cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health maintenance: Paraplegic athletes and nonathletes

Abstract The relationship between participation in competitive wheelchair sports and health maintenance in individuals having paraplegia was examined. Twenty-one wheelchair athletes and 21 nonathletes completed two self-report questionnaires. The t -test for Independent Groups, the Mann-Whitney U -Test, and the Test for Significance of Difference Between Two Proportions were used to test for group differences. A p value of 0.05 significance level was used. The subjects were similar in age, sex, race, education, age at onset of injury, duration of injury, and preinjury level of sports involvement. A large percentage of both groups had been hospitalized since rehabilitation discharge; however, the mean number of hospitalizations per year since discharge was almost three times greater for nonathletes. Fewer athletes had been hospitalized for pressure sores. Within the athlete group the more serious medical complications occurred before beginning wheelchair sports. Frequency counts of specific complications occurring during the past year showed that nonathletes had more serious conditions such as kidney infections and skin breakdowns due to pressure as opposed to those due to external trauma. The findings indicate that paraplegic athletes are more successful than nonathletes in avoiding the major medical complications for which they are at risk. It follows, then, that this athletically active subgroup of the paraplegic population is costing the individual, medical insurance companies, and the state less money for ongoing medical care and extensive repeat hospitalizations.
The role of insulin (INS) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in regulating human erythropoiesis. Studies in vitro under serum-free conditions - comparison to other cytokines and growth factors

The role of insulin (INS), and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the regulation of human erythropoiesis is not completely understood. To address this issue we employed several complementary strategies including: serum free cloning of CD34+ cells, RT-PCR, FACS analysis, and mRNA perturbation with oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN). In a serum-free culture model, both INS and IGF-I enhanced survival of CD34+ cells, but neither of these growth factors stimulated their proliferation. The influence of INS and IGF-I on erythroid colony development was dependent on a combination of growth factors used for stimulating BFU-E growth. When BFU-E growth was optimally stimulated with erythropoietin (EpO) + kit ligand (KL) the large erythroid colonies developed normally even in the absence of INS or IGF-I. However, the addition of both of these growth factors slightly enhanced colony size. On the other hand, if erythroid colonies were stimulated suboptimally with EpO + IL-3 only, INS or IGF-I increased the number of small erythroid bursts by approximately 30%. Both INS and IGF-I activated signal transduction in maturing human erythropoietic cells as determined by phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2) protein. We also found by RT-PCR that mRNA coding for INS-R is expressed in FACS sorted CD34+, c-kit-R+ marrow cells, and in cells isolated from BFU-E and CFU-GM colonies. Expression of INS-R protein on these cells was subsequently confirmed by cytofluorometry. In contrast, the receptor for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-IR) was not detected on CD34+ cells, and was first easily detectable on more differentiated cells derived from day 6 BFU-E and CFU-GM colonies. We conclude that INS and IGF-I may be survival factors for human CD34+ cells, but are not required during early erythropoiesis. In contrast, both growth factors may play some role at the final stages of erythroid maturation.
Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase transfer catalysis. 10. Polyethers of mesogenic bisphenols: A new class of main‐chain liquid crystalline polymers

La polyetherification de dihydroxy-4,4' α-methylstilbene avec des α,ω-dibromoalcanes conduit a des polyethers solubles, cristallins
Standard Software Routines for FASTBUS

FASTBUS is a standardized modular bus system for data acquisition, data processing, and hardware control, designed for high energy physics applications. This paper introduces the proposed software standard routines for FASTBUS(2).
Electron- and Hole-Mediated Reactions in UV-Irradiated O2 Adsorbed on Reduced Rutile TiO2(110)

The ultraviolet (UV) photon-stimulated reactions in oxygen adsorbed on reduced TiO2(110) at low temperatures (<100 K) are studied. When a single O2 is chemisorbed in each bridging oxygen vacancy, only ∼14% of the O2 desorbs after prolonged UV irradiation. For the remaining O2 on the surface after irradiation, about one-half dissociates, and the other one-half is left in a nondissociated state that is inactive for hole-mediated photodesorption. For the maximum coverage of chemisorbed oxygen, the fraction of O2 that photodesorbs increases substantially, but is still only ∼40%. However, when physisorbed oxygen is also present, ∼70% of the initially chemisorbed O2 photodesorbs. On the basis of the experimental results, we propose that both hole- and electron-mediated reactions with O2 chemisorbed on TiO2(110) are important. Hole-mediated reactions lead to O2 photodesorption, while electron-mediated reactions lead to O2 dissociation. The electron-mediated reactions explain the low total photodesorption yield w...
Discrimination and classification of rising and nonrising pitch patterns by the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

In a series of four experiments, starlings learned to classify pitch patterns according to pattern structure. In Experiments 1 and 2, the starlings learned to discriminate a series of pairs of 1ourtone patterns in which one of the patterns rose in pitch and the other pattern did not. The starlings in these initial two experiments did not attend to pattern structure at all. Rather, they discriminated patterns according to the relative pitch of the initial pattern tones. In Experiment 3, the same starlings discriminated the same patterns from Experiments 1 and 2 in a new context that tempered the salience of individual pattern tones. The starlings initially failed to discriminate in the new context, but eventually learned to do so. In Experiment 4, the starlings classified novel pitch patterns according to their pattern structure. These experiments identify a hierarchy of relative pitch strategies, as well as a sophisticated conceptual capacity for the perception and classification of pitch patterns by starlings.
Cardiovascular actions of prostaglandins E1 and F2 α in the cat

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to determine if hemodynamic factors other than direct vasodilation contributed to the depressor effect of prostaglandins E 1 and F 2α in the anesthetized cat. It was confirmed that a direct peripheral action was sufficient to account for the effect of PGE 1 . In contrast, the hemodynamic response to PGF 2α was more complex. PGF 2α administration increased pulmonary arterial pressure, decreased aortic blood flow and produced a delayed bradycardia. It was shown that both the PGF 2α induced bradycardia and reduction in cardiac output contributed to the depressor response. Of these two factors, only the bradycardia was abolished by bilateral vagotomy. In addition, it was concluded that PGF 2α does not directly activate medullary cardiovascular mechanisms in the cat.
Variation in the Longitudinal Incremental Permeability due to a Superimposed Circular Field

Variation in the Longitudinal Incremental Permeability due to a Superimposed Circular Field
Quadrupole and Induced Dipole Spectrum of Molecular Hydrogen

The fundamental band of the quadrupole spectrum of hydrogen has been observed. The frequencies of the Q(1), S(0), S(1), S(2), and S(3) lines have all been measured employing a maximum path of 1.4-km atm. The lines are of essentially Doppler width even at pressures as high as 10 atm. Using the ground state constants determined by Stoicheff from Raman measurements the molecular constants for the v=1 state have been determined and compared with the constants for higher vibrational states. The ratio of the intensity of the S(0) line to the intensity of the R(0) line of the HCl fundamental band has been determined. This ratio is compared with the theoretical prediction of James and Coolidge. In addition new theoretical ratios have been determined based on higher-order approximations of Kolos and Roothaan. These new calculations indicate that the 1–0, 2–0, and 3–0 bands should have relative intensities of 1:0.20:0.028, a result probably in agreement with the experimental observations of both the present work and the photographic infrared work of Herzberg. The induced dipole spectrum also has been observed. The absorption coefficients obtained agree with the results observed in the high-pressure experiments of Welsh and his co-workers. The QP, QR splitting is apparent even at only a few atmospheres pressure producing a relatively sharp (2 cm−1 wide) transmission band centered on the position of Q(1).
FAST SOURCE-FINGERPRINTING ANALYSIS FOR OIL SPILL RESPONSE

ABSTRACT Source identification of spilled petroleum during incidents is a crucial piece of information required for response activities. The need for rapid, accurate assessment is essential at the onset of a spill to determine the extent and impacts of the incident. This necessity for speed becomes less important as cleanup progresses. Current fingerprinting methods utilize gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and have become an important analytical tool because of high selectivity and compound specificity. Disadvantages include time requirements for sample preparation and analysis in addition to the use of soon-to-be-banned chlorinated solvents. Sample analyses may require up to eight hours a sample when using standard techniques. We are currently developing methods to reduce the turnaround time by alternate sample preparation and rapid analysis; primarily through use of thermal extraction and short, narrow-bore capillary columns. This technique can greatly reduce analysis time without sacrificin...
Mechanical properties of rat bone marrow and circulating neutrophils and their responses to inflammatory mediators

Neutrophils are continuously released from the bone marrow (BM), and this release is accelerated during inflammation. This study compared the mechanical properties of mature neutrophils within the BM and the circulating blood, as well as the role of microtubule rearrangement in the release of neutrophils from the BM in rats. Neutrophils isolated from the BM were stiffer than neutrophils in the circulating blood, using magnetic twisting cytometry. BM neutrophils also contained more F-actin within the submembrane region than circulating neutrophils when examined using confocal microscopy, suggesting that mature quiescent neutrophils within the BM are stiffer than circulating neutrophils because of increased formation of F-actin beneath the plasma membrane. Complement protein 5 fragments or formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine (fMLP) induced a stiffening response within 2 minutes that was greater in circulating than in BM neutrophils. This stiffening required F-actin formation within the submembrane region but not microtubule rearrangement in both circulating and BM neutrophils. fMLP-induced shape changes were more pronounced in circulating than in BM neutrophils, which showed fewer and smaller pseudopods and fewer membrane irregularities. In vivo, fMLP induced neutropenia, sequestration of neutrophils within the pulmonary capillaries, and release of neutrophils from the BM. Studies using colchicine demonstrated that rearrangement of microtubules was not required for any of these processes but was required for normal trafficking of neutrophils through the pulmonary capillaries.
Mechanism for current generation in strings and internal phase transitions in strings

We discuss a new mechanism for generating currents in superconducting cosmic strings. If energy is deposited inside a string in the form of the current-carrying fermions then a combination of the inherent directionality of the string (and its zero modes) and CP violation will produce a net nonzero current. Various sources of energy are discussed including the interaction of strings with ambient particles. Another source could be phase transitions which take place inside strings. We discuss such phase transitions at length and briefly discuss other possible consequences of them.
An initial assessment of cooperative action in Wi-Fi networking

Abstract In the development of past infrastructures, cooperative and amateur action has been a vehicle for diffusion, experimentation, innovation, popularization, and the provision of new features or services. 802.11 (“Wi-Fi”) cooperatives are now proliferating. This user study considers three cases of cooperative action in the discovery, development, and provision of 802.11 (Wi-Fi) networks: (1) mapping and “Warchalking,” (2) open-source portal software, and (3) the provision of service as an alternative to paying for a commercial subscription. It finds that these co-ops exist primarily to build elite expertise, but that it may be possible to direct these skilled groups toward societal goals.
Collective efficacy and the regulatory framing of health messages: influences on concern for body image.

A collective efficacy scale is presented and used in 2 experiments that tested the effects of collective efficacy and regulatory framing on concern for body image. In Study 1 (N = 73), participants viewed online video messages from a health campaign that varied in their regulatory frame (promotion vs. prevention), after which they expressed the likelihood that they would discuss it with someone else. In Study 2, participants (N = 307) viewed either a regulatory-framed message or no message, after which they expressed their concern for the issue and their behavioral intentions. Study 2 also introduced moderating variables and addressed potential alternate explanations. Overall, participants who were higher in collective efficacy indicated greater concern for the issue of body image and expressed a greater likelihood to discuss the issue. The messages' regulatory frame also moderated the effect of collective efficacy. Collective efficacy was a stronger predictor in the prevention condition than in the promo...
AN ENDOGENOUS SWITCHING SIMULTANEOUS EQUATION SYSTEM OF EMPLOYMENT, INCOME, AND CAR OWNERSHIP

Abstract The research presented here makes an advance toward the inclusion of employment and income within a transportation framework based on the conceptual framework developed by the authors in a preceding paper. Employment and income are important determinants of travel behavior. They have been used as exogenous variables in travel forecasting models such as trip generation models, car ownership models and mode choice models. This paper proposes a fundamental change in the current view of employment and income as exogenous variables in travel demand models. In particular, we emphasize the need, both from a forecasting and estimation point of view, to include employment and income as endogenous variables within a disaggregate travel demand modeling framework. The paper formulates and estimates an integrated model of employment, income and car ownership, which takes account of interdependencies among these variables and their structural relationships with relevant exogenous variables.
RELIGIOUS NATURALISM AND THE FUTURE OF CHRISTIANITY

. Loyal Rue suggests that religion is not about God as such but about the cultivation of personal and social well-being. Religion may employ cultural resources that include concepts of supernatural agencies, but religion's essential functionalities are not dependent on that particular resource. I largely endorse Rue's view of religion and employ Rue as a guide to thinking through its consequences for the future of Christianity. For Rue, two challenges face Christianity: the erosion of confidence in personal-god concepts and the ecological crisis engulfing the planet. In the face of these twin momentous changes, I suggest ways in which certain cultural tropes in the Christian matrix will rise to the fore and others will erode.
Benign Peripheral Nerve Tumor of the Choroid: A Clinicopathologic Correlation and Review of the Literature

A 30-year-old white male was found to have a small, nonpigmented choroidal tumor in the temporal portion of the macula in the left eye. A diagnosis of choroidal melanoma was made, based on the clinical appearance, fluorescein angiography, ultrasonography, and growth of the tumor. In spite of treatment with a cobalt plaque, the tumor continued to grow, and the eye was enucleated. Histopathologic study revealed a benign peripheral nerve tumor of the choroid, presumably a neurilemoma (Schwannoma). A correlation between clinical features, fluorescein angiography, ultrasonography, light microscopy, and electron microscopy is presented, and the literature on solitary peripheral nerve tumors of the uveal tract is reviewed.
Scala for introductory CS and parallelism(abstract only)

Scala is one of a new breed of hybrid languages with both object-oriented and functional aspects. It happens to be the most successful of these languages coming in at #12 on the Red Monk language ranking and leading all languages in their 2nd tier. This workshop will introduce participants to the Scala programming language, how it can be used effectively in introductory CS courses, and the parallel tools that are available for it. We begin with simple examples in the REPL and scripting environment, then look at doing larger, object-oriented projects. We finish off with an exploration of composable futures and the Akka actor library. Participants are strongly recommended to bring a laptop.
High frequency wide range CMOS analogue multiplier

A new CMOS analogue cell which can be used to implement a four-quadrant multiplier circuit is introduced. Simulation results of the circuit using the MOSIS 2μm process parameters are given. The circuit has an input range of ±4V and linearity error less than 1% for inputs up to ±3V. The magnitude and phase response are very flat; even at 30MHz the change in the magnitude is less than 0.086dB (1%) and the phase shift is less than 5°.
The environment and susceptibility to schizophrenia.

In the present article the putative role of environmental factors in schizophrenia is reviewed and synthesized. Accumulating evidence from recent studies suggests that environmental exposures may play a more significant role in the etiopathogenesis of this disorder than previously thought. This expanding knowledge base is largely a consequence of refinements in the methodology of epidemiologic studies, including birth cohort investigations, and in preclinical research that has been inspired by the evolving literature on animal models of environmental exposures. This paper is divided into four sections. In the first, the descriptive epidemiology of schizophrenia is reviewed. This includes general studies on incidence, prevalence, and differences in these measures by urban–rural, neighborhood, migrant, and season of birth status, as well as time trends. In the second section, we discuss the contribution of environmental risk factors acting during fetal and perinatal life; these include infections [e.g. rubella, influenza, Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)], nutritional deficiencies (e.g., famine, folic acid, iron, vitamin D), paternal age, fetal/neonatal hypoxic and other obstetric insults and complications, maternal stress and other exposures [e.g. lead, rhesus (Rh) incompatibility, maternal stress]. Other putative neurodevelopmental determinants, including cannabis, socioeconomic status, trauma, and infections during childhood and adolescence are also covered. In the third section, these findings are synthesized and their implications for prevention and uncovering biological mechanisms, including oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation, are discussed. Animal models, including maternal immune activation, have yielded evidence suggesting that these exposures cause brain and behavioral phenotypes that are analogous to findings observed in patients with schizophrenia. In the final section, future studies including new, larger, and more rigorous epidemiologic investigations, and research on translational and clinical neuroscience, gene–environment interactions, epigenetics, developmental trajectories and windows of vulnerability, are elaborated upon. These studies are aimed at confirming observed risk factors, identifying new environmental exposures, elucidating developmental mechanisms, and shedding further light on genes and exposures that may not be identified in the absence of these integrated approaches. The study of environmental factors in schizophrenia may have important implications for the identification of causes and prevention of this disorder, and offers the potential to complement, and refine, existing efforts on explanatory neurodevelopmental models.
Evaluation of the performance of sulfation and nitration plates

Abstract Sulfur dioxide (SO2 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are released in large quantities by anthropogenic sources. These gases are the major precursors of the acids which contribute to acidic deposition. Inexpensive, reliable and accurate means are needed to monitor SO2 and NO2 in the atmosphere. One method which has been used with varying degrees of acceptance for two decades is the passive reactive monitor. Such a device is exposed for a period of time, and the pollutant in the surrounding ambient air reacts with the surface of the monitor. The reaction product is determined quantitatively, and a calibration factor is then applied to estimate the pollutant concentration in the ambient air averaged over the exposure period. Passive monitors for SO2 and NO2, known as sulfation and nitration plates, are available from commercial suppliers. The object of the current study is to evaluate the performance of commercial sulfation and nitration plates. The study is designed to examine the sensitivity of plate calibration factors to pollutant concentration, simulated wind speed, humidity and temperature. Test results indicate that for sulfation and nitration plates, sulfation calibration factors are extremely sensitive to wind speed. A slight effect of relative humidity was observed for sulfation calibration factors on both types of plates and for nitration calibration factors on nitration plates. Nitration calibration factors are extremely sensitive not only to wind speed, but also to NO2 concentration and temperature. Additional work is needed to investigate the influence of humidity and temperature more thoroughly.
Books about the Middle East for Young Children

Book reviewed in this article: Golden Windows and Other Stories of Jerusalem Adele Geras The Hundredth Name Shulamith Levey Oppenheim, Illustrated byMichael Hays When Solomon Was King, Sheila McGill-Callahan Illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson Lebanon: New Light in an Ancient Lan, Elsa Marston Lebanon, Leila Merrell Foster Iran in Pictures
Nonviolence and Media Studies

This article proposes a meeting of media studies and the philosophy of nonviolence in order to better critique the tendency in popular media discourses about war and international conflict to naturalize violence as an eternal and essential human trait. Nonviolence exposes certain foundational myths about violence in the media; namely, the myths that violence is cultural (as implied in the “clash of civilizations” thesis), historical, or natural. However, this is possible only if nonviolence is retrieved from its present marginalization as a mere technique for political activism or personal behavior and understood more accurately as a coherent, universal, practical worldview that can inform a critical engagement with media discourses of violence. Using Gandhi's writings on nonviolence, this essay aims to initiate such an understanding, particularly in connection with existing critical approaches to media violence, such as cultivation research and cultural studies, and concludes by proposing a set of concrete questions for media research based on nonviolence.
Optimization of a drying method for filtered suspended solids from natural waters for supercritical fluid extraction analysis of hydrophobic organic compounds

Abstract This paper describes a closed-jar drying method (with a desiccant), developed specifically for filtered suspended solids, as a more efficient alternative to air-drying or freeze-drying. Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) recovery studies to evaluate its efficiency were achieved with hydrophobic organic compounds of log Kow ranging from 3.9 to 5.2, represented by polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The PAH analytes were “loaded” onto the suspended solids by sorption to better represent field-collected material. The necessity of drying a sample of filtered suspended solids prior to SFE was confirmed by direct comparison of the SFE recoveries from dry and wet samples. These results indicate that the drying technique is needed to develop reproducible samples to analyze by SFE. An explanation for the effect of water in SFE is proposed. Optimization of SFE parameters for natural filtered suspended solids confirms that the best conditions for SFE of PAHs consist of a pressure of 355 atm, a temperature of 120 °C and a modifier consisting of 750 μl of a 1:1:1 (v/v) mixture of water, methanol and methylene chloride.
Postirradiation fiber debonding and pull-out in Sic-Sic composites *

Abstract The toughness of ceramic matrix composites is contributed by crack bridging, matrix crack deflection, fiber debonding and pull-out and other minor effects. Crack bridging relies on fibers being intact close to the crack tip, while pull-out toughening relies on the debonding and frictional characteristics of the fiber-matrix interface. The interface friction depends on the interface pressure (i.e., on misfit strains) and interface roughness. In this paper, a calculational model for postirradiation fiber debonding and pull-out toughness in SiC-SiC composites is presented. It is shown that fiber debonding and pull-out toughness in SiC-SiC composites vary significantly with neutron fluence and irradiation temperature, which is a direct consequence of the dependence of the misfit strain on these irradiation variables.
Magnets and implantable cardioverter defibrillators: What's the problem?

A growing number of surgical patients present to the operating room with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD). Peri-operative care of these patients dictates that ICD function be suspended for many surgical procedures to avoid inappropriate, and possibly harmful, ICD therapy triggered by electromagnetic interference (EMI). An alternative to reprogramming the ICD is the use of a magnet to temporarily suspend its function. However, this approach is not without complications. We report a case where magnet use failed to inhibit ICD sensing of EMI, and a shock was delivered to the patient. Measures to decrease EMI, controversies regarding magnet use, and expert recommendations are discussed.
A Spatially-Organized Multicellular Innate Immune Response in Lymph Nodes Limits Systemic Pathogen Spread

The lymphatic network that transports interstitial fluid and antigens to lymph nodes constitutes a conduit system that can be hijacked by invading pathogens to achieve systemic spread unless dissemination is blocked in the lymph node itself. Here, we show that a network of diverse lymphoid cells (natural killer cells, γδ T cells, natural killer T cells, and innate-like CD8+ T cells) are spatially prepositioned close to lymphatic sinus-lining sentinel macrophages where they can rapidly and efficiently receive inflammasome-generated IL-18 and additional cytokine signals from the pathogen-sensing phagocytes. This leads to rapid IFNγ secretion by the strategically positioned innate lymphocytes, fostering antimicrobial resistance in the macrophage population. Interference with this innate immune response loop allows systemic spread of lymph-borne bacteria. These findings extend our understanding of the functional significance of cellular positioning and local intercellular communication within lymph nodes while emphasizing the role of these organs as highly active locations of innate host defense.
Quantum transport in the presence of random traps.

We calculate the asymptotic decay of a quantum particle moving in a d-dimensional medium doped with randomly placed trapping impurities, focusing on contributions from slowly decaying long-wavelength modes centered in large compact regions devoid of traps. By averaging the decay over the statistical distribution associated with these regions we find that the survival probability, P(t)\ensuremath{\sim}exp(-${\mathrm{At}}^{d/(d+3)}$), decays more slowly in any dimension than for diffusive transport.
Reduction of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) activity by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is due to decreased mRNA levels

We have previously shown that the rate of hepatic gluconeogenesis is reduced in TCDD-treated rats and that this decrease in carbohydrate production is associated with a dose-dependent reduction of the activity of PEPCK, the rate limiting enzyme of gluconeogenesis. This derailment of glucose metabolism has been suggested to be the critical lesion in acute TCDD toxicity. To further elucidate the mechanism of decreased PEPCK activity we performed Northern blot analyses using a cDNA probe complementary to a portion of the mRNA coding for PEPCK. We have demonstrated that 4 and 8 days after TCDD treatment (125 micrograms/kg, p.o.) liver PEPCK mRNA in Sprague-Dawley rats was decreased to very low levels as compared to vehicle-treated and pair-fed control animals. This decline of PEPCK mRNA was paralleled by decreased levels of PEPCK protein, as revealed by Western blot analyses and was accompanied by a reduction in the enzymatic activity of PEPCK. These results indicate that the decrease of PEPCK activity by TCDD is most likely the result of decreased expression of the PEPCK gene. These together with previous results also suggest that many of the physiological responses occurring in TCDD-treated animals (reduced feed intake, decreased insulin, increased corticosterone, increased glucagon and cAMP levels) which would normally stimulate PEPCK gene expression, are ineffective. Furthermore tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TdO) activity, which is regulated in a very similar fashion to PEPCK activity, is also reduced after TCDD treatment, suggesting a common mechanism by which TCDD alters the regulation of these enzymes. P-450 1A1 mRNA and related EROD activity were maximally induced under the conditions of these experiments and represent a positive control for TCDD-related alterations of gene expression. However, because of differences in the dose-response characteristics of TCDD-induced reduction of PEPCK activity and induction of EROD activity an involvement of the Ah receptor in the reduction of PEPCK activity cannot be postulated.
Inactivation of Bacillus stearothermophilus spores in egg patties by pressure-assisted thermal processing

Abstract The use of pressure-assisted thermal processing (PATP) to inactivate bacterial spores in shelf-stable low-acid foods, without diminishing product quality, has received widespread industry interest. Egg patties were inoculated with Bacillus stearothermophilus spores (10 6 spores/g) and the product was packaged in sterile pouches by heat sealing. Test samples were preheated and then PATP-treated at 105 °C at various pressures and pressure-holding times. Thermal inactivation of spores was studied at 121 °C using custom-fabricated aluminum tubes; this treatment served as a control. Application of PATP at 700 MPa and 105 °C inactivated B. stearothermophilus spores, suspended in egg matrix rapidly, (4 log reductions in 5 min) when compared to thermal treatment at 121 °C (1.5 log reduction in 15 min). Spore inactivation by PATP progressed rapidly (3 log reductions at 700 MPa and 105 °C) during pressure-hold for up to 100 s, but greater holding times (up to 5 min) had comparatively limited effect. When PATP was applied to spores in water suspension or egg patties, D values were not significantly different. While thermal inactivation of spores followed first-order kinetics, PATP inactivation exhibited nonlinear inactivation kinetics. Among the nonlinear models tested, the Weibull model best described PATP inactivation of B. stearothermophilus spores in the egg product.
Submicron-sized dust grains in the Martian environment

Abstract The dynamics of small-sized dust grains was studied in the Martian environment in connection with the possible detection of dust particles by the Phobos 2 spacecraft. The motion of submicron-sized particles is influenced not only by gravity but also by solar radiation pressure and electromagnetic forces. Depending on the size and on the actual varying interplanetary parameters, some of these small-sized grains ejected from Phobos at speeds on the order of a few tens m / s , can stay in orbit around Mars for several months forming a non-uniform and time-dependent dust halo.
Tail dependence for multivariate t -copulas and its monotonicity

Abstract The tail dependence indexes of a multivariate distribution describe the amount of dependence in the upper right tail or lower left tail of the distribution and can be used to analyse the dependence among extremal random events. This paper examines the tail dependence of multivariate t -distributions whose copulas are not explicitly accessible. The tractable formulas of tail dependence indexes of a multivariate t -distribution are derived in terms of the joint moments of its underlying multivariate normal distribution, and the monotonicity properties of these indexes with respect to the distribution parameters are established. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the results.
Delta-opioid and 5-HT3 receptor antagonist effects on ethanol reward and discrimination in C57BL/6 mice.

Abstract The effects of the receptor antagonists MDL 72222 (MDL, 5-HT 3 ) and naltrindole (δ-opioid) on ethanol reward and its discrimination were examined in ethanol-preferring C57BL/6 (C57) mice. MDL attenuated lever responding for 12% ethanol delivered on a fixed-ratio 8 reinforcement schedule at a dose that did not influence responding for water reward, thus confirming a previous report that ICS 205-930 reduced ethanol reward for Long–Evans rats. Our study in combination with the reduced ethanol consumption reported for C57 mice injected with odansetron indicates that 5-HT 3 receptor systems are involved in mediating behavior directed toward obtaining ethanol as well as its consumption. By attenuating the rewarding effects of ethanol or of ethanol conditioned cues (e.g., the operant environment), 5-HT 3 antagonists may be useful in the treatment of alcohol abuse. The 5-HT 3 antagonist effects in this study are comparable with the effects of naltrexone on ethanol reward in C57 mice, although higher doses were required to reduce operant responding for ethanol reward. In contrast to the 5-HT 3 antagonist and naltrexone effects, naltrindole, an antagonist with greater specificity for the δ-opioid receptor, was without effect on ethanol reward. This result and recent reports for rats and monkeys suggests that the general antagonists might be more efficacious in attenuating ethanol reward. Both MDL and naltrindole produced only slight reductions in the ethanol discriminative cue, suggesting that the rewarding and discriminative effects of ethanol are not likely mediated by identical neural mechanisms as previously suggested.
A survey of the airborne fungi in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, metropolitan area.

Abstract A survey of the atmospheric airborne fungal spores in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was conducted with the use of the culture plate technique. The most prevalent fungal spores were: Alternaria, Bispora, Cladosporium, Pullularia, Penicillium, and Botrytis. Monthly colony count variations showed a seasonal trend for five of the genera. The predominating genera differed at each exposure site. The study indicated that there is a significant number of atmospheric spores in Albuquerque, essentially similar to those found elsewhere in the United States.
Visualization of multivariate data with radial plots using SAS

Data visualization tools can provide very powerful information and insight when performing data analysis. In many situations, a set of data can be adequately analyzed through data visualization methods alone. In other situations, data visualization can be used for preliminary data analysis. In this paper, radial plots are developed as a SAS-based data visualization tool that can improve one's ability to monitor, analyze and control a process. Using the program developed in this research, we present two examples of data analysis using radial plots; the first example is based on data from a particle board manufacturing process and the second example is a business process for monitoring the time-varying level of stock return data.
Ethnic Role Identity among Black and White College Students: An Interactionist Approach

This article examines a structural symbolic interactionist approach to the process of ethnic identity formation among black and white college students. This approach, termed identity theory, considers an ethnic identity (like all identities) to be a portion of the self that contains shared understandings of what it means to be a member of a given ethnic group. Within the framework of identity theory, ethnic identification is hypothesized to be related to self-esteem, identity salience, identity commitment, and other structural characteristics. Using the Burke-Tully method, a black-white ethnic identity dimension is developed and used to measure ethnic identity among a sample of college students. The nature of this identity dimension is discussed and its relation to the other self variables is investigated. The study confirmed that identity salience, commitment, and self-esteem, as hypothesized by identity theory, are related to ethnic identity among students. However, it was also noted that these ethnic i...
Oxidation characteristics of gasoline direct-injection (GDI) engine soot: Catalytic effects of ash and modified kinetic correlation

Abstract In this paper, experimental analyses are conducted into the GDI soot oxidation characteristics as dependent on engine operating conditions. Soot is sampled at various engine operating conditions of a commercial 2.4 L GDI engine with a naturally aspirated, homogeneous, and stoichiometric operation strategy. The oxidation reactivity, ash composition, and carbon nanostructure of the GDI soot samples are analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope–energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. Based on the analyses, a global GDI soot oxidation mechanism is proposed which includes the effects of soluble organic fractions (SOF)/weakly bonded carbon (WBC), and three types of ash on GDI soot oxidation. The results show that GDI soot contains an order of magnitude higher ash fraction than does conventional diesel soot, and oxidation reactivity is significantly enhanced by the catalytic effects of ash, as a function of ash content in soot. A modified empirical kinetic correlation for GDI soot oxidation is suggested on the basis of the results, and the modified kinetic correlation predicts the GDI soot oxidation rate accurately for various engine operation points at wide ranges of soot conversion and temperature without modifying kinetic parameters. The kinetic parameters are determined from isothermal and non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) soot oxidation tests; the methods are elucidated in detail.
Psychophysiologic Effects of Hatha Yoga on Musculoskeletal and Cardiopulmonary Function: A Literature Review

Yoga has become increasingly popular in Western cultures as a means of exercise and fitness training; however, it is still depicted as trendy as evidenced by an April 2001 Time magazine cover story on "The Power of Yoga." There is a need to have yoga better recognized by the health care community as a complement to conventional medical care. Over the last 10 years, a growing number of research studies have shown that the practice of Hatha Yoga can improve strength and flexibility, and may help control such physiological variables as blood pressure, respiration and heart rate, and metabolic rate to improve overall exercise capacity. This review presents a summary of medically substantiated information about the health benefits of yoga for healthy people and for people compromised by musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary disease.
Sex-chromosome pairing and activity during mammalian meiosis

Mammalian sex chromosomes exhibit marked sexual dimorphism in behavior during gametogenesis. During oogenesis, the X chromosomes pair and participate in unrestricted recombination; both are transcriptionally active. However, during spermatogenesis the X and Y chromosomes experience spatial restriction of pairing and recombination, are transcriptionally inactive, and form a chromatin domain that is markedly different from that of the autosomes. Thus the male germ cell has to contend with the potential loss of X-encoded gene products, and it appears that coping strategies have evolved. Genetic control of sex-chromosome inactivation during spermatogenesis does not involve pairing or the presence of the Y chromosome or an intact X chromosome, and may therefore be under exogenous control by the gonad. Sex-chromosome reactivation during oogenesis and inactivation during spermatogenesis probably reflect specific meiotic events such as recombination. Understanding these phenomena may help explain other sex-related differences in genetic recombination.
On hitting single points by a multidimensional diffusion

Consider a diffusion process with uniformly positive definite diffusion matrix . Assuming is bounded and measurable, if x 0 is a continuity point of , then for dimensions d≥3 the diffusion does not hit {x 0} almost surely. This is false in dimension . We derive an integral test on the modulus of continuity of at x 0 that ensures {x 0} is polar for the diffusion when The test is shown to be sharp
A comparative study of various nested normal forms

As object-relational databases (ORDBs) become popular in the industry, it is important for database designers to produce database schemes with good properties in these new kinds of databases. One distinguishing feature of an ORDB is that its tables may not be in first normal form. Hence, ORDBs may contain nested relations along with other collection types. To help the design process of an ORDB, several normal forms for nested relations have recently been defined, and some of them are called nested normal forms. In this paper, we investigate four nested normal forms, which are NNF [20], NNF [21], NNF [23], and NNF [25], with respect to generalizing 4NF and BCNF, reducing redundant data values, and design flexibility. Another major contribution of this paper is that we provide an improved algorithm that generates nested relation schemes in NNF [20] from an a-acyclic database scheme, which is the most general type of acyclic database schemes. After presenting the algorithm for NNF [20], the algorithms of all of the four nested normal forms and the nested database schemes that they generate are compared. We discovered that when the given set of MVDs is not conflict-free, NNF [20] is inferior to the other three nested normal forms in reducing redundant data values. However, in all of the other cases considered in this paper, NNF [20] is at least as good as all of the other three nested normal forms.
The Effect of Dubbing on Egg Production and Viability

Abstract THE size of the comb in different breeds bears no direct relationship to the inherited ability to live and to lay. However, within any one breed the extent to which a rather large comb might interfere with feeding or be more prone to injury could indirectly affect a bird’s health or production. Dubbing to improve a cock’s chances in the fighting pit has been practised for a long time, and in colder climates males are often dubbed to eliminate the adverse effects of a frozen comb and wattles on vigor and fertility. It is surprising, therefore, that the dubbing of females has not received consideration until recent years. Perhaps the first attempt to evaluate the effects of dubbing females was that of an unknown poultryman who reported his findings in the Australian Poultry World. These were summarized subsequently by the Editor of the New Zealand Poultry World (Anonymous, 1942). In …
3 Hearths, Grinding Stones, and Households: Rethinking Domestic Economy in the Andes

This case study of Andean house remains in central Peru adopts a gendered perspective and, on the basis of archaeological evidence, challenges the normalized domestic model of “lo Andino.” Although most Andean archaeological studies equate economically independent households with independent structures, this analysis reexamines the accuracy of this convention. The presence of a grinding stone, an essential tool of an economically independent unit, varies among house structures, which suggests that multiple houses shared labor on a daily basis.
Deficiencies of GM-CSF and Interferon γ Link Inflammation and Cancer

Chronic inflammation contributes to carcinogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We report that aged granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-deficient mice develop a systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE)-like disorder associated with the impaired phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. Concurrent deficiency of interferon (IFN)-γ attenuates the SLE, but promotes the formation of diverse hematologic and solid neoplasms within a background of persistent infection and inflammation. Whereas activated B cells show a resistance to fas-induced apoptosis, antimicrobial therapy prevents lymphomagenesis and solid tumor development. These findings demonstrate that the interplay of infectious agents with cytokine-mediated regulation of immune homeostasis is a critical determinant of cancer susceptibility.
Role of reservoir engineering in the assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska

The geology and reservoir-engineering data were integrated in the 2002 U.S. Geological Survey assessment of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA). Whereas geology defined the analog pools and fields and provided the basic information on sizes and numbers of hypothesized petroleum accumulations, reservoir engineering helped develop necessary equations and correlations, which allowed the determination of reservoir parameters for better quantification of in-place petroleum volumes and recoverable reserves. Seismic- and sequence-stratigraphic study of the NPRA resulted in identification of 24 plays. Depth ranges in these 24 plays, however, were typically greater than depth ranges of analog plays for which there were available data, necessitating the need for establishing correlations. The basic parameters required were pressure, temperature, oil and gas formation volume factors, liquid/gas ratios for the associated and nonassociated gas, and recovery factors. Finally, the results of U.S. Geological Survey deposit simulation were used in carrying out an economic evaluation, which has been separately published.
Harmonic maps from manifolds of L∞-Riemannian metrics

For a bounded domain Ω ⊂ R n endowed with L ∞-metric g, and a C 5-Riemannian manifold (N, h) ⊂ R k without boundary, let u ∈ W 1,2(Ω, N) be a weakly harmonic map, we prove that (1) u ∈ C α (Ω, N) for n = 2, and (2) for n ≥ 3, if, in additions, g ∈ VMO(Ω) and u satisfies the quasi-monotonicity inequality (1.5), then there exists a closed set Σ ⊂ Ω, with H n-2(Σ) = 0, such that $${u \in C^\alpha(\Omega{\setminus}\Sigma, N)}$$ for some α ∈ (0, 1).