cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Responses of male golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) to clean and male scented areas.

The effects of odors from male golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) on the exploration of an unfamiliar area by male conspecifics were tested in two experiments. Males entered an area with a greater latency when conspecific male odors were present than when the area was unscented. This effect waned with repeated trials. Males entered the area more slowly and spent less time there when it was scented with odors from a normal male than when it contained odors from a flank glandectomized male. The significance of these results in interpreting the communication functions of the flank gland are discussed.
The CBCL predicts DSM bipolar disorder in children: a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Background: No clear consensus has been reached yet on how best to characterize children who suffer from pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD). The CBCL-PBD profile on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) has been consistently reported showing deviant findings on the Attention Problems, Aggressive Behavior, and Anxious-Depressed subscales. Aim: To examine the sensitivity and specificity of the proposed CBCL-PBD profile for determining DSM diagnosis of PBD. Methods: We applied receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to data from 471 probands from two family studies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and their 410 siblings. Results: The CBCL-PBD score demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.97 for probands and 0.82 for siblings for current diagnosis of PBD, suggesting that the CBCL-PBD provided a highly efficient way of identifying subjects with a current diagnosis of PBD in this sample. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the CBCL-PBD may provide a highly efficient way of screening for childhood bipolar disorder.
An Assessment and Comparison of Installed Solar and Wind Capacity in Texas

This paper presents the first-ever comprehensive assessment of the installed solar capacity in Texas. While the power generated from grid-tied solar photovoltaic installations can be tracked, an inventory including the capacity of these and other types of solar installations has never been performed. In contrast, installed wind capacity in Texas is closely tracked and widely publicized. Because of this discrepancy, decision-makers have lacked critical information to gauge the appropriateness of solar versus wind power for future installations, complicating their ability to prioritize which renewable power sources to incentivize. The work presented in this paper fills this knowledge gap by providing the methodology and results from a bottoms-up survey of major solar installers, large solar customers, and relevant government agencies (for example government agencies that are responsible for issuing rebates, or those that are major solar customers themselves). Over thirty entities were systematically contacted to obtain proprietary data that were then aggregated to determine the total installed solar capacity in Texas. Both power generation and heating applications are considered, including the following: photovoltaic (on- and off-grid), concentrating solar power (CSP), solar pond, and solar water heating (SWH). Other heating forms such as room and pool heating are not considered. An aggregate figure is presented and then benchmarked against installed wind capacity. Findings reveal that after 30 years and roughly $56 million in installation costs (at approximately $8300/kW), Texas possesses about 6.7 megawatts (MW) of installed solar electric capacity. Comparatively, in over 6 years and an estimated $6.9 billion in installation costs (at approximately $1600/kW), installed wind capacity in Texas approaches 5000 MW, which is more than any other state in the United States. Notably, at least another 8000 MW of new wind projects are in various stages of development, whereas few significant solar projects have been announced. This solar assessment exposes a stark difference in pace, cost and total size of installation for these two power sources, which is the likely experience for many other states. While these differences do not negate solar as a future power option, they raise further questions about the technical, social, and economic barriers each renewable technology faces, as well as the feasibility and design of incentives to further market penetration. Understanding this mixed history for these two power sources offers instructive guidance and useful insights to policymakers nationwide.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The Thomas-Fermi theory of atoms, molecules and solids

Abstract We place the Thomas-Fermi model of the quantum theory of atoms, molecules, and solids on a firm mathematical footing. Our results include: (1) A proof of existence and uniqueness of solutions of the nonlinear Thomas-Fermi equations as well as the fact that these solutions minimize the Thomas-Fermi energy functional, (2) a proof that in a suitable large nuclear charge limit, the quantum mechanical energy is asymptotic to the Thomas-Fermi energy, and (3) control of the thermodynamic limit of the Thomas-Fermi theory on a lattice.
Palmitic acid increased yields of milk and milk fat and nutrient digestibility across production level of lactating cows

The effects of palmitic acid supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, and metabolic and production responses were evaluated in dairy cows with a wide range of milk production (34.5 to 66.2 kg/d) in a crossover design experiment with a covariate period. Thirty-two multiparous Holstein cows (151 ± 66 d in milk) were randomly assigned to treatment sequence within level of milk production. Treatments were diets supplemented (2% of diet DM) with palmitic acid (PA; 99% C16:0) or control (SH; soyhulls). Treatment periods were 21 d, with the final 4 d used for data and sample collection. Immediately before the first treatment period, cows were fed the control diet for 21 d and baseline values were obtained for all variables (covariate period). Milk production measured during the covariate period (preliminary milk yield) was used as covariate. In general, no interactions were detected between treatment and preliminary milk yield for the response variables measured. The PA treatment increased milk fat percentage (3.40 vs. 3.29%) and yields of milk (46.0 vs. 44.9 kg/d), milk fat (1.53 vs. 1.45 kg/d), and 3.5% fat-corrected milk (44.6 vs. 42.9 kg/d), compared with SH. Concentrations and yields of protein and lactose were not affected by treatment. The PA treatment did not affect dry matter (DM) intake or body weight, tended to decrease body condition score (2.93 vs. 2.99), and increased feed efficiency (3.5% fat-corrected milk/DM intake; 1.60 vs. 1.54), compared with SH. The PA treatment increased total-tract digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (39.0 vs.35.7%) and organic matter (67.9 vs. 66.2%), but decreased fatty acid (FA) digestibility (61.2 vs. 71.3%). As total FA intake increased, total FA digestibility decreased (R(2) = 0.51) and total FA absorbed increased (quadratic R(2) = 0.82). Fatty acid yield response, calculated as the additional FA yield secreted in milk per unit of additional FA intake, was 11.7% for total FA and 16.5% for C16:0 plus cis-9 C16:1 FA. The PA treatment increased plasma concentration of nonesterified FA (101 vs. 90.0 μEq/L) and cholecystokinin (19.7 vs. 17.6 pmol/L), and tended to increase plasma concentration of insulin (10.7 vs. 9.57 μ IU/mL). Results show that palmitic acid fed at 2% of diet DM has the potential to increase yields of milk and milk fat, independent of production level without increasing body condition score or body weight. However, a small percentage of the supplemented FA was partitioned to milk.
The Effects of Comprehensive Vocabulary Instruction on Title I Students' Metacognitive Word-Learning Skills and Reading Comprehension

This study examined the effects of a multifaceted, metacognitive vocabulary intervention on the reading comprehension and vocabulary achievement of fifth-grade children in one of California's lowes...
Unusual Combination of Congenital Heart Defects in an Infant with Noonan Syndrome

Congenital heart disease occurs in 35–50% of patients diagnosed with Noonan syndrome. We present an infant with an unusual combination of congenital heart defects not previously reported, including partial atrioventricular septal defect, polyvalvular dysplasia, and progressive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We discuss the possible interaction between these lesions that may have led to the patient's rapid demise.
FURTHER EXPERIMENTS UPON THE EFFECTS OF EXTIRPATION OF THE THYMUS IN RATS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE ALLEGED PRODUCTION OF RACHITIC LESIONS

Rachitic changes in the bones and teeth occur in young albino rats as the result of spontaneous disease, possibly of infective origin. This disease is often, but not always, accompanied by an arrest of growth and malnutrition. There is no valid reason for attributing such lesions to the loss of thymic function. In some of the rats showing the disease, an unusual number of mitoses were found in the parathyroid glands, but no evidence of injury to these structures. It has not been found possible to confirm the statements of Klose and Magnini as to the fatal effects of complete thymus extirpation in rats.
Trends in youth's videogame playing, overall computer use, and communication technology use: The impact of self-esteem and the Big Five personality factors

The objective of the current research is to model trends in video game playing, overall computer use, and communication technology use in a longitudinal sample of youths, aged 11-16 over a 3-year interval. In addition, individual difference characteristics that may be predictive of these trends were included, namely, socio-demographic characteristics (gender, ethnicity, and parental income) and personality characteristics (self-esteem, the Big Five personality factors). Findings suggested that youth increased their overall computer and communication technology use but decreased their videogame playing over time. Many individual differences predicted mean levels of these technologies with fewer predicting slopes. Conclusions, implications, and limitations are discussed.
STRANGERS IN AN INFANT'S LIFE

Recent observations suggest that the concept of “Stranger anxiety” has been over-simplified and that at least some of the fears shown are due to situational factors rather than to innate fears. To compare the effectiveness of varying environmental conditions in reducing infants' distress at being left with a stranger, the length of time during which the mother stayed with the infant-stranger pair before leaving them alone together and the manner in which the stranger first approached the baby and mother were systematically varied. 40 infants (mean age 53.1 weeks) from intact white families were studied. Only four of the infants fussed when the stranger first entered the room while mothers were present. However, once the mother left, infants responded significantly more negatively (p<.001) to the stranger's approach. When the stranger approached the babies slowly and focused most of his initial attention on the mothers, infants looked at him (p<.005) and smiled at him (p<.025) significantly more than when he quickly came up and focused attention on the infants. The length of time mothers stayed before leaving (3 vs. 10 minutes)did not significantly affect infants' behavior. 17 infants returned one week later to test whether meeting the stranger a second time diminished distress. Infants (particularly girls) protested significantly more at being left during the second visit (p<.05). These observations should help caregivers of young children be alert to and overcome conditions which heighten stranger protest.
Spectral bisection of graphs and connectedness

Abstract We present a refinement of the work of Miroslav Fiedler regarding bisections of irreducible matrices. We consider graph bisections as defined by the cut set consisting of characteristic edges of the eigenvector corresponding to the smallest non-zero eigenvalue of the graph Laplacian (the so-called Fiedler vector). We provide a simple and transparent analysis, including the cases when there exist components with value zero. Namely, we extend the class of graphs for which the Fiedler vector is guaranteed to produce connected subgraphs in the bisection. Furthermore, we show that for all connected graphs there exist Fiedler vectors such that connectedness is preserved by the bisection, and estimate the measure of the set of connectedness preserving Fiedler vectors with respect to the set of all Fiedler vectors.
Effectiveness of a lesson series on death and dying in changing Adolescents' death anxiety and attitudes toward older adults

Abstract The impact of a two-week study of death and dying on the death anxiety and attitudes toward older persons was determined for a group of students from eight North Carolina high schools. In addition, 13 personal and situational variables were investigated to determine their relationship to pretest levels of death anxiety and attitudes toward older persons. A total of 323 were in the experimental groups and 152 in the control groups. The pretest adolescents' levels of death anxiety were moderately high; however, the attitudes toward older persons were positive. Both groups evidenced a small decrease in death anxiety and a slight change in attitudes toward older persons in a negative direction. None of these changes were statistically significant. The respondents' sex, last personal involvement with death, and school they attended were significantly related to death anxiety. Religious preference, grade in school, race, and first involvement with death were related to pretest attitudes toward older ad...
The effect of landscape position on biomass crop yield.

Integrating annual and perennial crops at the field scale creates new opportunities for increasing financial return while addressing important environmental and ecological issues. An understanding of biomass productivity on specific landscape positions is essential to realizing this goal. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of landscape position on the productivity of herbaceous and woody biomass crops. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), corn (Zea mays L.), willow (Salix spp.), cottonwood (Populus deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall), poplar (Populus maximowiczii x P. nigra), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) were planted on seven landscape positions. Soil attributes were measured and included soil nitrogen, P, K, and profile darkness index (PDI). Terrain attributes included specific catchment area (SpecCat) and compound terrain index (CTI). A hierarchical Bayesian approach was used to analyze spatial data. Corn grain and stover yield was lowest in depositional and flat areas that retain water for longer periods of time and highest on well drained summit positions. Corn stover yield was positively correlated to nitrogen, PDI, SpecCat, and CTI, whereas corn grain yield was not correlated to any of the soil or terrain attributes tested. Conversely, willow productivity was among the highest at the depositional position and lowest at the summit position. For SX67 willow, growth was positively correlated to SpecCat, whereas 9882 willow growth was negatively correlated to PDI and CTI. Alfalfa and poplar productivity was highest at a site characterized by a relatively steep slope with potentially erosive soils.
A Magnetic Resonance Study of Complex Formation between the Neutral Phenalenyl Radical and Alkali Metal Ions in Dilute Alcohol Solutions

In previous work from our laboratories we have characterized the molecular motion of phenalenyl in the supercage of cation-exchanged X- and Y-zeolites using continuous wave−electron paramagnetic resonance (CW-EPR) and pulsed-EPR techniques. The trends in activation energies with cation size and Lewis acidity and in EPR line widths provided circumstantial evidence for a weak covalent interaction between the neutral phenalenyl π-system and the cations. This work on phenalenyl and alkali metal cations in solution provides 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and CW-EPR spectroscopic evidence for this type of interaction. Moreover, to our knowledge it is the first example of a neutral radical−alkali metal ion complex in solution. In rigorously dried alcohol solutions this interaction results in the formation of a complex between neutral phenalenyl and Li+ or Na+, which is in equilibrium with solvated phenalenyl and the respective cation. The forward and reverse rates for this equilibrium for Li+ and phenaleny...
Slope discontinuities in the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation: gradient deficient elements

In this paper, the treatment of the slope discontinuities in the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) is discussed. The paper explains the fundamental problems associated with developing a constant transformation that accounts for the slope discontinuities in the case of gradient deficient ANCF finite elements. A procedure that allows for the treatment of slope discontinuities in the case of gradient deficient finite elements which do not employ full parameterization is proposed for the special case of commutative rotations. The use of the proposed procedure leads to a constant orthogonal element transformation that describes the element initial configuration. As a consequence, one obtains in the case of large deformation and commutative rotations, a constant mass matrix for the structures. In order to achieve this goal, the concept of the intermediate finite element coordinate system is invoked. The intermediate finite element coordinate system used in this investigation serves to define the element reference configuration, follows the rotation of the structure, and maintains a fixed orientation relative to the structure coordinate system. Since planar rotations are always commutative, the procedure proposed in this investigation is applicable to all planar gradient deficient ANCF finite elements.
EPR spectroscopy of MolB2C2-a reveals mechanism of transport for a bacterial type II molybdate importer.

Abstract In bacteria, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are vital for the uptake of nutrients and cofactors. Based on differences in structure and activity, ABC importers are divided into two types. Type I transporters have been well studied and employ a tightly regulated alternating access mechanism. Less is known about Type II importers, but much of what we do know has been observed in studies of the vitamin B12 importer BtuC2D2. MolB2C2 (formally known as HI1470/71) is also a Type II importer, but its substrate, molybdate, is ∼10-fold smaller than vitamin B12. To understand mechanistic differences among Type II importers, we focused our studies on MolBC, for which alternative conformations may be required to transport its relatively small substrate. To investigate the mechanism of MolBC, we employed disulfide cross-linking and EPR spectroscopy. From these studies, we found that nucleotide binding is coupled to a conformational shift at the periplasmic gate. Unlike the larger conformational changes in BtuCD-F, this shift in MolBC-A is akin to unlocking a swinging door: allowing just enough space for molybdate to slip into the cell. The lower cytoplasmic gate, identified in BtuCD-F as “gate I,” remains open throughout the MolBC-A mechanism, and cytoplasmic gate II closes in the presence of nucleotide. Combining our results, we propose a peristaltic mechanism for MolBC-A, which gives new insight in the transport of small substrates by a Type II importer.
Alterations of synaptic high and low affinity opiate binding sites after acute and chronic morphine administration in mice

1. The opiate receptor binding to whole brain synaptic membranes obtained from mice subjected to acute and chronic morphine administration and precipitated withdrawal was investigated. 2. The number of high and low affinity binding sites was significantly higher in morphine tolerant group than in control; acute administration of morphine also induced an increase in the number of binding sites, though this increase was significantly lower as compared to tolerant group. 3. The affinity of both high and low affinity sites, however remained unchanged after acute or chronic treatment. In contrast, both the affinity and the number of binding sites were significantly reduced after precipitated withdrawal, compared to the tolerant group. 4. Sodium chloride enhanced the antagonist binding and inhibited the agonist binding in both tolerant and non-tolerant groups. 5. It is concluded that (a) the increase in the number of receptors during tolerance development is an extension of the acute effect of morphine, (b) the character of tolerant membrane is qualitatively same as that of non-tolerant membrane, (c) upon withdrawal, the receptor population is brought back to normal; the altered higher, affinity after withdrawal may be a compensatory effect as a corollary to the withdrawal-induced decrease in receptor population.
Tissue‐to‐solvent ratio and other factors affecting determination of soluble polyphenols in tropical leaves

Abstract Soluble polyphenol concentrations of tropical leaves are believed to affect nitrogen (N) mineralization potential during decomposition. However, polyphenol concentrations reported for the same species have varied several‐fold among studies. Testing potential explanations for these discrepancies, we found high tissue‐to‐solvent ratios, as specified in one of two popular extraction procedures, led to reduced estimates. Use of aqueous methanol rather than water increased recovered polyphenols somewhat, but was not adequate to explain differences among studies. Elevated drying temperatures decreased recovery of soluble polyphenols. Folin‐Ciocalteu reagent produced less precipitate and was more reproducible than Folin‐Denis reagent.
The ‘Golden Canon’ of book-page construction: proving the proportions geometrically

Scholars of book arts have speculated upon and may have proven a deliberate method by which scribes and printers of past centuries placed the text area in manuscript and printed books on the page to render certain specific text-to-page ratios. According to this presumed method, the size and proportions of the text area would assume specific mathematical properties with respect to the size and proportions of the page. In 1953, one book-arts scholar, Jan Tschichold, referred to the ‘Golden Canon of Gothic book page construction’, and thus coined the term ‘golden canon’ (which, it should be noted, has nothing to do with the golden section). These scholars have stated that the golden canon results in these properties, but none of them have shown why it does. Using basic geometry, and in particular similar triangles, this article addresses the question.
On Heat Flux Boundary Conditions for Ocean Models

Abstract Recent modeling studies of thermohaline variability have imposed rapid damping of modeled sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies equivalent to assuming the atmosphere has an infinite heat capacity. Such surface heat flux parameterizations effectively exclude the possibility of SST playing an active role in the thermohaline circulation. The authors present results of simple thermodynamic modeling of the lower atmosphere that suggest the sensitivity of the surface heat fluxes to variations in SST is much smaller than often assumed. It is found that the flux response is strongly dependent on the scale of the SST anomaly. For the very largest scales the fluxes increase by only a few watts per square meter per kelvin change of SST. For the scales typical of observed anomalies the nonlocality of the response enhances the sensitivity, which may reach up to ∼15 W m−2 K−1. This extreme is still less than half of the values typically assumed in ocean models. The small sensitivity arises from the adjustmen...
Rating the Performance of the Ada in the U.S. Congress

URING the 1970s, literally dozens of interest groups began to assemble and publish ratings of U.S. senators and congressmen.1 The express purpose of these evaluations is to assess a legislator's roll-call voting behavior against either a broad ideological standard or a narrow set of interests most salient to the rating organization. Presumably, this exercise allows one to determine the extent to which a representative or senator is liberal, conservative, pro-labor, pro-business, pro-family, moral, etc. Naturally, the rating organizations promulgate their scales to reward their friends and punish their opponents in Congress. From a putatively more dispassionate perspective, political scientists also have employed some of these measures as independent and dependent variables in their research. In either case, an index arguably says something about the behavior of the congressmen and senators. In this paper, however, the primary objective is to evaluate the ratings of what is perhaps the most experienced rating organization, namely the Americans for Democratic Action (ADA). Even though some studies have examined composite indices, none has assessed the overall measure on the basis of the separate roll call which constitute the rating. In the present research, the key roll-call votes selected by the ADA for inclusion in its Liberalism Quotient (LQ) will be analyzed in order to determine if they form a reliable and valid measure of liberalism.
Generation and propagation of cyclotron maser emissions in the finite auroral kilometric radiation source cavity

[1] The properties of the electron-cyclotron maser radiation produced in the auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) source cavity are investigated by means of two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and observations made by the Fast Auroral SnapshoT (FAST) Explorer. The simulations assume a population of primary auroral electrons with a downgoing shell distribution. Driven simulations in a meridional plane with a finite magnetic field gradient demonstrate that the maser radiation builds up very rapidly with decreasing altitude and that bursts of radiation with timescales of the order of 0.5 ms are produced at only 5–6 km below the injection level. Initial value simulations in a longitudinal plane show that the radiation component striking the cavity boundary at normal incidence is damped away via particle absorption and conversion to the Z mode. In contrast, the longitudinally propagating component is able to be amplified along an extended path length. The FAST observations of the electric field in the source region reveal that the polarization in the plane perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field varies between being approximately isotropic to having a substantial (as much as a factor of 100) enhancement of the “along-track” polarization. No evidence is found that the “across-track” polarization is ever dominant, and thus the AKR emissions do not form a standing wave structure between the cavity boundaries.
Le dégoût dans les campagnes de lutte contre le sida

Apres avoir ete particulierement attentives aux questions de discrimination et de stigmatisation des personnes vivant avec le vih/sida, les campagnes mediatiques de prevention s’appuient a nouveau en France, depuis les annees 2000, sur les ressorts du degout et de la peur a l’egard non seulement de la maladie, mais surtout des personnes atteintes. Cet article analyse quatre figures majeures du degout tel qu’il est mis en scene dans ces campagnes. Il tente de comprendre leur emergence et leurs articulations avec la politique de prevention et de lutte contre le sida, et plus largement avec la biopolitique et le gouvernement des corps.
Dynamic Whip of Elastically Restrained Plate Strips to Rapid Transit Loads

A plate strip of infinite length and constant width is cantilevered on a uniform elastic support along one edge and free along its opposite edge. A normal line load of constant intensity applied across its width travels along the strip at constant speed. Using plate theory, steady state solutions for the flexural waves are derived in terms of the generalized Fourier integral. Superposition is used to simulate responses to distributed transit loads. Results are applicable to the design of cantilevered guidance panels for air cushion vehicles and also in the design of the metal plates for the linear induction motors sometimes used to power these vehicles. /Author/
Dual GRIN lens wavelength multiplexer.

The performance of a family of dual GRIN lens multiplexers has been investigated with a ray tracing analysis. The dependence of the device’s insertion loss on several lens and input/output fiber parameters was examined. Several versions of this multiplexer were built and characterized. Certain versions were found to provide low loss and a relative insertion loss independence of wavelength.
Some Resistance Studies on a Smooth Phase and a Flocculent Variant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The bactericidal action of heat, iodine, and streptomycin on two forms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are reported. The flocculent variant of the organism was more resistant to heat and iodine, but less toxic for mice and less resistant to streptomycin, than the smooth phase.
Pulmonary Edema following Direct Current Cardioversion

The most common complications of direct current (DC) shock for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias are arrhythmias and embolic episodes. Pulmonary edema, a poorly understood complication of DC shock, has been reported in eight patients following reversion from atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm. This report describes a 32-year-old white man with cardiomyopathy of unknown etiology who experienced pulmonary edema on two separate occasions seven months apart following DC cardioversion despite significant slowing of the ventricular rate. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case in which pulmonary edema occurred more than once following reversion to sinus rhythm. Although the mechanism of pulmonary edema in this and the other reported cases is unknown, some workers have suggested that the mechanism is related to the reversion to sinus rhythm.
Vestibular influences on hypoglossal nerve activity in the cat

The purpose of the present study was to determine if selective activation of vestibular receptors during movement produces changes in hypoglossal nerve activity. Responses were recorded from the hypoglossal nerves during trapezoidal and sinusoidal head rotations in cats with extensive denervations to eliminate non-labyrinthine inputs that could be produced by the movements. Large (50 degrees) nose-up trapezoidal tilts produced an increase in nerve discharge; ear-down tilt was also effective in one-fourth of the animals. The responses to nose-up tilt were abolished following intracranial transections of the VIIIth cranial nerves. Smaller (20 degrees) sinusoidal head rotations in the roll, pitch and yaw planes were ineffective in producing responses. These data suggest that vestibular inputs elicited by nose-up pitch contribute to tongue protrusion and participate in maintaining airway patency by preventing the tongue from falling to the back of the mouth.
The Vase on the Mantelpiece: The Golden Section in Context

The golden section (GS) was investigated in three experiments (N = 91, 87, and 73 psychology students, respectively), using both traditional methods (line bi-section, production of rectangles), and novel stimuli (contours and cutouts of vases constructed by the GS and non-GS principles) and tasks (the placement of “vases” on an imaginary and a laboratory, purpose-built, mantelpiece). In five different tasks, which varied considerably in technical details, there was absolutely no evidence for the significance of the GS, nor was there a general preference for the GS vases. Instead, the search for balance seemed to motivate the subjects' mantelpiece placement choices, guided by the area (“weight”), rather than the shape, of the vases. In addition, the results cast serious doubt on the generalizability of conclusions based on the research on rectangles to real-world aesthetic objects and choices. Other substantive and methodological issues, especially with regard to the future research on the GS, and to ecolo...
Adipocyte-epithelial interactions regulate the in vitro development of normal mammary epithelial cells.

Mammary epithelial organoids (MEO), isolated from pubescent rats, were cultured within a reconstituted basement membrane in transwell inserts, in the presence or absence of mature mammary adipocytes in the lower well. This system allowed for free medium exchange between the two compartments, without direct cell-to-cell contact. When cultured in serum-free medium supplemented with insulin, prolactin, hydrocortisone, progesterone, and various epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations, mammary adipocytes did not affect epithelial cell growth, but enhanced epithelial differentiation. Casein and lipid accumulations were monitored as indicators of functional differentiation of MEO. Mammary adipocytes significantly enhanced casein and lipid accumulation within the MEO, independently of EGF concentration. Furthermore, adipocytes induced MEO to preferentially undergo alveolar morphogenesis, inhibited squamous outgrowth, and increased lumen size. These findings demonstrate that morphological and functional differentiation of mammary epithelial cells is profoundly enhanced by the adipose stroma and that these effects are mediated by diffusible paracrine factors. This new model can be exploited in future studies to define the mechanisms whereby hormones and growth factors regulate mammary gland development and carcinogenesis. Moreover, it could complement in vivo reconstitution/transplantation studies, which are currently employed to evaluate the role of specific gene deletions in the regulation of mammary development.
Organizational readiness for change in community-based addiction treatment programs and adherence in implementing evidence-based practices: a national study

Prior studies by the authors identified that clinical staff who reported that their treatment unit had lower levels of organizational readiness to change experienced higher levels of barriers in implementing an evidence-based practice (EBP). The current study examined whether clinical staff perceptions of their treatment unit's organizational readiness to change were also associated with their adherence to EBP protocols during EBP implementation. Adherence was examined through a variable measuring the extent to which staff modified EBP standards and manuals when implementing a new EBP. Multivariate regression analyses identified that clinical staff who had five or more years of addiction counseling experience, who rated staff in their organization as having higher levels of influence, who less frequently implemented new counseling interventions and who reported higher levels of barriers when implementing a newly funded EBP also reported that their program made more modifications to the EBP in the implementation process. Finally, staff who implemented MI compared to any other EBP reported lower levels of EBP modifications. Implications: Continued federal funding is needed to enhance treatment unit organizational resources in order to reduce barriers and promote adherence to EBPs. Also, funders of treatment need to continue to provide ongoing technical assistance and training opportunities to promote implementation of EBPs with fidelity.
Studies of adult amphibian heart cells in Vitro: DNA synthesis and mitosis

Abstract The ventricle of the adult newt heart was excised and cut into several pieces of approximately 0.5 – 1.0 mm. These heart pieces were then cultured for 60 days at 25 °C in a modified Leibovitz medium (L-15). Approximately 37% of the explants were attached to the substrate and more than 33% of the attached explants and approximately 15% of the unattached explants established pulsation rates which ranged 3–67 beats/min. The explants were labeled with 1 μCi/ml of 3 H-thymidine for 24 hr at 7, 15, 21, 30, 45 and 60 days of culture initiation, and processed for electron microscopic autoradiography. The examination of the autoradiograms revealed that as the culture continued, the cardiac muscle cells altered their morphology, resembling embryonic cardiac muscle cells. These altered muscle cells were termed dedifferentiated cardiac muscle cells. The number of these dedifferentiated cells increased over the period of culture, showing 10.3–94% dedifferentiated cells after 7–60 days of culture respectively. DNA synthesis and mitosis were observed in the dedifferentiated cardiac muscle cells, apart from the non-muscle cells. The quantitation of the autoradiograms revealed that the number of labeled nuclei in the cardiac muscle cells gradually increased over the period of culture, and a maximum number of labeled cardiac muscle cells (30%) was observed in the third week. The peak was followed by a decline in the eighth week which exhibited 1.5 % labeled cardiac muscle cells. The trend of mitosis was similar to that of DNA synthesis. The maximum number of mitotic figures (9%) was observed in the third week of culture, which was followed by a decline and finally absent in the eighth week. The cardiac non-muscle cells, mostly fibroblasts and endothelial cells, also showed incorporation of 3 H-thymidine in their nuclei. The number of labeled non-muscle cells nuclei and the mitotic index were highest (61 and 15% respectively) in the first week of culture, but then they decreased gradually over the eight-week period in culture. This study provides evidence for the first time that the adult amphibian cardiac myocytes can undergo DNA synthesis and mitosis when explanted and cultured. The significance of this cell replication is discussed.
With the benefit of hindsight: Popular culture criticism

This essay identifies two traditional, quasi‐theological approaches to mass media criticism. One approach develops from a concern for the so‐called educational possibilities of mass media; the other develops from a philosophical commitment to media determinism. Ways of improving these two lines of criticism are suggested. The essay argues for a critical approach to mass media which employs the aesthetic or generic methods developed by popular culture scholars. The fundamental nature of criticism and its cultural role are discussed.
Individualized measurement of irrational beliefs in remitted depressives.

Recent reviews of cognitive theories of depression have noted that individualized assessment strategies might help to resolve mixed findings regarding the stability of depressotypic beliefs and attitudes. We describe encouraging results for an individualized measure of one such cognitive construct, irrational beliefs. Twenty depression-prone women (recurrent major depressives in full remission) and twenty closely matched never-depressed controls completed leading forced-choice measures of irrational beliefs (the Belief Scale; BS) and sociotropy-autonomy (The Revised Personal Style Inventory), as well as the Specific Demands on Self Scale (SDS). The BS requires participants to rate their agreement with twenty preselected statements of irrational beliefs, while the SDS focuses on whether participants harbor any strongly held irrational beliefs, even if uncommon or idiosyncratic. Consistent with previous research, there were no group differences on the traditional measure of irrational beliefs. In contrast, depression-prone participants strongly exceeded controls on the SDS, and this difference persisted after controlling for residual depression, anxiety symptoms, anxiety diagnoses, sociotropy, and autonomy. These findings provide some initial support for a key assumption of the rational-emotive model of depression, and, more broadly, suggest that individualized assessment strategies may help researchers capture the core negative beliefs of asymptomatic individuals, even in the absence of mood or cognitive priming.
Do Endoscopic Antireflux Procedures Fit in the Current Treatment Paradigm of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition requiring considerable medical resources. The mainstay of therapy is proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which are effective at reducing acid reflux. In patients who have refractory acid reflux and esophagitis despite high-dose PPI, or are intolerant of the side effects of PPI therapy, surgical fundoplication is the primary therapy. The risk and cost gap between medical therapy and surgery has resulted in substantial interest in less-invasive endoscopic therapies. In this review, we discuss the underlying physiology of GERD along with the anatomic hurdles that must be overcome to develop an effective antireflux procedure. We also review the current published literature and assess the clinical efficacy of the devices that have been studied or currently are being investigated. Despite promising early studies, many of the devices fall short in high-quality randomized controlled trials. Furthermore, the physiologic aberration resulting in GERD oftentimes is addressed inadequately. Although there is certainly a need for less-invasive, safe, and effective therapy for reflux, therapy will need to withstand the established clinical efficacy of both PPI and surgical fundoplication. At present, we have the luxury of time to wait for such a device to become available.
Generation of swirl due to symmetry breaking.

We study symmetry breaking in a meridional steady motion of viscous incompressible fluids by considering the case of a laminar axisymmetric ``vortex dynamo.'' Using a linear and subsequently a nonlinear analysis we demonstrate the feasibility of a supercritical pitchfork birfurcation from an initially ``trivial'' nonswirling flow solution to one with a steady (clockwise or counterclockwise) swirling regime as the Reynolds number exceeds a critical value. This agrees with recent experimental results for a flow inside a conical meniscus, as observed in electrosprays.
Atomic carbon emission produced through photodissociative excitation of CO

Atomic carbon fluorescence at C i 1561, 1657, and 1931 A has been produced through photodissociative excitation of CO. Absolute partial fluorescence cross sections have been measured from threshold to ∼400 A (31 eV) by using a line emisson source. The fluorescence excitation functions show that the observed peaks correlate with the asymptotes of C(3D0, 3P0, and 1P0)+O(3P, 1D, and 1S). The maximum yield for producing the presently measured C i lines and the O i (1304 A), from earlier work, photodissociative excitation of the CO molecule is found to be ∼3% at a primary photon wavelength of 572 A.
FunFrame: Functional Gene Ecological Analysis Pipeline

Summary Pyrosequencing of 16S rDNA is widely used to study microbial communities, and a rich set of software tools support this analysis. Pyrosequencing of protein-coding genes, which can help elucidate functional differences among microbial communities, significantly lags behind 16S rDNA in availability of sequence analysis software. In both settings, frequent homopolymer read errors inflate the estimation of microbial diversity, and de-noising is required to reduce that bias. Here we describe FunFrame, an R-based data-analysis pipeline that uses recently described algorithms to de-noise functional gene pyrosequences and performs ecological analysis on de-noised sequence data. The novelty of this pipeline is that it provides users a unified set of tools, adapted from disparate sources and designed for different applications, that can be used to examine a particular protein coding gene of interest. We evaluated FunFrame on functional genes from four PCR-amplified clones with sequence depths ranging from 9084 to 14 494 sequences. FunFrame produced from one to nine Operational Taxanomic Units for each clone, resulting in an error rate ranging from 0 to 0.18%. Importantly, FunFrame reduced spurious diversity while retaining more sequences than a commonly used de-noising method that discards sequences with frameshift errors. Availability Software, documentation and a complete set of sample data files are available at http://faculty.www.umb.edu/jennifer.bowen/software/FunFrame.zip.
Mechanistic Modelling and Network Properties of Ternary Thiol–Vinyl Photopolymerizations

Ternary thiol–vinyl polymerizations offer a unique platform for improved control over polymerization kinetics and network properties as compared to both binary thiol–vinyl systems and traditional (meth)acrylic systems. Therefore, this study seeks to improve the fundamental understanding of the complex ternary thiol–vinyl systems to enable enhanced control over polymerization kinetics, network evolution, and, ultimately, network properties. The polymerization kinetics and material properties afforded by thiol–triazine–methacrylate systems are investigated. The ternary kinetics are successfully predicted by understanding the reaction mechanisms of the corresponding binary components. In ternary thiol–ene–(meth)acrylate systems, the variation in stoichiometric ratios of thiol and ene does not significantly impact material properties as in thiol–ene- or thiol–(meth)acrylate systems. Further, the ternary systems also provide unique polymer properties such as high glass transition temperature with narrow transition widths.
Expression Profiling of Difficult-to-diagnose Thyroid Histologic Subtypes Shows Distinct Expression Profiles and Identify Candidate Diagnostic microRNAs

The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing worldwide. The findings of up to 30% of thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) are inconclusive, primarily as a result of several thyroid histologic subtypes with overlapping cytologic features. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs and have been implicated in carcinogenesis. We hypothesized that there are miRNAs that are differentially expressed between benign and malignant thyroid tumors that are difficult to distinguish by FNAB. The expression of 1263 human miRNAs was profiled in 47 tumor samples representing difficult to diagnose histologic subtypes of thyroid neoplasm (21 benign, 26 malignant). Differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to determine the diagnostic accuracy of differentially expressed miRNAs. Supervised hierarchical cluster analysis demonstrated grouping of 2 histologies (papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma). A total of 34 miRNAs were differentially expressed in malignant compared to benign thyroid neoplasms (P 0.7. miR-7 and miR-126 had the highest diagnostic accuracy with AUCs values of 0.81 and 0.77, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of miRNAs in thyroid histologies that are difficult to distinguish as benign or malignant by FNAB. miR-126 and miR-7 had high diagnostic accuracy and could be helpful adjuncts to thyroid FNAB.
Formation and Structure of Trivalent Chromium Process Coatings on Aluminum Alloys 6061 and 7075

The formation mechanism and resulting structure of trivalent chromium process (TCP) conversion coatings on AA6061-T6 (UNS A96061) and AA7075-T6 (UNS A97075) were investigated. The formation of TCP on both alloys is driven by an increase in the interfacial pH caused by the dissolution of the passivating oxide layer, which leads to an elevated rate of proton-consuming cathodic reactions under open-circuit conditions. These reactions cause the interfacial pH to increase. This pH increase drives the hydrolysis of the fluorometalate precursors in the bath and results in the precipitation of a hydrated metal oxide coating on the surface. The coating appears to have a biphasic structure consisting of a hydrated zirconia (ZrO2·nH2O) and chromium hydroxide (Cr[OH]3) outer layer, and a fluoroaluminate (e.g., KxAlF3+x) interfacial layer. The coating thicknesses on both alloys are in the range of 80 nm to 100 nm. The TCP coating exhibited good stability on both alloys during full immersion testing in both naturally a...