cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of faulting in and around Caloris basin, Mercury

[1] The distribution of faulting in and around the Caloris basin on Mercury provides constraints on the planet's early lithosphere and tectonic history. By means of a series of finite element models we test a range of ideas regarding lithospheric structure, surface loading, and shallow flow proposed to account for early contractional features and younger extensional features on the basin floor as well as contractional tectonic features exterior to the basin. Early-stage thrust faults within the basin are well matched by the stress field accompanying flexural subsidence in response to partial infilling of a broad basin floor, while younger normal faulting can be the result of flexural uplift in response to later-stage emplacement of an exterior annulus of smooth plains deposits. A proposed scenario in which later-stage inward flow of the lower crust induces uplift of the basin floor can, under some conditions, yield extension in the basin, but not in a manner consistent with the observed distribution of normal faults. Thrust faulting on the exterior smooth plains can be the result of local subsidence accompanying the emplacement of these units but may also have been influenced by global contraction. Our results lead to the prediction that the gravity anomaly associated with the Caloris basin and surroundings should consist of a central positive anomaly (mascon) and an annular gravity high separated by a ring of lower gravity. Gravity and topography measurements to be made by the MESSENGER mission will provide a test of this prediction and more generally of the models developed here.
Reproductive system and pattern of genetic variation in two Limnanthes species.

Several populations of two species of the genus Limnanthes, (L. alba, an outbreeder and L. floccosa, an inbreeder) were examined with respect to variability of fifteen quantitative characters, allozyme variation at 11 loci, and response to different pollination conditions and moisture stress. Nearly equal amounts of phenotypic variability were found in the two species. L. alba had higher within-family variability than L. floccosa, but this result was highly heterogeneous among characters. A study of between- and within-population variance estimates did not reject the null hypothesis that L. alba and L. floccosa are similar with regard to the partitioning and amount of variability for quantitative characters. However, allozyme variation at 11 loci in a large number of populations showed L. alba to be highly polymorphic in contrast to the virtual monomorphism within L. floccosa populations. The average number of alleles per locus in L. alba and L. floccosa was 1.97 and 1.02, respectively, and on an average, L. alba and L. floccosa populations had 63% and 3% loci with polymorphism, respectively. Three groups of allozyme allelic combinations emerged which correlated well with the taxonomic delineation of allogamous L. alba, three semi-autogamous L. floccosa forms and two autogamous L. floccosa forms.All taxa showed a significant reduction in the seed output per plant due to moisture stress. L. alba suffered a further loss of fecundity under the paucity of pollinators, L. floccosa ssp. floccosa showed no significant effect from this factor, whereas L. floccosa ssp. grandiflora exhibited a curvilinear response which peaked at 'partial pollination' and decreased to a lower level at 'full pollination.'The geographic distribution of the two species with regard to the temperature and rainfall distribution did not suggest L. floccosa to be living in drier marginal areas. Patterns of variation in flowering time showed L. alba to be less variable than L. floccosa. Overall, there seemed to be little direct support for the thesis that inbreeding species originated from outcrossing taxa in marginal environments as a direct adaptation to a shortened growing season of xeric environments and to the lack of pollinators. Alternative hypotheses suggest that autogamy in L. floccosa might have evolved as a reproductive isolating barrier acting through either cleistogamy or divergence in flowering times.
Digestion of native proteins for proteomics using a thermocycler.

Efficient protein digestion is a critical step for successful mass spectrometry analysis. Here we describe simultaneous tryptic digestion and gradual unfolding of native proteins by application of a temperature gradient using a single cycle of 5 min or less in a PCR thermocycler. Chemicals typically used for chromatographic techniques did not affect the digestion efficiency. Tryptic digestion was performed in a small volume (3 µL) with 1.5 µg of trypsin without denaturing agents. This rapid procedure yielded more peptides than conventional methods utilizing chemical denaturation for 18 proteins out of 20. Samples were directly spotted on the MALDI-TOF target plate, without additional purification, thus reducing losses on reversed-phase resins.
Accountability and the use of classroom response devices

Classroom response devices, such as clickers, have proved effective in improving student engagement during class time. We performed a study to investigate how much of this improvement was due to heightened accountability, either because students were required to take and pass a pre-quiz over the lecture material, or because students were given credit for each answer submitted. We found that the presence of a pre-quiz was associated with a much higher response rate, 38.5% vs. 29.3%. Giving credit for answering questions also boosted the response rate, from 30.3% to 43.2%. We also found that asking more questions during class tended was associated with a lower response rate. When only one question was asked, the response rate was above 60%, but if more than five questions were asked, the response rate was barely 30%. These findings suggest that accountability is important in making effective use of classroom response devices.
Testing Fundamental Gravitation in Space

Abstract General theory of relativity is a standard theory of gravitation; as such, it is used to describe gravity when the problems in astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics are concerned. The theory is also relied upon in many modern applications involving spacecraft navigation, geodesy, and time transfer. Here we review the foundations of general relativity and discuss its current empirical status. We describe both the theoretical motivation and the scientific progress that may result from the new generation of high-precision tests that are anticipated in the near future.
Electric aerosol particle counting and size distribution measuring system for the 0.015 to 1 ? size range

An electrical particle counter and size analyzer system having the following characteristics has been described. 1 Sizing range from 0.015 to 1.2 μ. 2 Classification range from 0.015 to 0.6 μ at 28 1/m aerosol sampling rate. 3 A unique unipolar diffusion charger that is stable, controllable and capable of near optimum charging performance. 4 A versatile mobility analyzer capable of discrete classification of particles with mobilities from 0.01 to 0.0002 (cm/sec)/(volt/cm) at aerosol flow rates up to 57 1/m. This analyzer is unique in using a filter located at the aft end of the current collector. This separation of the collecting electrode and the current collector permits the use of collector voltages up to 30 KV while maintaining background currents below 10 −14 amp. 5 Although the instrument described here is only semi-automatic, a completely automatic version of the EPC is entirely practical. An automatic EPC used together with an automatic CN and optical counter would permit continuous automatic size distribution measurement over the size range from 0.01 to 10 μ. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1966.tb00272.x
Three-dimensional confocal microscopy and visualization

This tutorial provides a fundamental introduction to confocal microscopy and its applications. The course will review the historical developments of confocal microscopy and describe all of the components of confocal microscopes, including light sources, scanning systems, microscope objectives, apertures, detection systems, and mechanical xyz stages. A comparison between ideal and real optical systems will be developed, with "focus" on optical aberrations and digital deconvolutions.
An easy method using glutaraldehyde-introduced fluorescence for the microscopic analysis of plant biotrophic interactions.

Summary The method introduced in this article makes use of the glutaraldehyde-induced auto-fluorescence of proteins after cross-linking with glutaraldehyde for the analysis of cellular and sub-cellular structures. Because the interface of biotrophic interactions is rich in proteins, the method presented is particularly suitable for the analysis of such interactions; we have exemplified its usefulness by analyzing (1) the root feeding sites induced in roots from Arabidopsis thaliana by the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita; (2) leaves from Cucurbita pepo infected by powdery mildew and (3) roots from Nicotiana tabacum colonized by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices. The use of confocal and multi-photon laser scanning microscopy allows three-dimensional reconstructions from optical sections of complex biotrophic interactions. In the case of root-knot nematode feeding sites, our method enabled us to simultaneously study the development of the plant xylem elements (using lignin auto-fluorescence), the nematode feeding site and the nematode itself.
Security concepts for the dynamics of autonomous vehicle networks

The secure operation of autonomous vehicle networks in the presence of adversarial observation is examined, in the context of a canonical double-integrator-network (DIN) model. Specifically, we study the ability of a sentient adversary to estimate the full network's state, from noisy local measurements of vehicle motions. Algebraic, spectral, and graphical characterizations are provided, which indicate the critical role of the inter-vehicle communication topology and control scheme in achieving security.
The Flow Field-Flow Fractionation Channel as a Versatile Pressure Dialysis and Ultrafiltration Cell

Abstract A versatile solute purification cell based on the flow field-flow fractionation channel is described. Equations are obtained for impurity removal, mean solute residence time, and solute throughput. Experiments are described in which methylene blue was purged from a buffer stream and from a stream containing 10% albumin by weight using a 2.65-ml cell. Impurity removals up to about 98 to 99% were observed. Mean albumin residence time in the cell varied from about 10 to 60 min; 90% impurity removal was possible with a residence time of about 25 min.
Asymptomatic electrocardiographic alterations in sarcoidosis

Abstract Among 80 patients with tissue-confirmed sarcoidosis attending the sarcoidosis clinic of the Mount Sinai Hospital, electrocardiographic abnormalities of varying degree were noted in 41 patients, despite the fact that these patients were entirely without cardiac complaints and exhibited no evidence of previous or current cardiac disease on thorough examination. All these patients were under 40 years of age. The ECG alterations included repolarization abnormalities and alterations in rhythm and conduction. Because of the potential hazards of some of these abnormalities, prospective studies are being undertaken to determine which of them may represent precursors of dangerous intrinsic cardiac sarcoidosis.
Lipid Diffusion in Tethered Bilayer Lipid Membranes (tBLMs)

The complexity of cells makes molecular-scale characterizations of structure and interactions of biomembranes in vivo extremely difficult, thus driving the development of synthetic membrane models. tBLMs are resilient biomimetic systems stabilized by the proximity of an inorganic interface.1,2 We characterize their in-plane structure, dynamics and dielectric properties using fluorescence microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The in-plane dynamics of tBLMs depend on structural details of the anchor lipid and its lateral density in the bilayer leaflet proximal to the substrate.3 In tBLMs with homogeneous lateral label distributions, the fluidity of the distal leaflet is comparable to that in vesicle membranes (2D diffusion constant, D ∼ 7 μm2/s) while that in the proximal leaflet is moderately reduced (D ∼ 2-3 μm2/s). tBLMs completed with phytanoyl lipids (DPhyPC) show lower label diffusivity than those completed with unsaturated chains (DOPC). In laterally heterogeneous bilayers, the label diffusivity varies only slightly, indicating that distinct regions in the bilayers do not correspond to distinct phases. Concurrently, we investigate the effect of charged lipids (DOPS) and cholesterol on lipid diffusivity. This aims at a characterization of changes in membrane dynamics as amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers associate with tBLMs where they have been shown to affect the resistance of the bilayer to ion conduction.4,5Supported by the NIH (1P01AG032131) and the AHAF (A2008-307).1McGillivray, D.J., et al. 2007. Biointerphases 2:21-33.2Vockenroth, I.K., et al. 2008. Biointerphases 3:FA68-73.3Shenoy, S., et al., 2009. Soft Matter, submitted.4Arispe, N., et al., 1993. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:567-571.5Valincius, G., et al., 2008. Biophys. J. 95:4845-4861.
High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of heparin-derived oligosaccharides.

Abstract Heparin has been enzymatically depolymerized with heparinase (heparin lyase (EC 4.2.2.7)) and then separated into di-, tetra-, hexa-, octa-, and decasaccharide mixtures by low-pressure gelpermeation chromatography (GPC). These sized mixtures were resolved by strong anion-exchange (SAX) HPLC into multiple components. The fractions from the SAX-HPLC were collected and characterized for size by GPC-HPLC and sulfate content by ion chromatography. This study provides detailed methodology for the separation of larger and more highly sulfated oligosaccharides than previously reported. It describes the first use of ion chromatography for the accurate determination of the sulfate content of heparin oligosaccharides, a method which can also be applied to heparin and other glycosaminoglycans.
ISOLATED TESTICULAR LEUKEMIC RELAPSE Response to Radiation Therapy

Between January, 1975, and December, 1984, at the University of Michigan Medical Center, 17 boys with leukemia presented with overt or occult isolated testicular relapse. Diagnosis was obtained by bilateral open-wedge biopsies of the testes. All the patients were treated with combined local testicular irradiation and systemic chemotherapy. In only 1 of the 17 patients (6%) testicular leukemia developed as the only site of relapse. It appears that doses in the range of 2,000 to 2,400 cGy in 10 to 12 fractions achieve optimum control of leukemic infiltration of the testes.
Inbreeding depression in self-incompatible and self-compatible populations of Leavenworthia alabamica

Inbreeding depression is one of the leading factors preventing the evolution of self-fertilization in plants. In populations where self-fertilization evolves, theory suggests that natural selection against partially recessive deleterious alleles will reduce inbreeding depression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this hypothesis by comparing the magnitude of inbreeding depression in self-incompatible and self-compatible populations of Leavenworthia alabamica. Within-population crosses were conducted to compare the quantity and quality of offspring produced by outcrossing and self-fertilization. These progeny were grown in a common greenhouse and inbreeding depression was measured in germination, survival, biomass, transition rate to flowering, flower number, petal length, pollen grains/anther, pollen viability, and ovule number. In comparison to outcrossing, self-fertilization led to the production of fewer and smaller seeds within self-incompatible populations. Moreover, inbreeding depression was observed in eight of 11 offspring traits within self-incompatible populations of L. alabamica. In contrast, there was significant inbreeding depression only in flower number within self-compatible populations. The results of this study are consistent with the idea that self-fertilization selectively removes partially recessive deleterious alleles causing inbreeding depression in natural plant populations. However, in plant species such as L. alabamica where self-compatibility may evolve in small populations following long-distance dispersal, declines in inbreeding depression may also be facilitated by genetic drift.
Energy partitioning of gaseous ions in an electric field.

The partitioning of ion energy among thermal energy, drift energy, and random-field energy is studied by solution of the Boltzmann equation. An expansion in powers of the square of the electric field strength is obtained by Kihara's method. Numerical calculations for several ion-neutral force laws show that Wannier's constant mean-free-time model gives a reasonable first approximation. The formal extension to multicomponent mixtures is also given. The matrix elements obtained are tabulated, and can be used to study the field dependence of other moments of the ion-distribution function.
Factors Affecting Successful Establishment of Aerially Seeded Winter Rye

Establishing cover crops in a corn (L.)–soybean (L.) rotation in northern climates can be difficult due to the short time between harvest and freezing temperatures. Aerial seeding into standing crops is one way to increase the time for germination and growth. Field studies were conducted to characterize the physical and chemical properties that affect winter rye (L.) establishment in corn and soybean, while a germination experiment was designed to determine optimal temperature and surface soil moisture content needed for successful germination. In the field study, 31 field-scale sites (22 corn and nine soybean) were aerially seeded in southeastern Minnesota during late August to early September 2009, 2010, and 2011. Aboveground biomass was collected before the ground froze, and multiple regression analysis was used to relate biomass to multiple soil and weather conditions. Total N uptake also was determined. Overall, precipitation the week after seeding was the most important factor in determining rye establishment, although our model accounted for only 43% of the variation in biomass. The germination study characterized winter rye germination on the surface of three different soils equilibrated to –50, –200, and –500 kPa water potential placed in three low-temperature incubators at 10, 18, and 25°C. Total germination was decreased by decreasing water potential in the sandy loam but not the clay or silt loam, suggesting that moisture content may be more important than water potential at the soil surface. Generally, germination was drastically reduced below a moisture content of 0.083 g g.
Bio-organic chemistry and cytochrome P-450-dependent catalysis.

1. This review presents current ideas, models and experimental data relating to the precise chemistry that links the transition metal active centre of cytochrome P-450 systems, the unactivated alkane substrate and the triplet atmospheric dioxygen molecule.2. Aspects considered include the hypervalent transition metal, the reductive activation of the dioxygen molecule by two electrons as an intermediate in the four-equivalent oxidase mechanism, and the details of carbon-hydrogen and carbon-carbon fragmentation.3. Studies of the microbial camphor 5-exo hydroxylase system are used to exemplify the principles discussed.
Adam Smith's invisible hand is unstable: physics and dynamics reasoning applied to economic theorizing

Abstract Neo-classical economic theory is based on the postulated, nonempiric notion of utility. Neo-classical economists assume that prices, dynamics, and market equilibria are supposed to be derived from utility. The results are supposed to represent mathematically the stabilizing action of Adam Smith's invisible hand. In deterministic excess demand dynamics, however, a utility function generally does not exist mathematically due to nonintegrability. Price as a function of demand does not exist and all equilibria are unstable. Qualitatively, and empirically, the neo-classical prediction of price as a function of demand describes neither consumer nor trader demand. We also discuss five inconsistent definitions of equilibrium used in economics and finance, only one of which is correct, and then explain the fallacy in the economists’ notion of ‘temporary price equilibria’.
The rules of viewing television in public places

Naturalistic methods were employed in studying television viewing in a variety of public places. The behavioral regularities that emerged included adjustment to the setting, to other viewers and to the television set, as well as an openness for television‐related interaction.
Pattern-based methodology for characterization of layered geological formations

Abstract A new pattern-driven method for characterizing layered geologic formations is presented is this paper. The method, based on the inversion of geophysical data, is tested on normal incidence reflection seismology data. The key elements of these methods are: the formation of a data-set of trial patterns with corresponding sets of geophysical models, the calculation of the values of a cost function over a data-set of trial patterns, and the identification of a subset of patterns for which a value of the cost function is close to that of its global minimum. The cost function characterizes similarity between recorded pattern and the elements in the pattern data-set. An estimation of the model parameters corresponding to the recorded pattern is performed using a set of a priori constraints on the estimated parameters and similarity values for the elements of the pattern data-set. The pattern-driven methodology has been applied to inversion of wave-forms and amplitude spectra of normal incidence-reflected waves. It is shown that in the case of a layered formation, it is possible to estimate the thickness of the layer, as well as the impedances within the layer and the layer below, as long as acoustic properties of the layer are different from those of the surrounding medium and additional constraints on the parameters of the layer are available.
The Solubility Rules: Why Are All Acetates Soluble?

According to the solubility rules presented in many introductory chemistry texts, all (or most) acetate salts are soluble in aqueous solution. The thermodynamic factors that contribute to the solub...
Smart grid protocol testing through cyber-physical testbeds

Sound cyber security testing is a critical challenge, in particular for large and complex systems such as the smart grid. In this paper, we explore the need for, and specific issues involved in, security testing for smart grid components and standards and how testbeds play a critical role in that environment. We present three main problems; the need for a methodology to define the appropriate tests, the need for a means of comparing and measuring the security of the system under scrutiny, and the current lack of tools and instrumentation with which to carry out those tests. We present work addressing those problem areas through approaches in methodology, quantification of security, formal methods, and tool creation. We illustrate our approach through a case study showing applications of these techniques to the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) protocol space and discuss advances in cyber-physical testbed experimentation that ease this testing at scale.
Control of High Subsonic Cavity Flow Using Plasma Actuators

Localized arc filament plasma actuators were used to control pressure fluctuations in a cavity with a depth of 12.7 mm and length-to-depth ratio of 4.86. The rear wall of the cavity is inclined 30 deg with respect to the upstream flow, and the cavity length is 61.7 mm. Five actuators were uniformly distributed along the span of the cavity, 1 mm upstream of the cavity leading edge. Experiments were conducted in a flow with a Mach number of 0.6 and a Reynolds number based on the cavity depth of 2×105. Forcing was conducted quasi-two-dimensionally (all actuators operated in phase) and three-dimensionally (actuators operated out of phase). The objective of the research was twofold: first, to demonstrate that the peak tone as well as the broadband pressure fluctuations can be suppressed in a strongly resonating cavity, and second, the resonance can be re-established and the peak tone as well as the broadband pressure fluctuations can be amplified in a weakly resonating cavity. Time-resolved pressure and partic...
Acute Pancreatitis: First and Sole Manifestation of Small Cell Carcinoma of Lung

Small cell carcinoma of the lung is an aggressive disease that tends to metastasize early in its course and has a poor prognosis. Pancreatic metastasis generally constitutes a late manifestation of this disease and most patients do not have organ specific symptoms (jaundice, abdominal pain and weight loss), and it is incidentally discovered on imaging studies. However, acute pancreatitis as the initial presentation of small cell carcinoma of lung is extremely rare. We came across a 71-year-old female who was admitted to the hospital for abdominal pain secondary to acute pancreatitis. Further workup revealed metastatic small cell carcinoma of lung. In English literature we found 11 other cases of small cell carcinoma of lung which had acute pancreatitis as their sole presentation. Therefore, it should be kept in mind as a very rare cause of acute pancreatitis in the right setting. J Med Cases. 2014;5(10):525-528 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc1896w
Attenuation effect on seasonal basin-scale water storage changes from GRACE time-variable gravity

In order to effectively recover surface mass or geoid height changes from the gravity recovery and climate experiment (GRACE) time-variable gravity models, spatial smoothing is required to minimize errors from noise. Spatial smoothing, such as Gaussian smoothing, not only reduces the noise but also attenuates the real signals. Here we investigate possible amplitude attenuations and phase changes of seasonal water storage variations in four drainage basins (Amazon, Mississippi, Ganges and Zambezi) using an advanced global land data assimilation system. It appears that Gaussian smoothing significantly affects GRACE-estimated basin-scale seasonal water storage changes, e.g., in the case of 800 km smoothing, annual amplitudes are reduced by about 25-40%, while annual phases are shifted by up to 10°. With these effects restored, GRACE-estimated water storage changes are consistently larger than model estimates, indicating that the land surface model appears to underestimate terrestrial water storage change. Our analysis based on simulation suggests that normalized attenuation effects (from Gaussian smoothing) on seasonal water storage change are relatively insensitive to the magnitude of the true signal. This study provides a numerical approach that can be used to restore seasonal water storage change in the basins from spatially smoothed GRACE data. © Springer-Verlag 2006.
Dispositions in Teacher Education: A Look at Social Justice.

The use of a dispositional framework in the preparation of teachers, especially one that attends to issues of social justice, has generated considerable debate of late. In this article, the author argues that assessing teacher candidates' dispositions related to social justice is both reasonable and defensible. She explains why social justice matters in teacher education, provides a definition of the term dispositions and discusses why programs of teacher education must attend to them, and gives examples of practices used at one institution to assess teacher candidates' dispositions related to social justice to illustrate that such assessment can be done in a fair and principled manner. The author concludes that underlying the dispositions debate is an all-out war to define the goals of public education, the role of teachers, the nature of knowledge, and conceptions of learning, teaching, and learning to teach.
Distraction osteogenesis for temporomandibular joint reconstruction.

Purpose This clinical study evaluated the use of transport distraction osteogenesis in reconstruction of the ramus–condyle unit (RCU) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Patients and Methods Thirteen TMJ reconstructions were carried out in 12 patients. Diagnoses included tumors, trauma, ankylosis, and degenerative joint disease. The follow-up period has ranged from 7 to 59 months. Results Successful distraction was carried out in all cases, with development of solid regenerate bone and an effective new articulation. There were no complications. A good functional level was achieved in all cases. One patient with bilateral rheumatoid arthritis has experienced ongoing degenerative changes in the reconstructed condyles, with reappearance of an anterior open bite. The occlusion has remained stable in all other cases. Conclusions Distraction osteogenesis is a promising treatment option in reconstruction of the RCU of the TMJ.
Forecasting Colorado River flow

This paper outlines the forecasting work accomplished in the Office of River Control, Region III, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation up to January 1, 1946, where objective methods of forecasting seasonal volume of inflow to Lake Mead are undergoing development. Some of the results and examples of multiple correlation of runoff from the Upper Colorado with snow-survey and precipitation data are presented. There is discussion of forecasts to be made on various dates for various periods, of mass curve adjustment of precipitation records, of the optimum number of stations for multiple correlation, of methods for estimating missing records, and of other factors influencing the precipitation-runoff relation. One of the conclusions of this paper is the need for a long period of record in establishing a reliable system for forecasting.
Polylactic acid microspheres containing quinidine base and quinidine sulphate prepared by the solvent evaporation technique. II. Some process parameters influencing the preparation and properties of microspheres

D, l-polylactic acid (PLA) microspheres containing quinidine base and quinidine sulphate were prepared by the solvent evaporation method. The present study was carried out to examine how various pr...
Hidden Connections: Courtesans in the Art World of the Ming Dynasty

(2002). Hidden Connections: Courtesans in the Art World of the Ming Dynasty. Women's Studies: Vol. 31, No. 5, pp. 645-669.
Evaluating Resource Gain: Understanding and Misunderstanding Posttraumatic Growth

In a response to an article by Hobfoll and colleagues, theoretical and empirical considerations regarding the concept of posttraumatic growth are reviewed. It is noted that posttraumatic growth should be assessed as such, with measures developed specifically to address this construct; that it follows a challenge to and re-examination of core beliefs, not every bad experience; it can be influenced by many factors; it can coexist with distress during stages of the process without indicating that growth is unimportant or negative; and it can follow various trajectories, including ones where it may at first serve one function, but later involve personally transformative changes. En reponse a un article de Hobfoll et al., des reflexions theoriques et empiriques concernant le concept de croissance post-traumatique sont menees. On note que la croissance post-traumatique doit etre estimee a partir de mesures qui lui sont propres. Il est aussi souligne que la croissance post-traumatique survient apres un defi et un reexamen des croyances fondamentales et non apres chaque experience negative. La croissance post-traumatique peut etre influencee par de nombreux facteurs, elle peut coexister avec la detresse durant les etapes du processus sans que, pour autant, cela soit un indicateur d’une croissance negative ou peu importante. Enfin, elle peut suivre des trajectoires variees, y compris celles ou elle remplit au depart une fonction et ulterieurement est impliquee directement dans des changements.
The Feature-Positive Effect, Attitude Strength, and Degree of Perceived Consensus

The feature-positive effect refers to the tendency in animals and humans to experience difficulty processing nonoccurrences. The present study investigated the role of this phenomenon in self-perception and in estimates of consensus. Subjects were asked to express a preference either by doing something, the active response, or by doing nothing, the passive response. Afterward, subjects' attitudes on the issue were measured and they were asked to estimate the percentage of their peers who would have responded similarly. The results revealed that subjects who responded actively held significantly stronger attitudes in the direction of their responses than did subjects who responded passively. Moreover, active respondents' consensus estimates were significantly greater than those of passive respondents. Interpretations of these results are discussed.
David valve-sparing aortic root replacement: equivalent mid-term outcome for different valve types with or without connective tissue disorder.

Objective Although implicitly accepted by many that the durability of valve-sparing aortic root replacement in patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease and connective tissue disorders will be inferior, this hypothesis has not been rigorously investigated. Methods From 1993 to 2009, 233 patients (27% bicuspid aortic valve, 40% Marfan syndrome) underwent Tirone David valve-sparing aortic root replacement. Follow-up averaged 4.7 ± 3.3 years (1102 patient-years). Freedom from adverse outcomes was determined using log-rank calculations. Results Survival at 5 and 10 years was 98.7% ± 0.7% and 93.5% ± 5.1%, respectively. Freedom from reoperation (all causes) on the aortic root was 92.2% ± 3.6% at 10 years; 3 reoperations were aortic valve replacement owing to structural valve deterioration. Freedom from structural valve deterioration at 10 years was 96.1% ± 2.1%. No significant differences were found in survival ( P = .805, P = .793, respectively), reoperation ( P = .179, P = .973, respectively), structural valve deterioration ( P = .639, P = .982, respectively), or any other functional or clinical endpoints when patients were stratified by valve type (tricuspid aortic valve vs bicuspid aortic valve) or associated connective tissue disorder. At the latest echocardiographic follow-up (95% complete), 202 patients (94.8%) had none or trace aortic regurgitation, 10 (4.7%) mild, 0 had moderate to severe, and 1 (0.5%) had severe aortic regurgitation. Freedom from greater than 2+ aortic regurgitation at 10 years was 95.3% ± 2.5%. Six patients sustained acute type B aortic dissection (freedom at 10 years, 90.4% ± 5.0%). Conclusions Tirone David reimplantation valve-sparing aortic root replacement in carefully selected young patients was associated with excellent clinical and echocardiographic outcome in patients with either a tricuspid aortic valve or bicuspid aortic valve. No demonstrable adverse influence was found for Marfan syndrome or connective tissue disorder on durability, clinical outcome, or echocardiographic results.
Positive predictive value of the AHRQ Patient Safety Indicator "postoperative wound dehiscence".

Background The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality patient safety indicator (PSI) 14, or "postoperative wound dehiscence," is 1 of 4 PSIs recently adopted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to compare quality and safety across hospitals. We determined how well it identifies true cases of postoperative wound dehiscence by examining its positive predictive value (PPV). Study Design A retrospective cross-sectional study of hospitalization records that met PSI 14 criteria was conducted within the Veterans Health Administration hospitals from fiscal years 2003 to 2007. Trained abstractors used standardized abstraction instruments to review electronic medical records. We determined the PPV of the indicator and performed descriptive analyses of cases. Results Of the 112 reviewed cases, 97 were true events of postoperative wound dehiscence, yielding a PPV of 87% (95% CI 79% to 92%). Sixty-one percent (n = 59) of true positive cases had at least 1 risk factor, such as low albumin level, COPD, or superficial wound infection. False positives were due to coding errors, such as cases in which the patient's abdomen was intentionally left open during the index procedure. Conclusions PSI 14 has relatively good predictive ability to identify true cases of postoperative wound dehiscence. It has the highest PPV among all PSIs evaluated within the Veterans Health Administration system. Inaccurate coding was the reason for false positives. Providing additional training to medical coders could potentially improve the PPV of this indicator. At present, this PSI is a promising measure for both quality improvement and performance measurement; however, its use in pay-for-performance efforts seems premature.
Analysis of dynamics and object recognition performance in coupled map networks

Abstract Coupled logistic map lattices can perform object recognition by mapping class members to a point in a space defined by densities (partition cell occupancies) measured at a readout time t for the entire lattice. Each unit represents average spiking dynamics in mixed excitatory–inhibitory neuronal populations. Non-stationary parameters improve peak recognition rate and recognition time, suggesting one role for interaction of multiple time scales in neural oscillations. A hypothesis that recognition functions by modulating the approach to an invariant measure was rejected by examining the response to noise. Moderate correlation (r=0.3) between a configuration entropy measure and recognition rate is found.
Production of optically pure D-lactic acid in mineral salts medium by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli W3110.

The resistance of polylactide to biodegradation and the physical properties of this polymer can be controlled by adjusting the ratio of l-lactic acid to d-lactic acid. Although the largest demand is for the l enantiomer, substantial amounts of both enantiomers are required for bioplastics. We constructed derivatives of Escherichia coli W3110 (prototrophic) as new biocatalysts for the production of d-lactic acid. These strains (SZ40, SZ58, and SZ63) require only mineral salts as nutrients and lack all plasmids and antibiotic resistance genes used during construction. d-Lactic acid production by these new strains approached the theoretical maximum yield of two molecules per glucose molecule. The chemical purity of this d-lactic acid was ∼98% with respect to soluble organic compounds. The optical purity exceeded 99%. Competing pathways were eliminated by chromosomal inactivation of genes encoding fumarate reductase (frdABCD), alcohol/aldehyde dehydrogenase (adhE), and pyruvate formate lyase (pflB). The cell yield and lactate productivity were increased by a further mutation in the acetate kinase gene (ackA). Similar improvements could be achieved by addition of 10 mM acetate or by an initial period of aeration. All three approaches reduced the time required to complete the fermentation of 5% glucose. The use of mineral salts medium, the lack of antibiotic resistance genes or plasmids, the high yield of d-lactate, and the high product purity should reduce costs associated with nutrients, purification, containment, biological oxygen demand, and waste treatment.
THE INFLUENCE OF ANTERIOR PITUITARY EXTRACTS ON THE PROTEINS OF THE LIVER(1)

LEE was pituitaryfirst to growthdefinitelyhormonedemonstrateand proteinthe relationmetabolism.betweenThatthea hormone influencing protein metabolism was an if not the active principle of the growth hormone was shown by an increased percentage protein nitro’ gen content of the body as compared with a pair’fed litter‘mate rat. Hence, it was suggested that the unique action of the anterior pituitary in stimulating body growth is due to a growth hormone which acts as an essential part of the mechanism, controlling synthesis, deposition and utilization of protein n i the tissue. Nitrogen retention was indicated upon injection of AP growth hormone extracts i n dogs, rabbits and rats by Teel and Watkins (2), Teel and Cushing (3), and Lee and Shaffer (4) who observed a lowering of blood nitrogens and urinary nitrogen. Hype physectomised rats were found (5) to have a reversed picture, that of an increased nitrogen excretion. It has been shown that hypophysectomiz,ed rats have lowered basal calorie metabolism and e...
Development of a core collection of Triticum and Aegilops species for improvement of wheat for activity against chronic diseases

The objective of this study was to develop a core collection of Triticum and Aegilops species as a resource for the identification and characterization of wheat lines with preventive activity against chronic diseases. Given that cancer is the leading cause of mortality in the world and shares risk factors with obesity, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and given that wheat has been reported to protect against these diseases, the core collection was developed based on cancer prevalence. The Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database was used to identify Triticum and Aegilops species grown in regions of the world that vary in cancer prevalence based on the International Agency for Cancer Research GLOBOCAN world map of cancer statistics (2008). Cancer incidence data drove variety selection with secondary consideration of ploidy, center of origin, and climate. Analysis indicated that the geographic regions from which wheat is considered to have originated have a lower incidence of cancer than other geographic regions (P <0.01), so wheat lines from countries that comprise the ‘Fertile Crescent’ were highly represented in the core collection. A total of 188 lines were selected from 62,571 accessions maintained by GRIN. The accessions identified comprised two genera and 14 taxa of 10 species within 19 groups from 82 countries. The core collection is comprised of 153 spring, 25 winter, and five facultative selections of wheat. A diverse core collection of wheat germplasm has been established from a range of regions worldwide. This core collection will be used to identify wheat lines with activity against chronic diseases using anticancer activity as a screening tool.
Effect of cheese consumption on blood lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Context: Cheese may affect lipids and lipoproteins differently than other high-fat dairy foods. Objective: The present systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate randomized controlled trials that examined the effect of cheese consumption compared with another food product on blood lipids and lipoproteins. Data Sources: A systematic literature search of the MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CAB Abstracts, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and the clinicaltrials.gov website was performed. Study Selection: A total of 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified that examined the effect of cheese consumption on blood lipids and lipoproteins in healthy adults. Data Extraction : A meta-analysis of 5 RCTs that compared the effects of hard cheese and butter, both of which had a similar ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids (P/S ratio), was performed. Data Synthesis: Compared with butter intake, cheese intake (weighted mean difference: 145.0 g/d) reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by 6.5% (−0.22 mmol/l; 95%CI: −0.29 to −0.14) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) by 3.9% (−0.05 mmol/l; 95%CI: −0.09 to −0.02) but had no effect on triglycerides. Compared with intake of tofu or fat-modified cheese, cheese intake increased total cholesterol or LDL-C, as was expected on the basis of the P/S ratio of the diets. There was insufficient data to compare intake of cheese with intake of other foods. Conclusion: Despite the similar P/S ratios of hard cheese and butter, consumption of hard cheese lowers LDL-C and HDL-C when compared with consumption of butter. Whether these findings can be attributed to calcium, specific types of saturated fatty acids, or the food matrix of cheese warrants further research.
A Low Power 4.2Gb/s/pin Parallel Link Using Three-Level Differential Encoding

A three-level encoding scheme is proposed to reduce power and increase the data rate in high-speed parallel transceiver system. The proposed encoding scheme transmits 3-bit of information via four pins to overcome the two major problems in single-ended links - reference ambiguity and power line fluctuations - while minimizing power consumption and the effects of inter-symbol interference (ISI). The proposed parallel link, which is designed in 0.18mum CMOS process, achieves a data rate of 4.2Gb/s/pin while dissipating 17.1mW/Gb/s
Exposure of spectrally distinct material by impact craters on Mercury: Implications for global stratigraphy

Abstract MESSENGER’s Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) obtained multispectral images for more than 80% of the surface of Mercury during its first two flybys. Those images have confirmed that the surface of Mercury exhibits subtle color variations, some of which can be attributed to compositional differences. In many areas, impact craters are associated with material that is spectrally distinct from the surrounding surface. These deposits can be located on the crater floor, rim, wall, or central peak or in the ejecta deposit, and represent material that originally resided at depth and was subsequently excavated during the cratering process. The resulting craters make it possible to investigate the stratigraphy of Mercury’s upper crust. Studies of laboratory, terrestrial, and lunar craters provide a means to bound the depth of origin of spectrally distinct ejecta and central peak structures. Excavated red material (RM), with comparatively steep (red) spectral slope, and low-reflectance material (LRM) stand out prominently from the surrounding terrain in enhanced-color images because they are spectral end-members in Mercury’s compositional continuum. Newly imaged examples of RM were found to be spectrally similar to the relatively red, high-reflectance plains (HRP), suggesting that they may represent deposits of HRP-like material that were subsequently covered by a thin layer (∼1 km thick) of intermediate plains. In one area, craters with diameters ranging from 30 km to 130 km have excavated and incorporated RM into their rims, suggesting that the underlying RM layer may be several kilometers thick. LRM deposits are useful as stratigraphic markers, due to their unique spectral properties. Some RM and LRM were excavated by pre-Tolstojan basins, indicating a relatively old age (>4.0 Ga) for the original emplacement of these deposits. Detailed examination of several small areas on Mercury reveals the complex nature of the local stratigraphy, including the possible presence of buried volcanic plains, and supports sequential buildup of most of the upper ∼5 km of crust by volcanic flows with compositions spanning the range of material now visible on the surface, distributed heterogeneously across the planet. This emerging picture strongly suggests that the crust of Mercury is characterized by a much more substantial component of early volcanism than represented by the phase of mare emplacement on Earth’s Moon.