cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Veterinarians Role in Feedyards

Simply put...It is all up to you. A veterinarian's involvement can be as simple as providing on-call service, or as complex as being part of a management team. Multiply yourself through people.
The Poison of Polygamy: A Social Novel by Wong Shee Ping, translated by Ely Finch

Review of: Wong Shee Ping 黄樹屏. The Poison of Polygamy: A Social Novel (Duoqi du, shehui xiaoshuo 多妻毒, 社會小説). Translated by Ely Finch. Series: China and the West in the Modern World. Sydney University Press, 2019. 446 pages.
PaeA (YtfL) protects from cadaverine and putrescine stress in Salmonella Typhimurium and E. coli

Salmonella and E. coli synthesize, import, and export cadaverine, putrescine, and spermidine to maintain physiological levels and provide pH homeostasis. Both low and high intracellular levels of polyamines confer pleiotropic phenotypes or lethality. Here, we demonstrate that the previously uncharacterized inner membrane protein PaeA (YtfL) is required for reducing cytoplasmic cadaverine and putrescine concentrations. We identified paeA as a gene involved in stationary phase survival when cells were initially grown in acidic medium, in which they produce cadaverine. The paeA mutant is also sensitive to putrescine, but not to spermidine or spermine. Sensitivity to external cadaverine in stationary phase is only observed at pH > 8, suggesting that the polyamines need to be deprotonated to passively diffuse into the cell cytoplasm. In the absence of PaeA, intracellular polyamine levels increase and the cells lose viability. Degradation or modification of the polyamines is not relevant. Ectopic expression of the known cadaverine exporter, CadB, in stationary phase partially suppresses the paeA phenotype, and overexpression of PaeA in exponential phase partially complements a cadB mutant grown in acidic medium. These data support the hypothesis that PaeA is a cadaverine/putrescine exporter, reducing potentially toxic levels under certain stress conditions.
Sexual Growth Mindsets and Rejection Sensitivity in Sexual Satisfaction

Research suggests that having a sexual growth mindset (SGM), or believing that a person can become a better sexual partner over time, may improve sexual relationships. The present research investig...
Aircraft trajectory modeling and alerting algorithm verification

The Airborne Information for Lateral Spacing (AILS) program at NASA Langley Research Center aims at giving pilots the information necessary to make independent approaches to parallel runways with spacing down to 2500 feet in Instrument Meteorological Conditions. The AILS concept consists of accurate traffic information visible at the navigation display and an alerting algorithm which warns the crew when one of the aircraft involved in a parallel landing is diverting from the intended flight path. In this paper we present a model of aircraft approaches to parallel runways. Based on this model, we analyze the alerting algorithm with the objective of verifying its correctness. The formalization is conducted in the general verification system PVS.
Asymmetric modulation of cytosolic cAMP activity induces growth cone turning

The possible role of cyclic nucleotides as second messengers mediating growth cone turning was studied by producing an asymmetric distribution of cyclic nucleotides across the growth cone. A repetitive pulse application method was developed to produce microscopic chemical gradients near the growth cone of embryonic Xenopus neurons in cell culture. When picoliters of a solution containing 20 mM dibutyryl cAMP (dB-cAMP), a membrane-permeable analog of cAMP, were repetitively ejected from a micropipette near the growth cone, neurite growth was consistently directed toward the pipette. Theoretical analysis of the diffusion gradient showed that the neurite is capable of detecting a 10% difference in dB-cAMP concentration across the growth cone. Similar responses were also observed using gradients of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine, or of forskolin, which activates adenylate cyclase. Dibutyryl cGMP, however, produced no significant turning. These results suggest that a cytoplasmic gradient of cAMP across the growth cone is sufficient to initiate its turning response, and that cAMP in the growth cone could serve as a second messenger in mediating the action of extracellular guidance cues.
Majority Party Change and Committee Jurisdictions in State Legislatures

Committee jurisdictions are important in legislative organization, but the reorganization of jurisdictions has received scant attention, particularly in state legislatures, where the fluidity of committee organization allows us to examine rationales for change. In this article, I examine whether new majorities use jurisdiction reorganization for agenda-control purposes. Examining 39 state legislatures between 2003 and 2012, I test whether committee patterns are less stable in legislative sessions under new majorities and the extent to which reorganization reflects party priorities. I find that new majority parties eliminate committees that reflect the other party's policy priorities and create committees that reflect their priorities.
PROCESSES OCCURRING IN SHOCK WAVE COMPRESSION OF ROCKS AND MINERALS

Abstract Recent advances in time-resolved shock-wave instrumentation and improved methods for analyzing continuous stress-wave data are providing a clearer picture of the processes of yielding and phase transformation occurring during shock compression of rocks and minerals. The present report reviews the advances in time-resolved shock-wave instrumentation which are currently being used and describes the analysis techniques which have been developed to relate shock-wave profiles to the thermomechanical processes occurring during shock compression. Evidence for complicating features resulting from yielding in silicates and oxides is reviewed and a physical model for phase transitions based on heterogeneous deformation and thermal activation is discussed. New supporting data on the shock compression and relief properties of periclase and calcite are presented and considered in terms of a mechanism of heterogeneous deformation.
Structure of upper and lower approximation spaces of infinite sets

We determine structural properties of upper and lower approximation spaces. In particular, we show that an upper approximation space is a union of its primary subspaces if and only if it is benign. We also show that in a principle upper approximation space which is not primary, the prime and maximal subspaces coincide.
AMSSpin: A LabVIEW program for measuring the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility with the Kappabridge KLY‐4S

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) data are widely used as a petrofabric tool because the technique is rapid and nondestructive and because static measurement systems are capable of determining small degrees of anisotropy. The Kappabridge KLY-4S provides high resolution as a result of the large number of measurements acquired while rotating the sample about three orthogonal axes. Here we describe a graphical-based program called AMSSpin for acquiring AMS data with this instrument as well as a modified specimen holder that should further enhance the utility of this instrument. We also outline a method for analysis of the data (that differs in several ways from that of the software supplied with the instrument) and demonstrate that the measurement errors are suitable for using linear perturbation analysis to statistically characterize the results. Differences in the susceptibility tensors determined by our new program and the SUFAR program supplied with the instrument are small, typically less than or comparable to deviations between multiple measurements of the same specimen.
Metrics for More than Two Points at Once

The conventional definition of a topological metric over a space specifies properties that must be obeyed by any measure of "how separated" two points in that space are. Here it is shown how to extend that definition, and in particular the triangle inequality, to concern arbitrary numbers of points. Such a measure of how separated the points within a collection are can be bootstrapped, to measure "how separated" from each other are two (or more) collections. The measure presented here also allows fractional membership of an element in a collection. This means it directly concerns measures of "how spread out" a probability distribution over a space is. When such a measure is bootstrapped to compare two collections, it allows us to measure how separated two probability distributions are, or more generally, how separated a distribution of distributions is.
Vitamin D inhibits growth of human airway smooth muscle cells through growth factor-induced phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein and checkpoint kinase 1

Background and purpose: Airway remodelling in asthma is manifested, in part, as increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass, reflecting myocyte proliferation. We hypothesized that calcitriol, a secosteroidal vitamin D receptor (VDR) modulator, would inhibit growth factor-induced myocyte proliferation.
Coccidioidomycosis in children.

1. The pediatric implications of coccidioidomycosis have been presented including the clinical features as well as the specific diagnostic procedures. 2. The in vitro response of coccidioides immites to ethyl vanillate, para-aminobenzoic acid and Thiocymetin have been reported. The direct observation of the effect of drugs upon spherules in living tissue cultures has been made with some degree of success. 3. Four children with disseminated coccidioidomycosis have been used to illustrate the clinical and serologic responses to various drugs. 4. At this time ethyl vanillate appears to be the best agent available. Although in selective cases actual cure seems possible, the occasional spontaneous regression of the disseminated disease demands caution in the evaluation of any chemotherapeutic agent.
International Capital Mobility and Free Trade Once Again

Using a Heckscher–Ohlin model, this paper re-examines Robert Mundell's famous thesis that free trade and unimpeded capital mobility are perfect substitutes. Under very general conditions which, according to many economists, have caused international convergence of factor rewards, we show that in a polluted environment free trade is inferior to free international investment. This happens even though commodity prices and factor rewards are the same with both policies. The practical side of our thesis is that the world will be better off by reducing the volume of trade while removing all barriers to foreign direct investment that at present hamper the service industries.
The development-specific ssp1 and ssp2 genes of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum encode lectins with distinct yet compensatory regulation

The Ssp1 development-specific protein is the most abundant soluble protein in sclerotia and apothecia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Although closely associated with these developmental stages, the functions of the Ssp1 protein and its paralog, Ssp2, are not known. In this study, protein structure prediction analysis revealed that Ssp1 and Ssp2 are structurally similar to fucose-specific lectins. In an effort to understand the function of these abundant, development-specific proteins, a homokaryotic ssp1 deletion mutant was generated. The resulting mutant (Deltassp1) displays a wild-type growth and development phenotype in culture but produces approximately 50% fewer sclerotia in cultures supplemented with hygromycin. Genetic complementation with a wild-type copy of ssp1 restores normal sclerotium formation in the presence of hygromycin. This suggests that Ssp1 might play a role in resistance to glycoside-containing antibiotics encountered in the environment. Although a slight delay in carpogenic germination was observed, no additional effects of ssp1 loss-of-function were found in regards to apothecial morphology or fecundity. When the expression of ssp2 was examined in the Deltassp1 mutant, it was found to be expressed earlier in sclerotial development and its encoded protein accumulated to higher levels in both sclerotia and apothecia. These findings suggest regulatory compensation for loss of Ssp1 coupled with potential functional redundancy among lectins accumulating in sclerotia and apothecia.
A phase 1 trial of preoperative partial breast radiation therapy: Patient selection, target delineation, and dose delivery

Abstract Purpose Diffusion of accelerated partial breast irradiation into clinical practice is limited by the need for specialized equipment and training. The accessible external beam technique yields unacceptable complication rates, likely from large postoperative target volumes. We designed a phase 1 trial evaluating preoperative radiation therapy to the intact tumor using widely available technology. Methods and materials Patients received 15, 18, or 21 Gy in a single fraction to the breast tumor plus margin. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used in conjunction with standard computed tomography (CT)-based planning to identify contrast enhancing tumor. Skin markers and an intratumor biopsy marker were used for verification during treatment. Results MRI imaging was critical for target delineation because not all breast tumors were reliably identified on CT scan. Breast shape differences were consistently seen between CT and MRI but did not impede image registration or tumor identification. Target volumes were markedly smaller than historical postoperative volumes, and normal tissue constraints were easily met. A biopsy marker within the breast proved sufficient for setup localization. Conclusions This single fraction linear accelerator–based partial breast irradiation approach can be easily incorporated at most treatment centers. In vivo targeting may improve accuracy and can reduce the dose to normal tissues.
Potential distribution inside a closed cavity in terms of surface potentials

An analytical expression for the potential distribution inside certain cavities is obtained. This expression is based on the equipotential surface considerations as produced by two confining surfaces at a time. The results obtained for several geometries agree to better than 93 percent with the results obtained numerically using the finite difference formulation.
THE OCCURRENCE OF PEROXIDE IN CULTURES OF PNEUMOCOCCUS

1. Conditions which favor the formation and accumulation of peroxide in broth cultures of pneumococcus are free access of air, and the absence of catalase, peroxidase, and other catalysts capable of decomposing this compound. Under these favorable conditions peroxide becomes demonstrable in the culture fluid during the logarithmic phase of growth and persists for a period of at least 6 to 12 days. 2. In the absence of these favorable conditions the formation of peroxide is inhibited. In a culture with deficient oxygen exposure the accumulation of peroxide is delayed; when anaerobic conditions are maintained the substance is not formed. In the presence of active catalysts, peroxide does not accumulate in the medium in quantities sufficient to give a positive reaction. The accumulation of peroxide in pneumococcus cultures is dependent upon the balance between the amount produced by the microorganisms and the amount destroyed by substances in the medium. 3. The peroxide formed in pneumococcus cultures is unstable. It gradually disappears during prolonged incubation at 37°C.; it is less stable in alkaline than in neutral or acid media. It is destroyed in culture filtrates exposed to the temperature of boiling water for 15 minutes, and to that of steam under pressure (15 pounds) for 10 minutes. 4. Peroxide formation occurred early in broth cultures of the seven strains of pneumococcus and of the six strains of non-hemolytic streptococci studied. Fifteen of twenty-three strains of Streptococcus haemolyticus and one of three strains of Streptococcus mucosus formed peroxide. In the positively reacting cultures of Streptococcus haemolyticus and Streptococcus mucosus the presence of peroxide was not demonstrable until the 3rd to 5th day of incubation. Peroxide could not be detected at any time during growth of the two strains of Staphylococcus aureus.
TU‐C‐T‐617‐05: Effect of MLC Leaf Width and PTV Margin On the Treatment Planning of Intensity‐Modulated Stereotactic Radiosurgery Or Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy

Purpose: To investigate the effect of MLC leaf width and PTV margin on intensity modulated radiosurgery (IMSRS) and radiostherapy (IMSRT) dose distributions. Method and Materials: Twelve patients previously treated with IMSRS or IMSRT were retrospectively planned with a 5mm or 3mm MLC leaf width and a 3mm or 2mm PTV margin using the already contoured CTV, critical structures and organs at risk (OARs). The same beam arrangement, planning parameters and plan selection criteria were used in each four plans for a given patient. Same target coverage was achieved by renormalizing each plan so that the prescription dose covered at least 99% of the PTV. Plan indexes — D max, D min, and D mean, conformity index (CI), V70, V50, D 95 and V 95 were calculated from the dose‐volume histograms of PTV, normal tissue, or OARs. Ratios of plan indexes were computed and hypotheses tests were performed on the mean ratios to determine the significance of the relative changes. Results: The PTV was well covered for all plans. The PTV was 25% smaller when 2mm instead of 3mm PTV margin was used; CI of 3mm MLC was 7% lowered than that of 5mm MLC. The decrease of MLC leaf width had a similar effect as that of PTV margin in reducing V70 and V50 of the normal tissue and D mean of brainstem by ∼10%. However, D mean of optic nerve and chiasm was more sensitive to the change of PTV margin. Conclusion: For IMSRT, the combination of 5mm MLC and 2mm PTV margin is dosimetrically equal to that of 3mm MLC and 3mm PTV margin for both PTV coverage and normal tissue sparing. The use of 5mm MLC and 2mm PTV margin for IMSRS is problematic because V70 and V5 are ∼10% higher than that of 3mm MLC and 2mm PTV margin.
Assessing Scale-Up of mHealth Innovations Based on Intervention Complexity: Two Case Studies of Child Health Programs in Malawi and Zambia

As interest in mHealth (including Short Message Services or SMS) increases, it is important to assess potential benefits and limitations of this technology in improving interventions in resource-poor settings. The authors analyzed two case studies (early infant diagnosis of HIV and nutrition surveillance) of three projects in Malawi and Zambia using a conceptual framework that assesses the technical complexity of the programs, with and without the use of SMS technology. The authors based their findings on literature and discussions with key informants involved in the programs. For both interventions, introducing SMS reduced barriers to effective and timely delivery of services by simplifying the tracking and analysis of data and improving communication between healthcare providers. However, the primary implementation challenges for both interventions were related to broader program delivery characteristics (e.g., human resource needs and transportation requirements) that are not easily addressed by the addition of SMS. The addition of SMS technology itself introduced new layers of complexity.
Attempts to improve the overall stereoselectivity of the Ireland-Claisen rearrangement.

With focus on the steric effects present in the transition states for the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement, the substrate 5 has been designed to improve the overall stereoselectivity of the Ireland−Claisen rearrangement. Experimentally, it has been found that (1) only Z-6 rearranges to 7 at 80 °C and (2) E-6 isomerizes to Z-6 at 80 °C, thereby allowing the transformation of 5 into 7 in an almost quantitative yield. To illustrate the usefulness of this approach, two additional examples are given.
Early‐onset benign autosomal dominant limb‐girdle myopathy with contractures (Bethlem myopathy)

We report a large French-Canadian kindred with 33 affected members in six generations showing early-onset autosomal dominant limb-girdle myopathy and contractures. This myopathy is unique because of its benign course, with many members only minimally impaired even in old age. Examination of affected members revealed mild to moderate proximal weakness and wasting. Contractures were observed at the elbows and ankles in all, while in some they were more widespread. Serum CK was either normal or slightly raised, and electrodiagnostic studies suggested a primary myopathy. Muscle biopsy revealed nonspecific features of a myopathy without fiber necrosis or regeneration. Cardiac involvement was absent clinically in all patients and at autopsy in two affected individuals. The similarities between four previously reported families and our own establishes this myopathy as a distinct clinicogenetic entity, for which we propose the name "Bethlem myopathy."
Best practices for purification and characterization of PAMAM dendrimer.

Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer are branched polymers with low degrees of heterogeneity. Current synthesis methods, however, result in substantial batch variability. We present our optimized procedure for post-synthesis (and post-market) purification of a generation 5 PAMAM dendrimer by membrane dialysis and demonstrate its effectiveness and limitations using a representative lot of biomedical grade dendrimer. This method successfully removes trailing generation defect structures, thereby reducing the heterogeneity of the material (PDI reduced from 1.04 to 1.02). Optimized analytical techniques to characterize the unpurified and purified dendrimer are also detailed. The efficiency of the purification method is successfully monitored by these analytics and dendrimer parameters that are critical for subsequent modification reactions and biological evaluation (Mn, Mw, PDI, average number of end groups) obtained. To provide better definition of the variability that should be expected between lots of synthesized material, HPLC traces for three additional commercial lots of dendrimer are also presented.
Cap-dependent mRNA translation and the ubiquitin-proteasome system cooperate to promote ERBB2-dependent esophageal cancer phenotype

Pathological post-transcriptional control of the proteome composition is a central feature of malignancy. Two steps in this pathway, eIF4F-driven cap-dependent mRNA translation and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), are deregulated in most if not all cancers. We tested a hypothesis that eIF4F is aberrantly activated in human esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and requires elevated rates of protein turnover and proteolysis and thereby activated UPS for its pro-neoplastic function. Here, we show that 80% of tumors and cell lines featuring amplified ERBB2 display an aberrantly activated eIF4F. Direct genetic targeting of the eIF4F in ERBB2-amplified EAC cells with a constitutively active form of the eIF4F repressor 4E-BP1 decreased colony formation and proliferation and triggered apoptosis. In contrast, suppression of m-TOR-kinase activity towards 4E-BP1with rapamycin only modestly inhibited eIF4F-driven cap-dependent translation and EAC malignant phenotype; and promoted feedback activation of other cancer pathways. Our data show that co-treatment with 2 FDA-approved agents, the m-TOR inhibitor rapamycin and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, leads to strong synergistic growth-inhibitory effects. Moreover, direct targeting of eIF4F with constitutively active 4E-BP1 is significantly more potent in collaboration with bortezomib than rapamycin. These data support the hypothesis that a finely tuned balance between eIF4F-driven protein synthesis and proteasome-mediated protein degradation is required for the maintenance of ERBB2-mediated EAC malignant phenotype. Altogether, our study supports the development of pharmaceuticals to directly target eIF4F as most efficient strategy; and provides a clear rationale for the clinical evaluation of combination therapy with m-TOR inhibitors and bortezomib for EAC treatment.
Cognitive Style in Rural Preschool Guatemalan Children: A Serendipitous Finding

Summary The present study was designed originally to investigate the nature and distribution of impulsive versus reflective conceptual tempo in a sample of rural preschool Guatemalan children. Accordingly, a total of 1484 children three- to seven-years-old were administered age- and culture-appropriate versions of the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFF) and the Embedded Figures Test (EFT). Surprisingly, it was found that response time correlated more highly with the difficulty level of items within a test than with accuracy. This response time-item difficulty correlation, termed “MODIFIABILITY,” was a better predictor of accuracy than was response time alone. The previously reported stability of conceptual tempo was re-examined and it was suggested that the tendency to be impulsive or reflective may be more dependent on task or other situational variables than on some enduring stylistic disposition.
Quantitative prediction of surface segregation in bimetallic Pt–M alloy nanoparticles (M = Ni, Re, Mo)

Abstract This review addresses the issue of surface segregation in bimetallic alloy nanoparticles, which are relevant to heterogeneous catalysis, in particular for electro-catalysts of fuel cells. We describe and discuss a theoretical approach to predicting surface segregation in such nanoparticles by using the modified embedded atom method and Monte Carlo simulations. In this manner it is possible to systematically explore the behavior of such nanoparticles as a function of component metals, composition, and particle size, among other variables. We chose to compare Pt 75 Ni 25 , Pt 75 Re 25 , and Pt 80 Mo 20 alloys as example systems for this discussion, due to the importance of Pt in catalytic processes and its high-cost. It is assumed that the equilibrium nanoparticles of these alloys have a cubo-octahedral shape, the face-centered cubic lattice, and sizes ranging from 2.5 nm to 5.0 nm. By investigating the segregation of Pt atoms to the surfaces of the nanoparticles, we draw the following conclusions from our simulations at T = 600 K. (1) Pt 75 Ni 25 nanoparticles form a surface-sandwich structure in which the Pt atoms are strongly enriched in the outermost and third layers while the Ni atoms are enriched in the second layer. In particular, a nearly pure Pt outermost surface layer can be achieved in those nanoparticles. (2) Equilibrium Pt 75 Re 25 nanoparticles adopt a core–shell structure: a nearly pure Pt shell surrounding a more uniform Pt–Re core. (3) In Pt 80 Mo 20 nanoparticles, the facets are fully occupied by Pt atoms, the Mo atoms only appear at the edges and vertices, and the Pt and Mo atoms arrange themselves in an alternating sequence along the edges and vertices. Our simulations quantitatively agree with previous experimental and theoretical results for the extended surfaces of Pt–Ni, Pt–Re, and Pt–Mo alloys. We further discuss the reasons for the different types of surface segregation found in the different alloys, and some of their implications.
Moving known libraries to an addressable array: a site-selective hetero-Michael reaction.

A two-step, Michael reaction-based strategy for site-selectively placing molecules by unique electrodes in an addressable microelectrode array has been developed. The strategy is compatible with the use of polypeptide nucleophiles and works with microelectrode arrays having either 1024 electrodes/cm2 or 12 544 electrodes/cm2. The chemistry should allow for the transfer of existing molecular libraries to microelectrode array devices for analysis.
Fabrication and testing of subminiature multi-sensor hot-wire probes

A method for the fabrication of hot-wire sensors measuring 0.6 micron in diameter and 200 microns in length is described. This method allows accurate control of sensing-element orientation, thus making it possible to produce multisensor probes. Test results obtained with a miniature sensor fabricated by this method, for the outer region of a turbulent boundary layer developing in a zero presure gradient were compared to measurements from a conventional-sized probe made in the same flow, demonstrating that, because of their improved spatial resolution, subminiature sensors can provide more accurate measurements in boundary layers than do the conventional probes.
On long-term periodicities in the sunspot cycle

We investigate the possible existence of periodicities other than that of 11 years in the mean annual sunspot number. The power spectrum for the sunspot numbers for the years 1711–1966 is compared with power spectra for the same period in which the solar cycles have been permuted randomly. Peaks in the power spectra at periodicities other than 11 years are found to appear and disappear in a random way. We conclude that the 11 year periodicity is the only statistically significant one present in the sunspot data.
Disclinations in Bimaterials

A general solution of the elastic field in a bimaterial due to a straight stationary disclination is presented. The bimaterial is idealized as two semi-infinite, isotropic, elastic solids either perfectly bonded to or in frictionless contact with each other at the planar interface. The solution is based on the solutions for nuclei of strain in a bimaterial. The elastic fields due to straight wedge and twist disclinations with line vectors parallel to the planar interface are presented as examples. Es wird eine allgemeine Losung fur das elastische Feld in einem Bimaterial infolge einer geraden stationaren Disklination angegeben. Das Bimaterial wird als zwei halbunendliche isotrope elastische Festkorper idealisiert, die an der planaren Grenzflache entweder perfekt aneinander gebunden oder in reibungslosen Kontakt miteinander sind. Die Losung beruht auf den Losungen fur Spannungskerne in einem Bimaterial. Die durch gerade Keil- und Verdrehungs-Disklinationen mit Linienvektoren parallel zur planaren Grenzflache hervorgerufenen elastischen Felder werden als Beispiele angefuhrt.
Insect Resistance Management for Stored Product Pests: A Case Study of Cowpea Weevil (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

ABSTRACT The cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus F. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), can cause up to 100% yield loss of stored cowpea seeds in a few months in West Africa. Genes expressing toxins delaying insect maturation(MDTs)are available for genetic engineering.Asimulation model was used to investigate the possible use of MDTs for managing C. maculatus. Specifically, we studied the effect of transgenic cowpea expressing an MDT, an insecticide, or both, on the evolution of resistance by C. maculatus at constant temperature. Transgenic cowpea expressing only a nonlethal MDT causing 50–100% maturation delay did not control C. maculatus well. Mortality caused by a maturation delay improved the efficacy of transgenic cowpea expressing only a lethal MDT, but significantly reduced the durability of transgenic cowpea. Transgenic cowpea expressing only a lethal MDT causing 50% maturation delay and 90% mortality controlled C. maculatus better than one expressing only a nonlethal MDT, but its durability was only 2 y...
The impact of a near-death experience on family relationships

Study exploring the influence that a near-death experience (NDE) had on the family relationships of eleven NDErs, based on in-depth interviews, detailing the changes in relationships with extensive quotes providing data on family interactions.
Trends in Employee Wage and Health Insurance Compensation for Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance (ESI) Coverage

Health insurance coverage continues to be an important benefit of employment and employer-sponsored insurance is the most prominent form of health coverage in the US. We examine trends in both employer and employee contributions to the costs of health insurance premium between 2002 and 2005 and assess these contributions relative to changes in worker wages. We do this for the US overall and for the 50 states plus the District of Columbia. We found a significant increase of 15.5% in the share of total compensation going toward health benefits (from 12.3–14.2%) for workers with individual coverage and an increase of 13.5% (from 20.6–23.4%) for workers with family coverage. Wages over this time period decreased 3.0% for workers with individual coverage and increased 0.8% for workers with family coverage.
Calnexin is associated with and induced by overexpressed human complement protein C2

C2 is a serum glycoprotein that is essential for activation of the classical and lectin pathways of the complement system. We reported previously that in transiently transfected COS cells, C2 accumulates in the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC). Transfection with a cDNA corresponding to a variant C2 mRNA in which exon 17 is spliced out, C2Delta(17), resulted in retention of the mutant polypeptide in the ER. We now show that calnexin, a lectin-like chaperone, colocalizes with wild-type (wt) C2 and C2Delta(17). Biosynthetic labeling and sequential immunoprecipitation experiments indicated that colocalization is due to a physical association between calnexin and C2. Immunofluorescence analysis indicated that calnexin was upregulated in cells transfected with either C2 species. Upregulation of calnexin was not affected by castanospermine, which inhibits glucosidases I and II. However, castanospermine inhibited translocation of calnexin to the ERGIC in wt C2 transfected cells. Upregulation of calnexin was also observed in cells transfected with the complement protein factor B, a glycoprotein with extensive structural and functional similarities to C2, but not in cells transfected with complement proteins C3 or factor D, which have no structural similarity to C2, and low or no glycan content, respectively. Calnexin upregulation by transfection with C2 or factor B, but not factor D, was also demonstrated by quantitative analysis of calnexin immunoprecipitates from biosynthetically labeled cells. Increased calnexin expression by overexpressed C2 and factor B appears to be triggered either by the high glycan content of these proteins or, since it also occurs in the presence of castanospermine, by shared features of the structure of these two proteins.
Liquid membrane separations of metal cations using macrocyclic carriers

Abstract The selectivity in water and methanol solvents of macrocyclic crown ether ligands toward univalent and bivalent cations is well known. Incorporation of these ligands into chloroform liquid membranes separating water and salt solution phases results in a system showing selective cation transport. The cation transport rates of single cations across these liquid membranes have been correlated with equilibrium constant values for cation-macrocycle interaction in methanol. This correlation has been extended to binary cation mixtures of Cs+ with Li+, Na+, K+, and Rb+. A model for cation transport from these cation mixtures has been reduced to an equation which gives good agreement between measured and predicted transport rates across our liquid membranes.
A Theory of Optimal Agenda Design

This paper formalizes the problem of designing optimal agendas for voting over finite alternative spaces, when voters are assumed to be "naive," i.e., they do not vote strategically. The class of agendas considered here is quite broad, and includes, as special cases, such methods as pairwise voting, sequential and elimination procedures, partitioning schemes, and all binary procedures. Given individual preferences over the basic alternative space, and various assumptions about how individuals choose between subsets of alternatives, one can then formalize the problem of designing agendas as a dynamic programming problem and solve for optimal agendas, i.e., agendas having either the highest probability of leading to a given alternative or having the highest expected utility to the agenda setter. Illustrations are given showing how the methods can be applied in specific examples.
Nonlinear feedback control for remote orbital capture

The problem of detumbling a freely spinning and precessing axisymmetric target satellite with feedback control by an axisymmetric retriever spacecraft or orbital maneuvering vehicle is considered. Equations of motion for the two-body system are derived using Euler's dynamical equations in conjunction with the methodology developed by Hooker and Margulies. A Liapunov technique is employed to derive a nonlinear feedback control law for the thruster torques applied by the orbital maneuvering vehicle and the motor torques applied at the joint to drive the two-body system to a final spin-stabilized state asymptotically. State and control histories are presented to illustrate that the detumbling process is quite benign and that the required control magnitudes are small. The loads at the joint are determined and found to be within acceptable bounds during detumbling.
Influence of conformational asymmetries on local packing and small-angle scattering in athermal diblock copolymer melts

Local structural correlations and small-angle scattering profiles arestudied using the polymer reference interaction site model (PRISM) integral equation theory for a series of structurally asymmetric diblock copolymer melts in the athermal limit. Motivated by recent experimental work on polyolefin and polydiene copolymers, we have chosen the block aspect ratios and the overall degree of copolymer asymmetry to be representative of those systems. The extent of nonrandom mixing in the fluid is quantified by calculating length scale dependent «effective compositions». These deviations from the bulk composition in the athermal fluid are compared to those of a fully interacting thermal system. The athermal contribution to nonrandom mixing, resulting from pure stiffness asymmetry, is quite small relative to the effects brought on by unfavorable enthalpic AB interactions. Nonetheless, deviations from random mixing in the athermal limit can lead to appreciable unfavorable enthalpic interactions between components within a thermodynamic perturbative scheme. Large departures from the widely assumed equality of the three partial collective structure factors are also found, suggesting that the extraction of a single χ parameter by fitting to a form which assumes incompressibility may in some cases be unreliable
SU-GG-I-102: Comparative Methods for PET Image Segmentation in Pharyngolaryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: This study presents the performance assessment of various FDG‐PET image segmentation methods in pharyngolaryngeal squamous cell carcinoma using experimental phantom and clinical studies where the surgical specimen served as reference Method and Materials: Various PETimage segmentation techniques were evaluated including: 1) manual delineation, 2) four thresholding‐based methods (Nestle, Black, Biehl, and Schaefer), 3) the level set technique, 4) fuzzy clustering‐based segmentation (FCM), and (5) stochastic expectation maximization (EM) approach. A cylindrical phantom was filled with an 18F solution with an initial activity of 12.21 MBq/ml−1. Three spherical target inserts of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 cm diameter are inserted in the cylinder and were filled with 11C solution with an initial activity of 169.83 MBq/ml. A series of 10‐minute long scans were acquired, providing a range of tumour‐to‐background ratios (T/B) ranging from almost 14 to 1.15. Three activities are selected high activity (T/B=14.1), medium activity (T/B= 4.1), and low activity (T/B=1.5). The algorithms were also evaluated using clinical studies where segmentation results were compared to the 3D (Biological Tumour Volume) BTV defined by histology on PETimages of seven patients with T3–T4 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent a total laryngectomy. The macroscopic tumour specimen was collected “en bloc”, frozen and cut into 1.7‐ to 2‐mm thick slices then digitized and used as reference Results: On the phantom data, Schaefer thresholding and level set provided the best performance, however, the clinical data seem to suggest that thresholding methods (with exception of Schaefer) and EM overestimated the average tumour volume while Schaefer, level set, and FCM underestimated it with FCM providing relatively the highest accuracy in terms of volume and overlap index. Conclusion: The BTVs delineated using the FCM technique seemingly was the most accurate segmentation technique and approximates closely the 3D BTV defined on the surgical specimen.
Effects of multidisciplinary education on outcomes in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Abstract Background & Aims: The impact of education on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is not well known. This study evaluated the effect of a onetime group education program on patient-based outcomes in IBS. Methods: All adults referred by Mayo Clinic physicians to the Gastroenterology Division with a diagnosis of IBS between May 1997 and March 1998 were asked to participate. Questionnaires were administered at baseline and 6 months. Symptom resolution, change in pain severity, quality of life, Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile score, overall patient satisfaction, and health care utilization were compared among those patients who attended the multidisciplinary class and those who did not. Results: Of the 506 patients approached, 403 (80%) agreed to participate. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed in 344 patients (85%) on chart review; 211 patients (61%) subsequently completed a follow-up questionnaire. Overall, 29% of class attendees who met Rome criteria for IBS at baseline no longer met Rome criteria at follow-up, compared with 7% of nonattendees. By multivariate analysis, class attendance predicted higher odds of not meeting Rome criteria at follow-up in individuals meeting Rome criteria at baseline (odds ratio, 7.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.97–64.41) than in nonattendees, but the opposite effect was seen with class attendance in those not meeting Rome criteria at baseline. This interaction between baseline Rome status and class attendance was significant (P
Social isolation in the school pictures of learning-disabled children: A research study

Abstract Interpersonal relationships are essential to the normal development of a child. Learning-disabled children lack interpersonal relationships, and manifest social isolation in both their behavior and artwork. In a study comparing the drawings done by fifteen learning-disabled children and fifteen children displaying no learning problems it was demonstrated that learning-disabled children depict themselves as socially isolated in the context of their school environment. Two out of seven measures proved significant in the discrimination of the two groups with regard to social isolation. A grotesque self-image and the omission of peers from the drawing appeared significantly more in the drawings of learning-disabled children than in those of normal children. As diagnostic assessments, the children's drawings can indicate social isolation and the direction toward its remediation.
Eustachian tube function in young children without a history of otitis media evaluated using a pressure chamber protocol.

Abstract Conclusions: Protocol limitations were identified and accounted for in the analysis. Percent gradient equilibrated (PGE) was affected by driving gradient direction in a similar manner to other efficiency measures. A finer resolution of possible age-related changes in eustachian tube opening efficiency is expected with the application of more sophisticated statistical models to the complete dataset at study end. Objective: To report the results of an interim analysis for an ongoing study designed to characterize the age-related changes in eustachian tube opening efficiency measured using a pressure chamber protocol in children without a history of middle ear disease. Methods: To date, 41 children aged 3 years without a history of otitis media have been enrolled in a longitudinal study of the age-related changes in eustachian tube function and evaluated at yearly intervals between 3 and 7 years of age. Eustachian tube opening efficiency, the percent of the applied pressure gradient equilibrated by ...
Fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry employing ion-molecule reactions for the differentiation of phospholipid classes

Fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry, employing ion-molecule reactions with ethyl vinyl ether in a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer, is used to differentiate classes of phospholipids. The phospholipids are desorbed and ionized by fast atom bombardment, mass-selected by the first quadrupole, and reacted with ethyl vinyl ether in the second quadrupole; the resulting product ions are analyzed by the third quadrupole. The protonated molecules and reaction product ions observed permit the differentiation of various phospholipid classes. The pattern of addition reaction products formed is shown to depend solely on the functionality of the lipid polar head group and not on the fatty acyl constituents. Neutral gain scans that are specific for each phospholipid class are performed. Ion dissociation products are observed in the same scan as the ion reaction products to provide data on the fatty acyl composition and position on the glycerophosphate COre along with the phospholipid class. Although this method is less sensitive than neutral loss scanning for most phospholipid classes, it can (1) identify phospholipids that do not readily lose their head group as a neutral fragment and (2) detect phospholipids in mixtures containing species that give interfering neutral losses.
Understanding the Stability of Aromatic Redox Shuttles for Overcharge Protection of Lithium-Ion Cells

Molecular orbital theory is employed to improve understanding of the stability of aromatic compounds as redox shuttles for overcharge protection of lithium-ion cells and batteries. The theoretical calculations clearly demonstrate that the IT-IT interaction between the aromatic ring and the substitution groups is critical to maximize the stability of radical cations, which are generated when the aromatic redox shuttles are oxidized at the positive electrode. It is also demonstrated that the unsubstituted hydrogen atoms on the aromatic ring also contribute significantly to the instability of the radical cations. The model suggests that full substitution on the aromatic ring or protection of the H atoms with bulky groups is highly desirable for the stability of the redox shuttles. Using the calculation results as a guide, a novel stable redox shuttle with a redox potential of 4.46 V vs Li + /Li was developed. The preliminary experimental results show that lithium-ion cells incorporating this redox shuttle are robust to overcharge even at elevated temperatures.
Persistently abnormal brain scintigraphy after cerebral infarction

The current literature indicates nuclear brain images typically return to normal within two to three months following an episode of cerebral infarction. In this report, two patients are described who demonstrated no significant change in their brain scan abnormalities 11 and 17 months following their strokes. Computed tomography confirmed the clinical impression that the persistent brain scan abnormalities were due to cerebral infarction rather than to neoplastic process.
Identification of protein interaction methods from biomedical literature

Proteins are the functional subunits of a cell which interact with each other to carry out biological processes. Protein interaction networks form the backbone of the research in molecular and systems biology. Although there are available methods to mine protein interactions and their detection methods from the biological literature, the accuracy of these methods is quite low. In this study, we applied regular expressions to identify the three most frequent protein interaction detection methods from the methodology section of the full text articles. These articles were then further used to extract the protein protein interactions. We report an overall specificity of 83.6 and sensitivity of 78.2 for the identification of interaction methods.
Postmodern market feminism: A conversation with Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

(2000). Postmodern market feminism: A conversation with Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. Rethinking Marxism: Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 27-37.