cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Free Convection on a Vertical Stretching Surface

On obtient des solutions en forme close pour la distribution de temperature pour tous les nombres de Prandtl multiples entiers de 1/2. On etudie la convection libre verticale. Une solution de similarite tridimensionnelle est presentee pour les equations entieres de Navier-Stokes-Boussinesq
Development of the Unsteady Flow on a Turbine Rotor Platform Downstream of a Rim Seal

In high temperature turbines, air from disk cavities is forced through the vane-rotor seal to prevent hot gas ingress into these cavities. This emergent seal air can play a significant role in the formation of secondary flows which emanate from the hub region near the rotor blade leading edge. The formation of these structures is also dependent on the inherently unsteady flow field driven by the vane-rotor interaction. As these secondary flows play an important role in both blade performance and heat transfer, the physics that governs them is of significant interest in turbine aero and thermal design. This work investigates and characterizes the aerodynamic signature of the interaction between an emergent seal flow and the hub flow approaching the downstream rotor including the effects of vane-rotor interaction. This is accomplished by means of an experimental investigation performed on the first stage of the Purdue Research Turbine using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). The flow field is interrogated in the near-hub region of the intra-stage space, downstream of the first vane row. Purge air is introduced through a planar seal at two different flow rates which characterize typical high and low boundaries for the range of dimensionless seal flow rates encountered in practice. Two-dimensional (radial and axial) velocity data from four measurement planes spaced from vane pressure side to mid-passage are acquired. These data are phase-locked to rotor position. The ensemble-averaged vorticity data from each of ten rotor positions provide a characterization of the effect of the rotor potential field on the emergent seal flow. Vane wake affects on purge strength and downstream flow development are captured at each of two seal flow rates.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Bypass flow computations using a one-twelfth symmetric sector for normal operation in a 350 MWth prismatic VHTR

Significant uncertainty exists about the effects of bypass flow in a prismatic gas-cooled very high temperature reactor (VHTR). Bypass flow is the flow in the gaps between prismatic graphite blocks in the core. The gaps are present because of variations in their construction, imperfect installation and expansion and shrinkage from thermal heating and neutron fluence. Calculations are performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for flow of the helium coolant in the gap and coolant channels along with conjugate heat generation and heat transfer in the fuel compacts and graphite. A commercial CFD code is used for all of the computations. A one-twelfth sector of a standard hexagonal block column is used for the CFD model because of its symmetry. Various scenarios are computed by varying the gap width from zero to 5 mm, varying the total heat generation rate to examine average and peak radial generation rates and variation of the graphite block geometry to account for the effects of shrinkage caused by irradiation. The calculations are for a 350 MWth prismatic reactor. It is shown that the effect of increasing gap width, while maintaining the same total mass flow rate, causes increased maximum fuel temperature while providing significant coolingmore » to the near-gap region. The maximum outlet coolant temperature variation is increased by the presence of gap flow and also by an increase in total heat generation with a gap present. The effect of block shrinkage is actually to decrease maximum fuel temperature compared to a similar reference case.« less
Factorial invariance of pediatric patient self-reported fatigue across age and gender: a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis approach utilizing the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale

In order to compare multidimensional fatigue research findings across age and gender subpopulations, it is important to demonstrate measurement invariance, that is, that the items from an instrument have equivalent meaning across the groups studied. This study examined the factorial invariance of the 18-item PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale items across age and gender and tested a bifactor model. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) was performed specifying a three-factor model across three age groups (5–7, 8–12, and 13–18 years) and gender. MG-CFA models were proposed in order to compare the factor structure, metric, scalar, and error variance across age groups and gender. The analyses were based on 837 children and adolescents recruited from general pediatric clinics, subspecialty clinics, and hospitals in which children were being seen for well-child checks, mild acute illness, or chronic illness care. A bifactor model of the items with one general factor influencing all the items and three domain-specific factors representing the General, Sleep/Rest, and Cognitive Fatigue domains fit the data better than oblique factor models. Based on the multiple measures of model fit, configural, metric, and scalar invariance were found for almost all items across the age and gender groups, as was invariance in the factor covariances. The PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale demonstrated strict factorial invariance for child and adolescent self-report across gender and strong factorial invariance across age subpopulations. The findings support an equivalent three-factor structure across the age and gender groups studied. Based on these data, it can be concluded that pediatric patients across the groups interpreted the items in a similar manner regardless of their age or gender, supporting the multidimensional factor structure interpretation of the PedsQL™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale.
Compartmentation of the Type I Regulatory Subunit of cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase in Cardiac Ventricular Muscle

The species-dependent compartmentation of type I cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA I) and its dissociated regulatory subunit (RI) was examined in the heart by biochemical and immunohistochemical means. PKA I and RI were resolved from type II cAMP-dependent protein kinase and its regulatory subunit by DEAE-Sephacel chromatography of the supernatant and Triton X-100 soluble particulate fractions of heart homogenates. The relative amounts of holoenzymes and subunits were determined by cAMP-binding, protein kinase, 8-N3-[32P]cAMP photoaffinity labeling, and Western blot assays. Rat, rabbit, and guinea pig hearts all contained PKA I to varying degrees, but only in the supernatant fractions. Significant amounts of dissociated RI were found in the supernatant fractions, and to a lesser extent the particulate fractions, of these species. In contrast, though no PKA I was detected in the supernatant or particulate fractions of pig and beef heart, half of the cAMP-binding activity in the particulate fraction was attributed to RI. The results suggest that RI may associate with membrane fractions when it is not associated with the PKA catalytic subunit. Immunohistochemical studies of tissue sections from pig, beef, and rat cardiac ventricle using antibodies directed against RI also revealed species-dependent localization of RI. Cardiac myocyte intercalated discs were stained in pig and beef sections with additional sarcolemmal staining in beef sections. Rat ventricle, which contained large amounts of supernatant PKA I, showed nuclear staining. The localization of RI to cardiac myocyte intercalated discs and sarcolemma in certain species suggests a role(s) for this subunit in mediating cAMP-regulated events in these regions.
Identification of S-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-cysteine and S-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-N-acetyl-cysteine as urinary metabolites of acetaminophen in the mouse. Evidence for p-benzoquinone as a reactive intermediate in acetaminophen metabolism.

Abstract S -(2,5-Dihydroxyphenyl)-cysteine and S -(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)- N -acetyl-cysteine [the cysteine- and N -acetyl-cysteine adducts, respectively, of hydroquinone (HQ)] were identified and quantified in the urine of mice administered [ring-U- 14 C]acetaminophen [ 14 C]APAP, 200 mg kg −1 , i.p.). Urine was collected for 24 h and fractionated by HPLC to isolate the above adducts. These conjugates were then converted to a common derivative, viz. O , O ′, S - tris -acetyl-3-thio-hydroquinone, which was characterized by GC/MS. Neither of the HQ adducts was detected in the urine of control mice which had not received APAP. Quantification of urinary HQ-cysteine and HQ- N -acetyl-cysteine was performed by HPLC techniques, which indicated that these conjugates accounted for approx. 1.5% of the administered dose of APAP after 24 h, a figure which is equivalent to 6.3% of the corresponding APAP-thiol conjugates in the urine. These findings provide strong indirect evidence that p -benzoquinone is formed as a reactive, but apparently non-hepatotoxic, metabolite of APAP in vivo.
The two-machine sequence dependent flowshop scheduling problem

Abstract This paper considers the static two-machine flowshop scheduling problem where the setup times of jobs depend on immediately preceding jobs and shows that the problem is NP-complete. It is shown that permutation schedules for this problem do not always minimize makespan. Conditions are specified which will prove the optimality of a permutation schedule. Four efficient approximate algorithms are proposed to find approximate schedules for the problem and are empirically evaluated to assess their effectiveness in finding a minimum makespan permutation schedule.
Adaptive wavelets applied to mode-structure stability in diode-laser arrays

Progress in laser resonators and beam control requires new criteria for laser beam characterization, especially with spatial and longitudinal modes which tend to oscillate and are critical to their role as high power pump sources in solid state lasers. Previous papers by the author (K. J. Jones, 200f), (K. J. Jones, 2006) have applied wavelet-based phase extraction and adaptive wavelets to distortion correction in laser diode arrays. Adaptive optics aim at achieving greater dynamic stability in laser systems. This investigation examines multiple spatial and longitudinal modes in diode laser arrays and applies wavelets, first to determine the phase of the oscillating modes and adaptive wavelets to minimize mode distortion.
Antifungal and sprout regulatory bioactivities of phenylacetic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, and tyrosol isolated from the potato dry rot suppressive bacterium Enterobacter cloacae S11:T:07

Enterobacter cloacae S11: T:07 (NRRL B-21050) is a promising biological control agent that has significantly reduced both fungal dry rot disease and sprouting in laboratory and pilot potato storages. The metabolites phenylacetic acid (PAA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and tyrosol (TSL) were isolated from S11:T:07 liquid cultures provided with three different growth media. The bioactivities of these metabolites were investigated via thin-layer chromatography bioautography of antifungal activity, wounded potato assays of dry rot suppressiveness, and cored potato eye assays of sprout inhibition. Relative accumulations of PAA, IAA, and TSL in cultures were nutrient dependent. For the first time, IAA, TSL, and PAA were shown to have antifungal activity against the dry rot causative pathogen Gibberella pulicaris, and to suppress dry rot infection of wounded potatoes. Disease suppression was optimal when all three metabolites were applied in combination. Dosages of IAA that resulted in disease suppression also resulted in sprout inhibition. These results suggest the potential for designing culture production and formulation conditions to achieve a dual purpose biological control agent able to suppress both dry rot and sprouting of stored potatoes.
Evaluating the States of Mind Model: Comparison to an Alternative Model and Effects of Method of Cognitive Assessment

Two studies were conducted evaluating aspects of the States of Mind (SOM) Model proposed by Schwartz (1986; Schwartz & Garamoni, 1986, 1989) with a sample of social phobic subjects. First, the SOM ratio [positive thoughts/(positive + negative thoughts)] based on a thought listing task was compared to a ratio based on Kendall and Hollon's (1981) “power-of-nonnegative-thinking” model [negative thoughts/(positive +negative +neutral thoughts)], and the relationship of each ratio to criterion measures was assessed. The two ratios were highly correlated and related to several criterion measures, raising questions about the role of neutral thoughts in the internal dialogue. Second, SOM ratios derived from a thought listing task and from the Social Interaction Self-Statement Test (SISST) were compared to assess the reactivity of the SOM ratio and classification scheme to method of cognitive assessment. In that study, large differences were detected. SISST SOMs were less likely to classify subjects in the more pathological SOM categories and more likely to be significantly related to criterion measures. Findings are discussed in the context of the validity of the SOM model and the effects of cognitive assessment methodology on the magnitude of derived self-statement ratios.
Oral self-administration of N-allylnormetazocine (SKF-10,047) stereoisomers in rhesus monkeys: substitution during phencyclidine self-administration and withdrawal

Orally-delivered N-allylnormetazocine (NANM) and its isomers were tested for their ability to function as reinforcers by substituting them for phencyclidine (PCP). Two monkeys were trained to self-administer PCP (0.25 mg/ml) and water under concurrent fixed-ratio (FR) 16 schedules during 3-hr sessions. Liquid deliveries were contingent upon lip-contact responses on solenoid-operated drinking devices. When the dextro (+)-isomer of NANM (0.062-1 mg/ml) was substituted for PCP, response rates increased and then decreased in an inverted U-shaped concentration-response function with peak response rates comparable to those maintained by PCP. Drug intake ranged from 2.8 to 25.7 mg/kg across the two monkeys and five concentrations. Water-maintained responding was considerably lower than drug-maintained behavior indicating that NANM was functioning as a reinforcer. As previously reported for PCP, almost all of the (+)-NANM was self-administered during the first half of the session. Substitution of the levo (-)-isomer of NANM resulted in an immediate decline to low response rates that were not distinguishable from those maintained by water. The racemic form (+/-) of NANM was also not self-administered in excess of concurrent water. In the second experiment concurrent PCP- and water-maintained responding were reestablished under FR 8 schedules during three 6.5-hr sessions daily. Food (6 g/pellet) was available under FR 64 and FR 80 schedules during three 1-hr sessions immediately preceding the liquid components. Water was then substituted for PCP for four days and PCP, (+)-, (-)- or (+/-)-NANM were reinstated in subsequent replications of the experiment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Minimal Prevalence of Authorship Misrepresentation among Internal Medicine Residency Applicants: Do Previous Estimates of Misrepresentation Represent Insufficient Case Finding?

Among applicants to medical residency programs, the authors found substantially less misrepresentation of authorship than had been reported. Previous studies probably overestimated the magnitude of...
Bullying of extremely low birth weight children: Associated risk factors during adolescence

Abstract Background Preterm children have many risk factors which may increase their susceptibility to being bullied. Aims To examine the prevalence of bullying among extremely low birth weight (ELBW, Methods Cohort study of self-reports of bullying among 172 ELBW adolescents born 1992–1995 compared to 115 NBW adolescents of similar age, sex and sociodemographic status. Reports of being bullied were documented using the KIDSCREEN-52 Questionnaire which includes three Likert type questions concerning social acceptance and bullying. Multiple linear regression analyses adjusting for sociodemographic factors were used to examine the correlates of bullying among the ELBW children. Results Group differences revealed a non-significant trend of higher mean bullying scores among ELBW vs. NBW children (1.56 vs. 1.16, p = 0.057). ELBW boys had significantly higher bullying scores than NBW boys (1.94 vs. 0.91, p Conclusion ELBW boys, but not girls, are more likely to be victims of bullying than NBW boys. School and health professionals need to be aware of the risk of bullying among ELBW male adolescents.
Intermediate and Far Infrared Sensing of Nocturnal Insects. Part I. Evidences for a Far Infrared (FIR) Electromagnetic Theory of Cummunication and Sensing in Moths and Its Relationship to the Limiting Biosphere of the Corn Earworm

A theory of communication and location between individuals of opposite sexes of the corn earworm moth, Heliothis zea (Boddie), is presented. The efficiency of such a system is related to physical factors present in the adult earworm environment. The thoracic temperature of the corn earworm can rise from 1° to 8.8°F above ambient temperature and that of the Sphingidae, Abbot's pine sphinx, Lapara coniferarum (J. E. Smith), 17.8°F above the ambient temperature. Thoracic temperatures depend on frequency and amplitude of wing beat. The calculated far infrared (FIR) output associated with the temperature differential was shown to lie between 9 and 11 μ, an area where there is an infrared transmission window in the water vapor of the air. The earworm and other noctuids fly during periods when the water saturation in grams per cubic meter of water is lowest. This condition increases efficiency of transmission in the IR window. The inverse square law states that “the intensity of radiation emitted from a point source varies as the inverse square of the distance between the source and the receiver”; thus, halving the distance of a detector, e.g., a male earworm, from a point source of energy, e.g., a female earworm, would quadruple the FIR energy received by the male. (These factors of the inverse square law and the FIR water vapor window plus the fact that the earworm radiates in this window, lead to the conclusion that FIR radiation would be an efficient method of location between sexes over great distances.) Data collected over the years and in different areas show that the highest percentage of mating for the earworm occurs when highest efficiency of the FIR window (based on the physical weather environment) was attained. Noctuid activity decreases during moonlight at ⅗ to full moon when high FIR radiation from the moon would be expected to interfere with reception between moths. The earworm antennae were shown to have organs with measurements and configurations of FIR resonators. Configurations useful in the 1–5 μ band and 6 μ band also are present and may be tuned for intermediate infrared (IIR) pickup of emitting molecules of sex releaser or feeding and host plant substances. The male earworm responds to the female earworm by feeling the 8th and 9th abdominal segments with both antennae and labial palpi. Because the response takes place within very close quarters and upon contact, the author considers it to be a response to a releaser (i.e., an identification substance) and not to a long distance attractant. These evidences lead to the conclusion that long-distance communication and location are by FIR radiation and that close-in identification for mating and feeding is by IIR pickup of scent molecules. In all probability a similar means of communication is used by other species of noctuids and sphingids, but the corn earworm is used in this example because the author has collected considerable data on this species.
A Concurrent Model of the Wilderness Therapy Process.

Abstract Though wilderness therapy programs are growing in number and popularity, the theoretical basis for distinguishing wilderness therapy from traditional therapeutic modalities is lacking. Existing models describing the wilderness therapy process have been stage-based, meaning the process has been conceptualized as sequential and discrete. Lost in this conceptualization of the wilderness therapy process is the dynamic and interrelated nature of therapeutic factors reasoned to be present at all times and to varying degrees. To address the limitations of stage based models and the lack of a strong theoretical basis in wilderness therapy, a concurrent model of the wilderness therapy process is proposed. This proposed model consists of three factors believed to be unique to the wilderness therapy milieu: Wilderness, Physical Self, and Social Self. The constituents of each of these factors are detailed and theoretical rationale for inclusion provided. In addition hypotheses about the intensity of each of ...
MOLECULAR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION IN THE RADIOLYSIS OF HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE

The production of molecular hydrogen in the radiolysis of high-density polyethylene by γ rays and heavy ion beams has been investigated. Only the slightest increase in the radiation chemical yield of 3.1 molecules/100 eV was found from γ rays to protons of 5−15 MeV. A gradual increase in yield was observed on further increasing the linear energy transfer of the incident particles. This increase amounted to almost a doubling in the hydrogen yield from 10 eV/nm protons to about 800 eV/nm carbon ions. The exact reason for the increase in molecular hydrogen yield is uncertain, but it may involve reactions of excited states or enhanced combination reactions of carbon-centered radicals, thereby allowing more hydrogen to escape the particle tracks. Diffusion from the bulk material was found to have a dominant role on the observed dynamic profiles of hydrogen gas. A simple one-dimensional diffusion model was used to estimate the diffusion constant of hydrogen in polyethylene to be 2.2 × 10-6 cm2/s.
Fuel with advanced burnable absorbers design for the IRIS reactor core: Combined Erbia and IFBA

Abstract IRIS is an advanced medium-size (1000 MW) PWR with integral primary system targeting deployment already around 2015–2017. Consistent with its aggressive development and deployment schedule, the “first IRIS” core design assumes current, licensed fuel technology, i.e., UO 2 fuel with less than 5% 235 U enrichment. The core consists of 89 fuel assemblies employing the 17×17 Westinghouse Robust Fuel Assembly (RFA) design and Standard Fuel dimensions. The adopted design enables to meet all the objectives of the first IRIS core, including over 3-year cycle length with low soluble boron concentration, within the envelope of licensed, readily available fuel technology. Alternative fuel designs are investigated for the subsequent waves of IRIS reactors in pursuit of further improving the fuel utilization and/or extending the cycle length. In particular, an increase in the lattice pitch from the current 0.496 in. for the Standard Fuel to 0.523 in. is among the objectives of this study. The larger fuel pitch and increased moderator-to-fuel volume ratio that it entails fosters better neutron thermalization in an altogether under-moderated lattice thereby offering the potential for considerable increase of fuel utilization and cycle length, up to 5% in the two-batch fuel management scheme considered for IRIS. However, the improved moderation also favors higher values of the Moderator Temperature Coefficient, MTC, which must be properly counteracted to avoid undesired repercussions on the plant safety parameters or controllability during transient operations. This paper investigates counterbalancing the increase in the MTC caused by the enhanced moderation lattice by adopting a suitable choice of fuel burnable absorber (BA). In particular, a fuel design combining erbia, which benefits MTC due to its resonant behavior but leads to residual reactivity penalty, and IFBA, which maximizes cycle length, is pursued. In the proposed approach, IFBA provides the bulk of the hold-down, with no penalty on cycle length, while the amount of erbia is adjusted to obtain the desired margin in the core peaking power and MTC. Preliminary economic analysis proves that within the IRIS design envelope, the combined BA fuel together with the enhanced moderation lattice offer the potential for considerable fuel cycle cost savings when compared to the current core design based on the Westinghouse Standard 17×17 lattice with IFBA. Therefore a combined BA fuel with the enhanced moderation lattice is a promising option to consider for future developments of the IRIS core.
A new role for E2F1 in DNA repair: all for the greater good.

E2F1 is best known as the founding member of the E2F transcription factor family, which (together with retinoblastoma family proteins) regulates the expression of a large number of genes involved in DNA synthesis, cell cycle progression, DNA repair and apoptosis.1,2 E2F1 has also been implicated in responses to DNA damage, and E2F1 is posttranslationally modified and stabilized in response to DNA damage and recruited to DNA strand breaks (DSBs). Previous studies have shown that E2F1 promotes nucleotide excision repair of UV-induced DNA damage, contributing to enhanced cell survival post-exposure.3,4 A recent report by Chen et al. provides mechanistic teeth to previous associations between E2F1 and responses to DSBs by demonstrating a critical and direct role for E2F1 in the recruitment of repair factors to DSBs and subsequent repair, apparently independent of E2F1 roles in transcriptional regulation.5 Mutation or knockdown of E2F1, in both mouse and human cells, is shown to substantially reduce NBS1 phosphorylation, Rad51 accumulation and the formation of DNA damage foci containing Rad51, NBS1 and RPA. Importantly, the repair of DSBs is substantially delayed and reduced in cells with reduced E2F1. The formation of γH2AX foci is actually enhanced, because the resolution of the foci is delayed in E2F1-deficient cells following DNA damage. Thus, E2F1 appears to be required for the repair but not the recognition of DSBs.5 It remains to be determined how E2F1 mediates the recruitment of repair factors to DSBs, and the authors speculate that E2F1-dependent chromatin remodeling could contribute to effective repair. Thus, in addition to its ability to promote apoptosis in response to DNA damage, E2F1 can also mediate DNA repair, which should promote clonogenic survival (Fig. 1). Whether by promoting the repair or the elimination of cells with DNA damage, E2F1 should contribute to the maintenance of genomic integrity, limiting the propagation of cells with potential DNA mutations. It will be important to better understand how E2F1 contributes to the cellular decision to repair or die following DNA damage and what role E2F1 plays in tissue maintenance and carcinogenesis following genotoxic insults. In some ways, this role for E2F1 is reminiscent of p53’s divergent cell fate impacts following DNA damage, where it can either play a pro-survival role, by instituting a temporary cell cycle arrest to allow for repair, or pro-death/senescence roles, preventing the clonogenic maintenance of the cells.6 In addition, p53 may also play a direct role in the repair of DNA strand breaks, independent of its role in regulating transcription.7 Given the known relationship between E2F1 and p53, it will be interesting to tease out how the interplay between these factors can control cell fate decisions, contributing to the “greater good” of the tissue: repair and retain or eliminate from the replicative cell pool. Figure 1. E2F1 can either promote either DNA repair or apoptosis in response to DNA damage, which should exert opposing effects on cell survival.
Bombesin receptor antagonists block the effects of exogenous bombesin but not of nutrients on food intake.

Abstract The endogenous, meal-contingent release of bombesin (BN)-like peptides is thought to contribute to the termination of a meal. In the following experiments the potency of BN receptor antagonists to attenuate the ability of nutrients to suppress food intake was tested. First, the effectiveness of BN receptor subtype antagonists was verified by testing their ability to block the effects of exogenous BN on food intake. Rats were administered intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of either saline or 0.1 mg/kg [ D -Phe 12 ,Leu 14 ]BN (binds both GRP and NMB receptors), [ D -Phe 6 ]BN(6–13) ethyl amide (binds GRP > NMB), and cyclo-SS-octa (BIM-23042; binds NMB > GRP). Five minutes later rats were administered 8 μg/kg BN (i.p.) and milk intake was measured. Injections of [ D -Phe 12 ,Leu 14 ]BN and [ D -Phe 6 ]BN(6–13) ethyl amide reliably attenuated the ability of BN to suppress milk intake whereas BIM-23042 was ineffective. The results show that the antagonists were behaviorally effective and that exogenous BN may exert its effects on food intake primarily through the GRP receptor subtype. Next, the antagonists were administered either 5 min prior to or 5 min after an intragastric nutrient load or no load in both overnight-deprived and nondeprived rats, and milk intake was then measured. Stomach loads reduced intake and this effect was not attenuated by BN receptor antagonists. Finally, rats were allowed to prefeed and the milk was then removed. Rats were then administered a BN receptor antagonist (0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg) or saline either immediately after the prefeed, 10 min later, or 20 min later. Milk diet was then returned and intake was measured. Peripheral injections of the BN receptor antagonist had no effect compared to saline on milk intake. Collectively, the results indicate that the blockade of peripheral BN peptide receptors is not sufficient to attenuate the satiety signals generated by stomach loads or prefeeding.
Elevated expression of glutathione peroxidase in PC12 cells results in protection against methamphetamine but not MPTP toxicity

Abstract In vivo administration of either 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) or methamphetamine (MA) produces damage to the dopaminergic nervous system which may be due in part to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The resistance of superoxide dismutase (SOD) over-expressing transgenic mice to the effects of both MPTP and MA suggests the involvement of superoxide in the resulting neurotoxicity of both compounds. Superoxide can be converted by SOD to hydrogen peroxide, which itself can cause cellular degeneration by reacting with free iron to produce highly reactive hydroxyl radicals resulting in damage to proteins, nucleic acids and membrane phospholipids. Hydrogen peroxide has also been reported to be produced via inhibition of NADH dehydrogenase by MPP+ formed during oxidation of MPTP by MAO-B and by dopamine auto-oxidation following MA-induced dopamine release from synaptic vesicles within nerve terminals. To test whether hydrogen peroxide is an important factor in the toxicity of either of these two neurotoxins, we created clonal PC12 lines expressing elevated levels of the hydrogen peroxide-reducing enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx). Elevation of GSHPx levels in PC12 was found to diminish the rise in ROS levels and lipid peroxidation resulting from MA but not MPTP treatment. Elevated levels of GSHPx also appeared to prevent decreases in transport-mediated dopamine uptake produced via MA administration as well as to attenuate toxin-induced cell loss as measured by either MTT reduction or LDH release. Our data, therefore, suggest that hydrogen peroxide production likely contributes to MA toxicity in dopaminergic neurons. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Energy Budget for Yearling Lake Trout, Salvelinus namaycush

ABSTRACT Components of the energy budget of yearling lake trout (Salvelinus namacush) were derived from data gathered in laboratory growth and metabolism studies; values for energy lost as waste were estimated with previously published equations. Because the total caloric value of food consumed by experimental lake trout was significantly different during the two years in which the studies were done, separate annual energy budgets were formulated. The gross conversion efficiency in yearling lake trout fed ad libitum rations of alewives at 10°C was 26.6% to 41%. The distribution of energy with temperature was similar for each component of the energy budget. Highest conversion efficiencies were observed in fish fed less than ad libitum rations; fish fed an amount of food equivalent to about 4% of their body weight at 10°C had a conversion efficiency of 33% to 45.1%. Physiologically useful energy was 76.1–80.1% of the total energy consumed. Estimated growth for age-I and -II lake fish was near that observed ...
Stem cell factor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor reduce β-amyloid deposits in the brains of APP/PS1 transgenic mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is widely recognized as a serious public health problem and heavy financial burden. Currently, there is no treatment that can delay or stop the progressive brain damage in AD. Recently, we demonstrated that stem cell factor (SCF) in combination with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (SCF+G-CSF) has therapeutic effects on chronic stroke. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether SCF+G-CSF can reduce the burden of β-amyloid deposits in a mouse model of AD. APP/PS1 transgenic mice were used as the model of AD. To track bone marrow-derived cells in the brain, the bone marrow of the APP/PS1 mice was replaced with the bone marrow from mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP). Six weeks after bone marrow transplantation, mice were randomly divided into a saline control group and a SCF+G-CSF-treated group. SCF in combination with G-CSF was administered subcutaneously for 12 days. Circulating bone marrow stem cells (CD117+ cells) were quantified 1 day after the final injection. Nine months after treatment, at the age of 18 months, mice were sacrificed. Brain sections were processed for immunohistochemistry to identify β-amyloid deposits and GFP expressing bone marrow-derived microglia in the brain. Systemic administration of SCF+G-CSF to APP/PS1 transgenic mice leads to long-term reduction of β-amyloid deposition in the brain. In addition, we have also observed that the SCF+G-CSF treatment increases circulating bone marrow stem cells and augments bone marrow-derived microglial cells in the brains of APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, SCF+G-CSF treatment results in enhancement of the co-localization of bone marrow-derived microglia and β-amyloid deposits in the brain. These data suggest that bone marrow-derived microglia play a role in SCF+G-CSF-induced long-term effects to reduce β-amyloid deposits. This study provides insights into the contribution of the hematopoeitic growth factors, SCF and G-CSF, to limit β-amyloid accumulation in AD and may offer a new therapeutic approach for AD.
A Fixed-Focus Broad-Range Echelle Spectrograph of High Speed and Resolving Power*

From the basic formulas governing echelle performance, simple expressions for echelle and groove dimensions are derived for producing a two-dimensional echelle spectrogram having any desired characteristics. Several possible mountings of Bausch & Lomb echelles having 200 grooves per inch and resolving powers in the range 200,000 to 500,000 have been tested with the objective of covering as much as possible of the spectral range 2000 to 7000A in a single exposure with high photographic speed. This type of spectrograph is of increasing importance for the analysis of complex spectra of materials available in only minute samples. The mounting thus far found most satisfactory involves making the light from a horizontal slit parallel with an 8-inch concave mirror of 10.5-ft focus, placing the echelle with its grooves horizontal in the resulting collimated beam nearly over the slit, and illuminating a 21-ft concave grating with grooves vertical with the slightly diverging parallel beams from the echelle. The vertical plate factor thus produced on 30 inches of plate set in the focal plane at the grating normal varies from 0.47 A/mm at 7000A to 0.14A/mm at 2000A, and the spectral region from 7000 to 2000A can be covered in a single exposure at such dispersion. The reduction of optical parts to mirror, echelle, and grating gives high speed, so that exposure times of from 20 to 60 sec suffice for most arc spectra. To combine the echelle and grating characteristics effectively, the spectrum below 3600A is made to overlap in the second order of the grating that from 7200 to 3500A in the first. Measured resolving powers vary from 220,000 at 7000A to 450,000 or more at 2537A. Even in complex Zeeman spectra of the rare earths, the statistical distribution of lines is found to be such that little interference results from the partial overlapping of two grating orders. The spectral images are found to be stigmatic and sharp out to 15 inches on either side of the normal to the grating.This echelle spectrograph is found to have more than twice the resolving power of our best 35-ft concave grating mount, and from five to ten times its speed. Even with dispersion greater than that given by the grating instrument the plate length required is only 30 in. instead of 750 in. The spectrograph, which has the added advantage of being stigmatic, occupies 35 square feet instead of the 700 sq ft required by the grating mount. This echelle instrument has been used to photograph at high field intensities the Zeeman effects of erbium, holmium, terbium, gadolinium, neodymium, and praseodymium.
An electronically scanned antenna array for TACAN bearing finding applications

This paper describes a unique method for obtaining the sinusoidal amplitude modulation of an RF carrier required for TACAN (tactical air navigation) bearing and direction finding applications using an electronically scanned antenna array. This is accomplished by using one central radiating element and six surrounding radiators. The phase of the RF current in the central radiator is varied linearly at the desired rotation frequency, while the phase of the currents in the surrounding elements is held constant (with respect to each other). This is unique in that it does not require a variable phase shift for all elements (only the central one). >
Neuroet: An easy-to-use artificial neural network for ecological and biological modeling

Neuroet is an easy-to-use artificial neural network (NN) package designed to assist with determining relationships among variables in complex ecological and biological systems. The package, which is available for download from the web site http://noble.ce. washington.edu, features a procedure to optimize the architecture of NNs by adjusting the number of neurons in the hidden layer, and a novel procedure to identify the input variable, or combinations of input variables, that is/are important for predicting outputs. The package also includes a method to extract equations defining relationships among the data (independent of the NN package). The performance of Neuroet was assessed using benchmark standards for NNs. An example of the program’s utility is provided using an environmental data set.
Assisting Consumer Health Information Retrieval with Query Recommendations

Abstract Objective Health information retrieval (HIR) on the Internet has become an important practice for millions of people, many of whom have problems forming effective queries. We have developed and evaluated a tool to assist people in health-related query formation. Design We developed the Health Information Query Assistant (HIQuA) system. The system suggests alternative/additional query terms related to the user's initial query that can be used as building blocks to construct a better, more specific query. The recommended terms are selected according to their semantic distance from the original query, which is calculated on the basis of concept co-occurrences in medical literature and log data as well as semantic relations in medical vocabularies. Measurements An evaluation of the HIQuA system was conducted and a total of 213 subjects participated in the study. The subjects were randomized into 2 groups. One group was given query recommendations and the other was not. Each subject performed HIR for both a predefined and a self-defined task. Results The study showed that providing HIQuA recommendations resulted in statistically significantly higher rates of successful queries (odds ratio = 1.66, 95% confidence interval = 1.16–2.38), although no statistically significant impact on user satisfaction or the users' ability to accomplish the predefined retrieval task was found. Conclusion Providing semantic-distance-based query recommendations can help consumers with query formation during HIR.
Methodological Problems in the Study of Nation-Building: Behaviorism and Historicist Solutions in Political Science*

Objective The goal of this article is to highlight the methodological problems involved in the study of nation-building and propose solutions. I identify three categories of methodological problems that flow from respective practices in social science research: (i) inferring intentions from observed behavior or outcomes; (ii) relying on census data to infer a country's ethnic diversity; and (iii) arbitrary periodization and anachronism, that is, attributing certain actions to concepts and/or phenomena that were not politically salient or even understood by the actors under study. Methods I conduct a meta-analysis of the body of evidence I used in my recent work, which systematically documents nation-building policies toward noncore groups in the post World War I Balkans. Results In each section, I use empirical examples to illustrate the methodological pitfalls that may result from these practices and suggest strategies to overcome these difficulties. Conclusion Certain applications of behaviorism can lead to wrongheaded theories and introduce bias in our analysis. Needless to say, these problems are not unique to the study of nation-building. Scholars are invited to adopt historicist solutions to these problems.
Formulating the Right Planning Problem

As problem-solving activities, planning and public policy-making are susceptible to the Type III error: solving the wrong problem. Drawing on a diverse literature, this article describes methods-tools and procedures-that encourage deliberate problem formulation, thereby reducing the chances of such an error occurring. A number of problem formulation methods are described using fictitious accounts of their application in a planning situation. To put them in context, these descriptions are preceded by a discussion of the occurrence of the Type III error in planning and responses to it, a brief review of the state of knowledge about problem formulation, and an overview of problem formulation methods.
Modern RCS computations-a practical approach

An RCS (radar cross section) computation package consisting of computer-aided-design (CAD) software, a library of RCS software codes, and postprocessing software is described. This package is designed to meet the needs of aerospace engineers, materials engineers, and electronics engineers. >
Numerical weather prediction relevant to the monsoon problem

In this short paper we have identified some of the modelling groups that have the capability of simulating or carrying out short range numerical weather prediction over the monsoon belt. We have next outlined some of the important and desirable ingredients for a multilevel primitive equation model over the tropics, with most of the emphasis on the present version of Florida State University’s Tropical Prediction Model. Finally, we present briefly some important results based on the present version of our prediction models that relate to the NWP efforts over the monsoon belt. Here we have identified the importance of mountains, convection, the radiative heating balance of the earth’s surface, and the planetary boundary layer over the Arabian Sea.
CMOS/nano co-design for crossbar-based molecular electronic systems

Future electronic systems will need to adopt novel nanoelectronic solutions to keep pace with Moore's Law. Crossbar-based molecular electronics are among the most promising of nanotechnologies. However, circuits similar to the conventional mainstream electronics of today will have a presence in future complex systems for some time. This paper presents a circuit paradigm where silicon and molecular electronics are integrated. We discuss methods for realizing memory and logic using nanoscale crossbars as well as for interfacing the crossbars to CMOS circuitry. Using custom nanoscale device models, we perform circuit simulation and analysis of the crossbar circuits and the peripheral CMOS circuitry. Finally, we present a design methodology to accompany the CMOS/nano paradigm.
Classical and Biblical Scholarship in the Age of the Renaissance and Reformation

Humanists and reformers in the age of the Renaissance and Reformation were concerned for the revival of antiquity both classical and Biblical. Some stressed one and some the other and some like Erasmus were interested in both. Because of the close relation of the two fields, we have brought together into one chapter two essays dealing first with the classical and then with the Biblical scholarship of our period.1
Do birds affect Lyme disease risk? Range expansion of the vector‐borne pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi

Because of their capacity for long-range movement, birds may play an important role in the spread and range expansion of zoonotic pathogens and their vectors. The black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) is the principal vector for the Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, and commonly parasitizes a wide variety of vertebrate hosts, including at least 71 species of North American birds. Although the role of birds in B burgdorferi transmission dynamics is often discounted, data compiled from published studies indicate that the majority (58.6%) of bird species that have been evaluated are capable of infecting larval I scapularis with B burgdorferi. We estimated – for two bird species – that the number of individual birds required to produce one infected I scapularis larva is as low as three, and we conclude that bird-mediated tick movement is an important factor in the range expansion of both I scapularis and B burgdorferi.
Comparable Botulinum Toxin Outcomes between Primary and Secondary Blepharospasm: A Retrospective Analysis

Background : Blepharospasm is a focal cranial dystonia, which could be idiopathic in origin or secondary to an underlying disorder that commonly impairs quality of life. Botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections have become the treatment of choice; however, a less favorable response to BoNT is expected in secondary blepharospasm. No studies have been conducted comparing outcomes between blepharospasm cohorts. We therefore aim to compare BoNT outcomes in primary and secondary blepharospasm subjects. Methods : A retrospective review of 64 blepharospasm subjects receiving BoNT therapy was conducted. Demographics, BoNT treatment schedules, duration of BoNT therapy, and side effects were recorded. Outcome measures were duration of benefit, peak‐dose benefit recorded with the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGIS), and related side effects. Results : No difference was found between the two cohorts regarding duration of benefit from treatment (primary 9.47 weeks vs. secondary 9.63 weeks, p = 0.88). Perceived peak‐dose benefit was more commonly reported as “very much improved” in secondary patients, but this was not significant (p = 0.13). Higher BoNT dosages were required in both groups over time, with a mean increase of 20.5% in primary and 26.5% in secondary blepharospasm. Ptosis (8%) and diplopia (6%) were the most common reported side effects. Mean follow‐up in years was similar between groups, 3.6 years for primary vs. 2.4 years for secondary blepharospasm (p = 0.17). Discussion : BoNT injections were effective with comparable benefits seen in both primary and secondary blepharospasm populations. Clinicians should be aware of the similar benefit from BoNT reported in secondary blepharospasm patients. The average duration of benefit in this cohort was comparable with previous reports.