cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation and Fear Memory in Btbd9 Mutant Mice

Polymorphisms in BTBD9 have recently been associated with higher risk of restless legs syndrome (RLS), a neurological disorder characterized by uncomfortable sensations in the legs at rest that are relieved by movement. The BTBD9 protein contains a BTB/POZ domain and a BACK domain, but its function is unknown. To elucidate its function and potential role in the pathophysiology of RLS, we generated a line of mutant Btbd9 mice derived from a commercial gene-trap embryonic stem cell clone. Btbd9 is the mouse homolog of the human BTBD9. Proteins that contain a BTB/POZ domain have been reported to be associated with synaptic transmission and plasticity. We found that Btbd9 is naturally expressed in the hippocampus of our mutant mice, a region critical for learning and memory. As electrophysiological characteristics of CA3-CA1 synapses of the hippocampus are well characterized, we performed electrophysiological recordings in this region. The mutant mice showed normal input-output relationship, a significant impairment in pre-synaptic activity, and an enhanced long-term potentiation. We further performed an analysis of fear memory and found the mutant mice had an enhanced cued and contextual fear memory. To elucidate a possible molecular basis for these enhancements, we analyzed proteins that have been associated with synaptic plasticity. We found an elevated level of dynamin 1, an enzyme associated with endocytosis, in the mutant mice. These results suggest the first identified function of Btbd9 as being involved in regulating synaptic plasticity and memory. Recent studies have suggested that enhanced synaptic plasticity, analogous to what we have observed, in other regions of the brain could enhance sensory perception similar to what is seen in RLS patients. Further analyses of the mutant mice will help shine light on the function of BTBD9 and its role in RLS.
Quantitative determination of organic fractions in highly organic, Sphagnum peat soils

Abstract A sequential extraction procedure is described for quantifying nine organic fractions (soluble fats, oils, and waxes; soluble carbohydrates; soluble phenolics; total hot‐water‐solubles; holocellulose; a‐cellulose; hemicellulose; lignin; and acid‐soluble carbohydrates) in highly organic soils, such as Sphagnum‐derived peat. We present data indicating the procedure is accurate, if and only if corrections for ash concentrations of residual peat are made after each step of the extraction procedure, and with a high degree of precision (standard errors for each fraction average 4.5% of the fraction mean value).
Experimentation in Learning Organizations: A Management Flight Simulator Approach

Abstract Managers' real-life experiences will need to be supported by new learning tools, as external environments and internal dynamics of organizations become more complex. This need for simulated managerial experience has come from a trend towards fewer hierarchical levels in organizations. Managerial competency that was once achieved by progressing through the many layers needs to be obtained through other means. This article shows how management flight simulators can enhance learning by allowing managers to compress time and space, experiment with various strategies, and learn from simulated deployments by reflecting on the outcomes. We focus on three aspects of the use of such simulators: 1) the design of a generic learning process — learning laboratories — to address service quality management issues in a variety of industrial settings; 2) how dimensions of this learning can be operationalized and measured ; and 3) an experimental study that shows the transfer aspect of learning and how different learning strategies affect the way in which participants transfer learning across domains.
Imaging of the oral cavity

The oral cavity is a challenging area in head and neck imaging because of its complex anatomy and the numerous pathophysiologies that involve its contents. This challenge is further compounded by the ubiquitous artifacts that arise from the dental amalgam, which compromise image quality. In this article, the anatomy of the oral cavity is discussed in brief, followed by a description of the imaging technique and some common pathologic abnormalities.
Microstructure and microchemistry of defects and interfaces in Tl2Ba2Ca3Cu4O12, TlBa2Ca4Cu5O13 and (Tl,Pb)Sr2Can-1CunO2n+3 (n=2,3) oxide superconductors

Abstract Microstructural and microchemical observations from high resolution electron microscopy and STEM microanalysis are presented on local structure, extended defects and interface structures in bulk superconducting oxides with compositions: Tl2Ba2Ca3Cu4O12 (‘2234’), TlBa2Ca4Cu5O13 (‘1245’) and in the related (Tl,Pb)Sr2Can-1CunO2n+3 (with n=2,3). Interfaces are directly imaged with near-atomic resolution to reveal the microstructure and microcrystallography. The real space images show that the grain boundary regions (including at triple points), contain intervening amorphous layers, which are several nanometers (nm) in extent in the (Tl,Ba) systems but are much narrower, ≈2–3 nm in extent in the (Tl,Pb) systems. EDX of the interface regions shows the presence of copper (oxide) but no Tl or Pb. There are nonstoichiometric and nonequilibrium intergrowths in the (Tl,Ba) systems which contribute to the variation in local chemistry. There is evidence for 6-perovskite layer defect intergrowths in the ‘1245’ thallium preparations. End-on edge dislocations, and stoichiometric deficits are observed. The (Tl,Pb) systems have smoother microstructures, relatively fewer intergrowths and no incommensurate modulations and have transition temperatures (Tc) close to the corresponding (Tl,Ba) materials. In contrast to the thallium studies, the grain boundaries in the bulk ‘2212’ BiSrCaCuO system are clean, and essentially atomically flat, but contain large misorientations.
Implicit finite difference methods on composite grids

Techniques for eliminating time lags in the implicit finite-difference solution of partial differential equations are investigated analytically, with a focus on transient fluid dynamics problems on overlapping multicomponent grids. The fundamental principles of the approach are explained, and the method is shown to be applicable to both rectangular and curvilinear grids. Numerical results for sample problems are compared with exact solutions in graphs, and good agreement is demonstrated.
Molecular orientation arrangements in the smectic-C* variant liquid-crystal phases.

Recent experiments have identified three-layer and four-layer distorted helical structures in the smectic liquid-crystal phases Sm ${C}_{\mathrm{FI}1}^{*}$ and Sm ${C}_{\mathrm{FI}2}^{*},$ respectively. However, no theories have explained the existence of all these phases. A discrete phenomenological model of the free-energy is analyzed and found to predict the stability of distorted three-layer and four-layer structures, as well as simple helical solutions in smectic liquid crystals. A simple physical picture is provided to explain the stability of the phases exhibiting distorted helical structures.
Evaluation of three vegetation treatments in bioretention gardens in a semi-arid climate

Abstract Bioretention is a well-established tool to reduce nutrient transport from impervious urban landscapes to sensitive riparian habitat in mesic climates. However, the effectiveness of bioretention is less tested in arid and semi-arid climates. Nutrient retention performance was evaluated in three 10 m2 bioretention cells with different vegetation communities: (1) an irrigated wetland vegetation community, (2) an un-irrigated upland vegetation community, and (3) a no-vegetation control. Synthetic stormwater was added to each cell to simulate the average annual runoff of precipitation from a 220 m2 impervious surface in Salt Lake City, UT. A significant amount of phosphate (≈50%) was retained by all treatments during the 12-month study. However, total nitrogen (TN) retention was only achieved in the Wetland and Upland treatments (59% and 22%, respectively), and nitrate retention was only achieved in the Wetland treatment (38%). In contrast, the Upland and Control treatments exported 2 and 9 times more nitrate than was added in the simulated rainfall events. Improved nitrogen retention by the Wetland treatment came at the cost of over 12,000 l (3200 gal) of irrigation to sustain the vegetation through the hot, dry summer. We hypothesize that plant uptake and soil microbial communities are driving nutrient retention in bioretention systems, and that increasing net primary production will increase nutrient retention. In water-limited climates, this can be sustainably achieved by either: increasing native upland vegetation densities above naturally expected densities, or, by using gray water instead of municipal water sources to irrigate wetland communities through dry summer periods.
Numerical simulation of dynamics in the XY model

We study the dynamics of the classical two-dimensional XY model via numerical simulation using both microcanonical and Langevin equations of motion. We investigate three specific phenomena in this regard: the annealing of vortex defects during a quench from high to low temperature, the Brownian motion of an isolated vortex due to spin-wave interactions, and the temperature-dependent behavior of real-time spin-spin correlation functions. We compare the results of our simulations with simple theoretical models, whenever applicable.
A three-dimensional study of the kinematics of the human knee.

Abstract This paper represents a three-dimensional study of the human knee-joint and studies kinematic effects of the cruciate ligaments. Two methods were used for our studies, one method was preferred. This method used a time lapse photograph and strobe light to give us a plot of reference points to carry out our analysis using the method of Rouleaux applied to three dimensions. Five cadaver joints were used, each of which was used for three series of experiments, including the joint with capsule intact, with one of the ligaments cut and with the remaining ligament cut. Both lateral and medial studies were conducted to provide data for a three-dimensional study. It was found that the cruciate ligaments had little effect on the kinematics of the knee, and that the knee motion remained unchanged after cutting one or both of the cruciate ligaments. It was concluded that the motion of the knee was due to the geometry of the bones and perhaps the collateral ligaments, and that the joint could be replaced with a prosthesis having a three dimensional axis of rotation with a fixed center.
Single-Nucleotide Variations in Cardiac Arrhythmias: Prospects for Genomics and Proteomics Based Biomarker Discovery and Diagnostics

Cardiovascular diseases are a large contributor to causes of early death in developed countries. Some of these conditions, such as sudden cardiac death and atrial fibrillation, stem from arrhythmias—a spectrum of conditions with abnormal electrical activity in the heart. Genome-wide association studies can identify single nucleotide variations (SNVs) that may predispose individuals to developing acquired forms of arrhythmias. Through manual curation of published genome-wide association studies, we have collected a comprehensive list of 75 SNVs associated with cardiac arrhythmias. Ten of the SNVs result in amino acid changes and can be used in proteomic-based detection methods. In an effort to identify additional non-synonymous mutations that affect the proteome, we analyzed the post-translational modification S-nitrosylation, which is known to affect cardiac arrhythmias. We identified loss of seven known S-nitrosylation sites due to non-synonymous single nucleotide variations (nsSNVs). For predicted nitrosylation sites we found 1429 proteins where the sites are modified due to nsSNV. Analysis of the predicted S-nitrosylation dataset for over- or under-representation (compared to the complete human proteome) of pathways and functional elements shows significant statistical over-representation of the blood coagulation pathway. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis displays statistically over-represented terms related to muscle contraction, receptor activity, motor activity, cystoskeleton components, and microtubule activity. Through the genomic and proteomic context of SNVs and S-nitrosylation sites presented in this study, researchers can look for variation that can predispose individuals to cardiac arrhythmias. Such attempts to elucidate mechanisms of arrhythmia thereby add yet another useful parameter in predicting susceptibility for cardiac diseases.
Photon-by-photon post-processing correction of pointing errors in an orbiting satellite

The Jupiter Magnetosphere Explorer (JMEX) is a proposed earth-orbiting satellite which will image the planet Jupiter in the FUV with a 0.5 m telescope at 0.25 arcsec (") resolution. Because the satellite is small and lightweight, vibrations from the reaction wheels (even though isolated by dampers) produce random pointing errors with an amplitude as large as 5" at a frequency around 1 Hz. In order for the telescope to achieve a resolution of 0.25" FWHM during long exposures, we will use a novel post-processing scheme to correct the pointing error. The UV science camera is a photon-counting MCP detector which produces data as a time-stamped photon list with 0.08" spatial resolution and roughly 1 ms temporal resolution. Simultaneously, a 0.5" pixel video camera, fed by a pickoff mirror in the main beam, captures visible images of the planet's disk at 30Hz and, with onboard processing, the centroid of the planet is determined, frame-by-frame, with a resolution <0.02" (1/25 pixel). With inter-frame interpolation, each photon from the UV camera is position-corrected in ground post-processing to an accuracy of 0.02".To rigorously test this scheme, we have constructed a hardware mock-up consisting of a tip-tilt mirror, a beam-splitter, and two video cameras with controlled noise characteristics. The tip-tilt mirror produces controlled image motion over a range of amplitudes and frequencies. With all parameters at worst-case values, we have verified the specified performance of the system and achieved centroid correction close to the limit set by counting noise statistics.
An improved procedure for the determination of uric acid in biological homogenates.

Abstract A method is presented that eliminates turbidity in UA assay. Use of lithium salts and a lithium glycinate buffer eliminates turbidity, and allows one to assay for uric acid under the optimal conditions for the procedure, which also enhance turbidity.
Occupational Exposure to Noise and Ototoxic Organic Solvents

The objectives of this study were to review the literature on the effects of occupational exposure to organic solvents on the auditory system and to identify work settings in which exposure to these agents and to noise might occur. The criteria for selecting the chemicals were (a) evidence available that indicated that the chemicals may affect the auditory system and enhance noise effects, and (b) the ubiquity of their use. References to ototoxicity were noted for three proven neurotoxicants, i.e., carbon disulfide, toluene, and trichloroethylene, and for two probable human neurotoxicants--styrene and xylene. The percentages of workers (estimated by NIOSH National Occupational Exposure Survey) exposed to these solvents in each economic sector are shown. Work settings are identified where multiple exposures occur to solvents and noise. The need for future research is discussed.
Agriculture and Energy Use in the Year 2000: Discussion from a Natural Resource Perspective

Electricity development will have the greatest impact on the food sector, which accounts for a third of the power consumed in the U.S. Growth in power demand by 2000 will require two or three times the present coal production and will disturb 3 to 5 million acres of land. Although reclamation laws will restore much of the land, the distribution of disturbed land will be determined by which energy development policies are adopted. The social, economic, and resource effects of alternative policies on specific areas can be analyzed by locational impact modeling. Locational models can analyze the impact on water quality and underground hydrology as mining and power development compete against agricultural and aquatic activities. Teknekron, Inc. scenarios of air quality and emission controls indicate that stricter standards will be needed to accommodate an increase in coal-fired power plants.
A Glass Memory Pulse Height Analyzer for Educational Applications

An inexpensive, compact, low-power glass delay line memory PHA, functionally designed for educational, as distinct from research applications, is described. Using series 74 I/C logic and consuming 20W with CRT display, it performs the basic sorting function, can be strobed, and contains a three-stage digital buffer derandomizer giving it virtually zero resolving time up to 8 kp/s input. The novel logic schemes are described.
Plasma equine gamma-globulin in tolerant adult dogs given anti-lymphocyte globulin.

THIS report describes a positive correlation between sequential serum concentrations of EγG and the dosage schedule of equine anti-dog-lymphocyte globulin (EADLG) in dogs in which tolerance was induced by pretreatment with ultra-centrifuged EγG (tolerogen). This was in marked contrast to results in dogs which were not pretreated with tolerogen.
Toward a pharmacology of odor receptors and the processing of odor images.

Abstract Odor molecules may be considered as molecular ligands which bind to receptors in the olfactory sensory neurons to give rise to the sensory response. Binding studies in whole sensory epithelia suggest that the receptors also bind muscarinic cholinergic antagonists. Preliminary electrophysiological evidence indicates that muscarinic and beta adrenergic antagonists block odor-elicited membrane currents in single isolated salamander sensory neurons. These results support the idea that models developed for analyzing ligand binding by members of the 7 transmembrane domain family of membrane receptors may apply rather closely to olfactory transduction. We suggest that sensory neurons express single receptor types with differeing degrees of affinity for different ligands. We further suggest that glomeruli in the olfactory bulb function as labeled lines for particular sets of odor ligand determinants, and that interglomerular circuits bind together similar glomeruli and enhance contrast between dissimilar glomeruli. The odor image laid down in the sensory neuron population is thus subjected to abstracting and enhancement at the glomerular stage, prior to being transmitted for further processing in the deeper layers of the olfactory bulb and in the olfactory cortex.
Effects of external genital sensory feedback on copulatory behavior of rats.

Summary The role of external genital sensory feedback and sex of S and the effects on copulatory behavior were investigated. The prevention of semen plugs and anesthetization of the vagina had no significant effect on the running times of the female or the number of mounts of the male, when compared to a control group. Anesthetization of the penis and prevention of erection significantly reduced the number of mounts made by the male. Short term changes in external genital sensory feedback were found to be one factor affecting copulation; however, nonsexual factors were also suggested as possible determinants and cited as areas of subsequent research.
Imaging of sealant injection into a main steam valve

The use of sealant injection into leaking valves, piping joints and fixtures has long been a common practice for commercial industry. There are many companies available to industry that specialize in this process. if the process is successful, it allows industry to maintain production and plan for equipment outages at a much more convenient time to them. This time delay allows for more formal planning of an outage. Parts may be stagged for the job at hand and for any other outage related work that it may be advantages to accomplish. The process of injecting the sealant median into pressurized steam valves has always been done 'blind' . This is because there was no way of knowing where the fluid would or would not go internally in valve bonnets or pressure seals. As a result, several negative problems could be caused. Overfihling of a void could result in the sealing media being forced into the system process. The resulting process contamination can be costly to repair or recover from. Under filling of a void allows the steam pressure to work on the sealant fluid and not allow it to harden. This will result in the leak returning after the steam energy has eaten away enough of the sealing fluid.
Social influence on attitudes and on anchoring of congeneric attitude scales

Abstract Criteria for distinguishing between attitude and response scale effects in “after-only” studies of source-recipient discrepancy were developed and applied in two experiments. These criteria refer to congeneric scales (i.e., multiple measures of the the same property, which may differ in origin, unit, and reliability). Persuasive information may function as a scale anchor, in which case it is expected to affect only that response scale to which it directly pertains. Alternatively, it may convice recipients to change attitudinal positions, and produce effects on all congeneric scales. In one experiment, the self-proclaimed leniency-sternness of a presiding judge in a manslaughter case was varied along with the sentence he imposed and his trustworthiness. In the second study, only the sentence was manipulated, while both leniency ratings and sentencing were measured as dependent variables. Both analyses revealed support for the response scale interpretation, in that effects were observed only on those scales that were directly manipulated.
Some remarks on the Krein-Milman property and lexicographic maxima

A Banach space has thelexicographic property if each bounded closed convex subsetC is the closed convex hull of the lexicographic maxima ofC. The relationships between this property and the Radon-Nikodym and Krein-Milman properties are provided. A example inl1 contrasts these concepts. The main result states that a Banach space which is anr-space has the lexicographic property. Several questions relating to these topics and also flat spaces are posed.
Infertility in Herero pastoralists of southern Africa.

Transition from low to high rates of fertility among Herero pastoralists of the northern Kalahari of Botswana is examined. Total fertility rates have increased from 2.65 in the first half of this century to 7.02 in the last decade, while postreproductive women report having had only 3.47 births. We use an indirect estimator of the fertility of mothers to show that the Herero have been afflicted with abnormally low fertility since early in this century. Although the several possible causes of subfertility in this population, including disease, maternal health, and child care practices are examined, it is concluded that the effects of venereal diseases are most likely responsible for abnormally low fertility. The dramatic increase in fertility following treatment of a major cause of infertility underscores the potential impact diseases may have on human reproductive patterns. This study is the first to document subfertility in an ethnic group of southern Africa.
Incipient fracture angle, fracture loci and critical stress for mixed mode loading

Abstract A prediction of the direction of incipient crack growth in brittle-like materials and the associated fracture loci under mixed mode loading is proposed. It is postulated that the direction of unstable crack propagation is determined by the “weakest” near-tip element defined as the one which would relax maximum potential energy upon prospective crack extension. Starting from the energy rate principle of crack extension (Eshelby energy-momentum tensor and Rice J- internal vector) it is deduced that a crack will extent in the direction along which the following stress criterion is satisfied, (δ θθ 2 − δ rr 2 ) → maximum (for δ θθ > 0) The fracture angle in pure Mode II (70.4° away from the original straight path) is shown to be unstable in the sense that any slight tension along the crack (non-singular at the crack tip) affects considerably (up to 22%) the directionality of crack extension. It appears to be sensitive to the extent of the near-tip zone ( r 0 ) in which linear elasticity does not hold and the non-singular stress term (squared). The fracture loci in mixed mode loading (generated by projecting the J- integral vector along the prospective fracture path and letting this scalar function attain a critical value) is quadratic in K 1 and K 2 with an interactive cross product term K 1 × K 2 . The suggested criterion with its implication in predicting critical fracture load, exhibits behavior which is consistent with experimental observations collected from several sources. The common and uncommon features with respect to other known criteria are compared and discussed.
Some characteristics of the ‘auditory neurophonic’

Nous avons remarque dans le systeme auditif central des ondes qui ressemblent aux ondes microphoniques cochleaires (MC) en imitant etroitement le stimulus. Notre etude montre qu'elles sont d'origine neurale parce que: 1o) l'amplitude est souvent plus grande en reponse a la stimulation contralaterale au niveau du corps trapezoide; 2o) il y a une latence en rapport avec le systeme auditif examine; 3o) une anesthesie progressive cause la depression de l'onde et finalement sa disparition avec la mort. Nous proposons le terme de phenomene «neurophonique auditif» (NA).
Ultrafast Characterization of Phase-Change Material Crystallization Properties in the Melt-Quenched Amorphous Phase

Phase change materials are widely considered for application in nonvolatile memories because of their ability to achieve phase transformation in the nanosecond time scale. However, the knowledge of fast crystallization dynamics in these materials is limited because of the lack of fast and accurate temperature control methods. In this work, we have developed an experimental methodology that enables ultrafast characterization of phase-change dynamics on a more technologically relevant melt-quenched amorphous phase using practical device structures. We have extracted the crystallization growth velocity (U) in a functional capped phase change memory (PCM) device over 8 orders of magnitude (10–10 108 K/s), which reveals the extreme fragility of Ge2Sb2Te5 in its supercooled liquid phase. Furthermore, these crystalli...
A low-cost microcomputer-based data acquisition an analysis system for an electron spin resonance spectrometer: Data handling of dilute spin labeled nucleic acids

Abstract This article describes the construction of an inexpensive and reliable data acquisition system for a Varian E-line Century Serie ESR spectrometer utilizing an Apple II Plus microcomputer. All necessary hardware is readily available and used without modification. A BASIC program for routine collection, display, plotting and disk storage of experimental data has been written and subsequently compiled into machine code for high speed operation. The interface offers distinct advantage in spectral resolutions as well as instrument control. An example of signal enhancement via computer controlled time averaging is presented for a spin labeled DNA experiment. The techinique has recently been applied to studies of relative binding affinities of gene-32 proteins for various spin-labeled polynucleotides.
Complex formation by all five homologues of mammalian translation initiation factor 3 subunits from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The PRT1, TIF34, GCD10, and SUI1 proteins ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae were found previously to copurify with eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3) activity. Although TIF32, NIP1, and TIF35 are homologous to subunits of human eIF3, they were not known to be components of the yeast factor. We detected interactions between PRT1, TIF34, and TIF35 by the yeast two-hybrid assay and in vitro binding assays. Discrete segments (70–150 amino acids) of PRT1 and TIF35 were found to be responsible for their binding to TIF34. Temperature-sensitive mutations mapping in WD-repeat domains of TIF34 were isolated that decreased binding between TIF34 and TIF35 in vitro. The lethal effect of these mutations was suppressed by increasing TIF35 gene dosage, suggesting that the TIF34-TIF35 interaction is important for TIF34 function in translation. Pairwise in vitrointeractions were also detected between PRT1 and TIF32, TIF32 and NIP1, and NIP1 and SUI1. Furthermore, PRT1, NIP1, TIF34, TIF35, and a polypeptide with the size of TIF32 were specifically coimmunoprecipitated from the ribosomal salt wash fraction. We propose that all five yeast proteins homologous to human eIF3 subunits are components of a stable heteromeric complex in vivo and may comprise the conserved core of yeast eIF3.
Identification of neomycin B-binding site in T box antiterminator model RNA

The T box transcription antitermination mechanism regulates the expression of unique genes in many Gram-positive bacteria by responding, in a magnesium-dependent manner, to uncharged cognate tRNA base pairing with an antiterminator RNA element and other regions of the 5'-untranslated region. Model T box antiterminator RNA is known to bind aminoglycosides, ligands that typically bind RNA in divalent metal ion-binding sites. In this study, enzymatic footprinting and spectroscopic assays were used to identify and characterize the binding site of neomycin B to an antiterminator model RNA. Neomycin B binds the antiterminator bulge nucleotides in an electrostatic-dependent manner and displaces 3-4 monovalent cations, indicating that the antiterminator likely contains a divalent metal ion-binding site. Neomycin B facilitates rather than inhibits tRNA binding indicating that bulge-targeted inhibitors that bind the antiterminator via non-electrostatic interactions may be the more optimal candidates for antiterminator-targeted ligand design.
Lamb Wave Instantaneous Phase Based Method for Quantitative Level of Delamination Damage in Composite Structures

In this study, we investigate the interactions of Lamb wave A0 mode with different sizes of delaminations in composites using finite element code Abaqus®. According to Lamb wave dispersion curves, the group velocity of A0 mode increases rapidly as the frequency-thickness increases in the relatively low frequency region. In the delamination region, the frequency-thickness product decreases compared to the healthy laminate since the damage causes ply separation at the lamina interface. In the current study this observation is investigated in detail using finite element simulations. The resulting phase delay is analyzed by Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and instantaneous phase approach. Finite element simulations are performed using Abaqus® and signal processing is performed in joint time-frequency domain using Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) method. The unwrapped instantaneous phase difference is correlated with the extent of delamination (quantitative level of damage).Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Effects of sex, gonadal hormones, and augmented acoustic environments on sensorineural hearing loss and the central auditory system: insights from research on C57BL/6J mice

Mice of the C57BL/6J (B6) inbred strain exhibit genetic progressive sensorineural hearing loss and have been widely used as a model of adult-onset hearing loss and presbycusis. Males and females exhibit similar degrees of hearing loss until about 3 months of age, after which, the loss accelerates in females. This paper reviews research on how the B6 auditory system is affected by sex, gonadectomy (i.e., a reduction of gonadal hormone levels), and nightly exposure to moderately intense augmented acoustic environments (AAEs) - a low-frequency noise band (LAAE) or high-frequency band (HAAE). Several findings indicate a negative effect of ovarian hormones on the female B6 auditory system. Whereas the sex difference in high-frequency hearing loss was not significantly affected by gondadectomies, the female disadvantage in ABR thresholds at lower frequencies was erased by ovariectomy. Moreover, exposure to the LAAE or HAAE caused losses of hair cells that were more severe in intact females than in ovariectomized females or in males. Finally, intact females had more severe loss of neurons in the low-frequency region of the anterior ventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) than other groups. In contrast, the presence of androgens had beneficial effects. Loss of hair cells and AVCN neurons after AAE exposure were more severe in orchidectomized males than in intact males. Ideas, hypotheses, and potential mechanisms concerning the findings are discussed.
Perceptions of relational interdependence in online relationships: The effects of communication apprehension and introversion

This study examined the effects of communication apprehension and introversion on perceptions of relational interdependence in online relationships. Results indicated that communication apprehension (CA) was positively related to perceptions of relational interdependence in an online relationship. A negative relationship was found between introversion and perceptions of relational interdependence in the online relationship. Findings suggest that much‐studied communication constructs in face‐to‐face relationships extend to relationships in the online environment.
Site-specific recombination intermediates trapped with suicide substrates

Abstract A family of novel substrates was designed to enable the efficient accumulation of intermediates in site-specific recombination. Strategically placed nicks allow these "suicide substrates" to initiate the reaction but prevent its completion or reversal. Consequently, it has been possible to determine that λ site-specific recombination proceeds by a pair of sequential single-strand exchanges. These results rule out that class of models invoking a concerted cutting of all four DNA strands. The sequential strand exchanges are executed in a strictly prescribed order that is the same in both integrative and excisive recombination. This specified order appears to be governed by the arrangement of bound proteins distal to the sites of strand exchange. Furthermore, when provided with an appropriate 5′ OH acceptor, the Integrase protein has the capacity to execute a single DNA strand transfer in a nonreciprocal reaction.
Radioimmunoassay of turkey growth hormone.

A homologous radioimmunoassay for turkey growth hormone (tGH) is described. A linear logit vs log dose-response curve was obtained with doses of tGH ranging from 0.3 to 7.0 ng. Nonspecific interference by serum or tissue with 125I-labeled tGH binding was not observed. Recovery of exogenous tGH added to serum from a hypophysectomized turkey was quantitative. Pituitary extracts, sera, and plasma from turkeys, chickens and quail yielded dose-response curves parallel with that of the tGH standard. Purified duck growth hormone also showed parallel dose response with tGH, but purified rat growth hormone did not cross-react. The plasma growth hormone levels of male Large White turkeys were measured at 1 day of age, and at 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks of age. A highly significant (fourfold) increase in plasma tGH occurred between 1 day and 2 weeks of age, followed by a 50-fold decline from peak levels by 16 weeks of age.
Opportunities in the 'post-academic' world.

Addressing the ethical, legal and social implications of nanotechnology will help to reverse the fragmentation of academic fields into multiple subdisciplines, end the artificial separation between pure and applied research, and bridge the gap between science and the society it serves, as well as helping to avoid a possible public backlash.
Challenge of Effectively Using Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents and Intravenous Iron

Clinicians who manage anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease, both on and off dialysis therapy, face several challenges: maintain stable hemoglobin (Hb) levels in their patients, avoid overshooting Hb targets, balance intravenous (IV) iron and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), and improve ESA response to use the lowest effective ESA dose. Special attention to ESA hyporesponsiveness, as well as the role of insufficient iron, is required. The efficacy of IV iron in managing these challenges, particularly in hemodialysis patients who have anemia despite adequate ESA doses, was shown in the randomized controlled Dialysis Patients' Response to IV Iron with Elevated Ferritin (DRIVE) clinical trial and its 6-week follow-up extension study, DRIVE-II. These studies provide suggestive evidence of the ability of IV iron to reduce ESA requirements and maintain improved Hb levels in anemic hemodialysis patients with serum ferritin levels of 500 to 1,200 ng/mL and transferrin saturations of 25% or less.
Analgesics and cancers of the renal pelvis and ureter

To evaluate renal pelvis and ureter (RPU) cancer risk in relation to lifetime use of analgesics, a population-based case-control study was carried out in 3 areas of the United States. Among 502 cases and 496 controls diagnosed and interviewed during 1983-1986, no significant increases in risk were found for any of the non-prescription and prescription analgesics evaluated or among regular users of phenacetin, acetaminophen or aspirin. Neither cumulative lifetime ingestion nor duration of regular use of these 3 drugs, whether alone or in combination, was associated with significantly increased risk of RPU cancer, although a slight excess was observed among long-term users of acetaminophen. Risk was not increased among persons reporting highest cumulative dose and/or longest duration of phenacetin use. Although our study of RPU cancer is the largest to date, it was nonetheless limited by the small number of regular analgesic users and the relatively low response rates. Because of the relatively recent onset of widespread use of acetaminophen, its pharmacologic similarity to phenacetin, a known urothelial carcinogen, and the elevation in risk seen in long-term users, further surveillance of this analgesic is warranted.
Teaching Health Economics in Medical School: Experiences and Observations from the US

Michael F. Drummond, in a recent paper in this Journal, has pointed out the usefulness and even necessity of physicians in clinical practice understanding certain key concepts of economics that apply to the provision of medical care. While the clinical practice of medicine and economic theory may appear to be quite unrelated, in fact they share a basic purpose: that of maximising the benefit society as a whole receives from the limited productive capability at hand. Viewed in this way, choices in the provision of medical care are but a subset of all choices that society must make in allocating this limited capability among many competing uses. ‘Economising’ thus is applicable to each component of economic activity, including the provision of medical care. ‘Scarcity’ and ‘opportunity cost’, as defined by Drummond, are the anchors of the bridge joining medical care and economics, and represent the fundamental concepts in the teaching of economic ways of thinking to those who determine the allocation of resources between medical care and other sectors of production, and within medical care. This paper builds on Drummond's ‘teaching approaches’ — his suggestions about where, when, what, and how to proceed until the infusion of this sort of economics education into the medical curriculum — with observations derived from 16 years' experience in teaching health care economics, in many settings, in the United States. It offers them, with due qualification for the differences between the US and UK medical care delivery and financing systems, in the hope that they may prove useful in expanding the teaching of economic concepts to future clinical practitioners and managers in both countries.
The Genus Echinoderes (Kinorhyncha: Cyclorhagida) From The English Channel

The English Channel was the site of the discovery of the phylum Kinorhyncha in 1841 by the French zoologist Felix Dujardin. Although initially reported from St Malo, Rennes, and Paris by Dujardin (1851), St Vaast la Hougue, France was the site from which the first species, Echinoderes dujardinii Claparede, 1863 was described 12 years later. Since then, E. dujardinii has been reported from many localities in northern Europe as well as from the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Canary Islands (cf. Higgins, 1983). Reports of this species from various North Pacific Ocean localities are either incorrect or higher questionable (Higgins, 1983).
Characterization and processing of low dielectric constant thick film substrates for electronic packaging applications

The application of the new microsphere Low K thick film material to large MCM-C substrates is discussed in this paper. Processing of large ceramic boards approximately 6.5/spl times/8.5 inches square with 4 metal layers is described. Both screen printed and etched silver and gold metallizations are used for this work. Electrical, physical, and materials characterization of both silver and gold compatible multilayer Low K dielectric material is detailed. High frequency characterization of the material is also discussed, over a wideband frequency bandwidth between 1-12 GHz.
Tonga slab deformation: The influence of a lower mantle upwelling on a slab in a young subduction zone

There are fundamental geographic variations in the deformation of slabs in the transition zone. The seismic energy release and morphology of the Tonga slab show that it is deforming faster and has accumulated more deformation than any other slab. We show that Tonga overlies the edge of the large-scale Pacific superplume. There is no substantial aseismic penetration into the lower mantle beneath Tonga, consistent with initiation of subduction during the Eocene. Other major subduction systems overlay seismically fast structures. For long-lived subduction systems, the lower mantle tends to pull down on slabs while in Tonga the lower mantle pushes upward, partially accounting for the intense deformation. The perturbation to the state of slab stress due to large-scale mantle flow is 10 to 40 MPa — nearly as large as that expected from slab pull.
Pflanzen bereiten sich auf den abendlichen Angriff von Insekten vor

Insekten greifen in der Dammerung an – das kennen wir von den Mucken und treffen entsprechende Verteidigungsmasnahmen. Doch auch Pflanzen scheinen sich auf abendliche Attacken vorzubereiten, denn ihre innere Uhr schaltet zum beginnenden Abend automatisch die chemische Abwehr an. Diese jetzt nachgewiesene Steuerung uber Hormone belegt einen weiteren Vorteil der inneren Uhr und erklart, warum viele Gene fur die Verteidigung durch diese Uhr beeinflusst werden.
The ZIC gene family in development and disease

The human ZIC gene family is comprised of five members encoding zinc-finger transcription factors, which are the vertebrate homologs of the Drosophila odd-paired gene. Mutations in ZIC genes in humans have recently been implicated in a wide variety of congenital malformations, including Dandy-Walker malformation, holoprosencephaly, neural tube defects, and heterotaxy. Mutant analysis of these genes in mice has underscored the conserved developmental roles of these genes. Further, this analysis has begun to elucidate the molecular and developmental mechanisms underlying these important birth defects.
A cost minimization model for satellites offering customer premise services

An optimization model is presented for the satellite planning problem for the customer premises services case, assuming cost minimization to be the planning objective. It captures the complex relationships between the parameters of interest and the tradeoffs involved in designing the system. The model is nonlinear in nature, and geometric programming techniques were found suitable for solving the problem optimally. The constraint set of the model implicitly defines the feasible combination of parameter values that need to be examined, while the geometric programming solution method searches this solution space in a systematic manner, allowing one to design the satellite for minimum cost without heuristic iterations or trial and error. >
Identification of candidate genes for schizophrenia based on natural resistance to infectious diseases

Background: Identification of candidate genes for schizophrenia may be more successful than genome screens as the latter have not found consistent linkages. Objective: To assist in the gene search, a model of schizophrenia based on resistance to infectious diseases, rather than susceptibility, is proposed. The theory blends the geography of schizophrenia with the assumption that genes that cause schizophrenia likely evolved and persist from selection pressure. The theory includes the notion that schizophrenia enhances biological survival at the cost of psychological and social functioning. Method: To demonstrate the utility of using this model, the Medline literature was searched for resistance genes, mostly identified in mice. Results: Based on homologous locations in the human genome, these resistance genes are shown to be located in human chromosome regions linked significantly, in at least one genome screen, with schizophrenia or some physiologically related function or condition associated with schizophrenia. Conclusions: The infectious disease resistance theory of schizophrenia is offered as a viable model for understanding the origins of schizophrenia. The theory also allows for the inclusion of persistent infections, seasonal variability and translational pathophysiology to contribute to the etiology of schizophrenia.
Optical bistability with the waveguide mode: the case of a finite-width incident beam

We develop an approximate analytical theory for the reflection of a finite-width square-wave light beam at a nonlinear interface and make use of the results to assess the effect of the finiteness of the incident beam on the bistability of the signal reflected from a triple boundary interface under conditions for excitation of a waveguide mode. The nonlinearity of the interface is assumed to result from a substrate medium that has a Kerr-type quadratic dependence on the local electric-field amplitude. Our results indicate that the finiteness of the width of the incident beam substantially reduces the magnitude of the reflectance jump at the bistable switching point in comparison with that predicted by an exact plane-wave theory. Nevertheless, we conclude that a bistable reflectivity should still exist for the geometry that we consider at the switching intensity predicted by the plane-wave theory.