cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Snowmelt timing determines aphid abundance through multitrophic interactions

Abstract Ecologically important relationships are being altered by climate change. It is important to understand these relationships in order to predict future changes in species distribution and abundance. Previous research has shown that aphid (Aphis asclepiadis) abundances correlate significantly with snowmelt date in subalpine Rocky Mountain ecosystems, with late snowmelt years correlating with larger aphid populations in summer. Although consistent across years, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not been previously identified. We suspected early snowmelt decreases aphid abundance by inducing early season host plant drought stress. In this study, we used an elevation gradient to mimic year-to-year variation in snowmelt date. We experimentally added soil moisture to separate the effects of early season drought stress on aphid populations from other effects of elevation and snowmelt date. Our manipulations resulted in significant responses in aphid abundance, ant abundance, aphid predators, and plant quality yet revealed host plant drought stress was a minor mechanism by which snowmelt determined aphid abundance. Instead, host plant phenology and mutualist behavior appeared to greatly influence aphid abundance. This research highlights the importance of considering multi-trophic interactions in determining the effects of climate change and how changes of snowmelt dates may be affecting insect communities.
Developing Cultural Competence From a Funds of Knowledge Framework: Ethnographic Interviewing Revisited

Purpose This article discusses the clinical utility of ethnographic interviewing as an approach for capitalizing on the life knowledge and skills of a broad range of individuals, with varied cultur...
Battery Energy Storage System Integration and Monitoring Method Based on 5G and Cloud Technology

The large-scale battery energy storage scatted accessing to distribution power grid is difficult to manage, which is difficult to make full use of its fast response ability in peak shaving and frequency modulation. With the rapid development of 5G and cloud technology, it is possible to realize interconnection of distributed battery energy storage system (BESS), cloud integration of energy storage system (ESS) and data edge computing. In this paper, a BESS integration and monitoring method based on 5G and cloud technology is proposed, containing the system overall architecture, 5G key technology points, system margin calculation. Therefore, rapid, accurate and flexible control of BESS can be realized, which make more use of BESS in peak shaving and shifting, new energy consumption, electric power bidding platform and other fields.
Measuring General Job Satisfaction: Which Is More Construct Valid—Global Scales or Facet-Composite Scales?

In order to assess general job satisfaction, researchers often use composites formed by summing scores from multiple satisfaction facets. The appropriateness of composites, however, is a matter of contention: some researchers have argued that composites provide an effective means of assessing general job satisfaction (e.g., Spector, American Journal of Community Psychology, 13, 693-713. 1985), whereas others have argued that composites are inappropriate and should be replaced with global job satisfaction scales (e.g., Ironson et al., Journal of Applied Psychology, 74, 193-200. 1989). To address this debate, we compared the construct validities of composite job satisfaction scales with those of global job satisfaction scales. We first created a nomological network that specifies a hypothetical pattern of relationships that exists between general job satisfaction and several external variables. Using this network as a guide, we conducted two studies (total N = 676) that examined the construct validities of four global scales and five composite scales. Within both studies, we found that composite satisfaction scales and global satisfaction scales generally yielded similar relationships with the external variables included in the nomological network. This suggests that the two types of scales are equally effective at assessing general job satisfaction. Researchers, therefore, should not summarily disregard previous studies that have used composite measures. These findings also suggest that it is appropriate to use composite measures in instances where global satisfaction data are unavailable, a situation that can occur when working with archival or organizational datasets.
Sacrifice and the Agapic Love Gender Gap in South Korean Romantic Relationships

Altruistically re-ordering one’s priorities in favor of one’s beloved is a core feature of the experience of romantic love cross-culturally. However, Young women in East Asian societies stand out in ethnological studies of love for expressing less agapic (altruistic) attitudes towards their romantic partners than their male counterparts. Drawing on 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork and interviews with 75 Korean adults, this chapter examines South Koreans’ cultural logics of sacrifice in the context of romantic love in order to shed light on the agapic love gender gap found in cross-cultural studies of love. Interviewees’ responses suggest sacrifices are an integral part of the South Korean constructions of romantic love. Koreans willingly sacrifice for a partner’s benefit and for the sake of maintaining romantic love relationships, which ought to be in both lovers’ ultimate mutual interest. However, sacrifices should not compromise a person’s major life goals or sense of self and should be reciprocated in ways perceived as fair. The sacrifices Koreans describe making for love often conform to gender norms considered “traditional” and often reinforce patriarchy and gender inequality. Korean women’s perceptions that they are likely to be asked to make sacrifices that are contrary to their life goals and sense of self are a probable source of the agapic love gender gap in South Korea.
Revisiting the Performance of iALS on Item Recommendation Benchmarks.

Matrix factorization learned by implicit alternating least squares (iALS) is a popular baseline in recommender system research publications. iALS is known to be one of the most computationally efficient and scalable collaborative filtering methods. However, recent studies suggest that its prediction quality is not competitive with the current state of the art, in particular autoencoders and other item-based collaborative filtering methods. In this work, we revisit the iALS algorithm and present a bag of tricks that we found useful when applying iALS. We revisit four well-studied benchmarks where iALS was reported to perform poorly and show that with proper tuning, iALS is highly competitive and outperforms any method on at least half of the comparisons. We hope that these high quality results together with iALS's known scalability spark new interest in applying and further improving this decade old technique.
Need for cognitive closure predicts stress and anxiety of college students during COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a massive toll on mental well-being. The unprecedented level of uncertainty associated with the pandemic may be a contributing factor to stress and anxiety, especially among individuals with high intolerance to uncertainty (Rettie & Daniels, 2021). Individual differences in need for cognitive closure have also been linked to mental distress during unpredictable situations (Berenbaum et al., 2008). The present study tested the hypothesis that individuals with a high need for cognitive closure would experience relatively higher stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. College students (N = 400) completed an abbreviated Need for Closure Scale (Roets & Van Hiel, 2011), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (Spitzer et al., 2006), and the short-version of the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen & Williamson, 1988). Results supported the hypothesized relationship between high need for cognitive closure and higher levels of stress and anxiety. Findings have relevance to college students who are experiencing heightened psychological stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Enhancer and super-enhancer landscape in polycystic kidney disease

Widespread aberrant gene expression is pathological hallmark of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Numerous pathogenic signaling cascades, including c-Myc, Fos, and Jun are transactivated. However, the underlying epigenetic regulators are poorly defined. Here we show that H3K27ac, a histone modification that marks active enhancers, is elevated in mouse and human ADPKD samples. Using comparative H3K27ac ChIP-Seq analysis, we mapped >16000 active intronic and intergenic enhancer elements in Pkd1-mutant mouse kidneys. We find that the cystic kidney epigenetic landscape resembles that of a developing kidney, and >90% of upregulated genes in Pkd1-mutant kidneys are co-housed with activated enhancers in the same topologically associated domains. Furthermore, we identify an evolutionarily-conserved enhancer cluster downstream of the c-Myc gene and super-enhancers flanking both Jun and Fos loci in mouse and human ADPKD models. Deleting these regulatory elements reduces c-Myc, Jun, or Fos abundance and suppresses proliferation and 3D cyst growth of Pkd1-mutant cells. Finally, inhibiting glycolysis and glutaminolysis or activating Ppara in Pkd1-mutant cells lowers global H3K27ac levels and on c-Myc enhancers. Thus, our work suggests that epigenetic rewiring mediates the transcriptomic dysregulation in PKD, and the regulatory elements can be targeted to slow cyst growth.
Neues therapeutisches Prinzip im Coma hepaticum: Parenterale Zufuhr neutraler Aminosäuren

Die durch Leberinsuffizienz verursachte Encephalopathie fuhrt bei allen untersuchten Tierspecies und beim Menschen zu einem definierten Schadigungsmuster der Aminosaurenkonzentrationen (AS) im Gehirn und Plasma (1, 2). Deren hervorstechendstes Kriterium ist die Anhaufung von Methionin und der aromatischen AS Phenylalanin (PHE), Tyrosin (TYR) und im geringen Mas Tryptophan (TRY) sowie gleichzeitig eine Abnahme der aliphatischen AS Valin (VAL), Leucin (LEU) und Isoleucin (ILEU) (3). Weiterhin haben neue Untersuchungen bestatigt, das die Zusammensetzung der zentralen Neurotransmitter mit der Encephalopathie in kausalem Zusammenhang steht. Da nun einerseits die aromatischen AS (PHE, TYR und TRY) Muttersubstanzen von physiologischen Transmittern sind, andererseits zwischen den neutralen AS insgesamt ein kompetitiver Mechanismus zum Passieren der Bluthirnschranke nachgewiesen wurde (4), ist der Plasmaspiegel der neutralen AS eine der bestimmenden Grosen fur die Zusammensetzung der Neurotransmitter.
540 MHz 21 mW MDFE equalizer and detector in 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS

The distinguishing parts of an multilevel decision feedback equalization (MDFE) channel compared to a PRML channel are the forward equalizer and the feedback detector. These two blocks are also known as the feedforward filter (FFF) and feedback filter (FBF). Both analog and mixed/digital implementations are possible for these functions. The present work describes an all-digital approach that is based on a simplified digital equalizer function and a RAM-based detector.
Soviet Mass Festivals, 1917–1991

Malte Rolf's Soviet Mass Festivals (a very readable English translation of Das sowjetische Massenfest, 2006) is the only comprehensive study of Soviet-era festivals in the European and American sch...
The Mechanism of Action of 5'-Adenylic Acid-activated Threonine Dehydrase II. PROTOMER-OLIGOMER INTERCONVERSIONS AND RELATED PROPERTIES

Abstract The partially purified, biodegradative l-threonine dehydrase of Escherichia coli was shown to exist as a number of forms ranging from 3.2 S to 8.0 S, which correspond to molecular weights of approximately 40,000 to 160,000. A protomer → tetramer equilibrium was postulated to account for these values. In the presence of AMP and at increased dehydrase concentration, this equilibrium is shifted toward forms of higher s value. Evidence is presented that oxidation or disulfide interchange yields an inactive protomer of 3.2 S, which is not converted into higher molecular weight forms by adding AMP or by increasing the dehydrase concentration. Reduction of oxidized dehydrase with dithiothreitol reactivates and allows oligomer formation. AMP also increases the affinity of the dehydrase for l-threonine about 40-fold without altering Vmax. In sucrose gradients, which approximate the assay conditions used for Km determination both in composition and in dehydrase level, the s values were characteristic of the protomer form in the absence of AMP and of the tetramer form with excess AMP. Apodehydrase was shown to have an s value of approximately 2.6 S and a molecular weight of about 40,000; it was incapable of oligomer formation in the presence of AMP. The addition of pyridoxal phosphate re-formed the active monomer with an s value of about 3.9 S; in the presence of AMP, higher forms characteristic of the native dehydrase were produced. The apodehydrase was prepared by dialysis against cysteine. Either dithiothreitol or AMP in combination with inorganic phosphate prevented both the resolution of pyridoxal phosphate and the loss in activity caused by dialysis against water or buffer.
The Cambridge Introduction to Victorian Poetry: Poetry and the heart's affections

These three made unity so sweet, My frozen heart began to beat, Remembering its ancient heat. Alfred Tennyson, “The Two Voices” (1842) I've bedewed it with tears, and embalmed it with sighs. 'Tis bound by a thousand bands to my heart. Eliza Cook, “The Old Arm-Chair” ( Weekly Dispatch [May, 1837]) I run, I run, I am gathered to thy heart. Alice Meynell, “Renouncement” (1893) At century's end Oscar Wilde brilliantly dismantled Victorian sentiment in The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). If sentimentality remains one of the least-liked features of Victorian literature today, its appeals to the heart and preoccupation with emotion are more legible when approached in the context of Victorian religion, domestic ideology, and material conditions. The poetic prestige of Wordsworth and Keble, and the value that both placed on hearts receptive to being moved, helped legitimize appeals to the heart in poetry. Poetry had long been considered the preserve of pathos in any case through its link to song, and secular concepts of sympathy reinforced appeals to the responsive heart associated with Victorian piety. As Isobel Armstrong notes, sympathy had both a moral and aesthetic function since imaginatively identifying with another furthered moral judgment as well as one's ability to read post-Romantic lyrics and the psychologically intricate dramatic monologue. The heart in this sense was at once an organ of piety, secular morality, intellection, and aesthetic experience.
Speckle Mirror Laser

We report on a new laser feedback mechanism that uses speckle-pattern phenomena to create highly dispersive feedback. This speckle mirror is capable of creating laser emission as narrow as that from laser cavities using a number of dispersive elements such as gratings and prisms. Contributions from the peaks of intensity of the speckle patterns and a limited pumping-beam diameter are the basic conditions for the observation of this effect.
The lag phase of wound repair. A comparison of leukocytic and corneal connective tissue enzyme activities.

Enzyme activities developing in invading inflammatory cells and in connective tissue cells (stromal cells and fibroblasts) during the “lag phase” of wound repair have been studied. 5-Nucleotidase and a formalin-resistant, cyanide- and phenylhydrazine-sensitive “oxidase-like” reaction were investigated histochemically in rat corneal wounds of 6, 12, 24, 48, 96 and 168 hr duration. The carliest invading white blood cells (polymorphonuclear leukocytes and mononuclear leukocytes) were negative for both 5-nucleotidase and the formalin-resistant “oxidase-like” reaction. An intense formalin-resistant “oxidase-like” reaction was found in both polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes in 24-hr wounds. The normally negative corneal stromal cells, as well as the epithelium and endothelium, also became intensely rich in formalin-resistant “oxidase-like” activity within 24 hr after injury. This activity began to decrease in all cell types at 96 hr and only a faint or negative reaction was found at 7 days. The order of appearance of 5-nucleotidase in the various cell types was: connective tissue cells (6–12 hr); polymorphonuclear leukocytes (24 hr), mononuclear leukocytes (24–48 hr), and epithelial cells (96 hr). The activity in all of these cell types (except the epithelium) first appeared in the cells located at or near the wound edge and gradually spread through most of the corneal stroma by 48 hr. Between 4 and 7 days the 5-nucleotidase activity in all cell types became restricted to the wound edge. The more numerous the inflammatory cells were, the more intense became the enzyme reactions in both leukocytes and in corneal stromal cells. It appeared that there was some activity or reaction occurring at the wound, or in the vicinity of the wound, which influenced all the cells within its range to develop or to activate 5-nucleotidase and the formalin-resistant “oxidase-like” reaction.
Effects of Microbes on Germfree Animals

Publisher Summary In this chapter, the effects of microbes on germfree animals are discussed in detail. Germfree animals which have been inoculated with a single microbial species are presently being exploited to give new concepts of microecology and new approaches for investigating the role of the microflora in the life of the host. Differences between germfree and classic animals give an over-all view of the effect of the microflora. Germfree animals differ from classic animals in having an enlarged cecum in rodents and less well-developed livers, lymphatic systems, and many defense mechanisms. Stress reactions such as heat, radiation, intestinal blockage, and hemorrhagic shock show classic clinical symptoms in germfree animals without any infectious vector. Food utilization is similar and vitamin requirements are generally the same for chicks of the two categories.
The Effect of Ankle Disk Training on Muscle Reaction Time in Subjects with a History of Ankle Sprain

The purpose of this study was to determine whether 8 weeks of ankle disk training alters ankle muscle onset latency of patients with a history of lateral ankle sprain. The training was completed by eight minimally symptomatic subjects with a history of nonrehabilitated, unilateral, inversion ankle sprain sustained between 6 and 16 months before entry into the study. Ankle inversion perturbations monitored by fine-wire electromyography were performed in four lower extremity muscles (anterior tibialis, posterior tibialis, peroneus longus, and flexor digitorum longus) of all subjects on both the injured (experimental) and noninjured (control) legs. Testing was performed at study entry and after 8 weeks of ankle disk training on the previously injured ankle. Results revealed a statistically significant decrease in the anterior tibialis onset latency in both the experimental (67.6 ± 20.3 to 51.7 ± 17.6) and control (65.5 ± 9.8 to 53.8 ± 23.7) ankles after the training period. These findings indicate that muscl...
Abstract not submitted for online publication

not submitted for online publication ArticleInfo ArticleID : 2527 ArticleDOI : 10.1186/gb-2010-11-s1-i9 ArticleCitationID : I9 ArticleSequenceNumber : 9 ArticleCategory : Invited speaker presentation ArticleFirstPage : 1 ArticleLastPage : 1 ArticleHistory : RegistrationDate : 2010–10–11 OnlineDate : 2010–10–11 ArticleCopyright : Clamp; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.2010 This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. ArticleGrants : ArticleContext : 130591111S1S1 Michele Clamp,Aff1 Corresponding Affiliation: Aff1 Aff1 BioTeam, Inc. 7 Derosier Drive, Middleton, MA 01949, USA This PDF file was created after publication.
Routes to N, N'-unsymmetrically substituted 1,3-diketimines

A series of novel N,N‘-unsymmetrically substituted 1,3-diketimines (3, 12, and 27) have been synthesized from the reaction of exocyclic enaminoketones 8 with amines or metalloenamines (from 13 or 14) with imidoyl thioether 25 or 26.
Research Note: Babies Born After Census Day: How the Census Bureau Addressed Dates of Birth After Census Day in the 2010 Census

The fundamental purpose of the decennial Census is an enumeration of the U.S. population at a particular “Census moment” for the purpose of apportionment. The “Census moment” for the 2010 Census occurred at 11:59 p.m. on April 1, 2010. This means that, ideally, all persons alive and living in the United States at that moment are included in the Census count, while any person not alive at that moment is excluded. In reality, this goal is challenging to achieve. Since the actual date of data collection often varies widely, it is possible that individuals are included, or excluded, in the count due to this discrepancy between the Census Day and the date of data collection. In this paper, I explore how the Census Bureau addresses this issue specifically when dates of birth after Census Day are encountered. First, I describe the three methods of data collection (Self-administered questionnaires, enumerator-administered questionnaires, and Telephone Questionnaire Assistance/Coverage Follow-Up operator-administered questionnaires), and how dates of birth after Census Day are addressed in each of these methods. Next, I explore related findings from the 2010 Census, including how many dates of birth after Census Day were found in the 2010 Census data, how they were processed according to data collection method, and how this impacted the final Census count. Finally, I discuss the performance of the new procedures related to dates of birth after Census Day that were implemented in the 2010 Census, along with implications for moving forward into future Censuses.
Weak links, flux creep and magnetic noise limitations on device applications of high temperature superconductors

Abstract Magnetic noise sources associated with flux hopping processing due to weak flux pinning in high temperature superconductors were investigated. Ignoring the complex details of collective vortex motion, we provide an explanation for the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the noise spectral power. It was found that the effect of the magnetic field is to minimize the temperature gradient of the critical current density, therefore reducing the noise spectral power at applied field values between 0.5 T and 1.5 T. For fields greater than 4.5 T a slow increase in the noise power is predicted.
Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide-Based Pavement Design Catalog for Low-Volume Roads in Arkansas

Historically, low-volume roads in Arkansas were typically constructed by use of a standard section, that is, a double surface treatment over a specified thickness of granular base. Subsequent analysis indicated that these sections were structurally inadequate in many cases. In recent years, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department has invested significant research dollars to implement the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), which is widely believed to be a quantitative leap over the 1993 AASHTO design guide. However, the MEPDG research efforts mostly target high-volume roads. In this paper, a design catalog for low-volume roads (LVRs) in Arkansas was developed with MEPDG software, Version 1.10. The catalog offers a variety of feasible design alternatives for a comprehensive combination of site conditions. The factors considered include the five geographical regions in Arkansas and the typical Arkansas load spectrum for LVRs with three traffic levels, three subgrade types, ...
Work in progress - teaching the IEEE wireless communications standards dynamically

This paper describes the motivation and the methodology behind an advanced undergraduate/graduate level elective course on the wireless standards developed by the IEEE. The course has been offered twice at two different universities and has been very popular, attracting record enrollment. The paper first discusses the need for this course, and then presents an overview of the wireless standards. The outline of the developed one- semester course including learning goals and the justification of the proposed outline are discussed in detail. The related labs that have been developed are summarized. The student survey results are also included.
Gastric mucosal nodules due to cytomegalovirus infection

We report a patient who developed cytomegalovirus infection after receiving a heart transplant. Nodular gastric lesions were noted on radiologic and endoscopic examinations. Endoscopic biopsy provided early evidence of cytomegalovirus infection.
Cine-Mimetic Syntax: The Big Lebowski and the Hollywood Neo-Classical Style

This article examines the use of language in general and miscommunication in particular in The Big Lebowski. Through close analysis of the dialogue, we find that the film's endless examples of linguistic complexity and semantic confusion function in a manner similar to what literary theorists refer to as “mimetic syntax,” wherein the form of a text imitates, mimics, or complements its content in meaningful ways. Cinematic techniques that were a standard part of the classical Hollywood style of narration are strategically and rhetorically abused in The Big Lebowski. As a result, the film challenges prevailing assumptions about film language, and this challenge to the viewer is reflected for the viewer in the film's use of mimetic syntax. This complex and heretofore unexamined structure transforms an absurd comedy into a multilayered mimetic text.
Predicting risk of pre-release code changes with Checkinmentor

Code defects introduced during the development of the software system can result in failures after its release. Such post-release failures are costly to fix and have negative impact on the reputation of the released software. In this paper we propose a methodology for early detection of faulty code changes. We describe code changes with metrics and then use a statistical model that discriminates between faulty and non-faulty changes. The predictions are done not at a file or binary level but at the change level thereby assessing the impact of each change. We also study the impact of code branches on collecting code metrics and on the accuracy of the model. The model has shown high accuracy and was developed into a tool called CheckinMentor. CheckinMentor was deployed to predict risk for the Windows Phone software. However, our methodology is versatile and can be used to predict risk in a variety of large complex software systems.
The effects of an in vivo administration of phencyclidine on sodium-dependent high affinity choline uptake in rat hippocampus and striatum in vitro

The effect of phencyclidine and other drugs on sodium-dependent high-affinity uptake of choline in the rat hippocampus and/or striatum was investigated and related to the behavioral changes induced by these agents. In contrast to atropine (40.0 mg/kg), which increased the uptake of choline in synaptosomes from both the rat hippocampus and striatum, the administration of phencyclidine (54.4 mg/kg), 30 min prior to sacrifice, caused a significant decrease in the uptake of choline in synaptosomes from rat striatum (but not hippocampus). This effect of phencyclidine could be seen up to 1 hr after administration of drug, but by 3.5 hr the uptake of choline was essentially back to normal. The inhibition of striatal uptake of choline occurred at a time when brain levels of phencyclidine and its metabolites were at their highest, and the animals were essentially immobile; it did not appear to correlate with behavioral changes (including stereotypy and catalepsy) seen at later times after this dose of phencyclidine (54.4 mg/kg), or at earlier times after smaller doses. Amphetamine (6.0 mg/kg) also decreased the uptake of choline in the striatum. Haloperidol (2.0 and 3.0 mg/kg) blocked both the phencyclidine and amphetamine-induced inhibition of the uptake of choline but only the behavioral effects of amphetamine. The data suggest that phencyclidine may be exerting an indirect effect on the uptake of choline in the striatum via its interaction with the dopaminergic system. However, this neurochemical effect of phencyclidine could not be related in any simple way to the immobility, stereotypy or catalepsy caused by this drug.
MULTIGENERATIONAL ASPECTS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: ISSUES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

The articles in this special issue show the vitality and progress of research on multigenerational aspects of social mobility, stratification, and inequality. The effects of the characteristics and behavior of grandparents and other kin on the statuses, resources, and positions of their descendants are best viewed in a demographic context. Intergenerational effects work through both the intergenerational associations of socioeconomic characteristics and also differential fertility and mortality. A combined socioeconomic and demographic framework informs a research agenda which addresses the following issues: how generational effects combine with variation in age, period, and cohort within each generation; distinguishing causal relationships across generations from statistical associations; how multigenerational effects vary across socioeconomic hierarchies, including the possibility of stronger effects at the extreme top and bottom; distinguishing between endowments and investments in intergenerational effects; multigenerational effects on associated demographic behaviors and outcomes (especially fertility and mortality); optimal tradeoffs among diverse types of data on multigenerational processes; and the variability across time and place in how kin, education, and other institutions affect stratification.
Videotape Assessment of Changes in Aberrant Meal-time Behaviors in Anorexia Nervosa After Treatment

This study compared meal-time behaviors in patients with anorexia nervosa to normal-weight controls and the effects of hospital treatment on these behaviors. Ten restricting-anorexics and six normal-weight controls were given a standard lunch and asked to eat the entire meal. Their behaviors were recorded via hidden camera. All participants were tested twice--anorexics before and after in-patient treatment, and controls at similar intervals. Videotapes of these sessions were analysed for occurrence and duration of eight categories of non-ingestive behaviors: food manipulation, food preparation, food moving, non-food manipulation, concealment, vigilance, passivity and physical activity. Food-ingestion patterns, including number of bites of food and switches between different kinds of food, were also recorded. Results indicated that anorexics spent significantly more time than controls in behaviors that were directly food-related, and exhibited more vigilance behavior. Pre-treatment anorexics spent significantly more time in these behaviors than did post-treatment anorexics. Few group differences or treatment effects were found in food-ingestion patterns, although there was an indication that both pre- and post-treatment anorexics avoided high-fat foods more than controls did. These results suggest that videotaping provides a useful technique for characterizing the behavior associated with eating disorders. Further studies should explore whether normalization of these behaviors is associated with a positive clinical outcome.
Putting a New Spin on Spider Silk

The dragline silk spun by spiders exhibits unusual tensile strength and the energy required to break it can be higher than that of Kevlar. In his Perspective, Tirrell comments on a research report in the same issue by Simmons et al. (p. 84) that elucidates some of the structural properties that give spider silk its impressive characteristics.
Isolation of ommochromes and 3-hydroxykynurenine from the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

Abstract A complex of the two red pigments was prepared from epidermis of the fifth instar larvae of the black mutant of the tobacco hornworm according to the method generally available for ommochromes. The primary component, a brick-red pigment (II), was shown to be identical with synthetic l -dihydroxanthommatin by various physico-chemical tests. The other red pigment (I) was similar to pigment (II), except in the i.r. spectra in 1000–1150 cm −1 region and is thought to be also an ommatin. A red pigment identical with pigment (I) was obtained during the chemical oxidation of 3-hydroxy- l -kynurenine. These same two pigments were found in the red epidermis underlying the black cuticle of larvae either allatectomized or neck-ligatured before the critical period for juvenile hormone action during the last larval molt. Also, they were found in the dorsal epidermis of wandering stage larvae. 3-Hydroxykynurenine, the immediate precursor of the ommochrome pigments, was found to accumulate in the epidermis before the synthesis of the ommochromes began.
X-34 Vehicle Aerodynamic Characteristics

The X-34, being designed and built by the Orbital Sciences Corporation, is an unmanned sub-orbital vehicle designed to be used as a flying test bed to demonstrate key vehicle and operational technologies applicable to future reusable launch vehicles. The X-34 will be air-launched from an L-1011 carrier aircraft at approximately Mach 0.7 and altitudes to 250,000 feet. An unpowered entry will follow, including an autonomous landing. The X-34 will demonstrate the ability to fly through inclement weather, land horizontally at a designated site, and have a rapid turn-around capability. A series of wind tunnel tests on scaled models was conducted in four facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of the X-34. Analysis of these test results revealed that longitudinal trim could be achieved throughout the design trajectory. The maximum elevon deflection required to trim was only half of that available, leaving a margin for gust alleviation and aerodynamic coefficient uncertainty. Directional control can be achieved aerodynamically except at combined high Mach numbers and high angles of attack, where reaction control jets must be used. The X-34 landing speed, between 184 and 206 knots, is within the capabilities of the gear and tires, and the vehicle has sufficient rudder authority to control the required 30-knot crosswind.
Size heterogeneity of polyadenylate sequences in mouse globin messenger RNA.

Abstract Heterogeneity in the length of the poly(A) region has been demonstrated in mouse α and β-globin messenger RNAs. This finding is based on the initial observation that only 30% of the globin mRNA purified by oligo(dT)-cellulose affinity chromatography binds to Millipore filters under conditions where other poly(A)-containing mRNAs have been shown to bind, and the subsequent finding that the bound and non-bound fractions contain different size classes of poly(A). The poly(A) size was determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the T1 and pancreatic RNAase-resistant fragments. The unbound mRNA fraction gives a fragment 35 to 45 adenine nucleotides long, while the bound mRNA contains two fragments with average lengths of 55 to 65 and 75 to 120 nucleotides. The heterogeneity of the poly(A) region is present in both α and β-globin mRNAs as both Millipore-bound and unbound RNA fractions directed the synthesis of comparable amounts of mouse α and β-globin chains. Change in the distribution of the various size classes of poly(A) was analyzed by Millipore binding assays after various times of labeling in vivo. The percentage of labeled mRNA bound to Millipore filters decreased with time, suggesting either a shortening of the poly(A) region or differential synthesis of mRNAs containing shorter poly(A) at earlier stages in erythropoeisis.
Preparation of fibrous Ni-coated-YSZ anodes for solid oxide fuel cells

Abstract A novel route to fabricate nanofiber-derived low-Ni-content anodes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is presented. Uniform YSZ nanofibers were first synthesized by electrospinning of 8YSZ dispersion; the fiber surfaces were then electrolessly plated with a layer of Ni after sintering of the electrospun fibers. The Ni-YSZ nanofibers were slurry coated as the anode onto a commercial half cell that was subsequently tested. The deposited anode was found to have a Ni loading of 30 wt%, a value well below the conventional percolation threshold. A second cell with the same Ni content in the anode, prepared by conventional ball-milling of individual powders, was also fabricated and tested. We found that the peak power density for the cell with the fiber-derived anode is twice of that with the powder-derived anode, which was attributed to the former's larger TPB sites.
The Effects of SV40 Large T Antigen and p53 on Nuclear Transport Capacity in BALB/c 3T3 Cells

In a previous study, it was found that the microinjection of purified SV40 large T antigen into the cytoplasm of BALB/c 3T3 cells significantly increased both the relative rate of signal-mediated nuclear transport and the functional size of the transport channels that are located within the pores. In this investigation, a series of mutants were employed to identify the region of large T responsible for the permeability increase. Plasmids encoding wild-type or mutant forms of large T were injected into the nucleoplasm of proliferating BALB/c 3T3 cells, and the nuclear import of nucleoplasmin-coated gold particles was analyzed approximately 18 h later. The large T mutants that were not effective in inducing the increase in nuclear transport capacity were also unable to bind p53. Further evidence that transport activity and p53 binding localize to the same region of large T was obtained by simultaneously injecting plasmids that overexpress wild-type or mutant p53 and plasmids that encode active forms of large T. It was found that wild-type p53 prevented the large T-induced transport increase; however, mutant p53, which is unable to bind to large T, had no effect. Decreasing the concentration of endogenous p53 in cells that do not contain large T, by injecting anti-p53 antibodies or plasmids that express mutant p53, resulted in a significant increase in the nuclear import of nucleoplasmin-coated gold. The latter results suggest that p53 might normally act as a transport suppressor.
Intensive care support of the patient with pneumonia: Current approaches to mechanical ventilation and other adjuvant therapies

Children with pneumonia and severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction often require admission to the pediatric intensive care unit for aggressive intervention, including mechanical ventilation and circulatory support. Noninvasive positive-pressure support, including continuous positive airway pressure and bilevel positive airway pressure, provides support for some patients with both acute and chronic disorders and may avoid problems associated with endotracheal intubation. New approaches to conventional mechanical ventilation seem to be reducing mortality and morbidity. These approaches include recognition of injury caused by excessive tidal volumes (volutrauma) and atelectasis. Methods of minimizing injury include pressure-controlled ventilation, judicious use of positive-end expiratory pressure, prone positioning of the patient, and permissive hypercapnia, as well as tolerance of “just adequate” oxygenation. High-frequency ventilation seems to be associated with less lung inflammation and possibly more improved outcome than is conventional mechanical ventilation, but further study is required to determine guidelines for widespread implementation. Administration of surfactant and nitric oxide may be valuable adjuncts for treating severe pneumonia and adult respiratory distress syndrome, but their use in nonneonatal patients has yielded conflicting results. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation provides effective support for a limited number of children with severe disease. Partial liquid ventilation, a dramatic departure from conventional mechanical ventilation with very encouraging results in laboratory investigation, clinically remains unproven.
LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES FOR CHILDREN OF TEENAGE PARENTS

Data from Project TALENT were analyzed to investigate whether any long-term consequences exist for children of teenage parents. TALENT is a longitudinal national survey of 375,000 individuals who were in grades 9-12 in 1960. TALENT participants born when their mother and/or father was a teenager were compared with their classmates born when both parents were older on a variety of educational, occupational, and social dimensions. Many differences were found, owing primarily to the different social and economic background characteristics of the two groups. Even with the background factors controlled, the children of teenage parents, in comparison to their classmates: (a) showed decrements in terms of academic achievement; (b) were more likely to live in one-parent or stepparent homes; and (c)showed a slight tendency to repeat the early marriage, early parenthood, and higher fertility cycle of their parent(s).
Optimization of cutaneous electrically mediated plasmid DNA delivery using novel electrode

The easy accessibility of skin makes it an excellent target for gene transfer protocols. To take advantage of skin as a target for gene transfer, it is important to establish an efficient and reproducible delivery system. Electroporation is an established technique for enhancing plasmid delivery to many tissues in vivo. A critical component of this technique is the electrode configuration. Electroporation parameters were optimized for transgene expression with minimal tissue damage with a novel electrode. The highest transgene expression and efficiency of individual cell transformation with minimal damage was produced with eight 150 ms pulses at field strength of 100 V/cm. This electrode design offers the potential for easier and more reproducible electrically mediated cutaneous plasmid delivery than the simple electrodes currently commercially available. This electrode can be a valuable tool in determining the applicability of electrically mediated cutaneous gene transfer.
Physical and biomechanical characteristics of rat cervical ripening are not consistent with increased collagenase activity.

Abstract Objective The cervix progressively softens during pregnancy to allow stretch without rupture in labor. Cervical softening is the product of complex modifications that include increased proteoglycan-to-collagen ratio, increased hyaluronic acid and water content, and breakdown of collagen by matrix metalloproteases. The relative contribution of collagen breakdown to cervical ripening is unclear. We sought to identify, discriminate, and quantify the physical characteristics of rat cervix during pregnancy, labor, and both before and after exposure to either prostaglandin (PGE 2 ) or the collagenolytic enzyme matrix metalloprotease-1 (MMP-1). Study design Cervices were collected from nonpregnant rats in diestrus (n=4) and pregnant rats on d10 (n=4), d16 (n=11), d20 (n=5), and d22 (term) nonlabor (NL: n=4) and d22 in term labor (TL: n=7). Cervices were also collected from a separate group in preterm labor induced by RU486 (PTL: n=10). The effect of PGE 2 on cervical characteristics was determined after intravaginal placement of PGE 2 gel (0.5 mg PGE 2 : n=3) or placebo metylcellulose gel (CRL PG n=6) for 20 hours before euthanasia on d16. The effect of collagen was determined by incubating in vitro cervices from untreated d16 rats with (MMP-1: n=3) and without (CRL MMP : n=7) activated collagenase before tensile testing. Tensile properties were quantitated by using Shimadzu EZ-test instrumentation (Shimadzu North America, Columbia, Md) with a stretching regimen that mimicked labor contractions while recording the force opposed by the tissue. Parameters such as the slope (a measure of stiffness), yield point (YP; moment the tissue changes its proprieties from elastic to plastic), and break point (BP; a measure of tissue strength) were recorded and analyzed. The plateau was defined as the phase after YP but before BP. Results Compared with d16, cervical extensibility increased significantly by d20 (slope d16: 0.41 ± 0.03 N/mm vs d20: 0.19 ± 0.05 N/mm, P 2 (slope PGE 2 : 0.24 ± 0.03 vs CRL PG : 0.40 ± 0.05 N/mm, P =.04), but not by collagenase (slope MMP-1: 0.35 ± 0.02 vs CRL MMP : 0.38 ± 0.05 N/mm, P >.05). YP was significantly reduced as pregnancy advanced, whereas BP increased, suggesting both increased plasticity (compliance) and strength. However, the plateau length increased 3-fold both by d20 and after PGE 2 . In contrast, the addition of MMP-1 reduced the plateau. BP occurred significantly earlier in collagenase-treated tissues, but later in PTL-, TL-, and PGE 2 -treated cervices. Conclusion The changes in physical properties of the rat cervix during physiologic ripening are similar to those induced by PGE 2 and RU486, and consist of increased extensibility, compliance, and strength. These changes cannot be attributed to increased collagenase activity, which would decrease tissue compliance and strength.
Structure-dependent lipid peroxidation by photoirradiation of pyrene and its mono-substituted derivatives

Pyrene, one of the most studied polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, can damage biological macromolecules and cause toxicity when irradiated by light. The effect of substituents, 1-amino, 1-hydroxy, 1-nitro, and 1-bromo, on light-induced lipid peroxidation is studied. Degradation kinetics and photoproduct analyses were conducted to test how these substituents affect the photoreaction. All five compounds have widely different photodegradation rates, with degradation half-lives, ranging from 8 min to 495 min. These rates parallel their light absorptivity. Four out of the five compounds induce lipid peroxidation when irradiated with UVA light, whereas 1-aminopyrene causes minimum or no lipid peroxidation. The relative amount of lipid peroxidation caused is: 1-bromopyrene > pyrene > 1-nitropyrene ≈ 1-hydroxypyrene > 1-aminopyrene. This relative lipid peroxidation is dependent on the substituent due to the following factors: light absorptivity, relative rates of the competing processes in the excited states, natu...
Wind tunnel tests of a 20 inch diameter 1.15 pressure ratio fan engine model

Aerodynamic and acoustic measurements at a typical STOL aircraft takeoff and landing velocity demonstrated that a 1.35 inlet lip area contraction ratio was superior to a 1.26 ratio at high nacelle incidence angles. Reverse thrust, obtained with a variable pitch rotor, was lower at the landing velocity, and the noise level higher, than at the static condition. High speed tests showed that, for the design cruise Mach number of 0.75, internal losses and external drag were 27 percent of the ideal fan net thrust, and propulsive efficiency was estimated to be 59 percent for an 85 percent efficient fan stage.
Management at the end of life. A dialogue about intending death.

Physicians and the public at large have strong convictions about many issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, and intending death. The strength of these beliefs often colors the language used in argument and even the perception of the argument itself, highlighting the differences and obscuring the many similarities between the opinions of the parties debating. Such was the case at the start of a conference held in Annapolis, Md, from January 5 through 8, 1992, to explore the topic, "On Intending Death in Medicine."