cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Miniaturized 3D mapping system using fiber optics and a Young's double pinhole interferometer

3D mapping has many applications including robot navigation, medical diagnosis and industrial inspection. However, many applications remain unfilled due to the large size and complex nature of typical 3D mapping systems. This paper describes a 3D mapping system being developed by the Photonics Laboratory at Virginia Polytechnic Institute which uses a fiber optic coupler as a fringe generator or grid projector. Several benefits are derived from this arrangement including small size, low cost, remote operation and survivability inside harsh environments. The system design and mathematical model are presented along with an estimation of the system depth resolution.
Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression during the programmed death of insect skeletal muscle.

While considerable attention has focused on the role of specific proteins in mediating programmed cell death, few studies have examined the possible involvement of post-transcriptional regulation of mRNAs associated with this developmental process. We have examined developmental changes in transcript stability and translatability using protein extracts generated from the intersegmental muscles (ISM) of the moth Manduca sexta as a cell-free model system to examine three genes that are representative of the patterns of expression observed in condemned ISMs: repressed (actin), induced (polyubiquitin) and constitutively expressed (ubiquitin-fusion 80; ubf80). In addition, we have used luciferase mRNA as a generic reporter transcript to determine if there are sequence-specific controls of mRNA function related to programmed cell death. Among the three Manduca transcripts, polyubiquitin displayed the shortest half-life (t1/2) in all ISM extracts tested. The stability and translatability of all mRNAs were most affected in extracts from muscle cells from day 17 animals, just prior to the commitment of the muscles to die. Transfer of the 3′ untranslated regions from the Manduca transcripts to luciferase mRNA did not appreciably change the stability or translatability of this test transcript. These data suggest that there may be global removal of cellular transcripts just prior to death to allow newly expressed mRNAs to rapidly accumulate to high levels. Such changes in message abundance, translatability and stability may facilitate the efficient activation of death (and perhaps other differentiation programs) in some developmental systems.
Theoretical investigation of microstructure evolution and deformation of zirconium under neutron irradiation

Abstract The radiation growth of zirconium is studied using a reaction–diffusion model which takes into account intra-cascade clustering of self-interstitial atoms and one-dimensional diffusion of interstitial clusters. The observed dose dependence of strain rates is accounted for by accumulation of sessile dislocation loops during irradiation. The computational model developed and fitted to available experimental data is applied to study deformation of Zr single crystals under irradiation up to hundred dpa. The effect of cold work and the reasons for negative prismatic strains and co-existence of vacancy and interstitial loops are elucidated.
Combined VHF Television Tuner and IF Strip

This paper describes a video i-f amplifier and agc system combined with a commercially available VHF tuner to form a compact television "receiver" system. The printed circuit board of the video i-f and agc circuitry is completely shielded by a metal cover comparable in size to a miniature VHF tuner. The combined unit requires d.c. power and horizontal keying pulses from the main chassis and will provide video and 4.5 MHz sound outputs.
Mutagenesis of the thiostrepton precursor peptide at Thr7 impacts both biosynthesis and function

The seventh residue of thiostrepton is predicted to be critical for antibacterial activity. Substitution of Thr7 in the thiostrepton precursor peptide disrupts both biological activity and the successful biosynthesis of analogs.
Occupancy of a C2-C2 type ‘Zinc-finger’ protein domain by copper Direct observation by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry☆

The metal ion specificity of most ‘zinc-finger’ metal binding domains is unknown. The human estrogen receptor protein contains two different C2-C2 type ‘zinc-finger’ sequences within its DNA-binding domain (ERDBD). Copper inhibits the function of this protein by mechanisms which remain unclear. We have used electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to evaluate directly the 71-residue ERDBD (K180-M250) in the absence and presence of Cu(II) ions. The ERDBD showed a high affinity for Cu and was completely occupied with 4 Cu bound; each Cu ion was evidently bound to only two ligand residues (net loss of only 2 Da per bound Cu). The Cu binding stoichiometry was confirmed by atomic absorption. These results (i) provide the first direct physical evidence for the ability of the estrogen receptor DNA-binding domain to bind Cu and (ii) document a twofold difference in the Zn- and Cu-binding capacity. Differences in the ERDBD domain structure with bound Zn and Cu are predicted. Given the relative intracellular contents of Zn and Cu, our findings demonstrate the need to investigate further the Cu occupancy of this and other zinc-finger domains both in vitro and in vivo.
Can mantle minerals have the NiAs structure

Abstract From the point of view of crystal chemistry, the nature of the chemical bonds in the NiAs structure is examined in an attempt to offer some criteria for the possible correctness of the prediction that this structure may be an important structure for mantle minerals. It is concluded that the nontransition-metal minerals will not have the NiAs structure; on the other hand, the possibility cannot be excluded that iron oxides may assume this structure at great depth. A number of geophysically interesting implications may arise if iron oxides have the NiAs structure in the lower mantle. A definite answer for the geophysical significance for the NiAs structure cannot be given at the present, however, but must be remained as a task for future experimental investigation.
The effects of maternal attributions on parenting : An experimental analysis

To address the direction of causality underlying the robust association of mothers' attributions for child misbehavior and mothers' parenting, mothers' child-centered responsibility attributions for their hard-to-manage toddlers' misbehavior were experimentally manipulated. Mothers and children were then videotaped interacting in typical but challenging situations. Relative to mothers who were told that their children were not to blame for misbehaving, mothers who were told that their children would misbehave voluntarily and with negative intent were rated as significantly more overreactive in their discipline and felt angrier; their children exhibited higher rates of negative affect. Therefore, mothers' attributions for children's misbehavior can determine the harshness of their discipline. Further research on attribution-focused interventions and their role in facilitating treatment response and maintenance in parenting programs is warranted.
Recent advances in chiral detection for high performance liquid chromatography

Abstract The unique response characteristics of optical activity detectors make them an important adjunct to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the analysis of biologically active molecules. The recent commercial introduction of turn-key, circular dichroism (CD) and polarimetric detection systems compatible with the sensitivity and volume requirements of HPLC will allow these detection approaches to be applied to measurement problems in a number of areas including biomedical research and diagnosis, biotechnology, as well as pharmaceutical science. The CD and polarimetric detectors respond directly to the intrinsic optical activity of the analyte, and both the magnitude and sign of the response can be used for quantitative and qualitative determinations. The information available from these detectors is difficult or impossible to obtain by other methods. In this article, the instrumental basis for both the CD and laser-based polarimetric detectors will be reviewed. Several applications will be described in which the unique response characteristics of these detection systems, either alone or in tandem with other detectors, can be used to identify chiral materials, and determine enantiomeric excess. It will be shown that this methodology is effective either without enantiomeric separation, or under conditions of low enantio-selective resolution. With this technology, a real-time assessment of enantiomeric excess can be obtained as a means to optimize and guide enantio-selective separation processes.
An Idealized Ground-Water Flow and Chemical Transport Model (S-PATHS)

The number of studies on the actual and potential environmental consequences of contaminated ground water is growing. One means of studying these consequences is through an idealized flow and transport model, S-PATHS, which allows the hydrologist to determine the salient features of contaminant migration with a minimum of data. The transport of contaminants by ground water from many waste disposal sites can be geometrically idealized as flow between a line and a circle. The flow system adjacent to the disposal site can be represented as a contaminant line source, and a downgradient pumping well as a circular sink. To study waste disposal sites on a larger scale the model geometry is reversed and the disposal site is represented as a circular source, and a river or other convenient line of evaluation is represented as a line sink. This idealization allows S-PATHS to describe the flow and transport process directly by a single partial differential expression. S-PATHS considers transmissivity, effective porosity, sorption, source strength, source concentration, decay, potentiometric gradient, circle size, and distance to the line. Coding for the model is not lengthy and can be run on a large-capacity, hand-held calculator.
Biopsychosocial correlates of persistent postsurgical pain in women with endometriosis

Abstract Objective To examine pain and biopsychosocial correlates over time for women with persistent postsurgical pain after surgery for endometriosis. Methods Cross-sectional study of women who underwent any endometriosis surgery between 2003 and 2006. Following surgery, patients completed validated questionnaires (Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, 12-item Short-Form Health Survey, Beck Depression Inventory, Coping Strategies Questionnaire catastrophizing subscale). The primary outcome was pelvic pain intensity, measured by the McGill total pain score. Bivariate comparisons between each potential predictor and pain intensity were performed using the χ2 and t tests, 1-way analysis of variance, and simple linear regression. Results In total, 79 completed the questionnaires and were included in the present analysis. The McGill affective pain score was negatively correlated with age (β-coefficient –0.12, P = 0.002) and positively correlated with catastrophization (β-coefficient 0.66, P = 0.01). Women with a history of dyspareunia scored significantly higher on the McGill total pain score (P Conclusion Younger age and catastrophization are correlated with persistent pain following surgery for endometriosis. The severity of endometriosis does not predict persistent pain. Further evaluation of psychosocial factors may identify patients who are least likely to benefit from surgeries for endometriosis-associated pelvic pain.
Doing Sovereignty in Native North America: Anishinaabe Counter-Mapping and the Struggle for Land-Based Self-Determination

Beginning with the premise that sovereignty may be most constructively contemplated not as a definable object or objective but instead as a process, this article examines counter-mapping as a way for contemporary indigenous citizens to “do” sovereignty. It surveys three Anishinaabe/Ojibwe communities’ recent use of geographical techniques to communicate their own territorial claims and counter the competing claims of others. In a 21st century context characterized by urgent extractive-industrial threats to indigenous landbases and lifeways, the cases presented here demonstrate that counter-mapping can serve as a powerful positive tool. Yet because the prevailing methods available to safeguard land-based self-determination also have the potential to undermine it, I conclude by considering some of the pitfalls that complicate counter-mapping’s ability to promote the sovereignty process. I suggest that indigenous people who choose to enact their sovereignty in this manner are indeed empowered, but only within an existing—and inequitable—socio-political system.
Covariance Control of Nonlinear Dynamic Systems via Exact Stationary Probability Density Function

This paper presents a method for designing covariance type controls of nonlinear stochastic systems. The method consists of two steps. The first step is to find a class of nonlinear feedback controls with undetermined gains such that the exact stationary PDF of the response is obtainable. The second step is to select the control gains in the context of the covariance control method by minimizing a performance index. The exact PDF makes the solution process of optimization very efficient, and the evaluation of expectations of nonlinear functions of the response very accurate. The theoretical results of various orders of response moments by the present method have been compared with Monte Carlo simulations. Special cases are studied when the approximate methods based on the maximum entropy principle or other closure schemes leads less accurate response estimates, while the present method still works fine.
Fetal Oxygenation and Maternal Ventilation

In the past 20 years, measurements of umbilical blood flow and umbilical venous PO2, oxygen saturation, pH, and oxygen capacity have provided reliable information about the state of oxygenation of normal and growth restricted human fetuses. However, no comparable information is available about the uterine circulation. Therefore, understanding of oxygen transport across the human placenta and the effect of maternal ventilation on fetal oxygenation is tentative, and currently based on a model that is derived from evidence in another species. The main purpose of this model is to illustrate the kind of information that is needed to make further progress in this area.
Advances in the development of high-temperature superconducting Bi-2223/Ag pancake coils for electric power applications

Abstract High-temperature superconducting (HTS) double-pancake coils have been fabricated using (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+ x (Bi-2223) multifilamentary (MF) Ag-clad tapes. The thermal-mechanical processing of Bi-based composites has shown an improvement in the transport properties of composite tapes by optimizing powder stoichiometry, deformation rate and reduction, sintering temperature and duration, and adjusted rate of heat treatment. Ag-clad Bi-2223 MF tapes up to 55 m have been fabricated using the powder-in-tube technique. An overall Ic of ∼7.5 A with a fluctuation along the length of less than 12% was achieved. An improvement in the electrical transport properties of ∼12 mT Bi-2223/Ag wind-reacted HTS double-pancake coils prepared from long partially processed tapes was achieved by means of post-sintering.
Using Film and Intergenerational Colearning to Enhance Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Older Adults

This study evaluated whether two evidence-based methods used collaboratively, intergenerational colearning and use of films/documentaries in an educational context, enhanced knowledge levels and attitudes toward older adults in nursing, social work, and other allied profession students. Students participated in a gerontology film festival where they were exposed to two documentary films related to older adults. The films were followed by a discussion led by a panel of persons who had knowledge of the topic and were models of healthy aging. A pretest/posttest design was used to measure aging knowledge and attitudes toward older adults. Additional data consisted of demographics and information on prior older adult-related trainings. Significant increases were found in aging quiz and attitude scores. The combination of exposure to the documentary films and an intergenerational panel consisting of older adults leading a discussion of the films appears to have an immediate positive effect not only on knowledge...
Evaluation of biochemical and structural changes in individual porcine corpora lutea during prostaglandin F2α-induced luteolysis with an in vivo implant system

To date, no in vitro system has been devised to allow the study of both the functional and the structural regression of luteal cells in response to prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha. This study describes the use of a novel intraluteal PGF2 alpha implant system that results in the death of individual corpora lutea (CL), while surrounding CL on the same ovary remain fully functional. By this technique, it was possible to study both the functional and the structural regression of individual CL in vivo, without the confounding effects resulting from the systemic injection of PGF2 alpha. Biochemical measurements of individual CL included progesterone concentration, protein kinase C activity, and diacylglycerol levels. Structural measurements included luteal weight and the protein:DNA ratio, which was used to estimate cell size. Further, the determination of large luteal cell size was accomplished directly via light microscopy. Nonpregnant gilts were injected with 5 mg of estradiol benzoate every 12 hr from 8:00 a.m. on Day 11 to 8:00 a.m. on Day 13 to prevent uterine PGF2 alpha secretion. At 7:00 a.m. on Day 13, CL on one ovary were selected at random to receive PGF2 alpha-implants (n = 4) or implant material only (n = 4), whereas the remaining CL on that ovary served as unimplanted controls. The other ovary was removed at the point, and the CL on that ovary served as 0-hr controls. Gilts were relaparotomized at 3, 6, 12, and 24 hr after CL implantation, the PGF2 alpha-implanted ovary was removed, and individual CL were evaluated. PGF2 alpha-implanted CL exhibited a decline (P 0.10) and therefore appear to be unassociated with either functional or structural changes in the PGF2 alpha-treated CL. Contrary to in vitro culture studies, the results of our in vivo study demonstrate no clear role for protein kinase C in the PGF2 alpha-induced luteolytic process.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Effects of rain on Ku‐band backscatter from the ocean

[1] During the Kwajalein Experiment (KWAJEX) in July and August 1999, measurements of the normalized radar cross section of the ocean, σo, were made at Ku-band with HH and VV polarizations from the R/V Ronald H. Brown. Data were collected at a variety of incidence angles during periods of rainfall as well as during clear conditions. During the experiment the rainfall rate ranged from 0 to 80 mm hr−1. Coincident with the backscatter measurements, measurements of rain rate, wind speed, wind direction, and fluxes of heat and momentum were made. Since we were primarily interested in backscatter from the surface, we removed backscatter from the raindrops themselves for the σo measurements reported here. As a secondary result we show that the backscatter from the rain drops is a good indicator of rain rate. Most of the data were collected with the ship stationary and the bow held into the wind. Thus the azimuth angle between the antenna look direction and the direction from which the wind came was predominantly between 0° and 90°. Over this range, rain was found to increase σo at incidence angles of 30° to 75°, to have little effect near 20°, and to decrease σo very slightly between 14° and 16°. At all incidence angles, no discernible dependence of σo on wind speed was found during rainfall for wind speeds below 10 m s−1; within experimental error the level of σo depended only on rain rate. For the lower incidence angles, this dependence was very small while at the higher incidence angles, σo depended on rain rate to a power that varied between about 0.5 and 1.2, being somewhat higher at large incidence angles and higher for HH polarization. The implication of these results is that rain produces small-scale surface displacements (wavelengths shorter than about 3 cm) that roughen the ocean surface much more than the wind for wind speeds below 10 m s−1. The results also imply that when rain fills the entire scatterometer footprint on the surface and the wind speeds are low to moderate, scatterometry at Ku band is impossible.
Contributions to the History of Psychology: XVIII. William H. Burnham: Forgotten Psychologist and Educational Pioneer:

William H. Burnham, one of G. Stanley Hall's close co-workers at Clark University, specialized in educational psychology and within that field made school hygiene his particular concern. Greatly respected by his students and colleagues, Burnham had a modest achievement drive which kept him from gaining more lasting fame than he did. His publications extend from the late 1880s to the 1930s (after his retirement). His concept of hygiene was a broad one, and he urged application of it to all phases of a child's education. Burnham's influence in promoting mental hygiene within the school has been only partially recognized.
Dopamine D1 receptor mediation of the discriminative stimulus properties of SKF 38393.

Dopaminergic mediation of the stimulus properties of SKF 38393 was analyzed in a two-lever, drug discrimination task. After acquiring the ability to discriminate SKF 38393 (10 mg/kg) from saline, rats (N= 12) were given substitution (generalization) and combination (antagonism) tests with selective D 1 and D 2 receptor agonists and antagonists. The D 2 agonists apomorphine and Ly 171555 (levo-isomer of Ly 141865) produced predominantly saline-lever responding; the D 1 antagonist Sch 23390, but not the D 2 antagonist haloperidol, dose dependently antagonized the SKF 38393 cue. These data support previous neurochemical and behavioral research which suggest that SKF 38393 may act by stimulating D 1 receptors.
Sister-Chromatid Telomere Cohesion Is Nonredundant and Resists Both Spindle Forces and Telomere Motility

It is well documented that inactivation of essential cohesion proteins results in precocious sister-chromatid separation. On average, however, only approximately 55% of cohesin-deficient budding yeast cells arrested prior to anaphase contain separated sister chromatids , suggesting that cohesin-independent factors also contribute to sister-chromatid pairing. Recently, redundant pairing mechanisms were found to occur at both rDNA and centromeres . Here, we tested whether redundant mechanisms also function to pair telomeres or whether cohesins provide sole pairing activity. Results from both mcd1 and ctf7 mutant cells show that nearly 100% of telomeres separate prior to anaphase, twice the cohesion defect reported for centromeres. Such complete loci separation reveals that cohesins are singularly responsible for maintaining telomere cohesion, in contrast to other loci. We also found that sister telomeres moved 141% farther apart than centromeres. Telomere separation occurred in the absence of spindle microtubules and an actin cytoskeleton and persisted in cells abrogated for Mps3p function-an integral nuclear envelope protein previously shown to function in cohesion . These findings are consistent with numerous studies that telomeres translocate along the nuclear periphery and provide new evidence that telomere dynamics can contribute to sister-chromatid separation, independent of centromere motility.
Studies on Fire Characteristics in Over- and Underventilated Full-scale Compartments:

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the thermal, chemical, and flow environments of heptane fires in an ISO 9705 room. Fuel flow rates and vent size were manipulated to create overventilated fire (OVF) and underventilated fire (UVF) conditions. Numerical simulations were also performed, for the same conditions, with the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Both OVF and UVF conditions were characterized with temperature distributions, and combustion product formation measured locally in the upper layer, as well as combustion efficiency and global equivalence ratio. It was shown that the numerical results agree quantitatively with measurements in both OVF and UVF. The internal flow pattern rotated in the opposite direction for the UVF relative to the OVF so that a portion of products recirculated to the inside of compartment. This flow pattern may affect changes in the complex processes of CO and soot formation inside the compartment d...
Enduring Stigma: The Long-Term Effects of Incarceration on Health∗:

Although incarceration rates have risen sharply since the 1970s, medical sociology has largely neglected the health effects of imprisonment. Incarceration might have powerful effects on health, especially if it instills stigma, and it could provide sociologists with another mechanism for understanding health disparities. This study identifies some of incarceration's direct and indirect effects and rigorously tests them using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. It finds that incarceration has powerful effects on health, but only after release. A history of incarceration strongly increases the likelihood of severe health limitations. Furthermore, any contact with prison is generally more important than the amount of contact, a finding consistent with a stigma-based interpretation. Although this relationship is partly attributable to diminished wage growth and marital instability, the bulk of the effect remains even under the most stringent of specifications, including controls for intelligence and the use of fixed effects, suggesting a far-reaching process with a proliferation of risk factors. The study also finds that incarceration contributes only modestly to racial disparities, that there are few synergistic interactions between incarceration and other features of inequality, including schooling, and that the evidence for a causal effect is much weaker among persistent recidivists and those serving exceptionally long sentences. These study findings are inconsistent with recent speculation; nevertheless, incarceration is an important addition to sociology's research agenda. Exploring incarceration could lead to, among other things, a fruitful synergy among studies on fundamental causes, stigma, and stress.
Affect, Action, and Ambiguity and the Amygdala-Orbitofrontal Circuit. Focus on "Combined Unilateral Lesions of the Amygdala and Orbital Prefrontal Cortex Impair Affective Processing in Rhesus Monkeys"

You startle awake. Was that the dog? Palms sweaty, heart rate up, anxious—you strain to listen for clues. Then you hear the tinkle of breaking glass from downstairs. Although your physiological response is similar, now you’re scared. As you reach for your Louisville Slugger, you wonder about the differences in the neural circuitry underlying anxiety and fear. Well you’re in luck! A report by Izquierdo and Murray (this issue p. 2023–2039) on the effects of lesions to the amygdala and outflow areas in the orbitofrontal cortex may shed some light on this question. Although the amygdala is thought to be central to mediating both anxiety and fear, different outflow pathways may be critical to generating these emotions and their attendant reactions (Davis 2000). Moreover recent evidence suggests that within the amygdala there is dissociation between systems that mediate affective responses to definite outcomes, characterized by goal-directed actions, and systems that mediate affective responses when consequences are more ambiguous, characterized by elevated attention and vigilance. A number of investigators have proposed that the basolateral complex is particularly important for the former function whereas the central nucleus, extended amygdala, and basal forebrain cholinergic system may be more important for the latter (Davis 2000; Holland and Gallagher 1999; Whalen et al. 2001). In this issue, Izquierdo and Murray (2004) report an interesting dissociation between the effects of combined, unilateral lesions of amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex on affective behavior that may reflect the involvement of these different systems. These researchers made unilateral lesions of amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex in monkeys and tested them on a battery of four tests. Two of these tests involved learning to respond appropriately to arbitrary cues (visual objects) associated with unambiguous appetitive outcomes (food rewards). The third and fourth tests, which required no new learning, assessed appropriate responding to innately aversive cues (plastic snakes and hairy spiders) and an ambiguous social cue (neutral human observer). The authors compared performance in monkeys with lesions in the right or left hemisphere to identify hemispheric specialization for affective processing.
Sensitivity to sucrose in smokers and nonsmokers: A comparison of TSD and percent correct measures

Ten smokers and 10 nonsmokers were compared for taste sensitivity to sucrose on two discrimination tasks, one at near-threshold (NT) concentration level and one at suprathreshold (ST) concentration level. The data were analyzed using the ds and area under ROC curve measures based on the theory of signal detection (TSD). and by using the percentage correct responses. Analysis of both TSD measures showed smokers to be significantly more sensitive than nonsmokers on the NT .task and more sensitive on the ST task, but not significantly so. Comparison of mean percent correct responses showed no significant differences. A reflexive enhancement phenomenon was suggested as a possible interpretation. A decreased sensitivity to the bitter taste in smokers apparently results in an increased sensitivity to the sweet taste.
Screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax, Reared for Mass Release Do Not Carry and Spread Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus and Classical Swine Fever Virus

Experiments were done to determine if transporting live screwworms Cochliomyia hominivorax Coquerel (Diptera: Calliphoridae) for developing new strains from countries where foot-and-mouth disease and classical swine fever are endemic, to the mass rearing facilities in Mexico and Panama, may introduce these exotic diseases into these countries. Are screwworms capable of harboring and spreading foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and classical swine fever virus (CSFV) when they are grown in virus-inoculated larval rearing medium? In one experiment, screwworm larvae were reared in a FMDV-inoculated artificial medium containing either 0.1 % formaldehyde or antibiotics as an antimicrobial agent. In another experiment, larvae were similarly reared in a CSFV-inoculated artificial medium containing 0.1% formaldehyde. In each experiment, samples of larvae and the rearing media were collected daily until pupation occurred. The presence of FMDV was assayed by observing cytopathic effects on cell cultures and a conventional reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR); CSFV was assayed using an avidin-biotin complex assay and a conventional RT-PCR. For media containing antibiotics, FMDV was detected in a larval sample collected on day 1 and in media samples on days 1, 2 and 3. No FMDV was detected from larval and media samples collected on all other days. For media containing formaldehyde, FMDV and CSFV were not detectable in larval or media samples collected on all sampling days. These results indicate that FMDV and CSFV cannot survive in rearing medium containing formaldehyde as an antimicrobial agent. Therefore, insects collected in endemic regions and reared using formaldehyde-containing medium for at least one generation at the collection site should be free of FMDV and CSFV and can be transported safely to a strain development/mass rearing facility.
Altered eicosanoid biosynthesis in selenium-deficient endothelial cells

Selenium (Se) is an integral part of the Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GSH-Px) catalytic domain. By modulating the cellular levels of fatty acid hydroperoxides, Se-GSH-Px can influence key enzymes of arachidonic acid cascade, in this case cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX). To investigate this phenomenon, the effects of cellular Se status on the enzymatic oxidation of arachidonic acid were investigated in bovine mammary endothelial cells (BMEC), which were cultured in either Se-deficient (-Se) or Se-adequate (+Se) media. When stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187, BMEC produced eicosanoids of both COX and LOX pathways. Compared with the Se-adequate cells, the production of prostaglandin I(2) (PGI(2)), prostaglandin F(2) (PGF(2alpha)), and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) was significantly decreased in Se-deficient cells, whereas the production of thromboxane A(2) (TXA(2)) was markedly increased in the -Se BMEC cultures. Although the enzymatic oxidation of arachidonic acid by the LOX pathway was found to be relatively less than by the COX pathway, the BMEC cultured in -Se media produced significantly more 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HPETE) than the +Se cells produced. Based on these results, we postulate that cellular Se status plays an important regulatory role in the enzymatic oxidation of arachidonic acid by the COX and LOX pathways. The altered eicosanoid biosynthesis, especially the overproduction of 15-HPETE, in -Se BMEC may be one of the underlying biochemical phenomena responsible for vascular dysfunction during Se deficiency.
Foraging decisions of American robins: somatic and reproductive tradeoffs

We examined the behavior of a central place forager, the American robin (Turdus migratorius), with emphasis on the self-feeding component of foraging bouts. Among individuals the mean percentage of all prey captured that was consumed by adults varied from 10% to 60% (x ; 31%). Size of prey appeared important in determing whether the prey was eaten; adults generally consumed small prey and fed larger prey items to their young. In addition, females consumed more prey per bout than males, although rates of prey consumption were similar between sexes. For those robins in which a correlation was demonstrated between bout duration and amount of prey captured, amount of prey eaten by adults influenced bout length more strongly than size of the load. Attempts to model the robins' foraging process indicated that prey size, quantity of prey in the bill, and time away from the nest were important in determining when to terminate a bout. The rate at which robins foraged in their territory increased with age of the nestlings. In addition, mated pairs partitioned territories roughly in half, presumably as a mechanism for increasing foraging efficiency in a fairly homogeneous environment. Foraging activity declined as distance from the nest increased, but not in the manner predicted by optimality models.
Drug Laws and Regulations for Sheep and Goats

This article reviews laws and regulations related to drug use in sheep and goats, with special reference to the United States. The discussion includes drug licensing procedures, legalities of extralabel drug use, withdrawal time estimation, and residues in sheep and goat tissues; it refers also to regulations related to organic production, dairy production, and compounding. Canadian and European regulations are mentioned. Veterinarians working with sheep and goats must be familiar with regulations governing use of drugs, to prevent legal action, fulfill their fiduciary responsibility to producers, and help protect and provide for a wholesome and safe food supply.
Nonlinear elastic deformations of moderately thick laminated shells subjected to large and rapid rigid-body motion

This study presents a transient nonlinear finite element analysis within the realm of a multi-body dynamics formulation for determining the dynamic response of a moderately thick laminated shell undergoing a rapid and large rotational motion and nonlinear elastic deformations. Nonlinear strain measure and rotation, as well as the transverse shear deformation, are explicitly included in the formulation in order to capture the proper motion-induced stiffness of the laminate. The equations of motion are derived from the virtual work principle. The analysis utilizes shear deformable shallow shell element along with the co-rotational form of the updated Lagrangian formulation. The shallow shell element formulation is based on the Reissner-Mindlin and Marguerre theory.
The Defect in Effective Skeptical Scenarios

What epistemic defect needs to show up in a skeptical scenario if it is to effectively target some belief? According to the false belief account, the targeted belief must be false in the skeptical scenario. According to the competing ignorance account, the targeted belief must fall short of being knowledge in the skeptical scenario. This paper argues for two claims. The first is that, contrary to what is often assumed, the ignorance account is superior to the false belief account. The second is that the ignorance account ultimately hobbles the skeptic. It does so for two reasons. First, when this account is joined with either a closure-based skeptical argument or a skeptical underdetermination argument, the best the skeptic can do is show that we don’t know that we know. And second, the ignorance account directly implies the maligned KK principle.
Two cytoplasmic candidates for immunophilin action are revealed by affinity for a new cyclophilin: One in the presence and one in the absence of CsA

We report the cloning and characterization of a new binding protein for the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A (CsA). This new cyclophilin, cyclophilin C (cyp C), shows extensive homology with all previously identified cyclophilins. Cyp C mRNA is expressed in a restricted subset of tissues relative to cyclophilins A and B, but is present in those tissues reported to be most affected by CsA therapy. A cyp C fusion protein has peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity, and CsA inhibits this activity. Using the cyp C fusion protein as an affinity ligand to probe cellular extracts, we find that the cyp C fusion protein binds specifically to a 77 kd protein in the absence of CsA, while in the presence of CsA it instead binds specifically to a 55 kd protein. We propose that the p77 is involved in cyp C native function and that the p55 is involved in signal transduction events blocked by treatment with immunosuppressive levels of CsA.
Charge density wave pinning in NbSe3

Abstract We describe a series of experiments which establish that charge density waves (CDWs) in NbSe 3 are weakly pinned. Size dependence of the threshold electric field E T is substantial in undoped crystals of ordinary dimensions, and occurs because typical crystal thicknesses t are comparable to the bulk transverse CDW phase-phase correlation length L x . When t becomes smaller than L x a crossover from 3D to 2D weak pinning behavior occurs.
Form and Vibrational Frequencies of the Nitrogen Dioxide Molecule

RECENTLY Bailey and Cassie1 have reported observations on the infra-red absorption spectrum of the gas mixture of NO2 and N2O4. Harris, Benedict and King2 have directed attention to the fact that the results of Bailey and Cassie are, in some respects, not in agreement with their observations and the results of previous investigators.
Robust photocatalytic water reduction with cyclometalated Ir(III) 4-vinyl-2,2'-bipyridine complexes.

Novel [Ir(C⁁N)2(N⁁N)]+ complexes with N⁁N ligands containing vinyl groups were synthesized resulting in quintupled turn-over numbers for the photocatalytic hydrogen production compared to the analogous non-vinyl compounds.
Dendroclimatic Analysis of a Bottomland Hardwood Forest: Floodplain vs. Terrace Responses1

Abstract Successful dendroclimatic reconstructions require separating trees with strong climate records in their tree rings (sensitive trees) from those with weak climate signals (complacent trees). Traditionally, dendroclimatologists identify sensitive trees based on their growing site and favor trees from high elevation or xeric sites; however, recently dendroclimatologists have explored the potential of bottomland hardwood sites because they harbor some of the oldest trees in the eastern United States. The objective of this study was to contrast the dendroclimatic sensitivity of Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. growing on a floodplain vs. a river terrace. Although the difference in elevation between these two sites was only 10 m, this represented a substantial difference in frequency and duration of flooding. Tree cores from Fagus grandifolia growing on the floodplain and on the terrace were collected to create two master chronologies from the tree ring widths. The ring width indices from these two sites were c...
Fathers Faring Poorly: Results of an Internet-Based Survey of Fathers of Young Children

Fathers of young children may face health challenges. In this article, the authors sought to characterize health-related challenges among fathers of young children (aged 4 years or younger) through the use of an Internet survey. Questions covered an unusually large battery of outcomes related to men's health, including general health, affect, and sexual function. A total of 126 adult fathers provided usable data. The most notable findings were that scores on the General Health Questionnaire, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and negative affect indicated poor general health and high levels of distress and negative affect compared with normative data. Relationship satisfaction, sexual desire, and sexual activity were similar to normative data, although sexual enjoyment with and without a partner were lower among fathers participating in this study. Some variables were associated with each other (e.g., relationship satisfaction and affect) but most were not. This study also indicates that fathers can be successfully recruited through Internet-based survey research.
Remarriages A Demographic Profile

This article presents descriptive statistics for remarriages according to the combined marital histories of brides and grooms. In 1988, 745,000 divorced men and 748,000 divorced women remarried. For each sex, 61% married divorced, 35% married single, and 4% married widowed partners. On average, the grooms were 39 and the brides were 35 years of age, but those who married single partners were younger (35 and 31, respectively) and better educated than average. In 1988, 72,000 widowed men and 77,000 widowed women remarried, at ages 61 and 53. They married widowed or divorced partners in similar proportions. By 1988, husbands and wives who jointly remarried at ages 25 to 44 in 1972 had lower divorce levels than did those who were first married as teenagers. This indicates that marrying at a young age was a stronger determinant of divorce than was a previous marriage of either or both spouses.
Density functional theory study of adsorption of OOH on Pt-based bimetallic clusters alloyed with Cr, Co, and Ni

Abstract The adsorption of OOH, the main product of the first step in the O 2 reduction on Pt(1 1 1) surfaces, is studied on Pt-based bimetallic three-atom clusters. Cr, Co, and Ni are better adsorption sites for OOH than Pt, but the strong adsorption might not favor the dissociation of OOH. However, the presence of Cr, Co, or Ni in the vicinity of a Pt atom increases its electron density, enhancing the Pt ability to transfer electrons to oxygenated species. Thus, Cr, Co, or Ni in the subsurface, rather than on the exposed surface, may contribute favorably to catalyze the O 2 reduction.
Head injury, diagnostic X-rays, and risk of medulloblastoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor: a Children's Oncology Group study.

A comprehensive case–control study was conducted to determine potential risk factors for medulloblastoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), a common brain tumor in children. This analysis evaluated possible associations between previous head injury and ionizing radiation exposure through diagnostic X-rays and medulloblastoma/PNET. Mothers of 318 cases <6 years of age at diagnosis between 1991 and 1997 and registered with the Children’s Oncology Group were interviewed. Mothers of 318 matching controls were selected through random digit dialing and interviewed. An association was not detected between previous head injury (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.40–1.5) or head X-ray for any reason including head injury with medulloblastoma/PNET. A statistically non-significant excess of cases reported having an X-ray for reason other than head injury (OR 2.3, 95% CI 0.91–5.7). When cases that received an X-ray for a common symptom of medulloblastoma/PNET were considered unexposed this association weakened (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 0.49–3.7). No dose–response relationship was observed. Head injury and exposure to diagnostic head X-rays were not associated with medulloblastoma/PNET in this study. Future studies should investigate all imaging procedures with ionizing radiation exposure including computed tomography scans and utilize radiation dose estimations.
Optical absorption and scattering of bovine cornea, lens and retina in the visible region

Optical properties of bovine ocular tissues were determined at laser wavelengths in the visible region. The inverse adding doubling (IAD), Kubelka–Munk (KM), and inverse Monte Carlo (IMC) methods were applied to the measured values of the total diffuse transmission, total diffuse reflection, and collimated transmission to determine the optical absorption and scattering coefficients of the bovine cornea, lens and retina at 457.9 nm, 488 nm, and 514.5 nm laser lines from an argon ion laser. The optical properties obtained from these three methods were compared, and their validity is discussed.
Flavored Tobacco Products in the United States: A Systematic Review Assessing Use and Attitudes

Objectives We systematically reviewed research examining use of and attitudes toward nonmenthol-flavored tobacco products to provide information relevant to a decision to regulate these products in the future. Methods To identify eligible studies, we searched PubMed, CINHAL, Embase, LILACS, and PsycINFO on September 19, 2013, without date restrictions. We obtained additional studies via gray literature searches, expert contacts, and hand-searching citations of included articles. We included participants of all ages. We conducted a qualitative synthesis for included studies. Results The 32 studies included in this review exhibited substantial heterogeneity and were of varied methodological quality. Findings from observational, experimental, and quasiexperimental studies suggest that flavored tobacco use is associated with young age and that consumers may perceive flavored products more favorably than nonflavored products. Evidence from qualitative studies indicates that flavoring in tobacco is viewed favorably by users and nonusers of these products. Conclusions The Food and Drug Administration has expressed interest in regulating flavored tobacco products. This systematic review strengthens the evidence base relating to this issue by synthesizing the literature from the United States on the use of and attitudes toward flavored tobacco. To address gaps in the literature, more research is needed to understand how flavoring impacts tobacco use over time. The evidence base would further be strengthened with the collection of brand-, flavor-, and product-specific data.