cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for widespread sperm displacement ability among Zygoptera (Odonata) and the means for predicting its presence

Males of the coenagrionid damselflies Argia moesta, A. sedula and hchnura ramburii use similar penis morphology to remove and/or reposition sperm of previous males from the storage organs of females prior to inseminating them. Although the species vary in the degree to which sperm is removed from or packed into the spermatheca, in all three species, sperm is removed from the bursa copulatrix. Since sperm in the bursa probably has priority in fertilizing eggs in at least the first oviposition after mating, sperm precedence can be estimated as the percentage of sperm (by volume) in the bursa belonging to the last male to mate. Estimated sperm precedence for these species is approximately 71% for Argia sedula, 82% for I. ramburii and 93% for A. moesta. These results, combined with similar ones for other damselflies clearly indicate that the ability to displace sperm may be widespread among temperate-zone Zygoptera. Species with each of the four major variations in damselfly penis structure have now been shown to displace sperm using this morphology. The systematic distribution of these major variants suggests several origins of sperm displacement ability within the Zygoptera. Whether or not all damselflies are capable of sperm displacement depends on both the presence of micro-structures used in sperm removal or repositioning and on the presence of sperm of previous males in mating females. It is possible, therefore, to predict that sperm displacement occurs in a damselfly if (1) females mate more than once, (2) mating females store sperm in organs accessible to penis morphology, (3) the distal segment of the male penis has structures similar to those known to be involved in sperm removal or repositioning, and (4) oviposition occurs in tandem or with the male non-contact guarding his mate.
A mobile research laboratory

A .75-ton van was modified to make a mobile research laboratory suitable for visual psychophysical testing under well controlled conditions. The laboratory can be adapted easily to other types of psychological research in which environmental control and/or special-purpose equipment is required.
Memory window in ferroelectric PVDF copolymer gate integrated MOSFET devices for nondestructive readout memory application

Metal-Ferroelectric-Oxide-Si (MFEOS) field effect transistor (FET) with ferroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene copolymer (PVDF-TrFE) gate for nonvolatile memory application is demonstrated. Memory window ascribed to ferroelectric polarization switching has been quantified by shift of threshold voltage are ~ 4-5V. Non saturating IDS is due to free ionic polarization field. I DS -V DS characteristics of functional FET are realized after AC poling.
The Effect of Solidification Time and Heat Treatment on the Fatigue Properties of a Cast 319 Aluminum Alloy

Solidification time and heat treatment are known to have a large effect on the microstructure of cast aluminum alloys. This study was conducted to quantify how the fatigue properties of a 319-type aluminum alloy are affected by solidification time and heat treatment. Both porosity-containing (non-hot isostatically pressed (HIP)) and porosity-free (HIP) samples in the T6 (“peak aged”) or T7 (“overaged”) heattreated conditions were tested. As the solidification time increased, the average initiating pore diameter increased and stress-controlled fatigue life decreased. Heat treatment was observed to have a large effect on fatigue properties of the HIP samples. However, in the non-HIP fatigue samples, heat treatment did not significantly change the fatigue life or fatigue strength of the cast 319-type alloy. The absence of an influence of heat treatment on fatigue response is attributed to the predominance of the microporosity in fatigue crack initiation in cast aluminum.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia with Veterans: evaluation of effectiveness and correlates of treatment outcomes.

This paper examines the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in Veterans and the effects of two process measures on CBT-I outcomes: 1) therapist ratings of patient adherence and 2) patient ratings of therapeutic alliance. Data are from 316 therapists in the Department of Veterans Affairs CBT-I Training Program and 696 patients receiving CBT-I from therapists undergoing training. Mixed effects model results indicate Insomnia Severity Index scores decreased from 20.7 at baseline to 10.9 (d = 2.3) during a typical course of CBT-I. Patients with highest tercile compared to those with lowest tercile adherence achieved, on average, 4.1 points greater reduction in ISI scores (d = 0.95). The effect of therapeutic alliance on change in insomnia severity was not significant after adjusting for adherence to CBT-I. These results support the effectiveness and feasibility of large-scale training in and implementation of CBT-I and indicate that greater focus on patient adherence may lead to enhanced outcomes. The current findings suggest that CBT-I therapists and training programs place greater emphasis on attending to and increasing patient adherence.
Analysis of limit cycle behavior using a modified Tsypkin method

The application of a modification of Tsypkin's method is demonstrated in the analysis of limit cycle behavior of a certain class of systems for which the Sinusoidal Describing Function method of analysis is not valid. A set of modified periodicity conditions is shown to be necessary, and is derived for the class of systems of interest.
The mechanism of microtubule assembly in vitro.

The mechanism of microtubule polymerization and depolymerization has been studied with protein purified from extracts of porcine brain. Under polymerizing conditions characteristic microtubules composed of parallel protofilaments are observed in the electron microscope. Under depolymerizing conditions three forms are observed: double rings of outside diameter 49 nm, spirals, and 7-nm globular subunits. Under the same conditions two boundaries are observed in the analytical ultracentrifuge at 6S and 36S, whether depolymerization is accomplished by cooling to 0°C, by addition of 1 mM CaCl2 at 25°C, or by removal of GTP. On polymerization all of the 36S and most of the 6S is converted to a fast-sedimenting form which the electron microscope reveals to be microtubules. The depolymerization mixture may be fractionated by gel chromatography into two fractions, one consisting solely of 6S and the other mostly 36S. Neither fraction regenerates the original equilibrium mixture. The 36S form may be reversibly dissociated into 6S subunits by addition of NaCl. From these and other considerations we have postulated that microtubule protein is composed of two different types of tubulin, both of which participate in polymerization. Studies are reported showing that colchicine does not dissociate microtubule rings but blocks polymerization by interfering with their proper lateral association into a protofilament array within microtubules. The role of GTP in polymerization is also discussed. Electron micrographic evidence is presented suggesting the conversion of protofilaments directly into rings and spirals, and a pathway for microtubule assembly is proposed.
Race, segregation and restructuring

Abstract A case study analysis of segregation is presented using data from the 1991 census. Despite Peach's (1996) generally optimistic analysis of the 1991 census, evidence for Luton shows that trends identified in the 1980s continue for some minority groups. Indian de‐segregation and widespread suburbanisation sharply contrast with entrenched segregation and marked socio‐economic inequality, in the Pakistani and Bangladeshi populations. Racism is also an important factor in explaining observed patterns of settlement. Possible cultural influences in patterns of settlement are compared to several overarching structural influences in residential location.
Chronic Exendin-4 Treatment Prevents the Development of Cancer Cachexia Symptoms in Male Rats Bearing the Yoshida Sarcoma

Cancer cachexia is the syndrome of weight loss, loss of appetite, and wasting of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue experienced by many individuals with cancer. Currently, few effective treatment and prevention strategies are available for these patients, due in part to a poor understanding of the mechanisms contributing to cachexia. Insulin resistance has been associated with cancer cachexia in epidemiological, human, and animal research. The present experiment was designed to examine the ability of Exendin-4, a GLP-1 agonist and insulin sensitizing agent, to prevent the development of cachexia symptoms in male Sprague Dawley rats bearing the Yoshida sarcoma. Following tumor implantation or sham surgery, rats were treated daily with saline or Exendin-4 (3 μg/kg body weight/day) and were monitored for tumor growth and cachexia symptoms for 21–23 days. As a result of large variability in treatment effects, data were analyzed separately for animals with large and small tumors. Exendin-4 treatment reduced tumor growth and prevented the development of cancer cachexia symptoms in animals with small, but not large, tumors. In addition, insulin levels were preserved in Exendin-4-treated tumor-bearing animals. The results of this experiment demonstrate a novel preventative therapy for cancer cachexia and a novel use of Exendin-4. Further research is necessary to determine the mechanisms through which Exendin-4 exerts these potent effects.
A robust approach to channel estimation and detection for multi-carrier CDMA

We present a robust approach to channel estimation and multiuser detection (MUD) for multi-carrier CDMA by explicitly taking into account prior channel estimation errors. Specifically, robust channel estimates and MUD receivers are obtained by optimizing the worst-case performance over a properly selected bounded uncertainty set. Although the prior channel estimation error is not bounded, it is beneficial to refine the estimate over a properly chosen bounded uncertainty set. Numerical results show that linear MUD detectors resulting from our robust approach yield improved performance over those that ignore the prior estimation errors
Thermal properties and detectability of neutron stars. II. Thermal evolution of rotation-powered neutron stars

Abstract After a brief introduction we present a progress report on the recent works carried out during the last ten years or so, on the thermal evolution of neutron stars and related problems. The effects of various improvements applied in recent years are discussed. Among these the most important may be the effects of magnetic fields and stellar atmospheres. When the problem is treated realistically with the two-dimensional method a magnetic neutron star appears to be kept warmer for a longer period, due to the tangential heat flow from the more insulated equatorial regions to the polar areas where heat escapes more efficiently. Possibly serious implications of this finding in relation to the interpretation of the observational data are discussed. The composition of the stellar atmosphere may be an important factor when we are to correctly interpret the observed temperature data. The current theoretical and observational considerations may support a ‘best buy model’, where some neutron stars with mass close to 1.4M⊙ possess a central core in which a ‘non-standard’ accelerating cooling mechanism, under the influence of significant suppression due to the presence of superfluid particles, is in operation. On the other hand, some less massive stars can still cool with the standard scenario. Some other interesting problems to be reviewed include: the most recent work on various ‘non-standard’ cooling scenarios; the pulsed radiation to be expected from magnetized neutron stars due to the anisotropic nature of conductivity and photon fluxes; the possible importance of the effects of various heating mechanisms and circumstellar electron positron pairs; the detectability of infant neutron stars in very young supernova remnants; and some applications to particle physics and cosmology. The topics to be covered are not meant to be complete, but the emphasis is placed on potentially interesting problems in relation to the recent and future observations of pulsars.
Crystal Structure of the Maltose Transporter in a Pretranslocation Intermediate State

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette (ABC) transporters convert chemical energy from ATP hydrolysis to mechanical work for substrate translocation. They function by alternating between two states, exposing the substrate-binding site to either side of the membrane. A key question that remains to be addressed is how substrates initiate the transport cycle. Using x-ray crystallography, we have captured the maltose transporter in an intermediate step between the inward- and outward-facing states. We show that interactions with substrate-loaded maltose-binding protein in the periplasm induce a partial closure of the MalK dimer in the cytoplasm. ATP binding to this conformation then promotes progression to the outward-facing state. These results, interpreted in light of biochemical and functional studies, provide a structural basis to understand allosteric communication in ABC transporters.
Botulinum toxin: A potential alternative to current treatment of neurogenic and idiopathic urinary incontinence due to detrusor overactivity

Abstract Objective: To analyze and report the current data on the treatment of both neurogenic and idiopathic detrusor overactivity with Botulinum toxin. Methods: Literature review using Pub-Med and Medline from 1990 until June 30, 2006. Results: Case series of patients with neurogenic detrusor dysfunction (NDD) and idiopathic detrusor overactivity (IDO) range from 15 to 200 patients with follow up from 12 to 36 weeks post-treatment. Significant improvements in cystometric bladder capacity, reflex volume at first urge to void, and bladder compliance are seen in nearly all patients. Approximately 50% of NDD patients achieved urinary continence and almost all had improvement in bladder control up to 36 weeks following treatment. Patients with IDO with urgency alone or with incontinence also had urodynamic as well as symptom improvement. Approximately 75% of patients with IDO and incontinence are dry at 12 weeks post-treatment. Urgency disappears on average in two thirds of patients. Quality of life scores also shows significant improvement for all groups. Conclusion: Botulinum toxin-A has emerged as a promising option for the treatment of neurogenic and refractory idiopathic detrusor overactivity. Studies to date have shown that not only is this treatment effective at decreasing urinary symptoms and incontinence, as well as improving potentially dangerous urodynamic measures, but it is also minimally invasive, reversible and safe. Questions over proper dosing and dilution, number of injection sites, and re-injection rates remain to be answered.
Retinal vascular proliferation as an ocular manifestation of von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Affecting about 1 in 40 000 individuals,1 von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a rare, multisystem, dominantly inherited cancer syndrome. Tumors related to VHL are not found congenitally but develop later in life when a somatic cell in susceptible tissues acquires a second mutation in the remaining functional copy of the VHL gene. This second hit2 then results in the loss of VHL protein function, which culminates in the development of a tumor typical of VHL disease. The reasons only some tissues are susceptible to tumor formation and what determines the phenotype of the tumor formed are not well understood. The hallmark lesion of ocular VHL disease is the retinal capillary hemangioblastoma (RCH), which occurs in 2 of every 5 patients with VHL disease.3 An RCH is typically a circumscribed, round, orange-red vascular lesion that is located either in a juxtapapillary location or, more commonly, in the peripheral retina.4 The RCHs are usually supplied and drained by dilated afferent and efferent vessels and can be seen to fill uniformly on fluorescein angiography. Vision loss resulting from RCHs often occurs as a result of exudative effects; peripheral tumors may be treated successfully with laser photocoagulation, cryotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and various forms of radiation, whereas juxtapapillary tumors in many cases still lack definitive therapy.5 Other less common, nonangiomatous retinal lesions associated with VHL disease have been previously described in the literature. These have been called retinal vascular hamartomas6 and vascularized glial veils.7 In this case series, we describe 14 patients with a consistent pattern of vascular proliferation that is variably associated with a fibrovascular component and epiretinal membrane and is clearly distinct from the hallmark RCH lesion associated with ocular VHL disease. The clinical phenotype, natural history, visual morbidity, pathological findings, and successful management are described.
Political Reservations and Women's Entrepreneurship in India

We quantify the link between the timing of state-level implementations of political reservations for women in India with the role of women in India’s manufacturing sector. While overall employment of women in manufacturing does not increase after the reforms, we find significant evidence that more women-owned establishments were created in the unorganized/informal sector. These new establishments were concentrated in industries where women entrepreneurs have been traditionally active and the entry was mainly found among household-based establishments. We measure and discuss the extent to which this heightened entrepreneurship is due to channels like greater finance access or heightened inspiration for women entrepreneurs.
On the convergence of a numerical method for a hypersingular integral equation on a closed surface

We consider a linear integral equation with a hypersingular integral treated in the sense of the Hadamard finite value. This equation arises in the solution of the Neumann boundary value problem for the Laplace equation with a representation of a solution in the form of a double-layer potential. We consider the case in which the interior or exterior boundary value problem is solved in a domain; whose boundary is a smooth closed surface, and an integral equation is written out on that surface. For the integral operator in that equation, we suggest quadrature formulas like the method of vortical frames with a regularization, which provides its approximation on the entire surface for the use of a nonstructured partition. We construct a numerical scheme for the integral equation on the basis of suggested quadrature formulas, prove an estimate for the norm of the inverse matrix of the related system of linear equations and the uniform convergence of numerical solutions to the exact solution of the hypersingular integral equation on the grid.
On Mistranslated Booktitles

Of the pungent aphorism traduttori traditori, one of the inherent delights is that the phrase itself cannot be translated into other languages without betrayal; at the least, of its pithy charm. All language is imperfect, a reader (or hearer) always understanding what is said in a way that leaves out something of what the writer (or speaker) means, and a way that adds something of what the reader (or hearer) supposes, or imposes, Ortega y Gasset has thoughtfully argued. I agree with this, yet hold that this characteristic of the human situation need not dishearten. We do better to marvel at how much the written or spoken word succeeds in communicating among persons – succeeds in building community between and among persons – than to bemoan that it does not succeed flawlessly.
Chemical inhibition of sporulation of Eimeria bovis oocysts

Abstract Sporulation of oocysts of E. bovis was not inhibited by 0.1 M solutions of a number of salts, by oxidizing agents, by such enzyme inhibitors as fluoride, iodoacetate, ferricyanide, and arsenate, and by 1 M solutions of mineral acids and bases. Until further information is available it is logical to assume this is due to a failure of the ions to penetrate the oocyst wall. Phenol, formaldehyde, formic acid, methanol, ethanol, mercuric chloride, iodine, and ammonium hydroxide inhibited sporulation, apparently by denaturation of the proteinaceous materials. The inhibiting effect of both cyanide and azide suggests the presence of cytochrome oxidase or other cytochrome system in the sporulating oocyst. An oxidative phosphorylation system is indicated by the inhibition of sporulation by 2,4-dinitrophenol. Oocysts did not sporulate under anaerobic conditions even when such oxidizing agents as potassium dichromate and methylene blue were added. An oxygen tension of as low as 15 mm of Hg. in the atmosphere above the suspension of oocysts was sufficient for sporulation. An inhibition of sporulation in solutions saturated with carbon dioxide and carbonate ions suggests that release of CO 2 must accompany sporulation.
Direct simulation of structured wall bounded packed beds using hybrid FE/FV methods

Abstract Direct numerical simulations are conducted for regular or structured porous media represented by packed beds of spheres enclosed in square cross-section channels for different channel-to-sphere diameter ratios (Ds/dp = 1 to ∞) using hybrid finite element/volume (FE/FV) methods. The hybrid flow solver methodology is based on the pressure correction or projection method, which involves a fractional step approach to obtain an intermediate velocity field by solving the original momentum equations with the matrix-free, implicit, cell-centered finite volume method. The poisson equation resulting from the fractional step approach is then solved by node based Galerkin finite element method for an auxiliary variable which is closely related to pressure and is used to update the velocity field and pressure field. The hybrid flow solver has been extended for applications in structured packed beds for both infinite and also wall bounded porous media. The packed spheres representing the porous media are shrunk by 2% dp so that there is a finite, but very small spacing between spheres and also between sphere and wall to avoid highly skewed elements. Studies are conducted to test our novel hybrid FE/FV solver for porous media flows and also to analyze wall effects in detail for regular, structured porous media in Simple Cubic (SC) configuration. Three dimensional numerical simulations are conducted for different channel to sphere diameter ratios (Ds/dp) and also for infinite porous media over wide range of Reynolds numbers (1 ⩽ ReE ⩽ 5000) so that the dimensionless pressure drop or friction factor dependence on the Reynolds number and Ds/dp ratio is clearly understood. Results are validated with available empirical correlations and experimental data. Friction factor correlations for random beds are suitable for structured beds only at very low Reynolds numbers (ReE ⩽ 20), but deviate significantly beyond that due to the channeling present in regular porous media which becomes increasingly significant at higher Reynolds numbers. For structured beds, wall influence was observed to be significant on the friction factor calculation in both laminar and turbulent regimes. Compared to infinite beds, friction factors increased as the channel-to-sphere diameter ratio (Ds/dp) decreased in the entire flow regime. This is unlike the behavior for random porous media where walls have contrasting effects at lower and higher Reynolds numbers when compared to the infinite random beds. Dimensionless pressure drop and friction factor results obtained from our simulations for a wide range of ReE and Ds/dp are curve-fitted to provide generalized correlations for predicting the friction factors in Simple Cubic (SC) structured packed beds.
Microstructure and properties of a Cu-Ni-Cr spinodal alloy

A commercial Cu-28 pct Ni-2.8 pct Cr alloy has been heat treated to produce spinodal structures. Conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and diffraction have been used to study the spinodally decomposed product and to measure the wavelengths in the specimens. It is found that the coarsening of coherent particles obeys the relation λαt1/3 at 700δC and λ αt1/4 at 600°C. Loss of coherency is observed only when aging at 700°C and λ ~ 1000A, when interfacial dislocations with b = a/2 (110) are created after which the coarsening rate is accelerated. Tensile tests were performed to measure mechanical properties of the aged samples, and the fracture surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The correlations of microstructural changes and mechanical properties are discussed.
Age-related changes in oligodendrocytes in monkey cerebral cortex

Compared with those in young monkeys (5-12 years of age), oligodendrocytes in area 46 of frontal cortex and primary visual cortex of monkeys over 25 years of age develop bulbous swellings along their processes. Such swellings are filled with characteristic inclusions that resemble age pigment, and other accumulations of these inclusions occur within the cell bodies of the oligodendrocytes in old monkeys. In addition, whereas the oligodendrocytes in young monkeys most commonly occur singly, in old monkeys it is common to find oligodendrocytes in groups or rows. These aggregates are often situated close to capillaries, and in some instances it is found that the cell bodies of the oligodendrocytes abut the basal lamina surrounding the capillary, so that the normally intervening astrocytic glial limiting membrane is absent. In these groups and rows, the perikarya of the oligodendrocytes are squashed close together, and it is common to find tight junctions formed between them. The cortices of the old monkeys also show extensive degeneration of myelin, and it is supposed that this is linked to the changes in the oligodendrocytes. It is hypothesized that the alterations in the oligodendrocyte-myelin system lead to changes in the rates of conduction along fibers whose myelin sheaths are affected, and this may be one of the causes of the behavioral changes associated with aging in primates.
Clinical utility of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors: a descriptive summary of current efficacy trials

Purpose To review efficacy and safety data of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors used in treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Gender-Specific Predictors of Retention and Opioid Abstinence During Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Abstract Aims Retention in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) for 1year is associated with positive outcomes including opioid abstinence, however, most studies have not investigated gender differences. We hypothesized that predictors of retention and opioid abstinence would differ between men and women, and aimed to determine which factors best predict retention and abstinence for each gender. Methods Data were available for 290 patients (173M, 117F) admitted to outpatient MMT. Regression analyses, stratified by gender, were conducted to identify unique predictors of MMT retention ( 1year) and opioid abstinence rate (proportion of opioid-free urine samples up to 1year retention). Results Gender did not significantly predict treatment retention (mean=231days, 39% retained >1year) or opioid abstinence (49% overall). For males, significant predictors of >1-year retention were urine samples negative for opioids (odds ratio [ OR ]=6.67) and cannabinoids ( OR =5.00) during the first month, and not cocaine dependent ( OR =2.70). Significant predictors of higher long-term opioid abstinence were first-month urine samples negative for opioids and cocaine metabolites. For females, significant predictors of >1-year retention were first-month urine samples negative for cocaine metabolites ( OR =4.00) and cannabinoids ( OR =9.26), and no history of sexual victimization ( OR =3.03). The only significant predictor of higher opioid abstinence rate was first-month opioid-free urine samples. Conclusions These findings indicate gender-specific predictors of MMT retention and opioid abstinence. Future studies on MMT outcomes should examine each gender separately, and consider unique pathways by which females and males adhere to, and benefit from MMT.
λ Integrase Complementation at the Level of DNA Binding and Complex Formation

Site-specific recombinases of the gamma Int family carry out two single-strand exchanges by binding as head-to-head dimers on inverted core-type DNA sites. Each protomer may cleave its own site as a monomer in cis (as for Cre recombinase), or it may recruit the tyrosine from its partner in trans to form a composite active site (as for Flp recombinase). The crystal structure of the gamma Int catalytic domain is compatible with both cleavage mechanisms, but two previous biochemical studies on gamma integrase (Int) generated data that were not in agreement. Support for cis and trans cleavage came from assays with bispecific DNA substrates for gamma and HK022 Ints and from functional complementation between recombination-deficient mutants, respectively. The data presented here do not provide new evidence for cis cleavage, but they strongly suggest that the previously described complementation results cannot be used in support of a trans-cleavage mechanism. We show here that IntR212Q retains some residual catalytic function but is impaired in binding to core-type DNA on linear substrates and in forming higher-order attL intasome structures. The binding-proficient mutant IntY342F can stabilize IntR212Q binding to core-type DNA through protein-protein interactions. Similarly, the formation of higher-order Int complexes with arm- and core-type DNA is boosted with both mutants present. This complementation precedes cleavage and thus precludes any conclusions about the mechanism of catalysis. Cross-core stimulation of wild-type HK022-Int cleavage on its cognate site (in cis) by mutant gamma Ints on bispecific core DNA suicide substrates is shown to be independent of the catalytic tyrosine but appears to be proportional to the respective core-binding affinities of the gamma Int mutants.
Predictors of the duration of breastfeeding in low-income women.

From 1971 to 1979 the number of women who breastfed doubled whereas the incidence of long-term breastfeeding (over 6 months) quadrupled. To determine those factors that predict the duration of breastfeeding in low income women 47 participants in the Women Infants and Children Program (WIC) who had breastfed an infant were interviewed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression. A combination of 4 variables--age of the infant in weeks at the time of introduction of solid foods maternal report of perceived success the mothers years of education and age of the infant in weeks at the time of introduction of the formula--explained 52% of the variance in the duration of breastfeeding. The best predictor the age of the infant at the time of introduction of solid foods accounted for 32% of the variance in the duration of breastfeeding. (Authors modified)
Coping Attitudes Scale: Psychometric Properties of a Measure of Positive Attitudes in Depression

The current study investigated the reliability and validity of the Coping Attitudes Scale (CAS), a new measure designed to assess positive cognitions in depression. The CAS is based on cognitive theory and the items reflect the experience of depressed patients during recovery. Psychiatric inpatients (n = 141) meeting criteria for a major depressive disorder and college students (n = 135) completed the CAS and measures of depression and hopelessness. The 23-item CAS demonstrated high internal consistency and retest reliability. Preliminary evidence for validity was observed via strong, negative correlations with measures of depression and hopelessness. Based on difference scores, changes in the CAS were inversely related to changes in depression. However, factor analytic results suggest that the CAS is not merely assessing the opposite of depression. Preliminary findings indicate that the CAS is a reliable, stable scale that measures positive cognitions.
Knowledge markets in firms: knowledge sharing with trust and signalling

Knowledge sharing and learning are critically important to the success of knowledge management. In this research, we study the design of incentive rewards to facilitate knowledge transfer utilizing an internal knowledge market within organizations. The internal knowledge market is modelled as a marketplace where knowledge providers can send signals about their knowledge and learners may voluntarily acquire the knowledge based on the signals. Three types of knowledge recipients are differentiated with respect to their signalling threshold functions: knowledge connoisseur, knowledge public, and knowledge dilettante. In addition, a knowledge recipient may be either humble or arrogant, with different propensities for learning characterized by different learning inhibition cost functions. For different knowledge recipients, we study the knowledge providers’ best signalling strategies and the firm's optimal design of reward structures. Knowledge providers will adopt different signalling strategies if they lack the necessary trust that knowledge recipients will accurately report their learning. We analyse how the firm can offer learning rewards and employ IT support to improve the trust so as to increase knowledge transfer. This research provides valuable insights for practitioners to manage an internal knowledge market.
Factors influencing the use of computer technology in the collection of clinical data in a predominantly African-American population.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the cognitive and demographic factors that affect the performance of a predominantly African-American population in the use of a computerized version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: University Medical Center and Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-three healthy community-dwelling adults from a predominantly African-American Apostolic church; mean age ± standard deviation 57 ± 14 (range 29–83). MEASUREMENTS: Cognitive measurements (Mini-Mental State Examination, digits span, word list learning, letter number sequencing, executive interview, and clock-drawing task), education level, computer experience, and age. The CES-D was administered on three occasions: a paper form CES-D once and a computerized version twice. Time to completion the computer CES-D (Time 1), differential in time to completion of both computer tests (delta-time) and scores of the CES-D with both forms of administration were recorded. RESULTS: There was no difference between the scores from the paper and the computer CES-D or between the two computer forms. Computer experience predicted Time 1 (partial correlation R = 15%, P = .017) and delta-time (partial correlation R = 10%, P = .048). Age, education, and cognitive function did not affect performance. CONCLUSION: Computerized assessment techniques are valid and unaffected by age, education level, or cognitive factors in healthy individuals.
Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 Observations of the Binary Fraction among Pre-Main-Sequence Cluster Stars in Orion

We present estimates of the binary frequency for optically visible (IHST < 19 mag) members of the dense (mean star separation ~0.05 pc) embedded stellar clusters associated with NGC 2024, NGC 2068, and NGC 2071 (distance = 460 pc) based on Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) observations. Of 99 targets, 15 are found to be double stars with projected linear separations of 138-1050 AU (03 < θ < 23). The resulting multiplicity fraction is 15/99 or 0.15 ± 0.04 in this separation range, while the comparable values observed for solar neighborhood G and K stars are 0.11 and 0.09, respectively. We also examined the archival F547M WFPC2 images of the Trapezium cluster obtained by O'Dell & Wen and found a binary frequency of 7/50 or 0.14 ± 0.05 in the separation range 138-828 AU for stars with VHST < 17. Our results compare well with the value of 0.16 ± 0.03 determined recently by Reipurth & Zinnecker from observations of 238 pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars in nearby (d ~ 150 pc) low-density (mean star separation ~0.3 pc) star-forming regions over comparable separation ranges. Our results suggest an excess of PMS binaries over main-sequence binaries with the same separations. In addition, we find no evidence that the fraction of binaries formed in relatively dense clusters differs from that characterizing low-density star-forming regions.
Control of Acanthoscelides obtectus Say (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in Phaseolus vulgaris L. Seed stored on small farms—II. Germination and cooking time

Abstract Treatments which successfully controlled bruchids in on-farm experiments were evaluated to determine effects on seed quality and cooking time. Relative cooling time was determined by cooking beans to the half-cooked point in a modified Mattson cooker. Germination was determined by trials planted in sand, and seedling vigor was estimated by dry weight of 8-day old seedlings. Cooking time, germination, and seedling vigor were not significantly changed by storage treatment with vegetable oil, threshing residues, kitchen ash, Malathion and black pepper. Analysis of bruchid damage on seed quality showed a decline in germination and seedling vigor related to the number of emergence holes.
Training for spacecraft technical analysts

Deep space missions such as Voyager rely upon a large team of expert analysts who monitor activity in the various engineering subsystems of the spacecraft and plan operations. Senior teammembers generally come from the spacecraft designers, and new analysts receive on-the-job training. Neither of these methods will suffice for the creation of a new team in the middle of a mission, which may be the situation during the Magellan mission. New approaches are recommended, including electronic documentation, explicit cognitive modeling, and coached practice with archived data.
Minimal behavioral effects from developmental cerebellar stunting in young rats induced by postnatal treatment with α-difluoromethylornithine

Abstract Postnatal treatment with α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a potent inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, reduces polyamine levels in rats. Because polyamines are critically involved in growth and development, body and/or brain weights are often decreased by DFMO treatment. Here, rats were injected subcutaneously with 0, 250, 500, or 750 mg/kg of DFMO on postnatal days (PNDs) 5–10. Behavioral assessments included righting reflex, negative geotaxis, forelimb hanging, open field activity, and rotarod performance. Additionally, day of eye opening was recorded and on PND 28, whole and regional brain weights were measured. Cerebellar/whole-brain ratio was decreased in a dose-dependent manner whereas frontal cortex/whole-brain ratio was increased. Eye opening was delayed to a similar extent in all treated groups whereas body weight was unaffected. α-difluoromethylornithine treatment had no significant effects on the assessed behaviors. These results indicate that 6 days of DFMO treatment can substantially impact cerebellar development, but this appears to have few effects on these early assessed behaviors. However, potential behavioral alterations may not be apparent until adulthood. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.
Effects of chemisorption of electron acceptor elements on the stability of platinum clusters

Abstract The extended Huckel method (EHM) is used here to investigate how the bond strengths of Pt(100) and Pt(111) clusters, containing 9 and 10 atoms, respectively, are affected by the chemisorbed H, O, Cl, or S atoms. Three adsorption sites are considered on each cluster. For most adsorption sites Cl and S weaken all the PtPt bonds, while H and O strengthen the bonds between some Pt atoms and weaken the bonds between some other Pt atoms. The enhanced mobility of the Pt atoms, that occurs upon adsorption of the above elements, is proposed as the mechanism behind the first step in corrosive chemisorption and in the redispersion of supported Pt catalysts. The strong destabilizing effect of S and Cl is attributed to the empty d orbitais of these elements. An attempt is made to explain the poisoning by Sulfur on the basis of long range structural and electronic changes that occur in the Pt clusters upon chemisorption of S.
GLOBAL COMMODITY NETWORKS AND THE LEATHER FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY: Emerging Forms of Economic Organization in a Postmodern World

This paper argues that an examination of global commodity networks (GCNs) is a useful way to capture emerging forms of economic organization in the global economy. GCNs are the transnational chains of economic enterprises involved at different stages in the production and consumption of a single commodity. The utility of examining GCNs is illustrated by investigating the roles of Argentine leather production, Bra- zilian shoe manufacturing, and American footwear consumption in shap- ing a leather-footwear GCN. The investigation finds both national and international variables important in the construction and operation of this GCN. The domestic political economy of Argentina and Brazil are im- portant in shaping their respective roles of leather sourcing and shoe man- ufacturing, while postmodern consumption patterns in the United States are instrumental in driving the GCN. There have been striking changes in the structure and dynamics of the world economy in the past few decades. The international division of labor has evolved beyond the classical pattern of developing nations exporting primary products to industrialized countries in exchange for manufactured goods. Industrializa- tion today is the result of an integrated system of global trade and production. In this emerging global system, production capacity is distributed among an un- precedented number of developing as well as developed countries. The produc- tion of a single good commonly spans several countries. The Ford Escort, for example, has been heralded as a "lworld car," with components made and assembled in 15 countries on three continents (Gereffi 1989:97; Gereffi and Korzeniewicz 1990). This article illustrates the utility of an analytical approach that attempts to
T lymphocyte roles during Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria tenella infections.

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of selective depletion of T lymphocytes on Eimeria infections in chickens. Cell depletions were initiated in day- or week-old Hyline SC strain chickens using intra-peritoneal injections of monoclonal antibodies to CD4, CD8, or T cell receptor (TCR) alpha/beta. Control chickens received injections of irrelevant monoclonal antibody or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Following the establishment of cell depletion, chickens were infected orally with E. acervulina or E. tenella, 1 × 104 oocysts for primary infections and 2 × 105 oocysts for secondary infections. Chickens treated with anti CD4 monoclonal antibody produced significantly more oocysts than controls following primary E. tenella but not E. acervulina infections. Development of resistance to challenge infection was unaffected. These results suggest that CD4+ lymphocytes are important in controlling primary infection with E. tenella. Chickens treated with anti-CD8 or anti-TCR alpha/beta monoclonal antibodies produced significantly fewer oocysts than controls following primary infection but significantly more oocysts than controls following secondary infection with both E. tenella and E. acervulina. Additionally, anti-CD8 treatment abrogated resistance to challenge infection. CD8-depleted chickens may exhibit decreased oocyst production following primary infection due to a lack of CD8+ lymphocytes to serve as transporting cells for sporozoites. The abrogation of resistance to secondary infection in CD8- and TCR alpha/beta-depleted chickens suggests that these cells are necessary for the development of protective immunity to coccidia.
Erasmus and Dolet on the Ethics of Imitation and the Hermeneutic Imperative

This article examines an area of interest (the rhetorical use ofdissimulatio) shared by two of the most implacable adversaries in the humanist quarrel over the imitation of Ciceronian style, Erasmus and Etienne Dolet. This question is explored in the context of Erasmus's commitment to the moral dimensions ofimitatio (given his Christian hermeneutic), and Dolet's convictions concerning the distinction between artistic endeavor and moral accountability. Some concluding thoughts are offered as to how such views reflect a Renaissance epistemology of language as communication, a perspective that continues to influence important aspects of modern critical and social theory.
Non-Line-of-Sight Automated Vehicle Following Using a Dynamic Base RTK System

: A GPS based automated convoy strategy to duplicate the path of a human driven vehicle is presented. GPS carrier phase measurements are used to estimate a relative position vector with centimeter level accuracy and changes in relative position with millimeter level accuracy. These estimates are used in the presented method to enable a following vehicle to replicate a lead vehicle's path of travel while both are in motion and not necessarily in sight of one another. Results from a real time implementation are given. Error analysis reveals path following accuracy is a function of following distance. Real time performance is compared to the derived theoretical accuracy. Discussion within explains deficiencies in “breadcrumb” waypoint following, limitations of the proposed method, and suggestions to enhance performance through augmentation with other on board systems.
Effect of Stunning Time and Polyphosphates on Quality of Cooked Chicken Breast Meat

Abstract The objective of this research was to determine effects of stunning duration and polyphosphates on color, pH, and texture of chicken breast meat. Sixty broiler chickens were electrically stunned for 2 to 10 s in 2-s intervals and then slaughtered. Left and right Pectoralis major muscles were excised 1 h post-mortem. The left muscles (treated) were treated with a sodium tripolyphosphate salt solution, and the right muscles (controls) were treated with a salt solution alone. All muscles were cooked to an endpoint temperature of 72 C in a 95 C water bath. Measurements of muscle pH were taken on the meat 1 h post-mortem, after treating, and after cooking. Color values and Warner-Bratzler shear values were evaluated on each cooked meat sample. As stunning time increased, pH increased at 1 h post-mortem but treating with either of the solutions eliminated this trend. Muscle pH also increased upon cooking except in the polyphosphate-treated muscles, because the latter muscles achieved maximum pH prior to cooking. Stunning had no apparent effect on color values of the cooked meat; however, polyphosphate treatment resulted in meat that was darker and less red than controls. Longer stunning times resulted in greater shear values but polyphosphates did not affect Warner-Bratzler results. Taken together, these data suggest that processing variables that affect muscle pH also affect quality attributes.
Antitoxic Effects of Dietary Fiber

In 1943, Woolley and Krampitz reported that when glucoascorbic acid, an antagonist of ascorbic acid, was fed to mice as 10% of a purified diet, the animals exhibited deficiency symptoms and severe weight loss. When cerophyl (a dehydrated grass preparation) was added as 10% of the semipurified diet, the mice exhibited normal growth. Addition of glucoascorbic acid to a ration containing alfalfa meal, corn meal, and linseed oil meal did not elicit an adverse response. Ershoff (1954, 1957) confirmed the findings in mice and extended the work to rats. Rats fed 4% glucoascorbic acid showed poor survival (75%) and low weight gain as well as severe diarrhea. Addition to the diet of 5% or 10% alfalfa meal led to 100% survival and improved weight gain, but diarrhea persisted, although it was not as severe. When the diet contained 20% alfalfa meal or 20% rye, wheat, or oat grass, weight gain was optimal, and no diarrhea was observed.