cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spread Behavior and Multiple Restatement Announcements

In this paper we study the multiple restatement announcements and its perceived resultant information asymmetry around the announcement day. We examine the pattern of information asymmetry for multiple restatement announcements in terms of bid-ask spread around the announcement day. Study of spread behavior around corporate events that have been performed in the past show a mixed picture. While Conrad and Niden (1992) find weak evidence of spread widening around corporate information event, Barclay and Smith (1988) find an increase in spread during stock repurchases announcements. Palmrose, Richardson and Scholz (2004) do not find any significant proportionate change in bid-ask spread surrounding the financial restatement announcement day. Results from our empirical analysis support the hypotheses that the spread widens not only around the first restatement announcement day but around every subsequent restatement announcement days as well.
Using genetic algorithms to discover selection criteria for contradictory solutions retrieved by CBR

In certain domains a case base may contain contradictory but correct cases.The contradictory solutions are due to known domain and problem characteristics which are not part of the case description, and which cannot be formally or explicitly described.In such situations it is important to develop methods that will use these criteria to select among the competing solutions of the matching cases Our domain of application was the assignment of billing numbers to the shipment of goods, and the case base contained numerous cases of similar or even identical problems that had different solutions (billing numbers).Suc h contradictory solutions were correct and an outcome of domain constraints and characteristics that were not part of the cases and were also not formally known and defined.It was assumed that the frequency with which a solution appeared among the retrieved cases and the recency of the time the solution had been applied were important for selecting among competing solutions, but there was no explicit way for doing so.In this paper we show how we used genetic algorithms to discover methods to combine and operationalize vague selection criteria such as "recency" and "frequency." GAs helped us discover selection criteria for the contradictory solutions retrieved by CBR retrieval and significantly improved the accuracy and performance of the CBR system.
Giving Back Through Time: A Collaborative Timeline Approach to Researching Karuk Indigenous Land Management History

This research note is part of the thematic section, Giving Back Through Collaboration in Practice, in the special issue titled “Giving Back in Field Research,” published as Volume 10, Issue 2 in the Journal of Research Practice.
Minimizing N-to-O shift in Edman sequencing

Publisher Summary Protein sequence determination is carried out most frequently by the Edman degradation. This chapter describes and examines both the kinetics of the O-to-N acyl shift and the catalysis of thiocarbamylation to determine optimal conditions. The results show that O-to-N shift can be prevented by: using anhydrous coupling; excluding amines and/or by lowering the pH of the coupling reaction to pH 5. The chapter discusses that the major contributor to background generation is the result of an N-to-O shift at Ser/Thr hydroxyl groups. A blocking group on Ser/Thr can prevent N-to-O shifting, but must be stable and not O-to-N shift when Ser/Thr become N-terminal. The chapter reveals that thiocarbamylation does not require tertiary amines, and that efficient coupling, around neutral pH, can be carried out in the presence of tetraethylammonium sulfate and methylsulfoxide, with model compounds the O-to-N shift is not promoted. It may be expected that a combination of non-tertiary amine catalysis and acylating reagent with bulky side chain suppresses O-to-N shift, while maintaining high repetitive efficiency.
Gastroenterologic and Hepatic Diseases

Celiac disease, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic inflammatory diseases of unknown etiology. They are considered complex genetic diseases because both inherited and environmental influences appear to be important in determining risk Complex genetic diseases are more common than Mendelian diseases in the population. Prevalence ranges for AIH, IBD and celiac disease are given in Table 1. Generally, accepted average prevalences are 1 in 1,000 persons for Crohn’s disease and UC, and 3 in 1,000 for celiac disease. However, the prevalence rate of Crohn’s, UC and celiac disease are much lower in some populations (e.g., 1.25 in 100,000 for Crohn’s disease in Hong Kong1). The average prevalence of AIH is 10-fold lower at 1 in 10,000.
Coxsackievirus B4 myocarditis and meningoencephalitis in newborn twins

Coxsackievirus B4 (CB4) is a picornavirus associated with a variety of human diseases, including neonatal meningoencephalitis, myocarditis and type 1 diabetes. We report the pathological findings in twin newborns who died during an acute infection. The twins were born 1 month premature but were well and neurologically intact at birth. After a week they developed acute lethal neonatal sepsis and seizures. Histopathology demonstrated meningoencephalitis and severe myocarditis, as well as pancreatitis, adrenal medullitis and nephritis. Abundant CB4 sequences were identified in nucleic acid extracted from the brain and heart. In situ hybridization with probes to CB4 demonstrated infection of neurons, myocardiocytes, endocrine pancreas and adrenal medulla. The distribution of infected cells and immune response is consistent with reported clinical symptomatology where systemic and neurological diseases are the result of CB4 infection of select target cells.
STRAUSS: Spectral Transform Use in Stochastic Circuit Synthesis

1 Stochastic computing (SC) is an approximate computing technique that processes data in the form of long pseudorandom bit-streams which can be interpreted as probabilities. Its key advantages are low-complexity hardware and high-error tolerance. SC has recently been finding application in several important areas, including image processing, artificial neural networks, and low-density parity check decoding. Despite a long history, SC still lacks a comprehensive design methodology, so existing designs tend to be either ad hoc or based on specialized design methods. In this paper, we demonstrate a fundamental relation between stochastic circuits and spectral transforms. Based on this, we propose a general, transform-based approach to the analysis and synthesis of SC circuits. We implemented this approach in a program spectral transform use in stochastic circuit synthesis (STRAUSS), which also includes a method of optimizing stochastic number-generation circuitry. Finally, we show that the area cost of the circuits generated by STRAUSS is significantly smaller than that of previous work. 1 Parts of this paper are based on “A spectral transform approach to stochastic circuits,” which was presented at the International Conference on Computer Design, Oct. 2012 [3] .
Transverse radius of an expanding hadronic system at freeze-out time.

I construct a simple, analytical model for both the longitudinal and transverse expansion of an interacting hadronic system. This model explicitly assumes that the particle rapidity distribution is not boost invariant, and specifically includes an initial transverse dimension. It employs standard assumptions about the delayed formation of produced particles and the correlation between longitudinal position and rapidity. No particular dynamical scenario is assumed for the early stages of the system's expansion, but rather the last stage, freeze-out, is tied to the particle rapidity distribution. The observed multiplicity and width of the rapidity distribution control the transverse size and time when the system freezes out. The model predicts a transverse radius at freeze-out and its dependences on rapidity and multiplicity, which are very similar to those obtained by pion interferometry. This analysis can be used with different event classes to correlate changes in the multiplicity and width of the rapidity distribution with changes in the size, shape, and lifetime of the system at freeze-out.
Chaperone signalling complexes in Alzheimer's disease

Molecular chaperones and heat shock proteins (Hsp) have emerged as critical regulators of proteins associated with neurodegenerative disease pathologies. The very nature of the chaperone system, which is to maintain protein quality control, means that most nascent proteins come in contact with chaperone proteins. Thus, amyloid precursor protein (APP), members of the gamma-secretase complex (presenilin 1 [PS1] collectively), the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) as well as a number of neuroinflammatory components are all in contact with chaperones from the moment of their production. Chaperones are often grouped together as one machine presenting abnormal or mutant proteins to the proteasome for degradation, but this is not at all the case. In fact, the chaperone family consists of more than 100 proteins in mammalian cells, and the primary role for most of these proteins is to protect clients following synthesis and during stress; only as a last resort do they facilitate protein degradation. To the best of our current knowledge, the chaperone system in eukaryotic cells revolves around the ATPase activities of Hsp70 and Hsp90, the two primary chaperone scaffolds. Other chaperones and co-chaperones manipulate the ATPase activities of Hsp70 and Hsp90, facilitating either folding of the client or its degradation. In the case of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a number of studies have recently emerged describing the impact that these chaperones have on the proteotoxic effects of tau and amyloid-β accumulation. Here, we present the current understandings of chaperone biology and examine the literature investigating these proteins in the context of AD.
Infants' Use of Constraints to Speed Information Processing and to Anticipate Events

Two experiments were conducted with 28-week-old infants using a modification of the Visual Expectation Paradigm. The first sought to determine whether speed of information processing (SIP) could be assessed in infants using a reaction time (RT) measure and approach that is widely used to measure SIP in adults. Infants saw a center fixation cue followed by a peripheral target that could appear in 1, 2, or 4 locations. There was a linear increase in RT of eye movements as the number of locations increased from 1 to 2 and to 4 targets, suggesting that the paradigm does measure SIP. The second experiment asked whether varying the number of cue-target pairings would augment or impair infant's SIP in the trade-off between the benefit of additional information and the liability of additional memory load. The findings showed that the presence of cue information can eliminate the difference in RT between the 1- and 2-location conditions, whereas no benefit of cue was obtained for the 4-location condition.
Acceptor end binding domain interactions ensure correct aminoacylation of transfer RNA.

Abstract The recognition of the acceptor stem of tRNA(Gln) is an important element ensuring the accuracy of aminoacylation by Escherichia coli glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS; EC 6.1.1.18). On the basis of known mutations and the crystal structure of the tRNA(Gln).GlnRS complex, we mutagenized at saturation two motifs in the acceptor end binding domain of GlnRS. Mutants with lowered tRNA specificity were then selected in vivo by suppression of a glutamine-specific amber mutation (lacZ1000) with an amber suppressor tRNA derived from tRNA(1Ser). The mischarging GlnRS mutants obtained in this way retain the ability to charge tRNA(Gln), but in addition, they misacylate a number of noncognate amber suppressor tRNAs. The critical residues responsible for specificity are Arg-130 and Glu-131, located in a part of GlnRS that binds the acceptor stem of tRNA(Gln). On the basis of the spectrum of tRNAs capable of being misacylated by such mutants we propose that, in addition to taking part in productive interactions, the acceptor end binding domain contributes to recognition specificity by rejecting noncognate tRNAs through negative interactions. Analysis of the catalytic properties of one of the mischarging enzymes, GlnRS100 (Arg-130-->Pro, Glu-131-->Asp), indicates that, while the kinetic parameters of the mutant enzyme are not dramatically changed, it binds noncognate tRNA(Glu) more stably than the wild-type enzyme does (Kd is 1/8 that of the wild type). Thus, the stability of the noncognate complex may be the basis for mischarging in vivo.
Differences in Hospital Length‐of‐Stay, Charges, and Mortality in Congestive Heart Failure Patients

The aim of this study was to demonstrate differences in hospitalization outcomes including length-of-stay (LOS), charges, and mortality in congestive heart failure patients using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project dataset. Hospitalizations with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, clinical modification (ICD-9-CM) codes for congestive heart failure were extracted from a 10% random Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project sample to yield 19,693 hospitalizations between January 1 and December 31, 1997. Mean hospital charges were $11,688 and mean LOS was 5.83 days. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 4.7%. Both LOS and hospital charges were higher in urban compared with rural hospitals (p< or =0.05). LOS and charges also increased with hospital size (p< or =0.05). Among patient characteristics, patient health status significantly affected LOS, charges, and mortality. Privately insured/health maintenance organization patients had 9% shorter LOS than Medicare patients, and Medicaid patients had 6.6% lower charges and 42% lower mortality than Medicare patients (p< or =0.05). Other significant predictors of study outcome variables included age, gender, race, hospital region, and hospital experience.
The effects of cortisone on the interconversion of cortisol and cortisone in the baboon

In the baboon fetus, the conversion of cortisol (F) to cortisone (E) [80%] exceeds the reverse reaction [15%]. Since the fetus is exposed to high quantities of E throughout most of pregnancy, we determined whether F to E interconversion is altered following acute changes in serum E. Adult female baboons (N = 3) were sedated with ketamine, constantly infused for 180 min via an antecubital vein with 15 microCi[14C]E and 15 microCi[3H]F, and saphenous vein blood samples obtained at 70, 80 and 90 min. At 90 min, an infusion of E (166 micrograms/min) was initiated and blood samples obtained at 160-180 min. This protocol was repeated in the same animals treated 24 and 3 h prior to infusion with 3 mg betamethasone. Metabolic clearance (MCR), transfer constants (%) and serum levels (microgram/dl) of F and E were determined. E increased (P less than 0.05; paired t) MCR-E, and serum F and E levels in control and betamethasone-treated baboons. E also decreased %F to E in betamethasone-treated but not control animals. These findings suggest that acute changes in serum E alter MCR-E, do not influence the conversion of E to F and may decrease the conversion of F to E. Therefore, we suggest that the high conversion of F to E in the baboon fetus is probably not the result of elevated concentrations of E.
Colonoscopy training in gastroenterology fellowships: determining competence

Background Although 140 colonoscopies is the recommended minimal requirement for gastroenterology fellows, it is unclear whether this minimum is a surrogate for competence. Objective To assess whether 140 colonoscopies is an adequate threshold to determine ≥90% colonoscopy performance independence. Design Retrospective analysis on a database constructed for quality control/improvement. Setting Gastroenterology fellowship training program at a veterans hospital. Patients Consecutive patients who underwent colonoscopy primarily for symptoms, previous polyps, or family history of cancer (a minority were performed for screening only) from April 2007 to September 2008. This study involved 11 gastroenterology fellows who performed 770 colonoscopies during 18 individual month-long rotations. Intervention Assessment of various procedure-related parameters. Main Outcome Measurements Determining when ≥90% independence in colonoscopy performance was reached. Results Total colonoscopy time, time to cecal intubation, withdrawal time, and independent completion rates all significantly improved when first and third years of training were compared ( P Limitations Number of participants, single center. Conclusions Becoming a competent colonoscopist requires repeated practice. Our study suggests that, although there is variability between a trainee's ability to become colonoscopy independent, 500 colonoscopies are likely required to ensure reliable (≥90%) independent completion rates. Competency requires more than a single parameter.
Imitation: A Mechanism of Play Behavior

Imitation, as a critical mechanism of play behavior, is a primary learning process in child development that has received scant attention in therapists' work with children. The purpose of this study is to conceptualize a system of imitation for occupational therapy within the framework of play behavior, and to analyze this process by using system categories. A case is presented to show how the imitation process can be specifically analyzed and influenced. The imitation process, when applied in clinical practice, could broaden the perspective of existing clinical interventions with children. Language: en
Arsenate-induced maternal glucose intolerance and neural tube defects in a mouse model

Background Epidemiological studies have linked environmental arsenic (As) exposure to increased type 2 diabetes risk. Periconceptional hyperglycemia is a significant risk factor for neural tube defects (NTDs), the second most common structural birth defect. A suspected teratogen, arsenic (As) induces NTDs in laboratory animals.
Aerodynamic performance of high turning core turbine vanes in a two dimensional cascade

Experimental and theoretical aerodynamic performance data are presented for four uncooled high turning core turbine vanes with exit angles of 74.9, 75.0, 77.5, and 79.6 degrees in a two dimensional cascade. Data for a more conservative 67.0 degree vane are included for comparison. Correction of the experimental aftermix kinetic energy losses to a common 0.100 centimeter trailing edge thickness yields a linear trend of increased loss from 0.020 to 0.025 as the vane exit angle increases from 67.0 to 79.6 degrees. The theoretical losses show a similar trend. The experimental and theoretical vane surface velocity distributions generally agree within approximately five percent, although the suction surface theoretical velocities are generally higher than the experimental velocities as the vane exit angle increases.
Advances in Shader Lamps Avatars for telepresence

Since the introduction of the animatronic Shader Lamps Avatar in 2009, several aspects of the system's design have been improved to create a more effective telepresence experience. This includes an analysis of the tradeoffs between front and rear projection and between rigidly aligning the projector with the display surface or needing to track it. A new control mode is implemented for the pan-tilt unit that enables the avatar head pose to better emulate real human motion and a new hardware device allows the motorized wheelchair that carries the avatar to be controlled by the remote inhabiter. With the recognition of the importance of high quality audio, the audio components for both the inhabiter and the avatar have also been updated. Finally, some preliminary live tests are presented and areas of continued research are discussed.
Suppression of meiosis of male germ cells by an antagonist of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone.

Abstract Male nude mice were implanted with osmotic minipumps releasing 50 micrograms of a potent antagonist of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) per day [N-Ac-[D-Nal(2)1,D-Phe(pCl)2,D-Pal(3)3,D-Cit6,D-Ala10]LH-RH] (SB-75) [Nal(2), 3-(2-naphthyl)alanine; Phe(pCl), 4-chlorophenylalanine; Pal(3), 3-(3-pyridyl)alanine; Cit, citrulline], or they were treated with s.c. injections of SB-75 (25 micrograms twice a day). Another group of nude mice received an injection of microcapsules of the agonist [D-Trp6]LH-RH liberating 25 micrograms/day. One month after the initiation of treatment, the testicular weights were significantly reduced and the blood testosterone values were at castration levels in all treated groups. Histologically, only the testicles of the mice treated with SB-75 released from minipumps showed a significant decrease of meiosis. The most advanced forms of germ cells were spermatogonia in 26%, spermatocytes in 17%, and round spermatids in 35% of the seminiferous tubules. Only 22% of the tubules contained elongated spermatids. The suppression of meiotic activity by this modern LH-RH antagonist can possibly be used for the development of methods for male contraception and for the protection of germ cells against the damage caused by cytotoxic drugs and x-radiation.
AGU's historical records move to the Niels Bohr Library and Archives

As scientists, AGU members understand the important role data play in finding the answers to their research questions: no data—no answers. The same holds true for the historians posing research questions concerning the development of the geophysical sciences, but their data are found in archival collections comprising the personal papers of geophysicists and scientific organizations. Now historians of geophysics—due to the efforts of the AGU History of Geophysics Committee, the American Institute of Physics (AIP), and the archivists of the Niels Bohr Library and Archives at AIP—have an extensive new data source: the AGU manuscript collection.
The concomitancy in the rhythms of caloric intake and behavior in cats: A replication

Cats with midbrain lesions exhibit an abnormal dissociation between appetitive and consummatory behaviors, a dissociation previously shown to vary with a 4-month rhythm in body weight, food intake and thyroid activity. A replication, which includes a quantitative measure of the behavioral change, indicates parallel changes of the behavior with the normal caloric intake rhythm.
Comparative studies on the distribution of protein-o-carboxylmethyltransferase and tyrosine hydroxylase in rat brain by immunocytochemistry

The distribution of protein-O-carboxylmethyltransferase and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in brain was compared with the use of highly specific polyclonal antibodies prepared against the native form of each enzyme. Protein-O-carboxylmethyltransferase was found in brain areas rich in catecholamine neurons as identified by tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity. Rabbit anti-protein-O-carboxylmethyltransferase labeled cell bodies in the locus coeruleus, substantia nigra, and paraventricular nucleus whereas rabbit anti-tyrosine hydroxylase prepared against highly purified, native tyrosine hydroxylase from cultured PC12 cells labelled cell bodies in the same brain regions. In addition, the antibody to tyrosine hydroxylase made possible the visualization of very fine cortical processes containing tyrosine hydroxylase and very dense neuronal networks throughout the nigrostriatal pathway. The coincidence of protein-O-carboxylmethyltransferase and tyrosine hydroxylase in catecholamine rich brain areas provide an anatomical basis for the possibility that protein-O-carboxylmethyltransferase could modulate catecholaminergic neurotransmission.
Frequencies of circular segment waveguide

Frequencies of the circular segment waveguide are determined by the Ritz method. It is found that the cutoff frequency corresponds to an anti-symmetric TE mode. The waveguide with small thickness is also discussed.
Synthesis and thermal properties of fluorosilicones containing perfluorocyclobutane rings

Abstract Two disilanol monomers containing perfluorocyclobutane rings, 1,2-bis[4-(dimethylhydroxysilyl)phenoxy]-1,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluorocyclobutane and 1,2-bis[3-(dimethylhydroxysilyl)phenoxy]-1,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluorocyclobutane, were prepared and self-polymerized by treatment with base. The glass transition temperatures (Tgs) of the two high-molecular-weight polymers obtained were 27 and −12°C, respectively. The two monomers were also copolymerized with an α,ω-silanol-terminated 3,3,3-trifluoropropylmethylsiloxane (fluorosilicone) oligomer to form copolymers with varying compositions. The Tgs of the copolymers, which ranged from −60 to −1°C, increased as the amount of the perfluorocyclobutane-containing silphenylene repeat units increased. Copolymers containing more than 20 wt% of this repeat unit displayed less weight loss at elevated temperatures than a fluorosilicone homopolymer when subjected to isothermal gravimetric analysis. One of the copolymers, which contained about 30 wt% of the perfluorocyclobutane-containing repeat unit, was crosslinked with 2,4-dichlorobenzoylperoxide. The crosslinked network displayed a volume swell of under 40% in isooctane, similar to a crosslinked fluorosilicone.
Selected Analyses and Observations in Multicomponent Diffusion

Selected isothermal diffusion studies in ternary and quaternary systems are reviewed in order to present analytical and experimental approaches adopted for the determination of interdiffusion fluxes of components, interdiffusion coefficients, diffusional interactions among components, and internal consistency in the experimental data. Several interesting phenomena and observations including uphill diffusion, zero-flux planes and flux reversals, and double serpentine diffusion paths are illustrated with selected single phase Cu-Ni-Zn, Fe-Ni-Al and Cu-Ni-Zn-Mn diffusion couples. The main challenges involved in the experimental determination of interdiffusion data from multicomponent diffusion couples and in the application of such data are also addressed.
Effect of sodium nitrite, primaquine, and menadione on TPN-methemoglobin reductase in vitro.

Abstract The in vitro effect of sodium nitrite, primaquine, and menadione on the triphosphopyridine nucleotide-dependent methemoglobin reductase was investigated using enzyme isolated from human, porcine, and canine blood. This reductase has different salting-out properties among the three species studied. None of the specimens examined were deficient either in this enzyme or in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Primaquine and menadione suppress this enzyme whereas sodium nitrite does not. These findings are offered as a partial explanation of the clinical fact that with some drugs, such as sodium nitrite, one may observe methemoglobinemia without hemolysis, while with other drugs, such as primaquine and menadione, hemolysis follows methemoglobinemia.
Angiotensin-(1-7) reduces proliferation and angiogenesis of human prostate cancer xenografts with a decrease in angiogenic factors and an increase in sFlt-1.

BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the second-leading cause of cancer death in men. The purpose of this study was to determine the anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic efficacy of angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)], an endogenous peptide hormone, in human prostate cancer xenografts. METHODS Human LNCaP prostate cancer cells were injected into the flank of athymic mice and tumors were treated with Ang-(1-7) for 54 days. Tumor growth and angiogenesis were determined by immunohistochemistry and western blot hybridization. RESULTS Ang-(1-7) markedly reduced the volume and wet weight of LNCaP xenograft tumors. Histological analysis of tumor sections from saline-treated mice showed increased Ki67 immunoreactivity and enhanced phosphorylation of the MAP kinases ERK1/2 compared to tumors from Ang-(1-7)-treated mice, suggesting that the heptapeptide reduces cell proliferation. Intratumoral vessel density was decreased in Ang-(1-7)-treated mice with an associated reduction in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PlGF), suggesting that the heptapeptide attenuates vascularization by reducing angiogenic factors. Ang-(1-7) administration markedly increased the soluble fraction of VEGF receptor 1 (sFlt-1), with a concomitant reduction in VEGF receptors 1 and 2. sFlt-1 serves as a decoy receptor that traps VEGF and PlGF, making the ligands unavailable to membrane-bound VEGF receptors and preventing activation of pro-angiogenic signaling. CONCLUSIONS The decrease in PlGF and VEGF coupled with the increase in sFlt-1 suggests that Ang-(1-7) may serve as a novel anti-angiogenic therapy for prostate cancer. Further, the pleiotropic mechanisms of action by Ang-(1-7) may limit angiogenic resistance that occurs with VEGF inhibitors or receptor blockers. Prostate 73: 60–70, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The validation of GOSSYM: Part 1—Arizona conditions

Abstract The cotton simulation model GOSSYM has been previously validated with data collected in Mississippi. When tested against data from Arizona, the model was found to need alterations in the maximum reduction in canopy photosynthesis due to water stress to stimulate an apparent ‘hardening’ process in the plants. Changes were also made in potential root growth rate and in growth rates of plant height and leaves. Some of these alterations did not affect the fit of the model to the Mississippi data, but the changes relating to the effects of water stress on growth rates were site specific, and thus an indication of a need to improve the model in these areas. The work reported in this paper was undertaken to identify the areas of the model that needed to be improved and to develop slightly different forms of GOSSYM for different locations.
Impact of the Harvest of the Month program on low-income Hmong and white middle school students.

Increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents are a significant health concern in the United States (US). California is home to the largest Asian population in the US. Children from low-income Asian and Pacific Islander American families are joining other racial/ethnic groups in the obesity epidemic. Specifically, there is a growing body of evidence that obesity rates are higher among Hmong youth than the national averages for Asian or non-Hispanic white middle school-age children. Approximately 24% of the Hmong population in the US resides in California. They are typically first-generation refugees from Southeast Asia, and 55% are under the age of 18. Fruit and vegetable consumption has been associated with the prevention and management of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents, both in northern California and elsewhere. Although little is known about actual fruit and vegetable consumption among Hmong youth who are experiencing dietary transition, there appear to be many perceived barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption among Hmong adults and adolescents from low-income families. Two California studies, including 1 from northern California, identified perceived
The retrieval context of intervening tasks influences subsequent memory in younger and older adults.

Background/Study Context: What people remember can be shaped by how they access and evaluate their memories as well as by events that happen after the original experience. This study examined how thinking about events in different ways after their occurrence can influence younger and older adults’ memory for what really occurred.Methods: Younger adults (ages 18–22) and older adults (ages 65–88) saw and imagined pictures of objects and later evaluated each object 0, 1, or 3 times on a task that either required them to remember the objects in a general way (old or new?), in a more specific manner (perceived, imagined, or new?), or that required thinking about objects without regard to whether or how they were earlier experienced (e.g., judging their function or frequency in everyday life).Results: Results showed that probing items multiple times on the intervening tasks increased the number of items younger and older adults successfully remembered later but also increased source misattributions of claiming ...
Transdermal testosterone delivery in castrated Yucatan minipigs: pharmacokinetics and metabolism

Abstract The feasibility of using the castrated Yucatan minipig as a hypogonadal animal model to investigate the transdermal controlled systemic delivery of testosterone was studied. During a 24 h application of a testosterone transdermal delivery device (T-TDD), serial blood samples were withdrawn from the minipigs, without anesthesia, at predetermined time intervals and the plasma concentrations of testosterone as well as its major metabolites, dihydrotestosterone and estradiol, were assayed by radioimmunoassay. The compartmental pharmacokinetic modeling analysis of the plasma profiles of total testosterone indicated that as much as 92% of the total testosterone dose released from the T-TDD had been delivered transdermally into the systemic circulation during the initial rapid input period (the first 11 h of the application), while only 8% was delivered during the slow input period (up to 23 h). Good correlation was observed between the in vivo input doses [1.9 (±0.2), 4.8 (±0.2) and 6.4 (±0.5) mg/day], determined by the Wagner-Nelson equation, and the daily doses released [1.9± (0.2), 4.7 (±0.2) and 6.6 (±0.5) mg/day, respectively, for 1, 2, and 3 units of T-TDD]. While the in vivo rate of input in the castrated minipigs was observed to be similar to that in hypogonadal men treated with the T-TDD during the first 8 h period, the input rate was found to be slower during the last 12 h. The agreement could suggest that the mechanism for the transdermal systemic delivery of testosterone in the castrated minipig could be similar to that in the hypogonadal men. However, the plasma testosterone profiles attained in the castrated minipigs were observed to be similar to, but slightly lower than that in the hypogonadal men reported in the literature. The Δ C max (baseline normalized peak plasma concentration) and Δ C avg (baseline normalized average plasma concentration) data in the castrated minipigs were 40 and 44%, respectively, of that in hypogonadal men. The ~2.4 fold lower values in Δ C max and Δ C avg data could result from the difference in the clearance rate of testosterone which is ~2.8 fold higher in minipigs than in the human. Despite the difference in clearance rate, the castrated minipigs could be a suitable large animal model for studying the pharmacokinetics of testosterone delivered transdermally in humans with hypogonadism.
Hyperbranched Poly(4-Acetylstyrene) by Ruthenium-Catalyzed Step-Growth Polymerization of 4-Acetylstyrene

Treatment of 4-acetylstyrene (an AB2 monomer) with dihydridocarbonyltris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium leads to hyperbranched poly(4-acetylstyrene) whose structure has been determined by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The hyperbranched material has been characterized by GPC, IR, UV, TGA, DSC, and elemental analysis. Polymerization occurs by Ru-catalyzed addition of C−H bonds which are adjacent to the activating acetyl group across the C−C double bond of the vinyl group in both a Markovnikov and an anti-Markovnikov manner.
Examining the Awareness and Persuasive Effects of Online WOM

This study addresses a growing trend in how consumers obtain and use information prior to making their online purchasing decisions. Specifically, the authors investigate the relationship between online word-of-mouth WOM, i.e., customer reviews and ratings and sales as measured by Amazon "ranks" for different product categories. Using data collected from Amazon, the authors find that online WOM metrics and social media impact consumer purchase decisions through awareness and persuasion. From a managerial standpoint, these findings suggest that businesses should use ratings, reviews, and social media to build awareness about their products and influence purchase decisions. Future research in online WOM and sales outcomes for product categories should control for advertising and product heterogeneity within categories, as well as incorporate social media metrics, review text, and review length.
Ultrasonic evaluation of flood gate tendons

Our water resources infrastructure is susceptible to aging degradation just like the rest of this country`s infrastructure. A critical component of the water supply system is the flood gate that controls the outflow from dams.Long steel rods called tendons attach these radial gates to the concrete in the dam. The tendons are typically forty feet long and over one inch in diameter. Moisture may seep into the grout around the tendons and cause corrosion. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is working with the California Department of Water Resources to develop advanced ultrasonic techniques for nondestructively inspecting their tendons. A unique transducer was designed and fabricated to interrogate the entire tendon. A robust,portable unit was assembled that included a computer controlled data acquisition system and specialized data processing software to analyze the ultrasonic signals. This system was tested on laboratory specimens and is presently being fielded at two dam sites.
Peierls instability in Heisenberg chains

Dimerization phase transitions for $S=\frac{1}{2}$ linear antiferromagnetic chains is investigated by analogy with Peirels transitions in linear conducting chains. This analogy is very close when the fermion representation is used to describe the spin system, and the fermion interactions are treated in the Hartree-Fock approximation. Since the Fermi wave vector can be varied continuously by a magnetic field, the linear antiferromagnetic chain may be a convenient system for studying questions concerning. the commensurability of the Fermi wave vector with the underlying lattice which have arisen in connection with the conventional Peierls transition.
Plasma transport of vitamin K in men using deuterium-labeled collard greens

The plasma transport of stable isotope-labeled phylloquinone at physiologic doses from food was studied. A single bolus of 100 g (396 +/- 28 microg phylloquinone) deuterium-labeled collard greens was fed with a breakfast containing 24 g fat to 5 men (26 to 71 years). Eleven blood samples were obtained over 216 hours. Phylloquinone concentrations in plasma and lipoprotein subfractions were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the ion abundances of deuterated and endogenous phylloquinone were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Plasma total phylloquinone concentrations peaked at 6 to 9 hours (10.51 +/- 4.38 to 8.30 +/- 4.64 nmol/L) and returned to baseline by 24 hours (1.26 +/- 0.38 nmol/L). The triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TRL) fraction was the major carrier of phylloquinone; low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) fractions contained smaller amounts. Maximum enrichment of plasma and TRL phylloquinone with deuterium (88% and 89%, respectively) was reached at 6 hours, respectively; t(1/2) was 22.8 hours (n = 3). Deuterated-phylloquinone was not detectable in plasma or TRL fraction at 72 hours. These results suggest rapid uptake and transport of physiologic doses of phylloquinone.
On Team Games: A Computational Structural Analysis

Team games are studied here with one performance index for the team as a unit in competition with one common opponent. A structural analysis is presented with the intent to simplify the computation of optimal decision and communication processes. The minimum principle and calculus of variations are used to compute time-optimal and quadratic-optimal trajectories for certain linear "pursuit-evasion" games. A composition method is presented to compute an approximate solution to the two-versus-one problem from the solution to two one-versus-one problems. Help zones of a second pursuer to assist in the "capture" of an evader are derived. The hierarchical command and communication structure for a quadratic linear game of N pursuers and one evader is derived. An approximation is generated which has a convenient ripple or recursive structure.
Genetic variation in plant below-ground response to elevated CO2 and two herbivore species

It is unclear how changing atmospheric conditions, including rising carbon dioxide concentration, influence interactions between above and below-ground systems and if intraspecific variation exists in this response. We assessed interactive effects of atmospheric CO2 concentration, above-ground herbivory, and plant genotype on root traits and mycorrhizal associations. Plants from five families of Asclepias syriaca, a perennial forb, were grown under ambient and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Foliar herbivory by either lepidopteran caterpillars or phloem-feeding aphids was imposed. Mycorrhizal colonization, below-ground biomass, root biomass, and secondary defensive chemistry in roots were quantified. We observed substantial genetic variation among A. syriaca families in their mycorrhizal colonization levels in response to elevated CO2 and herbivory treatments. Elevated CO2 treatment increased root biomass in all genetic families, whereas foliar herbivory tended to decrease root biomass. Root cardenolide concentration and composition varied greatly among plant families, and elevated CO2 treatment increased root cardenolides in two of the five plant families. Moreover, herbivores differentially affected the composition of cardenolides expressed below ground. Increased atmospheric CO2 has the potential to influence interactions among plants, herbivores and mycorrhizal fungi and intraspecific variation suggests that such interactions can evolve.
Oceanic tides from Geosat altimetry

Direct tidal analysis of the altimetry from the Geosat Exact Repeat Mission's first year is used to derive estimates of the diurnal and semidiurnal oceanic tides. The geoid is removed by collinear differences at 34.1-day separation, and the orbit error is reduced by subtracting a slowly modulated 1-cycle/revolution term. A sequence of independent analyses at grid areas of 1 deg latitude x 1.5 deg longitude using 'orthotide' functions ensures complete definition of the diurnal and semidiurnal species. Global admittance maps for M2 and S2 within the latitudes 58 deg N and 59 deg S compare well with ground truth at 66 open-ocean sites. Maps of differences between Geosat and the Naval Surface Weapons Center model show important areas of the order of 10-15 cm.
Effects of Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide on Insect-Plant Interactions

In the enriched carbon dioxide atmosphere expected in the next century, many species of herbivo- rous insects will confront less nutritious host plants that will induce both lengthened larval developmental times and greater mortality. The limited data currently available suggest that the effect of increased atmo- spheric CO 2 on herbivory will be not only highly species-specific but also specific to each insect-plant system. Several scenarios can be predicted, however: (1) local extinctions will occur; (2) the endangered species status as well as the pest status of some insect species will change; (3) geographic distributions for some insect spe- cies will shift with host-plant ranges; and (4) changes in the population dynamics of affected insect species will influence their interactions with other insects and plants. For insect conservation purposes, it is critical to begin long-term studies on the effects of enhanced CO 2 levels on insect populations. An analysis of the avail- able literature indicates that many orders containing insect species important for ecosystem conservation, and even those important as agricultural or medical pests, have not been examined. Without a major in- crease in research on this topic, we will be unprepared for the species changes that will occur, we will lose the opportunity to document just how some insects adapt to elevated CO 2 levels, and we will lack the informa- tion necessary for effective conservation efforts.
Herophilus, Erasistratus, Aretaeus, and Galen: ancient roots of the Bell-Magendie Law.

✓Since the early 19th century, significant controversy has persisted over the competing claims of two men, Charles Bell and Francois Magendie, to a pivotal discovery: that the dorsal spinal roots subserve sensation, whereas the ventral spinal roots subserve motion. However, the foundations of neuroanatomy on which Bell and Magendie built their research was formed two millennia in advance. Exploration of the work of four ancient scholars—Herophilus, Erasistratus, Aretaeus, and Galen–reveals a remarkable early appreciation of the separate neural pathways (if not the correct physiology) responsible for sensory and motor control.
Hydrogen production by methanogens under low-hydrogen conditions

Hydrogen production was studied in four species of methanogens (Methanothermobacter marburgensis, Methanosaeta thermophila, Methanosarcina barkeri, and Methanosaeta concilii) under conditions of low (sub-nanomolar) ambient hydrogen concentration using a specially designed culture apparatus. Transient hydrogen production was observed and quantified for each species studied. Methane was excluded as the electron source, as was all organic material added during growth of the cultures (acetate, yeast extract, peptone). Hydrogen production showed a strong temperature dependence, and production ceased at temperatures below the growth range of the organisms. Addition of polysulfides to the cultures greatly decreased hydrogen production. The addition of bromoethanesulfonic acid had little influence on hydrogen production. These experiments demonstrate that some methanogens produce excess reducing equivalents during growth and convert them to hydrogen when the ambient hydrogen concentration becomes low. The lack of sustained hydrogen production by the cultures in the presence of methane provides evidence against "reverse methanogenesis" as the mechanism for anaerobic methane oxidation.
Truss space structures system identification using the multiple boundary condition test method

A mathematical procedure is presented for the analysis of the dynamical behavior of truss-type space structures composed of spatially periodic truss units, or sections of spatially periodic units. These units are connected end-to-end to form an array, or intersecting arrays
Molecular dynamics study of structure and gating of low molecular weight ion channels

Abstract We implement molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on low molecular weight alpha helix-based functional synthetic and native ion channels. The synthetic channels are the LS2 proton channel and the LS3 voltage-gated channel. The simulation manifests key features of the channels such as the coiled-coil structure of the alpha-helix bundle and the continuous aqueous pore. By implementing simulations with and without an applied voltage, we develop a hypothesis as to the voltage-gating mechanism. The native channel is the M2 proton channel in the influenza A virus, which plays an essential role in the infection process. This channel is pH gated via protonation of one or more imidazole rings in the H37 residues. Simulation of the neutral channel reveals a coiled-coil structure whose pore is penetrated by water, but not threaded by a water column. By means of simulations with different numbers of charged H37 residues, we demonstrate a possible gating action via opening up the channel to a continuous water column, and also provide support for the alternative proton relay gating mechanism.