cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dispersion evaluation of microcrystalline cellulose/cellulose nanofibril-filled polypropylene composites using thermogravimetric analysis

Microcrystalline cellulose-filled polypropylene (PP) composites and cellulose nanofiber-filled composites were prepared by melt blending. The compounded material was used to evaluate dispersion of cellulose fillers in the polypropylene matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and mechanical testing were conducted on composites blended multiple times and the results were compared with single batch melt blended composites. The residual mass, tensile strength, and coefficient of variance values were used to evaluate dispersion of the microcrystalline cellulose fillers in the PP matrix. The potential of using TG to evaluate cellulose nanofiber-filled thermoplastic polymers was also investigated and it was found that the value and variability of residual mass after TG measurements can be a criterion for describing filler dispersion. A probabilistic approach is presented to evaluate the residual mass and tensile strength distribution, and the correlation between those two properties. Both the multiple melt blending and single batch composites manufactured with increased blending times showed improved filler dispersion in terms of variation and reliability of mechanical properties. The relationship between cellulose nanofiber loading and residual mass was in good agreement with the rule of mixtures. In this article, the authors propose to use a novel method for dispersion evaluation of natural fillers in a polymer matrix using TG residual mass analysis. This method can be used along with other techniques such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for filler dispersion evaluation in thermoplastic composites.
Code-Rate Selection, Queueing Behavior, and the Correlated Erasure Channel

This paper considers the relationship between code-rate selection and queueing performance for communication systems subject to time-varying channel conditions. While error-correcting codes offer protection against channel uncertainties, there exists a natural tradeoff between the enhanced protection of low-rate codes and the rate penalty imposed by additional redundancy. In the limiting regime where codewords are asymptotically long, this tradeoff is well understood and characterized by the Shannon capacity. However, for delay-sensitive communication systems and finite block lengths, a complete characterization of this tradeoff is not fully developed. This paper offers a new perspective on the queueing performance of communication systems with finite block lengths operating over correlated erasure channels. A rigorous framework that links code rate to overall system performance for random codes is presented. Guidelines for code-rate selection in delay-sensitive systems are identified. These findings are supported by a numerical study.
Allosteric site variants of Haemophilus influenzae beta-carbonic anhydrase.

Haemophilus influenzae β-carbonic anhydrase (HICA) is hypothesized to be an allosteric protein that is regulated by the binding of bicarbonate ion to a non-catalytic (inhibitory) site that controls the ligation of Asp44 to the catalytically essential zinc ion. We report here the X-ray crystallographic structures of two variants (W39F and Y181F) involved in the binding of bicarbonate ion in the non-catalytic site and an active-site variant (D44N) that is incapable of forming a strong zinc ligand. The alteration of Trp39 to Phe increases the apparent Ki for bicarbonate inhibition by 4.8-fold. While the structures of W39F and Y181F are very similar to the wild-type enzyme, the X-ray crystal structure of the D44N variant reveals that it has adopted an active-site conformation nearly identical to that of non-allosteric β-carbonic anhydrases. We propose that the structure of the D44N variant is likely to be representative of the active conformation of the enzyme. These results lend additional support to the hyp...
Shifts in measuring dementia

ISSN 1758-2024 10.2217/NMT.12.43 © 2012 Future Medicine Ltd Neurodegen. Dis. Manage. (2012) 2(5), 443–445 part of With the recent passage of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has reached a new level of national attention [101]. One goal of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act is to develop effec­ tive forms of prevention and treatment for AD by the year 2025. To meet this goal, AD clinical trials that assess patients’ response to experimental pharmacothera­ peutic interventions using cognitive out­ comes are necessary. However, the ability to accurately assess patients’ response to the treatment in question is not without challenges. This editorial argues that we need to shift the way we think about and measure the cognitive aspects of dementia if we are to make serious progress towards meeting these goals. In a relatively recent commentary pub­ lished in the Journal of the American Medical Association entitled, ‘Shifts in thinking about dementia’, Hachinski suggested that “the concept of dementia is obsolete” [1]. In this statement, the author appropri­ ately challenged the current conceptually flawed approach to measuring dementia, suggesting that although the prevailing taxonomy is categorical (yes/no), or at best ordinal (mild/moderate/severe), the disease itself is actually dimensional and progressive. For this reason, the current classification system can not optimally capture the phenomenon it was designed to measure. Therefore, the field needs a better, con ceptually clear taxonomy and measurement system. We propose an approach that is not only consistent with the assumption that the disease is dimensional and progressive, but also consistent with the assumption that particular cognitive changes are associated with different degrees of dementia sever­ ity. For dementia assessment to truly move toward a conceptually consistent model, items and tests would need to be created, selected and evaluated for their ability to identify specific declines across the entire continuum of the disease or in a particular range of the continuum. Item response theory (IRT) provides the appropriate statistical method ology to consider this issue. IRT has long been used in educational testing and has trans­ formed the way certain academic abilities are estimated [2,3]. However, the principles
Nicotine alters striatal glutamate function and decreases the apomorphine-induced contralateral rotations in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats.

The overall goal of this study was to determine the effects of subchronic nicotine (0.4 mg/kg) treatment for 7 or 14 days on striatal glutamate function in both naive and in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-treated rats in which the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway was lesioned. In lesioned animals, the effect of nicotine on apomorphine-induced contralateral rotations was also assessed. In naive rats, once daily nicotine administration for 7 or 14 days resulted in a decrease and then an increase, respectively, in the basal extracellular level of striatal glutamate compared to the saline-treated group. Ultrastructurally, 14-day treatment with nicotine resulted in an increase in the density of striatal glutamate immunolabeling within nerve terminals making an asymmetrical synaptic contact compared to the saline-treated group. In 6-OHDA-lesioned animals, coadministration of nicotine with apomorphine or nicotine alone for 7 days resulted in an increase in the density of nerve terminal glutamate immunolabeling, compared to the apomorphine- or saline-treated groups. However, coadministration of nicotine with apomorphine for 14 days resulted in a decrease in the density of nerve terminal glutamate immunolabeling compared to the nicotine-treated group. Following subchronic treatment of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats with apomorphine for 7 or 14 days, there was an increase in the number of apomorphine-induced contralateral rotations compared to the saline treated group. There was a decrease in the number of apomorphine-induced contralateral rotations in the group coadministered nicotine with apomorphine for 7 or 14 days compared to the apomorphine treated group. The data suggests that in this 6-OHDA lesion model of Parkinson's disease, treatment with nicotine may be useful in counteracting the increased behavioral effect (i.e., contralateral rotations) observed after treatment with a dopamine agonist, such as apomorphine.
Stable isotope labeling confirms mixotrophic nature of streamer biofilm communities at alkaline hot springs

Streamer biofilm communities (SBC) are often observed within chemosynthetic zones of Yellowstone hot spring outflow channels, where temperatures exceed those conducive to photosynthesis. Nearest the hydrothermal source (75-88°C) SBC comprise thermophilic Archaea and Bacteria, often mixed communities including Desulfurococcales and uncultured Crenarchaeota, as well as Aquificae, Thermus, each carrying diagnostic membrane lipid biomarkers. We tested the hypothesis that SBC can alternate their metabolism between autotrophy and heterotrophy depending on substrate availability. Feeding experiments were performed at two alkaline hot springs in Yellowstone National Park: Octopus Spring and ‘Bison Pool’, using various 13C-labeled substrates (bicarbonate, formate, acetate and glucose) to determine the relative uptake of these different carbon sources. Highest 13C uptake, at both sites, was from acetate into almost all bacterial fatty acids, particularly into methyl-branched C15, C17 and C19 fatty acids that are diagnostic for Thermus/Meiothermus and some Firmicutes as well as into universally common C16:0 and C18:0 fatty acids. 13C-glucose showed a similar, but a 10 to 30 times lower uptake across most fatty acids. 13C bicarbonate uptake, signifying the presence of autotrophic communities was only significant at ‘Bison Pool’ and was observed predominantly in non-specific saturated C16, C18, C20 and C22 fatty acids. Incorporation of 13C-formate occurred only at very low rates at ‘Bison Pool’ and was almost undetectable at Octopus Spring, suggesting that formate is not an important carbon source for SBC. 13C uptake into archaeal lipids occurred predominantly with 13C acetate, suggesting also that archaeal communities at both springs have primarily heterotrophic carbon assimilation pathways. We hypothesize that these communities are energy-limited and predominantly nurtured by input of exogenous organic material, with only a small fraction being sustained by autotrophic growth.
Photoinduced conductivity changes in carbon nanotube transistors

Photoinduced conductivity changes in single-walled carbon nanotube transistors have been examined. Low-intensity ultraviolet light significantly reduces the p-channel conductance while simultaneously increasing the n-channel conductance. A combination of optical absorption and electron transport measurements reveals that these changes occur without variations in dopant concentrations. Possible sites of oxygen photodesorption and its implications on the observed electronic properties of nanotubes are considered.
A simulation of the southern North Sea in comparison with measurements from the North Sea Project Part 2 Suspended Particulate Matter

Abstract We simulate the distribution of suspended particulate matter in the southern North Sea using a three-dimensional baroclinic shelf-sea model. Process studies with individual coastal sources show the transport of material across the southern North Sea and out into the Norwegian trench is sensitive to specific wind conditions and settling velocities, so that material which settles during the summer can be transported faster than a passive tracer if its flux is unidirectional. Results from model runs with a number of coastal sources and size classes are compared with CTD data from the North Sea Project, using multiple linear regression to estimate the source strengths. The agreement is best during the winter, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.7; this falls below 0.4 in the summer. We estimate the input from Holderness and the Wash to be 5.6 M tonnes/year, and from the East Anglian coast to be 2.1 M tonnes/year. Due to the limited resolution of the model and the observations, we find we are unable to estimate the input from the English Channel or the Rhine with any degree of certainty.
Laboratory testing of a gas turbine vaporizer

A laboratory test apparatus was constructed for assessing the metal temperature and the state of different airfuel mixtures at the outlet of a gas turbine vaporizer fuel injector. The performance of the apparatus was according to the imposed requirements for idle engine operation. Fuels tested were JP5, JP7, and Diesel Fuel Marine. Data consisted of vaporizer metal temperatures, inlet and exit mixture temperatures, as well as power input to the vaporizer. Photographic observations of the exit mixture showed that the liquid phase consisted of droplets, ligaments, as well as irregularly shaped particles originating as pendant droplets around the vaporizer exit. There was no observable difference between the results for JP5 and JP7. The liquid exit temperature, however, for these two fuels appeared to be lower than that for the diesel fuel. The computed extent of vaporization was in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations.
Absorption, distribution, and elimination of a single oral dose of [14C]tri-o-cresyl phosphate in hens

The absorption, distribution, elimination, and metabolism of a single oral dose of 50 mg (4.6 microCi)/kg of uniformly phenyl-labeled [14C]tri-o-cresyl phosphate (TOCP) was investigated in adult chickens. Three treated hens were killed at each time interval: 0.5, 1, 2, and 5 days. TOCP was absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and subsequently distributed throughout the body. Generally, the highest concentrations of radioactivity were associated with gastrointestinal tract parts, bile, kidneys, liver, and lungs. Most of the radioactivity (47%) was excreted in the combined fecal-urinary excreta during the first 12 h. Very small fractions of the dose were deposited in egg albumen and egg yolk, 0.12% and 0.24%, respectively during the 5-day study. After 5 days, 99% of the dose was eliminated in excreta. TOCP and its metabolites in bile and the combined fecal-urinary excreta were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid scintillation spectrometry. TOCP and nine of its metabolites were identified. In the bile a TOCP active metabolite, saligenin cyclic-o-cresyl phosphate, was the predominant compound found compared to the parent compound in the excreta. These results suggest that in the hen TOCP is excreted slower than the rat and also undergoes metabolic activation. The absorption, elimination, and metabolic profile of TOCP in the hen may contribute to its sensitivity to delayed neurotoxicity.
Uncovering Intrinsic Connectional Architecture of Functional Networks in Awake Rat Brain

Intrinsic connectional architecture of the brain is a crucial element in understanding the governing principle of brain organization. To date, enormous effort has been focused on addressing this issue in humans by combining resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) with other techniques. However, this research area is significantly underexplored in animals, perhaps because of confounding effects of anesthetic agents used in most animal experiments on functional connectivity. To bridge this gap, we have systematically investigated the intrinsic connectional architecture in the rodent brain by using a previously established awake-animal imaging model. First, group independent component analysis was applied to the rsfMRI data to extract elementary functional clusters of the brain. The connectional relationships between these clusters, as evaluated by partial correlation analysis, were then used to construct a graph of whole-brain neural network. This network exhibited the typical features of small-worldness and strong community structures seen in the human brain. Finally, the whole-brain network was segregated into community structures using a graph-based analysis. The results of this work provided a functional atlas of intrinsic connectional architecture of the rat brain at both intraregion and interregion levels. More importantly, the current work revealed that functional networks in rats are organized in a nontrivial manner and conserve fundamental topological properties that are also seen in the human brain. Given the high psychopathological relevance of network organization of the brain, this study demonstrated the feasibility of studying mechanisms and therapies of multiple neurological and psychiatric diseases through translational research.
The Glomerular Epithelial Cell Anti-Adhesin Podocalyxin Associates with the Actin Cytoskeleton through Interactions with Ezrin

During development, renal glomerular epithelial cells (podocytes) undergo extensive morphologic changes necessary for creation of the glomerular filtration apparatus. These changes include formation of interdigitating foot processes, replacement of tight junctions with slit diaphragms, and the concomitant opening of intercellular urinary spaces. It was postulated previously and confirmed recently that podocalyxin, a sialomucin, plays a major role in maintaining the urinary space open by virtue of the physicochemical properties of its highly negatively charged ectodomain. This study examined whether the highly conserved cytoplasmic tail of podocalyxin also contributes to the unique organization of podocytes by interacting with the cytoskeletal network found in their cell bodies and foot processes. By immunocytochemistry, it was shown that podocalyxin and the actin binding protein ezrin are co-expressed in podocytes and co-localize along the apical plasma membrane, where they form a co-immunoprecipitable complex. Selective detergent extraction followed by differen- tial centrifugation revealed that some of the podocalyxin co- sediments with actin filaments. Moreover, its sedimentation is dependent on polymerized actin and is mediated by complex formation with ezrin. Once formed, podocalyxin/ezrin com- plexes are very stable, because they are insensitive to actin depolymerization or inactivation of Rho kinase, which is known to be necessary for regulation of ezrin and to mediate Rho-dependent actin organization. These data indicate that in podocytes, podocalyxin is complexed with ezrin, which medi- ates its link to the actin cytoskeleton. Thus, in addition to its ectodomain, the cytoplasmic tail of podocalyxin also likely contributes to maintaining the unique podocyte morphology. The renal glomerular epithelium (podocytes) consists of highly specialized cells that serve an essential function in formation and maintenance of the glomerular filtration properties of the kidney. Podocytes undergo extensive morphologic rearrange- ments at the S-shaped body stage of glomerular development, including foot process formation. Moreover, these morpho- logic changes coincide with the opening of tight junctions and their replacement with slit diaphragms and the formation of the urinary spaces that provide the pathway for passage of the glomerular filtrate. Previous studies showed that opening of these intercellular spaces occurs through charge repulsion largely attributable to the presence of sialylated cell surface
A rare cause of rash in elderly: diagnostic dilemma

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is an immune-mediated vasculitis associated with IgA deposition within affected organs. It is the most common vasculitis in children; >90% of reported cases occurred in children <10 years old.1 It is poorly described and under-recognised in adults. Approximately 70% of HSP cases in adults occur in men.1 HSP is often preceded by an infection, such as a throat infection. The diagnostic criteria for HSP include palpable purpura plus (abdominal pain, biopsy showing predominant …
The molecular perspective: tamoxifen and the estrogen receptor.

The Oncologist 2002;7:163-164 www.TheOncologist.com Our bodies grow in two major spurts during our lives. You probably don’t remember the first, which occurred in your first months of life as you grew from a single cell to a fully formed baby. On the other hand, you probably have far too many memories of your second frenzy of growth, during puberty. During puberty, sex hormones direct selected tissues throughout the body to make changes, making us ready for adulthood. If all goes well, these signals then gracefully shut down, and we keep our adult bodies for the rest of our lives. If signals get crossed, however, hormones can ask for unnatural growth at improper times, leading to cancer. Many forms of breast cancer are examples of faulty messages sent by sex hormones. The hormone estrogen is largely responsible for coordinating the changes that occur in women during puberty, including the growth of breasts. Estrogen (Fig. 1) is a small, carbon-rich steroid molecule made in the ovaries. It is delivered to cells throughout the body by serum proteins in the bloodstream. Within seconds, it slips through cell membranes and ends up in the nucleus. It binds to a complex receptor protein, the estrogen receptor (Fig. 2), which then controls the synthesis of key proteins involved in growth. In many breast cancers, the presence of estrogen provides “permission” for the cancer cells to grow. Mutations in one or more oncogenes directly cause the uncontrolled growth, and estrogen then promotes the growth of the cancer. The drug tamoxifen rescinds this permission by blocking the reception of the estrogen message. Tamoxifen binds to the estrogen receptor but does not activate it fully, halting estrogen-induced growth. Of course, estrogen has many effects throughout the body. It is dangerous to block its action indiscriminately. Fundamentals of Cancer Medicine The Oncologist
Chromatography for Rapid Buffer Exchange and Refolding of Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor

A DEAE-cellulose stationary phase in a rolled configuration was used to separate recombinant secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (rSLPI) from denaturants and reducing agents (3 M guanidine-HCl and 5 mM DTT) in less than 5 min to promote refolding of the protein to an active form. The mobile phase consisted of buffer and 500 mM NaCl, where NaCl suppressed binding of protein to this stationary phase. Separation of an initial concentration of 2 mg/mL protein from the other constituents resulted in 96% recovery of the rSLPI at an average concentration of 1.28 mg/mL. When incubated for 4 h at 20 °C, the fractionated rSLPI gave a 46% yield of properly refolded protein. The protein concentration was 6.4 times higher than that reported in a previously published method, where refolding was carried out by diluting the mixture of protein, denaturants, and reducing agents by a factor of 10. The results show that a combination of rapid chromatographic separation over a cellulosic stationary phase followed by protein refolding will significantly enhance process throughput by minimizing tankage, water requirements, and process time.
Some Interface Properties of the Phase

This squib has two goals: to identify evidence for (strong) phases (Chomsky 2000, 2001), and to use this evidence to investigate the extensional definition of a phase. Chomsky (2000) states that CP is a phase, whereas TP is not, and (transitive) vP is a phase, whereas passive and unaccusative verb phrases (VPs) are not. The A. argues here that unaccusative and passive VPs are phases as well
A spatial–temporal optimization approach to watershed management: Acid mine drainage treatment in the Cheat River watershed, WV, USA

Most water management studies concentrate on the inter-temporal allocation problem or, more recently, spatial dynamics – but not both. While early spatial–temporal studies focused on the allocation of water quantity, this paper presents an approach to water quality analysis that incorporates both spatial and temporal dynamics in a watershed framework. The acid mine drainage (AMD) problem in the Cheat River watershed of West Virginia, USA, serves as a case study and provides an opportunity to test the modeling approach developed. The empirical models are written in General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) and solved using the CPLEX mixed integer programming package. The results suggest that available investments should be concentrated in heavily impaired stream segments. The model can be used to assess the economic implications of alternative watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation or other management strategies.
Neuropathophysiology of functional gastrointestinal disorders

The investigative evidence and emerging concepts in neurogastroenterology implicate dysfunctions at the levels of the enteric and central nervous systems as underlying causes of the prominent symptoms of many of the functional gastrointestinal disorders. Neurogastroenterological research aims for improved understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of the digestive subsystems from which the arrays of functional symptoms emerge. The key subsystems for defecation-related symptoms and visceral hyper-sensitivity are the intestinal secretory glands, the musculature and the nervous system that controls and integrates their activity. Abdominal pain and discomfort arising from these systems adds the dimension of sensory neurophysiology. This review details current concepts for the underlying pathophysiology in terms of the physiology of intestinal secretion, motility, nervous control, sensing function, immuno-neural communication and the brain-gut axis.
Conspecific Sperm and Pollen Precedence and Speciation

▪ Abstract The evolution of reproductive isolation is perhaps the most significant stage in the process of species formation, and the study of reproductive barriers currently dominates investigations of speciation. The discovery that conspecific sperm and pollen precedence play an important role in the reproductive isolation of some closely related animals and plants is one of the real surprises to emerge from this field in recent years. This review begins with a brief history of the study of reproductive isolation with the aim of understanding why conspecific sperm and pollen precedence were generally overlooked in early work on reproductive barriers. It then examines: case studies, the prevalence of conspecific sperm and pollen precedence, the isolating potential of this class of reproductive barriers, the mechanisms that account for the operation of these barriers, and potential explanations for the rapid divergence of populations in traits related to fertilization. Conspecific sperm and pollen precede...
The Oprah Effect: How Soft News Helps Inattentive Citizens Vote Consistently

Do the news media provide voters with sufficient information to function as competent democratic citizens? Many have answered “no,” citing as evidence the proliferation of entertainment-oriented “soft news.” Yet, public affairs-oriented “hard” news is often unappealing to politically inattentive individuals. We argue that news “quality” depends upon how well it enables citizens to determine which candidate best fits their own preferences. In this regard, for politically inattentive citizens, we argue that soft news is more efficient than traditional hard news. Drawing on the logic of low-information rationality, we derive a series of hypotheses, which we test using the 2000 National Election Study. We find that politically inattentive individuals who consumed daytime talk shows (a popular form of soft news) were more likely than their nonconsuming, inattentive counterparts to vote for the candidate who best represented their self-described preferences. This suggests soft news can facilitate voting “compet...
Engineering a peer-to-peer collaboratory for tissue microarray research

This work presents the design of a prototype peer-to-peer collaboratory for imaging, analyzing, and seamlessly sharing tissue microarrays (TMA), correlated clinical data, and experimental results across a consortium of distributed clinical and research sites. The overarching goal of this project is to facilitate cooperative oncology research aimed at improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms of disease onset and progression while simultaneously providing new insight into therapy planning and treatment. Key components of the collaboratory include a specification of metadata schematics for characterizing TMA specimens and abstracting their interpretations, an framework for automated and accurate analysis of digitized TMAs and a peer-to-peer infrastructure for indexing and discovery of TMA data and metadata, and a novel, optimized decentralized search engine that supports flexible querying with search guarantees and bounded costs. Prototype implementations of the automated TMA analysis component and the storage/discovery component and their evaluations are presented.
INVARIANCE OF EYEBLINK CONDITIONING OVER CONDITIONS OF SPATIAL VARIABILITY IN A VISUAL CS

Unirlerriiy of \Visconsi?z Stmz7r~ary.-This experiment examined the effect upon acquisition of the conditioned cyeblink of 4 conditions of variability in he location of a visual CS. Ss each received 60 reinforced trials under one of the CS conditions. The results showed no discernable effect of CS variability upon performance: Ss treated the physically-different CS events as equivalent. Altho~~gh several studies of the effects of variability in discriminative stimuli i~pon instri~mental or problem-solving behavior (e.g., Brown & Bass, 1958; Burke, Estes, 6: Hellyer, 1954; Leeper & Leeper, 1932) have been conducted, little work has been published on the corresponding problem of CS variability in classical conditioning. Voeks (1955) studied the effects of reducing vario~~s sources of stimulus variability to levels below those normally encoi~ntered and found faster eyeblink conditioning under these special conditions. More recently, Kilrmel, Hill, and Fowler (1962) reported a decrement in rare of GSR condirionir~g in Ss who received some reinforced trials with a tone and some wich a light ss conlpared wich Ss receiving only a tone or only a light. Reported here is an experiment on che effects upon eyeblink conditioning in human Ss of variability in the location of a visual CS.'
Vertical scale selection in inertial instability

The linear instability of a barotropic flow with uniform horizontal shear in a stratified rotating fluid is investigated with respect to perturbations invariant in the alongflow direction. The flow can be inertially unstable if there is sufficiently strong anticyclonic shear, but only for sufficiently high Reynolds numbers Re. We determine the critical Reynolds numbers required for amplification of the instability as a function of Prandtl number, strength of the stratification and magnitude of the shear. The vertical scales at the onset of the instability are calculated. For Prandtl number P 1.44 it may also commence through overstable (oscillatory) motions. For Re exceeding the critical value, we determine the vertical scale of the most rapidly amplifying modes and the corresponding growth rates and how they vary with Re, P, the shear and the strength of stratification.
Programmable spectral design using a simple binary Bragg-diffractive structure

We present the binary supergrating (BSG), a digital approach to spectral engineering that permits the near-arbitrary control of optical amplitude and phase in a wavelength-dependent manner. The BSG is a guided-wave technology that consists of an aperiodic sequence of binary elements, leading to a simple, robust and practical form. This sequence, determined through the process of BSG synthesis, encodes an optical program that defines device functionality. Our approach to synthesis builds on existing knowledge in the design of "analog" gratings through a two-step process: first, exploit the best analog-domain methods, then transform the resulting structure into binary form. Accordingly, we explore the notion of diffractive structure transformation and introduce the principle of "key information". We assemble such key information for Bragg-regime structures, and employ it in the design of grating quantizers based on an atypical form of Delta-Sigma modulation. We illustrate this approach through the synthesis of a complex dense-wavelength division-multiplexed telecom filter featuring 50-GHz channel spacing, -40-dB stopbands, and 25-GHz-wide passbands that are flat to within 0.2 dB.
Testing Theories of Social Regulation: Hazardous Waste Regulation in the American States

Much current debate over "the new social regulation" results from failure to test empirically differing assertions about three critical relationships that underlie its politics: (1) the relationship between market failure and social regulation; (2) the impact of the economic strength of regulated industries on the regulatory process; and (3) the effect of organized public interest groups on the regulatory process. This paper empirically tests competing positions about these relationships with data on hazardous waste regulation in the American states. We find that regulatory effort is not determined by market failure, polluting industries are successful at socializing the costs of hazardous waste pollution, and environmental groups exert a strong influence on public but not private spending on regulation.
Predicting Violence in Newly Admitted Inmates: A Lens Model Analysis of Staff Decision Making

Ten experienced psychologists and 11 case managers within the Federal Bureau of Prisons employed 17 demographic and biographical variables as cues to forecast violence during the first 6 months of incarceration of 33 male inmates at a medium-security federal correctional institution. Low levels of reliability were found among individual judges' forecasts, but high agreement was found for their composite judgments. These professionals' forecasts of inmates' violence showed low accuracy. Lens model analyses suggested that although forecasts and actual violence were both linearly predictable from the independent variables, low accuracy may have resulted because professionals failed to weight these factors optimally. Further analyses suggested that inmates showing violence at follow-up were younger, were more likely to come from nonurban areas, and had a history of more prior arrests and convictions than did inmates who did not show violence in prison. Implications for improving accuracy at predicting short-t...
Essential role for Ca2+ in regulation of IL-1β secretion by P2X7 nucleotide receptor in monocytes, macrophages, and HEK-293 cells

Interleukin (IL)-1β is a proinflammatory cytokine that elicits the majority of its biological activity extracellularly, but the lack of a secretory signal sequence prevents its export via classic s...
Order of entry and performance in international markets

The inter-market and intra-market orders of entry and their performance consequences are examined for an industrial product. First entrants consist typically of both multinational and local firms, while early followers are multinational firms, and later entrants are smaller, local firms. A strong order of entry-market share relationship is observed in international markets. First entrants and later entrants outsurvive early followers. The analysis reveals a strategy for achieving both first-entry into many markets and dominance within those markets. Simultaneous entry into multiple markets occurs infrequently and in mature stages of the product life-cycle. As industries evolve, new products and markets emerge. Fundamental decisions for organizations concern whether or not and how to participate in these emerging products and markets. Though the number of products being introduced internationally has been increasing (Baranson, 1970; Davidson and Harrigan, 1977; Mansfield and Romeo, 1980), studies of entry timing have focused mostly on a single domestic market. Thus they do not integrate the micro intra-market order of entry with the macro entry order across markets. The international market entry literature, on the other hand, has typically analyzed modes of entry but not the timing of entry. The focus on entry modes may be more tactical than strategic. Porter (1986: 24) suggests that the ultimate leaders in global industries are often first-movers. This study first develops hypotheses concerning: the macro order of markets entered, the intra-market order of entry, and the performance consequences of these orders of entry. These hypotheses are then examined with 23 years of
Intelligence factors in the perception of form through a moving slit.

When a narrow slit moves over a line figure (or the equivalent stimulus is simulated by a short line segment appropriately displacing within a moving slit), observers often perceive an extended figure although the stimulus information is ambiguous. In several experiments it is shown that the perception of a figure tends to occur, provided the stimulus information is compatible with the perceptual ‘solution’ of a figure revealed by a moving aperture: the visible segment of the figure must completely fill the aperture, the surround of the aperture must appear to be opaque and extend an adequate distance on both sides, the aperture must be perceived as an opening rather than as a figure, and, if the slope of the segment is visible, it must change appropriately from moment to moment. Thus the outcome can be thought of as an intelligent, elegant solution to the problem posed by the transforming proximal stimulus.
Results on the bias and inconsistency of ordinary least squares for the linear probability model

This note formalizes bias and inconsistency results for ordinary least squares (OLS) on the linear probability model and provides sufficient conditions for unbiasedness and consistency to hold. The conditions suggest that a btrimming estimatorQ may reduce OLS bias. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
DNA requirements for assembly and stability of HIV‐1 intasomes

Integration of viral DNA into the host genome is an essential step in retroviral replication that is mediated by a stable nucleoprotein complex comprising a tetramer of integrase bridging the two ends of the viral DNA in a stable synaptic complex (SSC) or intasome. Assembly of HIV-1 intasomes requires several hundred base pairs of nonspecific internal DNA in addition to the terminal viral DNA sequence that is protected in footprinting experiments. We find that only one of the viral DNA ends in the intasome requires long-nonspecific internal DNA for intasome assembly. Although intasomes are unstable in solution when the nonspecific internal DNA is cut off after assembly, they are stable in agarose gels. These complexes are indistinguishable from SSCs with nonspecific internal DNA in Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments suggesting the interactions with the viral DNA and integrase tetramer are the same regardless of the presence of nonspecific internal DNA. We discuss models of how the internal DNA contributes to intasome assembly and stability. FRET is exquisitely sensitive to the distance between the fluorophores and given certain assumptions can be translated to distance measurements. We anticipated that a set of such distance constraints would provide a map of the DNA path within the intasome. In reality, the constraints we could impose from the FRET data were quite weak allowing a wide envelope for the possible path. We discuss the difficulties of converting the FRET signal to absolute distance within nucleoprotein complexes.
Microscopic Localization of Sterically Stabilized Liposomes in Colon Carcinoma-bearing Mice

Using light and electron microscopy, we investigated the in vivo distribution of liposomes sterically stabilized by specific lipids which prolong their circulation in blood. Tissue distribution of sterically stabilized liposomes composed of distearoyl phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol:monosialoganglioside GM1 (10:5:1)-encapsulated 67Ga-Desferal indicates that more than 30% of liposomes still remain in the blood at 24 h after tail vein injection. Moreover, such liposomes accumulated in tumors (C-26 colon carcinoma cells implanted s.c.), reaching almost the same level of uptake as liver (approximately 20% injected dose/g tissue). The microscopic localization of liposomes labeled with encapsulated colloidal gold or rhodamine-labeled dextran coincided well with the tissue distribution. To evaluate circulation parameters, two sizes of gold-containing egg phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol:distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (derivatized at its amino position with a 1900 molecular weight segment of polyethylene glycol) (10:5:0.8) liposomes were injected. The plasma was examined by electron microscopy of negative-stained preparations at 0.5, 4, and 24 h after liposome injection. It was found that the ratio of small (less than 100 nm diameter) to large (greater than 100 nm) liposomes increased with time, indicating a much faster clearance of the larger liposomes. To detect the localization of liposomes in various tissues, appropriate samples were fixed 24 h after the injection of gold-containing liposomes (between 80 and 100 nm in diameter) composed of egg phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol:monosialoganglioside GM1 (10:5:1) or egg phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol:derivatized distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine. The tissues examined for this study included normal liver, bone marrow, and implanted neoplasms. Silver-enhanced colloidal gold was found predominantly within Kupffer cells in the normal liver and within macrophages in the bone marrow. Rarely were any silver-enhanced gold particles detected in hepatocytes. In all preparations, electron microscopy revealed the presence of gold in endosomes and lysosomes of fixed sinusoidal lining macrophages in the liver and bone marrow. Peripheral to the implanted tumors, silver enhancement revealed gold in small blood vessels and focally beyond the vessel boundaries in extracellular spaces around tumor cells. Gold particles were not observed within the tumor cell cytoplasm. At the tumor border, nonenhanced gold was occasionally seen by electron microscopy in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system. We obtained the same localization pattern as with silver enhancement by using an alternative aqueous content marker, rhodamine B isothiocyanate-dextran. We conclude that liposomes of specific composition, which have the ability to remain in circulation with a half-life of 12-24 h, are also able to transverse the endothelium of small blood vessels, including those in tumors, and extravasate into extracellular spaces.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Prognosis After Hospitalization with Chest Pain or Myocardial Infarction

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a decline in coronary heart disease mortality was noted in different parts of the world. This downward trend has since continued in North America, Belgium, Finland, Israel, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand [1–3], and data from Australia suggest that it is evident in all age groups [4]. In contrast, in most eastern European countries, Russia, and Sweden, death rates from coronary heart disease are increasing.
Sector Index Returns and the Market: An Examination Of the Pre- and Post-Crash Periods

Reliance on stock market sector indexes for investment makes it essential to understand how various sectors behave relative to the market. Of particular importance is whether these relationships have changed over time. This paper examines the risk/return characteristics of five S&P sector indexes in pre- and post-1987 stock market crash periods. The results suggest that, relative to the market, the volatility of some sectors may change following major events. Index investing should not be thought of as a totally passive strategy. In light of these changing relationships, financial planners should make sure clients revisit investments, especially following major economic events.
An Assessment of an Adult Learning Model: Implications for Replication

In response to the national agenda to increase the number of adults with bachelor’s degrees, East Stroudsburg University (ESU), a regional master-degree granting university, has implemented several degree completion programs geared towards non-traditional students. Using the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) “Eight Principles of Effectiveness for Serving Adult Learners,” this study assessed the first three years of the program’s implementation. This assessment used primary data collection, including a student and faculty survey. The study found that the program is replicating its teaching processes, use of technology for teaching, and advising and mentoring well. However, the assessment revealed that the program was weaker on three primary items more unique to adult learners: 1) Flexible financing options; 2) Awarding credit for prior learning; and 3) Enhancing strategic community partnerships. Parallels are drawn to similar challenges Europe faces in meeting the social dimension of the Bologna Process. The paper concludes that in order to implement successful degree completion programs, key in advancing completion goals and equity demands in both the U.S. and Europe, institutions need to commit themselves to going beyond the replication of traditional undergraduate programs, and plan for the long-term transformation of current models of education. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/HEAd15.2015.359
Resilience: A Review Using a Grounded Integrated Occupational Approach

Resilience, the ability to adapt to adversity and endure job demands, is growing in prominence in the management literature with limited regard to occupational influences. Often examined at the ind...
Bacillus degradation of organophosphorus pesticides

Objective To screen out the both degradation of pesticide and inhibition molds of bacillus,and determine the optimal growth conditions of bacillus.Methods In this experiment,organic phosphorus pesticide as sole nitrogen source in the culture medium screening of 10 strains of bacillus could decompose organic phosphorus pesticide for test,and their inhibitory effect,groping for optimum growth conditions were tested.Results Number 7 strain was screened from the degradation of pesticides which had the effect of inhibiting molds growth,incubation temperature was 35 ℃,pH 7.0.Conclusion Bacillus can inhibit molds and degrade organophosphorus pesticides.
Human equality projects as prerequisites for a posthuman embrace

The posthuman curriculum is emancipatory, but its emancipatory potential is presently limited. Given current inequalities among humans, movement beyond the human begs the question, “movement beyond which human?” Posthumanist and postcolonial literature at the crux of this conflict is briefly reviewed, and a resolution to the disagreements is proposed: Posthumanists wishing to advance their agenda should consider joining the human equality projects of humanists, such that, in due time, a fuller conception of human may be used as a foundation from which to “post.” This will likely be both more effective and more just.