cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct and accelerated parameter mapping using the unscented Kalman filter

Purpose To accelerate parameter mapping using a new paradigm that combines image reconstruction and model regression as a parameter state-tracking problem. Methods In T2 mapping, the T2 map is first encoded in parameter space by multi-TE measurements and then encoded by Fourier transformation with readout/phase encoding gradients. Using a state transition function and a measurement function, the unscented Kalman filter can describe T2 mapping as a dynamic system and directly estimate the T2 map from the k-space data. The proposed method was validated with a numerical brain phantom and volunteer experiments with a multiple-contrast spin echo sequence. Its performance was compared with a conjugate-gradient nonlinear inversion method at undersampling factors of 2 to 8. An accelerated pulse sequence was developed based on this method to achieve prospective undersampling. Results Compared with the nonlinear inversion reconstruction, the proposed method had higher precision, improved structural similarity and reduced normalized root mean squared error, with acceleration factors up to 8 in numerical phantom and volunteer studies. Conclusion This work describes a new perspective on parameter mapping by state tracking. The unscented Kalman filter provides a highly accelerated and efficient paradigm for T2 mapping. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Relationships, Regulation, and Early Development

The influence of early parent–child relationships on the development of self-regulation has yielded a rich research literature on socialization. This chapter broadens that view by discussing early relational influences on two processes relevant to regulation: developing biological systems and emerging representations of the social world. Concerning the first, research on fetal programming, developing stress neurobiology, molecular gene–environment interaction, and behavioral epigenetics underscores the influence of early adversity and the social buffering of stress, mediated by caregiving relationships, on developing reactivity and self-regulation. Concerning the second, developmental social cognition research and studies of relationship-based mental representations highlight the importance of social experience for developing understanding of human mental states and motivation, cooperation and fairness, and other constituents of developing self-regulation. A discussion of the development of emotion regulation follows that emphasizes the value of a multilevel analysis of developmental processes of self-regulation that integrates behavior, biology, representation, and relationships. Finally, directions for future research are identified. Keywords: attachment; parent–child relationships; regulation; social cognition; stress
Effects of surfactants and synthetic conditions on the sizes and self-assembly of monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles

Monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles made from the thermal decomposition of iron carbonyl in octyl ether in the presence of oleic and stearic acids have been examined under various reaction conditions. Monodisperse particles with diameters of 3, 5, 10, 16 and 25 nm have been made. Ostwald ripening could be the key reason for making monodisperse nanoparticles with diameters of up to 25 nm, above the largest sizes that have been reported so far for this class of materials. When stearic acid was used as surfactant, the reaction mixtures can reflux at a lower temperature than the reaction using oleic acid, and monodisperse 3 nm Fe2O3 particles can be made. By controlling the temperatures during the drop casting, different superstructures and superlattices can be created. The nanoparticles and their assembly have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy.
Wiggler field measurements and corrections using the pulsed wire technique

Abstract We have performed magnetic field ,easurements on permanent-magnet wigglers using the pulsed wire technique. The first and second integrals of the field were directly measured, and the field was determined by differentiating the first integral. The pulsed wire technique permits the rapid accumulation of data and the identification of defective wiggler magnets. Magnet defects of different types can be distinguished and compensated for by attaching small, appropriately oriented magnets to each defective magnet. We have made major improvements in the fields using these techniques.
Nuclear and cytoplasmic mRNA quantification by SYBR green based real-time RT-PCR.

Measurement of the steady-state abundance of nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA requires efficient subcellular fractionation and RNA recovery coupled with accurate quantification of individual RNA species. Detergent lysis of tissue culture cells provides a simple fractionation procedure that can be optimized to individual cell lines. The large dynamic range, extreme sensitivity, high sequence-specificity, and fast turn-around time has allowed real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) to become a standard tool for mRNA quantification. Among the different chemistries used for PCR product detection during amplification, DNA binding dyes such as SYBR® Green I are simple, versatile, and yet highly reliable and least expensive. With attention to primer design and cycling conditions, virtually any mRNA species can be accurately quantified from even minute quantities of starting RNA. This method provides an accurate and efficient procedure for estimating the relative ratios of nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA concentrations.
Plasma serotonin levels and arfonad-induced hypotension.

Abstract Studies were carried out in dogs to determine the effects of Arfonad-induced hypotension on plasma levels of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). There was no significant change in either the plasma 5-HT levels or the plasma 5-HIAA levels during the hypotensive periods up to 120 minutes duration. It was demonstrated further that 5-HT was readily converted to 5-HIAA in the presence of induced arterial hypotension in this study.
Pulmonary collectins selectively permeabilize model bacterial membranes containing rough lipopolysaccharide.

We have reported that Gram negative organisms decorated with rough lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are particularly susceptible to the direct antimicrobial actions of the pulmonary collectins, surfactant proteins A (SP-A) and D (SP-D). In this study, we examined the lipid and LPS components required for the permeabilizing effects of the collectins on model bacterial membranes. Liposomes composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE), with or without rough E. coli LPS (J5), smooth E. coli LPS (B5) or cholesterol, were loaded with self quenching probes and exposed to native or oxidatively modified SP-A. Fluoresence that resulted from permeabilization of liposomes and diffusion of dyes was assessed by microscopy or fluorimetry. Human SP-A and melittin increased the permeability of J5 LPS/POPE liposomes, but not B5 LPS/POPE liposomes or control (POPE only) liposomes. At a human SP-A concentration of 100 μg/ml, the permeability of the J5 LPS/POPE membranes increased 4.4-fold (p<0.02) compared to the no added SPA control. Rat SP-A and SP-D also permeabilized the J5 containing liposomes. Incorporation of cholesterol into J5 LPS/POPE liposomes at a molar ratio of POPE:cholesterol of 1:0.15 blocked human SP-A or melittin-induced permeability (p<0.05) compared to cholesterol-free liposomes. Exposure of human SP-A to surfactant lipid peroxidation blocked the permeabilizing activity of the protein. We conclude that SP-A permeabilizes phospholipid membranes in an LPS-dependent and rough LPS-specific manner, that the effect is neither SP-A or species specific, and that oxidative damage to SP-A abolishes its membrane destabilizing properties. Incorporation of cholesterol into the membrane enhances resistance to permeabilization by SP-A, most likely by increasing packing density and membrane rigidity.
Nocturnal Behavior of American Avocets in Playa Wetlands on the Southern High Plains of Texas, USA

Abstract Nocturnal behavior of 113 American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) was observed in playa wetlands on the Southern High Plains of Texas, USA, during April and May 2000. Nocturnal time activity budgets consisted primarily of foraging (62%) and resting (20%). Nocturnal time activity budgets were compared to diurnal time activity budgets. Differences in behavior existed between diurnal and nocturnal periods. Greater percentages of time were devoted to foraging and aggression during the night, but less time was spent resting during the night. Time spent in locomotion, maintenance, and alert behavior was comparable among diurnal and nocturnal periods.
A Comparative Study of Two-Temperature and Boltzmann Transport Models for Electron-Phonon Nonequilibrium

Ultrashort-pulsed laser irradiation on metals creates a thermal nonequilibrium between electrons and the phonons. Previous computational studies used the two-temperature model and its variants to model this nonequilibrium. However, when the laser pulse duration is smaller than the relaxation time of the energy carriers or when the carriers mean free path is larger than the material dimension, these macroscopic models fail to capture the physics accurately. In this article, the nonequilibrium between energy carriers caused by a laser pulse interaction with a metal film is modeled via a numerical solution of the Boltzmann transport model (BTM) for electrons and phonons. A comparative assessment of the two-temperature model and its variants is carried out relative to the BTM. The higher order Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) method is used for numerical discretization of the models. In this study, the gold film thickness is varied between 2–2000 nm, and the laser pulse duration and fluence are varie...
Niche packing and coevolution in competition communities.

Abstract A coevolutionary model of species packing is developed that allows evolutionary adjustment in both niche position and within-phenotype niche width of one-three competing species. The environment is specified as a single resource dimension x and availability of resources along x is given by a gaussian curve that has parameters x[unk]R and σR. The model predicts that, for S species, the ratio of optimal niche width w[unk] to σR is roughly independent of σR and can be approximated by 1/S when the competitors are completely resource limited. Niche separation (d[unk]/w[unk]) increases only moderately with increases in resource diversity σR and is greater for two than for three competing species. To the extent that the competitors are not completely resource limited, both coevolutionary niche separation and niche width decrease. Many of the general trends in niche width and niche separation predicted by this coevolutionary model parallel those from optimal foraging theory and limiting similarity models of community structure. The coevolutionary model stands out, however, in the singularly high values predicted for niche separation, making coevolved communities highly invasible. Hence, the theory suggests, as some empirical evidence indicates, that coevolved competition communities can only eixst as such on remote islands or in other habitats that might be free from invasion by outside species.
A note on a class of observability problems for PDEs

Abstract The question of observability arises naturally in the analysis of control problems. If the solution of a PDE initial-boundary value problem is known to be zero in a part of the domain, does this guarantee it is zero everywhere? The most popular techniques to establish such results are based on local unique continuation results (Holmgren’s theorem) or Carleman estimates. The purpose of this note is to draw attention to a class of problems where the observed region is bounded by characteristics, and local unique continuation fails. Nevertheless, observability may hold. A problem of this nature arose in recent work by the author on control of viscoelastic flows [M. Renardy, Are viscoelastic flows under control or out of control? System Control Lett. 54 (2005) 1183–1193]. In this note, we first analyze a simple example which shares the same essential features. Specifically, we consider the problem u x t = α u , for spatially periodic solutions. We show that observability holds for data given on the line x = 0 . We shall show, however, that there is no observability estimate. We shall then show how the methods used in the more elementary example can be extended to the case of viscoelastic shear flows.
AUTOMATED GAIN SCHEDULE GENERATION FOR NONLINEAR ADAPTIVE CONTROL

Abstract The generalized minimum variance (GMV) control law includes a penalty function that permits control activity to become more or less vigorous as process character changes. This penalty, if cast as a function of steady state process gain, can enable control of nonlinear processes. To make such an approach easy to implement, a method is detailed for automatically generating and updating a gain schedule while the process is in closed loop. The method is demonstrated on a simulated process that possesses a very nonlinear character. The scope of this paper is limited to single-input single-output, open-loop stable processes
Deer Browsing, Forest Edge Effects, and Vegetation Dynamics Following Bottomland Forest Restoration

Vegetation composition and forest stand development are frequently mediated by browsing herbivores. These relationships have received little attention in a forest restoration context even though White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is likely to influence these agriculture, forest, and restored ecosystem mosaic landscapes. Tree species composition, herbaceous vegetation, and deer browsing patterns were assessed 5 and 7 years following bottomland hardwood forest restoration on a 526-ha site in the Cache River watershed in southern Illinois, United States. Light-seeded tree species (Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer negundo, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Platanus occidentalis) of volunteer origin dominated the woody vegetation component, with especially high stocking and density near existing forest cover and potential seed sources. At more distant locations, presumably planted Quercus spp. were more likely to dominate and were the only tree species found in 15% of plots in year 7. Quercus stocking increased over the course of the study, constituting 7% of trees during year 7. Deer herbivory was associated with reduced stem height and disproportionately impacted seedlings of Quercus palustris and Celtis spp. Our results suggest that deer browsing influences forest stand composition and density as a function of distance from the nearest forest edge. Herbaceous vegetation had little impact on early stand development. Continued spread of the exotic and invasive Lonicera japonica and potential mortality of F. pennsylvanica due to an anticipated Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) epidemic, combined with low stand density and delayed canopy closure, may result in persistent overstory gaps and compromise long-term restoration success.
Synthesis, Structure, and Catalytic Reactions of 1,2-Bis(indenyl)ethane-Derived Lanthanocenes

The synthesis and structure of meso-[ethylenebis(η5-indenyl)]ytterbium(III) bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (6) and the syntheses of rac- and meso-[[ethylenebis(η5-indenyl)]ytterbium(III) chloride][LiCl(Et2O)2] (4, 5) and rac- and meso-[ethylenebis(η5-indenyl)lutetium(III) chloride][LiCl(Et2O)2] (7, 8) are reported. The complexes are synthesized by the metathesis of dilithiated 1,2-bis(indenyl)ethane with either YbCl3 or LuCl3 in THF followed by solvent exchange with diethyl ether to give [[ethylenebis(η5-indenyl)]LnIII chloride][LiCl(Et2O)2] (Ln = Yb, Lu) in yields of 43% and 30%, respectively. In the Yb case, the major diastereomer formed is meso, while in the lutetium reaction, the rac diastereomer predominated. Complex 6 is synthesized by reaction of meso-[[ethylenebis(η5-indenyl)]ytterbium(III) chloride][LiCl(Et2O)2] with NaN(TMS)2; this material was characterized by X-ray diffraction. Complex 6 catalyzes the cyclic hydroamination of primary amino olefins in excellent yields.
Marking one’s place: expressions of identity in Athabaskan student writing

L'A. examine les strategies linguistiques utilisees par des enfants athabaska pour se presenter dans des lettres adressees a des correspondants d'Alaska et d'Arizona. Il tente de comprendre comment les enfants parviennent a construire leur identite unique, leur personne, dans le genre epistolaire qui ne permet pas l'interaction face a face. Pour le peuple athabaska, le sens du lieu est manifeste et fait partie integrante de la construction de soi. Ce sens du lieu se reflete dans la maniere dont ils construisent leur identite a travers une reference mutuelle a des identites tribales et linguistiques, a des reperes geographiques et au type de logement. Curieusement, ce sont les enfants navajo qui sont le plus clairement entraines dans l'affirmation de leur identite tribale parce qu'ils sont plus frequemment en contact avec des personnes issues de cultures non tribales, par rapport aux autres enfants athabaska qui vivent dans des regions relativement eloignees. L'A. considere cette affirmation de lieu et de place en partie comme un moyen metaphorique pour lutter contre l'extinction et pour commencer a regagner les droits de la patrie ancestrale et revitaliser la langue ancestrale
Hidden Markov Model Variants and their Application

Markov statistical methods may make it possible to develop an unsupervised learning process that can automatically identify genomic structure in prokaryotes in a comprehensive way. This approach is based on mutual information, probabilistic measures, hidden Markov models, and other purely statistical inputs. This approach also provides a uniquely common ground for comparative prokaryotic genomics. The approach is an on-going effort by its nature, as a multi-pass learning process, where each round is more informed than the last, and thereby allows a shift to the more powerful methods available for supervised learning at each iteration. It is envisaged that this "bootstrap" learning process will also be useful as a knowledge discovery tool. For such an ab initio prokaryotic gene-finder to work, however, it needs a mechanism to identify critical motif structure, such as those around the start of coding or start of transcription (and then, hopefully more). For eukaryotes, even with better start-of-coding identification, parsing of eukaryotic coding regions by the HMM is still limited by the HMM's single gene assumption, as evidenced by the poor performance in alternatively spliced regions. To address these complications an approach is described to expand the states in a eukaryotic gene-predictor HMM, to operate with two layers of DNA parsing. This extension from the single layer gene prediction parse is indicated after preliminary analysis of the C. elegans alt-splice statistics. State profiles have made use of a novel hash-interpolating MM (hIMM) method. A new implementation for an HMM-with-Duration is also described, with far-reaching application to gene-structure identification and analysis of channel current blockade data.
Application of the transfer Hamiltonian formalism to high‐energy model systems

We present our recent work toward a transfer Hamiltonian that can more accurately predict the quantum mechanical behavior of nitrogen-containing energetic materials and their clusters. A new parameterization for a semi-empirical neglect of diatomic differential overlap Hamiltonian that improves on the standard AM1 parameter set is presented. This new parameterization exactly reproduces the decomposition of nitromethane to CH3 and NO2 radicals as predicted with coupled cluster singles and doubles in a triple zeta basis with polarization functions. The transferability of such parameters to small clusters of nitromethane is demonstrated. For nitromethane dimer and trimer, this model transfer Hamiltonian predicts rearrangements similar to previously calculated unimolecular mechanisms. The strained nitromethane trimer studies include the formation of methylnitrite trimer via a concerted rearrangement. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005
A preparation of bromoolefins from carbonyl compounds

Abstract A variety of 1-bromoalkenes are prepared by addition of dibromomethyllithium to ketones and aldehydes followed by reductive elimination with zinc-acetic acid. The product E/Z ratios were determined, and halogen-lithium exchange with t-butyllithium was examined.
A simple numerical method of cycle jumps for cyclically loaded structures

A method for accelerated numerical simulations of structures subjected to cyclic loading is investigated. Of particular interest is a class of structures where the structural properties evolve with time. The proposed method is based on conducting detailed finite element analysis for a set of cycles to establish a trend line, extrapolating the trend line spanning many cycles, and use the extrapolated state as initial state for additional FEA simulations. This includes a control function that automatically monitors the length of the cycle jump to ensure a realistic solution. We compare the proposed method to a reference calculation, where all incremental cycles are conducted, and find that the cycle jump solution replicates the true solution.
The Apocalyptic Fact and the Eclipse of Fiction in Recent American Prose Narratives

Recent American experimental fiction, in response to the fictive behaviour of the emerging realities of a technetronic culture, moves beyond the interpretive modernist novel in which the fictionist interpreted the ‘ human condition ’ within the framework of a comprehensive private metaphysics, towards a metamodern narrative with zero degree of interpretation. The mistrust of the epistemological authority of the fictive novelist is mainly caused by the pressures of the overwhelming actualities of contemporary America which render all interpretations of ‘ reality ’ arbitrary and therefore simultaneously accurate and absurd.
Phase-Doppler Interferometry with Probe-to-Droplet Size Ratios Less Than Unity. II. Application of the Technique

Practical limitations associated with the use of small probe volumes with respect to the droplet size that is being measured by the phase-Doppler interferometry technique are discussed. An intensity-validation scheme and corresponding probe volume correction factor have been developed that reject trajectory errors and account for the rejections in calculation of the probe cross-sectional area. The intensity-validation scheme also provides a tractable method of setting the photomultiplier tube gain and laser power. Volume flux measurements in dilute sprays have shown a significant improvement over those made by standard phase-Doppler interferometry techniques at small beam waist/droplet size ratios.
On the use of ammonia electrolysis for hydrogen production

Abstract An ammonia alkaline electrolytic cell for the production of hydrogen is presented. Challenges involved in using ammonia electro-oxidation for sustainable, low-cost, high-purity hydrogen production are identified and solutions are proposed. Electrodeposition was selected as a technique of preparing low-loading ammonia electrocatalysts. The efficiency of the electrolytic cell was improved by using bimetallic electrodeposited catalysts (at both electrodes) containing Pt and a low concentration of secondary metals (Ru, Ir). Pt–Ir deposits showed the highest activity toward ammonia oxidation. An experimental procedure is shown which minimizes the reversible deactivation of the electrode. Significant current densities were obtained (above 100 mA cm−2) during electrolysis testing at relatively low metal loading, low cell voltages, and high cell efficiencies. These results point to ammonia electrolysis as a promising candidate for an alternative process for low-cost, low-temperature, high-purity hydrogen production.
Fatty Acid Transfer from Liver and Intestinal Fatty Acid-binding Proteins to Membranes Occurs by Different Mechanisms

Intestinal absorptive cells contain high levels of expression of two homologous fatty acid-binding proteins (FABP), liver FABP (L-FABP), and intestinal FABP (I-FABP). Both bind long chain fatty acids with relatively high affinity. The functional distinction, if any, between these two proteins remains unknown. It is often hypothesized that FABP are important in intracellular transport of fatty acids. To assess whether fatty acid transport properties might differ between the two enterocyte FABPs, we examined the rate and mechanism of transfer of fluorescent anthroyloxy fatty acids (AOFA) from these proteins to model membranes using a resonance energy transfer assay. The results show that the absolute rate of AOFA transfer from I-FABP is faster than from L-FABP. Moreover, the apparent mechanism of fatty acid transfer is different between the two proteins. The rate of AOFA transfer from I-FABP is independent of ionic strength, directly dependent on the concentration of acceptor membrane vesicles, and dramatically regulated by the lipid composition of the membranes. These data strongly suggest that fatty acid transfer from I-FABP to membranes occurs by direct collisional interaction of the protein with the phospholipid bilayer. In contrast, the characteristics of fatty acid transfer from L-FABP are consistent with an aqueous diffusion-mediated process. Thus the two enterocyte FABPs may perform different functions within the intestinal absorptive cell in the regulation of fatty acid transport and utilization. It is hypothesized that L-FABP may act as a cytosolic buffer for fatty acids, maintaining the unbound fatty acid concentration, whereas I-FABP may be involved in the uptake and/or specific targeting of fatty acid to subcellular membrane sites.
STRESS WAVES IN A TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT VISCOELASTIC HALF-SPACE SUBJECTED TO IMPULSIVE ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION.

Abstract : The absorption of electromagnetic radiation within a thin surface layer of an elastic half space results in a sudden heat source distribution through the layer and stress waves are generated; in particular both tensile and compressive stress are developed. In this paper the effect of viscoelasticity on the tensile stress build-up in the absorption layer is studied for the case of a free surface, uniaxial motion, and where the radiant pulse duration is small compared to the wave travel time through the layer which, in turn, is assumed small compared to the characteristic times of thermal equilibrium and ablation (if any). The radiation induced temperature is assumed to decay exponentially with depth. The viscoelastic model employed is a temperature-dependent standard linear solid incorporating the shift hypothesis. Explicit closed form results, which are obtained describing the propagation of the resulting stress discontinuity, give considerable information on the influence of viscoelasticity. Complete wave forms are obtained numerically for a number of special cases with the aid of the Laplace transform. The cases studied indicate that viscoelasticity can significantly attenuate peak tensile stresses in the layer; compressive stress distributions, on the other hand, remain relatively unaffected. (Author)
Dental eruption, stature, and weight of Hiroshima children.

In the course of a broad study on the health of school children conducted in Hiroshima between October, 1958, and May, 1959, an increase in stature, weight, and dental eruption, as compared with similar data collected in 1951, was noted. The purpose of this paper is to point out the magnitude of this difference and to discuss, in a preliminary fashion, some of the factors which may have contributed to it.
Proposed substrate for evaluating alkyl phosphomonoesterase activity in soil

Abstract p -Nitrophenyl phosphate is commonly used to assay phosphomonoesterase activity in soil. This substrate has an aromatic chromophore, p -nitrophenol, directly attached to the phosphate portion of the molecule and its rate of hydrolysis may not represent the ability of soil enzymes to degrade alkyl phosphomonesters. The evaluation of a new substrate with which to assay alkyl phosphomonoesterase activity in soil is described. The substrate is a phosphate ester of 4-( p -nitrophenoxy)-1,2-butanediol (PNB). The assay involves a 1 h exposure of the substrate, in maleate buffer (0.1 m , pH 6.5), to l g soil at 37°C. The hydrolysis product, PNB, is chemically oxidized in situ by periodate in the presence of methylamine to produce p -nitrophenol (PNP), which can be quantitatively extracted from soil and measured spectrophotometrically. The initial rate of reaction obeys zero-order kinetics when the substrate concentration is 1 m m . The Michaelis-Menten constant (mean, 0.73 m m ) determined in two soils is lower than the K m values for acid phosphatase as reported with PNP-P as substrate. Reproducibility of the results is high (coefficient of variation ranged from 2.1 to 6.2% for four soils).
Alcohol dehydrogenases: a polymorphism in Drosophila melanogaster.

By means of a rapid microelectrophoretic technique suitable for single-fly analysis, two types of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isozyme patterns were found, each true breeding in homozygous stocks. A cross of these two types produces offspring with a third type of ADH pattern, containing hybrid ADH molecules in addition to the parental forms. Various strains were analyzed and found to contain flies of the three ADH types in various proportions indicating different gene frequencies. When octanol was used as a substrate instead of ethanol, an additional isozyme system was found, for which some strains are polymorphic also. The results obtained thus far are consistent with the assumption that ADH in Drosophila is a dimer.
The Impact of Gender Expectations on Meanings of Sex and Sexuality: Results from a Cognitive Interview Study

This study uses cognitive interviewing to examine individuals’ interpretations of sexuality-related questions and meanings of sex and sexuality. The sample includes 20 adults (12 women and 8 men) who were randomly selected university staff in the Midwestern United States. Using a sexual script and symbolic interactionist framework, we identify two themes in individuals’ understandings of sex and sexuality: (1) people’s talk about sexuality at the cultural level typically corresponds to traditional gender arrangements and stereotypes; however, personal experiences elicit more contradictions and (2) our relatively small sample revealed a wide range of understandings of sex and sexuality, including how gender expectations influenced their meanings. Implications for theoretical work on gender and sexuality as well as future empirical studies are discussed.
Resistance of the human β1-Adrenergic receptor to agonist-induced ubiquitination: A mechanism for impaired receptor degradation

Down-regulation is a classic response of most G protein-coupled receptors to prolonged agonist stimulation. We recently showed that when expressed in baby hamster kidney cells, the human β1-but not the β2-adrenergic receptor (AR) is totally resistant to agonist-mediated down-regulation, whereas both have similar rates of basal degradation (Liang, W., Austin, S., Hoang, Q., and Fishman, P. H. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 39773–39781). To identify the underlying mechanism(s) for this resistance, we investigated the role of proteasomes, lysosomes, and ubiquitination in the degradation of β1AR expressed in baby hamster kidney and human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Both lysosomal and proteasomal inhibitors reduced β1AR degradation in agonist-stimulated cells but were less effective on basal degradation. To determine whether β1AR trafficked to lysosomes we used confocal fluorescence microscopy. We observed some colocalization of β1AR and lysosomal markers in agonist-treated cells but much less than that of β2AR even in cells co-transfected with arrestin-2, which increases β1AR internalization. Ubiquitination of β2AR readily occurred in agonist-stimulated cells, whereas ubiquitination of β1AR was not detectable even under conditions optimal for that of β2AR. Moreover, in cells expressing βAR chimeras in which the C termini have been switched, the chimeric β1AR with β2AR C-tail underwent ubiquitination and down-regulation, but the chimeric β2AR with β1AR C-tail did not. Our results demonstrate for the first time that β1AR and β2AR differ in the ability to be ubiquitinated. Because ubiquitin serves as a signal for sorting membrane receptors to lysosomes, the lack of agonist-mediated ubiquitination of β1AR may prevent its extensive trafficking to lysosomes and, thus, account for its resistance to down-regulation.
A Test of Tversky's (1977) Diagnosticity Hypothesis in an Applied Accounting Context

Tversky's (1977) diagnosticity hypothesis predicts that the perceived similarity of two objects depends on the broader set of objects which form the context for judging similarity. This study examined this prediction in an applied setting in which 77 experienced tax accountants chose the “most similar” transaction in different information contexts. The results suggest that, although variations in context can influence a tax accountant's perceptions of similarity, such change does not affect their choice of the most similar transaction.
Balancing Terrorism and Natural Disasters---Defensive Strategy with Endogenous Attacker Effort

In this paper, we apply game theory to identify equilibrium strategies for both attacker and defender in a fully endogenous model of resource allocation for countering terrorism and natural disasters. The key features of our model include balancing protection from terrorism and natural disasters, and describing the attacker choice by a continuous level of effort rather than a discrete choice (i.e., attack or not). Interestingly, in a sequential game, increased defensive investment can lead an attacker to either increase his level of effort (to help compensate for the reduced probability of damage from an attack), or decrease his level of effort (because attacking has become less profitable). This can either reduce or increase the effectiveness of investments in protection from intentional attack, and can therefore affect the relative desirability of investing in protection from natural disasters.
Thermodynamic compensation process in interacting protein systems: Definition of thermodynamic compensatory temperature, 〈Tc〉

Abstract In our thermodynamic analysis of the non-linear Van 't Hoff expression as applied to several self-associating systems — specifically in the cases of bovine liver L-glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), glucagon and S-carboxymethylated apo A-II protein from human high density lipoprotein — we have examined the interrelationships of a number of thermodynamic temperatures as they affect the association process. We found the principal determinants of the linear thermodynamic compensation process to be where . We have defined the unique compensatory temperature, 〈Tc〉, for any interacting protein system, at which the contributions of enthalpy and entropy to the association process are balanced.
High Affinity Neurexin Binding to Cell Adhesion G-protein-coupled Receptor CIRL1/Latrophilin-1 Produces an Intercellular Adhesion Complex

The G-protein-coupled receptor CIRL1/latrophilin-1 (CL1) and the type-1 membrane proteins neurexins represent distinct neuronal cell adhesion molecules that exhibit no similarities except for one common function: both proteins are receptors for α-latrotoxin, a component of black widow spider venom that induces massive neurotransmitter release at synapses. Unexpectedly, we have now identified a direct binding interaction between the extracellular domains of CL1 and neurexins that is regulated by alternative splicing of neurexins at splice site 4 (SS4). Using saturation binding assays, we showed that neurexins lacking an insert at SS4 bind to CL1 with nanomolar affinity, whereas neurexins containing an insert at SS4 are unable to bind. CL1 competed for neurexin binding with neuroligin-1, a well characterized neurexin ligand. The extracellular sequences of CL1 contain five domains (lectin, olfactomedin-like, serine/threonine-rich, hormone-binding, and G-protein-coupled receptor autoproteolysis-inducing (GAIN) domains). Of these domains, the olfactomedin-like domain mediates neurexin binding as shown by deletion mapping. Cell adhesion assays using cells expressing neurexins and CL1 revealed that their interaction produces a stable intercellular adhesion complex, indicating that their interaction can be trans-cellular. Thus, our data suggest that CL1 constitutes a novel ligand for neurexins that may be localized postsynaptically based on its well characterized interaction with intracellular SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeats adaptor proteins (SHANK) and could form a trans-synaptic complex with presynaptic neurexins.
Recognizing and Assisting the Impaired Nurse: Recommendations for Nurse Managers

Substance abuse among nursing professionals has increased considerably, according to the literature and statistics of the States' Boards of Nursing. The role expectation of “nurse infallibility” promoted by healthcare professionals contributes and leads to denial of problems by nurses in healthcare settings from the nurse manager's perspective. The author discusses ways to identify the chemically dependent nurse and considers some legal/ethical implications in relation to the impaired nurse.
The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) applications activity

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission is one of the first-tier satellite missions recommended by the U.S. National Research Council Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space. The SMAP mission 1 is under development by NASA and is scheduled for launch late in 2014. The SMAP measurements will allow global and high-resolution mapping of soil moisture and its freeze/thaw state at resolutions from 3–40 km. These measurements will have high value for a wide range of environmental applications that underpin many weather-related decisions including drought and flood guidance, agricultural productivity estimation, weather forecasting, climate predictions, and human health risk. In 2007, NASA was tasked by The National Academies to ensure that “emerging scientific knowledge is actively applied to obtain societal benefits” by broadening community participation and improving means for use of information. SMAP is one of the first missions to come out of this new charge, and its Applications Plan forms the basis for ensuring its commitment to its users. The purpose of this paper is to outline the methods and approaches of the SMAP applications activity, which is designed to increase and sustain the interaction between users and scientists involved in mission development.
Preliminary analysis of hybrid launch isolation for spacecraft

As commercial and government space applications shift to smaller satellites there is an increased need to control the environmental loads the satellite must experience during launch. Recently, a passive vibration isolation system was successfully deployed. Seeing to enhance the passive isolator's effects research has shifted to active isolation techniques. This paper summarizes the results of recent research to develop a launch vehicle flight model and suitable environmental conditions to analyze the effectiveness of various passive and hybrid isolation techniques. Results include comparison of the isolator's performance.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A regional comparison of particle size distributions and the power law approximation in oceanic and estuarine surface waters

[1] The particle size distribution (PSD) is commonly used in studies of sediment fluxes, phytoplankton dynamics, and optical scattering from particulates, but little is known about the spatial and temporal variability of this parameter. Here, we analyze in situ laser diffraction measurements of the PSD from a variety of estuarine and open ocean systems. The power law or “Junge-type” distribution provided a good fit to surface ocean particle size distributions measured from 6 to 250 μm. PSD slopes ranged from 2.7 to 4.7 with a mean of 3.63. Consistent with theory, high particle slopes (3.78) and low particle concentrations characterized the open ocean waters of the Atlantic and the Southern Ocean. Lower PSD slopes (3.63) and high concentrations were characteristic of estuarine waters. River plumes consistently showed the lowest PSD slopes (3.30) and highest particle concentrations characteristic of larger bloom-forming phytoplankton and production of particle aggregates. In the North Atlantic, an inverse relationship was found between PSD slope and chlorophyll concentration. Such results follow the biological paradigm that larger phytoplankton are prevalent in bloom conditions and smaller phytoplankton dominate in oligotrophic water. Large temporal variability in PSD was observed in near coastal regions prone to sediment resuspension from storms and tidal flow. Dense sea grass beds consistently had lower particle concentrations compared to surrounding waters due to reductions in current flow and sediment resuspension. Simple power law approximations of particle size distributions can be successfully used to describe and assess particle distributions in a wide array of oceanic and estuarine water types.
Shift work in nurses: contribution of phenotypes and genotypes to adaptation.

Background Daily cycles of sleep/wake, hormones, and physiological processes are often misaligned with behavioral patterns during shift work, leading to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular/metabolic/gastrointestinal disorders, some types of cancer, and mental disorders including depression and anxiety. It is unclear how sleep timing, chronotype, and circadian clock gene variation contribute to adaptation to shift work. Methods Newly defined sleep strategies, chronotype, and genotype for polymorphisms in circadian clock genes were assessed in 388 hospital day- and night-shift nurses. Results Night-shift nurses who used sleep deprivation as a means to switch to and from diurnal sleep on work days (∼25%) were the most poorly adapted to their work schedule. Chronotype also influenced efficacy of adaptation. In addition, polymorphisms in CLOCK, NPAS2, PER2, and PER3 were significantly associated with outcomes such as alcohol/caffeine consumption and sleepiness, as well as sleep phase, inertia and duration in both single- and multi-locus models. Many of these results were specific to shift type suggesting an interaction between genotype and environment (in this case, shift work). Conclusions Sleep strategy, chronotype, and genotype contribute to the adaptation of the circadian system to an environment that switches frequently and/or irregularly between different schedules of the light-dark cycle and social/workplace time. This study of shift work nurses illustrates how an environmental “stress” to the temporal organization of physiology and metabolism can have behavioral and health-related consequences. Because nurses are a key component of health care, these findings could have important implications for health-care policy.
A new chromogenic agar medium, chromID VRE, to screen for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis.

We compared the performance of a chromogenic agar medium chromID VRE (bioMerieux, Marcy-l'Etoile, France) designed to recover and identify vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from clinical specimens with bile esculin azide vancomycin (BEAV) agar. For this study, 120 stool specimens were plated on chromID VRE and BEAV and examined after 24 and 48 h. At 24 h, the sensitivity and specificity were as follows: BEAV, 90.2% and 73%, respectively; chromID VRE, 86.3% and 100.0%, respectively. Furthermore, we determined that the sensitivity and specificity of chromID VRE for Enterococcus faecium were 85.4% and 100%, respectively, and for Enterococcus faecalis, 90% and 100%, respectively. We conclude that chromID VRE provides an equivalent sensitivity for the recovery of VRE from stool specimens, with improved specificity, and the added advantage of providing differentiation between vancomycin-resistant E. faecium and E. faecalis.
The ecological determinants of reinforcement in the rat

Abstract The intake of a freely feeding animal can be characterized by four parameters: frequency of meals, duration of meals, rate or intensity of eating, and choice of items eaten. The values of these parameters characterize species and the ecological niche they occupy. Constraints on any one of these parameters leads to compensatory changes in other parameters over the feeding cycle. Any change in performance of the instrumental behavior ancillary to feeding which causes the values of these parameters to recover their optimum or privileged value, defined by their niche, will be strengthened. These changes in performance reflect what is usually meant by motivation and the process of reinforcement.
Design of Multi-Stage Turbomachinery Blading by the Circulation Method: Actuator Duct Limit

This paper presents an extension of a recently developed three-dimensional inverse method for turbomachine blades to handle multi-stage machines in the limit of an infinite number of blades in each blade row. The axisymmetric flowfield is assumed to be inviscid, compressible, and rotational. The use of blockage and entropy-increase terms are included in the theory to model losses. An iterative procedure is presented for the calculations of the blade profiles which produce prescribed swirl schedules in the bladed regions. The numerical technique employed to solve the relevant equations is based on a finite-volume formulation. The method is applied to the design of a low-pressure multi-stage centrifugal compressor used in industrial processing.Copyright © 1992 by ASME
Some subclasses of the real-valued honorary Baire two functions on ℝ n

Certain subclasses of the class of Baire one real-valued functions have very nice properties, especially concerning their points of continuity and their preservation of connectedness for many connected sets. A Gibson [weakly Gibson] is defined by the requirement that \(f(\overline{U})\subseteq\overline{f(U)}\) for every open [open connected] set U⊂ℝn. It is known that Baire one, Gibson functions are continuous, and that Baire one, weakly Gibson functions have Darboux-like properties in the sense that if U is an open connected set and \(U\subseteq S\subseteq\overline{U}\), then f(S) is an interval. Here we study the situation where the Baire one condition is replaced by honorary Baire two. Distinctly different results are found.