cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fiber creep rate and high-temperature properties of SiC/SiC composites

Abstract Optimization of the high-temperature structural properties of continuous silicon carbide fiber, silicon carbide matrix composites (SiC/SiC) requires a fundamental understanding of the relationship between fiber, matrix, and interface properties. Results of a study aimed at relating the fiber creep rate to the subcritical crack growth (SCG) rate and fracture properties of SiC/SiC composites have demonstrated that the crack growth rate in a bulk composite is controlled by the fiber creep rate. This result was demonstrated for Nicalon–CG and Hi–Nicalon fiber reinforced material where a 100°C shift in the creep strength of the fiber resulted in a similar shift in the crack growth rate of the composite. Irradiation enhanced creep of SiC fibers and matrix must also be considered in the performance assessment of SiC/SiC composites. An estimate of the impact of irradiation creep of SiC fibers on the SCG of SiC/SiC will be presented.
Limited adult vocal learning maintains call dialects but permits pair-distinctive calls in red crossbills

Vocal imitation can inform receivers about the social background of signallers because shared signals reflect learning experiences. Open-ended imitation can generate shared signals that indicate current social affiliation, whereas limited vocal plasticity in adulthood can permit signals to reflect an individual's origin. I examined the relations between vocal learning, signal sharing and social dynamics in red crossbills, Loxia curvirostra. Two levels of shared variation exist within crossbills' contact calls: discrete call variants distinguish ecologically diverged crossbill forms, and within these variants, some bonded pairs produce calls with nearly identical structures. Assessment of vocal and social behaviour of experimentally housed birds revealed that some adult crossbills converged on calls shared with companions of their own form, but no birds learned new, categorically distinct call variants. Also, while the process of call convergence within the bounds of discrete variants was associated with affiliation, birds that produced different contact call variants interacted less frequently and less amicably. These results suggest that call learning is limited in adult crossbills, generating calls with two levels of shared variation and multiple social functions: discrete contact call variants reflect birds' ecological forms, while pair-distinctive calls within those discrete variants reflect current social affiliation. Thus, a single social call concurrently reflects bonding among conspecifics of common origin and promotes the social isolation of ecologically diverged forms of red crossbills.
Use of Matched Unrelated Donors Compared with Matched Related Donors Is Associated with Lower Relapse and Superior Progression-Free Survival after Reduced-Intensity Conditioning Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

As success of reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) relies primarily on graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) activity, increased minor HLA disparity in unrelated compared to related donors could have a significant impact on transplant outcomes. To assess whether use of unrelated donors (URD) engenders more potent GVL in RIC HSCT compared to matched related donors (MRD), we retrospectively studied 433 consecutive T-replete 6/6 HLA matched URD (n = 246) and MRD (n = 187) RIC HSCT for hematologic malignancies at our institution. Diseases included: acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) (127), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (71), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (68), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (64), Hodgkin disease (HD) (40), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) (25), multiple myeloma (MM) (23), myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) (12), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (7), and other leukemia (1). All received uniform fludarabine and intravenous busulfan conditioning, and GVHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus/mini-methroxate (mini-MTX) or tacrolimus/sirolimus ± mini-MTX. Unrelated donors were younger compared to MRD (median donor age: 33 years versus 52 years, P
Social innovation and climate adaptation: Local collective action in diversifying Tanzania

Abstract In African communities, informal associations are becoming increasingly important in shaping and mediating local adaptation practices. The study suggests that the concept of social innovation is useful for analyzing climate adaptation in the multiscale institutional environments with complex vulnerability contexts. Small-scale local associations have a potential to facilitate collective experimentation and risk management, contributing to the resilience and sustainability of the social-ecological system. Ethnographic focus is on the informal associations of economic cooperation and dispute mediation of Kuria people of northwest Tanzania, and the ways these institutional forms facilitate resource management and the negotiation of difference under income diversification. Organizational features of the groups are examined that facilitate social innovation and alternative patterns of communication, effecting flexible and relational connections between scales. The study examines the features of the local institutions that have a potential to enhance local adaptive capacity, and discusses possible challenges to sustainable climate adaptation.
Sleep-disordered breathing symptoms frequency and growth among prematurely born infants.

Abstract Background Children who were born prematurely are at higher risk for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) compared to their same-age peers who were born fullterm. Objective The objective of the present study was to assess the frequency of SDB symptoms and effects on growth among preterm infants while they are still infants, with a goal of identifying risk factors to facilitate prevention and early intervention. Methods The Louisville pediatric SDB risk survey was administered to the primary caretakers of prematurely born infants attending the Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic at West Virginia University Children’s Hospital. Results Participation was 100% among 173 consecutive patients invited to participate in the study. At 9.13 months corrected age, 8.1% of infants born at a mean of 31.6 weeks gestation were reported to snore ⩾3 days/week, a rate consistent with diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing among older children. A composite of nine parent-reported symptoms was created based on factor analysis. Birth weight and size for gestational age at birth did not differ between snoring groups or correlate with the composite score. But a significant negative correlation between the composite risk for SDB score and current weight for adjusted age percentile score indicate that infants with higher SDB symptom profiles have lower weight for age (r = −.18, p = .028). Conclusions SDB symptoms are detectable among infants born preterm, while they are still infants. Because of their preferential risk for SDB and its somatic consequences, a primary research goal should be description of the natural history of SDB and identification of modifiable risk factors and treatment options.
Texture synthesis based on transition probabilities and localized correlation

This paper introduces an approach for synthesizing natural textures, with emphasis on quasi-periodic and structural textures. The process consists of two stages. In the first stage, the basic textural elements (texels) and the basic textural structure are determined. This is achieved by identifying two fundamental frequencies in the texture, for two different orientations. The basic structure is a non-regular mesh that defines the place holders for texels. We call such place holders e-texels (empty texels). In the second stage, a new textural structure is designed from the original one, and its e-texels are filled in by texels obtained from the original patch. Same texture texels are expected to possess a high degree of similarity, thus the new structure could be filled in at random. However, a transition probability approach is used in order to retain local textural characteristics. More specifically, assuming that texel A is the last texel placed in the new structure, the e-texel closest to A is found. The e-texel is replaced by texel B from the old structure if the relative position between A and the e-texel is similar to the relative position between A and B in the old structure. This technique is an extension of a general texture synthesis technique previously developed by the author. The proposed technique is suited for structural textures since blockage effects are eliminated by allowing irregular shape texels to be merged, contrary to the previous general technique where the blocks merged are squares. Results show that the proposed method is successful in synthesizing structural textures.
Professional Viewpoints Of Competencies for Interior Design Entry‐Level Positions

Sixty-three professionals in the field of interior design were asked about the importance of competencies for interior design entry-level positions and the importance of learning the competency at school or work. The forty competencies were chosen from areas that the Foundation of Interior Design Education and Research (FIDER) suggested for inclusion in a comprehensive interior design curriculum. Professionals in this study indicated that oral communication skills, furniture arrangement, space planning, and color theory were more important for entry-level positions in interior design than the technical competencies of lettering and line drawing, elevation drawings, use of technical drafting equipment, and freehand sketching. The respondents also indicated that history of architecture, perspective drawing, color theory, and lettering and line drawing were competencies which should be learned at school rather than in work experience.
Palmar dislocation of the trapezoid—Case report

A case of palmar dislocation of the trapezoid in a 67-year-old man with metacarpal fractures treated by surgical reinsertion is described. The pitfalls of diagnosis and treatment options are reviewed. Of the 16 cases of trapezoid dislocations in the literature, this is the third report of a palmar dislocation and the first of operative reinsertion.
Trees—a CS2 programming project which introduces a data type using procedural and data abstraction

This paper describes a programming project used in CS2 classes to introduce trees as an abstract data type. The student is required to manipulate tree structures with a set of primitive functions supplied by the instructor. The student does not have access to the implementation details of these primitive functions, and is initially required to complete a series of exercises in which trees are handled abstractly. After completing this phase of the assignment, the student is required to write his or her own implementation of the primitive functions originally supplied. These are written in two different phases, one using dynamic storage, and the other using static storage. This emphasizes the concept of trees as an abstract data type, as well as the benefits of abstraction and information hiding.
FACTOR ANALYSIS OF A SALES SELECTION BATTERY

Summary A sales executive selection battery from 458 applicants was subjected to a principal components factor analysis using varimax factor rotation. The study was undertaken because of the gaps created by the almost nonexistent factorial studies of an operational sales selection battery. The final rotated matrix yielded seven factors which suggested that the battery of the original 28 scales could be considerably reduced. The factors were identified as follows: I—Level of Aspiration, II—Technical Interest, III—Anti-Aestheticism, IV—Religious-Social Values, V—Social Acquiescence, VI—Computational-Clerical, VII—Intellect. Implications of the factor analysis patterns were discussed.
Quantitative Contributions to Electrical Propagation in 1D Cable Model

From previous experimental and theoretical studies, it is well-known that gap junctional coupling, Na+ channel density, and Na+ channel localization influence the speed of electrical conduction velocity (CV) in multicellular cardiac tissue. However, two recent findings complicate our understanding of electrical conduction: (1) Na+ channels located at the intercalated disk region have different properties than those in the cell center; (2) in disease states, changes in gap junctional coupling occur in tandem with alterations in Na+ channel density, Na+ channel properties, and subcellular structure, which makes it difficult to determine the effects of each change. To gain a greater quantitative understanding of the factors that influence CV, we implemented a one-dimensional mathematical model of electrically coupled human ventricular myocytes. The model accounts for the possibility that electrical fields in the narrow clefts between adjacent cells can influence conduction. To determine how each model variable affects CV, we performed parameter sensitivity analysis under two conditions: (1) normal gap junctional conductance (400 kΩ resistance between cells), and (2) severely reduced gap junctional conductance (40 MΩ resistance between cells). Our simulation results predict the following: (1) Increasing the width of the cleft between adjacent cells increases CV under normal gap junctional conductance conditions but decreases CV when gap junctional coupling is low; (2) reducing cell coupling decreases CV under normal gap junctional conductance conditions, but further changes to coupling have little effect under low gap junctional conductance conditions, (3) Na+ channel activation kinetics and voltage dependence have a greater quantitative effect on CV with low than with normal gap junctional conductance. The simulations generate predictions that can be tested experimentally, and the results provide insight into changes in CV observed in disease.
Longitudinal Relations Among Maternal Behaviors, Effortful Control and Young Children’s Committed Compliance

In a sample (n = 235) of 30-, 42-, and 54-month-olds, the relations among parenting, effortful control (EC), impulsivity, and children's committed compliance were examined. Parenting was assessed with mothers' observed sensitivity and warmth; EC was measured by mothers' and caregivers' reports, as well as a behavioral task; impulsivity was assessed by mothers' and caregivers' reports; and committed compliance was observed during a cleanup and prohibition task, as well as measured by adults' reports. Using path modeling, there was evidence that 30-month parenting predicted high EC and low impulsivity a year later when the stability of the outcomes was controlled, and there was evidence that 30- and 42-month EC, but not impulsivity, predicted higher committed compliance a year later, controlling for earlier levels of the outcomes. Moreover, 42-month EC predicted low impulsivity a year later. Fixed effects models, which are not biased by omitted time-invariant variables, also were conducted and showed that 30-month parenting still predicted EC a year later, and 42-month EC predicted later low impulsivity. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of differentiating between effortful control and impulsivity and the potential mediating role of EC in the relations between parenting and children's committed compliance.
UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE OF “UNDERSTANDING”∗

∗This essay is a response to Charles Melchert's essay “ ‘Understanding’ as a Purpose of Religious Education”.
School climate enhancement through parental involvement

Abstract The present study examined the effects of a school improvement program on students', teachers', and parents' perceptions of school and classroom climate, as well as on student achievement and attendance. The samples included 306 randomly selected students in Grades 3–5 from 14 elementary schools, 98 teachers, and 276 parents. The results indicated that experimental schools showed significantly greater improvement in students' and parents' perceptions of classroom and school climate than control and special schools. Experimental schools also showed significantly greater improvement in student achievement and attendance.
Spatial Analysis and Modeling of Traffic Incidents for Proactive Incident Management and Strategic Planning

Traffic events involving secondary incidents can be particularly problematic for the public and for incident managers. This paper explores the associations of spatial characteristics, including geometric and land use factors, with secondary and nonsecondary incidents. The data used in this study are 2006 incident records from Hampton Roads in Virginia and roadway inventory data, enhanced through geographic information systems to include detailed spatial information. Secondary incidents in the same and opposite directions were identified by using a queue-based method. Such incidents represented nearly 2% of total recorded incidents but showed longer durations than other incidents. The study found statistically significant differences between the distributions of secondary and nonsecondary incidents, implying that higher risks of secondary incidents in certain roadway segments are not necessarily correlated with relatively high risk of nonsecondary incidents. Poisson, zero-inflated Poisson, and negative bin...
Diastolic regional wall motion asynchrony in patients with hypertension.

Left ventricular regional wall motion was analyzed from angiographic ventriculograms in 51 subjects, 18 of these served as controls, 10 were hypertensive with coronary artery disease, and 23 had a history of hypertension without coronary artery disease. All normal subjects showed normal synchronous wall motion throughout the cardiac cycle. In 10 patients with coronary artery disease and hypertension at the time of catheterization, the major determinant of regional abnormality was coronary artery lesion (sensitivity=83%, specificity=95%). Patients who had a history of hypertension and no ischemic disease, were further subdivided into three groups, 4 who were normotensive, 4 with borderline pressures and 15 hypertensive at the time of cardiac catheterization. All normotensive, 3 of the borderline hypertensive, as well as one hypertensive (without coronary artery disease) patients showed normal wall motion. In one patient with borderline pressure and 14 of 15 hypertensive patients diastolic regional asynchrony was detected. Apical region was most commonly affected in these patients. This suggests the importance of treating hypertension in patients and the possible reversibility of abnormal wall motion with treatment.
Cognitive learning theory and continuing health professions education

A growing body of research and educational literature on cognitive learning theory focuses on how the mind works and effective new methods to promote learning. These findings and discussions are currently held in the educational research arena and are often directed at other researchers and educators who are already familiar with the concepts. The purpose of this paper is to introduce continuing educators to basic principles gleaned from a wide range of perspectives about cognition, esoteric theories, research, and emerging implications for education. In addition, questions are posed to stimulate the exploring of new ways to think about the assumptions behind continuing educational theory and practice.
A comparative precursor study of the growth behavior of InSb using metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy

The growth behavior of InSb using triethylantimony (TESb) in combination with either triethylindium (TEIn) or trimethylindium (TMIn) was studied. Single-phase InSb growth was only observed between 435 and 485 °C. Dependence of InSb growth rate on the substrate orientation, and an exponential dependence on the growth temperature, indicates that growth occurs in the kinetically limited regime. The In and Sb precursor mole fractions were varied to assess their effects on the growth rate. InSb growth was also studied as a function of the total reactor pressure at a constant molar flow rate, and the growth rate were found to be significantly enhanced at low reactor pressures. A growth model is proposed, which includes the reaction of parasitic adducts in the gas phase, combined with surface reactions that lead to InSb growth.
Effect of Nitroglycerin Ointment on Hemodynamics in Patients With Mitral Insufficiency

A reduction in impedance or afterload produces beneficial hemodynamic effects in patients with mitral regurgitation. This mechanism has been studied via intravenous infusion of nitroprusside, phentolamine, and hydralazine. But there is little information on the effect of nitroglycerin ointment in patients with mitral insufficiency. Thus 6 patients with mitral insufficiency underwent right and left heart catheterization. After the control hemodynamic measurements were recorded, a 21/2-inch strip of 2% nitroglycerin ointment was applied to the chest for half an hour. Pressure recordings and cardiac output were then re peated. The control cardiac index fell from 2.79 to a treatment value of 2.05 L/ min/m2 (P < 0.01), while the stroke index also decreased from 29 to 22 ml/ beat/m2 (P < 0.05). There was a nonsignificant increase in peripheral resis tance. Thus nitroglycerin ointment can be detrimental when given to patients with mitral insufficiency.
Herpetic esophagitis in patients with cancer: ante mortem diagnosis by brush cytology.

Ante mortem diagnosis of herpetic esophagitis has been made in four immuno-suppressed patients with cancer. The diagnosis was made by brush cytology at the time of esophagoscopy. All four patients had severe dysphagia unresponsive to nystatin therapy and the diagnosis of herpes infection excluded the use of Amphotericin B for resistant moniliasis. The diagnosis of herpes virus infection of the esophagus has been previously made almost exclusively at post mortem examination. Herpetic esophagitis is shown to be not necessarily a preterminal complication in cancer patients. In three of the four patients the esophagitis resolved as the patients responded to anti-tumor therapy.
Gauge invariance of general relativistic tidal heating

When a self-gravitating body (e.g., a neutron star or black hole) interacts with an external tidal field (e.g., that of a binary companion), the interaction can do work on the body, changing its mass-energy. The details of this "tidal heating" are analyzed using the Landau-Lifshitz pseudotensor and the local asymptotic rest frame of the body. It is shown that the work done on the body is gauge-invariant, while the body-tidal-field interaction energy contained within the body's local asymptotic rest frame is gauge dependent. This is analogous to Newtonian theory, where the interaction energy is shown to depend on how one localizes gravitational energy, but the work done on the body is independent of that localization.
Using incomplete and imprecise localization data on images to improve estimates of detection accuracy

We tested new analytic procedures for combining an observer's image-ratings of lesion-likelihood with localization reports that are incomplete (unavailable on images rated as 'normal') and/or imprecise (possibly scored as 'correct' by chance), and for fitting a constrained ROC formulation to the rating data alone. Eight radiologist readers in a previous study had rated the likelihood of nodular lesions on each of 250 chest-film cases (39 with subtle nodules, 36 with 'typical' nodules and 175 normal cases) that were presented in two display modes (original films or on video workstation). Ratings in the four positive categories (2 to 5) were accompanied by reports that grossly localized the suspected nodules into one of 7 film- regions (upper, middle or lower portions of left or right lung field, or retrocardiac), but there was no localization for the cases rated as 'normal' (category 1). In each of 29 sets of data, we estimated the area below the ROC curve (Az) and its standard error using three different fits: (1) the usual ROC formulation, (2) the constrained ROC formulation and (3) the new procedure that included incomplete and imprecise localization data (I&I). Estimates of Az from the usual and constrained ROC fits were quite similar unless the standard ROC exhibited an upward 'hook,' but standard errors of Az were always the same or smaller for the constrained ROC fit. The I&I fit that included localization data often estimated Az to be either larger or smaller than the usual or constrained ROC fits that considered only the rating data, but its Az had substantially smaller standard errors in 28 of the 29 sets of observer data.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Steroid hormones and the reorganization of the nervous system during insect metamorphosis

Abstract Changes in the structure and function of identified neurons during insect metamorphosis that are linked to the gain or loss of specific elements of behavior are controlled by the steroid hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone. Three approaches are being used to determine which cells are primary targets for steroid hormones: localized hormone manipulations, direct exposure of identified neurons to ecdysteroids in vitro and steroid hormone autoradiography. Identified neurons display an array of responses to steroids, which may have different thresholds and be subject to other regulatory influences. The current challenge is to link our understanding of the hormonally dependent cellular changes in identified neurons to emerging information about the molecular basis of ecdysteroid action and the regulation of cell fate in insects.
‘What Kind of Vision is That?’ British Public Attitudes Towards the European Community During the Thatcher Era

Margaret Thatcher's dominance of British politics during the 1980s is well known. A self-proclaimed ‘conviction politician’, she was likely to seize any opportunity to shape the public's values. Surprisingly, however, her efforts seem to have been ineffective. Ivor Crewe has labelled Thatcher's attempt to modify the public's beliefs ‘the crusade that failed’. He concluded that ‘much of Thatcherism will die with Thatcher. Its permanent legacy at the level of the mass public will be very limited.’ So unexpected is this finding that it invites further investigation. Did Crewe find little evidence of Thatcher's impact simply because of the generality of his analysis? Might a more sharply focused study, one dealing with the delimited area of public policy, reach a different conclusion?Ivor Crewe, ‘Values: The Crusade that Failed’, in Dennis Kavanagh and Anthony Seldon, eds, The Thatcher Effect: A Decade of Change (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989), p. 250. See also Ivor Crewe, ‘The Thatcher Legacy’, in Anthony King et al., Britain at the Polls 1992 (Chatham, NJ: Chatham House Publishers, 1993), pp. 1–28, especially pp. 8–11.
The Controlled Generation of Functional Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

An early substantial loss of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCN) is a constant feature of Alzheimer's disease and is associated with deficits in spatial learning and memory. The ability to selectively control the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into BFCN would be a significant step toward a cell replacement therapy. We demonstrate here a method for the derivation of a predominantly pure population of BFCN from hESC cells using diffusible ligands present in the forebrain at developmentally relevant time periods. Overexpression of two relevant human transcription factors in hESC-derived neural progenitors also generates BFCN. These neurons express only those markers characteristic of BFCN, generate action potentials, and form functional cholinergic synapses in murine hippocampal slice cultures. siRNA-mediated knockdown of the transcription factors blocks BFCN generation by the diffusible ligands, clearly demonstrating the factors both necessary and sufficient for the controlled derivation of this neuronal population. The ability to selectively control the differentiation of hESCs into BFCN is a significant step both for understanding mechanisms regulating BFCN lineage commitment and for the development of both cell transplant-mediated therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer's disease and high-throughput screening for agents that promote BFCN survival.
Serum autoantibody profiling using a natural glycoprotein microarray for the prognosis of early melanoma

The poor prognosis of melanoma and the high cost of lymph node biopsy for melanoma patients have led to an urgent need for the discovery of convenient and accurate prognostic indicators. Here, we have developed a natural glycoprotein microarray to discover serum autoantibodies to distinguish between patients with node negative melanoma and node positive melanoma. Dual-lectin affinity chromatography was used to extract glycoproteins from a melanoma cell line. Liquid-based reverse phase separation and microarray platforms were then applied to separate and spot these natural proteins on nitrocellulose slides. The serum autoantibodies were investigated by exposing these proteins to sera from 43 patients that have already been diagnosed to have different stages of early melanoma. The combination of 9 fractions provides a 55% sensitivity with 100% specificity for the detection of node positive against node negative and a 62% sensitivity with 100% specificity for the detection of node negative against node posit...
Relationships among Isolated Wetland Size, Hydroperiod, and Amphibian Species Richness: Implications for Wetland Regulations

: Wetland development within the United States is regulated primarily by size. Decisions concerning wetland destruction or conservation are therefore based in part on three inherent assumptions: (1) small wetlands contain water for short portions of the year; (2) small wetlands support few species; and (3) species found in small wetlands are also found in larger wetlands. We tested these assumptions using data on wetland size, relative hydroperiod (drying scores), and relative species richness of amphibians in depression wetlands of the southeastern United States. We found a significant (p = 0.03) but weak (r2 = 0.05) relationship between hydroperiod and wetland size and no relationship (p = 0.48) between amphibian species richness and wetland size. Furthermore, synthetic models of lentic communities predict that short-hydroperiod wetlands support a unique group of species. Empirical investigations support this prediction. Our results indicate that hydroperiod length should be included as a primary criterion in wetland regulations. We advocate a landscape approach to wetlands regulation, focused in part on conserving a diversity of wetlands that represent the entire hydroperiod gradient. Resumen: El desarrollo de humedales dentro de los Estados Unidos es regulado principalmente por el tamano. Por lo tanto, las decisiones referentes a la destruccion o conservacion de humedales se basan, en parte, en tres conjeturas inherentes: (1) los humedales pequenos contienen agua durante periodos cortos del ano, (2) los humedales pequenos sostienen pocas especies, y (3) las especies encontradas en humedales pequenos se encuentran tambien en los humedales grandes. Evaluamos estas conjeturas utilizando datos de tamano, hidroperiodo relativo (valores de seca) y riqueza relativa de especies de anfibios en humedales de depresion del sudeste de los Estados Unidos. Encontramos una relacion significativa (p = 0.03) pero debil (r2 = 0.05) entre el hidroperiodo y el tamano del humedal y ninguna relacion (p = 0.48) entre la riqueza de especies de anfibios y el tamano del humedal. Mas aun, modelos sintetizados de comunidades lenticas predicen que los humedales con hidroperiodos cortos sostienen a un grupo de anfibios unico. Las investigaciones empiricas apoyan esta prediccion. Nuestros resultados indican que la longitud del hidroperiodo deberia ser incluido como un criterio primario en las regulaciones de humedales. Abogamos por una aproximacion de paisaje para la regulacion de humedales, enfocada en parte en la conservacion de la diversidad de humedales que representen el gradiente de hidroperiodo completo.
Differing thyrotropin responses to increased serum triiodothyronine concentrations produced by overfeeding and by triiodothyronine administration

The effects of overfeeding and triiodothyronine (T3) administration on basal serum thyrotropin (TRH) concentrations and the TSH response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was studied in normal subjects. Eight normal volunteers were fed their usual diet plus 2,000 kcal carbohydrate daily for 7 days. Their mean serum T3 concentrations increased from 102 +/- 6 (SEM) ng/dl to 126 +/- 10 ng/dl; there were no changes in serum thyroxine (T4) and basal serum TSh concentrations or the TSh response to TRH. Five of these subjects were fed their usual diet plus 10 micrograms T3 for 3 days and 20 micrograms T3 for 4 days divided doses. Their mean serum T3 concentrations increased from 104 +/- 6 ng/dl to 140 +/- 8 ng/dl. Mean serum T4 and basal serum TSH concentrations declined and serum TSH responses to TRH were significantly reduced. In both instances serum T3 concentrations remained within the normal range. These results indicate that increases in serum T3 concentrations of similar magnitude induced by augmented extrathyroidal T3 production and T3 administration have different effects on thyrotroph function.
Disposition and metabolism of 2-fluoro-β-alanine conjugates of bile acids following secretion into bile

Since 2-fluoro-beta-alanine (FBAL) conjugates of bile acids (BA), the primary biliary metabolites of fluoropyrimidine (FP) drugs, have been suggested to be related to the hepatotoxicity which develops in patients receiving FP chemotherapy by intrahepatic arterial infusion (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84, 5439-5443, 1987), it was important to determine whether they undergo enterohepatic circulation and hence accumulate in the liver and biliary system. In initial studies, sensitivity of FBAL-BA conjugates to hydrolysis by pancreatic enzymes was examined. In subsequent in vivo studies, a model FBAL-BA conjugate, FBAL-chenodeoxycholate (FBAL-CDC), was introduced into the lumen of the small intestine of anesthetized rats with biliary fistulas to quantitate the intestinal absorption, metabolism and tissue distribution of the conjugate. The results indicated that: (1) FBAL-BA conjugates were resistant to hydrolysis by pancreatic enzymes (carboxypeptidase A, carboxypeptidase B and trypsin) and by human pancreatic juice, but were completely hydrolyzed by cholyglycine hydrolase. (2) At least one-half of the administered FBAL-CDC was deconjugated during the process of intestinal absorption, as shown by HPLC analysis of the radioactivity in portal venous blood. (3) Deconjugated FBAL or CDC was reconjugated in liver with other bile acids or amino acids (glycine and taurine), respectively, as shown by radiochromatography of bile. (4) FBAL, formed as a result of hydrolysis of FBAL-CDC, had a wide tissue distribution. In conclusion, FBAL-CDC has a rapid turnover during its enterohepatic circulation due to deconjugation in the intestine and reconjugation in the liver.
Functional and cortical adaptations to central vision loss.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), affecting the retina, afflicts one out of ten people aged 80 years or older in the United States. AMD often results in vision loss to the central 15–20 deg of the visual field (i.e. central scotoma), and frequently afflicts both eyes. In most cases, when the central scotoma includes the fovea, patients will adopt an eccentric preferred retinal locus (PRL) for fixation. The onset of a central scotoma results in the absence of retinal inputs to corresponding regions of retinotopically mapped visual cortex. Animal studies have shown evidence for reorganization in adult mammals for such cortical areas following experimentally induced central scotomata. However, it is still unknown whether reorganization occurs in primary visual cortex (V1) of AMD patients. Nor is it known whether the adoption of a PRL corresponds to changes to the retinotopic mapping of V1. Two recent advances hold out the promise for addressing these issues and for contributing to the rehabilitation of AMD patients: improved methods for assessing visual function across the fields of AMD patients using the scanning laser ophthalmoscope, and the advent of brain-imaging methods for studying retinotopic mapping in humans. For the most part, specialists in these two areas come from different disciplines and communities, with few opportunities to interact. The purpose of this review is to summarize key findings on both the clinical and neuroscience issues related to questions about visual adaptation in AMD patients.
Identifying Screening Abilities to Reduce the Uncertainty of Worker Task–Environment Fit

A potential problem for individuals in an organization, for the organization, and for researchers of organizational behavior is the lack of recognition of individual differences as an explanation of differences in behavior within the organization. Often research results indicate an aggregate of behavior of all individuals within the organization ignoring how the individual behavior of a single person can have an effect of the performance of that individual and on organizational effectiveness. This paper examines the interrelationship of stimulus screening, the nature of an individual's task and environment setting and its impact on individual per formance and organizational effectiveness. A rationale for the topic, review of literature, and issues pertinent to organizational research and practice are presented.
Self‐guided Langevin dynamics study of regulatory interactions in NtrC

Multiple self-guided Langevin dynamics (SGLD) simulations were performed to examine structural and dynamical properties of the receiver domain of nitrogen regulatory protein C (NtrCr). SGLD and MD simulations of the phosphorylated active form structure suggest a mostly stable but broad structural ensemble of this protein. The finite difference Poisson–Boltzmann calculations of the pKa values of the active site residues suggest an increase in the pKa of His-84 on phosphorylation of Asp-54. In SGLD simulations of the phosphorylated active form with charged His-84, the average position of the regulatory helix α4 is found closer to the starting structure than in simulations with the neutral His-84. To model the transition pathway, the phosphate group was removed from the simulations. After 7 ns of simulations, the regulatory helix α4 was found approximately halfway between positions in the NMR structures of the active and inactive forms. Removal of the phosphate group stimulated loss of helix α4, suggesting that the pathway of conformational transition may involve partial unfolding mechanism. The study illustrates the potential utility of the SGLD method in studies of the coupling between ligand binding and conformational transitions. Proteins 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Are gestational diabetes mellitus and preconception diabetes mellitus less common in non-Hispanic black women than in non-Hispanic white women?

Based on their higher risk of type 2 diabetes, non-Hispanic blacks (NHBs) would be expected to have higher gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). However, previous studies have reported lower GDM risk in NHBs versus NHWs. We examined whether GDM risk was lower in NHBs and NHWs, and whether this disparity differed by age group. The cohort consisted of 462,296 live singleton births linked by birth certificate and hospital discharge data from 2004 to 2007 in Florida. Using multivariable regression models, we examined GDM risk stratified by age and adjusted for body mass index (BMI) and other covariates. Overall, NHBs had a lower prevalence of GDM (2.5 vs. 3.1 %, p < 0.01) and a higher proportion of preconception DM births (0.5 vs. 0.3 %, p ≤ 0.01) than NHWs. Among women in their teens (risk ratio 0.56, p < 0.01) and 20–29 years of age (risk ratio 0.85, p < 0.01), GDM risk was lower in NHBs than NHWs. These patterns did not change with adjustment for BMI and other covariates. Among women 30–39 years (risk ratio 1.18, p < 0.01) and ≥40 years (risk ratio 1.22, p < 0.01), GDM risk was higher in NHBs than NHWs, but risk was higher in NHWs after adjustment for BMI. Associations between BMI and GDM risk did not vary by race/ethnicity or age group. NHBs have lower risk of GDM than NHWs at younger ages, regardless of BMI. NHBs had higher risk than NHWs at older ages, largely due to racial/ethnic disparities in overweight/obesity at older ages.
Zinc Deprivation of Murine 3T3 Cells by Use of Diethylenetrinitrilopentaacetate Impairs DNA Synthesis upon Stimulation with Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I)

Growth failure in zinc-deficient animals is associated with decreased DNA synthesis; zinc deprivation of 3T3 cells, by use of diethylenetrinitrilopentaacetate (DTPA), impairs thymidine incorporation when the cells are stimulated with fetal bovine serum (FBS). The purpose of this study was to determine the step of cell cycle progression that is affected by zinc deprivation. Swiss murine 3T3 cells were cultured for 3 d in complete media and then for 2 d in low serum media. Cells were then placed in serum-free media and stimulated in sequence with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF; 3 h), epidermal growth factor (EGF; 0.5 h) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I; 16 h). The combination of growth factors stimulated thymidine incorporation to the same extent as 10% FBS, and DTPA or EDTA (0.6 mmol/L) inhibited thymidine incorporation. Inhibition was prevented by addition of zinc, but not calcium, iron or cadmium (0.4 mmol/L). When DTPA was present during all stages with no addition of zinc, or zinc added during the competency-priming (PDGF and EGF) step, the IGF-I step, or both steps, the zinc effect occurred at the IGF-I step. Zinc addition 4 h before the measurement of thymidine incorporation had no ameliorative effect, but the presence of zinc during the prior 12 h increased incorporation. Thus zinc exerts its major effect on DNA synthesis during the IGF-I stimulatory phase of the cell cycle. The total zinc concentration of 3T3 cells treated with DTPA for 16 h was not different from that of untreated cells; hence only a small compartment of the cell is affected by DTPA.
The timing and duration of a sensitive period in human flavor learning: a randomized trial

Background: By using the response to protein hydrolysate formula (PHF) as a model system, we discovered the existence of a sensitive period, before 4 mo, when exposure determines the hedonic tone to flavors. Objective: We aimed to characterize the timing and duration of this sensitive period. Design: Healthy infants, whose parents had chosen formula feeding, were randomly assigned into 1 of 6 groups at age 0.5 mo: 2 control groups, one fed cow milk–based formula (CMF) and the other fed PHF for 7 mo; 2 groups fed PHF for either 1 or 3 mo beginning at 1.5 mo and CMF otherwise; and 2 groups fed PHF for 1 mo beginning at either 2.5 or 3.5 mo and CMF otherwise. Brief access taste tests were conducted monthly, and complete “meals” of both formulas occurred at the end of the study. Results: Three months of PHF exposure led to acceptance similar to that at 1 mo of exposure. Although these infants were more accepting than were infants with no exposure, they were less accepting than were infants with 7 mo of exposure, which suggests a dosing effect. The time when flavor experiences began was also significant. Among infants exposed to PHF for 1 mo, those who were first fed PHF at 3.5 mo rejected PHF relative to CMF more than did infants exposed at younger ages. Conclusion: The general principles observed are likely of broader significance, indicating a fundamental feature of mammalian development and reflecting the importance of familiarizing infants with flavors that their mothers consume and transmit to breast milk. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00994747","term_id":"NCT00994747"}}NCT00994747.
Thermodynamic stability of binary oxides in contact With silicon

Using tabulated thermodynamic data, a comprehensive investigation of the thermo-dynamic stability of binary oxides in contact with silicon at 1000 K was conducted. Reactions between silicon and each binary oxide at 1000 K, including those involving ternary phases, were considered. Sufficient data exist to conclude that all binary oxides except the following are thermodynamically unstable in contact with silicon at 1000 K: Li2O, most of the alkaline earth oxides (BeO, MgO, CaO, and SrO), the column IIIB oxides (Sc2O3, Y2O3, and Re2O3, where Re is a rare earth), ThO2, UO2, ZrO2, HfO2, and Al2O3. Of these remaining oxides, sufficient data exist to conclude that BeO, MgO, and ZrO2 are thermodynamically stable in contact with silicon at 1000 K. Our results are consistent with reported investigations of silicon/binary oxide interfaces and identify candidate materials for future investigations.
Predicting the threshold of single-pulse electrical stimuli using a stochastic auditory nerve model: the effects of noise

An important factor that may play a role in speech recognition by individuals with cochlear implants is that electrically stimulated nerves respond with a much higher level of synchrony than is normally observed in acoustically stimulated nerves. Recent work has indicated that the addition of noise to an electrical stimulus may result in neural responses whose statistical characteristics are more similar to those observed in acoustically driven neurons. Psychophysical data have indicated that performance on some tasks might also be enhanced by the addition of noise. However, little theoretical work has been done toward predicting the effect of noise on psychoacoustic measurements. In this paper, theoretical predictions of these effects are developed through the use of a stochastic computational model. The effect of additive noise on the input and output characteristics and aggregate threshold behavior of modeled auditory nerves (ANs) is specifically studied. This paper derives the stochastic properties of the model input and output when using adaptive threshold procedures. A closed form solution for the input, or amplitude, probability distribution is obtained via Markov models for both one-down one-up (1D1U) and two-down one-up (2D1U) experimental paradigms. The output statistics are derived by integrating over the noise-free probability mass function (PMF). All theoretical PMFs are verified by simulations with the model. Theoretical threshold is predicted as a function of noise level based on these PMFs and the predictions match simulated performance. The results indicate that threshold may be adversely affected by the presence of high levels of noise.
Measuring Culture Outside the Head: A Meta-Analysis of Individualism—Collectivism in Cultural Products

Although cultural psychology is the study of how sociocultural environments and psychological processes coconstruct each other, the field has traditionally emphasized measures of the psychological over the sociocultural. Here, the authors call attention to a growing trend of measuring the sociocultural environment. They present a quantitative review of studies that measure cultural differences in "cultural products": tangible, public representations of culture such as advertising or popular texts. They found that cultural products that come from Western cultures (mostly the United States) are more individualistic, and less collectivistic, than cultural products that come from collectivistic cultures (including Korea, Japan, China, and Mexico). The effect sizes for cultural products were larger than self-report effect sizes for this dimension (reported in Oyserman, Coon, & Kemmelmeier, 2002). In addition to presenting this evidence, the authors highlight the importance of studying the dynamic relationships between sociocultural environments and psyches.