cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma Ascorbic Acid Levels of Chicks with Fowl Typhoid

ABSTRACT Ascorbic acid, not usually considered a dietary essential for chicks, has been found to stimulate growth under certain conditions (Briggs et al., 1944; March and Biely, 1953). Furthermore, Hill and Garren (1955) have shown that ascorbic acid increased the resistance of chicks to fowl typhoid when fed with other vitamins. Satterfield et al. (1940) presented evidence indicating that in many poultry diseases, including fowl typhoid, the plasma ascorbic acid level was lower than that of non-diseased birds. Squibb et al. (1955) also found variation in the serum ascorbic acid levels of chicks with disease, the level being lower in coryza and higher in birds with cholera and Newcastle disease than in non-diseased birds. The work presented in this report was designed to reinvestigate the influence of fowl typhoid on the chick plasma ascorbic acid level and to determine the effect of dietary ascorbic acid on the level of this vitamin . . .
Investigation of the Physical Phenomena Associated with Rain Impacts on Supersonic and Hypersonic Flight Vehicles

Abstract The U.S. Army AMRDEC has been performing research focusing on both analytical modeling and obtaining validation data through experimentation. The focus of this research is to understand both the impact event, and the associated material damage mechanisms. A key aspect of weather encounter modeling is that the local vehicle flow field environment alters the impact boundary conditions with time. Therefore, an analytical model must be able to include not only the vehicle flow field, but also the time accurate embedded flow field surrounding the droplets as they alter shape prior to impact. The impact event is highly dependent on the actual droplet shape at impact, and therefore extensive modeling and testing was required to obtain data suitable for code validation. The empirical testing effort consisted of single droplet impacts, high-speed rocket sled testing, and testing in a ballistics range. The data presented focuses on the data collected at the ballistics range for Mach numbers ranging from 2 to 7 for various shapes. The core analytical effort was developed by extensive modifications of the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics C-Code (SPHC) from Stellingwerf Consulting, augmented with an improved water equation of state that included the supercooled regime to augment the fidelity of the impact physics for rain drops at high altitudes. The analytical model demonstrates that the temporal distortion of water in a post-shock environment and the impact events for various projectiles can be captured with reasonable accuracy. The next step is to obtain data within the shock layers of relevant vehicle shapes in order to obtain the detailed demise and coupled flow field physics in order to validate the model in a realistic environment. The data presented reveals the droplet shape change and demise characteristics inside the shock structures for missile domes and sphere-cone designs, along with the complex embedded shock structure and impact physics associated with these events. This data forms a subset of empirical data that can be used for the fully-coupled full-scale impact events on flight vehicles.
SDN-MPOA volume in male rats is decreased by prenatal stress, but is not related to ejaculatory behavior

A computer-assisted image analysis technique was used to measure the adult volume of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the medial preoptic area (SDN-MPOA) in prenatally stressed male rats and in groups of non-stressed males and females. The SDN-MPOA of male offspring from dams stressed daily (i.e. three 45-min exposures to physical restraint and bright light) during the last week of pregnancy was significantly smaller than in males not exposed to stress, but was larger than in females. Maternal stress has been shown to attenuate the surge in fetal plasma testosterone (T) which normally occurs on days 18 and 19 of gestation in male rats. The present results suggest that suppression of T during prenatal development leads to an incomplete masculinization of the SDN-MPOA in male rats. There was no difference in SDN-MPOA volume between males that exhibited the ejaculatory pattern when tested with estrous females and males that failed to ejaculate in either the control or prenatal stress group. SDN-MPOA volume does not appear to be predictive of masculine ejaculatory performance.
Animal models of inflammatory spinal and sacroiliac joint diseases

Many cartilage matrix proteins or domains such as collagen types II, IX, and XI, GP39, AG1, VG1, and LP are potential antigens that might induce polyarthritis in susceptible animals (Table 1). Ordinarily, spondylitis is not a feature of polyarthritis induced with collagen types II, IX, and XI, GP39, cartilage matrix protein (matrilin-1) and cartilage LP. It seems that only the proteoglycans aggrecan and versican are capable of inducing sacroiliitis and spondylitis. Both molecules are structural proteins in intervertebral discs. Moreover, the arthritogenic or spondylitogenic epitopes of both molecules have been localized to the homologous N-terminal G1 globular domains. This region of versican and aggrecan is highly conserved, with 52% identity of amino acids. The homology is seen exclusively in the G1 domain and is concentrated between residues 115 and 332 (AG1 numbering) near the natural cleavage DIPEN site of aggrecan [84, 85]. Extra-articular pathology is often seen in rheumatic diseases, especially in AS. Other tissues, such as the sclera of the eye [86] and the media of the arteries [86, 87], also contain type II collagen, AG1, VG1, and LP, and versican is present in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Thus, there is the potential for an immune response against cartilage G1 and LP to be directed against related structures in extra-articular tissues. The presence of versican in the tendon and trochlea of the human superior oblique muscle might account for the occurrence of transient attacks of acquired Brown syndrome in patients with juvenile and adult forms of chronic RA [88]. Thus, it will be interesting to determine whether or not extra-articular expression of these cartilage proteins is closely related to extra-articular pathogenic expression in rheumatic diseases. Uveitis develops in VG1-immunized BALB/c mice, which is not seen in AG1-, and LP-treated animals. There is evidence that aggrecan and LP are also localized at these sites in the eye, but only immunity to versican can induce uveitis. In sacroiliitis and enthesitis of AS patients, the inflammation is associated with chondrometaplasia. In versican-induced sacroiliitis, replacement of cartilage by bone is seen with relatively little inflammation, somewhat resembling the situation in AS (Fig. 2). Versican can also stimulate chondrocyte proliferation [43]. Three conserved domains of human cartilage matrix molecules, namely VG1, AG1, and LP, show considerable homology [77, 79, 80, 89], and each is capable of inducing a unique inflammatory arthritis in BALB/c mice, with VG1 inducing only spondylitis [65], LP inducing peripheral arthritis with no spondylitis [90], and AG1 inducing axial and peripheral arthritis [66, 91]. It remains a mystery why such similar molecules cause different pathology in different target tissues. The exact immunopathogenic mechanisms deserve further study.
Progressive supranuclear palsy Altered sensory processing leads to degraded cognition

We studied the latencies, amplitudes, and scalp distributions of the early and late components of the event- related brain potential (ERP) in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and matched normal controls. In separate choice reaction time (RT) tasks, the subjects pressed buttons to visual stimuli presented randomly at probabilities of either 20/80 or 50/50. Compared with normal controls, PSP patients had significantly reduced amplitudes and increased latencies for both the visual P2 and P300 components at all levels of probability. RTs and percent errors were significantly greater in the patients compared with controls. Neither the amplitude nor latency of the visual N1 component was significantly altered in these patients. There were no significant group differences in the distribution of electrical activity over the scalp for any of these ERP components, a finding which suggests that the neural structures responsible for generating these potentials were intact in these patients. The decreased ERP component amplitudes and increased ERP component latencies, combined with intact scalp distributions and increased RTs and error rates, present a pattern of results suggesting that the stimulus identification or categorization processes in these patients are significantly degraded.
Simple Location and Fragmentation of Reality

The term “fallacy of simple location” was coined by A. N. Whitehead in 1925 in his book Science and the Modern World; the two passages of the book that deal with this problem are worth being quoted in full and may serve as an introduction into our topic.
Acute HCV: Will IL28B Testing Change the Paradigm?

HCV infection will spontaneously resolve in 30% to 50% of patients. Patients with beneficial IL28B genotypes are more likely to clear spontaneously, while other are unlikely to, with less than 15% clearance rate. These patients would therefore be very likely to benefit from immediate treatment with pegylated interferon. In delayed treatment, ribavirin might be required to achieve similar results, making the delayed treatment also from the cost perspective only attractive in those likely to clear spontaneously: Patients with beneficial IL28B genotype and jaundiced patients with the intermediate IL28B genotype.
Solvent-induced transformation of single crystals of a spin-crossover (SCO) compound to single crystals with two distinct SCO centers.

The long-sought-after crystal structure of Fe(tpa)(NCS)2 (1, tpa = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine), an otherwise well-studied spin-crossover (SCO) complex, has been obtained, and its one-step, incomplete spin transition was correlated to its solid-state structures at different temperatures. Upon exposure to methanol vapor, single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation of 1 to a new SCO compound, 2, formulated as {[Fe(tpa)(NCS)2]·[Fe(tpa)(NCS)2·CH3OH]}, occurs with a dramatic color change from yellow to red. Crystallographic studies revealed that the asymmetric unit of the structure of 2 contains two independent Fe(II) centers. Studies by magnetic measurements and Mossbauer spectroscopy revealed a two-step complete spin transition for compound 2, between LS−LS and HS−HS, via an unambiguous intermediate LS−HS phase; the two SCO centers of disparate spin states were resolved crystallographically. That a significant portion of the original crystal structure is maintained indicates that the present approach is a...
The effect of chlordiazepoxide on the behavior of rats in a conflict situation.

Two groups of rats were trained to press a lever when the cue was bright (SDand not to press when the cue was dim (SΔ). During a subsequent testing phase, the discrimination between SDand SΔ was made more difficult; and the experimental group was injected with Chlordiazepoxide (CDP 15 mg/kg) while the control group received tap water (1 cc/kg).
Case-Control Study of Periconceptional Folic Acid Supplementation and Oral Clefts

There is consistent evidence that the risk of neural tube defects is decreased by periconceptional supplementation with folic acid. A similar protective effect has been postulated for oral clefts. A case-control study was conducted in greater metropolitan Boston; Massachusetts; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and southeastern Ontario, Canada, from 1988 through 1991 to test the hypothesis that folic acid supplementation during the periconceptional period reduces the risk of oral clefts. Crude and multivariate-adjusted relative risks were calculated for all oral clefts (n = 303), cleft palate (n = 108), and cleft lip with or without cleft palate (n = 195). Controls (n = 1,167) were liveborn or stillborn infants less than age 6 months who had various congenital anomalies other than oral clefts, neural tube defects, or other "midline defects." Adjusted relative risks and 95 percent confidence intervals for daily folic acid supplementation during the periconceptional period were: oral clefts, 1.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.8-1.7), cleft palate, 0.9 (95% CI 0.5-1.6), and cleft lip with or without cleft palate, 1.3 (95% CI 0.8-2.1). These findings do not support a protective association between the periconceptional use of folic acid supplements and the risk of oral clefts.
Compact directly diode-pumped femtosecond Nd:glass chirped-pulse-amplification laser system

An all-solid-state longitudinally diode-pumped Nd:glass chirped-pulse-amplification laser system producing pulses of 50-MW peak power has been developed. The diode-pumped Nd:glass regenerative amplifier produces pulses with energies as great as 56 µJ at a 1-kHz repetition rate and pulse durations as short as 450 fs after compression in a compact single holographic-transmission-grating stretcher–compressor arrangement. Further, spectral gain shaping was shown to extend the bandwidth that was supported in the low-gain amplifier. To the best of our knowledge, this system provides the highest peak and average power obtained from a directly diode-pumped femtosecond laser.
EFFECTS OF IN-PLANE STRAIN ON MAGNETISM IN LaMnO3 THIN FILMS

The effects of the in-plane strain on the magnetic properties of LaMnO3 thin films are calculated using an elastic energy expression and a tight binding Hamiltonian with electron-lattice coupling. Tensile uniaxial strain of the order of 2%, which is the order of the magnitude of those induced in thin films by lattice mismatch with substrates, is found to change the magnetic ground state from A-type antiferromagnetic state to purely antiferromagnetic state.
The homology of BO and some results about the Steenrod algebra

Some explicit formulae for the right coaction of A * on H * BO are given. As corollaries, closed formulae for χ(ξ k ) and other elements in A * are given.
Influence of Laser Pulse Parameters on Dynamical Processes during Azobenzene Photoisomerization

When a molecule is subjected to a short intense laser pulse, the ensuing dynamical processes depend qualitatively on the pulse parameters, including duration, frequency, and fluence. Here we report studies of cis to trans photoisomerization of azobenzene following femtosecond-scale laser pulses which are relatively short (10 fs) or long (100 fs) and which have a central frequency matched to either the first excited state (S1, or HOMO to LUMO in a molecular orbital picture) or the second (S2, or HOMO-1 to LUMO). The results presented here demonstrate that photoisomerization involves a rather intricate sequence of connected steps, with the nuclear and electronic degrees of freedom inextricably coupled. One important feature is the de-excitation required for the molecule to achieve its new ground-state after isomerization. If the primary excitation is to S1, then we find that only a single HOMO/LUMO avoided crossing is required and that this crossing occurs halfway along a rotational pathway involving the ce...
WCMP: weighted cost multipathing for improved fairness in data centers

Data Center topologies employ multiple paths among servers to deliver scalable, cost-effective network capacity. The simplest and the most widely deployed approach for load balancing among these paths, Equal Cost Multipath (ECMP), hashes flows among the shortest paths toward a destination. ECMP leverages uniform hashing of balanced flow sizes to achieve fairness and good load balancing in data centers. However, we show that ECMP further assumes a balanced, regular, and fault-free topology, which are invalid assumptions in practice that can lead to substantial performance degradation and, worse, variation in flow bandwidths even for same size flows.We present a set of simple algorithms that achieve Weighted Cost Multipath (WCMP) to balance traffic in the data center based on the changing network topology. The state required for WCMP is already disseminated as part of standard routing protocols and it can be readily implemented in the current switch silicon without any hardware modifications. We show how to deploy WCMP in a production OpenFlow network environment and present experimental and simulation results to show that variation in flow bandwidths can be reduced by as much as 25X by employing WCMP relative to ECMP.
Analysis of the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of the cobalamin intermediate in ribonucleotide reduction

Abstract EPR absorption-derivative lineshapes have been computed and least-squares fitted to the spectrum of the intermediate derived from 5'-deoxy-5'-adenosyl-cobalamin in the ribonucleotide reductase reaction. A Gausian-type intrinsic lineshape was assumed and the effects of inhomogenous broadening, rotation of coordinate axes of the A -tensor relative to the g -tensor, angular dependence of transition probability and ligand hyperfine splitting have also been investigated. When the overall spectrum was computed as the sum of the linshapes corresponding to two distinct Co(II) species, A and B, each having rhombic asymmetry, the least squares procedure converged to a much better fit than with a single species, and matched almost all of the features of the experimental spectrum. The magnetic properties of A and B were compared with those of a series of other Co(II) complexes by a plot of g | − g ‖ versus ∥ A ‖ ∥−∥ A | ∥. The results eliminate cobalt with 5-coordination to nitrogen for A and B, suggest low-spin cobalt complexes having strongly distorted 6-fold coordination. The possibility that the sixth, symmetry-decreasing ligand is the oxygen molecule is excluded by the chemistry of the system and by the EPR properties of previously reported cob(II)alamins. It is suggested that the sixth ligand is carbonyl, amide or sulfhydryl group of an enzyme sidechain which is inserted off-axis into the coordination position so as to exert the observed symmetry-lowering effect.
Ion-induced phase formation in metal-silicon systems

Abstract By using megaelectronvolt 4He ion backscattering techniques and transmission electron microscopy, we have investigated the interactions of ion beams with thin film structures in a number of silicide-forming systems. The mixed layer was found to be an equilibrium compound for near-noble metals and an amorphous phase for refractory metals. Differences in behavior have also been observed in near- noble metal systems. For palladium, the Pd2Si phase grew with ion dose and remained crystalline up to high dose. For nickel, the compound Ni2Si was formed initially and became amorphous on prolonged irradiation. All the results indicate the significance of atomic mobility at target temperatures in determining the phase formation and in explaining the sensitivity of the silicides to ion bombardment.
Precision Selenodesy via Differential Interferometry.

Review of the first results obtained from the development and use of a new type of differential receiver designed to determine the relative locations on the lunar surface of two Apollo-deposited transmitters. This receiver has made it possible to reduce random and systematic instrumental errors to nearly negligible levels (displacement uncertainties equivalent to a few centimeters).
Magnetic field line reconnection experiments: 6. Magnetic turbulence

Extensive statistical analysis of the vector components of fluctuating magnetic fields have been performed in a time dependent neutral magnetic sheet. Cross spectral analysis indicates a variety of wave numbers present for each frequency investigated. Comparison of Fourier components of the cross spectral function with dispersion surfaces in k space demonstrates the waves are large amplitude whistlers; this is verified by polarization analysis, which shows the random waves' magnetic fields to be right-hand circular. Ion acoustic and Langmuir turbulence are also observed along with bursts of microwave radiation. Measurements of the electron distribution function f(v, r, t) and its fluctuations in velocity space relate wave and particle activity.
Studies of Electrical and Thermal Conductivities of Sheared Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube with Isotactic Polypropylene Polymer Composites

Polymer nanocomposite materials of higher thermal and electrical transport properties are important to nanotechnology applications such as thermal management, packaging, labelling and the textile i...
Augmented textual data viewing in 3D visualizations using tablets

Many data sets contain structural 3D components along with associated textual data. While structural data is often best visualized on large stereoscopic displays, such displays can pose problems presenting accompanying textual information. Chief among these problems is a tradeoff between size dependent legibility of text and the occlusion of structural data if text is presented at larger sizes. Our solution to this problem integrates structural data shown on a large display while users select features of the structure and view the associated textual data on personal tablets. Our solution also lends itself to collaborative browsing tasks. In our initial implementation each user can individually select structural components and view the associated text on their own tablet; thus, everyone becomes an active participant in data mining. When individual users find textual data they deem of interest to the group they can share it with collaborators by temporarily pushing the text box to the large display. The current status and each individual's browsing history are shown on the large display in order to provide awareness of other team members' actions.
Operation-based signal-flow AC analysis of switching DC-DC converters in CCM and DCM

Ensuring stable operation is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of designing a power-supply circuit because the load is dynamically unpredictable and widely variable. Unfortunately, the nonlinear dynamics of switch-mode converters accentuate these difficulties, especially when considering conventional analytical techniques rely on abstract mathematics to describe ac switching events that convey little operational insight into the circuit. This paper proposes an operation-based signal-flow ac analysis approach that is both sufficiently general to apply to most switched-inductor converters in continuous- and discontinuous-conduction modes (CCM and DCM) and insightful enough to derive directly from the waveforms of the circuit, not from the system of differential equations that govern them. To this end, after presenting the technique, the paper applies it to a relatively simple topology like the buck converter to prove its efficacy and then to a more complex counterpart like the non-inverting buck-boost converter to show the ease with which a more complicated system can be analyzed.
Distribution and transport of coal tar-derived PAHs in fine-grained residuum

Abstract We investigated the distribution and transport of coal tar-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fine-grained residuum and alluvial floodplain deposits that underlie a former manufactured gas plant. All 16 USEPA priority pollutant PAHs are present at this site and have penetrated the entire 4–5 m thickness of clayey sediments, which unconformably overly limestone bedrock. Concentrations of less hydrophobic PAHs (e.g., naphthalene, 0.011–384 mg kg −1 ) were about 10 times higher than those of highly hydrophobic PAHs (e.g., benzo[ g , h , i ]perylene −0.002 to 56.03 mg kg −1 ). Microscopic examination of thin-sections of the clay-rich sediments showed that fractures and rootholes, which can act as pathways for flow, occur throughout the profiles. Tarry residue was found coating some fractures and rootholes, indicating that coal tar was, in some cases, able to penetrate as an immiscible phase. However, in the vast majority of samples in which PAHs were detected, there was no detectable tar residue, suggesting that much of the transport occurred in the dissolved phase. Examination of thin-sections with an epifluorescent microscope indicated that PAHs, which fluoresce brightly when exposed to UV light, are distributed throughout the soil matrix, rather than being confined to fractures and rootholes. The widespread distribution of PAHs is most likely due to diffusion-controlled exchange between the fast-flow pathways in the fractures and rootholes and the relatively immobile water in the fine-grained matrix. This implies that fractures and rootholes can play a major role in controlling transport of highly hydrophobic compounds in fine-grained sediments, which would otherwise act as barriers to contaminant migration.
The maturation of a specialty: Workforce projections for endocrine surgery

Background There has been an increase in the incidence of endocrine diseases and the number of endocrine procedures in the United States. Higher surgeon volume is associated with improved patient outcomes. Fellowship programs will lead to more specialty-trained endocrine surgeons. We make projections for the supply of endocrine surgeons and demand for endocrine procedures over the next 15 years. Methods Supply projections are based on data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, a survey of American Association of Endocrine Surgery fellowship program graduates, and Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS). Demand is estimated using HCUP-NIS, U.S. Census Bureau projections, and a literature review. Results There were 64,275 endocrine procedures performed in 2000 and 80,505 in 2004. Using age-adjusted population projections and increasing incidence of endocrine diseases, 103,704 endocrine procedures are anticipated in 2020. High-volume endocrine surgeons are few in number, but perform 24% of endocrine procedures. Surgeon supply is projected to increase to 938 by 2020; this is based on fellowship graduation rates, retirement trends, and increasing annual endocrine case volume among high-volume surgeons. Alternative projections of supply and demand are generated to test the sensitivity of our analyses to different assumptions. Conclusion Labor force planning in endocrine surgery is essential if the demand for more high-volume endocrine specialists is to be met.
The Yin and Yang of P-TEFb Regulation: Implications for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Gene Expression and Global Control of Cell Growth and Differentiation

The positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) stimulates transcriptional elongation by phosphorylating the carboxy-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II and antagonizing the effects of negative elongation factors. Not only is P-TEFb essential for transcription of the vast majority of cellular genes, but it is also a critical host cellular cofactor for the expression of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 genome. Given its important role in globally affecting transcription, P-TEFb's activity is dynamically controlled by both positive and negative regulators in order to achieve a functional equilibrium in sync with the overall transcriptional demand as well as the proliferative state of cells. Notably, this equilibrium can be shifted toward either the active or inactive state in response to diverse physiological stimuli that can ultimately affect the cellular decision between growth and differentiation. In this review, we examine the mechanisms by which the recently identified positive (the bromodomain protein Brd4) and negative (the noncoding 7SK small nuclear RNA and the HEXIM1 protein) regulators of P-TEFb affect the P-TEFb-dependent transcriptional elongation. We also discuss the consequences of perturbations of the dynamic associations of these regulators with P-TEFb in relation to the pathogenesis and progression of several major human diseases, such as cardiac hypertrophy, breast cancer, and HIV infection.
Semantic Web Service Discovery in the OWL-S IDE

The increasing availability of web services necessitates efficient discovery and execution framework. The use of xml at various levels of web services standards poses challenges to the above process. OWL-S is a service ontology and language, whose semantics are based on OWL. The semantics provided by OWL support greater automation of service selection, invocation, translation of message content between heterogeneous services, and service composition. The development and consumption of an OWL-S based web service is time consuming and error prone. OWL-S IDE assists developers in the semantic web service development, deployment and consumption processes. In order to achieve this the OWL-S IDE uses and extends existing web service tools. In this paper we will look in detail at the support for discovery for semantic web services. We also present the matching schemes, the implementation and the results of performance evaluation.
The Healthy Pursuit of Self-Esteem: Comment on and Alternative to the Crocker and Park (2004) Formulation

J. Crocker and L. E. Park (2004) proposed both (a) that the importance of self-esteem lies more in how people strive for it rather than whether it is high or low and (b) that the benefits of pursuing self-esteem are of a limited, short-term nature and are outweighed by the significant costs that entail for functioning in multiple areas. The authors review research that raises questions about the validity of each of these assumptions. They conclude that findings are more consistent with a view in which (a) high self-esteem, or at least the avoidance of low self-esteem, is an important factor contributing to overall health and well-being and (b) the pursuit of self-esteem, when directed toward adaptive ends, can be instrumental in promoting long-term outcomes that are of value to both individuals and society. They also describe an integrative theoretical framework that encompasses both of these possibilities. In their article “The Costly Pursuit of Self-Esteem,” Crocker and Park (2004) pointed out that studies of self-esteem and its implications for health and well-being have focused overwhelmingly on the levels of self-regard that are reported by individuals. They made a compelling case for the need for greater attention to the adaptive implications of the pursuit of self-esteem, defined as “what people do to achieve boosts to self-esteem and avoid drops in self-esteem in their daily lives” (Crocker & Park, 2004, p. 393). Their review of available literature suggests that increased consideration of the pursuit of self-esteem and its consequences for health and well-being could be instrumental in deepening understanding of the implications that feelings of self-worth have for functioning across a wide range of domains. In this regard, their analysis represents a valuable addition to the growing body of theory and research that underscores the limitations of focusing on static levels of self-esteem (and other self-system constructs) in the absence of consideration of more dynamic processes through which such attributes are formed and maintained by individuals across the life span (see, e.g., Harter, 1998, 1999; Nowalk, Vallacher, Tesser, & Borkowski, 2000).
Anisotropy in the oceanic lithosphere — theory and observations from the Ngendei seismic refraction experiment in the south‐west Pacific

Summary. P-wave travel-time data from a seismic refraction experiment on the 1983 Ngendei expedition to the south Pacific indicate anisotropy at two levels in the oceanic lithosphere. In the upper mantle, P-wave velocities vary between 8.0 and 8.5 km s-1 with the fast direction at N30°E. Crustal anisotropy within layer 2 is characterized by azimuthal P-wave velocity differences of about 0.2–0.4 km s-1, with the fast direction at N120°E, orthogonal to the upper mantle anisotropy. The observed anisotropy is consistent with a model in which aligned olivine crystals cause anisotropy in the upper mantle and aligned cracks within layer 2 cause anisotropy in the crust. We examine a model of P-wave propagation from a point source in an isotropic layer above an anisotropic half-space and show that under these conditions anisotropy can cause seismic ray-paths to deviate from the vertical plane connecting source and receiver. This deviation has a negligible effect on seismic travel times but must be taken into account in modelling P-wave polarization anomalies. P-wave polarization anomalies within the anisotropic half-space are the sum of the particle motion deviation from the ray-path, and ray-path deviation from the source-receiver azimuth, and are typically range-dependent. P-wave polarization anomalies will also occur in the overlying isotropic layer, purely as a result of the ray-path deviation, with greater deviations at long ranges. A simple model of upper mantle anisotropy (6kms-1 crust above 8.0–8.6 km s-1 anisotropic mantle) produces surface polarization anomalies of 1.5–3.5°. In practice, P-wave polarization anomalies are difficult to observe because they are small compared to observed scatter in polarization data and are sensitive to differences in horizontal seismometer gain levels. We examine the implications of anisotropic ray-path deviations on travel times and P-wave polarizations for the Ngendei data as well as some previous marine seismic refraction experiments.
Identification of putative transcriptional regulatory networks in Entamoeba histolytica using Bayesian inference

Few transcriptional regulatory networks have been described in non-model organisms. In Entamoeba histolytica seminal aspects of pathogenesis are transcriptionally controlled, however, little is known about transcriptional regulatory networks that effect gene expression in this parasite. We used expression data from two microarray experiments, cis-regulatory motif elucidation, and a naive Bayesian classifier to identify genome-wide transcriptional regulatory patterns in E. histolytica. Our algorithm identified promoter motifs that accurately predicted the gene expression level of 68% of genes under trophozoite conditions. We identified a promoter motif ((A)/(T)AAACCCT) associated with high gene expression, which is highly enriched in promoters of ribosomal protein genes and tRNA synthetases. Additionally, we identified three promoter motifs (GAATGATG, AACTATTTAAACAT(C)/(T)C and TGAACTTATAAACATC) associated with low gene expression. The promoters of a large gene family were highly enriched for these motifs, and in these genes the presence of >/=2 motifs predicted low baseline gene expression and transcriptional activation by heat shock. We demonstrate that amebic nuclear protein(s) bind specifically to four of the motifs identified herein. Our analysis suggests that transcriptional regulatory networks can be identified using limited expression data. Thus, this approach is applicable to the multitude of systems for which microarray and genome sequence data are emerging.
Inorganic phosphate speeds loaded shortening in rat skinned cardiac myocytes

Force generation in striated muscle is coupled with inorganic phosphate (Pi) release from myosin, because force falls with increasing Pi concentration ([Pi]). However, it is unclear which steps in ...
Burn scar contractures of the axilla.

T HE shoulder has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body and when the axillary skin is destroyed by an extensive third degree burn, the contracture of scar tissue fol!owing prolonged spontaneous healing usually produces severe fimctional disability. If third degree burns in the region of joints are allowed to heal without coverage by skin graft, most surgeons now recognize the fact that traction and splinting alone cannot prevent contractures. Arm-chest adhesions from burn scars vary widely in extent and degree, and attempts at restoration of function in this joint are partially neutralized by the effect of gravity in reducing the normal action of the weakened abductor muscles. In reconstructive surgery three fimdamental methods are available for the correction of axillary scar contractures: (I) Z-plasty procedures, (2) the rotation, advancement or interpolation of adjacent pedicle tlaps, and (3) the use of free split-skin grafts. In numerous instances the best functional result will be obtained by combining two of these methods, but each procedure has its indications and value. The proper method of reconstruction can be selected judiciously for each individual case, but all patients with axlflary contractures should not necessarily be submitted to one preferred method of repair. We believe that almost all burn scar contractures of the axilla can be corrccted in a single operation with restoration of function, particularly abduction of the arm. An evaluation of these three basic methods of reconstruction is offered, following our observations and experiences in a series of fifty burn scar contractures of the axilla. Davis ~ published the first important paper on this subject in i924. He preferred the Z-plasty method with its numerous variations, and also
Increased Expression of the Retinoblastoma Gene in Human Colorectal Carcinomas Relative to Normal Colonic Mucosa

We report the first evidence of increased levels of the retinoblastoma (Rb) message in a majority of colorectal cancers when compared with normal mucosa. Southern blot analysis showed an increase in Rb gene copy number in at least 28% of colorectal carcinomas relative to normal mucosa. These results plus previous reports of nonrandom chromosome 13 gains in approximately 50% of colorectal cancers suggest that an increase in Rb gene copy number occurs frequently in these tumors. Possible mechanisms pertaining to overexpression of the Rb gene are discussed in relation to its role as a recessive cancer gene.
Modelling of the transverse mode suppressor for dielectric wake-field accelerator

The wake fields in the dielectric waveguide with deflection-mode damping are calculated. In addition, numerical results are presented and compared with experiment. An interesting property of the structure is that the axisymmetric mode is unaffected by the lined wire boundary and all higher order modes can be damped very quickly (in a few cycles). This has important implications for the dielectric-based wakefield accelerator. By reducing the beam-beam deflection, one may use multiple drive bunches to enhance the axial acceleration wake field without severe accumulated transverse wake-field effects. A large number of bunches also means that the total charge in each bunch can be reduced, thus reducing the head-tail instabilities within the driving beam, although the head-tail instabilities can be controlled to a certain degree by alternating focusing and defocusing magnetic fields applied around the wake-field device. >
Polystichum lilianae sp. nov. (Dryopteridaceae) and its relationships to P. fournieri and P. turrialbae

Morphological, isozyme, and cytological analyses of the small, pale-scaled polystichums from oakdominated montane rain forests in Costa Rica and Mexico reveal the presence of a separable undescribed species endemic to the Cordillera de Talamanca of Costa Rica. The new taxon,Polystichum lilianae, is an allotetraploid hypothesized to have the sympatricP. turrialbae as one diploid progenitor based on isozyme characters. The isozyme and morphometric data also support the inclusion ofP. smithii, described from southern Mexico, inP. turrialbae, described from Costa Rica. The namePolystichum fournieri, formerly used for all of these plants, applies to species endemic to Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico. It is not a progenitor ofP. lilianae.
Genetics of Stroke

Strokes result from a focal reduction of blood flow to the brain. Around 83% of strokes are due to arterial vascular occlusion (termed ischemic stroke) and around 17% are due to vascular rupture (termed hemorrhagic stroke). In less than 1% of cases, strokes occur in the venous system (termed cerebral venous thrombosis). Strokes are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States (US).
The interactive effects of photoperiod and future climate change may have negative consequences for a wide‐spread invasive insect

Increasing global temperatures may affect many ectotherms, including insects, although increasing temperatures are thought to benefit future populations through effects on adult size, fecundity, or populations. However, the way that temperature may interact with photoperiod is not well understood. We study this problem using the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, an important worldwide invasive whose future spread is thought to be affected by changes in climate. We investigated how mass at maturity varied with temperature (21°C, 25°C) across short and long photoperiods, using laboratory populations from the extreme ends of this species’ current US range (Florida, New Jersey). These values were used to parametrize a model to predict optimal mass based on development times; the results of a second laboratory experiment under the same treatments were compared to model predictions. Warmer conditions shortened development times in females from all locations leading to either higher or lower mass depending on the photoperiod. We then used published mass–fecundity relationships to determine the consequences of mass on fecundity under our conditions. Under the majority of scenarios warming decreased predicted fecundity under long photoperiods, but proved beneficial under short photoperiods because the costs of fast development were offset by increased survival in the face of late-season freezing risk. However, fecundity was always low under short photoperiods, so the marginal benefit of warming appears negligible given its cost under long photoperiods when the majority of reproduction occurs. Thus, with northern range expansion, where colder weather currently limits this species, detrimental effects of warming on fecundity are likely, similar to those identified for mass. Unlike previous work that has shown benefits of a warming planet to insects like Aedes albopictus, our work predicts lower performance under warming conditions in summer across the current range, a prediction with implications for range expansion, disease dynamics and populations.
Relative influence of meteorological conditions and aerosols on the lifetime of mesoscale convective systems

Using collocated measurements from geostationary and polar-orbital satellites over tropical continents, we provide a large-scale statistical assessment of the relative influence of aerosols and meteorological conditions on the lifetime of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). Our results show that MCSs' lifetime increases by 3-24 h when vertical wind shear (VWS) and convective available potential energy (CAPE) are moderate to high and ambient aerosol optical depth (AOD) increases by 1 SD (1σ). However, this influence is not as strong as that of CAPE, relative humidity, and VWS, which increase MCSs' lifetime by 3-30 h, 3-27 h, and 3-30 h per 1σ of these variables and explain up to 36%, 45%, and 34%, respectively, of the variance of the MCSs' lifetime. AOD explains up to 24% of the total variance of MCSs' lifetime during the decay phase. This result is physically consistent with that of the variation of the MCSs' ice water content (IWC) with aerosols, which accounts for 35% and 27% of the total variance of the IWC in convective cores and anvil, respectively, during the decay phase. The effect of aerosols on MCSs' lifetime varies between different continents. AOD appears to explain up to 20-22% of the total variance of MCSs' lifetime over equatorial South America compared with 8% over equatorial Africa. Aerosols over the Indian Ocean can explain 20% of total variance of MCSs' lifetime over South Asia because such MCSs form and develop over the ocean. These regional differences of aerosol impacts may be linked to different meteorological conditions.
Carcasses of invasive species are predominantly utilized by invasive scavengers in an island ecosystem

Invasive species have significantly affected ecosystems, particularly islands, and species invasions continue with increasing globalization. Largely unstudied, the influence of invasive species on island ecosystem functions, especially scavenging and decomposition, could be substantive. Quantifying carcass utilization by different scavengers and shifts in community dynamics in the presence of invasive animals is of particular interest for understanding impacts on nutrient recycling. Invasive species could benefit greatly from carcass resources within highly invaded island ecosystems, through increased invasion success and population growth, subsequently exacerbating their impacts on native species. We quantified how experimentally placed invasive amphibian, reptile, small mammal, and bird carcasses were utilized by vertebrate and invertebrate scavengers on the Big Island of Hawai'i in three island habitats: a barren lava field, a vegetated lava field, and a rainforest. We used camera traps to record vertebrate scavengers removing carcasses and elapsed time until removal. We evaluated differences in scavenging between vertebrates and invertebrates and within the vertebrate community across different habitats and carcass types. Despite the small carcass sizes (<1 kg) used in this study, 55% of carcasses were removed by vertebrate scavengers, all invasive: mongoose, rodents, cats, pigs, and a common myna. Our data indicate that invasive vertebrate scavengers in this island ecosystem are highly efficient at assimilating a range of carrion resources across a variety of habitats. Carcasses of invasive animals could contribute substantially to energy budgets of other invasive vertebrate species. This may be a critical component contributing to successful invasions especially on islands and subsequent impacts on ecosystem function.
Folate binding protein: therapeutic natural nanotechnology for folic acid, methotrexate, and leucovorin

Blood serum proteins play a critical role in the transport, biodistribution, and efficacy of systemically-delivered therapeutics. Here, we have investigated the concentration- and ligand-dependent aggregation of folate binding protein (FBP), focusing in particular on folic acid, an important vitamin and targeting agent; methotrexate, an antifolate drug used to treat cancer and rheumatoid arthritis; and leucovorin which is used to decrease methotrexate toxicity. We employed atomic force microscopy to characterize, on a particle-by-particle basis, the volumes of the FBP nanoparticles that form upon ligand binding. We measured the distribution of FBP nanoparticle volumes as a function of ligand concentration over physiologically- and therapeutically-relevant ranges. At physiologically-relevant concentrations, significant differences in particle volume distributions exist that we hypothesize are consistent with different trafficking mechanisms for folic acid and methotrexate. In addition, we hypothesize leucovorin is trafficked and delivered like folic acid at therapeutically-relevant concentrations. We propose that changes in dosing procedures could improve the delivery and therapeutic index for methotrexate and other folic acid-targeted drug conjugates and imaging agents. Specifically, we suggest pre-binding the drugs to FBP may provide a better formulation for drug delivery of methotrexate for both cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. This would be analogous to pre-binding paclitaxel to albumin, which is already used in the clinic.
Tonight We Adapt: Investigating the Adaptive Nature of the Theatrical Experience Through a Case Study of a Production of Pirandello’s Tonight We Improvise (Questa sera si recita a soggetto)

Re-narrations, re-interpretations and adaptations of inherited texts and stories are crucial mechanisms through which human beings receive and create meaning. Theatre is particularly interesting in...