cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurotoxins from three species of California goby: Clevelandia ios, Acanthogobius flavimanus and Gillichthys mirabilis.

Abstract K. S. Elam , F. A. Fuhrman , Y. H. Kim and H. S. Mosher . Neurotoxins from three species of California goby: Clevelandia ios, Acanthogobius flavimanus and Gillichthys mirabilis. Toxicon 15, 45–49, 1977.—Three species of fish, Clevelandia ios, Acanthogobius flavimanus , and Gillichthys mirabilis , belonging to the family Gobiidae were found to contain toxic substances that were lethal in mice and blocked the compound action potential of desheathed bullfrog axons. In G. mirabilis the toxin was found principally in the ovaries and liver. The toxin from the ovaries was purified and found to have a retention time by liquid chromatography similar to that of tetrodotoxin. From NMR spectroscopy the identity with tetrodotoxin could not be excluded owing to the small size of the sample. However, newts ( Taricha granulosa ) that are extremely resistant to tetrodotoxin were killed by moderate doses of the toxin from Gillichthys ovaries, indicating that it differs from tetrodotoxin.
Priming of the immune response by schistosome eggs.

SUMMARY Schistosomiasis mansoni is a chronic disease caused by infection with helminths of the genus Schistosoma mansoni. Adult schistosomes live intravascularly, and for transmission of this infection it is necessary for parasite eggs to traverse the endothelium, and migrate to the intestinal lumen, from where they can exit the body to continue the lifecycle. This process is dependent on an intact host CD4 T helper (Th) cell response to egg antigens. Perhaps because of this, eggs have evolved to be highly immunogenic and capable of inducing potent Th responses. The egg-induced Th response is unusual in that it is highly Th2-polarized. The selective pressure on the host to mount a Th2 response against eggs is apparent in the fact that Th2 response-defective mice develop acutely lethal disease when infected with schistosomes. In this review I will focus on the underlying basis for the Th2 bias in the immune response to egg antigens.
Using natural language program analysis to locate and understand action-oriented concerns

Most current software systems contain undocumented high-level ideas implemented across multiple files and modules. When developers perform program maintenance tasks, they often waste time and effort locating and understanding these scattered concerns. We have developed a semi-automated concern location and comprehension tool, Find-Concept, designed to reduce the time developers spend on maintenance tasks and to increase their confidence in the results of these tasks. Find-Concept is effective because it searches a unique natural language-based representation of source code, uses novel techniques to expand initial queries into more effective queries, and displays search results in an easy-to-comprehend format. We describe the Find-Concept tool, the underlying program analysis, and an experimental study comparing Find-Concept's search effectiveness with two state-of-the-art lexical and information retrieval-based search tools. Across nine action-oriented concern location tasks derived from open source bug reports, our Eclipse-based tool produced more effective queries more consistently than either competing search tool with similar user effort.
Fungal endophytes of wild barley and their effects on Diuraphis noxia population development

Laboratory experiments were conducted to compare the expression of Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) (Homoptera: Aphididae) resistance in four plant introduction (PI) lines of wild barley (Hordeum) infected with different species or strains of endophytic fungi (tribe Balansieae, family Clavicipitaceae, Neotyphodium gen. nov. [formerly Acremonium]). Aphid densities were significantly lower on endophyte-infected plants of PI 314696 (H. bogdanii Wilensky) and PI 440420 (H. brevisubulatum subsp. violaceum (Boissier & Hohenacker)), compared with densities on endophyte-free plants of both PI lines in population growth experiments. This endophyte- associated resistance was the result of antibiosis effects or starvation. In other experiments, endophyte-free plants of PI 269406 and PI 440413 (H. bogdanii) were not superior to endophyte-infected conspecifics as host plants of D. noxia. Our results demonstrate the influence of host plant species/genotype and endophyte species/strain on expression of aphid resistance, provide an explanation of the high levels of D. noxia resistance in PI 314696 and PI 440420 previously reported in the literature, and underscore the potential importance of endophytic fungi in conferring insect resistance in wild barley.
CORR Insights®: fractures in geriatric mice show decreased callus expansion and bone volume.

This CORR Insights® is a commentary on the article “Fractures in Geriatric Mice Show Decreased Callus Expansion and Bone Volume” by Lopas and colleagues available at: DOI: 10.1007/s11999-014-3829-x The author certifies that she, or any member of his immediate family, has no funding or commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research ® editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, and do not reflect the opinion or policy of CORR ® or the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons®. This CORR Insights® comment refers to the article available at DOI: 10.1007/s11999-014-3829-x.
Inhibition of subtilisin BPN′ with peptide chloromethyl ketones

Abstract The kinetics of the reaction of a series of peptide chloromethyl ketones with subtilisin BPN′ (EC 3.4.21.14) were investigated in order to correlate the rates of reaction in solution with the number of interactions which are observed in the cystallographic model of the inhibited enzyme (Robertus, J.D., Alden, R.A., Birktoft, J.J., Powers, J.C. and Wilcox, P.E. (1972) Biochemistry 11, 2439–2449). The second-order rate constant k obs /[I] , measured at pH 7.0 in 9% 1,2dimethoxyethane at 30°C, varied by a factor of 5900 from the slowest (ZTrpCH2Cl) to the fastest inhibitor (Ac-Phe-Gly-Ala-LeuCH2Cl). Inhibitors with a P1 leucine or phenylalanine residue are equally effective. The increased reactivity of inhibitors containing alanine as the P2 residue is the result of a favorable contact between the methyl side chain of the alanyl residue and the S2 subsite of subtilisin. This result correlates nicely with the previously observed “secondary specificity” of subtilisin for substrates with alanine as the P2 residue. Tetrapeptide and tripeptide chloromethyl ketone inhibitors have k obs / [I] values of over 100-fold greater than those of most dipeptide and amino acid chloromethyl ketones. This again agrees with the crystallographic model since tripeptide and tetrapeptide inhibitors could form a β-sheet structure involving three or four hydrogen bonds with the enzyme while the others would form fewer hydrogen bonds. The S4 subsite of subtilisin exhibits a distinct preference for aromatic groups and our four most reactive inhibitors (Ac-PheGly-Aca-LeuCH2Cl, Z-Gly-Gly-PheCH2Cl, Z-Gly-Gly-LeuCH2Cl, and Boc-AlaGly-PheCH2Cl) have either an aromatic (or a large hydrophobic) group as the P4 residue. The results demonstrate that the solution reactivity of peptide chloromethyl ketones can be explained on the basis of the crystal structures of chloromethyl ketone-inhibited substilisin derivatives and that substrate hydrolysis rates can be used to design effective chloromethyl ketone inhibitors for serine proteases.
Variable screening in predicting clinical outcome with high-dimensional microarrays

Statistical modeling is an important area of biomarker research of important genes for new drug targets, drug candidate validation, disease diagnoses, personalized treatment, and prediction of clinical outcome of a treatment. A widely adopted technology is the use of microarray data that are typically very high dimensional. After screening chromosomes for relative genes using methods such as quantitative trait locus mapping, there may still be a few thousands of genes related to the clinical outcome of interest. On the other hand, the sample size (the number of subjects) in a clinical study is typically much smaller. Under the assumption that only a few important genes are actually related to the clinical outcome, we propose a variable screening procedure to eliminate genes having negligible effects on the clinical outcome. Once the dimension of microarray data is reduced to a manageable number relative to the sample size, one can select a final set of genes via a well-known variable selection method such as the cross-validation. We establish the asymptotic consistency of the proposed variable screening procedure. Some simulation results are also presented.
Open thoracic cordotomy as a treatment option for severe, debilitating pain.

Objective The treatment of patients with debilitating lower extremity or medically refractory quadrant pain presents a challenge for management. Contemporary neuromodulatory therapies may not be affordable or practical, especially in patients with limited life expectancy or from countries with limited resources. We present a small retrospective series to evaluate the role of open thoracic cordotomy as a practice option in the treatment of patients with severe, unilateral, medically refractory pain of the lower abdominal quadrant, hip, or leg. Technical aspects of the procedure, anatomic pathways within the spinal cord, and intraoperative maneuvers are described. Methods The medical records of 9 patients (7 men, 2 women; median age, 57 years) treated between 1998 and 2010 were reviewed. Each patient underwent open thoracic cordotomy after 1998 for severe lower quadrant or lower extremity pain refractory to multiple other treatment modalities. The indications for surgery included cancer-related pain (4 of 9), postherpetic neuralgia (2 of 9), post-spinal cord injury pain (2 of 9), and multiple sclerosis (1 of 9). Results Six of nine patients reported improvement in their postoperative level of pain after a median follow-up of 31 weeks. Complications included ipsilateral lower extremity weakness, urinary incontinence, and the development of new postcordotomy pain. A higher incidence of complications, including ipsilateral motor weakness, was observed in this series than with previous reports of percutaneous cervical cordotomy (PCC). Conclusions Although open thoracic cordotomy may be cautiously recommended as a treatment option in certain settings, this procedure should be viewed only as a second-line treatment option in settings where the technology and expertise to perform PCC are available.
Immunodiffusion test antigen from bluetongue virus-infected newborn mouse brains.

Abstract Three methods of extracting bluetongue virus (BTV)-infected newborn mouse brains to prepare immunodiffusion (ID) test antigen were used. The most readily readable and reproducible results were obtained with fluorocarbon-extracted brains homogenized in 8.5% sucrose. Mouse brain- and reference cell culture-derived antigens gave a line of identity with anti-BTV serum. Extracts of noninfected brains were nonreactive. ID tests on field-collected bovine sera, comparing the two types of antigen, resulted in only 73% agreement due to a greater sensitivity of cell culture-derived antigen. A 70.5% agreement resulted when comparing mouse brain-derived antigen in ID tests with complement fixation tests, the latter being least sensitive. ID test results with sera from experimental sheep gave 95.9% agreement between cell culture- and mouse brain-derived antigens. Between ID, which detects antibody to the BTV common or group antigen, and virus neutralization, which detects type-specific antibody, the agreement was 71.4% with postchallenge sera. Data from pre- and postinjection sera, however, indicate the possible activity in Texas of viruses other than International BTV Types 10, 11, 13, and 17.
Modern statistical estimation via oracle inequalities

A number of fundamental results in modern statistical theory involve thresholding estimators. This survey paper aims at reconstructing the history of how thresholding rules came to be popular in statistics and describing, in a not overly technical way, the domain of their application. Two notions play a fundamental role in our narrative: sparsity and oracle inequalities. Sparsity is a property of the object to estimate, which seems to be characteristic of many modern problems, in statistics as well as applied mathematics and theoretical computer science, to name a few. ‘Oracle inequalities’ are a powerful decision-theoretic tool which has served to understand the optimality of thresholding rules, but which has many other potential applications, some of which we will discuss.Our story is also the story of the dialogue between statistics and applied harmonic analysis. Starting with the work of Wiener, we will see that certain representations emerge as being optimal for estimation. A leitmotif throughout our exposition is that efficient representations lead to efficient estimation.
Amperometric detection of cationic neurotransmitters at nafion-coated glassy carbon electrodes in flow streams

Abstract Substantial improvements in amperometric monitoring of flowing streams are obtained by using Nafion-coated working electrodes. The charged coating tends to exclude anionic and neutral interferences, thus adding a new dimension of selectivity to electrochemical detection for flow-injection and liquid-chromatographic systems. A highly selective response is observed for cationic neurotransmitters in the presence of otherwise interfering substances (e.g., ascorbic acid, uric acid, bilirubin or chlorpromazine). The permselectivity and transport characteristics are evaluated with respect to solution pH, solvent, flow rate, film thickness, and other variables. The reduced flow-rate dependence results in low noise levels and detection limits of 0.04 and 0.10 ng of norepinephrine and epinephrine, respectively. A bilayer electrode coating, with a cellulose acetate film over the Nafion layer, offers a bifunctional (selectivity, protection) capability. Applicability to urine samples is demonstrated.
A birth-death-migration solution to the geographical distribution of a neutral allele in a continuous finite habitat

Abstract The limiting spatial distribution is considered for a population of neutral alleles migrating throughout a finite continuous habitat. Each mutation is assumed to produce a unique allele, and any particular allele will die out eventually due to mutation. The allelic population is thus modeled as a subcritical birth and death process, and the limiting product density is obtained conditioned on the nonextinction of the population.
Kernels vs. ears, and other questions for a science of treatment dissemination

Combining intervention diffusion with change in clinical practice and public policy is an ambitious agenda. The impressive effort in Hawaii can be instructive, highlighting questions for a science of treatment dissemination. Among these questions, some of the most important are the following: (a) Who should be targeted for change? (e.g., "downstream" clinicians in practice, "upstream" clinicians in training, consumers, "brokers," policy makers, or payers?); (b) What should be disseminated? (e.g., full evidence-based protocols, specific treatment elements or "kernels"?); and (c) Which procedures maximize change? (e.g., what combination and duration of teaching, supervision, consultation, and other support?). Ultimately, change efforts need to assess what aspects of practice were actually altered, what measurable impact the changes had on clinical outcomes, and what changes in practices and outcomes can be sustained over time.
On the independence number of minimum distance graphs

Let F=F(n) denote the largest number such that any set of n points in the plane with minimum distance 1 has at least F elements, no two of which are at unit distance. Improving a result by Pollack, we show that F(n) ź 9/35n. We also give an O(n log n) time algorithm for selecting at least 9/35n elements in a set of n points with minimum distance 1 so that no two selected points are at distance 1.
The Aftermath of Fieldwork in Afghanistan: Personal Politics

After fieldwork in northern Afghanistan in 1976–77,1 returned to the United States to write my dissertation. My period of readjustment and culture shock was exacerbated by news of the 1978 Marxist coup in Afghanistan. Letters from my best informant and friend in Afghanistan after the revolution conveyed hidden meaning about the situation. Eventually, I decided to help his family, with whom I lived in the field, come to the United States. Here I analyze the letters from Afghanistan, the family's refugee situation in Pakistan during our correspondence, and their current adjustment to life in the United States. I argue that personal, moral, and political responsibilities toward informants are intertwined and that these continue to unfold long after fieldwork.
Uptake of 1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine and prednisolone by synchronized human lymphoma cells

The cytotoxicity of many antitumor agents exhibits cell-cycle phase specificity. Using a human lymphoma cell line synchronized by thymidine block, we have investigated the differential uptake of radioactive 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) and prednisolone in various phases of the cycle. Uptake of ara-C is highest during early S and declines steadily throughout the rest of the cycle. In comparison, prednisolone demonstrates no significant age-dependent difference in uptake although its cytotoxicity is cell cycle sensitive.
Autumnal leaf conductance and apparent photosynthesis by saplings and sprouts in a recently disturbed northern hardwood forest.

Leaf surface conductance and apparent photosynthesis were measured during late summer and autumn on saplings and sprouts of pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) naturally revegetating a site in the northern hardwood forest 5 years following a commercial whole-tree harvest. Prior to the disturbance (i.e., the harvest) the site was codominated by American beech, sugar maple, and yellow birch, whereas after the disturbance pin cherry was the dominant species. Conductance and photosynthetic rate of pin cherry leaves were comparatively high while those of American beech and sugar maple were low. Pin cherry retained green, physiologically active leaves longer into autumn than American beech and sugar maple. The rates and seasonal duration of leaf gas exchange on the disturbed site were therefore greater than they would have been had the site not become dominated by pin cherry.
Objective and Subjective Factors in Estimating Life Expectancy

This study was undertaken to elaborate on how people estimate their personal life spans. Undergraduates (49 women and 27 men) reported on their expected personal life spans, rough estimates of life...
The Effect of Mass on Frequency

Two experiments are described where an apparent decrease in frequency was detected when the optical path was in the vicinity of a mass. In the first experiment the 21-centimeter absorption line from Taurus A was observed near occultation by the sun. In the second experiment the frequency of a portable cesium clock was compared with the frequency of a similar clock which transmits its signals from Cape Fear, North Carolina. A decrease of frequency of the received signals as a function of the distance between the two clocks was apparent. Several relevant observations (the red shift of lines from the sun, the Mossbauer determination of the gravitational red shift, and the cosmological red shif) are discussed in view of the present results. confirmation.
Synthesis and characterization of inhibitors of myristoyl-CoA:Protein N-myristoyltransferase

Abstract Several substrate and product analogs were synthesized and tested as in vitro inhibitors of bovine brain N -myristoyl-CoA:protein N -myristoyltransferase (NMT; EC 2.3.1.97). At 40 μM, the acyl CoA analog, S -(2-ketopentadecyl)-CoA, completely inhibited NMT in the presence of 80 μM myristoyl CoA. Decreasing but marked inhibition was also observed with the acyl CoA analogs, S -(2-bromo-tetradecanoyl)-CoA and S -(3-(epoxymethylene)dodecanoyl)-CoA, and the multisubstrate derivative N -(2- S -CoA-tetradecanoyl)glycinamide in the presence of 40 μm myristoyl CoA. Inhibition was also observed with the non-coenzyme A myristoyl analog, 1-bromo-2-pentadecanone. All of the above compounds exhibited reversible competitive inhibition kinetics with respect to myristoyl CoA with K i , values of 0.11 to 24 μM. Two additional acyl CoA analogs, S -( cis -3-tetradecenoyl)-CoA and S -(3-tetradecynoyl)-CoA, functioned as alternative substrates for NMT.
One layer or two layer colonic anastomoses

Summary In two series totalling 115 dogs, the single layer inversion anastomosis as described by Gambee [ 15 ] produced less stenosis and earlier healing than did the standard two layer inversion repair. However, the Gambee anastomosis was not safer when judged by the mortality and was less safe when judged by the local complication rate.
Deduction of Flow Patterns in Variable-Density Aquifers from Pressure and Water-Level Observations: ABSTRACT

In previous potentiometric studies of variable-density aquifers, particularly studies related to oil exploration, certain gravitational effects apparently have been ignored. These include the effects of troughs formed by permeability barriers within the aquifers, and the effects of structural troughs, saddles, anticlines, and synclines. In intermontane regions these gravitational effects probably are negligible in comparison with observed head differences; in most other regions they can change appreciably the heads, or the potentials, that are available to cause flow. A gradient in potential is not necessarily associated with flow, even though corrections are made for the average rate of change in density of water. Gravitational effects can cause the interface between water and an oil or gas deposit to be tilted, even if the water under the deposit is static. These effects can reduce the rate of flushing of brine by fresh water, or they can prevent flushing. Previous potentiometric studies should be reevaluated to ensure that all gravitational effects have been taken into account. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1592------------
Negative priming for threatening vs. non-threatening information in body dysmorphic disorder.

Background: Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) suffer from unpleasant, repetitive thoughts about imagined defects in appearance which are difficult to control. Objective: The purpose of this study was to test for deficits in cognitive inhibition in BDD. Methods: To test for deficits in cognitive inhibition in BDD, we applied a negative priming paradigm. Specifically, we explored whether BDD patients exhibit greater deficits in cognitive inhibition when lexical targets are threatening than when they are non-threatening. Results: Surprisingly, BDD patients exhibited deficits in cognitive inhibition only for non-threatening but not for threatening information. Conclusions: Although BDD patients often describe their negative thoughts about their appearance as distressing, they may experience them as valid and thus may not try to control them.
Determination of upper temperature tolerance in June sucker larvae: is the transition to Utah Lake temperatures a recruitment bottleneck?

Abstract The June sucker Chasmistes liorus is an endangered adfluvial fish species that is endemic to the Utah Lake basin. This species remains endangered due to a lack of recruitment. Anthropogenic changes to June sucker lotic and lentic habitat has likely led to recruitment failure. Changes to Utah Lake include increased water temperature, increased turbidity, and eutrophic and saline conditions. The remaining spawning habitat for June suckers in the Provo River has experienced flow, temperature, and channelization modifications. We tested the hypothesis that recruitment failure is caused by a thermal shock that occurs when larvae are transported in the drift out of the Provo River (12–19°C) and into Utah Lake (17–25°C). We used two laboratory methods—direct transfer and acclimated chronic exposure (ACE)—to determine (1) the upper lethal temperature (ULT) and (2) the acute and chronic mortality associated with larval exposure to an acute thermal shock. The ULT of larvae acclimated to 16°C was 33°C. Surv...
Fantasia—A program for target transformation factor analysis to apportion sources in environmental samples

Abstract A program for performing Q-mode factor analysis of data followed by target transformation factor analysis is described as well as a series of auxil
Towards a transactional ergonomics for driver stress and fatigue

This article reviews a transactional model of driver stress and fatigue, and its ergonomic application to designing vehicle systems for 'stress-tolerance'. Disturbances of subjective state are controlled by cognitive stress processes of appraisal and coping. Both personality factors and situational stressors may elicit maladaptive patterns of cognition that generate subjective stress symptoms, elicit potentially dangerous coping strategies, and interfere with information-processing and attention to the task at hand. Studies using a driving simulator have explored the behavioural consequences of several qualitatively different forms of 'stress', that can be loosely labelled as anxiety, anger and fatigue. Implications of the model for design are reviewed, focusing on road engineering, in-car systems, and automation of vehicle functions. A transactional analysis focuses on evaluation of the cognitions produced by vehicle systems, problems of distraction and overload, and maintaining active task involvement. ...
Coordination, electron transfer and catalytic chemistry of a ruthenium-substituted heteropolytungstate anion as revealed in its electrochemical behavior

Abstract The rates of substitution of π-acidic ligands for the aqua ligand in the ruthenium-substituted heteropolytungstate anion (H 2 O)Ru II PW 11 O 5− 39 were measured and compared with those of more familiar complexes of Ru(II). The weakly π-acidic character of the heteropolytungstate anionic ligand produced a decrease in the lability of the aqua ligand. The kinetics of homogeneous electron transfer reactions involving the (H 2 O)Ru II PW 11 O 5− 39 anion were complicated by its high charge and tendency to precipitate with cationic oxidants. However, the specific rate of its reduction of O 2 to H 2 O 2 was in good agreement with the value calculated from the Marcus relation. The Ru III OH 2 center in (H 2 O)Ru III PW 11 O 4− 39 is reversibly oxidizable in two steps to Ru IV = O and Ru V = O. The Ru V = O complex oxidizes benzyl alcohol, methanol and 2-propanol, but the reaction rates are too small to make the complex attractive as an oxidation catalyst.
Are There Age Differences in the Executive Component of Working Memory? Evidence from Domain-General Interference Effects

Young and older adults performed verbal and spatial storage-only and storage-plus-processing working memory tasks while performing a secondary finger tapping task, and the effects on both the maximum capacity (measured as the longest series correct) and the reliability (measured as the proportion of items correct) of working memory were assessed. Tapping tended to produce greater disruption of working memory tasks that place greater demands on executive processes (i.e., storage-plus-processing tasks compared to storage-only span tasks). Moreover, tapping produced domain-general interference, disrupting both verbal and spatial working memory, providing further support for the idea that tapping interferes with the executive component of the working memory system, rather than domain-specific maintenance processes. Nevertheless, tapping generally produced equivalent interference effects in young and older adults. Taken together, these findings are inconsistent with the hypothesis that age-related declines in working memory are primarily attributable to a deficit in the executive component.
Usefulness of blood cultures in pyelonephritis.

To evaluate the usefulness of blood cultures in patients admitted with pyelonephritis, a retrospective chart review was conducted of inpatients at a 594-bed urban, academic medical center from 1990 through 1992 with a primary discharge diagnosis of pyelonephritis. A total of 338 patients had this primary discharge diagnosis. One or more sets of blood cultures were obtained in 307 patients (91%). Fifty-six (18%) patients had a positive blood culture; 24 (32%) positive blood cultures grew coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species, in all but two instances considered a skin contaminant. Of the blood cultures drawn, only 1 (0.2%) grew a pathogenic organism not found in the urine culture, with no impact on clinical management. These results support the conclusion that blood cultures are rarely clinically useful and seldom vary from urine culture results. Potential annual cost savings of between $10 million and $20 million in the United States could result from eliminating routine blood cultures in the setting of uncomplicated acute pyelonephritis.
Dexamethasone at 119 K

The structure of the title compound, C22H29FO5, has been redetermined at 119 K. It crystallizes with two mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit and the mol­ecules form rippled layers held together by hydrogen bonds.
A linear thermoviscoelastic material model for solid rocket motor structural analyses

Abstract A linear thermoviscoelastic material model, whose basis is an incremental constitutive equation that takes complete strain and temperature histories into account, was derived and implemented in the ADINA finite element code. The ADINA thermoviscoelastic material model, which is intended primarily to analyze solid propellant grains during the “cooldown” period, and in the severe pressure and temperature environment during burn, embodies the assumptions of linearly elastic bulk and viscoelastic shear responses, “thermorheologically simple” response to temperature change, and isotropic thermal expansion. The material model was incorporated into the code to perform thermostructural analysis on viscoelastic materials represented in finite element models by two-dimensional plane strain, plane stress, or axisymmetric solid elements. The material model accepts as input material property data from standard viscoelastic stress relaxation tests. The verification of the model was accomplished by first testing it against a closed form solution for the homogeneous shrinkage of a thick-walled viscoelastic cylinder bonded to a rigid case, and the correlation of the results was excellent in this case. The program was then used to analyze two motor case test problems provided by the JANNAF Structural Integrity Committee. The ADINA code, with its large displacement capability being utilized, produced results closer to test results than other thermoviscoelastic computer analyses.
Income, civic participation and achieving greater democracy

Abstract Democratic society requires individuals to be autonomous, and those with greater resources are likely to enjoy greater autonomy. Democracy also assumes that individuals will participate in the affairs of their community, i.e. there will be civic engagement. But civic engagement may also be affected by individuals’ economic resources. Using data from Current Population Survey's Civic Participation file for 2008, this paper shows that individuals with higher incomes and/or from households with higher incomes will be more likely to be engaged in civic participation. While these findings are in lines with much of the existing literature on civic engagement, this paper uses these findings to make a speculative argument that to the extent that those with higher incomes are more likely to be civically engaged, it can then be inferred that a wage policy, which would enhance individual autonomy, might also result in greater civic engagement.
FTY720 postconditions isolated perfused heart by a mechanism independent of sphingosine kinase 2 and different from S1P or ischemic postconditioning

BACKGROUND We investigated the hypothesis that postconditioning by FTY720 (FTY) in isolated perfused mouse hearts is independent of the sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) pathway. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ex vivo hearts were exposed to postconditioning (POST) by either ischemia or FTY720. Protection against ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury was measured by recovery of left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and infarct size. RESULTS FTY effectively postconditioned (POST) ex vivo hearts against ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury as measured by recovery of LVDP and a low infarct size. FTY protection, unlike S1P but like sphingosine (Sph), was insensitive to inhibition of S1P G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) or inhibition of PI3 kinase. Protection by FTY and Sph was however blocked by inhibitors of PKA and PKG. Thus, FTY follows the same cardioprotective pathway as Sph. This was further supported by studies of FTY POST in knockout (KO) mice lacking the SphK2 form of Sph kinase that is needed for phosphorylation of FTY to an S1P analog. In the absence of SphK2, FTY (and Sph) POST was still cardioprotective. This differed from the effect of SphK2 KO on protection by ischemic POST (IPOST). IPOST was not effective in KO hearts. To see if the GPCR signaling pathway to protection is normal in KO hearts, we looked at POST by GPCR agonists S1P and adenosine. Both provided effective protection even in KO hearts suggesting that the problem with IPOST in KO hearts is a low level of S1P available for release during IPOST. Thus, pharmacologic POST with FTY or Sph, like adenosine and S1P, is unaffected in the KO. CONCLUSIONS FTY720 administered in vivo might behave in a dual manner showing both S1P-like effects and sphingosine-like effects. It appears that the latter may have been overlooked and may be the more important in aging hearts.
The Changing Contours of Long-Term Unemployment: The Need for a More Radical Policy

Since the financial meltdown of 2007, unemployment has consistently been above 6.0 percent. On one level, long-term unemployment can be accounted for by structural changes. But, on another level, the problem of long-term unemployment is really no more complicated than the absence of effective demand. This study looks at the demographics of the long-term unemployed for the years 2007-2010, and compares them to the years 1991-1994 to see what changes have occurred specifically among the long-term unemployed. The data shows that, in terms of structural changes, the 1991-1994 and 2007-2010 periods were not much different. Rather, the nature of this recession resulted in an altered composition of the long-term unemployed. Because long-term unemployment in this recession is a function of a particularly deep recession, a new approach is needed. Based on the data, this study argues for a wage policy that would allow for people to increase their effective demand for goods and services.
Why parents matter!: The conceptual basis for a community-based HIV prevention program for the parents of African American youth.

The Parents Matter! Program (PMP) is a community-based family intervention designed to promote positive parenting and effective parent-child communication about sexuality and sexual risk reduction. Its ultimate goal is to reduce sexual risk behavior among adolescents. PMP offers parents instruction and guidance in general parenting skills related to decreased sexual risk behavior among youth (e.g., relationship building, monitoring) and sexual communication skills necessary for parents to effectively convey their values and expectations about sexual behavior—as well as critical HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention messages—to their children. We briefly review the literature concerning parental influences on adolescent sexual risk behavior and present the conceptual model and theoretical foundation upon which PMP is based.
Multiple Opiate Receptors: Alcohol Selectively Inhibits Binding to Delta Receptors

The addition of ethanol or other aliphatic alcohols to rat brain membranes strongly inhibits binding of enkephalins at concentrations at which little inhibition of opiate alkaloids is seen. Inhibition is reversible, and potency increases with chain length of the alcohol. The results suggest that delta receptors are considerably more sensitive to alcohols than mu receptors. This is the first demonstration of selective inhibition of one of the postulated classes of opiate receptors by a reagent that is not a ligand for the receptor.
Elevation variation in life-history characteristics of populations of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris).

We examined life history characteristics of populations of yellowbellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) at 2900 m elevation and 3400 m elevation to test hypotheses about effects of elevation on life history traits. The accumulation of fat is strongly influenced by short growing seasons and marmots living at high elevations often have shorter active seasons than populations at lower elevations due to prolonged snow cover. We compared growth rates and reproductive effort of marmots amongst age and sex classes from the two elevation sites. Growth rates of yellowbellied marmots vary significantly with sex, age, and location. Juvenile growth rates were significantly higher at lower elevation sites. Yearlings at the high elevation site had significantly higher growth rates compared to low elevation yearlings. Low elevation yearling males were twice the size of high elevation yearling males at the beginning of the summer; the higher growth rates in high elevation populations reduced the mass differences between ...
On polynomial and generalized complexity cores

Recent results on polynomial complexity cores, their complexity, density, and structure and their counterparts on proper hard cores are surveyed and interpreted. An approach to generalized complexity cores that is almost axiomatic in nature is included in the discussion. The purpose is to provide an integrated presentation of this material. >
Age at Menarche and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Results From 2 Large Prospective Cohort Studies

The authors investigated the association between age at menarche and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among 101,415 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) aged 34–59 years (1980–2006) and 100,547 women from Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS II) aged 26–46 years (1991–2005). During 2,430,274 and 1,373,875 person-years of follow-up, respectively, 7,963 and 2,739 incident cases of T2DM were documented. Young age at menarche was associated with increased risk of T2DM after adjustment for potential confounders, including body figure at age 10 years and body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2) at age 18 years. Relative risks of T2DM across age-at-menarche categories (≤11, 12, 13, 14, and ≥15 years) were 1.18 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 1.27), 1.09 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.17), 1.00 (referent), 0.92 (95% CI: 0.83, 1.01), and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.06), respectively, in the NHS (P for trend < 0.0001) and 1.40 (95% CI: 1.24, 1.57), 1.13 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.27), 1.00 (referent), 0.98 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.18), and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.78, 1.19), respectively, in NHS II (P for trend < 0.0001). Associations were substantially attenuated after additional control for updated time-varying BMI. These data suggest that early menarche is associated with increased risk of T2DM in adulthood. The association may be largely mediated through excessive adult adiposity. The association was stronger among younger women, supporting a role for sex hormones in younger onset of T2DM, in addition to BMI.
Longitudinal stability of subsyndromal symptoms of depression in individuals with mild cognitive impairment: relationship to conversion to dementia after 3 years.

Objective To evaluate the degree to which longitudinal stability of subsyndromal symptoms of depression (SSD) is associated with conversion to dementia in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods Data from 405 MCI participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study were analyzed. Participants were evaluated at baseline and 12-month intervals over 3 years. Participants were designated as MCI converters if dementia was diagnosed within 3 years or as cognitively stable MCI if dementia was not diagnosed during this interval. SSD were evaluated utilizing the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Endorsement of specific SSD at baseline and the stability of SSD over 36 months were compared between the two MCI groups. Results Baseline symptom endorsement and stability of total GDS scores did not differentiate MCI groups. Worsening of four individual items from the GDS over time (memory problems, feelings of helplessness, loss of interest, and preference for staying at home) differentiated MCI converters from cognitively stable MCI (p < 0.05 for all). However, only increased endorsement of memory symptoms over time was associated with progression to dementia after controlling for other clinical variables (p = 0.05). Conclusions SSD in MCI participants largely consist of cognitive symptoms and activity limitations, and the stability of SSD over time differentiated the MCI groups better than baseline endorsement of symptoms. However, the only significant predictor of conversion to dementia was increased endorsement of memory problems, which likely represents insight into cognitive problems more than depressive symptomatology in MCI individuals. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cation Self-Diffusion in Cr2O3

Self-diffusion of 51Cr was measured both parallel to and perpendicular to the c axis in single crystals of Cr2O3 as a function of oxygen partial pressure at 1490° and 1570°C. The oxygen-partial-pressure dependence of the diffusivity indicates that cation self-diffusion occurs by a vacancy mechanism. The values of the self diffusion coefficients determined in this experiment are about 104 times smaller than those previously reported in this temperature range.
Annual cycles of aggression and plasma testosterone in captive male rhesus monkeys.

Abstract (1) Under rigorously controlled laboratory conditions and a constant photoperiod, male rhesus monkeys showed a clear annual cycle of aggression towards their female partners. (2) Aggression was highest between August-October, which corresponded both to the time when plasma testosterone reached maximal levels and to the season when aggression normally increases in the wild.
Efficient runahead execution processors

High-performance processors tolerate latency using out-of-order execution. Unfortunately, today's processors are facing memory latencies in the order of hundreds of cycles. To tolerate such long latencies, out-of-order execution requires an instruction window that is unreasonably large, in terms of design complexity, hardware cost, and power consumption. Therefore, current processors spend most of their execution time stalling and waiting for long-latency cache misses to return from main memory. And, the problem is getting worse because memory latencies are increasing in terms of processor cycles. The runahead execution paradigm improves the memory latency tolerance of an out-of-order execution processor by performing potentially useful execution while a longlatency cache miss is in progress. Runahead execution unblocks the instruction window blocked by a long-latency cache miss allowing the processor to execute far ahead in the program path. This results in other long-latency cache misses to be discovered and their data to be prefetched into caches long before it is needed. This dissertation presents the runahead execution paradigm and its implementation on an out-of-order execution processor that employs state-of-the-art hardware prefetching techniques. It is shown that runahead execution on a 128-entry instruction window achieves the performance of a processor with three times the instruction window size for a current, 500-cycle memory latency. For a near-future 1000-cycle memory latency, it is shown that runahead execution on a 128-entry window achieves the performance of a conventional processor with eight times the instruction window size, without requiring a significant increase in hardware cost and complexity. This dissertation also examines and provides solutions to two major limitations of runahead execution: its energy inefficiency and its inability to parallelize dependent cache misses. Simple and effective techniques are proposed to increase the efficiency of runahead execution by reducing the extra instructions executed without affecting the performance improvement. An efficient runahead execution processor employing these techniques executes only 6.2% more instructions than a conventional out-of-order execution processor but achieves 22.1% higher Instructions Per Cycle (IPC) performance. Finally, this dissertation proposes a new technique, called address-value delta (AVD) prediction, that predicts the values of pointer load instructions encountered in runahead execution in order to enable the parallelization of dependent cache misses using runahead execution. It is shown that a simple 16-entry AVD predictor improves the performance of a baseline runahead execution processor by 14.3% on a set of pointer-intensive applications, while it also reduces the executed instructions by 15.5%. An analysis of the high-level programming constructs that result in AVD-predictable load instructions is provided. Based on this analysis, hardware and software optimizations are proposed to increase the benefits of AVD prediction.
Participatory Organizational Change in Community‐Based Health and Human Services: From Tokenism to Political Engagement

Community psychologists have long worked with community-based human service organizations to build participatory processes. These efforts largely aim at building participatory practices within the current individual-wellness paradigm of human services. To address collective wellness, human service organizations need to challenge their current paradigm, attend to the social justice needs of community, and engage community participation in a new way, and in doing so become more openly political. We use qualitative interviews, focus groups, organizational documents, and participant observation to present a comparative case study of two organizations involved in such a process through an action research project aimed at transforming the organizations’ managerial and practice paradigm from one based on first-order, ameliorative change to one that promotes second-order, transformative change via strength-based approaches, primary prevention, empowerment and participation, and focuses on changing community conditions. Four participatory tensions or dialectics are discussed: passive versus active participation, partners versus clients, surplus powerlessness versus collective efficacy, and reflection/learning versus action/doing.