cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting growth and body dimensions of pigs reared in alternative production

ABSTRACTThe objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of farrowing month (FM) and sex on growth performance (GP), measured in terms of body weight (BW) and dimensions such as the girth, length and the leg heights, of purebred Berkshire pigs reared in a hoop structure. Body weights were recorded at birth and every four weeks until 20th week for all traits. Backfat thickness (BF) was measured at the shoulder, in the middle and at the back with an ultrasound prior to slaughter. Least square means of GP traits were estimated with Proc Mixed in SAS 9.3 for fixed effects such as sex, parity, FM and FM by day of age interaction. Sex did not have a significant effect on GP. Farrowing month made a difference in GP, however. Pigs farrowed in June were born the heaviest and the largest and finished the heaviest and the largest at 20th week, closely followed by pigs farrowed in October. The smallest pigs were found in those farrowed in September. Prominent trend in correlation between BW and body m...
Understanding the productivity of faculty members in higher education

With the price of rising tuition and mounting student debts in the USA, there continues to be much debate as to whether faculty members at universities work hard enough and whether that work benefits students. This article discusses key findings of a mixed-methods case study reflecting the breadth of work-related activities engaged in by university faculty at one regional university in Texas transitioning towards a greater focus on research. Contrary to popular press, it was found that full-time faculty members at all ranks worked more hours per week than the national average and two-thirds of those were spent in teaching related activities. The authors caution those entities pushing for large overhauls in higher education to abandon misinformation regarding faculty work roles and urge administrators to include very knowledgeable and concerned faculties in such discussions.
Sexbots: the ethical ramifications of social robotics' dark side

Recently I sat down with an older friend. During our conversation, it came up that I was researching the sex robots ("sexbots") industry. His initial reaction was to laugh in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? You mean like the robots in sci-fi?" My friend's disbelief makes sense; the idea of an actual industry for sex robots seems like a Hollywood movie in the tone of Ex Machina. However, the "sexbot industry" is real, and it's growing in popularity. According to a recent study from Tufts University, people find it "relatively permissible" to have sex with a robot. In fact, over 50 percent of people surveyed said they were open to using one (Scheutz, 2016).
Constructing Finite Frames with a Given Spectrum

Broadly speaking, frame theory is the study of how to produce well-conditioned frame operators, often subject to nonlinear application-motivated restrictions on the frame vectors themselves. In this chapter, we focus on one particularly well-studied type of restriction: having frame vectors of prescribed lengths. We discuss two methods for iteratively constructing such frames. The first method, called Spectral Tetris, produces special examples of such frames, and only works in certain cases. The second method combines the idea behind Spectral Tetris with the classical theory of majorization; this method can build any such frame in terms of a sequence of interlacing spectra, called eigensteps.
Forget Chineseness: On the Geopolitics of Cultural Identification

In late 2015, Chou Tzu-yu, a Taiwanese singer based in South Korea, performed for a Korean television variety show. The 16-year-old held a Republic of China flag to indicate that she was from Taiwa...
The Importance of Therapeutic Time Window in the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability. Despite its importance in public health, there are presently no drugs to treat TBI. Many reasons underlie why drugs have failed clinical trials, one reason is that most drugs to treat TBI lose much of their efficacy before patients are first treated. This review discusses the importance of therapeutic time window; the time interval between TBI onset and the initiation of treatment. Therapeutic time window is complex, as brain injury is both acute and chronic, resulting in multiple drug targets that appear and disappear with differing kinetics. The speed and increasing complexity of TBI pathophysiology is a major reason why drugs lose efficacy as time to first dose increases. Recent Phase III clinical trials treated moderate to severe TBI patients within 4-8 h after injury, yet they turned away many potential patients who could not be treated within these time windows. Additionally, most head trauma is mild TBI. Unlike moderate to severe TBI, patients with mild TBI often delay treatment until their symptoms do not abate. Thus, drugs to treat moderate to severe TBI likely will need to retain high efficacy for up to 12 h after injury; drugs for mild TBI, however, will likely need even longer windows. Early pathological events following TBI progress with similar kinetics in humans and animal TBI models suggesting that preclinical testing of time windows assists the design of clinical trials. We reviewed preclinical studies of drugs first dosed later than 4 h after injury. This review showed that therapeutic time window can differ depending upon the animal TBI model and the outcome measure. We identify the few drugs (methamphetamine, melanocortin, minocycline plus N-acetylcysteine, and cycloserine) that demonstrated good therapeutic windows with multiple outcome measures. On the basis of their therapeutic window, these drugs appear to be excellent candidates for clinical trials. In addition to further testing of these drugs, we recommend that the assessment of therapeutic time window with multiple outcome measures becomes a standard component of preclinical drug testing.
Transference: A Hybrid Computational System for Improvised Violin Performance

Transference is a hybrid computational system for improvised violin performance. With hardware sensors and digital signal processing (DSP), the system shapes live acoustic input and computer-generated sound. An electromyographic (EMG) sensor unobtrusively monitors movements of the left hand, while a custom glove controller tracks bowing gestures of the right arm. Through continuous musical gesture the performer is able to actuate and perturb streams of computationally transmuted audio. No additional layers of windowing or semantically-inflected processes of machine learning mediate this process. Remaining at the level of signal processing, the lack of windowed and/or statistical mediation creates a sense of fine-grain tactility and physical transduction for the performer. The strategies employed are sufficiently generalizable to apply to situations beyond those imagined and implemented here within the scope of augmented violin performance.
‘I went to debutante school’: using Southern femininity as a resource to negotiate authority in a Texan workplace interaction

This paper analyses how one United States Southern female professional, Suellen, navigates the ‘double bind’ of being a culturally appropriate woman and culturally appropriate leader. Data analysed include a two-hour audiorecorded meeting from eight months of fieldwork with a Texas organisation. Analysis illustrates how Suellen enacts a Southern feminine identity when implicitly claiming authority on business matters and overtly claims her identity as a woman when explicitly claiming authority on women-related matters. These findings address debates among language and gender scholars about determining the relevance of gender to interaction. We show how gender is a culturally specific identity that participants simultaneously implicitly perform and explicitly construct in ways that meet institutional goals. Multiple approaches to language and gender are not in contention but rather complement one another to highlight the variety of resources participants can use when making gender relevant in interaction to meet institutional goals.
Thermal conductivity of energetic materials

Thermal conductivity has been determined for a variety of energetic materials (EMs) using finite element analysis (FEA) and cookoff data from the Sandia Instrumented Thermal Ignition (SITI) experim...
Targeting Lymph Node Niches Enhances Type 1 Immune Responses to Immunization

Summary Generating robust CD4+ T-helper cell type 1 (Th1) responses is essential for protective vaccine-induced type 1 immunity. Here, we examine whether immunization formulation associated with enhanced vaccine efficacy promotes antigen targeting and cell recruitment into lymph node (LN) niches associated with optimal type 1 responses. Immunization with antigen and Toll-like receptor agonist emulsified in oil leads to an increased differentiation of IFNγ/TNF-α+ polyfunctional Th1 cells compared to an identical immunization in saline. Oil immunization results in a rapid delivery and persistence of antigen in interfollicular regions (IFRs) of the LN, whereas without oil, antigen is distributed in the medullary region. Following oil immunization, CXCL10-producing inflammatory monocytes accumulate in the IFR, which mobilizes antigen-specific CD4+ T cells into this niche. In this microenvironment, CD4+ T cells are advantageously positioned to encounter arriving IL-12-producing inflammatory dendritic cells (DCs). These data suggest that formulations delivering antigen to the LN IFR create an inflammatory niche that can improve vaccine efficacy.
Evidence of the Elusive Gold-Induced Non-classical Hydrogen Bonding in Aqueous Environments.

The ability of a gold ion to act as a proton acceptor in hydrogen bonding continues to remain an open question. Heavy-atom effects and secondary competitive interactions in gold complexes make it c...
Insulator-Metal Transition Material Based Artificial Neurons: A Design Perspective

We analyze the dynamics of insulator-metal transition (IMT) based neurons, through material-device co-design and optimization. We explore the correlation between the membrane potential and the bias voltage for the resistance stack of the IMT neuron. For a set of nominal parameters, we show that a minimum bias voltage of ~300 mV and a minimum gate input of ~400 mV is required to ensure oscillatory behavior in the IMT neuron. These biasing constraints can be slightly relaxed by increasing the size of the auxiliary transistor. A 4X increase in the transistor width can only lead to ~ 80 mV increase in the window of oscillatory operation with a ~3.8X increase in the current through the neuron. For low power operation, it is optimum to use minimum sized transistor with more than 400 mV of membrane and bias voltages. Analyzing the implications of the material parameters, we report that, the trigger voltage $(V_{TRIG})$ of the neuron can be linearly tuned by choosing appropriate critical voltage for IMT switching. The insulating state resistance $(R_{INS})$ also plays a role in determining the $V_{TRIG}$ . But, to reduce the $V_{TRIG}$ by 50 mV, the $R_{INS}$ needs to be lowered by ~5X. For $R_{INS} and metallic state resistance $(RMET) , it is possible to operate the neuron in a special bi-stable oscillatory mode (avoiding the metastable operation). But if the width of transistor is lower $(N_{FIN} , only metastable oscillation is possible. The frequency of oscillation is coupled to the transistor resistance and ~25 mV reduction in threshold voltage $(V_{TH})$ leads to $> 15\%$ increase in the frequency. We perform 10,000 Monte-Carlo simulations $(3\sigma)$ to analyze the effect of variation on this neuron topology. Considering Gaussian distribution in the $V_{TH}$ and in all the parameters of the IMT material, we calculate ~150 mV of spread in the values of the $V_{TRIG}$ The variation induced spread is not sensitive to the transistor size. That indicates the possibility of using a minimum sized transistor, without affecting the degree of variation tolerance of the neuron.
Understanding the removal of precise geotagging in tweets

Twitter announced on 18 June 2019 that it would remove the precise geotagging feature in tweets. In addition to protecting the location privacy of users, this change also affects human behaviour studies based on geotagged tweets. We discuss the potential impact of Twitter’s decision and how researchers can respond to this change.
Japanese machizukuri and community engagement: History, method and practice, by Shigeru Satoh: New York, Routledge, 2020

Very few English language books have been published on Japanese community planning or neighborhood placemaking. For that reason alone, Shigeru Satoh’s volume, Japanese Machizukuri and Community Eng...
Are mothers more likely than fathers to lose their jobs

The motherhood wage penalty is often cited as a contributor towards the gender earnings gap. A potential explanation involves women’s reduced labor force participation and paid work hours after having children. Yet, the literature says little about whether mothers’ labor supply reductions are entirely voluntary. This study utilizes two US longitudinal panels to measure children’s impact on parent job loss. Mothers are significantly more likely than fathers to involuntarily lose their jobs. The gap is substantial, persists over time, is robust to a variety of model specifications, and exists among a host of demographic sub-samples. While a definite mechanism is elusive, the study posits that productivity decline may disproportionately lead to mothers losing their jobs more so than fathers.
An Experimental Study of Denial of Service Attack Against Platoon of Smart Vehicles

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) brings a strong prospect for safer vehicles and roadways. We expect the eradication of accidents and fatalities on highways endangering precious lives. Platoons resolve the imminent dilemma of space crunch among other issues like speed, safety, economy, and efficiency. Studies have shown that even when all the environmental conditions are perfect, the smart cars can still face a hard time caused by malicious hackers. Technologies such as IoT, connectivity in automobiles, smart highways, and platoons are continually emerging and their implementation entails common challenges. Cyber-criminals' favorite, Denial of Service (DoS) and jamming attacks interfering the communication between cars and infrastructure, even for a split second can have serious consequences. The overall damage of such cyber assaults can be controlled with prompt detection. In this paper, we carried out an experimental study of DoS attacks against Platoon of smart vehicles. Firstly, we performed a comprehensive study on platoon architecture and candidate protocols essential for successful deployment of this architecture. Secondly, we studied the impact of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack on salient protocols in platoon and proposed some viable solutions. Finally, we simulated representative attack scenarios and plausible solutions to the platoon architecture.
The Presidency of George H. W. Bush

Shortly after George H. W. Bush lost his re-election bid to Bill Clinton in 1989, John Robert GreeneAEs verdict on the 41st president of the United States was that he obrought no discredit to the officeo and oBush was both patient and prudent...mak[ing] few mistakes.o In the years since the release of GreeneAEs profile of the senior Bush, deemed by Publishers Weekly , othe essential introduction to BushAEs abbreviated, but still consequential, tenure in office,o a wealth of materials about BushAEs presidency has become available, even as distance has sharpened our perspective on the Bush years. In this significantly expanded second edition of The Presidency of George H.W. Bush, Greene takes full advantage of newly released documents to revisit BushAEs term, to consider his post-presidency accomplishments, and to enhance and clarify our understanding of his place in history. Such milestones as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the reunification of Germany, the fall of the Soviet Union, the savings and loan crisis, and the transition to the Clinton administration receive renewed and far more detailed treatment here, as do the ramifications of George H. W. BushAEs positions and policies. Greene also devotes ample attention to BushAEs post-presidency, including his relationship with his son, President George W. Bush, as well as the development of his close friendship with Bill Clinton. The elder Bush emerges from this reappraisal as a considerably more activist president, with a more activist administration, than was previously assumed. GreeneAEs concise and readable account, drawing on the contents of the Bush Library, the papers of James A. Baker III, and personal interviews, shows us the 41st presidentuand thus an important chapter in American historyuin a new and more revealing light.
Ultraviolet emission and absorption spectra produced by organic compounds in oxyhydrogen flames1: Emission spectra

Abstract Ultraviolet emission spectra produced by aspirating organic compounds into oxyhydrogen flames have been investigated. Spectra are presented and compared. The prominent bands observed are listed by wavelength and species emitting. Flame emission profiles for organic and inorganic fragments are presented. Maximum emission by organic fragments occurred in the reaction zone of the flame. Emission by OH and fragments containing phosphorus or sulfur was intense above and within the reaction zone of the flame. Spectra obtained by varying the hydrogen-to-oxygen ratio in the flame and by aspirating with hydrogen instead of oxygen reflected the different sizes of the resulting flames. The bands observed were similar. Estimates of detection limits obtained for pyridine and ethanol by measuring the intensities of emission from NH and CH fragments were ⩾2% pyridine in ethanol and ⩾5% ethanol in water.
Radio frequency monitoring and control of energy and processing systems

A basic wireless monitoring control system was developed, including prototype modems, which will provide the means to transmit data through a radio link. The modems were connected to an IBM Compatible computer through an RS-232 interface. Two computer programs, generating normal ASCII data, were developed to provide the communications software between the computer and the modems. The hardware, software, and system operation are described. >
Phospholipid metabolism in the developing liver : I. The biosynthesis of choline glycerophosphatides by liver slices from fetal, newborn and adult rats

Abstract 1. 1. The biosynthesis of choline glycerophosphatides was evaluated in fetal, neonatal and adult female rat liver. The two main pathways were assessed by studying the rates of incorporation of [ Me - 14 C]choline and [ Me - 14 C]methionine by liver slices. 2. 2. Over 96% of the lipid radioactivity from [ Me - 14 C] choline was located in choline glycerophosphatides. In adult liver slices 93% of the total lipid radioactivity from [ Me - 14 C]methionine was located in choline glycerophosphatides. An appreciable amount of radioactivity from [ Me - 14 C]methionine was incorporated into fatty acids by fetal liver slices. 3. 3. Liver slices from fetal rats incorporated the same amount of [ Me - 14 C]choline into lecithin as did adult liver slices except for a drop 2 days before birth. Liver slices from 3-day-old neonatal rats incorporated about twice as much [ Me - 14 C]choline as the adult liver slices. 4. 4. Liver slices from fetal and young rats incorporated about 8–10 times more [ Me - 14 C]choline into phosphoryl choline than did liver slices from adults. Adult levels were reached at 10 days after birth. 5. 5. The incorporation of radioactivity from [ Me - 14 C]methionine into lecithin by fetal liver slices was much lower than that by adult liver slices and increased to twice adult levels by 10–12 days after birth. Adult levels were reached by 25 days after birth. 6. 6. Studies with [1,2- 14 C 2 , Me - 14 H]choline indicated that the choline was incorporated intact and that little, if any, of the methyl groups of choline were used for the methylation of phosphatidyl ethanolamine. 7. 7. The mechanism of choline incorporation into lecithin is discussed.
Ureterosigmoidostomy after pelvic irradiation

The records of 34 patients who underwent ureterosigmoidostomy after pelvic irradiation were reviewed and the incidence of complications was found to be similar to that in other series of ureterosigmoidostomy without prior irradiation. No difference was established between the use of linac or cobalt 60 therapy in relation to postoperative complications. No conclusions could be reached concerning the effect of the preoperative dose of radiotherapy on the operation because of the small number of patients but it did appear that the incidence of postoperative complications was great after doses in excess of 5,000 rads. Ureterosigmoidostomy after pelvic irradiation is considered to be a feasible procedure with doses of less than 5,000 rads.
Ice polar stratospheric clouds detected from assimilation of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder data

[1] A novel technique is presented for the detection and mapping of ice polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), using brightness temperatures from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) “moisture” channel near 6.79 μm. It is based on observed-minus-forecast residuals (O-Fs) computed when using AIRS radiances in the Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) data assimilation system. Brightness temperatures are computed from six-hour GEOS-5 forecasts using a radiation transfer module under clear-sky conditions, meaning they will be too high when ice PSCs are present. We study whether the O-Fs contain quantitative information about PSCs by comparison with sparse data from the Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM) III solar occultation instrument. AIRS O-Fs lower than −2 K generally coincide with PSCs observed by POAM III. Synoptic maps of AIRS O-Fs lower than −2 K are constructed as a proxy for ice PSCs. These are used to investigate spatio-temporal variations of Antarctic PSCs in the year 2004.
Demonstration of ultra high resolution soft x-ray tomography

Ultra high resolution three dimensional images of a microscopic test object were made with soft x‐rays using a scanning transmission x‐ray microscope. The test object consisted of two different patterns of gold bars on silicon nitride windows which were separated by ∼ 5μm. Depth resolution comparable to the transverse resolution was achieved by recording nine 2‐D images of the object at angles between −50 to +55 degrees with respect to the beam axis. The projections were then combined tomographically to form a 3‐D image using an algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) algorithm. We observed a transverse resolution of ∼1000 A. Artifacts in the reconstruction limited the overall depth resolution to ∼6000 A, however some features were clearly reconstructed with a depth resolution of ∼1000 A.
Knowing, Not-Knowing & … Sort-of-Knowing: Psychoanalysis and the Experience of Uncertainty., edited by J. Petrucelli

The book Knowing, Not-Knowing & … Sort-of-Knowing: Psychoanalysis and the Experience of Uncertainty, edited by Jean Petrucelli, charts a meeting at the crossroads, a “standing in the spaces” that i...
Numerical modeling study of automobiles for EM applications

The use of numerical EM techniques in the design of conformal automobile antennas is increasing. We present a series of theoretical computation and experimental measurements to determine the effect of electrical gaps in an automobile body. We notice that measured and calculated S/sub 11/ values and input impedance are very sensitive to the gaps, especially when the gaps are near the antenna. These gaps change the RF current flow on the surface of the vehicle. The azimuthal gain patterns are also sensitive to the gaps. Wire grid models of an automobile body should include these gaps in order to permit accurate MoM solutions.
RADIATION-INDUCED DOMINANT LETHALITY IN HAPLOID AND DIPLOID SPERM OF THE WASP MORMONIELLA.

A doubling of the chromosome complement on Mormoniella sperm from haploid to diploid doubles the sensitivity to radiation when dominant lethality is the criterion. (auth)
Electrosynthesis of a Bis-Ketenedithioacetal Disulphide Derivative From 1-Phenyl-3-Methyl-4-Butyldithiocarboxylate-5-Pyrazolone Using a Glassy Carbon Electrode

Abstract The electrooxidation of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-butyldithiocarboxylate-5-pyrazolone 1 has been studied in ethanol/water solution, using a glassy carbon electrode surface. The electrochemical and spectroscopic data are in agreement with a bis-ketenedithioacetal disulphide compound 2 as the only product of the reaction.
Transport Measurements of Magnetic Multilayers at Reduced Lateral Dimensions

Abstract We report on the fabrication and transport properties of magnetic multilayers with widths down to 100 nm. We employ e-beam processed nano-deposition masks to pattern magnetic multilayers which define nano-wires by lift-off or by a removal process such as ion-milling. Two different magnetic multilayer systems (antiferromagnetically coupled Co/Cu multilayers and NiFe/Cu/Co spin-valves) are investigated. Structures resulting from the lift-off process show high contact resistance and high resistivities while ion-milled structures show resistivities close to that of bulk. For Fe(50A)/[Co(15A)/Cu(20A)]x20 /Cu(30A), patterned nano-wire structures display no negative magnetoresistance but a positive magnetoresistance that is linear with applied field and no apparent hysteresis. For Ta(50A)/NiFe(50A)/Cu(35A)/Co(20A)/Cu(30A), we found the resistance to decrease as the absolute value of magnetic field is decreased and found hysteresis to be present.
Quadrangles of order (s − 1, s + 1)

Abstract A generalized quadrangle P ∗ of order (s − 1, s + 1) may be constructed from a quadrangle P of order s by expanding about a regular point or line. Likewise, P is obtained from P ∗ by constricting about a suitable family of lines or points. These expansion and constriction processes are studied, with certain examples worked out in detail. In the process a new class of quadrangles of order (s − 1, s + 1) is discussed.
Inhibitory effects of chloramphenicol isomers and other antibiotics on protein synthesis and respiration in procyclic Trypanosoma brucei brucei.

Abstract The effects of various antibiotics on protein synthesis systems in procyclic trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma brucei brucei LUMP 1026 have been determined in an attempt to identify a mitochondrial translation system. The function of cytoplasmic ribosomes in T. b. brucei in vivo is sensitive to inhibition not only by cycloheximide but also by high concentrations of D-chloramphenicol, L-chloramphenicol, erythromycin and tetracycline as a possible secondary consequence of a primary inhibition of mitochondrial respiration in vivo by these latter four compounds. In support of this conclusion, antimycin A inhibits mitochondrial respiration and, secondarily, cytoplasmic protein synthesis in vivo, suggesting that mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is necessary for cytoplasmic translation in T. b. brucei. Tetracycline inhibition of cytoplasmic protein synthesis in vivo may also be due to a direct effect on cytoplasmic ribosomes, since this drug inhibits ribosome function in vitro. Low concentrations of D-chloramphenicol, erythromycin and tetracycline do not inhibit cycloheximide-insensitive protein synthesis in vivo, implying the presence of permeability barriers to these drugs in T. b. brucei. Mitochondrial fractions isolated from T. b. brucei possess a ribosomal translation system, the function of which is insensitive to cyclohexemide but sensitive to inhibition by low concentrations of D-chloramphenicol, erythromycin and tetracycline. The results indicate that drugs such as D-chloramphenicol should only be used with caution in studies of mitochondrial biogenesis in T. b. brucei.
Community Colleges and Labor Market Conditions: How Does Enrollment Demand Change Relative to Local Unemployment Rates?

This study uses fixed-effects panel data techniques to estimate the elasticity of community college enrollment demand relative to local unemployment rates. The findings suggest that community college enrollment demand is counter-cyclical to changes in the labor market, as enrollments rise during periods of weak economic conditions. Using national data for the years 1990 through 2009, we find that a one percentage-point change in unemployment is associated with 1.1–3.3 % increases in enrollment demand. We disaggregate the analysis by total full-time and part-time enrollment, concluding that high levels of unemployment are also associated with greater demand for full-time attendance. Additionally, enrollments are slightly more responsive to unemployment in metropolitan (rather than micropolitan) areas. Informed by enrollment demand theory, our analysis provides an update to the “unemployment elasticity” literature and could aid in current enrollment planning, economic development, and public policy efforts to educate students on the margin between college and work.
The criterion validity of tasks of basic cognitive processes

The present study evaluated the criterion validity of the aggregated tasks of basic cognitive processes (TBCP). In age groups from 6 to 19 of the Woodcock-Johnson III Cognitive Abilities and Achievement Tests normative sample, the aggregated TBCP, i.e., the processing speed and working memory clusters, correlate with measures of scholastic achievement as strongly as the conventional indexes of crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence. These basic processing aggregates also mediate almost exhaustively the correlations between measures of fluid intelligence and achievement, and appear to explain substantially more of the achievement measures than the fluid ability index. The results from the Western Reserve Twin Project sample using TBCP with more rigorous experimental paradigms were similar, suggesting that it may be practically feasible to adopt TBCP with experimental paradigms into the psychometric testing tradition. Results based on the latent factors in structural equation models largely confirmed the findings based on the observed aggregates and composites.
Force balance in systems of spherical polyelectrolytes

Abstract Equilibrium separation distances in a model system composed of two spherical polyions is analyzed as a function of the pH and ionic strength of the bathing solution. The separations are determined graphically as a force balance between electrostatic repulsion and van der Waals attraction. From basic input such as the surface density of ionizable groups and the corresponding dissociation characteristics of these groups, a self-consistent functional of the potential is developed from which the electrostatic repulsive force may be obtained. For the van der Waals attractive force, the Hamaker functional form for the interaction energy between spheres is used with a Hamaker constant chosen by fitting the asymptotic form of the Hamaker expression to a more rigorous form based on the Lifshitz theory. It is found that the general behavior of the sphere-sphere system as a function of the pH and ionic strength of the bathing solution closely parallels that for systems of parallel cylindrical polyions.
Optimum quadratic spectrum for complex BIFORE transform

An optimum quadratic spectrum for the complex BIFORE transform, which is invariant to cyclic shift of the time series, is developed. The squared terms in this spectrum possess sequency resolution. The quadratic spectrum yields a better approximation to the d.f.t.energy spectrum compared with the sequency spectrum.
Computational pharmacokinetics during developmental windows of susceptibility.

Computational modeling has an increasing role in analyses of biological effects, including how the body handles chemicals (i.e., pharmacokinetics or toxicokinetics) and how the body responds to chemicals (i.e., pharmacodynamics or toxicodynamics). Pharmacokinetic models increasingly describe not just adult humans and animals, but also changes with age and life stage (e.g., pregnancy and fetal exposures, lactational exposures, and childhood growth). Physiologically based pharmacokinetic models provide an important route to estimate the potential changes in internal dose that may occur throughout the life cycle. These models require inputs describing changes in physiology, metabolism, and exposure with age and life stage. A particular challenge exists when the “equivalent” developmental period in the rodents and humans differs (e.g., early postnatal in rats and in utero in humans) such that the “equivalent” window of susceptibility to toxic effects of the chemical may involve substantially different exposur...
Effect of Operating Pressure on the Extent of Hysteresis in a Trickle Bed Reactor

The dependence of hydrodynamic parameters, such as pressure drop, on the flow history of the bed is called hysteresis. This phenomenon is most commonly associated with changes of flow distribution and flow patterns with the flow history. Many studies have shown that increased operating pressure will affect flow distribution and wetting efficiency; however, there seems to be no study of the effect of the elevated operating pressure on the extent of hysteresis. In this study, an experimental investigation of the hysteresis in a high-pressure trickle bed has been performed. A hysteresis factor has been introduced to quantify the extent of hysteresis and was found to be a strong function of gas and liquid operating flow rates as well as the operating pressure. In the region of lower liquid velocities, hysteresis is present regardless of the operating pressure or gas velocity. In the region of higher liquid velocities, increases in both pressure and gas velocity will lower the extent of hysteresis. For the ran...
Visualization of hepatitis C virions and putative defective interfering particles isolated from low-density lipoproteins.

SUMMARY. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in highly infectious sera has been shown to be predominantly associated with low-density lipoproteins. To determine whether the association is specific to low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), we fractionated HCV-containing plasma by a column chromatographic procedure known to separate these classes. Hepatitis C virus RNA detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was associated primarily with the very low-density (VLDL) fraction. However, it could not be ruled out that virus-associated LDL may have eluted with this fraction. Hepatitis C virus virions isolated from sera having sufficient titre for visualization by electron microscopy are generally coated with antiviral antibodies, therefore we utilized the lipid association to isolate antibody-free virions. Very low-density lipoproteins were isolated by ultracentrifugal flotation and then treated with deoxycholate to release the virions. These were then isolated in a highly purified form by centrifugation in a sucrose gradient. The 1.10–1.11 gml-1 region of the gradients contained 60–70 nm particles. Particles with similar surface structure but having a diameter of only 30–40 nm constituted about 30% of the total. The latter may represent defective interfering particles. The identity of both small and large particles with HCV virions and associated particles was confirmed by their trapping on grids by an anti-HCV E2 monoclonal antibody, and by their aggregation by rabbit antiserum to an amino-terminal peptide of E1. Thus, both E1 and E2 epitopes are displayed on the surface of intact HCV virions.
Exploring parental philosophies regarding childcare: overlap orientations and the influence of childcare programmes on families

This exploratory study examined the beliefs held by families regarding childcare. In‐depth interviews were conducted with parents of children ages 3–5 in full‐day childcare. Parents described their experiences with childcare, thoughts about the continuity between childcare and home environments and other life philosophies. From the analysis of the transcripts, three themes emerged: overlap orientation, influence of the programme on the family and parental involvement. In their descriptions of continuity and discontinuity between the home and care environments, parents provided insight into their orientation regarding the appropriate overlap between these environments. The relationships between these three themes are discussed. Practical applications and directions for future research are discussed.
Seasonality and wildlife disease: how seasonal birth, aggregation and variation in immunity affect the dynamics of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in house finches

We examine the role of host seasonal breeding, host seasonal social aggregation and partial immunity in affecting wildlife disease dynamics, focusing on the dynamics of house finch conjunctivitis (Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) in Carpodacus mexicanus). This case study of an unmanaged emerging infectious disease provides useful insight into the important role of seasonal factors in driving ongoing disease dynamics. Seasonal breeding can force recurrent epidemics through the input of fresh susceptibles, which will clearly affect a wide variety of wildlife disease dynamics. Seasonal patterns of social aggregation and foraging behaviour could change transmission dynamics. We use latitudinal variation in the timing of breeding, and social systems to model seasonal dynamics of house finch conjunctivitis across eastern North America. We quantify the patterns of seasonal breeding, and social aggregation across a latitudinal gradient in the eastern range of the house finch, supplemented with known field and laboratory information on immunity to MG in finches. We then examine the interactions of these factors in a theoretical model of disease dynamics. We find that both forms of seasonality could explain the dynamics of the house finch-MG system, and that these factors could have important effects on the dynamics of wildlife diseases generally. In particular, while either alone is sufficient to create recurrent cycles of prevalence in a population with an endemic disease, both are required to produce the specific semi-annual pattern of disease prevalence seen in the house finch conjunctivitis system.
Note on the control of gene expression during development

The process of development is interpreted in terms of a recent theory of gene regulation. In that theory agents interact with sensor structures associated with the genome. It was proposed that these interactions lead to the transcription of integrator genes and their products in turn effect control of the transcription of many genes and establish patterns of gene activation. The elements of the theory appear sufficient, in principle, to explain the process of development. We assume that there exists an initial divergence in genetic activity due to an unequal distribution of egg cytoplasmic regulatory elements among the different cells in early cleavage. As a result particular sensor structures could be synthesized in some cells and not in others. Therefore, individual cells would differ in their response to external inductive agents arising, for example, in nearby cell layers. Each specific cell or cell type would then be characterized by the integrated activation of a proper set of genes and be capable of carrying out its role in subsequent developmental events.
Presentations for (G,s)-transitive graphs of small valency

Given a group G, a subgroup H and an element a ∈ G, we define Γ(G, H, a) to be the graph on the set of left-cosets of H in G, where two left-cosets g1H and g2H are adjacent whenever . We will consider this construction only in the case thatThe first of these conditions assures that adjacency is a symmetric relation (i.e. that Γ(G, H, a) is an undirected graph) and the second assures that Γ(G, H, a) is connected.
LC-MS/MS based proteomic analysis and functional inference of hypothetical proteins in Desulfovibrio vulgaris

High efficiency capillary liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to examine the proteins extracted from Desulfovibrio vulgaris cells across six treatment conditions. While our previous study provided a proteomic overview of the cellular metabolism based on proteins with known functions [W. Zhang, M.A. Gritsenko, R.J. Moore, D.E. Culley, L. Nie, K. Petritis, E.F. Strittmatter, D.G. Camp II, R.D. Smith, F.J. Brockman, A proteomic view of the metabolism in Desulfovibrio vulgaris determined by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, Proteomics 6 (2006) 4286-4299], this study describes the global detection and functional inference for hypothetical D. vulgaris proteins. Using criteria that a given peptide of a protein is identified from at least two out of three independent LC-MS/MS measurements and that for any protein at least two different peptides are identified among the three measurements, 129 open reading frames (ORFs) originally annotated as hypothetical proteins were found to encode expressed proteins. Functional inference for the conserved hypothetical proteins was performed by a combination of several non-homology based methods: genomic context analysis, phylogenomic profiling, and analysis of a combination of experimental information, including peptide detection in cells grown under specific culture conditions and cellular location of the proteins. Using this approach we were able to assign possible functions to 20 conserved hypothetical proteins. This study demonstrated that a combination of proteomics and bioinformatics methodologies can provide verification of the expression of hypothetical proteins and improve genome annotation.
Unobserved Family Effects on the Risk of a First Premarital Birth

Abstract Using data from the National Survey of Youth, proportional hazards models for clustered data are used to account for shared unobserved family-level traits (or frailty) associated with nonmarital childbearing. The variance in frailty can be used to evaluate a woman's conditional hazard of a first premarital birth if one or more of her sisters were to experience a premarital birth relative to her risk if none of her sisters experience a premarital birth. I find that among non-Hispanic White women, a first premarital birth by one sister doubles our estimate of another sister's risk of a first premarital birth after controlling for observed family-level and individual-level characteristics. Significant associations exist between several socioeconomic measures and the estimated frailty among White families. For a Black woman in the NLSY, the estimate of the risk of a first premarital birth would increase by only 14% if one of her sisters were to experience a first premarital birth. Low variance in frailty among Black families may be a result of the high prevalence of nonmarital births in Black communities. Whether unobserved neighborhood, community, or peer-group traits contribute more to a Black woman's risk than unobserved family-level traits remains an important question for further research.
First Report of a 16SrIV-D Phytoplasma Associated with Texas Phoenix Palm Decline on Pigmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii) in Florida

The pigmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii O'Brien) is used as an ornamental in Florida and is popular and lucrative within the nursery trade. Severe decline of several pigmy date palms was observed at a residence in Hillsborough County, FL. Several other palm species, including P. canariensis (Canary Island date palm), P. sylvestris (wild date palm), P. dactylifera (date palm), Syagrus romanzoffiana (queen palm), and Sabal palmetto (cabbage palm), in Florida are known to be affected by Texas Phoenix palm decline (TPPD), a disease associated with a phytoplasma subgroup strain 16SrIV-D (2,3). Moreover, the location of the affected pigmy date palms was in the proximity of many other diseased cabbage palms that were identified in previous surveys and subsequently rogued. Genomic DNA was extracted from 100 mg of ground-up palm trunk tissues containing phloem cells with a DNeasy Plant Mini kit column (QIAGEN Inc., Valencia, CA) from four specimens. A high-fidelity PCR (Hf-PCR) procedure was used in preference to ...
Stabilization of cytochrome oxidase activity of rat skin and gingiva by dimethyl sulfoxide and Ficoll.

The cytochrome oxidase activity of skin and gingival homogenates was found to be very labile upon standing at 0° C. The enzymatic activity was stabilized for 1–4 hours in the presence of (1–2)% Ficoll, (1–2)% DMSO, or 1% combinations of Ficoll and DMSO in a phosphate-buffered system. These agents were found to be ineffective as stabilizers in the presence of Tris-maleate buffer. The specific activity values of stabilized homogenates declined towards those of the non-stabilized controls alter the stabilizing effect was dissipated.
Delivery of interleukin 2 for immunotherapy

The local production of interleukin 2 (IL-2) by T lymphocytes acts to enhance the immune response by inducing growth and differentiation of a variety of immune cells. In clinical situations that require immunostimulation, such as vaccination and enhancement of tumor immunity, IL-2 therapy has been considered; however, the extraordinary toxicity of the drug inoculated systemically has greatly limited its application. Since the most serious toxic consequences of the drug are related to its systemic delivery, alternative strategies have been developed. Local delivery of the cytokine has been successfully used in some circumstances, and this form of delivery does not result in the life-threatening complications that limit systemic use. Liposome encapsulated IL-2 represents a mechanism to accentuate local delivery by causing a depot effect. Finally, the use of IL-2 has been predicated on the conception of the cytokine as an absolute monomer. Nevertheless, IL-2 spontaneously forms noncovalent and covalent self-associations. Because covalent dimers have been shown to initiate differential signalling in target cells, it is necessary to account for this property in devising and evaluating therapeutic protocols; moreover, it seems possible to use this property for modifying and regulating the therapeutic response.
Right atrial membrane interfering with insertion of pulmonary artery catheter.

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