cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tracking molecular particles in live cells using fuzzy rule-based system

Recent development of detection techniques of molecular particles in live cells has stimulated interest in developing the new powerful techniques to track the molecular particles in live cells. One special type of cellular microscopy images is about the formation and transportation of clathrin-coated pits and vesicles. Clathrin-coated pits are very important in studying the behavior of proteins and lipids in live cells. To answer the question, whether there exist “hot spots” for the formation of Clathrin-coated pits or the pits and arrays formed randomly on the plasma membrane, it is necessary to track many hundreds of individual pits dynamically in live-cell microscope movies to capture and monitor how pits and vesicles were formed. Therefore, a motion correspondence algorithm based on fuzzy rule-based system is proposed to resolve the problem of ambiguous association encountered in these dynamic, live-cell images of clathrin assemblies. Results show that this method can accurately track most of the particles in the high volume images. © 2007 International Society for Analytical Cytology
Scale and uncertainty in modeled soil organic carbon stock changes for US croplands using a process‐based model

Process-based model analyses are often used to estimate changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), particularly at regional to continental scales. However, uncertainties are rarely evaluated, and so it is difficult to determine how much confidence can be placed in the results. Our objective was to quantify uncertainties across multiple scales in a process-based model analysis, and provide 95% confidence intervals for the estimates. Specifically, we used the Century ecosystem model to estimate changes in SOC stocks for US croplands during the 1990s, addressing uncertainties in model inputs, structure and scaling of results from point locations to regions and the entire country. Overall, SOC stocks increased in US croplands by 14.6 Tg C yr -1 from 1990 to 1995 and 17.5 Tg C yr -1 during 1995 to 2000, and uncertainties were ± 22% and ± 16% for the two time periods, respectively. Uncertainties were inversely related to spatial scale, with median uncertainties at the regional scale estimated at ± 118% and ± 114% during the early and latter part of 1990s, and even higher at the site scale with estimates at ± 739% and ± 674% for the time periods, respectively. This relationship appeared to be driven by the amount of the SOC stock change; changes in stocks that exceeded 200 Gg C yr -1 represented a threshold where uncertainties were always lower than ±100%. Consequently, the amount of uncertainty in estimates derived from process-based models will partly depend on the level of SOC accumulation or loss. In general, the majority of uncertainty was associated with model structure in this application, and so attaining higher levels of precision in the estimates will largely depend on improving the model algorithms and parameterization, as well as increasing the number of measurement sites used to evaluate the structural uncertainty.
A CRACKED COLUMN UNDER COMPRESSION

Abstract A crack reduces the flexural rigidity of a column. The effects of the reduced rigidity on the load carrying capacity, the deflection, and the fracture load of a slender column with a single-edge crack have been studied based on the column theory together with the well-known relationship between the compliance and the stress intensity factor of a cracked beam. A crack reduces the load carrying capacity and increases the lateral deflection of a column under an eccentric compressive load. The calculated deflection agrees very well with the values measured by Liebowitz, Vanderveldt and Harris. The increased lateral deflection increases the bending moment at the cracked section. The bending stress intensity factor of a cracked column was also calculated, with the increased bending moment taken into consideration. The net stress intensity factor at the crack tip is the difference between the bending and the compression stress intensity factors. The fracture toughness value obtained from cracked columns agree reasonably well with the value obtained from cracked plate. This study indicates that the superposition of stress intensity factors of the same mode is valid.
“Equivalent Sample Size” and “Equivalent Degrees of Freedom” Refinements for Inference Using Survey Weights under Superpopulation Models

Abstract A number of procedures have been proposed to attack different inference problems for data drawn from a survey with a complex sample design (i.e., a design that entails unequal weighting). Most procedures either are based on finite-population assumptions or require the specification of an explicit model using a superpopulation rationale. Herein we propose some relatively simple approximate procedures that are based on a superpopulation model. They provide valid variance estimators, test statistics, and confidence intervals that allow for sample design effects as expressed by design weights and other weights. The procedures do not rely on conditioning on model elements such as covariates to adjust for design effects. Instead, we obtain estimators by rescaling sample weights to sum to the equivalent sample size (equal to sample size divided by design effect). Using weighted estimators for superpopulation models, we obtain approximations to confidence bounds on the mean for simple sampling situations...
Interaction of bed-parallel stylolites and extension veins in boudinage

Abstract A form of discontinuous boudinage (styloboudinage) involves extension along and shortening across layers due to the contemporaneous development of extension veins and localized bed-parallel stylolites. Styloboudins develop under anchimetamorphic conditions and occur in the thinnest parts of hummocky-bedded limestone layers enclosed by calcareous mudrock within the Martinsburg Formation of southwest Virginia, U.S.A. They show complex subfabrics defined by sets of orthogonal veins and stylolites. The boudins are late-stage deformation structures associated with reactivation of early bed-parallel stylolites and development of bed-normal calcite veins. Pressure-solution shortening across these stylolites is 10–15% whereas finite elongations recorded by veins ranges from 40–70% in thin parts to 10–25% in the widest parts of layers. Latest pull-apart and veining in some cases utilized existing stylolites at high angles to bedding.
Epidemic Breakpoint: Confronting HIV/AIDS in Russia's Regions

Comparative study of four Russian regions suggests that "horizontal" approaches involving regional-level actors and NGOs may foster more comprehensive and flexible strategies for not only combating but also preventing infections with HIV/AIDS.
Universality of massive scalar field late-time tails in black-hole spacetimes

The late-time tails of a massive scalar field in the spacetime of black holes are studied numerically. Previous analytical results for a Schwarzschild black hole are confirmed: The late-time behavior of the field as recorded by a static observer is given by $\ensuremath{\psi}(t)\ensuremath{\sim}{t}^{\ensuremath{-}5/6}\mathrm{sin}[\ensuremath{\omega}(t)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}t],$ where $\ensuremath{\omega}(t)$ depends weakly on time. This result is carried over to the case of a Kerr black hole. In particular, it is found that the power-law index of $\ensuremath{-}5/6$ depends on neither the multipole mode $\mathcal{l}$ nor on the spin rate of the black hole $a/M.$ In all black hole spacetimes, massive scalar fields have the same late-time behavior irrespective of their initial data (i.e., angular distribution). Their late-time behavior is universal.
Single-molecule dynamics of conformational changes in flavin adenine dinucleotide

Dynamic conformational changes of the prosthetic group, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), in flavoprotein NADH peroxidase (Npx), in thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), and in free solution were monitored with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. FAD bound loosely in the proteins changed from the stacked conformation to the unstacked conformation upon laser excitation. On the other hand, our results show that FAD in free solution not only underwent conformational changes but also reacted with each other to form a dimer.
Sex and the chromosomes in the domestic fowl (gallus Domesticus)

The chromosome number in the domestic fowl is approximately thirty-five or thirty-six. It is difficult to determine the exact number, owing to the smallness of the shortest chromosomes of the complex and also to the tendency of the chromomeres to occasionally appear as discrete chromosomes rather than as parts of a whole. Difficulty experienced in fixing adult testes has prevented a satisfactory demonstration of all stages of spermatogenesis. However, satisfactorily preserved prophases of first spermatocytes have been observed which, together with the large amount of embryonic material available, have made it possible to work out the behavior of the sex-associated chromosomes with reasonable certainty. Measurements of the chromosomes indicate that the longest chromosome in the cell is single in the female and paired in the male. Two classes of eggs are therefore possible—one with and one without this long chromosome, while all the spermatozoa produced are alike in possessing the long chromatic element. The female is therefore heterozygous and the male homozygous in regard to this chromosome which affords a cytological parallel for the genetic evidence of the heterozygosity of the female.
Amyloid‐β oligomers impair fear conditioned memory in a calcineurin‐dependent fashion in mice

Soluble oligomeric aggregates of the amyloid-beta (A beta) peptide are believed to be the most neurotoxic A beta species affecting the brain in Alzheimer disease (AD), a terminal neurodegenerative disorder involving severe cognitive decline underscored by initial synaptic dysfunction and later extensive neuronal death in the CNS. Recent evidence indicates that A beta oligomers are recruited at the synapse, oppose expression of long-term potentiation (LTP), perturb intracellular calcium balance, disrupt dendritic spines, and induce memory deficits. However, the molecular mechanisms behind these outcomes are only partially understood; achieving such insight is necessary for the comprehension of A beta-mediated neuronal dysfunction. We have investigated the role of the phosphatase calcineurin (CaN) in these pathological processes of AD. CaN is especially abundant in the CNS, where it is involved in synaptic activity, LTP, and memory function. Here, we describe how oligomeric A beta treatment causes memory deficits and depresses LTP expression in a CaN-dependent fashion. Mice given a single intracerebroventricular injection of A beta oligomers exhibited increased CaN activity and decreased pCREB, a transcription factor involved in proper synaptic function, accompanied by decreased memory in a fear conditioning task. These effects were reversed by treatment with the CaN inhibitor FK506. We further found that expression of hippocampal LTP in acutely cultured rodent brain slices was opposed by A beta oligomers and that this effect was also reversed by FK506. Collectively, these results indicate that CaN activation may play a central role in mediating synaptic and memory disruption induced by acute oligomeric A beta treatment in mice.
Effects of Tracking by Armored Vehicles on Townsend's Ground Squirrels in the Orchard Training Area, Idaho, USA

) prey. These changes could occur directly or as a result of changes in the vegetation available as food and cover for the ground squirrels. We assessed the effects of long-term tracking by armored vehicles by comparing 9-ha areas in sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) -dominated shrubsteppe and bluegrass (Poa secunda) -dominated grasslands subjected to low-intensity tracking for ∼50 years with others that had not been tracked. We did not detect any effect on ground squirrel population dynamics associated with long-term tracking. Although densities of adults and juveniles tended to be higher in the areas exposed to such tracking, we attribute this difference to other factors that varied spatially. To determine short-term (two-year) effects, we experimentally tracked two sagebrush and two grassland sites with an M-1 tank after animals had begun their inactive season. In the following two active seasons we monitored squirrel demography and behavior and vegetative characteristics on the experimentally tracked sites and compared the results with control sites. Although we experimentally tracked ∼33% of the surface of each of four sites where ground squirrel densities were assessed, the tracking had a detectable effect only on some herbaceous perennials and did not influence ground squirrel densities or behavior significantly during the subsequent two active seasons. We conclude that tracking after the start of the inactive season is likely to influence ground squirrel demography or behavior only if vegetation cover is substantially changed by decreasing coverage of preferred food plants or increasing the coverage of annual grasses and forbs that are succulent for only a short time each year.
HBr catalyzed photoisomerization of allyl halides

Abstract The gas phase bond isomerizations of allyl fluoride, allyl chloride, and allyl bromide to the corresponding 1-halo-1-propenes have been studied. HBr and ultraviolet light catalyze the reaction very effectively in the temperature range 150 to 250 °C and at pressures of about 5 to 50 Torr. The equilibrium constants for the reactions of allyl halide to give 1-halo-1-propene have been determined as functions of temperature for the three halides, and activation energies and enthalpy differences have been calculated. New determinations of the cis/trans ratios of the 1-halo-1-propenes have been made and found to be essentially independent of the halogen in the halopropene.
Bioinformatic Analysis of the Role of Intrinsic Disorder in Multiple Specificity

Several lines of evidence suggest that intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are a common mechanism used by nature to mediate protein-protein interactions. IDPs lack a stable three-dimensional structure under physiological conditions and many such proteins have been characterized by several biophysical methods. Additionally, IDPs are estimated to be abundant within various proteomes, particularly eukaryotes, and carry out a variety of molecular functions without the prerequisite of a specific, stable structure. It is thought that IDPs can facilitate protein interactions through an ability to mediate binding diversity, where one of the proposed mechanisms for this is multiple specificity - i.e. recognition of multiple molecular partners through use of the same binding residues - through contextual folding of IDPs.In previous work, two contrasting examples of proteins with multiple binding specificity were examined, 14-3-3ζ and p53, which exemplify the potential of intrinsic disorder for mediating protein interactions. 14-3-3ζ has a structured domain with a single binging pocket that is responsible for the binding of various protein partners through interaction with sequence divergent intrinsically disordered segments in these partners. In contrast, the disordered termini of p53 contain discrete regions that are each involved in many interactions with different protein partners, where these interactions carry out and regulate p53 function. The common theme in both of these examples is structural variability in the bound state that is enabled by intrinsic disorder in one of the partners in the unbound state.In current work, the previous analysis is expanded to many other examples of proteins that interact with multiple partners using a common binding site. These data support the conjecture that intrinsic disorder enables binding to multiple partners and provides detailed information about induced fit in structured regions.
Correlation-induced spectral changes in tissues

We report experimental evidence of correlation-induced spectral changes in biological tissues. The overall spectral shift in our transmission measurements is to the red and the mean wavelength of the original spectrum is up 10% larger. These results indicate that the spectral changes due to elastic scattering are significant and likely to hinder all spectroscopic measurements based on the inelastic (i.e., emission and absorption) interaction between light and tissues. Thus, simultaneous morphology and spectral measurements are required for accurate measurements spectroscopic information.
Nonergodic Corruption Dynamics (or, Why Do Some Regions within a Country Become More Corrupt than Others?)

Two key aspects of corruption are strategic complementarity (the greater the prevailing level of corruption, the more likely is a particular agent to engage in it) and localized interactions (officials typically interact repeatedly with a small group of other officials, their colleagues). This paper builds a simple model with these two features, which studies the evolution of corruption. Over time, local networks of corruption (or honest behavior) endogenously emerge, and otherwise identical regions can end up with divergent corruption levels. Anti-corruption policies are studied.
The discovery of microsatellite markers for Hardenbergia violacea (Fabaceae), using next-generation sequencing

Hardenbergia violacea is a climbing to prostrate shrub endemic to woodlands in the south east of Australia. We used next generation sequencing to develop a species-specific primer set. We obtained 106,529 reads in FASTA format with an average read length of 548 bp. DNA was successfully amplified for 20 markers and eight markers were characterized. The degree of polymorphism of these loci was tested on 95 samples from five populations. The total number of alleles ranged from two to 11 and observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.0 to 0.807 and 0.0 to 0.933, respectively. Inbreeding coefficients were highly variable among populations, suggesting a mixture of selfing and outcrossing in nature. The characterized loci will be useful for studies of population structure, gene flow, mating systems, and the conservation and selection of provenances for restoration projects in degraded habitats.
Rubbery Block Copolymer Electrolytes for Solid‐State Rechargeable Lithium Batteries

For nearly 20 years, poly(ethylene oxide)-based materials have been researched for use as electrolytes in solid-state rechargeab le lithium batteries. Technical obstacles to commercialization derive from the inability to satisfy simultaneously the electrical and mechanical performance requirements: high ionic conductivity along with resistance to flow. Herein, the synthesis and characterization of a series of poly(lauryl methacrylate)- b-poly[oligo(oxyethylene) methacrylate]-based block copolymer electrolytes (BCEs) are reported. With both blocks in the rubbery state (i.e., having glass transition temperatures well below room temperatu re) these materials exhibit improved conductivities over those of glassy-rubbery block copolymer systems. Dynamic rheological testing verifies that these materials are dimensionally stable, whereas cyclic voltammetry shows them to be electrochemically stable over a wide potential window, i.e., up to 5 V at 55 8C. A solid-state rechargeable lithium battery was constructed by laminating lithium metal, BCE, and a composite cathode composed of particles of LiAl0.25Mn0.75O2 (monoclinic), carbon black, and graphite in a BCE binder. Cycle testing showed the Li/BCE/LiAl0.25Mn0.75O2 battery to have a high reversible capacity and good capacity
Accurate myocardial T1 measurements: toward quantification of myocardial blood flow with arterial spin labeling.

In this study, we investigated a method for accurately measuring myocardial T1 for the quantification of myocardial blood flow (MBF) with arterial spin labeling (ASL). A single-shot gradient-echo (GE)-based ASL sequence with an adiabatic hyperbolic secant inversion recovery pulse was modified to acquire a pair of myocardial T1's within a breath-hold. A multivariable regression algorithm that accounted for the magnetization saturation effects was developed to calculate T1. The MBF was then determined with a well-developed model. The accuracy of our T1 calculation was first evaluated in a phantom, and then in six dogs for the MBF calculation, with (N = 4) and without (N = 2) coronary artery stenosis. In the phantom study, the accuracy of T1 measured with a slice-selective inversion prepared pulse was within 2.5% of error. In healthy dogs, the MBF increased 2–5 times during vasodilation. In contrast, regional differences of MBF were well visualized in the stenotic dogs during vasodilation (perfusion reserve of 2.75 ± 0.83 in normal myocardium, and 1.46 ± 0.75 in the stenotic area). A correlation analysis revealed a close agreement in MBF between the ASL and microsphere (MS) in both healthy and stenotic dogs. In summary, the modified ASL technique and T1 regression algorithm proposed here provide an accurate measurement of myocardial T1 and demonstrate potential for reliably assessing MBF at steady state. Magn Reson Med 53:1135–1142, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Structure of the DSM-IV personality disorders as revealed in clinician ratings.

Abstract The revisions proposed for the DSM-5 would greatly alter how personality pathology is conceptualized, assessed, and diagnosed. One aspect of the proposed changes, elimination of four current personality disorders, has raised considerable controversy. The present study attempts to inform this debate by exploring clinicians’ views of the structure of Personality Disorders using the current diagnostic system, the DSM-IV. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the DSM-IV Personality Disorder criteria using clinician ratings for 280 patients. The factor analysis revealed eight clear and meaningful factors. The eight factors contained all six personality disorders proposed for retention in DSM-5 but also contained clear representations of two disorders (Paranoid and Schizoid) identified for removal from the system. These conditions appear to have clinical utility and their removal may have unintended negative consequences in clinical practice. Dependent and Avoidant criteria also merged to form a new construct with interesting clinical implications. These findings provide new insights into the complex typologies clinicians employ when applying the DSM-IV system to personality disordered patients. Lastly we argue that successful refinement of clinically significant constructs, like diagnostic systems, requires a balanced appraisal of evidence for clinical utility as well as external and internal validity.
Optimization of a middle atmosphere diagnostic scheme

Abstract A new assimilative diagnostic scheme based on the use of a spectral model was recently tested on the CIRA-86 empirical model. It reproduced the observed climatology with an annual global rms temperature deviation of 3.2 K in the 15–110 km layer. The most important new component of the scheme is that the zonal forcing necessary to maintain the observed climatology is diagnosed from empirical data and subsequently substituted into the simulation model at the prognostic stage of the calculation in an annual cycle mode. The simulation results are then quantitatively compared with the empirical model, and the above mentioned rms temperature deviation provides an objective measure of the ‘distance’ between the two climatologies. This quantitative criterion makes it possible to apply standard optimization procedures to the whole diagnostic scheme and/or the model itself. The estimates of the zonal drag have been improved in this study by introducing a nudging (Newtonian-cooling) term into the thermodynamic equation at the diagnostic stage. A proper optimal adjustment of the strength of this term makes it possible to further reduce the rms temperature deviation of simulations down to approximately 2.7 K. These results suggest that direct optimization can successfully be applied to atmospheric model parameter identification problems of moderate dimensionality.
Electric Field Alignment of Asymmetric Diblock Copolymer Thin Films

The electric field alignment of cylindrical microdomains in diblock copolymer thin films was studied using small-angle neutron scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The alignment process was followed with the block copolymer films in different initial states. Starting from a poorly ordered state, the cylindrical microdomain orientation was biased by the surface field that initially drove the cylindrical microdomains to be oriented parallel to the film surface. With further annealing, the cylinders were disrupted locally and formed ellipsoid-shaped microdomains that, with time, connected into cylindrical microdomains oriented in the field direction. Starting from an ordered state with cylinders parallel to the surface, the applied electric field enhanced fluctuations at the interfaces of the microdomains. The growth of the fluctuations continued until the cylindrical microdomains broke up into spherical microdomains, similar to that seen in the thermoreversible cylinder-to-sphere order−order tra...
Using management software for geographic information systems (GIS)

Geographic information systems (GIS) are the most complex of several systems available for manipulating and mapping spatially referenced data, but it requires a lot of training and user assistance. Through adapting GIS to the desktop environment, software companies have created many options for mapping data which can be incorporated into library services. As the formatting of information, especially government information, becomes more electronic, these mapping services will become increasingly important to library services, library staff training and managing library users.
Lift Force Control of Flapping-Wing Microrobots Using Adaptive Feedforward Schemes

This paper introduces a methodology for designing real-time controllers capable of enforcing desired trajectories on microrobotic insects in vertical flight and hovering. The main idea considered in this work is that altitude control can be translated into a problem of lift force control. Through analyses and experiments, we describe the proposed control strategy, which is fundamentally adaptive with some elements of model-based control. In order to test and explain the method for controller synthesis and tuning, a static single-wing flapping mechanism is employed in the collection of experimental data. The fundamental issues relating to the stability, performance, and stability robustness of the resulting controlled system are studied using the notion of an input-output linear time-invariant (LTI) equivalent system, which is a method for finding an internal model principle (IMP) based representation of the considered adaptive laws, using basic properties of the z-transform. Empirical results validate the suitability of the approach chosen for designing controllers and for analyzing their fundamental properties.
Structure-Function Analysis of Squirrel Monkey FK506-Binding Protein 51, a Potent Inhibitor of Glucocorticoid Receptor Activity

FK506-binding protein 51 (FKBP51) and FKBP52 are large molecular weight immunophilins that are part of the mature glucocorticoid receptor (GR) heterocomplex. These proteins possess peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) and tetratricopeptide repeats (TPR) domains that are important for modulation of GR activity. A naturally occurring animal model of glucocorticoid resistance, the squirrel monkey, results from the relative overexpression of FKBP51 that renders the GR in a low-affinity state. In vitro studies demonstrated that the squirrel monkey form of FKBP51 is greater than 6-fold more potent than human FKBP51 in this respect. The goals of these studies were to determine the roles of the TPR and PPIase domains in the inhibitory activity of squirrel monkey FKBP51 and to gain insight into structural features of squirrel monkey FKBP51 responsible for potent inhibition of dexamethasone-stimulated GR activity. Mutations in the TPR of squirrel monkey FKBP51 that inhibit association with heat shock protein 90 blocked GR inhibitory activity. Mutations that abrogate the PPIase activity of squirrel monkey FKBP51 had no effect on GR inhibitory activity. Chimeras of squirrel monkey and human FKBP51 were tested to identify domains responsible for their different inhibitory potencies. Amino acid differences in domains FK1 and FK2 between squirrel monkey and human FKBP51 contribute equally to the enhanced inhibitory activity of squirrel monkey FKBP51. Furthermore, squirrel monkey FKBP51 in which either FK1 or FK2 was deleted lacked GR inhibitory activity. Thus, the potent inhibitory activity of squirrel monkey FKBP51 involves both FK domains and the heat shock protein 90-binding TPR domain.
Aplastic anemia in cats — clinicopathological features and associated disease conditions 1996–2004

A retrospective study of 128 feline bone marrow reports identified 13 cases of aplastic anemia. Clinical diagnoses included chronic renal failure (n=5), feline leukemia virus infection (n=2), hyperthyroidism treated with methimazole (n=1) and idiopathic aplastic anemia (n=5). In some cats, starvation may play a role in the development of marrow aplasia. Some cats with aplastic anemia can have prolonged survival without resolution of the pancytopenia.
Variational description of the positive column with two‐step ionization

The ionization balance in diffusion-dominated discharges may depend on both one- and two-step ionization processes. The Spenke diffusion equation describing such conditions is solved in this paper by the Rayleigh-Ritz variational method. Simple analytic approximations to the density profile, and the similarity relation between the equation parameter, and the discharge dimensions, are derived for planar and cylindrical geometry and compared with exact computations for certain limiting cases.
48 Hour Multiaxial Creep and Creep Recovery of 2618 Aluminum Alloy at 200°C

Abstract : Data are reported from 48 hour constant multiaxial stress creep followed by 48 hour recovery with the magnitudes of the effective stress ranging from 34.5 MPa (5.00 ksi) to 175.5 MPa (25.46 ksi). They differed from a previous data set in the much longer constant-stress durations and the inclusion of data from low stress creep, compression creep and short term aging tests. Data were represented by a viscous-viscoelastic model in which the time-dependent strain was resolved int recoverable and nonrecoverable components. (Author)
Development and validation of the Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale (CEBRACS)

The goal of the current investigation was to develop and validate a measure to assess an individual's eating-related behaviors related to alcohol consumption, specifically behaviors intended to compensate for calories so that more alcohol could be consumed or restrict calories to enhance the psychoactive effects of alcohol consumption. Two hundred and seventy four undergraduate students (n=51 males; 75.2% Caucasian) completed a newly developed scale, the Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale (CEBRACS), along with measures of eating restriction, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction. An exploratory factor analysis on the CEBRACS revealed the existence of 4 clear-cut factors: alcohol effects, bulimia, dieting and exercise, and restriction. Internal consistency statistics for all subscales ranged from .79 to .95. Pearson product-moment correlations between the CEBRACS and measures of bulimia, restriction, and body dissatisfaction ranged from .04 to .44. T-tests revealed no gender differences in compensatory eating behaviors. Future research directions and limitations of the current study are discussed.
Surface carbon and its effects on hydrogen adsorption on Rh(100)

Abstract Hydrogen gas was used as a probe to investigate the distribution of adsorption sites and their blocking by a submonolayer of carbon on a Rh(100) surface in ultra-high vacuum. TDS and AES results are consistent with a model in which carbon atoms residing only in four-fold hollow sites block the adsorption of hydrogen there.
Assessment of efficacy of treatment in HCV: Infection and disease

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) lifecycle appears to be confined to the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. This has translated into the ability to produce sustained virological responses (SVRs) in a substantial proportion of HCV-infected people. Lower treatment responses and higher relapse rates in co-infection may be a consequence of HCV more frequently infecting difficult-to-access reservoirs such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells. However, the durability of sustained response appears to be minimally altered in co-infection. In light of these modest SVRs, and accelerated hepatic fibrosis progression among co-infected people, strategies to slow disease progression take on greater importance. In this context, histological response becomes an important endpoint in co-infection. Multicentre randomized trials of PEG-IFN and ribavirin demonstrate that assessment of histological responses either at the conclusion of therapy or 24 weeks after completion of therapy identify a number of patients who experience improvements in histological activity index in the absence of virological clearance. The prognostic value of serum markers of fibrosis in co-infection has not been validated, but this represents a particularly important area for development in co-infection in light of the probable need for more intensive histological sampling. Eventually, it is anticipated that genotype–phenotype correlations will permit selection of optimized antiviral regimens once virus specific enzymatic inhibitors have been approved.
Parental Meta-Emotion Philosophy: A Review of Research and Theoretical Framework

The concept of parental meta-emotion philo- sophy (PMEP)—the idea that parents have an organized set of beliefs, thoughts, and feelings about their own and their children's emotions—was introduced in 1996. Since then, empirical studies have examined the validity of the PMEP construct in relation to children's psychosocial adjustment and parent and child characteristics. This arti- cle reviews the current state of knowledge regarding PMEP, summarizing what the field has learned, and iden- tifying critical directions for future research. KEYWORDS—parental meta-emotion philosophy; emotion socialization In 1996, Gottman, Katz, and Hooven introduced a new parenting concept called parental meta-emotion philosophy (PMEP), which refers to an organized set of feelings and thoughts that parents have about their own emotions and those of their children. Early empirical studies of PMEP suggested that parents varied in the degree to which they had an emotion-coaching or emotion-dis- missing meta-emotion philosophy. Parents who had a PMEP that was high in emotion coaching were aware of low-intensity emo- tions in themselves and their children, viewed children's nega- tive emotion as an opportunity for intimacy or teaching, validated and labeled their children's emotion, and discussed goals and strategies for dealing with the situation that led to the emotion. Parents who had a PMEP that was dismissive of emo- tion tended to deny or ignore emotion, viewed their role as help- ing to change negative emotions or make them go away quickly, and conveyed to their children that emotions are unimportant. Gottman et al. identified parents' style of coaching versus dis- missing emotion as central to children's emotional development.
Treatments targeting putative mechanisms in irritable bowel syndrome.

The choice of therapy for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been based on the predominant bowel symptom; however, it has proven difficult to identify any optimal single pharmacological therapeutic targets. This Review summarizes current and future therapeutic strategies for the treatment of IBS on the basis of putative pathophysiological models.
Event-related potentials and recognition memory

According to dual-process models, recognition memory is supported by distinct retrieval processes known as familiarity and recollection. Important evidence supporting the dual-process framework has come from studies using event-related brain potentials (ERPs). These studies have identified two topographically distinct ERP correlates of recognition memory--the "parietal" and "mid-frontal" old/new effects--that are dissociated by variables that selectively modulate recollection and familiarity, respectively. We evaluate the extent to which ERP data support dual-process models in light of the proposal that recollection is a continuous rather than a discrete memory process. We also examine the claim that the putative ERP index of familiarity is a reflection of implicit rather than explicit memory. We conclude that ERP findings continue to offer strong support for the dual-process perspective.
Addition of phenylephrine to high-dose insulin in dihydropyridine overdose does not improve outcome.

Introduction: Vasopressors are commonly used for calcium channel blocker (CCB)-induced cardiogenic shock after calcium and high-dose insulin (HDI). Vasopressor therapy is frequently used in combination with HDI to increase blood pressure and improve outcome. However, no studies have compared the efficacy of HDI to the combination of a vasopressor and HDI in dihydropyridine overdose. We conducted a study to compare the efficacy of HDI to phenylephrine (PE) plus HDI in a porcine model of dihydropyridine toxicity. Methods: Cardiogenic shock was induced by administering a nifedipine (NP) infusion of 0.0125 mcg/kg/min until a point of toxicity, defined as a 25% decrease in the baseline product of mean arterial pressure (MAP) × cardiac output (CO). Each arm was resuscitated with 20 mL/kg of saline (NS). The nifedipine infusion continued throughout a 4-h resuscitation protocol. The HDI group was titrated up to 10 units/kg/h of insulin and the HDI/PE group was titrated up to a dose of HDI 10 units/kg/h plus PE 3....
Moderating effects of childhood maltreatment on associations between social information processing and adult aggression.

BACKGROUND: Associations between early life maltreatment, social information processing (SIP) and aggression in childhood and adolescence have been widely documented. Few studies have examined the importance of childhood maltreatment independent of SIP in the etiology of adult aggression. Furthermore, moderating effects of childhood maltreatment on the SIP-aggression links have not been explored.MethodHierarchical, multi-level models were fitted to data from n=2752 twins aged 20-55 years from the PennTwins Cohort. Adult aggression was assessed with the Life History of Aggression questionnaire. Childhood maltreatment was measured using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Two aspects of SIP were examined: hostile attribution biases (HAB); negative emotional responses (NER). RESULTS: Childhood maltreatment was positively correlated with adult aggression, independently of HAB and NER. In addition, childhood maltreatment moderated the relationships between both aspects of SIP and adult aggression. Specifically, the relationship between NER and aggression was stronger among individuals with higher levels of childhood maltreatment and NER was not associated with aggression for adults who experienced low levels of childhood maltreatment. Moderating effects of childhood maltreatment on the NER-aggression link were supported for total childhood maltreatment, emotional neglect and emotional abuse. In contrast, HAB was more strongly associated with adult aggression at lower levels of emotional abuse and physical neglect. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides insight into the mechanisms by which early life experiences influence adult aggression. Our findings suggest that childhood maltreatment may not only lead to increased levels of aggression in adulthood but may also modify the associations between SIP and adult aggression. Language: en
Ultraviolet Light Burn:A Cutaneous Complication of Visible Light Phototherapy of Neonatal Jaundice

Visible light phototherapy is an easily administered and effective treatment for neonatal indirect hyperbilirubinemia. Reported cutaneous side effects include transient rashes and the uncommon bronze baby syndrome. A more hazardous side effect is ultraviolet burn. Two premature infants developed phototherapy-induced erythema, one associated with a second-degree burn, after exposure to fluorescent daylight bulbs inadvertently used without Plexiglass shields, thus allowing prolonged ultraviolet A (UVA) exposure. Premature infants, especially during the first two weeks of life, may be significantly susceptible to UVA-induced erythema. Plexiglass shields should always be in place during visible light phototherapy, and nursery staff should be made aware of their purpose.
Beta Interferon Suppresses the Development of Experimental Cerebral Malaria

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a major complication of Plasmodium falciparum infection, particularly in children. The pathogenesis of cerebral malaria involves parasitized red blood cell (RBC)-mediated vascular inflammation, immune stimulation, loss of blood-brain barrier integrity, and obstruction of cerebral capillaries. Therefore, blunting vascular inflammation and immune cell recruitment is crucial in limiting the disease course. Beta interferon (IFN-β) has been used in the treatment of diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) but has not yet been explored in the treatment of CM. Therefore, we sought to determine whether IFN-β also limits disease progression in experimental cerebral malaria (ECM). Plasmodium berghei-infected mice treated with IFN-β died later and showed increased survival, with improved blood-brain barrier function, compared to infected mice. IFN-β did not alter systemic parasitemia. However, we identified multiple action sites that were modified by IFN-β administration. P. berghei infection resulted in increased expression of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 9 (CXCL9) in brain vascular endothelial cells that attract T cells to the brain, as well as increased T-cell chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 3 (CXCR3) expression. The infection also increased the cellular content of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), a molecule important for attachment of parasitized RBCs to the endothelial cell. In this article, we report that IFN-β treatment leads to reduction of CXCL9 and ICAM-1 in the brain, reduction of T-cell CXCR3 expression, and downregulation of serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). In addition, IFN-β-treated P. berghei-infected mice also had fewer brain T-cell infiltrates, further demonstrating its protective effects. Hence, IFN-β has important anti-inflammatory properties that ameliorate the severity of ECM and prolong mouse survival.
Cancer Genetic Susceptibility Testing: Ethical and Policy Implications for Future Research and Clinical Practice

Authors examine the ethical and health policy implications in the Cancer Genetic Studies Consortium projects, which attempt to collect data on the clinical benefits and harms of cancer genetic testing. They suggest that more data are needed on the long-term physical and psychosocial effects of testing and that further examination is needed of the ethical issues raised by testing.
On separated shear layers and the fractal geometry of turbulent scalar interfaces at large Reynolds numbers

This work explores fractal geometrical properties of scalar turbulent interfaces derived from experimental two-dimensional spatial images of the scalar field in separated shear layers at large Reynolds numbers. The resolution of the data captures the upper three decades of scales enabling examination of multiscale geometrical properties ranging from the largest energy-containing scales to inertial scales. The data show a −5/3 spectral exponent over a wide range of scales corresponding to the inertial range in fully developed turbulent flows. For the fractal aspects, we utilize two methods as it is known that different methods may lead to different fractal aspects. We use the recently developed method for fractal analysis known as the Multiscale-Minima Meshless (M3) method because it does not require the use of grids. We also use the conventional box-counting approach as it has been frequently employed in various past studies. The outer scalar interfaces are identified on the basis of the probability density function (p.d.f.) of the scalar field. For the outer interfaces, the M3 method shows strong scale dependence of the generalized fractal dimension with approximately linear variation of the dimension as a function of logarithmic scale, for interface-fitting reference areas, but there is evidence of a plateau near a dimension D ~ 1.3 for larger reference areas. The conventional box-counting approach shows evidence of a plateau with a constant dimension also of D ~ 1.3, for the same reference areas. In both methods, the observed plateau dimension value agrees with other studies in different flow geometries. Scalar threshold effects are also examined and show that the internal scalar interfaces exhibit qualitatively similar behaviour to the outer interfaces. The overall range of box-counting fractal dimension values exhibited by outer and internal interfaces is D ~ 1.2–1.4. The present findings show that the fractal aspects of scalar interfaces in separated shear layers at large Reynolds number with −5/3 spectral behaviour can depend on the method used for evaluating the dimension and on the reference area. These findings as well as the utilities and distinctions of these two different definitions of the dimension are discussed in the context of multiscale modelling of mixing and the interfacial geometry.
Epidemiological assessment of health effects from chemical incidents

A chemical incident is the unexpected release of industrial material that is (potentially) hazardous either to humans, other animals or the environment. Common synonyms include the term “accident” but this presupposes an anticipated failure of control; “incidents” include also unanticipated disasters resulting from mechanical or organisational failures, and occasionally even sabotage. The essence of a chemical incident is in its unexpectedness; the term is not used to describe predictable, continuing, and regulated releases of toxic substances from industrial sources. Neither does it generally include toxic releases contained entirely within an occupational setting where only employees are affected, although the principles of management are very similar. Such “industrial incidents” are usually managed by occupational health services. Major chemical incidents are those which pose a threat to a large number of people. This will depend on the size of the release, its area of distribution, and the magnitude of the population at risk. The frequency of major chemical incidents is unmeasured although they are perhaps more frequent than many imagine; in the years 1975–77, for example, 30 were recorded.1 In principle they are more likely to occur where there are situations combining both high hazard and high vulnerability. There is mounting concern, for example, that heavy industrialisation in some parts of the world is proceeding faster than appropriate regulatory and surveillance measures. At the same time, many of the most devastating chemical incidents have occurred in countries with a long industrial history. A list of some infamous incidents is provided in table 1. View this table: Table 1 Selected, major chemical incidents Chemical incidents are most obviously “agent oriented”2—that is, they come to light following the unexpected release of a toxic agent. Infamous examples include those in Bhopal (India) (fig 1), Chernobyl (former USSR), and Meda (Seveso, Italy). “Effect oriented” incidents are manifest initially …