cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Matching O2 Delivery to O2 Demand in Muscle: II. Allometric Variation in Energy Demand

This paper and the preceding paper by Weibel and Kayar address the question of whether, or to what extent, the structures involved in O2 consumption and delivery are matched to each other. This match between structure and function is a “common sense” prediction of economic design. We have given this principle the name symmorphosis, defining it as a state of structural design commensurate to functional needs resulting from regulated morphogenesis (Taylor and Weibel), 1981.
Bioavailability of lysine in L-lysine.HCl.

True digestibility of lysine (LYS) in crystalline L-LYS.HCl and casein determined in cecectomized adult roosters was not significantly different from 100%. Subsequent 9-d growth assays were conducted to determine the bioavailability of LYS in casein, in L-LYS.HCl, and in a mixture of crystalline amino acids simulating casein's amino acid profile. Based on slope-ratio methodology, LYS bioavailability relative to casein was estimated to be 101.4 and 99.9% in L-LYS.HCl and in the casein-simulated amino acid mixture, respectively. Procedures also were developed for assessment of LYS bioavailability in crystalline L-LYS.HCl by comparing growth responses to intraperitoneally injected (IP-LYS) and crop-intubated LYS (CI-LYS) in chicks fed LYS-deficient corn-sesame meal diets. Graded increments of pH-adjusted L-LYS.HCl were administered twice daily in .5-ml doses during the course of 8-d growth assays. Chicks receiving CI-LYS also received .5 ml of IP saline at each dosing, and those receiving IP-LYS also received CI saline at each dosing. Slope-ratio multiple linear regression of gain (g) regressed on LYS administered (mg) was assessed for both ad libitum-fed and meal-fed chicks. Linear growth responses to LYS were obtained with both routes of administration and in both feeding regimens. The CI-LYS slopes ranged from 103 to 125% of those obtained with IP-LYS administration. These results support the view that crystalline L-LYS.HCl is 100% digestible and bioavailable.
Vegetable Significance: Evolution by Natural Selection

Charles Darwin set the foundations for a new paradigm of life by stripping evolution of its normative and progressive elements. He reimagined efficient, formal, and final causes in biology, creating a new synthesis similar to Aristotle’s nutritive soul. Natural selection provides a causal nexus that links organization and purpose to a history of interactions between population and environment. This emphasizes vegetable proto-agency in place of animal or rational agency. It makes organization and purpose empirically tractable. Two contemporaries, Alfred Russel Wallace and Herbert Spencer, also defended evolution by natural selection. They stayed closer to medieval concepts of causation, leaving their theories closer to vitalism.
Physical Literacy at the "Start Line": Young Children's Motor Competence, Fitness, Physical Activity, and Fitness Knowledge.

Purpose: Developing physically literate individuals is a major goal of school physical education. To date, no research in the United States has examined physical literacy by simultaneously measurin...
Racial discrimination and leukocyte glucocorticoid sensitivity: Implications for birth timing.

Abstract Rationale Psychological stress-induced cortisol elevations appear to contribute to preterm birth. Yet, some studies suggest that the biological ramifications of racial discrimination-associated stress are unique and may involve development of decreased glucocorticoid sensitivity despite normalized cortisol levels. Objective In this study, we examined the effects of racial discrimination on maternal cortisol output, leukocyte glucocorticoid sensitivity, and the degree of correspondence between cortisol levels and birth timing in an African American cohort. Method A generally healthy prospective cohort was enrolled at 28–32 weeks gestation (n = 91). The Experiences of Discrimination scale was administered, whole blood collected, and plasma cortisol levels, cytokine levels, and leukocyte counts quantified for examination of patterns of endogenous feedback. Results Racial discrimination in the mid-tertile was associated with greater maternal cortisol levels than the bottom tertile among women reporting internalizing responses (b* = 0.68, p = 0.001). Decreased leukocyte glucocorticoid sensitivity was witnessed at greater frequencies of experiences of racial discrimination, as evidenced by decreased correspondence between maternal cortisol levels and plasma IL-8 levels, monocyte counts, and lymphocyte counts (p values ≤ 0.043). The association between maternal cortisol levels and birth timing differed by discrimination tertile (p values ≤ 0.005), with greater cortisol levels predictive of earlier birth among women without (b* = −0.59, p Conclusion We provide novel evidence of decreased glucocorticoid sensitivity at increasing frequency of exposure to racial discrimination. Our findings suggest that the biology of preterm birth may depend upon racial discriminatory exposures, favoring pathways dependent upon glucocorticoid-induced increases in leukocyte tissue surveillance versus glucocorticoid resistance-associated inflammatory aberrations at increasing levels of exposure. Precision approaches to prenatal care are sorely needed to combat preterm birth, particularly among African American women, with efforts dependent upon further research examining the pathways contributing to the syndrome dependent upon the totality of an individual's exposures.
Combined Microsurgical, Endovascular, and Endoscopic Approach to the Treatment of a Giant Vertebrobasilar Aneurysm.

Background Dolichoectasia is defined as elongation and dilatation of a blood vessel. In the intracranial circulation, the basilar artery is affected in 80% of cases. These are challenging lesions with an aggressive natural history, and treatment carries a relatively high rate of morbidity and mortality. We describe a case of multimodal treatment including endovascular, open microsurgical, and endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for management. Objective To describe the technical nuance of the addition of the EEA for management of posterior circulation dolichoectasia. Methods A 44-yr-old Hispanic woman with a 2-mo history of progressive headaches, gait disturbance, and lower cranial nerve dysfunction presented with acute neurologic decline. MRI demonstrated a dolichoectatic vertebrobasilar system with a giant 4.5-cm fusiform basilar aneurysm. Results She underwent concomitant endovascular bilateral vertebral artery sacrifice with suction decompression and trapping by clip ligation distal to the lesion. Postoperatively, she developed symptomatic pontine compression. She was then taken for a transclival EEA for intra-aneurysmal thrombectomy. Thereafter, she made a significant functional recovery. Conclusion The addition of endoscopic reconstruction to the treatment of a dolichoectatic basilar aneurysm is an operative nuance that can be employed in treating these highly morbid lesions. This case describing a multimodal treatment paradigm including EEA reconstruction can serve as an example for the future of treatment select cases of dolichoectasia of the vertebrobasilar complex.
Workplace Flexibility and Parent–Child Interactions Among Working Parents in the U.S.

Balancing work and caregiving demands is a critical challenge for working parents with young children. Workplace flexibility can serve to promote parent-child interactions by enhancing the coordination of work and family responsibilities. Using longitudinal data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), the study examined three potential sources of workplace flexibility—access to flexible schedules, working from home, and part-time employment—and their associations with the frequency of parent–child interactions (i.e., enrichment activities and daily routines) among parents with young children, with a particular focus on gender, household structures, and income. The results indicated that working from home and part-time employment were associated with more frequent enrichment parent–child interactions for mothers, while flexible schedules were associated with greater daily routine interactions for fathers. The positive associations between working from home and parent–child interactions were more pronounced among low-income mothers than mid- and high-income mothers. Fathers working parttime in dual-earner households more frequently interacted with their children than those in single-earner households. These findings suggest that distinctive types of workplace flexibility may work differently across gender, household structure, and household income.
In the interest of small business’ cost of debt: A matter of CSR disclosure

Traditional understanding is that small firms pay more in debt related expenses than larger firms with a history of financial performance. In the current study, we examine the impact that corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure has on the cost of debt for small firms. Using data from Bloomberg 2014 on CSR disclosure, we find that the cost of debt for small businesses decreases as firms increase their CSR disclosure transparency. Specifically, firms who disclose more social responsibility information faced reduced costs to debt financing. We argue that disclosure of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) records provide value relevant information for lenders to use to mitigate the magnified information asymmetry inherent to lending to firms earlier in their lifecycle. Our results suggest that disclosure of ESG information corresponds with improved information transparency, which leads to less costly debt for small businesses.
Eccentric Adjacency Index of Graphs with a Given Number of Cut Edges

The eccentric adjacency index of an n-vertex-connected and simple graph G is defined as $$\xi ^{ad}(G)=\sum \nolimits _{x\in V_G}\dfrac{S_G(x)}{ec_G(x)}$$, where $$S_G(x)$$ is the sum of degrees of neighbors of x and $$ec_G(x)$$ is the eccentricity of x in G. Denote by $${\mathcal {G}}(n,k)$$ the set of n-vertex-connected graphs with k cut edges, where $$0\le k\le n-1 (k\ne n-2)$$. In this paper, we determine the graph with largest eccentric adjacency index and characterize the extremal graph among all graphs in $${\mathcal {G}}(n,k)$$.
Superstition revisited: Sex, species, and adventitious reinforcement

Skinner's (1948) 'Superstition' in the Pigeon paper proposed that accidental response-reward contingencies, via adventitious reinforcement, could operantly condition the behaviors of pigeons under fixed-time (response-independent) schedules of food delivery. Skinner likened the behavior of pigeons under these fixed-time schedules to the superstitious behavior of humans and proposed that both response patterns were the result of contiguous pairings of rewards following some response. Alternative explanations of superstitious behavior have included Staddon and Simmelhag's (1971) stimulus substitution account and Timberlake and Lucas's (1985) elicited species-typical appetitive behavior account. Under both these alternative explanations of superstitious behavior, observations of pigeons under fixed-time schedules revealed a lack of idiosyncratic responding, which is a critical element in Skinner's explanation of superstitious behavior via adventitious reinforcement. The following study implemented 4 fixed-time schedule experiments to further study superstition. In Experiment 1, male and female pigeons were compared, which provided support for the disparity in response patterns observed in previous studies. Experiments 2-4 examined the behavior of roller pigeons, ring-necked doves, and bantam chickens. In all the above studies, a lack of idiosyncratic responding and emergence of species-typical foraging behavior was observed. The results provide additional evidence that the 'superstitious' behavior that emerges in pigeons and other organisms under response-independent food schedules is the result of elicited species-typical food getting behaviors, and that these behaviors emerge as a result of frequent food deliveries in environments that support such foraging repertoires.
Tailoring Pore Aperture and Structural Defects in Zirconium-Based Metal–Organic Frameworks for Krypton/Xenon Separation

Krypton and xenon are important gases in many applications, including, but not limited to, electronics, lighting, and medicine. Separation of these two gases by cryogenic distillation is highly ene...
CNN-LSTM deep learning architecture for computer vision-based modal frequency detection

Abstract The conventional modal analysis involves physically-attached wired or wireless sensors for vibration measurement of structures. However, this method has certain disadvantages, owing to the sensor’s weight and its low spatial resolution, which limits the analysis precision or the high cost of optical vibration sensors. Besides, the sensor installation and calibration in itself is a time consuming and labor-intensive process. Non-contact computer vision-based vibration measurement techniques can address the shortcomings mentioned above. In this paper, we introduce CNN-LSTM (Convolutional Neural Network, Long Short-Term Memory) deep learning based approach that can serve as a backbone for computer vision-based vibration measurement techniques. The key idea is to use each pixel of an image taken from an off the shelf camera, encapsulating the Spatio-temporal information, like a sensor to capture the modal frequencies of a vibrating structure. Non-contact “pixel-sensor” does not alter the system’s dynamics and is relatively low-cost, agile, and provides measurements with very high spatial resolution. Our computer vision-based deep learning model takes the video of a vibrating structure as input and outputs the fundamental modal frequencies. We demonstrate, using reliable empirical results, that “pixel-sensor” is more efficient, autonomous, and accurate. Robustness of the deep learning model has been put to the test by using specimens of a variety of materials, and varying dimensions and results have shown high levels of sensing accuracy.
Epigenetic differences in inflammation genes of monozygotic twins are related to parent-child emotional availability and health.

Abstract The inflammatory response is an immune defense engaged immediately after injury or infection. Chronic inflammation can be deleterious for various health outcomes and is characterized by high levels of pro-inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). A large body of research demonstrates these inflammatory markers are responsive to stress and quality of social relationships throughout the lifespan. For example, the quality of the early parental bond predicts various health outcomes and may be driven by changes in immune function. Epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation, may be one mechanism by which early social experiences shape immune functioning. The present study used a monozygotic twin difference design to assess if mother-reported emotional availability at 1 year and 2.5 years predicted immune gene methylation at 8 years of age. Further, we assessed if inflammation gene methylation was related to general health problems (e.g. infections, allergies, etc.). We found that mother-reported emotional availability at 1 year, but not 2.5 years, was related to methylation of various immune genes in monozygotic twins. Furthermore, twin pairs discordant in health problems have more difference in immune gene methylation compared to twin pairs concordant for health problems, suggesting that methylation of immune genes may have functional consequences for general health. These results suggest that the emotional component of attachment quality during infancy contributes to immune epigenetic profiles in childhood, which may influence general health.
A simple difficulty scoring system for laparoscopic total mesorectal excision.

The proposed difficulty scoring system (DSS) may aid in preoperative planning for laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (L-TME) for rectal cancer. Fifty-three patients [28 males; 59.0 (31.0–88.0) years of age] treated for rectal cancer at our institution from 2/2011–5/2018 were identified. “Difficult operation” (DO) was defined as the presence of ≥3 factors: operative time ≥320 min, estimated blood loss >250 ml, intraoperative complications, conversion to laparotomy, >2 stapler applications, incomplete TME quality, and/or subjective perceived difficulty. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression model with backward elimination method were used to obtain a DSS which consists of two factors: sex (male = 1 and female = 0) and body mass index (BMI) (≥30 kg/m2 = 1, <30 kg/m2 = 0). In univariate analysis, sex (p = 0.0217), BMI (p = 0.0026), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score (p = 0.0372), and magnetic resonance imaging transverse diameter (p = 0.0441) correlated to DO. Multivariate analysis revealed that sex and BMI were the most important risk factors for a DO [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.7761, 95% CI = (0.6443–0.9080)]. Male patients with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 were more likely to experience a DO (77.8%). The simplified DSS did not weaken the discriminating power compared to multivariate logistic regression model (AUC 0.7696 vs. 0.7761, p = 0.7387). L-TME with a DSS of 0, 1, and 2 had a DO rate of 10%, 33.3%, and 77.8%, respectively. A simplified DSS may be used preoperatively in preparation for L-TME.
Implied Volatility and Future Portfolio Returns

Abstract Prior studies find that the CBOE volatility index (VIX) predicts returns on stock market indices, suggesting implied volatilities measured by VIX are a risk factor affecting security returns or an indicator of market inefficiency. We extend prior work in three important ways. First, we investigate the relationship between future returns and current implied volatility levels and innovations. Second, we examine portfolios sorted on book-to-market equity, size, and beta. Third, we control for the four Fama and French [Fama, E., French, K., 1993. Common risk factors in the returns on stocks and bonds. Journal of Financial Economics 33, 3–56.] and Carhart [Carhart, M., 1997. On persistence in mutual fund performance. Journal of Finance, 52, 57–82.] factors. We find that VIX-related variables have strong predictive ability.
Fine resolution air quality dynamics related to socioeconomic and land use factors in the most polluted desert metropolitan in the American Southwest

Abstract Air pollution kills approximately 4.2 million people every year. As air pollution varies significantly in different urban areas, the assessment of urban emissions is key to taking appropriate actions and formulating policies for sustainable built environments and to promote the wellbeing of people. The overarching goal of this study was to generate fine resolution aerosol optical depth (AOD) using Landsat imagery and examine both the socioeconomic inequalities of air pollution exposure and the air quality variation related to different land-use categories. This study has focused on a period of unusual population growth, 2000–2010, in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It was found that socioeconomic factors, vegetation indexes, and land use land cover types are all strong predictors of AOD, and the negative coefficients of socioeconomic values reveal insight into the social inequality of air pollution exposure. Results suggest that the government regulation on air pollution during the study period helped to improve air quality. Meanwhile, planting vegetation to mitigate air pollution should be carefully examined in order to find the right vegetation species and spatial configuration of vegetation cover in urban settings.
Saving the Canaries: Protecting Consumer Borrowers to Prevent Systemic Risk

Financial consumers are canaries in a goldmine. They are often the first who show visible signs of suffering from emerging toxic products and practices that if not suspended could spread and bring about a systemic collapse. This article considers the historical evidence linking consumer finance abuses and stressed household balance sheets with bank failures. Recently, this correlation was observed in the catastrophic global financial crisis of 2008 and related multi-trillion-dollar government intervention. Academics often segregate studies of systemic bank failure and consumer financial predation into two separate scholarly silos. This practice may be a vestigial habit, yet at some point, passively continuing segregating these fields becomes a misguided choice. This paper posits that we must fully develop an integrated, cross-disciplinary understanding of the linkage between ballooning bank risk and household balance sheets. Until we do so, we cannot provide sound advice to policy makers on how to both protect consumers and also end the cycle of expensive public bailouts of collapsing financial institutions. Given the links, this article suggests the creation of a "Canary Index," as a way to both test household balance sheet stress and protect consumers and promote financial stability.
Early Experience Using Proton Beam Therapy for Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A Multi-Institution Study

Purpose/Objective(s) Proton beam therapy (PBT) may provide an advantage when planning selected patients with extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS), especially for larger and anatomically challenging cases. We analyzed our early experience with PBT on toxicity and outcomes. Materials/Methods A retrospective study was performed of 20 consecutive patients with extremity STS treated between June 2016 and September 2020, with pencil beam scanning PBT at two institutions with a median age 51.5 years (range, 19-78 years). Demographic, tumor, treatment, and toxicity characteristics were gathered from baseline to end of follow-up or death. Surgery was performed for all patients; chemotherapy and intraoperative electron radiotherapy boost were included for selected patients. Wound complications were defined as secondary operation for wound repair (debridement, drainage, skin graft, and muscle flap) or non-operative management requiring hospitalization. Dermatitis was graded according to the CTCAE scale. Analysis was performed with statistical software. Results All patients completed the prescribed course of PBT to a median dose of 5000 cGY RBE (range: 3000 – 6600 cGY RBE). Tumor presentation was primary (n = 17) or recurrent after prior combined modality therapy (n = 3). Tumor location was either lower extremity (n = 13) or upper extremity (n = 7). Median pre-treatment tumor size was 9.2 cm (range: 1.3 – 30.0 cm). Baseline staging for patients prior to PBT follows: 2 (10%) IA, 7 (35%) IB, 4 (20%) II, 3 (15%) IIIA, 3 (15%) IIIB, and 1 (5%) IV. Radiation was delivered pre-operatively in most patients (n = 18). Median follow-up was 13.7 months (range, 1.7 – 48.1 months). Nineteen patients (90%) were alive at the end of follow-up. Locoregional control was 100%. Four patients (20%) had developed metastatic disease by end of follow-up. Acute dermatitis was maximum grade 2 (n = 8, 40%) and grade 3 (n = 3, 15 %). After pre-operative radiation and surgical resection, acute wound complications occurred in 7 patients (39%). Intraoperative debridement and I&D, unplanned skin graft, muscle flap, and IV antibiotic use requiring hospitalization was required in 5 (25%), 3 (15%), 1 (5%), and 2 (10%), respectively. Tumor size was larger in patients with wound complications compared to no complications (median 15.3 cm [range 1.6-30.0 cm] vs 6.9cm [1.3-14.4 cm], P = 0.045). Factors such as patient age, tumor location, histology, chemotherapy, or IORT were not associated with wound complications. Rates of chronic G2+ pain, neuropathy, fibrosis, and lymphedema were 25%, 15%, 5%, and 5% respectively. Conclusion This early study of PBT for challenging extremity STS cases demonstrates good local control, similar acute toxicity profile, and wound complication rate comparable to photons. Long term follow-up and further dosimetric analyses will provide further insight into potential advantages of PBT in this patient population.
Impact of a Novel Diabetes Support System on a Cohort of Individuals With Type 1 Diabetes Treated With Multiple Daily Injections: A Multicenter Randomized Study.

OBJECTIVE Achieving optimal glycemic control for many individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains challenging, even with the advent of newer management tools, including continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Modern management of T1D generates a wealth of data; however, use of these data to optimize glycemic control remains limited. We evaluated the impact of a CGM-based decision support system (DSS) in patients with T1D using multiple daily injections (MDI). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The studied DSS included real-time dosing advice and retrospective therapy optimization. Adults and adolescents (age >15 years) with T1D using MDI were enrolled at three sites in a 14-week randomized controlled trial of MDI + CGM + DSS versus MDI + CGM. All participants (N = 80) used degludec basal insulin and Dexcom G5 CGM. CGM-based and patient-reported outcomes were analyzed. Within the DSS group, ad hoc analysis further contrasted active versus nonactive DSS users. RESULTS No significant differences were detected between experimental and control groups (e.g., time in range [TIR] +3.3% with CGM vs. +4.4% with DSS). Participants in both groups reported lower HbA1c (-0.3%; P = 0.001) with respect to baseline. While TIR may have improved in both groups, it was statistically significant only for DSS; the same was apparent for time spent <60 mg/dL. Active versus nonactive DSS users showed lower risk of and exposure to hypoglycemia with system use. CONCLUSIONS Our DSS seems to be a feasible option for individuals using MDI, although the glycemic benefits associated with use need to be further investigated. System design, therapy requirements, and target population should be further refined prior to use in clinical care.
The People Themselves: Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review

Introduction - Popular Constitutionalism 1. In Substance, and in Principle, the Same as It Was Heretofore: The Customary Constitution 2. A Rule Obligatory Upon Every Department: The Origins of Judicial Review 3. The Power under the Constitution Will Always Be in the People: The Making of the Constitution 4. Courts, as Well as Other Departments, Are Bound by That Instrument: Accepting Judicial Review 5. What Every True Republican Ought to Depend On: Rejecting Judicial Supremacy 6. Notwithstanding This Abstract View: The Changing Context of Constitutional Law 7. To Preserve the Constitution, as a Perpetual Bond of Union: The Lessons of Experience 8. A Layman's Document, Not a Lawyer's Contract: The Continuing Struggle for Popular Constitutionalism 9. As An American: Popular Constitutionalism, Circa 2004 Epilogue - Judicial Review Without Judicial Supremacy
A ground test program to support condition monitoring of a spacecraft attitude control propulsion system

The Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) mission involves seven years of flight from 0.6 to 4.57 Astronomical Units (AU), followed by about 915 days of maneuvering around a comet. Ground testing will characterize the very critical attitude control system thrusters' fuel consumption and performance for all anticipated fuel temperatures over thruster life. The ground test program characterization will support flight condition monitoring. A commercial software application hosted on a commercial microcomputer will control ground test operations and data acquisition using a newly designed thrust stand. The data acquisition and control system uses a graphics-based language and features a visual interface to integrate data acquisition and control.
Biosynthesis of aromatic monoterpenes: conversion of gamma-terpinene to p-cymene and thymol in Thymus vulgaris L.

The major components of the volatile oil of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) are the aromatic monoterpenes, thymol (38%) and p-cymene (23%), and the cyclic diene, γ-terpinene (28%). The time course of incorporation of 14CO2 into the volatile terpenoids of thyme cuttings suggested a biosynthetic sequence by which γ-terpinene gave rise to p-cymene, which in turn yielded thymol. Intact leaves from young thyme plants converted exogenous γ-[G-3H] terpinene into p-cymene and thymol, whereas p-[G-3H]cymene gave rise to only thymol in this tissue. Preincubation of the tissue with unlabeled p-cymene followed by incubation with γ-[G-3H]terpinene resulted in an increase of radioactivity inp-cymene and a substantial decrease of radioactivity in thymol. Similar isotopic dilution experiments with other possible intermediates, such as α-terpinene and terpinen-4-ol, produced no significant change in product distribution. All of the biosynthetic products were identified by radio gas-liquid chromatography and by the synthesis of several derivatives, which were analyzed by radio chromatography or crystallized to constant specific activity. These results provide, for the first time, strong evidence that thymol is biosynthesized by the aromatization of γ-terpinene to p-cymene followed by hydroxylation of p-cymene.
Consumer Likelihood to Purchase Chickens with Novel Production Attributes

Typical supermarket chickens are produced with novel or controversial attributes. This continues despite contrasting growth in consumer interest in organic and natural foods. This study surveyed Delaware consumers' likelihood to purchase chicken given different attributes: free range, given antibiotics, irradiated, fed genetically modified (GM) feed, GM chicken, and price. Examining conjoint analysis data with a heteroskedastic two-limit tobit model, GM chicken and other novel attributes were found to lower purchase likelihood significantly. Understanding these results should help the industry meet consumer preferences while aiding its continued expansion to benefit workers and growers across the South.
Eleven-dimensional supergravity on a manifold with boundary

Abstract In this paper, we present a systematic analysis of eleven-dimensional supergravity on a manifold with boundary, which is believed to be relevant to the strong coupling limit of the E 8 × E 8 heterotic string. Gauge and gravitational anomalies enter at a very early stage, and require a refinement of the standard Green-Schwarz mechanism for their cancellation. This uniquely determines the gauge group to be a copy of E 8 for each boundary component, fixes the gauge coupling constant in terms of the gravitational constant, and leads to several striking new tests of the hypothesis that there is a consistent quantum M -theory with eleven-dimensional supergravity as its low-energy limit.
Fidelity Index Determination of DNA Methyltransferases

DNA methylation is the most frequent form of epigenetic modification in the cell, which involves gene regulation in eukaryotes and protection against restriction enzymes in prokaryotes. Even though many methyltransferases exclusively modify their cognate sites, there have been reports of those that exhibit promiscuity. Previous experimental approaches used to characterize these methyltransferases do not provide the exact concentration at which off-target methylation occurs. Here, we present the first reported fidelity index (FI) for a number of DNA methyltransferases. We define the FI as the ratio of the highest amount of methyltransferase that exhibits no star activity (off-target effects) to the lowest amount that exhibits complete modification of the cognate site. Of the methyltransferases assayed, M.MspI and M.AluI exhibited the highest fidelity of ≥250 and ≥500, respectively, and do not show star activity even at very high concentrations. In contrast, M.HaeIII, M.EcoKDam and M.BamHI have the lowest fidelity of 4, 4 and 2, respectively, and exhibit star activity at concentrations close to complete methylation of the cognate site. The fidelity indexes provide vital information on the usage of methyltransferases and are especially important in applications where site specific methylation is required.
Energy band structure of germanium and gallium arsenide: The k.p method

Abstract The energy bands of germanium, valid throughout the entire Brillouin zone, have been obtained by diagonalizing a k . p Hamiltonian referred to 15 states at k = 0. The band structure of GaAs has been calculated by adding six independent matrix elements of an antisymmetric potential V − to the 15 × 15 k . p Hamiltonian of germanium.
Wolbachia Enhance Drosophila Stem Cell Proliferation and Target the Germline Stem Cell Niche

Wolbachia are widespread maternally transmitted intracellular bacteria that infect most insect species and are able to alter the reproduction of innumerous hosts. The cellular bases of these alterations remain largely unknown. Here, we report that Drosophila mauritiana infected with a native Wolbachia wMau strain produces about four times more eggs than the noninfected counterpart. Wolbachia infection leads to an increase in the mitotic activity of germline stem cells (GSCs), as well as a decrease in programmed cell death in the germarium. Our results suggest that up-regulation of GSC division is mediated by a tropism of Wolbachia for the GSC niche, the cellular microenvironment that supports GSCs.
Contingent payment for carbon monoxide reduction: Effects of pay amount.

This study evaluated the efficacy of and provided parametric information about contingent reinforcement procedures with potential application in the treatment of tobacco dependence. Hired regular smokers randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions were offered $0, $1, $5 or $10 per day for reducing their afternoon CO levels to 50% or less of preintervention baseline values. Carbon monoxide levels and self-report measures of smoking were reduced during contingent reinforcement and returned to baseline upon withdrawal of the intervention. The average amount of behavior change was directly related to the amount of money offered for CO reduction. As pay amount increased, the percentage of occasions on which subjects met CO reduction targets increased. When CO targets were met, subjects typically smoked 4–6 daytime cigarettes and abstained for about 5 hours prior to the afternoon CO measurement. Little change in smoking was seen on occasions when targets were not met, and no compensatory increases in evening smoking were ever apparent.
A Bone Anabolic Effect of RANKL in a Murine Model of Osteoporosis Mediated Through FoxP3+ CD8 T Cells

TNF-α and IL-17 secreted by proinflammatory T cells (T(EFF)) promote bone erosion by activating osteoclasts. We previously demonstrated that in addition to bone resorption, osteoclasts act as antigen-presenting cells to induce FoxP3 in CD8 T cells (Tc(REG)). The osteoclast-induced regulatory CD8 T cells limit bone resorption in ovariectomized mice (a murine model of postmenopausal osteoporosis). Here we show that although low-dose receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) maximally induces Tc(REG) via Notch signaling pathway to limit bone resorption, high-dose RANKL promotes bone resorption. In vitro, both TNF-α and IL-17, cytokines that are abundant in ovariectomized animals, suppress Tc(REG) induction by osteoclasts by repressing Notch ligand expression in osteoclasts, but this effect can be counteracted by addition of RANKL. Ovariectomized mice treated with low-dose RANKL induced Tc(REG) that suppressed bone resorption, decreased T(EFF) levels, and increased bone formation. High-dose RANKL had the expected osteolytic effect. Low-dose RANKL administration in ovariectomized mice lacking CD8 T cells was also osteolytic, confirming that Tc(REG) mediate this bone anabolic effect. Our results show that although RANKL directly stimulates osteoclasts to resorb bone, it also controls the osteoclasts' ability to induce regulatory T cells, engaging an important negative feedback loop. In addition to the conceivable clinical relevance to treatment of osteoporosis, these observations have potential relevance to induction of tolerance and autoimmune diseases.
Effects of repeated application of water stress on water status and growth of wheat

The effects on water status and growth of controlled cycles of water stress applied at various stages of development were studied on a semi-dwarf spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The plants were grown in controlled environment chambers of the Duke University Phytetron at 24/18°C with a 12-h photo-period at about 600 μE m−2 s−1. Groups of plants were subjected to severe water stress by withholding irrigation, beginning at the 7th leaf, early anthesis, or early dough stages of development. A second cycle started 9 to 13 days after termination of the first cycle and maintained until the flag leaf water potential reached –25 bars at each of the growth stages. The lower leaves showed sign of wilting as indicated by curling in the first drying cycle at –7 bars and in the second cycle at –9 bars of leaf water potential during all stages of growth. Although these leaves recovered completely upon rewatering, onset of senescence was accelerated by three days in stressed plants. A preliminary drying cycle did not increase the ability of the plants to withstand subsequent stress because of severity of stress. Water stress of –25 bars at all three stages of growth reduced seed yield. The reduction was greater when a second stress cycle was also applied. Stress applied during early anthesis stage produced the smallest and the least number of seeds. The lack of osmotic adjustment probably was due to very rapid and severe development of water stress.
Authentic virtual others? The promise of post-modern technologies

While modern technological development has promised the liberation of humanity from the constraints of the natural world: disease, toil, hunger and so on, post-modern technological developments promise a new kind of liberation: the freeing of humanity from the limitations and burdens found in the social world of people. Emerging technologies such as virtual humans and sociable robots exemplify this post-modern promise. This paper aims to explore the potential unintended consequence of such technologies and question the character of the “liberation” they promise. While virtual “other” technologies are being developed under the guise of solving social problems and providing therapeutics, the full effect of their deployment will be much more profound. Developers of virtual others do not aim to create fully intelligent social actors but merely to evoke a sense of social presence. It is notable, however, how easily social presence and attachment are evoked in human beings. The difficulty does not lie in the suspension of disbelief but rather in fighting the unconscious and pre-rational urge to anthropomorphize and imagine objects as social others. As imperfect but highly seductive simulations, virtual others are instances of post-modern hyperreality. Embracing them, I argue, carries the risk of an undesirable shift in the collective conception of authentic sociality. Rather than succumbing to technological somnambulism and naively believing that virtual others can be held at the rational distance necessary to prevent any unwanted reshaping of human social interaction, one should be cautious and critical of what the post-modern promise of technology holds in store for those who pursue it.
Stochastic Damage Growth Model for Fuselage Splices with Multisite Damage

Research has been conducted on methods for risk assessment of fuselage splice joints containing multisite damage (MSD), and extensive test data from MSD specimens have been obtained. The objective is to propose a test data-based methodology for probabilistic analysis of lap splices with MSD. In the probabilistic analysis, the failure characteristics of nine noncorroded MSD specimens under fatigue loading were examined, and a failure criterion was proposed involving an aggregated lead crack in a segment where the first linkup occurred. A curve-fitting technique was used to characterize the growth behavior of the aggregated lead crack in each specimen. The total fatigue life of each specimen was divided into two stages: damage starting and damage growth. The starting life was assumed to follow a lognormal distribution derived from the test data. In the growth stage, a stochastic damage growth model was developed based on the censored test data. This model, along with the derived distribution of the visible damage starting life, was used to predict the probability of failure for the MSD specimens tested. Comparisons between the data from analysis and test were made and are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed model.
Parkinson's Disease: The Case for Novel Treatment Strategies

Over the past 30 years, significant strides have been made toward improving symptomatic therapy of patients with Parkinson's disease. However, limitations persist, and the incremental improvement each new drug offers a patient yields only a minimal advantage therapeutically. Therefore, to alter meaningfully the natural course of this debilitating disorder, which becomes more prevalent each year in our society, significant novel therapeutic approaches must be tested. Genetic intervention in Parkinson's disease may offer an entirely different method for treating this disease in the future, based not only on symptomatic therapy, but also on neuroprotective and/or neuroregenerative therapy which would alter the natural history of relentless progression.
Guidelines and limitations to cladoceran paleoecological interpretations

Abstract In order to interpret the remains of Cladocera in lake sediments we have to understand the balance of abiotic and biotic forces responsible for their distribution and abundance in present-day lakes. Once these factors are understood we can reverse the arguments to infer past lake environs from cladoceran remains in the sediments. Cladocera have physiological limits, and the physiochemical boundaries set by these limits establish the abiotic habitat in which biotic factors (predation, competition) operate. It is difficult to establish which factors are responsible for community structure in present-day communities. Consequently, a thoughtful and careful analysis of all available evidence is necessary to interpret paleoassemblages. Paleoecologists are faced with conceptual problems we have termed the “cosmic quadrat.“ The cosmic quadrat blends ecological levels of integration, temporal, and spatial dimensions that put logical constraints on our interpretations.
Probiotics and prebiotics for gastrointestinal infections.

There is growing interest in and knowledge about the potential health-promoting benefits of both probiotics and prebiotics. Multiple mechanisms of action for the beneficial effect of probiotics and prebiotics have been postulated, including prevention of pathogenic bacteria growth, production of antimicrobial agents, stimulation of mucosal barrier function, and altering immunoregulation. Clinical trials support the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea, the prevention of antibiotic associated diarrhea, and the prevention of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. Although some data support the potential benefit of probiotic therapy in traveler’s diarrhea, diverticular disease, and Helicobacter pylori, the strength of this evidence is limited. This paper will review the recent literature relevant to the mechanism of action and utility of probiotics and prebiotics in the treatment of gastrointestinal infections.
Behavioral psychotherapy for children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder : an open trial of a new protocol-driven treatment package

ABSTRACT Objective The authors present an open trial of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Method The authors developed a treatment manual explicitly designed to facilitate (1) patient and parental compliance, (2) exportability, and (3) empirical evaluation. Successive versions of the manual were used to treat 15 consecutive child and adolescent patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, most of whom were also treated with medications. Results Statistical analyses showed a significant benefit for treatment immediately posttreatment and at follow-up. Nine patients experienced at least a 50% reduction in symptoms on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale at posttreatment; 6 were asymptomatic on the National Institute of Mental Health Global Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. No patients relapsed at follow-up intervals as long as 18 months. Booster behavioral treatment allowed medication discontinuation in 6 patients. No patient refused treatment; 2 discontinued prematurely. Conclusions Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, alone or in combination with pharmacotherapy, appears to be a safe, acceptable, and effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents.
Characterization of a Neutrophilic, Chemolithoautotrophic Fe(II)-Oxidizing β -Proteobacterium from Freshwater Wetland Sediments

A neutrophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterium (FeOB) isolated from Fe-rich freshwater wetland sediments has been phylogenetically and physiologically characterized. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of this organism (designated strain TW2) places it among the Rhodocyclus group within the β-proteobacteria. The closest known relative to strain TW2 is the heterotrophic perchlorate reducer Dechlorosoma suillum, with 94% 16S rRNA gene identity. TW2 grows chemolithoautotrophically with Fe(II) as an electron donor and O2 as an electron acceptor. Inorganic carbon fixation during growth on Fe(II) was demonstrated via H14CO3 − fixation experiments. The organism can also grow organotrophically with acetate as the sole carbon and energy source, and can utilize acetate as an auxiliary source of fixed carbon which enhances cell yield (2–3-fold) during lithotrophic growth on Fe(II). No other electron donors and no electron acceptors other than O2 were utilized. The organism's ability to grow with Fe(II) and acetate, along with its...