cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Provenance of Eocene graywackes of the Flournoy Formation near Agness, Oregon — A geochemjcal approach

Systematic variations in major elements, U and Th contents, and Sr isotope ratios in graywackes of the Flournoy Formation near Agness, Oregon, are interpreted to indicate a multilithologic provenance. At the time of deposition, Rb-Sr systems in the graywackes defined a pseudo-isochron corresponding to an age of 110 m.y. Calculated 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios range from 0.7050 to 0.7074, and compositional variations relate to these values in simple mixing patterns. Rb, U, Th, and K 2 O show a positive correlation with increasing ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) O and decreasing MgO, CaO, and Sr. Average values of Rb/Sr and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr (at 50 m.y. ago) for Mesozoic graywackes—Otter Point, Dothan, Galice, and Colebrooke Formations–are coincident with the mixing line defined by the Rb-Sr systems of the Flournoy graywackes, suggesting that some combination of the Mesozoic graywackes comprised part of the felsic component of the source terrane. A mafic source is also required by chemical, isotopic, and mineralogic features of the Flournoy graywackes. This was probably equivalent to basalts in the Paleocene and Eocene Roseburg Formation beneath the Flournoy.
Tec kinase Itk in γδT cells is pivotal for controlling IgE production in vivo

In conventional αβ T cells, the Tec family tyrosine kinase Itk is required for signaling downstream of the T cell receptor (TCR). Itk also regulates αβ T cell development, lineage commitment, and effector function. A well established feature of Itk−/− mice is their inability to generate T helper type 2 (Th2) responses that produce IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13; yet these mice have spontaneously elevated levels of serum IgE and increased numbers of germinal center B cells. Here we show that the source of this phenotype is γδ T cells, as normal IgE levels are observed in Itk−/−Tcrd−/− mice. When stimulated through the γδ TCR, Itk−/− γδ T cells produce high levels of Th2 cytokines, but diminished IFNγ. In addition, activated Itk−/− γδ T cells up-regulate costimulatory molecules important for B cell help, suggesting that they may directly promote B cell activation and Ig class switching. Furthermore, we find that γδ T cells numbers are increased in Itk−/− mice, most notably the Vγ1.1+Vδ6.3+ subset that represents the dominant population of γδ NKT cells. Itk−/− γδ NKT cells also have increased expression of PLZF, a transcription factor required for αβ NKT cells, indicating a common molecular program between αβ and γδ NKT cell lineages. Together, these data indicate that Itk signaling regulates γδ T cell lineage development and effector function and is required to control IgE production in vivo.
GLUCOSURIA AND UNUSUAL AMINOACIDURIA

The association of glucosuria and aminoaciduria in the absence of other aspects of Fanconi's syndrome is rare. We have studied a kindred in which the proband was an asymptomatic 17 yr. old male referred with glycosuria. He was found to have renal glucosuria, but excretion and tubular reabsorption of phosphate, bicarbonate excretion, concentrating and acidifying ability, GFR, protein excretion, bone radiographs and physical examination were normal. Urinary losses of most neutral and dibasic amino acids were increased 1.5-6 fold generally reflecting an exaggeration of the normal pattern, but of considerable interest are the normal renal clearances and excretions for proline, the dicarboxylic amino acids (glutamate & aspartate), methlonine & isoleucine. Other proximal tubular functions and GFR were normal in family members. There were fewer abnormally excreted amino acids, and in generally lesser amounts, in father and sibs 2&3 than in the proband. In all siblings, the severity of aminoaciduria correlated with the degree of glucosuria and with age. The association of these abnormalities in this family suggests dominant inheritance of glucosuria from the mother and aminoaciduria from the father.
Coordinates Versus Sequential Facsimile

The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively evaluate the improvement that can be obtained, in the coding of graphics, by using more sophisticated encoding schemes than run-length. These schemes are now well within the reach of today's technology. In the broad class of encoders by coordinates, three isoentropic encoding schemes are considered: 1) encoding of isolated points, 2) encoding of unidimensional patterns, 3) encoding of two-dimensional patterns. Although the three systems are all conceptually straightforward, they require an increasing complexity of encoding-decoding operations. This complexity is balanced, however, by a larger compression factor for the more complex schemes. The results obtained with these encoding schemes are finally compared to those of a run-length coding scheme for the case of a first-order Markov model of the source.
Natural spline block implicit methods

Two classes of one-step methods for the solution of the ordinary initial value problem are treated. The schemes of orderm give blocks ofm approximate solutions at each step and are constructed fromm integration formulas. Since each formula is obtained by the integration of an interpolatory natural spline, it is best in the sense of Sard. Sufficient conditions for the convergence of the iterative techniques used in each block and of the discrete variable solutions are given. The notion of block stability is introduced and the regions of block stability are given for two methods. Finally, eight block methods are compared by means of some numerical data.
Permeation measurements of hydrogen trapping in 1045 steel

This work examined the role of microstructure in hydrogen permeation and trapping in a plain carbon steel. The experimental material, SAE 1045 steel, was characterized both as to microstructure and as to permeation behavior; these data can be used in interpreting hydrogen fracture observations. The gas-phase permeation results show that hydrogen is markedly trapped in this steel, apparently at ferrite-carbide interfaces. This suggests that the trapped hydrogen could facilitate crack initiation and crack propagation at these regions of high hydrogen concentration. The hydrogen traps are quite reversible, so that hydrogen can be put in and taken out quite readily. The trapping energy ranged from 4.4 to 8.7 kcal/mol, with a mean value of 6.4 kcal/mol (26.8 kj/mol), in agreement with previous studies.
Effects of lipophilic ions on outer hair cell membrane capacitance and motility.

The outer hair cell (OHC) from the mammalian organ of Corti possesses a bell-shaped voltage-dependent capacitance function. The nonlinear capacitance reflects the activity of membrane bound voltage sensors associated with membrane motors that control OHC length. We have studied the effects of the lipophilic ions, tetraphenylborate (TPB−) and tetraphenylphosphonium (TPP+), on nonlinear capacitance and motility of isolated guinea-pig OHCs. Effects on supporting cells were also investigated. TPB− produced an increase in the peak capacitance (Cmpk) and shifted the voltage at peak capacitance (VpkCm) to hyperpolarized levels. Washout reversed the effects. Perfusion of 0.4 μm TPB− caused an average increase in Cmpk of 16.3 pF and VpkCm shift of 13.6 mV. TPP+, on the other hand, only shifted VpkCm in the positive direction, with no change in Cmpk. The contributions from native OHC and TPB−-induced capacitance were dissected by a double Boltzmann fitting paradigm, and by blocking native OHC capacitance. While mechanical response studies indicate little effect of TPB− on the motility of OHCs which were in normal condition or treated with salicylate or gadolinium, the voltage at maximum mechanical gain (VδLmax) was shifted in correspondence with native VpkCm, and both changed in a concentration-dependent manner. Both TPB−-induced changes in Cmpk and VpkCm were affected by voltage prepulses and intracellular turgor pressure. TPB− induced a voltage-dependent capacitance in supporting cells whose characteristics were similar to those of the OHC, but no indication of mechanical responses was noted. Our results indicate that OHC mechanical responses are not simply related to quantity of nonspecific nonlinear charge moved within the membrane, but to the effects of motility voltage-sensor charge movement functionally coupled to a mechanical effector.
Neutrophil Activation by Recombinant Cytokines

Interest in the use of recombinant cytokines for immunotherapy is increasing as more information becomes available on the influences of these products on effector cells (e.g., neutrophils) involved in the resistance of the host to disease. This review summarizes the information available on in vitro and in vivo activation of neutrophils by recombinant cytokines. The emerging theme is that various cytokines (e.g., colony-stimulating factors, interleukins, tumor necrosis factors, and interferons) have direct and often synergistic abilities that activate the neutrophil to have enhanced cytocidal activity towards microbial and cellular stimuli. Equally important (although less well studied), cytokines have been shown in some cases to enhance the function of neutrophils isolated from immunosuppressed animals. These neutrophils have depressed function, and influences of cytokines on these cells may be different from their influences on normal neutrophils. Only recombinant cytokine data are included in this review because of the potential for contamination of naturally produced cytokines with unknown biologically active substances.
Regulation of IgE synthesis: from the membrane to the genes

The data discussed above clearly indicate that the second signal(s) required for IgE production can be delivered to B cells through different pathways. At the present time, no unifying explanatory mechanism can reconcile all different observations. Not much is known about signalling via MHC class II molecules and CD40; the role played by hydrocortisone is not clear, and other molecules — in addition to CD40 and its ligand — might be involved in non-cognate T-B cell interactions. Signalling via CD21 is not sufficient for IgE induction, and EBV-induced proteins essential for IgE induction have not been identified. The observation that engagement of CD40 [32] and full expression of latent EBV proteins [21] share the ability to protect human B cells from programmed cell death (apoptosis) is certainly intriguing, but it is unclear whether this effect is in any way related to IgE induction. It seems plausible that the pathways mentioned above may share the ability to activate the switch recombination machinery in B cells in which the ɛ locus has been transcriptionally activated and made accessible by IL-4.
Immunological studies of the rat olfactory marker protein.

— Antisera against the rat olfactory marker protein were prepared by injection of the homogeneous protein into a goat and a rabbit. When the antisera were tested by immunodiffusion against olfactory tissue extracts, many but not all mammalian species cross-reacted against these antisera. Immunoprecipitin titrations with the goat antiserum generally showed higher cross-reactivity against olfactory extracts from species more closely related to the rat. Human olfactory bulb extracts and non-mammalian olfactory tissue extracts did not cross-react with the antisera by either immunodiffusion tests or immunoprecipitin titrations, however, they did cross-react when tested by a competitive binding radioimmunoassay using tritium-labelled purified rat protein and the goat antibody. The olfactory marker protein which is an example of a brain protein specific to one cell, the olfactory chemoreceptor neuron, has a very wide species distribution, being present in rat, mouse, hamster, guinea-pig, sheep, cow, rabbit, pig, dog, man, frog and garfish. Therefore it presumably plays an important and unique role related to the function of this primary chemosensory neuron.
Problems of data protection law for private multinational communication networks

Abstract The emergence of data protection legislation will place additional constraints on computer network managers, designers and operators. Networks may be centralised, decentralised, or distributed; choice is determined by degree of interaction and corporate control policy. Laws on crossborder data flow add additional factors into the design process; this may lead to major reassessments of processing strategies. However, traditional methods of network optimisation using computer programs may be capable of modification to cope. To maintain security, communications will require to be protected to an appropriate degree. Bulk encryption, random data flow and super-encryption may be required; also electromagnetic radiation and induction should be avoided. Access to computer facilities should be controlled physically and by authentication, and due account will need to be taken of the commerically available hardware and software security safeguards. Management security measures should be formalised, and an overall balanced approach to maintaining privacy and security stands the best chance of success.
Does propofol anesthesia affect intraoperative parathyroid hormone levels? A randomized, prospective trial

Background Intravenous propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) infusion is used commonly for sedation/anesthesia during operations. Several authors have reported that propofol can interfere with intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) testing in vitro. Therefore, many surgeons avoid propofol during parathyroidectomy. Methods To determine whether propofol affects intraoperative PTH levels in vivo, we randomly assigned 34 patients (80% power; α Results Median preoperative serum PTH and calcium levels were 175 pg/mL (range, 27-2646 pg/mL) and 9.2 mg/dL (range, 8.1-10.8 mg/dL), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the PTH levels in the 2 groups at each of our time points. There was also no difference in the percentage of change from baseline in the PTH values between our 2 groups. No patient in either group had a sustained drop in their PTH level of greater than 50%. Conclusions Intravenous propofol infusion does not alter PTH levels significantly during the operation. Therefore, we believe the intraoperative PTH assay can be used safely during propofol sedation when parathyroid surgical procedures are being performed.
Decreased cell‐mediated cytotoxicity against virus‐infected cells in systemic lupus erythematosus

Cell-mediated cytotoxicity, directed against virus-infected tissue culture cells, was studied with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 11 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 12 matched, normal subjects in a 51Cr release assay. Baseline (preimmunization) levels of cytotoxicity against target cells infected with influenza A/Victoria, influenza B/Hong Kong, Newcastle disease virus, and herpes simplex virus were significantly decreased in patients with SLE compared to normal subjects (P less than 0.001), although serum antibody levels to the respective viruses were similar in both groups. After intramuscular administration of inactivated influenza A/Victoria vaccine, SLE patients failed to generate elevated levels of cytotoxicity against A/Victoria-infected cells, in contrast to normal subjects. SLE patients responded with levels of serum hemagglutination-inhibition antibody which were similar to those of normal subjects. Thus, SLE patients manifest decreased cell-mediated cytotoxicity against virus-infected target cells, although humoral antibody responses appeared to be intact. Studies of SLE patients with influenza may help to define the role of cell-mediated immunity in the pathogenesis of certain viral infections.
The turn of the screw: an exercise in protein secondary structure.

An exercise using simple paper strips to illustrate protein helical and sheet secondary structures is presented. Drawing on the rich historical context of the use of physical models in protein biochemistry by early practitioners, in particular Linus Pauling, the purpose of this activity is to cultivate in students a hands-on, intuitive sense of protein secondary structure and to complement the common computer-based structural portrayals often used in teaching biochemistry. As students fold these paper strips into model secondary structures, they will better grasp how intramolecular hydrogen bonds form in the folding of a polypeptide into secondary structure, and how these hydrogen bonds direct the overall shape of helical and sheet structures, including the handedness of the α-helix and the difference between right- and the left-handed twist. BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 221–225, 2011.
U.K. Chief Scientific Advisor Discusses Funding, Priorities, and Communication

[1] Like other countries facing a tough economy, the government in the United Kingdom has been under pressure to make cutbacks; as budgets are becoming increasingly tighter, funding for scientific research competes with other priorities. However, in its most recent spending review, which came out last fall and sets spending levels for the next 4 years, the U.K. government provided flat funding levels for scientific research, while most government departments saw their budgets cut by 30–40%. “That was actually a major commitment by a government that was cutting everything,” Sir John Beddington, U.K. chief scientific advisor, toldEos in a one-on-one telephone interview in mid-April. Beddington, who has been chief scientific advisor since 2008, shared with Eos his thoughts on priorities for science in the United Kingdom in a tough budget environment, getting expert science advice for policy making, providing scientific information following disasters, and communicating about climate change.
Analyzing the News: Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in a Writing Intensive Social Problems Course

Sociologists have long used current news items in the classroom to illustrate concepts and pique student's interests. Carefully selected news segments offer interesting stories that engage students while simultaneously providing intellectual simulation, particularly for contemprary social problems courses. Students were better able to recognize sociology's relevance to everyday life when their assignments included analyzing news reports. The daily newspaper reading combined with regular journal assignments forces students become active learners, setting the stage for analytical and critical thinking skills to develop.
Approximating model predictive control with existing building simulation tools and offline optimization

Model predictive control (MPC) is an established control technique in other fields and holds promise for improved controls in high-performance buildings. It has been receiving increasing attention in buildings research but has yet to find its way into common practice. This is due, at least in part, to a mismatch between the tools and techniques used in most MPC development and those commonly found in building design and operation. This article investigates the use of offline optimization with common building simulation tools to approximate MPC with lookup tables. Particular attention is paid to methods for limiting problem dimensionality. The approach is presented through three illustrative case studies, and its benefits and range of applicability are discussed.
Performance Characterization of a PDMS-Based Microfluidic Device for Detecting Continuous Distributed Loads

In this paper, the performance of a PDMS-based microfluidic device is thoroughly characterized for detecting continuous static and dynamic loads. This device comprises of a single PDMS rectangular microstructure and a set of electrolyte-enabled distributed transducers. It is fabricated by a standard fabrication process well developed for PDMS-based microfluidic devices. One potential application of this device is to measure spatially-varying mechanical properties of heterogeneous soft materials, through quasi-static, stress relaxation and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tests. Thus, the response of this device to three types of inputs: static, step and sinusoidal, is examined with a custom experimental setup. For the first time, the capability of using a polymer-based microfluidic device to detect sinusoidal inputs is reported. The characterized results demonstrate the potential of using this device to measure soft materials.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Introducing color into stacking gels makes sample loading easy.

0003-2697/$ see front matter 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ab.2007.04.002 * Corresponding author. E-mail address: yryabov@purdue.edu (Y. Ryabov). Fig. 1. Traditional (left half of the figure) and new (right half of the figure) rend gels before loading; bottom panels show the scans of the processed gels. I 4%-acrylamide stacking buffer (upper right). The performance of the gels has wells. This standard technology leads to one apparent inconvenience—the wells are barely visible in the colorless and transparent electrophoretic solution. As a result, loading the sample onto the gel is more difficult than it should be. We propose a simple improvement to the existing procedure whereupon the color is added to the stacking portion
Effect of evaporation and solidification of the charged jet in electrospinning of poly(ethylene oxide) aqueous solution

The electrospinning process uses electrical force to produce nanofibers. A charged droplet acquires a conical shape known as the Taylor cone and then becomes unstable. A charged jet emerges from the vertex and develops a spiral path due to the electrically driven bending instability, which makes it possible, in a small space, for the jet to elongate by a large amount and produce nanofibers. Evaporation and the associated solidification were identified as important factors that affect the diameter of electrospun nanofibers. In this study, the evaporation rate and solidification of the charged jet were controlled by varying the relative humidity during electrospinning of poly(ethylene oxide) from aqueous solution. As the relative humidity increased, the solidification process became slower, allowing elongation of the charged jet to continue longer and thereby to form thinner fibers. As the relative humidity increased from 5.1% to 48.7%, the diameter of the solidified fiber decreased from 253 nm to 144 nm. As the relative humidity increased above 50%, beads formed on the thinner fibers, indicating that the capillary instability occurred before the jet solidified. The vapor concentration of solvent is an effective electrospinning process control parameter of fiber diameter that also produces a systematic change in the development of beads on the fibers.
The project automated librarian

The Project Automated Librarian (PAL) is a tool that has been created to manage the logistical problems inherent in a medium-sized software development project. The main goals of PAL are to eliminate the problems of simultaneous updates to software modules, while allowing programmers access to the latest possible versions of the software. PAL also seeks to prevent the software from getting into an inconsistent state that could prevent users from proceeding with software development because of someone else's errors. PAL is a general-purpose tool, in the sense that it does not care what language or languages the system is being written in. It makes backups, keeps version information, and maintains documentation of changes.
Social network analysis and the study of sociality in bats

Many bat species are known for being gregarious, forming mixed- or single-sex social groups commonly referred to as colonies. The number of studies investigating sociality in bats is rapidly increasing, with studies ranging from basic descriptions of the number of males and females within social groups to studies using social network analysis. Studies of sociality in bats are taking increasingly diverse approaches to data collection, analysis and interpretation, leaving researchers with an array of perspectives on how to conduct future research. These perspectives are difficult to synthesize, but an integrated understanding of pioneering works in this field should help researchers build upon what is already known about sociality in bats and formulate new hypotheses. Herein we provide a review of methodologies used to measure social interactions, relationships, and structure in bats. We review assumptions, sources of bias, strengths, and limitations of these methods. We emphasize that while all of the reviewed methods are well suited for assessing social interactions and relationships, each method will impact analyses of social structure and should be considered carefully. We encourage further use of social network analysis as a framework for conceptualizing, designing, and analyzing studies of bat sociality. We do not advocate any single network analysis methodology, as network analysis is continually evolving and no one technique is well suited for all research questions. Instead, we recommend several specific network measures we believe are appropriate for different types of research questions and datasets and discuss the strengths and limitations of popular analyses.
Repetitive firing to current in cat motoneurons as a function of muscle unit twitch type

Abstract Spinal cord motoneurons innervating fast and slow twitch muscle units in the lateral and medial gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris muscles of the cat were investigated with regard to repetitive firing behavior with intracellular stimulation. Approximately two-thirds of the motor units had fast twitch muscle units and one-third had slow twitch units. Slightly more than half the fast twitch and all the slow twitch motoneurons fired repetitively to the intracellular injection of a current step. In the fast twitch group, the cells with antidromic action potentials greater than 72 mv that did and did not repetitively fire could not be separated on the basis of twitch time to peak or peak amplitude of the single twitch. There was, however, a significantly higher rheobase in the fast twitch cells that did not fire repetitively.
Hand detection on sign language videos

For gesture and sign language recognition, hand shape and hand motion are the primary sources of information that differentiate one sign from another. Building an efficient and reliable hand detector is therefore an important step in recognizing signs and gestures. In this paper we evaluate three hand detection methods on three sign language data sets: a skin and motion detector [1], hand detection using multiple proposals [12], and chains model [9].
Effect of Relative Humidity and Product Moisture on Response of Diapausing and Nondiapausing Indianmeal Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Larvae to Low Pressure Treatments

Low pressure treatment in flexible polyvinyl chloride containers is a potential alternative to chemical fumigants for California tree nuts. Laboratory studies investigated the effect of relative humidity and product moisture on weight loss and mortality of diapausing and nondiapausing larvae of the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), exposed to 50 mmHg. Diapausing larvae were far more tolerant than nondiapausing larvae to low pressure; exposure times nearly twice those of nondiapausing larvae were required to obtain comparable weight loss or mortality levels in diapausing larvae. Relative humidity was found to have a large effect on both weight loss (assumed to be due to moisture loss) and mortality of both nondiapausing and diapausing larvae. Mortality and weight loss increased as humidity levels decreased. By controlling the relative humidity of the treatment chamber, product moisture also strongly affected weight loss and mortality. The results suggest that for tree nuts, product moisture levels may affect the efficacy of low pressure treatments.
Dissociation and reaggregation of cells of Chrysaora quinquecirrha (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa)

Cells of scyphistomae, strobilae, and ephyrae were dissociated with trypsin and reaggregated. Clumping was inhibited in low Ca++ and by puromycin, but not by collagenase or sugars. Reaggregates from the oral end of the polyp developed tentacles and mouths first and basal structures later, whereas the opposite sequence occurred with cells from the lower gastric region. Nile-blue-stained cells from hypostome or peduncle did not form specific structures in the reconstructed polyp, but were distributed throughout the animal. Ephyra cell aggregates showed little morphogenesis, whereas cells from presumptive ephyra tissue gave rise to structures with tentacles and multiple oral openings. Mixed reaggregates containing equal proportions of polyp and ephyra cells formed irregular structures with transparent outer layer and opaque inner cell mass, suggesting stage-specific sorting.
A Comparison of Psychiatric and Psychological Assessments of Acute Schizophrenics

Psychiatric and psychological ratings of psycho pathology were compared by means of canonical correlation of scores on the Inpatient Multidimen sional Psychiatric Scale (IMPS) syndromes with scores on the 10 subtests of the Structured Clinical Interview (SCI). The ratings by a team of psycholo gists on the SCI and by a team of psychiatrists on the IMPS were made simultaneously, while one of the psychologists conducted the structured interview of the SCI. In this way, 72 acute schizophrenics were rated shortly after admission to a psychiatric hospital; 58 of them were re-rated approximately one month later in a replication of the original procedure. Two canonical analyses were carried out: one on the initial ratings, the second on the replication. Canonical correlations of .84 and .86 were obtained respectively for the first latent roots at each occasion. Successive significant roots yielded correlations of .78 and .68 on the initial rat ings and .76, .69, and .64 on the follow-up ratings. After all 10 lat...
Isolated Parotid Acinar Cells from Patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Morphology and Composition

Studies of the morphology and composition of isolated parotid acinar cells from patients with cystic fibrosis were conducted. It was demonstrated that these cells are larger than cells from controls and have higher concentrations of amylase, Ca, and Na and lower concentrations of K which is suggestive of functional abnormalities in homeostatic and secretory processes.
Influence of shock controllability by dominant rats on subsequent attack and defensive behaviors toward colony intruders

Thirty colonies, each consisting of a female and two male adult albino rats, remained intact for an 8-week period. Naive conspecific intruders were then introduced into each colony for a 10-min test for 5 consecutive days. Videotapes of the tests were scored for aggressive and defensive behaviors. In every colony, aggression was greatest for a single alpha male. The alpha rats were randomly given one of three treatments: wheel-turn escape training, inescapable yoked shock, or restraint without shock. The alpha rats were then returned to their colonies and an intruder test was given 26 h later. Significant decreases in aggressive responses and increases in defensive behaviors occurred in the alpha yoked group but not in the other alpha groups. The nonalpha colony partners of the alpha yoked rats showed the opposite changes following the treatment. A final intruder test 72 h later revealed that the deficits in aggression of the alpha yoked group were still present but that the behaviors of most of the other groups were beginning to return to their respective pretreatment levels. These findings were discussed in terms of the concept of learned helplessness and alternative theoretical explanations.
Fine Particle Separations from Nonaqueous Liquids

Abstract Many industrially important processes utilize or generate fine particles. These particles, which range from submicron to 100 μm in size, can have substantial impact on operations even at low concentrations. They contribute to fouling, coking, erosion, foaming, emulsion, and entrainment problems, and can cause potential environmental problems when released in the atmosphere. Furthermore, their existence presents a major barrier to the successful development of new, synthetic fuels processes. Hence, technology is needed to provide efficient separations methods. This paper briefly reviews currently available technology for fine particle separations from liquids and introduces some future directions for this technology. The focus of the paper is on clarification of nonaqueous liquid systems with emphasis on particles smaller than 25 μm. Five promising approaches are discussed: evaporative concentration, size augmentation, viscosity reduction, interphase transfer, and field-or mechanically aided separ...
A Direct and Efficient Stereocontrolled Synthetic Route to the Pseudopterosins, Potent Marine Antiinflammatory Agents

Described herein is a new synthetic route to pseudopterosin aglycone (3), a key intermediate for the synthesis of a group of antiinflammatory natural products including pseudopterosin A (1) and E (2). The pathway of synthesis starts with the abundant and inexpensive (S)-(−)-limonene and its long-known cyclic hydroboration product (4) and leads to the chiral hydroxy ketone 6. Conversion of 6 to 10 followed by a novel aromatic annulation produced 15 which underwent a highly diastereoselective cyclization to afford the protected pseudopterosin aglycone 16. The naturally occurring pseudopterosins such as 1 and 2 are readily available from this key intermediate.
Testable predictions from recurrent backpropagation models of the vestibulo-ocular reflex

Abstract Previous, feedforward (static) backpropagation models of the vestibulo-oculomotor system were able to capture the distributed aspects of eye-movement command representation by brainstem neurons. However, the highly distributed nature of the static networks makes them difficult to test using standard lesion and single-unit neurophysiological techniques. More recently, feedback (recurrent) backpropagation models have been used to study the dynamic and nonlinear features of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). Recurrent connections in dynamic networks are modeled on actual vestibular commissural fibers, which are surgically accessible. This anatomical feature enables clear, experimentally testable predictions to be derived from the dynamic models, involving the behavior of VOR neurons following lesions of the vestibular commissures. The testability of the recurrent models encourages a continued dialog between theory and experiment.
Timing of data acquisition determines image quality in femoropopliteal phase-sensitive MR angiography

To study the effects of timing of data acquisition on quality of femoropopliteal magnetic resonance (MR) angiograms, the authors studied 16 healthy men, mean age 34.3 +/- 6 years, by color Doppler imaging and by phase-sensitive (PS) MR angiography. PS MR imaging was performed at 1.5T using a flow adjustable gradient (FLAG) pulse sequence. The images were graded in a blinded fashion by two independent observers. Of 16 MR angiograms consisting of 141 angiographic images (AI), 45 (31.9%) were diagnostic. At least 1 diagnostic AI was obtained in each subject, and 38 (84.4%) of the diagnostic images were acquired within the first 120 milli-seconds (ms) of the systolic flow pulse. The highest yield of diagnostic images (90.9%) was obtained in the interval of thirty to sixty ms before the peak flow velocity. In healthy man diagnostic PS MR angiography requires triggering to the femoropopliteal systolic flow pulse. The highest yield of diagnostic images is acquired during the flow pulse acceleration.
The effect of verapamil on myocardial ultrastructure during and following release of coronary artery occlusion.

Abstract Although the calcium channel blocking agent verapamil has been shown to have beneficial effects on ischemic myocardium, its effect on cardiac ultrastructure during regional myocardial ischemia and following coronary reperfusion has not been studied in detail. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of verapamil on the ultrastructure of myocardium during the early phase of ischemia and following coronary reperfusion. Open-chest anesthetized dogs were subjected to 1 hr of occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery followed by 1 hr of reperfusion. The mean ischemic score, a semiquantitative index of ultrastructural damage, was significantly lower in verapamil-treated (0.9 ± 0.3) than in untreated dogs (1.9 ± 0.2, P P
Thermochemistry of valence changes in sulfur by decomposition of dipraseodymium oxide-sulfite monosulfate hydrates as reactants in thermochemical cycles

Abstract Dipraseodymium oxide-sulfite monosulfate hydrates were prepared by reaction of a suspension of dipraseodymium dioxymonosulfate in aqueous sulfur dioxide at 340 K. Removal of excess sulfur dioxide precipitated the hydrates. These compositions dehydrated completely at 700 K without appreciable sulfur dioxide loss. At 860 K, decomposition products (in the absence of water) were: sulfur dioxide, sulfur, oxide, sulfate and thiosulfate. Consistently, only 4% of sulfite remained unreacted after 50 min. Redox yields were (by diproportionation) in the range of 35 to 68%. Gibbs energy changes at 860 K for three reactions were calculated from yield of gaseous products and gas quotients. These reactions are undesirable in the sulfur dioxide-iodine process for thermochemical hydrogen production.
Model Systems for Modulating the Free Energy of ATP Hydrolysis in Normoxically Perfused Rat Hearts

This study has two objectives; first, to develop perfusion conditions that decrease the free energy of ATP hydrolysis, Delta GATP, in isolated hearts; and, second, to modulate the Delta GATP in these perfused hear models. To accomplish the first goal, a series of inhibitors was employed to restrict acetyl-CoA oxidation. The second goal was accomplished by increasing work demand. Rat hearts were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit solution containing glucose and either; (i) no inhibitors (G group hearts); (ii) 0.3 mm bromo-octanoate (BrO), an inhibitor of beta-oxidation (GB group); (iii) 0.4 mm amino-oxyacetate (AOA), an inhibitor of the malate-aspartate shuttle (GA group); (iv) BrO and AOA (GBA group hearts); or (v) BrO, AOA, and 4 mm butyrate, an alternate substrate (GBA-Bu). Pacing hearts at 300 beats per min (beats/min), at 450 beats/min, and at 450 beats/min in the presence of 80 microgram/l dobutamine allowed three increasing levels of work demand to be attained. The Delta GATP values of the five groups of hearts were calculated for each workstate using the concentrations of high energy phosphate metabolites measured by 31P NMR spectroscopy. At the highest levels of workload demand, the G, GB, and GBA-Bu group hearts had Delta GATP values >/=-53 kJ/mol ATP. At the highest levels of workload demand, the GA and GBA hearts had Delta GATP values 20 min. The G, GB, and GBA-Bu hearts attained RPPs of >/=54x10(3) mmHg/min at the highest levels of workload demand. The GA and GBA hearts attained RPPs of </=30x10(3) mmHg/min at the highest levels of workload demand. This study establishes stable, non-ischemic, isolated perfused heart preparations with which Delta GATP can be easily varied across the physiological relevant range of -56 to -47 kJ/mol ATP.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis: fracture consequences and treatment efficacy vary by skeletal site.

At least half of all postmenopausal women will experience fractures during their lifetime, and the consequences are often serious, but most women at risk are not receiving adequate treatment. The objective of this paper is to summarize the literature concerning the consequences of osteoporotic fractures, and the effectiveness of pharmacologic agents for preventing fractures and their consequences, emphasizing a systematic, evidence-based summary of treatment results from randomized, controlled trials that were published previously. Osteoporosis is associated with increased risk of fractures at most skeletal sites. Hip fractures have much greater prognostic significance in terms of health than any other single type of fracture. However, symptomatic vertebral fractures and other non-hip fractures also represent enormous morbidity and economic burdens, and signal increased risk of future fractures of all types, including the hip. There is convincing evidence that two bisphosphonates (alendronate and risedronate) reduce the risk of both spine and non-spine fractures. The evidence for reducing hip fracture risk is greater for alendronate, with a consistent ∼50% reduction in hip fractures across studies. Alendronate has also been demonstrated to maintain quality of life by reducing outcomes such as hospitalization and bed rest related to back pain. Among other agents, raloxifene reduces the risk of vertebral fractures by approximately 30%; the published evidence for most other agents is inconclusive. Osteoporosis should be regarded as seriously as other important chronic disorders such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Postmenopausal patients with a high risk of fractures — such as those with prior fractures or osteoporosis as measured by BMD — need to be treated. Although other therapeutic modalities are available, the evidence is most convincing for the bisphosphonates, alendronate and risedronate.
The State of Unions: Politics and Poetics of Performance

At the 2005 Qualitative Inquiry conference, the author delivered a poem and slide show, “The State of Unions: Activism (and In-Activism) in Decision 2004.” The performance processed the election in the context of her research community, a network of gay male friends—marginalized by sexual orientation but privileged by sex, gender expression, race, class, and education. Audience members offered mixed responses, some praising its provocative content, others criticizing the author's position and tone, which some perceived as hostile, even as “gay bashing.”
Sums of Squares, Cubes, and Higher Powers

Any integer is expressible as a sum of two squares and a cube, mixed signs being allowed. We study the analogous question for a square and two cubes, and obtain an affirmative answer in the range from –4,000,000 to 2,000,000. For two squares and a cube with everything positive, computations support the possibility that there are only finitely many exceptions. However, x 2 + y 2 + z 9 admits infinitely many positive exceptions.
The Gendered “Nature” of the Urban Outdoors Women Negotiating Fear of Violence

Women who participate in outdoor recreational activities reap many physical and emotional benefits from their experiences. However, gender-related feelings of objectification, vulnerability, and fear in this space limit women’s participation. In this study, the authors investigate how women pursue their enjoyment of urban outdoor recreation at South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona, despite their perceptions and experiences related to fear of violence. Through surveys and interviews with women who recreate at South Mountain, the authors look at the ways the women cope with their fear using various strategies. This study reveals the gender-related conflicts that persist for participants, who grapple with their appreciation of uncompromised nature and their need to feel safe in this environment. Ultimately, they illustrate how an ongoing negotiation exists for the women as the authors balance choices and concerns related to their outdoor recreation and what aspects of surveillance and control they consider...
NEGOTIATING CLOSE FRIENDSHIP: THE DIALECTIC OF CONJUNCTIVE FREEDOMS

An empirical study was conducted to investigate the practical management of interactions sustaining close friendships. Ten pairs of close friends were interviewed individually on two occasions and together on a third occasion. An interpretive analysis of subjects' remarks identified a dialectical principle governing the communicative organization of friendship. The dialectic of the freedom to be independent/freedom to be dependent conceptualizes the patterns of availability and copresence in a close friendship. Basically, while each person is free to pursue individual interests apart from the other and without the friend's interference or help, each retains the liberty to rely on the other should it be necessary. In granting each other a combination of these two freedoms, the individuals co-create a basis for patterns of interaction in their relationship that may curtail their individual liberties. The paper closes with an overview of the choices and possible corruptions experienced by self and other due to the mutually contingent nature of these contradictory freedoms.
A bomb in every issue: how the short, unruly life of Ramparts magazine changed America

by Peter Richardson, New York, The New Press, 2009, 247 pp., US$25.95 (cloth), ISBN 978‐1‐59558‐439‐7 In June 1968, four employees of Ramparts magazine appeared before a Federal grand jury for alle...
Generation of fuzzy numbers using maximum uncertainty possibility distributions

A fuzzy number is used to model the information obtained from sensors. In generating the fuzzy number, the maximum uncertainty possibility distributions (MUPD) for each individual sensor measurements are linearly combined to produce the final fuzzy number representation. MUPD is the the possibility distribution which maximizes the U-uncertainty measure while constraining the optimization with the information about the structure of the distribution function. With minimal information provided, the MUPD is the most logical choice for the shape of the uncertainty distribution associated with a single sensor measurement. For sensory information, three types of information are provided: no information about the structure of the distribution; information about the first moment of the distribution; and information about the first and the second central moments of the distribution. >
Waveform relaxation on parallel processors

Waveform relaxation algorithms for the simulation of digital MOS circuits exhibit natural parallelism which can be exploited on parallel processors. This paper addressed the question of how much the circuit simulation run-time can be reduced by using this natural parallelism. the parallel waveform relaxation methods examined in this paper are based on the Gauss-Seidel and Gauss-Jacobi relaxation methods, and window-level and time-point level parallelization strategies. the different methods are evaluated using an actual multiprocessor implementation of the algorithms, and by using a program which estimates speed-ups, neglecting overhead. the method giving the best performance is a function of the circuit being simulated and the number of processors used. When sufficiently many processors are available, the Gauss-Jacobi method with time-point pipelining offers the best speed-up potential. Speed-ups close to one order of magnitude should be possible using this method for 1000-node for 32 processors.
“Playing the President”: The Value of Simulations in Promoting Civic Literacy

The concept of civic literacy is deeply connected to an individual’s sense of political efficacy—the belief that the system is responsive to our needs and that we can make a difference. Students’ sense of efficacy can be negatively impacted by an inadequate understanding of the political process. This article describes the value of a simulation activity, Playing the President , which allows students to explore the legislative process from the perspective of the executive branch. In doing so, students can develop their own sense of civic literacy while participating in a pedagogical strategy which has significant advantages over traditional, teacher-centered instruction.
Detection of temporal changes in psychophysiological data using statistical process control methods

We consider the problem of detecting temporal changes in the functional state of human subjects due to varying levels of cognitive load using real-time psychophysiological data. The proposed approach relies on monitoring several channels of electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrooculogram (EOG) signals using the methods of statistical process control. It is demonstrated that control charting methods are capable of detecting changes in psychophysiological signals that are induced by varying cognitive load with high accuracy and low false alarm rates, and are capable of accommodating subject-specific differences while being robust with respect to differences between different trials performed by the same subject.