cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Quasi-Empirical Mapping of Optimal Scale of Enterprise

There is a substantial empirical data base suggesting that increases in organizational size and complexity tend to be accompanied by decreases in strict economic efficiency. There has, however, been no attempt to provide a generalized explanation for these results, or to asses their macroeconomic implications. Here we attempt to do this, focussing initially on the limited bounds of rationality the management sciences can currently make available. When these are considered, the efficiency disadvantages of large-scale, highly diversified firms become intelligible as follows: When an organization enlarges itself primarily through diversification, it becomes increasingly susceptible to certain administrative diseconomies; beyond some point, these more than offset efficiencies available through size-related economies of scale. There is, in effect, some optimal scale of enterprise, violations of which force a firm to disserve its customers, investors or the general economic welfare.
Influence of estrogens on peroxidase activity in the syrian hamster liver, kidney, and renal adenocarcinoma

Abstract Only very low levels of peroxidase activity were detected in castrated male hamster kidneys [1.0 ± 0.8 (S.E.) units/g protein], and chronic estrogen administration, either diethyltilbestrol (DES) or 17β-estradiol, for 1–5 months did not result in any appreciable increase in this activity. In contrast, hamster liver peroxidase activity was initially 10- to 20-fold higher than kidney levels, and chronic estrogen treatment for similar periods resulted in up to a 9-fold elevation in the activity of this enzyme. Moreover, the level of liver peroxidase activity in both intact and in 5α-dihydrotestosterone-treated castrate hamsters was 2-fold higher than castrate-untreated values. Pure renal carcinoma induced after 9 months of estrogen treatment exhibited peroxidase values similar to those found in hamster livers [124 ± 27 (S.E.) units/g protein] following estrogen treament. When administered concomitantly with DES, tamoxifen significantly reduced the elevated levels of liver peroxidase activity observed after 2 months of DES treatment alone. A high affinity (KA = 0.10 × 109 M−1) estrogen receptor was found in liver cytosols of DES-treated hamsters which had increased slightly from untreated castrate levels.
Provenance of sand on the Poverty Bay shelf, the link between source and sink sectors of the Waipaoa River sedimentary system

Abstract The Poverty Shelf, North Island, New Zealand, is a segment of the Waipaoa Sedimentary System (WSS), a MARGINS Source-to-Sink focus site. Our petrographic analysis of sand from shelf core samples indicates that the sand fraction is mainly derived from intra- and potentially extrabasinal sources, but surprisingly, the major fluvial system that drains into Poverty Bay, the Waipaoa River (mean %QFL = xQyFzL), is not the dominant source. Only one vibracore at the mouth of Poverty Bay contained sand (%QFL = xQyFzL) potentially derived from the Waipaoa River. The shelf sand (mean %QFL = xQyFzL) more strongly resembles beach sand (mean %QFL = xQyFzL) collected along the coast, which is likely sourced from pervasive local cliff erosion of Miocene–Pliocene sedimentary units that exhibit similar sandstone detrital modes (mean %QFL = xQyFzL). Texturally, coarser, more poorly sorted and more angular sand is located along the outer shelf, while finer, well-sorted sand characterizes the mid-shelf. These findings suggest a shorter transport history for the material near the outer-shelf bathymetric high areas, and this observation along with the composition data suggests that they were sourced by erosion of locally exposed Miocene–Pliocene units. A potential extrabasinal source of shelf sediment is indicated by anomalous prolate and equant-shaped greywacke (Torlesse) and minor red chert pebbles collected in two outer-shelf box cores on the Lachlan anticline; these are not lithologies found within the terrestrial segment of the WSS or strata comprising the outer-shelf highs. The clast shapes are also distinctly different from the oblate-shaped, pebble-sized greywacke gravel clasts on beaches in Hawke Bay. Rather, these sediments are more similar to Torlesse stream gravel. Seismic and multibeam data support the possibility that during the most recent sea-level lowstand, the Hawke Bay fluvial system flowed into Poverty Canyon, bringing these unique gravels onto what is now the Poverty outer shelf. The presence of the Torlesse gravel is significant in that it highlights how the WSS was not a closed sedimentary system in the past, just as recent sedimentary research has shown in the case today.
Rat tail skin temperature regulation by estrogen, phytoestrogens and tamoxifen.

Objective: Develop a rat model for the evaluation of estrogenic agents on estrogen deficiency-induced changes in thermoregulation. Methods: OVX rats are impaired in thermoregulation which manifests itself as an elevation in basal tail skin temperature (TST) and are less able to respond to temperature changes than intact rats. Results: Administration of estrogen subcutaneously to estrogen-depleted rats either as depot formulation, biodegradable pellets, or daily injections, suppressed the increased TST. OVX rats maintained on a diet devoid of phytoestrogens had a higher TST by several degrees than OVX rats fed normal chow, offering greater ability to test estrogenic agents on thermoregulation. Depletion of estrogen in intact rats via chronic administration of leuprolide acetate, a GnRH agonist, also increased TST, which was in turn suppressed by estrogen. In intact rats, tamoxifen exhibited estrogen antagonistic activity elevating TST, while in OVX rats, tamoxifen acted as an agonist by suppressing TST. Conclusion: OVX rats kept on a diet devoid of phytoestrogens are a sensitive model for estrogen-dependent thermoregulation.
Effect of aortic constriction on the oxygen supply-consumption balance in partially ischaemic myocardium

A study was carried out to determine the effect of distal aortic constriction on the regional oxygen supply-consumption balance in ischaemic and non-ischaemic myocardium. Left anterior descending coronary artery flow was reduced by 50% in anaesthetised mongrel dogs, and half these animals were subjected to distal ascending aortic constriction (ventricular systolic-aortic systolic pressure gradient 50 mm Hg). Blood flows were determined using radioactive microspheres, and arterial and venous oxygen saturations were determined using microspectrophotometry. When left anterior descending artery flow was decreased by 50% tissue flow, as measured by microspheres in the ischaemic region in both control and aortic constricted animals, decreased. Aortic constriction increased flow in the non-ischaemic zone compared with the same region in control animals. The arteriovenous oxygen content difference increased similarly in the ischaemic region in control and aortic constricted animals compared with their respective non-ischaemic zones. Aortic constriction decreased this difference in the non-ischaemic region compared with these same regions in control animals. Oxygen consumption in the non-ischaemic and ischaemic regions of aortic constricted animals was higher than in control animals. The oxygen supply to consumption ratio was lower in the ischaemic zone in both control and aortic constricted animals than in their respective non-ischaemic regions. Aortic constriction does not appear to alter the oxygen supply-consumption balance in the ischaemic myocardium compared with control animals. Thus the increased work performed by the heart in response to the aortic constriction is adequately matched by an increased flow even in the flow restricted region.
Respiratory characteristics of opossum (Didelphis virginiana) blood during chronic anemia

In five adult opossums (Didelphis virginiana), blood hemoglobin concentration was lowered from 12.3 g% to 6.4 g% by daily bleeding. Blood P50 rose significantly (P < 0.05) from 44.5 mm Hg to 47.4 mm Hg and the concentration of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) increased from 14.17 μmol/g Hb to 20.90 μmol/g Hb. The observed shift in blood oxygen affinity was of similar magnitude to that recorded in humans with a similar degree of anemia, but the concomitant rise in DPG concentration was greater in opossums than in humans. In the opossum the shift in P50 with anemia can be attributed entirely to the action of DPG as a non diffusible intraerythrocytic anion.
Spectral singularities of the quartic anharmonic oscillator

Abstract The singularities of the eigenvalues of the quartic anharmonic oscillator hamiltonian are studied numerically as a function of the quartic coupling parameter. Their location is found to be consistent with previous WKB calculations but the identification of which levels are singular is found to differ.
Analysis of Biogenic Amine Variability among Individual Fly Heads with Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatography−Electrochemical Detection

Neurochemical variability among individual Drosophila heads has been examined with the sensitivity of electrochemical detection and the selectivity of micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography. Homogenization of single Drosophila heads in volumes as small as 100 nL has been accomplished. Here we demonstrate reproducible separations for single fly heads in 250-nL volumes providing a 4-fold increase in sensitivity without overloading the electrochemical detector. This increase in sensitivity allows detection of previously undetected analytes, such as N-acetyltyramine (naTA) and octopamine (OA). Analytes including l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, N-acetyl octopamine, N-acetyldopamine, naTA, N-acetylserotonin, OA, dopamine, tyramine, and serotonin also have been consistently identified in single-head homogenates and observed with homogenates representing populations of Drosophila. Neurochemical variation between individual flies as well as the consistency within a population indicates varying amounts of n...
The effect of brand characteristics and retailer policies on response to retail price promotions: Implications for retailers

Abstract The variation in the impact of a brand's retail price promotion on its own sales (promotional price elasticity) and the sales of its competitors (promotional cross-price elasticities) during the period of the price promotion is studied. Brand characteristics and retailer policies significantly explain the variation in promotional price elasticities and cross-price elasticities across brands. Results are used to offer guidelines to retail managers for planning promotions in terms of what brands to promote, and how and when to promote them under three different retailer objectives: (1) to liquidate inventories; (2) to maximize product category sales; and (3) to maximize product category profits. These guidelines can be used by retailers in taking actions that will result in desirable levels of responses to price promotions of a brand—promotional price elasticity and promotional cross-price elasticities.
Equal-Curvature X-ray Telescope Designs for Constellation-X Mission

We study grazing incidence Equal-Curvature telescope designs for the Constellation-X mission. These telescopes have nearly spherical axial surfaces. The telescopes are designed so that the axial curvature is the same on the primary and secondary. The optical performance of these telescopes is for all practical purposes identical to the equivalent Wolter telescopes.
The effect on pulmonary ultrastructure of dacron-wool filtration during cardiopulmonary bypass

Abstract Lung biopsies from 37 patients undergoing open-heart surgery were studied to observe the effects of platelet-leukocyte aggregates on pulmonary fine structure following extracorporeal circulation. An examination of the pulmonary fine structure one hour after bypass revealed extensive occlusion of the capillary beds by aggregates of leukocytes in various stages of disintegration. In such areas the interalveolar septum exhibited perivascular edema. The endothelium of the affected vessels as well as the overlying type I alveolar epithelium appeared swollen and was frequently ruptured. The removal of leukocyte aggregates by Dacron-wool filtration was shown to reduce the extent of these degenerative lesions. Filters were placed in the coronary suction, primer, and arterial lines. The more complete the filtration was, beginning with the coronary suction line, the more normal the lungs appeared to be following bypass.
Differential protein expression of peroxiredoxin I and II by benzo(a)pyrene and quercetin treatment in 22Rv1 and PrEC prostate cell lines

Mechanisms of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)-mediated toxicity and chemopreventative potential of quercetin in prostate cancer are poorly understood. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to map the differences in protein expression in BaP (1 microM)- and quercetin (5 microM)-treated 22Rv1 human prostate cancer cells. As compared to DMSO, 26 proteins in BaP and 41 proteins in quercetin were found to be differentially expressed (+/-2-fold). Western blots confirmed that BaP increased peroxiredoxin (Prx) Prx I and decreased Prx II in 22Rv1 cells. Similar results were found in PrEC normal prostate epithelial cells. Quercetin (up to 10 microM) upregulated Prx II without altering Prx I levels in 22Rv1 cells whereas in PrEC cells, it did not alter the constitutive protein expression of Prx I or II. The lack of quercetin-mediated changes in Prx expression suggests that quercetin does not interfere with H(2)O(2) levels, and thus may have no deleterious effect in normal prostate cells. Quercetin inhibited both BaP-mediated effects on Prx I and II in 22Rv1 cells. In PrEC cells, quercetin inhibited BaP-mediated upregulation of Prx I and had tendency to neutralize BaP-mediated downregulation of Prx II. Quercetin also inhibited BaP-induced concentrations of reactive oxygen species in both 22Rv1 and PrEC cells. These results suggest that Prx I and II may be involved in BaP-mediated toxicity and the potential chemopreventative mechanisms of quercetin.
Dispersion reduction in pressure-driven flow through microetched channels.

Fluid is often moved about microetched channels in lab-on-a-chip applications using electrokinetic flows (electrophoresis or electroosmosis) rather than pressure-driven flows because the latter result in large Taylor dispersion. However, small pressure gradients may arise unintentionally in such systems due to a mismatch in electroosmotic flow rates or hydrostatic pressure differentials along the microetched channel. Under laminar flow conditions, Doshi et al. (Chem. Eng. Sci. 1978, 33, 795−804) have shown that for a channel with rectangular cross-section of width W and depth d, longitudinal diffusivities can attain values as large as ∼8 K0 for small values of the aspect ratio d/W, where K0 is the value of the longitudinal diffusivity obtained by ignoring all variations across the channel. Microchannels in lab-on-a-chip geometries are often not rectangular in cross-section. Isotropic etching techniques, for example, lead to channels with quarter-circular ends. In this paper we examine the effect of this g...
Increased depolarization, prolonged recovery and reduced adaptation of the resting membrane potential in aged rat skeletal muscles following eccentric contractions

Abstract Previously it was shown in young-adult muscles that eccentric contractions (EC) produce a significant (24 h) depolarization of the resting membrane potential (RMP), and that in-vitro (Gd 3+ ) and in-vivo (streptomycin) blockade of stretch activated ion channels (SAC) result in a partial repolarization of the RMP. The portion of the depolarization not restored by SAC blockade is believed to be from sarcolemmal injury. A second exposure to EC results in less depolarization and a more rapid recovery of the RMP. Aged muscles were subjected to the same EC protocol to test the hypotheses that: (1) Aged muscles will experience a more significant and prolonged depolarization of the RMP following EC. (2) The depolarization in aged muscles will occur by a greater contribution from membrane damage, rather than the opening of SAC. (3) The aged muscles will demonstrate a reduced capacity to adapt to EC, and will experience a similar degree of depolarization following repeated exposures to EC. The results indicate a significantly greater and longer lasting depolarization in aged compared to young-adult muscles. Blocking SAC did not produce a repolarization of the RMP in aged muscles. Aged muscles had a significantly reduced adaptive response to EC compared to young-adult. It is speculated that the different response in aged muscles results from a reduced number of functional SAC.
Can Paralytic Poliomyelitis Be Eliminated

The question of whether paralytic poliomyelitis can be eliminated can be approached either from the theoretic and scientific perspective or from the practical perspective of a program. From the former perspective, the answer is probably yes; from the latter, the answer would be that global eradication of this disease cannot be achieved by the year 2000. The global eradication of smallpox was a remarkable achievement and is held up as an example to show that the deliberate worldwide elimination of a human infectious-disease agent can be scheduled and accomplished. However, there are significant differences in the epidemiology and in the control programs for smallpox and poliomyelitis that make the global eradication of poliomyelitis more difficult. Presently, scarce resources for improving health throughout the world cannot be easily diverted for the specific purpose of eradicating paralytic poliomyelitis. The control of poliomyelitis for the next decade will have to proceed at the same relative pace as other major disease control programs of the World Health Organization, such as the Expanded Programme on Immunization and the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade. After 1990, the extent to which these programs have controlled or regionally eliminated paralytic poliomyelitis can be assessed. It may be more appropriate then to ask the question, can paralytic poliomyelitis be eliminated?
Efficient implementations of ultrasound color Doppler algorithms on VLIW architectures

DSP chips are gaining importance in ultrasound applications as the need for portability and low power grows. One of the more computationally demanding applications for ultrasound involves estimating blood flow characteristics using Doppler techniques. This ultrasound mode, called color Doppler ultrasound, is used to diagnose many conditions like blood clots, valve defects and blocked arteries. This work looks at mapping some typical color Doppler algorithms onto Texas Instruments' (TI's) high performance C64x+ (TM) core. The algorithms include RF demodulation, wall filtering and flow power, velocity and turbulence estimation. This paper starts with a general technique for analyzing algorithm complexity in terms of CPU instruction cycles on VLIW architectures like the C64x+ (TM) . It then applies this technique to Doppler processing algorithms, explains their mapping to the C64x+ (TM) architecture and derives lower bounds for the computational complexity for these algorithm kernels. For each of these algorithms, these estimates are finally compared to actual implementations, and various implementation tradeoffs will be illustrated. Based on these implementations, it will be shown that these algorithms can run on TI's C64x+ (TM) based DSPs using a fraction of the available processing power.
Interactive Functional Reparameterization of Geometric Models

Engineering designs are often determined by functional considerations, yet modeled with purely geometric parameters. Because of this, a difficult part of a design engineer’s job is tracking how changes to the geometric model might alter the functional performance of the design. This paper proposes a design interface that uses temporary functional views of geometric models to augment design engineers, helping them explore design space while continuously apprising them of the implications that modifications have on a design. The basic approach of the proposed interface is to use fast, interactive analysis tools in combination with feedback mechanisms to create temporary, functional design handles on top of the underlying geometric parametric structure. This design exploration tool is implemented in a research CAD system and demonstrated on illustrative examples.© 2009 ASME
EFFECT OF VIEWING SELECTED COLORS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF GROSS AND FINE MOTOR TASKS

There has been interest recently in the association between emotinal tone and color (I), personality, color, and gross motor skill performance (3) and the effects of different colored balls and background on catching (2). There appear to be no recent studies of the effects of color on motor performance wherein arousal is assumed to be the intervening variable. This study tested the effects of viewing colors on motor performance assuming performance variations within subjects would result from fluctuations in arousal state associated with visual exposure to different colors. Subjects were 30 volunteers none of whom were color blind nor had any previous experience on the rotary pursuit. The dependent variables were strength as measured by the grip dynamometer, power as measured by the vettical jump, and precision as measured by the Lafayerte Model 2203 rotary pursuit apparatus. The independent variables were the colors red, blue, and pink under each of which the subject performed three trials on each of the three tasks; grip suength, vertical jump, and rotary pursuit. The order of the colors was random. One-way analyses of variance were utilized to determine whether color affected performance on the three tasks. There were no significant differences in performance while viewing different light conditions for the vertical jump and rotary pursuit tasks (20-sec. trials at 60 rpm). The mean vertical jump ranged from 42.68 to 42.97 in. The means for the rotary pursuit were 7.82, 7.63, and 7.23 sec. on target after viewing red, blue, and pink colors, respeaively. A significant difference was found among the colors for grip suength. The Scheffe test for multiple comparisons was used to compare the individual means. The mean grip strength, 40.13 kg., was significantly higher after viewing the red illuminated wall than after viewing the blue illuminated wall (M = 38.48 kg., p < .04). Similarly, the mean grip strength after viewing the red illuminated wall was significantly higher than the mean after viewing the pink illuminated wall. The means were 40.13 and 38.17, respectively (fi < .09). There was no difference between means for suength after viewing blue and pink illuminated walls. Also, there were no effects for trials. It may be beneficial for participants in strength events to "see red" immediately before competing. Perhaps red light should also be viewed during actual events requiring strength!
Risk, anti-reflexivity, and ethical neutralization in industrial food processing

While innovations have fostered the mass production of food at low costs, there are externalities or side effects associated with high-volume food processing. We focus on foodborne illness linked to two commodities: ground beef and bagged salad greens. In our analysis, we draw from the concepts of risk, reflexive modernization, and techniques of ethical neutralization. For each commodity, we find that systems organized for industrial goals overlook how production models foster cross-contamination and widespread outbreaks. Responses to outbreaks tend to rely on technological fixes, which do not constitute the reflexive change needed to holistically and effectively address foodborne illness in the long term. We contend that powerful anti-reflexivity movements resist calls for reform and successfully maintain industrial goals and organization. Actions that thwart changes in agrifood systems to better protect consumers are unethical, yet they continue to be successful. We argue that specific techniques of ethical neutralization play an important part in their success. Research on anti-reflexivity and techniques of neutralization will serve to further expose the ethical issues associated with the industrial agrifood system and foster new guiding principles and organizational designs for food production.
Neurologic profiles of infants and children after perinatal stroke.

Twenty-nine children with a single, unilateral cerebral infarct acquired pre- or perinatally were examined subsequently for an average of 43 months. No consistent pre- or perinatal events were identified to explain the occurrence of the stroke. The children acquired motor milestones at nearly expected times, even in the presence of hemiparesis. In children older than 2 years of age, I.Q. scores all were within the normal range. More than one-half of the children experienced seizures at some time during the follow-up period. Good intellectual and functional motor outcome can be expected in children with isolated perinatal stroke.
The Developmentally Regulated Expression of Serum Response Factor Plays a Key Role in the Control of Smooth Muscle-Specific Genes

Serum response factor (SRF) is a MADS box transcription factor that has been shown to be important in the regulation of a variety of muscle-specific genes. We have previously shown SRF to be a major component of multiple cis/trans interactions found along the smooth muscle gamma-actin (SMGA) promoter. In the studies reported here, we have further characterized the role of SRF in the regulation of the SMGA gene in the developing gizzard. EMSA analyses, using nuclear extracts derived from gizzards at various stages in development, showed that the SRF-containing complexes were not present early in gizzard smooth muscle development, but appeared as development progressed. We observed an increase in SRF protein and mRNA levels during gizzard development by Western and Northern blot analyses, with a large increase just preceding an increase in SMGA expression. Thus, changes in SRF DNA-binding activity were paralleled with increased SRF gene expression. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated a correspondence of SRF and SMGA expression in differentiating visceral smooth muscle cells (SMCs) during gizzard tissue development. This correspondence of SRF and SMGA expression was also observed in cultured smooth muscle mesenchyme induced to express differentiated gene products in vitro. In gene transfer experiments with SMGA promoter-luciferase reporter gene constructs we observed four- to fivefold stronger SMGA promoter activity in differentiated SMCs relative to replicating visceral smooth muscle cells. Further, we demonstrate the ability of a dominant negative SRF mutant protein to specifically inhibit transcription of the SMGA promoter in visceral smooth muscle, directly linking SRF with the control of SMGA gene expression. Taken together, these data suggest that SRF plays a prominent role in the developmental regulation of the SMGA gene.
Effect of Phosphate and of Related Co-factors on the Metabolism of Bovine Spermatozoa

Summary Experiments were conducted to reassess the effect of diluents containing fructose and seminal plasma on the Pasteur effect in bovine spermatozoan metabolism. When diluted semen was studied, the Pasteur effect was more marked in saline than in phosphate diluent. With twice-washed spermatozoa a substantial Pasteur effect was demonstrated in phosphate but not in saline, for only a minimum of lactic acid accumulated in saline even under anaerobiotic conditions. The addition of low levels of inorganic phosphate (levels which did not inhibit O 2 uptake), adenosine diphosphate and combinations of these, as well as the addition of 0.002 m oxidized or reduced diphosphopyridine nucleotide, did not stimulate the low lactic acid accumulation by washed sperm cells diluted with saline. High levels of phosphate in the diluent were stimulatory to fructolysis and inhibited the oxidation of pyruvate and lactate.
A novel gel electrophoretic extraction and fractionation technique in comparative analysis of functional differences and alterations in cellular metabolism

A novel gel electrophoretic extraction and fractionation technique is described. The technique enables extraction of aqueous sample components (nonamphoteric and amphoteric) into polar and water-miscible organic solvents. The three major fractions obtained are acidic, basic, and neutral/nonextractable. In the acidic and basic fractions, the extractable compounds form a pH gradient in which they are further separated by the difference in their dissociation constants. Selective separation of acidic and basic ampholytes from other sample components is possible by modifying experimental conditions. The workup technique is particularly suitable for sample profiling because of quantitative extraction yields. Applications of the technique are shown by gas chromatographic profiles of extracellular fluids from cultured and biopsied intact cells. Differences in metabolic consumption and excretion in various cell lines and in normal and diseased cells (biopsies) as reflected in the extracellular environment are demonstrated. Profiles of extracellular fluids bathing approximately 1500 cells indicate the potential of this approach and methodology.
Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a type of childhood epilepsy that has enormous detrimental effects on the patient's physical and developmental health and can also take a dramatic toll on the well-being of the patient's family. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is characterized by variable etiology, multiple types of intractable seizures, and cognitive impairment in most patients. It is one of the most difficult epilepsy syndromes to treat and is frequently resistant to treatment with standard antiepilepsy drugs. This article reviews the etiology of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, characteristics of predominant seizure types, methods of evaluating patients for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and available treatments including antiepilepsy drug therapy, ketogenic diet, and surgical options.
Observation of period doubling and chaos in spin-wave instabilities in yttrium iron garnet

Ferromagnetic resonance in a polished 0.047-cm-radius sphere of gallium-doped yttrium iron garnet is studied at 1.3 GHz in a magnetic field of 460 G. A second-order Suhl instability is observed, owing to the nonlinear coupling of the precessing uniform magnetization with spin waves. This is detected by the onset of auto-oscillations of the magnetization. One of these modes with frequency \ensuremath{\approx}16 kHz corresponds to the lowest spherical dimensional resonance of a packet of spin waves of small wave vector and long lifetime (\ensuremath{\approx} ${10}^{3}$ cycles). From real-time signals, spectral analysis, and return maps this mode is found to display chaotic dynamics as the driving rf field is increased: thresholds for the onset of period-doubling bifurcations, chaos, and periodic windows. Some observed return maps bear resemblance to the two-dimensional area-preserving quadratic map of H\'enon. The system has several attractors and displays "solid-state turbulence," analogous to that in fluids.
Testosterone increases the number of substance P-like immunoreactive neurons in a specific sub-division of the lateral hypothalamus of the weakly electric, brown ghost knifefish, Apteronotusleptorhynchus

During spawning, male and female brown ghost knife fish modulate their electric organ discharge to produce discrete courtship signals known as chirps. However, non-spawning fish show clear sex differences in chirp responsiveness to electrosensory stimuli; males consistently chirp, whereas females do not. This behavioral dimorphism is paralleled by sex differences in substance P-like immunoreactivity (SPl-ir) in the prepacemaker nucleus (PPn) which regulates chirping. The PPn is densely innervated by SPl-ir fibers in males, but not in females. However, we have shown that both female chirping behavior and the expression of SPl-ir in the PPn are enhanced following adult testosterone treatment [J.G. Dulka, L. Maler, W. Ellis, Androgen-induced changes in electrocommunicatory behavior are correlated with changes in substance P-like immunoreactivity in the brain of the electric fish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus, J. Neurosci. 15 (1995) 1879-1890]. Thus, testosterone-induced changes in SPl-ir input to the PPn may modulate female chirping during spawning. Recent evidence suggests that SPl-ir projections to the PPn may originate from SPl-ir neurons in the lateral hypothalamus (Hl). If so, one might expect to see a greater number of SPl-ir neurons in the Hl of testosterone-implanted females compared to Blank-implanted controls. In making this comparison, we found that both groups of females had similar numbers of SPl-ir neurons in the anterior Hl, but that testosterone-implanted females had significantly (p<0.01) more SPl-ir neurons in a distinct part of the posterior Hl. This sub-population of testosterone-sensitive, SPl-ir neurons may contribute to the regulation of chirping, since an increase in their number is positively correlated with the appearance of SPl-ir fibers in the PPn [J.G. Dulka, L. Maler, W. Ellis, Androgen-induced changes in electrocommunicatory behavior are correlated with changes in substance P-like immunoreactivity in the brain of the electric fish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus, J. Neurosci. 15 (1995) 1879-1890].
A Cre/loxP-mediated self-activating gene excision system to produce marker gene free transgenic soybean plants

Marker-gene-free transgenic soybean plants were produced by isolating a developmentally regulated embryo-specific gene promoter, app1, from Arabidopsis and developing a self-activating gene excision system using the P1 bacteriophage Cre/loxP recombination system. To accomplish this, the Cre recombinase gene was placed under control of the app1 promoter and, together with a selectable marker gene (hygromycin phosphotransferase), were cloned between two loxP recombination sites. This entire sequence was then placed between a constitutive promoter and a coding region for either β-glucuronidase (Gus) or glyphosate acetyltransferase (Gat). Gene excision would remove the entire sequence between the two loxP sites and bring the coding region to the constitutive promoter for expression. Using this system marker gene excision occurred in over 30% of the stable transgenic events as indicated by the activation of the gus reporter gene or the gat gene in separate experiments. Transgenic plants with 1 or 2 copies of a functional excision-activated gat transgene and without any marker gene were obtained in T0 or T1 generation. This demonstrates the feasibility of using developmentally controlled promoters to mediate marker excision in soybean.
Non-universalities in dark matter detection

The existence of dark matter, both on the cosmological scale and locally in the Milky Way is reviewed. Models of cold dark matter (CDM) based on supergravity grand unification with R-partity invariance are examined. In these models, the CDM particles are the lightest neutralino, Z 1 . The parameter space for SU(5) and SO(10) models with non-universal soft breaking is examined. It is seen that the minimum event rates can be increased or decreased by a factor of 10–100 (depending on the sign of the non-universal corrections) if 2m Z¯ 1 is in the vicinity of the Z or Higgs mass.
Distribution of cardiovascular related cells within the human thalamus.

Representation of cardiovascular function has not been investigated in the human thalamus. In the rat, the insular cortex is the principal forebrain site of cardiovascular representation whose afferents originate from a circumscribed thalamic area (nucleus ventralis posterolateralis-parvicellular portion, VPLpc). We therefore evaluated 4481 thalamic cells for phasic cardiovascular activity using extracellular recording techniques in 60 unanesthetized patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures. We identified 26 cells with phasic activity strongly related to the cardiac cycle in 10 patients. These cells clustered within the ventrocaudal nucleus of the thalamus (the principal sensory nucleus analagous to the ventral posterior thalamic group in the rat and monkey) and were equally distributed between the right and left sides. The majority of these cells (17/26) showed peaks of phasic neuronal activity within 50 ms of the peak systolic pressure; 35% had peripheral cutaneous fields in areas to which cardiac pain is often referred. We suggest that these cells may be involved in the integration of afferent baroreceptor information; may possibly be concerned with the generation and/or processing of central cardiac pain in humans; and that their derangement may possibly contribute to the lethal cardiovascular disturbances which occur in fatal familial insomnia.
Merit Regulation via the Suitability Rules

The philosophy underpinning federal securities regulation in the United States is one of disclosure. This has been the case since the inception of federal securities regulation in 1933,2 and continues to be the case with Congress's most recent enactments on the subject, contained in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010.3 In the wake of the financial industry's collapse in 2008, and the recession it helped spark, some have questioned whether this paradigm remains advisable.4 They have suggested the introduction of merit regulation into the U.S. securities law regime, whereby the government would not merely mandate certain issuer disclosures, but would also prevent the offering of securities deemed too risky.5 Although not revolutionary (as several American states, and nations such as China, have a merit component to their securities laws), the concept of merit regulation is indeed largely alien to the scheme of U.S. federal securities regulation.6 As such, it would be a transformative development. There is, however, a far more modest way of approximating the same result. And it builds upon our existing regulatory infrastructure: suitability rules. Via enhancements to the suitability rules, policymakers can achieve much of what merit regulation promises, without the significant, accompanying drawbacks. Properly enhanced, such rules could provide a system that safeguards investors from unsuitably risky investments on a case-by-case basis, thereby depriving neither corporations, nor investors, of mutually beneficial opportunities that might be fully appropriate for them despite their inappropriateness for others. It could also furnish an additional tool by which authorities could regulate systemic risk. Like Caesar's Gaul, this Article is divided into three parts. Part I will describe the disclosure-based federal securities regulatory regime that prevails in the United States today. It will highlight the limitations of this regime, as underscored by merit-regulation proponents seeking its reform. Part II will describe merit regulation, both in theory and in practice. It too will end with an articulation of the drawbacks associated with such an approach. Part III will describe the “suitability rules” component of U.S. securities law, as they are currently formulated. Part III will also demonstrate how the suitability rules can be utilized to essentially achieve the desideratum of merit regulation without the costs associated therewith.
On Cryer's problem with large displacements

The consolidation of a porous saturated sphere under an isotropic pressure, and free to drain on its surface, is examined. It is shown that a Mandel—Cryer effect develops irrespective of the magnitude of the strains which occur. Surprisingly, the effect is found to be virtually independent of strain. However, the progress of consolidation is substantially faster in the presence of large strains.
A power electronics communication protocol for distributed digital control architectures

This paper presents a distributed control system architecture for power electronics conversion systems. Control partitioning is described and a two-level control hierarchy is proposed. Specifically, a hardware manager-controlling the actual power conversion process-, and an application manager, hardware independent Universal Controller are introduced and implemented. A detailed description of these controllers is given using a voltage-source inverter as test system. Additionally, a high-speed real-time protocol (PESNet) is introduced for communication purposes of the proposed distributed control architecture. The synchronous nature of the protocol is described in addition to its data types and commands. From the analysis presented the usage of such an architecture and controllers for reconfigurable zonal distribution systems becomes apparent.
Pregnancy and pregnancy-associated hormones alter immune responses and disease pathogenesis

During pregnancy, it is evolutionarily advantageous for inflammatory immune responses that might lead to fetal rejection to be reduced and anti-inflammatory responses that promote transfer of maternal antibodies to the fetus to be increased. Hormones modulate the immunological shift that occurs during pregnancy. Estrogens, including estradiol and estriol, progesterone, and glucocorticoids increase over the course of pregnancy and affect transcriptional signaling of inflammatory immune responses at the maternal-fetal interface and systemically. During pregnancy, the reduced activity of natural killer cells, inflammatory macrophages, and helper T cell type 1 (Th1) cells and production of inflammatory cytokines, combined with the higher activity of regulatory T cells and production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, affects disease pathogenesis. The severity of diseases caused by inflammatory responses (e.g., multiple sclerosis) is reduced and the severity of diseases that are mitigated by inflammatory responses (e.g., influenza and malaria) is increased during pregnancy. For some infectious diseases, elevated inflammatory responses that are necessary to control and clear a pathogen have a negative consequence on the outcome of pregnancy. The bidirectional interactions between hormones and the immune system contribute to both the outcome of pregnancy and female susceptibility to disease.
The follow-up CT scan in childhood meningitis

CT in childhood bacterial meningitis has indicated that bacterial meningitis is more than an inflammation of the subarachnoid space; it is a disease process which often exerts a profound effect on the brain parenchyma. In some cases ventricular widening may be a reflection of loss of brain substance rather than increased intracranial pressure. A vasculitis may occur in cerebral vessels with consequent ischemic infarct. The abnormalities found on CT during the acute illness are frequently persistent.
Speech motor development: Integrating muscles, movements, and linguistic units.

Abstract A fundamental problem for those interested in human communication is to determine how ideas and the various units of language structure are communicated through speaking. The physiological concepts involved in the control of muscle contraction and movement are theoretically distant from the processing levels and units postulated to exist in language production models. A review of the literature on adult speakers suggests that they engage complex, parallel processes involving many units, including sentence, phrase, syllable, and phoneme levels. Infants must develop multilayered interactions among language and motor systems. This discussion describes recent studies of speech motor performance relative to varying linguistic goals during the childhood, teenage, and young adult years. Studies of the developing interactions between speech motor and language systems reveal both qualitative and quantitative differences between the developing and the mature systems. These studies provide an experimental basis for a more comprehensive theoretical account of how mappings between units of language and units of action are formed and how they function. Learning outcomes: Readers will be able to: (1) understand the theoretical differences between models of speech motor control and models of language processing, as well as the nature of the concepts used in the two different kinds of models, (2) explain the concept of coarticulation and state why this phenomenon has confounded attempts to determine the role of linguistic units, such as syllables and phonemes, in speech production, (3) describe the development of speech motor performance skills and specify quantitative and qualitative differences between speech motor performance in children and adults, and (4) describe experimental methods that allow scientists to study speech and limb motor control, as well as compare units of action used to study non-speech and speech movements.
“What do you mean when you say that you are sexually satisfied?” A mixed methods study:

Not enough is understood about the role of gender norms and sexual stigma in shaping individuals’ definitions of sexual satisfaction. The current study aimed to investigate the heterogeneity of def...
The Trotter Paterson Lecture 2012: Whatever happened to visual performance?

Visual performance has been studied since the 1930s to help establish a foundation for recommended illuminances. Two approaches were taken to research visual performance, one by Weston in Great Britain and the other by Luckiesh in the United States, leading to different recommended illuminances in the two countries. Because of the energy crisis of the 1970s, applied research into visual performance was undertaken to resolve the discrepancy, resulting in a model of relative visual performance. More recently, a controversy has emerged regarding the value of illuminating roadways. Recent research shows that the incremental improvements in visual performance provided by roadway lighting are correlated with the incremental reductions in night-time crashes, demonstrating that an understanding of visual performance remains important for lighting practice.
Herpes simplex virus vectors elicit durable immune responses in the presence of preexisting host immunity.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) recombinants are being developed as vaccine vectors for the expression of heterologous antigens. There is concern, however, that preexisting HSV immunity may decrease their effectiveness. We have addressed this issue in an animal model. Immunized mice were inoculated with a replication-defective HSV-1 vector that expressed the Escherichia coli β-galactosidase protein as a model antigen. We assessed vector efficacy by analyzing the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody response and cellular proliferative response directed against β-galactosidase. We report that the ability of the vector to induce antibody or proliferative responses was not diminished by preexisting immunity to HSV. Of further note, the anti-HSV and anti-β-galactosidase IgG responses following vector administration were extremely durable in both immunized and naive mice. These results indicate that the ability of a replication-defective HSV-derived vaccine vector to elicit long-lived immune responses in mice is not impaired by prior HSV exposure.