cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thyroid and Thyroxine Effects on Adrenoreceptors in Relation to Circadian Activity

Experiments were conducted to ascertain if changes in central adrenergic receptors could be associated with altered circadian activity patterns induced by thyroparathyroidectomy (TPX) and thyroxine. An initial experiment used TPX and sham-operated rats that had been exposed to dim red light for 7 months. The alpha and beta receptor densities were compared in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), preoptic (PO), septum, and caudate-putamen. TPX animals showed significant reductions in beta 1 and beta 2 receptor densities in SCN and PO, and alpha 1 densities in SCN, but no other changes. A second experiment, lasting 4 months, examined the effects of thyroxine, which has been shown to reverse the period-shortening effects of TPX surgery. Thyroxine significantly increased beta 1 receptors in both the SCN and ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), the only regions that displayed significant reductions in TPXs during the second experiment. Increases of sevenfold and threefold were observed in the SCNs of TPXs and shams, respectively, but thyroxine's action in the VMH was limited to TPX animals, an effect that mimics thyroxine's action on circadian activity rhythms.
Eliminating somatic complaints in separation anxiety through contingency management.

Abstract Somatic complaints are often observed in children with separation problems. The following report discusses the use of a contingency management procedure employed by the mother of a girl whose complaints of stomach ache and headaches had no organic basis. Implementation of the procedure resulted in a rapid elimination of all inappropriate somatic complaints.
Nanoparticle Alignment and Repulsion during Failure of Glassy Polymer Nanocomposites

We use a model material of polystyrene blended with surface-modified cadmium selenide nanoparticles to investigate the interaction between polymer molecules and nanoparticles during the process of crazing. We demonstrate that nanoparticles undergo three stages of rearrangement during craze formation and propagation in glassy polymer nanocomposites: (1) alignment along the precraze, (2) expulsion from craze fibrils, and (3) assembly into clusters entrapped between craze fibrils. These results provide insight into the failure mechanisms of glassy polymer nanocomposites.
The effect of treatment positioning on normal tissue dose in patients with prostate cancer treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy

Purpose: To prospectively assess the effect of supine vs. prone treatment position on the dose to normal tissues in prostate cancer patients treated with the three-dimensional conformal technique. Methods and Materials: Twenty-six patients underwent three-dimensional treatment planning in both the supine and prone treatment positions. The planning target volume and normal tissue structures were outlined on each CAT scan slice, and treatment plans were compared to assess the effect of treatment position on the volume of rectum, bladder, and bowel exposed to the high doses of irradiation. Results: The average dose to the rectal wall and the V95 (volume of rectal wall receiving at least 95% of the prescription dose) for the prone position were 64 and 24% of the prescription dose, respectively, compared to 72 and 29%, respectively, for the supine position (p < 0.05). When the average rectal wall dose was used as an endpoint, 14 of the 26 patients (54%) had an advantage for the prone position compared to 1 (4%) who demonstrated and advantage for the supine position (p < 0.0002). Similarly, when V95 of the rectal wall was used as a measure of comparison, 15 patients (58%) had an advantage for the prone position compared to 1 (4%) who demonstrated an advantage for the supine position (p < 0.0002). In 13 patients (50%), a change from spine to the prone position was associated with reduction of the V95 to levels < 30% of the prescription dose compared to 3 patients (11%) in whom such an advantage resulted from change of the prone to the supine position (p < 0.005). The effect of treatment position on the rectal wall dose was most pronounced in the region of the seminal vesicles. An increased volume of bowel was also noted in the supine position. The treatment position, however, had no significant impact on the dose to the bladder wall. Conclusions: Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer in the prone position is associated with significant reduction of the dose to the rectum and bowel resulting in an improvement in the therapeutic ratio.
A new technique for surface and shallow subsurface paleobarometry using fluid inclusions: an example from the Upper Ordovician Viola Formation, Kansas, USA

Abstract This research illustrates a new approach for paleobarometry employing heterogeneously entrapped fluid inclusions to determine timing and depth of diagenesis. Heterogeneously entrapped fluid inclusions (gas+water) in vug-filling quartz from the Upper Ordovician Viola Formation in the Midcontinent of the United States were analyzed for their internal pressure with a fluid-inclusion crushing stage. The free gas in fluid inclusions was entrapped at near-surface temperature, as indicated by the presence of all-liquid fluid inclusions and fluid inclusions with low homogenization temperatures (
Developing A National Drinking Water Regulation for Disinfection of Ground Water

The Safe Drinking Water Act directs EPA to promulgate requirements for disinfection of ground water-based drinking water systems. The Ground- water Disinfection Rule regulatory workgroup, made up of representatives from EPA, the states, and other interested parties, is actively considering the issues for the wide range of elements necessary to ensure a regulation that will protect public health and can be feasibly implemented. This regulation is likely to require disinfection of ground water sources and systems found to be contaminated or vulnerable to contamination.
GluRδ2 and the Development and Death of Cerebellar Purkinje Neurons in Lurcher Mice

Lurcher (Lc) is a spontaneous, semidominant mouse neurological mutation. Heterozygous lurcher mice (Lc/+) display ataxia due to a selective, cell-autonomous, apoptotic death of 90% of cerebellar Purkinje cells during postnatal development. Homozygous lurcher mice (Lc/Lc) die shortly after birth due to massive loss of mid- and hindbrain neurons during late embryogenesis. We identified the mutations responsible for neurodegeneration in two independent Lc alleles as identical G-to-A transitions that change a highly conserved alanine to a threonine residue in transmembrane domain III of the mouse delta 2 glutamate receptor gene (GluRE2). Lc/+ Purkinje cells displayed a very high membrane conductance and a depolarized resting potential, indicating the presence of a large, constitutive inward current. Expression of the mutant GluR delta 2Lc protein in Xenopus oocytes confirmed these results, demonstrating that lurcher is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder resulting from a gain-of-function mutation in a glutamate receptor gene. Further characterization of GluR delta 2 signaling and the activation of apoptotic death in Lc Purkinje cells have begun to yield mechanistic insights into this neurodegenerative disease, and to highlight its relationship to neuronal loss following ischemia.
Nonequilibrium flow calculations for the hydrogen constricted arc

A nonequilibrium flow model has been formulated and solved numerically for conditions in an atomic hydrogen cascade arc. Solutions show that although thermal nonequilibrium effects are minor, the departure from chemical equilibrium is significant. Comparisons with results obtained from an equilibrium flow model reveal the deficiencies associated with such a model and parametric calculations reveal the effect of current, pressure, and radius on arc behavior.
Does Thin Filament Compliance Diminish the Cross-Bridge Kinetics? A Study in Rabbit Psoas Fibers

The effect of thin filament compliance on our ability to detect the cross-bridge kinetics was examined. Our experiment is based on the facts that in rabbit psoas the thin filament (1.12 micrometer) is longer than half the thick filament length (0.82 micrometer) and that the thick filament has a central bare zone (0.16 micrometer). Consequently, when sarcomere length is increased from 2.1 to 2.4 micrometer, the same number of cross-bridges is involved in force generation but extra series compliance is introduced in the I-band. Three apparent rate constants (2pia, 2pib, and 2pic) were characterized by sinusoidal analysis at pCa 4.66. Our results demonstrate that 2pia and 2pib increased 13-16% when sarcomere length was increased from 2.0 to 2.5 micrometer, and 2pic decreased slightly (9%). This slight decrease can be explained by compression of the lattice spacing. These observations are at variance with the expectation based on increased series compliance, which predicts that the rate constants will decrease. We also determined compliance of the I-band during rigor. I-band compliance during rigor induction was 35% of sarcomere compliance at sarcomere length 2.4 micrometer, and 24% at sarcomere length 2.1 micrometer. We conclude that the presence of thin filament compliance does not seriously interfere with our ability to detect cross-bridge kinetics using sinusoidal analysis.
Optimization of a nonisothermal nonadiabatic fixed-bed reactor using dirac-type silver catalysts for ethylene epoxidation

Abstract A heterogeneous, nonadiabatic, nonisothermal plug-flow reactor where ethylene epoxidation over silver catalyst occurs is studied theoretically. The catalyst distribution in the pellets is of a Dirac-delta type. The location of the Dirac distribution is optimized both the ethylene oxide yield and selectivity maximazation. Single-pellet results indicate that yield can be maximized either by surface or subsurface catalyst locations, depending on the operating conditions. However, for all practical purposes, selectivity is maximized only by surface catalysts. Significant improvements in reactor performance are found by using the appropriate Dirac catalyst, as compared to a uniform catalyst distribution. Further improvements can be achieved by using a two-zone reactor, with different catalyst location in each zone. Reactor runaway behavior can also be avoided by the use of Dirac catalysts.
Excitatory and depressant effects of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on cortical evoked responses in the conscious rat.

The influences of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol on electrically evoked cortical potentials of conscious rats with chronically implanted electrodes were investigated. Specifically, the cannabinoids' effects on a transcallosal evoked response were compared with those of ethosuximide, phenytoin, and pentylenetetrazol. THC produced dose-related opposite effects: Low doses increased the amplitude of the response, whereas higher doses reduced the response. Other drugs that can cause or exacerbate seizures, i. e., phenytoin and pentylenetetrazol, also increased the amplitude of the cortical response. In contrast, cannabidiol, over a wide dosage range, caused only depression. Ethosuximide, like cannabidiol, elicited a depressant effect. The data indicate that under the conditions of the present investigation, cannabidiol shares electrophysiological properties with ethosuximide but not with phenytoin, and that cannabidiol is a relatively selective, centrally acting drug. In addition, our findings support the suggestion that augmentation of neurotransmission in central pathways may contribute to the convulsant actions of THC, and the cannabinoids' depressant effects may, at least partially, account for their anticonvulsant actions.
Hardware implementations of fuzzy membership functions, operations, and inference

Abstract In this paper, we propose several novel hardware circuits that can be used to design fuzzy logic systems. First, five different fuzzifying circuits, which can be easily embedded into other systems, are presented. Then, two novel defuzzifying schemes based on voltage and charge modes are introduced. Transconductance multipliers are employed to implement a voltage-mode defuzzifier while op amplifiers with floating gates are used to realize a charge-mode defuzzifier. Experimental results and layouts of fabricated chips are also presented. Finally, two novel designs of MIN and MAX circuits are discussed.
Baryon to meson ratios in jets and ridges

We present an analysis of relative baryon to meson production for intermediate transverse momentum hadrons associated with a high-pT trigger. The results of pion and (anti)proton spectra and ratios are presented for the “jet” and “ridge” components of the two-dimensional Δν − Δϕ triggered correlations in central Au+Au collisions at \(\sqrt {s_{NN} } \) = 200 GeV. We compare these results with the inclusive (non-triggered) measurements for the same data, and discuss our observations in conjunction with the results from d+Au, and pp data.
With Strings Attached: Statutory Delegations of Authority to the Executive Branch

While research on the influence of divided government upon legislative outputs is available, relatively little identifies the effects of divided government on legislative control of bureaucratic discretion. Some suggest that inter-branch conflict between the President and Congress leads legislators to seek to retain legislative control over the bureaucracy. As a result, periods of divided government increase statutory control and reduce agency autonomy. Close examination of statutes creating each federal agency between 1946 and 1997 reveal that divided government increases specificity of statutory control. In addition, the particular type of divided government involving split partisan control between the chambers of Congress fosters greater specific statutory control when new government agencies are created.
Echelon base-stock policies are financially sub-optimal

We study a Clark and Scarf multi-echelon inventory model with the objective of optimizing the expected present value of dividends. A counterexample shows that generally there is no optimal echelon base-stock policy if there are financial constraints and two or more echelons.
Wood fiber surface treatment level effects on selected mechanical properties of wood fiber–cement composites

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the effects of sodium (N) silicate, potassium (K) silicate, and silane (Si) treatment levels on newspaper and unbleached kraft fibers for enhancing selected mechanical properties of wood fiber–cement composites compared to untreated wood fiber–cement composites. Both wood fiber types were treated with selected aqueous solution strengths, air dried, and mixed with water and cement. The bending and compression properties of the specimens were determined after 28 days of hydration. Results of this study indicated that the aqueous chemical treatments of the wood fibers enhanced some of the mechanical properties of wood fiber–cement composites compared to the untreated wood fiber–cement composites. The enhancement depended on chemical treatment and wood fiber type. All three chemical treatments of newspaper fiber enhanced the normalized toughness values compared to the untreated newspaper fiber–cement composites. In addition, higher treatment levels using N silicate with newspaper fiber improved the compressive strength and bending modulus of the composites compared to the untreated newspaper fiber–cement composites. Kraft fiber treated with all three chemicals enhanced the compressive strength, bending modulus and bending strength compared to the untreated kraft fiber–cement composites. However, only silane-treated kraft fiber improved the normalized toughness values compared to the untreated kraft fiber–cement composites. The results of the study indicated that certain chemical treatments react better with different wood fiber types resulting in selected mechanical property enhancements.
Anthocyanins: Natural Colorants with Health-Promoting Properties

Anthocyanins are flavonoids in fruits and vegetables that render them vivid red to blue. To date, there have been more than 635 anthocyanins identified in nature, featuring six common aglycones and various types of glycosylations and acylations. Dietary consumption of anthocyanins is high compared to other flavonoids, owing to their wide distribution in plant materials. Based upon many cell-line studies, animal models, and human clinical trials, it has been suggested that anthocyanins possess anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activity, cardiovascular disease prevention, obesity control, and diabetes alleviation properties, all of which are more or less associated with their potent antioxidant property. Evidence suggests that absorption of anthocyanins occurs in the stomach and small intestine. Epithelial tissue uptake seems to be highly efficient, yet transportation into circulation, tissue distribution, and urine excretion are very limited. The bioactivity of bioavailable anthocyanins should be a f...
A MODEL FOR THE GROWTH OF MATHEMATICAL SPECIALTIES

A mathematical model for the growth of two coupled mathematical specialties, differential geometry and topology, is analyzed. The key variable is the number of theorems in use in each specialty. Obsolescences of theorems-in-use due to replacement by more general theorems introduces non-linear terms of the differential equations. The stability of stationary solutions is investigated. The phase portrait shows that the number of theorems in low-dimensional topology relative to those in differential geometry is increasing. The model is qualitatively consistent with the growth of publications in these two specialties, but does not give quantitative predictions, partly because we do not use an explicit solutions as a function of time and partly because only two specialties are used. The methods of analysis and some of the concepts can be extended to the development of more general and realistic models for the growth of specialties.
Hormones and competitive aggression in women.

This study used diaries of competitive interactions to explore the relationship between hormones and competitive aggression in women. Thirty women completed approximately 10 diary entries each. In each entry, the women described a recent competitive interaction they had engaged in and noted whether it was expressed aggressively or through other tactics. Each woman received a score for the fraction of her competitive interactions that were expressed using physical aggression, verbal aggression, nothing overt, and so on. Hormones (total testosterone, free testosterone, androstenedione, estradiol, and cortisol) were measured in serum early in the follicular phase. Results indicate that women with low levels of androstenedione and total testosterone were less likely to express their competitive feelings overtly, while women with high levels of androstenedione were more likely than other women to express their competitive feelings through verbal aggression. Estradiol was unrelated to competitive tactics, but women with high estradiol levels reported fewer competitive interactions over athletics than did other women.
Disability, race/ethnicity, and medication adherence among Medicare myocardial infarction survivors.

Background Long-term medication therapy for patients with post–myocardial infarction (MI) can prolong life. However, recent data on long-term adherence are limited, particularly among some subpopulations. We compared medication adherence among Medicare MI survivors by disability status, race/ethnicity, and income. Methods We examined 100% of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged post-MI in 2008. The outcomes were adherence to β-blockers, statins, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers, for 1-year and 6-month postdischarge. Adherence was defined as having prescriptions in possession for ≥75% of days. Results Among aged beneficiaries who survived 1-year adherence to β-blockers were 68%, 66%, 61%, 58%, and 57% for whites, Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans, and blacks, respectively; among persons with disability, 1-year adherence was worse for each group: 59%, 54%, 52%, 47%, and 43%, respectively. The racial/ethnic difference persisted after adjustment for age, gender, income, drug coverage, location, and health status. Patterns of adherence to statins and angiotensin-converting enzymes/angiotensin II receptor blockers were similar. Among beneficiaries with close-to-full drug coverage, minorities were still less likely to adhere relative to whites: odds ratio 0.70 (95% CI 0.65-0.75) for blacks and odds ratio 0.70 (95% CI 0.55-0.90) for Native Americans. Conclusions Although β-blockers at discharge has improved since the National Committee for Quality Assurance implemented quality measures, long-term adherence remains problematic, especially among persons with disability and minority beneficiaries. Quality measures for long-term adherence should be created to improve outcomes in patients with post-MI. Even among those with close-to-full drug coverage, racial differences remain, suggesting that policies simply relying on cost reduction cannot eliminate racial differences.
The chemistry of hetero-allene and -allylic derivatives with rhodium

The rhodium(I) complexes Rh[X-C(Z)-Y] (PPh3)2, in which [X-C(Z)-Y] represents an uninegative unsaturated heteroallylic bidentate ligand, coordinating via two of the three hetero atoms (X, Y, Z  P, S or N), react at elevated temperature with an excess of the hetero-allene SCS to give the rhodium(I)-thiocarbonyl complexes Rh[X-C(Z)-Z](CS)(PPh3). In the initial step a first CS2 molecule is coordinated side-on by one of the CS double bands. Subsequent reactions can be blocked at this stage by addition of pyridine, resulting in RhCl(η2-CS2)(PPh3)(py)2. The formation of the CS complexes occurs in two ways. Either by direct sulfur abstraction from the RhI(η2-CS2) complex by PPh3 or by a dimerisation of two CS2 molecules and elimination of a CS moiety, resulting in a RhIII-thiocarbonyl-trithiocarbonato complex, immediately followed by demolition of the trithiocarbonato-CS−23 fragment, by PPh3 to SPPh3 and CS2. Complexes containing a CS−23 fragment, but no CS moiety, can also be identified by IR measurements. These products may be formed in a sidereaction upon elimination of CS.
Isolation of electronic from geometric contributions to Bergman cyclization of metalloenediynes

Conformationally constrained ethylene-diamine metalloenediyne compounds exhibit alkyne termini separations that are constant and independent of metal center geometry. Ancillary chloride ligand electron donation into the Bergman cyclization reaction coordinate, however, dramatically influences the observed temperatures.
Digital genotyping and haplotyping with polymerase colonies

Polymerase colony (polony) technology amplifies multiple individual DNA molecules within a thin acrylamide gel attached to a microscope slide. Each DNA molecule included in the reaction produces an immobilized colony of double-stranded DNA. We genotype these polonies by performing single base extensions with dye-labeled nucleotides, and we demonstrate the accurate quantitation of two allelic variants. We also show that polony technology can determine the phase, or haplotype, of two single- nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by coamplifying distally located targets on a single chromosomal fragment. We correctly determine the genotype and phase of three different pairs of SNPs. In one case, the distance between the two SNPs is 45 kb, the largest distance achieved to date without separating the chromosomes by cloning or somatic cell fusion. The results indicate that polony genotyping and haplotyping may play an important role in understanding the structure of genetic variation.
Economic Development, Creative Destruction and Urban Dynamics A Proposal for Rethinking Developmental Agendas

This paper revisits the problem of economic development questioning the implicit premise that developing economies are nascent systems on their way to maturity. It is proposed that the developing countries should instead be viewed as mature systems in a low-welfare homeostasis reached under resource constraints. When seen as mature systems, the transformation of the existing mix of economic activity into one that can yield better lives for people takes precedence over the widely advocated objectives of growth, productivity improvement, structural transformation, specialization for export, privatization and other such agendas that will not change the tendency towards the low-welfare homeostasis. Viewing developing countries as mature economies also calls for seeking as a part of the development strategy the accelerated decay of the obsolete and irrelevant baggage that might fill the landscape, so room is created for replacing it with more appropriate infrastructure. Schumpeter’s concept of creative destruction and Forester’s Urban Dynamics model are explored as alternative frameworks for economic development.
Termination of Isoform-Selective Vps21/Rab5 Signaling at Endolysosomal Organelles by Msb3/Gyp3

Traffic through endosomes and lysosomes is controlled by small G-proteins of the Rab5 and Rab7 families. Like humans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has three Rab5s (Vps21, Ypt52 and Ypt53) and one Rab7 (Ypt7). Here, we elucidate the functional roles and regulation of the yeast Rab5s. Using GFP-tagged cargoes, a novel quantitative multivesicular body (MVB) sorting assay, and electron microscopy, we show that MVB biogenesis and thus MVB cargo sorting is severely impaired in vps21Δ ypt52Δ double mutants. Ypt53, the third Rab5 paralog, is hardly expressed during normal growth but its transcription is strongly induced by cellular stress through the calcineurin-Crz1 pathway. The requirement for Rab5 activity in stress tolerance facilitated identification of Msb3/Gyp3 as the principal Rab5 GAP (GTPase accelerating protein). In vitro GAP assays verified that Vps21 is a preferred Gyp3 target. Moreover, we demonstrate that Gyp3 spatially restricts active Vps21 to intermediate endosomal compartments by preventing Vps21 accumulation on lysosomal vacuoles. Gyp3, therefore, operates as a compartmental insulator that helps to define the spatial domain of Vps21 signaling in the endolysosomal pathway.
Photoconduction studies on GaN nanowire transistors under UV and polarized UV illumination

Abstract Photoconduction studies have been carried out with single crystal GaN nanowires. The nanowire transistors exhibited a substantial increase in conductance upon UV light exposure. Besides the selectivity to different light wavelengths, extremely short response and recovery time have also been obtained, as well as the great reversibility of the nanowire between the high and low conductivity states. In addition, a polarization anisotropy effect was demonstrated and studied for GaN nanowires working as polarized UV detectors. The nanowire conductance varied periodically with the polarization angle of the incident light (θ), which can be well fitted into a function of cos2θ.
DISCOURSE DEIXIS: REFERENCE TO DISCOURSE SEGMENTS

Computational approaches to discourse understanding have a two-part goal: (1) to identify those aspects of discourse understanding that require process-based accounts, and (2) to characterize the processes and data structures they involve. To date, in the area of reference, process-based accounts have been developed for subsequent reference via anaphoric pronouns and reference via definite descriptors. In this paper, I propose and argue for a process-based account of subsequent reference via deictic expressions. A significant feature of this account is that it attributes distinct mental reality to units of text often called discourse segments, a reality that is distinct from that of the entities described therein.
Comparative economic performance of conventional and profit-sharing firms

Abstract This paper compares the various economic properties of conventional firms and profit-sharing firms. The properties contrasted include wage level, employment, output price, total economic rents and industry efficiency. The firms operate in an oligopolistic industry with a labor union. In general, profit-sharing firms outperform non-sharing firms. However, there exist counterexamples in which non-sharing firms can outperform sharing firms. To test the robustness of the results, the analysis is conducted for a variety of oligopolistic industries: quantity-setting, pricesetting and joint collusion.
Evidence for the Effectiveness of an Alternative Multisource Performance Rating Methodology

Despite persistent concerns as to the quality of performance information obtained from multisource performance ratings (MSPRs), little research has sought ways to improve the psychometric properties of MSPRs. Borrowing from past methodologies designed to improve performance ratings, we present a new method of presenting items in MSPRs, frame-of-reference scales (FORS), and test the efficacy of this method in a field and lab study. The field study used confirmatory factor analysis to compare the FORS to traditional rating scales and revealed that FORS are associated with increased variance due to dimensions, decreased overlap among dimensions, and decreased error. The laboratory study compared rating accuracy associated with FORS relative to frame-of-reference training (FORT) and a control group and demonstrated that FORS are associated with higher levels of accuracy than the control group and similar levels of accuracy as FORT. Implications for the design and implementation of FORS are discussed.
DIFFRACTION OF OBLIQUE WAVES BY AN INFINITE CYLINDER

This paper presents a numerical method for solving linearized water-wave problems with oscillatory time dependence. Specifically it considers the diffraction problem for oblique plane waves incident upon an infinitely long fixed cylinder on the free surface. The numerical method is based on a variational principle ezuivalent to the linearized boundary-value problem. Finite-element techniques are used to represent the velocity potential; and the variational principle is used to determine the unknown coefficients in the solution throughout the fluid domain. To illustrate this method, reflection and transmission coefficients and the diffraction forces and moment are computed for oblique waves incident upon a vertical flat plate, a horizontal flat plate and rectangular cylinders, where the comparison is made with the existing results by others.
Sublethal Effects of ActiveGuard Exposure on Feeding Behavior and Fecundity of the Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)

Sublethal exposure to pesticides can alter insect behavior with potential for population-level consequences. We investigated sublethal effects of ActiveGuard, a permethrin-impregnated fabric, on feeding behavior and fecundity of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) from five populations that ranged from susceptible to highly pyrethroid resistant. After exposure to ActiveGuard fabric or untreated fabric for 1 or 10 min, adult virgin female bed bugs were individually observed when offered a blood meal to determine feeding attempts and weight gain. Because bed bug feeding behavior is tightly coupled with its fecundity, all females were then mated, and the number of eggs laid and egg hatch rate were used as fecundity measures. We observed that pyrethroid-resistant and -susceptible bugs were not significantly different for all feeding and fecundity parameters. Bed bugs exposed to ActiveGuard for 10 min were significantly less likely to attempt to feed or successfully feed, and their average blood meal size was significantly smaller compared with individuals in all other groups. Independent of whether or not feeding occurred, females exposed to ActiveGuard for 10 min were significantly more likely to lay no eggs. Only a single female exposed to ActiveGuard for 10 min laid any eggs. Among the other fabric treatment-exposure time groups, there were no observable differences in egg numbers or hatch rates. Brief exposure of 10 min to ActiveGuard fabric appeared to decrease feeding and fecundity of pyrethroid-resistant and susceptible bed bugs, suggesting the potentially important role of sublethal exposure for the control of this ectoparasitic insect.
Ovarian Aging: Breaking Up Is Hard to Fix

Accumulation of double-stranded DNA breaks and inhibition of DNA repair contributes to reproductive aging by diminishing ovarian reserves in mice and women.
Geodesic flow kernel for unsupervised domain adaptation

In real-world applications of visual recognition, many factors — such as pose, illumination, or image quality — can cause a significant mismatch between the source domain on which classifiers are trained and the target domain to which those classifiers are applied. As such, the classifiers often perform poorly on the target domain. Domain adaptation techniques aim to correct the mismatch. Existing approaches have concentrated on learning feature representations that are invariant across domains, and they often do not directly exploit low-dimensional structures that are intrinsic to many vision datasets. In this paper, we propose a new kernel-based method that takes advantage of such structures. Our geodesic flow kernel models domain shift by integrating an infinite number of subspaces that characterize changes in geometric and statistical properties from the source to the target domain. Our approach is computationally advantageous, automatically inferring important algorithmic parameters without requiring extensive cross-validation or labeled data from either domain. We also introduce a metric that reliably measures the adaptability between a pair of source and target domains. For a given target domain and several source domains, the metric can be used to automatically select the optimal source domain to adapt and avoid less desirable ones. Empirical studies on standard datasets demonstrate the advantages of our approach over competing methods.
What Happened to the “Promised Land”? A Fanonian Perspective on Post-Apartheid South Africa

This paper reviews post-apartheid South Africa through Fanon's critical analysis of decolonization. Since, for Fanon, apartheid represented the purest form of the Manichean politics of space that characterizes colonialism, a Fanonian perspective on South Africa asks to what extent has the geographical layout of apartheid been remapped? Addressing this question necessitates shifting the "geography of reason" from technical discourses of policy-makers to the lived reality of the "damned of the earth". From this perspective, Fanon's critique becomes relevant intwo ways, first as a prismtounderstandtheriseof xenophobicviolenceas asymptom of the degeneration of the idea of South Africa's "promised land" and second as a way to listen to a new grassroots shack dweller movement, Abahlali baseMjondolo, that is challenging both neoliberal and progressive assumptions by advocating a quite different geographic layout for a "truly democratic" society.
Reactive species and mitochondrial dysfunction: mechanistic significance of 4-hydroxynonenal.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a global term used in the context of “unhealthy” mitochondria. In practical terms, mitochondria are extremely complex and highly adaptive in structure, chemical and enzymatic composition, subcellular distribution and functional interaction with other components of cells. Consequently, altered mitochondrial properties that are used in experimental studies as measures of mitochondrial dysfunction often provide little or no distinction between adaptive and maladaptive changes. This is especially a problem in terms of generation of oxidant species by mitochondria, wherein increased generation of superoxide anion radical (O·) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is often considered synonymously with mitochondrial dysfunction. However, these oxidative species are signaling molecules in normal physiology so that a change in production or abundance is not a good criterion for mitochondrial dysfunction. In this review, we consider generation of reactive electrophiles and consequent modification of mitochondrial proteins as a means to define mitochondrial dysfunction. Accumulated evidence indicates that 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) modification of proteins reflects mitochondrial dysfunction and provides an operational criterion for experimental definition of mitochondrial dysfunction. Improved means to detect and quantify mitochondrial HNE-protein adduct formation could allow its use for environmental healthrisk assessment. Furthermore, application of improved mass spectrometry-based proteomic methods will lead to further understanding of the critical targets contributing to disease risk. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Providing process origin information to aid in computer forensic investigations

The number of computer attacks has been growing dramatically as the Internet has grown. Attackers currently have little or no disincentive to conducting attacks because they are able to hide their location effectively by creating a chain of connections through a series of hosts. This method is effective because most current host audit systems do not maintain enough information to allow association of incoming and outgoing network connections. In this paper, we introduce an inexpensive method that allows both on-line and forensic matching of incoming and outgoing network traffic. Our method makes small modifications to the operating system that associate origin information with each process in the system process table, and enhances the audit information by logging the origin and destination of network sockets. We present implementation results, show that our method can effectively record origin information about a variety of attacks, and describe the limitations of our approach.
Signaling pathways in schizophrenia: emerging targets and therapeutic strategies.

Dopamine D 2 receptor antagonism is a unifying property of all antipsychotic drugs in use for schizophrenia. While often effective at ameliorating psychosis, these drugs are largely ineffective at treating negative and cognitive symptoms. Increasing attention is being focused on the complex genetics of the illness and the signaling pathways implicated in its pathophysiology. We review targeted approaches for pharmacotherapy involving the glutamatergic, GABAergic and cholinergic pathways. We also describe several of the major genetic findings that identify signaling pathways representing potential targets for novel pharmacological intervention. These include genes in the 22q11 locus, DISC1, Neuregulin 1/ErbB4, and components of the Akt/GSK-3 pathway.
Alternative and Herbal Pharmaceuticals

The use of alternative medicines such as minerals, vitamins, and herbal products has increased dramatically in recent years. Reasons for such an increase in prevalence include anecdotal reports on efficacy, impressive advertisement, lower cost of products compared to prescription medications, and ease of attainment of the supplements. Regardless of the reasons, it is important that physicians, particularly the pain practitioner be cognizant of the effects of these agents, whether beneficial or harmful.
Mindfulness as a Key Construct in Modern Psychotherapy

There is growing evidence for the benefits of mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches to treating and preventing behavioral health problems and improving overall well-being. The emergence of mindfulness as a key construct in modern psychotherapy is a recent phenomenon that will be considered in the contexts of recent cultural changes and social needs and with the aim of exploring two questions “what is mindfulness?” and “why now?” The modern history of mindfulness in clinical practice will be explored through consideration of the dominant mindfulness-based psychotherapies that have significant research support for their effectiveness. These treatments will be discussed in terms of their historical roots, theoretical basis, evidence base, and as exemplars of the integration of mindfulness into contemporary clinical practice.
Small Business E-Commerce Adoption througha Qualitative Lens: Theory and Observations

Using approaches consistent with the qualitative research tradition, the authors attempt to understand the motivation behind small business adoption and exploitation of e-commerce. A theoretically grounded model of e-commerce deployment by small businesses owners is presented, which can best be explained by two theoretical lines: an economic evolutionary perspective and a sociological institutional perspective. Further, our findings suggest a tie between owner characteristics, dispositions, traits, and the level of e-commerce integration achieved. We contend that understanding the drivers of e-commerce adoption, policy makers and other help agencies can tailor programs to assist firms with integrating and exploiting e-commerce in a cost effective manner.
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. The Twentieth Century's Emerging Foodborne Pathogen: A Review

Abstract Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) have been recognized as a cause of serious illness and mortality in outbreaks of foodborne illness that involve a large variety of foods. In general, most pathogenic strains behave biochemically and ecologically like any other nonpathogenic E. coli , making their detection among commensal E. coli an important problem, especially among EHEC. E. coli infections in humans are transmitted directly from animals, by person-to-person contact or through contaminated foods. Multiple massive outbreaks associated with the consumption of fresh vegetables have occurred in the past as evidenced by the bagged spinach and lettuce in the United States. There have been numerous studies on pre- and postharvest intervention methods, but the problem is still at large. In the United States and in other countries, the presence of this pathogen in foods is highly regulated and there have been rapid scientific advances in understanding the growth and survival of the pathogen in various foods. This chapter highlights the current understanding of EHEC from the perspectives of food microbiology, molecular microbiology, biochemistry, epidemiology, and agricultural practices with main emphasis on leafy green vegetables. This thesis stresses the importance of developing novel control strategies that are effective and have the potential to be considered natural or organic.
Observations of Upper Ocean Currents at DOMES Sites A,B, and C in the Tropical Central North Pacific Ocean During 1975 and 1976

The time and space (vertical) scales of the upper ocean current field are described from moored current measurements made at 20 m, 50 m, 100 m, 200 m, and 300 m depths at 15°02′N, 126°01′W (Site C) during September and October 1975, at 11°45′N, 138°23′W (Site B) during March and April 1976, and at 8°27′N, 150°45′W (Site A) during August, September and October 1976. During the periods when the measurements were made, Sites A and B were located within the eastward-flowing North Equatorial Countercurrent and Site C was within the westward-flowing North Equatorial Current. At Sites A and B the vector-mean eastward currents below the thermocline at 200 m and 300 m were approximately 10 cm sec-1 and 20 cm sec-1, respectively, which were much larger than a priori expected. At Site C the vector-mean current at 200 m and 300 m was about 5 cm sec-1 towards the east, indicating the presence of a subsurface current flowing in opposite direction to the surface flow which heretofore was not previously detected. At each site the northward direction of the vector-mean meridional current component in the mixed layer at 20 m depth was consistent with the direction of wind-generated Ekman transport resulting from the Northeast Trade-winds. The standard deviations were typically larger than the mean values indicating that the upper ocean currents were extremely time-dependent. Significant current fluctuations with inertial- and semidiurnal-periods were measured at each of the depths of the current meters. The amplitude of the inertial motion was typically 2 times larger than the semidiurnal tidal internal gravity wave motion; however, the inertial oscillations were largest in the near-surface mixed layer and the internal wave amplitude was ∿ 5 m or ∿ 1.5 cm sec-1 throughout the thermocline. Fluctuations with amplitudes of about 5 cm sec-1 to 10 cm sec-1 and time-scales greater than 20-days were measured beneath the thermocline, indicating that caution must be used in regard to the representativeness of month-long averaged currents.
Optimal dynamic transport selection for wireless portable devices: Research Articles

Recent technological advances in mobile computing and wireless communication have made portable devices, such as PDA, laptops, and wireless modems to be very compact and affordable. On the other hand, wireless networks have gained such wide popularity that new network infrastructure is continually introduced. It is thus likely that many of the future portable devices will be equipped with multiple wireless modems such as Bluetooth and 802.11 WLAN, in order to increase device inter-operability. The availability of multiple modems can leverage the performance of the communication traffic generated by the applications, for example Internet access. We envision a tool for managing the device connection through these modems. At the core of this tool is an optimization engine that splits packet traffic across a subset of the available transports so that user's performance metrics are maximized. This paper describes a mathematical model for such an optimization problem considering its applicability to small portable devices. Relevant quality of service (QoS) parameters such as bandwidth, average delay, and energy consumption are covered in the model. The mathematical formulation is validated using a simulated environment. The experimental results have demonstrated the effectiveness of our model and captured the inter-relationship among the quality parameters. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chameleon dark energy and atom interferometry

Atom interferometry experiments are searching for evidence of chameleon scalar fields with ever-increasing precision. As experiments become more precise, so too must theoretical predictions. Previous work has made numerous approximations to simplify the calculation, which in general requires solving a three-dimensional nonlinear partial differential equation. This paper calculates the chameleonic force using a numerical relaxation scheme on a uniform grid. This technique is more general than previous work, which assumed spherical symmetry to reduce the partial differential equation to a one-dimensional ordinary differential equation. We examine the effects of approximations made in previous efforts on this subject and calculate the chameleonic force in a setup that closely mimics the recent experiment of Hamilton et al. Specifically, we simulate the vacuum chamber as a cylinder with dimensions matching those of the experiment, taking into account the backreaction of the source mass, its offset from the center, and the effects of the chamber walls. Remarkably, the acceleration on a test atomic particle is found to differ by only 20% from the approximate analytical treatment. These results allow us to place rigorous constraints on the parameter space of chameleon field theories, although ultimately the constraint we find is the same as the one we reported in Hamilton et al. because we had slightly underestimated the size of the vacuum chamber. This computational technique will continue to be useful as experiments become even more precise and will also be a valuable tool in optimizing future searches for chameleon fields and related theories.