cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Pulsar Masses be Determined

THE sudden speed-up1,2 of the Vela pulsar PSR 0833–45 offers an unusual opportunity to study the interior of a neutron star. In a previous article3, the behaviour of the pulsar after the speed-up was analysed in terms of a simple two-component model. One component is the crust and the charged particles in the interior, which are strongly coupled to each other electromagnetically, and the second is the interior neutron superfluid. The initial spin-up of the star is assumed to take place in the crust (as a consequence of a starquake4), and is communicated in a time ∼102 s to the charged particles in the interior. The interior neutron superfluid takes a very much longer time, τc ∼ 2 yr, to respond to the increased angular velocity of the crust-charged particle system. In this note we wish to point out that observation of the time dependence of the pulse repetition frequency after the starquake makes possible a determination of the pulsar mass, provided that one knows the type of deformation leading to the speed-up of the pulsar.
Clinical Manifestations of Trichomoniasis in Men

Objective: To determine the prevalence and clinical manifestations of trichomoniasis among sexually active men. Design: Survey of two groups of men attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic. ...
High-performance determinism with total store order consistency

We present Consequence, a deterministic multi-threading library. Consequence achieves deterministic execution via store buffering and strict ordering of synchronization operations. To ensure high performance under a wide variety of conditions, the ordering of synch operations is based on a deterministic clock [25], and store buffering is implemented using version-controlled memory [23]. Recent work on deterministic concurrency [14, 19] has proposed relaxing the consistency model beyond total store order (TSO). Through novel optimizations, Consequence achieves the same or better performance on the Phoenix, PARSEC and SPLASH-2 benchmark suites, while retaining TSO memory consistency. Across 19 benchmark programs, Consequence incurs a worst-case slowdown of 3.9× vs. pthreads, with 14 out of 19 programs at or below 2.5×. We believe this performance improvement takes parallel programming one step closer to "determinism by default".
A Vocal Editor

Although the speech quality produced by the currently available speech synthesizers is far from high fidelity standard, it is possible using a similar approach to produce high-quality vocals. To achieve this, the imperfection of the automatic analysis must be manually corrected. Such operations are already done for speech synthesis, but for vocals the operations required are significantly different.
Representaciones del sujeto-ciudadano en los discursos del “saber experto” en Chile

En el presente articulo se analizan las representaciones del sujeto-ciudadano que se articulan en los discursos sobre la ciudadania del saber experto chileno. El enfoque metodologico es el estudio de caso y el analisis critico del discurso, analizando una muestra de documentos institucionales de tres Think Tank de gran influencia nacional: “Instituto Libertad y Desarrollo”, “Centro de Estudios Publicos” y “Fundacion Chile 21”. El analisis identifica dos posiciones de sujeto-ciudadano en los discursos: el “sujeto post-ciudadano” y el “sujeto neo-ciudadano”, proponiendo como conclusion, que ambas representaciones estan articuladas a partir de una racionalidad politica comun.
Effects of DDT on radioactive uptake from testosterone-1,2-3H by mouse prostate glands☆

Abstract Orally administered technical grade DDT (12.5,25 or 50 mg/kg) was studied in intact male mice and in intact and ovariectomized female mice. Regardless of the dose of DDT, there was a significant reduction (P Single po doses of DDT-3H revealed considerable amounts of radioactivity localized in several male reproductive organs. The prostate and the testes exhibited significant amounts as early as 1 and 2 hr post-administration. Epididymal fat pads retained amounts of radioactive pesticide as long as 12 days after DDT-3H ingestion.
Adhesion Properties of Polyelectrolyte-Chemisorbed Zinc Phosphate Conversion Coatings

The outermost surface sites of polyelectrolyte complexed crystalline zinc phosphate (Zn·Ph) layers precipitated on cold-rolled steel surfaces act significantly to promote interfacial adhesive bonding to polymeric topcoats. This is the result of electrostatic internal diffusion and segmental chemisorption mechanisms of polyelectrolyte macromolecules either on newly precipitated crystal nuclei or on crystal growth sites during the primary Zn·Ph conversion process. The nature of the polymer-to-polymer chemical bond produced at the polymer-to-polymer complex Zn·Ph adherend interfacial joints plays the key role in the achievement of long-term bond durability upon exposure to chemically corrosive environments.
AMPylation of Rho GTPases Subverts Multiple Host Signaling Processes

Rho GTPases are frequent targets of virulence factors as they are keystone signaling molecules. Herein, we demonstrate that AMPylation of Rho GTPases by VopS is a multifaceted virulence mechanism that counters several host immunity strategies. Activation of NFκB, Erk, and JNK kinase signaling pathways were inhibited in a VopS-dependent manner during infection with Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Phosphorylation and degradation of IKBα were inhibited in the presence of VopS as was nuclear translocation of the NFκB subunit p65. AMPylation also prevented the generation of superoxide by the phagocytic NADPH oxidase complex, potentially by inhibiting the interaction of Rac and p67. Furthermore, the interaction of GTPases with the E3 ubiquitin ligases cIAP1 and XIAP was hindered, leading to decreased degradation of Rac and RhoA during infection. Finally, we screened for novel Rac1 interactions using a nucleic acid programmable protein array and discovered that Rac1 binds to the protein C1QA, a protein known to promote immune signaling in the cytosol. Interestingly, this interaction was disrupted by AMPylation. We conclude that AMPylation of Rho Family GTPases by VopS results in diverse inhibitory consequences during infection beyond the most obvious phenotype, the collapse of the actin cytoskeleton.
Politics and inequality in Latin America

Our symposium offers a variety of perspectives, such as on self-perpetuation of inequality in the international system, or on the consequences of inequality for economic growth or for social and political conflicts. This contribution discusses the determinants of domestic policy choices that affect inequality and the consequences of these policy choices. The empirical focus is on Latin American countries, which collectively are characterized by the highest regional levels of inequality in the world, but individually show considerable variation. Different analyses have emphasized different causes of income inequality and of the variation in inequality, such as historical structural roots in land distribution and natural-resource endowments, geography, ethnic divisions, the economic context, demographics, and state action or lack thereof. The role of the state has not received much systematic attention until rather recently, though, despite its essential role in the allocation of resources.
Regional Patterns in Organochlorine Contamination of Saxifrage from Ellesmere Island in the High Arctic (77-81° N)

Previous atmospheric and precipitation sampling on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian High Arctic (76−83° N) has detected the presence of trace contaminants originating from both mid-latitudinal and trans-polar sources. Plant samples (Saxifraga oppositofolia) were collected along a latitudinal transect from seven remote sites on Ellesmere Island in order to determine the most likely influx pathway of organochlorine (OC) pollution to this region. Toxaphene, HCH, CBz, CHL, and DDT residues and selected PCB homolog groups decreased with northward distance indicating the predominance of North American sources. Further, all OC concentrations in saxifrage were found to be related to plant cesium-137 activities and therefore differences in the deposition of southerly-originating pollutants. The close association between these residues of micropollutants raises the possibility that the logistically much easier measurements of cesium-137 uptake could be used as a convenient environmental monitor of regional patterns...
THE EVOLVING CASE-CONTROL STUDY*

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the limitations in the understanding of case-control study and suggests the areas where new knowledge should improve the technique. Epidemiology is defined as “the science of disease occurrence.” It is the science that deals with the environmental causes of diseases of humans as inferred from observations of human beings. At present, most epidemiology is non-experimental. This feature, the use of non-experimental methods, causes many of the difficulties in cancer epidemiologist's work. The restrictions imposed on epidemiologic research by its non-experimental nature are the most burdensome in case-control studies. A case-control study means an investigation of the exposure frequencies of at least two groups of subjects that are selected on the basis of their status with respect to a particular disease entity. Once a problem has been defined and a case-control study decided upon, attention moves to designating the cases.
Swelling-Controlled Polymer Phase and Fluorescence Properties of Polyfluorene Nanoparticles

Highly fluorescent nanoparticles of the conjugated polymer poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) with distinct phases were prepared, and their photophysical properties were studied by steady state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. An aqueous suspension of PFO nanoparticles prepared by a reprecipitation method was observed to exhibit spectroscopic characteristics consistent with the glassy phase of the polymer. We demonstrate that controlled addition of organic solvent leads to partial transformation of the disordered polymer chains into the planarized conformation (beta-phase), with the fractions of each component phase dependent on the amount of solvent added. Fluorescence spectroscopy of the PFO nanoparticles containing beta-phase indicates efficient energy transfer from the glassy-phase regions of the nanoparticles to the beta-phase regions. Salient features of the nanoparticles containing beta-phase include narrow, red-shifted fluorescence and increased fluorescence quantum yield as compared to the glassy-phase nanoparticles. Fluorescence lifetime measurements indicate that the increased quantum yield of the beta-phase PFO originates from a decrease in the nonradiative decay rate, with little change in the radiative rate. This decrease is likely due to exciton trapping by the beta-phase, which leads to a reduction in the energy transfer efficiency to quencher species present within the nanoparticle.
Embryogeny of Phaseolus coccineus: The Suspensor and the Growth of the Embryo-Proper in vitro

Summary In in vitro embryo culture of Phaseolus coccineus, the presence of the suspensor stimulates the growth of the embryo-proper and resulted in a higher number of plantlets when the embryo is cultured at the heart stage. The effect of the suspensor is stage specific; it has very little effect when the embryo-proper reaches the cotyledon stage. These results are in accord with the structural studies (Yeung And Clutter, 1978a, b). Detail structural ontogenetic studies indicate that the suspensor is a very specialized organ and its activity is maximal during the heart stage of embryo development. GA 3 , is the most effective growth substance when it is substituted for the suspensor, however, ABA may also play a regulatory role in the growth of embryos. The results are discussed in relation to the current hypotheses of suspensor function.
Characterizing Diamylamylphosphonate (DAAP) as an Americium Ligand for Nuclear Fuel-Cycle Applications

Successful deployment of the currently-envisioned advanced nuclear fuel cycle requires the development of a partitioning scheme to separate Am from the lanthanides. The Am/lanthanide separation is challenging since all the metals are normally trivalent and have similar ionic radii. Oxidation of Am to higher oxidation states is one option to achieve such a separation. Hexavalent Am has now been routinely prepared in our laboratory in strongly acidic solution using sodium bismuthate as the oxidant, and then extracted into diamylamylphosphonate/dodecane solution. Here, we have characterized this phosphonate-containing solvent with regard to the extraction of Am, the lanthanides, Cm, other fission product, and/or inert constituents expected in dissolved nuclear fuel. Additionally, the effects of irradiation on dispersion numbers and the phosphonate concentration were investigated.
Tobramycin Serum Level Monitoring in Young Patients with Normal Renal Function

Five clinical strategies for monitoring serum tobramycin concentrations were compared in a population of children and young adults with normal renal function receiving tobramycin for suspected sepsis. The drug monitoring strategies were evaluated on the basis of the ability of each to predict subsequent drug levels. The strategies included 3 methods requiring assessment of individual drug disposition: (a) measurement of peak drug concentrations after 2 separate doses; (b) a 3-point kinetic study to define distribution volume and elimination rate; (c) a 3-point kinetic study with adjustment of the value for elimination rate to account for deep compartment drug accumulation; and 2 strategies using a fixed-dose approach in which prediction of individual levels was made on the basis of mean population kinetic parameters. Although all methods were of similar accuracy, the fixed-dose strategy was the most precise in predicting subsequent serum tobramycin levels (95% tolerance limits = 84–135% of predicted). Poor performance of the other strategies was accounted for by interpatient variability of tobramycin disposition that was small relative to the intrapatient variability in these measurements. We conclude that these strategies for aminoglycoside serum level monitoring, which have proven beneficial in patients with impaired renal function, afford little benefit to children and young adults with normal renal function. Administration of these drugs on a fixed-dose schedule without serum concentration monitoring appears to be warranted in this select population. Alternatively, specific strategies for this population must be developed that consider the small interindividual differences in drug disposition and low incidence of toxicity.
Aortic injuries in newer vehicles.

Abstract The occurrence of AI was studied in relation to vehicle model year (MY) among front seat vehicular occupants, age ≥ 16 in vehicles MY ≥ 1994, entered in the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System between 1997 and 2010 to determine whether newer vehicles, due to their crashworthiness improvements, are linked to a lower risk of aortic injuries (AI). MY was categorized as 1994–1997, 1998–2004, or 2005–2010 reflecting the introduction of newer occupant protection technology. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals for the association between AI and MY independent of possible confounders. Analysis was repeated, stratified by frontal and near lateral impacts. AI occurred in 19,187 (0.06%) of the 31,221,007 (weighted) cases, and contributed to 11% of all deaths. AIs were associated with advanced age, male gender, high BMI, near-side impact, rollover, ejection, collision against a fixed object, high ΔV, vehicle mismatch, unrestrained status, and forward track position. Among frontal crashes, MY 98–04 and MY 05–10 showed increased adjusted odds of AI when compared to MY 94–97 [OR 1.84 (1.02–3.32) and 1.99 (0.93–4.26), respectively]. In contrast, among near-side impact crashes, MY 98–04 and MY 05–10 showed decreased adjusted odds of AI [OR 0.50 (0.25–0.99) and 0.27 (0.06–1.31), respectively]. While occupants of newer vehicles experience lower odds of AI in near side impact crashes, a higher AI risk is present in frontal crashes.
Tired Winners: The Effects of Cognitive Resources and Prior Winning on Risky Decision Making

Previous research has shown mixed results regarding the effects of cognitively draining tasks, sometimes reporting that the depletion of cognitive resources increases risk taking and other times reporting that depletion leads to increases in risk aversion. Additionally, evidence has been provided demonstrating that both winning and losing can increase future risk-taking. This experiment was designed to assess the interaction between cognitive resource depletion and outcomes in blackjack on risky decision making. A 2 × 2 between subjects design was employed in which 81 university undergraduates were randomized to either a cognitive resource depletion condition or control condition and then a winning condition or losing condition. Participants completed a self-report measure of decision making and then a completed a task in which they could make actual wagers to win a lottery. Evidence is provided for the conclusion that people become risk averse to lottery style gambles after cognitive depletion and losing. Research and clinical implications are discussed.
Stem cell biology: Towards the reality of cell therapeutics

Although the road to cell therapeutics is rife with uncertainties — scientific, clinical and economic — its success could transform medicine. Five years into its mission, the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine is laying a foundation for this new form of medical treatment.
Diffusive-convective vapor transport across horizontal and inclined rectangular enclosures

The enhancement of vapor transport across horizontal and inclined rectangular (two-dimensional) enclosures by expansive convection is studied numerically for a range in Grashof number that extends up to boundary layer flow. Comparison is made with predictions of the simplifying model and resulting analytical treatment of Klosse and Ullersma (1973) for various aspect ratios of the enclosure. The influence of varying Schmidt and Prandtl numbers is investigated. Solutions for interfacial (growth) flux and temperature distributions are given, showing practically important nonuniformities.
Role of the primary care provider in the diagnosis and management of heartburn.

AbstractBackground:Heartburn affects an estimated 42% of the US population. Often, patients are able to recognize symptoms and self-treat heartburn; however, patients with more persistent and/or troublesome symptoms should be evaluated by a physician or other healthcare provider.Scope:This review focuses on the role of the primary care provider in the diagnosis and treatment of heartburn.Methods:A search was conducted on PubMed (to November 2009) and articles relevant to the management of heartburn by a primary care provider topic were selected.Findings:Diagnostic tools, such as endoscopy, and ambulatory pH monitoring, are recommended for advanced assessment of patients with frequent heartburn to avert misdiagnosis and to identify complications of reflux disease. Over-the-counter and prescription treatments for frequent heartburn symptoms include antacids, histamine2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs), antacid/H2RA combinations, and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Among these, PPIs represent the mainstay of acut...
Periodic Points for Expansive Actions of Zd on Compact Abelian Groups

In this note we show that the periodic points of an expansive Z^d action on a compact abelian group are uniformly distributed with respect to Haar measure if the action has completely positive entropy. In the general expansive case, we show that any measure obtained as the distribution of periodic points along some sequence of periods necessarily has maximal entropy but need not be Haar measure.
How to Format OCLC NAD Policies Perfectly Every Time

Liste de recommandations pour formater correctement le champ concernant la description de la politique de la bibliotheque concernant la fourniture de document dans le cadre de l'OCLC
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1-regulated protein expression and oligodendroglioma patient outcome: comparison with established biomarkers and preoperative UCSF low-grade scoring system.

Methods for predicting outcome for patients with oligodendrogliomas and anaplastic oligodendrogliomas (AOs) are limited. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) controls many proteins involved in glycolysis and angiogenesis including VEGF, Glut-1, and CA-IX. We examined whether expression of HIF-1α and other hypoxia-regulated molecules (HRM) can predict overall (OS) and progression-free (PFS) survival. We correlated these data with more established biomarkers and a published preoperative scoring system. We prospectively collected tissue samples and followed outcomes of 50 patients with oligodendrogliomas and 32 with AOs. Tumor tissues were stained for measures of proliferative index, microvascular density, IDH-1 mutational status, and HRMs. We retrospectively analyzed preoperative imaging and clinical data based on the UCSF Scoring System (good prognostic indicators: Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score > 80, age 5 for oligodendrogliomas and KPS ≤ 80 for AOs predict a worse prognosis. Immunohistochemical markers of HRMs show a significantly higher expression in anaplastic variants of oligodendrogliomas and may contribute to the prediction of survival in these patients.
Indirect modulation of dopamine D2 receptors as potential pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia: III. Retinoids

Present antipsychotic drugs, whose clinical activity correlates with direct binding to dopamine D2 or other receptors, alleviate some of the symptoms of schizophrenia, but not all and not completely in many patients. In continuation of our overview of potential novel antipsychotic pharmacotherapy that would be based upon indirect modulation of dopamine or other neurotransmitter functioning, we focus in this article on the postulated use of retinoid analogs as novel antipsychotic agents. Several lines of evidence can be viewed as implicating retinoid dysregulation in schizophrenia, either as a causative or contributory factor. It has been proposed that using retinoid analogs to alter the downstream expression of dopamine D2 receptors might represent a novel approach to the treatment of the disease or amelioration of symptoms when used either as monotherapy or as adjunct pharmacotherapy to dopamine D2 receptor antagonists.
Efficacy of chlorine dioxide tablets on inactivation of cryptosporidium oocysts

The ability of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) to achieve 2-log inactivation of Cryptosporidium in drinking water has been documented. No studies have specifically addressed the effects of ClO2 on C. parvum oocyst infectivity in chlorinated recreational water venues (e.g., pools). The aim of this research was to determine the efficacy of ClO2 as an alternative to existing hyperchlorination protocols that are used to achieve a 3-log inactivation of Cryptosporidium in such venues. To obtain a 3-log inactivation of C. parvum Iowa oocysts, contact times of 105 and 128 min for a solution containing 5 mg/L ClO2 with and without the addition of 2.6 mg/L free chlorine, respectively, were required. Contact times of 294 and 857 min for a solution containing 1.4 mg/L ClO2 with and without the addition of 3.6 mg/L free chlorine, respectively, were required. The hyperchlorination control (21 mg/L free chlorine only) required 455 min for a 3-log inactivation. Use of a solution containing 5 mg/L ClO2 and solutions containing 5 ...
Reduced-order modelling and parameter estimation for a quarter-car suspension system:

AbstractThis paper presents a new approach to obtaining an accurate simple model for complex mechanical systems. The methodology is applied to a quarter-car suspension system with complex linkage structures. Firstly, a multi-body dynamic model which includes kinematic characteristics is developed. Using a linearization technique, a 32-state linear model for a quarter-car system is obtained. Secondly, model reduction techniques are applied to find a reasonable reduced-order model. The result of the model reduction shows the validity of the two-mass model given that the parameters are correctly identified. The paper presents both an analytical and an experimental way of identifying the parameters of the two-mass system based on the reduced-order model. The identified parameters are shown to vary significantly from component data typically used for the two-mass system depending on kinematic structures of the suspension system. The modelling procedures outlined in this paper provide a precise and efficient wa...
The surface states of lithium tetraborate

The different low index surface terminations of lithium tetraborate, Li2B4O7, are dominated by electronic states that fall within the band gap of the projection of the bulk states. As a pyroelectric material, lithium tetraborate, Li2B4O7, is a wide band gap dielectric, yet the (110) surface has a much smaller band gap because of occupied surface states that fall at binding energies between the valence band maximum and the Fermi level. The (100) surface is dominated, however, by unoccupied surface states that also fall in the gap between the conduction band minimum and the valence band maximum, but at binding energies just below the conduction band minimum. These very different types of surface states are consistent with the assignment of occupied surface states to states that are observed near the Fermi level in photoemission studies of Li2B4O7(110). The unoccupied surface states are also seen to be consistent with the inverse photoemission spectra of Li2B4O7(100). Clearly, the different surface terminations of lithium tetraborate yield very different types of surface electronic states.
Nanopositioning With Multiple Sensors: A Case Study in Data Storage

The use of multiple sensors for nanopositioning is well motivated in high-density data-storage devices, such as probe-based data storage devices. In these devices, ultra-high positioning accuracies are desired over their lifetime in the presence of external disturbances. In addition to meeting the stringent requirements for nanopositioning, the use of multiple sensors lends itself for performing sensor fusion and obtaining reliable estimates of position and velocity. These estimates can be used for the detection of shocks and vibrations and the calibration of sensors. The objective of this work is to provide a comprehensive overview of the problem of nanopositioning using multiple sensors in the context of probe-based data storage. We present the control of a micro-scanner used in a probe-based data-storage device with two sensors, a global thermal position sensor and medium-derived positional information. In one approach, Kalman and H∞ filtering are employed to perform sensor fusion, and the resulting state estimates in turn serve to design feedback controllers. An alternate approach is to design a multiple-input single-output controller using either the H2 or H∞ control paradigm. These controllers are investigated in detail to reveal the underlying structure and the inherent sensor fusion that takes place. Comparisons are made between the two approaches.
The mechanism of mitochondrial swelling. V. Permeability of mitochondria to alkali metal salts of strong acid anions.

Mitochondria do not swell appreciably when suspended in media containing the chlorides or bromides of alkali metal or ammonium ions. On the other hand, extensive swelling takes place when mitochondria are suspended in ammonium or sodium acetate. These findings have been widely interpreted to mean that the mitochondrial membrane is impermeable to chloride and bromide ions. However, the resistance of the mitochondria to volume changes is not necessarily a valid criteria of impermeability to a given ion pair. Such a conclusion presumes the as yet untested assumptions that (1) permeability to the ion pair is pair is always the rate-limiting step in swelling, and (2) permeability to the ion pair is equivalent to the driving force for water influx. We have conducted experiments addressed to the question of mitochondrial permeability by methods (tracer exchange diffusion) which are independent of volume changes. Our findings indicate that the mitochondrial membrane is very readily penetrated by alkali metal chloride and bromide salts. Further, we have concluded that the resistance to swelling in such media is associated with a lack of driving force.
Studies of the Skin of the Fetus and the Child

Our knowledge of the presence and behavior of glycogen in normal and pathologic human skin has steadily progressed during the last few years. Yet, investigations of glycogen during the various phases of development of the skin of man have been few and fragmentary (1-8). It is well known that glycogen is abundant in the skin during the first fetal months, and that it tends to disappear after the fifth month, remaining only in small quantities in the cells of the malpighian layer. Glycogen persists, however, in the sebaceous glands, eccrine sweat glands, and in the external root sheath of the hair follicles. The presence of glycogen in the skin during fetal and postnatal life undoubtedly has a functional meaning, it being of primary importance in tissue metabolism (9, 10, 11). It has seemed to us important to reinvestigate systematically the distribution of glycogen in the skin of the fetus, making parallel investigations of the distribution of amylophosphorylase, the catalytic action of which is indispendable for the metabolic utilization of carbohydrate.
Protein and the demand for hard wheats

Wheat protein is one of the most important specifications used in domestic and import purchase contracts and is used partly as a proxy for functional quality. The purpose of this article is to analyse the demand for wheat delineated by protein class. A choice-based econometric model is specified and estimated using a novel dataset of pooled wheat shipments to individual importing countries. Buyers are importing countries that make purchase decisions among different protein levels. The model frames the choice in terms of attributes of the choice and of the importing countries. Results indicate that there have been shifts over time, and purchase probabilities are highly price elastic and vary across importing regions. Functional characteristics including wet gluten content and extraction rates have significant impacts on purchase probabilities. These results have implications for breeders as it clearly illustrates the role of protein and functional characteristics on demand. The results also have implications for analysts modelling wheat trade in that there are many factors impacting market segments that would not be captured in conventional demand specifications.
Ovarian Hormones Modulate Cocaine-Induced Locomotor and Stereotypic Activity

Abstract: Interactions between ovarian hormones and cocaine may underlie gender and estrous cycle differences in cocaine-induced behavioral and neurochemical alterations. The aim of this study was to further understand how ovarian hormones modulate cocaine-induced behavioral alterations. Ovariectomized rats received acute or chronic saline or cocaine (15 mg/kg i.p.) administration and were further subdivided into one of four hormone-treatment conditions: cholesterol (vehicle-control), estrogen, progesterone, or estrogen+progesterone. Overall, acute and chronic cocaine administration increased all locomotor measurements (total locomotor, ambulatory, and rearing counts). Estrogen administration augmented cocaine-induced increases in ambulatory and rearing activity. After chronic cocaine administration, rats in the vehicle-control group developed behavioral tolerance (exhibited by a decrease in activity) in rearing and ambulatory activity. Estrogen replacement not only prevented the development of tolerance in ambulatory and rearing activities, but also enhanced total locomotor activity (sensitization) in response to chronic cocaine. Progesterone treatment did not alter the behavioral responses to acute or chronic cocaine administration. Estrogen+progesterone-treated animals had higher counts of locomotor activity in response to chronic cocaine than did vehicle-control or progesterone-treated rats. In stereotypic behaviors, the different hormonal treatments did not affect activity in cocaine- or saline-treated rats after acute or chronic drug administration. Plasma levels of cocaine did not change after different hormonal treatments. Interestingly, animals' coadministered chronic cocaine and estrogen had higher levels of corticosterone than did nonestrogen cocaine-treated rats. Thus, it is likely that alterations in HPA activation may underlie the observed behavioral differences. In summary, these data suggest that there are interactions between ovarian hormones and cocaine-induced behavioral alterations in female rats, and they extend previous results by showing that estrogen and progesterone affect the development of sensitization.
Summarizing Key Concepts using Citation Sentences

Citations have great potential to be a valuable resource in mining the bioscience literature (Nakov et al., 2004). The text around citations (or citances) tends to state biological facts with reference to the original papers that discovered them. The cited facts are typically stated in a more concise way in the citing papers than in the original. We hypothesize that in many cases, as time goes by, the citation sentences can more accurately indicate the most important contributions of a paper than its original abstract.
One and done? Equality of opportunity and repeated access to scarce, indivisible medical resources

Background: Existing ethical guidelines recommend that, all else equal, past receipt of a medical resource (e.g. a scarce organ) should not be considered in current allocation decisions (e.g. a repeat transplantation). Discussion: One stated reason for this ethical consensus is that formal theories of ethics and justice do not persuasively accept or reject repeated access to the same medical resources. Another is that restricting attention to past receipt of a particular medical resource seems arbitrary: why couldn’t one just as well, it is argued, consider receipt of other goods such as income or education? In consequence, simple allocation by lottery or first-come-first-served without consideration of any past receipt is thought to best afford equal opportunity, conditional on equal medical need. There are three issues with this view that need to be addressed. First, public views and patient preferences are less ambiguous than formal theories of ethics. Empirical work shows strong preferences for fairness in health care that have not been taken into account: repeated access to resources has been perceived as unfair. Second, while difficult to consider receipt of many other prior resources including non-medical resources, this should not be used a motive for ignoring the receipt of any and all goods including the focal resource in question. Third, when all claimants to a scarce resource are equally deserving, then use of random allocation seems warranted. However, the converse is not true: mere use of a randomizer does not by itself make the merits of all claimants equal. Summary: My conclusion is that not ignoring prior receipt of the same medical resource, and prioritizing those who have not previously had access to the medical resource in question, may be perceived as fairer and more equitable by society.
Hybrid and gradient-corrected density functional theory computations of the cubane infrared and raman spectra

Abstract The IR and Raman spectra of cubane were computed with three hybrid (B3LYP, B3P86, and B3PW91) and three gradient-corrected (BLYP, BP86, and BPW91) Density Functional Theory (DFT) methods using a 6-31G(d) basis set. The computed CH and CC bond distances were in good agreement with experimental data. The closest agreement with the experimental IR and Raman spectra was obtained with the hybrid B3LYP method. The deviation from the experimental frequencies depended on the nature of the vibration. Thus, CCC-bend and CC-stretch vibrations were higher by 10–20 cm −1 , CH-wagging vibrations were higher by 50–60 cm −1 , and CH-stretch vibrations were higher by 160–170 cm −1 than the experimental values. By including correlation factors, excellent agreement between the B3LYP computed IR and Raman spectra with the experimental data was obtained.
Using the Learning Cycle to Develop Freshmen's Abilities to Design and Conduct Experiments

A series of three laboratory experiments has been developed for first-semester freshmen mechanical engineering students at the University of South Carolina. The topical content of the experiments includes statics, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics and direct-current circuit analysis. Each experiment actively involves the students, is inexpensive, safe and can be performed during a 50-minute class period. The experiments have been designed using concepts from Kolb's learning cycle, problem-based learning and scaffolding. The experiment sequence has been successfully used to introduce the students to engineering fundamentals, to develop their abilities to design experiments, and to motivate them to learn computer applications for data analysis.
Pharmacokinetic Interplay of Phase II Metabolism and Transport: A Theoretical Study

Understanding of the interdependence of cytochrome P450 enzymes and P-glycoprotein in disposition of drugs (also termed "transport-metabolism interplay") has been significantly advanced in recent years. However, whether such "interplay" exists between phase II metabolic enzymes and efflux transporters remains largely unknown. The objective of this article is to explore the role of efflux transporters (acting on the phase II metabolites) in disposition of the parent drug in Caco-2 cells, liver, and intestine via simulations utilizing a catenary model (for Caco-2 system) and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models (for the liver and intestine). In all three models, "transport-metabolism interplay" (i.e., inhibition of metabolite efflux decreases the metabolism) can be observed only when futile recycling (or deconjugation) occurred. Futile recycling appeared to bridge the two processes (i.e., metabolite formation and excretion) and enable the interplay thereof. Without futile recycling, metabolite formation was independent on its downstream process excretion, thus impact of metabolite excretion on its formation was impossible. Moreover, in liver PBPK model with futile recycling, impact of biliary metabolite excretion on the exposure of parent drug [(systemic (reservoir) area under the concentration-time curve (AUC(R1))] was limited; a complete inhibition of efflux resulted in AUC(R1) increases of less than 1-fold only. In intestine PBPK model with futile recycling, even though a complete inhibition of efflux could result in large elevations (e.g., 3.5-6.0-fold) in AUC(R1), an incomplete inhibition of efflux (e.g., with a residual activity of ≥ 20% metabolic clearance) saw negligible increases (<0.9-fold) in AUC(R1). In conclusion, this study presented mechanistic observations of pharmacokinetic interplay between phase II enzymes and efflux transporters. Those studying such "interplay" are encouraged to adequately consider potential consequences of inhibition of efflux transporters in humans.
The Efficacy of Bond-Financed Fiscal Policy

The purpose of this article is to reexamine two important propositions in the familiar rock bottom model. By using simple and more straightforward comparative static and dynamic analyses, the following statements can be made: (1) if capital stock is constant and the system is stable, bond-financed deficits are more expansionary than money-financed deficits and (2) if capital stock is not constant, (1 - T' - T'FB) < 0 and (CW + IW) < 0 are two jointly sufficient conditions for the stability of the economy under the B-regime.
Strategies for enhanced annotation of a microarray probe set

We aim to determine the biological relevance of genes identified through microarray-mediated transcriptional profiling of Xenopus sensory organs and brain. Difficulties with genetic data analysis arise because of limitations in probe set annotation and the lack of a universal gene nomenclature. To overcome these impediments, we used sequence based and semantic linking methods in combination with computational approaches to augment probe set annotation on a commercially available microarray. Our curation efforts enabled linkage of probe sets and expression data to public databases, increased the biological significance of our microarray data, and assisted with the tentative identification of unidentified probe sets.
Cognitive and psychosocial phenotype of young children with neurofibromatosis-1.

Children with neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1), a neurodevelopmental disorder resulting from a mutation of the NF1 gene (17q11.2), often have difficulties with learning and attention, but there is little research in the early childhood years. In this study, the cognitive and psychosocial functioning of 40 young children with NF1 (ages 3 through 6) was examined and compared both to normative data and to a contrast group comprised of unaffected siblings and community members matched for age and socio-economic status (n 5 37). Children with NF1 showed significantly weaker cognitive abilities across all domains and for the vast majority of subtests. Consistent with research in older children, a variety of patterns of intra-individual strength and weakness were present for young children with NF1. Few significant group differences in psychosocial functioning were observed, but the children with NF1 showed significantly greater functional communication problems than did the unaffected group. Overall, the results indicate that in participant groups matched for age and socioeconomic status, cognitive vulnerabilities are evident for close to half of young children with NF1, with some relations to psychosocial functioning, particularly functional communication, attention problems and social skills. (JINS, 2014, 1, 1–11)
Notes on the history of reversible computation

We review the history of the thermodynamics of information processing, beginning with the paradox of Maxwelrs demon; continuing through the efforts of Szilard, Brillouin, and others to demonstrate a thermodynamic cost of information acquisition; the discovery by Landauer of the thermodynamic cost of information destruction; the development of the theory of and classical models for reversible computation; and ending with a brief survey of recent work on quantum reversible computation.
Mergers when Firms Compete by Choosing both Price and Promotion

Enforcement agencies have a relatively good understanding of how to measure the loss of price competition caused by merger. However, when firms compete in multiple dimensions, merger effects are not well understood. In this paper, we study mergers in industries where firms compete by setting both price and promotion, and ask what happens if we mistakenly assume that price is the only dimension of competition. To answer the question, we build a structural model of the super-premium ice cream industry, where a 2003 merger between Haagen-Dazs and Dreyer's was challenged by the Federal Trade Commission. A structural merger model that ignores promotional competition under-predicts the price effects of a merger in this industry (5% instead of 12%). About three-fourths of the difference can be attributed to estimation bias (estimated demand is too elastic), with the remainder due to extrapolation bias from assuming post-merger promotional activity stays constant (instead it declines by 31%).
Composition of lipids in human serum and adipose tissue during prolonged feeding of a diet high in unsaturated fat

Elderly institutionalized men were assigned at random to two groups, one of which received a conventional diet while the other was fed a diet in which the major modification was substitution of unsaturated for saturated fat. Changes in serum lipids and in adipose tissue over periods up to 5 years are described. In control subjects, mean serum cholesterol rose 4% over the first 20 months, then fell during the next 40 months to a level 10% below the starting concentration. In the experimental group there was an immediate drop, followed by further changes roughly parallel to those in the control subjects. The mean difference between the control and experimental groups was 14.0% of the starting level. Changes in serum total lipid were similar, but the percentage difference between control and experimental groups was only 6.8% of the baseline level. All major esterified serum lipid fractions of experimental subjects contained increased concentrations of linoleic acid. This was most marked in triglyceride, which at 3 years had a composition similar to that of the dietary fat in both groups of subjects. Adipose tissue linoleic acid rose in men on the experimental diet from 11% of total fatty acid at time zero to 32% at 5 years. The rise could be fitted to an exponential function with a half-time of 680 days. The rate of rise during the 1st year was correlated negatively with initial body weight and positively with weight gain; the influence of adherence to the diet was much less pronounced.
Transmitter-based multiuser interference rejection for the down-link of a wireless CDMA system in a multipath environment

In wireless code division multiple access (CDMA) communications systems, there has been interest in processing the transmitted down-link signal in order to shift signal processing to the transmitter where power and computational resources are plentiful, thus simplifying receiver operation and reducing the power it requires. Multiuser interference (MUI) and multipath effects observed by the receiver are anticipated and suppressed at the transmitter; channel equalization and multiuser detection are therefore not required. This paper introduces two methods that are able to combat both degradations, yet allow the receiver to remain as simple as a single user receiver for a perfect channel. For mild multipath channels, the performance of the algorithms is excellent, within a few decibels of the single user ideal channel case, at the cost of additional computation at the base station at which complete knowledge of the channels and the receiver codewords is required. One method, the decorrelating prefilter, is most flexible and applicable to existing systems yet less powerful than other previously published methods. The second, the jointly optimized sequences algorithm, has a performance on average superior to published methods. In addition to theoretical analysis and simulation of the algorithms' potential, these algorithms have also been implemented and tested on a software radio testbed and experimental data are shown. The jointly optimized sequences performed particularly well even in severe multipath and multiuser interference environments.
Reversible visual pigment changes in tadpoles exposed to light and darkness.

THE visual pigments of many amphibian larvae are mixtures of rhodopsin and porphyropsin, the latter usually, but not always, predominating1–3. During the metamorphic climax, the porphyropsin is wholly discarded and the rhodopsin emerges as the characteristic pigment of the adult retina. I describe here a hitherto unsuspected reaction of the larval retina: as in fishes4–8, the balance between rhodopsin and porphyropsin can be altered by exposure to light and darkness. The phenomenon does not seem to be connected with the metamorphic process.