cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The patterns and prevalence of hand osteoarthritis in a population of disabled older women: The women's health and aging study

Summary Objective: To describe the prevalence of hand osteoarthritis (OA) by joint site, joint count and severity in a representative population of older disabled women. Methods: 1002 moderately to severely disabled women aged ≥65 years were selected from a representative population of community-dwelling women. Hand OA was established using a reproducible algorithm based on self-reported pain, standardized physical examinations, hand photographs, and physician questionnaire responses. OA was categorized as either symptomatic disease, intermittently symptomatic/asymptomatic disease, possible disease, or no disease. Results: Symptomatic OA, requiring the presence of hand pain on most days for at least 1 month, occurred in approximately 23% of disabled older women in each age group, and most reported pain in the moderate to severe range. The prevalence of intermittently symptomatic/asymptomatic OA was higher with increasing age. Finally, the most commonly affected hand OA sites were the distal interphalangeal (DIP) and the first carpometacarpal (CMC1) joint groups. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the very high prevalence of clinical hand OA in disabled older women and show that a large proportion of hand OA results in substantial symptoms.
Effects of triazolam on human aggressive, escape and point-maintained responding

Placebo and triazolam (0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/70 kg of body weight) were administered to male subjects under double-blind conditions prior to experimental sessions which provided three operant response options. These options were: 1) responding maintained by the presentation of points exchangeable for money, 2) responding which ostensibly resulted in the subtraction of points from a fictitious person was termed aggressive since this responding resulted in the delivery of an aversive stimulus to another person, and 3) responding which ostensibly protected the subject's point counter from subtractions initiated by the other person and was termed escape. Aggressive and escape responding were initiated by subtracting points from the subject. Point subtractions were attributed to the other person. Aggressive and escape responding were maintained by initiation of provocation-free intervals (PFI), during which no further point subtractions were presented. Triazolam produced dose-dependent decreases in point-maintained and escape responding. The effects of triazolam on aggressive responding varied across subjects.
Operating Torque of Tapered Roller Bearings

A theoretical derivation has yielded a general expression for the operating torque of a tapered roller bearing under pure thrust load. Experimental data have been obtained to enable determination of the constant and exponents to make this expression usable. Further theoretical analysis has extended the use of the thrust load equation to pure radial and combined radial and thrust loads. Comparison of calculated and measured operating torques under radial load has verified the theoretical derivation. The bearing geometry variables from the basic torque equation have been combined into a G factor which represents the heat generation potential of a bearing. A typical bearing application illustrates use of the equations. Presented or on American Society of Lubrication Engineers paper at the ASME/ASLE International Lubrication Conference held in New York City, October 9–12, 1972
Demographics of Black Vultures in North Carolina

Understanding the contributions of vital rates to species population growth is critical to developing new management protocols. We constructed a model population for black vultures (Coragyps atratus) in North Carolina, USA, based on demographic data from a 14-year study. The model population was similar in stage structure to the reference population, and adult survival was the primary contributor to the annual rate of increase (10.6%). We suggest that the North Carolina black vulture population is experiencing high rates of survival and fertility, potentially breeding at an age younger than previously assumed, and growing rapidly.
Magnesium required for serum-stimulation of growth in cultures of chick embryo fibroblasts

THE addition to culture medium of phosphorylated compounds which preferentially bind Mg2+ substantially reduces the rate of DNA synthesis and metabolism of chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF)1. This has suggested that Mg2+ might be an intracellular regulator for coordinate control of the rate of cell growth and metabolism in animal cells1. We report here that the omission of Mg2+ from the culture medium can have considerable effects on cell growth and macromolecular synthesis by CEF if the Mg2+ is withdrawn at the time cells are being stimulated to grow by means of an increase in the concentration of serum in the medium. These observations are discussed in terms of a model in which the intracellular concentration of free Mg2+ coordinately regulates the rate of metabolism and cell growth through its role as an essential cofactor for transphosphorylation reactions.
Can virtual reality be used to conduct mass prophylaxis clinic training? A pilot program.

Objective: To create and evaluate a pilot bioterrorism defense training environment using virtual reality technology. Methods: The present pilot project used Second Life, an internet-based virtual world system, to construct a virtual reality environment to mimic an actual setting that might be used as a Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) distribution site for northern California in the event of a bioterrorist attack. Scripted characters were integrated into the system as mock patients to analyze various clinic workflow scenarios. Users tested the virtual environment over two sessions. Results: Thirteen users who toured the environment were asked to complete an evaluation survey. Respondents reported that the virtual reality system was relevant to their practice and had potential as a method of bioterrorism defense training. Conclusions: Computer simulations of bioterrorism defense training scenarios are feasible with existing personal computer technology. The use of internet-connected virtual environments...
Laser Bending of Tubes: Mechanism, Analysis, and Prediction

Laser bending of tubes is a process in which laser-induced thermal distortion is used to bend tubes without hard tooling or external forces. Mechanisms of the process are examined to better understand the deformation characteristics such as wall thickness variation, cross-section ovalization, bending radius, and asymmetry. Factors important to these characteristics are experimentally and numerically investigated. Temporal and spatial distributions of temperature and stress/strain obtained from experimentally validated simulation models are also used to better understand additional phenomena accompanying the process, and to help devise ways to improve the process such as reducing asymmetry. A closed-form expression for the bending angle is proposed.
Ultrafiltered Gouda cheese: effects of preacidification, diafiltration, rennet and starter concentration, and time to cut

Abstract The effects of cheese milk preacidification pH, percentage of diafiltration water added during UF, rennet concentration, starter culture concentration, and time between coagulation and cut on the composition and ripening of Gouda cheese made from ultrafiltered milk were evaluated. Preacidification of cheese milk to pH 6.3 resulted in some decrease in cheese pH, which is desirable because the cheeses made from ultrafiltered milk produced in this study often had pH values above that of conventional cheese. Diafiltration level appears to be important because a low diafiltration level led to decreased cheese ripening measured as phosphotungstic acid- and TCA-soluble N. In this study, a decreased rennet concentration (one-third of conventional cheese) was found to be optimal because a level of two-thirds of conventional cheese led to excessive bitterness. Also, in this study, starter (3%), based on the weight of the retentate, gave a cheese pH and moisture more similar to the conventional cheese. On a volume basis, this amount of starter is less than that used for the conventional cheese. Increasing time between coagulation and cut did not noticeably improve texture.
Transition of deformation mechanisms and its connection to grain size distribution in nanocrystalline metals

A polycrystalline constitutive theory is developed based on the recently proposed model of Asaro, Krysl, and Kad (AKK) for deformation mechanisms in nanocrystalline metals and the extended aggregate Taylor model of Asaro and Needleman (AN). The AKK model is particularly concerned with mechanisms including the emission of perfect and partial dislocations, along with deformation twins from grain boundaries, and grain boundary sliding, and with the grain size, strain rate, and temperature dependent transition between these mechanisms. Thus of specific concern is the effect of grain size distribution as well as the mean grain size on overall nanocrystalline aggregate response. Grain size distributions are simulated with log-normal distributions and incorporated into the AN aggregate model in the form of distributions of the volume fraction of grains with various sizes. Numerical results for the case of electrodeposited Ni are shown to be in good agreement with available experimental data.
Theory of laser phase noise in recirculating fiber-optic delay lines

Optically driven recirculating delay lines, often used in fiber-optic signal processors, convert the source phase noise to spectrally structured intensity noise at the loop output. This spectrum is characterized by deep notches at zero frequency as well as at other multiples of 1/(loop delay). An expression is derived for the power spectral density of the output noise. The formulae obtained, are then used to investigate the dependence of the magnitude and shape of this noise on the source coherence time, the coupling ratio, the coupler and loop losses, and the fiber birefringence.
Disparities in hypertension control advice according to smoking status

Abstract Objectives Hypertension is the most common modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. Blood pressure (BP) reduction, particularly among smokers, is highly effective at preventing cardiovascular diseases. We examined the association between patient smoking status and hypertension management advice. Methods Adults who participated in the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System with self-reported hypertension were examined (n = 51,063). Multivariable logistic regression analysis controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, insurance status, body mass index, alcohol use, self-reported general health and survey design were conducted to examine the association between smoking status (never, former, or current) and receipt of hypertension control advice. Results After controlling for potential confounders, being a current smoker was significantly associated with lower odds of receiving advice to lower salt intake (Adjusted Odds Ratio, AOR, 0.91 [95% confidence interval = 0.84–0.99]), exercise (AOR 0.89 [0.80–0.98]), and to take hypertensive medication (AOR 0.80 [0.66–0.98]) compared to never smokers. However, hypertensive smokers had greater odds of receiving advice to reduce alcohol consumption (AOR 1.23 [1.10–1.45]). Conclusions Although healthcare providers are in an optimal position to provide patient education to improve BP control, hypertensive smokers may be less likely to receive important BP control lifestyle modification messages from their healthcare provider than non-smokers.
eCAM: ultra compact, high data-rate wireless sensor node with a miniature camera

eCAM is an ultra-compact, high data-rate wireless sensor node(WSN) with a miniature camera. It is constructed by interfacing a VGA quality digital video camera with the Eco node. The purpose of this demo is to show that Eco is not only one of the world's smallest self-contained WSNs, but its expansion capability facilitates the construction of new sensing systems over its expansion port. The results show that Eco is not only ultra-compact but also much higher performance than sensor nodes in its class.
The effect of propyl thiouracil on the recovery of rat thyroid gland from irradiation with astatine-211†

The weight, histology, and iodine-131 uptake by thyroid gland in young female rats were studied for one month following induction of hyperplasia by the feeding of propylthiouractl, radiation damage induced by injection of astatine- 211, and a combination of the two treatments. Systematic data were accumulated on the capacity of the thyroid gland to recover both junctionally and structurally from a moderately injurious dose of astatine-211, and of the effects of propylthiouracil pretreatment on that recovery. (C.H.)
Repeated Formaldehyde Effects in an Animal Model for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

: Chemical intolerance is a phenomenon observed in multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) syndrome, an ill-defined disorder in humans attributed to exposure to volatile organic compounds. Amplification of symptoms in individuals with MCS resembles the phenomenon of psychostimulant- and stress-induced sensitization in rodents. We have recently tested in rats the hypothesis that repeated chemical exposure produces sensitization of central nervous system (CNS) circuitry. A rat model of MCS in our laboratory has employed several endpoints of CNS function after repeated formaldehyde (Form) exposure (1 h/day × 5 days/week × 4 weeks). Repeated Form exposure produced behavioral sensitization to later cocaine injection, suggesting altered dopaminergic sensitivity in mesolimbic pathways. Rats given repeated Form also demonstrated increased fear conditioning to odor paired with footshock, implicating amplification of neural circuitry guiding fear responding to a conditioned odor cue. Recent studies examining the effects of repeated Form on locomotor activity during each daily exposure showed a decrease in rearing activity after 12-15 days of Form exposure compared to air-exposed controls. EEG recordings taken 1 week after withdrawal from daily Form revealed altered sleep architecture. Some of the differences in sleep disappeared after subsequent brief (15 min) challenge with Form the next day. Overall, the findings indicate that repeated low-level chemical exposure produces behavioral changes that may be akin to those observed in individuals with MCS, such as greater sensitivity to chemicals manifest as increased anxiety upon chemical exposure and altered sleep and/or fatigue. Study of the underlying CNS changes will provide a basis for mechanistically based animal models for MCS.
Multivariate Normal Model

In Chapter 2, we have discussed the inferences about change point(s) for a univariate normal model in different situations. In this chapter, we investigate change point(s) problems when the underlying distribution is a multivariate normal distribution.
New Group in the Leptospirillum Clade: Cultivation-Independent Community Genomics, Proteomics, and Transcriptomics of the New Species “Leptospirillum Group IV UBA BS”

Leptospirillum spp. are widespread members of acidophilic microbial communities that catalyze ferrous iron oxidation, thereby increasing sulfide mineral dissolution rates. These bacteria play important roles in environmental acidification and are harnessed for bioleaching-based metal recovery. Known members of the Leptospirillum clade of the Nitrospira phylum are Leptospirillum ferrooxidans (group I), Leptospirillum ferriphilum and “Leptospirillum rubarum” (group II), and Leptospirillum ferrodiazotrophum (group III). In the Richmond Mine acid mine drainage (AMD) system, biofilm formation is initiated by L. rubarum; L. ferrodiazotrophum appears in later developmental stages. Here we used community metagenomic data from unusual, thick floating biofilms to identify distinguishing metabolic traits in a rare and uncultivated community member, the new species “Leptospirillum group IV UBA BS.” These biofilms typically also contain a variety of Archaea, Actinobacteria, and a few other Leptospirillum spp. The Leptospirillum group IV UBA BS species shares 98% 16S rRNA sequence identity and 70% average amino acid identity between orthologs with its closest relative, L. ferrodiazotrophum. The presence of nitrogen fixation and reverse tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle proteins suggest an autotrophic metabolism similar to that of L. ferrodiazotrophum, while hydrogenase proteins suggest anaerobic metabolism. Community transcriptomic and proteomic analyses demonstrate expression of a multicopper oxidase unique to this species, as well as hydrogenases and core metabolic genes. Results suggest that the Leptospirillum group IV UBA BS species might play important roles in carbon fixation, nitrogen fixation, hydrogen metabolism, and iron oxidation in some acidic environments.
Up-regulation of the chondrogenic Sox9 gene by fibroblast growth factors is mediated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway

Recent experiments have established that Sox9 is required for chondrocyte differentiation. Here, we show that fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) markedly enhance Sox9 expression in mouse primary chondrocytes as well as in C3H10T1/2 cells that express low levels of Sox9. FGFs also strongly increase the activity of a Sox9-dependent chondrocyte-specific enhancer in the gene for collagen type II. Transient transfection experiments using constructs encoding FGF receptors strongly suggested that all FGF receptors, FGFR1–R4, can transduce signals that lead to the increase in Sox9 expression. The increase in Sox9 levels induced by FGF2 was inhibited by a specific mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126 in primary chondrocytes. In addition, coexpression of a dual-specificity phosphatase, CL100/MKP-1, that is able to dephosphorylate and inactivate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) inhibited the FGF2-induced increase in activity of the Sox9-dependent enhancer. Furthermore, coexpression of a constitutively active mutant of MEK1 increased the activity of the Sox9-dependent enhancer in primary chondrocytes and C3H10T1/2 cells, mimicking the effects of FGFs. These results indicate that expression of the gene for the master chondrogenic factor Sox9 is stimulated by FGFs in chondrocytes as well as in undifferentiated mesenchymal cells and strongly suggest that this regulation is mediated by the MAPK pathway. Because Sox9 is essential for chondrocyte differentiation, we propose that FGFs and the MAPK pathway play an important role in chondrogenesis.
The comparative reductions of the plasma lipids and lipoproteins by dietary polyunsaturated fats: salmon oil versus vegetable oils.

The lower plasma lipid levels and lower incidence of atherosclerotic diseases in Greenland Eskimos suggested that the unusual fatty acids present in their diet of seal and fish may be anti-atherogenic. These fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic (C20:5) and docosahexaenoic (C22:6) acids and are of the omega-3 fatty acid family. We have compared a salmon oil diet containing high levels of these unique fatty acids to a control diet high in saturated fat and to a vegetable oil diet high in linoleic acid (C18:2). All diets contained 40% of the total calories as fat and 500 mg of cholesterol; they differed only in fatty acid composition. In 4 wk the salmon oil diet reduced plasma cholesterol levels from 188 to 162 mg/dl (p < 0.001) and triglyceride levels from 77 to 48 mg/dl (p < 0.005). LDL and VLDL cholesterol levels changed from 128 to 108 and 13 to 8 mg/dl (p < 0.005), respectively. HDL cholesterol levels did not change. The vegetable oil diet caused similar decreases in cholesterol levels but did not lower triglyceride levels. The omega-3 fatty acids comprised up to 30% of the total fatty acids in each plasma lipid class after the salmon diet. Fish oils contain fatty acids which may be metabolically unique and potentially useful in the control of both hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia.
Picture My Gender(s) Using Interactive Media to Engage Students in Theories of Gender Construction

We present an exercise on “doing gender” that uses digital media to create an opportunity for interactive learning. Students create photo essays on gender performances in everyday life and then pre...
The Political Consequences of Intolerance: Cultural Conformity and Political Freedom.

I demonstrate that the intolerance of ordinary citizens matters for real politics even if strong linkages to policy outputs do not exist. In particular, the model I test posits that cultural intolerance constrains the liberty of individual citizens. Focusing on how people perceive political freedom, several hypotheses coupling tolerance and freedom are explored. Data from a national survey show that tolerance and freedom are connected. Those who do not feel free to express themselves politically are more likely to be intolerant of others, to have less heterogeneous peer groups and less tolerant spouses, and to live in less tolerant communities. Ultimately, the importance of mass political intolerance in the United States is that it establishes a culture of conformity that seems to constrain individual political liberty in many important ways.
Seasonal changes in fatty acid composition associated with cold-hardening in third instar larvae of Eurosta solidaginis

Third-instar larvae of the goldenrod gall fly Eurosta solidaginis (Diptera: Tephritidae) survive extended periods in winter during which tissue water is frozen. Both low temperature and reduced water activity during freezing present challenges for the structural integrity of cellular lipids. Fatty acids of both phospholipids and triacylglycerols from fat body cells of E. solidaginis were analyzed throughout fall and early winter, a period that encompasses the acquisition of freeze-tolerance, to determine if adaptations to freezing include changes in fatty acid unsaturation. The five most abundant fatty acids from both fractions were (in decreasing order) oleic (40–65%), palmitoleic (18–20%), palmitic (12–17%), linoleic (5–10%), and stearic acids (4 –7%). This represents a typical complement of Dipteran fatty acids, although oleic acid levels were higher in E. solidaginis than those reported from other Dipterans (˜28%; Downer 1985). From September to November, monounsaturates increased from 59 to 70% in phospholipids at the expense of saturated fatty acids (25% –20%) suggesting activation of a Δ9-desaturase enzyme. These changes resulted in an increase in the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids (U/S) from 3.0 to 4.2, although there was no change in the average number of double bonds per fatty acid (unsaturation index, UI ≈ 1.2 in phospholipids and 0.9 in triacylglycerols throughout the season). These changes were temporally correlated to decreasing ambient temperatures and increasing larval and fat body cell freeze-tolerance.
Brownian Dynamics Simulation of Knot Diffusion along a Stretched DNA Molecule

Manipulation of individual DNA molecules by optical tweezers has made it possible to tie these molecules into knots. After stretching the DNA molecules the knots become highly localized. In their recent study, Quake and co-authors investigated diffusion of such knots along stretched DNA molecules. We used these data to test the accuracy of a Brownian dynamics simulation of DNA bending motion. We simulated stretched DNA molecules with knots 31, 41, and 71, and determined their diffusion coefficients. Comparison of the simulated and experimental results shows that Brownian dynamics simulation is capable of predicting the rates of large-scale DNA rearrangements within a factor of 2.
Ready, Aim, Fire … Relaxation Strategies for Enhancing Pistol Marksmanship

Although many types of relaxation techniques are available, definitive data are needed to examine their effectiveness. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of a 6-week program of visuomotor behavior rehearsal, and a control on slow fire, timed fire, rapid fire, and composite (total) pistol-shooting performance of 15 male and 15 female undergraduates. A 3 treatment (Transcendental Meditation, Visuomotor Behavior Rehearsal, Control) × 2 (Trial 1, 2: Pretest, Posttest) randomized design was used to examine the data. The visuomotor behavior rehearsal group showed a consistent increase from pretest to posttest on all four types of pistol-shooting performance. Results were discussed in relation to cognitive and somatic types of relaxation and their effect on specific sport skills.
IRF-1 and miRNA126 Modulate VCAM-1 Expression in Response to a High-Fat Meal

Rationale: A high-fat diet accompanied by hypertriglyceridemia increases an individual’s risk for development of atherosclerosis. An early event in this process is monocyte recruitment through binding to vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) upregulated on inflamed arterial endothelium. Diets high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may provide athero-protection by ameliorating this effect. Objective: We investigated the acute regulation of VCAM-1 expression in human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) in response to triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TGRL) isolated from subjects after consumption of a high-fat meal. Methods and Results: Postprandial TGRL isolated from 38 subjects were categorized as proatherogenic or antiatherogenic according to their capacity to alter the inflammatory response of HAEC. Proatherogenic TGRL increased expression of VCAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and E-selectin by ≈20% compared with stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-α alone, whereas antiatherogenic TGRL decreased VCAM-1 expression by ≈20% while still upregulating ICAM-1. The relative atherogenicity of TGRL positively correlated with particle density of TG, apolipoprotein (Apo)CIII, ApoE, and cholesterol. Ω3-PUFA mimicked the effect of antiatherogenic TGRL by downregulating VCAM-1 expression. TGRL exerted this differential regulation of VCAM-1 by reciprocally modulating expression and activity of the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) and expression of microRNA 126 (miR-126). Overexpression or silencing of IRF-1 or miR-126 expression recapitulated the proatherogenic or antiatherogenic regulation of VCAM-1. Conclusions: In response to a high-fat meal, TGRL bias the inflammatory response of endothelium via transcriptional and posttranscriptional editing of VCAM-1. Subjects with an anti-inflammatory response to a meal produced TGRL that was enriched in nonesterified fatty acids, decreased IRF-1 expression, increased miR-126 activity, and diminished monocyte arrest.
Patterns and determinants of potential carbon gain in the C3 evergreen Yucca glauca (Liliaceae) in a C4 grassland.

Yucca glauca is a C3 evergreen rosette species locally common in the C4-dominated grasslands of the central Great Plains. Most congeners of Y. glauca are found in deserts, and Y. glauca’ s morphological similarities to desert species (steeply angled leaves, evergreen habit) may be critical to its success in grasslands. We hypothesized that the evergreen habit of Y. glauca, coupled with its ability to remain physiologically active at cool temperatures, would allow this species to gain a substantial portion of its annual carbon budget when the C4 grasses are dormant. Leaf-level gas exchange was measured over an 18-mo period at Konza Prairie in northeast Kansas to assess the annual pattern of potential C gain. Two short-term experiments also were conducted in which nighttime temperatures were manipulated to assess the cold tolerance of this species. The annual pattern of C gain in Y. glauca was bimodal, with a spring productive period (maximum monthly photosynthetic rate 5 21.1 6 1.97 mmol·m 22·s21) in March through June, a period of midseason photosynthetic depression, and a fall productive period in October (15.6 6 1.25 mmol·m 22·s21). The steeply angled leaves resulted in interception of photon flux density at levels above photosynthetic saturation throughout the year. Reduced photosynthetic rates in the summer may have been caused by low soil moisture, but temperature was strongly related (r 2 5 0.37) to annual variations in photosynthesis, with nocturnal air temperatures below 258C in the late fall and early spring, and high air temperatures (.328C) in the summer, limiting gas exchange. Overall, 31% of the potential annual carbon gain in Y. glauca occurred outside the ‘‘frost-free’’ period (April‐October) at Konza Prairie and 43% occurred when the dominant C 4 grasses were dormant. Future climates that include warmer minimum temperatures in the spring and fall may enhance the success of Y. glauca relative to the C4 dominants in these grasslands.
Survival of sheep x goat hybrid inner cell masses after injection into ovine embryos.

Mod4fied blastocyst injection techniques were used to inject immunosurgically isolated sheep x goat hybrid inner cell masses (1CM) into ovine blostocysts, with subsequent transfer of composite embryos to ovine recipients. Hybrid enthryos were collected from does artificially inseminated with Barbados ram semen. A total of 13 live and 2 aborted offspring resultedfrom the 34 composite embryos transferred to recipient ewes (38% embryo survival). Of the 15 offspring, 4 exhibited phenotypic hybridism and 2 (13%) of these were determined to be hybrid sheep chinwras by karyolype, serum protein and isoenzyme analyses, and fiber ident4fica:ion. Each of the 4 was produced by an injection procedure that involved damage of the ovine host 1CM. One additional offspring was unusual in appearance, but the presence of hybrid cells was not proven. Similarly, caprine 1CM were immunosurgically isolated and injected into ovine blastocysts that were then transferred to ovine recipients. Of the 13 composite embryos transferred, 12 offspring were produced (92% embryo survival). Eleven were overt goat sheep chimeras and, of these, 7 were also blood chimeras. The hybrid 1CM was shown to be capable of contri busing to normal embryonic andfe:al development after injection into an ovine blastocys: bus may be less likely to be incorporated with the ovine host 1CM than is the caprine 1CM.
Slow Crack Growth Analyses of Oxygen Transport Ceramic Membranes

Perovskite-type oxides are promising materials with potential use as dense membranes for oxygen separations. We herein report slow crack growth (SCG) studies of La0.2Sr0.8Fe0.8Cr0.2O3-d (LSFCO) perovskite membranes as Oxygen Transport Membranes (OTM). Two sample batches of perovskite were tested to investigate the effect of temperature, specific chemical environments, and loading rate on flexure strengths, using four-point bending tests. The first batch was examined at room temperature in air. The second batch was soaked in a N2/air atmosphere at 1000°C for 1 hour prior to application of load. Loading rates varied from 0.00005 mm/s to 0.01 mm/s. Flexural strength data indicate that the examined OTM material showed little susceptibility to SCG at room temperature in air. However, the sample is susceptible to SCG in a N2/air environment at 1000°C. Also, the experiments demonstrate flexural-strength rate dependency, with strength increasing with the loading rate. The observed phenomena are explained by the decomposition and microstructural transitions in the perovskite. The results provide important information about OTM mechanical degradation, which is valuable for future OTM design applications.
Ethnic differences in positive alcohol expectancies during childhood: the Pittsburgh Girls Study.

Background: Positive expectancies about alcohol’s effects are more likely to be endorsed with increasing age through adolescence, and the strength of positive alcohol expectancies in children appears to differ by ethnicity. Little is known about the extent to which differences in a measure’s psychometric properties as a function of development and ethnicity may account for changes that are observed over time and ethnic differences. This study used measurement invariance methods to examine ethnic differences in the development of alcohol expectancies, and examined risk factors associated with girls’ positive expectancies. Methods: African-American (56%) and Caucasian (44%) girls (n = 570) in the age 7 cohort of the Pittsburgh Girls Study, and the girl’s primary caretaker, were followed annually for 4 years (ages 7–10). Girls reported on alcohol expectancies at each wave, and physical aggression at Year 1. In Year 1, caretakers reported on neighborhood drug use, their own substance-related problems, and depression in the girl. Structural equation modeling was used to examine measurement invariance of positive alcohol expectancies, and to test associations of risk factors to initial level and change in expectancies. Results: Five of 8 positive alcohol expectancy items showed measurement equivalence for African-American and Caucasian girls in cross-sectional, but not longitudinal, analyses. Measurement equivalence over ages 7–10 was demonstrated for Caucasian girls, and over ages 7–8 and 9–10 (i.e., a two-part model) for African-American girls. Risk factor analyses indicated that, for Caucasian girls, greater physical aggression was associated with higher initial positive expectancies. Conclusions: Some developmental change and ethnic differences in the performance of positive expectancy items were identified, highlighting the utility of measurement invariance methods. Risk factor analyses suggest the potential benefit of targeted alcohol prevention interventions for certain girls.
Inexpensive Leadership: On Canada’s Global Normative Position and Its Potentials

The paper deals with the apparent gap between Canada's considerable reservoir of international social capital on the one hand and its lack of visibility on the global stage on the other. It argues that Canada has certain advantages compared to other western powers to become a normative great power. To assume such position of (non-traditional) global leadership, however, Canada needs to break loose from lingering legacies of the Cold War and especially from middle-powerism. This can be facilitated by a departure from Cold-War Realism to post-Cold War Constructivism\Realism. The paper reviews the attempt to make the human security discourse a normative framework of Canada's foreign policy and analyzes its failure. Based on the insights provided by this analysis, the paper proposes two strategic normative discourses for a Canadian bid for global leadership. These include green lifestyle and multiculturalism. The paper also provides examples to show how the two can be put into concrete actions.
Compact ultrashort-pulse lasers

Options for broad-bandwidth solid-state gain media and compact resonator design configurations will be described for diode-pumped lasers that can be modelocked at low pump-power thresholds.
Graph minors. XXI. Graphs with unique linkages

A linkage L in a graph G is a subgraph each component of which is a path, and it is vital if V(L)=V(G) and there is no other linkage in G joining the same pairs of vertices. We show that, if G has a vital linkage with p components, then G has tree-width bounded above by a function of p. This is the major step in the proof of the unproved lemma from Graph Minors XIII, and it has a number of other applications, including a constructive proof of the intertwining conjecture.
Carry trades, interest differentials, and international monetary reform☆

Abstract The international dollar standard is malfunctioning. Near zero U.S. short-term interest rates launch massive hot money outflows by carry traders into emerging markets (EM) in Asia and Latin America. Each EM central bank buys dollars to prevent its currency from appreciating but loses monetary control. Despite EM currency appreciation, average inflation in EMs is now much higher than in the old industrial economies—and world commodity prices are bid up sharply. This inflation on the dollar's periphery only registers in the U.S. CPI with a long lag. But the more immediate effect of the Fed's zero interest rate is to upset the process of bank intermediation within the American economy. Bank credit continues to be weak while employment languishes. Addendum ( as of April 18, 2012 ) The (second) avalanche of hot money outflows into emerging markets (EM) began when the Fed reduced the interest rate on Federal Funds to virtually zero in December 2008—and other industrial countries followed suit. But the outbreak of a banking crisis in Europe with counter party risk in the summer of 2011 led to a global tightening of bank credit on which “carry traders” depend for financing hot money flows and long positions in primary commodities. So they had to sell off their foreign exchange (mainly EM) assets and long positions in commodities to get back into dollars or yen. The result is that EM currencies and commodity prices—with the exception of the price of oil—fell and remained weak through December 2011, while the dollar strengthened and the Japanese government intervened several time in the last half of 2011 to prevent the yen from appreciating. This cycle illustrates the main point of the paper: wide interest rate differentials across currencies make the world monetary system much more fragile whatever the exchange rate regime. “Reform” efforts should focus much more on international monetary harmonization that limits interest differentials while accepting the need for exchange rate buffers, such as capital controls, to limit hot money flows. Once the European banking crisis recedes (if ever), the large interest differential—near zero interest rates in the United States and much higher natural interest rates in the high growth EMs—will, in 2012, set off another cycle of hot money flows from the center to the periphery with rising commodity prices.
FACILITATING THE TEACHER QUALITY GAP? COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, TEACHER HIRING AND TRANSFER RULES, AND TEACHER ASSIGNMENT AMONG SCHOOLS IN CALIFORNIA

Certain studies and the California legislature have recently concluded that seniority preference rules in teacher collective bargaining agreements facilitate a teacher “quality gap” by permitting senior teachers to transfer to schools with higher-performing and more affluent children. This study examines the effects of such transfer rules on the distribution of teachers among and within school districts in California. The study finds that, when comparing California districts to each other, strong seniority preference rules are associated with a greater percentage of credentialed teachers in school districts. Employing hierarchical linear modeling, the study then finds that schools with higher percentages of minority students, within districts, have lower percentages of credentialed and experienced teachers. Contrary to certain previous research and conventional wisdom, however, this study finds no persuasive evidence that the seniority preference rules independently affect the distributionofteachersamongschoolsorexacerbatethe negative relationship between higher minority schools and uncredentialed and low-experience teachers.
Color of Pregelatinized Pasta as Influenced by Wheat Type and Selected Additives

A high temperature-short time, twin-screw extrusion process was utilized to manufacture pregelatinized pasta on a pilot-plant scale. Effects of wheat type and selected additives on color properties of dry and rehydrated pasta products were evaluated by instrumental means. Wheat type most strongly influenced instrumental color values of pregelatinized pasta. Formulation of pasta with 1.0% disodium phosphate increased saturation index of dry pasta while addition of 5.0% wheat gluten increased lightness index of rehydrated pasta. Raising levels of glyceryl monostearate from 0.75 to 2.0% increased lightness of dry and rehydrated products.
Struggling over Subjectivity: Debates about the “Self” and Alzheimer's Disease

The current conception of Alzheimer's disease emerged in the 1970s and achieved wide acceptance and popularization because it effectively served political-economic interests, solved pragmatic, clinical, and psychological problems, and met philosophical and ethical concerns. But the very success of this widespread acceptance and popularization has produced a troubling dilemma regarding the subjectivity of the person diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. A "loss of self" is implicit in the current Alzheimer's construct, and it has been argued that, consequently, the subjective experience of being and becoming old has become increasingly distressing. It has been further suggested that a response to this unintended assault on the self can be seen in the now burgeoning literature offering diverse representations of and debates about the "self" in Alzheimer's. What appears to be at stake in these competing voices is our very notion of what comprises the self and what constitutes subjective experience. Finally, one can speculate why, as a culture, we tell these stories about aging: it could be that, as a society as well as a community of gerontological thinkers and practitioners, our struggle with the nature of the self-in-Alzheimer's reflects our struggle to grapple with what it will be like, and what it will mean, to be and become old.
Terminal stibinidene ligands. Generation of CpCp*Hf=Sb(dmp) and trapping reactions with PMe3 and 2-butyne.

Treating CpCp*HfMe(OTf) (1) with LiSbH(dmp) results in formation of CpCp*HfMe(SbHdmp), which undergoes α-abstraction to liberate methane and generate CpCp*HfSb(dmp), which is thermally unstable but can be trapped with PMe3 or 2-butyne to give CpCp*Hf(PMe3)Sb(dmp) (2) and CpCp*Hf[η2-Sb,C:Sb(dmp)C(Me)C(Me)] (3), respectively.
The impact of sphingosine kinase inhibitor-loaded nanoparticles on bioelectrical and biomechanical properties of cancer cells

Cancer progression and physiological changes within the cells are accompanied by alterations in the biophysical properties. Therefore, the cell biophysical properties can serve as promising markers for cancer detection and physiological activities. To aid in the investigation of the biophysical markers of cells, a microfluidic chip has been developed which consists of a constriction channel and embedded microelectrodes. Single-cell impedance magnitudes at four frequencies and entry and travel times are measured simultaneously during their transit through the constriction channel. This microchip provides a high-throughput, label-free, automated assay to identify biophysical signatures of malignant cells and monitor the therapeutic efficacy of drugs. Here, we monitored the dynamic cellular biophysical properties in response to sphingosine kinase inhibitors (SphKIs), and compared the effectiveness of drug delivery using poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with SphKIs versus conventional delivery. Cells treated with SphKIs showed significantly higher impedance magnitudes at all four frequencies. The bioelectrical parameters extracted using a model also revealed that the highly aggressive breast cells treated with SphKIs shifted electrically towards that of a less malignant phenotype; SphKI-treated cells exhibited an increase in cell-channel interface resistance and a significant decrease in specific membrane capacitance. Furthermore, SphKI-treated cells became slightly more deformable as measured by a decrease in their channel entry and travel times. We observed no significant difference in the bioelectrical changes produced by SphKI delivered conventionally or with NPs. However, NPs-packaged delivery of SphKI decreased the cell deformability. In summary, this study showed that while the bioelectrical properties of the cells were dominantly affected by SphKIs, the biomechanical properties were mainly changed by the NPs.
Moving Beyond the Nature/Nurture Distinction: Promotion of Transdisciplinary Research

Some may wonder as to the relevance of a chapter on transdisciplinary research in a book devoted to “Man the Hunted: Sociality, Altruism, and Well-being.” Though focused on a common theme, namely the evolution and nature of cooperation and “altruism” in social-living animals, the conference from which this volume is derived begs for such an approach. First, scholars from various backgrounds informed this topic with specific studies, both from primate and human studies, provided evidence of the primacy of cooperation. These studies ranged from observational to interventional and from observations of cooperative social activity to explorations of the neural mechanisms which underlie cooperation. Second, the premise of the conference itself is cooperation, and cooperation is something from which science at the advent of this new millennium requires. Science practiced in silos just does not work today.
Neuro-oncology in 2015: Progress in glioma diagnosis, classification and treatment.

Gliomas are the most common form of malignant primary brain tumour. In the past year, substantial progress has been made in the classification and treatment of lower-grade gliomas (WHO grades II and III), and the FDA has approved a new therapy for newly diagnosed glioblastomas.
Taming a “chaotic concept”: gentrification and segmented consumption in Brooklyn, 2002–2012

Public debate and prior scholarship tend to emphasize the link between gentrification and high-end chain retail, underscoring the importance of taste cultures tied to social class in making sense of gentrification’s impact on neighborhood identity. In this study, we present evidence from 10 years of change in the businesses of Brooklyn, New York City, a period of extensive gentrification across a wide variety of neighborhood and census-tract level contexts. Adopting census tracts clustered in neighborhoods as the units of analysis, we model the effects of institutional and demographic change on two separate outcomes: chain retail density and homogeneity in the types of goods and services available. We argue that changes in consumer culture embedded in broader processes of gentrification are neither “chaotic” nor “unitary” but are “segmented” according to local spatial and demographic context, taking two discrete forms: institutionally facilitated corporatization; lifestyle-driven homogenization.
Hacking Xena: Technological innovation and queer influence in the production of mainstream television

ABSTRACTThis article is an historical analysis of a period in which early online fandom allowed for significant queer influence on mainstream televisual narratives. I argue that the technological affordances of the internet enabled Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) groups to communicate their desire for queer(ed) content directly to production, leading to queer “hacks” of mainstream entertainment. The introduction of new technologies leads to increased familiarity among previously distanced groups (Marvin, 1988. When old technologies were new: Thinking about electric communication in the late nineteenth century. Oxford: Oxford University Press). This is well illustrated in the case of Xena: Warrior Princess, a syndicated TV series that aired from 1995–2001. Xena's audience-industry co-production initiated the official reimagining of the possibilities for sexuality and gender in the series. I explore this unique era through analysis of online fan discussions and public statements by produc...
Probing combustion chemistry in a miniature shock tube with synchrotron VUV photo ionization mass spectrometry.

Tunable synchrotron-sourced photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PI-TOF-MS) is an important technique in combustion chemistry, complementing lab-scale electron impact and laser photoionization studies for a wide variety of reactors, typically at low pressure. For high-temperature and high-pressure chemical kinetics studies, the shock tube is the reactor of choice. Extending the benefits of shock tube/TOF-MS research to include synchrotron sourced PI-TOF-MS required a radical reconception of the shock tube. An automated, miniature, high-repetition-rate shock tube was developed and can be used to study high-pressure reactive systems (T > 600 K, P < 100 bar) behind reflected shock waves. In this paper, we present results of a PI-TOF-MS study at the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Dimethyl ether pyrolysis (2% CH3OCH3/Ar) was observed behind the reflected shock (1400 < T5 < 1700 K, 3 < P5 < 16 bar) with ionization energies between 10 and 13 eV. Individual experiment...