cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-Energy Elastic Scattering of Electrons and Positrons from Helium Atoms

In this paper we calculate the electron-helium atom pseudopotential, and from that pseudopotential the cross section for low-energy elastic scattering of electrons from helium atoms. The agreement between experiment and theory is good. In addition, the scattering of low-energy positrons from helium atoms is considered. The case of electron-helium atom scattering is chosen only as an example of the use of the pseudopotential as a natural tool for the study of scattering problems. The numerical calculations demonstrate that the results obtained in this way are of comparable accuracy with the results of more tedious and less instructive approaches. In particular, the use of pseudopotential arguments leads to an easily understood physical description. Moreover, because the pseudopotential approach permits the use of variational procedures, even in the presence of bound (i.e., core) states, the necessary calculations are not difficult to carry through.
Acoustic measures of stutterers' and nonstutterers' fluency in two speech contexts.

The purpose of this study was to compare stutterers' and nonstutterers' fluency during multiple productions of two dissimilar speech contexts. Twenty-two adult stutterers were matched within 1 year...
Comments on Slavin: Through the Looking Glass: Experiments, Quasi-Experiments, and the Medical Model

Slavin (2008) has called for changing the criteria used for the inclusion of basic research in national research synthesis clearinghouses. The author of this article examines a number of the assumptions made by Slavin, provides critique with alternatives, and asks what it means to fully implement the medical model in educational settings.
Long-term cultures of adult mammalian hepatocytes in hollow fibers as the cellular component of extracorporeal (hybrid) liver assist devices.

A discussion of the treatment of liver insufficiency with extracorporeal (hybrid) liver assist devices (LADs) should address a definition of the types of liver failure susceptible to being treated by these devices as well as the modalities of in vivo and in vitro testing. Relevant to the first subject is the subject of pathogenesis of hepatic coma, which should be the target for the design of these LADs. Although this modality of therapy is new, it can be predicted that these devices will demand minimal safety conditions, i.e., the seeding with cells that are not tumorigenic or carrying viral particles. Among other topics to be considered in the development of LADs is the proper choice of hollow fiber to be used and the testing on proper animal models of hepatic failure. It is our philosophy that the long-term culture of adult mammalian hepatocytes in hollow fibers is the basis for appropriate designs of this type of temporary liver support.
The serotonin antagonist mianserin improves functional recovery following experimental spinal trauma

The ability of the serotonin antagonist mianserin to improve neurological recovery after graded impact trauma to the thoracic region of the spinal cord was compared to that of cyproheptadine and ketanserin in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats. Spinal cord injury was produced at T-10 by the weight-drop method and confirmed by the disappearance of the somatosensory-evoked response during the subsequent 15 minutes. In all experiments, drug or vehicle treatments were randomly administered as a single intravenous bolus 15 minutes after injury. Functional outcome was blindly assessed for 2 weeks after injury using a modified Tarlov scale, and in some cases, the Rivlin-Tator angleboard test. The survival of descending raphe-spinal axons was determined by the measurement of serotonin in postmortem spinal tissues located above and below the site of injury. In separate acute experiments, the physiological and hemodynamic correlates of a 50 gm cm injury and either mianserin or vehicle injection were examined, as were the effects on serotonin content and metabolism in spinal tissues harvested 30 minutes after injury. All doses of mainserin were associated with some index of improved recovery following a 50 gm cm injury, with a 1-mg/kg dose being clearly superior. Both ketanserin (0.1 mg/kg) and cyproheptadine (2 mg/kg) displayed marginal therapeutic actions for 50 gm cm injuries. In acute studies, mianserin at 1 mg/kg was associated with the preservation of posttraumatic spinal cord blood flow at T-12 as well as a pronounced alteration in postmortem spinal serotonin content and metabolism, in contrast to vehicle control treatments. These data lend further support to a serotonergic hypothesis of secondary spinal cord injury and suggest the potential use of mianserin for the acute treatment of spinal cord injury.
Fitting the student- t distribution to grouped data, with application to a particle scattering experiment

Experimental data are presented for which the Student-t distribution provides a plausible model. A grouped maximum likelihood estimation approach is developed. A data set is presented that is accurately modeled by a distribution with tails heavier than a Cauchy distribution.
Spin glass with two replicas on a Bethe lattice.

We consider a mechanism in a spin-glass system with two interacting replicas in which the two replicas interact via a hypothetical replica coupling field that is set to be zero after thermodynamic quantities are evaluated. A symmetry-breaking role of the replica coupling field is manifested by appearance of a negative overlap. Calculation on a Bethe lattice shows that a negative overlap is possible even for a nonzero magnetic field. The result, however, leads to negative entropy at zero temperature on the Bethe lattice with infinite coordination number, presumably due to the assumption of uncorrelated boundary condition. However, the study in this paper opens an interesting question about existence of a negative overlap for a nonzero magnetic field.
The Anita Cosmogenic Neutrino Experiment

We report on new limits on cosmic neutrino fluxes from the flight of the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) prototype, dubbed ANITA-lite, which completed an 18.4 day flight of a long-duration balloon (LDB) payload in early 2004.
Studies on the structure and formation of polyoma DNA replicative intermediates.

Abstract Circular replicative forms of polyoma DNA with two branch points and three branches have been found in electron microscope studies. These replicative forms were isolated from material sedimenting between 18 s and 25 s in neutral CsCl density gradients. Experiments employing short pulse-labeling periods with [ 3 H]thymidine indicated that a large portion of the polyoma DNA replicative intermediates which labeled rapidly, sedimented as a heterogeneous 25 s component. The 25 s component had a buoyant density identical to DNA extracted from polyoma virus and hybridized to polyoma viral DNA with the same efficiency as did the reference supercoiled polyoma DNA. Kinetic analysis of polyoma DNA replication and pulse-chase experiments revealed that a fraction of the 25 s DNA consisted of stable forms. The position of banding of the 25 s DNA in CsCl-ethidium bromide equilibrium density gradients and electron microscope studies showed that some 25 s DNA molecules were catenated dimers. Most of the catenated dimers were composed of two linked open circular monomer units. Some of the catenated dimers were open circular monomers linked to supercoiled monomers. Additionally, open circular and supercoiled dimers of polyoma DNA were seen. A model is discussed for the formation of progeny supercoiled polyoma DNA molecules and for the formation of catenated and open circular dimers of polyoma DNA by a replication mechanism.
T090137 Inhibits Cisplatin Induced Apoptosis in Ovarian Cancer Cells

Objective—To determine the function of T0901317 in combination treatment with cisplatin in ovarian cancer cells. Methods—We screened the effects of three nuclear hormone receptor ligands on cell viability in a panel of ovarian cancer cells lines. T0901317 regulation of apoptosis and cell cycle regulators was determined when applied as a single agent, or in combination with cisplatin. Results—Surprisingly, the LXR agonist T0901317 had no significant effects on a panel of seven ovarian cancer cell lines as a single agent. T0901317 does, however, significantly decrease cisplatin efficacy in at least three ovarian cancer cells lines. T0901317 reduces cisplatin induced apoptosis and reverses cisplatin induced expression of cell cycle regulators. T0901317 appears to work in an LXR, PXR, and FXR independent manner, as agonists of these nuclear hormone receptors did not show similar effects. Interestingly, in the A2780-cp drug resistant cell line, the effect of T0901317 is lost, suggesting that the pathways stimulated by T0901317 to reduce cisplatin efficacy could be inherently active features of the selected resistance. Conclusions—Together, these data suggest that T0901317 inhibits cisplatin in some ovarian cancer cells. These data provide an avenue to investigate when T0901317 may be acting to promote tumor survival and drug resistance through control of apoptosis, and when it may be acting as an anti-tumor agent, as has been previously reported.
Divalent phosphate electrode.

Divalent phosphate ion activities can be measured in dilute aqueous solutions in the physiological p H range (7.0 to 7.5) with a liquid ionexchange membrane electrode system; the organic ion exchanger consists of an amine chloride membrane. Reference solutions may be either aqueous chloride or bicarbonate solutions. An essentially Nernstian slope is obtained.
Effects of neighboring sulfides and pH on ester hydrolysis in thiol–acrylate photopolymers

Abstract Networks synthesized through thiol–acrylate photopolymerization or Michael-type addition step growth reactions contain esters with neighboring sulfide groups. Previous work has demonstrated that these esters are readily hydrolyzable at physiological pH. Here, the influence of the distance between the sulfide and ester, as well as the water concentration, on ester hydrolysis was characterized. These preliminary results indicate that reducing the number of carbons between the sulfide and the ester from 2 to 1 increased the rate of ester hydrolysis from 0.022 ± 0.001 to 0.08 ± 0.015 days −1 . Increases in ester hydrolysis rates were also observed as hydrophilicity increased for oligomers prepared from a trithiol, tetrathiol and dithiol monomer (0.012 ± 0.003, 0.032 ± 0.004, and 0.091 ± 0.003 days −1 , respectively). Additionally, in bulk-eroding polymeric biomaterials, variations in pH impacted the ester hydrolysis rate. This work confirms that small variations in buffer pH predictably alter the mass loss profile of a thiol–acrylate photopolymer. More specifically, as buffer pH was changed from 7.4 to 8.0, the rate of ester hydrolysis increased from 0.074 ± 0.003 to 0.28 ± 0.005 days −1 . The magnitude of this observed change in ester hydrolysis rate was correlated to the increase in hydroxide ion concentration that accompanied this pH change.
Prevalence of vulvar and vaginal symptoms during pregnancy and the puerperium.

Objective To identify the prevalence of vulvar and vaginal symptoms during pregnancy and at 3 months post partum.
Identification and characterization of the human cell adhesion molecule contactin

We have prepared a monoclonal antibody, Neuro-1, that recognizes the human homolog of the chicken contactin/F11 and mouse F3 cell adhesion molecules. The Neuro-1 antigen, structurally characterized as a 135 kDa glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked glycoprotein, was immunoaffinity purified and partially sequenced. Comparison of an internal peptide sequence to that predicted from the chicken contactin/F11, mouse F3 and human contactin (reported herein) cDNA sequence identifies the Neuro-1 antigen as human contactin. Moreover, a polyclonal antisera generated against the purified Neuro-1 antigen was immunoreactive with a fragment of human contactin expressed in bacteria. The complete coding and deduced amino acid sequences of human contactin were determined and are 86% and 95% identical to the respective mouse F3 sequences. Structural features shared with contactin/F11/F3 include six immunoglobulin type C2 and four fibronectin type III-like domains, multiple sites for asn-linked glycosylation and a COOH-terminal signal peptide presumably removed during the generation of a phosphatidylinositol cell surface linkage. The potential for glycosylation and GPI-linkage is also consistent with protein chemical studies of human contactin. Contactin mRNA expression was characterized using Northern blot analyses of human tissues and cell lines. High level expression of a single contactin transcript in adult brain, and low level expression of multiple transcripts in lung, pancreas, kidney and skeletal muscle are observed. Highly expressed multiple transcripts, similar in pattern to that of pancreas, lung, kidney and skeletal muscle, are also observed in human neuroblastoma and retinoblastoma cell lines.
β-Adrenoceptor function changes with age of subject in myocytes from non-failing human ventricle

The contractile response to β-adrenoceptor stimulation has been found to be reduced in single myocytes from failing human ventricle. A portion of that reduction was statistically related to the age of the patient. We have developed a method for obtaining viable contracting myocytes from small biopsies of human ventricle, enabling experiments to be performed on non-failing left ventricle from patients undergoing coronary artery surgery. These subjects are generally in an older age range than those we have previously obtained from donor hearts. The present study compares responses to isoproterenol and high Ca2+ between myocytes from older (>50 years, n = 8) and younger (<40 years, n = 5) subjects. Myocytes from older patients did not differ in their contraction amplitude (10.7 ± 1.0 cf. 10.8 ± 1.1% cell shortening), or contraction and relaxation velocities in high Ca2+ at a driving frequency of 0.2 Hz (32 °C). The sensitivity to isoproterenol, as determined from the EC50 value (concentration for half-maximal effect), was also similar between age groups (1.16 ± 0.64 nM young, cf. 2.76 ± 2.0 nM old), although higher than in myocytes from failing hearts (22.3 ± 7.5 nM, n = 11). However, for the older group there was a significant depression in maximum contraction amplitude with isoproterenol (8.5 ± 0.6 cf. 11.5 ± 1.0% cell shortening, P < 0.05) and in the ratio between this and the maximum Ca2+ response (isoproterenol/Ca2+ ratio, 0.79 ± 0.05 cf. 1.16 ± 0.12, P < 0.05). Concomitantly, the maximum contraction and relaxation velocities achieved in the presence of isoproterenol were also depressed in older subjects ( P < 0.02 for both). We conclude that age and/or coronary disease with unimpaired left ventricular function selectively reduces the maximum effect of isoproterenol but not the concentration at which this occurs.
Takarazuka: Sexual Politics and Popular Culture in Modern Japan

Takarazuka: Sexual Politics and Popular Culture in Modern Japan. JENNIFER ROBERTSON. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998. xvi. 278 pp., illustrations, notes, bibliography, index.
Recombination rate coefficients for KLL dielectronic satellite lines of Fe XXV and Ni XXVII

The unified method for total electron–ion recombination is extended to study the dielectronic satellite (DES) lines. These lines, formed from radiative decay of autoionizing states, are highly sensitive temperature diagnostics of astrophysical and laboratory plasma sources. The computation of the unified recombination rates is based on the relativistic Breit–Pauli R-matrix method and the close coupling approximation. As such unified recombination cross sections (σRC) include both the resonant and the non-resonant background contributions and the DES spectra correspond directly to resonances in σRC. Extending the theoretical formulation developed earlier (Nahar and Pradhan 2006 Phys. Rev. A 73 062718–1) we present recombination rate coefficients for the 22 satellite lines of KLL complexes of helium-like Fe XXV and Ni XXVII. The isolated resonance approximation, commonly used throughout plasma modeling, treats these resonances essentially as bound features except for dielectronic capture into, and autoionization out of, these levels. A line profile or cross section shape is often assumed. On the other hand, by including the coupling between the autoionizing and continuum channels, the unified method gives the intrinsic spectrum of DES lines which includes not only the energies and strengths, but also the natural line or cross section shapes. A formulation is presented to derive autoionization rates from unified resonance strengths and enable correspondence with the isolated resonance approximation. While the rates compare very well with existing rates for the strong lines to <20%, the differences for weaker DES lines are larger. We also illustrate the application of the present results to the analysis of Kα complexes observed in high-temperature x-ray emission spectra of Fe XXV and Ni XXVII. There are considerable differences with previous results in the total KLL intensity for Fe XXV at temperatures below the temperature of maximum abundance in coronal equilibrium.
Postvocalic (r) in urban Indian English

Native varieties of World Englishes can shed light on competing local and international language ideologies and alignments with different standards, while quantitative variationist methods permit dialect internal analysis of structural variation without direct reference to external standards, by focusing on internal linguistic and social constraints. Contributing to these endeavors, this study examines variation in postvocalic (r)-deletion in Indian English (IndE), uncovering rhotic patterns which are significantly influenced by, and illuminate, distinct urban Indian sociolinguistic alignments. The results also demonstrate that IndE is diverging from both its British colonially influenced past, and from modern internationally prestigious English varieties, through real and apparent time analysis. This analysis focuses on the larger sociolinguistic milieu of IndE emergence and evolution, offering a nuanced response to superficial and oftentimes categorical IndE grammars. Further, studying native speakers offers a counterpoint to L1 contact explanations for IndE stabilization and evolution in the postcolonial context.
A comparison of cumulative voting and generalized plurality voting

In market based societies consumers are able to express the intensity of their preference for an object by paying more for it. However, under some voting systems, consumers are unable to express the intensity of their preference for a candidate due to the constraint of the “one person, one vote” principle. Cumulative voting maintains the equality of the “one person, one vote” principle by allotting each voter the same number of votes, while also allowing for expression of intensity of candidate preference. This paper provides an experimental analysis of voter behavior under different voting systems.
FOUR NEW AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF HYPSELOSOMA REUTER (HETEROPTERA: SCHIZOPTERIDAE)

Hypselosoma oncerochilotum, H. pachypechotum, H. schizobregmotum and H. trachypechotum are described from Queensland and additional information given for H. hickmani Wygodzinsky from Tasmania. The generic definition is amended and the 5 species are keyed. The male genitalia of Hypselosoma Reuter are described and morphological notes on the genus including reference to 6 undescribed New Caledonian species are given.
Two principles of Bayesian epistemology

Examen de deux des principes de la theorie de la rationalite epistemique : le principe de reflexion, selon lequel la probabilite assignee par un agent a une proposition a un moment donne du futur doit etre egale a la probabilite qu'il lui assigne en des temps anterieurs et le principe de conditionnalisation temporelle selon lequel l'attribution par un agent de probabilites differentes a une proposition donnee en des temps differents n'est rationnelle que si l'agent a eu acces a de nouvelles donnees. L'A. soutient que ces deux principes ne sont pas des conditions necessaires de la rationalite epistemique et peuvent dans certains cas etre violes sans que cette rationalite soit mise en cause
A sliding filament model of amoeboid motion.

Abstract The capacities of muscle proteins to solate, to gelate, and to contract form the basis for a sliding filament model of amoeboid motion. The discovery of actin-, myosin- and actomyosin-like proteins in amoebae tends to support the model. Filaments of 80 A in diameter are present in both ectoplasm and endoplasm. Some of these filaments are capable of dephosphorylating ATP. It is assumed, therefore, that these protein filaments are comparable to actin, myosin, and actomyosin of muscle. Emphasis is placed on the specific parallel alignment of those filaments at the interface between ectoplasm and endoplasm. Posteriorly this interface is a dynamic region of solation with an active displacement of actin and myosin from actomyosin by formation of myosin ATP. Conversely, in the anterior region there is a gelation, a binding of ATP, and actin combines with myosin forming actomyosin. The general propositions, however, formulated by Mast in 1926 are retained. Therefore,' the driving force for movement of the plasmasol is a pressure differential produced by contraction of the plasmagel tube. Contraction of the plasmagel tube decreases the volume of the tube in this region, and simultaneously at the plasmagel tube and plasmasol interface some of the actomyosin splits into actin and myosin ATP becoming sol-like. Gelation would occur anteriorly where actin and myosin combine to form actomyosin This model emphasizes the capacities of proteins to solate, geate, and contract focusing investigations anew into these fundamental states in living cells.
Further study of diurnal instrumental conditioning in the treatment of enuresis nocturna

Abstract Prolongation of retention of urine was rewarded during waking hours in 31 enuretic children who had never experienced a dry night. Training continued until a 45 min prolongation was attained. Training took 20 days, and the children were followed up 3 months later. Fifteen of them were completely free of enuresis and eight more showed significant improvement. The result was judged especially impressive as the treatment was administered by parents with only 2 hr of training by the experimenter. Possible applications of the method to other behavioral problems involving autonomic mediation are suggested.
Activity and Ordering of Mixed Phosphatidylethanolamine/Dihydrocholesterol Monolayers

Cholesterol is thought to be important for the structure and assembly of lipid rafts, and its interaction with other membrane lipids has been a topic of great interest. This study focuses on the interactions between 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DMPE) and dihydrocholesterol (Dchol) in Langmuir monolayers using fluorescence microscopy (FM), beta-cyclodextrin (CD) desorption assays, and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXD). Similar to our previous results for 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC)/Dchol monolayers [Biophys. J. 2007, 93, 2038-2047], FM and CD assays show 2 regimes for the DMPE/Dchol system. Short-ranged lateral ordering was observed using GIXD that was also consistent with our recent work on sphingomyelin (SM)/Dchol monolayers [Phys. Rev. Lett. 2009, 103, 028103]. We investigate how the smaller headgroup of DMPE affects the surface morphology, Dchol chemical activity, and lateral structure compared to monolayers of Dchol with DMPC or SM.
Elliptic jets. I - Characteristics of unexcited and excited jets

Experimental studies of incompressible elliptic jets of different aspect ratios and initial conditions are summarized along with the effects of excitations at selected frequencies and amplitudes. The experimental facilities and procedures are described and jet spread and decay are discussed. The instability of elliptic shear layers, the behavior of the jet column under controlled excitation, and the time-average measures of unexcited jets are addressed.
Acute and chronic tolerance to nicotine measured by activity in rats.

Spontaneous locomotor activity has been used to assess the development and the dissipation of tolerance to nicotine in rats. Nicotine administered i.p. to experimentally naive rats depressed activity in a Y-shaped runway in a dose-related manner. After a single i.p. dose of nicotine, acute tolerance to the depressant action of a second dose developed with a definite time-course, becoming maximal after 2 h and wearing off after about 8 h. Repeated i.p. doses of nicotine (3 times daily for 8 days) elicited chronic tolerance, which was found to persist for at least 90 days after the end of regular treatment with the drug. Tolerance was also produced when nicotine was administered in rats' drinking water and through reservoirs implanted subcutaneously. We conclude that tolerance to nicotine in rats can develop quickly, may be measured easily, and persists for prolonged periods after withdrawal. A nicotine abstinence syndrome was not detected. The doses (mg/kg i.p.) of nicotine necessary to induce chronic tolerance in rats were similar to those probably obtained by cigarette smokers, but the different routes and rates of administration make precise comparisons difficult. However, it is suggested that relapse to tobacco use in man may be associated with the persistence of tolerance.
Preparing 10BCl3, 11BCl3, 10B35Cl3 and 11B35Cl3 by reacting B with AgCl

Abstract The reaction of AgCl with elemental B at 1133°K produces good yields of BCl 3 (77% based on B) when AgCl is in excess and produces especially good yields (96% based on AgCl) when B is in excess. This reaction is useful in preparing isotopically substituted BCl 3 .
Family migration and the economic status of women in Malaysia.

"The impact of family migration on women's economic position in a developing country setting is an area that has received relatively little research attention. Incorporating a lifetime perspective, this study makes use of the retrospective migration histories of husbands and wives from the second round of the Malaysian Family Life Survey to estimate how joint migration with the husband affects women's socioeconomic achievement. The findings show that family migration depresses the chances of working, but it does not significantly reduce socioeconomic attainment of those who do work. However, when a woman migrates with her husband she does forgo the substantial advantage she could have derived had she moved alone."
Peripheral blood eosinophilia, hyperimmunoglobulinemia A and fatigue: Possible complications following rupture of silicone breast implants

Background Silicone breast implantation has been considered quite safe and of major cosmetic value. Immunologic sequelae such as collagen vascular diseases have not been confirmed in large studies. Objective We describe a 55-year-old woman who developed severe fatigue, peripheral blood eosinophilia, and hyperimmunoglobulinemia A after rupture of a silicone breast implant during closed manual manipulation to lyse fibrotic tissue. Methods We charted evidence for eosinophilia over a 19-year period and determined quantitative immunoglobulins, and lymphocyte subsets by FACS analysis. Results Peripheral eosinophilia in 1976 was 693/mm 3 and increased to 1,360/mm 3 after rupture of the implant in 1992. Serum immunoglobulin A was 332 mg/dL in 1976 and ranged after rupture from 473 and 627 mg/dL without other cause. Fatigue was not reversed with a parenteral corticosteroid injection. CD 4 and CD 8 subsets were normal but 40% of CD 3 cells were Ia positive although not CD 25 positive (IL2 receptor). Only 5% of B cells were CD 19 CD 23 positive despite the high concentration of serum IgA. Conclusion This case is an example of a previously unreported apparent adverse effect of silicone-breast implant rupture with persisting eosinophilia, hyperimmunoglobulinemia A, and fatigue.
Continued Pursuit of Happily Ever After: Low Barriers to Divorce and Happiness

Throughout the 1970s, a “no-fault revolution” swept through the United States, reducing the legal and economic barriers to divorce. Previous studies have found that these legal changes did at least temporarily increase divorces, and may have been, on average, detrimental to women’s economic well-being. It has also been suggested that reducing the barriers to divorce redistributed power to spouses with better predicted outcomes on the remarriage market. In keeping with this theory, the current study examined men and women ages 25–50 as they transitioned to low-barriers to divorce regimes. My data show that reductions in the barriers to divorce were associated with reductions in women’s happiness, particularly among older women and women with children. Conversely, older men and men with children (these women’s potential partners) reported on average higher happiness after low barriers to divorce. These relationships were found even for individuals who remained married, suggesting that this redistribution of happiness was in part the result of a change in bargaining power within marriages.
THE ROLE OF IRIDOID GLYCOSIDES IN HOST-PLANT SPECIFICITY OF CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLIES

The potential role of iridoid glycosides as feeding stimulants forEuphydryas chalcedona larvae was examined in three laboratory experiments. The first experiment examined larval behavior in choice tests between an artificial diet with no additives (AD) and an artificial diet with the iridoid glycoside, catalpol, added (AD + I) in one group; and AD and AD plus a crude extract from which the iridoid glycoside catalpol was crystallized (AD + Ex) in the second group. The larvae were found more often on AD + I or AD + Ex. The second experiment quantified larval consumption of artificial diets when given a choice of AD or AD + I, and AD or AD + Ex, and showed that larvae ate significantly more AD + I or AD + Ex than AD. The third experiment compared growth and survival on six diets: AD; AD + I; artificial diet with dried, ground upScrophularia californica leaves (AD + S); artificial diet with dried, ground upPlantago lanceolata leaves (AD + P);S. californica leaves (S); andP. lanceolata leaves (P). Growth was best onS. californica leaves, and survival was highest onS. californica andP. lanceolata leaves. There were no differences in growth rate or survival between AD andAD + I. Thus, iridoid glycosides serve as feeding attractants and stimulants for larvae ofEuphydryas chalcedona and are suggested as the basis of radiation in butterflies of the genusEuphydryas.
"GANGS": an energy efficient MAC protocol for sensor networks

Recent advances in wireless communication and electronics have enabled the development of low-cost sensor networks. Low energy storage is one of the critical features of nodes in these networks. Communication protocols at different layers have been proposed in order to reduce the energy consumption. This paper presents a MAC layer protocol, named "GANGS", as a method of saving energy in sensor networks. Probabilistic markov chain models are established to evaluate and compare the performance of IEEE802.11 and GANGS.
Magnetic Form Factor of the Neutron

Electron scattering from the bound neutron and proton in the deuteron has been studied at various scattering angles between 75\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 135\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} for 500-Mev and 600-Mev electrons. A comparison of these scattering cross sections with those of the free proton permits a determination of the density distribution of the magnetic cloud around the neutron. By using theories developed by Jankus and Blankenbecler, the root-mean-square radius of the neutron is shown to lie between the limits 0.80\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm and 0.90\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm. The choice between these radii depends on whether the deuteron total cross sections or differential (peak) cross sections are compared with the protonic scattering cross section. Since presently available theory has not yet developed sufficiently to decide definitely between these possibilities, the root-mean-square size may be taken to be (0.85\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.10)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm with small error. The neutron's magnetic cloud clearly does not have the small size obtained by measurement of its charge cloud from experiments on the neutron-electron interaction, and this anomaly challenges the present concepts of nucleon size.
CW operation of folded-cavity semiconductor lasers with etched turning mirrors

We present a new type of semiconductor laser, the folded-cavity laser (FCL), which uses dry-etched turning mirrors to make a very compact cavity with low threshold current density. We discuss applications of the FCL to optical switching, logic and photonic integrated circuits, and present pulsed and CW results for GaAs/AIGaAs MQW lasers.
The effects of increased Interest-rate volatility on LDCs

Abstract This paper examines the effects of an increase in the volatility of interest rates on Less Development Countries (LDCs). This examination is accomplished by modeling a representative LDC pursuing an optimal foreign borrowing program over a finite planning horizon. The results suggest that increased volatility may cause LDCs to increase their domestic savings. It is further suggested that it may not be possible to be judge the effects of the greater volatility by observing foreign borrowing.
Separation of the complexes formed between the regulatory and catalytic subunits of cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase and topoisomerase I activity in preovulatory follicle-enriched immature rat ovaries.

Our previous studies have shown that the regulatory subunits of the type II form of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (RII) present in soluble extracts of immature rat ovaries elute from diethylaminoethyl-cellulose as three separate peaks of activity, based on their association with the catalytic subunit (C) of this enzyme, as R2IIC2, an apparent R2IIC, and R2II. Based upon the existence of ovarian RII in three different subunit arrangements, the large amount of C subunit-free R2II in this tissue, and a previous report which indicated that RII exhibited intrinsic topoisomerase I activity, we determined whether DNA topoisomerase I activity was associated with any of these molecular complexes of the ovarian RII subunits. Cyclic AMP-binding activities in soluble extracts of preovulatory follicle-enriched immature rat ovaries were separated by diethylaminoethyl-cellulose chromatography and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Topoisomerase I activity cosedimented with the apparent R2IIC and R2II obtained from...
The role of the cowpox virus crmA gene during intratracheal and intradermal infection of C57BL/6 mice

Abstract Intratracheal (i.t.) infection of mice with cowpox virus (CPXV), is lethal at a lower dose than intranasal (i.n.) inoculation. CPXV deleted for cytokine response modifier A (CPXVΔcrmA) was attenuated compared to CPXV after i.t. inoculation. This attenuation could not be attributed to differences in virus replication, immunomodulators, or cells infiltrating the lungs. Deletion of crmA also caused attenuation during intradermal (i.d.) infection. In contrast to i.t.-inoculated virus, deletion of crmA reduced virus replication at the site of infection. This difference correlated to increased numbers of CD3 + cells in CPXVΔcrmA-associated dermal lesions. Thus, crmA is a virulence factor in mice during either pulmonary or dermal cowpox infection; however the influence of crmA is more evident during i.d. inoculation. This suggests that the host immune response differs in the two routes of infection and emphasizes the need to consider the effect of route of infection when examining functions of virulence factors in vivo .
Monetary policy and the financial decisions of firms

In this paper we develop a general equilibrium model with heterogeneous, long-lived firms where financial factors play an important role in their production and investment decisions. When the economy is hit by monetary shocks, the response of small and large firms differs substantially, with small firms responding more than big firms. As a result of the financial decisions of firms, monetary shocks have a persistent impact on output. Another finding of the paper is that monetary shocks lead to considerable volatility in stock market returns.
Response to Letter Regarding Article, “Short- and Long-Term Outcomes With Drug-Eluting and Bare-Metal Coronary Stents: A Mixed-Treatment Comparison Analysis of 117 762 Patient-years of Follow-up From Randomized Trials”

Sharma and Chatterjee compare and contrast our publication1 with a recent publication on stent thrombosis2 and are concerned with “divergent” results of the 2 studies. A thorough reading of both the articles shows that the results of the 2 articles are concordant, demonstrating that everolimus-eluting stents reduce the risk of stent thrombosis compared with other drug-eluting stents and even bare-metal stents. The differences are due largely to the design of the 2 studies. First, the focus of the Palmerini et al2 article was on stent thrombosis, whereas our focus was on not only stent thrombosis, but also other efficacy and safety outcomes, as outlined below. Second, Palmerini et al excluded studies that did not report stent …
Optimization of polymer electrolyte fuel cell cathode catalyst layers via direct numerical simulation modeling

The cathode catalyst layer (CL), due to sluggish oxygen reduction reaction and several transport losses therein, plays an important role in the overall performance of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). The relative volume fractions of the constituent phases, i.e. the electronic, electrolyte and void phases, of the cathode CL need to be selected appropriately in order to achieve an optimal balance between oxygen diffusion and proton conduction. In this work, the influence of electrolyte and void phase fractions of the cathode CL on the cell performance is investigated based on a pore-level description of species and charge transport through a random CL microstructure via the direct numerical simulation (DNS) model. Additionally, the effects of inlet relative humidity and net water transport from the anode on the cathode performance have been studied which indicate the interdependence between the CL composition and the cell operating conditions. The results indicate that the low humidity operation benefits the performance by enhancing the oxygen transport especially under high current densities. Finally, the DNS model predicts the volume fractions of 0.4 and 0.26 for the void and electrolyte phases, respectively, as the optimal composition of the catalyst layer for the best performance.
Orbit-to-ground Wireless Power Transfer test mission

Since the 1970s the concept of transferring power from orbit for use on Earth has had a great deal of consideration for future energy and environmental sustainability here on Earth. The cost, size and complexity of a production-grade system are extremely large, and have many environmental considerations. There has never been a publicly disclosed orbit-to-ground power transfer test mission. A proposed project provides an opportunity to test the conceptual operation of such a system, albeit at a much lower power level than the ‘grand’ or ‘real scale’ system. During this test, a small Solar Powered (SP) 6-U CubSat will be deployed into Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) (225 or 325 km) to collect and store 1 KW of power from solar energy as the satellite is orbiting. The goal is to transmit 1 KW of wireless power at a microwave frequency of 5.8 or 10 GHz to a ground antenna array system. This paper presents the architecture for the proposed mission and discusses the regulatory, legal, and environmental issues that such a mission poses. Furthermore, the gain of the transmitter is analyzed at 20 and 30 dB as well as the gain of the receiver is analyzed at 30, 40, and 50 dB.
Conflicting Epistemologies: A Case Study of a Traditional American Indian in Therapy

This case study contributes to the development of a flexible and coherent theory of American Indian psychology. It focuses on mental health psychology in the context of therapy with a 63-year-old traditional Southeastern Woodland woman (Selu). Theoretical constructs of American Indian therapeutic perspectives and needs are postulated, based on the client's and psychologist's interactions over the course of about one hundred counseling sessions over a 2-year period. One of the strengths of this model is that it emerges from a clinical perspective. Different therapeutic techniques are experimented with, used, abandoned, and merged. Hopefully, the following reflections will help therapists to critically consider psychological perspectives and approaches they may use with traditional American Indians or other nonmajority clients.
Conceptus elongation in ruminants: roles of progesterone, prostaglandin, interferon tau and cortisol

The majority of pregnancy loss in ruminants occurs during the first three weeks after conception, particularly during the period of conceptus elongation that occurs prior to pregnancy recognition and implantation. This review integrates established and new information on the biological role of ovarian progesterone (P4), prostaglandins (PGs), interferon tau (IFNT) and cortisol in endometrial function and conceptus elongation. Progesterone is secreted by the ovarian corpus luteum (CL) and is the unequivocal hormone of pregnancy. Prostaglandins (PGs) and cortisol are produced by both the epithelial cells of the endometrium and the trophectoderm of the elongating conceptus. In contrast, IFNT is produced solely by the conceptus trophectoderm and is the maternal recognition of pregnancy signal that inhibits production of luteolytic pulses of PGF2α by the endometrium to maintain the CL and thus production of P4. Available results in sheep support the idea that the individual, interactive, and coordinated actions of P4, PGs, IFNT and cortisol regulate conceptus elongation and implantation by controlling expression of genes in the endometrium and/or trophectoderm. An increased knowledge of conceptus-endometrial interactions during early pregnancy in ruminants is necessary to understand and elucidate the causes of infertility and recurrent early pregnancy loss and provide new strategies to improve fertility and thus reproductive efficiency.
Low-dose, beta-particle emission from 'stent' wire results in complete, localized inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation.

BACKGROUND Restenosis after catheter-based revascularization has been demonstrated to be primarily caused by medial and/or intimal smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. The objective of this study was investigate the ability of local emission of beta-particles from a 32P-impregnated titanium "stent" wire source to inhibit vascular SMC and endothelial cell proliferation in cell culture and to determine the dose-response characteristics of this inhibition. METHODS AND RESULTS A series of experiments were performed using 0.20-mm-diameter titanium wires that were impregnated with varying low concentrations of 32P (activity range, 0.002 to 0.06 microCi/cm wire, n = 47) or 31P (nonradioactive control, n = 28) in cultures of rat and human aortic SMCs and in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells. The zone of complete cell growth inhibition (in millimeters from stent wire) was measured using light microscopy in the cultures exposed to the radioactive (32P) or control (31P) wires at 6 and 12 days after plating. In both rat and human SMC cultures there was a distinct 5.5- to 10.6-mm zone of complete SMC inhibition at wire activity levels > or = 0.006 microCi/cm. In contrast, there was no zone of inhibition surrounding the control (31P impregnated) wires (P or = 0.006 microCi/cm for human and rat SMCs). Proliferating bovine endothelial cells were more radioresistant than SMCs, with no zone of inhibition observed at wire activity levels up to 0.019 microCi/cm (P < .001 versus SMCs at 0.006 microCi/cm and 0.019 microCi/cm). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that very low doses of beta-particle emission from a 32P-impregnated stent wire (activity levels as low as 0.006 microCi/cm of wire) completely inhibit the growth and migration of both rat and human SMCs within a range of 5.5 to 10.6 mm from the wire. Endothelial cells appear to be much more radioresistant than SMCs. These data suggest that an intra-arterial stent impregnated with a low concentration of 32P may have a salutary effect on the restenosis process. Whether this approach can be used successfully and safely to inhibit restenosis in vivo and in the clinical setting is under investigation.
Portfolio Theory as a Pattern of Timeless Moments

Quantitative finance traces its roots to modern portfolio theory. Despite the deficiencies of modern portfolio theory, mean-variance optimization nevertheless continues to form the basis for contemporary finance. The term "postmodern portfolio theory" expresses many of the theoretical advances in financial learning since the original articulation of modern portfolio theory. Any complete overview of financial risk management must address all aspects of portfolio theory, from the beautiful symmetries of modern portfolio theory to the disturbing behavioral insights and the vastly expanded mathematical arsenal of the postmodern critique. This article surveys portfolio theory, from its modern origins through more sophisticated, "postmodern" incarnations, according to the first four moments of any statistical distribution: mean, variance, skewness, and excess kurtosis. Mastery of these quantitative tools and associated behavioral insights holds the key to the efficient frontier of risk management.
Celecoxib‐induced apoptosis in rat cholangiocarcinoma cells mediated by Akt inactivation and Bax translocation

Recently, we demonstrated that the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor celecoxib acts to significantly suppress the growth of rat C611B cholangiocarcinoma (ChC) cells in vitro. To establish a molecular mechanism for this growth suppression, we investigated the effects of celecoxib on apoptotic signaling pathways in cultured rat C611B ChC cells. Celecoxib and another COX-2 inhibitor, rofecoxib, at 5 μM were almost equally effective in inhibiting prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by these cells, but at this low concentration, neither inhibitor suppressed growth or induced apoptosis. Celecoxib at 50 μM induced prominent apoptosis in these cells, whereas rofecoxib at 50 μM was without effect in either suppressing growth or inducing apoptosis. Celecoxib (50 μM) did not alter Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, or COX-2 protein levels, nor did it inhibit p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation; however, it significantly suppressed serine/threonine kinase Akt/PKB (Akt) phosphorylation and kinase activity in cultured C611B cells. This effect, in turn, directly correlated with Bax translocation to mitochondria, cytochrome c release into cytosol, activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Addition of 25 μM PGE2 to C611B cell cultures blocked the apoptotic actions of celecoxib. Rofecoxib (50 μM) was without effect in suppressing Akt phosphorylation and caspase-3 activation. In vivo, celecoxib partially suppressed tumorigenic growth of C611B ChC cells. In conclusion, our results indicate that celecoxib preferentially acts in vitro to induce apoptosis in ChC cells through a mechanism involving Akt inactivation, Bax translocation, and cytochrome c release. Our in vivo results further suggest celecoxib might have potential therapeutic or chemopreventive value against ChC. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;39:1028–1037.)
Pade approximation and orthogonal polynomials

By using a variational method, we study the structure of the Pade table for a formal power series. For series of Stieltjes, this method is employed to study the relations of the Pade approximants with orthogonal polynomials and gaussian quadrature formulas. Hence, we can study convergence, precise locations of poles and zeros, monotonicaty, and so on, of these approximants. Our methods have nothing to do with determinant theory and the theory of continued fractions which were used extensively in the past.