cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Type A behavior and parenting stress in mothers with young children

Type A Behavior Pattern (TABP) is characterized by competitiveness, a sense of time-urgency, impatience, and aggression/hostility and it has been associated with coronary heart disease and occupational stress in men. Recently, research had begun to examine TABP in women. However, the majority of studies focus on women as student or employee and not in the role of mother. Thus, although women spend a significant proportion of their adult lives bearing and raising children, little is known about TABP relationships in these roles. Further, the parenting adjustment literature amply describes the stressful nature of parenting a young child but with little attention paid to the relationship between maternal individual characteristics and parenting stress. This study investigated maternal adjustment and TABP in order to provide a clearer picture of Type A women as mothers as well as to expand information on individual characteristics which contribute to or mediate a woman’s adjustment to motherhood. Because of its presumed relationship to TABP and stress, maternal employment status was a control variable. One hundred twenty-six women with children between the ages of 9–24 months completed questionnaires reporting maternal stress, maternal perceptions of her child and somatic complaints. TABP was assessed by two measures, the Framingham Type A Scale (FTAS) and a recent measure, the Adolescent/Adult Type A Behavior Scale (AATABS), which yields factor scores as well as a global TABP rating. Overall, Type A women reported higher levels of child-related stress and personal stress than Type B women. Certain factors such as Hurry, Control, and Hostility were also associated with stress indices. There was qualified support for a relationship between the TABP factor, Hurry, and self-reported somatic complaints. Directions for future research are discussed.
Polarization Resistance Method for Determination of Instantaneous Corrosion Rates

Abstract The polarization resistance method for the determination of instantaneous corrosion rates of metals were reviewed. The assumptions in electrode kinetics that govern the connection between the slope of steady-state applied electrochemical potential-applied current density (Eapp-iapp) measurements (i.e., the polarization resistance) and the corrosion rate were restated. Electrochemical impedance, as well as statistical and spectral electrochemical noise methods for obtaining polarization resistance, also were discussed. Traditional sources of error such as high excitation voltage amplitudes, insufficiently slow voltage ramp rates, high alternating current (AC) frequencies, inadequate polarization hold periods, high solution resistance, presence of parallel reduction-oxidation reactions, and nonuniform current and potential distributions were examined with the goal of defining some of the conditions and circumstances where these complicating factors are important. Other complicating factors such as ...
Increased renal cyst density on abdominal CT at 100-kVp compared with 120-kVp: a preliminary evaluation

Abstract Objective To compare the radiographic density of renal cysts on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans performed at tube voltages of 100 versus 120 kVp. Methods Thirty-six renal cysts from contrast-enhanced CT performed on 21 subjects at both 120 kVp and 100 kVp were compared by Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistical testing. Results The radiographic density (mean +/− standard deviation in Hounsfield units) of cysts was greater on 100-kVp than on 120-kVp CT scans for both 5-mm and 2-mm reconstructed slice thicknesses: 16.6 +/− 5.6 versus 10.9 +/− 4.9 and 14.1 +/− 5.6 versus 8.5 +/− 3.9, respectively. Conclusions Decrease in tube voltage significantly increases measured radiographic density of renal cysts on CT. Further studies are indicated to assess the clinical impact of lower-tube-voltage CT.
Long-term lithium treatment selectively reduces receptor-coupled inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in rat brain

Abstract Rats were treated with dietary lithium for 30 days, followed by assessment of the activity of the receptor-coupled inositol phospholipid second messenger-producing system in three brain regions. The major effect of long-term lithium treatment was a significant reduction of the response to norepinephrine in all three brain regions that were examined: the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, and the striatum. After long-term lithium treatment, the response to serotonin was reduced in the hippocampus and striatum, but not the cortex, and the carbachol-induced response was only reduced in the striatum. Lithium treatment did not alter the incorporation of [3H] inositol into phospholipids, the in vitro lithium concentration-dependent accumulation of [3H]inositol monophosphate, or the stimulation by NaF of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis. These results indicate that the decreased responses to agonists after long-term lithium treatment are not likely to be due to depletion of inositol phospholipids or to altered activity of myo-inositol-1-phosphatase, phospholipase C, or the guanine nucleotide-binding protein. It is suggested that long-term lithium treatment may alter receptor number or receptor coupling, perhaps by phosphorylotion, thereby selectively lowering the agonist-induced generation of second messengers by the inositol phospholipid system.
Radiobiological Characterization of 53 Human Tumor Cell Lines

SummaryWe investigated the in vitro radiobiological survival parameters of 53 human tumor cell lines studied in exponential growth. Epithelial cell lines derived from 24 patients with head and neck carcinoma, 15 patients with ovarian carcinoma, and mesenchymal tumor cell lines derived from 14 patients with bone and soft tissue sarcomas were studied. Survival data are analyzed using the multi-target and linear quadratic models. The head and neck and ovarian carcinoma tumor cell lines were more radioresistant as measured by D0, D¯, and alpha parameters, compared with the bone and soft-tissue sarcoma lines. The radiobiological parameters of tumor cell lines reported herein are similar to parameters of tumor cell lines derived from head and neck and soft tissue sarcoma patients presently being followed for clinical outcome following radiotherapy in our clinic.
Effect of Dietary Cholesterol and Genotype on Cholesterol Metabolism in Roosters

An experiment, involving 32 roosters, was designed to study the interaction of dietary cholesterol and genotype on cholesterol metabolism in roosters. The two lines of birds used in this study had been divergently selected for high and low oxygen consumption and had been shown to differ significantly (P less than .01) in body weight gain and carcass lipid deposition from hatch to 4 weeks of age. The dietary treatments, administered for a 2-week period, were 0 and 1% dietary cholesterol added to a basal mash diet. Two separate trials were run, each with 16 roosters, resulting in four replicates of each treatment per line for each trial (block). After the trial period, the birds were injected with 1-(14)C-acetate and livers were removed; hepatic cholesterol synthesis was measured by the uptake of labeled acetate into liver digitonin precipitable sterols. Plasma and liver cholesterol levels were also measured. The data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design. Added dietary cholesterol significantly (P less than .01) increased both plasma and liver cholesterol levels over the control while significantly (P less than .01) decreasing the uptake of acetate into hepatic cholesterol in both lines by about 7-fold. Plasma cholesterol was significantly (P less than .05) greater in the high than low oxygen-consuming birds, and liver cholesterol was higher (P less than .10) in the low than high oxygen-consuming line.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Vascular endothelial growth factor : Possible role in fetal development and placental function

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell mitogen with potent permeability properties. This growth factor exists in several isoforms; the most abundant form present in most tissues is VEGF165. The different isoforms exhibit differences in biologic function. During development, VEGF is expressed in multiple embryonic and fetal tissues, with the highest levels found in the lung, kidney, and heart. Vascular endothelial growth factor is also expressed in placental tissues and fetal membranes, and this expression increases with advancing gestation. In the fetal heart and placenta, VEGF expression is inducible by hypoxia. Two receptors, KDR and Flt-1, have been identified for VEGF. They are widely expressed in vascular endothelial cells and are also found in placental tissues where VEGF is localized. In humans, Fit-1 appears to be the predominant receptor, whereas in the cow and sheep, KDR is the major receptor expressed. The presence of VEGF and its receptors in placental tissues throughout gestation strongly suggests that VEGF plays an important role in the development and maintenance of placental vascular function during pregnancy. The localization of VEGF in fetal membranes and the fetal surface of the placenta raises the possibility that VEGF may be involved in the regulation of amniotic fluid volume and composition.
A quasilinearization technique for the analysis of human gait

Abstract A mathematical model for human gait has been constructed as a double compound pendulum representing the thigh and the shank of the leg. A Lagrangian formulation establishes the motion which is governed by a set of coupled nonlinear differential equations in the two angular variables. Using the Quasilinear technique, a method for determining the joint torques from observed data is presented.
Polychlorinated biphenyls in St. Lawrence River sediments

Abstract Sediment cores from six stations and sediment trap samples from seven stations in the riverine lakes of the St. Lawrence River have been analyzed for chlorobenzenes, organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The sediment cores were sectioned into the top three 1 cm sections, which were analyzed individually. Three of the sediment cores were from the same sites as the sediment traps. The results indicate the presence of di-, tri-, tetra-, penta- and hexachlorobenzene isomers, γ-chlordane, DDE and DDT, and PCB residues in most of the suspended and bottom sediments. PCB in the bottom sediments made up, on average, 81 ± 11% ( n = 18) of the total organochlorine burden. PCBs had a mean concentration of 135 ± 138 ng g −1 (range 10–530 ng g −1 ; n = 18) in the core samples and were highest in Lac St. Francois and Lac St. Louis. In sediment trap samples, PCBs made up, on average, 78 ± 13% ( n = 7) of the total organochlorine burden. PCB concentrations had a mean of 53 ± 40 ng g −1 ; n = 7) in the trapped suspended particulates and were highest below Ile St. Regis and in Lac St. Pierre.
The “Professionalized” Solution to the “College Bubble”

It has been argued that higher education is about to encounter a “bubble” comparable to the one the housing market did. Critics charge either that current college resources cannot meet the potential demand or that the demand is likely to decline such as to produce excess supply. Among the problems cited are spiraling high costs, shrinking enrollments, low graduation rates, declines in humanities majors, extended periods of matriculation, inferior quality, and a lack of social justice. By the same token, there is a lack of agreement about how colleges should be reformed. Some commentators insist that higher education must be more efficient. Meanwhile others focus on academic relevance. For still others the crucial goal is fairness, which generally comes down to social mobility, affordability, and affirmative action. The question then becomes: How are we to decide what should be done, which, in turn, depends on how we conceptualize the mission of higher education.
SYNTHESIS OF HIGHLY MICROPOROUS AND HYDROPHILIC ALUMINA-PILLARED MONTMORILLONITE: WATER-SORPTION PROPERTIES

A montmorillonite exchanged with large hydroxy-A1 cations was thermally treated to convert the hydroxy cations to oxide pillars and to generate permanent microporosity in the interlayers. The pillared clay products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and water-sorption mea- surements to delineate the effect of aging of the pillaring solutions, the methods of drying and concentration of clay-water suspensions, and the temperatures of calcination on micropore volumes. Although samples prepared at different conditions gave d(001) reflections of 17-17.5 A., at least to 500~ the concentrations of clay-water suspensions and the temperatures of calcination significantly changed the pore-size distri- bution and the volume of micropores present in the sample, as calculated from the water-sorption isotherms. A narrow pore-size distribution having little or no macroporosity or external surface conden- sation was observed in samples prepared by the addition of the pillaring solution directly to the clay (solid) without first making a clay-water suspension and calcining the sample at ->400"C. About 87% of the total volume was found to be micropores of -< 14-17 A. in the sample calcined at 600~ Aging the pillaring solution, however, did not influence either the water-sorption isotherms or the XRD patterns significantly under the conditions specified. Essentially the same results were obtained for samples prepared from both hydroxy-A1 polymer (OH/AI = 2) and aluminum chlorohydrol (ACH) solutions. Although alumina-pillared clays exhibited an extreme type-I isotherm (Langmuir type) for nitrogen adsorption, the sorption of water vapor gave an isotherm of unusual shape that fit neither a BET nor a Langmuir equation. This latter behavior has previously been attributed to a unique pore size and hy- drophobicity and is apparently common to all pillared montmorillonite materials. The hydrophobicity of the pillared clay apparently developed on calcination by the migration of protons from the interlayers to the octahedral sheets, in which sites of cationic substitution (negative charge) were located. Protons migrated back to the interlayers by treatment with NH3, which subsequently converted to NH4 + in the interlayers. The exchange of the NH4 + by Ca 2+ introduced hydrophilicity to the alumina-pillared clay, which was reflected both in the shape of the water isotherm (close to moderate Brunauer type I), the heat of sorption, and the total sorption capacity.
Long range two-particle correlations with Ks0 and Λ in pPb collisions

Abstract Measurements of two-particle angular correlations between identified strange hadrons ( K s 0 and Λ / Λ ¯ ) and unidentified charged particles, produced in pPb collisions, are presented over a wide range in pseudorapidity and full azimuth. Results are based on an integrated luminosity of approximately 35 nb − 1 collected during the 2013 LHC pPb run at a nucleon–nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV by the CMS experiment. K s 0 and Λ / Λ ¯ are reconstructed via the topology of their secondary decays. The observed long-range correlations of K s 0 and Λ / Λ ¯ are characterized by the second-order ( v 2 ) and third-order ( v 3 ) anisotropy harmonics, which are presented as a function of particle multiplicity and transverse momentum. Particle-species dependence of v 2 and v 3 is observed in a wide range of multiplicities in pPb events. Constituent quark scaling is observed within 10–15% for each multiplicity class for the v 2 and v 3 harmonics of K s 0 and Λ / Λ ¯ as a function of kinetic energy per quark.
Localization of brainstem motoneurons involved in dewlap extension in the lizard, Anolis equestris

Dewlap extension is a characteristic component of inter- and intraspecific displays of Anolis lizards. Dewlap extension is accomplished by the contraction of ceratohyoid muscles associated with the hyoid apparatus. Retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was used to investigate the brainstem origins of efferent fibers to the ceratohyoid muscles in Anolis equestris. Following application of HRP to the ceratohyoid muscle or to its nerve supply on one side of the throat, large polygonal motoneurons were found ipsilaterally in the vagal (Amb X) and glossopharyngeal (Amb IX) parts of nucleus ambiguus. Labelled neurons were more abundant and more heavily labelled in Amb X than in Amb IX. In addition, small spindle-shaped cells were labelled ipsilaterally in three parasympathetic nuclei that innervate glandular structures in the pharyngeal floor. HRP injections of the larynx labelled cells in many of the same locations, including Amb X and Amb IX. Thus, the nucleus ambiguus in Anolis contains motoneurons for supply of striated muscles in the hyoid (i.e. ceratohyoid muscles) and the larynx.
Relation of hippocampal phospho-SAPK/JNK granules in Alzheimer’s disease and tauopathies to granulovacuolar degeneration bodies

Protein misfolding is a distinguishing feature of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Accumulation of misfolded protein often results in cellular lesions, the location of lesions correlating with the nature of symptoms. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD) and Pick’s Disease (PiD) all present with pathological lesions containing hyperphosphorylated filamentous tau protein; however, the location and type of lesion varies. In addition, granulovacuolar degeneration (GVD) bodies have been reported within hippocampal pyramidal neurons in AD, PSP, CBD and PiD tissue. GVDs are defined as electron-dense granules within double membrane-bound cytoplasmic vacuoles. We have previously reported that the phosphorylated form of stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-SAPK/JNK) accumulates in granules within hippocampal pyramidal cell bodies in AD tissue at the time that hyperphosphorylated tau begins to aggregate into early-stage NFTs. We now report that p-SAPK/JNK granules are found within the hippocampal CA1 region of PSP, CBD and PiD cases as well and that these granules are likely GVD bodies. Quantitatively, p-SAPK/JNK granules and GVDs are found in comparable numbers of CA1 cells. Within cells, p-SAPK/JNK granules are distributed throughout the cytoplasm in a manner similar to the distribution of GVDs and a subset of granules co-localize with GVD markers. Ultrastructurally, p-SAPK/JNK granules are located in large cytoplasmic vacuoles, thereby fitting the definition of a GVD body. With the implication of granular p-SAPK/JNK as a marker of GVDs, our study strongly suggests that a heterogeneous group of proteins form GVDs. The mechanism of GVD formation is therefore an interesting one, and is likely separate and distinct from the mechanism of tau inclusion formation.
Vinylmercaptobenzothiazole and its polymers

2-Vinylmercaptobenzothiazole (VMBT) may be polymerized to a low molecular weight polymer by using an azo catalyst. Conventional peroxide initiators attack the monomer in nonpolymer forming reactions. VMBT copolymerizes with styrene, acrylonitrile, and methyl methacrylate. Reactivity ratios for VMBT/methyl acrylate were determined to be 1.0 and 0.1. Monomer and polymer were compared in reactions involving oxidation, nitration, nitrogen quaternization, and rearrangement of substituents from sulfur to nitrogen.
Thermal radiation in Arctic stratus clouds

Infrared radiative properties of Arctic stratus clouds in the 10.1-12.7 micron wavelength region are determined from a series of aircraft measurements. The average emissivity of the clouds when scattering is neglected is unity for cloud depths greater than 350 m. Under the assumption that the cloud layers are homogeneous the cloud droplet volume absorption coefficient is estimated as 17 + or - 5 per km. Several mass absorption coefficients are estimated for several assumed liquid water distributions. It is also concluded that the cloud reflectance is not larger than 2 (+ or - 5%).
Detection of biomolecular surface interactions by transit time measurements with a coplanar transmission line probe

Abstract Changes in the transit time of a short electrical pulse propagating through a coplanar transmission line (CTL) are used to sense protein interactions at an aqueous–solid interface. The effective permittivity of the CTL is lowered as a result of protein binding at the interface. This decrease is sensed by the relative decrease in propagation transit time of a baseband picosecond electrical pulse through the probe. It is shown that the microwave probe is sensitive to protein binding at a liquid–solid interface and can be used for measuring dissociation constants in the nM range. In comparison with previous microwave sensors, this sensor is relatively insensitive to temperature fluctuations. It has the capability of operating in non-optical environments such as porous capillaries, capillaries filled with separation media, or opaque substrates.
A Linear, Biphasic Model Incorporating a Brinkman Term to Describe the Mechanics of Cell-Seeded Collagen Hydrogels

Protein-based hydrogels are commonly used as in vitro models of native tissues because they can mimic specific aspects of the three-dimensional extracellular matrix present in vivo. Bulk mechanical stimulation is often applied to these gels to determine the response of embedded cells to biomechanical factors such as stress and strain. This study develops and applies a linear, biphasic formulation of hydrogel mechanics that includes a Brinkman term to account for viscous effects. The model is used to predict fluid pressure, relative velocity, and estimated shear stress exerted on cells seeded within a cyclically strained collagen hydrogel with and without imposed cross flow. The model was validated using a confined compression creep test of a cardiac fibroblast-seeded collagen type I hydrogel, and the effect of the added Brinkman term was assessed. The model indicated that the effects of strain and interstitial fluid flow are strongly interdependent in the collagen hydrogel. Our results suggest that the contribution of the Brinkman term is greater in protein hydrogels than in native tissues, and that studies that apply cyclic strain to cell-seeded hydrogels should account for the induced interstitial fluid flow. This study, therefore, has relevance to the increasing number of studies that examine cellular responses to mechanical stresses using in vitro hydrogel models.
Form and function: the laminin family of heterotrimers.

The laminins are a family of glycoproteins that provide an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue. Each laminin is a heterotrimer assembled from alpha, beta, and gamma chain subunits, secreted and incorporated into cell-associated extracellular matrices. The laminins can self-assemble, bind to other matrix macromolecules, and have unique and shared cell interactions mediated by integrins, dystroglycan, and other receptors. Through these interactions, laminins critically contribute to cell differentiation, cell shape and movement, maintenance of tissue phenotypes, and promotion of tissue survival. Recent advances in the characterization of genetic disruptions in humans, mice, nematodes and flies have revealed developmental roles for the different laminin subunits in diverse cell types, affecting differentiation from blastocyst formation to the post-natal period. These genetic defects have challenged some of the previous concepts about basement membranes and have shed new light on the diversity and complexity of laminin functions as well as established the molecular basis of several human diseases.
Mercury in vegetation and soils at abandoned mercury mines in southwestern Alaska, USA

We chemically analysed vegetation (willow and alder) and soil samples collected at three abandoned mercury (Hg) mines and at background sites in southwestern Alaska and compared Hg concentrations, speciation and distribution. Total Hg and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations were higher in vegetation and soil samples from all the mine sites compared to samples from the background sites, but there was no correlation between total-Hg concentrations in vegetation and total-Hg concentrations in soil or between total-Hg and MeHg concentrations. However, the percent MeHg of the total Hg was higher in samples from the background sites compared to samples from the mine sites and is higher in vegetation samples than in corresponding soil samples. The percent MeHg is an order of magnitude higher in the willow samples than in corresponding alder or soil samples. The percent of divalent Hg [Hg(II)] is highest in soil samples from the retort and background areas. The higher percent MeHg in vegetation and soil in samples from background sites may be explained by the higher proportions of reactive Hg species, such as Hg(II), at these sites compared to the surface mined and tailings areas where most of the Hg is in the elemental and cinnabar (HgS) forms. Dissolved gaseous Hg species are more readily accumulated in vegetation and are more readily methylated than solid phases like HgS and liquid Hg.
Ultra-thin Super High Frequency two-port ALN contour-mode resonators and filters

This paper reports on the demonstration of a new class of ultra-thin (250 nm thick) Super High Frequency (SHF) AlN piezoelectric two-port resonators and filters. A thickness field excitation scheme was employed to excite a higher order contour extensional mode of vibration in an AlN nano plate (250 nm thick) above 3 GHz and synthesize a 1.96 GHz narrow-bandwidth channel-select filter. The devices of this work are able to operate over a frequency range from 1.9 to 3.5 GHz and are employed to synthesize the highest frequency MEMS filter based on electrically self-coupled AlN contour-mode resonators. Very narrow bandwidth (∼ 0.35%) and high off-band rejection (∼ 35 dB) were achieved at an operating frequency of 1.96 GHz. This first prototype showed insertion loss of 11 dB, which can be improved to few dB if parasitic elements are eliminated or device capacitance is increased.
Human Pancreatic Islet Isolation: Part I: Digestion and Collection of Pancreatic Tissue

Management of Type 1 diabetes is burdensome, both to the individual and society, costing over 100 billion dollars annually. Despite the widespread use of glucose monitoring and new insulin formulations, many individuals still develop devastating secondary complications. Pancreatic islet transplantation can restore near normal glucose control in diabetic patients 1, without the risk of serious hypoglycemic episodes that are associated with intensive insulin therapy. Providing sufficient islet mass is important for successful islet transplantation. However, donor characteristic, organ procurement and preservation affect the isolation outcome 2. At University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) we have developed a successful isolation protocol with an improved purification gradient 3. The program started in January 2004, and more than 300 isolations were performed up to November 2008. The pancreata were sent in cold preservation solutions (UW, University of Wisconsin or HTK, Histidine-Tryptophan Ketoglutarate) 4-7 to the Cell Isolation Laboratory at UIC for islet isolation. Pancreatic islets were isolated using the UIC method, which is a modified version of the method originally described by Ricordi et al 8. Briefly, after cleaning the pancreas from the surrounding tissue, it was perfused with enzyme solution (Serva Collagenase + Neutral Protease or Sigma V enzyme). The distended pancreas was then transferred to the Ricordi digestion chamber, connected to a modified, closed circulation tubing system, and warmed up to 37°C. During the digestion, the chamber was shaken gently. Samples were taken continuously to monitor the digestion progress. Once free islets were detected under the microscope, the digestion was stopped by flushing cold (4°C) RPMI dilution solution (Mediatech, Herndon, VA) into the circulation system to dilute the enzyme. After being collected and washed in M199 media supplemented with human albumin, the tissue was sampled for pre-purification count and incubated with UW solution before purification. Purification process will be described in Part II: Purification and Culture of Human Islets.
Quasiparticle linewidth close to a quantum critical point: Crossover from non-Fermi liquid to Fermi liquid behavior

Heavy fermion systems frequently display non-Fermi liquid behavior due to a nearby quantum critical point. A nested Fermi surface together with the remaining interaction between the carriers after the heavy particles are formed may give rise to itinerant antiferromagnetism. The order can gradually be suppressed by mismatching the nesting and a quantum critical point is obtained as ${T}_{N}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. The quasiparticle linewidth is calculated in the paramagnetic phase following an approach outlined by Virosztek and Ruvalds [Phys. Rev. B 42, 4064 (1990)]. The linewidth shows a crossover from non-Fermi liquid $(\ensuremath{\sim}T)$ to Fermi liquid $(\ensuremath{\sim}{T}^{2})$ behavior with increasing nesting mismatch and decreasing temperature. The quasiparticle linewidth is a quantity relevant to the electrical resistivity and the width of the inelastic neutron scattering quasielastic peak.
Molecular mechanisms underlying activity-dependent regulation of BDNF expression.

Activity-dependent changes in syn- aptic strength, which appear to underlie cortical plastic- ity, require long-lasting biochemical changes in the postsynaptic neuron. An inductive event common to several forms of synaptic plasticity is an influx of cal- cium into the postsynaptic cell. Calcium acts as a second messenger to set into motion a cascade of biochemical signaling events that leads to new gene expression. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one such calcium-regulated gene that appears to be involved in activity-dependent cortical plasticity. Studies of the mechanism by which calcium influx induces BDNF ex- pression have revealed that the BDNF promoter is reg- ulated by two calcium response elements. One of the elements appears to be regulated by a novel transcrip- tion factor, while the other element is regulated by the previously characterized transcription factor CREB. The calcium signal is propagated to the CREB-mediated component of BDNF expression by CaM kinase IV. This signaling pathway, which links calcium influx to the induction of BDNF via CaM kinase IV and CREB, is likely to be centrally involved in mediating long-term activity-dependent plasticity. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J
Improving the two-step remediation process for CCA-treated wood: Part II. Evaluating bacterial nutrient sources

Remediation processes for recovery and reuse of chromated-copper-arsenate- (CCA) treated wood are not gaining wide acceptance because they are more expensive than landfill disposal. One reason is the high cost of the nutrient medium used to culture the metal-tolerant bacterium, Bacillus licheniformis, which removes 70-100% of the copper, chromium, and arsenic from CCA-treated southern yellow pine (CCA-SYP) in a two-step process involving oxalic acid extraction and bacterial culture. To reduce this cost, the nutrient concentration in the culture medium and the ratio of wood to nutrient medium were optimized. Maximum metal removal occurred when B. licheniformis was cultured in 1.0% nutrient medium and at a wood to nutrient medium ratio of 1:10. Also, malted barley, an abundant by-product of brewing, was evaluated as an alternative nutrient medium. Tests were done to determine absorption of metals by barley, and the results indicate that the barley acted as a biosorbent, removing heavy metals from the liquid culture after their release from CCA to SYP. For comparison, tests were also performed with no nutrient medium. Following bacterial remediation, 17% copper and 15% arsenic were removed from an aqueous slurry of CCA-SYP (no medium). When oxalic acid extraction preceded the aqueous bacterial culture, 21% copper, 54% chromium, and 63% arsenic were removed. The two-step process (oxalic acid extraction and bacterial culture with nutrient medium) appears to be an effective, yet costly, way to remove metals.
The isolation and structure of tetraneurin-A, a new pseudoguaianolide from Parthenium alpinum var. tetraneuris (compositae)

Abstract The isolation and structure determination of tetraneurin-A, ( 1 ), a new pseudoguaianolide from Parthenium alpinum var. tetraneuris, are described. Results from a number of hydrogenation experiments involving C-10 and C-11 exocyclic double bonds in pseudoguaianolides are reported.
The Simulation of Space Radiation Damage to Spacecraft Systems

Space radiation has induced damage to spacecraft in near earth orbits in a number of documented cases. Explorer XIV, Explorer XV, UK-1, TRAAC, TRANSIT IV B and TELSTAR I were among these. It has become imperative that an adequate laboratory simulation technique be found and applied to future spacecraft to extend the useful lifetime of spacecraft and prevent premature failures. The choice of the equipment for carrying out laboratory simulations at Goddard Space Flight Center has been made by an analysis of damage produced in semiconductor devices. The relative damage produced in semiconductors with various particle energies was compared with the number of those particles at each energy in space to produce a curve showing the particle energies which are most damaging in space. From the curves it becomes clear that energies from about 1 to 4 Mev are the most damaging for electrons and protons. Therefore, the Goddard Space Flight Center will have a facility with a 0.5-3 Mev electron accelerator, a 0.5-4 Mev proton accelerator and a 0.1-1 Mev proton-electron accelerator, to cover the low energy range. The facility will also have a 30,000 curie Cobalt 60 area able to irradiate whole spacecraft to simulate ionization damage effects. With these facilities a reasonable program of radiation hardening of long-lived spacecraft may be carried out.
Statistical characterization of meso-scale uniaxial compressive strength in brittle materials with randomly occurring flaws

Increasingly fine spatial resolution in numerical models of brittle materials promises to improve prediction and characterization of dynamic failure in these materials. However, as the resolution of these numerical models begins to approach the material micro-scale, the associated discretization requires a definitive connection to the microstructure. In many cases a numerical model (e.g., a finite element mesh) that explicitly resolves each flaw within the material is not feasible for macro-scale analyses. As an alternative, each element can be treated as a meso-scale continuum with constitutive properties that reflect the characteristics of the underlying microstructure. Small scale elements will exhibit random variations in the constitutive properties as a result of the random variations in the number and types of flaws and the flaw sizes contained within each element. The present paper proposes a technique for assigning probability distributions to these element properties, which can be thought of as the meso-scale constitutive properties. In particular, the strain-rate dependent compressive uniaxial strength of a ceramic is modeled using a two-dimensional analytical model developed by Paliwal and Ramesh (2008). The effect on the probability distribution of meso-scale (or element-level) strength from flaw density, flaw size distribution, flaw clustering, and strain rate are studied. Higher strain rates, more flaw clustering, and decreasing element size all contribute to greater scatter in uniaxial compressive strength. Variations in flaw size increase the scatter in the strength more for low strain rate loadings and less clustered microstructures. The results provide interesting comparisons to the classical assumption of a two-parameter Weibull-distributed strength, showing that a three-parameter Weibull distribution and even a lognormal distribution fit better with the simulated strength data.
An Unusual Case of Thrombocytopenia and Leukopenia Associated with Diltiazem and Acyclovir

Objective: To describe the case of a patient who developed thrombocytopenia associated with diltiazem and leukopenia associated with diltiazem or acyclovir. Case Summary: An 81-year-old white man was admitted for management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). On admission, his white blood cell (WBC) count and platelet count were within normal limits. Admission medications included metoprolol, which was replaced on day 3 with diltiazem due to concern that it might exacerbate the COPD. The patient's platelet count at the initiation of diltiazem therapy was 180 x 10 3 /mm 3 . The next day the platelet count was 232 x 10 3 /mm 3 , but decreased to 182 x 10 3 /mm 3 on day 5 and continued to decline through day 30, at which time it reached a nadir of 10 x 10 3 /mm 3 . By then, several causes of thrombocytopenia, including disseminated intravascular coagulation and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, had been ruled out. A hematology consult suggested diltiazem as the cause of thrombocytopenia, and it was discontinued. The platelet count began to rise 8 days after discontinuation of diltiazem and returned to normal values over a period of 5 days. On day 15, acyclovir was initiated for an oral herpes simplex virus-1 infection. The WBC count on day 20 was 8.7 x 10 3 /mm 3 , and it continued to decline daily. On day 24, the value was 2.5 x 10 3 /mm 3 , at which time acyclovir was discontinued. The WBC count continued to decline for 6 days, reaching a nadir of 0.6 × 10 3 /mm 3 , at which point filgrastim was initiated; the WBC count gradually returned to normal over the next 5 days. Conclusions: Myelosuppression is a rare complication of diltiazem and acyclovir therapy. Patients using these medications should be monitored for signs and symptoms of myelosuppression.
Towards efficient resource utilization in internet mobile streaming

Internet video streaming to mobile devices is challenging because of device heterogeneity, resource constraints, and limited battery power supply of mobile devices. From mobile users' perspective, we examine the power efficiency of existing streaming protocols, and propose to reduce the power consumed by data transmission. Moreover, from the service provider's perspective, we propose to efficiently utilize resources at server side to better serve mobile users.
Cellular convection embedded in the convective planetary boundary layer surface layer

Abstract Cellular convection was first studied in the laboratory by Benard [Ann. Chim. Phys. 23 (1901) 62–144] and Rayleigh [Phil. Mag. Ser. 6 (1916) 529–546] investigated these motions from a theoretical perspective. He defined a dimensionless number, now called the Rayleigh number, which is the ratio of convective transport to molecular transport, and found that if a certain critical value is exceeded, cellular convection occurs. Mesoscale cellular convection (MCC) is a common occurrence in the planetary boundary layer. Agee [Dyn. Atmos. Oceans 10 (1987) 317–341] discussed the similarities and differences of MCC and classical Rayleigh-Benard convection. A similar cellular pattern can be seen in the convective boundary layer (CBL) surface layer. It is known that in the CBL, air near the surface converges into thermals producing updrafts. This produces a ‘spoke’ type pattern similar to the mesoscale cellular or Rayleigh-Benard convection. This paper will focus on applying Rayleigh-Benard convection criteria, using a linearized perturbation method, to the CBL surface layer produced by Large Eddy Simulation (LES). We will investigate the length scales of turbulence in the CBL surface layer and compare them to those predicted from linear theory. Similarities and differences will be discussed between the LES produced surface layer and classical Rayleigh-Benard convection theory.
Advances in sealed liquid cells for in-situ TEM electrochemial investigation of lithium-ion battery

Abstract Lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology is currently the most important and promising energy storage technology that has captured the portable electronic market, invaded the power tool equipment market, and penetrated the electric vehicle market. The ever-growing demand for its energy capacity necessitates the understanding of (de)lithiation mechanism on a nanoscale, and thus the development of platforms enabling in-situ electrochemical TEM characterization. Sealed liquid cell (SLC) device has been widely recognized as the most desirable platform, since it allows the introduction of commercial volatile electrolytes into TEM. However, a comprehensive review summarizing the current development of SLCs for in-situ TEM LIB research is missing and in urgent need for its benign development. This review article aims to fill this gap.
Are field measures of adiposity sufficient to establish fatness-related linkages with metabolic outcomes in adolescents?

Are field measures of adiposity sufficient to establish fatness-related linkages with metabolic outcomes in adolescents?
Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant, multisystem disorder affecting approximately 1 in 3500 people. Significant advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of NF1 have been made in the last decade. While no medical therapies for NF1 are currently available, trials are ongoing to discover and test medical treatments for the various manifestations of NF1, primarily plexiform neurofibromas, learning disabilities, and optic pathway gliomas. In addition, mutational analysis has become available on a clinical basis and is useful for diagnostic confirmation in individuals who do not fulfill diagnostic criteria or when a prenatal diagnosis is desired. There are several disorders that may share overlapping features with NF1; in 2007, a disorder with cutaneous findings similar to NF1 was described. This paper addresses the dermatologist's role in diagnosis and management of NF1 and describes the variety of cutaneous and extracutaneous findings in NF1 to which the dermatologist may be exposed. Learning objectives After completing this learning activity, participants should be able to discuss the indications and limitations of genetic testing in neurofibromatosis type 1, distinguish common and uncommon cutaneous findings, and recognize the dermatologist's role in diagnosis and management.
Model reduction of 2-D systems: A state-space approach

A model reduction scheme for a SISO two-dimensional (2-D) system in state-space form is presented. The stability for reduced model is investigated. Also, the reduced-order approximation of Separable-in-Denominator 2-D system is provided. It is shown that the reduced-model is always stable for a stable original one. The simulation results are presented to verify the theory.
Photoacoustic and optical coherence tomography of epilepsy with high temporal and spatial resolution and dual optical contrasts

Epilepsy mapping with high spatial and temporal resolution has great significance for both fundamental research on epileptic neurons and the clinical management of epilepsy. In this communication, we demonstrate for the first time in vivo epilepsy mapping with high spatial and temporal resolution and dual optical contrasts in an animal model. Through the variations of a depthresolved optical coherence tomography signal with optical scattering contrast, we observed that epileptic neuron activities modulated the optical refractive index of epileptic neurons and their surrounding tissue. Simultaneously, through neurovasculature coupling mechanisms and optical absorption contrast, we used photoacoustic signals to document the hemodynamic changes of the microvasculature surrounding the epileptic neurons. The epilepsy mapping results were confirmed by a simultaneously recorded electroencephalogram signal during epileptic seizure. Our new epilepsy mapping tool, with high temporal and spatial resolution and dual optical contrasts, may find many applications, such as drug development and epilepsy surgery.
Postbuckling response and failure prediction of flat rectangular graphite-epoxy plates loaded in axial compression

The objectives of the study are to assess the capability of a first-order shear deformable degenerated shell finite element theory to predict the postbuckling response and failure modes of various graphite-epoxy panels loaded in axial compression. Two panels without holes and one with a hole are studied, and the resulting responses and failure modes correlated well with the experimental results. A progressive damage failure mechanism is applied in the nonlinear analysis, which proved successful in predictions of failure location, mode, and load.
The role of vision in the sea-finding orientation of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas).

Summary Two tests of sea-finding orientation were used to determine the nature of the visual cues that guide green turtles to the sea after hatching or nesting. The orientation performance, in day-light, during 143 trials with adult female turtles was evaluated quantitatively while they were wearing spectacles containing different filters; and a total of 525 hatchlings was tested at various times of day and night in a circular arena near the sea, where direction preferences might be observed when the view of the horizon was unobstructed, or when it was blocked by a low wall. Blindfolded turtles were unable to find the sea except by chance; their performance was worse than that of any other group. Red, blue, and 0·4 neutral density filters significantly decreased orientation scores. Turtles with green filters, and those with neutral density filters and depolarizing-diffusing filters to which the animals had been pre-adapted, were able to orient as well as control animals with clear filters. Hatchlings placed in the low-walled arena headed in a landward direction nearly 50 per cent of the time despite a clear view of the sky. Sea-finding orientation was highly successful in the unwalled arena during both day and night, although there was no direct view of the sea. Theere was little correlation between hatchling direction preferences and the pattern of light intensity in the sky above the horizon, as measured by a photometer. Some conclusions based upon these results are as follows: o 1. Sea-finding orientation is primarily a visual process. 2. There was no evidence of an ‘innate’ compass direction preference based on celestial information. 3. A direct view of the sea or surf is not necessary for seaward orientation of either adults or hatchlings. 4. Light polarized by reflection from the surface of the sea is not used as a primary orienting stimulus when the water, itself, is not in sight. 5. Orientation is not impaired when the details of visual images are blurred by a diffusing filter. 6. It is unlikely that true colour preference forms the behavioural basis of the sea-finding guidance system. The results of the spectacle experiments with colour filters may be interpreted to mean that marine turtles are less sensitive to red light than are fresh-water turtles. 7. The principal sea-finding process is visual inspection of the beach horizon and landscape features. It is not clear whether an avoidance of dark areas or an attraction to open, brighter portions of the beach is involved; the two may co-exist, and further studies are necessary to resolve the problem. A comparison of our results with those of previous studies suggests that fresh water and marine turtles have solved the problem of water-finding in the same way.