cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patterns of growth and energy allocation in northern California populations of Littorina (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia)

Abstract Seasonal patterns in shell growth rates, tissue weights, and female reproductive efforts were monitored for three species of western North American rocky shore gastropods, Littorina keenae Rosewater (supralittoral), L. scutulata Gould (high intertidal), and L. plena Gould (high intertidal). Growth rates conformed to the Von Bertalanffy growth model. Relative to male snails, female L. keenae appeared to sacrifice shell growth to expend more energy on the production of large quantities of gametes during the spring; growth rates of females and large males were highest during autumn when microalgal food supplies were seasonally abundant. In contrast, spring tended to be the best season for shell growth of L. scutulata and L. plena; however, reproductive output was poor and sporadic for these two species, and growth rates in the field during all seasons were low compared to growth rates of snails held under laboratory conditions with abundant food. High population densities of snails at shore levels occupied by L. scutulata and L. plena may greatly reduce food levels upon which individual snails rely for growth and reproduction.
Glaucoma in the Immediate Postoperative Period After Penetrating Keratoplasty

In a prospective study 155 consecutive patients undergoing penetrating keratoplasty were examined for postoperative increase in intraocular pressure to determine the frequency and duration of intraocular pressure spikes, risk factors, and response to treatment. Patients were maintained on preoperative glaucoma medications except miotics. Additional medications to lower intraocular pressure perioperatively were not given. Intraocular pressure was measured two to five hours, one day, and one week postoperatively. An intraocular pressure of 30 mm Hg or greater was considered an increase in pressure and was treated according to a standardized protocol. The results were analyzed by procedure as well as by variables commonly perceived to be associated with intraocular pressure increase (history of glaucoma, use of hyaluronate, lysis of the synechiae, or vitrectomy at the time of the operation). Overall, intraocular pressure increases in the early postoperative period occurred in 18 of 155 patients (12%). Pressure increases occurred in ten of 48 patients (21%) with a history of glaucoma; five of 24 patients (21%) undergoing combined penetrating keratoplasty, extracapsular cataract extraction, and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation; and ten of 43 patients (23%) undergoing vitrectomy at the time of penetrating keratoplasty.
Characterization of a New Subfamily of Winged-helix/Forkhead (Fox) Genes That Are Expressed in the Lung and Act as Transcriptional Repressors

Epithelial gene expression in the lung is thought to be regulated by the coordinate activity of several different families of transcription factors including the Fox family of winged-helix/forkhead DNA-binding proteins. In this report, we have identified and characterized two members of this Fox gene family, Foxp1 and Foxp2, and show that they comprise a new subfamily of Fox genes expressed in the lung. Foxp1 and Foxp2 are expressed at high levels in the lung as early as E12.5 of mouse development with Foxp2 expression restricted to the airway epithelium. In addition, Foxp1 and Foxp2 are expressed at lower levels in neural, intestinal, and cardiovascular tissues during development. Upon differentiation of the airway epithelium along the proximal-distal axis, Foxp2 expression becomes restricted to the distal alveolar epithelium whereas Foxp1 expression is observed in the distal epithelium and mesenchyme. Foxp1 and Foxp2 can regulate epithelial lung gene transcription as was demonstrated by their ability to dramatically repress the mouse CC10 promoter and, to a lesser extent, the human surfactant protein C promoter. In addition, GAL4 fusion proteins encoding subdomains of Foxp1 and Foxp2 demonstrate that an independent and homologous transcriptional repression domain lies within the N-terminal end of the proteins. Together, these studies suggest that Foxp1 and Foxp2 are important regulators of lung epithelial gene transcription.
BILIARY AND URINARY METABOLITES OF 4-C14-17α-HYDROXYPROGESTERONE IN HUMAN SUBJECTS

The metabolism of 4-C14-17α-hydroxyprogesterone, injected intravenously into 6 endocrinologically normal women (3 with bile fistulas), was essentially like that described previously by other investigators for large quantities of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. Differences from reported results were the presence of tetrahydrocortisone, the absence of significant amounts of androgenic 17-ketosteroids, and the predominance of Pregnane-3α, 17α-diol-20-one over pregnanetriol in the urine. The biliary metabolites, reported here for the first time, were similar to those in the urine. The endogenous daily production of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone was calculated to be approximately 2 mg.
Overcoming the local-minimum problem in training multilayer perceptrons by gradual deconvexification

A method of training neural networks using the risk-averting error (RAE) criterion Jλ (w), which was presented in IJCNN 2001, has the capability to avoid nonglobal local minima, but suffers from a severe limitation on the magnitude of the risk-sensitivity index λ. To eliminating the limitation, an improved method using the normalized RAE (NRAE) Cλ (w) was proposed in ISNN 2012, but it requires a selection of a proper λ, whose range may be dependent on the application. A new training method called the gradual deconvexification (GDC) is proposed in this paper. It starts with a very large λ and gradually decreases it in the training process until a global minimum of Cλ (w) or a good generalization capability is achieved. GDC training method was tested on a large number of numerical examples and produced a very good result in each test.
Construction of neural nets using the radon transform

The authors present a method for constructing a feedforward neural net implementing an arbitrarily good approximation to any L/sub 2/ function over (-1, 1)/sup n/. The net uses n input nodes, a single hidden layer whose width is determined by the function to be implemented and the allowable mean square error, and a linear output neuron. Error bounds and an example are given for the method. >
Spontaneous symmetry-breaking energy functionsand the emergence of orientation selective cortical cells

The mammalian visual cortex is comprised of “hypercolumns” of orientation selective cells. The developmental process by which cells are generated with receptive fields tuned to a variety of orientations has so far remained a mystery. We present a model for the production of orientation selective cells that requires no external stimuli and a minimum of input parameters. The process involves spontaneous symmetry-breaking in an energy function that governs the maturation of the cortical cells in a multi-layer network of Hebb-type feedforward neurons. An important feature is that the symmetry breaking occurs for each cell separately and is not due to global organizing effects. We present examples of receptive field profiles calculated with the symmetry-breaking procedure and note that the results seem robust and may be useful in the study of development in several types of cortical cells. The inclusion of long range lateral (intra-layer) correlations in the energy function could result in the development of cell groups with correlated preferred orientations that resemble the hypercolumns seen in the visual cortex.
Novel method to improve 2D DOT spatial resolution using ℓ1-regularization and noise-normalization

The data used for reconstructing sparse DOT images are often with a large range of noise taken from different channels. A novel and effective reconstruction approach is developed by combining l1-regularization and noise normalization.
Flexible low-mass robotic arm actuated by electroactive polymers

Miniature, lightweight, low-cost actuators that consume low- power can be used to develop unmatched robotic devices to make an impact on many technology areas. Electroactive polymers (EAP) actuators offer the potential to produce such devices and they induce relatively large bending and longitudinal actuation strains. This reported study is concentrating on the development of effective EAPs and the resultant enabling mechanisms employing their unique characteristics. Several EAP driven mechanisms, which emulate human hand, were developed including a gripper, manipulator arm and surface wiper. The manipulator arm was made of a composite rod with a lifting actuator consisting of a scrolled rope that is activated longitudinally by an electrostatic field. A gripper was made to serve as an end effector and it consisted of multiple bending EAP fingers for grabbing and holding such objects as rocks. An EAP surface wiper was developed to operate like a human finger and to demonstrate the potential to remove dust from optical and IR windows as well as solar cells. These EAP driven devices are taking advantage of the large actuation displacement of these materials for applications that have limited requirement for actuation force capability.
Efron's conjecture on vulnerability to bias in a method for balancing sequential trials

Efron (1971) proposed a method for sequential assignment to treatments or control which is in many ways superior to traditional procedures. To analyse the method's susceptibility to accidental bias a criterion concerning the maximum eigenvalue of a fundamental covariance matrix was introduced. On the basis of numerical evidence, Efron conjectured an explicit formula for this eigenvalue. This note gives a proof of that conjecture.
Pricing, exit, and location decisions of firms: Evidence on the role of debt and operating efficiency

Abstract We compare pricing and exit decisions of discounters across the business cycle. Cities containing high debt and/or low efficiency firms display higher prices during non-recession years. During recessions, prices increase in cities with less efficient incumbents, but decrease in cities with a mix of high and low debt firms. High debt firms are more likely to exit cities with lower prices, and high debt exiting firms are more likely to be efficient. Apparently, low debt firms strategically lower prices during recessions to force exit of efficient, financially constrained rivals. Weaker competitors face another cost. New entrants locate closer.
Comparison of difficulties and reliabilities of quantitative word problems in completion and multiple-choice item formats.

Quantitative word problems were written as parallel completion and multiple-choice items, and were ad ministered to 232 undergraduate students to compare the reliabilities and item difficulties ass...
Surface microlayer phenolic enrichments indicate sea surface slicks

The realization by early investigators that oil films spread on surfaces of bodies of water could mimic slick conditions1–3 has evolved into the present model of slicks resulting from monomolecular films that modify wave characteristics and hence reflectance properties of surfaces. However, the lipid materials postulated to form monomolecular layers constitute only a small fraction of the organic material in either bulk sea water or at the surface4–7, may not retain their strong surface activity in the presence of natural seawater dissolved organic material (DOM)8, and have not been found in any consistent relationship with slicks7,9–11. The apparent association of slicks with macroalgae has also been noted12–15, but there has not been a demonstration of macroalgae-derived DOM in slicks. I show here that enrichments of UV-absorbing phenolic materials, consistent components of surface microlayers16, offer reliable indication of slick conditions. I then suggest that: (1) slicks result not from monomolecular films, but from viscosity changes in surface microlayers caused by more soluble organic components; and (2) the occurrence of slicks therefore depends not on absolute concentrations of surface-active materials, but on relative viscosity differences. Evidence is also given demonstrating the presence of macroalgae-derived phenolic materials in slicks.
The Construction of Jackson Pollock's Fractal Drip Paintings

Between 1943 and 1952, Jackson Pollock created patterns by dripping paint onto horizontal canvases. In 1999 the authors identified the patterns as fractal. Ending 50 years of debate over the content of his paintings, the results raised the more general question of how a human being could create fractals. The authors, by analyzing film that recorded the evolution of Pollock's patterns as a function of time, show that the fractals resulted from a systematic construction process involving multiple layers of painted patterns. These results are interpreted within the context of recent visual perception studies of fractal patterns.
Renal tubulointerstitial injury from ureteral obstruction in the neonatal rat is attenuated by IGF-1

Renal tubulointerstitial injury from ureteral obstruction in the neonatal rat is attenuated by IGF-1. Background The administration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been shown to ameliorate the renal injury resulting from ischemic acute renal failure. As there are a number of similarities between acute renal failure and obstructive nephropathy, we examined the effects of IGF-1 on the renal cellular response to unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in the neonatal rat. Methods Forty-five rats were subjected to UUO or sham operation within the first 48 hours of life and received IGF-1 (2 mg/kg/day) or saline for the following three or seven days, after which kidneys were removed for study by morphometry and immunohistochemistry. To determine the effects of UUO on endogenous expression of IGF-1 and its receptor, six additional rats were subjected to UUO or sham operation, and mRNA was measured by solution hybridization. Results There was no effect of seven days of UUO on the renal expression of endogenous IGF-1 or its receptor. Moreover, seven days of exogenous IGF-1 did not improve the suppression of nephrogenesis, the delay in glomerular maturation, or the reduction in tubular proliferation induced by ipsilateral UUO. However, in the obstructed kidney, IGF-1 reduced tubular expression of vimentin, apoptosis, and tubular atrophy by 38 to 50% ( P P P Conclusions IGF-1 has a profound salutary effect on the tubular and interstitial response to UUO in early development, without affecting glomerular injury or development. These results suggest that IGF-1 may have therapeutic potential in the management of congenital obstructive nephropathy.
Oscillation and Reaction Board Techniques for Estimating Inertial Properties of a Below-knee Prosthesis

The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) demonstrate a technique that can be used to directly estimate the inertial properties of a below-knee prosthesis, and 2) contrast the effects of the proposed technique and that of using intact limb inertial properties on joint kinetic estimates during walking in unilateral, transtibial amputees. An oscillation and reaction board system was validated and shown to be reliable when measuring inertial properties of known geometrical solids. When direct measurements of inertial properties of the prosthesis were used in inverse dynamics modeling of the lower extremity compared with inertial estimates based on an intact shank and foot, joint kinetics at the hip and knee were significantly lower during the swing phase of walking. Differences in joint kinetics during stance, however, were smaller than those observed during swing. Therefore, researchers focusing on the swing phase of walking should consider the impact of prosthesis inertia property estimates on study outcomes. For stance, either one of the two inertial models investigated in our study would likely lead to similar outcomes with an inverse dynamics assessment.
ORMDL3 promotes eosinophil trafficking and activation via regulation of integrins and CD48

ORM (yeast)-like protein isoform 3 (ORMDL3) has recently been identified as a candidate gene for susceptibility to asthma; however, the mechanisms by which it contributes to asthma pathogenesis are not well understood. Here we demonstrate a functional role for ORMDL3 in eosinophils in the context of allergic inflammation. Eosinophils recruited to the airways of allergen-challenged mice express ORMDL3. ORMDL3 expression in bone marrow eosinophils is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum and is induced by interleukin-3 and eotaxin-1. Overexpression of ORMDL3 in eosinophils causes increased rolling, distinct cytoskeletal rearrangement, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (1/2) phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B. Knockdown of ORMDL3 significantly inhibits activation-induced cell shape changes, adhesion and recruitment to sites of inflammation in vivo, combined with reduced expression of CD49d and CD18. In addition, ORMDL3 regulates interleukin-3-induced expression of CD48 and CD48-mediated eosinophil degranulation. These studies show that ORMDL3 regulates eosinophil trafficking, recruitment and degranulation, further elucidating a role for this molecule in allergic asthma and potentially other eosinophilic disorders.
Episodes of Mental Health Treatment Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Children and Adolescents

Despite renewed national interest in mental health care reform, little is known about treatment patterns among youth in the general population. Using longitudinal data from the Medical Expenditure ...
An in vitro Preparation of Dog Parotid Gland.

ConclusionsThis paper has presented a method of preparation of acini and tubuli from the parotid gland of the dog. The viability of the system is evidenced by its capacity to accumulate I131 by a metabolically dependent process. Free inulin distribution is restricted. It is suggested that this in vitro preparation might prove useful in the solution of two of the major issues in exocrine gland physiology.
An improved dobutamine protocol for myocardial perfusion imaging.

percent area stenosis with intracoronary Doppler and the continuity equation: correlation with the intracoronary ultrasound and quantitative coronary angiography. Am J Cardiol 1999;84:650–654. 10. Al Suwaidi J, Hamasaki S, Higano ST, Nishimura RA, Holmes DR Jr, Lerman A. Long-term follow-up of patients with mild coronary artery disease and endothelial dysfunction. Circulation 2000;101:948–954. 11. Hamasaki S, Al Suwaidi J, Higano ST, Miyauchi K, Holmes DR Jr, Lerman A. Attenuated coronary flow reserve and vascular remodeling in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. J Am Coll Cardiol 2000;35:1654– 1660. 12. Liang KY, Zeger SL. Longitudinal data analysis using generalized linear models. Biometrika 1986;73:13–22. 13. Al Suwaidi J, Higano ST, Holmes DR, Lennon R, Lerman A. Obesity is an independent predictor of coronary endothelial dysfunction in patients with normal or mildly diseased coronary arteries. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;37:1523–1528. 14. Jeppesen J, Hein HO, Suadicani P, Gyntelberg F. Triglyceride concentration and ischemic heart disease. An eight-year follow-up in the Copenhagen Male Study. Circulation 1998;97:1029–1036. 15. Steinberg HO, Chaker H, Leaming R, Johnson A, Brechtel G, Baron AD. Obesity/insulin resistance is associated with endothelial dysfunction. Implications for the syndrome of insulin resistance. J Clin Invest 1996;97:2601–2610. 16. Yudkin JS, Stehouwer CD, Emeis JJ, Coppack SW. C-reactive protein in healthy subjects: associations with obesity, insulin resistance, and endothelial dysfunction: a potential role for cytokines originating from adipose tissue? Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 1999;19:972–978. 17. Clement K, Vaisse C, Lahlou N, Cabrol S, Pelloux V, Cassuto D, Gourmelen M, Dina C, Chambaz J, Lacorte JM, et al. A mutation in the human leptin receptor gene causes obesity and pituitary dysfunction. Nature 1998;392:398–401. 18. Glagov S, Weisenberg E, Zarins CK, Stankunavicius R, Kolettis GJ. Compensatory enlargement of human atherosclerotic coronary arteries. N Engl J Med 1987;316:1371–1375. 19. McPherson DD, Sirna SJ, Hiratzka LF, Thorpe L, Armstrong ML, Marcus ML, Kerber RE. Coronary artery remodeling studied by high-frequency epicardial echocardiography: an early compensatory mechanism in patients with obstructive coronary atherosclerosis. J Am Coll Cardiol 1991;17:79–86. 20. Losordo DW, Rosenfield K, Kaufman J, Pieczek A, Isner JM. Focal compensatory enlargement of human arteries in response to progressive atherosclerosis: in vivo documentation using intravascular ultrasound. Circulation 1994; 89:2570–2577.
Molecular detection of insecticide resistant alleles

The summary discusses techniques used to investigate mechanisms of resistance in the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) to several classes of pesticides.
Two octyl phenyl phosphinic acids, (R)(C6H5)PO(OH), as extractants for selected M(III) and M(VI) metallic cations

Abstract The extraction of Y(III), selected lanthanides(III), selected actinides(III) and U(VI) from an aqueous chloride phase into a benzene solution of ( R )(C 6 H 5 )PO(OH) where R is n -octyl or cyclo -octyl has been studied. The stoichiometries of extraction have been shown to be M 3 + 2·5(HY) 2 ⇌ M Y(HY 2 ) 2 + 3H + UO 2 2+ + 2(HY) 2 ⇌ M (HY 2 ) 2 + 2H + where (HY) 2 represents the dimeric extractant. Under a given set of conditions, for M 3+ the n -octyl compound is the better extractant but for UO 2 2+ the cyclo -octyl extractant is the better. In no case is the effect large. But in a comparison of the effectiveness of ( n -ocytl)(C 6 H 5 )PO(OH) and ( n -octyl) 2 PO(OH), an extractant previously reported, the former, which is the more strongly acidic, is by far the more effective extractant for the M 3+ cations. For UO 2 2+ , the two extractants are equally effective. Plots of log K vs. Z for the 15 lanthanides(III) in the two ( R )(C 6 H 5 )PO(OH) vs. aqueous chloride systems are interpreted in terms of the tetrad hypothesis. On these plots, the value for yttrium places it at the Z position 67–68 as a pseudolanthanide(III).
What Is a Highly Qualified Adapted Physical Education Teacher

(2010). What Is a Highly Qualified Adapted Physical Education Teacher? Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 81, No. 2, pp. 40-50.
Fatigue after brain injury: initial reliability study of the BNI Fatigue Scale.

Objective: Fatigue is a common problem of many neurological disorders. Yet, few measures have been developed to adequately assess fatigue, particularly during the early stages following a brain injury. The purpose of this study was to document the psychometric properties of the BNI Fatigue Scale for use on an acute, inpatient neurorehabilitation unit.Research design: A prospective cohort of patients seen for inpatient rehabilitation following brain injury.Procedures: The BNI Fatigue Scale was administered to an heterogeneous sample of 84 neurologic patients upon admission to the Neurorehabilitation unit within 20 days of their injury.Results: Principle components factor analysis yielded a one-factor solution. Acceptable internal consistency was calculated for the scale items. Overall index of fatigue correlated significantly with the total scale score.Conclusions: This initial study on the BNI Fatigue Scale supports its reliability and clinical utility for use with acute neurological patients. Information...
Differential expression of the FAK family kinases in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis synovial tissues.

The focal adhesion kinase (FAK) family kinases, including FAK and proline-rich kinase 2 (Pyk)2, are the predominant mediators of integrin αvβ3 signaling events that play an important role in cell adhesion, osteoclast pathology, and angiogenesis, all processes important in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using immunohistochemical and western blot analysis, we studied the distribution of phospho (p)FAK, pPyk2, pSrc, pPaxillin and pPLCγ in the synovial tissue (ST) from patients with RA, osteoarthritis (OA) and normal donors (NDs) as well as in RA ST fibroblasts and peripheral blood differentiated macrophages (PB MΦs) treated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) or interleukin-1β (IL1β). RA and OA STs showed a greater percentage of pFAK on lining cells and MΦs compared with ND ST. RA ST fibroblasts expressed pFAK at baseline, which increased with TNFα or IL1β stimulation. Pyk2 and Src were phosphorylated more on RA versus OA and ND lining cells and MΦs. pPyk2 was expressed on RA ST fibrobasts but not in MΦs at baseline, however it was upregulated upon TNFα or IL1β activation in both cell types. pSrc was expressed in RA ST fibroblasts and MΦs at baseline and was further increased by TNFα or IL1β stimulation. pPaxillin and pPLCγ were upregulated in RA versus OA and ND lining cells and sublining MΦs. Activation of the FAK family signaling cascade on RA and OA lining cells may be responsible for cell adhesion and migration into the diseased STs. Therapies targeting this novel signaling pathway may be beneficial in RA.
The monkey's paw: The role of inheritance in the resolution of grief

Abstract Despite the common occurrence of the loss of a parent in adulthood, most research has either focused on the child's loss of a parent or parental loss of an adult child. Yet research has reported that the death of a parent is a stressful loss to adults. However, little research explores circumstances that might complicate loss. This research considers the role of inheritance in the resolution of grief. It was found that inheritance reflects, and perhaps intensifies, existing problems and conflicts between parents and siblings. When these prior issues are not problematic, inheritances leave a legacy that validates the life of the deceased and affirms relationships with survivors. The study also found a “settlement reaction” similar to anniversary reactions, suggesting that legal events influence the cycle of grief.
General financial equilibrium modeling with policy interventions and transaction costs

In this paper we develop a general financial equilibrium model with policy interventions, in terms of taxes and price controls, and with transaction costs. The equilibrium conditions governing the financial model are derived and the equilibrium assets, liabilities, and instrument prices are shown to satisfy a variational inequality problem. The model is first studied qualitatively, in particular, in terms of existence and uniqueness of a solution pattern and then an algorithm is proposed and convergence results obtained. Finally, the algorithm is applied to compute the equilibrium asset, liability, and price pattern for the quadratic utility functions case.
Mitral Insufficiency Resulting from Rupture of Normal Chordae Tendineae

Mitral insufficiency resulting from rupture of normal chordae tendineae occurs and can be recognized. It is subject to surgical repair. A patient with refractory cardiac failure due to mitral insufficiency on this basis has been totally rehabilitated by surgical repair of the valvular restraining mechanism.
Approximate privacy: foundations and quantification (extended abstract)

Increasing use of computers and networks in business, government, recreation, and almost all aspects of daily life has led to a proliferation of online sensitive data about individuals and organizations. Consequently, concern about the privacy of these data has become a top priority, particularly those data that are created and used in electronic commerce. Despite many careful formulations and extensive study, there are still open questions about the feasibility of maintaining meaningful privacy in realistic networked environments. We formulate communication-complexity-based definitions, both worst-case and average-case, of a problem's privacy-approximation ratio. We use our definitions to investigate the extent to which approximate privacy is achievable in many well studied contexts: the 2ndprice Vickrey auction [20], the millionaires problem of Yao [22], the provisioning of a public good, and also set disjointness and set intersection. We present both positive and negative results and many interesting directions for future research.
Some New Bounds on the Probability of Extinction of a Galton–Watson Process with Numerical Comparisons

Some new upper and lower bounds for the extinction probability of a Galton–Watson process are presented. They are very easy to compute and can be used even if the offspring distribution has infinite variance. These new bounds are numerically compared to previously discussed bounds. Some definite guidelines are given concerning when these new bounds are preferable. Some open problems are also discussed.
Our icons: ourselves. Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Kevin Federline, and the construction of whiteness in a post-race America

Using a qualitative content analysis of US general and entertainment magazines, this study explores the presentation of Britney Spears and her two main love affairs, Justin Timberlake and Kevin Federline. The article argues that in this avowedly post-race era, narratives of ‘blackness’ now join narratives of class as avenues used to define the failures of white-skinned bodies. Simultaneously, access to authentic whiteness remains, even for those with white skin, a formidable status to achieve. Moreover, the article posits that realisation of this status is not, as would be expected, based on the way an individual performs race, but instead is premised on their ability to execute a specific embodiment of highly traditional scripts of gender and sexuality.
Friendship After a Friends with Benefits Relationship: Deception, Psychological Functioning, and Social Connectedness

Friends with benefits (FWB) relationships are formed by an integration of friendship and sexual intimacy, typically without the explicit commitments characteristic of an exclusive romantic relationship. The majority of these relationships do not transition into committed romantic relationships, raising questions about what happens to the relationship after the FWB ends. In a sample of 119 men and 189 women university students, with a median age of 19 years and the majority identified as Caucasian (63.6 %), we assessed relationship adjustment, feelings of deception, perception of the FWB relationship and friendship, social connectedness, psychological distress, and loneliness. Results demonstrated that the majority of FWB relationships continued as friendships after the sexual intimacy ceased and that about 50 % of the participants reported feeling as close or closer to their FWB partner. Those who did not remain friends were more likely to report that their FWB relationship was more sex- than friendship-based; they also reported higher levels of feeling deceived by their FWB partner and higher levels of loneliness and psychological distress, but lower levels of mutual social connectedness. Higher levels of feeling deceived were related to feeling less close to the post-FWB friend; also, more sex-based FWB relationships were likely to result in post-FWB friendships that were either more or less close (as opposed to unchanged). FWB relationships, especially those that include more attention to friendship based intimacy, do not appear to negatively impact the quality of the friendship after the “with benefits” ends.
TALK AND SILENCE SEQUENCES IN INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS II

The literature relevant to talk and silence sequences in informal social conversations is reviewed in terms of individual consistency in talk and silence across and within conversations, the factors which can modify talk and silence consistencies, and the influence of partners’ talk and silence behaviors on the other's response. The review leads to the postulation of four models of talk-silence sequences of increasing complexity and decreasing parsimony. The Markov model describes within-conversation sequences; the Independent Decision (ID) model describes across-conversation sequences under the assumptions of perfect consistency and independence of action; the Incremental model relaxes the consistency assumption of the ID model; the Regulation model relaxes both assumptions of the ID model, incorporating the possibility of mutual influence between partners rather than independence.
Antiproliferative effects of natural interferon beta alone and in combination with natural interferon gamma on human breast carcinomas in nude mice.

Nude mice bearing bilateral xenografts of human breast carcinoma cells (MCF-7 and BT20) were treated with 2 or 4 5-day cycles of intralesional (i.l.) injections of human natural interferon beta (nIFN-β) alone or in combination with human natural interferon gamma (nIFN-γ). The injections were administered to only 1 of the 2 tumors in each animal, thus making it possible to assess at the same time local therapeutic effects in the injected tumors and systemic effects in the contralateral ones. When n-IFN-β was used as a single agent only mild local antitumor effects and virtually no systemic effects were observed. In contrast, the combined administration of nIFN-β/nIFN-γ produced marked antiproliferative effects, presumably as a result of the synergistic action of type I and type II IFNs. These effects ranged from complete regression documented histologically in 2 MCF-7 tumors to varying degrees of growth inhibition with persistence of residual microscopic or grossly detectable tumor. Local effects were more pronounced than systemic effects. The therapeutic efficacy of nIFN-β proved to be greater than that of recombinant interferon beta (rIFN-β). In MCF-7 tumors nIFN-β appeared to be less effective than nIFN-α, whereas the opposite was true for BT 20 tumors.
Pyoderma gangrenosum or necrotizing fasciitis? A diagnostic conundrum. Case report and literature review

Abstract Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a life-threatening, rare soft tissue infection characterized by rapidly spreading necrosis of the fascia and subcutaneous tissue, muscle, and overlying skin. Once suspected, immediate and extensive surgical debridement of necrotic tissues and appropriate systemic antibiotic coverage are necessary. On the contrary, pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an auto-inflammatory condition of the skin that has been associated with multiple factors including inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, and myelodysplastic disorders. It is a non-infectious process requiring non-surgical management. Both conditions are rare in the pediatric population, and may present with significant ulceration and tissue necrosis. Lack of diagnostic clinical, histopathologic, and laboratory features make identification of these entities challenging. We present a case of pyoderma gangrenosum, initially diagnosed as cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis, to highlight the diagnostic challenges involved in differentiating these disease entities and clinical implications of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis.
Review of the Thermal Conductivity of Graphite-Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites

The characteristics of graphite-reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) are increasingly important in a wide range of technologies. While most of the published studies deal with the mechanical properties of these materials, there have been limited studies characterizing the thermal properties of some of these materials. The effective thermal conductivity is of particular importance for design and applications, and experimental data are summarized and compared with accepted models of composite properties. On the basis of this review, it is evident that the thermal properties of graphite e ber-reinforced MMCs have not been adequately investigated. Modeling techniques based on limited experimental data have identie ed some of the important parameters, but no single model adequately predicts either the longitudinal or the transverse conductivity of these materials. This study presents a review of the experimental and analytical investigations of the thermal conductivity of these materials and concludes with recommendations for emerging and continuing areas of investigation. Nomenclature a = e ber radius d = e ber diameter hc = e ber‐ matrix interface contact conductance k = thermal conductivity L = longitudinal s = vertical e ber separation T = transverse t = horizontal e ber separation V = e ber volume fraction v/o = e ber volume fraction f = angle of departure from longitudinal direction of the composite Subscripts c = composite e = effective f = e ber m = matrix r = radial u = circumferential ’ = perpendicular to e ber direction // = parallel to the e ber direction
Localized Deformation and Fracture in Neutron Irradiated Zircaloy-2

A detailed examination of the deformation bands and the fracture surface morphologies was made with neutron irradiated Zircaloy-2 sheet that had been prepared with similar compositions and microstructures, but with different crystallographic textures. These materials were irradiated at 600 (327°C) to fluences up to 2 x l021 n/cm2 (E > 1 MeV). Tests were made in simple tension and in plane strain tension at 523 (250°C) and at a strain rate of 0.05 min-1. In the material with (0002) poles predominantly parallel to the normal of sheet sample, the specimen tested in simple tension was macroscopically deformed in a manner consistent with the expected slip direction (1120). However, within individual grains, “pencil glide” deformation was noted where the slip direction was shared by more than one slip plane. The slip planes are of the type (10―1l), where the most likely values ofl are 0 and 1. The deformation was in sharply defined bands reminiscent of Luders bands, to other materials, where (0002) poles were tilted toward the tensile direction, deformation occurred in less localized manner. In plane strain tension, however, the same materials fractured with very little plastic deformation, but with indications that small amounts of shear deformation occurred in a direction not parallel to the basal plane. The fracture morphologies were strongly affected by texture in the simple tension tests, to plane strain, however, the fracture morphologies were determined more by the constraints of the test than by the texture of the material in spite of the large differences in fracture stress that have been observed in materials with different texture.
Hygrothermal and strain rate effects on properties of graphite/epoxy composites

The combined effects of moisture (M), temperature (T), and strain rate (SR) on the properties of the unidirectional graphite/epoxy composite AS4/3501-6 are investigated experimentally. Longitudinal tensile, in-plane shear, and transverse tensile specimens with moisture content 0 or 1 percent were characterized using standard mechanical tests and the techniques described by Yaniv et al. (1987) at temperatures 23-128 C and strain rates from 5 x 10 to the -6th/sec to 5/sec. The results are presented in graphs and discussed in detail. The longitudinal properties of the composite were found to be generally unaffected by changes in the parameters, whereas transverse and interlaminar properties decreased with increasing T and M at constant SR and the transverse and in-plane shear moduli increased with SR. A time-T-M equivalence principle is used to derive master curves for all the matrix-dominated properties, expressed in terms of a two-variable shift function.
Somatostatin inhibits vasoactive intestinal peptide-stimulated cyclic adenosine monophosphate accumulation in gh pituitary cells

Somatostatin (SRIF) has previously been shown to inhibit both basal and hormone-stimulated PRL secretion from GH4C1 cells, a clonal strain of rat pituitary tumor cells. In this study we examined the ability of SRIF to modulate cAMP accumulation in GH4C1 cells to determine whether such alterations mediate its biological effects. SRIF did not cause statistically significant changes in basal cAMP accumulation. Of six PRL secretagogues examined, only vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) increased cAMP accumulation significantly: TRH, bombesin, epidermal growth factor, insulin, and the tumor promoter, phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate were without effect. When SRIF was added simultaneously with VIP, it inhibited maximal VIP-stimulated cAMP accumulation (55 +/- 3%, mean +/- SE) without changing the ED50 for VIP (3.0 +/- 0.2 nM). Inhibition by SRIF was not due to altered kinetics of VIP stimulation, since the half-time for VIP-stimulated cAMP accumulation was 2 min both in the absence and presence of 100 nM SRIF. SRIF did not inhibit isobutylmethylxanthine-stimulated cAMP accumulation, and the presence of 0-10 mM isobutylmethylxanthine did not alter the inhibitory effect of SRIF on VIP-stimulated cAMP accumulation. Therefore, SRIF must act primarily to modulate VIP activation of adenylate cyclase activity. Inhibition of VIP-stimulated cAMP accumulation occurred at concentrations of SRIF (ID50 = 1.2 +/- 0.1 nM) close to the equilibrium dissociation constant for receptor binding (Kd = 0.6 +/- 0.2 nM). Furthermore, the potencies of a series of SRIF analogs to inhibit VIP-stimulated cAMP accumulation correlated with the apparent Kd of each peptide for binding to the SRIF receptor. In addition, SRIF did not reduce VIP-stimulated cAMP accumulation in GH(1)2C1 cells, which lack SRIF receptors. We conclude that SRIF inhibits VIP-stimulated cAMP accumulation by a receptor-mediated process that may be causally related to the ability of SRIF to inhibit VIP-dependent PRL secretion.
The far infrared spectra of several pyramidal trihalides

Abstract The infrared absorption spectra of PCl 3 , PBr 3 , SbCl 3 , SbBr 3 , and AsCl 3 have been measured between 550 and 85 cm −1 using a grating spectrometer. The vibrational fundamentals have been assigned and force constants calculated on the basis of a four-constant potential function.
Choosing an entrepreneurial development system: the concept and the challenges

This paper presents a discussion on the process of choosing an entrepreneurial development system for a local rural community and region. Background information is provided from which the selection of a number of programme elements available from the literature was made in developing the proposed system. Challenges of implementing the proposed system are presented.
Dynamically produced degeneracies

Abstract Systems of particles interacting through coulombic forces can have exact or approximate energy levels with degeneracies greater than can be expected from the geometrical symmetry of their hamiltonian. Hydrogen-like atoms provide the simplest example and systems with self-consistent field hamiltonians provide many more. We discuss the dynamical origins of these degeneracies. In hydrogen-like atoms the degeneracies are due to symmetries of the quantum mechanical hamiltonian which are also symmetries of the classical hamiltonian in the space of positions, momenta, and energy. In more complex systems, even when the degeneracy group is evident, its origins are rather obscure.
An integral with three parameters. Part 2

Abstract In this paper we use the exact expression for the integral I(a,b;r)≔ ∫ 0 ∞ x 2 x 4 +2ax 2 +1 r x 2 +1 x b +1 d x x 2 to give unifying proofs of several results in Classical Analyisis.
Excitation energies of levels in 23Na, 24Mg and 26Mg

Abstract The (p, p′) reaction on 23Na, 24Mg and 26Mg was studied at Ep = 20 MeV. The inelastically scattered protons were momentum analyzed in a Q3D magnetic spectrograph. Excitation energies of levels in 23Na were determined up to Ex = 11155 keV; in 24Mg, up to Ex = 13198 keV; and in 26Mg, up to Ex = 11171 keV. The results are compared to previous experiments.
Facile synthesis of Fe(NO)2L2 compounds, where L = phosphines and phosphites

Abstract Reductive substitution of Na2[Fe2(NO)4(μ-S2O3)2] in the presence of phosphines and phosphites provides a convenient, one-pot synthesis of Fe(NO)2(PR3)2 derivatives. Yields on the order of 20–30% may be achieved.
Sign Inverting Control logic for time delayed systems, with experiments

A new control strategy is introduced in this paper for Linear Time Invariant (LTI) systems with a single time delay. Earlier research findings on this class of systems reveal the delay intervals for stable operation, exhaustively, exactly and completely. The newly developed Sign Inverting Control (SIC) logic suggests a very practical procedure of reversing the sign of the feedback control gain, in order to argument the stable delay intervals. The sign reversal concept is based on some interesting mathematical features of LTI-Time Delay Systems (LTI-TDS) which were first recognised under a recent paradigm called the Cluster Treatment of Characteristic Roots (CTCR). Example case studies as well as the experimental trials demonstrate the practicality and the advantages of the new logic, Sign Inverting Control law.
Directional specificity in tilt aftereffect induced with moving contours: A reexamination

In the tilt aftereffect a grating or bar is perceived as being slightly rotated from its veridical orientation if it is preceded by a similar adaptation stimulus with a slightly different orientation. It has been reported that the tilt aftereffect is not direction specific. That is, the magnitude of the misperception was not affected by whether the adaptation and test stimuli were moving in the same or the opposite directions. However, when we required subjects to fixate on a stationary spot during adaptation to a moving grating, the tilt aftereffect was strongest when both stimuli moved in the same direction. Moreover, the tilt aftereffect was not direction specific without such fixation. These results are consistent with the distribution shift model in which the perceived orientation reflects the distribution of orientation selective units, some of which are also direction selective.
Depressed cortical excitability and elevated matrix metalloproteinases in remote brain regions following intracerebral hemorrhage

The absence of cortical responses to external stimuli is a dubious clinical sign during the first 1-2 days of brain injury. We previously showed that the amplitude of the somatic evoked potential (SEP) in the swine is diminished at the infarct site and perihematomal surround within the first 6 h of collagenase-induced intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We now report that this depressed SEP persists during the subchronic (48 h) period of ICH in the swine not only within the injured primary somatosensory (SI) cortex, but also in the contralateral homotopic SI cortex. This impairment of sensory responsiveness was accompanied by increases in various matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in different brain regions. By 24 h, a marked rise in MMP-9, an inflammatory marker, was detected in the white matter of the ipsilesional SI and secondary somatosensory cortex (SII), and in the contralesional SI gray matter, as compared to saline-injected controls. A subsequent increase in MMP-9 level was found in the ipsilesional SI and SII gray matter, and in the contralesional SI white matter by 48 h (P<0.05). By 7 days, significant levels of MMP-9 were detected only in the ipsilesional SI white and gray matter tissues. In contrast, the elevation of MMP-2, a marker of degeneration, was delayed until 7 days post-ICH in the ipsilesional SII gray matter. A significant rise in MMP-9 was also noted in CA1 of the ipsilesional and contralesional hemispheres during 1-2 days. Our MMP assay shows that the depressed cortical excitability seen in the contralateral SI cortex is a manifestation of the broad effect of a focal ICH that produces inflammatory and degenerative processes not only in the region adjacent to the focal ICH site, but also in remote regions that are functionally connected to the site of focal ICH.