cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Androgen receptors in a cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni: Structure, localization, and expression levels

Androgens are an important output of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis that controls reproduction in all vertebrates. In male teleosts two androgens, testosterone and 11-ketotestosterone, control sexual differentiation and development in juveniles and reproductive behavior in adults. Androgenic signals provide feedback at many levels of the HPG axis, including the hypothalamic neurons that synthesize and release gonadotropin-releasing hormone 1 (GnRH1), but the precise cellular site of androgen action in the brain is not known. Here we describe two androgen receptor subtypes, ARalpha and ARbeta, in the cichlid Astatotilapia burtoni and show that these subtypes are differentially located throughout the adult brain in nuclei known to function in the control of reproduction. ARalpha was expressed in the ventral part of the ventral telencephalon, the preoptic area (POA) of the hypothalamus and the ventral hypothalamus, whereas ARbeta was more widely expressed in the dorsal and ventral telencephalon, the POA, and the ventral and dorsal hypothalamus. We provide the first evidence in any vertebrate that the GnRH1-releasing neurons, which serve as the central control point of the HPG axis, express both subtypes of AR. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we show that A. burtoni AR subtypes have different expression levels in adult tissue, with ARalpha showing significantly higher expression than ARbeta in the pituitary, and ARbeta expressed at a higher level than ARalpha in the anterior and middle brain. These data provide important insight into the role of androgens in regulating the vertebrate reproductive axis.
Nonlinear temperature variation of magnetic viscosity in nanoscale FeOOH particles.

Temperature variations of the magnetization and magnetic viscosity [ital S] in 30-A particles of FeOOH are reported. An average blocking tempeature [ital [bar T]][sub [ital b]]=47 K is determined for this system from the temperature variation of the difference susceptibility between the field-cooled and zero-field-cooled cases. The measured decrease of [ital [bar T]][sub [ital b]] with applied field is used to determine an average magnetic moment [congruent]7150[mu][sub [ital B]] per particle. The relaxation data of the magnetization [ital M]([ital t]) follow the equation [ital M]([ital t])/[ital M]([tau][sub 0])=1 [minus][ital S] ln([ital t]/[tau][sub 0]), from which temperature variation of [ital S] is determined for the range 2 to 200 K. Below 7 K, [ital S] is temperature independent signifying quantum tunneling. Above 7 K, initially [ital S] increaes linearly with [ital T], but the variation becomes increasingly nonlinear, reaching an apparent maximum at [ital [bar T]][sub [ital b]]=47 K. The temperature variation of [ital S] is characteristic of a phase transition at [ital [bar T]][sub [ital b]] since the data fits well the equation [ital S]=[ital A][vert bar]([ital T][minus][ital [bar T]][sub [ital b]])/[ital [bar T]][sub [ital b]][vert bar][sup [minus][nu]] with [ital A]=0.040(0.0076) and [nu]=1.10(1.29) for [ital T][gt][ital [bar T]][sub [ital b]]([italmore » T][lt][ital [bar T]][sub [ital b]]). An average energy barrier [l angle][ital U][r angle]=2140 K and [tau][sub 0]=5[times]10[sup [minus]12] s are also estimated from the analysis of the data.« less
Einstein's 1927 unpublished hidden-variable theory: Its background, context and significance

Abstract This paper considers an unpublished manuscript written by Albert Einstein in 1927 that contains an unsuccessful attempt to provide a deterministic hidden-variable completion of quantum mechanics. After laying out the formal scheme of the manuscript and developing its interpretation, its background, context and significance are discussed, particularly in regard to the impact of the failure of the scheme on Einstein's ensuing thoughts concerning the possibility for a complete quantum mechanics.
Prediction of the effective elastic moduli of materials with irregularly-shaped pores based on the pore projected areas

Statistical modeling is used to correlate geometric parameters of pores with their contributions to the overall Young’s moduli of linearly elastic solids. The statistical model is based on individual pore contribution parameters evaluated by finite element simulations for a small pore subset selected using the design of experiments approach, so there is no need to solve the elasticity problem for all pores in the material. A polynomial relating pore geometric parameters to the contribution parameters is then fitted to the results of the simulations. We found a good correlation between normalized projected areas of the pores on three coordinate planes and their contributions to the corresponding effective Young’s moduli. The model is applied and validated for two large sets of pore geometries obtained by X-ray microcomputed tomography of a carbon/carbon and a 3D woven carbon/epoxy composite specimens.
Airborne Particulate Matter and Human Health: A Review

Results of recent research show that particulate matter (PM) composition and size vary widely with both space and time. Despite the variability in PM characteristics, which are believed to influence human health risks, the observed relative health risk estimates per unit PM mass falls within a narrow range of values. Furthermore, no single chemical species appears to dominate health effects; rather the effects appear to be due to a combination of species. Non-PM factors such as socioeconomic status and lifestyle are also believed to affect the health risk, although accounting for these confounding factors is challenging. Airborne PM is also responsible for a number of effects aside from human health, such as alterations in visibility and climate. Because the PM problem is associated with a range of societal issues such as energy production and economic development, making progress on reducing the effects of PM will require integrated strategies that bring together scientists and decision makers from diffe...
Racial and ethnic differences in ocular anatomy.

Differences in eyelid structure are well described in the literature with respect to the Asian eyelid, but discussion of differences in eyelid structure between the other races is scarce. Most of the literature focuses on distinctions between “double” and “single” eyelids. Other clinical and surgical considerations are the presence of epicanthi and palpebral fissure slant. By understanding racial and ethnic anatomical differences, oculoplastic surgeons will be able to optimize function and aesthetics. Asians may have fuller, thicker-appearing upper eyelids with an absent or relatively lower upper lid (supratarsal) fold, making the distinction between the single and double eyelid (Figs 1, 2). The orbital septum of Asians fuses with the levator palpebrae aponeurosis at variable distances below the superior tarsal border, closer to the eyelid margin than in non-Asians. This hinders aponeurotic fibers from the levator palpebrae superioris from reaching the subcutaneous tissues, prohibiting the creating of a double eyelid crease. The fusion is above the superior tarsal
Analysis of flow and heat transfer at the interface region of a porous medium

Abstract Fluid flow and heat transfer at the interface region are analyzed in depth for three general and fundamental classes of problems in porous media. These are the interface region between two different porous media, the interface region between a fluid region and a porous medium, and the interface region between an impermeable medium and a porous medium. These three types of interface zones constitute a complete investigation of the interface interactions in a saturated porous medium. Detailed analytical solutions, for both the velocity and temperature distributions are derived for all of these interface conditions. The analytical temperature distributions are found in terms of confluent hypergeometric functions for two different regimes, which are found to cover almost the entire range of real fluids. The numerical and analytical results are found to be in excellent agreement. The numerical and analytical results are also checked against an empirically based hypothesis for one of the interface conditions, namely the interface between a fluid region and a porous medium, and are found to be in excellent agreement with that experimental hypothesis.
Morphometric evidence for neuronal and glial prefrontal cell pathology in major depression

Abstract Background: This report provides histopathological evidence to support prior neuroimaging findings of decreased volume and altered metabolism in the frontal cortex in major depressive disorder. Methods: Computer-assisted three-dimensional cell counting was used to reveal abnormal cytoarchitecture in left rostral and caudal orbitofrontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortical regions in subjects with major depression as compared to psychiatrically normal controls. Results: Depressed subjects had decreases in cortical thickness, neuronal sizes, and neuronal and glial densities in the upper (II–IV) cortical layers of the rostral orbitofrontal region. In the caudal orbitofrontal cortex in depressed subjects, there were prominent reductions in glial densities in the lower (V–VI) cortical layers that were accompanied by small but significant decreases in neuronal sizes. In the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of depressed subjects marked reductions in the density and size of neurons and glial cells were found in both supra- and infragranular layers. Conclusions: These results reveal that major depression can be distinguished by specific histopathology of both neurons and glial cells in the prefrontal cortex. Our data will contribute to the interpretation of neuroimaging findings and identification of dysfunctional neuronal circuits in major depression.
Genetic evidence for a positive-acting regulatory factor mediating induction in the tryptophan pathway of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract A series of deletions of most or all of trpA , the distal member of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa tryptophan synthase structural gene pair, was constructed by BAL31 nuclease digestion and religation of a suitable plasmid. The residual trpB gene showed normal regulation, virtually ruling out the hypothesis of autogenous regulation proposed earlier on the basis of indirect evidence. On the other hand, SacII -mediated deletion of either or both of two small segments upstream from the trpBA promoter resulted in a fixed, low level of expression of the tryptophan synthase genes. Complementation studies implicated this region as the source of a diffusable, positive-acting regulatory factor responsible for the induction of the tryptophan synthase genes by their substrate, indoleglycerol phosphate.
Direct comparison of individual substrate utilization from a CLPP study: A new analysis for metabolic diversity data

Abstract For over a decade, community level physiological profile (CLPP) assays, which assess a microbial community's capacity to metabolize specific sole carbon sources under defined laboratory conditions, have been popular for study of environmental soil samples. One such assay, BiOLOG™ allows for the colorimetric measurement of metabolism through the reduction of a tetrazolium dye, which yields optical density (OD) data for each substrate. Bacterial communities are extracted from soil and 150 μL of this extract is inoculated directly into each well of the microtitre plate. The combined metabolic data obtained are most often analyzed with multivariate statistical analyses, such as principal component analysis (PCA). The objectives of this study were (1) to develop a simple, visual, statistically valid method of determining community capabilities to utilize specific substrates in CLPP studies and (2) to test the number of samples needed for such discrimination to be reliable. This was done by direct comparison of the OD values obtained for two closely related microbial communities (surface and subsurface soil), plotted against a one-to-one ( y = x ) line. Due to variability in the portion of the soil microbial community inoculated into the individual test wells, the accuracy of the method was dependent on the number of replicates analyzed. A variety of data set sizes were tested, from n = 3 samples/soil depth to n = 40 samples/depth. The method was statistically valid for all data sets tested. Those substrates that deviated from the one-to-one line consistently had F values greater than 1. Additionally, data sets of n = 30 , 35 and 40 samples/depth consistently allowed identification of the eight substrates whose metabolism varied significantly between the two test soil communities. In conclusion, this one-to-one comparison has been shown to be a statistically valid analytical method to compare individual substrate usage between soils.
Organic cation uptake is enhanced in bcrp1-transfected MDCKII cells

Stably transfected cell models are routinely used to examine drug-transporter interactions. In one such model of bcrp1-transfected MDCKII cells, we observed a significant enhancement of organic cation intracellular accumulation. Therefore, our goal was to further explore the expression and functional consequences of this cation transport system. Transport assays were carried out in wild-type and bcrp1-transfected MDCKII cells to examine uptake of [3H]-prazosin (bcrp1 positive control), [3H]-agmatine, [3H]-TEA, and [14C]-choline. RT-PCR was employed to determine the mRNA levels of bcrp1 and OCT2/OCT3. Western blots were used to evaluate corresponding protein levels. Accumulation studies determined a significant increase in the uptake of the organic cations agmatine, TEA, and choline in bcrp1-transfected cells when compared to wild-type cells. Directional transport of [3H]-agmatine showed a significantly greater apical (A) to basolateral (B) than B-to-A flux in both cell types. In spite of this, the A-to-B flux was significantly lower in bcrp1-transfected cells. RT-PCR revealed 10-fold higher OCT2 mRNA levels in bcrp1-transfected cells, with no changes in OCT3. OCT2 protein expression was approximately 3.5-fold higher in bcrp1-transfected cells. The upregulation of OCT2 in bcrp1-transfected MDCKII cells contributed to a significant enhancement in the uptake of several organic cations. These results are consistent with the endogenous expression of OCT2 in the kidney tubule, and may be related to the expression and function of bcrp1. Our findings illustrate the importance of understanding how endogenous transporters, which may compete for common substrates, may be influenced by the overexpression and enhanced function of recombinant transport systems.
GM-CSF-mediated T-cell activation by macrophages infected with recombinant BCG that secretes major membrane protein-II of Mycobacterium leprae.

The potential of Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) needs to be augmented to efficiently activate CD4+ T cells through macrophages. Mycobacterium leprae -derived recombinant major membrane protein (MMP)-II induced GM-CSF production from macrophages. A recombinant BCG-SM that secretes MMP-II more efficiently produced GM-CSF and activated interferon (IFN)-γ-producing CD4+ T cells than did vector control BCG when infected with macrophages. The T-cell activation by BCG-SM was dependent on the GM-CSF production by macrophages. Interleukin (IL)-10 production by macrophages stimulated with M. leprae was inhibited in a GM-CSF-dependent manner when the precursor monocytes were infected with BCG-SM. BCG inducing GM-CSF production was effective in macrophage-mediated T-cell activation partially through IL-10 inhibition.
EFFECT OF ACID pH ON MACROMOLECULAR SYNTHESIS IN L CELLS

Eagle's medium adjusted to pH 6 was found to inhibit the rate of RNA and protein syntheses in monolayer cultures of L cells. Incubation of the cells at pH 6 decreased the rate of incorporation of amino acids into nascent peptide chains and caused a disaggregation of polyribosomes. Messenger RNA seemed to persist during the exposure of the cells to medium adjusted to pH 6, since protein synthesis resumed when the cells were transferred to recovery medium containing actinomycin D. The inhibitory effects of pH 6 on macromolecular synthesis were reversible and the viability of the cells exposed to pH 6 did not decrease. The permeability of the cells was not altered by the exposure to pH 6.
Instability of the S1/S2 Hinge is not Affected by the Myosin Filament

The S1/S2 hinge of myosin is thought to be unstable in some species of myosin such as myosin VI and certain scallop muscle myosin. To examine the stability of the S1/S2 hinge of rabbit skeletal muscle myosin, gravitational force spectrometry was used to measure the separation of myosin heads bound in rigor to actin immobilized on glass microspheres. The molecular lengths of this separation were measured at different levels of applied force up to the limit that the rigor bond would sustain of about 10 pN in these experiments. The molecular lengths were found to increase linearly with the applied force up to lengths exceeding 100 nm which requires a partial unraveling of the S2 coiled coil in the single myosin molecule. Free-fall force spectrometry on such single myosin molecules confirmed that the coiled coil could reversibly unravel and refold at forces less than 13 pN. In order to test whether thick filament formation would affect this instability under force, synthetic cofilaments of proteolytically isolated myosin rod and intact myosin were prepared at different ratios of myosin to rod up to ratios where it is expected that only one intact myosin would be present per myosin rod cofilament. The force-distance relationships for myosin in the cofilament were not substantially different from those of single myosin molecules. These data indicate the possibility that vertebrate skeletal muscle myosin may also utilize S1/S2 hinge unraveling to provide flexibility during crossbridge formation so that a productive binding orientation is achieved. The reversibility of the unraveling of the coiled coil might contribute to the mechanism of motility under some circumstances as has been proposed for non-muscle myosin VI.
Design and evaluation of micellar nanocarriers for 17-allyamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG)

17-Allyamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) is a potent anticancer agent currently undergoing phases I and II clinical trials. However, the clinical development of 17-AAG has been hindered by its poor aqueous solubility and hepatotoxicity. This study aimed to devise novel micellar nanocarriers for 17-AAG that improve its solubility and retain the incorporated drug for a prolonged period of time. We have found that 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethylene glycol)-2000]/D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 (PEG-DSPE/TPGS) mixed micelles (at a 1:2 molar ratio) can deliver 17-AAG at clinically relevant doses. By modulating the concentrations of micelle-forming copolymers, the burst release of 17-AAG from PEG-DSPE/TPGS mixed micelles was substantially reduced with a release half-life up to about 8h. Our (1)H NMR spectroscopy results revealed that the incorporation of TPGS into PEG-DSPE micelles restricted internal molecular motions of copolymers in both the corona and core regions of the micelles, leading to the delayed drug release. Cytotoxicity of 17-AAG formulated in PEG-DSPE/TPGS mixed micelles against human ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells was comparable to that of free 17-AAG. 17-AAG-loaded PEG-DSPE/TPGS mixed micelles may offer a promising alternative to the current 17-AAG formulations for the treatment of solid tumors.
β-GLUCURONIDASE AND HYPERBILIRUBINAEMIA IN BREAST-FED AND FORMULA-FED BABIES

Abstract Breast milk or formula milk and serum samples from 34 breast-fed babies, 15 formula-fed babies, and their mothers were examined at 3 and 21 days of neonatal age. Infant faecal samples were obtained on day 21 only. At both ages serum total bilirubin concentrations were significantly higher in breast-fed than in formula-fed infants. β-glucuronidase activity in formula milk was negligible while that in human milk was considerable. Day 21 faecal β-glucuronidase was higher in the breast-fed babies. In the breast-fed babies, serum bilirubin levels were related to concentrations of β-glucuronidase in breast milk on both days 3 and 21 and to levels of faecal β-glucuronidase on day 21. In 4 additional babies whose feeds were temporarily changed from breast milk to formula milk because of hyperbilirubinaemia there was a striking decrease in faecal β-glucuronidase activity coincident with a fall in serum bilirubin. Breast milk β-glucuronidase seems to be an important factor in the neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia of breast-fed babies.
Is "efficiency" a useful concept in cognitive neuroscience?

Abstract It is common in the cognitive neuroscience literature to explain differences in activation in terms of differences in the “efficiency” of neural function. I argue here that this usage of the concept of efficiency is empty and simply redescribes activation differences rather than providing a useful explanation of them. I examine a number of possible explanations for differential activation in terms of task performance, neuronal computation, neuronal energetics, and network organization. While the concept of “efficiency” is vacuous as it is commonly employed in the neuroimaging literature, an examination of brain development in the context of neural coding, neuroenergetics, and network structure provides a roadmap for future investigation, which is fundamental to an improved understanding of developmental effects and group differences in neuroimaging signals.
Stress Concentration Due to a Prolate Spheroidal Inclusion

Internal stresses inside a prolate spheroidal inclusion parallel to a uni axial applied stress are obtained by using Eshelby theory. Effects of the elastic modulus and the aspect ratio of the inclusion are evaluated. The present results are compared with others, in particular, with Argon's solu tion for a slender rod.
Pavement Preservation Strategy

An effective pavement management system requires a comprehensive pavement preservation strategy (PPS). Wisconsin's PPS is guided by a philosophy whose goal is to optimize pavement performance to provide the highest quality service to the customer per unit of expenditure. The PPS is customer-oriented and views "service" in terms of user comfort, convenience, and safety. The strategy is broad-scoped and considers all pavement management activities, from "do nothing" to reconstruction. Wisconsin's PPS has program values that are based on solid research that has been field verified. The treatment alternatives recommended for any particular pavement problem address the causes, not the symptoms, of that particular problem—thus, the root cause of the problem is addressed, and funds are not used to treat merely a symptom. Accordingly, the PPS is termed a cause-based instead of a schedule-based strategy (applying treatments on a predetermined schedule), or a "worst first" strategy (treating the worst pavements fir...
Memristive Reservoir Computing Architecture for Epileptic Seizure Detection

Abstract Echo state networks (ESN) or reservoirs, are random, recurrent neural network topologies that integrate temporal data over short time windows by operating on the edge of chaos. Recently, there is a significant effort on the mathematical modeling and software topologies of the reservoirs. However, hardware reservoir fabrics are essential to deploy in energy constrained environments. In this paper, we investigate a hardware reservoir with bi-stable memristive synapses. In particular, we demonstrate a scalable hardware model for detecting real-time epileptic seizures in human models. The performance of the proposed reservoir hardware is evaluated for absent seizure signals with 85% accuracy.
Studies of a Novel Cysteine Sulfoxide Lyase from Petiveria alliacea: The First Heteromeric Alliinase

A novel alliinase (EC 4.4.1.4) was detected and purified from the roots of the Amazonian medicinal plant Petiveria alliacea. The isolated enzyme is a heteropentameric glycoprotein composed of two α-subunits (68.1 kD each), one β-subunit (56.0 kD), one γ-subunit (24.8 kD), and one δ-subunit (13.9 kD). The two α-subunits are connected by a disulfide bridge, and both α- and β-subunits are glycosylated. The enzyme has an isoelectric point of 4.78 and pH and temperature optima of 8.0 and approximately 52°C, respectively. Its activation energy with its natural substrate S-benzyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide is 64.6 kJ mol−1. Kinetic studies showed that both Km and Vmax vary as a function of substrate structure, with the most preferred substrates being the naturally occurring P. alliacea compounds S-benzyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide and S-2-hydroxyethyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide. The alliinase reacts with these substrates to produce S-benzyl phenylmethanethiosulfinate and S-(2-hydroxyethyl) 2-hydroxyethanethiosulfinate, respectively.
Labor patterns in twin gestations.

Objective To compare labor progression in twin vs singleton gestations. Study Design Retrospective review of electronic database created by Consortium on Safe Labor, reflecting labor and delivery information from 12 clinical centers 2002-2008. Women with twin gestations, cephalic presentation of presenting twin, gestational age ≥34 weeks, with ≥2 cervical examinations were included. Exclusion criteria were fetal anomalies or demise. Singleton controls were selected by the same criteria. Categorical variables were analyzed by χ 2 ; continuous by Student t test. Interval censored regression was used to determine distribution for time of cervical dilation in centimeters, or "traverse times," and controlled for confounding factors. Repeated-measures analysis constructed mean labor curves by parity and number of fetuses. Results A total of 891 twin gestations were compared with 100,513 singleton controls. Twin gestations were more often older, white or African American, earlier gestational age, increased prepregnancy body mass index, and with lower birthweight. There was no difference in number of prior cesarean deliveries, induction, or augmentation, or epidural use. Median traverse times increased at every centimeter interval in nulliparous twins, in both unadjusted and adjusted analysis ( P Conclusion Both nulliparous and multiparous women have slower progression of active phase labor with twins even when controlling for confounding factors.
Culture, emotional transnationalism and mental distress: family relations and well-being among Taiwanese immigrant women

Immigrant women’s vulnerability to mental distress has been recognized in the literature and yet the socio-cultural causes of their distress have rarely been explored. On the basis of a case study of Taiwanese immigrants residing in Chicago, this article illustrates the dynamic contexts within which Taiwanese immigrant women’s distress is produced at home and explains the social and cultural factors that engender the women’s distress. In this article I argue that Taiwanese immigrant women frequently shift back and forth between Taiwanese and American cultural norms in an effort to apply effective behavioral guidance and justifications to interactions with their spouses, children and in-laws. The term ‘emotional transnationalism’ is used to describe the psychological experience associated with transnational cultural practices. Distress is often generated as these women struggle with feelings of ambivalence and contradictions that confront them in their search for cultural identities. The severity of distress is largely determined by the power hierarchies between women and those with whom they interact. Married women’s status as subordinate to their in-laws creates more negative experiences than any other status.
Decomposition of coronary angiograms into nonrigid moving layers

We present a method for decomposition of angiographic image sequences into moving layers undergoing translation, rotation, and scaling. We first describe a regularization method for scatter-glare correction which can be used to obtain good estimates of projected x-ray attenuation coefficient. We then compute a set of weighted correlation functions to determine the motion of each layer, and compute the layer densities in the spatial domain by averaging along moving trajectories. We demonstrate the utility of our method by successfully decomposing simulated angiograms into moving layers. We also demonstrate visually acceptable layer decomposition of actual angiograms.
Atomic Heat of Indium below 20°K

A calorimetric technique in which a carbon-composition resistor serves simultaneously as both heater and thermometer has been developed and is described briefly. Using this technique, the atomic heat of indium has been measured in the normal state from 1.7\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to 21.3\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and in the superconducting state from 1.8\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to 3.396\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, the transition temperature in zero magnetic field. Tables of smoothed values are given. A method of deducing the separate lattice and electronic contributions to the heat capacities, based on several empirically and/or theoretically tenable assumptions, has been developed and is described in some detail. This method of analysis, when applied to the indium data, led to the conclusion that a cubic analytic form for the critical magnetic field equation would allow conclusions consistent with all the assumptions but that the more commonly used parabolic form would not. Numerical values are given for the constants involved. The temperature dependence of the Debye characteristic temperature of the indium lattice over the entire range of measurement is shown to follow the theoretically expected behavior.
Who's behind the screen? Segmenting social venture consumers through social media usage

Abstract With the growing popularity of social media as a tool for marketing social causes and the increasing significance of social ventures in today's market economy, it is important to understand the heterogeneous nature of social venture consumers in regard to their social media usage. Using cluster analysis of survey responses from 305 consumers of various social ventures, four distinct segments of consumers who support social ventures were identified – social observers, active contributors, social connectors, and moderate contributors – based on three dimensions of social media site usage: creating content, connecting with others, and control over the user experience. Further analysis of survey results revealed that these four segments of consumers show significant differences in supporting behaviors
The resolvent expansion for second order regular singular operators

Abstract The paper gives a scheme for computing the asymptotics of tr( e − tL ) as t → 0 + , where L is an elliptic operator of the form L = D 2 + x −2 A ( x ) and A ( x ) is a family of operators satisfying appropriate ellipticity and smoothness conditions. A principle example is the Laplace operator for a manifold with an asymptotically conic singularity. The expansion has the usual terms away from the singularity, appropriately regularized at x = 0, plus singular contributions determined by the ζ-function of (A(0) + 1 4 ) 1 2 . Applications to index theorems are given in a subsequent paper.
Methodology for Comparative Analysis to Evaluate Air Travel Service in Alaska

This paper presents a methodology to evaluate air travel service in Alaska and study its possible impact on the state's economic development. The methodology represents a comparative descriptive analysis that relates the airlines service measures in Alaska to those provided for similar destinations. These service measures include the average travel fares to major destinations, the number of airlines that provide service, the number of daily arrivals and departures, and the number of destinations to which direct service is offered. The study indicated that airfares to and from Alaska are generally higher than those for similar destinations. The study also highlighted the possible impact of these relatively high airfares based on the own-price elasticity of air travel demand. The analysis suggested that, in addition to other forgone business opportunities, Alaska could be losing a significant number of potential tourists because of relatively high airfares for travel to and from the state.
Interaction of prostaglandins with adrenal microsomal cytochrome P-450 in the guinea pig

Abstract Studies were carried out to investigate the effects of prostaglandins (PG) in vitro on adrenal microsomal steroid and drug metabolism in the guinea pig. The addition of PGE1, PGE2, PGA1, PGF1α or PGF2α to isolated adrenal microsomes produced typical type I difference spectra. The sizes of the spectra (ΔA385–420) produced by prostaglandins were smaller than those produced by various steroids including progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and 11β-hydroxyprogesterone. However, the affinities of prostaglandins and steroids for adrenal microsomal cytochrome P-450, as estimated by the spectral dissociation constants, were similar. Prior addition of prostaglandins to isolated adrenal microsomes did not affect steroid binding to cytochrome P-450 or the rate of steroid 21-hydroxylation. In contrast, prostaglandins inhibited adrenal metabolism of ethylmorphine and diminished the magnitude of the ethylmorphine-induced spectral change in adrenal microsomes. The results indicate that prostaglandins inhibit adrenal drug metabolism by interfering with substrate binding to cytochrome P-450. Since 21-hydroxylation was unaffected by PG, different cytochrome P-450 moieties are probably involved in adrenal drug and steroid metabolism.
Preparation of a relatively acid-stable antigen (CEA) by disruption of its specific precipitate with antibody.

The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) of intestinal tract cancers is presently purified by extraction from a homogen-ate of such tissues with 1.0M perchloric acid (PCA), followed by two steps of chromatography and one of electrophoresis. In this study, rabbit antisera prepared against such purified CEA, and absorbed with normal human plasma, liver, kidney, spleen and brain, gave a conventional precipitin curve with a water homogenate or with a dialyzed PCA extract of intestinal tract cancers. The immune precipitate was almost completely soluble in PCA. Following dialysis of this solution against cold water, a new precipitate composed mainly of denatured antibody appeared. The remaining solution contained purified antigen. Recovery of this antigen (CEA-R), as judged by radioimmunoassay, appeared optimal when 3.0M PCA was used for disruption of the immune precipitate, and presence of 1.8M urea was helpful. When injected into rabbits, CEA-R was not as strongly antigenic as CEA. Comparison by immunodiffusion and...
Step-down heating enhances the cytotoxicity of human tumour necrosis factor on murine and human tumour cell lines in vitro

The response of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-sensitive murine L929 cells to TNF was enhanced ∼ 1000-fold after stepdown heating (SDH) for 30 min at a sensitizing temperature (ST) of 43d`C and a subsequent 24 h incubation at a test temperature (TT) of 40.5d`C, compared to continuous treatment at 37d`C. The TNF-resistant phenotype of murine EMT-6 mammary adenocarcinoma cells could be overcome by 24 h heating at a TT of 40.5d`C, and their sensitivity to TNF could be further increased by preheating at the ST for up to 60 min. The response of TNF-sensitive HCT-15 human colon adenocarcinoma cells was somewhat similar to that of L929 cells except that there was a ∼ 2.5 log increase in TNF-sensitivity due solely to heating at 40.5d`C. The response of TNF-resistant DLD-1 human colon adenocarcinoma cells was similar to that of EMT-6 cells. In contrast, three normal cell lines demonstrated greater resistance to any TNF/SDH treatment examined. Our results suggest that SDH may overcome the resistance or enhance the re...
On the connection between dyons, vortices, and aharonov-bohm effect

Abstract A unified group theoretical exact solution is given for the motion of a charge in the field of a monopole (with Dirac or Schwinger strings), a solenoid, and monopoles with spin (or isospin) quantum numbers, or their linear combinations. For all these cases the dynamical group is SO (4, 2) and the treatment illuminates in a most general way the recent discussion about the quantum numbers and charge and flux quantizations. Even if the flux in the solenoid is not quantized the problem can be solved in terms of the unitary supplementary series of representations of the Lorentz subgroup.
Analysis of the Proteome of Intracellular Shigella flexneri Reveals Pathways Important for Intracellular Growth

Global proteomic analysis was performed with Shigella flexneri strain 2457T in association with three distinct growth environments: S. flexneri growing in broth (in vitro), S. flexneri growing within epithelial cell cytoplasm (intracellular), and S. flexneri that were cultured with, but did not invade, Henle cells (extracellular). Compared to in vitro and extracellular bacteria, intracellular bacteria had increased levels of proteins required for invasion and cell-to-cell spread, including Ipa, Mxi, and Ics proteins. Changes in metabolic pathways in response to the intracellular environment also were evident. There was an increase in glycogen biosynthesis enzymes, altered expression of sugar transporters, and a reduced amount of the carbon storage regulator CsrA. Mixed acid fermentation enzymes were highly expressed intracellularly, while tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle oxidoreductive enzymes and most electron transport chain proteins, except CydAB, were markedly decreased. This suggested that fermentation and the CydAB system primarily sustain energy generation intracellularly. Elevated levels of PntAB, which is responsible for NADPH regeneration, suggested a shortage of reducing factors for ATP synthesis. These metabolic changes likely reflect changes in available carbon sources, oxygen levels, and iron availability. Intracellular bacteria showed strong evidence of iron starvation. Iron acquisition systems (Iut, Sit, FhuA, and Feo) and the iron starvation, stress-associated Fe-S cluster assembly (Suf) protein were markedly increased in abundance. Mutational analysis confirmed that the mixed-acid fermentation pathway was required for wild-type intracellular growth and spread of S. flexneri. Thus, iron stress and changes in carbon metabolism may be key factors in the S. flexneri transition from the extra- to the intracellular milieu.
Antiretroviral Therapy and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis: Combined Impact on HIV Transmission and Drug Resistance in South Africa

(See the editorial commentary by Celum et al on pages 189–91) Oral antiretroviral (ARV) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a new biomedical intervention against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission with proven efficacy [1–3]. There is concern, however, about the potential emergence and spread of HIV drug resistance arising from the rollout of PrEP, particularly in resource-constrained settings, where antiretroviral therapy (ART) options are limited [4]. This concern is amplified by the possibility that the same ARVs will be used for both ART and PrEP. The combination of 2 nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, tenofovir (TDF) and lamivudine or emtricitabine (3TC or FTC, respectively), with 1 nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), efavirenz or nevirapine, is the World Health Organization–recommended first-line ART regimen in several countries worldwide, including South Africa [4], and TDF or TDF + FTC have shown efficacy in HIV prevention trials [1–3]. Thus far, only 9 drug-resistant cases have been observed among clinical trial participants on PrEP, most of whom had unrecognized acute infection at enrollment. However, clinical trials of PrEP are not designed to address the population-level and/or long-term epidemiological impact of PrEP, including consequences of drug resistance. We therefore used a mathematical model [5] to examine the potential impact of orally administered overlapping and nonoverlapping PrEP and ART on HIV transmission and drug resistance in South Africa.
The Lessons of Anapra: International Service Learning and Character Education

When people ask me how I spent Winter Term, 1999, I try to keep it simple: ‘I traveled with 15 students to Mexico. We flew to El Paso, rented vans, drove across the border and lived in the heart of the colonia for a month.’ While this brief explanation provides the structure for understanding our Winter Term in Service trip, it in no way addresses the depth, complexity, and life-changing qualities of this extraordinary experience. Like others before us, we came to Anapra–a community of great poverty and physical need–expecting to transform it. We found, instead, that Anapra transformed us. We learned much about ourselves; our complicity in a global system of economic inequity; and the tangible presence of peace, faith, hope, and community. We learned to live with less, to appreciate more, and to depend upon one another. It was hard to come home. Glenda Balas, DePauw
Self-hypnosis for management of chronic dyspnea in pediatric patients.

Introduction. Hypnotherapy can be use- ful in the management of anxiety, discomfort, and psy- chosomatic symptoms, all of which may contribute to a complaint of dyspnea. Therefore, instruction in self-hyp- nosis was offered to 17 children and adolescents with chronic dyspnea, which had not resolved despite medical therapy, and who were documented to have normal lung function at rest. This report documents the result of this intervention. Methods. A retrospective chart review identified all patients followed by a single pediatric pulmonologist (R.D.A.), with a chief complaint of chronic dyspnea from April 1998 through December 1999. These patients had been evaluated and treated for medical diseases accord- ing to their history, physical examination, and laboratory investigations. The pulmonologist offered to teach self- hypnosis to all of these patients, who comprise the cohort in this report. Chronic dyspnea was defined as recurrent difficulty breathing or shortness of breath at rest or with exertion, which had existed for at least 1 month in patients who had not suffered within a month from an acute pulmo- nary illness. The pulmonologist was trained in hypnosis through
A note on the costly surveillance of a stochastic system

We consider the costly surveillance of a stochastic system with a finite state space and a finite number of actions in each state. There is a positive cost of observing the system and the system earns at a rate depending on the state of the system and the action taken. A policy for controlling such a system specifies the action to be taken and the time to the next observation, both possibly random and depending on the past history of the system. A form of the long range average income is the criterion for comparing different policies. If RΔ denotes the class of policies for which the times between successive observations of the system are random variables with cumulative distribution functions on [0, Δ], Δ < ∞, we show that there exists a nonrandomized stationary policy that is optimal in RΔ. Furthermore, for sufficiently large Δ, this optimal policy is independent of Δ.
POTENTIALLY UNLIMITED MULTIPLICATION OF YEAST WITH CONSTANT ENVIRONMENT, AND THE LIMITING OF GROWTH BY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.

1. The decrease in the rate of growth of a population of yeast cells, which results in the maintenance of an equilibrium crop level, is shown to be due to substances excreted into the culture medium by the growing cells. These toxic substances tend to destroy the young buds, because the percentage of budding cells is about the same at the time of most rapid growth and at the time of the growth equilibrium. 2. Alcohol is the product which primarily causes the decline of the growth rate. For the strain of yeast used, under the particular conditions of these experiments, a concentration of alcohol of about 1 mg. per cc. is associated with the beginning of the decrease of the growth rate. 3. The increasing acidity of the medium, due to CO2, pyruvic acid, and other organic acids, is also a retarding influence. It is a secondary factor, however, as the greatest increase of the acidity of the medium occurs after pyruvic acid, probably a by-product of alcoholic fermentation, appears. 4. When the medium is maintained effectively constant, by preventing the accumulation of these toxic products, the yeast grows at a constant rate and the yeast growth is potentially unlimited. The limit of growth found in actual experiments is due only to the size of the test-tubes and to the relative efficiency of the method used in keeping the medium effectively constant. The necessity of maintaining a constant rate of growth in studies on the relations of yeasts to vitamines and other products is stressed.
Refine: Iterative Search

The role of search is to find the optimal set of pose parameters S* which minimize the error function of a given scene: $$ \forall b:\varepsilon ({S^*}) < \varepsilon ({S^b})\;where\;{S^*} \ne {S^b} $$ (5.1) Chapter 4 formulated an error function e which is characterized by the following conditions: 1. The error function parameters are continuous and real valued. The number of possible scene configurations is therefore infinite. 2. An explicit analytic function for the error does not exist: no derivative of the function with respect to the pose parameters can be computed and traditional gradient descent methods, such as Newton-Raphson, are not appropriate. 3. The error surface for a given scene is not smooth and contains local minima. 4. Since pose parameters interact, search cannot optimize one parameter in isolation. For instance, solving for the depth of an object is not appropriate if the orientation is incorrect. These characteristics imply search is difficult. Since traditional optimization techniques based upon analytic function optimization cannot be applied, heuristic techniques are examined.
The Role of Ideal Affect in the Experience and Memory of Emotions

Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007 Abstract According to Affect Valuation Theory (Tsai et al. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1031-1039), culture influences how people want to feel (ideal affect). Integrating Affect Valuation Theory with the Time-sequential Framework of Subjective Well-being (Kim-Prieto et al. Journal of Happiness Studies, 6, 261-300), we proposed that cultural norms influence the memory, but not the experience, of emotion. The present study examined the role of ideal affect in relation to experience sampling and retrospective reports of emotion. Ideal affect correlated with retrospective reports but not experience sampling reports. Extraversion and neuroticism were more strongly related to experience sampling reports than to ideal levels of emotion. Results suggest that retro- spective reports of emotion involve a dynamic process that incorporates cultural information into the reconstruction whereas on-line emotions are more constrained by temperament.
Behavioral ecology of a staff incentive program. Effects on absenteeism and resident disruptive behavior.

The results of an analysis of a staff incentive program designed to decrease absenteeism (unscheduled leave) are presented. The staff of a unit at an institution for the retarded who were not absen...
Success factors affecting computer‐based information system performance in agribusiness

This study evaluates the use of critical success factors to manage computer-based information systems (CBISs). The results indicate a strong correlation between performance with respect to the critical success factors and information system effectiveness. Information systems in which high performance ratings were achieved in those areas rated most important by managers also tended to be most successful. These results indicate that the critical success factors defined in this article may provide a useful tool for managing computer-based information systems. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.