cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A variant of lactate dehydrogenase in somatic tissues of pigeons: physicochemical properties and genetic control.

Three genetic loci (a, b, and c) control lactate dehydrogenase synthesis in many mammalian and avian species. A survey of the lactate dehydrogenase isozyme composition of somatic tissues from approximately 1,000 wild pigeons revealed three phenotypic classes. The frequency distribution of the three classes in wild pigeons and the results of appropriate breeding experiments demonstrated that the phenotypic differences were due to alleles at the b-locus. One of the alleles produces a B' polypeptide with an electrophoretic mobility identical to that of the A polypeptide, but with substrate affinity and heat inactivation properties similar to those of the B polypeptide.
Two‐dimensional simulation of quantum well lasers

A versatile two-dimensional simulator for various types of semiconductor lasers for both steady state and transients has been developed. The simulator is capable of spectral analysis of quantum-well semiconductor lasers, such as gain-spectrum analysis, as well as analysis of the two-dimensional current flow and optical intensity patterns. The simulator is based on the drift-diffusion model with full Fermi-Dirac statistics for the transport equations as well as for the Poisson equation. Simulation of the thermionic emission current is required at the abrupt heterointerfaces of the quantum well. For the spectral analysis of quantum-well lasers, we have used the photon rate equation for each Fabry-Perot mode. For the optical intensity pattern, we have solved the two-dimensional Helmholtz eigenvalue equation using the subspace iteration method. The transient simulation is done by the full backward-Euler method in conjunction with the full Newton approach for the entire semiconductor equations. To demonstrate the simulator, a model GaAs-AIGaAs graded-index-separate-confinement-heterostructure buried-quantum-well laser is analyzed.
Legal standards of causation in chemical exposure litigation

A discussion of the legal process that resolves disputes involving the questions of causation of exposure to chemical substances is presented. Toxicologists and pharmacologists called upon to testify in private litigation of whether or not exposure to a particular chemical caused an illness will have a clearer view of the law's notion of causation by the examples cited. The trends in the law on this subject are reviewed and ways are offered for scientists to influence future chemical exposure litigation.
Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LHRH) Biosynthesis and Secretion in Embryonic LHRH Neurons

Evidence indicates that LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) neurons can exhibit neuroendocrine secretory properties before entrance into the central nervous system. In this study, we evaluated LHRH biosynthesis and secretion in embryonic LHRH neurons maintained in nasal explants. Using ELISA and calcium imaging techniques, peptide content and single neuron activities were examined. LHRH neurons maintained for 7–10 days in vitro were found to possess a similar amount of LHRH/cell as the equivalent aged LHRH cells in vivo (postnatal day 1). LHRH peptide was measured in the medium of these relatively young cultures, and 40 mm KCl stimulated a 4-fold increase in LHRH secretion. KCl enhanced medium also resulted in a significant increase in LHRH content per culture (24.5 pg vs. 32.3). A similar effect was observed after muscimol-enhanced media (32.2 pg). Both agents also stimulated a substantial rise in intracellular calcium. Pretreatment of cultures with tetrodotoxin partially blocked the affects of muscimol on both ...
Introduction: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia in perspective

Although during the past two decades there has been considerable progress in our understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and in our ability to treat this disease, actual integration of the newly identified pathophysiological mechanisms has not occurred. This perspective essay identifies some of the questions which deserve to be addressed by clinicians and scientists involved in the study of CLL. The most important unresolved remaining issue, however, is the need for standardization of tests performed by commercial labs to assure the reliability and reproducibility of results of ZAP-70, CD38, IgV H gene mutation status and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) cytogenetics.
Genetic differentiation across eastern Pacific oceanographic barriers in the threatened seahorse Hippocampus ingens

Understanding the population structure and evolutionary history of the eastern Pacific seahorse Hippocampus ingens is critical for the effective management of this threatened species. Life history characteristics of H. ingens (site fidelity and brooding of young) may limit gene flow and lead to population differentiation. A recent study analyzing conserved fragments of the mitochondrial cyt b and control region found no population structure. We re-assess this conclusion with a phylogeographic analysis of relationships among 115 individuals of H. ingens over a broader geographic range (San Diego Bay in California, Gulf of California, Central America, Ecuador, and Peru) based on a more variable 428 base pair fragment of the control region. This expanded analysis affirms low overall nucleotide diversity relative to other seahorses (θπ = 0.004), and shows evidence of a recent bottleneck and population expansion since the middle Pleistocene. AMOVA analysis shows moderate overall population structure (ΦST = 0.10, P val = 0.00), and pairwise ΦST estimates indicate structure between the Gulf of California and all Pacific coast localities. Knowledge of population structure in H. ingens may improve conservation efforts by identifying evolutionarily important management units, and could determine source regions in the continuing trade of seahorses for traditional Chinese medicine. The level of genetic divergence observed between the Gulf of California and all other localities sampled may distinguish the Gulf as a separate management unit. Additional phylogeographic research with more quickly evolving genetic markers and targeted sampling at the mouth of the Gulf of California is warranted to inform strategies for conservation of this threatened seahorse.
Catastrophic disturbance, logging and the ecology of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King): grounds for listing a major tropical timber species in CITES

Recent debate on whether or not mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) is threatened by the international timber trade has focused on the breadth of its range and estimates of the remaining stock of mahogany trees. These data are inadequate to reveal the status of mahogany populations, both because they are incomplete in areal extent and because they do not reveal population parameters such as the existence or density of young trees smaller than commercial size. However, there is sufficient information on the regeneration ecology of mahogany to indicate that under natural conditions this species regenerates in essentially even-aged stands after catastrophic disturbances destroy many or most trees, and, in the case of fires and flooding, saplings and seedlings as well. Adult mahoganies tend to survive these events, and regenerate by shedding seed onto the resulting gaps or clearings. This ecological strategy makes mahogany vulnerable to logging, first because juvenile mahoganies are not found in the understorey, and secondly because logging operations shortcircuit mahogany regeneration processes by selectively removing almost all mahogany seed sources while leaving standing competing vegetation of other species. Listing of mahogany in CITES Appendix II could provide both a mechanism to fill in gaps in information and an incentive to change current practices in favour of silvicultural management to provide for regeneration of this valuable timber species in forests subjected to logging.
A second order finite element method for the solution of the transonic Euler and Navier‐Stokes equations

Includes chapters on: A second order artificial viscosity scheme; explicit second order balancing terms; parallelization strategies; and, grid adapting based on a spring analogy.
The Challenge of Managing Mexican Workplace Safety

© 2006 Center for Business Ethics at Bentley College. Published by Blackwell Publishing, 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA, and 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK. Blackwell Publishing Ltd Oxford, UK ASR usiness and Society Review 0045-3609 © 2006 Ce ter f r Busin ss Ethics at Bentley College 111 2 rigi al Article U INESS and SOCIETY R VIEW PET ICK and RINEFORT The Challenge of Managing Mexican Workplace Safety
Spectroscopic studies of the chemical properties of thin metal films on poly(ether imide)

Abstract X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies were conducted on thin films of copper and nichrome (80:20 Ni:Cr) on neat poly(ether imide) (PEI) substrates. Evaporated copper thin films reacted mildly with PEI and formed metal carbides and oxides at the copper - PEI interface. In contrast, the chromium component of the nichrome alloy reacted strongly with PEI to generate a distribution of chromium oxides, nitrides, and carbides. However, the nickel component of nichrome exhibited little reactivity with the resin. Differences in the reactivities of metal thin films on PEI can be correlated to the heats of formation of the corresponding metal carbides, oxides, and nitrides. This information provides key insights into metals for use as adhesion promoters on printed circuit boards and molded circuits containing PEI.
MACROPHAGE PLASMA MEMBRANE II. STUDIES ON SYNTHESIS AND TURNOVER OF PROTEIN CONSTITUENTS

Rabbit alveolar macrophages were incubated in vitro with radioactive protein precursors. Plasma membranes were isolated from these cells, dissolved in phenol-urea-acetic acid, and separated by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. 3H-leucine was rapidly incorporated into membrane protein. The rate of labeling with 3H-leucine was markedly different from one protein band to another, indicating heterogeneous or multistep synthesis and assembly of proteins in the alveolar macrophage plasma membrane. Cells incubated with 3H-choline incorporated this compound into membrane lecithin. On gel electrophoresis the label derived from choline was located in the two bands migrating most rapidly towards the cathode. Studies on cells incubated with 3H-glucosamine revealed incorporation of label into two protein bands, one located near the origin and the other migrating rapidly towards the cathode. The in vitro techniques were also employed for pulse-chase studies to gain information on rate of turnover of macrophage plasma membrane proteins. This turnover rate was rapid, with a half-life of approximately 8 hr. The radioactivity disappeared from the several protein bands at the same rate, suggesting bulk removal of membrane rather than catabolism of the individual proteins in situ . Endocytosis seems a likely mechanism to account for a major part of the plasma membrane removal. Studies on the protein components of phagolysosomal membranes from cells which had been labeled with 3H-leucine revealed the presence of all of the major labeled protein bands characteristic of the plasma membrane except one, thus confirming the bulk interiorization of large segments or units of plasma membrane by endocytic processes.
Multi-objective weighted isotropy measures for the morphological design optimisation of kinematically redundant manipulators

The morphological design of kinematically redundant robotic manipulators is a non-trivial, task-specific process. The availability of redundant degrees of freedom (DOF) affords a redundant manipulator an infinite number of motion solutions for a given task, thereby allowing the achievement secondary manipulation goals. Motion control methods play an integral role in the quality of redundancy resolution, but the degree of resolution attainable by these methods is ultimately determined by morphological design. In this study, a weighted isotropy measure is developed for use in optimising kinematically redundant manipulator design quality. This measure is designed to quantify manipulator performance on multiple secondary motion goals. The measure is employed as a morphological fitness metric for a constrained non-linear morphology optimisation problem. Optimisation results show that using the weighted isotropy measure significantly increased the performance levels of a kinematically redundant manipulator, with respect to secondary manipulation goals, for the intended set of tasks.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR CHARACTERIZING SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY WIRE: PART 4 – THERMO-MECHANICAL COUPLING

T his is the fourth paper in our series, identifying unusual phenomena and providing recommendations for the thermo-mechanical characterization of shape memory alloy (SMA) wire. Part 11 provided basic background of the martensitic transformations between austenite (A) and martensite (M) which are responsible for the shape memory (SM) effect and superelasticity (SE). Two typical NiTi SMA alloys (SM wire with austenite start temperature As > 20 ◦C and SE wire with austenite finish temperature Af < 20 ◦C) were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to measure transformation temperatures, specific heats, and latent heats of transformation. SM and SE were demonstrated for each alloy in their respective temperature regimes. Part 22 reviewed various methods to obtain fundamental sets of isothermal mechanical responses for the two SMA wire alloys. Part 33 highlighted the unusual phenomena of strain localization and phase front propagation that can occur during stress-induced transformations.
Effect of chemical kinetics on feasible splits for reactive distillation

Feasible direct and indirect sharp splits for multicomponent single-feed continuous reactive distillation are predicted with a model, in which each column section is represented by a series of cocurrent isobaric flashes. In the limits of no reaction and equilibrium chemical reaction, the model reduces to conventional models for distillation lines, and each column section can be represented by the same equations. At intermediate reaction rates, however, the models for the column sections differ, and new results for fixed points and feasible products are obtained. A bifurcation study shows the limits of feasibility, including the influence of flow rate, catalyst level and holdup. Unlike distillation without reaction, limited ranges of feasibility in all of these variables are found. The method has been applied to five examples, one of which is described in detail. Feasibility predictions are validated by column simulations.
Five Methods of Assessing School-Level Daily Use of Cigarettes and Alcohol By Adolescents At Continuation High Schools:

We explored five methods of estimating school-level daily use of cigarettes and alcohol by adolescents at 20 continuation high schools in southern California. We used Campbell and Fiske's criteria to estimate convergent and discriminant validity of a correlation matrix consist ing of two "traits" (daily use of cigarettes or alcohol) and five "methods" (aggregated student self-report, school personnel prevalence estimate, student prevalence estimate, naturalistic observation of use, and school refuse evidence). Results showed that the different methods varied dramatically in convergent and discriminant validity. These findings, as well as assessment cost considerations, lead us to suggest that refuse analysis is the most economic proxy measure for estimating school-level daily student cigarette smoking and other drug use. Replication studies are needed.
Efficiency of Hydrogen Recovery from Reformate with a Polymer Electrolyte Hydrogen Pump

The energy efficiency of hydrogen recovery from mixtures of CO2 ,H 2O, and H2 by a polymer electrolyte hydrogen pump (PEHP) has been evaluated. The PEHP pumps protons across the polymer electrolyte, producing [99.99% pure H2 and a concentrated CO2 stream. Single stage PEHP experiments recovered 65% of the hydrogen with an energy efficiency of 50%. The energy efficiency is limited by hydrogen mass transport across the porous gas diffusion electrode. The mass transport resistance for hydrogen increases as H2 is depleted from the CO2/H2 mixture by the PEHP. Analysis shows that a multistage PEHP with fixed applied potential difference can recover [90% of the hydrogen with an energy efficiency of 75%, whereas a novel multistage PEHP design with a programmed voltage profile can achieve [90% energy efficiency with [98% hydrogen recovery. V C 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 57: 1767–1779, 2011
Spatial Filtering for Wall-Clutter Mitigation in Through-the-Wall Radar Imaging

Radio-frequency imaging of targets behind walls is of value in several civilian and defense applications. Wall reflections are often stronger than target reflections, and they tend to persist over a long duration of time. Therefore, weak and close by targets behind walls become obscured and invisible in the image. In this paper, we apply spatial filters across the antenna array to remove, or at least significantly mitigate, the spatial zero-frequency and low-frequency components which correspond to wall reflections. Unmasking the behind-the-wall targets via the application of spatial filters recognizes the fact that the wall electromagnetic (EM) responses do not significantly differ when viewed by the different antennas along the axis of a real or synthesized array aperture which is parallel to the wall. The proposed approach is tested with experimental data using solid wall, multilayered wall, and cinder block wall. It is shown that the wall reflections can be effectively reduced by spatial preprocessing prior to beamforming, producing similar imaging results to those achieved when a background scene without the target is available.
Contrast adaptation in striate cortical neurons of the nocturnal primate bush baby (Galago crassicaudatus).

It has been argued that in order for the visual system to detect edges accurately under a range of conditions, the visual system needs to adapt to the local contrast level to preserve sensitivity (Blakemore & Campbell, 1969). Cells in the primary visual cortex of cats adapt to stimuli with low to moderate contrast. Curiously, macaque monkey neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) do not show evidence for similar adaptation. To address the question of whether this differential sensitivity in contrast adaptation might be due to phylogenetic variation between cats and primates or to specializations for visual niche (e.g. nocturnal vs. diurnal), contrast adaptation to temporally and spatially optimized gratings was examined in 30 V1 cells of three nocturnal primate bush babies (Galago crassicaudatus). A second objective was to examine the relationship between the degree of contrast adaptation and cell classification or cell location relative to cortical layers or compartments [i.e. cytochrome-oxidase (CO) blobs and interblobs]. All cells were classified (simple vs. complex) and anatomically localized relative to cortical layers and cytochrome-oxidase (CO) blob and interblob compartments. Two independent measures of contrast adaptation were used. In the first test, contrast was sequentially increased from 3-56% and then decreased. The contrast required to maintain a half-maximum response amplitude in the 30 cells tested increased an average of 0.24 (+/- 0.12) log units during the sequential decrements in contrast. For the second test, four sets of five interleaved contrasts within +/- 1 octave of a central adapting contrast (10%, 14%, 20%, and 28%, respectively) were presented. The cells produced a mean adaptation index of 0.57 (+/- 0.47) which is very similar to that exhibited by cat cortical neurons (0.54 +/- 0.41). Interestingly, cells in interblobs showed a trend toward greater adaptation than did blob cells. Moreover, cells in the supragranular layers exhibited greater adaptation than cells in the infragranular layers. No significant differences in adaptation were found to correlate with other cell classification indices. Taken together, our results suggest that contrast adaptation may be more important for maintaining sensitivity in nocturnal species (primates or cats) than in diurnal species (macaque monkeys), and that in the nocturnal bush baby, cells in cortical layers and compartments may be differentially specialized for contrast adaptation.
Starr on Slavery

Chester G. Starr's recent article in the Journal (March 1958), “An Overdose of Slavery,” does a fine job of showing that people other than slaves worked in antiquity, but it leaves hanging the crucial question regarding the place of slavery in the economy of the ancient world. Moreover, Starr enters a strong plea against comparing ancient and modern slavery. These two aspects of his paper I think merit some further comment.
Performance analysis of the distance-based location update mechanism of CDMA 1X EV-DO

In this paper, we investigate the distance-based location update approach of CDMA 1X EV-DO's route update protocol. We develop an analytical model to compare its performance with that of the static location update approach of earlier cellular technologies. We show that, for the same paging delay and cost, the distance-based approach reduces the overhead traffic due to location update messages. In addition, this reduced loading is equally shared among all cells in the distance-based approach, while it is confined to the border cells in the static approach. We also introduce the non-uniform neighbor choice approach to model mobility more accurately and study its impact on the performance of the two algorithms. Using simulations we study a different mobility model, and the simulation results confirm the benefits of the distance-based approach of 1X EV-DO
Positive and Negative Jealousy in the Association Between Problem Drinking and IPV Perpetration

In the context of established associations between alcohol problems and intimate partner violence (IPV), the current study investigated whether jealousy has positive and negative dimensions, and whether they differentially moderate the association between problem drinking and IPV perpetration in heavy-drinking college students (N = 448). Factor analyses suggested positive and negative dimensions of jealousy. Whereas negative jealousy was conceptualized by the traditional definition of jealousy, positive jealousy reflected relationship commitment and emotional distress upon considering one’s partner becoming romantically involved with another person. Results supported hypotheses such that positive and negative jealousy dimensions moderated the drinking problems-IPV link in opposite directions: Drinking problems were associated with increased perpetration among individuals higher in negative and lower in positive jealousy. Results provide support for the notion that jealousy is not universally negative and highlight the importance of different types of jealousy in understanding the association between alcohol problems and IPV perpetration.
Preliminary study of virtual nonholonomic constraints for time-delayed teleoperation

Direct teleoperation with multisecond time-delayed telemetry between master and slave is challenging for humans to perform. When controlling a holonomic robot with many degrees of freedom, operators may incidentally provide commands in an intended direction without realizing their mistake until receiving feedback several seconds later. For some applications, imposing a virtual nonholonomic constraint (VNHC) on the motion of the end effector can help prevent operators from moving in an unintended direction by reducing the number of controllable degrees of freedom. This paper presents the development of a VNHC for a planar time-delayed telerobotic task, motivated by an on-orbit telerobotic satellite servicing operation. We also describe a nonholonomic virtual fixture (NHVF) that adheres to the VNHC to further reduce the potential for operators to input mistaken commands. We report the results of a pilot study in which teleoperation with a VNHC was found to have comparable task performance to holonomic planar teleoperation, while decreasing operator workload. The NHVF was found to decrease performance slightly, though user feedback indicated that a differently implemented virtual fixture and controller may improve performance.
Thymoma Versus Thymic Carcinoma: Differences in Biology Impacting Treatment

A better understanding of the biology of both thymomas and thymic carcinomas has occurred in recent years thanks to advanced technologies such as comparative genomic hybridization, expression array analysis, and next-generation sequencing. Gene expression profiling and genomic clustering studies have shown that thymic tumors as classified by the 2004 WHO system do have different molecular features. Because of the rarity of these tumors, there is a paucity of high-quality clinical research data, and treatment decisions are often guided by the small amount of prospective trial data, retrospective series, and individual case reports. The literature does report on several advanced thymic tumors that have responded to new targeted agents, indicating that across the spectrum of thymic malignancies there may be clinically relevant molecular subsets. Genomic profiling distinguishes type B3 thymoma and thymic carcinoma from type A and B2 thymomas. Furthermore, type B2 thymomas can be separated from other subgroups in that it has a more distinctly lymphocytic component than the other groups in which epithelial cells predominate. The presence of KIT mutations in thymic carcinomas rather than in thymomas further adds to a growing body of evidence showing that underlying tumor biology may in the future lead to molecular classifications, which may enhance therapies for these rare tumors.
Get Out the Early Vote: Minority Use of Convenience Voting in 2008

Did minority voters use early voting reforms in the 2008 election? Previous research has shown convenience voting reforms differentially motivate participation among the electorate. However, the co-ethnic mobilization literature suggests that minority voters are more likely to vote in the presence of a co-ethnic candidate. Thus far, these two literatures have not been put into a dialogue. We extend the co-ethnic mobilization thesis to the use of convenience voting methods using voter registration files from three southeastern states: Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Our findings support the co-ethnic mobilization thesis with African Americans voting early at higher rates than in previous elections. In addition, we find a residual effect in the Georgia Senate Runoff election in which African American voters continue to vote early. We further find that younger voters and Democrats tended to vote early at higher rates than other groups.
Polymerase Chain Reaction/Rapid Methods Are Gaining a Foothold in Developing Countries

Detection of microbial contamination in pharmaceutical raw materials and finished products is a critical factor to guarantee their safety, stability, and potency. Rapid microbiological methods—such as polymerase chain reaction—have been widely applied to clinical and food quality control analysis. However, polymerase chain reaction applications to pharmaceutical quality control have been rather slow and sporadic. Successful implementation of these methods in pharmaceutical companies in developing countries requires important considerations to provide sensitive and robust assays that will comply with good manufacturing practices. LAY ABSTRACT: In recent years several publications have encouraged the application of molecular techniques in the microbiological assessment of pharmaceuticals. One of these techniques is polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The successful application of PCR in the pharmaceutical industry in developing countries is governed by considerable factors and requirements. These factors include the setting up of a PCR laboratory and the choice of appropriate equipment and reagents. In addition, the presence of well-trained analysts and establishment of quality control and quality assurance programs are important requirements. The pharmaceutical firms should take into account these factors to allow better chances for regulatory acceptance and wide application of this technique.
Study of an Organism Resembling Bact. Pullorum from Unabsorbed Yolk of Chicks “Dead in Shell”

In the spring of 1921, attention was called to the fact that a large percentage of eggs under artificial incubation at a local poultry plant failed to hatch, a condition known to exist generally in all establishments. From data gathered about several thousand eggs, it was learned that about 40% of the fertile eggs failed to hatch (table 1). The egg incubator with a capacity of 3,600 eggs was located in an exceptionally well ventilated basement, the temperature of the room being about 70 F. A new machine was installed for the 1922 hatch. The eggs were turned 3 times a day, and during this operation it is believed that they received sufficient aeration. It is apparent, then, that
The Interaction of Annual Ryegrass and Nitrogen on Arrowleaf Clover in the Southeastern United States

Nitrogen enhances annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) growth on the infertile Coastal Plain soils in the southeastern United States but N can be antagonistic to clovers. Nitrogen rate and time of application were evaluated on an arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum Savi.)-annual ryegrass mixture growing on a Coastal Plain soil for 3 yr in northeast Texas. Fertilizer treatments were 0, 34, 67, or 101 kg N ha ―1 at planting or first true clover leaf (FCL) stage followed by 0 or 67 kg N ha ―1 in December and March. Planting, FCL, and December N applications enhanced ryegrass production but had little effect on arrowleaf clover production by mid March. The general trend was for clover percentage and yield to decrease and ryegrass yield to increase as the total amount of N fertilizer applied increased. The no-N treatment always had the greatest percentage clover usually followed by single N application treatments with clover percentages greater than 50%. Average annual yield of ryegrass alone without N was 1139 kg ha ―1 compared to 4038 kg ha ―1 with 201 kg N ha ―1 . Applying 67 kg N ha ―1 at FCL and in December and March was always one of the most productive N treatments. Applying 67 kg N ha ―1 only twice at FCL and in December was the best compromise for maintaining a high clover percentage and clover-ryegrass yield and was always equal to ryegrass alone with three applications of 67 kg N ha ―1 .
Research on the Selection of Cooperation Partners in Netlike Supply Chain

Because selection of strategy cooperation partners for supply chain is a process of dynamic mutual process,but most existing methods of this process are without considering the candidates’ evaluation and selection,so this article promote a review of regarding the initial forming of supply chain as a process of evolution networks and build up a simulation model based on system dynamics to solve the problem of selection of cooperation partners. This model can help a corporation to find the most likely supply chain in the dynamic netlike supply chain when they make a decision of a partner selection. It will be more efficient when execute than the static evaluation and selection method.
Effects of an endotoxin challenge on growth performance, carcass accretion rates, and serum hormone and metabolite concentrations in control pigs and those treated with recombinant porcine somatotropin.

Barrows were restrictively fed starting at 20 kg BW to determine the effects of endotoxin on growth performance of control and somatotropin-treated pigs. The following treatments were used: 1) daily i.m. vehicle injection until 55 kg BW; 2) daily i.m. injections of 100 micrograms of recombinant porcine somatotropin (pST)/kg BW, until 55 kg; 3) i.v. saline injections for 7 d consecutively starting at 60 kg BW; 4) i.v. injections of 1 microgram of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/kg BW for 7 d starting at 60 kg BW; and 5) the combined LPS+pST treatment, with pST injections from 20 kg through the 7 d of LPS treatment. Pigs evaluated for LPS effects were fed to 60 kg anticipating a weight loss. Pigs were bled at 0800 and 1100 at 55 kg and on d 7 of LPS treatment. Rectal temperatures were taken on d 7. Treatment with pST increased ADG by 13 to 20% and improved feed:gain by 17 to 23% before LPS treatment. During the 7 d of LPS injections, ADG and feed:gain did not differ, although feed efficiency was impaired and variable. Rectal temperatures at 1100 were progressively increased: control < LPS < LPS-pST (P < .01). Protein accretion was improved 27% by pST treatment, and lipid accretion was decreased 45% before LPS. Lipid stores decreased (P < .01) after LPS treatment in the pST-treated pigs. Lipopolysaccharide treatment and(or) decreased feed intake reduced the hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia (P < .01) associated with pST treatment. These results indicate that LPS induced a simulated septicemia and that the effects were not negated by pST treatment. The observed hyperthermia was additive, possibly due to increased lean body mass induced by pST combined with the pyrogenic effect of LPS.
Correlates of SIV encephalitis in rhesus monkeys

Necropsy records from 204 SIV-infected rhesus monkeys that had been inoculated with various strains of SIV and had died of SIV-related disease were reviewed. The relationship of SIV encephalitis with other parameters was evaluated. Encephalitis was associated with the presence of syncytial cells in other tissues, with persistent or early recurrent antigenemia, with a selective decrease in CD4+CD29+ blood lymphocytes, and with a shortened time of survival. Monkeys whose lymphocytes produced high levels of virus in culture also had a higher incidence of encephalitis. SIV was more frequently isolated from the brains of animals with encephalitis. No other clear associations were detected.
Long duration autonomy for maritime systems: challenges and opportunities

Achieving long duration capabilities has long been an important goal of research in autonomous systems. Persistence can enable such systems to be on station to respond to events and situations that were unknown at the start of a mission. It can enable data collection in spatially and temporally variable environments over time scales appropriate for understanding a wide range of phenomena. Long duration systems have improved ability to cover large distances, travel in ways that minimize energy consumption, and go places that may not be practical for manned or shorter duration systems. Long duration is also an important part of the design trade space for minimizing the costs involved in achieving certain kinds of mission capabilities. This is particularly true when thinking of long duration in terms of entire systems and not just individual platforms. For example, a system with an infrastructure that supports autonomously keeping sufficient numbers of individual platforms on station continuously would fall within this category even if each platform or sensor had only limited persistence individually. Additionally, what constitutes long duration with regards to these challenges may vary significantly from system to system. Much work in the past has focused on extending system limitations through methods such as efficient management of resources, energy harvesting, detection, identification, and
Latent effects on in vitro development following cytochalasin B treatment of 8-cell mouse embryos

Eight-cell mouse embryos when treated with 4·0 μg/ml cytochalasin B (CB) in vitro undergo a reversible developmental arrest. Upon rinsing of embryos and subsequent culture in control medium, normal morphogenetic processes such as compaction of 8-cell embryos, cavitation, and post-blastocyst attachment and outgrowth are restored. However, the effects of CB on mouse embryos are not completely reversible; latent post-blastocyst defects become increasingly more prevalent as CB treatment duration increases. The present study was conducted to quantitatively determine latent effects of CB on post-blastocyst embryos by comparing their ability to attach and to sustain the growth and differentiation of ICM and trophoblast tissues. Groups of 8-cell embryos were cultured in Brinster's BMOC-3 medium containing 40 μg/ml cytochalasin B for 6, 12, 18, and 24h. Following treatment, embryos were rinsed and cultured until 190 h post coitun (h.p.c.) in Eagle's MEM/10% fetal calf serum modified to contain optimal levels of essential amino acids. Blastocysts generally attached to the surface of the plastic substratum by 120 h.p.c. At selected time periods after attachment (130, 160, and 190 h.p.c), embryos were scored for outgrowth size, ICM size, extent of peripheral hyaloplasmic fan, and number of trophoblast nuclei per outgrowth. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were conducted for each of the four parameters listed above. Rates of attachment were analyzed by χ2 test. Results show that the treatments affect ( P < 0·01) embryo attachment, number of trophoblast nuclei per outgrowth, hyaloplasmic fan production, and ICM growth in a durationdependent manner. Interestingly, since treatment effects on outgrowth areas are nonsignificant apparently CB does not significantly change total outgrowth area. But CB tieatment does cause abnormal fan production and decreased trophoblast nuclei numbers. However, trophoblast cells are apparently more resistant than ICM to CB as is evident by the high incidence of tiophoblast outgrowths devoid of ICM. CB (4·0 μg/ml) treatments at 8-cell stages for relatively short durations (6 and 12 h) induce latent effects on post-blastocyst embryos. Finally, there exists a definite 4·0 μg/ml CB duration response over the 68–190 h.p.c. observation interval.
Shining (blue) light on creative ability

Given the importance of creativity for both personal and societal achievements, there have been consistent efforts to stimulate creative ability. But an important environmental factor --- blue (i.e., short wavelength) light --- has been relatively unexplored to date. Blue light improves a number of cognitive processes (e.g., attention, working memory and sleep) known to influence our creative abilities. In this study, we investigate the effects of blue light on enhancing creativity in tasks and compare it to the effects of walking, which has been shown to stimulate creative ability. Based on data from 21 participants over 2 weeks, we found that blue light resulted in a 24.3% increase in convergent thinking ability, while walking improved divergent thinking by 18%. We discuss the implications of the findings within the context of UbiComp research. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic examination of the impact of blue light on convergent and divergent thinking ability.
Disease-Related, Nondisease-Related, and Situational Catastrophizing in Sickle Cell Disease and Its Relationship With Pain.

Abstract Catastrophizing is a potent psychological modulator of pain across several chronic pain populations; yet despite evidence that patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) catastrophize more than patients with other chronic pain conditions, previous research indicates that catastrophizing is not related to sickle cell pain after controlling for relevant covariates such as depression. Recent research suggests that pain-related catastrophizing should be assessed across pain contexts (eg, dispositional and situational). In this study, we measured disease-specific, general non-disease-related, and situational catastrophizing and assessed the relationship between these contextual dimensions of catastrophizing and laboratory and clinical pain among patients with SCD. Results revealed differential catastrophizing across pain contexts, with patients reporting greater catastrophizing about SCD-specific pain compared with non-SCD pain and laboratory pain. SCD-specific and non-SCD catastrophizing were associated with clinical pain outcomes, and situational catastrophizing with markers of central sensitization and laboratory pain. Further examination of the time course of laboratory responses revealed that increases in situational catastrophizing were associated with subsequent increases in laboratory pain sensitivity. Taken together, results show the relevance of catastrophizing in understanding pain in SCD, and suggest that context-specific anchors may be beneficial in predicting different aspects of the pain experience (eg, chronic pain, pain sensitization). Perspective Patients with SCD report greater catastrophizing about sickle cell-specific pain relative to other pains. Disease-specific and non-disease-related pain catastrophizing were associated with clinical pain, and situational catastrophizing predictive of subsequent laboratory pain. Evaluation of context-specific catastrophizing may more accurately predict different aspects of the pain experience.
Vascular elasticity from regional displacement estimates

A recently developed ultrasonic technique for measuring elastic properties of vascular tissue is evaluated using computer simulations, phantom data and in vivo human measurements. Computer simulations and in vitro measurements are used to define signal processing approach. A time sequence of displacement images over the cardiac cycle is used to describe the spatial and temporal patterns of deformation surrounding arteries. This information is combined with a mathematical model to estimate an elastic modulus. Finally, preliminary results for the stiffness index (/spl beta/) in study group of healthy volunteers are presented.
Measuring the Absolute Concentration of Microparticles in Suspension Using High-Frequency B-Mode Ultrasound Imaging.

Abstract Concentration measurement of particles in suspension is an important procedure performed in biological and clinical laboratories. Existing methods based on instruments such as hemocytometers, Coulter counters and flow cytometers are often laborious, destructive and incapable of in vivo measurements. On the other hand, an ultrasound-based method can be non-destructive and non-invasive and have the potential for in vivo measurement. In this work, a method is presented that estimates absolute particle concentration from high-frequency B-mode ultrasound images of a sample. The method is based on the detection and characterization of the echoes from individual particles to estimate the effective slice thickness of the image. Calibration using a reference sample is not required because the estimation is entirely image based. The particle type differential is also performed by using the backscatter coefficient of each detected echoes. The method is demonstrated by measuring microsphere suspensions as well as human T-cell suspensions. The proposed method has a wide range of potential clinical applications including non-invasive measurement of cell concentration in biological fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid.
Damage and Damage Mechanics

Abstract This chapter attempts to establish the fundamental nature of fatigue as a physical process in composite materials, and to identify some of the fundamental aspects of mechanics representations of that process. The chapter begins with a discussion of the physical details of “damage”, and uses those details to define “the fatigue effect” for composite materials, especially composite laminates. Requirements for mechanics representations of the fatigue process are discussed, and limitations of classical representations are indicated. Strength reduction is introduced as a method of estimating remaining life, and the computational aspects of that approach are explored. A specific mechanistic example of such an approach, the “critical element method”, is described, and some results of that modeling scheme are examined. Horizons for continuing work are identified and discussed.
Availability of Health-Related Programs in Private and Public Prisons

Little is known about the resources available to protect inmates’ health in private prisons compared to their public counterparts. This is the first national-level study that exclusively examined t...
Social(ist) Responsibility and Communist Management in Postwar Central Europe

In a socialist economy, enterprises were designed to be deeply socially responsible, far more so than under capitalism, because the public owned all firms, the people’s tribunes (the Communist Party apparatus) supervised them, and their managers operated outside any nexus of markets for capital, materials, and clients.
A Mixed Method Investigation of Social Science Graduate Students’ Statistics Anxiety Conditions Before and After the Introductory Statistics Course

Research frequently uses quantitative approach to explore undergraduates’ statistics anxiety conditions. However, few studies of adults’ statistics anxiety use qualitative method or focus solely on graduate students. Moreover, even less studies focus on comparing adults’ anxiety levels before and after the introductory statistics course. This line of study is important to pursue since the introductory statistics course should play the very important roles of both preparing students’ the foundation knowledge of higher level statistics course, and inspiring students’ interests for higher level course. In addition, graduate students tend to have different backgrounds, learning motivations, and learning habits compared to their undergraduate counterparts. Overall, limited mixed research method is available on social sciences graduate students’ (1) statistics anxiety before and after the introductory statistics course and (2) actions taken to decrease the anxiety. This study seeks to fill this gap by incorporating a mixed research method to explore social sciences graduate students’ statistics learning processes. Findings suggest that the social sciences graduate students’ anxiety levels diminished after the introductory statistics course, even though they also experienced severe statistics anxiety at the very beginning. These findings became essential for institutions, higher education instructors, and social sciences statistics learners to consider.
Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide-27 (PACAP-27) in the Thalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Is Stimulated by Ethanol Drinking.

BACKGROUND The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is a limbic brain structure that affects ethanol (EtOH) drinking, but the neurochemicals transcribed in this nucleus that may participate in this behavior have yet to be fully characterized. The neuropeptide, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), is known to be transcribed in other limbic areas and to be involved in many of the same behaviors as the PVT itself, possibly including EtOH drinking. It exists in 2 isoforms, PACAP-38 and PACAP-27, with the former expressed at higher levels in most brain regions. The purpose of this study was to characterize PACAP in the PVT and to assess its response to EtOH drinking. METHODS First, EtOH-naive, Sprague Dawley rats were examined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry, to characterize PACAP mRNA and peptide throughout the rostrocaudal axis of the PVT. Next, EtOH-naive, vGLUT2-GFP transgenic mice were examined using immunohistochemistry, to identify the neurochemical phenotype of the PACAPergic cells in the PVT. Finally, Long Evans rats were trained to drink 20% EtOH under the intermittent-access paradigm and then examined with PCR and immunohistochemistry, to determine the effects of EtOH on endogenous PACAP in the PVT. RESULTS Gene expression of PACAP was detected across the entire PVT, denser in the posterior than the anterior portion of this nucleus. The protein isoform, PACAP-27, was present in a high percentage of cell bodies in the PVT, again particularly in the posterior portion, while PACAP-38 was instead dense in fibers. All PACAP-27+ cells colabeled with glutamate, which itself was identified in the majority of PVT cells. EtOH drinking led to an increase in PACAP gene expression and in levels of PACAP-27 in individual cells of the PVT. CONCLUSIONS This study characterizes the PVT neuropeptide, PACAP, and its understudied protein isoform, PACAP-27, and demonstrates that it is involved in pharmacologically relevant EtOH drinking. This indicates that PACAP-27 should be further investigated for its possible role in EtOH drinking.