cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative Ocular Anatomy in a Blind African Cichlid Fish, Lamprologus lethops

Objective Troglomorphic fishes provide excellent comparative models for studying eye evolution. We describe the gross and microscopic anatomy of ocular structures of the depigmented, blind cichlid, Lamprologus lethops, and its putative sister species, Lamprologus tigripictilis collected from the lower Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Procedures Both species were fixed, paraffin-sectioned and stained. Immunohistochemical staining for rhodopsin markers was also performed. Results The globe in L. lethops is smaller than its sighted congener and recessed beneath bone and skin. The scleral profile maintains a wrinkled spherical shape, and the choroid is occupied by adipose tissue containing no rete mirabilis. The globe in L. lethops is foreshortened in the anterior–posterior dimension and deviated dorsally toward the midline with no extraocular muscles. At the posterior pole of the globe, there is an open periocular space containing no cell bodies. In L. tigripictilis, no choroidal adipose tissue is seen and a rete mirabilis is present. The retina of L. lethops is thinner compared with L. tigripictilis. Both species have scleral cartilage and fully developed lenses. Rhodopsin is present in the inner and outer segments of both species. Conclusions Ocular adaptations evolve over time as a response to a life in darkness. Combining ocular anatomy, developmental data, and genetics will lead to insights about evolution in these fishes and contribute to understanding how ocular evolution works in other vertebrates.
Static Water in Soil

This chapter looks at how water interacts with the solid system of the soil. In particular, it studies surface tension, and then sees how it is related to the rise and fall of water in soil pores, which, in turn, explains hysteresis. Molecules in the surface have a stronger tendency to move to the interior of the liquid than molecules in the interior have to move to the surface. What results is a tendency for any body of liquid to minimize its surface area. A molecule at the surface of a liquid is acted on by a net inward cohesive force that is perpendicular to the surface. So it requires work to move molecules to the surface against this opposing force, and the surface molecules have more energy than interior ones. This tendency to minimize surface area is often opposed by external forces acting on the body of liquid, as gravity acting on a water drop resting on a flat surface, or as adhesive forces between water and other materials. Thus, the actual surface may not be an absolute minimum, but rather a minimum depending on the conditions in which the body of liquid is found. Water is attracted into soil pores predominantly because of the attraction of water to other surfaces (adhesion) and because of capillarity. Surface tension controls the rise or fall of a liquid in a capillary tube. The chapter discusses the rise and fall of water in soil pores (capillary tubes) and how the rise and fall determine the soil moisture characteristic curve.
Glucocorticoids and insulin regulate expression of the human gene for insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 through proximal promoter elements.

Glucocorticoids stimulate, while insulin inhibits, the hepatic transcription of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1). In the present studies, human HEP G2 hepatoma cells were transiently transfected with human (h)IGFBP-1 promoter constructs. Activity of a construct containing the first 1205 base pairs (bp) of the hIGFBP-1 promoter was stimulated 6-9.5-fold by dexamethasone, and this increase was inhibited approximately 76% by insulin. Deletion and site-directed mutations of the hIGFBP-1 promoter (a) identified two glucocorticoid response elements, located within the first 200 bp of the promoter, which are essential for dexamethasone-stimulated promoter activity and which specifically bind human glucocorticoid receptor; (b) showed that a recently characterized insulin-responsive element, located approximately 110 bp 5' to the transcription start site (Suwanichkul, A., Morris, S.L., and Powell, D. R. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 17063-17068), confers the entire inhibitory effect of insulin not only on basal but also on glucocorticoid-stimulated promoter activity; and (c) showed that this insulin-responsive element is essential for maximal glucocorticoid-stimulated activity. These studies suggest that the interaction of proteins that bind to a cluster of cis elements located in the first 200 bp of the hIGFBP-1 promoter are of major importance in modulating the opposing effects of glucocorticoids and insulin on hepatic hIGFBP-1 expression.
An Integer Programming Heuristic for Component Allocation in Printed Circuit Card Assembly Systems

Component allocation is an important element of process planning for printed circuit card assembly systems. The component allocation problem directly impacts the productivity and cost of a circuit card assembly system. Many companies have recognized the importance of component allocation and have started to develop a better decision process. Also, a few commercial software packages have been developed that provide environments to support process planning. However, optimization methods are not yet widely used. We demonstrate that component allocation is amenable to improvement using optimization methods. We present an integer programming heuristic for the component allocation problem and report on several case studies that have been conducted and that demonstrate its effectiveness. The heuristic is based on a mixed integer programming formulation of the component allocation problem that incorporates estimates of downstream process planning decisions.
Estrogen Regulates the Development of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor mRNA and Protein in the Rat Hippocampus

During development, estrogen has a variety of effects on morphological and electrophysiological properties of hippocampal neurons. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) also plays an important role in the survival and differentiation of neurons during development. We examined the effects of gonadectomy with and without estrogen replacement on the mRNA and protein of BDNF and its receptor, trkB, during early postnatal development of the rat hippocampus. We used immunocytochemistry to demonstrate that estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and BDNF were localized to the same cells within the developing hippocampus. BDNF and ERalpha were colocalized in pyramidal cells of the CA3 subregion and to a lesser extent in CA1. To determine whether BDNF mRNA was regulated by estrogen during development, we gonadectomized male rat pups at postnatal day 0 (P0) and examined mRNA and protein levels from P0 to P25 using real-time reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analysis. After gonadectomy, BDNF mRNA levels are significantly reduced on P7, but after treatment of gonadectomized animals with estradiol benzoate on P0, levels at all ages were similar to those in intact animals. BDNF mRNA changes after gonadectomy are accompanied by an increase in the levels of BDNF protein, which were reduced by estrogen treatment at P0. We also examined the effect of postnatal estrogen treatment on trkB. There were no significant changes in trkB mRNA or protein in gonadectomized or estrogen-replaced animals. These results suggest that a direct interaction may exist between ERalpha and BDNF to alter hippocampal physiology during development in the rat.
Types of Faculty Scholars in Community Colleges

This chapter describes three empirically derived types of faculty scholars in community colleges: Immersed Scholars, Scholars of Dissemination, and Scholars of Pedagogical Knowledge. This chapter discusses these types and offers a recommendation.
Some Children Matter More Than Others: Issues Prompted by Roy Parker's Study of the Shipment of Poor Children to Canada, 1867–1917:

Roy Parker's book Uprooted1 charts the events that led to 80,000 children being shipped to Canada by the Poor Law and voluntary bodies during the 50 years following confederation in 1867. Michael Little discusses the issues raised by this historical study for current policy and practice and charts the conditions that allow for government and children's services to collude with potentially damaging interventions in children's lives.
Favorable effects of weak acids on negative-ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Despite widespread use in pharmacokinetic, drug metabolism, and pesticide residue studies, little is known about the factors governing response during reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with negative-ion electrospray ionization (ESI-) mass spectrometry. We examined the effects of various mobile-phase modifiers on the ESI- response of four selective androgen receptor modulators using a postcolumn infusion system. Acetic, propionic, and butyric acid improved the ESI- responses of analytes to varying extents at low concentrations. Formic acid suppressed ionization, as did neutral salts (ammonium formate, ammonium acetate) and bases (ammonium hydroxide, triethylamine) under most conditions. Two modifiers (2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, formaldehyde) that produce anions with high gas-phase proton affinity increased ESI- responses. However, the concentrations of these modifiers required to enhance ESI- response were higher than that of acidic modifiers, which is a phenomenon likely related to their low pKa v...
Endocrine and behavioral responses to aggression and social dominance in the green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis

Adult males of the small arboreal iguanid lizard, Anolis carolinensis, will fight and form social dominance hierarchies when placed in habitats with limited resources. The relationships between time since initial aggressive interaction, relative social dominance, reproductive activity, and corticosterone and androgen levels were determined for 34 pairs of lizards. A discriminant analysis established a "dominance index" which indicated that over 90% of the difference between individuals who had won or lost aggressive interactions (putative social dominants and subordinates) was attributable to a single discriminant function reflecting altered body color, perch site selection, and circulating androgen. Animals that had darker body color also selected lower perch sites and had depressed rates of courtship relative to winners of fights and were thus designated as social subordinates. These animals also had levels of circulating androgen significantly lower than that of dominants, but circulating corticosterone was not significantly affected. Winners of fights showed a dramatic surge in circulating androgen at 1 hr but returned to near control values by 1 week; losers, however, showed depressed circulating androgen levels at 1 week.
Temporal Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infection in T-cell receptor (TCR)-α and TCR-δ-deficient mice

Mycobacterium paratuberculosis is the causative agent of paratuberculosis (Johne’s disease), a chronic inflammation of the terminal portion of the ileum in ruminants. The predominance of cell-mediated immunity in early stages of the disease suggests that T lymphocytes are essential to protect the host from infection with M. paratuberculosis. In this study, we investigated the role of αβ and γδ T cells in resistance to M. paratuberculosis infection using a T-cell receptor (TCR) knockout mouse model. Weanling TCR-α-deficient, TCR-δ-deficient, and C57BL/6 control mice (5–6 weeks of age) were acclimated for 2 weeks and then inoculated intraperitoneally with 108 CFU/ml of M. paratuberculosis (either strain 19698 or strain Ben). Groups of mice within each treatment group were euthanized at 1, 3 and 6 months post-inoculation. Sections of spleen, liver, ileum and mesenteric lymph node were prepared for bacterial culture and histologic examination. At all time points of infection and regardless of bacterial strain, TCR-α-deficient mice had higher levels of M. paratuberculosis colonization in their tissues compared to TCR-δ-deficient mice or C57BL/6 control mice. Lesions were located predominately in the liver and the ileum, depending upon period of infection, and lesion scores were higher for TCR-α-deficient mice compared to the other treatment groups. These results suggest that αβ T cells play a major role in resistance to infection with M. paratuberculosis and that γδ T cells may play a lesser role and potentially confound protective immune responses.
The microflora of stored coleslaw and factors affecting the growth of spoilage yeasts in coleslaw

Saccharomyces dairensis and Sacch. exiguus were isolated as the spoilage flora of coleslaw stored at 5 degrees and 10 degrees C. The growth of these yeasts in mixtures of mayonnaise with vegetable was inhibited by onion. Mayonnaise alone killed the yeasts, primarily because of its content of acetic acid and this effect increased as the temperature was increased and as the pH was decreased. Addition of cabbage or carrot tissue removed the lethal effect of mayonnaise and allowed spoilage, by absorbing acetic acid and increasing the pH.
Coronary microvascular spasm in patients with vasospastic angina.

I read with interest the study by Sun et al. [(1)][1], which showed that 25.5% of patients with vasospastic angina developed myocardial ischemia with submaximal doses of intracoronary acetylcholine; angina was unassociated with spasm of epicardial arteries and was attributed to microvascular spasm.
Unsteady quasi-one-dimensional nonlinear dynamic model of supersonic through-flow fan surge

This paper presents the results of a computational fluid dynamic model of a supersonic through-flow fan (STF) in supersonic surge. The phenomenon of surge is well known for subsonic turbomachinery. However, for supersonic turbomachinery like the STF, a special type of supersonic surge occurs in which a shock oscillates through the fan, alternating locations between upstream and downstream of the fan. It is also possible for a shock to remain in a fan stage. This analysis focuses on the development of supersonic surge resulting from overpressuring the fan. A model of the STF was constructed around its steady-state experimental performance map using an existing unsteady, quasi-one-dimensional, inviscid, compressible flow code. An exit boundary condition was specified for the overpressuring that forces the shock to move upstream and interfere with normal fan operation. The effects of that interference, including a shock oscillating across the fan, are discussed.
Pd-Fe nanoparticles as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction.

We have synthesized new electrocatalysts for the O2 reduction reaction that does not contain Pt. They consist of carbon-supported Pd−Fe alloys and have very high oxygen reduction. The nanoparticles with a Pd:Fe molar ratio of 3:1 (Pd3Fe/C) show a higher mass activity than that of commercial Pt/C. The surface-specific activity of the Pd−Fe alloys is related to the Pd−Pd bond distance: the shorter the bond distance, the higher the activity. This new class of electrocatalysts promises to alleviate some major problems of existing fuel cell technology by simultaneously decreasing materials cost and enhancing performance.
Effect of Substrate on the Isothermal Crystallization Kinetics of Confined Poly(ε-caprolactone) Nanolayers

Layer multiplying coextrusion was used to create films with hundreds or thousands of alternating layers of two polymers. The constituent polymers were chosen to create a temperature window in which a crystallizable polymer could melt and recrystallize within the glassy confinement of an amorphous polymer. This enabled the study of polymer crystallization behavior under nanoscale confinement. In this article, we examined the crystallization of poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) confined by polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate). We used AFM, WAXS, and SAXS to demonstrate that confined PCL nanolayers crystallized as large in-plane lamellae of high aspect ratio. This phenomenon, previously observed only for poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), may be more general to crystalline polymers. We found that the in-plane PCL lamellae were at least as effective as PEO lamellae in reducing the oxygen permeability by more than 2 orders of magnitude. The substrates examined did not affect the crystallization habit of PCL but surpris...
Anaerobic metabolism of hexadecane in sediments

Reducing sediments of Lake Mendota were challenged to demonstrate evidence of anaerobic conversion of l‐14C‐hexadecane to 14CO2. Low levels of 14CO2 were detected above formaldehyde controls in anoxic sediment and bottom waters and in surface water sparged with nitrogen. Aerobic incubation of the same sediment and water demonstrated extensive conversion of l‐14C‐hexade‐cane to 14CO2. The low levels of 14CO2 detected in anaerobic incubation were not increased by addition of nitrate or in a pre‐reduced medium containing nitrate and sulfate. An isotope‐recovery experiment demonstrated that 13.7% of added l‐14C‐hexadecane was converted to 14C‐cell carbon and 14CO2 after 375 h incubation.
Bayesian Learning from Arts Goods? – A Comment

This comment considers the applicability of the Cyert and DeGroot model of adaptive utility in modeling consumer choice behavior with respect to arts goods. An illustration of the consumer’s choice behavior on expenditure shares is simulated as a simple Markov chain. This is followed by a discussion of policy implications regarding the pricing and subsidization of arts goods.
Conduction electron—local moment interactions in Au(Fe) from dHvA waveshape analysis☆

Abstract A new technique of third harmonic dHvA waveshape analysis is derived and applied to Au(Fe). The technique allows the conduction electron-magnetic impurity exchange interaction strength and conduction electron spin-dependent scattering rates to be uniquely determined at a single field and temperature, and to be mapped out as functions of ( H, T ).
A programming methodology based on data abstraction

The view of data offered by traditional programming languages and data management facilities is not sufficiently abstract. A recent development in computer science is the concept of abstract data type, or data abstraction. A data abstraction is a class of objects whose behavior is completely defined by a representation-independent specification. Data abstraction creates a natural separation of concerns, making it an ideal basis for a system design methodology. The methodology requires a formal specification for each data abstraction identified. Parnas'state machine specification technique is illustrated for a level net data abstraction. It a language supporting abstraction at the compiler level is not available, data abstractions may be simulated in any of the popular high-level languages. Finally, an object oriented approach to data base design is suggested.
Feedforward digital tracking controller

A digital tracking controller for linear time invariant control systems is presented which is based on feeding forward the reference input and its delayed values. A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of the proposed controller is also given. The choice between the proposed feedforward tracking controller and one based on error integral augmentation depends on the characteristics and requirements of the system under consideration. In certain cases, a better result can be achieved by using a combination of the two methods. >
Anthranilimide-based glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes: 2. Optimization of serine and threonine ether amino acid residues

Optimization of the amino acid residue of a series of anthranilimide-based glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors is described leading to the identification of serine and threonine ether analogs. t-Butylthreonine analog 20 displayed potent in vitro inhibition of GPa, low potential for P450 inhibition, and excellent pharmacokinetic properties.
MRI in Lower Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease: Recent Advancements

Evaluation of peripheral arterial disease by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging continues to develop. Of the clinical diagnostics tests currently available, magnetic resonance angiography is well established as one of the preferred techniques for determining areas of arterial occlusive disease affecting the lower extremities. Despite this, there have been new developments in non-gadolinium based contrast-enhanced studies as well as testing done at higher field strength scanners. In the research arena, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, calf muscle perfusion imaging and atherosclerotic plaque evaluation all have made significant advancements over the last year. These techniques are gaining traction as surrogate endpoints in clinical trials of novel therapeutics aimed at alleviating symptoms in patients with peripheral arterial disease.
Sustained Exposure to Nicotine Leads to Extramedullary Hematopoiesis in the Spleen

The effect of sustained exposure to nicotine, a major constituent of cigarette smoke, on hematopoiesis in the bone marrow (BM) and spleen was evaluated in a murine model. BALB/c mice were exposed to nicotine subcutaneously using 21-day slow-release pellets. Exposure to nicotine had no effect on the proliferation of long-term BM cultures or on their ability to form colonies. However, there was a significant decrease in the generation of lineage-specific progenitor cells, specifically eosinophil (colony-forming unit [CFU]-Eos) progenitors, in the BM of nicotine-exposed mice compared with control mice. Surprisingly, sustained exposure of mice to nicotine was found to induce significant hematopoiesis in the spleen. There was a significant increase in total colony formation as well as eosinophil-, granulocyte-macrophage-, and B-lymphocyte-specific progenitors (CFU-Eos, CFU-GM, and CFU-B, respectively) in nicotine-exposed mice but not in control mice. Sustained exposure to nicotine was associated with significant inhibition of rolling and migration of enriched hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) across BM endothelial cells (BMECs) in vitro as well as decreased expression of β2 integrin on the surface of these cells. Although sustained exposure to nicotine has only a modest effect on BM hematopoiesis, our studies indicate that it significantly induces extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen. Decreased interaction of nicotine-exposed HSPCs with BMECs (i.e., rolling and migration) may result in altered BM homing of these cells, leading to their seeding and proliferation at extramedullary sites such as the spleen.
First wall protection schemes for inertial confinement fusion reactors

Abstract The successful containment of thermonuclear yields ranging from 100–4000 MJ has presented a great challenge to the fusion reactor designer. It is shown that the thermal pulses associated with such pellet design can exceed the melting temperature in first walls unless either the chamber size is made unreasonably large (> 10 to 20 meters in diameter) or something is done to modify the energy spectra of the pellet debris. The various approaches to absorbing the photons and slowing down the charged particles and neutrons are reviewed. Fluidized walls and low pressure gases show great promise for protection of the cavity surfaces, but there are a number of critical experiments that need to be performed on both of these concepts before a final decision on their use in reactors can be made.
Moyamoya: Epidemiology, Presentation, and Diagnosis

Moyamoya syndrome is an increasingly recognized arteriopathy associated with cerebral ischemia and has been associated with approximately 6% of childhood strokes. It is characterized by chronic progressive stenosis at the apices of the intracranial internal carotid arteries, including the proximal anterior cerebral arteries and middle cerebral arteries and ultimately results in decreased cerebral blood flow with an increased resultant risk of stroke. This article discusses the epidemiology, presentation, and diagnosis of this condition in children.
Schooling the Possible Self.

AbstractFrom a social perspective, one’s identity is entirely the product of interaction with others. As children participate in the vast range of social situations, they collect impressions of themselves that coalesce to form a sense of who they are, as well as a narrative framework that helps explain the world and their place within it. These insights create a dynamic identity that is stimulated by one’s sense of potential and possibility. The social perspective provides a way to understand how school situations offer the substance from which children develop a sense of self. Literacy is a particularly powerful conduit for the development of self. An understanding of language and literacy, and how these processes are taken up by the child as means to shape his or her social connections and, by extension, his or her social reality, demands an understanding of self and how it evolves through interaction in a range of contexts. The purpose of this article is to describe how “self” plays out through literac...
Perturbation of thermal unfolding and aggregation of human IgG1 Fc fragment by Hofmeister anions

The thermal unfolding and subsequent aggregation of the unglycosylated Fc fragment of a human IgG1 antibody (Fc) were studied in the salt solutions of Na2SO4, KF, KCl and KSCN at pH 4.8 and 7.2 below and at its pI of 7.2, respectively, using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), far ultraviolet circular dichroism (far-UV CD), size exclusion chromatography (SE-HPLC) and light scattering. First, our experimental results demonstrated that the thermal unfolding of the CH2 domain of the Fc was sufficient to induce aggregation. Second, at both pH conditions, the anions (except F–) destabilized the CH2 domain where the effectiveness of SO42– > SCN– > Cl– > F– was more apparent at pH 4.8. In addition, the thermal stability of the CH2 domain was less sensitive to the change in salt concentration at pH 7.2 than at pH 4.8. Third, at pH 4.8 when the Fc had a net positive charge, the anions accelerated the aggregation reaction with SO42– > SCN– > Cl– > F– in effectiveness. But these anions slowed down the aggregati...
Securing a Line on the Ballot: Measuring and Explaining the Restrictiveness of Ballot Access Laws for Non-Major Party Candidates in the United States

Abstract This paper uses difference of means tests and OLS regression to analyze third party and independent candidate state-level petition signature requirements for President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House in the United States. This paper finds that Daniel Elazar's [Elazar, D. J. (1966). American federalism: A view from the states . New York: Crowell] political culture framework has utility in explaining petition signature requirement variations across states. The paper found that moralistic states have significantly lower ballot access requirements for U.S. House races than individualistic and traditionalistic states. Multivariate analysis indicates that the presence of a moralistic political culture in a state is an important determinant of petition signature requirements. Another interesting finding is that states, on average, tend to have higher petition signature requirements for U.S. House than for statewide offices. This finding suggests that the major parties may perceive the influence of third parties to be greater for district-level offices, such as U.S. House, than for statewide offices.
Effect of the Solvent Refractive Index on the Excited-State Lifetime of a Single Tryptophan Residue in a Protein

Excited-state lifetime and quantum yield of a fluorophore are determined by the radiative and nonradiative decay rates. There is an extensive literature about factors affecting the nonradiative dec...
Humanoid push recovery with robust convex synthesis

We address the problem of dynamic stabilization and push recovery for humanoid robots using robust control through convex optimization. By formulating the simultaneous search for a controller and the associated domain of attraction as a single problem, we provide a unified framework in which full-body push recovery controllers can be designed and their performance analyzed. The resulting controller explicitly models external disturbances in the system dynamics and guarantees stabilization under bounded disturbances as well as physical constraints on the robot. Through numerical simulations, we demonstrate full-body push recovery for a planar, three-link, bipedal humanoid in the sagittal plane.
Development of a Shape Memory Patch for Vascular Injuries

There is a high risk of surgical complications when treating vascular injuries such as ruptures and ischemia associated with strokes, aneurysms, and other vascular diseases. Moreover, it is still challenging to repair injuries of small diameter blood vessels through currently available therapeutic approaches because of limited access and small path length. To address these issues, a vascular patch made of biodegradable shape memory polymers (SMPs) can be deployed to the injured or ruptured site in a minimally invasive manner via a catheter or laparoscope, as shown in Figure 1. SMPs are capable of achieving minimally-invasive implantation and repair vascular injuries because they can be fixed into a temporary shape (i.e. an injectable shape for placement through a laparoscope) and recover their original, permanent shape (i.e. a ruptured tissue-specific shape) when triggered by an external stimulus such as heating above its melting temperature (Tm).Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Performance evaluation of a temporal database management system

A prototype of a temporal database management system was built by extending Ingres. It supports the temporal query language TQuel, a superset of Quel, handling four types of database static, rollback, historical and temporal. A benchmark set of queries was run to study the performance of the prototype on the four types of databases. We analyze the results of the benchmark, and identify major factors that have the greatest impact on the performance of the system. We also discuss several mechanisms to address the performance bottlenecks we encountered.
Stimulated Brillouin scattering for improvement of microwave fibre-optic link efficiency

Stimulated Brillouin scattering is used to increase the modulation depth of a weakly-modulated optical signal by rejecting the forward travelling carrier power. For an input power of eight times the stimulated Brillouin threshold, an improvement of 8 dB in link loss from 0.1 to 20 GHz is achieved.
Municipal sewage sludge application on Ohio farms: health effects.

A 3-year prospective epidemiologic study was conducted on 47 farms receiving annual applications of treated sludge (average of 2-10 dry metric tons/ha/year) and 46 control farms in three geographic areas of Ohio. On the sludge-receiving farms 164 persons (78 families) and on the control farms 130 persons (53 families) participated by cooperating with monthly questionnaires concerning their health and their animals' health, annual tuberculin testing, and quarterly blood sampling for serological testing. The estimated risks of respiratory illness, digestive illness, or general symptoms were not significantly different between sludge farm and control farm residents. Similarly, there were no observed differences between disease occurrence in domestic animals on sludge and on control farms. No conversions from negative to positive tine test results occurred after sludge had been applied to the farms. The frequency of serological conversions (fourfold or greater rise in antibody) to a series of 23 test viruses and the frequency of associated illnesses were similar among persons on sludge and control farms. The absence of observed human or animal health effects resulting from sludge application in this study of Ohio farms was associated with low sludge application rates which were in accordance with Ohio and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Caution should be exercised in using these data to predict health risks associated with sludges containing higher levels of disease agents and with higher sludge application rates and larger acreages treated per farm than used in this study.
Role of CD8+ lymphocytes in host defense against Pneumocystis carinii in mice.

Abstract An improved understanding of host defense against Pneumocystis carinii could provide novel therapeutic modalities directed against this opportunistic pathogen. Immunodeficient mouse models confirm the role of CD4+ lymphocytes in defense against P. carinii, but the role of CD8+ lymphocytes is controversial. BALB/c mice specifically depleted of CD4+ lymphocytes are susceptible to P. carinii, recruiting large numbers of CD8+ lymphocytes to their lungs during infection. Because of this recruitment, we hypothesized that CD8+ lymphocytes could participate in host defense against P. carinii. BALB/c mice were depleted of CD4+ lymphocytes, CD8+ lymphocytes, or both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. All mice were then inoculated intratracheally with P. carinii. Mice depleted of CD4+ lymphocytes became moderately infected with P. carinii. Mice depleted of CD8+ lymphocytes cleared the inoculum, indicating that CD8+ lymphocytes are unnecessary for defense when CD4+ lymphocytes are available. However, mice depleted of both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes became significantly more intensely infected than mice depleted of CD4+ lymphocytes alone. Therefore, CD8+ lymphocytes participate in defense against P. carinii in vivo during depletion of CD4+ lymphocytes. To determine the mechanisms of this protection, CD8+ lymphocytes were purified from the lungs of CD4-depleted mice during infection. Lung CD8+ lymphocytes proliferated in response to P. carinii antigen and elaborated interferon-γ in vitro. Thus CD8+ lymphocytes provide defense against P. carinii in vivo, and the elaboration of interferon-y likely represents one important mechanism of defense. During states of CD4+ lymphocyte depletion, the modulation of CD8+ lymphocyte function may provide alternative approaches to the host defense against opportunistic pathogens.
Spontaneous Diabetes in the Gnotobiotic BB/W Rat

To determine the influence of infectious agents on the initiation of diabetes in the spontaneously diabetic Bio-Breeding/Worcester (BB/W) rat, susceptible rats were raised in a germ-free environment. Between 2 and 3 mo of age, 3 of 12 pups became diabetic. Histologic examination of the pancreas revealed insulitis or end-stage islets. Culture and smears from various tissues were negative for bacteria or parasites. Serum vital antibody titers for all known rat viruses were undetectable. These data suggest that the diabetic syndrome of the BB/W rat is not dependent on recognized infectious agents.
Outstanding mechanistic questions in heterogeneous catalysis

This Feature Article summarizes key results from our studies on the kinetics of chemical reactions on solid surfaces as they relate to heterogeneous catalysis. Emphasis is placed on the identification of specific issues of relevance to the design of catalytic processes, particularly the need for highly selective catalytic reactions. From the kinetic point of view, issues of selectivity translate into controlling relative activation energies within a small fraction of their absolute value. In the case of catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons, the nature of the final products is determined by the regioselectivity of an early dehydrogenation from surface alkyl intermediates (from the α, β, or γ position), a step greatly affected by the electronic structure of the metal used as catalyst. In the case of partial oxidation reactions, both the geometry of the local ensemble of surface atoms in the catalytic site and the presence of surface species such as hydroxide groups play determining roles in defining selectiv...
Zone model for zinc oxide deposited by combustion chemical vapor deposition

Abstract A zone model describing the microstructures of zinc oxide films deposited by combustion chemical vapor deposition as a function of temperature and precursor concentration was developed experimentally. Homologous temperatures from 0.2 to 0.5, and precursor concentrations from 0.0025 to 0.04 M were investigated. Zinc 2-ethylhexanoate was used as precursor. Low deposition temperatures and/or high precursor concentrations favor the growth of amorphous ZnO (zone A). At moderate deposition temperatures and/or lower precursor concentrations, relatively smooth crystalline, small grained films form (zone T microstructure). The largest deposition temperatures and/or lowest precursor concentrations result in films with columnar grains (zone II microstructure). ZnO could not be deposited at homologous temperatures greater than approximately 0.5 because of its high vapor pressure. Kinetic measurements of the zone A to zone T transition resulted in an activation energy of 64±9 kJ/mol for the responsible mechanism. Similarly, measurements of grain size as a function of deposition temperature yielded an activation energy of 60±21 kJ/mol. These activation energies are consistent with surface diffusion being responsible for both the amorphous to crystalline transition and grain growth in the crystalline films.
Effects of controlled fibronectin surface orientation on subsequent Staphylococcus epidermidis adhesion

Several bacterial species, including Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE) are known to express cell receptors that bind specifically to surface immobilized or extracellular matrix ligands, such as the protein fibronectin (FN). Yet, few existing studies have examined the effect of protein surface orientation on bacterial adhesion. We report here a substratum modification protocol that allows for the specific orientation of FN molecules on a surface at known levels of surface coverage. Monoclonal antibodies (Mabs), specific to either the COOH-terminus or NH3-terminus of FN, are conjugated to biotin, then immobilized to streptavidin-coated glass substrata. Specific orientation of the bound FN molecules is verified using the same Mabs in an ELISA. Bacterial adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE) to FN bound by either its C-terminus or its NH3-terminus was quantified in batch static adhesion assays. Results indicate an increase in SE adhesion to FN-coated surfaces when the FN is bound by its C-terminus (NH3-terminus free), indicating SE receptor-specific adhesion to the FN NH3-terminus. These studies demonstrate that antifibronectin monoclonal antibodies can be used to specifically bind and orient fibronectin on a surface. In addition, adhesion of SE to these model substrata can be controlled by the orientation of the protein. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2005
Improved Techniques for Valuing Large-Scale Projects

One of the standard ways to value project finance investments is to discount equity cash flows (ECF) using a single discount rate, he project9s cost of equity (KE). This approach, however, can lead to significant valuation errors when used to value complex investments. In this article, Esty illustrates problems with such an approach and then presents an improved valuation technique called Quasi-Market Valuation (QMV) which solves these problems and reduces the potential for significant errors. In addition, the author discusses two additional valuation tools-Monte Carlo simulation and real options analysis-which address deficiencies in traditional discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis. With the exception of real options analysis, these new techniques and tools are relatively simple to implement using standard spreadsheet software.
Developmental Origins of Cardiovascular Disease

Although cardiovascular disease has traditionally been viewed as a condition of aging individuals, increasing focus has turned to its developmental origins. Since birthweight has been related to cardiovascular disease risk, research into factors such as gravid conditions that affect fetal growth have grown. Associations between maternal diabetes and childhood obesity from sibling studies suggest a causal role but prospective studies of gestational diabetes remain mixed. Preeclampsia and increased offspring blood pressure has been consistently observed but evidence for other cardiovascular outcomes is lacking. While maternal obesity is associated with childhood obesity, causality remains unclear and paternal obesity should be investigated as an independent risk factor. Environmental chemical exposures in utero, particularly obesogens, are now emerging as another concern, as is conception by infertility treatment. Few studies have investigated subclinical measures of endothelial function or atherosclerosis and more research in these areas may help reveal the underlying pathogenesis.
Preparation of aminomethyl-polystyrene resin by direct amidomethylation

Zur Herstellung von Aminomethyl-polystyrolen (IV) wird die Tscherniac-Einhorn- Reaktion herangezogen, nach der das Polystyrol mit Hydroxymethyl- oder mit Chlormethylphthalimid (IIa) und (IIb) zu (III) kondensiert wird.
Deconstructing disaster: Psycho-social impact of building deconstruction in Post-Katrina New Orleans

Abstract This phenomenological study inquired into the psycho-social impact of building deconstruction in disaster response. Nine building owners participating in a Mercy Corps’ sponsored building deconstruction program in Post-Katrina New Orleans (2005–2008), engaged in extensive interviews about their experience. The core phenomenon they shared was empowerment arising from a synthesis of positive social interaction and material discovery. Dedicated, local, Mercy Corps trained contractors brought immediate relief to these distressed participants by facilitating “a dignified end” to their buildings and by proxy to the lives they held before the catastrophe. Deconstruction allowed participants to reclaim wealth that would have been scrapped for landfill waste by federal mandate. Participants reported a sudden psychological shift from despair to enthusiasm as they regained control of their property and then discovered value out of the ruined buildings. Data indicated that merely possessing reclaimed material did not explain the psychological transformation. Four of nine informants (including impoverished individuals) experienced psychological transformation by giving all of their reclaimed material away. The sharing of material was described as akin to “donating organs” giving life to their critically injured community. Data indicated the program also promoted more environmentally sustainable behavior. Previously, deconstruction has only been addressed in terms of technical, mechanical, economic, or environmental outcomes. This study adds a new component by seeing the human side of that technical process. This report is a companion study to another; Deconstructing Disaster; Economic and Environmental Impacts of Deconstruction in Post-Katrina New Orleans, which provides a quantitative analysis of material salvage from the Mercy Corps program.
The Use of Criterional Measures

Summary.-Using paired-associate learning tasks of different difficulty level, it is shown that independent variables such as task order are more or less effective depending upon when the criterional measures are taken and the level of the criterion used. Similarly, the time of measurement and level of difficulty of the criterion are related to whether or not we find an effect of what is called "drive" in learning simations. An attempt is made to show how this approach may be usefol in interpreting the meaning of independent variables. How have criteria been used? In most instances only to show that an independent variable is or is not effective. Various studies might, for example, report such findings as these: partial reinforcement during acquisition leads to slower extinction, contact with a minority group leads to attimde change, clientcentered therapy enhances the chances of effecting a cure. Such statements as the foregoing imply some criterion of extinction or attitude change or cure. How these particular criteria are chosen remains largely a matter of precedent or convenience. Further, once chosen, they are frequently ignored as sources of information concerning the operation of the independent variable. Very few investigators attempt to vary the criterional measure used in order to help explain the function of the input. These manipulations might be in terms of the time at which the measurement is taken, the level of the criterion, or the type of criterion chosen. If, in the examples given above, different conclusions are reached as a consequence of changing the criterion in any of the dimensions mentioned, then it should be possible to obtain new insights concerning the operation of such variables as partial reinforcement, minority group contact, or client-centered therapy. In a recent article (Weitz, 1961) it was shown that the choice of the performance criterion determined to a large extent the conclusions reached concerning the effectiveness of an independent variable. The particular problem under consideration was the study of mediational effects in paired-associate learning when the response or the stimulus members of a first list had varying degrees of association to response or stimulus members in a second list. For the different conditions used in a snidy by Cramer and Cofer (1960) the mediation effect was or was not discernable depending upon the criterion of learning employed. That is, using criteria of different levels, ranging from 50% correct on one trial to a 'This research was supported by Grant Nonr 285 (51) from the Office of Naval Research. 'The author wishes to express his appreciation to Joel Aronson and Peter Greene for their =sistance.
Evaluating the role of created and natural wetlands in controlling nonpoint source pollution

Abstract Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution control and wetlands protection are two overlapping scientific and policy issues of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Created, restored, and natural wetlands can contribute significantly to watershed water quality but at the same time must be protected from degradation by NPS pollution. Effective use of wetlands in NPS control requires an integrated landscape approach including consideration of social, economic, and government policy issues as well as scientific knowledge.
Light-evoked sustained inhibition in mudpuppy retinal ganglion cells

Abstract Intracellular recordings were made from off-center ganglion cells in the retina of the mudpuppy. Necturus maculosus . Current-voltage measurements revealed that the sustained light-evoked hyperpolarization of these cells is due to a sustained inhibitory synaptic input with a reversal potential more negative than the resting potential.
Embryonic expression of the chicken krüppel‐like (KLF) transcription factor gene family

The Kruppel-like transcription factors (KLF) are zinc finger proteins that activate and suppress target gene transcription. Although KLF factors have been implicated in regulating many developmental processes, a comprehensive gene expression analysis has not been reported. Here we present the chicken KLF gene family and expression during the first five days of embryonic development. Fourteen chicken KLF genes or expressed sequences have been previously identified. Through synteny analysis and cDNA mapping, we have identified the KLF9 gene and determined that the gene presently named KLF1 is the true ortholog of KLF17 in other species. In situ hybridization expression analyses show that in general KLFs are broadly expressed in multiple cell and tissue types. Expression of KLFs 3, 7, 8, and 9, is widespread at all stages examined. KLFs 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 15, and 17 show more restricted patterns that suggest multiple functions during early stages of embryonic development.