cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dilution rates influence ammonia-assimilating enzyme activities and cell parameters of Selenomonas ruminantium strain D in continuous (glucose-limited) culture.

Aims: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of dilution rates (Ds, varying from 0·05 to 0·42 h−1) in glucose-limited continuous culture on cell yield, cell composition, fermentation pattern and ammonia assimilation enzymes of Selenomonas ruminantium strain D. Methods and Results: All glucose-limited continuous culture experiments were conducted under anaerobic conditions. Except for protein, all cell constituents including carbohydrates, RNA and DNA yielded significant cubic responses to Ds with the highest values at Ds of either 0·10 or 0·20 h−1. At Ds higher than 0·2 h−1, fermentation acid pattern shifted primarily from propionate and acetate to lactate production. Succinate also accumulated at the higher Ds (0·30 and 0·42 h−1). Glucose was most efficiently utilized by S. ruminantium D at 0·20 h−1 after which decreases in glucose and ATP yields were observed. Under energy limiting conditions, glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) appeared to be the major enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation suggesting that other potential ammonia incorporating enzymes were of little importance in ammonia assimilation in S. ruminantium D. GS exhibited lower activities than GDH at all Ds, which indicates that the bacterial growth rate is not a primary regulator of their activities. Conclusions: Studied dilution rates influenced cell composition, fermentation pattern and nitrogen assimilation of S. ruminantium strain D grown in glucose-limited continuous culture. Significance and Impact of the Study: Selenomonas ruminantium D is an ecologically and evolutionary important bacterium in ruminants and is present under most rumen dietary conditions. Characterizing the growth physiology and ammonia assimilation enzymes of S. ruminantium D during glucose limitation at Ds, which simulate the liquid turnover rates in rumen, will provide a better understanding of how this micro-organism responds to differing growth conditions.
GSS collaboration in document development: using GroupWriter to improve the process

Research was conducted on the application of GroupWriter, to support the development, editing, sharing, and modification of government documents. One of the major advantages of using GroupWriter is the support of collaborative writing and the manipulation of documents in a manner unconstrained by time and place. At this time various groups from government agencies and the University of Arizona's Center for the Management of Information (CMI) are involved in GroupWriter sessions. Development of the tool has revealed the need for preset protocols, which explain the requirements, definitions, and uses pertaining to the system and software. Achievements were made in tailoring the technologies to fit the needs of specific groups. This paper focuses on the development of both facilitation processes and GroupWriter as a collaborative writing fool. Lessons learned in this area call for the reduction of system and process ambiguity to support both synchronous and asynchronous distributed users.
Judaism and Gender

This article offers an overview of contemporary research on Jews, Judaism, and gender. It provides a review of scholarly, religious, cultural, and communal efforts to transform Jewish life in light of feminist insights beginning with the second wave of American feminist activism and scholarship. This article addresses the range and depth of these efforts. It also shows how these efforts have forged for a broader vision Jewish community to include others who have been marginalized especially lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Jews in the twenty-first century, and across various Jewish domains.
Satellite Attitude Prediction

Attitude prediction of spacecraft is an important area in space flight requiring rapid and accurate methods of computation. We will now present an elaborate application in space flight to illustrate the computational benefits of asymptotic solutions. The application involves the attitude prediction of satellites orbiting the earth and is based on [1–3].
Change Blindness in the Absence of a Visual Disruption

Findings from studies of visual memory and change detection have revealed a surprising inability to detect large changes to scenes from one view to the next (‘change blindness’). When some form of ...
The Canadian and US retailing sectors: important changes over the past 60 years

Abstract This paper examines two major issues: historical trends in retailing, and comparative retailing trends between Canada and the USA. The data suggest that over the past 60 years retail wages have fallen dramatically, the number of retail outlets per capita has decreased, moderate-sized retail establishments have experienced the greatest growth, and chain stores have increased in sales and numbers at the expense of independent retailers. Compared with the USA, Canada's retailing sector is growing faster, employs a smaller percentage of the workforce at slightly higher wages, and consists of a higher proportion of independent retailers, in terms of sales and number of outlets.
From Cooperative to Opportunistic Federalism: Reflections on the Half-Century Anniversary of the Commission on Intergovernmental Relations

In 1955, the Commission on Intergovernmental Relations—the Kestnbaum Commission—embellished the intellectual framework of cooperative federalism and laid out a policy agenda for promoting it. Since then, our intergovernmental system has evolved from a predominantly cooperative federal–state–local system to one characterized by corrosive opportunistic behavior, greater policy prescriptiveness, eroding institutional capacity for intergovernmental analysis, and shifting paradigms of public management. These trends threaten to undermine effective intergovernmental relations and management. Recent developments, however, offer some promise for building new institutions of intergovernmental analysis, more effective paradigms of intergovernmental public management, and greater horizontal cooperation.
Alkaline methanolysis of lipid extracts extends shotgun lipidomics analyses to the low-abundance regime of cellular sphingolipids

Sphingolipids that contain a sphingoid base are composed of hundreds to thousands of distinct compounds, many of which serve as lipid regulators of biological functions. The global analysis of the large number of low-abundance sphingolipid molecular species has been hampered in many cases by the sphingolipid molecular species being overwhelmed by the quantity of other classes of lipid (e.g., glycerophospholipid) molecular species present, thereby imposing severe restrictions on the dynamic range of their measurement using shotgun lipidomics. Herein, we developed a facile approach in which the sphingolipids of cellular extracts were dramatically enriched by direct alkaline methanolysis of lipid extracts followed by extraction to remove the large majority of other endogenous lipid classes. Through direct infusion of the resultant enriched solution, we identified and quantitated a variety of very-low-abundance sphingolipid classes (e.g., sphingosine, psychosine, and lysosphingomyelin) and molecular species (e.g., sphingomyelin) using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (i.e., shotgun sphingolipidomics). Accordingly, through utilization of these facile enrichment techniques, direct penetrance into the sphingolipidomes has been greatly extended, facilitating new insights into their metabolism and signaling functions in biological systems.
Mass spectrometric detection of affinity purified crosslinked presented

Chemical crosslinking of proteins combined with mass spectrometric analysis of the tryptic digest of the products shows considerable promise as a tool for interrogating structure and geometry of proteins and protein complexes. An impediment to the use of this tool has been the difficulty of distinguishing crosslinked peptide pairs from non-crosslinked peptides, and from the products of side reactions. We describe the use of a commercially available biotinylated crosslinking reagent, sulfo-SBED, that allows affinity-based enrichment of crosslinked species. An intramolecular crosslink is prepared using the peptide neurotensin as a model system. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectra show the predicted crosslinking product, as well as several side products. Finally, we describe the optimized enrichment of biotinylated species, and reduction of non-specific binding, for a batch-mode affinity separation based on immobilized monomeric avidin.
The role of vibrissae in behavior: a status review.

Vibrissae or tactile hairs are an important part of the tactile sensory apparatus of many mammals. A wide range of suggested functions found in the literature include food acquisition, prey attack, aggression and attack behavior, facial expression in intraspecies communications, dispersion of pheromones, maintaining head position in swimming, and a wide range of environmental monitoring (e.g., current detection in water, wind direction on land). There is little work done specifically on domestic animals or their feral relatives. Work on the tactile senses in general and vibrissae in particular is an open field of study. A set of general questions for study of vibrissa function in domestic animals is presented.
A Practical Synthesis of the F-Ring of Halichondrin B via Ozonolytic Desymmetrization of a C2-Symmetric Dihydroxycyclohexene

C2-symmetric dihydroxycyclohexene 1 was desymmetrized via a one-pot Criegee ozonolysis/acylation protocol to afford acetal-lactone 2. Installation of the allyl side chain on the convex face of the bicyclic system and subsequent reduction provided the desired tetrahydrofuran 4 with the correct relative and absolute stereochemistries. Simple functional group manipulations led to the desired F-ring module 3 of halichondrin B.
HPV Co-testing in Patients over 30: Significance of a Positive HPV Result in the Cytology Negative Diagnosis

Introduction: Combined cytology and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) screening for women over the age of 30 (HPV 30) became available at our institution in September of 2007. The goal of this study was to investigate patient follow up on cytology negative HR-HPV positive cases over a four year time period in women over the age of 30. Materials and Methods: HR-HPV screening using Hybrid Capture/Digene and routine cytology were performed as part of clinical practice for women over the age of 30 between September 2007 and September 2011. Patients with a negative cytology result and a positive HR-HPV test were retrospectively identified. Tissue and cytology follow-up data were collected. Results: A computer based search identified 32,803 HPV 30 tests that were ordered between September 2007 and September 2011. Of the 30,671 cases that were negative by cytology, 979 had positive HR-HPV results. Of these 979 cases with a negative cytology/positive HR-HPV diagnosis, 476 patients had tissue or cytology follow up. These cases comprise our study population.
Sputter-deposited boron carbide films : Structural and mechanical characterization

Abstract Amorphous boron carbide (B4C) films were deposited on (100) Si by dc-magnetron sputtering with an Ar working pressure of 5 mTorr at room temperature. The substrate bias (Vb) was varied between 0 and −200 V. Chemical analysis of the films was carried out by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and revealed the samples to be stoichiometric with negligible oxygen contamination. Higher Vb values lead to higher defect concentrations, as shown by positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) measurements, and higher amounts of trapped Ar atoms. Monte Carlo simulations of Ar bombardment of B4C suggest these defects to be ascribed as vacancies. While there is no correlation between the defect concentration and mechanical properties, a clear indication that trapped Ar deteriorates the hardness of the films was found. Moreover, hardness increase was obtained by the creation of new intericosahedral chains induced by post-deposition annealing as revealed by infrared and Raman measurements.
Twenty-two years of federal investment in criminal justice research: The National Institute of Justice, 1968–1989

Abstract In 1968 the United States Congress created the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (NILECJ) to encourage research and development in criminal justice. The mission of the agency was broadened in 1979, when it was reauthorized as the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Using a model of the innovation process (Rogers, 1983), this study examined the history of the agency and evaluated the process by which it has attempted to influence innovation. Three periods were identified—the early technology years (1968–1974), the basic research years (1975–1982), and the policy-relevant years (1983–1989).
Knowledge, bodies, and values: Reproductive technologies and their scientific context

This essay sets human reproductive technologies in the context of biological research exploiting the discovery of the structure of the DNA molecule in the early 1950s. By setting these technological developments in this research context and then setting the research in the framework of a philosophical analysis of the role of social values in scientific inquiry, it is possible to develop a perspective on these technologies and the aspirations they represent that is relevant to the concerns of their social critics.
Modeling of Unstable Regimes in a Rijke Tube

In the ducts with mean flows and heat sources, excitation of acoustic eigen modes is possible when unsteady heat release is coupled with pressure perturbations. The simplest device for studying the fundamental principles of thermoacoustic instabilities in the presence of a mean flow is a Rijke tube. In this work a series of experiments was carried out to determine the conditions for the transition to instability and the non-linear characteristics of a Rijke tube, such as limit-cycle amplitudes and frequencies of the dominant mode. Sound, excited in the tube, affects the heat transfer process; that leads to modifications of the acoustic mode shapes and steady state properties. It was observed in the experiment that the thermoacoustic system possesses hysteresis. A mathematical model incorporating heat transfer, acoustics, and thermoacoustic interactions is developed for determining the transition to instability. The dominant nonlinear factor in the system, defining the limit-cycle characteristics, is the nonlinearity of the heater transfer function. Two approximate and generally applicable nonlinear models are considered, and results of the modeling are compared with the experimental data for one position of the heater. The influence of noise on the transitions between stable and unstable regimes is discussed.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
A PARITY FOR VERY WEAK INTERACTIONS

Relevance of the charge-parity quantum number $A$ to very weak interactions is studied. It appears that nonleptonic decays conserve $\mathrm{AP}$, when $P$ is real parity; a similar rule is postulated for the hadron currents in leptonic decays. Observed relations between $\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p\ensuremath{\pi}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Xi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremath{\pi}$ verify the $\mathrm{AP}$ rule with a deviation of order 15% from $A$ symmetry in the baryon octet. Simple relations are predicted between $\ensuremath{\Xi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}(\ensuremath{\Lambda},\ensuremath{\Sigma})$ and $(\ensuremath{\Lambda},\ensuremath{\Sigma})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}N$ leptonic decays. The structure of nonleptonic baryon decays is almost completely specified by introduction of one further symmetry postulate, which does not fit readily into the ${\mathrm{SU}}_{3}$ framework. The $\mathrm{AP}$ rule sheds no light on $K_{2}^{}{}_{}{}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2\ensuremath{\pi}$ decay.
Sensitivity Analysis of Flutter of A Two-Degree of Freedom Linear Aeroelastic System

This paper deals with the problem of the aeroelastic stability of a typical aerofoil section with two degrees of freedom induced by unsteady aerodynamic loads. A method is presented to model the unsteady lift and pitching moment acting on a two dimensional typical aerofoil section, operating under attached flow conditions in an incompressible flow. Starting from suitable generalisations and approximations to aerodynamic indicial functions, the unsteady loads due to an arbitrary forcing are represented in a state-space form. From the resulting equations of motion, the flutter speed is computed through stability analysis of a linear state-space system. The sensitivity analysis of the aeroelastic stability boundaries to the structural parameter is evaluated. The results show that the parameter with the greatest influence on flutter speed is the center of gravity.
Marrow assessment for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis demonstrates poor correlation with disease probability.

Objectives: To evaluate the amount of hemophagocytosis in 64 marrow core biopsy specimens and aspirates from 58 patients with clinical suspicion for secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) or reported findings of hemophagocytosis. Methods: A review of medical records assigned patients to a low-risk (45 patients) or high-risk (13 patients) HLH group, and association with histologic findings was examined using the Fisher exact test. Results: The amount of hemophagocytosis in aspirate or the core biopsy specimen did not correlate with disease probability ( P = .17 and P = .63, respectively). Of the clinical/laboratory criteria assessed, the most significant correlations with HLH were highly elevated ferritin ( P = .01), cytopenias ( P = .02), and fever ( P = .009). Conclusions: Our findings indicated that marrow histologic findings alone do not reliably predict the probability of HLH, and an isolated finding of hemophagocytosis, even when present in a high amount, lacks specificity for HLH.
Radiotherapy for invasive breast cancer in North America and Europe: Results of a Survey

(2005). Radiotherapy for invasive breast cancer in North America and Europe: Results of a Survey. The Women's Oncology Review: Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 57-59.
Survivorship issues in ovarian cancer: a review.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To review what is known about survivorship issues for women after ovarian cancer treatment while identifying gaps and controversies. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, CINAHL, and CancerLit database searches using the key words ovarian cancer, quality of life (QOL), chronic care, coping, uncertainty, and survivor separately and in combination. DATA SYNTHESIS Data were categorized into psychosocial, QOL, and physical symptoms and reviewed for design, sample size, method, and outcome. CONCLUSIONS Ovarian cancer studies focus on women's symptoms and concerns during treatment. Needs and issues of long-term survivors lack exploration. The relationship of ovarian cancer survivorship and physical side effects of treatment or recurrence is insufficient given increasing survival rates. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING The nature and management of physical symptoms, beyond pain, in ovarian cancer survivors need further study. Specifically, QOL and psychosocial issues for long-term survivors require study. Consequences for women who undergo major tissue debulking or multiple and aggressive courses of cytotoxic treatments must be understood to facilitate intervention.
A parallel algorithm for constructing minimum spanning trees

Abstract The construction of minimum spanning trees (MSTs) of weighted graphs is a problem that arises in many applications. In this paper we will study a new parallel algorithm that constructs an MST of an N-node graph in time proportional to N lg N, on an N ( lg N)- processor computing system. The primary theoretical contribution of this paper is the new algorithm, which is an improvement over Sollin's parallel MST algorithm in several ways. On a more practical level, this algorithm is appropriate for implementation in VLSI technology.
Housing and urban blacks: A social distance-residential distance view

The relation between the diversity of available housing within the black ghetto and the diversity of demand within the same region is the concern of this study. Specifically, the degree to which the black housing market is able to accommodate the variations in demand by black households is examined. The relation between social and residential distances, which is operationalized by employment of the index of dissimilarity, is used as the means for assessing this degree of housing accommodation. The black population of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is used as a case study, while the white population is included for comparative purposes. Results of the analysis show that the supply and location of housing has failed to provide a housing stock that is diverse enough to accommodate the needs of the city's blacks. Middle class blacks may be effected most by the constrained market, because these house-holds are less able to adjust housing according to income than are lower income groups. As a result of this housing allocation process, the social spatial form of the ghetto may differ substantially from the remainder of the city.
Ghost states and pair effects in the lee model

Pauli and Kallen’s treatment of the one particleV-states in the ordinary Lee model is applied to J. S. Goldstein’s extension of the Lee model which includes pair effects in the θ-particle. Contrary to an earlier conclusion, it is shown that there is simultaneously a ghost state in theV-spectrum with energy greater than the normalV energy as well as a ghost in the θ-spectrum for negative values of one of the renormalization constants.
Forensic Issues That May Present With Child Psychiatric Emergencies: A Practical Guide

Abstract It is now common for a variety of child psychiatric situations to present in the emergency department setting for evaluation and triage. This trend appears to be related to changes that have taken place in the overall healthcare delivery system, a growing awareness of mental health difficulties in children and adolescents, and societal changes, such as school violence. These child psychiatric emergencies frequently involve forensic issues, which are often time-consuming and anxiety-provoking for even the experienced child psychiatrist. The following article provides practical advice that may be useful in these situations.
Diamond-coated glass substrates

Abstract Diamond films have been deposited on borosilicate glass substrates whose strain point temperatures are
Historical Perspectives: Cured by the Blood: The Story of the First Neonatal Blood Transfusion

On March 4, 1908, a baby girl was born to healthy parents at a New York Hospital. She weighed 8 lb 12 oz. Other than forceps marks over her cheeks, she appeared healthy. At 12 hours of age, she developed a hematoma over her tongue. That afternoon, she developed a fever to 102.2°F (39°C). She looked pale and restless and cried continuously. A subcutaneous hematoma was noted behind the left ear, extending down to her neck over the next 36 hours. She passed dark-colored meconium stools, strongly positive for blood. “Intestinal infection” was diagnosed, and she was treated with 30 minims of castor oil and two grains of calcium lactate. She deteriorated over the next 3 days, and appeared “hopeless” on the fourth day. Blood oozed continuously from her nose. Her skin was waxen white, mucous membranes were colorless, and pulse was feeble. It was clear that the child needed a blood transfusion, but this had never been tried in a newborn. The doctors considered giving her a “direct transfusion” and asked her father to be the donor. He agreed. Surgeons …
Is There a Diurnal Cycle in the Summer Cloud-Capped Arctic Boundary Layer?

Data from the Arctic Ocean Experiment 2001 (AOE-2001) are used to study the vertical structure and diurnal cycle of the summertime central Arctic cloud-capped boundary layer. Mean conditions show a shallow stratocumulus-capped boundary layer, with a nearly moist neutrally stratified cloud layer, although cloud tops often penetrated into the stable inversion. The subcloud layer was more often stably stratified. Conditions near the surface were relatively steady, with a strong control on temperature and moisture by the melting ice surface. A statistically significant diurnal cycle was found in many parameters, although weak in near-surface temperature and moisture. Near-surface wind speed and direction and friction velocity had a pronounced cycle, while turbulent kinetic energy showed no significant diurnal variability. The cloud layer had the most pronounced diurnal variability, with lowest cloud-base height midday followed by enhanced drizzle and temporarily higher cloud-top heights in the afternoon. This is opposite to the cycle found in midlatitude or subtropical marine stratocumulus. The cloud layer was warmest (coolest) and more (less) stably stratified midafternoon (midmorning), coinciding with the coolest (warmest) but least (most) stably stratified capping inversion layer. It is speculated that drizzle is important in regulating the diurnal variability in the cloud layer, facilitated by enhanced midday mixing due to a differential diurnal variability in cloud and subcloud layer stability. Changing the Arctic aerosol climate could change these clouds to a more typical "marine stratocumulus structure," which could act as a negative feedback on Arctic warming.
Bistability and other effects in a nonlinear fiber-optic ring resonator

Dispersive optical bistability with a threshold cw input power of approximately 10 mW has been observed in a single-mode fiber-optic ring resonator. Light is coupled in and out of the resonator by a single-mode-fiber variable directional coupler. A fiber-optic Faraday isolator is incorporated into the ring, thus increasing the threshold for stimulated Brillouin oscillation by a factor of 100 and permitting other weaker nonlinear effects such as bistability to be observed. Phase-sensitive amplification and deamplification (squeezing) of classical time-stationary noise is demonstrated and shown to be in agreement with the theory of squeezed-state generation in such a nonlinear fiber ring resonator. Light scattering by elastic eigenmodes of the fiber (guided-acoustic-wave Brillouin scattering, GAWBS) adds noise to light circulating in the resonator and obscures the observation of squeezed quantum fluctuations. The properties of this GAWBS scattering are investigated and compared with theory.
The mere exposure effect is differentially sensitive to different judgment tasks.

The mere exposure effect is the increase in positive affect that results from the repeated exposure to previously novel stimuli. We sought to determine if judgments other than affective preference could reliably produce a mere exposure effect for two-dimensional random shapes. In two experiments, we found that brighter and darker judgments did not differentiate target from distracter shapes, liking judgments led to target selection greater than chance, and disliking judgments led to distracter selection greater than chance. These results for brighter, darker, and liking judgments were obtained regardless of whether shape recognition was greater (Experiment 1) or not greater (Experiment 2) than chance. Effects of prior exposure to novel shapes were reliably observed only for affective judgment tasks. These results are inconsistent with general predictions made by the nonspecific activation hypothesis, but not the affective primacy or perceptual fluency hypotheses which were discussed in terms of cognitive neuroscience research.
Seasonal food use by white-tailed deer at Valley Forge National Historical Park, Pennsylvania, USA

Food habits of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were examined from January to November 1984 via fecal-pellet analysis at Valley Forge National Historical Park (VFNHP), which represents an “island” habitat for deer surrounded by extensive urbanization, in southeastern Pennsylvania. In addition, use of fields by deer was compared to food habits. Herbaceous vegetation (forbs, leaves of woody plants, and conifer needles) was the predominant food type in all seasons except fall. Acorns and graminoids (grasses and sedges) were important food resources in fall and spring, respectively. Use of woody browse (twigs) was similar among seasons. Field use was relatively high during fall, winter without snow cover (<20 cm), and spring when food resources in fields were readily available. In contrast, use of fields was lowest in summer when preferred woodland foods were available and in winter with snow cover when food in fields was not readily accessible. Patterns of food-type use by deer at VFNHP indicate the year-round importance of nonwoody foods and field habitats to deer populations on public lands such as national parks in the northeastern United States.
Catestatin (Chromogranin A352–372) and Novel Effects on Mobilization of Fat from Adipose Tissue through Regulation of Adrenergic and Leptin Signaling

Chromogranin A knock-out (Chga-KO) mice display increased adiposity despite high levels of circulating catecholamines and leptin. Consistent with diet-induced obese mice, desensitization of leptin receptors caused by hyperleptinemia is believed to contribute to the obese phenotype of these KO mice. In contrast, obesity in ob/ob mice is caused by leptin deficiency. To characterize the metabolic phenotype, Chga-KO mice were treated with the CHGA-derived peptide catestatin (CST) that is deficient in these mice. CST treatment reduced fat depot size and increased lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. In liver, CST enhanced oxidation of fatty acids as well as their assimilation into lipids, effects that are attributable to the up-regulation of genes promoting fatty acid oxidation (Cpt1α, Pparα, Acox, and Ucp2) and incorporation into lipids (Gpat and CD36). CST did not affect basal or isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP production in adipocytes but inhibited phospholipase C activation by the α-adrenergic receptor (AR) agonist phenylephrine, suggesting inhibition of α-AR signaling by CST. Indeed, CST mimicked the lipolytic effect of the α-AR blocker phentolamine on adipocytes. Moreover, CST reversed the hyperleptinemia of Chga-KO mice and improved leptin signaling as determined by phosphorylation of AMPK and Stat3. CST also improved peripheral leptin sensitivity in diet-induced obese mice. In ob/ob mice, CST enhanced leptin-induced signaling in adipose tissue. In conclusion, our results implicate CST in a novel pathway that promotes lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation by blocking α-AR signaling as well as by enhancing leptin receptor signaling.
Traumatic disruption of the abdominal wall: Lap-belt injuries in children

Abstract Traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) from high speed mechanism is a unique finding in adult trauma, and exceedingly rare in pediatrics. The majority of reports are of low-speed "handlebar" hernias associated with direct injury by bicycle handlebars. We report a series of three pediatric patients in motor vehicle collisions (MVC) who experienced TAWH by lap-belt and associated intra-abdominal injuries necessitating immediate operative intervention. Different operative approaches were used in each case to manage the varying types of disruptions. This adds to the pediatric literature the largest series of its kind.
Presence of plasma branched-chain fatty acids in multineuronal degeneration, hepatosplenomegaly and adrenocortical insufficiency.

Abstract We have previously reported a unique disorder in two brothers with multisystem neuronal degeneration, hepatosplenomegaly and adrenocortical deficiency. The clinical features were different from Refsum's disease. Biochemical analysis suggested that a metabolic defect of the ω6 polyenoic fatty acid pathway may be involved. In the present study, were have further identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry two branched-chain fatty acids, phytanate and pristanate, in these two patients' plasma. This small, but unequivocally elevated amount of branched-chain fatty acids was primarily localized in the triacylglycerols of plasma low density lipoprotein. Such branched-chain fatty acids were not detected in skin, liver and sural nerve samples. These two cases may represent an alternative metabolic error to that found in Refsum's disease leading to phytanate accumulation.
Critical evaluation of transition probabilities for Ba I and Ba II

Transition probabilities for allowed lines of Ba I and II, based on a critical evaluation of available literature sources, are presented in order of increasing quantum numbers.
Critical studies to improve service reliability of Sn–Ag–Cu solder joints by thermal treatments

Lead-free electronic packages intended for use in applications such as aerospace, military, and other highly demanding service conditions, necessitate exceptional mechanical reliability of lead-free electronic solder joints under realistic service conditions. Most current design strategies employed for improving the reliability of lead-free electronic solder joints are aimed at developing suitable alloying additions and reinforcements to the solder itself. At present there exists no suitable methodology to minimize the effects of service conditions while the solder joint is in service. Since thermomechanical fatigue reliability of electronic solder joints is closely related to the crack nucleation that occurs during very early stages of repeated thermal excursions, this study is based on subjecting solder joints to a limited number of thermal shock (TS) cycles in a chosen temperature regime to nucleate cracks, then evaluating their effectiveness in improving reliability when the solder joints are subjected to additional TS cycles in a different temperature regime. This study is a preliminary investigation, aimed at developing suitable methodology to minimize the effects of damage to lead-free solder joint specimens subjected to repeated thermal excursions during service, by imposing appropriate thermal treatments. These thermal treatments can be automatically implemented at programmed intervals during the service life of the electronic packages. Methods employed in these studies may also be useful to enhance long-term service reliability and to obtain a conservative estimate of long-term service reliability.
Storage stability of dental luting agents.

Statement of problem. Mechanical properties are considered to be important to the clinical success of dental cements. Storage time of dental luting agents (dental cements) before use and at the manufacturer may have substantial effects on their properties. Purpose. This study observed and investigated the changes in the properties of water-based dental luting agents over time and on exposure to various, environmental conditions. Methods and material. Properties of zinc phosphate, zinc polycarboxylate, and glass-ionomer, luting agents were recorded at baseline and at intervals past 84 months, whereas the materials were exposed to controlled storage, conditions as well as various conditions typical of clinical situations. Tests included viscosity, diametral tensile strength, ultimate compressive strength, rigidity, hardness, and working/setting times. Results. Viscosity increased over 24 to 60 months for the acidic polymer liquids (zinc polycarboxylate and glass ionomer). Tensile and compressive strengths began to decrease after 36, months for all cements, most acutely for glass ionomer. Conclusion. Changes in critical properties, on aging may not be noticed by the clinican and yet may impact clinical success. These data emphasize the importance of storage stability for perishable dental materials and portend the need for standardized tests.
The Role of Mindful Attention in Regard to the Relation Between Negative Affect Reduction Outcome Expectancies and Emotional Vulnerability Among Adult Cigarette Smokers

The present investigation examined the role of mindful attention in regard to the relation between negative affect reduction smoking outcome expectancies and anxious arousal and anhedonic depression symptoms and difficulties with emotion regulation among 174 (46% women; Mage = 25.32 years, SD = 10.51) daily cigarette smokers. As predicted, there was a significant interaction for negative affect reduction smoking outcome expectancies and mindful attention in relation to anxious arousal symptoms and emotion regulation difficulties. Individuals endorsing both higher levels of negative affect reduction outcome expectancies and lower levels of mindful attention reported the greatest anxious arousal symptoms and difficulties with emotion regulation, while those reporting both lower levels of negative affect reduction expectancies and higher levels of mindful attention were associated with lesser anxious arousal symptoms and the least difficulties with emotion regulation. There was no interactive effect for anhedonic depression symptoms. Findings are discussed in relation to better understanding the clinically meaningful interplay between mindful attention and negative affect reduction outcome expectancies among cigarette smokers in terms of affective vulnerability.
Characterizing effective d31 values for PZT from the nonlinear oscillations of clamped-clamped micro- resonators

In order to accurately predict the performance of micro-electromechanical systems which use piezoelectric material, precise knowledge of the piezoelectric coefficients is critical. Current material characterization methods rely on either simple structures restricted to small amplitude, linear oscillations or consider the piezoelectric material separate from the specific micro-scale device. A method is proposed for the characterization of the effective transverse piezoelectric coefficient d31 of lead zirconate titanate in a clamped-clamped micro-beam resonator experiencing nonlinear oscillations. Parameter trends identified by using a parametric identification scheme are analyzed and an approach is presented to calculate the linear piezoelectric coefficient. This method utilizes the relationship between a DC bias added to the excitation signal and the frequency shift experienced by the nonlinear response behavior. Through an additional numerical study, the sensitivity of the results to changes in the device length is identified and all data sets provide the same coefficient value when a length variation of less than 2% is allowed.
Choline and PAH transport across blood-CSF barriers: The effect of lithium

The components of the blood-CSF barrier responsible for the transport of p-aminohippuric acid (PAH) and choline from CSF to blood were identified using in vitro preparations of frog choroid plexus and arachnoid membranes. Choline was transported out of CSF across the arachnoid, while PAH was transported out across the choroid plexus. Probenecid and ouabain blocked both processes. The effect of Li on these transport processes was tested by the addition of 5 mM LiCl to the incubation media. Li increased, by a factor of two, choline transport across the arachnoid, but there was no effect of Li on PAH transport across the plexus. Lithium was passively transported across the choroid plexus, and we suggest that the major transport pathway is through the tight junctions. The steady-state distribution of Li between the choroidal epithelium and the incubation medium was only half that expected for passive distribution. This suggests the existence of sodium/lithium countertransport in these epithelial cell membranes.
Simple density-dependent matrix model for population projection

A matrix model based on a discrete time form of the logistic equation and the Leslie matrix model was developed for density-dependent population growth; the model is simpler and more easily applied than the model developed by Liu and Cohen in 1987 using a different discrete time form of the logistic equation. The new model requires no additional parameters, matrices, or mathematical functions, and it links life tables, the exponential growth equation, the logistic growth equation, and Leslie's matrix. The new model possesses the same qualitative dynamical behavior as both the model developed by Liu and Cohen and the discrete time logistic equation; it exhibits stable points, cycles, and chaos. It easily can be modified to include features developed for the logistic equation such as time lags. The model was applied to describe the growth of a white-tailed deer population introduced into a fenced reserve.
Anomalous electrophoretic mobility of mouse mtDNA restriction fragments.

Abstract Analysis of the electrophoretic mobilities of mouse mtDNA restriction fragments revealed a high incidence of anomalous migration in polyacrylamide slab gels. Relative to the mobility predicted by the sequence, 6 of 29 200- to 700-bp fragments had deviations of 5–12%. Three of these fragments migrated more slowly than predicted while three were faster. There was little, if any, correlation between electrophoretic mobility and base composition. The anomalous restriction fragments mapped throughout the mitochondrial genome.
A graph‐theoretic approach to the partition of individuals into full‐sib families

We present an algorithm to partition a single generation of individuals into full-sib families using single-locus co-dominant marker data. Pairwise likelihood ratios are used to create a graph that represents the full-sib relationships within the data set. Connected-component and minimum-cut algorithms from the graph theory are then employed to find the full-sib families within the graph. The results of a large-scale simulation study show that the algorithm is able to produce accurate partitions when applied to data sets with eight or more loci. Although the algorithm performs best when the distribution of allele frequencies and family sizes in a data set is uniform, the inclusion of more loci or alleles per locus allows accurate partitions to be created from data sets in which these distributions are highly skewed.
Origin and Control of the Dominant Impurities in High-Purity Germanium

Techniques have been developed to consistently purify germanium to the 1010 atoms/cm3 range. The major impurities are the acceptors boron and aluminum and the donor phosphorous. Formation of nonsegregating compounds of boron and aluminum make these elements difficult to remove by conventional zone refining whereas phosphorous and all other electrically-active impurities segregate normally and are therefore removed in the zone refining process. The only significant impurity introduced in our Czochralski crystal puller is phosphorous whose source has been traced to the quartz crucible. To reliably reduce impurity concentrations to acceptable levels it has been necessary to develop techniques for determining the types and concentrations of impurities in both the final single crystals and in the polycrystalline zone-refined ingots and to relate these results to the use of various boat and crucible materials. Photothermal Ionization Spectroscopy and electrical measurements have been used to identify and measure the impurities.
Convection of tin in a Bridgman system. II - An electrochemical method for detecting flow regimes

An ampoule was designed in order to obtain local flow behavior of the flow fields for convection of tin in a vertical Bridgman configuration. Multiple electrochemical cells were located along the periphery of the ampoule. Oxygen was titrated into the ampoule at one of the cell locations using a potentiostat and the concentration of oxygen was monitored at the other cell locations by operating the cells in a galvanic mode. Onset of oscillations were detected by means of thermocouples. We conclude that the flows are generally three dimensional for an aspect ratio of 5. Results on oscillations concurred with those of earlier workers. Suggestions for improved designs were made.
Dynamic Shear Stress Induced Platelet Activation in Blood Recirculation Devices: Implications for Thrombogenicity Minimization

Implantable blood recirculation devices such as ventricular assist devices (VADs) and more recently the temporary total artificial heart (TAH-t) are promising bridge-to-transplant (BTT) solutions for patients with end-stage cardiovascular disease. However, blood flow in and around certain non-physiological geometries, mostly associated with pathological flow around mechanical heart valves (MHVs) of these devices, enhances shear stress-induced platelet activation, thereby significantly promoting flow induced thrombogenicity and subsequent complications such as stroke, despite a regimen of post-implant antithrombotic agents. Careful characterization of such localized high shear stress trajectories in these devices by numerical techniques and corresponding experimental measurements of their accentuated effects on platelet activation and sensitization, is therefore critical for effective design optimization of these devices (reducing the occurrence of pathological flow patterns formation) for minimizing thrombogenicity [1].Copyright © 2009 by ASME
WITHDRAWN: A female autoimmunity gene exists: DDX3X.

Abstract This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy.
Estimation of Casein from Total Protein in Commingled Milk

Abstract Casein variation as a percentage of total protein and true protein in 146 commingled milk samples was investigated. A micro-Kjeldahl method was used to measure total protein (total nitrogen × 6.38), true protein [(total nitrogen − nonprotein nitrogen) × 6.38], and casein [(total nitrogen − noncasein nitrogen) × 6.38]. Samples were collected at seven Vermont cheese plants for 11 mo. Percentage casein of total protein and of true protein differed significantly among plants and months with no interactions of plant by month. Casein varied considerably less as a percentage of true protein than of total protein. Although highly significant, differences among plants and months were small. Among the 146 samples percents ranged from 74.9 to 79.3 casein of total protein and 80.4 to 83.7 casein of true protein. Four regression models for estimating casein from total protein were evaluated. Total protein accounted for 87.8% of variation of casein, whereas true protein accounted for 93.1%. Two factors - regression of casein on total protein and months explained 94.3% of variation of casein, with a standard error of estimate of .018% casein. In this model, explained variability increased by only 1% when cheese plant was included as an independent variable.
Competencies, Regional Accreditation, and Distance Education: An Evolving Role?

This chapter provides an overview of the link between competencies and current accreditation standards and examines the influence of distance education on the accreditation landscape. Techniques are suggested that institutional researchers can use to position their institutions advantageously in the contemporary accreditation process.
Scanning tunnelling microscopy: Closing in on molecular junctions

Contacts between a single molecule and a metal electrode can be good or bad depending on the number of metal atoms that are in direct contact with the molecule.
Brief Report: The Social Responsiveness Scale for Adults (SRS-A): Initial Results in a German Cohort

The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) is a tool for quantitative autism assessment in children and adolescents. The SRS-A addresses social responsiveness in adulthood. Reliability and validity using the German adaptation of the SRS-A was examined in 20 adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), 62 with other mental disorders (CLIN) and 163 typically developing (TD) participants. Cronbach’s alpha ranged from .71 (TD) to .89 (ASD). A SRS-A total score of 67 had a sensitivity of .85, and a specificity of .83 for ASD versus CLIN/TD. Correlations with established autism scales (ADOS, AQ, SCQ) were moderate to high (r = .25–.83). Results provide adequate preliminary support for the application of the SRS-A.