cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic bariatric patients’ will to help: the foundation of research

Abstract Background Bariatric surgery is a fast growing field. Clinical research is essential to its safe delivery. Bariatric patient enthusiasm for research participation has never been objectively measured. Our hypothesis was that most laparoscopic bariatric surgery patients would participate in clinical research. Methods All postoperative patients were surveyed querying their willingness to participate in studies and quantifying the level of time, effort, and commitment they would comply with. Fisher’s exact test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the chi-square test were used to analyzed the responses. A total of 97 patients were the subject of this inquiry. Results Of the 97 patients, 92% were willing to participate. Willingness was independent of race or diabetic status. Of those willing to participate, 93% agreed to additional blood tests done during routine blood draws and 75% agreed to additional blood draws. Although 98% agreed to donate fat samples during surgery, only 76% would donate at 1 month postoperatively. Also, 80% would spend 6 hours at 1 month postoperatively in the hospital for preoperative research. This decreased to 56% and 56% for 12 and 24 hours, respectively ( P = .004). For postoperative research, 72% committed to 6 hours per month in the hospital. This decreased to 60% and 54% for 12 and 24 hours, respectively ( P = .002). No statistical consensus was reached for the financial reimbursement patients desired for their time. Conclusions The results of our study have shown that almost all laparoscopic bariatric surgery patients are willing to participate in obesity-related research, including invasive procedures, when it coincides with their surgery. Enthusiasm decreased with the increasing time commitment in the pre- and postoperative period but remained for most patients.
Self dual solutions of the temperature SU(2) Yang-Mills theory

Continuing previous work we elaborate on the method of ''heating'' the self-dual axially symmetric fields of the SU(2) Yang-Mills theory to finite temperature. Heating consists of performing-in certain Ansatz functions which are two-dimensional (2D) conformally invariant- a 2D conformal transformation x = x/sub 0/+iVertical BarxVertical Bar..-->..y(x), where the analytic function y(x) is periodic in the Euclidean time variable x/sub 0/. Solutions are preserved by this manipulation, which automatically changes zero-temperature fields into finite temperature ones. One can exploit this simple fact in various ways. The Harrington-Shepard caloran solution of the temperature Yang-Mills theory can be gotton from the T = 0 instanton by the transformation y(x) = (..pi..T: /sup -1/ tan ..pi..Tx. One can generate a multicaloron solution from the T = 0 one instanton solution by a conformal transformation. Generally, self-dual axially symmetric Yang-Mills fields can be heated without spoiling self duality. The caloron and three other temperature solutions can be studied in some detail. One of the new solutions is a generalized caloron with interesting properties. Our study reveals a remarkable property of the self-dual sector of the temperature Yang-Mills theory; it is full of Wu-Yang (color) monopoles at high temperature. At low temperature these monopoles disappear.
vMPCP: A Synchronization Framework for Multi-core Virtual Machines

The virtualization of real-time systems has received much attention for its many benefits, such as the consolidation of individually developed real-time applications while maintaining their implementations. However, the current state of the art still lacks properties required for resource sharing among real-time application tasks in a multi-core virtualization environment. In this paper, we propose vMPCP, a synchronization framework for the virtualization of multi-core real-time systems. Vmpcp exposes the executions of critical sections of tasks in a guest virtual machine to the hyper visor. Using this approach, vMPCP reduces and bounds blocking time on accessing resources shared within and across virtual CPUs (VCPUs) assigned on different physical CPU cores. Vmpcp supports periodic server and deferrable server policies for the VCPU budget replenish policy, with an optional budget overrun to reduce blocking times. We provide the VCPU and task schedulability analyses under vMPCP, with different VCPU budget supply policies, with and without overrun. Experimental results indicate that, under vMPCP, deferrable server outperforms periodic server when overrun is used, with as much as 80% more task sets being schedulable. The case study using our hyper visor implementation shows that vMPCP yields significant benefits compared to a virtualization-unaware multi-core synchronization protocol, with 29% shorter response time on average.
Inverse 3-D graphics: A metaphor for visual perception

There are two key elements in defining the problem of visual perception. The first is that useful information about the world, such as the shape, material, illumination, and spatial relationships of objects, is encrypted in the image. Second, the encryption process, of going from a description of the world to an image, is not in general reversible. Any single source of image information is usually ambiguous about its causes in the scene. Seeing is the process of decoding the image information. 3-D computer graphics simulates the process of encrypting scene information into the image. By creating images from synthetic scenes, we can gain insights into the constraints used by the visual system to decode image information, and we can begin to bridge the gap between the simple images of the laboratory and complex natural scenes. Computer graphics modeling and animation tools provide the means to generate stills and animations that produce strong perceptual interpretations, yet are theoretically indeterminate. I will describe several illusions involving computer renderings and animations that illustrate the constraints human perception uses to solve ambiguity about material, shape, and depth.
Misbrookea, a new monotypic genus removed from Werneria s.l. (Compositae: Senecioneae)

A new genus is described based on a species formerly found in Werneria s.1. It is named after a collector, Miss Winifred M. A. Brooke. The new genus, Misbrookea, is confined to dry, high-elevation areas in Peru and northern Bolivia. It is distinguished by its unusual, long, multicellular hairs that cover the leaves and involucre of the plant, the style apices with long, multicellular hairs and apparent vascular traces, and the pale or silvery gray-green color of the leaves and involucre.
Correlation of the CTTS solvent scale with νmax of the solvated electron. Prediction of band maxima

Abstract A good linear correlation has been presented for the absorption maxima of solvated electrons in 17 different solvents and 13 solvent mixtures versus the absorption maxima of the iodide ion in the same medium. It is concluded that the electronic transitions of the solvated electron parallel those of the charge-transfer-to-solvent (CTTS) transitions of iodide ion. The absence of a direct correlation between νmax of solvated electrons and the static dielectric constant of the medium is emphasized. Based on the CTTS scale of iodide, the optical transitions of esolv− in other solvents (e.g., alkyl nitriles, phosphates and carbonates) can be predicted.
Pheromone glands of microcaddisflies, (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae)†

Previously unreported structures found on the head and thorax of several species of microcaddisflies (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) are described. Depending on the species, these presumptive pheromone-producing glands are found either (1) on the basal segment of the antenna, (2) on movable and immovable occipital sclerites, (3) as eversible organs from the occipital area of the head, or (4) on structures which are attached near the bases of the front wings.
Steady-state computations of granular flow in an axisymmetric hopper

Axisymmetric steady-state computations of plastic incompressible granular flow in a converging hopper are presented. The granular flow equations are solved as a first-order system of conservation laws plus a set of constitutive relations, using a conservative finite difference method. Newton’s method is used to solve the nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs).The steady-state granular flow equations may change type from elliptic to hyperbolic. In this investigation, flow parameters and boundary conditions are chosen to ensure that the PDE system is elliptic. The transition from a “radial solution” similarity flow at the top of the hopper to a more general flow involving a boundary layer near the exit of the hopper is analyzed.
Temperature Compensation of Sine-Drive Monochromators*

It is shown that the effects of thermal expansion of the grating and sine drive in a monochromator can be made to cancel exactly by proper mounting of the drive screw, and by choosing the material of the drive arm such that its thermal coefficient of expansion just equals the sum of the coefficients of the grating and drive screw.
Accounting for Material Reality in the Analytic Subject

Scientific advances made in the 21st century contend that the forces of nature and nurture work together through an ongoing series of complex correspondences between brain and mental activity in our daily activities with others. Jung’s cosmological model of the psyche minimizes the fundamental corporeal condition of human nature and as such is critiqued and amended, influenced by the transcendental materialist theories of subjectivity inspired by Žižek, Johnston and Laplanche.
A time and cost efficient approach to functional and structural assessment of living neuronal tissue

In this manuscript, we describe a protocol for capturing both physiological and structural properties of living neuronal tissue. An essential aspect of this method is its flexibility and fast turnaround time. It is a streamlined process that includes recording of electrophysiological neuronal activity, calcium imaging, and structural analysis. This is accomplished by placing intact tissue on a modified Millicell Biopore insert. The Biopore membrane suspends the tissue in the perfusion solution, allowing for complete access to nutrients, oxygen, and pharmacological agents. The ring that holds the membrane ensures its structural stability; forceps can be used to grip the ring without contacting the filter or the tissue, for easy transfer between multiple setups. We show that tissue readily adheres to the surface of the membrane, its entire surface is visible in transmitted light and accessible for recording and imaging, and remains responsive to physiological stimuli for extended periods of time.
Electric and Hybrid Vehicles in Germany

The development of electric and hybrid vehicles in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) is described. The results of fleet tests with electric vans and buses, especially the energy consumption and costs, the battery life and maintenance are discussed. The economizing effect of electric and hybrid vehicles on the consumption of liquid fuels in traffic is evaluated.
Adenosine A2A receptor activation on CD4+ T lymphocytes and neutrophils attenuates lung ischemia–reperfusion injury

Objective Adenosine A 2A receptor activation potently attenuates lung ischemia–reperfusion injury. This study tests the hypothesis that adenosine A 2A receptor activation attenuates ischemia–reperfusion injury by inhibiting CD4+ T cell activation and subsequent neutrophil infiltration. Methods An in vivo model of lung ischemia–reperfusion injury was used. C57BL/6 mice were assigned to either sham group (left thoracotomy) or 7 study groups that underwent ischemia–reperfusion (1 hour of left hilar occlusion plus 2 hours of reperfusion). ATL313, a selective adenosine A 2A receptor agonist, was administered 5 minutes before reperfusion with or without antibody depletion of neutrophils or CD4+ T cells. After reperfusion, the following was measured: pulmonary function using an isolated, buffer-perfused lung system, T cell infiltration by immunohistochemistry, myeloperoxidase and proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, lung wet/dry weight, and microvascular permeability. Results ATL313 significantly improved pulmonary function and reduced edema and microvascular permeability after ischemia–reperfusion compared with control. Immunohistochemistry and myeloperoxidase content demonstrated significantly reduced infiltration of neutrophils and CD4+ T cells after ischemia–reperfusion in ATL313-treated mice. Although CD4+ T cell–depleted and neutrophil-depleted mice displayed significantly reduced lung injury, no additional protection occurred when ATL313 was administered to these mice. Expression of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 17, KC, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1, and RANTES were significantly reduced in neutrophil- and CD4+ T cell–depleted mice and reduced further by ATL313 only in neutrophil-depleted mice. Conclusions These results demonstrate that CD4+ T cells play a key role in mediating lung inflammation after ischemia–reperfusion. ATL313 likely exerts its protective effect largely through activation of adenosine A 2A receptors on CD4+ T cells and neutrophils.
Resolution of abnormal muscle enzyme studies in hypothyroidism

Abstract Serum levels of muscle enzymes including creatine phosphokinase (CPK) have been reported to be abnormal in hypothyroidism. Seven patients with increased thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and elevated CPK levels were followed during replacement by oral I-thyroxine or I-thyroxine plus triiodothyronine. Data in three patients demonstrate a fairly constant rate of fall in CPK with a half-time for disappearance of approximately ten to 12 days. The normalization of muscle enzymes often precedes the correction of elevations in
Sexual dysfunction associated with major depressive disorder and antidepressant treatment

Introduction: There is a well-established relationship between sexual functioning and quality of life. Depression can cause sexual dysfunction (SD) and its treatment can often lead to restoration of sexual functioning. Use of antidepressants has also been associated with SD, with implications for treatment compliance and creation of further distress for the patient.Areas covered: This review evaluates available information regarding SD related to both depression and antidepressant treatment, including literature up to June 2014. It includes eligible published studies that investigated antidepressant-associated SD (AASD).Expert opinion: Depression and SD have a bidirectional association. When screening for depression, baseline sexual functioning should be assessed with validated rating scales. If sexual side effects develop with antidepressant treatment, management options include waiting for spontaneous remission, decreasing the medication dose, switching to an alternative drug or adding an augmentation a...
Perioperative outcomes of three-port robotically assisted hysterectomy: a continuous series of 53 cases

This study evaluated the feasibility and safety of 3-port robotically assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy (RALH), using a consecutive series of women who underwent 3-port RALH in a university hospital. From November 2010 until June 2013 we operated on 53 women, whose mean age was 48.4 ± 7.7 years (range 35–68 years), and mean body mass index was 27.1 ± 5.1 kg/m2 (range 19.5–42.9 kg/m2). The indications for hysterectomy were myoma in 31 (58.5 %), adenomyosis in 10 (18.9 %), cervical dysplasia in 4 (7.5 %), neoplasia in 4 (7.5 %), and recurrent polyps or postmenopausal bleeding in the remaining 4 women (7.5 %). We performed total RALH in 50 cases (94.3 %) and subtotal in the others. The median duration of total intervention was 169 min (interquartile range 147.5–206.5 min). The mean weight of the uterus was 209.8 ± 166.6 g (range 36–790 g) and mean estimated blood loss was 72.3 ± 75.9 ml (range 0–300 ml). There were no perioperative complications, in particular no blood transfusions nor conversions to laparotomy. The median hospital stay was 4 days (interquartile range 3–4 days). One patient was reoperated 1 month later for vaginal vault hematoma and another was readmitted 3 weeks post-operatively due to vaginal vault dehiscence after premature intercourse, but did not require reoperation. Three-port RALH is feasible and safe for simple hysterectomy. We believe this experience using minimum ports to be useful to prepare for robotically assisted single-port hysterectomy.
Transport of charged colloids in a nonpolar solvent

In nonpolar solvents, surfactants stabilize charge through the formation of reverse micelles; this enables the dissociation of charge from the surfaces of particles, thereby charge-stabilizing particle suspensions. We investigate the dynamics of such charged particles by directly visualizing their motion across a microfluidic channel in response to an external electric field. The presence of the reverse micelles has a significant effect on particle motion: in a constant field, the particles initially move, then slow down exponentially, and eventually stop. This is due to the accumulation of reverse micelles at the channel walls, which screens the applied field, leading to the subsequent decay of the internal electric field. The time constant of decay depends on the electrical conductivity of the particle suspension and the width of the channel; this behavior is modeled as an equivalent RC circuit.
Staged surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a review of 35 patients

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the success of a staged surgical reconstruction of the upper airway for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Patients and Methods: Thirty-five patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome documented by nocturnal polysomnography were treated surgically with a staged protocol for reconstruction of the upper airway. All patients were evaluated preoperatively by a history and physical examination, including fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy, oropharyngoscopy, and hypopharyngoscopy; cephalometric analysis; and laboratory polysomnography. All patients included were diagnosed with type II obstruction, with collapse at the oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal levels. Stage I reconstruction consisted of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) by the Fujita method and anterior mandibular osteotomy (AMO) or inferior sagittal osteotomy (ISO) with genioglossus muscle advancement. If stage I was unsuccessful, patients were advanced to stage II and stage III, if necessary. Stage II reconstruction consisted of bimaxillary advancement with rigid fixation. Stage III reconstruction consisted of hyoid myotomy and advancement. Results: All patients underwent follow-up nocturnal polysomnography 4 to 6 months after the last surgical procedure. Most patients responded positively to stage I reconstruction (respiratory disturbance index [RDI] < 20, with O2 saturation 95 + %). Twenty-four patients (69%) had postoperative RDIs of 20 or less. Of these, 11 patients (31%) had an RDI of five or fewer; seven patients (20%) had an RDI between 6 and 10, and six patients (17%) had an RDI between 10 and 20. The mean preoperative RDI was 53, and the mean postoperative RDI was 19. Of the three patients who elected to proceed to stage II reconstruction, all had a postoperative RDI of 10 or less (two patients [67%] had an RDI of 5 or less, and one patient [33%] had an RDI of 6 to 10). Conclusion: This study showed that properly selected patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome benefit from a staged reconstruction of the upper airway.
M-ary Laguerre Detection

In this correspondence, maximum-likelihood M-ary detection theory is applied to an incoherent optical system model employing photo detectors governed by Laguerre counting statistics. It is shown that a maximum-likelihood Laguerre detector corresponds to a count comparison over each signaling interval. Error probability is derived.
Dynamics of charge transfer at Au/Si metal-semiconductor nano-interface

An ab initio analysis of the periodic array of Au/Si nanostructure composed of gold clusters linked to silicon quantum dot (QD) co-doped by aluminium and phosphorus along [111] direction is presented in this paper. The density functional theory (DFT) is used to compute the electronic structure of the simulated system. Non-adiabatic coupling implemented in the form of dissipative equation of motion for reduced density matrix is used to study the phonon-induced relaxation in the simulated system. The density of states clearly shows that the formation of Au–Si bonds contributes states to the band gap of the model. Dynamics of selected photo-excitations shows that hole relaxation in energy and in space is much faster than electron relaxation, which is due to the higher density of states of the valence band.
The occurrence and possible functional significance of -S-S- crosslinks in sperm heads, with particular reference to eutherian mammals.

The extraordinary resistance to disruption shown by the eutherian sperm nucleus is associated with a significant complement of -S-S- crosslinks within the chromatin. The present light and electron microscopic study, in which the spermatozoa of many vertebrates and some invertebrates were exposed to SDS with or without dithiothreitol, demonstrates that the extreme degree of disulfide bonding in the sperm chromatin of eutherian mammals is highly unusual in a comparative sense. In no other species did the sperm nucleus display a resistance to disruption comparable to that in eutherians; on the contrary, in most groups including prototherian and metatherian mammals, such crosslinks are absent or relatively sparse, the greatest degree of crosslinking outside the eutheria being seen in octopus and skate. The suggestion is advanced that the unusually thiol-rich protamines have evolved as a structural adaptation which, through crosslinking, endows the sperm head with a rigidity of possible importance in the penetration phase of fertilization. This seems likely because (1) any degree of -S-S- determined stability present or inducible in sperm chromatin often appears more intense in or is confined to the anterior region of the nucleus (e.g., newt, snail, turtle and immature eutherian spermatozoa); (2) the zona pellucida, which the fertilizing sperm must penetrate, is an unusually thick, compact and resilient coat in the eutherian ovum in particular; and (3) the occasional observation of a sperm nucleus buckled within the pathway of its penetration into the rabbit zona pellucida suggests that in eutheria this tough vestment presents a relatively rigid barrier to the sperm head. Its apical location suggests a similar structural role for the -S-S- stabilised perinuclear projection, or “perforatorium” around the leading border of the sperm nucleus in eutherians as well as in some non-eutherian species, such as octopus, snake and turtle.
Elevation of angiotensin converting enzyme in bovine endothelial cells quantitated by an elisa

Abstract Levels of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in cultured bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells treated with dexamethasone, aldosterone, 3,3′,5′-triiodo-L-thyronine, Ca 2+ ionophore, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, dibutyry1 cAMP and forskolin were quantitated by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The configuration for the ELISA consisted of purified bovine lung ACE adsorbed to a solid phase competing with endothelial cellullar ACE for a limited amount of anti-ACE immunoglobulin. ACE-IgG complex on the solid phase was detected by goat anti-rabbit IgG-alkaline phosphatase conjugate with enzymatic activity measured by p-nitrophenylphosphate as substrate. This ELISA detected ACE with a sensitivity of 32 ng/ml cellular ACE. Elevation in cellular ACE catalytic activity as measured by fluorescent assay of detergent extracts from bovine endothelial cells corresponded well with an increase in ACE protein as determined by the ELISA. These results provide direct evidence that increases in catalytic activity of ACE produced in endothelial cells by a variety of agents result from enhancement of the synthesis of ACE protein.
Computing with conditional rewrite rules

We present a method for validating abstract data type specifications. The method takes as input a set of ground terms L0 and a set of conditional equations A0 over L0. The object of this method is to find a normal form function, Norm, for the pair 〈 L0, A0 〉. The function Norm is computed as a sequence of step functions S1, S2, ..., Sn.
Broad-Enrich: functional interpretation of large sets of broad genomic regions.

Motivation: Functional enrichment testing facilitates the interpretation of Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) data in terms of pathways and other biological contexts. Previous methods developed and used to test for key gene sets affected in ChIP-seq experiments treat peaks as points, and are based on the number of peaks associated with a gene or a binary score for each gene. These approaches work well for transcription factors, but histone modifications often occur over broad domains, and across multiple genes. Results: To incorporate the unique properties of broad domains into functional enrichment testing, we developed Broad-Enrich, a method that uses the proportion of each gene’s locus covered by a peak. We show that our method has a well-calibrated false-positive rate, performing well with ChIP-seq data having broad domains compared with alternative approaches. We illustrate Broad-Enrich with 55 ENCODE ChIP-seq datasets using different methods to define gene loci. BroadEnrich can also be applied to other datasets consisting of broad genomic domains such as copy number variations. Availability and implementation: http://broad-enrich.med.umich.edu for Web version and R package. Contact: sartorma@umich.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Service Providers' Perceptions of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Training Needs:

Following the initial implementation of universal newborn hearing screening initiatives cur- rently required by law in most states, there is a need to move beyond the hospital follow-up to the delivery of services and support for children identified with hearing loss. A cadre of trained providers is needed to deliver these services. In order to provide training to professionals from varied backgrounds and disciplines expediently, one state provided training in a multidisciplinary context. Such an approach encourages broader follow-up, consistency across providers, and an enhanced multidisciplinary perspective for fostering collaboration across public and private providers. Results of trainees' self-assessments of their level of pre- paredness on specific objectives prior to and after eight training sessions are reported in this article. Sig- nificant increases were evident in participants' reported knowledge of and perceived ability to implement identified objectives. Qualitative results illustrated that participants gained knowledge of intervention strategies and techniques and expressed a desire for further training in this area.
Nanotube–antibody biosensor arrays for the detection of circulating breast cancer cells

Recent reports have shown that nanoscale electronic devices can be used to detect a change in electrical properties when receptor proteins bind to their corresponding antibodies functionalized on the surface of the device, in extracts from as few as ten lysed tumor cells. We hypothesized that nanotube–antibody devices could sensitively and specifically detect entire live cancer cells. We report for the first time a single nanotube field effect transistor array, functionalized with IGF1R-specific and Her2-specific antibodies, which exhibits highly sensitive and selective sensing of live, intact MCF7 and BT474 human breast cancer cells in human blood. Those two cell lines both overexpress IGF1R and Her2, at different levels. Single or small bundle of nanotube devices that were functionalized with IGF1R-specific or Her2-specific antibodies showed 60% decreases in conductivity upon interaction with BT474 or MCF7 breast cancer cells in two µl drops of blood. Control experiments with non-specific antibodies or with MCF10A control breast cells produced a less than 5% decrease in electrical conductivity, illustrating the high sensitivity for whole cell binding by these single nanotube–antibody devices. We postulate that the free energy change due to multiple simultaneous cell–antibody binding events exerted stress along the nanotube surface, decreasing its electrical conductivity due to an increase in band gap. Because the free energy change upon cell–antibody binding, the stress exerted on the nanotube, and the change in conductivity are specific to a specific antigen–antibody interaction; these properties might be used as a fingerprint for the molecular sensing of circulating cancer cells. From optical microscopy observations during sensing, it appears that the binding of a single cell to a single nanotube field effect transistor produced the change in electrical conductivity. Thus we report a nanoscale oncometer with single cell sensitivity with a diameter 1000 times smaller than a cancer cell that functions in a drop of fresh blood.
The Anatomy of Loneliness

Loneliness is a potent but little understood risk factor for broadbased morbidity and mortality. We review five social neurobehavioral mechanisms that may account for this association. The evidence suggests that different mechanisms explain short-term and long-term effects, and that the long-term effects operate through multiple pathways. Implications for the design of interventions are discussed.
Two cases of uterine prolapse in free-ranging deer in South Dakota.

Limited information exists pertaining to the occurrence of uterine prolapse in free-ranging white-tailed deer and mule deer. We report a case of uterine prolapse in a free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in northeastern South Dakota and a free-ranging mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in central South Dakota.
The Use of Multiple Markers in a Bayesian Method for Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci

Information on multiple linked genetic markers was used in a Bayesian method for the statistical mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL). Bayesian parameter estimation and hypothesis testing were implemented via Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms. Variables sampled were the augmented data (marker-QTL genotypes, polygenic effects), an indicator variable for linkage or nonlinkage, and the parameters. The parameter vector included allele frequencies at the markers and the QTL, map distances of the markers and the QTL, QTL substitution effect, and polygenic and residual variances. The criterion for QTL detection was the marginal posterior probability of a QTL being located on the chromosome carrying the markers. The method was evaluated empirically by analyzing simulated granddaughter designs consisting of 2000 sons, 20 related sires, and their ancestors.
Political Ecology: On the Mutual Formation of Biology and Culture

Biology and culture continually and interactively cocreate. In order to fully understand culture, the biological pathways that co-occur must also be appreciated. And in order to determine how biological influences manifest in social behaviors, culture cannot be discarded. Here we discuss the interaction between genes and culture and show the ways in which each influences and informs the other. We argue that this interaction is profoundly important in shaping a wide variety of political and institutional differences across populations, including critical processes such as cooperation and conflict. We apply a levels-of-analysis approach to the study of individuals, cultures, and populations. In doing so, we discuss the potentially critical role of gene-environment mismatch in precipitating many political and social problems, especially those related to political violence.
From molecular models to system analysis for lithium battery electrolytes

The behavior of polymer electrolytes in lithium batteries is reviewed in the context of molecular scale models as well as on the system scale. It is shown how the molecular structure of the electrolyte strongly influences ion transport through the polymer as well as across the interfaces and determines the values of a number of parameters needed for system models that can predict the performance of the battery (e.g. κ, D, t0+ and i0). The interaction of the electrolyte with the electrodes not only leads to transfer of the lithium ion across the interface but also to side reactions that profoundly influence the calendar and life cycle of the battery. Typically these electrochemically induced side reactions generate the SEI layer, but inherent instability of the bulk electrolyte may also play a role in the formation of surface layers. These various reactions can lead to changes in the mechanical properties of the separator and electrode structure that promote life-limiting phenomena such as dendrite growth, passivation and morphology changes. The rheological model of Eisenberg is drawn upon to show how the interactions of the electrolyte with surfaces can lead to distinct changes in mechanical and transport properties that may limit the battery performance and lead to diminished performance with time. The molecular level models may be combined with the rheological models to provide workable models of the interfaces and bulk electrolyte dynamics that in turn can be used to provide a more accurate level of performance prediction from the system models. This connects molecular structure with battery performance and guides the design and synthesis of new and better materials.
In vitro progression of artificial white spot lesions sealed with an infiltrant resin.

Clinical Relevance Infiltration of initial in vitro enamel lesions by resin seems to reduce or even stop the progression of carious lesions.
International collaboration in organizational behavior research

The Journal of Organizational Behavior (JOB) has long sought to promote the international exchange of organizational behavior research, particularly between Europeans and North Americans. Cross-cultural research collaboration, a sizable step past reading research reports written by scholars from nations other than one's own, is becoming an increasing part of international research exchange. The present essay draws from both normative models of international OB methods and descriptive analyses of international collaboration experiences to consider how context affects the process of international collaboration. It draws from theories of transnational management and of sources of influence and meaning to consider pros, cons, and issues in managing alternative forms of international collaboration done for various purposes. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Collaborative Practice Models and Team-Based Care in Oncology

Team-based care has been promoted as one essential component necessary for meeting the supply and demand imbalance in the workforce, and as well serving as a crucial element of improving health care delivery.
Vulnerability assessment and control of power system

With power grids considered national security matters, the reliable operation of the system is of top priority to utilities. This concern is amplified by the utility's deregulation, which increases the system's openness while simultaneously decreasing the applied degree of control. Vulnerability Assessment (VA) deals with the power system's ability to continue to provide service in case of an unforeseen catastrophic contingency. Such contingencies may include unauthorized tripping, breaks in communication links, sabotage or intrusion by external agents, human errors, natural calamities and faults. These contingencies could lead to a disruption of service to part or all of the system. The service disruption is known as outage or blackout. The paper outlines an approach by which boundary tracking can be implemented to achieve on line vulnerability assessment.
Symbiotic seed germination and evidence for in vitro mycobiont specificity in Spiranthes brevilabris (Orchidaceae) and its implications for species-level conservation

Orchid–mycobiont specificity in the Orchidaceae was considered controversial and not well understood for many years. Differences in mycobiont specificity during germination in vitro vs in situ have lead some to consider orchid–mycobiont specificity as being generally low; however, others have suggested that specificity, especially in vitro, is surprisingly high. Mycobiont specificity may be genus or species specific. An in vitro symbiotic seed germination experiment was designed to examine mycobiont specificity of the endangered Florida terrestrial orchid Spiranthes brevilabris using mycobionts isolated from both the study species and the endemic congener Spiranthes floridana. In a screen of mycobionts, isolates Sflo-305 (99.5%), Sflo-306 (99.5%), and Sflo-308 (89.9%) (originating from S. floridana) supported higher initial (stage 1) seed germination than isolate Sbrev-266 (32.4%) (originating from S. brevilabris) after 3 wk culture. However, only isolate Sbrev-266 supported advanced germination and protocorm development to stage 5 (53.1%) after 12 wk culture. These findings suggest that S. brevilabris maintains a high degree of mycobiont specificity under in vitro symbiotic seed germination conditions. High orchid–mycobiont specificity in S. brevilabris may be indicative of the rare status of this orchid in Florida.
Zonadhesin D3-Polypeptides Vary among Species but Are Similar in Equus Species Capable of Interbreeding

Zonadhesin is a rapidly evolving protein in the sperm acrosome that confers species specificity to sperm-zona pellucida adhesion. Though structural variation in zonadhesin likely contributes to its species-specific function, the protein has not previously been characterized in organisms capable of interbreeding. Here we compared properties of zonadhesin in several animals, including the horse (Equus caballus), donkey (E. asinus), and Grevy's zebra (E. grevyi) to determine if variation in zonadhesin correlates with ability of gametes to cross-fertilize. Zonadhesin localized to the apical acrosomes of spermatozoa from all three Equus species, similar to its localization in other animals. Likewise, in horse and donkey testis, zonadhesin was detected only in germ cells, first in the acrosomal granule of round spermatids and then in the developing acrosomes of elongating spermatids. Among non-Equus species, D3-domain polypeptides of mature, processed zonadhesin varied markedly in size and detergent solubility. However, zonadhesin D3-domain polypeptides in horse, donkey, and zebra spermatozoa exhibited identical electrophoretic mobility and detergent solubility. Equus zonadhesin D3-polypeptides (p110/p80 doublet) were most similar in size to porcine and bovine zonadhesin D3-polypeptides (p105). Sequence comparisons revealed that the horse zonadhesin precursor's domain content and arrangement are similar to those of zonadhesin from other large animals. Partial sequences of horse and donkey zonadhesin were much more similar to each other (>99% identity) than they were to orthologous sequences of human, pig, rabbit, and mouse zonadhesin (52%–72% identity). We conclude that conservation of zonadhesin D3-polypeptide properties correlates with ability of Equus species to interbreed.
Supplying Baseload Power and Reducing Transmission Requirements by Interconnecting Wind Farms

Wind is the world’s fastest growing electric energy source. Because it is intermittent, though, wind is not used to supply baseload electric power today. Interconnecting wind farms through the transmission grid is a simple and effective way of reducing deliverable wind power swings caused by wind intermittency. As more farms are interconnected in an array, wind speed correlation among sites decreases and so does the probability that all sites experience the same wind regime at the same time. The array consequently behaves more and more similarly to a single farm with steady wind speed and thus steady deliverable wind power. In this study, benefits of interconnecting wind farms were evaluated for 19 sites, located in the midwestern United States, with annual average wind speeds at 80 m above ground, the hub height of modern wind turbines, greater than 6.9 m s 1 (class 3 or greater). It was found that an average of 33% and a maximum of 47% of yearly averaged wind power from interconnected farms can be used as reliable, baseload electric power. Equally significant, interconnecting multiple wind farms to a common point and then connecting that point to a far-away city can allow the long-distance portion of transmission capacity to be reduced, for example, by 20% with only a 1.6% loss of energy. Although most parameters, such as intermittency, improved less than linearly as the number of interconnected sites increased, no saturation of the benefits was found. Thus, the benefits of interconnection continue to increase with more and more interconnected sites.
On transmission zeros and zero directions of multivariable time-invariant linear systems with input-derivative control

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to investigate the problem of finding inputs which generate zero outputs in linear systems whose state equation contains the derivative of the input. The method developed makes use of the simplest matrix generalized inverse, the {1}-inverse.
Genetic and Individual Influences on Predictors of Disclosure: Exploring Variation in the Oxytocin Receptor Gene and Attachment Security

The present study explores the associations among allelic variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), attachment security, and predictors of disclosure. Using the risk revelation model as a guiding framework, risk assessments, communication efficacy, and closeness were investigated. Two-hundred four participants provided saliva samples (from which DNA was extracted) and completed surveys addressing aspects of disclosure, attachment, and relationship characteristics. The results revealed significant interactions between OXTR and attachment security on risk assessments and closeness. Insecurely attached individuals showed greater variability in their assessments of the risks of disclosing and feelings of closeness based on their genotype compared to individuals who were securely attached. Insecurely attached individuals with a known “risk allele” (i.e., the A allele) were more likely to see risks to disclosing to their romantic partners and rated closeness with their partners lower than those with the a...
Adaptive Quantification of Model Uncertainties for Possibly Unstable Systems

This paper presents an adaptive rational approximation approach for quantifying the effect of possibly unstable uncertainties. It is shown in the paper that a tight frequency upper bound on a possibly unstable uncertainty is obtainable by adaptive rational approximation. The results are non-trivial extensions of the previous work on adaptive quantification of stable systems by rational approximation.
Reliability Studies of LSI Arrays Employing Al-Si Schottky Barrier Devices

Recently digital bipolar LSI arrays employing Al-Si Schottky barrier devices have become commercially available. The introduction of a novel semiconductor component in a complex array can raise special reliability questions; the purpose of this work is to investigate the reliability of Al-Si Schottky barrier devices and LSI arrays employing such components. The Schottky barrier devices in these new arrays are primarily employed as clamps on the collector-base junctions of n-p-n switching transistors. In this way, significant forward biasing of the collector-base junction is inhibited, and so minority carrier injection and storage in the collector region is prevented. Thus, the need for lifetime control by gold doping is eliminated; amoung the significant advantages thereby resulting are: - Availability of a much greater variety of device types in the same array. - Simpler and more reproducible processing. In this paper the characteristics and fabrication of Al-Si Schottky barrier devices are first reviewed; then, the results of reliability studies are presented in detail.
The Relative Contribution of Suckling and Prolactin to the Inhibition of Gonadotropin Secretion during Lactation in the Rat

The relative contribution of suckling and prolactin to the suppression of the postcastration rise in LH and FSH was studied. Litter sizes were adjusted to 2 or 8 pups on Day 2 postpartum. Contro! animals had their litters removed at the time of ovariectomy (0-pup controls). In females nursing 8 pups, ovariectomy on Day 3 postpartum did not result in any significant increase in LH or FSH secretion on Day 8. However, if prolactin secretion in the ovariectomized lactating females was inhibited with CB-154 from Days 3-8, LH secretion increased significantly, whereas FSH increased maximally to reach levels observed in 0-pup controls. The simultaneous administration of ovine prolactin with CB-154 prevented the increase in LH and FSH secretion. In contrast to the complete suppression of the postcastration rise in LH and FSH observed during early lactation, lactating females ovariectomized on Day 12 postpartum showed significant increases in LH and FSH secretion on Day 17. Gonadotropin levels had increased to approximately 50% of the values observed in 0-pup controls. If the ovariectomized lactating females were treated with ovine prolactin from Days 12-17 postpartum, the postcastration rise in LH and FSH was completely suppressed.Surprisingly, administration of prolactin to the 0-pup controls had no effect on LH and FSH secretion. Inhibition of prolactin secretion with CB-1 54 resulted in maximum postcastration increasesin LI-I and FSH in spite of the presence of suckling. The ability of prolactin to suppress the postcastration rise in gonadotropin secretion was then studied in females nursing 2 pups. After ovariectomy on either Day 4 or 11 postpartum, the increases in LH and FSH observed 1 or 2 days later were similar whether 2 pups or 0 pups suckled. Neither administration of prolactin nor increasing the litter size from 2-8 pups at the time of ovariectomy on Day 4 had any effect on the postcastration increase in gonadotropin secretion. However, these treatment regimens caused a significant decrease in the postcastration rise in LH and FSH on Days 12 and 13 postpartum. Again, administration of prolactin was ineffective in suppressing gonadotropin secretion in 0-pup controls. These results demonstrate that prolactin can suppress the postcastration rise in gonadotropin secretion. During early lactation, the suckling stimulus contributes more -than prolactin to the suppression of the postcastration rise in LH, whereas the elevated levels of prolactin account for the suppression of FSH secretion. D.uring the latter part of lactation, as the suppressive effects of the suckling stimulus wane, prolactin alone accounts for the decrease in gonadotropin secretion. However, the presence of the suckling stimulus appears to be necessary for the inhibitory effects of prolactin to be manifested.