cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review of physiology, clinical manifestations, and management of hypothalamic obesity in humans

Hypothalamic injury from acquired structural damage due to infiltrative disease, tumor, or their treatment aftereffects frequently results in the development of an obesity syndrome characterized by a rapid, unrelenting weight gain that may be accompanied by severe hyperphagia. Weight gain occurs from the disruption of the normal homeostatic functioning of the hypothalamic centers responsible for controlling satiety and hunger and regulating energy balance with resulting hyperphagia, autonomic imbalance, reduction of energy expenditure, and hyperinsulinemia. Curtailment of weight increase has traditionally been refractory to usual dietary and lifestyle interventions. Pharmacotherapy targeting insulin secretion and augmenting sympathetic output have been attempted to promote weight loss or attenuate weight gain. In addition, case reports suggest that bariatric surgery may be an effective treatment option for these patients. Hormonal deficits are often present, and their management may also have consequences for weight control. Hypothalamic obesity confers significant morbidity and mortality, and there is a need for greater elucidation of its risk factors and pathogenesis so that more effective interventions can be developed.
Seizing the Opportunity: Stem Cells Take On Epilepsy

Stem cells represent a promising source of neurons for the potential treatment of a host of neurological conditions, including epilepsy. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Cunningham et al. (2014) use cortical GABAergic interneuron progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells to treat chronic temporal lobe epilepsy in a mouse model.
Antipredator Behavior in Desmognathus ochrophaeus: Threat-Specific Responses to Chemical Stimuli in a Foraging Context

Prey species may reduce the likelihood of injury or death by engaging in defensive behavior but often incur costs related to decreased foraging success or efficiency. To lessen these costs, prey may adjust the intensity or type of antipredator behavior according to the nature of the perceived threat. We evaluated the potential for threat-sensitive responses by Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) exposed to chemical stimuli associated with predation by asking three questions: (1) Do individual D. ochrophaeus respond to chemical cues in a threat-sensitive manner? (2) Do salamanders exhibit the same pattern of behavioral response while foraging? and (3) Is foraging efficiency reduced when focal individuals are exposed to stimuli from predators or predation events? In our first experiment, we evaluated salamander chemosensory movements (nose-taps), locomotor activity (steps), and edge behavior in response to chemical stimuli from disturbed and injured conspecifics as well as predatory Gyrinophilus porphyriticus and found that individual D. ochrophaeus show a significant graded increase in nose-taps when exposed to cues from conspecifics and a reduction in activity when exposed to the predator. In our second experiment, we again observed salamander responses to the same chemical stimuli but in this instance added five Drosophila prey to the test dishes. We found that salamanders exhibited a similar pattern of response to the chemical stimuli in the presence of prey, showing a graded increase in nose-taps to cues from conspecifics and a reduction in activity when exposed to the predator. However, foraging efficiency (i.e. the proportion of successful strikes) did not vary significantly among treatments. Our data show that individual D. ochrophaeus detect and differentially respond to chemical stimuli associated with predation, but do not significantly reduce foraging efficiency. Overall, the type and relative intensity of these responses is largely unaffected by the presence of potential prey.
Palladium(II)-catalyzed exchange and isomerization reactions. XVI The kinetics and stereochemistry of the oxidation and isomerization of hexafluoro allylic alcohols in aqueous solution catalyzed by PdCl3(pyridine)−

Abstract Further mechanistic studies on the PdCl 3 (pyridine) − catalytic system in aqueous solution are described using the tetrasubstituted allylic alcohol, ( E )-2-methyl- d 3 -4-methyl-1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-3-penten-2-ol, 3a , and the trisubstituted allylic alcohol, ( E )-4-Methyl-1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-3-penten-2-ol, 6 , as substrates. At low [Cl − ] the PdCl 2− 4 catalyzed isomerization of 3a , which can only undergo isomerization into its allylic isomer, was previously found to obey the Wacker rate expression: k i [PdCl 2− 4 ][ 3a ]/[H + ][Cl − ] 2 . In contrast, the rate expression for isomerization of 3a by [PdCl 3 (Py) − ] at low [Cl − ] was found to be: rate i = k i [PdCl 3 (Py) − ][ 3a ]/[Cl − ]. This rate expression is of the same form as that previously found for the isomerization of 3a by PdCl 2− 4 at high [Cl − ]. This result strongly suggests that the hydroxypalladation by PdCl 3 (Py) − at low [Cl − ] is a trans process as opposed to a cis process with PdCl 2− 4 . This expectation was confirmed by stereochemical studies with chiral 3a . The stereochemistry of addition for PdCl 3 (Py) − was identical to that for PdCl 2− 4 at high [Cl − ]. Independent stereochemical studies have shown this addition to be trans . With PdCl 3 (Py) − there are two possible routes for olefin oxidation. A cis process similar to that found for PdCl 2− 4 or a trans process analogous to that previously proposed to explain the trans stereochemistry found at high [Cl − ]. Stereochemical studies with 6 , which can undergo oxidation, showed that both processes are operative with PdCl 3 (Py) − at [Cl − ] = 0.05 M. Thus addition of a pyridine to the coordination sphere of Pd(II) causes a profound change in reactivity.
Temporal discrimination for single components of nonspeech auditory patterns

This paper extends previous research on listeners' abilities to discriminate the details of brief tonal components occurring within sequential auditory patterns (Watson et al., 1975, 1976). Specifically, the ability to discriminate increments in the duration delta t of tonal components was examined. Stimuli consisted of sequences of ten sinusoidal tones: a 40-ms test tone to which delta t was added, plus nine context tones with individual durations fixed at 40 ms or varying between 20 and 140 ms. The level of stimulus uncertainty was varied from high (any of 20 test tones occurring in any of nine factorial contexts), through medium (any of 20 test tones occurring in ten contexts), to minimal levels (one test tone occurring in a single context). The ability to discriminate delta t depended strongly on the level of stimulus uncertainty, and on the listener's experience with the tonal context. Asymptotic thresholds under minimal uncertainty approached 4-6 ms, or 15% of the duration of the test tones; under high uncertainty, they approached 40 ms, or 10% of the total duration of the tonal sequence. Initial thresholds exhibited by inexperienced listeners are two-to-four times greater than the asymptotic thresholds achieved after considerable training (20,000-30,000 trials). Isochronous sequences, with context tones of uniform, 40-ms duration, yield lower thresholds than those with components of varying duration. The frequency and temporal position of the test tones had only minor effects on temporal discrimination. It is proposed that a major determinant of the ability to discriminate the duration of components of sequential patterns is the listener's knowledge about "what to listen for and where." Reduced stimulus uncertainty and extensive practice increase the precision of this knowledge, and result in high-resolution discrimination performance. Increased uncertainty, limited practice, or both, would allow only discrimination of gross changes in the temporal or spectral structure of the sequential patterns.
Effects of Mg2+ on the Free Energy Landscape for Folding a Purine Riboswitch RNA

There are potentially several ways Mg2+ might promote formation of an RNA tertiary structure: by causing a general “collapse” of the unfolded ensemble to more compact conformations, by favoring a reorganization of structure within a domain to a form with specific tertiary contacts, and by enhancing cooperative linkages between different sets of tertiary contacts. To distinguish these different modes of action, we have studied Mg2+ interactions with the adenine riboswitch, in which a set of tertiary interactions that forms around a purine-binding pocket is thermodynamically linked to the tertiary “docking” of two hairpin loops in another part of the molecule. Each of four RNA forms with different extents of tertiary structure were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering. The free energy of interconversion between different conformations in the absence of Mg2+ and the free energy of Mg2+ interaction with each form have been estimated, yielding a complete picture of the folding energy landscape as a fu...
Applications of Acoustic Microscopy to Petrophysical Studies of Reservoir Rocks

Microstructural variations significantly affect seismic wave propagation. Traditional techniques for studying microstructure either give surface information or are limited in resolution. I demonstrate here the use of acoustic microscopy to study microstructural and macrostructural impedance variations in reservoir rocks. Using various frequencies allows us to make qualitative maps of impedance variations in different scales. Quantitative analyses of elastic impedance and 3D volumetric analyses are among the useful applications of this technique to petrophysical studies of reservoir rocks.
Social roles, alternative strategies, personalities, and other sources of individual variation in monkeys and apes

The study of animal personality is logical given the striking individual variation encountered by anyone who works with animals, whether it is with fish or mammals. The more complex an animal’s social life, the more striking individual differences become, and the more recognizable they are to us. The habit of naming and recognizing individuals started in primatology with Kinji Imanishi, in the 1950s, and it may not have been accidental that this habit did not come from the West but from the East. There was a period in which Western science preferred to focus on so-called species-typical behavior while actively resisting the individualization of animals. In those days, giving names to animals was frowned upon as an unnecessary humanization. In the East these inhibitions never existed, and its individualized approach to animals has clearly won out. The sources of individual variability in behavior are far from simple, however, as they may depend on rearing history, social position, age, as well as inborn individual characteristics. The problem of disentangling these factors is at least as great in animals as in humans. For example, a male chimpanzee who rises to the top of the hierarchy will dramatically change in almost every regard: he may have started out as a trouble-maker, who attacked others without apparent reason, only to become the friend and defender of the downtrodden once he had reached the top position. Such transformations warn against the view that individual variation in animals must be genetic: the same complex social determinants apply as in human society. The techniques to study individual variability have thus far relied heavily on personality ratings by people familiar with the animals (such as animal caretakers in the case of
Neuroanatomical correlates of the progressive supranuclear palsy corticobasal syndrome hybrid.

Background The progressive supranuclear palsy syndrome (PSPS) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS) are associated with relatively specific patterns of atrophy; the former predominantly involving the brainstem, the latter frontoparietal regions. However, it has become apparent that there are subjects that meet criteria for PSPS and CBS. We refer to subjects with this presentation as Hybrids. The hybrid presentation is not rare, yet there are no studies that have assessed the neuroanatomical correlates of the hybrid syndrome to explain its occurrence. Method In this study of 41 subjects and controls, we utilized the technique of voxel-based morphometry to assess both gray and white matter volume loss in six prospectively recruited Hybrids that underwent 3.0 T volumetric head magnetic resonance image scanning to determine the neuroanatomical correlates of the syndrome. We compared patterns of atrophy in three prospectively recruited groups: the Hybrid group (n = 6), a PSPS group (n = 10), and CBS group (n = 5). All 21 subjects had completed the same standardized batteries assessing cognition, and motor, behavioral, executive, oculomotor and limb praxis function. Results The Hybrid group showed imaging features of both PSPS and CBS, with volume loss observed in the brainstem (superior cerebellar peduncle) and cortex (medial and lateral premotor, prefrontal and motor cortex). As expected, typical patterns of loss were observed in PSPS and CBS. Conclusions These findings explain the neuroanatomical basis of the overlapping presenting signs and symptoms of PSPS and CBS, in Hybrids.
High Na+-ion conductivity in Na5YSi4O12☆

Abstract Ceramic specimens of Na5YSi4O12 with densities up to 95% of theoretical and Na+-ion conductivities at 300°C up to 0.15 Ω−1 cm−1 have been fabricated from powders synthesized by solid-state reaction of Na2C2O4, Y2(C2O4)3, and SiO2. Conductivity values obtained by complex impedance measurements on one specimen between 25 and 320°C gave an activation energy of 0.15 eV above 175°C, but the ln (σ T) versus 1/T plot was not linear at the lower temperatures.
Wild rice: The Indian's staple and the white man's delicacy

Wild rice (Zizania aquatica) is an annual aquatic grass which grows in shallow lakes, marshes and in sluggish streams in various parts of the world. The grain of wild rice has been harvested by the Indians of the United States and Canada for many centuries. Explorers entering the territories of the Northern Lake States of America a few centuries ago described wild rice as a spontaneous crop which does not require plowing or sowing, providing an abundant harvest of palatable and nourishing grain. Natural propagation assured the Indians of a yearly crop. As time passed, wild rice lost its importance as a staple for the Indian population, but it became a white man's delicacy because of its unique color and flavor characteristics. In the U.S. a commercial wild rice industry developed. The grain is now found on supermarket shelves, but at a rather high price compared to prices for other cereal grains. Today, most of the wild rice in the world is harvested as a cultivated crop from paddies in the state of Minne...
The Narrative of Robert Adams, a Barbary Captive: A Critical Edition – By Charles H. Adams

In 1810, Robert Adams, an African American seaman, was shipwrecked off the Mauritanian coast of West Africa. Captured and enslaved by Moor nomads, Adams was taken into the Sahara Desert, where blac...
Usefulness of the Doppler Flow of the Ophthalmic Artery in the Evaluation of Carotid and Coronary Atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES There is little information about the relationship between the Doppler flow of the ophthalmic artery (OA) and carotid and coronary atherosclerosis. The aim of the investigation was to assess the clinical usefulness of the Doppler flow of the OA to estimate the severity of carotid and coronary atherosclerosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The study was a retrospective analysis of the findings in 140 patients (mean age: 60 years, male: 64%) who underwent coronary angiography (CA) for the evaluation of typical angina between July 2010 and October 2011 in our single center. The severity of coronary artery stenosis was based on the Gensini score (GS). Significant coronary artery disease (CAD) was defined as the obstruction of over 75% of the major coronary arteries confirmed with CA. The pulsed Doppler flow of the OA and carotid ultrasound were performed before CA. RESULTS The mean systolic velocity/mean diastolic velocity (MSV/MDV), pulsatile index and resistance index in the Doppler flow of the OA were identified as significant and independent correlations with carotid intima-media thickness, and MSV/MDV was identified to have a significant and independent correlation with the GS. MSV/MDV >2.1 was the independent predictor for significant CAD {odds ratio (OR) 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-9.7, p=0.005} and carotid plaque (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.1-7.0, p=0.028), after adjustment for CAD-associated factors. CONCLUSION The Doppler flow of the OA might be a useful predictor of the severity of carotid and coronary atherosclerosis.
Relating blow moldability to large amplitude oscillatory shear behavior

The large amplitude oscillatory shear test has been used to discriminate subtle differences in nonlinear viscoelasticity between two high density polyethyene blow molding resins with different processability. Structural network theory was used to explain the subtle differences in terms of entanglement kinetics with remarkable accuracy. The resin with better shape retention characteristics in programmed parison blow molding was found to have a higher kinetic rate constant for molecular re-entanglement.
Tratamiento del síndrome del desfiladero torácico en adolescentes

Si bien se sabe que el sindrome del desfiladero toracico (SDT) afecta a pacientes adolescentes, los datos publicados se limitan a pequenos grupos o casos individuales. El tratamiento del SDT en adolescentes presenta muchas cuestiones a tener en cuenta, como realizar una cirugia en pacientes cuyo crecimiento oseo puede no haber finalizado. La intervencion quirurgica puede provocar, ademas, la perdida de escolarizacion. El objetivo de este estudio fue valorar nuestros resultados con una serie a mayor escala de pacientes jovenes con SDT para obtener una comprension del cuadro para la consecucion de un tratamiento optimo. Identificamos mediante una revision retrospectiva de los historiales clinicos a todos los pacientes menores de 20 anos tratados durante un periodo de 11 anos (agosto de 1994-septiembre de 2005) en un unico hospital universitario por un SDT con la reseccion de la primera costilla. Se recogieron a partir de los historiales clinicos los antecedentes, las indicaciones, los detalles de la intervencion y el seguimiento correspondiente. Dieciocho pacientes
Substrate resistance extraction using a multi-domain surface integral formulation

In order to assess and optimize layout strategies for minimizing substrate noise, it is necessary to have fast and accurate techniques for computing contact coupling resistances associated with the substrate. In this paper, we describe an extraction method capable of full-chip analysis which combines modest geometric approximations, a novel integral formulation, and an FFT-accelerated preconditioned iterative method.
Phenotypic Suppression of Phosphofructokinase Mutations in Escherichia coli by Constitutive Expression of the Glyoxylate Shunt

Fructose-6-phosphate kinase (pfkA) mutants have impaired growth on carbon sources which enter glycolysis at or above the level of fructose-6-phosphate, but the degree of impairment depends on the carbon source (e.g., growth on glucose is very much slower than growth on glucose-6-phosphate). The present report contains considerable data on this complicated growth phenotype and derives mainly from the finding of a class of partial revertants which grow as fast on glucose as on glucose-6-phosphate; the reversion mutation is shown to be constitutivity of the glyoxylate shunt (iclR(c)). iclR(c) does not increase the fructose-6-phosphate kinase level in the mutants, and the exact mechanism of the partial phenotypic suppression is not understood. However, iclR(c) was already known to suppress some mutations which affected phosphoenolpyruvate levels, and H. L. Kornberg and J. Smith have suggested (1970) that the growth phenotype of pfkA mutants might be related to pathways of phosphoenolpyruvate formation. Surprisingly, the hexose-monophosphate shunt is not necessary for the suppression, which therefore must act to restore metabolism via the residual phosphofructokinase activity present in all pfkA mutants. A mutant totally lacking phosphofructokinase activity was not suppressed.
Adherence of Streptococcus uberis to Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells and to Extracellular Matrix Proteins

Summary Adherence of an encapsulated (UT 101) and a non-encapsulated (UT 102) strain of Streptococcus uberis to a bovine mammary epithelial cell line (MAC-T) and to extracellular matrix proteins (ECMP) including fibronectin, collagen and laminin was investigated. S. uberis was co-cultured at 4 °C with MAC-T cell monolayers. Both strains of S. uberis adhered to MAC-T cells. However, the non-encapsulated strain of S. uberis adhered better to MAC-T cells than the encapsulated strain. Preincubation of MAC-T cells with lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and/or treatment of S. uberis with antibodies directed against the carboxyl-terminal half of type 24 M protein reduced adherence of both strains of S. uberis to MAC-T cells. Adherence to ECMP was measured by incubating bis-carboxyethyl-carboxyfluorescein acetomethyl ester (BCECF-AM) labelled S. uberis in 96-well plates coated with fibronectin, collagen or laminin. Both strains adhered to ECMP, however, the encapsulated strain adhered better to ECMP than the non-encapsulated strain. Results of this investigation demonstrated that both strains of S. uberis evaluated were capable of adhering to bovine mammary epithelial cells and to ECMP. Adherence of S. uberis to mammary epithelium may be an extremely important mechanism in the establishment and progression of bovine intramammary infections.
PharmGKB: The Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base

The Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base, PharmGKB, is an interactive tool for researchers investigating how genetic variation affects drug response. The PharmGKB Web site, http://www.pharmgkb.org , displays genotype, molecular, and clinical knowledge integrated into pathway representations and Very Important Pharmacogene (VIP) summaries with links to additional external resources. Users can search and browse the knowledgebase by genes, variants, drugs, diseases, and pathways. Registration is free to the entire research community, but subject to agreement to use for research purposes only and not to redistribute. Registered users can access and download data to aid in the design of future pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics studies.
Trafficking of G Protein–Coupled Receptors

G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) play an integral role in the signal transduction of an enormous array of biological phenomena, thereby serving to modulate at a molecular level almost all components of human biology. This role is nowhere more evident than in cardiovascular biology, where GPCRs regulate such core measures of cardiovascular function as heart rate, contractility, and vascular tone. GPCR/ligand interaction initiates signal transduction cascades, and requires the presence of the receptor at the plasma membrane. Plasma membrane localization is in turn a function of the delivery of a receptor to and removal from the cell surface, a concept defined most broadly as receptor trafficking. This review illuminates our current view of GPCR trafficking, particularly within the cardiovascular system, as well as highlights the recent and provocative finding that components of the GPCR trafficking machinery can facilitate GPCR signaling independent of G protein activation.
Husserl, intersubjectivity and anthropology

In this article, the notion of intersubjectivity is re-examined by going back to its original formulation by the philosopher Edmund Husserl at the beginning of the 20th century. On the basis of a careful reading of Husserl’s books and lecture notes, four claims are put forward that help clarify in what sense intersubjectivity is a broader and more fundamental notion than currently assumed in the social sciences. In particular, it is argued that for Husserl intersubjectivity is more than shared or mutual understanding and is closer to the notion of the possibility of being in the place where the Other is. Furthermore, intersubjectivity is the source of objectivity and not always or necessarily something to be achieved or negotiated through verbal communication or other means. In fact, in its most basic sense, Husserlian intersubjectivity includes a mode of participation in the natural and material world that does not even require an immediately perceivable human presence. Following this discussion, it is s...
Best managerial practices in agile development

Agile development has been gaining momentum over the year. It practices are perceived by some to be the best for software development. This work investigates agile best development and managerial practices, specially the benefits for optimizing the development process. Throughout this work, real-world scenarios were considered to give suggestions and recommendations for using agile best practices for software projects. Furthermore, this work highlights how managerial problems can be overcome with agile practices. Best practices that do not work in certain scenarios and other challenges are also discussed.
Pebble Bed Reactor Dust Production Model

The operation of pebble bed reactors, including fuel circulation, can generate graphite dust, which in turn could be a concern for internal components; and to the near field in the remote event of a break in the coolant circuits. The design of the reactor system must, therefore, take the dust into account and the operation must include contingencies for dust removal and for mitigation of potential releases. Such planning requires a proper assessment of the dust inventory. This paper presents a predictive model of dust generation in an operating pebble bed with recirculating fuel. In this preliminary work the production model is based on the use of the assumption of proportionality between the dust production and the normal force and distance traveled. The model developed in this work uses the slip distances and the inter-pebble forces computed by the authors’ PEBBLES. The code, based on the discrete element method, simulates the relevant static and kinetic friction interactions between the pebbles as well as the recirculation of the pebbles through the reactor vessel. The interaction between pebbles and walls of the reactor vat is treated using the same approach. The amount of dust produced is proportional to the wear coefficient for adhesive wear (taken from literature) and to the slip volume, the product of the contact area and the slip distance. The paper will compare the predicted volume with the measured production rates. The simulation tallies the dust production based on the location of creation. Two peak production zones from intra pebble forces are predicted within the bed. The first zone is located near the pebble inlet chute due to the speed of the dropping pebbles. The second peak zone occurs lower in the reactor with increased pebble contact force due to the weight of supported pebbles. This paper presents the first use of a Discrete Element Method simulation of pebble bed dust production.
Slow, fast and in between : habitat distribution and behaviour of larvae in nine species of libellulid dragonfly

SUMMARY 1. Activity and microhabitat use are important factors determining species performance in habitats that differ in permanence and species composition of top predators. This study examined the relationship between the distribution across a gradient of habitat permanence andanassociatedtransitioninthecomposition oftoppredatorsandthebehaviourofspecies of larval dragonflies. It also assessed the relationship between larval behaviour, body size and the duration of the larval stage. In laboratory mesocosms the mobility of the different species was measured, as was the extent to which they associated with artificial vegetation. 2. Species mobility was positively related to their natural occurrence in habitats in which invertebrates or small-bodied fish were the top predators, and negatively related with the frequency with which species co-existed with large-bodied fish, the permanence of the habitat and the length of the larval stage. 3. Rather than falling into strict low and high mobility categories, habitat generalists that occurred across the habitat gradient, co-existing with different top predators, had variable mobility levels. In these generalists, mobility was positively related to how frequently they were found in natural habitats in which invertebrates were the top predators. 4. The extent to which species utilized the artificial vegetation in mesocosms was associated with the length of the larval period but was not associated with mobility or species habitat distribution in the field.
Effects of Parent Instruction on Communicative Turns of Latino Children Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication During Storybook Reading

Current research indicates that children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) often are not given opportunities to participate in supportive early storybook-reading experiences in home environments. This investigation employed a single-subject, multiple-baseline-across-subjects design to investigate the effects of a parent instructional program on the communication of two participating Latino parents and their Latino children using AAC (ages = 6 years 8 months and 6 years 10 months). Both parents reached criterion for implementation of the targeted interaction strategy during storybook reading and evidenced generalized and maintained strategy use. In addition, both participating children demonstrated robust increases in communicative turns taken and novel semantic concepts expressed.
On the accuracy of the self-consistent approximation for polycrystals: comparison with full-field numerical simulations

Abstract This paper presents comparisons between full-field numerical results and self-consistent (SC) estimates for the effective behavior and statistical fluctuations of the stress and strain-rate fields in viscoplastic polycrystals. The full-field simulations make use of a recently introduced technique, based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm. Applications are given for linear and power-law polycrystals with randomly distributed FCC and HCP grains. For linear systems, the FFT results demonstrate the accuracy of the standard SC approximation, even for relatively large values of the grain anisotropy parameter when the field fluctuations become significant. On the other hand, of the various extensions of the self-consistent method that have been proposed for nonlinear systems, the recent ‘second-order’ method appears to give the best overall predictions for both the effective behavior and the statistical fluctuations of the stress and strain-rate fields in power-law polycrystals.
Women's Attraction to Puritanism

In 1566 when the Puritan ministers John Gough and John Philpot were suspended from their pulpits and banished from London for their refusal to wear the white outer robe, or surplice, marking their special holiness as priests of the church, a crowd of more than two hundred women gathered at London Bridge to cheer them on as they left the city. As Gough and Philpot crossed the bridge, the women pressed bags of food and bottles of drink on them, all the while “animating them most earnestly to stand fast in the same their doctrine.” That same year, when John Bartlett was also ordered to step down from his pulpit in London for refusing to wear the surplice, sixty women assembled at the home of his bishop to protest the suspension. Such demonstrations of women's support for Puritan ministers were not isolated events. As the historian of Elizabethan Puritanism Patrick Collinson asserted, “it was the women of London who occupied the front line in defence of their preachers, and with a sense of emotional engagement hardly exceeded by the suffragettes of three and a half centuries later.”
Commentary on ‘Three arguments against prescription requirements’

Flanigan argues that the same arguments for a right to informed consent equally support a right to self-medicate,i and that prescription requirements violate the latter right. She proposes that, in order to respect the right to self-medicate, almost all prescription-grade drugs should be available over-the-counter (OTC) or behind-the-counter (BTC).1 On her proposal, consumers would be encouraged to consult with a physician or pharmacist but could waive the right to be informed about the potential benefits and risks of the drugs they purchase. There are two places a person uncomfortable with the full sweep of this proposal might look to dig in. First, Flanigan's proposal has a number of potential harms and costs, some of which she mentions but dismisses fairly quickly, and some of which she does not consider. To name a few: 1. Without enforced periodic consultations, we might see increases in uninformed and reckless drug use and thereby an increased risk of harm to people other than the self-medicating individual. An uninformed self-medicating individual is more likely to pose a direct physical threat to others, to accidentally or intentionally harm herself and thereby cause psychological and emotional harm those who care about her, and to incur the need for costly care that must be borne on society's shoulders. 2. Although there are certain administrative costs that would decrease under the sort …
Children's Play in Multifamily Housing

Using formal and informal interviews and systematic and casual observations, children's play facilities in seven multifamily housing developments for moderate and low income families were evaluated...
Autologous staged fat tissue transfer in post-traumatic lower extremity reconstruction

Autologous fat tissue transfer for aesthetic reconstruction has been described in the literature for soft tissue damage as early as 1893. One area that has yet to be described is the role of fat grafting in post-traumatic lower extremity injuries. In this case report, we present a patient who had significant injury to her right lower extremity and presented for reconstruction. The patient is a 52-year-old female who presented to clinic after a right lower extremity traumatic injury that required multiple re-operations, which lead to dense scarring and volume loss along the extremity inferior to the knee joint. The patient received two staged autologous fat injections and reported positive outcomes. Our case report demonstrates the utility of fat transfer in reconstruction of the lower extremity in staged fashion. Further research in the refinement of this technique and patient follow-up will lead to better graft survival and reconstructive outcomes.
Effective Regulation of Rent-to-Own Contracts

Rent-to-own contracts are common in low-income households, where consumers pay significantly more to own consumer goods compared to consumers who have other purchasing alternatives (e.g., credit cards, cash). Regulation of rent-to-own contracts exists in most states, but very few laws address the most pernicious aspects of these agreements. In this article the author reviews the legal history of rent-to-own contracts and proposes several changes to existing law that would make them less onerous for low income consumers.
Wages in the United States: Trends, Explanations, and Solutions

Since the late 1970s, two major developments have occurred regarding wages in the U.S.: the stagnation of real wages for various groups of workers and the increase in wage inequality. This chapter examines these trends in some detail and finds that real wages have performed better for women than men and for the more highly educated relative to those with less educational attainment. However, particularly since 2000, few groups have been spared; even workers with 4-year college degrees have experienced some stagnation in real hourly pay. The chapter examines economic theories of wage determination and finds that while skills often play a critical role in both theory and practice, other important wage determinants, most notably the absence of full employment—the persistently slack labor markets that have prevailed over the stagnation/dispersion period—are often underemphasized. The chapter suggests a number of policy recommendations to offset the problems of wage stagnation and increased wage inequality, including greater skill acquisition as well as policies to promote full employment and strengthen eroding labor standards.
Influence of symbiont-produced bioactive natural products on holobiont fitness in the marine bryozoan, Bugula neritina via protein kinase C (PKC)

Marine invertebrates are a major source of bioactive natural products, many of which are produced by associated microbes. These compounds protect the invertebrate host against predators, competitors, or pathogens by affecting the cellular processes of the host’s adversary, but knowledge about the interaction of the host itself with these symbiont-produced natural products is limited. For example, larvae of the marine bryozoan, Bugula neritina, are defended from predation by the bryostatins, polyketides synthesized by its uncultured endosymbiont, “Candidatus Endobugula sertula.” Bryostatins are potent modulators of the eukaryotic signaling protein, protein kinase C (PKC) that is involved in many cellular processes. In this study, we investigated how host reproduction responds to the absence of the symbiont and symbiont-produced bryostatins in colonies after antibiotic curing and in colonies with naturally reduced symbiont titers. The fecundity of the symbiont-reduced B. neritina colonies was significantly decreased, suggesting that host reproduction is dependent on the symbiont, and/or the bryostatins they produce. To assess the role of PKC in this response, Western blot analysis of protein extracts from symbiotic and symbiont-reduced B. neritina colonies revealed a difference in bryostatin-activated conventional PKCs, but none for bryostatin-independent PKCs. Similar results were observed for PKCs in symbiotic and naturally occurring symbiont-reduced colonies, as well as in the model invertebrate, Caenorhabditis elegans, exposed to bryostatin, suggesting that the bryostatins potentially modulate PKC activity in symbiotic B. neritina and bryostatin-exposed C. elegans. Analysis of the B. neritina transcriptome led to the identification of five PKC isozymes. Since PKCs have been reported to be involved in regulation of reproductive processes and oocyte maturation in various organisms, the findings of this study suggest that the symbiont-produced bryostatins are an important cue for reproduction in the host B. neritina via PKC activation.
Expert Meeting: Optimized Heating Systems Using Condensing Boilers and Baseboard Convectors

On August 11, 2011, in Denver, CO, a Building America Expert Meeting was held in conjunction with the Building America Residential Energy Efficiency Technical Update Meeting, to review and discuss results and future plans for research to improve the performance of hydronic heating systems using condensing boilers and baseboard convectors. A meeting objective was to provide an opportunity for other Building America teams and industry experts to provide feedback and specific suggestions for the planned research.
Foraging behavior and food of adult Spongila-Flies (Neuroptera: Sisyridae)

Field observations show that the sisyrids, Climacia areolaris (Hagen) and Sisyra vicaria Walker, are nocturnal scavengers foraging for a variety of plant and arthropod materials. The gut contents of S. vicaria often include plant mites, but this is not true for C. areolaris . Conversely, although both sisyrids ingest numerous types of pollen grains, the crops of C. areolaris often contain relatively more pollen. Sisyrids will attack and consume live aphid nymphs and adults. However, on occasion, aphid nymphs successfully defend themselves from sisyrids, probably by secreting a distasteful or rapidly congealing substance from the cornicles.
The Evolving Regulatory Structure of European Church-State Relationships

In Western Europe, many contemporary churches have achieved remarkable levels of administrative autonomy and tan gible resource support. Yet paradoxically, public participation in the traditional churches appears marginal. In Eastern Eu rope under Communism, churches experienced varying levels of hostility and bare toleration. Yet also paradoxically, some Eastern European churches nevertheless sustained membership growth. Since the fall of the Soviet communist regimes, more over, a number of churches have re-emerged as vibrant forces in their respective nations. Is the inference to be drawn that state hostility produces strength while state support produces neglect? Of course, an impressive number of factors other than the state help shape the organizational presence of a church. The concern of this essay, however, is the state regulation of churches and the consequences of the regulatory environment, often unintended, for both state and church. This essay explores the consequences of the regulatory pat terns that have emerged in eastern and western European church-state relations since the end of the Second World War. The aim is to see if an understanding of these regulatory re gimes can help in understanding the apparent paradoxes in Eu ropean church-state regulatory relationships. It is argued that the regulatory regimes that have developed in Europe have cre ated incentives for European churches to play roles in society other than that of mobilizing participation in institutionalized religion. Traditional European churches have responded to the regulatory environment by becoming more involved in educa
Programming the supramolecular helical polymerization of dendritic dipeptides via the stereochemical information of the dipeptide.

Many natural biomacromolecules are homochiral and are built from constituents possessing identical handedness. The construction of synthetic molecules, macromolecules, and supramolecular structures with tailored stereochemical sequences can detail the relationship between chirality and function and provide insight into the process that leads to the selection of handedness and amplification of chirality. Dendritic dipeptides, previously reported from our laboratory, self-assemble into helical porous columns and serve as fundamental mimics of natural porous helix-forming proteins and supramolecular polymers. Herein, the synthesis of all stereochemical permutations of a self-assembling dendritic dipeptide including homochiral, heterochiral, and differentially racemized variants is reported. A combination of CD/UV−vis spectroscopy in solution and in film, X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry studies in solid state established the role of the stereochemistry of the dipeptide on the thermody...
Determination of four kinds of purines in beer by HPLC

Objective:To establish a high performance liquid chromatographic(HPLC) method to determine four kinds of purines in beer.Methods:The beer was degassed and hydrolyzed,and then four purines were separated and quantified by HPLC.Results:The four purines could be separated effectively when the pH value was 4.0 and the content of adenine,guanine,hypoxanthine and xanthine were 25.95 mg/L,21.60 mg/L,4.35 mg/L,9.35 mg/L,respectively.Their average recoveries were 95.8%,91.3%,90.6% and 91.3%,respectively.Conclusion:The method is sensitive and accurate.It can be used to determine the purines in beer.
Electromechanical-Electromagnetic Transient Digital Hybrid Simulation in Power System

This paper introduces briefly the basic theory of hybrid simulation,reviews it’s research status at home and abroad,analyzes and evaluates the key technologies involved in it from the viewpoint of engineering application,and discusses some relevant problems in developing hybrid simulation software. Finally,this paper points out that it has broad prospects and engineering value to develop off-line hybrid simulation program based on mature electromechanical-electromagnetic transient simulation softwares.
Translational Pain Research: From Mouse to Man

One of the Most Rapidly Advancing Fields in Modern NeuroscienceThe success of molecular biology and the new tools derived from molecular genetics have revolutionized pain research and its translation to therapeutic effectiveness. Bringing together recent advances in modern neuroscience regarding genetic and genomic studies in mice and humans and the practicality of clinical trials, Translational Pain Research: From Mouse to Man effectively bridges the gap between basic research and patient care by humanely examining rodent models for pain associated with bone cancer, osteoarthritis, and cardiac episodes.Distinguished Team of International ContributorsIn addition to addressing the groundbreaking technical advances in tract tracing, endocannabinoids, cannabis, gene therapy, siRNA gene studies, and the role of glia, cytokines, P2X receptors, and ATP, this book also presents cutting-edge information on Nociceptor sensitization Visceral afferents in disease Innovative rodent model for bone cancer pain Highly specific receptor cloning Modular molecular mechanisms relevant to painful neuropathies This sharply focused work also discusses unexpected discoveries derived from brain imaging studies related to thalamic pain. Translational Pain Research covers the progress made toward bringing laboratory science (much of it at the molecular level) to our understanding of pain phenomena in humans, with the ultimate goal of reducing the suffering that often accompanies pain and its indirect consequences.
Boron Delivery to Tumors Mediated by Macromolecules and Vesicles

During the past decade many types of macromolecular species potentially capable of selectively transporting large quantities of 10B to tumor have been examined for the purposes of BNCT. These large boron carriers have either been obtained by the conjugation of high-molecular weight biomolecules, such as antibodies, with small boron-containing reagents or the purposeful synthesis of large boron-rich oligomers which are then attached as reagents to antibodies or other peptides targeted for tumor cell receptor sites. In addition to the use of large molecules as boron carriers, recent research has demonstrated the utility of synthetic unilamellar liposomes as tumor cell-selective vesicles capable of the in vivo delivery of therapeutic quantities of boron to tumor with low injected doses of boron. A group of receptor-mediated vesicular delivery systems are under preliminary examination which are comprised of low density lipoproteins filled with hydrophobic carborane derivatives. The characteristic common to all of these macromolecular and vesicular tumor targeting boron delivery systems is their use of receptor sites that are either unique to tumor cells or grossly overexpressed by tumor cells relative to the cells which comprise normal tissues.
Ectromelia Virus Disease Characterization in the BALB/c Mouse: A Surrogate Model for Assessment of Smallpox Medical Countermeasures.

In 2007, the United States– Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance concerning animal models for testing the efficacy of medical countermeasures against variola virus (VARV), the etiologic agent for smallpox. Ectromelia virus (ECTV) is naturally-occurring and responsible for severe mortality and morbidity as a result of mousepox disease in the murine model, displaying similarities to variola infection in humans. Due to the increased need of acceptable surrogate animal models for poxvirus disease, we have characterized ECTV infection in the BALB/c mouse. Mice were inoculated intranasally with a high lethal dose (125 PFU) of ECTV, resulting in complete mortality 10 days after infection. Decreases in weight and temperature from baseline were observed eight to nine days following infection. Viral titers via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and plaque assay were first observed in the blood at 4.5 days post-infection and in tissue (spleen and liver) at 3.5 days post-infection. Adverse clinical signs of disease were first observed four and five days post-infection, with severe signs occurring on day 7. Pathological changes consistent with ECTV infection were first observed five days after infection. Examination of data obtained from these parameters suggests the ECTV BALB/c model is suitable for potential use in medical countermeasures (MCMs) development and efficacy testing.