cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leaf Dip Bioassay to Determine Susceptibility of Tobacco Hornworm (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) to Acephate, Methomyl and Spinosad

The tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.), is an annual economic pest of flue-cured tobacco in Georgia and throughout the southeastern U.S. Recent concerns about controlling hornworms with standard ...
Steady-state stability analysis of regular circulant grids

Matter et al. derive a real-valued master stability function which determines whether and to what degree a given power grid is asymptotically stable. They base their work on an abstract grid having synchronous generators in presumed steady state equilibrium. They make some assumptions about the electrical and mechanical properties of these generators, then derive their stability function from the grid's admittance matrix. This stability function is thus a function not only of several electrical and mechanical parameters but also of the particular links joining the grid's generators and/or loads. Different choices of links can profoundly affect the stability of the grid. Building on Motter's work, we demonstrate that grids having only inductive admittances are stable (and conversely for grids with only capacitive admittances). We also present a family of regular circulant grids which can be easily analyzed to illustrate the influence of certain graph theoretic properties on grid stability.
Effect of Anti-C5a Therapy in a Murine Model of Early/Intermediate Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose A large body of evidence supports a central role for complement activation in the pathobiology of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), including plasma complement component 5a (C5a). Interestingly, C5a is a chemotactic agent for monocytes, a cell type also shown to contribute to AMD. However, the role monocytes play in the pathogenesis of "dry" AMD and the pharmacologic potential of targeting C5a to regulate these cells are unclear. We addressed these questions via C5a blockade in a unique model of early/intermediate dry AMD and large panel flow cytometry to immunophenotype monocytic involvement. Methods Heterozygous complement factor H (Cfh+/-) mice aged to 90 weeks were fed a high-fat, cholesterol-enriched diet (Cfh+/-∼HFC) for 8 weeks and were given weekly intraperitoneal injections of 30 mg/kg anti-C5a (4C9, Pfizer). Flow cytometry, retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) flat mounts, and electroretinograms were used to characterize anti-C5a treatment. Results Aged Cfh+/- mice developed RPE damage, sub-RPE basal laminar deposits, and attenuation of visual function and immune cell recruitment to the choroid that was accompanied by expression of inflammatory and extracellular matrix remodeling genes following 8 weeks of HFC diet. Concomitant systemic administration of an anti-C5a antibody successfully inhibited local recruitment of mononuclear phagocytes to the choroid-RPE interface but did not ameliorate these AMD-like pathologies in this mouse model. Conclusions These results show that immunotherapy targeting C5a is not sufficient to block the development of the AMD-like pathologies observed in Cfh+/-∼HFC mice and suggest that other complement components or molecules/mechanisms may be driving "early" and "intermediate" AMD pathologies.
Nephrotoxicity: Evidence in Patients Receiving Cisplatin Therapy

Background Cisplatin has been used as a chemotherapeutic agent to treat many different cancers. A well-known side effect of cisplatin is nephrotoxicity, which is the primary dose-limiting toxicity. Hydration in conjunction with appropriate diuresis can decrease the incidence of nephrotoxicity. Objectives This article aims to identify best practices in supportive therapy for patients receiving cisplatin therapy. Methods A team was assembled to review research-based evidence and summarize recommendations to address appropriate hydration regimens and forced diuresis for patients receiving cisplatin chemotherapy. Findings After a systematic search of the literature, only one pediatric study was found. The remaining 22 research-based studies of adults were synthesized and critically appraised. Hydration is necessary to prevent nephrotoxicity with cisplatin administration. In addition, the administration of magnesium and mannitol may assist in maintaining renal function and reducing nephrotoxicity in adults receiving cisplatin. Additional research is needed to evaluate outcomes of these interventions in the pediatric population.
Girlfriend getaways and Women's well-being

This study explored girlfriend getaways (all-women leisure-based travel), focusing on the importance and meaning of such experiences and their potential contribution to women's overall well-being. ...
The promise of quantum computing

I present an overview of the paradigm of quantum computing that is emerging as a result of recent advances in a variety of fields, including fundamentals of quantum mechanics, information theory, quantum optics and atomicphysics. The essentials of a practical quantum computer are discussed and a few algorithms that may be implemented on such a computer are presented. The advantages of quantum computers over classical ones are touched upon. A brief discussion on quantum teleportation and entanglement is also included in this article.
Mitigating PEV’s Impact on Distribution Power Grids

The penetration level of Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) is projected to continue to rise in the future, which will lead to significant stress on distribution power grids due to their frequent charging behaviors and high power density. By coordinating PEV charging, we can flatten load spikes over time and space, reduce the peak load and thus mitigate PEV’s impact. This paper presents the optimization basis and algorithms for PEV coordination. In addition to reducing distribution grids’ stress, these algorithms will allow the maximization of end-user benefits under varying retail electricity prices through demand response program. The proposed PEV coordination algorithms are integrated with a software prototype, the Distribution Grid RespOnse Monitor (DGROM), which analyzes and visualizes the dynamic load response of distribution grids. The effect of the proposed algorithms is demonstrated on the Oakland and Dresden power systems in Columbus, OH.
Examining the Emotional Experience of Mothers Completing an Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention: A Grounded Theory Analysis

Parenting interventions are a well-established treatment for addressing child behavior problems that have also been shown to improve parent psychosocial health. Yet, little is known about how caregiver emotional experiences change over time during treatment. In response, the purpose of this study was to explore the emotional experiences of mothers following their participation in an evidence-based parenting intervention. Researchers conducted a secondary analysis of existing qualitative data. The study sample included semi-structured interview data from 17 mothers who previously completed the GenerationPMTO parenting intervention. Data analysis followed the grounded theory approach and included a sequential process of open, axial, and selective coding using the constant comparative method. Findings indicate mothers progressed through three distinct, yet interrelated stages of emotional experience: Before PMTO, their experiences were characterized by parenting through crisis (Stage 1); during PMTO, they transitioned to crisis stabilization (Stage 2); and following PMTO, they described experiences of emerging recovery and resilience (Stage 3). Maternal emotional experiences in each stage occurred across three contextual realms: (a) the individual (intrapersonal) level, (b) the parent-child relationship level, and the broader systemic level. Results highlight the dynamic and evolving nature of maternal emotional experience throughout various stages of the intervention process and suggest how these experiences may be associated with promoting effective parenting practices and positive child outcomes.
Recycling Epoxy by Vitrimerization: Influence of an Initial Thermoset Chemical Structure

Epoxy/anhydride-cured thermosets are widely used in aerospace and wind energy structures. Recycling the enormous amounts of epoxy thermoset waste remains a global challenge. Vitrimerization, a prac...
General auditory and speech-specific contributions to cortical envelope tracking revealed using auditory chimeras

In recent years research on natural speech processing has benefited from recognizing that low frequency cortical activity tracks the amplitude envelope of natural speech. However, it remains unclear to what extent this tracking reflects speech-specific processing beyond the analysis of the stimulus acoustics. In the present study, we aimed to disentangle contributions to cortical envelope tracking that reflect general acoustic processing from those that are functionally related to processing speech. To do so, we recorded EEG from subjects as they listened to 9auditory chimeras9, stimuli comprised of the temporal fine structure (TFS) of one speech stimulus modulated by the amplitude envelope (ENV) of another speech stimulus. By varying the number of frequency bands used in making the chimeras, we obtained some control over which speech stimulus was recognized by the listener. No matter which stimulus was recognized, envelope tracking was always strongest for the ENV stimulus, indicating a dominant contribution from acoustic processing. However, there was also a positive relationship between intelligibility and the tracking of the perceived speech, indicating a contribution from speech specific processing. These findings were supported by a follow-up analysis that assessed envelope tracking as a function of the (estimated) output of the cochlea rather than the original stimuli used in creating the chimeras. Finally, we sought to isolate the speech-specific contribution to envelope tracking using forward encoding models and found that indices of phonetic feature processing tracked reliably with intelligibility. Together these results show that cortical speech tracking is dominated by acoustic processing, but also reflects speech-specific processing.
Direction-of-Arrival Estimation Using Signal Processing on Graphs

In this paper, we describe a new approach to single-snapshot direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation using signal processing on graphs (SPG). Our approach uses SPG principles and tools to translate and generalize the conventional beamformer (CBF) on to a graph domain and give the CBF more processing flexibility. The benefits of this flexibility were analyzed through simulations of our method with inputs from different array sizes and sound source directions. We found that, depending on the choice of graph structure that our SPG-based method models and processes data on, we can produce outputs with more improved DOA estimation accuracy or outputs equivalent to conventional signal processing.
Patterns of Warning Signs Among Adolescents Who Contemplate Suicide: A Latent Profile Analysis

Adolescent suicide is a critical problem in the United States. Identification and reporting of warning signs is a suicide prevention practice that is particularly important in schools, where adoles...
Postsurgical complications following distal radius volar plating in a diabetic population at short-term follow-up.

Background Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of complications following operative treatment of lower extremity fractures. There is little published data establishing the impact of diabetes following surgical treatment of upper extremity fractures. This investigation aimed to compare the incidence of short-term postsurgical complications following volar locked plating of distal radius fractures in patients with and without diabetes.
Very Simple Representations: Variations on a Theme of Clifford

We discuss a certain class of absolutely irreducible group representations that behave nicely under the restriction to normal subgroups and subalgebras. Interrelations with doubly transitive permutation groups and endomorphisms of hyperelliptic jacobians are discussed.
Extra oxygen in electron superconductors: Ce and Th doped Nd2CuO4+δ and Gd2CuO4+δ

Abstract Using iodometric titration techniques, we have systematically studied the oxygen content of the title compounds. Our oxidized and reduced samples both show an excess of oxygen above the nominal value of 4. This extra oxygen tends to partially compensate the effect of the tetravalent cation doping and must be considered for a complete understanding of the doping of electron superconductors. The partial removal of some of this extra oxygen is presumably the reason for the necessity of a reduction step in the preparation of electron superconductors. In the case of our Ce doped Gd 2 CuO 4 samples, there is an especially high concentration of extra oxygen and we are unable to make them superconducting.
Mitochondrial dynamics in hepatitis B and C virus persistent viral infections (575.9)

Human hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) infections are the leading cause of chronic liver disease. Mitochondrial liver injury is associated with HBV and HCV infections. The objective of our stu...
Automated Ventriculargram Boundary Delineation

Quantitative analysis of the left ventricle wall motion is important for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease. Prom wall motion, stroke volume, ejection fraction, and velocity of ventricular circumference can be estimated. These are helpful in identifying the state of diseased hearts.
Glucagon Receptors in β-Cells BINDING OF 125I-GLUCAGON AND ACTIVATION OF ADENYLATE CYCLASE

Abstract Glucagon-sensitive, insulin-secreting tumors of the Syrian (golden) hamster were homogenized in 1 mm NaHCO3 and subjected to differential centrifugation. The 10,000 x g particles were used for both binding of 125I-glucagon and activation of adenylate cyclase. Glucagon was the only hormone that activated adenylate cyclase. 125I-Glucagon bound to receptors rapidly and was competitively displaced by 1 µg per ml or less of unlabeled hormone; other polypeptide hormone were without effect. The glucagon concentration that produced half-maximal activation of adenylate cyclase was 10 ng per ml and half-maximal displacement of 125I-glucagon was 5 ng per ml; 2–29 glucagon, missing only the NH2-terminal histidine, bound to receptors but did not activate adenylate cyclase. When 2–29 glucagon was added to native glucagon, it blocked activation of adenylate cyclase. Extracts of porcine gut that contained glucagon immunoreactivity also activated adenylate cyclase but were only one-tenth as potent as pancreatic glucagon; 2–29 glucagon inhibited the effect of "gut glucagon."
Modeling relationships in clinical research using path analysis Part II: evaluating the model.

Column Editor: Lauren Clark Scientific Inquiry provides a forum to facilitate the ongoing process of questioning and evaluating practice, presents informed practice based on available data, and innovates new practices through research and experimental learning.
Direct measurements of acoustic admittance using laser Doppler velocimetry

Research was directed at making measurements of oscillatory velocities in propane/air and solid propellant flames using laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) instrumentation. Combustors were developed to impose controlled periodic pressure disturbances on burning solid propellants and to excite a propane/air flame. A tracking system was developed to maintain the LDV control volume at a fixed position above the regressing propellant surface so that a large number (over 10,000) of velocity realizations could be recorded. The research demonstrated that unsteady velocities (up to 1000 Hz) could be measured for propane/air flames seeded with micronsized particles and for solid propellant flames. The simultaneous velocity and pressure measurements were used to obtain acoustic admittances over a range of excitation frequencies, amplitudes, and pressures.
Mother–Toddler Affect Exchanges and Children's Mastery Behaviours during Preschool Years

This study examined the longitudinal relations of mother–child affect exchanges at 18 months with children's mastery motivation at 39 months. Observation and questionnaire data were collected from mother–child dyads when children were 18 months; 43 mothers again rated their children's mastery motivation at 39 months. Results suggested that after controlling for gender and the corresponding 18-month mastery aspect, positive affect exchanges had long-term positive relationships with children's persistence and competence, whereas dismissed affect exchanges had long-term negative relationships with children's persistence and independent mastery. Findings suggest that children's autonomous mastery-oriented endeavours have deep roots in their early mother–child affective interactions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Risk Preferences, Compensation Risk, and Employee Outcomes

We use the NBER Shared Capitalism Database comprised of more than 40,000 employee surveys from 14 firms to explore whether a close match between workers’ risk preferences and the riskiness of their compensation packages relates to improved employee outcomes including lower absenteeism, lower shirking, lower probability of voluntary turnover, greater worker motivation, and higher levels of job satisfaction and loyalty. To do this, we use survey questions reflecting workers’ risk aversion parameters, coupled with a series of measures of the riskiness of workers’ compensation packages including the proportion of pay comprised of various forms of shared capitalism such as profit and gain sharing, ownership of company stock, and bonus arrangements. The primary finding of our paper is that a match between the workers’ risk preferences and the extent of risk in their compensation increases workers’ motivation, job satisfaction, company attachment, and loyalty, but risk-averse workers are generally less responsive to a preference-compensation match than risk-loving workers.
Answer to “Confounding effect of cyclosporine dosing when comparing horse and rabbit antithymocyte globulin in patients with severe aplastic anemia”

We thank Dr. Bleyzac et al. [1][1] for their interest in our work and comments.[2][2] In their letter, the authors discuss a possible association between cyclosporine (CsA) dosing and hematologic response in aplastic anemia (AA). Their preliminary clinical data suggest that CsA blood levels between
Brain Metastases from Esophageal Cancer: A Rare Entity –An Analysis of the Incidence Reported in Literature 1982-2010

AIM: To analyze the incidence of brain metastases in esophageal cancer based on published literature from 1982-2014. Methods: A literature search on PUBMED with key words “esophageal cancer” and “brain metastases” was performed. A total of 138 manuscripts matching the keywords were found. Eleven papers met the study requirements and were included. Results: A total of 11 studies were identified that retrospectively analyzed the incidence of brain metastases in esophageal cancer. Out of those 11, seven were conducted in the United States, three in Japan, and one in China. These studies looked at patients from 1982-2010. A total of 6,216 patients with esophageal cancer were identified and retrospectively analyzed in their respective study groups for the development of brain metastases. A total of 174 patients of the 6216 developed brain metastases; with an incidence of 2.8%. In the U.S population, 121 patients were affected, amounting to an incidence of 3.1%. The predominant histo-pathological cancers in all 11 studies were, as expected, either adenocarcinoma or squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC). Conclusion: The incidence of brain metastases from esophageal cancer is low, ranging from 2.8% to 3%. Formal and large-scale efforts are necessary to confirm the incidence and to demonstrate statistical interaction between the development of brain metastases and factors such as gender, staging, histology, treatment modality, etc. This information will be helpful for staging and planning treatment for esophageal cancer.
Unusually Strong Long-Distance Metal–Metal Coupling in Bis(ferrocene)-Containing BOPHY: An Introduction to Organometallic BOPHYs

The first organometallic BOPHY (BOPHY=bis(difluoroboron)-1,2-bis{(pyrrol-2-yl)methylene}hydrazine) containing two ferrocene substituents was prepared through a Knoevenagel condensation between tetramethyl substituted BOPHY and ferrocene carboxaldehyde. An unprecedentedly strong long-range (≈17.2 A) metal-metal coupling in this new complex was investigated using electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and chemical oxidation methods. Electrochemical data is indicative of a 200 mV separation between the first and the second ferrocene-centered oxidation processes. Formation of the mixed-valence states and appearance and disappearance of two NIR bands were observed during stepwise oxidation of the first organometallic BOPHY. The electronic structure and the nature of the excited states in this new chromophore were studied by DFT and TDDFT calculations.
CRYOGENIC HEAT ENGINE EXPERIMENT

Experimental results on the operation of a “cryogenic heat engine” are presented. A cryogenic heat engine employs a cryogenic medium as a heat sink and the atmosphere as a heat source. Cold thermal storage by refrigeration to produce the cryogenic medium is thus equivalent to energy storage. Using liquid nitrogen as the cryogenic medium, a small cryogenic heat engine which utilizes a simple gas expansion process has been evaluated to experimentally provide 19 kJ of mechanical energy per kilogram of nitrogen exhausted. Theoretical modeling indicates that larger specific energy values are readily possible using more advanced cryogenic heat engine processes. Cryogenic heat engines are potentially suitable as power systems for zero emission vehicles. In order to prove that this is possible, an automobile has been converted for operation using liquid nitrogen as its fuel. In addition, a study has been conducted to assess the feasibility of using a cryogenic heat engine as a zero emission vehicle power system.
Multiple-Mutation Theory of Carcinogenesis

NEW life was given to the somatic mutation theory of carcinogenesis when it was recognized that not just one, but several mutations were probably required. Fisher and Hollomon1 thought that a number of similar mutations in adjacent cells might initiate cancer, and deduced a law of the form ( age ) p – 1 for the rate of appearance of cancers in a population, with p being the number of cells in the critical size group. They arrived at a value of p near 7 from the mortality data. Muller2 and Nordling3 thought that a number of successive mutations in the same cell might initiate cancer, and deduced a law of the same form, ( age ) p – 1 , for the rate of appearance of cancers, with p ≈ 7 now being the number of mutations required in a single cell.
Level by level equivalence and the number of normal measures over Pk (l)

We construct two models for the level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness in which if κ is λ supercompact and λ � κ is regular, we are able to determine exactly the number of normal measures P�(λ) carries. In the first of these models, P�(λ) carries 2 2 (�)<� many normal measures, the maximal number. In the second of these models, P�(λ) carries 2 2 (�)<� many normal measures, except if κ is a measurable cardinal which is not a limit of measurable cardinals. In this case, κ (and hence also P�(κ)) carries only κ + many normal measures. In both of these models, there are no restrictions on the structure of the class of supercompact cardinals.
Modulation of the Cortical Processing of Novel and Target Stimuli by Drugs Affecting Glutamate and GABA Neurotransmission

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we examined the effects of subanaesthetic doses of ketamine (an NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist) and thiopental (a GABA-A receptor agonist) on the event-related potential (ERP) correlates of deviant stimulus processing in 24 healthy adults. Participants completed three separate pharmacological challenge sessions (ketamine, thiopental, saline) in a counterbalanced order. EEG data were recorded both before and during each challenge while participants performed a visual 'oddball' task consisting of infrequent 'target' and 'novel' stimuli intermixed with frequent 'standard' stimuli. We examined drug effects on the amplitude and latency of the P300 (P3) component of the ERP elicited by target (P3b) and novel stimuli (P3a), as well as the N200 (N2) component elicited by both target and novel stimuli, and the N100 (N1) elicited by standard stimuli. Relative to placebo, both drugs reduced the amplitude of parietal P3b. While both drugs reduced parietal P3a and Novelty N2, ketamine also shortened P3a latency, reduced Novelty N2 amplitude more than thiopental, and increased frontal P3a amplitude relative to placebo. Overall, the data suggest that both the GABA-A and NMDA receptor systems modulate P3b and P3a. NMDA antagonism appears to lead to more varied effects on the neural correlates of novelty processing.
Editor's introduction: the global epidemiology of HIV and AIDS

When the noted French poet and chronicler Jean Froissart wrote at the close of the fourteenth century that ‘a third of the world has died’, he was reflecting on the how the Black Death had ravaged ...
Tumefactions of the abdominal wall

Abstract 1. 1. An orderly classification of abdominal wall masses is proposed. 2. 2. The incidence of abdominal wall lesions as regards age and sex, relative malignancy and relation to previous history of the patient is given. 3. 3. The frequency of desmoids in the female and high ratio of malignant to nonmalignant masses in children and adolescence are emphasized. 4. 4. Schloffer's foreign body (silk) tumor is either not being recognized or else not reported in the English speaking countries. 5. 5. Abdominal wall hematomas should be strongly considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal masses. 6. 6. Forty-one cases of abdominal wall masses are reported from Charity Hospital and Touro Infirmary, New Orleans. Of these an adenocarcinoma of the gall-bladder metastasizing by direct extention to a cholecystostomy wound is reported for the first time.
Reviewing Reading: Recommendations versus Reality

: To determine whether the fruit of research in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is having an actual affect on students, this article reviews developments in the treatment of second language (L2) reading, revisits recommendations stemming from these developments, and evaluates evidence of the recommendations in recently published college French textbooks. The reviews demonstrate that the profession (textbook authors, publishers, and consumers) has been slow to accept and embrace the findings and recommendations of SLA research.
T-cell differentiation of multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML in the OP9-DL1 coculture system.

Objective Multipotent hematopoietic cell line EML can differentiate into myeloid, erythroid, megakaryocytic, and B-lymphoid lineages, but it remained unknown whether EML cells have T-cell developmental potential as well. The goal of this study was to determine whether the coculture with OP9 stromal cells expressing Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (OP9-DL1) could induce differentiation of EML cells into T-cell lineage. Materials and Methods EML cells were cocultured with control OP9 or OP9-DL1 stromal cells in the presence of cytokines (stem cell factor, interleukin-7, and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand). Their T-cell lineage differentiation was assessed through flow cytometry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction expression analysis of cell surface markers and genes characterizing and associated with specific stages of T-cell development. Results The phenotypic, molecular, and functional analysis has revealed that in EML/OP9-DL1 cocultures with cytokines, but not in control EML/OP9 cocultures, EML cell line undergoes T-cell lineage commitment and differentiation. In OP9-DL1 cocultures, EML cell line has differentiated into cells that 1) resembled double-negative, double-positive, and single-positive stages of T-cell development; 2) initiated expression of GATA-3, Pre-Tα, RAG-1, and T-cell receptor–Vβ genes; and 3) produced interferon-γ in response to T-cell receptor stimulation. Conclusions These results support the notion that EML cell line has the capacity for T-cell differentiation. Remarkably, induction of T-lineage gene expression and differentiation of EML cells into distinct stages of T-cell development were very similar to previously described T-cell differentiation of adult hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors in OP9-DL1 cocultures. Thus, EML/OP9-DL1 coculture could be a useful experimental system to study the role of particular genes in T-cell lineage specification, commitment, and differentiation.
PERFORMANCE AND ANALYSIS OF AQUIFER TRACER TESTS WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR CONTAMINANT TRANSPORT MODELING–A PROJECT SUMMARY

The scale-dependence of dispersivity values used in contaminant transport models to estimate the spreading of contaminant plumes by hydrodynamic dispersion processes was investigated and found to be an artifact of conventional modeling approaches (especially, vertically averaged parameters in two-dimensional plume simulations). The work reported here shows that variations in hydraulic conductivity with depth result in significant variations in ground-water flow and contaminant transport velocities; it is the resulting velocity variations that, if vertically averaged, give rise to apparent scale-dependency of dispersion (e.g., increased dispersion with increasing travel distance). Special depth-selective observation well designs are recommended by the authors for use in tracer tests, so that detailed estimates of the variations in hydraulic conductivity, and flow and transport velocities can be obtained. Innovative modeling techniques that take advantage of the detailed information obtainable from such tests (by emphasizing advective transport, as opposed to dispersive transport), have been developed by the authors. These modeling techniques are shown to have an element of true predictive ability, being able to closely simulate actual results with little or no calibration.
Classical conditioning with auditory discrimination of the eye blink in decerebrate cats

Cats were subjected to complete lower brainstem transection, and were then tested for learning ability according to a classical conditioning paradigm. An auditory stimulus was systematically paired with a brief shock to the eyelid. Within a few weeks after the operation, the decerebrate cats could learn the conditioned response with a tone frequency discrimination and then a discrimination reversal. Our results support the notion that the brainstem reticular formation can support a conditioned response which isbehaviorally similar to that obtained in the intact animal.
Exposure System for Production of Uniform Magnetic Fields

An expression was derived for the magnetic field between Helmholtz coils, and used to determine the intercoil region within which the field's spatial uniformity is below an arbitrary value. Coils were designed to produce a magnetic field uniform to within 5% in a specified volume, and the results of the calculations were verified by direct measurement.
Using resistive loading to control the radiation efficiency of a spiral antenna

This work explores a method to manipulate the radiation efficiency of a spiral antenna, in a controlled manner, by the use of methodically placed resistive loading. Simulated and measured efficiency and reflection coefficient data are shown for various resistively loaded spiral antennas. The simulated efficiencies range from 1% to 90% within the frequency range of 0.1 to 2.5 GHz. Effective permittivity, specifically an effective substrate loss tangent, is related to the value of the resistive loading to explain the efficiency control mechanism. Efficiency decreases as the loaded resistance value decreases.
RADIOGRAPHIC GASTROINTESTINAL ANATOMY OF THE FOAL

The purposes of this study were to evaluate a technique for contrast gastrointestinal (GI) radiography and to define the normal radiographic anatomy of the foal GI tract as demonstrated by survey and contrast radiography. GI studies were performed in five normal foals. Right lateral standing, right and left lateral recumbent, and ventrodorsal (dorsal recumbent) radiographs were evaluated. The recumbent lateral and ventrodorsal positions were preferred, although the right lateral standing position demonstrated most structures. Radiographic positions that clearly identified a specific GI region were determined. The dosage of contrast medium used (5 ml/kg of a 30% wt/vol barium suspension) was adequate to outline the GI tract. Transit times allowed evaluation of the large colon within eight hours.
Identification of an unusual paramagnetic species and of three [2Fe-2S] clusters in the iron-only hydrogenase from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima

Abstract Thermotoga maritima is a H2-producing, fermentative anaerobe and is one of the most thermophilic bacteria known. Its iron-only (Fe-)hydrogenase was previously shown to be a homotetramer and to contain two [4Fe-4S] and two [2Fe-2S] clusters per monomer, but the enzyme lacked the characteristic EPR signal of the oxidized H cluster, the proposed site of H2 catalysis in mesophilic Fe-hydrogenases (Juszczak, A., Aono, S. and Adams, M.W.W. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 13834–13841). The two types of cluster were shown by spectroelectrochemistry to have reduction potentials (Em) of -390 and -440 mV, respectively. We have now identified two additional redox centers in the enzyme, a [2Fe-2S] center with a higher reduction potential (Em = -365 mV) and an unusual paramagnetic species (Em > -200 mV). The higher potential [2Fe-2S] center can be reduced by sodium dithionite at pH 6.0 and exhibits an axial-type EPR signal with gz = 2.026 and gy = gx = 1.940. The two lower potential [2Fe-2S] centers are fully reduced by sodium dithionite only at pH 10.0. Both of these clusters in their reduced states exhibit rhombic-type EPR signals with gz = 2.005, gx = 1.955, and gy = 1.921. This hydrogenase is therefore thought to contain three [2Fe-2S] clusters, as well as two [4Fe-4S] clusters. In addition, a nearly isotropic EPR signal (g = 2.01) was observed when the enzyme was anaerobically oxidized by organic dyes such as thionine (Eα = 64 mV) or 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (Eα = 217 mV). This resonance was not observed at 20 K due to relaxation broadening and therefore did not arise from a conventional organic radical. The oxidized enzyme was fully active in an H2 production assay, and also reacted directly with H2. In contrast, the air-oxidized enzyme was inactive and did not exhibit the g = 2.01 EPR signal. This resonance was assigned to a novel paramagnetic species with an approximate Em value of -70 mV. It is thought to be associated with the H2 activating site of this atypical Fe-hydrogenase.
Neuroimaging of acute traumatic brain injury: emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging and prognostic factors.

Intracranial insults resulting from trauma are called traumatic brain injury (TBI) and represent a leading cause of disability and death in the United States. Of more than 1.1 million patients treated yearly in the emergency department for TBI, 235,500 patients would require hospitalization and 43% of those would suffer long-term disability related to TBI. In addition, more than 50,000 deaths each year are attributed to TBI. The prevalence and potential life-altering sequelae of TBI have garneredmuch interest in its radiologicfindings, ushering in the liberal use of imaging to screen for its presence. There is also an increasing awareness that even mild TBI can lead to chronic encephalopathy and even Alzheimer or parkinsonian syndromes. The emphasis on imaging ofmild TBI and the use of newer modalities to evaluate prognosis is expected to increase. The purpose of this article is to review the indications for imaging as well as the findings in the acute phase of TBI, with an emphasis onmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a brief discussion of prognostic indicators.
Photothermal spectroscopy based on a multilayer reed probe for chemical detection

Dynamic responses a photothermal detector based on bimetallic cantilevers with large aspect ratio are modeled and compared with the experimental data. Photothermal spectrum of polymer epoxy coating is demonstrated in the near infrared region.
Separation of matrix eigenvalues and structural decomposition of large-scale systems

The paper presents the separation of matrix eigenvalues relative to strips, sectors, trapezoids and circles in a complex plane without actually seeking the characteristic polynomial and the matrix eigenvalues themselves. The system matrix of interest is a real or complex matrix which may have a real or complex characteristic polynomial. Also, the paper develops a technique for block-diagonalisation and block-triangularisation of the system matrix according to the characteristics of the system eigenvalues. As each block-decomposed submatrix contains the matrix eigenvalues lying within a specific subregion of a complex plane, the existing design methods, such as the multi-stage design methods, can effectively be applied to the substructural models of large-scale systems for attaining a desired overall system behaviour. The fast matrix sign function, which has quick convergence property and convergence speed independent of the dimension of the system map, is used for the derivations.
Use of Molecular Beacons for Rapid, Real-Time, Quantitative Monitoring of Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Epitope Mutations in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus

Immune pressure on lentiviruses exerted by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) selects for virus CTL epitope mutations. Currently employed methods for monitoring emerging CTL epitope mutations rely on the labor-intensive and time-consuming techniques of virus population or clonal sequencing. Here we describe the development of a high-throughput quantitative reverse transcription-PCR assay that facilitates large-scale CTL epitope monitoring. This approach utilizes both sequence-specific molecular beacons and the sequence-independent double-stranded DNA binding dye Sybr Green. We show that this assay detects single-nucleotide mutations in an immunodominant CTL epitope in viral RNA isolated from both viral culture supernatants and plasma samples from simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus monkeys. Furthermore, mutant viruses can be detected even when they represent as few as 500 mutant copies in a sample containing 10,000 total copies. This real-time PCR technique for evaluating CTL epitope mutations may prove to be a useful tool for monitoring the genetic drift of human immunodeficiency virus and SIV in infected individuals.
Acceptability of a hypothetical group B strep vaccine among pregnant and recently delivered women.

Abstract Objective Group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes significant infant morbidity and mortality. Promising GBS vaccines are currently in clinical trials. Because GBS vaccines would be the first to specifically target pregnant women, we sought to assess acceptability of a hypothetical GBS vaccine. Study design We performed an internet survey among currently pregnant or recently delivered women receiving care at one of 9 Ob/Gyn practices in Colorado. Vaccine acceptability was assessed using questions based on constructs from the Health Belief Model. Multivariable analyses assessed the characteristics associated with GBS vaccine acceptability during the current/recent pregnancy. Results The response rate was 50% (n = 231). While 78% agreed that a GBS vaccine would be a good way to protect newborns, 90% and 83% agreed, respectively, that they worried generally about the safety and effectiveness of new vaccines. Moreover, 39% believed it is generally dangerous for pregnant women to get vaccines. Seventy nine percent ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ would have gotten a GBS vaccine in their most recent pregnancy if available. The most influential factors associated with this outcome were a strong belief in the vaccine's benefits (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 6.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.01–20.16), and low perceived barriers to vaccination (AOR 0.11, 95% CI (0.03–0.37)). Conclusion A GBS vaccine may be acceptable to pregnant women but would benefit from strong provider support and education about the risks and consequences of GBS infection and the benefits to vaccination.
Factor XIII activity of platelets and plasma in health and disease

Abstract Factor XIII (FSF) of plasma and of platelets suspended in plasma was estimated by 2 methods, a modification of Lorand's clot solubility (C-S) assay and the antiserum (A-S) test devised by Bohn and Haupt. In 10 normal subjects, the ratio of FSF activity of platelet-rich plasma (i.e., total blood FSF) to that of platelet-poor plasma ranged, with the use of the C-S assay, from 1.0 to 3.0 (1.3 to 2.7 with the A-S method), with a mean of 1.8 (2.0). When applied to 30 patients, most of whom had substantially diminished plasma FSF, these ratios were from 1.3 to 4.0 (1.0 to 4.8), with a mean of 2.2 (2.6). Mean platelet counts for the 2 groups of subjects were 508,000 and 289,000 per cmm, respectively. When the platelet content was, in vitro, equalized for all plasma samples to a count of 500,000 per cmm, the ratios were 1.0 to 3.0 (1.0 to 2.7) in the normal subjects and 1.3 to 7.1 (1.5 to 12.0) in the patient group, the respective average ratios being 1.8 (2.0) and 3.4 (3.7). Hence, it appeared that platelets were, in many patients studied, not affected by the depletion in plasma FSF. The platelet moiety of total blood FSF varied within a wide range and, in some cases, amounted to more than 80% of the total. Consequently, when testing for acquired deficiency, strictly platelet-poor plasma should be used.
Phase Change Memory: From Devices to Systems

As conventional memory technologies such as DRAM and Flash run into scaling challenges, architects and system designers are forced to look at alternative technologies for building future computer systems. This synthesis lecture begins by listing the requirements for a next generation memory technology and briefly surveying the landscape of novel non-volatile memories. Among these, Phase Change Memory (PCM) is emerging as a leading contender, and the authors discuss the material, device, and circuit advances underlying this exciting technology. The lecture then describes architectural solutions to enable PCM for main memories. Finally, the authors explore the impact of such byte-addressable non-volatile memories on future storage and system designs. Table of Contents: Next Generation Memory Technologies / Architecting PCM for Main Memories / Tolerating Slow Writes in PCM / Wear Leveling for Durability / Wear Leveling Under Adversarial Settings / Error Resilience in Phase Change Memories / Storage and System Design With Emerging Non-Volatile Memories
Gas chromatography on self-assembled, single-walled carbon nanotubes.

High-performance stationary phases, which provide high resolutions and are stable at high temperatures, are of significant importance in gas chromatographic analysis. Carbon nanotubes are nanosized carbon-based sorbents that have a high surface area and a large aspect ratio and are known to be stable at high temperatures. It is, therefore, conceivable that gas chromatography can benefit from their unique properties. This paper reports gas chromatography separations in an open tubular format on self-assembled, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) inside silica-lined steel capillary tubing. A SWNT film with an average thickness of 300 nm was self-assembled by a unique, single-step, catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process consisting of dissolved cobalt and molybdenum salts in ethanol. A variety of organic compounds with varying polarity were separated at high resolution, and the column efficiency demonstrated ∼1000 theoretical plates/m. Comparison of capacity factors‘ and isosteric heats of adsor...
Conversational Argument in Close Relationships: A Case for Studying Argument Sequences

This article examines how people develop their ideas with each other through the use of argument sequences. First, we discuss the argumentative function of communication in close relationships. Second, we articulate the theoretic cornerstones of our research program. Here we present the basic premises of the theory of Minimally Rational Argument, which identifies conversational argument as a process of developing a definition of the relationship through seeking convergence through rational dialogue. Third, we discuss the method of studying argument building sequences as an important advance in the use of the conversational argument coding scheme. Four types of argument sequences are presented: developing, converging, diverging, and rudimentary. Next, we explore how studying act-to-act argument sequences informs our understanding of relationship communication by presenting four conversational argument patterns as they associate with perceptions of communicator competence, communication satisfaction, and re...
FMRFamide modulates the action of phase shifting agents on the ocular circadian pacemakers of Aplysia and Bulla.

The eye of the marine mollusk Aplysia californica contains a photo-entrainable circadian pacemaker that drives an overt circadian rhythm of spontaneous compound action potentials in the optic nerve. Both light and serotonin are known to influence the phase of this ocular rhythm. The current study evaluated the effect of FMRFamide on both light and serotonin induced phase shifts of this rhythm. The application of FMRFamide was found to block serotonin induced phase shifts but, by itself, FMRFamide did not cause significant phase shifts. Furthermore, the effects of FMRFamide on light-induced phase shifts appeared to be phase dependent (i.e., the application of FMRFamide inhibited light-induced phase delays but actually enhanced the magnitude of phase advances). As in Aplysia, the eye of Bulla gouldiana also contains a circadian pacemaker. In Bulla, FMRFamide prevented light-induced phase advances and delays. Although FMRFamide alone generated phase dependent phase shifts, it did not cause phase shifts at the phases where it blocked the effects of light. These data demonstrate that FMRFamide can have pronounced modulatory effects on phase shifting inputs to the ocular pacemakers of both Aplysia and Bulla.