, and finding support for, a mediated relationship between beliefs and intentions.
User expectations of clinical engineers

The role of the clinical engineer is examined. The expectations of the other front-line members of the health-care team-the doctor, nurse, and technologist-and sometimes the patient are highlighted. The future of clinical engineering is briefly considered. >
Rapid determination of bacteria in drinking water using an ATP assay

The presently used heterotrophic plate count (HPC) for the evaluation of the total number of bacteria in a sample of drinking water takes 7 days of incubation. When the results are known, the water has been consumed and is ineffective for the protection of the health of the consumers. Operators of water treatment systems need to know the bacterial water quality in near real time. Contamination of the system, whether it is intentional, accidental, or due to an inadequate disinfectant residual needs to be discovered much sooner because intervention can then take place in the form of flushing low quality water and/or raising the disinfectant residual. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine if a rapid ATP assay can estimate the HPC in minutes. Two additional methods were used for some samples. The first method was the acridine orange direct count (AODC) that enumerates both viable and nonviable bacteria. The second method was the direct viable count (DVC) that enumerates only viable bacteria. Water samples were obtained from local, national, and international locations. The sample selection criteria were based on proximity to the laboratory, cooperating water utilities, and the travel of the authors. The results of the study show that the rapid ATP assay is highly correlated with the conventional plate count method and the DVC method. The significance of the ATP assay is that it can determine the bacterial quality of the drinking water in less than 5 min. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Field Analyt Chem Technol 5: 185–189, 2001
Summary of California Climate Policy Modeling Forum

California is a leader in developing and implementing policies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve air quality, and encourage efficient use of energy and other resources. At the same time policymakers are often limited in their access to transparent and high-quality technical and economic models that can help them evaluate plausible future scenarios and assess environmental and economic impacts of current or proposed policy targets and policy instruments.On December 16-17, the Policy Institute for Energy, Environment and the Economy and the Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways (NextSTEPS), both of UC Davis, hosted a forum as part of the California Climate Policy Modeling (CCPM) project. The CCPM is an ongoing project to bring together policy makers, modeling groups, and key stakeholders in the state to: Improve the state of knowledge of plausible pathways/scenarios for future technology adoption, energy use, air quality, and GHG emissions; Identify plausible mid-point goals and/or targets for GHG emissions between 2020 and 2050; Discuss policy options needed for meeting the state’s climate and air quality goals, identify policy gaps, and improve existing policies; Improve the state of modeling, including identifying ways to make the models and model findings more useful and accessible to policy-makers and other stakeholders.This document is a brief summary of the primary model findings and insights discussed at the December 2013 forum.
Sentiment Analysis for Social Media Images

In this proposal, we study the problem of understandinghuman sentiments from large scale collection ofInternet images based on both image features and contextualsocial network information (such as friend comments anduser description). Despite the great strides in analyzing usersentiment based on text information, the analysis of sentimentbehind the image content has largely been ignored. Thus, we extend the significant advances in text-based sentimentprediction tasks to the higherlevel challenge of predicting theunderlying sentiments behind the images. We show that neithervisual features nor the textual features are by themselvessufficient for accurate sentiment labeling. Thus, we provide away of using both of them, and formulate sentiment predictionproblem in two scenarios: supervised and unsupervised. Wedevelop an optimization algorithm for finding a local-optimasolution under the proposed framework. With experiments ontwo large-scale datasets, we show that the proposed methodimproves significantly over existing state-of-the-art methods. In the future, we are going to incorporating more informationon the social network and explore sentiment on signed social network.
Analysis of erectile responses to bradykinin in the anesthetized rat.

These results indicate that bradykinin (BK) has erectile activity in the rat, mediated by kinin B2 receptors and cyclooxygenase products. Responses to BK are modulated by changes in driving pressur...
Critically reflexive dialogue and praxis: Academic/practitioner reflections throughout a formative evaluation of Circles® USA

ABSTRACTReflections about the use of critically reflexive praxis by academic/practitioners are offered based on a case study of a formative evaluation of Circles® USA, a nonprofit organization coordinating initiatives across the U.S. working to move families out of poverty. Critically reflexive praxis is theorized as featuring several themes including acknowledging different levels of context, critical dialogue with collaborators, engaging cultural difference and intersectionalities, problematizing power relations and relationships among researchers and collaborators, and occurring throughout the research project. Examples of critical dialogic reflexivity and navigating common tensions that emerge throughout such community engagement projects are detailed during three phases: planning and design; fieldwork and interviews; and outcomes, applications, and implications.
Angle resolved ESCA analysis of plasma modified polysterene

Plasma treatment can be used to modify the surface properties of polymers. In the present paper angle resolved ESCA studies were carried out to determine the influence of a H2O plasma on polysterene. Contrary to an O2 plasma we observed a thinner reaction layer. On the other hand the H2O plasma treatment induces higher concentrations of carbonate and ester linkages. An additional H2 plasma treatment demonstrated that the highly oxidized constituents were reduced more effectively. The plasma reactions were carried out in a reactor that was already attached to the ESCA spectrometer.
Mechanism of Action of Certain Sulfonamide Compounds

not known, hence certain aspects of the relationship of the sulfonamide drugs to p-aminobenzoic acid remain obscure. Additional evidence for application of the concept of competitive inhibition has been furnished by West and Coburn6 and by this laboratory.7 West and Coburn have shown that the inhibition of growth of staphylococci caused by sulfapyridine is reversed by diphosphopyridine nucleotide. In a later paper West8 found that sulfapyridine interferes with the cure of canine blacktongue by nicotinic acid. Thus a close relationship between diphosphopyridine nucleotide and its components and sulfapyridine is indicated.
Abstract LB-135: The transcriptome of p300 loss in MCF-7 cells

Introduction: p300 is a transcriptional co-activator that promotes gene transcription by acetylating DNA-binding factors and bridging them to the basal transcription machinery. Recent studies have revealed decreased levels of p300 in breast cancer cells, suggesting that p300 may be involved in the control of breast cancer growth and progression. Preliminary data from our laboratory also indicates that decreased p300 function promotes MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation in vitro and tumorigenesis in vivo. Methodology: In order to identify the effects of p300 loss on gene expression in breast cancer cells, microarray analysis was performed on total RNA from MCF-7 cells, stably transduced with lentiviruses expressing one of 3 p300 shRNAs or a non-silencing sequence. Silencing of p300 was > 50% in response to each of the shRNAs. Endogenous RNA was converted to cDNA using random primers and then to biotinylated cRNA for hybridization to human exonic evidence-based oligonucleotide microarrays (Ocean Ridge Biosciences, Palm Beach Gardens, FL). 877 genes were found to be differentially expressed in p300 knockdown MCF-7 cells compared to non-silenced controls. Differentially regulated genes were ranked according to the significance of change (p value Results: In our analysis, 877 genes were found to be differentially expressed out of which 27 genes were either significantly up-regulated or down-regulated. The rest of the gene expression levels found in the microarray analysis were not as highly significant as the top 27 genes. Among those 27 genes, four (SPAG7, OAS2, RARRES3, SERPINA6) showed highly significant (p Conclusions: Our microarray analysis in MCF-7 cells with partial p300 loss has identified several key genes that are related to breast cancer growth. These genes may be important in mediating the function of p300 loss in tumorigenicity, and future studies will focus on the use of p300 or its downstream signaling components as therapeutic targets in breast cancer treatment. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-135.
Absorption-induced Deformations of Nanofiber Yarns and Nanofibrous Webs

Current advances in manufacturing of nanotubular and nanofibrous materials with high surface- to - volume ratios call for the development of adequate characterization methods and predictive estimates of the materials absorption capacity. Extremely high flexibility of these materials poses a challenge: their pore structure easily changes upon contact with the fluid in question. One more complication is that the absorption process is sufficiently fast: one hundred micron droplets disappear in milliseconds. This paper sets a physical basis for analyses of absorption processes in nanotubular and nanofibrous materials. As an example, we study absorption of droplets by yarns made of nanofibers and nanofibrous webs. We show that absorption can induce different types of deformations: visible deformations of the yarn profile and deformations of the yarn diameter/length caused by the capillary forces. Using experimental data and theory, we estimate elastic and transport characteristics of the nanofibrous materials. The reported experiments and proposed theory open a new area of research on absorption-induced deformations of nanotubular and nanofibrous materials and show their potential applications as sensors to probe minute amount of absorbable liquids.
262 INCREASED OXIDATIVE STRESS INDICATES GREATER RISK FOR PROGRESSION FROM EARLY TO ADVANCED TYPE 2 DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY.

Purpose To identify urine parameters in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) that predict progression of early nephropathy defined as microalbuminuria (mg albumin-to-g creatinine ratio [alb/cr] in a spot am urine of 20 to 200 mg/g) to advanced nephropathy defined as macroalbuminuria (urine alb/cr > 200 mg/g). We hypothesized that urine indices of increased oxidative stress predict progression of early to advanced DM2 nephropathy. Methods We recruited 91 DM2 (39 nonsmokers and 52 smokers) with microalbuminuria and estimated GFR (eGFR) > 90 mL/min. Smokers underwent 12 weeks of smoking cessation intervention and 11 of the 52 (21%) quit. Therefore, three groups were compared: nonsmokers (NS, n = 39), smokers who continued smoking (S, n = 41), and smokers who quit (Quit, n = 11). Subjects were prescribed ACE inhibitors and followed 5 years with yearly measurements of urine alb/cr, eGFR, and oxidative stress as urine excretion of 8-iso-PGF2 alpha (8-iso). Summary At 5 years, urine alb/cr was higher in S (99.2 ± 13.3) than NS (21.2 ± 1.8) and Quit (23.9 ± 2.3), p Conclusions The data show that smoking in DM2 is associated with increased oxidative stress as measured by urine 8-iso excretion and that smoking cessation is associated with a reduction in this parameter. Higher levels of urine 8-iso excretion and presumably oxidative stress are associated with progression of DM2 nephropathy.
Control Optimization with Stochastic Search

In this chapter, we discuss an approach for solving Markov decision problems (MDPs) and Semi-Markov decision problems (SMDPs) using an approach that employs the so-called action-selection probabilities instead of the Q-factors required in reinforcement learning (RL). The underlying philosophy of this approach can be explained as follows. The action-selection probabilities, which are stored in some form either directly or indirectly, are used to guide the search. As a result, we have a stochastic search in which each action is considered to be equally good at the start, but using feedback from the system about the effectiveness of each action, the algorithm updates the action-selection probabilities—leading the system to the optimal policy at the end. It should be clear to the reader that like RL, this approach also uses feedback from the system, but unlike RL, it stores action-selection probabilities.
The Heritage of Social Class and Class Conflict on Chicago’s South Side

This essay examines the ways that Chicagoans commemorated or ignored their working-class past and looks at Pullman, Haymarket, and the “Back of the Yards” as particularly apt examples of this remembering and forgetting. When heritage is associated with the built environment, as in Pullman, a carefully planned company town and the site in 1894 of one of the most famous labor conflicts in the US history, the emphasis is usually on the architecture and preservation of tangible reminders of the industrial past. In many evocations of industrial Chicago, however, the people themselves are lost, overwhelmed by the giant machinery and plants. Sometimes, it is contention over the appropriate commemoration of events involving class conflict that causes important sites to go largely unmarked for decades, as was the case with Chicago’s famous Haymarket Square, the site of the great strikes of 1886, commemorated as the international workers’ celebration of May Day. But the need to remember, along with the increasing physical deterioration and the erasure of the working-class past through gentrification and deindustrialization, requires that we find the means to mark, preserve, and interpret aspects of working-class heritage and the historical significance of places like these.
Patched1 and Patched2 inhibit Smoothened non-cell autonomously

Smoothened (Smo) inhibition by Patched (Ptch) is central to Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. Ptch, a proton driven antiporter, is required for Smo inhibition via an unknown mechanism. Hh ligand binding to Ptch reverses this inhibition and activated Smo initiates the Hh response. To determine whether Ptch inhibits Smo strictly in the same cell or also mediates non-cell-autonomous Smo inhibition, we generated genetically mosaic neuralized embryoid bodies (nEBs) from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). These experiments utilized novel mESC lines in which Ptch1, Ptch2, Smo, Shh and 7dhcr were inactivated via gene editing in multiple combinations, allowing us to measure non-cell autonomous interactions between cells with differing Ptch1/2 status. In several independent assays, the Hh response was repressed by Ptch1/2 in nearby cells. When 7dhcr was targeted, cells displayed elevated non-cell autonomous inhibition. These findings support a model in which Ptch1/2 mediate secretion of a Smo-inhibitory cholesterol precursor.
Institutional Effects on the Careers of State Supreme Court Justices

We contend a direct connection exists between risk of removal from the bench and the length of judicial careers, as institutional mechanisms present varying but predictable degrees of risk to justices. Using event history modeling, we analyze the duration of judicial tenures and resultant levels of risk provided by selection methods. We demonstrate that justices in partisan elections have the shortest tenures and greatest risk of departure. By contrast, the Missouri Plan evidenced the longest careers, offering a trivial amount of risk to justices. We show that the length of judicial careers are, in part, a function of the institutional design of selection and retention systems.
Identification of a unique gene expression signature in mercury and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin co-exposed cells

Mercury (Hg) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) are major environmental contaminants that commonly co-occur in the environment. Both Hg and TCDD are associated with a number of human diseases including cancers. While the individual toxicological effects of Hg and TCDD have been extensively investigated, studies on co-exposure are limited to a few genes and pathways. Therefore, a significant knowledge gap exists in the understanding of the deleterious effects of co-exposure to Hg and TCDD. Due to the prevalence of Hg and TCDD co-contamination in the environment and the major human health hazards they pose, it is important to obtain a fuller understanding of genome-wide effects of Hg and TCDD co-exposure. In this study, by performing a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) exposed to Hg and TCDD individually and in combination, we have uncovered a subset of genes with altered expression only in the co-exposed cells. We also identified the additive as well as antagonistic effects of Hg and TCDD on gene expression. Moreover, we found that co-exposure impacted several biological and disease processes not affected by Hg or TCDD individually. Our studies show that the consequences of Hg and TCDD co-exposure on the transcriptional program and biological processes could be substantially different from single exposures, thus providing new insights into the co-exposure-specific pathogenic processes.