cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Dietary EGCG on Normal and Vitamin E and Selenium Deficient Rats

The tea catechin EGCG has been postulated to provide health benefits in humans, to some extent, as an antioxidant. The dose-response effect of dietary EGCG (0, 30, 60, or 120 mg/kg diet) was tested in rats under high versus low oxidative stress conditions that were created by feeding diets adequate in vitamin E and Se (Lox), or deficient in both (Hox) for six weeks. Effects on growth, quinone reductase (NQO1) activity, F2-isoprostanes and nutrient antioxidant amounts in the liver were evaluated as markers of nutrient deficiency and oxidative status. Under Hox conditions consumption of EGCG only at the lowest dose was partially associated with a protection against oxidative stress, reflected by a delay in growth deceleration, but no protection against lipid oxidation. Elevated liver NQO1 activity was observed in this group (>4-fold) increasing with the dose; but it was not associated with antioxidant protection. In contrast, under Lox conditions consumption of EGCG was associated with antioxidant activity reflected in a reduction (>30%) in F2-isoprostanes and protection of CoQ reduced status in the liver. Overall these results suggest that the antioxidant effect of EGCG in vivo depends on the level of oxidative stress and the presence of other nutrient antioxidants.
Dynamic method of determining the lateral deformation of refractories

We designed apparatus and developed a dynamic method for determining the coefficient of lateral deformation (Poisson ratio for refractories and other materials. Determination of μ by the method developed takes 8–10 min, which is much more rapid- and also cheaper-than the well-known static method.
Assessment of introversion-extraversion in children: brief report.

An attempt to replicate the results of Casey and McManis (1971), showing that high-extravert children salivated significantly less to lemon juice than did low-extravert children, produced negative results. Although group differences were in the predicted direction, the differences were nonsignificant, with the differences more marked for 18 girls than for 18 boys. A visual vigilance task also failed to produce significantly fewer correct responses by high-extravert children than by low-extravert children, as predicted by Eysenck's formulation. For speed and accuracy of motor movement, the prediction of faster but less accurate performance by high extraverts than by low extraverts was confirmed, although the results were significant only for the boys.
Sequence analysis of rice rubi3 promoter gene expression cassettes for improved transgene expression

In a construct containing a GUS reporter gene driven by the 5′ regulatory elements from rubi3, expression was enhanced 4-fold when a 20-nucleotide (nt) GUS 5′ untranslated sequence was replaced with 9 nt sequences derived from rubi3′s second exon. The roles of the sequences immediately upstream from the GUS translation initiation codon, and their significance in gene expression, were investigated. Sequence analysis suggests that complementarity between sequences immediately 5′ of a translation initiation codon and the rice 17S rRNA may be responsible for the reduction in protein levels from constructs containing the GUS leader sequence. The results demonstrate an affect sequences immediately upstream from transgenic coding sequences have on expression, and when using the rubi3 5′ regulatory sequence in particular.
NONPYROGENOUS CLIMAX LODGEPOLE PINE COMMUNITIES IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Climax lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) stands are demonstrated. Size- class distribution fits a negative exponential curve, with size closely correlated to age. Maintenance of this climax does not appear to be dependent on fires. Such stands cover extensive areas in the park and may constitute a lodgepole pine zone.
The Marangoni Effect in Axially Grooved Variable-Conductance Heat Pipes

An analysis is developed for the Marangoni effect, due to surface tension variation with temperature, in axially grooved variableconductance heat pipes (VCHP) and compared with test data. The axial momentum equation is solved, accounting for the axial variation in surface tension forces due to changes in meniscus length, as well as changes in surface tension and liquid-channel wall friction due to the recirculating Marangoni flow in the gas-blocked region. The NASA groove analysis program has been modified to include these changes. Results indicate very substantial reductions in transport capacity for VCHPs compared with original isothermal values. Nomenclature A = cross-sectional area, m^ F = force in axial direction, N k = nondimensional constant, Eq. (13) tb = diffusion zone length, m ^m = total meniscus length in cross section, m m = nondimensional summation parameter, Eq. (14) N = number of axial grooves n = nondimensional summation integer, Eq. (14)
Examination and Reevaluation of Prosthetic Lenses Employing an Operant Procedure for Measuring Subjective Visual Acuity in a Retarded Child.

Abstract The present experimentation undertook the problem of examining and evaluating prosthetic lenses that were prescribed without benefit of a professional subjective visual-acuity examination. The procedure employed to evaluate the prosthetic lenses was based on an operant procedure developed by the experimenter and described elsewhere. Evaluation of the prescribed lenses indicated their magnitude was too strong for the child to accommodate thus accounting for non-glass-wearing behavior of the child. Reevaluation resulted in a decrease of more than +3.00 diopters of refraction of lens size. Suggestions were offered regarding prerequisite inclusions for procedures for obtaining psychophysical threshold information from children.
Monitoring and assessment of a river restoration project in central New York

A widespread lack of post-project appraisals (PPAs) not only hinders progress in the field of river restoration but also limits the application of adaptive management – a powerful heuristic tool particularly well suited to dynamic fluvial environments. In an effort to contribute to the limited body of scientific literature pertaining to PPAs, we evaluated a stream restoration project completed in the fall of 2005 in central New York. Using a variety of evaluation approaches, we documented both successes (e.g. enhanced in-stream habitat) and short-comings (e.g. channel avulsions). Overall, we concluded that the project was marginally successful in achieving its stated goals and that future prospects remain uncertain based on current trajectory. Lessons learned from this monitoring study include: (i) protect vulnerable banks and floodplains until vegetation is established, e.g. via integrated bio- and geo-technical methods, (ii) perform scour depth analyses and excavate scour pools associated with hydraulic structures to design depth to prevent clogging of the channel during post-construction floods, (iii) orient bank vanes such that cross-stream flows are not deflected towards the bank, (iv) cross-validate restoration designs via multiple methods, including process-based sediment transport relations, especially in unstable gravel-bed rivers, (v) anticipate and fund for fixing natural channel design (NCD) projects for 3–5 years after completion to account for uncertainties and (vi) identify measurable, goal-specific success criteria that account for watershed scale stressors and site constraints prior to construction to facilitate successful project design and ensure effective outcomes appraisal. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The clinical course of residual carotid arterial disease

Abstract Over a 5-year period 642 patients underwent 686 carotid endarterectomies with patch closure and intraoperative surveillance with continuous-wave Doppler. The perioperative stroke rate was 1.5%. Patients were screened with duplex scans immediately after operation for the presence of residual carotid lesions, and followed every 3 to 6 months for either the development of a true recurrent lesion or a change in a residual one. Five hundred thirty-nine arteries (84%) had no postoperative abnormalities. The incidence of recurrent carotid lesions in this groups was 1.5%, 3.4%, and 5.2% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. The incidence of symptoms in this group was 0.2%, 0.7%, and 1.4% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. The earliest recurrence or symptom occurred 8 months from operation. One hundred forty-seven arteries had residual lesions that were more common when either a temporary shunt was used or the operation was carried out above the hypoglossal nerve or below the omohyoid muscle. Sixty-one patients who had plaque proximal to the arteriotomy without a significant stenosis were followed an average of 21 months. There were no changes in plaque morphology and no proven symptoms related to the residual lesion. Fifty-six patients with both plaque and significant hemodynamic abnormalities in the carotid bulb were followed an average of 18 months. Seven of these patients (12.5%) had either a significant deterioration of the lesion or a symptom from it. Each event occurred within 6 months of operation. Thirty patients had significant flow abnormalities but no visible plaque. None of these lesions deteriorated. Although common, residual carotid lesions are benign unless the lesion is characterized by both plaque within the artery and a hemodynamically significant stenosis. These lesions should be further investigated and treated when discovered. (J VASC SURG 1991;13:112-20.)
Structure of porous cellulose acetate membranes and a method for improving their performance in reverse osmosis

Abstract : Experimental data support the hypothesis that the surface layer of the asymmetric Loeb-Sourirajan type porous cellulose acetate membranes has a heterogeneous microporous structure. A general method is proposed for improving the performance of the above membranes in reverse osmosis, by which product rates are increased without decreasing solute separation. The method consists in pumping pure water past the back side of the membrane under just enough pressure for a sufficiently prolonged period of time; after such pretreatment, the membrane is used in the reverse osmosis experiments in the normal manner with the surface layer facing the feed solution. The compaction effect of a normal membrane and that of a back pressure treated membrane are the same during continuous reverse osmosis operation under 600 psig; the effects of back-pressure treatment on a normal membrane and a compacted membrane are also the same. The pure water permeability data obtained in cyclic experiments show that the smaller pores on the surface layer are opened more than the bigger ones during the back side operation. The probable structural changes taking place in the film during back-pressure treatment are discussed. (Author)
Vapor—liquid equilibrium measurements for the methanol—acetone system at 372.8, 397.7 and 422.6 K

Abstract A static high pressure equilibrium facility has been used to obtain P − x − y measurements for the methanol—acetone binary for the three isotherms 372.8, 397.7 and 422.6 K. These measurements show that maximum pressure azeotropic behaviour exists at each of these temperatures. The data obtained have been correlated satisfactorily using the three suffix Margules equation. A comparison has been made between the information resulting from this study and the high pressure data of Griswold and Wong. Parameters of the three suffix Margules equation have been correlated with temperature over the range 285–425 K using additional vapor—liquid equilibrium and excess enthalpy data available in the literature. These correlations have been used to predict isobaric behavior. Auxiliary expressions have been developed which relate azeotropic pressure and composition to temperature.
Relativistic Klystron Amplifier

The physics of modulation of an intense relativistic electron beam by an external microwave source and its usefulness for klystron-like devices are studied in this paper via experiment, theory, and simulation. It is found that the self fields of the electron beam, in general, intensify the current modulation produced by the external source. In the modulating gap, electron bunches may be generated instantaneously without the necessity of propagating the beam through a long drift tube. The excellent amplitude stability and the phase locking characteristics ( < 2°) of the modulated current, demonstrated in experiments, open new areas of research in high power microwave generation.
Positive solutions of a higher order boundary value problem

We consider a higher order two-point boundary value problem. Some upper and lower estimates to positive solutions for the problem are obtained. As an application of these upper and lower estimates, we obtain some explicit sufficient conditions for the existence and nonexistence of positive solutions of the problem.
Compensatory adaptation of structure and function following progressive renal ablation

Compensatory adaptation of structure and function following renal ablation. A systematic evaluation of the structural and functional changes following progressive renal ablation was performed in the rat. During a four-week interval following surgery, renal mass increased 31% in control animals (group A), 81% in uninephrectomized rats (group B) and 168% in animals subjected to approximately 70 to 75% ablation (group C). Mean nephron glomerular filtration rate (MNGFR) was estimated from the clearance of inulin (C in ) of the remaining renal tissue and total glomerular counts four weeks after surgery. The MNGFR rose from 47 nl/min in group A, to 76 nl/min in group B and 112 nl/min in group C with surgically induced renal insufficiency. These data indicate that the adaptive changes in structure and function which occur following segmental loss of renal tissue are proportional to the mass of tissue which is removed. Compensation adaptative de la structure et de la fonction apres ablation renale. Une evaluation systematique des modifications structurales et fonctionnelles survenant apres ablation renale croissante chez le rat a ete faite. Dans un delai de quatre semaines apres l'intervention la masse renale augmente de 31% chez les animaux temoins (groupe A), de 81% chez les rats uninephrectomises (groupe B) et de 168% chez les animaux soumis a une ablation d'environ 70 a 75% (groupe C). La filtration glomerulaire moyenne par nephron (MNGFR) a ete evaluee a partir de la clearance de l'inuline du tissu renal restant et de la numeration des glomerules 4 semaines apres l'intervention. Cette filtration glomerulaire passe de 47 nl/min dans le groupe A a 76 nl/min dans le groupe B et a 112 nl/min dans le groupe C atteint d'insuffisance renale induite chirurgicalement. Ces resultats indiquent que les modifications adaptatives de la structure et de la fonction qui surviennent apres la perte d'un fragment de tissu renal sont proportionnelles a la masse de tissu enlevee.
Influenza Virus M2 Protein Mediates ESCRT-Independent Membrane Scission

Many viruses utilize host ESCRT proteins for budding; however, influenza virus budding is thought to be ESCRT-independent. In this study we have found a role for the influenza virus M2 proton-selective ion channel protein in mediating virus budding. We observed that a highly conserved amphipathic helix located within the M2 cytoplasmic tail mediates a cholesterol-dependent alteration in membrane curvature. The 17 amino acid amphipathic helix is sufficient for budding into giant unilamellar vesicles, and mutation of this sequence inhibited budding of transfected M2 protein in vivo. We show that M2 localizes to the neck of budding virions and that mutation of the M2 amphipathic helix results in failure of the virus to undergo membrane scission and virion release. These data suggest that M2 mediates the final steps of budding for influenza viruses, bypassing the need for host ESCRT proteins.
Adult anterior urethral strictures: a national practice patterns survey of board certified urologists in the United States.

Purpose: We determined the methods and patterns of the evaluation of and treatment for adult anterior urethral stricture disease by practicing urologists in the United States.Materials and Methods: A nationwide survey of practicing members of the American Urological Association was performed by a mailed questionnaire. A total of 1,262 urologists were randomly selected from all 50 states, of whom 431 (34%) completed the questionnaire.Results: Most urologists (63%) treat 6 to 20 urethral strictures yearly. The most common procedures used by those surveyed for urethral strictures were dilation (92.8%), optical internal urethrotomy (85.6%) and endourethral stent (23.4%). Minimally invasive procedures are used more frequently that any open urethroplasty technique. Furthermore, most urologists (57.8%) do not perform urethroplasty surgery. When used, the most common urethroplasty surgeries performed were end-to-end anastomotic urethroplasty, perineal urethrostomy and ventral skin graft urethroplasty. Few urologi...
Founding an existential ethic

Perhaps the time has come for us to evaluate the significance of Martin Heidegger's work, in terms of what it says to the human situation. Although he was concerned with examining different levels of human existence, and experi? ence, his work remains strangely bereft of specific suggestive guidance to the problematic nature of contemporary existence. His major work, Being and Time, was concerned to elucidate the fundamental structures by which human existence manifests itself. Yet, ironically, despite using key terms that are usually taken to have a moral or religious import, his work studiously avoided the development of any moral philosophy. Just why this is so is a philosophical or historical problem to which Heidegger scholarship might well address itself. But, if one remains impressed by his analysis of the nature of hu? man existence and of the presuppositions it reveals, and is also concerned with the continuing problematic nature of contemporary existential situations, one is bound to consider the implications, suggested or mandated, for a coherent exis? tential ethic.
Hydroxylation of 4-amino-antifolates by partially purified aldehyde oxidase from rabbit liver.

Abstract This paper explores the interaction between 4-amino-antifolates and aldehyde oxidase (aldehyde: O 2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.2.3.1) that was purified 60- to 120-fold from rabbit liver with yields of 5–15%. The purification procedure consisted of one heat and two ammonium sulfate precipitations followed by chromatography on hydroxylapatite and then Sephacryl S-200. Analysis of initial rates of hydroxylation of methotrexate, aminopterin and dichloromethotrexate indicated an order of affinities of dichloromethotrexate (10 μ M) > methotrexate (35 μ M) > aminopterin (272 μ M). There was no difference in the V max of methotrexate and dichloromethotrexate (248 and 231 nmoles/min/mg protein respectively); aminopterin (130 nmoles/min/mg protein) was less than that of the other two. The V max K m K m ratios were 24.1, 7.20 and 0.48 for dichloromethotrexate, methotrexate and aminopterin respectively. This enzyme preparation also mediated the hydroxylation of methotrexate polyglutamyl derivatives with a decrease in the rates of hydroxylation, as the total number of glutamyl residues was increased to four, a consequence of a marked increase in K m values and/or decrease in V max ; the ratios of the V max K m for the di-, tri-, and tetraglutamates were 0.94, 0.31 and 0.21 respectively. This low activity of the polyglutamyl derivatives of methotrexate for aldehyde oxidase is consistent with the observations that the predominant forms of 4-amino-antifolate polyglutamates found in human liver after administration of methotrexate are the polyglutamyl derivatives of the parent compound. Finally, substrate inhibition for methotrexate and dichloromethotrexate was observed at concentrations in excess of 150 and 30 μM, respectively, about 5- and 3-fold higher than their respective K m values. Hence, while dichloromethotrexate had the lowest for aldehyde oxidase amongst the 4-amino-antifolates studied, the actual rates of hydroxylation depended upon the concentration employed because of substrate inhibition. Aminopterin was a very poor substrate for this enzyme at low and saturating concentrations. These properties of the hydroxylation of 4-amino-antifolates may be of importance in the design of clinical regimens with these agents—in particular, regimens that employ infusion of these drugs into the hepatic artery. However, the relevance of these observations to the hydroxylation of 4-amino-antifolates by human liver remains to be established.
Identification of novel mRNAs expressed in oligodendrocytes.

To identify new proteins, which are expressed in oligodendrocytes and which may have a functional role in myelination, a rat oligodendrocyte cDNA library was screened using differential and subtractive screening techniques. Ten clones that have elevated levels of expression in brain were isolated. Two of these clones were characterized further and one clone, pC26.H2, was found to be closely related to mouse stearoyl-CoA desaturase 2 (SCD2), which catalyzes the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acid. From Northern blot and in situ hybridization studies, SCD2 mRNA was expressed primarily in brain with lower levels found in lung and spleen. In brain sections, SCD2 mRNA was found primarily in oligodendrocytes, although mRNA was detected at a low level in neurons, in particular in Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Northern blot analysis of the other clone, p973.HB, indicated that it was expressed more selectively in brain. In mixed glial cultures oligodendrocytes were the only cells that expressed this mRNA, whereas in brain, neurons expressed this mRNA at a higher level than in oligodendrocytes. This clone is being actively pursued because of its unique expression exclusively in oligodendrocytes and neurons.
Fabry Perot observations of helium 10830 Å emission at Millstone Hill

The He(23S) triplet at 10830 A is observed using a Fabry-Perot interferometer optimized for the near infrared. These observations, made at the zenith at the Millstone Hill Optical Facility during evening twilight, are the first to resolve the individual members of the helium triplet from the surrounding OH(5-2) lines. The introduction of an aeronomically unique germanium detector Noto et al., [1993] was crucial to this achievement. The instrument is configured with a spectral resolution of 1/2 the helium line width at 1000°K, assuring that the line widths accurately reflect the velocity distribution of metastable helium. Although the intensities observed are within a factor of two of helium 10830 A intensities observed by [Tinsley, 1968, Tinsley & Christensen et. al, 1971], the observed temperatures are different from the expected behavior of a neutral species in the upper-thermosphere during twilight.
Self-calibrating ultrasonic technique for crack depth measurement

A configuration of transducers together with a self-calibrating measurement technique is proposed to investigate the reflection and transmission of surface waves by a surface-breaking or near surface defect. By means of this technique, the ratio of the reflection and transmission coefficients (R/T and/orT/R) can be obtained in a reliable and accurate manner. The reflection and transmission of surface waves for oblique incidence on a surface breaking crack is investigated in detail. Information onT/R for the latter case can be used to determine the depth of the crack. The experimental measurements ofT/R show excellent agreement with theoretical results.
Strictureplasty for Crohn's disease: techniques and long-term results.

p < 0.002). Recurrence of Crohn’s disease requiring operation was seen in seven patients after a mean follow-up of 38 months. The estimated cumulative recurrence rate after 2 years was 15 ± 6% (± standard error) and 22 ± 10% at 5 years. A recurrence developed at the site of the previous strictureplasty in only five cases. Strictureplasty is a safe, effective means of providing long-term surgical palliation to selected patients with Crohn’s disease. Perioperative complication rates are comparable to those seen with standard surgical treatment, and recurrences are not excessive.
The Efficacy of substance abuse education among dual-diagnosis patients

The purpose of this study was to determine whether patient education programs were effective at improving knowledge of substance abuse among dual-diagnosis patients. Adult patients at a general psychiatry hospital were identified for a history of substance abuse. Of the 51 patients included in the study, 25 were on forensic units, 7 were in a private ward, and 19 were on the public unit. Patients were given a pretest at the beginning of the study and received an identical posttest prior to discharge or at the end of the study. The patients on the public unit received up to 16 h per week of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, alcohol/drug education meetings, group therapy, and other forms of intervention. These patients demonstrated statistically significant improvements between pretest and posttest scores, while those on the forensic units who received only 2 h of intervention per week did not show improvements in substance abuse knowledge. These and other findings have been used to improve education programs for our dual-diagnosis patients across the institute.
Observations of angular distributions of low energy electron intensities over the auroral zones with Ariel 4

The electron intensities considered are within the energy range from 244 eV to 10.8 keV. The measurements were made at an altitude of about 570 km over the local-evening sector of the auroral zone. Aspects of instrumentation are discussed along with details regarding the observations, energy-time spectrograms, the signature of the plasma sheet, and inverted V events. The initial results reported provide new information concerning auroral acceleration mechanisms.
Interfacial Properties and Mechanical Behavior of Titanium Aluminides

The role of various interfaces in deformation and fracture behavior of two phase TiAl-Ti{sub 3}Al alloys is analyzed on the basis of the specific interfacial and surface energies determined from ab initio calculations. The propensity of twinning observed in these alloys is consistent with the low true twin boundary energy. The strong plastic anisotropy reported in TiAl polysynthetically twinned (PST) crystals is attributed partly to the localized slip along lamellar interfaces, thus lowering the yield stress for soft orientations. Interfacial fracture energies are estimated to be the highest for the {alpha}{sub 2}/{gamma} lamellar boundary and the lowest for the 120 {degree} rotational {gamma}/{gamma} boundary. The fracture mode mixity plays an important role in the crack-tip plasticity by ordinary slip and true twinning, leading to translamellar and interfacial fracture.
Around the world with the model for end-stage liver disease

Background: Indices for predicting survival are essential for assessing prognosis and assigning priority for liver transplantation in patients with liver cirrhosis. The model for end stage liver disease (MELD) has been proposed as a tool to predict mortality risk in cirrhotic patients. However, this model has not been validated beyond its original setting. Aim: To evaluate the short and medium term survival prognosis of a European series of cirrhotic patients by means of MELD compared with the Child-Pugh score. We also assessed correlations between the MELD scoring system and the degree of impairment of liver function, as evaluated by the monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) test. Patients and methods: We retrospectively evaluated survival of a cohort of 129 cirrhotic patients with a follow up period of at least one year. The Child-Pugh score was calculated and the MELD score was computed according to the original formula for each patient. All patients had undergone a MEGX test. Multivariate analysis was performed on all variables to identify the parameters independently associated with one year and six month survival. MELD values were correlated with both Child-Pugh scores and MEGX test results. Results: Thirty one patients died within the first year of follow up. Child-Pugh and MELD scores, and MEGX serum levels were significantly different among patients who survived and those who died. Serum creatinine, international normalized ratio, and MEGX60 were independently associated with six month mortality while the same variables and the presence of ascites were associated with one year mortality. MELD scores showed significant correlations with both MEGX values and Child-Pugh scores. Conclusions: In a European series of cirrhotic patients the MELD score is an excellent predictor of both short and medium term survival, and performs at least as well as the Child-Pugh score. An increase in MELD score is associated with a decrease in residual liver function.
Regional Anesthesia for Children Undergoing Orthopedic Ambulatory Surgeries in the United States, 1996–2006

Background Our objective was to evaluate national trends in regional anesthetic techniques among children undergoing ambulatory orthopedic procedures.
Iberia: bridge or cul-de-sac? implications of the Iberian record for the debate on the middle to upper palaeolithic transition

Recent discoveries and dating of materials from Spain and Portugal for the period between c. 40–30 kya highlight the fact that the Iberian Peninsula is a microcosm of the complex mosaic of conditions that characterized the middle to upper palaeolithic and Neanderthal to Cro-Magnon transitions. They would tend to suggest that the replacement of one way of life by another was suggest that the replacement of one way of life by another was far from rapid, abrupt or simple, and they call into question the “out of Africa” invasionist scenario. Although Iberia seems to have been a “bridge” between Africa and the rest of Europe during certain times (notably at the time of the first colonization(s) of Europe, perhaps in the late Lower Pleistocene, as suggested by the discoveries at Atapuerca), at other times it seems to have been cut off from Africa. Despite the presence of Aurignacian technology in Cantabria and Catalonia since 40 kya, the continued persistence of Neanderthals and of Mousterian technology for over 10 ky in southern Iberia would seem to belie the superiority and African origin of upper palaeolithic Cro-Magnon. Furthermore, even in northern Spain, where the taxonomic identity of the makers of the early Aurignacian remains unknown, the nature of the technological transition was variable: abrupt in Catalonia and gradual in Cantabria. Added to the rest of the record, which includes Neanderthals apparently making Châtelperronian tools in France, Szeletian tools in Hungary and later Aurignacian tools in Croatia, a complete lack of any fossils in definite association with early Aurignacian anywhere, evidence of subsistence and technological change during the Mousterian in certain regions of Europe, scant evidence for cultural differentiation between Neanderthals and early anatomically modern humans (Skhul & Qafzeh) in Israel, growing (albeit limited) evidence for middle palaeolithic artistic or ornamental activity, and evidence for considerable, on-going change in technology and subsistence during the upper palaeolithic, the Iberian record strongly argues for a long, uneven transition from middle to upper palaeolithic lifeways- not a simple, abrupt invasion of Europe out of Africa.
Monolithic, Self‐Powered Photovoltaic‐Electrochromic Coating for Windows

We report progress in the development of a monolithic, self-powered photovoltaic-electrochromic coating for energy-conserving windows. The coating employs an all solid-state electrochromic device based on Li-doped WO 3 as an optical transmittance modulator and a wide-bandgap amorphous SiC alloy (a-SiC:H) photovoltaic (PV) cell as an integral power source. The electrochromic device is deposited together with the PV device as a monolithic coating on a glass substrate. The active Li-ion concentration in the electrochromic device was optimized based on the thermodynamics and optical properties of the electrochromic and ion-storage layers. Electrical and electro-optic characteristics of the multilayer coatings are reported. The monolithic tandem PV-electrochromic coating shows a transmittance variation of more than 60% under 1 sun illumination.
Oxidative Changes Associated with β-Carotene and α-Tocopherol Enrichment of Human Low-Density Lipoproteins

Objective: To determine what effects enrichment of human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) with combinations of α-tocopherol and β-carotene would exert on LDL oxidation and attempt to define the nature of the effects.Methods: Human plasma was pooled and α-tocopherol and β-carotene was added in a four-by-four design resulting in the enrichment of LDL with α-tocopherol and β-carotene in varying concentrations. Enriched and control LDL was oxidized in Cu2+ mediated oxidation system and resistance of LDL to oxidation was determined by lag time, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) activity, and rate of oxidation.Results: Increasing LDL α-tocopherol concentration had a linear relationship with lag time and a negative correlation with rate of oxidation. LDL β-carotene concentration was linearly correlated with the rate of LDL oxidation and β-carotene loss, and exponentially related to TBARS concentration.Conclusions: These results support earlier findings for the protective effect of α-tocopherol against...
On designing a database management system for a computer-aided engineering software system

Abstract The renaissance of engineering design can be attributed to the phenomenal growth in the microprocessor industry. The basic difference between the new and the traditional approach is one of outlook. Complex design situations involve multidisciplines. However this has made the task of integrating and transferring design information among these disciplines very difficult. Database management systems (DBMS) provide attractive solutions to these problems. A centralized control of data ensures that redundancy can be reduced, inconsistency can be avoided, data can be shared, standards can be enforced, and conflicting requirements can be handled. This paper takes the reader through the steps required to configure an engineering DBMS. The different data models are explained and their usage in CAD/CAM settings is illustrated. The importance of data independence, modularity, efficiency, and protability is emphasized.
Convenient apparatus for the generation of small amounts of diazomethane

Systeme utilisable facilement sous hotte, et pour de petites quantites, ce qui minimise les risques d'explosion et de fuite toxique
Costello + Panza = Costanza

There exist numerous representations that share significant affinities and continuities with Don Quixote's poetics of comic fiction. Such artistic expressions, though often transformed into the language of a different medium as in the films of Abbott and Costello and the television sitcom Seinfeld, are the latest manifestations of a paradigm that has the characters of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza at its center.
Technical skills for weight loss: preliminary data from a randomized trial.

Abstract Background. Optimal behavioral interventions for sustainable weight loss are uncertain. We therefore conducted a study among overweight/obese women comparing conventional dietary counseling of individuals (counseling-based intervention) to a novel, group-based skill-building intervention. Methods. Eighty subjects were randomly assigned to either the counseling-based or to the skill-building intervention. Outcomes included weight loss, dietitian hours per group and per unit weight loss, and dollars spent per group and per unit weight lost. Results. Weight loss at 6 months (follow-up rate 61.3%) in the counseling-based group was 8.8 lb ( P = 0.0001), and in the skill-building group was 3.8 lb ( P = 0.01). A total of 160 dietitian hours were required for the counseling-based group, and 131 for the skilled-building group. The counseling-based group cost an average of $21 per pound lost, while the skill-building cost an average of $48 per pound lost ( P = 0.16). Conclusions. At 6 months, individualized office-based counseling produced more weight loss than a skill-building approach and cost less than half as much per pound of weight loss. Longer-term follow-up is required to determine if, as hypothesized, the skill-building intervention produces more sustainable weight loss.
Effects of estrogen and progesterone on sleep patterns of female rats.

Abstract Sleep-wakefulness cycles were recorded in ovariectomized female rats that were injected with estrogen plus progesterone and estrogen alone. Two daily injections with estrogen followed by progesterone resulted in significant reductions in the percentages of time spent in both REM and NREM stages of sleep during the night following the injection of progesterone. Treatment with estrogen alone for six consecutive days resulted in a reduction in REM sleep but did not appear to influence NREM sleep. Thus both hormone treatments modified sleep, but the combined action of estrogen and progesterone more closely duplicated the sleep patterns observed in the intact animal on the night of behavioral estrus.
Ptenidium kishenehnicum (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae), a new fossil described from the Kishenehn oil shales, with a checklist of previously known fossil ptiliids

Ptenidium kishenehnicum Shockley and Greenwalt, a new species of feather-winged beetle (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae), is described from 46 million year old Kishenehn oil shales in Montana, USA. This compression fossil is the first beetle species to be described from this formation. A checklist of known fossils and their ages is provided.
Incisional cellulitis after total hip replacement

We report 16 cases of erythematous eruption on the skin within the flaps of the surgical incision after primary total hip replacement over an eight-year period. The symptoms began within nine months of operation in 13 hips, and two to three years after in three. Four patients had recurrent episodes. All were treated with antibiotics (15 intravenous, one oral) with complete resolution of the eruption within one to six days. The mean follow-up after the last episode of cellulitis was 27 months (14 to 76). There were no cases of periprosthetic sepsis or other sequelae.
Heterogeneous cooperative localization for social networks with mobile devices

Location-aware techniques, which combine multiple sensors in the smart-phone, have been researched and developed to estimate accurate locations of the mobile users in the social networks. In cooperative localization, each mobile user with the WiFi and GPS sensors works in a peer-to-peer, independent and assistant mode. This paper provides a comparison of four probabilistic cooperative localization algorithms for smart-phone applications: Centroid method, Nearest Neighbor method, Kernel method and AP density method. The location of the unknown mobile user is estimated based on Receive Signal Strength (RSS) from the shared APs and GPS locations from reference nodes. An empirical evaluation of the system is given to demonstrate the feasibility of these algorithms by reporting the results in a real-world environment. And a Monte Carlo simulation is also carried out to evaluate the performance of the cooperative algorithms for social networks.
The LWA1 Low Frequency Sky Survey

We present a survey of the radio sky accessible from the first station of the Long Wavelength Array (LWA1). Images are presented at nine frequencies between 35 and 80 MHz with spatial resolutions ranging from $4.7^\circ$ to $2.0^\circ$, respectively. The maps cover the sky north of a declination of $-40^\circ$ and represent the most modern systematic survey of the diffuse Galactic emission within this frequency range. We also combine our survey with other low frequency sky maps to create an updated model of the low frequency sky. Due to the low frequencies probed by our survey, the updated model better accounts for the effects of free-free absorption from Galactic ionized Hydrogen. A longer term motivation behind this survey is to understand the foreground emission that obscures the redshifted 21 cm transition of neutral hydrogen from the cosmic dark ages ($z>10$) and, at higher frequencies, the epoch of reionization ($z>6$).
Nanopore single-molecule dielectrophoretic detection of cancer-derived MicroRNA biomarkers

The nanopore-based single-molecule biosensor has been extensively investigated for various biomedical detections. It has demonstrated the potential in gene sequencing and diagnosis-oriented biomarker detection such as microRNAs. In real-time detection, however, samples extracted from bio-fluids contain various non-target nucleic acids components. These components can cause severely influence the target detection accuracy. We have discovered that a polycationic probe can solve this issue. The polycationic peptide domain of the probe can separate the target probe complex from free nucleic acids, and only lead the complex into the pore, therefore realizing simultaneous enrichment and detection of target microRNAs. This study establish a universal approach to detecting any short pathogenic nucleic acids fragment in complex samples.
Do maternally derived antibodies and early immune experience shape the adult immune response

Summary 1. Immunological imprinting by maternally derived antibodies has been proposed to have both positive and negative consequences for offspring immunity in early and adult life. However, few studies of maternal effects on immunity have followed individuals past the juvenile stages. 2. Using laboratory Japanese quail, we developed a novel method of directly manipulating yolk antibodies of neonates, and then followed individuals through a series of immune challenges until they were of reproductive age. 3. Our method of directly injecting purified antibodies into the yolk sac of newly hatched chicks successfully elevated the plasma titres of specific anti-KLH IgY in neonates. This allows us to test whether differences in neonatal anti-KLH IgY affect immunity at the juvenile and adult stages of life. 4. We found little evidence for an effect of maternal antibodies on juvenile stage immune response, in contrast to results from previous studies. Adult immune response depended largely on the magnitude of the juvenile immune response regardless of the identity of the antigen in the juvenile immune challenge, and did not depend on neonatal IgY titres. Our results are consistent with a priming effect of early immune experience on adult stage immune responsiveness, but we found no evidence of carryover effects of yolk-derived antibodies on adult immunity. 5. This study employs new methodology for investigation of maternal antibodies and presents results suggesting that further studies of maternal effects on immunity will require careful consideration of the numerous ways maternally derived yolk components can impact the different types of immune response.
EJECTION AND ELECTRONIC EXCITATION OF FOIL PARTICLES BY HEAVY-ION IMPACT.

Uranium ion impact ejection and electronic excitation of thin foil particles, observing optical spectra of Be, carbon and Al atoms and ions
Localizing cortical sources of event-related potentials in infants' covert orienting

This study used cortical source analysis to locate potential cortical sources of event-related potentials (ERPs) during covert orienting in infants aged 14 and 20 weeks. The infants were tested in a spatial cueing procedure. The reaction time to localize the target showed response facilitation for valid trials relative to invalid or neutral trials. High-density EEG (126 channels) was recorded during the task, and independent component analysis and equivalent current dipole analysis was used to estimate the cortical sources of the EEG during the task. There was a larger P1 ERP component on the valid trials than the other trials (P1 validity effect). The cortical source analysis suggested that this occurred due to activity in Brodmann's areas 18 and 19. A presaccadic ERP component occurred over the frontal scalp areas (-65 ms) and was larger to a target in a cued location than in uncued locations. A potential cortical source for this ERP component was the superior frontal gyrus on the inferior portion of the prefrontal cortex. Increases from 14 to 20 weeks in amplitude of the P1 validity effect and the presaccadic ERP could be modeled by an increase in activation in the corresponding cortical areas.
Dynamic order promising: real-time ATP

In order to satisfy customer demands despite unique specifications or schedule constraints, manufacturers have realised the critical need for real-time Available-To-Promise (ATP). In this paper, we present a model for real-time order promising in a mixed make-to-order, make-to-stock manufacturing environment. Each fulfilment source is considered as a separate module. Consistent with the real-time nature of the problem, this model considers a snapshot view of the enterprise at the moment the customer order enters the system. Relevant values from potential fulfilment sources are passed to the ATP optimisation engine. Following an instantaneous decision to accept or reject the order, the newly pegged resources are updated in the system. The flexibility in this modular structure allows the model to adapt to the most fragmented IT system or leverage the benefits of a highly integrated ERP system. We found that order acceptance levels and costs are most sensitive to capacity utilisation. Other factors that showed significant effects in our real-time ATP environment were demand variability, number or orders per day and the magnitude of these orders.
Flexural strength of a layered zirconia and porcelain dental all-ceramic system

Statement of problem New processing techniques have facilitated the use of zirconia core materials in all-ceramic dental prostheses. Zirconia has many potential advantages compared to existing core materials; however, its performance when layered with porcelain has not been evaluated. Purpose This study investigated the strength of a wide variety of layered zirconia and porcelain beams to determine whether the inclusion of zirconia cores results in improved strength. Material and methods Eight types of layered or simple zirconia and porcelain beams (n=10), approximately fixed partial denture–size, were made of a tetragonal polycrystalline zirconium dioxide partially stabilized with yttria core (Lava System Frame) and a feldspathic dental porcelain (Lava Ceram veneer ceramic). Elastic moduli of the materials were measured using an acoustic method. Maximum force and modulus of rupture were determined using 3-point flexural testing and a universal testing machine. Descriptive statistical methods were used. Results Beams with porcelain tensile surfaces recorded mean tensile strengths or moduli of rupture from 77 to 85 MPa, whereas beams with zirconia tensile surfaces recorded moduli of rupture almost an order of magnitude higher, 636 to 786 MPa. The elastic moduli of the porcelain and zirconia materials were 71 and 224 GPa, respectively. Crack propagation following initial tensile cracking often involved the porcelain-zirconia interface, as well as bulk porcelain and zirconia. Conclusion The layered zirconia-porcelain system tested recorded substantially higher moduli of rupture than have been previously reported for other layered all-ceramic systems.