cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stimulation of cyclic AMP accumulation and phosphoinositide hydrolysis by M3 muscarinic receptors in the rat peripheral lung

The effects of oxotremorine-M (oxo-M), a muscarinic agonist, on cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation in slices of the rat peripheral lung were investigated. Oxo-M stimulated cAMP accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner with an EC50 value of 4.2 μM and a maximal effect of 2.4 ± 0.39-fold over basal. In the presence of forskolin (25 μM), the maximal effect of oxo-M was increased to 14.1 ± 4.0-fold over basal. Forskolin alone caused a 5.9 ± 2.2-fold increase in cAMP relative to basal; therefore, the combination of both drugs was more than additive. The effects of oxo-M on cAMP accumulation were unaffected by tetrodotoxin, indicating that the action of oxo-M was not mediated by neuronal release of neurotransmitters. Oxo-M had a small inhibitory effect on cAMP in a homogenate preparation, indicating that the stimulatory response to oxo-M in slices of the lung is not due to direct stimulation of adenylyl cyclase. Characterization of the oxo-M potentiation of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation using different muscarinic antagonists yielded calculated pKB values that agreed with binding affinities for the M3 subtype. Oxo-M elicited phosphoinositide hydrolysis in the lung, and the nature of the antagonism of this response was also consistent with that expected for an M3-mediated response. cAMP accumulation in the presence of oxo-M (100 μM), forskolin (12 μM), or both drugs combined was inhibited by indomethacin (1 μM). These results demonstrate that the M3 receptor stimulates cAMP accumulation and phosphoinositide hydrolysis in the rat peripheral lung, and the mechanism for cAMP stimulation may involve arachidonic acid metabolites.
Trolley Coaches Replace Busses

This paper cites certain cases where trolley coaches replaced busses as indicative of a trend. Then the results of the replacements are recorded to explain the trend and the significance of sound vehicle selection. For the most part, the routes chosen for this paper traversed the same streets before and after conversion. This type of route is necessary for accurate comparison of all the factors involved. Where the line in question changed, no attempt was made to compare figures which would be affected by the change. For example, if half of a line served a different area after conversion, no attempt was made to compare total revenue, passengers carried, or vehicle miles before and after conversion. If detailed figures were not available, the conversion was merely cited, possibly with statements from the company, without making inferences or drawing any unfounded conclusions.
On the machining of cylindrical objects with complex curvature

Abstract This paper describes an integrated approach to the design and manufacture of cylindrical type objects with complex curvature. The modules in this system include the scanning of the object, its surface description and subsequent modification, the tool path generation, and the NC machining of the object. The operation of each module is illustrated in a case study involving the design and manufacture of a shoe last for orthopedic footwear.
On-orbit radiography of space vehicles using natural radiation

We demonstrate that 80-140 keV hard X-rays from the X-ray star Cygnus X-1 could be used, in principle, to image the interior of an unknown target spacecraft. A simulated radiograph shows good signal-to-noise in a 1000-second exposure with ~2 cm spatial resolution. Because of the high collimation and short wavelength of the radiation, an image can be formed at almost any target-detector distance. Practical application of the technique would require the detector spacecraft to assume a parallel trajectory with the target and maintain station accurately enough to hold the radiograph shadow on its sensitive surface. Further research is needed on 1) detector background minimization in high-latitude and high-altitude orbits; 2) image formation for rotating targets, which is a problem similar to computerized tomography; and 3) optimization of navigation and station-keeping.
From the Metaphysical Union of Mind and Body to the Real Union of Monads: Leibniz on Supposita and Vincula Substantialia*

L'A. etudie le debat opposant Leibniz et R.-J. de Tournemine sur la question de la nature de l'union esprit-corps et mesure l'evolution de la problematique dans la correspondance de Leibniz avec B. des Bosses. Distinguant l'union metaphysique de l'esprit et du corps de l'union reelle des monades, d'une part, et distinguant les notions de suppositum et de vinculum substantiale, d'autre part, l'A. souligne l'indetermination de la traduction du langage de l'union esprit-corps dans le langage de la monadologie de Leibniz
HOUSEHOLD CHANGE AND RURAL SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IN MALAWI AND KENYA

This study examines school enrollment in two sub-Saharan African nations, Malawi and Kenya. The article advances a refined family economy theoretical framework for understanding variations in schoo...
Stabilizing and rapid thionin staining of TMB-based HRP reaction product

Tetramethyl benzidine (TMB) as a substrate for horseradish peroxidase (HRP) histochemistry offers a great advantage over other substrates in its sensitivity but the reaction product is unstable in alcohol. Immersing TMB-reacted sections in methyl salicylate renders the reaction product stable enough so that exposure to ethanol for 10 min causes no detectable loss of HRP labelled neurons. A rapid thionin stain is introduced which, after stabilizing the TMB-based reaction product in methyl salicylate, causes no detectable loss of HRP labelled neurons. These procedures should prove valuable to users of the popular HRP techniques for studying neural connections.
The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 Expands Employment Opportunities for Persons With Developmental Disabilities

The primary purpose of the ADA is the full inclusion of persons with disabilities within their communities. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the areas of employment, transportation, public accommodations, telecommunications, and state and local government agencies. The person described in this report encountered some of this discrimination. He successfully obtained paid community-integrated employment only after overcoming major obstacles and barriers, the greatest being transportation. In our highly mobile society, reliable transportation is essential for the acquisition and maintenance of community-integrated employment. The participant was repeatedly denied access to public transportation on the basis of his disability. To help overcome this barrier, Transition Services had to provide needed transportation at great expense, which delayed opportunities for the participant to gain control of this aspect of his life. Enactment of the ADA makes it more difficult for public transportation agencies to deny services to persons with disabilities by claiming inconvenience or lack of accessible vehicles. When publicly funded transportation programs assume their full responsibility for transportation to the public, agencies like Transition Services can focus on individualized employment and training issues rather than on providing transportation. In the workplace, the employer's willingness to work cooperatively with the participant and the staff of Transition Services resulted in several low-cost and reasonable accommodations based on the participant's needs and abilities. A simple rearrangement of work space allowed the participant to perform his job while benefiting the other workers in the crowded restaurant kitchen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Analytical solution of the kinetic equation for a uniform plasma in a magnetic field

The kinetic equation for a single-component uniform plasma in a magnetic field is analytically solved by the moment method. The linear system of ordinary differential equations for the moments is decomposed into subsystems of lower dimensions by a geometric method. The eigensystem of each subsystem shows that parallel moments decay monotonically, but perpendicular lth harmonic moments decay while oscillating with the l,l-2,… ,-th harmonics of gyrofrequency. A generalization to a multicomponent plasma is discussed.
Extracranial metastasis of gliobastoma: Three illustrative cases and current review of the molecular pathology and management strategies

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and the most malignant primary brain tumor in adults, accounting for ~12–15% of all intracranial neoplasms. Despite advances in surgical, medical and radiation therapies, the mortality of GBM remains high, with a median survival ranging between 40 and 70 weeks. Similar to other primary brain tumors, the extracranial metastasis of GBM is extremely rare, occurring in <2% of patients. To demonstrate the clinical characteristics of this rare tumor, we herein present three cases of extracranial GBM metastasis: One to the lungs, which represents the longest reported survival of lung metastases from GBM to date; the second to the soft tissue of the posterior neck; and the third to the lumbar intradural space. Unlike tumors elsewhere, there are unique barriers in the brain that prevent the hematogenous and lymphatic spread of intracranial tumors, such as the dura mater and the thickened basement membrane of the blood vessels. In addition, central nervous system tumor cells lack extracellular matrix proteins required to invade surrounding connective tissue, a prerequisite for tumor dissemination. In this study, we aimed to investigate the different possible mechanisms underlying the extracranial metastasis of GBM and determine the biomolecular and genetic characteristics differentiating GBMs that metastasize from those that do not. We also reviewed the role of systemic chemotherapy and bevacizumab in the treatment of disseminated GBMs. Early identification and differentiation of these tumors may enable patients to benefit from surgical resection, radiation and combination chemotherapy prior to developing other comorbidities from metastatic disease, which may translate into prolonged survival with an acceptable quality of life.
The Role of Intracerebroventricular Administration of Leptin in the Stimulation of Prothyrotropin Releasing Hormone Neurons in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus

We previously have shown that leptin regulates proTRH in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus through two pathways. The first one acts directly on proTRH neurons, and the second one (indirect) acts through the melanocortin system (arcuate nucleus). However, it is unknown whether the direct or the indirect pathways of leptin action on proTRH neurons occurs on separated or on the same subsets of neurons within the PVN region. We used immunostaining for the phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 to localize direct leptin signaling, and the phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein to localize indirect signaling on proTRH neurons in animals intracerebroventricularly injected with leptin. With this approach we were able to identify two subsets of neuronal populations responsive to leptin, which are distributed in different regions within the PVN. ProTRH neurons directly responsive to leptin were located mainly in the medial and posterior part of the PVN, and they were not primarily related to the hypothalamic pituitary thyroid axis. Whereas, proTRH neurons indirectly responsive (through alpha-MSH) to leptin were located mainly in the anterior, medial, and periventricular part of the PVN, and related to the hypothalamic pituitary thyroid axis. In addition, alpha-MSH showed to affect the processing of proTRH and up-regulated the prohormone convertase 1/3. In this study, we show evidence supporting the hypothesis that in the PVN there are subpopulations of proTRH neurons responding to leptin, which is dependent upon the way leptin reaches its primary target(s) in the hypothalamus. These findings are critical to a better understanding of leptin-mediated actions in energy expenditure.
Transient Natural Convection Between Two Zones in an Insulated Enclosure

The natural convection flow and heat transfer between two enclosures that communicate through a vertical opening is studied by considering the evolution of an enclosed fluid in which the left half is originally at a different temperature than the right half. Numerical experiments show that at sufficiently high Rayleigh numbers the ensuing flow is oscillatory. This and other features are anticipated on the basis of scale analysis. The time scales of the oscillation, the establishment of thermal stratification, and eventual thermal equilibrium are determined and tested numerically. At sufficiently high Rayleigh numbers the heat transfer between the communicating zones is be convection, in accordance with the constant-Stanton-number trend pointed out by Jones and Otis (1986). The range covered by the numerical experiments is 10{sup 2} < Ra < 10{sup 7}, 0.71 < Pr < 100, and 0.25 < H/L < 1.
Dynamical Chern-Simons modified gravity: Spinning black holes in the slow-rotation approximation

The low-energy limit of string theory contains an anomaly-canceling correction to the Einstein-Hilbert action, which defines an effective theory: Chern-Simons (CS) modified gravity. The CS correction consists of the product of a scalar field with the Pontryagin density, where the former can be treated as a background field (nondynamical formulation) or as an evolving field (dynamical formulation). Many solutions of general relativity persist in the modified theory; a notable exception is the Kerr metric, which has sparked a search for rotating black hole solutions. Here, for the first time, we find a solution describing a rotating black hole within the dynamical framework, and in the small-coupling/slow-rotation limit. The solution is axisymmetric and stationary, constituting a deformation of the Kerr metric with dipole scalar ``hair,'' whose effect on geodesic motion is to weaken the frame-dragging effect and shift the location of the innermost stable circular orbit outwards (inwards) relative to Kerr for corotating (counterrotating) geodesics. We further show that the correction to the metric scales inversely with the fourth power of the radial distance to the black hole, suggesting it will escape any meaningful bounds from weak-field experiments. For example, using binary pulsar data we can only place an initial bound on the magnitude of the dynamical coupling constant of ${\ensuremath{\xi}}^{1/4}\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{4}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{km}$. More stringent bounds will require observations of inherently strong-field phenomena.
Extensions of the Stability Theorem of the Minkowski Space in General Relativity

This book consists of two independent works: Part I is 'Solutions of the Einstein Vacuum Equations', by Lydia Bieri. Part II is 'Solutions of the Einstein-Maxwell Equations', by Nina Zipser. A famous result of Christodoulou and Klainerman is the global nonlinear stability of Minkowski spacetime. In this book, Bieri and Zipser provide two extensions to this result. In the first part, Bieri solves the Cauchy problem for the Einstein vacuum equations with more general, asymptotically flat initial data, and describes precisely the asymptotic behavior. In particular, she assumes less decay in the power of $r$ and one less derivative than in the Christodoulou-Klainerman result. She proves that in this case, too, the initial data, being globally close to the trivial data, yields a solution which is a complete spacetime, tending to the Minkowski spacetime at infinity along any geodesic. In contrast to the original situation, certain estimates in this proof are borderline in view of decay, indicating that the conditions in the main theorem on the decay at infinity on the initial data are sharp. In the second part, Zipser proves the existence of smooth, global solutions to the Einstein-Maxwell equations. A nontrivial solution of these equations is a curved spacetime with an electromagnetic field. To prove the existence of solutions to the Einstein-Maxwell equations, Zipser follows the argument and methodology introduced by Christodoulou and Klainerman. To generalize the original results, she needs to contend with the additional curvature terms that arise due to the presence of the electromagnetic field $F$; in her case the Ricci curvature of the spacetime is not identically zero but rather represented by a quadratic in the components of $F$. In particular the Ricci curvature is a constant multiple of the stress-energy tensor for $F$. Furthermore, the traceless part of the Riemann curvature tensor no longer satisfies the homogeneous Bianchi equations but rather inhomogeneous equations including components of the spacetime Ricci curvature. Therefore, the second part of this book focuses primarily on the derivation of estimates for the new terms that arise due to the presence of the electromagnetic field.
Modification of gastrointestinal tumor development in rats by dietary butylated hydroxytoluene

Abstract Male Fischer 344 rats were given two or four injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), 40 mg/kg sc, and then fed a diet containing 0.5% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Five months later, the animals treated with two doses of DMH had a significantly higher incidence of colon tumors than the animals fed a BHT-free control diet. In animals treated with four injections of DMH, the increase in colon tumor incidence was statistically not significant, but BHT appeared to produce a shift in tumor distribution. In a second experiment, Fischer 344 rats were treated with 2 × 40 mg/kg of DMH and fed a diet of 0.5 or 0.1% BHT for 6 months; these animals had a significantly increased incidence of small intestinal tumors (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) compared with animals fed the control diet. In rats treated with DMH and given a diet of 0.5% butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), overall incidence of gastrointestinal tract tumors was higher than in control animals, although the difference was statistically not significant. Administration of N -nitroso- N -methylurea (NMU; 90 mg/kg given orally) produced stomach and colon tumors; 0.5% BHT in the diet did not modulate tumor incidence. It is concluded that dietary BHT may enhance development of gastrointestinal tumors produced by DMH, but not by NMU, provided exposure to BHT occurs after exposure to the carcinogen.
Glucosinolate content of Brassica vegetables‐Chinese cabbages Pe‐tsai (Brassica pekinensis) and Pak‐choi (Brassica chinensis)

The glucosinolate content of 19 cultivars of pe-tsai and three cultivars of pak-choi Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis Lour) Rupr and (Brassica chinensis L, respectively) has been determined using high performance liquid chromatography. The levels of total glucosinolates were 0.097-0.337 g kg−1 fresh weight (mean 0.198) in pe-tsai and 0.39-0.704 g kg−1 (mean 0.534) in pak-choi. The main components present were (2-hydroxybut-3-enyl-progoitrin), but-3-enyl- (gluconapin), 5-methylsulphinylpentyl- (glucoalyssin) and pent-4-enyl (glucobrassicanapin) glucosinolates, respectively. In comparison with other UK brassicas and American cultivars of Chinese cabbage, both the UK-grown pak-choi and pe-tsai are low in glucosinolates.
NGOs: In the service of imperialism

(1999). NGOs: In the service of imperialism. Journal of Contemporary Asia: Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 429-440.
Platelet-derived growth factor-BB: a survival factor for the retinal microvasculature during periods of metabolic compromise.

Purpose. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) reduces ischemia-induced damage to cells in the retinal microvasculature. Methods. As a model of ischemia, pericyte-containing microvessels freshly isolated from the adult rat retina were exposed to the inhibitors of ATP synthesis, iodoacetate and antimycin A. Cell viability was assayed by trypan blue exclusion. Results. PDGF-BB significantly reduced cell death induced by chemical ischemia. The half-maximally effective concentration was ~15 pM. In contrast to PDGF-BB, which is the specific ligand for PDGF-s receptors, ischemic death was not reduced by PDGF-AA, which does not activate the s-receptors. The protective effect of PDGF-BB was blocked by tolbutamide, which is an inhibitor of ATP-sensitive potassium (K ATP) channels and mimicked by the K ATP channel opener, pinacidil. Nifedipine, which blocks voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC’s), also mimicked the protective effect of PDGF-BB. Consistent with P...
DISPOSITION OF SULFADIMETHOXINE IN CAMELS (CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS) FOLLOWING SINGLE INTRAVENOUS AND ORAL DOSES

Abstract Single-dose pharmacokinetics of sulfadimethoxine were determined in six adult camels (Camelus dromedarius) following administration of a mean dosage of 17.5 ± 2.7 mg/kg both i.v. and p.o. Serial blood samples were collected through an indwelling jugular catheter intermittently for 5 days for both routes. Sulfadimethoxine was assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Serum drug concentration versus time data for each animal was subjected to linear regression, with the best-fit model selected based on residual analysis. The data fit best into a two-compartment open model, with first-order input for oral administration. For orally administered drug, mean maximum serum concentration of 19.3 ± 1.7 μg/ml was reached at 11.41 ± 2.59 hr, with an elimination rate constant of 0.09/hr ± 0.05/hr and an elimination half-life of 11.7 ± 3 hr. Mean peak serum concentration following i.v. administration was 223 ± 48 μg/ml. Mean volume of distribution at steady state was 0.393 ± 0.049 L/kg. Elimination...
Go with the flow: synthetic vision for autonomous animated creatures

Real-time obstacle avoidance and low-level navigation is a fundamental problem for autonomous animated creatures. Here we present an ethologically inspired approach to this problem in which the creature renders the scene from its viewpoint (i.e. synthetic vision) and uses the resulting image to recover a gross measure of motion energy as well as other key features of its immediate environment, which are then used to guide movement. By combining this form of synthetic vision with an ethologically inspired model of action-selection, we are able to demonstrate robust obstacle avoidance and low-level navigation in Silas T. Dog, a virtual dog built by the author, when he is placed in complex scenery such as the “Doom” environment.
An approach to scalable molecular dynamics simulation using supercomputing adaptive processing elements

We implement and report performance numbers of an entire molecular dynamics application in floating point on reconfigurable hardware achieving sustainable speedup and scaling with a novel technique based on adaptive processing elements.
Detecting, isolating, and enforcing dependencies among and within test cases

Testing stateful applications is challenging, as it can be difficult to identify hidden dependencies on program state. These dependencies may manifest between several test cases, or simply within a single test case. When it's left to developers to document, understand, and respond to these dependencies, a mistake can result in unexpected and invalid test results. Although current testing infrastructure does not currently leverage state dependency information, we argue that it could, and that by doing so testing can be improved. Our results thus far show that by recovering dependencies between test cases and modifying the popular testing framework, JUnit, to utilize this information, we can optimize the testing process, reducing time needed to run tests by 62% on average. Our ongoing work is to apply similar analyses to improve existing state of the art test suite prioritization techniques and state of the art test case generation techniques.
Transition to Home: Family Perspectives on Care in Russia

Abstract Our world is shrinking because of computerized linkages and the mobility of society. Information is shared rapidly around the world. Issues surrounding newborn and infant nursing are global. In efforts to acknowledge the international community, each Newborn and Infant Nursing Review ( NAINR ) issue will feature a column that highlights care-related issues from a featured country or region of the world. This article focuses on Russia. Newborn and infant health issues are global ones. To review issues occurring in different areas of the world, different areas of the globe that address NAINR 's theme-oriented topic will be featured. This month, Hospital No. 1 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, will be featured. Our guest author is Marina Boykova, RN.
Generation of design verification tests from behavioral VHDL programs using path enumeration and constraint programming

A method for generation of design verification tests from behavior-level VHDL programs is presented. The method generates stimuli to execute desired control-flow paths in the given VHDL program. This method is based on path enumeration, constraint generation and constraint solving techniques that have been traditionally used for software testing. Behavioral VHDL programs contain multiple communicating processes, signal assignment statements, and wait statements which are not found in traditional software programming languages. Our model of constraint generation is specifically developed for VHDL programs with such constructs. Control-flow paths for which design verification tests are desired are specified through certain annotations attached to the control statements in the VHDL programs. These annotations are used to enumerate the desired paths. Each enumerated path is translated into a set of mathematical constraints corresponding to the statements in the path. Methods for generating constraint variables corresponding to various types of carriers in VHDL and for mapping various VHDL statements into mathematical relationships among these constraint variables are developed. These methods treat spatial and temporal incarnations of VHDL carriers as unique constraint variables thereby preserving the semantics of the behavioral VHDL programs. Constraints are generated in the constraint programming language CLP(R) and are solved using the CLP(R) system. A solution to the set of constraints so generated yields a design verification test sequence which can be applied for executing the corresponding control path when the design is simulated. If no solution exists, then it implies that the corresponding path can never be executed. Experimental studies pertaining to the quality of path coverage and fault coverage of the verification tests are presented. >
Micromechanical structures for thin film characterization

Micromechanical structures designed for material characterization through analysis of their lateral vibrations are reported. The structures are made of doped LPCVD (low-pressure chemical vapor deposited) polycrystalline silicon and consist of beams supporting a rigid mass which is used to drive as well as sense the oscillatory motion. Amplitude and phase responses with respect to frequency are measured by an amplitude modulation technique and are used with the corresponding mechanical model to estimate various electromechanical properties. Young's modulus for this material is estimated to be 174+or-10 GPa, with the film supporting a tensile residual stress of 10+or-2 MPa. It is shown that some structures exhibit significant nonlinearities for moderate lateral displacements. The observed response curves are well modeled by Duffing's equation for a stiffening spring. >
Effects of Properties and Growth Parameters of Doped and Undoped Silicon Oxide Films on Wear Behavior During Chemical Mechanical Planarization Process

Understanding the tribological, mechanical, and structural properties of an inorganic and organic dielectric layer in the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process is crucial for successful evaluation and implementation of these materials with copper metallization. Polishing behaviors of different carbon- and fluorine-doped silicon dioxide (SiO2) low dielectric constant materials in CMP process are discussed in this paper. Films were deposited using both chemical vapor deposition and spin-on method. Carbon and fluorine incorporation in the Si–O network weaken the mechanical integrity of the structure and behave differently in slurry selective to SiO2 films. Mechanical properties of the films were measured using depth-sensing nanoindentation technique, and it was found that undoped SiO2 film has the highest and spin-on carbon-doped oxide films have the lowest hardness and modulus values. Wear behavior of the doped SiO2 is studied in a typical SiO2 CMP environment, and results are analyzed and compared with those of the undoped SiO2 films. Coefficient of friction and acoustic emission signals have significant effect on the polishing behavior. Surface of the films are investigated before and after polishing using atomic force microscopy. Roughness and section analysis of the films after polishing show the variation in wear mechanism. Validation of Preston’s equation is discussed in this study. Additionally, different wear mechanisms are presented, and a two body abrasion model is proposed for the softer films.
Antiphospholipid antibodies and recurrent pregnancy loss.

ABSTRACT: Antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) have recently been linked to a variety of clinical findings including arterial and venous thrombosis, recurrent spontaneous abortions and fetal loss, as well as thrombocytopenia. These observations have stimulated multidisciplinary interest in the laboratory identification of APA and the clinical management of patients with positive tests for APA.
A discontinuous schedule of estradiol treatment is sufficient to activate progesterone-facilitated feminine sexual behavior and to increase cytosol receptors for progestins in the hypothalamus of the rat.

In this study, we demonstrate that a surprisingly small and discontinuous period of estradiol (E2) treatment is sufficient to induce progesterone-facilitated sexual receptivity in the female rat. We used this temporal paradigm to measure associated changes in nuclear E2 and cytosol progestin receptors (CPRs) in the mediobasal hypothalamus-preoptic area (MBHPOA) and pituitary (PIT). The lordosis quotient, lordosis quality, and preceptivity scores of animals which received E2 in Silastic capsules for 24 or 6 continuous h were not significantly different at 24 h. CPRs in the MBH-POA and PIT in animals which received E2 for 24 or 6 continuous h were equivalent at 24 h. Receptivity comparable to 24 or 6 h of continuous E2 treatment was seen in animals which received only two 1-h periods of E2, provided that the second treatment began not fewer than 4 h, or more than 13 h, after the end of the first period (sufficient treatment). If animals received only two 0.5-h periods of E2 treatment during these times, rec...
On the dynamic relationship between U.S. farm income and macroeconomic variables.

This study examines the short- and long-run effects of changes in macroeconomic variables—agricultural commodity prices, interest rates and exchange rates—on the U.S. farm income. For this purpose, we adopt an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to cointegration with quarterly data for 1989–2008. Results show that the exchange rate plays a crucial role in determining the long-run behavior of U.S. farm income, but has little effect in the short-run. We also find that the commodity price and interest rate have been significant determinants of U.S. farm income in both the short- and long-run over the past two decades.
2‐Bromo‐N‐n‐propyl‐pyridinium‐1,1,1‐trifluoromethanesulfonate

[850306-83-1] C9H11BrF3NO3S (MW 348.95) InChI = 1S/C8H11BrN.CHF3O3S/c1-7(2)10-6-4-3-5-8(10)9;2-1(3,4)8(5,6)7/h3-7H,1-2H3;(H,5,6,7)/q+1;/p-1 InChIKey = JNAAIHYOTIRJMY-UHFFFAOYSA-M (the modified Mukaiyama's reagent, pyridinium salt 1, is used for the activation of carboxylic acids to provide esters and lactones, including β-lactones through tandem processes) Physical Data: white solid, mp 162–164 °C Solubility: CH2Cl2, THF, CH3CN, CHCl3. Analysis of Reagent Purity: 1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3) δ 9.32 (dd, J = 4.5, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 8.44 (dt, J = 8.0, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 8.28 (dd, J = 8.0, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 8.14 (dt, J = 6.5, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 4.84 (t, J = 8.0 Hz, 2H), 2.06 (tq, J = 8.0, 1.8 Hz, 2H), 1.09 (t, J = 8.0 Hz, 3H). 13C NMR (125 MHz, CDCl3) δ 149.0, 147.0, 137.4, 134.9, 128.0, 120.9 (q, J = 314 Hz, CF3), 65.0, 23.7, 10.6. Preparative Method: in a resealable pressure tube was placed a solution of 2-bromopyridine (1.92 mL, 20.0 mmol) in 6 mL of CH2Cl2. The solution was degassed by three freeze–thaw cycles and the tube was then finally purged with nitrogen. The colorless solution was cooled to −78 °C under nitrogen, and then n-propyl trifluoromethanesulfonate1 (3.80 g, 20.0 mmol) was added slowly with stirring. The cooling bath was removed, the tube was sealed, and the reaction mixture was stirred for 16 h at 25 °C. The reaction mixture was transferred via cannula to a 100 mL round-bottomed flask. All subsequent operations were done under a stream of nitrogen to exclude moisture and prevent hydrolysis of the hygroscopic salt. After concentration in vacuo, backfilling with nitrogen, 20 mL of toluene was added to the yellow oil, the flask was sealed and placed under nitrogen, and after stirring for 30 min, the reaction mixture was stored in a refrigerator overnight (−10 °C) under nitrogen to precipitate the pyridinium salt. The clear supernatant was removed via syringe and an additional 20 mL of dry diethyl ether was added to wash the precipitate with gentle swirling. The diethyl ether was removed via syringe. The washed solid was dried under high vacuum for 48 h at 25 °C to afford 6.5 g (93%) of 2-bromo-N-n-propyl-pyridinium-1,1,1-trifluoromethanesulfonate 1. On a smaller reaction scale, a crystalline solid was commonly obtained, rather than a precipitate, after storage in the refrigerator overnight. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: the pyridinium salt 1 is somewhat hygroscopic and moisture sensitive and thus should be weighed out and transferred rapidly or best under a nitrogen atmosphere.
Stratigraphic principles and practices as related to soil mantles

Summary Soil stratigraphy concerns the chronological ordering of pedological episodes. It therefore has important implications in the reconstruction of paleoenvironments and the interpretation of stratigraphic sequences where soils and weathering zones occur. Because of the lateral variation in soil mantles, the principles of soil stratigraphy involve some different considerations from those of rock stratigraphy. Researchers in North America, Europe, and Australia, conditioned by different landscapes and soils, have studied soil mantles using different approaches. Soil-stratigraphic units such as geosols, pedoderms, soil facies, and paleocatenas emphasize the geographic extent of phases of soil formation taking into account local variations within soil mantles. Understanding of episodic development in the pedosphere is tied to concepts of separate identity, lateral continuity, ascendancy and descendancy, and pedogenic persistence. Providing a basis for soil-stratigraphic studies, these concepts are used in the stratigraphic ordering of soils after proofs of existence have been established for independent (buried) soil layers. Correlation of soil-stratigraphic units with 8OO stages in the oceanic record refines incomplete sequences recognized on land.
Game-theoretic analysis of the nodal pricing mechanism for electricity markets

Nodal pricing is a methodology for pricing electricity and managing transmission congestion that is widely used in deregulated electricity markets. We focus on the economic dispatch problem and consider the strategic behavior of both generators and consumers. For the case of no congestion, we prove the existence of an efficient Nash equilibrium; for the case of congestion, we give examples and counterexamples to demonstrate the complexity of the outcomes. As an alternative, we propose the Power Network Second Price (PNSP) mechanism that always induces an efficient Nash equilibrium.
Turkey and Gulf Cooperation Council Security

Abstract Turkey has increased its diplomacy, trade, and investment with the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and since September 2008 has committed to a “strategic dialogue” with the GCC. Can Turkey and the GCC engage in security cooperation to meet common threats emanating from a nuclear Iran, radical Islamists, and instability in Iraq? Turkey's need to obtain Iranian energy supplies and cooperation in combating Kurdish terrorism and GCC concerns not to alienate Iran suggest that Turkey and the GCC will proceed cautiously and will need to take additional steps to facilitate their security cooperation.
Quasidynamic layout optimizations for improving data locality

Compiler-directed locality optimization techniques are effective in reducing the number of cycles spent in off-chip memory accesses. Recently, methods have been developed that transform memory layouts of data structures at compile-time to improve spatial locality of nested loops beyond current control-centric (loop nest-based) optimizations. Most of these data-centric transformations use a single static (program-wide) memory layout for each array. A disadvantage of these static layout-based locality enhancement strategies is that they might fail to optimize codes that manipulate arrays, which demand different layouts in different parts of the code. We introduce a new approach, which extends current static layout optimization techniques by associating different memory layouts with the same array in different parts of the code. We call this strategy "quasidynamic layout optimization." In this strategy, the compiler determines memory layouts (for different parts of the code) at compile time, but layout conversions occur at runtime. We show that the possibility of dynamically changing memory layouts during the course of execution adds a new dimension to the data locality optimization problem. Our strategy employs a static layout optimizer module as a building block and, by repeatedly invoking it for different parts of the code, it checks whether runtime layout modifications bring additional benefits beyond static optimization. Our experiments indicate significant improvements in execution time over static layout-based locality enhancing techniques.
Surface-modified hyaluronic acid hydrogels to capture endothelial progenitor cells

A major challenge to the effective treatment of injured cardiovascular tissues is the promotion of endothelialization of damaged tissues and implanted devices. For this reason, there is a need for new biomaterials that promote endothelialization to enhance vascular repair. The goal of this work was to develop antibody-modified polysaccharide-based hydrogels that could selectively capture endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). We showed that CD34 antibody immobilization on hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels provides a suitable surface to capture EPCs. The effect of CD34 antibody immobilization on EPC adhesion was found to be dependent on antibody concentration. The highest level of EPC attachment was found to be 52.2 cells per mm2 on 1% HA gels modified with 25 μg mL−1 antibody concentration. Macrophages did not exhibit significant attachment on these modified hydrogel surfaces compared to the EPCs, demonstrating the selectivity of the system. Hydrogels containing only HA, with or without immobilized CD34, did not allow for spreading of EPCs 48 h after cell seeding, even though the cells were adhered to the hydrogel surface. To promote spreading of EPCs, 2% (w/v) gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) containing HA hydrogels were synthesized and shown to improve cell spreading and elongation. This strategy could potentially be useful to enhance the biocompatibility of implants such as artificial heart valves or in other tissue engineering applications where formation of vascular structures is required.
O poeta desfolha a bandeira: Literatura e resistência em Torquato Neto

Torquato Neto (1944 – 1972) –poeta, jornalista e cineasta—foi um dos participantes da Tropicalia, “movimento” artistico e cultural que ocorreu no Brasil na segunda metade da decada de 1960. A poesia de Torquato Neto foi marcada por um gesto de rebeldia que, ao mesmo tempo que apontava para uma mudanca radical das mentalidades dos jovens em relacao aos modelos de comportamento social e familiar, colocava uma forte resistencia politica e ideologica ao modelo autoritario que a ditadura militar implantara no Brasil. Neste trabalho, a relacao entre linguagem e resistencia sera discutida a partir dos poemas de Torquato Neto. Pensar esta relacao traz a consciencia para leitores contemporâneos alguns modelos de subjetivacao presentes na cultura brasileira e os gestos discursivos utilizados por artisticas para desconstruir formacoes ideologicas autoritarias.
New Quality Measure Core Sets Provide Continuity for Measuring Quality Improvement: Concerns Raised About Conflicting BP Measures.

![Figure][1] ![Figure][1] For more than a year, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have participated in the Core Quality Measures Collaborative, an important national effort convened by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and
Many-Lights Real Time Global Illumination Using Sparse Voxel Octree

The many-lights real time Global Illumination (GI) algorithm is promising but requires many shadow maps to be generated for Virtual Point Light (VPL) visibility tests, which reduces its efficiency. Prior solutions restrict either the number or accuracy of shadow map updates, which may lower the accuracy of indirect illumination or prevent the rendering of fully dynamic scenes. In this paper, we propose a hybrid real-time GI algorithm that utilizes an efficient Sparse Voxel Octree (SVO) ray marching algorithm for visibility tests instead of the shadow map generation step of the many-lights algorithm. Our technique achieves high rendering fidelity at about 50 FPS, is highly scalable and can support thousands of VPLs generated on the fly.
Ensuring Public Health Neutrality

In response to events in Pakistan that led to the deaths of eight vaccination workers and the suspension of polio-eradication efforts, deans of U.S. public health schools advocate refraining from disguising military or intelligence actions as public health activities.
A Look at Intermarriage among the Chinese in the United States in 1980

Unbeknownst to many, intermarriage among the Chinese—that is, marriages between Chinese and non–Chinese—and especially marriages between Chinese and whites, once considered taboo, is on the rise. Currently, 31.5% of all Chinese marriages involve non–Chinese. Moreover, 22% of all Chinese marriages involve white partners. Two major questions are addressed in this study: (1) What are the major patterns of Chinese intermarriage in the United States? and (2) What factors are involved in the prevalence of intermarriage among the Chinese? The 1980 U.S. Census Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS) five percent A sample was used to answer these two questions. Patterns of Chinese intermarriage are discussed. The effects of general status, residence, socioeconomic status, and acculturation on Chinese intermarriage were examined.
Salivary Vasodilators of Aedes triseriatus and Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae)

Salivary vasodilators of Aedes aegypti (L.) and Anopheles albimanus (Wiedemann) were characterized previously as a tachykinin peptide and a catechol oxidase/peroxidase activity, respectively. To verify whether these two different vasodilators also were found in other distantly related members of each mosquito genus, we characterized the vasodilators from A. triseriatus and A. gambiae. A. triseriatus salivary gland homogenates produced a reversible, endothelium dependent vasorelaxation of rabbit aortic rings constricted with norepinephrine, and contracted an isolated guinea pig ileum preparation. Additionally, the homogenate had no activity on both smooth muscle preparations when both tissues were desensitized previously by a large dose of substance P. Taken together, these assays suggest the presence of a salivary tachykinin in A. triseriatus. A. gambiae salivary gland homogenates induced a slow vasodilation on both endothelium intact and endotheliumless preparations of aortic rings. A. gambiae homogenates also displayed catechol oxidase and peroxidase activity against o-dianisidine but not against serotonin, indicating the presence of an enzyme system slightly different from A. albimanus. We conclude that the presence of salivary tachykinins or catechol/oxidase is not unique to A. aegypti or A. albimanus.
Design Details of the Transient CHI Plasma Start-up System on NSTX-U

Elimination of the central solenoid would simplify the engineering design of a fusion nuclear science facility and tokamak based devices. The method of transient coaxial helicity injection (CHI) has successfully demonstrated formation of a high-quality closed flux plasma in NSTX and will be used as the front end of the start-up method for a full demonstration of noninductive current start-up, followed by noninductive current ramp-up using neutral beams in the NSTX-U device that is now under construction at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. CHI is implemented by driving current along open field lines that connect the lower inner and outer divertor plates of a spherical torus. The engineering system requirements and the design of the CHI system on NSTX-U are described.
Do losses loom larger for children than adults

The large impact of loss of reward on behavior has been well documented in adult populations. However, whether responsiveness to loss relative to gain is similarly elevated in child versus adult populations remains unclear. It is also unclear whether relations between incentive behaviors and self-reported reward/punishment sensitivity are similar within different developmental stages. To investigate these questions, 7- to 10-year-old children (N = 70) and young adults (N = 70) completed the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System (BIS/BAS) scale, along with 2 probabilistic incentive tasks assessing gain approach and loss avoidance behavior. BIS/BAS subscales were calculated per Pagliaccio et al. (2015), which established an age invariant model of the BIS/BAS. Bias toward responses more frequently followed by gain feedback and away from responses more frequently followed by loss feedback, approach, and avoidance behavior, respectively, were quantified via signal detection statistics. Gain approach behavior did not differ across age groups; however, children exhibited significantly elevated loss avoidance relative to adults. Children also showed greater reductions in accuracy and slower RTs specifically following loss feedback relative to adults. Interestingly, despite age group differences in loss avoidance behavior, relations between self-report measures and approach/avoidance behaviors were similar across age groups. Participants reporting elevated motivation (BAS Drive) showed both elevated gain approach and elevated loss avoidance, with both types of behavior predicting unique variance in BAS Drive. Results highlight the often-neglected developmental and motivational roles of responsiveness to loss of reward.
Body boundary and field-dependence.

This study investigated the relationship between body boundary articulation, as measured by Fisher and Cleveland, and Witkin's field dependence-independence dimensions of perception. While these two concepts seem to be logically connected, no significant relationships (rs of .15 to .35) were obtained for 20 undergraduates. There is a need for further clarification and refinement in the concepts of Penetration and Barrier scores for body image.