cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear and semilinear dynamic poroelasticity with microstructure

Abstract Nonlinear equations for wave propagation through dry or fluid-saturated porous elastic media are derived using a variational formulation. The method presented is very similar to the approach of Bedford and Drumheller, including microinertia terms for local density fluctuations of fluid and solid. One major difference is the choice of a Lagrangian (rather than Eulerian) reference frame locked to the solid constituent. This choice of reference frame is preferable for porous solids and also allows direct comparison to Biot's theories of nonlinear and semilinear rheology of porous solids.
Aerosol Formulations of Terbutaline and Isoproterenol in Theophylline-Stabilized Asthmatic Patients

A metered-dose aerosol formulation of terbutaline sulfate (Brethaire), 0.400 mg four times daily, was compared with an identical formulation of isoproterenol sulfate, 0.150 mg four times daily, in a parallel, double-blind, clinical study completed by 40 adult patients with asthma. All patients had been stabilized on theophylline (serum levels of 10 to 20 ml). The effectiveness of isoproterenol peaked between 5 and 15 minutes after administration. The effectiveness of terbutaline peaked between 5 and 120 minutes after administration. In each of five visits spaced over a three-month period, patients receiving terbutaline showed a longer duration of bronchodilatory effect than those receiving isoproterenol, with the greatest difference occurring at 60 and 120 minutes after drug administration.
Reaction between oxygen difluoride and diborane. I - Preliminary results

Oxygen difluoride-diborane reaction measured for pressure-temperature relationships and gas composition dependence on time, noting possible applications as hypergolic rocket propellants
Serine protease activation of near-silent epithelial Na+ channels.

The regulation of epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) function is critical for normal salt and water balance. This regulation is achieved through cell surface insertion/retrieval of channels, by changes ...
Gigantomastia complicating mirror syndrome in pregnancy.

Abstract background Gigantomastia is a rare and dangerous condition in pregnancy. Although improvement after delivery is likely, postpartum aggravation is possible. To date, various pharmacological approaches have been tried, with only marginal effectiveness. Surgical intervention is often necessary. Case A young woman presented at 32 weeks’ gestation with mirror syndrome and gigantomastia. Two years earlier she had had reduction mammoplasty by free nipple transplant. She delivered by cesarean. Rapid postpartum progression of gigantomastia led to breast necrosis and sepsis. The clinical course was complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome and renal failure. Emergent bilateral simple mastectomy was performed, with subsequent clinical improvement. Conclusion When this devastating condition occurs in pregnancy or postpartum, urgent surgical intervention may prevent potentially fatal complications.
Multiple α subunits of integrin are involved in cell-mediated responses of the Manduca immune system

The cell-mediated responses of the insect innate immune system—phagocytosis, nodulation, encapsulation—involve multiple cell adhesion molecules of hemocyte surfaces. A hemocyte-specific (HS) integrin and a member of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily (neuroglian) are involved in the encapsulation response of hemocytes in Manduca sexta. In addition, two new integrin alpha (α) subunits have been found on these hemocytes. The α2 subunit is mainly expressed in epidermis and Malphigian tubules, whereas the α3 subunit is primarily expressed on hemocytes and fat body cells. Of the three known α subunits, the α1 subunit found in HS integrin is the predominant subunit of hemocytes. Cell adhesion assays indicate that α2 belongs to the integrin family with RGD-binding motifs, confirming the phylogenetic analysis of α subunits based on the amino-acid sequence alignment of different α subunits. Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) targeting each of these three integrin α subunits not only specifically decreased transcript expression of each α subunit in hemocytes, but also abolished the cell-mediated encapsulation response of hemocytes to foreign surfaces. The individual α subunits of M. sexta integrins, like their integrin counterparts in mammalian immune systems, have critical, individual roles in cell–substrate and cell–cell interactions during immune responses.
Environmental Fate of ( Z )-11-Hexadecenal and ( Z )-9-Tetradecenal, Components of a Sex Pheromone of the Tobacco Budworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The fate of ( Z )-II-hexadecenal [( Z )-II-HDAL] and ( Z )-9-tetradecenal [( Z -9-TDAL] was determined in soil and water with 10 mg of chemical per 100 g of soil or water. Both chemicals dissipated rapidly from each substrate, with a half-life for ( Z -9-TDAL of 30 h and 12 h in water at 22°C and 32°C, respectively, compared with a half-life of 90 h and 47 h for ( Z -II-HDAL at these temperatures. In soil, ( Z -9-TDAL and ( Z -II-HDAL had half-lives of 29 hand 50 h, respectively, at 22°C, and half-lives of 10 h and 16 h at 32°C. Most of the degradation products previously reported for the two compounds in hexane solutions were detected in water, but only the acid components were detected in soil.
Resonance Raman Evidence for Secondary Protein--Schiff Base Interactions in Bacteriorhodopsin: Correlation of the Primary Excitation Mechanism with a Model for Proton Pumping and Visual Transduction

Resonance Raman spectra of bacteriorhodopsin (in various isotopically labelled and natural environments) and rhodopsins demonstrate that in all bacteriorhodopsin species with protonated Schiff base linkages, there is a secondary protein-Schiff base interaction. Steady state resonance Raman spectra of 15 N labelled purple membrane fragments and kinetic resonance Raman spectra (k.r.R.s.) as a function of pH, are consistent with the suggestion that the e-amino group of a lysine residue is responsible for this secondary protein-protonated Schiff base interaction. Spectra of bacteriorhodopsin photo-intermediates with unprotonated Schiff base linkages demonstrate that the secondary protein-Schiff base interaction is absent in these species. These results, together with the accessibility of the protonated Schiff base in bacteriorhodopsin (bR 570 ) to solvent from the external medium and the insensitivity to pH of the secondary lysine-Schiff base complex in bR 570 , suggest a structure for the complex in which the Schiff base proton is interacting with an amino acid side chain in an unprotonated configuration. In addition k.r.R.s. as a function of pH has demonstrated that the protein-Schiff base complex has a p K > 12 before light absorption and a p K in the range between 9.9 and 10.3 microseconds after light absorpion. These results suggest a molecular mechanism for proton pumping, which appears to account for the changes that are observed in the visible absorption spectrum and the resonance Raman spectrum as a function of proton pumping and pH. Finally, our results on bacteriorhodopsin and rhodopsin indicate that the primary excitation mechanism in these pigments, which produce remarkably similar absorption red shifts on similar time scales with different chromophore conformations and Schiff base interactions, must involve some region in the active site removed from the Schiff base and unrelated to a simple 11- cis to all- trans isomerization. A proton translocation in the protein together with retinal structural alteration (Lewis 1978) certainly fits all our observations and results in plausible molecular transformations which can account for the spectral similarities of all rhodopsins and bacteriorhodopsin while accounting for their functional diversity.
Nonparametric Bootstrap Confidence Intervals for Variance Components Applied to Interlaboratory Comparisons

Exact confidence intervals for variance components in linear mixed models rely heavily on normal distribution assumptions. If the random effects in the model are not normally distributed, then the true coverage probabilities of these conventional intervals may be erratic. In this paper we examine the performance of nonparametric bootstrap confidence intervals based on restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimators. Asymptotic theory suggests that these intervals will achieve the nominal coverage value as the sample size increases. Incorporating a small-sample adjustment term in the bootstrap confidence interval construction process improves the performance of these intervals for small to intermediate sample sizes. Simulation studies suggest that the bootstrap standard method (with a transformation) and the bootstrap bias-corrected and accelerated (BCa) method produce confidence intervals that have good coverage probabilities under a variety of distribution assumptions. For an interlaboratory comparison of mercury concentration in oyster tissue, a balanced one-way random effects model is used to quantify the proportion of the variation in mercury concentration that can be attributed to the laboratories. In this application the exact confidence interval using normal distribution theory produces misleading results and inferences based on nonparametric bootstrap procedures are more appropriate.
Effect of Gray Strain Infectious Bronchitis Virus and High Dietary Calcium on Renal Function of Single Comb White Leghorn Pullets at 6, 10, and 18 Weeks of Age

Experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of Gray strain infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and high dietary calcium (Ca), alone and in combination, on renal function in pullets. Eight hundred female Single Comb White Leghorn chicks were raised on starter ration. Five hundred chicks were inoculated intravenously with Gray strain IBV at 4 wk of age; the remaining chicks were not exposed to IBV. At 6 wk of age, IBV-inoculated and uninoculated chicks were randomly divided into two diet treatment groups. Half the chicks were fed commercial grower ration (approximately 1.0% Ca, .6% available P) and half were fed commercial layer ration (approximately 3.25% Ca, .5% available P). Birds remained on their respective diets until 18 wk of age. Kidney function studies were conducted on anesthetized birds at 6 wk of age prior to initiation of the diet treatments, at 10 wk of age, and at 18 wk of age. The layer ration increased Ca excretion, decreased inorganic phosphate excretion, and decreased urine hydrogen ion concentration in 10-wk-old pullets in comparison with the grower ration. These diet effects on kidney function were attenuated when the pullets reached 18 wk of age. The layer ration also caused an 11.5% incidence of urolithiasis, and significantly increased kidney asymmetry in 18-wk-old pullets relative to the effects of the grower ration. Gray strain IBV exposure significantly increased kidney asymmetry in 18-wk-old pullets, but had no gross effect on kidney function clearly related to the etiology of urolithiasis. Gray strain IBV did not enhance the incidence of urolithiasis in any of the age groups.
A Composite Likelihood Approach to Binary Spatial Data

Abstract Conventional geostatistics addresses the problem of estimation and prediction for continuous observations. But in many practical applications in public health, environmental remediation, or ecological research the most commonly available data are in the form of counts (e.g., number of cases) or indicator variables denoting above or below threshold values. Also, in many situations it is less expensive to obtain an imprecise categorical observation than to obtain precise measurements of the variable of interest (such as a contaminant). This article proposes a computationally simple method for estimation and prediction using binary or indicator data in space. The proposed method is based on pairwise likelihood contributions, and the large-sample properties of the estimators are obtained in a straightforward manner. We illustrate the methodology through application to indicator data related to gypsy moth defoliation in Massachusetts.
Lower HIV Provirus Levels Are Associated with More APOBEC3G Protein in Blood Resting Memory CD4+ T Lymphocytes of Controllers In Vivo

Immunodeficiency does not progress for prolonged periods in some HLA B57- and/or B27-positive subjects with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) infection, even in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART). These “controllers” have fewer HIV provirus-containing peripheral blood mononuclear cells than “non-controller” subjects, but lymphocytes that harbor latent proviruses were not specifically examined in studies to date. Provirus levels in resting memory cells that can serve as latent reservoirs of HIV in blood were compared here between controllers and ART-suppressed non-controllers. APOBEC3G (A3G), a cellular factor that blocks provirus formation at multiple steps if not antagonized by HIV virion infectivity factor (Vif), was also studied. HLA-linked HIV control was associated with less provirus and more A3G protein in resting CD4+ T central memory (Tcm) and effector memory (Tem) lymphocytes (provirus: p = 0.01 for Tcm and p = 0.02 for Tem; A3G: p = 0.02 for Tcm and p = 0.02 for Tem). Resting memory T cells with the highest A3G protein levels (>0.5 RLU per unit of actin) had the lowest levels of provirus (<1,000 copies of DNA per million cells) in vivo (p = 0.03, Fisher's exact test). Using two different experimental approaches, Vif-positive viruses with more A3G were found to have decreased virion infectivity ex vivo. These results raise the hypothesis that HIV control is associated with increased cellular A3G that may be packaged into Vif-positive virions to add that mode of inhibition of provirus formation to previously described adaptive immune mechanisms for HIV control.
Genesis of the Meiji Government in Japan, 1868-1871

Wilson's book presents an orderly picture of the organs of government and the men who staffed them during the period.
The effect of sodium hydroxide on crystallite orientation measurements in cotton fibers

The crystallite reorientation brought about by the swelling of cotton with sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH) has been investigated. The degree of reorientation as indicated by the decreased value of x-ray angle may arise from deconvoluting and not necessarily from a change in orientation of the crystallites within the fibrillar structure.
A Multi-Mechanics Approach to Computational Heat Transfer

We present a turbulent combustion code for modeling heat transfer in fires that arise in accident scenarios. The code is a component of a multi-mechanics framework and is based on a domain-decomposition, message-passing approach to parallel computing. The turbulent combustion code is based on a vertex-centered, finite-volume scheme for 3D unstructured meshes. The multi-mechanics nature of the frameworks allows us to couple to a conduction heat transfer code for conjugate heat transfer problems or a participating media radiation code for radiation transport in soot-laden flows. We describe our numerical methods, our approach to parallel computing, and the multi-mechanics frameworks. We demonstrate parallel performance using some example verification problems.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
The role of osteocalcin in the endocrine cross-talk between bone remodelling and energy metabolism

Bone remodelling, which maintains bone mass constant during adulthood, is an energy-demanding process. This, together with the observation that the adipocyte-derived hormone leptin is a major inhibitor of bone remodelling, led to the hypothesis that bone cells regulate energy metabolism through an endocrine mechanism. Studies to test this hypothesis identified osteocalcin, a hormone secreted by osteoblasts, as a positive regulator of insulin secretion, insulin resistance and energy expenditure. Remarkably, insulin signalling in osteoblasts is a positive regulator of osteocalcin production and activation via its ability to indirectly enhance bone resorption by osteoclasts. In contrast, leptin is a potent inhibitor of osteocalcin function through its effect on the sympathetic tone. Hence, osteocalcin is part of a complex signalling network between bone and the organs more classically associated with the regulation of energy homeostasis, such as the pancreas and adipose tissue. This review summarises the molecular and cellular bases of the present knowledge on osteocalcin biology and discusses the potential relevance of osteocalcin to human metabolism and pathology.
Ca2+ channel modulation and kinase-C activation in a pituitary cell line: induction of immediate early genes and inhibition of proliferation.

We have studied the interaction between dihydropyridine (DHP) Ca2+ modulators and the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) on whole cell Ca2+ currents, 45Ca2+ uptake, immediate early gene (IEG) expression, and proliferation in the rat pituitary GH4C1 cell line. When short (3- to 5-msec) depolarizing voltage clamp steps were used to activate L-type Ca2+ channels, the DHP Ca2+ agonist (-)Bay K 8644 markedly enhanced Ca2+ entry by slowing channel closing upon repolarization. In contrast, the Ca2+ agonist induced only small and inconsistent increases in c-fos mRNA and did not measurably increase NGFI-A. Ca2+ channel activation by depolarization with 50 mM KCl in the presence of (-)Bay K 8644 induced large increases in 45Ca2+ uptake, but failed to markedly induce either of the IEGs. The phorbol ester PMA did not alter T- or L-type Ca2+ current or 45Ca2+ uptake by GH4C1 cells, but triggered large increases in both c-fos and NGFI-A mRNA. In combination, PMA and (-)Bay K 8644 acted synergistically ...
A new strategy for the protection of deoxyguanosine during oligonucleotide synthesis

The protection of the 6-oxo group of deoxyguanosine with the 2-trimethylsilylethyl (2), phenylthioethyl (3), 4-nitrophenylthioethyl (4), 4-nintrophenethyl (5), and cyanoethyl (6) groups is described. Each protecting group is introduced in good yield and is cleaved under mild conditions. Compatibility with the various approaches to oligonucleotide synthesis is discussed.
Measuring the electrical charge of magnetic vortices in type-II superconductors: experimental design and data analysis

A experimental scheme which is capable of measuring the electrical charge bound in the cores of vortices in type-II superconductors is described. The apparatus, measurement procedure, and data analysis, which should unambiguously distinguish the vortex charge signal from other physical effects, are presented along with a description of the calibration procedure which provides an absolute value for the vortex line charge density.
Characterization of the Soluble and Insoluble Fractions of Upper Freeport Coal in NMP/CS2 and Pyridine Using Small Angle Neutron Scattering

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to characterize the solution structure of coal extract/solvent systems as well as swelling-induced structural changes in the nonextractable residues derived from the Upper Freeport (UF), medium-volatile bituminous, coal. Studies were performed on the pyridine soluble (PyS) fraction dispersed in perdeuterated pyridine (dPy); the PyS fraction dispersed in the mixed solvent [dm, perdeuterated N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP) and carbon disulfide, CS2], and the mixed solvent soluble fraction (MS) in dM. No coherent scattering was observed for the UF-MS/dM sample in the accessible Q range, indicating that the solution contains no large particles or aggregates. Strong coherent scattering was observed for the UF-PyS/dPy and UF-PyS/dM solutions, indicating the presence of large particles, presumably molecular aggregates. Comparison of the SANS behavior of the three samples suggests that there exist molecular components intrinsic to the pyridine insoluble NMP/CS 2 soluble fraction that may play a significant role in the enhanced solvation of the mixed soluble fraction of the Upper Freeport coal in NMP/CS 2 solvent. SANS analysis of the dry and pyridine (d5)-swollen UF-PyI and UF-MI residues revealed significant structure evident by power-law scattering behavior in the low Q region of both sets of samples. In the case of the UF-MI samples, significant scattering intensity was also observed in the intermediate Q region. Significant structural changes were observed in the UF-MI fractions upon swelling in pyridine, whereas minimal structural changes were observed in the case of UF-PyI sample during solvent swelling. These results reveal that the physical consequences of mixed solvent extraction are significantly different from those due to pyridine extraction.
Flow cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting in plants: the past, present, and future

Introduction: Flow cytometry and cell sorting are powerful technologies for examining the molecular, genetic, and physiological properties of individual cells.Objective: The objective of this article is to provide a historical survey of the development of flow cytometry and cell sorting for use with higher plants, a summary of the state of art at the present day, and a prediction of where the field might progress over the coming years.Methods: Adapting flow cytometry and sorting for use with higher plants requires the production of single cell suspensions, or suspensions of subcellular organelles. It also requires identification of methods for fluorescence labeling of the cells or organelles of interest, such that they can be usefully analyzed and sorting. These methods are identified and outlined.Results and conclusions: Recent advances in molecular and biotechnological methods, platforms, and instrumentation, combined with flow cytometry and sorting, provide increasingly powerful analytical tools for exploring the components and structure of regulatory networks governing plant growth and development, and the interactions of plants with their environments. They also will be invaluable in cataloguing the individual species that comprise the biological diversity of flowering plants.
Shock temperatures and melting in CsI.

Shock-temperature measurements have been made on CsI up to 10 800 K and 0.9 Mbar. Melting has been observed to occur at 0.25 Mbar and 3500 K. A simple model for melting based on the packing of soft spheres is shown to adequately describe the data. The results suggest that in the liquid along the freezing line there is a gradual pressure-induced change from an open NaCl-like structure to one in which atoms are arranged as in a close-packed monatomic fluid. Above 5000 K, electronic excitation is observed to occur due to the high shock temperatures generated and the narrowing of the CsI band gap under pressure.
Role of dentilisin in Treponema denticola epithelial cell layer penetration

Treponema denticola is an oral anaerobic spirochete implicated in periodontal diseases. The chymotrypsin-like protease, dentilisin (PrtP), has been suggested to be an important virulence factor of T. denticola. In this study, we examined the role of dentilisin in T. denticola epithelial monolayer penetration by comparing the wild type and prtP mutant. Wild-type T. denticola can disrupt transepithelial resistance (TER) and substantially penetrate the HEp-2 cell layer. The prtP mutant altered the monolayer only slightly and penetrated the Hep-2 layer in very low numbers. The membrane fraction of wild-type T. denticola is able to complement the prtP mutant in monolayer penetration, while the comparable fraction from the mutant has no such effect. Immunofluorescence studies suggested that wild-type T. denticola altered the TER by likely degrading the tight junctional proteins such as ZO-1. Cytotoxicity was not a major factor in the disruption of TER. The outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of wild-type T. denticola also disrupted epithelial barrier function and penetrated the epithelial layers. Taken together, these results suggest that T. denticola penetrates the epithelial cell monolayers by altering cellular tight junctions.
Supervisor Impression Management: Message Content and Channel Effects on Impressions

The current study focuses on the delivery of negative feedback and how supervisors can accomplish that delivery while maintaining their own image and their employees' face. We look at delivery of feedback with and without face-saving messages through two different channels: face-to-face (FtF) and email. Results indicate that the inclusion of face-saving messages had relatively consistent positive effects on a variety of employees' impressions of supervisors. Channel was found to interact with message content to impact perceived face threat of a message and the perception of the supervisor's appropriateness. These findings are discussed in terms of theoretical and practical applications, as are limitations and directions for future research.
Nearly instantaneous alternatives in quantum mechanics

Usual quantum mechanics predicts probabilities for the outcomes of measurements carried out at definite moments of time. However, realistic measurements do not take place in an instant, but are extended over a period of time. The assumption of instantaneous alternatives in usual quantum mechanics is an approximation whose validity can be investigated in the generalized quantum mechanics of closed systems in which probabilities are predicted for spacetime alternatives that extend over time. In this paper we investigate how alternatives extended over time reduce to the usual instantaneous alternatives in the quantum mechanics of a nonrelativistic particle moving in one dimension. Specifically, we consider the coarse-grained alternatives of whether the particle remains to the left, remains to the right, or sometimes crosses the origin in a period of time. We show how the decoherence of this set of spacetime alternatives becomes automatic as the time over which they extend approaches zero and estimate how large this time can be before the interference between the alternatives becomes non-negligible. These results suggest that the time scale over which this kind of coarse graining of quantities such as the center of mass position of a massive body may be extended in time before producingmore » significant interference is much longer than characteristic dynamical time scales. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}« less
Guest editorial: special issue on search and pursuit-evasion with mobile robots

Search problems (in which the objective is to find possibly mobile targets) and pursuit-evasion games (where one or more pursuers try to capture an evader who, in turn, tries to avoid capture) both have long histories in mathematics, operations research, and computer science. Classical results were sometimes driven by mere intellectual curiosity but more often by the wide range of applications, mainly in military settings. Only recently, however, have such tasks been performed by robotic systems. The increased capabilities of mobile robots are enabling autonomous search and rescue, robotic surveillance, unmanned reconnaissance, and other technologies. Beyond these applications, search and pursuit-evasion missions serve as catalysts for robotics research. That is, to develop autonomous systems for these tasks, it is necessary to build on classical tools and develop new ones which are capable of dealing with environmental complexity, sensing limitations, communication constraints, and robustness issues. The primary aim of this special issue entitled Search and Pursuit-Evasion with Mobile Robots is to bridge the gap be-
Mcm10 self-association is mediated by an N-terminal coiled-coil domain.

Minichromosome maintenance protein 10 (Mcm10) is an essential eukaryotic DNA-binding replication factor thought to serve as a scaffold to coordinate enzymatic activities within the replisome. Mcm10 appears to function as an oligomer rather than in its monomeric form (or rather than as a monomer). However, various orthologs have been found to contain 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 subunits and thus, this issue has remained controversial. Here, we show that self-association of Xenopus laevis Mcm10 is mediated by a conserved coiled-coil (CC) motif within the N-terminal domain (NTD). Crystallographic analysis of the CC at 2.4 A resolution revealed a three-helix bundle, consistent with the formation of both dimeric and trimeric Mcm10 CCs in solution. Mutation of the side chains at the subunit interface disrupted in vitro dimerization of both the CC and the NTD as monitored by analytical ultracentrifugation. In addition, the same mutations also impeded self-interaction of the full-length protein in vivo, as measured by yeast-two hybrid assays. We conclude that Mcm10 likely forms dimers or trimers to promote its diverse functions during DNA replication.
Studies in continuous polymerization

The theory of continuous polymerization processes has been developed in a form that permits experimental verification. Under selected experimental conditions it has been found possible to predict the asymptotic, or steady state, conversion without recourse to any assumptions concerning the kinetic order of the polymerization reaction. The theory has been compared with results obtained for the continuous solution polymerization of styrene. Emulsion copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate was carried out by a continuous process in the range 35–55°C. These polymerizations were extended over periods up to 48 hours and with the steady state conversions varying between 35 and 85%. The observation that the conversion passes through a maximum and then decreases somewhat to the steady state value has been found to fit in well with Harkins' picture of emulsion polymerization. A method for obtaining a composition fractionation of styrene-methyl methacrylate copolymer was developed. Batch and continuous emulsion copolymers (obtained at 77% conversion) were fractionated by this method and it was established that the continuously prepared copolymer was compositionally more homogeneous than the other in spite of the complexity of emulsion polymerizations.
Impact of combat and social support on PTSD and alcohol consumption in OEF/OIF veterans

We tested buffering and direct effect theories of social support to determine if combat exposure level moderated relationships between two aspects of social support (unit cohesion and postdeployment support) and two outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and alcohol consumption) in 69 hazardous-drinking OEF/OIF veterans (65% Caucasian, 91% male). Combat exposure moderated the relationship between unit cohesion and PTSD. Unit cohesion was related to lower PTSD severity only for veterans with less severe combat exposure. Higher postdeployment support was related to less severe PTSD for all veterans. Alcohol consumption results were not significant.
Net-Help: An On-Line Rule Based Help System For The Network

The application of expert systems to network management is a promising area. Much work is in progress in the area of network diagnoses and maintenance. Here we explore the possibility of employing expert systems in a new way, namely in providing on-line help to users in a network environment. Since the knowledge base can be quite large and incrementally expanded, expert system techniques are ideal. This paper describes a research effort to design and develop a prototype for such a rule based expert system. As an initial step Net-Help version 1 has been developed for users on a UNIX host and networked with other hosts using ethernet. The paper discusses the features and the usefulness of the system. It also deals with the implementation of the rule based Net-Help system on an AT&T 3B2 computer using 0PS83 production system language. A sample session and the related tree structure is included to illustrate the user interface and logical structure. Net-Help will serve as an on-line consultant which is interactive on both the user end and the network end. Network information is acquired as and when it is needed by Net-Help interactions. This is mainly done for validation checks performed before suggesting commands such as file transfer. Similar tools can also be used for tutoring purposes. Net-Help can be easily expanded to provide help in non-Unix environments or when computers are networked using a different protocol.
Functional Properties of Soy Protein Isolates Produced from Ultrasonicated Defatted Soy Flakes

This study aimed to determine the effect of pretreating defatted soy flakes with ultrasound on soy protein isolate (SPI) yield and functionality. Defatted soy flakes dispersed into water (16%, w/w) were sonicated for 30, 60 and 120 s at ultrasonic amplitudes of 21 and 84 µmpp (peak to peak amplitude in µm), representing low and high power, respectively. The power densities were 0.30 and 2.56 W mL−1, respectively. The SPI yield increased by 13 and 34%, after sonication for 120 s at low and high power, respectively. The sonication of defatted soy flakes for 120 s at the higher power level improved the SPI solubility by 34% at pH 7.0, while decreasing emulsification and foaming capacities by 12 and 26%, respectively, when compared to control SPI. Rheological behavior of the SPI was also modified with significant loss in consistency coefficient due to sonication. Some of these results could be explained by the loss of the protein native state with increased sonication time and power.
Socioeconomic Status and Health Over the Life Course and Across Generations: Introduction to a Special Issue and Overview of a Unique Data Resource

Over the last roughly 15 years there has been an explosion of research by economists on the connection between socioeconomic factors and health. This interest is motivated by the fact that there is a very strong association between various measures of socioeconomic status on the one hand–including education, income, wealth, and neighborhood characteristics–and almost all measures of health including specific health conditions, physical functioning, and mortality (e.g., Deaton and Paxson, 1998a, 1998b; Smith, 1999). This association–which was initially documented by scientists from other disciplines (see early reviews by Adler (1994) and McIntyre (1997))–exists in almost every society that has been examined (Mackenbach et al., 2008) and at every point in the lifecycle. Whether this strong association is due to socioeconomic factors causing changes in health, health influencing socioeconomic status, some alternative mechanism, or a combination of all three, has been the focus of much of this research. Recognizing the unique role that the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) could play in helping scientists understand the socioeconomic–health gradient, a conference funded by the National Institute on Aging was held in September 2010 where 30 papers using the PSID were presented. A subset of these manuscripts were submitted to the BE Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy, reviewed according to the journal’s usual procedures, and published in this special issue. While these papers identify important issues and represent the kind of work that can be conducted with the PSID, a vast array of analyses can be supported with these data. The PSID website provides a bibliography of all papers ever written using the PSID, including keyword listings for articles on health topics. In this introductory article we describe the unique aspects of the PSID that allow scientists to investigate the connections between socioeconomic (SES) factors and health at a point in time, over the life course, and across generations, referencing the articles in the special issue, where relevant. By providing a more in-depth description of the unique characteristics of the PSID, this introductory article serves as a useful companion to the articles in the special issue. Moreover, we hope this article will stimulate new ideas by scientists who will then use these data to improve our understanding of the causes and consequences of the SES-health gradient.
Effects of low-dose hydrocortisone therapy on immune function in neonatal horses

Low-dose hydrocortisone (LDHC) therapy modulates inflammatory responses in adults and improves outcomes in some septic adults and neonates, but its immunologic effects have not been evaluated in neonates. The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of LDHC therapy on ex vivo immune function in neonatal horses (foals). We hypothesized that LDHC treatment would dampen proinflammatory responses without impairing neutrophil function. Hydrocortisone (1.3 mg/kg/d i.v.) was administered to foals in a tapering 3.5 d course. Peripheral blood leukocytes were collected from foals before, during, and after hydrocortisone treatment. A separate group of age-matched untreated foals served as controls. Endotoxin-induced peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene expression of inflammatory cytokines was measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Neutrophils were incubated with labeled, killed Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli for assessment of phagocytosis, and with phorbol myristate acetate, zymosan, or endotoxin for measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Neutrophil phagocytosis and ROS production were similar in both groups. Foals receiving hydrocortisone had significantly decreased endotoxin-induced expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β. These data suggest that this LDHC treatment regimen ameliorates endotoxin-induced proinflammatory cytokine expression in neonatal foals without impairing innate immune responses needed to combat bacterial infection.
Response of fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites through computational modeling of damage

Abstract Uni-axial tension experiments with a uni-directional ceramic matrix composite have indicated which damage mechanisms are active during the deformation history. A finite element model has been developed to investigate the onset and evolution of these experimentally observed damage mechanisms in a unit cell. This computational model is based on an axisymmetric unit cell which is discretized into cohesive interface elements and linearly elastic elements. As cohesive elements fail according to critical stress and energy release rate criteria, cracks form and propagate. To obtain converged solutions during crack propagation the full dynamic equations were solved implicitly using the Newmark method. The unit cell response was determined as a function of the fiber/matrix interface strength and toughness and as a function of the matrix toughness. Details of matrix crack propagation and the subsequent debond initiation were observed, and the implications for material toughening are discussed. The simplest unit cell response was averaged using the experimentally determined evolution of matrix crack density. The averaged response of the unit cell corresponds very well to the experimentally measured macroscopic composite response.
Evoked cortical responses to patterned light flashes: Effects of ocular convergence and accommodation

Abstract Visually evoked cortical responses and visual acuity were investigated as a function of changes in accommodation (accommodation stimuli of 0, −1.25, −2.50 and −5.0 diopters) and convergence (convergence stimuli of 0, −4, −8 and −16 prism diopters). The effects of convergence on both evoked response amplitude and visual acuity depended on the accommodative stimulus used: increasing the convergence stimulus from 0 to −16 prism diopters resulted in a reduction in both measures when the 0 diopter accommodative stimulus was used, whereas it resulted in an enhancement of both measures when the −5 diopter accommodative stimulus was used. Evoked potential amplitude was greatest and visual acuity best when the stimuli to accommodate and converge were associated; that is, simulated the same viewing distance. Evoked response amplitude appeared to reflect the degree to which subjects accommodated the different experimental conditions since response amplitude was positively correlated with visual acuity. The results were discussed in terms of the physiological and functional relationship between convergence and accommodation.
Relativity from Quantum Theory

Starting from the fact that the geodesic structure of the projective space of quantum pure states gives a natural explanation for the fundamentality of spin 1/2 systems in relativistic quantum theory, and making use of the inducing construction for infinite-dimensional representations of groups in vector bundles over projective space, a proposal for unifying physical theory in terms of a possible derivation of relativistic physics from pure quantum theory is presented.
Dominant negative MYC blocks transformation by ABL oncogenes

A link between ABL oncogenes and MYC is suggested by the transformation synergy that is observed when MYC is expressed at high levels. Dominant negative MYC proteins were overexpressed in fibroblasts to determine if MYC complements ABL oncogene transformation or is essential for this process. Transformation by both v-abl and BCR-ABL oncogenes was reduced 5- to 10-fold, whereas transformation by the serine/threonine kinase oncogene v-mos was unaffected. Using a retrovirus construct modified to express BCR-ABL and MYC genes simultaneously, we show that dominant negative MYC suppressed transformation of primary mouse bone marrow pre-B cells by BCR-ABL. These observations demonstrate that c-MYC is essential for transformation and help define the pathway by which these proteins cause transformation.
Tastes and technology: curvature is not sufficient for regularity

In specifications of tastes and technology, econometricians often impose curvature globally, but monotonicity only locally or not at all. In fact monotonicity rarely is even mentioned in that literature. But without satisfaction of both curvature and monotonicity, the second-order conditions for optimizing behavior fail, and duality theory fails. The resulting first-order conditions, demand functions, and supply functions become invalid. Although unconstrained specifications of technology are more likely to produce violations of curvature than monotonicity, I believe that induced violations of monotonicity become common, when curvature alone is imposed. Hence the current common practice of equating regularity with curvature is not justified.
Defective microbicidal activity in glutathione peroxidase-deficient neutrophils of selenium-deficient rats.

SEVERAL enzymes are involved in the microbicidal activity of phagocytes1–3. Gluthathione peroxidase (GSHPx) deficiency has been associated with decreased microbicidal ability in leukocytes from two female patients with chronic granulomatous disease, a rare hereditary disorder4. With the discovery that the essential trace element selenium (Se) is an integral part of GSHPx, it is now possible to induce experimental GSHPx deficiency by feeding animals a Sedeficient diet5. We report here an impairment in the killing of yeast cells ingested by GSHPx-deficient leukocytes from rats depleted of Se.
Microbiological and Sensory Evaluation of a Dehydrated Turkey Meat Product

Abstract A dehydrated turkey meat product, “turkey jerky,” was prepared and tested for acceptance using microbial and sensory methods. Jerky was prepared with and without the addition of sorbic acid and evaluated organoleptically and microbiologically during five and seven months storage, respectively. Untreated samples of 18 and 30% moisture content were stored at both 5 and 25° C. Evaluation of untreated samples showed continuous microbial development in the 30% moisture product stored at 25° C. Sporadic recoveries of low levels of coagulase positive staphylococci and streptococci were made. Sorbic acid treated jerky samples were negative for food-borne pathogens and yielded low levels (
Design of vehicle lateral guidance system for driver assistance

Guidance information is significant to the driver during manual steering of a vehicle. With difficulty in perceiving the environment (e.g. in dense fog or white-out conditions), the driver may encounter problems of handling the vehicle safely. A supplementary guidance display, which includes the road information, the future vehicle position, and the current vehicle position, can provide the preview information to the driver. Two display laws for predicting the future position of the vehicle have been studied in previous research. The kinematic display law with simple formulation is suitable for low vehicle speeds, while the nonlinear gain-scheduled display law can be applied to a wide range of vehicle speeds. With the assistance of the lateral guidance system, the driver may act as a simple proportional controller to safely steer the vehicle. The results of closed-loop simulation show the advantage of the guidance display. The human-in-the-loop steering simulator is used to further validate the effectiveness of the lateral guidance system for driver assistance.
Trait-mediated trophic interactions: is foraging theory keeping up?

Many ecologists believe that there is a lack of foraging theory that works in community contexts, for populations of unique individuals each making trade-offs between food and risk that are subject to feedbacks from behavior of others. Such theory is necessary to reproduce the trait-mediated trophic interactions now recognized as widespread and strong. Game theory can address feedbacks but does not provide foraging theory for unique individuals in variable environments. ‘State- and prediction-based theory' (SPT) is a new approach that combines existing trade-off methods with routine updating: individuals regularly predict future food availability and risk from current conditions to optimize a fitness measure. SPT can reproduce a variety of realistic foraging behaviors and trait-mediated trophic interactions with feedbacks, even when the environment is unpredictable.
Ochratoxicosis in Beagle Dogs. II. Pathology

The gross lesions in 23 young male Beagle dogs given daily oral doses of 0.2–3.0 mg/kg body weight ochratoxin A consisted of moderate to severe mucohemorrhagic enteritis of the cecum, colon, and re...
Genome-wide association analyses of expression phenotypes.

A number of issues arise when analyzing the large amount of data from high-throughput genotype and expression microarray experiments, including design and interpretation of genome-wide association studies of expression phenotypes. These issues were considered by contributions submitted to Group 1 of the Genetic Analysis Workshop 15 (GAW15), which focused on the association of quantitative expression data. These contributions evaluated diverse hypotheses, including those relevant to cancer and obesity research, and used various analytic techniques, many of which were derived from information theory. Several observations from these reports stand out. First, one needs to consider the genetic model of the trait of interest and carefully select which single nucleotide polymorphisms and individuals are included early in the design stage of a study. Second, by targeting specific pathways when analyzing genome-wide data, one can generate more interpretable results than agnostic approaches. Finally, for datasets with small sample sizes but a large number of features like the Genetic Analysis Workshop 15 dataset, machine learning approaches may be more practical than traditional parametric approaches. Genet Epidemiol 31 (Suppl. 1): S7–S11, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.