cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The dynamics of sandpiles with a sheared flow

Abstract Sheared wind on a sandpile model produces a decorrelation of transport events and eliminates events with scale lengths on the order of the box size. The effective diffusion coefficient changes its asymptotic behavior from D eff ∝ x α , with α close to 1, to D eff ∝ x 0 . These asymptotic limits are consistent with analytical calculations based on the Burgers equation and have implications for SOC theory as a paradigm for turbulent transport.
Rents and prices of housing across areas of the United States. A cross-section examination of the present value model

Abstract This study examines whether regional variation in housing rents and prices is consistent with the general forward-looking behavior of the present value model. According to the model, the rent-price ratio will be high in areas where expected future rent growth is low. Decennial census data by tracts permit testing of a simple, low-frequency formulation of this hypothesis: across areas the initial rent-price ratio should have predictive power for rent growth between the censuses. Estimates confirm this hypothesis. At low frequencies, the forward-looking behavior of the present value model appears to be important in housing valuation.
Predicting prescription drug misuse in college students' social networks.

Abstract Background Prescription drugs, such as stimulants, opioid analgesics, anxiolytics, and sedatives, are frequently being used without a physician's prescription by college students, resulting in a rising epidemic. The literature has not yet examined the impact of one's social network in the use of these drugs, nor the co-occurrence of multiple prescription drugs. The current study investigated predictors of non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD), in addition to the prevalence of NMUPD in college students' social networks. Methods 279 undergraduates from a large southeastern university were recruited to participate in the study. Logistic regressions were conducted to examine the predictors of the respondent misusing prescription drugs in the past 12 months. Results The number of close friends who misused prescription drugs predicted the respondent misusing prescription drugs in the past year (p Conclusions Prescription drug misuse is prevalent in college students' social networks, and more so among those who themselves misuse prescription drugs, suggesting the need for prevention specialists to provide younger adults with information regarding the detrimental consequences of prescription drug misuse for themselves and their friends.
Practical hardness scales for metal ion complexes

Abstract Experimentally determined log stability constant differences for substitution reactions of one ligand for another on a metal ion are used to derive practical metal ion hardness–softness scales applicable to aqueous solutions. These scales probably correspond to what most investigators imply when they use the terms hardness and softness. The correlation between the halide scale for fluoride minus bromide and the oxygen minus nitrogen scales of hydroxide or acetate minus ammonia is high but not perfect. The differences indicate hardness and softness depend to some extent upon the ligands considered, and thus it is not possible to derive a single hardness scale that is applicable to all complexes in aqueous solutions. Based on these quantitative scales, Mn2+ previously assigned as hard, fits better in the borderline category. Depending upon the ligands, Tl+ may be harder or softer than Tl3+. The proton displays strong anti-borderline behavior, acting either as a very hard or a very soft cation. To a lesser degree, Pb2+ behaves similarly. Consideration of the log stability constant difference for substitution of one metal ion for another on a ligand leads to a generally applicable practical hardness scale for 16 ligands in aqueous solutions: F−(−3), H2O(0), acetate(2), HCO3−(4), CO32−(5), OH−(5)>pyridine(6), benzimidazole(6), imidazole(7), Cl−(7), NH3(8), SCN−(9), Br−(9)>I−(13), CN−(13), S2O32−(14). Based on the logarithmic magnitudes in parentheses, it is recommended that the first six ligands be classified as hard, the next seven after the first inequality sign as borderline, and the last three after the last inequality sign as soft. Thus all oxygen donors are designated hard and now all nitrogen donors borderline. Within the borderline group, aliphatic amines are softer than aromatic amines. The principle of hard and soft acids and bases finds its most consistent application, not in direct stability constant comparisons, but rather in log stability constant differences of appropriate substitution reactions.
Integrated modeling for watershed management: Multiple objectives and spatial effects

: This paper presents an optimization framework for prioritizing sites for wetlands restoration on a watershed or landscape scale. The framework is designed for analyzing the potential environmental impacts of alternative management strategies while accounting for economic constraints, thereby aiding decision makers in explicitly considering multiple management objectives. The modeling strategy consists of two phases. First, relationships between the configuration of land use types in a watershed and valued ecosystem services are specified mathematically. Second, those functions are incorporated into a spatial optimization model that allows comparisons of the expected environmental impacts and economic costs of management strategies that change the configuration of land use in the watershed. By way of a stylized example, this paper develops the general structure of the framework, presents simulation results based on two production functions for ecosystem services, and discusses the potential utility of the methodology for watershed management.
Cell-like maps onto non-compact spaces of finite cohomological dimension

Abstract A metrizable space X is the cell-like image of a metrizable space Z of dimension ⩽ n iff the cohomological dimension X ⩽ n . If X is topologically complete and/or separable, then we may choose Z to be so. If X is a metrizable space with coh. dim. ⩽ n , then X can be embedded in a topologically complete metrizable space with coh. dim. ⩽ n .
Creativity and performance appraisal: Shall never the twain meet?

Abstract This article explores the need for performance appraisal systems that are designed to meet the unique motivational and performance needs of creative employees. The dimensions and special needs of creative behavior are drawn from the literature and defined; the state of performance appraisal is reviewed; and a preliminary investigation to determine what can be learned on the subject from the current practice of performance appraisal is reported. Implications for further research and improvement in the practice of performance appraisal for creative employees are discussed.
Pragmatic aspects of implicit comparison: An economy-based approach

Abstract There are two ways to express comparison: implicit comparison (e.g. Compared to Tom, Jim is tall.) and explicit comparison (e.g. Jim is taller than Tom.) ( Sapir, 1944 , Kennedy, in press ). Although implicit comparison and explicit comparison can both be used to express comparison, they have different pragmatic properties. In these examples, the former, but not the latter, implies (a) Tom is not tall and (b) Jim is not definitely tall (possibly borderline). This paper investigates the pragmatic aspects of implicit comparison cross-linguistically (i.e. English and Japanese), considering (1) how it is pragmatically different from explicit comparison, (2) the status of the two implicatures, and (3) how they arise. There are two approaches to explain the implicatures in implicit comparison: a symmetrical (or economy-based) approach, and an asymmetrical (or dependency) approach. In the symmetrical approach, the two implicatures are viewed as deriving from a single processing principle of economy. Under the asymmetrical approach, the implicature in (b) depends on the implicature in (a). I argue that the symmetrical approach is preferable. Since the economy principle is neither stored in a particular lexicon, nor is it a co-operative principle, the implicatures have to be regarded as belonging to a third type of implicature: ‘computational implicature.’
Stochastic models for light-scattering noise in nonlinear optical Kerr media

Thermal light-scattering fluctuations are examined as a fundamental noise source inherent in nonlinear optical processes involving Kerr and artificial Kerr media. Stochastic models are introduced to simulate noise in optical phase conjugation via degenerate four-wave mixing, and in signal amplification via nondegenerate two-wave-mixing processes. Significant noise fluctuations in the amplitude and phase components of the processed signals are shown to occur even with incident signal powers in the milliwatt range. For time-dependent processes, including nondegenerate two-wave mixing, the fluctuation-dissipation theorem is shown to generalize a previously derived static susceptibility relation between light-scattering and nonlinear optical response to media exhibiting both power dissipation and nonlocal interaction.
Connecting Mitochondria and Innate Immunity

Viral infection results in the activation of multiple signaling pathways, but how these pathways are coordinated remains a mystery. Two studies, one published in this issue of Cell (Seth et al., 2005) and the other in Molecular Cell (Xu et al., 2005), identify a new intracellular signaling protein that is required for activating type I interferon expression in response to viral infection. In addition, Seth et al. (2005) show that the function of this protein, which they call MAVS, requires that it be localized to the mitochondria. This observation establishes an unexpected link between innate immunity and an organelle with evolutionary origins in aerobic bacteria.
A genetic screen in zebrafish identifies the mutants vps18, nf2 and foie gras as models of liver disease

Hepatomegaly is a sign of many liver disorders. To identify zebrafish mutants to serve as models for hepatic pathologies, we screened for hepatomegaly at day 5 of embryogenesis in 297 zebrafish lines bearing mutations in genes that are essential for embryonic development. Seven mutants were identified, and three have phenotypes resembling different liver diseases. Mutation of the class C vacuolar protein sorting gene vps18 results in hepatomegaly associated with large, vesicle-filled hepatocytes, which we attribute to the failure of endosomal-lysosomal trafficking. Additionally, these mutants develop defects in the bile canaliculi and have marked biliary paucity, suggesting that vps18 also functions to traffic vesicles to the hepatocyte apical membrane and may play a role in the development of the intrahepatic biliary tree. Similar findings have been reported for individuals with arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome, which is due to mutation of another class C vps gene. A second mutant, resulting from disruption of the tumor suppressor gene nf2 , develops extrahepatic choledochal cysts in the common bile duct, suggesting that this gene regulates division of biliary cells during development and that nf2 may play a role in the hyperplastic tendencies observed in biliary cells in individuals with choledochal cysts. The third mutant is in the novel gene foie gras , which develops large, lipid-filled hepatocytes, resembling those in individuals with fatty liver disease. These mutants illustrate the utility of zebrafish as a model for studying liver development and disease, and provide valuable tools for investigating the molecular pathogenesis of congenital biliary disorders and fatty liver disease.
Climbing constant, second-order correction of Trouton's viscosity, wave speed and delayed die swell for M1

Measurements of the wave speed c in M1 imply at fast time λ = υ/ρc2 of relaxation. This and the delayed die-swell measurements suggest that M1 is not very elastic. Extensive and very reliable values of the climbing constants show that M1 has weak normal stresses at the level of STP. The climbing constants plus back-extrapolated values of N1/γ.2 taken from measurements at two temperatures by Binding, and Walters and Prud'homme lead to values of the two coefficients in the second-order regime of slow flow of M1. This gives us all the constants in the Roscoe formula for the quadratic correction of Trouton's viscosity and also shows us to compute the normal stress ratio — N2/N1 = 0.11, independent of temperature.
CLONING, SEQUENCING AND EXPRESSION OF A HISTONE-LIKE PROTEIN FROM THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC DINOFLAGELLATE GONYAULAX POLYEDRA

The presence of small basic DNA-binding proteins, or histone-like proteins (HLPs), in dinoflagellate nuclei has been well documented. Genes for HLPs have been cloned from Crypthecodinium cohnii (HCc 1 and 2) and Alexandrium fundyense (HAf ) but their predicted protein sequences show no homology to histones from other eukaryotes or to bacterial HLPs. The precise role of these HLPs in dinoflagellate nuclei is uncertain; the HLP:DNA ratio is too low to facilitate packaging of the entire (very large) genome. In order to investigate the role of these proteins we have cloned a gene for a HLP from Gonyaulax polyedra (HGp). Unlike the genes from C. cohnii, the G. polyedra gene contains no introns. It codes for a protein with a predicted molecular mass of 10,985 Da, and an isoelectric point of 10.5. We over-expressed this protein in Escherichia coli using a construct that expresses the full-length protein with an N-terminal histidine tag, and purified it by Nickel-affinity and cation-exchange chromatography. While the predicted molecular mass of the fusion protein is 12,973 Da, similar to sizes observed for acid-soluble G. polyedra nuclear proteins, the relative mobility on denaturing SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is 20,000 Da. We attribute the slower mobility in denaturing page to the basicity of the protein and predict that the relatively faster mobility exhibited by native HGp is due in part to post-translational modification of basic residues. Such modifications have been observed in histones and play an important role in the regulation of transcription in eukaryotes, a function that HLPs may assume in dinoflagellates. This possibility is being investigated.
Risperidone-Induced Bulbar Palsy-like Syndrome

There have been several case reports of risperidone-associated dysphagia. Risperidone-induced bulbar palsy-like syndrome has not been previously described. We report on a 58-year-old gentleman with prior history of schizophrenia and remote chlorpromazine use with no history of extrapyramidal symptoms who experienced acute onset of dysphagia and facial diplegia with hyperprolactinemia while being treated with risperidone. To date there have been five reported cases of dysphagia associated with risperidone, occurring by such mechanisms as isolated pharyngeal dysfunction from pharyngeal constrictor palsy and dystonia, drug-induced parkinsonism, and acute dystonic reaction. These cases were associated either with initiation or up-titration of risperidone, with complete resolution of dysphagia after medication discontinuation or dose change. Our patient developed dysphagia within 2 weeks of taking risperidone and completely resolved 1 month after the medication was stopped. Unlike other reported cases, our patient also experienced symptomatic hyperprolactinemia, another known side effect of risperidone. Physicians should also be aware that risperidone can be associated with oropharyngeal dysphagia secondary to an acute bulbar palsy-like syndrome that places patients at increased risk of aspiration events and its associated morbidity and mortality.
Assessing color reproducibility of whole-slide imaging scanners

A new method for assessing color reproducibility of whole-slide imaging (WSI) systems is introduced. A color phantom is used to evaluate the difference between the input to and the output from a WSI system. The method consists of four components: (a) producing the color phantom, (b) establishing the truth of the color phantom, (c) retrieving the digital display data from the WSI system, and (d) calculating the color difference. The method was applied to a WSI system and used to evaluate the color characteristics with and without color management.
Some polyhedra related to combinatorial problems

Abstract This paper first describes a theory and algorithms for asymptotic integer programs. Next, a class of polyhedra is introduced. The vertices of these polyhedra provide solutions to the asymptotic integer programming problem; their faces are cutting planes for the general integer programming problem and, to some extent, the polyhedra coincide with the convex hull of the integer points satisfying a linear programming problem. These polyhedra are next shown to be cross sections of more symmetric higher dimensional polyhedra whose properties are then studied. Some algorithms for integer programming, based on a knowledge of the polyhedra, are outlined.
Thermodynamic, transport and magnetic properties of single crystal Ni3Al

Abstract The ferromagnetic transition temperature Tc of Ni3Al varies significantly with Ni composition. Magnetization and resistivity measurements on a single crystal of Ni3Al show that Tc=81K. This is the highest value reported so far for Ni3Al. The value of the spontaneous magnetization as T −> 0 is 0.128 μB per Ni atom, which is much less than the value of 0.61 μB for pure Ni metal. There is no visible specific heat anomaly at Tc for polycrystalline and single crystal samples. An upturn behavior appears at low temperatures in the C/T vs T2 plot. The temperature dependence of the magnetization, resistivity, and specific heat can be explained by the self-consistent renormalization (SCR) theory of spin fluctuations.
Extrinsic Silicon Focal Plane Arrays

This paper will survey and review the evolution and state-of-the-art of extrinsic silicon IR focal plane array technology. Extrinsic silicon photodetectors are capable of optimum infrared detection ranging from below 2 to well above 20 micrometers. Arrays of silicon detectors have been used in focal planes for both ground- and space-based operational systems such as the highly successful Infrared Arrowing Satellite (IRAS). The special properties of these detectors when they are used in conjunction with state-of-the-art charge-coupled device (CCD) multiplexing devices will have a significant impact on all future focal plane developments. The status and futured development potential of these infrared charge-coupled devices (IRCCD's) will be discussed in this paper. The concepts for and progress made toward realizing two-dimensional mosaic focal planes integrating silicon CCD multiplexers and extrinsic silicon detector array will be reviewed. Finally, the potential and applications of silicon focal planes will be assessed.
Absence of CD4 or CD8 lymphocytes changes infiltration of inflammatory cells and profiles of cytokine expression in skin wounds, but does not impair healing

The involvement of lymphocytes in skin wound healing has not been studied extensively. This study shows that CD4 and CD8 cells are present in significant numbers in skin wounds with peak levels at days 5-10 and 7-10, respectively. Both subsets expressed inflammatory and/or regulatory cytokines. To examine the function of CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes in tissue repair, wound healing was examined in mice deficient for either CD4 or CD8 cells. Wounds in CD4 deficient mice exhibited an initial delayed infiltration of CD8 cells followed by a relative increase in CD8 cells at day 10 and thereafter. Wounds in CD4 deficient mice also displayed up-regulated expression of IL1β, IL-6, IL-17, IFN-γ, CXCL-1 and down-regulated expression of IL-4 as compared to wild-type mice. In contrast, wounds in CD8 deficient mice showed significantly decreased infiltration of CD4+ cells, neutrophils, and macrophages along with down-regulated expression of IL1β, IL-6, TNF-α, CXCL-1, CCL-2 and up-regulated expression of IL-4 as compared to wild-type mice. Despite these significant changes in cytokine expression and inflammatory cell infiltrate, the rate of wound closure, wound breaking strength, collagen content and angiogenesis in either CD4 or CD8 deficiency showed no significant difference from that of wild-type mice. The results suggest that, despite being present and involved in wound inflammation, neither CD4+ nor CD8+ cells play critical roles in the healing process of skin wounds. Further studies are needed to investigate whether these cells might play critical roles in wounds that experience stress such as ischemia or infection.
Verruciform xanthoma in a bone marrow transplant recipient

Abstract The verruciform xanthoma is an uncommon benign condition of uncertain cause that affects either mucosa or, less commonly, skin. Most lesions are solitary, and most have been reported to involve the oral mucosa. In some instances, chronic damage to the lesional site has been identified. This report describes a verruciform xanthoma that developed on the lower vermilion zone of the lip of a young person who had undergone allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of this lesion occurring in a bone marrow transplantation patient. We speculate that immunologically mediated damage to the patient's epithelium in this area may be related to the pathogenesis of the lesion.
Efficient nonparametric estimation of a distribution function

We consider efficient estimation of a distribution function F under several models based on the nonparametric likelihood principal. Under the symmetry model, we derive the nonparametric MLE of F and show that it coincides with the symmetrized estimator. Under the auxiliary-sample model, we discuss an estimator based on the total law of probability and show that it coincides with the nonparametric MLE of F. Assuming quadrant dependence, we show that the estimator has a minimum asymptotic relative efficiency of one with respect to the empirical distribution function. We consider the intersection of the two models and present an efficient hybrid estimator. The estimator is based on the conditional distribution function after post stratification of the sample. We show that the hybrid estimator has an asymptotic normal distribution and converges to the nonparametric MLE of F under the assumption of conditional symmetry. A Monte Carlo simulation assesses the small sample efficiency of the proposed estimators under the Plackett family of bivariate distributions. A bootstrap algorithm to obtain the power of the Wilcoxon signed rank test is presented.
Effect of surface treatment on etched procelain bond strength to enamel

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of mechanical retention by etching and chemical bonding by silanizing porcelain surfaces on their shear bond strength to etched enamel. The individual contributions of the two processes were compared with the bond strength obtained by the combined treatment. The effect of applying fit-checker paste to etched porcelain surface was also examined before and after re-etching. The 5 groups were compared between Mirage shade A 2 (N=25) and Mirage shade 65 (N=25) porcelains. Following surface treatment of porcelain and resin bonding to etched enamel, the specimens were thermocycled 600 times between 5° and 55°C and debonded in shear mode. Results indicated that, overall, Mirage shade 65 porcelain was twice as strong as Mirage shade A 2 . However, the 5 treatment groups for each shade showed remarkable similarity, with the highest bond achieved by both etching and silanizing the porcelain. The bond strength from etching or silanizing alone was not significant. Use of a fit-checker paste lowered the bond strength, possibly by chemical contamination. There was no evidence of physical obliteration of the microporosities on the etched surface with the use of a silane coupling agent or the fit-checker if removed completely. It was concluded that optimum bond strength of porcelain to etched enamel is obtained by both etching and silanizing the surface. Caution should be exercised when using a silicone-based fit-checker paste. Further study is recommended.
Resolving Neighborhood Scale in Air Toxics Modeling: A Case Study in Wilmington, CA

Abstract Air quality modeling is useful for characterizing exposures to air pollutants. Whereas models typically provide results on regional scales, new concerns regarding the potential for differential exposures among racial/ethnic populations and income strata within communities are driving the need for increasingly refined modeling approaches. These approaches need to be capable of resolving concentrations on the scale of tens of meters, across modeling domains 10-100 km2 in size. One approach for refined air quality modeling is to combine Gaussian and regional photochemical grid models. In this paper, the authors demonstrate this approach on a case study of Wilmington, CA, focused on diesel exhaust particulate matter. Modeling results suggest that pollutant concentrations in the vicinity of emission sources are elevated, and, therefore, an understanding of local emission sources is necessary to generate credible modeling results. A probabilistic evaluation of the Gaussian model application indicated t...
Personal space: An unobtrusive measures study

Two unobtrusive studies were made of male urinal behavior in a public lavatory. It was found that the presence of another male influenced the subject’s selection of a urinal. Subjects in all but two cases maintained a distance of at least one urinal between themselves and other individuals present at the urinals. The results are discussed in light of the recent work in the areas of privacy and personal space.
Concentric Microdisk Design for a Two-stage Silicon Laser

We propose an electrically pumped two-stage laser based on concentric Si-nc and Er:SiO2microdisks. We present simulations of the pump and lasing modes and experimentally demonstrate excitation of the pump mode in the proposed device.
Ethno‐political activity and the psychology of terrorism

Abstract Studies of terrorist psychology have typically focused either on single individuals or group dynamics within the organizations that these individuals have joined. Less attention has been paid to the background conditions which give rise to these individuals and organizations, even for environments in which generalization appears to be feasible. This paper focuses on one such environment. Its principal goal is to highlight the theoretical connections between a society's ethnic cleavages; the development of ethno‐political activity, especially organized violence and terrorism; and the implications of this activity for the functioning of institutions in “democratic” and “non‐democratic” societies. A related objective is the identification of policy responses to latent or manifest ethno‐political activity and an assessment of their potential efficacy. These points are illustrated by examining a small ethnic group, the South Moluccans in Holland, which would appear to have had little motivation to eng...
Design considerations for an integrated microphysiological muscle tissue for drug and tissue toxicity testing

Microphysiological systems provide a tool to simulate normal and pathological function of organs for prolonged periods. These systems must incorporate the key functions of the individual organs and enable interactions among the corresponding microphysiological units. The relative size of different microphysiological organs and their flow rates are scaled in proportion to in vivo values. We have developed a microphysiological three-dimensional engineered human skeletal muscle system connected to a circulatory system that consists of a tissue-engineered blood vessel as part of a high-pressure arterial system. The engineered human skeletal muscle tissue reproduces key mechanical behaviors of skeletal muscle in vivo. Pulsatile flow is produced using a novel computer-controlled magnetically activated ferrogel. The system is versatile and the muscle unit can be integrated with other organ systems. Periodic monitoring of biomechanical function provides a non-invasive assessment of the health of the tissue and a way to measure the response to drugs and toxins.
Talking minds: the scholastic construction of incorporeal discourse

One of the assumptions that impregnate academic discourse, even that of social scientists committed to the re-incorporation of their disciplines, is its extra-corporeal character. This article analyzes the scholastic construction of producing and perceiving oral, written or silent discourses as non-corporeal acts. First, it argues that there is a certain continuity between monastic rituals that build the spirit as something different from and higher than the body and academic rituals that train people to place the source of discourse in the mind. Second, it explores how the separation of discourse from the discourse-producing body is currently built and reproduced through participation in university and academic rituals. It holds that such participation installs in the bodies of academics an identification with the habit of producing discourses. Finally, it suggests that the fact that attempts to re-incorporate body to social life are performed by academics who have been trained in disembodying their disc...
LQG/LTR control of a two panel space station

The authors design a multivariable controller for a two-panel space station using the linear quadratic Gaussian regulator with loop transfer recovery (LQG/LTR) methodology. The controller was simulated and its performance and stability robustness were evaluated. The simulation results are presented and discussed. The compensated plant was stable, responded quickly to disturbances, and was robust to parameter variations. It was found that the LQG/LTR controller proved to be effective in achieving the control objectives. >
Variations on a theme Implementation of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme

EnglishThis article compares the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) as implemented at three schools in the USA. The author hypothesizes that the schools each offer a unique form of the program based on the respective context and capacity to implement the IBPYP. The author found consistency among the faculties in their explanation of key components of the program. Variation existed in the implementation of these concepts. The author concludes that this variation is due to the different contexts of implementation and to the ambiguity inherent in the IBPYP.FrenchCette etude compare la mise en oeuvre du Programme primaire (PP) de l'Organisation du Baccalaureat International (IBO) dans trois etablissements scolaires aux Etats-Unis. L'auteur emet l'hypothese que chacun d'eux propose une forme unique de ce programme basee sur leur contexte respectif et leur capacite a le mettre en oeuvre. L'auteur a decouvert une certaine coherence dans les explications que le corps enseignant de chacun ...
Big-bird programs: Effect of strain, sex, and debone time on meat quality of broilers

The industry trend toward early deboning of chickens has led to the need to explore the effect on meat quality, including the effects of strain and sex. An experiment was conducted using broilers of 4 different high-yielding commercial strains chosen because of their common use in big-bird production. Of each strain, 360 birds were commercially processed at 59, 61, and 63 d of age in 2 replicates per day. Breast fillets were harvested at 2, 4, and 6 h postmortem (PM). Muscle pH and instrumental color (L*, a*, and b*) were measured at the time of deboning and at 24 h PM. Fillets were cooked to 76°C and cook loss was calculated, followed by Meullenet-Owens razor shear (MORS) analysis. Muscle pH significantly decreased over time as aging before deboning increased. Furthermore, L* values significantly increased as aging time increased, with the fillets deboned at 6 h PM having the highest L* value, followed by 4 h, and then 2 h PM. After 24 h, the fillets deboned at 6 h still had the highest L* compared with those deboned at 2 or 4 h PM. Fillets from strain B had the highest L* values. Fillets deboned at 2 h PM had significantly higher cook losses and MORS energy (indicating tougher fillets) than fillets deboned at 4 or 6 h PM, but there was no difference in cook loss due to strain at any deboning time. Fillets deboned at 4 h PM also had higher MORS energy than fillets deboned at 6 h PM, and differences in MORS energy among the strains were observed at 4 h PM. There was no difference in instrumental color values or cook loss due to sex. However, fillets of males had significantly greater MORS energy (tougher fillets) when deboned at 2, 4, and 6 h PM than those of females. Results of this study suggest that deboning time, sex, and strain can affect meat quality in big-bird market programs.
Reflected Appraisals, Academic Self-Perceptions, and Math/Science Performance During Early Adolescence

The authors tested a model of the relations among adolescents' perceptions of parents', teachers', and classmates' support for, valuing of, and beliefs about their competence in math/science; adolescents' own academic self-perceptions concerning math/science; and their academic performance. The sample included 378 middle school students; 65% were Latino, and 21% were European American. Reflected appraisals of adults' beliefs concerning both the importance of and students' competence in math/science, as well as perceived support, predicted students' own self-perceived importance, competence, scholastic behavior, and performance in these courses. Latino students reported lower mean levels of perceived competence than did European American students (controlling for maternal education). Findings have important implications for understanding achievement socialization in ethnically diverse populations.
Immunological Heterogeneity of Carcinoembryonic Antigen: Purification from Meconium of an Antigen Related to Carcinoembryonic Antigen

Abstract Two antigens cross-reactive with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and distinct from the nonspecific cross-reacting antigen were identified in meconium by double immunodiffusion with a conventional goat anti-CEA antiserum. These two antigens together competitively inhibited cross-reacting antibodies against them in CEA radioimmunoassay and contributed to the measurement of meconium CEA levels which averaged 6 times higher than that determined with anti-CEA specific antibody. A purification method for one of these antigens, tentatively designated meconium antigen, is described and uses a combination of ethanol fractionation, ion-exchange and molecular sieve chromatography, and adsorption to an immunoadsorbent containing a cross-reactive murine monoclonal antibody to CEA. Preliminary characterization of the purified meconium antigen showed it to be a glycoprotein, migrating as an α-globulin and having a molecular size similar to that of CEA ( M r 185,000 versus 200,000). Antigenically, it lacks at least one determinant present on CEA and differs further from CEA by being weakly reactive with concanavalin A and resistant to proteolytic digestion with Pronase E. Although these properties of meconium antigen suggest that it may be nonspecific cross-reacting antigen 2, additional chemical and antigenic studies are required to establish its relationship to CEA and other CEA-related antigens in meconium.
Effects of Selected Assistive Devices on Normal Distance Gait Characteristics

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of selected assistive devices on normal standards of gait. The gait characteristics of stride length, step length, step width, and foot angle were analyzed for 24 right-dominant, healthy men under four conditions: right ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), right hemiplegic arm sling (HAS), both devices (AFO+HAS), and no devices. The dependent variables were measured by a standard method from ink traces left by subjects walking on newsprint. Order of conditions was controlled, and cadence remained consistent across all four conditions for each subject. The AFO and AFO+HAS conditions produced statistically significant changes from normal gait characteristics. The HAS alone did not produce significant changes. Data from the study may be used as a basis for goal setting and as a guideline for the optimal level of function possible for a person wearing these devices. The extent of the patient's orthopedic and neurologic involvement should of course be considered.
Circulating biomarkers in acute coronary syndromes: something different or more of the same?

During the past 30 years, there have been significant advances in our treatment of cardiovascular disease, both in the acute setting and in the context of disease prevention.1 With regard to the former, the availability and safety of acute medical and revascularization strategies for myocardial infarction and unstable angina have reduced both the morbidity and mortality of acute coronary syndromes (ACS).2 Acute treatment options are typically resource intensive, however, and up to 50% of patients hospitalized for suspected ACS ultimately leave the hospital with other diagnoses.3 As a consequence, current guidelines for the management of ACS2 stress risk stratification as a means for directing invasive versus conservative approaches to patient management. See p 812 The traditional clinical tools of risk stratification such as history, physical examination, and ECG have proven inadequate in the vast majority of cases. Not surprisingly, this need has spurred considerable investigation into circulating markers that better establish diagnoses and identify high-risk individuals appropriate for the most resource-intensive treatment. From this search, cardiac troponin measurements have emerged as important markers for both ACS diagnosis and identification of future coronary artery disease (CAD) events.2 More recently, circulating markers of inflammation such as C-reactive protein,4 CD40L,5 and myeloperoxidase6 have also proven effective in identifying patients with ACS. In this issue of Circulation , Hayashida and colleagues7 have added soluble lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (sLOX-1) to this expanding list of markers that are associated with ACS. They examined 427 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac catheterization from a single center and measured sLOX-1 in serum. The presence or absence of CAD was determined by angiographic criteria, …
CyberInfrastructure for the analysis of ecological acoustic sensor data: a use case study in grid deployment

The LTER grid pilot study was conducted by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, the University of New Mexico, and Michigan State University, to design and build a prototype grid for the ecological community. The featured grid application, the Biophony Grid Portal, manages acoustic data from field sensors and allows researchers to conduct real-time digital signal processing analysis on high-performance systems via a Web-based portal. Important characteristics addressed during the study include the management, access, and analysis of a large set of field collected acoustic observations from microphone sensors, single signon, and data provenance. During the development phase of this project new features were added to standard grid middleware software and have already been successfully leveraged by other, unrelated grid projects. This paper provides an overview of the Biophony Grid Portal application and requirements, discusses considerations regarding grid architecture and design, details the technical implementation, and summarizes key experiences and lessons learned that are generally applicable to all developers and administrators in a grid environment.
Spatial and temporal expression identify dromyosuppressin as a brain‐gut peptide in Drosophila melanogaster

The Drosophila dromyosuppressin peptide (TDVDHVFLRFamide) is a member of a family of peptides containing the common C-terminal sequence-RFamide. Dromyosuppressin shares a high degree of sequence homology with leucomyosuppressin isolated from cockroach (pEDVDHVFLRFamide) and identity with neomyosuppressin isolated from fleshfly. By means of sequence-specific antisera, the cellular expression pattern of dromyosuppressin immunoreactive material was determined for all stages of Drosophila development. Dromyosuppressin immunoreactivity first appears in two cells of the medial protocerebrum in embryos. The larval stage is characterized by an increase in the number of dromyosuppressin immunoreactive cells in the brain and the first appearance of cellular expression in the ventral ganglion. Immunoreactive fibers extend from the medial protocerebrum cells into the ventral ganglion. Relative to the larval stage, the pupal and adult stages are marked by an increase in the number of immunoreactive cells in the central nervous system and an increase in the arborization of immunoreactive fibers extending from these cells. Immunoreactivity is present in larvae in two cells near the anus; in the adult gut, expression is observed in two cells in the rectum and immunoreactive fibers in the crop that appear to extend from the central nervous system. In general, the number of cells containing dromyosuppressin immunoreactive material increases throughout Drosophila development. However, expression in three cells is restricted to specific developmental periods. These data identify dromyosuppressin as a brain-gut peptide regulated at both a cellular and developmental level.
Rigorous bounds of Stokes constants for some nonlinear ordinary differential equations at rank-one irregular singularities

A rigorous way of obtaining sharp bounds for Stokes constants is introduced and illustrated on a concrete problem arising in applications.
Q’s General Intellect

I would claim that the main feature of the general intellect, in all its forms, is its indeterminacy. Neither defining individuality nor a specific group, the general intellect represents a sort of passage between the singular and the multitude. Until now, the discussion of the concept of the general intellect has been the prerogative of economists, sociologists, philosophers and historians. I intend to demonstrate how this notion has also influenced the literary field, and, in particular, how the general intellect is an active element in the narration of Q , the novel written in 1999 by the writers’ collective ‘Luther Blissett Project’.
Real-time analysis of endosomal lipid transport by live cell scintillation proximity assay.

A scintillation proximity assay has been developed to study the endosomal trafficking of radiolabeled cholesterol in living cells. Mouse macrophages were cultured in the presence of tritiated cholesterol and scintillant microspheres. Microspheres were taken up by phagocytosis and stored in phagolysosomes. Absorption of tritium β particles by the scintillant produces light signals that can be measured in standard scintillation counters. Because of the short range of tritium β particles and for geometric reasons, scintillant microspheres detect only that fraction of tritiated cholesterol localized inside phagolysosomes or within a distance of ~600 nm. By incubating cultures in a temperature-controlled microplate reader, the kinetics of phagocytosis and cholesterol transport could be analyzed in near-real time. Scintillation signals were significantly increased in response to inhibitors of lysosomal cholesterol export. This method should prove a useful new tool for the study of endosomal trafficking of lipids and other molecules.
SeaWinds Hurricane Wind Retrievals and Comparisons with H * Wind Surface Winds Analyses

This paper describes recent developments of an improved geophysical ocean wind vector retrieval algorithm that uses both active and passive measurements from QuikSCAT. This algorithm results in significant improvements in wind vector measurements in hurricanes and better rain-flagging of severely rain contaminated areas than does NASA's standard wind vector product (L2B). By using a combined active/passive approach, we are able to infer wind estimates in the presence of light to moderate rain using the SeaWinds scatterometer. Rain effects (attenuation and volume scattering) are determined passively and then used to correct the measured ocean sigma-0 at 12.5 km wind vector cell resolution. Wind retrievals are performed using an improved geophysical model function (GMF) tuned for extreme wind events These ocean vector wind retrievals, known as Q-Winds, are compared with surface winds products from the NOAA Hurricane Research Division's H*Wind Analysis System, which assimilates near-simultaneous measurements from in-situ and remote sensors, such as, the Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR), GPS dropsondes, and flight-level inertial navigation winds. Comparisons to H*Wind are presented for Q-Winds and the SeaWinds Project's new L2B-12.5 km ocean vector winds products.
Polarization-independent switching operation in directional coupler using tensile-strained multi-quantum well

Polarization-independent switching operation in a multi-quantum well directional coupler is obtained for the first time, with a bar-state crosstalk of -12 dB. By introducing tensile strain in an InGaAs-InP multi-quantum well, polarization-independent switching voltage is as small as 3 V, with the coupling length being 1.2 mm. The cross-state crosstalk that is obtained at zero-applied voltage, is less than -8 dB with respect to TE and TM polarized lights. >
Online Searching: Measures That Discriminate among Users with Different Types of Experiences.

The primary goal of this research was to discover those behaviors associated with the process of online bibliographic searching that are correlated with success. In the assumption that more experienced searchers are more successful, the research objectives were to identify (1) the differences among the searches of users of online systems who have different amounts of overall experience and (2) the differences between the searches of persons with and without experience on the database being searched. Five groups of searchers with varied overall and ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) database experience performed preselected searches on the DIALOG system using ONTAP, the 1975 subset of the ERIC database. Analysis of the search transcripts showed that differences among the groups were not large. Compared to the experienced subjects, beginning searchers performed surprisingly well. The group with the greatest overall experience and the greatest ERIC database experience achieved the highest recall and had the highest values of a set of search process variables designated “search effort” variables (e.g., number of commands and descriptors, connect time) suggesting a possible relationship between search effort and recall.
The WTO and Global Governance: The Case for Contractual Treaty Regimes

This article argues that the Appellate Body should interpret the WTO agreements narrowly as a self-contained, contractual regime limited to interstitial interpretations. Claims that the trade regime is subject to modifications by controversial customary international legal norms or should be interpreted in a teleological manner are inconsistent with the Dispute Settlement Understanding and state consent.Unilateral trade sanctions to advance preferred environmental and social policies are, in most cases, the wrong solution for underlying problems of poverty, poor governance, and inadequate public investment. Policies that encourage economic development and a market-based economy enhance civil society and create public demand for a better environment.