cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of heredity on dietary restraint, disinhibition, and perceived hunger in humans.

Abstract Objective Dietary restraint, disinhibition, and perceived hunger have been shown to affect food intake and body weight and are thought to be risk factors for eating disorders, but little is known about their origins. We investigated the influence of heredity, shared (familial) environment, and individual environment on dietary restraint disinhibition, perceived hunger and their relation to body size and food intake. Methods Scores on the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and the Restraint Scale in addition to height, weight, body mass index, and 7-d diary reported nutrient intakes were obtained from 39 identical, 60 fraternal same-sex, and 50 fraternal opposite-sex adult twin pairs who were living independently. Linear structural modeling was applied to investigate the nature and degree of genetic and environmental influences. Results Analysis showed significant genetic and individual environmental, but not shared (familial) environmental, influences on cognitive restraint, perceived hunger, and Restraint Scale scores, with genes accounting for 44%, 24%, and 58% of the variance, respectively. In contrast, disinhibition was found to be significantly influenced by the shared (familial) environment, accounting for 40% of the variance. Further analysis showed that cognitive restraint and perceived hunger heritabilities could not be accounted for by significant heritabilities of body weight, height, or body mass index. In contrast, the heritability of Restraint Scale scores was found to be related to body size. Cognitive restraint was negatively correlated with nutrient intake, and differences in cognitive restraint were found to be related to differences in the body sizes of identical twin pairs. Conclusions Dietary restraint appears to be another component in a package of genetically determined physiologic, sociocultural, and psychological processes that regulate energy balance, whereas dietary disinhibition may be the intermediary between upbringing and the development of overweight and/or eating disorders.
Impact of a compliance program for billing on internal medicine faculty's documentation practices and productivity.

PURPOSE Academic health centers and faculty practice plans have implemented programs to comply with Office of Inspector General (OIG) billing regulations. This study measured the impact of such a program on physicians' billing practices, faculty productivity, and operating revenues. METHOD A prospective two-year study of departmental billing activities was carried out in 1997-98 and 1998-99 in the department of internal medicine at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and its faculty practice plan. Compliance with inpatient evaluation and management (E/M) coding and Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) billing was evaluated by an independent staff of experts. Beginning in 1998-99, the department provided detailed monthly reports of and education in billing and compliance performance to divisional managers and individual faculty. RESULTS Inpatient admission profiles, practice patterns, and payer mixes of the faculty practice plan and department did not differ during the study. The gross collection rates for the practice and the department rose by 7.3% and 9.5%, respectively, and all divisions increased in their gross collection rates in 1998-99. All but one division increased E/M services in 1998-99 (range -4% to +151%). All divisions decreased their rates of unbillable E/M services in 1998-99. The two divisions with the highest unbillable rates in 1997-98 (gastroenterology and cardiology) significantly reduced their unbillable service rates in 1998-99 (-7.74% and -7.17%, respectively). Medical oncology and geriatrics recorded the greatest reductions in 1998-99 (-63% and -52%, respectively). All but two divisions increased the percentages of complex inpatient E/M services in 1998-99 (average = +27.4%), with commensurate reductions in less complex visits (p < 0.05), and there was an inverse correlation (R = -0.85; p < 0.01) between the relative increases in the division's inpatient encounters and the service complexity charged. A modest inverse correlation (R = -0.50; p < 0.05) existed between the reduction of relative percentages in divisions' unbillable rates (averaging -34%) and the increase in their gross collection rates (averaging + 31%). CONCLUSION Implementation of a billing compliance program at the departmental level enhances physician productivity and billing compliance for inpatient E/M services, potentially increasing departmental revenues while reducing the institutional risk of an OIG audit.
Zinc deficiency, depressed thymic hormones, and T lymphocyte dysfunction in patients with hypogammaglobulinemia.

Abstract Zinc deficient humans and animals have depressed thymic mass and increased susceptibility to infection. In the present studies, we investigated the relationship between cellular immunity, thymic hormones, and serum zinc levels in 19 patients with common varied immunodeficiency. Five (26%) had serum zinc levels 2 SD below normal and 11 (58%) had abnormally low lymphocyte proliferation to at least one mitogen. A significant statistical correlation between zinc levels and lymphocyte proliferation to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A was identified. Forty-two percent had abnormally low levels of facteur thymique serique and 74% had low levels of thymopoietin, although no statistical relationship between the levels of these hormones, zinc levels, or lymphocyte proliferation could be identified. Three patients with the most profound zinc deficiency had substantial increases in thymic hormones after zinc repletion, and two had complete resolution of intractable diarrhea. A therapeutic potential of zinc for certain patients with hypogammaglobulinemia is suggested.
Monitoring bacterial chemotaxis by using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer: Absence of feedback from the flagellar motors

We looked for a feedback system in Escherichia coli that might sense the rotational bias of flagellar motors and regulate the activity of the chemotaxis receptor kinase. Our search was based on the assumption that any machinery that senses rotational bias will be perturbed if flagellar rotation stops. We monitored the activity of the kinase in swimming cells by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) between Renilla luciferase fused to the phosphatase, CheZ, and yellow fluorescent protein fused to the response regulator, CheY. Then we jammed the flagellar motors by adding an antifilament antibody that crosslinks adjacent filaments in flagellar bundles. At steady state, the rate of phosphorylation of CheY is equal to the rate of dephosphorylation of CheY-P, which is proportional to the degree of association between CheZ and CheY-P, the quantity sensed by BRET. No changes were observed, even upon addition of an amount of antibody that stopped the swimming of >95% of cells within a few seconds. So, the kinase does not appear to be sensitive to motor output. The BRET technique is complementary to one based on FRET, described previously. Its reliability was confirmed by measurements of the response of cells to the addition of attractants.
Sexual dimorphisms in a copulatory neuromuscular system in the green anole lizard

Sexual dimorphisms in neuromuscular systems have been investigated in several vertebrate groups, but data on reptiles are limited. The present studies were designed to establish the copulatory neuromuscular system of the green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis) as an appropriate model. Like mammals, male reptiles have copulatory organs. However, each individual has two "hemipenes" that are controlled by bilateral sets of muscles. First, the anatomy of the hemipenes and associated muscles was described in males and the same anatomical region examined in females. Second, spinal motoneurons innervating one of these muscles, the transversus penis (TPN), were localized by using the retrograde tracer biocytin. They were detected in the last trunk and first sacral segments (T17-S1). Third, motoneuron number and soma size were assessed in Nissl-stained sections of spinal cord segments T17-S1 of breeding males and females. Male-biased sexual dimorphisms were detected in both measures, but the motoneurons innervating a tail muscle, the caudifemoralis (CF), are also located in the same region of cord. Therefore, in the last study, the CF was injected with biocytin in both sexes to eliminate its motoneurons from the analysis and gain a more accurate representation of the TPN motoneuron pool. An equivalent number of CF motoneurons were labeled in both sexes, and the results from the previous study were replicated. Thus, similar to other vertebrate models, parallels between morphology and function exist in the green anole copulatory system. Future investigations will broaden the comparative perspective on mechanisms regulating sexual dimorphisms relating to reproductive behaviors in vertebrates.
Age- and Sex-Related Incidence of Surgically Treated Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Primary hyperparathyroidism (1° HPT) is reported most often in women over the age of 50. Beyond that, little is known about the epidemiology of this condition, and no studies have specifically examined the age and gender distribution of patients with 1° HPT. We analyzed patients from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), a 20% random sample of all hospital stays from 2000–2004, and also from the University of Michigan endocrine surgery database from 1999–2005. Surgically treated 1° HPT was used as a surrogate marker for 1° HPT. An age- and sex-based frequency distribution was computed for each dataset. A total of 7,513 females and 2,677 males who underwent surgery for 1° HPT in the 5-year period 2000 through 2004 were reported in the NIS. At the University of Michigan from 1999 through 2005, 790 females and 276 males underwent parathyroidectomy for 1° HPT. In both datasets, the frequency of 1° HPT began to rise slowly in both sexes at age 11 and increased more rapidly among females than males beginning at age 21–25 (NIS) and 26–30 (UM). Incidence curves for both women and men in both databases were similar in shape and unipolar in configuration. Peak incidence was at age 56–60 (NIS) and 61–65 (UM) in females and age 56–60 in males (both datasets). The female:male ratio was noted to rise steadily among the NIS patients until perimenopausal age, after which it became stable for the next 20 years before decreasing again. No change in the female:male ratio over time was seen among the UM patients. Primary HPT occurs more frequently in females than in males at all ages. The incidence increases steadily after age 25 in both sexes. The female:male ratio does not change during the peri- and postmenopausal years. This information should stimulate new hypotheses to explain the difference in the incidence of 1°HPT between men and women.
Anisotropy of the electric susceptibility in superfluid 3He A

Abstract A technique is proposed for determining the orientation of the orbital anisotropy axis in 3 He A. It relies upon the anisotropy of the dielectric tensor which is estimated to be 3×10 −7 (1− T / T c ) in 3 He A.
New Sciuridae (Mammalia: Rodentia) from the early Miocene Thomas Farm Local Fauna, Florida

ABSTRACT Three taxa of Sciuridae are recognized from the early Hemingfordian (early Miocene) Thomas Farm locality, Gilchrist County, Florida. Petauristodon pattersoni, sp. nov. is a large “flying squirrel” that is distinguished from the Barstovian species P. mathewsi and P. jamesi by the presence of complete metalophs on the upper cheekteeth and anteroconids on the lower cheekteeth. Petauristodon has been tentatively assigned to the subfamily Petauristinae but its relationships to Old World flying squirrels are not clear. Nototamias hulberti, gen. et sp. nov. is a small chipmunk-like sciurid, distinguished from its Recent sister taxa by posteriorly placed mental foramen and masseteric fossa and fused roots on the lower molars. N. hulberti differs from the Barstovian and Clarendonian N. ateles by smaller size and absence of metaconules on the upper cheekteeth. An isolated M3 is provisionally referred to cf. Miospermophilus sp.
A Choice Theory Teaching and Learning Model for Working with Children of Prisoners.

The prison population has increased substantially in countries around the world and significant numbers of these prisoners are parents. Children of prisoners experience separation from the imprisoned parent. The separation and precursors to the separation often diminish these children's social‐emotional and educational well‐being. In this paper, the social‐emotional and educational functioning of children of prisoners is examined. Additionally, choice theory is described as a relevant theoretical teaching and learning model to facilitate the children's school‐related functioning.
Increasing prepregnancy body mass index: analysis of trends and contributing variables

Objective In the United States, obesity has increased steadily. As obesity in pregnancy is a high-risk obstetric situation, important questions are whether there has been a trend toward higher prepregnancy body mass indexes (BMIs) in women who have become pregnant and if there are subgroups at risk. The objective of this study was to analyze the shifts, if any, in the prepregnancy BMIs in women who delivered. Study design Analysis of the birth certificate data collected in a regional perinatal data system of all live born deliveries (79,022 cases) occurring in a contiguous 8-county area in upstate New York from 1999 to 2003. Results From 1999 to 2003, there was an overall increase in the mean prepregnancy BMI of the total delivery population ( P P P P Conclusion There was a significant increase toward higher prepregnancy BMIs across multiple subgroups. Our study demonstrates that increased prepregnancy BMI is an issue that spans almost the entire spectrum of subgroups of patients who delivered.
The effect of country risk ratings on market returns

Studies have found that bond ratings can affect the stock prices of individual companies. These studies suggest that investors rely on third parties when valuing companies. Our goal is to determine whether ratings have a similar influence on a country's valuation. We assess the country ratings of Coface Group, which indicate the general sensitivity of companies to the business, financial and political outlook of a country. Given the proliferation of country index funds, investors could easily revise top down asset allocation in response to ratings changes. We find that country stock market valuations are not affected by changes in country ratings. While country ratings may still be useful in signalling potential debt coverage or political problems, they do not appear to influence investor valuations of country stock markets.
Computer controlled intracavity SHG in a cw ring dye laser

A tunable computer controlled UV laser spectrometer utilizing intracavity second harmonic generation of a cw ring dye laser is described. The spectrometer yields broadband (~100-GHz) second harmonic outputs of up to 30 mW and narrowband (~100-MHz) single-mode UV outputs of up to 10 mW continuously tunable over intervals of 3200 GHz in the 285-311-nm wavelength range.
Social comparisons by procrastinators: rating peers with similar or dissimilar delay tendencies

This study examined how procrastinators judge a peer who delays academic or everyday real-world activities. Participants (103 women, 57 men) previously self-reported procrastination tendencies and then read a brief hypothetical conversation between a procrastinator or a non-procrastinator focusing on either academic tasks (declaring a major, studying, and working on an assignment) or everyday tasks (buying tickets for a concert, making vacation travel plans, getting a summer job). Participants then were asked to allocate monetary resources, via choice matrices, and to complete rating and attribution scales regarding both persons in the conversations. Results indicated that across academic and everyday activities procrastinators favored non-procrastinators by attributing to similar procrastinating peers fewer resources, lower character ratings, and more internal attributes for performance. Implications related to the social perceptions of procrastinators suggest that persons with high rates of task delays are dissatisfied with the delay tendencies of other procrastinators, perhaps reflecting a dislike of their own behavior style.
Cross-reactive antigenic domains of the flagellin protein of Borrelia burgdorferi.

Abstract The p41 flagellin of Borrelia burgdorferi is the most common antigen recognized by serum of patients with Lyme borreliosis. This antigen shares amino acid homology, particularly in the amino and carboxy termini, with periflagellar antigens found in other microorganisms including Treponema pallidum . We cloned and expressed the p41 open reading frame in Escherichia coli and expressed it both as TrpE fusion and full-length unfused proteins. Also, we generated deletion constructs of various portions of the gene. Sera from patients with late Lyme borreliosis and secondary syphilis were used to identify the recombinant proteins by immunoblot analysis. Sera from 26 patients with Lyme borreliosis, 20 with secondary syphilis and 10 controls were used to identify cross-reactive domains of the B. burgdorferi flagellin. The variable region (amino acids 131–234) of the protein was recognized by 59% (15/26) of patients with late Lyme borreliosis compared to 30% (6/20) of patients with secondary syphilis and no (0/10) control patients. It appears that cross-reactive epitopes between B. burgodorferi and T. pallidum extend to the variable region of the flagellin.
Theory of Two-Phase Biofluid Flow Dynamics and Selected Applications

Examples of two-phase flows in the human body include particle-hemodynamics in branching arteries and toxic/therapeutic air-particle mixtures in the respiratory system. In this review, the fundamentals of modeling dilute particle suspensions are presented with computer applications to the geometric design of bypass graft-ends and the prediction of local aerosol depositions in the human upper airways. For the latter project, aerosols in the nano- and micro-size ranges, solid and liquid particles as well as evaporating droplets are considered. Specifically, the particle-hemodynamics project deals with the prediction of aggravating two-phase flow events leading to arterial diseases, such as atherosclerosis and hyperplasia, and subsequently the design of bypass grafts mitigating post-operative complications. The lung-aerosol project requires accurate and realistic computations of laminar-to-turbulent airflows and toxic (or therapeutic) particle depositions in the human airways for two applications: dosimetry-and-health-effect assessments of toxic particles and optimal drug aerosol delivery by inhalation. Two-phase flow results from different case studies are presented.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Nucleotide Excision Repair, Mismatch Repair, and R-Loops Modulate Convergent Transcription-Induced Cell Death and Repeat Instability

Expansion of CAG•CTG tracts located in specific genes is responsible for 13 human neurodegenerative disorders, the pathogenic mechanisms of which are not yet well defined. These disease genes are ubiquitously expressed in human tissues, and transcription has been identified as one of the major pathways destabilizing the repeats. Transcription-induced repeat instability depends on transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER), the mismatch repair (MMR) recognition component MSH2/MSH3, and RNA/DNA hybrids (R-loops). Recently, we reported that simultaneous sense and antisense transcription–convergent transcription–through a CAG repeat not only promotes repeat instability, but also induces a cell stress response, which arrests the cell cycle and eventually leads to massive cell death via apoptosis. Here, we use siRNA knockdowns to investigate whether NER, MMR, and R-loops also modulate convergent-transcription-induced cell death and repeat instability. We find that siRNA-mediated depletion of TC-NER components increases convergent transcription-induced cell death, as does the simultaneous depletion of RNase H1 and RNase H2A. In contrast, depletion of MSH2 decreases cell death. These results identify TC-NER, MMR recognition, and R-loops as modulators of convergent transcription-induced cell death and shed light on the molecular mechanism involved. We also find that the TC-NER pathway, MSH2, and R-loops modulate convergent transcription-induced repeat instability. These observations link the mechanisms of convergent transcription-induced repeat instability and convergent transcription-induced cell death, suggesting that a common structure may trigger both outcomes.
Learning from mistakes: Using audio-recorded transcription errors to probe the sociocognitive paradigm in language processing:

This article argues that errors in audio data processing should be (re)examined to explore and expose the underlying components that enable linguistic communication and cross-cultural understanding. Examples of errors in the transcription of a Mexican social network’s conversations are analyzed to demonstrate the potential of such data in the development of sociocognitive language-processing theories (those that combine formal and pragmatic approaches). It is suggested that researchers working with audio-recorded data should expand the scope of what is considered useful data for the sake of both methodological reflexivity and identifying the underlying cognitive processes enabling linguistic understanding.
Advanced proximal colon cancer: Paucity of distal lesions validates screening colonoscopy

Background: Two recent studies have documented that sigmoidoscopy as a screening tool for colorectal cancers may miss advanced proximal colonic neoplasms. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of distal synchronous lesions in patients with proximal colon cancer. We sought to determine if screening sigmoidoscopy would have missed these proximal colon cancers. Methods: Data were collected on all patients (n = 305) diagnosed with colorectal cancer over a 6-year period. Patients were stratified by age, sex, tumor location, presenting complaint, AJCC stage, and TNM classification. The colonoscopy results of patients diagnosed with proximal colon cancer were analyzed to determine the incidence of synchronous distal colon lesions. Results: Proximal colon cancer was diagnosed in 88 patients (29%). Of those studied, 45 (54%) did not have synchronous distal lesions detected by colonoscopy. The patients with proximal colon cancer were elderly (mean age 67), had advanced tumor size [59 patients (67%) T3/T4], and had advanced AJCC stages [37 patients (42%) stage III/IV]. Nearly all patients [84 (95%)] with proximal colon cancer were symptomatic. Conclusion: In this study, the majority of patients with proximal colon cancer did not have a synchronous lesion in the distal colon. Current screening methods for colon cancer based on sigmoidoscopy would not have identified these proximal lesions. These findings support the incorporation of screening colonoscopy in protocols designed to identify early colon cancer.
Pixelation effect removal from fiber bundle probe based optical coherence tomography imaging.

A method of eliminating pixelization effect from en face optical coherence tomography (OCT) image when a fiber bundle is used as an OCT imaging probe is presented. We have demonstrated that applying a histogram equalization process before performing a weighted-averaged Gaussian smoothing filter to the original lower gray level intensity based image not only removes the structural artifact of the bundle but also enhances the image quality with minimum blurring of object’s image features. The measured contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for an image of the US Air Force test target was 14.7dB (4.9dB), after (before) image processing. In addition, by performing the spatial frequency analysis based on two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform (2-D DFT), we were able to observe that the periodic intensity peaks induced by the regularly arrayed structure of the fiber bundle can be efficiently suppressed by 41.0dB for the first nearby side lobe as well as to obtain the precise physical spacing information of the fiber grid. The proposed combined method can also be used as a straight forward image processing tool for any imaging system utilizing fiber bundle as a high-resolution imager.
Alterations of Gene Expression in the Development of Early Hyperplastic Precursors of Breast Cancer

Enlargement of normal terminal duct lobular units (TDLUs) by hyperplastic columnar epithelial cells is one of the most common abnormalities of growth in the adult female human breast. These hyperplastic enlarged lobular units (HELUs) are important clinically as the earliest histologically identifiable potential precursor of breast cancer. The causes of the hyperplasia are unknown but may include estrogen-simulated growth mediated by estrogen receptor-α, which is highly elevated in HELUs and may be fundamental to their development. The present study used DNA microarray technology and RNA from microdissected pure epithelial cells to examine changes in gene expression and molecular pathways associated with the development of HELUs from TDLUs. The results suggest that HELUs evolve from TDLUs primarily by reactivation of pathways involved in embryonic development and suppression of terminal differentiation. Changes in ERBB genes were particularly prominent, including a uniform switch in ligands for the ERBB1 receptor (14-fold decrease in epidermal growth factor and 10-fold increase in amphiregulin, respectively) in HELUs compared with TDLUs. Epidermal growth factor regulates terminal differentiation in adult breast and amphiregulin is critical to normal embryonic breast development. Because HELUs are such early potential precursors of breast cancer, targeting some of these alterations may be especially promising strategies for breast cancer prevention.
Survival without Dispersers: Seedling Recruitment under Parents

to the cutting of trees, however, subsistence and commercial hunting have affected large tracks of forest but have left their physical structure relatively unaltered (Redford 1992). For example, subsistence hunting by 230 inhabitants of three Waorani villages in Ecuador kills an estimated 3165 mammals, birds, and reptiles annually (Yost & Kelley 1983). Unfortunately, there is little understanding of how these hunting activities alter the processes governing the maintenance and long-term sustainability of forest ecosystems. For example, large animals are the preferred species for hunters, and it may be that these species play particularly significant roles in the dispersal of large, seeded tropical trees (Terborgh 1988; Wrangham et al. 1994). Wrangham et al. (1994) demonstrated that, although chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) constitute only 1.4% of the primate frugivore populations and 14.2% of the primate frugivore biomass, they are responsible for an estimated 45.3% of the seeds defecated by the frugivorous primates. Such findings support the idea that seed dispersal by frugivores is vital to the survival of fruiting tree populations because the survival of fallen fruit does not appear to be sufficient to maintain populations of many tropical tree species (Howe 1984; Pannell 1989; Chapman et al. 1992). A number of species-specific studies examining seedling survival under parent trees have found little or no recruitment under parent trees (Augspurger 1984). For example, Howe et al. (1985) found that 99.96% of Virola surinamensis fruit that drop un-
Triathlon and Women's Narratives of Bodies and Sport

Women's leisure time sport participation was examined in relation to resistance, bodies and community. Fifteen interviews were conducted with participants and coaches in two all-women's triathlon training groups in Austin, Texas. Qualitative methods and grounded theory guided the interviewing and data analyses. The results indicate that all-women's leisure time sport groups are capable of providing an atmosphere for women, particularly sport novices, to recreate and reappropriate their bodies and their sport.
Experimental properties of the extraordinary phases of liquid 3He at millikelvin temperatures

Abstract A critical review of experimental properties of the extraordinary phases of liquid 3He is presented, including information on the phase diagram, thermal properties, nuclear magnetic resonance, flow properties as manifested in wire damping and heat-flow experiments, and propagation of collisionless sound.
Whole Body Vibration Amplitude Levels Differentially Affect Tendon and Ligament Structural Properties

Recently there have been a large number of studies examining the potential therapeutic effects of whole body vibration (WBV). Numerous studies have shown that low magnitude, high frequency vibration (LMHFV) can be anabolic for muscle and bone. Vibration has been applied to both animals and humans with notable increases in muscle cross-sectional area as well as strength [1, 4, 7]. Both high (3 G) and low (0.3 G) vibratory stimuli have been reported to initiate an increase in bone density and subsequently bone strength [3, 5]. The effects of LMHFV on other dense connective tissue types have been relatively unexplored. Legerlotz et al. investigated the response of rat Achilles tendons to 2 G WBV and found no effect on biomechanical properties [2]. However, Legerlotz’s experiment applied between 2–7 minutes of vibration a day which is significantly less than other studies as well as clinical applications. The goal of our study was to determine the effects of vibration level on the structural and material properties of intact ligaments and tendons. We hypothesized that vibration, a passive surrogate for exercise, may contribute to ligament and tendon strengthening.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Factors affecting humic-nickel complex mediated reduction of trichloroethene in homogeneous aqueous solution.

The kinetics of trichloroethene (TCE) reductive dechlorination mediated by humic-Ni complexes in homogeneous aqueous solution using titanium(III) citrate as the bulk reductant was examined under various environmental conditions (e.g., pH and ionic compositions). Using Ca2+, Zn2+, and Hg2+ ions to vary Aldrich humic acid (HA)-Ni complex concentrations, pseudo-first-order rate constants for TCE reduction were observed to be proportional to HA-Ni levels (as calculated by speciation modeling), confirming HA-Ni complexes as the probable active mediator species. TCE reduction by HA-Ni was observed to be strongly pH dependent and could be due to both the variations of HA-Ni concentration and Eh with pH. Evidence is presented which suggests that quinone moieties may not be crucial for the humic-Ni mediated reduction of TCE. A variety of natural soil and aqueous humic material and Ni systems were examined, and some showed reactivity toward TCE. Humic-metal complexes may be important electron-transfer mediators in ...
Experimental and theoretical examples of the value and limitations of transition state theory

Value and limitations of transition-state theory (TST) are reviewed. TST analyses of the temperature dependence of the 'direct' reactions CH3 + CH3CHO yields CH4 + CH3CO(1) and O + CH4 yields OH + CH3(2) are presented in detail, and other examples of TST usefulness are recalled. Limitations are discussed for bimolecular processes in terms of 'complex' vs. 'direct' mechanisms. The reaction OH + CO yields CO2 + H is discussed in this context. Limitations for unimolecular processes seem to arise only for simple bond fission processes, and recent advances are noted.
Ionization of Na atoms by 8-GHz electric fields.

The ionization of Na atoms by 8-GHz electric fields from principal quantum number n=16--42 exhibits a threshold for the \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=0 and 1 states of E\ensuremath{\approxeq}1/3${n}^{5}$, and two thresholds for the \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=2 states of E\ensuremath{\approxeq}1/9${n}^{4}$ and E\ensuremath{\approxeq}1/21${n}^{4}$ depending upon the n state. The \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=0 and 1 thresholds show a departure from a 1/${n}^{5}$ scaling at high n which we interpret as being due to the fact that the relatively slower atomic frequencies at high n no longer match the 8 GHz microwave frequency. The E=1/21${n}^{4}$ \ensuremath{\Vert}m\ensuremath{\Vert}=2 threshold has not to our knowledge been observed before, and we interpret it as arising from the ionization of the highest energy, or blue, Stark state at the classical limit for ionization.
2011 Riley Heart Center Symposium on cardiac development: development of the cardiac conduction system and arrhythmias.

This article gives an overview of the 2011 Riley Heart Center Symposium that was held in Indianapolis, IN, USA, 11–13 September, 2011.
An adenosine receptor-Krüppel-like factor 4 protein axis inhibits adipogenesis.

Adipogenesis represents a key process in adipose tissue development and remodeling, including during obesity. Exploring the regulation of adipogenesis by extracellular ligands is fundamental to our understanding of this process. Adenosine, an extracellular nucleoside signaling molecule found in adipose tissue depots, acts on adenosine receptors. Here we report that, among these receptors, the A2b adenosine receptor (A2bAR) is highly expressed in adipocyte progenitors. Activation of the A2bAR potently inhibits differentiation of mouse stromal vascular cells into adipocytes, whereas A2bAR knockdown stimulates adipogenesis. The A2bAR inhibits differentiation through a novel signaling cascade involving sustained expression of Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), a regulator of stem cell maintenance. Knockdown of KLF4 ablates the ability of the A2bAR to inhibit differentiation. A2bAR activation also inhibits adipogenesis in a human primary preadipocyte culture system. We analyzed the A2bAR-KLF4 axis in adipose tissue of obese subjects and, intriguingly, found a strong correlation between A2bAR and KLF4 expression in both subcutaneous and visceral human fat. Hence, our study implicates the A2bAR as a regulator of adipocyte differentiation and the A2bAR-KLF4 axis as a potentially significant modulator of adipose biology.
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Practice Guidelines: the role of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation in the management of portal hypertension.

THE recommendations in this article provide a data supported approach. They are based on the following: (i) a formal review and analysis of recently published world literature on the topic (as listed in MEDLINE); (ii) the American College of Physicians’ A Manual for Assessing Health Practices and Designing Practice Guidelines (1); (iii) policy guidelines, including the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases’ Policy Statement on Development and Use of Practice Guidelines and the American Gastroenterological Association’s Policy Statement on the Use of Medical Practice Guidelines (2); and (iv) the authors’ years of experience in the care of patients with portal hypertension and use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in the management of these disorders. These recommendations are fully endorsed by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the Society for Interventional Radiology. Intended for use by physicians, these recommendations suggest preferred approaches to the diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative aspects of care. They are intended to be flexible, in contrast to standards of care, which are inflexible policies designed to be followed in every case. Specific recommendations are based on relevant published information. In an attempt to characterize the quality of evidence supporting recommendations, the Practice Guidelines Committee of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases requires a grade to be assigned and reported with each recommendation (Table 1).
Functional Electrical Stimulation of a Quadriceps Muscle Using a Neural-Network Adaptive Control Approach

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been used to facilitate persons with paralysis in restoring their motor functions. In particular, FES-based devices apply electrical current pulses to stimulate the intact peripheral nerves to produce artificial contraction of paralyzed muscles. The aim of this work is to develop a model reference adaptive controller of the shank movement via FES. A mathematical model, which describes the relationship between the stimulation pulsewidth and the active joint torque produced by the stimulated muscles in non-isometric conditions, is adopted. The direct adaptive control strategy is used to address those nonlinearities which are linearly parameterized (LP). Since the torque due to the joint stiffness component is non-LP, a neural network (NN) is applied to approximate it. A backstepping approach is developed to guarantee the stability of the closed loop system. In order to address the saturation of the control input, a model reference adaptive control approach is used to provide good tracking performance without jeopardizing the closed-loop stability. Simulation results are provided to validate the proposed work.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
The depth-dependent anisotropy of articular cartilage by Fourier-transform infrared imaging (FTIRI)

Summary Objective To study the anisotropic characteristics of individual histological zones in articular cartilage using Fourier-transform infrared imaging (FTIRI) at 6.25μm pixel resolution. Method A canine humeral cartilage-bone block was paraffin-embedded and microtomed into 6μm sections. Each of the five sections was infrared (IR)-imaged 26 times with identical acquisition parameters, for a 5–10° increment of a wire grid polarizer introduced before the detector in 0–180° angular space. Following the IR imaging experiments, the same tissue sections were also imaged by polarized light microscopy (PLM). Results The IR absorption components of cartilage (amide I, amide II, amide III, and sugar) exhibit distinctly different anisotropies, which vary differently as a function of the tissue depth. A new type of image, "the absorbance anisotropy map", was constructed for each major component, which shows that (1) the absorbance of the amide components in most parts of the tissue is anisotropic, (2) the anisotropic behavior in the radial and the superficial zones of the tissue is opposite, (3) the absorption profile of amide I is inverse to those of amide II and amide III, and (4) the IR absorption of the sugar component is almost isotropic. The anisotropic variations of the amide components were fitted to an empirical equation. Conclusions The IR anisotropy map is a powerful tool to monitor the individual chemical components in articular cartilage. The ability to examine the same tissue section using both FTIRI and PLM offers the possibility of correlating the tissue's morphology with chemical distribution.
Effect of environmental alcohol on in vivo properties of Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase.

The effects of environmental 2-propanol on the in vivo properties of Drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.1.) are presented. Exposed flies were found to exhibit a significant decrease in ADH specific activity with a concomitant increase in the enzyme's relative in vivo stability and concentration. The possible adaptive significance of the observed responses is discussed.
ACTION AND PERIOD OF HOMOCLINIC AND PERIODIC ORBITS FOR THE UNFOLDING OF A SADDLE-CENTER BIFURCATION

At a saddle-center bifurcation for Hamiltonian systems, the homoclinic orbit is cusp shaped at the nonlinear nonhyperbolic saddle point. Near but before the bifurcation, orbits are periodic corresponding to the unfolding of the homoclinic orbit, while after the bifurcation a double homoclinic orbit is formed with a local and global branch. The saddle-center bifurcation is dynamically unfolded due to a slowly varying potential. Near the unfolding of the homoclinic orbit, the period and action are analyzed. Asymptotic expansions for the action, period and dissipation are obtained in an overlap region near the homoclinic orbit of the saddle-center bifurcation. In addition, the unfoldings of the action and dissipation functions associated with zero energy orbits (periodic and homoclinic) near the saddle-center bifurcation are determined using the method of matched asymptotic expansions for integrals.
Prediction method for broadband noise from unsteady flow in a slat cove

Noise from high-lift devices such as slats and flaps can contribute significantly to the overall aircraft sound pressure levels, particularly during approach. The acoustic spectrum of the noise radiated from slats exhibits two distinct features. There is a high-frequency tonal noise component and a high-energy broadband component ranging from low- to midfrequencies. The objective is to predict the broadband slat noise. The broadband noise is predicted using a two-step process. First, the noise sources are modeled based on the local turbulence information. Then, the sound from these sources is propagated by assuming that the flow past the wing is uniform. A boundary element method is used to find Green’s function for wave propagation in a moving medium in the presence of the wing. The noise in the far field is then predicted by forming a convolution of Green’s function with the modeled sources. The attractive feature of this prediction scheme is the quick computational time, which makes it suitable for new design and control strategies.
Different incubation temperatures result in differences in mass in female red-eared slider turtle hatchlings

Abstract The Charnov–Bull model states that environmentally determined sex will prevail in patchy environments where males may fare best in one patch type, whereas females may fare well in a different patch type. To investigate whether or not potential differences manifest early in the life of a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination, I assessed mass, carapace width and length, and plastron length of hatchlings from three different incubation temperature regimes. Differences in incubation temperature affected mass in turtles of the same sex; the difference appears to support a sex-based rationale for the phenotype. The results bear out an assumption of Charnov–Bull that neonates of the same sex from different temperatures may manifest different attributes (i.e., mass) that could affect their relative fitness.
Effects of Tetrahydropalmatine (THP) on PTSD-induced Changes in Rat Neurobehavior

The purpose of this study was to investigate tetrahydropalmatine (THP), a major compound in Corydalis yanhusuo WT Wang (Family: Papaveraceae) and its effects on PTSD induced neurobehavior in the rodent model. The aims were to determine the effects of THP on anxiety, locomotion, and memory. A prospective experimental between groups design was used. Eighty rats were randomly divided into two groups, non-stressed and stressed. They were then randomly subdivided into four groups: control, THP, midazolam, or THP and midazolam. The behavioral component was evaluated using the elevated plus maze (EPM) and Morris water maze (MWM) in a restraint/shock stress model. Data analysis was performed using a two-tailed Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and LSD post-hoc test. There were significant differences in anxiety between the groups (P<0.05). The PTSD stressed rat groups had significantly reduced time on the open arms of the EPM demonstrating significant increased anxiety compared to the control nonstressed groups. Data pertaining to the MWM did not demonstrate statistical significance. While a one-time dose of THP was insufficient in providing a significant decrease in anxiety, a multi-dose regimen may yield more effective results. Future experiments should evaluate a multi-dose or prophylactic regimen.
Biology and physiology of the white mutant of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.)

Abstract A white mutant of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta , was discovered among wild-type, blue-green larvae in a laboratory colony routinely supplemented with field-collected insects. The mutant is pinkish-white when reared on artificial diet and maintains this coloration from egg hatch through pupation. Spectral analyses showed that the blue chromophore, biliverdin, which is present in the integument and plasma of wild-type, diet and tobacco-reared larvae, was lacking in the white mutant reared on the same diets. Insecticyanin levels determined by radial immunodiffusion in the integument and plasma of the white mutant were half that of normal blue-green larvae. The topical application of increasing amounts of the juvenoid, 2-(1-methyl-2-(4-phenoxyphenoxy)ethoxy)pyridine, to wild-type, day 1 first stadium larvae of M. sexta was positively correlated with the intensity of white coloration, which first appeared in newly molted second instars and was retained until pupation. White-mutant larvae developed slower and were slightly larger than wild-type larvae. The corpora allata from last stadium, day 0 larvae of the white mutant demonstrated a higher rate of JH/JH acid biosynthesis and the hemolymph had a higher titer of JH than the wild type of the same age. These studies suggested that JH may play a role in the regulation of the white phenotype. No differences were noted in the level of JH esterase activity between the two strains during the last stadium.
Terrace Inundation as an Autocyclic Mechanism for Parasequence Formation: Galveston Estuary, Texas, U.S.A.

Abstract Architecture of late Quaternary incised-valley fills is commonly attributed to the interplay between sea-level rise, sediment supply, and hydrodynamic processes. Inundation of fluvial terraces is commonly overlooked as an autocyclic mechanism for formation of parasequences. If the rate of sea-level rise and sediment supply is constant, architecture of terraced incised-valley fills will likely show backstepping parasequences. The control that variable antecedent topography has on architecture of incised-valley fills is examined in the Trinity incised valley, Texas. The Trinity valley is characterized by a series of downward-stepping terraces, and the Galveston Estuary formed above this irregular antecedent topography. Flooding surfaces, recognized in core by a decrease in sedimentation rates and a change from delta-plain to central-basin facies, formed at ~ −14 m, 8,200 cal. yr BP and ~ −10 m, 7,700 cal. yr BP, matching depths of the relatively flat fluvial terraces. Flooding surfaces formed rapidly and represent entire reorganization of the estuarine complex. Across the −10 m flooding surface, the river mouth and bay-head delta shifted landward at a rate of ~ 6.5 km per century and the associated barrier shoreline was stranded on the inner continental shelf, forming Heald Bank. Flooding surfaces formed as the rate of sea-level rise was decreasing, and are not associated with a decrease in sediment delivery to the estuary. As sea level inundates relatively flat fluvial terraces, rates of transgression rapidly increase, resulting in a sudden increase in accommodation space and an associated landward shift in coastal facies. Backstepping parasequences are inherent to the architecture of terraced incised-valley fills.