cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maxent estimation of aquatic Escherichia coli stream impairment.

Background The leading cause of surface water impairment in United States' rivers and streams is pathogen contamination. Although use of fecal indicators has reduced human health risk, current approaches to identify and reduce exposure can be improved. One important knowledge gap within exposure assessment is characterization of complex fate and transport processes of fecal pollution. Novel modeling processes can inform watershed decision-making to improve exposure assessment. Methods We used the ecological model, Maxent, and the fecal indicator bacterium Escherichia coli to identify environmental factors associated with surface water impairment. Samples were collected August, November, February, and May for 8 years on Sinking Creek in Northeast Tennessee and analyzed for 10 water quality parameters and E. coli concentrations. Univariate and multivariate models estimated probability of impairment given the water quality parameters. Model performance was assessed using area under the receiving operating characteristic (AUC) and prediction accuracy, defined as the model's ability to predict both true positives (impairment) and true negatives (compliance). Univariate models generated action values, or environmental thresholds, to indicate potential E. coli impairment based on a single parameter. Multivariate models predicted probability of impairment given a suite of environmental variables, and jack-knife sensitivity analysis removed unresponsive variables to elicit a set of the most responsive parameters. Results Water temperature univariate models performed best as indicated by AUC, but alkalinity models were the most accurate at correctly classifying impairment. Sensitivity analysis revealed that models were most sensitive to removal of specific conductance. Other sensitive variables included water temperature, dissolved oxygen, discharge, and NO3. The removal of dissolved oxygen improved model performance based on testing AUC, justifying development of two optimized multivariate models; a 5-variable model including all sensitive parameters, and a 4-variable model that excluded dissolved oxygen. Discussion Results suggest that E. coli impairment in Sinking Creek is influenced by seasonality and agricultural run-off, stressing the need for multi-month sampling along a stream continuum. Although discharge was not predictive of E. coli impairment alone, its interactive effect stresses the importance of both flow dependent and independent processes associated with E. coli impairment. This research also highlights the interactions between nutrient and fecal pollution, a key consideration for watersheds with multiple synergistic impairments. Although one indicator cannot mimic theplethora of existing pathogens in water, incorporating modeling can fine tune an indicator's utility, providing information concerning fate, transport, and source of fecal pollution while prioritizing resources and increasing confidence in decision making.
Simulation and Methodology

As outlined in 1.3, our work assesses the performance characteristics of a multi-criteria scheduler that uses seniority as well as priority and load is to make decisions. It does so by using various simulation models to test the scheduling algorithm. Later in this book, the simulator used to conduct these simulations (dSim) is introduced.
Mass optimization of a supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle with a direct cooled nuclear reactor for space surface power

Abstract A long life, reliable, and compact surface power system will be necessary to achieve future goals in space exploration. This application uniquely requires the system to be optimized with respect to mass because system mass directly drives the space launch cost associated with transporting the system to its desired location. In this study, a supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle coupled to a direct-cooled nuclear reactor was designed and optimized for mass. Robust models were developed for each Brayton cycle component in order to model the cycle performance. The three most massive components of this cycle are the radiator-based heat rejection system (subsequently referred to as the “radiator”), recuperator, and reactor. Mass correlations for the recuperator and radiator were established through interactions with component experts from industry and national labs. A reactor model was developed to predict the minimum mass reactor that satisfies neutronic and thermal limitations for given cycle conditions. The system optimization explores tradeoffs between the reactor, recuperator, and radiator sizes in order to identify the least massive system that will satisfy the power (40 kWe) and life (10 yr) requirements. To explore the effects of turbine inlet temperature on system mass, three types of microtube and shell recuperator technologies were considered: baseline stainless steel (which is consistent with the industry partner’s current designs), stainless steel with non-heritage tube sizes (which requires further development of manufacturing techniques), and Inconel (which is not a current/legacy design). Both stainless steel designs have a temperature limit of 823 K, which limits the turbine inlet temperature to 900 K. The baseline stainless steel design results in a combined mass of 738 kg. The stainless steel design allowing for non-heritage tube sizes reduces the combined mass to 674 kg (a 9% improvement). The Inconel design leads to an optimal turbine inlet temperature of 1120 K and reduces the combined mass to 391 kg (a 47% improvement). Interesting conclusion from this study include: (1) radiator mass dominates the total mass, and this drives the cycle to relatively high heat rejection temperatures resulting in a compressor inlet state point that is not close to the vapor dome; thus, the typical advantages of an sCO2 system are not realized, and a working fluid with a higher critical temperature may be more suitable, and (2) neutronic limitations cause the reactor size to be relatively unaffected by the power level.
The importance of functional responses among competing predators for avian nesting success

The relationship between the rate of predation and prey abundance is an important component of predator–prey dynamics. However, functional responses are less straightforward when multiple predators compete for shared prey. Interactions among competing predators can reduce or enhance effects of predation on prey populations. Because many avian populations experience high rates of nest predation, understanding the role of specific predators on nest mortality will lead to more informed conservation and management strategies which attempt to increase productivity by removing certain predators or managing habitat to limit their impact. Our goal was to evaluate effects of specific predators and the influence of nest abundance on nest mortality. We monitored snowy plover Charadrius nivosus nests across 7 years at two study areas in Utah, USA, with remote cameras. We modelled predator‐specific hazard rates for nest mortality in a Bayesian framework to assess relationships between competing predators and the role of nest abundance on predator‐specific hazard rates. We found that hazard rates for nest mortality by gulls Larus spp. decreased with increasing nest abundance, whereas nest mortality by foxes Vulpes spp. and ravens Corvus corax initially increased, indicating that dietary switching may occur when nests become more abundant. Nest mortalities of specific predators were often not independent and ranged between compensatory (e.g. mammalian mesopredators) and superadditive (e.g. avian predators) across the breeding season. The non‐independence between nest mortalities suggests that reductions in some predators may not translate to additive increases in overall nest success. Analyses of cause‐specific mortality are rarely applied to avian nests, but examination of interacting impacts among competing predators on nest survival may provide insight into specific drivers of avian population dynamics. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Very late recurrence of Wilms’ tumor at the uterus and concurrent BRCA2 risk reduction: A case report

Abstract This case report describes a young woman who, after a 24-year disease free interval from her advanced childhood Wilms’ tumor, developed a large symptomatic pelvic mass contiguous with the uterus. This proved to be a surgically unresectable recurrent Wilms’ tumor and she had an excellent response to systemic chemotherapy. A second attempt at hysterectomy proved unsuccessful, however she was able to undergo an ovarian cancer risk-reducing surgery for a pathogenic BRCA2 mutation which was detected during the care of her cancer recurrence.
Outcome measures in total hip arthroplasty: have our metrics changed over 15 years?

Consensus has not been reached regarding ideal outcome measures for total hip arthroplasty (THA) clinical evaluation and research. The goal of this review was to analyze the trends in outcome metrics within the THA literature and to discuss the potential impact of instrument heterogeneity on clinical practice. A PubMed search of all manuscripts related to THA from January 2005 to December 2019 was performed. Statistical and linear regression analyses were performed for individual outcome metrics as a proportion of total THA publications over time. There was a statistically significant increase in studies utilizing outcomes metrics between 2005 and 2019 (15.1–29.5%; P < 0.001; R2 = 98.1%). Within the joint-specific subcategory, use of the Harris Hip Score (HHS) significantly decreased from 2005 to 2019 (82.8–57.3%; P < 0.001), use of the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) significantly increased (0–6.7%; P < 0.001), and the modified HHS significantly increased (0–10.5%; P < 0.001). In the quality of life subcategory, EQ-5D demonstrated a significant increase in usage (0–34.8%; P < 0.001), while Short Form-36 significantly decreased (100% vs. 27.3%; P = 0.008). The utilization of outcome-reporting metrics in THA has continued to increase, resulting in added complexity within the literature. The utilization rates of individual instruments have shifted over the past 15 years. Additional study is required to determine which specific instruments are recommended.
Belief Elicitation: Limiting Truth Telling with Information on Incentives

Belief elicitation is central to inference on economic decision making. The recently introduced Binarized Scoring Rule (BSR) is heralded for its robustness to individuals holding risk averse preferences and for its superior performance when eliciting beliefs. Consequently, the BSR has become the state-of-the-art mechanism. We study truth telling under the BSR and examine whether information on the offered incentives improves reports about a known objective prior. We find that transparent information on incentives gives rise to error rates in excess of 40 percent, and that only 15 percent of participants consistently report the truth. False reports are conservative and appear to result from a biased perception of the BSR incentives. While attempts to debias are somewhat successful, the highest degree of truth telling occurs when information on quantitative incentives is withheld. Consistent with incentives driving false reports, we find that slow release of information decreases truth telling. Perversely, our results suggest that information on the BSR incentives substantially distorts reported beliefs. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.
Optimization for the Intel® Itanium® architecture register stack

The Intel® Itanium® architecture contains a number of innovative compiler-controllable features designed to exploit instruction level parallelism. New code generation and optimization techniques are critical to the application of these features to improve processor performance. For instance, the Itanium® architecture provides a compiler-controllable virtual register stack to reduce the penalty of memory accesses associated with procedure calls. The ltanium® Register Stack Engine (RSE) transparently manages the register stack and saves and restores physical registers to and from memory as needed. Existing code generation techniques for the register stack aggressively allocate virtual registers without regard to the register pressure on different control-flow paths. As such, applications with large data sets may stress the RSE, and cause substantial execution delays due to the high number of register saves and restores. Since the Itanium® architecture is developed around Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC) concepts, solutions to increasing the register stack efficiency favor code generation techniques rather than hardware approaches.
Four Steps to More Concise Writing

Everyone wants concise writing — writing that conveys information in the shortest, simplest way possible. But while most of us know concise writing when we see it (or, just as often, when we don’t see it), it can be hard to replicate it in our own work. Here are four steps that will have you writing more efficiently in no time.
The Transition to Adulthood

The Long and Varied Transition to Adulthood Structural Lag and Inequality Developmental Assets for Young Adults Higher Education and the Transition to Adulthood Promising Institutions Features of Asset-Building Institutions Conclusions Keywords: structural lag; developmental assets; human capital; social capital; higher education; German apprenticeship; YouthBuild; purpose; agency; asset building; civic engagement; youth leadership; mentoring
Effects of element pattern on the performance of a rectangular array

The radiating or receiving characteristics of array elements are changed from that of isolated elements due to the mutual coupling effects and the array performance becomes different from that originally designed by assuming isolated elements. In the present work, the effects of element pattern on the performance of a rectangular array with triangular geometry of dipoles above a ground plane are investigated. The concept of element gain function is used to examine the array performance in terms of mainbeam width and sidelobe level with respect to uniformly spaced and space-tapered arrays. >
Opening the Black Box of Conflict Management: Understanding Management Decisions and Policy Substitution

While the conflict management literature has certainly made many strides in recent years, we have very little information about what goes on between the start and end of such efforts. Certain styles of management may be more or less appropriate in the given circumstances of a conflict, and managers may substitute management techniques once an effort is underway. This paper examines third party choice of management method and method substitution. I argue third party decisions result from four factors: third party barriers to entry, conflict costs, the prospects for peace, and management facility. I test my theoretical argument on a newly combined dataset that includes verbal, diplomatic, administrative, economic, and military conflict management efforts. The results show that the changing nature of the conflict has less influence on third party decisions than one might expect, and that the relationship between the third party and disputants is integral to understanding the management decision process.
Achieving Predictive Simulations with Quantum Mechanical Forces Via the Transfer Hamiltonian: Problems and Prospects

According to the Westmoreland report [1], “in the next ten years, molecularly based modeling will profoundly affect how new chemistry, biology, and materials physics are understood, communicated, and transformed to technology, both intellectually and in commercial applications. It creates new ways of thinking — and of achieving.”
Analyzing the sustainability of fiscal deficits in developing countries

The author surveys the recent literature on the sustainability of fiscal deficits, most of which focuses on the United States and other industrial countries, to see how useful it might be in developing countries. The accounting approach to analysis focuses on steady states and assumes that a fiscal deficit (or surplus) that leads to unchanging debt/GDP ratios over time is sustainable. The data required to apply this approach are relatively modest. The present-value constraint (PVC) approach assumes that the sustainability of fiscal policy depends ultimately on what level of fiscal deficit is financeable, which depends in turn on the behavior of lenders. Recent empirical implementations of this approach concentrate on methods for testing whether maintaining current fiscal policy (as captured by historical time series on government spending, revenue, and debt) violates the present-value-constraint or, equivalently, the no-Ponzi-game (NPG) condition. The econometric methods used in this literature (such as tests for the prsence of unit roots and cointegration) require long-time series over a constant fiscal regime, requirements that may be unrealistic in many countries. Typically, analyzing the sustainability of deficits in developing countries involves issues that are not particularly important in industrialized countries. Developing countries rely far more on seignorage to finance deficits, although the degree of that reliance varies greatly among countries; the simultaneous presence of both domestic and foreign-currency borrowing is central in a growing number of developing countries; and concessional lending and grants may also be an important part of fiscal finance. The author generalizes the PVC approach to economies that use money-financing of deficits, economies for which concessional financing is available, and economies that incur both domestic and foreign debt. He proposes a possible compromise in approaches: rather than use time series techniques to describe constant fiscal regimes, one can specify fiscal rules into the foreseeable future based on country-specific information about fiscal targets (perhaps as stated in IMF stabilization programs). Then one can calculate the implied time path for domestic and foreign debt, given current debt levels as initial conditions. Using this hypothesized time path for debt, one can ask whether it satisfies the no-Ponzi-game condition. If it does, fiscal policy is -by this definition- sustainable. If the NPG condition is violated, fiscal policy is unsustainable.
From soilscapes to landscapes: A landscape‐oriented approach to simulate soil organic carbon dynamics in intensively managed landscapes

Most available biogeochemical models focus within a soil profile and cannot adequately resolve contributions of the lighter size fractions of organic rich soils for enrichment ratio (ER) estimates, thereby causing unintended errors in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage predictions. These models set ER as constant, usually equal to unity. The goal of this study is to provide spatiotemporal predictions of SOC stocks at the hillslope scale that account for the selective entrainment and deposition of lighter size fractions. It is hypothesized herein that ER values may vary depending on hillslope location, Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) conditions, and magnitude of the hydrologic event. An ER module interlinked with two established models, CENTURY and Watershed Erosion Prediction Project, is developed that considers the effects of changing runoff coefficients, bare soil coverage, tillage depth, fertilization, and soil roughness on SOC redistribution and storage. In this study, a representative hillslope is partitioned into two control volumes (CVs): a net erosional upslope zone and a net depositional downslope zone. We first estimate ER values for both CVs I and II for different hydrologic and LULC conditions. Second, using the improved ER estimates for the two CVs, we evaluate the effects that management practices have on SOC redistribution during different crop rotations. Overall, LULC promoting less runoff generally yielded higher ER values, which ranged between 0.97 and 3.25. Eroded soils in the upland CV were up to 4% more enriched in SOC than eroded soils in the downslope CV due to larger interrill contributions, which were found to be of equal importance to rill contributions. The chronosequence in SOC storage for the erosional zone revealed that conservation tillage and enhanced crop yields begun in the 1980s reversed the downward trend in SOC losses, causing nearly 26% of the lost SOC to be regained.
Stability of temperatures during hyperthermia treatments

Attempts to develop a dosimetry for hyperthermia treatments have been limited by problems such as the inability of hyperthermia delivery systems to produce desired temperature distributions and the complexity of modelling complete temperature distributions. However, dosimetric modelling could be simplified if spatial temperature distributions were temporally stable after the treatment's initial heat-up period. In this study, therefore, temporal stability of spatial distributions was examined quantitatively. Hyperthermia was induced electromagnetically. Treatment parameters were documented on surface transparencies. These parameters were kept as constant as possible during treatments, and were reproduced as closely as possible from treatment to treatment Manual thermometer translation devices facilitated temperature scanning along interstitial catheters. Intra-treatment spatial temperature profiles T(r) of the same catheter were plotted together to characterize each treatment. Time-averaged T(r) of differe...
An autoradiographic analysis of [125I]α-bungarotoxin binding in rat brain after chronic nicotine exposure

Abstract Chronic exposure to nicotine has been shown to increase binding to high affinity nicotinic cholinergic receptors in rat brain, but the effect of this treatment on the low affinity α7 nicotinic receptors has been less well characterized. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with saline or nicotine (6 mg/kg/day, by osmotic minipump) for 14 days. Frozen brain sections were then prepared and processed for quantitative autoradiography using [ 125 I]α-bungarotoxin to measure the effect of this treatment on low affinity nicotinic receptors. Nicotine exposure increased [ 125 I]α-bungarotoxin binding in 26 of 52 brain regions analyzed; increases ranged from 10 to 70% over saline controls. Increases were seen in all areas of the brain, but were more prominent in forebrain areas, and especially in cerebral cortex. These data demonstrate that low affinity α7 nicotinic receptors are also up-regulated by chronic nicotine. This phenomenon may be relevant to the heavy use of tobacco products in diseases like schizophrenia, and needs to be considered in the design of pharmaceuticals directed at this receptor system.
Aircraft accidents and incidents associated with visual effects from bright light exposures during low-light flight operations

Abstract Introduction Preservation of optimal night vision is important for pilots operating aircraft in low-light conditions. This study investigates operational problems experienced by civilian airmen exposed to bright light sources while performing nighttime aviation activities. Methods The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aviation Accident and Incident Data System and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Accident/Incident Data System were queried using terms associated with night vision problems. Accident and incident reports annotated with 1 or more of these terms were reviewed to determine whether exposure to bright lights at night may have contributed to the mishap. Results Vision problems resulting from exposure to bright lights at night contributed to 58 mishaps. Reports included 30 (NTSB) accidents and 28 (FAA/NTSB) incidents. The majority of accidents (57%) occurred during the approach and landing phase of flight. Incidents occurred most frequently while taxiing (54%) and during approach and landing (36%). Conclusions Exposure to bright light sources at night has contributed to aviation accidents and incidents. The information in this study may assist airport authorities in identifying and eliminating hazardous lighting near flight paths and surface movement areas. Preventive measures for avoiding conditions that compromise the safety of aviation operations at night are discussed.
Economic justification for automation

Capital investment in factory automation systems can be, and usually is, substantial. To provide appropriate guidance to management, significant life cycle costs must be identified and evaluated. This paper specifies the desirable characteristics of an appropriate economic evaluation model and summarizes the extant literature with respect to the theoretical paradigm.
Analyses of Mechanisms for Force Generation During Cell Septation in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli is a rod-shaped bacterium that divides at its midplane, partitioning its cellular material into two roughly equal parts. At the appropriate time, a septum forms, creating the two daughter cells. Septum formation starts with the appearance of a ring of FtsZ proteins on the cell membrane at midplane. This Z-ring causes an invagination in the membrane, which is followed by growth of two new endcaps for the daughter cells. Invagination occurs against a cell overpressure of several atmospheres. A model is presented for the shape of the cell as determined by the tension in the Z-ring. This model allows the calculation of the force required for invagination. Then three possible models to generate the force necessary to achieve invagination are presented and analyzed. These models are based on converting GTP-bound FtsZ polymeric structures to GDP-bound FtsZ structures, which then leave the polymer. Each model is able to generate the force by relating the hydrolyzation to an irreversible molecular binding event, resulting in a net motion of putative anchors for the structures. All three models show that cross-linking the FtsZ protofilaments into a polymer structure allows the removal of GDP-FtsZ without interrupting the structure during force generation, as would happen for a simple polymeric chain.
Immunization of male but not female mice with the sperm-specific isozyme of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-C4) impairs fertilization in vivo.

: The goals of this study were to determine the site at which fertility is impaired in mice immunized with LDH-C4 and to determine whether immunization of both males and females would have a greater antifertility effect than immunization of one sex alone. Mice were immunized with LDH-C4 in two systemic doses in Freund's adjuvants and two gastric doses in bicarbonate buffer. The presence of anti-LDH-C4 antibodies in uterine fluid was confirmed. Male and female mice were assigned to four blocks in which either the males, the females, both, or neither were immunized. Oviducts were viewed directly 1 h after mating for the presence of sperm. No significant effect of immunization on sperm transport to the oviduct could be demonstrated. Fertilization was evaluated 4 h after mating. It was found that immunization of males, but not females, impaired fertilization (19.6% versus 50.8% of the oocytes penetrated in 17 and 19 females, respectively). Orchitis was found histologically in 43.8% of the immunized males and 10% of the control males.
Political Terror in the Age of Global Modernity: Adorno's Critical Theory of Totalitarianism Revisited

This article explores Adorno's critical theory of totalitarianism in the age of global modernity. According to his model, modern totalitarian ideologies, regimes and movements are distinct in their ‘ruthless arbitrariness’. They aim at exterminating ‘others’ and, ultimately, at eradicating the very idea of freedom by means of unbound terror. Totalitarianism cannot be adequately explained by or reduced to issues of culture and religion. In particular, totalitarian movements can be traced back to tensions of global modern society that reach beyond the scope of nationally circumscribed law and politics. However, while totalitarianism is no direct expression of global modernity, from Adorno's perspective it also cannot be understood merely as an anti-modern rebellion. The global logic of modernisation emboldens transnational emancipatory claims and democratic constitutionalism but also institutes a hegemonic ‘instrumental rationality’. Its inherent socioeconomic domination mechanism tends to render citizens s...
Regioselective addition of titanium enolates to 1-acylpyridinium salts. A convenient synthesis of 4-(2-oxoalkyl)pyridines

Abstract Titanium enolates add to the 4-position of 1-phenoxycarbonylpyridinium salts to give 1,4-dihydropyridines; subsequent aromatization provides 4-(2-oxoalkyl)pyridines.
Reduction Of Photoluminescence Intensity With Magnetic Field In InGaAs/GaAs Single Strained Layer Quantum Wells

The photoluminescence intensity of InGaAs/GaAs strained layer single quantum wells with p-type doping was measured as a function of magnetic field. Two different experimental techniques were used, and both show a reduction of intensity with complete suppression occurring at B=35T. Self-consistent potential and energy level calculations indicate complete migration of charge out of the well back to the dopants as a consequence of applied magnetic field.
Statistical tests for fuzzy data

Abstract In this paper we investigate the impacts of vague and imprecise data on the statistical task of hypotheses testing. Test results are evaluated with respect to this ambiguity. The issue of how to aggregate fuzzy data to a fuzzy sample vector is discussed and different eventualities are considered. Their consequences on the test results are compared. The domain of the used test statistics is extended to fuzzy sample vectors by the means provided in the first part of this paper. Different methods for the defuzzification of the obtained fuzzy test results are discussed and the fuzzy nature of the classical verification task for statistical hypotheses is studied. In this context, a way of how to overcome the general insufficiency of statistical tests of being conclusive only in one direction is proposed by admitting fuzzy results.
Twin intersection mechanisms in nanocrystalline fcc metals

Deformation twins have been reported to produce high strength and ductility. Intersections of deformation twins may affect the microstructural evolution during plastic deformation and consequently influence mechanical properties. However, the mechanisms governing twin-intersection behavior remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated twin intersection mechanisms by observing twin transmission across the boundary of another twin using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Based on the experimental observations, mechanisms were proposed for twin–twin intersections and associated dislocation reactions in nanocrystalline fcc materials.
SYNTHETIC STUDIES DIRECTED TOWARDS EPOTHILONE A : ENANTIOSELECTIVE SYNTHESIS OF A C7 - C15 CARBOXALDEHYDE SEGMENT

Abstract Enantioselective syntheses of a protected C 7 C 15 fragment of epothilone A is reported in ten manipulations in good overall yield. An alkynyl-aluminum induced opening of a chiral epoxide followed by reordering of functionality furnished the iodide 18 . Chain elongation with N-propionyl-1 S -(−)-2, 10-camphorsultam 19 afforded the elaborated acylsultam 20 which was reduced and reoxidized to furnish a protected chiral aldehyde 6 suitable for aldol condensation, representing the C 7 C 15 portion of epothilone A.
Milk plasmin during bovine mammary involution that has been accelerated by estrogen.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the plasminogen and plasmin system within bovine mammary secretions was influenced by an estrogen treatment that was used to accelerate mammary tissue involution. Holstein cows were injected with 4ml of ethanol excipient (n = 21) or 15mg of estradiol-17 β (n = 23) on each of the 4 d that preceded final milk removal. Dates of final milk removal (d 0) were designated as 60 d prior to expected dates of calving. Each mammary quarter was sampled once to collect secretions that corresponded to d 0, 3, 11, and 25 or d 1, 7, 18, and 30 of the dry period. Concentrations of plasminogen, plasmin, and somatic cells in secretions increased earlier for treated cows than for control cows. The ratio of plasminogen to plasmin in secretions decreased earlier for treated cows than for control cows. These responses support the suggestion that the plasminogen and plasmin system is involved in the involution of bovine mammary tissue. Estrogen treatment increased the activation of plasminogen, which was evidenced by a precipitous decrease in the ratio of plasminogen to plasmin that occurred as concentrations of plasminogen and plasmin increased. The activation of plasminogen likely contributed to the increased rate of mammary tissue involution that was effected by exogenous estrogen. Endogenous estrogen secreted by the developing fetal and placental unit might mediate, in part, the gradual involution that occurs during lactation.
Altered regulation occurring in the aromatic amino acid biosynthetic pathway of L-tryptophan-producing mutants derived from Bacillus subtilis K

The regulatory properties of 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DS) and chorismate mutase (CM) were compared between l-Trp-producing mutants and the wild-type strain of Bacillus subtilis K. The synthesis of DS in the l-Trp producers was elevated 6- to 13-fold compared to that in the wild-type strain, however, its synthesis was still repressed when the mutants were cultured in the presence of l-Phe and/or l-Tyr. The DS from the l-Trp-producers was still sensitive to inhibition by chorismate and prephenate. The specific activity of the CM in the l-Trp- producers was only 3% of that in the case of the wild-type strain, which was due to the loss of activity of the CM 1-type enzyme and which contributed to the derepression of DS and the higher l- Trp accumulation.
Chemical and morphological modification of polymers under a helium–oxygen dielectric barrier discharge

Abstract In this work, the surface modifications of various polymer films due to helium–oxygen dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) exposure operating under atmospheric pressure are reported. The polymer films studied include ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, polyamide, polytetrafluoroethylene and polyimide. Experimental results reveal increased hydrophilicity and surface energy of the plasma exposed polymers. This is attributed to the presence of oxygen containing groups grafted onto the surface during plasma treatment, as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) data show the appearance of micro depressions, the size of which depends on the chemical structure and the treatment time, suggesting that mild etching occurs in a predicted fashion. Most importantly, this uniform modification occurs within a few seconds of exposure, time comparable to continuous on-line industrial processing.
Reaction of reduced flavins and flavoproteins with diphenyliodonium chloride.

The reaction of diphenyliodonium chloride with free reduced flavins has been studied by stopped flow spectrophotometry under anaerobic conditions, and second order rate constants were determined as a function of pH. The reactive flavin species was identified as the reduced anion, based on an observed reaction pK of 6.7. The product mixture was independent of the initial concentration of reactant and contained ∼20% oxidized flavin. The results can be modeled quantitatively on a modification of the mechanism proposed by Tew (Tew, D. G. (1993)Biochemistry 32, 10209–10215). The composition of the complex reaction mixture has been analyzed, and four flavin-phenyl adducts with distinctive absorbance and fluorescence characteristics have been identified, involving substitution at the flavin C4a, N5, and C8 positions. Inactivation of flavoprotein enzymes by diphenyliodonium has also been studied, and several examples were found where inactivation occurs readily, despite noninvolvement of radical intermediates in their reaction mechanisms. It can be concluded that inactivation by phenyliodonium species is not a valid indicator of catalytic mechanism involving radical intermediates. One of the several factors determining inactivation is maintenance of the enzyme flavin in the reduced form in the steady state of catalysis, the other factors being redox potential and accessibility of the inhibitor to the flavin active site.
Evidence for dipolar fields during the Cobb Mountain geomagnetic polarity reversals

RECENT palaeomagnetic studies1–4 of geomagnetic polarity reversals have presented conflicting interpretations of the behaviour of the Earth's magnetic field during reversals. Some have argued that the grouping of transitional virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) suggests the presence of large-scale, perhaps even dipolar, symmetries during some reversals1–3, whereas others have claimed that the available data do not support the interpretation of simple transitional field geometries4. An earlier comparison5of two North Atlantic sedimentary records of reversals bounding the Cobb Mountain subchron (1.1 Myr ago) with a volcanic record from Tahiti6 revealed striking similarities in the sequences of transitional VGPs, suggesting the presence of large-scale sym-metries in these fields. Here I augment this comparison with two new records of the Cobb Mountain subchron from the western Pacific7, which greatly extend the geographical and temporal coverage. These records exhibit sequences of VGP positions that are very similar to those observed in the North Atlantic and Tahiti, providing evidence of dipolar transitional fields during the Cobb Mountain reversals.
Capitalism, cities, and the production of symbolic forms

A striking characteristic of contemporary capitalism is the increasing importance (in terms of growth, employment, revenue, etc.) of sectors whose outputs are imbued with significant cultural or symbolic content. Sectors of these sorts are predominantly, though not exclusively, located in large cities. I describe how these cities function as creative fields generating streams of both cultural and technological innovations. Post-Fordist cities are shown to be especially fertile terrains of commodified cultural production. A number of these cities have become major centres of image-producing industries such as film, music recording, or fashion clothing, and this phenomenon is also often associated with profound transformations of their physical landscapes. I argue that the economic foundations of these trends reside, in part, in the structural characteristics of image-producing industries, marked as they frequently are by modularized, network structures of production and a strong proclivity to geographic agglomeration. At the same time, the main centres of the contemporary cultural economy are caught up in insistent processes of globalization. I suggest that after an initial phase of product standardization and concentrated development in only a few major centres, the cultural economy of capitalism now appears to be entering a new phase marked by increasingly high levels of product differentiation and polycentric production sites. I also submit that the contemporary cultural economy of capitalism constitutes a historical shift beyond consumer society as such.
The role of sequential and concurrent sexual relationships in the risk of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents

Abstract Purpose To explore whether patterns of sexual relationships, such as sequential (nonoverlapping in time) or concurrent (overlapping in time), are more important indicators of sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk among adolescents than number of sexual partners. Methods Data from 4707 sexually active adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were analyzed based on reported heterosexual relationships during the past 18 months. Adolescents were categorized as engaging in single, sequential, or concurrent sexual relationships. Demographic, behavioral, and social characteristics of each group were compared and multivariate logistic models were fit to determine STD risk associated with sexual relationship patterns and overall number of sexual partners during this same time period. Results Thirty-five percent of sexually active teens had more than one partner in the past 18 months, and 40% of these multiple partnerships were overlapping or concurrent in time. Teens in sequential and concurrent relationships reported lower condom use and a higher degree of regret of having sex owing to alcohol use than those in single relationships. Teens in concurrent relationships also reported the lowest self-efficacy to use contraceptives. Teens in sequential or concurrent relationships were more likely to report an STD than single-relationship teens (odds ratio 2.3 and 3.9, respectively); however, they were not statistically different from each other. Number of sexual partners during this same time period was not associated with STD risk once relationship pattern was considered. Conclusion Adolescents who engage in sequential or concurrent sexual relationships differ in some important demographic, behavioral, and social characteristics and, when compared with those who engage in single relationships, have a significantly greater risk for STDs over and above the number of sexual partners.
Supreme Court GVRs and Lower-Court Reactions

We seek to understand the Supreme Court's “Grant, Vacate, and Remand” (GVR) dispositions and the reaction to those dispositions by the U.S. Court of Appeals. Drawing on data from four Court terms, we trace the reaction of the lower courts to GVR orders, culling information about the meaning of the GVR to those lower courts from their responses and from our interviews with several unnamed circuit court judges. We then code the lower-court decisions to systematically detail how circuit courts react to GVRs.
China and Japan: Trouble Ahead?

The past few years have seen China's influence and activism in East Asia grow while Japan's has relatively declined. Some see conflict ahead, but binding forces for positive Sino‐Japanese relations exist. Now 30 years after normalization, what does the future hold?
Child abuse: A test of some predictions from evolutionary theory

Abstract Data on twenty-four two-parent households in which there was at least one known victim of child abuse are analyzed with respect to a number of predictions from an evolutionary model of social behavior. As expected (1) stepparents and their stepchildren are much more at risk to child abuse than are parents and offspring, (2) parents are much more likely to abuse their stepchildren than their own children, (3) males are more likely than females to be abusers, (4) handicapped children are more likely than nonhandicapped children to be abused, and (5) the youngest child is less likely to be abused than any other child within the family. Although the results of the present and previous studies of child abuse are consistent with sociobiologic theory, such findings do not, as yet, represent a strong test of evolutionary models of social behavior.
A novel mouse skeletal muscle-nerve preparation and in vitro model of ischemia

The majority of patients in pain clinics are treated for muscle pain yet methods to study it in animals are relatively weak compared to methods to study skin pain. Here we describe an in vitro muscle-nerve preparation and model of muscle ischemia and contractile fatigue in mice. Timed muscle contraction is electrically evoked, while single unit activity of muscle sensory neurons and muscle contractile force are simultaneously recorded. The muscle is placed in a small (<1 mL) chamber where oxygen levels can be manipulated, drugs can be applied, and the extracellular milieu can be highly controlled. We demonstrate that we can record from sensory afferents that have the properties expected of ischemic nociceptors. This method serves for studying the neuronal and molecular mechanisms underlying ischemic pains such as angina, intermittent claudication, and sickle cell crisis.
Parent and peer predictors of physical aggression and conflict management in romantic relationships in early adulthood

Violence between romantic partners is widespread, but developmental precursors of perpetration and victimization are little understood. Among participants followed from birth to 23 years of age, familial and extrafamilial childhood and adolescent relationships were examined in connection with couple violence in early adulthood. Predictors included early childhood physical abuse and witnessing of parental partner violence, features of parent-child interactions at the age of 13 years, and close friendship quality at the age of 16 years. Controlling for early familial violence, intrusive or overly familiar behavior in videotaped parent-child collaborations at 13 years of age consistently predicted violence perpetration and victimization in early adulthood. Friendship quality at the age of 16 years contributed over and above familial predictors. Understanding the role of both familial and extrafamilial close relationship precursors may lead to effective strategies for ameliorating the problem of romantic partner violence.
Syndecan-1 Overexpression Is Associated With Nonluminal Subtypes and Poor Prognosis in Advanced Breast Cancer

Objectives: Syndecan-1 expression is decreased in diverse tumor types but remains controversial in breast carcinomas. The goal of the study was to examine syndecan-1 expression in breast carcinoma and its prognostic significance. Methods: The epithelial expression of syndecan-1 was examined in tissue microarrays constructed from 62 consecutive breast carcinoma cases diagnosed between 1997 and 2004 with distant organ metastasis and 10 consecutive control cases (breast carcinoma with no distant metastasis after at least 8 years of follow-up). The prognostic significance of syndecan-1 was estimated by utilizing a Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: Among tumors with distant metastasis, syndecan-1 expression was significantly associated with a higher histologic grade and inversely related to hormonal receptor status. The HER2 subtype and triple-negative carcinomas exhibited markedly higher syndecan-1 levels than those of luminal subtypes, while the latter remained significantly higher than nonmetastatic control cases. Furthermore, high syndecan-1 expression had a negative impact on both overall and disease-free survival rates. Conclusions: These findings suggest that syndecan-1 may regulate breast cancer cell behavior and thus deserves further investigation to ascertain its potential as a therapeutic target, especially in metastatic, triple-negative carcinomas.
The effects of geographical distribution on the reliability of wind energy

We examine the effects of geographic distribution of wind power plants (WPPs) on the reliability of electrical output within the Midwestern United States. North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) data are extrapolated to 80 m using the power law and used to characterize the wind resource at 108 NARR grid points corresponding to existing WPPs. These sites are then organized, on the basis of nearest neighbors, into networks ranging from single WPPs to the full network of 108 WPPs. For each network, a suite of statistics is computed and used to characterize energy reliability as it relates to the number of WPPs within, and the area enclosed by, the network. The results demonstrate that WPP dispersion reduces variability and thereby improves the reliability of electrical output from WPPs. As scale increases, marginal improvements in reliability diminish, but there is no saturation of benefits on the scales considered here. The results are combined with wind resource information to identify sites that can further improve reliability for aggregated wind power in the study region.