cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leptin: A potential novel antidepressant

Leptin, a hormone secreted from adipose tissue, was originally discovered to regulate body weight. The localization of the leptin receptor in limbic structures suggests a potential role for leptin in emotional processes. Here, we show that rats exposed to chronic unpredictable stress and chronic social defeat exhibit low leptin levels in plasma. Systemic leptin treatment reversed the hedonic-like deficit induced by chronic unpredictable stress and improved behavioral despair dose-dependently in the forced swim test (FST), a model widely used for screening potential antidepressant efficacy. The behavioral effects of leptin in the FST were accompanied by increased neuronal activation in limbic structures, particularly in the hippocampus. Intrahippocampal infusion of leptin produced a similar antidepressant-like effect in the FST as its systemic administration. By contrast, infusion of leptin into the hypothalamus decreased body weight but had no effect on FST behavior. These findings suggest that: (i) impaired leptin production and secretion may contribute to chronic stress-induced depression-like phenotypes, (ii) the hippocampus is a brain site mediating leptin's antidepressant-like activity, and (iii) elevating leptin signaling in brain may represent a novel approach for the treatment of depressive disorders.
Mechanism of the Northward-Propagating Intraseasonal Oscillation: Insights from a Zonally Symmetric Model*

Abstract The propagation and initiation mechanisms of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) in the south Asian summer monsoon are examined with a zonally symmetric atmospheric model. In the axially symmetric model the effects of zonally propagating atmospheric waves are intentionally excluded. The model specifies mean flows and depicts the lowest baroclinic mode and a barotropic mode in the free troposphere. The two vertical modes are coupled by the time-mean vertical wind shear. The model atmosphere produces a 15–20-day oscillation, which is characterized by northward propagation of convection from south of the equator to the Indian monsoon trough region and a reinitiation of convection in the region between 10°S and the equator. The northward propagation in the model is produced by the free troposphere barotropic divergence, which leads convection by about a quarter of a cycle. The vertical advection of summer-mean easterly vertical wind shear by perturbation vertical motion inside the con...
Cross-Cultural Reliability and Validity of the Aggressively Worded Verbal Aggressiveness Scale

This study tested and replicated the reliability and validity of the aggressively worded version of the Verbal Aggressiveness Scale (VAS) across two cultures—the United States and Korea—to promote its future use in both U.S. and cross-cultural samples. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the 10-item, aggressively worded VAS demonstrated construct validity given its unidimensional factor structure. Acceptable reliabilities were also obtained for samples in the United States, Korea, and the United States and Korea combined. Although there was support for a univariate factor structure for the aggressively worded VAS items in the U.S. and combined samples, the loadings and overall fit for the Korean sample were less strong than in the other samples. Therefore, caution should be used when employing the VAS in cultures other than the United States.
Refractive Index of Opaque High-Gloss Surfaces

To measure the refractive index of high gloss dielectric surfaces, an automatic method for locating Brewster’s angle was developed. The measurement is made by using a recording goniophotometer equipped with a special drive linkage for rotating the sample holder at one-half the rate of rotation of the receptor arm. Although developed for index of refraction measurements of paint films, the technique is applicable to any glossy dielectric surface where the angle for specular reflection is well defined. Either opaque or clear films can be measured, but clear films must be applied to depolished black glass or similar surface in order to eliminate specular reflection from the substrate interface. The accuracy of the method is about 0.01 in refractive index.
Contribution of inflammatory mast cell mediators to alterations in macrophage function after malathion administration

Recent studies using mast cell-defined mice showed that the presence of mast cells was necessary for the increase in macrophage function observed after oral administration of malathion and reconstitution with bone marrow-derived mast cells restored the ability of malathion to increase macrophage function. In addition, the release of mast cell mediators (blocked by cromolyn) and histamine (action blocked by pyrilamine) was shown to be involved in the action of malathion on macrophage function. In the present study, the contribution of inflammatory mediators (i.e. arachidonic acid metabolites and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]) which may be generated by mast cells after oral administration of malathion, was examined. Controls in this study included the effects of the agent to be examined on: (1) resident peritoneal macrophages; and (2) macrophages elicited with pristane, and agent shown previously to stimulate macrophage function in the absence of mast cells. Intraperitoneal administration of indomethacin, and inhibitor of cycloxygenase, or neutralizing antibody to TNF 30 h before and 4 h after oral malathion blocked the ability of malathion to increase macrophage function, as measured by the generation of respiratory burst activity and the production of cathepsin D. On the other hand, administration of these agents to mice injected intraperitoneally with pristane did not affect the observed increase in cathepsin D production. Respiratory burst function after elicitation with pristane was slightly decreased (indomethacin) or not affected (antibody to TNF). The effect of intraperitoneal administration of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), and inhibitor of both cycloxygenase and lipoxygenase, was also examined. Intraperitoneal administration of NDGA partially blocked the effects of oral administration of malathion on peritoneal macrophage function, but did not affect the function of resident pristane-elicited peritoneal macrophages. These data suggest that inflammatory mediators (potentially released from mast cells upon stimulation) contribute to the elevation in macrophage function observed after oral malathion administration.
Adsorption and decomposition studies of t-butyl silane on Si(100)-(2 × 1) surfaces using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy

Abstract The adsorption, decomposition and desorption of t-butyl silane (tBSi)(C(CH 3 ) 3 SiH 3 ) on Si(100)-(2 × 1) reconstructed surfaces was studied with Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). From the spectra it is postulated that the decomposition pathway is dissociative chemisorption forming t-butylsilylene, with the remaining two hydrogen atoms bonding at neighboring sites. As the sample temperature is increased, the majority of the adsorbed t-butylsilylene undergoes a β-hydride elimination, forming isobutene, which then desorbs. The remaining fraction dehydrogenates and incorporates carbon into the substrate. The carbon incorporation into the substrate was verified ex situ by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) on a Si(100) wafer after a film was grown with TBSi by ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHV-CVD).
Abstract P4-05-05: Molecular effects of initial core biopsies in neoadjuvant window studies

Background A growing number of studies are assessing the effects of drugs on breast cancers by investigating the molecular changes in tumours between the initial core biopsy taken at diagnosis and the excision specimen removed at surgery 2-3 weeks later. It is imperative to know if molecular profiles of tumours change over time without treatment and to assess whether the core biopsy itself influences the molecular profile. This study aimed to investigate changes in molecular profiles of breast cancer between the initial core biopsy and the excision specimen in patients who had no intervening treatment. Methods 83 patients with paired fresh frozen tissue specimens from an initial diagnostic core biopsy and the later surgical excision biopsy have been studied. Following RNA extraction and processing, Illumina HT-12 BeadArrays were used for gene expression profiling. Samples were analysed for significant changes in gene expression and compared with a large dataset of patients treated with neoadjuvant letrozole. Results Analysis is on-going and results from all patients will be available by December 2013. Pairwise Rank Product analysis (false discovery rate 0.01) of the first 12 patients representing all subtypes of breast cancer (6 ER+, 4 HER2+, 2 triple negative) with a mean interval of 22.9 days (range 15 - 33 days) between specimens, identified 346 down regulated genes. Functional processes represented by these genes were; ribosomes, regulation of cell death and apoptosis, and protein complex biogenesis. Up-regulated processes (236 genes) included functions relating to regulation of transcription, mRNA processing/splicing and ECM remodelling. No consistent changes in a 60 gene immune signature were seen across these 12 patients. Integration of this dataset with a large letrozole-treated dataset, demonstrated that less than 1% of genes that changed on-treatment with letrozole, changed without treatment. Conclusions This is the largest study investigating molecular profiles of the same breast cancer sampled at different times. It has shown: · No consistent changes in expression of genes associated with wound healing and immune response 15-33 days after core biopsy · Stability of the genetic profile of individual tumours despite multiple biopsies · Stability in the genes that are changed by two weeks of treatment with daily letrozole. This study provides definitive evidence of the validity of preoperative or window of opportunity molecular studies and has major implications for investigating the effects of new therapeutic drugs. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P4-05-05.
Growth and form

Styles of Scientific Thought: The German Genetics Community, 1900–1933. By J. Harwood. University of Chicago Press: 1993. Pp. 423. $74.75, £51.95 (hbk); $27.50, £17.95 (pbk).
Meander Bends of High Amplitude

Meander bends of high amplitude in alluvial rivers often display a high degree of coherency. The only analytical equation heretofore available to describe such bends is the sine‐generated curve, which has no rigorous derivation in the context of rivers. Herein a nonlinear “bend equation,” based on a dynamical description of flow in bends and a kinematical description of bank erosion, is used to describe channel migration. This equation admits solutions of constant amplitude that migrate downstream with constant speed. The solution at high amplitude displays a prominent skewing that reveals the direction of flow. At low amplitude, the solution reduces to the sine‐generated curve.
The synthesis and reactivity of polysilylacetylenes: Diels—Alder reactions to give bis (silyl) benzenes

Six bis(silyl)acetylenes (XMe2SiCCSiMe2X) with the following varied silicon substituents X were prepared: 1 (Me, Me); 2 (H, H); 3 (C1, H); 4 (CI, CI); 5 (MeO, H); 6 (MeO, MeO). While 1 and 2 may be prepared by the reaction of dilithio- or bis(bromomagnesium)-acetylide with the appropriate chlorosilane, similar reactions designed to give 3–6 yielded oligomers, XMe2Si(CCSiMe2)nX, 7, X=CI, MeO, as the major products, indicating that the acetylenic functionality on silicon activates the chlorosilane towards nucleophilic substitution. Compounds 3 and 4 were prepared by free radical chlorination of 2. Methanolysis of 3 and 4 gave quantitative yields of 5 and 6 respectively. Compounds 1–6 undergo a Diels–Alder reaction with α-pyrone to produce, after loss of carbon dioxide, bis(silyl)-substituted benzene derivatives. The order of reactivity has been determined to be: 4=6>3=5>1>2, indicating that chloro or alkoxy substituents favor the cycloaddition with 2- pyrone. The adducts formed by compounds 3–6 undergo an unusually facile hydrolysis or elimination to give 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disila-2-oxaindane.
Lie symmetries of the Lorenz model

Abstract We study the generalized symmetries of the Lorenz model to find the parameter values at which one or more time-dependent integrals of motion exist. In these cases the integrals are found trivially from the symmetries themselves. A complete study of the one completely algebraically integrable case shows: (a) the dynamics can be integrated exactly, by reducing it first to a lower-dimensional system; (b) the symmetry vector field is Hamiltonian. These facts hold for other dissipative, completely integrable dynamical systems as well. The analytic study of a natural two-form reveals that it is an entire function of time. The foliation of phase space induced by the two-form for the partially integrable cases has a simple description in terms of the coefficients occurring in the Laurent series expansions of the dependent variables.
Phasic aortocoronary bypass graft blood velocity during ventricular arrhythmias in man

Abstract With use of the Doppler ultrasonic flowmeter catheter, phasic aortocoronary bypass graft blood velocity was measured in 16 conscious subjects during ventricular arrhythmias. Ventricular extrasystoles reduced peak systolic and diastolic graft blood velocities by 20 to 80 percent, generally in relation to their respective coupling intervals. When extrasystoles appeared in closely coupled salvos diastolic bypass blood velocity virtually ceased. Nineteen episodes of ventricular tachycardia produced an average 50 percent decrease in peak graft blood velocity (control mean ±1 standard deviation blood velocity 28 ± 11 cm/sec; value during ventricular tachycardia 14 ± 8 cm/sec, P
Coupling of heat transfer between two natural convection systems separated by a vertical wall

Abstract This paper considers the problem of thermal coupling by conduction through a wall separating two fluid reservoirs at different temperatures. A simple analysis is presented to predict heat transfer between two natural convection systems separated by a wall. Also, experiments have been performed in a test apparatus capable of simultaneous optical observation of the two laminar boundary layers using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Air at atmospheric pressure and near room temperature was used as the test fluid. Reasonably good agreement between the predictions and the experimental data was obtained. It is also shown that the current accepted procedure for predicting overall heat transfer coefficient by neglecting the thermal interaction between the two natural convection systems separated by a wall is appropriate for ordinary fluids.
Flight management system execution of idle-thrust descents in operations

To enable arriving aircraft to fly optimized descents computed by the flight management system (FMS) in congested airspace, ground automation must accurately predict descent trajectories. To support development of the trajectory predictor and its error models, commercial flights executed idle-thrust descents, and the recorded data includes the target speed profile and FMS intent trajectories. The FMS computes the intended descent path assuming idle thrust after top of descent (TOD), and any intervention by the controllers that alters the FMS execution of the descent is recorded so that such flights are discarded from the analysis. The horizontal flight path, cruise and meter fix altitudes, and actual TOD location are extracted from the radar data. Using more than 60 descents in Boeing 777 aircraft, the actual speeds are compared to the intended descent speed profile. In addition, three aspects of the accuracy of the FMS intent trajectory are analyzed: the meter fix crossing time, the TOD location, and the altitude at the meter fix. The actual TOD location is within 5 nmi of the intent location for over 95% of the descents. Roughly 90% of the time, the airspeed is within 0.01 of the target Mach number and within 10 KCAS of the target descent CAS, but the meter fix crossing time is only within 50 sec of the time computed by the FMS. Overall, the aircraft seem to be executing the descents as intended by the designers of the onboard automation.
Hawthorne's MY KINSMAN, MAJOR MOLINEUX

(2007). Hawthorne's MY KINSMAN, MAJOR MOLINEUX. The Explicator: Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 215-217.
Structural phase transitions in two-dimensional Mo- and W-dichalcogenide monolayers.

Mo- and W-dichalcogenide compounds have a two-dimensional monolayer form that differs from graphene in an important respect: it can potentially have more than one crystal structure. Some of these monolayers exhibit tantalizing hints of a poorly understood structural metal-to-insulator transition with the possibility of long metastable lifetimes. If controllable, such a transition could bring an exciting new application space to monolayer materials beyond graphene. Here we discover that mechanical deformations provide a route to switching thermodynamic stability between a semiconducting and a metallic crystal structure in these monolayer materials. Based on state-of-the-art density functional and hybrid Hartree–Fock/density functional calculations including vibrational energy corrections, we discover that MoTe2 is an excellent candidate phase change material. We identify a range from 0.3 to 3% for the tensile strains required to transform MoTe2 under uniaxial conditions at room temperature. The potential for mechanical phase transitions is predicted for all six studied compounds. 2D transition metal dichalcogenide materials can potentially exist in more than one monolayer crystal structure, a feature likely to be useful for electronics that is absent in graphene. Here, the authors present calculations showing that such phase transitions may be readily accessible in MoTe2.
Adsorption of Charged Latex Particles on Mica Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy

Abstract Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to study the localized adsorption of charged latex particles onto a mica substrate with varying adsorption times and solution ionic strengths. Images are obtained by employing tapping mode AFM with silane-treated probes to reduce the intrusive effect of the imaging process on physisorbed particles. The initial kinetics of the adsorption process are found to be diffusion-limited and the long-time asymptotic kinetics are found to resemble those of a random sequential adsorption process. Double-layer screening of interparticle electrostatic repulsions is shown to have a controlling effect on the surface coverage at saturation and, to a lesser degree, on the diffusion-limited rate of adsorption.In situimages of adsorbed layers are compared with those of dried samples to reveal the morphological effects of film evaporation on the microstructure of adsorbed particles. Results show that particles in adsorbed layers of high surface coverage can rearrange into two-dimensional clusters during film evaporation—a phenomenon attributed to capillary forces between particles in near contact. Ordering of particles at the solid–liquid interface is analyzed using two-dimensional radial distribution functions. A high degree of short-range order is found among adsorbed particles when the surface coverage approaches saturation, and a significant reduction in the range of ordering due to double-layer screening of interparticle repulsions is also reflected in the radial distributions.
Analysis of 70 Environmental Protection Agency priority pharmaceuticals in water by EPA Method 1694

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 1694 for the determination of pharmaceuticals in water recently brought a new challenge for treatment utilities, where pharmaceuticals have been reported in the drinking water of 41-million Americans. This proposed methodology, designed to address this important issue, consists of solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) using triple quadrupole. Under the guidelines of Method 1694, a multi-residue method was developed, validated, and applied to wastewater, surface water and drinking water samples for the analysis of 70 pharmaceuticals. Four distinct chromatographic gradients and LC conditions were used according to the polarity and extraction of the different pharmaceuticals. Positive and negative ion electrospray were used with two MRM transitions (a quantifier and a qualifier ion for each compound), which adds extra confirmation not included in the original Method 1694. Finally, we verify, for the first time, EPA Method 1694 on water samples collected in several locations in Colorado, where positive identifications for several pharmaceuticals were found. This study is a valuable indicator of the potential of LC/MS-MS for routine quantitative multi-residue analysis of pharmaceuticals in drinking water and wastewater samples and will make monitoring studies much easier to develop for water utilities across the US, who are currently seeking guidance on analytical methods for pharmaceuticals in their water supplies.
Water sorption in a dextran gel.

Abstract The state of adsorbed water in a dextran gel has been investigated by near-infrared and gravimetric-adsorption techniques. Water-vapor adsorption (desorption) isotherms at three temperatures are reported. The calculated sorption heats are found to be markedly temperature-dependent as well as dependent on the coverage. The near-infrared spectrum (4650–9000 cm-1) is reported, together with tentative assignments. The H2O combination (ν + δ) band at 5184 cm-1 has been examined as a function of relative humidity. The line-shapes of this band have been analyzed by a recently established, Fourier-inversion technique, and information on the microdynamics of the adsorbed water molecules has been resolved on the picosecond time-scale. At low and intermediate degrees of hydration, reorientational jumps take place with periods from four to six times longer than those for free water. The onset of saturation is then accompanied by the sudden removal of the reorientational jumps. A comparison of microdynamical and thermodynamic data indicates the hydration mechanism to be highly cooperative at all relative humidities.
Evaluation of TRMM Ground-Validation Radar-Rain Errors Using Rain Gauge Measurements

Ground-validation (GV) radar-rain products are often utilized for validation of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) spaced-based rain estimates, and hence, quantitative evaluation of the GV radar-rain product error characteristics is vital. This study uses quality-controlled gauge data to compare with TRMM GV radar rain rates in an effort to provide such error characteristics. The results show that significant differences of concurrent radar-gauge rain rates exist at various time scales ranging from 5 min to 1 day, despite lower overall long-term bias. However, the differences between the radar area-averaged rain rates and gauge point rain rates cannot be explained as due to radar error only. The error variance separation method is adapted to partition the variance of radar-gauge differences into the gauge area-point error variance and radar rain estimation error variance. The results provide relatively reliable quantitative uncertainty evaluation of TRMM GV radar rain estimates at various times scales, and are helpful to better understand the differences between measured radar and gauge rain rates. It is envisaged that this study will contribute to better utilization of GV radar rain products to validate versatile spaced-based rain estimates from TRMM, as well as the proposed Global Precipitation Measurement, and other satellites.
Isolation and characterization of flavoredoxin, a new flavoprotein that permits in vitro reconstitution of an electron transfer chain from molecular hydrogen to sulfite reduction in the bacterium Desulfovibrio gigas.

A new FMN-containing fiavoprotein isolated from Desulfovibrio gigas provided maximum coupling efficiency for the reduction of bisulfite from molecular H2. This protein, which is distinct from flavodoxin and for which the name flavoredoxin is proposed, is required for reconstitution of an electron transfer chain between hydrogenase and bisulfite reductase. A Ca2+-binding protein functions as a modulator in the presence of Ca2+ in the process. The finding of a membrane-bound cytochrome c with a molecular weight of 104,000 Da that is also active in this electron transfer chain provides an explanation for the energetic linkage between periplasmic and cytoplasmic proteins in this sulfate-reducing bacterium.
Solid solutions between LaN and Ca3N2 : Defect rock salt nitrides La1-xCaxN1-x/3

La{sub 1-x}Ca{sub x}N{sub 1-x/3} (0 < x < 0.7) has been prepared by reacting LaN with Ca{sub 3}N{sub 2} at temperatures between 1200 and 1300{degrees}C. All the phases have the LaN-like rock-salt structure with no evidence for ordering between La and Ca or of the x/3 N vacancies. The lattice parameters of materials with different compositions lie between those of the isostructural LaN and CaNH according to Vegard law. Ca adopts octahedral coordination in the title compound, in contrast to its tetrahedral coordination geometry in Ca{sub 3}N{sub 2}. The materials are poorly conducting.
Are there single-well hydrogen bonds in pyridine–dichloroacetic acid complexes?

The 18O-induced isotope shifts in 13C NMR spectra of 1:1 complexes of Cl2CHC18O2H with a series of substituted pyridines in CD2Cl2 at low temperature reach a maximum when the acidities of the hydrogen-bond donors are matched, consistent with a mixture of tautomers, and with no drop that would indicate a single-well H-bond.
Tidal current shear in a broad, shallow, river-dominated estuary.

Abstract Approximately one year of current, temperature, salinity and pressure data were collected at a site near the mouth of the Mobile Bay estuary in Alabama. This estuary is broad, shallow (3m) and relatively flat. Diurnal tides account for 85% of the current variance in the lower estuary. Tidal currents have significant vertical shear in both amplitude and direction. The principal diurnal constituents in the lower bay, O 1 and K 1 , have amplitudes that range from 12 to 25 cm/s in the near-surface layer, 9 to 12 cm/s near the bed. The principal axis of the near-surface diurnal ellipse is rotated 30° clockwise relative to the near-bottom ellipse. This strong tidal current shear can exist because the estuary has a strong, persistent, haline stratification maintained by a continuous river input. The cause and strength of the tidal shear depends on a combination of factors, including differential topographic forcing through separate entrances into the bay and spatial and temporal variations in water column stability caused by changes in the magnitude of river flow and wind stress.
Active learning and development assistance

Examines assistance to economic and social development as a problem in knowledge management (KM) and focuses on how the World Bank promotes developmental learning in developing countries. Since much of the knowledge about successful practices is tacit and local, the best model for knowledge transfer is less hub to spokes, or North to South, and more South to South, with the development agency in more of a broker role (instead of a “high priest” disseminating truths). The communication of the context of knowledge requires narrative modes of communication to supplement abstract forms of thought. Concludes that the complexity and uncertainty of development work entails that projects be designed in a highly adaptive learning mode as opposed to a blueprint mode. Shows how the best laid KM plans can be frustrated by organizational “imperatives” and identifies some of those barriers to knowledge‐based development assistance.
Is cervidil appropriate for outpatient cervical ripening

Objective: To determine whether this sustained-release prostaglandin E2 vaginal insert would be appropriate for preinduction cervical ripening on an outpatient basis. Methods: Persons with a valid indication for induction of labor and an unfavorable cervix (Bishop score less than 4) were monitored outside of labor and delivery during a 10-month period. Nursing supervision was not undertaken, and continuous uterine activity and fetal heart rate (FHR) tracings were evaluated during the first 12 hours postdosing. The onset of regular uterine contractions (3 in 10 minutes, lasting 60 seconds or more, with moderate patient discomfort) and the reason for any premature removal of the insert were sought. Results: Regular contractions ensued in 26 (24.3%) of the 111 study cases. Primary reasons for removal of the prostaglandin E2 insert in 31 (27.0%) cases included active labor (19), ruptured membranes (5), uterine hyperstimulation (5), and a nonreassuring FHR tracing (2). The average time from insertion until premature removal was 5.7 hours (95% CI 4.5–6.9 hours). The insert fell out in 6 (5.4%) cases. Conclusion: The high rate of initiating regular contractions and the frequent need for removal of this cervical ripening agent should limit its use to inpatient therapy only.
Predictability of deaf and hearing story paraphrases

The cloze technique was used to study the comparative redundancy of story paraphrases written by deaf and hearing children and the ability of deaf and hearing groups to make use of this redundancy. The experimental groups were composed of 46 profoundly deaf and 46 hearing children matched for reading ability. At the first of two testing sessions each S read a brief story and then rewrote that story in his own words. Following that session, words were periodically deleted from each child's paraphrase and from the original passages. At a second session, each S restored deleted words to one original passage, one deaf paraphrase, and one hearing paraphrase. Hearing Ss found deaf stories significantly less predictable than original or hearing stories. Deaf Ss found different types of material equally predictable. It was hypothesized that differences between deaf and hearing performance were due to the fact that the hearing were better users of English than the deaf and therefore showed greater differentiation between good and poor language samples.
Digestive enzyme activities in carnivores and herbivores: comparisons among four closely related prickleback fishes (Teleostei: Stichaeidae) from a California rocky intertidal habitat

Three digestive enzymes in four species of closely related prickleback fishes (family Stichaeidae: Cebidichthys violaceus, Xiphister mucosus, Xiphister atropurpureus and Anoplarchus purpurescens) were analysed to assess whether diet or phylogeny played a larger role in influencing digestive enzyme activity. Cebidichthys violaceus and X. mucosus are primarily herbivorous, whereas X. atropurpureus and A. purpurescens are mainly carnivorous. The two Xiphister species are sister taxa, and A. purpurescens is in a clade adjacent to that of the three other species. Pepsin and trypsin specific activities did not differ significantly among the four species, but α-amylase activity was significantly higher in the two Xiphister species, followed by C. violaceus, and then A. purpurescens. The wide disparity between the two carnivores, the striking similarity between the two sister taxa, and the significant difference between the two herbivores indicate that activity of α-amylase follows a pattern influenced more by phylogeny than by diet in these fishes.
Gold-coated iron nanoparticles: a novel magnetic resonance agent for T1 and T2 weighted imaging

Core/shell structured iron(Fe)/gold(Au) nanoparticles have been prepared by a reverse micelle method, and their potential application as magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent investigated. The average nanoparticle size is 19 nm, as determined by x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Magnetic properties and relaxivities of nanoparticles are presented and compared. The saturation magnetization is 81 emu g−1 Fe for freshly prepared nanoparticles and the particles have high r1(6.87 mM−1 s−1) when the Fe core is kept from oxidation. These nanoparticles may be used as T1 agents in the unoxidized form.
5-HT2 receptors modulate excitatory neurotransmission to cardiac vagal neurons within the nucleus ambiguus evoked during and after hypoxia.

To examine the role of 5-HT2 receptors in the central cardiorespiratory network, and in particular the respiratory modulation of parasympathetic activity to the heart, we used an in vitro medullary slice that allowed simultaneous examination of rhythmic inspiratory-related activity recorded from hypoglossal rootlet and excitatory inspiratory-related neurotransmission to cardioinhibitory vagal neurons (CVNs) within the nucleus ambiguus (NA). Focal application of ketanserin, a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, did not significantly alter the frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic excitatory currents (EPSCs) in CVNs in control conditions. However, ketanserin diminished spontaneous excitatory neurotransmission to CVNs during hypoxia. The inhibitory action of ketanserin was on 5-HT3 mediated EPSCs during hypoxia since these responses were blocked by the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron. In addition, a robust inspiratory-related excitatory neurotransmission was recruited during recovery from hypoxia. Focal application of ketanserin during this posthypoxia period evoked a significant augmentation of the frequency of inspiratory-related, but not spontaneous EPSCs in CVNs. This excitatory effect of ketanserin was prevented by application of the purinergic receptor blocker pyridoxal-phosphate-6-azophenyl-2′,4′-disulfonic acid (PPADS). These results demonstrate 5-HT2 receptors differentially modulate excitatory neurotransmission to CVNs during and after hypoxia. Activation of 5-HT2 receptors acts to maintain excitatory neurotransmission to CVNs during hypoxia, likely via presynaptic facilitation of 5-HT3 receptor-mediated neurotransmission to CVNs. However, activation of 5HT2 receptors diminishes the subsequent inspiratory-related excitatory neurotransmission to CVNs that is recruited during the recovery from hypoxia likely exerting an inhibitory action on inspiratory-related purinergic signaling.
Turbulence model for rotating flows

A second-moment turbulence closure model of the type widely used in modeling geophysical flows is extended to include the effects of rotation on turbulence. The model is the product of a systematic scaling analysis of the Reynolds stress equations in terms of deviations from local isotropy. Both spanwise and axial rotation cases are considered. The model is shown to be conceptually equivalent to, but more self-consistent than, the turbulence models widely used in the simulation of flows in turbomachinery. It is also shown that rotation imparts tensorial properties to eddy viscosity. In the limit of analytically tractable local equilibrium approximation, interesting effects such as complete suppression of turbulence are readily revealed. It is shown that at sufficiently strong destabilizing spanwise rotation, destabilization gives way to restabilization, leading to eventual suppression of turbulence. Also Monin-Obukhov-type similarity theory is applied to the constant flux region of rotating turbulent boundary layers.
Models of Palliative Care Services

tion of Medication for Pain Relief” offers the reader a nice overview of pain management practices in pediatrics, which only falls short in its discussion of the use of regional analgesia techniques in children. Overall, this short volume falls rather short of its obviously intended goals. The practicing pediatrician will not acquire the information needed to effectively serve as the well-informed intermediary between families of children about to undergo a procedure and the anesthesiologists who will interact with these families for a few minutes before surgery. On the other hand, a brief text like this is sorely needed and I would hope that, in time, adequate revision could take place to produce a polished and refined product.
Executive Function Coaching for College Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD: A New Approach for Fostering Self‐Determination

Given growing numbers of college students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or learning disabilities (LD), it is important to understand why these students choose ADD (“executive function”) coaching to enhance their academic success when more traditional forms of campus support already offer this help. Fifty-four undergraduates with ADHD and/or LD participated in a study of their experiences with coaching. To better understand students’ perspectives on the manner in which coaching helped them minimize executive function challenges while addressing academic goals, a purposive sample of seven of these students participated in two interviews. All seven described highly self-determined approaches to goal attainment that they associated with coaching. These students also reported that, in contrast to traditional campus services, coaching focused primarily on supporting their emerging autonomy, helping them develop and manage their executive function skills and promoting their self-efficacy and confidence about future success. Findings are linked to recommendations for additional research and service delivery options.
Information and scheduling in a dual resource constrained job shop

In today's job shop, computers make information readily available, but there is limited research about which information to use and how to use it controlling a dual resource constrained (DRC) job shop. We develop and test new order review/ release (ORR) job dispatching and labour assignment rules that use different types of information. We compare the performance of a naive ORR rule (i.e., releasing all jobs immediately upon receipt) and other rules in the literature which use little information to a new ORR rule, modified load conversion (MLC), which uses all the available information. Our tests demonstrate that MLC performs better than the other ORR rules we tested. But the new job dispatching and labour assignment rules developed to use different types of information do not significantly improve performance. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates that although the shop performance is sensitive to the cost structure for every policy tested, the new MLC ORR rule performs well over a wide range of cost struc...
Metformin treatment lowers asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract This study was initiated to see if plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) concentrations decreased in hyperglycemic patients with type 2 diabetes following metformin treatment, either as monotherapy or following its addition to sulfonylurea-treated patients. Fasting plasma glucose, dimethylarginine, and L -arginine concentrations were measured before and 3 months after the administration of a maximally effective dose of metformin to 31 patients with type 2 diabetes in poor glycemic control (fasting plasma concentrations [gt ] 9.7 mmol/L), while being treated with either diet (n = 16) or a maximal amount of a sulfonylurea compound (n = 15). Fasting plasma glucose concentration (mean [plusmn] SEM) decreased to a similar degree ( P [lt ] .01) in patients treated with either metformin alone (12.4 [plusmn] 0.5 to 9.5 [plusmn] 0.5 mmol/L) or when it was added to a sulfonylurea compound (14.1 [plusmn] 0.5 to 10.6 [plusmn] 0.9 mmol/L). The improvement in glycemic control was associated with similar decreases ( P [lt ] .01) in ADMA concentrations in metformin (1.65 [plusmn] 0.21 to 1.18 [plusmn] 0.13 [mu ]mol/L) and sulfonylurea + metformin-treated patients (1.75 [plusmn] 0.13 to 1.19 [plusmn] 0.08 [mu ]mol/L). Plasma L -arginine concentrations were similar in the 2 groups at baseline and did not change in response to metformin. Thus, metformin treatment was associated with a favorable increase in the plasma L -arginine/ADMA ratio. These results provide the first evidence that plasma ADMA concentrations decrease in association with improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes and demonstrate that the magnitude of the change in metformin-treated patients was similar, irrespective of whether it was used as monotherapy or in combination with sulfonylurea treatment.
Predicting the impacts of urbanization on riparian bird communities

In 1995, birds were surveyed in riparian woodlands along a gradient of urbanization in the Santa Clara Valley, CA, USA, in order to determine the relationships between riparian bird communities and urbanization. Bird species richness and density decreased at a location as the number of bridges near that location increased and as the volume of native vegetation decreased. Species richness also increased as the distance to the nearest building and the width of the riparian habitat increased. Canonical correspondence analysis confirmed that bird community structure was influenced strongly by these variables. Many individual species responded significantly to variables associated with urbanization, most having lower densities on more urbanized sites. Whereas previous studies have demonstrated substantial effects of urbanization on bird communities in the habitats being directly altered, this study indicates that urbanization on lands adjacent to intact riparian woodlands has substantial impacts on riparian bird communities.
Designing Effective Organizations: How to Create Structured Networks

The article presents a review of the book “Designing Effective Organizations: How to Create Structured Networks,” by Michael Goold and Andrew Campbell.
Self-Focusing of 10.6-μm Radiation in an Underdense Plasma

Self-focusing filaments have been observed in a long-scale-length plasma irradiated with a 10.6-\ensuremath{\mu}m beam containing hot spots. Filaments were observed by use of Thomson scattering from electron plasma waves produced by two-plasmon decay in the walls of the filament, and Fresnel reflection of a visible probe beam from the density discontinuity at the filament boundary.
Detection of Protein Phosphorylation in Tissues and Cells

Phosphorylation is one of the principal regulatory mechanisms in the nervous system. Several different procedures used to characterize the phosphorylation state of neuronal proteins are described in this unit, including analysis of phosphorylation in situ, phosphoamino acid analysis, and phosphopeptide map analysis. In addition, there is a protocol describing in vitro phosphorylation of fusion proteins. These methods are often combined to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the phosphorylation state of a particular protein.
Hypothyroidism as a risk factor for statin intolerance

Background Three-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) are one of the most commonly prescribed classes of medications because of their proven cardiovascular benefits. However, statin intolerance occurs in 5% to 20% of patients. Understanding the basis for statin intolerance remains a key issue in preventive medicine. Objectives To evaluate the association of statin intolerance with hypothyroidism in a large integrated health care system, including its sex-specific relationship and subsequent statin rechallenge and prescription history. Methods The Intermountain Healthcare electronic medical record database identified patients (n = 2686; males = 1276, females = 1410) with a documentation of intolerance ("allergy") to at least 1 statin. Age and sex similar controls (n = 8103; males = 3892, females = 4211) were identified among patients prescribed statins without documented intolerance. Patients were evaluated for a history of hypothyroidism, development of hypothyroidism, and statin prescription history up to 5 years of follow-up. Results A total of 30.2% patients (210 males, 16.5%; 602 females, 42.7%) with statin intolerance had a history of hypothyroidism compared with 21.5% of statin-tolerant patients (475 males, 12.2%; 1266 females, 30.1%), for an odds ratio (OR) in the total population of 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34–1.65; P P = .001); in females, OR was 1.60 (CI 1.41–1.82; P P = .002). Conclusions Hypothyroidism is more prevalent in those with statin intolerance, both in males and, especially, in females. People with hypothyroidism are less likely to have a prescription for a statin at follow-up than those without hypothyroidism.
Notionally Defined Contributions or Private Accounts in Eastern Europe: A Reconsideration of a Consecrated Argument on Pension Reform

This article is concerned with what determines a government’s choice of pension reform. It starts from an argument by Myles and Pierson that claims that the newer pension systems are able to privat...
FTI — DEX and integrated surface surveillance

• FTI provides enterprise infrastructure, intranet services for the FAA — FTI provides an all digital, ubiquitous network across FAA Enterprise — Delivers mission critical communications between FAA systems — FTI enables highly secure, any-to-any FAA communications — FTI provides the basis for net-centric operations for the NAS — SWIM offers operational improvements via FAA-wide information exchange • Common services required for all systems needing access to enterprise informattiion • Net-centric infrastructure creates “data network” for access to information exchange
Decision-Making with Unbounded Loss Functions

We consider the problem of decision-making under uncertainty with unbounded loss functions. Inspired by PAC learning model, we use a slightly different model that incorporates the notion of side information in a more generic form to make it applicable to a broader class of applications including system identification and parameter estimation. We address sufficient conditions for consistent decision-making as well as exponential convergence behavior. In this regard, besides a requirement on the growth function of the class of loss functions, it suffices to have a dominating function whose Orlicz expectation is uniformly bounded over the probabilistic model. Decay exponent, decay rate, and sample complexity for expected risk minimization decision policy are discussed, as well.
An immediate effect of custom-made ankle foot orthoses on postural stability in older adults

article i nfo Article history: Received 3 April 2014 Accepted 15 October 2014 Background:Footandankle problemsare highlyprevalentfallrisksinthe elderly.Anklefootorthosesdesignedto stabilizethefootandankleshavebeenstudiedwithinspecificpatientgroups,buttheirefficacywithalessrestric- tive elderlypopulationisunknown.Thisstudy investigatedifcustom-madeankle footorthosesimprovepostural stability in older adults. Methods:Thirtyambulatoryolderadultsaveraged73(standarddeviation=6.5)yearscompletedRomberg'sbal- ance (eyes-open/eyes-closed), functional reach, and Timed Up and Go tests while wearing validated kinematic sensors. Each test was completed in standardized shoes with and without bilateral orthoses. Additionally, bare- foot trials were conducted for the Romberg's and functional reach tests. Findings:Comparedtothe barefootand 'shoesalone'conditions,the orthosesreducedcenterofmass swayon av- erage by 49.0% (P = 0.087) and 40.7% (P = 0.005) during eyes-open balance trials. The reduction was amplified during the eyes-closed trials with average reductions of 65.9% (P = 0.000) and 47.8% (P = 0.004), compared to barefoot and 'shoes alone' conditions. The orthoses did not limit functional reach distance nor timed-up and go completion times. However, the medial-lateral postural coordination while reaching was improved significantly with orthoses compared to barefoot (14.3%; P = 0.030) and 'shoes alone' (13.5%; P =0 .039) conditions. Interpretation: Ankle foot orthoses reduced postural sway and improved lower extremity coordination in the el- derly participants without limiting their ability to perform a standard activity of daily living. Additional studies are required to determine if these benefits are retained and subsequently translate into fewer falls. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license