cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protracted maturation of forebrain afferent connections of the ventral tegmental area in the rat.

The mesocorticolimbic dopamine system has long attracted the interest of researchers concerned with the unique gamut of behavioral and mental health vulnerabilities associated with adolescence. Accordingly, the development of the mesocorticolimbic system has been studied extensively, but almost exclusively with regard to dopaminergic output, particularly in the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex. To the contrary, the ontogeny of inputs to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the source of mesocorticolimbic dopamine, has been neglected. This is not a trivial oversight, as the activity of VTA neurons, which reflects their capacity to transmit information about salient events, is sensitively modulated by inputs. Here, we assessed the development of VTA afferent connections using the β subunit of cholera toxin (Ctβ) as a retrograde axonal tracer in adolescent (postnatal day 39) and early adult (8–9-week-old) rats. After intra-VTA injections of Ctβ, adolescent and early adult animals exhibited qualitatively similar distributions of retrogradely labeled neurons in the sense that VTA-projecting neurons were present at all of the same rostrocaudal levels in all of the same structures in both age groups. However, quantitation of retrogradely labeled neurons revealed that adolescent brains, compared with early adult brains, had significantly fewer VTA-projecting neurons preferentially within an interconnected network of cortical and striatopallidal forebrain structures. These findings provide a novel perspective on the development of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system and may have important implications for age-dependent specificity in the function of this system, particularly with regard to adolescent impulsivity and mental health vulnerabilities.
To Wine or Not to Wine

This paper examines wine consumers' personal involvement with wine. We use the notion of a Personal Involvement Inventory (PII) to segment wine consumers into wine enthusiasts (those highly involved with wine) and wine novices (those with limited personal involvement). Using a large and representative data set and employing a multivariate logistic regression framework, we find that a typical wine enthusiast can be classified as someone who has a strong personal preference in her wines, buys wine for pleasure, has a high level of knowledge on wines, and spends significant amounts of money in purchasing wines on a monthly basis. Our findings have important implications for wineries and other wine marketers and in the development of successful wine lists.
Using effects of parasitoid size on fitness to test a host quality model assumption with the parasitoid wasp Spalangia endius

How body size affects fitness of males relative to females is relevant to understanding the evolution of sexual size dimorphism and maternal sex-ratio manipulation. In most parasitoid wasps, mothers oviposit a greater proportion of daughters in larger hosts. The host-quality model describes how this may be adaptive. A major assumption of the model is that host size has a greater effect on the fitness of daughters than of sons. The assumption has often been tested indirectly by examining the effects of parasitoid size on fitness, because a parasitoid’s size generally increases with the size of the host on which it develops. The validity of this indirect method is examined here for the parasitoid wasp Spalangia endius Walker, 1839 parasitizing Musca domestica L., 1758. If the method is valid, effects of parasitoid size on fitness should match the effects of host size on fitness that were shown in a previous study. The effects matched in that both parasitoid size and host size affected the fitness of females...
Preparation and use of NHS-MAG3 for technetium-99m labeling of DNA

The chelator mercaptoacetylglycylglycylglycine (MAG3) is on of several amidothiols that have been used successfully to radiolabeled proteins and other molecules with 99mTc. Prior to radiolabeling, the sulfur in these amidothiols is usually protected by a benzoyl group (i.e. S-benzoyl MAG3) which requires extreme alkaline pH or boiling water temperatures for rapid deprotection. As a result, the benzoyl-protected chelator is radiolabeled prior to conjugation (i.e. preconjugation labeling) in the case of carriers such as proteins or polypeptides which cannot withstand harsh conditions. We have employed a simple, two-step, synthesis of the N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of MAG3 in which the sulfur is protected with an acetyl group (i.e. S-acetyl NHS-MAG3). A single-stranded amine-derivitized DNA was coupled with NHS-S-acetyl MAG3. Radiolabeling was accomplished at room temperature and neutral pH by transchelation from 99mTc-tartrate. In comparison to labeled SHNH-DNA, the labeled MAG3-DNA was unstable to cysteine transchelation, however, in contrast to SHNH-DNA, no evidence for serum protein binding of the labeled MAG3-DNA was observed. We conclude that the S-acetyl NHS MAG3 bifunctional chelator may prove to be an attractive alternative method of radiolabeling DNA and other biologically important molecules with 99mTc.
Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in high mobility GaAs quantum wells in tilted magnetic fields

We report on quantum magneto-oscillations in a high mobility GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well at very high (≥ 87°) tilt angles. Unlike previous studies, we find that the spin and cyclotron splittings become equal over a continuous range of angles, but only near certain, angle-dependent filling factors. At high enough tilt angles, Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations reveal a prominent beating pattern, indicative of consecutive level crossings, all occurring at the same angle. We explain these unusual observations by an in-plane field-induced increase of the carrier mass, which leads to accelerated, filling factor-driven crossings of spin sublevels in tilted magnetic fields.
Gas chromatographic study of the solution thermodynamics of organic solutes in tetraalkylammonium alkanesulfonate and perfluoroalkanesulfonate solvents

Abstract The partial molar Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy of solution for a number of test solutes are determined in five pairs of tetraalkylammonium alkanesulfonate and perfluoroalkanesulfonate salts that are liquid at 121°C. The presence of fluorine is shown to reduce retention due to dispersive interactions, to have little influence on orientation and electron-donor interactions, and to have a large influence on proton-donor interactions. These properties are correlated with the weak dispersive interactions characteristic of highly fluorinated solvents and the inductive effect of fluorine which affects the electron density on the sulfonate group.
Intragastric calcium infusions support flavor preference learning by calcium-deprived rats.

Abstract We investigated whether rats can associate the flavor of ingested solutions with the postingestive delivery of calcium. In one series of experiments using the “electronic esophagus” preparation, calcium-deprived rats received pairs of daily one-bottle training trials in which they received intragastric infusions whenever they ingested an arbitrary flavor of Kool Aid. Rats later preferred the flavor associated with infusions of 50 mM CaCl 2 or 50 mM calcium lactate (CaLa), but not with water, 10, 100 or 250 mM CaCl 2 or 100 mM sodium lactate (NaLa). In another experiment, rats had simultaneous access to two arbitrary flavors, ingestion of one of which produced intragastric infusion of 50 mM CaCl 2 , 75 mM NaCl or water. Only the rats given 50 mM CaCl 2 developed a preference for the flavor associated with the infusion. The preference for calcium infusions was not as large as that seen for orally ingested calcium. Nevertheless, these results show that 50 mM calcium infusions are rewarding to calcium-deprived rats. They thus suggest that rats can associate flavor ingestion with the postingestive benefits of consuming calcium.
Returning to a Sane Foreign Policy

The next president of the USA will surely correct some of the Bush administration’s most egregious policy errors, particularly its gross insensitivity to the rest of the world’s opinions and its extreme bellicosity. To restore trust in American, and to strengthen national security, better diplomacy will be necessary. Strengthening a demoralized and nearly dysfunctional State Department by acknowledging the vital role foreign area experts must play will have to be a major part of the new administration’s policy.
Avoidance Response of Rainbow Trout to Phenol

Abstract An eight-concentration intermittent-flow proportional diluter was modified to provide continuous flow to four separate avoidance chambers and used to test the avoidance response to phenol of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) in three separate 5-day tests. When single fish had been acclimated for 24 h, a flow of phenol was initiated on one side of each avoidance chamber and well water was started on the other. After 48 h the phenol and well watersides were switched, and the experiment was continued for another 48 h; the positions of the fish in the chambers were monitored photographically throughout the test. Results of tests with 12 rainbow trout indicated that the threshold avoidance level was between 6.5 and 3.2 mg/ L phenol, which was between 58 and 73% of the phenol 96-h LC50 for rainbow trout. Since long-term effects for rainbow trout exposed to phenol have been documented at concentrations as low as 0.2 mg/ L, the avoidance tests were not nearly as sensitive as toxicity tests with embryos and...
Point mutation in the mouse P2X7 receptor affects intercellular calcium waves in astrocytes.

Purinergic P2 receptors and gap junctions are two groups of proteins involved in the transmission of ICWs (intercellular calcium waves) between astrocytes. The extent to which ICWs spread among these glial cells depends on the amount of ATP released, which can occur through membrane channels, as well as other pathways. Our previous studies have shown that the pore-forming P2X7R (P2X7 receptor) contributes to the amplification of ICW spread by providing sites of ATP release through Panx1 (Pannexin1) channels. To gain insight into the signal transduction events mediating this response we compared the properties of the P2X7R–Panx1 complex in astrocytes from a mouse strain (C57Bl/6) containing a naturally occurring point mutation (P451L) in the C-terminus of the P2X7R to that of non-mutated receptors (Balb/C mice). Electrophysiological, biochemical, pharmacological and fluorescence imaging techniques revealed that the P451L mutation located in the SH3 domain (a Src tyrosine kinase-binding site) of the C-termi...
Improved culture conditions for Cowdria ruminantium (Rickettsiales), the agent of heartwater disease of domestic ruminants.

The causal agent of heartwater disease of domestic ruminants,Cowdria ruminantium, can, with difficulty, be isolated and passaged in lines of bovine endothelial cells grown in the presence of the Glasgow modification of Eagle's minimal essential medium. However, when Leibovitz's L-15 medium supplemented with 0.45% glucose at pH 6.0–6.5 is used as maintenance medium for these cells, isolation and serial passage may routinely be achieved.
Creep of thin film Au on bimaterial Au/Si microcantilevers

Abstract We examine creep of thin film Au on curved bimaterial Au/Si microcantilevers. Time-dependent inelastic strains in the Au film lead to gradual changes in the microcantilever curvature over time. Curvature–temperature–time experiments are used to examine the effects of hold temperature and maximum annealing temperature on the inelastic response of the Au films. Experiments reveal inelastic strains in the Au films due to creep, recovery, and microstructural coarsening. At moderate hold temperatures, 30 °C T T >175 °C, the response of the film is dominated by microstructural coarsening which leads to an expansion of the film, the development of intrinsic compressive film stresses, and hillock formation. The recovery and microstructural coarsening both lead to ‘anomalous’ changes in microcantilever curvature since the curvature gradually increases or decreases away from the equilibrium curvature of the underlying Si. The inelastic behavior of the Au film is shown to depend on annealing temperature through changes in initial film stress after thermo-elastic cooling and degree of recovery.
Links between type III secretion and extracytoplasmic stress responses in Yersinia.

The cell envelope of pathogenic bacteria is a barrier against host environmental conditions and immunity molecules, as well as the site where many virulence factors are assembled. Extracytoplasmic stress responses (ESRs) have evolved to help maintain its integrity in conditions where it might be compromised. These ESRs also have important links to the production of envelope-associated virulence systems by the bacteria themselves. One such virulence factor is the type III secretion system (T3SS), the first example of which was provided by the pathogenic Yersinia. This article reviews the reported links between four different ESRs and T3SS function in Yersinia. Components of three of these ESRs affect the function and/or regulation of two different T3SSs. The response regulator of the Rcs ESR is involved in positive regulation of the Ysa-Ysp T3SS found in the highly pathogenic 1B biogroup of Y. enterocolitica. Conversely, the response regulator of the Y. pseudotuberculosis Cpx ESR can downregulate production of the Ysc-Yop T3SS, and at least one other envelope virulence factor (invasin), by direct repression. Also in Y. pseudotuberculosis, there is some evidence suggesting that an intact RpoE ESR might be important for normal Yop production and secretion. Besides these regulatory links between ESRs and T3SSs, perhaps the most striking connection between T3SS function and an ESR is that between the Psp (phage shock protein) and Ysc-Yop systems of Y. enterocolitica. The Psp response does not affect the regulation or function of the Ysc-Yop system. Instead, Ysc-Yop T3SS production induces the Psp system, which then mitigates T3SS-induced envelope stress. Consequently, the Y. enterocolitica Psp system is essential when the Ysc-Yop T3SS is produced.
The E75 HER2/ neu peptide vaccine

E75 (HER2/neu 369-377) is an immunogenic peptide from the HER2/neu protein which is overexpressed in many breast cancer patients. A large amount of preclinical work and a small number of Phase I trials have been completed evaluating the vaccine potential of the E75 peptide mixed with an immunoadjuvant. Our group has performed two concurrent E75 + GM-CSF Phase II trials in node-positive and node-negative disease-free breast cancer patients. These trials, totaling 186 patients, were designed to assess the ability of the E75 vaccine to prevent disease recurrence in these high risk patients. In this review article, we discuss the safety of the vaccine, the immunologic response to the peptide, and most importantly, the potential clinical benefit of the vaccine. The recurrence rate, mortality associated with recurrence, and the distribution of recurrences are presented and discussed. Additionally, the lessons learned from these trials to include optimal dosing and the need for booster inoculations are addressed. We also present data exploring possible explanations and mechanisms behind the potential clinical utility of this simple single epitope vaccine. Finally, we present some of the future directions for our Cancer Vaccine Development Program assessing multi-epitope peptide vaccines and combination immunotherapies.
Inverse Design and Synthesis of acac-Coumarin Anchors for Robust TiO2 Sensitization

An inverse design methodology suitable to assist the synthesis and optimization of molecular sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells is introduced. The method searches for molecular adsorbates with suitable photoabsorption properties through continuous optimization of “alchemical” structures in the vicinity of a reference molecular framework. The approach is illustrated as applied to the design and optimization of linker chromophores for TiO2 sensitization, using the recently developed phenyl-acetylacetonate (i.e., phenyl-acac) anchor [McNamara et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc.2008, 130, 14329–14338] as a reference framework. A novel anchor (3-acac-pyran-2-one) is found to be a local optimum, with improved sensitization properties when compared to phenyl-acac. Its molecular structure is related to known coumarin dyes that could be used as lead chromophore anchors for practical applications in dye-sensitized solar cells. Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization confirms that the linker provides robust attach...
Effect of smokeless tobacco on the development of the CD-1 mouse fetus.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of an aqueous extract of smokeless tobacco (ST) on the development of the CD-1 mouse fetus. Three ST dosages were administered three times daily by gastric intubation during gestational days 1-17: 1 X ST equivalent to a dose of 4 mg nicotine/kg body weight, 3 X ST equivalent to 12 mg nicotine, and 5 X ST equivalent to 20 mg nicotine/kg body weight. Maternal plasma nicotine levels were determined 30 minutes after the second daily intubation at five different times during the gestational period. At these ST dosages, the weight gain of ST-treated dams was not significantly affected in comparison to treated controls, though the difference was significant (P less than .05) in comparison to untreated controls. The mean maternal plasma nicotine level for the low dosage (1 X) group was 99.0 ng/ml, which reasonably approximates human consumption levels. The 3 X ST and 5 X ST dosages produced higher nicotine plasma values, 398 ng/ml and 623 ng/ml, respectively, were considerably more toxic to the dams, and resulted in 18% and 31% maternal deaths. Fetal weights were reduced by 7.4% (P less than .001) in the highest ST dosage group (5 X), whereas at the 1 X and 3 X dosages fetal weight differences were not significantly different from treated controls. Resorptions increased in a dose-related manner (P less than .05), ranging from 4.7% in the 1 X, to 6.4% in the 3 X and 8.9% in the 5 X dosage compared to 3.2% in treated controls. External malformations were few and minor in extent. Internal malformations increased in a linear, dose-related manner (P less than .05). Placental weights were unaffected by ST. The results of skeletal examinations were inconclusive. Precocious ossification was seen in 60% and 70% of the parameters measured in the 1 X and 3 X dosage groups, respectively, in comparison to controls. In the 5 X ST group ossification levels were less than in controls for 30% of the parameters measured. Under these experimental conditions the lowest ST dosage (1 X) produced a negligible effect on the CD-1 mouse fetus and the dam. The highest ST dose (5 X) demonstrated embryotoxicity, growth retardation, few malformations, and maternal toxicity. The intermediate dose (3 X) showed a range of effects between the highest and lowest doses to both the fetus and the dam.
Low Cost, LED-Based xMAP Analyzer for Multiplexed Diagnosis and Environmental Detection of Biological Agents

Recently, improvements built upon the core Luminex analyzer technologies have resulted in the development of BeadPix; a low-cost, compact, rugged, diagnostic and environmental testing xMAP analyzer. This instrument moves away from a flow cytometry-based system to an instrument that employs Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and a CCD imager, coupled with an improved magnetic microsphere-based array (MagPlex(tm)).
Products of the OH radical-initiated reactions of 2-propyl nitrate, 3-methyl-2-butyl nitrate and 3-methyl-2-pentyl nitrate

Abstract In the atmosphere, alkyl nitrates formed from the reactions of alkyl peroxy radicals with NO are chemically removed by photolysis and by reaction with OH radicals. Products of the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with 2-propyl nitrate, 3-methyl-2-butyl nitrate and 3-methyl-2-pentyl nitrate at room temperature have been investigated. The products observed and quantified were: from 2-propyl nitrate, acetone (58 ± 18%); from 3-methyl-2-butyl nitrate, acetaldehyde (113 ± 39% from gas chromatographic analyses and 70 ± 25% from FT-IR analyses), acetone (55 ± 8%), and 3-methyl-2-butanone (17 ± 2%); and from 3-methyl-2-pentyl nitrate, acetaldehyde (120 ± 26% from gas chromatographic analyses and 80 ± 21% from FT-IR analyses), propanal (≤1.1%), 2-butanone (33 ± 3%), 2-methylbutanal (≤1.1%), and 3-methyl-2-pentanone (9 ± 1%), where the percentage molar yields are given in parentheses. Using these measured product yields together with predicted reaction schemes indicates that these products account for 58 ± 18%, 86 ± 15% and 63 ± 7% of the overall reaction pathways of the 2-propyl nitrate, 3-methyl-2-butyl nitrate and 3-methyl-2-pentyl nitrate reactions, respectively. The NO 2 present in the −ONO 2 group in these nitrates will be released in the reaction pathways leading to the observed products.
The evolution of the primate brain: some aspects of quantitative relations.

Abstract To summarize the pertinent findings of this review, it may be said that reorganization of the primate cortex is indicated at a number of levels. Intrinsic thalamic afferents to the cortex increase with increasing association cortex. A series of various indices were given to illustrate this, such as the A/S ratio, and various surface areal and volume measures. At a more molecular level, comparative, ontogenetic and experimental evidence showed that increasing brain size is associated with decreased density, or increased gray cell coefficient, and that this is paralleled by increase in dentritic branching parameters. With the increase in dendritic branching, and thus more synapses through more connectivity, the complexity of behavior was seen to increase. The experimental evidence tried to show this point. Finally, it was suggested that this interpretation based on a conceptual distinction between complexity processes in behavior and that of emergence with respect to the code or arbitrary representative factors, could be integrated with the quantitative-emergence views of Hebb and Herrick, as well as ablation data. While little space was devoted to the neurophysiological aspects, enough had been presented concerning Clare and Bishop's view to find a means of integration of this aspect with the purely anatomical. The following sections will attempt to relate these discussions of reorganization at all the levels discussed to some aspects of the emergent, specifically human kind of behavior. Three hypotheses will suggest relevant neurological mechanisms that might relate to behaviors of kind rather than degree. This will then be followed by a discussion of hominid evolution and the fossil record, and an attempt will be made to relate aspects of this dichotomy to the evolution of man. While the interpretations of this section may be open to question, one fact clearly emerges from all this discussion: a comparison of cerebral units (volumes) is not a comparison of equal units. Endocasts cannot show this. Discussions of the brain in terms of total mass must be replaced by more molecular appreciation of the range of structural and behavior changes for different extant primate species. Quantification is but one necessary early step toward systems synthesis of the naturalistic and anatomical data.
17O n.m.r. studies of amino acids in the solid state, in single‐ and polycrystalline forms

A single crystal of 17O enriched alpha-glycine was grown by slow evaporation of aqueous solution. 17O n.m.r. studies of the alpha-glycine molecule in single crystalline form revealed five 17O transitions each consisting of two lines due to inequivalency of the oxygen atoms in the unit cell, with each of these lines revealing a dipolar interaction between the 17O and the nearest hydrogen atom. The spectral width was found to be of the order of magnitude of MHz and the linewidths of the order of magnitude of 2 kHz.
Antiferromagnetic spin and twin domain walls govern hysteretic expressions of exchange anisotropy

The present study shows that antiferromagnetic spin and twin domain walls govern the hysteretic expressions of exchange anisotropy at low and high fields, respectively, using annealed NiO single crystals and Co. In the presence of twin walls, spin walls are shown to be a geometrical necessity in the antiferromagnetic NiO. A threshold field $(\ensuremath{\sim}10\text{ }000\text{ }\text{Oe})$ exists below which twin walls are frozen, and rotational hysteresis is dominated by losses due to spin walls. Above the threshold field, twin walls become mobile, resulting in a sharp increase in rotational hysteresis. Remarkably, rotational hysteresis associated with spin walls is similar to that of an ordinary ferromagnet---as the field strength increases, rotational hysteresis tends toward zero. However, unlike an ordinary ferromagnet where rotational hysteresis becomes zero above its saturation field, rotational hysteresis in antiferromagnet drops but then sharply increases once the threshold field for twin wall motion is exceeded. In crystals without spin walls, low-field rotational hysteresis is zero or negligible. Domain imaging of twin walls in antiferromagnet and Weiss walls in ferromagnet reveals a one-to-one spatial correlation even though twin walls are considered to have no net dipoles. This surprising result is explained by the fact that crystallographic interfaces in real crystals are not atomically sharp or ideal, and the defective interface invariably results in net moment across the finite width of the twin wall. The field dependence of domain walls in Co film exchange coupled to NiO shows global similarities to previously reported behavior of Co films deposited on nanocrystalline NiO [H. D. Chopra, D. X. Yang, P. J. Chen, H. J. Brown, L. J. Swartzendruber, and W. F. Egelhoff, Jr., Phys. Rev. B 61, 15312 (2000)]. In both cases, domain wall motion is not the dominant mode of magnetization reversal (wall motion is entirely absent in the present study while wall motion was only occasionally observed in the previous study), reversal occurs abruptly and different regions switch at different fields, and the observed pinning sites are frozen in the applied field range. Despite vastly different underlying microstructure of NiO in these two studies (annealed NiO single crystal with a fixed orientation across the NiO-Co interface in the present study versus nanocrystalline NiO in the previous study), the observed similarities may be understood by recognizing that, just as crystallographically imperfect twin interfaces serve as pinning sites for walls in Co film, other defects can play a similar role. Practically, results provide means of tuning rotational hysteresis by varying the type and the density of domain walls in NiO and by tuning the saturation field of the ferromagnet relative to the threshold field for the twin wall motion.
Effective Psychotherapy With Low-income Clients: The Importance of Attending to Social Class

The purpose of this article is to explore some of the issues associated with conducting psychotherapy with low-income clients. Throughout the article, we draw from our specific clinical experiences working with low-income Latina mothers in a depression prevention program. The themes that we address regarding class and psychotherapy are in the areas of assessment of social class, integration of class issues into the therapy process, and managing differences in social class between therapists and clients. As we discuss these themes, we provide concrete recommendations in order to advance awareness and effectiveness in working with economically disadvantaged populations.
Coiled-Coil Response to Mechanical Force: Global Stability and Local Cracking

Coiled coils are important structural motifs formed by two or more amphipathic α-helices that twist into a supercoil. These motifs are found in a wide range of proteins, including motor proteins and structural proteins, that are known to transmit mechanical loads. We analyze atomically detailed simulations of coiled-coil cracking under load with Milestoning. Milestoning is an approach that captures the main features of the process in a network, quantifying kinetics and thermodynamics. A 112-residue segment of the β-myosin S2 domain was subjected to constant-magnitude (0-200 pN) and constant-direction tensile forces in molecular dynamics simulations. Twenty 20 ns straightforward simulations at several load levels revealed that initial single-residue cracking events (Ψ > 90°) at loads <100 pN were accompanied by rapid refolding without either intra- or interhelix unfolding propagation. Only initial unfolding events at the highest load (200 pN) regularly propagated along and between helices. Analysis of hydrophobic interactions and of interhelix hydrogen bonds did not show significant variation as a function of load. Unfolding events were overwhelmingly located in the vicinity of E929, a charged residue in a hydrophobic position of the heptad repeat. Milestoning network analysis of E929 cracking determined that the mean first-passage time ranges from 20 ns (200 pN) to 80 ns (50 pN), which is ∼20 times the mean first-passage time of an isolated helix with the same sequence.
A discourse on Galilean invariance, SUPG stabilization, and the variational multiscale framework

Abstract Galilean invariance is one of the key requirements of many physical models adopted in theoretical and computational mechanics. Spurred by recent research developments in shock hydrodynamics computations [G. Scovazzi, Stabilized shock hydrodynamics: II. Design and physical interpretation of the SUPG operator for Lagrangian computations. Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg., in press, doi:10.1016/j.cma.2006.08.009 ], a detailed analysis on the principle of Galilean invariance in the context of SUPG operators is presented. It was observed in G. Scovazzi (in press) that lack of Galilean invariance can yield catastrophic instabilities in Lagrangian computations. Here, the analysis develops at a more general level, and an arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) formulation is used to explain how to consistently derive Galilean invariant SUPG operators. Stabilization operators for Lagrangian and Eulerian mesh computations are obtained as limits of the stabilization operator for the underlying ALE formulation. In the case of Eulerian meshes, it is shown that most of the SUPG operators designed for compressible flow computations to date are not consistent with Galilean invariance. It is stressed that Galilean invariant SUPG formulations can provide consistent advantages in the context of complex engineering applications, due to the simple modifications needed for their implementation.
Complementary Deoxyribonucleic Acid Cloning and Molecular Characterization of an Estrogen-Dependent Human Oviductal Glycoprotein

A 120-kDa oviduct-specific glycoprotein is synthesized and secreted into the oviductal lumen during estrogen dominance in the human. The objective of this investigation was to clone, sequence, and characterize the cDNA to this core protein. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends was used to clone a contiguous 3' cDNA end and 5' cDNA end. The total length of the cDNA was determined to be 2.2 kb by sequence analysis and exhibited a 92% sequence identity with the comparable overlapping baboon cDNA (1.2 kb). A high degree of homology was found to the N-terminal sequence of hamster oviductin and the partial sequence of a homologous baboon and bovine oviduct glycoprotein. Northern blots revealed a single mRNA species of 2.4 kb. Using RNA from various tissues of an estrogen-treated baboon, we found that the mRNA for the oviductal glycoprotein was present only in the oviduct. Hybridization was detected to an mRNA of similar size from oviductal tissue of the baboon, hamster, and mouse and to an mRNA of slightly smaller size in the rabbit, cow, and cat but not to any mRNA species from rat oviductal RNA. Slotblot analysis showed that the message was present in significantly greater (p < 0.05) concentrations in RNA from oviductal tissue from the late follicular stage than from the early follicular, early or late luteal, or postpartum stages. In conclusion, we have isolated the complete cDNA for a human oviductal glycoprotein. The presence of significantly greater amounts of the mRNA during the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle is consistent with the proposed estrogen control. The mRNA for the oviductal glycoprotein is present only in the oviduct of an estrogen-treated baboon, and a cross-hybridizing RNA is found in oviductal RNA from various mammals.
Hurricane Impacts to Tree Islands in Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida

Abstract Tree islands—small, wetland forest communities imbedded in a matrix of freshwater marsh—characterize Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in South Florida. The establishment and spread of invasive exotic plant species were hypothesized to alter tree-island communities and prolong recovery times from hurricane disturbances. During the fall of 2004, two hurricanes, Frances and Jeanne, caused damage to these tree islands. We examined the spatial extent of damage to tree islands and tree species across the Refuge by sampling 74 islands. Each tree island was assigned an overall damage rating based on both the openness of the canopy and the type and quantity of damage received. Distance from the eye-wall of the hurricanes, tree-island size, average tree height on the island, and relative abundance of invasive exotic plants were examined as predictors of damage. Over 85% of the sampled tree islands had damage, with most of the damage occurring in the center of the Refuge. Most tree is...
Transforming International Agreements into National Realities: Marketing Arab-Israeli Peace in Jordan

This study takes a marketing perspective to focus on the transformation of an internationally negotiated Jordan-Israel peace accord into a workable domestic reality. Such an approach suggests that promoting domestic support for an international peace initiative involves concern both with the actual attributes of peace and with communicating these to the groups to which they will most appeal. A survey-based experiment tests presentation and dimensional framing effects on support for a peace process among a Jordanian sample. The results corroborate similar findings by Geva and Mintz (1994) and suggest that national leaders in Jordan can encourage public support for negotiated peace by (1) identifying attributes of a peace accord most salient to various population groups; and (2) appealing to opposition groups on the basis of low-risk gains over key attributes. Again, from a marketing perspective the analyses represent empirical support for the contention that to encourage popular support for a negotiated pe...
3D image-based characterization of fluid displacement in a Berea core

Abstract Improved network flow models require the incorporation of increasingly accurate geometrical characterization of the microscale pore structure as well as greater information on fluid–fluid interaction (interfaces) at pore scales. We report on three dimensional (3D) pore scale medium characterization, absolute permeability computations for throat structures, and pore scale residual fluid distribution in a Berea core. X-ray computed microtomography combined with X-ray attenuating dopants is used to obtain 3D images of the pore network and to resolve phase distributions in the pore space. We present results on pore characterization, including distributions for pore volume, pore surface area, throat surface area, and principal direction diameters for pores and throats. Lattice Boltzmann computations are used to predict absolute permeabilities for individual throats reconstructed from the images. We present results on oil and water distribution in the pore space at residual conditions. We also consider the effects on residual fluid distribution due to the injection and gelation of a water-based gel. In extensive studies of Berea cores it has been observed that introducing water-based gels in the displacement process reduces permeability to water more than to oil. Our results provide supporting evidence for the involvement of gel compaction (dehydration) and oil trapping, while discounting gel blockage in throats, as mechanisms contributing to this effect.
Quantum effect in field enhancement using antenna for carbon nanotube based infrared sensors

We demonstrate a high efficient carbon nanotube (CNT) based infrared (IR) detector combined with a nano antenna. A nanoscale antenna is used as a metallic field enhancement structure for boosting the electric field intensity at the position of the sensing element. Here, we report the theoretical analysis and experimental characterization of a nano antenna for CNT based IR sensors. We propose a comprehensive mathematical model which accounts for the quantum-confinement effects on the conductivity and dielectric function of the nano antenna, to theoretically predict the field enhancement effect at the CNT sensing region. Numerical simulations and experimental results reveal the electric field and photocurrent of the CNT sensors are increased after adding the nano antenna. By measuring the photocurrent response of the sensor before and after the antenna, the efficiency and characteristics of the nanoantenna was verified experimentally. The experimental result indicates that the nano antenna increases the photocurrent by more than 10-fold. This matches with the theoretical prediction and implies that the electric field in the vicinity of the detector is enhanced by the nanoantenna.
Racial disparity in the frequency of recurrence of preterm birth

Objective We examined the hypothesis that black race independent of other factors increases the risk for extreme preterm birth and its frequency of recurrence at a similar gestational age. Study design We conducted a population-based cohort study using the Missouri Department of Health's maternally linked database of all births in Missouri between 1989 and 1997 for factors associated with recurrent preterm delivery. Results Recurrent black preterm births occurred at increased frequency (adjusted odds ratio 4.11 [95% confidence interval 3.78 to 4.4.47]) and earlier gestations (31 versus 33 weeks' median age) than white births. Black siblingships also had higher multiplicity of prematurity (odds ratio 2.14 [95% confidence interval 1.49 to 3.07] and 5.09 [95% confidence interval 1.26 to 20.51] for 3 and 4 preterm births). Additionally, 47% of women delivered recurrent preterm infants within 2 weeks of the gestational age of their initial preterm infant. Conclusion Overrepresentation of preterm births in blacks occurs independently of maternal medical and socioeconomic factors. Furthermore, the grouping of timing for preterm birth in different pregnancies of the same mother implicates important genetic contributors to the timing of birth.
Endurance training and cardiorespiratory conditioning after traumatic brain injury.

Objective—To examine the importance of cardiorespiratory conditioning after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and provide recommendations for patients recovering from TBI. Method—Review of literature assessing the effectiveness of endurance training programs. Main outcomes and results—A sedentary lifestyle and lack of endurance are common characteristics of individuals with TBI who have a reduction in peak aerobic capacity of 25-30% compared to healthy sedentary persons. Increased physical activity and exercise training improves cardiorespiratory fitness in many populations with physical and cognitive impairments. Therefore, increasing the endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness of persons with TBI would seem to have important health implications. However, review of the TBI literature reveals that there have been few well-designed, well-controlled studies of physiologic and psychological adaptations of fitness training. Also lacking are long-term follow-up studies of persons with TBI. Conclusions—Assessing endurance capacity and cardiorespiratory fitness early in the TBI rehabilitation process merits consideration as a standard of care by professional rehabilitation societies. Also, providing effective, safe and accessible training modalities would seem to be an important consideration for persons with TBI, given the mobility impairments many possess. Longterm follow-up studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of cardiorespiratory training programs on overall morbidity and mortality.
Blocking of conditioned suppression with 1 or 10 compound trials

It is generally agreed that the Kamin blocking effect provides a differential test of the model of classical conditioning proposed by Rescorla and Wagner (1972), on the one hand, and the models proposed by Mackintosh (1975) and Pearce and Hall (1980), on the other. Specifically, if the blocking effect occurs with 1 compound trial, Rescorla and Wagner are supported. Experiment 1 showed that prior training with one element of a simultaneous compound stimulus prevented the added element from becoming conditioned with 10 compound trials when compared with a nonpretrained (Kamin) control. A pseudoconditioning control, which received no compound training, showed substantial suppression only on the first trial. A contextual conditioning control, which received unsignaled shock prior to compound training, was suppressed, suggesting a failure of conditioning to contextual cues. Experiment 2 demonstrated 1-compound-trial blocking using a simultaneous presentation of the compound elements. The importance of this support for the Rescorla-Wagner model is discussed in the light of other supportive studies and those which support alternative models of classical conditioning.
A Driving Factor in Mobility? Transportation's Role in Connecting Subsidized Housing and Employment Outcomes in the Moving to Opportunity (MTO) Program

Problem, research strategy, and findings: We evaluate the role of transportation in improving the employment outcomes of participants in the Moving to Opportunity (MTO) for Fair Housing Voucher Program, a 10-year demonstration project designed to enable low-income families to improve their outcomes by moving out of high-poverty neighborhoods. We use longitudinal data from the MTO program to assess the role of transportation—automobiles and improved access to public transit—in moving to, and maintaining, employment. We use multi-nomial logistic regression to predict changes in employment status as a function of change in automobile availability and transit accessibility, controlling for other potential determinants of employment. We find that keeping or gaining access to an automobile is positively related to the likelihood of employment. Improved access to public transit is positively associated with maintaining employment, but not with job gains. Although we cannot say for certain whether car ownership p...
Explaining Black–White differences in homicide victimization

Abstract In recent decades, homicide has so truncated life expectancy in the United States that homicide victimization should be considered a public-health problem worthy of addressing via preventive programs and policies. Evidence in the literature roots homicide victimization deep within the social structure, in problematic social inequalities and disadvantages. The evidence suggests homicide victimization is associated with six demographic, social, and lifestyle factors: being male, African-American, young, of low socioeconomic status, without adequate social support, and mentally ill or a substance user. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this paper outlines theoretical mechanisms leading to racial differences in homicide victimization. It hypothesizes that Black Americans (a) are likelier than Whites to become homicide victims and, if victimized, (b) are likelier to be younger than victimized Whites. To understand these racial differences, the paper examines whether and how multiple disadvantages—at both the macro and micro level—operate against Blacks disproportionately. The paper concludes by noting further research needs and policy implications.
COMPUTATION AND USES OF GRADIENT WINDS

Abstract The viewpoint is taken that in large portions of the atmosphere, wind speeds (Vgr), divergence (Dgr), and vorticity (ζgr) obtained under the gradient wind assumption are considerably more accurate representations of true conditions than those one obtains from the geostrophic assumption. Equations are derived for computing Vgr, Dgr, and ζgr. The equation for the vorticity of gradient winds has a considerable resemblance to “balance” equations of Charney [3] and Phillips [17]. Gradient winds and their space derivatives may have advantages over other formulations due to their relative simplicity. The quantities Vgr, Dgr, and ζgr may be computed quite easily from geopotential data at grid points by use of high-speed computers. Possible applications of gradient winds in practical and theoretical meteorology are suggested.
Evaluation of dissociation constants of weak electrolytes from conductance data by multiparametric curve-fitting

Summary A procedure is described for evaluating the thermodynamic dissociation constant of a weak electrolyte from conventional data on the concentration dependence of its equivalent conductance but without prior knowledge of its equivalent conductance at infinite dilution or of the concentration dependence of the equivalent conductance of any related strong electrolyte under the same conditions. The classical data of MacInnes and Shedlovsky for aqueous solutions of acetic acid are used to illustrate the procedure and to emphasize the constraints that should be imposed. It is concluded that statistical criteria for goodness of fit may usefully be supplemented by a demand for the most stable fit, and that the agreement between the conductometric and potentiometric values for the dissociation constant of acetic acid is very much better than has been believed.
Signal Processing Requirements For A Video Rate Laser Range Finder Based Upon The Synchronized Scanner Approach

This article presents the results of an analysis and a discussion of the signal processing requirements for a video rate laser range finder. The lateral effect photodiode is chosen as the position detector for its speed, ease of use, and cost trade-offs over other sensors. Two models are presented for this sensor: the transmission line and the lumped elements. Both are investigated for possible use in circuit analysis. The latter model is selected, although it is not as accurate as the first one. However, it can yield valuable results able to show dependences between system parameters. The results of a linear circuit analysis give some trade-offs for optimum current to voltage conversion for fast response lateral effect photodiodes. Also, a discussion of the merits of techniques for position calculation, to increase the dynamic range of the system and reduce both costs and circuit complexity, is presented.
The effect of surfactant on evaporative heat transfer in vertical film flow

Abstract Evaporative heat transfer coefficients for water with various concentrations of a surfactant were measured in vertical downward dim flow over a flat plate, over a range of flow rates and temperature differences typical of those employed in desalination evaporators. The coefficients were found to be insensitive to flow rate, but strongly dependent upon temperature difference and surfactant concentration. The temperature dependence varied with the presence or absence of significant nucleate boiling. The dependence on surfactant concentration could not be correlated with surface tension, but was apparently due to foaming and could be explained in light of a theory of foam stability.