cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leucine Supplementation Does Not Restore Diminished Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cell Abundance and Myonuclear Accretion When Protein Intake Is Limiting in Neonatal Pigs.

BACKGROUND Rapid growth of skeletal muscle in the neonate requires the coordination of protein deposition and myonuclear accretion. During this developmental stage, muscle protein synthesis is highly sensitive to amino acid supply, especially Leu, but we do not know if this is true for satellite cells, the source of muscle fiber myonuclei. OBJECTIVE We examined whether dietary protein restriction reduces myonuclear accretion in the neonatal pig, and if any reduction in myonuclear accretion is mitigated by restoring Leu intake. METHODS Neonatal pigs (1.53 ± 0.2 kg) were fitted with jugular vein and gastric catheters and fed 1 of 3 isoenergetic milk replacers every 4 h for 21 d: high protein [HP; 22.5 g protein/(kg/d); n= 8]; restricted protein [RP; 11.2 g protein/(kg/d); n= 10]; or restricted protein with Leu [RPL; 12.0 g protein/(kg/d); n= 10]. Pigs were administered 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU; 15 mg/kg) intravenously every 12 h from days 6 to 8. Blood was sampled on days 6 and 21 to measure plasma Leu concentrations. On day 21, pigs were killed and the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle was collected to measure cell morphometry, satellite cell abundance, myonuclear accretion, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system expression. RESULTS Compared with HP pigs, postprandial plasma Leu concentration in RP pigs was 37% and 47% lower on days 6 and 21, respectively (P < 0.05); Leu supplementation in RPL pigs restored postprandial Leu to HP concentrations. Dietary protein restriction reduced LD myofiber cross-sectional area by 21%, satellite cell abundance by 35%, and BrdU+ myonuclear abundance by 25% (P < 0.05); Leu did not reverse these outcomes. Dietary protein restriction reduced LD muscle IGF2 expression by 60%, but not IGF1 or IGF1R expression (P < 0.05); Leu did not rescue IGF2 expression. CONCLUSIONS Satellite cell abundance and myonuclear accretion in neonatal pigs are compromised when dietary protein intake is restricted and are not restored with Leu supplementation.
Promoting STEAM education with child-robot musical theater

In an eight-week STEAM education program for elementary school children, kids worked on musical theater projects with a variety of robots. The program included 4 modules about acting, dancing, music & sounds, and drawing. Twenty-five children grades K-5 participated in this program. Children were excited by the program and they demonstrated collaboration and peer-to-peer interactive learning. In the future, we plan to add more robust interaction and more science and engineering experiences to the program. This program is expected to promote STEM education in the informal learning environment by combining it with arts and design.
Taking Antitrust Away From the Courts: A Structural Approach to Reversing the Second Age of Monopoly Power

A small number of firms hold significant market power in a wide variety of sectors of the economy, leading commentators across the political spectrum to call for a reinvigoration of antitrust enforcement. But the antitrust agencies have been surprisingly timid in response to this challenge, and when they have tried to assert themselves, they have often found that hostile courts block their ability to foster competitive markets. In other areas of law, Congress delegates power to agencies, agencies make regulations setting standards, and courts provide deferential review after the fact. Antitrust doesn’t work this way. Courts – made up of non-expert, unaccountable judges – set much of antitrust policy. This report provides a set of recommendations to take antitrust away from the courts – to restructure the antitrust laws and agencies in order to enhance the government’s ability to enforce antitrust laws more effectively and more transparently.
Variable Infiltration-Capacity Model Sensitivity, Parameter Uncertainty, and Data Augmentation for the Diyala River Basin in Iraq

AbstractTo construct a valid model, hydrologists face challenges in determining sensitivity to the forcing data and uncertainty in model parameters. These require basin data and forcing data from d...
Are Third-Party Fundamental Valuations Relevant in Public-Company Takeovers?

In U.S. M&A, target directors are effectively required to consider third-party financial valuations, summarized in a “fairness opinion,” before accepting a takeover offer. Critics argue that these valuations are not relevant for public companies, which can assess the desirability of the deal in terms of the market premium. I identify conditions under which a target’s pre-deal market price will not provide directors with sufficient information to assess a takeover offer, and test for whether fairness valuations provide incrementally relevant information. I find they can impound expected transaction synergies and unravel abnormal runups in the target’s stock price prior to the announcement, and may signal ex ante fundamental mispricing. I also find that providers bias their valuations to cater to their clients. This suggests that third-party fundamental valuation has a plausible role in the governance of public-company takeovers, and has flaws in its current implementation.
Evidence of artificial habitat use by a recovering marine predator in southern California.

The giant sea bass Stereolepis gigas Ayres 1859 (GSB) is a critically endangered top marine predator in California. Since protection in 1982 and 1994, the population has appeared to increase, and individuals within a growing population may expand their ranges to new habitats to reduce intraspecific competition and increase foraging opportunities. In 2016-2018, two GSB tagged with acoustic transmitters were detected at artificial reefs for periods of up to 3 months during October-March, and one individual travelled 53 km from an offshore island to mainland California in 56 h. Artificial reefs may provide important foraging opportunities for these protected marine predators as they recover from exploitation.
HSP90 expression and early recurrence in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: Potential for a novel therapeutic target.

Abstract Background Heat shock protein (HSP)-90 promotes tumor growth and is overexpressed in many malignancies. HSP90 expression profile and its potential as a therapeutic target in primary and metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are not known. Methods HSP90 cytoplasmic expression and Ki-67 index were re-reviewed and scored by a pathologist blinded to all other clinicopathologic variables for patients who underwent resection of primary and metastatic gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) neuroendocrine tumors at a single institution (2000–2013). Primary outcome was recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results Of 263 tumors reviewed, 73% (n = 191) were primary GEP NETs, and 12% (n = 31) were NET liver metastases. Of the primary GEP-NETs, mean age was 56 years, 42% were male; 53% (n = 103) were pancreatic and 23% (n = 44) were small bowel. HSP90 expression was high in 34% (n = 64) and low in 66% (n = 127). Compared to low expression, high HSP90 was associated with advanced T-stage (T3/T4) (47 vs 27%; p = 0.02). Among patients who underwent curative-intent resections for primary, non-metastatic NETs (n = 145), high HSP90 was independently associated with worse RFS (HR 5.09, 95% CI 1.65–15.74; p = 0.005), after accounting for positive margin, LN involvement, increased tumor size, site of primary tumor, and Ki-67. When assessing NET liver metastases, 13% (n = 4) had high HSP90 expression and 87% (n = 26) had low expression. Patients with liver metastases with high HSP90 tended to have worse 1- and 3-year progression-free survival (25%, 25%) compared to those with low HSP90 (69%, 49%; p = 0.059). Conclusion HSP90 exhibits differential expression in resected GEP-NETs and liver metastases. High cytoplasmic expression is associated with early disease recurrence, even after accounting for other adverse pathologic factors. HSP90 inhibition may be a potential therapeutic target for neuroendocrine tumors.
Adapted gauge to small mass ratio binary black hole evolutions

We explore the benefits of adapted gauges to small mass ratio binary black hole evolutions in the moving puncture formulation. We find expressions that approximate the late time behavior of the lapse and shift, $({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{0},{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{0})$, and use them as initial values for their evolutions. We also use a position and black hole mass dependent damping term, $\ensuremath{\eta}[{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{x}}_{1}(t),{\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{x}}_{2}(t),{m}_{1},{m}_{2}]$, in the shift evolution, rather than a constant or conformal-factor dependent choice. We have found that this substantially reduces noise generation at the start of the numerical integration and keeps the numerical grid stable around both black holes, allowing for more accuracy with lower resolutions. We test our choices for this gauge in detail in a case study of a binary with a $7\ensuremath{\mathbin:}1$ mass ratio, and then use $15\ensuremath{\mathbin:}1$ and $32\ensuremath{\mathbin:}1$ binaries for a convergence study. Finally, we apply our new gauge to a $64\ensuremath{\mathbin:}1$ binary and a $128\ensuremath{\mathbin:}1$ binary to well cover the comparable and small mass ratio regimes.
A comparison of oncologic and functional outcomes in patients with pt3a renal cell carcinoma treated with partial and radical nephrectomy.

ABSTRACT Hypothesis: Partial Nephrectomy is oncological safe in patients with pT3a RCC. Purpose: To compare the oncological and functional outcomes of patients with pT3a RCC scheduled for PN and RN. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with pT3a N0 M0 RCC who underwent partial or radical nephrectomy from 2005 to 2016. Perioperative characteristics, including estimated glomerular filtration rate, tumor size, pathological histology, and RENAL nephrometry score, were compared between patients scheduled for partial or radical nephrectomy. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models to compare overall survival, cancer-specific survival, and recurrence-free survival between planned procedure type. Results: Of the 589 patients, 369 (63%) and 220 (37%) were scheduled for radical and partial nephrectomy, respectively; 26 (12%) of the scheduled partial nephrectomy cases were intraoperatively converted to radical nephrectomy. After adjusting for tumor size and histology, there were no statistically significant differences in overall survival (hazard ratio 0.66; 95% CI, 0.38–1.13), cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio 0.53; 95% CI, 0.16–1.75), or recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio 0.66; 95% CI, 0.34–1.28) between patients scheduled for partial or radical nephrectomy. Fewer patients scheduled for partial nephrectomy had estimated glomerular filtration rate reductions 3 to 9 months after surgery than patients scheduled for radical nephrectomy. Conclusion: We found no evidence that patients scheduled to undergo partial nephrectomy had poorer oncologic outcomes than patients scheduled to undergo radical nephrectomy. In select patients with pT3a renal cell carcinoma in whom partial nephrectomy is deemed feasible by the surgeon, partial nephrectomy should not be discouraged.
Instructional design with the ICE approach in academic libraries: A framework that integrates assessing, learning, and teaching

Abstract One-shot instruction in academic libraries is a librarian-controlled bibliographic instruction that responds to the point of information need for subject-related courses. The assessment of teaching effectiveness tends to take a summative approach, which provides an answer to what students learned but does not address how they learned. This column theoretically explores the framework of Ideas-Connections-Extensions (ICE) in library instruction and the classroom setting, which demonstrates learning outcomes and explores the learning journey, and integrates assessment, learning, and teaching through collaborative efforts by academic librarians and classroom faculty.
Planning for Sustainable Coastlines in the United States in an Era of Climate Change: An Examination of Major Policy Barriers

The United States is a coastal nation. More than two-thirds of its population live within coastal states. Many of these developed coastal areas are low-lying, subject to flooding and similar hazards related to sea level rise. Historical policies have incentivized coastal development and redevelopment. And today, as a direct result of sea level rise, ecologically important coastal attributes are being eroded. This paper examines historical and current policies associated with coastal development in the United States. Using a policy evolution analytical framework, specific policies are identified that have incentivized coastal development while simultaneously discounting existing and emerging coastal hazard risks. It then explores the kinds of policy evolutions required to better internalize emerging climate change risks to coastal areas while also supporting the ecological integrity of coastlines. Findings indicate key existing policies supporting coastal development aid in discounting the increasing risks to coastal areas, while also incentivizing the flow of capital for development purposes. The recommendations from this analysis can be generally applied to coastal areas under the dual considerations of development and coastal ecosystem integrity in an era of climate change.
Let's Give Them Something to Talk About: Which Social Media Engagements Predict Purchase Frequency?

Abstract Although marketers spend billions of dollars on social media platforms in an effort to make a connection with their customers, few know if their social media activation in the form of Social Network Advertising (SNA) is positively affecting their business. For example, little research exists as to which types of Digital Consumer Engagement (DCE) (if any) are associated with purchase frequency. Advancing a theoretical framework of social media engagement, the authors test the association between various forms of DCE and customer behavior using archived field data. By matching store visit data from 1,066 loyalty program members of a leading national fast casual restaurant with their engagements on the brand's Facebook page, the authors are able to compare the strength of the relationships between various forms of engagement and store visit frequency. Results reveal that some Facebook engagements are significantly associated with increased or decreased store visits while others exhibit no discernible effects. Empirical support is provided for a proposed hierarchy of DCE, with engagements perceived as reflecting strong DCE being more strongly associated with purchase frequency than those with moderate or weak DCE.
Alternative Techniques For Picosecond Spectroscopy

Photoacoustic detection methods and tunable laser-induced grating techniques can both provide useful new measurement capabilities for studying ultrafast physical and chemical processes and lifetimes. The photoacoustic technique, which measures the total acoustic impulse produced by two variable-delay picosecond pulses in an absorbing sample, provides a sensitive and effective technique for measuring the absolute cross sections and lifetimes of weakly absorbing excited states, with time resolution limited only by the optical pulsewidths. The transient grating techniques, which measure the probe beam diffraction from the moving excited- state gratings induced in a sample by two dye laser beams with a tunable difference frequency, provide an effective method for measuring picosecond and subpicosecond physical phenomena through measurements made in the frequency domain. Tunable transient grating measurements on organic dyes using both two-laser and three-laser methods will be described.
Aging of Adrenal Cortex and Ovary

The early impetus to study hormone secretion in aging resulted from attempts to understand the failing libido noted in many older men. The topic has been investigated and reinvestigated as methods improved, from crude bioassays to crude steroid measurements (the 17-ketosteroids) arriving finally at our present level of sophistication in hormone analysis. Nevertheless, even the semiquantitative bioassays and the gross group measurements of steroids revealed the basic outlines of aging in the adrenal cortex and ovary.
Some Remarks on “Passive” Concentration and on Autogenic Shift

For some years we have been interested in the psycho-physiological and neuro-physiological aspects of autogenic training. In our previous published papers our attention was centred on two major problems: the pattern of the EEG and vegetative patterns during the standard exercises of autogenic training, and the EEG and vegetative reactivity during the autogenic state (Jus and Jus, 1960, 1963, 1965a, 1965b, 1965c; Luthe et al., 1963). In our present studies, we are mainly concerned with research on “passive” concentration and on the nature of the autogenic shift itself.
Global R&D Strategies of Downstream Firms and the Role of Suppliers

Globalization generally refers to an evolving pattern of cross-border activities that industrial firms undertake. The basic idea of globalization is that firms compete more efficiently via a worldwide network of subsidiaries and arm’s-length contractual relationships; this cross-border network enables a firm’s managers to access relevant information quickly and to reach important decisions without delay. A well-functioning cross-border network of formal and informal relationships is the primary feature distinguishing a globalized firm from other firms.
Generalization of Grover's Algorithm to Multiobject Search in Quantum Computing, Part I: Continuous Time and Discrete Time

L. K. Grover's search algorithm in quantum computing gives an optimal, quadratic speedup in the search for a single object in a large unsorted database. In this paper, we generalize Grover's algorithm in a Hilbert-space framework for both continuous and discrete time cases that isolates its geometrical essence to the case where more than one object satisfies the search criterion.
Multi criteria selection of components using the analytic hierarchy process

The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) has been successfully used in the past for the selection of components, as presented in case studies in the literature. In this paper, an empirical study using AHP to rank components is presented. The components used in the study are for data compression; each implements one of the Arithmetic Encoding (AREC), Huffman coding (HUFF), Burrows-Wheeler Transform (BWT), Fractal Image Encoding (FRAC), and Embedded Zero-Tree Wavelet Encoder (EZW) algorithms. The ranking is a semi-automated approach that is based on using rigorously collected data for the components' behavior; selection criteria include maximum memory usage, total response time, and security properties (e.g., data integrity). The results provide a clear indication that AHP is appropriate for the task of selecting components when several criteria must be considered. Though the study is limited to select components based on multiple non-functional criteria, the approach can be expanded to include multiple functional criteria.
Collaboration Strategies for Reforming Systems of Care: A Toolkit for Community-Based Action

The mental health delivery system in the United States is fragmented and disorganized resulting in inappropriate and inconstent care. The cost of mental illness has led to devastating effects on pe...
Fifteen-year trend in the use of male reproductive surgery: Analysis of the healthcare cost and utilization project data

OBJECTIVE • To determine trends in male reproductive surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS • A database analysis was performed using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project databases from 1988, 1992 and 1998-2002. SAS statistical software was used to estimate the total numbers of reproductive surgeries and their variances for each year. RESULTS • The number of male reproductive surgeries has declined during the period of study, both in the inpatient and outpatient arenas. The number of procedures with a diagnosis of infertility has also declined. CONCLUSION • The number of male reproductive surgeries has declined from 1988 to 2002.
Interior PMSM double layer rotor core parametric design study

This paper presents a rotor core design parameter study of double layer rotor type interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (TPMSM) for numerous objective functions. A specific study approach is proposed, and 16 distinct cases are evaluated using finite element analysis (FEA) and a two-level fractional factorial design introduced in the paper. FEA yields more accurate results for the objective functions than the magnetic equivalent circuit method because the rotor structure has a complicated arrangement of permanent magnets, barriers, bridges, and lips. A prototype was manufactured based on the multi-objective optimal design developed using the proposed study method. The simulation results are experimentally verified using the prototype.
Impermanence of dendritic spines in live adult CA1 hippocampus

The mammalian hippocampus is crucial for episodic memory formation and transiently retains information for about 3-4 weeks in adult mice and longer in humans. Although neuroscientists widely believe that neural synapses are elemental sites of information storage, there has been no direct evidence that hippocampal synapses persist for time intervals commensurate with the duration of hippocampal-dependent memory. Here we tested the prediction that the lifetimes of hippocampal synapses match the longevity of hippocampal memory. By using time-lapse two-photon microendoscopy in the CA1 hippocampal area of live mice, we monitored the turnover dynamics of the pyramidal neurons' basal dendritic spines, postsynaptic structures whose turnover dynamics are thought to reflect those of excitatory synaptic connections. Strikingly, CA1 spine turnover dynamics differed sharply from those seen previously in the neocortex. Mathematical modelling revealed that the data best matched kinetic models with a single population of spines with a mean lifetime of approximately 1-2 weeks. This implies ∼100% turnover in ∼2-3 times this interval, a near full erasure of the synaptic connectivity pattern. Although N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blockade stabilizes spines in the neocortex, in CA1 it transiently increased the rate of spine loss and thus lowered spine density. These results reveal that adult neocortical and hippocampal pyramidal neurons have divergent patterns of spine regulation and quantitatively support the idea that the transience of hippocampal-dependent memory directly reflects the turnover dynamics of hippocampal synapses.
Processing of aerosol particles within the Habshan pollution plume

The Habshan industrial site in the United Arab Emirates produces a regional-scale pollution plume associated with oil and gas processing, discharging high loadings of sulfates and chlorides into the atmosphere, which interact with the ambient aerosol population. Aerosol particles and trace gas chemistry at this site were studied on two flights in the summer of 2002. Measurements were collected along vertical plume profiles to show changes associated with atmospheric processing of particle and gas components. Close to the outlet stack, particle concentrations were over 10,000 cm−3, dropping to <2000 cm−3 in more dilute plume around 1500 m above the stack. Particles collected close to the stack and within the dilute plume were individually measured for size, morphology, composition, and mixing state using transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Close to the stack, most coarse particles consisted of mineral dust and NaCl crystals from burning oil brines, while sulfate droplets dominated the fine mode. In more dilute plume, at least 1500 m above the stack, the particle spectrum was more diverse, with a significant increase in internally mixed particle types. Dilute plume samples consisted of coarse NaCl/silicate aggregates or NaCl-rich droplets, often with a sulfate component, while fine-fraction particles were of mixed cation sulfates, also internally mixed with nanospherical soot or silicates. Thus, both chloride and sulfate components of the pollution plume rapidly reacted with ambient mineral dust to form coated and aggregate particles, enhancing particle size, hygroscopicity, and reactivity of the coarse mode. The fine-fraction sulfate-bearing particles formed in the plume contribute to regional transport of sulfates, while coarse sulfate-bearing fractions locally reduced the SO2 loading through sedimentation. The chloride- and sulfate-bearing internally mixed particles formed in the plume markedly changed the reflectivity and scattering properties of the ambient aerosol population, as well as its hygroscopic and ice nucleation properties.
Quantifying citizens: neoliberal restructuring and immigrant selection in Canada and Australia

This article analyzes the ways in which Canadian and Australian immigration policies represent causes and consequences of neoliberal restructuring. Interrogating neoliberalism as a series of political-economic and moral changes derived from the marketization of societal and governmental arrangements, it illustrates how numerically-based ‘points systems’ have been employed as mechanisms for: gauging human capital; establishing indices of risk and undesirability; and promoting the ‘responsibilization’ of incoming migrants. In doing so the points systems' historical trajectory is traced through a variety of administrative reforms characteristic of neoliberal government and flexible accumulation. Ultimately, this article contends that as rational, technical and economically guided systems of enumeration and assessment, both governments' policies mirror, enhance and extend neoliberal arrangements and sensibilities. In providing ostensibly objective techniques of evaluation the points systems have assisted in i...
Chemical synthesis of nanoscale Aurivillius ceramics, Bi 2 A 2 TiM 2 O 12 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba and M = Nb, Ta)

A group of three-layered Aurivillius compounds with composition Bi2A2TiM2O12, where A = Ca, Sr, Ba and M = Nb and Ta, have been synthesized as nanoscale powders using two variants of the complex polymerization method. A new modified method is presented that yields single phase powders using reaction temperatures as low as 700 °C and accommodates a wide range of chemical substitutions. The resulting crystallites have dimensions below 100 nm and surface area ~10 m2/g. In situ analysis of the decomposition of the polymeric precursor shows that the polymer yields a three-phase mixture consisting of Bi2A2TiM2O12 and the metastable δ- and β-polymorphs of Bi2O3 upon heating under flowing air. Full kinetics analysis of a 2-step solid state synthesis method was used to demonstrate that the crystallization of δ Bi2O3 in the sol–gel method greatly accelerates the conversion to the Aurivillius phase. The fluorite structure of δ Bi2O3 is the same as that of the [Bi2O2]2+ layer in the Aurivillius phase, facilitating rapid and low-temperature crystallization of the Aurivillius phase from the δ Bi2O3 template.
Field Tests on Thyrite Lightning Arresters Using Artificial Lightning of 1,500,000 Volts

The impulse characteristics of thyrite station type arresters of various ratings have been studied when connected to a 45-mile transmission line. The surges were supplied by a 1,500,000-volt impulse generator. The volt-timle curves for arresters of various ratings were obtained under the conditions corresponding to the arrester on each incoming circuit, on the bus with two incoming circuits and on the bus with one incoming and one outgoing circuit. The oscillograms were found to check the calculations closely. With the arrester 90 ft. from a nearby tower the effect of tying arrester and tower grounds together was studied, and also the effect on flashover at nearby towers. The effect of flashover at a tower 1,660 ft. away on the operation of the arrester was determined. Oscillograms are given comparing the protective characteristic of a single-stack arrester with that of a two-stack arrester of the same rating. There is no discernable difference between the two characteristics. It has been proposed that line insulation for a distance of one-half mile from the station should be limited. Oscillograms are given for two arrester ratings, showing that, for the waves used, no protection is offered by the arrester at a distance of 2,180 ft. and a large part is lost at 500 ft. It is concluaded that the insulation should be limited at the arrester if the arrester is to protect it safely. The effect of the length of arrester connections is given, showing that on the 69-kv. arrester a loop 30 ft.
Behavioral, immunological, and hormonal responses associated with social change in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Twelve animals to be socially reorganized in a group of 49 animals were compared with ten animals in a socially stable group (n = 51) for reproductive hormones, cortisol concentrations, immune function, and behavioral patterns for a 6 week baseline and 16 week postreorganization period. Cortisol values, mitogen-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis, and rates of behavior reflected social events. Increased cortisols, increased noncontact aggression, and decreased mitogen response were associated with animal introductions. Increased cortisol concentration and decreased mitogen response correlated significantly only in animals removed from the group for trauma, and females successful at group membership exhibited lower cortisol concentrations. High-ranking animals in small stable groups exhibited significantly higher lymphocyte proliferation than middle- or low-ranking animals. While relative ranks established in small groups were maintained following reorganization, baseline cortisol values, immune measures, or male testosterone values did not predict success at group membership. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Starch foams containing biomass from the second generation cellulosic ethanol production

Second generation bioethanol is produced from lignocellulose which comes from agricultural waste instead of agricultural feedstock. This study utilized the residuals from the extraction of C5 and C6 sugars in the second generation bioethanol while 20 and 40 wt % of the biomass was blended with starch into a starch/biomass foam. After adding the biomass into starch foam, the morphology of the starch foam changed significantly, showing rough surfaces, higher cell densities, as well as smaller cell areas than the starch only foam. Adding the biomass into the starch overall resulted in the reduction of the compressive strength, the stiffness, and the density of the starch foam. The water sensitivity of the starch foam/biomass was reduced by 60%, indicating a significant improvement of the hydrophilic nature of the starch foam. The foam/biomass demonstrated a lower thermal stability than neat starch foam due to the decomposition of the biomass. The study concluded that the biomass from the second generation cellulosic ethanol process possess similar physical, mechanical, and thermal properties as the other starch foam composite, and yet, no additive is required. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41940.
Explaining Developmental Reversals in False Memory

We report the first demonstration that a simple, theory-driven manipulation produces opposite developmental trends in false memory for the same information. When 6-, 10-, and 14-year-olds studied lists containing exemplars of familiar taxonomic categories, false memory for the same unpresented items (category exemplars and labels) increased with age if list items were semantically related but decreased with age if semantic relations could not be formed among list items. A control experiment ruled out the hypothesis that these results were due to young children having generic deficits in forming relations among list items.
"Well-tempered" diuresis renography: its historical development, physiological and technical pitfalls, and standardized technique protocol.

Differentiating the various causes of hydronephrosis from that of obstruction can be very difficult. Diuretic renography has been adopted as a noninvasive clinical management tool to assist in this differentiation. However, the correlation of the results of diuresis renography, the Whitaker test, and the surgical results has only been between 40% and 85%. This is believed to be due to the many physiological factors and technical pitfalls of the technique. These include variable renal function, variable compliance of the collecting system, the effect of back pressure from a full bladder, the state of hydration, the choice of radiopharmaceutical, and the timing of the diuretic injection. Even the technique of measuring the clearance half-time (T 1/2 ) is controversial, with at least eight different methods defined. In order to diminish the effect of these variables, a standardized protocol for diuretic renography has been proposed by a consortium of members of the Society for Fetal Urology and the Pediatric Nuclear Medicine Club of the Society of Nuclear Medicine. These include a standardized hydration with a dilute glucose solution, bladder catheterization and measurement of urine output response, uniform radiopharmaceutical choice, and diuretic dose with specific timing of the diuretic injection. The various methods for T 1/2 calculation are illustrated, and various steteotypical renogram and diuresis response curves are offered as aids in the interpretation of the study. Diuresis renography is one of the most complex functional studies in nuclear medicine today. A thorough understanding of the physiological basis for diuresis renography and the pitfalls of the technique is required for its appropriate use in the management of patients suspected of urinary tract obstruction.
Crystal Structure and Catalytic Mechanism of PglD from Campylobacter jejuni

The carbohydrate 2, 4-diacetamido-2, 4, 6-trideoxy-α-d-glucopyranose (BacAc2) is found in a variety of eubacterial pathogens. In Campylobacter jejuni, PglD acetylates the C4 amino group on UDP-2-acetamido-4-amino-2, 4, 6-trideoxy-α-d-glucopyranose (UDP-4-amino-sugar) to form UDP-BacAc2. Sequence analysis predicts PglD to be a member of the left-handed β helix family of enzymes. However, poor sequence homology between PglD and left-handed β helix enzymes with existing structural data precludes unambiguous identification of the active site. The co-crystal structures of PglD in the presence of citrate, acetyl coenzyme A, or the UDP-4-amino-sugar were solved. The biological assembly is a trimer with one active site formed between two protomers. Residues lining the active site were identified, and results from functional assays on alanine mutants suggest His-125 is critical for catalysis, whereas His-15 and His-134 are involved in substrate binding. These results are discussed in the context of implications for proteins homologous to PglD in other pathogens.
Neovenatorid theropods are apex predators in the Late Cretaceous of North America

Allosauroids were common Jurassic–Cretaceous megapredators that disappeared in the Late Cretaceous faunal turnover. Here, Zanno and Makovicky describe Siats meekerorum, a giant new North American allosauroid from the Late Cretaceous, demonstrating that this clade co-occurred with and competitively excluded smaller tyrannosaurs.
A comparison of patterns of care of nonsmall cell lung carcinoma patients in a younger and Medigap commercially insured cohort.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to examine and compare lifetime treatment patterns and hospitalization of incident nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) between pre-Medicare eligible (age < 65 years) and supplemental Medigap (age ≥ 65 years) enrollees in a commercially insured cohort using insurance claims. METHODS Claims from Virginia Blue Cross and Blue Shield beneficiaries with NSCLC submitted between 1989-1991 were merged with records from the Virginia Cancer Registry (VCR). Data from the VCR identified incident cases, disease stage, and type of tumor. Initial treatment categories were stratified using Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology codes. RESULTS There were 1706 incident NSCLC patients; 349 were age ≤ 64 years ("younger") and 1212 were age ≥ 65 years ("elderly"). Having commercial insurance was not associated with any survival advantage compared with national averages at 2 years. In comparison with elderly patients, younger patients more often were treated with surgery for local disease (80.2% vs. 54.8%) and surgery alone or in combination with radiation for regional disease (51.9% vs. 32.0%). Radiation was used more often in elderly patients compared with younger patients with local disease (30.5% vs. 14.0%) but less often in patients with distant disease (76.2% vs. 54.9%). Compared with elderly patients, younger patients presenting with distant disease received more chemotherapy (18.8% vs. 5.1%; P < 0.001); late palliative use of chemotherapy or radiation occurred in only 4-8% of younger patients. Compared with elderly patients, younger patients with regional or distant disease spent more days in the hospital (compared with national averages at 2 years: regional disease, 30.0 vs. 23.9 days; distant disease, 33.0 vs. 21.4 days; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study show that more comprehensive health insurance is not associated with better outcomes in patients with NSCLC. Age specific trends for greater use of surgery, radiation, and total hospitalization in younger patients is consistent with other reports. Commercial health care claims supplemented by clinical staging from cancer registries can address long term practice patterns in patients with cancer. Cancer 1998;83:1930-1937. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Confronting Soviet Power: U.S. Policy during the Early Cold War

Many self-identified realist, liberal, and constructivist scholars contend that ideology played a critical role in generating and shaping the United States' decision to confront the Soviet Union in the early Cold War. A close look at the history reveals that these ideological arguments fail to explain key aspects of U.S. policy. Contrary to ideological explanations, the United States initially sought to cooperate with the Soviet Union, did not initially pressure communist groups outside the Soviet orbit, and later sought to engage communist groups that promised to undermine Soviet power. The U.S. decision to confront the Soviets stemmed instead from the distribution of power. U.S. policy shifted toward a confrontational approach as the balance of power in Eurasia tilted in favor of the Soviet Union. In addition, U.S. leaders tended to think and act in a manner consistent with balance of power logic. The primacy of power over ideology in U.S. policymaking—given the strong liberal tradition in the United St...
Image-guided spinal surgery

Frameless stereotactic image-guided techniques may be used in spinal surgery to better define anatomical landmarks, to precisely localize pathological lesions and their borders, and to assist in the precise placement of instrumentation. This technology may be applied to surgery involving the entire spinal axis. Currently, it is best suited for dorsal approaches. However, modifications will soon be available that will vastly expand its application into the ventral region as well.
Measurement of surface tension of tantalum by a dynamic technique in a microgravity environment

A dynamic technique has been used in a microgravity environment to measure the surface tension of tantalum at its melting point. The basic method involves resistively heating a tubular specimen from ambient temperature to temperatures above its melting point in about 1 s by passing an electrical current pulse through it, while simultaneously measuring the pertinent experimental quantities with millisecond resolution. A balance between the magnetic and the surface tension forces acting on the specimen is achieved by splitting the current after it passes through the specimen tube and returning a fraction of the current along the tube axis and the remaining fraction concentrically outside the specimen. Values for surface tension are determined from measurements of the equilibrium dimensions of the molten specimen tube and the magnitudes of the currents. Rapid melting experiments were performed during microgravity simulations with NASA's KC-135 aircraft and the results were analyzed, yielding a value of 2.07±0.06 N · m−1 for the surface tension of tantalum at its melting point. Conditions for improving specimen stability during temperature excursions into the liquid phase are discussed.
Effects of central depressant drugs on respiratory regulation in the decerebrate cat.

Abstract Effects of a-chloralose, pentobarbital, urethane, and morphine on the functional components of the central respiratory controlling system were studied in decerebrate cats. Tidal volume was utilized as the output index of CO 2 responsivity over a wide physiological range starting at the apneic threshold. Effects on the central mechanisms were analyzed by comparing quantitatively the influence of CO 2 upon spontaneous tidal ventilation (V Tsp ) with that upon the response to direct electrical stimulation of the inspiratory controller (V Tel ). Pentobarbital and urethane reduced the slope of the CO 2 response curve; they did not change the apneic threshold, and they depressed V Tel to a greater extent than V Tsp . On the other hand, chloralose and morphine increased the apneic threshold; they reduced the slope of the CO 2 response curve, and they depressed V Tsp to a greater extent than V Tel . It is suggested that pentobarbital and urethane acted selectively to reduce controller gain in order to produce the observed alterations of the CO 2 response curves whereas chloralose and morphine more selectively affected the CO 2 -detection mechanism.
Exercise evaluation of prosthetic heart valves by Doppler echocardiography: comparison with catheterization studies.

Although valve replacement remains the cornerstone of treatment for critical heart valve dysfunction, problems including thromboembolism, infection, and primary failure of the prosthesis remain. Resting studies of valve hemodynamics are sometimes insufficient to reveal valve dysfunction. Early studies using cardiac catheterization focused on changes in prosthetic function seen with various types of exercise or drug-induced stress. These studies suffered from an inability to adequately stress catheterized patients and were cumbersome to the patient and the investigator. With the introduction of Doppler echocardiography, however, studies could be performed after significant exercise with low risk and increased ease. Using echocardiography, reports of exercise-induced changes in aortic and mitral valve hemodynamics have appeared. Over 600 patients have been studied using Doppler echocardiography. In the aortic position, all prostheses studied have a mild peak instantaneous gradient (18–26 mmHg) at rest, which increases with exercise (35–63 mmHg). No significant differences between the four models of mechanical prostheses studied are found. The gradients achieved with exercise do not appear to be related to the heart rate achieved or duration of exercise. Smaller prostheses are associated with larger gradients; however, the correlation was not strong. All mitral valve prostheses studied are also mildly stenotic at rest (range of mean gradients 2.3–7.1 mmHg) and become moderately stenotic with exercise (range 5.1–16.5). Although the lowest gradients are seen with St. Jude Medical and Medtronic Hall prostheses, their gradients are not significantly less than with other valves. Exercise duration and heart rate attained are not correlated to gradient, and valve size is not related to gradient except in the case of the larger St. Jude Medical valves. Other factors predictive of low levels of exercise tolerance are age >50 and predominant mitral regurgitation before replacement. In summary, exercise Doppler echocardiography offers a noninvasive technique to evaluate prosthetic heart valves. It is reproducible, safe, and less cumbersome than cardiac catheterization. A range of normal exercise hemodynamics has been established for aortic and mitral prostheses. Using these parameters, the diagnosis of early prosthetic dysfunction can be made.
Ground and Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer in OCCNN Ring

Abstract Molecular orbital calculations reveal that the keto tautomer of HOCHCHNHNCH 2 , unlike the enol, does not represent a minimum in the ground state proton transfer potential. Excitations to the first excited singlet or triplet state leads to a rapid and barrierless transfer to the keto which becomes strongly preferred. Similar conclusion apply to a larger system with a full aromatic ring appended.
Mass and mass distribution of below-knee prostheses : Effect on gait efficacy and self-selected walking speed

Abstract Objective: To study mass and mass distribution effect on function of below-knee prostheses. Design: Design modifications were done to produce proximal center of mass location versus distal center of mass location variations, and prosthesis weight was modified from 42% to 70% of normal limb weight. Work across joints of affected and unaffected extremities was compared to assess the ability of the prosthesis to substitute for function loss. Setting: University biomechanics laboratory. Participants: Fifteen volunteers with below-knee amputations, residual limb length greater than 8.3cm, but excluding Syme amputations. Interventions: Patients walked with all configurations at self-selected walking speeds and 120m/min. Main Outcome Measures: Self-selected walking speed and metabolic efficiency. Work across the joints of affected and unaffected sides was compared. Results: Proximal center of mass location produced a more efficient gait. Weight change from 42% to 70% of normal had no significant effect. Mechanical studies show that the prosthesis is a relatively poor substitute for the normal limb; most work is done by the nonamputated side. Particularly, the prosthesis failed to produce effective forward impulses on the body, resulting from push-off and deceleration of the swing leg. Conclusions: For a proximal center of mass, lightweight distal components (eg, feet) should be used; it is questionable whether further expenditure to develop ultralightweight prostheses would be cost effective for level walking.
Disgust, Moral Disgust, and Morality

This paper calls into question the idea that moral disgust is usefully regarded as a form of genuine disgust. This hypothesis is questionable even if, as some have argued, the spread of moral norms through a community makes use of signaling mechanisms that are central to core disgust. The signaling system is just one part of disgust, and may well be completely separable from it. Moreover, there is plausibly a significant difference between the cognitive scientist’s concept of an emotion and the everyday notion of that emotion. Finally, even if, as this paper contests, some form of disgust were directly elicited by the moral wrongness of certain kinds of behavior, research on the socio-moral elicitors of the disgust mechanism would still be unlikely to shed much direct light on the nature or content of morality.